Following a 6-10 record when they missed the play-offs again, Tom Coughlin exited stage right and offensive co-ordinator Ben McAdoo, who has done such good recent work with their own quarterback Eli Manning, stepped into the hotseat.
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His first full-fledged, in-pads practice of camp came last week, and although Nelson suited up for pregame warmups before each of the Packers’ final three exhibition games, he did not play in any. “The memory of the game and the atmosphere is one that will last for a very long time”.
While most teams limit their first-teamers time on the field in exhibition play, the Packers are among the clubs that go to the extreme. Jacksonville should have five new starters on defense, including three in secondary. They talk about how they try to deliver the bad news with dignity and respect, about how much they loathe what they consider to be the most hard part of their jobs. That threat makes it tougher for defenses to double cover on the outside. While he will likely have his reps limited, he still shows some good burst off the edge.
I was in the process of writing a pre-season preview about how Prescott could be interesting for Rookie of the Year at mammoth odds but Romo could not even get as far as the end of August before breaking a bone in his back against Seattle and Prescott now has at least two months to get himself established at much reduced odds in the market. Now, the line will start the year with new starters at two interior positions.
The former fourth round pick used to go up against those talented skill players on a daily basis in practice.
In the National Football League, coverage can only hold up for so long.
It’s about getting to the Super Bowl. If they have any weaknesses at all, it would just be injuries. First-round pick defensive tackle Kenny Clark is also expected to get significant playing time. He struggled there in the preseason. Depth on the defensive front will be thinned out because of the NFL’s four-game suspension of emerging third-year player Mike Pennel for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
While neither of these players are terrible at the position, they are average at best.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Packers and McCarthy announced they will each donate $100,000 to the organization. “Their wins will come in the AFC South”.
That could still happen, but Bortles’ biggest weakness is that he still has a tendency to turn the ball over. The results of last season certainly argue that point.
Which puts all the more focus on the Packers protecting themselves from, and fighting through, the heat. I could see them finishing 15-1 if things really go well.
Expect big things from the Jaguars defense in the future, just not in Week 1. Ivory has a minor injury that shouldn’t be a factor, but with the score potentially being run up very quickly, the run game will take a back seat in order to keep up with Rodgers and the Pack.
If the edge rushers win this matchup, Bortles could be forced into some turnovers. If the Packers get turnovers, they’ll have a short field for their offense. “It’s just going to be how the game flows”.
The crisis could ease once Pennel returns and the rookies get their feet wet, but there is no such potential bailout at inside linebacker.
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Every year at this time, coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson talk at length about how there is no worse day at 1265 Lombardi Avenue than cutdown day.
