ALLEN PARK — Green Bay has already ruled out Greg Jennings for Sunday’s game against Detroit, but Lions head coach Jim Schwartz won’t sleep any better with the knowledge.

Not many teams can absorb the loss of the former Western Michigan Broncos wide receiver, who had 67 catches for 949 yards and nine touchdowns before suffering a knee injury in a Week 14 game against Oakland.

The Packers are still loaded with weapons.

“It doesn’t change their schemes,” said Schwartz. “Jordy Nelson – (it means) more balls for Jordy Nelson. You know, they have a lot of good wide receivers. …

“I said it before a couple weeks ago about some teams: they’re not going to run out of anybody to hand the ball to. The Packers aren’t going to run out of anybody to throw it to – that’s the way they’re built and they play to their strength that way.”

Aside from Nelson – who is third in the NFL in both touchdowns (12) and yards per catch (18.7) – quarterback Aaron Rodgers can look to veteran Donald Driver, the Packers’ all-time leading receiver; tight end Jermichael Finley, whose athleticism makes him more of a wideout; and James Jones, who has seven touchdowns on the season, including a pair in last week’s win over Chicago.

“You know, you can fall into a trap if you pay too much attention to one player,” said Schwartz. “Whether it is Jennings, even though he’s not going to play, whether it’s Jordy Nelson, whether it’s Donald Driver, you know, Jermichael Finley. You pay too much attention to one – they have a lot of other weapons that can make big plays down the field.”

How much of an impact does Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Ryan Pickett have on the Packers’ run defense? We’re about to find out.

Pickett had missed the past two games (Kansas City Chiefs and Chicago Bears) after he suffered his second concussion of the 2011-12 NFL season. This injury occurred when Pickett’s head smashed into the knee of Oakland Raiders running back Michael Bush. Pickett had experienced headaches, dizziness and a lack of concentration for the past two weeks.

Pickett returned to the practice field on December 28, 2011. Pickett claims that he “Feels great.” He’s also grateful that the organization was looking out for his long-term health. There’s a possibility that Pickett will play in the Packers’ regular-season finale against the Detroit Lions on January 1, 2012. He should definitely be available for the NFC divisional playoff game that comes two weeks after that.

The Packers’ run defense has struggled without Pickett. The Packers lost their only game of the season when the Chiefs rushed for 139 yards. That was without Jamaal Charles, who was previously lost for the season with a torn ACL. Kyle Orton used a strong running game to his advantage as he had 299 passing yards, many of which came off play-action passing.

The run defense was worse on Christmas night. The Bears rushed for 199 yards despite having a third-string quarterback who hadn’t started a game since 2007 and a third-string running back. The Packers couldn’t contain the Bears’ ground game even with eight-in-the-box. Kahlil Bell and Armando Allen were both running wild on the Packers’ defense.

The combination of B.J. Raji and Pickett will hopefully protect the linebackers and allow them to make plays and control their gaps. The Bears were often picking linebackers up with their offensive lineman. Raji and Pickett must keep the opposing offensive line preoccupied.

If at all possible, Pickett shouldn’t play more than a half. He does need some playing time so he isn’t completely raw as he enters the playoffs. It’s probably better to exude caution on this injury since it’s a concussion. Concussions are unpredictable.

The Packers may be without Jermichael Finley in the regular-season finale. Finley missed practice on December 28 because his left knee has started bothering him. Finley sounds like he wouldn’t be against being benched for this game as it has no playoff implications. That would give him additional time to recover for the divisional playoff matchup.

Greg Jennings will also rest his knee for another week. However, there’s nothing to suggest that he won’t be ready for the playoffs.

Joshua Huffman grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as a Green Bay Packers and Chicago Cubs enthusiast. His favorite Packer moments include Super Bowl XXXI, XLV, and Al Harris interception return following Matt Hasselbeck’s “We’re gonna score” comments. As a Packers and Cubs fan, he suffered through Steve Bartman and “4th & 26″ in a span of three months.

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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP)—Ryan Pickett understands why the Green Bay Packers
kept him off the field for two weeks. That didn’t make the waiting any easier.

Pickett returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since he sustained
a concussion in the Packers’ Dec. 11 victory over the Oakland Raiders—his
second concussion this season.

Pickett had a less severe concussion during a practice in October, and
having two concussions so close together meant he had to sit out longer. Pickett
was itching to return right away, but acknowledged that the team did the right
thing holding him out.

“You appreciate it, looking out for your long-term health, things like
that,” Pickett said. “And I probably wasn’t ready, the past couple weeks I
just wasn’t there. But I feel great.”

Pickett didn’t remember taking a knee to the head from Raiders running back
Michael Bush until he saw it again on film. He had headaches, felt foggy and had
trouble concentrating while he sat out.

And while he appreciates the cognitive tests that a player must pass to
return to the field, he didn’t enjoy taking them, comparing the experience to
taking the SATs.

“And I hate the SAT,” Pickett said.

Pickett couldn’t really do anything during his recovery, no extensive
reading or watching movies. Even playing with his kids had to be done in
moderation.

“Stuff like that is so hard when you have a concussion and you have to
focus,” Pickett said. “They tell you to rest your mind. You don’t even want to
do reading. Just sit there. It’s probably the worst. You can’t do anything to
rehab and get it better. Just sit there and wait.”

And while Pickett was waiting, the Packers’ run defense was struggling.

Green Bay gave up 139 yards rushing at Kansas City on Dec. 18, enough to
help the Chiefs hold onto the ball and set up an effective play-action passing
game to hand the Packers their first loss.

Then came Sunday night’s game against Chicago, where the Packers gave up 199
yards rushing—including 121 by third-string running back Kahlil Bell, who got
the start because of injuries.

“Going back to the last game, we’ve talked about that in the grades, run
defense isn’t about talent,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “It’s about
doing the little things right, and we didn’t do a very good of it in our last
game.”

Despite starting Bell and journeyman quarterback Josh McCown because of
injuries, the Bears were able to stay in the game until Aaron Rodgers found his
rhythm in the third quarter and the Packers pulled away.

“It’s tough, because that’s not our style of football the past couple
weeks, giving up runs like that,” Pickett said. “It’s been real tough to
watch.”

Now the Packers already have clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and
McCarthy is weighing the possibility of resting veteran players in Sunday’s
season finale against Detroit.

Pickett hopes to play.

“I hope I can help,” Pickett said. “But this is good timing, my injury
happened at a good time, I’m ready to go now and we can start fixing things up
before we make this playoff run.”

Pickett’s return won’t automatically fix everything that has been wrong with
the Packers’ run defense the past few weeks, but it can’t hurt.

Now in his 11th season, Pickett has been a reliable inside force on defense
since leaving St. Louis to sign with Green Bay before the 2006 season—making
him one of Packers general manager Ted Thompson’s rare forays into free agency.

“In my opinion, just based on the grades and dealing with Ryan going on six
years here, I feel this is probably the best football he’s played,” McCarthy
said. “He’s physically in as good or better shape than he’s been in his time
here. He’s always had exceptional foot quickness and balance, the ability to
read and react. He definitely makes a difference in there.”

Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers praised Pickett’s combination of
skill and veteran savvy, but said the Packers’ problems stopping the run Sunday
aren’t as simple as bringing back one player.

“Your run defense is like putting a glove on,” Capers said. “(It) has to
all fit together. For me, it probably represents your team defense more than
anything else because guys have to know where they fit and what their job is.
Ryan normally does his job very well, in terms of protecting his linebackers,
holding the point and not getting knocked off the ball—all those things good
defensive linemen do.”

And while Pickett isn’t as flashy a player as fellow defensive lineman B.J.
Raji, his absence proved how valuable he is to the defense.

“The coaches know. The teammates know,” Pickett said. “The fans and the
other people might not, but I’m OK as long as we’re going good and winning.”

———

Follow AP Sports Writer Chris Jenkins on Twitter at:
www.twitter.com/ByChrisJenkins

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