Bears in the Pros: C.J. Anderson breaks loose as Aaron Rodgers struggles

Lorenzo Alexander: RB, Oakland Raiders (4-3)

Alexander, again, played but did not record a statistic during the Raiders' crucial 34-20 victory over the New York Jets.

If the playoffs began today, the Oakland Raiders would be the AFC's first Wild Card.

Yes, you read that correctly. The Oakland Raiders are in line to make playoffs for the first time since their Super Bowl defeat to the Tampa Buccaneers during the 2002 season.

There is still a lot of football to be played, of course, so the Raiders need to continue to improve.

Kennan Allen: WR, San Diego Chargers (2-6)

This season has been really, really rough on the Chargers. I thought they were a team that could challenge for a playoff spot this season, but that looks mighty unlikely at this point.

Allen hauled in five passes for 35 yards and a touchdown before suffering a season-ending injury during the second quarter of their 29-26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

The touchdown grab was fantastic and here is the video.

I cannot remember one NFL season which has been as destructive as this one as far as injuries to key players.

Between Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, Orlando Scandrick, Ben Roethlisberger, LeVeon Bell, Cameron Wake, DeSean Jackson, Steve Smith, Kelvin Benjamin, Jordy Nelson, Jamaal Charles and, now, Keenan Allen, there have been a TON of injuries to great players. It is such a shame.

The San Diego Union Tribune has a story about a nice gesture from one of Allen's teammates:

Keenan Allen won't be running around at practice again this season.

On Thursday, someone in his jersey did.

Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram usually dons a blue No. 54 jersey during the week. He swapped it for Allen's white No. 13 to honor his close friend. The team's leading wide receiver suffered a lacerated kidney Sunday and, while expected to make a full recovery, is out for the year.

Tyson Alualu: DE/DT, Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5)

The Jaguars were on a much-neede bye this week.

C.J. Anderson: RB, Denver Broncos (7-0)

Anderson had his breakout game this season as he rushed 14 times for 101 yards and a touchdown as the Broncos manhandled the Green Bay Packers 29-10 in a matchup of undefeated teams.

To put Anderson's slow start into perspective, his total of 101 yards against the Packers was only 79 yards shy of his total from the first six games of the season.

Bryan Anger: P, Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5)

The Jags were on a bye this week.

Chris Conte: S, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4)

Conte tallied nine tackles in the Bucs' 23-20 overtime victory against the Atlanta Falcons. Conte's play this season has been a pleasant surprise as he was looked at as someone in danger of being cut during training camp.

Justin Forsett: RB, Baltimore Ravens (2-6)

Forsett and his Ravens grabbed a much-needed win against the Chargers in a battle of two of the NFL's most disappointing teams thus far.

Forsett carried the ball 17 times for 69 rushing yards. He also caught one pass for five yards. The Ravens won 29-26.

From The Baltimore Sun, the Ravens still view their rushing attack as a strength of the team:

Through an opening half of the season that has caused the Ravens to drop into shotgun and chase opponents' leads more often than they would like, offensive coordinator Marc Trestman still believes, as he said all throughout the lead-in to the season, that the team's running game is the strength of the offense.

Trestman said Tuesday that the offense hasn't always been able to go to the run, but the beginning of the Week 7 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, plus the end of Sunday's win over the San Diego Chargers, showed that phase of the offense was till capable of dominating. Running back Justin Forsett agrees.

"I think you saw in the last game, we were able to stay on the field in large part due to the run game," Forsett said. "That's what we kind of do. When we're able to get started, we're able to wear defenses down, especially when the fourth quarter comes. We're able to sustain and be able to produce big runs."

DeSean Jackson: WR, Washington Redskins (3-4)

Jackson and the Redskins were on a bye this past week.

Marvin Jones: WR, Cincinnati Bengals (7-0)

Jones and the Bengals took down the Steelers 16-10.

It was a low-key game for Jones as he caught just two passes for 12 yards.

Cameron Jordan: DE, New Orleans Saints (4-4)

Defense was optional during the Saints' 52-49 win against the New York Giants. Jordan contributed one tackle and one tackle for a loss.

Mychal Kendricks: LB, Philadelphia Eagles (3-4)

The Eagles were on a bye this past week.

L.P. Ladouceur: LS, Dallas Cowboys (2-5)

The Cowboys took another tough loss as they attempt to navigate the Romo-less portion of their schedule.

This one was a 13-12 home loss to the Seahawks during which Ladouceur extended his consecutive games played streak to 164.

Marshawn Lynch: RB, Seattle Seahawks (4-4)

Lynch carried the ball 21 times for 71 yards while contributing two receptions for 11 yards.

It has been a less than stellar season for Lynch as he ranks just 20^th in the league in rushing yards with 375 yards.

Alex Mack: C, Cleveland Browns (2-6)

Mack started for the eighth time this season during Cleveland's 34-20 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

The Browns are a dumpster fire at the moment, but Mack does not want to abandon the sinking ship just yet.

From Sports Illustrated:

Cleveland Browns center Alex Mack refused to be traded by his team on Monday, reports NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.

Mack's name has been mentioned in trade talks ahead of the NFL's Tuesday deadline, but the seventh-year pro is not interested in leaving Cleveland.

"I have a 'no trade' clause in my contract," Mack told Rapoport. "It was included for good reason: I'm not leaving my teammates, coaches and Browns fans while there is work this season to be finished."

Chris McCain: LB, Miami Dolphins (3-4)

McCain was inactive for a third game in-a-row as the Dolphins lost 36-7 to the New England Patriots.

Brandon Mebane: DT, Seattle Seahawks (3-4)

Mebane did not play against the Cowboys.

Ron Rivera: HC, Carolina Panthers (7-0)

Rivera's Panthers overcame the Indianapolis Colts 29-26 in overtime to remain one of four undefeated teams in the NFL. Here is the post-game press conference.

Aaron Rodgers: QB, Green Bay Packers (6-1)

Rodgers and the Packers endured a tough day at the office on their trip to Denver. Rodgers completed 14 of 22 passes for 77 yards - the lowest total of his career - while rushing for 31 yards as well.

The Washington Post suggests Aaron Rodgers as a fantasy football must sit this week against the Panthers.

Aaron Rodgers has been trending downward each week in fantasy points ever since Week 3 against Kansas City, where he threw for 333 yards and five touchdowns.

Last week against Denver was the first time in Rodgers's career that he failed to throw for at least 100 yards in a game with at least 20 pass attempts, thanks to a Broncos' pass rush that pressured him on a career-high 63 percent of his dropbacks.

This week's defense doesn't get any easier.

The Carolina Panthers are allowing the second fewest net yards per pass (5.1) this season and rank 12th in adjusted sack rate (7.2 percent), which gives sacks (plus intentional grounding penalties) per pass attempt adjusted for down, distance, and opponent.

Only one passer has broken 300 yards against the Panthers' defense this year (Luke McCown in Week 3) and none have more than two touchdowns against.

I know it isn't easy sitting a guy like Rodgers, but it's the right thing to do.

Richard Rodgers: TE, Green Bay Packers (6-1)

Rodgers caught two passes for 16 yards during Green Bay's loss to the Broncos.

Jeremy Ross: WR/RET, Baltimore Ravens (2-6)

Ross caught 3 passes for 21 yards while returning two punts for 17 yards during their victory over the Chargers.

Mitchell Schwartz: T, Cleveland Browns (2-6)

Schwartz started for a 56^th consecutive game during Cleveland's 34-20 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Craig Stevens: TE, Tennessee Titans (1-6)

The Titans have hit rock-bottom as they suffered their sixth consecutive defeat in a 20-6 loss to the Houston Texans.

Stevens caught one pass for nine yards as he made his fourth start in seven games this season.

Nick Sundberg: LS, Washington Redskins (3-4)

The Redskins were on a bye this past week.

Shane Vereen: RB, New York Giants (4-4)

Vereen did what he could to prevent the Giants from ending up on the wrong side of history, but it was not enough to avoid a 52-49 defeat to the Saints.

The Giants have now lost three of the top seven highest scoring games in NFL history.

Vereen caught eight passes for 60 yards and one touchdown. He also returned two kicks for 82 yards.

Vereen did not manage to get his ground attack going, though, as he totaled just three yards on two carries.

Steve Williams: CB, San Diego Chargers (2-6)

Williams made one tackle and broke up one pass during their 29-26 loss to the Chargers.