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Broncos report: Peterson feels new Packers QB's pain

The Rocky

Published August 19, 2008 at 5:13 p.m.

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He said it

"It's tough. We both know one of us is staying and one of us is not."

Sam Paulescu, on the competition between he and Brett Kern for the Broncos punting job.

Numbers game

9 times Green Bay quarterbacks have been sacked in two preseason games this month - six for Rodgers, three for rookie Matt Flynn.

0-fer

The Packers haven't won a preseason game in Denver, having gone 0-3 in exhibition appearances in Mile High Stadium.

Date: Result

Aug. 22, 1981: Broncos 17, Packers 7

Aug. 24, 1998: Broncos 34, Packers 31

Aug. 13, 2000: Broncos 26, Packers 20

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Broncos defensive tackle Kenny Peterson has lived life in the fish bowl that is the NFL's smallest city.

He spent three seasons with the Green Bay Packers after being the team's third-round draft pick in 2003.

And that means he also spent three years around the Brett Favre phenomenon and knows exactly what Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is going through in the wake of Favre's messy divorce from the Packers.

"I'm sure the team, the coaches, are trying to do a good job of trying not to let outside distractions reach him," Peterson said Tuesday.

"He's a good guy, very bright. But that said, Brett Favre is Green Bay, and you can't get away from that, so I know Aaron is going to try and do a good job of making his own legacy, as hard as it may be sometimes."

Rodgers and the Packers will be at Invesco Field at Mile High on Friday night (7, CBS 4) for a preseason game with the Broncos.

The Packers are 0-2 in the preseason, and most of their training camp has been spent in the swirl of Favre's desire to return to the team after announcing his retirement earlier this year and the team's desire to have Rodgers at quarterback.

In the end, with a battalion of television trucks parked on the team's doorstep, Favre was traded to the New York Jets while Rodgers has gone 18-for-31 passing (58.1 percent) in the preseason for 175 yards to go with a touchdown and an interception.

His longest completion has been for 30 yards, and he has been sacked six times in his limited work.

Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler, who has spent some time dealing with the legacy of a Hall of Fame quarterback, said he has spoken with Rodgers off and on. Cutler also has played in a golf tournament with Rodgers.

"I wish him the best of luck. I'm excited to see him play," Cutler said. " . . . I can't imagine being in that situation, having a guy like Brett Favre and just what he's done on the field, all of his accomplishments, and have to take over for him. He's a good guy . . . we talk every once in a while."

Peterson said in some ways it can be easier for players to move around in Green Bay because fans see them so often, but because of Rodgers' circumstances it might be different for him.

"People do give you your space there," Peterson said. "For the most part, everybody respects your space. Since it is a small city, they've got a better understanding of being in close proximity with the players because they're just going to bump into them more. But they definitely know who you are, I mean everybody, especially if you're drafted there."

Home is where the help is

Broncos center Casey Wiegmann certainly has a comfort zone on the field. He has played every possible snap since early in the 2001 season - it's the longest streak in the league among offensive lineman - and has started 111 consecutive regular-season games.

But coming to a new team brings with it some other challenges, which anyone who has moved to a new city has faced. Wiegmann, who has been with the Broncos starting offense since Tom Nalen injured his left knee, is in his first season with the Broncos after seven years with the Kansas City Chiefs.

"I pictured myself finishing up my career in Kansas City, and I wanted to keep playing, and they didn't want me," Wiegmann said. "I thought it was a good fit here, and it has been what I hoped."

And Wiegmann got a little help from some friends to get his family acclimated to his new city. Chiefs coach Herman Edwards contacted former Broncos safety John Lynch and his family - Lynch played for Edwards in Tampa - to help Wiegmann and his family get settled.

"They've tried to help us out with pediatricians or anything else we might need," Wiegmann said. "The wives, they talk amongst themselves and get it all figured out, and we kind of notice that everything got handled. I know I've got to take care of my job because that's what's making the money."

With Nalen having just returned to limited work in practice, Wiegmann might still find himself in the lineup when the Broncos open the regular season Sept. 8 in Oakland.

Williams injured

Unless he responds to a pain-killing injection in the coming days, rookie cornerback Jack Williams might not be available to play against the Packers.

Williams left the field about midway through Tuesday's practice with severe back pain. The rookie, in obvious pain, could not stand up straight as he left the field and did not return. "He was in his backpedal, going through the play, and it just kind of hit him," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said.

Shanahan said Williams likely would get an injection in an effort to help settle the injury. Williams is a regular on special teams, so the Broncos would have to adjust some there if he cannot play.

Etc.

* Broncos kicker Matt Prater once again flashed his leg strength. He hit the crossbar on a 68-yard attempt in one special-teams period and also blasted the front windshield of running back Andre Hall's car when a kick sailed well beyond the goal posts into the parking lot. The kick left a football-shaped shatter mark in the glass.

* Nalen (left knee) took limited reps in practice, and Shanahan said he hoped Nalen would be available for at least a few snaps in the preseason finale in Phoenix next week. "I'm not sure I'd play him, but hopefully he'd be ready for a little work," Shanahan said.

* Tight end Daniel Graham (hamstring) again was held out of practice.

Comments

  • August 19, 2008

    8:46 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Dynamicdave writes:

    Ha, ha, go Prater. That windshield thing sounds kind of humerous, like a football comedy. I have faith in Prater to get it done. Same with Wiegmann. He looked good against Dallas. I don't think we'll miss a beat with him filling in for Nalen. As far as punting, Paulescu has better accuracy with his punts then Kerns, yet Kerns has better leg strength. When he had his punt blocked and ran for a 1st down, it was a very heads up move (and fortunate).

  • August 19, 2008

    10:33 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    OPETH72 writes:

    I agree. Prater will be pretty da-n good once he gets past those jitters that first kick seem to cause him. And honestly, I hope it doesn't matter if he misses one here or there, if you know what I am saying. And having Wiegmann is key. Not sure if Nalen will hold up another full season. I would hope he would, but you have to have legitimate doubts. And on the punter issue.........there again I hope it is a non-issue. If we only see our kickers a couple times a game (outside of extra points and kick offs, of course), it won't matter so much. Overall, I think the offense can carry us again finally, so it really takes the pressure off the other units. They are not required to be great in order to get wins. Not taking their importance away by any means. I am only saying that if we can get enough points up there, and get them up there rather quick, everything else will fall into place.

  • August 20, 2008

    6:28 a.m.

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    broncfanindetroit writes:

    You know, I can't recall being as excited for the future of this team since big John was taking us to superbowls. When you look at the youth of the team, and how it seems like most of them seem to be team players, this is a group that could be together for several years. Prater will be fine, anyone remember Elam in his first couple years? Big leg, and a few jitters. A few years of splitting uprights will fix that. Cutler, Clady, Marshall, Royal, Torain, Young.....huge potential. Jarvis Moss will be fine too, it took Mario Williams a season and a half to get his feet under him and Moss was hurt for a big chunk of last season. Don't toss him just yet. We have a young monster of a team here that will be challenging for Super Bowls for years to come. Next draft we look for a center and a couple of stud LB's. We'll be back above .500 this year, maybe playoffs (face it, we're not ahead of NE, Indy, and as much as I hate to say it SD yet and Jax, TN, and maybe NY will be slugging it out with Denver for the wildcard spots) But years to come. Hang on gang, this is gonna get good!

  • August 20, 2008

    7:13 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    hdfresh writes:

    I don't know about Prater. When he misses his field goals he doesn't even come close. Balls are sailing really wide left or right. Sound like that is the case if he kicked it into the parking lot. We are going to have to see when the season comes up. We can't afford to miss our first field goal attempt in every game.

  • August 20, 2008

    10:10 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    OPETH72 writes:

    We can if we score more touchdowns. And more so if we ONLY score touchdowns. I know, a little unrealistic. He will be fine.

  • August 20, 2008

    10:51 a.m.

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    R8R_H8R writes:

    re: "Unless he responds to a pain-killing injection in the coming days, rookie cornerback Jack Williams might not be available to play against the Packers......Williams left the field about midway through Tuesday's practice with severe back pain"

    Jack, those pain-killing injections cover up the pain, but you keep playing, and it will make the spine worse. I went through many of those pain-killing injections all through the 1990's, burying the pain so i could continue to work. What did that get me? A spine that was degenerating and not taken care of. Now I've got 5 vertebrae with no disc between them, bone on bone, grinding on the nerves of the spinal cord. Listen to the veterans, nfl teams will tear you up til they have no use for you, then toss you out to the trash. Take care of your spine first or you'll regret it for the rest of your life. I do.

  • August 20, 2008

    10:59 a.m.

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    DesertBroncoFan writes:

    hdfresh,
    The goal posts where Prater has been kicking during practices are apparently setup so that when he really booms one, it goes into the players parking lot.

    I've read that there have been balls bouncing off the roofs of the players cars and setting off alarms.

  • August 20, 2008

    4:36 p.m.

    Disco_Don writes:

    (This comment was removed by the site staff.)

  • August 20, 2008

    5:04 p.m.

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    Dynamicdave writes:

    hdfresh, did you tape the game against Dallas? If you watch it, you will see that the missed FG by Prater, was not his fault. It was a high snap and a bad blant by the holder. He is going to be a good FG kicker for our Broncos. Mark my words, you read it here.