Photography:

Training Camp Photos Day 17

Photos by Matt Becker and Tyler Gajewski

Video:

Top 3 for Today

MM Presser

Aaron Rodgers

Articles:

Packers end practice week on sour note

by Mike Spofford on Wednesday, August 21st, 2013

 

 

“We were in shells yesterday for a reason, we were in pads today for a reason,” said an agitated McCarthy following practice.

 

“We didn’t take full advantage of the opportunity to get ready to play.”

 

Mason Crosby’s struggles returned for the first time since Family Night.

 

 

Crosby missed three straight field goals, wide right twice from 42 yards and wide left from 44, in going just 2-for-5 overall.

 

“It’s not a good day,” McCarthy said.

 

“He didn’t have a good day, probably like a lot of other guys didn’t have a good day today. There’s plenty of that to go around.”

 

...

 

Datone Jones, who rolled his ankle on his one and only snap in the preseason opener, left practice on Wednesday after apparently re-injuring the same ankle.

 

...

 

The player who appears most ready to officially knock the rust off is running back DuJuan Harris, who has now practiced for two weeks but sat out last week’s game as a precaution with his knee.

 

“He looks like he’s fully recovered,” McCarthy said. “He’s sharp in his assignments. He needs technical work like all the young guys do.

 

“I thought he looked good today, just from what I saw. I thought he ran the ball hard. He practiced the way you’re supposed to. He was one of the guys that went about it the right way.” continue

 

 

News & notes: Aaron Rodgers hits again from long range

Posted by Mike Spofford on August 21, 2013 – 4:13 

 

 

QB Aaron Rodgers has done it many times before, and he did it again on Wednesday.

 

Launching throws from long range toward a netted hoop near the sideline, Rodgers dropped one in from around 40-50 yards away, drawing cheers from the Ray Nitschke Field crowd, which got to see an exaggerated “belt” celebration from Rodgers.

 

Acknowledging the starters may not play the entire first half like they normally would in the third preseason game, Rodgers said that won’t impact the team’s readiness for the regular season.

 

 

“Anything from this point forward are just bonus reps,” he said.

 

“We practice hard, we practice together, we spend a lot of time talking and working together. We need to go in against a good defense this week and get some reps, stay healthy and get out.”

 

...

 

WR Charles Johnson, a seventh-round pick from Grand Valley State, says he’ll be ready to play as soon as the coaches decide to put him in a game, despite the fact that he has hardly seen the field.

 

It would seem awfully soon for Johnson to play on Friday after just one limited day of practice, so his roster fate could very well come down to the fourth preseason game, at Kansas City next week. But he’s willing to take any snaps the coaches want to give him, even if it’s right away Friday night.

 

“Physically I’m a little bit behind because I’m not getting on-the-field reps. I’m not up to speed with the game like some of the other guys may be,” he said. “But mentally I’m up to speed, I’m at par. I know everything I need to know if I was to get thrown out there in a game. I know all my materials.”

 

...

 

Play of the day:

TE Brandon Bostick made the play of the day, leaping between two defenders in the end zone with one arm reaching straight up, tipping the ball to himself and then hauling it in as he fell to the ground.

 

 

“He’s come a long way and I’m proud of him,” said fellow TE Jermichael Finley, who spent time working out with Bostick in the offseason. “I call him ‘Little Finley'.”

continue

 

Packers training camp report: Aug. 21

foxsportswisconsin.com

by Paul Imig on Wednesday, August 21st, 2013

 

Just as Crosby seemed to be gaining some positive momentum, the seventh-year kicker lost all of it with three consecutive missed field goals in Wednesday's practice.

Three in a row.

 

Special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum was so upset that he yelled into his microphone "Make the kick. Let's go."

 

That was heard by everyone in attendance (including at least 1,500 fans), as Slocum's words are amplified through the speaker system.

 

...

 

- McCarthy said that "no final decision" has been made in the starting right tackle competition between Don Barclay and Marshall Newhouse.

 

Barclay continues to get nearly all of the first-team snaps at that spot, with Newhouse backing him up.

 

McCarthy said it's his goal to be closer to making a choice at right tackle after watching the film of this Friday's game

 

...

M.D. Jennings will start at safety in Friday's game, according to safeties coach Darren Perry. This is all part of the team's plan to continue switching Jennings and Jerron McMillian back and forth until one of them does enough to claim the job. Perry described that race as "neck in neck."

continue

Sam Shields plays way into starting cornerback job

foxsportswisconsin.com

by Paul Imig on Wednesday, August 21st, 2013

 

"The way (Shields) has practiced and the way he's done it has been so clean, it'd be hard for me to believe that he's not going to be one of those two, if not the top one," cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt said Wednesday.

 

"It'd be hard for me to believe that. Just the way that he's performed and the things that he's done."

 

"I have 100 percent confidence in Sam's ability," Whitt said.

 

"Now he has to go do it and do it for every game, but Sam has progressed and is where I think he should be."

continue

Datone Jones injury doesn't appear to be too serious

jsonline.com

by Tom Silverstein on Wednesday, August 21st, 2013

 

There's no word yet on how long rookie DE Datone Jones will be sidelined, but early indications are that his sprained left ankle wasn't severe.

 

A source said that the injury wasn't serious and it's too early to tell if he won't play Friday against Seattle.

 

"It’s hard for any young guy if he’s not on the practice field," defensive coordinator Dom Capers said.

 

"We’ve been through that here before. You remember Clay’s (Matthews) rookie year and B.J.’s (Raji) rookie year; Clay had the hamstring, B.J. sprained his ankle in the last preseason game.

 

"We’ve had Datone for one play in the preseason. That’s just the way it is. Once he’s back and ready to go, we’re going to have to really put him on a crash course."

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McCarthy in sour mood about way Packers practiced

jsonline.com

by Tom Silverstein on Wednesday, August 21st, 2013

 

The Packers have only three practices left before preparation for San Francisco begins and the pressure to make personnel decisions is mounting.

 

When the practice isn't the way it should be, it probably makes it harder to make good evaluations.

 

"We’re on a six day week," McCarthy said. "There’s a number of different things that we’re looking (at) here. Trying to create more opportunities, get more information off certain players, couple drills we do on Friday we normally don’t do, so there’s a number of moving parts.

continue

If anyone's confused about the Friday comment, today's practice was like a Friday practice for a Sunday game.  I'm assuming the drill referenced is the combo drill.  

Packers corners to go left and right, Shields 'ready for the challenge'

jsonline.com

by Tyler Dunne on Wednesday, August 21st, 2013

 

This year, don’t be surprised to see Shields across from opponents’ No. 1 wide receivers.

 

“I’m ready for the challenge,” Shields said. “Always ready.”

 

That’s because this season, the Packers would prefer not to match up specific cornerbacks on specific wideouts. Instead, Green Bay is planning on playing a cornerback on the left side and a cornerback on the right side.

 

Wherever Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Greg Jennings line up, so be it. The Packers want their two outside cornerbacks to handle whoever is on their side.

 

Cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt Jr. acknowledges the Packers will match up if they need to. But going in, that’s not the plan.

 

Whitt notes the Packers did the same thing with Williams and Al Harris, then with Williams and Charles Woodson.

 

“I’m not saying that we won’t match,” Whitt continued, “but what I am saying is that we’re going to go in with the mind-set that we’re playing left and right and I want to demand that everybody do your job and when that guy comes to your side, you handle him.

 

You handle him. I think Tramon got criticized for his tough matches and some other guys got more credit because they didn’t have those matches.

 

“We’re going to give everybody the opportunity to get that tough match. And now, everybody has to play. Then, we’ll see where everything is.”

continue

Well worth the click. Quotes from Capers about Shields and a bunch more.  Sounds to me like they want to figure out exactly what Shields is worth and not over pay for a guy who excels against # twos.   If Shields holds up expect an aggressive in-season extension.

GREEN BAY PRESS GAZETTE

Photography:

Green Bay Packers training camp practice, August 13, 2013

Transcript:

Talking Packers with Pete Dougherty on 8-21-13

note: will update later when stories are posted

Mason Crosby gives a youngster a high five

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. but unfortunately misses wide,  and to the left.  

Have a feeling that Jones' ankle is going to be a season long thing. Obvious victim of the "Mandarich Curse".

There's no word yet on how long rookie DE Datone Jones will be sidelined, but early indications are that his sprained left ankle wasn't severe.

Jones initially injured the ankle on his first play against Arizona and did not play another down. He sat out all of last week and returned to practice on Monday.

During a team drill midway through practice, he rolled the ankle again and limped badly off the field. After trying to walk it off, he went into the Don Hutson Center to have ice applied to it.

A source said that the injury wasn't serious and it's too early to tell if he won't play Friday against Seattle. The big concern is whether it turns into something worse over the next day or so or remains troublesome all through the season.

Jones missed all of the 2010 season at UCLA with a broken foot, but that was on his right side. He started all 25 games of his junior and senior seasons.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/220569891.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

I'm sure he's fine. 

I'm phoning the mortician right now

Packers practice report: McCarthy unhappy

By Rob Demovsky | ESPN.com 8-21-13

 

McCarthy put the team on a regular-season schedule this week, so with a Friday preseason game against Seattle, Wednesday simulated an in-season practice that would take place two days before the game.

 

Without another practice before Friday’s game against the Seahawks at Lambeau Field, McCarthy was asked how he will get his message across to the players. He offered a one-word answer: “Communicate.”

McCarthy’s anger apparently was directed at the offense, because after practice, defensive coordinator Dom Capers didn’t seem anywhere near as upset about the workout.

“You now, we had a couple of errors, but I thought the guys were tuned in and feeling pretty good,” Capers said.

 

MM on Rookie Charles Johnson:

“You just want to see him play, play fast, play with confidence and try to do the best he can. He definitely has a lot of ability. That’s why we drafted him, and hopefully he can go.”

continue

I'd imagine this is why MM is so pissed. 

Training camp look in: Defense dominates half-line drill

Posted by Vic Ketchman, packers.com editor on August 21, 2013 – 12:07 pm

 

The Packers tuned up for Friday’s preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks with a short practice that featured another spirited half-line drill on Wednesday. This drill was dominated by the defense.

 

Linebacker Clay Matthews punctuated the half-line period by overpowering rookie tackle David Bakhtiari and combining with nose tackle B.J. Raji to drop running back Alex Green in the backfield.

 

On another half-line play, linebacker Robert Francois knifed through the line to blow up the play. Francois has been one of the drill’s star performers in this training camp.

 

Otherwise, Wednesday’s practice was of the cover-all-the-bases variety that would normally precede a game. continue

Pissed at the offensive line or the RBs.  Maybe both.  This was also from the half line drill I believe:  

@TyDunne

OL coach James Campen unhappy after this one...

https://vine.co/v/hezmhabI2eb

 I wonder if it has something to do with the combo blocks?  Didn't they screw those up a bunch vs the Rams?  Not sure if that drill works that aspect, but it would make sense if they dedicated time to fixing the problem and it keeps happening. 

edit: bonus points if anyone can figure out what Campen is screaming in the vine. Sounds weird.

"drive that (duece?), drive it!"

Sounds like the coaches riding their center on the combo.  Most likely EDS not finishing blocks.

I think I heard the "F" word at the end

“He’s come a long way and I’m proud of him,” said fellow TE Jermichael Finley, who spent time working out with Bostick in the offseason. “I call him ‘Little Finley'.”

Now we know Finley's real gift - it is coaching. 

And how often does he take out Little Finley to play? 

Too often?

http://www.balleralert.com/pro...-1st-child-says-wife

I like Bostick. He's as big as a house (not Devon).

Francois looks so much bigger this year. Plus he's physical. I hope he sees the field a lot this year.

I read a blurb from "another team's scout" not having a lot of good to say about Manning.  Not fast, not strong, not athletic, not instinctual...but he blitzes really well.

So, which of the six (SIX!) little Finleys does he take out to play? And his wife's pregnant? No wonder he's being so good in TC this year to try to score the big contract; he needs the money to pay the mothers... yikes.

Trade Finley for Antonio Cromartie.