The Packer Pundit

Positive signs on injury front
Receiver Greg Jennings' ankle injury doesn't appear to be as serious as initially feared. Jennings was walking around without crutches on Wednesday, and McCarthy said Jennings is going to continue his rehab on Thursday and try to practice on Friday. He's listed as doubtful on the injury report, but if he does practice by the end of the week, that status could change. "Jennings is a lot better today than we anticipated," McCarthy said. Among other players on the injury report, linebacker Ben Taylor is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury but returned to practice for the first time in more than two weeks. Offensive lineman Daryn Colledge is questionable with a calf injury but practiced. Defensive tackle Corey Williams (knee) is questionable and running back Ahman Green (knee) is probably, though missed practice. McCarthy indicated the coaching staff is simply being cautious with Green and his injury is not a major concern. Linebacker Abdul Hodge (knee) and defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins (ankle) are both out for this week's game, but McCarthy said he's hopeful both of them can return next week.

New receiver, old friend
The Packers' newest receiver, Shaun Bodiford, caught some passes from backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers back in 2002 when the two played junior college football at Butte College near Chico, Calif. Rodgers went on to play at Cal while Bodiford moved on to Portland State, but their one season at Butte together was memorable. Butte went 10-1, won a conference championship and earned the No. 2 national ranking.

What does Rodgers remember about Bodiford?
"He was a stud, played both ways," Rodgers said, noting that Bodiford played a lot of nickel back on defense. "One game we were playing our rivals, and he went up against the leading receiver in the nation and shut him down, held him to like two catches." Bodiford's days on defense are behind him now, and he'll be either the No. 4 or 5 receiver this week depending on Jennings' status. Most of his work thus far in practice has been on special teams, and McCarthy said he seems to be picking up the offense well. "The coaches just told me to learn the position and come ready to play, that's why we've got you here," Bodiford said. "Make plays, so that's what I plan on doing."

Handling success
McCarthy reiterated on Wednesday that one of the challenges with a young team is handling success, and now that the Packers have won two of their last four games, he'll have to pay attention to how the players are reacting to it. "They start to believe what they read, start to believe what they see on TV," he said. "That's where the ability to focus and keep your finger on the pulse of reality is critical, to stay on the path of the positive momentum that you've established."

Blowing off steam
Cardinals coach Dennis Green said his much-publicized blowup in front of cameras after the Cardinals' devastating loss to Chicago two weeks ago was cathartic for him. "I think it had a lot to do with how much talk there was about who the Bears were and where they're heading, and I think that anybody will stand up and defend their neighborhood, any coach will, anyway," Green said. "And so I had about had it about the team we were playing in our neighborhood. And so I let some steam off, which I really need to let off. "I think my doctor was concerned but he realized after seeing me that, 'Geez, he probably feels a lot better' and I did."

Shifting gears
Green told reporters in Arizona that he would be making some changes on his struggling offensive line. The Cardinals rank last in the NFL in rushing and 20th in sacks per play. Green wouldn't specify what the changes were going to be, but he said this in a conference call with state reporters: "We are not running the ball well and if you don't run the ball well, that puts a lot of pressure on your pass. It can lead to turnover-type situations. I don't think we're running the ball very well because I don't think we're blocking very well."

Extra Points
**Center Scott Wells took his pregnant wife to the hospital five hours after he got home from the Miami game Monday and three hours later the couple had a baby girl, Lola Faith. (Edit: Let's hope she looks like her mommy)

**McCarthy said he had a conversation last week with defensive coordinator Bob Sanders and the two agreed that they had to get their linebackers more involved, so Sanders went more with a three-linemen, three-linebacker scheme.

**Backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers took more snaps than usual in practice to give Brett Favre a breather.






Jennings' status improves
By Tom Silverstein / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Oct. 25, 2006
Rookie wide receiver Greg Jennings was off crutches and walking without a noticeable limp, giving the Green Bay Packers some hope he'll be available Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. Packers coach Mike McCarthy said he was hoping Jennings would be able to practice on Friday, if at all this week. Even if Jennings is able to practice, it doesn't mean his sprained ankle would be in good enough condition to allow him to play. The Packers have to think about the long-term effect playing might have on Jennings' injury. On Wednesday, they listed Jennings as doubtful, meaning they estimate there's only a 25% chance he'll play against the Cardinals. "Jennings is a lot better today than we anticipated," McCarthy said. "He's off the crutches. He's going to try to give it a run." -- More


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Backup receivers may be thrown into mix
By Pete Dougherty
greenbaypressgazette.com
The Green Bay Packers haven't given up on starting receiver Greg Jennings playing on Sunday against Arizona. But even though his sprained ankle was better than expected Wednesday, coach Mike McCarthy listed him as doubtful (at least a 75 percent chance he will not play) on the team's injury report. Jennings was off crutches after sustaining a game-ending ankle injury near the end of the first half at Miami last week, and he was walking without a limp while observing practice. But it's a major jump from walking to being healthy enough to run and cut fast enough to play at an NFL level. "If you saw the injury on film, it looked to be pretty severe," McCarthy said. "But he feels good; he rehabbed and we're shooting for (practicing) Friday. So, we'll see what happens." -- More






Their days in Green Bay are numbered
Veterans Robert Ferguson and William Henderson
appear to be on the way out
By The Sports Xchange
Posted Oct 25, 2006
General manager Ted Thompson went on record with a handful of Wisconsin media outlets this week, saying it's the team's intention to have oft-injured receiver Robert Ferguson back next season. Ferguson landed on injured reserve because of a serious foot injury that kept him out of the last two games. Ferguson has been hampered by injuries since he was taken in the second round by the Packers in 2001. His salary cap number will be $2.5 million next season and he is not expected to start, so the Packers may negotiate an injury settlement and let him go. But Thompson said emphatically Monday that he wanted Ferguson back next season. The outlook for another veteran staying put in Green Bay isn't as promising. Removed from the starting lineup a few weeks ago, fullback William Henderson now can't get on the field. The 12th-year pro was deactivated Sunday for only the fourth time in his career, all spent with the Packers. What's more, Henderson was kept out for the first time because of a non-injury reason. Coach Mike McCarthy didn't exactly imply Monday that Henderson's absence would be a one-time deal. "Everybody that's been around him knows the type of person and professional he is. He's battling for his playing time. He goes out there, he's the same guy every day, and you admire that from a coaching standpoint," McCarthy said. "But, there's other things that factor into playing - special teams - and we've got some young guys that are playing at a high level. So, (it was) not an easy decision to put him down, but it's a decision that we made, and the emphasis was more because of the special teams." The last statement is telling because Henderson, whose blocking skills have deteriorated the last couple years, still filled a serviceable niche on special teams early on this season. -- More







First Home Win Needed
By Mike Spofford / Packers.com
Posted 10/25/2006

"This is an important football game this week for a lot of reasons -- number one, home-field advantage. We've got a great home-field advantage, and we need to take advantage of it." -- Coach Mike McCarthy

Probably the last thing Head Coach Mike McCarthy would expect of a young, 2-4 team would be a winless home record and a winning road record. But the Packers are 0-3 at Lambeau Field thus far in 2006, a trend whose reversal is the highest priority this week as Green Bay plays its only home contest in the first four weeks after the bye. Since the season-opening shutout against the Bears, the Packers have lost their other two home games by a total of 10 points. In each game, they had the ball in the final two minutes with a chance to at least tie the score. "We need to learn from those losses," McCarthy said. "There's a reason why we did not complete those games, and I think that's part of the improvement of our football team." -- More



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Home is where it hurts the most
By Jason Wilde / madison.com
There was a time when the Green Bay Packers were almost invincible at Lambeau Field. Including playoffs, they were an astounding 42-3 at home from 1994 through 1998. As recently as 2001-'02, they went 15-1 in the regular season there. But they enter Sunday's game against Arizona having yet to win at home this season (0-3) and dying to regain that magical home-field advantage. Since a playoff loss to Atlanta following the 2002 season - their first home postseason loss in franchise history - the Packers are just 12-17 at home, including playoffs. Their most recent woes began with a playoff loss to Minnesota after the '04 season; Green Bay has won just three of the eleven games since. "I never envisioned us being 0-3 at Lambeau," admitted Packers coach Mike McCarthy, whose team has lost to Chicago, New Orleans and St. Louis at home this year. "But, hey, we need to learn from those three losses. There's a reason why we did not complete those games and I think that's part of the improvement of our football team. "We've got a great home-field advantage and we need to take advantage of it." -- More






TE Martin Aims To Produce, Stay Healthy
By Mike Spofford / Packers.com
Posted 10/25/2006
David Martin has shown rare athletic ability for a tight end since coming to Green Bay in 2001, and that ability was clearly put to use with the two eye-popping pass receptions he had last Sunday in Miami. But Martin doesn't want Sunday's display to be just another momentary flash, only to see his progress and productivity derailed by health concerns. He's determined to put together a full season in 2006, something he's done just once in his first five years as a Packer. Martin's effort Sunday gives him 11 catches for 87 yards on the year, on pace to equal if not surpass the career highs he set last season with 27 catches for 224 yards and three TDs. That production came in just 12 games, and they're numbers Martin knows can improve if he can simply stay on the field more. To avoid the injuries that have caused him to miss 21 of a possible 80 regular-season games in his career (a list that has included shoulder, knee, groin and concussion problems), Martin took some significant steps in the off-season. He began working out sooner in an effort to prevent his body from getting too out-of-shape in the off-season. He also changed his diet, eating more fruits and drinking a lot of milk and orange juice to keep his calcium up and his bones stronger. He has focused a lot of his weight-room work on his legs, specifically targeting his hamstring and groin muscles in an effort to keep them in top shape for the long, grueling season. "Usually those will go once my legs get worn out and tired and overworked," Martin said. "So that's what I've focused on." Has it worked? "So far," he said, knocking on his locker's wood frame. "So far." -- More

Related Story --

WR Martin making an impression -- Link



McCarthy is high on Hawk
By Rob Demovsky
greenbaypressgazette.com
It doesn't necessarily mean the Green Bay Packers' dime package is a thing of the past, but coach Mike McCarthy wants defensive coordinator Bob Sanders to play more nickel defense. One of the biggest reasons is to keep rookie linebacker A.J. Hawk on the field. In the dime, only middle linebacker Nick Barnett remains on the field with the four down linemen and the six defensive backs. In the Packers' 34-24 win at Miami on Sunday, they didn't play a single snap of dime. Instead, they used a new-look 3-3 nickel package in which all three starting linebackers, Barnett, Hawk and Brady Poppinga stayed on the field with three defensive linemen and five defensive backs. Sanders even used that when the Dolphins occasionally went to a four-receiver set. "A.J. Hawk is a player that gets better every week, and we need to continue to put him in positions to be an impact player," McCarthy said Wednesday. "So, that was part of the decision." Hawk, the fifth overall pick in April's draft, had one of his best performances to date. He was credited with a game-high 12 tackles, including nine solos, one sack, one quarterback hit and one pass defense. Sanders said Hawk also was in great position to break up several other pass plays but narrowly missed. -- More



Blackmon gets accelerated tutorial
Foot healed, cornerback pressed into action
By Tom Silverstein / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Oct. 25, 2006
It took rookie cornerback Will Blackmon five months to recover from a broken foot, but only six practices to prove to the Green Bay Packers that he was ready to play football again. It was a remarkable turnaround given Blackmon had played mostly wide receiver his senior season at Boston College and was anything but game-ready. However, the Packers are so high on Blackmon's talents - especially his speed and hand-eye coordination - that they have him driving in the express lane toward a regular role in the defense. Unless there's an injury to Al Harris or Charles Woodson, Blackmon won't be a starter this year, but cornerbacks who stand 6 feet tall, weigh 198 pounds, run the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds and have a vertical leap of 41 inches find a way on the field. Especially if they have the hands of a receiver, which Blackmon does. -- More

Meet Alexandra
Washington Redskins
Cheerleader

Dance/Cheerleading Experience: I danced for 15 years at Showcase School of Dance, where I was a member of the Senior Elite Company and participated in many parades and competitions. I am also an instructor at South Rinding Dance Academy.

Acting Experience: As I child, I performed with The Pied Piper Theatre.

Pageant/modeling Experience: None

Why did you become a cheerleader? To perform for the best team in the NFL, alongside the most talented ladies in the Washington D.C., area.

What do you like about being a cheerleader? Absolutley everything! Cheering for the team, having the best seats in the stadium, traveling the world, the friendships I have made...and so much more!

What was your most exciting moment as a Cheerleader? Hearing my number called at final auditions. I was actually packing up my things to go home at the time because I was so sure that I didn't make it!

Countries visited as a Washington Redskins Cheerleader? Dominican Republic

Education: Currently majoring in Tourism and Event Management at George Mason University

Hobbies: Shopping, working out, watching movies and spending time with family and friends.

Future Goals: To obtain my degree from George Mason University in tourism and event management, become a sucessful event planner, and have a happy, healthy family.

Favorites!

Food: Chipotle!, Italian food, and Thai food.
Music: I like all kinds of music
Band/Singer: Rascal Flatts, Dave Matthews Band, Britney Spears
Book: "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
Redskins Player: Santana Moss
Movie: "Mean Girls," "The Notebook," "Wedding Crashers"
TV Show: "The Golden Girls," "Will & Grace"
Saying/Quote: "Be who you are and say what you feel because the people who mind don't matter and the people who matter don't mind." -- Dr. Seuss

Describe your perfect date: One that is full of surprises!

What is your favorite thing to do when you are not at practice? Spend time my family and friends.

Who is your role model and why? I admire each and every single person that is in my life, both family and friends. Each one of them has contributed something to make me the person I am today and each one of them has qualities that inspire me to be a better person. It would be impossible to pick out one when each and every one of them shows me so much love and support.