PaCkFan_n_MD
08-16-2006, 08:44 PM
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Aug. 15, 2006
Green Bay - If the Green Bay Packers played Saturday as physically as their running backs and linebackers did in a blocking drill Tuesday night, they might have defeated the San Diego Chargers.
The one-on-one blitz drill turned into a testosterone-filled street fight that featured pushing and shoving and ended in a near battle royal.
It started badly when fullback William Henderson, who took the first two repetitions for the offense, got hyped up and appeared to shove linebackers coach Winston Moss. From there emotions continued to spill over and the drill turned into a territorial free-for-all with each one-on-one matchup featuring cheering and trash talking from both sides.
Coach Mike McCarthy watched the entire drill and ended it before the last repetition was about to be completed. He said he wanted the drill to be more about blocking and pass-rushing technique, but he understood how emotions flared out of control.
"Trust me, I've seen a lot worse in Week 3 of training camp," McCarthy said.
Asked if he saw Henderson shove Moss, a former National Football League linebacker just eight years removed from his playing days, McCarthy said no and that if he did shove him, it was just part of the intensity of the drill.
"No, it's not a big deal," he said. "That's all competitive. That's all healthy."
The first time in camp the linebackers and backs performed the drill - the linebacker rushes between two cones and a running back tries to prevent him from reaching a tackling dummy - it deteriorated into a hit fest. Technique was abandoned and both sides simply tried to punish each other.
This time around, there was some technique involved but the pace was slow because of too many scrums.
Running back Najeh Davenport and linebacker Tim Goodwell got into it after Davenport knocked Goodwell to the ground; Goodwell came back and got in the face of running back Arliss Beach both times he beat him for a sack; and the final mess featured Henderson battling Nick Barnett and Ben Taylor, with both sides jumping in to either break things up or to get a shove in.
"I was going to let it go because I wanted to get four or five more reps," McCarthy said. "If you watched the whole thing, we didn't get a lot of reps. Winston and I used to run that drill in New Orleans and we'd have 24, 25 reps in an 8-minute drill."
McCarthy said the drill added a little spice to a dreary training camp and helped set the tone for a spirited practice, but he said he wanted to see more technique used in the drill.
"We need to focus a little more on that," he said.
Coming soon: Both general manager Ted Thompson and McCarthy said they would like to have their offensive line set pretty soon.
McCarthy said it was possible he would settle on his five starters by next week and that there was no way he would wait until the final week of the exhibition season still undecided on the starting five.
"We're going to gather the information this week and hopefully have a decision sometime next week," he said.
It wasn't a very good day for newly promoted guard Tony Moll, who was working in his first pads practice with the No. 1 unit. But McCarthy said he expected growing pains because Moll, a rookie, was a tackle until last week and still has a lot to learn about right guard.
"It's just pad level and things like that and hand placement and the fits and when the center is stepping right or left," McCarthy said. "It's a new position. What I like about him is he competes and gets after it and that's a big part of playing inside."
Back in the swing: Running back Ahman Green took part in his first full pads workout and saw limited action in all but the final team drill.
There is no live tackling but Green, who was activated Aug. 7 after rehabilitating a ruptured thigh tendon, took a turn in the linebacker-running back pass rushing drill and took a pretty good hit from Taylor that knocked him down on a running play.
“That’s a power play,†McCarthy said of the latter. “That’s the stuff we needed to do. Get in line and move your feet. That’s why we have him in the team drills now. He’s got to get back into it. He’s fine. He has no hesitation, no reservations. We’re just trying to be smart with him.â€Â
Linebacker Brady Poppinga (knee) and safety Marquand Manuel (calf) also worked out in pads for the first time since camp began.
Roster moves: The Packers released wide receiver Leo Bookman and guard-center Wayne Lucier to make room for a pair of defensive backs.
Added were undrafted free agents Antonio Malone and Jeremy Modkins.
The 6-foot, 188-pound Malone, a cornerback, signed with Detroit in May but was released on June 16. The 6-0, 197-pound Modkins, a safety, signed with Cleveland in May but was released June 5.
Guarded optimism: Offensive lineman Junius Coston was trying not to take it personally that the coaching staff decided to insert Moll into the starting lineup at right guard instead of him.
When camp began, Coston was thought to be in a battle with rookie Jason Spitz for the starting right guard job, but after backup left tackle Adrian Klemm got hurt, he was moved to left tackle. The position proved to be too much for him and on Monday, when the coaches shuffled the offensive line, he was moved to right tackle.
“I didn’t know what they were going to do,†Coston said. “They said they were moving some people around and they definitely moved some people around. I won’t say I was disappointed. I was shocked a little bit. But when they moved me (to right tackle) I just figured I’d do the best I can wherever they moved me.â€Â
The previous coaching staff thought Coston’s best position was guard and there’s a chance he could slide over if Moll falters, but he’s not getting any practice snaps there and it would take some adjustment to go back.
Asked if he thought guard was his best spot, Coston said: “I don’t know. I feel like I pride myself in playing multiple positions. I feel like I can play a lot of positions. I’m not going to say which is my best.â€Â
Short yardage: Former Packers general manager Ron Wolf attended the night practice.... McCarthy said Manuel had a slight chance of playing Saturday against Atlanta.... The team’s final night practice open to the public is on Thursday.... McCarthy said the players would not wear pads in both practices Thursday to help their bodies get ready for the Falcons game.
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Aug. 15, 2006
Green Bay - If the Green Bay Packers played Saturday as physically as their running backs and linebackers did in a blocking drill Tuesday night, they might have defeated the San Diego Chargers.
The one-on-one blitz drill turned into a testosterone-filled street fight that featured pushing and shoving and ended in a near battle royal.
It started badly when fullback William Henderson, who took the first two repetitions for the offense, got hyped up and appeared to shove linebackers coach Winston Moss. From there emotions continued to spill over and the drill turned into a territorial free-for-all with each one-on-one matchup featuring cheering and trash talking from both sides.
Coach Mike McCarthy watched the entire drill and ended it before the last repetition was about to be completed. He said he wanted the drill to be more about blocking and pass-rushing technique, but he understood how emotions flared out of control.
"Trust me, I've seen a lot worse in Week 3 of training camp," McCarthy said.
Asked if he saw Henderson shove Moss, a former National Football League linebacker just eight years removed from his playing days, McCarthy said no and that if he did shove him, it was just part of the intensity of the drill.
"No, it's not a big deal," he said. "That's all competitive. That's all healthy."
The first time in camp the linebackers and backs performed the drill - the linebacker rushes between two cones and a running back tries to prevent him from reaching a tackling dummy - it deteriorated into a hit fest. Technique was abandoned and both sides simply tried to punish each other.
This time around, there was some technique involved but the pace was slow because of too many scrums.
Running back Najeh Davenport and linebacker Tim Goodwell got into it after Davenport knocked Goodwell to the ground; Goodwell came back and got in the face of running back Arliss Beach both times he beat him for a sack; and the final mess featured Henderson battling Nick Barnett and Ben Taylor, with both sides jumping in to either break things up or to get a shove in.
"I was going to let it go because I wanted to get four or five more reps," McCarthy said. "If you watched the whole thing, we didn't get a lot of reps. Winston and I used to run that drill in New Orleans and we'd have 24, 25 reps in an 8-minute drill."
McCarthy said the drill added a little spice to a dreary training camp and helped set the tone for a spirited practice, but he said he wanted to see more technique used in the drill.
"We need to focus a little more on that," he said.
Coming soon: Both general manager Ted Thompson and McCarthy said they would like to have their offensive line set pretty soon.
McCarthy said it was possible he would settle on his five starters by next week and that there was no way he would wait until the final week of the exhibition season still undecided on the starting five.
"We're going to gather the information this week and hopefully have a decision sometime next week," he said.
It wasn't a very good day for newly promoted guard Tony Moll, who was working in his first pads practice with the No. 1 unit. But McCarthy said he expected growing pains because Moll, a rookie, was a tackle until last week and still has a lot to learn about right guard.
"It's just pad level and things like that and hand placement and the fits and when the center is stepping right or left," McCarthy said. "It's a new position. What I like about him is he competes and gets after it and that's a big part of playing inside."
Back in the swing: Running back Ahman Green took part in his first full pads workout and saw limited action in all but the final team drill.
There is no live tackling but Green, who was activated Aug. 7 after rehabilitating a ruptured thigh tendon, took a turn in the linebacker-running back pass rushing drill and took a pretty good hit from Taylor that knocked him down on a running play.
“That’s a power play,†McCarthy said of the latter. “That’s the stuff we needed to do. Get in line and move your feet. That’s why we have him in the team drills now. He’s got to get back into it. He’s fine. He has no hesitation, no reservations. We’re just trying to be smart with him.â€Â
Linebacker Brady Poppinga (knee) and safety Marquand Manuel (calf) also worked out in pads for the first time since camp began.
Roster moves: The Packers released wide receiver Leo Bookman and guard-center Wayne Lucier to make room for a pair of defensive backs.
Added were undrafted free agents Antonio Malone and Jeremy Modkins.
The 6-foot, 188-pound Malone, a cornerback, signed with Detroit in May but was released on June 16. The 6-0, 197-pound Modkins, a safety, signed with Cleveland in May but was released June 5.
Guarded optimism: Offensive lineman Junius Coston was trying not to take it personally that the coaching staff decided to insert Moll into the starting lineup at right guard instead of him.
When camp began, Coston was thought to be in a battle with rookie Jason Spitz for the starting right guard job, but after backup left tackle Adrian Klemm got hurt, he was moved to left tackle. The position proved to be too much for him and on Monday, when the coaches shuffled the offensive line, he was moved to right tackle.
“I didn’t know what they were going to do,†Coston said. “They said they were moving some people around and they definitely moved some people around. I won’t say I was disappointed. I was shocked a little bit. But when they moved me (to right tackle) I just figured I’d do the best I can wherever they moved me.â€Â
The previous coaching staff thought Coston’s best position was guard and there’s a chance he could slide over if Moll falters, but he’s not getting any practice snaps there and it would take some adjustment to go back.
Asked if he thought guard was his best spot, Coston said: “I don’t know. I feel like I pride myself in playing multiple positions. I feel like I can play a lot of positions. I’m not going to say which is my best.â€Â
Short yardage: Former Packers general manager Ron Wolf attended the night practice.... McCarthy said Manuel had a slight chance of playing Saturday against Atlanta.... The team’s final night practice open to the public is on Thursday.... McCarthy said the players would not wear pads in both practices Thursday to help their bodies get ready for the Falcons game.