woodbuck27
08-17-2006, 11:31 PM
NFL report: Zoned out in Green Bay
Posted 8/17/2006 3:03 AM ET
Packers coach Mike McCarthy will employ zone-blocking schemes in an effort to produce a running game that will alleviate pressure on quarterback Brett Favre.
By Jim Corbett, USA TODAY
Vince Lombardi probably would have embraced today's cutting-edge zone-block run scheme.
Lombardi was ahead of his time when it came to running to daylight, implementing the then-revolutionary Green Bay Packers' "Power Sweep," which carried the Pack to five NFL championships and the first two Super Bowl titles.
First-year Packers coach Mike McCarthy hopes to run to daylight and reduce pressure on quarterback Brett Favre, soon to be 37, by implementing the zone-block scheme favored by the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons. McCarthy learned the system firsthand from the scheme's guru, Falcons consultant/offensive line coach Alex Gibbs.
McCarthy, who served as the Packers quarterbacks coach in 1999 and is often identified as a quarterback teacher, cut his teeth in the league as the Kansas City Chiefs tight ends coach in 1993-94 on the same staff with Gibbs.
"I broke in(to) the league with Alex Gibbs," McCarthy says. "A lot of the protection concepts and schemes I do today are because of Alex Gibbs."
Green Bay will join the Houston Texans as the two teams that will run more of the zone-block scheme. All teams use the zone-block scheme to some degree. The scheme requires offensive linemen to block an area of the defense instead of an individual defender.
The scheme employs controversial "cut" blocking to seal off the backside of a play. The technique is legal as long as linemen block a defender between the thigh pad and above the knee and don't cut a defender from behind or roll up the back of his legs. Officials will be more vigilant about cut-blocking this season in an effort to reduce injuries.
The Broncos have had a 1,000-yard rusher nine of the last 11 seasons with plug-and-play rushing leaders Terrell Davis, Clinton Portis, Olandis Gary, Reuben Droughns and Mike Anderson last season.
The scheme is nirvana for a running back. Over the last five seasons, the Broncos (11,644) and Falcons (11,297) have rushed for the most yards.
"It's a very-user friendly scheme," Packers running back Noah Herron says. "Any running back would love it. You win in this league with a strong run game. Just look at the Steelers last year."
The Packers will start two rookie guards, second-round pick Daryn Colledge and third-rounder Jason Spitz. "We drafted a certain type of athletic lineman better suited to running this system," offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski says.
Much depends on Ahman Green, off quadriceps surgery, returning to 1,700-yard rushing form in this running back system.
Other NFL News and Interests:
Goodell vows to be innovator
Those who know him best say new NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has that indefinable "it," that leader's aura that defines star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Donovan McNabb.
"Roger has every trait and strength you could want for the league to continue to be successful," says NFL.com's Gil Brandt, the former Dallas Cowboys personnel guru. "He's innovative, creative and has a way of making people feel important. He listens, weighs what they've said, then makes his own decision."
Goodell, who won out over NFL counsel Gregg Levy on the fifth ballot Aug. 8, is more than Tagliabue's right-hand man. He's more than the status quo commissioner. Goodell, 47, vowed to remain an innovator whether implementing his greater-good vision for revenue-sharing or growing new, digital media revenue streams.
"The league has always tried to find a better way of doing things and be responsive before we need to," Goodell said at his introductory news conference. "That has been a hallmark of our leadership under both Commissioner Rozelle and Commissioner Tagliabue, and I certainly hope to carry that on."
What's Goodell's front-burner issue?
Finalizing a revenue-sharing plan tentatively agreed to in March among the league's 15 high-revenue teams that will contribute a combined $30 million to a pool for low-revenue teams.
"To continue the strong relationship with the union is vital, and to keep everything going that has been successful," ex-Ravens owner Art Modell says.
"The league needs Los Angeles to provide its network partners with a major market. But L.A. needs us as well.
"Roger needs to follow in the successful footsteps of Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue but also carve out his own persona."
Kitna's just the ticket in Detroit
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Mike Martz is thrilled with quarterback Jon Kitna, saying he's the perfect fit for his precision offense.
Martz says Kitna has the chance to be everything former Super Bowl and two-time league MVP Kurt Warner and Warner's successor, Marc Bulger, were in Martz's aggressive "Greatest Show on Turf" passing scheme with the St. Louis Rams.
"Jon's in that groove right now," Martz says. "The ball comes out of there and it's on time and it's right where it needs to be.
"When he stays within the system, he's just what you're looking for. He has the same passion and aggressiveness that Kurt and Marc had. They just want to get that ball down the field as quickly as they can. They love to play, and they love to throw it.
"He's like that. But there's something really, really extra special about Jon. There's just something about him  a toughness inside him, that leadership and a confidence about everything  that is pretty unique."
Kitna, 33, says he believes Martz's downfield passing attack fits his personality.
"He changed some things fundamentally, and it's helped me throwing the football. And he changed my approach to playing quarterback back to what I was coming out of college  an aggressive, attack-them quarterback. That's who I am. I'm excited about being here."
Saving face in Seattle
Seahawks kicker Josh Brown has something in common with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck: They both have receding hairlines. That has created situations where Brown has signed Hasselbeck's name when asked for an autograph.
"I don't promote forgery by any means," Brown said. "But it was to the point where I had to stop the hassle."
Linebackers Niko Koutouvides and Lofa Tatupu were once mistaken for Joe Jurevicius and Itula Mili. Center Robbie Tobeck is also a frequent victim of mistaken identity.
"Just the other day, some guy says, 'You're Grant Wistrom, right?' " Tobeck said. "And some other guy goes, 'No, that's not Wistrom. That's Steve Hutchinson.' "
Denzel's glory
Actor Denzel Washington, father of St. Louis Rams running back John David Washington, was in attendance for the team's Aug. 10 game against the Colts. John David, a rookie free agent, played in the fourth quarter and rushed for 15 yards on four carries. His longest run was 8 yards.
Denzel said he talked to Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce, who told him before the game, "You've got a good kid." That "was great to hear," Denzel said. "I'd love to someday be known as the father of John David Washington."
Denzel and his wife, Pauletta, were on the sideline before the game, not to play the be-seen game but because his wife has a ritual of touching the field and saying a prayer before her son's games. They and three other children watched the game from the suite of owner Georgia Frontiere.
The buzz
Owners and league observers said they expect Commissioner Roger Goodell to keep the Saints in still-battered New Orleans. Goodell's predecessor, Paul Tagliabue, made a similar commitment to the city. A leading candidate to replace Goodell as the NFL's CEO is Eric Grubman, a league executive vice president who helped negotiate the NFL's recent network television package.
Contributing: USA TODAY's Devin Clancy, Howard Balzer, staff and wire reports
GO PACKERS ! HOLD FAITH in 2007 and BEYOND !!
Posted 8/17/2006 3:03 AM ET
Packers coach Mike McCarthy will employ zone-blocking schemes in an effort to produce a running game that will alleviate pressure on quarterback Brett Favre.
By Jim Corbett, USA TODAY
Vince Lombardi probably would have embraced today's cutting-edge zone-block run scheme.
Lombardi was ahead of his time when it came to running to daylight, implementing the then-revolutionary Green Bay Packers' "Power Sweep," which carried the Pack to five NFL championships and the first two Super Bowl titles.
First-year Packers coach Mike McCarthy hopes to run to daylight and reduce pressure on quarterback Brett Favre, soon to be 37, by implementing the zone-block scheme favored by the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons. McCarthy learned the system firsthand from the scheme's guru, Falcons consultant/offensive line coach Alex Gibbs.
McCarthy, who served as the Packers quarterbacks coach in 1999 and is often identified as a quarterback teacher, cut his teeth in the league as the Kansas City Chiefs tight ends coach in 1993-94 on the same staff with Gibbs.
"I broke in(to) the league with Alex Gibbs," McCarthy says. "A lot of the protection concepts and schemes I do today are because of Alex Gibbs."
Green Bay will join the Houston Texans as the two teams that will run more of the zone-block scheme. All teams use the zone-block scheme to some degree. The scheme requires offensive linemen to block an area of the defense instead of an individual defender.
The scheme employs controversial "cut" blocking to seal off the backside of a play. The technique is legal as long as linemen block a defender between the thigh pad and above the knee and don't cut a defender from behind or roll up the back of his legs. Officials will be more vigilant about cut-blocking this season in an effort to reduce injuries.
The Broncos have had a 1,000-yard rusher nine of the last 11 seasons with plug-and-play rushing leaders Terrell Davis, Clinton Portis, Olandis Gary, Reuben Droughns and Mike Anderson last season.
The scheme is nirvana for a running back. Over the last five seasons, the Broncos (11,644) and Falcons (11,297) have rushed for the most yards.
"It's a very-user friendly scheme," Packers running back Noah Herron says. "Any running back would love it. You win in this league with a strong run game. Just look at the Steelers last year."
The Packers will start two rookie guards, second-round pick Daryn Colledge and third-rounder Jason Spitz. "We drafted a certain type of athletic lineman better suited to running this system," offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski says.
Much depends on Ahman Green, off quadriceps surgery, returning to 1,700-yard rushing form in this running back system.
Other NFL News and Interests:
Goodell vows to be innovator
Those who know him best say new NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has that indefinable "it," that leader's aura that defines star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Donovan McNabb.
"Roger has every trait and strength you could want for the league to continue to be successful," says NFL.com's Gil Brandt, the former Dallas Cowboys personnel guru. "He's innovative, creative and has a way of making people feel important. He listens, weighs what they've said, then makes his own decision."
Goodell, who won out over NFL counsel Gregg Levy on the fifth ballot Aug. 8, is more than Tagliabue's right-hand man. He's more than the status quo commissioner. Goodell, 47, vowed to remain an innovator whether implementing his greater-good vision for revenue-sharing or growing new, digital media revenue streams.
"The league has always tried to find a better way of doing things and be responsive before we need to," Goodell said at his introductory news conference. "That has been a hallmark of our leadership under both Commissioner Rozelle and Commissioner Tagliabue, and I certainly hope to carry that on."
What's Goodell's front-burner issue?
Finalizing a revenue-sharing plan tentatively agreed to in March among the league's 15 high-revenue teams that will contribute a combined $30 million to a pool for low-revenue teams.
"To continue the strong relationship with the union is vital, and to keep everything going that has been successful," ex-Ravens owner Art Modell says.
"The league needs Los Angeles to provide its network partners with a major market. But L.A. needs us as well.
"Roger needs to follow in the successful footsteps of Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue but also carve out his own persona."
Kitna's just the ticket in Detroit
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Mike Martz is thrilled with quarterback Jon Kitna, saying he's the perfect fit for his precision offense.
Martz says Kitna has the chance to be everything former Super Bowl and two-time league MVP Kurt Warner and Warner's successor, Marc Bulger, were in Martz's aggressive "Greatest Show on Turf" passing scheme with the St. Louis Rams.
"Jon's in that groove right now," Martz says. "The ball comes out of there and it's on time and it's right where it needs to be.
"When he stays within the system, he's just what you're looking for. He has the same passion and aggressiveness that Kurt and Marc had. They just want to get that ball down the field as quickly as they can. They love to play, and they love to throw it.
"He's like that. But there's something really, really extra special about Jon. There's just something about him  a toughness inside him, that leadership and a confidence about everything  that is pretty unique."
Kitna, 33, says he believes Martz's downfield passing attack fits his personality.
"He changed some things fundamentally, and it's helped me throwing the football. And he changed my approach to playing quarterback back to what I was coming out of college  an aggressive, attack-them quarterback. That's who I am. I'm excited about being here."
Saving face in Seattle
Seahawks kicker Josh Brown has something in common with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck: They both have receding hairlines. That has created situations where Brown has signed Hasselbeck's name when asked for an autograph.
"I don't promote forgery by any means," Brown said. "But it was to the point where I had to stop the hassle."
Linebackers Niko Koutouvides and Lofa Tatupu were once mistaken for Joe Jurevicius and Itula Mili. Center Robbie Tobeck is also a frequent victim of mistaken identity.
"Just the other day, some guy says, 'You're Grant Wistrom, right?' " Tobeck said. "And some other guy goes, 'No, that's not Wistrom. That's Steve Hutchinson.' "
Denzel's glory
Actor Denzel Washington, father of St. Louis Rams running back John David Washington, was in attendance for the team's Aug. 10 game against the Colts. John David, a rookie free agent, played in the fourth quarter and rushed for 15 yards on four carries. His longest run was 8 yards.
Denzel said he talked to Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce, who told him before the game, "You've got a good kid." That "was great to hear," Denzel said. "I'd love to someday be known as the father of John David Washington."
Denzel and his wife, Pauletta, were on the sideline before the game, not to play the be-seen game but because his wife has a ritual of touching the field and saying a prayer before her son's games. They and three other children watched the game from the suite of owner Georgia Frontiere.
The buzz
Owners and league observers said they expect Commissioner Roger Goodell to keep the Saints in still-battered New Orleans. Goodell's predecessor, Paul Tagliabue, made a similar commitment to the city. A leading candidate to replace Goodell as the NFL's CEO is Eric Grubman, a league executive vice president who helped negotiate the NFL's recent network television package.
Contributing: USA TODAY's Devin Clancy, Howard Balzer, staff and wire reports
GO PACKERS ! HOLD FAITH in 2007 and BEYOND !!