motife
09-06-2006, 08:14 PM
Tom Silverstein
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
The club will open with a rookie starting receiver for the first time since Sterling Sharpe did it in 1988. Second-round pick Greg Jennings was given the job even before he had an 89-yard catch in the preseason finale. Jennings has been the best player in training camp after showing outstanding hands, good recognition of coverages and an ability to run after the catch. The only thing keeping him from being the ultimate West Coast receiver is size, but so far he has had no trouble handling bump-and-run or going over the middle. He will be moved around to help keep him off bumps and should be a nice complement to Donald Driver. . .
Cutting RB Najeh Davenport was a bit of a risk because no one other than Ahman Green has shown the ability to be a consistent threat in the running game. Samkon Gado has struggled to adjust to the zone-blocking scheme even though he has the skills to perform in it. He's too indecisive with his cuts and dances too much rather than just exploding into the hole. Noah Herron seems to get the zone system, but he has no explosiveness and will be a utility back. Davenport had a poor camp and is injury-prone, but he has had some big games and probably will be a backup somewhere else this season.
NEWCOMER REPORT: Fifth-round pick Tony Moll worked his way into the starting lineup with aggressive and uninhibited play. He was given an opportunity to start at right guard and held onto it. But he's facing a whole new world when the regular season starts and he has to block the likes of Tommie Harris, Kevin Williams and Shaun Rogers. Moll isn't strong enough in the upper body yet to contain those players and will need help. He plays with abandon and doesn't over-think his assignments. He'll be a better player in a year or two, but for now he's going to be counted on to whiff on the big-name players he'll be facing week in and week out.
PROBLEM SPOT: The zone-blocking system isn't a finished product. The offensive line has struggled with it all camp, and it could be mid-season before the club sees some results. Green is going to have to make a lot of yards on his own because too often the holes aren't there. The tackles are still learning to effectively cut defenders on the back side and the guards haven't quite figured out when to leave their double-teams and go to the next level. Running up the middle is going to be difficult, and the club will probably have to attack the edges and possibly mix in some power gap plays.
Three things we have learned: 1. K Dave Rayner and P Jon Ryan have stronger legs than anyone has had around here for a long time. They will improve the distance on kickoffs and punts. But they also will falter in clutch situations because they're both young and untested. The coaches will have to be patient with them. 2. The defensive line will be solid, particularly up the middle. The club has six tackles that it will rotate and plug in depending on the opponent. All six of them have varying talents, so the coaches' job will be to make sure they're in at the right time. 3. Receiver Donald Driver is in peak form. He looks poised for a big season if someone else can take coverage away from him and Brett Favre can get him the ball.
Three things we still don't know: 1. Will Charles Woodson make a difference? He played well in practice but not as well in games. It could be that he was on cruise control in the preseason, but he needs to have an impact if this team is going to improve. Only the games will tell if that's going to happen. 2. Brett Favre only threw one interception in the preseason, but he showed some of the tendencies of a year ago when he forced balls into coverage. There's no telling what he's going to do if the offense gets off to a poor start. He might start chucking the ball up for grabs like he did a year ago. 3. S Marquand Manuel was signed to offer leadership and stability to the secondary. But he was hurt most of camp and looked slow in his first preseason game. He also made some mistakes in the secondary and could be less of a defensive quarterback than the club thought.
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
The club will open with a rookie starting receiver for the first time since Sterling Sharpe did it in 1988. Second-round pick Greg Jennings was given the job even before he had an 89-yard catch in the preseason finale. Jennings has been the best player in training camp after showing outstanding hands, good recognition of coverages and an ability to run after the catch. The only thing keeping him from being the ultimate West Coast receiver is size, but so far he has had no trouble handling bump-and-run or going over the middle. He will be moved around to help keep him off bumps and should be a nice complement to Donald Driver. . .
Cutting RB Najeh Davenport was a bit of a risk because no one other than Ahman Green has shown the ability to be a consistent threat in the running game. Samkon Gado has struggled to adjust to the zone-blocking scheme even though he has the skills to perform in it. He's too indecisive with his cuts and dances too much rather than just exploding into the hole. Noah Herron seems to get the zone system, but he has no explosiveness and will be a utility back. Davenport had a poor camp and is injury-prone, but he has had some big games and probably will be a backup somewhere else this season.
NEWCOMER REPORT: Fifth-round pick Tony Moll worked his way into the starting lineup with aggressive and uninhibited play. He was given an opportunity to start at right guard and held onto it. But he's facing a whole new world when the regular season starts and he has to block the likes of Tommie Harris, Kevin Williams and Shaun Rogers. Moll isn't strong enough in the upper body yet to contain those players and will need help. He plays with abandon and doesn't over-think his assignments. He'll be a better player in a year or two, but for now he's going to be counted on to whiff on the big-name players he'll be facing week in and week out.
PROBLEM SPOT: The zone-blocking system isn't a finished product. The offensive line has struggled with it all camp, and it could be mid-season before the club sees some results. Green is going to have to make a lot of yards on his own because too often the holes aren't there. The tackles are still learning to effectively cut defenders on the back side and the guards haven't quite figured out when to leave their double-teams and go to the next level. Running up the middle is going to be difficult, and the club will probably have to attack the edges and possibly mix in some power gap plays.
Three things we have learned: 1. K Dave Rayner and P Jon Ryan have stronger legs than anyone has had around here for a long time. They will improve the distance on kickoffs and punts. But they also will falter in clutch situations because they're both young and untested. The coaches will have to be patient with them. 2. The defensive line will be solid, particularly up the middle. The club has six tackles that it will rotate and plug in depending on the opponent. All six of them have varying talents, so the coaches' job will be to make sure they're in at the right time. 3. Receiver Donald Driver is in peak form. He looks poised for a big season if someone else can take coverage away from him and Brett Favre can get him the ball.
Three things we still don't know: 1. Will Charles Woodson make a difference? He played well in practice but not as well in games. It could be that he was on cruise control in the preseason, but he needs to have an impact if this team is going to improve. Only the games will tell if that's going to happen. 2. Brett Favre only threw one interception in the preseason, but he showed some of the tendencies of a year ago when he forced balls into coverage. There's no telling what he's going to do if the offense gets off to a poor start. He might start chucking the ball up for grabs like he did a year ago. 3. S Marquand Manuel was signed to offer leadership and stability to the secondary. But he was hurt most of camp and looked slow in his first preseason game. He also made some mistakes in the secondary and could be less of a defensive quarterback than the club thought.