Special teams could topple Pack

After a not-so-special 2009, Green Bay's total meltdown in Chicago is a concern.

October 1, 2010 at 5:46PM

Around the NFC North while wondering if any of the Vikings who showed up in the offseason, training camp and early preseason joined Brett in burning the midnight oil at Winter Park this week ...

IN GREEN BAY:

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel takes a look at the Packers' not-so-special teams in this article. It's an interesting look at the intricacies of operating the five primary units while dealing with injuries, inexperience and many other variables.

The Packers are a Super Bowl contender because of their offense and a defense that's been better than expected. But can Green Bay get where it wants to go with a special teams unit that's already basically cost them one loss in the first three weeks of the season?

Monday night's performance in Chicago was an all-around meltdown by the Packers' special teams. And now the pressure is on special teams coach Shawn Slocum to do a better job with the players he has at his disposal.

As the Journal Sentinel explains, a special teams coach's job isn't easy. For instance, there were numerous players Slocum was counting on who ended up not being able to play because of injuries. That forced personnel changes late in the week, and that obviously led to disaster, particularly on punt coverage.

One of the players Slocum found himself without was safety Charlie Peprah. He's basically the Heath Farwell of the Packers' special teams unit.

Also, because linebacker Brady Poppinga was limited, rookie tight end Andrew Quarless had to play four special teams units in his NFL debut. As rookies tend to do, Quarless was out of position while covering the punt that Devin Hester returned for a touchdown.

The Packers also have issues at punter with yet another rookie, Tim Masthay. He's 30th in net punting and did a horrible job punting to Hester.

Yes, the Packers are a good team. But special teams are important, and the Packers have struggled there going back to last season.

IN DETROIT:

Vikings fans will have to excuse the Lions' defenders if they act like last week's game against Minnesota was a vacation compared to Sunday's trip to Green Bay.

While the Vikings' passing game was and is out of whack, the Lions are expecting more from Aaron Rodgers and the Packers' offense. Rodgers has a 121.7 career passer rating against Detroit.

"I was telling my DBs today that this might be one of the best offenses that we face all year," safety Louis Delmas said. "They have a lot of age behind their organization. The quarterback, all the receivers, also the tight end, it's a great outfit and it's going to be tough to stop them. But we put on our pads just like they put on their pads."

Yeah, but in four games against Detroit, Rodgers has put his shoulder pads on and then gone out and thrown for 1,342 yards with 11 touchdowns and one interceptions.

IN CHICAGO:

Yeah, I know the Giants are 4-10 in their last 14 games. They've also turned the ball over at least three times in each of their three games this year. And, yeah, the Bears are the only unbeaten team in the NFC.

But I'm going with the NFL logic that what's up usually comes down and what's down usually goes up. So I like the Giants to win at home against the Bears.

Bears DT Tommie Harris said he doesn't want to be traded. Judging his current production level and an arthritic knee, I doubt there would be much of a market for him anyway. But keep an eye on Tommie if he plays Sunday.

He was benched for Monday night's game against Green Bay. It's the third time in three years Lovie Smith has sat Harris for a game. After a one-game suspension in 2008, Harris was ticked off enough to come back with five sacks in his next six games.

about the writer

about the writer

Mark Craig

Sports reporter

Mark Craig has covered the NFL nearly every year since Brett Favre was a rookie back in 1991. A sports writer since 1987, he is covering his 30th NFL season out of 37 years with the Canton (Ohio) Repository (1987-99) and the Star Tribune (1999-present).

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