The Packer Pundit: 11/18/2006

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11/18/2006

Morency Ready To Rejoin Green In Backfield
Morency125 Running back Vernand Morency, who hasn't played since sustaining a lower back injury on Oct. 29 against Arizona, practiced all week and Head Coach Mike McCarthy confirmed he'll be ready to go on Sunday. "I'm ready to go," Morency said. "I'm just excited to be out there. Every day it's getting better. We'll talk to the doctors and make sure everything's cool." That gives the Packers the duo of Ahman Green and Morency to share carries once again. The last time they were on the field together, against Arizona, they each surpassed 100 yards. That was the first time two Green Bay backs eclipsed 100 yards in the same game in more than 20 years. McCarthy also said he expects to use Morency and Noah Herron on kickoff returns this week. Morency had been the primary kick returner until he got hurt, and then Shaun Bodiford took over. But Bodiford went on injured reserve this week with a broken bone in his lower leg.

Still banged up
footballinjury Quarterback Brett Favre sustained a slight injury to his groin during practice on Thursday but still went through his normal Friday practice routine. The new injury was added to the injury report, which already included Favre's ankle, but Favre remains listed as probable. "I talked to him at length today," McCarthy said. "He doesn't think it's a big deal." David Martin (questionable, shoulder/quad) returned to practice Friday for the first time this week and is expected to play barring a setback in the 48 hours before kickoff. Cornerback Al Harris (probable, illness) also returned to practice and should be ready to play, while cornerback Will Blackmon (questionable, rib) returned to practice on Friday but was still quite sore. Defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins (ankle) was downgraded from probable to questionable and missed practice on Friday, so his status is up in the air. Fullback Brandon Miree (questionable, elbow) practiced but was limited, so McCarthy said it's "wait and see" on him. "We're a banged up football team," McCarthy said. "We've just got a number of guys sore. I think the next 48 hours will help the guys that are close, and I'm hopeful they all play."

Maybe next year
The three members of the Packers organization on the preliminary list for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007 - safety LeRoy Butler, General Manager Ron Wolf and team historian Lee Remmel - did not make the list of 25 semifinalists announced late Thursday by the league. There were 111 preliminary nominees, which will eventually be whittled down to between three and six inductees, to be announced on Feb. 3, the day before Super Bowl XLI. Butler, Wolf and Remmel are eligible to appear on the preliminary list again next year.

It's a bird, it's a plane ...
The flyover at the conclusion of the national anthem on Sunday will feature a pair of U.S. Navy E-2C Hawkeye aircrafts, one of which will be piloted by third-string quarterback Ingle Martin's uncle. Lt. Cmdr. Chris Martin is a Navy pilot and the younger brother of Ingle Martin's father. He specifically flies E-2C Hawkeyes, which are carrier-based warning command and control aircrafts used in essence as airborne radar detectors, able to guide and direct other fighter planes with less radar range. The planes have an 80-foot wingspan and a 24-foot diameter radar disc that looks and spins like a Frisbee on top of the plane. Each plane requires two pilots and three operators, so Chris Martin will be one of the four pilots for Sunday's flyover. "He's been in the Navy as long as I can remember," Ingle said. "I think he graduated maybe at the top of his class in flight school down in Pensacola (Fla.). He's done a great job and everyone in our family is real proud of him. "When I was little he was the guy I messed around with and played with an all that stuff, so it will be really neat to have him here."

Favre's sore spots adding up
By Jason Wilde / madison.com
favre08 Brett Favre now has a sore groin to go along with his two bad ankles. The Green Bay Packers' quarterback went through practice Friday - albeit limited - and will make his NFL quarterback- record 251st straight start (including playoffs) Sunday against New England at Lambeau Field. But coach Mike McCarthy revealed that Favre injured his groin during Thursday's practice. However, it isn't as severe as the groin injury that will keep right tackle Mark Tauscher out of Sunday's game. Asked how Favre hurt himself, McCarthy replied, "Just practice. Old age. Whatever. We're sore. You guys are talking about it. It's not a story. I'm not trying to hide anything. We've got guys that need a little extra time in the training room. We'll be fine." Favre was placed on the injury report this week as probable with a sore right ankle, which he said stems from overcompensating for the left ankle that has bothered him for the past 10 years. Favre wasn't available to reporters Friday. -- Story

Looking for a turning point
Packers can make mark with upset
By BOB McGINN / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Nov. 17, 2006
Favreturn The Green Bay Packers have fought the good fight in the last month, turning a season headed nowhere at 1-4 into a season of almost totally unexpected promise at 4-5. They've gotten better since the bye, surviving tropical weather conditions in Miami, crushing the Arizona Cardinals, thoroughly outplaying the Bills only to throw it all away at the end in Buffalo and then pounding the Vikings at the Metrodome. But all of that probably pales in comparison to what's in store for the upwardly mobile Packers on Sunday at Lambeau Field. The opponent, the New England Patriots (6-3), is the franchise by which all National Football League teams have been measured. They've won the Super Bowl three times in the last five years, they're coached brilliantly by Bill Belichick and they're undoubtedly coming to Green Bay in an angry state of mind. Two straight losses for the first time in a span of 57 games will do that to a club. Coach Mike McCarthy has been working the confidence angle all week with his team, the youngest in the NFL. He is accentuating the positives and letting all hands know that Green Bay is a good team, yes, even a wild-card playoff contender in the NFC. That's all well and good, but if the Packers cannot defeat New England they'll be right back to two games below .500 and facing what would be almost a must-win game in Seattle. -- More

Offensive Players Love Head Coach's Aggressiveness
By Mike Spofford / Packers.com
Posted 11/17/2006
offense The situation was dicey. Backed up to their own 3-yard line with 1 minute, 50 seconds left in the first half and trailing 14-10 on Sunday at the Metrodome, the Packers and Head Coach Mike McCarthy were in a hole. They had lost momentum in the game, Minnesota was looking to get a quick stop and good field position to score again before halftime, and the Vikings were also going to receive the second-half kickoff. The safe play would have been to call two runs, get what you could while forcing the Vikings to use two timeouts, and then try to convert on third down to avoid punting from the end zone. And worry about the second half in the second half. Instead, the Packers came out in a three-receiver set on first down, and quarterback Brett Favre zipped a 12-yard pass to Greg Jennings. Two plays later, Favre rifled another throw over the middle to Donald Driver, who split the secondary for an 82-yard touchdown. Suddenly, the Packers had gone 97 yards in three plays, and they never trailed again. Aggressive? Darn right. Do the offensive players like that about McCarthy? Right again. "It's exciting to play in a system that plays to win, and I think that's McCarthy's attitude," left guard Daryn Colledge said. "He's going to play out there to win, not ... not to lose. "It's exciting because you never know when you're going to have one play get you off the field, or if you're going to rush the whole length of the field and have a 15-play drive. It keeps you guessing, which is a lot of fun." -- More

Meet Kelly
San Francisco / 'Santa Clara' 49ers Cheerleader