By Nevada Sharpshooter
The Bears travel to Green Bay to take on the Packers. The 5-4 Bears may are currently tied with the Vikings atop the NFC North with the Pack one game back at 4-5. Both teams have some injury issues. At the time I am writing this it is unclear if QB Kyle Orton will be able to play for the Bears and the Packers LB Nick Barnett is out for the season do to injury. Statiscally both of these teams appear to be average. The Bears can stop the run but struggle against the pass. Two weeks ago Chicago barely got by a horrible Lions team by a score of 27-23, before losing to a strong Tennessee team at home 21-14 last week. The Packers have lost their last two games both on the road, to Tennessee, 16-19 in OT and the Vikings last week 27-28 when they missed a 52 yard fg in the final minute. The Pack lost both games in the same fashion, they were unable to stop the running game in the 4th quarter.
By Nevada Sharpshooter
The Colts travel to Green Bay to take on the Packers. The up and down Colts found their swagger in a 31-3 whipping of Baltimore. Offensively Indy seems to be hitting their stride, scoring 31 points in each of their last 2 games. At QB Peyton Manning has been solid completing 63 percent of his passes and throwing 8 TDs to 5 INTs. The running game has faltered with Joseph Addai averaging only 3.5 yards per carry. Defensively the Colts have struggled until the Baltimore game. They gave up 29 points to Chicago and 27 to Houston.
By Totals 4 U
Green Bay (2-3) mounted a fine second half comeback last Sunday led but came up short in a 24-27 home loss to the Falcons, hamstrung by 9 penalties and a short-handed defense that has allowed 175+ yards rushing in each game of their current 3-game losing streak. Right defensive end in particular has been a nightmare where Cullen Jenkins (IR), Michael Montgomery (battling ankle injury), Kabeer Baja-Biamila (knee), and Jason Hunter have all fallen to injury. This week it could be 6’4” 270 rookie Jeremy Thompson that gets the call with the others chipping in a play at a time. The 161.4 yards per game and 46 first downs the Packers have surrendered on the ground have mostly come from lack of gap discipline that has left players reaching rather than DT’s 6’2” 330 Ryan Pickett, 6’3” 320 Johnny Jolley, and 6’1” 330 Colin Cole getting blown off the ball. WLB Brady Popinga (23 T), MLB Nick Barnett (27 T), and SLB AJ Hawk (31 T, 2 S) have all fallen into this trap of trying to do too much and must stay home for better results. The Green Bay secondary has also been shredded by injuries but the openings have given the opportunity to a couple of your players that have responded. The loss of Al Harris to a torn spleen elevated 2nd-year 5’11” 191 RCB Tramond Williams (21 T, 2 INT) to the starting job where he has snatched a pick in each of the last 2 games. That moves 3rd-year 6’0” 206 CB Will Blackmon (16 T, FF, FR) up to the nickel in addition to his job as return man where he has averaged 12.8 yards per punt with a score. 4th-year FS Nick Collins (26 T) has returned two of his three interceptions for touchdowns but his mate SS Atari Bigby missed last week with a hamstring injury. Bigby is an absolute hammer over the middle and without him 2nd-year 6’4” 223 Aaron Rouse (23 T) has stepped up but is himself now batting a knee injury. Both are currently being tested for weekend availability. These kids have talent for the big play with 9 sacks, 9 picks, and 3 fumble recoveries but youth has also incurred a NFL worst 12 first downs by penalty.