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Best of the SB Nation Network: November 26, 2009

2009-11-27T07:30:56Z

Here is the best of the SB Nation network for Thanksgiving day, November 26, 2009:

Football

- Is the Bears coaching staff at fault for Jay Cutler's issues? I'd say the offensive line myself.

- Daily Norseman makes a case for Brett Favre for MVP.

- Here are the recaps from today's Packers-Lions game from Acme Packing Company and Pride of Detroit.

College Football

- BCS Evolution breaks down the national title hopes and bowl chances for each team.

- Addicted to Quack said that Oregon State can't win at Oregon. Building the Dam clearly disagrees.

- The Only Colors reacts to reports of possible thuggery on the Michigan State campus.

College Basketball

- Blogging the Bracket features a Thanksgiving day breakdown.

- Gonzaga takes the Maui Invitational.

Hockey

- Habs Eyes on the Prize looks at the surprise retirement of the flower 25 years ago.

- A year ago today was the final home game for Colorado Avalanche legend Joe Sakic.

- In Lou We Trust brilliantly tears apart a lazy columnist from Newsday.

Baseball

- Pinstripe Alley looks at cost and value and economic realities of baseball.

- The top five reasons Washington Nationals fans have to be thankful this Thanksgiving.

Basketball

- The Celtics have plenty to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

- Pounding the Rock has a nice preview of the Texas-state rivalry.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Thanksgiving Day Feast

2009-11-27T04:38:45Z

Here’s the list of fantasy players who feasted on stats today. If you had these guys on your active roster, it won’t be just the turkey that helps you rest easy tonight; you got a big jump on the competition in Week 12.

QB
Aaron Rodgers – 348 yards, 3 TDs
Tony Romo – 309 yards, 2 TDs

WR
Miles Austin – 145 yards, 1 TD
Donald Driver – 142 yards, 1 TD

TE
Jason Witten – 107 yards

Packers Defense
Broncos Defense

Week 12 Start/Sit: Carson Palmer Faces The Browns

2009-11-27T04:30:32Z

by Gene Puskar - AP

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer leads the way as the Start of the Week. He should post eye-popping stats against the down-on-their-luck Browns.

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You would probably start Carson Palmer anyway, but this week he faces the Browns, who just gave up 5 TDs to the Lions.

Start

Carson Palmer, QB CIN - Last week the Cleveland Browns gave up 5 TD passes to Matthew Stafford. With all due respect to the rookie, he is no Caron Palmer. The Bengals may be without Cedric Benson again, so this might be the week Palmer lays it all on his shoulders.

Justin Forsett, RB SEA- This is a somewhat self-indulgent pick. I watched Forsett in the pre-season and decided to burn my final pick in the draft on him. I came so very close to dropping him at a couple points this year, but now I find I am counting on him to get me to the playoffs. Against the woeful Rams, look for Forsett to get plenty of touches and to rack up the yards in both rushing and receiving categories.

Michael Crabtree, WR SF- A bit of a risky recommendation but I see this team making a concerted effort to get the ball to the rookie. Last week, the Jacksonville secondary gave up almost 200 yards to Terrell Owens. We know that the Bills try to get the ball to TO. So my confidence in the Jags' ability to stop what they know is coming is at a low. This will be the rookie's best day of the season.

Greg Olsen, TE CHI - I am very reluctant to pick one of Jay Cutler's receivers, but they play Minnesota this week, so you know that running the ball is going to be damn near impossible. Cutler and Olsen have probably the best chemistry of any combo on that offense and if they have any hope of clawing their way through this game, it will most likely have to be on underneath stuff to Olsen.

Baltimore Ravens, DEF- Even if Big Ben plays in this game, you know it is going to be a hard-hitting, low-scoring affair. Both of the defenses in this game might even be relied upon to score the points necessary to win. I give the edge to the Ravens since the quarterback situation in Pittsburgh is tenuous. If Baltimore is able to knock out Roethlisberger, they will be home-free.

Sit

Rock Cartwright, RB WAS - Philadelphia has a pretty decent run defense. The Redskins are out of options. Rock is a tough runner, but there is a reason he has not been given a lot of carries in D.C.--he is simply not better than anyone Washington has had on the depth chart for a long time. He will struggle mightily against the Eagles defense.

Devin Hester, WR CHI- I gave you Greg Olsen, but his production is going to cost the rest of the Bears' passing offense some points. Hester lost his pants against the Eagles last week. He has lost a lot of fantasy luster in the last month or so. Don't expect him to fare that well against the Vikings.

Heath Miller, TE PIT- Against the tough Ravens defense, you would think Heath Miller would be a primary target for a quarterback looking to get rid of the ball quickly. I worry that in this game, Miller will be well-covered and Big Ben will rarely have the time check all the way to Miller after looking for Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes.

Washington Redskins, DEF- The Redskins defense has fought hard all year, almost single-handedly keeping that team in games. This week DeAngelo Hall is added to the list of banged-up players that already includes Albert Haynesworth. The Redskins have a hard enough time generating a decent pass rush without being without their best defensive lineman, and call ill-afford to be without their best cover guy. You would be wise to consider a different defensive unit this week.

Fantasy Stat Breakdown: The Baby Rams

2009-11-27T04:25:40Z

by Seth Perlman - AP

3 months ago: St. Louis Rams wide receiver Laurent Robinson, right, is pulled down by Atlanta Falcons cornerback Chevis Jackson after catching a pass for a seven-yard gain during the first quarter of a preseason NFL football game Friday, Aug. 21, 2009, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

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What's the correct term for a baby ram? Better ask St. Louis Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo because he has a receiving corps full of them.

- If you want to know one reason the Rams are so bad this season, it's because their receiving corps is so young. QB Marc Bulger has bruises older than these guys. Of the Rams' top five wide receivers, Laurent Robinson is the veteran of the group in his third season. Donnie Avery, Danny Amendola and Keenan Burton are in their second season while Brandon Gibson is a rookie.

- It's hard to notice the rookie among all the newbies on the Rams, but WR Brandon Gibson is averaging 6 catches for 77 yards over the past two games.

- Terrell Owens (remember him?) had more receiving yards on Sunday (197) than he had in his previous four games combined (164)

- Matt Stafford is only the fourth QB in Lions franchise history to throw for 400+ yards and the first one to ever do it in a game the Lions won. Leave it to the Lions to throw for over 400 yards and lose...three different times.

- Frank Gore had a three game touchdown streak snapped on Sunday.

- The Dolphins don't have a single player averaging 40 or more receiving yards a game.

- The Seahawks had a team total of four rushing yards this week. Leading rusher Justin Forsett averaged 1.1 yards per carry over eight carries.

- Giants TE Kevin Boss has only ten catches in the past three games, but four of them have been for touchdowns.

- The last four games where Tony Romo threw for fewer than 200 yards are all against NFC East opponents.

- Sunday's upset over the Bengals was the first time the Raiders have had 2 or more passing TDs in a game this season.

Josh McDaniels Says 'F**k' On Live Television

2009-11-27T02:41:45Z

Nothing beats a good live-TV f-bomb; fortunately, Broncos coach Josh McDaniel just obliged. (Obvious warning here: There is uncut swearing in the below clip.)

In case you couldn't tell, Josh McDaniels is very upset with his professional football team. At this point, it's safe to say NFL Network is very upset with Josh McDaniels.

Brayden Schenn To Make NHL Debut Tonight With Kings

2009-11-27T02:10:54Z

2009 5th overall draft pick Brayden Schenn will make his NHL debut tonight with the Los Angeles Kings, after signing a “One-Day NHL Regular Season Amateur Tryout Agreement.” Since Schenn has yet to sign an entry-level contract with the Kings, it seems that they have are using a rare contract to get Schenn up to the NHL for just a game.

Brayden Schenn is a highly touted offensive prospect from the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL, and leads his team this season with 39 points in 24 games. To make room for Schenn, the Kings placed Andrei Loktionov on injured reserve.

According to TSN the CHL and WHL both had to agree to the tryout, which will not affect Schenn’s amateur status. It’s an agreement that is very rare, and it will be interesting to see how Schenn responds while playing significant minutes tonight.

The Kings take on Vancouver tonight at 10:00 p.m. EST.

Not Too Bad, Eh Cowboys Fans?

2009-11-27T01:31:58Z

Dave at Blogging The Boys runs through a brief recap of the Cowboys’ 24-7 win, and hey, you know what? These Cowboys aren’t too shabby:

With all the firepower being efficiently managed by Tony Romo, the Cowboys were never in serious jeopardy during the game. Romo was back to his old self – hitting receivers in stride so they could pick up valuable yards after the catch instead of spraying the ball high or off-target. When Romo has his timing and rhythm down like he did today, the Cowboys offense can be a juggernaut.

On the other side of the ball, the Dallas defense is becoming a dominant force. Dallas sacked Bruce Gradkowski three times and hit him or put him under pressure on numerous plays. Anthony Spencer continued his recent streak of excellent play with two sacks and stout run defense. Jay Ratliff and DeMarcus Ware spent a fair amount of time in the Raiders backfield.

The Cowboys secondary is providing great coverage, allowing head coach/defensive coordinator to play a lot of man-to-man with press coverage. That makes it difficult for opposing QBs to get the ball out quickly to avoid the Cowboys pass rush. With Keith Brooking finally solidifying the middle, the Dallas defense is proving this year they are part of the solution, not the problem.

Denver's D Reigns Supreme As Broncos Top Giants In Thanksgiving Finale

2009-11-27T01:23:07Z

by David Zalubowski - AP

about 8 hours ago: New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, bottom, is sacked by Denver Broncos linebacker Wesley Woodyard during the second quarter of an NFL football game in Denver, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/ David Zalubowski)

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Lone Star Showdown: Texas Defeats Texas A&M 49-39

2009-11-27T01:19:18Z

by Jeff Roberson - AP

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Texas defeated Texas A&M, 49-39, in the Lone Star Showdown, despite unusually poor play by Will Muschamp's defense against the Aggies.

College Station, TX (Sports Network) - Colt McCoy threw four touchdowns and rushed for another, as third-ranked Texas kept its national title hopes alive with a 49-39 victory over Texas A&M at Kyle Field.

McCoy completed 24-of-40 passes for 304 yards and rushed for a career-high 175 yards for the Longhorns (12-0, 8-0 Big 12), who will play Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship Game next weekend. Tre' Newton carried the ball 16 times for 107 yards and a score.

Malcolm Williams caught nine passes for 132 yards for Texas, which has won 11 of its 12 games by double figures. Jordan Shipley had eight catches for 88 yards and two scores, while James Kirkendoll hauled in four passes for 63 yards and two TDs for the victors.

Jerrod Johnson connected on 26-of-33 passes for 342 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception for the Aggies (6-6, 3-5), who were coming off a 38-3 win over Baylor. Johnson also rushed for 97 yards on 14 carries.

Christine Michael carried the ball 19 times for 83 yards and a score, while Jeff Fuller caught six passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns. Howard Morrow had a TD catch for Texas A&M, which remains bowl eligible.

- Via Sports Network

Maybe Bill Belichick Is A Genius After All

2009-11-27T00:39:18Z

Because his assistants sure don't seem to be.

William C. Rhoden takes stock of the Belichick coaching tree today, and any football fan knows the verdict here. Once regarded as mini-genuises themselves, Eric Mangini, Charlie Weis, and Josh McDaniel have all experienced rapid declines in reputation. And when you throw in lesser lights like Romeo Crennel -- and the way the Patriots have continued to win regardless of staff departures -- and it's pretty much official: Bill Belichick does everything for the Patriots.

Thanksgiving Day Football: Not That I'm Not Thankful, But ...

2009-11-27T00:17:16Z

It's a Turkey Day tradition, right up there with brown gravy and quiet seething: football. And it's not like I'm not appreciative of the football -- for God's sake, if not for football we'd have to speak with our families, which, gross -- but I have a feeling today's contributions to the pigskin canon aren't going to have much of a shelf-life.

First, it was the yearly destruction of the Lions at the hands of the Packers. In the afternoon, you watched the Cowboys beat up on a hapless Raiders team. One question: Why would the NFL do this? Deadspin's Drew Magary used his column to ask that question today -- warning, link includes plenty of dirty language -- and the question is valid. Why schedule the horrid Raiders on Thanksgiving Day? Why not, oh, I don't know ... any other team in the entire league? I've yet to hear a valid answer for this.

So it is on Thanksgiving Day, which is all about giving thanks for what you have while noticing, in that uniquely American way, what you lack. Today, that lack has been entertaining football. Not complaining; just saying.

Manny Harris Just Misses Triple-Double As No. 15 Michigan Tops Creighton

2009-11-26T23:38:29Z

by Phelan M. Ebenhack - AP

about 15 hours ago: Michigan's guard Manny Harris (3) celebrates after scoring in front of Creighton's Kenny Lawson Jr. during overtime of an NCAA college basketball game in the Old Spice Classic tournament in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009. Michigan won 83-76. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

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For more on Michigan basketball, check out SB Nation's Wolverines blog, Maize and Brew.

(Sports Network) - Manny Harris had 20 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds to help 15th-ranked Michigan hold off Creighton in overtime, 83-76, in the opening round of the Old Spice Classic.

Laval Lucas-Perry had 18 points, DeShawn Sims added 16 points and 11 rebounds while Zack Novak donated 14 points for the Wolverines (3-0), who will play Marquette on Friday.

Justin Carter had a game-high 21 points with eight rebounds while Darryl Ashford added 16 points for the Bluejays (2-2).

In the extra session after Creighton got the first basket, Michigan got a bucket from Sims and a three-point play from Harris for a three-point lead with 3:44 left in overtime.

Antoine Young then hit a jumper, but a slam from Harris, a Novak three-pointer followed by Novak hitting one-of-two from the line gave Michigan a seven-point lead with 1:19 to play as the Wolverines cruised to the win.

The game see-sawed in the first several minutes of the second half and Michigan had a 53-50 lead with 13 1/2 minutes to play on a Lucas-Perry three- pointer.

Creighton got consecutive three-balls from Carter and Kaleb Korver to take the lead back and, after Harris put in a layup, P'Allen Stinnett hit a three- pointer and Kenny Lawson Jr. put in a layup for a 61-55 lead with just over eight minutes to play.

With Creighton holding a five-point lead and under three minutes to play, Michigan got two free throws from Lucas-Perry and a three-pointer by Stu Douglass to tie the contest and Harris' layup with under 90 seconds to play gave the team a 67-65 lead.

After Creighton missed a shot, the teams exchanged turnovers and Harris was fouled as he drove the lane with 40.3 seconds to play, but he missed both free throws.

Creighton called timeout on its next touch and a finger roll by Ashford tied the game with 14.8 left. However, Harris was fouled and hit two from the line for a two-point lead with 5.7 left.

Young, though, took the in-bounds pass, drove down the court uncontested and put in a layup with 0.2 seconds left to force overtime.

Michigan took the early lead in the game thanks to a 6-0 run and later in the first half had a 19-8 advantage on a Harris layup with a bit over 11 minutes to play.

However, the Bluejays ripped off an 11-3 run to help cut their deficit to 24-21 as Lawson capped the burst on a layup with just over six minutes to play in the first half.

The Wolverines again built their lead to double digits, but Creighton scored the final seven points of the first half and Ashford's three-pointer at the buzzer made it a 37-34 game at the break.

Michigan has won both meetings against Creighton...The Bluejays committed 18 turnovers in the game, compared to 11 by Michigan...Creighton hit 50.0 percent of its shots and had 37 rebounds while Michigan made 43.5 percent of its shots with 39 rebounds.

NHL Fans Have One Thing To Be Thankful For Today

2009-11-26T21:23:01Z

On this American Thanksgiving, hockey fans across the country should be adding this to be thankful for. On this day 92 years ago, the National Hockey League was formed. The complete history lesson on the start of the league can be found on NHL.com but here is an excerpt from the piece:

A group that included S.E. Lichtenhein of the Montreal Wanderers, G.W. Kendall of the Montreal Canadiens, T.P. Gorman of the Ottawa Senators and M.J. Quinn of the Quebec Bulldogs, along with NHA secretary-treasurer Frank Calder, met at Montreal's Windsor Hotel. The NHA owners had had repeated problems with Eddie Livingstone the owner of the Toronto Blueshirts, and decided to exclude him from the NHL.

The NHL is still around due to the hard work of many people but these five gentlemen were the pioneers for the league.

Cowboys Cruise In Turkey Day Tradition, Top Raiders 24-7

2009-11-26T21:09:09Z

by Erich Schlegel - AP

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For more on the Cowboys and Raiders, check out SBN blogs Blogging The Boys and Silver And Black Pride.

(Sports Network) - Tony Romo threw for 309 yards and a pair of scores, as the Dallas Cowboys' offense got back on track in a 24-7 rout of the Oakland Raiders.

Romo finished 18-for-29 with no interceptions for Dallas (8-3), which had scored just seven points in each of its last two games. The Cowboys dropped a 17-7 decision to Green Bay on November 15 before needing a late touchdown pass on Sunday to take a 7-6 win over Washington.

Miles Austin caught seven passes for 145 yards and a score for the NFC East- leading Cowboys, while Jason Witten recorded 107 yards on five receptions. Roy Williams had a touchdown catch, while Felix Jones ran for a score in the win.

Bruce Gradkowski was 18-of-35 for 200 yards and a touchdown in his second consecutive start for Oakland (3-8), having led the Raiders to a last-minute victory over Cincinnati on Sunday.

Rookie Darrius Heyward-Bey recorded the TD catch, the first of his career.

A Thanksgiving Tradition Unlike Any Other: Lions Getting Slaughtered On National TV

2009-11-26T21:03:12Z

Detroit, MI (Sports Network) – Aaron Rodgers finished with three touchdown passes, as the Green Bay Packers extended the Thanksgiving Day woes for Detroit, posting a 34-12 victory over the Lions at Ford Field.

Rodgers totaled 348 yards through the air on 28-of-39 efficiency, while Donald Driver had 142 yards and one score on seven receptions for the Packers (7-4), who have won three straight games.

Green Bay cornerback Charles Woodson picked off Lions rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford twice, returning the second one for a touchdown.

Despite missing practice throughout the week after separating his non-throwing shoulder on the second-to-last play against Cleveland this past Sunday, Stafford got the start for Detroit, completing 20-of-43 passes for 213 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions.

Kevin Smith had 43 yards on 18 carries and made four grabs for 46 yards for the Lions (2-9), who have lost six straight on the holiday.

Colorado Rewards Dan Hawkins' 3-8 Season By Keeping Coach Around Another Season

2009-11-26T19:20:22Z

by Charlie Neibergall - AP

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Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen Will Reportedly Enter NFL Draft

2009-11-26T16:49:56Z

by Michael Conroy - AP

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The often unreliable Rotoworld has a report from the often reliable Joe Schad that Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen will skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft in April. This report comes a day after news broke that the Clausen family has sold its South Bend home, a sign that Jimmy planned to leave Notre Dame after this season.

The Redskins have already sent scouts to South Bend to take a look at Clausen. Drafting a QB with their first round pick despite glaring needs on the offensive line and at running back is exactly the type of bone-headed move we've come to love from Dan Snyder & Co.

Turkey Day Active/Inactives: Stafford, Johnson To Play

2009-11-26T16:48:24Z

by Carlos Osorio - AP

2 days ago: In this photo taken on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford runs off the field after beating the Cleveland Browns 38-37 in an NFL football game Browns in Detroit. Stafford dislocated left shoulder in the closing moments of Sunday's win. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio

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The Detroit Lions will have both their big offensive weapons for the Thanksgiving Day game.

Good news for Detroit Lions fans and fantasy owners. Michael Lombardi reports both Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson are active and will start.

Jason Witten will play for the Dallas Cowboys.

The New York Giants have ruled out Ahmad Bradshaw and LB Antonio Pierce.

Stafford Gives Thanks To Packers By Tossing Them Four Picks In 34-12 Lions Loss

2009-11-26T16:34:48Z

by Carlos Osorio - AP

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(Sports Network) - Perhaps winning the football game shouldn't be the main directive for the Detroit Lions on Thursday afternoon.

Maybe, when the Green Bay Packers visit the Motor City, the Lions' first goal should simply be to avoid embarrassment on their marquee Thanksgiving Day showcase.

The Lions have lost five straight on the holiday, with all five defeats coming by double-digits. Detroit was a 47-10 loser against Tennessee on the holiday last season, and has also suffered defeats of 11, 17, 20, and 32 points since last winning on Thanksgiving back in 2003.

That day, the Lions were 22-14 winners over the Packers, and it is that more positive slice of history that Jim Schwartz's club will be trying to replicate as they kick off the Week 12 schedule.

Detroit comes into Thursday's contest basking in the glow of what has become an ultra-rare winning moment for the franchise, though there is a shadow somewhat obscuring that ray of sunshine.

Rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall draft pick Matthew Stafford, who became the first NFL rookie in 72 years to throw five touchdown passes in a game when he led the Lions to a thrilling 38-37 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, is unlikely to play against the Packers after suffering a shoulder injury late in that contest.

Stafford's injury means veteran Daunte Culpepper is likely to make his second straight Thanksgiving Day start, and Culpepper can only hope that this outing goes better than last year's.

Against the Titans, Culpepper was 13-of-26 for just 134 yards with a touchdown and an interception, as Detroit fell into a 35-10 halftime hole. Culpepper is 0-7 as the Lions' starter over the past two seasons, including a 26-0 loss the Packers in his most recent outing this season, and hasn't won a game he's opened since leading the Raiders to a victory over the Chiefs on Nov. 25, 2007.

Seeking to extend the misery for the quarterback and his team will be Green Bay, which also enters Week 12 in a good news/bad news situation.

The Packers have improved their playoff prospects with credible back-to-back victories over the Cowboys (17-7) and 49ers (30-24), but in Sunday's win over San Francisco lost two lynch pins of a defense that had helped fuel those wins.

Outside linebacker Aaron Kampman - a two-time Pro Bowler and the team's best pass rusher over the past four seasons - and physical veteran cornerback Al Harris were both lost for the season due to knee injuries suffered against the 49ers.

The Lions will be looking to exploit that factor as the Niners did in cutting a 23-3 deficit to six points late in last week's contest, and the absences will place more pressure on Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense.

Rodgers was 32-of-45 for 344 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions against San Francisco, his third 300-yard game of the season and first since tossing for a season-high 358 yards against Detroit on Oct. 18th.

Green Bay is 12-18-1 all-time on Thanksgiving.

SERIES HISTORY

The series between the Lions and Packers dates back to the 1930 season, with Green Bay holding a 87-64-7 regular season edge. The Pack has won eight straight and 10 of the last 11 in the series, including the aforementioned 26-0 home win in Week 6, and a 48-25 triumph in their trip to Ford Field in Week 2 of last season.

Detroit's last victory over Green Bay came by a 17-3 count in Week 1 of the 2005 campaign in the Motor City.

In addition to the regular season series, the clubs have met twice in the postseason, with Green Bay winning NFC First-Round Playoff matchups in the 1993 and 1994 seasons.

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is 7-0 in his career against the Lions, while Detroit's Schwartz is 0-1 against both McCarthy and Green Bay as a head coach.

WHEN THE PACKERS HAVE THE BALL

One of the top issues for Green Bay as it heads to Detroit is finishing off drives, something the Packers did poorly against the Lions back in Week 6. The Pack rolled up 435 yards of total offense and held the ball for more than 40 of the game's 60 minutes, but scored just two touchdowns, none after halftime. As mentioned, Rodgers (2788 passing yards, 19 TD, 5 INT) comes off a fine passing day against the 49ers, one in which wideout Greg Jennings (43 receptions, 3 TD) had a long-awaited big game with five catches for a season-high 126 yards and a touchdown. Fellow WR Donald Driver (46 receptions, 4 TD), who has been the team's most reliable pass-catcher this season, was held to five grabs totaling 40 yards on the day, but tight end Jermichael Finley (24 receptions, 1 TD) and wideout Jordy Nelson (14 receptions, 2 TD) helped pick up the slack. Finley had a career-high seven catches totaling 54 yards in the loss, and Nelson scored his second touchdown of the year. Green Bay running back Ryan Grant (829 rushing yards, 5 TD, 20 receptions) comes off just his second 100-yard game of the season, a 21-carry, 129-yard effort that included a touchdown. The Packers are last in the league in sacks allowed (43) and fourth-down conversion percentage (16.7), but have committed the fewest turnovers in the league (8) and lead the NFL in turnover margin (+14).

Though Detroit did manage its second win of the Schwartz era last week, the team's struggling defense came up with few answers in the victory. After surrendering 37 points and 439 yards to what was the worst offense in the league entering the day, the Lions are now last in the league in scoring defense (30.1 points per game), passing defense (275.3 yards per game), opponents' completion percentage (70.4), and are tied for last in interceptions recorded (6) along with the Browns and Redskins. Complicating matters for Detroit are injuries that place the status of safeties Kalvin Pearson (hamstring) and Ko Simpson (knee), linebacker Ernie Sims (hamstring), and defensive end Dewayne White (toe) in doubt as the team embarks on a short week. Cornerbacks Phillip Buchanon (29 tackles) and William James (37 tackles, 1 INT) will be among those responsible for slowing the Green Bay receivers, with safety Louis Delmas (55 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) among those helping over the top. Outside linebacker Julian Peterson (44 tackles, 3.5 sacks), who had two-and-a-half sacks of Rodgers in Week 6, will be seeking a repeat performance on Thursday. A Lions squad that ranks 20th in the league against the run (116.2 yards per game) will lean hard on top run-stopper Larry Foote (71 tackles, 2 sacks) and fellow linebacker DeAndre Levy (47 tackles, 1 INT). Foote had a game-high 12 tackles and Detroit's only sack against Cleveland last Sunday.

WHEN THE LIONS HAVE THE BALL

The Lions come off a week in which they piled up 473 yards of total offense, a suggestion that the team was turning the corner on that side of the ball, but the Stafford injury could put the brakes on that progress. Making matters worse are hand and knee injuries to top wideout Calvin Johnson (39 receptions, 2 TD), which place the talented receiver's status in doubt one week after he caught seven balls for a season-high 161 yards and a touchdown. Probable starter Culpepper (384 passing yards, 1 TD, 2 INT), who carries a season passer rating of 66.9 into Thursday's contest, could have to rely on wideouts Bryant Johnson (24 receptions, 2 TD) and Dennis Northcutt (26 receptions, 1 TD), along with tight end Brandon Pettigrew (29 receptions, 2 TD), if he wishes to engineer the upset. The rookie Pettigrew made a big impact against the Browns with six catches for 72 yards, including the game-winning touchdown with no time remaining on the clock. In the running game, Kevin Smith (560 rushing yards, 33 receptions, 4 TD) is still seeking his first 100-yard rushing effort since September, but last week hauled in four balls for 104 yards and a touchdown as a pass-catcher. Detroit has thrown a league-high-tying 18 interceptions on the season, a total Culpepper will be trying not to add to, and the club's 30 sacks allowed are also near the bottom of the league.

Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers is in search of sandbags to stem the tide of injuries that the team is contending with at the moment. In addition to the loss of Kampman and Harris for the year, Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Woodson (hip) and 2009 sacks leader Cullen Jenkins (ankle) are both dealing with injuries that have them considered questionable heading into Week 12. In the secondary, the team will need players like cornerbacks Tramon Williams (23 tackles, 1 INT) and Jarrett Bush (8 tackles) to take on an increased role, with safeties Nick Collins (31 tackles, 3 INT, 1 sack) and Derrick Martin (18 tackles) helping out over the top. In the pass rushing game, it is time for first-round pick and outside linebacker Clay Matthews (27 tackles, 4 sacks) to begin living up to his promise. The most stable area of the team at the moment, given the injuries elsewhere, is in the run-stopping game where inside linebackers Nick Barnett (61 tackles, 3 sacks) and A.J. Hawk (50 tackles, 1 sack), along with linemen B.J. Raji (13 tackles, 1 sack) and Johnny Jolly (26 tackles, 1 INT), are pacing a unit that is fourth in NFL rushing defense (90.7 yards per game). The first-round rookie Raji posted his first career sack last week against a 49ers team that rushed the ball just 10 times.

FANTASY FOCUS

Rodgers has taken some heat for getting sacked a lot this year, but the former first-rounder rarely turns the ball over and is a regular contributor to fantasy lineups. He's a must-start against the Lions, as are Jennings and Driver, his top two targets. Now healthy, Finley is well worth considering at the tight end position, and Grant - who comes off a 100-yard week - is a solid play as well against a suspect Detroit defense. Even against the Lions, the Packers defense is a shaky start given the team's injury problems, but kicker Mason Crosby may be worth using.

Stafford would have been an intriguing play this week for the Lions had he not suffered the injury, but his replacement, Culpepper, holds less appeal. If he's healthy, the same cannot be said for Calvin Johnson, who finally looks to be living up to his fantasy promise, and the rookie Pettigrew, who seems to be developing into a useful tight end. Kevin Smith had over 100 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Browns, but that type of production has been the exception rather than the rule for the back. Detroit kicker Jason Hanson has a long history of Thanksgiving Day production, but don't count on him getting as many chances as he did last week, when he had a field goal and five points- after.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

The Lions may win another game or two this season, but their need for a major comeback against a horrible Browns team last Sunday should show that they are a long way from beating a quality opponent. The second major injury to Stafford this season isn't going to help matters any on offense, and the defense had trouble slowing a Cleveland attack that was last in the league in a number of categories just five days ago. The Packers, meanwhile, may not be perfect, and the injuries to Kampman and Harris are troubling indeed, but Green Bay is still light years better than Detroit, and will score enough points to extend the Lions' Thanksgiving Day misery by another year.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Packers 37, Lions 20

Matthew Stafford Will Play Thanksgiving Game, Is A Man

2009-11-26T16:27:33Z

Just announced: Stafford will play today against the Packers. Surprising news based on previous reports this week. But then again …