Long snapper Brett Goode has signed a three-year contract extension with the Packers. "According to a source with knowledge of the new contract, which was signed on Oct. 13, the day before the Packers' 42-24 loss (sic) to the Houston Texans, Goode received a $325,000 signing bonus and his 2012 base salary remains at $700,000," writes Brian McIntyre of the Yahoo! Shutdown Corner blog. "Goode is scheduled to earn base salaries of $715,000 (2013), $730,000 (2014) and $870,000 (2015), with $25,000 workout bonuses available in each year of the extension." The Packers had reportedly had more than $6 million in room under their salary cap, so it makes sense that they made use of it with Goode, even if they can't come to agreements with the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews or B.J. Raji before the season is over.

The Minnesota Vikings lost a Thursday night football game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 36-17, which allowed the Green Bay Packers to gain half a game on the Vikings in the NFC North standings. "With two games apiece against division rivals Chicago and Green Bay plus road trips to Seattle and Houston in the second half of their schedule, the Vikings have quite the challenge waiting for them and their strong start after Thanksgiving," according to Associated Press. Losing at home to a middling Buccaneers team is not a good sign for the Vikings. There's a lot of time for the Packers to pass the Vikings in the playoff pecking order and can make it up in short order when they face them head to head.

More on the Vikings' loss comes from ESPN.com.

Greg Jennings' groin injury has been identified as a rectus abdominal tear, and he will have surgery next Tuesday to repair it. "Jennings said the surgery would not be season-ending, but didn’t offer a timetable for a possible return," writes Wes Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "It typically sidelines professional athletes anywhere from three to six weeks." The Packers do have a bye week in that time frame. One question that's gone through my mind is, should it have taken it this long to get a second opinion? I'm not placing any blame. Maybe there are good reasons as to why it took this long.

More on Greg Jennings and his upcoming surgery come from Packer Report, ESPNMilwaukee.com, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Fox Sports Wisconsin, JSOnline and Packers official website.

In other disappointing wide receiver news, Jordy Nelson missed Thursday's practice and has already been ruled out from participating on Friday due to a hamstring injury. "In order for Nelson to be cleared before Green Bay's upcoming game, he'll have to pass tests from the team's medical staff either Saturday or Sunday," writes Paul Imig of Fox Sports Wisconsin. Nelson has not been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Jaguars, but it's not looking good, and the Packers look like they'll have a little less depth at the position than usual.

Other injury reports come from ESPNMilwaukee.com, JSOnline and PackersNews.com.

The Packers' success in the red zone this season is examined in an article by Lori Nickel of the Journal Sentinel. They lead the league in red zone efficiency, coming away with 16 touchdowns in 21 trips. "The starting point for this success has to begin with Rodgers," writes Nickel. "He has completed 71.9% of his passes in the red zone, which is No. 1 in the NFL and even better than his 69.8% overall completion." It's interesting to read player' reaction as they almost regard coming away with a field goal as a failure.

On the flip side, Packer Report has a series of articles looking at the Packers' struggles on third-and-short and how the rest of the league is doing in that down an distance.

Tackle Bryan Bulaga shares his thoughts on his bad game against the Seahawks a couple weeks ago and moving forward from it.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has some travel advisories for those traveling to Sunday's game.

The future of the players on the PUP list is examined at the Press-Gazette.

Charles Woodson's replacements at safety, Jerron McMillian and M.D. Jennings, are interviewed at ESPNMilwaukee.com.

The Packers official website has items on alumni autograph signings this weekend, a book signing at the Hall of Fame and volunteers needed next weekend.

A video of Bob McGinn previewing the Packers-Jaguars game appears at JSOnline.

Some film breakdown occurs by Thomas Hobbes at AllGreenBayPackers.com.

Video: The pink breast cancer awareness apparel and equipment were on display Thursday at Lambeau Field. From Fox 11...

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].