Packers Team Report

[woodbuck27]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/teams/packers/index.html

PACKERS Team Report

By Tom Silverstein
For Sporting News

June 3, 2007

If minicamps and OTAs are any kind of barometer, MLB A.J. Hawk appears to be taking the necessary steps toward being a playmaker.

Hawk's biggest weakness last year was man-to-man pass coverage, so it's significant when he intercepts a couple of passes in practice and looks more comfortable in the defense. If Hawk can master man-to-man, he could add a tremendous boost to the pass defense.

Though he's not as tall and doesn't have the same wingspan as Brian Urlacher, he has the same kind of speed and that's something the club can exploit. Hawk has the body control to avoid pass penalties and the athletic ability to get in position for interceptions. He is being counted on this year to be more than just a solid player on defense. . . .

Rookie RB Brandon Jackson did not lose much ground as a result of missing rookie camp because of a mandatory NFL obligation. He came back the following week, buried his nose in the playbook and picked up where the team left off during his absence. Jackson, a low-to-the-ground runner with better quickness than speed and a strong lower body, has the best shot of unseating Vernand Morency for the starting running back job.

Morency put on 10 pounds during the offseason and has better open-field speed than Jackson. Morency has experience in the zone system, but Jackson also seems to be a good fit for it.

SCOUTING REPORT:

QB Aaron Rodgers has improved his overall body strength and as a result has a little more snap in his arm. The stronger he gets, the more confident he should be in the pocket.

But Rodgers has to prove he's not a system quarterback who can do more than paint by the numbers. He has to make quicker decisions and anticipate better where receivers are going to come open. He holds onto the ball too long and often pays the price. There is no strong evidence he has roll-out ability, but he hasn't really gotten a lot of chances to do that. He has a quick release and was very accurate in college, but he needs to show he can consistently complete 17-yard turn-ins and deep outs

IMPACT NEWCOMER:

DT Justin Harrell will receive every chance to start this season because of his size and athletic ability.

The team's first-round pick has long, powerful arms that he uses to move blockers out of his way, and has enough quickness to be more than a fire hydrant in the middle. Harrell must prove that a torn biceps is completely healed and that he can shake off the rust of missing most of his senior season at Tennessee.

He was drafted on potential, but the club thinks he can play right away.

If he can, he and nose tackle Ryan Pickett could block all traffic in the middle of the defense.

Tom Silverstein covers the Packers for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

GO PACKERS !!

[Tarlam!]

Since when was Hawk an MLB?

[Zool]

Since when was Hawk an MLB?Facts schmacts.

[LL2]

If he can, he and nose tackle Ryan Pickett could block all traffic in the middle of the defense.

I'd love to see this! The two form a massive wall for RB's to run into.

[BooHoo]

Not much news here but thanks for posting. Who will be our starting RB? Or is it RB by committee?

[pbmax]

Does Hawk start in the dime defense ahead of Barnett? Technically, he could be in the middle of no one. :lol:



Since when was Hawk an MLB?Facts schmacts.

[PackerBlues]

If Hawk can improve over last year, great. He is a one hell of a player as it is. The guy I would like to see improve, specifically in the passing game however, would be Abdul Hodge. If he can step up that part of his game, the LB position would be shored up quite nicely. If Hawk, Barnett or Pops goes down with an injury, Hodge's ability to cover a reciever needs to improve over where he was last year, or our defense is going to have one hell of a gaping hole in it.

[wist43]

If Hawk can improve over last year, great. He is a one hell of a player as it is. The guy I would like to see improve, specifically in the passing game however, would be Abdul Hodge. If he can step up that part of his game, the LB position would be shored up quite nicely. If Hawk, Barnett or Pops goes down with an injury, Hodge's ability to cover a reciever needs to improve over where he was last year, or our defense is going to have one hell of a gaping hole in it.

As much as I like Hodge for his run stopping skills, he's always been, and always will be a liability in coverage... I was surprised the Packers picked him, and thought he was miscast in the Packers system. Wouldn't surprise me if they cut Hodge this year.

[wist43]

Does Hawk start in the dime defense ahead of Barnett? Technically, he could be in the middle of no one. :lol:



Since when was Hawk an MLB?Facts schmacts.

I would prefer to see Hawk in the dime as I view him as being much more instinctive than Barnett will ever be.

That said, I don't think it will happen... Barnett, despite his complete lack of instinct for the game, is fast and has been in the system going on three years now... after 2+ years, even Barnett should be able to keep from busting too many coverages.

[Tarlam!]

As much as I like Hodge for his run stopping skills, he's always been, and always will be a liability in coverage... I was surprised the Packers picked him, and thought he was miscast in the Packers system. Wouldn't surprise me if they cut Hodge this year.

I love Hodge. I want Hodge. Barnett is no Hodge, he just has the fortune of being a first rounder and the starts that went with it. TT is enough of a football guy to trade Barnett and start Hodge.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Barnett is 10 times better than Hodge right now, and it's not just because of the system. I was disappointed in the fact that Hodge looked as slow as he did. He looked too slow to fit into any pro system. He can improve--like all young guys. Some of that could just be indecisiveness. I think a lot less of his chances of becoming a solid starter than I did on draft day last year though.

[MJZiggy]

As much as I like Hodge for his run stopping skills, he's always been, and always will be a liability in coverage... I was surprised the Packers picked him, and thought he was miscast in the Packers system. Wouldn't surprise me if they cut Hodge this year.

I love Hodge. I want Hodge. Barnett is no Hodge, he just has the fortune of being a first rounder and the starts that went with it. TT is enough of a football guy to trade Barnett and start Hodge.

Why would he trade Barnett? They just extended his contract in April...

[Scott Campbell]

IMO Hodge is not even a lock for a roster spot, much less a replacement for Barnett as a starter at this point. He needs to play a lot better than last year just to stick with the team.

[falco]

IMO Hodge is not even a lock for a roster spot, much less a replacement for Barnett as a starter at this point. He needs to play a lot better than last year just to stick with the team.

Hodge sucked last year, and not just in coverage. Unless he wows right off the bat, he could be gone. We drafted enough LB's this year to make him expendable.

[BooHoo]

How is Hodge at special teams? We need help there?

[KYPack]

How is Hodge at special teams? We need help there?

That is one area that really dissappointed me. Young backers can be excused for being a little lost at a regular position. The pro game is fast and complicated. But any young LB should kick some serious ass on ST. Hodge didn't appear to be interested last season.

Hodge seems prestty comfortable making his fills against the run, but pass coverage? Whooee, he's lost in space.

He'll make the ballclub this year, but it's a big one for him. He's gotta show some serious progress. Right now, he's Torrance Marshall Jr.

[pbmax]

I wonder if Hodge is destined to play ILB in a 3-4. While it has been quite some time since I knew that defense well (see Schottenheimer, Cleveland, The Drive, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!) it seems that he would have less space to cover than as 4-3 Mike.

[Brandon494]

How is Hodge at special teams? We need help there?

That is one area that really dissappointed me. Young backers can be excused for being a little lost at a regular position. The pro game is fast and complicated. But any young LB should kick some serious ass on ST. Hodge didn't appear to be interested last season.

Hodge seems prestty comfortable making his fills against the run, but pass coverage? Whooee, he's lost in space.

He'll make the ballclub this year, but it's a big one for him. He's gotta show some serious progress. Right now, he's Torrance Marshall Jr.

Is this the same guy people wanted to start over Barnett at MLB? :roll:

[wist43]

I wonder if Hodge is destined to play ILB in a 3-4. While it has been quite some time since I knew that defense well (see Schottenheimer, Cleveland, The Drive, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!) it seems that he would have less space to cover than as 4-3 Mike.

That's where I saw him from the beginning... He's completely miscast in the Packers scheme.

I can also see him being effective in a more traditional 4-3 where the MLB is principally responsible for the middle and the outside guys are, in fact, outside... the Packers stack all 3 inside.

Hodge is a stud against the run, but the Packers ask their LB's to play the game more like DB's, and Hodge will never be a good coverage LB... Hodge has a place in the league, just not with the Packers.

Like I said, as much as I like Hodge, I thought he was a very curious pick for the Packers. The more I think about it, the more likely I think it is that he'll be cut this training camp.

[wist43]

How is Hodge at special teams? We need help there?

That is one area that really dissappointed me. Young backers can be excused for being a little lost at a regular position. The pro game is fast and complicated. But any young LB should kick some serious ass on ST. Hodge didn't appear to be interested last season.

Hodge seems prestty comfortable making his fills against the run, but pass coverage? Whooee, he's lost in space.

He'll make the ballclub this year, but it's a big one for him. He's gotta show some serious progress. Right now, he's Torrance Marshall Jr.

Is this the same guy people wanted to start over Barnett at MLB? :roll:

Barnett, against the run, is a joke... Hodge's strength is defending run.

That said, Barnett played some safety in college and that's what the Packers want in their LB's...

Hell, maybe the Packers will realize that Hawk and Poppinga are too tough for their liking and cut them too??? :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[HarveyWallbangers]

Hodge is a stud against the run, but the Packers ask their LB's to play the game more like DB's, and Hodge will never be a good coverage LB... Hodge has a place in the league, just not with the Packers.

We don't know this. There are a lot of good college LBs who don't do well in the pros because they aren't fast enough. The one game Hodge started at MLB, Shaun Alexander ran for 200 yards against us. Barnett is better in all aspects of the game right now than Hodge--except maybe tackling. Then again, we haven't really seen Hodge tackle much against NFL starters.

[Fritz]

Hodge's attitude is more of a mystery to me than anything else. Last year he seemed to whine a bit about being shelved due to injury, and as others have noted he did not shine of ST. There's something wrong with that guy that goes beyond a lack of speed. I thought he'd be one of those gung-ho football-first guys, but he sort of sounds like a potential head case. That's not what I heard about him coming out of Iowa, so I don't get it.

[HarveyWallbangers]

GREEN BAY

Rookie OG Alan Barbre has been solid in his first month of work with the club and looks to be ahead of where the team's three rookie additions were a year ago at this time. Barbre is a physical specimen who played Division II football and left scouts with some doubts about his ability to mentally handle pro offenses. Barbre is a powerful man with very good feet. He'll have a hard time beating out Daryn Colledge or Jason Spitz for a starting guard spot, but he could be a top backup, possibly ahead of Tony Moll, the other rookie who played last year.

SCOUTING REPORT: CB Frank Walker has a shot to be the team's nickel back after signing in free agency. Walker is an aggressive player with good speed and decent size. He goes after the ball and sometimes comes up short, which allows for big plays. But his aggressiveness also results in interceptions, which is something the club needs more of. At 5-11, 196 pounds, Walker has ideal size for the slot position and should be able to provide decent run support.

MINNESOTA

QB Tarvaris Jackson has been inconsistent in spring drills, which is to be expected from a young quarterback. Jackson is adjusting to the complicated West Coast offense and while he has made some good plays, he also is showing evidence of thinking a lot. Fumbled snaps and indecision in the pocket were two examples. Still, Jackson has shown enough ability to have observers acknowledging that it is a matter of when, not if, he becomes a winning quarterback.

SCOUTING REPORT: New defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier prefers to anchor defensive ends on one side or the other, allowing players to get maximum comfort on a particular side. That decision has given DE Ray Edwards the first chance to win the starting right end position. A part-time player as a rookie, Edwards has plenty of natural pass-rushing ability and has bulked up some in the offseason in order to compete better against the run. Edwards has the inside track on the job as long as Frazier keeps Kenechi Udeze and Darrion Scott competing for the starting left end job. Erasmus James also figures as a right end, but his rehabilitation from a torn ACL will make his status in doubt until the start of training camp.

[Rastak]

http://www.steelersfever.com/editorials/0733.html


Green Bay Packers

Much like their arch-rival Minnesota, the Packers had a much better season than they are credited. Ignore that brutal Thursday Night game at Lambeau against the Vikes, this team played very well at times, and looking over the players they have -- or more to the point, don't have -- it's impressive they were able to qualify as a Year 1 Team, let alone a Year 2. At the risk of jumping on the Brett Favre Farewell bandwagon, or the Brett Favre Needs to Go bandwagon, I will point this out. Favre gutted his team to three big wins at the end of last season (the week 17 win against Chicago meant nothing to the Bears), but attempted a league-high 613 passes (Jon Kitna was second with 596). This personifies Favre's career, and it shows what we can expect in 2007. He's going down with no bullets left in his gun, but it remains to be seen whether those bullets hit their intended targets.

Still, the way he was able to rally his team around his main goal of breaking Marino's touchdowns record brought the team to a higher level than where they should have been. That's enough to call them a Year 2 Team.




Minnesota Vikings

Vikings coach Brad Childress received more criticism of any non-criminal sports-related figure in the country last season. From children dressing as him for Halloween complete with bald head and boring play chart, to his refusal to work with the media in Minneapolis, his reception has turned as cold as his nickname "Chilly." However, if you look at what the Vikings were trying to accomplish last year, he had his team on the right track. This team beat itself far too often. But this is a very correctable problem.

The Vikings had 123 penalties as a team last year. That's six higher than the second-place Kansas City Chiefs. Not every first year coach gets the hand Saints coach Sean Payton was dealt -- Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Colston in the 7th round. Childress had an uphill battle considering Brad Johnson was probably the worst quarterback in the league last season. But Chester Taylor quietly had a great season. 7th pick overall Adrian Peterson provides the Vikings the opportunity to draw up indefensible offenses like what Payton has in New Orleans.

Even with the loss of defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin, the Vikings scheme is still in place, with no negative personnel losses -- unless you consider Fred Smoot a positive contributor to a team. All Childress needs to do is crack the whip in regards to penalties, and second-year quarterback Tarvaris Jackson needs to protect the ball -- it'll take serious effort for him to do worse than Johnson did last season -- and this team is three or four games better.

[HarveyWallbangers]

TEAMS WITH $10M OR MORE OF CAP ROOM
1. Cleveland $22 million
2. Buffalo $21 million
3. Minnesota $20 million
4. Jacksonville $16.5 million
5. Kansas City $16.2 million
6. Green Bay $16 million
7. Tennessee $15.3 million
8. Dallas $13.8 million
9. Oakland $12.5 million
10. Philadelphia $11.5 million
11. St. Louis $11.5 million
12. New Orleans $11.2 million
13. Seattle $10.5 million
14. N.Y. Jets $10 million

[Fritz]

http://www.steelersfever.com/editorials/0733.html


Green Bay Packers

Much like their arch-rival Minnesota, the Packers had a much better season than they are credited. Ignore that brutal Thursday Night game at Lambeau against the Vikes, this team played very well at times, and looking over the players they have -- or more to the point, don't have -- it's impressive they were able to qualify as a Year 1 Team, let alone a Year 2. At the risk of jumping on the Brett Favre Farewell bandwagon, or the Brett Favre Needs to Go bandwagon, I will point this out. Favre gutted his team to three big wins at the end of last season (the week 17 win against Chicago meant nothing to the Bears), but attempted a league-high 613 passes (Jon Kitna was second with 596). This personifies Favre's career, and it shows what we can expect in 2007. He's going down with no bullets left in his gun, but it remains to be seen whether those bullets hit their intended targets.

Still, the way he was able to rally his team around his main goal of breaking Marino's touchdowns record brought the team to a higher level than where they should have been. That's enough to call them a Year 2 Team.




Minnesota Vikings

Vikings coach Brad Childress received more criticism of any non-criminal sports-related figure in the country last season. From children dressing as him for Halloween complete with bald head and boring play chart, to his refusal to work with the media in Minneapolis, his reception has turned as cold as his nickname "Chilly." However, if you look at what the Vikings were trying to accomplish last year, he had his team on the right track. This team beat itself far too often. But this is a very correctable problem.

The Vikings had 123 penalties as a team last year. That's six higher than the second-place Kansas City Chiefs. Not every first year coach gets the hand Saints coach Sean Payton was dealt -- Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Colston in the 7th round. Childress had an uphill battle considering Brad Johnson was probably the worst quarterback in the league last season. But Chester Taylor quietly had a great season. 7th pick overall Adrian Peterson provides the Vikings the opportunity to draw up indefensible offenses like what Payton has in New Orleans.

Even with the loss of defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin, the Vikings scheme is still in place, with no negative personnel losses -- unless you consider Fred Smoot a positive contributor to a team. All Childress needs to do is crack the whip in regards to penalties, and second-year quarterback Tarvaris Jackson needs to protect the ball -- it'll take serious effort for him to do worse than Johnson did last season -- and this team is three or four games better.

This is the kind of stuff that makes me fume. Oh, okay - no big thing to just crack the whip and ta-da! - the penalities will disappear. Easiest thing in the world.

Duh! Another writer making off-the-cuff pronouncements that have no basis in reality. All Ahman Green needs to do is work hard to stop fumbling, and the Texans should be three or four games better next year! All Brett Favre has to do is work at reducing his interceptions by half, and the Packers should be a much better team!

Hey...maybe I should be a writer.

[4and12to12and4]

I come to this site nearly on a daily basis, because I feel that the members here are more knowledgeable than any other site (except maybe Packerchatters, but many there are "footballnerds" and would rather argue about science and neourosurgery than football; sorry if I offended anyone here who regularly contributes to that site :roll: , been there, done that).

Anyhoo, I can understand those who get on guys like Fergy who have obviously underperformed while wearing the green and gold, but, for the life of me, I don't understand all this negativity towards Hodge. Most here act like he FAILED last year. The only evidence I have ever read involves the Seattle game (obviously, because it was the only game he really was given a chance). And now, in this thread all seem to agreee that he was horrible on ST. ????????????????????????????????????????????????

I have a completely different take on Mr. Hodge.

Firstly, the only time he was given a fair shot in terms of time on the field to prove himself, was preseason. I know that was just about a year ago now, but, people, please, do you remember the MONSTER that showed up in those games? He was in the backfield half the day, and laying hits on the opposition that were Lott-like. How soon we forget. There was thread after thread after thread after thread of how we could get Barnett, Hawk, and Hodge out there at the same time. I think I even saw some pictures.

Secondly, he then becomes a benchwarmer, because, if you remember, Barnett started squacking, as he heard the rumors of his sudden demise, and felt Hodge's breath down his neck.

Thirdly, he gets no real time to learn the defense by BEING OUT THERE, while Hawk begins the season not exactly getting defensive player of the week or month honors. He was steady, but no one really talked about him much the first 3/4's of the season, because, well, he was making some tackles, quite a few actually, but he wasn't making the "big plays" that we thought we were gonna get out of him. I mean, let's be honest here, we all envision Hawk to be "Urlacher", period. That's why we gave him most of the season to prove himself. He got burnt in coverage over and over and over and over, but that was ok, because, well, he's Hawk, and it takes time to get acclamated to the NFL, he's only a rookie.

Fourthly, (is fourthly a word?), so Barnett breaks his hand, and is so scared that Hodge will come in and be dominant and never relinquish the position, practically begs the front office to let him play with the broken hand, he didn't want to sit for even one game. TT and MM decide to make him sit, and hodge gets his ONE shot. It just so happens to be a day in which the footing on the field is as slippery as a Bill Clinton speech, and he AND THE REST OF THE TEAM INCLUDING HAWK, can't find a way to stop one of the best backs in the league from running, which makes sense, considering the style of running Mr. Alexander is accustomed to, which is quick, unsudden, fluid cuts and straight up runnning, nothing that requires planting your foot down and completely changing direction while all weight is on said foot (like the way LT and Bush and Barry Sanders and backs like that make a living). So, as the entire defense simply got some bad timing with Mother Nature, and Hodge shared that bad timing the one game he was given a chance, we label him as a failure, and everything else most here have since said about him. Oh, BTW, he returned an interception back for a touchdown in that game, in case you may have forgetten.

I think I've made my point. Abdul Hodge is a gifted athlete, who will, I believe if given an opportunity, WILL be a playmaker and one of the hardest hitting LB's in the game. As far as his coverage skills go, come on, shouldn't we give him as much rope there as we have given our god, and saviour, Mr. Hawk??

I'm not even going to bother with defending his ST play. Give me a break. We're judging the guy for not having 50 tackles on ST's or something? I don't even know where this is coming from. If we judged all our players on their name recognition during ST's, Fergy should be the most popular guy on this site, because has always busted his ass on ST's and is one of our best ST players we have. It hasn't changed how everyone here feels about him.

Let's give Hodge a chance to fail, before we label him a failure.