The Packer Pundit

Today is my Brother's 59th Birthday so...
Happy Birthday Oz!

Henderson Could Be Out 3 to 6 Weeks
By Pete Dougherty / greenbaypressgazette.com

Venerable fullback William Henderson might miss three to six weeks because of the knee injury he sustained in the Green Bay Packers' preseason game against Atlanta on Saturday night. A source familiar with the situation said Henderson was scheduled to undergo more extensive tests later Sunday or today, after the swelling in his knee subsides, to better determine the extent of the injury.

But the diagnosis by the Packers' medical staff is he has cartilage and perhaps ligament damage that will sideline him for at least three weeks and probably a little longer. That means he would miss the regular-season opener Sept. 10 and, depending on the severity of the injury and his ability to bounce back at age 35, at least a couple more games.

If tests confirm the Packers' suspicions, then Vonta Leach probably will be the Packers' starting fullback for the next few weeks.

Leach has had a good training camp as a blocker but has been inconsistent catching the ball out of the backfield, and that carried over to the Packers' 38-10 preseason win over Atlanta on Saturday night. Leach blocked much better than Henderson, but he dropped a pass in the flat that probably would have gone for a 9-yard touchdown. MORE>>

Running Game Revs Up
By Jason Wilde / madison.com

The exhibition season is only two games old, but if the Green Bay Packers' running game continues to progress at its current rate - and if four-time Pro Bowl halfback Ahman Green returns to form the way the team hopes - this newfangled zone-blocking scheme just might work. Helped by a reshuffling of the offensive line and a more aggressive tack, the Packers rushed for 126 yards on 30 carries during Saturday night's 38-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field.

"I think we definitely went in the right direction," coach Mike McCarthy said after his team averaged 4.2 yards per carry. "I think we definitely improved."

The numbers say so, since the Packers' running backs mustered only 23 yards on 15 attempts last week at San Diego. Starter Najeh Davenport, who had 12 yards on six carries last week, improved slightly, gaining 29 yards on 11 carries. While those numbers weren't eye-popping, Davenport looked more decisive in his cuts and confident in his reads. MORE>>

This is a Very good article by Lori Nickel of the Journal Sentinel from last Friday that I'm just now getting around to posting --

Hoping to get a leg up on punting job
Sander fights to show he is ready for a shot
By Lori Nickel / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Aug. 18, 2006

"At this point, from what I have been told, it's an open competition, I can't concern myself with what (Ryan's) doing. As long as I go out there and do what I am capable of doing, I'll let the guys upstairs make the decision. As long as I'm happy here with the way things are going, if I'm not punting here, I'll be somewhere." -- B. J. Sander

B.J. Sander has developed pretty thick skin after two years in Green Bay, which might help him withstand the latest challenge before him.After being drafted in the third round in 2004, losing his job in training camp that year, getting sent off to NFL Europe and weathering a miserable 2005 season, now the 26-year-old is in a heated battle to retain his job as the Packers' punter. His competition is an inexperienced punter out of the Canadian Football League, Jon Ryan, who was the better of the two a week ago in the first exhibition game in San Diego.

Special teams coordinator Mike Stock has said this kicking battle could come down to the bitter end, but was convinced this summer that someone would distinguish himself and emerge. But when asked if either Sander or Ryan had established a lead, if ever so slight, in the punting battle, general manager Ted Thompson, not surprisingly, wouldn't show his hand. "I don't know..." Thompson said. "Well, I guess I know... I'm just not going to say. We're still in competition. The race isn't over until it's over. It's (as) Yogi Berra (always said)." MORE>>

Moll Takes Place On Line
Rookie guard has found his rightful spot on roster
By BOB McGINN / journalsentinel.com

Tony Moll has joined fellow rookie Jason Spitz as the heavy favorites to start at guard on opening day for the Green Bay Packers. Looking remarkably comfortable in his first game on the inside, Moll became the front-runner at right guard with a solid showing Saturday night in the Packers' 38-10 romp over the Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field. Meanwhile, Spitz continued to outperform second-round draft choice Daryn Colledge, who backed up Spitz at left guard after being demoted as the starter a week earlier. On Sunday, general manager Ted Thompson was asked if there was any reason to change the pecking order at guard with the Chicago Bears game three weeks away. "I don't know that," Thompson said. "I sat with the coaches and we didn't talk about that specifically. I would think we'll just see how practice goes." MORE>>

Jennings expects big things
By Jason Wilde / madison.com

The question is always asked, perhaps because the rest of us have been caught so off-guard by Greg Jennings.

Have you surprised yourself?

No, Jennings will say again and again into the thicket of microphones and fancy digital recorders, he is not surprised. This is what the Green Bay Packers' rookie wide receiver expected. This is the kind of player the second-round pick from Western Michigan always knew he was capable of being.

So late Saturday night, after the Packers' 38-10 demolishing of the Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field, Jennings stood in front of his locker, surrounded again by the throng. Only this time, a new question was asked.

Since you keep telling us you're doing what you expected to do, when can we start expecting the same from you? A smile creased Jennings' face as he looked the inquisitor dead in the eye. "I guess now," he said, "would be a good time." Then, a pause. "I expect it from myself, (because) I set high standards for myself," Jennings continued. "So to just go out there and be average, that's not me. I try to stand out, and that's what it's all about."

And he is certainly standing out. MORE>>

NOTES
By BOB McGINN / journalsentinel.com / Linkage>>

Beach begins to show his stuff
No, Arliss Beach never started for the University of Kentucky. But that doesn't necessarily mean he can't play for the Green Bay Packers. Beach, a rookie free agent, thrust himself into the Packers' free-for-all at running back Saturday night in the 38-10 triumph over the Atlanta Falcons.

"He sure did," offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said when asked if Beach had helped himself. "The guy that really ran downhill was Beach. We've been impressed with him in practice. He needs to stay consistent. He may have a real chance."

Beach led all rushers with 50 yards in nine carries, including a 19-yard burst late in the third quarter. According to one scout, Beach demonstrated good initial quickness, decent shake in the open field, the ability to finish runs and the leg drive not to go down easily.

"I'm in favor of tough guys, and I think he's a tough, physical football player," coach Mike McCarthy said. "He put his foot down and ran with a lot of forward lean. I think he's a young man that has a bright future."

Two of the team's five running backs, Ahman Green and Samkon Gado, sat out with injuries. Starter Najeh Davenport averaged 2.6 yards and backup Noah Herron averaged 3.3 compared with 5.6 for Beach.

Long night
The situation at fullback, where William Henderson and Vonta Leach are incumbents, also is far from being resolved. Henderson underwent diagnostic testing Sunday to determine the extent of an apparent right knee injury that he suffered in the first half. The only games that he has missed in 11 seasons were Week 1 in 1995 (left knee cartilage) and Week 4 in 2002 (sprained left knee).
(See above 'Breaking News' story)

He was replaced by Leach, who promptly drew a false-start penalty before he dropped two swing passes in the second half from Aaron Rodgers. The second probably would have been a 15-yard touchdown.

"They were two perfect balls and I just dropped both of them," Leach said. "That's something I can't do. Being a pro, no one can fix it except myself. I've just got to come back and work on it and do the Jugs (machine) every day."

Leach acknowledged that one of the raps against him is bad hands. Last season, he dropped three of the 10 passes thrown to him. The rest of the team's running backs dropped merely four out of 142.

"But I can catch and the coaches know I can catch," he said. "I've just got to continue to look the ball in."

Both general manager Ted Thompson and Jagodzinski said Leach had a solid night blocking. Still, Leach is well aware that his roster berth is in jeopardy.

"I always think I'm fighting for my life," he said. "That's the way of the NFL. Everyone's fighting for their life unless they're Brett Favre or Donald Driver.

"They've got to decide. As far as me playing in the NFL, I know I can play in the NFL. If it's not here, I know I'll play somewhere."

No Decision
The punting contest between free agent Jon Ryan and incumbent B.J. Sander might have become closer Saturday night. Ryan's only punt could have been a disaster after he dropped a perfect snap from Rob Davis. However, he was able to get off a 42-yard boot with 2.66 seconds of hang time. Sander punted twice for a 36.5-yard net average and average hang time of 4.81. Each punter has had five chances in two exhibition games. Sander's average hang time is 4.34 compared with 3.57 for Ryan.

"We had the drop in the end zone. That's not a positive," McCarthy said. "That's a close race. It's probably going to take the whole pre-season to solve that."

So Far, So Good
Free agent Dave Rayner made the most of his solo kicking stint, making a 30-yard field goal and five extra points. Plus, he averaged 69.4 yards and 3.85 seconds of hang time on seven kickoffs.

"I thought he handled himself very professionally tonight," special teams coach Mike Stock said. "Now don't forget. It's not like he wasn't accurate in college or didn't make a lot of field goals. I think he has the most points in Michigan State history, and they've had some great kickers there."

Rayner ranks first in Spartans history with 334 points, booting from 2001-'04. Morten Andersen is fourth with 261. The decision to waive Billy Cundiff on Thursday was made to give Rayner optimal conditions.

"Cundiff will be somewhere in the league," Stock said. "We just felt it was time to find out if we gave the guy a job what he could do."

Reality Check
Rodgers played the final 1½ quarters and finished with a glossy passer rating of 135.4, the lion's share of which was the result of an 85-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings off a deflection and a 1-yard scoring pass to Zac Alcorn.

"Sometimes stats can be deceiving," Rodgers said. "Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good."

On the other hand, Rodgers had little opportunity. He was sacked three times, knocked down once and scrambled out of another collapsing pocket.

The play that distressed Rodgers the most came early in the fourth quarter, when he was trying to escape through the middle and fumbled the ball away. He was trying to pump-fake and lost the handle.

"I had a lackadaisical play on the fumble," he said. "Sometimes I'm running for my life. Sometimes I'm running because nobody's open. I've got to be smart with the ball. Get down when I can."

Et cetera
*McCarthy wasn't pleased that rookie Cory Rodgers muffed a punt. He has had ball security problems since camp opened.

*The starters will play well into the second half next Monday night in Cincinnati, according to McCarthy.

*The Packers erroneously credited Donald Driver with a 16-yard reception in the first quarter. Jennings made the catch.

*McCarthy said he was told by linebackers coach Winston Moss immediately after the game that A.J. Hawk had "really made a step forward."