1 z NEW ORLEANS at GREEN BAY; SEPT. Packers Public Relations z Lambeau Field Atrium z 1265 Lombardi Avenue z Green Bay, WI 54304 z 920/569-7500 z 920/569-7201 fax Jeff Blumb, Sarah Quick, Adam Woullard, Aaron Popkey, Rob Crane, Tom Fanning, Mike Spofford, Jeff Harding VOL. X; NO. 3 GREEN BAY, AUG. 12, 2008 SECOND PRESEASON GAME GREEN BAY (0-1) at SAN FRANCISCO (0-1) WITH THE CALL Saturday, Aug. 16 z Candlestick Park z 8 p.m. CDT The Green Bay Packers Broadcast Partners will air the game over a nine-station network throughout the state of Wisconsin, Upper Michigan and Northeastern Minnesota, with CBS network production, personnel and PACKERS HEAD WEST TO TAKE ON NINERS the latest network-quality technology. Green Bay makes its first road trip of 2008, traveling across the country to The top-notch broadcast team includes CBS’s Kevin Harlan (play-by- take on the San Francisco 49ers in the second preseason game. play) alongside fellow CBS broadcaster Rich Gannon (analyst). It will be a short week for the Green and Gold after opening up the pre- WTMJ’s Jessie Garcia serves as the sideline reporter and WFRV’s season slate on Monday night against the Bengals Larry McCarren joins the crew for pre-game segments. In addi- with a 20-17 loss. Players return to the practice tion to WFRV-TV (Green Bay) and WTMJ-TV (Milwaukee), the games field Wednesday and Thursday before departing are televised over WKOW/ABC, Madison, Wis.; WAOW/ABC, Wausau/ west Friday afternoon. Rhinelander, Wis.; WXOW/ABC, La Crosse, Wis.; WQOW/ABC, Eau Like any preseason game, there were a number of Claire; WYOW/ABC, Eagle River, Wis.; WJMN/CBS, Marquette, Mich.; things to highlight Monday night, and of course and KQDS-TV/FOX, Duluth, Minn. plenty to correct. The Packers’ starting units on offense and defense got Milwaukee’s WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, into a nice rhythm, mounting a 10-0 lead after the first quarter. heads up the 56-station Packers Radio Network, with Wayne Larrivee Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, making his first preseason start in front (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (color) of a national audience, led the first-unit offense on two scoring drives, calling the action. The duo enter their 10th season of broadcasts including a highlight touchdown connection with wide receiver James together across the Packers Radio Network, which covers 47 markets in Jones. six states. Also, the first-unit defense seemed to gain some momentum. It forced three consecutive three-and-outs for Carson Palmer and company. The main goal this week in Green Bay will be to heal many of the Packers PRESEASON core players. Seven projected starters were held out of action Monday Date Opponent Time TV night, while a number of other key backups were held out. Mon., Aug. 11 CINCINNATI BENGALS . L, 17-20 (69,675) Head Coach Mike McCarthy would prefer to play his first units a bit (Bishop’s Charities Game) longer Saturday night, but health will be the determining factor. Sat., Aug. 16 at San Francisco 49ers . .8 p.m. state San Francisco enters its first home game of the preseason with a bit Fri., Aug. 22 at Denver Broncos. .8 p.m. state more rest, having traveled across the Bay last Friday to take on the Thurs., Aug. 28 TENNESSEE TITANS (Gold Pkg.). .6 p.m. state Oakland Raiders, where it suffered an 18-6 defeat. (Midwest Shrine Game) REGULAR SEASON HOMECOMING FOR RODGERS, MCCARTHY Date Opponent Time TV Wherever Aaron Rodgers goes these days, the storyline follows. One week Mon., Sept. 8 MINNESOTA VIKINGS . .6 p.m. ESPN after making his first preseason start under center, on national television at Sun., Sept. 14 at Detroit Lions . 12 noon FOX Lambeau Field no less, he returns home to northern California. Sun., Sept. 21 DALLAS COWBOYS (Gold Pkg.) . 7:15 p.m. NBC A native of Chico, Calif., and All-Pac-10 quarterback at Cal, Rodgers Sun., Sept. 28 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers . 12 noon FOX couldn’t help but show his excitement for Saturday. Sun., Oct. 5 ATLANTA FALCONS. 12 noon FOX “This is a big week for me,” he said with a smile at his postgame press Sun., Oct. 12 at Seattle Seahawks. 3:15 p.m. FOX conference Monday night. “I’m looking forward to this one, definitely. Sun., Oct. 19 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS . 3:15 p.m. CBS I’ve got a lot of friends and family coming down from Chico. Growing Sun., Oct. 26 Open Date . up in northern California being a 49ers fan, and then going through (the Sun., Nov. 2 at Tennessee Titans. 12 noon FOX 2005 NFL Draft) and all that that was, it’s going to be exciting to go back Sun., Nov. 9 at Minnesota Vikings. 12 noon FOX there and play against the team I grew up watching.” Sun., Nov. 16 CHICAGO BEARS (Gold Pkg.) . *12 noon FOX Mon., Nov. 24 at New Orleans Saints . 7:30 p.m. ESPN The inevitable Rodgers-Alex Smith comparisons will be made all week. Sun., Nov. 30 CAROLINA PANTHERS . *12 noon FOX Smith was chosen No. 1 overall by the 49ers in the 2005 NFL Draft, Sun., Dec. 7 HOUSTON TEXANS . *12 noon CBS while Rodgers was the second quarterback drafted, arriving in Green Sun., Dec. 14 at Jacksonville Jaguars . *12 noon FOX Bay with the No. 24 selection. Mon., Dec. 22 at Chicago Bears . 7:30 p.m. ESPN Though he’s a Pittsburgh native, Mike McCarthy returns to the Bay Area, Sun., Dec. 28 DETROIT LIONS . *12 noon FOX his last stop as an NFL assistant. *—Start time and broadcast may shift due to NFL flexible scheduling McCarthy served as offensive coordinator under Mike Nolan in 2005, where he tutored Smith in his rookie season. NFL POSTSEASON DATES A number of other players on the Green Bay roster will be coming Jan. 3-4 ................................................AFC and NFC Wild Card Playoffs home to play in front of friends and family. They include LB Desmond Jan. 10-11 .............................................AFC and NFC Divisional Playoffs Bishop (Fairfield, Cal-Berkeley), CB Jarrett Bush (Vacaville), LB Jan. 18 ............................................AFC and NFC Championship Games Spencer Havner (Grass Valley), WR James Jones (San Jose, San Feb. 1 .................Super Bowl XLIII at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Jose State) and T Tony Moll (Sonoma). Feb. 8 ............................ AFC-NFC Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium, Honolulu THE DOPE SHEET z Green Bay at San Francisco 2 PACKERS NEWS OF THE WEEK ABOUT THE OFFENSE side, while fourth-year pro Michael Montgomery started at right Many phases of the offensive unit seemed to be clicking Monday night, as end. Special teams ace Jason Hunter saw increased reps at end the first unit gained eight first downs and put up 10 points in one quarter and recorded the team's only sack on the night. Rookie Jeremy of play. Thompson also was active in his debut, recording three tackles and The offense amassed 383 total net yards (271 passing, 112 rushing) in playing a number of roles on special teams. its first game action of 2008. The linebacker trio of A.J. Hawk, Nick Barnett and Brady Overall, Rodgers finished 9-of-15 for 117 yards with the one TD and Poppinga resumed their starting roles, but the defensive unit did one interception for a 79.0 rating. He wasn’t flawless or flashy, but he throw in a wrinkle with a new 2-4-5 formation. gave himself and the offense a foundation to add to as the preseason Ends Kampman and Montgomery were the lone down lineman, while continues. Brandon Chillar came on as a fourth linebacker. Comfortable under center, Rodgers found particular rhythm with wide “I welcome the opportunity and I would like to say we’ll see more of it,” receivers Donald Driver, James Jones and Ruvell Martin. Driver Chillar said. “I think it will depend on how successful it is. There is a little and Jones delivered big hits after the catch to the Bengals' secondary, confusion (from the offense) and hopefully we can get the line to make a the second of which Jones took 30 yards for a score. Rookie wideout wrong check. Basically when we are going around like that, it’s hard for Jordy Nelson displayed some nice ability after the catch as well. them to know what we are in.” Even without third-year pro Greg Backup middle linebacker Abdul Jennings, the unit looked as though Hodge may have been the defensive it will pose nightmare matchups for star of the night, as the third-year defenses all season long. Iowa product was seen all over the Ryan Grant was a scratch against field making plays. He led the defense the Bengals, but second-year pro with six tackles. Brandon Jackson showed the It has been a long road back for progress McCarthy had been raving Hodge, who missed all of 2007 with about all offseason. With a full year tendinitis in both knees. of weight training under his belt, “I had to show off the new wheels,” Jackson broke a number of tackles Hodge said, referring to his surgi- en route to his six carry, 44-yard cally repaired knees. “Our D-line did a performance. great job and our D-coordinator (Bob “I thought his second reaction, just Sanders) did a great job of calling out breaking tackles, that is the Brandon a lot of different fronts that allowed Jackson that we all know and have me to be free to just run around.