GREEN BAY, Wis. -- ??? With so much potentially at stake for the Green Bay Packers in the final month of the season, Clay Matthews is testing his tolerance for pain.(Im) a little sore, Matthews said Monday, as he made a brief appearance in the locker room.Another encouraging performance by Green Bays defense in a 21-13 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday at snowy Lambeau Field included some gritty efforts by a few guys who played hurt.While Matthews is playing through a painful shoulder injury, fellow linebackers Nick Perry and Jake Ryan returned to the game after early setbacks sent them to the training room.Perry played the second half with a big club on his left hand after he left the field following the first series. Ryan resumed playing late in the first half after he reinjured his ankle and limped back to the locker room to have it re-taped.I respect those guys so much for that because thats a lot of physical toughness to do that, safety Morgan Burnett said.Its also a lot of mental toughness to actually go in knowing that youre going to feel that pain, but when they say all hands on deck, those guys are an example of that.Despite the adversity, the defense has solidified during a two-game winning streak, which has Green Bay back to .500 with a 6-6 record and on a quest to catch the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions (8-4).The Packers have allowed only 13 points each of the past two games after they gave up a whopping 153 points during the preceding four-game losing streak.With where were at, every game is a must win, Matthews said.And after missing time earlier in the season with a hamstring injury, Matthews doesnt feel compelled to sit anymore, no matter that his separated left shoulder left him to play with what he said was just one arm Sunday.Its tough, but you just try to weather the storm, Matthews said. Obviously, you want to be out there for your brothers and teammates, have some sense of accountability.Though Matthews had limited playing time and was noticeably absent from the stats sheet, his ability to play less than a week after he suffered the injury gave the defense a boost.The Packers were without rookie Blake Martinez (knee) for a second straight game, so they moved Matthews inside to start alongside Ryan, who had missed most of the previous three games.Matthews had been playing mostly at his natural spot of outside linebacker this season until Martinez was hurt.Were lucky to have a guy like Clay who, when someones down, he can get back to the middle and do his job, Ryan said.As the Packers look to get healthier with their defense, Matthews expects to be switching between outside and inside linebacker going down the stretch.Im fine with that, said Matthews, who started exclusively inside last season. We do a good job playing to my strengths as far as bringing some pressure, allowing me to get some one-on-one matchups and be a little more decisive as opposed to just sitting there and reading like a true inside backer.There obviously comes a time for that, but it is easy when we have a lead, playing inside linebacker is a lot more fun.And the Packers know the importance of having Matthews on the field as they get ready to host the NFC West-leading Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.Hopefully, he can get some strength (in the shoulder) and work through it, and hopefully hes further ahead than where he was yesterday because, obviously, he was playing through a very tough situation, coach Mike McCarthy said.Game notes McCarthy didnt have an update Monday on the health of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who played the game Sunday in the snowy conditions after he injured his hamstring in Green Bays previous game. I know after the game he felt pretty good, McCarthy said.---For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Nicolo Melli Jersey .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. Fake Pelicans Jerseys . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. https://www.cheappelicans.com/415u-jamal-mashburn-jersey-pelicans.html . Already owning gold from competition in Vancouver in 2010, Loch posted a combined four-run time of 3:27.526. That included a track-record third run of 51. Emeka Okafor Jersey . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Jrue Holiday Jersey .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Kevin Porter and defenceman Chad Ruhwedel from the minors as part of a five-player roster shuffle made by the NHLs worst team. NEW YORK -- Obi Enechionyia and his Temple teammates beat two Top 25 teams to win the NIT Season Tip-Off.Its a confidence boost, Enechionyia said Friday after he had 22 points and 12 rebounds to lead Temple to an 81-77 upset of No. 19 West Virginia in the championship game.We beat two ranked teams this weekend. Any time you can do that, its huge for a team, Enechionyia added. Knowing that we can beat anyone, I think thats big for us.Enechionyia scored 18 points in the first half for Temple (4-2) but it was his free throw with 1 second left that sealed the championship for the Owls.Enechionyia was named the Most Outstanding Player of the two-day tournament.Alain Moore II added 18 points for the Owls, while Daniel Dingle finished with 15 and Quinton Rose 12.Esa Ahmad had 19 points for West Virginia (4-1) while Teyvon Myers added 15 and Nathan Adrian and Tarik Phillip had 13 apiece.Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins critique of his teams performance was laced with frustration.We didnt guard, Huggins said. We didnt guard the way were capable of guarding. Our help defense was atrocious. We fouled too much. We didnt make free throws. We missed open shots. We missed 17 layups. Seventeen point-blank shots. We shot 61 percent from the free throw line. We work our butt off to try to get people to turn it over. They turn it over 19 times and we give it back to them 16.Temple led 45-25 at halftime due to two extended stretches in which the Owls held the Mountaineers without a point.Following Phillips layup 1:29 into the game, West Virginia did not score for 5:28 until Adrians layup at 13:09. During that stretch, the Owls outscored the Mountaineers 13-0. Then, after Ahmads layup with 5:28 left in the half, Temple scored the next nine points until Phillips knocked down a 3 to cut the deficit to 38-23.The Owls held West Virginia to 32.3 percent shooting from the field, including 27.3 percent from 3-point range in the first half. Temple forced West Virginia into 11 first-half turnovers.We dont do a good job of finding open guys, Huggins said. We have consistently shot very, very poorly.West Virginia finished with 16 turnovers while misfiring on 38 of 67 shots from the field.Trailing by 20, West Virginia ratcheted up its trademark press defense in the second half. Phillips drilledd a 3 right in front of the Mountaineers bench that caused Temple coach Fran Dunphy to call time out with 11:31 left, West Virginia was credited with nine forced turnovers in 8 1/2 minutes.ddddddddddddYou knew they were going to make their run, Dunphy said. I didnt anticipate that we were going to have that kind of cushion throughout the second half. I was just hoping it (wouldnt) dissipate as quickly as it did.The timeout did not stem West Virginia as the Mountaineers scored 13 of the next 17 points to take a 65-64 lead. It was their first lead since opening the game on a 7-0 run. A layup by Ahmad made it 67-64.The game was so crazy in the second half. They dont let you run any kind of offense, Dunphy said. It was just a crazed style of game in the second half.But Temple would not go away.The Owls took a 75-71 lead on the strength of an 11-4 run spanning 2:36. Moore made four free throws in the stretch, and Rose added two free throws and a jumper.The final 4:44 saw Moore play a pivotal role. The 5-foot-10 guard grabbed three rebounds and made two free throws to set the stage for Enechionyia.BIG PICTURETemple: Two strong performances against Top 25 teams can only bode well for the Owls once American Athletic Conference play begins.West Virginia: The Mountaineers first four games were blowout victories. Being forced to play a possession-by-possession game in the second half could benefit West Virginia over the course of the season.POLL IMPLICATIONSTemple: The Owls beat the No. 25 and No. 19 teams in the nation on consecutive days. That may be enough for the Owls to sneak into the Top 25.West Virginia: A four-point loss to an unranked team should not cause West Virginia to drop out of the Top 25.NOTABLETemple: The Owls came into the game having defeated No. 25 Florida State on Thursday night. The win allowed Temple to extend its streak of defeating a Top 25 team to 10 straight years.West Virginia: The Mountaineers entered the game leading the nation with 13.7 steals and 27 forced turnovers per game. Their 15.7 turnover margin was also best in the nation.UP NEXTTemple: Visits Saint Josephs Wednesday.West Virginia: Hosts Manhattan Monday. ' ' '