PACKER INSIDER JUICE

[Bretsky]

MONDAY, Aug. 7, 2006, 10 p.m.

Camp Report, Aug. 7
THUMBS UP

With Chad Clifton’s knee acting up and two rookie guards holding down starting jobs, there’s more than a little uncertainty surrounding the Packers’ offensive line. Thus, the center position has suddenly become one of the two most stable on the entire unit even though it’s also undergoing a major transition. That’s because Scott Wells, Mike Flanagan’s replacement, has had a solid camp.

He was effective in the scrimmage Saturday, starting with a double-team block on defensive tackle Kenderick Allen on the first play, and including several others at the second level. “He was taking good angles to the linebackers,” said Joe Philbin, the Packers’ line coach. Wells was soft on one protection, but he’s been stout there, too, on a day-in, day-out basis.

Again Monday night, Wells had another good practice in one that was heavy on running plays in team periods. He also locked up twice on middle linebacker Abdul Hodge in a three-on-three run blocking drill and held his own against defensive tackle Colin Cole in the one-on-one pass blocking period. “Physical, high effort, tough,” said Philbin of Wells.

THUMBS DOWN

When the Packers drafted Cory Rodgers in the fourth round, they thought they were getting a fearless, aggressive return man. That’s what they saw on tape. After all, Rodgers averaged 15.3 yards on 19 punt returns for Texas Christian last season.

But after 10 days of practice, the Packers can’t even count on Rodgers to catch a punt, much less make something out of a return. Again, during a punt return drill Monday morning, he couldn’t get a handle on the ball. On four successive turns, Rodgers stumbled and fell after making a catch; dropped one; bobbled one, but held on; and misjudged and dropped another. And get this! There was nobody covering the punts. There wasn’t a defender within 20 yards of him, much less in his face.

Rodgers refused to discuss his problems after practice. “I’m not going to get into that,” he said. It would have been a spectacular catch, but Rodgers also had a chance to pull in an Aaron Rodgers’ bomb in the morning practice and failed to do so.

INJURY REPORT

Safety Atari Bigby missed both practices after apparently breaking his hand in the scrimmage Saturday. Linebacker Kurt Campbell also missed both with a hamstring injury.

Bubba Franks, Chad Clifton and Najeh Davenport returned for the night practice after missing in the morning. Charles Woodson and Arliss Beach returned for both workouts.

Leo Bookman (ankle), William Whitticker (hamstring), Mike Hawkins (knee) and Patrick Dendy (ankle) continued to miss practice.

Running back Ahman Green and linebacker Brady Poppinga worked on a limited basis after coming off the physically unable to perform list.

ODDS & ENDS

Wide receiver Robert Ferguson returned to practice after missing the scrimmage Saturday for personal reasons. Defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins missed Monday for personal reasons.

Quarterback Brett Favre looked sharp again in a two-minute drill in the morning practice. He was 3 for 3 and drove the offense 47 yards in five plays to set up a 44-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff. Aaron Rodgers was 0 for 4 in his turn in the two-minute drill. Ingle Martin was 5 for 7 and climaxed his 57-yard march with a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tory Humphrey.

Veteran wide receiver Marc Boerigter caught two of Martin’s passes for 29 yards. Over the last four practices, Boerigter has six catches in 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 periods.

Jon Ryan averaged 43.1 yards and B.J. Sander, 35.2 yards, on 12 punts each in the morning practice. … At night, Cundiff and Dave Rayner each made five of six field goal attempts. Rayner missed from 39 yards out after a bad snap. Cundiff was wide right from 52. Their attempts came from 29, 39, 24, 39 and 52 yards out.

Safety Marviel Underwood intercepted his fourth pass in 14 practices on a ball that bounced off Ferguson’s hands in 7-on-7.

Rookie defensive end Jason Hunter won all three of his turns in one-on-one pass blocking, beating Todd Williams twice and Tony Moll once. … Second-year defensive end Michael Montgomery also beat Moll twice before Moll won their third battle.

[Bretsky]

Favre just can't pass on optimistic view
Posted: Aug. 3, 2006


Rick Braun
E-MAIL

Green Bay - We all know that Brett Favre has no interest in coaching when his playing days are over. Maybe he should reconsider.

When Brett Favre talks, people listen.

Then again, sometimes they listen in a state of incredulity.

Such was the case Monday morning when Favre met with reporters for the first time of training camp.

Favre expressed optimism that the Green Bay Packers could turn things around in 2006 after that 4-12 debacle of a 2005 season.

Nothing too earth shattering there.

Brett Favre, setting to up to pass at training camp on Monday, says this season's team is the most talented he has been around.

But then Favre dropped this bomb when asked why he thought so.

"I think talking to people at home, the best example I can give, I really feel like this is as far as talent is concerned, the most talented team that I've been a part of as a whole," Favre said.

Say what?

OK, now Favre continued the quote with a qualifier:

" . . . but, the most unproven, inexperienced team that I've ever played on."

We already knew that part of the equation.

But does Favre really believe this team has more talent than any of the other teams he's been on in Green Bay?

Better than the 1996 team that won the Super Bowl?

Better than the 1997 team that won the NFC, but lost the Super Bowl?

Better than the 1995 team that reached the NFC championship game?

Better than the 2003 team that set franchise rushing records and probably should have reached the Super Bowl, but for a fourth-and-26 play?

"So if we can somehow put it together, there's a lot of talent out there," Favre said.

OK, maybe the talent is a little better than some of the more cynical observers think.

And, sure, Favre has every right to be an optimist.

But cutting to the chase, this is the NFL. Talent generally rules, but experienced talent rules even more.

As the Packers shape up right now, they could potentially be starting five rookies: A.J. Hawk at linebacker, Greg Jennings at wide receiver, Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz at guards. That's four, and Abdul Hodge might force his way into the lineup at linebacker.

They might be talented, but rookies do not lead teams to the promised land - at least not five at a time.

So Favre might be right. This Packer team might be talented. Early returns on the 2006 draft seem good, but it honestly is way too early to make those judgments.

So for now we'll call Favre's optimism just that: optimism. Feel free to supply your own modifier before that. Something like "foolish" optimism; "pie-in-the-sky" optimism; "what's-he-smoking?" optimism.

Maybe lost in the message, however, is the fact that the optimism isn't misplaced.

Nothing in Favre's message said he expects the Packers to go 12-4, cruise through the playoffs and win Super Bowl XLI in Miami. He didn't say they'd even win the NFC North.

But what Favre did say is there is talent. And he's right about that.

What Packer fans should take from Favre's message is pretty simple: The Packers have a pretty good start at turning things around.

In the NFL, teams can rebuild pretty quickly. If they get four starters out of the 2006 draft, a few more develop from the 2005 draft and half of general manager Ted Thompson's free-agent acquisitions pan out, then the Packers will be headed in the right direction.

An 8-8 mark this season will be a nice turnaround. Better yet, it might even be a reason for Favre to return for 2007.

Six months ago, Packer fans feared their team might be headed for an extended period of down times. Favre took his sweet time deciding to come back, and even if he did there was not then and is not now any guarantee of instant success.

But where Packer fans had little hope six months ago, now maybe there is some hope for the future.

The next few seasons for the Green Bay Packers don't have to be so bleak.

So watch 2006 as a preview of the future. Watch the development of Hawk, Jennings, Colledge, Spitz, Hodge and the rest of the youngsters with interest.

If those rookies and other youngsters come on and make the Packers even better than expected, all the better.

Favre believes there is talent. He isn't saying they'll win the Super Bowl.

But at least the 2006 season that had such low expectations six months ago doesn't have to be a bloodbath.

With a last-place schedule and a little luck, the Packers could be a surprise team. Sure, a lot will have to break their way.

But the quarterback need not be ridiculed for looking at the bright side instead of the dark side. Even if he's wrong, what harm is there in being optimistic in training camp

[Row 67]

On WBAY news in GB today, they showed some footage from some team drills they conducted today with rare training camp live tackling. AJ Hawk shed a William Henderson block and took down the ballcarrier Gado on one play- looked pretty sharp.