Welcome to Saturday Scorecard. The turkey sandwiches are gone, but the notes are 70 percent off until noon.

Final push: A loss to Carolina Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field will not necessarily kill the Packers' playoff hopes.

It could very well put them on life support, though.

The Packers (5-6) are neither as good as they looked two weeks ago against Chicago nor as bad as they looked Monday night in New Orleans. Their season-long inability to play solid defense at the point of attack is not a hallmark of a team destined for playoff success. Green Bay ranks 26th in rushing yards allowed (142.9) and is 27th in yards per carry (4.8).

Some other points to ponder heading into Sunday:

Green Bay beat Carolina by a comfortable margin last season at Lambeau Field, but neither of the starting quarterbacks in that game -- Brett Favre and Vinny Testaverde -- will be on hand for the rematch.

The Panthers (8-3) are not as good as their record indicates. They were embarrassed against Atlanta last week and need a victory to bolster their confidence.

Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme credits Packers coach Mike McCarthy for helping him home his skills while the two worked together in New Orleans. If Delhomme carves up the Packers, McCarthy won't enjoy the reunion.

A key matchup in this game will pit Packers tackle Chad Clifton against Panthers defensive lineman Julius Peppers. Clifton was embarrassed in his meeting with Minnesota's Jared Allen a few weeks back. Peppers has nine sacks, including five in the past three games.

After three weeks of top announcing teams (Joe Buck and Troy Aikman and the "Monday Night Football" crew), Packers fans will be treated to Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan in the booth and Chris Myers as the sideline reporter.

When it comes to the post-season, a "one-and-done" run is only marginally more satisfying than being shut out of the playoffs. Fans in both situations scream for changes.

Sympathy pains: Saturday Scorecard's good friend, Andy, is a huge fan of the Detroit Lions and University of Michigan Wolverines. After suffering through the debacle on Thanksgiving Day, he tried to stay positive: "I'm just glad the entire country got to see what I go through," he said.

Good news, bad news: While the Wisconsin Badgers await a bowl invitation, fans are debating whether head coach Bret Bielema has the program heading in the right direction. In his first three seasons, Bielema has guided Wisconsin to a 28-10 record, which includes two bowl victories.

The regular season performance, however, has diminished in each year (11-1, 8-4 and 7-5). It's easy for fans to forget that Barry Alvarez experienced some down years, too. With many natives feeling restless already, things could get hostile next year if things don't go well.

Slowly but surely, Marquette coach Buzz Williams is revealing some personality quirks. He counts the days he has been on the job. He drinks sweet tea in a pint glass with six ice cubes. He takes notes with pens of different colors.

Stat du jour: The Bucks have not played back-to-back home games yet this season.

Spike TV: The NCAA volleyball pairings will be announced Sunday. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has an automatic berth, but will learn its destination and opponent. The Panthers will watch the announcement at Harry's Bar and Grill on Oakland Avenue in Shorewood. The show starts at 9 p.m.

Homecoming / farewell game: Former Brewers TV announcer Matt Vasgersian, who starts his new gig with MLB Network on Jan. 1, is calling the Chargers' game against Atlanta at Qualcomm Stadium.

No news: Major League Baseball teams haven't created a lot of news lately. Most clubs seem to be waiting for CC Sabathia to set the free agent market. None of the other free agents will sign until Sabathia lands. Few teams will make big trades until the free agents land.

If past patterns hold, there will be a flurry of transactions in December. Most players like to know where they are heading before the holidays and many GMs are eager to accommodate them.