Fluff Pieces

[HarveyWallbangers]

Those guys should write for "Ladies Home Journal"...

Let's hold hands and sing "kum bye ya"... of course proclaiming all the while that it's "for the children and the environment".

These are from the Packer Plus Magazine. They're all fluff pieces. They probably wouldn't have a huge circulation if all they did was tell their subscribers how sucky the Packers are going to be.

I think the subject of the thread should have warned you about the articles.

[wist43]

Those guys should write for "Ladies Home Journal"...

Let's hold hands and sing "kum bye ya"... of course proclaiming all the while that it's "for the children and the environment".

These are from the Packer Plus Magazine. They're all fluff pieces. They probably wouldn't have a huge circulation if all they did was tell their subscribers how sucky the Packers are going to be.

I think the subject of the thread should have warned you about the articles.

Sadly, PackerPlus has gone the way of the "Packer Report"... it's still better, but has definitely fallen into the "let's talk about our feelings" genre... 2-14, and all is well!!!

McGinn is about the only JS writer worth reading. There are a couple of other beat writers that write for other papers (Press-Gazette, WSJ) that aren't too bad... brain freeze right now though, can't remember their names.

[mraynrand]

All those 'fluffer' pieces and not one from Lori Nickel. She must be too busy writing scripts for the Lifetime Network (This Saturday See: Love's Enduring Everlasting Freedom and Obligation on The Open Prairie near a Grove of Trees and a Scenic Creek).

[Zool]

All those 'fluffer' pieces and not one from Lori Nickel. She must be too busy writing scripts for the Lifetime Network (This Saturday See: Love's Enduring Everlasting Freedom and Obligation on The Open Prairie near a Grove of Trees and a Scenic Creek).

Oooh I saw that one. Where they had to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds and a crooked sheriff/mayor. The bank was going to foreclose on the farm unless they could win the local competition and raise exactly enough money for the back taxes.

[MJZiggy]

There's enough here for at least a large pillow...

[woodbuck27]

I can't wait to get this season on and over with so maybe we start to vent the smell.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Not a good sign for Alcorn.

Lee makes bid to start at tight end
By BOB McGINN

Green Bay - Nothing that Donald Lee has done in his first extended opportunity to become a starting tight end in the National Football League has disappointed the Green Bay Packers.

Some scouts might not think Green Bay has even one desirable tight end. But when the Packers' coaches sit around each night evaluating what they do have, not one has advocated going to general manager Ted Thompson begging for another tight end.

"Not at all," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said at midweek. "I think Bubba's going to have a better year and I think Donald Lee will be pretty solid."

Ever since Bubba Franks displaced Tyrone Davis four games into his rookie season of 2000, the starting job has been his alone. But after letting David Martin go to Miami in March as an unrestricted free agent, coach Mike McCarthy decided to give the speedier Lee a legitimate chance to unseat Franks.

Lee has taken most of the turns with the No. 1 offense in the first two weeks of training camp. He has provided more vertical stretch than Franks although his blocking isn't as good.

"Donald's maybe not quite as instinctive against specific coverages as David Martin was but I think he's as productive," Philbin said. "Dave was a little smoother and very smart. This guy (Lee) may not do it exactly as you draw it up but he has a little bit of a knack for getting open and catching the ball."

Although Martin played wide receiver at Tennessee and joined Green Bay in '02 with a 40-yard dash in the range of 4.6 seconds, strength coach Rock Gullickson maintained that Lee was faster than Martin. Philbin said Lee played as fast as Martin.

Lee ran 4.72 coming out of Mississippi State in 2003 but showed tremendous athletic traits with a 39-inch vertical jump and 10-foot broad jump. The knocks on Lee were his ability to learn and to sustain blocks.

After two seasons backing up Randy McMichael with the Dolphins, Lee was signed by Green Bay on the eve of the '05 season and wound up catching 33 passes for the injured and ineffective Franks. His playing time dipped from 35% to 21% last year, and his productivity waned as well.

According to Gullickson, Lee spent longer days in the facility during the off-season than any other player. He succeeded in improving his lower-body strength, because he was too easily tossed aside as a blocker in the past.

"Is he a guy that you'd love to have single-block a defensive end 30 times a game?" Philbin said. "Your answer probably would be no. But for what we do, a zone-blocking scheme, I think he'll be fine."

The 251-pound Lee doesn't catch the ball as naturally as Franks. Unlike Franks, he is hesitant to catch the ball in his hands away from his body for fear of drops. But Philbin says Lee's catching has become more consistent.

At this point, Philbin said the competition between Lee and Franks would be too close to call. Both will play, often based on which of them runs a particular play better.

"I think Bubba's moved better," Philbin said. "I look at those guys as interchangeable right now. It's pretty even."

Martin basically has been injury-free this summer and clearly is the Dolphins' starter over Justin Peelle.

The leader in the two-man battle for Martin's roster berth is free agent Zac Alcorn. The second-year man from Black Hills State doesn't block as well as Lee but might catch the ball better than Lee, Franks and Clark Harris, a seventh-round draft choice from Rutgers.

"At times, (Alcorn) looks very fluid and smooth in shells," Philbin said. "He just needs to get used to playing with his pads better. Right now, he's not where we want him to be."

Harris has missed considerable practice time with an ankle injury. He has been a disappointment.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Notes: Franks begins to show some signs of life
By RICHARD PUFALL

Green Bay - The autopsy is in on what had appeared to be a 6-foot-5, 265-pound corpse. Good news: The results from the Lambeau Field lab came back negative Saturday night.

Bubba Franks is alive and well.

Franks, coming off his worst season as Green Bay's No. 1 tight end, caught four passes for 30 yards in Green Bay's stunning, 48-13, rout of the Seattle Seahawks in the Packers' second exhibition game.

After Green Bay's opening drive stalled, Franks caught passes of 3, 10 and 8 yards to help fuel a 12-play, 47-yard second drive that led to Mason Crosby's 37-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead for the Packers.

"I was surprised they came to me so early, but once I get going the offense gets going," Franks said. "We really need to establish a strong point at the tight end position so that's kind of what we're looking forward to."

Indeed, Franks is right. The Packers need much more from their tight ends then they received last season.

Three Green Bay tight ends - David Martin, Donald Lee and Franks - combined for just 580 yards in 2006. Worse yet, there were only two touchdowns, both by Martin who left the Packers to sign as a free agent with the Miami Dolphins.

Franks, a three-time Pro Bowl selection and once a scoring machine inside the red zone, was held without a touchdown last year for the first time in seven seasons with the Packers.

"We all made a couple mistakes, here and there," Franks said of Green Bay's domination of the Seahawks. "I think we left some points out there, but it's a good starting point. Next week will be a real good test, because you know starters will get to play a lot more. If we can get it rolling next week and just go into the next week, then the regular season game will be fun."

Last season wasn't much fun for Franks who averaged just 1.6 catches per game and - along with his fellow tight ends - frequently found himself lined up in the backfield or the slot to help a young offensive line protect quarterback Brett Favre.

"It was fun, actually," Franks said of his four-catch game against Seattle. "It felt good. I just wanted to do whatever I could to help the offense and keep the chains moving."

Franks doesn't believe he is back. He believes he has never left

"I've always been Bubba Franks," he said. "Everybody else considered me something else, but I never count myself out. You can't listen to what everyone else says, 'cause you know one week they're going to hate you, the next week they're going to love you. You know, just keep pushing."

Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy was pleased with Frank's game and his training camp thus far.

"Bubba is transferring his preparation and practice performance into the game," McCarthy said. "I'm very happy with the training camp that Bubba's had. I think being smart with the one-a-day practices and taking care of his knee has really helped him. He had a nice night."

Bush whacking: Jarrett Bush turned in a strong bid to win the No. 3 cornerback position and a spot in Green Bay's nickel defense. Bush stood out on a night when the Packers defense sparkled, scoring two touchdowns on fumble returns (Nick Barnett and Tracy White), sacking Seattle quarterbacks seven times and picking off three passes.

Bush made two of the interceptions, picking Seattle's No. 3 quarterback David Greene twice, late in the second quarter and early in the third.

Bush returned the first interception 22 yards and the second for 19, leading to a 24-yard field goal by Dave Rayner and a 41-13 Green Bay lead. Bush credited rookie safety Aaron Rouse for a pressure which helped him make the first pick.

"He put it up there and I went and got it," Bush said of interception No. 1. "The second one I was in the nickel. Me and (Desmond) Bishop actually bumped shoulders when the receivers crossed. I just slipped under the little curl route and he threw it right to me and I tried to run with it after that."

Bush could have had a third interception, but dropped a ball that hit him right in the hands.

"Oh my God, I was sick to my stomach when that happened," Bush said. "It was a mistake. I'll try to make it the next time."

Bush said he thought his game put him in position to win a job.

"I think it helped, yes," Bush said. "But not just this performance. I've been doing it through minicamp and through training camp. I feel a lot better, but I've just got to keep going to work. I've to prove it next Thursday on national TV."

Bush said the Packers are building something special on defense.

"Oh my gosh, we played unbelievable," Bush said. "I mean, everybody was trying to score. Nick Barnett, Tracy White . . . too many to remember. Everybody was sacking the quarterback.

"We we're having so much fun out there. That's the thing. Everybody was having fun out there. I think that's what really broke the ice for us. Everybody was trying to make plays. I think it really did it for us tonight. I think it's a good step.

"We dominated them and they were two games away from going to the Super Bowl last year. I think we totally dominated them in every phase: special teams, offense, defense, moving the ball on offense, sacking 'em on defense, interceptions, turnovers. I think in all phases we took a huge step. We have to continue to do that and improve every day when we step between those lines."

Super words: Maybe Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila was caught up in the moment. After all, beating a good team by 35 points has to make you feel pretty good, even if it was just an exhibition game and Seattle was playing without starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and both tackles.

Or maybe Gbaja-Biamila's big play, led to his big words. "KGB," warming up to his new role as Green Bay's third-down pass-rush specialist, came up with his second sack in as many pre-season games, and this one produced points.

On third and 8 early in the second quarter, Gbaja-Biamila sacked backup quarterback Seneca Wallace and stripped the ball. Nick Barnett scooped up the fumble and ran 62 yards for a touchdown.

Then "KGB" piled on his strong play with even stronger words.

"I think this is the year we're going to go all the way," Gbaja-Biamila said. "I believe we're going to the Super Bowl. I believe we're going. And what's so funny about the brain is the brain can't tell the difference between reality and fake. You tell the brain 'We're going to the Super Bowl. We're going to the Super Bowl' and you end up in the Super Bowl.

"And we've got to get more people talking like that and we are. That's our goal is to go the Super Bowl and I believe we are going to the Super Bowl."

[HarveyWallbangers]

Jenkins' story ending up well
By ROB REISCHEL

Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers have doled out big-time money to several defensive linemen this decade. And for the most part, it's been a boom or bust proposition.

The Packers saw investments in Joe Johnson and Cletidus Hunt blow up in their faces. Green Bay also hit the lottery when it re-signed Aaron Kampman.

The Packers rolled the dice last off-season on defensive end Cullen Jenkins. And right now, it looks like Jenkins will pay off as Kampman did.

Although Jenkins has seen limited time in Green Bay's first two pre-season games, he's made the most of it. Jenkins has already recorded three sacks, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble and been borderline dominant throughout.

If Jenkins keeps this up, the four-year, $16 million contract he signed in February will soon look like a bargain for the Packers.

"Well, I don't have a crystal ball," Packers defensive coordinator Bob Sanders said. "But I know what kind of guy Cullen is.

"I know he's a good person, he loves to play football and like Aaron, he's a hard-worker. He cares about the Packers, he cares about our defense and he's very loyal. So I would anticipate him having a very, very good year, yes."

Everything indicates Jenkins is on the verge of a breakout season.

Jenkins spent the majority of his first three years in Green Bay at defensive tackle. But late last season, with the Packers' run defense in disarray, Jenkins replaced Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila at right defensive end in the base.

Jenkins closed with a flurry - highlighted by a three-sack game against Detroit - and finished with 6½ sacks on the season, third on the team. Jenkins has built on that with a tremendous summer that's seen him shine not only in games, but on a daily basis in practice, too.

"Cullen has been a good football player here for a long time," Packers general manager Ted Thompson said. "We felt like the move to defensive end helps put a little bit brighter spotlight on his abilities.

"He's a good football player and he's worked very, very hard this off-season to keep improving, which is what true professionals do. Yeah, I was glad to see him have success, but it doesn't surprise me."

Thompson might claim that he's not surprised. Without question, though, Jenkins' ascension remains among the Packers' most stunning stories in recent years.

Jenkins went undrafted after coming out of Central Michigan in the spring of 2003. He spent the entire 2003 season out of football. And were it not for a stint in the now-defunct NFL Europa - where Green Bay sent Jenkins in 2004 - it's unlikely he'd be in the league today.

Not only is the 26-year old Jenkins here, though, he's being paid like one of the better defensive ends in football. And he appears fully set on earning every nickel.

"I look at the contract as maybe a commitment and a little reward," Jenkins said. "I want to fulfill my part of it and I'd like to be around here even longer than the contract."

A few years back, it appeared the only Jenkins that would ever get such a contract was Cullen's older brother, Kris.

Kris Jenkins, who's 17 months older than Cullen, developed into one of the NFL's better defensive tackles with the Carolina Panthers and has played in three Pro Bowls. Cullen, meanwhile, was just trying to escape Kris' extremely large shadow.

"We were always competitive, but I was usually more athletic than he was and I could beat him at most things," Cullen said. "So I was wondering about things a little bit when he was in the league and I wasn't.

"But the whole time, I was his biggest fan. Even when I wasn't playing, I went over to my dad's house to watch him. Then when I made the team the first time, he was the first one I called after my wife. I called him and he let out this big yell."

Today, it's offensive linemen who are yelling as Cullen Jenkins runs past them.

In the first quarter of Green Bay's pre-season opener at Pittsburgh, Jenkins sacked both Ben Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch. On Jenkins' sack of Roethlisberger, he also forced a fumble and recovered it himself.

Jenkins built on that momentum during the Packers' 48-13 dismantling of Seattle Saturday night. On the Seahawks' third play from scrimmage, Jenkins used a gorgeous spin move to whip left tackle Tom Ashworth and dump quarterback Seneca Wallace for a 7-yard loss.

Later in the quarter, Jenkins shot a gap off the left side and tackled Shaun Alexander for a 1-yard loss. On the Seahawks' next series, Jenkins blew up reserve running back Maurice Morris for a 2-yard loss.

On a team where the defensive line talent is outstanding, a case can be made that Jenkins has had the best summer of anyone.

"He understands a commitment was made to him and there's even more expected of him now," Kampman said of Jenkins. "He wants to do his best to fulfill that and all signs point to that happening."

Jenkins has outstanding quickness for a man his size (6-foot-2 inches, 295 pounds. He's developed an array of moves through the years. And he figures to be stout at the point of attack in the run game.

Jenkins refuses to set numerical goals for himself - except for one.

"I guess the only personal goal I have is to be better than my brother," he said.

That's certainly a lofty aspiration considering Kris Jenkins was a Pro Bowl player in 2007. But if Cullen continues his impressive ascension, people will have to stop and think when it's asked "Who's the better Jenkins brother?"

"Switching out to the end, maybe now there's going to be a little distinction between us," Cullen said. "And hopefully people will start thinking about me as much as Kris when they talk about the Jenkins brothers. But it's still something I'm working towards."

To date, the results have been sublime.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Has Lee caught a pass yet?

[HarveyWallbangers]

Jackson hears opportunity knocking
By ROB REISCHEL

Green Bay - The National Football League has meant - and always will mean - Not For Long.

Sprain an ankle, twist a knee or break an arm and your employer can forget about you rather quickly. Vernand Morency appears to be experiencing that first hand right now.

Morency suffered a strained patellar tendon in his right knee during the Green Bay Packers' first practice of training camp. And it's almost a given now that rookie Brandon Jackson - and not Morency - will be the Packers' starting running back when the season begins Sept. 9 against Philadelphia.

"Right now, (Jackson's) definitely way ahead because the other guy (Morency) unfortunately hasn't competed at all," Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said after Green Bay's 48-13 pre-season victory over Seattle Saturday night. "There's really no comparison at this stage."

Jackson had some of his finer moments of the summer against Seattle, rushing for 54 yards in 13 carries and scoring a touchdown in just one half of duty. Jackson also caught one pass for 11 yards.

And Green Bay's running back battle, which never got off the ground, now appears over.

"Well, right now he is our starter," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said of Jackson. "I think he's getting better with each game. I thought he ran with body lean under his pads better than he did against Pittsburgh for the whole game. That's something he's working hard on. His blitz pick up will continue to improve.

"He's a tough kid. He works hard. He's very talented. I'm happy with the way he attacked training camp and has taken full advantage of his opportunities."

Jackson ran for 57 yards on 16 carries (3.6 average) in Green Bay's pre-season opener at Pittsburgh. But Jackson had just 14 yards on eight carries (1.8) in the first half of that game.

Against Seattle, though, Jackson played more relaxed and confident and it showed.

Early in the first quarter, Jackson made a perfect read and a gorgeous cutback for a 9-yard run. Later in the quarter, on the exact same play, Jackson made another nifty cut and used a big block by Bubba Franks to gain 6 yards to the Seattle 1-yard line. Jackson followed that up with a TD over left guard on the ensuing play.

Jackson did a nice job on an 11-yard screen pass, allowing center Scott Wells and left guard Daryn Colledge to set up their blocks. Later on a 6-yard run between right guard and right tackle, Jackson showed decent vision and strength.

"I'm very confident right now, but that's coach's call," Jackson said when asked about being the starter. "This is a great confidence boost. But just got to stay hard working."

Jackson, a second-round draft pick from Nebraska, has done exactly that since the start of training camp. He's been secure with the ball. He's taken relatively quickly to Green Bay's zone blocking scheme. And he's getting better in pass protection, although he's anything but a finished product in that department.

"I think he was solid," Philbin said of Jackson. "I thought we ran the ball relatively well in the first half, awful in the second half (25 yards). I thought he was pretty solid in what he did.

"He appears to be playing hard and playing with pretty good pad level. And he's protecting the ball well. So far, so good."

Meanwhile, this training camp has turned into a nightmare for Morency.

Morency virtually lived at the Packers' facilities this off-season and got into top shape in hopes of winning the job. But Morency, who ran for 421 yards last year as Ahman Green's primary backup, suffered his knee injury on July 28.

Morency won't play Thursday against Jacksonville as his absence nears a month. And while the Packers say Morency is getting closer to returning, there's no guarantee he'll be ready for the opener.

As is often the case while a player heals, he quickly becomes an afterthought.

"You feel bad for the guy," said fullback Brandon Miree, who's missed the first two pre-season games with a shoulder stinger himself. "Everyone around here knows how hard (Morency) worked this off-season. The one thing you can never control is injuries, and unfortunately he's got one."

And Jackson has pounced on the opportunity.

It remains to be seen whether Jackson can be more than an average back. His speed is so-so (4.56). He never started a full season at Nebraska. And he won't turn 22 until October.

But Jackson has flashed enough to leave Morency in the rear-view mirror for now. And the Packers seem extremely comfortable with the thought of Jackson as their starter in 2007.

"He certainly has performed well in these two pre-season games," Philbin said. "We're pleased with his development at this stage."

[HarveyWallbangers]

Kind of funny that Jones was considered a reach in round 3 by the experts, and Clowney was considered a steal in round 5. In fact, most experts had Clowney ranked higher than Jones. That alone should make some stop and think. Last year, others were reaches and Hodge was our steal.

Clowney struggles to come on strong
By ROB REISCHEL

Green Bay - The drill is one of the most entertaining that you'll find at training camp.

Pass catchers for the Green Bay Packers receive a short throw. Then they turn and run through a gauntlet with padded arms that tests their strength, before high-stepping through the ropes.

For rookie wide receiver David Clowney, a fifth-round draft choice in April, the drill is a daily struggle.

While most players are barely affected by the gauntlet, Clowney has a hard time fighting through the padded arms. That simple exercise shows Clowney's lack of strength and why he's likely to be the highest of the Packers' draft picks that won't make the team.

"When you lack a little bit of the ideal physical size at this stage of your career, sometimes that can create some issues for you," Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said of Clowney.

Clowney has found that out the hard way.

Packers general manager Ted Thompson drafted Clowney because of his lights-out speed (4.39). That speed is virtually useless, though, if Clowney's strength isn't up to snuff.

Clowney refused to lift for scouts at the NFL combine in February. But Thompson took him anyway, hoping he could breathe some life into the return units.

"My biggest thing was focusing on my routes, my hands and my speed," Clowney said of why he didn't lift at the combine. "As a receiver, those are the most important things."

Actually, they're secondary. If a receiver can't get off the line of scrimmage, everything else is irrelevant - something Clowney has discovered this camp.

Clowney, listed a 6-feet, 188 pounds, is built like a rail. He's been manhandled at the line of scrimmage by many of Green Bay's cornerbacks and doesn't have the necessary strength to win 50-50 balls.

Ask Clowney if his strength is a problem, though, and he's adamant that it isn't.

"Not at all. Nope. Not at all," he said. "Of course I go up against Al Harris and Charles Woodson and that's tough. But I go against all different corners and it's not so much hard, but you just have to be that much more precise on everything you're doing."

The problem is Clowney's skills as a pass catcher haven't been any better.

During a recent practice, this series of plays unfolded:

? Clowney ran a nice route to break free of cornerback Will Blackmon, but dropped the pass.

? Clowney didn't finish a route and cornerback Tramon Williams beat him to the ball and nearly had an interception.

? Safety Charlie Peprah lined up against Clowney and threw him to the ground within the first five yards.

"One of the things against our guys, (Clowney) gets great experience going against bump man-to-man coverage, against guys that are up in your face," Philbin said.

Clowney clearly needs to add strength to his frame. But he's also incredibly raw as a receiver.

Clowney's routes have lacked precision and it's unclear how well he reads coverages. He doesn't appear to be much of a blocker and probably isn't anything more than a sheer vertical receiver at this stage.

Clowney has great speed, but he rarely displays it because he's thinking instead of simply playing. Through two pre-season games, Clowney has three receptions for 18 yards.

"At times he's been in there and made some plays and done some good things," Philbin said. "He shows some natural playmaking ability. He has very good speed and he's caught the ball well."

Clowney's greatest contributions figured to come in the return game. But cornerback Will Blackmon has sparkled in that department and will likely win both jobs.

So the Packers will face the question of what exactly to do with Clowney?

Green Bay could easily part ways with Clowney. But chances are, the Packers will hope for a long-term payoff on their investment.

Clowney hasn't been nearly as awful as fourth-round pick Cory Rodgers last summer or fifth-rounder Joey Jamison in 2000. And Clowney does have some toughness. In fact, Clowney was back at practice last season just four days after undergoing an emergency appendectomy.

So Green Bay could put Clowney on the practice squad, beef him up and hope he doesn't lose any speed.

"It looks like he's got a frame that could take some more weight," Philbin said. "He's a young guy and these guys are still developing, still getting stronger, so I would think he's got some room to grow, certainly."

Clowney won't admit he's a long shot to make the final roster. But at the same time, he knows a year on the practice squad might be the best thing for his career right now.

"I'm going to make the best of it wherever I'm at," he said. "I'm blessed to be where I'm at and I'll make the most of it no matter where I'm at."

[HarveyWallbangers]

Blackmon's elusiveness pays big returns
By ROB REISCHEL

Green Bay - Will Blackmon walked into Lambeau Field Saturday as part of the No. 2 kickoff return unit. He left following a night in which he invoked memories of Desmond Howard.

Not a bad few hours of work.

Blackmon returned a kickoff 83 yards that brought back images of Howard's magical 1996 season. Blackmon also had a solid 16-yard punt return and now appears the odds-on favorite to return both kicks and punts this season.

"He helped himself. He helped our football team and . . . it is what it is," Packers special teams coach Mike Stock said. "I don't know what's going to happen. But I do know that (Blackmon) has done a nice job in the last two weeks."

Shaun Bodiford and David Clowney opened the game with the No. 1 kick return unit. But when Bodiford suffered an MCL injury on the opening kickoff, Blackmon took his place and took full advantage of the opportunity.

It was the second consecutive week Blackmon has sparkled in the return game. Blackmon showed fantastic elusiveness against Pittsburgh, breaking four tackles on one punt return. But his numbers were pedestrian because of shoddy blocking.

That wasn't the case on Blackmon's big return Saturday night. And Blackmon might have to fall on his face from here to lose the jobs.

"I have no idea," Blackmon said when asked if he felt he won the jobs. "My gut tells me just keep doing what you're doing.

"I felt like I made some progress. Last week I ran around and we were getting used to each other. This week, my teammates told me, 'Keep running well, we're going to block for you.' We put two and two together and we got it done this week."

They sure did.

Josh Brown's kick hung for 3.94 seconds and Blackmon caught it at the 2-yard line. The wedge unit consisted of Korey Hall, Johnny Jolly, Allen Barbre and Jason Hunter and the front line (from left) was Jarrett Bush, Rory Johnson, Tracy White, Desmond Bishop and Carlyle Holiday.

Barbre, Jolly and Hunter cleared an early path and Blackmon shot through a big hole toward the right. At the 25-yard line, Blackmon appeared to be pinned in by a pair of Seahawks. But White made a key block by burying C.J. Wallace and Blackmon danced back to the left away from Kevin Hobbs.

Several Seahawks over-pursued the play and lost containment, allowing Blackmon to turn the left corner. By the 40-yard line, Blackmon was in a foot race with Michael Boulware, who had a slight angle on him.

Boulware finally caught Blackmon at the Seattle 15, but was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play, giving Green Bay the ball at the Seahawks' 7-yard line. Two plays later, Brandon Jackson's 1-yard touchdown run broke a 3-3 tie and the Packers were on their way to what would become a 48-13 rout.

"When I caught the ball, I wasn't surprised, but it was impressive," said Blackmon, a fourth-round draft choice in 2006. "For a split second I paused and I just saw every man have a Seahawk blocked.

"And I was like, 'Hell, I'm running right through that.' And then it's just natural reaction. You see a different colored jersey, go the other way."

It was 11 years ago this summer when Howard saved his career with a similar return. Howard was on the bubble when he returned a punt 77 yards for a touchdown against Pittsburgh on Aug. 11, 1996.

That play won Howard a roster spot and he went on to lead the NFL in punt return yards (870) and punt return average (15.1). To top it off, Howard was the Super Bowl MVP after racking up 244 return yards, including a 99-yard TD.

Green Bay has been looking for an answer in the return game ever since that time. Saturday night, the Packers might have found their solution for 2007.

"Those big plays on special teams ignite a sideline, they ignite the stadium," Stock said. "If you're playing home like this, there's an electricity that runs through the team and the stadium that is so positive that it's hard to measure."

The Packers haven't enjoyed their special teams measurements in recent seasons. Green Bay has ranked dead last for two consecutive years in special teams rankings done by the Dallas Morning News.

A year ago, the Packers were about as pedestrian as possible in the return games, ranking 31st in kickoff average and 24th on punts. Blackmon - and an increased emphasis on drafting special-teams players by general manager Ted Thompson - could change all that.

Blackmon (6-0, 202) is a solid athlete who ran a 4.48 40-yard dash coming out of Boston College. With the Eagles, Blackmon averaged 24.6 yards on his 114 kickoff returns, 10.1 yards on his 50 punt returns and had a pair of touchdowns.

Blackmon might have had a shot in the return game last season, but foot and rib injuries limited him to just four games. Those setbacks appear in the past, though, and Blackmon is on his way to making up for lost time.

"These are the things that he exhibited in college at Boston College, absolutely," Stock said. "He has all those tools . . . I think he does have good vision, he knows how to set up blocks and I think he knows how to take advantage of that.

"But again, it's all about familiarity with the scheme we're using, with the blocks . . . and where he's supposed to be when those blocks occur. Kickoff returns are all about timing and (Saturday), there was some good timing.

"What he's shown the last two weeks in both categories, both elements . . . certainly he's given us every positive thought process about having him there. But that decision will be made when we're ready to wrap it up."

Right now, it looks like Blackmon has already wrapped things up.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Barnett sees start of something special
By ROB REISCHEL

Green Bay - Nick Barnett will never forget the dog days of 2004. It's burned onto his brain, and in many ways, those frustrating memories help drive him today.

Barnett, a second-year linebacker at the time, remembers his Green Bay Packers trying everything humanly possible to force turnover plays. In the end, though, it just didn't happen and the paltry 15 take-aways the Packers forced were an all-time franchise low.

By the looks of things, Green Bay won't have such issues in 2007.

In the Packers' second pre-season game of 2007 last Saturday, they forced an impressive six turnovers - turning two into touchdowns. Those plays helped Green Bay steamroll visiting Seattle, 48-13.

"I'm very optimistic that as a unit, we're going to have a lot more turnovers than we've had," Barnett said. "I'm not going to say we're the best defense in the world. But it's getting there."

Before we get too carried away, remember that Seattle played without quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, all-world left tackle Walter Jones and right tackle Ray Willis. Running back Shaun Alexander, the league MVP in 2005, also carried the ball just three times.

Still, take nothing away from a Green Bay defense that played fast, instinctive and inspired.

"It's a major emphasis," Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy said of forcing turnovers. "When the defense is on the field, that's ball extraction from the offense. We definitely accomplished it with six take-aways defensively. When you practice it and it shows up in the game, that's what you're looking for."

The Packers got just what they were looking for from several players. Among the highlights:

? Jarrett Bush, fighting to be Green Bay's No. 3 cornerback, intercepted a pair of passes and had his hands on a potential third pick.

"I think this helped," Bush said of winning the nickel job. "I feel a lot better."

? Atari Bigby, who's making a push to unseat Marquand Manuel at one safety position, helped his cause immensely.

Bigby had two sacks, both coming on plays where he was a designed blitzer. On one, Bigby looked like he was shot from a cannon when he leaped, drilled Seahawks quarterback Seneca Wallace and forced a fumble. Linebacker Tracy White recovered and returned that one 34 yards for a touchdown

"I think blitzing is one of my big strengths," Bigby said. "I'm hoping they can use that all year. Even if I don't start, they could bring me in for those kinds of plays."

? Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila did just what the Packers envision in his role as a third-down pass-rush specialist. On a third and 8 early in the second quarter, "KGB" set up reserve left tackle Tom Ashworth with an inside move, then whipped Ashworth around the corner. Gbaja-Biamila drilled Wallace and stripped the ball, then Barnett scooped it up and rumbled 62 yards for a score.

"I feel good about the defense," Gbaja-Biamila said. "I think we're going to have a great, dominant defense this year. I think we're going to dominate."

? Defensive end Cullen Jenkins continued his blistering start to the pre-season by recording a sack and two tackles for loss in just more than a quarter of play. Safety Charlie Peprah added an interception. Cornerback Will Blackmon forced a fumble that linebacker Spencer Havner recovered.

In addition to the six turnovers, Green Bay also notched seven sacks.

"I think turnovers have always been an emphasis," linebacker Brady Poppinga said. "It just so happens you're seeing more of it on the field. But it's always been a big, big emphasis."

The Packers could emphasize it 24-7 a few years back, but the truth is, they just didn't have enough playmakers. Today, nothing could be further from the truth.

Green Bay's talent and depth on the defensive line rivals almost any team in the NFL. The Packers' linebackers are an ascending bunch and the cornerback play figures to be outstanding. The biggest question remains who will start at safety opposite Nick Collins, but Green Bay believes it has answers in-house.

"This could be our best defense since I've been here," said Barnett, now in his fifth season. "Great at the linebackers. Great at the corners. Great competition at the safeties. And a hell of a lot of depth up front. It could be."

That should help the Packers get back to their ball-hawking ways from earlier in the decade.

Under Ed Donatell, who ran Green Bay's defense from 2000-'03, turnovers seemed to flow like beer at a frat house. The Packers ranked second in the league in take-aways in 2001 with 39, led the NFL with 45 in 2002 and were 10th overall last season with 32.

Under Bob Slowik in 2004, Green Bay tied for last in the NFL with just 15 take-aways. With Jim Bates leading the defense in 2005, the Packers forced 21 turnovers to rank just 26th.

Last season, though, Green Bay began a marked turnaround when it forced 33 turnovers to finish tied for fifth. The Packers were in pretty heady company, too, trailing only Chicago (44), Baltimore (40), Minnesota (36) and New England (35).

Green Bay is optimistic 2007 can be even better. The Packers set a goal of forcing three turnovers a game, and Saturday night was certainly a good start toward reaching that.

"It is pre-season, so I'm not going to jump the gun," Barnett said. "But you can see all the potential. We've just got to bring it all together."

"We definitely closed last year strong. I think as some of our younger guys got more familiar with what we were doing, we all started to grow together. Now that we've got that same group out there together, we're just able to adapt and play together."

[HarveyWallbangers]

'Wild stallion' Favre seems a bit tamer
By RICHARD PUFALL

Green Bay - In 15 seasons as the only starting quarterback the Green Bay Packers have known, Brett Favre has played with a style all his own: always gambling, attacking, forcing the issue and the football, flying around the field at 100 miles per hour with his hair on fire. It is an approach that has served him well, winning him a Super Bowl ring, three NFL most valuable player awards and a spot in the waiting room of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

But Favre turns 38 on October 10, more than a month into his 16th season with the Packers and 17th in the NFL. Favre started training camp coming off rehab from ankle surgery, with a tender right shoulder and a heavy heart after the death of his wife's stepfather, Rocky Byrd, his friend and confidant.

So far in training camp, he hasn't been the old Favre. There have been few of those impossible rocket throws that have awed the crowd and there has been less swagger in his step. In the team's opening exhibition game in Pittsburgh, Favre was frustrated in four series, with no first downs, completing just 2 of 7 passes for 7 yards. His quarterback rating in his first-quarter cameo was a paltry 39.6.

"In '99 there'd be one a day where you'd go, 'Holy (bleep), I can't believe he made that throw,' " said Green Bay's head coach Mike McCarthy, who was Favre's quarterbacks coach that season. "It's not like the old days, but to me that's good, because I don't need him to play like a wild stallion anymore. We're not built that way."

Some believe that the Packers will opt for a low-risk, conservative offense that calls for Favre to be more of a manager than the swashbuckling leader of old. It appears McCarthy wants Favre to be a broken stallion, who can trot to just enough points, then rely on a defense the Packers hope will be among the league's best.

"Brett needs to go out and have his best year statistically that he's had in quite some time," McCarthy said. "Completion percentage. Low interceptions. We're going to have a good field-goal kicker."

Last season Favre cut his interception total to 18 from an NFL-leading 29 in 2005. But his 56.0% completion mark was the lowest of his career and his yards-per-attempt rate of 6.34 was his second-worst.

Saturday night in Green Bay's 48-13 rout of the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field, Favre flashed a glimmer of the old No. 4, completing 7 of 12 passes for 74 yards and 104.2 rating in his second cameo.

Right now, Favre has rookie Brandon Jackson as his No. 1 running back, replacing Ahman Green, who signed with Houston as a free agent. And Favre lobbied hard for the Packers to sign wide receiver Randy Moss, who landed with the New England Patriots.

"There's two ways to look at this year," Favre said. "You're a young football team with a mature quarterback who has seen it all with a defense that by most people's standards is the best of our three (units). You may not score many points . . . so don't make any mistakes.

"Then again, what happens if we have to score points? I'm kind of in between that right now. At some point, you've got to turn it loose."

Donald Driver, Favre's Pro Bowl wide receiver and a Packer since 1999, sees no reason for Favre to change, but believes his quarterback will do what's best for the team.

"I don't know. Brett's going to be Brett," Driver said. "Brett's going to do exactly what he has to. It's hard to tell a guy to do this or do that. Both of those guys are on the same page, regardless of how you look at it, Brett and coach McCarthy are on the same page.

"Whenever they go into a scheme of what they're going to do and how they're going to do it, it's going to work for all of us."

The poor play of the offense in Pittsburgh took a toll on Favre who said: "I was as frustrated when I came out as I think I've ever been in pre-season."

Favre might believe he is the quarterback of a playoff team, but he's making no predictions.

"Would I love for us to win and go to the playoffs? Absolutely," Favre said. "Do I think that can happen? I do. Do I think we could struggle and make it harder on ourselves? We can go one of two ways, or hang in the middle."

Favre spoke of his halcyon days with the Packers 10 years ago when he worked with an experienced team that knew exactly what to expect from one another. He said today's kiddie crops of Packers "keep me youthful." He knows what McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson expect of him, but he also knows what he expects from himself.

"They know," Favre said, referring to McCarthy and Thompson, "as well as I do, what we're up against offensively. It's a lot different than five years ago, six years ago, seven years ago. But at some point, I have to play the game."

Favre did not prepare for this training camp as an aging quarterback planning to pull his foot off the gas pedal. He put in eight weeks of hard work with a personal trainer and his willingness to study and prepare doesn't seem to be slipping away.

"Friday night at the hotel in Pittsburgh, I go down to check on things, and Brett's there watching film," McCarthy said. "He did 2½ hours of film study, and he's going to play 12 plays. We probably had 10 to 15 guys that came in.

"I'm leaving (Lambeau Field) Sunday night and he's coming back in. If anything, I have to restrain him. He's big into play selection. His mind is always about football."

McCarthy knows that there are no guarantees with Favre or any player. He expects Favre to be effective, but he assumes nothing.

"I don't think you can," he replied. "I think it's an easy mind-set to fall into, but he needs to be coached like everybody else. We get on him, but 99 times out of 100 he's already saying, 'I screwed that thing up.'

"But it is different. You're talking to a guy . . . that views the game like a coach. Sometimes he worries too much. This guy is a lot more dedicated classroom-wise and schematically than he was in '99 when I was coaching him. Not even close."

Driver sees the same Favre in practice that he has always known. He isn't worried about Favre's ability to make plays.

"No, no, I'm nervous that he can make the same plays," Driver said. "Some of these (new) guys see a certain ball (pass) come through between two guys and they go, 'man, who made that throw?' And I say, 'he's been making that throw for 17 years.' These guys, like James Jones, they're seeing if for the first time in their life. I've been seeing it for a long time. He's not going to change the way he plays the game. He loves it too much."

Against Seattle, in a brief appearance, Driver caught two passes for 26 yards.

"We've been doing it for nine years," Driver said. "I can always learn more from him. And the thing that's so surprising, is you would never think he learns from you, because he's the older guy, but he's also learning from me, as well.

"But I'm always listening to him and I'm always paying attention to him. And that's what I have to do, because he's the one throwing the ball. And if he wants me in a certain spot then I have to be there for him and that's what it's all about."

And soon, everyone will see what Favre - vintage 2007 - is all about.