Early Returns On Lockout Workouts?
It's early, but the Packers look sloppy, while the Saints are looking good. Cue the lockout workout stories...
By PackerAaron
September 8th continues to be shaping up as an informal referendum on the teams that decided to workout together during the lockout and those that didn't.
After a Family Night performance that saw starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers try and force a throw to James Jones that was picked off for a pick-six by an undrafted free agent cornerback (shades of Kevin Kaesviharn, though he was a safety) and a Sunday evening practice that saw fumbles and mental errors galore, the Packers are, somewhat understandably, sputtering out of the gate offensively.
The Packers' opponent on September 8th, the New Orleans Saints, lead the charge in regards to teams getting together to workout together during the lockout. And head coach Sean Payton, unlike his counterpart in Green Bay, seems pleased as punch with what he's seen from his team so far through the beginning of training camp:
Look, if all of us came out here and watched a practice, it would be hard for us to tell if it was following a lockout or wasn't following a lockout. And that's a credit to what our players did during that time.
Don't fight it Packers fans, because its coming. You can bet the week leading up to that Thursday night contest will be filled with stories about how the Packers didn't get together during the lockout while the Saints did.
Just remember - the stories that matter are the ones written after the game.
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Comments (13)
August 09, 2011 at 01:33 pm
I knew it! All is lost.
If only a handful of starters would have gotten together in shorts to sparsely run some type of rudimentary, directionless drill. Not to mention all the non-fundamentals they addressed in addition to the non-installations in all phases of the game that didn't take place.
Those 3 missing days. What could have been....
August 09, 2011 at 01:41 pm
The only way I see the Saints having an advantage is with the team chemistry aspect... but that's what training camp is for, so the Saints already have that part. Big whoop.
Training camp is for weeding out these errors. They still have 19 practices to go, so these issues will go away. I recall McCarthy getting pissed once or twice because of sloppiness last year, too.
August 09, 2011 at 01:48 pm
Not too worried about this. McCarthy's pissed every year about the offense being sloppy. They have much more complex systems to install and have to re-form the connections that QB's and WR's have. It happens every year, whether there's a off-season or not.
Give them a few more weeks and they'll lock it up.
I hear what you're saying about the week before the game, though. It's going to get annoying. Especially ESPN. They always take a small thing like this and blow it into a major story. Maybe Brent Favre will start playing for the CFL and will distract them. We can only hope.
August 09, 2011 at 01:49 pm
The most nauseating thing about the "seems pleased as punch" article are the fan comments on what "class acts" the Saints are for having informal workouts. Woop-de-do.
Here's hoping the Pack throttle them.
August 09, 2011 at 02:02 pm
I'm so sick of hearing about the 'aints.
Here's hoping for blowout.
August 09, 2011 at 02:03 pm
So Sean, you cant tell the difference between practice after the lockout, and the ones the week before losing to the Seahawks. Sounds good.
August 09, 2011 at 02:18 pm
+1
August 09, 2011 at 02:07 pm
Pack (fat cats) should have gotten together.
August 09, 2011 at 02:34 pm
Any Given Sunday.
Sure the Saints look awesome, until Drew Brees gets blindsided by John Abraham and gets his collarbone broken.
Ill just take this season week by week.
August 09, 2011 at 03:50 pm
Just when I thought I can take my ear plugs out,the 'Aints make me put them back in!
August 09, 2011 at 04:49 pm
Anyone remember when the Lions went 4-0 in the 2008 preseason?
All that matters is who is ready for the real games.
August 09, 2011 at 10:27 pm
I think a huge aspect to our early struggles that isn't getting enough run is this... Our offense is going against blood thirsty savages every day. Greg williams has a cute little defense and all but come on, lets be real, their offense is fucked 9/8. They can have the pre season award, if it will help them cope thursday night. Iron sharpens iron, these offensive woes will pay dividens when the bullets are live.
GBP 4 LIFE
August 09, 2011 at 11:17 pm
No, no. Obviously, it's 66-0 Saints because Aaron Rodgers didn't lift weights with Matt Flynn on Thursdays in June.