NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A two-game skid has whittled away any margin for error the Green Bay Packers had in the NFC North, and now they hit the road for three straight games starting in Tennessee.Its a crucial moment for a franchise that has reached the playoffs each of the past seven seasons.Every game from this point forward in November and December are very important games for us, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. Tough stretch right now with three on the road back-to-back-to-back, but weve just got to take it one at a time and figure out a way to put a better performance on the field on Sunday.This marks Green Bays first three-game road trip since 2012 , and the timing couldnt be worse for a franchise that has lost three of four by a combined nine points. The tight losses have stuck Green Bay (4-4) behind both Minnesota and Detroit in the NFC North after being stunned 31-26 at Lambeau Field by Indianapolis last week.The Titans (4-5) find themselves trying to keep pace in the AFC South. They need one more win to match the victory total for the past two seasons combined and are coming off a 43-35 loss in San Diego , where Marcus Mariota outdueled Phillip Rivers by throwing for 313 yards and three touchdowns while running for another score.The second-year quarterback also cost Tennessee 17 points off three turnovers, and Mariota knows he has to protect the ball better.Weve continued to preach finishing some of these games, but you know what, thats part of it, Mariota said. Thats part of how we have to learn, how were going to get better. Eventually, well turn these around and be on the right side of these things.Here are some things to know about the Packers and Titans:ENERGIZED PACK?: Coach Mike McCarthy says his Packers energy level wont be an issue in Tennessee. Like the presidential election, energy became a buzzword immediately after last weeks loss to Indianapolis after the Packers looked lethargic early. But McCarthy says it was more an issue about not being detailed and consistent enough in adverse situations. Whatever the root of the issues, Green Bay doesnt want to spend the whole game again playing catch-up.PROTECT THE BALL: Turnovers have been the Titans biggest issue in losses this season, something Mariota had improved on in helping Tennessee win three of four in October. Over his past three games at home, Mariota has thrown seven touchdowns with only one interception. Even with two interceptions in San Diego, Mariota ranks fourth in the NFL with a 111.8 passer rating over the past five games.Rodgers says hes been a fan of Mariota since the fellow Pac-12 quarterback was at Oregon. He can do it all on the field, Rodgers said. Hes extremely gifted athletically, and hes doing a good job of throwing it efficiently. Im definitely impressed with him with the way he comes off and the way hes playing.TO THE QB: The Packers pass rush has slowed down the last few games. Green Bay managed to sack Andrew Luck just twice last week despite the Colts porous offensive line. The front seven has been missing linebacker Clay Matthews the last couple weeks because of a sore hamstring, and its unclear when he might return.Mariota is less experienced than Luck, though he can be just as elusive. Tennessee has allowed Mariota to be sacked only 12 times this season and not at all the past two games, a huge improvement from last year, when the Titans surrendered a league-worst 54 sacks.RUN TEST: DeMarco Murray is second in the NFL with 807 yards rushing, and the Titans rank third in the NFL, averaging 144.2 yards per game. That will be seriously tested against Green Bay, the leagues stingiest run defense. The Packers are allowing 75.8 yards per game, and Tennessee could be without Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry. Murrays backup strained his calf last week.WATCH RODGERS: With Eddie Lacy recovering from ankle surgery and on injured reserve, Rodgers is carrying the load as Green Bays leading rusher. The two-time MVP is averaging 5.9 yards per carry and his 199 yards rushing are second only to Lacy. But Titans coach Mike Mularkey said Green Bay has been very creative, finding ways to run with a variety of players such as Ty Montgomery.---AP Sports Writer Genaro C. Armas contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalkerJohn Moore Bruins Jersey . The 29-year-old from Port Colborne, Ont., has nothing but good things to say about former U.S. marine Liz (Girlrilla) Carmouche ahead of their co-main event Wednesday on the UFCs "Fight for the Troops" televised card in Fort Campbell, Ky. Matt Grzelcyk Bruins Jersey . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. http://www.thebostonbruinshockey.com/chris-wagner-hockey-jersey/ . However, he did make them miss him a little less. Cundiff, who had the unenviable job of replacing Dawson last season, agreed Thursday to a one-year, $1. Brandon Carlo Bruins Jersey . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. Derek Sanderson Jersey . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2.Sauber team principal Monisha Kalterborn has confirmed the team will use a 2016-spec Ferrari power unit next season.Kalterborn said the decision had been taken earlier this year in order to allow Sauber to focus on its chassis design and development, ahead of the new technical regulations which will be introduced for 2017.Had Sauber opted to overhaul its power unit, the Swiss team would have risked being forced to make late changes to its car design. As a result, it has elected to remain with a known engine concept in the shape of a 2016 Ferrari power unit.We will be using the latest spec of the 2016 Ferrari engine in 2017, Kaltenborn told F1i.The reasoning is actually that we took this decision a while ago -- not just recently -- at a time when actually the rules for next year were also not 100% clear. At that point of time we took a strategic decision to say that we want to focus the resources we have on chassis development, on performance development and in a way leave the engine side to the information and the areas which we know.So it was a pure strategic decision taken even before the rules for next year were actually finalised.Kalterborn refuted claims that Saubers decision was based on delays to its 2017 developments and insists the team -- which was taken over by Longbow Finance in July -- is well on course with its plans for next year.Any statements being made that this was taken because we are apparently in delay with our developments are wrong. We are absoluteely on plan, we have not suffered any delay there.dddddddddddd Through the change in the ownership now of course we have the stability and the boost you need to step up the speed were developing at.She added: Obviously theres not going to be that development on the engine side but in our view its the right step weve taken that whatever we might suffer on one side we are confident with the additions we have to the team to be focusing on compensating for that on the chassis side.Kaltenborn said the judgement was not influenced by Saubers financial situation, and used Toro Rosso, who are running a year-old Ferrari power unit in 2016, as an example of how it is possible to compensate for a lack of power unit development over the course of a season.Its a wilful step we have taken here. It did not have anything to do with any financial constraints, it was really that we want to focus on the chassis development. Our engineers are convinced that if there is any disadvantage you might have in terms of the power unit they want to compensate it through the chassis development.Well we definitely looked at [Toro Rosso] but for us the decision was really taken a while ago because things were not 100% sure on the rules. We wanted to have the ability that if there is any change again we can react to that and the power unit side is then the known side for us. ' ' '
