Every scientist's worst nightmare: Green Bay's life without Grant

If you're keeping score, the Philidephia and Green Bay defenses have now combined to to cost 6 players at least 62 games missed with injuries: Eagles' QB Kevin Kolb and LB Stewart Bradley will both miss next week's game after failing to pass the NFL's new post-concussion tests, while fellow Eagles FB Leonard Weaver and C Jamaal Jackson, as well as Packers DE Justin Harrell and, of course, RB Ryan Grant, are all done for the season. Not sure what the Eagles were thinking going out and actually playing against an ancient viking demon lord, risen to assure the Packers victory, but they got what they asked for.

Skipping right over the oft-injured and replaceable Harrell (he's appeared in just 14 games over four professional seasons), many Packer fans are worried about the running game on what is otherwise a stellar offense (save for a few all too familiar faces on the offensive line). With Grant out, 4th-year running back Brandon Jackson out of Nebraska gets the call as the feature back, with FB John Kuhn likely to get some carries in the red zone, especially after the way he powered through to first set up and then score Green Bay's second touchdown last Sunday.

Grant's fantasy owners who were savvy enough to grab Jackson after word of Grant's injury came out should expect some drop off, but not much. Jackson will have to prove that he can carry the load through an NFL season: he's missed 14 games over the past three seasons (Hey! He and Harrel combined almost make a whole football player!). He's not the same type of rusher as Grant: more of a grinder with less breakaway speed, but I don't expect much drop off in production, though the Packers may rely even more heavily on the passing game from here on out. A time share in the backfield is unlikely for now, with Jackson being the only half back on the roster before Dimitri Nance was added off of Atlanta's practice squad yesterday. The only thing Jackson's new fantasy owners should worry about in terms of playing time is the aforementioned touchdown vulture in Kuhn. Many talking heads have suggested trades, especially for Bills odd man out Marshawn Lynch, but I find this unlikely given Ted Thompson's history of building his teams through the draft exclusively.

As far as the real life Packers are concerned, head coach Mike McCarthy has already come out saying the he has complete confidence in Jackson's ability to be an every down back. Of course, this is exactly the kind of coach-speak you'd expect to hear after a season-ending injury to your star running back, except that he said it over a month ago after Grant missed a preseason game with a concussion. He does have some problems holding onto the football (he coughed one up in the red zone against Indianapolis in the preseason), and he also has a history of being banged up. Fortunately, we won't really see what the Packers have in Jackson until week three: the lowly Bills come to town this week, against whom 80-year-old Gloria Sarandos, a certified Packers superfan and my wonderful grandmother, could gain 75 yards and a touchdown.