The Green Bay Packers very nearly gave up on Mason Crosby after making 63.6 percent of his field goals last season and then missing five of eight attempts during the team's annual Family Night scrimmage.

Crosby has made 17 of his 19 field goal attempts this season and was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month.

“I like exactly where he is now,” Packers special teams coach Shawn Slocum said recently. “He’s really striking the ball well. I think he’s got a lot of confidence. His volume of work has been really good.” 

Crosby battled for his job against two challengers and also accepted a $1.6 million pay cut with the opportunity to make it back through incentives.

The Green Bay Packers are loaded with players drafted or signed as undrafted free agents.

Of the 53 current Packers, 50 players have never played for any team other than the Packers.

The Trench Counter attempts to determine which teams win the battle at the line of scrimmage and isolate flukish plays. With seven weeks of data in the books, the Trench Counter can identify teams that are overrated or underrated relative to their record and the perception of oddsmakers in Vegas.

Here are three games that are vulnerable for bettors based on the Trench Counter.

Green Bay Packers (6.32) at Minnesota Vikings (-3.98), Packers -8.5:  Minnesota has struggled mightily over the past two weeks in the Trench Counter, averaging -9.60, even worse than the Jacksonville Jaguars (-8.30). Despite injuries to their receivers, Green Bay has put together a string of great games, placing them third in the year to date rankings. Add in Adrian Peterson's hamstring injury and the Packers cover at Minnesota.

Washington Redskins (-0.97) at Denver Broncos (4.56), Redskins +13.5: Since Week 2, the Redskins have moved up in the Trench Counter rankings from 30 to 19. Denver on the other hand, has been average over the past three weeks. This one we focus on trends. With Robert Griffin III now playing like last year's version, the Redskins may not win this in Denver, but they keep it close enough to take it with the big spread.

Seattle Seahawks (9.49) at St. Louis Rams (-5.64), Seahawks -10.5:  Yes, Seattle plays much worse on the road than at home. Yes, Seattle lost two of the past three seasons at St. Louis. Yes, Seattle only outscored four road opponents by a total of 14 points. However, none of those teams had Kellen Clemens starting at quarterback. Seattle, the top team in the Trench Counter rankings, win and cover.

Jermichael Finley is in the intensive care unit at an area hospital after suffering a neck injury on Sunday.

Tests have come back negative so far and Finley has regained almost all movement.

Finley was taken off Lambeau Field on a gurney.

Finley took a hit to the head from Tashaun Gipson, safety of the Cleveland Browns.

Micah Hyde has been compared to Charles Woodson as a punt returner.

“Micah Hyde, from day one, I’ve said before in here, back to the rookie minicamp, I think he’s about as natural of a returner as far as handling the football that I’ve seen coming out of college,” McCarthy said. “Charles Woodson is probably one of the best players that I’ve been around as far as handling the football [on] punts. Just very natural to him, and Micah is similar in that way. So he just needs more opportunities.” 

Hyde will have an opportunity to return punts for the Green Bay Packers with Randall Cobb out at least eight weeks.

“I don’t see myself as that; I’m not even compared to anything like that,” Hyde said when asked about comparisons to Woodson. “I’m just back there trying to catch the ball and make sure that A-Rod can go out there and throw touchdowns after that. That’s it.” 

Hyde was a fifth round pick out of Iowa and is also playing a lot of snaps as the Packers' third corner.

Hyde's ability to blitz as a cornerback also draws comparisons to Woodson.

The Cleveland Browns signed Charles Johnson off the practice squad of the Green Bay Packers last Saturday.

When Johnson underwent his physical with the Browns, they discovered he had a torn ACL. Johnson has been placed on the non-football injury list.

NFL rules say that players signed off practice squads must be there for three weeks, which means Johnson will use a roster spot.

The Browns play the Packers this week.

Johnson took the roster spot of Brian Hoyer, who is also out for the season with a torn ACL.

Randall Cobb will miss six to eight weeks with a fractured fibula.

Cobb nearly broke the fibula all the way through on the play.

Cobb could return Dec. 15 against the Dallas Cowboys as the Green Bay Packers are optimistic that the injury is not season-ending.

Clay Matthews suffered a fractured thumb in Week 5's win by the Green Bay Packers over the Detroit Lions.

Surgery has not been ruled out, which would force Matthews to miss several games.

The source said the team should know by Monday whether Matthews can get by without having surgery.

B.J. Raji ranks 31st of 41 defensive ends who play in a 3-4 scheme this season by Pro Football Focus. Raji had just five tackles and hasn't recorded a sack since Week 11 of 2011.

Raji was one of the NFL's best young defensive ends a few seasons ago, but his production has fallen way off.

"You know what? No, no," Raji said when asked about a reduced role. "To do that, you have to be secure in yourself as a player and I am. I believe I'm one of the best in the league."

More Raji: "It's funny, man. The older I get, I understand. I'm obviously trying to be the best at my position within the scheme, but I'm trying to grow more to be a better teammate, be a better leader, because I understand the bigger goal. ... My snaps are cut down. But I can still grow in other areas and do more than just plays on the field."