Following what can only be described as an uninspired and disappointing training camp, including lackluster preseason game performances, Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Graham Harrell was released on Saturday, according to reports. Here's a video report from ESPN's Adam Schefter about the situation:
While there was apparently no doubts about the nature of Harrell as a great teammate and person, there were just too many ongoing doubts about him as the primary backup to Aaron Rodgers.
With veteran Vince Young brought into camp a month ago for competition, the pressure to perform was definitely turned up a notch. Harrell couldn't respond. It appears now that Young, by virtue of his work over the pass month and flashes of what he could do -- including leading an 80-yard touchdown drive Friday evening against the Seahawks -- was enough for the Packers to part ways with Harrell. B.J. Coleman likely will be the third quarterback, either stashed on the practice squad or on the regular roster but inactive on game days. It's also possible that the Packers will look for other veteran quarterbacks who will be released in upcoming days by other teams.
By the way, the fans voting in our backup quarterback poll more than a week ago (see righthand column) did a great job predicting how this would all shake out.
In addition to Harrell, reports indicate the Packers also released WR Justin Wilson, WR Omarius Hines, and college quarterback turned wide receiver, Alex Gillett (personally, this pundit felt that Gillett showed some ability and toughness...was hoping the Pack would try to place him on the practice squad).
Tuesday is the league-mandated deadline for teams trimming their rosters down to 75 players. We'll keep you posted as the Packers make their other cuts.
Showing posts with label Graham Harrell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Graham Harrell. Show all posts
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Packers lose to both Seahawks and injury bug
Friday evening's preseason game versus the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field was not a great one from the Green Bay Packers perspective. There was the final score, a 17-10 loss. Which is not a biggie in the preseason. Of more concern was the level of play and the rash of injuries that hit the Packers.
Let's start with the latter first.
Injury report
Morgan Burnett -- the Pack's starting safety and signal caller in the defensive backfield -- was lost to a hamstring injury. Inside linebacker Brad Jones, who registered a sack on the elusive Russell Wilson, also left with a hamstring injury. Cornerback Casey Hayward re-aggravated the hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined for most of training camp. RB DuJuan Harris, who got his first action of the preseason after being sidelined throughout camp, left during the first series after re-injuring his knee. All week, head coach Mike McCarthy was saying how excited he was to see Harris back in action. So much for that. OLB Jarvis Reed also sustained a knee injury.
While all of these injuries are a concern, of course, there is more depth at linebacker and running back than there is at safety. If Burnett is lost for any amount of time, M.D. Jennings, Jerron McMillian, or perhaps free agent Chris Banjo (who was in on several plays last night) will be called upon to fill the gap. A veteran free agent could also be added. The Packers could get by, but Burnett's return is key to the defensive backfield's performance.
These new injuries, of course, are on top of the current injury list: Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Matthew Mulligan, Andy Mulumba, Tramon Williams, James Nixon and Jarrett Bush all sat out last night's game with injuries.
The season opener against the 49ers is just two weeks away. The Packers need to get all these guys healthy, and soon. With them, the Pack is a force to be reckoned with every week. Without them, the team becomes average.
Backup quarterback still up for grabs
Coach McCarthy was trying to get some clarity on the backup quarterback situation last night. He gave Graham Harrell every chance to solidify a hold on the number two spot behind Aaron Rodgers. Harrell worked for a good period behind the first team offense. His performance was less than stellar, although to be fair the penalties and entire lack of rhythm exhibited by the offense at that time were not totally Harrell's fault. His lack of passing precision downfield, however, was. He did not inspire confidence, despite his supposed knowledge of the offensive scheme.
Veteran QB Vince Young, though, did inspire confidence despite his lack of knowledge of the Packers' system at this point. He led two series in the second half, including an 11-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. In addition, Young displayed the ability to break the pocket when needed; he scrambled three times for 39 yards. He's got the legs and he's got the instincts that Harrell doesn't have.
B.J. Coleman did mop up duty at the quarterback position and didn't generate much with the backups.
The early guess from this pundit is that Coleman gets cut or put on the practice squad, while Young and Harrell make the regular roster. And while the game plan for Young would of necessity be sparse early in the season compared to Harrell, the best option to win -- if, God forbid, something happens to Rodgers -- is for Young to be the first man in.
Level of overall play was not good
While the Packers were not as flat as for the first game, they didn't show the same level of performance as they did in beating the Rams last weekend. Of course, the Seahawks are much better than the Rams and it showed. They gave the Packers problems on both sides of the ball last night, despite the defense registering several sacks on 'hawks quarterbacks.
While it shouldn't be a concern given the weapons available, the fact that the Packers number one offensive unit has yet to score a touchdown is at least starting to be a discussion point. The unit moves the ball but stalls out without crossing the goal line. That leaves things on the leg of kicker Mason Crosby, who has been less than steady. You know this will get worked out. But it would be nice to see some TD production clicking with the first unit. So far, we haven't seen it.
RB Eddie Lacy wasn't able to get any running room last night. Even the best back needs blocking, and that wasn't readily present particularly with the backup line operating. On defense, there were some good individual moments, but there were often huge gaps up the middle on both running and receiving plays.
Bottom line: the Packers still have a lot to get straightened out before the start of the season. They also need to get their key players healthy again. That would go a long way to making things click.
Let's start with the latter first.
Injury report
Morgan Burnett -- the Pack's starting safety and signal caller in the defensive backfield -- was lost to a hamstring injury. Inside linebacker Brad Jones, who registered a sack on the elusive Russell Wilson, also left with a hamstring injury. Cornerback Casey Hayward re-aggravated the hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined for most of training camp. RB DuJuan Harris, who got his first action of the preseason after being sidelined throughout camp, left during the first series after re-injuring his knee. All week, head coach Mike McCarthy was saying how excited he was to see Harris back in action. So much for that. OLB Jarvis Reed also sustained a knee injury.
While all of these injuries are a concern, of course, there is more depth at linebacker and running back than there is at safety. If Burnett is lost for any amount of time, M.D. Jennings, Jerron McMillian, or perhaps free agent Chris Banjo (who was in on several plays last night) will be called upon to fill the gap. A veteran free agent could also be added. The Packers could get by, but Burnett's return is key to the defensive backfield's performance.
These new injuries, of course, are on top of the current injury list: Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Matthew Mulligan, Andy Mulumba, Tramon Williams, James Nixon and Jarrett Bush all sat out last night's game with injuries.
The season opener against the 49ers is just two weeks away. The Packers need to get all these guys healthy, and soon. With them, the Pack is a force to be reckoned with every week. Without them, the team becomes average.
Backup quarterback still up for grabs
Coach McCarthy was trying to get some clarity on the backup quarterback situation last night. He gave Graham Harrell every chance to solidify a hold on the number two spot behind Aaron Rodgers. Harrell worked for a good period behind the first team offense. His performance was less than stellar, although to be fair the penalties and entire lack of rhythm exhibited by the offense at that time were not totally Harrell's fault. His lack of passing precision downfield, however, was. He did not inspire confidence, despite his supposed knowledge of the offensive scheme.
Veteran QB Vince Young, though, did inspire confidence despite his lack of knowledge of the Packers' system at this point. He led two series in the second half, including an 11-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. In addition, Young displayed the ability to break the pocket when needed; he scrambled three times for 39 yards. He's got the legs and he's got the instincts that Harrell doesn't have.
B.J. Coleman did mop up duty at the quarterback position and didn't generate much with the backups.
The early guess from this pundit is that Coleman gets cut or put on the practice squad, while Young and Harrell make the regular roster. And while the game plan for Young would of necessity be sparse early in the season compared to Harrell, the best option to win -- if, God forbid, something happens to Rodgers -- is for Young to be the first man in.
Level of overall play was not good
While the Packers were not as flat as for the first game, they didn't show the same level of performance as they did in beating the Rams last weekend. Of course, the Seahawks are much better than the Rams and it showed. They gave the Packers problems on both sides of the ball last night, despite the defense registering several sacks on 'hawks quarterbacks.
While it shouldn't be a concern given the weapons available, the fact that the Packers number one offensive unit has yet to score a touchdown is at least starting to be a discussion point. The unit moves the ball but stalls out without crossing the goal line. That leaves things on the leg of kicker Mason Crosby, who has been less than steady. You know this will get worked out. But it would be nice to see some TD production clicking with the first unit. So far, we haven't seen it.
RB Eddie Lacy wasn't able to get any running room last night. Even the best back needs blocking, and that wasn't readily present particularly with the backup line operating. On defense, there were some good individual moments, but there were often huge gaps up the middle on both running and receiving plays.
Bottom line: the Packers still have a lot to get straightened out before the start of the season. They also need to get their key players healthy again. That would go a long way to making things click.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Packers Preseason Game 3: Seahawks come to Lambeau Field
In their first meeting since the infamous "Fail Mary"game last September, the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks will meet Friday night in Lambeau Field. That "loss" in the regular season -- with replacement referees (one in particular) making mind-numbingly dumb calls -- had implications for both teams in the playoffs. Replays clearly showed that Packers defensive back M.D. Jennings had intercepted and had possession of the ball. Somehow, someway, a replacement official failed to see what the rest of the universe did. But, as head coach Mike McCarthy was quick to point out, to his credit, after the game, the final result should never have come down to that one play. There were other opportunities for the Packers to leave Seattle with a win. Never should have gotten to a judgement call by a ref incapable of making a competent decision about a close play.
OK, there...venting is good. Let's move on...
Going into this third game of the preseason, several things are clear:
There are many other observations to be made, but time runs short. So this will have to do as the pre-game post. Check back this weekend for post-game observations.
Go Pack Go!!
OK, there...venting is good. Let's move on...
Going into this third game of the preseason, several things are clear:
- The Packers are nowhere near ready for the start of the regular season...but are getting closer.
- Special teams is very much in flux, particularly at the critical positions of kicker and returner. The rest of the unit will be filled out, as usual, with those who will primarily make the roster through their special teams play and as backups to the starters on both offense and defense.
- Speaking of kicker, Mason Crosby continues to have his ups and downs in camp. Despite a fairly good performance in last week's game, his sessions this week in camp reportedly have been spotty. Giorgio Tavecchio, Crosby's camp competition, seems to match Crosby's inconsistency. Several veteran kickers became available through cuts this week but the Packers -- if they had any interest -- didn't move quickly enough and each was signed by another team. Be worried, Packer fans...be very worried.
- The backup quarterback position is still in flux. Coach McCarthy is still waiting for one of the three candidates -- Graham Harrell, B.J. Coleman or Vince Young -- to claim the number two spot. Harrell is going into his fourth year with the Packers and still doesn't inspire confidence. Young, signed after the start of camp, may or may not have anything left in the tank after being out of football for a year. He certainly hasn't had a chance to fully learn the Packers' offensive scheme. Coleman perhaps has the best arm among the three, certainly better than Harrell, but is still raw. If things can start to click for him sooner rather than later, he'd likely be the best long-term backup option in case something happened to Aaron Rodgers. In the meantime...pray for Rodgers' well-being.
- D-lineman Johnny Jolly -- a long shot at the start of camp to make the team -- now has a very good chance to do so and resume playing a key role on the defense. I hope you're rooting for him...I am.
- Rookie CB Micah Hyde, while not a speed burner, just seems to make plays and be around the ball more often than not. Yes, he'll still make rookie mistakes, but it looks as if he's a keeper.
- We haven't had a chance to see much of what rookie DE Datone Jones can do thanks to an ankle injury, which was re-aggravated earlier this week. Whether he sees action Friday night or not is uncertain.
- We also haven't had a chance to see much of rookie RB Johnathan Franklin. There are a number of talented backs in Green Bay this year; this is a situation the Packers haven't had to deal with much in recent years. Coach McCarthy has said he's anxious to see what penciled-in starter DuJuan Harris shows Friday evening. He knows what rookie RB Eddie Lacy can do...be very dangerous. Alex Green looks to regain his explosiveness and be part of the mix. James Starks may wind up being the odd man out, assuming the Packers actually retain four running backs on the roster rather than three. If it's three, which is the likely scenario, Alex Green may also be looking for work elsewhere. In fact, reports a week ago were that the Packers were shopping Green around for a possible trade.
- OT David Bakhtiari appears to have won the battle for starter at left tackle with his solid play. Right tackle, however, still seems to be a bit in question, although reports are that Don Barclay has the edge on Marshall Newhouse.
There are many other observations to be made, but time runs short. So this will have to do as the pre-game post. Check back this weekend for post-game observations.
Go Pack Go!!
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Packers 2013 Preseason Game 2: Green Bay butts heads with the Rams
As you may note if you are a regular reader of PackerFansUnited.com, it's been a week since our last post. That article was very long post-mortem of the Packers shut out loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Frankly, it took yours truly a week to recover. Man, that was a clunker no matter how you looked it. And I know...because I looked at it every which way, as you'll see if you look again at that post.
Anyway, in the interim between that post and this one, I hope you've been checking in on all the goings on related to the Packers via our Amazing 2nd Page. That's your one-stop channel for more than you'd probably ever need -- or want -- to know about the Packers, from both the pro sport writers and sports networks as well as the great fans who help make up Packer blogger-land.
So what's the prognosis about tonight's game, which kicks off in less than one hour? Well, with a nod to Jerry Seinfeld, it is not Prognosis Negative. Rather, I think you'll see a much more inspired team this evening. Last week, other than the first series from the starting offense, the game was a flat and uninspired performance on both sides of the ball. CB Davon House, who got burned a couple times on the night, manned up during the week and even said it was his worst performance ever. That's the kind of shock therapy realization that can serve someone well all season long. Good to get that after the first preseason game and not later on in the regular season.
Who needs to show something extra tonight?
Quite a few players, at least judging by last week's performance.
Backup QB Graham Harrell has to show a lot more than an ability to throw underneath to his check-down receivers every time he passes. He is going to have to open it up and look downfield more. A lot more. Expect to see the majority of snaps go to him and Vince Young tonight. With an extra week of practice under his belt, it will really be interesting to see how Young does. He had a few good moments -- and deep throws -- in practice this week, so it will be most interesting to see his progress in the Packers system. While B.J. Coleman may get a few snaps, it seems more and more evident that he's likely to be the odd man out in the backup race for quarterback. Our fan poll (see the righthand column) clearly showed a preference for Young being Aaron Rodgers primary backup...for what that's worth.
It's likely that rookie RB Eddie Lacy will be held out again this week with his hamstring issue. Penciled-in depth chart starter DuJuan Harris is also likely not to see much if any action, just coming off the PUP list. That leaves a lot of potential carry action for Alex Green and Johnathan Franklin, in particular. Green will be given a lot of opportunities to show that he still has his pre-ACL tear burst. It was rumored at times throughout the week that Green's name was being floated as possible trade bait; to whom and for whom were not clear.
WR Randall Cobb is nursing a bicep injury and likely will not play this evening. That opens up more room for backup receivers Jeremy Ross and rookie surprise Tyrone Walker, who made a positive impression against the Cardinals. The knock on Ross is his inconsistency. Talent is no question. Hanging on to the ball consistently...question. As a kick and punt returner, it's his job to lose; head coach Mike McCarthy does not want to be in a position to have to put Randall Cobb back as the primary returner. Let's see if Ross seizes the opportunity given to him tonight.
Johnny Jolly should again see a fair amount of playing time. The defensive line is a crowded place right now. He played well last week in his first game action in three years. But he's competing against some younger guys. He's got the know-how and, his teammates say, he's got the desire. Can he put that desire and physicality back on the field in a way even close to what he was a few years back? We'll see.
There are lots of places to look for insights tonight. Let's hope the good surprises outweigh the bad, whether or not the Packers come out with a "W". Oh, and also let's hope the Pack escapes without any injuries. That would be good too, wouldn't it?
GO PACK GO!!!
Anyway, in the interim between that post and this one, I hope you've been checking in on all the goings on related to the Packers via our Amazing 2nd Page. That's your one-stop channel for more than you'd probably ever need -- or want -- to know about the Packers, from both the pro sport writers and sports networks as well as the great fans who help make up Packer blogger-land.
So what's the prognosis about tonight's game, which kicks off in less than one hour? Well, with a nod to Jerry Seinfeld, it is not Prognosis Negative. Rather, I think you'll see a much more inspired team this evening. Last week, other than the first series from the starting offense, the game was a flat and uninspired performance on both sides of the ball. CB Davon House, who got burned a couple times on the night, manned up during the week and even said it was his worst performance ever. That's the kind of shock therapy realization that can serve someone well all season long. Good to get that after the first preseason game and not later on in the regular season.
Who needs to show something extra tonight?
Quite a few players, at least judging by last week's performance.
Backup QB Graham Harrell has to show a lot more than an ability to throw underneath to his check-down receivers every time he passes. He is going to have to open it up and look downfield more. A lot more. Expect to see the majority of snaps go to him and Vince Young tonight. With an extra week of practice under his belt, it will really be interesting to see how Young does. He had a few good moments -- and deep throws -- in practice this week, so it will be most interesting to see his progress in the Packers system. While B.J. Coleman may get a few snaps, it seems more and more evident that he's likely to be the odd man out in the backup race for quarterback. Our fan poll (see the righthand column) clearly showed a preference for Young being Aaron Rodgers primary backup...for what that's worth.
It's likely that rookie RB Eddie Lacy will be held out again this week with his hamstring issue. Penciled-in depth chart starter DuJuan Harris is also likely not to see much if any action, just coming off the PUP list. That leaves a lot of potential carry action for Alex Green and Johnathan Franklin, in particular. Green will be given a lot of opportunities to show that he still has his pre-ACL tear burst. It was rumored at times throughout the week that Green's name was being floated as possible trade bait; to whom and for whom were not clear.
WR Randall Cobb is nursing a bicep injury and likely will not play this evening. That opens up more room for backup receivers Jeremy Ross and rookie surprise Tyrone Walker, who made a positive impression against the Cardinals. The knock on Ross is his inconsistency. Talent is no question. Hanging on to the ball consistently...question. As a kick and punt returner, it's his job to lose; head coach Mike McCarthy does not want to be in a position to have to put Randall Cobb back as the primary returner. Let's see if Ross seizes the opportunity given to him tonight.
Johnny Jolly should again see a fair amount of playing time. The defensive line is a crowded place right now. He played well last week in his first game action in three years. But he's competing against some younger guys. He's got the know-how and, his teammates say, he's got the desire. Can he put that desire and physicality back on the field in a way even close to what he was a few years back? We'll see.
There are lots of places to look for insights tonight. Let's hope the good surprises outweigh the bad, whether or not the Packers come out with a "W". Oh, and also let's hope the Pack escapes without any injuries. That would be good too, wouldn't it?
GO PACK GO!!!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Packers lose preseason opener to Cardinals, 17-0
Well, it wasn't pretty, that's for sure. The preseason home opener for the Green Bay Packers versus the Arizona Cardinals was about as flat as you'll ever see. Final score: Cardinals 17 - Packers 0.
Other than a fast-paced no-huddle opening series led by Aaron Rodgers and the number one offense which eventually stalled out at the Cardinals goal line, the Packers as a team did nothing of note offensively or defensively. To put the game in historical perspective, the recap by Bob McGinn in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel notes that "It marked the first time that the Packers had been shut out in a 60-minute exhibition game since a 33-0 loss in August 1987 to the Washington Redskins in Madison." Yowza.
OK, OK, it's just a preseason game and the first one at that.
In our preview, we offered a few things to watch for during the game. Let's see how that shook out, shall we?
Running Game
We knew a couple things going into this game. First, that the Packers wanted to make a commitment to run the ball this season in a way they haven't done in years. That's why the team drafted two top running backs early in the NFL draft. We also knew that rookie RB Eddie Lacy would be held out of the game because of a hamstring issue. So we anticipated a big dose of rookie Johnathan Franklin, plus James Starks, Alex Green, and rookie Angelo Pease. Starks got the start and rushed 12 times for 38 yards with a long run of 8 yards, and totaled 18 yards in seven first-down carries. Starks looked good. When he's healthy, as we saw late in the 2011 season, Starks can be a formidable runner. Staying on the field has been his problem. Franklin also showed potential, but the Packers really need to scheme to get him to the outside where he can use his speed. He carried just six times for 14 yards. Alex Green got some carries and finished with seven attempts for 16 yards. Angelo Pease had one carry for two yards. So on the whole, how do they say it...oh yes...meh. Eddie Lacy was very much needed on the Packers' first drive when they tried to rush it into the endzone a few times from the goal line without success. Starks just couldn't blast through. From that standpoint, it seemed like same ol', same ol', as the saying goes. Getting Lacy back will be a boost to the offense, for sure.
Conclusion: incomplete.
Quarterbacks
The Packers have four quarterbacks vying for what will likely be three spots on the roster. One spot is a lock. We know who that is. (Hint: his initials start with "Aaron Rodgers.") Beyond that, Graham Harrell, B.J. Coleman and Vince Young will battle it out for the remaining two spots. Last night didn't go very far in determining who had a leg up (or arm, as the case may be) on the rest. Harrell got the most time to show how he's progressed as the main backup to Rodgers from last season. It was an unimpressive performance. He finished 12 of 19 for 76 yards, including one interception and one fumble when he was stripped on a sack. As some might point out, whether those turnovers were all on Harrell or not is questionable. He and his receiver on the interception were clearly not on the same page, and the sack/strip was a result of RT Marshall Newhouse getting smoked by the rusher. Vince Young came in to relieve Harrell. For someone who was signed Tuesday, playing on Friday was a pretty quick turnaround. In a complex system such as the Packers, Young's head had to be swimming. Reports were that head coach Mike McCarthy probably had five or six plays in the hopper for Young. He finished 1 for 3 (7 yards), while running twice for 12 yards. B.J. Coleman had mop up duty on the night. He went 2 for 7 for 15 yards passing.
Conclusion: Rodgers great, everyone else...meh.
Kicking Game
Given Mason Crosby's struggles last year, and his 3 for 7 performance in the Family Night scrimmage a week ago, everyone was very interested to see how he fared this week, as well as how his competitor, Giorgio Tavecchio, stacked up. Well, funny story...neither one of them saw the field last night. After the first offensive series, where the Packers opted to go for it on 4th and 2 at the Cardinals' goal line, not once during the rest of the game were the Packers even in field goal range. Both the kickers got the night off.
Conclusion: Incomplete
Receivers
Randall Cobb was held out last evening, and Jordy Nelson is done for the preseason with minor knee surgery. That left James Jones as the main man, which he certainly was on a huge 50-yard pass reception from Rodgers on that first drive of the game. Beyond that, eight other receivers had receptions on the evening. Tyrone Walker had perhaps the best night after Jones, with five receptions for 41 yards, with a long of 22 yards. Alex Gillett also had some nice catches, including the only completion for Vince Young.
Conclusion: Incomplete
Offensive Line
Given the loss of LT Bryan Bulaga for the season, all eyes were on rookie David Bakhtiari. He has impressed in camp and the expectations for him are high; the Packers will be in real trouble if he isn't able to fill the void. The good news was that Bakhtiari acquitted himself quite well last evening. He got lots of reps, which he needs. Concerns arise, still, from tackle Marshall Newhouse who was moved from left tackle to the right side in the new flip-flop scheme. As noted earlier, he got beat badly on a sack of Graham Harrell which led to a strip fumble. Seems as if his struggles continue, at least for now. As to the rest of the linemen, nothing distinguishing one way or another.
Conclusion: Mixed
Defense
We wanted to keep an eye on rookie DE Datone Jones to see what he could bring to the party. Unfortunately, he left the party early with an ankle sprain. We'll have to keep watching news today to see the severity of that sprain. Obviously, it would be a blow to the defense if he was out for any length of time, particularly if it turns out to be a high ankle sprain. We also wanted to see how DT Johnny Jolly did in his return to the field after three years away. He got a good push on several plays and seemed to hold up fairly well. Some pundits think it's a long shot that he'll make the final roster. Maybe. But I'm still rooting for him, because if he can even come close to what he was several years ago he's worth keeping.
One of the areas we didn't mention in our preview was the defensive backs. I guess we should have. Because what we saw on display last night was an area of concern. Coverage was lax, tackling was poor. Davon House got burned several times on poor coverage. Rookie Micah Hyde displayed some toughness but also had moments where being a rookie showed. This will be a part of the defense that will need to step up.
And speaking of stepping up, the Packers' linebacking corp -- aside from Clay Matthews who didn't play long last night -- needs to do just that. Not much to write home about...or write here about. Robert Francois had what could have been the defensive highlight of the night when he flashed speed on a blitz and had the Cardinals quarterback wrapped up for a sack...except, he didn't; the quarterback broke free and wound up scrambling for a first down.
The entire defense looked very flat and inept. But much the same can be said for the rest of the team as well, first unit offense excepted.
Overall Conclusion: Flat
Not much more to say about last night's game. The best part is that it doesn't count. The worst part is that it seems as if the team has a long way to go before it comes together. Coach McCarthy has his work cut out for him.
Other than a fast-paced no-huddle opening series led by Aaron Rodgers and the number one offense which eventually stalled out at the Cardinals goal line, the Packers as a team did nothing of note offensively or defensively. To put the game in historical perspective, the recap by Bob McGinn in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel notes that "It marked the first time that the Packers had been shut out in a 60-minute exhibition game since a 33-0 loss in August 1987 to the Washington Redskins in Madison." Yowza.
OK, OK, it's just a preseason game and the first one at that.
In our preview, we offered a few things to watch for during the game. Let's see how that shook out, shall we?
Running Game
We knew a couple things going into this game. First, that the Packers wanted to make a commitment to run the ball this season in a way they haven't done in years. That's why the team drafted two top running backs early in the NFL draft. We also knew that rookie RB Eddie Lacy would be held out of the game because of a hamstring issue. So we anticipated a big dose of rookie Johnathan Franklin, plus James Starks, Alex Green, and rookie Angelo Pease. Starks got the start and rushed 12 times for 38 yards with a long run of 8 yards, and totaled 18 yards in seven first-down carries. Starks looked good. When he's healthy, as we saw late in the 2011 season, Starks can be a formidable runner. Staying on the field has been his problem. Franklin also showed potential, but the Packers really need to scheme to get him to the outside where he can use his speed. He carried just six times for 14 yards. Alex Green got some carries and finished with seven attempts for 16 yards. Angelo Pease had one carry for two yards. So on the whole, how do they say it...oh yes...meh. Eddie Lacy was very much needed on the Packers' first drive when they tried to rush it into the endzone a few times from the goal line without success. Starks just couldn't blast through. From that standpoint, it seemed like same ol', same ol', as the saying goes. Getting Lacy back will be a boost to the offense, for sure.
Conclusion: incomplete.
Quarterbacks
The Packers have four quarterbacks vying for what will likely be three spots on the roster. One spot is a lock. We know who that is. (Hint: his initials start with "Aaron Rodgers.") Beyond that, Graham Harrell, B.J. Coleman and Vince Young will battle it out for the remaining two spots. Last night didn't go very far in determining who had a leg up (or arm, as the case may be) on the rest. Harrell got the most time to show how he's progressed as the main backup to Rodgers from last season. It was an unimpressive performance. He finished 12 of 19 for 76 yards, including one interception and one fumble when he was stripped on a sack. As some might point out, whether those turnovers were all on Harrell or not is questionable. He and his receiver on the interception were clearly not on the same page, and the sack/strip was a result of RT Marshall Newhouse getting smoked by the rusher. Vince Young came in to relieve Harrell. For someone who was signed Tuesday, playing on Friday was a pretty quick turnaround. In a complex system such as the Packers, Young's head had to be swimming. Reports were that head coach Mike McCarthy probably had five or six plays in the hopper for Young. He finished 1 for 3 (7 yards), while running twice for 12 yards. B.J. Coleman had mop up duty on the night. He went 2 for 7 for 15 yards passing.
Conclusion: Rodgers great, everyone else...meh.
Kicking Game
Given Mason Crosby's struggles last year, and his 3 for 7 performance in the Family Night scrimmage a week ago, everyone was very interested to see how he fared this week, as well as how his competitor, Giorgio Tavecchio, stacked up. Well, funny story...neither one of them saw the field last night. After the first offensive series, where the Packers opted to go for it on 4th and 2 at the Cardinals' goal line, not once during the rest of the game were the Packers even in field goal range. Both the kickers got the night off.
Conclusion: Incomplete
Receivers
Randall Cobb was held out last evening, and Jordy Nelson is done for the preseason with minor knee surgery. That left James Jones as the main man, which he certainly was on a huge 50-yard pass reception from Rodgers on that first drive of the game. Beyond that, eight other receivers had receptions on the evening. Tyrone Walker had perhaps the best night after Jones, with five receptions for 41 yards, with a long of 22 yards. Alex Gillett also had some nice catches, including the only completion for Vince Young.
Conclusion: Incomplete
Offensive Line
Given the loss of LT Bryan Bulaga for the season, all eyes were on rookie David Bakhtiari. He has impressed in camp and the expectations for him are high; the Packers will be in real trouble if he isn't able to fill the void. The good news was that Bakhtiari acquitted himself quite well last evening. He got lots of reps, which he needs. Concerns arise, still, from tackle Marshall Newhouse who was moved from left tackle to the right side in the new flip-flop scheme. As noted earlier, he got beat badly on a sack of Graham Harrell which led to a strip fumble. Seems as if his struggles continue, at least for now. As to the rest of the linemen, nothing distinguishing one way or another.
Conclusion: Mixed
Defense
We wanted to keep an eye on rookie DE Datone Jones to see what he could bring to the party. Unfortunately, he left the party early with an ankle sprain. We'll have to keep watching news today to see the severity of that sprain. Obviously, it would be a blow to the defense if he was out for any length of time, particularly if it turns out to be a high ankle sprain. We also wanted to see how DT Johnny Jolly did in his return to the field after three years away. He got a good push on several plays and seemed to hold up fairly well. Some pundits think it's a long shot that he'll make the final roster. Maybe. But I'm still rooting for him, because if he can even come close to what he was several years ago he's worth keeping.
One of the areas we didn't mention in our preview was the defensive backs. I guess we should have. Because what we saw on display last night was an area of concern. Coverage was lax, tackling was poor. Davon House got burned several times on poor coverage. Rookie Micah Hyde displayed some toughness but also had moments where being a rookie showed. This will be a part of the defense that will need to step up.
And speaking of stepping up, the Packers' linebacking corp -- aside from Clay Matthews who didn't play long last night -- needs to do just that. Not much to write home about...or write here about. Robert Francois had what could have been the defensive highlight of the night when he flashed speed on a blitz and had the Cardinals quarterback wrapped up for a sack...except, he didn't; the quarterback broke free and wound up scrambling for a first down.
The entire defense looked very flat and inept. But much the same can be said for the rest of the team as well, first unit offense excepted.
Overall Conclusion: Flat
Not much more to say about last night's game. The best part is that it doesn't count. The worst part is that it seems as if the team has a long way to go before it comes together. Coach McCarthy has his work cut out for him.
Tuesday, August 06, 2013
Bulaga out, Vince Young in for Packers
Yesterday had more downs than ups for fans of the Green Bay Packers. Primarily, receiving the news that starting LT Bryan Bulaga is done for the season with a torn ACL sustained in the Family Night scrimmage on Saturday.
What was going to be a challenging experiment -- essentially flipping the offensive lineman from one side to the other -- became even more so with the loss of Bulaga, who was considered the lynchpin of the scheme. While coming off his late-season hip injury from last year, Bulaga would be the man charged with protecting QB Aaron Rodger's blind side. Now...who? The Packers could go back to last season's starter, Marshall Newhouse, who had been switched to the right side in the new alignment. Derek Sherrod, who was supposed to be the long-term answer when selected by the Pack in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, hasn't played since 2011 after sustaining a terrible leg injury; sounds as if he's nowhere close to even being in the conversation and is still on the PUP list.
Reports are, though, that the Packers may give rookie fourth-round draft pick, David Bakhtiari, a chance to win that spot. He has apparently impressed so far in training camp but game action against an opposing team is something altogether different...especially for a rookie. But let's remember that Bulaga himself became a starter his rookie year and performed admirably. It's not out of the realm of possibility. We'll have to see how it shakes out during the preseason. Just remember that no NFL quarterback has been sacked more since 2008 than Rodgers. It's about time the Pack did something about that. The planned-for scheme to do so blew up before it even got started. Now, the team must search for another answer. If you want to read more about Bulaga and Bakhtiari, check out this article from nfl.com.
Vince Young as backup QB?
The counterpoint to the bad news about Bulaga was the rather surprising news that the Packers had signed veteran QB Vince Young to a one-year contract. For all practical purposes, it's a one-month tryout. If the Packers cut him before the start of the season they won't owe him a dime.
But much of the conversation around this signing has to do with why...why would the Packers sign a player who hasn't played since 2011? Young is 30 years old, basically when many quarterbacks are in their prime. His career record as a starter is 30-17. He had a few really good seasons in Tennessee and then the wheels kind of fell off. It was never a question of physical talent with Young, but rather what was going on between the ears. To say that he probably did not have the best relationship with coaches along the way, especially in Tennessee, is probably an understatement. But if there's anyone who can work with quarterbacks, it's Packers head coach, Mike McCarthy. He may be just what the doctor ordered to help turn Young's career around.
There were any number of pundits yesterday after the news broke about the signing who felt that this might actually be a good fit for both the Packers and Young. The Pack's two current backup QBs, Graham Harrell and B.J. Coleman are apparently underwhelming so far in camp. While the Packers' offensive scheme is not simple and would be a challenge to pick up in a mere month's time, some reporters are speculating that the Packers might keep Young as a number three QB as a security blanket, and to give him time to learn the offense. In the event that Rodgers were to go down for any extended period of time, which quarterback would you rather have running the show: Harrell or Young? Many Packer fans are having that conversation right now.
What do you have to say? Take our poll now in the right sidebar and let us know if you'd rather have Vince Young, B.J. Coleman or Graham Harrell as the number two quarterback if something happens to Aaron Rodgers. We sure hope it doesn't come to that. But with Bryan Bulaga out of the picture, that possibility becomes a bit more real. Hence, the need for someone who has demonstrated the ability to succeed and win at the pro level...if that person still has anything left to give, that is.
What was going to be a challenging experiment -- essentially flipping the offensive lineman from one side to the other -- became even more so with the loss of Bulaga, who was considered the lynchpin of the scheme. While coming off his late-season hip injury from last year, Bulaga would be the man charged with protecting QB Aaron Rodger's blind side. Now...who? The Packers could go back to last season's starter, Marshall Newhouse, who had been switched to the right side in the new alignment. Derek Sherrod, who was supposed to be the long-term answer when selected by the Pack in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, hasn't played since 2011 after sustaining a terrible leg injury; sounds as if he's nowhere close to even being in the conversation and is still on the PUP list.
Reports are, though, that the Packers may give rookie fourth-round draft pick, David Bakhtiari, a chance to win that spot. He has apparently impressed so far in training camp but game action against an opposing team is something altogether different...especially for a rookie. But let's remember that Bulaga himself became a starter his rookie year and performed admirably. It's not out of the realm of possibility. We'll have to see how it shakes out during the preseason. Just remember that no NFL quarterback has been sacked more since 2008 than Rodgers. It's about time the Pack did something about that. The planned-for scheme to do so blew up before it even got started. Now, the team must search for another answer. If you want to read more about Bulaga and Bakhtiari, check out this article from nfl.com.
Vince Young as backup QB?
The counterpoint to the bad news about Bulaga was the rather surprising news that the Packers had signed veteran QB Vince Young to a one-year contract. For all practical purposes, it's a one-month tryout. If the Packers cut him before the start of the season they won't owe him a dime.
But much of the conversation around this signing has to do with why...why would the Packers sign a player who hasn't played since 2011? Young is 30 years old, basically when many quarterbacks are in their prime. His career record as a starter is 30-17. He had a few really good seasons in Tennessee and then the wheels kind of fell off. It was never a question of physical talent with Young, but rather what was going on between the ears. To say that he probably did not have the best relationship with coaches along the way, especially in Tennessee, is probably an understatement. But if there's anyone who can work with quarterbacks, it's Packers head coach, Mike McCarthy. He may be just what the doctor ordered to help turn Young's career around.
There were any number of pundits yesterday after the news broke about the signing who felt that this might actually be a good fit for both the Packers and Young. The Pack's two current backup QBs, Graham Harrell and B.J. Coleman are apparently underwhelming so far in camp. While the Packers' offensive scheme is not simple and would be a challenge to pick up in a mere month's time, some reporters are speculating that the Packers might keep Young as a number three QB as a security blanket, and to give him time to learn the offense. In the event that Rodgers were to go down for any extended period of time, which quarterback would you rather have running the show: Harrell or Young? Many Packer fans are having that conversation right now.
What do you have to say? Take our poll now in the right sidebar and let us know if you'd rather have Vince Young, B.J. Coleman or Graham Harrell as the number two quarterback if something happens to Aaron Rodgers. We sure hope it doesn't come to that. But with Bryan Bulaga out of the picture, that possibility becomes a bit more real. Hence, the need for someone who has demonstrated the ability to succeed and win at the pro level...if that person still has anything left to give, that is.
Monday, October 01, 2012
Packers beat Saints -- and refs -- in a close one
On a beautiful early Fall day on the as-yet-un-frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers notched a victory in what was for them -- and their opponent, the New Orleans Saints -- a must win game. The Packers needed a victory to avoid falling two games behind in the NFC North, while the Saints were just trying to get off the schnide and avoid going 0-4. The Pack also needed to respond to the heartbreaking loss in Seattle where victory was taken away by inept replacement refs. They did. But, boy, it was oh so close to being another heartbreaker. And, sad to say, the regular officials left much to be desired in their first action of the season, as well, and almost cost the Packers this game (more on that later). But the Pack prevailed, 28-27. Whew!
The Packers and Saints combined for 765 yards and seven touchdowns. Yowza! And the Packers finally scored in the first quarter, the last team in the NFL to do so. The oddsmakers certainly had the over-under correct in this game, set at 53-1/2 points. But the Packers didn't come close to beating the point spread for this game: 7-1/2 points.
There were so many key moments to this game. Including, again, blown calls by the refs which could have led to a Saints win. In particular, as the article by Bob McGinn in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says, the Saints "got an enormous break when the officiating crew led by referee Jeff Triplette missed the fact Darren Sproles fumbled a kickoff that was recovered by Green Bay's Dezman Moses at the New Orleans 30 with 7 minutes left." Because Packers' head coach Mike McCarthy had already made two challenges and lost them both, he could not challenge this obviously blown call. At that moment, Packer fans across the universe were collectively saying "Oh no!" -- because this is a family-friendly site, I will refrain from posting what most fans probably said.
Another key play occurred the one play QB Aaron Rodgers was off the field on offense. After scrambling inside the red zone and getting poked in the eye during a facemask grab, Rodgers came out of the game and backup Graham Harrell came in. The ball, following the facemask penalty, was at the one-yard line with first and goal. A running play was called, but Harrell apparently didn't get out from behind center fast enough, was stepped on by one of his offensive lineman which caused him to fall and miss his handoff to Cedric Benson. The ball was recovered by the Saints. Four plays later, Saints QB Drew Brees hit a receiver for 80-yards and a touchdown to put the Saints ahead...a 14-point swing in the game.
But, as McGinn's article points out, "The winning touchdown (for the Packers) came midway in the fourth quarter on an 11-yard slant in which Jordy Nelson beat cornerback Jabari Greer and then ran right over muscular nickel back Corey White, who was waiting for him at the 2."
Still, the Saints had a chance to up by 3 points with less than three minutes remaining in the game. A 43-yard field goal was good but negated by a holding penalty. That made the attempt 53 yards...but an offsides penalty against the Packers got five of those penalty yards back. The 48-yard field goal attempt went just wide to the left, keeping the Packers ahead 28-27.
With just under two minutes left in the game the Packers faced third-and-three after two strong runs by Benson who had a very good day, averaging 4.7 yards in 18 carries. But rather than hand the ball to Benson for a third straight time, coach McCarthy did what he will usually do in this situation: keep the ball in Aaron Rodgers' hands. Again, from Bob McGinn: "On the far right, James Jones was confronted by Greer in the bump zone. After looking first toward Finley, Rodgers came back to Jones, who had flashed him a clean release. Greer was all over Jones and with his back toward Rodgers. Jones speared the ball with his right hand almost off Greer's hip for a remarkable 8-yard reception as penalty flags flew for defensive pass interference." First down Packers. No time outs remaining for New Orleans. Game. Set. Dagger! (By the way, did I mention that James Jones probably had one of his best performance as a Packer?)
This is a game where we finally saw the Packers offense start to resemble what we saw last season. The defense, unfortunately, also started to look like the sieve that it was last season. Will be interesting to see which way things go in the long run.
Prior to the start of the season, I had predicted the Packers would be 3-1 coming out of this first quarter of the season. In fact, they were...they won that game in Seattle, just didn't have the victory awarded to them as radio voice of the Packers, Wayne Larrivee, pointed out. But the record shows 2-2 as the Packers now embark upon three consecutive road games. First up is the Colts. The Packers have something to build off of coming out of this game, and they should take it with them to Indianapolis for another win.
The first four games of this NFL season have seen many unexpected twists and turns. But the road to the playoffs and Super Bowl begins to straighten out as we get into the second quarter of the season.
Go Pack Go!!!
The Packers and Saints combined for 765 yards and seven touchdowns. Yowza! And the Packers finally scored in the first quarter, the last team in the NFL to do so. The oddsmakers certainly had the over-under correct in this game, set at 53-1/2 points. But the Packers didn't come close to beating the point spread for this game: 7-1/2 points.
There were so many key moments to this game. Including, again, blown calls by the refs which could have led to a Saints win. In particular, as the article by Bob McGinn in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says, the Saints "got an enormous break when the officiating crew led by referee Jeff Triplette missed the fact Darren Sproles fumbled a kickoff that was recovered by Green Bay's Dezman Moses at the New Orleans 30 with 7 minutes left." Because Packers' head coach Mike McCarthy had already made two challenges and lost them both, he could not challenge this obviously blown call. At that moment, Packer fans across the universe were collectively saying "Oh no!" -- because this is a family-friendly site, I will refrain from posting what most fans probably said.
Another key play occurred the one play QB Aaron Rodgers was off the field on offense. After scrambling inside the red zone and getting poked in the eye during a facemask grab, Rodgers came out of the game and backup Graham Harrell came in. The ball, following the facemask penalty, was at the one-yard line with first and goal. A running play was called, but Harrell apparently didn't get out from behind center fast enough, was stepped on by one of his offensive lineman which caused him to fall and miss his handoff to Cedric Benson. The ball was recovered by the Saints. Four plays later, Saints QB Drew Brees hit a receiver for 80-yards and a touchdown to put the Saints ahead...a 14-point swing in the game.
But, as McGinn's article points out, "The winning touchdown (for the Packers) came midway in the fourth quarter on an 11-yard slant in which Jordy Nelson beat cornerback Jabari Greer and then ran right over muscular nickel back Corey White, who was waiting for him at the 2."
Still, the Saints had a chance to up by 3 points with less than three minutes remaining in the game. A 43-yard field goal was good but negated by a holding penalty. That made the attempt 53 yards...but an offsides penalty against the Packers got five of those penalty yards back. The 48-yard field goal attempt went just wide to the left, keeping the Packers ahead 28-27.
With just under two minutes left in the game the Packers faced third-and-three after two strong runs by Benson who had a very good day, averaging 4.7 yards in 18 carries. But rather than hand the ball to Benson for a third straight time, coach McCarthy did what he will usually do in this situation: keep the ball in Aaron Rodgers' hands. Again, from Bob McGinn: "On the far right, James Jones was confronted by Greer in the bump zone. After looking first toward Finley, Rodgers came back to Jones, who had flashed him a clean release. Greer was all over Jones and with his back toward Rodgers. Jones speared the ball with his right hand almost off Greer's hip for a remarkable 8-yard reception as penalty flags flew for defensive pass interference." First down Packers. No time outs remaining for New Orleans. Game. Set. Dagger! (By the way, did I mention that James Jones probably had one of his best performance as a Packer?)
This is a game where we finally saw the Packers offense start to resemble what we saw last season. The defense, unfortunately, also started to look like the sieve that it was last season. Will be interesting to see which way things go in the long run.
Prior to the start of the season, I had predicted the Packers would be 3-1 coming out of this first quarter of the season. In fact, they were...they won that game in Seattle, just didn't have the victory awarded to them as radio voice of the Packers, Wayne Larrivee, pointed out. But the record shows 2-2 as the Packers now embark upon three consecutive road games. First up is the Colts. The Packers have something to build off of coming out of this game, and they should take it with them to Indianapolis for another win.
The first four games of this NFL season have seen many unexpected twists and turns. But the road to the playoffs and Super Bowl begins to straighten out as we get into the second quarter of the season.
Go Pack Go!!!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Packers finish preseason in fine form; final roster being formed
The Green Bay Packers completed their 2012 preseason schedule last evening at Lambeau Field, beating the Kansas City Chiefs 24-3 and ending with a 2-2 record. It was, as any Packer fan would hope, a sign that things are coming together on offense and defense.
Now, to be honest, the number one unit on both offense and defense looked a bit spotty in their play. Didn't do much of anything spectacular one way or another. But the defense did dodge a bullet when NT B.J. Raji went down with an ankle injury on the first snap of the game. He was able to walk off the field on his own power, got heavily taped and looked happy to be on the bench for the rest of the game. No further reports which indicate that the injury is not serious. Whew!
The good news of the game came especially in the form of the performance of backup QB Graham Harrell who wound up going 13 of 15 for 223 yards and 2 touchdowns. He finished with a perfect passer rating of 158.3. Any doubts which pundits and fans may have had probably vanished last evening. Harrell finally showed in a game setting what his coaches and teammates have been saying all through camp: he's got game. As Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Packers beat writer extraordinaire Bob McGinn states in his game review, "Harrell was sensational. He showed arm strength, touch and timing. He took calculated chances downfield. He was in command. Most important, he led three long drives and capped them with touchdowns."
There were also very good performances by backup players, as it was primarily their game to play last night. WR Tori Gurley had a good game, as did Jarrett Boykin and Diondre Borel. It's possible all three may get cut given the numbers cruch at receiver on this squad. They'll be playing somewhere, or get stashed on a practice squad.
You know, I could say more but I'm going to point you to McGinn's assessment as it doesn't get any better than that.
Cuts Coming
Some cuts today have already been reported (if not officially announced) this morning as the Packers, and all NFL teams, get to their 53-man rosters. For the Packers, defensive back Anthony Levine and center Samspon Genus have already received their walking papers, while receiver/kick returner Shaky Smithson has reportedly received an injury settlement for his ankle injury. The team has until 8 p.m. CT today to get to their final roster.
Stay tuned. Go Pack Go!!!
Now, to be honest, the number one unit on both offense and defense looked a bit spotty in their play. Didn't do much of anything spectacular one way or another. But the defense did dodge a bullet when NT B.J. Raji went down with an ankle injury on the first snap of the game. He was able to walk off the field on his own power, got heavily taped and looked happy to be on the bench for the rest of the game. No further reports which indicate that the injury is not serious. Whew!
The good news of the game came especially in the form of the performance of backup QB Graham Harrell who wound up going 13 of 15 for 223 yards and 2 touchdowns. He finished with a perfect passer rating of 158.3. Any doubts which pundits and fans may have had probably vanished last evening. Harrell finally showed in a game setting what his coaches and teammates have been saying all through camp: he's got game. As Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Packers beat writer extraordinaire Bob McGinn states in his game review, "Harrell was sensational. He showed arm strength, touch and timing. He took calculated chances downfield. He was in command. Most important, he led three long drives and capped them with touchdowns."
There were also very good performances by backup players, as it was primarily their game to play last night. WR Tori Gurley had a good game, as did Jarrett Boykin and Diondre Borel. It's possible all three may get cut given the numbers cruch at receiver on this squad. They'll be playing somewhere, or get stashed on a practice squad.
You know, I could say more but I'm going to point you to McGinn's assessment as it doesn't get any better than that.
Cuts Coming
Some cuts today have already been reported (if not officially announced) this morning as the Packers, and all NFL teams, get to their 53-man rosters. For the Packers, defensive back Anthony Levine and center Samspon Genus have already received their walking papers, while receiver/kick returner Shaky Smithson has reportedly received an injury settlement for his ankle injury. The team has until 8 p.m. CT today to get to their final roster.
Stay tuned. Go Pack Go!!!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Packers beat Bengals, work out some bugs.
The Green Bay Packers won their first game of the preseason last night, defeating the Bengals 27-13 in Cincinnati. The win kept the Pack from going 0-3 in the preseason for the first time since 1993. Interesting little piece of trivia there. But more importantly, we finally got to see the first team offense and defense get into a bit more sync than we've seen in the prior two games.
Having said that, quarterback Aaron Rodgers was scrambling much more than he should have been, even accounting for two rushing TDs off scrambles. You don't want the league MVP on the run that much during a game. When he had a chance to remain in the pocket, especially on quick slant throws, he and his receivers looked sharp. On the other hand, some of the deeper routes and passes didn't connect the way you expect them to once the regular season kicks in.
The other big plus on offense was seeing running back Cedric Benson, late of the Bengals, rush for 38 yards in six carries. I Tweeted during the game that he seemed quick and decisive, and with plenty of power. He runs with his shoulders down and packs a load, always seeming to be falling forward. Benson may very well bring a dimension to the Packers' running game that we haven't seen in a long, long time. He will clearly be the starting running back come game #1 of the regular season. For more on what others, including several of the scouts and personnel men from other teams had to say about Benson and the Pack, check out this fine article by Milwaukee Journal Sentinal Packers beat writer, Bob McGinn.
The starting defense also seemed to perform well, holding Cinci to three-and-out in the first two series by the Bengals offense. Linebacker Erik Walden performed well. As did rookie LB Nick Perry. The latter is particularly nice to see given that he was drafted to take pressure off Clay Matthews. Perry had some great push. On an occasion or two, Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers even lined up Perry and Matthews on the same side. Now that could get interesting in the right situation! Second-year linebacker Jamari Lattimore, playing late in the game, had a great pick-six interception, dropping into coverage, reading the quarterback and receiver, and jumping the pass lane at just the right time to take the ball into the endzone. You like to see that out of your backups. The defensive line also seemed to acquit itself well, although Ryan Pickett left in the first half with what was described as a calf injury. As to the secondary, it also seemed to perform well for the most part, although Sam Shields seemed to be a bit out of place or caught with bad footwork on a few passes.
The only casualty of the evening, if that term is even appropriate, was tight end Tom Crabtree who caught a great ball downfield a bit and was immediately popped by the defensive back. The back was flagged for an improper hit on a defenseless player (because Crabtree didn't have a chance to prepare himself for the hit, apparently), although replays showed that the hit was in fact perfectly legitimate. Crabtree left with what was reported to be a shoulder injury of an unspecified variety.
Backups Battle
After the departure of the starters for the second half, the backup brigades took the field. While some of these players may have earned themselves spots with their performances, others did themselves no favors in terms of making the team. One frustration for yours truly and many others was the fact that backup QB Graham Harrell received no repetitions with the first team offense. Instead, he was left with second, third, fourth and no-stringers to try to show what he can do. Hard to impress when you have a Keystone Cops type line in front of you. Head coach Mike McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson are both high on Harrell in their public comments. They are apparently seeing more than we are. Perhaps in the final preseason game next Thursday versus Kansas City at Lambeau Field they will give him the opportunity to at least have a few snaps with the number ones.
Cuts Coming
It's clear that the Packers are deep at many positions, and definitely have the potential, barring injuries to key personnel, of a championship run. But I don't envy McCarthy and Thompson in having to make their cuts. The team roster will go from 90 to 75 by 3 p.m. CT on Monday, Aug. 27. By 8 p.m. CT Friday evening, Aug. 31, they will need to be down to the maximum of 53 players. On Saturday, Sept. 1 at 11 a.m. CT, the claiming period for players let go during the final round of cuts ends. The Packers can also start establishing their eight-man practice squad at this time. If you followed all that, and know who's making the final squad and who isn't, you must be a coach.
The Packers have young and talented receivers. One of the questions that keeps coming up during discussions of cuts is whether the Packers will release Donald Driver in favor of keeping one of the up-and-comers. I'd hate to see that happen and don't think that it will given that the Pack gave Driver a $1 million-plus signing bonus earlier this summer, and Driver cut his salary besides. My guess is they will keep Donald around this season for his veteran leadership with the younger players, as well as for his occasional role in the offense. Make no mistake, he will not get the majority of plays any longer. Last night he had his first catch of the preseason, as a matter of fact. But he can still play. More importantly, he can lead. That's worth keeping around, at least for one more season.
There will be more later on all this, especially as Monday rolls around. Probably won't be reporting anything more here until then. So enjoy your weekend, everyone. And say it with me: it's great to be a Packer fan!
Having said that, quarterback Aaron Rodgers was scrambling much more than he should have been, even accounting for two rushing TDs off scrambles. You don't want the league MVP on the run that much during a game. When he had a chance to remain in the pocket, especially on quick slant throws, he and his receivers looked sharp. On the other hand, some of the deeper routes and passes didn't connect the way you expect them to once the regular season kicks in.
The other big plus on offense was seeing running back Cedric Benson, late of the Bengals, rush for 38 yards in six carries. I Tweeted during the game that he seemed quick and decisive, and with plenty of power. He runs with his shoulders down and packs a load, always seeming to be falling forward. Benson may very well bring a dimension to the Packers' running game that we haven't seen in a long, long time. He will clearly be the starting running back come game #1 of the regular season. For more on what others, including several of the scouts and personnel men from other teams had to say about Benson and the Pack, check out this fine article by Milwaukee Journal Sentinal Packers beat writer, Bob McGinn.
The starting defense also seemed to perform well, holding Cinci to three-and-out in the first two series by the Bengals offense. Linebacker Erik Walden performed well. As did rookie LB Nick Perry. The latter is particularly nice to see given that he was drafted to take pressure off Clay Matthews. Perry had some great push. On an occasion or two, Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers even lined up Perry and Matthews on the same side. Now that could get interesting in the right situation! Second-year linebacker Jamari Lattimore, playing late in the game, had a great pick-six interception, dropping into coverage, reading the quarterback and receiver, and jumping the pass lane at just the right time to take the ball into the endzone. You like to see that out of your backups. The defensive line also seemed to acquit itself well, although Ryan Pickett left in the first half with what was described as a calf injury. As to the secondary, it also seemed to perform well for the most part, although Sam Shields seemed to be a bit out of place or caught with bad footwork on a few passes.
The only casualty of the evening, if that term is even appropriate, was tight end Tom Crabtree who caught a great ball downfield a bit and was immediately popped by the defensive back. The back was flagged for an improper hit on a defenseless player (because Crabtree didn't have a chance to prepare himself for the hit, apparently), although replays showed that the hit was in fact perfectly legitimate. Crabtree left with what was reported to be a shoulder injury of an unspecified variety.
Backups Battle
After the departure of the starters for the second half, the backup brigades took the field. While some of these players may have earned themselves spots with their performances, others did themselves no favors in terms of making the team. One frustration for yours truly and many others was the fact that backup QB Graham Harrell received no repetitions with the first team offense. Instead, he was left with second, third, fourth and no-stringers to try to show what he can do. Hard to impress when you have a Keystone Cops type line in front of you. Head coach Mike McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson are both high on Harrell in their public comments. They are apparently seeing more than we are. Perhaps in the final preseason game next Thursday versus Kansas City at Lambeau Field they will give him the opportunity to at least have a few snaps with the number ones.
Cuts Coming
It's clear that the Packers are deep at many positions, and definitely have the potential, barring injuries to key personnel, of a championship run. But I don't envy McCarthy and Thompson in having to make their cuts. The team roster will go from 90 to 75 by 3 p.m. CT on Monday, Aug. 27. By 8 p.m. CT Friday evening, Aug. 31, they will need to be down to the maximum of 53 players. On Saturday, Sept. 1 at 11 a.m. CT, the claiming period for players let go during the final round of cuts ends. The Packers can also start establishing their eight-man practice squad at this time. If you followed all that, and know who's making the final squad and who isn't, you must be a coach.
The Packers have young and talented receivers. One of the questions that keeps coming up during discussions of cuts is whether the Packers will release Donald Driver in favor of keeping one of the up-and-comers. I'd hate to see that happen and don't think that it will given that the Pack gave Driver a $1 million-plus signing bonus earlier this summer, and Driver cut his salary besides. My guess is they will keep Donald around this season for his veteran leadership with the younger players, as well as for his occasional role in the offense. Make no mistake, he will not get the majority of plays any longer. Last night he had his first catch of the preseason, as a matter of fact. But he can still play. More importantly, he can lead. That's worth keeping around, at least for one more season.
There will be more later on all this, especially as Monday rolls around. Probably won't be reporting anything more here until then. So enjoy your weekend, everyone. And say it with me: it's great to be a Packer fan!
Friday, August 17, 2012
It's only preseason. But it's still an ugly Packers' loss.
The score was 35-10 Browns over the Packers last night in Lambeau Field. It's just preseason, and Cleveland was using this game as its dress rehearsal while the Packers were...well, not exactly sure what they were doing as this game looked as shambolic as the first.
After the second game of the preseason, we saw some good things with the Green Bay Packers. Primarily Aaron Rodgers being Aaron Rodgers. After missing a wide open Jordy Nelson in the endzone in the first offensive series, he came back to him about two plays later in that same series and, with tight coverage, connected for a TD. The other stat of the evening for Rodgers is that he was the team's leading rusher. Now, that cannot be good. And it isn't. But it is also indicative of how the team played after Rodgers and the starters exited early on. Which is to say...oh...let's try sucky, shall we?
With only a handful or so of practices and two games remaining in the preseason, turnovers by the offense and missed tackles by the defense continue to be areas of concern. And after seemingly take a step forward in San Diego last week, backup QB Graham Harrell took two steps backward last night. Granted, he wasn't getting much help but he also wasn't making plays when he needed to. Had a bit of the deer-in-the-headlights look which we here in Wisconsin are quite familiar with...at least when applied to scampering forest creatures crossing the roads in the Fall. It is less becoming when it's the guy you may be relying upon to fill in for the league MVP if he were to become injured and unavailable for any length of time.
This latter situation has the Twittersphere abuzz with speculation that the Pack may try to pick up a veteran backup somewhere along the way. Speculation was also flying last evening that the Browns in fact might have been showcasing their former starter and now backup, Colt McCoy. McCoy did acquit himself well last night. But whether Ted Thompson would go that route or not...? On the other hand, who would have thought that he'd bring in Cedric Benson because of obvious concerns about the running game? As mentioned earlier, with Rodgers being the leading rusher on the night that concern about the running game seems well founded.
Injuries have been and continue to be a big part of the Packers' training camp story this preseason. It has affected the running back situation in particular. But it has also taken away arguably the Packers best linebacker, Desmond Bishop, perhaps for the season. To be fair, D.J. Smith has played well in replacing Bishop. The coaching staff is high on him and he always seems to be in on plays. It changes the mix, though, and how it works out over the course of the season will be a key to the Packers' success.
I could say more but if you saw the game you probably have your own take on what worked and what didn't last night...and it was mostly what didn't. If you didn't see the game, read the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's report by Packers beat writer, Bob McGinn...it doesn't get any better than his writing.
Next Thursday night's game vs. the Bengals would be expected to be the Pack's dress rehearsal for the season opener, the game where the starters play into the second half to really get things in place for the regular season; the final preseason game is where those players on the bubble will have their final opportunity to make an impression. But given the team's injury situation and the fundamentals -- ball control and tackling -- which still seem to be lacking, who knows how McCarthy will approach the Bengals game.
The Packers are odds-on favorites to go to the Super Bowl and in some scenarios, win it. They have depth at many positions. But unless they can execute the fundamentals, and have a backup QB they can rely on to perform at a consistent level, those odds may drop. Too early to hit the panic button. As they say, it's not how you start but how you finish that matters in terms of getting into and making a run through the playoffs. That's a long way away. From where they are now, it's a very, very long way away.
After the second game of the preseason, we saw some good things with the Green Bay Packers. Primarily Aaron Rodgers being Aaron Rodgers. After missing a wide open Jordy Nelson in the endzone in the first offensive series, he came back to him about two plays later in that same series and, with tight coverage, connected for a TD. The other stat of the evening for Rodgers is that he was the team's leading rusher. Now, that cannot be good. And it isn't. But it is also indicative of how the team played after Rodgers and the starters exited early on. Which is to say...oh...let's try sucky, shall we?
With only a handful or so of practices and two games remaining in the preseason, turnovers by the offense and missed tackles by the defense continue to be areas of concern. And after seemingly take a step forward in San Diego last week, backup QB Graham Harrell took two steps backward last night. Granted, he wasn't getting much help but he also wasn't making plays when he needed to. Had a bit of the deer-in-the-headlights look which we here in Wisconsin are quite familiar with...at least when applied to scampering forest creatures crossing the roads in the Fall. It is less becoming when it's the guy you may be relying upon to fill in for the league MVP if he were to become injured and unavailable for any length of time.
This latter situation has the Twittersphere abuzz with speculation that the Pack may try to pick up a veteran backup somewhere along the way. Speculation was also flying last evening that the Browns in fact might have been showcasing their former starter and now backup, Colt McCoy. McCoy did acquit himself well last night. But whether Ted Thompson would go that route or not...? On the other hand, who would have thought that he'd bring in Cedric Benson because of obvious concerns about the running game? As mentioned earlier, with Rodgers being the leading rusher on the night that concern about the running game seems well founded.
Injuries have been and continue to be a big part of the Packers' training camp story this preseason. It has affected the running back situation in particular. But it has also taken away arguably the Packers best linebacker, Desmond Bishop, perhaps for the season. To be fair, D.J. Smith has played well in replacing Bishop. The coaching staff is high on him and he always seems to be in on plays. It changes the mix, though, and how it works out over the course of the season will be a key to the Packers' success.
I could say more but if you saw the game you probably have your own take on what worked and what didn't last night...and it was mostly what didn't. If you didn't see the game, read the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's report by Packers beat writer, Bob McGinn...it doesn't get any better than his writing.
Next Thursday night's game vs. the Bengals would be expected to be the Pack's dress rehearsal for the season opener, the game where the starters play into the second half to really get things in place for the regular season; the final preseason game is where those players on the bubble will have their final opportunity to make an impression. But given the team's injury situation and the fundamentals -- ball control and tackling -- which still seem to be lacking, who knows how McCarthy will approach the Bengals game.
The Packers are odds-on favorites to go to the Super Bowl and in some scenarios, win it. They have depth at many positions. But unless they can execute the fundamentals, and have a backup QB they can rely on to perform at a consistent level, those odds may drop. Too early to hit the panic button. As they say, it's not how you start but how you finish that matters in terms of getting into and making a run through the playoffs. That's a long way away. From where they are now, it's a very, very long way away.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Packers' first preseason game an ugly one
Well, Packer fans...we've been waiting a long time for football season to roll around. The excitement was building since OTAs, mini-camp, and finally the start of summer training camp. The Twitter-sphere was abuzz yesterday with anticipation for the 2012 Pack's first preseason game (by the way, you can follow yours truly on Twitter @packfansunited). As always, San Diego was presenting its sunny charms.
Unfortunately, the game then got underway.
This nationally-televised game on ESPN showed the Packers not ready for primetime. The final score was 21-13, but it never really seemed that close. Granted, it's the first preseason game. But it looked more like a Pop Warner League game than an NFL game. Oh sure, we know that the starters aren't going to play long because coaches don't want to expose them to injury. In fact, the Packers played last night without 16 injured players, including starters Greg Jennings and Jermichael Finley, among a slew of others. Defensive back Charles Woodson was withheld.
Last night, it might have also done well for the coaches to save the starters from embarrassment. Turnovers, dropped balls, missed blocks, missed tackles...those can be expected from the young guys getting their first taste of the NFL. But for starters to be so sloppy? The starting offense ran three series for a total of 14 plays, generating all of two first downs and 32 yards. They turned the ball over twice and punted once. Oy.
Now, it's not time to hit the panic button. It's only the first game...it's only the first game...it doesn't count...it doesn't count. The coaching staff and starters are too good to let these errors go unaddressed. But the game also shows just how far the team has to go in the next month to get ready for the season opener at Lambeau Field against the 49ers.
A lone bright spot of sorts is that backup QB Graham Harrell seemed to acquit himself fairly well. In the second half, he was able to execute some nicely thrown passes. He could handle the team if something were to happen to Rodgers, although the drop off would of course be considerable.
Concerns and Injuries
Particularly disconcerting was the play of nominal starting running back, James Starks, who is being counted upon to step in and replace the unsigned Ryan Grant. On his first touch of the ball, a little safety valve pass from QB Aaron Rodgers, Starks simply dropped the ball. Easy pass, easy catch...nope. Just one pass, but it goes to reinforce the knock on Starks from last season that he has trouble catching the ball. The third time Rodgers handed him the ball, he fumbled, leading to the Chargers' first score of the game two plays later. Starks didn't seem to be running with aggressiveness or playing with confidence...both somewhat necessary traits to have in a starting running back.
Another area of concern is the lack of depth at certain positions along the offensive line. With starting left guard Marshall Newhouse sitting the game out because of injury, and second-year player Derek Sherrod still not cleared to play from last season's injury, the starting nod went to journeyman lineman Herb Taylor. Rodgers' interception was directly a result of Taylor getting whipped like a rented mule on a bull rush by the Chargers' rookie linebacker, Melvin Ingram. The play prior, Taylor was called for holding Ingram. Not good.
The defense had its own share of problems despite taking the ball away twice in the first quarter, including a great pick by Tramon Williams. Rookie Nick Perry got an early sack, but then was promptly penalized 15 yards for celebrating that fact. Overall, Packer fans saw much of what we saw last season: little pass rush, pass coverage breakdowns, and tackling that is more suitable for flag football than the NFL.
To add insult to injury, actually injury to injury, LB Desmond Bishop was injured in a tackling pile and had to be assisted from the field; he was reportedly seen in the locker room after the game on crutches and with a brace on his leg. Head coach Mike McCarthy said they weren't sure whether it was a leg or hamstring issue, but from watching replays of the play on which Bishop was injured the guess from here is leg and that he will be out for a while. Hopefully, that while won't turn into a lost-for-the-season type of thing. Stay tuned. The other injury was that of defensive back Davon House, who left the game after taking a hit to his shoulder. He is scheduled for X-rays today to assess the damage; best case scenario, some commentators thought, might be a dislocation. The Packers were looking for House to step up this season and make significant contributions to the secondary, so let's hope this isn't something which limits that.
So, next up in the preseason football follies is the Cleveland Browns who come to Green Bay next Thursday. Let's just hope McCarthy and his coaching staff get this team whipped into better shape than we saw last night. Still, it's probably helpful to remind ourselves that McCarthy's record in exhibition games is now 12-13, including a 2-5 record in openers. Moral to that story: at this stage of things, don't worry about it.
Unfortunately, the game then got underway.
This nationally-televised game on ESPN showed the Packers not ready for primetime. The final score was 21-13, but it never really seemed that close. Granted, it's the first preseason game. But it looked more like a Pop Warner League game than an NFL game. Oh sure, we know that the starters aren't going to play long because coaches don't want to expose them to injury. In fact, the Packers played last night without 16 injured players, including starters Greg Jennings and Jermichael Finley, among a slew of others. Defensive back Charles Woodson was withheld.
Last night, it might have also done well for the coaches to save the starters from embarrassment. Turnovers, dropped balls, missed blocks, missed tackles...those can be expected from the young guys getting their first taste of the NFL. But for starters to be so sloppy? The starting offense ran three series for a total of 14 plays, generating all of two first downs and 32 yards. They turned the ball over twice and punted once. Oy.
Now, it's not time to hit the panic button. It's only the first game...it's only the first game...it doesn't count...it doesn't count. The coaching staff and starters are too good to let these errors go unaddressed. But the game also shows just how far the team has to go in the next month to get ready for the season opener at Lambeau Field against the 49ers.
A lone bright spot of sorts is that backup QB Graham Harrell seemed to acquit himself fairly well. In the second half, he was able to execute some nicely thrown passes. He could handle the team if something were to happen to Rodgers, although the drop off would of course be considerable.
Concerns and Injuries
Particularly disconcerting was the play of nominal starting running back, James Starks, who is being counted upon to step in and replace the unsigned Ryan Grant. On his first touch of the ball, a little safety valve pass from QB Aaron Rodgers, Starks simply dropped the ball. Easy pass, easy catch...nope. Just one pass, but it goes to reinforce the knock on Starks from last season that he has trouble catching the ball. The third time Rodgers handed him the ball, he fumbled, leading to the Chargers' first score of the game two plays later. Starks didn't seem to be running with aggressiveness or playing with confidence...both somewhat necessary traits to have in a starting running back.
Another area of concern is the lack of depth at certain positions along the offensive line. With starting left guard Marshall Newhouse sitting the game out because of injury, and second-year player Derek Sherrod still not cleared to play from last season's injury, the starting nod went to journeyman lineman Herb Taylor. Rodgers' interception was directly a result of Taylor getting whipped like a rented mule on a bull rush by the Chargers' rookie linebacker, Melvin Ingram. The play prior, Taylor was called for holding Ingram. Not good.
The defense had its own share of problems despite taking the ball away twice in the first quarter, including a great pick by Tramon Williams. Rookie Nick Perry got an early sack, but then was promptly penalized 15 yards for celebrating that fact. Overall, Packer fans saw much of what we saw last season: little pass rush, pass coverage breakdowns, and tackling that is more suitable for flag football than the NFL.
To add insult to injury, actually injury to injury, LB Desmond Bishop was injured in a tackling pile and had to be assisted from the field; he was reportedly seen in the locker room after the game on crutches and with a brace on his leg. Head coach Mike McCarthy said they weren't sure whether it was a leg or hamstring issue, but from watching replays of the play on which Bishop was injured the guess from here is leg and that he will be out for a while. Hopefully, that while won't turn into a lost-for-the-season type of thing. Stay tuned. The other injury was that of defensive back Davon House, who left the game after taking a hit to his shoulder. He is scheduled for X-rays today to assess the damage; best case scenario, some commentators thought, might be a dislocation. The Packers were looking for House to step up this season and make significant contributions to the secondary, so let's hope this isn't something which limits that.
So, next up in the preseason football follies is the Cleveland Browns who come to Green Bay next Thursday. Let's just hope McCarthy and his coaching staff get this team whipped into better shape than we saw last night. Still, it's probably helpful to remind ourselves that McCarthy's record in exhibition games is now 12-13, including a 2-5 record in openers. Moral to that story: at this stage of things, don't worry about it.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Packers vs. Colts preseason recap
First things first. It was a lackluster performance. I'm referring to my golf game in the charity scramble I played in yesterday. Guess that's what happens when you don't swing a golf club for two months. Good shot, bad shot, good shot, bad shot. Yikes. But at least the kitties and dogs at the shelter benefited from my angst-filled participation. And really, that's the important thing, right?
I guess in some ways, though, we could say this scenario played out a bit for the Packers in Indy last night. Now, to be honest, I saw only the very end of the first half and the first few minutes of the second half. Listened to more of the second half on the radio. But...and here's the important part...I missed the ending. And never heard the final score. I went to bed last night thinking the Packers had lost 21-13.
Soooooooo...imagine my shock -- and awe (wait, where have I heard that expression before???) -- when I hit the 'net this morning to find that the Packers WON 24-21. Huh? Really? What the heck did I miss?
Apparently, a great ending. and for the rest of the Packer fans out there who also missed out, allow me to quote the great Packers reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Bob McGinn, who said in his article, "The Packers won it with their shock troops, scoring a touchdown on an 11-yard pass to tight end Ryan Taylor with 35 seconds left, a 2-point conversion on another pass to Taylor and a field goal from 50 yards by Mason Crosby as time expired."
I guess it didn't surprise me that the Packers scored a late TD and 2-point conversion. But when I read that Crosby hit a 50-yarder to win the game as time expired...? Especially after he missed a 41-yarder earlier? A 50-yarder at the end of the game to win? This has been the knock on Crosby. Strong leg. But like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates, when it comes to Crosby with the game on the line you never know what you're going to get. To be honest, we still don't. But let's look at this kick as the proverbial glass-half-full type of thing: perhaps there is hope that Crosby can do this with the game on the line in the regular season. Coach Mike McCarthy never seems to hesitate to throw him out there for those 50+ yard kicks. So, fingers crossed on this front.
Other than QB Aaron Rodgers slicing and dicing the Colts from the no-huddle offense, and getting hit more times than you want to see because of the O-line (particularly Chad Clifton and Josh Sitton) having breakdowns, the other key observation that reports of the game make clear is that third-string QB Graham Harrell is showing that he may just have what it takes to be the backup to Rodgers when Matt Flynn is either traded or lost in free agency next season. While tossing an interception that led to the Colts going up 21-13, Harrell had the moxy (there's a word you don't hear every day, Edgar) to get his you-know-what together and engineer an 11-play, 73-yard TD drive that made the score 21-19 Colts. On both the TD pass and the ensuing 2-point conversion, Harrell connected with WR Ryan Taylor who, truth be told, is another one of those young receivers that is showing that he can play. If not in Green Bay, somewhere in the league.
And then, the Packers pulled off an onside kick. Cool. Well done.
Next up, Harrell gets the Packers close enough for Crosby to boot the game-winner as time experied. Even more cool.
But let's back up a second. Why, late in a preseason game, would Coach McCarthy go for a 2-pointer and an onside kick? Most coaches (e.g., Lovie Smith) would have mailed it in. Take the loss that doesn't count anyway and go home. Not McCarthy. He wants to set a tone with his players that winning matters. Always. Hmmm...sounds a great deal like another coach that walked the sidelines for the Packers once upon a time, doesn't it? That coach built a dynasty. And with the depth of personnel the Packers have now, especially at key skill positions, with the coaching staff, and with GM Ted Thompson working his magic, Coach McCarthy could also be creating a new Packers dynasty. Not as straightforward as it may have been in Lombardi's time; not that it was a piece of cake then, either. But it's still possible. And McCarthy's got the mindset, it seems, to draw the best from the players he has to work with.
Interesting stat: the Packers had 45 different players start last season. The Colts had 38. They were the two teams devastated by injuries more than any other last season. And yet, McCarthy and his staff got those players and guys off the street (in football terms anyway) ready to roll all the way to and through the Super Bowl.
That attitude has to permeate the entire organization and the players have to get it. Really get it. That starts in the preseason. And that's why Coach McCarthy played out the end of the game the way he did. And, apparently, to see the way the players reacted they definitely were taking this as not just another meaningless preseason game. They're getting it. To read a great article about McCarthy's choices at the end of the game, check out Rob Demovsky's piece at packersnews.com.
One other good outcome, at least as far as we know, is that there were no major injuries. However, both Jordy Nelson and Jermichael Finley did get nicked up a bit before halftime. Nelson had a knee bruise and Finley sprained an ankle. Neither of them were going to play in the second half and both stayed in the locker room for treatment.
Next up: the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night at Lambeau Field in the preseason closer.
Go Pack Go!!!
I guess in some ways, though, we could say this scenario played out a bit for the Packers in Indy last night. Now, to be honest, I saw only the very end of the first half and the first few minutes of the second half. Listened to more of the second half on the radio. But...and here's the important part...I missed the ending. And never heard the final score. I went to bed last night thinking the Packers had lost 21-13.
Soooooooo...imagine my shock -- and awe (wait, where have I heard that expression before???) -- when I hit the 'net this morning to find that the Packers WON 24-21. Huh? Really? What the heck did I miss?
Apparently, a great ending. and for the rest of the Packer fans out there who also missed out, allow me to quote the great Packers reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Bob McGinn, who said in his article, "The Packers won it with their shock troops, scoring a touchdown on an 11-yard pass to tight end Ryan Taylor with 35 seconds left, a 2-point conversion on another pass to Taylor and a field goal from 50 yards by Mason Crosby as time expired."
I guess it didn't surprise me that the Packers scored a late TD and 2-point conversion. But when I read that Crosby hit a 50-yarder to win the game as time expired...? Especially after he missed a 41-yarder earlier? A 50-yarder at the end of the game to win? This has been the knock on Crosby. Strong leg. But like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates, when it comes to Crosby with the game on the line you never know what you're going to get. To be honest, we still don't. But let's look at this kick as the proverbial glass-half-full type of thing: perhaps there is hope that Crosby can do this with the game on the line in the regular season. Coach Mike McCarthy never seems to hesitate to throw him out there for those 50+ yard kicks. So, fingers crossed on this front.
Other than QB Aaron Rodgers slicing and dicing the Colts from the no-huddle offense, and getting hit more times than you want to see because of the O-line (particularly Chad Clifton and Josh Sitton) having breakdowns, the other key observation that reports of the game make clear is that third-string QB Graham Harrell is showing that he may just have what it takes to be the backup to Rodgers when Matt Flynn is either traded or lost in free agency next season. While tossing an interception that led to the Colts going up 21-13, Harrell had the moxy (there's a word you don't hear every day, Edgar) to get his you-know-what together and engineer an 11-play, 73-yard TD drive that made the score 21-19 Colts. On both the TD pass and the ensuing 2-point conversion, Harrell connected with WR Ryan Taylor who, truth be told, is another one of those young receivers that is showing that he can play. If not in Green Bay, somewhere in the league.
And then, the Packers pulled off an onside kick. Cool. Well done.
Next up, Harrell gets the Packers close enough for Crosby to boot the game-winner as time experied. Even more cool.
But let's back up a second. Why, late in a preseason game, would Coach McCarthy go for a 2-pointer and an onside kick? Most coaches (e.g., Lovie Smith) would have mailed it in. Take the loss that doesn't count anyway and go home. Not McCarthy. He wants to set a tone with his players that winning matters. Always. Hmmm...sounds a great deal like another coach that walked the sidelines for the Packers once upon a time, doesn't it? That coach built a dynasty. And with the depth of personnel the Packers have now, especially at key skill positions, with the coaching staff, and with GM Ted Thompson working his magic, Coach McCarthy could also be creating a new Packers dynasty. Not as straightforward as it may have been in Lombardi's time; not that it was a piece of cake then, either. But it's still possible. And McCarthy's got the mindset, it seems, to draw the best from the players he has to work with.
Interesting stat: the Packers had 45 different players start last season. The Colts had 38. They were the two teams devastated by injuries more than any other last season. And yet, McCarthy and his staff got those players and guys off the street (in football terms anyway) ready to roll all the way to and through the Super Bowl.
That attitude has to permeate the entire organization and the players have to get it. Really get it. That starts in the preseason. And that's why Coach McCarthy played out the end of the game the way he did. And, apparently, to see the way the players reacted they definitely were taking this as not just another meaningless preseason game. They're getting it. To read a great article about McCarthy's choices at the end of the game, check out Rob Demovsky's piece at packersnews.com.
One other good outcome, at least as far as we know, is that there were no major injuries. However, both Jordy Nelson and Jermichael Finley did get nicked up a bit before halftime. Nelson had a knee bruise and Finley sprained an ankle. Neither of them were going to play in the second half and both stayed in the locker room for treatment.
Next up: the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night at Lambeau Field in the preseason closer.
Go Pack Go!!!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Packers preseason game #1 review
So the first chance the Green Bay Packers have to smack guys in other jerseys around came up a tad short on the scoreboard. The Pack dropped their first preseason game 27-17 to the Cleveland Browns. Big whup.
As tens of thousands of NFL fans across the nation know, these games don't count. Hence the not-even-half-filled Cleveland stadium last evening. It was an entertaining game only if you're OK seeing starters for just a few series of plays, and watching veteran backups and rookies battle for roster spots. In the abbreviated evaluation period teams have this season, every play that these backups and rookies get may be their only chance to show the coaches and management "what they got."
So who stood out for the Packers last night? Rookie WR/KR Randall Cobb is a keeper. He not only did a good job on kick returns but flashed good hands and explosive speed on three receptions for 60 yards. The Packers have to have the most dangerous receiving corps in the league: Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Jordy Nelson. Now throw Cobb into the mix. And we haven't even mentioned the tight ends yet.
Jermichael Finley did not suit up last evening, although he says he will be ready for the next game. That gave second-year tight end Andrew Quarless the start and he acquited himself admirably, making a couple catches...which was a problem for him last year. He did leave with a groin injury, however. Quarless is in a battle for the spot behind Finley with Tom Crabtree and a few newcomers including rookie D.J. Williams and Ryan Taylor, both of whom made catches last night. In fact, lots of different players made catches last evening: 18 by final count.
Holy post route, Batman! Perhaps the Eagles aren't so crazy after all mortgaging the farm to transform their defensive backfield to try to hold the Packers in check. Still...good luck with that.
On the offensive line, both first-round draft pick Derek Sherrod and veteran T.J. Lang got lots of looks at left guard. And left tackle. The duo was being rotated just about with every series, including with each other flip-flopping the slots. Both looked just fine. As has been the case in Green Bay for a long time, the idea is to put the best five offensive linemen out there. The Pack's O-line will be OK.
As to running backs, it was nice to see Ryan Grant get a couple carries. Nothing major, but he did show some nice burst on a couple runs around the corner. James Starks also showed some speed and power, but he finished with an ankle injury of unknown severity...although don't think it was anything serious. Whew! Rookie Alex Green did not suit up last night so we'll have to wait another week to see what he brings to the party.
For the quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers found his rhythm in the second series, Matt Flynn engineered a 2-minute drill drive nearly the length of the field for a TD, and Graham Harrell got extended playing time...and needs more. He had three fumbles on the evening, one a blind side hit where a lineman or tight end failed to pick up the outside rusher; that was returned for a TD by the Browns.
The defense didn't do much of note either, really, particularly in the way of getting pressure on Browns QB Colt McCoy who, as a result, looked pretty sharp last evening. It was nice to see second-year safety Morgan Burnett stick his nose in on a few tackles; it was his first contact since the leg injury which ended his promising rookie season last year. And rookie D-backs Josh Gordy and M.D. Jennings both got interceptions to help them get noticed, if not by the Packers perhaps by some other teams.
Mention should also be made that punter Tim Masthay did an outstanding job last evening. He had five punts averaging 52.2 yards each, with a long of 60 yards. Granted, it's not punting outdoors in December, but you still like to see this kind of consistent performance out of your punter especially so early on. His hang times were also tremendous. Special teams tackling, however, left a bit to be desired. But, hey, it's early and lots of young players are playing special teams perhaps for the first time in a long time...or ever. They'll get the hang of it...or they'll be gone.
One player who probably didn't take advantage of his opportunities was undrafted rookie kick returner and wide receiver, Shaky Smithson. He did have three returns for an average of about 24 yards each, with a long of 25. His lone punt return went for three yards. Not bad, but not enough to win the wows that are needed to land a spot on the roster or practice squad. The youngster has a great personal story and he's a young man you have to root for. So this writer will. I hope he takes one all the way back Friday night at Lambeau Field versus the Cardinals.
There might be a few more observations which could be made, and perhaps will be. But in the meantime...enjoy your day.
And remember: it's great to be a Packer fan!
As tens of thousands of NFL fans across the nation know, these games don't count. Hence the not-even-half-filled Cleveland stadium last evening. It was an entertaining game only if you're OK seeing starters for just a few series of plays, and watching veteran backups and rookies battle for roster spots. In the abbreviated evaluation period teams have this season, every play that these backups and rookies get may be their only chance to show the coaches and management "what they got."
So who stood out for the Packers last night? Rookie WR/KR Randall Cobb is a keeper. He not only did a good job on kick returns but flashed good hands and explosive speed on three receptions for 60 yards. The Packers have to have the most dangerous receiving corps in the league: Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Jordy Nelson. Now throw Cobb into the mix. And we haven't even mentioned the tight ends yet.
Jermichael Finley did not suit up last evening, although he says he will be ready for the next game. That gave second-year tight end Andrew Quarless the start and he acquited himself admirably, making a couple catches...which was a problem for him last year. He did leave with a groin injury, however. Quarless is in a battle for the spot behind Finley with Tom Crabtree and a few newcomers including rookie D.J. Williams and Ryan Taylor, both of whom made catches last night. In fact, lots of different players made catches last evening: 18 by final count.
Holy post route, Batman! Perhaps the Eagles aren't so crazy after all mortgaging the farm to transform their defensive backfield to try to hold the Packers in check. Still...good luck with that.
On the offensive line, both first-round draft pick Derek Sherrod and veteran T.J. Lang got lots of looks at left guard. And left tackle. The duo was being rotated just about with every series, including with each other flip-flopping the slots. Both looked just fine. As has been the case in Green Bay for a long time, the idea is to put the best five offensive linemen out there. The Pack's O-line will be OK.
As to running backs, it was nice to see Ryan Grant get a couple carries. Nothing major, but he did show some nice burst on a couple runs around the corner. James Starks also showed some speed and power, but he finished with an ankle injury of unknown severity...although don't think it was anything serious. Whew! Rookie Alex Green did not suit up last night so we'll have to wait another week to see what he brings to the party.
For the quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers found his rhythm in the second series, Matt Flynn engineered a 2-minute drill drive nearly the length of the field for a TD, and Graham Harrell got extended playing time...and needs more. He had three fumbles on the evening, one a blind side hit where a lineman or tight end failed to pick up the outside rusher; that was returned for a TD by the Browns.
The defense didn't do much of note either, really, particularly in the way of getting pressure on Browns QB Colt McCoy who, as a result, looked pretty sharp last evening. It was nice to see second-year safety Morgan Burnett stick his nose in on a few tackles; it was his first contact since the leg injury which ended his promising rookie season last year. And rookie D-backs Josh Gordy and M.D. Jennings both got interceptions to help them get noticed, if not by the Packers perhaps by some other teams.
Mention should also be made that punter Tim Masthay did an outstanding job last evening. He had five punts averaging 52.2 yards each, with a long of 60 yards. Granted, it's not punting outdoors in December, but you still like to see this kind of consistent performance out of your punter especially so early on. His hang times were also tremendous. Special teams tackling, however, left a bit to be desired. But, hey, it's early and lots of young players are playing special teams perhaps for the first time in a long time...or ever. They'll get the hang of it...or they'll be gone.
One player who probably didn't take advantage of his opportunities was undrafted rookie kick returner and wide receiver, Shaky Smithson. He did have three returns for an average of about 24 yards each, with a long of 25. His lone punt return went for three yards. Not bad, but not enough to win the wows that are needed to land a spot on the roster or practice squad. The youngster has a great personal story and he's a young man you have to root for. So this writer will. I hope he takes one all the way back Friday night at Lambeau Field versus the Cardinals.
There might be a few more observations which could be made, and perhaps will be. But in the meantime...enjoy your day.
And remember: it's great to be a Packer fan!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Rodgers likely out for Packers vs. Pats
OK. Let's be clear. This is NOT an official statement of any kind by the Green Bay Packers about their starting quarterback. It is purely speculation by yours truly -- and not a few media pundits -- that Aaron Rodgers will be not be available when the Pack meets the New England Patriots on Sunday night. The Packers, officially, are saying that no final decision on Rodgers' status will be made until Saturday.
What leads us to the conclusion regarding Rodgers' availability is that he has not been at meetings so far this week and did not even participate in a walk-through today at practice. Sports reporters noted that with Rodgers' earlier concussion in October he was at meetings and did attend the Wednesday practice. Apparently, the advice he is getting is to do nothing but allow the recovery to occur without doing anything to jeopardize himself.
So, given that, it's not looking good for Sunday,
Of course, playing New England on their home field, where the Patriots have not lost since 2008, by the way, is not easy under the best of circumstances. The Pats are red hot and have beat the bejeesus out of the their last two opponents, the Jets and Da Bearz, two ostensibly bound playoff teams. For the Packers, the injury to Rodgers is just a capper on what has a been a season filled with injuries to key personnel. The fact that the Pack has done as well as they have under these circumstances -- and without players or coaches making any excuses to the contrary -- is really a tribute to the entire team. But it might just be, with three games left in the season, that it's all just finally starting to catch up with them.
We should likely be looking for backup Matt Flynn to be under center come Sunday. It's not a sure thing, but it seems likely at this point. Practice squad QB Graham Harrell might be activated for the game. If something happened to Flynn, and if Harrell is not active, the emergency QB would be WR Jordy Nelson. One would figure Harrell will get the call-up for this weekend.
There are other walking-wounded for the Packers as well, whose availability and impact even if available is questionable. No need to review those here at this time. We'll see where everything is nearer game time.
For now, let's just hope Rodgers gets better in his own time and doesn't put his health at risk in trying to come back too quickly from his concussion. Of course, there are systems in place that make sure that doesn't happen until he really is ready from a medical standpoint. Having Rodgers around for years to come is more important to the Packers than having him available for a game which, frankly, would probably go in the loss column regardless given all the other circumstances involved.
What leads us to the conclusion regarding Rodgers' availability is that he has not been at meetings so far this week and did not even participate in a walk-through today at practice. Sports reporters noted that with Rodgers' earlier concussion in October he was at meetings and did attend the Wednesday practice. Apparently, the advice he is getting is to do nothing but allow the recovery to occur without doing anything to jeopardize himself.
So, given that, it's not looking good for Sunday,
Of course, playing New England on their home field, where the Patriots have not lost since 2008, by the way, is not easy under the best of circumstances. The Pats are red hot and have beat the bejeesus out of the their last two opponents, the Jets and Da Bearz, two ostensibly bound playoff teams. For the Packers, the injury to Rodgers is just a capper on what has a been a season filled with injuries to key personnel. The fact that the Pack has done as well as they have under these circumstances -- and without players or coaches making any excuses to the contrary -- is really a tribute to the entire team. But it might just be, with three games left in the season, that it's all just finally starting to catch up with them.
We should likely be looking for backup Matt Flynn to be under center come Sunday. It's not a sure thing, but it seems likely at this point. Practice squad QB Graham Harrell might be activated for the game. If something happened to Flynn, and if Harrell is not active, the emergency QB would be WR Jordy Nelson. One would figure Harrell will get the call-up for this weekend.
There are other walking-wounded for the Packers as well, whose availability and impact even if available is questionable. No need to review those here at this time. We'll see where everything is nearer game time.
For now, let's just hope Rodgers gets better in his own time and doesn't put his health at risk in trying to come back too quickly from his concussion. Of course, there are systems in place that make sure that doesn't happen until he really is ready from a medical standpoint. Having Rodgers around for years to come is more important to the Packers than having him available for a game which, frankly, would probably go in the loss column regardless given all the other circumstances involved.
Monday, September 06, 2010
Packers practice squad almost set
According to reports floating on various media sites, the Green Bay Packers have their practice squad set, almost. The seven names that have been reported as having been signed are: QB Graham Harrell, T Breno Giacomini (yes, that one), WR Chastin West, LB Robert Francois, T Chris Campbell, LB Maurice Simpkins and S Anthony Levine. There is one slot remaining and we're waiting for the official release of the entire list by the Packers, which GM Ted Thompson said would come "first thing" this morning.
Graham Harrell had been quoted over the weekend as saying he really wanted to stay in Green Bay to learn under coach Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers. Some folks speculate that the Packers will trade current back up QB and third-year player Matt Flynn -- who apparently several NFL personnel guys are hot on already -- next season and then move Harrell into the back up slot. Both of those moves are a long way away...next season. We haven't even gotten this one underway yet. Relax.
One of the surprising signings for some was the retention of Giacomini who by all accounts has been an underperformer during his time with the Pack. After he was cut on Saturday, however, the ViQueens reportedly tried to sign him. Then again, what ex-Packer haven't the 'Queens signed? Instead of allowing that to happen, though, Thompson somehow was able to work a deal to keep Gaicomini with the Packers despite the 'Queens reportedly offering more money. Go figure.
For fans looking for depth via the practice squad for the defensive line, running back and defensive back positions, not really much has been done. Nor was there much done in the way of waiver claims to give a boost to the return game; Thompson said during his press conference yesterday that no claims were made on any players. Just for the record, five players released by the Packers were claimed by other teams. The only one going to a team within our division, however, was TE/LB Spencer Havner who regrettably found a home in Detroit.
We'll get back to you later once the official list is announced by the Packers and we find out who that eighth player is.
Graham Harrell had been quoted over the weekend as saying he really wanted to stay in Green Bay to learn under coach Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers. Some folks speculate that the Packers will trade current back up QB and third-year player Matt Flynn -- who apparently several NFL personnel guys are hot on already -- next season and then move Harrell into the back up slot. Both of those moves are a long way away...next season. We haven't even gotten this one underway yet. Relax.
One of the surprising signings for some was the retention of Giacomini who by all accounts has been an underperformer during his time with the Pack. After he was cut on Saturday, however, the ViQueens reportedly tried to sign him. Then again, what ex-Packer haven't the 'Queens signed? Instead of allowing that to happen, though, Thompson somehow was able to work a deal to keep Gaicomini with the Packers despite the 'Queens reportedly offering more money. Go figure.
For fans looking for depth via the practice squad for the defensive line, running back and defensive back positions, not really much has been done. Nor was there much done in the way of waiver claims to give a boost to the return game; Thompson said during his press conference yesterday that no claims were made on any players. Just for the record, five players released by the Packers were claimed by other teams. The only one going to a team within our division, however, was TE/LB Spencer Havner who regrettably found a home in Detroit.
We'll get back to you later once the official list is announced by the Packers and we find out who that eighth player is.
Sunday, September 05, 2010
Packers GM Ted Thompson says...
Ted Thompson, GM of the Green Bay Packers, just concluded a 20-minute press conference at which he answered questions from the media regarding the roster cuts, waivers, etc. Here in no particular order is a summary of some of the things Thompson had to say.
- Several questions were asked at the start about defensive back and returner, Will Blackon, why he was put on injured reserve, the pending injury settlement, etc. From what Thompson said, it sounded as if the Packers are still interested in what Blackmon could offer but when push came to shove regarding getting down to 53 players, they had no choice given Blackmon's health status but to do what they did. Apparently, there are scenarios under which Blackmon could still be available to the Packers this season because of the use of the injury settlement. Depending on the date that is finalized -- and Thompson made it clear he would not discuss such details -- Blackmon could be activated as early as 6 weeks after the date of injury settlement. Thompson basically said they will see where things are at at that time.
- Thompson stated that the Packers did not put in waiver claims on any players.
- When asked about carrying 3 fullback and 4 tight ends, Thompson said that he just felt those players had earned spots on the team. He also said several times that he feels very good about the 53 men they have on the current roster.
- When asked about FB Quinn Johnson, Thompson said he thought Johnson was "very valuable," and will be especially so in November and December when you need to get tough yards. He felt Johnson was a powerful lead blocker and his value would really be demonstrated in those situations where tough yards are needed.
- When asked about TE/LB Spencer Havner, Thompson said that cut was not an easy call because of all that Havner has done. He said the decision was more a factor of what the other players had done rather than what Havner had not done. (Havner, by the way, has been claimed on waivers by Detroit.)
- Thompson was asked about retaining rookie TE Andrew Quarless on the basis of "potential." Thompson grinned and replied, "Potential is overrated." He then added, "We want to win and win now." Amen, Ted, amen.
- In reply to a question about what he liked about undrafted rookie LB Frank Zombo, Thompson said, "I was very impressed with Frank." He then discussed in some detail how Zombo had sustained and then practiced and played through a pretty severe ankle injury. He noted that Zombo "made the team because he showed he could play at a high level."
- Thompson also mentioned that the announcement of the practice squad players would be made "first thing tomorrow." It has already been reported through his agent that the Packers signed QB Graham Harrell to the squad.
- Thompson stated that they view FB John Kuhn as a viable option at running back "in certain schemes."
- As for his linebacking corps, Thompson used such words as "athletic," "play hard," "quality" and "a pretty good group" when describing them.
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