Green & Gold Express Week 13

WOLF RIVER MEDIA
WEEK 13 PACKERS vs. TEXANS
DECEMBER 2, 2016
BACK
ON
TRACK
Packers put end to
4-game losing streak
SEE PAGE 2
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ALSO INSIDE: Pro Football Weekly Around the North Rosters Schedule Standings
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016
GREEN & GOLD EXPRESS
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
Winning ways back in Green Bay

Game Vitals
GREEN BAY PACKERS (5-6)

VS. HOUSTON TEXANS (6-5)
WHEN: 12 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: Lambeau Field
TV: CBS
RADIO: 620 WTMJ, 92.3
WJMQ-FM, 101.1 WIXX-FM
Locker Room
Stress, it adds up.

MIKE MCCARTHY, on
limiting practice time
during a shortened week
The Series
Packers vs. Texans:

All-time, Regular season:
2-1-0
All-time, Postseason: 0-0
All-time, in Green Bay:
0-1-0
Streaks: The teams have
alternated wins since the beginning of the series in 2004.
Last meeting, regular season: Oct. 14, 2012; Packers
won, 42-24, Reliant Stadium
Schedule
Date Opponent Time TV

Sept. 11 at Jacksonville Win 27-23
Sept. 18 at Minnesota Loss 17-14
Sept. 25 Detroit
Win 34-27
Oct. 2 Bye
Oct. 9 New York Win 23-16
Oct. 16 Dallas
Loss 30-16
Oct. 20 Chicago
Win 26-10
Oct. 30 at Atlanta
Loss 33-32
Nov. 6 Indianapolis Loss 31-26
Nov. 13 at Tennessee Loss 47-25
Nov. 20 at Washington Loss 42-24
Nov. 28 at Philadelphia Win 27-13
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
Rodgers calls win

step in the right
direction for Pack
The Associated Press
Life is good or at least, better for the

Green Bay Packers, even with a 5-6 record
and their star quarterback nursing what he
apparently considers a minor left hamstring
injury.
What a difference winning can make.
Having snapped a four-game losing skid
with their 27-13 victory at Philadelphia on
Monday night, even sleep deprivation and
an unimaginative in-flight late-night snack
couldnt damper their positive outlook.
Everybodys grouchy. They didnt get
any sleep last night. Too many cheesesteaks
on the plane, Packers coach Mike McCarthy
joked Tuesday evening before turning serious.
Theres nothing like winning. I mean, thats
what this is all about. Its about winning football games.
Thats something the Packers have become accustomed to under McCarthy, but
before beating the Eagles, Green Bay hadnt
won since Oct. 20. Now, while they acknowledge they have a lot of work to do to extend
their seven-year run of consecutive playoff
appearances the Packers are two games
back of NFC North-leading Detroit (7-4) - they
enter Sundays game against the Houston
Texans at Lambeau Field with renewed hope.
Were human. You lose a few in a row and
doubt starts to creep in on whether or not
you can actually finish one of those games
off, quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after
throwing for 313 yards and two touchdowns
(116.7 rating) despite battling a second-half
hamstring injury. Theres a big difference between 4-7 and 5-6, for sure. But I hope theres
not a ton of relief setting in, because we still
have a lot of things in front of us wed like to
accomplish.
This was a step in the right direction in a
game we needed to take care of business, but
we have a short week and weve got Houston
coming in and weve got to have another similar performance.
McCarthy claimed to have not spoken with
the medical staff before Tuesday evenings
news briefing, but he expressed greater concern for linebacker Clay Matthews left shoulder injury than he did for Rodgers hamstring
Wide receiver Davante Adams and the Green Bay Packers had plenty to celebrate after their 27-13 victory over Philadelphia on Monday. Adams scored two touchdowns as the Packers ended a four-game losing streak.
issue. Matthews absorbed a crushing block

early in the game but was able to come back
after a locker-room examination. The Packers needed him, too, as he moved inside to
replace injured starting inside linebackers
Blake Martinez (knee) and Jake Ryan (ankle).

Coach Mike McCarthy instead emphasized
mental preparation as the Packers try to stay
SEE WINNING, PAGE 3
ON THE COVER: Green Bay Packers receiver Jordy Nelson hauled in eight catches for 91 yards Monday against Philadelphia, helping the offense hold onto the ball for over 35
minutes to keep an injured defense off the field as the Packers got back into the win column.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
WINNING
FROM PAGE 2
in the NFC playoff race.

Frankly, this plan was
in place in the spring when
the schedule came out,
McCarthy said. We knew
this was going to be a difficult stretch for our football team. We moved everything back, gave those
guys a chance to sleep in
today.
Even without threetime Defensive Player of
the Year J.J. Watt, whos
on injured reserve because of his back, the Texans (6-5) rank fifth in total
defense and 12th in points
allowed. A hobbled Rodgers would certainly help
their cause as they cling
to a half-game lead over
Tennessee (6-6) and a
one-game lead over Indianapolis (5-6) in the AFC
South.
Theres no question
it will definitely help out
if he can sit in the pocket
and doesnt really feel like
running, because theres
nothing more defeating
than on third down covering everybody and then
the quarterback runs
right by everyone for the
first down, Texans linebacker Brian Cushing

said. If it limits him, obviously thatll be a big plus
for us.
As for Rodgers hamstring, the greatest worry
is not that he wont be
able to play against the
Texans - Ill be good
to go, he said after the
game - but how much
it could limit his mobility. Rodgers has not only
been the teams best running threat since starting
running back Eddie Lacy
was lost for the season to
an ankle injury, but before
Monday night, he owned
the teams only three
rushing touchdowns on
the season. Fullback Aaron Ripkowski became the
first back with a TD run
Monday night.
Rodgers was hobbled
by a calf injury late in the
2014 season that significantly limited his ability
to move out of the pocket.
Obviously two different injuries, McCarthy
said. I can only go by
what he tells me, and that
was last night. I think on
any type of muscle strain,
particularly a hamstring,
the next day is a pretty
good indicator.
Green Bay fullback Aaron Ripkowski lunges for a touchdown, the Packers first rushing score this season by someone other than Aaron Rodgers,
Monday against Philadelphia.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
Rodgers shows
leadership
skills on field
Adams continues hot stretch
by leading receivers with 2 TDs
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for over 300 yards, including two touchdowns to Davante Adams, as the Packers ended a
four-game losing streak with a win Monday in Philadelphia.
Aaron Rodgers threw

perfect passes, ran for key
first downs and did all his
talking on the field.
Nobody will question
his leadership this week.
Rodgers had 313 yards
passing and tossed two
touchdown passes to Davante Adams to help the
Green Bay Packers snap
a four-game losing streak
with a 27-13 win over the
Philadelphia Eagles on
Monday night.
The two-time NFL
MVP openly criticized his
teammates while the losses piled up, causing people
to point the finger back at
him for the way he handled
it. But Packers coach Mike
McCarthy praised his
quarterbacks approach.
His
positive
attitude has been consistent
through all this time, McCarthy said. Hes grown
as a quarterback since the
start of 2008, and grown
as a person all the way
through. Hes an excellent
leader, always has been.
Rodgers hasnt had a
losing record since his first
season as the starter replacing Brett Favre. Hes
led the Packers to seven
straight playoff appearances and a Super Bowl
title. But the teams recent struggles and some of
Rodgers comments made
him a target for criticism.
Its been a rough
stretch, Rodgers said. So
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RODGERS
FROM PAGE 4
for us to finish it off the way

we did on offense the last
two drives, defensively to
come up with a stop, and to
finish out the game with a
couple of sacks was great
for our confidence.
Green Bay (5-6) wasnt
losing because of Rodgers
or the offense. The defense
allowed at least 30 points
in each of the four previous games and 89 in the
past two. Injuries on both
sides of the ball didnt help
the situation.
Rodgers made sure the
Packers started fast, leading them to touchdown
drives on the first two possessions. They took hostile crowd out of the game
early and became the first
team to win in Philadelphia (5-6) this season.
Ben Roethlisberger and
the Steelers only managed
a field goal against the Eagles in Week 3. Matt Ryan
and the Falcons had their
lowest scoring output (15
points) in Philadelphia on
Nov. 13.
The victory kept Green
Bays
sinking
playoff
hopes alive, but the Packers are still two games behind the Lions (7-4) in the
NFC North.
Rodgers showed off his
accuracy under the primetime lights, going 30 for 39.
He made two passes to Adams that will make all the
highlight tapes.
Rodgers threw a perfect 20-yard TD pass to
Adams to give the Packers a 14-7 lead early in
the second quarter. Nolan Carroll had excellent
coverage on the play, but
Rodgers put the ball in a
tight spot and hit Adams
in stride in the back of the
end zone.
After Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
intercepted Carson Wentz
in the third quarter, Rodgers connected with Adams
again. Adams was covered well on a deep pass,
but Rodgers threw it in
the right spot and Adams
made an outstanding overthe-shoulder catch for a
50-yard gain.
When Aaron gets in a
rhythm and he starts finding guys and making
great throws, thats the offense were accustomed to
having, right tackle Brian
Bulaga said.
Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams grabbed two scores as Green Bay topped Philadelphia on Monday. The Packers hope to make it two
in a row Sunday at home against Houston.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
Can Osweiler eliminate mistakes and help Texans to playoffs?

Free agent QB not living up
to hype through first 12 weeks
Brock Osweiler was

supposed to be the man
to end Houstons years
of quarterback woes. Instead, hes thrown more
interceptions (13) than
touchdowns (12) and has
often failed to move the offense.
So now the question
for the Texans (6-5) is if
Osweiler can improve
and help Houston secure
a playoff berth? Osweiler
threw three interceptions
on Sunday against the
Chargers as Houston lost
for the second straight
week. Despite their recent
tough stretch, the Texans
remain a half game ahead
of Tennessee in the AFC
South.
Coach Bill OBrien
scoffed at the notion of
benching Osweiler on Sunday and refused to criticize
his quarterback on Monday. He also lamented that
quarterbacks and head
coaches take the brunt of

the criticism when teams
are struggling.
Could Brock have
done some things better?
Absolutely, OBrien said.
Could the offensive line
have played better? Could
I have coached better? Absolutely. Its a team sport.
Brock is our starting quarterback and thats the way
it is.
He wasnt interested in
breaking down the play of
his quarterback, snapping
when asked areas in which
Osweilers made progress
and places he needs to improve.
Im not going to dissect each player (and)
what areas they need to do
a better job in, he said. I
mean, we could be here all
day. Every player on our
team we have a great
locker room. Theyre all
looking to improve in any
way that they can.
SEE OSWEILER, PAGE 7
Houston Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler (17) has thrown more interceptions (13) than touchdown passes (12) this season after signing a $72
million contract during the offseason.
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OSWEILER
FROM PAGE 6
gles on a variety of things,

including his coaching, the
numbers paint a clear picture of Osweilers trouble.
Expectations were high
for Osweiler when Houston
signed him to a $72 million
contract this offseason to
lure him away from Denver. Hes had moments
when hes looked good, but
his inconsistent play has
made it difficult to understand why the Texans invested so much in him.
Houston ranks 31st by
averaging 195.9 yards passing a game and Osweilers
13 interceptions are tied for

most in the NFL. He hasnt
had much success throwing downfield and has completed just two passes of
40 yards or longer. His 22
completions of 20 yards or
longer are tied for 28th in
the NFL. Hes averaging
just 5.8 yards a completion,
which is not much more
than running back Lamar
Miller is averaging a carry
(4.2).
Osweiler has one of the
worst passer ratings in the
NFL among starters at
72.2. His rating isnt even
close to the likes of Tom
Brady (116.7), Matt Ryan
(114.3) or even Dallas rookie Dak Prescott (108.6).
While OBrien downplayed Osweilers role

in Houstons loss to the
Chargers, the quarterback was quick to accept
blame for letting the game
get away.
Obviously, (Sunday) did
not go the way we wanted
it to, Osweiler said. Im
going to put that on my
shoulders. I believe our
team played great football,
but I did not. I know we can
accomplish what we want
to, and well keep plugging
away.
Despite his acknowledgment that his play was a big
reason for Sundays loss,
his teammates remain confident in his ability to help
Houston wrap up a second

straight division title.
No matter whats being said about him outside
of here, he comes in with
the same attitude and the
same positivity every day,
left tackle Duane Brown
said. So, hes a great leader. We definitely have a lot
of confidence in him.
Osweiler and the Texans get their next chance
when they begin a twogame stretch on the road
with a trip to Green Bay.
Theyll look to win just
their second road game
this season when they
meet the Packers after losing four of five away from
Houston so far.
Houston head coach Bill OBrien refused to criticize quarterback Brock

Osweiler this week, saying there are many reasons for the Texans
struggles on offense.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
10
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
Power rankings: Cowboys on franchise-best 10-game win streak

With the best record in

the NFL at 10-1, the Dallas
Cowboys are closing in on a
playoff berth.
The Cowboys have won
a franchise regular-season
record 10 games in a row
and play for the second
consecutive
Thursday
when they travel to Minnesota to play the Vikings.
The Cowboys can clinch
a playoff spot in Week 13
with a win of their own and
a loss by Washington or
with a win of their own and
a loss or tie by Tampa Bay.
The Cowboys also remained in the No. 1 spot
in the latest AP Pro32 poll,
which was released Tuesday.
Dallas received 11 firstplace votes for 383 points
from balloting by media
members who regularly
cover the NFL.
Dak
Prescott
did
his part in an important
Thanksgiving Day win over
Washington, but the rookie
quarterback masked what
could be the teams only
problems: a leaky defense
that cant rush the quar-
terback. That could be an

important factor down the
stretch, Newsdays Bob
Glauber said.
The Patriots received
the other first-place vote
and moved up a spot to No.
2 with 369 points.
The AFC West controls
three of the next four spots.
First-place Oakland (92) inched up a spot to No. 3
with 363 points after holding off Carolina 35-32.
Young Derek Carr has
a knack for pulling close
games out in the fourth
quarter, said Ira Kaufman
of the Pro Football Hall of
Fame.
Kansas City (8-3), in second place in the division,
jumped two spots to No. 4
after its 30-27 overtime win
at Denver on Sunday night.
And the Broncos (7-4) fell a
spot to No. 6 in the poll.
Seattle dropped three
spots to No. 5 after its 14-5
loss at Tampa Bay.
Despite winning six consecutive games, the Giants
slipped a spot to No. 7.
Atlanta, which leads
the AFC South, moved up
a spot to No. 8.
Detroit and Washington

are tied at No. 9 and surging Miami, which has won
six in a row, is at No. 11.
Team
Points
1. Dallas Cowboys
383
2. New England Patriots 369
3. Oakland Raiders
363
4. Kansas City Chiefs
337
5. Seattle Seahawks
334
6. Denver Broncos
318
7. New York Giants
314
8. Atlanta Falcons
310
9. Detroit Lions
277
9. Washington Redskins 277
11. Miami Dolphins
259
12. Pittsburgh Steelers
249
13. Baltimore Ravens
241
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 218
14. Minnesota Vikings
218
16. Buffalo Bills
206
17. Tennessee Titans
181
18. Houston Texans
180
19. Green Bay Packers 175
20. Philadelphia Eagles 155
21. San Diego Chargers 147
22. New Orleans Saints 140
23. Indianapolis Colts
137
24. Carolina Panthers
106
25. Arizona Cardinals
102
26. Cincinnati Bengals
83
27. Los Angeles Rams
77
28. New York Jets
59
29. Chicago Bears
44
30. Jacksonville Jaguars 36
31. San Francisco 49ers 29
32. Cleveland Browns
12
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott and tight end Jason Witten are among the stars on offense for the Cowboys,
who are No. 1 in the AP Pro32 rankings for the third consecutive week.
Dolphins at Ravens
Chiefs at Falcons
Giants at Steelers
Texans at Packers
SINCE 1967
THURSDAY | DECEMBER 1, 2016
Jay Ajayi
and Miami
have won
six straight
and are
looking
for a
Strong
Phin-ish
PLUS
FANTASY
FOOTBALL
POWER
RANKINGS
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016
Bears we should watch closely in final five games
ome will watch the Bears

remaining five games because theyre Bears fans.
They love their team and
they are there through
thick or thin.
Others of us will watch
closely because its our job.
And there are those of us who will
watch because we know that an NFL
game between even the worst of teams
in the league is still better entertainment than any other sport out there.
I find myself wondering now, what
should I be watching for?
Should John Fox be retained as head
coach?
Obviously, this is never an easy decision to make and clearly Fox has failed
badly in his second season running the
Bears. But how much of it is Foxs fault?
You can argue that the defense has
been what was expected and possibly
even better when you weigh injuries
and suspensions.
Foxs failure has been on offense, where
his club also has been riddled with in-
back right now, as

juries and a key suspenthe best Matt Barksion to Alshon Jeffery, but
ley or David Fales
where nothing has gone
has to offer is the
right from Day 1.
potential to develop
The biggest problem
as backups, so the
has been offensive coornext most important
dinator Dowell Loggains
thing to watch is the
insistence on ignoring
play of Bobby Massie
the run even though it
and Charles Leno Jr.
is clearly the strength of
Unless these two
the unit, and what has apmake significant
peared to be no feel at all
strides over the next
for calling plays.
five weeks, they both
If Fox is to be axed for
need to be replaced.
missing on the hiring of
HUB ARKUSH
Whats working in
Loggains to replace Adam
harkush@ProFootballWeekly.com
the NFL right now is
Gase, then you can argue
@Hub_Arkush
star-studded O-lines
Ryan Pace should go for
in front of stud running backs.
hiring Fox.
The biggest improvement in that TiThat would be a huge mistake, as I
tans team you just saw 3-13 last year,
believe Pace has shown some promise
6-6 right now is as much or more the
through all the bad luck and bad health,
two first-round tackles, Taylor Lewan
so it seems the obvious answer is Fox
and Jack Conklin, as it is Marcus Marideserves another year to get this right,
ota.
with the understanding he will replace
The Bears need at least one from
Loggains and get that spot right.
among the group of wideouts we saw
There is nothing to watch at quarter-
dropping as many balls as they caught

in the second half Sunday, and now
they need Daniel Braverman to prove
he can be a dependable No. 3 who will
never drop a throw on third down.
Even if Alshon Jeffery and Kevin
White are back next year and are who
you want them to be, another wideout
is needed.
On defense, we assume Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan will be back
and will be good, and Tracy Porter already has a ring and can anchor one
corner for the Bears for another couple
of years.
Akiem Hicks, Willie Young and Pernell McPhee are nice pieces going forward as well.
But McPhee isnt going to be the
60-minute game changer the Bears
hoped for with that knee, so Leonard
Floyd has to get back on the field and
prove he can be.
You also really want to see Eddie
Goldman healthy enough to play 60
minutes and regularly being disruptive
when he does.
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Fantasy writer | ProFootballWeekly.com
he 49ers, Browns, Colts and Raiders

give up the most yards in the NFL,
respectively. The Browns are on bye
this week and the other three teams
face subpar offenses. The 49ers are
at Chicago; Indy plays at the Jets
and the Raiders get the Bills in Oakland. With nobrainer matchups harder to find, well have to dig a
little deeper this week if we want to strike fantasy
gold.
On to Week 13
MATCHUPS TO EXPLOIT
Chicago Bears
OPPONENT: VS SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS, SUNDAY, NOON

The 49ers are just bad enough that there might be
some fantasy value to be found on the lakefront this
weekend. True, the Bears score fewer points than
any NFL team not coached by Jeff Fisher, but they
do produce a reasonable 350 yards per game. Defensively, San Fran is dead last in the league in points
(31.3 per game) and yards (424.5) allowed. They are
absolutely horrific against the run. Their 171.8 rushing yards allowed per game is 30 more than the rushing yards yielded by the 31st-ranked Browns. For
perspective sake, the 49ers give up 230 percent more
rushing yards per game than do the Ravens. The big
question for Jordan Howard owners is whether OC
Dowell Loggains can let go of his fascination (obsession?) with the passing game and give his emerging
RB a steady stream of carries. If you are in absolute
dire need of a QB, Matt Barkley has a chance to produce in this game.
MUST START: Howard
SOLID PLAY: None
WORTH A LOOK: Barkley, Marquess Wilson, Connor
Barth
LAST RESORT: Cameron Meredith, Daniel Brown,
Bears D/ST
STAY AWAY: Deonte Thompson, Josh Bellamy
Atlanta Falcons
OPPONENT: VS KANSAS CITY CHIEFS, SUNDAY, NOON

Kansas City is known for its tough defense, but the
Chiefs are giving up 382 yards per game. Only four
teams (Raiders, Colts, Browns 49ers) have surrendered
more yards this season. The Chiefs, however, are much
stingier on the scoreboard. They are ranked eighth in
scoring defense at 19.5 points per game. Atlanta and its
high-powered offense should give KC all it can handle
in this game. The Falcons are the highest scoring team
in the NFL, averaging 32.5 points per game. They are
fourth in total yards behind only New Orleans, Washington and Tennessee. Atlanta will have to figure a way
to contain Justin Houston, who had three sacks last
week in Denver, just his second game of the season.
MUST START: Matt Ryan, Devonta Freeman, Julio
Jones
SOLID PLAY: Mohamed Sanu, Matt Bryant

WORTH A LOOK: Coleman, Taylor Gabriel, Falcons
D/ST
LAST RESORT: Austin Hooper
STAY AWAY: Levine Toilolo
New Orleans Saints
OPPONENT: VS DETROIT LIONS, SUNDAY, NOON

You dont need to read a fantasy football column
to know youll be starting Drew Brees. More interesting is the evaluation of the other Saints likely
to produce against a so-so Lions defense. Brandin Cooks had caught a minimum of two passes
in every game of his professional career (and at
least three in all but two games) until last Sunday.
Against the Rams, Cooks went without so much as
a target. Outside of Brees, every New Orleans player carries some risk. Michael Thomas has emerged
as the top target in the offense, but he could be outproduced in a given week by Cooks or even Willie
Snead. Mark Ingram has returned from his brief
stay in Sean Paytons doghouse and clearly has
more to offer in both fantasy and reality than
does Tim Hightower.
MUST START: Brees, Ingram, Thomas
SOLID PLAY: Hightower, Cooks, Wil Lutz
WORTH A LOOK: Snead, Coby Fleener
LAST RESORT: Brandon Coleman
STAY AWAY: Saints D/ST
San Diego Chargers
OPPONENT: VS TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, SUNDAY, 3:25

It would be feasible to list San Diego as an avoid
this week. After all, Tampa is on a three-game tear in
which the Bucs have given up fewer than 11 points
per game. They kept the Seahawks out of the end
zone in a 14-5 win last week. But were going against
the grain a bit. Well sign off on Tampa having an
improving defense, but its impossible to believe its
gone from a bottom-five unit to a shut-down D in the
matter of a few weeks. Philip Rivers has faced some
tough defenses this season, including two games
against Denver. Playing at home, and on a bit of a
roll of his own, he should be able to produce aboveaverage results this week.
MUST START: Melvin Gordon
SOLID PLAY: Rivers, Tyrell Williams, Dontrelle Inman, Josh Lambo
WORTH A LOOK: Hunter Henry, Antonio Gates*,
Chargers D/ST
MATCHUPS TO AVOID
Cincinnati Bengals
OPPONENT: VS PHILADELPHIA EAGLES, SUNDAY, NOON

Cincinnati tends to play better at home, but its arrow
is definitely pointing downward of late. The Bengals
have not crested 20 points during their current threegame losing streak. The last time they won was Week 7
against Cleveland. For the season, the once formidable
Bengals offense is 27th in points scored. Phillys seventh-ranked defense has been inconsistent, but should
slow down the struggling Bengals.
MUST START: None
SOLID PLAY: Tyler Eifert
WORTH A LOOK: Andy Dalton, Jeremy Hill, Tyler
Boyd, Bengals D/ST
LAST RESORT: Rex Burkhead, Brandon LaFell
STAY AWAY: Mike Nugent
Los Angeles Rams
OPPONENT: AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, SUNDAY, NOON

The good news: First overall pick Jared Goff threw
three TDs last week in New Orleans. The bad news:
Goff had just 214 yards and turned the ball over
twice. The Rams managed just 247 yards in a 49-21
loss against one of the leagues worst defenses. Todd
Gurley has been held to 50 or fewer yards in four
games and has not had more than 85 yards rushing in
any game this season.
MUST START: None
SOLID PLAY: None
WORTH A LOOK: Gurley, Lance Kendricks
LAST RESORT: Tavon Austin, Kenny Britt, Rams D/
ST
STAY AWAY: Goff, Greg Zuerlein
Miami Dolphins
OPPONENT: AT BALTIMORE RAVENS, SUNDAY, NOON

The surging Dolphins have won six in a row, but
they bring the 25th-ranked offense to face a defense
ranked second in yards and fourth in points allowed.
This is a tough matchup for Jay Ajayi the Ravens are
tops against the run and allow just 3.4 yards per carry.
MUST START: None
SOLID PLAY: Ajayi, DeVante Parker*
WORTH A LOOK: Ryan Tannehill, Jarvis Landry, Dolphins D/ST
LAST RESORT: Kenny Stills, Dion Sims
STAY AWAY: Andrew Franks
ALSO CONSIDER
ALSO BEWARE
OPPONENT: AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS, SUNDAY, NOON

The Saints are five-point favorites in a game featuring the weeks highest over/under (53). That
leaves Detroit with an expected point total of about
24, which is over their average of 22.5. Matthew
Stafford is an excellent play against a suspect passing defense.
OPPONENT: AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS, SUNDAY, 7:30

These teams are no longer the class of the NFC
and both squads have been wildly inconsistent. This
game could go a number of directions, but the most
likely scenario has Carolinas offense struggling in
the unfriendly confines in Seattle.
Detroit Lions
Carolina Panthers
* Check injury status
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2016
Difficult to find fantasy locks in Week 13
By
ARTHUR
ARKUSH
OVERVIEW
They dont get the mini bye yet but following

another crushing loss, 16-13 to the Lions, the Vikings
get the hottest team in the NFL. And Dallas visits Minnesota with the Vikings having virtually no remaining margin for error after falling to 1-3 in the division, including being swept by Detroit. Minnesotas
32nd-ranked offense manages just 4.8 yards per play.
Sam Bradford completes more than 71 percent of his
throws, with a career-high 98.3 rating, but the Vikings
scare no one downfield. And the return of Stefon
Diggs, inactive on Thanksgiving with a groin injury,
wont change that. Perhaps Adrian Peterson provides
it and Peterson has resumed running as he tries to
return from a torn meniscus, but the Vikings cant
count on that, or their overtaxed defense, alone.
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Minnesotas run D is tied for 17th, permitting 4.2

yards per carry, while Dallas comes in No. 2 at 157.3
yards per game one-tenth off Buffalo for the NFL
lead. The Cowboys diverse scheme relies heavily on
Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott threatening sideline to sideline; this is the game Minnesotas young
LB tandem, Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, must
shine.
OVERVIEW
Just when we thought they were out, Aaron Rodgers pulls us back in. Contrary to popular belief, Rodgers was still better than about 95 percent of his peers
during the Packers four-game slide their longest
since 2008 as they powered to a 27-13 victory over the
Eagles on Monday night. Rodgers deft 20-yard touchdown to Davante Adams, the first of two for each of
Green Bays best offensive players Monday night,
was as pretty a throw as youll see in the NFL this
season. Mike McCarthy expanded his playbook, a big
part of the Packers sniper precision on third downs
(71 percent). Perhaps more importantly, Dom Capers
D finally flipped the script by holding the Eagles to
211 yards and two field goals in the final three-and-ahalf quarters.
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Two games off Detroits division-leading pace, the

Packers return home to host an offense sputtering
like few others, Brock Osweilers Texans, the only
club outside Chicago yet to eclipse 27 points. The
embattled Osweiler remains the starter, but Capers
primary concern will be Lamar Miller, closing in on
his second 1,000-yard season and not one of Houstons 99 problems.
OVERVIEW
Seven wins, seven game-winning drives, ho-hum.

The Lions offense should hum in New Orleans but
is their defense ready to slow Drew Brees and the
Saints No. 2 scoring offense, coming off a cool 4921 drubbing of the Rams? Detroit needed another
big play in crunch time from Darius Big Play
Slay, and itll need tighter coverage across the
board against the NFLs yardage, passing touchdowns and completion percentage leader. To wit:
Detroit still ranks last in opposing passer rating
and completion percentage. But Teryl Austins
group has tightened immensely on third down in
the past two games. Detroit in Week 14 hosts Chicago, then visits the Giants and Cowboys a combined 18-4 prior to a Week 17 clash with Green
Bay at Ford Field.
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Whether Auroras Graham Glasgow or Lane

Techs Laken Tomlinson gets the nod at left guard,
a pair of explosive DTs, former Lion Nick Fairley
and rookie Sheldon Rankins, awaits. With Cameron Jordan and Dannell Ellerbee heating up New
Orleans edge rush lately, keeping Matthew Stafford clean in a likely shootout will be huge.
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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
15
PACKERS NOTEBOOK
By Green & Gold Express Staff
QUALITY QBS
The NFL is starved for quality quarterbacks.

Thats why the Houston Texans rolled
the dice on quarterback Brock Osweiler.
Taking over for injured Peyton Manning
last year, Osweiler led the Broncos to a 5-2
record. They were the first seven starts of
his four-year career. The Texans took the
plunge in free agency this past offseason,
hoping Osweiler would be the missing
ingredient for a team with a Super Bowlcaliber defense.
So far, the Texans four-year, $72 million
gamble hasnt worked out. He enters Sundays game against the Green Bay Packers tied for last in the NFL in passer rating
and interceptions. His best passer rating of the season is just 90.7. Counterpart
Aaron Rodgers has beaten that in six of his
last seven games and boasts a season-long
rating of 97.8. In a home loss to San Diego
last week, Osweiler threw no touchdown
passes and three interceptions.
At 6-5, the Texans are no better than
they were last year, when they used four
quarterbacks, went 9-7 and got blown out
at home by the Chiefs in the Wild Card
round. Last year, Houston averaged 21.2
points per game. This year, its averaging
just 17.6 per game. After turning over the
ball 20 times last year, the Texans have 19
giveaways with five games remaining
I think hes confident. I dont think
he lacks confidence, Texans coach Bill
OBrien said. I think in the San Diego
game, there were a lot of things that had to
be better. Obviously, the quarterback and
the head coach take the most blame. We
understand that, thats part of the deal. But
it takes a lot more than that to execute a
play properly. I didnt think we had our best
game at any position on offense against San
Diego. So, its not one guys fault. I think hes
getting more and more comfortable in our
offense. He played well against Oakland. We
just have to make sure that we play better
around him. Look, hes got to do his part.
Theres a lot of things he can improve upon.
But I think we all need to improve.
BACKFIELD IN MOTION
Since returning from knee surgery

three weeks ago, James Starks has been a
one-man backfield for the Packers. Against
Indianapolis, Washington and Philadelphia, Starks played almost 70 percent of
the offensive snaps. His playing time cut
into the role of receiver-turned-running
back Ty Montgomery, who played only 18
snaps on Monday at Philadelphia.
McCarthy said he has to do a better job
of utilizing his three-man running back

corps of Starks, Montgomery and newcomer Christine Michael.
We need to roll them in there better,
coach Mike McCarthy said. James had a
lot of opportunities last week. But Ty Montgomery deserves more opportunities, and
I definitely want to get Christine Michael
more opportunities.
Starks experience in pass protection
is a key reason why hes playing so many
snaps. Montgomery is new to the position
and Michael is new to the team.
James knows the offense inside and
out, McCarthy said. You dont blink when
hes in there, and I feel that way about Ty.
Ty Montgomerys done a great job making that transition, and Christine Michael
has picked it up really fast. Ive been impressed with what Ive seen there. Its like
anything: As coaches, weve got to create
opportunities to get the ball in our playmakers hands. And when we do that, good
things happen.
A NEW NO. 1?
During his first five games, Davante

Adams caught 15 passes for 218 yards.
During the past six games, Adams has
caught 43 passes for 558 yards. Hes been
the Packers best receiver during that
span. Does that make him the teams No.
1 receiver, though, in a receiver group that
includes highly paid and highly productive
veterans Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb?
Its kind of a hard question to answer,
Adams said. You want to be a No. 1 receiver when it comes down to contract time
and things like that. At the same time, it
means nothing when youre in this building with the guys we have. What does No.
1 receiver mean when you got Randall,
Jordy and myself going out there? Its anybodys day and it could be everybodys day.
We have a common goal and its winning
in here. We arent selfish. We dont think
about numbers. When its time to get paid,
you want to be No. 1 because thats what
its about. Anything else, we dont think
about it like that.
Getting healthy has been the key to
playing to lofty expectations. An ankle injury slowed him through most of last season, which then ended with a torn MCL in
the playoff loss at Arizona. Through it all,
quarterback Aaron Rodgers never lost
faith in Adams, and now that faith is being
rewarded.
He knows what was going on, what the
deal was (last year), Adams said. Obviously, I feel way better body-wise, especially this late in the season. I feel amazing. I
always told everybody once I was healthy,
I was able to produce. Im not going to be
JAMES STARKS
perfect. Im human. But I feel great right
now so Im just hoping to keep it rolling.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME?
The Packers are back home after a

three-game road trip. They used to be almost invincible at home. However, they
went 5-3 at Lambeau Field last season and
are 3-2 this season.
Its good to be home, Nelson said.
But as weve learned over the last couple
of years, it doesnt guarantee anything for
us. Weve got the same mind-set as if its
a road game. We might get booed more at
home than we do on the road now. I dont
know if thats a positive or not. So its one
of those things, weve just got to go out and
execute and take care of business.
GOTTA BE THE SHOES
The NFLs uniform police can take this

week off. At least when it comes to inspect-
ing the players shoes.

For one week, the NFL is allowing players to wear custom shoes as part of the
My Cause, My Cleats campaign, which
allows players to support and raise awareness for worthy causes.
Im going to be wearing some specifically designed MACC Fund cleats that
Adidas put together for me, Rodgers said,
referring to Midwest Athletes Against
Childhood Cancer. Theyre multi-colored,
which is awesome. But the MACC Fund
has been near and dear to my heart for
a number of years now as Ive gotten to
know (executive director) John Cary and
many of the kids and families over the
years. Its a special organization. They do
some incredible work, and just fortunate
to be able to lend my name to such a great
cause thats helping so many kids and families continuing this fight against cancer,
especially with those kids.
16
PACKERS DEPTH CHART
KEYS TO THE GAME
Offense
By Green & Gold Express Staff

FB
Aaron Ripkowski
Joe Kerridge
WR
Randall Cobb
Ty Montgomery
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
QB
Aaron Rodgers
Brett Hundley
RB
James Starks
Christine Michael
C
LG
LT
RT
RG
TE
JC Tretter Lane Taylor David Bakhtiari
Jared Cook Bryan Bulaga T.J. Lang
Richard Rodgers Kyle Murphy Don Barclay Corey Linsley Don Barclay Jason Spriggs
The Green Bay Packers (5-6) return

home following a three-game road trip
to host the Houston Texans (6-5) at noon
at Lambeau Field. The Packers are 6
1/2-point favorites. The Texans lead the
series 2-1, with all of the wins coming by
the visiting team. Heres the breakdown.
WR
Jordy Nelson
Davante Adams
Defense
DE
Kenny Clark
Dean Lowry
LCB
Damarious Randall
Micah Hyde
LOLB
Nick Perry
Julius Peppers
ILB
Jake Ryan
Joe Thomas
SS
Morgan Burnett
Micah Hyde
NT
Letroy Guion
Christian Ringo
DT
Mike Daniels
Kenny Clark
ILB
Blake Martinez
Joe Thomas
FS
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
Kentrell Brice
RCB
Quinten Rollins
LaDarius Gunter
ROLB
Clay Matthews
Datone Jones
WHEN THE PACKERS

HAVE THE BALL
J.J. Watt, the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and former Wisconsin star, is on injured reserve with a
back injury. Thats obviously a huge loss.
And yet the Texans defense is almost as
stout as it was last year, when Watt tallied a league-high 17.5 sacks. Last year,
the Texans allowed 310.2 yards and 19.6
points per game. This year, the Texans
have allowed 316.7 yards and 21.5 points
per game. That two-point difference is as
much about a bad offense (19 giveaways in
11 games vs. 20 in 16 games last year) as
Watts absence. The Texans are sturdy on
third down (seventh) and in the red zone
(eighth).
Obviously, weve changed a little, linebacker Brian Cushing said. A lot of guys
have had to step up in his place. We understand that hes a player that will never fully
be replaced, but everyone collectively together can help out and try to piece it back
together as best we possibly can.
The front seven is excellent. Houstons base 3-4 defense features Jadeveon
Clowney at end, Vince Wilfork at nose
tackle, Whitney Mercilus at outside linebacker, and Cushing and Bernardrick
McKinney at inside linebackers. Clowney,
Wilfork, Mercilus and Cushing are former
first-round picks, and McKinney was a
second-round pick. Clowney, the first overall pick of the 2014 draft, has three sacks
and a team-high 12 tackles for losses. He
lines up across the defensive front. Mercilus, who had 12 sacks last season, has a
team-high 4.5 this season. McKinney has
101 tackles double Houstons No. 2 tackler and four sacks. That group helped
hold San Diegos star running back, Melvin Gordon, to 70 yards on 17 carries last
week, part of the NFLs best run defense
the past four weeks.
A strong pass rush will test quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has been on a
tear but also will be dealing with an injured
left hamstring.
Well see how he is movement-wise,
Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said.
But with that, youve got to make sure
hes got more answers for later in the time
clock of the play than he did when he could
move out of the pocket.
The pass rush is the major reason why
Houston ranks fifth against the pass. The
Texans three cornerbacks are Johnathan
Joseph, A.J. Bouye and Kareem Jackson.
Jackson, who mans the slot, was a firstround pick in 2010 and has a franchise-record 13 career interceptions. Joseph (11)
and Bouye (nine) lead the team in passes
defensed. Joseph, an 11th-year pro, was
an All-Pro in 2011 and a Pro Bowler in
2012 and 2013. Bouye has been penalized
five times in the last four weeks, including
three in last weeks loss to San Diego.
WHEN THE TEXANS

HAVE THE BALL
After winning the AFC South with a

9-7 record last year, the Texans spent big
SEE KEYS, PAGE 17
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
TEXANS DEPTH CHART
KEYS
FROM PAGE 16
Offense
FB
Jay Prosch
WR
Will Fuller
Braxton Miller
RT
Chris Clark
QB
Brock Osweiler
Tom Savage
RB
Lamar Miller
Alfred Blue
C
LG
RG
LT
TE
WR
Greg Mancz Xavier Sua-Filo Duane Brown C.J. Fiedorowicz DeAndre Hopkins
Jeff Allen
Josh Walker Tony Bergstrom Oday Aboushi Kendall Lamm Ryan Griffin
Jaelen Strong
Defense
DE
Jadeveon Clowney
Joel Heath
DT
Vince Wilfork
D.J. Reader
CB
Kareem Jackson
Charles James II
OLB
Whitney Mercilus
ILB
Brian Cushing
Max Bullough
SS
Quintin Demps
Eddie Pleasant
DE
Christian Covington
Antonio Smith
ILB
Benardrick McKinney
Brian Peters
FS
Andre Hal
Corey Moore
OLB
John Simon
Kamu Grugier-Hill
CB
Johnathan Joseph
A.J. Bouye
money to upgrade the offense. Chief among those

moves were the additions
of quarterback Brock Osweiler (four years, $72 million) and running back Lamar Miller (four years, $26
million). Only one of those
moves has worked out
and its not the quarterback.
Osweiler hasnt been
nearly good enough. His
72.2 passer rating ranks
31st in the league, and hes
tied for the league lead
with 13 interceptions. Only
the Rams Case Keenum,
the Jets Ryan Fitzpatrick
and Osweiler have thrown
more interceptions than
touchdowns.
Just watching through
the cut-ups, definitely can
make all the throws, and
I think hes a really good
fit for them, McCarthy
said. I would say it starts
with the run game for the
Texans. I know coaching
quarterbacks, you tend to
look at them differently,
but I think hes very athletic for a guy his height.
He has the ability to play
in the pocket and also play
out of the pocket. Thats
what were getting ready
for.
McCarthys
praise
notwithstanding,
Osweiler has done nothing
to upgrade the offense.

The Texans rank 22nd in
scoring, 29th in total offense and 31st in passing.
Their third-down attack
has been OK (14th), but
theyre 30th in the red
zone.
Last season, receiver DeAndre Hopkins
caught 111 passes for
1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns on his way to
the Pro Bowl. Hes way
off those numbers this
year, though, with just 55
catches, 610 yards and
three touchdowns. Hes
been flanked by a pair of
rookies, speedster Will
Fuller and former Ohio
State quarterback Braxton Miller. Fuller has 30
catches for 449 yards
(team-high 15.0-yard average). Tight end C.J.
Fiedorowicz and Ryan
Griffin are second and
third on the team with
39 and 34 receptions, respectively.
While Osweiler has
been a disappointment,
Lamar
Miller
ranks
fourth in the NFL with
881 rushing yards. Alfred
Blue, last years leading rusher, has chipped
in 225 yards and a 4.9yard average. Miller has
game-breaking
speed
while Blue is the power
threat. They run behind
an offensive line in which
two starters (center Nick
Martin and right tackle
17
Derek Newton) are on injured reserve.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Packers surprisingly got the better of the

Eagles powerhouse special teams last week. Now,
can they build on that performance against a mediocre Texans special teams?
The standout is punter
Shane Lechler, a 17th-year
pro and six-time All-Pro
who still has a big leg (48.4
average, 39.6 net). Kicker
Nick Novak is 16 of 16 on
field goals from inside of 40
yards but 5 of 7 from 40 to
49 and 2 of 5 from 50-plus
yards.
The Texans handed the
return duties to rookie Tyler Ervin, who did better
on punts (10.6 average)
than kickoffs (18.8). Hes
been sidelined by injured
ribs, so OBrien turned to
Fuller, who has a 67-yard
touchdown on a punt return.
COACHING
McCarthy is looking
for his 110th regular-season win. Hed be the 36th
coach in NFL history to
get to that milestone. He is
117-68-1 overall, including
109-61-1 in the regular season. OBrien is 24-20 (0-1
postseason) in his third
season. He led the Texans to 9-7 records in each
of the past two seasons.
18
PACKERS ROSTER
NFL STANDINGS
East
Team
New England
Miami
Buffalo
N.Y. Jets
South
Team
Houston
Tennessee
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
North
Team
Baltimore
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Cleveland
West
Team
Oakland
Kansas City
Denver
San Diego
AFC
W
9
7
6
3
L
2
4
5
8
T
0
0
0
0
W
6
6
5
2
L
5
6
6
9
T
0
0
0
0
W
6
6
3
0
L
5
5
7
12
T
0
0
1
0
W
9
8
7
5
L
2
3
4
6
T
0
0
0
0
East
Team
Dallas
N.Y. Giants
Washington
Philadelphia
South
Team
Atlanta
Tampa Bay
New Orleans
Carolina
North
Team
Detroit
Minnesota
Green Bay
Chicago
West
Team
Seattle
Arizona
Los Angeles
San Francisco
NFC
W
10
8
6
5
L
1
3
4
6
T
0
0
1
0
W
7
6
5
4
L
4
5
6
7
T
0
0
0
0
W
7
6
5
2
L
4
5
6
9
T
0
0
0
0
W
7
4
4
1
L
3
6
7
10
T
1
1
0
0
NFL SCHEDULE
Sundays Games
Kansas City at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Los Angeles at New England, 1 p.m.
Philadelphia at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Miami at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Denver at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
Detroit at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
San Francisco at Chicago, 1 p.m.
Houston at Green Bay, 1 p.m.

Buffalo at Oakland, 4:05 p.m.
Washington at Arizona, 4:25 p.m.
Tampa Bay at San Diego, 4:25 p.m.
N.Y. Giants at Pittsburgh, 4:25 p.m.
Carolina at Seattle, 8:30 p.m.
Mondays Games
Indianapolis at N.Y. Jets, 8:30 p.m.
INJURY REPORT
Packers
T/G Don Barclay, shoulder
LB Jayrone Elliott, hamstring
LB Kyler Fackrell, hamstring
CB Demetri Goodson, knee
CB LaDarius Gunter, back
G T.J. Lang, foot
LB Blake Martinez, knee
LB Clay Matthews, shoulder
CB Damarious Randall, groin
QB Aaron Rodgers, hamstring
LB Jake Ryan, ankle
C/G JC Tretter, knee
Texans
RB Alfred Blue, calf
CB A.J. Bouye, ankle
ILB Max Bullough, elbow
T Chris Clark, shoulder/hip

DE Jadeveon Clowney, elbow/wrist
ILB Brian Cushing, back
RB Tyler Ervin, ribs
TE C.J. Fiedorowicz, shoulder
WR Will Fuller, knee
TE Ryan Friffin, neck
S Andre Hal, illness
CB Kareem Jackson, hamstring
CB Jonathan Joseph, shin
RB Lamar Miller, ankle/ribs
FB Jay Prosch, hamstring
NT D.J. Reader, shoulder
OLB John Simon, chest
DE Antonio Smith, hip
WR Jaelen Strong, ankle
NT Vince Wilfork, groin
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
#
2
7
10
11
12
17
18
21
22
23
24
25
28
29
32
33
36
39
40
42
44
47
48
50
51
52
53
54
56
61
63
64
65
67
68
69
70
NAME
Crosby, Mason
Hundley, Brett
Schum, Jacob
Davis, Trevor
Rodgers, Aaron
Adams, Davante
Cobb, Randall
Clinton-Dix, Ha Ha
Ripkowski, Aaron
Randall, Damarious
Rollins, Quinten
Evans, Marwin
Hawkins, Josh
Brice, Kentrell
Micahel, Christine
Hyde, Micah
Gunter, LaDarius
Goodson, Demetri
Kerridge, Joe
Burnett, Morgan
Starks, James
Ryan, Jake
Thomas, Joe
Martinez, Blake
Fackrell, Kyler
Matthews, Clay
Perry, Nick
Bradford, Carl
Peppers, Julius
Goode, Brett
Linsley, Corey
Pennel, Mike
Taylor, Lane
Barclay, Don
Murphy, Kyle
Bakhtiari, David
Lang, T.J.
POS.
K
QB
P
WR
QB
WR
WR
S
FB
CB
CB
S
CB
S
RB
DB
CB
CB
FB
S
RB
LB
LB
LB
LB
LB
LB
LB
LB
LS
C
DT
G
T/G
T
T
G
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
5-10 189
5-11 200
5-10 220
6-0 197
6-2 201
5-11 197
6-0 245
6-1 209
6-2 218
6-2 240
6-1 227
6-2 237
6-5 245
6-3 255
6-3 265
6-1 248
6-7 287
6-1 255
6-3 301
6-4 332
6-3 324
6-4 305
6-6 305
6-4 310
6-4 318
AGE EXP. COLLEGE

32 10 Colorado
23 2
UCLA
27 2
Buffalo
23 R California
32 12 California
23 3
Fresno State
26 6
Kentucky
23 3
Alabama
23 2
Oklahoma
24 2
Arizona State
24 2
Miami (Ohio)
23 R Utah State
23 R East Carolina
22 R Louisiana Tech
26 4
Texas A&M
25 4
Iowa
24 2
Miami
27 3
Baylor
24 R
Michigan
27 7
Georgia Tech
30 7
Buffalo
24 2
Michigan
25 2
South Carolina State
22 R Stanford
24 R Utah State
30 8
Southern California
26 5
Southern California
24 2
Arizona State
36 15 North Carolina
31 9
Arkansas
25 3
Ohio State
25 3
Colorado State-Pueblo
26 4
Oklahoma State
27 5
West Virginia
22 R Stanford
24 4
Colorado
28 8
Eastern Michigan
73
75
76
78
81
82
83
87
88
89
91
94
95
97
98
99
Tretter, JC
Bulaga, Bryan
Daniels, Mike
Spriggs, Jason
Allison, Geronimo
Rodgers, Richard
Janis, Jeff
Nelson, Jordy
Montgomery, Ty
Cook, Jared
Elliott, Jayrone
Lowry, Dean
Jones, Datone
Clark, Kenny
Guion, Letroy
Ringo, Christian
C/G
T
DT
T
WR
TE
WR
WR
WR
TE
LB
DE
DE
DT
DT
DT
6-4
6-5
6-0
6-6
6-3
6-4
6-3
6-3
6-0
6-5
6-3
6-6
6-4
6-3
6-4
6-1
307
314
310
301
202
257
219
217
216
254
255
296
285
314
322
298
25
27
27
22
22
24
25
31
23
29
24
22
26
20
29
24
4
7
5
R
R
3
3
9
2
8
3
R
4
R
9
1
Cornell
Iowa
Iowa
Indiana
Illinois
California
Saginaw Valley State
Kansas State
Stanford
South Carolina
Toledo
Northwestern
UCLA
UCLA
Florida State
Louisiana-Lafayette
#
20
27
34
37
38
NAME
Dorleant, Makinton
Lacy, Eddie
Jackson, Don
Shields, Sam
Crockett, John
Reserve/Injured
POS. HT. WT. AGE EXP. COLLEGE
CB 5-11 182 23 R Northern Iowa
RB 5-11 234 26 4
Alabama
RB
5-10 208 23 R
Nevada
CB 5-11 184 28 7
Miami
RB 6-0 217 24 1
North Dakota State
#
13
16
35
49
57
62
85
86
93
96
NAME
Stewart, Dez
Waters, Herb
Whitehead, Jermaine
Mathews, Derick
Flores, Jacob
Patrick, Lucas
Sandland, Beau
Cajuste, Devon
Gilbert, Reggie
Price, Brian
Practice Squad
POS. HT. WT. AGE EXP. COLLEGE
WR 6-0 200 23 R
Ohio Dominican
WR 6-0 188 23 R Miami
S
5-11 195 23 1
Auburn
LB
6-0 232 24 1
Houston
C
6-4 300 22 R
Dartmouth
G
6-3 313 23 R Duke
TE
6-5 252 23 R
Montana State
TE 6-4 235 23 R Stanford
LB
6-3 261 23 R Arizona
DT 6-3 318 22 R Texas-San Antonio
Roster as of Wednesday
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
NFL LEADERS
TEXANS ROSTER
# Name
3 Savage, Tom
5 Weeden, Brandon
8 Novak, Nick
9 Lechler, Shane
10 Hopkins, DeAndre
11 Strong, Jaelen
12 Mumphery, Keith
13 Miller, Braxton
15 Fuller, Will
17 Osweiler, Brock
20 Jones, Don
21 Bouye, A.J.
24 Joseph, Johnathan
25 Jackson, Kareem
26 Miller, Lamar
27 Demps, Quintin
28 Blue, Alfred
29 Hal, Andre
31 James II, Charles
32 Nelson, Robert
33 Hunt, Akeem
34 Ervin, Tyler
35 Pleasant, Eddie
41 Grimes, Jonathan
43 Moore, Corey
45 Prosch, Jay
46 Weeks, Jon
50 Dent, Akeem
51 Simon, John
52 Peters, Brian
53 Bullough, Max
55 McKinney, Benardrick
56 Cushing, Brian
59 Mercilus, Whitney
63 Lamm, Kendall
65 Mancz, Greg
68 Bergstrom, Tony
71 Sua-Filo, Xavier
73 Walker, Josh
74 Clark, Chris
Pos.
QB
QB
K
P
WR
WR
WR
WR
WR
QB
DB
CB
CB
CB
RB
S
RB
S
CB
CB
RB
RB
S
RB
S
FB
LS
ILB
OLB
ILB
ILB
ILB
ILB
OLB
T
C
C
G
G
T
Active
Ht. Wt.
6-4 230
6-4 230
6-0 200
6-2 230
6-1 215
6-2 205
6-0 210
6-1 205
6-0 180
6-8 235
5-11 195
6-0 191
5-11 185
5-10 185
5-10 220
5-11 210
6-2
225
5-10 195
5-9 185
5-10 170
5-10 200
5-10 185
5-10 200
5-10 210
6-2 200
6-1 255
5-10 250
6-1 250
6-1 260
6-4 240
6-3 245
6-4 260
6-3 255
6-4 265
6-6 310
6-4 310
6-5 315
6-4 320
6-5 328
6-5 305
Age
26
33
35
40
24
22
24
23
22
26
26
25
32
28
25
31
25
24
26
26
23
23
27
26
23
24
30
29
26
28
24
24
29
26
24
24
30
25
25
31
Exp. College
3 Pittsburgh
5 Oklahoma State
9 Maryland
17 Texas A&M
4 Clemson
2 Arizona State
2 Michigan State
R Ohio State
R Notre Dame
5 Arizona State
4 Arkansas State
4 Central Florida
11 South Carolina
7 Alabama
5 Miami (Fla.)
9 Texas-El Paso
3 LSU
3 Vanderbilt
3 Charleston Southern
2 Arizona State
2 Purdue
R San Jose State
4 Oregon
4 William & Mary
1 Georgia
3 Auburn
7 Baylor
6 Georgia
4 Ohio State
2 Northwestern
2 Michigan State
2 Mississippi St.
8 Southern California
5 Illinois
2 Appalachian State
2 Toledo
5 Utah
3 UCLA
2 Middle Tennessee State
8 Southern Mississippi
75 Wilfork, Vince
76 Brown, Duane
78 Aboushi, Oday
79 Allen, Jeff
84 Griffin, Ryan
87 Fiedorowicz, C.J.
89 Anderson, Stephen
90 Clowney, Jadeveon
93 Heath, Joel
94 Smith, Antonio
95 Covington, Christian
97 Kamalu, Ufomba
98 Reader, D.J.
NT
T
G
G
TE
TE
TE
DE
DE
DE
DE
DE
NT
6-2
6-4
6-5
6-4
6-6
6-5
6-2
6-5
6-6
6-3
6-2
6-6
6-3
325
315
308
306
265
265
230
270
300
290
305
295
335
35
31
25
26
26
25
23
23
23
35
23
24
22
13
9
4
5
4
3
R
3
R
12
2
R
R
Miami (Fla.)
Virginia Tech
Virginia
Illinois
Connecticut
Iowa
California
South Carolina
Michigan State
Oklahoma State
Rice
Miami
Clemson
# Name
7 Fairbairn, Kaimi
23 Drummond, Kurtis
30 Johnson, Kevin
36 Dillon, K.J.
39 Ballentine, Lonnie
48 Rivers, Gerald
49 Washington Jr., Tony
57 Scarlett, Brennan
66 Martin, Nick
72 Newton, Derek
91 Still, Devon
99 Watt, J.J.
Pos.
K
S
CB
S
S
OLB
OLB
OLB
C
T
DE
DE
Reserve/Injured
Ht. Wt. Age
6-0 190 22
6-1 200 24
6-0 185 24
6-0 200 22
6-3 225 23
6-2 250 26
6-4 255 24
6-4 260 23
6-4 300 23
6-6 315 29
6-5 305 27
6-5 295 27
Exp. College
R UCLA
2 Michigan State
2 Wake Forest
R West Virginia
3 Memphis
2 Mississippi
1 Oregon
R Stanford
R Notre Dame
6 Arkansas State
4 Penn State
6 Wisconsin
# Name
22 Rice, Denzel
38 Hilliard, Kenny
42 Rashad, Shakeel
47 Lee, Eric
62 Slade, Chad
70 Adams, Jeff
82 Williams, Wendall
88 Allen, RaShaun
96 Pettinato, Dan
Pos.
DB
RB
ILB
OLB
G
T
WR
TE
DE
Practice Squad
Ht. Wt. Age
6-0 196 23
5-11 226 25
6-2 240 22
6-3 260 22
6-5 315 24
6-7 305 27
5-10 185 26
6-4 250 26
6-4 277 24
Exp. College
2 Coastal Carolina
1 LSU
R North Carolina
R South Florida
2 Auburn
2 Columbia
R Cumberlands
2 Southern University
1 Arizona
Roster as of Wednesday
SCORING, NONKICKERS
Points
David Johnson ARI 78
Blount NE 72
E. Elliott DAL 72
Gordon SD 66
D. Murray TEN 66
Mi. Evans TB 62
L. McCoy BUF 62
Anto. Brown PIT 60
L. Murray OAK 54
Jo. Nelson GB 54
Ry. Mathews PHI 50
LEADING RECEIVERS
Yards
Ju. Jones ATL 1140
Mi. Evans TB 1020
Anto. Brown PIT 998
A. Green CIN 964
Hilton IND 942
A. Cooper OAK 922
Beckham NYG 915
T. Pryor CLE 855
Sanders DEN 830
Fitzgerald ARI 802
M. Wallace BAL 792
SCORING, KICKERS
Points
Du. Hopkins WAS 100
Santos KC 96
Sturgis PHI 96
Tucker BAL 96
Lambo SD 95
D. Bailey DAL 94
McManus DEN 94
Janikowski OAK 89
Crosby GB 86
Lutz NO 86
Novak HOU 86
LEADING RUSHERS
Yards
E. Elliott DAL 1199
D. Murray TEN 1043
Gordon SD 908
L. Miller HOU 881
Blount NE 869
Ajayi MIA 847
L. McCoy BUF 819
Jo. Howard CHI 766
Forte NYJ 759
D. Freeman ATL 729
LEADING PASSERS
Rating
Brady NE 116.7
M. Ryan ATL 114.3
Brees NO 109.1
Prescott DAL 108.6
Mariota TEN 101.9
Cousins WAS 101.4
D. Carr OAK 100.5
Roethlisberger PIT 99.5
M. Stafford DET 99.3
S. Bradford MIN 98.3
YARDS FROM SCRIMMAGE

Total
E. Elliott DAL 1502
D. Murray TEN 1352
Gordon SD 1273
Ju. Jones ATL 1140
L. Bell PIT 1136
S. Ware KC 1077
L. Miller HOU 1032
Mi. Evans TB 1020
Jo. Howard CHI 1008
19
20
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
AROUND THE NORTH
At 38, Vikings CB Terence Newman still winning vs. his age

Newman
helping new
corners get
up to speed
Thirteen years after the Dallas Cowboys drafted Terence Newman, the 38-year-old cornerback is still going strong for the Minnesota Vikings.
Terence Newman was

on the inactive list at Detroit last week for the first
time in two seasons with
Minnesota.
Newman had a neck
injury that didnt have
enough time to heal with
only three days between
games.
The oldest cornerback
in the NFL by almost two
years, Newman, 38, has
been a stalwart in the
secondary for coach Mike
Zimmer, his defensive coordinator with Cincinnati
in 2012-13 and with Dallas
from 2003-06.
Newmans savviness on
the field, understanding
of Zimmers scheme and
SEE NEWMAN, PAGE 21
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
NEWMAN
FROM PAGE 20
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Trae Waynes (26) has been able to ease his way into the lineup this season by watching veteran
Terence Newman.
well-honed technique have been

more than enough to make up for
any lost agility and speed needed
to cover wide receivers 15 years
younger than him.
I call him old man to his face,
but I call him kid to everyone
else, Zimmer said.
With Newman on one side,
standout Xavier Rhodes on the
other and veteran Captain Munnerlyn playing the slot in the nickel package, the Vikings have been
able to bring 2015 first-round draft
pick Trae Waynes along slowly
and limited the exposure of 2016
second-round draft pick Mackensie Alexander.
Waynes has taken more and
more of Newmans playing time as
hes improved, but in the 16-13 loss
to the Lions last week the leader of
the group, Newman, was missed.
Munnerlyn described him as
an extra coach on the field. Asked
what age hed think his teammate
was without knowing while simply watching him play, Munnerlyn
estimated mid-20s. An exaggeration, sure, but the Vikings wouldnt
have re-signed him if he were a liability.
He still can run, man, and hes
a very smart football player, Munnerlyn said. But by him being so
Post Acute & Long Term Care
1436 South Lincoln Street

Shawano, WI 54166
715-526-6111
21
smart, I know hes old. Hes seen a

lot of football.
Newman, whos second among
active players with 41 interceptions behind DeAngelo Hall, has
often cited red wine as his key to
longevity. Good genes have helped
with durability, of course, as has a
diligent approach to fitness, training and recovery.
Theres days I feel like a kid,
and theres days I feel like Zim. It
comes and goes, but most of the
time I do feel pretty good walking in here and going to practice.
I love going to meetings and looking and film and listening to him
talk, listening to our coaches talk,
Newman said.
He added, Being older, I get to
sit in a room with a bunch of young
guys and get what music is hip
these days and the hot spots and
listen to some of their stories. Its
still fun for me, very much so.
As long as theres still some
tread on those tires, Newman said
this week, hell keep trying to play.
Im not as quick as I used to
be, but where I lack in just pure
speed and quickness I kind of try
and make up for the mental part of
it, Newman said, adding:
There comes a point in everybodys career where youre not
going to have what you had when
you came in, and the only way to
pick up slack is to really become a
student of the game.
22
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
AROUND THE NORTH
Lions enter stretch with chance at division title

Detroit has 1
game lead
on Vikings
The Detroit Lions are

alone in first place, and
their top competitors in
the NFC North have been
floundering.
Its an opportunity for
the Lions to win their first
division title since 1993
but their outlook could
change awfully quickly if the
next few weeks go badly.
Confidence is building, but one thing we know
about the league is, it will
humble you, defensive
lineman Kerry Hyder said.
The Lions play three of
their next four games on the
road, starting this weekend
at New Orleans. With road
games against the New
York Giants and Dallas also
coming up, there are plenty
of potential pitfalls awaiting

a Detroit team that is in this
position only because of its
success in close games.
The Lions (7-4) havent
had a game decided by
more than seven points
all season. Theyve won
enough of them to take a
one-game lead over Minnesota in the division, and Detroit has the tiebreaker over
the Vikings after sweeping
them. But the Lions have
room for improvement in all
phases.
Like anything else in
our system, we can get better, coach Jim Caldwell
said. We can get better defensively. We can get better
offensively. We can get better in our kicking game.
Detroit has had its share
of chances recently to end
its division title drought. In
2011, the Lions won their
first five games, but they
finished 10-6, well behind
Green Bay. In 2013, the Lions were 6-3 and in sole
possession of first place.
The Packers were dealing

with major injury problems,
but Detroit lost six of its last
seven games, costing coach
Jim Schwartz his job.
The following season,
the Lions went 11-5 but lost
a showdown at Green Bay
in a regular-season finale
that decided the division.
Detroit has won six of
its last seven after beating
Minnesota on Thanksgiving, and the Vikings have
dropped five of six. Green
Bay is below .500. If the Lions win two of their remaining five games, that might
be enough to keep them in
first place. They have home
games against Chicago and
Green Bay still to come.
The road games will be
tough, though, starting with
Sunday at New Orleans.
Obviously
Drew
(Brees) has been one of
the best quarterbacks
in the league for a long
time, pretty prolific. Those
guys have been together,
Caldwell said. Hes been
The Detroit Lions have trailed in the fourth quarter of every game this season but still find themselves in first
place of the NFC North, chasing an elusive division title yet again with a difficult road ahead.
in the same system.

The Saints (5-6) arent in
great shape in the playoff
race, but unlike Minnesota,
New Orleans has been playing fairly well lately. The

Saints have won five of eight
since an 0-3 start.
New Orleans has scored

at least 32 points in six of
its 11 games. Detroit has
reached that total only once.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
23
AROUND THE NORTH
Bears lose linebacker Danny Trevathan for the season

Drops lead to loss to Titans
Dealing with several injuries, the Chicago Bears

have already had plenty of
issues this season.
Yet one more was added to the list.
At 2-9 heading into Sundays home game with the
San Francisco 49ers, the
Bears learned Monday
that linebacker Danny
Trevathan will miss the
rest of the season with a
ruptured right patellar
tendon.
The Bears also have a
problem catching the ball.
Receivers called it embarrassing after they dropped
10 passes in Sundays 2721 loss to the Tennessee
Titans.
I guess its just coincidence, wide receiver
Deonte Thompson said.
This group doesnt drop
balls. That was the first
time we ever came out and
performed like that.

Wide receivers Deonte Thompson and Marquess Wilson and running
back Jordan Howard all
dropped passes, but the
most painful for the Bears
was the one by wide receiver Josh Bellamy. He
dropped a ball in the end
zone with less than a minute remaining when a
catch could have led to a
win.
I think its just a matter
of being out there more,
coach John Fox said.
The Bears used an allbackup group of receivers
with wide receiver Alshon
Jeffery suspended, wide
receiver Kevin White and
tight end Zach Miller both
on injured reserve.
Quarterback Matt Barkley made his first NFL
start after joining the
team at the start of the
regular season and led a
fourth-quarter comeback
from a 27-7 deficit.

I think Marquess Wilson, it was his second
game of the season, Fox
said. He hasnt been playing football for months and
months.
Like everything, if it
doesnt go real well, the
more you do it, the better
you get. I think those game
conditions are a little bit
different from practice. A
lot of those guys probably
played more in this game
than they had all season.
Fox suggested dropped
passes can become more
a mental problem than
physical.
I think everything we
do is mental, Fox said.
The reality is were in a
performance-based business. Weve got to get better at performing and executing in game situations.
Fox had a more positive
analysis for his new quarterback.
Barkley, replacing the
injured Jay Cutler, threw
Chicago Bears inside linebacker Danny Trevathan (59) will miss the rest
of the season with a ruptured right patellar tendon.
54 times, the third-highest

attempt total by a Bears
quarterback. He completed 28 of 54 for 316 yards
with three touchdowns
and two interceptions.
The Bears three touchdowns were more than

they scored in any game
this season.
Couple throws hed
like to have back, couple
things in protection we
might have changed, but
all in all I thought he operated pretty good, Fox
said. Not an ideal situation, down 21-7 and we had
to throw it a lot to get back
into it.
All-in-all I thought it
was a pretty good first outing.
The Bears latest injury
affects their defense in
several ways.
Trevathan, who signed
as a free agent after winning the Super Bowl with
Denver, was one of the veteran leaders on a relatively inexperienced defense
and an effective tackler.
It was a semi-contact
injury, kind of behind the
ball, Fox said. He planted wrong and the injury
occurred.
Hell fight back, hes
been through it before, had
a similar injury a couple
years ago that he worked
through. And hell do the
same off of this one.
24
WOLF RIVER MEDIA

Green &amp; Gold Express Week 13

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WOLF RIVER MEDIA

WEEK 13 PACKERS vs. TEXANS

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016