What They Are Saying in Green Bay (and Milwaukee and Madison)

DownAndOut · Oct 29, 2010

From Green Bay:

Green Bay Packers' caution
with Cullen Jenkins, Ryan
Pickett doesn't bode well for
chances of playing vs. New
York Jets

By Pete Dougherty •
pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com • October
28, 2010

Though coach Mike McCarthy kept open the possibility of playing defensive ends Ryan Pickett (ankle) and Cullen Jenkins (calf) Sunday, neither is likely to practice this week, which suggests they probably won’t play against the New York Jets.

On their injury report Thursday, the Packers listed Jenkins as a limited participant, and he didn’t appear to do much other than take part in some of the jog-through. Pickett didn’t practice at all.

Furthermore, McCarthy said the pair probably won’t even be tested physically on Friday out of concern they could aggravate their injuries.

It’s conceivable one or both could test their injuries Sunday morning and be cleared to play, but the odds of that aren’t good. Pickett tried to come back too quickly last week after missing only one game because of his ankle injury, but after six gimpy snaps against Minnesota, he had to come out for the night.

Jenkins might have a slightly better chance of playing, but the Packers will have to be wary of him aggravating his strained calf.

“With their specific injuries, the testing on Friday may not be the best thing for them,” McCarthy said. “That’s what I’m being told from the medical staff. We’ll revisit with Dr. (Pat) McKenzie (Friday) morning.”

Also, defensive backs Al Harris and Atari Bigby might be ready to come off the physically unable to perform list this week.

Both have been working in 11-on-11 drills since they began practicing last week and have been getting extensive work this week. If McCarthy decides to move them to the 53-man roster this week, he’ll probably wait until Saturday to make it official.

“They’re taking reps with the first unit, so we’ll do exactly what we did last week,” McCarthy said. “We’ll sit down and we’ll talk about all three days.”

Left tackle Chad Clifton (knee) practiced full time Thursday after being limited Wednesday. He’s expected to play.

Cornerback Charles Woodson (toe) and safety Nick Collins (knee) were limited participants, and receiver Donald Driver (quad) did not practice for the second straight day.

Starks taking slow road

Rookie running back James Starks hasn’t played football for so long that the Packers might be hesitant to elevate him to the 53-man roster when his PUP eligibility runs out next week.

Starks missed his senior season at the University of Buffalo because of a shoulder injury, then was put on PUP at the start of training camp this year after failing his physical because of a hamstring injury.

He’s on the second of his three-week practice window before the Packers have to activate him, place him on injured reserve or waive him.

Starks has been working as the scout team halfback but hasn’t been tackled since his junior season at Buffalo. The Packers have been practicing only in shells in recent weeks because of their long list of injuries, so to acclimate Starks to playing in pads, they have him doing drills such as hitting the blocking sled before and after practice.

“Showing more signs of improvement, this week more than the initial week,” said running backs coach Edgar Bennett. “It’s more about getting back to the basics and fundamentals and bringing him along from that standpoint. The footwork, ball security, things of that nature, field work, the physical part of it.”

The Packers aren’t saying what they’re going to do with Starks, but considering the short time they have to determine his roster status, it would be a big step to put him in a game after that long layoff from live hitting. Right now their backup halfback behind starter Brandon Jackson is John Kuhn, and the No. 3 back is Dimitri Nance, who is in his seventh week with the team and now has a good grasp of the offense.

“It’s all about pad level, not only as a runner but also as far as protecting the football,” Bennett said. “(Starks) missed a lot of time the last few years, we’re just trying to get him back to wearing (pads). As far as the overall pad level, we’re working on his techniques, the feeling of carrying them, those kind of things.”

Long way home

Howard Green spent about 20 hours in a car and nearly as long at airports and on airplanes this week, but he finally made it to Green Bay on Thursday afternoon.

Green, a nose tackle, was cut by the New York Jets on Tuesday, and after a 20-hour drive was about a half-hour from his home in Louisiana when his agent notified him the Packers had claimed him off waivers. He immediately drove to catch a flight from New Orleans to Atlanta, but then was stranded for the night in the Atlanta airport because of bad
weather.

Further weather delays on Thursday prevented him from getting to Green Bay in time to practice.

“For the love of the game,” Green said. “Slept in the airport last night in Atlanta, too, so it was a trip. But I’m glad to be here and grateful for my opportunity.”

Green has ties to the Packers’ coaching staff. Dom Capers, the Packers’ defensive coordinator, was head coach in Houston when the Texans selected Green in the sixth round of the 2002 draft, though they cut him at the end of training camp. He also played in 18 games for New Orleans in 2003 and ‘04, when McCarthy was the Saints’ offensive coordinator.

Reading the Ryan rush

The Packers are preparing to be blitzed more than they have all season by Jets coach Rex Ryan.

Ryan is probably the most blitz-oriented coach in the NFL and known for the kitchen-sink-type calls similar to his father, Buddy, a longtime NFL assistant and head coach. The Jets rank only No. 13 in sacks percentage and don’t have a standout rushing talent in their front seven, but they try to pressure quarterbacks into throwing quicker than they want and don’t mind putting their outstanding cornerback duo of Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie in one-on-one coverage.

Buddy Ryan’s philosophy was to rush however many players it took to get to the quarterback and to send one more rusher than the offense has in as blockers.

“There’s a lot of that,” Packers center Scott Wells said. “With the overload pressures, they like to bring a lot of guys from one side and try to overwhelm you with that, create confusion to where you’re not ID-ing where they’re bringing the pressure. The key is going to be that everybody communicates and stays on the same page and stay in our scheme, our (protection) rules in the passing game.”
Click to expand...

DownAndOut · Oct 29, 2010

From Milwaukee:

Packers get reinforcement for Raji
Newcomer Green would give tackle some rest
By Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel

Green Bay — When Howard Green finally walked through the door, there probably wasn't a happier man in a 100-mile vicinity of Lambeau Field than Green Bay Packers nose tackle B.J. Raji.
Over the past few weeks, Raji has been the conscientious overnight watchman whose relief never arrives. Refusing to leave his post, he just stands watch until someone comes and tells him it's time to go home.
"We're definitely going to have to do something about that," defensive line coach Mike Trgovac said this week.
The relief for Raji comes in the form of Green, the 6-foot-2, 340-pound nose tackle who was claimed off waivers Wednesday from the New York Jets.
Just in case Raji thought the lunch break was a done deal, there was news that Green missed practice Thursday, leaving just one day to assimilate the Packers defense. Green spent the better part of 30 hours trying to get from New York to Green Bay amid lousy weather here and down South.
Having just spent the night in the Atlanta airport and being exhausted from an odyssey that began with driving 20 hours straight from New York to his home in Louisiana, Green insisted he would be available Sunday when the Packers play his old team, the Jets.
"That's what I'm hoping for," the sixth-year veteran said. "I think it's possible. I just need to get in here and learn and see what's going on with the defense and get the calls down. If I get the calls down, I can play."
How much Green can play is another matter.
He took off in his truck Monday night after finding out the Jets had released him, and upon nearing his hometown of Perryville, La., got a call from his agent telling him to get to the nearest airport because the Packers had claimed him off waivers. Stuck between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Green took off for Baton Rouge, only to get stuck in rush-hour traffic and miss his flight.
He then drove 80 miles back to New Orleans and got on a plane around 7:45 p.m. That's when the fun really began.
"That was working for me, got to Atlanta, and flights are delayed because of tornadoes and stuff," Green said. "Everything stopped right there. (The next day) the flight was supposed to leave at 6. I don't think I got out until 9 or 10 this morning."
Green said he hadn't slept since leaving New York and it was evident in his droopy eyes. All he has to do now is spend the next three nights studying like a maniac to learn the intricacies of the Packers' defense so he can lend a hand to a desperately thin front line.
When he was head coach of the Houston Texans, defensive coordinator Dom Capers drafted Green, so he has familiarity with the Packers' system. He also played in a 3-4 defense with the Jets, and the transition won't be impossible.
"Right now, it's just me seeing if there are a few things different, a few tweaks here and there," he said. "We'll go from there. I feel comfortable. I've been around a lot. I fit in pretty much anywhere. It won't be anything different."
It's still up in the air whether ends Cullen Jenkins (calf) and Ryan Pickett (ankle) will be able to play Sunday. Both did almost nothing in practice and may use Friday to continue their rehab, which means if they play it will have been with no practice time.
Injuries take toll
The injuries upfront have taken a toll on Raji, who has been getting an unimaginable amount of snaps the past three weeks, including 65 of a total 68 Sunday night against Minnesota. The second-year pro has been an anchor in the middle, playing at a level the Packers hoped when they drafted him ninth overall in 2009.
But at 340 pounds, it's hard for him to avoid losing steam at the end of games.
"B.J. doesn't complain about anything, but you could see that he had very good quickness and snap to his play early in the game, and I could see him wearing down," Trgovac said. "There was not a whole lot you could do about it."
The worst part about not having a backup for him is that when he is fresh, he's playing at a level he didn't reach during an injury-filled rookie season. Raji has transformed from a one-trick pony at Boston College to a guy who can play head-up on the nose, can penetrate from the "A" and "B" gaps and can throw linemen down and get after the quarterback as he did against Philadelphia and Washington.
For the season, he has 30 tackles, 2.5 sacks, four quarterback hits, 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup.
"The health thing I knew it would take care of itself. It's more of understanding and seeing the game from a professional standpoint," Raji said of his improvement. "It's understanding how teams are trying to attack us, a lot of film study, understanding teams' tendencies and certain formations.
"It's knowing what are the percentages of run to pass so you can play the percentages a little better. Just being a better football player and more aware of what's going on around you."
It's also staying healthy and showing the endurance of a triathlete.
Big men are not supposed to be the guys who can slug it out down after down in a 68-play game and still be able to function against a double-team block. The Packers gave up 196 yards rushing to the Vikings, but one could only imagine what it would have been without Raji.
Next up are the Jets, who love to pound the ball at teams with their running game. If Green can play 10-15 snaps - he said he played 35 in his first game back with the Jets in Week 3 - Raji might stand a better chance of playing at a steady level.
"I think I can contribute a lot," Green said, not realizing how sweet that tune was to the ears of Raji.
Click to expand...

DownAndOut · Oct 29, 2010

From Madison:

Packers: He's still a work in progress, but Bishop is off to a good start
JIM POLZIN | jpolzin@madison.com | 608-252-6473 madison.com | No Comments Posted | Posted: Friday, October 29, 2010 5:00 am
GREEN BAY — As he waited for his playing time to increase — sometimes patiently, sometimes not-so patiently — Green Bay Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop started to wonder if he had what it takes to handle a featured role.
"I just felt like a caged lion," Bishop said, "and then sometimes I was thinking, ‘Well, maybe I'm not a lion. Maybe I'm a koala bear or something.' "
Bishop stopped and laughed at his analogy. If anything, it shows Bishop had a lot of time to think while playing mostly on special teams during his first three seasons with the Packers.
Now that he's gotten his shot as a starter on defense — Bishop has taken over at middle linebacker for Nick Barnett, who suffered a season-ending wrist injury in Week 4 against Detroit — the fourth-year player out of California has shown he's more lion than koala bear.
Or, as Packers inside linebackers coach and assistant head coach Winston Moss puts it, "So far, so good."
It's important to note the 26-year-old Bishop, who had one career start before this season, still is a work in progress. But if anybody expected a major drop-off from Barnett to Bishop, that hasn't happened.
According to statistics compiled by the coaching staff after watching film, Bishop has 40 tackles in his three starts since Barnett's injury. Bishop had 13 tackles against Washington, 16 against Miami and 11 during Sunday night's 28-24 victory over Minnesota at Lambeau Field.
Bishop also turned an interception of Vikings quarterback Brett Favre into a 32-yard touchdown return in the third quarter, a score that proved to be the deciding points.
It was the first career interception and touchdown for Bishop, who kept the ball.
"I wonder if Brett would sign it for me," Bishop said of the ball. "That'd be awesome."
What wasn't always awesome for Bishop was waiting his turn behind Barnett and others. Bishop didn't pout — his 49 tackles on special teams from 2007-09 led the team — but he was running out of patience.
"I just felt like it was me against the world," Bishop said. "I felt like I was a lion. Not being able to get the opportunity was everybody's fault. I was angry at times, but at the same time, I kept my faith and I was having tons of fun with special teams. I was just waiting in the wings, waiting for my opportunities."
Moss said it was clear Bishop, a sixth-round pick in 2007, was frustrated. But Moss appreciated the fact that Bishop never let it become a distraction.
"So when this opportunity came up a few weeks ago, it was a great opportunity for me to tell him, ‘You've been waiting for this since you've been here. So you're either going to respond at the highest level and be a man of your word, or you're going to be a lot of nothing,'" Moss said.
"The thing I've liked about this whole ride with him so far, he's been given a golden opportunity, and he's taken advantage of it."
The knock on Bishop has always been his inconsistent play. He'll make a big play one snap and blow an assignment the next.
Imagine Moss' frustration. In A.J. Hawk, a first-round pick in 2006, the Packers have an assignment-sound inside linebacker who for the most part has lacked playmaking skills. In Bishop, Green Bay has a playmaker who hasn't always followed his assignments.
Put them together, Moss says, "and you'd have one great guy."
But Hawk played well enough last week against the Vikings to earn a game ball from coach Mike McCarthy. And Bishop has been more consistent since taking over as a starter.
"This year, when he's been a role player, those critical errors would come up. Or a couple years ago when he would start a game, those critical errors would come up at the poorest of times, especially in situations at the end of games that were really, really detrimental," Moss said of Bishop. "So going into this year, now that he's a starter, he's been able to do a great job of maintaining a high level of detail and efficiency while keeping that playmaker mentality."
Bishop's only start until this season came against the Houston Texans late in the 2008 season at Lambeau Field. It was a classic example of the Jekyll-and-Hyde nature of Bishop's play.
The good plays: He had a sack, a tackle for loss on third down and stripped Houston tight end Owen Daniels at the goal line to prevent a touchdown.
The bad plays: He was flagged for a 15-yard facemask penalty after being carried down the sideline during a 21-yard gain by Texans fullback Vonta Leach. And late in the game, Bishop was beaten by Daniels on a pass over the middle; the former University of Wisconsin tight end gained 27 yards to set up Kris Brown's winning 40-yard field goal in the Texans' 24-21 victory.
"In order to be the kind of player that I want to be, you have to be the whole package," Bishop said. "You can't go one (good play) for one (bad play). You have to have it all."
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Hemi · Oct 29, 2010

Green in Green Bay. I guess that works. One day to learn the D, but he still should see some snaps.

sg3 · Oct 29, 2010

the Packers should start gameplanning for their next contest against some inferior NFC semi-pro squad against which they have a remote chance of winning

Section 227. Row 5 · Oct 29, 2010

Is there any scientific correlation between writing long-winded, difficult-to-read articles and eating too much cheese?

championjets69 · Oct 29, 2010

Section 227 said: ↑

Is there any scientific correlation between writing long-winded, difficult-to-read articles and eating too much cheese?
Click to expand...

I think it is to much alcohol myself. :jets:

JfaulkNYJ · Oct 29, 2010

wait does anybody have a list of how many starters are out for green bay from the week 1 roster? i keep reading more and more about their players hurt..i lost track of what the hell is goin on

GatorGar · Oct 29, 2010

Section 227 said: ↑

Is there any scientific correlation between writing long-winded, difficult-to-read articles and eating too much cheese?
Click to expand...

lol, I was sorta thinking the same thing.

pats-hater · Oct 29, 2010

Section 227 said: ↑

Is there any scientific correlation between writing long-winded, difficult-to-read articles and eating too much cheese?
Click to expand...

Lots of gas....

Royal Tee · Oct 29, 2010

Also, defensive backs Al Harris and Atari Bigby might be ready to come off the physically unable to perform list this week.

Both have been working in 11-on-11 drills since they began practicing last week and have been getting extensive work this week. If McCarthy decides to move them to the 53-man roster this week, he’ll probably wait until Saturday to make it official.

“They’re taking reps with the first unit, so we’ll do exactly what we did last week,” McCarthy said. “We’ll sit down and we’ll talk about all three days.”

Left tackle Chad Clifton (knee) practiced full time Thursday after being limited Wednesday. He’s expected to play.

Cornerback Charles Woodson (toe) and safety Nick Collins (knee) were limited participants,
Click to expand...

If they attempt to start those 2 and have Woodson out there...we gotta go deep ...

I think Rex will make an effort to get Santonio the ball or whoever Woodson is on.
He wants him bad...I know it.
That's my boy from Michigan though

ajax · Oct 29, 2010

Even if Green Bay loses on Sunday, I still think they'll take that division. Doesn't make sense that they push someone out on the field this Sunday if another week to recuperate helps a player finish the season. The Vikings are falling apart with Favre's injuries. The Bears are over-rated & struggle to finish .500 ... the Mike Martz philosophy of "let's block nobody & run downfield before the qb gets another concussion beaten into him" doesn't work without really good offensive lineman. Lions are years away (but moving in the right direction).

That division belongs to Green Bay. Even w/ all the injuries & lack of running game.

Sharpe84 · Oct 30, 2010

I don't think you realize exactly HOW injured the Packers are if you still expect them to win the NFC North. The Packers (my team) are pretty much just a shell of what they started the season with.

I'm basically hoping for 8-8 or 9-7. That would be a successful season at this point.

BleedGreenandWhite · Oct 31, 2010

at 8-8 the pack will win the division and be considered a strong team in the nfc

jixxjr · Oct 31, 2010

Section 227 said: ↑

Is there any scientific correlation between writing long-winded, difficult-to-read articles and eating too much cheese?
Click to expand...

Well, too much cheese does cause constipation and that S... has to come out sometime. :wink:

Rockefella · Oct 31, 2010

Aaron Rodgers is a dog-gone great quahtaback don cha know

What They Are Saying in Green Bay (and Milwaukee and Madison)

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