PaCkFan_n_MD
08-31-2006, 09:57 AM
Associated Press
Posted: 12 hours ago
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - Brett Favre still sees talent on offense, and understands it will take some time for the Green Bay Packers' young players to blossom.
But after a rough outing at Cincinnati and with the preseason finale against Tennessee only two days away, Favre seems impatient with the progress his revamped offense is making.
"We have a long ways to go, but a short time to do it," Favre said Wednesday, venting moderate hints of frustration to - and at - reporters in a tenser-than-usual group interview session.
Favre says he and the team are running out of time to work out the kinks in their new-look offense.
"It is preseason. Call it what you want," Favre said. "But you'd like to be able to gauge something off these games, and I don't know. I really don't. There's a lot of potential, but that in itself doesn't get it done."
In the wake of a 48-17 loss at Cincinnati on Monday night, Favre said he heard "numerous people" saying that it's better to get mistakes out of the way during the preseason, a bit of long-standing NFL logic that Favre doesn't necessarily buy.
The games might not count, but the mistakes do.
"Yeah, we got it out of our system. That sounds great," Favre said. "But you don't want to carry that over. If you're going to make mistakes, make them now and be able to correct them and get better off of them."
Favre made a few mistakes of his own Monday night. He lost a fumble that was run back for a touchdown and had a tipped pass intercepted.
"I'm my own worst critic," Favre said. "I want to play perfectly, and there's only one way I know how to play and that is aggressive. At times it's not pretty. Does it hurt the team at times? I don't know, I'll leave that up to you guys to decide. But I will go down swinging."
Favre said he did see some positive developments after reviewing game film of the Cincinnati loss. The pass protection was improved, he said, and rookie guards Jason Spitz and Tony Moll played well.
But Favre said the team still needs to improve its running game and find the "right mix" in the passing game.
Favre didn't quite know what to expect in the preseason, but isn't surprised at the offense's uneven performance. The offense looked lost in its preseason opener at San Diego on Aug. 12, but performed well in a home game against Atlanta the following week.
"I'm not that surprised by the up and down part of it, because there is a lot of inexperience and some new guys we're trying to fit in," Favre said.
In addition to the two rookie guards in the starting lineup, the Packers are trying to install a new zone-blocking system and are looking for a No. 2 receiver to emerge, a role that could fall to another rookie, Greg Jennings.
Favre said the young players are looking for leadership.
"It's kind of like being on a camping trip and you're waiting for someone to lead you on a hike or a fishing trip," Favre said. "Where do we go next? What do we do? Not that someone in that group couldn't do it themselves. It's kind of like, is it my place to do it? Let's wait for this person to show us where we're going on a horseback ride or whatever. How do we saddle the horse? That's kind of what it seems like to me."
But the homespun analogies quickly came to a halt as Favre's impatience extended to the media.
Asked whether he had thought about the possibility young players might not hit their stride this year, Favre said, "It might not be. What do you want me to do, quit? You're asking me this question, I'm well aware of it. Are you saying that it's not worth it?
"I'd love to play for everyone, but I'm not that good. (I've) got enough to worry about myself. ... I have enough people telling me I'm too old and can't do it."
Favre is cutting back on some media accessibility this year. He says he will resume talking to reporters after games - something he cut out at the end of last season, as questions about his potential retirement dominated Cheesehead Nation - but will cut back his midweek interview sessions from once a week to once every other week.
Favre said it was more fun to talk when the Packers were winning.
"Everybody was having a good time," Favre said. "Now, it seems like every time something's brought up, it's negative: 'You guys may not be that good this year, are you well aware of that? Are you going to be around next year?' If you were up here, what would you want to do?"
All his concerns aside, Favre said he still enjoys football.
"Do I enjoy losing? No, but I enjoy the challenge of competing every week and I have no idea what to expect this year, I really don't," Favre said. "Is that scary? Not really. I'd love to think we're going to the Super Bowl. But we have to worry about winning a game first."
Posted: 12 hours ago
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - Brett Favre still sees talent on offense, and understands it will take some time for the Green Bay Packers' young players to blossom.
But after a rough outing at Cincinnati and with the preseason finale against Tennessee only two days away, Favre seems impatient with the progress his revamped offense is making.
"We have a long ways to go, but a short time to do it," Favre said Wednesday, venting moderate hints of frustration to - and at - reporters in a tenser-than-usual group interview session.
Favre says he and the team are running out of time to work out the kinks in their new-look offense.
"It is preseason. Call it what you want," Favre said. "But you'd like to be able to gauge something off these games, and I don't know. I really don't. There's a lot of potential, but that in itself doesn't get it done."
In the wake of a 48-17 loss at Cincinnati on Monday night, Favre said he heard "numerous people" saying that it's better to get mistakes out of the way during the preseason, a bit of long-standing NFL logic that Favre doesn't necessarily buy.
The games might not count, but the mistakes do.
"Yeah, we got it out of our system. That sounds great," Favre said. "But you don't want to carry that over. If you're going to make mistakes, make them now and be able to correct them and get better off of them."
Favre made a few mistakes of his own Monday night. He lost a fumble that was run back for a touchdown and had a tipped pass intercepted.
"I'm my own worst critic," Favre said. "I want to play perfectly, and there's only one way I know how to play and that is aggressive. At times it's not pretty. Does it hurt the team at times? I don't know, I'll leave that up to you guys to decide. But I will go down swinging."
Favre said he did see some positive developments after reviewing game film of the Cincinnati loss. The pass protection was improved, he said, and rookie guards Jason Spitz and Tony Moll played well.
But Favre said the team still needs to improve its running game and find the "right mix" in the passing game.
Favre didn't quite know what to expect in the preseason, but isn't surprised at the offense's uneven performance. The offense looked lost in its preseason opener at San Diego on Aug. 12, but performed well in a home game against Atlanta the following week.
"I'm not that surprised by the up and down part of it, because there is a lot of inexperience and some new guys we're trying to fit in," Favre said.
In addition to the two rookie guards in the starting lineup, the Packers are trying to install a new zone-blocking system and are looking for a No. 2 receiver to emerge, a role that could fall to another rookie, Greg Jennings.
Favre said the young players are looking for leadership.
"It's kind of like being on a camping trip and you're waiting for someone to lead you on a hike or a fishing trip," Favre said. "Where do we go next? What do we do? Not that someone in that group couldn't do it themselves. It's kind of like, is it my place to do it? Let's wait for this person to show us where we're going on a horseback ride or whatever. How do we saddle the horse? That's kind of what it seems like to me."
But the homespun analogies quickly came to a halt as Favre's impatience extended to the media.
Asked whether he had thought about the possibility young players might not hit their stride this year, Favre said, "It might not be. What do you want me to do, quit? You're asking me this question, I'm well aware of it. Are you saying that it's not worth it?
"I'd love to play for everyone, but I'm not that good. (I've) got enough to worry about myself. ... I have enough people telling me I'm too old and can't do it."
Favre is cutting back on some media accessibility this year. He says he will resume talking to reporters after games - something he cut out at the end of last season, as questions about his potential retirement dominated Cheesehead Nation - but will cut back his midweek interview sessions from once a week to once every other week.
Favre said it was more fun to talk when the Packers were winning.
"Everybody was having a good time," Favre said. "Now, it seems like every time something's brought up, it's negative: 'You guys may not be that good this year, are you well aware of that? Are you going to be around next year?' If you were up here, what would you want to do?"
All his concerns aside, Favre said he still enjoys football.
"Do I enjoy losing? No, but I enjoy the challenge of competing every week and I have no idea what to expect this year, I really don't," Favre said. "Is that scary? Not really. I'd love to think we're going to the Super Bowl. But we have to worry about winning a game first."