Concern for Mathews?

[rbaloha1]

CM does not need practice like Woodson. Big time gamer

[3irty1]

Greg Jennings quit being a pansy. CMIII will too.

[gbgary]

Well, last offseason didn't do much for him because he missed most all of TC this year, too.

last offseason is when he did all that ultimate fighting training that he says helped him a lot!

[pbmax]

CM does not need practice like Woodson. Big time gamer

??

Woodson is having a poor year in coverage. Quite possibly due to the physical limitations that don't allow practice.

Matthews has been in a funk since this injury. They both need practice if only because it would signal full health (or as close as that is possible 11 games in). But as Patler points out, Matthews is seeing stuff he has not seen nor practiced against much, and practice would probably help. Esp. practice with contact, which Friday doesn't feature.

[MJZiggy]

Remind me never to ride a Trans-Atlantic oceanliner with either of you at the helm.

I know an iceberg when I see one. This is just an oversized wave that gives us all a little start and makes us wonder if there's another one out there.

[Packgator]

.

Maybe we should chug on over to Mamby-Pamby Land, where maybe we can find some self-confidence for you, ya jack-wagon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhlWddAXSRA

[MJZiggy]

Maybe we should chug on over to Mamby-Pamby Land, where maybe we can find some self-confidence for you, ya jack-wagon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhlWddAXSRA

I love that one. Have to laugh every time.

[OS PA]

Matthews will be fine. He may not be as dominant as he was in the early part of the season, but I have the feeling that is a product of usual wear and tear, opponents gameplans, and other injuries.

On a side note, did anyone see Casey Matthews yesterday afternoon play in the Civil War? If I we're a praying man, I'd pray that we pick Casey up too and have bookend Matthews at LB.
On the other side note, does anybody have any info on Jaquizz Rodgers? He looks like a gamer.

[Joemailman]

I've seen 2 sites that have Casey Matthews ranked among the top 10 ILB's. Is he playing outside for Oregon? He's not very tall, so he may be better suited inside.

[Patler]

I think the issue I had in mind might be getting lost in our concern for the present. So I will restate the issue I see somewhat differently, and rephrase the questions. Matthews:

- missed essentially all of training camp in 2009.
- was withheld from practices at various times during 2009.
- missed essentially all of training camp in 2010.
- has been on the injury report for all but two weeks in 2010.
- has missed one game and one week of practices completely.
- has had only 2 weeks as a full-participant in the last practice session of a week in which he was on the injury report.
- is likely to be a limited participant for the rest of the season.

Essentially, in two seasons Matthews has missed both training camps and has practiced very little during the season. At some point this becomes worrisome regarding his potential longevity in the league. Guys tend to miss more practices as they get older, and Matthews has practiced only rarely in his first two seasons.

How much better could he be if he had had one or two training camps to refine his skills?
How much better could he be as a more frequent full participant during in-season practices?
Most importantly, what does this say about what might be expected from his career? Will he have a career of the common 10-12 year variety for top players, a very long career like his father and uncle had (19 years, each), or will he be one of those players who have fantastic 3-5 year starts to their careers, but then fade into obscurity due to injuries?

[Joemailman]

I wonder if the Packers need to take a closer look at his offseason workout regimen. Could persistent hamstring injuries mean he's not working enough on flexibility?