Behind Enemy Lines- Around the NFC North Training Camps
News and Notes from around the NFC North
–Eric Walden was suspended for one game for a domestic dispute that occurred on Thanksgiving Day. He will miss the opening game of the season against the SanFrancisco 49ers. Walden was arrested for the dispute but didn’t have to serve any jail time. He did agree to 50 hours of community service and counseling.
-After going 15-1 the Packers are looking for “Redemption” after losing in the divisional playoff game against the NY Giants . If you want to get fired up for the Chicago Bears to beat down the Packers on Thursday Night Football in Week 2, watch this clip via the fansided Packer site LombardiAve
– While listening to Jim Rome interviewing Aaron Rodgers, Rodgers expressed the fact that the Packers probably won’t go 15-1 again this year, but there’s a great chance that they will be a better team. Rodgers told Rome that he expects the team to run more and be better on the defensive side of the ball. Oh yea he’s still going to throw the ball A LOT!!
– Defense has been the focus at camp getting all 6 draft picks on the field and ready for the season. The Packers know that their defense was their achilles heel and the rookies impact will be a big difference maker good or bad.
– Donald Driver has had a very good start to training camp on his personal proving the critics wrong tour while trying to reserve a roster spot this season
– Jahvid Best was put on the PUP list after not being cleared to practice. With Mikel Leshoure suspended for the first two games, Kevin Smith is penciled in as the first string starter for opening day for the time being.
–Alphonso Smith gets the first shot at cornerback after Aaron Berry was released. Chris Houston is the other starter heading into training camp for a secondary that was shredded in the last two game of the season.
– Jim Schwartz claims that Detroit’s arrest extravaganza is over now that training camp has begun because none of the arrests happened in Detroit. Yes the Lions camp is in Detroit so now we understand Schwartz’s fifth grade logic
-TE John Carlson suffered a MCL sprain which could force him to miss the rest of training camp. The sprain is the same type that Matt Forte suffered last season.
– Leslie Frazier is on the hot seat but he has not been given any target numbers to hit to keep his job for next season.
-TE Kyle Rudolph stood out in the first week of training camp and could be a nice late round TE pick up in fantasy football.
– The health of Adrian Peterson will be a question mark until he reaches the playing field. He may not be totally healthy until mid-season. He was taken to the hospital after an allergic reaction to something he ate. He was fine after the hospital visit and returned to rehabbing his left knee.
This Season Opponents News
– Week 5 opponent Jacksonville Jaguars have two hold out situations 1. Justin Blackmon is the only draft picked not signed 2. Maurice Jones-Drew is holding out after not getting a long term deal—Aren’t we all glad that Matt Forte signed at the last second so that this kind of situation didn’t unfold in Bourbonnais!?!?