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MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2006, 1:32 p.m.
Worth the wait
Sometimes it pays off to be patient with players. Sometimes they don't hit their stride until after four, five years in the league.
A case in point is tight end David Martin.
Martin teased the Packers with his potential for four years, but never stayed healthy and never really produced until last season. This year, he's making a solid contribution again. On his 13-yard touchdown pass against Miami, he showed good body control to make a shoestring catch. He also made an outstretched catch of a pass down the seam for 18 yards on the Packers’ first scoring drive.
He's much more of a down-field threat than former No. 1 draft pick Bubba Franks.
MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2006, 1:28 p.m.
Pickett continues his solid play
Defensive tackle Ryan Pickett has been the most consistent of the Packers’ off-season, free agent acquisitions. He had another good game Sunday.
On Miami’s first possession, Pickett played off a double-team block and assisted on the tackle as Ronnie Brown was held to no gain. In the second quarter, on the play before Nick Barnett’s interception, Pickett hustled from the backside, despite being initially knocked to the ground, and ran down Brown to hold him to a three-yard gain on a first-down play. Later in the second quarter, Pickett held the point against center Rex Hadnot, then went under him and dumped Brown for a mere one-yard gain.
In the second half, Pickett hustled down field to tackle wide receiver Wes Welker and hold him to a one-yard gain on a short pass. He also hit quarterback Joey Harrington just as he delivered the ball on a 13-yard pass to tight end Randy McMichael.
MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2006, 1:26 p.m.
Dendy an upgrade - so far
There were those around the league who questioned the Packers’ decision to cut Ahmad Carroll for the simple reason that the Packers didn’t appear to have anybody any better, or even as good, to take his place.
But cornerback Patrick Dendy, Carroll’s replacement, has had back-to-back solid games. Against Miami, Dendy ran stride for stride with wide receiver Marty Booker to break up a deep ball, broke up a slant pass to rookie wide receiver Derek Hagan and maintained tight coverage on another pass to Hagan, all in the game’s final 18 minutes.
MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2006, 1:25 p.m.
Ahman Green's play
The second offensive play of the game Sunday signaled that running back Ahman Green was healthy and ready to play. Green stiff-armed defensive end Jason Taylor in the backfield - after Taylor had beaten left tackle Daryn Colledge to the inside - and turned what should have been a loss into a four-yard gain.
Green’s 70-yard touchdown run was his longest since a 90-yard run against Dallas on Oct. 24, 2004. And Green’s 100-yard plus effort was only his second in his last 14 games. The other was in this year’s season opener against Chicago.
MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2006, 1:23 p.m.
Henderson's status
Fullback William Henderson was healthy and able to play Sunday. He was inactive, in part, because the Packers preferred to go with younger players on special teams. That and he has lost his starting job to Brandon Miree.
MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2006, 1:20 p.m.
Praise for Colledge
Coach Mike McCarthy said that tackle Daryn Colledge, despite his early struggles against Jason Taylor in pass protection, played well Sunday against Miami. McCarthy said the tackles, Colledge and Mark Tauscher, played better than the guards, Jason Spitz and Tony Moll.
MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2006, 1:17 p.m.
Shortage at receiver
The Packers were running more tests today on wide receiver Greg Jennings, but coach Mike McCarthy said at his Monday press conference that Jennings might miss Sunday's game against Arizona. Jennings injured his ankle Sunday against Miami.
McCarthy also said that wide receiver Robert Ferguson could be out for an extended period and was a candidate for the injured reserve list.
As a result, the Packers are considering adding a wide receiver to the roster.
FRIDAY, Oct. 20, 2006, 9:44 a.m.
Insight from a fan
Jeff Schleusner is a Packer Insider subscriber and a fan who gets it. Here's part of a recent email he sent:
"... I'm blown away how one or two stars can completely change a defense.
"If the Bears didn't have (Brian) Urlacher and (Tommie) Harris, they'd be an average defense and an average team. Harris almost singlehandedly won the game at Minnesota with his penetration and forced fumble in the fourth quarter.
"Looking across the Packers' roster, they don't have a competetive/athletic mismatch at any single position. The Bears have Urlacher and Harris, but also have a pair of DE's who are mismatches in about half the games (they) play. On the offensive side, Muhammad appears to be a physical mismatch against most of the CB's he'll play against this year.
"Javon Walker was the only guy who was a surefire mismatch for the Pack, and he's gone. ..."
Since then, Urlacher made the biggest play in the Bears' win over Arizona. That's why playmakers matter. Without Urlacher and Harris, the Bears are no better than 4-2, if that.
Worth the wait
Sometimes it pays off to be patient with players. Sometimes they don't hit their stride until after four, five years in the league.
A case in point is tight end David Martin.
Martin teased the Packers with his potential for four years, but never stayed healthy and never really produced until last season. This year, he's making a solid contribution again. On his 13-yard touchdown pass against Miami, he showed good body control to make a shoestring catch. He also made an outstretched catch of a pass down the seam for 18 yards on the Packers’ first scoring drive.
He's much more of a down-field threat than former No. 1 draft pick Bubba Franks.
MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2006, 1:28 p.m.
Pickett continues his solid play
Defensive tackle Ryan Pickett has been the most consistent of the Packers’ off-season, free agent acquisitions. He had another good game Sunday.
On Miami’s first possession, Pickett played off a double-team block and assisted on the tackle as Ronnie Brown was held to no gain. In the second quarter, on the play before Nick Barnett’s interception, Pickett hustled from the backside, despite being initially knocked to the ground, and ran down Brown to hold him to a three-yard gain on a first-down play. Later in the second quarter, Pickett held the point against center Rex Hadnot, then went under him and dumped Brown for a mere one-yard gain.
In the second half, Pickett hustled down field to tackle wide receiver Wes Welker and hold him to a one-yard gain on a short pass. He also hit quarterback Joey Harrington just as he delivered the ball on a 13-yard pass to tight end Randy McMichael.
MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2006, 1:26 p.m.
Dendy an upgrade - so far
There were those around the league who questioned the Packers’ decision to cut Ahmad Carroll for the simple reason that the Packers didn’t appear to have anybody any better, or even as good, to take his place.
But cornerback Patrick Dendy, Carroll’s replacement, has had back-to-back solid games. Against Miami, Dendy ran stride for stride with wide receiver Marty Booker to break up a deep ball, broke up a slant pass to rookie wide receiver Derek Hagan and maintained tight coverage on another pass to Hagan, all in the game’s final 18 minutes.
MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2006, 1:25 p.m.
Ahman Green's play
The second offensive play of the game Sunday signaled that running back Ahman Green was healthy and ready to play. Green stiff-armed defensive end Jason Taylor in the backfield - after Taylor had beaten left tackle Daryn Colledge to the inside - and turned what should have been a loss into a four-yard gain.
Green’s 70-yard touchdown run was his longest since a 90-yard run against Dallas on Oct. 24, 2004. And Green’s 100-yard plus effort was only his second in his last 14 games. The other was in this year’s season opener against Chicago.
MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2006, 1:23 p.m.
Henderson's status
Fullback William Henderson was healthy and able to play Sunday. He was inactive, in part, because the Packers preferred to go with younger players on special teams. That and he has lost his starting job to Brandon Miree.
MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2006, 1:20 p.m.
Praise for Colledge
Coach Mike McCarthy said that tackle Daryn Colledge, despite his early struggles against Jason Taylor in pass protection, played well Sunday against Miami. McCarthy said the tackles, Colledge and Mark Tauscher, played better than the guards, Jason Spitz and Tony Moll.
MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2006, 1:17 p.m.
Shortage at receiver
The Packers were running more tests today on wide receiver Greg Jennings, but coach Mike McCarthy said at his Monday press conference that Jennings might miss Sunday's game against Arizona. Jennings injured his ankle Sunday against Miami.
McCarthy also said that wide receiver Robert Ferguson could be out for an extended period and was a candidate for the injured reserve list.
As a result, the Packers are considering adding a wide receiver to the roster.
FRIDAY, Oct. 20, 2006, 9:44 a.m.
Insight from a fan
Jeff Schleusner is a Packer Insider subscriber and a fan who gets it. Here's part of a recent email he sent:
"... I'm blown away how one or two stars can completely change a defense.
"If the Bears didn't have (Brian) Urlacher and (Tommie) Harris, they'd be an average defense and an average team. Harris almost singlehandedly won the game at Minnesota with his penetration and forced fumble in the fourth quarter.
"Looking across the Packers' roster, they don't have a competetive/athletic mismatch at any single position. The Bears have Urlacher and Harris, but also have a pair of DE's who are mismatches in about half the games (they) play. On the offensive side, Muhammad appears to be a physical mismatch against most of the CB's he'll play against this year.
"Javon Walker was the only guy who was a surefire mismatch for the Pack, and he's gone. ..."
Since then, Urlacher made the biggest play in the Bears' win over Arizona. That's why playmakers matter. Without Urlacher and Harris, the Bears are no better than 4-2, if that.
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