2007 Packers

[Don Wassall]

It's deja vu as far as the Packers go. In '06 Green Bay had 9 white starters and 15 white players overall on the roster. Those numbers hold true again this year; and only one of the starters has changed from last season.


The bulk of the white players are found on the offensive line, which again has all white starters: RT Mark Tauscher, RG Jason Spitz, C Scott Wells, LG Darryn Colledge, and LT Chad Clifton. Colledge and Spitz both started as rookies in 2006, so their added experience should help give Brett Favre the time he needs to find tight ends and receivers who are of unproven quality and/or dubious quality after Donald Driver. After having "survived" the era of Bill Schroeder, who missed by just one yard of having back to back thousand yard receiving seasons but who was the most hated man in the NFL for some reason, the Packers seem to have instituted a total ban on white receivers and tight ends.


The heir apparent to Favre is former first round draft pick Aaron Rodgers, unless Rodgers becomes a free agent before Favre ends his all-time career, which this season should find him passing some of the most revered career passing marks in the sport. Rodgers looks to have what it takes to make his own mark when his time comes.


The Packers signed John Kuhn after he was waived by the Steelers. Kuhn, out of small college Shippensburg, was used by the Steelers as a backup fullback and, gasp, tailback! Yes, John Kuhn had two carries last year. It's not known if a huge fine was levied on the Steelers for their serious breach of Caste System rules.


Many fans are expecting big things out of the Packers defense in 2007, and Aaron Kampman and A. J. Hawk are two of the main reasons why.


After years of being labeled an "overachiever," Kampman exploded in 2006 with 15.5 sacks, second most in the NFL. Kampman had already been a top defensive end, as he may be the best tackler among ends and also a consistently excellent pass rusher. But the only time he was publicized prior to last season was usually in conjunction with how the Packers needed to "upgrade" i.e., replace him with an "afflete." But with Kampman, Aaron Schoebel, Jared Allen, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Justin Smith, Patrick Kerney, Aaron Smith, and maybe Brett Keisel, Matt Roth and others stepping up this season, whites are showing just how well they can play defensive end when given a fair opportunity.


A. J. Hawk moves very quickly all over the field from his outside linebacker spot. Although the drunk white fans were on him because he did not start off his rookie season exceptionally well, Hawk ended up with 112 solo tackles in 2006, the third best total in the entire league. Hawk is a near-certain superstar at his position for many years to come.


BYU grad Brady Poppinga does a solid job at the other outside LB spot.


The Packers don't have a single backup white player on defense.


NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 9


APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 15


GRADE: D+

 

[Guest]

As a Packer fan I'll give my two cents for the Eagles game. Thank you Andy "Caste Gimp" Reid for cutting Bloom. The white O-line was pushed around and rushed around by the D-line of Philly scheme or individual matchup problems I'm not sure. D-line looked good our boy Kampman let at least two good sacks thru his hands not good. A lineman by committe exists for everyone except Kampman which in some ways is good for him yet by the end of the third quarter the tackle was pushing him back (he still made tackles yet did not control the point of attack). Korey Hall competant with one takedown block of an exceptional affalete LB of Philly, affalete not happy. Favre still best player on team except for perhaps the new Iceman, Crosby the Effin kicker.

 

[Liverlips]

So far, the Packers are the whitest team in the NFL (as far as starters go). Unless the Pats are starting 9 again this year. Can anyone confirm that? I didn't see their game on Sunday v. the Jets.

 

[Guest]

Not white enough though, I will admit that they have good talent with their black players. If anyone wants to see how to run after the catch watch Driver he runs a clinic with his running. If their white O-line solidifies and they adjust the game plan to their strengths the Pack will be a force.

 

[Guest]

Kampman had a good game took advantage of the tight end when they put him up against him and beat the tackle quite a bit for some pressure and a sack and fumble. Line played well on pass protection no run production except for one good run by Grant. Korey Hall caught one pass then took one on the chin when Favre gave the safety or LB for the Vikes a free shot at Hall on a dump out. The LB corps for the Pack was put in some wierd alignments on the line which made great pressure but put Peterson behind them on two plays and the black corners and safeties played cowboy (poorly). Iceman Crosby great kicker but needs to keep head on a swivel got a shot from an "athlete" on a return.

 

[Guest]

My guess is that after getting toasted by Desmond Clark Brady Popinga is on the hot seat. He has the physical skills, but my guess is that he is doing too much thinking for his own good. Other than the butter fingers and the dead legged 2nd half run game the Pack should have wollaped the bears.

 

[backrow]

he did have an interception as well though, iirc

 

[Guest]

And he had the sense to fall on the ball and keep possesion, which few black players have. So I have mixed feelings on Brady, but since the coaching staff is not calling him out on this play (at least publicly)then maybe it was scheme and the safety goofed instead. And I'm mad at Hawk for a play on the line where he went down on his face to take out Benson and then Benson just went to the other hole and got a first down while Hawk counted grass blades. Good players not yet great players. But that goes for the whole team except Favre.

 

[celticdb15]

KOrey hall is getiing involved in the packrs offense more he already ahs 2 receptions.

 

[Guest]

That is about where it ended for him on offense they went away from two back sets till the 4th. He was in on some special teams action, but no highlight hits. The O scored 10 points it seems defenses have adjusted well to the short game leaving Favre to pull some Favres today, and the run game showing less than stellar results. Kampman on fire he was on his third offensive tackle today having sent the other two to the showers early. Cooley and Co. ate up the backers and the fans (boos) had seen enough of them chasing to catch up on coverage, but thankfully they adjusted and by the 4th quarter Cooley was somewhat contained. Honestly Hawk and Brady have a ways to go to play as well as Barnett, and they should be given as long as well since he was a 2003 first rounder given time to develop. Refs kind of stunk up the place with the non-call of Franks being pushed out of the end zone. Still a good day Pack wins Bears lose.

 

[Liverlips]

The Packers started 10 whites yesterday. Might be a season high unless the Pats started 10 at one point.

 

[backrow]

Pats started 5 whites on o-line, Brady, Welker and Evans plus Vrabel and Bruschi early in the season, i think.

 

[Guest]

They could start one more at safety as far as I'm concerned. Now given its hard to judge a safety by the TV coverage, but every pass play defended by a safety for the Pack I see some pretty poor technique. Is it really hard to find a 200-215lb athlete with a head for the ball? By no means am I a pass coverage expert but it seems that you cannot defend a 6+ foot tight end by being caught stretched out and flat footed.

 

[Guest]

Korey Hall had a nice write up in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel today 10-23-07.

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

here is a link to the above mentioned article. it is pretty good, but it unwaveringly points out that Korey is a "marginal" athlete...

Thumping special
Rookie Hall has made full impact
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Oct. 22, 2007
Green Bay - It might be a little much to ask the rookie fullback to deliver a tone-setter but Korey Hall has been equal to that task and many others during his surprising first season for the Green Bay Packers.

Two games ago, on the first play from scrimmage, Hall led through the line on the left side and deposited linebacking great Brian Urlacher of Chicago on his back side as DeShawn Wynn whizzed by for a 12-yard gain.

A week ago, Mike McCarthy opened with a play-action pass. Before he went out on his route, Hall checked through the middle and hit Anthony Montgomery so hard in the midsection that the Redskins nose tackle dropped to his knees.

"When I get excited like that I really start to focus more," Hall said. "Get my pads low and all that stuff. I'm definitely a real competitive guy. I was able to get in a couple good blocks."

When training camp started, Hall and rookie Ryan Powdrell, a 255-pound free agent from Southern California, looked almost even in a battle for the backup berth behind incumbent Brandon Miree.

But when Powdrell's bid never materialized and Miree was found lacking, the coaches weren't worried then and they're certainly not worried now about starting a rookie at fullback who hadn't played the position since his high school days in Glenns Ferry, Idaho (population 1,611).

Hall quickly gained the trust of the staff by almost never blowing an assignment. The football knack that led Hall to intercept a whopping 11 passes in three seasons as a starting linebacker at Boise State was evident in his seamless transition to fullback.

Later in that opening series against Washington, Hall was stuffed by linebacker Randall Godfrey on a draw play that went nowhere.

"As soon as he came off he immediately knew," said Edgar Bennett, who coaches the running backs. "He said, 'Coach, I was too high.' We speak the same language. This kid is so detailed. The kid is impressive."

Hall's grasp of the game is so keen that Bennett compares their conversations to those he once had with William Henderson.

That's significant, because Henderson started at fullback longer than any Packer in history. Given the job a week before the opener in 1996, Henderson basically held it for 11 years until he was cut in March.

Some scouts divide fullbacks into two categories: thumpers, and those who block more with their eyes.

Henderson, 6 feet 1 inch and 250 pounds, was a strapping physical specimen in his prime who could root out even the most rugged linebackers.

Hall, 6-0 and 234, isn't that type and probably never will be. Maybe, says offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, he might get to 240.

"But we do a lot of things to try and take that initial kind of contact off the fullback," Bennett said. "Korey isn't overly big but, shoot, he's probably tougher than most 250-pound fullbacks."

In fact, Bennett didn't hesitate before saying that the blocking by Hall has been better than what it was by Henderson and Miree last season.

"Korey's not a big, bruising guy but what the kid does well, he's aggressive out of his stance and attacks people," Bennett said. "That's what you love about him. The kid is always taking on guys down the middle, he's always going to accelerate his feet on contact and he finishes his blocks."

Hall has played 40.4% of the snaps on offense, has caught five of the six passes thrown his way and has been responsible for five "bad" runs.

His snap total of 159 is more than any of the five other running backs on the roster. He hasn't missed any time because of injury, but the four running backs all have been nicked.

Bennett was asked if Hall had performed better than any back on the roster.

"Through six games I would say yes," he said. "I would say he's been the most consistent week in and week out. Going into every game, there's not a doubt in my mind he's going to give us everything he has."

The position of fullback isn't included on the all-rookie team, but if it were Hall undoubtedly would be in strong contention. The other rookie starters have been Le'Ron McClain of Baltimore, Reagan Mauia of Miami and Deon Anderson of Dallas.

"I think it's almost a blessing in disguise for me to get drafted by Green Bay as a fullback and end up in the situation that I've been in," Hall said. "Coming out of Boise State, I thought I was a questionable guy making it in the league. I knew I could probably play special teams but as far as being big enough and fast enough to play linebacker, I didn't know."

Hall also has been good but not great as a core player on special teams.

Given Hall's track record of durability and will to succeed, it's entirely possible that he'll be available to the Packers for years to come. The question is, will they be satisfied with him as their long-term starter even though he's undersized?

"I hope that's the case," Bennett said. "That's very possible. I think production is the most important thing. He's physical, he's tough and he finishes, which is what you look for in a fullback."

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

also, here is a highlight video of Korey from his days at Boise State as an all-conference linebacker. the guy is just a natural, instinctive football player.

click here: -> Korey's highlight video

 

[Guest]

Thanks JC. One thing I noticed and maybe I'm wrong but it seems when he has the ball he is not running as fast as the video shows that he can run. He might be a little tight. I think if he shows the moves that he had on those interceptions he'll be the weapon.

 

[Liverlips]

The Pack started 10 whites again tonight. A Pats-Pack Super Bowl would be roughly half-white.

 

[Guest]

A. Peterson next up this Sunday, and since they lack a competant passing game I'm suggesting the old shadow trick with Brady Poppinga used in that fashion. But since football nowadays has to be complicated the Pack will probably be in some overly developed scheme that allows Peterson about 150yds. Pack still wins.

 

[Guest]

Maybe I was right about the shadow trick because the strong side LB Poppinga was in on alot of tackles of Peterson. Hall had a nice day blocking and one six yard reception with the LB's hands all over him. Kampman did a great job controlling the line on his side, but no sacks. Old Man Favre put the ball on target and he had plenty of time because of the all white O'line.

 

[Liverlips]

God bless the Packers. They have the most white starters - 10 -- in the NFL. The Pats started 10 for a while but now are back down to 9.

Dallas starts a pathetic 4 whites. America's Team indeed!

Tonight is a true caste matchup.

 

[Guest]

Defense never showed up especially the secondary in the first half.

 

[celticdb15]

Atari bigby packers starting strong safety, in my opinnion will be lucky to be in the league next year! He is not a smart player and for being a "black athlete" hes often out of place and commits dumb penalties1

 

[White Shogun]

What's your opinion of Al Harris? There is a lot of talk about him as a 'shut down, physical corner,' but he looked horrible last night. Half the time he was covering T.O. he had his back to him. There were a lot of blown coverages, or else Jason Garrett is the next Bill Belichek.

 

[celticdb15]

Well last night, not making any excuses for Al, i think he was just simply outplayed. He has been much of a shutdown corner this year but T.O. shred him up.