In the thick of the NFC playoff race, the Green Bay Packers are preparing to play the rest of the season without two stalwarts on their formidable defense.

While the Detroit Lions don’t have the same postseason aspirations, they might have to play this Thanksgiving Day game without the reigning NFC player of the week.

The banged-up Packers will rely on a makeshift defense Thursday when they try to continue their dominance over a Lions team that will likely be without Matthew Stafford, who was injured while leading his team to exciting comeback win last week.

Green Bay (6-4) ranks first in the NFL in total defense, allowing an average of 295.8 yards, but that unit took two major hits when cornerback Al Harris and linebacker Aaron Kampman were hurt on separate plays in the second half of Sunday’s 30-24 win over San Francisco.

Without those two veterans in the lineup, the Packers struggled to shut down the 49ers, allowing 21 second-half points. (more…)