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Clay Matthews sacks Jay Cutler

To quote the Black Knight from Monty Python, “It’s only a flesh wound.”

The Green Bay Packers (and to an extent their fans) took one right in the chops during the season opener last Sunday at Lambeau, losing to the San Francisco 49ers 30-22.  The Packers made a game of it late in the second half, but thanks once again to putrid play by the Packer defense and some assists from the replacement officials, the Packers start the season 0-1 for the first time since Mike McCarthy’s rookie year as head coach in 2006.

Thankfully, the time for licking wounds and taking heat from rival NFC North fans is very brief this week as the Packers face their archrival Chicago Bears Thursday night at Lambeau Field. The Bears are 1-0 after a 41-21 blowout win over the Indianapolis Colts at Soldier Field.  They are currently tied with the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions at 1-0 atop the NFC North.

While no Week 2 game is truly a “do or die” proposition, starting 0-2 with two conference losses and one loss to a divisional foe is not a hole the Packers want to be in. With the Lions already dangerous and the Bears showing marked offensive improvement, the last thing the Packers want is to play a game of catch-up when their defense is already suspect.

Let’s take a look at the Bears

Scouting the Bears  Read more... (1294 words + 1 image, estimated 5:11 mins reading time)

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The Green Bay Packers (12-0) and Oakland Raiders (7-5) face off in Week 14 of the NFL season Sunday.

The basics 

When: 3:15 CST, Sunday, December 11, 2011.

Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI.

TV: CBS; Jim Nantz and Phil Simms.

Radio: 620 AM WTMJ (Milwaukee); Packers Radio Network; NFL Sunday Drive.

Series: Packers lead, 6-5 (Packers won last regular season game, 38-7, in Dec. 9, 2007 at Lambeau Field).

Five things to watch

1. Slow…Down

The Raiders’ speed, a feature their entire roster is built around, took a big hit on the offensive side when Oakland announced that Darren McFadden, Denarius Moore, Jacoby Ford and Taiwan Jones would all miss Sunday’s game. In all fairness, these aren’t just your run-of-the-mill “fast guys,” either. You’d be hard-pressed to find a faster set of four players in the entire league. All but Jones were major contributors on offense, too.  Darius Heyward-Bey (4.25-second 40-yard dash) is healthy and should start at one receiver position, however.

Without several of their most important speed guys available, it will be interesting to see how the Raiders cope. They struggled last week in Miami.

2. Grounded

Even without McFadden in the lineup for the better part of two months, the Raiders running game has remained among the NFL’s elite. Oakland averages 140.1 rushing yards a game, which is good for fourth in the league. Backup running back Michael Bush has been a big reason why the Raiders’ running game hasn’t missed a beat since McFadden went out, as Bush has rushed for 548 yards and three scores over the Raiders’ last six games. A big back at 6-1, 245 pounds, Bush should be a major focus of Dom Capers’ defense on Sunday.  Read more... (993 words + 1 image, estimated 3:58 mins reading time)

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It nearly disappeared in a New York minute, but the Green Bay Packers have made it to 12-0.

After their biggest scare to date in their 38-35 win over the New York Giants thanks to a brilliant last minute drive by Aaron Rodgers, the Packers return home to face the Oakland Raiders Sunday at 3:15. The Raiders, tied with the Denver Broncos at 7-5 atop the AFC West, come into the game after a 34-14 beatdown at the hands of the suddenly hot Miami Dolphins.

So how will the rematch of Super Bowl II pan out? Let’s look at the Raiders.

Raiders Key Players

QB Carson Palmer The Oakland front office took a lot of heat for the trade that acquired Palmer and sent to the Cincinnati Bengals a first round pick and a conditional second round pick that would become a first rounder should Oakland play for the AFC championship in either of the next two years.

After his length stalemate with the Bengals, it was unknown exactly what shape Palmer would be in. Was he working out during his “retirement” or was he already moving on to his post-football life.

The jury is still out after nine games. Palmer is completing 55% of his passes and has thrown eight TDs against seven interceptions.  Read more... (952 words + 1 image, estimated 3:48 mins reading time)

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