11/28/2007
WRs Robinson, Martin
Always Ready To Make A Play
A passing game that's in rhythm can be awfully difficult to stop. The quarterback and receivers have their timing down, and they're on the same page with which routes to run and how to attack the defense. The Packers have found that type of rhythm plenty this season as the league's No. 2 passing offense, and at no time was it more evident than when Brett Favre completed 20 straight passes on Thanksgiving in Detroit. What can make that rhythm so hard to maintain, though, is that the offense must change formations and personnel in order to keep a defense guessing. The Packers will go from a three-receiver set, to a four-receiver set, to their five-receiver package they call "Big Five," and rotate through those options at any given time. That places a certain burden on receivers like Koren Robinson and Ruvell Martin, the fourth and fifth receivers behind the top three of Donald Driver, Greg Jennings and James Jones. As the fourth and fifth wideouts, Robinson and Martin are coming in and out of the game all the time. They might go an entire quarter or more without taking the field, and then all of a sudden they're sent out there for a crucial third down and the ball might be coming their way. [More]
Where's Woodson?
Packers keeping quiet
on cornerback's status
If the NFL isn't going to require the Green Bay Packers to say anything definitive about the injury status of cornerback Charles Woodson, they're certainly not about to start volunteering it. Woodson hurt his toe on a punt return early in the Packers' Thanksgiving Day victory over the Detroit Lions. The Packers aren't required to release a league-mandated injury report until today, and Packers coach Mike McCarthy was vague Monday about Woodson's prospects for playing in Thursday's game at Dallas. "He's put a lot of time in the training room," McCarthy said. "Right now he's pretty much going around the clock, so we'll see what happens. If someone can do it on our football team, it'd be Charles Woodson." McCarthy said Woodson's swelling had gone down, and the team would know more today. "He was a lot better today than he was yesterday," McCarthy said. [More] Texas-sized opportunity for Harrell
All season long, the Green Bay Packers have watched as their three NFC North rivals have gotten significant contributions from first-round draft picks. They've seen Minnesota Vikings halfback Adrian Peterson set the NFL single-game rushing record on film and watched him gash their defense for big yards firsthand. They've seen Chicago Bears tight end Greg Olsen catch a crucial touchdown pass in their only loss this season. And on Thanksgiving, they saw the Detroit Lions force-feed the ball to their first-round pick, wide receiver Calvin Johnson, supposedly at owner William Clay Ford's behest. Impact offensive players all, and guys the Green Bay defense probably will be dealing with for the next decade. And then there's the Packers' No. 1 pick, defensive tackle Justin Harrell, who has played in just two of the first 11 games and made no impact whatsoever. Until now, that is. [More]
Packers players happy
for former coach Sherman
Al Harris' eyes lit up when he heard the news that former Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman had been introduced as the new head coach at Texas A&M. So excited was the Packers cornerback that he had trouble finishing a bite of the salad he was eating. He vowed to call right away. "I think the world of coach Sherman, man," Harris said Monday. "He stuck his neck out for me, and I'm forever grateful. He's one coach that I've played for that had total confidence in me, no matter what, and I think he's going to do a great job. I think they hired the right man for the job." Harris blossomed into one of the NFL's top cornerbacks under Sherman, who traded with Philadelphia to bring Harris to Green Bay in 2003. But their bond goes well beyond football, as Sherman provided support during a difficult time for Harris off the field. In 2004, Sherman was the first person Harris spoke to after his girlfriend had a miscarriage. "I was here, and my girl had a miscarriage," Harris said. "I came and I talked to coach Sherman about it. He was like, 'Just go home, take the day off.' I ended up practicing that day anyway. But when you can go to a guy and talk to him about things like that, it sticks with you. I consider coach Sherman a friend." [More] Pickett vs. Davis
Pair of top-ranked linemen
ready to rumble
Ryan Pickett's battle against Leonard Davis symbolizes the Green Bay Packers' battle Thursday against the Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium. Just as two heavyweight teams are squaring off for possible home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, Pickett and Davis will match brawn on brawn in a joust of the heaviest players on each team's roster. An executive in personnel for one of the five teams that has played both clubs gives the edge to Davis. Oddsmakers are favoring the Cowboys by 6 1/2 points. "Pickett is one of the strongest defensive linemen in football," the personnel man said. "But he isn't even close to Davis. I'd match that up in favor of Davis. If you try and match strength with him, you'll lose." [More]
Published by PackerPundit On Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 5:01 AM.
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