Preseason Game 3 - Packers @ Broncos - 8PM CDT - 8/22/08

[aaprigs311]

GREEN BAY (0-2) at DENVER (1-1)
Friday, Aug. 22 | INVESCO Field at Mile High | 8 p.m. CDT

-WTMJ's Jessie Garcia serves as the sideline reporter and WFRV's Larry McCarren joins the crew for pre-game segments. In addition to WFRV-TV (Green Bay) and WTMJ-TV (Milwaukee), the games are televised over WKOW/ABC, Madison, Wis.; WAOW/ABC, Wausau/Rhinelander, Wis.; WXOW/ABC, La Crosse, Wis.; WQOW/ABC, Eau Claire; WYOW/ABC, Eagle River, Wis.; WJMN/CBS, Marquette, Mich.; and KQDS-TV/FOX, Duluth, Minn.




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THIS WEEK'S GOAL: GET HEALTHY

-The Packers played Saturday night without four key starters - Jennings and Ryan Grant on offense and Ryan Pickett and A.J. Hawk on defense.

-Also, the team was without a number of key backups, as eight other players did not dress. While it was an improvement over the first preseason game (seven starters out), the team must get back to practicing and playing at full strength.

-Of the four starters missing in action Saturday night, Grant and Jennings are the most likely to see action Friday in Denver. Grant has been bothered by a hamstring injury, while Jennings has been troubled by a knee injury. Jennings (12 TDs) and Grant (8) finished Nos. 1 and 2 last season in touchdowns for Green Bay last season, so their importance to the first-unit offense is obvious.

-Hawk suffered a chest injury against the Bengals in the preseason opener, while Pickett has spent all of camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list with a hamstring issue. Their status for Friday will be determined closer to game time.

-A number of other players on the Green Bay roster would be welcome additions back on the field, especially for the defense. LB Desmond Bishop (Achilles) and S Charlie Peprah (hamstring) have missed both preseason games, while the offense could be bolstered by the return of TE Tory Humphrey (Achilles), WR Ruvell Martin (slight concussion) and RB DeShawn Wynn (ankle).

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-Green Bay travels to the mile-high city for a preseason contest against the Denver Broncos Friday night, its third preseason game in 12 days.

-The Packers come into their third exhibition contest with plenty to prove. The team struggled in all three phases against the 49ers Saturday night, a 34-6 defeat, and have just three practices this week to get things turned around.

-The Packers now stand at 0-2 for the first time in the preseason since 1993. But, it's also worth noting that preseason records do not stand for much. The Indianapolis Colts have lost 14 of their last 17 preseason contests, yet have rebounded after a slow start to win the AFC South title each time, as well as Super Bowl XLI.

-As is customary around the NFL, projected regular-season starters are expected to see their most action of the preseason in Week 3.

-Both units have seen multiple starters miss time due to injury this preseason, but will look to establish some momentum heading into the season opener Sept. 8.

[MickeyDavis]

The third preseason game is typically the most like a regular season game. Starters play about 3/4 of the game. This should be decent guage of where the team is.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

As much as I hated the Favre controversy, it gave us something to talk about. Packers preseason game and it is only 1 post!

Any word on who is in and who is out?

[randy84]

Sounds like Jennings is going to play.

Hopefully, he won't have the same problem catching the ball that the other receivers have.

[MadCityBucky]

Hopefully the offense clicks, and everyone stays healthy.

[LUKE23]

Jennings is in.

Hawk, Pickett, Grant are out.

[MickeyDavis]

Looks like everyone on offense plays except Wells. Hawks injury is a concern, it's possible he's not ready in two weeks.

[bigkurty]

Well thats a nice start

[Flames24Rulz]

I think it's pretty obvious how important Pickett and Hawk are to our defense.

[MickeyDavis]

Offense looks good although we'll need a running game once the season starts for real.

[aaprigs311]

Pretty happy with the offense. With a run game we probably would have put some more points on the board. Very worried about the run-d though. Denver tried exploiting us off the edges, but I'm more worried about up the middle. Pickett will obviously be a boost, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to go out and sign a run stuffer. I was yet again impressed by Rouse. The dude is a straight up ball hawk. He's all over the place. Collins has had a great camp and Bigby has been Bigby, so I just don't see him getting time unless of a major injury. Overall, I'm pleased.

[paulpressey25]

The D-line/Front 7 appear to be a mess. That is really concerning. This is nothing like last preseason when the front line was suffocating.

I think A-Rod will be the least of our problems. He looked outstanding.

[LUKE23]

Hard to get a good gauge on the D with Pickett and Hawk out, both those guys are extremely important to our scheme. It also doesn't help that KGB, one of our only pure pass rushers, is out.

[xTitan]

Well the run stuffing and pash rush were terrible but missed routine tackles by Barnett on a 7th round drafted rookie would have stopped the 99 yard drive and made it a 3 and out. Chillar also missed a tackle on the QB I believe, that would have stopped them well short of 4th and 1, which also resulted in points. The running games also has alot to be desired, wished Grant would have got some carries, he needs to get hit before opening night, I really like Lumpkin, has the look of a very good NFL back, powerful and quick for his size, has been very good at the 1 cut and go style the Packers seem to like. The passing game looked great, Rodgers thew incredibly hard and accurate, gave his receivers opportunities to run as soon as they caught the ball, pass protection was much better with the exception of 1 play each by Tauscher and Colledge, Jones drop was really big, it stopped the TD drive.

[Bernman]

Brief thoughts about last night's game:

In Rod we trust

Greg Jennings is to NFL receivers as Ken Jennings was to Jeopardy

Brian Bum

Chillar will be no pillar of this defense

Aaron Rouse arouses me...should be game over for Atari Bigby or Nick Collins.

Lumpkin is as tasty as the lumps in cream of wheat

Pat Lee will be no patsy....just not yet.


Just because Ted Thompson overall has done an excellent job as GM doesn't mean he should be completely immune to criticism. It's pointless to maintain THAT much cap space when the team has glaring needs on the defensive line, at nickel corner, and backup cornerback. As if we sign a couple 2-3 vets to 1-2 year contracts and next offseason we'll have a plethora of cap casualties in order to re-sign our young players. A mix of veterans and youth is the best strategy.

[El Duderino]

If Pickett suffers any sort of injury this year where he misses a chunk of games, teams are going to run wild on us right up the gut. The defensive line as a whole is my biggest concern. I just highly question if Jenkins can provide needed pass rush at end on early downs where teams pass instead of run and with Williams gone, we have zero inside rushers for those early downs where teams pass.

Rodgers better stay healthy, Brohm has looked miserable

As others noted, Lumpkins is yet another quality RB on the roster, i sure hope he's kept because someone will claim him if he's waived.

[TheGhostDog]

Brief thoughts about last night's game:

In Rod we trust

Greg Jennings is to NFL receivers as Ken Jennings was to Jeopardy

Brian Bum

Chillar will be no pillar of this defense

Aaron Rouse arouses me...should be game over for Atari Bigby or Nick Collins.

Lumpkin is as tasty as the lumps in cream of wheat

Pat Lee will be no patsy....just not yet.


Just because Ted Thompson overall has done an excellent job as GM doesn't mean he should be completely immune to criticism. It's pointless to maintain THAT much cap space when the team has glaring needs on the defensive line, at nickel corner, and backup cornerback. As if we sign a couple 2-3 vets to 1-2 year contracts and next offseason we'll have a plethora of cap casualties in order to re-sign our young players. A mix of veterans and youth is the best strategy.

I agree with everything you said... but I feel sort of creepy for having read it - it sounds disturbingly like Larry King. Just throw in a hyphen on the "Aaron Rouse a-rouses me" and I'd say you're ready for your suspenders.