P.J. Pope Gets Scoped

[Scott Campbell]

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070807/PKR01/708070496/1057/PKR&located=RSS

Notebook: Halfback Pope has surgery on knee By Pete Dougherty
pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com


Backup halfback P.J. Pope will miss at least two preseason games and perhaps more after having arthroscopic surgery on a knee Monday morning.


Pope, who is in the thick of the battle for the No. 3 or perhaps No. 4 halfback spot if the Packers keep four halfbacks, injured the knee in Saturday night's intrasquad scrimmage.


Coach Mike McCarthy wouldn't say exactly what the injury was but said Pope will be out at least "a couple of weeks." With potential starting halfback Vernand Morency also sidelined for at least a couple more weeks because of a knee injury, the Packers are down to four healthy halfbacks for at least their first two preseason games: Brandon Jackson, Noah Herron, DeShawn Wynn and fullback-halfback Corey White.


McCarthy, though, said he probably won't add another halfback to the roster for now.


"The guys behind them are very young, so they could use the work," McCarthy said. "Ted (Thompson, the general manager) and I, we talk every morning about the depth chart, but we're going to hold steadfast on the running back group and work these young guys."

[BallHawk]

At first I thought it said "scooped" as in, somebody had picked him up.

Of course that wouldn't make any sense.

[KYPack]

Re: P.J. Pope Gets Scoped

McCarthy, though, said he probably won't add another halfback to the roster for now.


"The guys behind them are very young, so they could use the work," McCarthy said. "Ted (Thompson, the general manager) and I, we talk every morning about the depth chart, but we're going to hold steadfast on the running back group and work these young guys."

Why not?

We are down two backs at a thin position. Why not bring in a vet or two that may stick if one or both of our walking wounded don't make it back. Morency is out for a month. Pope is getting knifed. Don't we need some help?

[Packgator]

Re: P.J. Pope Gets Scoped

we're going to hold steadfast on the running back group and work these young guys."

Why not?

We are down two backs at a thin position. Why not bring in a vet or two that may stick if one or both of our walking wounded don't make it back. Morency is out for a month. Pope is getting knifed. Don't we need some help?

The bright side is the added practice reps those that remain will receive. Sure is a huge opportunity for someone to take advantage of. We'll get our first indication Saturday night. At least it will create interesting pre-season games.

[Fritz]

Scope the Pope!

[woodbuck27]

Re: P.J. Pope Gets Scoped

McCarthy, though, said he probably won't add another halfback to the roster for now.


"The guys behind them are very young, so they could use the work," McCarthy said. "Ted (Thompson, the general manager) and I, we talk every morning about the depth chart, but we're going to hold steadfast on the running back group and work these young guys."

Why not?

We are down two backs at a thin position. Why not bring in a vet or two that may stick if one or both of our walking wounded don't make it back. Morency is out for a month. Pope is getting knifed. Don't we need some help?

Pass that on to TT.

Send a memo.

[Carolina_Packer]

On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the best time, 1 being the worst, how would you rank this time as far as going out and getting someone of any kind of value at RB, should they need to because of injury?

Why do I ask? Because there is the assumption that now that two of the RB's are down for a bit that we should go out and find someone else. My question is, what kind of player are you likely to find at this point? You'd think that if there was a better player out there, they would have already tried to bring him in.

I hope Herron, Jackson and Wynn can show something against Pittsburgh. If not, I think some people might start to panic. Even if we panic, who is out there to alleviate our fears?

[Zool]

Guess I'm a little confused. Teams haven't had to cut anyone, so who's even available, and would be willing to fill a camp body spot?

NFL GM's cant win.

[Zool]

On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the best time, 1 being the worst, how would you rank this time as far as going out and getting someone of any kind of value at RB, should they need to because of injury?

Why do I ask? Because there is the assumption that now that two of the RB's are down for a bit that we should go out and find someone else. My question is, what kind of player are you likely to find at this point? You'd think that if there was a better player out there, they would have already tried to bring him in.

I hope Herron, Jackson and Wynn can show something against Pittsburgh. If not, I think some people might start to panic. Even if we panic, who is out there to alleviate our fears?

QFT

[Carolina_Packer]

QFT...

Quoted for Truth or Quit F'ing Talking? Hopefully not the latter; i was just asking a question, really.

[MJZiggy]

QFT=quoted for truth.

[Pacopete4]

i really think if RB is a problem throughout the preseason, TT will try to sign a vet that is/was cut... right now there are no pickings to be had and he really doesnt know how our RB situation will pan out. If Jackson/Morency turn out to be a great combo with Noah on 3rd downs.. why does he need someone?... i think he actually is doing it right by being patient

[Carolina_Packer]

Right, and he's gotta work with these players and we don't. He has to be able to get along with them (assuming he wants to, and why wouldn't he?). If he shows little or no faith, especially in rookies and new starters, what does that tell the RB's? What does that tell the rest of the team? Sure, you want to win and you have to make some tough choices to make the team better, but you also have to give players a chance (a real chance, not just a scrimmage or one game) to prove themselves. It's a tough place to be in, I'm sure. If he shows faith in the players, and they don't develop as a unit like he hoped, that could really be detrimental to our offense. If he goes out and signs Corey Dillon (or insert best available player here) in a panic move, that may hurt the chemistry of the unit, or even the offense.