The Green Bay Packers have Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson and Jermichael Finley. They also have tons of history and prestige.

But do they have what it takes to do what only the ’72 Dolphins have done? Can the defending Super Bowl champion Packers go undefeated?

It may be too early to talk about such a scenario but the Packers (8-0) are off to a strong start. They continue to display the ability to outscore teams and force turnovers.

It remains to be seen if that’ll be enough to go unbeaten, but at the moment it is enough for them to remain No. 1 in the latest NFL power rankings by The Times-Picayune.

The Packers are ranked ahead of the No. 2 Baltimore Ravens, No, 3 San Francisco 49ers, and No. 4 New York Giants. The New Orleans Saints moved up two spots to No. 6.

Here are the rankings:

Rankings, (last week), team, record,

1.(1) Green Bay Packers 8-0 Rodgers has thrown for a league-high 24 TDs

2. (5) Baltimore Ravens 6-2 Joe Flacco got it done.

3. (3) San Francisco 49ers 7-1 Their run defense is tough.

4. (6) New York Giants 6-2 Picked up a statement win against Patriots.

5. (7) Detroit Lions 6-2 Have a big game at Chicago.

6. (8) New Orleans Saints 6-3 This is a different team when playing in the Dome. 

7. (2) Pittsburgh Steelers 6-3 Dropped to third place in AFC North. 

8. (4) New England Patriots 5-3 Have lost two straight games.

9. (10) Atlanta Falcons 5-3 Can move into first place by beating Saints.

10. (11) New York Jets 5-3 Don’t look now, but the Jets are back in the hunt.

11. (12) Chicago Bears 5-3 Looked good on MNF.

12. (13) Houston Texans 6-3 Rushed for 261 yards against Cleveland.

13. (17) Cincinnati Bengals 6-2 Have won five-straight games.

14. (9) Buffalo Bills 5-3 Bills have been up and down the last few weeks.

15. (21) Dallas Cowboys 4-4 DeMarco Murray has Cowboys back at .500.

16. (14) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-4 Penalties hurting Bucs. 

17. (16) San Diego Chargers 4-4 Suddenly, the Chargers are losing their way.

18. (18) Philadelphia Eagles 3-5 Blew another fourth quarter lead.

19. (19) Tennessee Titans 4-4 Couldn’t hold on against Bengals.

20. (20) Kansas City Chiefs 4-4 Locked in a three-way tie for first in AFC West. 

21. (15) Oakland Raiders 4-4 Carson Palmer can’t afford to turn the ball over. 

22. (22) Washington Redskins 3-5 Have lost four straight.

23. (28) Denver Broncos 3-5 Only a game out of first in AFC West.

24. (23) Cleveland Browns 3-5 Scoring issues continue.

25. (24) Minnesota Vikings 2-6 Coming off a bye.

26. (25) Carolina Panthers 2-6 Coming off a bye.

27. (26) Jacksonville Jaguars 2-6 Coming off a bye.

28. (27) Seattle Seahawks 2-6 Have lost three straight.

29. (30) Arizona Cardinals 2-6 Patrick Peterson is one of the NFL’s top returners.

30. (31) Miami Dolphins 1-7 Reggie Bush is playing well.

31. (29) St. Louis Rams 1-7 Couldn’t string together back-to-back wins.

32. (32) Indianapolis Colts 0-9 Last four losses have come by double-digit margins.

The Green Bay Packers have Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson and Jermichael Finley. They also have tons of history and prestige.

But do they have what it takes to do what only the ’72 Dolphins have done? Can the defending Super Bowl champion Packers go undefeated?

It may be too early to talk about such a scenario but the Packers (8-0) are off to a strong start. They continue to display the ability to outscore teams and force turnovers.

It remains to be seen if that’ll be enough to go unbeaten, but at the moment it is enough for them to remain No. 1 in the latest NFL power rankings by The Times-Picayune.

The Packers are ranked ahead of the No. 2 Baltimore Ravens, No, 3 San Francisco 49ers, and No. 4 New York Giants. The New Orleans Saints moved up two spots to No. 6.

Here are the rankings:

Rankings, (last week), team, record,

1.(1) Green Bay Packers 8-0 Rodgers has thrown for a league-high 24 TDs

2. (5) Baltimore Ravens 6-2 Joe Flacco got it done.

3. (3) San Francisco 49ers 7-1 Their run defense is tough.

4. (6) New York Giants 6-2 Picked up a statement win against Patriots.

5. (7) Detroit Lions 6-2 Have a big game at Chicago.

6. (8) New Orleans Saints 6-3 This is a different team when playing in the Dome. 

7. (2) Pittsburgh Steelers 6-3 Dropped to third place in AFC North. 

8. (4) New England Patriots 5-3 Have lost two straight games.

9. (10) Atlanta Falcons 5-3 Can move into first place by beating Saints.

10. (11) New York Jets 5-3 Don’t look now, but the Jets are back in the hunt.

11. (12) Chicago Bears 5-3 Looked good on MNF.

12. (13) Houston Texans 6-3 Rushed for 261 yards against Cleveland.

13. (17) Cincinnati Bengals 6-2 Have won five-straight games.

14. (9) Buffalo Bills 5-3 Bills have been up and down the last few weeks.

15. (21) Dallas Cowboys 4-4 DeMarco Murray has Cowboys back at .500.

16. (14) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-4 Penalties hurting Bucs. 

17. (16) San Diego Chargers 4-4 Suddenly, the Chargers are losing their way.

18. (18) Philadelphia Eagles 3-5 Blew another fourth quarter lead.

19. (19) Tennessee Titans 4-4 Couldn’t hold on against Bengals.

20. (20) Kansas City Chiefs 4-4 Locked in a three-way tie for first in AFC West. 

21. (15) Oakland Raiders 4-4 Carson Palmer can’t afford to turn the ball over. 

22. (22) Washington Redskins 3-5 Have lost four straight.

23. (28) Denver Broncos 3-5 Only a game out of first in AFC West.

24. (23) Cleveland Browns 3-5 Scoring issues continue.

25. (24) Minnesota Vikings 2-6 Coming off a bye.

26. (25) Carolina Panthers 2-6 Coming off a bye.

27. (26) Jacksonville Jaguars 2-6 Coming off a bye.

28. (27) Seattle Seahawks 2-6 Have lost three straight.

29. (30) Arizona Cardinals 2-6 Patrick Peterson is one of the NFL’s top returners.

30. (31) Miami Dolphins 1-7 Reggie Bush is playing well.

31. (29) St. Louis Rams 1-7 Couldn’t string together back-to-back wins.

32. (32) Indianapolis Colts 0-9 Last four losses have come by double-digit margins.

The Green Bay Packers will make their annual appearance on Monday Night Football this coming week. They will lace it up against the rival Minnesota Vikings, and while a game against the Vikings is always a big game, this isn’t a good team in Minnesota and the Packers should win in a rout.

Over the years, the Packers have given their fans a lot of thrills and excitement on Monday Night Football. Let’s take a look at some of the great Monday night memories that involve the Green Bay Packers.

1996 – Packers vs. 49ers

This was the game that signaled the arrival of the new Green Bay Packers. Down at the half, the Packers stormed back in the second half to take the lead. Brett Favre(notes) was heating up against a good 49er team. The 49ers tied the game up at the end of regulation to force it into overtime. In the extra period, Coach Mike Holmgren allowed Green Bay kicker Chris Jacke to try a 53-yard field goal. He made it, and Green Bay now had confidence to make a Super Bowl run.

2003 – Packers vs. Raiders

We all remember this one. Playing with a heavy heart after the death of his father, Brett Favre passed for four touchdowns and 399 yards in a 41-7 Green Bay victory. There was really no question if Favre would play. “I knew that my dad would have wanted me to play,” Favre said.

1983 – Packers vs. Redskins

This was an average Green Bay Packer team against a Super Bowl contender in the Washington Redskins. To say it featured a lot of scoring is an understatement. Washington’s ace kicker Mark Moseley missed a 39-yard field goal with three seconds remaining to give the Packers a surprise 48-47 victory.

2004 Packers vs. Panthers

This was a big win for the Packers. The Carolina Panthers were coming off a Super Bowl appearance, and this was the Monday Night opener. The Packers stunned a overflow crowd and some of their own fans with a 24-14 win in Charlotte.

1984 Packers vs. Broncos

Everybody likes watching an NFL game in a blizzard. The nation had a chance to watch the Packers play the Denver Broncos in this one. A fall snow hit Denver and the Packers fumbled on their first two possessions giving the Broncos a 14-0 lead. The Pack stormed back but came up a little short in this entertaining game falling 17-14.

Rick Limpert covers sports, technology and events in and around Atlanta. He’s been a Green Bay Packer fan since the 1970s.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The Green Bay Packers will make their annual appearance on Monday Night Football this coming week. They will lace it up against the rival Minnesota Vikings, and while a game against the Vikings is always a big game, this isn’t a good team in Minnesota and the Packers should win in a rout.

Over the years, the Packers have given their fans a lot of thrills and excitement on Monday Night Football. Let’s take a look at some of the great Monday night memories that involve the Green Bay Packers.

1996 – Packers vs. 49ers

This was the game that signaled the arrival of the new Green Bay Packers. Down at the half, the Packers stormed back in the second half to take the lead. Brett Favre(notes) was heating up against a good 49er team. The 49ers tied the game up at the end of regulation to force it into overtime. In the extra period, Coach Mike Holmgren allowed Green Bay kicker Chris Jacke to try a 53-yard field goal. He made it, and Green Bay now had confidence to make a Super Bowl run.

2003 – Packers vs. Raiders

We all remember this one. Playing with a heavy heart after the death of his father, Brett Favre passed for four touchdowns and 399 yards in a 41-7 Green Bay victory. There was really no question if Favre would play. “I knew that my dad would have wanted me to play,” Favre said.

1983 – Packers vs. Redskins

This was an average Green Bay Packer team against a Super Bowl contender in the Washington Redskins. To say it featured a lot of scoring is an understatement. Washington’s ace kicker Mark Moseley missed a 39-yard field goal with three seconds remaining to give the Packers a surprise 48-47 victory.

2004 Packers vs. Panthers

This was a big win for the Packers. The Carolina Panthers were coming off a Super Bowl appearance, and this was the Monday Night opener. The Packers stunned a overflow crowd and some of their own fans with a 24-14 win in Charlotte.

1984 Packers vs. Broncos

Everybody likes watching an NFL game in a blizzard. The nation had a chance to watch the Packers play the Denver Broncos in this one. A fall snow hit Denver and the Packers fumbled on their first two possessions giving the Broncos a 14-0 lead. The Pack stormed back but came up a little short in this entertaining game falling 17-14.

Rick Limpert covers sports, technology and events in and around Atlanta. He’s been a Green Bay Packer fan since the 1970s.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The Green Bay Packers are much healthier than they were during the 2010-11 NFL season. Nick Collins(notes) is the only defensive player that has been lost for the entire season after he suffered a career-threatening neck injury against the Carolina Panthers in Week 2. Mike Neal(notes) has been out indefinitely after having knee surgery earlier in the season. Frank Zombo(notes) has had a plethora of injuries that have prevented him from playing an entire game.

Mike McCarthy informed the media in regards to the injuries on Neal and Zombo on November 7, 2011. McCarthy has already ruled out Zombo for the Packers’ Monday Night Football contest against the Minnesota Vikings on November 14. Zombo injured his hamstring against the San Diego Chargers. This is the third injury that he’s suffered since training camp began. His return is unknown.

McCarthy did have some encouraging news. Neal could return to practice this week. He’ll probably be unavailable to play for a couple-to-few more weeks. Still, the Packers could use another pass-rushing specialist on the defensive line. Neal was expected to be the successor to Cullen Jenkins(notes). Unfortunately, injuries have derailed the first two seasons of his career.

As the NFL’s only undefeated team and only one of two teams with fewer than two losses (8-0), the Packers have the luxury of taking fewer risks with playing injured players. The Packers have essentially played the entire regular season without Zombo and Neal. They really shouldn’t need them before their Thanksgiving Day game against the Detroit Lions in Week 12. They have home games against the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before that meeting.

I’m not sure what’s going on with Zombo. I’d really like to see Vic So’oto(notes) receive more playing time after his successful preseason. At the least, maybe he could share snaps with Erik Walden(notes). I’m losing confidence in Zombo because he can’t remain healthy. These injuries have occurred since last season. He certainly can’t be a starter unless he toughens up and/or improves his conditioning.

It’s been so convenient to have fewer injuries. It scares me because I wonder if they’re all due in the second half of the season. It’s just funny to see Alex Green(notes) and Collins as the only two significant players on injured reserve. Lawrence Guy(notes) and Shaky Smithson(notes) complete the 2011-12 injured-reserve report after nine weeks.

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The Green Bay Packers are much healthier than they were during the 2010-11 NFL season. Nick Collins(notes) is the only defensive player that has been lost for the entire season after he suffered a career-threatening neck injury against the Carolina Panthers in Week 2. Mike Neal(notes) has been out indefinitely after having knee surgery earlier in the season. Frank Zombo(notes) has had a plethora of injuries that have prevented him from playing an entire game.

Mike McCarthy informed the media in regards to the injuries on Neal and Zombo on November 7, 2011. McCarthy has already ruled out Zombo for the Packers’ Monday Night Football contest against the Minnesota Vikings on November 14. Zombo injured his hamstring against the San Diego Chargers. This is the third injury that he’s suffered since training camp began. His return is unknown.

McCarthy did have some encouraging news. Neal could return to practice this week. He’ll probably be unavailable to play for a couple-to-few more weeks. Still, the Packers could use another pass-rushing specialist on the defensive line. Neal was expected to be the successor to Cullen Jenkins(notes). Unfortunately, injuries have derailed the first two seasons of his career.

As the NFL’s only undefeated team and only one of two teams with fewer than two losses (8-0), the Packers have the luxury of taking fewer risks with playing injured players. The Packers have essentially played the entire regular season without Zombo and Neal. They really shouldn’t need them before their Thanksgiving Day game against the Detroit Lions in Week 12. They have home games against the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before that meeting.

I’m not sure what’s going on with Zombo. I’d really like to see Vic So’oto(notes) receive more playing time after his successful preseason. At the least, maybe he could share snaps with Erik Walden(notes). I’m losing confidence in Zombo because he can’t remain healthy. These injuries have occurred since last season. He certainly can’t be a starter unless he toughens up and/or improves his conditioning.

It’s been so convenient to have fewer injuries. It scares me because I wonder if they’re all due in the second half of the season. It’s just funny to see Alex Green(notes) and Collins as the only two significant players on injured reserve. Lawrence Guy(notes) and Shaky Smithson(notes) complete the 2011-12 injured-reserve report after nine weeks.

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Franchise Tag is No Problem for Green Bay Packers’ Jermichael Finley: Fan’s Take

What is the Beef with the Chicago Cubs and Ryne Sandberg? Fan’s Perspective

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The Green Bay Packers have returned to business as they try to become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the New England Patriots in the mid-2000s. They’ve made a few roster moves that will hopefully shore up their depth, special teams and emergency players on the practice squad.

The Packers moved Alex Green(notes) to the injured reserve (IR) as he’ll likely need surgery to repair a knee injury that he suffered in Week 7 against the Minnesota Vikings. The injury occurred when Randall Cobb(notes) returned a kickoff that he probably shouldn’t have. The Packers also released Cecil Newton(notes) from the practice squad. Newton, who was signed unto the practice squad just a few weeks prior, is the brother of Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton(notes).

The following promotions and demotions opened up two spots on the practice squad. The Packers reportedly filled these vacancies with offensive lineman Paul Fenaroli(notes) and safety Anthony Levine(notes). Levine was a participant at training camp but failed to make the 53-man roster or practice squad.

I figured that Saine may be the guy who could take Ryan Grant’s(notes) roster spot in 2012 if Grant leaves via free agency. The Packers may also need another running back if Green isn’t ready by the start of the 2012-13 NFL season. Saine would benefit from the experience that he’s receiving this season. Don’t forget that the Packers love special-teams contributions from their reserve players. Therefore, he can prove his worth just by excelling in that area.

Saine has a tremendous opportunity with the Packers. He’ll mostly be used on special teams. However, don’t be surprised if he plays some offensive snaps once he gets up-to-speed with the offense. Saine is an undrafted free-agent from Ohio State University. He has a large frame (5-11, 220 lbs) and can run a 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds. He’s a talented player but will need more seasoning to have a chance to succeed in the NFL.

Hopefully, Saine will be another undrafted gem that’s found by Ted Thompson. Maybe Packer fans will be referring to Saine as “Brand InSaine” by the end of the year (Bad pun intended).

The Packers will play the San Diego Chargers in their first game off the bye week on November 6.

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(notes) interception return following Matt Hasselbeck’s(notes) “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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Read More: vikings football, minnesota vikings football, packers football, green bay packers football, packers at vikings, packers vs vikings, green bay at minnesota, green bay vs minnesota, green bay minnesota scores, green bay minnesota updates, vikings packers recap, minnesota green bay recap, Michael Jenkins (WR – MIN), Donovan McNabb (QB – MIN), John Kuhn (FB – GBP), Greg Jennings (WR – GBP), Aaron Rodgers (QB – GBP), Visanthe Shiancoe (TE – MIN), Chris Kluwe (P – MIN), Ryan Longwell (K – MIN), Mason Crosby (K – GBP), Adrian Peterson (RB – MIN), Jermichael Finley (TE – GBP), Christian Ponder (QB – MIN), Randall Cobb (WR – GBP), Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings, Oct 23, 2011 3:15 PM CDT

Give the Minnesota Vikings credit. . .they fought as much as they could in this one, as they were down a number of defensive backs and had to shuffle their offensive line. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough in the end, as they fell by a final tally of 33-27 to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon at the Metrodome.

Rookie quarterback Christian Ponder had numerous highs and lows in his first ever National Football League start. He completed just 13 of 32 passes on the afternoon for 219 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, he also threw two interceptions that derailed Minnesota drives in the third quarter, but overall the offense looked significantly better under Ponder than it did in the first six games of the year under Donovan McNabb’s. . .ahem. . .”leadership.”

Ponder got off to a very nice start, as on his first play of the game he found Michael Jenkins on the left sideline for a 72-yard gain. It looked as though Jenkins had gone the distance, but after a review was found to have gone out of bounds at the 1-yard line. It didn’t matter, though, as two plays later Ponder found Visanthe Shiancoe for a 7-0 Minnesota lead.

The Packers answered back with a nine-play, 91-yard drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to John Kuhn to tie the game at seven. After an exchange of punts, the Vikings had to punt away again, but rookie Randall Cobb muffed a fair catch attempt and the Vikings took over at midfield. They turned that drive into a 1-yard Adrian Peterson touchdown run, and the Vikings’ lead went to 14-7. The teams then traded field goals to move the score to 17-10, and another Mason Crosby field goal as the first half came to an end made it 17-13 going into the locker room.

The Green Bay offense blistered the Vikings in the third quarter, however, as the second play of the frame saw Aaron Rodgers find a wide open Greg Jennings thanks to a blown coverage that gave them a 79-yard touchdown pass and a 20-17 lead. After a big punt return by Cobb, the Packers got into the end zone again with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Jermichael Finley to make the score 27-17. The Packers added two more Crosby field goals before the quarter ended, making it 33-17 going into the fourth quarter.

A Ryan Longwell field goal early in the fourth cut the deficit to 33-20, and Ponder led a 93-yard drive that concluded with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Michael Jenkins to cut it to 33-27. After getting the ball back, Vikings’ coach Leslie Frazier made a decision that will be talked about for the next few days, to be sure.

The Vikings had the ball on their own 36-yard line with a little more than two and a half minutes left to play, having all three of their time outs and the two-minute warning. Facing a 4th-and-10 situation, Frazier sent Chris Kluwe on the field to punt the ball away rather than risking going for it. The Packers got the ball and were able to run out the clock after a couple of runs by James Starks, and eventually knelt down to secure the victory.

The loss for the Vikings sends them to 1-6 on the season, while Green Bay remains the only undefeated team in the NFL at 7-0. The Vikings travel to Charlotte to take on the Carolina Panthers next week.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) – Aaron Rodgers is one of the older guys now. Here comes another rookie, joining the NFL quarterback club.

Christian Ponder, meet the Green Bay Packers.

“I think he’s going to be real excited. This is what we dream about when we’re kids,” Rodgers said.

With Minnesota at 1-5, Ponder has replaced stopgap starter Donovan McNabb. The Vikings picked Ponder in the first round to be their long-term solution at the sport’s most important position. This is a monumental move for a franchise that has traditionally turned to veterans for a year or two before moving on to another one, with varying degrees of success and a few flops.

But running the ball, making low-risk throws and playing steady defense is no longer the league’s standard winning formula. It’s a young man’s game, and he better be able to throw – quickly, consistently and anywhere on the field.

“We’re in a generation of pretty darn good quarterback play,” Rodgers said. “You see some of these young guys coming up, they’re ready to play and step in and play well. I think you saw a trend beginning with Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco in their year, and every year you’ve seen guys step up and play early and play well. So I think it’s great for the league.”

Ryan and Flacco each made the playoffs as rookies in 2008. Now roughly one third of the NFL’s starters are their age or younger, with Ponder accompanying Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert and Andy Dalton in this year’s class. Rodgers, in his seventh season and fourth as a starter, is suddenly one of the elders.

The speed of the game is frequently what coaches and players mention as the biggest challenge for young quarterbacks, and Ponder’s poise in limited action helped solidify the decision for coach Leslie Frazier. The Vikings and their long-frustrated fans have some newfound life this week for an otherwise-lost season that includes two of the next three games against Green Bay.

“I’m fired up!” quarterbacks coach Craig Johnson said after practice Thursday.

The Packers allowed 432 yards passing to Newton in beating the Carolina Panthers last month, so they don’t need to be reminded of the danger of assuming a new guy will automatically struggle.

But neither do the Vikings. Tarvaris Jackson made his first start for them as a rookie in 2006, and he finished with 50 yards in a 9-7 loss at Green Bay. Spergon Wynn (2001) and Brooks Bollinger (2007) weren’t rookies, but their first start for the Vikings came against the Packers at Lambeau Field, too, and didn’t end well.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy was the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers in 2005 when rookie Alex Smith made his first start, and he was roughed up for five sacks, five turnovers and a paltry 8.5 passer rating after completing only nine of 23 throws. McCarthy said this week he blamed himself for calling plays that didn’t put Smith in the right position to succeed.

“I never felt that the challenge was getting the rookie ready to play. It was really how he fit into the team, as far as was the team ready for him to play? I don’t think it’s realistic to go out and ask your rookie quarterback playing in his first game to go out and make all the throws and carry the whole offense,” McCarthy said. “You can’t just go in and be conservative, either, and run the ball and expect the defense to win the game.”

McCarthy added: “They obviously feel confident and have him ready to go. Otherwise he wouldn’t be out there.”

The Packers let Rodgers learn behind Brett Favre for three years, a luxury many teams don’t have, but the signs of future success were there then.

“But you never really know until you play the games if your quarterback has a chance to be a great one,” McCarthy said.

That’s what the Vikings are about to find out.

Rodgers already is one of the great ones, becoming the first player in NFL history to start a season with six games of 110-plus passer rating. The Packers are the NFL’s only unbeaten team, bringing a winning streak with them that dates to last December and includes, of course, the Super Bowl.

The rivalry hasn’t been this one-sided for decades. The Packers have won seven of the last 10 meetings, their best 10-game stretch in the series since taking eight of 10 in the mid-1980s. When they ruled the NFC with Favre in the mid-1990s, the Vikings were still competitive and quite capable of at least beating the Packers at home.

This week, with Favre finally retired and both teams at such opposite places in the standings, the intensity doesn’t seem quite the same.

“A little different matchup this year because of the records and the personnel for the fans’ perspective, but not for us,” Rodgers said. “We know what kind of game this is.”

The noise has rattled the Packers in the past, and left tackle Marshall Newhouse – subbing for the injured Chad Clifton – will have his hands full against NFL sack leader Jared Allen. But the Vikings aren’t at full strength in the secondary, an area of concern even when healthy, which doesn’t

bode well against Rodgers.

“I’ve said it since Marshall stepped in: There’s absolutely no part of me that’s worried about that kid,” said guard T.J. Lang.

The Vikings have quickly acknowledged the inevitable mistakes. But there isn’t any visible part of them worried about Ponder, either.

“I prepare myself for success. When things don’t go my way, I make sure that they do,” Ponder said. “I’m a perfectionist, and I’m going to do everything I can and reach my expectations.”

The Green Bay Packers announced Thursday that the team has added Cecil Newton Jr., older brother of former Auburn star and current Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, to its practice squad.

After playing college football at Tennessee State, Newton was signed as a free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2009 and made the practice squad.

Newton has been a member of the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad this season, but was released Sept. 5.

Newton, a 6-foot-2, 315-pound offensive lineman, was brought in to offset injuries to Packers linemen Chad Clifton and Bryan Bulaga. 

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers are 3-0
and still feel like they haven’t come anywhere near playing up to
their potential — especially on defense.

 That’s potentially bad news for the Denver Broncos (1-2), who
bring a sputtering offense into today’s game against the defending
Super Bowl champions at Lambeau Field.

 The Packers are stopping the run better than any team in the
league three games into the season, allowing only 55 yards rushing
per game. And they’ve been tough in the red zone, allowing only
four touchdowns in 13 opponent trips inside the 20-yard line.

 But the Packers have been remarkably vulnerable to the pass, and
will be without Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins for the rest of the
season after he injured his neck in Week 2.

 ‘‘That’s definitely motivation,’’ defensive lineman Ryan Pickett
said. ‘‘Because we watch film, we’re like, ‘Man, we left plays out
there.’ We have so much room to grow as a defensive unit, and
that’s the exciting part. I think we’re getting better. We’re
preparing harder, and we’re getting better. We’re looking to make
an even bigger step this week toward having a dominant
defense.’’

 The Packers pass defense might be an area to target for the
Broncos, a team quarterback Kyle Orton says can play much better on
offense. Having wide receiver Brandon Lloyd back healthy for the
second game in a row should help.

 ‘‘When we have everybody on the same page doing the right things,
we’re a pretty danged good football team,’’ Orton said. ‘‘On the
flip side, when you only get eight or nine guys doing the right
thing, we can’t overcome it. I think our focus heading forward is
getting on the right page and get more guys doing the right thing
on every play.’’

 Orton has struggled since winning his first six starts for Denver
in 2009. Some fans who want to see more of Tim Tebow, at least in
short-yardage and goal line situations, but Orton says he’s
ignoring it.

 ‘‘When you’re 1-2, your only thoughts are what can you do to get
to 2-2, and after that, what can we do to win the next game,’’
Orton said.

 And dating back to his time with Chicago, Orton is 3-1 as a
starter against the Packers.

 ‘‘I can’t wait to come back,’’ Orton said. ‘‘I’ve always had a
great amount of respect for the team and always had fun playing
against them in Chicago. I’ve always had a ton of respect — I came
out in the draft with Aaron (Rodgers) and really just watched him
from afar and really respect his game and what he brings to the
table. I’m excited to come out there. It’s a huge game for
us.’’

 The start to John Fox’s first season in Denver has been rocky,
especially with fans calling for more Tebow — at least in short
yardage and goal line situations.

 ‘‘I have not heard it,’’ Fox said. ‘‘It’s not been a distraction
to me. I can honestly say it has not been a distraction to our
locker room. ‘‘

 It hasn’t helped that Fox hasn’t yet had his best defensive
players on the field at the same time. Defensive end Elvis Dumervil
(shoulder), linebacker D.J. Williams (elbow) and cornerback Champ
Bailey (hamstring) could play today.

 Rodgers is at his best against the blitz, but certainly will have
his eye on Broncos rookie linebacker Von Miller. The No. 2 overall
pick in the draft had a sack in each of his last two games.

 ‘‘I think he’s going to be a really good player,’’ Rodgers said.
‘‘He’s got great athleticism, he’s an active player. They like to
bring him in their rush. He’s a tough guy to handle during the
game. So we’re going to make sure we pick out where he’s at, and
try to slow him down a little bit.’’

 The Packers’ high-powered offense might be without a couple of key
players, right tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee) and running back Ryan
Grant (kidney bruise).

 But Green Bay’s main concerns come on defense.

 ‘‘It’s a high standard around here,’’ B.J. Raji said. ‘‘Anything
short of greatness is not going to be accepted.’’

 Their strong run defense is particularly impressive because Dom
Capers’ defense spends so much time in nickel with only two down
linemen on the field — typically Pickett and Raji.

 And while teams have been slicing their secondary apart between
the 20s, the Packers are giving up an average of 3.54 points
allowed per opponent red-zone trip this season — second-best in the
league behind Carolina (3.29).

 New Orleans scored only one touchdown in five red zone trips in
the season opener, and the Packers set a tone for the season when
they stopped Saints rookie running back Mark Ingram short of the
goal line on the final play of the game to seal a victory.

 Packers coach Mike McCarthy says his defense plays great
‘‘adversity football,’’ playing its best when it’s backed into a
bad situation, but needs to be better overall.

 ‘‘We have a lot of work to do,’’ McCarthy said. ‘‘We’re 3-0. It’s
a good place to be in, to know you’ve won all your games, but you
know that you’re not really scratching the surface of how good you
can be as a team.’’

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

That’s potentially bad news for the Denver Broncos (1-2), who bring a sputtering offense into today’s game at Lambeau Field.

The Packers are stopping the run better than any team in the league three games into the season, allowing only 55 yards rushing per game. And they’ve been tough in the red zone, allowing only four touchdowns in 13 opponent trips inside the 20-yard line.

But the Packers have been remarkably vulnerable to the pass, and will be without Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins for the rest of the season after he injured his neck in Week 2.

“That’s definitely motivation,” defensive lineman Ryan Pickett said. “Because we watch film, we’re like, ‘Man, we left plays out there.’ We have so much room to grow as a defensive unit, and that’s the exciting part. I think we’re getting better. We’re preparing harder, and we’re getting better. We’re looking to make an even bigger step this week toward having a dominant defense.”

The Packers’ pass defense might be an area to target for the Broncos, a team quarterback Kyle Orton says can play much better on offense. Having wide receiver Brandon Lloyd back healthy for the second game in a row should help.

“When we have everybody on the same page doing the right things, we’re a pretty danged good football team,” Orton said. “On the flip side, when you only get eight or nine guys doing the rightthing, we can’t overcome it. I think our focus heading forward is getting on the right page and get more guys doing the right thing on every play.”

Orton has struggled since winning his first six starts for Denver in 2009. Some fans want to see more of Tim Tebow, at least in short-yardage and goal line situations, but Orton is ignoring it.

“When you’re 1-2, your only thoughts are what can you do to get to 2-2, and after that, what can we do to win the next game,” Orton said.

And dating back to his time with Chicago, Orton is 3-1 as a starter against the Packers.

“I can’t wait to come back,” Orton said. “I’ve always had a great amount of respect for the team and always had fun playing against them in Chicago. I’ve always had a ton of respect — I came out in the draft with Aaron (Rodgers) and really just watched him from afar and really respect his game and what he brings to the table. I’m excited to come out there. It’s a huge game for us.”

The start to John Fox’s first season in Denver has been rocky, especially with fans calling for more Tebow.

“I have not heard it,” Fox said. “It’s not been a distraction to me. I can honestly say it has not been a distraction to our locker room. ”

It hasn’t helped that Fox hasn’t yet had his best defensive players on the field at the same time. Defensive end Elvis Dumervil (shoulder), linebacker D.J. Williams (elbow) and cornerback Champ Bailey (hamstring) could play today.

Rodgers is at his best against the blitz, but certainly will have his eye on Broncos rookie linebacker Von Miller. The No. 2 overall pick in the draft had a sack in each of his last two games.

“I think he’s going to be a really good player,” Rodgers said. “He’s got great athleticism, he’s an active player. They like to bring him in their rush. He’s a tough guy to handle during the game. So we’re going to make sure we pick out where he’s at, and try to slow him down a little bit.”

The Packers’ high-powered offense might be without a couple of key players, right tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee) and running back Ryan Grant (kidney bruise).

But Green Bay’s main concerns come on defense.

“It’s a high standard around here,” B.J. Raji said. “Anything short of greatness is not going to be accepted.”

Their strong run defense is particularly impressive because Dom Capers’ defense spends so much time in nickel with only two down linemen on the field — typically Pickett and Raji.

And while teams have been slicing their secondary apart between the 20s, the Packers are giving up an average of 3.54 points allowed per opponent red-zone trip this season — second-best in the league behind Carolina (3.29).

New Orleans scored only one touchdown in five red zone trips in the season opener, and the Packers set a tone for the season when they stopped Saints rookie running back Mark Ingram short of the goal line on the final play of the game to seal a victory.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy says his defense plays great “adversity football,” playing its best when it’s backed into a bad situation, but needs to be better overall.

“We have a lot of work to do,” McCarthy said. “We’re 3-0. It’s a good place to be in, to know you’ve won all your games, but you know that you’re not really scratching the surface of how good you can be as a team.”

The Green Bay Packers have been in close games each of the first three
weeks, but have emerged undefeated. The Denver Broncos have also been in three
tight contests, yet they’ve already lost twice.

Such is the margin for error between the defending Super Bowl champions and
a team that hasn’t had a winning record in five years.

Aaron Rodgers(notes) and the Packers look to continue their strong start Sunday
when they host a Broncos team coming off another tough loss.

Green Bay (3-0) is one of the league’s three undefeated teams after beating
Chicago 27-17 last Sunday. Rodgers threw for 297 yards and three touchdown
passes to tight end Jermichael Finley(notes), while the defense finally came up with
some crucial stops.

After yielding at least 475 yards in each of the first two games – a 42-34
win over New Orleans preserved in the final seconds and a 30-23 comeback victory
at Carolina – the Packers held the Bears to 291 yards.

Green Bay is off to its best start since opening 4-0 in 2007, and it’s
undefeated through three games for the ninth time in 50 seasons. That bodes well
for the Packers, as they advanced to the postseason in each of their previous
3-0 starts.

“I think we have the potential to get better, and I don’t know how many wins
that means or the playoffs or whatever, but I just think we can play better
football,” said Rodgers, who owns the NFL’s highest passer rating (120.9). “The
standard we’ve set around Green Bay is excellence.”

The Broncos (1-2) aren’t quite held to the same lofty standards, and have
seen several of John Fox’s calls backfire in the first three games – all decided
by a field goal or less.

Last Sunday at Tennessee with Denver up 14-10, Fox called a timeout and
pulled his kicker off the field on fourth-and-goal from about a foot out early
in the fourth quarter. Willis McGahee(notes) was stopped for no gain, and the Titans
rallied to hand Denver a 17-14 loss.

“Every play is a consideration,” Fox said. “When they work, you’re a genius
and when they don’t, you’re an idiot.”

Fox’s personnel decisions are also being scrutinized, as fans are clamoring
for Tim Tebow(notes) to get the start at quarterback over Kyle Orton(notes).

Orton passed for a season-low 173 yards and two interceptions last week.

“I know that’s a popular belief,” Fox said, “but there’s a lot of people in
our building that understand quarterback play, and right now Kyle, in our
opinion, gives us the best chance.”

Orton was 3-1 against the Packers with Chicago, but didn’t put up flashy
numbers, completing 49.4 percent of his passes for 447 yards with two touchdowns
and three interceptions.

While Green Bay certainly doesn’t have any concerns about who is under
center, a few of the players around Rodgers are banged up.

Right tackle Bryan Bulaga(notes) sprained and bruised his knee last week, while
running back Ryan Grant(notes) bruised a kidney and took a shot in the mouth against
the Bears.

Grant finished the game, turning in an impressive 17-carry, 92-yard
performance, but coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday that both he and Bulaga will
be “pressed to make it” on the field this week.

James Starks(notes) would get the majority of the carries if Grant can’t go, while
Marshall Newhouse(notes) will get his first start if Bulaga’s out.

With those injuries, Green Bay’s running game could have trouble against a
Denver team that’s held its last two opponents to a combined 110 rushing yards.
The Broncos shut down three-time Pro Bowler Chris Johnson last week, holding him
to 21 yards on 13 carries.

The Packers put together a similar effort last week, limiting the Bears to
13 yards on 12 attempts – tied for the fourth-fewest rushing yards allowed in
franchise history. Green Bay, which has won 12 of 13 at Lambeau Field, is
allowing just 55.0 yards per game on the ground – No. 1 in the league.

Denver is 28th in the league in rushing, averaging 76.0 yards, and McGahee
got the start last week with Knowshon Moreno(notes) out with a hamstring injury. Moreno
participated in practice Wednesday, a good sign he may be ready to return
Sunday.

The Packers have won two of the last three regular-season meetings with
Denver since losing Super Bowl XXXII, and are 4-0-1 all-time against the Broncos
in Wisconsin.

In the last meeting on Oct. 29, 2007, Green Bay won 19-13 on an 82-yard Greg
Jennings(notes) touchdown reception on the first play from scrimmage in overtime.