Originally Posted by espn.go.com

Already scrambling to cobble together their secondary unit, the New England Patriots on Saturday evening lost two more starters, as cornerback Asante Samuel and free safety Eugene Wilson were both downgraded from "doubtful" to "out" for Sunday's game at Green Bay.

The loss of Samuel (knee) and Wilson (hamstring) means that the slumping Patriots, who have dropped two straight games, will face the resurgent Packers with just one player, cornerback Ellis Hobbs, who started in the secondary in the season opener. It marks the second consecutive year in which New England has been significantly weakened in the secondary because of injuries.

Strong safety Rodney Harrison, who started the first eight games after rehabilitating from a catastrophic knee injury in 2005, is sidelined by a fractured scapula, and is out indefinitely. Wilson has played in just one of the past six games. And Hobbs is playing despite a broken wrist.

Samuel, who leads the team with three interceptions, had been the only player in the secondary to start in each of the Patriots' first nine games.

New England started four different secondary combinations in the first nine games and will have to go with a fifth on Sunday at Lambeau Field against a Packers team that has won three of its past four games, and has an offense that statistically ranks No. 7 in the league.

It is likely that veteran Chad Scott, who started last week at strong safety, will move to cornerback, where he has played most of his career. Another former cornerback, Artrell Hawkins, will probably start at free safety and second-year veteran James Sanders could get his first start of the season at strong safety.

The Patriots rank 23rd in the NFL in defense versus the pass and are catching Green Bay and quarterback Brett Favre at a time when the Packers' passing game has demonstrated much improvement. Favre is not turning the ball over nearly as much and wide receiver Donald Driver leads the NFC in catches, with 56.