Name: J.D. Gold
Email: jdgold@idatasports.com
Date: Thu Oct 12 15:25:09 2006

Headline: Rams Edge Packers by a Little in Green Bay 23-20
Game MVP: Noah Herron
Offensive Player of the Game: Greg Jennings
Defensive Player of the Game: Patrick Dendy

Players of the Game Recap; Game MVP: Noah Herron 20 carries for 106 yards and 1 td, the first rushing td of the year. Offensive MVP: Greg Jennings 5 catches for 105 yards and 1 td Defensive MVP: Patrick Dendy - Wasn't burned for a TD or flagged for anything ridiculous taking over for A-mad. SUSAN B ANTHONY Gold Coin, Player of the Game: Marquand Manuel looks like the dress is on to tight around his hips limiting his swivel and making him appear to look stiff in pass coverage.

If football is a game of inches the Packers lost out literally by a Little, as in Leonard Little, to the Rams at Lambeau field Sunday 23-20. Not only did he end the comeback hopes of the Pack with a swipe of the ball from Favres' hand as he dropped back to pass in the final minute; he also sacked Favre on a busted 3rd and goal play in the first half forcing the Packers to kick a field goal.

QB: 2 1/2 GOLD BARS: Brett Favre was solid again Sunday in Green Bay. This is what slightly above average QB looks like in the NFL. Hitting everything one series and missing on the next. Green Bay fans have gotten accustomed to seeing Hall of Fame type QB play for the past 15 seasons. This lens of vision becomes skewed when Favre has the Pack at the prepuces of victory. One is lead to believe he is too old and washed up, seemingly unable to close the deal. Even Favre has questioned himself at times going 1-9 in 4th quarter comebacks since 2004. Yet watching the legend move the Pack down the field in the final series is why he still plays. Enjoy these types of performances Packer fans because they are not every Sunday occurrences around the NFL. Tune into games across the league on any given Sunday and watch 80% of NFL QB's blow these two-minute drills that Brett Favre so effortlessly takes us on almost every Sunday. Until circumstances dictate the Aaron Rodgers era can wait.

RB: 3 GOLD BARS: The Vernand Morency era didn't last long. On his fourth touch of the game - fumble, recovered by the Rams. On touch number six-fumble, recovered by the Packers this time. What seems as a good policy by Mike McCarthy if you fumble and you're not a former pro-bowler, you can take a seat. Exit Morencey. Enter Noah Herron. Not a stranger to the fumble his self early on this season Herron ran with gusto. He showed no hesitation hitting the open area and broke arm tackles along the defensive line all day. Being primarily a straight line runner with good power he showed he's a capable back-up. He did stumble and fall trying to set up a play going left as Favre rolled out to the right on a key 3rd and goal in the second quater allowing Leonard Little to make his first big play of the game sacking Favre. William Henderson played with some renewed enthusiasm .Not just getting in the way of would be tacklers, as has been his M.O. the past few years , but sticking his face in it like a fullback should.

WR/TE:3 GOLD BARS: Again Greg "Shake-N-Bake" Jennings gives Packer fans a glimpse each week of the havoc he will wreak on the NFL on a weekly basis as he physically matures in the league. Donald Driver had a few nice plays nothing special for him. Kudos to Donald Driver for playing with sore ribs Sunday. He had three catches, the first one not until the third quarter, but nothing special for him. Yet he is a primetime player strapping it on and leading the young Packer as a veteran should. Koren Robinson has showed an ability to get open on key plays. Ted Thompson at least on this one seems to have played the right cards with Robinson and his legal problems. It appears he will not miss any games this season. Bubba Franks played ok. He is still dropping balls he never dropped three seasons ago. The vaunted David Martin doesn't seem to get open as easily as in years past. Has anyone hung on with the Packers this long that has never done anything of mention?

OFF. LINE: 3 GOLD BARS: When this unit is executing the zone blocking scheme being employed by Jeff Jagodzinski they are able to move people off the line together in a direction versus doing this individually. But when the young Packer guards are left on there own they can be moved. When Rams defensive tackle Jamie Kennedy was able to lock up individually with Colledge, Spitz, Moll and Wells, he was tough to stop. Chad Clifton played a great game despite being hurt with a stinger late. Tough to say Tauscher had a bad game when he was shoving around Little most of the day. Even on the last play it's not like Little got by him. Little just made a great play. Scott Wells shows awareness at the line of scrimmage calling out his blocking assignments as the Packers have been alert in picking up would be blitzers.

DEF LINE: 2-1/2 GOLD BARS: This unit needs to be more consistent. They need to put 4 quarters of football together. In any given game so far this season it's the same deal. Great against the run one game but no pass rush. Next game great pass rush for a half gone the next. Tough run defense one half see ya the next. After Cullen Jenkins went down his replacement Colin Cole was shoved around all day by the Rams offensive lineman. KGB is run at continually and may not blow up a lot of run plays. But he also is not being buried at the point of attack allowing the LB's and DB's to clean up. Corey Williams looks good. Not getting moved on the snap and shedding o-lineman to make tackles. This is a trend the Pack hope will continue with KenDerick Allen out for the year and Cullen Jenkins out for a few games possibly. Ryan Pickett hustles for a nose tackle. Unlike other sumos in the league that if the play goes by them stand there and watch, Pickett gets downfield to be in position to make plays if needed. Mike Montgomery had a nice game in the d-line rotation making a nice play on the run at the goal line in the 2nd half and getting a sack along with KGB.

LINEBACKERS: 2-1/2 GOLD BARS: Nick Barnett had a very solid game with 8 solo tackles and 5 assist. He sliced through traffic all day to make plays. AJ Hawk dropped another easy interception in this one. He also looked slow on a few plays as Steven Jackson ran away from him twice going outside. He and Brady Popingga were again unable to shed there blocks quick enough every so often to make solo plays. The great thing with these three is there hustle and explosiveness. Has anyone noticed it appears the Packers defense gang tackles more then in the past few years? This is a product of team speed and linebackers who bring it against the run.

DEF. BACKS: 3 GOLD BARS: Even though Al Harris and Charles Woodson dropped easy INT's, plays playmakers need to make, at least they were in position to make the plays. Woodson again shows no pause in run support. In the first half shoving Jackson out at the 2 yard line saving a touchdown and late in the 4th quarter stopped Jackson again short of a crucial first down for the Rams. Al Harris has had better starts to his season then this year. Very up and down for him so far this season. Nick Collins simply had his best game of the year. Collins showed why people think he can be a special player. Demonstrating his ability to cover the slot receiver, stuff the run, and break up the deep ball. Now he needs to do these things every week like his ability suggest. Marquand Manuel plays great at the line of scrimmage making most of his team leading 9 tackles there. Pass coverage may not be his forte though. Hopefully this aspect of his game improves as the season moves forward. Patrick Dendy was a pleasant surprise as the nickel back. The question here is why wasn’t this move made earlier?

SPECIAL TEAMS: 2 GOLD BARS: Dave Raynors 45 yard field goal miss should not be viewed as an easy attempt. The rookie kicker needs to get a year of seasoning under his belt so he can get used to the conditions at Lambeau Field. Jon Ryan had one bad punt, a 35 yard line drive, yet still managed 48.8 a kick. Nothing going for Robinson in the return game as he managed only 20 yards per on 4 tries. Woodson looks as if he would get some blocking he may break one soon on punt returns. Coverage was tight on kick offs but as in the previous two games punt coverage looks shaky. This unit has to cover better or look for a punt return touchdown soon.

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