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http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=781542
By GREG A. BEDARD
[email protected]
Posted: Aug. 9, 2008
Green Bay - When the Green Bay Packers take the field Monday night for their first exhibition game, much of the attention on the quarterback position will be focused on starter Aaron Rodgers for obvious reasons.
But once he finishes his work after about a quarter, things won't get any less interesting as far as the Packers are concerned.
Not only are rookies Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn engaged in a competition that seems to have gotten much closer, but how they perform in game-action will shape the Packers' thought process about the position.
If Brohm and Flynn fall on their faces, the Packers likely will start taking a closer look at veterans that may prove more capable backups to Rodgers.
"We're not really thinking about that," Flynn said Saturday. "From what they've told us so far, it's us three guys. We're going to go out and perform the best we can. All I can control is what I can do. I can't control what anyone else does. I'm just focused on playing the best football I can."
And Flynn has been doing that of late. After getting off to a rough start in off-season practices, Flynn has slowly progressed to the point that he and Brohm are nearly splitting the snaps behind Rodgers. Brohm still gets the majority, but Flynn certainly is getting more this week, and he has responded.
"I think Matt, particularly, has taken a couple of big jumps here the last two days," coach Mike McCarthy said Friday.
When Brohm and Flynn were drafted in April, most figured Brohm would be Rodgers' backup. Brohm was a second-round pick, a polished collegiate player who started all 33 games his final three seasons at Louisville. He's got the big arm and could carry a team.
Flynn was taken in the seventh round. And despite playing at a high-profile school in Louisiana State - and leading the Tigers to the national championship last season - Flynn wasn't highly regarded coming out of school. The feeling was that he benefited from the talent around him and didn't get in the way. A Trent Dilfer on the collegiate level, so to speak.
But since training camp began, Packers coaches and front-office personnel have grown fonder of Flynn. They like his decision-making ability - his checks at the line have been spot-on and he has devoured the playbook - and the way he leads a team. Flynn is popular with his fellow rookies and often spends much of his downtime playing board games with teammates in the locker room.
All that adds up to a player who is no longer an afterthought compared to Brohm.
"I can see how it could be swayed a little bit different, Matt might not be getting the credit he deserves (compared to Brohm)," Rodgers said. "Matt's a talented player. He's got solid arm strength, he makes good decisions, I think his fundamentals are pretty solid. He understands the game. He's extremely bright, which has been impressive, they both are. But Matt's a good player.
"To see the difference of some of the guys we've had come in here and know that Matt was drafted in the seventh round, I mean that's a steal right there. I think Matt is definitely a guy that can be in the league for eight, 10, 12 years and be a productive player."
Flynn understands he has his share of critics, but he thinks they're dead-wrong.
"I have confidence in my abilities and I have confidence that I can play at this level," said Flynn, who was 6 of 11 in the intrasquad scrimmage. "I believe my best football is in front of me."
Flynn feels most have no idea what he's capable of because he hasn't gotten the chance to show it. Of his 437 passing attempts at LSU, 82% (359) came in his senior season.
Brohm, on the other hand, was tested throughout his four years at Louisville. After appearing in 11 games as a freshman, Brohm averaged 362 attempts over his final three seasons.
Still, Brohm has struggled of late. He completed just 6 of 15 passes (40%) in the scrimmage, and was intercepted in each of the past two practices.
When they each take on the Bengals, Rodgers said Brohm and Flynn will need to adjust.
"The big challenge for any first-year player is dealing with the speed of the game," Rodgers said. "They're going to have to make really quick decisions."
Said Brohm: "We'll get out in the game situations in the first game and hopefully things aren't going too fast, things will slow down like they have in practice. That's real the goal."
How Brohm and Flynn perform in the games will determine whether the Packers bring in a veteran to back up Rodgers. Right now, they have no plans to do so. But the appearance of any quarterback on the sideline with more career starts than Rodgers, who has yet to make one, could complicate things for Rodgers.
"I've been thinking about that a little bit," Rodgers said. "But I've been thinking these are our guys, so personally I'm pulling for both of these guys to play well. We need somebody that's going to be ready to play behind me. So I'm hoping they both have solid pre-seasons, get ready to go and then we can feel good about the guys behind me."
By GREG A. BEDARD
[email protected]
Posted: Aug. 9, 2008
Green Bay - When the Green Bay Packers take the field Monday night for their first exhibition game, much of the attention on the quarterback position will be focused on starter Aaron Rodgers for obvious reasons.
But once he finishes his work after about a quarter, things won't get any less interesting as far as the Packers are concerned.
Not only are rookies Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn engaged in a competition that seems to have gotten much closer, but how they perform in game-action will shape the Packers' thought process about the position.
If Brohm and Flynn fall on their faces, the Packers likely will start taking a closer look at veterans that may prove more capable backups to Rodgers.
"We're not really thinking about that," Flynn said Saturday. "From what they've told us so far, it's us three guys. We're going to go out and perform the best we can. All I can control is what I can do. I can't control what anyone else does. I'm just focused on playing the best football I can."
And Flynn has been doing that of late. After getting off to a rough start in off-season practices, Flynn has slowly progressed to the point that he and Brohm are nearly splitting the snaps behind Rodgers. Brohm still gets the majority, but Flynn certainly is getting more this week, and he has responded.
"I think Matt, particularly, has taken a couple of big jumps here the last two days," coach Mike McCarthy said Friday.
When Brohm and Flynn were drafted in April, most figured Brohm would be Rodgers' backup. Brohm was a second-round pick, a polished collegiate player who started all 33 games his final three seasons at Louisville. He's got the big arm and could carry a team.
Flynn was taken in the seventh round. And despite playing at a high-profile school in Louisiana State - and leading the Tigers to the national championship last season - Flynn wasn't highly regarded coming out of school. The feeling was that he benefited from the talent around him and didn't get in the way. A Trent Dilfer on the collegiate level, so to speak.
But since training camp began, Packers coaches and front-office personnel have grown fonder of Flynn. They like his decision-making ability - his checks at the line have been spot-on and he has devoured the playbook - and the way he leads a team. Flynn is popular with his fellow rookies and often spends much of his downtime playing board games with teammates in the locker room.
All that adds up to a player who is no longer an afterthought compared to Brohm.
"I can see how it could be swayed a little bit different, Matt might not be getting the credit he deserves (compared to Brohm)," Rodgers said. "Matt's a talented player. He's got solid arm strength, he makes good decisions, I think his fundamentals are pretty solid. He understands the game. He's extremely bright, which has been impressive, they both are. But Matt's a good player.
"To see the difference of some of the guys we've had come in here and know that Matt was drafted in the seventh round, I mean that's a steal right there. I think Matt is definitely a guy that can be in the league for eight, 10, 12 years and be a productive player."
Flynn understands he has his share of critics, but he thinks they're dead-wrong.
"I have confidence in my abilities and I have confidence that I can play at this level," said Flynn, who was 6 of 11 in the intrasquad scrimmage. "I believe my best football is in front of me."
Flynn feels most have no idea what he's capable of because he hasn't gotten the chance to show it. Of his 437 passing attempts at LSU, 82% (359) came in his senior season.
Brohm, on the other hand, was tested throughout his four years at Louisville. After appearing in 11 games as a freshman, Brohm averaged 362 attempts over his final three seasons.
Still, Brohm has struggled of late. He completed just 6 of 15 passes (40%) in the scrimmage, and was intercepted in each of the past two practices.
When they each take on the Bengals, Rodgers said Brohm and Flynn will need to adjust.
"The big challenge for any first-year player is dealing with the speed of the game," Rodgers said. "They're going to have to make really quick decisions."
Said Brohm: "We'll get out in the game situations in the first game and hopefully things aren't going too fast, things will slow down like they have in practice. That's real the goal."
How Brohm and Flynn perform in the games will determine whether the Packers bring in a veteran to back up Rodgers. Right now, they have no plans to do so. But the appearance of any quarterback on the sideline with more career starts than Rodgers, who has yet to make one, could complicate things for Rodgers.
"I've been thinking about that a little bit," Rodgers said. "But I've been thinking these are our guys, so personally I'm pulling for both of these guys to play well. We need somebody that's going to be ready to play behind me. So I'm hoping they both have solid pre-seasons, get ready to go and then we can feel good about the guys behind me."
