GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Four days after starting the season with a demoralizing defeat, Clay Matthews and the Green Bay Packers looked every bit like the team they were expected to be this season.

The Packers (1-1) pulled off a perfectly executed trick play, then rattled and robbed Jay Cutler the rest of the way in a 23-10 victory over the division rival Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field on Thursday night.

The win represented an impressive rebound from a season-opening loss to San Francisco. Had the Packers lost to the Bears, they would have fallen to 0-2, with both losses coming at home.

"Inside the facility, there wasn't any panic," Aaron Rodgers said. "Outside, I think people were worried if we lose to Chicago, you're kind of putting yourself behind the eight ball a little bit. Good win for us. We're 1-1. Again, it's one game. We need to get better on offense; defense played incredible."

Especially Matthews, who was credited with 3½ of the Packers' seven sacks of Cutler.

With six sacks in the Packers' first two games, Matthews already has equaled his total from last season.

"I think the statistics speak for themselves," Matthews said. "It's always good when you get after the quarterback, get him off his rhythm and have him throw some balls up there that I'm sure he wouldn't want, or wants back."

It was a significant step backward for the Bears (1-1), who were filled with confidence after steamrolling Indianapolis in their opener.

Cutler threw four interceptions to go with the seven sacks. As frustration mounted, Cutler vented with emphatic gestures throughout the game, saying afterward it was simply a sign of his desire to win.

"I care about this," Cutler said. "This isn't a hobby for me. I am not doing this for my health. I am trying to win football games and get first downs. When we're not doing the little things or not doing things the right way consistently, I'm going to say something. If they want a quarterback that doesn't care, they can get somebody else."

Cutler was particularly upset with his offensive line, a position group that did not see a significant addition during the Bears' offseason makeover of their offense.

"I'm not going to just walk to the sideline and act like everything's OK," said Cutler, who was 11 for 27 for 126 yards. "It's just not going to happen."

The loss left at least one prominent member of the Bears wondering if their Week 1 win was something of a mirage.

"Maybe we're not as good as we thought we were," linebacker Brian Urlacher said. "We've got a long ways to go, that's obvious. We didn't play like we did last week. Maybe Green Bay's just that good, I don't know. We just didn't play well and they played good enough to do what they did to us."

The Bears also lost running back Matt Forte to an ankle injury. Bears coach Lovie Smith said the severity of the injury was unclear.

Smith was impressed by the Packers' rebound during a short turnaround.

"You've got to give them a lot of credit," he said. "They didn't play as well as they wanted to last week and they came back this week."

Smith acknowledged that his team looked "flat-footed" on the Packers' biggest play of the day, a gutsy and perfectly executed fake field goal when the Packers were facing fourth-and-26 on the Chicago 27 late in the second quarter.

"Good call by them," Smith said. "They executed the play to perfection. What else can I say? Normally when a fake works it's a good job by the opponent, and that's what happened tonight."

The Packers lined up for a field goal, but punter Tim Masthay, the holder, flipped the ball to backup tight end Tom Crabtree, who streaked into the end zone.

14/09/2012

LONDON — An open letter to Cristiano Ronaldo:

More than a week has passed since you set your latest phenomenal landmark as a Real Madrid player, and in the process blanked the fans at Bernabéu stadium.

You scored twice against Granada. You reached 150 goals for the club in 149 games, a faster scoring rate than Raúl, than Di Stéfano, Santillana, Puskas or any of the giants who made Real legendary.

Fabulous.

When you failed to show joy after the first of those two goals, some of us mistook your mood for humility. We actually thought that, with the ball going through the legs of Granada goalkeeper Toni, your gesture was that of a sportsman not wishing to gloat at a fellow professional’s misfortune. But then it happened again. It was clear as you pursed your lips and shrugged off the congratulations of colleagues that something deeper was troubling you.

It is, of course, a sportsman’s prerogative not to dance around and kiss the badge, or cuddle teammates, when you do your job. But let’s face it: This isn’t the norm for a player who, for Sporting Lisbon, for Manchester United and now for Real, has never been shy of sharing the love. There is a feature-length documentary, produced by one of your million-dollar sponsors, Castrol, to show off your prowess. Clearly, you reveled in making that video, which demonstrates that you are blessed with the perfect body for soccer and the dedication to work those quite extraordinary skills of coordination and athleticism that make you literally one in a billion.

From the day you walked into the Bernabéu, with tens of thousands packing the stadium just to see you set foot on the turf, you have exuded the self-awareness of being special in your sport.

So what, Cristiano, went wrong?

Why, after refusing to celebrate goals with colleagues and supporters in the home that guarantees your fortune, did you mysteriously say that you are sad, and the club knows why.

You are perhaps too young to have known Greta Garbo, the Swedish film actress who in midcareer quit Hollywood and spent a life in relative solitude, telling the news media, “I want to be left alone.”

That was the lady’s choice. She had made her money, she didn’t much care for the intrusiveness of fame, and plainly it did not trouble her if she never shared her talents again with her followers.

You, Ronaldo, are at a different time and in a different career than Garbo.

The audience is part of your sport. It can help you win tight matches, and it deserves to share your ability to be such a game-changer.

Maybe you saw, or maybe your existence is too self-centered to have seen, the reciprocal joy that the Olympians — and just as exciting the Paralympians — have just shared with the world.

It is incredible to see men and women, sometimes in their teens, achieving far more than most of us with far less than you have been blessed with, feats of human striving and unforgettable exuberance. On one leg, or none, in a wheelchair or on prosthetic limbs, they performed to their maximum. Blind, they played your game by sound and a sense of movement.

Most of them laughed and cried because performing sports is about giving it all you have, and letting the emotions flow.

Many of us have been to games when your talents were decisive — and not merely the athletic gifts but the desire to lift a game, lift a performance. There were times at Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine when you transcended the sum of what the other 21 players on the field could achieve.

We applauded that, and you drank in that applause. You have done it so many times, and if there is a prima dona side to your nature, well, we forgive you that for all the moments when your feet dance, your shot soars, your spirit takes over a performance. But what will not do is to turn away from the paying fans in your home stadium.

A part of you is public property. We know that Spanish soccer has to suffer some of the economic drain that is troubling the whole world, and that these are perilous times when the clubs of La Liga are in debt to the tax authority to the tune of €750 million, about $960 million.

Real Madrid is, apparently, the one club that does not owe the government money. And that is, in part, because Madrid enjoys privileged TV income and indulgent banking overdrafts whenever it overspends.

What you get out of that is, to a degree, your own affair. You arrived in Spain at a time when the government allowed what is known as the “Beckham Law,” allowing David Beckham and other imported stars to face an eased tax burden. But Beckham has come and gone, and he was never in any case as talented as you.

Your aides insist that whatever your reason for sulking, money is not the core issue. However, the local news media run stories of Real’s president preparing a way to keep on paying you more than your €12 million annual salary, without the 52 percent tax that other top earners must pay to the government.

If you had said your sadness was for Spain’s five million unemployed, that would be a great public-relations play.

If, as many surmised, the sadness involves other players getting the accolades, that is less endearing. First it was Lionel Messi picking up FIFA’s Ballon D’Or year after year. Now it is Andrés Iniesta being honored as the player of 2012 by UEFA, and for good reason: Iniesta was arguably the outstanding player of the 2010 World Cup, certainly the best in the final match. And Iniesta got Spain going when it retained the Euro championship title this July.

He’s the quiet one, sometimes in Messi’s shadow. And, if you need to ask, he wins people’s hearts as well as their votes not simply because of his skills, but the pleasure he gives and takes in being a team player.

As good as you are, it isn’t all about one man.  

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings was ruled out of Thursday night's game against the Chicago Bears because of a groin injury.

Despite being listed as doubtful, Jennings wanted to play and it was "50-50 at this point," one source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Wednesday.

Jennings, who didn't practice all week, was put through a series of tests before Thursday's game to measure his progress.

Jennings was hurt late in Sunday's loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He had five catches for 34 yards before the injury.

While Jennings can't be replaced, the Packers at least will be in position to use their three- and four-receiver packages without him. Veteran Donald Driver is available to step into the rotation after sitting all but the three plays Jennings missed in last Sunday's 30-22 loss.

An increase in playing time would be welcome news for the 37-year-old Driver, who told reporters Tuesday he was disappointed by his lack of activity in the opener.

"I didn't go into that game thinking I wasn't going to play," Driver said, according to the Green Bay Press Gazette. "The way it came out, I didn't. It sucks, but that's the way it goes."

Jennings also missed time in the preseason because of a concussion. The 2012 season is pivotal for Jennings, whose contract expires at the end of the season.

And although it's only Week 2, history says the Thursday night game at Lambeau Field might be pivotal to the Packers' playoff hopes. According to ESPN Stats & Information, only two teams in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) have started 0-2 -- with both losses coming at home -- and still made the playoffs: the 2003 Eagles and the 1987 Colts. In addition, a Packers loss would mark just the third time in this era that the franchise would have opened a season with consecutive losses at home (1988, 2006).

 LeBron James already has won three NBA MVP awards and recently earned his first NBA championship, but teammate Dwyane Wade believes James will get even better.

"The sky's the limit," Wade told ESPNChicago.com on Wednesday after a promotional appearance for his new book, "A Father First." "He's been very good. He has three MVPs. I don't know statistically how much more he can do, but I think just his dominance of a game and starting to really understand everything about the game now. It's starting to all come together. That's the scary part."

Wade can see James' confidence building as the years pass. James became the first player since Michael Jordan in 1992 to win a regular-season MVP award, an NBA Finals MVP award, an NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal in the same year.

"It's here. This is the time," Wade said of James. "(He's) 27, you won a championship, you had success, it's not going to go anywhere. You can see him now taking that next step to that next elite level. I thought he proved it this whole season. I thought he was dominant from Game 1 all the way until the end, and he proved that that's not easy to do and there's not many that have ever done it."

Wade also said he has no problem with James continuing to work out with Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant during the offseason. Wade believes James is just doing his part to grow the league as it pertains to training with Durant.

James' Heat beat Durant's Thunder in five games in the NBA Finals last season.

"They worked out last summer; they've got a great relationship," Wade said. "It's just two of the best players taking things from each other, in a sense, and seeing the other person's work ethic so they push each other to be good, and I think on the other end it's LeBron being kind of the veteran in the sense that KD is the future of this game as well.

"He's not afraid to say, 'Listen, let's go work out in the gym together. Let's make each other better.' It's a good thing."

The New York Yankees will add the winningest pitcher in postseason history to their roster just in time for the stretch run when Andy Pettitte returns to their rotation Tuesday night.

Pettitte, out of action since suffering a broken left ankle after being hit by a line drive off the bat of Casey Kotchman on June 27, will face the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.

The decision came as something of a surprise. Manager Joe Girardi casually dropped it into his pregame news conference in the middle of a discussion about Derek Jeter's health for Thursday night's game against the Boston Red Sox. It could be an indication of the team's concern about keeping pace with the Baltimore Orioles, who beat the Tampa Bay Rays again Thursday to pull a half-game ahead in the AL East, pending the outcome of Thursday night's Yankees' game.

According to Girardi, a conversation Wednesday night involving himself, Pettitte, general manager Brian Cashman, trainer Steve Donohue and team physician Dr. Chris Ahmad came to an obvious conclusion: "We feel that he's ready to go. Is he going to give you 90 pitches? No. But 70 is somewhat realistic."

Bringing Pettitte back now, when he is likely to give them a maximum of six innings, seems as much pointed to getting him ready for the postseason as it is to stabilizing the regular-season rotation in the midst of a tight divisional race.

"We feel we could have done another simulated game on Sunday and started him Friday," Girardi said. "But this way, he possibly has four starts for us (before the regular season ends)."

Pettitte made three simulated starts in his rehab, including one Wednesday in which he threw 55 pitches.

"I think everybody's been really pleased with my command in these simulated games," Pettitte said. "I think that's why this is able to happen."

Pettitte will replace David Phelps in the Yankees' rotation. Phelps, who pitched well and earned the win in Wednesday night's 5-4 victory against the Red Sox, will return to the bullpen as a long reliever.

"I can go and do another (simulated) start, but I'd hate to," Pettitte said. "I feel like I can give y'all quality pitches, and I think they all think that also."

After deciding to end his one-year retirement in March, Pettitte made nine starts for the Yankees and was pitching well at the time of his injury (3-3, 3.22 ERA).

"I feel like I was in a really good place when I got hurt," he said. "I was throwing all my pitches for strikes and I'm hoping to get right back into that. I know how I want to attack hitters. Whatever pitches I got, I want them to be quality and hopefully give us a good outing."

The return of Pettitte adds a seasoned veteran to a club that has been decimated by injuries, including a calf strain that has starting first baseman Mark Teixeira sidelined indefinitely.

Pettitte is a tenacious competitor who has won more games (19) in the postseason than any pitcher in baseball history.

On Wednesday, Pettitte threw down a challenge to his teammates -- "Don't be afraid to fail" -- and now he will get the chance to demonstrate how it is done Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.

"This is what I came back for," he said. "Obviously, it would be nice to have a little bit of a bigger lead, where you can take a breath. It would be nice to know that we were going to the postseason right now, and not have to worry about it. But I'm looking forward to being back, trying to help this club do what we want to do: That's get to the postseason and hopefully win the championship. I want to be part of that solution, not just sitting there watching it."

Di María pounced on a mistake by Víctor Valdés to keep the Supercopa more in the balance and less in Barça's favour. He pulled the scoreline back to 3-2 after an unusual warm-up Clásico in which Both Barcelona and Madrid were both a long way from their purest states. Andrés Iniesta and Xavi both shone a little brighter than the rest and tipped this slightly strange affair that had an air of summer hangover about it in the balance of Barcelona. Iniesta, a special player, fooled Ramos to win a penalty and supplied Xavi with the pass to make it 3-1 in a textbook move.

Barça, at times a little erratic and lacking the control that has dominated their performances in recent years, faced a Madrid side with little fight. Mourinho must have felt worse than normal. It mustn't sit too well with him that one of his teams, normally defined by their reliability, let a 0-1 lead (a powering header by Ronaldo) slip inside of three minutes and then went down 3-1 to their arch enemies who weren't even playing on top of their game. Di Maria?s goal, however, must have brought some relief and would have avoided a hurricane inside the dressing room. The Supercopa will be decided in the Bernabéu.

Early images of the encounter seemed relaxed - suntans and hugs and kisses between rivals in the dressing room gave a particularly summary feel to the tournament, no matter how banal. Stress clearly hadn't reached any extremes yet. Mourinho, king of the verbal, could be seen sat casually in his seat as if he were without a care in the world. But he cares as much as Tito Vilanova does, who shook hands with the Portuguese coach before taking his place in the dugout. It's true to say that Barça had a few thorns in their side - they only found happiness at points during the last campaign, and the defeat to Madrid, losing La Liga, Messi's penalty miss and the bitter departure of Guardiola was still hurting. Barça needed to get into gear before Madrid.

Mourinho was without the exuberant Pepe, who normally drives the team on, and preferred to stick to the plan that would bring him victory. Madrid dealt comfortably with what Barça threw at them in the first half, with wayward shots from Piqué (16'), Messi (19'), Messi (29'), Xavi (40') that hardly bothered Casillas. Madrid didn't have one shot on target, though the threat of their second goal here last season hung in the air. Cristiano and Benzema failed to connect and Barcelona enjoyed possession without making full use of it. The two sides went into the tunnel 0-0 at half time.

The start of the second half also felt like they were coming to after a lengthy summer nap and never looked like producing any goals. Two goals in three minutes changed all that. Cristiano's powerful header, reminiscent of his goal with Portugal that booked their place in the semi-final in Euro 2012, put Madrid ahead. Ronaldo had seemed a little of the pace before that moment, as had Messi, who strangely disappeared somewhat after the half hour mark. Barça pulled things level and then turned the game on its head as Iniesta forced Ramos into conceding a penalty. Messi converted to exorcise the ghosts against Cech. It was now Iniesta's turn to shine in a series of dazzling moves that left his opponents trailing. Xavi was put through by Iniesta and, as we've seen before in other Clásicos, came face to face with Casillas and found the back of the net without a second thought.

Both teams looked shell shocked by the scoreline and the game seemed so bizarre that it could only end with what happened next. An unusual error by a goalkeeper of Victor Valdés' quality left the result at 3-2. The game was full of toing and froing, mistakes and controversy (Madrid believed Pedro's goal was offside), but in the end the outcome was a fair one. Whoever wants the Supercopa most will have to show it in the Bernabéu.  

Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka will be seeded No. 1 at the U.S. Open, with 2006 champion Maria Sharapova at No. 3, and three-time winner Serena Williams at No. 4.

The U.S. Tennis Association announced the seedings Wednesday, strictly following this week's WTA rankings.

Azarenka, who won the Australian Open in January, is followed by No. 2 Agnieszka Radwanska, the runner-up to Williams at Wimbledon last month.

Defending U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur is seeded seventh, and three-time winner Kim Clijsters is No. 23.

Venus Williams, who won the Open in 2000 and 2001, is ranked 47th and is unseeded.

The USTA said Tuesday that Roger Federer is seeded No. 1 among the men.

The draw is Thursday. Play begins Monday.

Messi comes back as he left. Leaving mouths open and victims in his path. He doesn't even need to be average, for him blinking suffices. Unbothered by summer cramps or the threat of heat. The wave the Nou Camp saw tonight was produced by his goals and his numerous patented skills. They provided the crest of the wave on which Xavi, Cesc and Co ride and which wipes out those who try to stop it. Once again the Argentinean took the game by the scruff of its neck with his hunger and his sharp shooting to put the night onto a perfect track for Barça. He scored twice. He put Barça back ahead when Real had somehow managed to draw level and if he didn't walk off with the match ball for a hat trick it was only because of Bravo and his reflexes.

It wasn't the best Barcelona that turned up tonight, and even so they trounced Real Sociedad. They lacked accuracy at the start of their moves, co-ordination when repositioning and surprises from midfield. In spite of all this they are clearly built on the excellent team of the last few years. You can play spot the difference between the styles of Tito and Pep, but not enough has been seen of Tito to really draw any conclusions and in any case it doesn't appear that there are significant changes. Whilst the world waits to see if Song is fish or fowl, Jordi Alba looks like a copy of Alves for the left. The rest can be recited from memory. Puyol and Masche push, Xavi creates, Busquets watches and balances, Cesc stirs it up, the wingers threaten and Messi executes. Real can testify to that. They only managed to rob Barça of 21% of the possession. In part because Montanier decided inexplicably to begin by rotating his squad (leaving good players on the bench) forgetting that the season started tonight.

Vibrant half hour
Puyol scored the first almost without warming up. The same play as seen for Spain in the world cup. Xavi delivered, Puyol fired home. Real appeared to be on the edge of tragedy then, with only 4 minutes gone. However in one of their rare adventures into the Barça half on the counter a flowing move from right to left saw Alves embarrassed and Chory crowned. His left foot strike left Valdés stranded. Messi still hadn't asked to speak. But when he did he settled the Nou Camp nerves. In 10 minutes he left no doubts that nothing had changed from last season, stepping into the area and spitting an unstoppable left footer to make it 2-1.

Real couldn't cope. In spite of their prayers Messi kept appearing and his partners had woken up. Tello first. Tito gave him his chance out on the left and the player who came up through the ranks took it. He destroyed Estrada. In one of his incursions he let off a skewed shot that Messi, ever vigilant grabbed to score. Subtle and precise. A fine start at 3-1 only added to by Pedro who finished off a cross from Tello.

Icing on the cake
The first half was enough to put them top of the League (so far) and to start the first comparisons with their eternal rival (Madrid having had less spark and more opposition in their 1-1 draw with Valencia). It was also enough to let Vilanova start to rotate his squad in expectation of the Supercopa. Puyol and Cesc came off to rest and Piqué and Iniesta came on to show why there had been few signings: it's hard to improve on this squad.

Barcelona could have increased their advantage from a fine run from Messi, and Chory, Real Sociedad's best, had a chance or two to make a name for himself. But the scoreboard didn't move until Villa, "el Guaje", arrived on the scene to taste again the glory of goal scoring. Barcelona started the league strongly and their fans appreciated it. It's priceless to enjoy a wave of magnificence when a wave of fire was expected.

The reigning champions suffered their first shock on their debut. A stumble against the only rival who looks capable of following, at some distance admittedly, the wake of Real Madrid and Barcelona on their journey to win, provided nothing changes, the reduced league fought out between the two. The tournament has only just started, and although there will be surprises along the way, there are few who doubt how the season will ultimately develop.

This match was a duel, fought at a leisurely pace, excusable because it's the start of the season and it was 35 degrees in the Bernabeu, but which helped Valencia organise their defensive manoeuvres and made Madrid's attacks easy to read.

That said Madrid start this league offering the same as they did at the end of the last one, a dynamic image with a powerful punch. With only 10 minutes gone Madrid were on top on the scoreboard, with Valencia still trying to settle on the field of play. A good pass from Di María and better work yet from Higuaín, who beat Víctor Ruiz and Ricardo Costa on the turn and vanquished Diego Alves, despite the keeper making two excellent blocks, saw the ball in the back of net at Higuain's third stab at the ball.

Once in front Madrid re-discovered old bad habits and started coasting, although this can likely be put down to the excess of confidence that comes from knowing you are better, and that any problems that arise can be solved by scoring more goals, without needing to work too hard. It's what happens when a league contains no more opposition than your own demands and the pace Barcelona set.

Madrid never achieved much fluidity in their play, with Xabi Alonso once again the only real reference point in the middle of the pitch. The unexpected presence of Lass brought nothing more than the initial surprise at seeing him in Mourinho's starting line up.

As a creative partner Xabi could turn to Di María, whose passing always found Higuaín and which the Valencia defence found impossible to defend. Cristiano, who played less of a role than normal, and Özil, likely unsettled by the possible arrival of Modric, both looked absent. Casillas was also off colour and it was his error in coming for a ball into the box that let Jonas equalise for Valencia. Casillas failed to get the ball but did smash into Pepe, who needed to be bandaged up and then didn't come out for the second half. Albiol replaced him and the Spanish international did his job.

Valencia didn't mind the slow pace that ate up the game. They were happy soaking up the pressure at the back and hoping for a chance that never really came. The only one that did was ruled out for a doubtful off-side against Soldado, who would have ended up one on one with Casillas. Madrid also had their claim for an unfair decision, for a possible penalty from Gago on Di María.

Madrid finished as so often, suffocating their rivals, who resisted thanks to sterling efforts from Diego Alves. Madrid had all their attacking guns out, with Callejón, Cristiano, Özil, Higuaín and Benzema on the pitch, with Xabi Alonso as the only midfielder. Urgent solution or a message? Any explanation is valid.

The Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdés and ex Athletic Bilbao, Valencia, Levante and Chelsea player Asier Del Horno have both been accused of fraud. The pair have been implicated in a case involving motorcyclist Dani Pedrosa, concerning the falsification of yacht licences.

According to the website lasprovincias.es the players allegedly provided a third party with their identity cards in order to obtain a licence to drive yachts. Valdés was accused of his participation in the fraud upon returning from Poland and Ukraine after Euro 2012 and denied the charges, but could not explain why a false version of his identity card had found its way into the hands of the third party. However, Del Horno is believed to have admitted his role in the crime.