NFC North: Rodgers up, but Packers falling down

Football Betting Lines

10/07/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aaron Rodgers did his best Brett Favre impression this past Sunday, but the new Green Bay Packers quarterbacks gutsy effort under center still wasn't enough to prevent his team from enduring a revealing 27-24 loss at home to the improving Atlanta Falcons.

Rodgers played through a sprained throwing shoulder he suffered during the Packs 30-21 defeat at Tampa Bay the previous week, and acquitted himself quite well despite the injury. The highly-scrutinized signal-caller amassed a healthy 313 yards on 25-of-37 passing and delivered three touchdown throws, two of which came during the fourth quarter. Even with that impressively solid showing from its field general, Green Bay was still dealt its third straight loss due to repeated breakdowns from an injury-riddled defense thats been one of the league's biggest disappointments in the early going.

The Packers were thumped for 176 rushing yards by the physical Falcons and had their share of troubles defending Atlanta speedster Roddy White as well, with the standout wide receiver torching a depleted Green Bay secondary for 132 yards and a score on eight receptions.

Green Bay currently ranks 27th in the NFL in rushing defense, having surrendered a troublesome 161.4 yards per game on the ground, as well as 26th in total defense (363. 2 ypg). While a glut of injuries have certainly played a role in the units substandard showing, its not the only explanation for the Packers sudden fall from grace on the defensive side.

"I'm not happy with the way it's going as far as the fundamentals," head coach Mike McCarthy remarked after Sundays loss. "We're making common mistakes, things you're stressing in practice, and we need to clean it up. Our house is messy right now and nobody is happy about it."

Granted, the team's injury list on defense has been extensive. Starting end Cullen Jenkins is out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle, while Pro Bowl corner Al Harris may be done for the year as well after rupturing his spleen in a Week 3 loss to Dallas. The Packers also had to start third- stringer Charlie Peprah at strong safety against the Falcons after starter Atari Bigby (hamstring) and backup Aaron Rouse (knee) were deactivated. Two other top defensive players, cornerback Charles Woodson (broken toe) and A.J. Hawk (groin), have been dealing with nagging ailments that have affected their on-field performances as well.

NEXT UP: Green Bay will try to put its three-game slide to rest when it heads to Qwest Field this Sunday to battle the Seattle Seahawks in a matchup of two 2007 postseason participants that are struggling at the moment. The defending NFC West champion Seahawks are coming off a 44-6 battering by the undefeated New York Giants and have lost three of their first four games to start the year. These teams last met in last year's NFC Division Playoffs, with the Packers posting a 42-20 victory at Lambeau Field.

CHICAGO: The Bears' present occupation of first place in the NFC North through five weeks has been generally considered a surprise. The fact that the team has gotten there on the strength of quality quarterback play has been downright shocking.

Kyle Orton further justified head coach Lovie Smith's preseason decision to make the fourth-year pro his primary field general with the most prolific day of his career on Sunday. Orton shredded a porous Detroit secondary for a career-high 334 yards and two touchdowns to lead Chicago to a 34-7 rout of the woeful Lions at Ford Field.

The former Purdue star was fresh off a three-touchdown effort that spurred the Bears to a hard-fought 24-20 home win over Philadelphia in Week 4. He now has thrown for seven scores over the past three games.

Orton, who completed 24-of-34 passes against the Lions, didn't have too much trouble finding open receivers despite the absence of wideout Brandon Lloyd, Chicago's top vertical threat over the season's first month. Former Arena Leaguer Rashied Davis stepped up to record personal bests of six receptions and 97 yards, while return specialist Devin Hester hauled in five of Orton's strikes for 66 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown pass late in the first half.

Lloyd sat out the Detroit contest after spraining his left knee during the team's win over the Eagles the previous Sunday.

Chicago's physical defense also played a key role in the club's latest victory, as the group limited the hapless Lions to 185 total yards and registered four sacks. Cornerback Charles Tillman intercepted Detroit quarterback Dan Orlovsky early in the second half and returned the pick 26 yards for a touchdown with gave the Bears a commanding 31-0 lead.

The defense dominated without the services of three-time Pro Bowl tackle Tommie Harris, who was handed a one-game suspension by the organization after reportedly skipping out on treatment sessions for a sore left knee. Harris is expected to be in uniform for this Sunday's matchup with Atlanta.

NEXT UP: The Bears, now owners of sole possession of first place in the NFC North with a 3-2 record, will attempt to stay on top when they visit the Georgia Dome for a tougher-than-expected clash with the upstart Falcons. Atlanta's surprising 3-2 mark has been built on a potent running game that's averaging 180.6 yards per game (2nd overall), but Chicago has the fourth-best run defense (74.2 ypg) in the league so far.

DETROIT: In the team's first game since cutting ties with highly unpopular team president Matt Millen, the Lions put forth a result representative of the ousted CEO's eight-year tenure with the franchise in Sunday's laughable home loss to the rival Bears.

The bye week didn't provide any advantages for still-winless Detroit, which was outgained by a whopping 425-185 margin in total yards and went three-and- out on its first five offensive possessions.

The Lions have now been outscored by a 147-66 count during its 0-4 start, with the 81-point differential the biggest over a four-game span in team history. That startling lack of competitiveness has created speculation that head coach Rod Marinelli, now 10-26 over two-plus seasons at the helm, could soon be joining Millen on the unemployment line.

It's hard to find any kind of silver lining for Detroit, which has dropped 11 of its last 12 contests dating back to last season. The Lions presently rank dead last in team defense (429.0 ypg), are 31st out of 32 NFL clubs in both scoring defense (36.8 ppg) and rushing offense (72.3 ypg) and 30th in rushing defense (180.0 ypg).

"We're not doing anything very good," said quarterback Jon Kitna after Sunday's defeat. "To pinpoint anything (positive) would be a disservice."

Kitna mercifully sat out the second half of the Chicago game due to back spasms, with Orlovsky getting the most action of his four-year career in his place. The seldom-used backup completed 13-of-23 passes for 97 yards and was intercepted once.

With the Lions' season quickly going down the tubes, the 36-year-old Kitna may find himself on the sideline more often in the coming weeks as the team takes a closer look at Orlovsky and fellow youngster Drew Stanton, Detroit's second- round selection in the 2007 draft and the anticipated heir apparent under center.

NEXT UP: The Lions hope to avoid another lopsided divisional loss when the embattled team travels to Minnesota for a showdown with the Vikings. In Detroit's last trip to the Metrodome, the Lions were handed a 42-10 setback back in December of the 2007 season. In addition to last week's 27-point loss to the Bears, Detroit suffered a 48-25 shellacking by Green Bay in Week 2.

MINNESOTA: The Vikings paid Bernard Berrian to be a difference-maker during the offseason, and the fleet-footed receiver finally delivered when the team needed him to most.

Berrian had his best game in a Minnesota uniform during Monday's much-needed 30-27 victory at New Orleans, with the ex-Chicago Bear compiling 110 yards and a touchdown on six catches. His two biggest grabs of the night came during a seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive that tied the game at 27-27 with 7:10 left to play.

The free-agent signee got open deep early in the possession and snared quarterback Gus Frerotte's heave at the New Orleans 27-yard line, then capped the series with a 33-yard reception in the end zone on a 3rd-and-16 play.

"To be real honest, I ran the wrong route on that play," said Berrian of the touchdown. "I was supposed to run a post-corner. It was actually thrown to Andre (Allison). I ran the wrong route, but I was just determined to go up there and catch it, man. It just hung up there and I made a play."

While Berrian was the offensive star of the Vikings' must-win, Antoine Winfield provided the spark on the defensive end. The standout cornerback forced one of three Minnesota turnovers in the first half when he blind-sided Drew Brees on a blitz and jarred the ball loose from the Saints quarterback. Winfield recovered the fumble at the New Orleans five-yard line, setting up a five-yard TD toss from running back Chester Taylor to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe that snapped a 10-10 deadlock early in the second quarter.

Earlier in the game, Winfield returned a blocked field goal attempt 59 yards for a touchdown that turned a potential early 10-point deficit into a 7-7 tie.

The Vikings survived two second-half punt return touchdowns from the Saints' Reggie Bush to improve to 2-3 on the season, one game back of Chicago for the division lead.

Not all of Monday's news regarding the team was good, however. Just hours prior to kickoff of the New Orleans game, Minnesota placed middle linebacker E.J. Henderson on season-ending injured reserve due to a foot injury that required surgery. Henderson, the Vikings' defensive MVP in 2007 and a Pro Bowl alternate last year, hurt himself during the club's 30-17 loss at Tennessee in Week 4.

NEXT UP: The Vikings aim to continue their recent dominance of fellow division member Detroit when the teams get together this Sunday at the Metrodome. Minnesota has won 11 of its last 12 overall encounters with the Lions and haven't lost to Detroit at home since 1997.