The Packer Pundit

Packer's Cut Carroll
Last of the Shermanettes
Bites the big one
Packer Pundit / Patrick Stuckey

Okay this is getting scary.
On August 21st I posted this blog where I called upon Packer GM Teddy T to 'drop a bomb' on Free Agent bust Marc Boerighter --

Speaking of Boerighter and the gobs of molla we tossed at him to play in Green Bay. I'll say this... if triple T cuts his butt instead of 'Sherman'ing' (keeping a useless player you chose simply to make you look better... also known as a BJ but we wont go there!) Boerighter... then he has my respect!

The Next day Teddy Trippled listened to this humble blogger and cut the bum loose. Here's what I wrote... Ted Thompson has my Respect. You can also find that link in my PP favorites on the sidebar.

Okay... so yesterday... I (and Chris Havel) call for Ahmad 'Toast' Carroll's head after an abysmal performance in Philly last night. I log on to the internet and what do I see???

Packers Release CB Ahmad Carroll

I'm like... freakin' Nostradumbis!

I feel like I have the ability to call 'T to the Third Power' and demand any roster change I want.

"Hey Thompson... Put Laura Quinn-Hawk in at Quarterback this week... maybe some of her brother has rubbed off!!! Wait wait... make Laura the head of the Packer Cheerleaders so I can quit jackin' other teams babes pics!!! Wait wait wait... just pay me the 1.4 million dollars you paid Carroll and let me hold wide receivers and get burnt for long touchdowns!!!"

Oh I love where this is going!!!






Packers cut
Underachieving Carroll
Cornerback was a
First-round pick in
Sherman's 2004 draft
By Tom Silverstein
journalsentinel.com

"Prior to my arrival he is one who has been challenged, particularly with the way people go after him with the deep ball. I think he’s improved in his special teams and I think he’s improved in his bump and run. I think he’s a young, improving player. He’s a junior to come out of college and sometimes it takes those guys a little longer to adjust. But we’re going in another direction. We’re giving our young guys an opportunity. We appreciate his time here and we wish him luck as he moves on." -- Coach Mike McCarthy

Time finally ran out for Green Bay Packers cornerback Ahmad Carroll. Thirty-four games into his NFL career, the Packers sent the first-round pick packing, placing him on waivers Tuesday afternoon. The move came less than 24 hours after Carroll played one of his typically uneven games, ultimately giving up several big plays that undermined the defense in the Packers’ 31-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles Monday night. The Packers waited and waited for Carroll, a 2004 pick of former coach and general manager Mike Sherman, to bring his maturity and technical discipline to a level equal to his outstanding athletic ability. In the end, they could wait no more and decided it was better to part ways than to kid themselves that he was going to be able to help them this season. -- More

Related Links --
Carroll sent packing
Packers release Carroll
Carroll's final penalty: His release






Rayner Ties Franchise Record
Kicker Dave Rayner hit the first long field goal of his career and while he was at it landed in the Packers record book. In the second quarter of Monday night's 31-9 loss at Philadelphia, Rayner nailed a 54-yarder, tying the franchise record for longest field goal. Chris Jacke had a 54-yarder on Jan. 2, 1994, at Detroit, and Ryan Longwell had one on Dec. 16, 2001, at Tennessee. Coincidentally, the Packers lost both of those games as well. But for Rayner, a second-year kicker who attempted and missed just one field goal as a rookie with Indianapolis (from 59 yards out), the effort was more about proving himself than getting a record. He had missed his first long test of this season, a 53-yarder against Chicago in Week 1. "Obviously I've got a long way to go," Rayner said. "But I think that was a big thing, that nobody said that I had kicked any long field goals in games."

Not quite 100
Starting at tailback for an injured Ahman Green (hamstring), Vernand Morency had a respectable 26 carries for 99 yards. But that 100th yard sure proved awfully tough to get. On the Packers' final possession of the fourth quarter, Morency got four straight carries from inside the Eagles' 2-yard line but couldn't score. On first down, he got to the 1 for his 99th yard, but he was stuffed for no gain on second, third and fourth downs to close out another frustrating Packers trip to Philadelphia. After the game, Morency wasn't entirely pleased with his performance but was most displeased at the final score. "All that kind of goes to waste when you come back in the locker room with a loss," Morency said. "The only positive thing is you have film where you can go ahead and correct your mistakes."

Scrambling McNabb
It was a hit-or-miss night for the Packers' pass rushers, as they sacked Donovan McNabb four times but in the second half allowed him to escape for some crucial scrambles. On the opening drive of the third quarter, McNabb converted a pair of third-and-10s with scrambles of 14 and 12 yards, nullifying what was otherwise solid defense by the Packers. Those two key conversions set up a field goal that gave the Eagles the lead for good at 10-9. McNabb's elusiveness is a double-edged sword for defenders, because if they rush him too hard, he'll exploit the over-aggressiveness by getting away to make big plays with his feet. But if they don't rush hard, they'll never get a sack. The four times the Packers did sack McNabb, it cost the Eagles 32 yards in losses. "It's one of those deals, you can't go in tentatively," Kampman said. "We were all trying to get him. He's a great player, and he eluded a number of sacks. We could have had him four more times. You have to give him credit, he made some plays."

Driver's struggles
After Monday night's game, receiver Donald Driver was beating himself up over a pair of dropped passes, one of which was in the end zone and could have been a difference-maker in what was at the time a close game. McCarthy agreed both passes were ones he would expect Driver to catch. "I think those two balls were drops, yes. I agree with his assessment of that," McCarthy said. "I don't think it was Donald's best game so far this season, but he took a wicked hit there on the pepper, the double post. I think that may have affected him from that point on."

Pleased with Rodgers, Morency
When Brett Favre left the game with a stinger in the fourth quarter, backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers led the Packers down the field and had them on the verge of scoring before Vernand Morency was unable to get over the goal line. Rodgers completed 2 of 3 passes, and McCarthy said he was pleased with the way Rodgers handled the offense. "I thought Aaron did a nice job. He had a couple checks at the line and did a nice job with that," McCarthy said. "The third-down throw was a good read, a good decision and a good throw. I'm sure he would have liked the opportunity to score from the 1-yard line, but I felt he did a nice job. He moved the football team down the field, and that's what you want to see." The Packers had first-and-goal from the 2-yard line, but Morency only was able to manage 1 yard on four carries. "He had an opportunity to have a 100-yard-plus game, and he was close," McCarthy said. "For his first time out of the gate handling the load, he touched the ball 30-plus times, I thought he did a nice job." McCarthy said the only negative regarding Morency was his fumble, which was officially charged to Favre. "He got a little excited and reached for the football," McCarthy said.

Critical no-call
None of the Packers' three first-half scoring drives reached the end zone, but the third one would have had a better chance had the officials not missed an obvious pass interference call. Facing third-and-10 at the Philadelphia 28 with just under two minutes left in the half, Favre threw over the middle to Greg Jennings, who was blanketed and clearly grabbed early by Eagles cornerback Joselio Hanson. A flag would have given the Packers an automatic first down, but instead they had to settle for a 46-yard Rayner field goal and a 9-7 lead.

Injury update
McCarthy said after the game that Favre had a head injury as well as a neck/shoulder stinger, but he didn't think either was serious. Favre was replaced late in the fourth quarter by Aaron Rodgers, who completed 2 of 3 passes for 14 yards. Other injuries of note were to Donald Lee, who hurt a knee on kickoff coverage and left the game. Receiver Robert Ferguson injured a foot returning a kickoff in the fourth quarter and was on crutches after the game.