The Packer Pundit

Favre record update
Brett Favre will make his 229th consecutive start in regular-season play Sunday. Once he takes the first snap, Favre will move into a tie with Bruce Matthews for third place on the league's all-time list. Next to catch is former Minnesota Viking Mick Tingelhoff, who started 240 straight games. Jim Marshall, who also spent his entire career with the Vikings, is the record holder with 270. Counting the playoffs, Favre has started 248 games in a row with the Packers since 1992. Favre also etched his name in another part of the team's record book last Sunday. Research done by Elias Sports Bureau discovered that Favre is the first player in franchise history to have a 1-yard touchdown pass and a 1-yard touchdown run in the same game.

Packers Add Paxson To Practice Squad
The Green Bay Packers Thursday signed defensive tackle Scott Paxson to their practice squad and released linebacker Tim Goodwell. Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson announced the signing. Paxson, a 6-foot-4, 296-pound rookie from Penn State, originally signed as a non-drafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the spring.

Rookie total rises
With the signing of RB P.J. Pope from Chicago's practice squad on Tuesday, the Packers upped their league-high total of rookies on the 53-man roster to 17. Combined with three first-year players and 11 second-year players, all but 22 active players have less than two years of experience in the league.

Extra points
-- Coincidence or not, the team from one of the NFL's coldest cities delves into its favorite time of the season with the calendar turned to November. Since 2000, the Packers are 36-17 in games played Nov. 1 and later. Their .679 winning percentage ranks fourth, behind New England's .750 (39-13), Philadelphia's .698 (37-16) and Pittsburgh's .694 (37-16-1).

-- Favre has strung together four games without throwing an interception. Favre is in the midst of a three-game streak without an interception, his longest since early in the 2002 season. The only stretch during which he was mistake-free passing for four games in a row was in 1995 -- two games to end the regular season and two games in the NFC playoffs

Ahman Green Voted FedEx Ground Player Of The Week
Packers.com
Quarterback TOM BRADY of the New England Patriots and running back AHMAN GREEN of the Green Bay Packers are the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week for games played on October 29-30, the NFL announced Thursday. Brady completed 29 of 43 passes for 372 yards and four touchdowns in the Patriots' 31-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. He completed passes to 10 different receivers and connected on touchdown passes of six, seven, nine and 10 yards, each to a different player. Green rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries in the Packers' 31-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. He scored on second-quarter touchdown runs of two and four yards. Brady and Green were selected from among finalists in air and ground categories through 94,576 fan votes on NFL.com and via Sprint wireless service. The other FedEx Express NFL Player of the Week finalists were quarterbacks PEYTON MANNING of the Indianapolis Colts and MICHAEL VICK of the Atlanta Falcons, while running backs LARRY JOHNSON of the Kansas City Chiefs and LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON of the San Diego Charger were the other finalists for the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week. -- More

(Edit: La Dainian Thomlinson had like 5,000 yards rushing and like 2,000 more recieving with like a million touchdowns yet Ahman Green won with 106 yards and 2 scores... heck he almost got out rushed by his back up. [Morency] It's a fan poll... so... is there any question who 'America's Team' is??? Actually... if you saw my 'Hits' map for this site you'd say... 'The World's Team!')







-- There's still no guarantee that rookie receiver Greg Jennings will be good to go Sunday. He was involved in individual drills Wednesday but was kept out of the team segments of practice because of a severely sprained ankle. Jennings is questionable for Sunday's game. Jennings has yet to get back on the field in a full capacity since sustaining the injury Oct. 22 at Miami. The medical staff put him through a workout before the last game, but it erred on the side of caution and didn't allow him to play. "He's kind of working his way back," McCarthy said. "It's a little more significant injury than anticipated because he made such good progress last week. You watch it on the film, and it was uglier than you thought it was. But, he made a lot of progress last week. We're just kind of trying to get him over the last hurdle." McCarthy is aiming to have Jennings in practice today. If his condition doesn't improve, first-year Ruvell Martin would be in line to make his second straight start opposite Donald Driver.

-- The defense could be without cornerback Charles Woodson because of a bruised knee. The Pro Bowler didn't practice Wednesday and is doubtful for Sunday. "We're going to look to see how he feels Friday," McCarthy said. "He's just really sore." Woodson suffered the injury in the last game when he landed awkwardly after leaping to try to break up a downfield pass in the first quarter. "It scared the hell out of me," said Woodson, who returned to the game a short time later and finished it. McCarthy said the medical staff feared that the injury was more serious, but tests done earlier this week confirmed it to be a bruise. Nickel back Patrick Dendy and rookies Will Blackmon and Jarrett Bush are being looked at in practice this week as the potential starting replacement for Woodson. (More on Woodson below)

-- FB Brandon Miree isn't expected to play Sunday at Buffalo. He suffered a hyperextended elbow in the last game and is listed as doubtful on the injury report.

William Henderson, whom Miree supplanted in Week 4, would be back in the starting lineup Sunday.

-- DT Corey Williams aggravated a knee injury in the last game but should be ready for Sunday. Williams is probable, although he didn't practice Wednesday. Williams was coping with the injury last week as well and was kept out of the starting lineup for the first time in four games.

-- DT Cullen Jenkins is questionable for the upcoming game because of a bruised ankle, but head coach Mike McCarthy is hopeful the former starter will be cleared by the medical staff to play after missing the last two games.

-- LB Abdul Hodge, out since sustaining a serious knee injury in the Week 4 game at Philadelphia, returned to practice Wednesday on a limited basis. The rookie backup has an outside chance of being activated Sunday. He's questionable on the report.

-- DT Johnny Jolly came out of the last game with an ankle injury but is probable for Sunday. The rookie was held out of practice Wednesday.



Woodson likely will sit out
By Rob Demovsky
greenbaypressgazette.com
Charles Woodson missed nearly the entire week of practice leading up to the Green Bay Packers' game at Miami two weeks ago and had one of his best performances of the season, but his situation this week might be more problematic. The cornerback, who has had interceptions in each of the last two games, has a more serious leg injury than the one that kept him out until Friday of the Miami week. Woodson was hurt in the first quarter of Sunday's victory over the Arizona Cardinals and though he didn't miss a play, it was a scary-looking injury that Packers coach Mike McCarthy said could have been much worse. McCarthy listed Woodson as doubtful on Wednesday's injury report, meaning there's at least a 75 percent chance Woodson won't play Sunday at Buffalo. The Packers are calling it a knee injury, which is what they said was wrong with Woodson leading up to Miami, but the more specific diagnosis at that time was a sore left quadriceps. Woodson was listed was questionable (50-50) leading up to the Dolphins' game and did some work in practice on the Friday before the game. -- More







Bit players do little things that add up to victory
Little-known parts help engine run smoothly
By ROB REISCHEL / Special to Packer Plus
Posted: Nov. 2, 2006
Ruvell Martin entered Sunday with two career catches. Chris Francies came in with one and Shaun Bodiford had zero, yet that trio of undrafted free agents were among Green Bay's top four wide receivers against Arizona. David Martin's career has been filled with injury and inconsistency. Fullback Brandon Miree remains an unknown commodity. Yet both factored heavily into the Packers' plans in the passing game. Bit players. Little-known parts. That's what Green Bay's passing offense was left with against the Cardinals. To the surprise of many, though, the Packers barely missed a beat. Quarterback Brett Favre led a controlled and effective attack, completing 68% of his 25 passes and finishing with a passer rating of 102.1 - his second highest of the season. Several of the Packers' complimentary pieces stepped up and Green Bay routed the Cardinals, 31-14. "I think a lot of people thought our passing game was in trouble," Francies said. "But we hung in there and did what the coaches wanted us to." -- More



Blocking, run were picture perfect
Packers savor Green's 70-yarder
By ROB REISCHEL
Special to Packer Plus
Posted: Nov. 2, 2006
Scott Wells doesn't mean any disrespect. But in all honesty, Green Bay's starting center had watched enough tape of the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons to make him puke. Ever since Packers coach Mike McCarthy and offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski brought their zone-blocking scheme to town nearly 10 months ago, they'd been showing film of teams that did it right. Until recently, that didn't include video of Green Bay's line, only the aforementioned teams.

"I was getting sick of the other stuff," Wells said. "We needed one of our own." They got it two Sunday's ago in Miami, on a 70-yard touchdown run by Ahman Green that was blocked prettier than almost any play you'll ever see. Since that play, Green Bay's running game seems to have done a 180-degree turn. A unit that lacked confidence, assurance and belief has played with all three ever since. -- More



A bunch of new kids on the block
Rebuilding project features 17 rookies
By RICK BRAUN / Packer Plus writer
Posted: Nov. 2, 2006
In the NCAA basketball tournament and for a teenager's birthday, 16 is sweet. For the Green Bay Packers, 16 could possibly end up being sweet. But for now it's a major challenge and one that grew on Tuesday when the team added a 17th rookie to the roster. At Lambeau Field last week, 16 became the number of rookies on the Packers' 53-man roster when wide receiver Shaun Bodiford was claimed off waivers from the Detroit Lions. Bodiford replaced wide receiver Robert Ferguson, who was put on season-ending injured reserve. Then Tuesday the Packers signed running back P.J. Pope from the Chicago Bears' practice squad, because of the back injury suffered by Vernand Morency. The Packers now have 10 of their 12 picks from the April draft, two undrafted rookies they signed right after the draft and five rookies who spent time with other teams before the Packers claimed them on waivers. Packer coach Mike McCarthy claimed to not know the actual number of rookies on his roster was as high as 16 and for now 17, with the addition of Pope. "I don't count those things. It's nice to have these get-togethers because I learn a lot. I learn about all the problems I'm supposed to have or should be worried about," McCarthy joked. -- More







Fewer Favre picks means more fun
Associated Press
Laughing and relaxed, Brett Favre has found his rhythm again, both as a leader on the field and a captivating storyteller in the Green Bay Packers' locker room. Favre, who had a career-high 29 interceptions last season, hasn't been picked off in 106 passes over the last three games. He said Wednesday maybe it's just luck and a little extra pass protection, but he's no longer turning the ball over at last year's pace, which would have let him easily pass George Blanda's NFL record of 277 career interceptions. "I feel like I'm at my best when I have plenty of time to step up and let a guy eventually get open," Favre said. Favre's stinginess with the ball has been a key to why the Packers (3-4) can pull to .500 at Buffalo and raise Titletown's hopes with a third straight win. Favre has just five interceptions this season after throwing five in one game against Cincinnati last year. The 16-year veteran admits he struggles to stay within first-year coach Mike McCarthy's game plan when the score begins to slip away, such as in bad losses to Chicago and Philadelphia this season, when he threw four of his five picks. -- More




Favre is enjoying winning streak
By Pete Dougherty
greenbaypressgazette.com
Brett Favre has a healthy running game, his interceptions are dramatically down, and the Green Bay Packers have won two straight games. That combination, but mostly the winning, is the mood tonic of the NFL and no doubt accounts for a happier Packers quarterback in 2006 than 2005. Whether the Packers can keep winning as their opponents improve remains to be seen. But for now, the 37-year-old Favre appears to be genuinely enjoying playing with an ultra-young team that carries low expectations and is showing weekly improvement, even if it isn't even .500 and all three of its victories are against teams with a combined 3-19 record. Consider at this time last season he was the quarterback for a gloomy 1-6 team that was going nowhere but down because of long-term injuries to key players. That contrasts this year to an even younger Packers team that's measurably better now than in Week 1 and at 3-4 has been competitive except for a 26-0 blowout loss to Chicago in the opener and in the second half of a 31-9 loss at Philadelphia on Oct. 2. "I'd love to win them all," Favre said Wednesday at his biweekly press conference. "But I'd at least like to walk off that field knowing we very easily could have won that, and what's the reasons for not winning it, as opposed to we shouldn't even have been out there. … I don't know what our won-loss record will be at the end of the year, but up to this point that really hasn't mattered. I see improvement, I see guys enjoying it. That does make it much more fun." -- More







Meet Lynlee Jeanae Allen
Dallas Cowboys
Cheerleader

AGE: 23

HAIR:Blonde

HEIGHT: 5'4

BIRTHPLACE: Mesquite, TX

OCCUPATION: Student

DCC STATUS: 5 year Veteran

CAREER GOAL: Pediatric Nurse

LIFETIME GOAL: Have no regrets, live everyday to its fullest and treat others the way I would like to be treated.

MARITAL STATUS: single

CHILDREN:No

PETS (WITH NAMES): Tyson (miniature long-haired Chihuahua), Sugar (Chinese PUG), Muffin (Poodle)

HOBBIES: Singing, working out, golfing

FAVORITE TV SHOW: Fire up Anatomy

FAVORITE MOVIE: Walk the Line

FAVORITE ACTOR & ACTRESS: George Clooney & Reese Witherspoon

FAVORITE SONG:"I Believe" by Brooks and Dunn

FAVORITE MEAL: Mexican Food ( Fajitas and Margaritas)

FAVORITE COLOR: Purple

FAVORITE TYPE OF MUSIC: Country, but I listen to a little bit of everything

FAVORITE SPORT: I love football and baseball

FAVORITE PERFUME: Burberry Weekend

FAVORITE TIME OF DAY: Evening (I am not a morning person)

FAVORITE CITY OUTSIDE OF DALLAS: New York City

CHILDHOOD LUNCHBOX: Lisa Frank with Kittens

CHILDHOOD NICKNAME: Lil Bit

FAVORITE CEREAL: Honey Nut Shredded Wheat

HERO: God, and my parents (they are both wonderful role models for my brother and I.

VETERANS, MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT OF BEING A DCC: My most memorable moment was our first game my rookie year. I remember standing in the tunnel at Texas Stadium feeling so excited and nervous. Running out on the field for the first time and seeing the thousands of fans gave me a feeling of such honor. It was a dream come true and the first of many memories.

I'M HAPPIEST WHEN: I am surrounded by the people I love (and my puppy Tyson)

A REALLY GREAT EVENING TO ME IS: Dinner and a movie (Edit: I was hoping for a foot rub too)

PEOPLE WHO KNEW ME IN HIGH SCHOOL THOUGHT I WAS: Very outgoing, active, friendly and fun to be with. (Edit: Thank you Miss 'Over Self Critical' LOL)

MY TRADEMARK EXPRESSION: My smile, I am always smiling

MY BEST ASSET IS: Being a very kind and considerate person, I would never want to hurt anyone's feelings. (Edit: Yeah... I was going to go with very kind and considerate too... first thing that entered my mind)