Zero2Cool
16 years ago

[img_r]http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/04FDcFvgdl5zK/340x.jpg[/img_r]The Packers have yet to have all five wide receivers active for a game this season, and that will likely continue Sunday at Tampa Bay with James Jones doubtful with a knee injury. But Jones' absence should be alleviated by the return of wide receiver Ruvell Martin, who missed the last two games with a finger injury.

Martin was not on the injury report for the first time this season and participated fully in all three practices this week. After wearing a club-like cast to protect the finger the past few weeks, Martin was down to just a smaller splint during Friday's practice.

"He caught the ball well today," Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. "I think he's relieved just to have the club off his hand. They went with some form of brace and the one they used today, it's actually going to be a lot smaller during the game."

Martin admitted it was a strange feeling to finally play without the club on his hand, but said he isn't concerned about the adjustment to live action Sunday.

"It was just a little different because I got used to not using my left hand," Martin said. "I got used to that after two weeks of doing that, but I don't expect that to last very long at all.

"I went out and caught some extra balls after practice and it's coming around. It feels fine, no issues with it at all."

While saying it was difficult to miss games at Detroit and vs. Dallas, Martin said by taking time off the hope is that the injury will not linger for the entire season.

"If I would have continued on playing with it, the doctor said it would not have got better," Martin said. "It would have continued getting worse or stayed the same, but now that I have had the two or three weeks of basically rest on it, it should continue on to get better even though I'm playing."

Jones might look to take the same approach with his knee injury, initially sustained in the preseason at Denver. After missing the season opener against Minnesota, he started at Detroit and caught four passes for 29 yards and a touchdown.

Jones re-injured the knee in the first quarter last Sunday against Dallas, returned briefly in the second quarter, but missed most of the second half.

"I need to make sure I am 100 percent," Jones said. "That's the main goal right now, make sure I am 100 percent so when I get back out there on that football field I'm not thinking about my knee when I am running routes and things like that."

Harris update
[ul]Head Coach Mike McCarthy said cornerback Al Harris will be sidelined at least three to four weeks with the spleen injury he suffered in last Sunday's game vs. Dallas, but added that doctors believe the injury will heal on its own.

McCarthy said Harris would likely start doing some form of conditioning work Monday, and then would have more tests in the coming weeks. With speculation earlier in the week that Harris could be out for the season, the possibility of a return in '08 was welcome news.

"First, you worry about him personally," McCarthy said. "Just the number of conversations that Al and I had throughout Monday, it was tough to see someone go through what he was going through, never been hurt and really not feeling like he shouldn't be able to play.

"Once we crossed over that barrier and moved into gathering as much information, really, injuries like this go back to a personal nature. You're just glad it's not anything that could be life-threatening or as serious as it possibly could be."

This Sunday will be the first game Harris has missed in his 11-year career, ending a streak of 175 straight games (including playoffs) played. Second-year cornerback Tramon Williams will get the start in his place.[/ul]

Hot and cold
[ul]Sunday will likely be just the second game in McCarthy's tenure as head coach where the temperature is 80 degrees or higher.

From his time on the coaching staff in New Orleans, McCarthy has now dealt with both ends of the weather spectrum. He said he believes the adjustment is greater for a southern team heading north than vice versa.

"I can recall being in New Orleans, and we played a game in Cincinnati," McCarthy said. "We had to win one of three games to get in the playoffs, and we had favorable records to the three teams we played.

"We played in Cincinnati and it was like 34 degrees, and (Saints head coach) Jim Haslett and I, we're both from Pittsburgh, and I'm not lying to you, I looked at him during the game and said, 'Are you cold?' And he goes, 'I'm freezing my butt off.' It felt like it was 50 below, and it was 34 degrees outside."[/ul]

Old friends on opposite sidelines
[ul]McCarthy and Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden will face each other for the first time Sunday as head coaches.

The pair worked together at the University of Pittsburgh on Paul Hackett's staff in 1991, McCarthy as assistant quarterbacks coach and Gruden as wide receivers coach.

"Jon is a good man," McCarthy said. "We had a lot of fun the year we spent together."

McCarthy took over coaching the wide receivers in '92 for the Panthers after Gruden left to join the Packers' staff under Mike Holmgren, where he spent three seasons.

"I'll never forget it (time with the Packers)," Gruden said. "I've still got some really good friends there. Every once in a while when we get a cold draft of wind through the ceiling here in the middle of February I think about those old days in Green Bay.

"I had a great time and great memories. I'm really proud to be associated with that organization."[/ul]

Injury/participation update
[ul]In addition to Jones, safety Atari Bigby (hamstring), fullback Korey Hall and running back Kregg Lumpkin (hamstring) are doubtful for Sunday.

McCarthy said Aaron Rouse will start at strong safety if Bigby is unable to play.

Listed as probable are tackle Chad Clifton (knees), safeties Nick Collins (back) and Rouse (knee), guard Josh Sitton (knee) and cornerback Charles Woodson (toe).

Defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (knee), who was not on the injury report on Wednesday or Thursday, was added on Friday but is probable for Sunday.

For Tampa Bay, wide receiver Joey Galloway (foot) is out and linebacker Derrick Brooks (hamstring) is questionable. Kicker Matt Bryant, whose infant son passed away earlier in the week, is also listed as questionable.[/ul]


TengoJuego
16 years ago
Great news. Ruvell is such a force with his size. Not to mention he has improved greatly. Hope to see him and Aaron hook up a few times tomorrow.
Greg C.
16 years ago
Ruvell is one of Rodgers' best friends on the team, and supposedly they developed great rapport while working on the scout team. I would love to see Ruvell make a few big catches. With Jones hurt and Nelson still very green, we need him to step up.
blank
Cheesey
16 years ago
I like Martin......i hope he gives us a BIG boost today.

bozz_2006
16 years ago
Sitton is probable. Let's hope over the next week or so, he can crack the starting lineup.
doddpower
16 years ago
Where was Martin today??
Mortfini
16 years ago
never mind Martin Dodd where were u in ya fantasy football not playing a qb and a wr should (touches wood) make it easy for me 2 win 🙂
Fan Shout
Zero2Cool (12-Apr) : I'm guessing since the thumb was broken, he wasn't feeling it.
dfosterf (10-Apr) : Looking for guidance. Not feeling the thumb.
Mucky Tundra (10-Apr) : If they knew about it or not
Mucky Tundra (10-Apr) : I don't recall that he did which is why I asked.
Zero2Cool (10-Apr) : Guessing they probably knew. Did he have cast or something on?
Mucky Tundra (10-Apr) : Did they know that at the time or was that something the realized afterwards?
Zero2Cool (9-Apr) : Van Ness played most of season with broken thumb
wpr (9-Apr) : yay
Zero2Cool (9-Apr) : Mark Murphy says Steelers likely to protect Packers game. Meaning, no Ireland
Zero2Cool (8-Apr) : Struggling to figure out what text editor options are needed and which are 'nice to have'
Mucky Tundra (8-Apr) : *CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP*
Zero2Cool (2-Apr) : WR who said he'd break Xavier Worthy 40 time...and ran slower than you
Mucky Tundra (2-Apr) : Who?
Zero2Cool (2-Apr) : Texas’ WR Isaiah Bond is scheduled to visit the Bills, Browns, Chiefs, Falcons, Packers and Titans starting next week.
Zero2Cool (2-Apr) : Spotting ball isn't changing, only measuring distance is, Which wasn't the issue.
Zero2Cool (2-Apr) : The spotting of the ball IS the issue. Not the chain gang.
Mucky Tundra (2-Apr) : Will there be a tracker on the ball or something?
Zero2Cool (1-Apr) : uh oh
Martha Careful (1-Apr) : Too bad camera's can't spot the ball as well.
Mucky Tundra (1-Apr) : So will the chain gang be gone completely or will they still be around as a backup or whatever?
Zero2Cool (1-Apr) : The method for measuring first downs in the NFL will switch from chain gangs to camera-based technology in 2025, the league announced.
Martha Careful (1-Apr) : A big step in the right direction. Just put in the college system is very very good.
Zero2Cool (1-Apr) : NFL has passed a rule that allows both teams to possess the ball in OT during the regular season
Zero2Cool (1-Apr) : Touchbacks on kickoffs will now bring the ball to the 35-yard line.
beast (31-Mar) : It might of gotten more popular recently, but braiding hair (even men) in certain cultures goes back for centuries.
Martha Careful (30-Mar) : Is men braiding their hair a new style thing? Watching the NCAA men's tournament many players have done
Zero2Cool (29-Mar) : Ha. Well, it'd be nice for folks to reset their own password. Via validated email 😏
beast (29-Mar) : Monopoly was supposed to be an educational game, that show how evil capitalism was and how we should avoid it
beast (29-Mar) : Lol, I was thinking username would be better, as then I wouldn't have to keep an email up to date lol 😂
beast (29-Mar) : Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : I was thinking email because I think it'll make folks keep it up todate lol
wpr (29-Mar) : sure is
Zero2Cool (29-Mar) : Monopoly is a rip off of The Landlord's Game
wpr (27-Mar) : 28 days until the draft
earthquake (27-Mar) : Which seemed strange to my 9 year old self, that you could be a fan for a team other than the one you play for
earthquake (27-Mar) : Nothing eventful happened, other than it being clear that he was a bengals fan
earthquake (27-Mar) : And we went and hung out with him one afternoon, I must have been 9 or so
earthquake (27-Mar) : That’s wild, when I was a kid my friend lived in the same apartment complex in De Pere
Mucky Tundra (27-Mar) : Only career highspot was a 200 yard rushing game while playing for the Cardinals
Mucky Tundra (27-Mar) : He is a former Packer. Drafted out of Northern Illinois. Didn't do much in GB.
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Despicable
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : Former NFL. I think Packers too
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : NFL RB Leshon Johnson has been charged in a massive dog fighting operation, with the FBI seizing over 190 Pit Bulls
Mucky Tundra (26-Mar) : Some real irony of a QB as short as Wilson playing for the Giants
Mucky Tundra (26-Mar) : Giants country, let's be the tall beings of lore!
Mucky Tundra (26-Mar) : Russell Wilson signs with the Giants.
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : I was thinking email because I think it'll make folks keep it up todate lol
wpr (25-Mar) : I don't think there is a significant difference. I use a user name for many. Others email.
Martha Careful (25-Mar) : email
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : would it be better to use EMAIL or USERNAME to log into a site?
wpr (25-Mar) : Thanks Zero
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