The Packer Pundit

Favre works with first team in drills
Quarterback Brett Favre appears close to full strength after returning to practice Friday and taking most of the work in team drills. Favre is coming off an injured ulnar nerve in his throwing elbow that kept him from finishing last week’s game at New England. He had some partial numbness and tingling in the pinky and ring fingers of his throwing hand and did some relatively light throwing Wednesday but didn’t take part in team drills. The Packers’ listed Favre as “questionable” (50 percent chance of playing) in Wednesday’s injury report, but Friday’s report was not yet available. They were off for Thanksgiving on Thursday, and on Friday Favre’s hand apparently was feeling better and stronger, and he returned to in essence full-time work with the No. 1 offense. “He said he was feeling pretty good today,” said Jeff Jagodzinski, the Packers’ offensive coordinator. “Actually he was throwing the ball pretty well. I don’t think (the elbow) will be any factor of that at all.” (See additional story of Favre below)

In da club
Linebacker Nick Barnett did individual drills wearing a bulky club cast on his broken right hand but will wait until today to test it during 11-on-11 team periods and with contact. "Of course it's not ideal to run around and play with, but it's fine," Barnett said. "I hit a little bit, I hit the bags a little bit, but I didn't put it to the limit (by) hitting an offensive lineman or something because I didn't want to do it right now when I can give it another day. I'll really try to put it to the test so (the coaches) will have an idea of how much time I'll be playing and what they need to do." Barnett broke the fifth metacarpal in his hand during the loss to New England but is convinced he'll play. It's possible rookie backup Abdul Hodge will spell him on a handful of series. Because Barnett and A.J. Hawk are the two linebackers in the nickel defense, the coaches may have to adjust their sub packages in passing situations. Defensive coordinator Bob Sanders said the club cast will most affect Barnett when he has to get off blocks, more so than tackling. "(The challenge is) being able to shuck off blockers. And if you have a chance at an interception, you don't have (use of) your fingers," Sanders said. "But mainly getting off blocks. "Those guys are preparing. We've got some options that we'll look at and we'll see what happens.

Clifton takes day off
Already missing right tackle Mark Tauscher, the Green Bay Packers added left tackle Chad Clifton to their injury report as questionable with a hamstring three days before they meet the Seattle Seahawks at Qwest Field. Clifton practiced Wednesday, was off with the rest of the team on Thanksgiving Day and then did nothing Friday other than observe practice. Reporters were unaware that Clifton was injured when offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski was asked about the fact that he didn't work. "Day off," Jagodzinski said. "The guy's been in the league. The extra day he had yesterday, he'll be fine." Left guard Daryn Colledge shifted outside and replaced Clifton, with rookie Tony Palmer working with the No. 1 offense at left guard.

Tough test
Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila will renew his competition against left tackle Walter Jones, the perennial all-pro who has owned him in their previous two meetings. Both games took place in 2003. With little help, Jones in his almost effortless style kept "KGB" away from Hasselbeck. "Good feet, good hands, very athletic," Gbaja-Biamila said. "I mean, he's a good player. I wouldn't go so far as to say supreme. That's getting into like there's no reason to go play. I look forward to going against him." Aaron Kampman will get the benefit of a far easier matchup against Ashworth. "Kabeer's pretty steady," co-defensive line coach Carl Hairston said. "You know what you've got on one end and what you've got on the other end. You've got consistency on both ends."

No fear
Two weeks ago, the Packers committed just one false-start penalty in their victory at the Metrodome. Now they'll be playing at Qwest Field, a venue with a partially covered roof that some opponents have called the loudest in the league. "They keep telling us it's similar to Kansas City," center Scott Wells said. "I know it's loud. Again, we've got a silent count. It helped us out in Minnesota and I don't think it will be a problem." The Packers cranked up the decibels during their outdoor practice Friday. "It was supposed to simulate the game and it's pretty close," said Wells, adding that he thought the Packers were beyond the point where they might have numerous false-start penalties because of noise.

Extra points
-- Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was scheduled to undergo surgery Friday to insert a screw into his broken left foot.
-- Halfback Vernand Morency (back) returned to practice, as did Green.
-- Tight end David Martin (ribs) didn't practice but said he expects to play.







Favre back in action
QB takes every snap with No. 1 offense
By BOB McGINN / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Nov. 24, 2006
All's well in Packerland. Brett Favre is ready to roll. Five days after being knocked out of only the sixth game in his career, the indestructible quarterback was back Friday taking every turn in practice and will make his 252nd straight start Monday night in Seattle. "He said he was feeling pretty good today," offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said. "He's always been there. He'll always play. I never doubted that he would be there." As recently as Wednesday afternoon, Favre reported a tingling sensation remaining in the last two fingers on his right hand from the crack that he took to the elbow Sunday from linebacker Tedy Bruschi of New England. After withholding Favre on Wednesday, coach Mike McCarthy planned to rest his leader until practice this morning. But with the players off on Thanksgiving Day, Favre came back as chipper as ever so there was no reason to hold him back. "He looked fine," running back Ahman Green said. "Same as usual." -- More






Running Game Looks To Regain Rhythm
By Mike Spofford / Packers.com
Posted 11/24/2006
Prior to the last two weeks, the Packers' running attack put together an impressive four-game stretch in which it compiled five 100-yard rushing performances, with two backs topping 100 yards on Oct. 29. But in the last two games against Minnesota and New England, the rushing numbers haven't measured up, and getting the ground game back to its previous level of success is a priority heading into Monday night's game at Seattle. "I think you need to run the football consistently every week, and the last two weeks we haven't done a very good job of that," offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said. "But that's something we have to keep doing and keep practicing, and it will turn around." During that productive four-game stretch, Ahman Green topped 100 yards in three straight games against Miami, Arizona and Buffalo, while Noah Herron (vs. St. Louis) and Vernand Morency (vs. Arizona) also did so once each. But since then, Green has had just 83 yards on 35 carries, an average of only 2.4 yards per attempt. Head Coach Mike McCarthy said he needs to get Green more carries than he has the last two games, but the offensive linemen also know they have to do their part to encourage the persistence with the rushing attack. "It's going to take execution and fundamentals," center Scott Wells said. "We haven't been really fundamentally sound, especially last week in running the ball." Each of the last two games were played against the two best run defenses Green Bay has faced this season. But Wells noted the Minnesota game, when Green had 22 carries for 55 yards but the offense still scored 23 points, wasn't really the same situation as the New England game, when Green ran 13 times for 28 yards and the Packers were shut out. -- More







Early warning signs
Poor first possessions are creating concern
By BOB McGINN / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Nov. 24, 2006
On Tuesday, the offensive game plan is formulated by the coaches. On Wednesday, it's given to the players. And on Thursday, Friday and Saturday everything is practiced and adjusted leading up toward that first possession on Sunday afternoon. Then a defense in foreign jerseys lines up across from the Green Bay Packers and all of a sudden almost nothing goes according to Hoyle. Six times the Packers have won the coin toss and earned the right to receive. Five times in those six possessions the Packers have run three plays and punted. On the other one, they ran four plays, picked up a first down and promptly lost the ball on a fumble. Four times the Packers' offense had to wait its turn. Other than a five-play, 37-yard drive for a touchdown against New Orleans, they've had another three-and-out, a punt and a flubbed fake field goal. Thus, on their 10 opening series, the Packers have run 38 plays and gained 116 yards, a mere 3.05 yards per play. They have seven points and just five first downs. -- More







Driver steering toward biggest season
Wide receiver tracks big numbers
By ROB REISCHEL / Special to Packer Plus
Posted: Nov. 22, 2006
Donald Driver's primary partner in pass catching is a rookie. Granted, Greg Jennings isn't your standard first-year player, but he remains a rookie and one that's been banged up of late. Robert Ferguson (foot) and Koren Robinson (suspension) - Green Bay's projected No. 3 and No. 4 wide receivers - were lost for the year. In their place came Ruvell Martin and Chris Francies, a pair of undrafted free agents. Yet despite the youth and inexperience of Green Bay's receivers, the 6-foot, 190-pound Driver has performed like never before. And all things considered, he's having arguably his best season ever. After 10 games, Driver has caught 58 passes for 813 yards and four touchdowns, putting him on pace for season totals of 93-1,300-6. Entering 2006, Driver's career highs in those categories were 86 receptions, 1,221 yards and nine touchdowns. Before Sunday's 35-0 loss to New England Driver was tied for second in the NFL in receptions and sixth in receiving yards. Driver was held to two catches for 42 yards against the Patriots. "What separates him is that he shows up every day, he works hard, keeps his mouth shut," Packers quarterback Brett Favre said. "He's a playmaker. I think that's an understatement. And whether it's for me, or for someone else or the next guy who plays here or whatever - man, what a crutch. "I mean, this guy is a playmaker, a big-time playmaker, and to come where he has come from, has fought to get to where he is, you can't help but love the guy. Everyone says, 'Well, in crunch time, he's going to throw it to Driver.' I don't know about crunch time. I think I'm going to throw it to him just about any time." Perhaps that's the most amazing part of Driver's season to date. Every opponent knows he's Favre's security blanket. Everyone knows when Favre needs a completion, he's looking Driver's way first. Yet no one has come close to stopping Driver. Driver's 191-yard receiving performance against Minnesota was the fourth highest in the NFL this season. Driver also had a 153-yard receiving day against New Orleans and a 10-catch afternoon at Miami. "When you go into the game and the defense knows you're going to get the ball and you still get it, that's hard to do," Packers tight end Bubba Franks said. "And he can do that. That's impressive." -- More



Safety-related concern with Manuel
By Jason Wilde / madison.com
It was a simple question. It was the answer - or lack thereof - that turned the whole thing into a bad Abbott and Costello routine.

Are you happy with how you're playing?
"Am I having fun playing football?" Green Bay Packers safety Marquand Manuel replied as he stood at his locker earlier this week. "Are you asking me that question?"

No, actually. The question was, are you happy with how you're playing?
"Am I having fun playing football? That's how I'm interpreting the question," Manuel said. "Ask me that one more time."

Let's rephrase. Do you feel like you're playing well?
"Do I feel like I'm playing well?" Manuel repeated. "Am I doing my job and am I having fun? I feel like I'm doing my job. My job is to go out there every Sunday and give you what I've got."

What the veteran safety has given hasn't been all that much. He enters Monday night's game against the Seattle Seahawks - his former team - with 74 tackles, one interception, two passes defended and a number of mistakes in the back end that have contributed to the Packers' ranking 31st in the 32-team NFL in pass defense. While his coaches have been reluctant to criticize him - even after he said the Packers were "outcoached and outplayed" in Sunday's 35-0 loss to New England - Manuel hasn't played up to the five-year, $10 million free-agent contract (including a $2 million signing bonus) he received in March. Against the Patriots, Manuel misplayed a cover-2 coverage and allowed Reche Caldwell to get past him for a 54-yard touchdown, just the latest in a season of blown coverages, starting with Manuel's misplay of Bernard Berrian's 49-yard touchdown catch for Chicago in the season opener. While coach Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Bob Sanders praise Manuel's communication skills, his execution - missed tackles, misplayed coverages - has been inconsistent. "He's been put in some tough spots, but on the positive side of it, he's a very knowledgeable player. I think he's clearly the best communicator back there," McCarthy said. "It has been an adjustment coming from the scheme he came (from) to here. But there are some plays we need to get fixed." -- More



Pickett plugs in to stop the run
Without fanfare tackle does his job
By RICK BRAUN / Packer Plus writer
Posted: Nov. 22, 2006
Defensive end Aaron Kampman has 10 sacks for the season. Defensive tackle Corey Williams has five, including three in one game against Buffalo. Tackle Ryan Pickett has none. That might fool some fans into thinking Pickett is turning out to be a free-agent bust. But talk to Pickett's teammates and coaches and you'll learn a completely different point of view. In post-game film study among the coaches and players, Pickett consistently grades out as one of the top defensive linemen. Sure, sacks bring publicity among the masses. Pickett is happy just to be respected by his teammates and coaches. "That's all right," Pickett said of getting no notice. "If you just look at stat sheets, I haven't made any sacks or stuff like that, but they didn't bring me in for that. They brought me in to help with the run, and I'm doing my best to help with that. "I haven't even seen my stat sheet or my tackle total, but I think it's pretty decent." Pickett is right about that. He mostly plays on first and second downs in the Packers' base defense, and through 10 games his 51 tackles (27 solo) ranked second among the team's defensive linemen behind Kampman's 57 (39 solo). Next-closest to Pickett was Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila with 40 (28 solo). Add to that the fact that the Packers entered Sunday's 35-0 loss to the New England Patriots as the NFL's seventh-ranked rushing defense, and the picture of Pickett's worth becomes even clearer. "It's been working so far," Pickett said. "We just have to keep it going." -- More






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