NFL NETWORK 8 EST... 8/1/07... Inside Training Camp

[woodbuck27]

Bubba isn't the most expresive person but does he appear more than just sluggish? Is he looking up for it to you ,or psyched?

I saw a couple of plays, and he was noticeably skinnier and looked quicker to me. That being said, I can't get excited about him after the last two years. He'll have to show me in real games that my opinion that he's milktoast is premature. Two plays in a practice won't change that opinion.

Then there"s this fr. the thred on Bubba Franks:

All they're really after in 2007 is a return of old dependable Bubba. And maybe, just maybe, that Bubba is back.

"I talked to him a little bit before practice today," Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said Tuesday. "He's excited. Looking more like himself."

and

The Franks that checked in looks sleeker than he has been in recent seasons, and for good reason.

"I'm moving great, better than I've ever moved," Franks said. "Because I changed my diet. I focused more on speed than physicalness."

Toward that end, Franks started eating five times a day in an effort to build his metabolism and reduce his body fat. Franks didn't have an exact reading but knows his reading is 2% to 3% lower than ever before.

He also reported at 260 pounds, five less than in most seasons.

In the Larry Beightol-coached power-gap scheme, Franks often was asked to block the defensive end by himself at the point of attack.

GO Bubba !!

[RashanGary]

James JOnes has looked really good, Woodbuck. I see no reason he can't be a good 40 catch, 500 yd #3 WR. He does catch most of his stuff underneith but I saw him separate and catch a perfectly thrown Rodgers bomb a couple days ago.

[The Leaper]

I don't understand something: why is it that whenever this team we love does something well, it's only because the opponent is woeful. Evidently we had the easiest schedule in the history of football last year because all the games we won at the end of the season were against sucky teams and now every game that Greg Jennings performed well in it was because we were playing woeful pass defenses? Come on, people. These are still NFL teams we're playing against.

I guess the Lions and Rams secondary must be equivalent to the Chargers and Bears secondary. My bad. Jennings will score 15 TDs this year...because he will light up EVERYONE like he did some of the worst pass defenses in the league.

The cold, hard truth was that the Packers DID face some pathetic pass defenses early last year...and Jennings DID take advantage of that. That is to his credit, but what I previously stated DOES have to be taken into consideration.

My point is that Jennings can not be considered a consistent, reliable player who you can count on REGARDLESS of the level of competition. He may reach that point in the near future, but he's not there yet.

IMO we're one of those teams so can we give some credit where it is due while we're drowning our team in criticism please?

I'm sorry. I forgot that anything to do with the Packers is beyond reproach, and that you must wear Packer goggles when referring to anything Green and Gold.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Well, to be fair, his three next best games were against New Orleans, Philly, and Buffalo. Those three teams finished 3rd, 7th, and 9th in pass defense. Actually, St. Louis finished in the top 10 also (8th). Now, St. Louis didn't have a great secondary. New Orleans was okay. However, Philly (with Sheppard and Brown) and Buffalo (with Clements and McGee) did have good secondaries.

[BallHawk]

How about this;

At the end of the year the only stats that count are the ones that occured against top 15 defenses.

Listen, what player's stats aren't largely padded by bad defenses? That's how the NFL works. There's good teams and there's bad teams. And when you play the bad teams, you better take advantage of it.

[4and12to12and4]

Two things I think about the State of the Packers.

1. Aaron Rodgers is not our future QB. He has barely average arm strength, but more importantly, he has proven over and over again he has horrible instincts regarding backside pressure. That is what is going to make him a career 2nd or 3rd stringer his entire career.

2. Greg Jennings is one of those guys that doesn't "look" spectacular, but has that savvy football awareness of how and when to shed a defender and be an open target for Brett. He will seperate constantly, and Brett will find him many a time this year. I look for a big season from Greg this year. He just has great instincts out there.

[woodbuck27]

James JOnes has looked really good, Woodbuck. I see no reason he can't be a good 40 catch, 500 yd #3 WR. He does catch most of his stuff underneith but I saw him separate and catch a perfectly thrown Rodgers bomb a couple days ago.

Got ya!

It seems as though he can catch the ball in traffic and has decent hands and we need a dependable #3 WR. MM just has to design routes that put some heat on the oppositions secondary (nothing too spectacular) and then the WR's have to squeeze the ball. They have to do the little things early in the season to use to build confidence and some momentum.

Bottom line. We need a running game or we're in trouble.

Something has got to come out of the mix of RB's on hand to set up the pass. MM has to find a way to make us competitive and maybe we will get some wins.

Our 'D' and something similiar to the offensive talent in Detroit would excite me. The Lions have some players on offense.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Two things I think about the State of the Packers.

1. Aaron Rodgers is not our future QB.

I wouldn't be so sure. We'll see this preseason, but apparently he's looked really good this camp.

He had another good day today.

Not Martin's morning
Third-string QB Ingle Martin, working with the second unit in Brett Favre's absence, was brutal in team drills this morning.

His unit emerged from the huddle twice in the initial period. Players returned to the huddle without running the play the first time, and Martin fumbled the snap on the second.

Then, in the extended no-huddle, Martin misfired on seven of eight passes, his last an ill-advised jump pass into quadruple coverage. (He got one incompletion back because LB Spencer Havner was flagged for interference.)

Martin finished the morning 3-for-9. Aaron Rodgers was a solid 12-for-15 leading the starters -- including 6-for-6 in his last no-huddle series. Rookie Paul Thompson was 1-for-1.

[woodbuck27]

"Aaron Rodgers was a solid 12-for-15 leading the starters -- including 6-for-6 in his last no-huddle series."

That's very good. Now we look for some consistency.

Then the real test. How he will respond with a rush.

[b bulldog]

JJ will push Jennings for the number two WR position.

[RashanGary]

JJ will push Jennings for the number two WR position.

I don't think so. Everyone at camp is saying Jones is a good notch below Jennings as a rookie. He's got great hands, but Jennings has a special knack for football that is going to make him a great NFL WR.

[Partial]

We have to keep in mind that JJ has looked good jumping up and catching balls knowing full well he will not be drilled in the spine from behind.

It is a lot different when the hitting is for real.

Consequently, if he proves to be a solid #3 as a contributor right away, that has to silence some of the TT critics and it will go a long way towards making the offense solid.

[BallHawk]

I think Martin will end up beating Jones for the #3. I think having NFL experience is going to pay off for him, in the end.

Who wants to join the Ruvell Martin fan club? There's plenty of room.

[Partial]

I think Martin will end up beating Jones for the #3. I think having NFL experience is going to pay off for him, in the end.

Who wants to join the Ruvell Martin fan club? There's plenty of room.

Martin is just a guy. A tall guy, though. He'll be an NFL acceptable 4th.

[GrnBay007]

JJ will push Jennings for the number two WR position.

I don't think so. Everyone at camp is saying Jones is a good notch below Jennings as a rookie. He's got great hands, but Jennings has a special knack for football that is going to make him a great NFL WR.

Who knows?

First off, the veterans are not going to say JJ is comparable to Jennings (even if it were true....and I'm not saying it is) The rookie needs to be pushed at this point.
Second, Jennings can be awesome.....lets hope he stays healthy this year. All the talk about JJ can only be a good thing for Jennings...will definitely give him more incentive.