Rams Get Flagged Down by Packers

The St. Louis Rams saw too many flags and too much of Antonio Freeman to pull off another upset at Lambeau Field.

Freeman caught seven passes for 160 yards and a touchdown Sunday as the Green Bay Packers beat the Rams, 17-7. The Packers (8-2) have won 21 consecutive regular-season home games since losing to the Rams (2-8) in the 1995 season opener.

“That was in the backs of our minds,” Freeman said. “We weren’t about to let that happen again.”

Thanks to Freeman and the abundance of penalty flags, it didn’t. St. Louis had 15 penalties for 110 yards.

“I don’t think it was a very well-officiated game,” Packer linebacker Seth Joyner said. “There were a lot of late flags.”

Brett Favre had his first 300-yard passing game of the season and the Packers overcame nine penalties of their own to win their fifth in a row and stay tied with Minnesota for the NFC Central lead.

“Everyone wants to blame the referees,” Favre said. “There may have been a few bad calls, but for the most part, they’re calling them for a reason.”

The Packers covered 80 yards in seven plays on the opening drive of the second half, with Favre connecting with Freeman over cornerback Ryan McNeil for a 25-yard pass play and a 10-0 lead.

Freeman set up Green Bay’s only points of the first half with a 44-yard reception and made a diving reception for a 45-yard gain that preceded the final Packer touchdown on Favre’s seven-yard scramble in the third quarter.