"It wouldn't be quite accurate to say that Aaron Rodgers was in Matt Flynn's ear all day long Sunday, but it wouldn't be far off.

Flynn and his receivers deserve all the credit for a performance that set Green Bay Packers records for most passing yards (480) and most touchdowns (six) by a quarterback in a single game.

Starting in place of Rodgers, who was given the day off, Flynn was brilliant in the Packers' 45-41 season-ending victory over the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. But behind the scenes, Rodgers was on the headset calling plays for Flynn every time coach Mike McCarthy called for a no-huddle offense.

"I think Matt just kind of wanted Aaron there to help out a little bit through the no-huddle deal," No. 3 quarterback Graham Harrell said. "He was more just kind of giving him reminders, what the down-and-distance is, what he would be thinking.

"Usually when we go no-huddle, Aaron calls it all from the line. I think Aaron was just giving him little, quick shots."

McCarthy decided to sit Rodgers down, ending the quarterback's 21-game starting streak, but also preserving his 122.46 passer rating, which was good enough to break Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning's all-time NFL mark of 121.106.

During the week, Flynn took almost all of Rodgers' snaps in practice, but McCarthy wanted Rodgers to prepare as if he was playing and figured a way to keep him sharp would be to have him speak with Flynn through the helmet radio the quarterback wears.

"I wanted him mentally into this game, prepared to be able to operate as if he was playing," McCarthy said. "I was pleased the way the week went leading up to this and what we accomplished here today."

McCarthy made it seem as if he spent very little time deciding whether Rodgers would play this week in light of the Packers having clinched home-field advantage. He and the quarterbacks kept it secret during the week that Flynn would start. Why they did it that way is anybody's guess.

But asked if it was an easy call, McCarthy said:

"Yeah, it was. It was more important for Aaron to go through the week to prepare for the Lions because there is the potential to play the Lions in the playoffs. Aaron did that."

McCarthy's decision to rest Rodgers appeared to be two-fold."