Aaron Rodgers will get the chance to lead the Packers to a 6-3 record before they hit the bye in a couple of weeks. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

As one of just two National Football League teams (the other is the Texans) to work through a three-game road stretch this season, the Packers not only played three away from the friendly confines of Lambeau Field, but also played three straight in domed stadiums – winning two of the three.

As we know, the Packers blew an 18-point lead at Indianapolis and lost a heartbreaker at the end. With Packers Nation screaming and asking what was wrong with the team that held the top power ranking heading into the season, the Packers and Aaron Rodgers came out two weeks ago and showed the world that nothing was wrong. They proceeded to destroy the Texans in Houston and then won convincingly this past week at St. Louis.

So, when the Packers finally play at home the next two weeks before their bye, no doubt the players will be relieved – as will their fan base.

Not only do the Packers play at home the next two weeks, they have very winnable games with Jacksonville and Arizona coming to town. On paper, the Packers should go into the bye week at 6-3 and in good shape for the stretch run through November and December with seven of their eight division games on tap.

That’s how things look on paper.

The loss of Charles Woodson to injury for the next six weeks will challenge the Packers. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

We all know this is the NFL and much like our surprise when we were delivered the news Monday that Charles Woodson broke his collar bone, anything in this league is possible and probable. All it takes is a big hit to Rodgers and the Packers go from legitimate playoff contenders to wannabes.

That’s why it’s imperative that the Packers coaching staff use these next two weeks and, even more importantly, to use the bye week to get the offensive line playing more like they have the past two seasons.

Yes, Jeff Saturday is a perennial Pro Bowler who played with his own MVP in Peyton Manning, but this is an entirely new situation for him – one that has brought its own set of challenges. Add to that the fact that Marshall Newhouse and Bryan Bulaga have had their own problems handling the speed rushers on the outside and it has all added up to some hairy moments for Rodgers.

They need to get their protections figured out and start playing more as a unit that’s in sync – we realized at the beginning of the season that it was to take some time, but none of us figured it would take half of the season.

If the unit experiences some success in pass protection and run blocking over the next couple of weeks, the Packers will be in good shape heading into and out of the bye. If they continue to struggle, we may be having to consider different issues.

Getting B.J. Raji back on the field can only help the Packers. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

On the defensive side of the ball, the Packers have been streaky. There have been moments when you say, “now that’s more like it.” Then there have been other times when one wonders if this team is slipping back into 2011 mode.

It will be crucial to get B.J. Raji back into the mix and more importantly, it will be very important for the Packers coaching staff to figure out how they will replace Charles Woodson. If the Packers get Sam Shields back, the plan would probably utilize the athletic playmaker Casey Hayward and impressive rookie Jaron McMillian in the slot.

While many are lamenting the loss of Woodson’s experience and leadership for the defense, his loss will also give these other young studs the opportunity to hit the field and show why they were drafted. I, for one, look forward to seeing what these guys can bring the mix.

Just like all teams, the Packers have been hit by major injuries, but it’s nothing new. Coach Mike McCarthy and his staff have found ways to keep the ship righted and moving forward. I don’t see any changes in that. The proverbial mantra of “next man up” will no doubt be overused once more. But it’s true. The Packers have plugged the right players in – players who seem to rise to the occasion.

So, let’s enjoy these two weeks at Lambeau Field, let’s get a couple of impressive wins and most of all, let’s stay healthy along the way.

That way, we can go into the bye with much to look forward to the rest of the way.

Aaron Rodgers will let his play speak as the Packers head into the final 10 games of 2012. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

That’s Aaron Rodgers comment to the critics who doubted the Pack thus far and I think he is right on the money.

I can’t say that the 42-24 beat down of the Texans was just what I expected, but I do know that the Packers were better than 2-3.  I’ve heard all of the media excuses for the Texans failures, but very little on the Pack  being truly BACK.  I can understand the concerns of those who resist reading too much into one game.   I think when we look back at it, this may have been the “AHA!”  moment for this year’s Pack akin to the narrow  loss to the Patriots in 2010.  That was point where the Packers gained confidence on both sides of the ball and the Packers didn’t lose another game for 364 days.

Aaron Rodgers was the 2010-11 version, spreading the ball around and extending plays with his mobility.  The receivers caught the ball when it was catchable, though not all of the TEs did great.   Alex Green and the other runners provided enough of a run threat to keep the HOU defense honest.

Defensively, Clay Matthews set the tone.  He has always drawn attention and he continually disrupted the Texans’ offensive tempo.  They shut down Arian Foster and made Matt Schaub try to beat them with his arm.  It wasn’t perfect, but they made plays when it mattered and held the Texans’ offense to 17 points.  Also key was making the interceptions when Schaub made mistakes, unlike a few earlier games this year.

I don’t want to imply that the Pack are going to make another run akin to that 19 game win streak.  After all this is still the NFL, but the game they played on Sunday night was more like that 2010-11 Packer team than the one we saw in 4 out of the 5 first games this season (and the playoff loss to the Giants).  I certainly think they will be a solid favorite in their next 4 games and if they play to this level they will be be narrow underdogs to just the Giants and the Bears(on the road) the rest of the way.  It’s a good start, let’s hope it continues.

The map below and the link above will take you to the506.com’s pages which not only give you the hand dandy colored maps, but also all the broadcast rules and regulations you would ever need.

As for the Packers vs. Seahawks Monday Night Football game, you don’t have to worry about colors and maps – the game is national (is it international, too?) and will be broadcast anywhere that ESPN is available (which is just about anywhere on the planet).

But in the meantime, enjoy your games today and don’t forget to tune in tomorrow night when the Packers and Seahawks go head-to-head.

Go to the506.com for all the maps and more.

Yes, the Vikings are 1-1, but we all know that won’t last long as they get into the meat of their schedule. The 49ers are 2-0 and showing they have what it takes to make a push for a Super Bowl title.

That’s just one of the 16 games this week and one that’s probably pretty easy to pick the winner. However, like every week in the NFL there are surprises. The Niners versus the Vikings won’t be one of them.

So, without any further delay, here are all the games and my projected winners and losers. Ok, we’ll start with that SF vs. Minnesota game while we’re on the topic.

• San Francisco 27 Vikings 10: Christian Ponder is the league’s most accurate passer, but he won’t be after today. The Niners’ defense will be the difference in this one. While Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson will be an interesting matchup against the Niners’ defense, in the end San Francisco contains the elusive one and get after Ponder. The Niners also get at least one turnover that they turn into a score in this route.

• Tennessee 23 Detroit 21: The Lions sit at 1-1, but come into Tennessee looking more like the Paper Lions. I see this as one of the upsets of the week. Chris Johnson has a breakout game and Detroit shows why their lack of a run game and their inconsistency will be their downfall this season.

• Buffalo 28 Cleveland 14: The Buffalo defense will have its day with Cleveland rookie QB Brandon Weeden, but will also have to stop Trent Richardson. On the other side of the ball, Buffalo’s C.J. Spiller (yes, he’s the league’s leading rusher) will have his way with the Cleveland defense.

• Pittsburgh 24 Oakland 16: The Pittsburgh defense showed last week why they will carry this team to many wins this season by shutting down the New York Jets. They will do the same today against the so-far-pathetic Oakland Raiders.

• Indianapolis 17 Jacksonville 12: Yes, the Colts move to 2-1 as they get by the hapless Jaguars. In this sleeper, Maurice Jones-Drew will be all that Jacksonville will offer in offense for the Jags, while Indy rookie QB Andrew Luck does just enough to give his team an ugly win.

• Cincinnati 26 Washington 20: This is an intriguing game not because of Robert Griffin III, but because of the loss of  two of the Redskins’ top defensive players, Adam Carriker and Brian Orakpo. Cincinnati will look to exploit their losses and will probably be successful in that effort. Griffin will have his second straight week of inconsistency.

• St. Louis 20 Chicago 17: St. Louis has shown some moxie in the early going and have had some decent games from QB Sam Bradford. Chicago is still reeling from its bad showing in Green Bay last week and lack of leadership from Jay Cutler. The trend in the Windy City continues as the St. Louis defense picks up where the Packers left off and Bradford brings his A game in a close game.

• New York Jets 31 Miami 23: The Jets come back to life after their drubbing at the hands of the Steelers last week, but only because they are playing a not-so-good Dolphins team. In this game that doesn’t bring much excitement for anyone outside the New York and Miami area codes, the Jets will put together some offense today, while Miami’s Reggie Bush will have a tough time running against the New York defense.

• New Orleans 33 Kansas City 20: I can’t imagine that a Drew Brees-led Saints team is going to go 0-3, especially when they are playing at home. Kansas City isn’t built for a shoot-out and the Saints won’t be denied points in the Super Dome. I see Brees throwing for huge yardage today and Matt Cassell struggling for the most part.

• Tampa Bay 23 Dallas 21: This will be a knock down, drag out type of game at Dallas, but I feel Tampa Bay’s off-season improvements have been a bit more than those made by Dallas. The Cowboys’ beating at Seattle last week showed some ugly warts and even thought the Bucs gave up miles of yardage to Eli Manning and the Giants in the second half of their loss last week, I feel the Josh Freeman-led Bucs will get out of Texas with a close win today.

• Atlanta 24 San Diego 20: Neither of these teams has been overly impressive while going 2-0. There are just too many questions surrounding their fast starts. While the Falcons showed they can take the ball away with their treatment of Peyton Manning last week, their offense has been sluggish. The Chargers get running back Ryan Mathews back this week, but is he really ready to play? I think Matt Ryan and the Falcons get a couple of turnovers in this one to make the difference.

• Houston 27 Denver 23: The Peyton Manning love-fest takes another dive today as he loses at home against the Arian Foster-led Texans who will get their first win over a competitive team. Manning’s turnovers last week raised a few eyebrows and it won’t get any easier for the veteran whose arm strength has come into question. On the other side, Foster takes over games with his legs. Today won’t be any different.

• Philadelphia 28 Arizona 26: This battle of the unbeatens will be closer than most are predicting, with the Eagles coming back once again, despite turnovers, to find a way to win. Arizona is for real, as are the Eagles. The difference in this one will be the Eagles’ ability to get after their former QB Kevin Kolb. The Cardinals make a game of it, but somehow the Michael Vick-led Eagles find a way to win.

• New England 23 Baltimore 17: Many are thinking this is the game of the week … and I get the feeling these two teams won’t disappoint. There will be hitting, there will be some trash talking, but when it comes down to the end, it will be Patriots’ QB Tom Brady who shows why he’s one of the best in the league. The older Baltimore defense isn’t showing the teeth it once did and Brady will find ways to exploit. For the Ravens, they will discover that Joe Flacco’s inconsistency in the passing game will hurt them once again. For the second straight week, they don’t utilize Ray Rice enough and the Patriots will use turnovers to their advantage.

Packers 31 Seahawks 17: This Monday Night matchup will have some intrigue, but when it comes down to the end, it will be a resurgent Packers offense with WR Greg Jennings back in the mix that will be the difference. The 12th Man in Seattle and the Seahawks defense will slow the Packers to start, but when Green Bay’s defense closes down Seattle’s running game and forces the pass with rookie Russell Wilson, the former Wisconsin star will make mistakes. The Packers will get enough of a running game to allow Aaron Rodgers to pick apart the Seattle defensive backfield. Though the Packers start slowly in this one, it will be over by the fourth quarter as Rodgers rolls in the second and third quarters. Heck, they may even call over to the Seahawks’ sideline to see if former backup QB Matt Flynn wants to go in for Rodgers …

One thing the Packers must do to keep from going 0-2 is to get their running game going against the Chicago Bears Thursday night. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

If there’s one thing that’s certain about Sunday’s game between the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers, it’s this: The 49ers may just be the best team the Packers face all season.

It was clear from Sunday’s game that the 49ers are one of the most balanced teams in the league. They have a great offensive line, they run the ball well, their quarterback doesn’t make mistakes, their defense is the cream of the crop and their special teams are top-notch.

That said, and as badly as the Packers played Sunday, they still nearly pulled out a win at Lambeau Field.

The fact remains that the Packers were outplayed in all three phases of the game – offense, defense and special teams … well, maybe special teams were a wash with the return of a punt for a touchdown by Randall Cobb. Nevertheless, it’s over and the Packers are 0-1.

Could they open the 2012 season at 0-2? After all, it is the Chicago Bears who are coming to town in 48 hours – a 1-0 Chicago Bears team that destroyed the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday. Ok, so it was the Colts – a not very good Colts team.

Either way, we all know it’s time to throw out the records and previous games – it’s the Chicago Bears that are coming to town. It’s a division game and if the Packers are to win the North Division, they have to beat the Bears.

Head Coach Mike McCarthy understands that. So, does Aaron Rodgers.

That’s why they must learn from the 49ers game and move on … quickly.

In 48 hours they will be kicking off against the Bears in one of the more unusual scheduling tricks played on both teams in recent years. After opening the campaign on Sunday, both the Packers and Bears must turn around and play the opening Thursday Night Football game.

So, how do the Packers keep from going 0-2?

Well, they get after Jay Cutler and punish him; they play solid special teams and they get their offense going – namely their running game.

It’s a tall order, but remember, this was a team that had 15 wins last season … it’s not time to panic, but it is time for the Packers to play football like they are capable of playing football. It’s also time to get back to winning football games.

Thursday night’s the best time to do that.

Packers fans have much to look forward to if RJ Bell is correct. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

A short blip on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel this morning provides the most recent odds for NFL teams and the upcoming season. According to the article by Bob Wofley, oddsmaker RJ Bell of Pregame.com  is giving the nod to the Packers to not only make it to the Super Bowl, but he makes them 6-to-1 favorites to win it.

The Patriots are given a 7-t0-1 chance, followed by the 49ers (13-1),  Broncos (14-1), Texans (14-1) and Eagles (14-1).

I guess that’s the good news, if you’re a betting man.

However, we know that this is the NFL and the reality of the game far supersedes the oddsmakers’ prognostications. Players get injured, freak fumbles occur, weather conditions creep in and a myriad of other factors eventually affect the outcome of football games.

Another interesting factoid presented is that Bell has the Packers favored in all 16 regular season games at this point – even when the Packers visit the New York Giants in week 12. As long as Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, I can see that as a real possibility.

But being favored and actually carrying it to fruition are two different beasts.

So, the bottom line as we inch toward the start of training camp is that the Packers are again being viewed as one of the best.

That’s a good thing.

November 12, 2011; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive end Nick Perry (8) works against Washington Huskies offensive tackle Senio Kelemete (56) during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

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