Packers receiver Greg Jennings admits it: he's frustrated by his lack of opportunities so far this season.
No, Jennings isn't going to go on a T.O.-style media rampage or start dressing down coaches on the sidelines. In the locker room after practice today, he acknowledged what I wrote last week -- that protection issues are a primary reason quarterback Aaron Rodgers hasn't gotten the ball enough to Jennings on the perimeter -- and spoke about the issues with his usual smile and self-deprecation.
But he also said he's spoken with receivers coach Jimmy Robinson about his opportunities and hopes to be more involved coming out of the bye week.
"Im not one to just go in (and say), Can I get the ball more?" said Jennings, who has 11 receptions for 240 yards and a touchdown, including three catches for 31 yards total in two losses.
"Youve seen whats going on. They know how I feel. As a competitor, I would hope they know that I want the ball. When Im in the meeting and Im looking at myself running wide open and Im not getting the opportunity, yes, I am pissed get me the doggone ball."
At that point, Jennings paused and chuckled, making clear he was at least half-joking.
"You have to go about it in a respectful way, and its not who I am to get outside of that," he continued. "Do I get frustrated? Yes. Do I get highly upset? Yes. Do I vent to these guys (the other receivers)? Yes. These guys are like my springboard. I can bounce things off them, and its like they bounce things off me. We kind of stay away from complaining to everybody else. We kind of let each other know how we feel, and its the way we get through it."
Asked if he usually would go to Rodgers and not Robinson about such an issue, Jennings said, "Typically, yes. But can I be mad at Aaron? Can I be upset? Hes been on his back like even I dont know, probably more than the running backs, and they get the ball to actually run. So, I cant be upset with him. I cant say, Aaron, get me the ball. Who knows? He may be trying to."
In four games, Rodgers has been sacked 20 times, including eight at Minnesota on Oct. 5, although a handful of those were at least partly his fault.
"YHes second to none," Jennings said. "Ill give you a statistic he has one (interception). One pick, and hes been hit more than any quarterback in the league. And he has one pick. He protects the ball pretty doggone well for going to the ground as much as he does. If he has room to play ball, the skys the limit. Skys the limit for him as well as this team."