Morning Buzz: Can Packers keep pace with Panthers?

Welcome to your game-day Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com. Grab a strong cup of coffee and get caught up on everything you need to know about the Packers before they take on the Carolina Panthers.

We’ll start with Pete Dougherty’s latest column, which looks at how the Packers are entering uncharted waters by bringing back Aaron Rodgers this season.

From Pete:

If you’re still wondering why general manager Ted Thompson and team doctor Patrick McKenzie needed almost two full days before clearing Aaron Rodgers to play this week, we might have the answer.

It appears Rodgers is making NFL history.

By starting for the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Rodgers very well might be the first NFL quarterback to break his collarbone on his throwing side and return the same season.

At least that’s the case as far as I can tell after a thorough search on Google and contacting two doctors this past week who work or have worked in the NFL.

Best as I could find and the doctors knew, Charlie Batch of the Pittsburgh Steelers was the first NFL quarterback to have surgery after breaking his collarbone on his throwing side, in 2008. He went on injured reserve but had no throwing issues the rest of his career.

Nine years later, Rodgers appears to be the first to have the surgery and return in the same season. He’ll take the field at Carolina’s Bank of America Stadium exactly nine weeks after breaking his collarbone and 8 ½ weeks since having two plates and 13 screws implanted surgically to repair it.

Tom Silverstein has 5 Things To Watch and our predictions for today’s game:

Tom also writes on the Packers' augmented ground game and how it might support Rodgers in his return:

To make room for Rodgers on the 53-man roster, the Packers released Joe Callahan:

Ryan Wood writes on how the Packers can start to slow Cam Newton down:

The wide receivers have been doing good work with the ball in their hands:

I spoke to Dave Robinson for our month-long commemoration of the Ice Bowl:

Elsewhere, Packers players were feeling festive on their trip down to Carolina:

The QBs had their own special style for the trip:

ESPN looks at Rodgers’ return:

Cheesehead TV looks at today’s key battles:

ACME Packing Company has what to expect from the Packers' wideouts today:

Everyone, including the Packers, expects Jordy Nelson to be more involved in the offense with Rodgers pulling the trigger:

Jamaal Williams is on a quest to get Mike McCarthy to dance with him after a touchdown:

Good Morning Football talks players they’re excited to see:

The Packers may need to throw it early and often today:

Brian Jones looks at how the Packers can make the playoffs:

Aaron Jones made a donation to students at East Point Elementary school in El Paso:

Packers fans are a little excited about having Rodgers back:

Here’s NFL Media’s preview of the game: