Hey Bears defense. Meet Greg Jennings. He’s the Packers’ No. 1 wide receiver. Maybe you should cover him next time.

Aaarg! Lambeau bleep!

That 50-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings with 1:24 left Sunday night didn’t just rally the Packers past the Bears, it also drove a stake through any chance the Outlaws of the Marsh had of pulling off a rally of its own tonight. My team was trailing by somewhere in the teens late Sunday night, but I figured that’s a manageable deficit since I still have Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates going tonight while my opponent only has Vincent Jackson. And then, I heard the announcers going crazy on TV and the sense of dread came over me. One quick look on the Yahoo! live update confirmed my worst fears: The Bears had just somehow allowed the Packers’ best offensive weapon to run untouched past its entire secondary for a score that counted for at least eight points in fantasy football. When all the damage was tallied up, I found myself trailing by 28, giving me virtually no shot at a comeback tonight.

SIX touchdown passes, Drew? How very nice for you.

Of course, I guess I can’t solely blame Greg Jennings for the debacle. I did leave Julius Jones’ 117 rushing yards and TD on the bench (but c’mon, it’s Julius Jones!), and my starting wide receiver tandem of Antonio Bryant and Eddie Royal combined for a whopping 47 yards, or good for exactly one point. My double-tight end set didn’t exactly work out either, as Dallas Clark managed only one point. Throw in a subpar day from DeAngelo Williams and two TDs usurped from Ray Rice (107 yards but no scores), and it’s a bit of a miracle that I can potentially approach 90 points this week. Oh, and did I mention my opponent had Drew Brees (6 TDs)?

Things went better in my other league, as the Thamesmen have a comfortable 23-point lead and plenty of firepower left tonight in Tom Brady, Vincent Jackson, and Antonio Gates. My opponent has LaDainian Tomlinson, Terrell Owens, Nate Kaeding, and a defensive back left, but I think I’ve got enough to hold on, barring a complete meltdown by the Patriots and Chargers offenses.

Highs and Lows from the Weekend

• There was talk in the preseason comparing Eddie Royal to Wes Welker. Well, if Royal is to match Welker’s 100-plus receptions from last season, he’s got some work left to do after Sunday’s meager two-catch performance. With Brandon Marshall back in the lineup, at least for now, and Kyle Orton not being able to do anything until the final seconds against the juggernaut defense that is the Cincinnati Bengals, Royal’s stock is slipping fast.
• Mike Bell had more yards rushing (143) than everybody not named Adrian Peterson. Is Bell for real? Well, Pierre Thomas, whom I’m a big fan of, was out nursing a knee injury. So when he gets back, the Saints backfield will be awfully crowded. However, it was encouraging to see Bell get 28 carries and Reggie Bush only seven, and since a backup kicker is all I had to give up to open up a roster spot for Bell, I’ve acquired his services in both of my leagues.
• Need some receiving help (I sure do)? There were some unlikely sources of productive numbers on Sunday. The Bucs’ Michael Clayton (5 catches, 93 yards) had his best game since 2004, his rookie season, while the Ravens’ Mark Clayton (5-77, TD) also had a good outing, albeit against the Chiefs, who are already looking hapless one week into the season. Of the Claytons, I would favor Mark over Michael, who has been a big flop since his rookie year. But the guys I would keep an eye on are the Giants’ tandem of Steve Smith and Mario Manningham. They both made some nice plays and put up solid numbers against the Redskins, and hey, somebody has to be the Giants’ go-to receiver.
• I smell a running back situation brewing in Pittsburgh. Willie Parker, a disappointment last season, tanked again in the season opener, mustering 19 yards on 13 carries. He played less and less as the game went on, giving way to Mewelde Moore, who’s a better receiver. Here’s hoping I’m wrong, since Parker is on my team.
• Here’s why Frank Gore’s 30-yard performance on Sunday was encouraging: He got 22 carries despite not doing much with them, and the 49ers were trailing most of the game and still did not abandon the run.
• There were a lot of solid performances from tight ends this weekend, and not just from the big names. See John Carlson (6-95, 2 TDs), Dustin Keller (4-94), Todd Heap (5-74, TD), Heath Miller (8-64), and Kevin Boss (3-62). And oh yeah, there are the usual suspects: Tony Gonzalez (5-73, TD), Jason Witten (5-71), Chris Cooley (7-61, TD), and welcome back Jeremy Shockey (4-31, 2 TDs).