Our series on breakout players per division heads north, where the tradition is rich, though in some cases, that richness has been unfulfilling. But there’s always hope before a new season, and fantasy owners feel that same hope as they look for a player to come out of his shell and start producing at a rate higher than ever before. Here are a few candidates from the NFC North who may do just that.Chicago Bears - Devin Hester: Hester was third on the team in receptions last season for Chicago, hauling in 51 passes, but he led the squad with 665 receiving yards. In 2009, those numbers should see a major bump, for a plethora of reasons. The Bears have a new quarterback in Jay Cutler who possesses talent far surpassing anything the team has seen in years, they have precious few other options at wideout who have proven themselves, and Hester is now in his second year as a full-time receiver, so he should have taken a big step forward in learning the nuances of the position. For him to accumulate 70+ catches and 1,000 receiving yards isn’t out of the question; let’s just hope a jump in touchdown catches goes with it.

Detroit Lions - Kevin Smith: As a rookie running back last season, Smith had the usual ups and downs one might expect. But as you can see in the graph to the right, he excelled at the end of the year, running for at least 88 yards in his final three games while scoring a touchdown in each contest. Those successes, along with what should be natural improvement from his first season to his second, are reasons to expect Smith to reach new statistical heights. Though he’ll share some carries with the newly acquired Maurice Morris, Smith will still get more than enough touches to be productive.

Green Bay Packers - Brandon Jackson: It’s been a bit of a rough go for Jackson, a former second-round pick out of Nebraska. Green Bay needed a running back to step up in 2007, Jackson’s rookie year, and one did - Ryan Grant. After a superb campaign that year, Grant got a new contract and the large majority of the carries in 2008. But he blew nobody away, especially his fantasy owners. Grant’s three lost fumbles were just one fewer than his touchdown runs, and his average yards-per-carry of 3.9 on the season was below average. Meanwhile, Jackson, with just 45 carries, averaged 5.5 yards per tote, and showed prowess in the passing game as he caught 30 passes. Jackson is a necessary handcuff to Grant, and look for him to start stealing touches if Grant continues to plod along.

Minnesota Vikings - Sidney Rice: Rice did not have an especially fruitful sophomore season, hauling in just 15 passes for 141 yards. Yet among those 15 catches were four touchdowns, a rate that is highly promising. At six-foot-four, Rice is a big target in the end zone, and he’s shown proficiency in that area before, as he has eight touchdowns among his 46 career catches. He’s had a problem staying healthy, but if he can overcome that, big things could follow, regardless of who the quarterback may be.

One of the ways fantasy owners stave off futility while welcoming the glory of victory is by steering clear of the most frightening word that starts with the letter “B” in the English language: bust. Just looking at the word, in all its unholy incandescence, is enough to send fantasy owners over the edge. So let’s take a look at some players who are undoubtedly going to be popular picks this fantasy season that may wind up as, well, let’s just call it the “B” word.

Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia Eagles: The easiest to predict, Westbrook has been giving fantasy owners fits for years. He’s never played a full 16-game season, and though he’s played in 15 games in four separate years, he always seems to be on the injury list with some type of malady. Westbrook will turn 30 this season, the age that running backs frequently turn into ghosts of their former selves, and he’s already had surgery before the 2009 campaign even got underway. Add to it that the Eagles selected LeSean McCoy in the second round of the draft, and you are looking at someone in Westbrook who will likely not get the amount of touches he’s seen in the past.

Kurt Warner, QB, Arizona Cardinals: Out of 11 years in the NFL, Kurt Warner has played in 16 games just three times, and did it last year for the first time since 2001. The fact is he’s taken a beating over his career, and he’ll be 38 when the season begins. His last two seasons in Arizona have been magnificent, but there are other factors, besides the injuries, to consider. He lost his offensive coordinator in Todd Haley, and because the team selected Chris Wells in the first round, they should finally have something resembling a running game, so Warner won’t have to throw it as often as he did last season. He could very well have another productive year and stay completely healthy, but expecting the kind of numbers he put up a year ago is foolhardy.

Donald Driver, WR, Green Bay Packers: As the Packers have accumulated more young receiving talent over the past few years, the 34-year-old Driver’s numbers have waned. His reception total has gone from 92 to 82 to 74 since 2006, and his receiving yards have dropped from 1,295 to 1,048 to 1,012 in the same time period. The reason behind the fall is not necessarily that Driver’s talent is ebbing, but more like the Packers have gone to a new quarterback and have wideouts like Greg Jennings who keep getting better. Another drop in numbers is in the works for Driver, who may see his first sub-1,000 yard season since 2003.

Willie Parker, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers: Like the aforementioned Driver, Parker’s numbers have fallen in each of the past three seasons as well. He accumulated nearly 1,500 rushing yards in 2006 to nearly 800 last season. His yards per carry average also has atrophied, from 4.4 to 4.1 to 3.8 from 2006-2008. One of the reasons, of course, is health. That 2006 season was the only one in which Parker has played 16 games. He also showed signs of wearing down a bit last season despite playing in just 11 games. The graph to the right shows his rushing yards per week, and only a Week 17 performance against Cleveland saved him from having no 100-yard games in the final six weeks of the year. With Rashard Mendenhall, the team’s first-round pick in 2008, back and healthy, look for him to get plenty of carries, and possibly steal the load from Parker down the stretch.

The tight end position can be overlooked by fantasy owners from time to time and understandably so. Unlike the wide receiver and running back positions, most leagues just play one tight end, and they don’t put up quite the numbers those positions do either. In fact, of the top-40 players in catches last season, just six were tight ends, and of the top-40 players in receiving yards, just five were tight ends. However, there is one caveat: touchdowns. There were eight tight ends among the top-30 players in that category last season, making them a novel resource for fantasy owners who play in touchdown-heavy leagues. So let’s examine some rookies who may be able to contribute for fantasy owners this season.

Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions (First Round): The first tight end selected in the draft, Pettigrew should step right into the Lions’ lineup as a starter. The Oklahoma State product is known more for his prowess as a blocker than as a pass catcher, but as you can see in the graph to the right, the Lions need to find someone other than Calvin Johnson to throw to. Pettigrew possesses soft hands and his 6-foot-5 frame makes him a fitting target in the end zone. Fantasy owners shouldn’t expect huge overall numbers out of Pettigrew, but they should expect to see him take some trips into the end zone.

Chase Coffman, Cincinnati Bengals (Third Round): No tight end in college football history amassed more receptions (247) than Coffman did during his time at Missouri. Included in those 247 catches were 20 touchdowns, so Coffman clearly has a nose for the end zone. While not a Herculean specimen in terms of measureables, few tight ends in this draft class can match the pliability of Coffman’s hands. Though there are a number of tight ends on Cincinnati’s roster, none have proven to be as adept as a receiver as Coffman can be. He isn’t a proven blocker, so he won’t be an every-down player, but near the goal line, expect Carson Palmer to look his way.

Shawn Nelson, Buffalo Bills (Fourth Round): Like the Bengals, the Bills have a number of tight ends on the roster, but none that can match Nelson’s athletic ability. He has good speed for a tight end, and his hands are equally proficient. Coming out of Southern Miss, Nelson’s handicap is similar to Coffman’s in that he does not have the blocking ability to play every down, but he won’t need to in order to be effective. With Terrell Owens likely getting double-teamed inside the red zone, Nelson should be able to exploit defensive coverages with enough consistency to be on the receiving end of a number of Trent Edwards touchdown throws.

Cornelius Ingram, Philadelphia Eagles (Fifth Round): Only a torn ACL suffered before the 2008 season caused Ingram to drop to the fifth round. The Florida product will have as much opportunity as any rookie at the position because he should be the second tight end behind Brent Celek in Philly. Ingram has the ability to make big plays with his athletic ability, and he is a perfect fit in Andy Reid’s West Coast offense. The Eagles have too many other offensive options for fantasy owners to rely consistently on Ingram to find his way into the end zone, but he’ll still get his share of yards and catches.

We continue our series which looks at the fantasy value of each NFL division’s quarterbacks with a gander at the NFC North. The addition of Jay Cutler to Chicago gives the division’s field generals a bit more salience, but the situations in Detroit and Minnesota are anything but enticing for fantasy owners.

Chicago Bears: Those with experience playing fantasy football are used to ignoring Bears’ quarterbacks the way contestants on “The Biggest Loser” ignored salad. Now that Jay Cutler is in the fold with the team that should change. Cutler’s numbers grew last season, only his second as a full-time starter in the league, as he threw for over 4,500 yards and 25 scores. However, it should also be noted that he tossed 18 interceptions, the second-highest total in the NFL. That number needs to go down for him to delve into the elite category of fantasy signal-callers, but it’s something that should improve with time. It’s unlikely Cutler will reach the yardage total in Chicago that he attained last season in Denver, because the Bears do not run a pass-centric offense, and they lack the receiving firepower to do so.  But Cutler remains in the upper echelon of fantasy quarterbacks, and can confidently be labeled a QB1.

Detroit Lions: Move on, nothing to see here. Okay, we would be remiss not to at least touch on this situation, but fantasy owners should want to stay as far away from it as they would an erupting volcano, because using a Lions quarterback on their roster would be equally as dangerous. Daunte Culpepper will likely be the starting quarterback for the team, and his days of fantasy prestige are extinct. He’s simply keeping the seat warm for No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford, and despite the relative success of Matt Ryan last season in Atlanta, Detroit is a far different situation, and Stafford will not garner the same type of statistical achievement.

Green Bay Packers: Due to the lack of success by the Packers in 2008, Aaron Rodgers’ outstanding season went a bit under the radar. He was in the top four in both passing yards and passing touchdowns, with 4,038 and 28, respectively, but he also added more than 200 rushing yards and four rushing scores. His breakout campaign has put him near the top of the list of fantasy quarterbacks for the 2009 season. He maintains a top-flight stable of wideouts, and it’s one that could get better this year as guys like Greg Jennings, James Jones, and Jordy Nelson refine their games. With his unique abilities, Rodgers is a valuable fantasy commodity and obviously a QB1.

Minnesota Vikings: While the Vikings’ situation at quarterback is not as dire as Detroit’s, it’s not Xanadu either. They seem to have written Tarvaris Jackson off despite his fairly good play at the end of last season - in the team’s last four games he threw for 740 yards, eight touchdowns, and one interception while completing 64 percent of his passes - which led them to trade for career backup and 31-year-old Sage Rosenfels, who threw for six scores and 10 interceptions in 2008. He did have  a decent 2007 while filling in for Matt Schaub in Houston when Schaub went down with an injury. That year, Rosenfels tossed 15 touchdowns and 12 picks, and completed over 64 percent of his throws. Unless The Quarterback Who Is Retired Whose Name Shall Not Be Typed comes out of retirement - again - the job is likely Rosenfels’ to lose. While he’s not unworthy of being drafted by fantasy owners, he has limitations. The team lacks a consistent set of receivers, and clearly runs the offense through Adrian Peterson. Couple that with Rosenfels’ inglorious past, and the best you should hope for is a decent QB2.

With three weeks left in the NFL’s regular season, the NFC playoff picture is shaping up to be a heckuva tight race. Eleven teams in the National Football Conference have at least seven wins this season, including all four teams in the East and South divisions, and only three teams have more than eight wins. Put another way, eight teams in the NFC have either seven or eight wins, meaning these final three games carry a great deal of weight.

Let’s take a look at the four divisions individually and project some finishes.

NFC South

Current Standings

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3)

2. Carolina Panthers (9-3)

3. Atlanta Falcons (8-5)

4. New Orleans Saints (7-6)

Without a doubt the NFC South is the tightest race in the NFC. Two games separate the first and last teams, and the final three weeks feature some interesting matchups: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta and Carolina at New Orleans. Each of those games could prove critical, especially because no team has an easy route to the postseason, although it isn’t hard to argue Carolina has the most difficult road to travel, with games against Denver, (at) New York (Giants), and (at) New Orleans. Looking at the individual schedules, I think it’s fair to project Tampa Bay will take the division if it can earn a win next week at Atlanta.

NFC East

Current Standings

1. New York Giants (11-2 - Clinched)

2. Dallas Cowboys (8-5)

3. Philadelphia Eagles (7-5-1)

4. Washington Redskins (7-6)

Though the New York Giants have already clinched a playoff berth and is working to secure homefield advantage throughout, the rest of the division is still scrapping for a Wild Card spot. The Cowboys were red hot before falling to Pittsburgh week 14, leaving the door open for both Philadelphia and Washington. Of the three teams, however, only Philadelphia has a winning streak (2 games) and the slight advantage over Washington, having a tie instead of a loss. Unfortunately, the Eagles also face difficulty weeks 16 and 17, playing both the Cowboys and Redskins. Winning both of those games would ensure second place in the division, but it may take winning all three to have any shot at a Wild Card berth because of the depth of talent in the South.

NFC North

Current Standings

1. Minnesota Vikings (8-5)
2. Chicago Bears (7-6)
3. Green Bay Packers (5-8)
4. Detroit Lions (0-13)

This race comes down to Chicago vs. Minnesota, and it’s one that should be tight. The NFC North projects sending only the division winner to the postseason. Because both teams have very difficult weeks ahead, the advantage is probably Minnesota’s, especially when considering the Vikings have won three straight and have a temporarytie-breaker, with one more division win than the Bears who play the Packers at home week 16.

NFC West

Current Standings

1. Arizona Cardinals (8-5 - clinched)
2. San Francisco 49ers (5-8)
3. Seattle Seahawks (2-11)
4. St. Louis Rams (2-11)

There isn’t much to say here. The Cardinals have already clinched a berth and the rest of the division is eliminated.

Projections

These are just some projections I’m going to make for the sake of it. Take them with a grain of salt because your guess is as good as mine. Still, here’s what I’m thinking:

Division Winners (and projected seed order)

1. New York

2. Tampa Bay

3. Minnesota

4. Arizona

Wild Card Teams

5. Carolina Panthers

6. Philadelphia Eagles

The Green Bay Packers are 5-5, but the record doesn’t do justice to the team’s talent. It’s hardly a stretch to suggest the Packers could quite easily have three more wins when considering three losses were within three points.

Unfortunately, talent can carry a team just so far. It doesn’t matter that Aaron Rodgers is a fantastic quarterback or that Green Bay has one of the league’s most underrated defenses; when it’s all said and done, the record is what counts. Nothing else.

Of course, there is some very good news for cheeseheads reading this. Green Bay might have a 5-5 record, but that’s enough to keep it atop the NFC North. Minnesota and Chicago have the same record, but both teams are shaky at best. It’s heartening to consider that the Packers are 3-1 in division games, the most recent victory being a rout over the Bears. It is also worth noting that Green Bay’s one division loss was a one-point loss at Minnesota, a game that Green Bay would have won if Adrian Peterson wasn’t so darn impressive and Mason Crosby had nailed the game-winning field goal.

Are the Packers good enough to make a run in the postseason, assuming they get that far? Well, it’s a bit complicated.

Green Bay is not without weaknesses, but some have been a bit exaggerated. For example, many pundits are quick to point out that the offense has had trouble running the ball. While this is true to some degree, it’s a flawed argument. Consider Ryan Grant’s last six starts: in each he rushed for at least 75 yards. And in three of Green Bay’s last four games he found his way to the endzone. His yard per carry average this season is also deceptive; he has kept it at a level of 4.3 or higher in his last three starts.

Watching the Packers, I’ve picked up on two more troubling observations. First, Green Bay’s offense moves the ball down the field but sometimes has trouble scoring touchdowns; it seems that Coach Mike McCarthy has no problem settling for field goals. That wouldn’t be a big issue but it has kept the Packers from pulling away and winning several games. The most obvious of these was the loss against Tennessee. Green Bay’s offense had 390 yards but scored just one touchdown. Green Bay was able to move the ball; in fact, all three of the field-goal scoring drives were of at least 51 yards. Not scoring touchdowns allowed Tennessee to hang with Green Bay in a game that could have been won by the Packers.

Second, Green Bay has an outstanding defense. I don’t know anyone who would deny that. But near the end of close games, fans can witness it changing its gameplan to avoid giving up anything too big. This “prevent defense” cost them victories against both Tennessee and Minnesota. In the former, Green Bay couldn’t stop Kerry Collins from driving the Titans straight down the field at the end of the fourth quarter, nor could the Packers stop the run in overtime. Against Minnesota, Adrian Peterson picked the Packers apart in the fourth quarter. Somehow - I’m not certain how this could happen - the Packers appeared to forget Peterson is the Vikings’ best player.

To return to the original question, can the Packers make a run in the postseason? Absolutely, but it will take the right coaching. The defense is loaded with ball hawks in the secondary and has little trouble forcing turnovers. On offense, as pointed out earlier, the Packers running game has been improving in recent weeks, whilst Aaron Rodgers may be considered the best first year starter in the NFL this season in not one of the league’s best starters. Green Bay’s fate this season is heavily dependent on Mike McCarthy. He has been given a great group of athletes - now it is his responsibility to steer them to a championship.

—-

On a side note that is completely unrelated to this post, I’d like to thank everyone who has read this blog. I looked at my profile today and noticed that my blogs have drawn one million views.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my thoughts on the NFL and fantasy football.

Sincerely,
Tom Van Wyhe

The Lowdown

The Lions are still gunning for that elusive first win of the season, while Jacksonville is trying to end its own losing streak of (currently) two games. The Jaguars have scored 30 points in just one game this season and less than 20 in four. Detroit, in perfectly opposite form, has allowed fewer than 20 once this season and more than 30 in four games. Seems like the perfect storm, right?

Love ‘em

David Garrard - JAC - QB - Last week snapped a four game touchdown streak for Garrard, but given how often he throws the football (at least 30 times per game most weeks this season), it only makes sense that he finds the endzone against the Lions. Plus, he’s a sure bet to pass for 200 yards.

Maurice Jones-Drew - JAC - RB - MJD has scored in 3 of his last 4 games and in 4 of his last 6 this season. And though he doesn’t have a lot of rushing yards going into this game, and thus much evidence to support thinking he will rush for 100 yards, let’s just take a good look at Detroit’s defense and ponder: who can’t run up, over, and around the Lions?

Calvin Johnson - DET - WR - Johnson is one of the league’s best fantasy wide receivers this season, and he’s been as good as gold the past four weeks. In that time he’s put together 18 receptions for 390 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. And there’s a good chance Daunte Culpepper will probably try shaking the rust off this week by lobbing some deep balls Johnson’s way.

Matt Jones - JAC - WR - If you’re not in a PPR league, you can probably continue scrolling down to the next set of names. But if you appreciate lots of catches - Jones has caught 7+ the past three weeks - you might want to take a second look at him.

Hate ‘em

Kevin Smith - DET - RB - Smith might have four rushing touchdowns this season and two in the last three weeks, but there should be some definite concern over his lack of yards. He hasn’t rushed for at least 70 yards yet this season, which means fantasy owners are looking at a single digit week if he can’t find the endzone, and even when he does find the endzone owners are looking at a max of 10 points.

Fred Taylor - JAC - RB - You probably didn’t need me to tell you that Taylor should ride the pine (assuming you for some reason have him on your roster), but just to be safe I’d like to point out that Taylor hasn’t rushed a touchdown this season or carried the ball more than 10 times since week three.

The Lowdown

Both NFC North teams are hunting for a win to move closer to the Bears and to distance themselves from one another. Green Bay lost a tough matchup in overtime against Tennessee last week, while the Vikings have scored 69 points in their last two games.

Love ‘em

Aaron Rodgers - GB - QB - If you don’t love Aaron Rodgers at this point, it’s either because you have no soul or because you faced him in one of his better games this season. In any case, there’s no reason to not love him in this matchup: Minnesota’s pass defense ranks 23rd in the NFL this season and last time he faced the Vikings - his first career NFL start - he had a pretty good game: 186 passing yards and 1 touchdown. Rodgers has looked good or very good in just about every start this season, and the Packers will be looking for a big win in order to distance themselves from Minnesota. Expect good things.

Adrian Peterson - MIN - RB - Adrian Peterson is on a tear, rushing for 100+ yards in each of his last three starts. He has five 100-yard games this season and he’s averaging more than 20 carries per game. Really, did I even have to give any reasons for loving this guy?

Bernard Berrian - MIN - WR - He’s been Gus Frerotte’s favorite target and for good reason: he’s the most talented receiver on the roster. He’s also been a favorite of fantasy football players, as he’s caught a touchdown in each of his last four starts and has finished his last six games with more than 75 receiving yards.

Hate ‘em

Gus Frerotte - MIN - QB - If you’re in a league that deducts interceptions, you might want to stay away from Frerotte. Though he’s passed for quite a few yards this season and he threw three touchdowns last week, Green Bay’s defense has plenty of ball-hawks, not to mention that Frerotte has throw an interception in his last three games (including a 4-interception game against Chicago).

Ryan Grant - GB - RB - Watching the Packers offense last week wasn’t a lot of fun if you started Ryan Grant. In fact, this season hasn’t been a lot of fun with him on the roster. He has rushed for at least 80 yards in his last four starts, but that’s party because of the incredible number of carries he’s had: 84 in his last three starts (that’s 28 per game). He’s scored just one touchdown this season and he’s a non-factor in the passing game, plus Minnesota has one of the best run defenses around.

Donald Driver - GB - WR - Okay, I love watching Donald Driver. He can flash one of those smiles and make you forget that, prior to last week, he hadn’t had an 80-yard game this season and had caught just one touchdown pass. Try not to forget, okay?

Summary

The Detroit Lions squandered a lead against the Bears, who lost Kyle Orton but were led to victory and to a 5-3 record by Rex Grossman. Detroit is now 0-8 and the only yet-to-win team in the NFL, whereas the Bears lead the NFC North by one game.

When Detroit had the Ball

Detroit scored all its points in the second quarter, getting into the endzone three times and kicking a field goal. The Lions led 23-13 at halftime, but, as they often do, Detroit failed to keep a rare lead.

Dan Orlovsky completed 28-of-47 for 292 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. His first interception, on Detroit’s opening drive, resulted in a field goal for Chicago, his second ended an otherwise promising third quarter drive. Though Chicago turned the ball over almost immediately and gave Detroit the ball at the Bears 36 yard line, Detroit ended up losing three yards and punting.

Detroit had almost no success running the football. Kevin Smith carried 14 times for 37 yards, though he did score a touchdown. He also added two receptions for 16 yards. Rudi Johnson, the Lions other running back, contributed with 8 carries for 17 yards.

Calvin Johnson led the Lions receiving corps with 8 receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown, but Shaun McDonald and Michael Gaines also had good, almost identical, days. McDonald had 6 receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown and Gaines finished with 6 receptions for 64 yards.

When Chicago had the Ball

Kyle Orton was injured on Chicago’s final drive of the second half and did not return. He was 8-of-14 for 108 yards with a rushing touchdown before being replaced by Rex Grossman, who looked okay for the most part. Grossman completed 9-of-19 for 58 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. Chicago’s defense minimized the negative effects of Grossman’s third quarter interception which gave Detroit the ball at the Bears 36 yard line. Grossman also ran a successful quarterback sneak for a touchdown.

Matt Forte carried 22 times for 126 yards and had a very good day, averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

Wide receiver Rashied Davis led the Bears in receiving with 5 receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown.

Where the Teams Now Stand

The Bears improved their record to 5-3 and have a one game lead in the NFC North, ahead of both Green Bay and Minnesota. Chicago plays Tennessee at home next week.

Detroit is 0-8 and the only winless team in the NFL. They play Jacksonville at home next week.

Summary

Green Bay and Tennessee played a heated defensive game in which only two touchdowns were scored. The Packers defense fell apart at the end of the fourth quarter, however, and lost in overtime, 19-16. The Titans remain the only undefeated team in the NFL, now 8-8, and continue to build a lead in the AFC South, whereas the Packers are now tied with Minnesota in the NFC North with a 4-4 record.

When Green Bay had the Ball

Aaron Rodgers threw an interception and fumbled the ball on back-to-back drives in the third quarter. The fumble put Tennessee at Green Bay’s 17 yard line and resulted in a field goal, but the Titans didn’t capitalize on the interception, punting it back to Green Bay. Rodgers was able to move Green Bay across the 50 yard line on a number of drives and within scoring range, but the Packers, as they have in previous games this season, could not get touchdowns when they needed them.

Rodgers completed 22-of-41 for 314 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. It is his third 300-yard game of the season and his 5th consecutive game with at least one touchdown pass. He has five interceptions this season.

Ryan Grant did not struggle running the ball against Tennessee the entire game - he carried for at least 5 yards on 9 carries - but only 3 of his 20 carries resulted in a first down. He finished with 86 rushing yards.

Donald Driver had a lot of success in the second half as the Titans focused more attention on Greg Jennings. Driver finished with a great game: 7 receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown. Four of his receptions moved the ball at least 19 yards and one was a 44 yard catch.

When Tennessee had the Ball

Green Bay was very effective at stopping Tennessee for much of the game and keeping the Titans out of the endzone. But Tennessees moved the ball 118 yards on its two final drives, the last of which resulted in an overtime field goal that ended the game. Quarterback Kerry Collins passed for 68 yards on those two drives.

Collins finished 18-of-37 for 180 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. Six of his completions were to running back Chris Johnson, who led the team in that category and yards, with 72 on the day.

Chris Johnson and LenDale White combined for 166 yards and 1 touchdown on 32 carries. Johnson handled the majority, with 24 for 89 yards and was very effective at the end of the game. White, meanwhile, contributed with 8 carries for 77 yards, thanks mostly to a 54 yard carry in the second quarter. That drive resulted in Tennessee’s only touchdown of the game, a 3 yard rush by Johnson.

Rob Bironas was 4-for-5 on field goals, missing a game-winning field goal in the fourth quarter (47 yards) and making the game-winner in overtime (41 yards).

Where the Teams Now Stand

Green Bay is 4-4 and tied with Minnesota for second in the NFC North. Chicago leads the division with a 5-3 record. Green Bay plays at Minnesota next week.

Tennessee is 8-0 and on top of the AFC South. They play at Chicago next week.