Packers-Lions Post-Game Notes & Quotes

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 16:57:10 CST

PACKERS BEAT LIONS, MAKE NFL HISTORY
- Green Bay's 31-21 win over Detriot causes the Lions to go winnless on the season. It's the first time an NFL team has
gone 0-16. The last club to go winless was the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who went 0-14.

- Green Bay set an NFL record with two receivers, Donald Driver (111) and Greg Jennings (101), and two rushers, Ryan
Grant (106) and DeShawn Wynn (106), each earning over 100 yards. According to Elias Stats Bureau, it is the first time
in league history a team has had two 100-yard rushers and two 100-yard receivers in a single game.

- The win marked the Packers' 17th consecutive regular-season win, 18th including playoffs, over the Lions in the state of
Wisconsin.

- Green Bay improved to 14-1 in regular-season finales since 1994, the NFL's best W-L record in finales over that period.

- Today's win snaps the Packers five-game losing streak, and the team finishes the season 6-10.

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 28

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 15:41:49 CST

I'll start with the injuries Scott Wells had an ankle sprain and did not return Aaron Rouse had a knee sprain and did not return. Allen Barbre had an ankle sprain and did not return.

(How important is this win, big picture for you guys?)
Winning is the goal. And anytime you have an opportunity to win and beat a division opponent, those are all aspects of your program you can point to and build off of. This is the way you want to start the (next) season. It's short-term. It's definitely something positive we can point to.

(We made a big deal about your confidence in Aaron Rodgers. What did that say about him going deep on that drive to put up some more points and about your confidence in him? )
I think...Shoot, I know I've had confidence in Aaron Rodgers all year. I think the way the game is called dictates that. To come out and take that shot at that specific time based on the circumstances that just occurred, with Detroit driv..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 26

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:27:38 CST

(What's Aaron Rodgers been living with day-to-day with that shoulder?)
He had a significant shoulder injury in Week 4 and really has rehabbed his way through it. As far as decisions on Aaron or any of our other players, every player on our football team will go through a postseason evaluation. So it would be very premature to talk about any type of surgery on any of the players. A number of guys have nagging injuries, and it's very commonplace in the NFL as players go through a full season.

(So he's not living with a lot of pain or limitations?)
Anytime you have a joint injury, there's potentially some changes. That's something that will be evaluated after the season.

(He's throwing the ball fine, though?)
I think his velocity has been very good. You watch him throw every day in practice. He's thrown the ball very well. I couldn't tell you exactly to target which week, but he's been playing with full arm stren..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 25

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 15:25:46 CST

(Did Harrell have a setback in practice?)
It's probably pretty consistent just the way it's gone the last few weeks. He goes through the treatment, he's feeling like he's making progress, and then I think once he gets to the team stuff and the drill work it still bothers him. I know he's frustrated with it.

(You've sent him to a ton of specialists, right? They can't seem to pinpoint what it is?)
It's something that's been going on, and I'm sure as we move past this week we'll re-evaluate and have a plan to get Justin back as fast as we can. I know he's very frustrated with it.

(He doesn't actually have an event that happens in practice, where he's re-injuring it every time, right?)
The specifics of it I think you should probably have a conversation with Justin, but he's not making any progress moving forward with his situation. You can go through the specifics with him.

(After what happened on s..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 24

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:17:41 CST
(To re-phrase my question from yesterday, has Ryan Grant shown you what you want to see at the second level?)
To support your question, our second-level running has not been as productive as it was last year, and I think that is evident in the explosive gains in our run game. Just to go through specific situations, I thought Ryan had a couple of tough plays in the Chicago game. When you are running through a crease you don't have time to see who is blocked and who is not blocked. There were a couple of occasions where he saw common color on the opposing color, and then all of a sudden that wasn't there anymore. I'm referring to the hits by Mike Brown. I knew they were oohs and aahs and they may have looked different from the stands and so forth but when you watch it on the film, that is a bad spot to be in when you are running through the hole. Because on those two particular plays, you watch his head, he is on to the next one. You don't have time to sit there and ..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 23

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:14:14 CST
Ok I'll start with the injuries for the week. Breno Giacomini had an ankle sprain in Saturday's practice. He will be out for the week and for the game. Greg Jennings had a slight concussion, symptoms of a slight concussion. He might miss one day of practice. I anticipate him being ready for the game. Joe Porter, pretty much the same thing. Had a concussion in the game. I anticipate he may miss a day of practice and be ready for the game. Donald Driver had a knee contusion. He'll be questionable for practice. Spencer Havner had an ankle sprain but we'll see where he is tomorrow. I don't think he'll make practice tomorrow. Brandon Jackson, wrist sprain, same as last week. Korey Hall, I anticipate him being ready to go with his knee sprain. Justin Harrell has improved. I anticipate him practicing tomorrow with his hip. And Aaron Rouse had an ankle sprain, and I think he'll be fine for tomorrow's practice. With that I'll take your questions.

(You're 0-7 in close games that..

Packers-Bears Post-Game Quotes

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:42:41 CST
Head Coach Mike McCarthy
Opening Statement
"I'll start with the injury report. Donald Driver banged his knee and he did return. Aaron Rouse had an ankle sprain but came back for one play. Johnny Jolly had an ankle and at the end did not return. James Jones banged his knee at the end. Joe Porter had a concussion and did not return."

On losing 7 games by 4 points or less
"We lost a game tonight to the Chicago Bears. It doesn't feel very good. I'm not thinking about the other games right now. It was a tough, hard-fought football game as they always are. There were a lot of opportunities. The Bears made some key plays, particularly on special teams that factored into the outcome. We didn't make enough plays to win."

On the blocked field goal
"The kick looked low to me. I don't have all the communication yet on the mechanics of the play."

On the play of Aaron Rodgers
"Aaron had a solid day. He had one in..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 22

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:43:54 CST
OK, I'll start with the injuries. Donald Driver banged his knee. He did return. Aaron Rouse had an ankle sprain, but he returned after one play. Johnny Jolly had an ankle at the end, did not return. James Jones banged his knee again at the end there, and Joe Porter had a concussion, did not return. Those are the injuries.

(You've lost seven close games now. Does it get worse every time?)
We lost a game tonight to the Chicago Bears. It doesn't feel very good. I'm not thinking about the other games right now, to answer your question. It was a tough, hard-fought football game like they always are. We had a lot of opportunities. They made some key plays, particularly on special teams that factored in the outcome. You come down here, you have obstacles you run into every game, and we didn't make enough plays to win.

(The kick that they blocked, was it low?)
It looked low to me. I did not have all the communication as far as the mec..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 20

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:25:23 CST
(Has a decision been made on what to do with the secondary?)
Aaron Rouse and Charles Woodson are both ready to play safety. Aaron Rouse took the majority of snaps at safety, and Charles took his snaps at corner, so we're ready to go.

(Is this an important game for Rouse to show something after some up and down performances?)
I think it's an important game for all of us. We need to win a football game as a football team. That's our focus. This is another opportunity for Aaron to be the starter, and we could talk about any position. When you get a chance to start, you need to perform. This is a performance business. The players clearly understand that. We talk about job responsibilities and a number of things you need to reiterate during the course of the year, and this is a great opportunity for him to step up. That's pro football. Injuries are part of our game, and we look for him to be impactful, which he has been in spots, but it's the..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 19

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:23:53 CST
(What happened to Justin? Anything new there?)
Justin is battling the same injury, and he's had a setback. It's unfortunate, and once again, he's going through a period where he just can't quite get healthy. He will be out this week against the Bears.

(Does it look like there's a chance he'll need surgery early in the offseason?)
We're really not that far along. He's just going through rehab. It's something that Dr. McKenzie wants to continue on that path. I hope not.

(You're adding his back along with his hip in describing his injury. Is there an issue with the back itself?)
Most of the pain is in the hip, which could be related to the initial injury. That's really what we need to find out. He's really just had a setback the last couple practices, so we're going to be smart with him this week and see if we can get him through rehab and get him ready for Detroit, is our plan.

(Did the setback oc..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 18

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:21:27 CST
(What's your level of concern with Al Harris' shoulder?)
I anticipate Al to play this week. It's just something that's been bothering him since the game Sunday. Pat McKenzie will look at him again in the morning.

(Is it a sprain?)
It's a sprain.

(Do you think Charles Woodson will play safety again this week?)
Charles, he'll work at corner, nickel and safety. He'll be ready to go in those three positions for the week.

(What about Aaron Rouse?)
He's getting work at safety like he always has.

(Where do you think Charles is best?)
His individual position? I would say his natural position is definitely corner, and I think he's an excellent nickel player in sub defenses, because he has the ability to get his hands on the receiver. He's an excellent bump-and-run player, plays a lot of instincts. I think he's definitely built for corner. I think he's played well ..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 15

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:14:44 CST
(Is Clifton going to miss any time with those thumbs?)
I'll go through all the injuries. Chad Clifton, both thumbs. I think he'll be fine for this week, though, just talking with Dr. McKenzie. Tory Humphrey, concussion. We expect him to go also to Chicago. And Brandon Jackson had a wrist sprain, and we'll have more information on him at the end of the week, but they think he'll also make it to Chicago. Those are the three injuries from the game.

(A year ago you were telling the team their biggest challenge would be handling success. What sort of challenge are you facing now?)
Well, our immediate challenge is to win a football game, and that will be our focus as we move through the week and play our arch-rival Chicago Bears. That's really where our focus will be. As we go through the correction period today, we'll go through all the different outlines, the checklist and so forth to identify the problems areas, and we'll continue to work t..

Packers-Jaguars Post-Game Quotes

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:05:19 CST
HEAD COACH MIKE McCARTHY
(on if Aaron Rodgers was to blame for the offensive struggles in the fourth quarter) "I think it's on the whole offense. Quarterback is a big part of it. Two-minute drive there at the end, and without seeing the film on the throw and the catch, they were attacking the seams and got movement on the outside. I couldn't really answer that without seeing the film."

(on if the same problems are occurring late in the last few games) "This game has a lot of similarities from the games we have played as of late. There's no doubt about it. The bottom line is the outcome and we didn't make enough plays to win the game. There were some different situations along with some communication problems in the first half and the ability to score or keep them from scoring which are some of the things that we are not doing in important spots of the game."

(on missing five times on third down with a yard to go) "Without seeing..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 14

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:36:57 CST
OK, I'll start with the injuries. James Jones had the wind knocked out of him. He did return. Tory Humphrey had a concussion. He did not return. Chad Clifton had both thumbs sprained there at the end and was out on the final drive. With that, I'll take your questions.

(The offense at the end failed again. How much of that falls on Aaron Rodgers?)
I think it's on the whole offense, and quarterback is a big part of it. The two-minute drive there at the end really without seeing the film as far as the throw, the coverage and so forth ... We were attacking the seams with a double move on the outside, so I couldn't really answer that without watching the film.

(Was this game similar to the last couple with giving up a long drive at the end, not converting short yardage situations, etc.?)
I think this game had some similarities to some of the games we've had of late, no doubt about it. The bottom line was the outcome. We did not make..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 12

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:51:51 CST
(How encouraged are you the last two days with Brandon?)
Brandon Chillar? I thought he practiced very well again today. His medical exam this morning was very positive, so barring any setback, I foresee him being ready to go for Sunday.

(Is he the starter then?)
We'll work that out today. That's what today's practice was really for. I've talked about it before in here. We have our management meeting at 1 o'clock, and those are the types of things we talk about as far as going from 53 to 45.

(What did you see from Harrell today?)
I thought he fought through the practice. It was good to see him out there. Really, Justin Harrell, Danny Lansanah and Jeremy Thompson, those three players are all in a similar situation. It was important for them to practice today, and we'll see where they are. That will also affect the way we go with the 45.

(Do you have any idea what you've got in Justin, with him mis..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 11

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:50:31 CST
(How was the tempo of practice today?)
Very good. Tempo was excellent.

(Has there been a decision on Tauscher's surgery schedule?)
I have not talked to Pat, Dr. Pat McKenzie, this week about the exact timing. I know when we talked on Monday about Mark, the goal was to do pre-hab, get the swelling and everything out of the knee, and the target was sometime next week, but I don't have the exact date for you.

(Are you encouraged by what you saw today from Chillar?)
I thought Brandon Chillar practiced well today. He was flying around and made a couple plays in the blitz drill. Actually made a play in the blitz drill against us. He looked like he was back to full speed. I'll be curious how his body responds tomorrow. That will be the big test.

(Given some things Bishop did in the last game, how do you decide whom to play there?)
That's an excellent question. I think we'll use the week of..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 10

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:48:23 CST
(Did Harrell's hip injury happen in a game? Is it a concern?)
Justin Harrell has had a bothersome hip the last couple weeks, and it really has gotten to a point where Dr. McKenzie felt we needed to shut him down today and tomorrow, and we will test him on Friday.

(What are Korey Hall's prospects at this point?)
Korey is a potential test on Friday, and really his status hasn't changed. I think it will be a challenge for Korey to be ready for the game. Korey thinks he's going to make it, so we'll see where he is on Friday.

(What has Harrell given you since he came off PUP? Has he had the impact you hoped he would?)
He's never really been able to get healthy. His snaps have been limited, and I thought there was some progress in the pass rush part of it, and a little progress in the run blocking. Once again, he's a young player that's kind of going through a medical stage right now. We just have to keep working wi..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 8

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:51:16 CST
(Can you update us on the injury report?)
Yes, injuries. Brandon Chillar, groin strain. We will test him on Wednesday, see where he is. Mark Tauscher, we've lost him for the year with a ligament tear. We'll probably try to do some rehab with Mark and hopefully operate next week. Jeremy Thompson, he will test Wednesday also with his ankle and knee sprain. Nick Collins, he's questionable for Wednesday's practice with his contusion. I anticipate he'll be ready for the game. Korey Hall had a knee sprain. It's going to be a challenge to have him ready for this week. Tory Humphrey, calf and thumb contusion. I think he'll be fine this week. And Danny Lansanah had an upper arm contusion. I'd say he'll be ready to go this week also.

(Is Tauscher's knee ...)
We will place Mark Tauscher at some point this week on IR.

(I meant he won't be back until next year, training camp? Is it an ACL?)
Yeah, it's an ACL tear, and real..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 7

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:49:15 CST
(Is this as frustrating a season as you have gone through, close loss after close loss that this keeps happening?)
I could speak for myself on your question. I'm frustrated. I'm very frustrated on the way, particularly today's game unfolded. It's a little bit of a picture of how our season has gone. We had a number of opportunities and we didn't cash in on them. We had some breakdowns and unfortunately that's why we're sitting here again with a loss.

(Your defense hasn't been able to get a key stop when the game is on the line, and it happened again today. Is there anything you can pin that on?)
Today we stopped them on first down and in the second-down play they came out on a breakdown. That's football. You have to stay gap-sound, technique-specific and so forth, and we didn't do that for four quarters today.

(You gave up 549 yards on the heels of a couple other poor defensive games. What has happened to your defense?..

Packers-Texans Post-Game Notes & Quotes

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:42:33 CST
-Green Bay drops to 5-8 on the season after Houston's Kris Brown connected on a 40-yard field goal as time expired to beat the Packers, 24-21, at Lambeau Field.

-It was Green Bay's fifth loss of the season by four points or less, and the second time it has been beaten by a game-winning field goal (at Tennessee, 19-16, in overtime).

-The Packers have lost five of their last six games.

-Today's paid attendance was 70,245, the 276th consecutive sellout (260 regular season, 16 playoffs) at Lambeau Field.

-Tramon Williams intercepted his fifth pass of the season, extending his career high.

-Donald Lee's TD reception in the second quarter was his fifth of the season.

-Houston's Matt Schaub passed for 414 yards, the highest total the Packers have allowed this season. The Packers last gave up over 400 passing yards against the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 22, 2006 (Joey Harrington, 414 yards).

-Houston rookie Steve Slaton rushed for 12..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 5

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:43:31 CST
(What are your thoughts on Chillar at this point?)
Brandon, we're going to take the weekend. He strained his groin. He's making progress, so I won't have a decision until gameday on Brandon Chillar.

(Same on Thompson then?)
Correct, yes.

(Are you encouraged by the work from Scott Wells today?)
Yes, Scott took all the snaps and the post-practice report from Pepper I have not had. But he looked to go through the work fine. He was cleared this morning by Dr. Gray, so I think we're OK there.

(Your thinking is he'll make the start then?)
If everything checks out, he'll make the start.

(How did Grant look to you, especially with holding the ball?)
Good. I thought Ryan Grant did well throughout the week. You just watch him go through the ball-security drills, particularly the one drill that they do early in practice. The ability to hold onto the ball, yeah, when..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 4

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:39:57 CST
(How did the new punter do today?)
Jeremy did a nice job today. I thought he handled the snaps clean. He definitely has some power in his leg, did a good job with the directional kicking. He had a good day's work.

(How big a challenge will it be for him in the conditions?)
It's definitely a challenge. I think his background helps him based on where he played college and his time in professional football. He just needs to go out and kick to the proper direction. He's been impressive through his workout, and that's why he's here. I thought he got off to a good start today.

(Matt is still the holder?)
Matt Flynn, correct, is still the holder.

(Any plans to change?)
No, we'll go that way the rest of the way. We're going to stay with Matt. I think it just gives you more options. Also with Brian working behind Matt, and also we have Ruvell Martin. So those are our three holders.

..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 3

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:33:12 CST
(How's Scott Wells coming along?)
He's coming along. Anytime you suffer a concussion there's procedures the player needs to go through, a series of testing. So he's passed the first segment of testing, and we'll move forward as far as his conditioning and then he has to pass that segment before we can clear him to practice.

(So Sunday?)
I'm still hoping that he'll be there for Sunday. Our goal, just talking to Pat McKenzie this morning, would be for him to practice on Friday.

(Are you encouraged? You didn't sound as optimistic on Monday.)
Well, the report wasn't as positive Monday as it was today. He was still groggy Monday. He's made a lot of progress and feels good today. Went through conditioning with Mark Lovat. He'll go through the series of tests that you need to go through to pass the concussion test.

(Does Rouse seem over the hump with his injury?)
I think so. He practiced f..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 1

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:43:05 CST
(What's Wells' condition?)
Scott had a concussion in the game. I anticipate that he'll probably be out most of the week. It will be a challenge for him to be ready to play this week.

(Did he ever say anything on the sideline?)
My understanding is it happened I think on the second down play of the series before, just after watching the film and seeing when he did bang his head. But the communication I had with Scott after the fumble, I did not notice it, that he was in that state. Obviously no one noticed it before that or he would not have been out there.

(Do you have to remind players that's something they have to be more conscious of?)
I think you answered your own question ...

(Poor choice of words ... that they have to tell somebody about it?)
There's communication all the time between series, and there's communication from player to player, coach to coach, and medical staff, an..

Packers-Panthers Post-Game Notes & Quotes

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 17:30:59 CST
-Today's loss drops Green Bay to 5-7, two games behind the NFC North division leader. Chicago and Minnesota, both 6-5, play tonight.

-Carolina's victory moves them to 9-3 and in a tie for first place with Tampa Bay in the NFC South.

-Today's four-point loss was Green Bay's fourth loss of the season by four points or less.

-The Packers advantage in the teams' all-time rivalry is now 3-2 at Lambeau Field and 6-4 overall regular season.

-Today's paid attendance was 70,297, the 275th consecutive sellout (259 regular season, 16 playoffs) at Lambeau Field.

-With nine catches for 91 yards, Greg Jennings surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career. He now has 64 catches for 1,057 yards on the season. His TD catch was his seventh of the season.

-Donald Driver's second-quarter TD catch was the 42nd of his career, his 16th at Lambeau Field.

-Driver also surpassed the 50-reception mark, marking his seventh season o..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 30

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 10:07:59 CST
I'll start with the injuries. Atari Bigby left with a shoulder bruise. Scott Wells had a concussion. What else is there? I can't read his writing. Sorry. Questions please.

(Time and again this season, you haven't been able to win the close games, why do you think that is?)
Well, it's a combination of not making enough plays and doing some of the basic things we've been able to do in the past. I thought the biggest negative today was field position. It's two weeks in a row we're playing on a football field that's 200 yards longer than our opponent. It's tough to overcome that. I thought that was a huge factor. And we've got to keep them out of the end zone. They made big plays down the stretch. Offensively, I felt we were able to control the clock, manage the football game, we were backed up a number of times where we had to get long drives and we were able to accomplish that. The negative to the offense is we have to punch the ball in the end zone every ti..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 28

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:53:18 CST
(How much was Tauscher able to do in his limited participation?)
Mark feels very good about where he is today. Really we'll see how he feels in the morning. He went through the jog-through and was taking his share of reps. You could probably put him anywhere between limited and full. We'll just see how he feels after his work today, and we'll give him every opportunity to play in the game Sunday.

(He did take a fair amount of team reps?)
Yeah, he took some team reps.

(How'd he look to you?)
Looked OK. I didn't sit there and watch him and study him. We had a conversation on the field about it. He feels good. He feels good about his chances.

(Did you get outside for team drills today?)
No we did not. The field was still frozen. We were unable to get on the field today, so we stayed inside the whole time.

(What are they doing to the field?)
When they clear i..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 27

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 09:51:47 CST
(Was it encouraging that Tauscher was able to participate in the jog-through?)
That was definitely encouraging. The plan for Mark, after yesterday's medical evaluation, was to rest him Wednesday and Thursday. He was able to do the walk-through today, which was good for him because every week you have some new wrinkles and so forth. So he is definitely making progress.

(How does that happen that he was able to do something?)
There is treatment in the morning. They have treatment every morning. Every morning before the meetings there is a segment with the medical staff, and it goes on through the day up until practice. It wasn't a very strenuous day that he went through. It wasn't putting his hamstring in harm.

(Do you find it tougher for the team to focus during a holiday week, especially with both of your games this season around the holidays coming on short weeks?)
It is a challenge. I've never, that I recall..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 26

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:49:52 CST
(What is the outlook for Mark Tauscher?)
Our plan with Mark Tauscher is we obviously rested him today. We'll have the same plan tomorrow and Friday is medical evaluation. We'll see how much work he'll be able to do on Friday. I know Mark is very optimistic. He has been very positive about his chances to play. We'll determine his practice participation on Friday morning, but he will be down today and tomorrow.

(Does Jennings have a rib injury?)
Yeah, he got hit in the ribs. Just being smart with him because it's technically Tuesday for our players.

(How was the work today with so many guys limited?)
Did not have to adjust the practice schedule today even with the number of guys limited because of coming off a Monday night game. We were able to get all of the work done that we intended and I don't see the number of limited participants being a factor in our preparation during the course of the week. I think it w..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 25

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 09:45:55 CST
OK, I'll start with the injuries. Patrick Lee had a knee sprain. It will be a challenge for him to be ready this week. Atari Bigby has a chronic ankle. Nick Collins, knee contusion. Tory Humphrey, ankle sprain. Brandon Jackson, ankle sprain. Johnny Jolly, foot and ankle sprain. Aaron Rouse also had an ankle sprain, and Mark Tauscher had a hamstring strain. With that I'll take your questions.

(What's the early outlook for Tauscher?)
Mark is going to have an MRI today and we'll have more information as far as his specific situation.

(How did Tony Moll fare?)
I thought Tony played well. Tony is a tough guy, went in there and competed. Had the one mistake there, I think on the first or second series. Other than that, I thought he did well.

(After looking at the film, what were the common breakdowns in the secondary?)
As far as our defense's performance, it was definitely not a strength last night. As far ..

Packers-Saints Postgame Quotes

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:23:19 CST
Green Bay Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy
(on the loss) "We didn't slow them down at all tonight. Give credit to the Saints and the play of the quarterback. He was on fire coming into the game and we didn't cool him off any. It was disappointing. I don't really have too much to say about the defense, but they played excellent offense. Our offense...I thought we played very well in the first half. We had the ball 18 minutes and it was very productive. We were playing the game that we wanted to play."

(on if they tried to pressure Drew Brees) "We called blitzes. We were playing a lot of our match coverage and went to more zone and man pressure to try and generate pressure on the quarterback."

(on his disappointment) "We practiced very well. I believe that practice carries over to your performance on Sunday or Monday, whenever you play the game. It's frustrating. They played very well. Give credit to the Saints and how they played..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 24

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:22:31 CST
(What happened to the pass defense?)
I'll just start with the overview of the game. We can start with the defense. We didn't slow them down at all tonight. Give credit to the Saints and the play of their quarterback. He was on fire coming into the game, and we didn't cool him off any. It was disappointing. I don't really have much to say about our defense. They played excellent on offense. Our offense, I thought we played very well the first half. Had the ball 18 minutes and was very productive. We were playing the game we wanted to play. Frankly the turnovers was what led us to play the way we did in the second half, and then we were playing uphill. Special teams didn't play very well also.

(Did you try to do anything to manufacture pressure on him?)
We called blitzes. We were playing a lot of our match coverage. We went to more zone and man pressure to try to generate pressure on the quarterback, and we started to play with some vision..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 22

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 10:17:44 CST
(What happened with Thompson that you downgraded him?)
Jeremy Thompson's injury would fall in the classification of a fatigue injury, so just after meeting with the doctors today, they feel his chances of potentially playing Monday have lessened. We will work Jeremy out before the game to see where he is.

(What happened to Josh?)
Josh, it happened in practice yesterday. A situation where he had someone roll up on his ankle.

(With the four-day workweek, how was the energy into the fourth day?)
I thought it was great. I thought the energy was great today. The ability to practice four days in a row, we cut some of the practice time down and just spread it out over the four-day period as opposed to three days. I'm very pleased with the amount of work we were able to get done, the extra preparation and the quality of it. We feel like we've had a good week.

(Was this close to a normal Friday for you?)..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 21

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:14:16 CST
(How did Donald look? Were you happy to have him back?)
It was great to have Donald back. Donald Driver, he looked great. He had fresh legs out there today. Had a heck of a practice. Professionally I'm sure the time off helped him physically. On a personal note, he's dealing with the situation in Houston, and it was great to have him back. I think he feels better since he had a chance to get down there and visit with everybody.

(Is that a situation that can go one of two ways, where something off the field could really distract a guy, or the football field could function as a solace for him?)
I think you could make a case for both. I think every situation is different. I think any individual finds comfort, I think I would, comfort in your professional atmosphere and the people that you work with every day, especially in the business that we're in. We have an opportunity to work and create during the course of the week and express that on..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 19

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:09:04 CST
(Driver is listed as 'not injury related.' You had said there were some little things he was dealing with, so is he just resting?)
Donald Driver, I'd like to talk about him for a second as far as number one, I guess it was Monday in here in the press conference, the intent was to give him off today and tomorrow, just from a medical standpoint, because he had a number of different things wrong with him. So I just wanted to let him rest. But he's had a personal situation that has come up, and he's dealing with that right now. He's been excused.

(Did you have a chance to talk to him? How is he dealing with the situation?)
Any comments from me would be inappropriate, frankly. He has been excused and he's dealing with that.

(Do you expect him to be back in time for Monday?)
That is the intent, yes.

(Today did you just do individual drills?)
Today we basically broke up a Wednesday workloa..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 17

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:19:56 CST
(Did you come out OK medically?)
Yes, we came out fairly healthy just from the medical report standpoint. Nick Barnett will have his surgery on Thursday. Donald Driver, he's just a little banged up with some bruises. He'll probably miss practice, just maybe Wednesday. That's really about it.

(How are you doing medically? You sound sick.)
Good. Just got a sore throat.

(Does Driver have some sort of turf toe thing? They mentioned it on the TV broadcast.)
Donald has some little things, he has a number of things, and I think it's like a lot of players. He has some things he deals with during the course of the week, but it's nothing where he's missed any practice time. That's probably why I'm going to give him a day this week to get back healthy.

(How do you look at where things stand in the division?)
Well, we're tied obviously with Chicago and Minnesota. When you start the season, ever..

Packers-Bears Post-Game Notes & Quotes

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:07:03 CST
PACKERS DEFEAT CHICAGO 37-3, IMPROVE TO 5-5
-With today's win and a Minnesota loss in Tampa Bay, the Packers, Bears and Vikings all-stand tied atop the NFC North at-5-5.

-Today's 34 point margin of victory is the largest since Dec. 11, 1994, when Green Bay won-40-3 over Chicago.

-The Packers have won 12 of their last 15 regular-season games at Lambeau Field.

-Today's paid attendance was 71,040, the 274th consecutive sellout (258 regular season, 16 playoffs) at Lambeau Field.

-Green Bay's 138 rushing yards in the first half marked its best effort in a single half this season. Its previous best was 84 yards, set against Minnesota in the first half in Week 1.

-The Packers' 200 rushing yards marked a season high.

-The Packers' defense surrendered 234 total yard to Chicago. It was the second-lowest output by a Packers opponent this season (177 yards, at Seattle, Week 6).

-Ryan Grant became the first Packers player t..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 16

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 10:04:35 CST
I'll start with the injuries. Chad Clifton had a finger on the first play of the game. He returned in the second series. Donald Driver banged his knee and he returned the next series. Ryan Grant had the wind knocked out of him and he returned the next series. James Jones banged his knee and he returned in the second half. That's what I have for you injury-wise and with that, I'll take your questions.

(How do you explain such a dominating performance?)
How do I explain it? Well, I thought our football team, they prepared very well. We've really played some very good football throughout the season and today we were able to put it all together for four quarters. It's a credit to the staff and to the players. They just stayed the course. We had an excellent week of practice and we've really been practicing extremely well the last couple weeks, and it carries over to Sundays. We believe in that and that's how we operate. We played at a high level and I was prou..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 14

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:58:27 CST
(What happened to Justin Harrell?)
Justin was injured in yesterday's practice, so we're being smart with him today. Pat McKenzie looked at him this morning. He has a knee sprain. I haven't got the information on how his rehab went and so forth. So we'll test him through today, and I'll have more information by tomorrow.

(Is it significant enough he might not play?)
I'm hopeful not. Based on the conversation this morning, I'm leaning more towards that he would play. But we'll see how everything went today.

(How did Blackmon look coming off his injury?)
He looks fine. He has a contusion. He just probably needs rest and we're just being smart with him so it wouldn't turn into anything more. I anticipate he'll be ready to go full speed on Sunday.

(Describe the impact he's had now that he's healthy.)
Just from a production standpoint, every time Will Blackmon touches the ball, he has the..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 13

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:54:15 CST
(Are you more optimistic you'll have Jeremy on Sunday now?)
Jeremy Thompson? I don't know. I'll have more information tomorrow to better answer that question. It's pretty much what I said yesterday. It's going to be a challenge for him to be ready this week.

(What's the impact of having a different rotation at that right end spot?)
We do roll our linemen, and I understand what you're saying at that specific position, but it's a part of our game. Jeremy has done an excellent job really, improving each week. He was really coming on strong. It's just another opportunity for Jason Hunter and the other guys to get more work.

(Looked like Aaron did the individual drills today too. Have you normally been holding him back in those?)
Yeah, he took everything today. I thought that was definitely a good sign, and hopefully that's where we are the rest of the season.

(Are you hopeful tomorrow will be that w..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 12

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:48:08 CST
(Did you decide what to do at linebacker?)
Yes, we're working all the combinations between A.J. Hawk moving to mike, Brandon Chillar and Desmond Bishop. We're double-training, and also you could put Brady Poppinga into that sort there. We're going to double-train all those guys to make sure we're ready to get in and out of our different personnel groups.

(Any inclination whom to start?)
They're all going to be ready. You guys go to practice. I'm sure you may have an opinion on who's going to be there. We just can't wait to get to Sunday for a number of reasons, particularly who's going to play mike linebacker. A.J. is getting a lot of work there, and we just have to be ready just to be able to move in and out of our different personnel groups.

(How different is that position in the scheme than will?)
There's definitely differences, but it isn't like they haven't been trained there before. Once again, it's A, g..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 10

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:10:55 CST
(What's the severity of Nick Barnett's injury?)
We've lost Nick Barnett for the season because of a ligament tear in his knee. Just got the word here about a half-hour ago. He's very disappointed. It's unfortunate, but we need to have the other guys step up.

(An ACL I take it?)
He has a ligament tear. If he wants to tell you which one, he can tell you.

(What's the timeline?)
He's out for the season. We haven't discussed that yet. There's an operation that has to occur and so forth. That hasn't been scheduled. I spoke to him briefly for about 10 minutes.

(Does Bishop go into that spot or do you move Hawk to the middle?)
Well, that's what we're talking about. We talked about it a little bit as a defensive staff this morning, the potentials. Obviously Desmond Bishop, A.J. Hawk, and Brandon Chillar also factors into that too. We'll probably make that call tomorrow.

(The f..

Packers-Vikings Post-Game Quotes

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 10:12:03 CST
Head Coach Mike McCarthy
Q: Do you think the noise played a factor in Aaron Rodgers play today?
A: Well noise is a challenge. It's a challenge every time you come up here. We had some instances where our communications could have been better but I guess that's a case where I'm going to have to ask him.

Q: Do you give credit to the Vikings defensive line too because it seemed like Aaron was on the run a lot?
A: I thought their d-line played very well today. Pass protection for us was an issue for four quarters. They hit the quarterback a bunch; there was lot of pressure.

Q: What was your interpretation of the penalty they called in the end zone that led to the first safety?
A: The interpretation I was given was that it was an unnatural throwing motion, so with that the decision was it was a safety.

Q: Was the protection change due to the noise at the end? Did it prevent you from getting a little closer for th..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 9

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 10:02:23 CST
(Mike, did you feel comfortable with the kick?)
Yes I did.

(What did he tell you about the kick?)
About the kick? I haven't talked to him. It just looked like he pushed it a little bit to the right.

(Did the noise factor into Aaron's performance today?)
Well, I mean the noise is a challenge. It's a challenge every time we come up here. We had some instances where probably our communication could have been better, but I guess to answer your question you'll have to ask him.

(Do you have to give credit to the Vikings' D-line? It seemed like Aaron was on the run a lot.)
I thought their D-line played very well today. Pass protection for us was an issue for four quarters. They hit the quarterback a bunch. There was a lot of pressure there. They definitely won that battle up front.

(What's your interpretation of the penalty they called on Aaron in the end zone for the saf..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 7

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:56:37 CST
(You had Charles back for a full practice today. Considering the way that injury looked earlier, is it kind of amazing to get him back like this?)
It was great to have Charles down there working today. Just visiting with him yesterday, he felt he was back to where he'd like to practice instead of doing all his work on treadmills and so forth. It was good for him to get some live reps today.

(Is the ideal with him to take it easy on Wednesday and Thursday and practice on Friday, like he has in the past?)
Once again, it's really how he comes out of the game. It's really the Monday evaluation and then the Wednesday morning evaluation.

(How much did Rodgers do today?)
He did not throw today. The medical staff felt that it was best to shut him down today, based on his level of soreness this morning.

(He did a lot of throwing yesterday, right?)
That's the most he's thrown on a combination..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 6

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:52:24 CST
(Is this the healthiest you've been all season?)
I was just checking with Jeff to find out so I could act like I knew how to answer the question. We're extremely healthy, so that's the conclusion of our health Thursday conference, right? Am I done?

(How encouraging is that?)
Health is so important really for the full week, and we've talked about this time and time again in here. It really gives you the opportunity for your whole football team to improve. You've got every player on your roster throughout, practice squad included, everybody is playing the position they're supposed to be playing. I just think that helps so much because your look squads are better, and the players have the opportunity to continue to improve at their specific craft. To me that carries over to the games, and we're healthy, so we've had very good quality work so far this week. Today's practice, I think it's going to look very good. I hope it looks as good as it..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 5

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:45:12 CST
(Is this the first time you've had all 53 on the field for the jog-through?)
That's a good question. I'm not sure. I haven't kept track. But it was nice to have everybody there today.

(You're 5-0 vs. the Vikings. Why such an edge on these guys?)
We've had some positive outcomes against the Vikings in our past experiences. It's really a one-game-at-a-time approach. This game I'm sure is going to be different than the others. It's just important for us to stay focused on where we are today as a team - the ability to have everybody there at practice, the improvement in the details of our plan throughout the week, and get ready to go up into that environment. Anytime you play in an indoor stadium, it's a little different. It will be loud on Sunday, and we started with the preparation today with the crowd noise. It's really staying focused on getting ready for the type of landscape that's really different than the normal gameday events. We'd ..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 3

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:32:57 CST
(At this stage of the season, how much importance do you place on looking at the standings?)
We're aware of the standings and where we are in the standings. Those are secondary focuses, is the way that I speak to the team. I can't speak for the players. I'm sure they're well aware of what everybody's record is, everything is so publicized. But we're more in tune with what our record is, 4-4, and the things we need to improve on to keep moving forward.

(How important are these two division games coming up?)
Division games are very important, no doubt about it. Division road games are probably the toughest road games that you play throughout the year, in my opinion. So this week's challenge will be big for us, no doubt.

(Several times in the game, the defensive backs had the ball in their midst. How many did you feel were potential interceptions?)
I would say we had two or three legitimate opportunities for turn..

Packers-Titans Post-Game Quotes

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:43:28 CST
HEAD COACH MIKE McCARTHY
(on the defense running out of gas in the fourth quarter)
I wouldn't classify it as that. We didn't perform well enough at the end to win the game. I thought it was a hard fought football game. They were able to move the ball in both their two minute drills. They made some plays under two minutes on the first attempt and on the second attempt we didn't stop the run. I thought our team, conditioning wise, was in good shape. They played a slowed down tempo game, we play an up tempo game on offense so I didn't feel conditioning was a factor.

(on the ability to run against Tennessee)
There are some things schematically that we liked against their defense. We like to run it more. Ryan Grant got nicked a few times, came in and out of the game a few times. We got some checks at the line and so forth based on the defense they gave us. I thought for the most part we ran the ball efficiently.

(on go..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 2

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 11:16:15 CST
(Did the defense get too tired there at the end?)
I wouldn't classify it as that. We didn't perform well enough at the end to win the game. I thought it was a hard fought football game, and they were able to move the ball in their 2-minute drill; they made some plays in the 2-minute drill for the first attempt, and the second time we didn't stop the run. I thought our team conditioning wise was in pretty good shape. They play a slowed-down tempo game, we play an up-tempo game on offense, so I didn't feel conditioning was a factor.

(You were able to run against them better than most have. How did you have success against their defense?)
Well, we had some things schematically that we liked against their defense. I would've liked to run it more. Ryan Grant got nicked a few times, came in and out of the game a few times, and we had some checks at the line and so forth based on the defense they gave us, but I felt for the most part we ran t..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 31

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:06:34 CST
(So much for bringing back the 'Big 5'?)
You guys jinxed him. It's in danger. Jordy had a collision in yesterday's practice, so he just had an ankle injury. We're actually going to test him down there in Tennessee on Sunday and see if he can go.

(What did Charles Woodson do today?)
Just limited, like he normally does.

(So he wasn't there during team?)
Team periods? No, he's still in the rehab program.

(Have you made a decision on Harrell yet?)
No, I haven't. We've got our management meeting every Friday so we'll go up there and talk about the inactives. We've got some decisions that we need to make today and tomorrow. Special teams will probably be the driving force of the decisions when it comes between who is up and down. That's what we'll meet on today, and Justin's situation is part of that conversation.
(How much did Rodgers do today?)
Light. He didn't do..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 30

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:05:15 CST
(How's James Jones doing this week?)
James has done a good job. He looks like he's running well. It's good to have him back out there. He needs to be more involved in special teams, so we're trying to get him more reps there. He looks like he's healthy. It's good to have him back out there.

(Is he all the way back then?)
Health-wise, absolutely.

(What does that do to your offense now?)
He's another playmaker. I thought James played very well for a rookie last year and his contributions. He was clearly was probably having one of the better training camps where you really saw the development from year one to year two. It's unfortunate he got hurt in the preseason game up there in Denver, but it's good to have him back. He gives us another big, physical receiver.

(Any particular reason you went outside?)
Why I went outside? Well, it was gorgeous, if you watched the news this morning. I..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 29

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:03:37 CST
(What was Aaron able to do in practice today?)
Aaron Rodgers was classified as limited. Basically he was on a pitch count. He took pretty much all the run game and was limited in the passing game.

(How many pitches did you limit him to?)
It's irrelevant.

(Do you feel the time off helped his shoulder?)
Definitely. I think he's at the point where the strength is not an issue. Everything from a structure standpoint is not an issue. It just needs rest. That's what Dr. McKenzie keeps telling me. As much rest as we can give him, the better, just so it doesn't flare up on him. That's why they've established a pitch count for today, and I'll give him one tomorrow, and then we'll see where we are on Friday.

(Is it still the same approach, to limit his throws the closer you get to the game?)
Just the shut down time. 72 hours before the game is the target that you have to make a decision, and ..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 27

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:01:17 CST
(Congratulations on the new family addition. What's it like going back 17 years?)
Thank you. Just the birth of a child, it's unbelievable. I can't say enough about the experience. It's been a long time since the birth of my daughter Alex, and just to go through it again, you talk about toughness of your football team, there's nothing that compares to what Jessica and what women go through to have a child. It was just a remarkable miracle and I enjoyed every second of it.

(How are you sleeping?)
Periodically.

(Do football games keep you up more, or babies?)
It's totally different. Bad calls keep you up for the wrong reasons. Babies keep you up for the right reasons.

(With the self-scouting, any time to do the work you wanted to?)
Absolutely. She's sleeping four hours, so you get four-hour cracks at self-scouting. No, I had an opportunity to get in here every day. It was actually, fro..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 20

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:38:02 CST
(Other than Jeremy Thompson, did any other injuries come out of the game?)
No, we've just got a bunch of bumps and bruises. Jeremy Thompson, I anticipate him practicing.

(What was the thinking on Justin Harrell not being activated?)
Justin Harrell, at the end of the week, we just decided that he needs some more time. You have three weeks to get him ready, so we'll move forward with him continuing to practice and make sure he's ready when we activate him.

(Guys like Aaron, Atari and James, will they stay behind to rehab or do they get away and do rehab elsewhere?)
It's really all based on the individual injury, the ability to have the proper care. I spent a long time last night with the medical staff, going through each player, based on who's staying and what needs to get done. It's really done on an individual basis.

(Are any of those guys staying back?)
There's a number of them sta..

Packers-Colts Postgame Notes & Quotes

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 23:58:26 CST
PACKERS DEFEAT COLTS 34-14, IMPROVE TO 4-3
-With tonight's win, the Packers now stand tied with Chicago atop the NFC North.

-The Packers snapped the Colts October win-streak at 13, handing Indianapolis its first defeat in the month since 2004 when it lost to Kansas City. Green Bay now has won five straight against the AFC.

-Green Bay snapped a two-game losing streak at Lambeau Field. The team has won 11 of its last 14 regular season games at the stadium.

-Today's paid attendance was 71,010, the 273rd consecutive sellout (257 regular season, 16 playoffs) at Lambeau Field.

-Aaron Rouse's 99-yard interception return for a touchdown ties the Packers record for longest interception return, set by Tim Lewis against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 18, 1984. It was Rouse's first interception of the season.

-Nick Collins recorded his fourth interception of the season and his second TD return of the season.

-The Packers entered play..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 19

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 14:17:04 CST
I'll start with the only injury of the game. Jeremy Thompson had a stinger and did not return. I'll take your questions, please.

(Could you have asked for a better performance out of the defense?)
I thought our defense was excellent today, along with the crowd. When you play great defense and having the crowd at Lambeau Field, that's what it looks like right there. And that's what we'll continue to talk about as a football team. The importance of winning home games, but the importance of utilizing Lambeau Field as a homefield advantage. I thought it was a great victory into the bye and I thought our defense was huge today.

(Can you talk about how aggressive you were early in the game, the onside kick and then going for it in your own territory?)
Those are things during the course of the week, why you game plan, things you see on film, the approach you take into the game. I wanted to be aggressive from an offensive standpoint. B..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 17

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:47:16 CST
(Did Bigby have a significant setback?)
He didn't finish practice yesterday. He worked through most of it. I talked to him afterwards, thought he had a chance today. But in his evaluation this morning, we ended up holding him, so it looks like he won't be back until after the bye week.

(How about Ryan Pickett?)
Ryan practiced today. We'll see how he feels. I haven't talked to him since practice was over, but he's like we thought, and he'll do everything he possibly can to put himself in position to play the game. Definitely hopeful he'll go.

(What do you do to protect a tricep?)
There's different types of things. It's more of a harness, and basically how they set it and the specifics of it, I'm sure they'll continue to adjust it and get it to where he's comfortable.

(Do you think Wells can go?)
I look at Wells and Pickett about the same. I anticipate they'll both go, but they just h..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 16

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:46:07 CST
(What happened to Wells?)
Scott Wells, it's a muscle strain, kind of high in his shoulder, chest area, kind of high. So we limited him today. He went through the jog-through, just did limited work. He'll see Dr. McKenzie in the morning, the Friday exam. I don't think it's serious, though.

(From yesterday?)
Correct.

(Isn't that how that back thing started, with his trunk?)
I think every situation is different. I'm pretty confident that he'll play in the game, unless I'm told otherwise tomorrow.

(So it's unrelated to his previous stuff?)
Correct, yes.

(How'd Bigby look?)
I thought he looked good. It's good to have him back out there. He was able to get some work, and we'll see how he responds to it. It's been a while. I know he was anxious to get out. It was great that he finally passed his test yesterday. I know he's been frustrated with the injury. It was..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 15

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:44:43 CST
(What was Justin able to do today and what are his chances to be up on Sunday?)
Justin Harrell was a full participant in practice today. I had the opportunity to observe him throughout the individual. I think he's in very good shape. We'll use the full week of practice to determine his status. I thought he got off to a good start. I won't know the specifics of how he did in the team periods until we watch the film.

(What did Al do today? Is there any possibility for Sunday?)
I would say Al is doubtful for Sunday. Al and I talked again at practice. He was able to do a lot of the individual drills, more extensive conditioning. He feels great. Mentally he feels he could play. We're just going to follow the direction of the doctors.

(With the nature of his injury, do you feel lucky there's a chance to get him back this year?)
Yes, we do feel that he has a chance to get back. He's made significant improvement from ..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 13

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:41:45 CST
(What's the status or Ryan Pickett?)
Ryan Pickett had a tricep strain. He'll be questionable probably this week. I don't know how much practice time Dr. McKenzie sees him being able to work through. Just like a lot of these injuries, we'll see where Ryan is on Wednesday. But I'd probably label him as questionable if I had to today.

(So he didn't tear it or do anything severe?)
It's a strain to the muscle is the way it was described to me. That's his status.

(What's the plan with Justin Harrell this week?)
Justin Harrell will really follow the same medical procedure that we've taken with all the players that have come off a significant injury. He'll be full practice Wednesday and we'll just see how he does throughout the week. He hasn't been in that particular environment for quite some time, so they just want to make sure they give him the proper progression of working his way through a full week of practice. ..

Packers-Seahawks Postgame Quotes

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 00:24:36 CST
HEAD COACH MIKE MCCARTHY
(Thoughts on when (Aaron) Rogers was hit hard in the second quarter, was that a wake up call...) Yes, I would agree with the timing of it. I don't think that we need to get our quarterback whacked before we start playing better.

I will say this as a whole. I thought that the win today was a smart one for our football team. I thought that we played well throughtout the major situations. That we were able to control the time of possession the way that we did. To come into this stadium, which is a tough place. They (Seattle) are a very well coach football team. I was very pleased with the victory, the number of long drives that the offense was able to sustain. That was obviously a big factor, the defensive playing at the level that they played at with the turnovers in the second half, to.

I am very pleased with the victory. I thought it was a smartly played game by our football team...

Losing is hard. We haven't won a..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 12

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 09:34:56 CST
I'll start with the injuries. Aaron Rouse left the game with a head injury. I haven't got the update yet on his status. Ryan Pickett left with an elbow injury, and he did not return. With that I'll take your questions.

(On whether the big hit on Rodgers sparked the team)
Yeah, I guess I would agree with the timing of it but I don't think we need to get our quarterback whacked before we start playing better. I'll just say this as a whole. I thought the win today was a smart win for our football team. I thought we played very well throughout the major situations; control the time of possession the way we were able to, to come into this stadium which is a tough place to play against a very well coached football team, just very pleased with the victory. The number of long drives the offense was able to sustain was obviously a big factor, and the field position, the defense playing at the level they played with the turnovers in the second half. I'm very pleased..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 10

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:36:13 CST
(Did you wind up holding Aaron back from throwing today?)
The decision to hold Aaron Rodgers from throwing today was a medical decision. Dr. McKenzie in his evaluation this morning felt it was best for Aaron not to throw today, so that's why his practice reps were limited, and he'll be ready to go Sunday.

(Do you throw him on Sunday, another pre-game workout?)
I think we'll be fine.

(What happened to Pat Lee?)
Pat Lee just had some back spasms, yesterday's practice. The indication from the medical staff was they felt he needed some work today to settle them down. I'm hopeful he will still go on Sunday.

(Did Rodgers get enough work to be prepared?)
As far as Aaron Rodgers' preparation, we did the best we can as far as having him rep at practice. He's a very conscientious individual, and I'm confident he'll be prepared to play in the game Sunday.

(How did Chad get throu..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 9

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:35:57 CST
(Is it important to have Woodson out there?)
Practice is important. He's progressed with his medical situation. He's not in the boot anymore, so it's good to have him down there at the jog-throughs. It just wasn't in his best interest in prior weeks for him to be standing that long with the boot on his foot.

(Any chance after the bye week that he'll get past all this?)
You've got two more games, so it's really how he comes out of the game that will factor in how well he is. He's improved, so that's a positive.

(Did Aaron throw more than yesterday?)
Actually, Aaron went through majority of the practice. We really didn't do any throwing. He was involved in everything else but that. Based on how he came out of his rehab yesterday, Dr. McKenzie felt that it was best that he did not throw today. But he went through the whole practice and did everything except the throwing.

(What's the plan for tomorr..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 8

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:35:37 CST
(What is the prognosis on Michael Montgomery?)
Mike has a pretty good sprained ankle, just to quote Pat McKenzie. He's going to be challenged to play this week, so our plan for Mike Montgomery is to rehab him as much as we can today and tomorrow, and then Pat will re-assess his condition Friday morning. There is a slight potential that he'll be able to practice Friday, but I would think, just based off this morning's conversation and his evaluation, I would think he will be a Sunday workout guy that we'll work out before the game up in Seattle and see if he can go.

(Are you confident Jeremy Thompson could handle a bigger role?)
Jeremy Thompson will be up for this week. I anticipate him being active.

(Where is Jason Hunter at?)
He is not as close as we thought. I was hopeful he would be back this week. He will be re-evaluated Friday too, so our goal is maybe hopefully see him practice Friday, but he was not as..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 6

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:07:43 CST
OK, I'll start with the injuries. Chad Clifton had a hamstring strain. He'll miss some time this week. A.J. Hawk, groin strain, he's about the same as what he was last week. Michael Montgomery had an ankle sprain. Ryan Pickett has some knee tendonitis we'll deal with this week. Aaron Rodgers with the shoulder sprain. Very similar to where he was last week. Actually they think he's improved. And Donald Driver had a thumb contusion. With that I'll take your questions.

(Is A.J.'s condition a concern? Did he play up to his normal level yesterday?)
I think it affected his play at times. The burst wasn't probably what it was in the past. Missing practice time doesn't help anybody, so we'll see how he feels Wednesday and make sure we try to get him some practice time if he were to go in Seattle.

(His break on the ball on that touchdown, did the injury slow him down?)
He did a nice job recognizing it. He had leverage on the tight end in..

Packers-Falcons Postgame Notes & Quotes

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:32:44 CST
PACKERS LOSE TO FALCONS, FALL TO 2-3
-Green Bay's 27-24 loss today to Atlanta drops the team to 2-3.

-The Packers loss, combined with the Bears win today over the Lions, places Green Bay second in the NFL North behind Chicago (3-2).

-Green Bay's last three-game losing streak came in 2006 (Week 11-13). That three-game skid also marked the last time the Packers lost back-to-back games at Lambeau Field.

OTHER POSTGAME NOTES:
-Today's paid attendance was 70,616, the 272nd consecutive sellout (256 regular season, 16 playoffs) at Lambeau Field.

-The Packers allowed a first-quarter touchdown for the first time this season. Atlanta's Justin Peelle caught a 1-yard TD.

-Donald Driver caught the 40th touchdown pass of his career. He becomes the eighth player in franchise history to record 40 touchdown catches.

-Driver's second quarter catch marked his 100th consequtive game with a reception. He now stands behind only St..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 5

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:01:39 CST
I'll start with the injuries first. Donald Driver had his hand stepped on, he did return. Chad Clifton had a hamstring. He did not return. Mike Montgomery had an ankle injury, he did not return. I have not yet got a report on how Aaron Rodgers came out of the game.

i(You've got as many losses now as you had all of last season. Where do you go from here?)
Well, we're 2-3 right now. Where we go from here is we get them in here tomorrow and we need to demand more. We need to do a better job of demanding as a staff to get it done the right way from the players. I'm not happy with the way it's going as far as the fundamentals. We're making common mistakes, things you're stressing in practice and we need to clean it up. Our house is messy right now and nobody is happy about it. We'll continue to work, but we're 2-3 and we'll get it cleaned up tomorrow as we head into Seattle.

(You pretty much said the same thing about last week's game about the fu..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 3

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:47:10 CST
(What's the plan for Aaron the next couple of days?)
Aaron Rodgers, he has 48 hours. What we did with Aaron today, he went through the jog-through. That was more of a warm-up and he needed to get the mental preparation there, a number of things we felt he needed to see, along with getting Matt Flynn ready, was the focus of the jog-through. Then he went through a rehab testing period and hopefully he feels good in the morning, and we'll give him 48 hours to get ready to go.

(What's the medical staff telling you?)
It's been positive. It's been positive. He's making progress.

(Did he air it out at all today?)
Throwing was part of his rehab today. So he did some throwing.

(Inside?)
Correct. Yes.

(Did you observe it?)
No I did not. It's really the same procedure we do with all the injured players. They have a different testing pattern they go through whether i..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 2

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:46:04 CST
(What's your feeling on Rouse?)
He's not coming along as fast as we would have hoped, so we'll see where he is tomorrow. Friday is a big checkup day with all the injured guys, so I'll probably go off Pat McKenzie's recommendation tomorrow.

(Are you going to try Bigby tomorrow?)
Well, he went some today, and he went through his rehab improved, as far as the intensity of it, and preliminary testing. Hopefully he responds to that. There was some hope of him possibly practicing full today, but it didn't work out that way.

(What can you get from Charlie Peprah if you need him?) You go back to training camp, Charlie was right in the thick of it. Charlie Peprah was someone we felt was pushing the other guys in training camp and had the pretty significant hamstring injury, missed a lot of time. It's good to have him back. He's been a solid performer for us on special teams, and this is an excellent opportunity for him if h..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 1

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:44:04 CST
(Do you have an update on Aaron, and what's your plan for him this week?)
Aaron Rodgers, our plan today after consulting with the medical staff, Dr. McKenzie, we're going to not throw him in practice today and tomorrow. He will be re-examined again on Friday morning, which is customary in our medical process through the week. The players go through evaluations on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Aaron will follow the same pattern. As far as his progress that he's made from Monday to today, he's gotten better each day in rehab. He's very positive, feels like he's improving, and I'm going to give him every possible chance to play in the game.

(You said before that Wednesday's practice would be an important indicator. Him not doing anything but handoffs, how should we read that?)
How should you read it? You can read it just how I'm going to read it. I'm going to wait until Friday to see when Dr. McKenzie re-evaluates him and make sure he's ..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 29

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:32:05 CST
OK, I'll start with the injuries. Chad Clifton had a hamstring strain. A.J. Hawk had a groin strain. Jason Hunter had a hamstring strain. Cullen Jenkins had a pec strain. Aaron Rodgers had a shoulder sprain. Will Blackmon had a quad contusion. And Aaron Rouse had a knee sprain, and they're scanning him currently. With that I'll take your questions.

(What's Aaron's prognosis?)
Well, they're going to obviously rehab him today and tomorrow and we'll probably have a better idea Wednesday. Speaking with Aaron this morning, he has every intention on playing, but I think Wednesday's practice will be a pretty good indicator for us. It's just something we'll have to continue to rehab and see where we are Wednesday.

(Have you been through this with a quarterback before?) Yes I have. Went through it with Aaron Brooks in New Orleans.

(Did he miss any games because of it?)
I don't recall. I remember the game that he mi..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 28

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 12:53:25 CST
I'll start with the injuries. Will Blackmon had a quad - he did return. Jason Hunter had a hamstring injury, did not return. Aaron Rodgers had a shoulder bruise. We're looking at him right now, don't know the extent of that. (Cullen) Jenkins had a shoulder - he did not return. Aaron Rouse had a knee - he did not return, and Nick Collins reinjured his lower back. He did not return.

(What about Hawk?)
I don't have anything on (A.J.) Hawk.

(How big of a concern is Aaron's injury? Will he not be back next week?)
I have no idea; it's too early to tell. He was able to go back in and play the one series, so I think tomorrow morning, like a lot of cases, will have a lot to do with it. (Dr.) Pat McKenzie really hasn't had a chance to put him through a thorough examination.

(On the series you held him out, was he just too sore?)
I think they were still checking him out. It was clearly a medical decision to ho..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 26

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:39:18 CST
(Are you encouraged by Collins' progress this week?)
I thought Nick looked good. He had a number of pass break-ups today, and hopefully he feels well in the morning. I thought he had a very solid day of practice. I watched him quite a bit.

(How effective can Ruvell be with that injury to his hand?)
He caught the ball well today. I think he's relieved just to have the club off his hand. They went with some form of brace and the one they used today, it's actually going to be a lot smaller during the game. He actually caught the ball well today.

(Are you any further along on a timetable for Al?)
I'd say it's safe it's going to be at least three to four weeks. The thing that we know for sure is we've had to totally shut him down for seven days, so he'll start probably Monday morning with some form of conditioning, and it will just progress as we move forward. There will be some tests that are done along the way. I..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 25

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:33:08 CST
(What have you seen from Grant and how encouraged are you by his progress?)
It's encouraging to see Ryan Grant out there taking all his reps. I think he's put together two solid practices. He needs reps just like everybody else. It's been great to have him healthy and feeling good the next day, so we'll continue to proceed tomorrow the same way, as long as he feels well in the morning.

(Can you get by with only two halfbacks on the 45?)
Might have no choice. That's kind of where we are. Kregg Lumpkin is obviously suffering from his hamstring injury, but we'll make do with what we have.

(If disaster struck, who would you give the ball to if both Grant and Jackson went down?)
John Kuhn has done our one-back stuff throughout training camp and he gets a couple snaps each week. So it's nothing new to go to John in the one-back. John was a one-back in college.

(Of the guys who have sat out two days, w..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 24

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:59:43 CST
(Any word on Al Harris?)
As far as Al Harris, number one, it's a serious injury. I think that's obvious to everybody, and really as we move forward, it's a different type of injury. We will take a cautious approach. Everything we'll do is in his best interests. We're talking about an internal injury. It's not a hamstring or something that's different based on the individual. He will be out this weekend against Tampa. His schedule for the week, he really can't do anything for seven days, and as of today, we're still gathering information on the second and third opinion to try to create a timeline of what's appropriate as far as the proper time frame. We have a couple different opinions so far. We'll get all the information and then we'll move on from there.

(Is surgery still an option or has that been ruled out?)
To speculate on that, I'm not a doctor. I think we're possibly, ... a good chance we'll avoid surgery.

(Is there..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 22

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:00:00 CST
OK, I'd like to start with the injuries here from last night's game. Kregg Lumpkin had a hamstring strain. Charles Woodson seemed to come out with the toe OK. Nick Barnett had an elbow strain. Nick Collins had a low back contusion. Al Harris, they're actually still doing tests on him right now. And James Jones, he had the knee sprain but they're also looking at his wrist right now. With that I'll take your questions.

(Is it the same knee Jones injured in the preseason?)
Correct.

(What are they testing Al for?)
They're just doing scans. They're checking for everything I'm sure.

(Rodgers had been getting outside the pocket, but Dallas did a good job containing him. How do you counter that now?)
Pass rush is something that you encounter every week. Some teams do a better job of setting the edge than others, and that's why we play the game. It's not like the first two teams didn't want to try to keep him ..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference - Sept. 21

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 12:04:31 CST
OK, I'll start with the injuries. James Jones had a sprained knee. He returned in the second quarter. Nick Barnett had a bruised elbow. He returned. Nick Collins had a bruised back. He did not return after the second time. Al Harris had cramping, but also had blood in his urine, so from a medical standpoint, they would not allow him to return to the game. Brandon Chillar had the wind knocked out of him but he did return. Those are the injuries.

(What was the difference tonight? Did they beat you up front? It looked like they really had the advantage running the football tonight.)
Well, statistically they put up big numbers. Any time someone runs for over 200 yards, that's significant. But how they did it is the thing that we're more interested in. We made some mistakes, particularly on the long run. It was an alignment error. That's what happens when things like that happen. They were able to run the ball for four quarters and kind of wear our defense do..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 19

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:15:32 CST
(How did Wells look this week?)
I thought Scott had a very good week. Haven't talked to him since we broke practice, but he looked like his old self out there today. He came out of Wednesday's and Thursday's practice pain-free. We'll see how Scott is in the morning and we'll move forward accordingly.

(What's your thought process there? If he's good to go, do you start him, or not necessarily?)
One of the options, clearly. It's something we've talked about all week as a staff, and we just said we'll talk Friday after we watch the film. So it's either start him, or he'll be the backup. Those are the two options.

(If you did start him, would Spitz be back at right guard?)
There's a good chance of that. I don't think it's going to shock anybody if that happened.

(How do you feel about Spitz if he has to move again? He's done that a lot these last few months.)
That's the way he was reppe..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 18

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:14:29 CST
(A little surprised to get Sitton for the whole practice or was that the plan all along?)
That was the projection. It's good that Josh was able to go through two days of practice, and we'll just continue to work him as hard as we can.

(Was he able to do more than just scout team stuff?)
He took his full amount of reps that he was scheduled to take.

(How did Wells come out of it?)
Good. He took all his reps today too. I don' t know how he feels after practice. I'll know more as time moves on.

(What's your read on Humphrey at this point?)
I'm going to practice him tomorrow. Him and Korey Hall both, just like we talked about yesterday. Give them Wednesday and Thursday off and then we'll look for them to try to work tomorrow. That's the plan for both those guys.

(What's the plan for Woodson?)
Charles is on the same plan as last week.

(How about..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 17

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:08:51 CST
(How's Korey Hall doing?)
Korey has a chance to play this week. I'm going to sit him today and tomorrow and give him a chance to practice on Friday. He has a knee sprain.

(What's going on with Humphrey?)
Tory also has a knee sprain. He played through it in the game, and came in Monday, yesterday, and it swelled up on him. Actually Korey and Tory are on the same plan. We're going to rest them today and tomorrow and then try to get them to practice Friday.

(What's the schedule for Bigby?)
I don't think Atari is going to make it this week. He has a hamstring.

(Is Peprah in the mix at that position or is it Rouse?)
Aaron's been practicing and Charlie is now back and healthy. It will be great to have Charlie back, special teams, he'll definitely contribute there. You'll see both those guys work there this week.

(Does Kurt spend extra time with Rouse to get him ready?) ..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 15

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:08:07 CST
(Aaron Rodgers has no interceptions in two games. What do you attribute that to?)
He's making good decisions and he's being accurate with the football. He hasn't taken many chances, and that's all part of good quarterback play. He needs to continue to do that. For the most part, I thought the first week we caught the ball pretty good as a perimeter group. Didn't catch the ball very well, as well as we would have liked yesterday. With that, I think that all plays a part in no interceptions

(Is that something you've emphasized with him, being careful where you throw it?)
We emphasize it with our whole offense. We don't want to turn the ball over, whether you're carrying it, whether you're throwing it, whether you're catching it and running with it. Quarterback play, decisions, ball accuracy, that's all part of the way the quarterback is graded every day, whether it's practice or a game.

(Did you learn any more about Korey Ha..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 14

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 16:17:44 CST
(On handling the rough part of the game)
Well, it was a transition period, and I think anytime your team goes through a transition, whether it's positive or negative, you need to make sure everybody stays the course. I just didn't want to see any panic, which I thought the sideline was great. Guys stayed up, no one blinked, and I think it really showed the character of our football team the way they responded.

(On Woodson's performance, fighting through injury?)
Charles is a great player. He's been a true pro for us, time and time again. He has the ability to play through injury. (He) didn't even practice all week and to go out and perform at the level he did today, I just can't say enough about him and what his production obviously meant to our win today because I felt, just individually, he turned that game around in the fourth quarter.

(On Rodgers)
I thought Aaron put together a fine performance. There are..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 12

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:09:12 CST
(Did practice get any better after we left?)
The practice started not very good, it got better in the middle, and it didn't finish very good for the offense. I thought the special teams work and the defensive work was very good today. I was just a little unhappy with some of the things that went on offensively, but we corrected it on the field and we'll correct it again tomorrow. We're prepared. We've had a good overall week of practice, better than our preparation last week from my viewpoint, but we need to learn to finish a practice week.

(Were you encouraged with Grant's practice?)
Yes I was. He was a full participant at practice today. He looked good. Really the question for Ryan will be tomorrow, same thing we went through last week. How does the hamstring feel in the morning? They worked it. They pushed him as far as he probably could go today, and we'll see how he is tomorrow.

(Will that be the trend here for the fi..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 11

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 08:55:08 CST
(Did Brandon Jackson pass his concussion test?)
That will be determined today. He went through his workout as far as the first part of practice and then went through the rehab. I would be surprised if he's not cleared. I'm not a doctor, though.

(What happened with Aaron Rouse?)
Sprained ankle. In practice.

(How about Brandon Chillar?)
Back. He went through the limited part. He'll probably practice tomorrow. I anticipate he'll play.

(Something just flared up?)
Just kind of flared up on him, yeah.

(Did Rouse sprain his ankle today?)
Yes.

(What is Ryan Grant able to do? Are you just trying to keep him off his feet?)
The plan for Ryan was to go limited yesterday and today, and he's treating his hamstring. He's going through rehab for the hamstring. He'll go through a portion of practice tomorrow, and we'll test it and we'll know wh..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 10

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:09:05 CST
(What's going on at running back?)
Brandon Jackson showed up today and was having some trouble yesterday. I would classify it as minor. Hopefully he'll work out tomorrow and complete the test that's in place for concussions. That was a little bit of a surprise to all of us this morning.

(Is that based on something that happened in the game?)
Happened in the game, correct. Yes.

(Do you know when?)
No I don't. It happened I want to say either in the third quarter or beginning of the fourth quarter. I don't know what play it was on, to answer your question.

(Do you need to possibly consider bringing back one of the guys you cut?)
I don't think so. Just trusting the doctors and the information that was given to me today, I feel confident that Brandon will be ready to go for the Detroit game. And also we're going to rest Ryan Grant until Friday, and I'm hopeful that he'll be able to go a..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 9

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:33:25 CST
OK, I'll start with the injuries just to add to your list. Atari Bigby came in, he had a bicep strain. Charles Woodson had a toe injury, and Ruvell Martin had a finger injury. Questions, please.

(Is that the same toe with Woodson as last year?)
No. Different one.

(Can you talk about the job Clifton did on Allen?)
I did not personally watch the film, but just the communication with the line coaches. We had a rough start, really, as an offense, and Chad did also with that first or second series, but after that point we thought he played very well.

(How come you didn't watch the film today?)
Detroit. We moved right on to Detroit this morning.

(Will you not watch it at all?)
Oh, I'll watch it. I'll probably watch it before I get out of here tonight.

(When you look back, what impressed you the most about Aaron?)
I just thought he went out and played t..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 8

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:08:28 CST
(Can you assess Aaron Rodgers tonight?)
I thought Aaron Rodgers played well tonight. Number one, I thought he managed the game, especially starting in the number of unfavorable down and distances that we had particularly early in the game with all the penalties. I thought he did a good job managing the game without taking chances, playing to the play call, and taking what the defense gives you and so forth. So I was pleased with his performance tonight.

(Did you get a good look on the touchdown pass? He was falling over...) That's how he was coached. He scrambled around for five minutes...It was an excellent play. Goal line offense, a number of times, you have that many bodies packed in there, and the ability to get to the perimeter and make a play. It was an excellent throw and catch by Korey. It's referred to as the scramble phase of the offense and I thought Aaron did a really good job of buying time, and that was his third option on th..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 6

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:34:42 CST
(How's the health of your team heading into Monday night's game?)
We're healthy enough. It's been an issue the last two weeks, the health of our football team, but nothing has really changed from yesterday's report. Guys are getting better and we're ready to go.

(Did Hawk get cleared?)
He's had the full practice again today. Just my conversations with A.J. have been very positive. He feels great. Once we get the final clearance from our medical staff, we'll make a decision.
(Are you expecting that?)
Hope so. Just taking all the information, and we'll make a decision. Nothing has changed as far as our plan for A.J., giving him the opportunity to come back. Didn't want to do too much too fast, but he feels great. We'll see how he feels in the morning.

(What's your comfort level with Ruvell and Jordy in the 3 and 4 WR spots?)
We're comfortable. We're comfortable with all our receivers, spec..

Transcript - Aaron Rodgers Conference Call With Vikings Media

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:32:09 CST
After the (Favre) trade this summer did it ever feel like it got back to a normal training camp the rest of the summer?
It was definitely a training camp filled with a lot of emotions and a lot of different people involved in that. We tried to stay focused as a team on the things that we could control and the guys that were at practice and let the organization and Brett handle the other situation. Once that worked itself out we wished Brett nothing but the best in New York and we are focused on what we have to do to improve this year.

What are your nerves like this week?
I look at it as another game although, obviously, it's my first start and Monday Night Football and all that. But, my preparation hasn't changed. I'm just trying to get ready to be the best quarterback I can be and make good decisions on Monday night.

How are you able to make it just another game considering everything that has happened?
It is ju..

Transcript - Mike McCarthy Conference Call With Vikings Media

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:31:05 CST
After the (Brett Favre) trade this summer, did you feel that in the days following and the weeks following that things more or less got back to normal for you guys? Was it possible to have a normal end of training camp there?
I would say yes. I think any time you get into a training camp environment, or even if it was in-season, and you're on a schedule that demands a lot of your time and you have to take time away from that to do something else, it definitely knocks you out of your regularity and knocks you out of your rhythm. It was definitely good to get back to a normal training camp environment.

If you look at (training camp) as a whole, was it a productive month or six weeks for you guys? Was there more that you wanted to get done?
It was a productive training camp. We knew going into training camp that our schedule was just a little different than we've gone through before. Just the way the games and the practices were outlined. We..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 4

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:21:56 CST
(Are you encouraged by where A.J. Hawk is at and has he hit his marks medically?)
I thought he looked good just from watching him on the field today. I have not watched the film yet, but he looked like his normal self. He was flying around at practice and he is a very physical player, so it was good to have him back out there.

(Is his danger more with contact or just reaching and movement that could aggravate the injury?)
It is like a number of these injuries that are sprains. Any time that a player is injured, you have a medical report where they may feel there is a certain period of time that the player has to go through. Then you have the individual, and we knew that A.J. was going to rehab at a rapid pace, and in his mind he feels he has been ready for quite some time. So it is a combination of the individual and it is a combination of the doctor's report. As far the movement and so forth, I think he is really past all of those stage..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 2

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:43:16 CST
(Given the time that Ryan Grant missed in training camp, how confident are you that the running game can hit the ground running?)
He is a big part of it, Ryan Grant, so I just focus on trying to get him ready. He hasn't had a lot of work. That's a legitimate concern. He didn't practice today. He just had some soreness and we were just being cautious with him. Brandon Jackson and Kregg Lumpkin, they are on our football team for a reason and will also contribute to the run game.

(With the shuffling on the offensive line, does the run game as a whole concern you?)
It's a big part of any offense. It's a concern with the whole offensive scheme and what you are trying to do, but we've trained for this particular situation. I didn't think we would be experiencing it in Week 1, but that's part of the game. I'm not really concerned about it. I'm just planning and working through it.

(So it was just soreness and not a setback with R..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 1

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:36:10 CST
(Did Flynn win the No. 2 job?)
Matt Flynn is going to take the No. 2 quarterback reps right now. I talked to both Brian and Matt this morning, and number one, I'm pleased with the progress they've both made throughout training camp, but now's the time when your reps are limited. The ability to keep splitting them, we didn't feel was in the best interests ... it would have been in the best interests of the group, but I wanted to be sure we gave one of the individuals an opportunity to get ready. We just felt Matt was a little more productive than Brian in the preseason, but it's a competition that will continue. Matt has to hold the spot, and Brian will have an opportunity to get the spot back. Competition is healthy. They're both young. I've said it all along, they just need to play, they need reps.

(What do you like about him, if he had to go in early?)
I think Matt, number one, has picked up our offense at a very good pace, better than..

Ted Thompson Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 1

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:35:39 CST
(Why the change at punter?)
Like at any position, I think at the end of the day we felt like it helps the team get better. Jon is a great guy. He has done a good job here. I think consistency might have been the overriding factor. It's tough. Both of those guys today did a nice job.

(Was hang time the biggest issue?)
I don't know. I think Jon has really improved. He's obviously a very talented, very strong athlete. He can hit punts like nobody I have ever seen. Again, I just think overall technique and get-off and the whole mechanics of punting, I think he has come a long way. Again, I think that's something he probably still needs to work on.

(What was so attractive about Derrick Frost?)
We do like his consistency. He has got very good mechanics, nice hands, a good athlete and we think he is a pretty solid punter.'

(What did you think about his second half last year, including the playoffs? Wer..

Ted Thompson Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 31

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 13:59:04 CST
Good afternoon. Thanks for coming. I'll start this by saying like I always say this is the toughest couple of days in football. You spend all your offseason assembling a group of fellas, and then at some point you're mandated to release a bunch of them. So it's a tough time for everybody, and we're trying to work our way through it. I'll be glad to take any questions.

(Did you put a claim in on Thomas Gafford?)
We didn't put any claims in this year.

(What do you plan to do at long snapper?)
We're working on it. We don't have anything to announce yet.

(No one on roster you would be confident going into a game with?)
Probably not. We'll probably do something. Like I said, we're working on it.

(Would you consider one of the veteran quarterbacks available or are you confident with the three you have?)
I think it goes with any position, we consider a lot of different combination..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 28

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:40:41 CST
(Injury update?)
Junius Coston had a knee injury and did not return. Jansen had a knee and did not return. That's all the information I have right now.

(Why just one series for the starters?)
That was the goal going into it and I didn't think it was going to be one play. I thought about putting them back out there but our number one priority for the first group was to come out of the game healthy. We felt like our body of work to this point was enough information to answer the questions that we have. This game for us was about the evaluation of a number of our younger players, particularly the players that played most of the game.

(Has your pecking order changed after Aaron (Rodgers) tonight? If not, can you assess?)
I think both our young quarterbacks were in some tough spots, particularly early in the game - probably the whole first half. Frankly, I liked the way they went about their business. I thought th..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 26

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:44:47 CST
(How much work do you want Ryan Grant to get tomorrow?)
He'll go with the first group. If he comes in tomorrow and everything is good as far as his health and how he responds to today's practice, he'll go as long as the first group goes.

(How has he looked out there? A lot of rust?)
He just needs the reps like everybody else. He's kept himself in great shape. He looks good. I know he probably wants to play and get some live action. But I feel very good about his conditioning. He's just like everybody else. He needs some reps to get ready for the season.

(What happened to Kabeer today?)
Kabeer's knee is kind of sore. It didn't respond very well to yesterday's practice, so we held him today.

(What about Montgomery?)
Groin.

(The guys who are out are all out for Thursday?)
No, we'll see tomorrow. You mean originally? There are three changes, two we already ta..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 25

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:39:08 CST
(With all of the shifting on the offensive line, are you concerned the chemistry isn't where it should be?)
Our whole preparation on the offensive line was to make sure we have flexibility. Injuries are part of the game, you can't control it, so with our training, we were preparing for injuries during the season, and we're in that mindset right now. I'm not concerned about it. That's why we've trained them as many different ways as we possibly can. The injury situation is upon us, and we'll fight through. The positive thing about it is we're prepared for it.

(For that final running back spot, how much does special teams play into that?)
Special teams are very important. Everybody on our football team understands that. We're a type of football team that doesn't go out and just sign special teams players, situation specific. We sign good football players, both offense and defense, that also play special teams. It's important for all of our..

Ted Thompson Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 25

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:38:42 CST
(What are you finding out about Justin Harrell from the specialist?)
We had him see another guy, and after consultation with Pat, we felt like another procedure would kind of hurry things along. He's gotten himself in remarkable shape. I think our guys have done a great job in the rehab, but we've reached a point where we sort of plateaued, and looking out over the timeline, we felt like it was going to take a few weeks without doing anything, but maybe doing a little extra procedure might hurry things along, and we felt like reserve/PUP was an appropriate spot for him.

(When is he going to have that surgery?)
Fairly soon. Maybe today. The quicker the better, obviously, because then you can start back on the whole recovery thing. It's too bad. He's worked very hard, and I know being a high-profile pick, a No. 1 pick, there's a lot of pressure put on that and expectations of fans. It's not his fault, and he's trying his best to get back, ..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 24

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:57:43 CST
(Any update on Josh Sitton?)
Josh Sitton has a knee sprain. I would put him in the classification of week-to-week. He will not go this week, and he is working to get ready for Minnesota.

(Is it his MCL?)
It's a knee sprain.

(Will he need surgery?)
No, no surgery.

(Are you optimistic about his chances to be back for Minnesota?)
It's our first time going through with Josh. Any time you get into these ligament sprains a lot of it is based on the severity of it, but also the individual. Once again, you talk to the medical part of it, it could be a couple of weeks. You talk to the player, it could be two days. I know he feels strongly about it, but that's why I put him in the week-to-week category.

(How about Atari Bigby?)
He will not go this week. If it was regular season, I think he could go. He has an ankle sprain.

(James Jones?)

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 22

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:34:59 CST
(How important was it for Aaron Rodgers to play well tonight?)
I think it was more important for our offense to play a lot better. The quarterback position has a lot to do with that. I thought Aaron had a very good night. I thought he was sharp. I thought he managed the offense, the tempo, was smart with the football, was very good on third down. I thought it was important for our offense to come out and establish some tempo and have some productivity early in the game. We were able to do that and continue it for four quarters.

(What was the difference with him between last week and this week?)
Once again, it was more of an offensive issue. There's things that went wrong last week that were, you know there was enough for everybody. This week we played at a lot higher level. I thought we were more physical, our pad level was down. We pass protected better. He made good decisions. He threw the ball, we caught the ball better so it was rea..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 20

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:52:05 CST
(How did Kabeer look?)
I didn't watch him, but it was good to have him out there. So we'll evaluate the tape and see how he feels tomorrow. It was good to have him out there today.

(How important is this game to sorting out the offensive line?)
It's important for every position. Offensive line is obviously one of them. You'd like to get set, but we have some injuries there, we have some rotations we're looking at. But I'm hopeful we'll have a decision after this game.

(The guys who didn't practice today, are you ruling them out for the game?)
Yeah, right now they're six guys I would rule out. The five who didn't practice today, and ... actually Daniel Muir did not practice today, but I anticipate him going.

(What's Muir's injury?)
Groin.

(How long do you expect the starters to go?)
We'll go through the first half, probably start the third quarter. Some gu..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 19

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:20:43 CST
(So you signed a defensive tackle (Rodney Allen))
He's someone we want to look at. I know Ted (Thompson) and John Schneider and Reggie (McKenzie) worked him out last week. He's out of Kansas. I'll know more about him once I watch the film today.

(Did Evan Moore go to injured reserve then?)
Yes. We'll move Evan on to IR.

(Are you concerned about the number of dropped passes?)
I don't like it. It falls under the category we talked about yesterday about fundamentals. We didn't have a very good night in fundamentals, whether it was our pad level, footwork, dropping the ball, throwing the ball, so those are all things we work on every day. We need to do a better job of it. I think we have a perimeter group that catches the ball very well, illustrated by what we have done in the past, but that doesn't carry over obviously to the present. We work on it every day. I'm not concerned as we move forward, but we need to c..

Ted Thompson Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 19

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:20:00 CST
(What did you think about the team's performance in San Francisco?)
As a team I don't think we played very well. We can point fingers or try to guess, but I think it probably rests with ultimately my responsibility, and then the coaching staff and then the players. I think we're all involved in it. I just don't think we were prepared to play, and it wasn't because of any lack of urgency or anything like that, I just don't think we played very well. We didn't execute, we didn't block well enough, we didn't catch well enough, we didn't throw well enough, we didn't tackle well enough. We didn't do a lot of things well enough. But the beauty of the NFL is the train keeps going and now we have another game this week, in a tough place in Denver.

(How vital is it that this team gets it together this week?) Well, preseason is preseason. You want to perform well, I think you want to get some confidence going. But I think this team has a lot of confide..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 18

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:51:07 CST
(What's the injury with Scott Wells? Did it flare up again?)
Flared up. It's the same thing he had on the other side. Trunk injury. They did a bunch of tests today. We'll have all the results tomorrow.

(Did it flare up during the game?)
Correct.

(Do you have an update on A.J. Hawk?)
He's week to week. Same thing, with the chest sprain. I don't think he'll make it this week.

(When do you want to get Grant out here doing the team stuff?)
All the guys that are out tested better today than they did last week, so that's a positive. But he's not ready to go to practice. Once he can complete the medical test, then I'll practice him. I was hopeful he could go this week, but he's not quite ready.

(Where's KGB at?)
He's in the same group.

(With Wells and Clifton out it kind of messes things up, but where are you with the guard rotation?)

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 16

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:15:27 CST
(Any injury updates?)
Don't have any. I didn't get a chance to talk to Pepper or Dr. McKenzie.

(What happened on the play Evan Moore got hurt?)
I never saw the replay. My understanding is that he took a helmet right above the knee.

(Are you concerned with the first-team offense?)
I'm not pleased with it at all. That wasn't a very good performance for us offensively. Just to recap the evening, I thought the defense started strong and gave us an opportunity with field position. I thought our first-down efficiency was not very good pretty much the whole game, so we'll take a long look at the film and we'll definitely correct it. We've got a lot of work to do before we play Denver.

(Saw a lot of pressure tonight - what was with the protection?)
The protection wasn't very good. It looked like they had push in the pocket consistently, so it's really something that I thought was a co..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 14

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:32:34 CST
(Were you happy with the substitution work at the end of practice? Did it end the way you wanted it to?)
No, it didn't. We had a couple of miscues there. We'll get that cleaned up tomorrow. I appreciate you noticing that though.

(Are you kind of in regular-season mode as far as the competitive portions?)
Yeah, this would classify as a regular season Friday schedule. We are into that mode a week earlier than we have been in the past. We have always gone into the in-season schedule the week of the third preseason game. Once again, playing on Monday night and have to turn around and play on Saturday night has put us in this mode.

(So you don't have any more competitive practices left?)
There will be competitive periods. Like last night we did a two-minute drill competitive, so we'll have competitive periods, but no, we're in the game plan practice structure now.

(What is the reason behind the reaso..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 13

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:48:42 CST
(Will it be nice to go back to the Bay area?)
I had the opportunity to work there for a year, and I still have a lot of friends that work for the 49ers, so it will be good to see them. But it's the preseason and I'm sure they're looking at it just the way we are. It's an opportunity to compete against each other, and I'm looking forward to getting our team on a quick week and get after it with those guys.

(How about Rodgers? Is there more pressure on him going back home?)
I think Aaron is excited, just like most athletes are when they get to go home. They get to play in front of their family and fans. I know he's excited about playing this game.

(What's A.J. Hawk's status?)
A.J. Hawk has a chest injury. He will not be available this week.

(Did it happen in the game?)
Yeah, it happened in the game. It happened on the third-down play where he broke up the pass on the tight end, early ..

Ted Thompson Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 13

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:41:59 CST
(Do you need to see Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila on the field at some point during camp?)
We kind of know what Kabeer brings to the table, but he has been struggling with trying to get all the way back. We don't feel like we need to rush him, so we'll take that day to day.

(Have you been looking at veteran quarterbacks and are you thinking along those lines at all?)
Someone asked me that question yesterday. We're always looking at every position because things happen in football. So we're not not looking at them, but it's no more specific than at any other position that we have.

(So you're OK with the youth at that position?)
Yeah, I don't know if you drew it up like this is the way you would do it, but this is the way it is. We like our two young guys, and we think they are on a steady path here. Quite frankly, our coaching staff likes working with them, so we feel pretty good.

(How much of a relief ha..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 11

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:27:41 CST
(Any injuries?)
Injuries, we just had Ruvell Martin with a blow to the head. We just kept him out as a precaution. Just seeing him briefly, it looks like he's going to be OK.

(Was it a concussion?)
I wouldn't say that. I think he's going to be OK.

(What did you think of Aaron Rodgers' performance?)
I thought Aaron did a number of solid things. There was a lot of productivity on offense. I didn't like the start of the whole offense as a unit on the first series with a false start. We had a mental error that resulted in a sack and then we had a dropped ball for an interception. But other than that, I liked the tempo. I thought the productivity was there. I thought Aaron did a very good job with the mechanical part of the game. I thought he threw the ball off his back foot with accuracy. I thought he was decisive. I thought he put together a good performance for us to build off of. Now there's going to be things I'm..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 9

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 09:29:20 CST
(What is your comfort level with the team going into the first game?)
Today we worked on the Cincinnati Bengals. I thought today's work was OK as far as getting into the mechanics and using the cards and everything. My only concern is the health of the football team. We've got a bunch of guys nicked, but I'm very comfortable and excited about getting started Monday night.

(With the first team, will they play a certain number of series or snaps?)
We always go by plays. We'll have a staff meeting tonight. We'll see how a number of these players come through the treatment segment after the practice here, and we'll sit down tonight and do the play time.

(Could there be more snaps for the first group because of Aaron Rodgers?)
We'll stay as close to the traditional format as possible, with approximately one quarter or somewhere in that area. But if I need to go a few more snaps, I will. My biggest concern right now..

Mark Murphy - Packers.com Live Chat Transcript

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:00:52 CST
Mark is with us now so we will begin answering questions. - Posted by Chat Moderator of Packers.com

Mark, Many of us are both Paker fans and Brett Favre fans. This process was extremely painful for us. While we support the organization doing what is best for the team, doing it at the expense of loosing most beloved player seemed a very high price. It is extremly important to us fans and share holders that Brett's future with the Packers be presevered, not just from our point of view but also from his. That "HE" feels welcome in Lambeau field and a family member. It's no good if we feel that way but he doesn't. My question is how will you and the rest of the organization begin to reach out Brett and his family and heal the hurt so that our most beloved QB will be seen walking the halls of the Packer Hall of Fame and Lambeau Field 10 years from now.? Best regards, Bart - Posted by Bart Hobbs of Houston, Texas
Good morning, everyone. Thanks for joining us on Packers...

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 8

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:14:38 CST
(You have players other than just the quarterbacks using wristbands; what is the thought process with that?)
It's just a different method of communication. There are different ways of doing two-minute; there are different ways of doing no-huddle. We just try to practice all of the different options as we go through training camp, and that's also the need for crowd noise and just try to get as many game-like situations as possible.

(Can you talk about Ruvell Martin's play during camp?)
I think Ruvell is having an excellent camp. He has made a couple of big-time catches just in the last two days. Ruvell is a guy that you get excited about because you've seen him grow since the day that he has been here. He continues to get better each day and each year. He has done a great job with his body.

(How did the first-team offense handle the crowd noise today?)
Very productive as far as the way they performed, but the t..

Packers Press Conference Transcript

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:35:33 CST
Murphy: First, I want to thank you all for coming. I know a number of you have been in Green Bay probably longer than you planned, but it is nice this time of year. I just want to make some brief introductory comments, and then we'll open it up for questions. This is really a bittersweet time for the organization. I think we're all sad to see Brett Favre's career as a Packer end. We are glad that this matter has come to closure in a way that is good for the team and that is good for Brett. We have nothing but the highest regard for Brett and his family. We owe him a debt of gratitude for all he has accomplished on the field and for the impact that he has had for the state, and certainly what he has meant to the league.

I think all of us have said what a difficult situation this has been. We have tried to be fair and we have been very fair to Brett through this process, but ultimately we have always acted in the best interest of the Packers and our organization. We do want t..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 6

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:21:39 CST
(That was the shortest practice of camp; was that by design?)
Excellent observation. I think that was the quickest practice that I have seen in quite some time and I think it's a tribute to the players coming out here with the urgency, doing things right. We didn't have many repeats. We were 23 minutes ahead of schedule. I don't recall ever going that fast, so I was very pleased with the practice this morning.

(Are you pleased with the shape that Ryan Grant came in at?)
Yeah, Ryan looks good. He got a little more work yesterday than we anticipated with Brandon Jackson going out of practice. He is off to a good start. He was here throughout the whole offseason, so he is really up to date with everything we have done and adjusted for this season. He looks in great shape, got fresh legs as his teammates would refer to.

(Do you feel a sense of relief from the players that the Brett Favre situation has been somewhat resolved?) ..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 5

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:36:21 CST
(Why was Brett Favre not at practice?)
Brett and I, just to give you a summary of what has gone on since yesterday, Brett and I started to meet last night at 6:00 p.m. We met extensively; I would say approximately four hours. He met also last night with Ted Thompson for about an hour, and then we met again this morning and just the result of his physical was a factor. That had nothing to do really with being at practice, but just to conclude, Brett wanted to go and continue some discussions with Ted Thompson and his family, and that's what went on this afternoon.

(Are trade talks imminent?)
I'm not going to get into that. Just once again, we had a ton of conversations. Just like I stood here after the Family Night scrimmage, my whole purpose of talking with Brett when he was here, we had obviously a very long conversation. I thought it was an extremely healthy conversation. I would probably classify it as a conversation that everything y..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 3

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 17:30:13 CST
(With Brett Favre back in town, is it going to be an open competition for the starting job?)
I had an opportunity to talk to Brett today. As far as the plan for Brett Favre, he will be reinstated, as everyone knows, tomorrow at noon. He will go through a physical, just like every other player that has come through. He has been through the drill 16 years already, so he knows what is in front of him. From that, he'll have a conditioning test, and at that time there will be a conversation between Brett and I. From that conversation, there will be information in that conversation that I will use to make a decision based on how we move forward with the quarterback decision. That will be shared with the team first, and from that we'll conclude. I'll talk to everybody here tomorrow night and I'll let you know the direction that we're going. As of now, there has been no decision made. It's important for Brett and I to sit down face to face and have that discussion tomorrow..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 2

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 13:23:23 CST
(Were guys getting a little chippy out there after practicing against each other this week?)
I would think that's normal at this point of camp. Just reflected back to last year's notes, this was actually a rough practice on the offense and we repeated that again today. It was very challenging as far as the schematic things we were going against, but that's no excuse, and I think when frustration sets in you get some of that extra-curricular activity. That's really not necessary.

(What did you want to see cleaned up at the end of practice?)
Offensively we didn't start the practice very well, so we went back and repeated the team run and the blitz period.

(How was Aaron Rouse's first week and do you have big expectations for him this season?)
Aaron Rouse is off to a good start. When you just look at Aaron physically, he's gifted. He has excellent size, range, and I just go back to his rookie season last year, he..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Aug. 1

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:34:08 CST
(What did you think of the two-minute drill?)
I thought the two-minute work was very good. Anytime you start with your two-minute in training camp, number one, you're trying to get the mechanics done properly, and I thought both the offense and the defense did a very nice job with that. Defensively with the substitutions and I thought offensively the mechanics of it was pretty good. The production was OK, but for the first time out, I was pleased with the two-minute work.

(Did you feel the defense kind of won those?)
Well, if they keep them out of the end zone, they win, so they won both of them. But once again, I thought the drill overall of what we're trying to get accomplished and just all the different situations we hit today, working the crowd noise, and we also worked headsets have gone down with the communication, we hit that, and the two-minute. But to hit all those today, I thought it was a very sharp practice.

(W..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - July 30

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:48:36 CST
(Have you talked to Brett Favre since yesterday?)
No, I haven't. I have not talked to Brett.

(Any thoughts on Mark Murphy going down to Mississippi to visit with Brett?)
I really don't have any thoughts as far as Mark Murphy going to Mississippi. That's really something you would have to ask Mark about. I'm not involved in the specifics of it, so I really have no information for you.

(Aaron Rodgers said he struggled a little yesterday. Did he have a better day today?)
I thought he was pretty sharp. I thought the defense had a good day, particularly in the third-down situations against the first group. Today was a review day. We've got all of our normal down and distance installation in in our first phase of third down. We wanted to review that, and I thought it was good work for everybody. It was distributed throughout the whole 80-man roster, and I thought it was a good day.

(How did Brian Broh..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - July 29

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:17:32 CST
(What is your reaction to Brett Favre reportedly filing for reinstatement?)
Jeff just made me aware of the reinstatement letter. That's obviously the first step in Brett coming back, so we'll deal with that when he is reinstated and we'll definitely have a plan in order.

(Is part of that plan to allow him to compete for the starting job?)
We'll address everything as far as the details of how Brett Favre fits into our future plans when he arrives here in Green Bay.

(Do you welcome it as good news that he is coming to camp?)
Brett Favre is still a very good football player. He is an asset to our football team. Once again, I'm going to answer this question for the last time. The plan for Brett Favre will be discussed with Brett Favre first, and then we'll make it aware to the public.

(Are you concerned about any division in the locker room?)
I'm not concerned about it. We have talked ..

Ted Thompson Press Conference Transcript - July 28

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:21:44 CST
Good afternoon. Welcome to our training camp. We had a great practice this morning, looking forward to the first padded practice this afternoon. A couple of things that I wanted to touch on, and then we'll just do our normal take some questions. There have been a lot of reports throughout all of this, and I understand that, but sometimes things get skewed by the time they get out. I did want to comment that Brett and I had a couple of conversations on Saturday. I think both of them lasted approximately 45 minutes or so. It was very professional. It was very cordial. We talked about a lot of things. We acknowledged, both of us, that this is a unique and at times difficult situation. I think he and I are both aware of that, as all of the parties are, and probably you are too. We talked about different options that were available. I stated my case as to why I thought certain options were better. He certainly had his opinion on his options. At the end of the day, we still have not gotten..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - July 28

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:20:54 CST
(Why was Ryan Pickett limited today?)
Ryan Pickett has a slight hamstring strain. It happened last week working out, so we're just, as I always say, being smart.

(Will either Pickett or Justin Harrell be on the PUP list?)
Oh, no. They are going to be...I think their situations are both in the, I would say Ryan is more day-to-day and Justin would be week-to week.

(Are you still offering 50 dollars for non-Brett Favre related questions?)
I'm broke.

(What have you said to the team as far as handling this situation?)
I just think, number one, they have an opinion. I tell them all of the time to be positive with the media, have a plan of the types of questions that you're probably going to be asked, and just trust your heart.

(How was the first practice?)
I thought it was good. I thought it was a good, solid practice. We had too many pre-snap penalties. We had..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - July 26

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 09:26:02 CST
OK, first thing because I know it's been a while since we have been together, I want to give you a roster update and a schedule update. We currently have 76 players on our roster. We have six players that we have tenders and Russ Ball will continue to work on that as we move forward into training camp tomorrow. The schedule for players today is our travel day. That will go on throughout the day. Tomorrow they are required to be here starting at 7:30. We'll have physicals and the run test in the a.m. We'll have our administrative meetings in the afternoon, and then we'll start with our football meetings tomorrow night. Obviously our first practice is Monday at 8:45. With that, I can see all of the excitement in the room for the 2008 season, so let's get started.

(Where do things stand with Brett Favre?)
I really don't have anything to update with Brett beyond where he is with what options that are left in front of him. I know Mark Murphy spoke Thursday at l..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - June 19

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:38:05 CST
(What are you going to do on vacation?)
Oh, shoot, it's not really vacation. Vacation, I have about a week left. I'll be in town for another week just to kind of tie some things up for training camp and some personal things. Then I'll head down to Texas and spend some time with my daughter, Alex, and then I'll come back and move into the new house with Jessica and then I'll probably get back to Texas before camp.

(Since today was kind of the last day of school, how was the focus?)
I thought the practice as a whole was pretty good. I wouldn't say it was the best practice of the week. Really just took out the practice at the end there just to thank the guys for the extra time and the effort that they put in this offseason. Clearly I think it's the best offseason that we've had to date (with) the individual time that the players spent with the coaches, the commitment to the offseason program and the strength and conditioning all the way thr..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - June 17

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:34:00 CST
(Where were Charles and Kabeer?)
Charles missed this morning's practice for a personal matter. He was at the meetings and he'll be back here by 1. And Kabeer, just being smart with his injury.

(Do you have plans to use the radio helmet for the defense in this camp like you did in the OTAs, and how is the progress with that?)
We've actually used it throughout the OTAs, like you've already stated. We'll continue to use it through camp, really to get the players used to it, having the voice in their ear, and also the time frame that you're able to talk to the defensive player. We have a 40-second clock out there that operates and is used on every play. We've been using it throughout and we'll continue to use it through training camp, and it's really gone very smooth.

(You've used it for talking to QBs, what is the toughest adjustment to get used to?)
It's really the player in my view. Back in '94, when it came in..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - June 12

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:15:26 CST
(How has Tory Humphrey performed so far?)
Tory looks good. He is feeling his way around some things. We talked about him last week in here and I am excited he is back. He has overcome a significant injury and had a very good training camp the year before and was excited about his spring last year. Unfortunately the injury happened at the beginning of training camp, so it's great to have him back. He's the body type that you're looking for as far as what we ask our tight end to do. He just has to stay available, but he's done a nice job.

(Does he have potential as a pass catcher and as a blocker?)
I think Tory and Donald (Lee) and Jermichael (Finley), you look at the body types of those three and they are all very similar. I think their strength is their athletic ability, the ability to play in space. When you have the 250-pound man as athletic as those three, it gives you the ability to do things from the backfield, out in space. It also..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - June 4

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:50:20 CST
(How is Brandon Chillar fitting in on and off of the field?)
Brandon is someone that we targeted in free agency and we were very fortunate to be able to sign him. I think he really fits into the way we like to play defense. He is a tremendous athlete. He has also shown the ability to potentially play all three positions in our scheme, so I really like the way he has stepped into our program. His work ethic is very high, and he's just a very good fit for our scheme. Athletic, can run, smart, tough, I think he is a very good blitzer. You don't really get to see it in the spring workouts, but having the ability to compete against him the last two years in St. Louis, where he played primarily in the blitz scheme in both the base and sub packages, so we're very pleased that he's a part of our football team.

(What do you like so far about Jordy Nelson?)
What I like about Jordy is he is a young player that continues to improve. You go to the fi..

Aaron Kampman Press Conference Transcript - May 29

Thu, 29 May 2008 15:08:02 CST
(How is your grandfather doing?)
He's getting better. Yeah, he is getting better.

(What happened to him?)
Well, the tornado came through and he thought it was getting done, and then it made its way up the stairs and it took him.

(What kind of injuries did he have?)
Just out of respect for him, he is getting better, and that's the big thing. For an 81-year-old man, he is a fighter.

(And this is on your dad's side of the family?)
My dad's side, yeah.

(Can you talk about your experience back home a little bit?)
Yeah, kind of the initial thing is shock obviously because it's a place where I grew up and it's hard to recognize the area. You imagine a skyline with houses and trees and landscape, and really all that is there is mangled trees and rubble. You can see some semblance...it is kind of like you put things in piles now, so the streets are clear and peopl..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - May 29

Thu, 29 May 2008 15:07:11 CST
(How are the young guys picking up on things?)
I would say yesterday and today are really the most challenging days from a volume standpoint. Yesterday the emphasis was third down. Today the emphasis was red zone. That's a challenge really for our whole football team, and even moreso for the rookies. I thought yesterday's work was good. Today's was a little more sloppy than yesterday's, which is normal at this stage. But overall at practice, with the five days we've got in, I'm very pleased with the amount of quality work we've been able to accomplish. But we have a lot of work to do. We have a lot of work to do, especially the rookies.

(Does it surprise you that Aaron Kampman is here with his situation back home?)
I talked to Aaron throughout the process, and he definitely has his priorities in line, and I know he's going to speak to everyone here later. He was in communication during his time down there and his drive back. You could sa..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - May 21

Wed, 21 May 2008 10:33:28 CST
(Why didn't you practice outside today?)
We're going to stay inside throughout the OTAs. It just gives us a constant practice environment, just from things that work a little better for us from a mechanic standpoint. We're not going to go out on the grass until training camp like we did last year.

(Are the fields not ready yet?)
They could be but it's just not in the best interest in going on the grass fields right now, not when there are all of those other things involved in getting those fields ready.

(So you'll be inside for the mini-camp as well?)
We'll be inside, yes. You guys don't like it inside? It was nice out there today.

(What is the nature of Justin Harrell's injury?)
Justin Harrell had minor back surgery. Something that flared up early in the offseason, and we're just taking it slow. Really the defensive line group as a whole I'm concerned about, just a number of di..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - May 4

Sun, 04 May 2008 12:01:21 CST
(How did the last three days go and did you get accomplished what you wanted to?)
I'll say this about the mini-camp, actually Larry (McCarren) and I were talking about this earlier, ... comparing it to last year, which is the only other rookie mini-camp that I've been a part of, it was significantly better, just as far as the overall group. We had some more players this year than we had last year, and you could just see the progression of practices, how they improved from Friday to Sunday. I'm just very pleased with how the whole weekend went, and just like I told the players when we broke, I was very impressed with the quality of work we were able to get done this weekend.

(More and more teams are going to this format, bringing in the rookies and tryout guys first. Do you see this as a trend for the future?)
I don't follow it that much as far as what the other teams are doing, but just in my experience of doing it this way and the other..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - May 2

Fri, 02 May 2008 15:33:29 CST
(Rookies say the speed of the game is the biggest adjustment. Is that a mental thing?)
I think it's both physical and mental. Everybody can run at this level, so that's the first thing, I would classify that as physical. And the second part of it is the anticipation. If you look at the quarterback position just playing against our defense, they won all the bump-and-run. It's a challenge, but it prepares them in my opinion so much better when you play zone teams and things like that. But I think it's clearly a mental and physical adjustment.

(Why do you like this format, to bring the rookies in first?)
I think it falls under the area of time management. In my experience, when you go through all the administrative things you need to, it's usually the first night of training camp, and 90 percent of your football team has already been here. So what happens is the pace of all the little things that are important, it's rapid, and the key guys ..

Ted Thompson Press Conference Transcript - April 21

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:07:14 CST
Hi. Thanks for coming. We'll try to answer some questions. I think it's good to have this talk, but then don't get mad at me if at the end of it you realize I haven't really said a whole lot, because that's sort of my job. And I apologize for that, but that's the way it usually is. Sometimes you guys take a shot at me after this one, but we'll see.

(Some take the tack of flat-out lying to us. Why don't you?)
We don't lie, and I think I've been consistent with that throughout, since the day I took the job. But I also will not tell you anything I think is proprietary to the Packers and could do us some harm. It's not that we don't want the fans to know, it's just that other people read this stuff, and everybody is trying to get an edge. Quite frankly, I don't have many answers, because we don't know how the outcome of all the picks in front of us are going to be, whether it be in the first round or the last round. It's all a mystery to us.

(Is..

Brett Favre Retirement Press Conference Transcript - March 6

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:56:41 CST
(Opening statement)
Seems like just yesterday we were here. Well, I think we all know why I'm here. First of all, sorry I'm late. But I am officially retiring from the NFL and the Green Bay Packers, and as much as I've thought about what I would say, and how ... I promised I wouldn't get emotional ... it's never easy ... you know, it's funny, I've watched hundreds of players retire, and you wonder what that would be like ... you think you're prepared ... but I was telling Deanna on the way over here, God has blessed me with so many great things. Ability, wonderful family. And as I was flying up here today I thought about so many different things and how I wanted to say some of the things that I felt like I need to say, but he gave me an opportunity to use my abilities, and I seized that opportunity ... I thank him for that.

I'd like to thank the Packers, for giving me the opportunity as well. I hope that every penny ... I hope that every penny that they've ..

Ron Wolf Conference Call Transcript - March 4

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:47:52 CST
(What was your reaction to the news?)
A friend of mine told me about it this morning here at the complex, the community I live in, and I was very surprised when I heard that. But as I have an opportunity to reflect on it during the course of this day, to me, Brett always played with such a great amount of passion, and if he no longer has that, then it's a wise decision.

(Do you recall going down on the field in Atlanta to watch him warm up before that game in 1991?)
I do. It was my first game with the Packers in 1991, it was a game in Atlanta, and I was told if I wanted to see Brett, if I remember the Atlanta staff, which was beneficial to me in the long run, but if I wanted to see Brett Favre throw, I'd have to look at him now, because they wouldn't let him throw during the team period. So I started to head down to the field to do that, but I never got down there. But, what I did learn from that situation was we could acquire Brett Favr..

Ted Thompson/Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - March 4

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:51:42 CST
Ted Thompson: Good afternoon. Thank you for coming. As you're all well aware of by now, Brett has informed us of his decision to retire from the Green Bay Packers and the National Football League. He's had one of the greatest careers in the National Football League, and he's able to walk away under his own terms. Very few NFL players are able to do that, and have the careers that can sustain that. Brett's accomplishments are legendary, but it was the passion with which he played that has made everyone a Brett Favre fan. His personality and love for the game allows him to become an icon to all sports fans all around the world. I think we're all a little bit disappointed, but at the same time we respect Brett's decision, and this was his decision. After those remarks, we're certainly open to taking a few questions.

(When did you hear from Brett and what exactly did he say?)
Thompson: I'll let Mike field that since he talked to him probably the most over the ..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Feb. 22

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 13:43:51 CST
(What are your thoughts on the tight end position without Bubba and how big a need it could be?)
We're very happy with the way Donald Lee played, obviously. Tory Humphrey, we're hoping he'll come back off of his injury. It's an excellent year in the draft, so we'll look to add probably another player or two there. But I thought we did a much better job this year utilizing our tight ends better, with some of the off-the-line things we did schematically, and we'll look to build on that

(Do the tight ends look like a pretty good draft class?)
Preliminary, yeah. Talking with Ted, and I know Ben McAdoo has had limited opportunity to watch them, and we had a couple guys come into our interviews last night. It looks to be a very athletic group.

(Have you played as many two tight end sets as you'd like or would you like to do it more?)
To me it's not really the personnel playing more than the other. It's really the co..

Ted Thompson Press Conference Transcript - Feb. 22

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 13:42:45 CST
(Can you talk about the challenge of picking 30th versus 5th two years ago?)
When it comes to drafting, obviously when you're picking 30th as opposed to fifth two years ago, you have to sit there and watch a lot of good players be selected. But that's part of it. I think most teams would rather be at 30, or even better 31 this year. But we're OK with that. The thing that's interesting, we talk about the first round, but it sort of multiplies as you go along. Every round you have to sit there and wait 30 times. So it's a little more difficult.

(Is the guessing game more difficult, figuring out which players will come off the board?)
Those of us in the profession, we don't like to refer to it as a 'guessing game,' but I understand your point. History tells you that every time you pick, no matter where you're at, there's a good player to take. Now, the margin of error is less when you're picking at the end of the round, every round. We have..

Mike McCarthy Conference Call Transcript - Feb. 5

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:43:01 CST
(Are you glad to finally have this out of the way?)
It's great to have the contract completed. I'm thrilled to death to be part of the future of the Packers. The five-year deal I think is a reflection of the commitment to our football program and the direction that we're headed.

(When did you sign it?)
I actually signed it Friday. Just to get the paperwork back and everybody on board, technically yesterday it was completed. I was traveling. I was in Phoenix through Friday, and I left there Saturday morning.

(How important is it to have your deal coincide with Ted's deal, both 5-year deals?)
I think it's important. Once again, not to be redundant, I think it's a reflection of our football program, something that Ted declared from the first step when I was hired as the head coach, how he was looking for a partnership. I think it's great to have five years to continue to reach our goal.

(Your origi..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 23

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:48:45 CST
(After watching the film, is there anything you would or could have done differently from a strategic standpoint on Sunday?)
Well, personally, I haven't watched the film. I know the coaches have graded the film. We talked about it as a staff. Strategically, I mean, off the top of my head, I would say no. I think anytime you go into a game-plan, you look to put your players in position to be successful. Based on the way the Giants played us, I don't think anything they did was a complete surprise. It was more about execution.

(Is that unusual for you not to watch the tape three days later?)
It's unusual but it normally happens at the season-ending ...You have your exit interviews, I start meeting with the coordinators today. So we haven't had time to sit down and do it. I'm not looking forward to it, but ...

(Has any of the pain subsided?)
Well, it's a disappointing loss. There's no question about that for ever..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 20

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 12:07:27 CST
We had opportunities to win the football game. I would first like to congratulate the New York Giants and Tom Coughlin. I thought they played very well this evening. We had a number of opportunities we didn't take advantage of, clearly ending with the series there in overtime. We weren't as sharp as we needed to be in a number of segments. It was a very disappointing loss.

(What lesson was learned from the game?)
I think it's important to keep your eye on the target. To me, this is a season of tremendous progress. We made a lot of progress as a football team. We were able to win a lot of games. We put ourselves in position for home-field advantage in the NFC Championship game. But we didn't finish the race. That's the lesson we need to learn. It's a tough lesson, especially in front of our home crowd. It's disappointing, it's going to take some time to move on from this, but this is a lesson we will learn from. And we will move on and continue to grow.

Al Harris Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 18

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:00:34 CST
(You're known to be a high-energy guy. People that know you know you're that way. You're going to play in one of the biggest football games of your life. What are your emotions like 48 hours away?)
Well, I pretty much just try to stay calm and cool until the game actually starts. But I'm a real just laid back guy until the game actually starts. So I'm just relaxing and preparing.

(I actually have a follow up question to that. It's a little different topic. Earlier today the Giants had their news conference, and when Eli Manning was at the podium he was asked about the secondary and the corners in particular for you guys, and he said that they're good and he said some nice things. He said they also take a lot of penalties. That's something we might look to try and do, not only make the completions but try and get these guys into situations where they go beyond the limits of legality and get caught for it.)
Thank you, Eli, for gi..

Aaron Kampman Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 18

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:01:21 CST
(How ready are you guys for this? How was the week of practice, and can you gauge your team's emotion being one game away from the Super Bowl?)
High. Yeah, we're in a good position right now. We really feel excited. You know, it's almost like you want to kind of keep a simmer on it, not to get too excited too fast. But yeah, we're in a good position.

(Is there any concern that the Giants' offensive approach would seem to be very suitable to the kind of conditions that are expected on Sunday?)
Well, they like to run the ball obviously, and so obviously when the elements and weather are involved, you want to be able to run the football. The positive side is that we run the football pretty good, too. So I think defensively we take that as a challenge. We know that that's what they want to do. We know right off the bat that it's going to be a huge factor in the game, who's going to be able to control the ground game.

Donald Driver Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 18

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 11:59:44 CST
(Brett was just making the point a few minutes ago that in these kinds of conditions that are forecast for Sunday, it's less an athletic competition and more of a test of wills. What sense do you have of that?)
I think it's the same thing. I think it's a test of wills because I always look at it as a mind game. When you go into this game, you know the conditions you can't control them, so you basically have to just go play regardless of the situation. It's going to be a mind game because if you let your mind tell you it's cold, it's going to be cold. But if you let your mind tell you it's warm, that you're in Hawaii somewhere, then that's where you're going to feel like you're at. That's why I always say I'm somewhere warm, maybe down in Texas.

(Have you been frustrated at all this season about not getting into the end zone probably as much as you want, only a couple of touchdowns on the year? Has that ever been a thought in your mind at all?)..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 18

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 11:57:12 CST
(How was practice this week, coach, and how prepared do you think your team is?)
I thought the practice was very good. This Wednesday was a lot like a normal Wednesday. We had some corrections that we were able to work through. Thursday's practice was our padded practice. It was clearly our best practice of the week. And I thought today was very sharp, and we're ready to go.

(Some of the players have talked about you putting footballs in a freezer during practice and having Brett handle them and throw them in that circumstance. Can you discuss where you came up with that idea and what the practical application is for Sunday?)
Well, the idea really came from what I've done in the past with rain games, putting the football in a bucket of water and just use the same theory as far as the cold affecting the football. We froze the balls, really didn't tell the players about it and just rolled them in there on Wednesday and did it throug..

Brett Favre Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 18

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 11:58:46 CST
(It's been a decade since you've been in an NFC Championship game. Have you pondered that at all, and just talk a little bit about the journey to get back here.)
Well, it's been a long one, but you know, it goes without saying how excited I am to be back. I think the long layoff makes me appreciate it a little bit more. I've known all along how difficult it is to win in this league and to get to this point is something special. It's pretty good to be back.

(For you personally, the last time you went through all this, your daughters were, ... one wasn't born. Do they understand it a little bit more, what this is all about now, and do they appreciate it more?)
Well, Brittany, the older one, yeah, she's an old pro at all this. Breleigh, the whole season has been a lot of excitement for her, a little bit different than it was the last couple years. I don't think she totally gets it, but she's pretty fired up about it. She gets to ..

Chad Clifton Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 17

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:53:06 CST
(How quick is Osi Umenyiora compared to some other players?)
Osi, he's a phenomenal player. That goes without saying. You look at him on tape and he brings everything that you look for in a defensive end to the table - very athletic, very quick, excellent length in his arms and he plays with power as well. So it's definitely going to be a challenge.

(How have you stayed so durable during your career?)
I wish I knew man. There's really no secret, just come in every day. You do what you have to do as far as on the practice field and then you do your rehab and your treatments and just try to stay as healthy as possible and stay as strong as possible.

(Did you see yourself at all in the younger guards when they came in and how did you mentor those guys?)
You kind of know where they're coming from, what they're going through, what they're experiencing right now. Starting as a rookie, it's not an easy thing at all. ..

Ryan Pickett Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 17

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:55:02 CST
(What's the state of the pass rush right now? The sack numbers haven't been there but are you happy with the pressure?)
Most definitely. Sometimes things are not as it seems. Our sacks have been down but we're getting great pressure on the quarterback, causing them to throw quick, so we're not worried about the pass rush. It's there.

(What are teams doing against Kampman right now and is that freeing up other guys?)
I mean he's definitely drawing a lot of attention. It's freeing up a lot of guys and they're stepping up, getting pressure - mainly (Cullen) Jenkins last game. He had a big game rushing the passer. Kabeer (Gbaja-Biamila) did too, so Kamp's definitely drawing a lot of attention.

(What's a collision like between you and a 265-pound running back?)
Ooh, I don't know. I can't tell you. I've never had one yet, so it's definitely different. I know it's going to be just like tackling a guard. They can't ru..

Joe Philbin Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 17

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:49:40 CST
(Talk about Chad Clifton's preparation. What's his secret to playing through so many injuries?)
Number one, he's been kind of at this for a while. He knows exactly what he needs to do to get himself ready for a game both from a practice repetition standpoint, from a mental standpoint in terms of film study, meeting time, etc. And then obviously, it's been documented, he spent some time in the training room battling those things, those little nicks that you mentioned, but the trainers do a great job. He's been through this routine before a number of times and he's in the building a long time on a daily basis getting himself ready to perform on a high level.

(What's a player like Clifton's mindset about getting ready for games with injuries, etc.?)
Well, most of the guys that I've been around, they're an unselfish group of guys. They're typically some of the hardest working members you have on your football team and they know what's requi..

Mike Stock Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 17

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:51:19 CST
(Do you anticipate having Will Blackmon returning punts this week?)
He practiced today, so we'll see what happens with the after-effects of practice and how hard he practiced, see how he feels tomorrow.

(Will he be OK if he can get through tomorrow ... ?)
That's a decision the head coach makes. We'll find out Sunday.

(How much a difference will Will make if he's able to go?)
He's an important factor, but we've got other people as well. But certainly when he's playing in there, it gives us the benefit of another guy with some size and speed, and he certainly is a very quality player.

(When you summarize special teams how do you summarize it?)
It's a work in progress. Coming from the bottom of the barrel, if you will, with a lot of young players. These guys have worked very hard to have some kind of credibility, and I think we've done that. But each week is a new week, and the good si..

Bob Sanders Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 17

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:50:22 CST
(Can you talk about the challenge of facing Eli playing at the level he's playing at?)
He's done a very, very nice job in managing the offense. He's doing a great job not turning the ball over. It's going to be a real challenge for us. Those guys are doing a good job running the ball, they've got a good play-action scheme, and then when they have to drop back, they've got excellent weapons all the way around. So it's going to be a challenge for us. He's doing an excellent job, especially this last half of the season he's done a tremendous job managing the offense and getting them in the right plays, doing the right things. It's going to be a real challenge for us.

(When you face a big back like Jacobs does it make you sleep easier knowing you have Ryan Pickett in the middle?)
Certainly, we'd like to have all our guys. But him being back, he's kind of our leader in the middle, so to speak. Having him back certainly helps us. We miss guys ..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 17

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:48:43 CST
(What is Wells' situation right now?)
I think Scottie will be fine for the game. That's the communication that he has given me and the training staff. Just being smart with him because it's a glute strain.

(How did Will Blackmon respond today?)
He responded very well. He practiced the whole time today so he's progressing and we'll just see how the week finishes for Will.

(How important is getting pressure on Eli this week?)
Well, putting pressure on the quarterback's something that is a primary focus for us every week. It will be again this week against Eli. They run the ball very well. They're very physical up front. You know, you want to make any offense - particularly the Giants offense - be one-dimensional, and that will be a focus.

(What have you seen on film with the forearm Shaun O'Hara gave Kampman in Week 2?)
That's something that happened in the past. Things like that hap..

Nick Barnett Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 17

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:52:25 CST
(Is Jacobs going to be as big and physical as you're going to see?)
He's definitely a very big and physical running back that we have to prepare for. I was disappointed we didn't get to see him the first time we went out there, seeing him play. You know, I love competition. I think he's a great back so I'm looking forward to playing against him.

(What was it about the way the Giants played you guys that caused your team to get two personal fouls?)
It was a very emotional game. They went out and played hard. We played hard. We don't back down from anything and they don't back down from anything. Sometimes you get personal fouls like that. We have to be smarter to do it before the whistle so we don't get the flag. When you have two teams playing their hearts out you have a little bit extra aggression.

(What did O'Hara do to Kampman?)
I don't even remember actually. I didn't even see it. I guess he jumped on hi..

A.J. Hawk Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 17

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:54:12 CST
(What led to your team's two personal fouls in the first Giants game?)
I think both these teams are pretty aggressive teams. I wouldn't call either of us dirty but I think we play to the whistle, and I think when both teams are doing that then sometimes things happen and I think we respect how hard they play and that they're a physical team. I think we're a physical team as well, so it's a good match-up in that sense I think.

(Do you have to be mindful of not having a reaction that leads to a 15-yard personal foul penalty?)
Yeah, I think you always do every game you go into. I think they changed the whole retaliation rule now, it's not always the person that retaliates that gets the penalty but I think you just have to make sure you're not doing anything after the play. It's pretty simple. If a guy hits you, you can't go back after him after the play, and we've known that our whole lives, so it's nothing different. We've dealt with that..

Greg Jennings Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 16

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:23:49 CST
(How different did the offense look six weeks into the season than in the spring and camp?)
It's a lot different. We've obviously spread it out a lot more than we probably even thought we would. It's definitely given us an advantage, opening up our offense earlier in the season with trying to substitute for the running game, then having the running game come on strong in the latter part of the season. It has definitely taken our offense to another level.

(What goes through your mind with the cold forecast?)
It's going to be cold. It is what it is. For the most part, we knew if we got this home-field advantage we all wanted, it was going to be a cold game. The way our fans support us and the way we've been playing lately, I don't think any of the guys in that locker room are going to be too concerned with the weather come gameday.

(What is James Jones like as a teammate and how much does he help you and Driver on the fiel..

Ryan Grant Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 16

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:23:09 CST
(Are you a good mudder?)
I don't know. Coach Bennett said I've officially made the mudder club, but whatever the conditions are we've got to step it up.

(How did you react to the conditions during the Seattle game? Did you enjoy it?)
The conditions weren't that bad from a sense of what I had to do. We work on that pre-game warm-up, preparing yourself for the conditions, preparing yourself for the footing. You've got to know how to cut, make a little softer cuts, not as hard when you plant, but it really wasn't that big.

(Does playing the Giants add any juice to this for you?)
Not really. A little bit but to be honest with you just the game itself, the level and the stage itself of what we're trying to accomplish is enough energy and enough impact on the game.

(How often had you imagined this possible match-up when you were traded?)
You've got to take one game at a time, so I knew we..

Amani Toomer National Conference Call Transcript - Jan. 16

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:16:07 CST
(As a veteran you know better than anyone how to savor the moment this deep in the playoffs because it certainly isn't guaranteed every season. Would you please talk about being in this position?)
It's definitely special. I've been in the league for like 12 years, and I've been in this situation twice. It's one of those things that you never really can take for granted because it might be everybody's last time doing this no matter what year it is for you.

(It seemed like about a month ago, there was some question about whether your future with the Giants might be coming to an end this season. Your recent strong play obviously has spoken volumes. Can you talk about whether you feel like your play in the last month or so has changed anything about your future in New York?)
I never really worry about that. If you play the game, you can't sit back and worry about what's going to happen. The only way you can assure anything is to go out..

Ryan Grant National Conference Call Transcript - Jan. 16

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:06:49 CST
(Being a running back in Packers' postseason history, has that sunk in yet?)
I don't think it has, to be honest with you. It probably won't until after all this is said and done.

Really I'm trying to focus on the next step, which is definitely this game this weekend. I can't really focus on what happened in the past.

(Can you talk about the emotions of playing the Giants, and in particular your friendship with Justin Tuck and how much of a friend he was when you spent that year not in football?)
Well, I think it's a good opportunity, and it's definitely the stage you want. You definitely can't ask for anything better to be playing in this type of game, number one, and then to be playing against New York and being from New York and being close to a lot of the guys, again, Justin being one of my best friends.

It's a great opportunity, and Justin, from a support level, was great for me. He really helped out a lot to s..

Charles Woodson Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 16

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:24:30 CST
(What kind of overlap did you have with Amani Toomer going back to Michigan?)
I only see Amani when we play so not much dialogue between us. I played with him for a year at Michigan, but really that's about it.

(Where is he at this stage of his career in the NFL?)
Playing well. I mean's he's just been consistent for that team. You don't really realize he's been there as long as he's been there with the same team and he continues to make plays, and it seems like throughout these playoffs he's been that guy and he's made the plays for them. He's scored the touchdowns, he's had the yards after-the-catch and those sort of things, so he's playing well

(Have you been around a locker room as loose as this one?)
Yeah, actually I have. This one is just different because guys are a lot younger. In Oakland when we were going through our runs we had older guys but it was still a pretty loose group. This is unique just bec..

Giants QB Eli Manning Conference Call Transcript - Jan. 16

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:21:25 CST
(What is your first memory of watching Brett Favre?)
I don't know if I can even remember the first experience, I think just watching him in Green Bay and just running around and throwing touchdowns and running up and down the field and kind of going crazy and doing what he's still doing. So he's just, I always remember as a quarterback who looked like he was having fun playing football, and he didn't look like he was at work, just kind of playing the way that he wanted to play and not really worrying about anything else.

(Was he a guy that you wanted to play like or did you have his jersey?)
Yeah, he was a guy, shoot I remember when, I guess I was in high school when they came to the Super Bowl in New Orleans and our high school team did a deal with New England and Green Bay. They filmed something for some show where we were having to be the Green Bay offense and I'm wearing a Brett Favre jersey, so he's always a guy that you always wat..

Giants Coach Tom Coughlin Conference Call Transcript - Jan. 16

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:20:39 CST
(What do you remember about your days here as wide receivers coach under Forrest Gregg?)
I was really proud and happy to have the opportunity to come to Green Bay, to kind of bask in that great tradition, the wonderful community, the historic Lombardi mystique that was everywhere and the people were wonderful, and I remember all facets of the guys that we worked with - (defensive coordinator) Dick Modzelewski and (quarterbacks coach) George Sefcik and (defensive backs coach) Dick Jauron was there at the time. All the guys that were there working with Forrest. I enjoyed my time with Forrest and he was very good to me and to our family. You know we didn't win as many games as we wanted to win, but it was certainly a very, very memorable experience and I was very honored to be a part of the Green Bay tradition and to be in the NFC Central.

(Any of that mystique still concern you this weekend?)
I'm more worried about the team myself, the co..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 16

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:13:01 CST
(How have you worked with Brett Favre to play a more controlled game and how would you assess his season overall?)
I think he had a great season. I thought he played extremely well against Seattle. I just think he's doing a great job of running the offense. We've asked him to do some things. We've asked him to do more of things that he hasn't had to do a lot of in the past. I'm talking more spread offense and taking advantage of (things) at the line of scrimmage situations. So he's done a very good job managing that and you have to give a lot of credit to Tom Clements in the quarterback room and the way they operate, and a lot of credit to the teammates. I think we're better in the offense, everybody has a better understanding and it leads to a lot more production.

(What thoughts do you give to the way you guys played against the Bears and the bad weather and the forecast for this weekend? What is it you try and tell your players they have to do bett..

Donald Driver Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 16

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:22:21 CST
(Can you explain why you guys remain so effective in bad conditions?)
I think it's just going out there and making plays. You know you can't control the conditions, you can't control the weather so you've just got to go out there and play regardless of the situation. So I think we've just been successful in it because we live here and we play and we wake up in the morning every day in it. But you still have to go out there and playm and I think we've been executing on all cylinders when we're out there in those conditions, because we see the other guys across from us, they're freezing a little more than we are.

(How do you dress for a climate like that as a receiver?)
I don't know how to answer that because I don't wear anything. I don't wear sleeves or anything like that so I just have my socks and pants and jersey on. That's it.

(Is that kind of a football thing where you don't change how you dress?)
No, I t..

Brett Favre Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 16

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:19:43 CST
(Can you talk about how during the game, down 14 nothing, you said that you had a history at times of pushing, and Tom Clements warned you not to try getting it all back at once. How did you break that habit and what differences in you are there?)
I don't know if I broke the habit. I'm not saying it's a bad habit either. I think at that particular time I was able to, ... part of the reason is I think they were up 14 nothing within the first four minutes. We had a ton of time left, and you know I think I would have been well aware of that. We had plenty of time and no need to run it up. We only had three plays, I think. But it was reassuring to hear that. And I guess that's, in my case, part of the maturing and aging process. But at least it was in that game.

(You said you wouldn't feel completed unless you won that Super Bowl ring. But now that you're one step away from going back to the Super Bowl, what do you think and what are you feeling to h..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 13

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 20:32:17 CST
(What are your thoughts on your opponent?)
Well, I really haven't had time to digest, exactly ... thoughts as far as game plan, is that what you're referring to? It's an opponent we played in Week 2, very good football team. A lot's happened since Week 2, I would say the same for our football team. We're a different football team than we were in Week 2, and definitely the New York Giants are a different football team. I'm very impressed with their win this week and last week. On a personal note, I'm very happy for Tom Coughlin. I think he's an outstanding football coach and I'm happy to see him have the success today and we look forward to competing against them in the NFC Championship.

(What were your emotions on R.W. McQuarters' interception, that you'd be hosting the NFC Championship?)
It was of excitement. I can't show you right here, as I stand here. But very excited. I'm just excited about having the game here at Lambeau Field. To ..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 12

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 12:03:16 CST
We do not have any injuries today. So with that I'll take your questions.

(How much did the experience in Dallas help this team?)
The Dallas game was something we pointed to throughout our preparation. I feel like we definitely learned our lesson. I thought we were extremely sharp. I thought we were detailed from an assignments standpoint, fundamentals and all the things that we've been focusing on since Dallas. I'm very proud of our football team, the way they performed today, especially after the start that we had.

(How were you able to overcome the early deficit?)
I thought, No. 1, Brett was extremely sharp. He did a great job of keeping us in favorable plays, particularly in the sub groups. He threw the ball very well. When we got behind 14-0 I was concerned that the weather was going to turn bad because there were some things in the passing that we wanted to get to. We were able to accomplish that. I felt like we controlle..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 10

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:40:01 CST
(There's a report in the Biloxi Sun-Herald that all indications are Favre is coming back for another season. What's your reaction?)
Jeff just told me about it as I walked in here. I'll try not to laugh, but I have not been part of any conversation with Brett on that topic, and I think we just need to move on and focus on Seattle. Because that's what we're focused on, I'm sure that's what he's focused on. I don't know anything about it, and I think it's just someone trying to distract my quarterback.

(The way he's playing, is there any reason to think he'd even consider retiring?)
Brett's playing at a very high level, and we're preparing for him to play on another higher level this weekend. That's our focus, and once again, I haven't been part of any conversation on that matter.

(You plan to sit down with him at the end of the year?)
After the season is over, just like we did last year.

(What hap..

Ryan Grant Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 9

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:25:27 CST
(Can you talk about how you've been able to run with this opportunity?)
To be honest with you, I think it is a combination of a lot of things. I'm trying to take advantage of the opportunity and really just wanting to contribute whichever way that is. The team has been doing a great job, pulling together, I think from the midway point of working on fundamentally what we wanted to work on. Even though we were winning games, we felt like we could get better in a lot of different things and everybody has been pulling together.

(How much did the New York experience help you?)
I learned a lot. Those two years were very good for me from a sense of experience on and off the field. My first year coming out was a humbling experience. Even being there last year, having to sit out, was a learning experience. I learned a lot from Tiki on and off the field. I feel like as a group, as a backfield, we help each other out a lot.

(Can you..

Nick Barnett Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 9

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:23:56 CST
(What was it like watching from the sidelines last year in Seattle?)
Last year, going into that game and not being able to play, having the broken hand or whatever and we jumped out on them and then they came back and we lost the game. It was just agonizing every play for me, no matter if we were doing good or bad, just because I wanted to be out there with my guys and playing in that game. It looked fun with all the snow and crazy weather on that Monday night game, so it was disappointing. I'm glad that we have an opportunity to play them again.

(Is it nice on any level that the game might have made the Packers realize what they're missing without you in there?)
I don't even think like that, honestly. You know, we've got a lot of great guys who are behind me. Abdul (Hodge) I thought he did fairly well. There were a couple plays, but those were plays that any veteran could have missed. But I thought he went in and played well. It was jus..

Mike Stock Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 9

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:23:10 CST
(How are you going forward with preparations for the return game with Blackmon up in the air?)
If he's available he's playing. We'll know when we know. We'll just go like we've been doing all year.

(Does it help with having depth in the return game?)
It has helped immensely, absolutely. That's why there's preseason. That's why the guys that you have available, you've got to list and you work those guys from morning, noon and night when they don't have defense or offensive responsibilities, and you have them do the various things we do with returners to be able to take care of business when it's their turn. And so far we've been very blessed that these guys have been able to do that.

(Do you do anything different in terms of the mental approach with having a young kicker and punter in their first playoff game?)
Oh, let me see. Pretty much the same. These guys have been doing this. Jon's (Ryan) been in the Canad..

Bob Sanders Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 9

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:21:53 CST
(What do you see out of Seattle as far their big play-making ability?)
They have a lot of talented individuals. They have a lot of talented receivers. You've heard Coach Holmgren talk about those guys and certainly they're very well-coached, they have a good scheme and Matt Hasselbeck does a great job of getting the ball to them, and they do an excellent job of running after the catch. Then when they have you spread out and opened up, then they've had some explosive gains in the run game too. It's a very good scheme and they have a quarterback that is very, very good at executing that scheme, and then they have playmakers at a lot of positions on offense.

(How big is it for your guys to stay disciplined every play?)
It's just like every week, but certainly this week staying in coverage on staying on top of the guys you should stay on top of and make sure the communication is very, very good and solid. And then our guys up front in the pa..

Joe Philbin Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 9

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:20:44 CST
(How much credit do you take for the success of the offense this year?)
Very, very little. Football's a team game. We've got an excellent coaching staff here. The guys we have, who I worked with last year when I was a position coach, are outstanding coaches. Obviously our head coach is an outstanding offensive coach. Soo very, very little. Our guys do a great job, they're very detail-oriented. They take a lot of pride in preparing their position guys very well, and I remember when I took the job I really believed the position coaches are the guys that drive the train, so to speak, and those players, they've got to believe in their position coach. We're fortunate here. We've got an excellent group of coaches. Those guys are outstanding men and they're very, very hard-working and they've done a great job.

(What message were you able to get across this year or what do you feel you brought to the table?)
The one thing as you look at things o..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 9

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:19:11 CST
(Anything to be concerned with Jennings and Jones?)
They both wanted to finish practice. (We're) just being cautious. This is the healthiest we've been all year medically and I just want to make sure we're ready to go. They experienced some tightness three-quarters of the way through practice, so I sent them up for treatment.

(How about Woodson?)
Woodson bumped his knee on the turf yesterday, just had some swelling. He'll be fine. We know Charles will be ready to go.

(Is Al Harris feeling better now?)
I think he's a prime example of the health of our football team. Even Charles Woodson practicing Friday and Saturday, they feel a lot better. The break's really helped them and they're just getting ready to go. The bye week really helped us.

(Did Blackmon help himself today with the way he tested?)
They were positive the way he tested. Tomorrow morning's going to be a big indicator for..

Seattle Coach Mike Holmgren Conference Call Transcript - Jan. 9

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:36:31 CST
(After everything you've taught Brett Favre have you taken any pages out his book on retirement and how to contemplate it?)
Well, you know what, it's interesting. We're both at a situation in our careers where it comes up on occasion. So I'm trying to be wise with it. We're going to take it a year at a time right now and after the season's over Kathy and I are going to let the dust settle and go someplace for a week or so and kind of think about how we want to do this. Right now I love our football team and I'm energized and I feel good. But that's kind of been the plan for the last couple years for me. It's not as important as when Brett talks about it. I understand that, but that's how we're approaching it.

(Are you any different as a coach now than you were with the Packers in the mid-'90s?)
I think so. I think I delegate a lot more. In those early years in Green Bay of course you know we had a relatively young offensive staff and it ..

Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck Conference Call Transcript - Jan. 9

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:35:53 CST
(When the run game was struggling how did Holmgren approach you about getting more pass-happy?)
He actually didn't really approach me. I think he has a press conference on Mondays, and he mentioned it to the media, and I found out about it on Wednesday. I happened to see him in the hallway and he let me know, but I guess it was old news by then.

(You're obviously fine with that based on the numbers you put up?)
Truthfully I don't think I really believed him. You know, Coach Holmgren, he's a great coach and sometimes you don't always understand what his methods are and why he does certain things. I think for me that was one of those times. Why would you announce on Monday to the media what your plan was on how you're going to call the game, and is he lying? Is he just saying that? It wasn't until the night before the game that we kind of got the first 15 (plays) and we saw that he wasn't just saying it. He was being truthful and he was h..

Mark Tauscher Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 9

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:24:42 CST
(What have you seen on film of Kerney?)
He's not only a very talented player but he also plays with high energy and I think when you combine those two things you in the end have a really good player and it shows up constantly on film. He never takes a play off and I think his motor along with his talent is why he's been so successful.

(Do you believe one play can make or break a playoff game?)
Obviously everything is magnified. I don't necessarily know if one play, but there's one or two (that) definitely have a big impact in the outcome of a game, and you never know when that play's going to happen. I think that's what's really interesting about the playoffs, is that things are really magnified and then on top of it you're the only game, everybody's watching that and the outcome and your season depends on the fact that those plays go your way. And like I said you never know when that play is going to happen.

(What do you ..

Greg Jennings Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 8

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:12:18 CST
(Did you get the sense in training camp this offense would be capable of so many big plays?)
Anytime you have a quarterback with the caliber quarterback that we have, the sky's the limit. It's just getting the guys around him to kind of fit in where we need to fit in and make things work.

(Do you remember when the Packers played the Seahawks in the playoffs and did you watch that game?)
I didn't but I watched it last night. I saw the tail end of it - the fourth quarter and overtime, so I know they go back a little bit and I know they're going to be having that under their helmets when they step on the field and remember what happened a few years back.

(Did you watch it on your own or did everyone watch it?)
It actually came on NFL Network so I caught a quick glance of it.

(What have you seen on film of Seahawks CB Kelly Jennings?)
He's definitely improved. I say that like I'm a vete..

Aaron Kampman Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 8

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:11:18 CST
(Al Harris said the playoff experience will play a role in Saturday's game. How do you think the playoff experience will make a difference?)
I hate to disagree with a teammate. In some level, obviously (it will make a difference with) the atmosphere that surrounds a playoff game like this but in the same sense it's still football and we've been doing this for quite a long time and we've had some big games. I think probably the closest thing that our team has had this year would be that game down in Dallas, so we've had a little bit of experience with that as a team collectively this year.

(What do you think this team learned from the Dallas game?)
I think just stay the course in the sense of staying on fundamentals. We did some things that were uncharacteristic of us in that game that didn't allow us to have success down there and so I think really we'll have that type of mentality. We talked about it already this week. Our practices ha..

Al Harris Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 8

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:10:15 CST
(How much do you think Matt Hasselbeck has the interception on his mind heading into this game?)
I really think it's out of the mind of everybody - Matt (and) here in our building we're not thinking about it. We've moved past and a lot of the guys weren't even here when that happened, so it's a thing of the past. It happened then and we were grateful. We didn't capitalize the next game so it doesn't even really matter because we didn't finish the season the way we wanted to.

(Knowing how competitive Hasselbeck is and this is his first playoff game back here, how much do you think he wants to make up for that interception?)
Knowing Matt I think he'll be very competitive. He's a competitive player. He's playing at a high level right now. By far I personally think he's the best player on that team. Not to take anything from anybody else on that team. I think they're doing a great job, but I think he'll be very competitive and I don't think ..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 8

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:07:37 CST
(Is Spitz clear?)
He's doing better. We'll have an injury report filed tomorrow. I think we'll be very healthy for the game, including Jason.

(How do you like your practices since you came back?)
Practice Friday and Saturday was very good. They were two spirited, padded practices, I would categorize them. Today's practice I thought was very good. The tempo was outstanding. We'll watch it here at two o'clock with the players. I was pleased with today's work.

(Did Brandon Jackson have an injury?)
Brandon Jackson is sick. He went home today, flu or GI tract infection or something like that. He'll be back tomorrow.

(When you go against a team where you know the quarterback really well or some of the personnel really well, is that an advantage?)
You'd like to think that you know everybody that well, week in and week out. Those are coaching points that you present to the whole football ..

Brett Favre Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 8

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:08:51 CST
(You've gone against Mike Holmgren a number of times since that '99 game. How have your thoughts changed since that game?)
It's happened enough and he's been coaching in Seattle now longer than he coached here. I don't want to say it's old news (but) I can't say that I get anymore excited playing in this game than any other game. Maybe initially, which to me still is a little silly. It's a game. It's obviously an important game for us, but I'm sure Mike's saying the same thing to his guys. 'Hey, they're going to try to make a big deal of me going back, and the playoff game here several years ago.' I know 'Hass' (Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck) has caught a lot of heat this week, but I don't look at it much differently than any other game. I've got a tremendous amount of respect for Mike, don't get me wrong, but I want to play well for the obvious reasons in this game.

(How do you think Mike uses his knowledge of you to help him defensively?) <..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 6

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 17:20:51 CST
(Where did you watch the game yesterday?)
I watched it here.

(Were you by yourself or with your staff?)
I was by myself. Most of the staff went home and watched it.

(Did Seattle winning give you a one-day jump on preparation for this game?)
Well, we were able to break down a number of games, actually I think we had between eight and 10 in the computer. We're actually still waiting on yesterday's game. There's been a delay in the plane coming through Chicago, so we're still waiting for the film.

(Their defense was so dominant yesterday at the start of that game. Is that the best you've seen them?)
I thought their defense played very well, just watching the TV copy. The way they flew to the ball. The one thing that's constant throughout the film study, I think their secondary has very good ball skills. They do a good job of reacting to the football. Their linebacker play is a strength..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 4

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 14:38:50 CST
(Was Bigby not at practice today?)
Atari was not at practice today. He had some traveling issues. He missed the meetings and practice.

(Is he on his way?)
He's here. He's in the building. I haven't spoken to him yet.

(Is that one of the hazards of letting guys get away?)
That would classify as a hazard, yes.

(Was he derelict in his scheduling or anything?)
I haven't spoken to him. I will see him when I get back inside. He arrived when we were at practice.

(Is that automatically something you have to discipline him for?)
That's something that he and I will deal with.

(But you gave guys an extra day to travel, right?)
Correct. It will be dealt with.

(You had a plan when you came in here two years ago. What's your reaction to how well it has worked?)
I didn't go into it thinking it wouldn't work. You a..

Packers.com

Mike McCarthy Season-Ending Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 31

Packers-Lions Post-Game Notes & Quotes

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 28

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 26

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 25

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 24

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 23

Packers-Bears Post-Game Quotes

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 22

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 20

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 19

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 18

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 15

Packers-Jaguars Post-Game Quotes

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 14

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 12

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 11

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 10

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 8

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 7

Packers-Texans Post-Game Notes & Quotes

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 5

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 4

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 3

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Dec. 1

Packers-Panthers Post-Game Notes & Quotes

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 30

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 28

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 27

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 26

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 25

Packers-Saints Postgame Quotes

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 24

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 22

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 21

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 19

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 17

Packers-Bears Post-Game Notes & Quotes

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 16

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 14

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 13

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 12

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 10

Packers-Vikings Post-Game Quotes

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 9

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 7

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 6

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 5

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 3

Packers-Titans Post-Game Quotes

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 2

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 31

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 30

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 29

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 27

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 20

Packers-Colts Postgame Notes & Quotes

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 19

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 17

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 16

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 15

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 13

Packers-Seahawks Postgame Quotes

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 12

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 10

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 9

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 8

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 6

Packers-Falcons Postgame Notes & Quotes

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 5

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 3

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 2

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 1

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 29

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 28

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 26

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 25

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 24

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Sept. 22