Partial
08-20-2007, 10:34 PM
Green Bay - You'd have to have a lot of faith in the healing powers of the Green Bay Packers' medical staff to think that anyone but rookie Brandon Jackson will be the starting halfback come opening day.
Jackson has started both exhibition games, and after posting a respectable 13-carry, 54-yard, one-touchdown performance in the Packers' 48-13 victory Saturday night over the Seattle Seahawks, there's little reason to think he won't be No. 1 on the depth chart the rest of training camp.
Jackson's main competition, Vernand Morency, isn't ready to return to the field, and so the rookie from Nebraska will go into the third exhibition game poised to handle most of the running duties. General manager Ted Thompson said he thought rookie DeShawn Wynn (thigh) was still day-to-day and was not guaranteed of returning for the Jacksonville game Thursday, leaving Jackson, rookie Corey White and veteran Noah Herron to handle the rushing load.
It was supposed to be a two-man race between Jackson and Morency, but it has turned out to be no race at all.
"Right now, he's definitely way ahead because the other guy unfortunately hasn't competed at all," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "There's really no comparison at this stage."
To many observers, including Packers coach Mike McCarthy and Philbin, Jackson ran with better balance and fewer steps as he made his cuts into the hole, but Thompson said he didn't see anything different in Jackson than he did a week earlier at Pittsburgh. It appeared Jackson had far better success running the ball and was also more stout in his pass protection against Seattle, though some of that might have had to do with the overall performance of the offense.
Asked if he saw a difference in Jackson from the Pittsburgh game to the Seattle game, Thompson said Sunday: "Not that I could tell. He looks the same to me. He's quick, he has strong lowers, strong hands and runs hard. I'd have to say he looked the same. But we're liking what we see."
Sagging protection
It didn't look as if the Packers did much wrong Saturday night, but Philbin saw it differently.
Despite the offense's four scoring drives resulting in 24 points, Philbin wasn't thrilled with some of the pass protection and ball security he witnessed on the soggy Lambeau Field turf. The Packers turned the ball over five times, just one fewer than the Seahawks.
"Guys stepped up and made plays, but we did not do a good job protecting the football," Philbin said. "It was real disappointing to have all those turnovers. I thought a couple of times there were some hits on the quarterback that were unnecessary.
"They had some pressures and some blitzes that weren't handled well because we didn't get in the right protection or we didn't get rid of the ball in time and our quarterback got hit. That was real disappointing."
Early in the game, right tackle Mark Tauscher struggled in pass protection, getting flagged for a holding penalty on the first series and allowing a pair of pressures on quarterback Brett Favre. On a third-down play in which tight end Donald Lee got open on a post route, Seattle linebacker Lofa Tatupu hit Favre just as he was releasing the ball, causing Favre to throw over Lee's head.
Later, backup Aaron Rodgers let a shotgun snap slip through his hands for a fumble and then coughed up the ball again when he and the line failed to read a blitz, and the ball was knocked free from Rodgers by defensive end Daryl Tapp.
Down and out
Thompson shed no new light on the knee injuries suffered by returner Shaun Bodiford, end Mike Montgomery, tackle Orrin Thompson and fullback Ryan Powdrell.
All four suffered medial collateral ligament sprains, but Thompson said each was to a different degree and he wasn't divulging whose was worse. He said tests were still being taken to determine the extent of the injuries.
As a result of Montgomery's injury, defensive tackle Corey Williams played left end for a series. The move was made to help fill the void left by Montgomery's injury, but also to keep Williams familiar with the end spot in case he needs to play it during the season.
"I think all along we looked at him as a guy you could put out there," Thompson said. "Depending on how you suit up a 45-man roster maybe he becomes a little more of a swing guy. He certainly has the versatility to do that."
Extenuating circumstances
Fourth-string quarterback Paul Thompson's performance was not what the Packers were looking for, but Ted Thompson said it wasn't a clear indication of the rookie's talents.
Paul Thompson completed five of 10 passes for 49 yards and was intercepted twice.
"I think sometimes you can read too much into that from a negative standpoint," Ted Thompson said. "The game was deteriorating quite a bit, especially in the second half, and sometimes the game can get away from you. I know it did for Seattle, so I don't think you can read too much into it. But I think he did some good things last night."
Jackson has started both exhibition games, and after posting a respectable 13-carry, 54-yard, one-touchdown performance in the Packers' 48-13 victory Saturday night over the Seattle Seahawks, there's little reason to think he won't be No. 1 on the depth chart the rest of training camp.
Jackson's main competition, Vernand Morency, isn't ready to return to the field, and so the rookie from Nebraska will go into the third exhibition game poised to handle most of the running duties. General manager Ted Thompson said he thought rookie DeShawn Wynn (thigh) was still day-to-day and was not guaranteed of returning for the Jacksonville game Thursday, leaving Jackson, rookie Corey White and veteran Noah Herron to handle the rushing load.
It was supposed to be a two-man race between Jackson and Morency, but it has turned out to be no race at all.
"Right now, he's definitely way ahead because the other guy unfortunately hasn't competed at all," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "There's really no comparison at this stage."
To many observers, including Packers coach Mike McCarthy and Philbin, Jackson ran with better balance and fewer steps as he made his cuts into the hole, but Thompson said he didn't see anything different in Jackson than he did a week earlier at Pittsburgh. It appeared Jackson had far better success running the ball and was also more stout in his pass protection against Seattle, though some of that might have had to do with the overall performance of the offense.
Asked if he saw a difference in Jackson from the Pittsburgh game to the Seattle game, Thompson said Sunday: "Not that I could tell. He looks the same to me. He's quick, he has strong lowers, strong hands and runs hard. I'd have to say he looked the same. But we're liking what we see."
Sagging protection
It didn't look as if the Packers did much wrong Saturday night, but Philbin saw it differently.
Despite the offense's four scoring drives resulting in 24 points, Philbin wasn't thrilled with some of the pass protection and ball security he witnessed on the soggy Lambeau Field turf. The Packers turned the ball over five times, just one fewer than the Seahawks.
"Guys stepped up and made plays, but we did not do a good job protecting the football," Philbin said. "It was real disappointing to have all those turnovers. I thought a couple of times there were some hits on the quarterback that were unnecessary.
"They had some pressures and some blitzes that weren't handled well because we didn't get in the right protection or we didn't get rid of the ball in time and our quarterback got hit. That was real disappointing."
Early in the game, right tackle Mark Tauscher struggled in pass protection, getting flagged for a holding penalty on the first series and allowing a pair of pressures on quarterback Brett Favre. On a third-down play in which tight end Donald Lee got open on a post route, Seattle linebacker Lofa Tatupu hit Favre just as he was releasing the ball, causing Favre to throw over Lee's head.
Later, backup Aaron Rodgers let a shotgun snap slip through his hands for a fumble and then coughed up the ball again when he and the line failed to read a blitz, and the ball was knocked free from Rodgers by defensive end Daryl Tapp.
Down and out
Thompson shed no new light on the knee injuries suffered by returner Shaun Bodiford, end Mike Montgomery, tackle Orrin Thompson and fullback Ryan Powdrell.
All four suffered medial collateral ligament sprains, but Thompson said each was to a different degree and he wasn't divulging whose was worse. He said tests were still being taken to determine the extent of the injuries.
As a result of Montgomery's injury, defensive tackle Corey Williams played left end for a series. The move was made to help fill the void left by Montgomery's injury, but also to keep Williams familiar with the end spot in case he needs to play it during the season.
"I think all along we looked at him as a guy you could put out there," Thompson said. "Depending on how you suit up a 45-man roster maybe he becomes a little more of a swing guy. He certainly has the versatility to do that."
Extenuating circumstances
Fourth-string quarterback Paul Thompson's performance was not what the Packers were looking for, but Ted Thompson said it wasn't a clear indication of the rookie's talents.
Paul Thompson completed five of 10 passes for 49 yards and was intercepted twice.
"I think sometimes you can read too much into that from a negative standpoint," Ted Thompson said. "The game was deteriorating quite a bit, especially in the second half, and sometimes the game can get away from you. I know it did for Seattle, so I don't think you can read too much into it. But I think he did some good things last night."