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That'll just about do it ...
Tramon Williams batted away a pass from Eric Fowler on fourth-and-1 with less than 2 minutes to play, effectively sealing the Packers' 13-9 victory over the Steelers. The series ended with an offensive guard, Travis Leffew, playing defensive tackle. So goes the fourth quarter of the first preseason game -- a gong show every time. Curiously, rookie Paul Thompson is finishing out the game at quarterback for the Packers. Coach Mike McCarthy had said Ingle Martin would play the entire fourth quarter this week, and Thompson would do the same next week. Only a drive the final 26 seconds can thwart the Packers' bid for a win in their preseason opener.
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Rodgers' successful night over
Ingle Martin has taken over for No. 2 quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who finished 18-for-27 for 168 yards and a touchdown. Rodgers' play was a big bright spot for the Packers, especially after how badly the starters fizzled with Brett Favre at the helm. Favre and company didn't have a first down in four drives; Rodgers finished with three consecutive scoring drives against Pittsburgh's second- and third-teamers. Martin is in the closer's role this week, and rookie Paul Thompson is scheduled to play the fourth quarter next week. This roughly 8-minute stint is crucial for Martin, who is trying to hold down the No. 3 job. Poor decisions have plagued him in training camp.
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Harrell gets takedown. Welcome to the show, Justin Harrell.
The first-round draft pick shed a block by Steelers tackle Brandon Torrey to take down third-round draft pick Brian St. Pierre. Fellow rookie Larry Birdine also was in the area. Yes, Torrey is a third-stringer, and no, Harrell didn't overpower anybody. In fact, backup guard Chris Kemoeatu pushed him around in the first half. But the sack represents a small step in the right direction for Harrell, who has struggled just to get in the rotation early on. On another note, Jon Ryan's two-step approach sure seems to be working for directional punts, too. He angled out one in the first half at the 3-yard line and just dropped another one inside the 5.
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Take that, Rayner
A third consecutive Aaron Rodgers-led scoring drive ended with a 52-yard field goal from rookie Mason Crosby. That boot, from the right hash, extended the Packers' lead to 13-9 -- and one-upped incumbent kicker Dave Rayner, who earlier hit a 32-yarder to close the first half. No, the air isn't thin in Pittsburgh. Crosby's got a leg, folks.
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Rodgers-to-Holiday puts Pack on top
A 3-yard Aaron Rodgers fade to Carlyle Holiday tied the score, and Dave Rayner's extra point gave the Packers their first lead at 10-9 with 9 minutes, 11 seconds left in the third quarter in Pittsburgh. The touchdown pass, completed just over the head of Steelers cornerback Anthony Madison, capped an eight-play, 71-yard drive for the Packers. That's two long drives in a row for the Rodgers-led No. 2 offense, which went 75 yards in 12 plays at the end of the first half before a Rayner field goal. Rodgers now is 14-for-20 for 146 yards and a score with no interceptions.
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How about James Jones?
If there's a first-half MVP for the Packers offense, it's third-round draft pick James Jones. Getting the job done in practice is one thing, but Jones is making the Steelers' second-string defensive backs look silly. He had nice catches for the Packers' first two first downs, and his longest reception (21 yards) included a catch-and-juke that left Ricardo Colclough on all fours. Jones leads all players with six catches for 58 yards. Aaron Rodgers is a close second, especially after the tough throws he made during the Packers' final drive. He was 10-for-16 for 97 yards, though it should be noted he was throwing at backups. Rodgers likely will play most of the third quarter as well. Rookie running back Brandon Jackson had less luck, running eight times for 14 yards. It will be interesting to see, given the injury situation, how much (if at all) Jackson will play in the second half. Noah Herron had double-digit plays running and receiving and has 33 combined yards on five touches. Pittsburgh has a slight edge in total yards (174-158), passing yards (114-104) and rushing yards (60-54) at the break. Seventy-five of the Packers' yards came on their last drive.
One note from Pittsburgh: According to Rob Demovsky, running back Vernand Morency is the only one of the Packers' injured players who made the trip. The rest, including starting cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Al Harris, are not on the sideline.
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Rayner converts, pulls Pack within six
Dave Rayner hit a 32-yard field goal from the left hash, pulling the Packers within 9-3 at halftime. It's a big strike for Rayner, who had struggled recently in training camp, giving ground to rookie Mason Crosby in the battle to be the Packers' kicker. Aaron Rodgers hit Ruvell Martin in the back of the end zone with 10 seconds to play, but Martin was flagged for illegal touching because he stepped out of bounds first. The call was upheld upon a booth-initiated review, and Donald Lee got a short pass to set up Rayner's kick.
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A first down! A first down!
After five brutal drives and nearly 20 minutes of game action, Aaron Rodgers -- playing behind the second-team offensive line -- gave the Packers their first two first downs, both on passes to James Jones. They got out of their own territory, too, but the drive stalled at the 46 when Rodgers' pass on third-and-5 went off Robert Ferguson's fingertips. Too bad Rodgers didn't get more of a look with the starters. He's showing a little bit of the promise and progress he's flashed all offseason, but it's tough to sustain a drive when Junius Coston's getting tossed around by second-string defensive ends in front of you.
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Backup safeties getting owned
For as good as Cullen Jenkins and the starting defense looked early, the backup safeties are looking totally clueless. And Charlie Batch is looking like a Pro Bowler with a 41-yard touchdown strike to Walter Young and a 49-yard completion to Santonio Holmes. Atari Bigby and Marviel Underwood were on the field for both, with Bigby failing to tackle Young and Underwood misjudging the throw to Holmes. The defense stopped the Steelers after the big Holmes catch, but Jeff Reed banged through a 27-yard field goal to make it 9-0 Steelers. Jenkins has two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
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Steelers strike first, lead 6-0
The Steelers took advantage of soft zone coverage and a missed tackle by Atari Bigby to take a 6-0 lead. Walter Young (who?) ran past Tracy White, caught Charlie Batch's pass and bounced off Bigby on his way to the end zone for a 41-yard touchdown. The extra point was blocked, leaving the score 6-0.
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U-G-L-Y
Coach Mike McCarthy said his starters would play at least a dozen snaps. He probably didn't think that meant four three-and-outs for his offense. The Packers' fourth drive was their ugliest, too, featuring an airmailed throw by Brett Favre and a holding penalty on Daryn Colledge that pushed them inside their own 10. So far, the Packers have no first downs and 17 yards of offense. It's possible Favre will come out for another series simply because of this 2-for-7 performance, but it's probably not likely. Aaron Rodgers needs time with some of the starters. Ben Roethlisberger didn't do much with his first two drives of the game, but Mike Tomlin wasn't taking chances -- he pulled his starting quarterback in favor of hometown favorite Charlie Batch after only two drives. Roethlisberger finished 2-for-2 for 14 yards, but it was his fumble that cost Pittsburgh great field position in Packers territory on its first drive.
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Packers come out throwing So much for that rookie backfield.
The Packers threw on five or their first six plays; the sixth was a fumbled snap. Brett Favre completed only two of them, and the Packers didn't manage a first down -- and only 2 yards of total offense. No way this would have been the game plan if the backfield wasn't so short-handed. Brandon Miree's absence alone changed plenty, because there's no way coaches have maximum confidence in converted linebacker Korey Hall at this point. Still, no running plays the first two drives? Didn't see that one coming. The upside for the Packers is the defense hasn't given up much either -- 26 yards and one first down.
Personnel notes: Atari Bigby and Marvel Underwood have rotated in at safety, and Greg Jennings took the first rep as punt returner, though he didn't touch the ball.
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Second chance comes quickly
That wasn't what the Packers wanted on their first drive. Brett Favre threw three passes, completing only a short one to Donald Driver, and the Packers went three-and-out. But Cullen Jenkins came back with a strip and fumble recovery on the Steelers' ensuing possession. Starters are slated to play 12 to 15 plays, but getting the ball back quickly gives guys like Favre a better chance to get a few more in.
One note on the defensive set: Ryan Pickett and Corey Williams got the start at defensive tackles. They played nickel the entire series, with Will Blackmon as the third cornerback.
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Kicked off
The Packers' preseason is underway at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, with Green Bay taking the ball first.
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Woodson, Harris inactive
Cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Al Harris are among eight players the Packers deactivated for tonight's preseason opener at Pittsburgh.
The others are: running backs P.J. Pope, Vernand Morency and DeShawn Wynn; fullback Brandon Miree; defensive end DeVon Hicks; and tackle Tony Moll. All of them missed practice the past week because of injuries. Woodson and Harris both sat out Thursday's night practice because of injuries. Woodson injured his hamstring in the morning practice, and Harris has complained of back tightness. They also sat out last Saturday's Family Night scrimmage. The Steelers' inactives are: RB Willie Parker, C Chukky Okobi, G Alan Faneca and LB Lawrence Timmons.
UPDATE: As expected, fill-in starters are: Korey Hall for Miree, Jarrett Bush for Harris and Patrick Dendy for Woodson.
That'll just about do it ...
Tramon Williams batted away a pass from Eric Fowler on fourth-and-1 with less than 2 minutes to play, effectively sealing the Packers' 13-9 victory over the Steelers. The series ended with an offensive guard, Travis Leffew, playing defensive tackle. So goes the fourth quarter of the first preseason game -- a gong show every time. Curiously, rookie Paul Thompson is finishing out the game at quarterback for the Packers. Coach Mike McCarthy had said Ingle Martin would play the entire fourth quarter this week, and Thompson would do the same next week. Only a drive the final 26 seconds can thwart the Packers' bid for a win in their preseason opener.
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Rodgers' successful night over
Ingle Martin has taken over for No. 2 quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who finished 18-for-27 for 168 yards and a touchdown. Rodgers' play was a big bright spot for the Packers, especially after how badly the starters fizzled with Brett Favre at the helm. Favre and company didn't have a first down in four drives; Rodgers finished with three consecutive scoring drives against Pittsburgh's second- and third-teamers. Martin is in the closer's role this week, and rookie Paul Thompson is scheduled to play the fourth quarter next week. This roughly 8-minute stint is crucial for Martin, who is trying to hold down the No. 3 job. Poor decisions have plagued him in training camp.
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Harrell gets takedown. Welcome to the show, Justin Harrell.
The first-round draft pick shed a block by Steelers tackle Brandon Torrey to take down third-round draft pick Brian St. Pierre. Fellow rookie Larry Birdine also was in the area. Yes, Torrey is a third-stringer, and no, Harrell didn't overpower anybody. In fact, backup guard Chris Kemoeatu pushed him around in the first half. But the sack represents a small step in the right direction for Harrell, who has struggled just to get in the rotation early on. On another note, Jon Ryan's two-step approach sure seems to be working for directional punts, too. He angled out one in the first half at the 3-yard line and just dropped another one inside the 5.
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Take that, Rayner
A third consecutive Aaron Rodgers-led scoring drive ended with a 52-yard field goal from rookie Mason Crosby. That boot, from the right hash, extended the Packers' lead to 13-9 -- and one-upped incumbent kicker Dave Rayner, who earlier hit a 32-yarder to close the first half. No, the air isn't thin in Pittsburgh. Crosby's got a leg, folks.
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Rodgers-to-Holiday puts Pack on top
A 3-yard Aaron Rodgers fade to Carlyle Holiday tied the score, and Dave Rayner's extra point gave the Packers their first lead at 10-9 with 9 minutes, 11 seconds left in the third quarter in Pittsburgh. The touchdown pass, completed just over the head of Steelers cornerback Anthony Madison, capped an eight-play, 71-yard drive for the Packers. That's two long drives in a row for the Rodgers-led No. 2 offense, which went 75 yards in 12 plays at the end of the first half before a Rayner field goal. Rodgers now is 14-for-20 for 146 yards and a score with no interceptions.
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How about James Jones?
If there's a first-half MVP for the Packers offense, it's third-round draft pick James Jones. Getting the job done in practice is one thing, but Jones is making the Steelers' second-string defensive backs look silly. He had nice catches for the Packers' first two first downs, and his longest reception (21 yards) included a catch-and-juke that left Ricardo Colclough on all fours. Jones leads all players with six catches for 58 yards. Aaron Rodgers is a close second, especially after the tough throws he made during the Packers' final drive. He was 10-for-16 for 97 yards, though it should be noted he was throwing at backups. Rodgers likely will play most of the third quarter as well. Rookie running back Brandon Jackson had less luck, running eight times for 14 yards. It will be interesting to see, given the injury situation, how much (if at all) Jackson will play in the second half. Noah Herron had double-digit plays running and receiving and has 33 combined yards on five touches. Pittsburgh has a slight edge in total yards (174-158), passing yards (114-104) and rushing yards (60-54) at the break. Seventy-five of the Packers' yards came on their last drive.
One note from Pittsburgh: According to Rob Demovsky, running back Vernand Morency is the only one of the Packers' injured players who made the trip. The rest, including starting cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Al Harris, are not on the sideline.
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Rayner converts, pulls Pack within six
Dave Rayner hit a 32-yard field goal from the left hash, pulling the Packers within 9-3 at halftime. It's a big strike for Rayner, who had struggled recently in training camp, giving ground to rookie Mason Crosby in the battle to be the Packers' kicker. Aaron Rodgers hit Ruvell Martin in the back of the end zone with 10 seconds to play, but Martin was flagged for illegal touching because he stepped out of bounds first. The call was upheld upon a booth-initiated review, and Donald Lee got a short pass to set up Rayner's kick.
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A first down! A first down!
After five brutal drives and nearly 20 minutes of game action, Aaron Rodgers -- playing behind the second-team offensive line -- gave the Packers their first two first downs, both on passes to James Jones. They got out of their own territory, too, but the drive stalled at the 46 when Rodgers' pass on third-and-5 went off Robert Ferguson's fingertips. Too bad Rodgers didn't get more of a look with the starters. He's showing a little bit of the promise and progress he's flashed all offseason, but it's tough to sustain a drive when Junius Coston's getting tossed around by second-string defensive ends in front of you.
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Backup safeties getting owned
For as good as Cullen Jenkins and the starting defense looked early, the backup safeties are looking totally clueless. And Charlie Batch is looking like a Pro Bowler with a 41-yard touchdown strike to Walter Young and a 49-yard completion to Santonio Holmes. Atari Bigby and Marviel Underwood were on the field for both, with Bigby failing to tackle Young and Underwood misjudging the throw to Holmes. The defense stopped the Steelers after the big Holmes catch, but Jeff Reed banged through a 27-yard field goal to make it 9-0 Steelers. Jenkins has two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
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Steelers strike first, lead 6-0
The Steelers took advantage of soft zone coverage and a missed tackle by Atari Bigby to take a 6-0 lead. Walter Young (who?) ran past Tracy White, caught Charlie Batch's pass and bounced off Bigby on his way to the end zone for a 41-yard touchdown. The extra point was blocked, leaving the score 6-0.
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U-G-L-Y
Coach Mike McCarthy said his starters would play at least a dozen snaps. He probably didn't think that meant four three-and-outs for his offense. The Packers' fourth drive was their ugliest, too, featuring an airmailed throw by Brett Favre and a holding penalty on Daryn Colledge that pushed them inside their own 10. So far, the Packers have no first downs and 17 yards of offense. It's possible Favre will come out for another series simply because of this 2-for-7 performance, but it's probably not likely. Aaron Rodgers needs time with some of the starters. Ben Roethlisberger didn't do much with his first two drives of the game, but Mike Tomlin wasn't taking chances -- he pulled his starting quarterback in favor of hometown favorite Charlie Batch after only two drives. Roethlisberger finished 2-for-2 for 14 yards, but it was his fumble that cost Pittsburgh great field position in Packers territory on its first drive.
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Packers come out throwing So much for that rookie backfield.
The Packers threw on five or their first six plays; the sixth was a fumbled snap. Brett Favre completed only two of them, and the Packers didn't manage a first down -- and only 2 yards of total offense. No way this would have been the game plan if the backfield wasn't so short-handed. Brandon Miree's absence alone changed plenty, because there's no way coaches have maximum confidence in converted linebacker Korey Hall at this point. Still, no running plays the first two drives? Didn't see that one coming. The upside for the Packers is the defense hasn't given up much either -- 26 yards and one first down.
Personnel notes: Atari Bigby and Marvel Underwood have rotated in at safety, and Greg Jennings took the first rep as punt returner, though he didn't touch the ball.
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Second chance comes quickly
That wasn't what the Packers wanted on their first drive. Brett Favre threw three passes, completing only a short one to Donald Driver, and the Packers went three-and-out. But Cullen Jenkins came back with a strip and fumble recovery on the Steelers' ensuing possession. Starters are slated to play 12 to 15 plays, but getting the ball back quickly gives guys like Favre a better chance to get a few more in.
One note on the defensive set: Ryan Pickett and Corey Williams got the start at defensive tackles. They played nickel the entire series, with Will Blackmon as the third cornerback.
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Kicked off
The Packers' preseason is underway at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, with Green Bay taking the ball first.
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Woodson, Harris inactive
Cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Al Harris are among eight players the Packers deactivated for tonight's preseason opener at Pittsburgh.
The others are: running backs P.J. Pope, Vernand Morency and DeShawn Wynn; fullback Brandon Miree; defensive end DeVon Hicks; and tackle Tony Moll. All of them missed practice the past week because of injuries. Woodson and Harris both sat out Thursday's night practice because of injuries. Woodson injured his hamstring in the morning practice, and Harris has complained of back tightness. They also sat out last Saturday's Family Night scrimmage. The Steelers' inactives are: RB Willie Parker, C Chukky Okobi, G Alan Faneca and LB Lawrence Timmons.
UPDATE: As expected, fill-in starters are: Korey Hall for Miree, Jarrett Bush for Harris and Patrick Dendy for Woodson.
