Tuesday, it seemed as though the Green Bay Packers might have found a solution to their return man quandary.

Former All-Pro returner Clifton Smith, recently released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was in [...]]]> (Note: Last season, I called this post the “Wednesday Wrap-up.” We’re going with the new name because, well, it’s just more fun, isn’t it?)

Tuesday, it seemed as though the Green Bay Packers might have found a solution to their return man quandary.

Former All-Pro returner Clifton Smith, recently released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was in town and appeared to be considering signing with the team. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out as Smith ultimately signed with the Miami Dolphins.

This leaves the Packers with scant few options for what do to at that spot, good because the season is only a few days away (note the sarcasm).

During his even-more-testy-than-usual-press conference Sunday, Ted Thompson said the team likes the options it has. Monday, head coach Mike McCarthy shed some light on what those options are. We knew most of them already – Brandon Jackson and Jordy Nelson as possible kick returners and Tramon Williams as a possible punt returner – but the fourth option was an eye-opener, to say the least: Greg Jennings at punt returner.

Whoa.

Jennings hasn’t even returned a punt since his rookie season in 2006 – and even then he only returned five of them for a whopping 29 yards total. Since then, Jennings has, of course, developed into an elite receiver. Putting a player of his stature in a role that lends itself so easily to injury is almost unheard of, nowadays.

 To hear McCarthy tell it, Jennings and Williams may end up rotating at that spot, depending on the situation. Still, my guess is that Williams will handle the bulk of the duties there. He’s shown some flashes of potential in that role and, unlike Jennings, has recent experience there. The team may be trying to put on the aggressive sell here, but I just don’t see No. 85 returning that many punts. I’m not saying it won’t happen – it just won’t happen more than maybe once a game, if that. Imagine if he was to get injured doing such a thing. McCarthy would look unbelievably stupid.

Of course, he may not look that smart for putting the team’s No. 2 corner there, either, especially when you consider the apparent lack of depth at that position. That said, I don’t have as much of a problem with Williams doing it. He seems to actually want to fill that role and, let’s be honest, there isn’t really anyone else who can do it. To second Gene’s thoughts from a recent phone conversation, why the (expletive deleted) can’t Sam Shields learn how to field a punt?

Nelson on punt returns, you say? Well, let’s talk about him right now.

Simply put, I do not want to see Nelson in any sort of return role this season (even though I know we will). He’s got some potential, but ball security is far too often an issue with him. It never got much better as last season went on and I just don’t think he’s earned another shot there. Same goes with kick returns. Jackson should handle all of the duties there. He may or may not struggle with ball security at times this year, as well, but the Packers already know what they’ve got with Nelson there. And it’s not good. In this case, I’ll take the devil I don’t know.

In the end, this team whiffed on its decision to wait out Will Blackmon’s knee injury. The Packers were sure it would get better, even though every indication pointed towards the exact opposite. They waited and waited and by the time Blackmon’s knee proved to be too much to deal with, all other options were exhausted. Green Bay now has what it has. We just have to hope it’s enough.

Packers looking good on the health front (well, it IS week one)

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Almost everyone on the roster was a full-go Wednesday, including linebackers Clay Matthews (hamstring) and Brad Jones (shoulder) and defensive end Cullen Jenkins (calf). Nice to see three key members of the defense back and practicing, although I always figured they’d be ready for week one.

Corner Brandon Underwood (shoulder) was a limited participant, but McCarthy told reporters he’s moving along in the rehab. Harness or not, I have a feeling Underwood will play Sunday. And not just because I dislike Jarrett Bush so much.

Brady Poppinga (knee) did not practice, but it sounds like that was just a one-day thing and he should be back Thursday.

A (self-indulgent) look at the rest of the week for OBOD

Last season, we usually closed out game weeks with my NFL predictions and a “Breaking down Packers vs….” post. The picks will surely remain – you need something to laugh at, right? – and, as of now, the thinking is that the “Breaking down” post will also return, although likely in a different fashion than last season. Still working out the kinks on that.

You’ll see both of those before this week is out, along with some other assorted goodies thrown in there, especially if Gene ends up making his NFL season predictions. No promises on that, though, as even Adam and I have no idea what Gene’s going to do. And we don’t force him, either. Nobody puts Gene in a corner.

-Chris Lempesis

The Green Bay Packers took a different approach. They cut no one.

Instead, the Packers placed three players on the PUP list and one more on injured reserve (they had only 79 players [...]]]> Tuesday was the first of two scheduled cutdown days for NFL teams, with every team mandated to get down from 80 to 75 players.

The Green Bay Packers took a different approach. They cut no one.

Instead, the Packers placed three players on the PUP list and one more on injured reserve (they had only 79 players to begin with, not 80).

Cornerback Al Harris, strong safety Atari Bigby and running back James Starks were put on the PUP, meaning each player will be unavailable to practice and play with the team for the first six weeks of the season. They will all be eligible to return for the start of Vikings week, part one, in late October. Even if they aren’t quite ready yet at that time, each player is given three weeks to practice – without counting on the roster – before the team has to make a decision. The player has to be cut, activated to the roster or placed on injured reserve after those three weeks are up.

Speaking of injured reserve, that’s where promising rookie running back Quinn Porter found himself Tuesday. His season is now over.

Now that we’ve taken care of the specifics, let’s break down what this all means for the Packers.

Obviously, the biggest name on this list is that of Harris.

We heard roughly a million different timetables/possible return dates for Harris during camp. At first, the PUP list seemed to be his likely destination. Then, two weeks ago, we heard – from the National Football Post, a site run by Harris’ agent, Jack Bechta – that Harris could be back on the practice field before the Seattle game. That led many, myself definitely included, to say that Harris would surely be back for the season opener. That was as good as things got, though.

Harris couldn’t pass a recent physical and, with seemingly little progress made, the team decided to take the cautious approach and scratch him for the first six weeks instead of keeping him on the roster and hoping he’d be back for, say, the Chicago game in week three. The Packers are taking the smart angle here, even though it’s causing much hand-wringing amongst fans. The team simply does not face any deep, high-powered passing attacks until Favre comes to town in week seven.

With opponents like New England, both New York teams, Atlanta and, of course, the aforementioned Vikings (twice) littering the schedule from week seven on, Green Bay is deciding to save Harris until it really counts. Smart, smart, smart. This puts more pressure on the youngsters (Sam Shields, Brandon Underwood and Pat Lee), of course, but the early schedule should allow them to gain valuable NFL experience against teams that don’t appear capable of eating them alive. This wiil benefit the defense, as a whole, later.

The Bigby move, on the other hand, comes as no surprise. We’ve all known for awhile now that this is where he’d end up and he did. As I’ve said before, Bigby misplayed his hand in hoping for a new deal, which is why he didn’t get the ankle cleared up earlier. As a result, Bigby could find himself on the bench even if he returns healthy. Morgan Burnett has struggled at times, but has also shown huge upside. By week seven, Burnett could have the job locked up to the point where the team won’t want to mess with chemistry by giving Bigby his job back. At the very least, he will provide good depth.

I have to admit, I was surprised Starks ended up on the PUP list and not IR. His hamstring simply has not gotten much better during camp, from the sounds of it, and the Packers have a recent history of placing youngsters who are struggling with injuries on IR even if the injury isn’t necessarily a season-ender. Still, the move makes some sense after further examination. Starks, if healthy, should bring good value as a pass-catcher. And with only Kregg Lumpkin and fullback John Kuhn ahead of him on the depth chart, as of now, Starks could be a definite upgrade at the position come week seven.

Finally, we come to Porter. As stated before, he showed some promise, especially early in camp. His impact faded a bit over recent weeks and when he suffered the ankle injury, you knew that’d be a wrap for him this season. Clearly the team likes his upside, though, or else it would have cut him outright. A player to watch in years to come.

The Packers now have until Saturday afternoon to cut down from 75 to 53. Allen Barbre – I hope your house is drawing some offers.

-Chris Lempesis

(One more game and it’s finally over.)

That changed Sunday.

The Packers got back to work on the practice field and there was some fairly significant news to come out of it. So, that being the case, we’ve decided to whip [...]]]> The Green Bay Packers had been very quiet since Thursday night’s preseason pounding of the Indianapolis Colts.

(One more game and it’s finally over.)

That changed Sunday.

The Packers got back to work on the practice field and there was some fairly significant news to come out of it. So, that being the case, we’ve decided to whip up a batch of training camp stew for you. Not a bad way to start off the week, right?

As always, the information in this report comes courtesy of the fine folks at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Green Bay Press Gazette and ESPN Milwaukee’s Jason Wilde.

• Well, we have a winner in the left guard battle: Daryn Colledge. Head coach Mike McCarthy made the announcement after practice today and, really, it comes as no surprise. Colledge, despite getting a better-than-expected (at least in my mind) test from Bryan Bulaga, has been solid in camp for the most part. And with the offensive line, as a whole, playing so well, McCarthy clearly did not want to mess with that, even if it means rolling the dice with a player who has experienced an up-and-down career. The move also means Bulaga can fully heal up, as he’s been dealing with a hip flexor throughout camp.
• Still, even with Colledge winning the job, I don’t think his leash is all that long. Bulaga has shown he can play the position – and play it well – and my best guess is that McCarthy won’t be afraid to go to him at that spot if Colledge has a tough start to the season.
• The Al Harris saga continues. Sunday we found out that Harris is likely out for the season opener and the team is now faced with the decision to either put him on the 53-man roster or place him on the PUP list, making him unavailable until week seven. Quite honestly, I’ve been wrong so often on Harris that, at this point, I am not totally sure what the team should do with him.
• One thought, though: If he’s unavailable for the Philly game, don’t you then have to look at the schedule? Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Washington and Miami would be the five games he’d miss. How many of those teams have deep receiving corps? By my count, none. In that case, it seems to make sense to put him on the list and have him ready for Minnesota on Oct. 24. He’d surely be 100 percent by then. Again, just a thought.
•  Of course, that decision would be easier if Brandon Underwood wasn’t struggling with a shoulder injury. But he is, meaning Sam “My Guy” Shields is getting a look at the nickel spot. I like Shields, but as a nickel? Hopefully, Underwood’s shoulder isn’t that bad.
• Let’s break up the injury news and talk about punters. Tim Masthay outboomed (not sure if that’s a real word) Chris Bryan again Sunday and appears to have taken the lead in the battle there (remember, Masthay was better Thursday, as well). I thought Bryan had the job locked up after his nice start to camp. But Masthay’s gaining on him steadily. No clear winner yet, but I’d guess that will change by Friday morning. In fact, I’d say one of the last decisions the coaches make will be on this position.
• Back to the injury news that’s bad. Cullen Jenkins continues to miss time with his calf injury. He’s all but out for Thursday at Kansas City. Fortunately, though, he should be locked-and-loaded for Philly. And, really, isn’t that all that matters? Seriously, can you imagine the d-line without Jenkins? Scary thought.
• On the bright side, Brad Jones and Clay Matthews appear ready to return, possibly as soon as Thursday night. As much as I don’t want anyone of note to play in this game, I do think it’s important for those two to get a handful of snaps in to shake off the accumulated rust.
• Anyone else starting to worry about Will Blackmon’s knee injury that still isn’t up to par? Anyone else thinking Jason Cherry could crack the roster as a return guy if he turns in another good showing Thursday?
• Should I talk about Quinn Porter’s apparently serious ankle sprain or save it for an updated 53-man roster for Tuesday? I’ll save it, but I think Kregg Lumpkin should be happy about this news.

-Chris Lempesis

That could be especially true in this one, as the Green Bay Packers take on the Indianapolis Colts and some cat named Peyton at Lambeau Field tonight [...]]]> Well, the third preseason game is here. And, as Denny Green once famously informed us, this is the one that teams do not, in fact, play like it’s bull(expletive), bull(expletive)!

That could be especially true in this one, as the Green Bay Packers take on the Indianapolis Colts and some cat named Peyton at Lambeau Field tonight at 7 p.m. Lambeau Time on ESPN.

As usual in game No. 3, we should see the starters for each team play at least one half. That’ll be good, but here’s what I’d like to see from the entire team – starters, backups and guys who will be bagging groceries in a week:

Offense

• A clear-cut winner emerge in the Daryn Colledge/Bryan Bulaga battle at left guard. Of course, that doesn’t mean I want to see one player struggle more than the other (even I don’t dislike Colledge that much). Rather, I’d like to see one guy turn in a dominating performance and win the job outright. It’s time to get the starting five set.
• A lot of the running game in the first half, Brandon Jackson in particular. We all know what Ryan Grant can do and, while I think he should get a decent amount of carries, Jackson should be the main guy when the starters are in. He’s been good in the first two games, but it’s time for him to be tested against another team’s starters.
• Greg Jennings on the sidelines in sweats, please. Don’t need his back spasms getting any worse.
• Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson and James Jones make some plays in the first half. Those guys have been quiet in the first couple of games – Driver was out last Saturday, though – and it’d be nice to see them become involved.
• Jermichael Finley just keep doing what he’s been doing.
• A clear-cut winner emerge in the Quinn Porter-Kregg Lumpkin battle for the No. 3 running back spot. Both are injured and I’m not sure of either’s status. But at least one of them needs to suck it up and get through this – after all, an NFL job is on the line.
• Matt Flynn build on his nice showing from the Seattle game. These next two games are potentially huge for his future if he wants to be an NFL starter someday.
• Spencer Havner and/or Andrew Quarless make some big plays. The Pack are going to keep four tight ends, as much as that baffles me, so the bottom two might as well be good.
• Breno Giacomini finally add some “Steak” to all the “Sizzle” the coaches have sold us on with him for the entire offseason. His future in Green Bay depends on it.

Defense

• Some pass rush from someone in the starting unit. I know, I know – Green Bay may once again be without its entire starting linebacking corps (A.J. Hawk, Brad Jones, Clay Matthews and Nick Barnett). And I know that it’s really, really hard to get pressure on the great Peyton Manning. But whoever may happen to be starting on defense, it’s imperative that some form of a pass rush gets established here, just so the team can be more sure in that area heading into Philly on Sept. 12.
• B.J. Raji get some real push up the middle. The big fella’s been solid, if unspectacular, during camp thus far. Let’s see a little spectacular tonight.
• Cullen Jenkins join Jennings on the sidelines in sweats, please. That ankle has to be ready for the games that count.
• Manning challenge Charles Woodson at least a couple of times, so we can see what really happens when two elite talents go right at each other.
• Pat Lee and Brandon Underwood be less terrible than they were last week. With Woodson returning, these guys will draw the nickel and dime spots, respectively, and should get a good test against a deep Colts receiving corps.
• Morgan Burnett do better. It’s time for him to start coming around a bit, rookie or not. And, even though it’s a game that doesn’t count, you know Manning will throw right at him.
• Someone emerge at d-line from the group of Justin Harrell, C.J. Wilson and Jarius Wynn. A key spot in the rotation is there for the taking, fellas.
• Sam Shields make some plays so he can shut all the doubters up. Come on, man – you’re “My Guy” for 2010 training camp. Don’t make me look silly.
• Two words: More Zombo!

Special Teams

• Mason Crosby keep doing what he’s been doing over the past 10 days.
• Everyone else be much, much, much better in every single area. That is all.

And, as usual, I’ll end this with the thing I’d like to see more than any of the rest: NO INJURIES!!

We’ll be back afterwards to wrap it all up. Enjoy the game, everyone.

-Chris Lempesis

In other words, a lot of players didn’t play.

The entire starting linebacking corps was out, for example, as were [...]]]> With the “dress rehearsal” preseason game – i.e., game No. 3 – against the Indianapolis Colts just five days away, Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy took a cautious approach Saturday night against the Seattle Seahawks.

In other words, a lot of players didn’t play.

The entire starting linebacking corps was out, for example, as were Charles Woodson and Donald Driver.

Still, some things of note came out of Green Bay’s 27-24 road win over the Seahawks. Since the Packers were shorthanded, to say the least, for this one, it seems sort of silly to write an actual game recap.

Instead, let’s take a trip to the question department to discuss some of what went on:

• Question: What, if anything, should we make of the collective performance of the “starting” units?

Answer: If you believe the preseason means anything – and everyone has differing opinions on that - you could say that the Packers very much were who we thought they were (copyright, Denny Green). In other words, this game didn’t change my feelings on the team one bit.

The starting offense was once again fantastic, with two scores in two drives. Aaron Rodgers personified this with yet another sterling showing (8-of-11, 116, two touchdowns, 20-of-24, 275 yards, three touchdowns, no picks in just over two quarters of preseason play). Jermichael Finley and Greg Jennings are clearly the top two targets and the offensive line looked great (and was much better in run blocking). Again, all pretty much what you expected.

The “starting” defense was also what you figured the depleted unit would be, allowing two scores in four drives. The run defense was once again top-notch (the starting d-line was in the house for this one) but the pass rush was non-existent and corners Pat Lee and Brandon Underwood can officially be placed in the “Not Ready for Primetime” category, as of now. Not too worried about that, though, since those guys very well could end up as the No. 4 and No. 5 corners when the season starts.

As for the special teams…well…we’ll get to them in a minute.

• Question: Okay, minute’s up. Will the special teams ever actually, you know, improve?

Answer: I wish I could say they will, but as of now, it appears unlikely. Once again, the coverage units were terrible, allowing far too many open lanes and missing a ridiculous amount of tackles. The return units were only a little less terrible than last week against Cleveland, but still nowhere near good enough (as much as I like Sam Shields’ potential, as a corner, the team must take him off return duty as he’s way too much of a liability).

Granted, yes, some of the guys drawing special teams time will be bagging groceries at your local supermarket in a couple of weeks, but still, those players alone weren’t the problem. Several key special teams players turned in awful performances once again. I fully understand it’s the preseason, but when you play on a unit that’s been as heavily scrutinized as this one has, you’d think the group would want to be better, if only to shut everyone up. Well, they weren’t.

What the hell is Shawn Slocum doing, anyways?

• Question: Is there anyone we should feel better about coming out of the game?

Answer: There’s a few guys, actually: Brandon Jackson, Matt Flynn and Mason Crosby. Jackson (11 carries, 80 yards and a game-winning touchdown run) ran extremely hard and looks to be improving in finding open spaces to hit. He’s an underrated part of what the offense will do this season, for sure.

Flynn (10-of-20, 130 yards, one interception) was much, much better than his numbers would indicate. His confidence and poise were better than they’ve been throughout camp thus far and he showed good decision-making, as well. He moved well in the pocket and, for the first time in 2010, gave me confidence that this team could survive for a stretch with Flynn if something happened to Rodgers (God forbid). Because, you know, Flynn could actually work with linemen who can block and receivers who can catch, in that scenario.

After having seemingly everyone doubt him during the offseason/start of camp, Crosby has very quietly rebounded (2-for-2 Saturday, including a 51-yarder, for example). He appears to be getting better and better during the practices, as well. I’m still not sold on him totally and likely won’t be until Sept. 12, at the earliest. But, for now, you have to feel good about the progress he’s made. For me, that’s more than enough right now.

• Question: Who improved their chances of making the roster in this one? Who’s chances were hurt?

Answer: There’s two of each, actually. Outside linebacker Frank Zombo had a really strong night and could push for the eighth linebacker spot. Fullback John Kuhn just continues to show a diversity of skills and is so valuable in goalline situations. The fullback battle is now between Korey Hall and Quinn Johnson.

The biggest player who should now worry is tackle Breno Giacomini. He was beat repeatedly in the game and is starting to wreak of “All Sizzle, No Steak,” at this point. Looking good in practice is nice and all, but it means nothing if you can’t block during the game. This is his third preseason with the team. He should be better, especially against backups.

The second player is Allen Barbre. Okay, so he was likely gone, anyways, but by giving up a sack that got Flynn absolultely popped, it’s really official now.

(Okay, okay, I can’t stop on four questions, because I hate the number four. Hmmm…I need a fifth question…wait, I got it!)

• Question: Did you ever decide on a new jersey, Chris?

Answer: Sure did. I’m going with a beauty: A Rodgers 1929 throwback jersey. I know, I know – I ripped the new jerseys back in March. Since then, though, I’ve really come around on them. In fact, I now love them. Sorry, A.J. Hawk jersey, I’ve just got to move on.

-Chris Lempesis

(Seriously – did you read Gene’s fantastic post from Tuesday? If not, scroll down a bit after reading this. And, to all of our new readers, thanks for checking [...]]]> The past few days at OBOD haven’t been incredibly Green Bay Packers-centric, what with our “Know Your Enemy” series and the return of Brett Favre and all.

(Seriously – did you read Gene’s fantastic post from Tuesday? If not, scroll down a bit after reading this. And, to all of our new readers, thanks for checking us out. Now…stay!)

Now that that’s all over and done, though, we think it’s a fine time to get back to discussing the activities of the actual team to beat in the NFC North – the Pack.

It’s been a busy couple of days in Titletown – “title” is another word for championship, Vikings fans – and we’re going to catch you up on everything that’s gone down (and of, course, offer our opinions, as well):

• The biggest news of the past couple of days is that, shockingly, Al Harris could return to the field by Monday. That is, if you believe the fine folks at the National Football Post (and you probably should, since Harris’ agent, Jack Bechta, is a co-founder of the site). He was also seen doing some light jogging earlier in the week, which only furthers that possibility. Coming off one of the most gruesome knee injuries you can imagine, I was certain Harris would be placed on the PUP list, hence making him unavailable until week seven. Now though? I’m thinking I was wrong. Even if Harris isn’t back that quickly, he still has 25 days until the Philly game and you have to think he’ll be good to go by then.
• This is a major boost for Green Bay’s defense, even if Harris only comes back as the nickel at first (a definite possibility). The two youngsters currently manning the nickel and dime spots, Brandon Underwood and Pat Lee, have been turning in very solid camps thus far. Those two then move down a peg with Harris returning and, all of a sudden, the secondary doesn’t appear to be a glaring question mark at all, does it? And, if the secondary is secure, Dom Capers can do even more, schematically, in terms of blitzing, which is good because the outside linebacker spot is still a concern. 
• A final note on Harris: How tough is this guy? Remember, this isn’t the first time he’s done this. This is the guy who once, back in 2008, told the team to remove his reptured spleen so he wouldn’t have to miss any time (the team declined his offer). Now there’s a chance he’ll return less than a year removed from completely destroying his knee. But, yeah, Favre is tough for fighting through some ankle surgery.
• Other injury news, and this, too, is positive: Ryan Grant, Jason Spitz, Will Blackmon, Nick Barnett and Tom Crabtree have all returned to practice this week. Blackmon, believe it or not, might be the most important player out of that group to return. His injury (knee) was the most serious of the five players – he’d missed over a week of practice – and, seeing how badly the returners struggled against Cleveland, he fills the biggest need. If he can stay healthy, yet another major question mark for the team begins to fade. The other returners are either not very good (Sam Shields, Brandon Jackson) or too valuable to be returning (Tramon Williams).
• Of course, it’s not all good news on the health front. If you had August 17 in your “Which day will Justin Harrell’s back start to bother him again?” pool, please collect your winnings. A tight back kept Harrell out of both practices Tuesday. As usual, the team is taking the “Relax, all is well” approach in the media with regards to the injury. But many fans are concerned (you can count me among that group). Any back problems with Harrell, no matter how big or small, always, always end up being big problems, eventually. Sadly, I have no reason to think otherwise here, but we’ll see.
• Alright, alright, enough injury talk. Let’s close this out by discussing a pair of position battles, one known and one not-so-known.
• The known is the left guard tussle between Daryn Colledge and Bryan Bulaga. This week, it appears as though Colledge is getting more of the starting reps. Head coach Mike McCarthy told the media that the battle is ongoing and that there is no timetable to picking a winner. He may believe that now, but I think he’s bluffing a bit, too. The group that appears in the third game is – barring injury – almost always the group that starts the season, so I think we’ll see a winner by then. Both played well against Cleveland and, obviously, Saturday’s game at Seattle will go a good distance in deciding who has the edge. But it just seems like the Bulaga movement is gaining steam, doesn’t it? The coaches clearly love him and you have to wonder if they prefer his upside over Colledge, who’s likely as good as he’s ever going to be. Again, count me in that group with the coaches as I am really coming around to the idea of Bulaga being the left guard.
• It may not necessarily qualify as a battle, but there’s something interesting going on further down the depth chart at wideout. Charles Dillon has been turning in a very good camp, for the most part, and could force the team to keep him on the 53-man roster. I doubt he topples Brett Swain for the No. 5 receiver spot – even with Swain coming off an ACL tear – because the team clearly loves Swain’s special teams value. But if Dillon can keep improving over the next two weeks, there’s a chance the team keeps six wideouts, especially if it only goes with nine linemen and/or two quarterbacks.
• Finally…actually, that’s it. Isn’t it nice to be talking about the Packers again?

-Chris Lempesis

The Pack’s 2010 preseason opener was again at home – again versus the Browns – only this time, words like “good”, “bad” and “ugly” don’t seem to [...]]]> In our game recap for the Green Bay Packers’ 2009 preseason opener, a home game against the Cleveland Browns, we broke down the good, bad and ugly portions of the contest.

The Pack’s 2010 preseason opener was again at home – again versus the Browns – only this time, words like “good”, “bad” and “ugly” don’t seem to fit quite as well.

Things were, well, a little more extreme this time around.

On both ends of the spectrum.

Green Bay was extremely good at times and extremely poor at others in Saturday’s uneven 27-24 loss to the Browns at Lambeau Field.

The extremely good portions could be found in the play of the Pack’s starting offense, particularly the passing game. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was, in a word, flawless, 12-of-13 for 159 yards and a touchdown, leading the offense to two scores in four drives. Why head coach Mike McCarthy decided to send him out for a fourth drive, we can not be certain, though I’m certain it was a stupid decision.

The numbers only tell so much, especially with this being a meaningless contest. The biggest thing to come out of Rodgers’ showing is this: The internal clock that quarterbacks must have – something Rodgers lacked at times last season – is there now. He instinctively knows when the ball must come out. No more uncertainty. That was on display countless times Saturday against a Browns defense that was definitely bringing some pressure.

And another step towards greatness appears to have been taken by the young signal-caller.

(P.S. Thank God Brandon Jackson is there to bust the blitz. Guys who can do that are invaluable.)

The weapons at his disposal looked sharp, too, particularly Greg Jennings. The wideout took some heat this offseason for his uneven 2009 campaign. With three catches for 68 yards and a score, he appears ready to quiet those doubters. Again, it’s more than the numbers; Jennings made Cleveland’s secondary look silly with his skill set. That group won’t be the last.

While the second-teamers failed to generate much through the air – Matt Flynn had an up-and-down night and Graham Harrell was pretty tough to watch – the running game looked good. Quinn Porter (nine carries, 38 yards) and Kregg Lumpkin (11 carries, 42 yards, one touchdown) both ran hard and made guys miss. If rookie James Starks does indeed end up on I.R. (or even the PUP list), both backs showed they could be viable options. Ryan Grant had, however, a tough night. He fumbled on the team’s opening play, then ran three times for six yards before leaving the game after a shot to the head. He should be fine, though, from the sounds of it.

Now it’s time to get to the extremely poor portion of the night. Those honors – or are they dishonors? – go to Green Bay’s starting defense and special teams.

Boy, did that defense struggle or what?

In four trips to the field, the Packers starters allowed three touchdowns. Two different, but equally mediocre, quarterbacks (Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace) ate that group up. No surprise as neither QB was under any significant pressure at all.

It’s important to note that Green Bay ran a fairly vanilla scheme and was minus Clay Matthews (hence the lack of pressure). Still, the Packers appeared to have the Browns outclassed in that matchup, in terms of talent, as every other starter was available. That alone should have equaled more pressure (and better coverage on the back end, Brandon Underwood’s strong performance notwithstanding).

It didn’t.

Matthews’ return will help significantly, but you have to wonder if Dom Capers isn’t going to have to start involving non-front seven players in order to generate pressure consistently this season. I’m just not sure the front seven guys are enough to get it done. I’m not panicking, just wondering.

I am, however, deeply concerned about yet another awful showing from the special teams. Were both punters, Chris Bryan and Tim Masthay, good? Yes, and that’s a major positive going forward.

But every other area of the unit appears to be right where they were last season. The coverage units continue to allow multiple lanes for opposing returners to target. Not only that, but the lanes were quick-developing lanes against Cleveland. As I’ve said before on this site, even bad teams can beat you if they consistently have good field position (not to mention the mental boost teams get from good returns). Gulp.

If that wasn’t enough, the Packers did a grand total of nothing when they had their shots to return punts and kicks. Five yards on three punt returns (Cleveland averaged 16.5 yards on its two returns); a 17.3 yard average on four kick returns (compared to 26.5 for the Brownies). No lanes for the returners to hit - that is, if they were able to hang on to the ball (not good enough, Sam Shields). Double gulp.

The overall performances of the offense and defense should be taken with an extreme grain of salt. The offense won’t always be perfect and the defense won’t always be atrocious.

But if you want to be extremely concerned with the special teams, that’s fine. You can get behind me in line there.

-Chris Lempesis

Unfortunately, though, it isn’t – it’s merely the preseason opener.

That being the case, we’ll go a different route and merely [...]]]> If Saturday’s contest between the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns – set for 7 p.m. Lambeau Time at, well, Lambeau Field – was a regular season affair, we’d go all out in writing a preview.

Unfortunately, though, it isn’t – it’s merely the preseason opener.

That being the case, we’ll go a different route and merely list some things we’d like to see happen during Packers/Browns.

Offense

• If the starters are indeed to play roughly 20 snaps, obviously, a nice, long scoring drive from that group would be great. Maybe something like a 10-play, 70 yard drive to start the game? Long enough to convince Mike McCarthy that the starters don’t need anymore work than that? ‘Cause, you know, it’s preseason game No. 1?
• Something – anything – positive from the running game while the starters are out there. The ground attack was awful in the “Family Night” scrimmage.
• Donald Lee could ease my mind just a tad on the whole, “Making $2 million this season as a backup tight end” idea by making a play or two.
• Someone step up and begin to take hold of the No. 5 receiver spot. The early money seems to be on either Brett Swain or Charles Dillon. Whoever wins it could become a factor in the offense if there’s an injury to one of the top four (God forbid). And seeing as how the offense appears to be a top-five unit, you’d like to see someone cement themselves there.
• Matt Flynn – you’re going to get a lot of snaps. Be better than you’ve been.
• Graham Harrell – you’ll see some snaps. Keep improving.
• Breno Giacomini – everyone’s talked you up so far. Don’t make them look stupid.
• Quinn Porter – same for you.

Defense

• Again, if the starters are indeed set to play 20 snaps or so, those should be spent overwhelming a putrid Cleveland offense. Not talking about anyone in particular, but rather the group as a whole.
• Actually, stratch that. I’ll be focusing in – if I’m actually able to watch the game, that is – on B.J. Raji, A.J. Hawk, Brandon Chillar and Morgan Burnett. Four guys who can really make this defense scary good if they have good seasons. Show me some flashes here.
• Pat Lee and Brandon Underwood figure to see a lot of time (some of which will be spent as the No. 1 and 2 corners, respectively). It’d be great to see them build on their nice starts. And, Pat – don’t injury anything.
• Justin Harrell – what I said about Lee applies to you tenfold.
• C.J. Wilson and Jarius Wynn could both provide crucial depth on the line. Each should see the field quite a bit and it’d be great if they could make some plays – or, at least, be beasts in the trenches.
• If you’re tired of being “Mr. August”, Desmond Bishop, you need to be even better than you’ve been in preseasons past. Well, here’s your chance.
• I’ve been the leader of the Sam Shields movement, so I’d love it if he had himself another solid night.

Special Teams

• Mason Crosby – make the damn kicks. No more excuses.
• Chris Bryan and Tim Masthay – neither one of you has claimed the punter job yet. How’s about one of you rectifies that, starting now?
• Someone – anyone – break a big return.

Oh, and I forgot to mention this last one…NO INJURIES!!

We’ll have a recap of the game afterwards, so look out for that.

-Chris Lempesis

(Big ups to the folks at Fox11 in Green Bay for streaming the event online. Well done, gang.)

It’s hard to know exactly what we should take away from such an event. [...]]]> We got our first real look at the 2010 Green Bay Packers on Saturday night in the team’s annual “Family Night” scrimmage at Lambeau Field.

(Big ups to the folks at Fox11 in Green Bay for streaming the event online. Well done, gang.)

It’s hard to know exactly what we should take away from such an event. After all, the majority of the offense vs. defense portions featured starters vs. backups.

Still, whenever a team does something like this, it’s worthy of comment. I took notes during the game and here are my thoughts, bullet-point style:

• Anyone still concerned about how the passing game’s looking now? Aaron Rodgers and Co. were on-point thoughout the night in all facets, while utilizing the short-to-intermediate passing game that was a key in the secondhalf turnaround last year.
• Rodgers’ strike to Jordy Nelson was an absolute beauty, as was his touchdown pass to Jermichael Finley (both came in the opening session for the No. 1 offense). Could No. 12 actually be getting better? Man, it really looks that way, doesn’t it?
• Speaking of No. 88, it’s official: He’s Rodgers’ go-to-guy. And why wouldn’t he be? He caught everything thrown at him, finishing off one play by bowling over Brandon Underwood (if only someone had done that to him that night in the Dells). Again – 75-1050-12 for Finley this year. Lock. It. Up.
• Still, it was only a 50-50 night for the starting offense. The run game was…well…let’s just say it can only stand to improve. The line got zero push in that department (but was solid in pass protection) and none of the backs did anything worth noting. I’m not overly concerned, but it sure would have been nice to see something – from someone.
• Same goes for backup quarterback Matt Flynn. This was the first chance I’ve had to see Flynn with my own eyes in camp and I can see why people are talking up his struggles. His poor arm strength was on full display, he was fairly inaccurate overall and he just didn’t seem comfortable. Surprisingly, I didn’t think Graham Harrell looked terrible.
• The starting defense was good, for the most part. No real issues there. The biggest thing I saw out of that group was the performance of A.J. Hawk. He did some good things tonight, in multiple facets. With him, I’ll take any positives I can at this point.
• UPDATE: Clay Matthews “tweaked” his hamstring. Let’s hope it’s nothing serious. And by “hope,” I mean we all need to pray. I’m pretty much serious, people.
• He may need to work on his tackling – and he’s certainly far from a finished product – but I’m telling you this: Sam Shields is making this roster. He made a great play on the ball to intercept Flynn for a pick-six and showed his shiftiness on one return. Don’t bother stashing him on the practice squad; he won’t last. He’ll need to be on the 53-man roster. As a sixth corner, why not?
• The special teams turned in a really solid night overall.
• I feel a heck of a lot better about Mason Crosby than I did a day ago as he connected on all but one kick (including a pair of 50-plus yarders). Not ready to make any final judgements, obviously, but it’s a nice step forward for him. The talent’s clearly there; he just needs to put it all together.
• Both punters, Tim Masthay and Chris Bryan, were quite good. Each boomed their share of kicks. Like Crosby, it’s a nice step forward, but both need to turn in showings like this more often.
• Some solid return work tonight. Again, they weren’t really allowed to hit in this portion, but I liked the moves on display from Shields, Brandon Jackson and Tramon Williams. Enough to give me, at least, a little hope where I previously had none.

Since you’ve already gone this far, how ’bout some of my non-football thoughts on the “Family Night” event?

• Those intros went on so long, I kept expecting them to start bringing out the concession workers, parking lot attendees and some of the girls from “The Body Shop.”
• What was with all the winter caps? Both Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson were seen wearing them. That confused the hell out of me. Was it that cold?
• I like Fox11’s Drew Smith as a broadcaster. In this type of setting? Ehhhhhhhhh….
• I see Emmitt Smith is being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Nice to see the second-best running back of that generation get his due.
• Only in Wisconsin would you see a weight-loss commerical featuring a still-thick girl talking about slimming down. Believe me, I love Wisconsin girls, but you have to admit that’s funny.
• Since it’s a scrimmage, there should have been a fly-over from one single-engine prop plane. Just to cap it all off, you know?
• I see Jerry Rice is being inducted into the HOF also. Nice to see the second-best receiver of all-time get his due.
• Somewhere in Jacksonville, Florida, you just know they’re asking this one question: How, exactly, do you fit 50,000 people into a football stadium all at once?

-Chris Lempesis

In short, similar to most teams at this point. The defense is ahead of the offense, which is almost always the case at any level of football six practices in to a season. OTA/minicamps only do so much for keeping a rhythm, after all, [...]]]> So, six practices in – how are the Green Bay Packers looking?

In short, similar to most teams at this point. The defense is ahead of the offense, which is almost always the case at any level of football six practices in to a season. OTA/minicamps only do so much for keeping a rhythm, after all, although it sounds like the Packers made some big steps forward during Tuesday night’s practice. Nothing that’s happened has changed my thinking that the offense will be absolutely lethal this season.

There have been a handful of early positives and negatives, outside of that, and we’ll get to them now, bullet-point style:

Positives

• Jordy Nelson. Everyone else has written about the sterling camp he’s had thus far, so I guess I should, too. Nelson’s really built on his strong offseason and is the front-runner for the No. 3 receiver spot (guess I was wrong to say James Jones would win that battle, huh?). Nelson and Aaron Rodgers are clearly developing a connection, as it sounds like the two hook-up on at least one deep post route every single practice.
• The depth at corner. Pat Lee, Brandon Underwood and Sam Shields have all made their share of plays early on. Extra bonus points for Lee remaining healthy. If these guys can keep it up, a major question mark will begin to fade for the Pack.
• B.J. Raji (RAJI! It’s back!). The big fella is showing both quickness and power early on. Again, can’t wait to see how he continues to develop.
• The depth at tight end. It sounds like every player from the original four - plus Tom Crabtree – has been really good early on. Donald Lee, for as much as I’ve written him off, seems to be making a case that he’s worth $2 million as a backup. I was certain the team would keep only three tight ends, but if five are playing well, how do you cut two? An early situation to keep an eye on, for sure.
• Breno Giacomini. The coaches praised him all offseason and, turns out, they weren’t kidding. It appears as though he’s finally cashing in on his upside, showing increased strength and knowledge. Bad news if you’re Allen Barbre.
• And did I actually read that Brady Poppinga has been making some plays? Okay – it IS early…

Negatives

• The OLB switch caused by Brad Jones’ back injury (pray that isn’t an injury that lingers). I really dislike the idea of moving Clay Matthews over to the left side. Why mess with something that worked so well last season? Why couldn’t the coaches have just plugged Brandon Chillar in for Jones? Let’s hope this switch isn’t permanent.
• James Starks’ lingering hamstring injury. It sounds like it’s far worse than we were originally told. Starks’ pass-catching abilities could make him a key role player for the offense. That hammy’s got to come around quickly.
• Matt Flynn. Flynn hasn’t been good at all thus far, which is troubling as it seemed like he would just continue to develop. This could be a key year for him, too. I’ve said all along that the Packers could trade him during the 2011 offseason to a team looking for a young starter if he had a good camp/preseason. Hasn’t happened yet.
• Mason Crosby. I know he rebounded with a good Tuesday night showing, but his early struggles still make me worry. I’m trying to stay calm about it, but coming off a terrible 2009 season, you’d think Crosby would come in kicking the lights out early to make some sort of statement. He has not done so. The Packers are not going to bring anyone else in – as much as I might want them to – to compete with Crosby. So, come on, Mason – get it done.
• Jarius Wynn. The depth at d-line is thin, obviously, and Wynn being a second-year player, I thought he might come in having made some sort – any sort – of jump. Wrong. And more pressure is now placed on the rookies there (and Justin Harrell, who at least hasn’t been injured yet).
• Nick Barnett saying he doesn’t care who plays QB for the Vikings, be it Tarvaris Jackson, Norman Bates or Jeffrey Dahmer. Throwing Judas’ name in with the likes of Bates and Dahmer? That’s not good Nick, because…oh, who am I kidding? I LOVED that! Good work, Nick – good work!

Now that we’re all caught up, you should see a return of the “Training Camp Stew” series Thursday.

-Chris Lempesis