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Around the NFC North in week 9

Week 9 brings us to the start of the 2012 season’s second half.  Quick trivia:  Which is the NFL’s only division with three teams over .500?  You’re correct if you guessed the NFC North.  Let’s dive into the matchups around the division this week.

Chicago Bears (6-1) at Tennessee Titans (3-5)

The Bears are rolling, the Titans are not.  About the only thing in Tennessee’s favor this week is that it’s a home game.

The Bears narrowly escaped with a home win over Carolina while Tennessee came up just short against the Indianapolis Colts in overtime.  As the saying goes, good teams find a way to win and Chicago keeps doing it week after week.  They find themselves alone in 1st place atop the NFC North.

Tennessee has had solid play from backup QB Matt Hasselbeck in place of injured Jake Locker.  Hasselbeck will start Sunday against the Bears.  Unfortunately, Hasselbeck is the only Titans player who has played well consistently and the team has not been able to string consecutive wins together.

Titans RB Chris Johnson has flashed some of his vintage self lately, but not enough to put the team on his back.  The Bears are giving up a stingy 77 yards/game rushing and Johnson will be the focal point of their defensive game plan.  Read more... (1779 words + 3 images, estimated 7:07 mins reading time)

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QB Aaron Rodgers was good but not spectacular for the Packers in their 24-15 win over the Jaguars

It was ugly but the Green Bay Packers will take it.

The Packers offense was not firing on all cylinders Sunday without their top two receivers in Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson, but thankfully the defense was up to the task against a relatively impotent offense as the Packers hung on in an ugly 24-15 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Aaron Rodgers was good but not stellar as he missed his two favorite targets and Alex Green had a fair if not unimpressive performance against the Jaguars.   The defense, despite a third quarter touchdown, played solid in the red zone and kept the Jaguars out of the end zone for the rest of the game.

It would be unfair to say the Packers offense suddenly regressed thanks to injuries at wide receiver, but the running game needs to get going.  The defense also has been hobbled by injuries, but some bad habits seem to be resurfacing despite the unit’s overall solid play in the win.

Here’s who stood out and who didn’t in the win over the Jaguars.

Game Balls

S Morgan Burnett

People were watching to see how the secondary would do with the loss of Charles Woodson and Burnett came up big.  He had an interception, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and led the team with nine tackles.  Read more... (1064 words + 1 image, estimated 4:15 mins reading time)

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Jacksonville may be seeing a lot of Aaron Rodgers unloading the deep ball

The Green Bay Packers return home after a rare three game road trip where they managed a 2-1 mark.  They are dinged up and dealing with a plethora of injuries.  This seems like the perfect time for the schedule to ease up a bit and give the Pack a break.  Enter the Jacksonville Jaguars who are also limping into this game.  They will be without starting RB Maurice Jones-Drew, aka MJ-D and QB Blaine Gabbert is dealing with a sore left (non throwing) shoulder.  Let’s look at the key matchups in this week’s contest.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers vs. Jaguars defense

There’s not a whole lot to say here other than it’s MVP Aaron Rodgers against the 31^st ranked defense in the league. . at Lambeau Field.  Barring an injury or a hurricane rolling through town, I expect Rodgers to continue the tear that he is currently on:  9 TD’s, 0 INT’s and a QB rating of 140.8 in his last two games.  Rodgers has found his swagger and he’s very likely to take it out on the Jags’ secondary on Sunday.

The Jaguars are giving up 264 passing yards/game.  Green Bay averages 266 through the air.  Don’t be surprised if Rodgers’ total is close to that mark or even a bit less.  The Pack are dinged up at wide receiver and will surely be without Greg Jennings (groin) and likely won’t have Jordy Nelson (hamstring) available.  I expect the Pack to try and establish the run early and work the clock.  If that is the plan of attack, Rodgers likely won’t have to throw more than 25 times.  Read more... (1370 words + 3 images, estimated 5:29 mins reading time)

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The Packers offense and Aaron Rodgers should keep rolling against the Jaguars

The Green Bay Packers seem to be on a roll.

One week after their statement victory over the Houston Texans, the Packers followed it up with a 30-20 win over the improved St. Louis Rams.  Aaron Rodgers continued his recent hot streak, going 30 of 37 for 342 yards and three touchdowns.  The offense seemingly has emerged from doldrums it was in early in the season.

This week, the Packers go into a game that by all signs appears to be a cakewalk against the Jacksonville Jaguars.  The Jaguars very likely will go into the game without their star running back Maurice Jones-Drew and their improving but still struggling starting quarterback Blaine Gabbert.   In their places will be Rashad Jennings at running back and Chad Henne at quarterback.

The Packers come into the game without Greg Jennings and perhaps without Jordy Nelson, who is nursing a hamstring injury.  This would leave a receiver group of James Jones, Randall Cobb, Donald Driver and Jarrett Boykin.  The Packers will also not have Charles Woodson on defense who will be out for six weeks with a broken collarbone.

Scouting the Jaguars

On paper, it looks like the Jaguars don’t have a fighting chance against the Packers but it’s still the NFL.  They still have to play the games and anything can happen.  Read more... (957 words + 1 image, estimated 3:50 mins reading time)

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