Green & Gold Express Week 10

You might also like

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 24

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

WEEK 10 PACKERS vs. TITANS

NOVEMBER 11, 2016

FINISHING
TOUCHES
Packers struggling
to make plays
late in games
SEE PAGE 2

PHOTO BY JIM LEUENBERGER

ALSO INSIDE: Around the North Pro Football Weekly Rosters Schedule Standings

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

Game Vitals

GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-4)


AT TENNESSEE TITANS (4-5)
WHEN: 12 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: Nissan Stadium
TV: Fox
RADIO: 620 WTMJ, 92.3
WJMQ-FM, 101.1 WIXX-FM

Locker Room

Weve still got a chance


at everything we want
to do.
JULIUS PEPPERS, Packers
linebacker, on being 4-4
halfway through the season

The Series

Packers vs. Titans:


All-time, Regular season:
5-6-0
All-time, Postseason: 0-0
All-time, in Tennessee: 0-2-0
Streaks: The Packers halted
Tennessees three-game winning streak with a 48-point win
in 2012.
Last meeting, regular season: Dec. 23, 2012; Packers
won, 55-7, Lambeau Field

Schedule

Date Opponent Time TV


Sept. 11 at Jacksonville Win 27-23
Sept. 18 at Minnesota Loss 17-14
Sept. 25 Detroit
Win 34-27
Oct. 2 Bye
Oct. 9 New York
Win 23-16
Oct. 16 Dallas
Loss 30-16
Oct. 20 Chicago
Win 26-10
Oct. 30 at Atlanta
Loss 33-32
Nov. 6 Indianapolis Loss 31-26
Nov. 13 at Tennessee 12 p.m. Fox
Nov. 20 at Washington 7:30 p.m. NBC
Nov. 28 at Philadelphia 7:30 p.m. ESPN
Dec. 4 Houston
12 p.m. CBS
Dec. 11 Seattle
3:25 p.m. Fox
Dec. 18 at Chicago
12 p.m. Fox
Dec. 24 Minnesota
12 p.m. Fox
Jan. 1 at Detroit
12 p.m. Fox

PHOTO BY JIM LEUENBERGER

The Green Bay defense has not been able to get off the field at key times in back-to-back losses to Atlanta and Indianapolis. The Packers face a strong run game, another young quarterback and a blitzing defense Sunday in Tennessee.

Packers confident in their


ability to close out games
Defense focusing on small tasks to finish
By Chris Caporale
sports@wolfrivermedia.com

As safety Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix


came free off the left side of the
offensive line, he jumped toward
Indianapolis quarterback Andrew
Luck.
Luck, with his 6-foot-4,
234-pound frame, evaded ClintonDix before finding tight end Jack
Doyle on a 20-yard completion on

the third-and-10 play with 3:07 remaining in the game.


Youve got to make that play.
Its a game of inches, and we get
that ball back to 12, who knows
what happens, defensive lineman Datone Jones said. But that
was our job as a defense to get off
the field at the end, and we didnt
do that.
The conversion essentially
ended the Packers chances of

completing a comeback.
That third and long stop, I feel
like if we got the ball back in Aaron Rodgers hands, he was going
to do something special with it,
linebacker Joe Thomas said. We
just didnt get the job done.
Aaron Rodgers and the Green
Bay offense cut an 18-point deficit
into a 5-point game in just 6:06 of
game time. Each scoring possession for the Packers was shorter
than two minutes, so it was feasible for the offense to get down

the field with another shot with


the ball.
Weve got to finish those
drives, Thomas said.
We had a couple plays where
we could have got off on third
down and we didnt, linebacker
Julius Peppers said. Weve got
to play better situational football.
Rodgers finished the game
26 for 43 for 297 yards and three
touchdowns. He added six carries
SEE PACKERS, PAGE 3

ON THE COVER: Packers defensive tackle Mike Daniels, left, and linebacker Julius Peppers (56) could not stop Andrew Luck and the Colts on Sunday, as Indianapolis posted a
31-26 win at Lambeau Field.

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

PACKERS
FROM PAGE 2

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Green Bay Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix cannot sack Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck on third down in the final minutes of Green
Bays 31-26 loss at home Sunday. The Packers have struggled to make key plays late in games this season.

for 43 yards in scrambling


situations.
He completed 11 of 15
passes in the final quarter
of the comeback effort for
128 yards.
12 is the best quarterback in the game. I
wouldnt have any other
quarterback, Jones said.
Were about to go into a
challenge that each man in
this locker room is about to
go through, because thats
what it takes.
The previous week,
holding onto a 6-point lead
against the Falcons, Green
Bay had the hosts on third
down twice during the
eventual
game-winning
possession, but wasnt
able to get off the field.
Mohammed
Sanu
caught a pass for 12 yards
on third and two, and Austin Hooper grabbed another pass for 11 yards on
third and one.
Quarterback Matt Ryan
found Sanu for the touchdown to go ahead, 33-32.
Getting off the field
has been a theme for the
defense, even though the

Packers have the leagues


top rush unit.
Even in the 17-14 loss
to Minnesota in Week 2,
two consecutive possessions with turnovers on
the offensive side of the
ball prevented Green Bay
from coming back from a
10-point deficit.
Weve got to keep
chomping, keep working,
Peppers said. Thats all
we know how to do.
The Packers are in
ninth place in the NFC,
and third place in the NFC
North, one game behind
the Minnesota Vikings.
Sundays game at Tennessee is the first of three
straight road games. Just
one opponent, Washington (4-3-1), has a winning
record.
This part of the schedule could be exactly what
the Packers need to relearn how to close out
games.
Thats what we tried
to do this offseason by
improving our football IQ.
Youve got to know this is
crunch time, Jones said.
Everything that happened
before doesnt matter.
Lets go, lets make this
play.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

McCarthy hopes
to get Packers
moving early
Run defense to be tested vs. Titans
The Associated Press

PHOTO BY JIM LEUENBERGER

Packers wide receiver Ty Montgomery had 10 touches for 91 yards in Sundays loss, as the Green Bay offense finally started clicking late in the game.

If the Green Bay Packers did indeed experience


an energy shortage during
last weeks loss to the Indianapolis Colts and Mike
McCarthy did his best to
walk back that narrative
in the days following the
defeat their coach does
not believe that will be a
problem again.
Well play with great
energy Sunday, McCarthy said Wednesday as
his team began preparations for the first of three
consecutive road games, a
stretch that begins at Tennessee. Thats not a concern of mine.
It was a concern at
least in the immediate aftermath of the 31-26 loss
to the Colts, as it was part

of McCarthys postgame
message to the team.
Aaron Rodgers then
publicly questioned the
teams passion during his
postgame press briefing,
as did veteran offensive
lineman Bryan Bulaga.
Both players said the team
lacked juice and that
the vibe on the sideline
was not an energetic one.
They added that allowing a
99-yard touchdown on the
opening kickoff should not
have had such an impact
on the teams mood.
Our guys will bring it.
Weve just got to get detailed. Thats really what
our focus is on, McCarthy
said. Were just paying attention to what matters and
its about improvement.
SEE MCCARTHY, PAGE 5

Complete
Collision Repair
Your FULL SERVICE
Collision Location
in Shawano

Are You Ready For


Some Football?
W8061 County Road MMM,
Shawano, WI, 54166

715.524.5770
Fax: 715.524.5438

qualityautobodytodd@yahoo.com

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

MCCARTHY

PACKERS NOTES
RB James Starks and TE
Jared Cook took part in practice Wednesday, and McCarthy seemed encouraged
by their involvement. Starks
hasnt played since Oct. 9
because of a knee injury,
and Cook has been sidelined
since suffering a high ankle
sprain on Sept. 25.
McCarthy said LB Clay
Matthews, who hasnt played
since Oct. 20 because of a
hamstring injury, had not been
evaluated because he was
absent due to a positive personal experience on Tuesday.
The Packers re-signed
safety Jermaine Whitehead
to the practice squad after
releasing him Monday from
the 53-man roster.

FROM PAGE 4

Asked how confident


he is that his team will
have the requisite energy
this weekend, Rodgers replied, I expect everybody
to come ready to play and
prepared and excited about
it. You know, we just need
to weather some of the ups
and downs a little bit better.
Obviously not the way
you want to start a game
with the kickoff return for a
touchdown, but we need to
weather that a little bit better this week - all of us, and
itll start with me, Rodgers added. Ill make sure
that our guys are ready to
play and were enthusiastic about it and fired up to
be out there, because its
a great opportunity and a
great privilege to do what
we do, and were not going
to take it for granted.
A loss Sunday would
put the Packers (4-4) below .500 for the first time
since they started the 2014
season 1-2. The Packers
havent been below .500
this late in the season
since 2008, Rodgers first

PHOTO BY JIM LEUENBERGER

Packers tight end Richard Rodgers caught six passes for 64 yards, but the offense did not come into Sundays 31-26 loss with enough energy, according to coaches and players.

year as a starter following


the teams ugly divorce

from his quarterbacking


predecessor, Brett Favre.

That year, the Packers


were 5-5 after 10 games but

lost five straight and finished 6-10.

The matchup that could


decide the game Sunday figures to be the Packers No.
1-ranked run defense (75.8
yards per game) against the
Titans third-ranked rushing offense (144.2 yards).
Their run versus our
run defense, its going to
be a hell of an afternoon,
McCarthy said. I think its
a great matchup. I think
its going to be a heck of a
game.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

Titans show some fight despite losing record


Mariotas ball security is an issue
The Associated Press

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon, who rushed for 196 yards, is the only running back this season to tally over 100 yards on the Tennessee defense.

715-526-3020 / 800-274-2926

See Our
Entire
Inventory
Online

www.SHAWANOAUTO.com
USED CAR SHOWROOM
600 E. GREEN BAY STREET
ACROSS FROM FAMILY VIDEO

NEW CAR SHOWROOM


939 E. GREEN BAY STREET
ACROSS FROM THE FAIRGROUNDS

715-526-3020 / 800-274-2926
www.shawanoauto.com

Tennessee coach Mike


Mularkey is taking an
optimistic view of the Titans latest loss, a game
in which they trailed by
16 points.
Mularkey said hes encouraged by how the Titans fought back to take
the lead. The veteran
coach and former player
said hes been around a
lot of teams that didnt
fight back, especially after making their would-be
comeback tougher with
three turnovers two
returned for touchdowns.
We dont want to be
falling behind, Mularkey
said. But we also have
the ability to come back,
and nobody flinched. Nobody panicked. Nobody
quit, and thats the heart
of this football team.
Tennessee went to
San Diego trying to climb
above .500 and move within a half-game of Houston

TITANS NOTES
The Titans played without Heisman Trophy winner
Derrick Henry, who strained
a calf muscle in pregame
warmups Sunday. Mularkey said an MRI confirmed
a strained calf and that
Henrys pain tolerance will
determine when the running
back returns. But the Titans
promoted RB David Fluellen
from the practice squad and
waived CB Cody Riggs a
couple hours after the coach
spoke to reporters.
Mularkey said they will try
to ease LG Quinton Spain
(right knee) back into practice
and S Rashad Johnson
(neck) should practice this
week after missing two
games.

in the AFC South. Instead, the Titans trailed


16-0 less than 16 minutes
after kickoff in the 43-35
loss to San Diego. The
SEE TITANS, PAGE 7

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

TITANS
FROM PAGE 6

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota has


turned the ball over 12 times this year, something head
coach Mike Mularky hopes he can clean up.

turnovers came from Marcus Mariota on two interceptions and a fumble, and Mularkey said having turnovers
returned for touchdowns
can devastate teams but not
these Titans.
Mariota threw for 313
yards with three touchdowns and also ran for a
fourth. Mularkey said Mariota made some very nice
throws, including threading
an 8-yard pass to Delanie
Walker in the fourth quarter
that pulled Tennessee within
33-28. But Mariota now has
lost four fumbles this season

with eight interceptions.


I guess we have to take
some bad experiences to
maybe emphasize it like
weve had, Mularkey said.
He knows more than anybody what hes got to do
when he turns up, and hes
got to do a good job of getting that thing high and tight
and put it away.
Tennessee (4-5) has some
other issues to fix before
hosting the Green Bay Packers (4-4) on Sunday. Thats
the Titans lone home game
this month before road trips
to Indianapolis (4-5) and Chicago (2-6) before their bye.
The defense, which had
been ranked sixth allowing
only 82.5 yards per game this

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

season, allowed its first 100yard game by a running back


and then some.
Melvin Gordon had 100
yards by halftime and just
missed adding another in
the second when he finished
with a career-high 196 yards
rushing. The Titans held
Phillip Rivers to 99 yards in
the second half but gave up
176 yards and two TD passes
before halftime.
Defensive lineman Jurrell Casey said the Chargers
were running draws up the
middle at him and teammate
DaQuan Jones, and the Titans now need to tighten up
their run defense quickly.
Weve got to go back
to try to figure out what

were going to do to make


sure we dont let this happen
to us again, Casey said.
Mularkey wasnt happy
with the officiating of referee Brad Allens crew either.
He cited three penalty calls
immediately after the game,
and Mularkey said Monday
that he sent 11 plays to the
league office he thought
couldve been officiated better, including a defensive
holding penalty on safety
DaNorris
Searcy
when
the receiver fell wiping out
a sack by Casey on thirdand-1. San Diego scored the
go-ahead TD a play later.
Im not using that as an
excuse for the loss by any
means, Mularkey said.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

10

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

Power rankings: Cowboys, Raiders close gap on Patriots


The Associated Press

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has kept the Cowboys


winning, at 7-1, while Tony Romo recovers from a back injury. The
Cowboys are second in this weeks AP Pro32 power rankings.

No surprises at the top of the AP


Pro32 power rankings this week: New
England and Dallas, at 7-1 owning the
NFLs best records, are 1-2.
Moving up to the third spot for their
highest ranking ever in the AP Pro32
are the Oakland Raiders.
In voting by 12 media members who
regularly cover the NFL, the Patriots
are a unanimous choice once again for
the top spot, even though they didnt
play last weekend. Dallas, coming off an
easy victory at winless Cleveland (No.
32) is a solid second, 21 points ahead of
Oakland.
The Silver and Black earned the
third spot with their convincing win
over Denver, beating out AFC West rival Kansas City by nine points in the
balloting Tuesday. The Raiders havent
made the postseason since winning the
2002 AFC championship.
Derek Carr continues his MVP-caliber season with a massive win over the
Broncos, and the Raiders defense is finally starting to live up to its potential,
says Bob Glauber of Newsday. Theyre
not in a class with the Patriots, but
theyre getting closer.
Adds Ira Kaufman of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee:
Nobody beats up the Raiders in the
trenches anymore, and 25-year-old Carr

has emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate.


Seattle ranks fifth, followed by Atlanta, Denver, the New York Giants, Minnesota and Washington.
The Falcons particularly impress
Glauber and Kaufman.
With 23 touchdown passes, Matt
Ryan has already surpassed last years
total (21) in just nine games, Glauber
notes. Thats the difference for a Falcons team that is now in solid control of
the NFC South.
Adds Kaufman: This defense can be
had, but the NFLs most prolific attack
has not been held below 23 points all
season.
This weeks biggest movers up the
AP Pro32 rankings are the Ravens (up
8 to No. 16), Giants (up 6 to No. 8) and
Lions (up 6 to No. 11). Baltimores defense shut down the Steelers on Sunday,
while the Giants held off the Eagles and
Detroit won at slumping Minnesota.
Falling the furthest are Buffalo, down
six spots to 22nd, and Tennessee, also
down six to 25. The Bills took almost as
hard a hit in the voting as they did from
the officiating in their loss at Seattle
on Monday night. The Titans were outscored by San Diego.
Down at the bottom are the Browns,
13 points behind No. 31 San Francisco
and 20 points behind the Jaguars.
The NFC champion Carolina Pan-

Team
Points
1. New England Patriots
384
2. Dallas Cowboys
372
3. Oakland Raiders
351
4. Kansas City Chiefs
342
5. Seattle Seahawks
339
6. Atlanta Falcons
333
7. Denver Broncos
312
8. New York Giants
284
9. Minnesota Vikings
269
10. Washington Redskins 251
11. Detroit Lions
250
12. Houston Texans
244
13. Philadelphia Eagles
230
14. Green Bay Packers
229
15. Pittsburgh Steelers
210
16. Baltimore Ravens
202
17. San Diego Chargers
177
18. Cincinnati Bengals
168
19. Miami Dolphins
165
20. Arizona Cardinals
162
21. New Orleans Saints
160
22. Buffalo Bills
156
23. Indianapolis Colts
145
24. Carolina Panthers
139
25. Tennessee Titans
114
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 80
27. Los Angeles Rams
75
28. New York Jets
66
29. Chicago Bears
55
30. Jacksonville Jaguars 33
31. San Francisco 49ers 26
32. Cleveland Browns
13

Renewed Panthers host the Chiefs,


Cowboys look for eighth win in a row
SINCE 1967

THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 10, 2016

GAME

OF
THE

WEEK

For the
first time
since SB XLIX,
the Patriots
and Seahawks
will face off
in Sunday
nights

Super
rematch

TOM BRADY

RICHARD SHERMAN

PLUS
FANTASY
FOOTBALL
AROUND
THE
NORTH

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY |

ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

Bears can maintain momentum, start


their second half on a high note in Tampa

n many respects, Chicago Bears fans


might want to treat this Sunday in
Tampa as opening day of the season.
No, we cant discount the Bears
2-6 start, nor should we. They are
clearly an imperfect team that will miss
the playoffs this year for the sixth consecutive season.
The exciting news, though, is that if we
are to trust the reports from practice early
in the week, the Bears will for the first
time since opening day have their entire
starting lineups available on both sides
of the ball, with the exception of Kevin
White, and they will also have Pernell
McPhee and may invite Marquess Wilson
to the party as well.
Now, allow me to digress for a moment
that 2-6 start was not a complete loss and
injuries, while never an excuse, are still
in some part to blame.
2015 rookies Adrian Amos, Bryce Callahan and Cameron Meredith appear to be
keepers, and Eddie Goldman and Jeremy
Langford did nothing to disappoint prior
to suffering serious injuries.

Amos is never going to


but hes shown the quickbe special, but he doesnt
twitch pass rush ability
get you beat either, like
he was drafted for.
Bears safeties of old Chris
Cody Whitehair is a stud
Conte, Major Wright, Craig
and Jonathan Bullard,
Steltz, Brandon Hardin,
Nick Kwiatkoski and DeBrock Vereen, Al Afalava,
iondre Hall have all shown
Brandon Merriweather,
enough to leave us wanting
etc., etc. Wow!
more.
Goldman still looks like a
Weve also yet to see the
player who may be special.
best of Kyle Long and Josh
Langford may still have
Sitton, or Jerrell Freeman,
great value in a 1-2 running
Danny Trevathan, Willie
back combo package and if
Young, Floyd and McPhee
HUB ARKUSH
White and Hroniss Grasu
all playing healthy togethcan ever stay healthy, the harkush@ProFootballWeekly.com er.
@Hub_Arkush
class of 15 can still be very
There is some good footgood.
ball coming if this coachThis years rookies are more intrigu- ing staff knows what to do with these playing. Jordan Howard is having an All- ers.
Rookie campaign with a 5.1-yard average
Vic Fangio is a stud in the coaching
per carry thats a hair better than Ezekiel ranks who did more than we could expect
Elliott.
with the injuries that handcuffed him in
Leonard Floyd has struggled to stay the first half, and this defense could look
on the field and isnt ready to be a four- pretty good by years end.
down linebacker and might never be
The question mark now is the boss,

John Fox, and his handpicked offensive


coordinator Dowell Loggains.
The suggestion the Bears might be better with Brian Hoyer starting than Cutler
was asinine when Fox alluded to it and it
is now.
We dont know what the position will
look like next year, but theyre absolutely
better now with a healthy Cutler back.
Why the Bears were among the five
worst teams in the NFL in run/pass ratio the first half of the season until they
threw 32 times and ran 28 against the Vikings is a mystery.
That Fox has tried to blame the media
for a quarterback controversy of his own
making and his strained relationship
with Cutler is a joke. Its also troubling
that he is too often MIA when a clock
needs to be managed or a challenge flag
needs to be thrown.
But a breath of fresh air blew through
ChIt is over the next eight weeks this 2016
season will be judged and grades will be
earned. We will learn in which direction
this football team is, in fact, trending.

By J.C.

TALON

Fantasy writer | ProFootballWeekly.com

he NFL wonders why ratings are down.


Heres a clue: lets look at the number of
absolutely wretched teams versus the
number of truly quality teams.
Wretched: Browns, Rams, Bears, Bucs,
49ers, Jaguars, Jets.
Quality: Patriots, and maybe the Cowboys and/or the
Raiders.
On top of the obvious imbalance toward the inept,
the Vikings, Ravens, Seahawks, Broncos, Texans and
Cardinals are competitive, but have anemic offenses.
Too many games are offensive to fans craving offense.
Reduced practice schedules, increased injury rates and
too many Thursday games are all contributing to the
reduced quality. The NFL needs to come up with a solution, or 2016 will be a turning point, and not just a blip
on the radar.
Oh boy, and its the Browns at Ravens on Thursday
night! That should do wonders for those ratings. One
bad team and two bad offenses on a night meant for
hockey and basketball.
On to Week 10

MATCHUPS TO EXPLOIT
Chicago Bears

OPPONENT: AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, SUNDAY, NOON


This is Chicagos first (and perhaps only) 2016 appearance as an exploit. Tampas defense gives up 29
points and nearly 400 yards per game. With Jay Cutler
back, the Bucs will have to respect the deep throw and
that should open up running lanes for Jordan Howard. The Bears are coming off a bye and will be a little
healthier than theyve been in recent games. There is
no truth to the rumor that Joe Maddon is going to pull
Cutler too early and sub in Aroldis Chapman.
MUST START: Howard, Alshon Jeffery
SOLID PLAY: Zach Miller
WORTH A LOOK: Cutler, Eddie Royal*, Cameron Meredith (if no Royal)
LAST RESORT: Jeremy Langford, Meredith (if Royal
active), Connor Barth
STAY AWAY: Bears D/ST

San Diego Chargers

OPPONENT: VS MIAMI DOLPHINS, SUNDAY, 3:05


Philip Rivers and the Chargers are having a remarkable season on offense, at least. They are ranked ninth
in yards and third in scoring. Theyve been held under
20 points just once this season (they scored 19 against
Denver in Week 8) and have crested 30 points five times.
They are coming off a 43-point outburst against a decent Tennessee defense. Miami is average on defense
they are ranked 17th overall, but a miserable 30th
against the run. This looks like a great matchup for
Melvin Gordon. We told you that Antonio Gates was
running on fumes, but perhaps we were a bit hasty. If
Hunter Henry (knee) remains out, Gates is a top-five
TE.

MUST START: Gordon, Gates (if no Henry)


SOLID PLAY: Rivers, Josh Lambo
WORTH A LOOK: Travis Benjamin*, Tyrell Williams,
Gates (if Henry active), Chargers D/ST
LAST RESORT: Dontrelle Inman, Henry*

Dallas Cowboys

OPPONENT: AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS, SUNDAY, 3:25


Powered by an elite rushing attack, the Cowboys
and their offense may be the biggest surprise of the
2016 season. Despite being piloted by a rookie QB, Dallas is producing 411 yards and 28 points per game. The
old adage suggests that a running game travels well
and that certainly is the case here. The Cowboys and
their top-ranked ground game are 4-0 on the road this
season. Pittsburgh has lost three in a row and has not
looked good since Week 5. Their defense is a below
average 24th overall against the pass. They are a bit
better versus the run (13th). Gut instinct has us suspecting this is going to be a close, high-scoring game.
MUST START: Ezekiel Elliott
SOLID PLAY: Dak Prescott, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten,
Dan Bailey
WORTH A LOOK: Cole Beasley
LAST RESORT: Terrance Williams
STAY AWAY: Alfred Morris, Cowboys D/ST

Arizona Cardinals

OPPONENT: VS SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS, SUNDAY, 3:25


Remember the scene in the movie Airplane when
all of the passengers were standing in line to smack the
hysterical passenger? The San Francisco defense is basically the hysterical passenger. The Cardinals offense
was terrible in a Week 7 tie with Seattle and a Week 8
loss to Carolina. Fresh off a bye week and facing the
woeful 49ers (at home), Arizona should snap out of its
funk, if only for one week.
MUST START: David Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals D/ST
SOLID PLAY: Carson Palmer, John Brown, Chandler
Catanzaro
WORTH A LOOK: Michael Floyd
LAST RESORT: J.J. Nelson

ALSO CONSIDER
New York Giants

OPPONENT: VS CINCINNATI BENGALS, MONDAY, 7:30


The Bengals are a disappointing 24th on defense. The
Giants have no semblance of a run game, but Eli Manning and Sterling Shepard are intriguing options in
this game. OBJ remains a must start.

MATCHUPS TO AVOID
Kansas City Chiefs

OPPONENT: AT CAROLINA PANTHERS, SUNDAY, NOON


A couple of weeks ago, Carolina was on the verge of
collapse. But after a solid defeat of Arizona at home and
a good defensive effort against a bad team in L.A., the
Panthers are hoping to claw back into the playoff hunt.

Kansas City is on its own four-game run and will not


be a pushover. The Chiefs are battling through significant injuries on offense, including QB Alex Smith, RBs
Spencer Ware and Jamaal Charles and top wideout Jeremy Maclin. Charles is on IR, but the status of Smith,
Ware and Maclin was undetermined as of press time.
Even if all three play, this is a below-average matchup
against a team that has been playing better of late.
MUST START: Ware* (if active)
SOLID PLAY: Travis Kelce
WORTH A LOOK: Smith* (if active), Charcandrick
West (if no Ware), Maclin* (if active), Cairo Santos,
Chiefs D/ST
LAST RESORT:Nick Foles (if no Smith)
STAY AWAY: West (if Ware active)

Los Angeles Rams

OPPONENT: AT NEW YORK JETS, SUNDAY, NOON


Its easy to understand how the Rams have lost four
in a row and five overall. Whats a real head-scratcher
is how in the world they won three straight games during Weeks 2-4. Their offense is
ranked 31st in yards and deadlast in points with just 16.2 per
game. Todd Gurley selected
first in many fantasy drafts
is averaging 3.1 yards per
carry and his longest run of
the season is 18 (yes, 18) yards!
The bulk of Gurleys ineffectiveness can be blamed on the
O-line Gurley is gaining just
1.34 yards before first contact,
the lowest rate in the NFL. The
Todd Gurley
passing game is just as bad
Case Keenum has thrown 9 TDs against 11 picks, and
his 77.2 QBR is among the lowest in the league. The
Jets 13th-ranked overall defense is fourth versus the
run, allowing just 81 rushing yards per game. Maybe
the Rams turn to Jared Goff this week, but will it really
make a difference?
MUST START: none
SOLID PLAY: Gurley
WORTH A LOOK: Lance Kendricks, Rams D/ST
LAST RESORT: Kenny Britt, Tavon Austin
STAY AWAY: Keenum, Greg Zuerlein

ALSO BEWARE
Minnesota Vikings

OPPONENT: AT WASHINGTON, SUNDAY, NOON


Washingtons 22nd-ranked defense is not one fantasy
owners would normally steer clear of, but Minnesotas
offense is bad enough right now that no matchup could
be considered favorable. In fact, the Vikings once ferocious defense has spent so much time on the field it is
no longer a fantasy lock.

* Check injury status

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

If NFL offenses improve, so will ratings

PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016

4
By

ARTHUR
ARKUSH
OVERVIEW

The Packers are .500 past the midway point of


the season for the first time since Aaron Rodgers had his collarbone broken by Shea McClellin
three years ago. Perhaps Green Bay couldve used
McClellin on Sunday, as its D couldnt get the ball
back late for Rodgers to continue a furious comeback in a 31-26 home loss to Indianapolis. The offense was ineffective for two-plus quarters, until
Indianapolis took its foot off the gas, a familiar
refrain for a unit whose uneven showings are the
new norm. Afterwards, Rodgers lamented a lack
of juice from him and his cohorts. Though that
gripe also aptly describes the offense and pass
rush, Rodgers meant Green Bay lacked energy
from the outset. Thats an ominous admission
from the leader of a club whose seven-year playoff streak, tied with New England for the NFLs
longest, would end if the season did today.
Marcus Mariota, after four touchdowns but
three giveaways in a 43-35 loss in San Diego, reunites with Packers rookie ILB Blake Martinez,
who had a game-high 14 tackles, though it was
Oregon and Mariota who ran over Stanford two
years ago. Dom Capers defenses have endured
well-documented issues with mobile QBs in recent seasons.

OVERVIEW

The improvements of Pat Shurmurs spedup offense were offset by another defensive and
special teams disappointment. A home upset in
overtime courtesy of the Lions leaves Minnesota
teetering in a three-game funk with no clear answers, save for perhaps replacing PK Blair Walsh.
Was his league-leading third missed PAT, plus a
low blocked FG, in a six-point loss the final straw?
Another poor outing by Xavier Rhodes, Anthony
Barr and Minnesotas pass defense arent easily
correctable ahead of a trip to Washingtons No.
7 offense. Sam Bradford and his protection, after
steadying in what was ultimately a respite from
Detroits porous defense, will again be in the crosshairs against Washingtons improving pass D.
But Minnesota needed its defense, not an offense
in flux following Norv Turners abrupt resignation, to pick the Vikings up after getting embarrassed at Soldier Field.
Barr and Harrison Smith, two of Minnesotas stronger defenders, offered weak resistance
against Lions tight end Eric Ebron. Slowing Jordan Reed represents a significantly tougher challenge. Bears fans have tried to forget the fits Reed
gave Chicago last season in the middle of the field,
where Ebron thrived.

QB: Matthew Stafford, with four


comebacks in the past five weeks,
has a career-best interception percentage (1.6) and passer rating
(101.6). Hes been elite (shudder) for
more than a calendar year. Grade: A
RB: Theo Riddick and Dwayne
Washington have flashed, but Detroits ground game remains mostly
for show. Grade: C+
WR: Marvin Jones starred early,
Golden Tate has picked it up late and
Anquan Boldin and Andre Roberts
have made timely contributions. A
mega void, there isnt. Grade: B
TE: Eric Ebron is starting to resemble a former first-rounder the
past two weeks but durability and
inconsistency concerns remain.
Grade: BOL: Theyre coming on in pass
pro with a pair of rookies on the left
side, and C Travis Swanson is arguably Detroits most improved performer. Grade: C+
DL: Ezekiel Ansah owes Kerry
Hyder a hearty thank you. This

group should improve with Ansah


and Haloti Ngata getting healthier.
Grade: CLB: Tahir Whitehead and Josh
Bynes sure could use DeAndre
Levys help covering TEs a novel
concept after permitting 10(!) touchdowns to the position. Grade: C
CB: They arent taking it away
but they arent the problem, either.
Darius Slay has been defenses
clutch version of Stafford, while
Nevin Lawsons star is rising.
Grade: BS: Glover Quin and Tavon Wilson
have been increasingly active. That
TE problem, though Grade: C+
ST: Matt Prater and Sam Martin
might be the leagues best kicking
combo. Grade: A
COACHES: Remember the Jim
Caldwell hot seat talk after that dud
at Soldier Field? We dont either. The
resolve of Caldwells troops under
fire, and Staffords rapport with Jim
Bob Cooter, has bought this staff
time. Grade: B+

20% off
Honora
NFL Pearls
All November

41 N. Williams Street
Historic Downtown Crystal Lake
815.455.3600 www.dalzelljewelers.com
SM-CL0407497

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

15

PACKERS NOTEBOOK
MUST WIN?

The Green Bay Packers, scuffling


along with a 4-4 record and a two-game
losing streak, enter a defining three-game
road trip that starts Sunday at Tennessee.
Its a critical stretch. Just dont tell
quarterback Aaron Rodgers that this is a
must-win game.
Ive never liked that term, Rodgers
said on Wednesday. World War II was a
must-win. Football is football. Its
an important one, but its
just the next one.
Because of injuries
and inconsistent play,
the Packers are one
of the more disappointing teams in the
league at the halfway
point. They have the
good fortune of playing in the NFC North,
a division in which the
first-place team, Minnesota, has lost three
in a row to sink to
5-3. So, as

many of the veteran players said after


Sundays home loss to Indianapolis, all of
their goals remain within their reach.
But they had better start winning or
those goals are going to get further and
further away.
The Packers are in ninth place in the
NFC. After this game, Green Bay plays
prime-time games at two other NFC playoff challengers: Washington (sixth place;
4-3-1) and Philadelphia (10th place; 4-4).
Then, its back-to-back home games
against AFC South-leading Houston
(5-3) and NFC West-leading Seattle
(5-2-1) before three consecutive
division games to end the regular season.
Its one game at a time,
Rodgers said. Its an important part of our season obviously because of our record
and where were at in the
division, but also
weve got No-

vember and December football, which is


really where you figure out where youre
slotted there coming down the stretch.
Weve got to make sure were putting ourselves in position to be in the conversation
and it starts with this week. Were not going to look past any team moving forward.
Were going to start better and hopefully
start this week and go on a run.

79 AND BLITZING

Tennessees defensive coordinator is


Dick LeBeau. With Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers, LeBeau was the
architect of the famed Blitzburg defenses from a quarter-century ago. At age 79,
nothing has changed philosophically. The
Packers will face one of the most aggressive defensive play-callers in the league.
Dick LeBeaus done it forever, hes
done it at such a high level, Packers
coach Mike McCarthy said. I think
theyve done a very good job of fitting the
personnel to their defensive scheme. I
think their front is exceptional. You can
see the history of the defense obviously
with Dick and Doms experience and their
past together. Theres carryover conceptually but theres obviously differences
because of your personnel. This will be a
big challenge for us offensively.
Working in the Packers favor are the
number of veterans, including T.J. Lang
and Bryan Bulaga. The offensive line is
seasoned, and Rodgers has seen it all.
Across the front, regardless of whether its how many games youve started,
everybody on the offensive line has a lot
of experience, third-year center Corey
Linsley said. I think thats due to the
situations that we rep in practice
and all that jazz. We do a great
job of that.

UNDER FIRE
ON OFFENSE

AARON RODGERS
PHOTO BY JIM LEUENBERGER

After showing such promise in a victory over the Bears


and a loss to the Falcons, the
offense took a step backward in last weeks
loss to the Colts. The final numbers looked
nice with 26 points and 405 yards but a lot
of that production came during the final 10
minutes, when Green Bay rallied from a
31-13 deficit with two touchdowns.
How do the Packers get consistent production, especially in the passing game?
Win the one-on-one matchups, Rodgers said.
Thats been the sticking point dating to
last season. The Packers havent consistently won those matchups. Professional
and armchair analysts alike have opinions on whats plagued the passing attack.

Receiver Jordy Nelson, however, doesnt


care to hear them.
Theres a lot of people who talk that
dont know what theyre talking about,
Nelson said. And its amazing because
some of the people who are talking have
played the game before. How quickly they
forget. You just know. We trust each other
in here, we watch the film on Monday. We
understand whats going on and whats
happening and where were at. Were
worried about ourselves in here. You start
worrying about things outside this locker
room and youre in for a long day.

RODGERS: TOO MANY DIVISIONS

Leave it to Rodgers to offer perhaps


the smartest election commentary.
It was a momentous night, and Rodgers stayed up late watching it unfold.
Thats why Im so tired today, he
said. I went out and voted, and I knew
it was going to be a historic night either
way. You have an outsider winning or the
first woman to be president. So, I thought
it was an important night to our country,
and really a message to the establishment, if youre looking at it from an objective point of view.
I hope as a country we can now come
together and work a little better with each
other. Obviously, there were some people
who were rightfully so worried about
the direction of the country now, but I
think its an important time for us that we
come together and figure out how to work
with each other.
Sports, he hopes, can be part of bringing such a divided nation together.
I think thats what sports can do, he
said. It doesnt erase anything that (are)
big events that have happened, but I think
when you saw President Bush throw out
the first pitch after 9/11, I just remember
that was a powerful time for our country
to say, Hey, were moving on. Were getting past this.
Sports can do that for you at times.
But as a country, you saw last night, there
wasnt a 50 percent majority winner. Its a
two-party system. Theres binary systems
that are built up in this country all over the
place to divide us, and I think its important especially in this time with our election that we learn how to work with each
other. Sports can bring people together
and break down the initial barriers. Obviously, its on a way different scale. Youre
talking about running a country compared
to providing entertainment for people, but
we love the opportunity to do what we do
and inspire people, and hope we can all
move forward together and get this thing
going in the right direction.

16

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

PACKERS DEPTH CHART

KEYS TO THE GAME

Offense

By Green & Gold Express Staff


FB
Aaron Ripkowski
Joe Kerridge

WR
Randall Cobb
Ty Montgomery

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

QB
Aaron Rodgers
Brett Hundley

RB
James Starks
Don Jackson

C
LG
LT
RT
RG
TE
JC Tretter Lane Taylor David Bakhtiari
Jared Cook Bryan Bulaga T.J. Lang
Richard Rodgers Kyle Murphy Don Barclay Corey Linsley Don Barclay Jason Spriggs

The Green Bay Packers (4-4) face the


Tennessee Titans (4-5) at noon Sunday at
Nissan Stadium in Nashville. The Packers
are 3-point favorites. Heres the breakdown.
WR
Jordy Nelson
Davante Adams

Defense

DE
Kenny Clark
Dean Lowry

LCB
Quinten Rollins
Demetri Goodson

LOLB
Nick Perry
Julius Peppers

SS
Morgan Burnett
Micah Hyde

ILB
Jake Ryan
Joe Thomas

NT
Letroy Guion
Christian Ringo

ILB
Blake Martinez
Joe Thomas

DT
Mike Daniels
Kenny Clark

ROLB
Clay Matthews
Datone Jones

FS
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
Kentrell Brice

RCB
LaDarius Gunter
Micah Hyde

WHEN THE PACKERS


HAVE THE BALL

The Packers might get two shots in the


arm this week with the possible returns of
running back James Starks and tight end
Jared Cook.
Starks has missed the last five games
following knee surgery. Coupled with Eddie Lacy going on injured reserve following the Dallas game on Oct. 16, the Packers have played the last three games
without an honest-to-goodness running
back. Starks, however, didnt do much in
the first four games: 24 carries for 42 yards
for a paltry 1.8-yard average.
The ability to play first, second and
third down, that is very important in the
job description of a running back in this
league, as we all know, because first and
second down is a lot different than third
down as far as job responsibility and the
specifics of what theyre asked to do,
Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said.
Cook hadnt done much, either, with six
catches for 53 yards in two-plus games,
but hes got a chance to be an X-factor in
a receiver group that has had a hard time
consistently separating from man-to-man
coverage.
Hes athletic, he has great speed, so
hes a big body running down the middle,
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said.
Hes also good at the point of attack, a
good blocker, has good agility with the ball

in his hands. Were looking forward to getting him back out there at some point.
The Titans are a bit vulnerable in both
areas. They gave up 203 rushing yards last
week vs. San Diego and are 18th with 4.21
yards allowed per carry. In the last three
games, opposing tight ends have caught
28 passes and scored a touchdown in each
game.
The Titans are led by 79-year-old defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, who was
the defensive coordinator for the Steelers
when the Packers beat them in the Super
Bowl. He blitzed then; he blitzes today. The
Titans rank 22nd in points allowed (25.1),
16th in yards allowed (356.9 per game) and
20th in passing yards allowed (260.4 per
game).
The Titans front seven is exceptional, McCarthy said. It starts up front with
Jurrell Casey. Hes similar to the Packers
Mike Daniels in that both are undersized
power players who play with leverage and
tenacity. Edge-rushing linebackers Brian
Orakpo and Derrick Morgan are former
first-round picks who have combined for
12.5 sacks. Those players are key for the
Titans because the secondary isnt good
at all. Cornerbacks Perrish Cox and Jason
McCourty have two interceptions apiece.
Slot corner Brice McCain is undersized
and handsy, with three penalties the last
three games.

WHEN THE TITANS


HAVE THE BALL

The Titans rank 12th with 24.1 points


per game, but that doesnt tell the whole
story. The Titans didnt score more than
20 points in their first four games. They
havent scored less than 26 points in their
SEE KEYS, PAGE 17

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

TITANS DEPTH CHART

KEYS

FROM PAGE 16

Offense
FB
Jalston Fowler

WR
Rishard Matthews
Harry Douglas

QB
Marcus Mariota
Matt Cassel

RB
DeMarco Murray
Derrick Henry

RT
RG
C
WR
LG
LT
TE
Jack Conklin Josh Kline
Ben Jones
Quinton Spain Taylor Lewan Delanie Walker Tajae Sharpe
Dennis Kelly Sebastian Tretola Brian Schwenke Sebastian Tretola Dennis Kelly Anthony Fasano Kendall Wright

Defense

CB
Perrish Cox
Brice McCain

DE
DaQuan Jones
Angelo Blackson

OLB
Derrick Morgan
Kevin Dodd

NT
Al Woods
Angelo Blackson

ILB
Wesley Woodyard
Sean Spence

SS
DaNorris Searcy
Daimion Stafford

ILB
Avery Williamson
Nate Palmer

FS
Rashad Johnson
Kevin Byrd

DT
Jurrell Casey
Karl Klug

OLB
Brian Orakpo
David Bass

CB
Jason McCourty
Valentino Blake

last five games.


The star performers
have been running back
DeMarco Murray and
second-year quarterback
Marcus Mariota.
The last time the Packers faced a quality rushing attack, they were destroyed by the Cowboys.
The Titans enter this game
ranked third in the NFL
with 144.2 rushing yards
per game. Murray looks a
lot more like the 2014 rushing champion that he was
in Dallas than the bust he
was with Philadelphia last
year. He has rushed for
807 yards (4.6 average)
and leads the team with 35
receptions. He has scored
nine touchdowns. Rookie
Derrick Henry has added
221 rushing yards but
could be sidelined with a
calf injury.
A little bit surprised
how well of a receiver he
is out of the backfield, Titans head coach Mike Mularkey said of Murray. I
thought he was, but watching him now and being
around him, its been really
impressive. And really his
ability in protections and
to step up and block, that
too was a little bit surprising to me. Hes everything
we hoped: tough, physical
runner that we were look-

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

ing for in this offense.


If Murray is the star,
Mariota is the face of the
franchise. He has completed 63.2 percent of his
passes for 2,187 yards
with 17 touchdowns and
eight interceptions. Rush
Mariota at your own peril,
because hes an electric
athlete who has added 235
rushing yards and an explosive 6.7 yards per carry.
Talented football player, McCarthy said. I like
the way he moves. I like
the way he plays the game.
Obviously, I have a preference for quarterbacks that
can play in the pocket and
out of the pocket. He has
the dynamic to do that,
especially with their run
game. The way they run
the football and the things
they do off of the run game,
itll be a big challenge.
Murray is the leading
receiver because the receiver corps might be the
worst in the league. Neither Rishard Matthews
(33 catches, 420 yards) nor
rookie Tajae Sharpe (27
for 317) is a vertical threat.
Thats good news for the
Packers
beleaguered
and beaten-up secondary.
Tight end Delanie Walker,
however, is a matchup
nightmare. He has caught
33 passes for 447 yards and
four touchdowns.
Hes as fast as a lot of
receivers but hes built like
a tight end, Mariota said.

17

Up front, the Titans


have two young studs in
left tackle Taylor Lewan
and right tackle Jack
Conklin, their first-round
picks in 2014 and 2016,
respectively. Amazingly,
they havent allowed a
sack. The interior of the
line is vulnerable with
guard Chance Warmack
out for the season, but fellow guard Quinton Spain, a
330-pound mauler, should
be back.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Neither special-teams
unit has played well. Tennessee fired its coordinator in early October. Opponents have returned two
punts for touchdowns and
are averaging 25.6 yards
per kickoff return. Kicker
Ryan Succop is 11 of 11
from inside of 50 yards but
0 for 2 from long distance.
The Packers kickoff-coverage unit is the worst in
the league. The punt unit,
however, has surged behind Jake Schums backto-back strong performances.

COACHING

McCarthy owns a 11666-1 record in his 11th


season with the team. Mularkey is 22-44 with three
teams over five seasons.
He was appointed interim
coach midway through last
season and has a record
of 6-13 with Tennessee.

18

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

NFL STANDINGS
East
Team
New England
Miami
Buffalo
N.Y. Jets
South
Team
Houston
Tennessee
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
North
Team
Baltimore
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Cleveland
West
Team
Oakland
Kansas City
Denver
San Diego

AFC
W
7
4
4
3

L
1
4
5
6

T
0
0
0
0

W
5
4
4
2

L
3
5
5
6

T
0
0
0
0

W
4
4
3
0

L
4
4
4
9

T
0
0
1
0

W
7
6
6
4

L
2
2
3
5

T
0
0
0
0

East
Team
Dallas
N.Y. Giants
Washington
Philadelphia
South
Team
Atlanta
New Orleans
Tampa Bay
Carolina
North
Team
Minnesota
Detroit
Green Bay
Chicago
West
Team
Seattle
Arizona
Los Angeles
San Francisco

W
7
5
4
4

L
1
3
3
4

T
0
0
1
0

W
6
4
3
3

L
3
4
5
5

T
0
0
0
0

W
5
5
4
2

L
3
4
4
6

T
0
0
0
0

W
5
3
3
1

L
2
4
5
7

T
1
1
0
0

NFL SCHEDULE
Sundays Games
Atlanta at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
Denver at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Houston at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
Los Angeles at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.
Kansas City at Carolina, 1 p.m.
Chicago at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Minnesota at Washington, 1 p.m.

Green Bay at Tennessee, 1 p.m.


Miami at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.
San Francisco at Arizona, 4:25 p.m.
Dallas at Pittsburgh, 4:25 p.m.
Seattle at New England, 8:30 p.m.
Mondays Games
Cincinnati at N.Y. Giants, 8:30 p.m.

INJURY REPORT
Packers
WR Randall Cobb, hamstring
TE Jared Cook, ankle
DT Letroy Guion, not injury related
DB Micah Hyde, shoulder
G T. J. Lang, hip
LB Clay Matthews, hamstring
CB Damarious Randall, groin
CB Quinten Rollins, groin
RB James Starks, knee

C/G JC Tretter, knee


Titans
T Jack Conklin, elbow
RB Derrick Henry, calf
S Rashad Johnson, neck
RB DeMarco Murray, foot
G Quinton Spain, knee
TE Delanie Walker, groin
LB Aaron Wallace, shoulder

PACKERS ROSTER
Active

NFC

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

#
2
7
10
11
12
17
18
21
22
23
24
25
27
28
29
34
33
36
39
40
42
44
47
48
50
51
52
53
56
61
63
64
65
67
68
69
70

NAME
Crosby, Mason
Hundley, Brett
Schum, Jacob
Davis, Trevor
Rodgers, Aaron
Adams, Davante
Cobb, Randall
Clinton-Dix, Ha Ha
Ripkowski, Aaron
Randall, Damarious
Rollins, Quinten
Evans, Marwin
Lacy, Eddie
Hawkins, Josh
Brice, Kentrell
Jackson, Don
Hyde, Micah
Gunter, LaDarius
Goodson, Demetri
Kerridge, Joe
Burnett, Morgan
Starks, James
Ryan, Jake
Thomas, Joe
Martinez, Blake
Fackrell, Kyler
Matthews, Clay
Perry, Nick
Peppers, Julius
Goode, Brett
Linsley, Corey
Pennel, Mike
Taylor, Lane
Barclay, Don
Murphy, Kyle
Bakhtiari, David
Lang, T.J.

POS.
K
QB
P
WR
QB
WR
WR
S
FB
CB
CB
S
RB
CB
S
RB
DB
CB
CB
FB
S
RB
LB
LB
LB
LB
LB
LB
LB
LS
C
DT
G
T/G
T
T
G

HT.
6-1
6-3
5-11
6-1
6-2
6-1
5-10
6-1
6-1
5-11
5-11
5-11
5-11
5-10
5-11
5-10
6-0
6-2
5-11
6-0
6-1
6-2
6-2
6-1
6-2
6-5
6-3
6-3
6-7
6-1
6-3
6-4
6-3
6-4
6-6
6-4
6-4

WT.
207
226
211
188
225
215
192
208
246
196
195
211
234
189
200
208
197
201
197
245
209
218
240
227
237
245
255
265
287
255
301
332
324
305
305
310
318

AGE
32
23
27
23
32
23
26
23
23
24
24
23
26
23
22
23
25
24
27
24
27
30
24
25
22
24
30
26
36
31
25
25
26
27
22
24
28

EXP.
10
2
2
R
12
3
6
3
2
2
2
R
4
R
R
R
4
2
3
R
7
7
2
2
R
R
8
5
15
9
3
3
4
5
R
4
8

COLLEGE
Colorado
UCLA
Buffalo
California
California
Fresno State
Kentucky
Alabama
Oklahoma
Arizona State
Miami (Ohio)
Utah State
Alabama
East Carolina
Louisiana Tech
Nevada
Iowa
Miami
Baylor
Michigan
Georgia Tech
Buffalo
Michigan
South Carolina State
Stanford
Utah State
Southern California
Southern California
North Carolina
Arkansas
Ohio State
Colorado State-Pueblo
Oklahoma State
West Virginia
Stanford
Colorado
Eastern Michigan

73
75
76
78
80
81
82
83
87
88
89
91
94
95
97
98
99

Tretter, JC
Bulaga, Bryan
Daniels, Mike
Spriggs, Jason
Perillo, Justin
Allison, Geronimo
Rodgers, Richard
Janis, Jeff
Nelson, Jordy
Montgomery, Ty
Cook, Jared
Elliott, Jayrone
Lowry, Dean
Jones, Datone
Clark, Kenny
Guion, Letroy
Ringo, Christian

C/G
T
DT
T
TE
WR
TE
WR
WR
WR
TE
LB
DE
DE
DT
DT
DT

NAME

Reserve/Injured
POS. HT. WT.
AGE EXP. COLLEGE

20 Dorleant, Makinton

6-4
6-5
6-0
6-6
6-3
6-3
6-4
6-3
6-3
6-0
6-5
6-3
6-6
6-4
6-3
6-4
6-1

307
314
310
301
250
202
257
219
217
216
254
255
296
285
314
322
298

25
27
27
22
25
22
24
25
31
23
29
24
22
26
20
29
24

4
7
5
R
3
R
3
3
9
2
8
3
R
4
R
9
1

Cornell
Iowa
Iowa
Indiana
Maine
Illinois
California
Saginaw Valley State
Kansas State
Stanford
South Carolina
Toledo
Northwestern
UCLA
UCLA
Florida State
Louisiana-Lafayette

CB

5-11

182

23

Northern Iowa

32 Banjo, Chris
S
35 Whitehead, Jermaine S
37 Shields, Sam
CB

5-10
5-11
5-11

207
195
184

26
23
28

3
1
7

SMU
Auburn
Miami

38 Crockett, John
77 Steuck, Kyle

RB
C

6-0
6-2

217
310

24
23

1
R

North Dakota State


Northern Michigan

84 Abbrederis, Jared

WR 6-1

195

25

Wisconsin

90 Kuder, Tyler

DT

307

24

Idaho State

#
16
30
54
57
62
86
93
96

Practice Squad
POS. HT. WT.
AGE
WR 6-0
188
23
RB 5-9
2-8
23
LB 6-1
248
24
C
6-4
300
22
G
6-3
313
23
TE 6-4
235
23
LB 6-3
261
23
DT 6-3
318
22

EXP.
R
R
2
R
R
R
R
R

COLLEGE
Miami
Troy
Arizona State
Dartmouth
Duke
Stanford
Arizona
Texas-San Antonio

NAME
Waters, Herb
Burks, Brandon
Bradford, Carl
Flores, Jacob
Patrick, Lucas
Cajuste, Devon
Gilbert, Reggie
Price, Brian

6-3

Roster as of Wednesday

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

TITANS ROSTER
# Name
4 Succop, Ryan
6 Kern, Brett
8 Mariota, Marcus
10 McBride, Tre
13 Wright, Kendall
16 Cassel, Matt
18 Matthews, Rishard
19 Sharpe, Tajae
20 Cox, Perrish
21 Searcy, DaNorris
22 Henry, Derrick
23 McCain, Brice
24 Stafford, Daimion
25 Johnson, Rashad
26 Andrews, Antonio
29 Murray, DeMarco
30 McCourty, Jason
31 Byard, Kevin
32 Fluellen, David
35 Riley, Curtis
36 Sims, LeShaun
45 Fowler, Jalston
47 Blake, Valentino
48 Brinkley, Beau
50 Palmer, Nate
51 Bass, David
52 Wallace, Aaron
54 Williamson, Avery
55 Spence, Sean
59 Woodyard, Wesley
60 Jones, Ben
62 Schwenke, Brian
64 Kline, Josh
67 Spain, Quinton
71 Kelly, Dennis
77 Lewan, Taylor

Pos.
K
P
QB
WR
WR
QB
WR
WR
CB
S
RB
CB
S
FS
RB
RB
CB
S
RB
CB
CB
FB
CB
LS
LB
OLB
OLB
LB
ILB
LB
C
C/G
G
G
G/T
T

Ht.
6-2
6-2
6-4
6-0
5-10
6-4
6-0
6-2
6-0
5-11
6-3
5-9
6-1
5-11
5-10
6-0
6-0
5-11
5-11
6-0
6-0
5-11
5-9
6-4
6-2
6-4
6-3
6-1
5-11
6-0
6-3
6-3
6-3
6-4
6-8
6-7

Active
Wt. Age
218 30
214 30
222 23
210 23
191 26
228 34
217 27
194 21
190 29
207 27
247 22
190 29
218 25
204 30
225 24
217 28
193 29
216 23
224 24
190 24
203 23
254 26
198 26
248 26
248 27
256 26
240 23
246 24
231 26
233 30
308 27
318 25
300 26
330 25
321 26
309 25

Exp. College
8 South Carolina
9 Toledo
2 Oregon
2 William & Mary
5 Baylor
12 USC
5 Nevada
R Massachusetts
6 Oklahoma State
6 North Carolina
R Alabama
7 Utah
4 Nebraska
8 Alabama
3 Western Kentucky
6 Oklahoma
8 Rutgers
R Middle Tennessee St.
1 Toledo
2 Fresno State
R Southern Utah
2 Alabama
5 Texas-El Paso
5 Missouri
3 Illinois State
4 Missouri Western State
R UCLA
3 Kentucky
5 Miami (Fla.)
9 Kentucky
5 Georgia
4 California
4 Kent State
2 West Virginia
5 Purdue
3 Michigan

NFL LEADERS

78 Conklin, Jack
79 Tretola, Sebastian
80 Fasano, Anthony
82 Walker, Delanie
83 Douglas, Harry
87 Mariani, Marc
88 Amaro, Jace
89 Supernaw, Phillip
90 Jones, DaQuan
91 Morgan, Derrick
93 Dodd, Kevin
94 Johnson, Austin
95 Blackson, Angelo
96 Woods, Al
97 Klug, Karl
98 Orakpo, Brian
99 Casey, Jurrell

OT
OG
TE
TE
WR
WR
TE
TE
DL
OLB
OLB
NT
DE
DL
DL
OLB
DT

6-6
6-4
6-4
6-0
6-0
6-1
6-5
6-5
6-4
6-3
6-5
6-4
6-4
6-4
6-3
6-4
6-1

# Name
23 Okotcha, Bennett
66 Matias, Josue
70 Warmack, Chance
76 Bell, Byron

Pos.
CB
G
G
T/G

Ht.
6-0
6-5
6-2
6-5

# Name
Pos.
11 Tanney, Alex
QB
17 Krause, Jonathan WR
28 Riggs, Cody
CB
32 Reed, Kalan
CB
57 Staples, Justin
LB
61 Barton, Karim
G
68 Marz, Tyler
T
75 Woods, Antwaun
NT
84 Cunningham, Jerome TE
92 Abdesmad, Mehdi DE

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

308 22
314 24
255 32
248 32
183 32
190 29
265 24
248 26
322 24
261 27
277 24
314 22
318 23
307 29
278 28
257 30
305 26

R
R
11
11
9
7
3
3
3
7
R
R
2
7
6
8
6

Michigan St.
Arkansas
Notre Dame
Central Missouri
Louisville
Montana
Texas Tech
Ouachita Baptist
Penn State
Georgia Tech
Clemson
Penn St.
Auburn
LSU
Iowa
Texas
USC

Reserve/Injured
Wt. Age Exp. College
195 23 R Texas-San Antonio
309 23 1 Florida State
323 25 4 Alabama
340 27 6 New Mexico

Practice Squad
Ht. Wt. Age Exp. College
6-4 220 28 2 Monmouth (Ill.)
5-11 190 24 1 Vanderbilt
5-9 187 24 2 Notre Dame
5-11 198 22 R Southern Miss
6-4 245 26 3 Illinois
6-3 313 24 1 Morgan State
6-7 316 24 R Wisconsin
6-1 318 23 R Southern California
6-3 250 25 2 Southern Connecticut State
6-6 284 25 R Boston College
Roster as of Wednesday

SCORING, NONKICKERS
Points
Gordon SD 66
Blount NE 54
D. Murray TEN 54
Mi. Evans TB 50
Forte NYJ 48
David Johnson ARI 48
L. Murray OAK 48
E. Elliott DAL 42
Gore IND 42
L. McCoy BUF 42
Michael SEA 42
Jo. Nelson GB 42
SCORING, KICKERS
Points
Lambo SD 86
Sturgis PHI 78
McManus DEN 74
Du. Hopkins WAS 72
Janikowski OAK 71
Santos KC 71
Tucker BAL 70
D. Bailey DAL 67
Prater DET 67
Lutz NO 66
LEADING PASSERS
Rating
Brady NE 133.9
M. Ryan ATL 119.0
Brees NO 106.7
Prescott DAL 104.2
M. Stafford DET 101.6
D. Carr OAK 99.1
Bradford MIN 99.0
Dalton CIN 98.0
Hoyer CHI 98.0
Rivers SD 96.2
Rodgers GB 96.1

LEADING RECEIVERS
Yards
Ju. Jones ATL 970
A. Green CIN 896
A. Cooper OAK 843
Hilton IND 791
Mi. Evans TB 745
Anto. Brown PIT 677
Beckham NYG 676
Olsen CAR 673
Mar. Jones DET 661
Sanders DEN 614
M. Wallace BAL 614
LEADING RUSHERS
Yards
E. Elliott DAL 891
D. Murray TEN 807
Gordon SD 768
David Johnson ARI 705
L. McCoy BUF 683
Ajayi MIA 646
L. Miller HOU 637
Forte NYJ 634
D. Freeman ATL 620
Blount NE 609
YARDS FROM SCRIMMAGE
Total
David Johnson ARI 1112
Gordon SD 1052
E. Elliott DAL 1046
D. Murray TEN 1033
Ju. Jones ATL 970
A. Green CIN 896
A. Cooper OAK 843
D. Freeman ATL 840
S. Ware KC 824
L. McCoy BUF 815
Forte NYJ 802
Hilton IND 791

19

20

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

AROUND THE NORTH

Another tight victory pulls Lions closer to 1st place


Detroit showing poise
in late-game situations
The Associated Press

In every game theyve


played this season, the
Detroit Lions have been
trailing or tied at some
point in the final two minutes of regulation.
Perhaps thats why
they approached last
weekends predicament
at Minnesota with so
much poise.
Down three with 17
seconds remaining and
no timeouts, Matthew
Stafford completed a
27-yard pass to Andre
Roberts. Then the Lions
calmly rushed to the line,
and Stafford was able to
spike the ball, setting up
Matt Praters 58-yard
field goal that tied it. Detroit beat the Vikings 2216 in overtime.
I think you have to at-

tribute it to the guys that


we have on the field,
coach Jim Caldwell said.
They function pretty
well in tight situations.
Its that old saying about,
you dont rise to the occasion but you sink to the
level of your preparation,
and our guys have prepared I think pretty well.
The Lions (5-4) have
had plenty of drama already this season, with
every game decided by
seven points or fewer.
They needed field goals
in the final two minutes
to beat Indianapolis,
Philadelphia and Los Angeles and Praters kick
against Minnesota saved
Sundays game. Detroit
also beat Washington last
month on a touchdown
SEE LIONS, PAGE 21

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate escapes for the game-winning touchdown in overtime Sunday at Minnesota, pushing the Lions to just a half
game out of first place in the NFC North.

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

LIONS
FROM PAGE 20

with 16 seconds remaining.


Add it all up, and the Lions
are a half-game out of first
place in the NFC North as they
head into their bye week. Its a
far cry from where Detroit was
during its open date last season, which came after the Lions got off to a 1-7 start.
Detroit shook up its front
office during its bye week last
season, firing general manager Martin Mayhew and team
president Tom Lewand. The Lions won six of their final eight
games after that. It wasnt
enough to salvage the season,
but the playoffs are in reach in
2016.
After falling behind 16-13
on Sunday when Minnesota
scored a touchdown with 23
seconds left, the Lions took
over at their own 25. Golden
Tate caught an 8-yard pass and
went out of bounds, then Stafford found Roberts in the middle of the field.
Detroit hustled to the line,
being careful to line up properly and avoid a penalty. Stafford spiked the ball with 2 seconds left, and Praters kick was
down the middle.
That is perfect execution

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS


from everybody, said Tate,
who ended up scoring the winning touchdown in overtime.
That situation with 23 seconds
and no timeouts. I wont say
were done, and mentally you
know it is not over until it says
zero on the clock.
Caldwell said his players
practice situations like that and
have developed confidence.
We go through every
conceivable situation in the
league, he said. If we see
some that are a little precarious and a little tough well
say, Hey, Im going to use that
one for our mock this particular week. We take those reallife examples and utilize those
to try to test our team. More
often than not, we take a few
timeouts off of it so we make
them operate with no timeouts rather than giving them a
crutch.
After their weekend off, the
Lions have a winnable home
game against a last-place Jacksonville team, and their final
three home games after that
are against NFC North opponents.
Detroit has been in some
difficult spots this season, but
the Lions have turned enough
of those late-game deficits into
wins that theyll have a lot to
play for down the stretch.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

21

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Detroit Lions kicker Matt Prater hits a game-tying 58-yard field goal as time expires in the second half of Sundays game with Minnesota, completing a late-game comeback yet again for Detroit. The Lions won 22-16 in overtime.

Post Acute & Long Term Care

1436 South Lincoln Street


Shawano, WI 54166

715-526-6111

22

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

AROUND THE NORTH

Zimmer keeps faith in struggling kicker Walsh


Kicker holds onto
job after tryout
The Associated Press

Blair Walsh remained outside after


the rest of the Minnesota Vikings had
finished practicing for the day, booming
kick after kick into the amber, late-afternoon sky and through the uprights.
The well-paid, highly scrutinized job
was still his Wednesday and for the foreseeable future, after the Vikings hosted
six free agents for a tryout and passed on
the opportunity to sign one.
Youve got to work hard, which I always do, said Walsh, a reluctant subject
in a brief interview with reporters after
his extra session was over.
Walsh, who missed his NFL-high third
extra point of the season and had a field
goal blocked in the overtime loss Sunday
to Detroit, declined to divulge the specifics of recent conversations with coach
Mike Zimmer.
Walsh also denied feeling any pressure from the teams consideration of
potential replacements.
I still believe in him, the coach said,

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh, right, has missed an NFL-high three extra points to go with his 75 percent
conversion rate on field goals this season. The Vikings brought in six kickers for a tryout this week, but Walsh
remained with the team.

after citing winning field goals Walsh


made last year on the final snap at Chi-

cago and in overtime against St. Louis.


The Vikings also reviewed the his-

tory of Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby,


who was in danger of losing his place
with Minnesotas rival during the 2012
season. He missed 12 field goals for a career-worst 63.6 percent conversion rate
that year. In 2013, Crosby posted the best
mark of his 10-year career: 89.2 percent.
As long as hes our kicker, we have
full faith in him that hes going to go out
there and make it, quarterback Sam
Bradford said. We watch him do it in
practice every day, and so Ive got all
the confidence in the world that when he
steps onto the field hes going to make
it.
Zimmer, as blunt and hard-nosed as
coaches come, was especially critical of
the teams first loss at Philadelphia on Oct.
23. This week, he has struck an appreciative, contemplative and optimistic tone.
With all the stuff that went on the last
couple of weeks, for them to go out and
act like my football team again, finally,
I felt it was a good thing, said Zimmer,
who didnt watch the kicker workouts
Tuesday because he had a second procedure done on his right eye.
I told them if I can get six needles
stuck in my eye in the last two weeks,
then they can suck it up for me, Zimmer
said.

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

23

AROUND THE NORTH

Healing Bears hope to make 2nd-half run


Key players set to return this week
The Associated Press

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, who returned


from injury before the teams bye week, could get
both of his starting guards back this week to give him
more time in the pocket.

Chicago Bears coach John


Fox watched the NFC North
race tighten during his teams
bye week.
Whether it means anything
in the long run for the lastplace Bears (2-6) depends
largely on whether they
healed enough during their
time away, and can overcome
several problems both on offense and defense to make a
second-half run.
The first-place Minnesota
Vikings (5-3) lost their third
straight, an overtime defeat
by the Detroit Lions (5-4).
Green Bay (4-4) also fell, and
the Bears have games left
with each division opponent.
The Bears are haunted by
games lost in the fourth quarter to Indianapolis and Jacksonville, or theyd be in the
mix.
Well I think again you can

spend a lot of time looking


in the rear view mirror, Fox
said. Even driving your car,
if you spend too much time
looking back, then you wreck.
So our focus is in front of
us now.
The Bears are at Tampa
on Sunday and anticipate a
handful of injured starters
returning to the lineup. The
possibility exists guards Josh
Sitton (ankle) and Kyle Long
(tricep), nose tackle Eddie
Goldman (ankle) and cornerback Bryce Callahan will be
able to start.
Obviously getting two Pro
Bowl guards back is helpful,
Fox said. I think the receiver
position gets a little deeper,
as well as the punt returning. In the secondary, I think
Bryce Callahans been kinda
hit or miss through the first
half, or part of the first half.
That makes us healthier in a
lot of spots.

Quarterback Jay Cutler


returned after missing five
starts to lead a victory over
the Minnesota Vikings on Oct.
31.
I think its a huge boost,
Fox said. As I mentioned before, if you look at whats happened to us in the first half,
just at the quarterback position, its enough to cripple a
lot of teams.
They could also get back
wide
receiver
Marquess
Wilson. He has been on the
physically unable to perform
list since training camp with
a foot injury. On Monday, his
evaluation period for a return
began.
Long took note of all the
players at practice who formerly had been populating
the trainers room.
A lot of people certainly
took advantage of the break,
Long said. They did what
they needed to do to get their
bodies right.
It would be the first time
for Goldman since Week 2,

when he suffered a high ankle


sprain against the Philadelphia Eagles.
I know we havent won a
lot, but the wins we did have,
I sat out on, Goldman said.
Thats the toughest part, is
watching your team play and
rally and youre just sitting on
the sidelines watching.
Fox pointed to other problems beyond injuries that
need to be fixed.
The offense struggled in
the red zone and ranks 22nd
at scoring touchdowns from
inside the 20-yard line. The defense struggled on third downs
early, but has since improved
to eighth (36.7 percent).
We are what we are and
right now, Fox said. We
could (finish) 10-6 or 2-14.
Thats the reality math-wise.
I hope were moving more
toward the first one I mentioned.
Weve got our whole half
of a season left. Its like the
second half of a game. A lot
can happen.

24

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016

GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS

WOLF RIVER MEDIA

You might also like