Earlier this week, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said during a radio interview that he isn’t playing up to his expectations for himself this season.
Rodgers didn’t save all of his criticism for himself, however. He also agreed with coach Mike McCarthy’s feeling that the team’s practices haven’t been good enough and said that he thought part of the problem was the intensity level of the players who make up the scout team defense.
“For whatever reason, the rookies have not picked up what the practice tempo looks like or the importance of the scout-team looks as well as maybe it’s been in the past,” Rodgers said. “There needs to be a level of professionalism that is current through the entire team from the veterans to the rookies that they kind of understand how each part of the day adds to the preparation. And I think it definitely can be improved on their standpoint from an assignment and a tempo side of practice.”
Rodgers didn’t find much agreement with the players from the scout team or defensive coordinator Dom Capers. Capers said that the scout team players approached their jobs with professionalism and rookie safety Jerron McMillian said that he hasn’t heard complaints from anyone during practices.
“We try to give them the best look we can,” McMillian said, via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “We try to ask, ‘What do we need to do exactly to help them out?’ Like if they want the D-line to jump up and try to knock passes, we do that.”
At 2-3 with a tough game against the Texans on Sunday night, these are not particularly happy times for the Packers. Tight end Jermichael Finley recently complained about his lack of chemistry with Rodgers and also suggested that Rodgers is playing scared, one player feels the refs are out to get the team and McCarthy is warning against the team taking on a loser mentality. A win would cure most woes, but that’s not going to be an easy task for the Packers this week.
