Off-Topic » Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst insisted

GREEN BAY Zach Gentry Jersey , Wis. (AP) — he went into the NFL draft prepared to go for the best available player with each of Green Bay’s eight picks.He thinks that plan worked out well for its biggest need: Defense.“I feel really good right now” about the defense, said Gutekunst on Saturday after finishing his second draft with Green Bay.“These guys have to come together as a team, and that takes a lot of work and a lot of time. I’m excited about (second-year defensive coordinator) Mike Pettine and the second year in the system, but the additions we made, I think we’re very optimistic about what these guys can do.”First-round picks Michigan edge rusher Rashan Gary and Maryland safety Darnell Savage, who the Packers traded up to get, should have an immediate impact for Pettine.On Saturday, three of the Packers’ four picks were defensive players: Texas A&M defensive lineman Kingsley Keke, Toledo cornerback Ka’dar Hollman and TCU inside linebacker Ty Summers.“I think we’ve added a lot of playmakers on the defensive side of the ball,” Packers first-year head coach Matt LaFleur said. “I think we definitely upgraded our ability to rush the passer. Being an offensive coach, there’s nothing harder on an offense, especially if you can rotate guys through.”In his first year as defensive coordinator, Pettine’s injury-filled unit finished the season ranked 18th in total defense (354.4 yards per game) and 22nd in scoring defense (25.0 points per game). In his previous seasons as the defensive coordinator for the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills, Pettine had never had a group finish outside the top 10 in total defense.Having already added three projected starters on defense in free agency in outside linebackers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith and safety Adrian Amos, the Packers have only a few projected defensive contributors who are older than 26: Cornerback Tramon Williams (35) Chris Lindstrom Jersey , defensive lineman Mike Daniels (29) and outside linebacker Kyler Fackrell (27).“Again, a lot of these guys — last year’s draft — and some of the guys we acquired … obviously there’s an adjustment period,” Gutekunst said. “But I’m really excited about what we have.”WHO THEY GOTWhile the focus turned out to be on defense, the Packers did fill two glaring offensive needs: Offensive line depth and a young, athletic tight end. In the second round, they took Mississippi State center/guard Elgton Jenkins, who should compete for the starting right guard job. In the third, they got Texas A&M tight end Jace Sternberger, who will develop behind veterans Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis. Sternberger, who the Packers feel can be both an effective pass catcher and in-line blocker, could flourish in LaFleur’s system.“Jace, he’s got a pretty cool skill set. He’s a tight end who can separate,” LaFleur said. “That becomes a little bit of a matchup nightmare for a defense.”SURPRISE MOVEGutekunst used both of the team’s fourth-round picks to trade up to get Savage. Gutekunst said he had to make that trade to ensure he got him — “I know for a fact we would not have gotten him at 30,” he said — but it did make for a difficult morning.“Historically, we’ve tried not to have those gaps http://www.falconscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-kaleb-mcgary-jersey ,” Gutekunst said. “It was a long wait. But our numbers were strong, which was nice.”HOW THEY DIDWhen he watched the Packers defense last season, Gutekunst felt Pettine didn’t have what he really needed — versatile players. And now Gutenkunst feels he’s given Pettine a more flexible crew.“Mike’s big on moving pieces, and I thought we needed to get a lot more pieces for him to move around,” Gutekunst said. “I feel much better now than I did previously.”WHAT’S NEXT?Having been more active in free agency than they had been under Gutekunst’s predecessor, Ted Thompson, the Packers have most of the pieces they plan to go into training camp with. That said, Gutekunst has said from the moment he got the GM job that he will use every avenue of player acquisition, and the team also has a history with undrafted players contributing.The team did stand pat at wide receiver, but having picked three receivers in last year’s draft, that wasn’t entirely surprising. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Ka’imi Fairbairn took advantage of his final chance Sunday.The third-year kicker missed a 59-yarder to win the game at the end of regulation, then a 37-yarder near the end of overtime. But the Indianapolis Colts had called timeout just before that one, and Fairbairn finally made the decisive kick as time expired to help Houston snap the league’s longest losing streak with a 37-34 victory at Indianapolis.“It was a rollercoaster. I was just trying to steady,” Fairbairn said. “That’s exactly what we needed.”Nothing went according to the script.Just moments earlier, Adam Vinatieri Kendall Sheffield Jersey , the NFL’s new career field goals leader, thought he might get to it.But after Andrew Luck bounced a short pass to Chester Rogers on fourth-and-4 from his own 43-yard line, Deshaun Watson got the ball back with 24 seconds left and no timeouts and found DeAndre Hopkins for a 24-yard completion to get Fairbairn into position.His first try sailed wide as the crowd roared. But coach Frank Reich called timeout in an effort to ice Fairbairn, who made the second one .The bigger question, though, was about Reich’s decision to go for it rather than punt and settle for a tie.“We’re not playing to tie,” Reich said. “We’re going for that 10 times out of 10. That (play) has just got to work.”When it didn’t, the Texans‘ nine-game losing streak was over with their first win since Nov. 19.The most promising news for Houston (1-3), though, was that Watson & Co. appeared to be in sync.Watson finished 29 of 42 with 375 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while running six times for 41 yards and another score. He connected with Hopkins 10 times for 169 yards and a score, and Keke Coutee 11 times for 109 yards. And Watson made enough plays late in regulation and overtime to give Fairbairn a chance.The Texans’ defense harassed Luck all day, sacking him four times, limited Indy’s ground game to just 41 yards on 17 carries and converted two turnovers into 14 points.“It was very unconventional, but we’ll take it http://www.falconscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-john-cominsky-jersey ,” J.J. Watt said after recording two more sacks and becoming the second-fastest in league history to 80.It’s the third time in four weeks Indy (1-3) has fallen short in the closing minutes, this one spoiling Vinatieri’s milestone day.The 45-year-old kicker became the league’s career leader in field goals when he made a 42-yarder with 2 seconds left in the first half. He extended the mark to 567 with a 44-yarder that gave Indy a 34-31 lead with 6 minutes left in overtime.Vinatieri moved past Hall of Famer Morten Andersen, who had 565 career field goals.But Fairbairn tied the score with a 29-yard kick and won it with the 37-yarder.Luck was 40 of 62 for a career-high 464 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions but lamented his last throw.“I did not get the ball to Chester to make the play and I’m sick about it,” he said.Still, Luck gave Indy a chance after trailing 28-7 midway through the third quarter.He threw a 14-yard TD pass to Nyheim Hines, a 5-yard TD pass to Eric Ebron and a 9-yard TD pass to Hines before tying the score at 31 with a 2-point conversion pass to Rogers with 45 seconds to go in regulation.Vinatieri’s overtime field goal gave Indy a 34-31 lead but the defense couldn’t close it out.“Any time you win a game, no matter how you win it, it’s great,” Hopkins said. “We knew what we were up against. We had to go out and finish it.”RECORD WATCHVinatieri also tied Gary Anderson for the second-most field-goal attempts in league history with 672, but he wasn’t the only record-breaker.Luck broke the Colts’ single-game franchise record for attempts, tied the franchise mark for completions, wound up second in franchise history for single-game yards and came within a whisker of tying the franchise’s largest regular-season comeback (21).Watt recorded two sacks in his second straight game, extending his own record to seven. And Coutee broke Andre Johnson’s franchise record for most receptions (six) in an NFL debut.INJURY REPORTTexans: Hopkins started despite dealing with thumb, ankle and hamstring injuries all week. Will Fuller V left with a hamstring injury late in the first half and linebacker Brian Peters did not return after injuring his ankle.Colts: Hilton suffered a chest injury in the first half and cornerback Kenny Moore II left with a concussion. Hilton returned but left later after hurting his hamstring.UP NEXTTexans: Host cross-state rival Dallas next Sunday night.Colts: Head to New England on Thursday night.