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Scott M. Campbell: Green Bay Packers May Not Be a…

elescuedy — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 02:56:13 +0000

Don’t write the Packers into the Super Bowl just yet. Just as Green Bay has finally shown some chinks in its armor in December, its primary challengers for NFC supremacy are looking more and more formidable.

New Orleans has been the best team in the league of late, with a seven-game win streak that includes victories over playoff teams in the Falcons (twice) and the Lions as well as a 25-point blowout of the Giants. Drew Brees, who broke Dan Marino’s single-season passing yardage record with one game to spare, has his offense operating with head-turning efficiency. The streaking Saints have averaged 498 yards in their last five games.

The Packers’ other main NFC roadblock excels on the other side of the ball.

The 49ers, who showed their playoff chops with a 20-3 pounding of Pittsburgh two weeks ago, the Steelers’ lowest scoring output in more than four years, boast a punishing defense the likes of which Aaron Rodgers & Co. haven’t seen this year. San Francisco allows 13.5 points per game, the best mark of any team in the last five years, and leads the league in turnover margin at +26, four better than Green Bay.

Meanwhile, the Packers have shown in the last month that they may not be the slam-dunk Super Bowl team that their white-hot start indicated.

First, the Giants gave the defending champs all they could handle, succumbing only after Rodgers’ final-minute heroics lifted the Packers to a 38-35 triumph. Then two weeks later, Green Bay suffered a surprising stumble at then-5-8 Kansas City, losing 19-14 to suffer its first blemish.

Even the seemingly invincible Rodgers came back to earth a bit, registering his season low in passer rating and completion percentage in three straight games before responding with a five-touchdown gem against Chicago.

The Packers’ invincible aura is certainly gone.

The New York game showed Green Bay could be vulnerable in a shootout — just the type of affair it would likely have if it meets New Orleans in the NFC Championship game. Yes, the Packers prevailed 42-34 at Lambeau in the teams’ season-opening matchup. But the Saints’ versatile rushing attack and Brees’ pyrotechnics in the passing game mean New Orleans (12-3) is uniquely positioned to grapple with Green Bay in a high-scoring affair.

Then the Kansas City defense did what appeared impossible, dictating pace and style to the NFL’s top-scoring offense, albeit a shorthanded Packer unit. The Chiefs’ harassment of Rodgers in a four-sack showing now stands as the blueprint for teams that would favor forcing Green Bay into a grind-it-out, ball-control game — otherwise known as the San Francisco special.

The 12-3 49ers have mastered the art of dismantling opponents’ offensive flow. Teams have all but given up trying to run on San Francisco’s stone wall of a front seven — the runaway league leader in run defense became the first team in NFL history not to allow a rushing touchdown through 14 games before Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch finally broke through for a score last week. Forcing opponents into a one-dimensional game plan allows an opportunistic secondary and disciplined pass rush to wreak havoc.

A potential Green Bay-San Francisco showdown in the NFC Championship would be the most anticipated playoff matchup of the year. The best offense (the Packers average 34.3 points) against a historically stout defense. Rodgers, who is threatening to break Peyton Manning’s single-season passer rating mark, facing a 49er defense that has amassed 36 takeaways, including at least three in eight games.

While it’s easy to foresee a Packers-Saints matchup as another pinball-like game in which points pile up at a dizzying rate, it’s a mystery how Green Bay would fair against San Francisco. The Packers haven’t faced a single team ranked in the top 14 in scoring defense.

At this juncture, it appears that Green Bay would have its hands full against either the Saints or the 49ers. But the saving grace for the defending champs is that they would only have to face one of those challengers — in an NFC Championship matchup at Lambeau.

That the 14-1 Packers have positioned themselves to have an easier divisional round game is why they still have to be considered the favorite to reach the Super Bowl. But make no mistake, what earlier seemed a Green Bay stranglehold on NFC preeminence has loosened considerably.

What are your opinions.

Aaron Rodgers Losing Ground to Drew Brees in the…

LodlerUploalo — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0000

Just one month ago, we wondered whether Aaron Rodgers would shatter every significant single season quarterback record in NFL. Back then, the Green Bay Packers gunslinger was on pace to surpass Marino’s passing yards mark, Brees’ completion rate, Manning’s passer rating clip and Brady’s TD record.

Now, just four increasingly human performances later, and not only are those records out of reach, but Rodgers has also opened the door for what once seemed like an inconceivable MVP debate.

Rodgers’ numbers in that last four Packers’ games:

11/24 @ DET—CMP%: 68% QB RAT: 117

12/4 @ NYG—CMP%: 61% QB RAT: 106

12/11 vs. OAK—CMP%: 57% QB RAT: 97

12/18 @ KC—CMP%: 47% QB RAT: 80

Meanwhile, Drew Brees has elevated his play, eclipsing Rodgers in a few statistical categories and even gaining supporters for his own MVP bid in the process.

Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith, for instance, made the case for Brees when he said: “Drew’s having in my mind an MVP season, there’s no doubt about that. … He’s distributing the ball extremely well. They’re a top 10 team in running the football, the No. 1 team in total yards, No. 2 in points. Just to watch him operate, he looks very comfortable back there running the offense. It’s just amazing to watch him go out and run that offense. I hope he’s at his highest level because if he plays any better I don’t know if there’s any way to stop him.”

Similarly, ESPN columnist and MVP voter, Ashley Fox, echoed Smith: “If New Orleans wins its last two regular-season games, against Atlanta and Carolina, and—as expected—Brees obliterates Dan Marino’s 27-year-old record for passing yards in a season, I will be hard-pressed to vote for Rodgers over Brees.”

Personally, I agree with Smith and Fox that Brees’ gaudy stats are nearly impossible overlook, but Rodgers’ are equally as freakish. Particularly, I think that the fact that Rodgers scores more, while turning the ball over less, gives him the edge.

But, what do you think?

Here are the numbers:

Aaron Rodgers

Green Bay Packers (13-1)

2011-12 – Passing Yards: 4360 Yds/Gm: 311 TD: 40 INT: 6 QB RAT: 120 COMP%: 68%

Drew Brees

New Orleans Saints (11-3)

2011-12—Passing Yards: 4780 Yds/Gm: 341 TD: 37 INT: 11 QB RAT: 109 COMP%: 72%

More from Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Top Four Reasons the Green Bay Packers will not repeat as Super Bowl champions

Aaron Rodgers on pace for the greatest season in NFL history

Top Five Fastest Players in the NFL

Green Bay Packers passing defense may cost them the Super Bowl

Top Five Green Bay Packers of All Time

Follow Charles on Twitter and visit his Yahoo! Archive here.

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

That’s all for today.

Packers-Bears at a glance

agetryRatroma — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 03:24:00 +0000

• WHO: Chicago Bears (7-7) at Green Bay Packers (13-1).

• WHEN: Sunday, 7:20 p.m., NBC.

• OPENING LINE – Packers by 12 1/2.

• RECORD VS. SPREAD – Bears 7-7; Green Bay 9-5.

• SERIES RECORD – Bears lead 92-85-6. Last meeting: Packers beat
Bears 27-17, Sept. 25

• LAST WEEK – Bears lost to Seahawks 38-14; Packers lost to Chiefs
19-14.

• NFL RANKINGS: Bears’ offense, overall (24), rushing (10), passing
(25); Bears’ defense, overall (17), rushing (8), passing (27).
Packers’ offense, overall (4), rushing (25), passing (4); Packers’
defense, overall (31), rushing (12), passing (31).

• FACT & FIGURES: Packers can clinch home-field advantage in
NFC with win, or San Francisco loss, on Sunday. … Packers’ loss
at Kansas City last Sunday broke 19-game winning streak and was
first loss in nearly a year, having lost at New England on Dec. 19,
2010. … Will be fourth meeting between Bears and Packers in 2011.
Two teams faced off in 2010 regular season finale, NFC championship
game, and earlier this season. … QB Aaron Rodgers is first
Packers player and fifth player overall in NFL history to throw
40-plus touchdowns in season. … Five of WR Jordy Nelson’s 10
touchdowns this season have been for 35-plus yards. … WR Donald
Driver has 9,979 yards receiving and needs 21 to become the Packers
player with 10,000. … CB Charles Woodson has five interceptions
against Bears. Since joining Packers in 2006, Woodson has 37
interceptions and nine interception returns for touchdowns. …
Bears would be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss. …
Josh McCown replaces Caleb Hanie as Bears starting QB after Hanie
struggled in wake of Jay Cutler’s thumb injury. McCown hasn’t
started a game since Dec. 23, 2007, for Oakland against
Jacksonville. … Cutler remains out, and RB Matt Forte expected to
remain sidelined with knee injury. … Including NFC championship
game, Bears LB Brian Urlacher aims for third game in row vs.
Packers with an interception. … Bears DE Julius Peppers had sack
and fumble recovery in last game vs. Packers. Since entering NFL in
2002, Peppers is tied for third in league with 99 sacks.

- The AP.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Green Bay Packers Vs. Chicago Bears 12/25/2011:…

Azaranovichhh — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:02:00 +0000

The Green Bay Packers (13-1) return home to Lambeau Field and host the Chicago Bears (7-7) on Christmas night. It’s just the second time the Packers have played on Christmas; the only other time was in 2005 and that game was also against the Bears at Lambeau Field. Chicago won that game 24-17.

The Packers’ chance at an undefeated season ended at Kansas City on December 18th with a 19-14 loss to the Chiefs. The loss itself wasn’t as disturbing as the way the game was lost. The Packers high octane offense was largely shut down by the Kansas City defense, and the Chiefs’ offense maintained control of the ball with time consuming drives that kept Aaron Rodgers and company off the field. Green Bay’s defense allowed 438 yards and had no sacks, and no answer for Chiefs’ quarterback Kyle Orton. Injuries to the Packers’ offensive line have reached a critical stage; Aaron Rodgers was under constant pressure and was sacked four times.

The Bears come into the game with injury problems of their own with quarterback Jay Cutler, running back Matt Forte, and wide receiver Johnny Knox out. After going 0-4 with Caleb Hanie filling in for Cutler, Bears coach Lovie Smith will start Josh McCown at quarterback. McCown replaced Hanie late in the Bears loss to the Seattle Seahawks on December 18th, but before that, he hadn’t played in the NFL since 2009. Forte is the Bears leading rusher, and Knox is the leading receiver. With all this top talent out of action, it’s no wonder the Bears have scored just 27 points in their last three games.

Green Bay’s offense struggled last week against Kansas City’s defense, but the Packers also hurt themselves by dropping passes and committing penalties. The Packer receivers will have to adjust to not having Greg Jennings until the playoffs. They still have plenty of receivers, but Jermichael Finley and Jordy Nelson in particular will need to step up. The makeshift offensive line will have to protect Rodgers better than it did against Kansas City. Although tackle Chad Clifton is nearing a return from his back and hamstring injuries, he may still not be ready. His replacement, Marshall Newhouse, has not been impressive and will be up against Bears’ defensive end and team sack leader Julius Peppers.

With their offense struggling, the best and probably only shot the Bears have at winning is for their defense to keep the Packer’s offense off the field as much as possible. The Bears still have an outside shot at the playoffs with a victory, and Green Bay will clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win so both teams are motivated. The Bears defense will hold down the Packers’ scoring, but not enough for Chicago’s depleted offense to overcome. The Packers should bounce back from their first defeat and win in a low scoring game.

Mark Hudziak is a Featured Contributor in Sports for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. He has been a fan of the Green Bay Packers since the Vince Lombardi Era.

Sources:

Chicago Bears.com

Chicago Bears Yahoo! Sports Site

Green Bay Packers.com

Green Bay Packers Yahoo! Sports site

Packers: Scouting the Chicago Bears

Orton, Chiefs end Packers undefeated season

ugg ggyw — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:46:39 +0000

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mike McCarthy never put a whole lot of stock in a perfect season, except as a means of gaining
home-field advantage and setting the
Green Bay Packers
up for another Super Bowl run.

Well, they still have a chance to earn home-field advantage.

The perfect season? That’s history.

Kyle Orton
threw for 299 yards to outduel
Aaron Rodgers
, and the
Kansas City Chiefs
rallied behind interim coach Romeo Crennel for a shocking 19-14 victory on Sunday that ended the Packers’ 19-game winning
streak. It was their first loss since Dec. 19, 2010, at New England.

“I personally always viewed the undefeated season as, really, just gravy,” McCarthy said. “The goal was to get home-field
advantage and win the Super Bowl. That’s what we discussed.

“We were fortunate enough to be in the position to possibly achieve the undefeated season,” he added, “but we still have the
primary goal in front of us, and that’s to get home-field advantage.”

Green Bay, playing without leading receiver
Greg Jennings
and top rusher
James Starks
because of injuries, can wrap up the No. 1 seed in their final two games against Chicago and Detroit. But the Packers no longer
have the pressure of becoming the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with a perfect record, or extending the second-longest
winning streak in league history.

“I think our goal ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl. The next step is getting that number one seed in the playoffs,” Rodgers
said. “We’ve got a home playoff game – we’ve got a bye secured.”

Rodgers was 17 of 35 for 235 yards and a touchdown, and he also scampered 8 yards for another touchdown with 2:12 left in
the game. But the Packers (13-1) were unable to recover the onside kick, and Kansas City picked up a couple of first downs
to secure the victory.

“They had a good game plan,” Rodgers said. “You have to give them credit.”

Ryan Succop
kicked four field goals for Kansas City (6-8), which had lost five of its last six games and fired coach Todd Haley last Monday.

Jackie Battle
added a short touchdown plunge with 4:53 left in the game, points that came in handy when Rodgers led one last scoring drive.

“Everybody had marked it off as a win for the Packers, but those guys in the locker room, they’re football players,” Crennel
said. “They decided they were not going to lay down, they were not going to give up, so they went out and played a tremendous
game.”

Neither team looked all that tremendous in the first half.

Packers wide receiver
Jordy Nelson
was hit twice with offensive pass interference, Rodgers was harassed by the Chiefs’ weak pass rush, and Green Bay wound up
making five first downs.

One of them came when Kansas City’s
Jeremy Horne
ran into Packers punter
Tim Masthay
, giving them 15 free yards. The Chiefs tried to give Green Bay another gift later on the drive when
Mason Crosby
missed a 59-yard field goal attempt but Kansas City had 12 men on the field.

With another chance from 54 yards, the normally reliable Crosby still pushed the kick right.

Rodgers finished the half 6 of 17 for 59 yards, with a handful of drops between wide receiver
Donald Driver
and tight end
Jermichael Finley
. In fact, things were going so badly for Green Bay that at one point it ran out of the wildcat despite having one of the
best quarterbacks in the game.

The Chiefs were still clinging to a 6-0 lead when Rodgers finally hit down field, finding Finley over top the coverage for
a 41-yard gain. Three plays later, the Packers’ star quarterback hit Driver in the corner of the end zone for a 7-6 lead with
8:04 left in the third quarter.

Kansas City answered when Orton hit his own tight end,
Leonard Pope
, for a career-long 38-yard catch. Jon Baldwin added a 17-yard grab to set up Succop’s 46-yard, go-ahead field goal.

The Packers moved into field-goal range on their ensuing drive, but rather than have Crosby attempt a 56-yard kick in the
same direction he had already missed, McCarthy elected to go for it on fourth-and-9. Rodgers’ pass fell incomplete and the
Chiefs took over.

They needed seven plays to cover 59 yards, but had to settle for another field goal and a 12-7 lead. It was the third time
the Chiefs drove inside the 5 and had six total points to show for it.

They got seven on their next trip, though.

With first-and-goal at the 5,
Thomas Jones
managed to gain a yard and Le’Ron McClain bulled ahead for three more, setting up third down from just outside the goal line.
Battle took the carry over the right side and powered into the end zone, giving the woeful Kansas City offense its highest-scoring
game since the Chiefs beat San Diego in overtime in late October.

The Packers marched down field in the closing minutes, and Rodgers showed his moxie by scampering around the end for a touchdown
that made it 19-14, but that was as close as they got.

Green Bay came into the game averaging nearly 36 points, but was held to its lowest total since beating the
Chicago Bears
10-3 in Week 17 last year. The Packers needed to win that game to make the playoffs, and wound up riding the momentum to a
Super Bowl victory over the
Pittsburgh Steelers
.

All that momentum finally came to an end against the most unlikely of scenarios.

“We set the tone on both sides of the ball,” Chiefs linebacker
Derrick Johnson
said. “This is the great thing about football. You can’t always look at the records, because you’ve got grown men out there
who are all getting paid. You don’t have to be better on paper.

“If you’re better on that given Sunday, you’ll get the win.”

Notes: Succop has made 21 consecutive field goals. … Palko was inactive for Kansas City. … The Chiefs wound up having
the ball for 36:11, while Green Bay had it for 23:49. … Kansas City won despite going 1 for 5 in the red zone. … Packers
OL
Derek Sherrod
broke his leg in the fourth quarter. He was playing in place of
Bryan Bulaga
, who went down with a knee strain.

What are your opinions.

Green Bay Packers Lose To Kansas City Chiefs: Kyle…

PelePladdycew — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:44:48 +0000

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Green Bay Packers’ perfect season came to a crashing halt on Sunday against the beleaguered Kansas City Chiefs, who rallied behind interim coach Romeo Crennel and new quarterback Kyle Orton to a shocking 19-14 victory.

Orton finished 23 of 31 for 299 yards in his first start for the Chiefs (6-8), who fired coach Todd Haley last Monday with the team having lost five of its last six games. The loss also ended the Packers’ 19-game winning streak.

But behind an inspired performance by the defense, four field goals by Ryan Succop and Jackie Battle’s short touchdown run with 4:53 left in the game, Kansas City managed to hand the Packers (13-1) their first loss since Dec. 19, 2010, at New England – exactly one day shy of a full year.

Aaron Rodgers was just 17 of 35 for 235 yards and a touchdown, and he also scampered eight yards for another touchdown with 2:12 left in the game. But the Packers were unable to recover the onside kick and then pick up a couple of first downs to secure the victory.

___

COLTS 27, TITANS 13

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Dan Orlovsky threw one touchdown pass and the key block on an 80-yard TD run, leading the Colts to their first win of the season.

Indianapolis (1-13) avoided becoming the second team in NFL history to go 0-16. The loss dealt a serious blow to the Titans’ playoff hopes. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was picked off twice and Chris Johnson rushed for only 55 yards for Tennessee (7-7).

Orlovsky gave Indy a 10-6 lead with an 18-yard TD pass to Reggie Wayne in the third quarter, and Jacob Lacey made it 17-6 with a 32-yard interception return for a TD.

Jake Locker got the Titans within 20-13 with a 7-yard TD pass to Nate Washington with 3:43 to go. But on the next play from scrimmage, with Donald Brown reversing field, Orlovsky threw a block that helped Brown get to the corner and sprint 80 yards to seal the win.

___

SEAHAWKS 38, BEARS 14

CHICAGO (AP) – Red Bryant returned an interception 20 yards for the go-ahead TD in the third quarter and Seattle kept its faint playoff hopes alive.

Chicago quarterback Caleb Hanie was hit hard on the play by K.J. Wright and threw the ball right into Bryant’s arms as Seattle (7-7) scored two TDs in a 50-second span early in the third quarter. Brandon Browner returned another interception 42 yards for a TD in the final quarter as the Seahawks outscored Chicago 31-0 in the second half.

Marshawn Lynch added two touchdown runs for Seattle.

Chicago (7-7) lost its fourth straight and played most of the game without wide receiver Johnny Knox, who was carted off the field after injuring his back while scrambling for a fumble early in the game.

___

SAINTS 42, VIKINGS 20

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Drew Brees threw for 412 yards and five touchdowns to New Orleans to its sixth win in a row.

Brees completed 32 of 40 passes to help the Saints (11-3) overcome a slow and sloppy start and stay two games ahead of Atlanta in the NFC South. Brees is 304 yards from breaking Dan Marino’s single-season record for yards passing with two games to play.

Brees threw two touchdown passes to Lance Moore and one each to Darren Sproles, Jimmy Graham and John Gilmore.

The maligned Saints pass defense held the Vikings to 94 yards passing. Adrian Peterson rushed for 60 yards in his return from a three-game absence for the Vikings (2-12).

___

REDSKINS 23, GIANTS 10

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – Rex Grossman threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss and Washington hurt New York’s playoff hopes.

Grossman threw a 20-yard scoring pass to Santana Moss, Darrel Young scored on a 6-yard run after one of three interceptions by the Redskins (5-9) and Graham Gano kicked three field goals. It was Washington’s second win in its last 10 games.

The loss knocked the Giants (7-7) out of first place in the NFC East. Dallas (8-6) now leads the division by a game with two to go, including one with Giants on the final weekend. If New York beats the Jets and the Cowboys in its final two games it will win the division.

___

PANTHERS 28, TEXANS 13

HOUSTON (AP) – Cam Newton threw two touchdown passes, DeAngelo Williams ran for a score and Carolina ended Houston’s seven-game winning streak.

Newton completed 13 of 23 passes for 149 yards, outplaying opposing rookie quarterback T.J. Yates. The Panthers (5-9) built a 21-0 halftime lead, then ended Houston’s second-half rally when linebacker James Anderson intercepted Yates in the end zone midway through the fourth quarter.

The Texans (10-4) are playing for home-field advantage in the playoffs after clinching the AFC South last weekend.

But their top-ranked defense looked vulnerable without coordinator Wade Phillips, who’s on medical leave after undergoing kidney and gall bladder surgery this week. Linebackers coach Reggie Herring made the defensive calls.

___

DOLPHINS 30, BILLS 23

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) – Reggie Bush ran for a career-best 203 yards and touchdown to lead Miami to a 30-23 win over the Buffalo Bills in interim Dolphins coach Todd Bowles first game.

Bush sealed the win with a 76-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Matt Moore threw two touchdowns passes, and Vontae Davis had two of Miami’s three interceptions.

Bowles replaced the fired Tony Sparano last Monday. Miami (5-9) has won five of seven.

The Bills (5-9) have lost seven straight and could finishing last in the AFC East for the fourth straight year. Ryan Fitzpatrick finished 31 of 47 for 316 yards and a TD.

___

BENGALS 20, RAMS 13

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Rookie A.J. Green had six catches and topped 1,000 yards for the season, and Cincinnati kept pace in the AFC playoff race.

Brandon Tate’s 56-yard punt return set up Bernard Scott’s go-ahead touchdown run late in the third quarter and Cedric Benson added a short scoring run in the fourth for the Bengals (8-6), who won for the second time in six games.

Green caught a 55-yarder to set up a field goal for the game’s first score. He has 1,006 yards receiving, leaving him 3 shy of Cris Collinsworth’s franchise rookie record in 1981.

Kellen Clemens was 25 for 36 for 229 and a late touchdown pass to Danario Alexander for the Rams (2-12), who have lost five in a row.

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Packers’ perfect season ends with 19-14 loss to…

kTommyd53 — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 03:48:23 +0000

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers’ perfect season came to a crashing halt against the struggling Kansas City Chiefs, who had just fired their coach and were starting a new quarterback.

Proof again that nothing can be taken for granted in the NFL.

Kyle Orton threw for 299 yards to outduel Aaron Rodgers, and the Chiefs rallied behind interim coach Romeo Crennel for a shocking 19-14 victory on Sunday that ended the Packers’ 19-game winning streak. It was their first loss since Dec. 19, 2010, at New England.

Green Bay, playing without leading receiver Greg Jennings and top rusher James Starks because of injuries, also failed to secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

They can still wrap that up in their final two games against Detroit and Chicago, but no longer with the pressure of trying to become the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with a perfect record. Their 19-game streak was second only to a 21-game run by New England in 2003-04.

Rodgers was 17 of 35 for 235 yards and a touchdown, and he also scampered 8 yards for another touchdown with 2:12 left in the game. But the Packers (13-1) were unable to recover the onside kick, and Kansas City picked up a couple of first downs to secure the victory.

Ryan Succop kicked four field goals for Kansas City (6-8), which had lost five of its last six games and fired coach Todd Haley last Monday. Jackie Battle added a short touchdown plunge with 4:53 left in the game, points that came in handy when Rodgers led one last scoring drive.

Neither team seemed as if it wanted to win in the first half.

Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson was hit twice with offensive pass interference, Rodgers was harassed by the Chiefs’ weak pass rush, and Green Bay wound up making five first downs.

One of them came when Kansas City’s Jeremy Horne ran into Packers punter Tim Masthay, giving them 15 free yards. The Chiefs tried to give Green Bay another gift later on the drive when Mason Crosby missed a 59-yard field goal attempt but Kansas City had 12 men on the field.

With another chance from 54 yards, the normally reliable Crosby still pushed the kick right.

Rodgers finished the half 6 of 17 for 59 yards, with a handful of drops between wide receiver Donald Driver and tight end Jermichael Finley. In fact, things were going so badly for Green Bay that at one point it ran out of the wildcat despite having one of the best quarterbacks in the game.

The Chiefs were still clinging to a 6-0 lead when Rodgers finally hit down field, finding Finley over top the coverage for a 41-yard gain. Three plays later, the Packers’ star quarterback hit Driver in the corner of the end zone for a 7-6 lead with 8:04 left in the third quarter.

Kansas City answered when Orton hit his own tight end, Leonard Pope, for a career-long 38-yard catch. Jon Baldwin added a 17-yard grab to set up Succop’s 46-yard, go-ahead field goal.

The Packers moved into field-goal range on their ensuing drive, but rather than have Crosby attempt a 56-yard kick in the same direction he had already missed, coach Mike McCarthy elected to go for it on fourth-and-9. Rodgers’ pass fell incomplete and the Chiefs took over.

They needed seven plays to cover 59 yards, but had to settle for another field goal and a 12-7 lead. It was the third time the Chiefs drove inside the 5 and had six total points to show for it.

They got seven on their next trip, though.

With first-and-goal at the 5, Thomas Jones managed to gain a yard and Le’Ron McClain bulled ahead for three more, setting up third down from just outside the goal line. Battle took the carry over the right side and powered into the end zone, giving the woeful Kansas City offense its highest-scoring game since the Chiefs beat San Diego in overtime in late October.

The Packers marched down field in the closing minutes, and Rodgers showed his moxie by scampering around the end for a touchdown that made it 19-14. But the onside kick ended up in the Chiefs’ hands, and they were able to pound out a couple first downs to secure the upset victory.

Green Bay came into the game averaging nearly 36 points, but was held to its lowest total since beating the Chicago Bears 10-3 in Week 17 last year. The Packers needed to win that game to make the playoffs, and wound up riding the momentum to a Super Bowl victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

All that momentum finally came to an end against the most unlikely of scenarios.

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

Packers perfect season, 19-game win streak end in…

oriembell — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 02:42:17 +0000

The perfect season? That’s history.

Kyle Orton threw for 299 yards to outduel Aaron Rodgers, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied behind interim coach Romeo Crennel for a shocking 19-14 victory on Sunday that ended the Packers’ 19-game winning streak. It was their first loss since Dec. 19, 2010, at New England.

“I personally always viewed the undefeated season as, really, just gravy,” McCarthy said. “The goal was to get home-field advantage and win the Super Bowl. That’s what we discussed.

“We were fortunate enough to be in the position to possibly achieve the undefeated season,” he added, “but we still have the primary goal in front of us, and that’s to get home-field advantage.”

Green Bay, playing without leading receiver Greg Jennings and top rusher James Starks because of injuries, can wrap up the No. 1 seed in their final two games against Chicago and Detroit. But the Packers no longer have the pressure of becoming the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with a perfect record, or extending the second-longest winning streak in league history.

“I think our goal ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl. The next step is getting that number one seed in the playoffs,” Rodgers said. “We’ve got a home playoff game — we’ve got a bye secured.”

Rodgers was 17 of 35 for 235 yards and a touchdown, and he also scampered 8 yards for another touchdown with 2:12 left in the game. But the Packers (13-1) were unable to recover the onside kick, and Kansas City picked up a couple of first downs to secure the victory.

“They had a good game plan,” Rodgers said. “You have to give them credit.”

“Everybody had marked it off as a win for the Packers, but those guys in the locker room, they’re football players,” Crennel said. “They decided they were not going to lay down, they were not going to give up, so they went out and played a tremendous game.”

Neither team looked all that tremendous in the first half.

Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson was hit twice with offensive pass interference, Rodgers was harassed by the Chiefs’ weak pass rush, and Green Bay wound up making five first downs.

One of them came when Kansas City’s Jeremy Horne ran into Packers punter Tim Masthay, giving them 15 free yards. The Chiefs tried to give Green Bay another gift later on the drive when Mason Crosby missed a 59-yard field goal attempt but Kansas City had 12 men on the field.

With another chance from 54 yards, the normally reliable Crosby still pushed the kick right.

That’s all the news for today.

Chiefs snap Packers’ 19-game win streak

injephape — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 02:32:09 +0000

Well, they still have a chance to earn home-field advantage.

The perfect season? That’s history.

“I personally always viewed the undefeated season as, really, just gravy,” McCarthy said. “The goal was to get home-field
advantage and win the Super Bowl. That’s what we discussed.

“They had a good game plan,” Rodgers said. “You have to give them credit.”

Ryan Succop
kicked four field goals for Kansas City (6-8), which had lost five of its last six games and fired coach Todd Haley last Monday.

Jackie Battle
added a short touchdown plunge with 4:53 left in the game, points that came in handy when Rodgers led one last scoring drive.

Neither team looked all that tremendous in the first half.

Packers wide receiver
Jordy Nelson
was hit twice with offensive pass interference, Rodgers was harassed by the Chiefs’ weak pass rush, and Green Bay wound up
making five first downs.

With another chance from 54 yards, the normally reliable Crosby still pushed the kick right.

Kansas City answered when Orton hit his own tight end,
Leonard Pope
, for a career-long 38-yard catch. Jon Baldwin added a 17-yard grab to set up Succop’s 46-yard, go-ahead field goal.

They needed seven plays to cover 59 yards, but had to settle for another field goal and a 12-7 lead. It was the third time
the Chiefs drove inside the 5 and had six total points to show for it.

They got seven on their next trip, though.

The Packers marched down field in the closing minutes, and Rodgers showed his moxie by scampering around the end for a touchdown
that made it 19-14, but that was as close as they got.

All that momentum finally came to an end against the most unlikely of scenarios.

“If you’re better on that given Sunday, you’ll get the win.”

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Chiefs bring end to Packers’ 19-game winning…

TreafSarSed — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 23:24:38 +0000

Well, they still have a chance to earn home-field advantage.

The perfect season? That’s history.

“I personally always viewed the undefeated season as, really, just gravy,” McCarthy said. “The goal was to get home-field
advantage and win the Super Bowl. That’s what we discussed.

“They had a good game plan,” Rodgers said. “You have to give them credit.”

Ryan Succop
kicked four field goals for Kansas City (6-8), which had lost five of its last six games and fired coach Todd Haley last Monday.

Jackie Battle
added a short touchdown plunge with 4:53 left in the game, points that came in handy when Rodgers led one last scoring drive.

Neither team looked all that tremendous in the first half.

Packers wide receiver
Jordy Nelson
was hit twice with offensive pass interference, Rodgers was harassed by the Chiefs’ weak pass rush, and Green Bay wound up
making five first downs.

With another chance from 54 yards, the normally reliable Crosby still pushed the kick right.

Kansas City answered when Orton hit his own tight end,
Leonard Pope
, for a career-long 38-yard catch. Jon Baldwin added a 17-yard grab to set up Succop’s 46-yard, go-ahead field goal.

They needed seven plays to cover 59 yards, but had to settle for another field goal and a 12-7 lead. It was the third time
the Chiefs drove inside the 5 and had six total points to show for it.

They got seven on their next trip, though.

The Packers marched down field in the closing minutes, and Rodgers showed his moxie by scampering around the end for a touchdown
that made it 19-14, but that was as close as they got.

All that momentum finally came to an end against the most unlikely of scenarios.

“If you’re better on that given Sunday, you’ll get the win.”

Leave your comments on the news below.

Packers-Chiefs at a glance

gluroWonfenue — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:14:12 +0000

• WHO: Green Bay Packers (13-0) at Kansas City Chiefs
(5-8).

• WHEN: Sunday, noon, Fox.

• OPENING LINE: Packers by 14

• RECORD VS. SPREAD – Green Bay 9-4; Kansas City 7-6.

• SERIES RECORD – Chiefs lead 6-3-1. Last meeting: Packers beat
Chiefs 33-22, Nov. 4, 2007.

• LAST WEEK: Packers beat Raiders 46-16; Chiefs lost to Jets
37-10.

• NFL RANKINGS: Packers’ offense, overall (3), rushing (27),
passing (3). Packers’ defense, overall (31), rushing (12), passing
(31). Chiefs’ offense, overall (28), rushing (15), passing (30).
Chiefs’ defense, overall (15), rushing (26), passing (10).

• FACTS & FIGURES: Packers 13-0 for first time in franchise
history and have won 19 in row, including playoffs, longest streak
in team history. Only Patriots (2003-04) have had longer streak at
21 games. … Green Bay can clinch home-field advantage throughout
playoffs with victory. … Packers coach Mike McCarthy got start in
Kansas City in 1993. He served as quality control coach and later
quarterbacks coach. … Defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel has
taken over as interim coach following firing of Todd Haley. Crennel
spent four seasons as coach of the Browns. … Packers have set
franchise record for scoring with 466 points. … Chiefs (.722)
have third-best regular-season winning percentage against Green Bay
behind Miami (.769) and the Jets (.728). … Kyle Orton will start
at QB for Kansas City unless injured index finger on throwing hand
causes problems. If so, fifth-round pick Ricky Stanzi will start.
… Packers WR Greg Jennings sprained left knee against Oakland,
out 2-3 weeks. RB James Starks (knee, ankle) could miss second
straight game. … Green Bay third in league passing. Kansas City
has allowed fewest net yards passing since Nov. 1. … Chiefs have
14 sacks over past four games.

- The AP.

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Green Bay Packers Vs. Kansas City Chiefs…

Fiergemib — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:17:00 +0000

The Green Bay Packers (13-0) take on the Kansas City Chiefs (5-8) at Kansas City on December 18th, 2011. These two teams are headed in opposite directions. Green Bay has clinched not only the NFC North title, but also a first round bye in the playoffs. The Chiefs are in last place in the AFC West and have lost five of their last six.

Part of the reason the Chiefs are in last place is their inability to score. They have scored just 173 points in 13 games, last in the AFC and second worst in the NFL. Some of this can be attributed to key injuries. Running back Jamaal Charles rushed for nearly 1500 yards in 2010 but went out for the season with a torn ACL back in September. Starting quarterback Matt Cassel went on injured reserve in November. Green Bay is the highest scoring team in the NFL with 466 points, so Kansas City will have to keep quarterback Aaron Rodgers and company off the field to have any chance of winning.

The Chiefs do have a fairly good pass defense, allowing 209.3 yards per game, tenth best in the NFL. They’ll need to bring their A game, as Rodgers is the league’s top rated quarterback with a QB rating of 123.3. He has 39 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. Back on November 21st the league’s second rated quarterback, New England’s Tom Brady, threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns against the Chiefs in the Patriots’ 34-3 victory. Kansas City can’t allow a similar performance from Rodgers.

The Packers will be without the services of Greg Jennings (949 receiving yards, nine touchdowns) until the playoffs, but they have so many capable receivers it just means more chances for everybody else. Jordy Nelson has 10 touchdown receptions and 957 yards, James Jones has five TD’s, and the venerable Donald Driver has four, including two in the Packers’ victory over the New York Giants on December 4th. With Jennings out, I would expect to see more of KR/WR Randall Cobb on passing downs. Rodgers also has thrown eight TD passes to tight ends, including six to Jermichael Finley. Again, with Jennings out , I would expect Rodgers to utilize the tight ends even more.

There is more bad news for Kansas City’s defense. Green Bay rediscovered the running game in their 46-16 rout of the Oakland Raiders on December 11th. Ryan Grant rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns, and Green Bay had a total of 136 rushing yards for the game.

The Packers simply have too much offense for the Chiefs to overcome. Green Bay will improve to 14-0, and in doing so, secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Mark Hudziak is a Featured Contributor in Sports for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. He has been a fan of the Green Bay Packers since the Vince Lombardi Era.

Sources:

Yahoo! Sports Green Bay Packers team site

Yahoo! Sports Kansas City Chiefs team site

Statistics from Yahoo! Sports NFL

Bob Gallaher commentary on Packers "Pursuit…

Goasuammevaps — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:17:57 +0000

And now for a special comment….

Packers fans received quite a scare during last Sunday’s game against Oakland as All-Pro receiver Greg Jennings went down with a knee sprain, Green Bay escaped disaster when an MRI determined that Jennings had not torn his A-C-L which would have ended his season…

So with the Packers on the brink of clinching home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, is the quest for perfection worth possible injury to their best players, thus potentially ruining another Super Bowl bid?

I say, yes…

The final three weeks begin with a road game at struggling Kansas City, followed by back-to-back home games against Chicago and Detroit on Christmas night and New Year’s Day. You would think there is no way the Packers lose to a Chiefs team with nothing to play for, then you have Da Bears!, well their season is in shambles after losing both Jay Cutler and Matt Forte, and the Lions, well Detroit has not won at Lambeau Field in twenty years….

Three games that the Packers should win, so a perfect 16-0 regular season is definitely within their grasp, a win Sunday over the Chiefs locks up the number one seed meaning the road to Indy will go through Titletown…

Is 16-0 truly worth it? I have been enamored with the Packers pursuit of perfection, yet after watching Jennings hobble off the field on Sunday, I must admit that I began to waver in my beliefs…

Jennings is Aaron Rodgers favorite target, number-12 would be the first to admit that number-85 makes everyone around him better… Jennings caught two touchdowns in last year’s Super Bowl victory over Pittsburgh, the other TD went to Jordy Nelson, it’s no coincidence that number-87 is enjoying a breakthrough season for the Packers in 2011….

Head coach Mike McCarthy said after beating the Giants two weeks ago and again this past Sunday against the Raiders that you can’t play football scared, that his players need to put their ‘big boy’ pants on and win football games. That certainly doesn’t sound like a coach that is going to let his foot off the accelerator…

Only one team has gone unbeaten in NFL history, the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the 2011 Green Bay Packers would love to join that exclusive party, listening to veteran cornerback Charles Woodson, the only way to top last year’s Super Bowl championship is to repeat with perfection… I agree…

Sure the Packers dodged a bullet with the injury to Jennings, he will be back in time for the playoffs, but if Aaron Rodgers is lost in these final three weeks, I think most of us would agree there won’t be a championship belt to raise in Indy on Super Sunday….

I believe these are risks the Packers are willing to take, for it was legendary coach Vince Lombardi that said, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing….”

Gotta run!.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers leads…

Fiergemib — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:46:41 +0000

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, with 1,263,045 votes, leads all NFL All-Stars in balloting for the 2012 Pro Bowl, NFL.com announced today. 2012 Pro Bowl voting will continue online and on web-enabled mobile phones by going to NFL.com/probowl through Monday, December 19.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (1,149,721 votes) leads all AFC players and ranks second overall, while Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (953,575 votes), New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (908,864 votes) and New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker (896,198 votes) round out the top five on NFL.com.

Balloting will conclude on Monday following the conclusion of Monday Night Football (Pittsburgh Steelers at San Francisco 49ers, ESPN, 7:30 p.m. The teams will be announced at 6 p.m. Dec. 27 on a special NFL Total Access 2012 Pro Bowl Selection Show on NFL Network.

That’s all for today.

Green Bay Packers Earning Respect of Undefeated…

softotMeP — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 06:22:00 +0000

Legend has it that at the start each NFL season, the living members from the ’72 Dolphins set aside bottles of the finest French champagne to cool. Once the last undefeated team has fallen—as it has for nearly 40 years—the fabled Fins pop the corks and toast to a feat that only those Dolphins can claim to have achieved.

The details of the tale are often disputed, and some doubt whether any of it actually happens at all, but what cannot be questioned is that each time another would-be legend bites the dust, the undefeated Dolphins rejoice in their record’s endurance.

This year, it’s the 13-0 Green Bay Packers chasing perfection, and on the heels of a Super Bowl victory and the most dominant stretch of quarterbacking the league has ever seen, many believe this Packers team has the strongest chance yet at immortality.

And so, Linda Robertson of the Miami Herald tracked down some of the ’72 Dolphins to ask them what they thought about the longevity of their record and the 2011 Packers’ chances of joining them in the NFL’s pantheon of greatness.

Here is what they said:

* Don Shula: “I’m not sitting here like an angry old guy hoping they’ll lose—as we have been depicted. … I don’t think Joe DiMaggio was pulling for anybody to break his 56-game hitting streak record. So we’d like to keep it, but if somebody breaks it we will call and congratulate them.”

* Bob Griese: “I don’t think perfection is in the forefront of your mind when you’re in the 12th, 13th, 14th game. … We just didn’t want to lose. The fear of losing is stronger than the will to win. It was never, ‘Let’s keep the streak going.’ It was, ‘We’ve got unfinished business. We’ve got to get back to the Super Bowl.’

We figured somebody else would go undefeated. But when those great Steelers, 49ers and Cowboys teams couldn’t do it, then we said, ‘Hey, this is pretty amazing.’”

* Matt Morris: “I remember Keyshawn Johnson said if the Patriots go 19-0 we’d be second best. … I call that simpleton math. Besides, he wasn’t born until 1972. No, we were the team who won every single game for the first time in history. The Packers have a chance to repeat it. … The Packers get to the Super Bowl, I would bet on them because I respect them so much.

If they win, the champagne is on us.”

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

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