Report: Packers RB Grant restructures contract to make roster

Green Bay Packers running back Ryan Grant has accepted a $1 million reduction in his salary this season in exchange for a guaranteed contract.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Wednesday that Grant's agent and the Packers agreed to lower the running back's base pay from $3.5 million to $2.5 million on Aug. 9. That decreased his cap salary from $4.797 million to $3.797 million, giving the Packers $1 million to spend on re-signing other veterans.

The tradeoff for Grant is that his new contract is fully guaranteed against both skill and injury, increasing his chance of making the team's final roster this season.

No other changes were made to the final year of the four-year, $18 million contract that Grant signed in August 2008, according to the newspaper.

Grant, an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame who spent 2005 and 2006 with the New York Giants but never played for the team, rushed for more than 1,200 yards for the Packers in both 2008 and 2009. He was limited to one game for Green Bay last season before suffering ligament damage to his ankle.

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Pages from Packers' playbook fly off Green Bay garbage truck

ALLOUEZ, Wis. -- Pages from the Packers' special-teams playbook landed on a Green Bay area street after a waste recycling truck lost part of its load Tuesday.

Brown County Sheriff's Deputy Jason Vogel was checking for speeders Monday on a street in Allouez when he saw papers flying from the back of a Waste Management truck.

Vogel said the paper was scattered for a half block and was creating a hazard. And when he started picking up the paper, he was surprised to see pages from the Packers' special teams. Vogel figured the Packers would want to know what had been scattered, so his supervisor contacted the team.

Packers spokesman Aaron Popkey said the team isn't concerned that any sensitive material was revealed. Popkey said anything important is shredded and then recycled.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Rodgers downplays sloppy practice showing by Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Asked about a sloppy showing by the Packers' offense the previous night, Aaron Rodgers channeled his inner Allen Iverson.

"Practice?" the quarterback said Tuesday in a deadpanned tribute to the NBA star's oft-imitated rant. "We're talking about practice? Not talking about the game, talking about practice, right?"

Rodgers acknowledged that Green Bay's offense made too many mistakes Monday night, but he didn't see any sense in dwelling on it.

And Rodgers firmly dismissed the notion that the reigning Super Bowl champions made a mistake by not coming together for informal practice sessions during the lockout, offering only a one-word answer: "No."

Rodgers will be talking about a game -- well, sort of -- instead of practice soon enough, as the Packers open preseason play Saturday at Cleveland after visiting the White House on Friday.

"I'm not sure how much we're going to play," Rodgers said. "Usually it's not a whole lot. Just get that timing back, maybe take a couple hits. Maybe one. And just get back into the swing of things."

Packers coach Mike McCarthy had harsh words for his team Monday night, saying they were "not close to where we need to be as a football team" after a practice filled with mental mistakes, penalties and fumbles by running backs James Starks and Ryan Grant.

McCarthy said at the beginning of camp that he didn't have an issue with the fact that his players didn't organize informal offseason workouts. Several teams did -- including the team the Packers will play in their regular-season opener, the New Orleans Saints.

Given the disjointed nature of the offseason, McCarthy said it might be expected that players across the league would make more mistakes in camp. Still, McCarthy said he's holding his players to the same standard he always does and now needs them to "mentally tighten it down."

Rodgers didn't want to overreact to one sloppy practice, but he did show frustration at mental mistakes by the offense -- something he believed might be the result of players not showing up in shape, although he didn't call his teammates out by name.

"To me, this is a self-motivated league," Rodgers said. "In order to be successful, you have to be willing to put the time in on your own. And part of that is coming into camp in shape. I think you saw last night, we got tired last night and there was a lot of mental mistakes. So we've got to pick up the urgency I think."

Rodgers hasn't been perfect himself, throwing an interception to undrafted rookie Brandian Ross in Saturday's rain-shortened Family Night event.

"It surprised me, too, I don't know what he's doing jumping that route," Rodgers joked. "Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good in a situation like that."

Rodgers said the defense generally is one step ahead of the offense at this point in camp, as the offense installs some of its more complex concepts.

The NFL free agency cycle is in full effect, with teams and players agreeing to terms fast as training camps open. Get the latest on all the news right here.

"So I'm not overly concerned about a practice like last night," Rodgers said. "I think the thing that you think about is the tempo and urgency. I feel good about where I'm at, I feel like I'm moving well in the pocket, the ball's coming out well. It'll be nice to get back on the field and start running stuff that we're going to run during the season."

Packers safety Nick Collins said the offense and defense try to make practices as competitive as possible -- both to get each other ready for the regular season and break up some of the monotony of camp.

"We feel, as a team, we give each other the best look for our opponents," Collins said. "We kind of make it interesting, have fun, crack little jokes."

An indication of that competitiveness: When an offensive player makes a shoestring catch in practice, defensive players on the sideline immediately yell and point to the ground, lobbying for an incompletion.

"That's just the characters that we have on this team," Collins said. "That's why I feel like we have another special group, and the sky's the limit for us. We've just got to go out and grab it, and at the same time, have fun doing it."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Packers' private ceremony doesn't have nice ring to it for fans

Mike Roemer / Associated PressPackers fans packed Lambeau Field for February's Super Bowl title party, but they won't see the ring ceremony.

The uproar from Green Bay Packers fans over the team's plans to keep its June 16 Super Bowl ring-presentation ceremony private is hardly a surprise.

Packers fans aren't just fans. Many are shareholders and, consequently, feel entitled to be a part of certain "official" team functions, especially those of the celebratory variety. To them, the ring ceremony isn't a whole lot different than attending the annual shareholders meeting, such as the one held last summer at Lambeau Field.

Is there a Super Bowl hangover?

But to the Packers, it is very different. To the Packers, it is supposed to be something that only players, coaches and front-office staff members should share together without the presence of anyone who isn't part of the "family" as it exists inside the confines of the team facility. They're citing "past practices" as a reason to go with the private ceremony.

This likely wouldn't be an issue if it came up with the 31 other teams that operate as private businesses.

The Packers have an issue. It might not be a big one, but it exists because of their unique situation. For instance, there is nothing else in the NFL -- or any sports league, for that matter -- like the Packers' shareholders meeting. Shareholding fans gather in the stadium to hear from team president and CEO Mark Murphy, general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy, who are on a stage in the middle of the field.

The team's decision-makers don't reveal any trade secrets, but the mere presentation is enough to make the shareholders -- many of whom arrive early in the morning and tailgate as if they're awaiting the kickoff of a game -- feel special. I realize that the team wants the players, coaches and staff members who will receive rings to feel special, too, and that privacy might help ensure as much.

Still, there's a part of me that also wonders, particularly during these frustrating times of lockout limbo, if it would have been possible to at least involve the shareholders so they could feel that added sense of attachment to their favorite team.

Follow Vic Carucci on Twitter @viccarucci.

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Packers have held off on paycuts, but they could still happen

The Green Bay Packers haven't been as affected by the NFL lockout as much as other teams, but Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy said the team isn't ruling out paycuts for its staff and coaches if the labor stalemate drags on, the Green Bay Press-Gazette reported on Friday.

“It’s based on when we’re going to start missing revenue,” Murphy said.

About 75 percent of NFL teams have imposed a pay reduction of some kind in reaction the lockout, which is approaching its third month. The Packers have been among the holdouts, citing strong revenue across the board.

The Packers have lost some sponsorship money, but Murphy said they can hold off on paycuts until other avenues of the business model falter.

The Packers are defending Super Bowl champions, a fact that no doubt helps keep business booming for the league's only publicly-owned franchise.

“Each team has to make their own decisions, and some teams have been affected already,” Murphy said. “We’re very fortunate, I think, with the type of fans we have and the success we had last year. We haven’t seen a drop-off in ticket revenue or premium seats, where some of the other teams in the league, they’ve already seen losses in revenue.”

Murphy told the Press-Gazette that if paycuts are imposed, the team would repay lost pay to employees if no regular-season games are missed.

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Packers will reunite June 16 for Super Bowl ring ceremony

Lockout or not, the Green Bay Packers will receive their Super Bowl rings during a June 16 ceremony at Lambeau Field.

Although contact between players and team officials generally is prohibited during the NFL's ongoing work stoppage, the team said Thursday that the league granted a special exemption allowing the ceremony to be held.

"We're looking forward to having an evening for the players, coaches and organization to recognize the victory in Super Bowl XLV," Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy said in a statement posted on the team's official website. "It was an extraordinary season, and the players earned their rings in very exciting fashion. We're going to celebrate all the hard work that went into the championship. We’re excited for the evening."

The Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25, on Feb. 6 to win Super Bowl XLV in Arlington, Texas.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Murphy: Packers will reach out to Favre 'at appropriate time'

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy still expects the team to reconcile with former quarterback Brett Favre at some point.

Speaking at the Packers' Super Bowl Media Day session Tuesday, Murphy said the team plans to reach out to Favre, although it remains unclear when that might happen.

"At the appropriate time, we'll reach out to him," Murphy said. "I envision that he'll come back into the fold. We want to make sure it's the right time for him and for us."

Murphy has said he expects the team to eventually repair its relationship with Favre, the former face of the franchise now led by Aaron Rodgers. And Favre seemed to take a step toward reconciliation last month, telling ESPN that he was rooting for the Packers to "win it all."

Favre had a public falling-out with the team's front office in 2008, amid yet another round of waffling on his retirement. The Packers traded Favre to the New York Jets, and he later played two more seasons for the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings before calling it quits again.

Murphy said he's proud of the way the team handled a difficult situation. Murphy also said the controversy galvanized his working relationships with general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy.

"Few players had a bigger impact on an organization that Brett did," Murphy said. "It tested us. Obviously, I think a lot of people disagreed with the decision, but I'm proud, looking back, (of how) the organization handled it. Also, as I look back on it, one of the benefits was that early on in my tenure, it forced Ted and myself and Mike to really come together on an issue. I think looking back on it now, it's been really positive."

Of course, it wouldn't have worked out so well had Rodgers not become the player he is today, leading the Packers into Sunday's Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"I'm really glad that Aaron's a good player," Murphy said.

Thompson said he expects Packers fans to embrace Favre at some point, but he didn't want to discuss the circumstances of the quarterback's split with the team after 16 seasons.

"I think certainly Brett is a very important part of the Packers' history, and yes, he will be embraced by the Green Bay Packers and all those things," Thompson said. "The other part, we've moved on from."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Packers LB Zombo fully participates in practice; Walden limited

The Green Bay Packers' uncertainties at outside linebacker were on display Wednesday when they took the practice field for the first time since arriving in Dallas for Super Bowl XLV.

Frank Zombo, a rookie starter who has missed six games because of a knee injury, was a full participant in the session at Highland Park High School's indoor facility and hopes to play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Arlington, Texas.

Erik Walden, who replaced Zombo in the starting lineup but sustained an ankle injury in the NFC Championship Game victory over the Chicago Bears, was limited. He primarily worked out with the second-team defense.

"How Erik responds to this practice will be big," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "He practiced and took reps in every team drill. That was the high end of what we were going to try to give him today. It'll be great if he feels good tomorrow.

"Frank looks good. I wanted to get him as much padded work as possible. It seems like Dec. 12 is the last time he's been in pads. We even got him a bunch of reps on special teams, too."

Zombo, an undrafted rookie who broke into Green Bay's lineup in Week 8 after four linebackers went on injured reserve, returned to practice Friday. He suffered a sprained right knee during a Week 14 loss to the Detroit Lions.

Offensive tackle Chad Clifton (knees) and center Jason Spitz (calf) also were limited Wednesday.

Notes: McCarthy focused on the usual in Wednesday's practice: base packages, third-down situations and specific special-teams scenarios. "The guys are fresh, they're ready," McCarthy said. "I want to keep the risk for injury low leading up to the game, which is why we shortened some things today. But it was good to get back in pads. The guys were flying around; they were banging pretty good. I feel very good about the quality of work, particularly up front. I did not put the pads on them last week because we were coming off a situation where we had played five must-win games in a row, and our linemen were beat up. I wanted to make sure I gave them a chance to get back, and it definitely paid off today." ... Kicker Mason Crosby and punter Tim Masthay worked out at Cowboys Stadium before Wednesday's practice and could do so again.

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Packers, Steelers find relief from storm with indoor workouts

In need of an indoor facility worthy of a Super Bowl team, the Green Bay Packers turned to a Dallas high school.

Temperatures in the teens, wind and ice forced the Packers to scrap plans of practicing outdoors Wednesday at Southern Methodist University and to move to the new, $4.5 million indoor field at nearby Highland Park High School. With more of the same weather expected, the team likely will work out on the high school campus Thursday and Friday.

"We feel like this will not affect us from a preparation standpoint at all," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said.

Highland Park's facility opened in August and is comparable in quality to the TCU setup the Packers' Super Bowl opponents, the Pittsburgh Steelers, moved into Wednesday. Both buildings are NFL-caliber.

Such quality at TCU is one thing. But a high school?

That's how it goes in Texas, especially the Dallas-Fort Worth area. There are megamillion prep palaces all around, with a $60 million outdoor stadium going up.

"It's Texas. They love their football," Packers Pro Bowl cornerback Tramon Williams said. "They have some beautiful high schools here. As long as we're inside, we're good with that."

Highland Park is among the wealthiest suburbs in the nation, so the district could afford the price tag on its facility. A $1 million donation from the booster club helped, too.

"That's ridiculous," Packers wide receiver James Jones said. "We barely had a football field at my high school in California. There's too much money out here. They need to send some of that extra cash out to California."

"We barely had grass," added defensive lineman Ryan Pickett, who grew up in Florida. "An indoor practice field? That's unreal."

Highland Park also has a nifty NFL tradition. Alums include Pro Football Hall of Famers Doak Walker and Bobby Layne, as well as Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2009.

"I'm hoping Mr. Stafford put in enough money to this high school for them to build a solid facility," Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers jokingly said. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

Another Highland Park product of note this week is Steelers punter Daniel Sepulveda, who's on injured reserve. Before his team worked out at TCU, Sepulveda sounded jealous that the Packers would hang out near his old stomping grounds.

"It's crazy," Sepulveda said. "Small world."

TCU's Sam Baugh Indoor Practice Facility was a lot more comfortable than being outdoors for the Steelers, but still a bit chilly. The building isn't heated, so it was around 51 degrees during their 2-hour practice.

"One thing we're used to is weather," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "We're not going to fight elements. We're used to adjusting as we have to, and we got all our work in. It was a good day."

Some Highland Park players and a few fans were waiting when the Packers' team bus arrived. The teenagers who hoped to watch from the sideline were out of luck as security kept everyone away from the team. The school's coach, Randy Allen, didn't even bother trying to show up, but he was thrilled to be able to help.

"It's nice to have a facility the Packers could use," Allen said. "It's great publicity for our school and our football program. There's a lot of buzz in our community because of it."

There's also irony.

First off, the facility was built more to avoid extreme heat than bitter cold. Allen said the school's outdoor field, which is an artificial surface, could reach 140 degrees, so hot that "our players said it almost makes their spikes melt."

It's also a twist that ice in Dallas would cause problems for the Packers, considering how much the ice in Green Bay affected the Cowboys on Dec. 31, 1967 -- the game known as the "Ice Bowl." Green Bay beat Dallas on a last-minute play, with a trip to the second Super Bowl on the line.

As for the Cowboys, they have a $1.2 billion stadium capable of hosting the Super Bowl, but they are among 10 NFL teams without an indoor practice facility.

The Cowboys had one until May 2009, when a storm knocked it over during a rookie workout, leaving a scouting assistant paralyzed and a coach with a broken neck. There were lawsuits and multimillion-dollar settlements, and team owner Jerry Jones hasn't announced plans for a replacement.

Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing until Friday afternoon. There's a 40 percent chance of more snow falling Friday. But it's supposed to be sunny and clear on the weekend, with temperatures perhaps reaching 60 on game day.

That temperature won't matter. The roof of Cowboys Stadium in Arlington will be closed for the game.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Buccaneers double last season's win total but miss playoffs with Packers win

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Bears go in for the kill, but Packers stand strong to gain playoff berth

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- There's no such thing as an ugly win when it clinches a playoff berth.

Especially when it comes against a division rival playing all-out for a knockout.

The Green Bay Packers are in the playoffs thanks to their 10-3 victory over the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field on Sunday. And as might be expected in a season that began with Super Bowl expectations but nearly was derailed by injuries and inconsistency, it wasn't easy.

"I'm very proud of our football team, just what we've accomplished," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "Nothing's come easy for us, and we wouldn't want it any other way."

Aaron Rodgers' 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Donald Lee gave the Packers the lead in the fourth quarter, and their defense did the rest. Nick Collins' interception of Jay Cutler stopped the Bears on a late drive.

The Packers (10-6) will play at Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon.

"Tonight was a struggle, but it's nice to keep that momentum going," Rodgers said. "We've won two in a row and now we've got to go (on the road). And we can't have the kind of inconsistent performances we've had this year that have forced us to be the No. 6 seed."

Needing a win to get into the postseason, the Packers trailed 3-0 at halftime and were tied going into the fourth quarter with the Bears (11-5) -- a team that didn't have anything to play for in terms of playoff seeding but still played its starters, just as Bears coach Lovie Smith promised he would all week.

"Knowing that we had the bye week we weren't playing for an awful lot," Smith said. "We just wanted to keep momentum going. We haven't peaked yet, still, I thought there were some things that we could've improved upon."

Now that the Packers are in, Donald Driver believes they can be a dangerous playoff opponent.

"Those guys told us during the game they didn't want us in," Driver said. "That tells you how much people are scared of us. They didn't want to see us, and now they've got to see us."

But Green Bay didn't look anything like the team that steamrolled the New York Giants to keep its playoff hopes alive last week, at least not for three quarters.

Rodgers threw for 229 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He saluted the defense after the game, but noted that the offense will have to be better to win in the playoffs.

"We can't expect them to hold every team to three points," Rodgers said.

Matt Forte had 91 yards rushing and 60 yards receiving for Chicago, which came into Sunday's game assured of a first-round playoff bye as the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

"We weren't playing for anything," Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said. "Everything we needed to do was done already. The crowd was loud because there was a lot on the line for them. It didn't seem like a playoff game to me."

Jay Cutler threw for 168 yards with a pair of interceptions and was sacked six times, but he stayed in the game. Smith said he never considered taking his quarterback out of harm's way.

"Why would we do that? I mean, there's a game on the line, we're trying to win a football game," Smith said. "No. That was never part of the mindset at all. We have a week off and we saw it like that."

Cutler joked afterward that he told his coach to rethink his approach to the game, but didn't seem overly concerned about the protection breakdowns.

"There's no real problems out there," Cutler said.

The Packers came into Sunday's game knowing they needed to win to get into the playoffs after Tampa Bay beat New Orleans earlier in the day. The Bears didn't have anything to gain in terms of playoff seeding but played to win.

They didn't quite pull it off, but linebacker Lance Briggs said they made some progress on defense.

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"The last couple of weeks teams have been scoring a lot of points on us," Briggs said. "It was important to us for the Packers to only get 10 points. We were effective when we did the things we needed to do."

Rodgers finally made some big plays in the fourth quarter, throwing for 21 yards to Driver and 46 yards to Jennings to set up the touchdown to Lee, giving the Packers the lead with 12:42 left in the game.

"I like our chances," Packers cornerback Charles Woodson said. "We feel good about our team. We've had some down moments this year, we've had a lot of injuries, but if you look at this team, we just kept fighting and now we find ourselves with a chance to get into the playoffs and make some noise."

Notes: Smith said linebacker Nick Roach sustained a shoulder injury, safety Chris Harris had a stinger and safety Major Wright had a leg injury, but Smith said he didn't think any of the injuries were serious. ... Packers coach Mike McCarthy said the team had no additional injuries coming out of Sunday's game. "Highlight of the day so far," he joked. ... An awkwardly timed time out by the Bears' bench nullified a long third-down conversion in the third quarter, but Smith didn't dwell on it. "I called timeout," he said. "We weren't in the right formation for the play."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Packers make playoff push with sharp performance vs. stumbling Giants

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Aaron Rodgers returned from a concussion to turn in his sharpest performance of the season, keeping the Green Bay Packers on a path toward the playoffs with 404 yards and four touchdowns.

It all came at the expense of the New York Giants, whose season is spinning out of control after the Packers blew them out 45-17 at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

Rodgers was back, and so was his sense of humor. Backup Matt Flynn played well when Rodgers sat out last week with his second concussion of the season, so Rodgers joked that he had something to prove Sunday.

"I had to get my job back," Rodgers said.

There wasn't much to smile about for the Giants (9-6), who are clinging to fading playoff hopes and certainly appeared to still be in a daze after the previous week's collapse against Philadelphia.

"There's no denying what took place," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "Facts are facts. We're responsible for it. I'm responsible for it. So we have to live with it. And as we say in this game, the only chance you have is to turn around and line up the next week."

The Giants couldn't stop Rodgers and couldn't hold onto the ball, as one of the league's most turnover-prone teams lost two fumbles and watched Eli Manning throw four interceptions.

As if that wasn't enough misery for one team to handle, the Giants were stuck in Wisconsin on Sunday night because of a major snowstorm on the East Coast.

At this point, they might not want to go home.

"I don't care where we're at, it's going to be a long night regardless," safety Deon Grant said. "If we'd go back to New York, it'd probably be a worse night. I know they're not going to be happy. I looked up, the Jets lost, we lost, it's not a good look."

Green Bay (9-6) came into Sunday's game needing to win their final two games to make the playoffs. The Packers host division-rival Chicago in their final regular-season game next Sunday.

Safety Nick Collins said it felt like a playoff game.

"That's how it's going to be next week, too," Collins said.

John Kuhn ran for two touchdowns and caught a pass for a score for the Packers. The unheralded fullback is embracing his growing folk-hero status with Packers fans, who chant "Kuuuuuuuuuhn!" when he touches the ball.

"It's pretty funny," Kuhn said. "It's nice. I don't want to let them down. They call for you ahead of time, so I've got to try and come through."

Greg Jennings caught seven passes for 142 yards for Green Bay, while Jordy Nelson had four catches for 124 yards and a touchdown.

Rodgers was sacked twice, but wasn't under much pressure otherwise as his offensive line delivered one of its best pass protection efforts of the year.

"Those guys were ready to play," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "They were sick and tired of hearing about how tough the Giants were all week."

Rodgers was anything but tentative after sustaining two concussions this season, but he definitely had safety on his mind when he took off running. Rodgers made a baseball umpire's "safe" sign with his arms after sliding instead of taking a big hit after an early scramble -- a salute, he said, to a team doctor who is reminding him to be more careful when he runs.

"I got a lot of texts in the last two weeks from friends and family," Rodgers said. "'Slide' was the main subject."

Manning threw for 301 yards with two touchdowns and the four interceptions.

"If you have interceptions, it's my fault and we had four today," Manning said. "There's not one that wasn't my fault, so I've got to be smarter with the ball and toward the end of the game, you're in desperate mode, you try to force some things and it didn't go our way."

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Already trailing 21-14, the Giants began the second half with yet another major mistake. On a third-down play in Packers territory, Charles Woodson stripped the ball from Ahmad Bradshaw and the Packers recovered at the 50. The Packers drove but had to settle for a field goal, taking a 24-14 lead.

The Giants answered with a drive for a field goal, but Rodgers was at his absolute best on the Packers' next possession. Taking over at the Green Bay 30, Rodgers threw for big gains on back-to-back plays -- Donald Driver for 33 yards and Jennings for 36 -- then threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Donald Lee two plays later to give the Packers a 31-17 lead with 4:44 left in the third quarter.

Hakeem Nicks appeared to fumble on the ensuing kickoff, but Coughlin challenged the play and New York kept the ball. Brandon Jacobs then broke free for a long run -- but Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews punched the ball, it popped into the air and the Packers recovered.

This time, Coughlin's replay review was unsuccessful and Green Bay kept the ball.

"We came out and we played like we didn't have anything to play for," Giants defensive end Justin Tuck said.

Notes: It was a rematch of the Giants' overtime victory in the NFC title game in below-zero conditions at Lambeau nearly three years ago. Sunday's conditions weren't nearly as challenging, with 25-degree temperatures and little wind at kickoff. ... The Packers have won 10 of their last 11 home games. ... The Giants' Mario Manningham caught four passes for 132 yards and a touchdown.

Copyright 2010 by the Associated Press

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Packers QB Rodgers' status remains uclear vs. Giants

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- As of Monday, the Green Bay Packers couldn't say for sure that Aaron Rodgers will be able to play this weekend.

They did know this: Despite Sunday night's tough 31-27 loss at New England, the Packers still are virtually assured of a playoff spot if they win their final two games.

Even after watching yet another close game go the wrong way -- all six of the Packers' losses this season have come by four points or fewer -- Packers coach Mike McCarthy generally was upbeat about the way his team played in a road game against the NFL's hottest team with Rodgers on the sideline.

"You get angry, and you don't sweep anything under the rug," McCarthy said Monday. "There was a lot of positive aspects of the game last night that would lead to a very high performance level, and there's some things that we need to do a better job in, particularly in critical points in the game."

Rodgers sat out Sunday night's game a week after sustaining his second concussion of the season. McCarthy said he will have more information on Rodgers' availability Wednesday.

"We're still going through our medical process now with all of our players," McCarthy said.

Backup Matt Flynn played well in Rodgers' place, throwing for 251 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He nearly rallied the Packers late in the fourth quarter, but a late drive ended with a sack.

"It's a tough one to swallow," Flynn said after the game. "It makes you sit there and think what you could have done different, make a play here, just things that kind of eat you up that you can't stop thinking about. It's definitely tough to swallow, but we've got to look forward. We've got two games left and we've still got things in front of us."

Flynn credited Rodgers with helping him out during his first career start.

"Me and Aaron talked all week," Flynn said. "He just told me to cut it loose and have fun out there, trust your preparation, trust your reads. He was with me the whole time on the sideline, talking to me. He was a big help to me."

Flynn said his inexperience wasn't a factor on the final drive.

The Packers were driving toward what could have been a game-winning touchdown, but got bogged down after a sack forced them to burn their third timeout with just under a minute remaining. A third-down pass from Flynn to Donald Driver came close to the first down marker, but the Packers lost valuable time while waiting for officials to determine if it was first down or fourth down.

They ended up a yard short. Flynn got one last snap off with the clock running down, but was sacked on the final play.

"That third-down play, we couldn't really tell if we got the first down or not," Flynn said. "We would have gone up and clocked the ball and had an opportunity to call a better play, but once they spotted it late, it was fourth down and we just had to go. I don't feel like it was inexperience. I've been around the game and we work 2-minute drills all the time."

McCarthy said the sack earlier in the drive hurt the Packers' ability to manage the clock, but the coach wasn't critical of the way Flynn handled the final two plays.

"I thought that Matt did fine with the operation of the third-down to the fourth-down play," McCarthy said. "They went with a three-man rush, Matt tried to extend the play -- which you like to do there -- and he was sacked."

Should Rodgers return to practice this week, it would give the Packers a big boost going into their final two games. The Packers host the New York Giants on Sunday, then face the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field a week later.

They'll likely have to face the Giants without defensive end Cullen Jenkins, who has missed the last two games with a lingering calf injury. McCarthy hopes Jenkins will be able to return for the regular season finale against Chicago.

McCarthy seemed optimistic about safety Nick Collins, who left Sunday's game with a rib injury. And he said outside linebacker Frank Zombo could return from a knee injury after sitting out Sunday's game.

Win both games, and the Packers are virtually assured a playoff spot.

"That sounds good, but we've got to win a close game," cornerback Charles Woodson said. "And we haven't done that. We haven't shown that we can do that yet."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Falcons focused on bigger goals after Bryant's FG seals win over Packers

ATLANTA -- Don't even mention a third straight winning season to the Atlanta Falcons.

Their goals are so much bigger than that.

The Falcons stayed atop the NFC when Matt Bryant kicked a 47-yard field goal with 9 seconds remaining Sunday for a 20-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers, one of the teams trying to chase down Atlanta in the conference standings.

Make no mistake. The Falcons (9-2) were very much aware of the possible ramifications this game might have beyond the regular season.

"I have no plans of going to Lambeau Field in January," Atlanta receiver Roddy White said. "I plan on staying right here and sleeping in my own bed in the playoffs."

The Falcons have won five in a row for their longest streak since the 1998 season, when the team reached its only Super Bowl. Also assured is a third consecutive winning record -- not too shabby, considering the franchise had never even had two in a row before this run.

Yet that's just an afterthought for these guys, who have won six straight games decided by a touchdown or less after losing the opener to Pittsburgh in overtime.

"It's great to get a winning season," coach Mike Smith said. "But the expectations and goals we talk about are a lot higher than that."

Bryant had to make his winning kick twice.

The Packers called a timeout just before he knocked his first attempt right down the middle. No problem. The 35-year-old had already made two game-winning kicks this season, and No. 3 had plenty of distance as it hooked slightly but stayed several feet inside the left upright.

"Pressure is what you feel when you're not prepared," Bryant said. "I've been preparing for that since I was 6 years old. Was there a little bit of pressure? Yeah. But I was prepared."

His do-over capped a game between playoff contenders that lived up to all the hype: a bruising defensive struggle filled with huge fourth-down plays and one very important kickoff return by Eric Weems.

After Aaron Rodgers threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson with 56 seconds remaining to tie the game for Green Bay (7-4), Weems broke loose up the middle and was dragged down by Matt Wilhelm with a flagrant facemask tackle. The Falcons took over at the Green Bay 49, Matt Ryan completed four straight short passes and Bryant made the winning kick.

The Falcons weren't concerned after Green Bay scored, especially with Ryan at quarterback. He completed 24 of 28 for 197 yards, including a 4-yarder to Tony Gonzalez for Atlanta's first TD.

"We've got Matty Ice," White said. "Ice cold. He just keeps moving the sticks."

Green Bay thought it had forced overtime when Rodgers directed a 16-play, 90-yard drive for the tying score. He improvised two huge plays on fourth down, beginning with a scrambling, backhanded flip of a pass to James Jones for an 18-yard gain on fourth-and-1 at the 21.

John Abraham sacked Rodgers for a 2-yard loss and a false start on Bryan Bulaga left the Packers with another fourth down from the 10. With Falcons owner Arthur Blank waving the crowd into an uproar on the sideline, the home team rushed only two players and dropped everyone else into coverage.

Rodgers had all the time he wanted, finally sliding to his left and rifling a pass to Nelson in the back corner of the end zone. He managed to get both feet down just before being shoved out of bounds by Thomas DeCoud.

"You go down and score a touchdown, and you're thinking overtime," said Rodgers, who passed for 344 yards but had a huge fumble at the goal line midway through the second quarter. "Tying the game was pretty special."

Weems quickly brought the crowd of more than 68,000 back to its feet. He took the kickoff 4 yards deep in the end zone, found a seam up the middle and looked as if he might break it all the way. Wilhelm stopped that by yanking at Weems' facemask. Of course, the 15-yard personal foul penalty pushed the Falcons onto the Green Bay side of the field.

"The penalties were unacceptable," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "You can't have them."

Rodgers tied the game at 10 with a 1-yard run in the third quarter, but all he could think about was that fumble trying to score from the same distance in the first half. On fourth-and-goal, he lowered his head in an attempt to sneak it over, but the ball popped loose in the end zone. Mike Peterson fell on it to end Green Bay's streak of 15 quarters without a turnover, its longest since 1963.

"That's what lost the game," Rodgers said. "It's discouraging not to win a game we should have won."

Michael Turner, who rushed for 110 yards, put the Falcons ahead 17-10 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. On yet another huge fourth-and-goal play, this one from inside the 1, Turner bounced outside and went in standing up.

The Packers gave up more points than they had in the past three weeks combined, having surrendered only 10 in wins over the New York Jets, Dallas and Minnesota. Green Bay had a four-game winning streak overall, good enough for a tie with Chicago for the NFC North lead. The Bears hosted Philadelphia in a late-afternoon game.

Notes: Green Bay lost CB Pat Lee in the first quarter with an ankle problem, and TE Spencer Havner hurt a hamstring in the third. ... Falcons RB Jason Snelling also sustained a hamstring injury and didn't play in the final period. ... LB Stephen Nicholas started for Atlanta ahead of first-round pick Sean Weatherspoon. ... The Falcons improved to 19-1 at home with Ryan starting at quarterback.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Vikings' frustration bubbles up against Packers

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Favre, Vikings without answers after loss to Packers

MINNEAPOLIS -- Brett Favre looked ready for retirement, with six likely meaningless games now left for Minnesota in the epilogue of his 20-year career.

Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay's swarming defense sure made it clear who's in charge of this Packers-Vikings rivalry right now.

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Rodgers went 22 for 31 for 301 yards, with three of his four touchdown passes going to Greg Jennings. He beat Favre for the second time this season and sent Green Bay to a 31-3 victory over melting-down Minnesota on Sunday.

"This has got me at a loss for words," Favre began his post-game news conference. "Disappointing would be an understatement."

The Packers (7-3) emerged fresh from their bye week and kept pace in the NFC North race with the Chicago Bears (7-3), ruining any realistic hope the Vikings (3-7) had left for another shot at the Super Bowl.

"I hate to use Jim Mora's comments about playoffs, but we can't think about that," Favre said.

Instead, this 100th meeting between these border-state rivals, likely the last for the 41-year-old Favre, was marked by costly turnovers, untimely penalties and even some sideline shouting by the frustrated Vikings to cast further doubt on coach Brad Childress' future with the team.

Owner Zygi Wilf walked sternly out of a silent locker room without commenting.

"I can't really talk about that," Childress said, "because that's not my decision going forward."

The Vikings also lost starting right guard Anthony Herrera to a season-ending knee injury. Childress said he didn't think the Vikings quit, but some players wondered aloud whether everyone's effort was there. Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, who chucked his helmet in disgust after a failed fourth down early in the fourth quarter, was the most outspoken.

"If you see something that you have flaws in or you're not good at, you have to stay extra," Shiancoe said. "You have to work at it, correct these mistakes that we're making."

As for Favre's future?

He insisted he's committed to the team and the rest of the season, despite failing to directly answer questions about whether he wants to finish it and vaguely saying he planned to "re-evaluate" the situation on Monday.

"I'm here, and we're in this thing together," Favre said.

Said Childress: "He's always worked his craft. I don't think there's any doubt that it will continue to work as we move forward."

Tramon Williams intercepted Favre to stop a long Vikings drive, and Rodgers took the Packers the other way for a touchdown to James Jones in the final minute of the first half to give the visitors a 17-3 lead.

Favre and close friend Darrell Bevell, the offensive coordinator, were seen on TV snapping at each other on the sideline after the interception. Favre said he and Bevell were "fine" and said he'd have made the same throw again, crediting Williams -- who's having a Pro Bowl-caliber season -- for an exceptional play.

The "Go Pack Go!" cry from the Wisconsin transplants and travelers grew louder as the game went on, with Vikings fans getting in a few "Fire Childress!" chants for good measure.

"I need to say a big thank you to our fans," Rodgers said.

Wide receiver Sidney Rice made his season debut for the Vikings after missing the first nine games following hip surgery, finishing with three catches for 56 yards. But his return hardly gave Favre and the offense a spark. Favre finished 17 for 38 for 208 yards, sailing several passes over the heads of his receivers and facing heavy pressure most of the game.

Favre, who threw a career-low seven interceptions last season, has 17 of them this year. Opponents have taken his 22 turnovers and turned them into 71 points over 10 games, and the Vikings -- who entered the weekend last in the NFL in giveaway-takeaway ratio -- watched their turnover differential fall to minus-13.

With 10 players and five starters lost for the season on injured reserve, plus a stiff second-half schedule featuring a trip to NFC-leading Atlanta next week, McCarthy and the Packers have plenty of work in front of them.

But the steam and swagger they regained in their 28-24 win over the Vikings on Oct. 24 is making them look more like the Super Bowl contender they were purported to be this summer.

"We're going to be tough to beat when we're playing that well," Rodgers said.

The Dom Capers defense has yielded just 10 points in three games since beating the Vikings the first time.

"We've got a foot on the gas, hands on the wheel and we're looking straight ahead," McCarthy said.

The Vikings pressured Rodgers early the way they needed to, the way they did last season, after failing to take him down at all in last month's loss. But he found a rhythm once the strong rush forced him from the pocket and delivered at just the right times.

Jennings had 152 yards on seven catches, giving cornerbacks Asher Allen and rookie Chris Cook a rough time. Cook also got beat for a 39-yard reception by Jones on third-and-10 from midfield before Green Bay's first touchdown.

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Safety Husain Abdullah had trouble, too, dropping a must-have interception at the goal line on that same drive and then letting Jennings get in front of him on the next play for an 11-yard touchdown catch after Rodgers ran left to flee the rush to make it 10-3.

"I don't know how good we are. The stars are the limit to how good we can be," Jennings said. "It's all about what we're willing to put forth."

Notes: The Packers lost both backup safeties to injury, Anthony Smith (ankle) and Atari Bigby (hamstring). ... Vikings DT Kevin Williams had his name misspelled on the back of his jersey: W-I-L-L-A-I-M-S. ... McCarthy improved to 7-3 against Childress. The Packers now lead the series 51-48-1. ... The Vikings, who entered the game tied for 26th in red-zone touchdowns, have reached the end zone only 12 times in 29 possessions inside the 20-yard line this season.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Packers release veteran cornerback Harris

GREEN BAY, Wis.-- The Green Bay Packers have released veteran cornerback Al Harris, cutting short his attempt to return to the field after a serious knee injury.

The 35-year-old Harris is nearly a year removed from a season-ending left knee injury last November. He began this season on the team's physically unable to perform list and returned to practice Oct. 19, giving the Packers a three-week timeline to decide his future.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said the move wasn't an indication that the Packers think Harris' playing days are over.

"I think Al Harris will definitely play again in the National Football League," McCarthy said.

Instead, McCarthy said the decision was made with the team's overall roster in mind.

Tramon Williams has emerged as a potential Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback in Harris' absence, and coaches believe rookie Sam Shields can develop into a top cornerback over the next few years.

And if the team were to activate Harris, they would have to release another player -- a move that might hinder them in other areas, particularly on special teams.

"This is not a physical decision," McCarthy said. "This is a big-picture roster decision."

The Packers activated safety Atari Bigby from the physically unable to perform list on Saturday. McCarthy said the team has not yet made a decision on the future of rookie running back James Starks.

Harris started all 102 games he played in for the Packers over seven seasons (2003-09) after being acquired from Philadelphia. He had 14 interceptions and 108 passes defensed during his time in Green Bay.

McCarthy brushed aside any concerns that the move would have a negative effect in the Packers' locker room.

"You look at all those variables," McCarthy said. "With that, you always trust your leadership in your locker room. Al's a veteran player, a popular player. These are decisions that need to be made at different times of the year. We felt that Al had an opportunity to come back from a serious injury, he did an excellent job with his rehab. As far as the locker room, we trust the leadership in the locker room."

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With the rest of the team celebrating a 45-7 rout of the Dallas Cowboys, Harris told espnmilwaukee.com late Sunday night that he expected to be released. McCarthy said the final decision wasn't made until Monday morning, and that general manager Ted Thompson was trying to reach him to discuss the move.

"Ted and I both have been very up front with Al all the way through the process," McCarthy said. "Time and time again, he knew what his options were, where we felt that he stood and so forth."

McCarthy thanked Harris for his dedication to the team, and Thompson praised him in a statement.

"We want to thank Al for his contributions to the Green Bay Packers," Thompson said. "His hard work, dedication and professionalism have been the keys to his success. During his time here, he has been a valuable member of our organization and our community. We wish him the very best in the future and he will always be a part of the Packer family."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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NFL fines Packers' Collins $50K despite Williams' objections

Green Bay Packers safety Nick Collins was fined $50,000 Monday for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams, according to NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora.

In a statement, league officials said Collins "violently and unnecessarily struck a defenseless receiver" in the neck and head area with his helmet during Sunday night's game at Lambeau Field and called it a "flagrant violation of player safety rules."

The NFL is cracking down on illegal hits, and players who violate the rules are subject to increased fines or even suspensions.

Collins went helmet-to-helmet with Williams after an incompletion in the third quarter of the Packers' 45-7 victory over the Cowboys Sunday night. Collins was flagged for unnecessary roughness.

Williams said after the game that he didn't think NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell should punish Collins for the hit.

"Commissioner Goodell, don't fine the guy," Williams said. "It wasn't that bad of a deal, he shouldn't get fined. It was a football play, a football player making a football play. No injury, no harm."

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said he spoke to side judge Rick Patterson immediately after the play.

"It was a bang-bang play and I felt that really when I saw the replay on the Jumbotron, it looked like Nick hit Roy in the back and came up to the helmet," McCarthy said Monday. "I understand why Rick threw the flag and we actually talked about the mechanics of it. That's a tough call.

"I think the referees are doing a very good job with the awareness of player safety, but I was standing right there and I can see what Nick Collins saw, too. The ball was in the air and he was trying to run through the proper target line and I think he hit Roy in the top of the pads and went up into the helmet."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Packers activate safety Bigby, who could play vs. Cowboys

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Packers announced Saturday that they have activated safety Atari Bigby from the physically unable to perform list, making him available to play in Sunday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Bigby has been sidelined since having ankle surgery at the beginning of training camp. Cornerback Al Harris remains on the PUP list.

Bigby has played in 42 games with 33 starts in his first five years with the Packers and posted 10 interceptions over the past three seasons.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Packers guard Colledge could sit out vs. Cowboys with stiff back

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Continuity has been a key to the Packers offensive line's success this season.

But an important member of that line might miss Sunday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Starting left guard Daryn Colledge has a stiff lower back, which could mean a rare change on Green Bay's line.

Colledge returned to practice on a full-time basis Friday after being out one day and believes he can play, but he said the decision is up to the Packers' medical staff and coach Mike McCarthy.

"I always feel like I can be out there and make it," Colledge said. "But they're not going to go off of a player's decision. Emotionally, I want to be there for my guys, and I want to be able to play, but for them, it's a real decision to make, and they've got to make that."

The Packers listed Colledge as probable for the game, but he split practice reps with backup Jason Spitz on Friday and isn't sure if his playing streak will continue.

"Spitz had more practice time this week and practiced well," Colledge said. "If they feel he's more prepared and physically ready for the game, then they'll make that decision. If they believe I'm ready to go, then I'll ride it till the wheels fall off."

Colledge has played in 75 consecutive games since his rookie season in 2006. The streak was in jeopardy earlier this season when Colledge suffered a knee injury during a collision with nose tackle B.J. Raji on the practice field. Colledge missed one day of practice, but he made a quick recovery and started in the Packers' 20-17 loss to the Chicago Bears.

"That's a tribute to him and the way he prepares and the way he takes care of his body," Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said Friday. "It's also just a lot about his mental toughness. He doesn't let little injuries affect him."

McCarthy said a determination on Colledge's playing status won't be made until Saturday.

"I think anytime you have an injury and a player comes off of not practicing and then practicing, it's really the next day is the true indication," McCarthy said. "Knowing Daryn's history, I anticipate that he will go."

The Packers have made only one change to the starting five on their offensive line with the season halfway complete. That happened after four games, when Bryan Bulaga, this year's first-round draft pick, took over at right tackle for veteran Mark Tauscher, who suffered a shoulder sprain and isn't fully recovered.

Rodgers has been sacked 16 times through eight games. At the same point last season, Rodgers had been sacked 37 times as the Packers were preparing to start a sixth different offensive line in their ninth game, also against the Cowboys.

"I think the biggest difference between this year and last year is we haven't had to move guys around too much, we're able to keep guys in the same spots," Rodgers said.

Notes: Rodgers (ankle), LB Clay Matthews (shin), DE Cullen Jenkins (calf) and LT Chad Clifton (hamstring/knee) also are probable to play Sunday, the Packers' last game before their bye week. Rodgers was a full participant in practice every day after he twisted his left ankle late during the shutout win over the New York Jets on Sunday. The team played it safe with Matthews, who has an NFL-high 9.5 sacks, and didn't have him practice much this week. "He'll be ready to go Sunday," McCarthy said. ... DE Ryan Pickett (ankle) is questionable, but he felt optimistic after going through all portions of Friday's practice that he will be able to play after missing the last game. ... McCarthy said rookie TE Andrew Quarless (shoulder) had a setback after trying to practice Thursday, and the team listed him as questionable. If Quarless can't play, the Packers will be down to Donald Lee and Tom Crabtree at tight end.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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