PACKERwatch

After being cut by the Packers days before, former Green Bay receiver Robert Ferguson signed with the Minnesota Vikings, joining other former Packers Darren Sharper and Ryan Longwell.  Ferguson was also rumored to be heavily considering his hometown Houston Texans, where he could play where he grew up and be coached by Mike Sherman, with whom he had a healthy relationship while both were in Green Bay.  However, after meeting with both teams, he signed with the Vikings, where he immediately became the team’s most experienced receiver.  He will definitely get more playing time with the Vikings than he would have with the Packers, as long as he can stay injury-free.

 FINAL SCORE:  PACKERS-48, JAGUARS-13 

Packers QB Brett Favre was frustrated last week after Green Bay’s 1st team offense failed to do much of anything against a tough Steelers defense.  That was not the case this week.  Favre and rookie James Jones connected twice for touchdowns, and Jones did his first Lambeau Leap.  Rookie back Brandon Jackson also scored.

 But the real star of Saturday night’s game was the Packers defense.  With two defensive touchdowns, the 1st team and the backups all thrived against an injury-weakened Seahawks offense.  At the strong safety position, where Marquand Manuel, Atari Bigby, and Marviel Underwood were competing for the starting job (Underwood has since been released), it was Bigby who shined.  Twice he sacked Seattle QB Seneca Wallace, the second time forcing a fumble which was returned for a touchdown.  Atari Bigby played respectably in coverage as well.  He didn’t make any big plays in coverage, but he didn’t give up any either.  Unless Marquand Manuel can step up, Bigby looks like he’ll be the starter for the Pack at Strong Safety.  The other major position battle occurring is that for the nickel corner position.  Patrick Dendy, Jarret Bush, and lone free-agent acquisition Frank Walker are in an intense competition to win the spot.  The Green Bay coaches have been continually changing the depth chart at this position.  As of now, Jarret Bush has taken over.

All in all, the Packers’ trouncing of the Seahawks is a definite improvement over last week’s narrow victory over the Steelers.  However, the Seahawks were without Matt Hasselbeck and two starting tackles in the 1st team offense, and this was not the same Seattle team that defeated the Chargers last weekend.  The Packers will face a sterner test against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night on national television (FOX, 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. Central).

Packers receiver Robert Ferguson was released today after 6 seasons with the Green Bay Packers (this year would have been his 7th).  Ferguson, who was drafted by Green Bay in 2001, never quite met expectations because he was constantly hampered by injuries.  The only season where he was active for every single game was the 2002 season.  For a while, rumors circulated that the Packers might trade Ferguson.  Apparently, no team showed enough interest to work toward a deal with the Packers.  With any luck, Ferguson will find another team and be able to resume his career without serious injuries.

 FINAL SCORE:        PACKERS: 13         STEELERS:  9 

The Packers started off the 2007 preseason on a high note, winning a low-scoring game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.  The two teams both boasted star QB’s, Brett Favre and the Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger, but neither stayed in the game long enough to make a difference.  Favre and Roethlisberger combined for fewer than 25 passing yards.

Instead, the game quickly became a defensive struggle.  The lone touchdowns came on throws from Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh’s Charlie Batch.  The Packers managed to get one more field goal than the Steelers (the 4-point margin of victory was a result of a missed extra point by the Steelers).

Packers fans have reason to be (cautiously) optimistic, as rookie Brandon Jackson overcame a slow start to get a respectable 57 yards on 16 carries (for an average of 3.6 yards per carry) against one of the league’s top run defenses.  Aaron Rodgers showed that he could lead the Packers by marching the offense down the field on a 71 yard drive that culminated in the winning touchdown.  Rookie receiver James Jones, who has impressed with his quickness and sure hands in training camps despite criticism of his mediocre 40-yard dash time.  And newly drafted kicker Mason Crosby (who is competing with Dave Rayner for the starting job) kicked a long 52-yard field goal.  All of these developments are things that the Packers can look to build upon.  Packers fans should be excited to see the Packers offense in action against a less powerful Seattle defense next week.

Pro Bowl receiver Donald Driver received a one-year contract extension that added about $11 million to his total salary.  According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, about $7 million will be added to the last year of his contract.  Driver’s agent, Jordan Woy, neither confirmed nor denied the monetary figures presented in the newspaper’s report, but said that Donald will now be “paid like the Pro Bowl receiver he is.”  Woy went on to say that “Andrew Brandt and Ted Thompson once again did a great job in ensuring that a player of Donald’s caliber is paid fairly.”

Andell Entertainment, a Hollywood Production Company that is currently working on a movie about the life of Vince Lombardi, supposedly based largely on the biography When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi and Jerry Kramer’s book Instant Replay.  The NFL and the Green Bay Packers are said to be having conversations with Andell Entertainment about the project.  The movie will apparently focus on the weeks leading up to the Ice Bowl.  Financing for the motion picture has not yet been finalized.

Andell Entertainment has mainly produced small, low-budget projects, but is moving on to bigger and better things, and is currently working with such big name stars as Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, Brad Pitt, Nicolas Cage, and Robert Redford on other projects.  Hopefully, this up-and-coming studio gives Packer fans and NFL fans an accurate and entertaining portrayal of Vince Lombardi.