(AP) GREEN BAY
For the Green Bay Packers, this year isn't about Brett Favre and his gunslinging.
At least it's not supposed to be.
While Cheesehead Nation spent the offseason fretting about whether Favre would return for another season, general manager Ted Thompson spent much of his time -- and his free-agent money -- trying to build a better defense.
In theory, that would allow new coach Mike McCarthy to take pressure off Favre, making a stubborn commitment to the running game and taking shots downfield only when warranted.
It's a philosophy Favre seems to buy into.
To a point.
"I'm more willing to bend and do it the way they want to, but they also know I play a certain way," Favre said. "So we'll see."
After a 1-3 preseason, it's unclear whether the defense and running game will be reliable enough to convince Favre he doesn't have to try to make something spectacular happen on every play. That attitude led to a career-worst 29 interceptions last season, as Favre tried to compensate for the loss of several top offensive players to injury.
The offense should be boosted by the return of running back Ahman Green, but the offensive line remains suspect. Starting a pair of rookie guards and attempting to install a new zone blocking system, the Packers averaged only 3.3 yards per carry in four preseason games.
And opponents converted 54.8 percent of their third-down chances against Green Bay's revamped defense, which gave up 48 points to the Cincinnati Bengals in the third preseason game that is generally considered a dress rehearsal for the regular season.
If both those trends continue to drag the Packers down, will Favre's gunslinger tendencies resurface?
Favre has promised to try "dinking and dunking," but it might be too late to teach the suddenly gray-haired three-time MVP new game management tricks.
"I want to play perfectly," Favre said. "And there's only one way I know how to play, and that is aggressive. At times it's not pretty. Does it hurt the team at times? I don't know, I'll leave that up to you guys to decide. But I will go down swinging."
Favre caused a moderate stir early in training camp when he pronounced this year's team, seven months removed from a 4-12 season, the most talented he has ever played on -- adding the important caveat that it was also the least-experienced team he has ever played on.
Favre isn't backing off his assessment, but it has become clear that it might take time for the rookie-heavy roster to develop.
"We've got a lot of work to do, there's no question about that," Favre said. "There's times we've had some good moments and some bad moments, and that's not uncommon considering the amount of new guys that we're playing, getting some guys back who were injured."
With an inexperienced line and Green coming off his ruptured right quadriceps tendon, it might be natural to expect the offense to struggle in the preseason. But the defensive struggles were something of a surprise.
Despite their record, the Packers weren't awful on defense last year, especially considering how often they were put in bad positions by Favre's interceptions.
Thompson found four new starters in the offseason, signing cornerback Charles Woodson, safety Marquand Manuel and defensive tackle Ryan Pickett in free agency, and drafting A.J. Hawk with the fifth overall pick.
In theory, the Packers should have a top-level secondary, with Woodson and Al Harris at cornerback and Manuel and highly regarded Nick Collins at safety. But the four haven't spent much time on the field together.
Harris and Woodson both skipped the majority of the team's voluntary offseason workouts. Manuel participated in the workouts, but was injured for the early part of training camp.
McCarthy has blamed communication problems for some of the team's defensive struggles.
McCarthy also wants to see improved chemistry from the offensive line, where rookies Jason Spitz and Tony Moll were chosen as starters after the second preseason game. The Packers have experienced tackles in Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton, but the entire unit has struggled with the zone-blocking system.
"That's why we made the decision as early as we did, because they need to play," McCarthy said. "And we've just got to continue to work it. But when the scheme works, it's obviously very effective."
Green has looked sharp in camp and should be a good fit for the new blocking system, but needs holes to run through.
"I know I can help this team out," Green said. "This team depends on me, too, if I'm healthy. That's one of my main goals."
One of the brightest spots in the youth movement has been second-round pick Greg Jennings, a wide receiver out of Western Michigan. Jennings has unseated Robert Ferguson to start opposite Donald Driver, although the Packers will use Ferguson frequently in three-wide sets.
"You can't be satisfied, or you can't become complacent," Jennings said. "Especially in the business, especially when guys are breathing down your neck to take your job, you can't (ever) become complacent."
By CHRIS JENKINS
