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Notes: Coston's job safe for now
Guard struggled against Bears
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Oct. 11, 2007
Green Bay - Even though he's coming off probably his worst game in four starts this season, Green Bay Packers right guard Junius Coston is in no danger of losing his job.
It's not just because backup Jason Spitz is starting at center this week in place of Scott Wells and No. 3 man Tony Palmer is out for the season with a neck injury.
The Packers are sticking with Coston because they think he's the best man for the job.
"What is this, four games?" offensive line coach James Campen said. "I don't think it (the Chicago game) was a setback because he's a guy that just needs to play. He did some better things the weeks before. He was not the only guy to allow (Lance) Briggs to have all those tackles.
"Is there concern? Absolutely, there is as there would be for anybody. But generally speaking he continues to work and he'll improve that part of his game and get better. He has a lot of potential."
Coston blew an assignment on a crucial third-down play Sunday and had trouble cutting off Briggs, the weak-side linebacker, on a number of running plays. Campen said Coston knew what to do and just had a bad day.
The frustrating part for the Packers was there might have been as many as 10 running plays in which the Packers failed to get Briggs blocked on the back side, ruining runs that could have earned them another 50 or so yards rushing and kept a couple of drives going. Fellow guard Daryn Colledge also had trouble blocking Briggs on those plays.
"It's just a matter of him recognizing the look he had back side," Campen said. "The guy is a physical kid; he comes off the ball. It's a matter of getting his landmarks right, and his aiming points right."
On that inside zone play, Coston has to double-team the defensive tackle with Mark Tauscher and then slide to his left and cut off the linebacker before he can chase the play down on the other side of the formation. Coston kept getting held up and when he did get free his angles to Briggs weren't good.
Campen would like him to clean up that part of the game, but he'd also like him to do whatever he can to block the linebacker if his release and angle aren't that good.
"After so many times getting in front of you, at some point the light goes on, 'I'm not going to let you keep going across my face,' " Campen said. "At some point, then get to the second level and cut. Go over him. You have to do something. Be a speed bump."
Liquidation
After dehydrating in the first quarter against the Bears, rookie running back DeShawn Wynn is loading up on liquids during the week.
Wherever he goes, his bottle goes.
"I was drinking too much water, not enough Gatorade," Wynn said. "There's a bunch of stuff in Gatorade, I guess, and different kinds of Gatorade that give you different hydration. It's something I went through with the training staff and it should be taken care of."
Bad timing
Cornerback Will Blackmon would have been back in the mix as a returner this week if he had not broken his foot last week in practice.
Blackmon was told that this week would probably be the week he wouldn't have to play with a cast on his broken thumb. Instead of returning, he is in a holding pattern for four weeks, waiting to see if the pain diminishes.
The four-week mark would come before the Kansas City game Nov. 4.
"The kid is real optimistic," coach Mike McCarthy said. "He wants to try it if he can do it. I think it's going to be more of a pain (issue) from his end. And if (team physician) Pat McKenzie's comfortable with what he sees on the scan."
Injury report
Running back Vernand Morency (knee) was rested as part of a Wednesday-Friday practice schedule McCarthy has for him.
Tackle Chad Clifton (knee), cornerback Al Harris (back) and tight end Bubba Franks (knee) all returned to practice in pads. Coston (ankle) was added to the injury report but appeared to take part in most of the practice.
For Washington, fullback Mike Sellers (heel) returned to practice, but end Phillip Daniels (shoulder), receiver Antwaan Randle El (hamstring) and linebacker Marcus Washington (hamstring) did not. Cornerback Fred Smoot (illness) sat out.
Anger management
McCarthy said quarterback Brett Favre's outward displeasure with the coach's decision to call the team's final timeout at the end of the second quarter Sunday didn't faze him at all.
Favre was clearly angry that McCarthy didn't allow him to get to the line and run another play before burning the team's final timeout. McCarthy made the decision with 18 seconds left after Favre completed a 28-yard pass to Greg Jennings to the Chicago 26.
"I understand what he was trying to do but when that clock hits 18 seconds, and I didn't think we were getting lined up quick enough," McCarthy said. "The 18-second mark is a benchmark in that particular situation so that's why I called the timeout."
Greg A. Bedard of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.
Guard struggled against Bears
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Oct. 11, 2007
Green Bay - Even though he's coming off probably his worst game in four starts this season, Green Bay Packers right guard Junius Coston is in no danger of losing his job.
It's not just because backup Jason Spitz is starting at center this week in place of Scott Wells and No. 3 man Tony Palmer is out for the season with a neck injury.
The Packers are sticking with Coston because they think he's the best man for the job.
"What is this, four games?" offensive line coach James Campen said. "I don't think it (the Chicago game) was a setback because he's a guy that just needs to play. He did some better things the weeks before. He was not the only guy to allow (Lance) Briggs to have all those tackles.
"Is there concern? Absolutely, there is as there would be for anybody. But generally speaking he continues to work and he'll improve that part of his game and get better. He has a lot of potential."
Coston blew an assignment on a crucial third-down play Sunday and had trouble cutting off Briggs, the weak-side linebacker, on a number of running plays. Campen said Coston knew what to do and just had a bad day.
The frustrating part for the Packers was there might have been as many as 10 running plays in which the Packers failed to get Briggs blocked on the back side, ruining runs that could have earned them another 50 or so yards rushing and kept a couple of drives going. Fellow guard Daryn Colledge also had trouble blocking Briggs on those plays.
"It's just a matter of him recognizing the look he had back side," Campen said. "The guy is a physical kid; he comes off the ball. It's a matter of getting his landmarks right, and his aiming points right."
On that inside zone play, Coston has to double-team the defensive tackle with Mark Tauscher and then slide to his left and cut off the linebacker before he can chase the play down on the other side of the formation. Coston kept getting held up and when he did get free his angles to Briggs weren't good.
Campen would like him to clean up that part of the game, but he'd also like him to do whatever he can to block the linebacker if his release and angle aren't that good.
"After so many times getting in front of you, at some point the light goes on, 'I'm not going to let you keep going across my face,' " Campen said. "At some point, then get to the second level and cut. Go over him. You have to do something. Be a speed bump."
Liquidation
After dehydrating in the first quarter against the Bears, rookie running back DeShawn Wynn is loading up on liquids during the week.
Wherever he goes, his bottle goes.
"I was drinking too much water, not enough Gatorade," Wynn said. "There's a bunch of stuff in Gatorade, I guess, and different kinds of Gatorade that give you different hydration. It's something I went through with the training staff and it should be taken care of."
Bad timing
Cornerback Will Blackmon would have been back in the mix as a returner this week if he had not broken his foot last week in practice.
Blackmon was told that this week would probably be the week he wouldn't have to play with a cast on his broken thumb. Instead of returning, he is in a holding pattern for four weeks, waiting to see if the pain diminishes.
The four-week mark would come before the Kansas City game Nov. 4.
"The kid is real optimistic," coach Mike McCarthy said. "He wants to try it if he can do it. I think it's going to be more of a pain (issue) from his end. And if (team physician) Pat McKenzie's comfortable with what he sees on the scan."
Injury report
Running back Vernand Morency (knee) was rested as part of a Wednesday-Friday practice schedule McCarthy has for him.
Tackle Chad Clifton (knee), cornerback Al Harris (back) and tight end Bubba Franks (knee) all returned to practice in pads. Coston (ankle) was added to the injury report but appeared to take part in most of the practice.
For Washington, fullback Mike Sellers (heel) returned to practice, but end Phillip Daniels (shoulder), receiver Antwaan Randle El (hamstring) and linebacker Marcus Washington (hamstring) did not. Cornerback Fred Smoot (illness) sat out.
Anger management
McCarthy said quarterback Brett Favre's outward displeasure with the coach's decision to call the team's final timeout at the end of the second quarter Sunday didn't faze him at all.
Favre was clearly angry that McCarthy didn't allow him to get to the line and run another play before burning the team's final timeout. McCarthy made the decision with 18 seconds left after Favre completed a 28-yard pass to Greg Jennings to the Chicago 26.
"I understand what he was trying to do but when that clock hits 18 seconds, and I didn't think we were getting lined up quick enough," McCarthy said. "The 18-second mark is a benchmark in that particular situation so that's why I called the timeout."
Greg A. Bedard of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.
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