Packers Daily Links: James Jones Wants to Play More
Wide receiver James Jones expressed frustration over the lack of snaps he played in Week 1. That and more in today's Daily Links...
Wide receiver James Jones expressed frustration on Wednesday not that he wants more catches, but that he wants to play more snaps. “I don’t care about the ball at all, but I truly, truly want to be in the game plan,” Jones is quoted as saying by Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “Everybody plays this game because they want to play. I’m not selfish. I understand we’ve got a lot of weapons, so I’m not saying I want the ball every play. But I think I deserve to be on the field more than I was.” Jones was on the field for 19 plays in Week 1, half of them in the "Jumbo" three-tight end formation, he estimates, in which the Packers typically run the ball.
More on James Jones comes from ESPNMilwaukee.com, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Wisconsin State Journal and Packer Report (subscription required).
Meanwhile, quarterback Aaron Rodgers pled with reporters not to overreact to a single game. “I just hope that you all as media personalities don’t run to whoever is the low man on the catch totem pole every week because that’s going to get a little bit ridiculous," Rodgers is quoted as saying to Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel. "It’s Week One. It’s a long season and I’m going to throw it to the open guy. I just hope you guys don’t do that. You probably will. But that’s a single plea from me.” Dunne calls Rodgers' plea justified. I tend to agree after one week but would change my mind if it were to become a trend.
Aaron Rodgers received some good news on yesterday too. "Rodgers was named the NFC offensive player of the week by the league on Wednesday after he completed 27 of 35 passes (77.1 percent) for 312 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 132.1 passer rating in the Packers’ 42-34 win over New Orleans," writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com. He joined Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher and 49ers return man Ted Ginn Jr. who won the defense and special teams awards respectively.
More on Aaron Rodgers' accomplishment comes via the Associated Press.
News of defensive lineman Mike Neal's surgical procedure came as unexpected yesterday. "(Head coach Mike) McCarthy wouldn't say what Neal had repaired, but given tears of the anterior cruciate ligament are season-ending and tears of the medial collateral ligament aren't operated on, there's a pretty good chance it is torn cartilage," writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "The vague timetable McCarthy put on recovery would lead one to believe Neal won't be back before the bye Oct. 30." McCarthy didn't anticipate him being placed on injured reserve.
More on Mike Neal and the impact of his injury comes from the Press-Gazette, ESPNMilwaukee.com, Packer Report, the team's official website and via the Associated Press.
Cornerback Tramon Williams, however, has a chance to play this weekend following his injury in Week 1. “I think Tramon has a chance,” Mike McCarthy is quoted as saying by Rob Demovsky. “If we were on a seven-day work week, I would probably think otherwise, but being on a 10-day work week from the Saints game to the Carolina game, I think he definitely has a chance. Tramon’s a veteran player for us. He does a great job with the preparation, so we’ll give him every chance to make the game.”
The Packers are no strangers to injuries, writes Mike Spofford of Packers.com.
The challenge in the secondary without the services of Tramon Williams is covered by Tyler Dunne.
A feature on defensive lineman Jarius Wynn is written by Jason Wilde.
Rookie wide receiver Randall Cobb is the focus of an article by Chris Jenkins of the Associated Press.
Complaints have cropped up regarding the Packers' new sound system at Lambeau Field.
The Charles Woodson $10,000 fine is covered by the Associated Press.
The solid play of safety Morgan Burnett in Week 1 is mentioned at JSOnline.
Ashwaubenon has new badges for their police force honoring the Packers.
Jarius Wynn is interviewed at Packers Passion.
Video: Jermichael Finley is interviewed on Inside the Huddle on Fox 11 in Green Bay...
TE Finley says Ws make Pack happy: fox11online.com
Brian Carriveau is the editor of the Maple Street Press Packers Annual. To contact Brian, email [email protected].
Comments (10)
September 15, 2011 at 08:59 am
Another worthwhile read is the Journal Sentinel's piece (insider required) on Korey Hall. As I was at the game the other night, I couldn't help but think how strange it must have felt for Hall coming out of the other tunnel.
Give it a look-see.
September 15, 2011 at 09:31 am
I'll start the Jones comments off:
Rabble rabble rabble rabble!
September 15, 2011 at 10:15 am
I hear Buffalo could use another WR, James. And, you could join your fellow complainer Nick Barnett!
September 15, 2011 at 02:31 pm
Not. Sure. If. Serious.
September 15, 2011 at 10:41 am
Eh, I'm not going to give Jones a hard time. 19 snaps after being resigned is a little low. The dude wants to play. That's who I want on my team, a guy who wants to play but at the same time is saying he'll be happy with any passes he gets his way.
Also, I guess it's better we hear Mike Neal is out than Williams. Right now, the Packers have shown they can live without him. I'm not sure we'd be able to say the same about the drastically underrated Williams.
September 15, 2011 at 10:02 pm
There's a big difference between saying I want to play more and I "deserve" to play more.
When he uses the word "deserve" in the context that he used it, it implies he is being treated unfairly.
Not sure who he feels is treating him unfairly between Bennett, McCarthy or Philbin. Probably all three.
Jones should state his "deserve" remarks to coaches in private instead of the media.
September 15, 2011 at 11:18 am
Didn't see him much in the preseason either. Wasn't a knee or knees bothering him. Hard to see which receiver's snaps he should take away. I'm sure they will rotate more in future.
September 15, 2011 at 11:29 am
Jones will play. He has more big play potential than Nelson. He gets open too. I complain about his dropped passes, but consider of few of them. In the Jets, Eagles playoff game and Superbowl he dropped long passes that probably would have gone for TD. That is discouraging... but he was in position for a long TD. He is as good at that as anyone, save Jennings. He'll get his opportunities. Just needs to hang onto the ball.
September 15, 2011 at 08:16 pm
That Wynn article by Wilde is great.
September 15, 2011 at 09:27 pm
Is Jones worth trading for a respectable DE since we might be without Neal for a while?