With a Thanksgiving Day game at Detroit looming Thursday, the Packers don't have much time to sit and dwell on the losses to injury of cornerback Al Harris and linebacker Aaron Kampman.

Both players suffered torn ACLs in Sunday's 30-24 victory over San Francisco at Lambeau Field, leaving head coach Mike McCarthy to figure out how to replace two of the more important players in the NFL's fourth-ranked defensive unit.

"That's really a big part of a coach's responsibility, to overcome these types of situations and navigate through your medical phase of and aspect of your football team," said McCarthy.

Tramon Williams will start in place of Harris at cornerback while Jarret Bush and rookie Brandon Underwood will backup at the position.

Underwood, selected in the sixth round of this year's draft, wasn't expected to see much action this season and wasn't on the active roster until an injury to Will Blackmon at Minnesota on Oct 6.

"We've got to go in there with what we've got," cornerback Charles Woodson said. "Whoever (is) in that backup role has to be prepared to go in there and play Thursday."

Rookie Brad Jones started in place of Kampman last week when he missed the Dallas game with a concussion. The seventh-round draft pick, along with Brady Poppinga, will likely see a majority of action in Kampman's place.

"The two rookies had a chance to play today and it'll give them a chance to learn from being in there," McCarthy said. "Brad had a chance to play some last week so he'll have two games to work off, and Brandon, it was obviously a big opportunity for him so we'll just keep coaching them."

Kampman's injury poses some longer-term questions. The eighth-year player is a free agent after this season and has struggled at times adapting to Dom Capers' 3-4 defensive scheme after being named to the Pro Bowl twice as a defensive lineman.

"Anytime you lose a veteran player, it's tough," said Cullen Jenkins. "We're just going to have to come together as a team, rally behind them and play well."

For more on the Packers' victory, check out Drew Olson's Green Bay Replay.

Gobble gobble: The Packers will be making their 33rd appearance in a Thanksgiving Day game and have a 12-18-2 record on the holiday.

They will be playing Detroit for the 18th time on Thanksgiving. The Packers and Lions met every year from 1951 to 1963, a string halted by Vince Lombardi.

His 1962 team was 10-0 heading into the Thanksgiving game and beaten by the Lions, 26-14 at Tiger Stadium -- the only loss of the season for Green Bay. In 1963, the teams played to a 13-13 tie that wound up costing the Packers a share of the Western Conference championship.

For more on the Packers-Lions Thankgiving history, check out this OnMilwaukee.com piece from 2007.

Prime-time for the Bucks: The Brandon Jennings Bandwagon is getting a little more crowded every day. Now it's the Worldwide Leader, ESPN, that's getting on board. The network -- which some wondered if even knew of the Bucks' existence -- has added the Friday night game at Oklahoma City to its broadcast schedule. That game was originally set to get underway at 7 p.m. but will now begin at 8:30. It will also be carried -- in high-def -- on FS Wisconsin.

At 8-3, Milwaukee is in a virtual tie with Cleveland atop the Central Division. The Bucks lead the Cavs by percentage points, but are two games back in the victory column. They are back in action tonight at San Antonio where they will be reunited with former teammate Richard Jefferson.  Page 1 of 2 (view all on one page)

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Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by High_Life_Man on Nov. 23, 2009 at 8:40 a.m. (report)

No love for Hawaii-bound UW hoops?

Posted by dukefame on Nov. 23, 2009 at 7:21 a.m. (report)

"If the season ended today, the Packers would have the fifth playoff spot in the NFC, though they are tied with the New York Giants in the standings. According to the NFL playoff seeding formula, the Packers would open the postseason against Brett Favre and the Vikings at the Metrodome. " If the season ended today the Packers would have the 6th spot and open up at Dallas. The Vikings would have a bye that first round as they have the second best record in the NFC. Since when does the seeding formula have the top two teams in the conference playing during wild card weekend?