nerdmann
9 years ago

GREEN BAY — Taking a closer look at the Green Bay Packers' second practice of training camp on Friday:

Thumbs up: While the first two practices of training camp are, by rule, not in pads, it's difficult for there to be any genuine excitement about anything other than the fact that football is back and the road to Super Bowl 50 is underway. But while the first two practices may feel ho-hum to observers, that should change on Saturday morning, when the pads come on and the hitting starts.

Now, this isn't the Vince Lombardi Era, or the Forrest Gregg Era, or even the Mike Holmgren Era, when practices had live tackling and violent collisions. But everyone will feel the intensity ratchet up several notches when the half-line inside run drill and the 1-on-1 pass rush/pass blocking sessions.

That said, Packers coach Mike McCarthy felt that, given the limitations, the first two days went as he'd hoped.

"The first two practices, the things you really pay close attention to are the structure, the drill work. Make sure things are done right," McCarthy explained. "Just getting all the little things the way you want it. Players are competing. The first two practices, it's gone well. I feel good about the effort, it's excellent. The energy is excellent. The workload is where it needs to be, so we're off to a good start."

Thumbs down: With every player-specific question McCarthy received the past two days — How has so-and-so looked to you? — you could sense the coach was inching toward a Herm Edwards moment . (Hello!) Writers need the coach's thoughts on players they want to write about, but McCarthy wants more of a body of training-camp work before saying much about anyone. So let's be clear that no lasting judgments are being made before the pads have even come on.

That said, it's clear that rookie QB Brett Hundley has a ways to go. He's working behind Aaron Rodgers, Scott Tolzien and Matt Blanchard at the moment, although he did get a ton of reps in the long jog-through period at the end of practice Friday. But in an 11-on-11 period, he eluded the pass rush and made a bad decision, throwing a ball up for grabs that S Morgan Burnett picked off. Now, Rodgers threw an INT later in practice, so it happens. But it'll be interesting to see how Hundley develops in the coming weeks.

Play of the day:Rookie first-round pick Damarious Randall made the kind of play during 11-on-11 on Friday that grabs your attention. When Blanchard threw a deep ball down the left sideline to undrafted rookie receiver Jimmie Hunt, Hunt went up over Randall and appeared to be making a terrific catch for a big gain. But as Hunt came back to earth, Randall swatted the ball from his grasp, turning what could have been a big play into an incompletion and a win for the defense.

"That just shows what type of athlete he is, what type of player he can be," said fellow CB Casey Hayward, who is working with the starters ahead of Randall. "He's been doing a great job since he's been here and hopefully that trend stays going up and he can help this defense out.

"He's a confident young guy. He's got a bright future. Hopefully that trend keeps going up."

Camp confidential:If you got your hopes up for the Packers making a trip to London to play the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016, you can forget it. It ain't happening.

Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy said last week that he'd talked to Jags owner Shad Kahn  and after that conversation, he didn't think the Jaguars would want to give up a home game — and certain sellout — because of the way Packers fans travel. Turns out, Murphy was right.

Jaguars president Mark Lamping told the Florida Times-Union Thursday  that the team will be hosting the Packers in Jacksonville next season. The Jaguars played San Francisco and Dallas at London's Wembley Stadium the past two seasons and will play Buffalo there on Oct. 25.

The Packers haven't traveled to Jacksonville since 2008, and based on the NFL's scheduling formula, their next trip there wouldn't be until 2024.

"We get the Packers here in Jacksonville so infrequently," Lamping said. "They have such a national following. We have a lot of people here in Jacksonville that are Jaguars fans, but also fans of the traditional NFL teams. So we look forward to that game being played here in Jacksonville."

Packers Playlist:"Homegrown" by Zac Brown Band, "Evenflow" by Pearl Jam, "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon, "Unbelievers" by Vampire Weekend, and "A Little Less Conversation"  by Elvis Presley vs. JXL were the songs played during the regeneration periods Thursday.

Injury report: WR Jared Abbrederis, who is coming back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in training camp last year, departed practice on Thursday and was diagnosed with a concussion, McCarthy said. Rookie G Matt Rotheram suffered an ankle injury Thursday and was being evaluated Friday. CB Quinten Rollins (hamstring) remains on the Non-Football Injury list, while OLB Mike Neal (abdomen), WR Ricky Collins (heel) and RB John Crockett (ankle) are on the Physically Unable to Perform list.

Short yardage: The Packers defensive backs had a strong second day of camp. Not only did Randall break up multiple passes, but Hayward deflected a thread-the-needle throw by Rodgers and Burnett picked it off. "I thought the DBs did very well. They got their hands on the balls a bunch," McCarthy said. "We saw Randall had a nice play over there on the left boundary. That's what you're looking for." ... McCarthy is limiting veteran G Josh Sitton's snaps in 11-on-11 work, rotating JC Tretter, Lane Taylor and Josh Walker in his place with the starters throughout practice. "Just being smart with him," McCarthy said. ... When the Packers went to their base defense Friday, Clay Matthews worked inside. But when they were in nickel, Matthews was outside and rookie ILB Jake Ryan got the call next to Sam Barrington.

They said it: "Having all our coaches out there in the stands during practice, it's always a lot of fun."— Randall Cobb, on fans filling the Ray Nitschke Field bleachers.

Practice schedule: The Packers will practice again at 8:20 a.m. Saturday, but in pads for the first time. There is no practice on Sunday.

Jason Wilde  wrote:


“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”
Fan Shout
Mucky Tundra (1h) : @AndyHermanNFL Jordy Nelson out at camp today. No word if he’s in play for one of the two open roster spots ; )
dfosterf (1h) : Is that better or worse than Banks bad back?
Zero2Cool (2h) : Savion concussion ... not good.
packerfanoutwest (18h) : Aaron Rodgers’s first pass of first team period was picked off
Mucky Tundra (24-Jul) : tbh I didn't hear of his passing
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Cosby Show. Malcom Jamal Warner I think is real name
Mucky Tundra (24-Jul) : I was thinking of Ozzy and Hulk
Mucky Tundra (24-Jul) : Who's Theo?
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : How is Theo alliteration?
Mucky Tundra (24-Jul) : Bad week for people whose names are alliterations
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Hulk Hogan gone too.
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Oh, it's toe injury
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Hope it's not serious. that would stink
dfosterf (24-Jul) : Sounds like an ankle not a knee for Fields
dfosterf (24-Jul) : Ya Flaccp on Browns
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Maybe Tyrod Taylor instead
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : He's on Browns, right?
dfosterf (24-Jul) : They would probably go with Flacco is my guess if Fields out
dfosterf (24-Jul) : Fleece 'em again!
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Malik Willis might be someone Jets come after
packerfanoutwest (24-Jul) : Packers introduce 1923-inspired classic uniform, leather-look helmet
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Both LB Quay Walker and Rookie DB Micah Robinson have passed their physicals
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Happy to see site feels more snappy snappy
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : No sir. I did not.
dfosterf (23-Jul) : You didn't get free childcare when you were at work?
wpr (23-Jul) : These guys make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Pay for their own childcare.
dfosterf (23-Jul) : 2nd issue. Number 1 issue was no gameday childcare. 1 of 3 teams not providing it
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Suppose if locker room is main issue, we sitting pretty
wpr (23-Jul) : I thought so Mucky. In those useless player polls GB always rates high overall. Locker is a part of it.
Mucky Tundra (23-Jul) : Wasn't the locker room just updated like 6 or 7 years ago?
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : I have forum updated on different site. We'll see how this one goes before going to that
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Elgton Jenkins has a back injury, is expect to end contract dispute
wpr (23-Jul) : It's funny the PA complained about the locker room. It wasn't that long ago it was top shelf. Things change in a hurry.
wpr (23-Jul) : The site is much more better.
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : NFLPA report said Packers lockerroom needed upgrade. Whining bout where you change?
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : I saw that and thought it was kind of lame.
dfosterf (23-Jul) : Packers new locker room is pretty awesome. Great for morale, imo
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Shuffled things on the web server. Hope it makes it faster.
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Other times, it's turtle ass
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Sometimes it's snappy, like now.
beast (23-Jul) : I feel like it's loading at the top of the next minute, or something like that.
beast (23-Jul) : Also the thanks/heart takes FOREVER to load, and posting in the shout box takes three times FOREVER!
beast (23-Jul) : Thanks for saying something, I thought it was slow, but assumed it was on my end
beast (23-Jul) : Thanks for saying something, I thought it was slow, but assumed it was on my end
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Yeah, I noticed that too. Is it slow for PackerPeople.com too?
wpr (23-Jul) : I don't know what you IT guys call it but the page loading is very slow for me today.
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : SSL might be settled now.
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Still working through SSL cert issues
wpr (23-Jul) : Glad to be back
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : I think PH original finally working.
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