My Ryan Grant Blog

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions needed a lot to go right for them to have success this season.

So far, everything has gone wrong.

The winless Lions have been hit hard by injuries to Matthew Stafford, Nate Burleson and Jahvid Best — three key players on offense — and their best shot at a victory in Week 1 at Chicago was foiled when officials ruled Calvin Johnson didn't catch a potential game-winning touchdown.

"It's been like a domino effect," banged-up running back Aaron Brown said. "We started off with the dumb call and Matt getting hurt, then Nate, and (Best) and me. We keep churning for that break."

Stafford will miss a third straight game — Sunday in Green Bay — with an injured right shoulder that makes Shaun Hill a starter. Stafford didn't practice Wednesday and had plenty of teammates to watch practice with because Best (toe), Burleson (ankle) Brown (hand) and linebacker DeAndre Levy (groin) were among the players not healthy enough to participate.

Detroit didn't have a big margin for error this season after winning just twice in two years and injuries to several players have led to an 0-3 record, sinking the franchise to another low.

The Lions are 3-40 since midway through the 2007 season, giving them the worst 43-game record in NFL history, and they're 2-33 since 2008 for the lowest winning percentage over 35 games according to STATS LLC.

"The worse is over because we bottomed out somewhere in that span," kicker Jason Hanson said. "Everyone can see and feel that we're a better team and there's a reason to have expectations. But it wasn't good to go 0-3 in our situation because the longer you go without getting it done, the more you start to doubt."

Seeds of doubt were planted when the Lions gave Super Bowl-winning linebacker and TV analyst Matt Millen his first job in an NFL front office in 2001, when he drafted current center Dominic Raiola, and they've bloomed into a 33-114 record over the past nine-plus seasons.

Millen was fired two years ago, but his many misses in the draft and free agency left a mess behind for a franchise that already had problems with only one playoff victory since winning the 1957 NFL title.

"You can't get caught up in thinking we're cursed," Raiola said. "I don't even believe in witches."

Stafford didn't throw any passes Wednesday during the part of practice open to the media, then flashed a thumbs-up when a reporter asked him if he threw with his right arm when reporters didn't have access. The No. 1 pick in the 2009 draft then declined comment and wasn't in the locker room when it was open for the media.

Detroit coach Jim Schwartz was only slightly more forthcoming.

"Matt's making good progress and is doing a good job in his rehab," Schwartz said. "He won't be ready this week. I'm not going to get into his daily rehab, but he's doing more and more every day as you would expect. ... Matt is continuing in his rehab and throwing is in that rehab."

The Lions are left to hope Hill can help them end an 18-game, regular-season losing streak on the road against the Packers.

"I've never won in Green Bay — that's mind-boggling," Hanson, whom Detroit drafted in 1992. "I used to joke about it, but it's not funny anymore. The streak started the year I came in the league. It seems impossible."

Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, the No. 2 pick overall this season, insists it is possible for the Lions to turn it around this season and it's easy for him to stay optimistic.

"For me, it's simple," Suh said. "I know how great we are when we're playing as a unit, and I don't think we've played our best game. Until we play our best game and we're still losing, then it becomes a problem."

Whether you're a die-hard Packer fan from the days of Vince Lombardi or a newcomer learning about the current team, the latest book from Rob Reischel offers must-know facts and must-do suggestions to refresh or enhance your knowledge. What follows is an excerpt highlighting the incredible 1962 team.

Sept. 29, 2010 |(1) Comments

more photos

Rob Reischel has covered the Green Bay Packers for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Packer Plus magazine since 2001. Reischel has received 12 awards from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association for his writing and editing at News Publishing Co.

Reischel's book can be found at all major retailers or triumphbooks.com. Those interested in purchasing a signed copy can contact Reischel at robreischel@gmail.com.

Norm Masters still has the letter.

The one where Vince Lombardi expressed tremendous gratitude to his 1962 Green Bay Packers. Where the legendary coach thanked his team for their mental toughness, applauded their character and reminded them that there is no substitute for winning.

Then, in conclusion, Lombardi wrote that he was sending every player a color television.

"A color TV was big time back in those days," said Masters, an offensive tackle. "But really, that letter has meant a lot to me. I've used it many times in my life and I used so much of what coach Lombardi taught us."

Those 1962 Packers taught Lombardi a thing or two, as well. And of the 12 World Championships that have been won in Green Bay, those '62 Packers are widely regarded as the finest team in franchise history.

"That probably was the best year we had during the Glory Years," quarterback Bart Starr said. "Everything just kind of aligned right that season.

"We avoided injuries that season. It was our fourth year with Vince, so we all knew just what he wanted. And a lot of our core guys were in their prime. It was an incredible season."

Boy, was it ever.

The Packers went 13-1 during the regular season that year, the second-best winning percentage in team history. They defeated the New York Giants, 16-7, to win their second straight NFL Championship. And Green Bay outscored its opponents, 415-148, a margin of nearly 3-to-1.

Only a loss to Detroit on Thanksgiving stopped the Packers from achieving perfection.

"That was a great football team, probably the best of any we had there," safety Willie Wood said. "I look back now and it's incredible how close we were to going unbeaten. That was an incredible football team. There won't be many like that one again."

That's for sure.

Green Bay raced to a 10-0 start, and just two of those games were decided by single digits. After the Packers' loss in Detroit, they won their final three games - including road contests at San Francisco and the Los Angeles Rams - and won the Western Conference by two games over Detroit.

That set up a repeat of the 1961 NFL Championship, where the Packers defeated the New York Giants, 37-0. The game was played in brutal conditions at Yankee Stadium, with winds gusting to 40 miles per hour and a game-time temperature of 13 degrees.

But Green Bay beat both the Giants and the elements, 16-7. Ray Nitschke, the game's eventual MVP, had an interception and recovered two fumbles. Jim Taylor set a playoff record with 31 carries and a touchdown. And Jerry Kramer banged home three field goals. The Giants' only score came when they blocked a Max McGee punt for a touchdown.

"That team was incredible," said former tight Ron Kramer, who spent seven years in Green Bay "Everybody was in their prime, everybody had a great year."

And how.

Taylor bulldozed for 1,474 yards and 19 touchdowns that year, two marks that stood for 41 years before Ahman Green broke them in 2003. Starr had his best season yet, completing 62.5% of his throws and finishing with a 90.7 passer rating.

The dynamic pass catching duo of McGee and Boyd Dowler combined for 98 receptions, more than any pair of receivers in the Lombardi-era. And the offensive line of left tackle Bob Skoronski, left guard Fuzzy Thurston, center Jim Ringo, right guard Jerry Kramer and right tackle Forrest Gregg was unparalleled.

Individual defensive statistics from that time weren't kept. But the Packers' unit included future Hall of Famers in Nitschke, Wood, defensive end Willie Davis and cornerback Herb Adderley. That group allowed just 10.2 points per game and forced a remarkable 59 turnovers.

It's easy to see why Lombardi took the time to write a letter to everyone that played on that team.

"I'm one of the few guys who saved that letter," said Masters, who played with the Packers from 1957-'64 and lives in Detroit today. "Even Vince Lombardi Jr. asked me once where I got it and I said, 'Your Dad sent it out to the team.' It's really special to me."

Just like that 1962 team remains special to Green Bay's fans.

View the original article here

The Green Bay Packers' offensive tackles, Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher, each got called for three penalties in Monday night's loss to the Bears. Packers coach Mike McCarthy says that doesn't mean they need to be replaced.

"I believe in Mark Tauscher," McCarthy said, per the Wisconsin State Journal. "He's played a lot of football. Now, there are some things fundamentally that he did not do to his standard and I believe he'll get that corrected, because Mark's a pro's pro."I don't think it's a lack of anything. It's not a he-doesn't-have-it-anymore (situation)."

It might not be a he-doesn't-have-it-anymore situation, but the 33-year-old Tauscher certainly doesn't look like he's the same player he was a few years ago. McCarthy's comments seem less like a candid assessment of Tauscher's abilities than like an attempt to boost his confidence.

As for Clifton, who has been struggling with a knee injury, McCarthy acknowledges that he's going to be limited in practice and just trying to make it through games.

"I think Chad Clifton is doing the best he can with his health situation," McCarthy said. "I think we have a very good plan in place."

McCarthy might have a very good plan, and the Packers might turn to be OK at offensive tackle. But that wasn't apparent on Monday night.

Week No. 4 of the NFL season is here, and that means the first week of byes. Dallas, Kansas City, Minnesota and Tampa Bay all have the week off.

In the early games Sunday, Oct. 3, the Denver Broncos visit Tennessee. The Titans are coming off a nice win over the New York Giants, and the Broncos are coming off a home loss against the Colts. I like the Titans to continue their winning ways and drop the Broncos to 1-3.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-0 without their starting quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. They host the Ravens this week. The Steelers should hold serve and advance to 4-0. Can you say “Ben who?”

In the battle for supremacy in the state of Ohio, the Bengals travel to Cleveland. Cincinnati is 9-2 in their last 11 games against the Browns. I think they’ll make it 10 out of 12. The Lions will remain winless in 2010 when they drop to 0-4 against Green Bay.

The defending champion New Orleans Saints lost in overtime last week. I look for them to bounce back big against the Carolina Panthers. The Falcons were the team to beat the Saints in week three. The Falcons host the 49ers this week. I like Atlanta at home.

The Seahawks fly into St. Louis. Seattle is 10-0 in their last 10 games against the Rams. They won’t have any problem making it 11 straight. The New York Jets have to shuffle off to Buffalo this week. I like the Jets on the road.

The Colts are on the road for the second consecutive week. This week, they are in Florida to face off against the Jaguars. Jacksonville is 4-14 in the last 18 games against Indy. Look for the trend to continue. The Colts will improve to 3-1.

The Raiders are at home against the Texans. Last week, Oakland won and Houston lost. I’ll say the same thing will happen this week. I like Oakland by the bay. In the same state, but a little farther south, the Chargers welcome the Arizona Cardinals to town. They won’t be such welcome visitors when this one is over. I look for the Cardinals to win big in San Diego.

In Philadelphia, it’s a game that has been circled on the calendar for some time. Former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and his new team, the Redskins, come to the “City of Brotherly Love” for the first time since Philly let him go. Thanks to Michael Vick, the Eagles haven’t missed McNabb. I think Vick and the Eagles won’t show any love to their rivals from the East. I’m figuring the Eagles by at least 10.

The Sunday-night game features the Bears in the Big Apple against the Giants. That’s not good news for Eli Manning and his Giants. The road team has won the last seven straight meetings. I look for the Bears to add another win to their record and make it eight in a row for the road team.

In the Monday-night game, the Dolphins host the Patriots. This one could go either way, but I’m taking the Patriots to pull the mild upset on the road.

At press time, the only game undecided from week three was the Bears and Packers’ Monday-night contest in Chicago. Since I picked the Bears, I’m hoping I went 10-6 instead of 9-7. It’s hard to type this column with my fingers crossed.

There's a belief in some league circles that Jim Mora (the son) has an evil twin.  (Of course, there's also an even stronger belief that the elder Mora has an evil twin, too.)  If that's the case, the younger Mora's evil twin made a cameo appearance on ESPN Radio earlier today with Doug Gottlieb.

We'd heard about the segment from a reader, and we'd been trying to track down the audio. 

The folks at The Big Lead have obliged.

Mora, as you'll hear, didn't like being asked about Mike Vick's stunning improvement.  Gottlieb asked Mora, "Does it bum you out at all thought that he wasn't that bought in to be what it took to be a great quarterback when you coached him in Atlanta?"  (Yes, those are the specific words Gottlieb uttered.)

I've met Jim, and I like Jim.  But he probably was too hard on Gottlieb, even though Gottlieb asked for it a little bit by at one point suggesting that Mora "might still be the coach of the Falcons" if Vick listened to coaching and committed himself to preparation earlier in his career.  (Mora previously has sung Vick's praises when it comes to preparation.)

By the time the the topic finally changed to Donovan McNabb's return to Philly, Mora had enough.  Asked a clumsy question by Gottlieb about how Philly fans should feel about McNabb's return, Mora went off.

"I don't know, how do you feel?" Mora said.  "Is this your first interview?  Jesus Christ, what kind of questions are these?  How should they feel?  I don't know how people should feel."

The interview wrapped up not long after that, and when it wrapped up, Mora said to Gottlieb, "You are a real joy, thanks."

Gottlieb responded by saying, "That has never happened before," in a manner that strangely reminded us of a certain news anchor who once famously told us, "That is not the right video."

Detroit quarterback Shaun Hill will start for the Lions once again Sunday against Green Bay for injured starter Matt Stafford. (Eric Miller / Reuters)

Shaun Hill will make his third consecutive start at quarterback for the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Green Bay.

Lions Coach Jim Schwartz said Matthew Stafford is making progress in his rehab from a right shoulder injury, but he added that the quarterback is not nearly ready to return to the field.

Hill, who took over for injured Stafford in the season-opening loss to the Chicago Bears, has completed 63 of 107 passes for 660 yards and three touchdowns with five interceptions.

Rookie running back Jahvid Best and veteran receiver Nate Burleson did not practice Wednesday, but both are anticipating being healthy enough to play Sunday.

Jaguars' Osgood jumps out of window to flee attacker

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Kassim Osgood jumped from a second-story window to escape an armed man who attacked him and struck him in the head with a pistol, while also striking the 19-year-old woman Osgood was reportedly visiting Monday, according to the Florida Times-Union.

The intruder left Osgood with minor bumps and bruises, according to the report.

"He's fine. I'm aware of it," Coach Jack Del Rio said. "I really can't comment on that whole deal. He's doing OK."

Julian Armond Bartletto, 20, was identified by Mackenzie Rae Putnal as her ex-boyfriend. The two exchanged gunfire during the incident, but no one was hit.

Osgood, 30, is a special teams ace who was signed away from the San Diego Chargers during the offseason. He also has three receptions this season.

Jets' Revis not expected to play Sunday

New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis did not practice and, according to coach Rex Ryan, is not expected to play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

Linebacker Calvin Pace also did not participate in team drills, though he was on the sideline. Pace has not played since he broke a foot in August.

"I think Calvin has a better chance to play than Revis," Ryan said. "I don't feel great about Darrelle playing."

Revis, who missed most of training camp because he was holding out for a new contract, injured his left hamstring in Week 2 against the New England Patriots.

Colts' Polian clarifies comments about schedule

Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian said he was "very imprecise" when he was quoted on his Monday radio show as saying a move to an 18-game regular-season schedule was "fait accompli."

Interviewed on ESPN's "Mike and Mike in the Morning" radio show Wednesday, Polian said he meant that the Colts are preparing as though the extended schedule will happen.

Expanding the regular-season schedule by two games and cutting the exhibition season from four games to two is one of the major discussion points in talks between the NFL and NFL Players' Association about a new collective bargaining agreement.

Packers rookie linebacker Frank Zombo made his first start Monday against the Bears.

That's a little bigger stage than, say Kelly/Shorts Stadium or Spartan Stadium.

Zombo, who grew up in Sterling Heights and played defensive end at Central Michigan, started in place of Brad Jones (knee). The coaching staff decided to go with Zombo over veteran Brady Poppinga.

"He's a tough kid and has earned every opportunity he's been given here," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said of Zombo. "He came here as a free agent and went through training camp with a significant ankle injury that he didn't miss a whole lot of time with.

"Every time we put him in a situation, whether it was practice or preseason, he just kept producing."

Zombo, an undrafted free agent, was one of the biggest surprises in training camp, leading the team in tackles (18) and sacks (two).

On Monday, Zombo had four tackles and sacked Jay Cutler once during a 20-17 loss.

"I though he got off to a good start, solid start," McCarthy said. "We asked a lot of him as far as the amount of time that he played in his first opportunity.

"Frank has a lot of good football in front of him. Tough kid, hard working and I'm proud of what he's accomplished so far. But he's just getting started."

Antonio Brown , a former teammate of Zombo's at Central Michigan, made a statement of his own when he returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown as the Steelers beat the Titans, 19-11, last weekend.

Brown, a receiver and returner at Central, he is mainly a return specialist (34.8 yards on kickoffs, 21.0 on punts) for the Steelers.

Former Hillsdale standout and Raiders third-round pick Jared Veldheer has had an interesting start to his career.

Veldheer was drafted as a left tackle and practiced there all of camp. But he was switched to center, beating incumbent Samson Satele for the starting spot.

But the move didn't go as well as planned, and Veldheer was replaced in the opener. He has since moved back to left tackle and is splitting reps with Mario Henderson .

"Believe me, I'm the first guy to say I'd like to put the same five guys out there," Raiders coach Tom Cable told the San Jose Mercury News. "Sometimes you have to be flexible."

Neither Henderson nor Veldheer has distanced himself as the clear-cut No. 1 option.

"We're able to keep (Henderson and Veldheer) fresh and roll them in there and see if we can get one to kind of rise, if you will," Cable said.

5 -- Individual 400-yard passing games this season, the most after three weeks in history

18 -- Teams with a 2-1 record or better, most after three weeks in history

75.2 -- Percent of teams that started 3-0 and made the playoffs since 1990

NFL rookies from Michigan:

Joique Bell,RB, Wayne State: Undrafted. Signed by the Eagles off Bills practice squad; guaranteed three game checks on active roster

Antonio Brown, WR/R, Central Michigan: Drafted by Steelers in sixth round; returned opening kickoff for TD vs. the Titans in Week 2

Stevie Brown, S, Michigan: Undrafted. Signed by Raiders; playing mostly special teams, has three tackles

Robert Callaway, DT, Saginaw Valley State: Undrafted. Signed to Lions practice squad. Big, physical player who will learn a lot from Kyle Vanden Bosch and Co.

Josh Gordy,CB, Central Michigan: Undrafted. Signed to Packers' practice squad, spent most of exhibition season with Jaguars

Brandon Graham, OLB, Michigan: Drafted in first round by Eagles; recorded first career sack vs. Lions in Week 2

Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan: Drafted in sixth round by Bears, then cut. Has caught on as the No. 3 with Bengals

Greg Mathews, WR, Michigan: Undrafted. Signed to Bears' practice squad; gad three catches for 38 yards in exhibition season

Nick McDonald, G,Grand Valley State: Undrafted. Former GLIAC lineman of year plays a reserve role for Packers.

Zoltan Mesko, P, Michigan: Drafted in fifth round by Patriots; averaging 43.1 yards with long of 56

Brett Swenson, K, Michigan State: Undrafted. Signed by Colts. Never really threatened Adam Vinatieri's job; on injured reserve with leg injury

Jared Veldheer, T, Hillsdale: Drafted by Raiders in third round; Splitting time at left tackle after a disastrous start at center

Blair White, WR, Michigan State: Undrafted. Signed with Colts; had three catches for 27 yards and TD vs. Broncos last week

Frank Zombo, OLB, Central Michigan: Undrafted. Signed with Packers. Started first game vs. Bears on Monday; had one sack

• 1. New Orleans (1): Had game vs. Falcons won in overtime; missing short FG doesn't knock them down.

• 2. Pittsburgh (NR): Who thought they'd be 3-0 without Big Ben? Allowed league-low 33 points.

• 3. Baltimore (2): It'll get scary if the offense can put up a consistent showing like it did vs. Browns.

• 4. Green Bay (3): Still the best team in the NFC North despite loss to Bears; they'll learn from 18 penalties.

• 5. New England (4): The offense, behind QB Brady, is back to scoring at will (league-high 90 points).

• 28. Detroit (25): Looked like same old Lions vs. Vikings. Do they have a shot to beat the Rams in 2 weeks?

• 29. San Francisco (NR): Heads starting to roll with firing of offensive coordinator Raye this week.

• 30. Carolina (28): Rookie QB Clausen obviously didn't give them the lift they were hoping for.

• 31. Cleveland (32): Wallace is the starting quarterback ... Is there anything else to say?

• 32. Buffalo (30): Played the Patriots tough; still worst collection of players on offense.

Last week's rankings in parentheses

The estimated annual economic impact in Brown County of the Green Bay Packers and the redeveloped Lambeau Field is $282 million, according to a study released Wednesday by the Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District.

The $282 million includes 2,560 jobs, $124.3 million in earnings and $15.2 million in tax revenues.

According to the study, the impact represents an increase of $107 million over 2000, the last time such a study was completed, and largely is the result of the investment in the stadium redevelopment. The incremental impacts also include 940 jobs, $16.3 million in earnings and $5.6 million in fiscal impacts.

Conducted by AECOM, the study looked at the estimated economic impacts associated with the operations of the Packers and Lambeau Field for 2009.  The operations include training camp, preseason and regular-season games, as well as events in the Lambeau Field Atrium. The study then compared the current numbers to the 2000 totals, which were adjusted for inflation, to gauge the increase.

Ann Patteson, district board chairperson, said the impetus for the study was a series of playoff games held at Lambeau Field in January 2008. The games resulted in a number of inquiries regarding the impact of additional home games. The only data available was from a 2000 study and was dated and did not reflect the impact of the redeveloped stadium.

The district developed 12 questions to be answered, including what is the economic impact of a Packers home game and what has been the impact (positive or negative) of the redeveloped stadium on businesses surrounding the stadium.

“In addition to providing updated economic and fiscal impact data, the study provides information that can be considered in planning future capital improvements and evaluating other possible events that could be held at the stadium,” Patteson said.

With respect to the increased impact from the redeveloped Lambeau Field, Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy expressed the organization’s gratitude to the community.

“On behalf of the Green Bay Packers, we say thanks to the community for their support of the renovation,” he said. “Our intention for the redeveloped Lambeau Field was for it to help the Packers with a new facility, and it certainly has. The old Lambeau Field had fallen behind the rest of the league, and we’re in a better position today on and off the field because of the redevelopment. But we also knew there would be additional benefit to the community. The study illustrates the increase in the positive impact.”

The Detroit Lions' 0-3 start isn't the only reason this season isn't going as planned.

The continuing development of second-year quarterback Matthew Stafford was supposed to be a major element of coach Jim Schwartz's rebuilding plan -- you could argue that developing Stafford is more important to the long-term health of the franchise than the team's won-loss record this season. But Stafford suffered a shoulder injury in Week 1, and he won't be back any time soon.

Tom Kowalski of MLive.com reported that the Lions have already determined that Stafford won't be ready to play Sunday against the Packers and backup Shaun Hill will receive his third straight start -- Hill also got the nod in Week 2 against Philadelphia and Week 3 at Minnesota. It's now looking increasingly likely that Stafford will sit out through the Lions' Week 7 bye and not get back on the field until Week 8 against the Redskins, on October 31.

By that point the Lions are likely to be 0-6 or, at best, 1-5. And, again, Stafford will have missed a lot of game time when he could have been getting some valuable on-field experience.

The Green Bay Packers have signed T Chris Campbell to the practice squad. The transaction was announced Wednesday by Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson.

Campbell, a 6-foot-5, 328-pound rookie, was on Green Bay’s practice squad for the first two games this season. Signed by the Packers as a non-drafted free agent in April out of Eastern Illinois, Campbell played in all four preseason contests before being waived in the final roster cutdown. He will wear No. 69.

Green Bay Packers safety Nick Collins(notes) was not happy on Monday night as he entered the tunnel to the locker room. Part of it was that his team had just lost 20-17 to the Chicago Bears.

The other reason is an incident that the NFL is now investigating. It involved a confrontation between Collins and a fan in the stands who was shouting racial epithets, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

"According to a source familiar with the incident, the fan used a racial slur and spit at Collins, hitting him in the face as he stood in the tunnel," the paper wrote. Collins, who had only paused to lob his gloves to a Packers fan, kept on going but then came back out and threw his mouthpiece at the misbehaving fan.

So now the NFL is investigating. As for Packers coach Mike McCarthy? "I understand Nick's story as far as what happened and what our security people that were there," he told the paper, "and I support Nick 100%."

Mike McCarthy's staunch defense of the Green Bay Packers' running game this week gives us a slam-dunk "Have at It" topic this week. Even in a passing league, can the Packers get where they want to go with a backfield as currently constituted? Or do they need to add a veteran tailback to join Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn?

First, let's absorb McCarthy's full answers to a pair of questions posed Tuesday, a day after Jackson and Kuhn totaled 43 yards on 13 carries in a 20-17 loss to the Chicago Bears. Courtesy of the Packers' web site:

When you went back and watched the tape, how did you evaluate the run game?

Mike McCarthy: The run game? Well, I think you have to look at what's the definition of the run game. I looked at this particular game going into it, the production of the running backs, and I felt that our running backs were productive. I thought Brandon and John played well with the opportunities that they were given with the ball in their hands and what was put in front of them. Productivity doesn't always just come from the backfield. We went into the game with a specific run plan, they played us a certain way and we went to a little different direction, and I felt the ability to spread them out and deal the football, I thought Aaron Rodgers played very well in the football game. The attempts is not always the most important factor as far as running the football. I thought the running back production was a positive in the game.

Are Jackson and Kuhn good enough to take this team where they want to go?

MM: Yes. You ask me that every week. I like our running backs. We are going to use them accordingly to get the ball down the field. I'm not trying to sell something that is not true. Just because you don't line up and run it 25 times from the 'I' doesn't mean you are not committed to being productive with your running backs. If you look at the dynamics of our offensive personnel, we have the ability to play in a box offense. We have the ability to play in a spread offense. That is to our credit, and we're going to utilize that the best we can to score points. We didn't score enough points against Chicago. That's my biggest disappointment in our offensive performance because I thought our quarterback play was definitely there to have a lot more point production than we came out of that game, and really the failure was the penalties.

Now, let's look at the numbers. The first chart shows you where the Packers rank among NFL teams in the key rushing categories. What you see is they are a little below average, mostly in line with their number of attempts.

Most notable is their lack of explosive plays; all but seven teams have a run longer than the Packers' high of 18 yards.

The second chart shows where Jackson and Kuhn rank among NFL tailbacks, as well as how Rodgers is not far behind in rushing productivity.

PlayerRushesYardsAvg.First downsTDNFL yardage ranksSo among the issues you must consider: Do you think there is some untapped potential in Jackson and/or Kuhn as they grow more comfortable in their roles?Can the Packers do a better job of utilizing them or prioritizing the run game?Is anyone available to help? There still is no confirmation that the Buffalo Bills will make Marshawn Lynch available.Can the Packers win the way they played Monday night, in essence using Rodgers' short-passing game as long handoffs? I counted 23 completions against the Bears of eight or less yards, all but one of which came after the second quarter.If you were a defender, would you be fooled by a play-action pass out of this offense?
As always, leave your thoughts in the comment section below. I'll publish a representative sample, along with my own thoughts, by the end of the week. Have at It.Comments that include profanity, or personal attacks, or antisocial behavior such as "spamming" or "trolling," or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. We will take steps to block users who violate any of our terms of use. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.

Do you approve of the Packers starting rookie Frank Zombo at outside linebacker?

Green Bay — Having been present and accounted for every practice since the middle of August, Green Bay Packers linebacker Frank Zombo has earned a level of trust that banged-up teammate Brad Jones hasn't.

As a result, Zombo will make his second consecutive start Sunday against Detroit.

Zombo was a surprise starter against Chicago Monday night after Jones had been limited in practice all week with a knee injury and was listed as questionable on the injury report. Coach Mike McCarthy held out hope at the end of the week that Jones would play, but he made him one of the inactives against the Bears.

Zombo got the call over Brady Poppinga, who also had knee issues during the week. On Wednesday, Jones was a full participant in practice, but Zombo is slated to start.

"It is something we have talked about here since I have arrived," McCarthy said Wednesday. "You have to be available and you need to be accountable, and Brad is going through an injury situation right now.

"I'm not sure if he is healthy enough to play Sunday, so we're going to play the prepared players. We're going to play the experienced players."

Jones has been battling injuries since the first day of training camp when he hurt his back. He missed four days with that and then another 11 days and two exhibition games with a shoulder problem.

McCarthy has grown increasingly frustrated with holding positions open for players he hopes will be ready Sunday. He decided this week that unless it's a position held by a longtime veteran (for example, left tackle Chad Clifton), he's going to go with what he's got.

"I felt as a staff, particularly the last two weeks, that we have been way too up-and-down during the course of the week of trying to prepare players based on their health situation," McCarthy said. "It was addressed today (with the team), the ability to prepare and play the prepared player over going back and forth all week. Frank Zombo is the starting outside linebacker today."

Going with Zombo wouldn't be a slam-dunk if the undrafted free agent from Central Michigan hadn't played as well as he did against the Bears. Zombo played both outside linebacker positions, moving whenever defensive coordinator Dom Capers wanted to shift Clay Matthews to the right side.

Zombo had a sack and pressured Bears quarterback Jay Cutler several times, nearly making a game-changing play with his hit on Cutler, which hurried him into throwing an interception. Zombo, however, was called for a personal foul for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cutler, erasing the turnover

It's likely Zombo will be fined by the league, but he did enough to impress more than a couple of people with his pass rush. He has two sacks and a quarterback hit in less than five quarters of play.

"I thought Frank played very well," Matthews said. "He's young and he's only going to continue to get better. I know with myself, I was watching Detroit film from last year and it wasn't very good.

"I had a few moves here and there, but I think overall as a pass rusher and outside linebacker I feel like I'm light years ahead of where I was last year. I think the same goes for him, being a young guy starting on 'Monday Night Football.' He really got after it. He was physical, made some plays. I think we're happy where he's at."

After back-to-back three-sack games, Matthews found the path to Cutler congested with blockers, some of whom he said went to great lengths to shield him from the quarterback. That kind of attention is going to be the norm for teams that don't think they have adequate personnel to block Matthews one-on-one most of the time.

Despite being shadowed, Matthews had two hits on Cutler, caused two holding penalties and was in Cutler's face a couple of more times.

"There was one play that was comical," Matthews said of the attention he got. "I ran upfield, I beat the tight end and I felt like I was getting some pressure. On the sidelines I saw the (video) screen captured (it); there were three guys running after me."

That's where Zombo comes into play. Every great 3-4 team has two outside linebackers who complement one another, and while Matthews is the designated sack guy, the linebacker on the right side often has a clearer path to the quarterback.

A defensive end at Central Michigan, the 6-3, 254-pound Zombo has the build of a 3-4 outside linebacker and has made a quick transition to his new position. His pass rush is better than Jones', but he has to prove himself stopping the run and dropping into coverage.

Against the Bears, Zombo thought he fared well considering it was his first start.

"I found out midweek I was going to start and I felt confident in this position and me playing it," he said after the game. "I thought I did fairly well. Had a few (quarterback) hits. I felt like I was prepared."

Matthews said he'd be happy to have Zombo as his new running mate at outside linebacker, the same as he would Jones or Poppinga, especially if Zombo can begin to consistently win the one-on-one matchups.

The defense seemed to be a sack, forced fumble or interception away from beating the Bears, and Zombo will be in a good position to make that happen in future weeks.

"It's my responsibility to take him under my wing and help him go through the same process I went through, and kind of bring him up to speed," Matthews said. "But he knows what he's doing. That's the great thing about him. I don't really need to help him out very much.

"I can give him little bits of what I do here and what I do there, but ultimately he knows what he's doing, so it really comes down to what he's going to do."

Shaun Hill will make his second straight start at quarterback for the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Green Bay while Matthew Stafford continues to recover from a shoulder injury.

Stafford was knocked out of the season opener by the Bears' Julius Peppers, putting him on the sideline with a banged-up right shoulder -- his third injury in two seasons. Meanwhile, Detroit is 0-3 this season and 3-40 since midway through 2007, giving the Lions the worst 43-game mark in NFL history, according to STATS LLC.

Singletary, Niners not rattled

Mike Singletary is not wavering in the slightest from his offensive philosophy for the San Francisco 49ers. He wants a physical, balanced attack -- and Singletary still expects his 0-3 Niners to bounce back and win the NFC West as everybody thought they would.

Two days after he fired offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye, Singletary and his players expressed their enthusiasm for a fresh start heading into Sunday's game at Atlanta (2-1).

Promoted quarterbacks coach Mike Johnson is expected to bring a more creative offensive approach as coordinator. Singletary, who is standing by quarterback Alex Smith, said he has no plans to switch his starting lineup on either side of the ball even though the Niners have been outscored 87-38 so far.

Dallas receiver Dez Bryant knew there would be payback for having refused to do the rookie training-camp rite of carrying teammates' shoulder pads. The check came due this week at the traditional rookie-picks-up-the-tab dinner.

The damage: $54,896.

''People had goooood meals,'' Bryant's adviser, David Wells, said, laughing. ''If you'd never had lobster before, you had it that night.''

Bryant's salary with the Cowboys this season is $2.8 million.

Arizona Cardinals receiver Steve Breaston will miss at least one game after having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

• Buffalo Bills linebacker Chris Kelsay said he had signed a four-year contract extension worth about $24 million a day earlier.

• The annual report card by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida gave the NFL its first ''A'' on racial hiring practices in 18 years. The league also received a ''C'' for gender hiring and an overall grade of ''B.'' Those were the same marks as last year, tying the league's best.

Player 1
1) Peyton Manning: Despite playing less than a full game in each of his final two contests, Manning was second in the NFL in completions, completion percentage, passing yards and passing touchdowns (tied with Brett Favre). All that and his team was working on an undefeated season before essentially forfeiting their final two games.

2) Drew Brees: Brees set the NFL record for single-season completion percentage and led the NFL with 34 touchdown passes despite sitting out Week 17. If you believe the Saints' late-season struggles were just a blip on the radar, Brees is an excellent option.

3) Philip Rivers: Rivers never seems to get mentioned when the top quarterbacks in the league are mentioned, but fantasy football enthusiasts know plenty about him. His 104.4 quarterback rating for the season was third in the league, and he was in the top-10 in both passing yards and touchdown throws.

4) Tony Romo: Romo had a great season, coming in third in the NFL in passing yards, and he happens to be playing his best football right now. Dallas is the No. 3 seed in the NFC, and many pundits like them to make a run at the Super Bowl.

5) Aaron Rodgers: Rodgers was fourth in passing yards, passing scores and quarterback rating for this season, so there's no doubt he is one of the best in the game. Green Bay is the fifth seed as well, which means it's unlikely they'd be playing any home games. He's the ultimate boom-or-bust candidate in this group.

6) Brett Favre: Favre had a remarkable year in every way, and he ended the regular season with a flourish. You have to wonder, however, if the Vikings will gear up the running game more in the playoffs than they did towards the end of the regular season.

Player 2
1) Kurt Warner: We all saw what Warner could do last season if he got hot in the playoffs, and despite the Cards getting waxed by the Packers last week, it didn't seem like they gave their full effort, did it?

2) Donovan McNabb: McNabb was worse than his pedestrian numbers (20-of-36, no touchdowns, no interceptions) indicated last week against the Cowboys, as he missed a number of open receivers. That and the fact that Philly is the No. 6 seed in the NFC will lead some to be pessimistic about him for a postseason fantasy football run, but remember that Philly had won six in a row, and McNabb has led his team on a number of deep playoff runs.

3) Tom Brady: While we certainly believe the Patriots can make an extended playoff run, Brady is dealing with a plethora of problems. First and foremost are his busted bones - he reportedly has three cracked ribs and a broken index finger on his right (throwing) hand. Not to mention the fact that Brady has thrown for fewer than 200 yards in three of his last four games, and his leading pass-catcher, Wes Welker, tore up his knee and will miss the playoffs.

4) Joe Flacco: If you're looking for a sleeper candidate, Flacco may be your man. He doesn't put up huge numbers, but the Ravens have the running game and defense necessary to allow them to make an extended push in the playoffs, with Flacco doing enough to give you decent fantasy points along the way.

5) Carson Palmer: Really, Palmer and Mark Sanchez should be 6A and 6B, as neither is much of an option. Palmer was horrendous against the Jets last week, completing one of his 11 throws, for zero yards. New York is No. 1 in the NFL against the pass, but even if Cincy does beat them, Palmer won't give you much.

6) Mark Sanchez: Sanchez is the poorest passer among quarterbacks whose teams made it to the playoffs, and he should be treated as such here. Even a Super Bowl run for him may not produce equal numbers equal to two games from other quarterbacks in the playoffs.

Player 3
1) Adrian Peterson: Peterson led the NFL in rushing scores, and despite the fact he didn't have a 100-yard rushing game in the playoffs, his fantasy football value is beyond doubt, and there's reason to think that if the Vikings advance to the Super Bowl, he'll have a lot to do with it.

2) Ray Rice: Rice has huge value in this scoring format due to his pass-catching acumen, and if you believe that the Ravens can win at least one game, he may be worth choosing.

3) Joseph Addai: Addai doesn't rack up huge yards, but he was tied for ninth in the league with 10 rushing scores, catches the ball quite a bit, and also is on a team many think is the favorite to win the Super Bowl.

4) Thomas Jones: Jones has a tough go of it in the first round, against the Bengals' seventh-ranked run defense, and though he ran for two scores against them last week, he gained just 78 yards on 27 carries.

5) Ryan Grant: Grant is an excellent runner, and the Packers blew away the Cardinals last week, but his lack of receptions really hurts his value.

6) Cedric Benson: Benson will have to be most of the offense if Cincinnati is to advance in the postseason, but the Jets are a tough defense and there is no frame of reference for how he'll do against them because he sat out last week in their contest.

Player 4
1) LaDainian Tomlinson: Tomlinson has the advantage of being the lead back on a team that very well could wind up in the Super Bowl. Still, he had just one game with at least 75 rushing yards this season and two games with more than two receptions.

2) Pierre Thomas: Thomas had a bruised rib which was part of the reason he didn't suit up last week, but it's not a serious injury. He's a do-it-all back whose only question mark is how many carries he'll get.

3) Marion Barber: Barber had a solid season, though he carried the ball 20 times just once, and not more than 17 in any of his last six games. On a positive note, he did manage 91 yards last week against the Eagles.

4) Reggie Bush: Bush is more of a slot receiver than a running back, but the Saints clearly have the ability to make the Super Bowl, and he could catch enough passes to make him a worthwhile option.

5) Beanie Wells: Wells is now the lead back on a Cardinals team that we all know is dangerous considering what they did last season, and that was without a running game that Wells now provides them.

6) Brian Westbrook: Westbrook is a real wild card, and though we're not high on him due to what could be limited usage, if the Eagles wind up making a solid postseason run, Westbrook could be a big part of that, especially catching the ball.

Player 5
1) Felix Jones: Jones' explosiveness is what makes him an attractive option in this group. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry this season, tying Jamaal Charles for the highest average of any back with at least 100 carries. He also catches a decent amount of passes and received at least 10 carries in each of his last four games.

2) Darren Sproles: Speaking of explosive, Sproles fits right into that category, and he's also a very good receiver out of the backfield, but he doesn't receive the amount of carries Jones gets.

3) Chester Taylor: Taylor is a solid player who totes the rock between 5-10 times per game with 2-4 catches per. He could have good value if you think the Vikings are Super Bowl-bound.

4) Willis McGahee: We all saw what McGahee could do in Baltimore's last game of the season, and it may surprise you to know that he tied for fifth in the NFL with 12 touchdown runs.

5) Donald Brown: If the Colts weren't as good as they were, Brown would be last on this list, but he can pick up points based simply on the fact he may play more games. But he's clearly second fiddle to Joseph Addai, and has battled injuries all year.

6) Tim Hightower: Hightower received double-digit carries just once in his final five games, and he isn't explosive with the ball in his hands. What he does bring is potential fantasy points due to his ability to catch the ball.

Player 6
1) Dallas Clark: Clark was fifth in the NFL in receptions this season, tying teammate Reggie Wayne with 100 passes caught. He also tied Wayne for seventh in the league in touchdown grabs with 10, and is the most reliable pass-catching tight end in football.

2) Reggie Wayne: Wayne's numbers nearly mirrored Clark's in every way but receiving yards, where he picked up 158 more. Yet he's behind Clark due to his slow end to the year. He had fewer than 50 receiving yards in five of his final six games.

3) Sidney Rice: Rice broke out this season to place fourth in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,312 on 83 receptions for a robust average of 15.8 yards per catch. But with receptions so valuable in this fantasy football scoring format, he ranks behind both Indy players.

4) Antonio Gates: Gates is one of the best pass-catching tight end in the game, and arguably number one. He ended the season on a great note, catching a touchdown in each of his final four contests.

5) Vincent Jackson: Jackson started hot, slowed down, then got hot again, racking up 100 yards in two of his final three games. His inconsistency is a concern, especially with so few games in the postseason to make his mark.

6) Marques Colston: There's nothing wrong with selecting Colston, it's just that the Saints have so many weapons, you never can tell who will be the player Drew Brees goes to in any specific game.

Player 7
1) Randy Moss: Moss tied for the league lead in touchdown catches with 13, and without Wes Welker, the onus to do big things in the New England passing game falls squarely on him.

2) Miles Austin: No receiver is currently playing better than Austin right now, who is physically dominating his opponents. He gained 90 or more receiving yards in five of his last six games, and wound up third in the league in that statistic.

3) Larry Fitzgerald: One of the players tied with Moss for the most touchdown catches in the NFL was Fitzgerald, though all things considered, he had a bit of a disappointing season, especially where receiving yards are concerned - he ranked 17th in the NFL with 1,092.

4) DeSean Jackson: Jackson is capable of pretty much anything, but he ended the season with two games of fewer than 50 receiving yards, and plays a Cowboys team that held him in check in Week 17.

5) Greg Jennings: Jennings' four touchdowns on the season was a huge disappointment to fantasy football owners across the land, though he still gained over 1,100 yards. But it's hard to ignore his lack of trips to the end zone and the fact that he caught fewer than 70 passes on the year.

6) Chad Ochocinco: Ochocinco will have to go up against Darrelle Revis in the Bengals' opening playoff game, and Revis, combined with a knee bruise, held Ochocinco to zero catches and zero yards in Week 17.

Player 8
1) Jason Witten: Witten's 94 catches this season were ninth in the NFL, though he only scored twice - once in Week 2, and again in Week 17 - against the very same Eagles team he'll be facing this week.

2) Brent Celek: Celek has become a trusted option for Donovan McNabb, and has proven that all season, but especially in the final weeks. He's the only one that didn't seem to have the dropsies in Week 17 against the Cowboys, a game in which he had seven receptions for 97 yards.

3) Percy Harvin: Harvin is a home run hitter who can find the end zone any time he touches the ball. He'll also run the ball at least once per game, giving him further value. By no means is he a bad option, it's just that he may not get as many looks as some other players in this group. Unless you think the Vikings are headed to the Super Bowl; then, by all means, insert him in your lineup.

4) Anquan Boldin: Boldin is suffering from injuries to both his knee and ankle, and may not suit up for Arizona's initial playoff game, so check his status before employing him in your fantasy football lineup.

5) Donald Driver: Driver had six receptions for 65 yards in Week 17 against Arizona, but he hasn't had a big game since Thanksgiving, and ended the season with fewer than 80 receiving yards in nine of his last 10 games

6) Derrick Mason: Mason is as reliable as they come, but Baltimore will win by running the ball, and their prospects for going deep into the playoffs seem remote.

Player 9
1) Julian Edelman: Edelman takes over the Wes Welker role in the New England offense, and that means big things in this scoring format. For example, in Week 17 he was targeted a whopping 15 times and came up with 10 catches for 103 yards.

2) Jermichael Finley: Finley is on his way to becoming one of the league's elite tight ends, and he finished the season with a bang, gaining 80 receiving yards or scoring a touchdown (or both) in each of his final five games.

3) Pierre Garcon: Garcon battled a hand injury late in the year that stunted what was seemingly excellent growth throughout the season. He was really playing well in the middle of the year before this injury caught up to him, and he can be effective on a team that has Super Bowl aspirations.

4) Robert Meachem: Meachem was extremely hot in the middle of the year, catching a touchdown in five straight games from Weeks 9-13. He's only scored once since then, however, and gained at least 70 yards just once in his final seven contests.

5) Jeremy Maclin: Maclin, Philly's first-round pick this year, has had a very good rookie season, but he's behind both Brent Celek and DeSean Jackson on the depth chart, and had fewer than 50 yards in both of his meetings with Dallas this season, the team the Eagles will face in the first round of the playoffs.

6) Jerricho Cotchery: The Jets pound the rock on the ground to win their games, and despite the fact that Cotchery and Mark Sanchez clearly have a solid chemistry, he's really not worth using.

Player 10
1) Devery Henderson: It's a gamble placing Henderson here, but one that could really pay off. He gained 804 yards this season on 51 receptions, and is always a threat to make one or two huge plays per game.

2) Bernard Berrian: Berrian had a highly disappointing season for his fantasy football owners, but he's on a Vikings team that isn't afraid to use all of their options, and one that could make a significant postseason run.

3) Jeremy Shockey: Shockey has been battling an injury, and hasn't caught a pass since Week 14. Still, it's possible he comes up with a solid postseason effort, because everyone on the Saints is capable of doing so considering how much they spread the ball around.

4) Braylon Edwards: Edwards gained less than 50 receiving yards in six of his final seven games, but he has the capability to deliver. Still, it's difficult to believe in him, especially considering the Jets are the lowest seed in the AFC, and win by running the ball and defense.

5) Roy Williams: If Williams gets the opportunity, he's shown he can make some things happen, but whether he does or not is anyone's guess. He's extremely frustrating to fantasy football owners, and can't be trusted, even if his talent says he can.

6) Steve Breaston: Breaston has ceded catches and yards to Early Doucet, so unless it's found out that Anquan Boldin's injury is a serious one, you should leave him be.

Player 11
1) Austin Collie: With Pierre Garcon out, Collie flourished, catching a touchdown in three consecutive games from Weeks 13-15. He also had nearly 100 yards in Week 16 and is a promising threat to, at the minimum, give you fantasy points with receptions, if not huge yards.

2) Malcolm Floyd: Floyd actually picked up 776 receiving yards on the season, which was more than players like Pierre Garcon, Jeremy Maclin and Robert Meachem. The problem was he did it on just 45 catches, which hurts in this scoring format, and he found the end zone only one time.

3) Patrick Crayton: Crayton is option three or four on the Dallas depth chart, depending on if Roy Williams actually shows up. But he had a big game against the Eagles in Week 17, and shouldn't be completely discounted because of his low spot on the pecking order.

4) James Jones: Jones did more than you might think by the Packers this season. He caught just 32 passes, but gained 440 yards, and more importantly, caught five touchdowns, which was one more than teammate Greg Jennings.

5) Todd Heap: Heap caught two touchdowns in each of his game during Week 15 and 16, and while that meant gold if you had the cajones to use him during your fantasy football playoffs, it was a rare feat for him, and he's just as likely to pick up 30 yards on two catches.

6) Dustin Keller: Keller is a middling option who didn't catch more than three passes or gain even 35 yards in any of his final five games.

Player 12
1) Nate Kaeding: Kaeding tied David Akers for the league lead in field goals, and was one of just two players who made 25 or more kicks to make at least 90 percent of his tries. He's the best kicker on a team with realistic Super Bowl expectations.

2) Ryan Longwell: Longwell has the benefit of kicking indoors until/if he reaches the Super Bowl, which is a nice bonus. He also plays on a high-scoring team and led the NFL in extra points made.

3) Garrett Hartley: Hartley only played five games this season, and though he was 9-for-11 in field goals, he only attempted one kick from 40 yards and beyond, and missed that kick. Still, he's on a team with a potent offense, and could be kicking in three games, which means plenty of points.

4) David Akers: As mentioned, Akers was tied for the league lead in field goals made. But he's on the sixth-seeded team in the NFC, and it may be difficult for the Eagles to advance deep into the postseason. Still, they very well could win a game or two, possibly making Akers a worthwhile selection.

5) Stephen Gostkowski: Gostkowski is on a team that can put up a lot of points, and has at least one home game, but his problem is long-distance kicking - he made only seven of his 11 kicks from 40 yards or beyond.

6) Jay Feely: Feely wasn't always accurate, making just over 83 percent of his field goal tries, but he was tied for third in the league in kicks made. Still, there are other options in this group that are better simply because they are on better teams.

7) Mason Crosby: Crosby made only 75 percent of his kicks this season, which is the worst percentage in this group. And he was only 6-of-13 from 40 yards or beyond.

8) Shaun Suisham: Suisham is a solid kicker, but he and Hartley are the only ones in this group not to have made a 50 yarder, and Suisham played nine more games than Hartley.

Player 13
1) Colts: The defensive group is the most subjective, and essentially boils down to which team you believe will go the furthest, thereby offering you the most opportunity to rack up points. For that reason, we've simply ranked the teams by their playoff seed.

2) Chargers:

3) Patriots:

4) Bengals:

5) Jets:

6) Ravens:

Player 14
1) Saints: The defensive group is the most subjective, and essentially boils down to which team you believe will go the furthest, thereby offering you the most opportunity to rack up points. For that reason, we've simply ranked the teams by their playoff seed.

2) Vikings:

3) Cowboys:

4) Cardinals:

5) Packers:

6) Eagles:

3 weeks into the season, there are clears haves and have-nots. That was made especially evident last week, when six of the 14 games played saw the winning teams conquer by at least 19 points. Week 6 of the season should be a bit more competitive, and ultimately a bit more enjoyable for football fans. Something that never lacks for excitement, however, are the 1-Week Frenzies offered by Rotoplay. And once again, we're here to attempt to help you put together the best line-up possible with our player rankings.

Quarterbacks 1

1) Tom Brady (vs. Tennessee): There isn't better match-up this week than Brady vs. the Titans. Tennessee has been miserable against the pass this season; they rank 31st in the NFL in both pass defense and passing touchdowns allowed. In four of the five games Tennessee has played this season, the opposing quarterback has thrown for at least 300 yards, and in three separate games, opposing signal-callers have tossed at least three scores.

2) Aaron Rodgers (vs. Detroit): No team has allowed more passing touchdowns this season than Detroit, who has given up multiple scores through the air in every game this year. Rodgers has his first 300-yard game before the team's bye last week, and has thrown for two touchdowns in two consecutive games.

3) Ben Roethlisberger (vs. Cleveland): Teams haven't put up fantastic passing numbers against the Browns because of how bad Cleveland is against the run. That said, they have still allowed 230 or more passing yards four times. Roethlisberger is playing very well, having completed at least 22 passes in every game this year.

4) Drew Brees (vs. NY Giants): Shockingly, Brees has gone two straight games having thrown for fewer than 200 yards without a touchdown. And it doesn't get any easier for him this week. It's hard not to recommend Brees, but the Giants have only allowed one passer to throw for more than 127 yards.

5) Matt Schaub (@ Cincinnati): Three times this season, Schaub has completed at least 25 passes for 300 or more yards and at least two scores. That doesn't seem likely to be the case this week. The Bengals are solid against the pass, as no opposing quarterback has thrown multiple touchdowns or for 300 yards in a game on them, and they haven't faced stiffs, either. Three of the five teams they've played are in the top-12 in the league in passing offense.

6) Philip Rivers (vs. Denver): The Broncos are currently fifth in the league against the pass, and are tied with Indianapolis for the fewest passing touchdowns given up. It should be noted, however, that in the six times Rivers has faced the Broncos since becoming San Diego's starting quarterback in 2006, he's thrown 12 touchdowns and just three interceptions, and has thrown multiple touchdowns in five of those games.

Quarterbacks 2

1) Kurt Warner (@ Seattle): Warner has only six touchdowns and four interceptions, but he has completed at least 26 passes and thrown for 285 yards three times in four games. Seattle is ninth in the league against the pass, but Warner lit them up last year, throwing for 395 yards in one game against them and four touchdown passes in his other.

2) Donovan McNabb (@ Oakland): McNabb threw for over 260 yards and three scores in what was his first full game of the season last week. Now, he plays his second full contest (hopefully) against the woeful Raiders, who are average, at best, in pass defense.

3) Jay Cutler (@ Atlanta): After his poor start in Week 1, Cutler has thrown for at least two scores in each of his last three contests. Still, though Atlanta is 22nd in the league in pass defense, they've allowed just three passing scores this season, which is third in the league.

4) Carson Palmer (vs. Houston): Houston is 16th in the league against the pass, but those numbers are skewed a bit considering the Texans have faced three teams ranked outside the top-20 in passing offense. Palmer has tossed just two picks in his last three contests, to go with four touchdowns. Still, he's thrown one score or fewer in three of his five games this year.

5) David Garrard (vs. St. Louis): The Rams haven't allowed a 300-yard passer yet this season, so they have that going for them. Still, they're not adept at stopping the pass, so Garrard is in line for a solid week, but is not a great option considering the company he's keeping in this group.

6) Eli Manning (@ New Orleans): Manning faces off against the Saints this week, and three of the four quarterbacks to go up against New Orleans have thrown for 205 yards or fewer with no touchdowns. They're 11th in the NFL in pass defense, but only two teams have allowed fewer passing scores. The Saints also lead the NFL with 10 interceptions and have held opponents' signal-callers to a league-low 51.3 QB Rating.

Quarterbacks 3

1) Joe Flacco (@ Minnesota): Flacco has thrown for a touchdown in each of Baltimore's games this season, and his 22 completions last week were the fourth time in five games he's completed that many throws. The Vikings defense can be thrown on, which was obvious to anyone who saw the Rams move the ball on them. Minnesota is 17th against the pass and 20th in passing scores allowed.

2) Brett Favre (vs. Baltimore): Only Cleveland's pathetic passing attack has failed to post solid passing numbers against the Ravens this season. Favre has thrown at least one touchdown pass in every game this year, and three times has completed at least 23 passes.

3) Matt Ryan (vs. Chicago): The Bears have allowed just four passing touchdowns, which is sixth in the NFL, but they are 20th in the league in passing yards allowed. Ryan had a great day last week, with over 300 passing yards and two scores - the third time in four games he's thrown for multiple touchdowns.

4) Kyle Orton (@ San Diego): Orton has been merely solid all year; he's thrown a touchdown in every game, but threw for over 300 yards for the first time last week and has yet to throw more than two scores in a game and has completed over 20 passes just once. The Chargers are decent against the pass, but less so against the run, so expect Denver to concentrate on running the ball.

5) Jake Delhomme (@ Tampa Bay): The Buccaneers give up big plays left and right, and have allowed more passing scores than all but two teams, but Delhomme is far from trustworthy, and has not thrown for more than 1 touchdown in a game this year.

6) Derek Anderson (@ Pittsburgh): Hilariously - unless you're a Cleveland fan - Anderson completed just two passes last week. Two! Now he faces the Steelers and has pretty much nobody to throw to with Braylon Edwards gone. Do you really want him anywhere near your fantasy team?

Quarterbacks 4

1) Jason Campbell (vs. Kansas City): This is a very good match-up for Campbell, as the Chiefs are 29th in pass defense, and 28th in passing scores allowed. He has shown the ability to put up solid numbers against weak opponents, and should do so again this week.

2) Marc Bulger (@ Jacksonville): Bulger came in towards the end of the game last week and completed all seven of his passes, including one for a score. His match-up this week against the Jaguars' 30th-ranked pass defense is a good one, so if you're looking for a potential sleeper, Bulger may be it.

3) Matt Cassel (@ Washington): Cassel hasn't thrown an interception since Week 2, and he's thrown two touchdowns in each of his last three games. Yet it's important to note that he's thrown for fewer than 130 yards twice this season, and faces the Redskins' third-ranked pass defense this week.

4) Mark Sanchez (vs. Buffalo): Sanchez is an excellent game-manager, but as far as fantasy goes, there are simply too many statistical inadequacies in his game. He's completed fewer than 15 passes three times and has thrown more than one touchdown in a game just once.

5) Kerry Collins (@ New England): Collins was pulled from the Titans' game last week, and though he's starting again this week, he could go at any time, especially if the game turns into a blowout quickly. Use him at your own risk.

6) Trent Edwards (@ NY Jets): Edwards has one touchdown and five interceptions in his last three games, and faces a top-10 pass defense this week. Don't even bother with him.

Running Backs 1

1) Maurice Jones-Drew (vs. St. Louis): MJD did not have a good week against Seattle last Sunday, but that should be rectified this week against the Rams, who are 23rd in the NFL against the run and 26th in rushing scores allowed.

2) Matt Forte (@ Atlanta): Forte has an excellent match-up this week against a Falcons squad that is 24th in the NFL in run defense. He's caught five passes in two separate games this season, and with receptions being three points a pop, he's a good play.

3) DeAngelo Williams (@ Tampa Bay): The Bucs have only allowed three rushing scores because everyone scores against them throwing the ball. They're still 28th in the NFL against the run, and in Week 16 of last season, Williams ran for 186 yards and two scores against them.

4) Adrian Peterson (vs. Baltimore): All Day hasn't run for 100 yards since Week 1, and hasn't broken 70 yards in the last two weeks. Despite his obvious talents, the Ravens are fourth in the league against the run, and just last week let an opponent run for over 100 yards for the first time since 2006. It likely won't happen two weeks in a row.

5) Chris Johnson (@ New England): It's not Johnson's fault that Tennessee is as bad as they are, nor is it his fault that the Titans gave him just nine carries last week. No chance that will happen again, and he should be in store for a good day, even against the Patriots' solid run defense.

6) Steven Jackson (@ Jacksonville): Poor Jackson. He was so excited to finally score his first touchdown last week, he fumbled on a hand-off inside the five-yard line. If you can do without the scores, Jackson is a good play due to the touches he receives - at least 21 carries and multiple receptions in each of his last three games.

Running Backs 2

1) Rashard Mendenhall (vs. Cleveland): The only thing that might slow Mendenhall down this week is if Willie Parker, who is finally healthy, eats into his carries too much. Otherwise, this is a match-up to savor; the Browns are dead last in the NFL against the run, and have allowed more rushing scores than all but one team in the league.

2) Knowshon Moreno (@ San Diego): Moreno is clearly the man in the Denver backfield, with 21 rushes in two of his last three games. He's scored just once this year, but he's also caught six passes in those games, and has an excellent match-up against a San Diego team that is 27th in the NFL in run defense and 26th in rushing scores allowed.

3) Brian Westbrook (@ Oakland): Only two squads have allowed more rushing touchdowns than the Raiders, who are 31st in the league against the run. Westbrook is apparently fully healthy, but he's lost carries to second-round pick LeSean McCoy, and ended up toting the rock just six times last week.

4) Brandon Jacobs (@ New Orleans): Jacobs carried the ball 21 times for 67 yards last week as backfield mate Ahmad Bradshaw tore up the Raiders. Jacobs has a disappointing one touchdown this season, and has caught just four passes, severely hurting his value in this format.

5) Michael Turner (vs. Chicago): The problem with Turner is that he simply doesn't catch the ball - he has just one catch this season. And in this scoring format, that means he'd have to outrush another player in this group by 30 yards for each of their catches.

6) Steve Slaton (@ Cincinnati): Slaton continues to be one of the bigger disappointments in fantasy football this season. He's run for fewer than 40 yards in three of his five games this year, including last week, and now faces a Cincinnati defense that is 12th in the league in run defense and which has allowed just three rushing scores.

Running Backs 3

1) Cedric Benson (vs. Houston): Benson accomplished something last week nobody had done in two full seasons - run for 100 or more yards against the Ravens. This week, he faces Houston, which is 26th in run defense, and dead last in rushing scores allowed.

2) Kevin Smith (@ Green Bay): Green Bay has only allowed two scores on the ground, which is tied for fourth in the league, but they've also had two runners gain at least 100 yards against them in the four games they've played this year. Smith has added value due to the fact he's caught multiple passes in each game this year.

3) Pierre Thomas (vs. NY Giants): Thomas has performed well of late, running for at least 85 yards and a touchdown in two consecutive games. The Giants are excellent against the pass, but can be run on. They're 15th in the NFL in run defense, and only seven teams have allowed more rushing scores than they have.

4) Ryan Grant (vs. Detroit): Though Grant has carried the ball 16 or fewer times in three of his four games this season, his match-up here is a good one. Detroit has allowed a running back to gain at least 75 yards in four of the five games they've played on the year.

5) Clinton Portis (vs. Kansas City): Despite his nice match-up against the Chiefs, Portis is dealing with an ankle malady, and, like Jones, doesn't get enough touches compared to the rest of the players in this group.

6) Thomas Jones (vs. Buffalo): Yes, Jones scored twice last week, but he hasn't carried the ball more than 14 times since Week 1, and he's a non-factor in the passing game, killing his value in this format.

Running Backs 4

1) LaDainian Tomlinson (vs. Denver): The Broncos are sixth in the league in run defense, allowing just 81.0 yards per game (only one time has a runner even topped 70 yards against them), and have let opposing ball carriers cross the goal-line just twice. LT has been struggling to start the year, but he'll have a huge game sooner or later, and in this group of runners, is a good option.

2) Ray Rice (@ Minnesota): Rice's seven receptions last week marked the third game this season in which he's had at least five catches out of the backfield. He usually doesn't see more than 15 carries in a game, but three points per reception means his value is very high.

3) Cadillac Williams (vs. Carolina): Caddy ran the ball 10 times for, and this is not a typo, eight yards last week. It was the third time in five games he's run for fewer than 10 yards. Yes, he can catch the ball out of the backfield, but his history of all or nothing this year makes him a gamble, even against a pillow-soft Panthers run defense.

4) Fred Jackson (@ NY Jets): Marshawn Lynch is back, and he's the No. 1 runner in the Bills' backfield, severely hurting Jackson's fantasy value. Even if Lynch was not around, this is a poor match-up for Jackson.

5) Tim Hightower (@ Seattle): Hightower ran the ball just six times last week, which was the third time in four games he's had fewer than 10 carries in a game. With carries being worth one point in this scoring system, there are better options.

6) Jerome Harrison (@ Pittsburgh): Jamal Lewis returned last week, putting Harrison back into the No. 2 spot in the Cleveland backfield, though Lewis was limited in practice some this week. Still, there's no reason to use Harrison against the Steelers.

Wide Receivers 1

1) Randy Moss (vs. Tennessee): Moss has scored just one touchdown on the year, but this week, against a Titans pass defense that is softer than a 300-pound man's beer belly, he should go off. The Titans have allowed four different 100-yard receivers this season, and have allowed at least one wideout to gain at least 90 yards in every game.

2) Larry Fitzgerald (@ Seattle): Two more touchdowns for Fitzgerald last week gave him four in four games this season. Yet he also had fewer than 80 receiving yards once again, and hasn't broken that mark so far this year. Nonetheless, how do you not like a guy who had games of 151 and 130 receiving yards against the Seahawks last season?

3) Andre Johnson (@ Cincinnati): Though the Bengals have been fairly successful in stopping the pass overall, they have allowed opposing wideouts to come up big against them. Last week was the first time all season they didn't allow a receiver to gain at least 85 yards against them. That's about the least you should expect from Johnson.

4) Steve Smith (NYG) (@ New Orleans): Smith caught a season-low three passes last week, but still picked up 70 yards. It's hard to stay away from Smith, especially in this format due to the fact that receptions are worth so much, but the match-up isn't great, and only one wide receiver has caught more than six passes in a game against the Saints.

5) Anquan Boldin (@ Seattle): Boldin has been solid all season, but has only found the end zone one time - those looks are going to teammate Larry Fitzgerald. He's always going to put up some type of decent numbers, but there are better options in this group.

6) Marques Colston (vs. NY Giants): Only twice in five games has a wideout been the leading receiver in a game against the Giants, and one of the receivers had fewer than 30 yards to lead the team. This match-up is too difficult when you consider the other players in this group.

Wide Receivers 2

1) Steve Smith (CAR) (@ Tampa Bay): Only Jake Delhomme has held Smith back, but history says Smith will overcome to have a very good game this week. In two games against the Buccaneers last season, Smith had at least 110 receiving yards in each.

2) Brandon Marshall (@ San Diego): Marshall has four touchdown catches over his last three games, and though he has yet to gain 100 receiving yards in a contest this year, that's coming soon. In Week 2 of last season, Marshall had 18 catches for 166 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers.

3) Roddy White (vs. Chicago): White announced his presence with aplomb last week after being non-existent for the beginning of the season. He had 210 receiving yards and two touchdowns last week, and though he won't repeat that this week, he does have a decent match-up against the Bears.

4) Vincent Jackson (vs. Denver): Jackson hasn't caught more than six passes in any game, and he's also had a bye week, so the fact that he's sixth in the NFL in receiving yards says a lot. And though Denver is excellent against the pass, three different receivers have gained at least 85 yards on them in a game this year.

5) Chad Ochocinco (vs. Houston): The Ocho had a season-high seven grabs and 94 receiving yards last week, and has a decent match-up this week against the Texans. He's clearly Carson Palmer's No. 1 target, so there's every reason to expect him to have a solid game.

6) Calvin Johnson (@ Green Bay): Johnson is struggling with a knee injury, causing him to miss practice time. He'll likely be a game-time decision, so it's difficult to recommend him knowing that. If you simply must use him, check on Sunday to see if he's playing.

Wide Receivers 3

1) T.J. Houshmandzadeh (vs. Arizona): The Arizona Cardinals have been destroyed through the air, having allowed a wideout to gain at least 100 yards in three of their four games this season, and at least 70 yards in every game. Now that Matt Hasselbeck has returned, Houshmandzadeh will be a force.

2) Wes Welker (vs. Tennessee): Welker missed two games earlier in the season, then labored in his first contest upon his return, but he got back to doing his think last week in the Patriots' loss to Denver. He caught eight passes for 86 yards and one touchdown in the game, and with one of the league's worst pass defenses coming up, he's a great option.

3) Greg Jennings (vs. Detroit): With just five receptions over his last three games, Jennings has not been as involved in the Packers' offense as fantasy enthusiasts have hoped. This very well could be the game he goes off, however, as he has a good match-up with a Detroit team he burned for over 100 yards in both of his games against them last year.

4) Santana Moss (vs. Kansas City): Moss has had two games where he's made big plays, but the only problem here is, he doesn't catch the ball an awful lot. And though he could be in store for another solid contest considering the weak pass defense of the Chiefs, his lack of catches is something that needs to be considered.

5) Santonio Holmes (vs. Cleveland): Holmes has been very average since Week 1, and the Browns have actually held individual receivers down this season. Only one wideout has gotten more than 86 yards in a game against them.

6) DeSean Jackson (@ Oakland): One catch for one yard. That was the extent of Jackson's day last week. It was the second time in four games he had fewer than 10 receiving yards, and that inconsistency is a bit of a worry.

Wide Receivers 4

1) Hines Ward (vs. Cleveland): Ward has caught at least six passes and gained at least 80 yards in four of the Steelers' five games this year, though that's come with only one touchdown. He's a decent play, but Pittsburgh will likely be more focused on running the ball, which could hold Ward down somewhat.

2) Mike Sims-Walker (vs. St. Louis): Sims-Walker didn't play last week because he was suspended for a violation of team rules. The Jaguars subsequently got shut out, and he's back on the field with a very good match-up against a Rams team that is 25th in the league against the pass.

3) Derrick Mason (@ Minnesota): Mason simply will not be shut out like he was last week, and he's a solid option against a Vikings pass defense that can be exploited. Mason is very capable of doing the exploiting this week.

4) Bernard Berrian (vs. Baltimore): The Ravens remain surprisingly below-average against the pass, coming in 26th in the league in that category. Berrian has yet to gain more than 75 receiving yards, but all he needs is one of his trademark big plays to make that happen.

5) Dwayne Bowe (@ Washington): Bowe's touchdown catch last week was his third in four games, something he's accomplished despite not catching more than five passes in any contest. Washington is third in the NFL in pass defense, so this won't be an easy game for him, but he's clearly a threat to score each week.

6) Jerricho Cotchery (vs. Buffalo): Cotchery is dealing with a hamstring injury that has kept him out of practice. He's got a decent match-up if he plays, but there are other, healthier options in this group.

Wide Receivers 5

1) Donald Driver (vs. Detroit): With at least four catches in every game this season, Driver has done a lot to prove that, even at age 34, there's a lot of tread left in his tires. He has a solid match-up this week against Detroit, a team he scored a touchdown against both times Green Bay played them last season.

2) Nate Burleson (vs. Arizona): Burleson has a great match-up against the Cardinals, but he's battling a bit of a back injury, something that has come at the least opportune time. He has only been limited in practice, so he should be able to play, but check before inserting him in your lineup.

3) Kevin Walter (@ Cincinnati): The Bengals have allowed one receiver to be productive against them, but have yet to allow two receivers in the same game do so. Only once, against the Steelers, have they allowed two wideouts to each gain at least 40 yards against them.

4) Eddie Royal (@ San Diego): Royal finally got involved last week after a hugely disappointing start. He caught 10 passes for 90 yards in Denver's win over the Patriots. But with such poor numbers the rest of the season, can we really trust him?

5) Mario Manningham (@ New Orleans): Manningham is a big play waiting to happen, but he doesn't always get a lot of work. For example, over the last two weeks, the Michigan product has caught just three passes, and he's accumulated more than four receptions in one game this season, and has crossed the 60 receiving-yard barrier just once.

6) Terrell Owens (@ NY Jets): There's just no reason to think TO will get it going this week, especially against a team in the Jets that has shut down their opposition's top wideout with regularity.

Tight Ends 1

1) Brent Celek (@ Oakland): Celek has been a big part of the Philly offense, with at least four catches in three of the team's four contests this season. The Raiders have twice allowed more than 45 receiving yards to a tight end in five games this year.

2) Antonio Gates (vs. Denver): Gates is the leading pass-catcher on the Chargers' squad with 24, and he hasn't caught fewer than five passes in any one game this season. The Broncos have generally been excellent against tight ends this season, having held the likes of Jason Witten to just four catches for 31 yards, but Gates is too big a piece of San Diego's offense to be held down.

3) Tony Gonzalez (vs. Chicago): Only once have the Bears really been burned by players at the tight end position, and that was their last game against the Lions. Other than that, no tight end has amassed even 30 receiving yards against them. Still, Gonzalez isn't your typical tight end, is he?

4) Owen Daniels (@ Cincinnati): Daniels could be in line for a solid day on Sunday. He caught eight passes last week, and has caught at least five in three of the Texans' games this season. Cincinnati has allowed at least one tight end to catch five or more passes in three straight games.

5) Chris Cooley (vs. Kansas City): Cooley was completely shut out in the Redskins' last game, but that shouldn't be the case this week. He and the Skins go up against the Chiefs, who have been burned by tight ends twice for over 70 yards and a touchdown, and four times for at least 40 yards.

6) Heath Miller (vs. Cleveland): Miller has caught at least five passes in four of the Steelers' five games this year, and has scored three times in his last two games. The Browns have been good against tight ends, however, with none catching more than four passes or gaining more than 41 yards against them.

Tight Ends 2

1) John Carlson (vs. Arizona): Arizona stinks in pass defense, and that includes trying to cover tight ends. In three of their four games this season, tight ends have amassed at least 60 receiving yards, and twice they've allowed tight ends to catch touchdowns.

2) Kellen Winslow (vs. Carolina): Even with Tampa's below-average passing attack, Winslow holds value as a safety valve for quarterback Josh Johnson. The Panthers have allowed tight ends to beat them often this year, with an opposing player from that position leading their team in receiving yards in three of Carolina's four games.

3) Greg Olsen (@ Atlanta): The Falcons have been decent against tight ends this season, but over their last two games have seen players at that position catch nine passes for 155 yards and one touchdown. Olsen has scored in two straight games, but he had just one catch in the Bears' last contest.

4) Jeremy Shockey (vs. NY Giants): Shockey has caught at least four passes in each of the Saints' first four games, but he's not getting many yards with those receptions. He has yet to get at least 50 receiving yards and hasn't scored since Week 1.

5) Dustin Keller (vs. Buffalo): Keller was not on the receiving end of a single pass from Mark Sanchez last week in the Jets' loss to the Dolphins. He has also caught three or fewer passes in each of his last four games with a high total of 31 yards.

6) Jermichael Finley (vs. Detroit): Finley has a solid match-up and is coming off a career-best of 128 yards while scoring a touchdown, but his inconsistency makes it tough to trust him. He had just one catch for six yards in Week 1, and was completely shut out in Week 3.