An intense two-minute drill got the Packers' practice rolling in the Don Hutson Center Friday morning. During the first drive, Brett Favre unloaded a 50-yard bomb, one at which both wide receiver Donald Driver and cornerback Antuan Edwards had an equal shot. Both players went up for it, got tangled in the air, and Driver ultimately came down with the reception.
Later, Favre, rolling right, hit a diving Javon Walker for a first down. But on the next play, a high pass slipped through Walker's hands and into those of Edwards, ending the drive. Always vocal offensive line coach Larry Beightol expressed his pleasure with the protection throughout the drive.
As the second-stringers took their turn at the two-minute drill, rookie safety Marques Anderson was seen calling out plays and advising newcomer Jason Suttle, a third-year safety out of the University of Wisconsin.
Rookie wide receiver Brian Haugabrook shaked and baked after catching a pass from fellow rookie Craig Nall, causing the defender to fall down and wide receiver Charles Lee to call out, "Nice move, Haugabrook!" The drive ended on the next play with Nall's quarterback sneak from one yard out.
Next came a little one-on-one action between the offensive and defensive lines. Offensive guard Chris Watton put defensive end John Gilmore on his back, much like he did to Aaron Kampman in Thursday's practice. Linebacker Marcus Wilkins had little trouble getting around guard Tim Stuber, but the next time the two were matched up, Stuber held his ground, and then took Wilkins down on their third bout.
Defensive line coach Jethro Franklin used a portion of practice to teach his men a new move, but the horn ending the session sounded before players really had a chance to practice it. Nonetheless, Wilkins and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila stayed after practice for further instruction and to give the new technique a few more tries.
In the last sequence of plays, Walker caught a pretty Favre pass over his left shoulder for a 40-yard pickup. Later, Vonnie Holliday shoved the red-jerseyed Favre out of bounds, to the disapproving groans of onlookers. However, Favre trotted back to the field unscathed where Holliday greeted him with a hug.
Returning to practice from injuries were Edwards, who has missed a significant among of time with knee and groin trouble, and defensive tackle Gilbert Brown, who had been resting a slightly sprained ankle.
The Packers' next practice will be Saturday, August 24, at 11:10 a.m. The team will break for lunch and be back at Clarke Hinkle Field at 1:30 p.m., weather and field conditions permitting.
-- by Leslie Ricker
