|
Packers release Ingle Martin
2007-08-24 23:03:00 If there was one surprise among the 11 players released by the Green Bay Packers on Friday, it was quarterback Ingle Martin.Martin had a largely forgettable preseason. In the exhibition opener at Pittsburgh, he had leave after one series due to a minor injury. Then on Thursday's game against the Jaguars, Martin threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown in the last minute of the game with the Packers only down by one point.The Packers have decided to go with Paul Thompson as their third quarterback, at least for the time being. It is unknown whether the Packers will keep three quarterbacks on their 53 man roster or put Thompson on the practice squad to develop him. It's also possible that the Packers may raid a quarterback from the waiver wire once final cuts are made around the NFL.The other cuts were center C.J. Blomvall, wide receiver Carlton Brewster, fullback Erryn Cobb, punter Ryan Dougherty, defensive end DeVon Hicks, cornerback Antonio Malone, guard Pat Murray...
Might the Packers keep only 2 quartebacks?
2007-08-22 17:57:00 Here's a novel idea."Given how badly quarterbacks Ingle Martin and Paul Thompson played during Tuesday's practice, maybe Ted Thompson should consider keeping only two quarterbacks to use the extra roster spot for a position with legitimate depth," offers Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.It's not such a bad idea given the there will be some positions where it will be hard to make some cuts.And there's always the risk. What if both Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers both get hurt like they did against the New England Patriots last year?If they decide to keep two quarterbacks, then it's a near certainty that they would keep an extra quarterback on the practice squad. That would probably be Paul Thompson seeing as he's a rookie.Of course, he can only play if he would be elevated to the 53 man roster. In an emergency situation, Carlyle Holiday would probably have to play quarterback for the Packers.As Demovsky notes, "Sure, it's a risky proposition given that the Packers los...
Position analysis: Quarterbacks
2007-08-17 17:31:00 Railbird Central will be doing a position by position analysis every day for the next nine days in the lead up to roster cutdowns. After seeing these players for the first three weeks of training camp or so, we now have a bit of an idea what the players are capable of doing. We'll examine what they offer to the team as well as their chances of making the 53 man roster. Today we'll start with the quarterbacks:Brett Favre - What more can be said of Brett Favre than what's already been said? He's a Super Bowl winning quarterback and the league's only three time MVP. His downside is that he's always thrown more interceptions than anyone would prefer, but the Packers have always been willing to take that chance due to his "home run hitting" capability. The biggest news is that head coach Mike McCarthy wants him to tone things down and work within the offense. It remains to be seen whether that's possible with the wild stallion that is Brett Favre.Aaron Rodgers - Rodgers is having ...
Thompson sees increased snaps
2007-08-14 17:03:00 Green Bay Packers quarterback Paul Thompson is seeing an increased amount of snaps this week at training camp in preparation of his being the team's third string quarterback for the Saturday preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks.Thompson is a rookie out of Oklahoma and is engaged in a battle with incumbent No. 3 quarterback Ingle Martin for the third spot on the roster."I think he's scheduled to play this week a certain number of snaps, so we're looking forward to it," general manager Ted Thompson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "We're looking forward to seeing him under the lights, knowing that he's going in and being part of the thing. He looks pretty good out there. He's got a calmness about him, and I think he's got a confidence and an air about him, and I think a quarterback needs that."As for former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson, he's pulling out of the race for United States President after a poor showing in polls in Iowa.Welcome to the Railbird feed. E...
A quick peek at the stats
2007-08-12 23:23:00 Courtesy of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, the statistical leaders from last night's Packers vs. Steelers preseason game:Passing: Aaron Rodgers 18-27-168-1, Ingle Martin 1-2-8-0, Brett Favre 2-7-7-0. Team 21-36-182-1.Rushing: Brandon Jackson 16-57, Corey White 8-22, Noah Herron 4-20. Team 31-124. Receiving: James Jones 6-58, Ruvell Martin 3-45, Shaun Bodiford 2-26.Welcome to the Railbird feed. Eat up.
Martin and Underwood hurt
2007-08-12 23:20:00 The Green Bay Packers did not escape the first preseason game unscathed, but the severity of the injuries in not known."The only injuries listed by (head coach Mike) McCarthy were suffered by safety Marviel Underwood (hamstring) and quarterback Ingle Martin (blow to the head)," reports Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.Nothing stuck out last night to say that these are serious injuries, but precaution is definitely needed concerning a blow to the head. Everyone is well aware of the dangers of concussions now.Welcome to the Railbird feed. Eat up.
Favre to play little Saturday, Thompson not at all
2007-08-10 19:27:00 Green Bay Packers star quarterback Brett Favre will start his team's first preseason game on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he reportedly won't see much action.According to the Associated Press, "(Packers head coach Mike) McCarthy recognizes that Favre needs to establish chemistry with younger players such as second-round running back Brandon Jackson and third-round receiver James Jones, but he doesn't want the three-time MVP to go overboard.""McCarthy said he anticipates the starters will play about 12 to 15 snaps Saturday, though some veterans could play less, including QB Brett Favre," writes Tom Pelissero of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "McCarthy said he wants to get backup Aaron Rodgers some action with the starters."I applaud McCarthy if he, indeed, prevents Favre from playing much on Saturday. During the first preseason game, Favre and the rest of the team's potential Pro Bowl players should barely play. They should, indeed, dress up and start and play a fe...
Thompson climbs ladder
2007-08-08 02:22:00 Ingle Martin's job could be in jeopardy. Last year's No. 3 quarterback is being pushed by undrafted rookie Paul Thompson (pictured)."Rookie Paul Thompson, splitting time with Ingle Martin as the second-team quarterback, made up for a fumbled snap on his first play by delivering a beautiful touchdown throw to Chris Francies," reports Tom Pelissero of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "Frank Walker had blanket coverage on Francies, but Thompson fit the pass through a tiny window. He also had a nice touch pass to Donald Lee on a first-and-goal inside the 5-yard line."It's hard to say whether Thompson has actually pulled even with Martin, or Pelissero is merely noting that the two are simply both playing a backup role to Aaron Rodgers on a morning that Brett Favre is excused from practice.A check of the team's depth chart at the Packers' official website still has Martin on top, but maybe not for long.Thompson has more agility than any quarterback on the roster, and that could be valuab...
Quarterbacks continue blistering pace
2007-08-08 01:57:00 The recap of Monday's practice included the praise of Brett Favre and his quarterback company for their general overall performance and their high completion rate.The Packers were without Favre on Tuesday morning, but his backups picked up right where they left off."Rodgers 16-for-20; Martin 4-for-4; Thompson 3-for-3" are the stats tallied by the Green Bay Press-Gazette.Regular season statistics like those are probable cause for the Pro Bowl.
Favre's confidence shines through
2007-08-07 15:59:00 Any Green Bay Packers fan has to be encouraged by the early performance of Brett Favre, in particular, during training camp, and with the quarterbacks in general. Take Monday's practice for instance.According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, "Your passing stats (7-on-7 in parentheses): Brett Favre 22-for-29 (6-for-10); Rodgers 6-for-7 (12-for-21); Ingle Martin 5-for-7, INT (1-for-2); and Paul Thompson 1-for-1 (1-for-1)."Can Favre possibly do any better? The high completion percentage is outstanding if you consider both Monday's practice and this past Saturday's scrimmage.This is an especially good sign considering Favre's low completion rate of 55% during the 2006 regular season.
Packers pipe in crowd noise
2007-08-01 15:19:00 Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is already game planning for a couple loud stadiums the Packers will be playing at this season."During a scripted team drill in the morning, loudspeakers placed on the field were blaring artificial crowd noise, forcing the quarterbacks to use hand gestures in some instances to relay signals to the receivers," reports Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.McCarthy made reference to six back to back road games this season, and the team getting used to the silent count as reasons for the artificial crowd noise."It had little impact on quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Ingle Martin and Paul Thompson, who were a combined 18-for-26 over two periods," reports the Green Bay Press-Gazette's Tom Pelissero.
Wide receivers stick out
2007-07-31 14:36:00 According to reports, Green Bay Packer wide receivers made some of the nicest plays of the day during Monday's training camp practices. Here are some of the highlights according to Tom Pelissero of the Green Bay Press-Gazette:Wide receiver Carlton Brewster caught a fade pass over cornerback Patrick Dendy on third-and-goal from the 8. The TD pass came from quarterback Ingle Martin.In a one-on-one receiver-vs.-defensive back drill, Ruvell Martin caught two long passes that would have gone for TDs. He beat cornerback Frank Walker, then safety Marquand Manuel. In the same drill, (James) Jones ran a crisp route, came back for the ball and made a tough catch in tight coverage.(Robert) Ferguson had a nifty, leaping grab over Will Blackmon in the end zone that curiously drew congratulations from defenders on the sideline.
Ferguson surprises
2007-07-29 16:06:00 Green Bay Packers fans probably weren't expecting much from wide receiver Robert Ferguson who sat a majority of last season out with an injury.There's even a subsection of fans who probably don't want to see Ferguson succeed. Pretty much a career underachiever, Ferguson could be taking the roster spot of younger players with potential.But Ferguson got off to a good start at the team's first training camp practice on Saturday."Ferguson, who missed 12 games last season because of a mid-foot sprain, beat Patrick Dendy down the right sideline for a long completion from Brett Favre, then galloped into the end zone," reports Tom Pelissero of the Green Bay Press-Gazette."Ferguson, a disappointment since signing a five-year, $13 million deal before the 2004 season, also made a nifty catch on a pass from Ingle Martin, and he bounced up quickly after safety Atari Bigby accidentally knocked him to the ground after a completion over the middle," continues Pelissero.Packer fans can only hope...
Random boners
2007-07-29 16:01:00 There were plenty of mistakes and lapses in concentration at the first training camp practice for the Green Bay Packers. Among the most obvious according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette's Tom Pelissero:CB Will Blackmon had a chance for the day's only interception, but Ingle Martin's errant pass bounced off his chest.Shaun Bodiford looked about as bad as any pro receiver possibly could while trying to adjust to an Aaron Rodgers pass during 7-on-7. S Marquand Manuel appeared to be at fault for a coverage breakdown that left WR Robert Ferguson wide open down the right sideline during the special-category period. QB Brett Favre underthrew Ferguson so badly, though, that Ferguson had no chance to come back and make the catch.In addition to (running back Brandon) Jackson's two drops in team periods, rookie TE Clark Harris dropped a pass down the seam; RB Vernand Morency fumbled; and Charlie Peprah stripped WR Carlton Brewster after a catch.Perhaps most surprisingly, Bodiford didn't ev...
You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here
2007-07-26 15:21:00 Linebacker Ben Taylor and quarterback Todd Bouman are the last of Green Bay's unrestrictive free agents to sign a contract, and apparently they won't with Packers."According to (Packers general manager Ted) Thompson, the Packers have no plans now to bring back either player," reports Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.It's amazing how far Taylor has fallen. Last year when the Packers signed him, it was thought he might compete for a starting job at strong side linebacker.It's understandable the Packers won't bring back Bouman. They have younger, capable players to develop at the position in Aaron Rodgers, Ingle Martin and Paul Thompson.
Favre receives criticism
2007-07-16 16:02:00 In the days leading up to the start of NFL training camps around the country, many websites are ranking position units around the league and Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre is receiving a lot of criticism.Fox Sports ranks the Packers as the NFL's 16th best quarterback unit in the NFL including backups Aaron Rodgers, Ingle Martin and Paul Thompson. However, writer Mike Tanier seems to be a little uninformed on one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.According to Tanier, "You know when you are over the hill: it's when your mind makes a promise that your body can't fill. Favre sees the coverage converging, thinks back to 1996, and truly believes he can rifle the ball to his receiver before the safeties arrive. Unfortunately, his release is a bit slower and his fastball a few degrees cooler, so 1990s touchdowns have become new millennium interceptions."It's hard to gauge whether Tanier has actually watched the Packers lately. Are his opinions based purely upon conjectu...
Martin loses 10 pounds this offseason
2007-07-11 16:50:00 Green Bay Packers quarterback Ingle Martin has lost 10 pounds this past offseason in preparation of the upcoming NFL season."Martin said the Packers think he moves better a little lighter," reports Paul Kuharsky of the Tennessean."I don't know what I could have done more," Martin told the newspaper. "I've got a lot of room for improvement still. ? The difference between myself last year at this time and this year at this time, I don't think you can compare it. I'm so much more prepared, so much more comfortable."Click the link to find out more about Martin's offseason.
Packers release Babb
2007-06-23 15:37:00 The Green Bay Packers released quarterback Jerry Babb (pictured) on Friday, an undrafted free agent rookie from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.Despite the fact that the move leaves the Packers with only four quarterbacks heading into training camp, the move was not exactly a burden for the team. Babb had more collegiate interceptions than touchdowns while playing for the Cajuns.The Packers should have sufficient depth at quarterback barring any injuries. Behind starter Brett Favre are former first round pick Aaron Rodgers, last year's number three quarterback Ingle Martin, and newly signed undrafted free agent rookie Paul Thompson of Oklahoma (who apparently looked good at the OTA practices during June).Babb may have to go the route of the Arena League or the Canadian Football League to get some more experience before making his way to the NFL.Photo credit: Ragincajuns.com
Martin plays part of coach
2007-06-21 15:22:00 When Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Ingle Martin isn't in Green Bay polishing his game, he'll be at his high school alma mater teaching football skills to youth players.Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean reports, "Hunter Hillenmeyer of the Chicago Bears and Ingle Martin of the Green Bay Packers are scheduled to work MBA?s skill positions football camp July 17-19 for grades 5-12. Martin also will work a July 24-26 camp for grades 1-7."MBA stands for Montgomery Bell Academy, which is located in Nashville.Kudos to Martin who's making wise use of his time while outside of Green Bay. Better than hitting the club scene.
Ingle Martin plays
2007-01-01 17:02:01 Did you happen to notice that quarterback Ingle Martin received his first playing time of the entire 2006 season?He didn't even get a chance to throw a pass, though. Martin subbed in for Brett Favre in the waning minutes of the game. He handed off once and took a knee twice to run out the clock.It was good to see head coach Mike McCarthy play Martin instead of usual backup Todd Bouman, though. In the last game of the season, there was nothing to lose.
Ingle Martin slows down
2006-09-02 02:27:03 After playing spot on in his first possesion, Ingle Martin slowed down in his second. In his second series Martin badly overthrew Zac Alcorn badly downfield. Two plays later Martin also overthrew Noah Herron on a short pass out of the backfield which was returned around 40 yards on an interception. Martin is currently getting at least one more chance before the game ends. |
|
 |
|
 |
