JASON WILDE
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GREEN BAY - Remember how the coaching staff raved about Greg Jennings' intelligence and ability to quickly pick up the Green Bay Packers' offense?
Turns out the rookie wide receiver is a quick learner when it comes to the politics of playing with quarterback Brett Favre, too.
After Favre threw two interceptions in the Packers' 26-0 season-opening loss to the Chicago Bears, the coaches cited Jennings' running his route too deep as the cause of the first pick. Jennings also was the intended receiver on Favre's second interception - an up-for-grabs, across-his-body heave on the run - and three other incompletions, including two throws by Favre that didn't appear to be Jennings' fault.
Still, Jennings goes into Sunday's game against New Orleans knowing he has to take the blame - and continue to - on all counts.
"I'm the rookie, so it's going to be on my shoulders," said Jennings, who led the NFL in receiving in the preseason but had just one catch against Chicago - for 5 yards with 26 seconds left in the game.
On the first interception, Jennings said he was supposed to run his route at 15 yards and ran it at 17 instead. It didn't look on tape like the route depth was the only problem on the play, but Jennings understands that people are reluctant to blame the future Hall of Fame quarterback.
"It's going to be on me, regardless. I've got to be perfect to make sure that everything's not going to fall totally on my shoulders," Jennings said.
"I'm the young rookie. So it's like, all the focus when something doesn't go right, it's going to be focused on, 'Did Greg do that (wrong)?' So I've got to deal with that. I've just got to be more precise with what I'm doing out there."
Bush-whacked
The Packers' defense isn't the only group concerned about Saints rookie Reggie Bush.
Special teams coordinator Mike Stock, whose punt coverage unit gave up an 84-yard return for a touchdown by Chicago's Devin Hester on Sunday, has plenty to worry about with Bush, who returned three punts for 22 yards in the Saints' win over Cleveland.
"What you saw in Hester is what you see in Bush - only bigger," Stock said.
So how do you stop him?
"Put 12 guys on the field," Stock said.
Since that's not an option, Stock said punter Jon Ryan has to be consistently better with his hang times and the coverage unit, which had two players stray out of their lanes on Hester's return, has to be more lane conscious.
Poppinga stays put
Despite sam linebacker Brady Poppinga's struggles in pass coverage against Bears tight end Desmond Clark (five receptions for 77 yards), defensive coordinator Bob Sanders said he has no intention of making a change. Poppinga had eight tackles against Chicago and was solid against the run.
"He had a very good game in the run game, (he's) just got to shore up a couple coverage lapses and he'll be fine," Sanders said. "But the one thing you know about Brady, you know what you're going to get. You're going to get great effort, you're going to have a guy that cares, you're going to have a guy whose heart and soul is in it, and he'll be a guy that'll be diligent enough to get that going."
Extra points
Left guard Jason Spitz missed his second straight day of practice with his bruised thigh and appears unlikely to play Sunday. ... Several ex-Packers had tryouts with other teams this week. Cornerbacks Mike Hawkins and Jason Horton worked out in Cleveland; cornerback Joey Thomas, cut by the Saints, worked out for Detroit; and offensive lineman Will Whitticker tried out with the New York Jets.
