The Packer Pundit

MISSING IN ACTION
The Packers' defense came into the game ranked fifth in the NFL in sacks per game, but they barely got a whiff of Pennington. Aside from Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila's interception-causing hit in the third quarter, Pennington was in a vacuum behind his offensive line. For some reason, Packers defensive coordinator Bob Sanders didn't start blitzing with any kind of regularity until the second half and by then it was too late. He had to do it so much that the Jets started calling draw plays that were gashing the run defense. It was pretty obvious the front four wasn't getting any pressure and Sanders never adjusted to that. "We didn't have a lot of pressure," linebacker Nick Barnett said. "We weren't bringing it (the blitz) much in the first half. But I'm not a defensive coordinator. That's not my job."

WHAT IF . . .
One has to wonder how much better the Packers' offense would be if Brett Favre would consider throwing the ball to someone other than Donald Driver. It's true, Driver is his most reliable receiver, and it doesn't make much sense to throw to Bubba Franks and Ahman Green, who can't hold on to the ball. But Greg Jennings can be almost as effective as Driver and he's getting far less double coverage. But from the beginning it appeared Favre was locked into Driver and the Jets were ready for it. They shaded a safety to his side most of the day and it was rare when he was completely open. If Favre had spread it around a little more, the game might have been a tad closer.

If YOU MISSED IT
• Before the game, Jets fullback B.J. Askew was walking around Lambeau Field without a shirt on to show his teammates that the 19-degree temperature at kickoff was nothing to be concerned about.

• Kicker Dave Rayner made another tackle on a kickoff return, his fourth in two games.

• Cornerback Charles Woodson tossed the ball into the stands after he made his third-quarter interception.

• New York Jets rookie linebacker Anthony Schlegal had a tough day, making contact with an onside kick recovered by the Packers and committing an illegal block in the back a short time later.

• Former Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman was an honorary captain.

BY THE NUMBERS
2002 The last year in which the Packers gave up more than 30 points in three consecutive games. It occurred during the first three weeks of the season, but the Packers won two of the games.

2-4 The Packers' record in their last six December home games.

170-88 Margin by which the Packers have been outscored at home this season.

113.6 Jets quarterback Chad Pennington's career passer rating against the Packers.

2-10 The Packers' record against AFC teams over the past three seasons.

Onside kick
Rayner attempted an onside kick the Packers recovered in the third quarter. They had just scored a touchdown to cut the Jets' lead to 31-10. Officials ruled Packers cornerback Patrick Dendy touched the ball before it went 10 yards, which would have resulted in a penalty. Coach Mike McCarthy challenged the call, and referee Larry Nemmers overturned it, saying instant replay showed Jets linebacker Anthony Schlegel reached around Dendy and touched the ball first. Jason Hunter had recovered, so the Packers got the ball, but they were unable to turn the drive into points. "It didn't work out like I wanted it to, but for the team, it worked out well," Rayner said. "I slipped and almost missed the ball. We made a great play. Tracy (White, a backup linebacker) got out of the way and let it go 10 yards, and they touched. I don't know why it took so long. You could see the guy dove over the top and made it go (back)."

Missed kick
Rayner said he has some adjusting to do to the swirling winds at Lambeau Field after missing a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter. Rayner was kicking toward the south end zone and missed the kick wide right. "It was going straight for that entire kick," Rayner said. "The wind was blowing at our sideline, I aimed at the left upright, and it moved all the way across. That's Lambeau Field, apparently, so I'm going to have to learn how to kick in here."

Barnett's club
Middle linebacker Nick Barnett managed to lead the Packers with 11 tackles (including six solo stops) in the first game he played with a clublike cast on his broken right hand. Barnett missed Monday's game against Seattle. He sustained the injury late in the Nov. 19 game against the New England Patriots. "I adjusted to it," Barnett said of the cast. "There's still some things you can't do with it." Such as catch the ball. Barnett broke up a second-quarter pass but couldn't corral the interception. The play would have been wiped out anyway because Packers defensive end Mike Montgomery was offside, but it was an indication of Barnett's limitations. Barnett was called for two penalties — pass interference in the end zone and a personal foul for unnecessary roughness when he appeared to use the club to hit a Jets player. "I don't think there should have been a penalty there," Barnett said. "Their guy actually had his hands in my face, and I was trying to knock his hands away. Sometimes, you forget that you have that thing on, and it looks like I'm trying to hit him in the face. I think they caught the second part of it."

A tough cut
Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis had some words for Packers right tackle Tony Moll after Ellis was injured in the third quarter. Though Ellis missed only a couple of plays, he thought Moll's cut block on him during a third-quarter passing play was excessive. "I can understand the cut block in the line during the game itself, but after you pass a guy and they're cutting you from behind, that's taking it too much to the extreme," Ellis said. "I'm not saying anyone's a dirty player, but that's a dirty play." Moll said the play, which was a 10-yard slant pass to Donald Driver, calls for both offensive tackles to cut the defensive ends. "Unfortunately, he jumped up in the air, and I think I hit him in the family jewels," Moll said. "It wasn't deliberate or anything like that. I know he was frustrated because we were cutting him. He was complaining a lot about the cuts."

Rodgers' recovery
Backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers was in the locker room after the game for the first time since the Nov. 24 surgery on his broken left foot. Rodgers said the surgery to implant a screw in his fifth metatarsal was successful. He expects to be on crutches for at least another month. "I can't put any weight on it for at least four to six weeks," Rodgers said, "so it's going to be a while." Rodgers sustained the injury in the second half of the Nov. 19 game against New England.

Green hits century mark
The biggest positive for the Packers' offense was the play of Ahman Green. After being a non-factor the last three games, Green rushed 14 times for 102 yards, the fifth time this season he's gone over the century mark. "I'm very pleased with (Green)," McCarthy said. "He's clearly part of the solution here, and the man just needs more opportunities." As the Packers tried to erase the big deficit, the offense focused more on Favre throwing rather than Green running. "We thought we could run the ball on these guys, and we did," Packers offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said. "We just got to a point where it got a little lopsided and we had to go in a different direction." Tight end Bubba Franks said Green's performance was uplifting. "The running game plan was perfect. We should have run it more," Franks said. "We're all cheering for (Green) this year. It was great to see him do well out there."

Extra points
--Charles Woodson had one of the Packers' two interceptions of Chad Pennington in the third quarter. Woodson has three interceptions in the last two games and equaled his career high of five for a season, attained as a rookie with Oakland in 1998.

-- Once unbeatable in cold-weather home games, the Packers lost for the fifth time in the last seven games with Favre at quarterback and the game-time temperature below 35, dating to late in the 2004 season. Green Bay is 40-5 at home and 41-10 in all games with Favre in those conditions. Sunday's game-time temperature was 19, with a wind chill of 2.

-- Packers right tackle Mark Tauscher (groin) was out for the third straight game. Moll again started in Tauscher's place. … Favre's 33 rushing yards marked his most in a game since Oct. 15, 2000, when he had 35 yards against San Francisco.






The ugly, the ugly and the ugly
(Exerts from Mike McCarthy's Press Conference)
By Jason Wilde / madison.com
There's a football adage that once you watch the film of a game, you find that you're never as good as you thought you were and you're never as bad as you thought you were. Well, when Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy watched film Monday of his team's 38-10 loss to the New York Jets at Lambeau Field the day before ... "It was as bad as I thought it would be," said McCarthy, whose team fell behind 31-0 at halftime and was outgained 340-97 in the first 30 minutes. But what McCarthy plans to do in response to his team's three-game losing streak - during which Green Bay has been outscored 107-34 - going into Sunday's game at San Francisco wasn't exactly clear. "There's a method of making change to change. I don't think that's necessarily the best way to go," McCarthy said. "But you definitely need to evaluate everything. We're looking at some options." -- More



McCarthy won't overhaul defense
By Rob Demovsky / greenbaypressgazette.com
Change is coming, the Green Bay Packers' coaches insisted on Monday, but don't expect it to be anything major. Coach Mike McCarthy didn't fire any coaches and didn't announce any changes to his starting lineup one day after the Packers were trounced at home by the New York Jets, 38-10. However, the first-year coach did indicate there might be subtle modifications made before the next game on Sunday at San Francisco.

"There's a method of making change to change," McCarthy said after he was about 25 minutes late to his regular Monday news conference. "I don't think that's necessarily the best way to go. You definitely need to evaluate everything. That's frankly why I'm late. There were a little more meetings than I normally have in the morning, so I can move on to San Francisco by dinner time."

The Packers couldn't finish drives on offense, and their defense couldn't get any pressure on Jets quarterback Chad Pennington. He picked apart defensive coordinator Bob Sanders' struggling defense. The Jets scored on all five possessions in the first half and led 31-0 at the break. When the NFL stats were updated after Sunday's games, the Packers had slipped to 29th in the league in total defense. They remained 32nd — dead last — in points allowed. Sanders already was on shaky ground, given that he took over a defense that was ranked seventh in the NFL last season. General Manager Ted Thompson made three key free-agent signings on defense — safety Marquand Manuel, defensive tackle Ryan Pickett and cornerback Charles Woodson — and used the fifth overall pick in the draft to select linebacker A.J. Hawk. Yet with Sanders calling the shots, the defense has regressed after a one-year spike under Sanders' mentor, Jim Bates. Sunday's performance by the defense only further contributed to the possibility that Sanders won't be retained next season. For now, however, the only changes being considered appear to be minor ones.
More



No waiting room for ailing squad
Thompson knows fans' patience tested
By TOM SILVERSTEIN / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Dec. 5, 2006

"There have been several games, some we've been able to win, some we lost, that I did see that coming together. I'm not saying there was a splinter in our team, I'm just saying yesterday and against New England, I just don't think we played as a team as we probably could have and have. It's an ongoing process. Sometimes you take two steps forward and two steps back and start over again. That's what we're working on now. I don't think that's a complete reflection (of where the team is at)." -- Ted Thompson

Patience isn't something football fans tend to display when their team gets whipped to the tune of a combined 73-10 in consecutive home games, but that's about the only thing the Green Bay Packers can ask of their faithful right now. Aside from some minor changes aimed at getting more players involved in the action and a vow from coach Mike McCarthy to cure the malaise that has struck his young team, the Packers can't offer much hope that things will get better soon. Depending on how you look at it, they are either a team in transition waiting for the gears to catch or a bona fide stinker with nothing going for them but a 57,000-person season-ticket waiting list. After losing, 38-10, to the New York Jets on Sunday, it's hard to imagine the Packers' fans having much more patience after seeing the team go 8-20 over the past two seasons. "That's an easy thing for me to say and a hard thing for fans to stomach," general manager Ted Thompson said Monday of being patient. "It's our responsibility to play better than we played, certainly (in) our two most recent home games. We're going to try to rectify that. But sometimes it's not a straight road you travel on."
-- More

Inside Mike McCarthy's Brain
'Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar'
By Packer Pundit / Patrick Stuckey
Mike McCarthy doesn't want to change coaches. Well that seems laudible if not laughable. Yes I understand there's only 4 games left and I understand the adage of 'Not changing horses in mid-stream' but c'mon.... any fair examination of the Packers coaching staff would conclude that our coaching staffs have failed us and 'you can't keep riding a dead horse'.

Okay enough of the metaphors... for now.

When asked about changes... McCarthy said there would be NO coaching changes but possibly... maybe... perhaps... then again maybe not... there would be changes in personel (line-up). He said there were no quiters on the team (I concur) but that we just weren't 'taking opertunities' of the match-ups we had.

That's coach-speakue for: Kampman couldn't beat his guy... KGB couldn't takle a running back if his life depended on it... and gosh darn our secondary looked so much much better in practice then they do in the games. And we made all our tackles too!

Allow me to throw in the really crappy play calling lately Mikey!
That needs to be said... either start calling the plays yourself or fire your buddy Jag. Let's see if this doesn't sound familiar Packer fans...

First Down: Favre fakes hand-off and drops back... looks downfield for his primary receiver (Driver... covered) checks off to his second read (Jennings... covered) pocket collapses so Farve throws the ball to a double teamed Driver... incomplete.

Second Down: Hand off to Ahman Green... 2 yard gain.

Third Down: Repeat process for First Down only insert 'check-off' pass to Noah Herron or Bubba Franks for a 4 yard gain.

Fourth Down: Ryan punts ball through end zone.

So Mike McCarthy thinks we can right this ship by tinkering here and there with the line up... yeah... that's like (last metaphor... bite me) re-arranging chairs on the deck of the Titanic when what we really need is to avoid the damn iceberg!

As Freud says... Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar...
Mike... we suck... fix it!






Meet Sabrina
Washington Redskins
Cheerleader

Dance/Cheerleading Experience: I've been involved in studio dance since the age of three, including styles of jazz, tap, ballet, pointe, modern and hip-hop. I left dance for cheerleading my freshman year of high school and continued to cheer through high school and my first year of college. I was a member of the Northern Virginia All-Stars, placing 4th and 7th in the nation in the highest elite, co-ed division. I then went back to my roots as a dancer and was on the NBA Washington Wizards Dance Team from 2001-03, performing in Italy and Greenland. In 2004 I became a member of a hip-hop dance group, based out of Washington D.C., known as X-Faction, performing in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey. For the passed two years I coached the Varsity Dance Team at Hylton High School and I currently teach dance at my sister's dance studio, Woodbridge Academy of Dance.

Acting Experience: I played a role in a major motion picture, "Step Up," Touchstone Pictures (2005, coming out in fall 2006). I was in a local restaurant commercial, with speaking roles, for Joe Ball Productions (2006).

Pageant/Modeling Experience: Calendar photo shoots for the NBA Washington Wizards Dance Team (2001-03).

Why did you become a cheerleader? I auditioned for the Redskins Cheerleaders because of the exciting environment, to meet new people, and for the opportunity to work under Stephanie Jojokian again.

What do you like about being a cheerleader? Being with old friends again from my time dancing with the Wizards.

What was your most exciting moment as a Cheerleader? This is my first year as a Redskins Cheerleader, and because the season hasn't started I don't have many moments yet. So I'd have to say my most exciting moment to date would be learning that we are going to the Dominican Republic for a week, all expenses paid, for the Swimsuit Calendar photo shoot!

Countries visited as a Washington Redskins Cheerleader? Dominican Republic

Education: Northern Virgina Community College, George Mason University

Hobbies: Snowboarding, Cooking/Baking, Scrap-booking

Future Goals: What excites me the most about the future is having kids. I'd like to have one boy and one girl. I very much look forward to that day!

Favorites!

Food: Crabs, with lots of Old Bay seasoning
Music: I enjoy all types of music, from classic rock to rap. Mostly I like to listen to soft rock or anything I can dance to, like Ciara or Missy Elliot.
Band/Singer: Lately, I really like Pink Floyd/David Gilmour
Book: "Intensity" by Dean Koontz
Redskins Player: Clinton Portis, Santana Moss
Movie: There are a lot of great movies..."Jaws" comes to mind.
TV Show: "Law & Order: SVU"
Cartoon: Family Guy, The Smurfs
Saying/Quote: "Everything happens for a reason"

Describe your perfect date: I've already experienced two "PERFECT dates." I've always thought it to be incredibly romantic for a guy to surprise his lady by having a fancy dress with matching heels laid across the bed (that he picked out and bought) waiting for me with flowers and a note that reads, "Get dressed, be ready by 6 p.m." He'd have a romantic, classy evening planned out, but would not tell me any details. It's all about the element of surprise, guys! I love to be surprised and romanced!

What is your favorite thing to do when you are not at practice? Hanging out with the man that I love!

Who is your role model and why? I'd have to say my role model is my mom. She lost her own mother to cancer at only 15 years old and then lost her father to cancer at 23 years old. She is the ROCK of my family, with four children. She is an amazing mother, an amazing cook, an amazing wife and an amazing friend. I hope to follow in her footsteps.