teworthy, the league eliminated the requirement that a team that scores a winning touchdown at the end of regulation kick the extra point or go for a 2-point conversion.In a January playoff game that Minnesota memorably

GREEN BAY http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jaylon-ferguson-jersey , Wis. (AP) — Packers right tackle Jason Spriggs saw no need to keep going on and on about Bears linebacker Khalil Mack.There’s plenty of film to watch. The rest of that Chicago defense is pretty good, too.Now Green Bay must face the NFC’s top-ranked unit on the road on Sunday, a week after Chicago tripped up the high-octane Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field.“You don’t have to go on and rant about how good Khalil is and all that stuff. Everybody knows who Khalil Mack is for a reason,” said Spriggs, who started last week for veteran Bryan Bulaga. “I think he brings a level of confidence to everybody on the defense, and we just have to key on that and make hay when we get the chances.”The right side of the Packers’ line could especially be a pressure point if Spriggs, a third-year player, starts again. Bulaga missed practice again Wednesday with a knee injury.Justin McCray appears to have taken over the right guard spot after starter Byron Bell (knee) went on injured reserveWednesday. McCray started last week. Another backup, Lucas Patrick, started at left guard for Lane Taylor, who has a foot injury.The results for Green Bay’s backup-littered line were encouraging last week against Atlanta in a victory that snapped a three-game losing streak and kept slim playoff hopes alive.After allowing four sacks in the first half, the Packers (5-7-1) didn’t allow one the rest of the game. Aaron Rodgers and the offense were effective throwing quick, short passes in winning Joe Philbin’s debut as interim head coach and offensive play caller.“I wouldn’t say the concepts were basic, but I thought the flow was really good,” Rodgers said. “Joe did a great job. The communication was great on the sideline and the flow was good and kind of got into a rhythm.”Philbin has made it a point to mostly stick to the same routines the Packers had under fired predecessor Mike McCarthy. While it’s difficult to go through a coaching change, players have said that they appreciate the relatively smooth transition.“I mean, he kind of fit into the role pretty seamlessly Miles Boykin Jersey ,” left tackle David Bakhtiari said. “He’s done a great job adding his spin to it, yet keeping kind of the integrity of the schedule, so it’s not completely different after having guys who were used to something for so long.“So overall it’s been pretty fluid, even in the first week,” he added.There is no sense changing things up so dramatically when it will be a tough enough task to hold off the Bears.The Packers, though, do have an intangible going into Sunday that the Rams lacked: Green Bay has won eight straight at Soldier Field. The run started with Green Bay’s victory in the NFC title game on Jan. 23, 2011.There’s also a confidence boost that comes with the Packers’ stirring rally in the season opener in September, scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter for a 24-23 win over Chicago. The game marked Mack’s debut with the Bears following his trade from the Oakland Raiders.Rodgers returned at halftime from a left knee injury to add to the drama The Packers went no-huddle in the second half of that game, though Rodgers stayed primarily in the pocket. It was the Packers’ offense at its best.“I mean getting into a rhythm, not only just as an offensive line, but just as an offense in general,” Bakhtiari said about the key takeaway from that night.Rodgers is healthier now with the ability to scramble out of trouble again. Mack, who has 10 sacks and six forced fumbles, has the benefit playing nearly an entire season in the Bears’ scheme. The linebacker has been mainly lining up on the right side of the defense in recent weeks, though he can easily switch sides.Respect Mack and be prepared. But don’t get caught up in the star power, Spriggs said.“You can’t go out there and be like you’re blocking God http://www.packerscheapshoponline.com/cheap-authentic-darnell-savage-jr.-jersey ,” Spriggs said. “But at the same time, you give respect where respect’s due.”NOTES: Taylor was limited in practice Wednesday. … DL Kenny Clark (elbow) and CB Bashaud Breeland (groin/not injury related) missed practice. ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The NFL’s new rule outlawing a player from lowering his head to initially make any sort of hit with his helmet likely will be included in replay reviews for officials.That has not been decided yet, but Commissioner Roger Goodell and competition committee chairman Rich McKay made it clear Wednesday that video reviews probably will be part of the process.“If we’re able to have replay confirm one of these fouls and also confirms a player be ejected,” Goodell said as the league meetings concluded, “I think there is more confidence among the coaches it will be called accurately.”After noting the unanimous approval of the new rule among coaches, Goodell said on-field officials felt the same way.“We think that is appropriate to do and it would be the first time we use replay for safety or in respect to any kind of foul,” Goodell added.Late Tuesday, the owners rewrote the rule on using the helmet, making it a 15-yard penalty for any player to lower his head to initiate any hit with the helmet. McKay called it “a significant change,” noting that it was a “technique too dangerous for the player doing it and the player being hit.”While the offender could be disqualified, owners did not call for an automatic ejection on such a play — at least not yet. In college football, when a player is penalized for targeting and a replay review affirms it, he is ejected.Including replay will be discussed and very possibly implemented at the NFL’s May meetings in Atlanta, where another full agenda will include discussions of changes to the league’s national anthem policy; the potential sale of the Carolina Panthers; and awarding the 2019 and 2020 drafts to two of the five finalist cities.Before then, Goodell stressed that the workings of the new helmet use rule will be made clear to the players.“Our intent is to go to each team with tape and all the analysis work done (by the football operations, technology and medical staffs) and be able to present it to them http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-justice-hill-jersey ,” Goodell said. “We can take the head out, and we do want to make sure certain techniques are not used in our game.”Like the coaches, the owners were emphatically behind the change.“We’ve done so much research and investigation on what creates the real concussive plays in the NFL,” Eagles owner Jeff Lurie said, “and it became obvious that so many of the plays are through the lowering of the helmet and using the helmet as a weapon. I thought this (rule) was very important.”Earlier, owners passed two more rules changes.Most noteworthy, the league eliminated the requirement that a team that scores a winning touchdown at the end of regulation kick the extra point or go for a 2-point conversion.In a January playoff game that Minnesota memorably won on a final pass play, New Orleans players were required to return to the field after leaving for a meaningless extra point. The Vikings took a knee.Of course, bettors and fantasy players could have a stake in the PAT, but neither participating team did, particularly now that points scored or points differential is so low in any tiebreaking procedures.The owners also approved closing an overtime loophole that could have been embarrassing had it ever occurred.Now, if the team that gets the ball first scores a field goal, then the opponent loses possession by an interception or fumble on its first series, the down will be permitted to run to its conclusion, including awarding points scored by either team during the down.Previously, the turnover ended the game regardless — even though the team getting the takeaway conceivably could itself turn over the ball on that play and see it returned for a score by the opponent.Got it?