Donald Driver?
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Green Bay News- Chronicle (1/4/03):
Hurley Tarver didn't know what hit him toward the end of the Green Bay Packers' practice Thursday. When he discovered who had, he feared for his practice-squad life.
"That was an accident," the cornerback said afterward. "I'm glad he's all right because that's a key ingredient to the potion right there."
The key ingredient to what makes the Packers offense tick is wide receiver Donald Driver. Presumed to be a likely no-show for the Packers' playoff opener, Driver said he's ready to be in the lineup for Saturday's 7 p.m. NFC wild-card game against visiting Atlanta.
"I won't be a decoy; I will be playing," said Driver, who led the Packers in the regular season with 70 catches for 1,064 yards and nine touchdowns. "If I'm not going to play, I'd rather not dress. But, if I'm out there, I want to be a big factor in the game."
Driver on Thursday practiced for the first time since he suffered a contusion to the right shoulder during the Packers' 42-17 loss at the New York Jets on Sunday. He remains listed as questionable on the injury report for Saturday.
Head coach Mike Sherman, though, was encouraged by what he saw from Driver working with the first unit.
"He did a lot of things, more than I expected him to do," Sherman said. "So, we'll see how he feels (today)."
Though he did have one pass from Brett Favre go through his hands, Driver didn't have to extend himself on any passes that were thrown high. He acknowledged he doesn't have full range of motion with the shoulder, which would limit him in the game Saturday.
"My shoulder is still hurting, don't get me wrong," Driver said. "But, the treatment I've been getting is great. I'm able now to put my arm over my head. After the game (Sunday), I couldn't put my arm up. So, I'm pretty much happy with the progress I'm making.
"I just can't stretch my arms all the way up. But, when the game comes on, I probably won't even pay attention to my shoulder anymore. It's going to be the flow of the game. You have so much adrenaline going that you don't even worry about it."
Driver, who wore pads in practice, deliberately ran into an unsuspecting Tarver while running a crossing pattern in order to get some contact for the shoulder.
"That's just something I wanted to do," Driver said. "I kind of broke across, I saw him and I'd just rather run into him. He didn't see me, but I saw him, and we hit each other. It felt good."
Tarver, relieved Driver didn't aggravate the injury during the collision, related that the receiver was begging to take a few licks.
"All I heard from Donald was, 'Give it to me. I need what you've got,'" said Tarver, who rejoined the team Wednesday. "That's how we played it today."
Sherman said he will evaluate Driver in the team's Lambeau Field workout today before deciding whether to play him. Sherman added Driver doesn't need full range of motion to be cleared for the game.
"I just want to make sure he can play the whole game and that the injury does not knock us out of a receiver," Sherman said.
Determined to play, Driver indicated he will await an answer from Sherman. "He has to make decisions, not me," Driver said. "I just say, 'I want to go,' and he says, 'OK, I know.' But, he still has to make the decision to say, 'Go' or 'Don't go.'"
SHARPER'S CHANCES DIMMING
Free safety Darren Sharper didn't practice for the third straight day and doesn't appear ready for Saturday.
Sharper continued to rehabilitate his sprained right knee and did straight-line running exercises. For the second day in a row, he placed his prospects of playing at "better than 50 percent."
"It's too hard to say right now," Sharper said after Thursday's practice. "That's why they come up with 'game-time decisions,' so I'll know probably more then."
Sherman hasn't ruled out Sharper for the game, saying, "If Darren can play, obviously you want your Pro Bowl safety in the game, but if he can't, I'm totally confident the guys we put on the field will do a fine job."
The Packers are likely to be without No. 3 cornerback Tod McBride, who aggravated a groin injury Sunday and has yet to practice this week. "I'm not as optimistic," Sherman said.
Defensive tackle Gilbert Brown, meanwhile, is slated to start. He returned to practice after having time off to rest a sore left foot.
FERGUSON BACK IN THE FOLD
Wide receiver Robert Ferguson, bothered by a sore back for most of the week, practiced for the first time Thursday.
Should Driver play, Ferguson's biggest impact could be on kickoff returns. He said he expects to assume the role for the second consecutive game, though Sherman said he was deciding between Ferguson and Eric Metcalf, who will be the punt returner.
"I'm not totally committed to one or the other just yet," Sherman said. "I thought they both caught the ball well this week. I have confidence in both."
DOTSON BACK FOR MORE
Earl Dotson's history with back problems runs much deeper than that of Ferguson. Yet, the 10-year veteran suggested he feels as good as new after making it through an entire week of practice.
Dotson will start at right offensive tackle after missing the last three games because of his chronic back trouble.
"When I feel good, hey, it works and comes together," Dotson said. "Right now, I'm feeling pretty good about it."
"He really had a great week of practice," Sherman said. "I think sitting down for a couple weeks has refreshed him and rejuvenated him. He looked pretty sharp to me."
TURNING OFF THE THERMOSTAT
Rather than run the risk of having a player sprain an ankle on a hard field outside, Sherman opened the doors of the Hutson Center to give his players a feel for the subfreezing temperatures predicted for Saturday.
"I kind of like it," Sherman said. "It keeps everybody fresh. It almost gets too hot in here; it's steamy sometimes. So, I might keep them open all the time - I might take the doors off."
The players didn't seem to have a problem with the decision.
"It's a lot different than playing in the game, when the adrenaline is always kicking in," Ferguson said. "But, it was a good change for us. You want to get used to catching the ball in the cold weather with your hands anyway."
Hurley Tarver didn't know what hit him toward the end of the Green Bay Packers' practice Thursday. When he discovered who had, he feared for his practice-squad life.
"That was an accident," the cornerback said afterward. "I'm glad he's all right because that's a key ingredient to the potion right there."
The key ingredient to what makes the Packers offense tick is wide receiver Donald Driver. Presumed to be a likely no-show for the Packers' playoff opener, Driver said he's ready to be in the lineup for Saturday's 7 p.m. NFC wild-card game against visiting Atlanta.
"I won't be a decoy; I will be playing," said Driver, who led the Packers in the regular season with 70 catches for 1,064 yards and nine touchdowns. "If I'm not going to play, I'd rather not dress. But, if I'm out there, I want to be a big factor in the game."
Driver on Thursday practiced for the first time since he suffered a contusion to the right shoulder during the Packers' 42-17 loss at the New York Jets on Sunday. He remains listed as questionable on the injury report for Saturday.
Head coach Mike Sherman, though, was encouraged by what he saw from Driver working with the first unit.
"He did a lot of things, more than I expected him to do," Sherman said. "So, we'll see how he feels (today)."
Though he did have one pass from Brett Favre go through his hands, Driver didn't have to extend himself on any passes that were thrown high. He acknowledged he doesn't have full range of motion with the shoulder, which would limit him in the game Saturday.
"My shoulder is still hurting, don't get me wrong," Driver said. "But, the treatment I've been getting is great. I'm able now to put my arm over my head. After the game (Sunday), I couldn't put my arm up. So, I'm pretty much happy with the progress I'm making.
"I just can't stretch my arms all the way up. But, when the game comes on, I probably won't even pay attention to my shoulder anymore. It's going to be the flow of the game. You have so much adrenaline going that you don't even worry about it."
Driver, who wore pads in practice, deliberately ran into an unsuspecting Tarver while running a crossing pattern in order to get some contact for the shoulder.
"That's just something I wanted to do," Driver said. "I kind of broke across, I saw him and I'd just rather run into him. He didn't see me, but I saw him, and we hit each other. It felt good."
Tarver, relieved Driver didn't aggravate the injury during the collision, related that the receiver was begging to take a few licks.
"All I heard from Donald was, 'Give it to me. I need what you've got,'" said Tarver, who rejoined the team Wednesday. "That's how we played it today."
Sherman said he will evaluate Driver in the team's Lambeau Field workout today before deciding whether to play him. Sherman added Driver doesn't need full range of motion to be cleared for the game.
"I just want to make sure he can play the whole game and that the injury does not knock us out of a receiver," Sherman said.
Determined to play, Driver indicated he will await an answer from Sherman. "He has to make decisions, not me," Driver said. "I just say, 'I want to go,' and he says, 'OK, I know.' But, he still has to make the decision to say, 'Go' or 'Don't go.'"
SHARPER'S CHANCES DIMMING
Free safety Darren Sharper didn't practice for the third straight day and doesn't appear ready for Saturday.
Sharper continued to rehabilitate his sprained right knee and did straight-line running exercises. For the second day in a row, he placed his prospects of playing at "better than 50 percent."
"It's too hard to say right now," Sharper said after Thursday's practice. "That's why they come up with 'game-time decisions,' so I'll know probably more then."
Sherman hasn't ruled out Sharper for the game, saying, "If Darren can play, obviously you want your Pro Bowl safety in the game, but if he can't, I'm totally confident the guys we put on the field will do a fine job."
The Packers are likely to be without No. 3 cornerback Tod McBride, who aggravated a groin injury Sunday and has yet to practice this week. "I'm not as optimistic," Sherman said.
Defensive tackle Gilbert Brown, meanwhile, is slated to start. He returned to practice after having time off to rest a sore left foot.
FERGUSON BACK IN THE FOLD
Wide receiver Robert Ferguson, bothered by a sore back for most of the week, practiced for the first time Thursday.
Should Driver play, Ferguson's biggest impact could be on kickoff returns. He said he expects to assume the role for the second consecutive game, though Sherman said he was deciding between Ferguson and Eric Metcalf, who will be the punt returner.
"I'm not totally committed to one or the other just yet," Sherman said. "I thought they both caught the ball well this week. I have confidence in both."
DOTSON BACK FOR MORE
Earl Dotson's history with back problems runs much deeper than that of Ferguson. Yet, the 10-year veteran suggested he feels as good as new after making it through an entire week of practice.
Dotson will start at right offensive tackle after missing the last three games because of his chronic back trouble.
"When I feel good, hey, it works and comes together," Dotson said. "Right now, I'm feeling pretty good about it."
"He really had a great week of practice," Sherman said. "I think sitting down for a couple weeks has refreshed him and rejuvenated him. He looked pretty sharp to me."
TURNING OFF THE THERMOSTAT
Rather than run the risk of having a player sprain an ankle on a hard field outside, Sherman opened the doors of the Hutson Center to give his players a feel for the subfreezing temperatures predicted for Saturday.
"I kind of like it," Sherman said. "It keeps everybody fresh. It almost gets too hot in here; it's steamy sometimes. So, I might keep them open all the time - I might take the doors off."
The players didn't seem to have a problem with the decision.
"It's a lot different than playing in the game, when the adrenaline is always kicking in," Ferguson said. "But, it was a good change for us. You want to get used to catching the ball in the cold weather with your hands anyway."
Earlier in the Week:
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (1/2/03):
Green Bay - The unexpected has marked wide receiver Donald Driver's career since he made the Green Bay Packers as a seventh-round draft choice four years ago from Alcorn State, so what happened Thursday shouldn't come as a complete surprise.
Still, seeing Driver practicing just four days after suffering a painful right shoulder injury clearly lifted the team's collective spirits two days before the NFC wild-card playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field.
"The guys said that when I came out on the practice field today there was a different spark," Driver said. "I think that's all the guys may need from me."
Driver had his damaged right shoulder protected by shoulder pads and a wrap during the no-pads practice but offered some hope that in 48 hours there could be enough improvement for him not just to play but to play well.
"I can reach over my head but not too high," Driver said. "I feel pretty good. It just depends on if Mike will let me play or not."
Coach Mike Sherman didn't expect Driver to take as many repetitions in practice as he did but still wants greater assurance that his No. 1 wide receiver will be able to finish the game before he commits to using him.
"Donald's a big part of this team and it was good to have him out here," offensive coordinator Tom Rossley said. "I think it probably will be game time. If he can't go, we'll go with whoever we've got."
Robert Ferguson was back practicing at full speed Thursday after missing the last two days with a chronic back problem and would start for Driver at split end opposite flanker Terry Glenn. Javon Walker and Karsten Bailey are in reserve.
Driver said he wasn't worried about taking a hit and indicated that there was no way that he would even consider a painkilling injection.
"I've seen guys that shot up and when they finish playing they can't move," Driver said. "I'd never do that. I'm not that type of person."
What Driver will do is continue taking hour upon hour of treatment and work with the equipment and training staff on how best to pad the shoulder.
"I can still push a guy off, block a guy, catch the ball," Driver said. "I think once the game comes, with the adrenaline flowing, I'm not going to even worry about all that. This probably is the biggest (injury) I've had but it's not going to stop me."
Injury list
Safety Darren Sharper ran straight-ahead on his own and did some weaving Thursday, the third straight day that he didn't practice. However, neither Sharper not Sherman was ready to rule him out.
"Do you want me at 70% this week and then next week at 75%?" Sharper said, looking ahead to a possible divisional game at Tampa Bay. "That's the decision we'll have to make."
Nickel back Tod McBride was exposed by the Jets when he tried to play on a pulled groin and appears out this week.
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (1/2/03):
Green Bay - The unexpected has marked wide receiver Donald Driver's career since he made the Green Bay Packers as a seventh-round draft choice four years ago from Alcorn State, so what happened Thursday shouldn't come as a complete surprise.
Still, seeing Driver practicing just four days after suffering a painful right shoulder injury clearly lifted the team's collective spirits two days before the NFC wild-card playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field.
"The guys said that when I came out on the practice field today there was a different spark," Driver said. "I think that's all the guys may need from me."
Driver had his damaged right shoulder protected by shoulder pads and a wrap during the no-pads practice but offered some hope that in 48 hours there could be enough improvement for him not just to play but to play well.
"I can reach over my head but not too high," Driver said. "I feel pretty good. It just depends on if Mike will let me play or not."
Coach Mike Sherman didn't expect Driver to take as many repetitions in practice as he did but still wants greater assurance that his No. 1 wide receiver will be able to finish the game before he commits to using him.
"Donald's a big part of this team and it was good to have him out here," offensive coordinator Tom Rossley said. "I think it probably will be game time. If he can't go, we'll go with whoever we've got."
Robert Ferguson was back practicing at full speed Thursday after missing the last two days with a chronic back problem and would start for Driver at split end opposite flanker Terry Glenn. Javon Walker and Karsten Bailey are in reserve.
Driver said he wasn't worried about taking a hit and indicated that there was no way that he would even consider a painkilling injection.
"I've seen guys that shot up and when they finish playing they can't move," Driver said. "I'd never do that. I'm not that type of person."
What Driver will do is continue taking hour upon hour of treatment and work with the equipment and training staff on how best to pad the shoulder.
"I can still push a guy off, block a guy, catch the ball," Driver said. "I think once the game comes, with the adrenaline flowing, I'm not going to even worry about all that. This probably is the biggest (injury) I've had but it's not going to stop me."
Injury list
Safety Darren Sharper ran straight-ahead on his own and did some weaving Thursday, the third straight day that he didn't practice. However, neither Sharper not Sherman was ready to rule him out.
"Do you want me at 70% this week and then next week at 75%?" Sharper said, looking ahead to a possible divisional game at Tampa Bay. "That's the decision we'll have to make."
Nickel back Tod McBride was exposed by the Jets when he tried to play on a pulled groin and appears out this week.
THere's a prop involving Driver: over/under 4.5 catches with the over at +130. I think the public is convinced he won't play.
