The Packer Pundit

Packers Promote FB Miree,
Release LB White
The Green Bay Packers Tuesday promoted fullback Brandon Miree from the practice squad to the 53-man roster and released linebacker Tracy White. Ted Thompson, Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations, made the announcement. Miree (my-REE), a 6-foot, 236-pound player in his second year out of Pittsburgh, had joined the team's practice squad Sept. 4. Miree will wear No. 40. A seventh-round selection by Denver in 2004, he spent his first season on the Broncos' injured reserve. Miree spent all of 2005 on Denver's practice squad and was released in the team's final roster reduction following 2006 training camp.







Will victory build confidence?
By Rob Demovsky / greenbaypressgazette.com

"It's a lot easier to teach as you start having some success. So, what we need to do is start stacking those successes game after game and practice after practice. That way, I think they play with a little more confidence." -- Jeff Jagodzinski

Maybe now quarterback Brett Favre will believe the Green Bay Packers can finish off games. The Packers' quarterback admitted after Sunday's 31-24 victory over the Detroit Lions that he was "thinking we're going to end up losing this game." Can one victory really change a team's outlook? It didn't have much of an impact last season when the Packers routed the New Orleans Saints for their first win after an 0-4 start. The Packers followed their first win with three straight losses. For a first-year coaching staff that's trying to get players to buy into its plan, that first victory might be even more valuable. -- More







More protection sparks pass attack
By Rob Demovsky
greenbaypressgazette.com
Though every offensive game plan is different, the Green Bay Packers may have to at least consider using the same type of ultra conservative passing game that was so successful in Sunday's win over the Detroit Lions. Coach Mike McCarthy and offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski used a variety of six-, seven- and even eight-man protections, and the result was the Packers' most efficient passing attack of the season. Brett Favre never came close to throwing an interception, was not sacked, completed 69.4 percent of his passes and threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns. By using multiple tight end formations and keeping the tight ends in to block longer than usual, it limited Favre's opportunities to throw deeper down the field but also eliminated some of the risky throws he made the first two weeks when he was under heavy pressure. -- More




Upgraded secondary, downgraded defense
By Pete Dougherty / greenbaypressgazette.com
The Green Bay Packers have had one major problem on defense through three games: Breakdowns in their pass defense, most often in their upgraded secondary, that have allowed big gains and long touchdowns. It happened for the third straight week against Detroit this past Sunday, when the Lions' Jon Kitna passed for 342 yards, including touchdown throws of 37 yards and 42 yards. The Packers won the game, 31-24, in part because their secondary came through in the fourth quarter — the Lions scored only a field goal on their final five possessions combined. But the Packers' pass defense, which is giving up an average of 319 yards in three games, needed to be an area of major improvement this year with the free-agent additions of Charles Woodson to start at cornerback and Marquand Manuel to start at safety, plus a year's growth from 2005 second-round draft pick Nick Collins at safety. -- More




Packers' fumbling frustrates coaches
By Dylan B. Tomlinson
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers
Edgar Bennett found out the hard way just how important ball security is in the NFL. Bennett was a rookie with the Green Bay Packers in 1992 when he was lost a fumble against the Detroit Lions. The Packers won the game, but then-coach Mike Holmgren decided to teach Bennett a lesson by sitting him down for a few games. "It was just one of those situations during my rookie year when they taught me the importance of hanging on to the football, by sitting me down for awhile," Bennett said. "He drove his point home and I got the message." After learning the lesson, Bennett went on a four-year stretch when he didn't lose another fumble for 63 games, a span 726 carries. -- More




Variety spices receivers' life
By Jason Wilde / madison.com
It is the one stat from an otherwise unforgettable night that no one seems to remember. Apparently, not even Brett Favre himself. On Dec. 22, 2003, one night after his father died of a heart attack, Brett Favre played the game of his life. The Green Bay Packers quarterback threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns, completing 22 of 30 passes for a career-high passer rating of 154.9, near-perfect given the maximum rating in the formula is 158.3. But one of the astonishing under-the-radar numbers from that night is this one: 12. That's how many receivers Favre completed passes to against Oakland: four to Javon Walker; three each to Robert Ferguson, Donald Driver and Bubba Franks; two to David Martin; and one apiece to Tony Fisher, Wesley Walls, Antonio Freeman, Nick Luchey, Najeh Davenport, Ahman Green and William Henderson. It's believed to be a Packers and NFL record. -- More






Hawk's Game Getting More Instinctive
By Mike Spofford / Packers.com

"I just want to come in there and let my teammates know they can count on me, that I'll be accountable and I'll be in my position and do my job. When you're playing with as much talent as I have around me, you should do well. These guys we have are unbelievable. It's a fun defense to be a part of." -- A. J. Hawk

It wasn't just his first NFL sack, but it was a play that illustrated just how well rookie linebacker A.J. Hawk is recognizing and reacting to what he's seeing on the field. Early in the fourth quarter on Sunday against the Lions, Detroit faced second-and-10 from its own 16-yard line. Quarterback Jon Kitna dropped back to pass, and Hawk was assigned to cover a running back should he come out of the backfield. But the back stayed in to block, and upon reading that Hawk immediately blitzed, sprinting through an opening in the middle of the line and burying Kitna for a 9-yard loss, forcing a third-and-long Detroit couldn't convert. -- More




Learning is
his playbook
Packers lineman kicks in time,
money to support
reading at MPS
By Erin Richards
journalsentinel.com
Mark Tauscher does not play 9-year-old Timeante Smith's favorite sport - basketball - nor did the Green Bay Packers player pick up the boy's favorite Dr. Seuss story, "The Foot Book," while at Pierce Elementary on Tuesday. But the offensive lineman did promote Timeante's favorite subject - reading - when he read "Green Eggs and Ham" to more than 60 third-graders to kick off his annual reading challenge. Joined by fellow Packers player Josh Bourke, Tauscher handed off another $10,000 grant to Milwaukee Public Schools from his TRIFECTA Foundation, now in its second season, and challenged all students to read for 500 minutes during October. But after the big names left - Tauscher, Bourke, MPS Superintendent William Andrekopoulos and Associated Bank Senior Vice President Jill Haupt - the champions of initiatives to promote literacy remained. - More







Packers' talent matches Vikings'
By Chris Havel
To say the Green Bay Packers are a young team is getting old. To say they are rebuilding is nothing more than a convenient excuse for failure. It is time to quit perpetuating the myth. The truth is, the Packers' frontline players have enough experience to compete, and the 53-man roster has enough talent to win more than it loses. Do the Packers have the weapons to challenge the Chicago Bears in the NFC North? Nope. That was evident in their 26-0 loss in the opener. Do they have the talent to make the Minnesota Vikings sweat it out in the race for second place? You bet. Starter for starter, the Packers stack up favorably with the Vikings. In some ways, they have more talent based upon past performance. If the Packers continue to stay healthy, and inexperienced backups aren't thrust into starting roles, they should be right there with the Vikings come December. -- More






Here's a unique look at the Favre to Jennings 75 yard TD, from last weeks game. Looks like it was shot with a hand held camera from the stands. Pretty good till the end when he get's a bit excited and... well you'll see...








'07 NFL Draft: Weekend in Review
By TFY Draft Preview
The fourth weekend of college football was capped off with exciting finishes and games which could impact the national title. Several top-name NFL prospects turned in brilliant performances while other next level players not as well known also looked good. Calvin Johnson keeps chugging along and will be one of the first three picks in next April's draft. The big junior is believed to have already made up his mind and will leave for the NFL after this season. Johnson turned in another outstanding performance this week against a Virginia secondary which offers several solid pro-prospects. Totaling six receptions for 165-receiving yards and two scores, questions still linger about how fast the 230-pounds Johnson really is. Yet one cannot help but be impressed by his 16.4-yard per reception average this season. -- More





Warner gets nod over Leinart
Gore expected to play, but Davis out
First-place Jets have work to do
New Orleans revels in its old self
Lewis takes blame for woes on defense





Meet Christina

Years As An Eagle Cheerleader: 5

College: La Salle University

Major/Degree: Marketing/Organizational Management

Career/Profession: Account Manager

What's your sign? Virgo
If I Had A Superpower, it would be ... read peoples' minds ...I could always know the truth and I would be able to plan my future.

My dream vacation would be ... going to Australia. I have wanted to go there since I can remember (It also helps that Koalas are my favorite animal).

How Does A Guy Get Your Attention: There's nothing faster to my heart than a guy being able to make me laugh uncontrollably.

Favorite Eagle: David Akers because I consider him one of the best kickers in the league. I give him so much respect because of the pressure he faces. More games are decided by him directly than any player on the team.

Reality Show You'd Want To Be On: There are so many of them and I honestly never got into any of them. But I will tell you one show that I would NOT want to be on and that is Flava Flav's Dating Show, Flavor of Love! But if I had to choose, I would choose The Amazing Race. I would love to travel around the world while solving clues.

If I'm on a deserted island, I'd have to take ... my dog Bentley, although he would not want to go. He is too much of a pretty boy. Some sort of Boy Scout survival kit so I could build huts, etc. And of course my boyfriend, my best companion and he would keep me laughing the whole time. I wouldn't be able to last with a volleyball companion like Tom Hanks in Cast Away!

What I love about Eagles fans is ... they are CRAZY! There's nothing more that gets me pumped up for a game than seeing the stadium parking lot full of tailgaters at 8 a.m. for a Monday night game.

Favorite Cereal: Capt'n Crunch with Crunch Berries. It's been my favorite cereal since I was little. I could sit and watch TV and eat it straight out of the box!

I've Never Been Able To Say No To ... a friend asking for help. I really believe that genuine good actions will come back to you ten fold.

On a Saturday night, I'll Be ... eating sushi with my boyfriend (we both live for sushi!) (Edit: Ummmm... this is a family oriented blog and I'm soooo not gunna touch that line) then I will head out to meet friends. When I am not in NYC, you could usually find me in one of the five places I go to in Philly.