10/31/2007
Grant Helps Ground Game Take Off
DENVER - Opportunity can knock in the NFL at any time, and it was Ryan Grant's turn to be ready on Monday night. The Packers' No. 2 running back went from substitute to workhorse in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos, and the youngster out of Notre Dame earned himself a starting role in the offense with his productive play in the 19-13 overtime victory. Taking over for an injured DeShawn Wynn, Grant rushed 22 times for 104 yards, jump-starting what had been the league's lowest-ranked rushing attack and giving the Packers their first 100-yard rusher in 11 games. Like most backs do after a good game, Grant credited his offensive line for giving him the holes and creases. But Grant deserves plenty of credit too for putting a late fourth-quarter fumble at Minnesota behind him and answering the bell on Monday night. "We were able to do some things, stay consistent, and stay to our game plan," said Grant, who was named next week's starter by Head Coach Mike McCarthy after the game. "It was a long week, we had a lot of practice, a lot of reps. We had a great week of practice running the ball, and it showed up." [More]
Grant, running game in a zone
GREEN BAY — While Brett Favre's two bombs-away touchdown passes in Monday night's 19-13 overtime victory over the Denver Broncos — especially his 82-yarder to Greg Jennings on the first play of OT — were being played on continuous loops on The Worldwide Leader In Sports' umpteen networks all day Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers' offense might have accomplished something even more important: The discovery of its running game. And, perhaps, a bona fide starting halfback in Ryan Grant. [More]Receivers answer call
Tightly knit unit elevating offense
If you're going to live in the day, as general manager Ted Thompson is wont to say about his philosophy for surviving in the National Football League, it's nice to have a few like the one the Green Bay Packers had Monday. And judging from the way his wide receivers played in a 19-13 overtime victory over the Denver Broncos, there might be more to come. Once the thorn that fans and media loved to stick in Thompson's side, the Packers' one-man receiving corps has blossomed into a tightly knit collective that is raising the level of play of the entire offense, including quarterback Brett Favre. After regularly being skewered for trading Javon Walker and failing to deal for Randy Moss, Thompson has assembled a crew whose arrow is pointing decidedly upward. [More]
Notes: Wells has pneumonia
Scott Wells was pushing the coaches to play Monday night, but when tests showed the veteran center had pneumonia, the Green Bay Packers center was immediately ruled out. Wells missed the final two days of practice last week with what coach Mike McCarthy said was a sinus infection, but he was expected to play. He made the trip with the team to Denver on Sunday, but after not showing any improvement he underwent X-rays, which showed he had pneumonia. The illness is not related to the broken orbital bone Wells suffered. The fracture was near his nose, but the injury and the pneumonia were two separate ailments. It's unclear how Wells contracted pneumonia, but now that the Packers have a handle on things they will be able to treat him. [More]
Wynn out, Robinson in / Notes
GREEN BAY — DeShawn Wynn's season is over, while Koren Robinson's could begin Sunday at Kansas City. With their roster exemption from the NFL for Robinson expiring, the Green Bay Packers added the reinstated wide receiver Tuesday, making room for him on the 53-man roster by placing Wynn on season-ending injured reserve. Coach Mike McCarthy called it "a significant shoulder injury.'' "It's part of the game,'' said Wynn, who started four games and rushed 50 times for a team-high 203 yards and four touchdowns. "You can't really control injuries.'' [More]
Notebook: Knee Bothering Robinson
Wide receiver Koren Robinson was added to the 53-man roster on Tuesday, but Head Coach Mike McCarthy said he would be limited in practice this week with soreness in the knee that was operated on during the offseason. Robinson experience soreness in his knee in the middle of last week and wasn't fully healthy by the end of the week. That, combined with the rustiness from not having played football for a year, kept him from being activated for Monday night's game in Denver. McCarthy said it would again be an end-of-the-week decision on whether he will be active this Sunday in Kansas City. [More]
Published by PackerPundit On Wednesday, October 31, 2007 at 5:32 AM.
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