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          NFL Nation

          1,048 yards leaves Packers' defense in a cloud of dust

          • Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff WriterNov 6, 2015, 04:48 PM ET
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              Rob Demovsky is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Green Bay Packers. He has covered the Packers since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2013. Demovsky is a two-time Wisconsin Sportswriter of the Year as selected by the NSSA. You can follow him on Twitter at @RobDemovsky.
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          GREEN BAY, Wis. – How much is too much yardage?

          Try 1,048.

          That’s what the Green Bay Packers defense has allowed in its past two games: 500 last Sunday to the Denver Broncos, and 548 in their previous game against the San Diego Chargers.

          “Way too much,” Packers defensive tackle Mike Daniels said Friday, shaking his head.

          It marked the first time in franchise history that the Packers allowed 500 yards in back-to-back games.

          If cornerback Sam Shields, who dropped out of last week’s game because of a shoulder injury, can’t play Sunday at the Carolina Panthers, the Packers might join some ignominious company. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Packers could become just the fourth team in NFL history to allow 500 yards in three straight games. Only the 49ers (in 1963, finished 2-12), the Colts (1950, 1-11) and the New York Yanks (1950, 7-5) have done that.

          Shields did not practice all week and was listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report. There’s a chance he could be upgraded if he practices on Saturday but even if he doesn’t, the Packers would consider playing him without any work if his shoulder allows.

          “I would say I would not need him to participate tomorrow because we have history together,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Friday. “But there’s hoops you’ve got to jump through and he has not done that yet, so it’s clearly in the hands on the medical team right now.”

          McCarthy, defensive coordinator Dom Capers and cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt might have a tough decision to make if Shields can’t play.

          They could go with the same cornerback combination – Casey Hayward and Damarious Randall as the outside cornerbacks and nickel back Micah Hyde in the slot – that finished the game against the Broncos and was part of the unit that allowed Peyton Manning to throw for 340 yards. Or they could make a change and perhaps incorporate Demetri Goodson into the plan more. Goodson, the second-year pro who has played only sparingly on defense in his brief career, played as the dime (sixth) defensive back for 12 snaps against the Broncos and broke up one pass.

          If Shields returns, the Packers could go with him and Randall on the outside.

          Either way, it could allow Hayward to move back into the slot, where he has been more successful throughout his career. Playing exclusively on the outside against the Broncos, Hayward allowed seven completions for 135 yards, according to ProFootballFocus.com, and was responsible for a significant chunk of the 168 yards by receiver Demaryius Thomas.

          When asked about Hayward’s performance, Whitt said: “About like the rest of us. Nobody had a very good game defensively.”

          However, he would not say whether he’s considering a change.

          “I want to make a decision and go with it and give the guys that I think will play the opportunity to practice,” Whitt said. “If it’s the wrong one, it’s the wrong one, but I’m going to make the decision to go with it.”

          At this point, Randall looks like he could handle whatever role Whitt has in store for him. In his last two games, he has the fourth-and-goal pass breakup in the final seconds of the win over the Chargers and nabbed his first career interception on Sunday off Manning.

          “He doesn’t think anybody should catch a ball on him,” Whitt said.

          “Confidence is not lacking in him. At all. He believes in himself. He believes in his ability and it will show up. For a rookie, I’m pleased with what he’s done. I haven’t watched every rookie that’s played this year, but he’s probably up there with the top two or three of them.”

          Here’s the Packers full injury report: