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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.

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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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It’d be nice if Packers TE Jermichael Finley would get going and help the Packers crack the code of cover-2 defenses.

Now that you’ve had some time to digest the Packers losing to the Giants, ask yourself this:

Is your opinion of the Packers now any different than your opinion before the embarrassment against the Giants?

Mine isn’t. Here’s why:  Read more... (888 words + 1 image, estimated 3:33 mins reading time)

• We already knew the offensive line was a weakness. Take a super-talented front four and put it against a mediocre offensive line adjusting to injuries and what happened Sunday night isn’t terribly surprising.
• We already knew the pass rush would struggle without Clay Matthews. Did we really expect another five sacks from this defense without its best pass rusher?
• We already knew the Packers struggle against a cover-2. This one baffles me. Yes, running the ball beats a cover-2, and the Packers can’t run the ball, but it’s not like the cover-2 is some new revolutionary defense that came out of nowhere and was developed just to beat the Packers. They should be able to figure out some way to beat it by now, even if they struggle to run.
• We already knew Mason Crosby would likely miss if asked to kick a long field goal. He was asked to kick a 55-yarder, and missed.
• We already knew if Aaron Rodgers isn’t good to great, the Packers likely will lose. Thanks to bad blocking, an excellent Giants’ defense, weird playcalling, and some of Rodgers’ own struggles, he wasn’t good or great on Sunday and the Packers lost.

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Packers tackle Bryan Bulaga

The Green Bay Packers announced Monday that left tackle Bryan Bulaga had been placed on the season-ending injured reserve with a hip injury.

Bulaga suffered the injury against the Arizona Cardinals when he landed awkwardly. The early diagnosis wasn’t optimistic, and some had speculated immediately that Bulaga’s season may be over.

Losing Bulaga leaves the Packers shorthanded on the offensive line. T.J. Lang will shift over to right tackle, while Evan Dietrich-Smith will take Lang’s normal spot at left guard. For the rest of the season, the Packers’ offensive line–at full strength–will consist of Marshall Newhouse, Dietrich-Smith, Jeff Saturday, Josh Sitton and Lang.

Through ten weeks of the NFL season, the Packers have allowed 29 sacks–tied for second-most in the NFL.

To fill Bulaga’s roster spot, the Packers have signed outside linebacker Vic S’oto. The move gives Packers some depth at outside linebacker, as Frank Zombo was the team’s only available backup prior to So’oto’s signing.

So’oto played in seven games for the Packers last season and was in training camp with the team this summer. After appearing in four games with the Oakland Raiders this season, he was let go. So’oto, again, will wear No. 97 with the team.

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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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Once is a coincidence.  Twice in three years should raise some eyebrows.

Once again, the Packers seem to be the team in the NFL that has been most decimated by injuries.  The Packers heading into the bye have three linebackers on injured reserve and a fourth in Clay Matthews that could miss a few weeks with a hamstring injury.

Add in injured wide receivers Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson plus injuries to starting running back Cedric Benson and offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga and the Packers once again find themselves behind the eight ball and looking up at the Bears in the NFC North.

If this script sounds familiar, it should.  The Packers put 15 players on injured reserve in 2010 on their way to Super Bowl XLV and their fourth Super Bowl championship.  They also were chasing the Bears all season in the NFC North.  Could lightning strike again for the Packers?

The odds of pulling another rabbit out of the hat seem long, but Packer fans seem to be optimistic given the roster GM Ted Thompson has put together.

That may all be well and good, but there’s still one big question that remains unanswered—why do these injuries keep happening?

Could it be practices are too intense?  Packers coach Mike McCarthy has had to change his practice schedule a bit with the new CBA the NFL and NFLPA agreed on last year, but that was written to lower injuries and the Packers seem to be the only team impacted so severely.  This isn’t likely it.  Read more... (487 words + 1 image, estimated 1:57 mins reading time)

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Packers TE Tom Crabtree hauls in a 72-yard touchdown against the Cardinals

The NFL season never unfolds how we think it will. The same can be said about the Packers 2012 season.Who could have predicted the following?

• Tom Crabtree having more long touchdown catches than any wide receiver.
• 10 starters missing time with injuries.
• Special teams being a bright spot despite Mason Crosby going into a funk.
• James Jones being the team’s best wide receiver.
• Erik Walden having a solid season (Jersey Al actually nailed this one).

Rising

James Jones
Is James Jones the runner-up for Packers first-half MVP (behind Aaron Rodgers)? I’d probably put him behind Clay Matthews, but a case could be made that Jones has been the second most valuable player through nine games. Jones has not only made the routine catches, he’s now developed a knack for catching spectacular touchdowns like his grab before halftime on Sunday.  Read more... (809 words + 1 image, estimated 3:14 mins reading time)

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