Packers-Browns Preview

VIDEO PLAYLIST

• Countdown Daily Recap: Packers-Browns

SCOUTING REPORT

Packers-Browns: 10 observations After breaking down film of both teams, Scouts Inc. offers 10 things to watch in this week's Packers-Browns matchup. 1. Green Bay needs work on protections: Even during a solid win in Week 6, the Packers' offensive line gave up five sacks and was called for several penalties. The Browns have some good pass rushers, so we may see maximum protection schemes for QB Aaron Rodgers in this one.

· Full Scouting Report

Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
GNB	6-4	262	203	4-2	2-2	2-2	5-3
CLE	1-9	115	263	0-4	1-5	0-4	1-5
· Complete Standings

Individual Leaders

Green Bay Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Rodger... 64.8 2788 19 5 Flynn 66.7 15 0 0

Cleveland Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Quinn 56.7 812 5 5 Anders... 42.9 681 2 9

Green Bay Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Grant 189 829 4.4 5 Rodger... 44 242 5.5 3

Cleveland Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Lewis 132 460 3.5 0 Harris... 69 254 3.7 0

Green Bay Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Driver 46 703 15.3 4 Jennin... 43 669 15.6 3

Cleveland Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Massaq... 25 473 18.9 1 Furrey 22 161 7.3 0

Full Player Stats: Green Bay | Cleveland

TEAM AVERAGES & NFL RANKS
TEAM OFFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	GNB	378.0
	CLE	237.0
Yards Passing	GNB	254.9
	CLE	135.4
Yards Rushing	GNB	123.1
	CLE	101.4
TEAM DEFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	GNB	282.5
	CLE	402.0
Pass Yds Allowed	GNB	191.8
	CLE	247.1
Rush Yds Allowed	GNB	90.7
	CLE	154.9

HEAD TO HEAD MATCHUPS (SINCE 2001)
Green Bay leads 2-1
Sep 18, 2005	GNB 24, @CLE 26
Dec 23, 2001	GNB 30, @CLE 7

While the Green Bay Packers have turned to some former players to add depth at two depleted positions, their opponent has struggled to field a healthy team leading up to this week's meeting.

The Packers look to take advantage of a second straight last-place opponent when they visit the flu-riddled Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Green Bay (3-2) is coming off its first shutout since 2007, a 26-0 victory over Detroit last week.

Aaron Rodgers was 29 of 37 for 358 yards and two touchdowns while the defense held the NFC North-worst Lions to 149 yards of total offense. Detroit was 0 for 10 on third-down opportunities and threw three interceptions.

"Guys were ready to play today," safety Nick Collins said. "We just had fun and flew to the ball all over the place. That was a lot of fun out there."

Rodgers had to overcome the continued struggles of Green Bay's offensive line, which allowed five sacks to bring its season total to a league-high 25.

The victory was also costly injury-wise, as tackle Chad Clifton re-injured his ankle and backup running back DeShawn Wynn suffered a season-ending knee injury. Green Bay was already lacking depth at running back behind Ryan Grant, as Brandon Jackson and practice squad player Kregg Lumpkin have struggled to stay healthy.

Trying to bolster a running game that ranks 19th in the NFL at 101.2 yards per game, the Packers re-signed veteran Ahman Green on Wednesday. Green, who rushed for 8,162 yards and 53 touchdowns for Green Bay from 2000-06 and needs 46 more yards to surpass Jim Taylor and become the franchise leader, was cut by Houston in February.

Green played 14 games in two seasons with the Texans, starting six. He was limited to 554 yards and five touchdowns, but still believes he has something left in him.

"Something was missing after these past two years that I didn't want to quite finish that way," said Green, who made four straight Pro Bowl appearances between 2001 and 2004. "The way my career was in Houston, I didn't want that to basically become my legacy."

Green's return comes a week after the Packers brought back tackle Mark Tauscher, who played in Green Bay from 2000-08 but is at least another week away from being in game shape. It's not certain whether Green will play this weekend, but coach Mike McCarthy said both veterans will lend valuable experience.

"The starting point of bringing both Mark and Ahman back was they're good football players, and that's something we like to think we never lose sight of," McCarthy said.

McCarthy is looking for some leadership on a young team that has struggled with careless mistakes. The Packers have the fifth-most penalties (43) for the fourth-most yardage (359) in the NFL this season. They committed 13 penalties for 130 yards against the Lions.

McCarthy's issues are small compared to those facing Eric Mangini's Browns. Cleveland held 12 players, including five starters, out of practice early this week because of flulike symptoms.

On Friday, though, only one of those players wasn't on the practice field. Mangini said there have been no new cases, and he expects to have a nearly complete roster for Sunday's game.

The flu news comes after Cleveland learned leading tackler D'Qwell Jackson will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. Return specialist Josh Cribbs is also battling a knee injury.

Cleveland (1-5) failed to build on its only win of the season and fell 27-14 at Pittsburgh last Sunday. The Browns managed 197 yards of offense as Derek Anderson went 9 for 24 for 122 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Anderson pulled the Browns within three points on a 1-yard touchdown pass to Lawrence Vickers in the third quarter, but the Steelers responded with a score on their next drive.

Cleveland's offense has been a liability all season. The Browns rank 31st in total yards per game (254.7), and 30th in points per game (11.5) and first downs (82).

"There have been times where we've moved the ball really effectively," Mangini said. "We have to do a much better job of not stopping ourselves."

This is the Packers' first visit to Cleveland since a 31-20 loss in 1995.

Green Bay rookie linebacker Clay Matthews, who had two sacks last week, is a familiar name to Browns fans. His father, also named Clay, played 16 seasons for Cleveland from 1978-93, appearing in more games than any other player in franchise history.

Lions' Stafford, Johnson likely out vs. Packers

Lions quarterback Matt Stafford had a record-setting day in Sunday's 38-37 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

Mangini questions timing of many Lions injuries

Browns coach Eric Mangini is questioning whether the Detroit Lions faked injuries to slow down Cleveland's no-huddle offense.

Scouts Buzz: Stafford growing up fast

Scouts Inc. examines Matthew Stafford's development, the Vikings' dynamic offense and more.

Packers CB Harris, LB Kampman lost for season

Green Bay cornerback Al Harris and linebacker Aaron Kampman will both have season-ending knee surgery.

S Atari Bigby isn't back yet, but he's ready to go

Atari Bigby says he feels great, and that's saying something, considering how the Green Bay Packers' strong safety limped through the 2008 season.

Packers Daily Briefing 06.01.09

Jun. 1, 2009 6:00 a.m. Good morning. Here is your PDB for Monday, June 1, 2009. It contains all the links, info, analysis and occasional humor you'll need to start your day.

Tauscher's replacement will be green

The Green Bay Packers won't anoint a new starting right tackle until August, but they'll go to training camp with a pretty good idea about the identity of Mark Tauscher's successor.

Rodgers looks to expand leadership

Aaron Rodgers' strong 2008 season has him operating the 2009 Packers offense with confidence - much more so than last year at this time.

Browns Insider: Mangini sees errors, but also progress, as Quinn, Anderson learn new offense

Browns coach Eric Mangini explained Tuesday why the quarterbacks have looked a little ragged this week and last week during voluntary practices.

Witnesses for the defense: Ex-Jets spreading the word to help Browns learn Mangini's ways

The Browns haven't made a tackle yet this year, of course -- or missed one -- but certain characteristics of their defense are emerging in their off-season workouts.

Dumb move by Mangenius

By essentially forcing the rookies to take a 10-hour bus trip to work a camp at his old high school in Connecticut this weekend, head coach Eric Mangini only succeeded in adding to the Browns' reputation as an NFL laughingstock.

How to Lose Friends and Irritate People, Eric Mangini Edition

It's not going to matter if Eric Mangini goes 11-5 with the Browns and Rex Ryan goes 5-11 with the Jets, but .. In a comparison of the two in the off-season, Ryan seems to be winning, 62-0. Most of it is Mangini's own doing.

Mangini Not Making Friends In Cleveland

Eric Mangini irked Browns rookies by "asking" that they help out at a football camp in Hartford, Conn.