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Friday Injury Report: 49ers at Packers

2009-11-21T06:26:28Z

It's a long list for each team this week. The Green Bay Packers have 17 players listed, and the 49ers 13. But most of the injuries are not serious, and nearly everyone is expected to play.

For the Packers, it's been a rough week of practice. Both RT Allen Barbre and OL Evan Dietrich-Smith were injured during practice, and I'm not expecting either of them to play. C Scott Wells reported a concussion on Wednesday, though the injury likely happened during the game last Sunday. Mike McCarthy expects Wells will start. RB Ahman Green injured his groin late Thursday during practice, and it's not clear whether he'll play. Every other player should be available to play, including three guys who didn't play last week: LB Brandon Chillar, TE Jermichael Finley, and RT Mark Tauscher.

Tauscher will start the game, but he will rotate with OL T.J. Lang, depending on Tauscher's endurance.

For the Niners, only CB Nate Clements and LT Joe Staley are out. Those are two of their big name players, but they missed last week's game too. Fooch said their replacements have played really well. The only other player who could miss the game is LB Takeo Spikes who's day-to-day with a hamstring injury.

Overall, both teams are relatively healthy and injuries shouldn't play a major role. The complete injury list for both teams is after the jump.

Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Allen Barbre	T/G	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Desmond Bishop	LB	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Brandon Chillar	LB	Hand	Full Participation	Probable
Chad Clifton	T	Not Inj. Related	Limited Participation	N/A
Evan Dietrich-Smith	G/C	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Jermichael Finley	TE	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Ahman Green	RB	Groin	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Cullen Jenkins	DE	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Johnny Jolly	DE	Back	Full Participation	Probable
Brad Jones	LB	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
Aaron Kampman	LB	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
John Kuhn	FB	Hand	Full Participation	Probable
Clay Matthews	LB	Jaw	Full Participation	Probable
Brady Poppinga	LB	Quadricep	Full Participation	Probable
Mark Tauscher	T	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Scott Wells	C	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
Charles Woodson	CB	Hip	Full Participation	Probable


Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Isaac Bruce	WR	Ankle & Elbow	Full Participation	Probable
Nate Clements	CB	Shoulder	Out	Out
Glen Coffee	RB	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
Michael Crabtree	WR	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Demetric Evans	DT	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable
Aubrayo Franklin	NT	Not Inj. Related
Michael Lewis	S	Quadricep	Full Participation	Probable
Michael Robinson	RB	Not Inj. Related	Did Not Participate	Probable
Mark Roman	S	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Justin Smith	DT	Back	Full Participation	Probable
Adam Snyder	T/G	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable
Takeo Spikes	LB	Hamstring	Limited Participation	Questionable
Joe Staley	T	Knee	Out	Out

Matthews: NFL Rookie of the Week

2009-11-21T05:45:51Z

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

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For the 2nd time this season, LB Clay Matthews was voted as the NFL rookie of the week. He remains the only defensive rookie to win the award, which is voted on by the fans. Way to vote for Matthews Packer fans!

Tex's Friday Preview - Niners

2009-11-20T20:59:34Z

Since I spent the entire Packers-Cowboys game last Sunday schmoozing with bigwigs in my chosen profession and attempting to get a job, I had to rely on a friend's BlackBerry to give me periodic updates on the score (whenever he was getting service in that Faraday Cage of a hotel). Needless to say, I startled a few people with my exclamations of joy when seeing the score go from 3-0 to 10-0 and then 17-0.

But enough about that game. It's time for the 49ers. Here are three people or units I will be keeping my eye on this Sunday, as I again get to watch the game from the comfort of my own home (while catching up on my homework).

1. Niners defense (aka Patrick Willis and friends)

Willis might be the best linebacker in the NFL. Every time I get a chance to watch him, I am more impressed by his tenacity and ability. The rest of the defense, frankly, doesn't blow me away. There are a few solid, established veterans like Dre Bly, Nate Clements, and Takeo Spikes, but all in all, I'm not overly impressed by this unit. I'm sure Mike Singletary sets his defense up to flow through Willis, as he should.

2. Michael Crabtree

That catch he made last year against Texas cemented him in college football lore, but he has some work to do after his long holdout to prove that he's a superstar in the NFL. So far, he's been averaging around 50 yards per game, but his size and speed give him an advantage over most NFL corners. I shudder to think of a Crabtree-Vernon Davis tandem a few years from now, especially if they can find a solid franchise QB.

3. The University of Wisconsin Marching Band

The band makes its only road trip of the year to Lambeau Field this year. If you're going to the game, enjoy their second-to-last performance of the year (the Badgers' bowl game being the last). Enjoy Mike Leckrone's (the band director) boundless energy at 150-something years old. And finally, enjoy that these colleagues of mine (and friends and drinking buddies and roommates and so on) from Madison work their tails off to entertain you. I can only hope that they broadcast the show on FOX...even though I know they won't.

Enjoy this sight on the tundra on Sunday!

via farm3.static.flickr.com (Thanks to Flickr user DirectoryMaster)

Niners at Green Bay Packers: 5 Questions With Niners Nation

2009-11-20T17:15:11Z

by Michael Conroy - AP

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Fooch runs the fantastic SB Nation site for the 49ers, Niners Nation. I asked him 5 questions about the 49ers.

Brandon: So are you an QB Alex Smith believer, or won't he ever live up to his No. 1 overall status? His 2009 stats look very similar to his 2006 stats.

Fooch: I remain, unfortunately, somewhere in the middle. I think he has sufficient talent to turn into a quality NFL quarterback. The last two seasons he was knocked out by injuries and so he never really had a chance to continue a normal progression. At the same time I don't know if he'll ever be a franchise quarterback for this team. The upside to his promotion this season is that 49ers fans can finally get some kind of idea of what Smith can bring to the table. I think the 49ers will finally get their answer by the end of the season and can finally decide whether to fish or cut bait with him.

Brandon: Usually a high ankle sprain lingers, but RB Frank Gore seems to have gotten over it and he's looked great over the past 3 weeks. Is he 100%? How about your other injuries - are CB Nate Clements and LT Joe Staley going to be out on Sunday? Who's filling in for them?

Fooch: Gore is more or less 100%. For the last few weeks he's been practicing like normal and carrying the load. In fact, this past week their primary backup was out and the 49ers went with two running backs (and one fullback), with Gore getting plenty of touches.

As for the other injuries, Clements and Staley are out for several more weeks, so there's no chance they'll be active on Sunday. The 49ers promoted Barry Sims to left tackle and he's been playing really well. In fact, it's been surprising how well he's played to date after struggling much of last year. As for Clements, the 49ers actually demoted Clements to the #3 cornerback against the Colts, with Tarell Brown starting in his place. Clements was injured that game and hasn't played since. So right now the 49ers are rolling out Shawntae Spencer, Tarell Brown and Dre Bly as their 1, 2, 3.

Brandon: The Packers special teams have been awful this season. Especially their kick and punt coverage. Do the 49ers have a dangerous return game that could cause them some problems?

Fooch: The 49ers return game is rather dreadful. Since cutting Allen Rossum, the 49ers have not had anything remotely resembling an explosive return game. RB Michael Robinson has been their primary kick returner and WR Brandon Jones has been their primary punt returner. Robinson hasn't been too bad, but nothing spectacular. And Brandon Jones? Well he's been pretty atrocious.

Brandon: Football Outsiders has the Packers D ranked No. 1 and the 49ers D ranked No. 2. I'm surprised by it since the Packers pass defense has allowed 17 passing TDs (4th worst in the NFL) and only recorded 18 sacks. Are you surprised by the 49ers high ranking? What is the biggest problem area on their defense?

Fooch: I'm not shocked by the ranking, although it certainly wasn't something I expected so quickly. The 49ers have a swarming defense that has been very solid against the run, while a bend-but-don't-break style against the pass. The biggest problem with the 49ers defense is consistency. They've had issues with the pass rush at times, and they've had issues with the secondary (particularly the safeties) at times. And yet, through all of this, they've had games where they put together impressive performances. For example, they held Peyton Manning without a passing touchdown in Indy. The problem is the consistency. If they could generate a solid pass rush, and get solid help from their secondary on a consistent basis, they could have an amazing defense.

Brandon: The Packers have surrendered a league leading 41 sacks. The 49ers have only recorded 17 sacks. Something has to give here. How are the 49ers going to attack the Packers pass protection? Do they have any speed rushers off the edge, or is their defensive line just going to bring the bull rush?

Fooch: The 49ers pass rush is questionable at best. Their two outside linebackers were meant to be the big sack guys, but those two have combined for 3.5 sacks. At the same time they've done a solid job at times getting pressure and forcing quicker throws, so it's possible they could break through for some sacks against Rodgers this week. The defensive line will force pressure as well, although again, it's not the most consistent in the world. One guy to keep an eye on throughout the game is NT Aubrayo Franklin. He's quietly put together a very solid season. He's a bigger threat in stopping the run, but he can get to the quarterback on occasion as well.

Preview: 49ers at Green Bay Packers

2009-11-20T13:15:21Z

by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

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Despite the big win last week, it would be easy for the Green Bay Packers to suffer a let down. The 49ers have an outstanding defense, and it won't be easy to run the score up against them. If the 49ers can keep the score close, and then come up with a big play or two, they could easily pull off the upset.

The league rankings, by yardage, from NFL.com:

Team	Run Offense	Pass Offense	Run Defense	Pass Defense
Packers	12	11	4	6
49ers	22	25	3	29

Those rankings are fair, except as to the 49ers pass defense. They are not that bad, and are actually one of the better units in the NFL. Their opponents have attempted 338 passes against them, currently tied for 3rd most in the league, but they've only allowed 9 TDs and grabbed 11 INTs. Though their INT stats are inflated by the 5 INTs surrendered by QB Jay Cutler last week. On the other hand, the Packers have 13 INTs on the season and only 4 of those came from Cutler.

RB Ryan Grant should not be expected to do much on the ground against the 49ers excellent run defense. The Packers have played a collection of mediocre to awful run defenses this season, with the notable exception of the outstanding Vikings run defense. In his 2 games against Minnesota, he combined for 81 yards on the ground and he wasn't given the ball often, though the Packers were playing from behind. The bigger problem is that C Scott Wells may miss the game due to a concussion, and rarely used G Evan Dietrich-Smith may take his place. He'll be lined up NT Aubrayo Franklin, who's having an outstanding season as the anchor of their run defense. It's hard to see how Grant will have a big game.

The Packers' passing attack has struggled lately. Rodgers threw 3 INTs against the Buccaneers, and the offensive line has allowed 10 sacks in the past 2 games. WR Greg Jennings was limited last week by a knee contusion, which appears to be bothering him again this week, though he isn't listed on the injury report. The news that RT Mark Tauscher will return, in a rotation with rookie RT T.J. Lang, is good since it keeps RT Allen Barbre on the bench. I wish they would bench LG Daryn Colledge too. The inexperience of Dietrich-Smith won't help here either. The 49ers have only managed 17 sacks this season, but the pass protection hasn't held up against any team. For example, the Buccaneers have only managed 11 sacks in their 8 non-Packer games, but they had 6 sacks against them two weeks ago. The return of TE Jermichael Finley should add some firepower, but it seems unlikely Rodgers will have a big game either. Unless the pass protection finally shows up, and he has time to throw.

RB Frank Gore has a gaudy 5.2 yards/carry this season, but his success rank according to Football Outsiders is only No. 27 overall, which indicates he's a boom-or-bust back. He's tied for 2nd in the NFL with 3 carries over 40 yards, but he's only averaging 78 yards/game. If the Cowboys couldn't run against the Packers last week, I doubt the 49ers will do much either.

But Gore is also a dangerous receiver: he's 2nd on the team with 26 receptions. Their leading receiver is TE Vernon Davis, but he's been unpredictable this season. His big games came against the Vikings, Texans, and Titans, but he's been held to 51 yards or less in the other 6. Also, those big games came against teams with poor to awful pass defenses. WR Michael Crabtree has been productive in his last 3 games, but his lengthy holdout must mean he's still learning the offense. Former No. 1 overall pick QB Alex Smith has emerged from Mike Nolan's doghouse and regained the starting job. He was outstanding in relief of QB Shaun Hill four weeks ago, but his QB rating the last 2 weeks has been under 70, despite playing against the awful Bears and Titans pass defenses. The Packers have held their opponents to a QB rating of 76.2. Still, the 49ers should have some success throwing the ball, so long as they can protect Smith.

The X-factors of the game are penalties and special teams. Though the Packers still lead the league with 74 penalties, the 49ers are not perfect either, and they've had 60 penalties. The Packers continue to have the worst special teams in the NFL, currently ranked No. 32 by Football Outsiders, but the 49ers aren't great either, ranked at No. 22 overall. P Andy Lee is having another outstanding season, he currently has a net average of 41.7 per punt, which is hiding how awful the rest of the 49ers special teams have been. Neither area is a place where the 49ers should expect a major advantage.

A key to the game will be whether the Packers' pass rush can sack the QB. When the rush was getting to QB Tony Romo last week, their offense did nothing. But once their protection improved in the 4th quarter, their offense was able to move the ball. If they can't protect Smith, I don't know how the 49ers can expect to score. But the Packers can't expect anything more than 2 or 3 good drives against the 49ers defense.

It should be a low scoring game, but the Packers' advantages on offense should give them the victory. Packers 20, 49ers 10.

Transaction: Packers Sign QB Mike Reilly

2009-11-20T05:48:24Z

Losing a former 2nd round pick, QB Brian Brohm, and replacing him with a QB who went undrafted and spent last season playing Division II college football is a big step down.

But if there is a silver lining about the news that QB Mike Reilly was signed to the practice squad, it's that Reilly's an interesting player. Here's his bio from NFL Draft Scout. He was major college prospect who went to Washington State, but transferred to Division II Central Washington after his redshirt season. He threw for 12,448 yards in college, 3rd all time in Division II history, and won the Division II equivalent of the Heisman trophy last year. And at 6'3", 214 lbs., he's got the size to play in the NFL. The Packers' personnel department must have scouted him, and known all about him, so this isn't just a random signing to fill the open QB spot on the practice squad.

Hopefully he stays on the practice squad for the rest of the season, and sticks around through next year, because I'd like to see him play in a preseason game.

November APC Jersey Contest - Game 2

2009-11-19T14:15:13Z

Week 1 of the jersey contest is in the books. Hopefully I'll remember to post the results shortly, but in the meantime, the entry form for this week's game is now open. Follow the link here. The contest details were posted last week here.

Please use the same user name, and email address, you used last week so I can keep track of the cumulative score for November. And if you didn't enter last week, go ahead and enter this week anyway. I ask two bonus questions, only one entry got either of them right last week, and you can easily get to the top of the leader board if you correctly guess them.

Good luck!

Woodson Is Honored; Allen Is Released; Brohm In Buffalo

2009-11-19T05:34:56Z

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

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It's well deserved that CB Charles Woodson was named NFC defensive player of the week. When was the last time a Green Bay Packer defender had as dominant a game?

In a minor move, WR Jake Allen was released. He was quickly claimed by the Browns. Aaron Nagler was less than impressed with Allen during the Buccaneers game. He rarely played this preseason, only recording 2 receptions. He was just your generic, undrafted free agent who made no impression.

This does leave a roster spot open, but three key players returned to practice on Wednesday, TE Jermichael Finley, LB Aaron Kampman, and RT Mark Tauscher, so they don't necessarily need to add someone this week since that new addition would likely be left inactive on Sunday.

But according to Greg Bedard, the Packers opened up that roster spot so they could add QB Brian Brohm from the practice squad. Unfortunately he declined the offer and instead signed with the Buffalo Bills. That's the 2nd player they've lost from the practice squad to the Buffalo Bills, OL Jamon Meredith was the other player lost back in September.

It hurts that they lost a recent 2nd round pick for nothing in return. But Brohm was clearly the 3rd best QB on the team over the last two seasons. He was much better this preseason compared to his rookie year. He probably had little chance of moving ahead of backup QB Matt Flynn, and had no chance of taking the starting job away from QB Aaron Rodgers. At best, he could have shown some improvement next preseason, as did former Packer preseason superstar QB Matt Hasselbeck, and then been traded for something in a year or two. In the end, he turned out to be a high priced insurance policy in case Rodgers fell on his face last season. And it was offset by the knowledge that they used a 7th round pick in 2008 on a backup QB (Flynn) who appears to have 2nd round talent.

Watching the Browns game on Monday night reminded me of Brohm. Both he and QB Brady Quinn have poor accuracy past about 10 yards. If Quinn could be an NFL starter, it seemed ridiculous that Brohm couldn't find a team interested in adding him to their active roster. If QB Bruce Gradkowski can start in Oakland, then certainly Brohm deserves a chance somewhere. He might not get that chance this season, but he'll probably be given an opportunity to win the Bills starting job next season.

SB Nation NFL Week 11 Power Rankings

2009-11-19T04:44:16Z

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

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Are now up at SBNation.com. The Green Bay Packers only move up from No. 16 to No. 14 because I didn't get my vote recorded in time. Since I'm a homer, I would have put them at No. 8, which might have moved them up a spot. Although I have to admit it's hard for the Packers to break out from the group of seven teams currently holding a 5-4 record. That is some parity.

The British Invasion In Green Bay

2009-11-18T17:00:24Z

Via Football Outsiders. An englishman in Green Bay, from the BBC:

I was in Green Bay over the weekend with BBC 5 live sports extra - as part of the first ever British commentary team to broadcast live from the US - to witness the hometown Packers record a much-needed win over the visiting Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field.

Analysis: The Best Defenses In The NFL

2009-11-18T13:15:17Z

More photos » by Paul Sakuma - AP

8 days ago: San Francisco 49ers safety Michael Lewis waves after intercepting a pass in the end zone from Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler on the last play of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009. The 49ers defeated the Bears 10-6. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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The weekly DVOA ratings came out on Tuesday from Football Outsiders, and the Green Bay Packers have the No. 1 defense in the NFL. The 49ers have the No. 2 defense.

Overall, both defenses shot up the rankings last week with dominant performances against the Cowboys and Bears, respectively. Both teams play a 3-4 defense, and both are succeeding in the same way: a Top 10 pass defense is anchored by a Top 5 run defense. Another way to measure them is by using the QB Jay Cutler barometer: he threw 4 INTs against the Packers, but 5 INTs against the 49ers.

Over the last 4 weeks, which is after each teams' bye week, here's how they've played:

Packers (2-2). They dominated the Browns and held their woeful offense to 139 yards in total. As a team, the Packers allowed 38 points in each game against the Vikings and Buccaneers, but special teams, and turnovers in the Bucs game, kept handing their opponents great field position. The Packers D held the Vikings offense to just 355 yards in total, and the Bucs to only 279 yards. Their most recent game was their best, as they held the potent Cowboys offense to only 278 yards in total, and forced them to abandon their usually dangerous running game. The only problem area has been their pass defense in the red zone, which has allowed 6 red zone TD receptions in the last 3 games.

49ers (1-3). They held the dangerous Texans offense to only 336 yards, but allowed 3 TDs in the 1st half. The Colts had 410 yards against them, but they held QB Peyton Manning without a TD in Indianapolis. The Titans only had 315 yards of offense, despite another huge game from RB Chris Johnson. And while the Bears managed 350 yards in total against them, the 5 INTs they grabbed made that yardage almost useless.

The Packers have been playing better over this stretch, as their No. 1 ranking would attest to, but the 49ers have played against better competition. I'm not sure the Browns even count as competition. Which defense has appeared more impressive over the last 4 weeks?

Vote For Clay Matthews

2009-11-18T05:01:03Z

Follow the link over to NFL.com and show rookie LB Clay Matthews some love.

The Day After Dallas: Injuries, Challenges, Punting, and Brad Jones

2009-11-17T13:15:17Z

Injuries, Injuries, injuires...from Mike McCarthy:

Cullen Jenkins had some ankle swelling. He'll probably miss some practice time this week. Desmond Bishop also had an ankle sprain. He'll probably miss some practice time. Greg Jennings had a knee contusion. He'll miss some practice time. And John Kuhn had a broken hand, and we'll see what he'll be able to do this week. With that, I'll take your questions.

The only injury he mentioned in his post-game press conference was LG Daryn Colledge's ankle bruise, but Colledge returned to the game at few plays later. The three guys who missed the Dallas game, RT Mark Tauscher, TE Jermichael Finley, and LB Aaron Kampman, are all expected back at practice this week. A lot of guys are banged up, and there's still 7 regular season games to go.

According to Rob Demovsky, the Packers should have been assessed a 15 yard penalty after McCarthy tried a 3rd challenge. I admit I hadn't noticed. The Cowboys got down to the 1 yard line anyway, and were stopped when QB Tony Romo threw a INT to CB Charles Woodson, so I'm not sure it would have mattered.

P Jeremy Kapinos is a great punter, in practice, says special teams coach Shawn Slocum. Slocum better be careful, praising P Derrick Frost's practice skills didn't help Mike Stock keep his job after last season. I haven't been a big critic of Kapinos because he's not as bad as Frost and I doubt they'd find anyone better at this point. Still, he's one of the worst punters in the NFL and the Packers will have to bring in some serious competition next season. For the remainder of this season, Greg Bedard suggested P Sam Paulescu, but he was bad last season in Dallas with a 41.8 yard average, compared to a 44.2 yard average for Kapinos. His net average is even worse, but the punt coverage deserves a lot of blame for it.

In his 1st NFL start, LB Brad Jones had 7 tackles and 1 for a loss. I'm a big fan of his, but I was disappointed he couldn't bring more of a pass rush against the Cowboys' backup RT. A good game, but those are LB A.J. Hawk type numbers. So I'm surprised that the comments are praising Jones, McCarthy has been asked whether Kampman remains the starter, and Tom Silverstein writes about Jones's emergence.

Recap: Green Bay Packers Defeat Cowboys 17-7

2009-11-16T13:00:33Z

by Jim Prisching - AP

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From Blogging the Boys:

The Cowboys offense was terrible, the defense hung tough for as long as they could, but eventually buckled late in the game. This was all on the offense, though.

So that's a Cowboys fan's perspective. Looking back at the play-by-play, it took the Cowboys the first 3 quarters to figure it out on offense. They were shut out for most of the game because they weren't able to run the ball or protect QB Tony Romo. Also, while the Packers had more penalties and penalty yards, the Cowboys penalties seemed to hurt them more. They weren't able to get any rhythm on offense because of their running game, pass protection, and the penalties. Then, in their final 2 drives, they managed to protect Romo (except for that big hit DE Johnny Jolly put on him) and they abandoned the run. It could have led to 2 TDs, except CB Charles Woodson jumped the route on the goal line for his big INT.

While it's not unusual to see a great defensive performance from the Packers, it was unusual to see the pass rush work so well in this game. The concern is that it was only a temporary surge of sacks and QB hits. While Romo kept taking hits, he wasn't sacked on his final 26 pass attempts. Also, the Packers allowed another red zone TD pass, their 6th one allowed in the past 3 games.

The offensive line struggled again, allowing 4 sacks and 4 QB hits. Overall the offense struggled with an inconsistent running game, sacks, and penalties. They did manage to put it together for one long TD drive, but even then the Cowboys' penalties helped move it along. Dallas' defense has gotten better as the season has gone on, but it was not a great offensive performance. The exception being that they had zero turnovers (1 turnover was negated by a penalty).

The special teams weren't great, but nobody on the Cowboys will be named NFC special teams player of the week either. The kick and punt coverage looked a lot better this week, so hopefully this is the start of a good trend.

The Packers don't play another team with a winning record until December 20th (the Steelers in Pittsburgh). It's never easy in the NFL, but hopefully they can keep winning over the next four weeks. They play 3 of their final 4 games on the road, so this is the time to build a lead in the Wild Card standings.

Cowboys vs Packers coverage; Cowboys vs Packers recap; Cowboys vs Packers boxscore; Blogging The Boys

Play-by-play from NFL.com:

First Quarter:

(14:15) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short middle to 85-G.Jennings to GB 30 for 11 yards (32-O.Scandrick, 26-K.Hamlin).

The 3rd play of the game was already a 3rd and 16 situation. I counted 12 plays ran where the distance was 10+ yards, out of 68 plays during the game. The penalties and negative yards just killed the flow of the offense throughout the game.

(12:25) 24-M.Barber left end pushed ob at GB 26 for 13 yards (36-N.Collins).

(11:43) 24-M.Barber up the middle to GB 19 for 7 yards (59-B.Jones).

The Packers' run defense has been outstanding most of the season, but the Cowboys had some success running the ball. So I was surprised to see they ended up averaging 4.4 yards/carry, but only called 14 running plays vs. 39 pass attempts. But their last two offensive drives went for 15 and 11 plays, all passes, and by that point they were down 17-0. They didn't have a lot of opportunities to run the ball.

(10:36) 6-N.Folk 38 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-1-M.McBriar.

A gift from K Nick Folk. I always expect kickers to make them against the Packers.

(6:06) 2-M.Crosby 52 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-61-B.Goode, Holder-10-M.Flynn.

Unfortunately K Mason Crosby matched with a missed FG of his own, after a good drive fizzled out at the Dallas 34 yard line.

(3:18) PENALTY on GB-70-T.Lang, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at GB 19 - No Play.

The only penalty on RT T.J. Lang, who did a good job matched up against LB DeMarcus Ware for much of the game. It seemed like LT Chad Clifton had more problems with Ware than Lang did.

(1:16) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers sacked at GB 15 for -8 yards (32-O.Scandrick). FUMBLES (32-O.Scandrick), RECOVERED by DAL-32-O.Scandrick at GB 15. PENALTY on DAL-21-M.Jenkins, Illegal Use of Hands, 5 yards, enforced at GB 23 - No Play.

The Packers committed 12 penalties for 100 yards, but the Cowboys hurt themselves more with penalties. If this fumble hadn't been overturned at the Packer 15 yard line, it obviously could have turned the game around.

Second Quarter:

(15:00) 9-T.Romo sacked at DAL 41 for -10 yards (56-N.Barnett).

I don't remember LB Nick Barnett ever blitzing this much in a game before. It kept working, so I guess Dom Capers just kept calling it.

(11:48) 12-A.Rodgers right end ran ob at GB 41 for 2 yards (94-D.Ware). PENALTY on GB-41-S.Havner, Personal Foul, 15 yards, enforced between downs. Penalty on GB-86-D.Lee, Offensive Holding, declined.

What a dumb play by TE Spencer Havner. I don't remember any obviously dumb late hits in the Buccaneers game, but they have had at least one in 3 of their 4 previous games. I don't notice other teams making those mental mistakes.

(9:04) 28-F.Jones right end to DAL 31 for no gain (90-B.Raji, 50-A.Hawk).

After gaining some good rushing yards on their first drive, the Cowboys only gain 11 yards on 6 carries for the rest of the 1st half. The Cowboys are averaging 5.1 yards/carry this season, so their struggles running the ball had to disrupt their offense.

(4:03) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass deep middle to 11-R.Williams to GB 30 for 42 yards (21-C.Woodson). FUMBLES (21-C.Woodson), RECOVERED by GB-52-C.Matthews at GB 31. 52-C.Matthews to GB 31 for no gain (19-M.Austin).

The first big play by Woodson. He strips the ball from WR Roy Williams after a long gain. Watch it here.

(2:10) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers sacked at GB 30 for -5 yards (72-S.Bowen). FUMBLES (72-S.Bowen), recovered by GB-86-D.Lee at GB 36. 86-D.Lee to GB 36 for no gain (26-K.Hamlin).

Unfortunately no offense came from the turnover. Two sacks, and a fumble, in three plays. Rodgers got really lucky that 2 fumbles were recovered, and a 3rd one, the only one he lost, was overturned on a penalty.

(1:50) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo sacked at DAL 14 for -3 yards (52-C.Matthews).

LB Clay Matthews ran right around LT Flozell Adams. The speed of Matthews, Barnett, Woodson, and Collins on the blitz really caused their big, slow offensive line problems. It led to a 3-and-out, with one more chance to score.

(:02) 2-M.Crosby 48 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-61-B.Goode, Holder-10-M.Flynn.

Crosby nailed it. That kick would have been good from 60 yards at least.

Third Quarter:

(13:29) 1-M.McBriar punts 47 yards to GB 26, Center-91-L.Ladouceur. 38-T.Williams to DAL 46 for 28 yards (1-M.McBriar). FUMBLES (1-M.McBriar), RECOVERED by DAL-91-L.Ladouceur at DAL 44. 91-L.Ladouceur to DAL 44 for no gain (94-J.Wynn). Green Bay challenged the fumble ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 1-M.McBriar punts 47 yards to GB 26, Center-91-L.Ladouceur. 38-T.Williams to DAL 46 for 28 yards (1-M.McBriar). PENALTY on GB-29-D.Martin, Illegal Block Above the Waist, 10 yards, enforced at GB 33.

After a great defensive series (run stuff, sack, incomplete pass), there was this play. It was the correct call, but what a botched play by CB Tramon Williams. While trying to avoid the punter!

(9:14) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers sacked at DAL 46 for -4 yards (54-B.Carpenter). Penalty on GB-86-D.Lee, Offensive Holding, declined.

This drive started out with 6 rushing attempts (1 by Rodgers on a scramble). It helped keep the offense out long yardage situations, but they couldn't pass the ball when they needed to.

(8:56) Direct snap (Shotgun) 23-T.Choice left tackle to DAL 31 for 11 yards (79-R.Pickett). PENALTY on GB-31-A.Harris, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced at DAL 31.

I'll be interested to see if CB Al Harris is fined for this phantom face mask penalty. The league office seems to fine every personal foul.

(7:59) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass deep middle to 23-T.Choice to GB 35 for 22 yards (36-N.Collins). PENALTY on DAL-82-J.Witten, Offensive Pass Interference, 10 yards, enforced at DAL 43 - No Play.

That was a big pass, completed into Packer territory. And TE Jason Witten is called for the pick far away from the play. Another critical Cowboy penalty.

(4:08) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 85-G.Jennings to GB 48 for 14 yards (41-T.Newman).

(2:10) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short middle to 86-D.Lee to DAL 38 for 17 yards (25-P.Watkins).

This is their big 15 play, 80 yard TD drive. After getting stuck in 3rd and long all game, they convert on 3-11 and 3-13 to keep the drive alive.

(:13) 25-R.Grant left end to DAL 23 for -2 yards (94-D.Ware). PENALTY on DAL-32-O.Scandrick, Illegal Use of Hands, 5 yards, enforced at DAL 21 - No Play.

Scandrick killed them on this drive with 2 penalties that resulted in 1st downs.

Fourth Quarter:

(15:00) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete deep right to 89-J.Jones.

He had WR James Jones opened down the sideline, but it was just overthrown.

(13:17) 12-A.Rodgers left guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on DAL-94-D.Ware, Defensive Offside, declined.

Rodgers has been productive running the ball this season. He ran for a 1st down earlier in the game, and then this TD.

(11:52) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo sacked at DAL 25 for -7 yards (21-C.Woodson). FUMBLES (21-C.Woodson), touched at DAL 20, RECOVERED by GB-52-C.Matthews at DAL 7. 52-C.Matthews pushed ob at DAL 3 for 4 yards (82-J.Witten).

Why can't they review whether one team has recovered their own fumble? Whatever the reason, it sure worked out for the Packers because RB Felix Jones probably recovered it. Watch it here.

(10:53) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short left to 41-S.Havner for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Spencer Havner: reliable go-to receiver. Who knew? Watch it here.

(8:14) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass incomplete deep middle to 80-M.Bennett.

Bullet: dodged. It looked like he was wide open and had a clear lane to the end zone, but Romo overthrew him.

(6:03) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass short right intended for 82-J.Witten INTERCEPTED by 21-C.Woodson at GB 1. 21-C.Woodson to GB 4 for 3 yards (82-J.Witten).

Just a back breaker. A 16 play, 76 yard drive ends when Woodson does a great job and jumps the route. They were finally able to keep the pressure off Romo and move the ball down the field, but it was a battle for every completion. This drive ate up almost 5 minutes and gave Dallas no time to mount a comeback.

(3:31) 7-J.Kapinos punts 41 yards to DAL 46, Center-61-B.Goode. 84-P.Crayton to GB 47 for 7 yards (41-S.Havner). PENALTY on DAL-98-C.Johnson, Illegal Block Above the Waist, 10 yards, enforced at DAL 47. Penalty on DAL-85-K.Ogletree, Illegal Block Above the Waist, declined.

Too bad the Packers weren't able to run out the clock after the INT. But I point this play out because it was the second special teams penalty by Dallas DE Curtis Johnson in the 4th quarter.

(:42) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass short right to 11-R.Williams for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

The 2nd drive in a row where the Cowboys are able to protect Romo and move down the field. It's a good thing they weren't able to figure this out until only 11 minutes remained in the game. And this was the 2nd good game in a row for WR Roy Williams. How come the Cowboys hadn't been able to use his height against shorter CBs until recently?

Upset: Green Bay Packers Beat Cowboys 17-7

2009-11-16T01:30:37Z

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

Browse more photos »

If you read my preview, you'll know I didn't expect them to win. Box score from ESPN. So how did they pull it out?

Protect the QB. 4 sacks and 4 QB hits on 40+ pass attempts isn't a Pro Bowl performance for the offensive line. LB DeMarcus Ware had a big game with 2 sacks, 2 QB hits, and forced at least a couple holding penalties. But as far as this season has gone, this actually marks an improvement. But it's not the reason they won.
Stop the penalties. The Packers committed 12 penalties costing them 100 yards. Nope, that didn't win them the game.
Coverage on special teams. The kick coverage was good, holding Dallas to only 60 yards on 3 returns, with nothing over 25 yards. But the kickoffs weren't that deep either which left the Cowboys with good field position. They did hold PR Patrick Crayton to only 8.2 yards/return, with a long of 18 yards. Not great, but at least they didn't start any drives in Packer territory. Better, but it wasn't the reason they won.
The defensive shutout (almost). The Packers have allowed 38 points in each of their previous two games, which masked the fact the defense had been playing well. The pass rush hadn't been getting to the QB, but defensive coordinator Dom Capers opened up the playbook and the blitz got to QB Tony Romo this week. There's been a lot of talk about QB Aaron Rodgers holding the ball too long, but Romo was guilty of it this week. And the pressure forced the turnovers that had been absent the past 2 weeks. The final 2 Dallas drives created 139 yards of offense and will slightly mask how dominant the Packers defense was. On 8 separate drives, the Cowboys were held to under 20 yards of offense. The Packers D allowed another TD pass in the red zone, it was the 6th one they've allowed in the last 3 games, but it was offset by a big INT by CB Charles Woodson that ended one red zone drive. Another Dallas red zone drive ended with a missed FG. Definitely the reason they won.

The past two weeks have been ugly, but a big win like this turns it all around. We can't expect the defense, no matter how well it's been playing, to lockdown their opponents like this every week. But after 2 disappointing losses in the previous 2 weeks, and 2 tough losses to the Cowboys in the previous 2 seasons, it's a big win. Hopefully that momentum carries them forward through the 2nd half of the season.

As far as MVP goes, LB Nick Barnett had a huge game with 2 sacks and 2 QB hits. But CB Charles Woodson forced 2 fumbles, both recovered by the Packers, had 1 sack, and his INT stopped a sure Cowboy scoring drive.

Open Thread: Cowboys at Green Bay Packers

2009-11-15T21:00:39Z

GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-4)	WEEK # 10	DALLAS COWBOYS (6-2)
	VS.

Date:	November 15, 2009	Location:	Green Bay, WI
Time:	3:15 p.m. CST	Stadium:	Lambeau Field
TV:	FOX	Favorite:	Cowboys by 3
Weather:	Partly Sunny, 47 degrees	Injury Report:	Friday Injury Report
SBN Coverage:	Blogging The Boys	My Prediction:	Packers 27, Cowboys 38

Early Game Open Thread

2009-11-15T17:00:45Z

The Green Bay Packers are the late game on FOX. The best early game should be the Bengals at Steelers. What early games are you watching?

Rooting Guide: 11/15

2009-11-15T14:41:28Z

I am pleased to present you with the first installment of this weekly feature, which will take a look at the Packers (fading) playoff hopes, and who you should root for to make the postseason more likely.

This week, the Packers come into a crucial game with the Cowboys at home on a 2-game loosing streak (and with a 4-4 overall record), with painful losses to the Vikings and Buccaneers. Their wins have been against the woeful Bears, Browns, Lions and Rams. It doesn't look good.

As far as their playoff hopes, here's the NFC Wild Card standings as of now (top 2 finishers get into playoffs):

1. Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)

2. Atlanta Falcons (5-3)

3. NY Giants (5-4)

4. Green Bay Packers (4-4)

Also Rans: Chicago Bears (4-5), San Francisco 49'ers (4-5), Carolina Panthers (3-5), Seattle Seahawks (3-5).

Really, not too bad. They are one game off the lead, with a few bad/OK teams lurking behind them. I'm just assuming the division is out of hand, given the Vikings are 7-1 and we have no games left with them.

Now, here's what Packers fans want to have happen this weekend.

1. The Cardinals are playing the Seahawks (3 pm. Central). Root for the Cards. An Arizona win would put them into a secure division lead, (they'd be 6-3, the Seahawks would be 3-6), whereas a loss would muddle the NFC West picture (the Cards would be 5-4, the Seahawks would be 4-5). It would be nice to have a clear winner out west, and have the Seahawks, a bad team who are lurking, done away with.

2. The San Diego Chargers are playing the Philadelphia Eagles (3 pm. Central). Root for the Chargers. In fact, this one is pretty easy. Any time an AFC team is playing an NFC team, always root for the AFC team (a win in the AFC does not effect the Packers at all). This would make Philly 5-4, bringing them down to the same hypothetical record as the Packers after a win over Dallas this weekend, which brings me to my next point...

3. Root for Green Bay. Duh.

4. Carolina is playing Atlanta (12 pm. Central). Root for the Panthers. A Carolina win would also bring the 5-3 Falcons down a notch to the Packers level, and although it would boost the Panthers to a 4-5 lurking status, having the current leader brought down a peg is always a good thing.

The 5-4 NY Giants have a bye this week.

So, if all these these things happen they way they should this weekend: here's your NFC wild card race:

1. Falcons (5-4)

1. Eagles (5-4)

1. Packers (5-4)

1. Giants (5-4)

(49'ers, Bears, Panthers lurking @ 4-5)

That looks pretty darn good. A four-way tie, and two relatively easy games for the Pack in the next two weeks (49'ers, Lions).

Of course, it's completely irrational to suspect things will work out this perfectly, as the Falcons, Eagles and Cowboys are all favored to win.

Here's to hoping.

Cowboys at Green Bay Packers: 5 Questions With Blogging The Boys

2009-11-14T17:00:33Z

by Donna McWilliam - AP

about 1 month ago: Dallas Cowboys safety Ken Hamlin, left, cornerback Terence Newman (41), cornerback Mike Jenkins (21) and linebacker Bradie James (56) celebrate Newman's interception that he returned for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Monday, Sept. 28, 2009. The Cowboys won 21-7. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

View full size photo »

Blogging The Boys is one of the best NFL sites on SB Nation. I had the chance to ask their editor, David Halprin, 5 questions about the Cowboys. He did the same, and my answers are posted over at Blogging The Boys.

Brandon: I read a comment recently that the Cowboys pass defense has been playing better in recent weeks, but then I look back two weeks ago and saw that QB Matt Hasselbeck had a pretty good game against them. Are they having problems with their pass rush or pass coverage? Or have there been signs of improvement?

David: Hasselbeck didn’t have that good of a game. He threw for under 250 yards and had 2 TDs, but one of them was in garbage time after the outcome was pretty much decided. They also passed a lot because the running game was weak, so he had a lot of attempts but not a great yards per attempt average.

The pass defense has improved as the year has gone on, part of the reason is the pass rush has come on strong after a slow start. We sacked Hasselbeck three times and got McNabb three times, plus a whole lot of pressures. In addition, CB Mike Jenkins is really starting to play well, and having Gerald Sensabaugh back from injury helps solidify the safety position. After a very bad start on defense, the Cowboys have been steadily improving each week.

Brandon: What's the over/under on sacks of QB Aaron Rodgers? Who's do you expect to be lining up over the left tackle? (He should expect to have 2 to 5 sacks in this game).

David: I’ll let you guys set the over/under on sacking Rodgers, you have much more experience watching Green Bay’s offense. I will say the Cowboys have been getting a very good pass rush recently and sacks are a big part of the defensive game-plan. Wade Phillips is a "pressure" defensive coordinator. The Cowboys will flip-flop DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer depending on strong and weak-side formations, but sometimes if they find Ware is winning a particular battle consistently, they leave him in place. If LT is your weakness, then I’m sure the Cowboys will try to get Ware that matchup as often as possible.

Brandon: Patrick Crayton should have a good game returning punts against the Packers' awful punt and kick coverage, but how about Felix Jones? Will it be Jones having a big day on kick returns or will they hand those duties off to Kevin Ogletree?

David: We’ll have to see but it looks like the Cowboys want to get Kevin Ogletree involved more. Last week we saw him catching a few screens and other short patterns and this week, he and Tashard Choice might be the guys on kick returns. At this point were not sure.

Brandon: In the last two weeks, the Packers have allowed 5 TD passes in the red zone. Who is the Cowboys best receiving option in the red zone?

David: Before the emergence of Miles Austin, a lot of the Cowboys TDs were coming by way of the running backs. A lot of the time on the ground. The Cowboys modus operandi seems to be spread the ball around and hit big plays in the passing game for TDs, but when in close try to use the backs and the offensive line’s size. So really, there isn’t a top target in the redzone. Miles Austin has the bulk of the receiving TDs, but a lot of his scores have come from long-range.

Brandon: It appears that Andre Gurode and Ken Hamlin will play on Sunday. Are there any other notable injuries? Or anyone else playing through them?

David: Right now, the only guy not expected to play is return-specialist Allen Rossum, who we signed mid-season but immediately got injured and has been out for a few weeks. Other than that, we’re pretty healthy.

Friday Injury Report: Cowboys at Green Bay Packers

2009-11-14T06:00:31Z

It's a long injury report for the Green Bay Packers. Despite the fact the Cowboys have 5 starters on their injury report, all of them are expected to play. Only ex-Packer KR Allen Rossum is out.

The Packers have 4 players out, including starters LB Aaron Kampman and RT Mark Tauscher. I'm not a fan of LB Brady Poppinga, but he's out too. Also, TE Jermichael Finley will miss his 3rd game in a row.

The good news is that the other 10 players on the injury report should all play. LB Brandon Chillar underwent hand surgery a couple weeks ago for a broken hand, but Mike McCarthy said Chillar will play with a club on his hand. It's unknown whether Chillar will replace LB A.J. Hawk or just play part of the game.

With Kampman and Tauscher out, rookie OL T.J. Lang will move over from the left side and play for the first time this season at right tackle, and rookie LB Brad Jones should start on the left side. Some high praise from defensive coordinator Dom Capers, as he compared Jones to a young Chad Brown (both fellow Buffaloes).

Complete injury list after the jump.

Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Jake Allen	WR	Quadricep	Full Participation	Probable
Allen Barbre	T/G	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
Brandon Chillar	LB	Hand	Limited Participation	Questionable
Chad Clifton	T	Not Inj. Related	Limited Participation	N/A
Jermichael Finley	TE	Knee	Did Not Participate	Out
Korey Hall	FB	Calf	Full Participation	Probable
Cullen Jenkins	DE	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Aaron Kampman	LB	Concussion	Did Not Participate	Out
Derrick Martin	S	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
Jordy Nelson	WR	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Brady Poppinga	LB	Quadricep	Did Not Participate	Out
Aaron Rodgers	QB	Feet	Full Participation	Probable
Mark Tauscher	T	Knee	Did Not Participate	Out
Charles Woodson	CB	Hip	Full Participation	Probable