Photography:
Training Camp practice: Day 4
Video:
MM PRESSERTT PRESSERVic Ketchman and Olivia HarlanEddie LacyRandall CobbDavon House
Atricles:
News & notes: Mike Daniels stands out, Eddie Lacy responds
packers.com
by Mike Spofford on Tuesday, July 30th, 2013
–Daniels making strides:
Thus far in camp, DL Mike Daniels might be exhibit A when it comes to players making a big jump from Year 1 to Year 2 in the NFL.
A short, stout lineman (6-0, 294), Daniels has added some muscle and looks visibly bigger this season. He appears to have kept his quick first step off the ball, and it’s helping that he’s no longer wearing the shoulder harness he wore his entire rookie season following surgery at the conclusion of his college career at Iowa.
“I tell you what, it was tough,” Daniels said of playing with the harness, though he did manage two sacks and two fumble recoveries (one for a TD) in a part-time role last year. “Losing full motion with my shoulder, and that thing, it really presses on your stomach, so it’s hard to breathe. It feels good not having to wear it, and I will continue with my rehab so I do not have to wear it again.
“I feel good, I feel loose, I feel much more athletic, and I really feel as though I can get every bit of strength and range of motion out of my arm that I can, that I couldn’t last year.”
“I think Mike Daniels definitely has a lot more pop,” Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. “He’s even playing some of the tougher techniques for his body type better.”
–Lacy responds:
Lacy got a lot of work on Tuesday in the red-zone and goal-line periods with a number of inside runs. He pushed the pile at times, looked nimble on his feet at others, and called it his best day of camp thus far.
“I was comfortable with everything,” he said. “I felt like I ran smooth, I made good reads, and I just hit the hole the way I was supposed to.”
Lacy also looked solid in the first one-on-one blitz pick-up drill on Tuesday between the RBs and OLBs. McCarthy admitted the linebackers have the upper hand because there’s no one else around and the running backs are “on an island,” which isn’t necessarily realistic, but Lacy said the disadvantage will only help the running backs in pass protection in the long run.
–Hoop games:
The famous QB hoop made its first appearance at camp on Tuesday. It’s an elevated hoop with a net attached that serves as a target for the QBs on lobs and fade passes from various distances.
In the first go-round, from roughly 15-20 yards away, all three QBs — Aaron Rodgers, Graham Harrell and B.J. Coleman — managed to drop one through the hoop and into the net. When they moved back to 40-45 yards or so, Rodgers and Harrell both had rim shots that bounced away, and Coleman had one that went just underneath, but no one got one through the hoop. continue
Mike McCarthy fine with Eddie Lacy's conditioning
packers.com
by Vic Ketchman on Tuesday, July 30th, 2013
“Eddie Lacy, going through the conditioning test, he was fine. If we had any concerns about our players’ conditioning, they wouldn’t be on the field,” McCarthy said.
Lacy has participated fully in each of the Packers’ first four training camp practices and McCarthy commented on Lacy’s play in drills on Tuesday that focused on the running game.
“Eddie Lacy definitely falls into the category of a big back, and a big back falls forward,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy spoke approvingly of his team’s performance in Tuesday’s practice.
“The start was good. The offensive ran the ball well. I thought we definitely took a step forward today,” he said.
Blitz-pickup and pass-rush/pass-blocking drills were feature attractions on Tuesday. Lacy and undrafted free agent linebacker Andy Mulumba made the loudest sound of practice when they collided in blitz pickup.
“You have to close the door. I thought the outside linebackers clearly got the better of the running backs today. That’s a drill I’m sure we’ll do again,” McCarthy said of blitz pickup.
“It’s important to see your young guys go against the old guys, and sticking their head in there,” he said of one-on-one drills between offensive and defensive linemen. “You have to win your one-on-ones. You can’t do enough of that stuff. It gives you a great idea of what football comes down to. You have to beat the guy across from you.”
First-round draft pick Datone Jones flashed his talent by dropping into coverage in a zone-blitz scheme and knocking down a pass.
“He can really run. You can see the quickness. He needs to learn to finish better. When a guy shows up in team drills, that’s something I’ve always looked for,” McCarthy said of Jones. continue
Banged-up Packers secondary doing bang-up job
packers.com
by Mike Spofford on Tuesday, July 30th, 2013
Much of the team (11-on-11) snaps focused on red-zone and goal-line work, which is do-or-die time for defensive backs. Early on, McMillian tipped a pass at the goal line and nearly hauled it in as he spun around and dove toward the back of the end zone.
He then had an interception on a deep seam route intended for tight end Ryan Taylor in seven-on-seven. In the final team period, he had solid coverage on tight end Jermichael Finley on a corner fade that was incomplete, though Finley nearly made a great catch.
“He knows the defense inside and out,” Head Coach Mike McCarthy said of McMillian, adding that the 2012 fourth-round draft pick spent a lot of time around the facility in the offseason. “He’s a lot more comfortable. You don’t see him thinking back there like he did as a rookie.
“He played a lot of snaps last year and was kind of up and down, did some really good things for us, but the consistency wasn’t there. I see a much more consistent player, which I’m excited about, because he also has big playmaking ability, and we’ve seen that already.”
McCarthy made it sound as though it’s only a matter of time before Shields once again looks like the pure cover corner he was in the second half of last season.
“What I like about Sam is he’s got that edge to him,” McCarthy said. “He can run with anybody. He’s pretty much faster than anybody, but he’s a much better player up in your face, and those are excellent attributes to have as a corner.
“He has no memory, which is what you need to have as a championship-type corner. I’m excited about Sam, but he’s rusty. That’s expected. Sam will be fine.” continue
Ask Vic Ketchman (Opinion)
Tuesday, July 30th, 2013
Vic, I’m curious if you would speak a bit more on the point you made about the offensive line getting unfairly blamed for the poor running game. I’d argue the opposing point of view, citing sacks and poor run blocking, especially on third-and-short situations. I welcome your perspective on third and short.
In a drive-blocking scheme, the offensive line’s responsibility is to move the line of scrimmage. Third and short often includes a drive-blocking scheme.
If you want to blame the line for third-and-short failures, go ahead, but I don’t believe they bear the blame for the Packers’ No. 26 yards-per-carry average.
Yards per carry are mainly the result of yards gained beyond the line of scrimmage. It’s a stat that is especially inflated by long runs and the Packers didn’t have enough long runs last season. Any back will tell you that once he gets into the secondary, it’s his responsibility to break tackles and make defenders miss.
Also, in normal down-and-distance situations, the Packers employ a lot of zone-blocking principles. The line’s responsibility in zone-blocking is for it to occupy defenders and create cutback lanes.
It’s my opinion that the responsibility for rushing yardage falls mostly on the back. As long as the line denies penetration, I believe it’s the back’s responsibility to find running room.
The better the back, the more yards he’ll gain. In the four years it took for Tony Dorsett to set the all-time NCAA rushing record, he never had an offensive lineman drafted by an NFL team. continue