GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers need to get their timing back in the passing game.At their best, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and the other receivers break at just the right points in precisely run routes to catch perfectly thrown balls from quarterback Aaron Rodgers.But for whatever reasons so far this season, the Packers once-prolific passing attack isnt in sync . Theyd like to correct that on Sunday in the home opener against the Detroit Lions.The West Coast offense is all about timing, and if your timing is even just a little bit off, youre going to be miles off at times with your connection points, Rodgers said.Fortunately for the Packers, Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks in the league in extending plays outside the pocket. He has rushed for two touchdowns this year after being forced to scramble.Rodgers would rather get those points with completions.But as we get more in sync offensively, the running naturally probably comes down because the routes are being run on time and you can deliver the ball on time, Rodgers said.Opponents can doubt Rodgers at their own risk. He has been known to play with a very sizable chip on his valuable right shoulder.He can make every throw, he can run, hes an outstanding leader, hes won tons of games, extremely capable individual, Lions coach Jim Caldwell said when asked if Rodgers was struggling.I dont know what struggling means in that regard, not with a guy like that, Caldwell said.The Packers (1-1) lost 17-14 last week at Minnesota, a game in which Rodgers uncharacteristically accounted for two turnovers.Detroit (1-1) is looking to rebound from a 16-15 loss to Tennessee in the Lions home opener on Marcus Mariotas 9-yard touchdown pass late to Andre Johnson.Other notes and things to watch Sunday:ON THE RUN: Ameer Abdullahs foot injury likely means Theo Riddick will get a chance to prove he can be an every-down running back. Abdullah was placed on injured reserve this week. Riddick, who is already a proven threat in the passing game, had a career-high 11 carries for 37 yards against the Titans.Riddick might be the lead guy, but the fact of the matter is itll be some other guys carrying the ball as well, Caldwell said. It just depends on ... exactly what type of attack we decide to use.STOP THE RUN: The Packers have the leagues best run defense through two games, allowing 1.63 yards per carry. Defensive lineman Mike Daniels is leading a stout effort in spite of depth questions in the front seven.Green Bay is without backup lineman Mike Pennel for the first four games after being suspended by the NFL for violating the leagues substance abuse policy. Datone Jones was added to the injury report this week with a knee injury. Linebacker Clay Matthews has ankle and hamstring issues. Letroy Guion could also miss some time with a knee injury.MORE RUNS: Getting more production out of the running game could help the Packers, too. Through two games, running backs Eddie Lacy and James Starks have combined to rush for 121 yards on 37 carries with no scores.The analysis of our offense after two games, the running backs have not been given enough opportunities, so thats something that I need to focus on, coach Mike McCarthy said.FEWER DROPS: The Lions need receivers to hang on to the ball more. Dropped passes have been a problem.Just continue to work, try to get those guys as many catches as we can, before, after practice, quarterback Matthew Stafford said. Im going to continue to try to do a better job of putting the ball in a better position for them to catch it, but Ive got confidence in all those guys to go out there and make plays.HANDLING THE NORTH: The Packers lost all their divisional home games last season. Theyd need to re-establish themselves at home against NFC North foes, while Detroit would like to build on its breakthrough last year at Lambeau Field. The 18-16 win on Nov. 15 snapped the Lions 23-game regular-season road losing streak against Green Bay.Thats so far back on the radar its unbelievable, Caldwell said. Theres been a lot going on between that time.Back then, the Packers were having similar issues on offense. This time, Green Bay is working top receiver Jordy Nelson back into the system after he hurt was last preseason.---Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Stitched 49ers Jerseys . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Emmanuel Moseley Jersey . After Mondays hard-fought loss, the wait seemed longer than usual. 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Texas defensive end Breckyn Hager said the Longhorns approach on defense this week in preparing to face prolific Texas Tech quarterback?Patrick Mahomes II?is simple: hurt him.Hager said this multiple times Monday -- eventually issuing an apology hours later -- while discussing how to stop Mahomes, the nations No. 1 passer and a quarterback who has a bit of a history against the Longhorns.I say injure that quarterback, Hager said. Thats the mentality right now. Weve got to take him out. We know hes banged up, and weve just got to get after him.Hager issued an apology through the university on Monday afternoon, saying it is not his intent to injure another player.I want to apologize for what I said earlier today at our press conference, he said. I play hard and its our teams goal to get pressure on the quarterback, hit him and disrupt the offense. When I go out there I want to play my most aggressive game, but Im not trying to do anything to physically injure someone. I have too much respect for Patrick Mahomes and every quarterback I play against to ever do that. Thats not what Im about, not the way I was raised and not the way we play football at Texas.Our coaches dont teach us that or coach us to injure other players in any way. It was a really poor choice of words, and I truly regret it. My point should have been that its our job as defensive linemen to make our presence known and affect the quarterback. Life is bigger than a game, and Im still learning how to be a better player on and off the field. I hope everyone will accept my apology for what I said.Mahomes has been dealing with an injury to his throwing shoulder for the past month -- one he appeared to aggravate at the end of the Red Raiders 27-24 double-overtime victory at TCU on Saturday.The last time Texas visited Lubbock, late in the 2014 season, Texas defensive back Quandre Diggs delivered a hard hit on Mahomes that knocked the quarterback out of the game with a concussion.ddddddddddddDays after the hit, Diggs said he didnt feel bad about knocking out Mahomes because, He signed up to play football. Sometimes that happens.During the Texas Tech-Texas game last season, Diggs -- now with the Detroit Lions -- called Mahomes a chump on Twitter for flexing after a touchdown. After the Red Raiders 48-45 victory in Austin, Mahomes responded by tweeting: This same chump just got that win tonight!Mahomes did not respond to Hagers comments on Monday, but his father, Pat Mahomes, a former major league pitcher, tweeted: Are you kidding me. In an unrelated matter, Pat Mahomes was arrested on a charge of public intoxication during the Red Raiders game at TCU over the weekend.Hagers apology was accompanied ?by a statement from Texas coach Charlie Strong.I want to make one thing clear -- we never walk into a game wanting to injure someone. We would never coach that way and thats not how our team plays, Strong said. We respect the game too much, we respect other players, we respect how hard theyve worked to get in the position theyre in, so thats not our character. Breckyn knows we want to get pressure on the quarterback, we want to get around him, we want him to feel our presence. Thats what hes talking about, but you never walk into a game saying were coming in to injure you. Breckyn knows that.Patrick Mahomes is the nations leading passer and we have a ton of respect for him.Police say the father of Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes was arrested on a charge of public intoxication during the Red Raiders game at TCU over the weekend. ' ' '
