Add a another injury to the list of ailments linebacker Clay Matthews has dealt with in his career as a Packer. "Matthews has missed many practices this season with a quadriceps injury, but on Thursday he was out with a knee injury and did not participate with the rest of the team," writes Paul Imig of Fox Sports Wisconsin. To his credit, the injuries don't keep Matthews from playing on Sundays, and he said this one wouldn't be any different.

More on Clay Matthews comes from Packer Report and ESPNMilwaukee.com.

Defensive linemen B.J. Raji and Ryan Pickett don't think the switch from last season to make Pickett play nose tackle and Raji at end are the reason for the Packers poor defense. "It was a subtle change but still a minor surprise only because the Packers were one of the NFL’s premier defenses in the second half of 2010," writes Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "Defensive coordinator Dom Capers and defensive line coach Mike Trgovac made the change to improve a run defense that finished last season No. 18 in the NFL in yards allowed, though it’s also worth noting the Packers’ run defense improved in the second half of ’10 after the team acquired defensive lineman Howard Green." The challenge is now to improve a leaky pass defense for the Packers.

The job of protecting quarterback Aaron Rodgers from an offensive line perspective is taken up by Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Wide-open, cover-your-eyes hits have been minimal this season," writes Dunne. "The Packers have allowed 20 sacks, 12th most in the NFL and par for the course since Rodgers took over in 2008. Patience has been a major part of Rodgers' game. He's thrown only 13, 7 and 11 interceptions yet has been sacked 34, 51 and 38 times his first three seasons." Given how often the Packers pass, it's not entirely surprising they've given up more than the average team. But it would be nice to see a few less sacks given up.

As a former Penn State player, tight end Andrew Quarless was asked for his perspective on the sex abuse scandal going on at his alma mater. "He's also a father," according to the Journal Sentinel. "So as the details from the horrific scandal rocking Penn State continue to emerge, Quarless admitted Thursday that it is difficult to feel sorry for the ousted coach. Paterno was fired by Penn State trustees amid anger as to how the coach handled child sexual assault allegations against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky." The story is unbelievably sad on so many levels.

More from Andrew Quarless comes from the Press-Gazette, ESPNMilwaukee.com, Fox Sports Wisconsin, Packer Report, JSOnline and columnist Michael Hunt.

Defensive lineman Mike Neal practiced for the first time on Thursday since training camp. "While Neal, who was not in the Packers’ locker room during the daily media availability period, may not be cleared to play in time for Monday night’s game against NFC North rival Minnesota at Lambeau Field, he could provide a late-season boost on defense similar to what then-rookie running back James Starks did for the offense last year," writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com. Neal was not ruled out for the Vikings game, but I would guess he won't play.

More on Mike Neal comes from the Associated Press, PackersNews.com and JSOnline.

For being undefeated halfway through their season, the Packers aren't getting a ton of attention says Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel. "There is no substantive way to measure it, but if the Green Bay Packers aren't having one of the quietest 8-0 seasons in the modern media age, they're darn close to it," writes Silverstein.

The matchup between Marshall Newhouse and Jared Allen is the focus of an article at the Packers official website.

Articles on Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder facing the Packers come from the Press-Gazette, Fox Sports Wisconsin, the Packers official website and Packer Report (subscription required).

Blog posts at JSOnline are on the receivers, interviews with the offensive line, Vikings coach Leslie Frazier, a Monday night preview and a book on the 1962 Packers.

The Journal Sentinel Packers Insiders section (subscription required) has items on Desmond Bishop, the defense and former Packer Tom Moore.

Packers vice president Jason Wied is taking a leave of absence for a medical reason.

Tight end Jermichael Finley appeared on the NFL Network's Around the League Live.

Former NFL coach Brian Billick writes a column on the Packers at NFL.com.

On Veteran's Day, an article on the Packers honoring a member of the military appears at the Press-Gazette.

Brian Carriveau is the editor of the Maple Street Press Packers Annual. To contact Brian, email [email protected].