Training Camp Talk

[Bretsky]

Also, Ruvell's being a stud. Considering that Jones has had the ball stripped from him twice during TC, I'm starting to imagine that he could push for the 3rd WR spot. Of course, it's not exactly a fair competition considering that Ruvell is A-rod's best friend on the team and Rodgers is openly pulling for him.

I said this earlier (Ruvell being a #3) and was considered crazy, but I'm starting to believe it. Yes, Ruvell does have an advantage because he's great friends with A-Rod, but that makes it better.

Ruvell is going to turn heads this season. I know it's only TC, but for the people that doubted if he would even make the team......put some of that crow pie in the oven.

Be disappointing if your favorite Martin is #3 cause that means Jones is taking a step back and Nelson is coming along slow

[RashanGary]

Also, Ruvell's being a stud. Considering that Jones has had the ball stripped from him twice during TC, I'm starting to imagine that he could push for the 3rd WR spot. Of course, it's not exactly a fair competition considering that Ruvell is A-rod's best friend on the team and Rodgers is openly pulling for him.

I said this earlier (Ruvell being a #3) and was considered crazy, but I'm starting to believe it. Yes, Ruvell does have an advantage because he's great friends with A-Rod, but that makes it better.

Ruvell is going to turn heads this season. I know it's only TC, but for the people that doubted if he would even make the team......put some of that crow pie in the oven.

I really didn't like him last year and I did not think he would make the team but I'm changing my tune. He looks like a different player right now. He's making more plays than ever before. I think the Packers might have the deepest WR corp in the NFL right now.

[boiga]

Here's the new 3-3 nickel formation according to the official site: http://www.packers.com/news/stories/2008/08/01/2/

A different look
One variation of the nickel defense the Packers have employed on occasion uses three defensive linemen and three linebackers in front of the five defensive backs (instead of the customary four down linemen and two linebackers).

The defense tried it for a few snaps on Friday, with Brady Poppinga as the third linebacker lining up in a pass-rush position on the outside

So. with Brady as one of the Linemen, we have four LB's on the field... Have you guys seen this before? Could it work on a passing down?

[SnakeLH2006]

I hope Jolly doesn't get ticketed for SUI--Snapping Under the Influence.

Jolly needs some pills to calm down....DAMN FDA regulations. Don't you know how valuable a long-snapper is to the NFL/teams/TV markets/fans/us????

[HarveyWallbangers]

The defense tried it for a few snaps on Friday, with Brady Poppinga as the third linebacker lining up in a pass-rush position on the outside

So. with Brady as one of the Linemen, we have four LB's on the field... Have you guys seen this before? Could it work on a passing down?

The article you quote says Brady is the third LB--which means there aren't four LBs on the field. Three DL and three LBs, but one of the LBs is up at the LOS.

[HarveyWallbangers]

From today's training camp report:

Defensive play of the day
In the final team drill of practice, QB Aaron Rodgers hit WR James Jones on a short crossing route, but CB Will Blackmon poked the ball out from behind and S Aaron Rouse recovered and started running the other way.

Jones fumbled again. He keeps this up and Jordy Nelson is going to take the #3 WR job from him.

[boiga]

Yeah, I saw that too... I'm disappointed because I thought Jones had gotten over that. McCarthy needs to put him through the ball stripping drill three time a practice until the season starts.

[Gunakor]

No disrespect to JJ, but I'm seriously hoping that Jordy Nelson wins the #3 spot.

[boiga]

I would prefer if Jones kept the ball in his hands, and thereby earned the third slot. I mean, the guy has some major skills in the open field. Remember that run in the first Vikings game? Here's what JSO says about him:

He might not be a down-the-field burner, but WR James Jones is very impressive getting off the ball and then making moves to get open in the 8-15 yard range. I don't know if there's a cornerback on the Packers that can cover him in that range. http://blogs.jsonline.com/packers/ar...7-evening.aspx

Jones will be a major asset for us if he can hold on to the ball.

[Gunakor]

I would prefer if Jones kept the ball in his hands, and thereby earned the third slot. I mean, the guy has some major skills in the open field. Remember that run in the first Vikings game? Here's what JSO says about him:

He might not be a down-the-field burner, but WR James Jones is very impressive getting off the ball and then making moves to get open in the 8-15 yard range. I don't know if there's a cornerback on the Packers that can cover him in that range. http://blogs.jsonline.com/packers/ar...7-evening.aspx

Jones will be a major asset for us if he can hold on to the ball.

Agreed. But that entire description of Jones is also an accurate description of Nelson. If they are about even talent wise then you have to go with the one who doesn't turn the ball over. If JJ can learn to hang onto the ball, it'll be a fierce competition between the two for the #3 spot.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Bad day for the offense. Bring back Brett!

Some blocking would be nice. The Packers did a lot of work on third downs and that would be all well and good but the offensive line didn't offer up the quarterbacks much protection against the defense's blitz schemes. That's probably why McCarthy held the offense after practice to go over some things. "Offensively we didn't start the practice very well, so we went back and repeated the team run and the blitz period," McCarthy said.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Apparently, Johnny Jolly was a big reason for the offense's problems. James Jones' got the thumb down for his fumbling. Rodgers was 8 for 13.

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080802/PKR01/80802072/1058/PKR01

Thumbs up

Anyone who wondered why the Packers have been so high on Johnny Jolly should have been at Saturday’s practice.

In full pads on the hottest day of training camp when a player of Jolly’s size easily could have dogged it, the 6-foot-3, 320-pound defensive tackle was all over the field making plays.

On the first play of team drills, Jolly forced his way through the middle of the line of scrimmage and intercepted an Aaron Rodgers screen pass that was intended for running back Brandon Jackson. In the next team period, Jolly shed a blocker and used a strong backside pursuit to cut down Jackson for no gain on a running play.

Jolly’s emergence before a serious shoulder injury cut short his season last year was a major reason the Packers decided to trade away defensive tackle Corey Williams. However, there’s lingering concern that Jolly could face a league suspension because of his arrest this summer on felony drug possession charges. The case is pending. Losing Jolly for any significant length of time could prove costly, especially if he plays like he did on Saturday.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Nice!

(Are you frustrated that it has dragged on and do you see an end in sight [to Grant's "holdout"]?)

Frustrated? I think Ari Fleischer would call that a bait question. No, it's a business matter.

Coach doesn't ever say anything bad about a player, but it sounds like Cullen is healthy. Hopefully, he can stay healthy all year.

(Do you think [Cullen] Jenkins is back like he was at camp, or is he still fighting through some of the injuries he had last year?)

He's definitely healthy, and you can see his explosion is definitely back. He played through that last year, with the bone bruise. I think he looks great. I think he's off to an excellent start.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I'm ready to get back to football talk.

http://blogs.jsonline.com/packers/archive/2008/08/06/favre-update-training-camp-practice-10-morning.aspx

As for on the field matters with the Packers, WR Jake Allen, CB Charles Woodson, CB Al Harris, S Charlie Peprah, S Aaron Rouse, C Junius Coston, C Scott Wells, LT Chad Clifton, DT Ryan Pickett, TE Tory Humphrey, DT Justin Harrell, and DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila were all out. Most of them were only for rest, it appeared although Rouse is a little banged up.

Once the team went to 11-on-11 in shells, Aaron Rodgers had his best practice of training camp even though he threw an interception to Nick Collins. Rodgers and Donald Driver looked to not be on the same page on the play. Overall though, Rodgers looked calm and confident throughout the no huddle portion, which included some very loud crowd noise being pumped in through speakers.

[Zool]

Is there a difference between dinged up and banged up?