Week 17 vs. Detroit Game Release.indd - NFL.com

knee injury at the tail end of a carry with just over three minutes remaining
in the game and did not return.
at Detroit Lions (11/24): Rehabilitated the knee injury during a short preparation
week and made his second start of the season at Detroit...Carried four
times for 19 yards (4.8 avg.), but was rested for most of the second half
once the game was in hand.
at New York Giants (12/4): Appeared briefly in the game, carrying three times
for 5 yards (1.7 avg.) but suffered an ankle injury in the first half and did
not return.
vs. Oakland Raiders (12/11): Was held out of practice during the week due to
the ankle injury and landed on the gameday inactive list.
at Kansas City Chiefs (12/18): Inactive (ankle).
vs. Chicago Bears (12/25): Returned to the field after being a full participant
in practice throughout the week...Carried six times for 13 yards (2.2 avg.)
and also made one catch for 6 yards...Aggravated the ankle injury on a
carry late in the third quarter and did not return.
72 Herb Taylor, T, 3rd Year, Texas Christian
2011 Season: Young veteran free agent who was was signed Dec. 20,
in a corresponding transaction that followed the placement of T Derek
Sherrod on the injured reserve list (broken leg)...Originally a sixth-round
draft choice of Kansas City in 2007, he appeared in 18 games for the Chiefs
between 2007-08.
vs. Chicago Bears (12/25): Went through the practice week with the team
and was active on gameday, but did not see any action.
82 Ryan Taylor, TE, Rookie, North Carolina
2011 Season: Seventh-round draft pick who made the team after an
impressive training camp and preseason...Saw his first action on offense
in Week 14 after fellow TE Andrew Quarless suffered a season-ending knee
injury the week before...Has made an immediate impact as a core player
on each of the special teams units, and has 10 coverage tackles on the
season.
vs. New Orleans Saints (9/8): Inactive.
at Carolina Panthers (9/18): As expected, made his presence felt immediately
on special teams upon returning to his home state for his professional
debut...Set the tone on the opening kickoff when he slammed into LB Omar
Gaither and ran him back a number of yards, destroying the return lane for
RB Mike Goodson, allowing LB Jamari Lattimore to make an easy tackle at
Carolina’s 15-yard line...Also made two tackles of his own, one each on the
kickoff and punt coverage units...Shared a tackle with LB Brad Jones on a
7-yard punt return by WR Armanti Edwards in the first quarter and added
an additional assist in kickoff coverage.
at Chicago Bears (9/25): Played exclusively on special teams and did not
record any statistics...Made a good block on TE Kyle Adams at the start of
WR Randall Cobb’s 17-yard punt return late in the first quarter, pushing
him past the point where Cobb caught the ball.
vs. Denver Broncos (10/2): Appeared on special teams, sharing a tackle on
the opening kickoff with fellow rookie TE D.J. Williams, when the pair corraled
WR Quan Cosby at the Denver 16-yard line.
at Atlanta Falcons (10/9): Played on special teams, helping limit the Falcons
to a total of just two returns of both punts and kickoffs combined...Was
credited with a tackle on WR Eric Weems lone kickoff return of the contest.
vs. St. Louis Rams (10/16): Appeared in the game, only on special teams but
did not record any statistics.
at Minnesota Vikings (10/23): Played on special teams and his block on
LB Kenny Onatolu helped spring WR Randall Cobb’s then season-long
42-yard punt return in the third quarter.
at San Diego Chargers (11/6): Made a career-high two tackles on special
teams, one each on kickoff and punt coverage...Fought off a block by FB
Jacob Hester and nailed WR Richard Goodman at the San Diego 17-yard
line on a kickoff return in the first quarter...Also brought down WR Patrick
Crayton on a punt return in the fourth quarter.
vs. Minnesota Vikings (11/14): A key part of what was a banner day for the
kickoff and punt coverage units that allowed just 69 total return yards in
six attempts (four kickoffs, two punts)...Tallied his seventh coverage tackle
of the season when he brought down RB Lorenzo Booker at the Minnesota
21-yard line after an 18-yard kickoff return early in the fourth quarter...
Also made a key block on FB Ryan D’Imperio to help create the wide lane
used by Cobb at the beginning of his 80-yard punt return for a TD early in
the first quarter.
vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11/20): Appeared in the game on special teams
but did not record any statistics...Again made a good block to help spring
a long punt return...This time, it was his block on LB Adam Hayward that
helped create the initial lane used by Cobb on what was a 55-yard punt
return in the fourth quarter.
at Detroit Lions (11/24): Credited with two special teams tackles in kickoff
coverage and was part of the units that helped the Packers win the field
position battle by more than 150 yards during the game.
at New York Giants (12/4): Appeared in the game on special teams but did
not record any statistics.
vs. Oakland Raiders (12/11): Saw his first playing time on offense in the
absence of Quarless, who was lost for the season the week before...Made
an immediate splash by scoring a TD on first career offensive snap, a
4-yard pass from QB Aaron Rodgers that capped the Packers’ second possession
and extended their lead to 14-0...Lined up as part of a bunch on
the right side of the formation in what was a personnel group that featured
four TEs...Ran a quick hook route just beyond the goal line and reached to
his left for the ball, making his first career reception on the scoring play.
at Kansas City Chiefs (12/18): Appeared in the game both on offense and
special teams but did not record any statistics.
vs. Chicago Bears (12/25): Played on special teams and extensively on
offense in the second half...Did not record any tackles on the coverage
teams, but was consistently one of the first men down the field and helped
contain noted return man WR Devin Hester to just 7 yards on two punt
returns (3.5 avg.) and a 23.4-yard average on five kickoff returns...Helped
P Tim Masthay land three of his four punts inside the 20-yard line in a
game that saw the Packers win the field position battle by 150 yards.
93 Erik Walden, LB, 4th Year, Middle Tennessee State
2011 Season: A mid-season pick-up in 2010 who has started the first 15
games of 2011 at ROLB opposite Clay Matthews...For the season, is tied
for fourth on the defense with 85 tackles (49 solo), three sacks, two passes
defensed and a fumble recovery that he returned for a TD.
vs. New Orleans Saints (9/8): Opened the regular season as a starter for
the first time in his pro career and answered the bell with six tackles (four
solo), a sack and a pass defensed against the Saints...Sack came on a critical
third-and-2 from the Green Bay 7-yard line...Came through unblocked
on a rush from the ROLB position in an apparent miscommunication by the
New Orleans OL...Dropped QB Drew Brees for a 13-yard loss, limiting the
Saints to a 38-yard FG on fourth down...Pass deflection came in coverage
of athletic TE Jimmy Graham...Carried Graham down the seam and dove
to deflect the pass from Brees on a drive that ultimately ended with a punt.
at Carolina Panthers (9/18): Again started at ROLB, seeing time on 66 plays
and recording five tackles (four solo) and two QB hits...Part of a front that
was particularly stingy against the run throughout the game, allowing the
Panthers RB tandem of Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams a mere
18 yards on 11 carries (1.6 avg.).
at Chicago Bears (9/25): Made five tackles (four solo, one for loss) from his
ROLB post, helping to set the edge for a run defense that allowed just 13
yards on 12 carries (1.1 avg.) during the game...Tackle for loss came on a
run to his side that saw him stack TE Kellen Davis at the line of scrimmage,
free up an arm, and bring down RB Matt Forté a 1-yard loss, despite still
being somewhat engaged in the block...Was also credited with two QB hits.
vs. Denver Broncos (10/2): Started and finished with four tackles (three
solo) and two QB hits.
at Atlanta Falcons (10/9): Returned to his native state and posted five tackles
(two solo) and a season-high four QB hits for a defense that did not
yield a single point after the 12:29 mark of the second quarter.
vs. St. Louis Rams (10/16): Started at ROLB, but rotated regularly with LB
Frank Zombo, who returned to the lineup for the first time in 2011...
Finished with four tackles (two solo) and a QB hit...Also drew a hold on LT
Rodger Saffold on the second play from scrimmage that negated a 14-yard
completion from QB Sam Bradford to WR Greg Salas.