Bretsky
07-29-2007, 02:40 PM
Unknown quantity: Declining offense, rising defense muddle outlook
By Pete Dougherty
pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com
The Green Bay Packers were in no-man's land on the NFL's landscape going into their first day of training camp Saturday. For instance, Vegasinsider.com lists their over-under for wins at 7.5 and gives them 4-to-1 odds to win the NFC North Division, as opposed to the prohibitive-favorite Chicago Bears, who have 1-to-6 odds. It lists the Packers' odds of winning the NFC as 10th best among the 16 teams, at 20-to-1.
Those numbers vary a little according to the bookmaker, but overall reflect the way NFL devotees and probably even other teams view the Packers under second-year coach Mike McCarthy. The Packers are trying to make the most of their modest esteem league-wide while asserting they've grown enough from the 4-12 team of 2005 to challenge the Bears for the division title.
"I think we're going to surprise some people," cornerback Al Harris said Saturday after the Packers' first practice of training camp 2007. "I pray to God people will underestimate us, count us out. We've made some strides."
Last year at this time, the Packers were coming off that 4-12 season, had the youngest roster in the NFL and a first-time head coach at any level in McCarthy. McCarthy held the team together after a 1-4 start for an 8-8 final record, but there's still no evidence whether this is a team in decline or ascension.
The argument it's in decline: Its best offensive players, from a group that finished ninth in the NFL in yards but only 22nd in points last season, are older than 30: Quarterback Brett Favre is near the end of the line at 37, and receiver Donald Driver is 32.
The case for ascension: Defense is the strength of this team, and at least three of its best players are on the rise in weak-side linebacker A.J. Hawk (23), safety Nick Collins (24 in August) and middle linebacker Nick Barnett (26). There's also a Pro Bowler from last year hitting his prime in Aaron Kampman, a 27-year-old defensive end, plus this year's first-round draft pick at defensive tackle in Justin Harrell.
But that defense finished 25th in the NFL in points allowed last season and will have to play like it did in the last four games, all wins, to be a group on the rise. "A lot of people argue the last four games, the teams we were playing (were bad), whatever, there were a lot of excuses," center Scott Wells said. "But the facts are, you watch on film, we were a lot better football team the last four games than we were the first four games. Hopefully, we'll play better football at the beginning of this season than we were at the end of last season."
General Manager Ted Thompson has emphasized all offseason the fastest way to grow is to get better from within. He did little in the offseason except add through the draft and re-sign impending free agent defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins, as well as extend Harris' contract.
Part of that growth will have to come from individual improvement, such as guards Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz returning after starting as rookies, and part from being in the second season working with McCarthy and his coaching staff. "We're at least 50 percent better than we were at this time last year," Kampman said. "Just because of the experience our young guys have, they're no longer young guys, and because the additions we made in the draft."
Nevertheless, just making the playoffs will be a major challenge for this team, which is counting on starting the season much better than last year. In 2006, the offense, and especially the new zone-running scheme, was overmatched. In the opener against Chicago, the Packers were nothing short of brutal in a 26-0 loss.
"Last year we came in here and were running a whole new system," Driver said. "That was our downfall." The Packers also face a challenging early schedule: Three of their first five games are against 2006 playoff teams Philadelphia, San Diego and Chicago.
Because of the extensive work in minicamps and organized team activities, McCarthy has cut back on his practice schedule in training camp. In what might be a first in today's NFL, he's giving his team every Wednesday off from practice in the first three weeks of camp to help keep players fresh and healthy.
"Everything we're doing this year is geared toward starting extremely fast," Kampman said. "That's why our training camp is set up the way it is." McCarthy also has placed great faith in the conditioning program he's set up with strength and conditioning coordinator Rock Gullickson. Two players (defensive tackles Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly) failed to meet the standards in a conditioning run to pass their physicals Friday, but practice Saturday was conducted at a noticeably brisk pace. McCarthy said the workout ended 13 minutes earlier than he'd scripted.
"The execution level was high, because you didn't see a lot of repeated plays," he said. "We had too many pre-snap penalties; we had six pre-snap penalties, four drops (on passes). Those are things we have to continue to work on. I thought we got off to a good start." Nevertheless, the same question that followed the Packers into the offseason will stay with them until they prove otherwise: Where will they get their offensive punch?
Thompson failed in his bid to sign receiver Randy Moss in free agency, so his biggest additions on offense were draft picks: second-rounder Brandon Jackson at running back and third-rounder James Jones at receiver. Running backs often play major roles as rookies, but receivers usually take at least a year or two to develop. "No one said I was going to be here (as a seventh-round draft pick), and I've been here a long time, and I feel like I'm one of the best receivers in the league now," Driver said. "I got the opportunity. These guys are going to have the same opportunity, and they have to make the best of it."
The Packers are putting a lot of eggs in the Favre basket. At 37, he can't carry the team like he did several years ago, but to some degree, he'll have to try. "He carried us a few games last year," Wells said. "Anybody like that — I look at quarterbacks similar to that, Joe Montana, John Elway, Steve Young, (Dan) Marino, (Troy) Aikman, any time they have the ball in their hands, they can make big plays. Another year means he's that much more experienced. I'm not going to question his ability. I think he's one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL."
By Pete Dougherty
pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com
The Green Bay Packers were in no-man's land on the NFL's landscape going into their first day of training camp Saturday. For instance, Vegasinsider.com lists their over-under for wins at 7.5 and gives them 4-to-1 odds to win the NFC North Division, as opposed to the prohibitive-favorite Chicago Bears, who have 1-to-6 odds. It lists the Packers' odds of winning the NFC as 10th best among the 16 teams, at 20-to-1.
Those numbers vary a little according to the bookmaker, but overall reflect the way NFL devotees and probably even other teams view the Packers under second-year coach Mike McCarthy. The Packers are trying to make the most of their modest esteem league-wide while asserting they've grown enough from the 4-12 team of 2005 to challenge the Bears for the division title.
"I think we're going to surprise some people," cornerback Al Harris said Saturday after the Packers' first practice of training camp 2007. "I pray to God people will underestimate us, count us out. We've made some strides."
Last year at this time, the Packers were coming off that 4-12 season, had the youngest roster in the NFL and a first-time head coach at any level in McCarthy. McCarthy held the team together after a 1-4 start for an 8-8 final record, but there's still no evidence whether this is a team in decline or ascension.
The argument it's in decline: Its best offensive players, from a group that finished ninth in the NFL in yards but only 22nd in points last season, are older than 30: Quarterback Brett Favre is near the end of the line at 37, and receiver Donald Driver is 32.
The case for ascension: Defense is the strength of this team, and at least three of its best players are on the rise in weak-side linebacker A.J. Hawk (23), safety Nick Collins (24 in August) and middle linebacker Nick Barnett (26). There's also a Pro Bowler from last year hitting his prime in Aaron Kampman, a 27-year-old defensive end, plus this year's first-round draft pick at defensive tackle in Justin Harrell.
But that defense finished 25th in the NFL in points allowed last season and will have to play like it did in the last four games, all wins, to be a group on the rise. "A lot of people argue the last four games, the teams we were playing (were bad), whatever, there were a lot of excuses," center Scott Wells said. "But the facts are, you watch on film, we were a lot better football team the last four games than we were the first four games. Hopefully, we'll play better football at the beginning of this season than we were at the end of last season."
General Manager Ted Thompson has emphasized all offseason the fastest way to grow is to get better from within. He did little in the offseason except add through the draft and re-sign impending free agent defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins, as well as extend Harris' contract.
Part of that growth will have to come from individual improvement, such as guards Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz returning after starting as rookies, and part from being in the second season working with McCarthy and his coaching staff. "We're at least 50 percent better than we were at this time last year," Kampman said. "Just because of the experience our young guys have, they're no longer young guys, and because the additions we made in the draft."
Nevertheless, just making the playoffs will be a major challenge for this team, which is counting on starting the season much better than last year. In 2006, the offense, and especially the new zone-running scheme, was overmatched. In the opener against Chicago, the Packers were nothing short of brutal in a 26-0 loss.
"Last year we came in here and were running a whole new system," Driver said. "That was our downfall." The Packers also face a challenging early schedule: Three of their first five games are against 2006 playoff teams Philadelphia, San Diego and Chicago.
Because of the extensive work in minicamps and organized team activities, McCarthy has cut back on his practice schedule in training camp. In what might be a first in today's NFL, he's giving his team every Wednesday off from practice in the first three weeks of camp to help keep players fresh and healthy.
"Everything we're doing this year is geared toward starting extremely fast," Kampman said. "That's why our training camp is set up the way it is." McCarthy also has placed great faith in the conditioning program he's set up with strength and conditioning coordinator Rock Gullickson. Two players (defensive tackles Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly) failed to meet the standards in a conditioning run to pass their physicals Friday, but practice Saturday was conducted at a noticeably brisk pace. McCarthy said the workout ended 13 minutes earlier than he'd scripted.
"The execution level was high, because you didn't see a lot of repeated plays," he said. "We had too many pre-snap penalties; we had six pre-snap penalties, four drops (on passes). Those are things we have to continue to work on. I thought we got off to a good start." Nevertheless, the same question that followed the Packers into the offseason will stay with them until they prove otherwise: Where will they get their offensive punch?
Thompson failed in his bid to sign receiver Randy Moss in free agency, so his biggest additions on offense were draft picks: second-rounder Brandon Jackson at running back and third-rounder James Jones at receiver. Running backs often play major roles as rookies, but receivers usually take at least a year or two to develop. "No one said I was going to be here (as a seventh-round draft pick), and I've been here a long time, and I feel like I'm one of the best receivers in the league now," Driver said. "I got the opportunity. These guys are going to have the same opportunity, and they have to make the best of it."
The Packers are putting a lot of eggs in the Favre basket. At 37, he can't carry the team like he did several years ago, but to some degree, he'll have to try. "He carried us a few games last year," Wells said. "Anybody like that — I look at quarterbacks similar to that, Joe Montana, John Elway, Steve Young, (Dan) Marino, (Troy) Aikman, any time they have the ball in their hands, they can make big plays. Another year means he's that much more experienced. I'm not going to question his ability. I think he's one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL."