Packers Daily Links: Benson to Undergo Further Evaluation

Benson has a Lisfranc foot injury, but no final determination has been made about surgery yet. That and more in today's Daily Links...

ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported Monday evening that Packers running back Cedric Benson has a Lisfranc foot injury and could miss up to eight weeks and possibly the season if surgery is performed, but there's been no final determination as of yet. The report from ESPN reads: "Benson is scheduled to undergo further evaluation and doctors will be examining the MRI that the running back already has taken, according to sources." Benson has already been ruled out for the upcoming game against the Houston Texans and will almost certainly be out longer.

More on Cedric Benson comes from ESPNMilwaukee.com, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Green Bay Press-Gazette, Packer Report and Fox Sports Wisconsin while NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com examines what the Packers do at running back minus Benson.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a subject of criticism after the Packers' most recent loss to the Indianapolis Colts after throwing a costly interception and being sacked multiple times. "Rodgers was sacked five more times — all in the second half — in Sunday’s collapse at Indianapolis, where the Packers blew an 18-point halftime lead," writes Rob Demovsky of the Press-Gazette. "Two of those sacks should be clearly charged to Rodgers, and on a third he also exceeded the 2.5-second time limit although left tackle Marshall Newhouse was beaten so badly by Dwight Freeney the time clock didn’t matter." Also being questioned is Rodgers' accuracy and the timeout Rodgers took prior to the Packers' final field goal attempt when the offense couldn't get off a play.

More on Aaron Rodgers comes from the Journal Sentinel.

Packers special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum discussed kicker Mason Crosby's missed field goals on Monday and said his rhythm was off. “He’s been very consistent,” Slocum is quoted as saying by Wes Hodkiewicz of the Press-Gazette. “I thought his rhythm was off on both kicks. On the first one, he pushed it and the second one he pulled. It’s not like him to miss two in a row. He needs to make those kicks.” Clearly the second field was far off the mark and was not a good effort, which is especially disappointing given the perfect conditions of a domed stadium.

More on Mason Crosby comes from JSOnline.

Head coach Mike McCarthy attempted to rationalize the Packers' situation as they sit at 2-3 in a Monday press conference. “We’re a focused football team; we’re just not playing to the level that we want to play at right now,” McCarthy is quoted as saying by Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com. “That’s what we have to stay focused on. We have to stay focused on our habits, our discipline, our preparation, the process leading up to Sunday night.” Just as in 2010 when the Packers were 8-6 and needed back-to-back wins to qualify for the playoffs, everything is still in front of them. However, they do need to go on a winning streak and soon.

More from Mike McCarthy comes from Fox Sports Wisconsin, PackersNews.com and JSOnline.

The ESPN Stats & Information Department published a pretty telling statistic: "Since the start of the 2010 season, the Packers are 2-8 when they drop back on at least 70 percent of their offensive plays. As effective as their passing game has been over that stretch, they are 29-3 when they drop back less than 70 percent of the time." Is it a case of Mike McCarthy trying to out-think himself by coming out and throwing the football to start the second half on Sunday? There's no reason to ignore the pass, but it shouldn't take an offensive genius to see the need for a balanced offense.

More on the Packers' play calling comes from the Packers official website.

Analysis from Sunday's game comes from Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel, Cliff Christl and Eric Baranczyk of the Press-Gazette and Fox Sports Wisconsin.

Noticing the lack of turnovers the Packers defense has forced is CBSSports.com and Packer Report.

The Packers couldn't stop Reggie Wayne on Sunday despite double-teaming him at times. More from JSOnline and PackersNews.com.

Interviewing the Packers' coordinators in the wake of their most recent loss is Fox Sports Wisconsin and the Packers official website.

Examining the sacks given up by the Packers is Tom Silverstein at JSOnline.

Taking a look at fan reaction to the Packers' 2-3 season is Fox 11 in Green Bay.

AllGreenBayPackers.com has a pair of columns on the Packers' mistakes and the direction of the season.

Video: Randall Cobb answers questions on his appearance on Fox 11's Inside the Huddle...

Brian Carriveau is the author of "It's Just a Game: Big League Drama in Small Town America," a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and an editor at Cheesehead TV. To contact Brian, email [email protected].

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Comments (3)

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Devil Doc's picture

October 09, 2012 at 12:30 pm

“We’re a focused football team; we’re just not playing to the level that we want to play at right now,”

It appears they have a complete lack of focus. Rodgers will get the blame for the majority of it, but MM needs to take credit for not being able to make adjustments during the game. The Seahawks game, I believe he said he wished that he would have made his adjustments sooner. I wouldn't be surprised if we here that again before too long.

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Beep's picture

October 09, 2012 at 12:53 pm

That ESPN Stats article on the Packers record based on pass/run calling is astounding. MM arrogance/ignorance is maddening. Let's get MM a play count scoreboard on the sidelines.

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WisconsInExile's picture

October 09, 2012 at 09:35 pm

This. Would. Be. Epic!

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