Watching Sunday's game against the Lions after hearing that both Drive and GJ were inactive, I had a feeling the WRs were auditioning for ranking on MMs "playoff team". In an article published in today's MJS, Bob McGinn validated my thoughts.
For those unfamiliar with his work, McGinn is a senior writer who has been spot on in his assessments the team this year. He was the first "quality" reporter to come out and say that "Super" things could be in store for this year's squad, a feeling he got after observing how they came together at the end of last year and showed flashes of considerable talent in TC.
Read his article here: Receivers' revolving door - Dropoff by Jones opens No 3 spot
Oops... looks like you might have to read it here:
Receivers' revolving door
Dropoff by Jones opens No. 3 spot
By BOB McGINN
[email protected]
Posted: Jan. 2, 2008
Green Bay - James Jones, oak-solid as the Green Bay Packers' No. 3 wide receiver almost all year, was less productive than Koren Robinson and Ruvell Martin in the final month of the regular season and his role in the post-season remains unclear.
The roles of Packers wide receivers Ruvell Martin (center), James Jones and Koren Robinson remain undecided in the post-season.
Robinson, coming off a strong performance in the finale, has been a favorite of Brett Favre since his return from a year-long suspension for the last nine games and Martin continues to surprise.
"I think he slowly has evolved into a featured player for our team," Favre said after Robinson didn't start against Detroit but assumed the lead role. "My support for him has only increased with each day I spend with him."
With Donald Driver and Greg Jennings inactive Sunday, coach Mike McCarthy started Martin at split end and Jones at flanker. Robinson manned the slot in three-wide formations.
"Certainly (Robinson) may warrant more time," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "We'll have to take a look at that. I think you can see on a weekly basis that he's becoming more comfortable in our system and kind of getting his legs under him."
Dividing playing time at backup wide receiver is about the least of the Packers' worries. Along with New England, Green Bay might have the best corps in the league.
But with the stakes raised in the playoffs, wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson will want his best players on the field as he orchestrates substitutions.
"I think James is still our No. 3 guy," Robinson said. "I don't think he's played poorly. I think he can play better than he has at times. He's been a little up and down. But I think, more than anything, he hasn't jumped out because the opportunities haven't been as frequent. That tends to make you feel like, 'Well, where was James?' "
Once Jennings got back from injury in Week 3, the distribution among Driver, Jennings and Jones was fairly comparable. From Weeks 3-12, Driver saw 77 passes, Jennings saw 70 and Jones saw 57. Martin, the No. 4 most of that span, saw just 17.
Koren Robinson's acclimation, Martin's rise and Jones' slowdown changed that picture in December.
In those four games Robinson has been the target of 14 passes, compared to 10 for Jones and eight for Martin. In terms of production, Robinson has nine catches for 112 yards (one TD), Martin has three for 56 (one TD) and Jones has four for 43.
Against the Lions, Martin led with 51 snaps, Jones had 50 and Robinson followed with 44. In Chicago, all three were in the 30-to-32 range.
McCarthy continues to use five-wide sets but not as much with the onset of winter. He averaged 10.5 plays without a running back in Weeks 9-12, then 6.5 in Weeks 13-16.
"Jimmy has cultivated that room," Philbin said. "Those guys are stepping up and making plays. It's a good group."
Philbin disagreed that Jones perhaps has hit the so-called rookie "wall." He sees a young player with a solid future and a fairly steady performance.
"He's showed a knack for making plays and been a valuable member of the offense," said Philbin. "We're still pleased with what he's done."
Jones made his mark by catching everything all summer and not being awed by his surroundings. He was good enough to beat the great Champ Bailey on a 79-yard bomb in Denver. He ran a perfect curl route for 20 at a critical moment in the Thanksgiving victory over Detroit.
Of Jones' six drops, three have come in the last three weeks. He hasn't been as effective on less than ideal surfaces. According to some scouts, he seems to make mental mistakes.
A stickler for disciplined routes and alignment, Jimmy Robinson acknowledges miscues on Jones' part but doesn't regard them as excessive.
Neither does Philbin, who said: "It hasn't been brutal. He's not a finished product by any stretch but it's not like he's running go routes and Brett is throwing hitches. There's some fine-tuning, detail and precision on depth, maybe some splits here and there."
Other than experience, Koren Robinson doesn't offer a lot more physically than Jones. One personnel man said "there wasn't anything to get excited about" when it came to Robinson, who counts three dropped slants among his 33 targeted passes.
His best plays were a 43-yard go route on Thanksgiving and a 37-yarder against Oakland in which he showed broken-field run ability.
Robinson has been held back somewhat by a balky knee that cuts significantly into his practice time.
Martin probably isn't as talented as Jones and Robinson but keeps on impressing. Jimmy Robinson called him the most tenacious blocker at the position. He hasn't dropped any of his 30 passes. And his speed is deceptively good.
"He's a very aware, heady, reliable guy," Robinson said. "If you're asking me, am I substituting him in for the running game, occasionally. But we'll also throw from those formations and have him in there as well."
Koren Robinson isn't as big as Martin but also has size and is a willing blocker.
Jones, a thick 210-pounder, has the strength to be an outstanding blocker but isn't close to that now. At times, he seems unsure of himself and hesitates.
"There's been some times when that's been the case," Jimmy Robinson said. "James has some things to work on, particularly his eyes and his target. If your eyes stray from what you're blocking, you usually lose all power and leverage.
"He's not a finished product in every single area, but I think the sky's the limit for the guy. It just doesn't happen overnight."
For those unfamiliar with his work, McGinn is a senior writer who has been spot on in his assessments the team this year. He was the first "quality" reporter to come out and say that "Super" things could be in store for this year's squad, a feeling he got after observing how they came together at the end of last year and showed flashes of considerable talent in TC.
Read his article here: Receivers' revolving door - Dropoff by Jones opens No 3 spot
Oops... looks like you might have to read it here:
Receivers' revolving door
Dropoff by Jones opens No. 3 spot
By BOB McGINN
[email protected]
Posted: Jan. 2, 2008
Green Bay - James Jones, oak-solid as the Green Bay Packers' No. 3 wide receiver almost all year, was less productive than Koren Robinson and Ruvell Martin in the final month of the regular season and his role in the post-season remains unclear.
The roles of Packers wide receivers Ruvell Martin (center), James Jones and Koren Robinson remain undecided in the post-season.
Robinson, coming off a strong performance in the finale, has been a favorite of Brett Favre since his return from a year-long suspension for the last nine games and Martin continues to surprise.
"I think he slowly has evolved into a featured player for our team," Favre said after Robinson didn't start against Detroit but assumed the lead role. "My support for him has only increased with each day I spend with him."
With Donald Driver and Greg Jennings inactive Sunday, coach Mike McCarthy started Martin at split end and Jones at flanker. Robinson manned the slot in three-wide formations.
"Certainly (Robinson) may warrant more time," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "We'll have to take a look at that. I think you can see on a weekly basis that he's becoming more comfortable in our system and kind of getting his legs under him."
Dividing playing time at backup wide receiver is about the least of the Packers' worries. Along with New England, Green Bay might have the best corps in the league.
But with the stakes raised in the playoffs, wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson will want his best players on the field as he orchestrates substitutions.
"I think James is still our No. 3 guy," Robinson said. "I don't think he's played poorly. I think he can play better than he has at times. He's been a little up and down. But I think, more than anything, he hasn't jumped out because the opportunities haven't been as frequent. That tends to make you feel like, 'Well, where was James?' "
Once Jennings got back from injury in Week 3, the distribution among Driver, Jennings and Jones was fairly comparable. From Weeks 3-12, Driver saw 77 passes, Jennings saw 70 and Jones saw 57. Martin, the No. 4 most of that span, saw just 17.
Koren Robinson's acclimation, Martin's rise and Jones' slowdown changed that picture in December.
In those four games Robinson has been the target of 14 passes, compared to 10 for Jones and eight for Martin. In terms of production, Robinson has nine catches for 112 yards (one TD), Martin has three for 56 (one TD) and Jones has four for 43.
Against the Lions, Martin led with 51 snaps, Jones had 50 and Robinson followed with 44. In Chicago, all three were in the 30-to-32 range.
McCarthy continues to use five-wide sets but not as much with the onset of winter. He averaged 10.5 plays without a running back in Weeks 9-12, then 6.5 in Weeks 13-16.
"Jimmy has cultivated that room," Philbin said. "Those guys are stepping up and making plays. It's a good group."
Philbin disagreed that Jones perhaps has hit the so-called rookie "wall." He sees a young player with a solid future and a fairly steady performance.
"He's showed a knack for making plays and been a valuable member of the offense," said Philbin. "We're still pleased with what he's done."
Jones made his mark by catching everything all summer and not being awed by his surroundings. He was good enough to beat the great Champ Bailey on a 79-yard bomb in Denver. He ran a perfect curl route for 20 at a critical moment in the Thanksgiving victory over Detroit.
Of Jones' six drops, three have come in the last three weeks. He hasn't been as effective on less than ideal surfaces. According to some scouts, he seems to make mental mistakes.
A stickler for disciplined routes and alignment, Jimmy Robinson acknowledges miscues on Jones' part but doesn't regard them as excessive.
Neither does Philbin, who said: "It hasn't been brutal. He's not a finished product by any stretch but it's not like he's running go routes and Brett is throwing hitches. There's some fine-tuning, detail and precision on depth, maybe some splits here and there."
Other than experience, Koren Robinson doesn't offer a lot more physically than Jones. One personnel man said "there wasn't anything to get excited about" when it came to Robinson, who counts three dropped slants among his 33 targeted passes.
His best plays were a 43-yard go route on Thanksgiving and a 37-yarder against Oakland in which he showed broken-field run ability.
Robinson has been held back somewhat by a balky knee that cuts significantly into his practice time.
Martin probably isn't as talented as Jones and Robinson but keeps on impressing. Jimmy Robinson called him the most tenacious blocker at the position. He hasn't dropped any of his 30 passes. And his speed is deceptively good.
"He's a very aware, heady, reliable guy," Robinson said. "If you're asking me, am I substituting him in for the running game, occasionally. But we'll also throw from those formations and have him in there as well."
Koren Robinson isn't as big as Martin but also has size and is a willing blocker.
Jones, a thick 210-pounder, has the strength to be an outstanding blocker but isn't close to that now. At times, he seems unsure of himself and hesitates.
"There's been some times when that's been the case," Jimmy Robinson said. "James has some things to work on, particularly his eyes and his target. If your eyes stray from what you're blocking, you usually lose all power and leverage.
"He's not a finished product in every single area, but I think the sky's the limit for the guy. It just doesn't happen overnight."
