Operation Shutdown in full effect: 5 weeks, 1 completion, 10 yards

Bears TE Greg Olsen paid the price for catching a 10-yard pass vs. Al Harris in Week 11.

Some streaks in sports simply defy logic. We could use Al’s recently-broken streak of 175 consecutive appearances in an NFL game as an example. Who goes 10 years or so without missing a game in the NFL? It’s crazy to even think about.

Al took a tremendous amount of pride in that streak, but when it ended due to a lacerated spleen, the only concern was for Al’s health.

However, 3irty1 beat that injury and returned to the field a few weeks later, starting a new streak of five consecutive games and counting.

But the real story during those five games is this: Al Harris has only allowed one completed pass for 10 yards. Let’s say that again: In five games since returning from a lacerated spleen, 3irty1 has given up just one completion for 10 yards.

Absolutely incredible.

Sometimes I wish Al’s name would appear more in the box score. More tackles. More deflected passes. More interceptions. Because often those are the stats most coaches and fans look at when they evaluate who is the best in the business.

But Al has made himself into one of the all-time greats by doing his job so well, opposing QBs don’t even bother throwing his way anymore. He doesn’t generate the stats you might expect from one of the best cornerbacks in the game because his guy is never open, limiting the opportunities Al gets to generate those stats.

So keep your interceptions, your tipped passes and your tackles. The only stat that really matters is right here:

Five games, 1 completion, 10 yards.

Reaction: Carolina 35, Packers 31

Al Harris on his matchup with Panthers WR Steve Smith: "There's no love lost at all."

Injuries have decimated the Packers secondary, and head coach Mike McCarthy decided to shuffle the deck a bit on Sunday with Atari Bibgy hurting.

The coaching staff moved Charles Woodson to safety, filling the spot vacated by an injured Bigby and joining Nick Collins. Nickel back Tramon Williams was promoted to a starting assignment at cornerback, opposite Al Harris, which gave the Packers three defensive backs on the field in their base defense.

This makeshift defensive backfield limited Carolina QB Jake Delhomme to just 12 completions for 177 yards. Unfortunately for the Pack, Delhomme connected with WR Steve Smith on a 54-yard pass late in the 4th, which helped seal the win for Carolina.

After the game, Al Harris didn’t have a lot to say. But as usual, what he did say was full of class and good sportsmanship:

Harris sought out Delhomme after the game that dropped Green Bay (5-7) two games back in the NFC North with four to play.

“He said, ‘Hey, you did a great job, you took what we gave you today,'” Delhomme said. “That was something that as a quarterback you try to take what they give you. It’s hard. You want to take shots.”

Early in the game, Panthers wideout Steve Smith got tangled up with 3irty1, pinned him to the ground and the two exchanged words (in fact, the Charlotte Observer called it an “absolute wrestling match.”). Here’s what Al had to say about the matchup:

Some of the most physical play was away from the ball. Harris and Steve Smith kept jawing after Smith fell on top of Harris and took a shot at him. Harris made sure he had a little more bump in his bump-and-run defense after that.

“We’re competing, now. We’re competing. This was my third, fourth time playing against him,” Harris said. “He knows me, I know him. I know what to expect when I play him. . . . There’s no love lost at all.”

Greg A. Bedard of the Journal Sentinel also reports helmets collided as Smith and Harris left the field for halftime.