Jennings

[OS PA]

Difficult not to pull for Jennings
Packers rookie an exciting wideout
Posted: Sept. 5, 2006
Lori Nickel
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=492204


Green Bay - Robert Ferguson has been known to go off once in a while. Not in a derogatory way, or a Terrell Owens way, but if he doesn't like something, he can't hide it.
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If you can get him alone, however, you can usually get the real deal and something beyond the numb sports cliché.

So when the news broke Friday that rookie Greg Jennings had leapfrogged the sixth-year veteran for a starting job at receiver, a reporter found Ferguson in the locker room and sought his reaction. This ought to be good.

And it was, but for another reason.

"I wasn't ticked off. Nothing surprises me anymore," Ferguson said. "I had a good pre-season, so I will say I didn't expect that to happen; it did surprise me. But I couldn't be ticked; I love that kid to death. If it was somebody else. . . ."

Ferguson smiled, and shook his head. If it were somebody else, Ferguson would be fuming, wondering what the coaching staff was thinking, and this would be a great stir-up-the-pot story.

Instead, it's becoming clear that even the veteran who has been replaced is won over by Jennings.

After leading the National Football League with 328 receiving yards during the exhibition season, Jennings will line up opposite Donald Driver on Sunday at Lambeau Field against the Chicago Bears for the first game of the 2006 season. Jennings will be the first rookie receiver to start for the Packers since Sterling Sharpe in 1988.

Jennings could also be the only starting rookie receiver in the NFL in Week 1.

"I've clearly never seen a rookie that productive that fast . . ." Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "Greg has done some very positive things and I think you need to recognize that. I think it would be foolish not to recognize that. We'll continue to try to build off that."

Wide receiver is the one position that might have caused genuine excitement and confidence from observers during training camp. Although Packers fans might still be stinging from Javon Walker's dig at his old team last week, Jennings has succeeded in making fans almost forget the void left by Walker's departure, at least for the time being.

Remember that trade? The Packers dealt Walker for the 37th pick in the draft. They parlayed that pick plus another of their own - No. 139 overall - into essentially five picks through a series of trades. As a result, the Packers got offensive lineman Daryn Colledge, cornerback Will Blackmon, defensive tackle Johnny Jolly and safety Tyrone Culver for Walker. A fifth player, third-string quarterback Ingle Martin, was also involved, indirectly, as a pickup with the trade.

With Walker gone, general manager Ted Thompson needed an elite receiver. Jennings, from Western Michigan, was taken in the second round, the 52nd pick overall and the fourth receiver in the draft.

The Packers had a higher pick they could have used on another receiver. The 52nd spot came to Green Bay in a trade with the New England Patriots. The Patriots took receiver Chad Jackson of Florida in the second round, 36th overall, with the traded pick.

But Jackson has been slowed by a hamstring injury during the exhibition season and didn't get any game experience.

The other two receivers taken before Jennings haven't set the world afire yet, either. Santonio Holmes of Ohio State, taken in the first round and 25th overall, was chosen by Pittsburgh. He had seven catches for 54 yards in the exhibition games. Sinorice Moss of Miami, taken in the second round, 44th overall, is with the New York Giants. He missed most of training camp with a thigh injury.

Jennings has been the star in Green Bay since Day 1. Now with the expectations heaped onto his 5-foot-11, 197-pound frame, the real question is how he will handle it all Sunday.

"I think he'll be ready," Ferguson said. "He's shown good things in the pre-season. We need him to be ready. We put him in that position, so we can't afford for him not to be ready. So, anything I can do, anything anyone else can do to get him ready, we need to be able to do that."

It's a tall order for a debut.

The struggling, young Packers (except at quarterback) will face a Bears defense that is sound in its fundamentals and counts on the opponent to self-destruct. There will be 70,000 fans in the stands, bigger than any crowd Jennings is used to, with the exception of a collegiate game at the University of Michigan.

"But we weren't favored by a long shot," Jennings said.

Jennings' 12 catches in the exhibition season went for 328 yards, a 27.3-yard average that was greatly enhanced by the 89-yard touchdown Friday against Tennessee. But his numbers still compare well to Driver's (11 catches, 154 yards, 14.0 average).

Ferguson (four catches, 54 yards) and Ruvell Martin (four, 39) round out the receivers unit.

"I don't think that it's necessarily a no-brainer" to start Jennings, receivers coach Jimmy Robinson said. "We just made a decision that we thought was best for our football team. That doesn't mean we feel Robert Ferguson isn't capable. We have all the confidence in the world in Robert and we haven't lost any. We just felt (Jennings) earned a starting job based on his performance."

Robinson said Jennings wasn't behind Driver or Ferguson "at all in terms of knowing this offense." Robinson felt confident that Jennings could absorb any new play installations this week, and Jennings said he would spend more hours than usual preparing for the big game.

So then, there's only one way to find out if he's ready.

"They go out and play, and it either looks like they can handle it or their play proves that they can't," Robinson said.

__________________________________


After leading the National Football League with 328 receiving yards during the exhibition season , Jennings will line up opposite Donald Driver on Sunday at Lambeau Field against the Chicago Bears for the first game of the 2006 season. Jennings will be the first rookie receiver to start for the Packers since Sterling Sharpe in 1988.

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Didn't realize he led the league.[/quote]

[SD GB fan]

woohoo he will be leading the league in the regular season too :smile:

hey i can hope cant i?

[Tony Oday]

"I wasn't ticked off. Nothing surprises me anymore," Ferguson said. "I had a good pre-season...

HUH? Was he watching the same film as everyone else?

[woodbuck27]

The STORY of OUR Off Season !! That fella. :cool:

GO Greg Jennings. Good Luck PACKER !!

[the_idle_threat]

In an offense that is starved for playmakers, Jennings found a way to make 2 huge plays in limited pre-season work. Granted ... the first was against scrubs, but the 2nd was against a 1st team defense. It's hard to not be excited for the kid.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

If he gets a 100 yards against the bears, I think a 1000 this year won't be all that unlikely.

[Creepy]

Favre had two 100 yard receivers 3 times in his career:

Brooks - Freeman
Freeman - Schroeder
Driver - Walker

It shouldn't be that hard for Jennings/Driver to get 1000 each. i Expect Driver to havethe same season he had in 2004 as he won't be doubled/tripled team like he was last year. Jennings will be one on one and some double which will give him more yards. GB will be better on offense than people expect, it just has to avoid the stupid TO such as the ones in the Bengals game.

[Chubbyhubby]

I am really excited about this kid, I am the President of his fan club by the way! I think if he doesn't get injured he is going to be a bright spot for the Packers this year!

I am going to say He might even take Donald Driver's Spot when he retires.

[RashanGary]

I think I deserve to be president of the Greg Jennings fan club. I was talking about how great he was at OTA's before the media got on his band wagon. I watched him the recievers every day for 4 or 5 2 hour OTA's. That's about 10 hours of practice. He looked fantastic then and the media didn't notice untill TC.

I was the pioneer of the Greg Jennings fan club. Nobody can take that away from me.

[RashanGary]

You can be the current president, but I want to be the founder.

[Rastak]

I think I deserve to be president of the Greg Jennings fan club. I was talking about how great he was at OTA's before the media got on his band wagon. I watched him the recievers every day for 4 or 5 2 hour OTA's. That's about 10 hours of practice. He looked fantastic then and the media didn't notice untill TC.

I was the pioneer of the Greg Jennings fan club. Nobody can take that away from me.


First you have to resign from the Mike Hawkins fan club which you started last year..... :wink:

[RashanGary]

I started the Collins one too....

Hawkins was secondary :wink:

[Chubbyhubby]

I think I deserve to be president of the Greg Jennings fan club. I was talking about how great he was at OTA's before the media got on his band wagon. I watched him the recievers every day for 4 or 5 2 hour OTA's. That's about 10 hours of practice. He looked fantastic then and the media didn't notice untill TC.

I was the pioneer of the Greg Jennings fan club. Nobody can take that away from me.

I have to disagree with you on that one...

If you go back at the Greg Jennings fan club you will see I made that thread. I was excited about him when they drafted him. I was behind him way before anyone else did. Even though you changed your name to Greg Jennings on here. Nothing against you don't take it personal or anything.

I believe he will be something special in Green Bay. I think the media didn't pick him up as a really good player until training camp was because no other Rookie WR was this good since Sterling Sharpe in 1988.

[RashanGary]

OK CH....You got me there...

I liked his game tape from college...but it was OTA's when I got my first chance to really see him in comparison to NFL WR's.....He stood out from day one in OTA's. That's when I knew he'd be something. Honestly, I didn't expect it to be this much, this fast.

I liked him when we drafted him too, but I didnt' really know much until I saw him play in person.

[Chubbyhubby]

I remember there was a discussion on whether or not they should have picked Chad Jackson from Florida. He was picked up at #36 the same postion the Packers traded out of to New England Patriots. It was a good move by the Packers of getting Greg Jennings at #52. Jackson has a hamstrng injury has played very limited in preseason.

[mmmdk]

If Driver and Jennings both were to have 1000 yard season then the Packers would win the NFC North. Sweet, I just don't see it happening. I predicted Greg Jennings would catch 60 passes for 720 yards and 6 TDs. That would be awesome for a rookie. Yet I do remember Michael Clayton from Tampa get 1100 yards as a rookie just 2 years ago. Too many rookies and first year players plus rookie HC, DC + OC. Has a NFL team ever done that? Go .500 with such a novice ballclub???

[pbmax]

Favre had two 100 yard receivers 3 times in his career:

Brooks - Freeman
Freeman - Schroeder
Driver - Walker

It shouldn't be that hard for Jennings/Driver to get 1000 each. i Expect Driver to havethe same season he had in 2004 as he won't be doubled/tripled team like he was last year. Jennings will be one on one and some double which will give him more yards. GB will be better on offense than people expect, it just has to avoid the stupid TO such as the ones in the Bengals game.
Favre, even if he did nothing else, should be in the Hall of Fame for making Bill Schroeder and 1,000 yd. receiver.

[MJZiggy]

If Driver and Jennings both were to have 1000 yard season then the Packers would win the NFC North. Sweet, I just don't see it happening. I predicted Greg Jennings would catch 60 passes for 720 yards and 6 TDs. That would be awesome for a rookie. Yet I do remember Michael Clayton from Tampa get 1100 yards as a rookie just 2 years ago. Too many rookies and first year players plus rookie HC, DC + OC. Has a NFL team ever done that? Go .500 with such a novice ballclub???

It's driving me nuts that everyone keeps acting like if they haven't done something before they can't do it. Remember Cleditus Hunt is a vet. So what if Jennings is a rookie. Nobody prepares for him it seems and he's perfectly capable of getting good yards. M3 is a novice head coach, but his playcalling so far has been good. He's been good at knowing when to challenge something and has not backed off going for it when we needed a big play. All we need right now is for the line to get their timing down and start working as a unit which we all know they will and for everyone on defense to get on the same page and they can underestimate us all they want. I just hate it when our own fans do it just because they haven't SEEN these guys do it before. I'll take our starters over Hunt, Klemm, O'Dwyer and most of the "experienced" vets that other teams have dumped for their lack of production on the field any day of the week. I don't care how young they are.

[mmmdk]

If Driver and Jennings both were to have 1000 yard season then the Packers would win the NFC North. Sweet, I just don't see it happening. I predicted Greg Jennings would catch 60 passes for 720 yards and 6 TDs. That would be awesome for a rookie. Yet I do remember Michael Clayton from Tampa get 1100 yards as a rookie just 2 years ago. Too many rookies and first year players plus rookie HC, DC + OC. Has a NFL team ever done that? Go .500 with such a novice ballclub???

It's driving me nuts that everyone keeps acting like if they haven't done something before they can't do it. Remember Cleditus Hunt is a vet. So what if Jennings is a rookie. Nobody prepares for him it seems and he's perfectly capable of getting good yards. M3 is a novice head coach, but his playcalling so far has been good. He's been good at knowing when to challenge something and has not backed off going for it when we needed a big play. All we need right now is for the line to get their timing down and start working as a unit which we all know they will and for everyone on defense to get on the same page and they can underestimate us all they want. I just hate it when our own fans do it just because they haven't SEEN these guys do it before. I'll take our starters over Hunt, Klemm, O'Dwyer and most of the "experienced" vets that other teams have dumped for their lack of production on the field any day of the week. I don't care how young they are.

I hear you but nothing beats winning - especially for young players! You can play young guys but if they're no good and hence not winning, you've got a decade of losing on the menu. Winning is the pedigree for winning. I don't think Packers are headed for a decade of losing but a even a.500 season seems like a hard climb this season. A repeat or worse season in 2006 would devastating to a young team. 6-10, 7-9 with a few upsets (Bears, Vikes) and the youngsters will grow. In 2007 I'd expect a .500 or better record.

[ahaha]

After last season I'd pretty much given up on Robert Ferguson. But, he wasn't too bad in the preseason. With the emergence of Jennings, maybe Ferguson can be productive again in his role as third receiver. Hopefully he's gotton over the "Alligator Arms" syndrome he seemed to suffer from since the Donovan Darius injury.

[Pacopete4]

im sick of fergy like every packer fan is right now, but this guy at least showed some class in his interview. He is best suited for being the 3rd WR and dont be surprised if he's not in on running downs anyways because he is our best WR blocker by far. He had an average pre season, his stats were not huge but thats only because the ball did not fly his way very often and why would it with Rodgers (Vick wannabe) in the game. I'll wait til I see a few real games from him first to determine if its just going to be abother let down year out of him.

[Homer Jay]

There is no reason a #3 receiver can't put up decent numbers in this offense. I was hoping someone else would take the job, but he is here now. Hopefully he can have a good enough year to take a little pressure off DD and Jennings. A #3 receiver doesn't have to be great, just dependable. I hope this is the year for Fergy.

[RashanGary]

Fergy is hard to hate IMHO. Sure he sucks and it would be nice to get rid of him from a football standpoint, but he's a really good team-mate and a hard worker. The guy sets an example with his pride, team orientation and effort.

He just doesn't have what it takes to play WR in the NFL. Now, with Rodgers he might be better. Favre doesn't throw the most catchable ball. Either way, he's been bad. Still, it's hard as a coach to replace a guy who busts his balls every day and also has a great football body. I can understand why Sherman couldnt' bench him but I'm also glad to see McCarthy puts football first and has the objectivity to sit down the bad player even if he's one of your hardest working vets.

[RashanGary]

I hope Robert Ferguson stays on as the #3 or 4 wideout and plays the best damn special teams we've ever witnessed. There is more than one way to make a difference in a game and just because Ferg has no ball skills doesn't mean he can't be a playmaker for 6 or 7 plays per game.

Also, his salary seems big, but with the new increase in cap space, it's not nearly as bad as it may seem. He can earn his salary on every ST unit or at least most of them and double as an emergency WR.

[BF4MVP]

Rodgers (Vick wannabe)
Ummmmmmmm.....What?

[Chubbyhubby]

Rodgers (Vick wannabe)
Ummmmmmmm.....What?


Are you refering to the fact the Rodgers ran with football when he was in the game. Mainly he did that when the Oline fell apart. He had to scramble.

[SD GB fan]

yeah i agree that its hard to dislike ferguson. he works hard but it just never clicked for him. hopefully he can step up this season.

[vince]

Here's the latest on our Mr. Jennings... I love the quote by Al Harris...


FRI., SEP 8, 2006 - 12:35 AM
Packers: Jennings remains modestly confident
JASON WILDE 608-252-6176
jwilde@madison.com
GREEN BAY - Coach Mike McCarthy's never seen anything like it. Jimmy Robinson's as surprised as anyone. And Al Harris, never one to praise a wide receiver, even one of his own teammates, can't say enough about the kid.

Yes, people are talking about Green Bay Packers rookie wide receiver Greg Jennings, and every word of it is positively glowing.

Which is why Jennings, a super-confident but ultra-humble second-round draft pick from Western Michigan, is doing his best not to let it get to him as he prepares to start Sunday's regular-season opener against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field - making him the first Packers rookie receiver to start the opener since Sterling Sharpe in 1988.

"Don't get me wrong. It's great to hear. But at the same time, some things you need to hear-but-not-hear," Jennings said Thursday, leaning against a laundry bin in the Packers' locker room after meetings. "I really don't get caught up in all the accolades, all the publicity. It's great, but to me, it's always better to be under the radar."

That's going to be hard after what Jennings did this preseason, as he caught 12 passes for an NFL-leading 328 yards (a 27.3-yard average). After the preseason finale against Tennessee last Friday afternoon, McCarthy named him the starter opposite No. 1 receiver Donald Driver, giving him the nod over sixth-year veteran Robert Ferguson.

"I've clearly never seen a rookie that productive that fast," McCarthy said.

And while Jennings was the fourth receiver taken in April's draft - after Ohio State's Santonio Holmes (Pittsburgh, 25th overall), Florida's Chad Jackson (New England, 36th) and Miami (Fla.)'s Sinorice Moss (New York Giants, 44th) - he's the only rookie receiver in the NFL expected to start this weekend.

So sorry, Greg, the under-the-radar thing ain't happening. Not now.

"And I understand that. But at the same time, I have to carry myself as though I'm still under the radar," Jennings replied. "Because once you start worrying about being noticed, you start playing with that thought in your mind. And you start thinking about how you have to play a certain way to keep getting the praise you feel you should be getting. You have to be humble and stay grounded."

He's succeeding at that, but don't take that to mean Jennings lacks self-confidence. While outsiders didn't expect him to emerge so quickly, he's not at all surprised.

"I can't say I've been surprised by anything I've done. I expect what I'm doing out here. I expect more than what I'm doing out here," said Jennings, who had an 89-yard catch against the Titans, an 85-yard touchdown against Atlanta Aug. 19 and a 47-yard catch against San Diego Aug. 12. "It's just my nature, I guess. I expect to make an impact. I'm not going to have a ridiculous, great game every Sunday, but I plan on having a lot of 'em."

Harris, the Packers' top cornerback, is expecting that.

"I think Jennings will emerge as a No. 1 receiver if not this year, next year," Harris said after practice. "The dude is real smooth. Real smooth. Sometimes I have a hard time getting my hands on him. Seriously, that's saying something."

Rookie rarity Still, history suggests it won't be easy for the 5-foot-11, 198-pound Jennings to have a major impact as a rookie. Only five of the 546 wide receivers drafted from 1990 through 2005 have had 1,000-yard seasons as rookies: Joey Galloway (1995), Terry Glenn (1996), Randy Moss (1998), Anquan Boldin (2003) and Michael Clayton (2004).

But if anyone can do it, Robinson said, it's Jennings, whose football IQ is so high he's learned all three receiver positions - X (flanker), Z (split end) and zebra (slot receiver) - already.

"His maturity, his poise - it doesn't seem like anything really fazes him," said Robinson, a 17-year NFL coaching veteran who tutored Indianapolis' six-time Pro Bowl receiver Marvin Harrison as a rookie in 1996, when Harrison started 15 games and had 836 yards and eight TDs.

"I think he's certainly capable of (1,000 yards). In my mind, he seems to be capable of doing just about anything given the opportunity. He's a unique guy."

Indeed, Jennings, who turns 23 in two weeks, is more mature than your average rookie. But, as he puts it, "I'm a different little human being."

He and his wife, Nicole, have been married since June 2005, although she went back to Kalamazoo Tuesday to finish her nursing degree at Western Michigan, where she has one 10-credit class to go. Jennings' parents, Greg Sr. and Gwen, are active in the church, with Greg Sr. working as a pastor at Deliverance Ministries in Kalamazoo, while Gwen is a church missionary.

Meanwhile, the folks at Jennings' high school, Kalamazoo Central, have been bugging him for some pictures and memorabilia to put in a display case at the school. They've already produced several famous sporting alumni - New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter most notably - but Jennings has yet to send them anything of his.

And even when he does, perhaps after he catches 1,000 yards worth of passes and scores 10 touchdowns this season, he vows he'll be the same guy he is today.

"Even though I may think I'm doing well now, I haven't even played a regular-season game. So nothing I've done to this point means anything. I mean nothing," Jennings said. "Because come Sunday, if I have a horrible game, everyone's going to ask, 'Well, you had a great preseason, you had a great training camp, what happened?'"

"I can't be arrogant, I can't be cocky and conceited, I can't put up a facade. I guarantee you I won't change. It's not in me to be anything different."

[MadtownPacker]

Can I be the West coast booster for the Jennings fan club?

Only thing about Jennings that pisses me off is that he wont play with Murphy. They could have been the starting WRs for the next 5 years. After DD retired of course. :mrgreen:

[Bretsky]

I think I deserve to be president of the Greg Jennings fan club. I was talking about how great he was at OTA's before the media got on his band wagon. I watched him the recievers every day for 4 or 5 2 hour OTA's. That's about 10 hours of practice. He looked fantastic then and the media didn't notice untill TC.

I was the pioneer of the Greg Jennings fan club. Nobody can take that away from me.

YES YOU EARN THAT ONE IMO.

[Bretsky]

After last season I'd pretty much given up on Robert Ferguson. But, he wasn't too bad in the preseason. With the emergence of Jennings, maybe Ferguson can be productive again in his role as third receiver. Hopefully he's gotton over the "Alligator Arms" syndrome he seemed to suffer from since the Donovan Darius injury.


Here we go again. Fergy is simply not an NFL ready receiver. He's had his chance to stand out as a #2 and a #3. He's neither. It will be much less painful if we all say it together.
Ferguson is a Fraud

[retailguy]

Here we go again. Fergy is simply not an NFL ready receiver. He's had his chance to stand out as a #2 and a #3. He's neither. It will be much less painful if we all say it together.
Ferguson is a Fraud



I'm so glad we've got him instead of that chris whats his name guy. That guy's got alligator arms.... Just ask Ron Wolf...... :wink: :shock: :mrgreen:

[Bretsky]

yeah i agree that its hard to dislike ferguson. he works hard but it just never clicked for him. hopefully he can step up this season.


Most players work hard to get in the NFL; when Fergy got here he was an immature kid who didn't think he needed to work hard. Many of us forget his rookie season too easy. He was a similar pick to Greg Jennings (both in round 2). But unlike Jennings, he wasn't good enough to wear a uniform until after the first half of the season. Immature, lackadaisical.

Now I agree he's worked hard to get into shape; many NFL players do. But I find it easy to dislike him.

He's an underachiever who came into camp as a rookie thinking everything would be handed to him. He was the only draft pick in round one or two of that stinkin draft to be inactive the first 8 games without an injury. Maybe if he'd have came in with the appropriate attitude and work ethic he'd have accomplished something besides an overpaid contract by now in his career.

The complete opposite of Greg Jennings.

[Bretsky]

Here we go again. Fergy is simply not an NFL ready receiver. He's had his chance to stand out as a #2 and a #3. He's neither. It will be much less painful if we all say it together.
Ferguson is a Fraud



I'm so glad we've got him instead of that chris whats his name guy. That guy's got alligator arms.... Just ask Ron Wolf...... :wink: :shock: :mrgreen:

Nothing like kicking a dog when he'd down :cry:

[retailguy]

Nothing like kicking a dog when he'd down :cry:


Ferguson frustrates me. If he could get over the fact that the world just won't do it Robert's way, he might turn out pretty good.

He's had his chance, and we're watching his last season in Green Bay. Sadly, he's been around long enough to qualify for salary guarantees. So, when he's on the roster on sunday, we're stuck with him......

One more year, one more year, one more year....<sigh>