SB Nation - Breno Giacomini

Saturday Injury Report: Ravens at Packers

Brandon — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:03:13 -0000

The Green Bay Packers have 11 players on the injury report including a few starters. It's even worse for the Ravens: several starters are among the 15 players listed.

The report includes CB Charles Woodson, QB Aaron Rodgers, and RB Ryan Grant, but all three players fully participated in practice on Saturday and should start on Monday. The most important player listed this week is LT Chad Clifton, who was limited in Saturday's practice, though Mike McCarthy said he did some team reps. I expect Clifton will play, but if he can't then his backup, OL T.J. Lang, is unlikely to play due to a concussion suffered in practice on Thursday. If neither Clifton or Lang were available, I thought LG Daryn Colledge would slide over to tackle, but McCarthy would rather leave Colledge at LG and start either OL Allen Barbre or OL Breno Giacomini at LT. The idea of Barbre at LT, after his disastrous stint at RT, is scary. LB Aaron Kampman is still listed, but there is no chance he'll play after tearing his ACL against the 49ers. LB Jeremy Thompson won't play after he spent Friday night in the hospital due to a neck injury suffered in practice on Friday, but McCarthy expects he'll be fine.

The Ravens have listed four key defensive players: S Ed Reed, LB Terrell Suggs, LB Ray Lewis, and DT Haloti Ngata. Reed wasn't able to practice until Saturday, but he expects to play. Suggs was expected to miss a month, but he said there is a chance he can play on Monday. Lewis might be slowed by his foot injury, but I haven't read anything to suggest he'll miss the Packer game. Ngata will play, but ankle injuries and defensive lineman are bad combinations, so he won't be 100%. The only other players who could miss the game are former practice squad S K.J. Gerard, and former Titans' practice squad player CB Cary Williams. TE L.J. Smith will miss the game too, but I think the Ravens can find a way to replace the 2 catches he's recorded so far this season.

The complete injury list is after the jump.

Player	Pos.	Injury	Saturday Participation	Saturday Status
Allen Barbre	T/G	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Brandon Chillar	LB	Hand	Full Participation	Probable
Chad Clifton	T	Hamstring	Limited Participation	Probable
Ryan Grant	RB	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable
Ahman Green	RB	Groin	Full Participation	Probable
Aaron Kampman	LB	Knee	Out	Out
John Kuhn	FB	Hand	Full Participation	Probable
T.J. Lang	G/T	Concussion	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Aaron Rodgers	QB	Ribs	Full Participation	Probable
Jeremy Thompson	LB	Neck	Out	Out
Charles Woodson	CB	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable


Player	Pos.	Injury	Saturday Participation	Saturday Status
Matt Birk	C	Ankle & Elbow	Full Participation	Probable
Prescott Burgess	LB	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable
Joe Flacco	QB	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
Jared Gaither	T	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
K.J. Gerard	S	Shoulder	Limited Particpation	Questionable
Jarret Johnson	LB	Not Inj. Related	Full Participation	Probable
Ray Lewis	LB	Quadricep	Full Participation	Probable
Le'Ron McClain	RB	Not Inj. Related	Full Participation	Probable
Haloti Ngata	DT	Knee	Limited Particpation	Probable
Ed Reed	S	Back	Limited Particpation	Questionable
L.J. Smith	TE	Shoulder	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Terrell Suggs	LB	Hamstring	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Kelley Washington	WR	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Cary Williams	CB	Knee	Limited Particpation	Questionable
Demetrius Williams	WR	Knee	Full Participation	Probable

New Starters: RT T.J. Lang and OLB Brad Jones

Brandon — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:00:49 -0000

by Morry Gash - AP

4 months ago: Green Bay Packers' T.J. Lang is reflected in a puddle as he rides a bike to NFL football training camp Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

View full size photo »

It looks like the Green Bay Packers will have two players starting different positions for the first time. According to Tom Silverstein, it's a "lock" that T.J. Lang will start at right tackle. Mike McCarthy acknowledged that Brad Jones is getting more work at OLB than Jeremy Thompson.

As far as Lang goes, I'm not sure about this move. Though I like his potential more than RT Allen Barbre, he has struggled this season when he's played at left tackle. Back at Eastern Michigan, he started 10 games at right tackle as a sophomore, but played exclusively at left tackle as a junior and senior. So this week was the first time he's played on the right side since 2006, although he might have gotten some reps on the right side during training camp. He doesn't have a lot of experience on the right side. RT Mark Tauscher is out this week, but he could be back for the 49ers game on the 15th. Barbre suffered a concussion near the end of the game in Tampa, but he's back at practice. The only other option would be T Breno Giacomini, but as far as I can tell, he hasn't been seriously considered for playing time this season. Moving Lang to an unfamiliar position is just the best they can do this week.

I'd been hoping Jones could get some more playing time. He showed some good speed pass rushing moves in the preseason. He's been playing left OLB since his first preseason game, so it's not an unfamiliar position for him. That's probably why he's practiced more than Jeremy Thompson, who has played almost exclusively at right OLB. With LB Brandon Chillar, LB Brady Poppinga, and, of course, LB Aaron Kampman all likely to be out this Sunday, Jones and Thompson are the only options left. Or do you think Thompson deserves to start ahead of Jones at this point?

Where's Admiral Ackbar When You Need Him?

Mitchell_M — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:32:08 -0000

Because you know he's got the warning for this week.

Hmm, maybe that didn't get the point across like I wanted it to.

Not quite. It's urgent enough, but just not enough repetition...

Ah, here. This is exactly how I want to say it.

Packers. Rams. Week 3. Other short statements. After the jump.

Green Bay put up an uneven performance in week 1 against Chicago. Then they followed that with a positively dismal performance (Charles Woodson excluded, of course) against Cincinnati. Now, they sit at 1-1, and I'm sure many eyes are looking forward to the October 5th showdown between Green Bay and division-leading Minnesota.

But the NFL season, much like the flow of time, is completely chronological and cannot be disturbed. Unless of course your home city suffers a major catastrophe and you're awarded a "home" game in New York. But lets hope that doesn't happen.

The point of this mini-diatribe is that Green Bay has to play the St. Louis Rams before even thinking about the Vikings. And yes, I know, St. Louis has been dreadful for years, but so was Cincinnati (excluding 2006). They started out the year by getting shut out 28-0 to Seattle, and last week lost in an ~~epic~~ ~~entertaining~~ ~~watchable~~ ~~tolerable~~ ~~mediocre~~ awful 9-7 game against Washington. This team has problems. But do you want a repeat of last week? Me neither. So without further delay, let's get to it.

STL rushing vs. GB defense: Steven Jackson, Steven Jackson, Steven Jackson. The first-round pick in fantasy drafts everywhere has struggled over the last few years, usually because of injuries to St. Louis' sorry excuse for an offensive line and virtual lack of any semblance of a passing game. It's hard to run the ball when you're going up against 10 in the box.

That said, Jackson is still one of the top RBs in the game in terms of athleticism, versatility, and talent. Over two games, Jackson has amassed 171 yards on 33 carries, resulting in an excellent 5.2 ypc. He's been kept out of the end zone and hasn't had his usual impact on the passing game, but the potential is always there. Jackson had several injuries hampering his production in 2008, and he seems to have bounced back and looks healthy.

Up front is where St. Louis has suffered so much in recent years. On the left side, Alex Barron is a man who, as some critics put it, looks like Tarzan and plays like Jane. He is a monster at 6'7", 300+ lbs, and has the strength, agility, and quickness to dominate in both run and pass blocking. Unfortunately, Barron's biggest deficiency is work ethic, which undermines his consistency and keeps him a marginal starter (at best). The rest of the line (from LG to RT) is manned by Jacob Bell (6'5", 300), Jason Brown (6'3", 328), the ever mysterious Richie Incognito (6'3", 324), and Adam Goldberg (6'7, 309). Goldberg is starting in place of the injured rookie Jason Smith.

Green Bay did an excellent job in keeping Matt Forte under wraps in week 1, but then imploded when faced with the powerful blocking of Cincinnati's special run-blocking sub package of offensive linemen. The clever coaching maneuver torched the Packers to the tune of 141 yards on 29 carries. Naturally, this was helped by Green Bay's inability to wrap up on tackles, taking good angles towards ball carriers, and converging on the running back whenever a hole opened up.

Advantage: Push. Does Green Bay have a dominant run defense that had a bad day against Cincy? Or do they have a poor run defense that had a good day against Chicago? That debate, along with the juxtaposition of Steven Jackson's talent against his offensive line's limitations makes this matchup a complete draw.

STL passing vs. GB defense: For Steven Jackson, the offensive line made life in the NFL a nightmare. However, nobody suffered more than Marc Bulger. You think Aaron Rodgers has happy feet after two games? Imagine getting pounded into mush week in and week out for at least 3 seasons. Marc Bulger was the conductor of the second phase of the Greatest Show on Turf, and was fairly effective until his protection vanished. He is still an above-average quarterback with decent accuracy, decent arm strength, average mobility, and the ability to read coverages and make the necessary throws (if he has time, of course).

Bulger has always found success whenever surrounded with skilled teammates. Unfortunately for him, that is no longer the case. Steven Jackson is an outstanding receiver, but the rest of the receiving corps includes the like of Donnie Avery, Laurent Robinson, TE Randy McMichael, and the recently-departed Ruvell Martin. Avery has a little bit of speed on vertical routes, and Martin and McMichael have excellent size, but that's all that is notable about this group. As far as pass blocking goes, the Rams' success depends on three things: good line calls from center Jason Brown (their best lineman, but currently dealing with a knee injury), a motivated Alex Barron, and a healthy Jason Smith. They've already lost one of those, so protection will really be at a premium if Green Bay decides to bring heavy pressure.

Of course, that's if Green Bay can afford to bring pressure. The situation at safety is certainly a red flag for the Packers' pass defense. With Atari Bigby out and Nick Collins' availability (currently "day-to-day") unknown, and Aaron Rouse cut in favor of Matt Giordano, Dom Capers' playcalling figures to be much more vanilla than some of us would like. Cullen Jenkins and Clay Matthews both showed off their pass rushing skills last week by recording sacks, and Charles Woodson (2 INT, 1 TD) continues his quest to single-handedly carry the team when the offense isn't working.

Advantage: Green Bay. This defense can get to the quarterback, and no team is more vulnerable than this St. Louis squad missing its top draft pick. If they get a chance to blitz, expect another dominating performance.

GB rushing vs. STL defense: Ryan Grant was a huge disappointment in 2008, but his new contract, attendance at training camp, and a healed hamstring make it look like he's ready to shine again. He hasn't found much help up front, limiting him to 107 yards on 30 carries, but you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone that doesn't think he'd have better stats if he hadn't been limited to 3 carries in the second half of the Cincy game.

With Clifton out for the forseeable future with a sprained ankle, the offensive line is shuffled once again. The lineup, from left to right, will likely be Daryn Colledge, Jason Spitz, Scott Wells, Josh Sitton, and Allen Barbre. According to Jason Wilde, there are several other options that the team is considering, including moving Barbre from RT to LT and promoting either Breno Giacomini or T.J. Lang to RT. This would keep the interior line of Colledge-Spitz-Sitton intact.

With so much uncertainty, Green Bay's chances of mounting an effective ground attack are up in the air. Fortunately, St. Louis is far from a stalwart run defense. As a team, they're giving up 146 yards per game. This is even more glaring when considering their first opponent (Seattle) is no longer a powerhouse rushing team. Still, despite giving up large chunks of yardage, the Rams' run defense did not allow Clinton Portis to score in Week 2. The addition of James Laurinaitis and return to health of Will Witherspoon more than makes up for the release of Pisa Tinoisamoa, and the tandem of Clifton Ryan and Jake Long are fairly strong against run blockers. However, Adam Carriker's trip to the I.R. promoted the undersized Gary Gibson to start alongside the aging Leonard Little, leaving the right side of their defensive line vulnerable to the run. Nobody in St. Louis' secondary can be described as a run-stopper.

Advantage: Green Bay, but only if they actually call run plays. If Grant sees less than five carries in a half, you'll know something went wrong. If there's a team vulnerable to a strong running game, it's the 2009 Rams.

GB passing vs. STL defense: Aaron Rodgers looked like a world-beater in the preseason...until teams started stepping up their pass rush and the offensive tackles forgot how to pass block. Allen Barbre made remarkable improvement from the first week to the second, but he will have his hands full with Leonard Little. The winner Barbre-Little matchup will likely determine the owner of the RT position for the rest of the season. On the other side, Jake Long is a capable pass rusher in the mold of Aaron Kampman before he got famous (unathletic but high motor, poor mechanics but determined, blah blah blah...) Whoever starts at LT (most likely Daryn Colledge) won't have as difficult of a matchup as the RT (Barbre), but still a matchup to pay attention to.

St. Louis' pass defense is ranked 25th in the league, giving up 258 yards per game. This is largely because of the average defensive backfield they employ. At CB, Ronald Bartell and Jonathan Wade are merely decent players with an average skill set. They're not lightning fast or amazing athletes or strong bump-and-run style corners; they're just guys who go out and try to execute whatever coverage is given to them.

Their situation at safety is better with James Butler and Oshiomogho Atogwe starting with our beloved Anthony Smith filling the backup role for both positions. Both Butler and Atogwe are young players with good experience starting in the NFL, they're both rangy athletes who can cover space, and Atogwe in particular has a knack for finding the ball. Neither one is particularly strong in run support, but they won't shy away from it either.

Aaron Rodgers' protection is priority #1 on offense, but catching passes is a close #2. In both games, the dependable cast of Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, and Jordy Nelson have all had at least one dropped ball. Jermichael Finley and Ryan Grant also have drops, but Finley is still maturing and Grant has never been a good receiver. The return of Brandon Jackson to practice on Wednesday might give Rodgers another weapon on passing downs, but that shouldn't matter. The talent is there, and Rodgers has done an excellent job keeping control of the ball despite getting batted around like a ball of yarn in the first two weeks. If the receivers can shake off whatever is keeping them from catching passes, Rodgers' punishment at least won't be in vain.

Advantage: Green Bay by a slight margin. Again, the talent is there; they just need to execute.

Preliminary Verdict: Green Bay has an excellent chance of bouncing back from the Cincinnati debacle and playing a dominant game against the Rams. But be warned, if the players are thinking more about Adrian Peterson, Jared Allen, and You Know Who than they are Steven Jackson, Jake Long, and Marc Bulger, expect another major disappointment (and even more Vikings fans coming to the site to let us know that the Packers failed.)

Let's put it this way: Neither team has very much momentum right now. Green Bay has higher aspirations for this season, so they could definitely use the boost. Hopefully, they don't overlook the Rams like some people feel they did the Bengals.

Poll

What outcome do you see for Week 3 vs. St. Louis?

Big GB win.

213 votes

Slim GB win.

149 votes

Too close to call.

32 votes

Slim STL win.

36 votes

Big STL win.

22 votes

452 votes | Poll has closed

T Jamon Meredith Signs With The Bills

Brandon — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:00:18 -0000

It's disappointing that T Jamon Meredith, the Green Bay Packers 2009 5th round pick, was signed off the practice squad by the Buffalo Bills.

He showed some promise as a good run blocker, and he didn't appear to have any problems in pass protection. But appearances can be deceiving. During the preseason, he'd only play late in the game when the coaches were calling a lot of running plays. So his pass blocking should be graded as incomplete. If he can't pass block, then the Packers shouldn't have kept him around. His run blocking can't be considered great either since he was usually lining up against other players who didn't make it on the final roster.

The fact was he was never given a shot at beating out either T Allen Barbre or T Breno Giacomini was a good indication that he's not ready to play. If he really might have become a starting right tackle one day, we would have read something during training camp that he was pushing Barbre or Giacomini for the wide open starting right tackle job.

The Packers are expected to sign T Dane Randolph, another athletically talented underachiever, to take his place on the practice squad.

Sir, Put Your Clothes Back On And Step Away From The Ledge

Mitchell_M — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:22:16 -0000

More photos » by Mike Roemer - AP

The fact that I can't tell if this is sack number one, two, three, four, or five says something.

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After the second week of the season, Green Bay is tied with Chicago at 1-1 in the division. Minnesota predictably went up to 2-0 by beating the Lions, who seem destined to finish in 4th place, at least in 2009.

My point? This is exactly where everyone thought we would be. I'm surprised at the fashion in which Green Bay lost to Cincinnati, but I'm not shocked that the much-improved Bengals took the game. We are not a Super Bowl contender yet because we have to handle business during the regular season first. That means winning home games, beating beatable opponents, putting forth maximum efforts against high level teams, and most importantly, taking the division away from the rest of the NFC North. By losing to the Bengals, the Packers have shown that they're not quite ready for title contention. They could definitely beat the Rams next week and the Vikings after that, leaving them at 3-1 and a division lead, but even if they go 5-1 or 6-0 against NFC North teams, it won't mean much if they finish at 9-7.

I have been saying this for weeks now. I have been dropping words of warning left and right, about not to overlook opponents, not to be overconfident, and to not act like we've accomplished anything before the quarter mark of 2009. I've been accused of being negative, not having faith in the team, and not having a pulse as a fan. You can call me whatever you want, but I will never be delusional or fair-weathered. I think this team is capable of doing great things, but I doubt they're ready to truly show it yet. That's why you won't hear me talking Super Bowl after week 1 and top-5 draft pick after week 2.

That's why the title is what it is. People are losing their minds because the Packers lost to a team that wasn't as good as they were. But that's not what happened. What really happened was the Packers lost to a team that is much improved from the last few years of incredible suckitude, took advantage of weaknesses in Green Bay's roster, and out-pushed, out-ran, and out-played Green Bay on Sunday.

Since I didn't get a chance to actually see the game, I'm only going to hit on a few points. If you want a more in-depth review, check out Brandon's articles.

Youngest team in the league = penalties galore. No amount of coaching is going to be able to remove mistakes stemming from inexperience. Unless of course its Al Harris' aggressiveness or Jarrett Bush's complete ineptitude, which are different issues entirely.
Aaron Rodgers still doesn't have a turnover, which is remarkable. He's been sacked 10 times, hit several more, and he's only coughed up the football once, and it was recovered by Green Bay. Just imagine what he could do with some protection. If it were me under center, I'd have night terrors by now.
O-Line depth is a huge problem, and the blame lies mainly with GM Ted Thompson. Multi-position backups are fine to have, but you can't have them starting and/or playing at critical positions. Daryn Colledge is a prime example. He played LT in college and made the transition to LG in the pros, where he started on Sunday. But when Clifton went down, you simply MUST have a backup for him instead of relying on Scott Wells to take Colledge's spot while Colledge slides over to the outside. It's a bad strategy and it showed yesterday.

Here's why this is Thompson's problem: the guy drafts by ability rather than position. I like that approach to a certain extent, but you're eventually going to have to find someone who actually, you know, plays the position you're looking to upgrade at. Seriously, go back and look at how many players Thompson has brought in and compare the position they played in college to what they're asked to play in Green Bay. With some (Daryn Colledge from LT to LG, Korey Hall from LB to FB), it works. But with others (Breno Giacomini from TE to T, Jason Spitz from G to C), it doesn't work as well.
Want another Thompson criticism? Keeping 3 fullbacks when RB and S depth is an issue, and the special teams still aren't able to do their jobs. The coverage units were subpar yesterday, but the biggest thing is that, without Atari Bigby or Nick Collins, the pass defense is in major trouble. And who's left that can play safety? Aaron Rouse (backup), Derrick Martin (converted CB/backup), Charles Woodson (starting CB, failed safety in 2008), and Jarrett Bush (horrible).

I swear to God, if I see that Jarrett Bush steps on the field while Aaron Rouse or Derrick Martin is available the sideline, I will flip out.
Receiver depth means nothing if your guys can't catch the football. Seriously, somebody needs to check this out. There were at least three dropped balls yesterday, and I'd bet there were at least three more I didn't hear about.
Ryan Grant still not performing? Maybe if the playcalling were improved and the run game not abandoned in the second half, things might be different. He started out the game strong, but had 11 of his 14 carries before halftime. What gives?

Meanwhile, Cedric Benson had 29 carries for 141 yards, including 8 rushes of 6 yards or more. Ouch.
B.J. Raji can make or break the defensive line. His deactivation for the game was HUGE. It may be a baseless claim with no proof whatsoever, but I firmly believe that if Raji was in the game, Benson's yardage would have been cut down by half, and all those long gains would have been short-circuited quickly.

I do not understand what kept him from playing. Was his ankle injury that bad? If so, why was he practicing all week? Do the coaches think that a rotation of Jenkins-Jolly-Pickett-Montgomery is enough?

Again, having not watched the game, I can't really give any better impressions than that. Let 'er rip in the comments section.

Sign Mark Tauscher?

Mitchell_M — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:50:13 -0000

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

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First of all, we can agree that Allen Barbre looked like absolute garbage against the Bears. The only thing keeping it from getting any worse was if Adewale Ogunleye gave Barbre a purple nurple.

Secondly, we can agree that something should be done about the situation at RT. Whether it's leaving an end or running back available for secondary blocking, a shift in focus in practice, promoting Breno Giacomini, or looking elsewhere, I will leave that decision to the professionals. I personally think that Barbre is capable of handling the position by himself; remember, once upon a time, Adewale Ogunleye was a premier pass-rusher. He's an older dog who still knows his young tricks, and he took advantage of the new starter. Barbre needs a confidence boost more than anything, in my opinion, and the next two games are excellent opportunities to deliver that medicine.

No matter the case, there's been an awful lot of clamoring for the Packers to resign Mark Tauscher. Sadly, that just won't happen.

Everyone loves the former Badger walk-on-turned-starter, who went from 7th round pick to Pro Bowl (replacement) in just a few years. I loved how he did interviews with Fox 6's "Packer Blitz" pre- and post-game show. He was relaxed, personable, likable, and pretty good at his job, too. When he was released, a lot of people were sad about it, myself included.

But there's a problem with simply bringing him back now. Mark Tauscher tore his ACL on December 7th, 2007. As if that date wasn't infamous by itself, combine it with this nugget: ACL tears take anywhere between 6 and 8 months to fully recover (Exhibit A: Donovan McNabb, 2006-7). However, that doesn't mean that Tauscher's rehab resulted in full recovery by August 7th, 2009. At 32 years old and over 300 pounds, that target date gets pushed back to closer to 12-14 months.

Couple that with the fact that Tauscher didn't get the chance to attend anyone's offseason training programs? Out of 32 teams, the team that had the most interest was...Green Bay. If every single team in the league passes on a high-quality player because of health/age concerns, there must be a good reason. And it's not like he's suffering from Adam Jones Syndrome; Tauscher was the team's Walter ~~Peyton~~ Payton Man of the Year and Ed Block Courage Award winner in 2008 (after suffering the knee injury).

Face it, guys. Mark Tauscher was a wonderful player, an even better person, and a major asset to the team. But he's not ready to play yet, and he likely won't play in 2009. After a year away from the game, will he have any gas left for a return in 2010? I'm skeptical, but anything is possible.

Besides, Jared Allen lines up on the left side, so it's not like we're completely screwed at RT. The Allen Barbre Bandwagon...seats available now!

Analysis: Green Bay Packers defeat Bears 21-15

Brandon — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 07:00:30 -0000

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

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This is the 3rd straight season that the Green Bay Packers have won their 1st game of the season.

Although, in each of those opening season wins, the offense has come out flat. The offense wasn't awful against the Bears but there wasn't a lot of passing or rushing yards. No turnovers, but awful pass protection. If you look back at last season, QB Aaron Rodgers was crisp in his first NFL start, but something did seem wrong with RB Ryan Grant. I was an optimist at the time, but in hindsight, Grant wasn't the same runner he had been at the end of 2007. Speaking of 2007, the Packers could have lost the season opener to the Eagles except the special teams bailed them out. The offense is usually behind the defense at the start of the season. They've just got to fix that offensive line. I wonder what Mark Tauscher is up to?

The defense really impressed me. I was concerned they might get beaten up front, but they really controlled the line of scrimmage. All of the linebackers (except my least favorite one) were great. The return of DE Cullen Jenkins made a big difference, and they should be even better once DT B.J. Raji is fully recovered from his ankle injury.

Bears vs Packers coverage; Bears vs Packers recap; Bears vs Packers boxscore; Windy City Gridiron

As usual, the play descriptions are from the play-by-play at NFL.com.

First Quarter

(13:04) 25-R.Grant right end to CHI 32 for 1 yard (55-L.Briggs, 53-N.Roach).
(12:27) 25-R.Grant left tackle to CHI 31 for 1 yard (55-L.Briggs, 44-K.Payne).

Mike McCarthy wants to improve the strength up front because they switched from a zone blocking to a man block scheme. The idea was to open more running lanes for RB Ryan Grant. After they got into FG range, they ran two straight plays to nowhere, and settled for a missed FG attempt. The good news was that the blocking got better as the game went along.

(8:53) 12-A.Rodgers sacked at GB 35 for -7 yards (93-A.Ogunleye).

This was the first of two sacks allowed by RT Allen Barbre, although he seemed to be operating a revolving door for most of the game. He beat out RT Breno Giacomini this preseason, in part, because of a sack allowed by Giacomini that led to the shoulder injury for QB Matt Flynn. But Barbre did redeem himself on the game winning TD drive, NBC showed a good replay of him keeping the DE well outside the pocket. I expect the coaches will stick with him, but he'll need a lot of work this week in practice. And I bet they don't leave Giacomini inactive again.

(7:37) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete deep right to 80-D.Driver (24-A.Afalava) [54-B.Urlacher].

Oh, that was so close. QB Aaron Rodgers just threw it a little too far. After watching such a crisp preseason from the 1st team offense, it was surprising to watch them struggle with their timing.

(7:13) 6-J.Cutler pass deep left to 23-D.Hester pushed ob at CHI 38 for 20 yards (31-A.Harris).

I guess I keep expecting WR Devin Hester to fail as a receiver, but he made a nice move to stay inbounds. He should have a big season.

(4:17) 6-J.Cutler pass deep middle intended for 88-D.Clark INTERCEPTED by 36-N.Collins at GB 12. 36-N.Collins to GB 43 for 31 yards (22-M.Forte).

QB Jay Cutler was rattled by the pass pressure the entire 1st half, but he was also forcing it. I'm sure he wanted to prove himself to everyone. This pass couldn't get there before S Nick Collins jumped the route. Of course CB Tramon Williams dropped two INTs before Collins finally took one of the gifts Cutler was handing out.

Second Quarter

(10:22) 25-R.Grant right end pushed ob at CHI 8 for 25 yards (44-K.Payne). PENALTY on GB-72-J.Spitz, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at CHI 33 - No Play.

The refs didn't do the Packers any favors in this game, but penalties were still a problem. The box score only shows 6 penalties for 45 yards, but this one was a 35 yard swing.

(8:13) 6-J.Cutler pass deep right to 13-J.Knox pushed ob at GB 8 for 68 yards (21-C.Woodson).

This is why I'm not a blitz fanatic. Maybe Collins couldn't have gotten there in time to break it up, but the weak side blitz didn't get to Cutler and CB Charles Woodson couldn't keep up with the speedster (even with a little tug of his jersey). There was one safety back to cover the entire deep field, and he fell down. I'm probably too conservative, but I prefer it when there are two safeties playing deep and outside the hash marks.

(6:54) 6-J.Cutler pass short middle intended for 22-M.Forte INTERCEPTED by 97-J.Jolly at GB 12. 97-J.Jolly to GB 14 for 2 yards (57-O.Kreutz).

Watch the replay if you missed it. Just an amazing play by DT Johnny Jolly.

(5:58) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers sacked in End Zone for -11 yards, SAFETY (38-D.Manning).

OK, the Bears were taking advantage of Barbre's struggles, but what the hell was Rodgers doing? He can't scramble that far back when he's so close to the end zone.

(4:56) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler pass deep middle intended for 13-J.Knox INTERCEPTED by 38-T.Williams at GB 32. 38-T.Williams pushed ob at CHI 1 for 67 yards (80-E.Bennett). Chicago challenged the fumble ruling, and the play was Upheld. (Timeout #2 at 04:39.)

The recap says Knox was the intended receiver, but he wasn't in the same area code. Cutler was pressured again on the play and rushed it, but he's obviously expecting Knox to run a different route. He still has to get familiar with all his new receivers.

(4:40) 25-R.Grant left end for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. PENALTY on CHI-96-A.Brown, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced between downs.

My new favorite lead blocker is TE Spencer Havner. Once I saw him come in, I expected a TD run, which was something that wasn't a sure thing last season at the goal line. He wasn't directly responsible, but he tied up a blocker or two in the middle that couldn't go outside and tackle Grant.

Third Quarter

(14:21) 22-M.Forte left guard to CHI 32 for 10 yards (74-A.Kampman).

This was the longest run by RB Matt Forte of the game. He's never killed the Packers, but he couldn't get anything going on the ground and had zero receptions. Despite all the offseason talk about the pass rush in the new 3-4, what I really watched was how it would hold up against the run, and they were great in this game.

(13:50) 22-M.Forte left tackle to CHI 29 for -3 yards (77-C.Jenkins, 36-N.Collins).

Welcome back DE Cullen Jenkins! He was great in his first game back since last September, and had a sack too later in the quarter, but this was my favorite play. The sack was great; he split two blockers and got to Cutler. But on this play, he tossed one of the Bears top free agent pickups, LG Frank Omiyale, to the ground before getting into the backfield to stuff Forte.

(10:19) 6-J.Cutler pass deep right to 23-D.Hester for 36 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Cris Collinsworth was going crazy trying to figure out why Collins didn't get over in time. Apparently he had cramps and he just couldn't move fast enough. Collins was held out for at least one series, he was replaced by S Aaron Rouse, but then returned later in the game.

(9:00) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete deep right to 87-J.Nelson.

Another deep pass where the timing was off. Rodgers just had to put a little bit more air under it, although WR Jordy Nelson might not have been running the crispest route.

(8:55) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete short left to 42-D.Wynn.

This was the 2nd or 3rd attempted screen pass. They seem to like calling them on obvious passing downs to slow the pass rush, but they always seem to get busted. I wouldn't be heartbroken if the screen pass vanished from the play book.

(1:10) 42-D.Wynn left end to CHI 43 for -2 yards (96-A.Brown).

This was only the second possession of the 3rd quarter, and McCarthy had really noticed that LB Brian Urlacher was out of the game. But this was the 5th running play in a row, and the Bears jumped all over it. It turned a 2nd and 5 into a 3rd and long. There was not a good rhythm to the play calling, and it did not keep the Bears off balance.

Fourth Quarter

(12:43) (Punt formation) 25-G.Wolfe up the middle to CHI 30 for 4 yards (16-B.Swain, 55-D.Bishop). Chicago challenged the too many players on field ruling, and the play was Upheld. (Timeout #2 at 12:39.)

Oh, boy. There's going to be hell to pay on Chicago talk radio next week for that little stunt. And to make matters worse, they wasted their final challenge and another time out on it.

(8:39) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler pass incomplete deep middle to 80-E.Bennett (21-C.Woodson). PENALTY on GB-31-A.Harris, Illegal Contact, 5 yards, enforced at CHI 40 - No Play.

Yep, the ref screwed up badly. WR Earl Bennett was actually lined up in the backfield, it should have been an illegal formation on Chicago. But then the ref saw CB Al Harris check Bennett over 5 yards from where Bennett was illegally standing, although still within 5 yards from the line of scrimmage, and called a penalty on Harris. There would have been hell to pay, if it had cost them the game, but luckily it didn't.

By the way, I expected Bennett was a bust since he didn't catch a single pass in his rookie season, but he made some nice catches in this game. He also made a couple penalties, one that was even caught by the ref, so he still needs some more experience.

(7:16) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler pass short right to 82-G.Olsen to GB 23 for 8 yards (37-A.Rouse).

For everyone looking for a breakout performance from TE Greg Olsen, it sure didn't happen in this game. This was his only catch. Hardly his worst game against the Packers, he had a two fumble disaster a couple seasons ago, but he either kills the Packers or sucks. He's just inconsistent.

(6:34) 6-J.Cutler pass short left to 37-J.McKie to GB 15 for 8 yards (31-A.Harris).

I couldn't figure out the Packers linebacker rotation. LBs A.J. Hawk, Nick Barnett, and Brandon Chillar all played inside, but it seemed like the plan was to rotate Hawk on running downs and Chillar on passing downs. Although for week 1, they also seemed to rotate Barnett out, probably to take it easy as he comes back from his torn ACL. LB Clay Matthews wasn't expected to start, but he played a lot at outside LB, and seemed to rotate with LB Brady Poppinga. Matthews didn't have a flashy game, but he didn't give Chicago anywhere to run outside. On this play, Poppinga bit inside and left FB Jason McKie wide open in the flat. Hopefully Matthews plays more and more as the season goes on.

(3:11) 22-M.Forte left end to GB 3 for no gain (79-R.Pickett, 77-C.Jenkins). GB-97-J.Jolly was injured during the play.

Congratulations run defense! Last season, this goal line stance would have failed, and the opponents would have scored a big game winning TD while exhausting the clock. Instead they stuffed the Bears and forced them to settle for a FG with 2 minutes left. Plenty of time...

(1:18) 12-A.Rodgers pass deep left to 85-G.Jennings for 50 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

It's hard to feel sorry for a Bear, but CB Nathan Vasher had a great game, until he allowed the game losing TD. On the other hand, hopefully he's still in their starting lineup for the next game in Chicago. Also, they finally got the timing on a deep pass right.

(1:06) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler pass short left intended for 13-J.Knox INTERCEPTED by 31-A.Harris at CHI 43. 31-A.Harris pushed ob at CHI 14 for 29 yards (6-J.Cutler).

I loved this play. Not only because it was a game ending INT, but because the veteran Harris jumped a route that the rookie Knox went soft on. A great veteran move.

Analysis: Green Bay Packers defeat Bills 31-21

Brandon — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:00:13 -0000

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

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This was another impressive win. While the first team offense and defense were on the field, the Green Bay Packers jumped out to a 21-0 lead and Buffalo committed 3 turnovers. RB Ryan Grant ran well and QB Aaron Rodgers had time to find open receivers. The defensive front seven were constantly in Buffalo's backfield, and QB Trent Edwards was usually on the run. It was by far Buffalo's worst preseason game this season.

Unfortunately there were a couple injuries. According to Tom Pelissero:

QB Matt Flynn had a shoulder sprain but he feels OK.
S Nick Collins has bruised ribs. The x-rays were negative, but he'll probably take it slowly next week.
Undrafted rookie TE Devin Frischknecht was taken to the hospital with a shin injury.

There aren't a lot of starting jobs being fought for in training camp. DT B.J. Raji is trying to start ahead of DE Johnny Jolly, but it seems like a given that Raji will be the starter at some point. LB Clay Matthews, LB Jeremy Thompson, and LB Brady Poppinga are battling for the starting outside LB spot, but Poppinga is winning that by default as the others are still being held out with injuries. On the offensive line, C Scott Wells outplayed RG Josh Sitton in this game while RT Allen Barbre outplayed RT Breno Giacomini, but Pete Dougherty believes Sitton is ahead of Wells. One play shouldn't knock a player out of a starting job, but the one block that Giacomini blew led to Flynn's injured throwing shoulder, so it's a bit more glaring.

Yes, it was just one game, and yes, it was just one preseason game, but it couldn't have gone much better. Continue after the jump for the complete game review.

Bills vs Packers coverage; Bills vs Packers recap; Bills vs Packers boxscore; Buffalo Rumblings

For my complete game review, I'm using the NFL.com play-by-play.

First Quarter

(13:06) (Shotgun) 23-M.Lynch left tackle to BUF 29 for -1 yards (77-C.Jenkins).

It's good to see DE Cullen Jenkins healthy and busting into the opponent's backfield again.

(12:36) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 5-T.Edwards pass deep left intended for 83-L.Evans INTERCEPTED by 51-B.Poppinga (36-N.Collins) at BUF 45. 51-B.Poppinga to BUF 37 for 8 yards (63-G.Hangartner).

The refs have their preseason too. S Nick Collins got to WR Lee Evans early and they could have called pass interference. But Collins still looked great, he seemed to be all over the field, before they pulled him early due to a rib injury.

(11:18) 25-R.Grant right tackle to BUF 23 for 1 yard (95-K.Williams, 99-M.Stroud).

If your keeping track whether C Scott Wells or RG Josh Sitton should start, DT Marcus Stroud shoved Sitton aside to tackle RB Ryan Grant at the line of scrimmage.

(8:57) 25-R.Grant left tackle to BUF 17 for -2 yards (56-K.Ellison).

Getting stuffed on 4th and 1 might be a sign that the Packers' offensive line is struggling. Buffalo committed all their linebackers into the middle determined to stop the run. On this play, there were just more defenders then blockers on the line. This overcommitment comes back to bite them.

(8:53) 5-T.Edwards sacked at BUF 9 for -3 yards (97-J.Jolly).

(7:43) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 5-T.Edwards sacked at BUF 5 for -7 yards (97-J.Jolly). FUMBLES (97-J.Jolly), RECOVERED by GB-50-A.Hawk at BUF 5. 50-A.Hawk to BUF 5 for no gain (5-T.Edwards).

It was a nice play by DE Johnny Jolly, but I can't say enough how about unimpressed I was by Buffalo's offensive line. They played back on their heels the entire game. The 1st string defense killed them with speed from the linebackers and power from the defensive lineman. On the sack, LB A.J. Hawk and LB Brandon Chillar just ran right around the offensive lineman in a second. QB Trent Edwards was either running for his life or throwing quick 5 yard outs to avoid the rush. Buffalo's O-line wasn't good last season and they jettisoned three starters, including current Packer C Duke Preston, from that group. They're rebuilding their line, and it's just not ready.

(7:33) 12-A.Rodgers pass short left to 85-G.Jennings for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Once again, Buffalo run blitzed their linebackers to fill the gaps in a short yardage situation. This time, QB Aaron Rodgers dropped back and hit WR Greg Jennings on a quick slant. The cornerback was outside and Rodgers threw it inside where there were no linebackers back in coverage.

(4:09) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 88-J.Finley to BUF 35 for 21 yards (20-D.Whitner).

This was one of many plays by TE Jermichael Finley. He was showing off what he can do in the passing game. He was running by their linebackers and is too big for their corners and safeties. He showed the same thing last week vs. Cleveland. He'll have to prove it during the regular season too, but so far, he's looking like a big, dangerous target in the middle of the field.

The Packers march down 79 yards for their 2nd TD. The offense looked great, but this was some plain vanilla defense. They used a four man rush that wasn't providing enough pass pressure, their linebackers were focused on the run, and their secondary and linebackers were getting killed in single coverage. The offense looked better than the defense, but their defense would have played it differently during the regular season.

(:29) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 5-T.Edwards pass short left to 22-F.Jackson to BUF 43 for 13 yards (21-C.Woodson).

This was the first play I noticed with DT B.J. Raji and he dropped into pass coverage. He seemed to have no trouble with the Buffalo offensive line, but you could say the same thing for Jolly and Jenkins. Like I said above, I wasn't impressed at all with Buffalo's O-line.

Second Quarter

(13:59) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 5-T.Edwards pass short middle to 22-F.Jackson to BUF 41 for 4 yards (77-C.Jenkins). FUMBLES (77-C.Jenkins), RECOVERED by GB-51-B.Poppinga at BUF 41. 51-B.Poppinga to BUF 41 for no gain (63-G.Hangartner).

The fumble was all Jenkins. He read the screen, avoided all the offensive lineman trying to block him, and stripped RB Fred Jackson. It's the 2nd turnover for LB Brady Poppinga who's been in the right place at the right time on both of them.

(13:15) 25-R.Grant left guard to BUF 22 for 14 yards (20-D.Whitner, 24-T.McGee).

In the battle for the starting right tackle job, RT Breno Giacomini blew open the entire middle of the field for Grant to run through on this play.

(12:08) 12-A.Rodgers pass short left to 25-R.Grant to BUF 10 for 13 yards (92-R.Denney).

The Packers are usually lousy on screen passes, but this one worked. C Scott Wells came off clean and made a block to spring Grant for a few extra yards.

(10:54) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 80-D.Driver for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

The description doesn't show Rodgers scrambling and waiting for WR Donald Driver to get open. The pass was behind Driver, but the defender couldn't get to it.

(7:12) 32-B.Jackson right end ran ob at BUF 46 for 4 yards (43-B.Scott). PENALTY on GB-78-A.Barbre, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at 50 - No Play.

By this point, RT Allen Barbre is behind Giacomini in the starting right tackle battle.

(3:57) (No Huddle) 14-R.Fitzpatrick up the middle to BUF 34 for 1 yard (55-D.Bishop).

This could have been a big play for Buffalo. The coverage was great, but the defensive lineman were blocked and lost contain. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick had the entire middle of the field open, but LB Desmond Bishop kept his contain and tackled him.

(3:16) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass incomplete deep right to 17-J.Jenkins (29-A.Smith).

I'm really starting to like free agent S Anthony Smith, but then he drops a INT thrown right to him. That doesn't mean he isn't a good backup, but I can see he's talented and I can also see why he lost his starting job in Pittsburgh.

(2:00) 11-B.Brohm pass short right to 87-J.Nelson ran ob at GB 32 for 10 yards (26-A.Youboty).

(1:54) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm pass short middle to 87-J.Nelson to GB 45 for 13 yards (30-K.Simpson).

(1:31) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm pass incomplete deep right to 89-J.Jones (46-E.Lankster). PENALTY on BUF-46-E.Lankster, Defensive Pass Interference, 34 yards, enforced at GB 45 - No Play.

(1:06) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm pass short left intended for 82-R.Martin INTERCEPTED by 27-R.Corner at BUF 9. 27-R.Corner to BUF 12 for 3 yards (82-R.Martin).

I'm a fan of QB Brian Brohm. He's clearly the 3rd QB on the roster, but that doesn't mean he isn't getting better. He's a talented pocket passer. He showed a little of it on back-to-back completions to WR Jordy Nelson. Unfortunately he then threw too late and behind to WR James Jones, but the defender hit Jones as he was trying to catch up to the play. The interception wasn't intended for WR Ruvell Martin; he was trying to hit Nelson underneath but he overthrew it. Either way, the pass that was intercepted was a bad decision.

(:41) (Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick sacked at BUF 26 for -5 yards (59-B.Jones). FUMBLES (59-B.Jones), RECOVERED by GB-55-D.Bishop at BUF 26. 55-D.Bishop to BUF 26 for no gain (79-J.Scott).

As if the Packers didn't have enough tough choices at linebacker. LB Nick Barnett was still held out for this game, but rookie 7th round pick LB Brad Jones was finally cleared to play. He beat the right tackle on the pass rush and he played well in pass coverage. If he keeps this up, they might have no choice but to make room for him on the roster.

Third Quarter

(14:52) 28-K.Lumpkin right end to GB 45 for -5 yards (97-J.McCargo). FUMBLES (97-J.McCargo), recovered by GB-60-D.Preston at GB 37. 60-D.Preston to GB 37 for no gain (53-M.Buggs).

RG Evan Dietrich-Smith got beat and let DT John McCargo hit RB Kregg Lumpkin in the backfield. Lumpkin still should have held onto the ball.

(12:53) 7-J.Kapinos punts 47 yards to BUF 2, Center-61-B.Goode. 26-A.Youboty to BUF 2 for no gain (82-R.Martin). PENALTY on GB-16-B.Swain, Interference with Opportunity to Catch, 15 yards, enforced at BUF 6.

I keep reading Tweets about the great camp WR Brett Swain is having. He hasn't played much as a receiver in the first two preseason games, and he blew it on special teams. With all the good receivers in camp, he can't afford to have another bad play like this again.

P Jeremy Kapinos looked good on five punts, but he'll have to keep it up.

(11:57) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass deep right to 13-St.Johnson to BUF 48 for 24 yards (27-W.Blackmon).

Buffalo had a lot more success passing the ball in the 2nd half. The Packers' 3rd string defense came in and didn't provide much pass rush. Outside LB Spencer Havner and LB Cyril Obiozor have made some noise in camp, but they couldn't near the QB in this game. Although rookie DE Jarius Wynn and DE Ronald Talley did a pretty good job at getting into the backfield on a couple plays.

(8:41) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass short right to 88-J.Stupar to GB 21 for 12 yards (24-J.Bush). Green Bay challenged the pass completion ruling, and the play was Upheld. (Timeout #1.)

The refs in preseason form; the pass bounced off the turf before it was "caught". But it didn't matter...

(8:17) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass short left intended for 33-D.Rhodes INTERCEPTED by 55-D.Bishop at GB 17. 55-D.Bishop to GB 20 for 3 yards. Lateral to 29-A.Smith to GB 20 for no gain (73-K.Chambers). GB-33-B.Underwood was injured during the play. PENALTY on GB-33-B.Underwood, Illegal Block Above the Waist, 10 yards, enforced at GB 20.

Next time, don't lateral it. But otherwise it was great play as Bishop jumped all over the quick slant.

(7:31) 11-B.Brohm pass incomplete short right to 45-Q.Johnson (96-C.Bryan).

Buffalo DE Copeland Bryan was a pain in the butt. He shoved Barbre back into Brohm on this play.

(7:26) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm pass short left to 46-D.Frischknecht to GB 12 for 1 yard (54-N.Harris). GB-46-D.Frischknecht was injured during the play.

I don't like to see anyone hurt, but I was pulling for undrafted rookie TE Devin Frischknecht. He was taken to the hospital with a shin injury. I would be shocked if he's not placed on I.R. this week.

(5:42) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass short middle to 15-F.Huggins to GB 48 for 15 yards (40-J.Porter).

I'm picking on CB Joe Porter here, he was the chief offender, but the same can be said for CB Trevor Ford and CB Brandon Underwood. They're all fighting for the 5th cornerback spot, or maybe a job on the practice squad. I don't know if it's how they play, or if by design, but they all gave a lot of cushion. They're all great in coming up in run support and they appear to be good tacklers. But Buffalo came back in the game because the tight coverage and the pass rush vanished.

(1:13) (No Huddle) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass short middle to 88-J.Stupar for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Rookie LB Brad Jones was in on the coverage, but he was all over the tight end in coverage. Somehow the pass missed hitting Jones and the tight end grabbed it.

Fourth Quarter

(12:24) 10-M.Flynn sacked at GB 18 for -8 yards (96-C.Bryan). FUMBLES (96-C.Bryan), recovered by GB-68-B.Giacomini at GB 16. 68-B.Giacomini to GB 16 for no gain (93-C.Ellis).

Well if you're wondering how Barbre beat Giacomini for the starting right tackle job, this might have been the play. He was beat by Bryan to the outside. QB Matt Flynn had his night cut short because he Bryan hit him while he was throwing.

(4:53) 23-T.Sutton left end pushed ob at BUF 41 for 10 yards (71-A.Etukeren). PENALTY on BUF-46-E.Lankster, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced at BUF 41.

Rookie LT Jamon Meredith looked good on this drive. On this play, he cleared the left side open for RB Tyrell Sutton. He's still behind LT Tony Moll for the backup spot and still in a major fight to make the roster.

(4:07) 23-T.Sutton left tackle to BUF 11 for 10 yards (21-J.Wendling).

(3:25) 11-B.Brohm pass short right to 19-K.Heckendorf to BUF 3 for 8 yards (47-C.Harris).

(2:55) 23-T.Sutton right tackle for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

WR Kole Heckendorf, the pride of Mosinee, is still a long shot to make the roster. I don't know against who he is competing. I guess it's possible he could beat out WR Ruvell Martin. But he really looked good; showing good hands while taking some big hits.

Sutton followed up a great first preseason game with another one. But he still is the last running back given playing time, so I would guess the coaches still have him behind Lumpkin and RB DeShawn Wynn.

(2:03) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 10-G.Hamdan pass short right to 44-X.Omon to GB 10 for 52 yards (40-J.Porter).

There were about three blown tackles on this play. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers is going to burst a blood vessel when he watches this replay.

(1:49) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 10-G.Hamdan pass incomplete short left to 88-J.Stupar [94-J.Wynn]. PENALTY on GB-29-A.Smith, Defensive Pass Interference, 9 yards, enforced at GB 10 - No Play.

Back to what I was saying about Smith on the dropped INT; he makes a couple good plays but then mixes them in with a bad one. Although I couldn't see the pass interference on this one.

Monday Training Camp - Bishop, Chillar, Harris, and Giacomini

Brandon — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:00:17 -0000

Although a number of players sat out practice, Mike McCarthy said the Green Bay Packers are "definitely healthy." Other notes:

McCarthy was ready to praise both LB Desmond Bishop and LB Brandon Chillar. Bizzle suggested rotating the LBs based on the situation, but it's too early to tell since the preseason games haven't been played and LB Nick Barnett still hasn't practiced on his surgically repaired knee.
Watch for undrafted rookie WR JaRon Harris. He's been up-and-down in training camp, but Monday was one of his up days. He's still a long shot as the undrafted rookie tries to make the leap to the NFL from South Dakota State. His profile from NFL Draft Scout.
2nd year player OL Breno Giacomini might have moved into the lead for the starting right tackle job. The 2008 5th round pick barely played at all last season.
From Cheesehead TV, it's hard to tell what's holding up the signing of DT B.J. Raji; the Packers or Raji's agent.

Also, I got my copy of the Football Outsiders 2009 Almanac. They've always got good stuff, although they've pegged the Packers as a 7 to 8 win team in 2009. I disagree with that assessment, but they did have some praise for WR Jordy Nelson:

Although it’s easy to compare him to other white guys, the closest comp to the player Nelson will grow up to be is Joe Jurevicius; a tall possession receiver who’s deadly within 12 yards of the line of scrimmage. He’s great at disguising his routes and using his speed to blow past linebackers or his size to overwhelm defensive backs.

NFL Draft, Antoine Winfield Signs, FAVRE!!!, and the O-Line

Brandon — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:00:11 -0000

The NFL draft is moving to Primetime next season; the 1st round will be televised starting at 7:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, April 22, and the entire draft will be spread over three days. That's a great move. The 1st round becomes an even bigger event, and we can take more time analyzing all the picks.
It's been a stressful offseason in Minnesota, Part I. A minor drama this year has been whether CB Antoine Winfield would hold out for a new contract or play out the final year of his current deal. After months of negotiations, he finally signed a new five year extension.
It's been a stressful offseason in Minnesota, Part II. Packer fans are used to it, but QB Brett Favre's stall tactics might be driving Viking fans off the edge. It's just like having a stubborn toddler; he'll keep going back-and-forth and stall until he gets exactly what he wants.
I commented earlier this week that 2009 is a big year for the young unproven offensive lineman to produce. Guys like RG Josh Sitton, RT Allen Barbre, RG T.J. Lang, RT Breno Giacomini, and RT Jamon Meredith. It will be a long season if two of these guys can't man the right side of the offensive line. If the worst case scenairo happens and these guys are all a bust, here's the expected best available in the 2010 draft. It doesn't look as strong as the 2009 draft class.