The Packer Pundit

Here's Today's Packer News and Notes served with a Hot Cup of Coffee... enjoy!

Packers Going With Rayner... Period
Choosing youth and leg strength over experience, the Green Bay Packers released veteran kicker Billy Cundiff Thursday afternoon, leaving Dave Rayner to handle all the kicking duties for the time being. The move comes as a surprise given that Cundiff had been more accurate on field goals than Rayner and fairly solid on kickoffs. Cundiff missed only six field goals in two weeks of practice, but Rayner consistently showed a better leg. With only one kicker in camp, the Packers will be able to find out whether Rayner can handle the pressure of being the main man, starting with their exhibition game Saturday against Atlanta.

"It's a young player that has done well and we felt like he was ahead of Billy," coach Mike McCarthy said Thursday night. "You only have so many reps and I think when you're dealing with youth, we just made the decision we're going to give him the best opportunity to prepare and get ready for Saturday and continue with him the rest of the pre-season."

McCarthy said the Packers were not in the market to bring anybody else in right now. They worked out veteran Paul Edinger earlier in camp but have no interest in signing him.

Lights off
So far no player has been more impressive in training camp practices than rookie wide receiver Greg Jennings. But in live action, Jennings has stumbled a bit, including a key fourth-down drop in the exhibition opener Saturday against San Diego. "He has shown a tendency through live environments, throughout Family Night (intrasquad game) and the game, to be lax with the ball,"McCarthy said.

Jennings said he was aware he has to perform better in the games in order to prove that he's not just a practice player. "It's all about focus," he said. "You never know what's going to happen with the ball and a lot of times you see receivers catching the ball and see them taking their eyes off the ball. It happens and happens to the best of them."

On and off
McCarthy said running back Samkon Gado (groin) and receiver Robert Ferguson (back) both made it through the night practice without any setbacks and had a good shot at playing against the Falcons. As for safety Marquand Manuel, who was activated off the physically unable to perform list this week, McCarthy said he was leaning toward holding him out. That means rookie Tyrone Culver would probably be in the starting lineup.

Home repair
In time for the game Saturday, the Packers are expected to install the new carpet coverings for the concrete pathways behind the benches and into the corner of the end zone. During the intrasquad scrimmage, safety Nick Collins slipped on the concrete after running out of the end zone and hit his back. After that, general manager Ted Thompson said the Packers intended to fix the problem. "It's supposed to be (completed) today or tomorrow," Thompson said. "I think that's the timetable. But rest assured, if I have to put it down myself, it'll be out there."

Half and half
Provided he doesn’t get knocked around the way he did last week, quarterback Brett Favre is expected to play the entire first half against the Falcons.
McCarthy wants to get a good look at the No. 1 offensive line and has said all week that he wants to give the team more opportunities to run the ball, so it's unlikely Favre will be at risk much. Whatever the case, the starters will play longer than they did last week.

Home cooking
This will be McCarthy's second game at Lambeau Field since leaving his position as quarterbacks coach after the 1999 season and it holds much more significance than the other. McCarthy was offensive coordinator with New Orleans when the Saints played here in a 2004 exhibition game. This time he'll be coming out of the home tunnel. "It’s special on a personal level, because you always remember the first time you run through that tunnel," McCarthy said. "But as our football team, I think it's critical that we get off on the right foot of creating that Lambeau advantage. "We have a special stadium, fan base, the excitement, just the way it goes about it. So we need to establish the Lambeau advantage and get back to dominating at home."

The Moll experiment
Rookie fifth-round pick Tony Moll hasn't exactly wowed the coaching staff with his play since being promoted to starting right guard. Moll, who as recently as his junior year at Nevada was a tight end, earned the promotion because of his play at tackle against San Diego and second-round pick Daryn Colledge's poor performance at guard. "This was our first time we had a chance to look at Tony in pads. I know he had a couple rough moments in the team drill," McCarthy said. During one-on-one pass-rushing drills on Tuesday, Moll was beaten so badly by Corey Williams that the coaches made them do it again. Williams won that battle, as well. Moll also lost to rookie defensive tackle Johnny Jolly, and split a pair of reps with NFL Europe defensive tackle Jerome Nichols. (Edit: Remember this when you read the two Puff Pieces below) McCarthy, though, likes Moll's attitude. "He's an assertive young man. One thing we know is he's going to stick his nose in there and compete, and that's part of the reason were giving him the opportunity," McCarthy said.

Wednesday, I introduced a new feature on the Packer Pundit called...



Basically... the Packer Sports writers having nothing better to do than write 'puff pieces' on 'Can't Miss' 7th round pics & Free Agents.

Here are two fine examples with my Graded Marshmallows --

Moll's the key to Plan B
Rookie confident he's the answer at guard
By BOB McGINN
journalsentinel.com

"It's the second game of my career and my second season of playing offensive line. The chance to be starting at right guard for the Green Bay Packers, it's unbelievable." -- Tony Moll

Tony Moll's performance in this exhibition game and perhaps the next won't define his career. It could, however, go a long way toward defining the Green Bay Packers' season. If Moll fails as the latest candidate to replace Marco Rivera at right guard, general manager Ted Thompson will be just about out of options. Thompson abhors trading his precious draft choices. Still, he might have to deal for a veteran guard in order to head off what has the potential to be sustained weakness in the middle of the offensive line. "I don't think we're desperate," the 22-year-old Moll said Thursday. "Other guys can easily do it, too. Will Whitticker. Daryn (Colledge). Jason Spitz." Moll, the fifth-round draft choice from Nevada, has been one of the more pleasant surprises of training camp. Nevertheless, his performance is far better than his perspective. Finding competent guards has been anything but easy for the Packers. MORE>>

Moll suddenly on right track
JASON WILDE / madison.com

Jeff Jagodzinski isn't the only one who's surprised Tony Moll has positioned himself as a potential starter on the Green Bay Packers' offensive line when the season begins Sept. 10 against Chicago. Moll is just as surprised. When Moll arrived at the Packers' post-draft minicamp in May, Jagodzinski, the team's offensive coordinator, saw the rookie fifth-round pick from Nevada as a developmental player - a project. And could you blame him? Two years ago, Moll was playing tight end for the Wolfpack, at least until the staff there sent him to buffet after buffet to pack on 50 pounds and play on the offensive line. "The kid was a tight end. A tight end," Jagodzinski emphasized. "I mean, really. I've been pleasantly surprised how he's done out there." MORE>>