HarveyWallbangers
09-03-2007, 01:03 PM
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/packers/home.htm
Packers Team Report
USA Today
Standing alone as the top defensive playmaker in the NFC after tying for the conference lead in interceptions last season isn't what Charles Woodson is eyeing this season.
"I'm looking for the playoffs this year. Nothing less," he asserted.
Considering what he's put up with his first nine years in the league, it's understandable that the four-time Pro Bowl cornerback is antsy to experience playing football well into January.
"I want to win games. I've been mediocre team wise for the last five years, playing in Oakland and then coming here last year," Woodson said. "(Last year's) 8-8 (record) was a decent season; we ended up on a good note. But, we've just got to get wins. We've got to get into the playoffs to have a chance."
Whether the Packers are any closer to ending a two-year postseason absence than they were at the end of last season, when they won their final four games to barely miss earning a berth, is debatable.
Green Bay had the youngest team in the league in 2006 and won't be much older this season. In fact, general manager Ted Thompson, who is committed to a philosophy of building through the draft, might have four of his 11 picks this year play significant roles as the season gets going.
Running back Brandon Jackson (second round) and converted linebacker Korey Hall (sixth) are penciled in as starters at halfback and fullback, respectively. James Jones (third) is a bona fide top-three receiver. Mason Crosby (sixth) was going down to the wire in the preseason to wrest the kicking job from incumbent Dave Rayner.
The reliance on youth, though, underscores 37-year-old quarterback Brett Favre's pet peeve that he uttered for everyone to hear early in the offseason. Favre questioned the direction of the franchise for which he has been a leader since 1992 when Thompson chose not to upgrade the offense with veteran playmakers, namely receiver Randy Moss, who was available for a song in a trade with Oakland.
With the likes of Woodson, fellow shutdown corner Al Harris, linebackers Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk and ends Aaron Kampman and Cullen Jenkins, the Packers enter the 2007 campaign with a formidable defense that could carry them in the short term.
Yet, any echoing of Woodson's playoff-hungry sentiments may fall on deaf ears because of an offense that appears to be worse off than how it ended last season, when it finished a respectable ninth in the league.
The 23rd-rated rushing attack lost franchise back Ahman Green to a lucrative free-agent contract from Houston. In his place are Jackson, a rookie who has potential but has never been a full-time featured back, and injury-plagued Vernand Morency.
The Packers threw the football 60.3 percent of the time last year with Green on board. Second-year head coach Mike McCarthy, the play caller for the offense, can't fathom asking Favre to put the ball up more than 600 times, as he has done the last two years. McCarthy might have no other choice, however, as he tries to repair an offense that had the worst red-zone production in the NFC last season.
"I hope it's 50-50. It would be great," McCarthy said of the run-pass ratio. "But, it's not going to be. Probably more like 45-55."
COACHING: Mike McCarthy, second year (8-8).
REMEMBERING: 2006 record: 8-8 (2nd in NFC North); didn't qualify for playoffs for second straight year.
PREDICTING: 2007 regular season record: 7-9 (3rd in NFC North); don't qualify for playoffs.
—Question marks abound on offense, which ended the preseason as an out-of-sorts unit. Top receiver Donald Driver suffered a foot injury that leaves his status for the Sept. 9 opener against the Eagles up in the air.
It's anyone's guess how the team will function o the ground because it's counting on unheralded rookie Brandon Jackson to be the starter after Vernand Morency was sidelined the entire preseason with a knee injury.
That leaves the defense to pick up the slack. The unit, which was ripe for giving up big plays the first half of last season, came on like gangbusters down the stretch and will start this season with nine, possibly 10, starters still in place.
Three keys for the season:
1. Establish a productive running game. After letting franchise back Ahman Green bolt for Houston in free agency, the Packers are counting on a nondescript group to revive a ground attack that ranked 23rd in the league last year. Coach Mike McCarthy doesn't want Brett Favre throwing the football 60 percent of the time again, but that might be the case if Jackson and Morency, once he returns, can't run for daylight.
2. The defense takes the outcome of games into its own hands. Given the possible shortcomings on offense, a loaded defensive unit will have to be more opportunistic after it made strides toward the end of last season. The team won its last four games thanks in big part to 13 takeaways.
3. Restore home-field advantage. Playing at Lambeau Field has been a recipe for disaster for Green Bay of late. It has won only six of its last 18 games at once-venerable Lambeau Field. What's more, it has lost four straight home openers.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
RB Brandon Jackson: This year's second-round draft pick was supposed to be part of a back-by-committee with top returnee Vernand Morency. Jackson, though, became the guy to try to resuscitate Green Bay's ground game when Morency was felled by a knee injury on the first day of training camp. Since Morency will need time to get back in the flow of the offense early in the season, it's incumbent on the shifty Jackson to produce carrying a full load.
WR James Jones: The big hit of the preseason has been likened by Brett Favre to former Packers great Sterling Sharpe because of his strong hands and ease in shaking defenders after the catch. To the chagrin of Favre, however, Jones is far from a polished route runner. With Donald Driver (sprained foot) shaky for the start of the season, Jones will be counted on early in the season to keep producing.
DE Aaron Kampman: The veteran flew under the radar during the preseason after he was out the entire offseason because of arthroscopic knee surgery. Cullen Jenkins, starting on the other side, garnered a good deal of attention in the preseason for his playmaking. If Jenkins can occupy some attention from blockers, that could free Kampman up for an encore performance of his NFC-leading 15.5 sacks in 2006.
Return specialist Will Blackmon: The second-year cornerback seemingly is healthy, although he suffered a broken left thumb late in the preseason. Having him on the field gives the Packers a breakaway, tenacious returner who can reverse their fortunes after having the worst special-teams units in the league the last two years.
TOP GAME TO WATCH: Bears at Packers, Oct. 7: Nationally televised Sunday night game comes at a point where the fate of Green Bay's season could hang in the balance, even if it is Week 5. Will the Packers, who have been notorious for slow starts in recent years, be limping in against the rival Bears, who have manhandled Green Bay the last three years at Lambeau Field? Or, will the Packers be in position to solidify a hoped-for solid start by getting revenge on the reigning NFC champions?
PLAYER NOTES:
—WR Donald Driver was held out of the Aug. 30 preseason finale at Tennessee because of sprained right foot. The team's No. 1 receiver suffered the injury in the Aug. 23 loss to Jacksonville. Preliminary indications are that Driver will be ready for the Sept. 9 season opener against Philadelphia.
—RB Brandon Jackson, who started the first three games at halfback, also didn't play in the final exhibition game because of a mild concussion. The rookie collided with linebacker Brady Poppinga on a red-zone run in practice Aug. 26 and dropped out a short time later. Jackson is optimistic he'll be ready for the start of the season.
—RB Vernand Morency remained out with the strained patellar tendon in his right knee, an injury he suffered on the first day of training camp July 28. Morency is questionable for the season opener.
—RG Jason Spitz aggravated a strained calf in the Aug. 23 game and didn't play against the Titans. Junius Coston was to start in Spitz's absence. The team is hopeful to have Spitz back in the lineup on opening day.
—CB Will Blackmon suffered a fractured left thumb in the Aug. 23 game. He was fitted with a small cast and was expected to play in the preseason finale, including serving in his dual role as kick returner at the outset.
—DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila was kept out of the final two preseason games because of a knee bruise. Whether the pass-rush specialist will be ready for the season opener hasn't been clarified.
—T Tony Moll has yet to fully recover from a neck stinger sustained early in training camp and didn't play in any preseason games. The future of Moll, who started 10 games as a rookie last season, remaining with the club is cloudy.
NOTES, QUOTES
—LB Abdul Hodge likely will be taking a redshirt year during his second pro season. Hodge has been plagued since last season with patellar tendinitis in both knees.
He was scheduled to meet Aug. 29 with New York Giants physician Russell Warren for a second medical opinion. Pending the outcome of that assessment, Hodge was prepared to spend this season on injured reserve.
"It's been up and down (trying to play with the balky knees), but it's something that I'll definitely have to take care of because I'm not able to play up to my potential," said Hodge, adding he's occasionally endured sharp pain. "It takes away from my game."
Hodge, a third-round draft pick, was limited to eight games as a rookie because of knee and shoulder injuries.
His frequent absences in the offseason and throughout training camp allowed rookie Desmond Bishop to assume the No. 2 job at middle linebacker behind Nick Barnett.
—WR Carlyle Holiday started taking snaps at quarterback after practice Aug. 28 and is under strong consideration to serve as an emergency No. 3 QB at the start of the season.
The ability of Holiday to play quarterback, where he was a starter for two seasons at Notre Dame before switching to receiver, could influence general manager Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy's decision to veer from the norm and keep only two QBs (Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers) on the 53-man roster.
"That's something that we have discussed. There is a plan for that," McCarthy said. "We're going to play the percentages. The odds are in our favor" that the team would lose both iron man Favre and Rodgers to a significant injury.
Holiday, who is a good bet to make the team as the No. 5 receiver, said he would be ready to slide in at quarterback if called upon.
"It's not a hard job to do, being able to take a snap. I've been doing it for so long," he said. "If I couldn't take a snap now, then there's something wrong with me. I've played quarterback for so long."
Ingle Martin, the No. 3 QB last season, was released in the first round of roster cuts and might be re-signed to the practice squad. Undrafted rookie Paul Thompson finished the preseason at the third quarterback but wasn't worthy of being on the 53.
—QB Aaron Rodgers said at the end of his strong training camp that the finest of several good throws he made was a pass to Ruvell Martin that didn't count in the preseason opener Aug. 11 at Pittsburgh.
Rodgers escaped pressure and on the run fired a 15-yard strike to Martin in the back of the end zone for an apparent touchdown. Martin, though, stepped over the end line before making the catch, thus nullifying it with the penalty.
"Unfortunately, he stepped out," Rodgers said.
BY THE NUMBERS: 0 — Turnover margin last season (33 takeaways, 33 giveaways), the team's best ratio since it also was even in 2003.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "When a player like that gets injured, it makes for good TV or radio and things like that, but it does concern you. I think he'll be fine. Being that he's a receiver and it's a foot injury, that is a concern, being that he has to cut and do those things. But, Donald's played through injuries before. You talk with him, and he's very optimistic." — Quarterback Brett Favre on the outlook for having top receiver Donald Driver available for the start of the season Sept. 9. Driver has been sidelined since suffering a sprained right foot against Jacksonville on Aug. 23.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
NOTABLE MOVES: Acquired RB Ryan Grant from Giants. Released S Marquand Manuel.
The Packers offense was chock full of huge voids when the team wrapped up the preseason Aug. 30 at Tennessee.
Sidelined were top receiver Donald Driver, who suffered a sprained right foot in the previous game, and top running backs Brandon Jackson and Vernand Morency. Jackson is recovering from a mild concussion sustained in practice Aug. 26. Morency hasn't been on the field since suffering a strained patellar tendon in his right knee on the first day of training camp July 28. The team expects to have Jackson back for the season opener Sept. 9 and is hopeful of having Morency available, too.
Rookie running back DeShawn Wynn, though, returned for the final week of the preseason. Wynn had missed most of training camp because of a strained quadriceps. He was given a final shot against the Titans to try to win a roster spot.
Fullback Ryan Powdrell, an undrafted rookie, was placed on injured reserve Aug. 27. He suffered medial-collateral-ligament damage in a knee Aug. 18 against Seattle.
PLAYER TO WATCH: SS Atari Bigby — It was no surprise the coaching staff decided to move on without Marquand Manuel as the starter, demoting last year's mistake-prone veteran addition midway through the preseason. Yet, Bigby wasn't the first name that came to mind for most observers as the guy who would replace Manuel at strong safety. Marviel Underwood figured to make a run for the job after doing so the previous August before he suffered a season-ending knee injury. Underwood, though, was an early camp cut this year. Third-round draft pick Aaron Rouse also didn't rise to the occasion. Bigby, on the other hand, has been a well-received addition to the starting lineup. The second-year player was Mr. Impact in a preseason rout of Seattle. He is a disruptive force playing close to the line and should factor in defensive coordinator Bob Sanders' blitz plans. Bigby needs to be more assignment sure in coverage but is an upgrade over Manuel.
DRAFT PICKS TO STICK:
Rd. 1/16, DT Justin Harrell, Tennessee — The odds are good the team's top draft pick will be deactivated for the Sept. 9 season opener. He reported to training camp out of football shape after being held out of team drills the entire offseason to ensure full recovery from a ruptured biceps tendon last year in college. In turn, he was only good to run with the No. 3 defense, ranking no better than fifth with the tackles.
Rd. 2/63, RB Brandon Jackson, Nebraska — Thrust into the starting job at halfback after Vernand Morency suffered a knee injury on the first day of camp. Jackson has shown flashes of being a capable featured back as a rookie, but he has a ways to go as a blocker. He suffered a concussion in practice Aug. 26 and didn't play in the final preseason game.
Rd. 3/78, WR James Jones, San Jose State — The standout of camp will open the season as the No. 3 receiver, but it might not be long before he overtakes unproductive Greg Jennings on the depth chart. Jones was the team's top pass catcher in the preseason games and is a big target for Brett Favre.
Rd. 3/89, S Aaron Rouse, Virginia Tech — Will bide his time backing up Nick Collins at free safety. His preseason ended on a downer with a hamstring injury. The team is high on his imposing 6-foot-4, 223-pound frame.
Rd. 4/119, G Allen Barbre, Missouri Southern State — Small-school product established himself as one of the top two backup linemen from the outset of camp. Extremely athletic for a 300-pound lineman. He was moved inside to left guard after strictly being a left tackle in college and could be the team's starting left tackle of the future.
Rd. 6/191, FB Korey Hall, Boise State — Converted linebacker was a quick study with the offensive playbook and, naturally, brought a hard-nosed mentality to his new position. He seized the starting job early in camp after incumbent Brandon Miree was lost for an extended period because of a stinger.
Rd. 6/192, LB Desmond Bishop, California — He made probably the team's biggest hit of the preseason when he popped Jacksonville receiver Reggie Williams over the middle on a pass play and sent Williams' helmet flying. Bishop was steady throughout camp to gain the nod as the No. 2 middle linebacker over injury-plagued Abdul Hodge.
Rd. 6/193, K Mason Crosby, Colorado —- Strong-legged Crosby held his own against incumbent Dave Rayner for the entire camp and seemingly had the inside track to win the kicking job, if only one guy was kept.
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACK: Starter — Brett Favre. Backup — Aaron Rodgers.
Favre begged to play more in the preseason games than he has in recent years so he could try to get in sync with a mostly young cast of receivers. Coach Mike McCarthy, though, played it safe with his 37-year-old QB, who underwent ankle surgery in the offseason and experienced shoulder soreness during spring workouts. McCarthy's aim is to have Favre turn in his most efficient season of a celebrated 17-year pro career. While a low-risk approach that was instituted last year sliced Favre's interception total from a career-high 29 in 2005 to 18, he had a career-worst 56.0 completion percentage and a career-low-tying 18 touchdown passes. To get those numbers up, a leaner Favre, who is on the verge of a few notable league records, will be moving out of the pocket more. Rodgers had his best preseason of his first three years in the league, showing off a strong arm and mobility after recovering from a season-ending broken foot. The team appeared to be inclined to keep just two quarterbacks, since they got next to nothing from incumbent No. 3 Ingle Martin and undrafted rookie Paul Thompson. Receiver Carlyle Holiday, a former QB at Notre Dame, was being considered as an emergency backup.
RUNNING BACKS: Starters — HB Brandon Jackson, FB Korey Hall. Backups — HB Vernand Morency, Ryan Grant.
The anticipated competition between top holdover Morency and second-round draft pick Jackson for the starting halfback job never materialized because Morency suffered a knee injury on the first day of training camp and has yet to return. Jackson started the first three preseason games before being knocked out the final week with a mild concussion. He should be ready to start the season opener, though the jury is out on whether the part-time starter at Nebraska can become a productive featured back. The position was in disarray throughout camp. DeShawn Wynn, a seventh-round draftee, hurt his chances to contend for a job when he was out for an extended period with a thigh injury. A stinger incurred by incumbent Brandon Miree cost him the starting job at fullback, where sixth-round draft pick Hall opened eyes with a seamless conversion from linebacker in college.
TIGHT END: Starter — Donald Lee. Backups — Bubba Franks.
Lee jumped ahead of Franks on the depth chart in the spring, which was construed to be a wakeup call for Franks coming off his worst season in seven years as a pro. Franks did respond with a solid preseason, including a few significant downfield catches in game action. Lee is considered the better vertical threat but wasn't nearly as productive as Franks and was hampered at times by knee issues. After losing up-and-comer Tory Humphrey to a season-ending ankle injury at the outset of camp, the Packers have little to speak of at the No. 3 spot.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters — FL Donald Driver, SE Greg Jennings. Backups — James Jones, Ruvell Martin, Carlyle Holiday.
As long as the team has assurances that Driver will be good to go for the season opener after suffering a sprained foot Aug. 23, it was more apt to keep five receivers. Otherwise, fifth-round draft pick David Clowney, a raw receiver, could earn a reprieve after a lackluster showing most of the preseason. Shaun Bodiford was in good shape for a roster spot until he suffered a severe knee injury returning the game-opening kickoff Aug. 18. Thankfully, the offense has a playmaking threat in Jones, a third-round draftee. He was the top receiver in the preseason and could be pushing Jennings for the No. 2 job before long. Martin and Holiday are big, possession-type receivers who excel on fade routes in the end zone. Koren Robinson, serving a one-year, league-imposed suspension, would be eligible for reinstatement after Week 2.
OFFENSIVE LINE: Starters — LT Chad Clifton, LG Daryn Colledge, C Scott Wells, RG Jason Spitz, RT Mark Tauscher. Backups — G/T Junius Coston, G Allen Barbre, T Tony Moll, G/C Tony Palmer.
Unlike last year, the line has continuity entering the season. Colledge and Spitz survived a baptism by fire as rookie starters in 2006 and join Wells as interior piledrivers in the zone-blocking run scheme. Veteran bookends Clifton and Tauscher are at their best in pass protection. The athletic Coston, who can play all five positions, had his best camp in three years and will be on call for a starting assignment at right guard in Week 1 if Spitz isn't over a calf injury he aggravated in the penultimate preseason game. Barbre, a fourth-round draft pick, looks to be a long-term keeper as a starting candidate at either left guard or left tackle. Moll, a pleasant surprise as a rookie pressed into a starting job most of last season, had a wasted preseason because of a neck stinger and isn't a lock to be kept.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Starters — LDE Aaron Kampman, RDE Cullen Jenkins, LDT Ryan Pickett, RDT Johnny Jolly. Backups — DE/DT Corey Williams, DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, DE Michael Montgomery, DE Jason Hunter, DT Justin Harrell, DT Colin Cole, DT Daniel Muir.
The team's deepest unit created a veritable logjam for spots on the 53-man roster. Ten linemen likely would survive the final cut. Kampman, Jenkins and Pickett were assured of starting jobs. Jolly, a beast with athleticism, was pushing incumbent Williams for the other tackle spot. Harrell was a projected starter as the first-round draft pick this year, but he never could get more than a cameo rep with the first unit in practice and might be relegated to a game-day inactive early in the season. Cole and surprise undrafted rookie Muir were battling for perhaps one other spot at tackle. The depth at end was fuzzy because Gbaja-Biamila and Montgomery were out the last couple weeks with knee injuries.
LINEBACKERS: Starters — WLB A.J. Hawk, SLB Brady Poppinga, MLB Nick Barnett. Backups — MLB Desmond Bishop, WLB Tracy White.
The Packers are rock solid with young playmakers Hawk and Barnett. Poppinga was a capable first-year starter last season, but he needs to shore up lapses in coverage. The depth at all three linebacker spots is suspect. However, Bishop, a sixth-round draftee, took advantage of knee problems that KO'd Abdul Hodge for the season and is a big-hitting, instinctive understudy for Barnett. White has marginal skills on the outside but is invaluable as a special-teams performer.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters — LCB Charles Woodson, RCB Al Harris, SS Atari Bigby, FS Nick Collins. Backups — CB Jarrett Bush, Will Blackmon, Patrick Dendy, Frank Walker; S Aaron Rouse, S Charlie Peprah.
Big-play Bigby made the jump to bump Manuel from a starting job and possibly out of Green Bay altogether. Bigby needs to be more consistent on the back end. Otherwise, there are no qualms with the other three starters, though Collins has to bounce back from an uneven sophomore season. Bush played his way into the nickel-back spot with his athleticism and ball skills. Blackmon is a keeper because of his kick-return capabilities, possessing quickness and sound instincts as a defender. The last cornerback spot figured to come down to Dendy, who relinquished the nickel-back role, and Walker, the team's only notable offseason acquisition. Third-round draft pick Rouse has starter potential but is nursing a sore hamstring. If the team indeed cuts ties with Manuel, whom it signed to a five-year, $10 million contract in free agency last year.
SPECIAL TEAMS: PK Mason Crosby; P Jon Ryan; LS Rob Davis; KOR Will Blackmon; PR Blackmon.
Some consideration was being given to keeping both kickers, but there really is no need because they're strong-legged clones who can handle all facets of the kicking game. Crosby held a slight edge in a hotly contested camp, and the fact that he was a draft pick (sixth round) could work in his favor to unseat incumbent Rayner. The booming Ryan had a prolific preseason, making the necessary inroads in improving his hang time with a new two-step delivery. Davis, the club's oldest player at 38, remains one of the premier long snappers in the game. Blackmon, provided he can stay healthy, could give Green Bay an explosive return man for the first time since Allen Rossum in 2001.
Packers Team Report
USA Today
Standing alone as the top defensive playmaker in the NFC after tying for the conference lead in interceptions last season isn't what Charles Woodson is eyeing this season.
"I'm looking for the playoffs this year. Nothing less," he asserted.
Considering what he's put up with his first nine years in the league, it's understandable that the four-time Pro Bowl cornerback is antsy to experience playing football well into January.
"I want to win games. I've been mediocre team wise for the last five years, playing in Oakland and then coming here last year," Woodson said. "(Last year's) 8-8 (record) was a decent season; we ended up on a good note. But, we've just got to get wins. We've got to get into the playoffs to have a chance."
Whether the Packers are any closer to ending a two-year postseason absence than they were at the end of last season, when they won their final four games to barely miss earning a berth, is debatable.
Green Bay had the youngest team in the league in 2006 and won't be much older this season. In fact, general manager Ted Thompson, who is committed to a philosophy of building through the draft, might have four of his 11 picks this year play significant roles as the season gets going.
Running back Brandon Jackson (second round) and converted linebacker Korey Hall (sixth) are penciled in as starters at halfback and fullback, respectively. James Jones (third) is a bona fide top-three receiver. Mason Crosby (sixth) was going down to the wire in the preseason to wrest the kicking job from incumbent Dave Rayner.
The reliance on youth, though, underscores 37-year-old quarterback Brett Favre's pet peeve that he uttered for everyone to hear early in the offseason. Favre questioned the direction of the franchise for which he has been a leader since 1992 when Thompson chose not to upgrade the offense with veteran playmakers, namely receiver Randy Moss, who was available for a song in a trade with Oakland.
With the likes of Woodson, fellow shutdown corner Al Harris, linebackers Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk and ends Aaron Kampman and Cullen Jenkins, the Packers enter the 2007 campaign with a formidable defense that could carry them in the short term.
Yet, any echoing of Woodson's playoff-hungry sentiments may fall on deaf ears because of an offense that appears to be worse off than how it ended last season, when it finished a respectable ninth in the league.
The 23rd-rated rushing attack lost franchise back Ahman Green to a lucrative free-agent contract from Houston. In his place are Jackson, a rookie who has potential but has never been a full-time featured back, and injury-plagued Vernand Morency.
The Packers threw the football 60.3 percent of the time last year with Green on board. Second-year head coach Mike McCarthy, the play caller for the offense, can't fathom asking Favre to put the ball up more than 600 times, as he has done the last two years. McCarthy might have no other choice, however, as he tries to repair an offense that had the worst red-zone production in the NFC last season.
"I hope it's 50-50. It would be great," McCarthy said of the run-pass ratio. "But, it's not going to be. Probably more like 45-55."
COACHING: Mike McCarthy, second year (8-8).
REMEMBERING: 2006 record: 8-8 (2nd in NFC North); didn't qualify for playoffs for second straight year.
PREDICTING: 2007 regular season record: 7-9 (3rd in NFC North); don't qualify for playoffs.
—Question marks abound on offense, which ended the preseason as an out-of-sorts unit. Top receiver Donald Driver suffered a foot injury that leaves his status for the Sept. 9 opener against the Eagles up in the air.
It's anyone's guess how the team will function o the ground because it's counting on unheralded rookie Brandon Jackson to be the starter after Vernand Morency was sidelined the entire preseason with a knee injury.
That leaves the defense to pick up the slack. The unit, which was ripe for giving up big plays the first half of last season, came on like gangbusters down the stretch and will start this season with nine, possibly 10, starters still in place.
Three keys for the season:
1. Establish a productive running game. After letting franchise back Ahman Green bolt for Houston in free agency, the Packers are counting on a nondescript group to revive a ground attack that ranked 23rd in the league last year. Coach Mike McCarthy doesn't want Brett Favre throwing the football 60 percent of the time again, but that might be the case if Jackson and Morency, once he returns, can't run for daylight.
2. The defense takes the outcome of games into its own hands. Given the possible shortcomings on offense, a loaded defensive unit will have to be more opportunistic after it made strides toward the end of last season. The team won its last four games thanks in big part to 13 takeaways.
3. Restore home-field advantage. Playing at Lambeau Field has been a recipe for disaster for Green Bay of late. It has won only six of its last 18 games at once-venerable Lambeau Field. What's more, it has lost four straight home openers.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
RB Brandon Jackson: This year's second-round draft pick was supposed to be part of a back-by-committee with top returnee Vernand Morency. Jackson, though, became the guy to try to resuscitate Green Bay's ground game when Morency was felled by a knee injury on the first day of training camp. Since Morency will need time to get back in the flow of the offense early in the season, it's incumbent on the shifty Jackson to produce carrying a full load.
WR James Jones: The big hit of the preseason has been likened by Brett Favre to former Packers great Sterling Sharpe because of his strong hands and ease in shaking defenders after the catch. To the chagrin of Favre, however, Jones is far from a polished route runner. With Donald Driver (sprained foot) shaky for the start of the season, Jones will be counted on early in the season to keep producing.
DE Aaron Kampman: The veteran flew under the radar during the preseason after he was out the entire offseason because of arthroscopic knee surgery. Cullen Jenkins, starting on the other side, garnered a good deal of attention in the preseason for his playmaking. If Jenkins can occupy some attention from blockers, that could free Kampman up for an encore performance of his NFC-leading 15.5 sacks in 2006.
Return specialist Will Blackmon: The second-year cornerback seemingly is healthy, although he suffered a broken left thumb late in the preseason. Having him on the field gives the Packers a breakaway, tenacious returner who can reverse their fortunes after having the worst special-teams units in the league the last two years.
TOP GAME TO WATCH: Bears at Packers, Oct. 7: Nationally televised Sunday night game comes at a point where the fate of Green Bay's season could hang in the balance, even if it is Week 5. Will the Packers, who have been notorious for slow starts in recent years, be limping in against the rival Bears, who have manhandled Green Bay the last three years at Lambeau Field? Or, will the Packers be in position to solidify a hoped-for solid start by getting revenge on the reigning NFC champions?
PLAYER NOTES:
—WR Donald Driver was held out of the Aug. 30 preseason finale at Tennessee because of sprained right foot. The team's No. 1 receiver suffered the injury in the Aug. 23 loss to Jacksonville. Preliminary indications are that Driver will be ready for the Sept. 9 season opener against Philadelphia.
—RB Brandon Jackson, who started the first three games at halfback, also didn't play in the final exhibition game because of a mild concussion. The rookie collided with linebacker Brady Poppinga on a red-zone run in practice Aug. 26 and dropped out a short time later. Jackson is optimistic he'll be ready for the start of the season.
—RB Vernand Morency remained out with the strained patellar tendon in his right knee, an injury he suffered on the first day of training camp July 28. Morency is questionable for the season opener.
—RG Jason Spitz aggravated a strained calf in the Aug. 23 game and didn't play against the Titans. Junius Coston was to start in Spitz's absence. The team is hopeful to have Spitz back in the lineup on opening day.
—CB Will Blackmon suffered a fractured left thumb in the Aug. 23 game. He was fitted with a small cast and was expected to play in the preseason finale, including serving in his dual role as kick returner at the outset.
—DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila was kept out of the final two preseason games because of a knee bruise. Whether the pass-rush specialist will be ready for the season opener hasn't been clarified.
—T Tony Moll has yet to fully recover from a neck stinger sustained early in training camp and didn't play in any preseason games. The future of Moll, who started 10 games as a rookie last season, remaining with the club is cloudy.
NOTES, QUOTES
—LB Abdul Hodge likely will be taking a redshirt year during his second pro season. Hodge has been plagued since last season with patellar tendinitis in both knees.
He was scheduled to meet Aug. 29 with New York Giants physician Russell Warren for a second medical opinion. Pending the outcome of that assessment, Hodge was prepared to spend this season on injured reserve.
"It's been up and down (trying to play with the balky knees), but it's something that I'll definitely have to take care of because I'm not able to play up to my potential," said Hodge, adding he's occasionally endured sharp pain. "It takes away from my game."
Hodge, a third-round draft pick, was limited to eight games as a rookie because of knee and shoulder injuries.
His frequent absences in the offseason and throughout training camp allowed rookie Desmond Bishop to assume the No. 2 job at middle linebacker behind Nick Barnett.
—WR Carlyle Holiday started taking snaps at quarterback after practice Aug. 28 and is under strong consideration to serve as an emergency No. 3 QB at the start of the season.
The ability of Holiday to play quarterback, where he was a starter for two seasons at Notre Dame before switching to receiver, could influence general manager Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy's decision to veer from the norm and keep only two QBs (Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers) on the 53-man roster.
"That's something that we have discussed. There is a plan for that," McCarthy said. "We're going to play the percentages. The odds are in our favor" that the team would lose both iron man Favre and Rodgers to a significant injury.
Holiday, who is a good bet to make the team as the No. 5 receiver, said he would be ready to slide in at quarterback if called upon.
"It's not a hard job to do, being able to take a snap. I've been doing it for so long," he said. "If I couldn't take a snap now, then there's something wrong with me. I've played quarterback for so long."
Ingle Martin, the No. 3 QB last season, was released in the first round of roster cuts and might be re-signed to the practice squad. Undrafted rookie Paul Thompson finished the preseason at the third quarterback but wasn't worthy of being on the 53.
—QB Aaron Rodgers said at the end of his strong training camp that the finest of several good throws he made was a pass to Ruvell Martin that didn't count in the preseason opener Aug. 11 at Pittsburgh.
Rodgers escaped pressure and on the run fired a 15-yard strike to Martin in the back of the end zone for an apparent touchdown. Martin, though, stepped over the end line before making the catch, thus nullifying it with the penalty.
"Unfortunately, he stepped out," Rodgers said.
BY THE NUMBERS: 0 — Turnover margin last season (33 takeaways, 33 giveaways), the team's best ratio since it also was even in 2003.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "When a player like that gets injured, it makes for good TV or radio and things like that, but it does concern you. I think he'll be fine. Being that he's a receiver and it's a foot injury, that is a concern, being that he has to cut and do those things. But, Donald's played through injuries before. You talk with him, and he's very optimistic." — Quarterback Brett Favre on the outlook for having top receiver Donald Driver available for the start of the season Sept. 9. Driver has been sidelined since suffering a sprained right foot against Jacksonville on Aug. 23.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
NOTABLE MOVES: Acquired RB Ryan Grant from Giants. Released S Marquand Manuel.
The Packers offense was chock full of huge voids when the team wrapped up the preseason Aug. 30 at Tennessee.
Sidelined were top receiver Donald Driver, who suffered a sprained right foot in the previous game, and top running backs Brandon Jackson and Vernand Morency. Jackson is recovering from a mild concussion sustained in practice Aug. 26. Morency hasn't been on the field since suffering a strained patellar tendon in his right knee on the first day of training camp July 28. The team expects to have Jackson back for the season opener Sept. 9 and is hopeful of having Morency available, too.
Rookie running back DeShawn Wynn, though, returned for the final week of the preseason. Wynn had missed most of training camp because of a strained quadriceps. He was given a final shot against the Titans to try to win a roster spot.
Fullback Ryan Powdrell, an undrafted rookie, was placed on injured reserve Aug. 27. He suffered medial-collateral-ligament damage in a knee Aug. 18 against Seattle.
PLAYER TO WATCH: SS Atari Bigby — It was no surprise the coaching staff decided to move on without Marquand Manuel as the starter, demoting last year's mistake-prone veteran addition midway through the preseason. Yet, Bigby wasn't the first name that came to mind for most observers as the guy who would replace Manuel at strong safety. Marviel Underwood figured to make a run for the job after doing so the previous August before he suffered a season-ending knee injury. Underwood, though, was an early camp cut this year. Third-round draft pick Aaron Rouse also didn't rise to the occasion. Bigby, on the other hand, has been a well-received addition to the starting lineup. The second-year player was Mr. Impact in a preseason rout of Seattle. He is a disruptive force playing close to the line and should factor in defensive coordinator Bob Sanders' blitz plans. Bigby needs to be more assignment sure in coverage but is an upgrade over Manuel.
DRAFT PICKS TO STICK:
Rd. 1/16, DT Justin Harrell, Tennessee — The odds are good the team's top draft pick will be deactivated for the Sept. 9 season opener. He reported to training camp out of football shape after being held out of team drills the entire offseason to ensure full recovery from a ruptured biceps tendon last year in college. In turn, he was only good to run with the No. 3 defense, ranking no better than fifth with the tackles.
Rd. 2/63, RB Brandon Jackson, Nebraska — Thrust into the starting job at halfback after Vernand Morency suffered a knee injury on the first day of camp. Jackson has shown flashes of being a capable featured back as a rookie, but he has a ways to go as a blocker. He suffered a concussion in practice Aug. 26 and didn't play in the final preseason game.
Rd. 3/78, WR James Jones, San Jose State — The standout of camp will open the season as the No. 3 receiver, but it might not be long before he overtakes unproductive Greg Jennings on the depth chart. Jones was the team's top pass catcher in the preseason games and is a big target for Brett Favre.
Rd. 3/89, S Aaron Rouse, Virginia Tech — Will bide his time backing up Nick Collins at free safety. His preseason ended on a downer with a hamstring injury. The team is high on his imposing 6-foot-4, 223-pound frame.
Rd. 4/119, G Allen Barbre, Missouri Southern State — Small-school product established himself as one of the top two backup linemen from the outset of camp. Extremely athletic for a 300-pound lineman. He was moved inside to left guard after strictly being a left tackle in college and could be the team's starting left tackle of the future.
Rd. 6/191, FB Korey Hall, Boise State — Converted linebacker was a quick study with the offensive playbook and, naturally, brought a hard-nosed mentality to his new position. He seized the starting job early in camp after incumbent Brandon Miree was lost for an extended period because of a stinger.
Rd. 6/192, LB Desmond Bishop, California — He made probably the team's biggest hit of the preseason when he popped Jacksonville receiver Reggie Williams over the middle on a pass play and sent Williams' helmet flying. Bishop was steady throughout camp to gain the nod as the No. 2 middle linebacker over injury-plagued Abdul Hodge.
Rd. 6/193, K Mason Crosby, Colorado —- Strong-legged Crosby held his own against incumbent Dave Rayner for the entire camp and seemingly had the inside track to win the kicking job, if only one guy was kept.
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACK: Starter — Brett Favre. Backup — Aaron Rodgers.
Favre begged to play more in the preseason games than he has in recent years so he could try to get in sync with a mostly young cast of receivers. Coach Mike McCarthy, though, played it safe with his 37-year-old QB, who underwent ankle surgery in the offseason and experienced shoulder soreness during spring workouts. McCarthy's aim is to have Favre turn in his most efficient season of a celebrated 17-year pro career. While a low-risk approach that was instituted last year sliced Favre's interception total from a career-high 29 in 2005 to 18, he had a career-worst 56.0 completion percentage and a career-low-tying 18 touchdown passes. To get those numbers up, a leaner Favre, who is on the verge of a few notable league records, will be moving out of the pocket more. Rodgers had his best preseason of his first three years in the league, showing off a strong arm and mobility after recovering from a season-ending broken foot. The team appeared to be inclined to keep just two quarterbacks, since they got next to nothing from incumbent No. 3 Ingle Martin and undrafted rookie Paul Thompson. Receiver Carlyle Holiday, a former QB at Notre Dame, was being considered as an emergency backup.
RUNNING BACKS: Starters — HB Brandon Jackson, FB Korey Hall. Backups — HB Vernand Morency, Ryan Grant.
The anticipated competition between top holdover Morency and second-round draft pick Jackson for the starting halfback job never materialized because Morency suffered a knee injury on the first day of training camp and has yet to return. Jackson started the first three preseason games before being knocked out the final week with a mild concussion. He should be ready to start the season opener, though the jury is out on whether the part-time starter at Nebraska can become a productive featured back. The position was in disarray throughout camp. DeShawn Wynn, a seventh-round draftee, hurt his chances to contend for a job when he was out for an extended period with a thigh injury. A stinger incurred by incumbent Brandon Miree cost him the starting job at fullback, where sixth-round draft pick Hall opened eyes with a seamless conversion from linebacker in college.
TIGHT END: Starter — Donald Lee. Backups — Bubba Franks.
Lee jumped ahead of Franks on the depth chart in the spring, which was construed to be a wakeup call for Franks coming off his worst season in seven years as a pro. Franks did respond with a solid preseason, including a few significant downfield catches in game action. Lee is considered the better vertical threat but wasn't nearly as productive as Franks and was hampered at times by knee issues. After losing up-and-comer Tory Humphrey to a season-ending ankle injury at the outset of camp, the Packers have little to speak of at the No. 3 spot.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters — FL Donald Driver, SE Greg Jennings. Backups — James Jones, Ruvell Martin, Carlyle Holiday.
As long as the team has assurances that Driver will be good to go for the season opener after suffering a sprained foot Aug. 23, it was more apt to keep five receivers. Otherwise, fifth-round draft pick David Clowney, a raw receiver, could earn a reprieve after a lackluster showing most of the preseason. Shaun Bodiford was in good shape for a roster spot until he suffered a severe knee injury returning the game-opening kickoff Aug. 18. Thankfully, the offense has a playmaking threat in Jones, a third-round draftee. He was the top receiver in the preseason and could be pushing Jennings for the No. 2 job before long. Martin and Holiday are big, possession-type receivers who excel on fade routes in the end zone. Koren Robinson, serving a one-year, league-imposed suspension, would be eligible for reinstatement after Week 2.
OFFENSIVE LINE: Starters — LT Chad Clifton, LG Daryn Colledge, C Scott Wells, RG Jason Spitz, RT Mark Tauscher. Backups — G/T Junius Coston, G Allen Barbre, T Tony Moll, G/C Tony Palmer.
Unlike last year, the line has continuity entering the season. Colledge and Spitz survived a baptism by fire as rookie starters in 2006 and join Wells as interior piledrivers in the zone-blocking run scheme. Veteran bookends Clifton and Tauscher are at their best in pass protection. The athletic Coston, who can play all five positions, had his best camp in three years and will be on call for a starting assignment at right guard in Week 1 if Spitz isn't over a calf injury he aggravated in the penultimate preseason game. Barbre, a fourth-round draft pick, looks to be a long-term keeper as a starting candidate at either left guard or left tackle. Moll, a pleasant surprise as a rookie pressed into a starting job most of last season, had a wasted preseason because of a neck stinger and isn't a lock to be kept.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Starters — LDE Aaron Kampman, RDE Cullen Jenkins, LDT Ryan Pickett, RDT Johnny Jolly. Backups — DE/DT Corey Williams, DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, DE Michael Montgomery, DE Jason Hunter, DT Justin Harrell, DT Colin Cole, DT Daniel Muir.
The team's deepest unit created a veritable logjam for spots on the 53-man roster. Ten linemen likely would survive the final cut. Kampman, Jenkins and Pickett were assured of starting jobs. Jolly, a beast with athleticism, was pushing incumbent Williams for the other tackle spot. Harrell was a projected starter as the first-round draft pick this year, but he never could get more than a cameo rep with the first unit in practice and might be relegated to a game-day inactive early in the season. Cole and surprise undrafted rookie Muir were battling for perhaps one other spot at tackle. The depth at end was fuzzy because Gbaja-Biamila and Montgomery were out the last couple weeks with knee injuries.
LINEBACKERS: Starters — WLB A.J. Hawk, SLB Brady Poppinga, MLB Nick Barnett. Backups — MLB Desmond Bishop, WLB Tracy White.
The Packers are rock solid with young playmakers Hawk and Barnett. Poppinga was a capable first-year starter last season, but he needs to shore up lapses in coverage. The depth at all three linebacker spots is suspect. However, Bishop, a sixth-round draftee, took advantage of knee problems that KO'd Abdul Hodge for the season and is a big-hitting, instinctive understudy for Barnett. White has marginal skills on the outside but is invaluable as a special-teams performer.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters — LCB Charles Woodson, RCB Al Harris, SS Atari Bigby, FS Nick Collins. Backups — CB Jarrett Bush, Will Blackmon, Patrick Dendy, Frank Walker; S Aaron Rouse, S Charlie Peprah.
Big-play Bigby made the jump to bump Manuel from a starting job and possibly out of Green Bay altogether. Bigby needs to be more consistent on the back end. Otherwise, there are no qualms with the other three starters, though Collins has to bounce back from an uneven sophomore season. Bush played his way into the nickel-back spot with his athleticism and ball skills. Blackmon is a keeper because of his kick-return capabilities, possessing quickness and sound instincts as a defender. The last cornerback spot figured to come down to Dendy, who relinquished the nickel-back role, and Walker, the team's only notable offseason acquisition. Third-round draft pick Rouse has starter potential but is nursing a sore hamstring. If the team indeed cuts ties with Manuel, whom it signed to a five-year, $10 million contract in free agency last year.
SPECIAL TEAMS: PK Mason Crosby; P Jon Ryan; LS Rob Davis; KOR Will Blackmon; PR Blackmon.
Some consideration was being given to keeping both kickers, but there really is no need because they're strong-legged clones who can handle all facets of the kicking game. Crosby held a slight edge in a hotly contested camp, and the fact that he was a draft pick (sixth round) could work in his favor to unseat incumbent Rayner. The booming Ryan had a prolific preseason, making the necessary inroads in improving his hang time with a new two-step delivery. Davis, the club's oldest player at 38, remains one of the premier long snappers in the game. Blackmon, provided he can stay healthy, could give Green Bay an explosive return man for the first time since Allen Rossum in 2001.