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Packers At Jets: When The Jets Have The Ball

(Sports Network) – While Aaron Rodgers has been prolific, fellow Favre-successor Mark Sanchez has transformed into an effective game manager, having gone without an interception in five of six games after throwing 20 as a rookie last season. In the Jets’ current five-game win streak, he’s thrown for 1,026 yards, nine touchdowns and delivered a 90.4 passer rating. Behind Sanchez, the rushing offense is second in the league with an average of 159.2 yards per week. Resurgent and Canton-bound back LaDainian Tomlinson has five rush touchdowns in his last four games and has 38 games with two or more ground scores for his career, in which his teams have gone 36-2. He’s 20 yards away from rushing for 13,000 in his career. Outside, wide receiver Braylon Edwards has four touchdown catches in his last five games and caught three passes for 107 yards and a score in one meeting with Green Bay, back in 2005. Counterpart Jerricho Cotchery had nine catches for 99 yards and a touchdown his last time around against the Packers, while tight end Dustin Keller is tied for second in the league at his position with five touchdowns catches.

The injury-racked Packers have been in the middle of the road with a 338.4 yards per game average allowed to the opposition, while giving up 20 or fewer points in four or seven games. On this week’s walking wounded report, linebacker Brad Jones (shoulder) is out, linemen Ryan Pickett (ankle) and Cullen Jenkins (calf) are questionable and backfield mates Charles Woodson and Nick Collins are questionable as well with toe and knee problems, respectively. Others already on injured reserve for the season include linebacker Brady Poppinga, end Mike Neal, linebacker Nick Barnett, safeties Derrick Martin and Morgan Burnett and end Justin Harrell. Cornerback Al Harris remains on the physically unable to perform list with a knee issue. Though his status remains unclear, Woodson had an interception in his last game against the Jets and leads the NFL with 17 since 2008. Collins is third in that category with 14. Linebacker Clay Matthews has eight sacks in five career games against the AFC, while teammate Jarius Wynn notched the first of his career last week.