|
|
Sport Sections |
|
|
| | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Thursday, August 31 By Bob McGinn Pro Football Weekly | ||||||||||||||||||||
Training camp couldn't have gone much worse than it did for Mike Sherman, the rather anonymous new head coach of the Green Bay Packers.
Quarterbacks: Favre began training camp hoping to erase memories of a season in which he ranked a shocking 25th in passer rating at 74.7. He ended it just hoping that his "tennis elbow" would permit him to function on opening day. Tom Rossley, the new offensive coordinator, has junked the shotgun. He has impressed upon Favre the importance of staying with the progression-read concept of the offense. Rossley has also worked hard to improve Favre's mechanics. Favre can beat any opponent any day because of his remarkable grit and play-making ability. He just can't take as many chances with the ball. Matt Hasselbeck had a great training camp and is one of the better backups in the NFL. Wolf says he wouldn't accept anything less than a No. 1 pick in a trade. With Aaron Brooks traded to New Orleans for a No. 3 pick, Danny Wuerffel will probably stick as the third-stringer. Grade: A Running backs: Levens had so much pain in his left knee that he insisted doctors scope him. They found inflamed scar tissue and removed it in a 15-minute procedure. Levens is a 230-pound back with well-above-average speed, superb hands and more-than-adequate blocking ability. Whether he'll be ready for the opener remains in question. The Packers were pleased as punch to have former Seahawk Ahman Green in reserve. However, Green suffered damage to the medial collateral ligament in his right knee vs. Denver, and he might not be ready for the opener either. Green can fly, and his run vision has been better than advertised. FB William Henderson is a solid blocker and receiver, but he is a virtual non-factor as a rusher. Rookie RB Rondell Mealey looked to be a keeper until he blew out his knee late in the preseason opener. Grade: B
Grade: B+ Offensive linemen: This is one of the two strongest units on the roster. Everyone is back from last year, including position coach Larry Beightol. Late in camp, veteran C Frank Winters was still ahead of Mike Flanagan, although Beightol has referred to Flanagan as the team's sixth-best lineman. ORT Earl Dotson sat out the first four weeks of camp after his post-operative back flared up. Even though Dotson is probably the unit's top player, the offense functioned just fine in his absence with rookie Mark Tauscher at right tackle. Beightol calls Tauscher, a seventh-round pick from Wisconsin, the biggest surprise he's had in 16 years of coaching NFL lines. ORG Marco Rivera isn't the most graceful athlete, but the Packers maintain he has become a competent starter. Rivera held off a trio of solid backup guards in camp -- Joe Andruzzi, Craig Heimburger and Raleigh McKenzie. The move of Ross Verba from left tackle to left guard went off without a major hitch. Less impressive was the play of Mike Wahle, the new starter at left tackle. Rookie Chad Clifton was expected to challenged Wahle, but that hasn't materialized. Grade: B+ Defense Defensive linemen: This was a major question mark late in camp because no one really had stepped up. DE Vonnie Holliday hasn't played to his '98 rookie level, partly because of Reggie White's absence. Another player looking to bounce back from an off year is DT Santana Dotson. He's healthy now, but the Packers absolutely, positively need him to make more plays than he has. The "elephant" end in Donatell's scheme was John Thierry for much of camp, but he practices better than he plays. On passing downs, the Packers plan to use Thierry at one end and former Bronco David Bowens or rookie Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila at the other. Bowens might be too small to hold up on early downs, but for much of camp he was the team's best pass rusher. Gbaja-Biamila gives great effort. Russell Maryland probably will split time at nose tackle with Steve Warren, a rookie who can be disruptive. The Packers moved Billy Lyon from tackle to end and Cletidus Hunt from end to tackle. Grade: C- Linebackers: The Packers began camp as the only team in the NFL with three original free agents as starters: strong-side LB Anthony Harris, MLB Bernardo Harris and weak-side LB Jude Waddy. Anthony Harris lost his job quickly to Na'il Diggs, the Ohio State rookie who can run and cover but is often soft at the point of attack. Bernardo Harris has nice size and good speed, can play the pass or run and should flourish in a one-gap system. Weak-side LB Brian Williams, who had his finest season in '99, isn't expected back until September because of surgery last November for a torn patellar tendon. Waddy, who bulked up 12 pounds to 230 without losing much speed, lost his job to Nate Wayne, acquired from the Broncos for a fifth-round draft choice. Not only is he familiar with Donatell's scheme, but scouts say Wayne is more instinctive than Waddy, who had trouble thinking on his feet. Former Rams MLB Mike Morton is the top reserve. Grade: D- Defensive backs: Donatell will use an eight-man front with either SS LeRoy Butler or FS Darren Sharper at the line of scrimmage on early downs. That will put pressure on CBs Tyrone Williams and Mike McKenzie to hold up in extensive man-to-man coverage. Butler reported in excellent shape and had an injury-free camp. Sharper made more plays on the ball in camp than anyone else, but he has always played better in the preseason than the regular season. The Packers need Butler to regain his playmaking form and Sharper to turn his potential into production. McKenzie is a tough, physical, competitive corner with a bright future. Williams generally plays his way into shape in camp. He isn't much of a hitter, but he can play bump and run without having to cheat. Tod McBride won the No. 3 CB job. He is a physical specimen with outstanding speed. Second-year man Antuan Edwards is the nickel back. Grade: B- Special teams Sherman has placed tremendous emphasis here. Zealous assistant Frank Novak replaced Steve Ortmayer and has impressed just about everyone with his non-stop enthusiasm. PK Ryan Longwell doesn't own a powerful leg, but he ranks among the top 10-12 kickers in accuracy. Josh Bidwell, back from a bout with testicular cancer, had a better camp than in '99. LS Rob Davis is excellent. The return game is in a state of flux. Green was to return kickoffs, and Sharper was handed the punt-return job when rookie Joey Jamison, a fifth-round pick, was so bad that Wolf waived him two days after the exhibition opener. Grade: C- 
Material from Pro Football Weekly.Visit their website at http://www.profootballweekly.com |
ALSO SEE
Things are looking up in ChicagoBucs ready to Bowl over competition For Lions, it's Batch or bust Vikes roll the dice with Daunte | |||||||||||||||||||
Brett Favre's right elbow is feeling better.