Packers backup QBs show slight improvement
By Rob Demovsky rdemovsk@greenbaypressgazette.com July 4, 2009
Joe Philbin thought about it for a moment, perhaps remembering the adage that if you cant say something nice, dont say anything at all.
When he finally was ready to answer the question about the progress of the Green Bay Packers pair of second-year backup quarterbacks, the offensive coordinator offered this:
Well, certainly theyre better than theyve been, Philbin said a day before the team wrapped up its final offseason workout.
So it goes for Matt Flynn and Brian Brohm, the same duo who waged a training camp battle last summer that was more about who wasnt as bad as the other.
Flynn, the unheralded seventh-round draft pick from LSU, won the right to backup starter Aaron Rodgers last season.
Brohm, the supposedly ready-made NFL quarterback who some felt would go higher than the second round (No. 56 overall), struggled mightily from the get-go and never really threatened to win the job.
Brohm seemingly did little to enhance his chances of winning the backup job during the offseason workouts this year, but it appears he and Flynn will get equal reps at least at the start of training camp until one of them emerges.
When we made the decision (to make Flynn No. 2) last year, we said nothing was set in stone even (during) last season, quarterbacks coach Tom Clements said. As of this point, Matt hasnt done anything for that to change. Theyre both going to get probably equal amount of reps. The preseason games, we havent talked about, but Im sure it will be roughly equal, and well make a decision.
For Flynn, this offseason was about getting the kind of detailed instruction that he never received at LSU, where he started only one season and where coaching the finer points of quarterbacking amounted to just drop back and throw, he said.
So, when Packers coach Mike McCarthys quarterback school began in March, Flynn went to work on some of the more technical aspects of the position.
I never really got the individual work on dropbacks and stuff like that, so its been very beneficial to me, Flynn said. Theres a lot of technical stuff at this level.
Flynn said he worked mostly on his footwork and dropping back faster and staying on balance more. He said the coaches didnt change his throwing motion at all.
For Brohm, the work was more complex. He, too, had some technical work to do. The coaches made subtle changes to his delivery designed to speed up his throwing motion.
But his offseason was as much about repairing his psyche as anything else.
When his struggles became apparent in training camp poor throws, bad decisions, holding the ball too long, to name a few he quickly lost confidence. His first throw in an NFL game, the preseason opener against Cincinnati, was intercepted, and things never seemed to get any better.
Brohm finished the preseason with a 45.2 passer rating after completing just 19 of 42 throws for 155 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Flynns rating was 100.2, on 27-of-42 passing for 209 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
In high school, I started for three years; in college I started three years, so really I was kind of The Man all the way throughout, Brohm said. It was kind of a humbling experience in come in and see how well Aaron plays and then struggle a little bit in camp. It definitely humbled me and made me want to strive to keep working and push myself even more.
He added: I think anytime youre at a new level and you struggle a little bit at the beginning obviously, you want to get off to a good start, and thats really the biggest confidence booster if somebody gets up there and completes that first pass or you go out there and do something good right away.
Myself, I went out there and did something negative, throwing an interception, and it kind of steamrolled and was thinking a little bit more before each throw.
Clements sounded surprised when told Brohm admitted the interception against the Bengals rattled him, because the coach said two other players made mistakes on the play that led to the interception. Still, Clements knows how damaging a lack of confidence can be to a quarterback.
If youre not confident, youre going to have a hard time being successful, Clements said.
Brohm admitted at the end of training camp last season the game never slowed down for him, and he spent far too much time thinking instead of reacting. Because McCarthys quarterback school is in March and before the draft neither he nor Flynn got that opportunity last season.
With a full offseason this time around, Brohm believes he has made strides, even if they werent readily apparent during the offseason practices that were open to reporters. Brohm still looked uncertain at times and again threw his share of bad balls.
I feel a lot more comfortable, especially with the offense, Brohm said. Im thinking less out there but thinking faster, and thats really what you want. Obviously, I can still play a lot faster. Thats the goal, to be able to make those decisions, make em quick, get the ball out of your hand and let the receivers do what they do.