AllGreenBayPackers.Com

The injury to D.J. Smith was one of many among the Green Bay Packers linebackers.

When the injuries started compounding for the Green Bay Packers this year, fans didn’t seem to flinch. Too fresh in their memories was the story of 2010, when the Packers overcame several key injuries to become Super Bowl champions. “Next man up” became the rally cry for the team, its fans, and the media.

The motto’s resurgence in 2012 showed the confidence of Packers Nation in Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy’s ability to add and develop depth throughout the team. While concerns still brewed in the back of our minds, they were overshadowed by what we’ve come to expect from Green Bay’s second string players.

No more Desmond Bishop? Bring in D.J. Smith. Now Smith goes down? Get Brad Jones in there. Lose Cedric Benson, James Starks, and Brandon Saine? Promote Alex Green and DuJuan Harris, then re-sign Ryan Grant from free agency. Even undrafted rookie Don Barclay surprised us with his ability to take over for Bryan Bulaga and not get Aaron Rodgers killed.

The specific team building philosophy of Thompson and McCarthy have allowed the Green Bay Packers to succeed even when some of their best players end up on injured reserve. Many other teams would struggle to handle such losses, whereas the Packers push through, fill in the holes, and still win their division.  Read more... (778 words + 1 image, estimated 3:07 mins reading time)

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Jordy Nelson is probable for Saturday against the 49ers.

The Green Bay Packers have been bitten by the injury bug perhaps more than any NFL team this season. But headed into their divisional round matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, the Packers are getting healthier.

Running back James Starks (knee) is set to return to the field for the Packers. Starks hasn’t played since Dec. 2 when he carried the ball 15 times for 66 yards and a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings.

Prior to his injury, Starks had taken over as the team’s feature back. He had carried the ball at least 15 times in three of the team’s previous four games.

But since being forced to sit out, DuJuan Harris has taken over as the starting running back. In the past two weeks, Harris has carried the ball 31 times for 117 yards and a touchdown. He’s only caught seven passes for 70 yards.

Exactly what the Packers plan to do at running back is unknown, but one would expect Harris to get the bulk of the work against the 49ers.

Wide receivers Jordy Nelson (ankle) and Randall Cobb (flu) both practiced in full on Friday. Like Starks, both players are listed as probable and are scheduled to play in San Francisco, giving the Packers their full repertoire of core wide receivers for the second-consecutive week. Greg Jennings and James Jones are also healthy and ready to go.  Read more... (578 words + 1 image, estimated 2:19 mins reading time)

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Packers RB James Starks

When James Starks was hit in the knee by Vikings cornerback Josh Robinson late in the Packers’ Dec. 2 win at Lambeau Field, the thought was that his season would be over.

After all, the third-year running back has suffered multiple injuries dating back to his collegiate days at Buffalo. He exploded onto the scene late in the 2010 season and became the Packers’ lead back during their run to Super Bowl XLV.

His injury against the Vikings was thought to be a huge blow to a running game that had been struggling throughout the majority of the season.

But now, according to Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, it appears the Packers are aiming to bring Starks back for the playoffs.

“It’s a lot better,” Starks said. “Just how I was bent, when you look at it, it looked a lot worse. So I just thank God for being able to possibly come back and do well. So no real, serious bad injuries.”

With Starks out of the lineup the past couple weeks, the Packers have employed a three-man rotation at running back with Alex Green, DuJuan Harris and Ryan Grant. In two games without Starks, Green has carried the ball a team-high 26 times, Harris 12 and Grant nine.

Starks had taken over as the team’s primary ball carrier Nov. 11 against the Arizona Cardinals.  Read more... (395 words + 1 image, estimated 1:35 mins reading time)

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Packers RB James Starks

Jason Wilde of ESPN Wisconsin is reporting that running back James Starks may be out for the season with a knee injury.

Starks has battled numerous injuries dating back to his college days at Buffalo. He was forced to sit out the Packers’ first five games of the 2012 season with a significant turf toe injury.

But since returning to the field, Starks has become a major part of the team’s backfield rotation. This week against the Minnesota Vikings, he led the team with 66 yards on 15 carries, including a pivotal 22-yard touchdown.

The injury occurred when Vikings cornerback Josh Robinson upended Starks, hitting him square in the right knee late in the fourth quarter. Starks was able to return to the game and carry the ball a few more times, but the injury is apparently more serious than was originally thought.

The exact injury is unknown, although it’s not believed to be an ACL injury. Still, the Packers are reportedly considering putting Starks on the injured reserve and using the roster spot on a healthy player for the playoff run.

If Starks’s season is indeed over, the Packers will rely on Alex Green, fullback John Kuhn and recent call-up DuJuan Harris to shoulder the load running the football.

Green and Starks have been splitting carries since starter Cedric Benson suffered a Lisfranc injury against the Indianapolis Colts earlier this season.  Read more... (264 words + 1 image, estimated 1:03 mins reading time)

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Packers RB Cedric Benson

The Packers announced Thursday that running back Cedric Benson will remain on injured reserve for the rest of the 2012 season.

Just two days ago, there was speculation that Benson may be out for the rest of the season, and that suspicion became a reality today. Benson suffered a Lisfranc injury Oct. 7 in the first half against the Indianapolis Colts.

Benson underwent foot surgery on Wednesday.

Since he’s been out of the lineup, the Packers have relied on a combination of Alex Green and James Starks at running back. Green Bay currently ranks 23rd in the NFL running the football, averaging 100.7 yards per game.

The Packers currently have three running backs on the active roster–Green, Starks and second-year player Johnny White. Starting fullback John Kuhn is also capable of shouldering some of the load in short-yardage situations.

Follow @MVEversoll

Marques is a Journalism student and also a columnist at Jersey Al's AllGBP.com and Bleacher Report. Follow Marques on Twitter @MJEversoll.

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Packers QB Aaron Rodgers

The current Green Bay Packers are not ready for a Super Bowl run. In fact, the team that was just annihilated by the New York Giants last Sunday night would likely struggle to make the playoffs.

Decimated by injuries, the Packers have been forced to plug inexperienced young players into key roles and shuffle veterans into new positions. And yet, the show must go on.

Currently sitting at 7-4, every single one of the Packers’ preseason goals remains attainable. So why does it seem like the 2012 season has been a disappointment? Because the last two seasons, in their own way, have altered fans’ expectations.

Coming into 2012, the Packers’ aspirations were as lofty as any team in the NFL.

After all, the team went 15-1 in the regular season following their Super Bowl XLV victory. The reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers was on their side, along with an explosive set of wide receivers and one of the best coaching staffs in football.

But in week one, the Packers ran into a buzz saw from San Francisco. Playing at Lambeau Field in front of a revved-up fan base, the seemingly invincible Packers were beaten in every facet of the game. Some fans panicked, and their expectations changed.  Read more... (943 words + 1 image, estimated 3:46 mins reading time)

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Packers RB Cedric Benson

The Packers’ offensive line was dominated by the New York Giants in week 12, and it won’t be getting any help from tackle Derek Sherrod this season.

Sherrod was retained on the reserve/physically unable to perform list on Tuesday, thus ending his season before it even got started. The team faced a deadline this week to either activate him or stash him on the reserve/PUP for the remainder of the 2012 season.

Since starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga was lost for the season, the Packers were forced to move around the pieces on their offensive line. Left guard T.J. Lang has moved to Bulaga’s position at right tackle, and Evan Dietrich-Smith has taken Lang’s place at left guard.

The Packers haven’t been able to protect Aaron Rodgers all season, as the quarterback has been sacked a league-high 37 times through 11 games this season.

Now that Sherrod’s season is officially over, the Packers’ only backup offensive linemen are undrafted rookies Don Barclay and Greg Van Roten. Barclay can play either inside or outside at guard or tackle, whereas Van Roten is strictly an interior lineman.

Not only will the Packers not be getting a boost from Sherrod this season, they may be without starting running back Cedric Benson for the rest of the year as well.

Benson suffered a Lisfranc injury Oct. 7 at Indianapolis, and his foot hasn’t healed as quickly as the Packers had hoped. If he opts to have surgery, that will likely end his season.  Read more... (369 words + 1 image, estimated 1:29 mins reading time)

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