The Packer Pundit: 9/14/2006

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9/14/2006

McCarthy could give Colledge try
Roughly a month after losing his starting left guard spot to Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge appears ready to regain it - if only for a game - Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. Spitz continues to be hampered by a bruised left thigh suffered Sunday in the Green Bay Packers' 26-0 loss to the Chicago Bears. The injury kept him out of practice Wednesday, and coach Mike McCarthy said if he's unable to practice by Friday, the Packers would move ahead with Colledge as their starter.

Ready to go
Fullback William Henderson was listed as questionable on the Packers' injury report Wednesday, but both he and McCarthy indicated he'd be ready to go Sunday. Henderson underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Aug. 21 but returned to practice Wednesday after being withheld from the Chicago game and limited in practice the week before.

Robinson has DUI hearings upcoming
Koren Robinson will have to tend to some legal affairs in the next month or so due to his most recent arrest for driving under the influence. Whether it affects duties with the Packers isn't known yet. Robinson is due in court in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland, Wash., on Oct. 4, according to Kirkland Municipal Court supervisor Aimee Vance. Robinson must appear in person to meet with a judge to determine whether he violated his parole from a previous DUI charge in June 2005. The judge could revoke Robinson's probation and force him to serve all or part of his suspended sentence, Vance said. All but one day of Robinson's one-year sentence was suspended and he was ordered to abstain from alcohol and non-prescription drugs, according to news reports.

Gone, not forgotten
Fullback Vonta Leach, cut Tuesday to make room on the roster for Robinson, wasn't out of work for long. The Saints claimed him Wednesday. McCarthy admitted releasing Leach was a "tough decision" because he "played well" against the Bears Sunday, but because veteran William Henderson (knee) returned to practice and is set to start against the Saints, Leach was deemed expendable. McCarthy also pointed to tight end David Martin's ability to play fullback as another reason for Leach's release.

Injury list
In addition to Spitz and Henderson, the Packers listed tackle Junius Coston (knee) as out and cornerback Will Blackmon (foot) as questionable for Sunday. Blackmon didn't practice Wednesday after suffering a setback with his foot, according to McCarthy, and his status is considered day-to-day.

The Saints listed fullbacks Keith Joseph (knee) and Mike Karney (calf) and safety Bryan Scott (hamstring) as out for Sunday, with Joseph being placed on injured reserve. Defensive end Michael Haynes (back) and defensive tackle Rodney Leisle (knee) are questionable and cornerback Dejuan Groce (hamstring) and linebacker Terrence Melton (hamstring) are probable.

Extra points
McCarthy said rookie cornerback Will Blackmon had a setback with his still-healing broken foot, which is why Blackmon did not practice Wednesday. He was listed as questionable. ... Quarterback Brett Favre, who had this week "off" from his Wednesday news conferences, is to tape an interview today with Fox News Channel's Greta Van Susteren. ... Brady Poppinga remains the starter at sam linebacker. ... Tony Palmer got some work with the No. 1 line at right guard early in practice.

Packers trade Gado to Houston
Green Bay gets running back Morency
By Tom Silverstein
journalsentinel.com
Either convinced that he was not going to be the running back they hoped or desperate for a third-down back, the Green Bay Packers traded Samkon Gado to the Houston Texans on Wednesday afternoon. In exchange for Gado, the fan and media darling who came off the practice squad last year to become the team's leading rusher, the Packers received backup running back Vernand Morency from the Texans. Gado, at 5-10 and 226 pounds, has the strength and burst to run the ball up the middle, and Morency, at 5-9 1/2, 212 pounds, is a quick, shifty runner whose decent hands make him a good fit for third downs. -- More

Packers Acquire Morency
From Texans For Gado
Packers.com
The Green Bay Packers Wednesday obtained running back Vernand Morency from the Houston Texans for running back Samkon Gado. Morency, a 5-foot-10, 212-pound player, is in his second year out of Oklahoma State. In 13 NFL games, including Sunday's season opener, he has 51 carries for 197 yards (3.9 avg.) and two touchdowns. He also has averaged 21.9 yards on 20 career kickoff returns. Selected after his junior season in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft (73rd overall), he spent four years as a center fielder in the Colorado Rockies farm system before enrolling at Oklahoma State. He ran for 2,661 yards on 451 carries (5.9 avg.) with 23 TDs during his college career, including two seasons as a backup to current Denver player Tatum Bell. -- Story

New Teammates Welcoming
Robinson Into Locker Room
By Mike Spofford / Packers.com
Cornerback Al Harris had perhaps the most poignant response Wednesday to the question about whether the Packers players have concerns about newly acquired receiver Koren Robinson's past off-the-field problems, and whether they are or will be a distraction in the locker room. "What off-the-field issues?" Harris said. "The guy just got here. He just got here like, what, five hours ago? I haven't heard anything." It was Harris's way of saying Robinson, signed Tuesday after being released by the Vikings in training camp because of an off-the-field incident, has a clean slate with him, and other teammates expressed similar thoughts. -- More

Missed opportunities
in short-yardage situations alarming
By Jeremy Reeves / Special to The Capital Times
When a football team loses 26-0, as the Green Bay Packers did Sunday to the Chicago Bears, there is never a shortage of botched plays it can cite as reasons for the lopsided outcome. The Packers certainly committed their fair share of blunders in all three aspects of the game, but perhaps the most alarming was their offense's third-down inefficiency. -- More

Packers seek spark in return game
Can Robinson finally provide replacement for Rossum?
By Dylan B. Tomlinson
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers
Since the Green Bay Packers parted ways with kick returner Allen Rossum after the 2001 season, they have been searching for an adequate replacement. Javon Walker, Najeh Davenport, Robert Ferguson, Antonio Chatman and Ahmad Carroll are among the players the Packers have tried. While some, like Davenport in 2003, had some success, for the most part it's been a constant struggle. -- More

Just relax
By Steve Lawrence / PackerReport
Before last week’s season opener, first-year Packers coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged there weren’t many people on Green Bay’s bandwagon. After 99 percent of those fans jumped off it in the aftermath of Sunday’s debacle against the Chicago Bears, that bandwagon now probably consists of family members, and even some of them probably want to jump ship, or at least wear a bag over their heads. Already, many fans want heads to roll. They want Ted Thompson fired. McCarthy fired. Players cut. On the national level, the pundits already are calling for Brett Favre to not only be benched, but hauled off to pasture or turned into glue. -- More

NFL won't discipline Geathers
Panthers Morgan out, Smith questionable
Brady distracted by Branch saga
Branch complicates Holmgren's game plan
T.O. on QBs: What controversy?
Bush promises the highlights will come
Packers send RB Gado to Texans

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