After a deflating 19-16 overtime loss to Tennessee Sunday afternoon, the Packers reached the midpoint of their season with a 4-4 record rather than a 5-3 mark.

One game may not seem huge in the standings, but the significance of this defeat could have implications moving forward.

Here are some thoughts -- some serious and some frivolous -- from a sunny afternoon in Music City:

Running out of gas: While the Packers' offense seemed a bit rusty, at least initially, after the bye week, the defense stood up to the Titans' attack admirably... until it mattered.

Pinned at its own 8-yard line with less than two minutes left, Tennessee maneuvered down the field for what should have been a game-winning field goal by Rod Bironas, who clanked the right upright.

After winning the coin toss, the Titans marched down the field behind standout rookie running back Chris Johnson, who gained 45 yards in the extra session, and Bironas drilled a 41-yarder.

Stand up guy: Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who signed a lucrative contract extension Friday, was far from horrible Sunday but he did contribute to two turnovers on consecutive drives during the third quarter. Rodgers threw an interception in the end zone and then compounded a sack with a fumble that led to a Tennessee field goal.

Rodgers didn't try to pass the buck after the game. He seemed like he wanted to assume more blame than he probably deserved.

Bottom line: the Packers were in Titans' territory with less than 2 minutes to play in regulation and couldn't pick up the 15 or so yards needed to give Mason Crosby a chance to be a game-winning hero.

Remember me? Packers veteran Donald Driver, who has seemed like Greg Jennings' understudy for much of the season, caught seven passes for 136 yards and a touchdown. Driver, who has matched Sterling Sharpe's franchise record by catching at least one pass in 103 straight games, dropped a couple passes but this was easily his best game of the season.

Waste of time: The NFL needs to pass a rule banning teams from calling timeout in an attempt to "ice" the field goal kicker before an attempt. It never works. It's one thing if you are scrambling to get the right personnel on the field. But, to think that you're going to mess with a kicker's head by forcing him to stand around for 2 minutes thinking about the next kick is to ignore the fact that a kicker's primary job during a game is to STAND AROUND AND THINK ABOUT THE NEXT KICK.

No style points: The Titans are a very respectable football team. As such, they deserve better uniforms. The color scheme and logo scream are supposed to be contemporary, but instead seem "temporary." The look cries "crappy expansion club" more than "NFL powerhouse."

All wet: It's been years since we've seen National Lampoon's "Vacation," but we're pretty sure that supermodel Christie Brinkley's scenes were among the highlights. The commercial featuring her in the pool has become a lowlight of sporting events. The thing has aired so many times that you forget what product is being featured in the spot. Of course, that might be a good thing for DirecTV.

Homecoming game: Packers offensive tackle Chad Clifton and defensive tackle Justin Harrell, who played college ball at the University of Tennessee, experienced very different homecomings.

Harrell returned from the physically unable to perform list (the team cut Kabeer Gjabja-Biamila to reinstate him) and played about 15 snaps with varying degrees of effectiveness.

Clifton did not play because he suffered a reaction to an anti-inflammatory medication before the game. Daryn Colledge started in his place and the offensive line held up pretty well.

Back in the game: Veteran cornerback Al Harris returned to the Packers lineup after missing four games due to a spleen injury.

How does he do it? Titans quarterback Kerry Collins isn't fast. He doesn't throw the deep ball well. But, he's presiding over the only unbeaten team in the NFL.

Why?

He knows his limitations. His coaches do a fabulous job maximizing his strengths and hiding his weaknesses. And, he has Johnson (89 yards rushing, 72 receiving) and LenDale White (77 rushing yards) to make him look good.

Temper, temper: Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga made the boneheaded play of the week. His 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty for slapping David Stewart upside the head. The penalty, which came after a third-down incompletion, set up a field goal that ended up being the difference.

Of course, things may have been different had the Packers not dropped at least three potential interceptions...

Frost heats up: In a minor upset, Packers punter Derrick Frost out-kicked Craig Hentrich. Frost averaged 44.3 yards to Hentrich's 43.2.

Hitting his stride: Packers running back Ryan Grant, facing a tough defense, carried the ball 20 times for 86 yards. The Packers probably should have let him carry the ball six or seven more times.

Missing in action: While Packers safety Nick Collins has established himself as a consistent playmaker this season, middle linebacker Nick Barnett has been a virtual no-show since a strong showing against Minnesota on opening night.

Every time I saw Barnett on TV Sunday, he was getting pounded by center Kevin Mawae.

No spark: Speaking of linebackers... Why is that other teams seem to create significant pressure with linebacker blitzes and the Packers do not? How many times can we watch A.J. Hawk, one of the faster linebackers in the league, disappear into a pile of players when he tries to blitz?

No guts, no glory: Packers coach Mike McCarthy can be second-guessed for two fourth-down calls. The first came on fourth and 1 at the Tennessee 44. The decision to go for the play wasn't bad, but the play -- a short-yardage setup that ended with an incomplete pass to rookie tight end Jermichael Finley - left something to be desired.

Final word: The Packers lost a game they could have -- and probably should have - won. If they can clean up a few areas of their overall game, they can still be a formidable playoff team.