Cap Room Spacious

By Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel 
Sept. 19th, 2009

Green Bay — Just because the Green Bay Packers have more than twice the National Football League average for available cap room doesn’t mean they intend to save it to sweeten their bottom line during recessionary times.

Team president Mark Murphy made that emphatic Friday when asked what his plans were for the Packers’ $17.902 million surplus beneath the salary cap.

“To build for the future,” said Murphy. “The key is identifying the right players and extend contracts and secure the right core players for the future of the organization.”   Full Article Here           

Analysis: How the Packers’ New 3-4 Defense works

Pete Dougherty, Press-Gazette
September 16th, 2009

The Green Bay Packers‘ defense really did look like Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.

No surprise, considering new Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers and Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau developed their branch of the 3-4 zone-blitz defense together as Steelers assistants in the early 1990s.

That’s also not to suggest the Packers are as good defensively as the Steelers, because they’re not. They don’t have a playmaker like Troy Polamalu, or a pass rusher as explosive and violent as James Harrison.

But the organized chaos that both coaches orchestrate is the same, and it’s hard to conclude anything but that the Packers are a better defensive team than they were in recent years, and especially last season.

Part of the difference is personnel, mainly the return of defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins……    Full Article Here

Predictions from the Press-Gazette

Sep 9th, 2009
-Brian E. Murphy

Green Bay Press-Gazette’s Four Horsemen have made their 2009 division predictions, and at first glance they could each be called ‘homers’.
Let them explain here:

Press-Gazette’s 2009 Packers Season Preview

September 9th, 2009
Tom Pelissero, Press-Gazette

Roundup: Season preview editionIn case you overlooked it — are you blind? — our homepage is covered with stories from the Press-Gazette’s 2009 Packers Season Preview, which is in print today.  Full Story here

Yes, Rob Demovsky, Pete Dougherty, Mike Vandermause and I all picked the Packers to win the NFC North. Before you lambast me/us for overselling the Packers’ chances or homerism, though, I’ll take this opportunity to remind everyone that I picked them 7-9 last year.    

Team Facing Quandary in Backfield

By Tom Silverstein, Journal Sentinel
Sun, Aug 30th , 2009

Glendale, Ariz. — Exhibition games alone won’t be enough to determine which running backs other than starter Ryan Grant and backup Brandon Jackson deserve to stick on the Green Bay Packers’ final 53-man roster.

In the 44-37 victory over the Arizona Cardinals Friday, Packers coach Mike McCarthy got Jackson, DeShawn Wynn and rookie Tyrell Sutton work with the No. 1 offense.   

The problem is that the three combined for six carries and one reception in 30 minutes, hardly the kind of wide, representative look that can lead to an easy decision. When it comes time to decide which backs to keep and how to rank them when the season starts, the Packers are going to have to study the little things.

Full Article here

Clicking Where it Matters the Most

By Bob McGinn,  Journal Sentinel
Aug 29th, 2009

Glendale, Ariz. — The National Football League regular season is two weeks away, but the Green Bay Packers are ready to start right now.

Flexing their might on offense and defense, the Packers wrapped up their August of all Augusts by holding off the Arizona Cardinals, 44-37, at University of Phoenix Stadium.   

“Is it possible to peak this early?” a personnel director for another NFL team said at halftime. “They are one of the best teams I’ve seen. Very consistent. Very disciplined. Very detailed.” 

A personnel director for another club was asked if Green Bay was among the top clubs he has watched.

“The answer is ‘yes,’ ” the scout replied. “It’s not the regular season, but people do treat the third preseason game to a degree as the final tuneup. They are executing on offense both run and pass.”

Full Article here

Game Notes: Jennings Briefly KO’d

By Rob Demovsky Green Bay Press Gazette 
August 28, 2009

• GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Green Bay Packers’ preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium ended at 12:28 a.m. CT…….  

Probably the most important thing to come out of the post-game locker room was that wide receiver Greg Jennings said he sustained a concussion when he got sandwiched between Cardinals cornerback Bryant McFadden and safety Aaron Francisco on his first-quarter 25-yard reception.

“Got hit, got a concussion,” Jennings said on his way out of the locker room. “But I’m good now.”

Jennings said he got knocked unconscious briefly.

“Yeah for a second or two,” he said. “It’s part of football. I’m good now. Everything’s working normal. I called the wife and told her everything’s good, and I’m good to go.”

Full Article here

Charles in Charge: Hits Paydirt with Blitzes

Green Bay Press Gazette
Aug 29th, 2009

Thumbs up

Plenty of candidates here, most notably quarterback Aaron Rodgers (155.2 passer rating), but Charles Woodson gets the call.

The 12-year pro was dominating as a blitzer from his cornerback position in the first half and had two sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.        

Full Article here

Packers Starters Dominate Again, Have Not Punted in 3 Games

By Rob Demovsky, Green Bay Press Gazette
August 28, 2009

• GLENDALE, Ariz. — Maybe those first two preseason games — the ones where the Green Bay Packers looked more like their 13-3 form of 2007 than their 6-10 struggles of 2008 — weren’t flukes after all. Perhaps knocking around the likes of the Cleveland Browns and the Buffalo Bills actually meant something.

Oh, it was still preseason, to be sure, and defensive coordinator Dom Capers’ new 3-4 defense bent more than it had in the first two outings, but this was no lightweight opponent.
This was the Arizona Cardinals, the defending NFC champions.
And this was their field, University of Phoenix Stadium.

The starters staked the Packers to a 38-10 lead only to see the backups nearly give it all away. The Cardinals scored with 38 seconds remaining to cut the lead to 38-37 but failed on a 2-point conversion. On the ensuing kickoff, Ruvell Martin caught an on-side kick attempt and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown and a 44-37 victory that kept the Packers (3-0) perfect in the preseason 

Full Story here

5 Things to Watch Friday Night at Arizona

By Tom Pelissero, Green Bay Press Gazette
Aug 28th, 2009

 

1. The Packers’ starters will play at least a half, their longest preseason opportunity to show the domination of the past two weeks wasn’t a fluke.
It’s an especially intriguing test for the new 3-4 defense, which hasn’t yielded a point but will be facing veteran QB Kurt Warner, All-Pro WR Larry Fitzgerald and an Arizona offense that last season ranked second in the NFL in passing yards (292.1 per game), third in points (26.7) and fourth in total yards (365.8).   

 

Full Article here

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