Perhaps we can expect all three RB's activated. It might be a good idea to rotate them all and not aggravate the existing injury's to Eddie and James.
I would be surprised if they didn't activate all 3. Agreed.
IMO Harris won't see extensive snaps until he demonstrates he can handle pass protection. Not just blocking but seeing what Aaron and the O-line see pre-snap, the resulting line calls and QB adjustments, and finally execution. The Packers run so many combo run-pass plays (either a run or pass depending on what Rodgers sees right before the snap) that this is particularly challenging.
Pass offense contribution was a major reason why Starks was underutilized earlier in his career. And the fact that Lacy has mastered this as quickly as he has belies the cartoon-viewing, fast food devouring meme. Kid has worked his ass off at becoming a complete player.
I'm not saying Harris can't grow into this role, it's just that he hasn't had a lot of time in the system to learn and demonstrate all the aspects involved.
Originally Posted by cuqui:
IMO Harris won't see extensive snaps until he demonstrates he can handle pass protection. Not just blocking but seeing what Aaron and the O-line see pre-snap, the resulting line calls and QB adjustments, and finally execution. The Packers run so many combo run-pass plays (either a run or pass depending on what Rodgers sees right before the snap) that this is particularly challenging.
Pass offense contribution was a major reason why Starks was underutilized earlier in his career. And the fact that Lacy has mastered this as quickly as he has belies the cartoon-viewing, fast food devouring meme. Kid has worked his ass off at becoming a complete player.
I'm not saying Harris can't grow into this role, it's just that he hasn't had a lot of time in the system to learn and demonstrate all the aspects involved.
True. And Eddie has also improved in his pass catching abilities. I remember Eddie catching a shovel pass from AR with his left hand and getting some YAC to boot. Harris was kept because he has more "size" than the other undrafted RB's after cutdown. Perhaps this was because MM hoped that he would be better in pass pro in the future.
Originally Posted by cuqui:
Green Bay - The following is a summary of Packers coach Mike McCarthy's pre-practice press conference Thursday morning:
- (On road games after bye) We actually broke the season down into three divisions. We looked at it like the hero's journey. Three stages. First six games was the first stage, next six games was the second stage and last four are the third.
MM has been reading some Joseph Campbell.
Rob Demovsky ESPN Staff Writer
Rookie cornerback Damarious Randall was not practicing Thursday. Expect he will be added to the Packers injury report.
Not good news!:
God, karma, whatever rules the universe has decided that if we enjoy one player too much he will be taken from us. Expect Arod to suffer a catastrophic heart attack later this season.
don't even say that about AR! leave AR healthy please ole football gods.
As far as DR I expect "next man up"
Good point about Cobb: get him moving!
http://packersnotes.com/2015/10/cobb-must-be-moved/
Case in point is last week’s game against the Chargers. Take a look at Cobb’s biggest play (VIDEO). This came with 3 minutes left in the third quarter, and it was only the second time all day the former Kentucky star was put in motion prior to the snap. Coincidence? Hardly. Moving Cobb from left to right forced San Diego’s defenders to make adjustments on the fly. That often leads to confusion and/or mismatches – especially when young players are involved. In this particular case, rookie inside linebacker Denzel Perryman wound up in coverage, and he was predictably left in the dust. Had Cobb not been put in motion, he would’ve had to beat a probable double team by veteran cornerback Patrick Robinson and All-Pro safety Eric Weddle. Good luck with that.
Defensive coordinators aren’t stupid. After watching Cobb catch 20 passes for 245 yards and 4 TDs in the first three games, they’ve made adjustments. Now it’s time for coach Mike McCarthy, offensive coordinator Edgar Bennet and play caller Tom Clements to do the same. Putting Cobb in motion more often won’t be a panacea, but it’ll definitely help. He simply doesn’t have the size, strength or speed to beat quality corners and double teams on a consistent basis. Plus, he’s dealing with an injured shoulder.
Originally Posted by Boris:
A healthy BJ is always needed
Not always.
One man's opinion but Tom Silverstein at the JSO has been kicking ass this season. Good analyses several times each week.
Here, with DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller on tap, he looks at how the Packers' tackles have been doing v. elite pass rushers. Good stuff.
Left tackle David Bakhtiari and right tackles Bryan Bulaga and Don Barclay have been up against elite pass rushers on almost a weekly basis this season and they will be facing arguably their biggest challenge Sunday when they face Broncos linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller in a nationally televised game in Denver...
Of the top 27 leaders in sacks this season who aren't Packers, the offensive line has faced eight: Seattle's Michael Bennett (6.5), San Francisco's Aaron Lynch (5.0), Kansas City's Allen Bailey (4.5), St. Louis' Aaron Donald (4.5), San Diego's Jeremiah Attaochu (4.0), Kansas City's Justin Houston (4.0), Chicago's Pernell McPhee (4.0) and St. Louis' Robert Quinn (4.0).
Despite those opponents, the Packers have allowed just 11 sacks, tied for seventh fewest in the NFL and rank 16th in sacks per pass play. Barclay accounted for 4.5 of them in the three games he filled in after Bulaga suffered a knee injury heading into Week 2.
Bulaga hasn't given up a sack all year and while Bakhtiari has allowed 2.5 and committed three holding penalties, the protection has been mostly solid when the two have played together. Considering the opposition things could have been much worse...
In Ware and Miller, the Packers are facing two of the most talented pass rushers in the game. The two have combined for 7.5 sacks and their biggest impact might be the sacks of the players around them, who benefit from the one-on-ones they pair help provide.
The Broncos lead the league in sacks (26) and sacks per pass play. Over their last three games, the Broncos have 15 sacks.
MORE!
We need more articles & media hype about the Broncos pass rush & how the Packer O-Line can't block them.
MORE!!
@WesHod: Enjoyed this from Dom Capers, 65, on Wade Phillips, 68, yesterday: "Hes been in the league longer than me. I feel like a youngster".
Here's an article on Peppers and his continued climb up the sack-charts
playing fewer snaps, but still getting after the passer
http://www.jsonline.com/sports...742z1-338614741.html
Kinda crazy to think that GB has enough depth at OLB that they can play Peppers less and Matthews a lot less and still produce the sack numbers they've delivered so far
Peppers is inching into the top ten all time in sacks -and he and Demarcus Ware are a 1/2 sack apart going into the Denver game. Who gets more on Sunday night ?
http://www.pro-football-refere...ers/sacks_career.htm
| Richard Dent+ | 137.5 | |||
| 9. | Jared Allen (33) | 135.0 | ||
| 10. | John Abraham (37) | 133.5 | ||
| 11. | Lawrence Taylor+ | 132.5 | ||
| Leslie O'Neal | 132.5 | |||
| 13. | DeMarcus Ware (33) | 131.5 | ||
| 14. | Julius Peppers (35) | 131.0 |
I think that AR will do well if the WR's can get open. I don't worry about their pass rush because he can move around. But with blanket coverage its hard to get receptions from our current batch of receivers leading to possible coverage sacks. I expect a decent run game on our part and, as mentioned, motions from Cobb to get open. At Mile High it could also turn on the kickers to help. My hope is that Payton gets flustered enough to throw some flutter balls and we pick up some interceptions. I really hope Randall gets over his bad ankle and Burnett is not too rusty.
McCarthy: Randall rolled an ankle
Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy spoke briefly with the media Friday morning as the team continued preparations for Sunday night's game against the Denver Broncos. Here are some highlights of his remarks.
On rookie cornerback Damarious Randall’s health status:
Damarious Randall rolled his ankle, so he’s being treated. He’ll hopefully practice tomorrow.
On running back James Starks’ recovery from a hip injury:
James looked good. I came straight to here from the training room for our Friday meeting, and so far, so good. I hope he plays.
On how safety Morgan Burnett’s return helps communication:
Communication is the key. It’s one of the most important aspects of game day operations. Morgan is one of the key players right in the middle of it, so it’ll be great for him to be out there.
On how the secondary has handled Burnett’s absence:
Very impressed. I think Micah (Hyde) has really stepped up, and Ha Ha (Clinton-Dix) is playing his best football as a Green Bay Packer.
On whether it’s shocking for five NFL teams to still be undefeated:
Shocking? I don’t think anything’s really shocking about the game of football. I think those teams have just hit the mark.
On the Packers' travel plans for Denver:
We’re going to travel a little earlier tomorrow.
On whether Sunday’s game can be a gauge to measure the team:
It’s not about tests. It’s not about gauges. It’s about winning your seventh game. We’ve got a chance to step away and really look at this as the second part of our season, and this is a tremendous stretch for us. This is going to be a heck of a game, so I think our guys are generally excited to put in the preparation and make sure we’re ready to go.
PackersNews has an interview today with a beat writer from the Broncos:
How will the defense try to stop Aaron Rodgers ?
TR: “It will be interesting if they ‘spy’ him because they have the talent to do that. The pass rush is key to everything this year, so it’s getting to him but also keeping him from getting outside the pocket. They haven’t had that challenge this year…when they rush a guy, they get interceptions, turnovers. With Rodgers, he’s more dangerous sometimes out of the pocket."
This is what I was babbling about yesterday in the difference between how defenses play Rodgers vs Brady.
They changed Perry's injury to Shoulder/Hand. It had been a shoulder prior to that. Wonder wtf he did now
It was listed as shoulder/hand on Wednesday.
He should probably try to keep his hand at the other end of his arm.
Originally Posted by Satori:
How will the defense try to stop Aaron Rodgers ?
TR: “It will be interesting if they ‘spy’ him because they have the talent to do that. The pass rush is key to everything this year, so it’s getting to him but also keeping him from getting outside the pocket. They haven’t had that challenge this year…when they rush a guy, they get interceptions, turnovers. With Rodgers, he’s more dangerous sometimes out of the pocket."
Does a spy work when Rodgers is only running to pass? Doesn't that simply leave a receiver more open? I'm not sure I see the wisdom in that strategy.
Just posted on packers.com:
Packers announce injury updates Saturday
Packers CB Damarious Randall
(ankle) and DT B.J. Raji
Packers WR Ty Montgomery
Important for Raji to stay healthy the rest of the way