Green & Gold Express Week 8

WOLF RIVER MEDIA
WEEK 8 PACKERS vs. FALCONS
OCTOBER 28, 2016
NEXT
MAN
UP?
Packers running
out of players
at RB position
SEE PAGE 2
PHOTO BY JIM LEUENBERGER
ALSO INSIDE: Around the North Pro Football Weekly Rosters Schedule Standings
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2016
GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
Game Vitals
GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-2)

VS. ATLANTA FALCONS (4-3)
WHEN: 3:25 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: Georgia Dome
TV: FOX
RADIO: 620 WTMJ, 92.3
WJMQ-FM, 101.1 WIXX-FM
Locker Room
Weve done some good
things on the offensive
side of the ball.
MATT RYAN, Falcons

quarterback, on his
offense, the leagues
highest-scoring team this
season
The Series
Packers vs. Falcons

All-time, Regular season:
15-12-0
All-time, Postseason: 2-1
All-time, in Green Bay: 7-4-0
Streaks: The Packers have
not lost since 2010, winning
one playoff contest and three
regular-season games.
Last meeting, regular season: Dec. 8, 2014; Packers
won, 43-37, 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
3:25 p.m. Fox
Nov. 6 Indianapolis 3:25 p.m. CBS
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
With Eddie Lacy and James Starks sidelined with injuries, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has shouldered the load on offense and is expected to continue to do so
this week at Atlanta.
Montgomery relishing new role in backfield

Packers likely to continue pass-happy attack
By Chris Caporale
sports@wolfrivermedia.com
Down to pretty much

the final players on the
depth chart at the running back position, the
Green Bay Packers are
trying to find ways to
compensate.
With Eddie Lacy and
James Starks out due to
injuries, and Knile Davis
just figuring out the play-
book, wide receiver Ty

Montgomery has been
learning the running
back position. He took 40
snaps in the backfield in
last weeks victory over
the Bears.
Don Jackson, who was
promoted from the practice squad last week, is
dealing with a hand injury but making progress.
Montgomery,
Davis
and Jackson have spent
time together trying to

learn the playbook.
We do a lot of studying together to make
sure were on the same
page about everything,
Montgomery said. Make
sure that every single
one of us knows what we
need to do because you
never know which one of
us is going to get called.
Montgomery, a Stanford product, tried to
grasp entire offenses and

different positions in his
days as a Cardinal to see
the larger picture of football games.
That has helped ease
the transition a little,
even when hes asked to
block linemen and linebackers instead of cornerbacks.
Its a whole lot of
fun, Montgomery said.
Its a whole lot of different
strategies
on
what youre trying to ac-
complish, what position

youre in.
The running back
injuries contributed to
Aaron Rodgers attempting 56 passes against the
Bears, including a Packers-record 39 completions for 326 yards and
three scores.
The Packers used
quick, underneath routes
for short gains in lieu of
a running game, a trend
SEE PACKERS, PAGE 3
ON THE COVER: Packers wide receiver Ty Montgomery has stepped up in the absence of running backs Eddie Lacy and James Starks. The Packers will continue to need Montgomery in the backfield while getting Knile Davis and Don Jackson up to speed.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
PACKERS
FROM PAGE 2
The Packers ran the ball 23 times and passed it 56 times in last weeks 26-10 victory over Chicago. Ty Montgomery will be in the backfield again this week against
Atlanta, with help from running backs Knile Davis and rookie Don Jackson.
that could continue until they get a powerful running back behind Rodgers.
Injuries on the offensive side of the ball
have left the Packers without much consistency game to game. The team is hoping
the passing game can carry the workload
while the rushing attack gets back on track.
You talk establishing an identity and
weve had a lot of injuries at skill positions,
so its hard to do that without some of the
guys we thought were going to be bring
contributors this season without Jared
Cook, without James Starks, without Eddie
Lacy, Rodgers said. Theres been a lot of
moving parts, so its going to be a work in
progress maybe later in the season than it
usually is.
Green Bay rushed the ball 23 times
against Chicago, including nine carries
from Montgomery for 60 yards and five carries from Cobb for 21 yards. No other back
had more than three carries.
Davis is officially listed a 5-foot-11, 227
pounds, just seven pounds lighter than
Lacy. Once he understands the Packers
offense, the team will be eager to get him
action on the field.
Davis is hoping to expand his role in the
offense as he learns more of the playbook
and communication necessary to keep
Rodgers upright in pass protection.
Communication is key in football, and
you dont want anybody to get hurt by you
not knowing what to do, Davis said. Its
frustrating, but like I said, Im a week in, so
Ive got a better grasp of it.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
Packers getting
new running
back up to speed
Davis is part of
the game plan
against Falcons
The Associated Press
A full week of practice

could help newly acquired
running back Knile Davis get up to speed in the
Green Bay Packers injury-depleted backfield.
And a swelling-reducing glove may help rookie
Don Jackson contribute,
too.
Davis had a long weekend to study the Packers
offensive playbook after
arriving in an Oct. 18 trade
from Kansas City less
than 72 hours before the
Packers victory over the
Chicago Bears last Thursday night. Coach Mike
McCarthy was reluctant
to play Davis with so little
time to learn the schemes,

so Davis didnt see action
on offense until late in the
fourth quarter, carrying
twice for 1 yard.
Theres
definitely
some similarities (to Kansas Citys playbook). Ive
just got to get the terminology and verbiage together, Davis said. Im
definitely excited.
McCarthy said Davis
spent the weekend working with running backs
coach Ben Sirmans to get
a better feel for the offense
entering Sundays game at
Atlanta.
Hes part of the game
plan, McCarthy said of
Davis. I like what he
brings to the table. Hes
a natural football player,
someone thats played a lot
of football, was successful
obviously in college, and
SEE DAVIS, PAGE 5
Newly acquired running back Knile Davis used the mini bye week to study more of the Packers playbook. He carried the ball twice in last weeks win
over Chicago but is expected to play a larger role on Sunday at Atlanta.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
DAVIS
FROM PAGE 4
hes been in the league. I

think this is just more of a
language and communication gap that you have to
fill. Hes very bright. Hes
making progress.
Jackson,
meanwhile,
took part in Wednesdays
practice after X-rays did
not show a fracture in his
left hand, which he injured
against Chicago. In an effort to reduce swelling,
Jackson wore a special
therapeutic glove throughout practice and was able
to carry the ball with both
hands something he
couldnt do after the injury
occurred.
Its already looking
better, Jackson said. The
trainers, theyre pretty optimistic about it. Weve still
got (four) days, so weve
still got some time. And
its already taken, I think, a
dramatic leap from Sunday
till now. I couldnt even like
have anybody touch it, and
now its to the point where
I can move it a little bit, I
have a little bit of grip.
Still, McCarthy said
Jackson must take part in
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers coaching staff figured out a way to generate more offense, despite injuries to their top two running backs, in a win
against Chicago. The offense will need to click again Sunday to keep pace with Atlantas prolific attack.
Thursdays contact-filled,
in-pads practice to gauge
how realistic it is for him to
play against the Falcons.
Its important for him
to go through team work,

especially (Thursday). He
needs to go through the
half-line drill and the full
physical team, McCarthy
said. That will obviously

give us direction on how
we proceed Sunday.
If the Packers have
both Davis and Jackson at
their disposal against the

Falcons, they wont have
to rely as heavily on Aaron Rodgers. He threw 56
passes five fewer than
his single-game career

high and finished with a
career-best 39 completions
against the Bears.
It would also allow McCarthy to pick and choose
how he uses receiverturned-halfback Ty Montgomery, who carried nine
times for 60 yards and
caught 10 passes for another 66 yards against the
Bears.
The Packers are in such
dire straits at running
back because they lost
starter Eddie Lacy for at
least eight weeks (ankle/
foot). Green Bay has been
without No. 2 running back
James Starks because of a
knee injury that required
arthroscopic surgery on
Oct. 16. Its unclear how
soon hell return.
(Montgomery)
and
Don spent some extra
time with me the night
before (the Bears game)
talking about different
things, and Im sure that
will happen this week.
Maybe well get Knile in
on it as well this time to
make sure hes ready to
go, Rodgers said. Weve
got to go with the guys
weve got and make sure
theyre ready to play.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
Falcons preparing to play without RB Coleman

Atlanta to lean heavily on Freeman
The Atlanta Falcons

have relied heavily on
a 1-2 punch at running
back.
Devonta Freeman may
have to carry the load for
a while.
Tevin Coleman is hobbled by a hamstring injury, keeping him out of
practice Wednesday and
raising doubts about his
status for Sundays game
in Atlanta against the
Green Bay Packers.
The Falcons (4-3) already juggled the 53-man
roster to bolster their
depth in the backfield,
promoting Terron Ward
from the practice squad
and signing another NFLtested running back, Stevan Ridley.
But Freeman figures
to get most of the carries
if Coleman cant go.
You know how the
NFL is, Freeman said
with a shrug. Next man
up.
Coleman, who was

hurt in last weekends
overtime loss to San Diego, will likely be rehabbing his injury the rest
of the week. Coach Dan
Quinn isnt ready to rule
him out against the Packers.
We dont know the extent of where Tevins injury will be, Quinn said.
Well take it all the way
through the week and
then make our determination.
The coach is optimistic that Coleman wont
be out for an extended
period.
Were hopeful its going to be shorter than longer, Quinn said. He felt
better today. Hell participate in some running and
rehab, but he wont practice.
Freeman has rushed
for 508 yards, averaging
4.8 yards per carry and
scoring two touchdowns,
SEE FALCONS, PAGE 7
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Atlanta running back Devonta Freeman (24) has been half of the Falcons potent backfield, but with Tevin Coleman possibly sidelined Sunday, Freeman expects to take on the majority of the workload against Green Bay.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
FALCONS
FROM PAGE 6
while Coleman has run

for 234 yards with a 4.0 average and five TDs. Both
are also key members of
the passing game, with
Freeman ranking third
on the team with 22 receptions for 169 yards and
Coleman going for 330
yards on 19 receptions.
Atlanta would love to
have them both on the
field against Green Bay
(4-2), which has allowed
just 71.8 yards per game
to rank first in the NFL
against the run. No matter what, dont expect
the Falcons to abandon

the balance that is a hallmark of their high-scoring offense. They lead the
league with an average of
32.1 points a game.
Theyre a great defense, Freeman said,
but I feel like were a
great offense.
If Coleman cant go,
Ward figures to be the
top backup. He played
in 13 games as a rookie,
rushing for 95 yards and
catching nine passes,
only to get forced to the
practice squad in his second season when Coleman claimed a more substantial role and a rash of
injuries at linebacker left
the Falcons needing an

extra roster spot.
Ward took his demotion without complaint
and is eager to show hes
capable of stepping in
when needed.
You work to play on
Sundays, he said, sitting at his locker before
practice. Its another opportunity, and Ive got to
make the most of it.
The 27-year-old Ridley was a key contributor
at New England his first
three seasons, rushing
for 1,263 yards and 12
touchdowns in 2012. But
a severe knee injury two
years ago sidetracked
his career, and he hasnt
played at all this season

after getting cut by both
Detroit and Indianapolis
during the preseason.
He impressed the Falcons during a workout
Tuesday, though his tenure with the team will
likely be determined by
how long Coleman is out.
Quinn cant wait to
have his top two backs together again.
They make a terrific
tandem, the coach said.
We love the back and
forth. Were bummed that
Tev got banged up in the
game the other day, but
Free is totally capable of
handling the workload.
Atlanta Falcons running back Tevin Coleman (26) has 330 yards on 19
receptions so far this season, but could be out this week with a hamstring
injury, leaving Devonta Freeman to handle the majority of the backfield
duties.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
10
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
Power rankings: Patriots unbeaten with Brady at helm

With Tom Brady back at

quarterback, the New England Patriots once again
lead the NFL in wins.
And because of that,
they also lead the latest AP
Pro32 poll.
The Patriots received
all 12 first-place votes for
384 points from balloting by
media members who regularly cover the NFL.
Best record in the
league, best point differential in the league and the
best
coach-quarterback
tandem in the history of the
league. Any questions?
said Ira Kaufman of the
Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Patriots (6-1) have
won all three games since
Bradys return from his
Deflategate suspension
to start the season.
On Sunday, the Patriots
face the Buffalo Bills on the
road in a rematch of their
only loss of the season, a
16-0 shutout in Week 4.
The Dallas Cowboys
moved up two spots to No.
2 despite having a bye last
week.
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) takes a pass from quarterback Tom Brady during the
Patriots win over Pittsburgh on Sunday. At 6-1, New England secured the top spot in the AP Pro32 poll after
the Vikings suffered their first loss.
And the Seattle Seahawks remained at No. 3

after their 6-6 tie against
Arizona on Sunday night.
They have not aver-
aged under 100 yards rushing per game since Pete

Carrolls first season in
Seattle in 2010, said Charean Williams of the Fort
Worth Star-Telegram.
The defending champion Denver Broncos also
moved up two spots to No.
4 after their 27-9 win over
former teammate Brock

Osweiler and the Houston
Texans.
John Elway is right.
Sometimes the best deals
are the ones you dont
make. Case in point: Brock
Osweiler turning down
Denvers offer to take the
cash in Houston, Newsdays Bob Glauber said.
The Broncos GM watches bargain-basement QB
Trevor Siemian get the
best of Osweiler in a resounding Monday night
win.
The Minnesota Vikings
dropped four spots to No.
5 after suffering their first
loss, which came against
the Philadelphia Eagles,
who jumped six spots to
No. 6 after the 21-10 win.
The Eagles face the
Cowboys on Sunday night
in a key NFC East matchup.
Dak Prescott vs. Carson Wentz for control of
the NFC East, just like the
schedule-makers drew it
up, said Jenny Vrentas
of The Monday Morning
Quarterback.
The Kansas City Chiefs
(AFC West) and Green Bay

Packers (NFC North) each
moved up three spots, to
No. 7 and No. 8 respectively, after wins last week.
Team
1. New England Patriots
2. Dallas Cowboys
3. Seattle Seahawks
4. Denver Broncos
5. Minnesota Vikings
6. Philadelphia Eagles
7. Kansas City Chiefs
8. Green Bay Packers
9. Oakland Raiders
10. Atlanta Falcons
11. Pittsburgh Steelers
12. Arizona Cardinals
13. Washington Redskins
14. Detroit Lions
15. Buffalo Bills
16. New York Giants
17. Houston Texans
18. Cincinnati Bengals
19. San Diego Chargers
20. Miami Dolphins
21. Indianapolis Colts
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
23. Los Angeles Rams
24. Baltimore Ravens
25. Tennessee Titans
26. New Orleans Saints
27. Carolina Panthers
28. New York Jets
29. Jacksonville Jaguars
30. Chicago Bears
31. San Francisco 49ers
32. Cleveland Browns
Points
384
364
356
342
340
312
303
301
289
285
260
245
228
226
224
215
188
180
166
145
133
125
122
120
112
87
78
72
62
34
24
14
SINCE 1967
THURSDAY | OCTOBER 27, 2016
The
Rookie
duel
in Dallas
CARSON WENTZ
AND DAK PRESCOTT
FACE OFF ON SUNDAY
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY |
ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016
Bears rebuilding plan doesnt have stars like the Cubs
f the Chicago Bears were 6-1 rather

than 1-6, it would still be difficult to
take our eyes off the Chicago Cubs
right now.
Its the simple truth, people, so why
try and pretend otherwise?
Perhaps we should be looking for signs of
where the Bears are now and comps from
the Cubs experience to see if there are any
signals of similar success for the local 11
down the road.
The Ricketts family purchased the Cubs
in January 2009 following back-to-back National League Central titles and 0-3 sweeps
in the NLDS.
With reasons to believe general manager
Jim Hendry had a plan, he was retained,
but after a difficult 83-78 2009 campaign, the
Cubs fell to 75-87 in 2010 and 71-91 in 2011.
Chairman Tom Ricketts decided it was time
for a change and went big bringing in Theo
Epstein.
Epstein immediately declared a complete
rebuild was necessary and the Cubs would
get worse before they got better. They did,
stringing together 61-101, 66-96 and 73-89 seasons while stockpiling young talent in the
draft.
In 2015, Joe Maddon became available to
manage the club, those

Much like the Joe Maddon
draft choices started
hiring two months earlier,
arriving at the major
but for very different reasons,
league level and the team
John Fox became available
went 97-65, encouraging
and he was hired as the Bears
it to go big in free agency
new head coach.
to seal the deal. Now we
While baseball and football
have the 103-58 National
are two very different sports
League champion Cubs
and rebuilding comes more
in the World Series.
quickly in the latter, Pace was
In 2012, the McCaskey
pretty clear early on his rosfamily decided to pull the
ter needed a complete facelift
plug on GM Jerry Angelo
and he would do it through the
and hire Phil Emery.
draft.
In spite of a 10-6 2012
So here is where our two loHUB ARKUSH
season, Emery axed longcal favorites will either begin
time coach Lovie Smith harkush@ProFootballWeekly.com
to mirror each other or possi@Hub_Arkush
for Marc Trestman and
bly diverge for the foreseeable
things really went south.
future.
The Bears dropped to 8-8 in 2013 and 5-11 in
Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Kyle
2014.
Schwarber, Addison Russell, Javier Baez,
To his credit, George McCaskey quickly
Wilson Contreras, John Lester and Kyle
acknowledged his mistake, canning Emery
Hendricks are the nucleus of potential Cubs
and Trestman and, perhaps trying to emucontenders for the next five-to seven years.
late the Epstein hiring, went out and found
Bryant, Schwarber and Baez are firstRyan Pace, one of the bright young minds
round draft choices, Contreras a rookie free
in the game, to become the NFLs youngest
agent, Rizzo and Hendricks came in trades
general manager albeit without Epsteins
and Lester as a free agent.
rsum.
Perhaps more importantly, Epstein and
company have also identified Jake Arrietta,

Ben Zobrist, Jason Heyward, Pedro Strop
and others. They missed almost nowhere in
player acquisition.
To start his rebuild, Pace has drafted
Kevin White, Eddie Goldman, Hroniss
Grasu, Jeremy Langford, Adrian Amos,
Leonard Floyd, Cody Whitehair, Johnathan Bullard, Nick Kwiatkoski, Deiondre
Hall, Deon Bush and Jordan Howard,
added rookie free agents Bryce Callahan
and Cameron Meredith and veteran free
agents Pernell McPhee, Eddie Royal, Danny Trevathan, Jerrell Freeman and Bobby
Massie.
Now we have arrived at the moment of
reckoning.
Clearly the Bears youngsters need another season or two to be fairly evaluated
some have shown real promise and John
Fox is no Joe Maddon.
But is there a single player among the
Bears additions that appears likely to
match the star power and game-changing
abilities of Epsteins Cubs nucleus?
Sadly, it appears the Bears are a bit behind the Cubs curve. Without a home run
in the 2017 draft and free agency, a Bears
NFC title may be a long way off.
By
Bradys four-game suspension. The Patriots are 14th

in yards allowed, but are giving up just 15.3 points
per game. LeSean McCoy came into last week with a
sore hamstring and had to exit the game in the third
quarter. Monitor his status, but one has to think the
Bills will play it safe with him. Marquise Goodwin is
in the leagues concussion protocol.
MUST START: none
SOLID PLAY: McCoy (if active)
WORTH A LOOK: Tyrod Taylor, Mike Gillislee (if
no McCoy)
LAST RESORT: Brandon Tate, Charles Clay
STAY AWAY: Dan Carpenter, Bills D/ST
J.C. TALON
Fantasy writer | ProFootballWeekly.com
ith six teams on a bye and the

injuries mounting, fantasy
owners might find themselves
scrambling to put together
a lineup in Week 8. The good
news is that four of the six
teams (Ravens, Rams, Dolphins, 49ers) are largely fantasy irrelevant. Things
will be even tougher in Week 9 when the Cardinals,
Bengals and Patriots are among the six teams with a
week off. Four teams are off during Weeks 10 and 11.
There are no more byes starting in Week 12.
On to Week 8
Philadelphia Eagles
MATCHUPS TO EXPLOIT
Seattle Seahawks
OPPONENT: AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS, SUNDAY, NOON

Seattles 29th-ranked offense has frustrated fantasy owners to this point. Only four teams score
fewer than the 18.5 per game posted by the Seahawks. However, facing the Saints and their 29th
ranked D, the Hawks should be able to right the
ship. Other than Week 2, when the Giants beat
them 16-13, New Orleans has given up a minimum
of 27 points to each opponent. The Saints are especially susceptible to the pass, giving Russell Wilson
a chance to get things going. If it doesnt happen
this week, you have to wonder if it ever will. His
lack of mobility stemming from multiple leg injuries is the only thing keeping Wilson from muststart status.
MUST START: Christine Michael
SOLID PLAY: Wilson, Doug Baldwin, Jimmy Graham, Stephen Hauschka
WORTH A LOOK: Seahawks D/ST
LAST RESORT: Jermaine Kearse, Tyler Lockett
Houston Texans
OPPONENT: VS DETROIT LIONS, SUNDAY, NOON

Brock Osweiler is not living up to his massive
contract and the Texans have not been putting up
much in terms of offensive numbers. They have an
excellent opportunity this week for above-average
production against a well-below-average Detroit
defense. Dont look now, but C.J. Fiedorowicz has
caught 19 balls for 229 yards and two scores over
the past four games.
MUST START: Lamar Miller, DeAndre Hopkins
SOLID PLAY: Will Fuller
WORTH A LOOK: Fiedorowicz, Nick Novak, Texans D/ST
LAST RESORT: Brock Osweiler, Ryan Griffin
Cincinnati Bengals
OPPONENT: VS WASHINGTON (LONDON), SUNDAY, 8:30

a.m.
Cincy rolled up 559 yards of offense in Week 7.
Sure, it was against Cleveland, but it was still an
NFL opponent well, kind of. Theyll face a stiffer
AP PHOTO
Fantasy players should start the Seahawks

Christine Michael against a weak Saints defense
test this week, but Washington has a below-average

defense. The Bengals backfield remains a conundrum both Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill are
viable fantasy options. The committee approach,
however, is cutting into the fantasy value of both
backs. Because Washington gives up 5.0 yards per
carry, one of the two maybe both should have a
good day. Due to the number of touches, we think
Bernard has slightly more value, but it could go either way.
MUST START: A.J. Green
SOLID PLAY: Andy Dalton, Bernard, Hill
WORTH A LOOK: Brandon LaFell, Tyler Eifert,
Bengals D/ST, Mike Nugent
Arizona Cardinals
OPPONENT: AT CAROLINA PANTHERS, SUNDAY, NOON

Fresh off their six-point explosion on Sunday
night, the Cardinals will roll into Carolina looking to get back on track offensively. Surprisingly,
the Panthers 24th-ranked defense is giving up 29.3
points and 372 yards per game. Were assuming John
Brown will miss his second consecutive game, but
monitor his status.
MUST START: David Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald
SOLID PLAY: Carson Palmer, Chandler Catanzaro
WORTH A LOOK: Michael Floyd, Cardinals D/ST
MATCHUPS TO AVOID
Buffalo Bills
OPPONENT: VS NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, SUNDAY, NOON

Rex Ryan teams generally give the Patriots a
hard time, but were thinking that New England
will be geared up for this game. Buffalo won an earlier matchup this season, but that was during Tom
OPPONENT: AT DALLAS COWBOYS, SUNDAY, 7:30

This game features one of the weeks lowest over/
under numbers (43.5). The Cowboys are favored by
4.5, meaning the odds makers expect Philly to score
something around 19 points. The Eagles average 26
points per game, but a lot of those points stem from
defense and special teams. In terms of yards, only
the Texans, Rams, Vikings and 49ers produce fewer
than the Eagles. Last week, their leading receiver
(Josh Huff) had just four receptions for 39 yards
and Carson Wentz threw for just 138 yards and was
picked twice. The Cowboys defense is ranked 17th,
but has been steadily improving.
MUST START: none
SOLID PLAY: Eagles D/ST
WORTH A LOOK: Ryan Mathews, Jordan Matthews
LAST RESORT: Wentz, Darren Sproles, Zach Ertz,
Caleb Sturgis
Chicago Bears
OPPONENT: VS MINNESOTA VIKINGS, SUNDAY, 7:30

This isnt rocket science: The Bears are the
leagues lowest-scoring team and the Vikings are
tied with Seattle for fewest points allowed. Jay Cutler returns for the Bears and that could provide a
boost for Alshon Jeffery owners. Jeremy Langford
is nearing a return, which will just further muddy
the RB waters in Chicago.
MUST START: none
SOLID PLAY: Jeffery
WORTH A LOOK: Jordan Howard, Zach Miller
LAST RESORT: Cameron Meredith, Eddie Royal*,
KaDeem Carey, Bears D/ST
STAY AWAY: Connor Barth
ALSO BEWARE
Green Bay Packers
OPPONENT: AT ATLANTA FALCONS, SUNDAY, 3:25

The Packers manhandled a hapless Chicago team
last Thursday, but that wont mean much here.
Green Bays offense sputtered through much of the
Chicago game the same way it has misfired most of
the season. Its possible that this game is a shootout,
but its also possible the Packers get waxed.
* Check injury status
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016
Is this the week Seattles slumbering O wakes up?
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016
4
By
ARTHUR
ARKUSH
OVERVIEW
The Packers held the Bears, led by

Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley, to 189
total yards in a Thursday night romp
to improve to 4-2. Its a fairly safe bet
Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, the NFLs
most prolific connection, are better
equipped to attack a Green Bay secondary still without its top two, and possibly three, cornerbacks. All Jones did
in his most recent meeting with the
Pack, a 43-37, defense-optional Green
Bay win in December 2014, was log 11
catches, 259 yards and a touchdown
against Green Bay with Sam Shields
and Tramon Williams. The Packers will
face the Falcons, who squandered a 2710 lead at home versus the Chargers on
Sunday for their second consecutive
defeat, without Shields and Damarious
Randall look for LaDarius Gunter to
draw Jones but with an offense that
dropped a season-high 406 yards on the
Bears. Though Green Bay had 10 days
to get Knile Davis and Ty Montgomery
assimilated in its Eddie Lacy-less backfield, chances are Mike McCarthy will
again lean on a shotgun-heavy, spread
attack similar to San Diegos with Aaron Rodgers again dropping back often
Rodgers completed a franchise record 39
attempts with Davante Adams, Randall
Cobb and Montgomery becoming just
the second triumverate in NFL history
with 10-plus grabs each.
MATCHUP TO WATCH
The development of 2014 sixth overall

pick Jake Matthews at left tackle by Atlanta has been an underrated factor in
the Falcons high-flying offense. A move
back outside from the middle this season
for Jakes cousin, Clay Matthews, has returned the six-time Pro Bowler to his best
position, albeit without a huge splash
in the box score, and pits the kinsmen
against each other for the first time in the
NFL. Jake Matthews struggled with the
strength and relentlessness of Joey Bosa
last week.
OVERVIEW
Matthew Stafford has now played

exactly one full season with Jim Bob
Cooter as his coordinator. The results?
Theyre real, and theyre spectacular:
4,310 passing yards, 68.6 completion percentage, 35 touchdowns, eight interceptions, 7.6 yards per attempt and a passer
rating of 105.4. Remember, Stafford has
a career passer rating of 87.0 and interception percentage of 2.6. Perhaps most
importantly, though, Staffords Lions
are 10-6 over that span, including a 2017 triumph Sunday over Washington,
Detroits third consecutive victory. That
Detroit rallied from a three-game losing
streak with a 3-0 homestand, including
two impressive NFC East wins, says a
lot about the resilience of Jim Caldwell.
His seat was nearly ablaze following a
smoldering meltdown at Soldier Field
on Oct. 2, but his players have again
shown a unique ability to respond when
their backs are to the wall. Stafford has
strapped the Lions on his back, but
Teryl Austins defense is barely staying

afloat and lost its best playmaker this
season, CB Darius Slay, to a hamstring
injury. If hes sidelined for any period of
time, Detroit needs more than Austins
creativity up front; it needs Pro Bowler
Ezekiel Ansah to turn it up quickly after two nondescript performances since
his return from an ankle injury.
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Since being benched at Soldier Field,

Lions WR Golden Tate had the key
catch on Detroits game-winning drive
against Philadelphia, and a combined
14 catches for 258 yards and a touchdown the past two weeks. Houston
needs its own former golden domer,
first-round WR Will Fuller, to reignite
after being hamstrung in recent weeks,
but also corners Johnathan Joseph and
Kareem Jackson to cool Tate, Marvin
Jones and Anquan Boldin a superb
late-July signing with four touchdowns,
including the clincher a week ago.
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WOLF RIVER MEDIA
15
PACKERS NOTEBOOK
By Green & Gold Express Staff
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
Cue the Mission Impossible theme

song.
The Green Bay Packers, who certainly wont have their top two cornerbacks
(Sam Shields and Damarious Randall)
and might not have their third-best
cornerback (Quinten Rollins), have to
somehow slow Atlantas Julio Jones,
who might be the best wide receiver in
the NFL. Safeties Morgan Burnett and
Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix might be relied on
more on the back end if things break
down as well.
Not only does Jones lead the NFL
with 830 receiving yards, but his 20.8yard average is also No. 1 among players
with more than 20 catches. He destroyed
Carolinas defense for 12 receptions for
300 yards earlier this season. At 6-foot2, 220 pounds and 4.42 speed in the 40yard dash, he is bigger and faster than
anyone in Green Bays secondary or
most secondaries, for that matter. He is
the total package.
Hes a very unique player, Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. Hes got
the size, but he can change direction
and cut and make breaks when youre
playing man-to-man like a smaller slot
player. So what makes him so challenging, hes got the aggressive hands of a
big guy and the speed, but hes also got
the change of direction like a smaller
player. Hes an ultra-competitor. He is
definitely a handful. I think thats what
makes him a special guy. Hes a great
competitor.
Jones ranks second in NFL history
with 97.7 receiving yards per game for
his career. That includes his 259-yard
performance against Green Bay in the
Packers 43-37 win at Lambeau Field in
2014.
He didnt even play the last six or
seven minutes of the game, too, quarterback Matt Ryan said. So, hes that
kind of player. He can dominate a game
so many ways and hes done it so many
times.
PROLIFIC OFFENSE
Jones and Ryan are the headliners

of a dominant Falcons offense. Theyre
averaging a league-high 32.7 points per
game the Chargers are second with
29.4 and the Packers are 14th with 23.3.
Ryan is either first or second in the
NFL in passing yards (2,348), touchdown passes (16), yards per attempt
(9.62) and passer rating (113.6). Last
week, he set the NFL record with his
46th consecutive game of 200-plus passing yards.

Hes getting plenty of help. The Falcons signed receiver Mohamed Sanu
away from Cincinnati and hes caught
23 passes for 258 yards. The backfield of
Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman
has been dynamic. While Coleman isnt
expected to play due to injury, Freeman
has 508 rushing yards and ranks third
on the team with 22 receptions.
Certainly, our running backs have
played well. When you run the ball that
well and those guys make plays out of
the backfield, it helps the quarterback.
I feel very comfortable in our system,
being year two with (offensive coordinator) Kyle Shanahan, Ryan said. I think
were still a work in progress. Were still
getting better. We need to find ways to
finish games a little bit better than we
have up to this point.
SPEAKING OF FINISHING
The Packers need to finish their

drives. Theyre 17th in red-zone efficiency with a 52 percent touchdown rate.
That includes just 5 of 13 the past three
weeks. Atlantas defense, however, is
next-to-last with a touchdown rate of 75
percent.
Red-zone play will be critical in what
could be a shootout.
We know weve got to be efficient
and score points, especially in the red
zone, Rodgers said. Weve been doing a great job on third down, ranking at the top of the league there, but
the red zones been slipping a little
bit. Weve been not scoring (touchdowns) as often as we need to do. In
a game where youve got Matt playing so well and Julio obviously having a big season, youve got to expect
them to make some plays, so were
going to have to score some points.
HEY, GRANDPA
In the just-released Brett Favre

biography Gunslinger, author Jeff
Pearlman details the icy relationship
between Rodgers and Favre. The relationship didnt start well, with Rodgers allegedly introducing himself
to Favre by saying, Good morning,
Grandpa!
Rodgers has a much different
memory of their first encounter.
You know what? The small
excerpt that I read is highly sensationalized, Rodgers said. Ill
just say this: The first time I met
Brett was on the practice field, and
I could barely get a sentence out of
Hello, my name is Aaron. Did I call him

Grandpa at any time during the three
years together? Probably. But its in
the same joking way that my man Brett
Hundley called me Grandpa three
weeks ago on the field when we were
doing a competitive drill. The story that
was out there that I saw is completely
100 percent false, and I would dare anybody to test my memory on that. You
guys know how my memory works. The
end.
SO LONG, GEORGIA DOME

This will be the Packers last game at the
Georgia Dome. Next
year, Atlanta will
open MercedesBenz Stadium,
a retractableroof stadium.
It will seat
71,000 at a
cost of $1.4
billion.
Green Bay
has some favorable history
at the Georgia
Dome. In the
2010
divisional
playoffs, the Packers trounced the Falcons

48-21 on their way to winning Super Bowl
XLV. They also won at Atlanta in 2011.
Does that history matter to Rodgers?
It does for me, he said. But the
thing about this league thats special is
you got so many young guys every year
who are hungry, who get to experience
those feelings for the first time, you
know a big win at home, a big win on the
road, a plane ride right after a big win,
and those are all fun experiences that
you hope for every season. Games like
this can be benchmarks for memories
that we can store away in our minds and
have some good feelings and memories about if we go down there and
take care of business and play
the way we want to play.
It wont be easy. Green
Bay is 1-4 in its last five indoor games, including the
Week 2 loss at Minnesota.
For his career, Ryan averages 260.3 passing yards
per game and 67.1 percent
accuracy at the Georgia
Dome.
MORGAN BURNETT
16
PACKERS DEPTH CHART
KEYS TO THE GAME
Offense
By Green & Gold Express Staff

FB
Aaron Ripkowski
WR
Randall Cobb
Ty Montgomery
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
QB
Aaron Rodgers
Brett Hundley
RB
Don Jackson
Knile Davis
C
LG
LT
RT
RG
TE
Jared Cook Bryan Bulaga T.J. Lang JC Tretter Lane Taylor David Bakhtiari
Richard Rodgers Kyle Murphy Don Barclay Don Barclay Don Barclay Jason Spriggs
The Green Bay Packers (4-2) face the

Atlanta Falcons (4-3) at 3:25 p.m. Sunday
at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons are
three-point favorites. Heres the breakdown.
WR
Jordy Nelson
Davante Adams
Defense
DE
Kenny Clark
Dean Lowry
LCB
Demetri Goodson
Micah Hyde
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 have uncertainty in the

backfield as they try to find their way
without standout Eddie Lacy and the
continued absence of his backup, James
Starks. Maybe newcomer Knile Davis
and undrafted rookie Don Jackson can
contribute something, but its hard to
imagine the Packers running the ball
too often against a Falcons defense that
ranks ninth in rushing yards allowed per
game and per carry.
So, expect quarterback Aaron Rodgers
to come out winging it against a Falcons
pass defense that ranks 31st with 294.3
passing yards allowed per game. Some of
that production is due to teams trying to
catch up or keep up with Atlantas prolific
offense. Still, even coach Dan Quinn lamented the state of his pass defense.
Were still a work in progress, Quinn
said. Were not there yet, thats for sure.
I really see their arrow going up. Our
missed tackles are going down. Weve allowed more explosive plays than I would
like. Thats one of the things that keep
me up at night. How do we get better at
that?
The main characters are pass-rushing
outside linebacker Vic Beasley, the eighth
pick in the 2015 draft, and cornerbacks
Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford.
Beasley is tied for the NFC lead with 6.5
sacks. He starred in the upset win at Den-
ver with 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

The Falcons drafted Desmond Trufant in
the first round of the 2013 draft and Robert Alford in the second round. Trufant is
a stud who Rodgers might not test often.
Alford has two interceptions but is a penalty machine.
Hes got great feet, quick, smart
player, Packers receiver Jordy Nelson
said of Trufant. Ive gone against him a
couple of times and you can see his development and experience kicking in. Hes
one of their better players and a guy they
lean on a lot.
Four rookies start on defense: safety
Keanu Neal, nickel Brian Poole and
linebackers Deion Jones and DeVondre
Campbell. Neal, Jones and Campbell are
tremendous athletes. Jones has two interceptions, including a 90-yard pick-six.
Neal, a first-round pick, is a big-time hitter who has done well in coverage, too.
WHEN THE FALCONS

HAVE THE BALL
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan probably will match Rodgers attempt for attempt. Atlanta wont have its No. 2 running back, Tevin Coleman, and Green
Bay is back on top of the league in rushing
yards allowed per game and per carry.
Why test the strength of Green Bays
defense when you can attack its weakness? The Packers will not have Sam
Shields (concussion; injured reserve) and
Damarious Randall (groin surgery) and
might not have Quinten Rollins (groin),
either. That means the Packers could
be without their top three cornerbacks
against Ryan, who ranks No. 1 in the NFL
in passing yards, No. 2 in passer rating,
SEE KEYS, PAGE 17
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
FALCONS DEPTH CHART
FROM PAGE 16
FB
Patrick DiMarco
QB
Matt Ryan
Matt Schaub
RB
Devonta Freeman
Tevin Coleman
RT
RG
TE
WR
C
LG
LT
Ryan Schraeder Chris Chester Alex Mack Andy LevitreJake Matthews. Zach Miller Alshon Jeffrey
Tom Compton Wes Schweitzer Ben Garland Mike Person Tom Compton Logan Paulson Deonte Thompson
Defense
CB
Robert Alford
C.J. Goodwin
17
KEYS
Offense
WR
Julio Jones
Justin Hardy
DE
Brooks Reed
Adrian Clayborn
DT
Jonathan Babineaux
Derrick Shelby
OLB
Vic Beasley
Phillip Wheeler
SS
Ricardo Allen
Robenson Therezie
DT
Grady Jarrett
Courtney Upshaw
ILB
Delon Jones
Paul Worrilow
FS
Keanu Neal
Kemal Ishmael
DE
Tyson Jackson
RaShede Hageman
OLB
DeVondre Campbell
Phillip Wheeler
CB
Desmond Trufant
Brian Poole
No. 2 in yards per attempt

and tied for No. 2 in passing touchdowns.
Replacements LaDarius Gunter, Demetri Goodson and Micah Hyde fared
well against Chicago,but
that was against the
Bears No. 2 (Brian Hoyer)
and No. 3 (Matt Barkley)
quarterbacks. This will be
a whole other challenge.
Theyre getting better all the guys that
have been given the
opportunity,
Packers
coach Mike McCarthy
said. Just look at the
way Gun has played.
Goodson coming right
back (from suspension)
and playing immediately.
Its kind of the way our
seasons gone so far. Its
important for us to continue to grow and make
sure we get these guys
ready and put in position
to be successful.
Ryans favorite target
is Julio Jones, who is having an unbelievable season. Hes caught 40 passes for 830 yards and four
touchdowns. Jones leads
the NFL in yards, and hes
first with a 20.8-yard average among players with
more than 20 catches.
Hes just a great athlete, man, Goodson said.
Ive never seen anybody
Green Bay Packers defensive back LaDarius Gunter has secured

more playing time since Quinten Rollins and Damarious Randall have
been out with hamstring injuries. He will be tested by the Atlanta offense on Sunday.
like him, period. Hes big,

hes fast, he runs great
routes, hes strong. Just
the total package.
Adding to the challenge, the Falcons signed
Mohamed Sanu away
from Cincinnati. He has
caught 23 passes. Running back Devonta Freeman has added 22 catches.
Theyre No. 1 in the
league in scoring. I think
that tells you the story,
McCarthy said.
Key for Green Bay
will be pressuring Ryan.
He has been sacked 18
times and struggles when
flushed from the pocket.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The
Falcons
are
strong in the kicking
game. Ageless Matt Bryant, 41, is 15 of 16 on field
goals. His lone miss was
from 58 yards. Punter

Matt Bosher is among
the league leaders with
a 43.8-yard net average.
Hows this: Returner
Eric Weems has a 73yard runback; Atlanta
has allowed a total of 54
punt-return yards. Boshers net average is better
than counterpart Jacob
Schums gross average
(41.1). With Montgomery
playing such a big role on
offense, Green Bay will
go with Davis and Jeff
Janis as its returners.
COACHING
McCarthy is 116-641 in his 11th season, a

mark that includes a 4-2
ledger vs. the Falcons.
Quinn, who arrived in
2015 after serving as Seattles defensive coordinator, is 12-11.
18
NFL STANDINGS
AFC
East
Team
New England
Buffalo
Miami
N.Y. Jets
South
Team
Houston
Indianapolis
Tennessee
Jacksonville
North
Team
Pittsburgh
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Cleveland
West
Team
Oakland
Denver
Kansas City
San Diego
PACKERS ROSTER
NFC
W
6
4
3
2
L
1
3
4
5
T
0
0
0
0
W
4
3
3
2
L
3
4
4
4
T
0
0
0
0
W
4
3
3
0
L
3
4
4
7
T
0
0
0
0
W
5
5
4
3
L
2
2
2
4
T
0
0
0
0
East
Team
Dallas
Philadelphia
Washington
N.Y. Giants
South
Team
Atlanta
Tampa Bay
New Orleans
Carolina
North
Team
Minnesota
Green Bay
Detroit
Chicago
West
Team
Seattle
Arizona
Los Angeles
San Francisco
W
5
4
4
4
L
1
2
3
3
T
0
0
0
0
W
4
3
2
1
L
3
3
4
5
T
0
0
0
0
W
5
4
4
1
L
1
2
3
6
T
0
0
0
0
W
4
3
3
1
L
1
3
4
6
T
1
1
0
0
NFL SCHEDULE
Sundays Games
Oakland at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Washington vs. Cincinnati at London, 9:30 a.m.
San Diego at Denver, 4:05 p.m.
Detroit at Houston, 1 p.m.

Arizona at Carolina, 1 p.m.
Kansas City at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.
N.Y. Jets at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
New England at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Seattle at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Green Bay at Atlanta, 4:25 p.m.

Philadelphia at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Mondays Games
Minnesota at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
INJURY REPORT
Packers
WR Randall Cobb, hamstring
TE Jared Cook, ankle
RB Don Jackson, hand
G T.J. Lang, hip
LB Clay Matthews, hamstring
WR Ty Montgomery, illness
CB Damarious Randall, groin
CB Quinten Rollins, groin
RB James Starks, knee

Falcons
RB Tevin Coleman, hamstring
RB Devonta Freeman, hip
TE Dwight Freeney, quadricep
WR Taylor Gabriel, concussion
CB C.J. Goodwin, hamstring
T Jake Matthews, wrist
WR Mohamed Sanu, groin
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
#
2
7
10
11
12
17
18
21
22
23
24
25
27
28
29
30
34
33
35
36
39
42
44
47
48
50
51
52
53
56
61
64
65
67
68
69
70
73
75
76
NAME
POS.
Crosby, Mason
K
Hundley, Brett
QB
Schum, Jacob
P
Davis, Trevor
WR
Rodgers, Aaron
QB
Adams, Davante
WR
Cobb, Randall
WR
Clinton-Dix, Ha Ha S
Ripkowski, Aaron FB
Randall, Damarious CB
Rollins, Quinten
CB
Evans, Marwin
S
Lacy, Eddie
RB
Hawkins, Josh
CB
Brice, Kentrell
S
Davis, Knile
RB
Jackson, Don
RB
Hyde, Micah
DB
Whitehead, Jermaine S
Gunter, LaDarius
CB
Goodson, Demetri CB
Burnett, Morgan
S
Starks, James
RB
Ryan, Jake
LB
Thomas, Joe
LB
Martinez, Blake
LB
Fackrell, Kyler
LB
Matthews, Clay
LB
Perry, Nick
LB
Peppers, Julius
LB
Goode, Brett
LS
Pennel, Mike
DT
Taylor, Lane
G
Barclay, Don
T/G
Murphy, Kyle
T
Bakhtiari, David
T
Lang, T.J.
G
Tretter, JC
C/G
Bulaga, Bryan
T
Daniels, Mike
DT
Active
HT. WT.
6-1
207
6-3
226
5-11 211
6-1
188
6-2
225
6-1
215
5-10 192
6-1
208
6-1
246
5-11 196
5-11 195
5-11 211
5-11 234
5-10 189
5-11 200
5-11 227
5-10 208
6-0
197
5-11 195
6-2
201
5-11 197
6-1
209
6-2
218
6-2
240
6-1
227
6-2
237
6-5
245
6-3
255
6-3
265
6-7
287
6-1
255
6-4
332
6-3
324
6-4
305
6-6
305
6-4
310
6-4
318
6-4
307
6-5
314
6-0
310
AGE
32
23
27
23
32
23
26
23
23
24
24
23
26
23
22
25
23
25
23
24
27
27
30
24
25
22
24
30
26
36
31
25
26
27
22
24
28
25
27
27
EXP.
10
2
2
R
12
3
6
3
2
2
2
R
4
R
R
4
R
4
1
2
3
7
7
2
2
R
R
8
5
15
9
3
4
5
R
4
8
4
7
5
COLLEGE
Colorado
UCLA
Buffalo
California
California
Fresno State
Kentucky
Alabama
Oklahoma
Arizona State
Miami (Ohio)
Utah State
Alabama
East Carolina
Louisiana Tech
Arkansas
Nevada
Iowa
Auburn
Miami
Baylor
Georgia Tech
Buffalo
Michigan
South Carolina State
Stanford
Utah State
Southern California
Southern California
North Carolina
Arkansas
Colorado State-Pueblo
Oklahoma State
West Virginia
Stanford
Colorado
Eastern Michigan
Cornell
Iowa
Iowa
78
80
81
82
83
87
88
89
91
94
95
97
98
99
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
T
TE
WR
TE
WR
WR
WR
TE
LB
DE
DE
DT
DT
DT
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
301
250
202
257
219
217
216
254
255
296
285
314
322
298
22
25
22
24
25
31
23
29
24
22
26
20
29
24
R
3
R
3
3
9
2
8
3
R
4
R
9
1
Indiana
Maine
Illinois
California
Saginaw Valley State
Kansas State
Stanford
South Carolina
Toledo
Northwestern
UCLA
UCLA
Florida State
Louisiana-Lafayette
NAME
Reserve/Injured
POS. HT. WT. AGE EXP. COLLEGE
20
Dorleant, Makinton
CB
5-11
182
23
Northern Iowa
32
37
Banjo, Chris
Shields, Sam
S
CB
5-10
5-11
207
184
26
28
3
7
SMU
Miami
38
77
Crockett, John
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
6-3
307
24
Idaho State
#
16
31
40
54
57
62
86
93
96
NAME
Waters, Herb
Baxter, Keith
Kerridge, Joe
Bradford, Carl
Flores, Jacob
Patrick, Lucas
Cajuste, Devon
Gilbert, Reggie
Price, Brian
POS.
WR
CB
FB
LB
C
G
TE
LB
DT
AGE
23
24
24
24
22
23
23
23
22
EXP.
R
R
R
2
R
R
R
R
R
COLLEGE
Miami
Marshall
Michigan
Arizona State
Dartmouth
Duke
Stanford
Arizona
Texas-San Antonio
NAME
Linsley, Corey
63
Practice Squad
HT. WT.
6-0
188
5-11 191
6-0
245
6-1
248
6-4
300
6-3
313
6-4
235
6-3
261
6-3
318
Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform

POS. HT. WT. AGE EXP. COLLEGE
C
6-3
301 25 3
Ohio State
Roster as of Wednesday
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
FALCONS ROSTER
#
2
3
5
8
11
12
14
16
18
19
20
21
22
23
Name
Ryan, Matt
Bryant, Matt
Bosher, Matt
Schaub, Matt
Jones, Julio
Sanu, Mohamed
Weems, Eric
Hardy, Justin
Gabriel, Taylor
Robinson, Aldrick
Neasman, Sharrod
Trufant, Desmond
Neal, Keanu
Alford, Robert
24 Freeman, Devonta
26
27
28
29
32
34
36
37
41
42
44
45
47
50
51
53
55
59
63
65
67
Pos. Ht.
QB 6-4
K 5-9
P 6-0
QB 6-6
WR 6-3
WR 6-2
WR 5-9
WR 5-10
WR 5-8
WR 5-10
S 6-0
CB 6-0
S 6-0
CB 5-10
Active
Wt. Age
217 31
203 41
208 29
245 35
220 27
210 27
195 31
192 24
167 25
187 28
198 25
190 26
211 21
186 27
Exp.
9
15
6
13
6
5
10
2
3
4
R
4
R
4
College
Boston College
Baylor
Miami (Fla.)
Virginia
Alabama
Rutgers
Bethune-Cookman
East Carolina
Abilene Christian
Southern Methodist
Florida Atlantic
Washington
Florida
Southeastern Louisiana
RB 5-8
206
24
Florida State
210
212
201
190
203
211
206
186
245
234
246
222
224
254
311
240
230
232
308
303
303
23
25
24
26
23
24
25
24
31
27
24
21
27
29
30
25
26
23
28
33
30
2
2
2
1
2
R
4
2
9
5
2
R
5
6
8
4
4
R
3
11
8
Indiana
Auburn
Oregon State
California (PA)
LSU
Florida
Central Florida
Purdue
Georgia Tech
South Carolina
Clemson
LSU
Auburn
Arizona
California
Virginia
Delaware
Minnesota
Air Force
Oklahoma
Oregon State
Coleman, Tevin
RB 6-1
Therezie, Robenson S 5-9
Ward, Terron
RB 5-7
Goodwin, C.J.
CB 6-3
Collins, Jalen
CB 6-1
Poole, Brian
S 5-10
Ishmael, Kemal
S 6-0
Allen, Ricardo
S 5-9
Wheeler, Philip
LB 6-2
DiMarco, Patrick
FB 6-1
Beasley, Vic
OLB 6-3
Jones, Deion
LB 6-1
Harris, Josh
LS 6-1
Reed, Brooks
OLB 6-3
Mack, Alex
C 6-4
Reynolds, LaRoy
LB 6-1
Worrilow, Paul
LB 6-0
Campbell, DeVondre OLB 6-4
Garland, Ben
G 6-5
Chester, Chris
G 6-3
Levitre, Andy
G 6-2
NFL LEADERS
70
71
73
76
77
80
81
82
83
91
93
94
95
97
98
99
Matthews, Jake
T 6-5
Schweitzer, Wes
G 6-5
Schraeder, Ryan
T 6-7
Compton, Tom
T 6-5
Hageman, RaShede DT 6-6
Toilolo, Levine
TE 6-8
Hooper, Austin
TE 6-4
Perkins, Joshua
TE 6-4
Tamme, Jacob
TE 6-3
Upshaw, Courtney OLB 6-2
Freeney, Dwight
DE 6-1
Jackson, Tyson
DE 6-4
Babineaux, Jonathan DT 6-2
Jarrett, Grady
DT 6-0
Matthews, Cliff
DE 6-4
Clayborn, Adrian
DE 6-3
3
R
4
4
3
4
R
R
9
5
14
8
12
2
5
6
Texas A&M
San Jose State
Valdosta State
South Dakota
Minnesota
Stanford
Stanford
Washington
Kentucky
Alabama
Syracuse
LSU
Iowa
Clemson
South Carolina
Iowa
#
25
52
56
74
87
90
Reserve/Injured
Name
Pos. Ht. Wt. Age
King, Akeem
CB 6-1 212 24
Starr, Tyler
OLB 6-5 250 25
Weatherspoon, Sean LB 6-2 244 28
Mayes, Chris
NT 6-4 323 25
Fuller, Devin
WR 6-0 194 22
Shelby, Derrick
DE 6-2 280 27
Exp.
2
3
6
R
R
5
College
San Jose State
South Dakota
Missouri
Georgia
UCLA
Utah
#
4
15
30
46
61
85
86
92
Name
Simms, Matt
Williams, Nick
Olatoye, Deji
Tull, Davis
Bykowski, Carter
McKissic, J.D.
Tialavea, D.J.
Vellano, Joe
Practice Squad
Pos. Ht. Wt. Age
QB 6-3 210 28
WR 5-10 184 25
CB 6-1 205 25
OLB 6-3 240 24
T 6-7 313 26
WR 5-11 193 23
TE 6-4 260 25
DT 6-2 300 27
Exp.
4
3
1
2
3
R
3
2
College
Tennessee
Connecticut
North Carolina A&T
Tennessee-Chattanooga
Iowa State
Arkansas State
Utah State
Maryland
305
314
300
308
318
265
248
227
230
272
268
296
300
305
268
280
24
23
28
27
26
25
21
23
31
26
36
30
35
23
27
28
Roster as of Wednesday
715-526-3020 / 800-274-2926
See Our
Entire
Inventory
Online
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SCORING, NONKICKERS
Points
Gordon SD 60
Blount NE 48
David Johnson ARI 48
L. McCoy BUF 42
D. Murray TEN 42
Crabtree OAK 38
C. Hyde SF 38
T. Coleman ATL 36
Mi. Evans TB 36
D. Adams GB 30
Jo. Nelson GB 30
Ajayi MIA 30
SCORING, KICKERS
Points
Lambo SD 72
Du. Hopkins WAS 63
Tucker BAL 63
McManus DEN 57
Novak HOU 57
Nugent CIN 56
Sturgis PHI 56
Janikowski OAK 53
D. Bailey DAL 51
Crosby GB 50
D. Carpenter BUF 47
Folk NYJ 47
LEADING PASSERS
Rating
Brady NE 132.6
M. Ryan ATL 113.6
M. Stafford DET 105.7
Brees NO 104.4
Prescott DAL 103.9
Rivers SD 102.4
Dalton CIN 100.7
Bradford MIN 100.3

Roethlisberger PIT 99.2
Luck IND 98.3
LEADING RECEIVERS
Yards
Ju. Jones ATL 830
A. Green CIN 775
Hilton IND 689
Beckham NYG 630
Mar. Jones DET 623
A. Cooper OAK 614
Olsen CAR 610
Anto. Brown PIT 592
Landry MIA 572
Mi. Evans TB 545
LEADING RUSHERS
Yards
E. Elliott DAL 703
D. Murray TEN 633
L. McCoy BUF 598
L. Miller HOU 581
Blount NE 566
Ajayi MIA 535
D. Freeman ATL 508
Crowell CLE 495
Gore IND 495
YARDS FROM SCRIMMAGE
Total
Ju. Jones ATL 830
D. Murray TEN 825
E. Elliott DAL 801
S. Ware KC 777
A. Green CIN 775
L. Miller HOU 698
L. McCoy BUF 695
Hilton IND 689
D. Freeman ATL 677
20
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
AROUND THE NORTH
Book is out on how to beat Vikings

Minnesota dominated
in loss to Philadelphia
As the last team in the NFL to lose

this season, the Minnesota Vikings had
played well enough to keep their weaknesses mostly hidden.
Their post-bye trip to Philadelphia
was not only a performance failure, but
also an exposure of their flaws.
Pass blocking was the biggest problem in a 21-10 defeat by the Eagles on
Sunday afternoon, as Sam Bradford lost
two of his four fumbles and threw an
interception behind a leaky patchwork
line that didnt get much help from the
rest of the offense but was thoroughly
outplayed by their opponents.
Bradford took six sacks and was hit
12 times by his former team that used
insider knowledge toward a crafty
strategy by defensive coordinator Jim
Schwartz that called for a well-disguised
series of blitzes out of zone coverages.
Now Sam is throwing into a defense
where people are looking at him and
people have eyes on the football, EaTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SEE VIKINGS, PAGE 21
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford was sacked six times and fumbled the ball four times behind a patchwork line in Sundays loss to the Eagles.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
VIKINGS
FROM PAGE 20
gles safety Malcolm Jenkins

said. Its a little tougher to
see where those are coming
from.
Jenkins cited experience
facing Bradford in practice
last year and training camp
this summer in concluding
he prefers to throw to the
outside of the field when
the rush comes. Taking advantage of injury replacements for the Vikings at both
tackle spots, the Eagles applied plenty of pressure off
the ends of the formation.
Schwartz drew raves from
his players afterward about
the game plan.
He was really kind of a
step ahead of what they were
doing every series, defensive end Connor Barwin said.
The Vikings (5-1) had no
trouble admitting defeat in
by far their worst game of
the season. They werent
quite willing to acknowledge
being outsmarted.
The Eagles have a good
football team and a good
defense, tight end Kyle Rudolph said, but you can only
shoot yourself in the foot so
many times.
Coach Mike Zimmer lit
into his team, particularly

the offensive line, in blunt,
stern postgame remarks
that garnered plenty of national attention. Having newcomer Jake Long rotate in
a bit at both tackle spots for
T.J. Clemmings and Jeremiah Sirles didnt help.
The expectedly rusty
Long, who over the last two
calendar years had played
only 11 regular-season snaps
because of knee trouble, was
twice beaten for sacks that
forced lost fumbles, including a whiff against blitzing
safety Rodney McLeod late
in the second quarter after
the Vikings had reached field
goal range. Including the
fourth-and-1 run that was
stuffed at the 6-yard line early in the fourth quarter, the
Vikings turned the ball over
three more times inside the
20.
The book on beating the
Vikings this year was always going to be building
a healthy lead in the first
half, minimizing turnovers
against their dominant defense and overwhelming the
offensive line with a pass
rush that knocks Bradford
out of rhythm. Thanks to the
Eagles, that book became a
best-seller on Sunday.
The Minnesota defense
forced four turnovers and allowed only 239 yards, and the
Vikings still lost by 11 points.
Were trying to figure out
everything right now, Zimmer said, promising changes
this week without specifying whether he meant the
lineup, the game plan, the
practice routine or all of the
above. This is a gut-check
day.
Zimmer, recalling the
lopsided loss in last years
opener at San Francisco,
wasnt worried his teams
ability to bounce back.
Im kind of glad it happened to us, just to get hit
in the mouth early in the
year for once, wide receiver
Cordarrelle Patterson said.
Sometimes you need that.
Things will get better.
The Vikings play at Chicago on Monday night, giving them an extra day to address the deficiencies and
mistakes.
Confidence?
I
dont
know. But I do have faith in
this football team and obviously, you know, faith is belief
without proof, Zimmer said.
Right now, I dont have any
proof so I have to have faith
that well get it done. I think
we will. But until we prove
it, its just throwing stuff
against the wall.
21
The Minnesota Vikings offensive line struggled to keep quarterback Sam Bradford (8) upright during Sundays loss to Philadelphia. The Eagles showed a blueprint on how to defeat the previously
unbeaten Vikings.
22
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
AROUND THE NORTH
Lions leaving comforts of Detroit for visit to Houston

Texans undefeated at home
The Detroit Lions go into

Sundays game at Houston
on a three-game winning
streak, all of them at home.
Quarterback Matthew
Stafford says the team has
the same focus it had when
it started the season 1-3.
Were a pretty businesslike team, whether we win
or lose, Stafford said. We
come in the next week ready
to work, no matter what
happened the week before
or who were playing.
That approach will be
put to a test when the Lions meet a Texans team
that is undefeated at home
and coming off a poor performance in a 27-9 loss at
Denver on Monday night.
Lions
coach
Jim
Caldwell said his teams
winning streak is less important than Sundays
game.
We have a new challenge, he said. Thats
what weve got to get focused on. What helps us is

what we do this week, and
we have to master the moment we have coming up.
Its a big game in a tough
place to play against a team
that has not lost at home.
Thats where our focus is.
Both teams are 4-3, but
more was expected from
the Texans, who managed only three field goals
against the Broncos.
Lions safety Glover Quin
has a healthy respect for
the Houston offense led by
6-foot-8 quarterback Brock
Osweiler and wide receiver
DeAndre Hopkins.
When youre that big
and have that much arm
talent, you can make some
throws with the playmakers he has, Quin said.
Sometimes you get off to a
slow start with new teams
and new guys, (but) on any
given Sunday, they can
click, because they definitely have one of the top
playmakers in the league.

The Lions, meanwhile,
have been getting stellar
play from Stafford in a season where all seven games
so far have been decided by
seven points or less. In all
four wins, Stafford has led
his team to come-from-behind victories.
Quin said there is confidence in the Lions locker
room.
Weve had to make
plays in critical situations
to get wins, he said. Once
you start to do that, the
trust and chemistry builds,
because you see everything
working, and players believe in it more.
The Lions are on the
road the next two weeks
before their bye week.
Caldwell says avoiding mistakes is crucial.
Turnovers, penalties,
mistakes, those kinds of
things are accentuated on
the road, he said. (Houston) has not lost a game in
their stadium. It will take a
heck of an effort.
Wide receiver Golden Tate (15) and the Detroit Lions are on a three-game winning streak heading into
Sundays game at Houston, which is undefeated at home. Both teams are 4-3.
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WOLF RIVER MEDIA
23
AROUND THE NORTH
Jay Cutler makes return for Bears this weekend

QB will work behind battered line
Jay Cutlers return has

come at the right time for
the Chicago Bears.
Cutler is back as the
starter after five weeks
away with a thumb sprain
as a replacement for Brian
Hoyer, who went on injured reserve with a broken left arm.
And Bears coach John
Fox is thankful to have
Cutler healthy enough
to play, even if earlier he
hinted there was a chance
Hoyer could keep the job.
He doesnt have a
choice, I guess, at this
point, Cutler said about
Fox. Brian is out, so Ive
got to go.
Ive had good conversations with Foxy this
week, last week, the week
before. Theres never been
any strain in our relationship. Were both very open
and honest, and were
on the same page. We

just want to win football
games.
While Cutler was away,
Hoyer played five-plus
games without an interception and a 98.0 passer
rating.
It led to talk Cutler
might have played his last
down for the Bears, who
are 1-6 on the season. And
Fox didnt exactly throw
cold water on the situation by saying the starting
position is performancebased.
It is what it is, Cutler
said. Anytime you have
a backup quarterback
and to Brians credit, he
played well.
I think as a team, we
wish we would have won
some more of those ball
games. But Brian went
in there and did a great
job. My discussions with
everybody that I have relationships with in here
COMING SOON
SHAWANO !
HAWKS
APPAREL!
Chicago Bears quarterback Matt Barkley (12) was pushed into action
when Jay Cutler, right, and Brian Hoyer were injured. Cutler is expected
to make his return on Monday against the Vikings.
were positive, and whenever I was ready to go, Id

be ready to go.There was
never any discussion regarding that with me.
Cutler said he didnt expect to have a discussion.
It didnt concern me,
he said. I wasnt ready
to play. My thumb wasnt
healed.
The future, Cutler said,

will be an issue when it
comes.
Whatever
happens
at the end of the year, its
supposed to happen, and
will go accordingly, Cutler said. But right now its
not something that I worry
about.
Its my 11th year, my
eighth year here. Ive seen

a lot of ups and downs,
and its how it goes. At the
end of the year, we can
have those conversations.
Whatever happens, happens.
Cutler said the thumb
sprain is no longer giving
him pain.
I havent gotten hit,
Cutler said. Throwing
good you cant feel it
throwing.
Fox on Monday said the
plan all along was to bring
Cutler back when he was
healed, regardless of what
he told reporters about
performance-based starters.
I think Jay kind of
knew all along what our
plan was, Fox said.
And thats the important
thing.
Cutler said he wanted
to return before Monday
nights home game against
the Minnesota Vikings.
I mean, as a player you
always want to come back
probably sooner than you

should, than the doctors
allow, Cutler said. This
being my right thumb and
being kind of vitally important to my job, we thought
that erring on the side of
caution was best.
It wasnt a situation
Cutler enjoyed.
Ive never liked being
hurt, never liked being
out, Cutler said. It could
get to be a lonely feeling at
times watching everyone
else go out there and try
to win ballgames. Youre
kind of just a helpless bystander. So being able to
get in the mix and trying to
help these guys is going to
be fun.
Cutler threw in practice on the side the past
few weeks, but wasnt involved with team drills except for one brief appearance three weeks ago. Its
the first time in his career
hes returned to play in a
season after a layoff this
long.
24
WOLF RIVER MEDIA

Green & Gold Express Week 8

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WOLF RIVER MEDIA

WEEK 8 PACKERS vs. FALCONS

OCTOBER 28, 2016

PHOTO BY JIM LEUENBERGER

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2016