Short Week Poses Problems For Packers
Coaches Logging Long Hours
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GREEN BAY PACKERS
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By Scott Beedy
Staff Writer
Channel 3000GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers will be without two defensive players that have logged more than 100 career starts for the green and gold when they play Detroit on Thanksgiving.But young players filling in for cornerback Al Harris and linebacker Aaron Kampman are not the only concern for the Packers during this very shortened week of preparation."The challenge is really (Monday) and (Tuesday)," coach Mike McCarthy said. "The course of the week is always the challenge that you have to meet as far as your preparation, so when you squeeze five days into two, that's a challenge."The Packers are lucky in a couple of ways. They play a divisional rival who they are familiar with and they should also be able to revisit the game plan drawn up for the Oct. 18 game against the Detroit Lions. In that game, the Packers shutout the Lions 26-0. Green Bay held Detroit to 149 yards of total offense. On offense, the Packers were also very successful accumulating 435 yards, 328 through the air."It's a challenge when you play a team, like for our offensive coaches, San Francisco ran the 3-4 defense. Obviously Detroit runs a 4-3, so how much can you carry over from one week to the next is what you are looking for," McCarthy said. "So our volume was a little higher going into San Francisco than it has been because the things that we can carry over, we will carry over, and it's no different for defense and special teams. You try to go a little heavier the week before a Thursday game in my experience to take it into the next game."The Packers also get to keep that momentum going. After two disappointing losses to the Minnesota Vikings and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Packers have won two home games against Dallas and San Francisco."Frankly, on Wednesday I think everybody will be excited to get on that plane because the fun part is playing the games," said McCarthy. "So when the plane ride happens, you can see the light of getting ready to play again. You just have to get your work done. There is a lot of prep planning really from the support staff and the coaching staff that we feel like we're way ahead. Like I said, we had assistant coaches really start their game-planning late Friday and Saturday after our meetings."
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Channel 3000GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers will be without two defensive players that have logged more than 100 career starts for the green and gold when they play Detroit on Thanksgiving.But young players filling in for cornerback Al Harris and linebacker Aaron Kampman are not the only concern for the Packers during this very shortened week of preparation."The challenge is really (Monday) and (Tuesday)," coach Mike McCarthy said. "The course of the week is always the challenge that you have to meet as far as your preparation, so when you squeeze five days into two, that's a challenge."The Packers are lucky in a couple of ways. They play a divisional rival who they are familiar with and they should also be able to revisit the game plan drawn up for the Oct. 18 game against the Detroit Lions. In that game, the Packers shutout the Lions 26-0. Green Bay held Detroit to 149 yards of total offense. On offense, the Packers were also very successful accumulating 435 yards, 328 through the air."It's a challenge when you play a team, like for our offensive coaches, San Francisco ran the 3-4 defense. Obviously Detroit runs a 4-3, so how much can you carry over from one week to the next is what you are looking for," McCarthy said. "So our volume was a little higher going into San Francisco than it has been because the things that we can carry over, we will carry over, and it's no different for defense and special teams. You try to go a little heavier the week before a Thursday game in my experience to take it into the next game."The Packers also get to keep that momentum going. After two disappointing losses to the Minnesota Vikings and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Packers have won two home games against Dallas and San Francisco."Frankly, on Wednesday I think everybody will be excited to get on that plane because the fun part is playing the games," said McCarthy. "So when the plane ride happens, you can see the light of getting ready to play again. You just have to get your work done. There is a lot of prep planning really from the support staff and the coaching staff that we feel like we're way ahead. Like I said, we had assistant coaches really start their game-planning late Friday and Saturday after our meetings."
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