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Packers Missing 3 Key Offensive Players Vs Lions

drareeSaine — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:39:27 +0000

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers will be without three key players on offense in Sunday’s game against Detroit.

Running back James Starks (knee/ankle), receiver/kick returner Randall Cobb (groin) and receiver Greg Jennings (knee), who has missed the last two games, won’t play in the regular-season finale.

Coach Mike McCarthy would not say Friday whether quarterback Aaron Rodgers will sit the game out.

“The most important thing with Aaron is he’s ready to play,” McCarthy said. “It’s important for the quarterbacks, we repped all three of them this week. So I’d like to see all three of them play in the game, is the initial plan as we started the week.”

Rodgers didn’t shed any light on whether he would play.

“I’m going to leave it up to Mike,” he said.

The Packers also listed right tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee) as doubtful. Linebacker Clay Matthews (ankle) and cornerback Charles Woodson (knee) are questionable.

McCarthy has been coy this week about his approach to Sunday’s game after the Packers (14-1) clinched the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

While the playoffs-bound Lions (10-5) can gain the No. 5 seed in the NFC bracket by winning at Green Bay for the first time since 1991, the Packers don’t have anything riding on the final score against their longtime rivals.

“It ain’t the end of the world. We’ve still got them playoffs,” Green Bay tight end Jermichael Finley said.

The Packers will have a first-round bye and won’t play again until the Jan. 14-15 weekend.

McCarthy shrugged off the suggestion that a loss would hurt his team’s momentum.

“I don’t ever worry about the outcome of the game,” he said. “I’m a firm believer in trusting the process. I truly believe we’re going to win this football game. So I’m more concerned with the process leading up to this game, and I’ll be just as much concerned as the process leading up to our next competition.

“Games are won, in my opinion, throughout the week. We fully expect to win this game.”

The Packers would be counting on a combination of Matt Flynn and Graham Harrell to lead the league’s No. 1-scoring offense if Rodgers doesn’t play for only the second time in his four seasons as the starter.

Flynn, a fourth-year player, made his only pro start Dec. 19, 2010, with Rodgers out because of a concussion. Flynn played well in the prime-time game on the road against the heavily favored New England Patriots, who hung on for a 31-27 win.

“I want to see Matt Flynn play like he did in New England, but take it a step further – win the game,” McCarthy said.

Harrell is anxious to get his first regular-season action since he signed with the Packers as a free agent in 2010.

“I’d love to get in, but we’re going out to win,” Harrell said.

And Harrell wouldn’t be surprised if Flynn, not Rodgers, makes the start Sunday.

“It’ll be interesting,” Harrell said. “I don’t think you can go wrong either way. Aaron, he’s been healthy almost his whole career. He’s a smart player, and he obviously helps us win. So letting him get some action would be good for us, but if they decide to rest him, it obviously makes a ton of sense as well.”

Notes: DE Ryan Pickett and LT Chad Clifton are expected to play. Both veterans are probable for the game. Pickett missed the last two games because of a concussion. Clifton hasn’t played since suffering a hamstring injury Oct. 9 and then a back injury during his rehab work. Finley also is probable. He practiced the last two days on a limited basis after a sore knee kept him out Wednesday. . McCarthy said the team would practice Wednesday and Thursday and possibly Friday next week before an opponent is known for the divisional round of the playoffs. “We’re going to keep our players mentally and physically on the same time clock,” McCarthy said.

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Green Bay Packers missing 3 key offensive players…

DiamaXxX — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:15:11 +0000

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers will be without three key players on offense in Sunday’s game against Detroit.

Running back James Starks (knee/ankle), receiver/kick returner Randall Cobb (groin) and receiver Greg Jennings (knee), who has missed the last two games, won’t play in the regular-season finale.

Coach Mike McCarthy would not say Friday whether quarterback Aaron Rodgers will sit the game out.

Rodgers didn’t shed any light on whether he would play.

“I’m going to leave it up to Mike,” he said.

The Packers also listed right tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee) as doubtful. Linebacker Clay Matthews (ankle) and cornerback Charles Woodson (knee) are questionable.

McCarthy has been coy this week about his approach to Sunday’s game after the Packers (14-1) clinched the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

“It ain’t the end of the world. We’ve still got them playoffs,” Green Bay tight end Jermichael Finley said.

The Packers will have a first-round bye and won’t play again until the Jan. 14-15 weekend.

McCarthy shrugged off the suggestion that a loss would hurt his team’s momentum.

“I don’t ever worry about the outcome of the game,” he said.

“I’m a firm believer in trusting the process. I truly believe we’re going to win this football game. So I’m more concerned with the process leading up to this game, and I’ll be just as much concerned as the process leading up to our next competition.

“Games are won, in my opinion, throughout the week. We fully expect to win this game.”

“I want to see Matt Flynn play like he did in New England, but take it a step further – win the game,” McCarthy said.

Harrell is anxious to get his first regular-season action since he signed with the Packers as a free agent in 2010.

“I’d love to get in, but we’re going out to win,” Harrell said.
And Harrell wouldn’t be surprised if Flynn, not Rodgers, makes the start Sunday.

Notes: DE Ryan Pickett and LT Chad Clifton are expected to play. Both veterans are probable for the game. Pickett missed the last two games because of a concussion. Clifton hasn’t played since suffering a hamstring injury Oct. 9 and then a back injury during his rehab work. Finley also is probable. He practiced the last two days on a limited basis after a sore knee kept him out Wednesday. . McCarthy said the team would practice Wednesday and Thursday and possibly Friday next week before an opponent is known for the divisional round of the playoffs. “We’re going to keep our players mentally and physically on the same time clock,” McCarthy said.

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Bears Seek To ‘Take A Stand’ Against Green Bay

Exceeraguar — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:57:07 +0000

Bears Coach Lovie Smith. (Credit: CBS)

CHICAGO (CBS) — The struggling Bears say they have to “take a stand” against the Green Bay Packers when they head up to Wisconsin on Christmas Day.

“Green Bay is our rival, but lately, we haven’t been holding up our end of the deal. It’s kind of simple as that,” said Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith. They’ve dominated the rivalry here lately, and we have to take a stand. A great ball club – whenever you go that many games without losing, you’re saying a lot about what type of football you’re playing.”

The Packers are 13-1 this season. But the Bears have gone 0-4 since quarterback Jay Cutler had to leave with a broken thumb.

The Bears announced earlier this week that Josh McCown will start as quarterback against the Packers Sunday night, rather than the struggling Caleb Hanie.

McCown signed with the Bears after the injury. He hasn’t started a game since 2007 when he was with the Oakland Raiders.

But linebacker Brian Urlacher said the Bears can be competitive against the Packers regardless of the teams’ respective records.

“There have been times when they’ve been terrible and we’ve been good; we beat them. We’ve been good, they’ve been bad, they beat us. It doesn’t really matter; I hope it doesn’t matter this week either. It’s a big game for us going on there on Christmas Day, which will be the main focus of everyone’s game. It should be fun,” Urlacher said.

Linebacker Lance Briggs emphasized that the game is more about the team’s ability to salvage this season than the Bears-Packers rivalry.

“Even though we split during the season last year – they went ahead and won the championship game and went on to win the Super Bowl – I look at it as a big game. It’s a huge game,” Briggs said. We’re driving up to Wisconsin to play our rival, so I think it’s more than just taking a stand in the rivalry. It’s more taking a stand in the season.”

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Humbled by Lions last year, Packers offensive line…

LeseQueueli — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 03:00:04 +0000

This week, Packers linemen got together on their own to watch film of last year’s miserable 7-3 loss at Ford Field — an early step in their preparation for Thursday’s much-hyped game in Detroit.

The reigning Super Bowl champions are 10-0 going into a big Thanksgiving Day showcase and have been unstoppable at times on offense, but watching last year’s film was humbling.

“We were actually just watching that game, and we did not play well,” Bulaga said. “Didn’t do anything well, really. It was just a poorly played game. That may be a nice way of putting it, too.”

The Packers were forced to shuffle their offensive line on the fly in that game after an early knee injury to then-left guard Daryn Colledge. Jason Spitz replaced him, struggled, and was replaced by T.J. Lang.

The Packers couldn’t get anything going on offense, and the Lions knocked Aaron Rodgers out of the game near the end of the first half with a concussion. Backup Matt Flynn struggled, too, and a late attempt at a rally came up short.

The Packers allowed four sacks and several more quarterback hits that day while gaining only 66 yards on 20 rushes — and 25 of those yards came on a pair of runs by Rodgers.

“Let’s not take anything away from them,” Bulaga said. “They beat us, they were more physical than us. They deserved to win. We just didn’t play well enough to win that day.”

But right guard Josh Sitton dismissed suggestions that the Packers struggled because the Lions’ defensive line was superior that day.

“That’s not about them, necessarily,” Sitton said. “I’d say our fundamentals, as an offensive line, weren’t great in that game. We’ve got to start from within.”

But what about the player Sitton will line up against Thursday, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh?

“Good football player,” Sitton said. “But like I said, it’s about us.”

Packers coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged that watching film of last year’s game in Detroit is part of their preparation this week, but said they are far more concerned with studying what the Lions are doing on defense this year.

“It’s something we can learn from,” McCarthy said. “You pay more attention to what they’re doing on defense and the personnel matchups and the tendencies of the individuals. But, yeah, it definitely factored in the game last year.”

Detroit has 27 sacks this season, tying them for eighth-most in the NFL. While the Lions have been vulnerable to the run, they’re allowing 192.8 yards passing per game — fifth-best in the league.

“They’ve got as good a front four as you’re going to see and they rotate some guys in who can play as well, so it’s going to be important for us to control them when they’re just rushing four,” Rodgers said. “They’ve been getting after the passer really well with (Kyle) Vanden Bosch and (Cliff) Avril and they’ve got a good rush up the middle.”

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Vikings-Packers II: Clay Matthews’ role

Failure-a — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:19:41 +0000

Charles Woodson spoke candidly last week about the Green Bay Packers’ pass defense, acknowledging its weaknesses and making one specific suggestion for improvement. All-Pro linebacker Clay Matthews is sitting at three sacks through eight games, and Woodson implored coaches to “find ways to get Clay to the quarterback.” He added: “We can’t continue to allow him to be stuck on a side and double-teamed every time he gets upfield.”

So as the Packers prepared for Monday night’s matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, it seemed fair to examine how the Packers have used Matthews this season. Are there, in fact, ways to elevate his sack totals to reduce pressure on Woodson and the rest of the Packers’ secondary? It might not be a critical factor against the Vikings’ run-oriented offense Monday night, but the issue rests atop a short list of questions the Packers must answer as they pursue a second consecutive Super Bowl championship.

According to numbers from ESPN Stats & Information, and by Matthews’ own observation, Woodson has a strong point.

Clay Matthews’ Location Pre-Snap

Location	Plays
Left	480
Middle	6
Right	16
Source: ESPN Stats & Information

Matthews has lined up as the Packers’ left outside linebacker, over the opponent’s right tackle, on 95.6 percent of the snaps he’s played this season. The chart provides the details, but suffice it to say, Matthews’ pre-snap positioning has been more predictable than in recent seasons. As a result, Matthews said this week, he has “absolutely” faced more double teams in 2011.

“You’re definitely seeing more help in regards to bringing guards over or tight ends or backs that are chipping,” Matthews said. “It’s pretty obvious, but at the same time, that’s not an excuse. We have to continue to create pressure, whether it’s me or one of the interior linemen or the other outside linebacker. We have to find ways to get to the quarterback and take pressure off of our DBs.”

There are some football justifications for anchoring Matthews on the left side of the defense. He has proved adept against the run and in covering opposing tight ends, both of which are more likely to originate from that side of an opposing offense. Covering tight ends or running backs has separated Matthews from 20 percent of the pass plays he has been on the field for (72 of 360).

Defensive coordinator Dom Capers told reporters this week in Green Bay that “we try to be as creative with Clay as you can possibly be,” and that Matthews said it is “definitely a possibility” that he could move around more Monday night.

But for what it’s worth, coach Mike McCarthy has prioritized communication problems as the Packers’ top area of defensive concern — not Matthews’ pre-snap positioning. The Packers have had some well-chronicled coverage miscues in their secondary that have resulted in big plays, whether safeties have bitten on run fakes or provided coverage over the top to the wrong receiver.

And if Matthews is double-teamed more often, McCarthy said, he expects other players to take advantage of the corresponding opportunity.

“Our biggest improvement on defense is that we need to clean up some communication,” McCarthy said. “The recurring big issue we’ve had is giving up big plays. That’s what we’re focusing on. … Pass rush comes down to winning your one-on-ones. Someone is going to have a one-on-one situation, and anytime you do have a one-on-one to rush the passer, it’s important to win those.”

In an ideal world, of course, that would be a fair expectation. But after eight games of waiting for another pass-rusher to step up, the Packers’ best option remains neutralized. Even Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, speaking this week on his ESPN 540 radio show, acknowledged that “I don’t think we’ve had the same kind of pressure through the first eight games that we’ve had in the past.”

The Packers’ defense would improve immediately if it eliminates the communication issues McCarthy is concerned about. But Woodson wasn’t just talking about getting better. He wants to win the Super Bowl. The Packers need an active Clay Matthews to ensure that. The problem has been identified, and a possible solution floated. Will it happen? Stay tuned.

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Vikings roll rookie Ponder out vs. Pack

iwpkmooerr — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 00:31:29 +0000

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.”

There is the quick update of the day.

Packers can’t look past Vikings

Coospaggept — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 21:46:26 +0000

GREEN BAY – With the new collective bargaining agreement, the Green Bay Packers are only planning on one day of work next week during the bye week.

Before they get to the bye week, they’ll have an important divisional game in Minneapolis against the Vikings.

The Packers know they can’t look past it, for a number of reasons.

“You go to the bye week with a loss you’re going to have a long bye week. You’re not going to want to come back and meet the coaches after thinking about it for a week. So, it’s a game you definitely want to win for more than one reason,” said Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson.

“If you go into a bye week with a loss, your bye week isn’t going to be that good. Our main focus is this week. We’ll worry about the bye week when we get there. Our ultimate goal is to win every game we play, so we’ll prepare this week like there ain’t a bye week. Prepare this week like the Minnesota Vikings are 17-0 and it’s the playoffs, because we need to get this victory,” said Packers wide receiver James Jones.

The Packers record under Head Coach Mike McCarthy before the bye week is 3-2. The green and gold lost to the Vikings in Minneapolis prior to the bye in 2009.

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Packers star CB Williams questionable (AP)

NeannaQuier — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 13:22:34 +0000

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP)—The Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl last
February after they lost two of their top cover men before halftime.

Depth at cornerback remains one of the Packers’ strengths at the start of
this season, giving them some comfort when faced with the prospect of being down
a man Sunday at Carolina.

Pro Bowl cornerback Tramon Williams(notes) didn’t practice this week after
sustaining a bruised shoulder in the Sept. 8 opener. He is questionable to play
against the Panthers.

Coach Mike McCarthy indicated after practice Friday a decision on Williams
won’t be made until before the game.

“We’ll give him the next 48 hours to still have a chance,” he said.

Williams led the Packers with a career-high nine interceptions last season,
including three in the playoffs.

“If he’s out there on the field (Sunday), I expect him to play,”
cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt said. “If he tells me he can go, we’re going to put
him out there, and he better rock and roll.”

But the absence of Williams in practice the last three days had the team
focused on getting other guys ready to contribute against record-setting rookie
quarterback Cam Newton and the Panthers in their home opener.

In fact, McCarthy alluded to Williams as being an afterthought in Green
Bay’s game plan.

“We feel good about our plan and really planned all along to play without
Tramon,” McCarthy said. “You have to do that as a coaching staff. So our
defense is ready.”

Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins(notes) talked Friday about the importance of having
the next guy or guys ready to play.

Jarrett Bush(notes) and Pat Lee(notes) are next in line on the depth chart at cornerback
after starters Williams and Charles Woodson(notes) and nickel back Sam Shields(notes).

If Williams can’t play Sunday, that would probably mean a promotion for
Shields to the starting lineup and plugging Bush or Lee into the nickel
alignment (five defensive backs) that Green Bay defensive coordinator Dom Capers
tends to use a lot.

“I’m confident with the group,” Whitt said.

Bush and Lee were pressed into service against Pittsburgh seven months ago.
They had significant playing time in the Packers’ 31-25 victory after Woodson
(broken collarbone) and Shields (shoulder) were injured in the first half. Bush
remembers the game fondly, intercepting a pass by Ben Roethlisberger(notes) when the
Packers’ veteran backup was playing as a sixth defensive back.

“I did what I was supposed to. I played how I was supposed to,” Bush said
Friday. “I studied hard for it. I just had to keep going, keep going upward and
take advantage of my opportunities and play to the standards that we’re held
accountable to, that Dom holds us to.”

Bush is eager to be a major contributor again Sunday, when he will be back
at Carolina for the first time since the Panthers cut him as an undrafted rookie
before the 2006 season. The Packers claimed Bush off waivers the next day. He
has been in Green Bay ever since as a core special teams player with periodic
duties on defense.

Any hard feelings Bush may have had for the Panthers after they let him go
vanished a long time ago.

“I’ve got my own self-gratification,” he said. “The Super Bowl definitely
is one of those.

“Everything happens for a reason, I feel like. It’s just fortunate I did
get cut,” Bush added. “It might have been the best thing that ever happened to
me. It’s part of the business. There’s no personal vendetta. Let’s just go play
football.”

NOTES: Packers rookie RB Alex Green(notes) was pulled from practice Friday after he
aggravated an Achilles’ injury. “I was watching him go through the
ball-security drill, and he was dragging his leg,” said McCarthy, who didn’t
know the extent of the injury. Green is questionable for the game. . Among the
Green Bay players who are probable to play are TE Jermichael Finley(notes) (ankle) and
LT Chad Clifton(notes) (knee). Rookie LB Vic So’oto(notes), who aggravated a back injury
earlier in the week, won’t play for the second straight game. DE Mike Neal(notes)
(knee) and LB Frank Zombo(notes) (shoulder) were previously listed as out.

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Packers CB Tramon Williams questionable for…

Hemiadicecype — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 13:20:24 +0000

Pro Bowl cornerback Tramon Williams didn’t practice this week after sustaining a bruised shoulder in the Sept. 8 opener. He is questionable to play against the Panthers.

Coach Mike McCarthy indicated after practice Friday a decision on Williams won’t be made until before the game.

“We’ll give him the next 48 hours to still have a chance,” he said.

Williams led the Packers with a career-high nine interceptions last season, including three in the playoffs.

“If he’s out there on the field (Sunday), I expect him to play,” cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt said. “If he tells me he can go, we’re going to put him out there, and he better rock and roll.”

But the absence of Williams in practice the last three days had the team focused on getting other guys ready to contribute against record-setting rookie quarterback Cam Newton and the Panthers in their home opener.

In fact, McCarthy alluded to Williams as being an afterthought in Green Bay’s game plan.

“We feel good about our plan and really planned all along to play without Tramon,” McCarthy said. “You have to do that as a coaching staff. So our defense is ready.”

Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins talked Friday about the importance of having the next guy or guys ready to play.

Jarrett Bush and Pat Lee are next in line on the depth chart at cornerback after starters Williams and Charles Woodson and nickel back Sam Shields.

If Williams can’t play Sunday, that would probably mean a promotion for Shields to the starting lineup and plugging Bush or Lee into the nickel alignment (five defensive backs) that Green Bay defensive coordinator Dom Capers tends to use a lot.

“I’m confident with the group,” Whitt said.

Bush and Lee were pressed into service against Pittsburgh seven months ago. They had significant playing time in the Packers’ 31-25 victory after Woodson (broken collarbone) and Shields (shoulder) were injured in the first half. Bush remembers the game fondly, intercepting a pass by Ben Roethlisberger when the Packers’ veteran backup was playing as a sixth defensive back.

“I did what I was supposed to. I played how I was supposed to,” Bush said Friday. “I studied hard for it. I just had to keep going, keep going upward and take advantage of my opportunities and play to the standards that we’re held accountable to, that Dom holds us to.”

Bush is eager to be a major contributor again Sunday, when he will be back at Carolina for the first time since the Panthers cut him as an undrafted rookie before the 2006 season. The Packers claimed Bush off waivers the next day. He has been in Green Bay ever since as a core special teams player with periodic duties on defense.

Any hard feelings Bush may have had for the Panthers after they let him go vanished a long time ago.

“I’ve got my own self-gratification,” he said. “The Super Bowl definitely is one of those.

“Everything happens for a reason, I feel like. It’s just fortunate I did get cut,” Bush added. “It might have been the best thing that ever happened to me. It’s part of the business. There’s no personal vendetta. Let’s just go play football.”

NOTES: Packers rookie RB Alex Green was pulled from practice Friday after he aggravated an Achilles’ injury. “I was watching him go through the ball-security drill, and he was dragging his leg,” said McCarthy, who didn’t know the extent of the injury. Green is questionable for the game. . Among the Green Bay players who are probable to play are TE Jermichael Finley (ankle) and LT Chad Clifton (knee). Rookie LB Vic So’oto, who aggravated a back injury earlier in the week, won’t play for the second straight game. DE Mike Neal (knee) and LB Frank Zombo (shoulder) were previously listed as out.

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Packers CB Williams questionable for Carolina

ceariRuikeref — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 13:09:34 +0000