Panthers' recipe for success working

Carolina Panthers coach John Fox has seem some bad films on Monday mornings this season. The latest tape is headed to his classics library, though.

After reviewing the defensive film of the Panthers' win over St. Louis, Fox said his defense played as well as it has all year.

"There were times where the coverage made the quarterback hold the ball," Fox noted, "and it bought time for the rush. There were times when the rush broke free and might have covered up some problems in the coverage. ... It was our best tackling game."

The Panthers held the Rams to 111 yards and had a team record-tying seven sacks in handing St. Louis its first shutout since 1998. The Panthers (6-4) have allowed 10 points in two games and moved into a first-place tie with New Orleans in the NFC South.

"We're starting to feel each other," said safety Mike Minter, who scheduled weekly dinners among defensive players three weeks ago to create chemistry.

PACKERS LOSE QB, BUT NOT FAVRE: The Green Bay Packers lost a quarterback for the season on Monday. It wasn't Brett Favre.

Aaron Rodgers broke his left foot during Sunday's game against New England and is out for the rest of 2006, Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. Rodgers had replaced Favre, who hurt his elbow earlier in the game.

Rodgers will need surgery. He broke his foot scrambling in the third quarter but played the rest of the game, finishing 4-of-12 for 32 yards.

"On a personal level, you feel terrible for him," McCarthy said. ... He finally gets the opportunity to play and that happens to him."

Favre, starting his 251st game including playoffs, injured a nerve in his elbow after getting sacked just before halftime in the Packers' 35-0 loss. He couldn't muster enough strength to adequately grip the football for the rest of the game.

McCarthy said Monday that Favre has most of the strength back in his elbow, but he wasn't ready to say the three-time MVP would practice this week.

BERRY'S SEASON OVER: Arizona Cardinals defensive end Bertrand Berry will miss the rest of the season after tearing triceps muscles in Sunday's victory over Detroit.

An MRI exam Monday revealed the seriousness of the injury, coach Dennis Green said. Berry will undergo surgery to repair the tear, probably this week.

"A big loss for us," Green said. "I've always said Bertrand is the No. 1 leader on our team."

SAINTS' COLSTON LISTED AS DAY-TO-DAY: New Orleans Saints star rookie receiver Marques Colston was listed as day-to-day Monday with a sprained left ankle sustained in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

"We'll treat it and see how much pressure he can put on it," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "It's just a matter how much weight it can support and how quickly he can come back off of it. Each day we'll get an idea maybe a little bit of his progress."

X-rays and an MRI exam were negative, Payton said.

SEAHAWKS-BRONCOS MOVED: The NFL moved the Dec. 3 game between the Seattle Seahawks and Broncos in Denver to Sunday night as part of its flexible scheduling for the last half of the season.

The game will begin at 8:15 p.m. EST on NBC.

Also moved that day will be Dallas at the New York Giants and Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh; both games will now begin at 4:15 p.m. EST and be televised by Fox. The Jacksonville at Miami contest will move to 4:05 p.m. EST on CBS.