The Packer Pundit

McCarthy Learned
From San Francisco's Nolan
As Mike McCarthy prepares to return to San Francisco and take on his former team, he noted Friday that he learned some things from 49ers head coach Mike Nolan about getting started as a head coach, and he's tried to incorporate some of those in Green Bay. "I think he has a lot of interesting ideas and viewpoints on building a program," McCarthy said of Nolan, for whom he was offensive coordinator last season. "I was able to carry that with me. It's a coaching staff I have a lot of respect for." Nolan took over a team that went 2-14 in 2004, and the 49ers battled through a slew of injuries that led to more than 100 missed games by regular starters, started four different quarterbacks, and went 4-12 last season. It was a difficult year, but a learning experience nonetheless, and the 49ers continued to build this season, beginning the year 5-5 before losses in their last two games. "Last year the challenge as far as having players in and out, that was the most I'd ever gone through," McCarthy said. "I hope to never experience that again. "On top of that, we were also young. In hindsight, it was experience that you can draw from, and definitely have drawn from it some as we move through this season."

Game-time decision
McCarthy said tight end David Martin (questionable, ribs) practiced for the second straight day and did better on Friday than Thursday. He will be a game-time decision. Despite missing the past two games, Martin ranks fifth on the team with 21 catches for 198 yards and two touchdowns. He could provide a valuable weapon in the middle of the field, an area that also could make his ribs vulnerable, however. "I won't be thinking about it, but once I get hit, I'll be wondering how it's going to feel when I'm getting up," Martin said. "But I try to put that out of my mind. I try to play like it isn't there." McCarthy said he's been pleased with the work of tight end Zac Alcorn in practice and would be comfortable going with him if Martin isn't back to full strength. Also in the injury front, McCarthy said defensive end Michael Montgomery injured his right knee in practice on Wednesday but didn't discuss the severity of the injury. He will not play on Sunday.

Viable candidate
When asked if he thought offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski would make a good college football coach, McCarthy said he has no doubts. Jagodzinski's name could come up in the coming weeks as Boston College searches for a new head coach. Jagodzinski was the Eagles' offensive coordinator in 1997 and 1998 before breaking into the NFL with the Packers in 1999. McCarthy said he didn't know if Jagodzinski is interested in the Boston College job, but he said he wouldn't stand in his way and would hate to lose him if that ultimately came to pass. "I've been blessed to work with people that have helped me along the way to put me in this position," McCarthy said. "I'm hopeful I can do that some day for other coaches."

Revolving door
According to Elias Sports Bureau, when Cleveland's Derek Anderson made his first NFL start at quarterback on Thursday night against Pittsburgh, he became the 200th different quarterback to start an NFL game since Brett Favre began his consecutive starts streak on Sept. 27, 1992. The league hasn't had 32 teams throughout Favre's streak, but for argument's sake, that equates to an average of about 61/2 quarterbacks for each of the other 31 teams since Favre's streak began.

Rough season
Jenkins averaged 32 snaps in the first four games before suffering an ankle injury early in the St. Louis game. After sitting two games, he has averaged merely 21.6 snaps in the last five games. "He's slowed by the ankle," co-defensive line coach Robert Nunn said. "That's been the biggest factor as far as him getting the number of snaps that he's getting." Jenkins doesn't think surgery is in the offing. "The doctor is still concerned about my ankle," he said. "A couple weeks ago he didn't want me to play. I talked him into letting me play."

Long season
Mistake-prone tight end Bubba Franks figures to lose playing time Sunday if Martin's ready. Donald Lee remains in the mix and the Packers seem eager to look at Zac Alcorn, a rookie free agent from Black Hills State. "I think Bubba plays hard," general manager Ted Thompson said. "He's caught some tough breaks. Bubba's a solid guy. I would think he's probably a little bit disappointed in his year." Franks, 28, is in the midst of probably his poorest season. It has been an adjustment for Franks blocking in the new zone run game and being coached by Ben McAdoo, a first-year NFL position coach who at 29 is just six months older than him. In August, and again on Friday, Franks said McAdoo was a good coach. Offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski, who coached the position from 1999-2003, also said McAdoo had done a good job with Franks. "Absolutely," Jagodzinski said. "Let me tell you. I'm very involved with every position. That has no bearing on it at all. Is David Martin playing good?" Martin probably was having his best season before being injured.

More returns
With Woodson hurting, wide receiver Greg Jennings said he would return punts for the third straight week. "I can't really put a percent on it," said Jennings, who has had an ankle problem since Oct. 22. "I just know I'm not 100%. But I'm good to go."

Montgomery injury opens door for subs
By Pete Dougherty
greenbaypressgazette.com
Mike Montgomery's knee injury only increases the chances that Corey Williams and Cullen Jenkins will get some work, perhaps extended, at right defensive end on running downs on Sunday, and perhaps for the rest of the season. Montgomery injured his knee in practice Wednesday, and coach Mike McCarthy said he won't know until next week how long Montgomery will be out. He will not play Sunday at San Francisco. The Packers are looking to improve their run defense, and playing Williams (313 pounds) or Jenkins (290 pounds) at right defensive end on occasion will give them a stouter player than Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, who has started every game there this season. Among other things, that would make room for rookie Johnny Jolly to get some snaps at defensive tackle. "I think Johnny Jolly's done an excellent job here," McCarthy said Friday, "and we're looking to give him an — it's what I talked about earlier in the week, it's about creating opportunities for guys that are performing well in the practice environment and potentially having an opportunity to play on Sundays." Montgomery has been Gbaja-Biamila's backup this season but struggled in at least the last two games, at Seattle and at home against the New York Jets. He injured his knee in a team drill Wednesday. "It's one of those things where (the leg) kind of gets rolled up on," McCarthy said. "It's unfortunate. You never want to see it happen. It happens sometimes when you go in your padded drills." -- More



Pass Rush Looks To Crank Up Again
By Mike Spofford / Packers.com
Posted 12/08/2006
The Packers want their sack attack back. Prior to the team's current three-game losing streak, the Packers were producing the kind of consistent pass rush and sack totals that were making a difference in games. Green Bay had 31 sacks through the season's first nine games, an average of roughly 31/2 per contest. The best stretch came from Weeks 7 through 10, when the Packers won three of four games and sacked quarterbacks from Miami, Arizona, Buffalo and Minnesota a combined 17 times. Since then, the Packers have just three sacks in these last three games, and one of those was against New England's backup quarterback. The impact of the pass rush has dropped off considerably, and everyone has noticed. "It definitely has," said defensive end Aaron Kampman, who leads the team with 10 sacks but none since Week 10 at Minnesota. "We've gotten some hits and things like that, but the sack total has gone down, and we need to get back at that." The million dollar question is how. In last Sunday's game against the New York Jets, the Packers were held without a sack for the first time all season, and the first time in 14 games overall dating back to Dec. 19, 2005 at Baltimore. Perhaps the most frustrating thing about the lack of a pass rush against the Jets was that New York often used a straight five-man protection, meaning many times the defensive linemen and/or blitzing linebackers were one-on-one and simple didn't win their individual matchups. "We can't forsake our technique, our hand placement, our footwork, just don't forget those things," defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila said. "Maybe we're so focused on trying to get there that we're not doing it the right way. We can't forget how we do it when we have success." But fundamentals weren't the only factor. "Some of it is one-on-one battles, some are situations caused by our run defense," defensive coordinator Bob Sanders said. "We're giving them often times too many yards on first down, so it's a short second down or a short third down. It's harder to rush on third and 2 or 3 (than) it is on third and 11 or third and 8 or 9, so a lot of it can be traced to giving up too many yards on first down. We need to do a better job on first down." -- More



Give him a break
Green Bay to reduce Kampman's workload
By BOB McGINN / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Dec. 8, 2006
The Green Bay Packers are set to reduce Aaron Kampman's oppressive workload Sunday in San Francisco in hopes that their stellar defensive end can reverse his declining production. Kampman has been on the field for 337 of a possible 343 snaps in the last five games, a superhuman 98.3% rate that probably is one reason his pass-rushing hasn't been as effective. Rookie free agent Jason Hunter seems in line to offer some relief for Kampman, who is tied for fifth in the National Football with 10 sacks after leading the league through eight games. Unlike defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, who probably will be replaced by Corey Williams on some run downs on Sunday, the decision to reduce Kampman's time has nothing to do with performance. "There's been some discussion this week with both those fellas maybe rotating them out a little bit to keep them a little fresher," general manager Ted Thompson said. Kampman acknowledged plans to give him a breather or two against the 49ers but wasn't sure of the particulars. "Am I worn down?" Kampman said. "It's hard to determine if I feel more fatigued. This is the stretch where you just kind of go, 'Let's get after it.' "I know I like being out there. I also know that I want to be as productive as possible. It's a balance. Those aren't my calls. The coaches make the calls." -- More







Lessons hard, painful for McCarthy
First year tough on NFL coaches
By ROB REISCHEL / Special to Packer Plus
Posted: Dec. 6, 2006
First-year head coaches typically find the sledding rough. In reality, it's why they're first-year head coaches in the first place. More often than not, they inherit a team coming off a miserable season. There's frequently a housecleaning on the field, and perhaps in the front office, as well. And the results are often predictable. Mike McCarthy is finding that out the hard way. Green Bay's rookie head coach is 4-8 this season, but perhaps the greatest concern is that the Packers seem to be regressing. Green Bay is mired in a three-game losing streak and has been outscored, 107-34, in that span. McCarthy has also done little to impress the home fans, as the Packers are an NFL worst 1-5 at Lambeau Field. Green Bay has been shut out twice at home this season, outscored, 73-10, in its last two games at Lambeau Field and booed mercilessly during Sunday's 38-10 loss to the New York Jets. There's almost zero chance Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson will jettison McCarthy after just one season as Ron Wolf did with Ray Rhodes following the 1999 season. And the Packers' players insist switching direction would be a colossal mistake. -- More



Hawk vs. Davis:
Did Packers or 49ers come out ahead in draft?
By Pete Dougherty
greenbaypressgazette.com
One game or even one season won't prove whether Ted Thompson made the right choice when the Green Bay Packers' general manager selected linebacker A.J. Hawk instead of tight end Vernon Davis with the fifth overall pick in this year's draft. Nevertheless, the Packers' game against the 49ers on Sunday will provide a first-hand look at the two late in their rookie seasons — the 49ers selected Davis at No. 6. Thompson's decision to draft Hawk instead of Davis wasn't easy. Davis was an unusually gifted tight-end prospect, bigger and more explosive than Kellen Winslow Jr., the sixth overall pick in 2004, though not as polished a receiver. The Packers could have used a big-play talent on offense, and Davis was the best prospect for that on the board. He also was the hit of the NFL scouting combine, with the best testing performance ever by a tight end. "He was such a freakish offensive weapon, and nobody had ever seen anything like him at the combine," said John Schneider, the Packers' personnel analyst to the general manager. "So, it was a tough decision, because he seemed like a guy that was kind of a game-changer." Thompson, though, opted for Hawk, who didn't show Davis-type athleticism but was a complete package of standout talent, game-day production and off-the-charts football character. The Packers viewed him as a player they could build their defense around in the coming years. "He was such a reliable guy at a big-time program and such a passionate football person," Schneider said. "That's what edged out the other guy." -- More








Meet Laura
Minnesota Vikings
Cheerleader

Education or Profession:

Education: Graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Communications
Occupation: Works in merchandising for a Fortune 200 corporation.

Professional or Future Goals:

Personal goals: Her goals are to remain close with family and friends and continue her love for life
Career goals: To work in marketing.

Accomplishments:

Graduating college and staying close with her family. Received the "Purple Pride" award from her teammates.

Hobbies:

Laura enjoys taking Bosu class with Stephanie, playing with her cats, decorating her loft and scrapbooking all of her MVC memories

Her experience as a Vikings Cheerleader:

Years on Team: 5, 2nd year Team Captain
What are you looking forward to most this year as an MVC? When we find out our small teams, and of course, the Halloween game!

Fun and Interesting Facts:

Laura - 30 Seconds of Purple

Hometown: Clive, Iowa
Marital Status: Single
Children/Pets: Two cats: Sushi and Coconut
Three words to describe self: Loyal, cheerful and tall
Place you would most like to visit: Disneyworld!!
Favorite Food: Chipotle Burrito Bols (bowls)
Favorite Vikings Player: Richard Angulo
Favorite part of practice: When we learn our new endzone routines
Fact that many people do not know about you: Laura says, "I am NOT 6 feet tall. I was last measured at 71", so anyone who wants to argue needs to get out their measuring tape!"