Allgemeines » teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Since arriving in Green Bay, Christine Michael hasnt had much to do except for read up on the playbook.The recently acquired running back looks as if hell finally get a chance to get a few carries on Monday night when the Packers visit the Philadelphia Eagles .For the first time in weeks, Green Bay might have two experienced running backs on the roster in Michael and James Starks.Establishing the run might help the Packers get off to the more productive starts that have eluded them the past two games.Theyre teaching me the game plan ... and getting me ready to go, said Michael, who was claimed off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks last week.Getting me in the game plan this week, a couple runs here, play action. Keeping it simple, but definitely trying to get my feet wet out there.Losers of four straight, the Packers (4-6) have at least been able to get the passing game going the past few weeks.Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has thrown 15 touchdown passes to three interceptions over the past five games.But Green Bay has had to play catch-up in many of those games. A porous and injury-plagued secondary has been a problem especially in back-to-back blowout losses to Tennessee and Washington.The offense in those games has had slow starts, too. In six first-quarter possessions combined over the past two losses, the Packers have five three-and-outs and no points.Make more plays. This whole situation, theres not a special recipe, receiver Jordy Nelson said. Youve just got to make the plays and execute.A little balance could help, too.Starks returned two weeks ago from a knee injury that sidelined him for four games.Receiver Ty Montgomery has taken more snaps in the backfield, where he has had his moments as a runner and pass catcher.But the Packers still dont have a rushing touchdown from anyone other than Rodgers. Starting running back Eddie Lacy, who is out for the year with an ankle injury, is still the Packers leading rusher with 360 yards on 71 carries despite playing in just five games.Well, it definitely changed a lot of the stuff that we like to do, Rodgers said about the impact of losing Lacy.When you double that with James being out for a few weeks, definitely took us out of some of the stuff we wanted to do to start the season.At 5-foot-10, 220 pounds, Michael is a different kind of back from the physical Lacy. But Michaels 469 yards rushing on 117 carries and six touchdowns with Seattle would lead the Packers.That is why Michael has been spending most of his time catching up on the playbook.If Michael, Starks and Montgomery can start running the ball effectively early in games, that could help Green Bay set a tone while keeping the banged-up defense off the field to stay fresh.On the teams day off Monday, Michael came into Lambeau Field and spent a couple of hours cramming with position coach Ben Sirmans.Just ready to go man, I feel like its simple, Michael said. Its just football, you know what I mean? Just study it, give it my mind, just go out there and play.Game notes Coach Mike McCarthy announced that Lacy and CB Sam Shields would stay on injured reserve for the rest of the season, with the Packers planning to activate CB Makinton Dorleant from injured reserve for the Eagles game. NFL teams can designate one player to come off injured reserve. The Packers have been without their top cornerbacks in Shields (concussion) and Damarious Randall (groin) for much of the season. Quinten Rollins is coming back from a groin injury, and Demetri Goodson suffered a serious knee injury last week against Washington. ... G T.J. Lang (ankle) was a longshot to play on Monday, McCarthy said. Lang missed the Redskins game. ... LB Derrick Matthews was signed to the practice squad. Matthews was in Green Bay for part of training camp, and also spent some time last season on the Redskins practice squad.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL . Cheap Lakers Jerseys . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. Lance Stephenson Jersey . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . http://www.cheaplakersjerseyschina.com/sviatoslav-mykhailiuk-jersey/ . In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the off-season. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. Lakers Jerseys From China . P.A. Parenteau scored early in the third period to help the Avs edge Toronto 2-1 on Tuesday night. Cory Sarich also scored for Colorado (3-0-0), which is off to its best ever start. JaVale McGee Jersey . Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. SUNRISE, Fla. -- Sidney Crosby is tied for the NHL goal-scoring lead, and the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins are tied atop the division.They certainly impressed the struggling Florida Panthers and their new coach.Sidney Crosby got his 18th goal and added an assist to lead the Penguins over the Panthers 5-1 on Thursday night.Conor Sheary, Tom Kuhnhackl, Matt Cullen and Carl Hagelin also scored for Pittsburgh. Matt Murray made 28 saves.The Penguins have won four straight, scoring 24 goals in the process. Pittsburgh had a 3-0 lead on five shots less than eight minutes in.It was nice to start with the lead. It was kind of weird the way things worked out, Crosby said. We didnt have many shots, but we had a few goals right off the bat.Jaromir Jagr scored his 755th career goal, and Roberto Luongo stopped 25 shots for the Panthers.Panthers interim coach Tom Rowe, who replaced Gerard Gallant on Nov. 28, made his home debut. The Panthers have lost five of six under Rowe, but managed a point in three of those losses.I thought we showed them way too much respect in the beginning of the game. We were back on our heels a little bit, Rowe said. Obviously, theyve got two of the best players in the world and I think it could have intimidated some of our younger guys a little bit.The Panthers have lost six of seven.Its a work in progress, I guess, Rowe said. Weve still got a lot of young guys in the lineup.Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead on Crosbys goal 3:06 in. Crosby snapped a wrist shot from above the right circle that got through several Florida defenders and past Luongo.Crosby is tied with Bostons David Pastrnak for the NHL lead in goals.With us, we knew that they were going to be motivated, Crosby said. Theyve played a lot of close games lately, a lot of overtime games. When you get a new coach, everybody is trying to prove themselvess.dddddddddddd I think we expected a pretty tough game. It was just nice to get that kind of start.The Penguins extended their lead to 2-0 on Shearys tally. The initial shot by Sheary missed the net, but the puck came off the end boards and into the crease and was inadvertently kicked across the goal line by Luongo at 4:51. Crosby had an assist on the goal.(Crosby) is always the guy that takes the lead, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. His line gets us a couple goals early on and gets us the lead and speaks volumes for the leadership he displays night in and night out.Pittsburgh stretched the score to 3-0 when Scott Wilsons shot from the right circle deflected off Kuhnhackl and into the net at 7:34. The Panthers unsuccessfully challenged the goal, claiming Kuhnhackl interfered with Luongo.The Panthers closed to 3-1 on Jagrs power-play goal. Aleksander Barkov passed from below the right circle to Jagr in the slot, and his one-timer beat Murray at 6:17 of the second.Cullen gave the Penguins a 4-1 lead at 5:48 of the third when he grabbed a rebound in front and put the puck between the pads of Luongo.Hagelin added an empty-net goal with 32.9 seconds left to make the score 5-1.Game notes The Penguins have gone 6-0-2 in their past eight games against the Panthers. ... The Penguins sent LW Jake Guentzel and D Derrick Pouliot to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. ... Jagr has 1,882 points, putting him six behind Mark Messier for second place on the career list. ... Panthers C Jonathan Marchessault missed his third game with a lower-body injury. ... Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield attended the game.UP NEXT:Penguins: Visit Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night.Panthers: Host Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. ' ' '