Some random observations from the Packers' 21-13 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars Thursday night:
Go big or go home: A surprising move by head coach Mike McCarthy, who let Brett Favre and the first-team offense go for it on 4th-and-5 with 7:55 left in the first half. Favre's pass was incomplete and a 12-yard drive ended on a turnover-on-downs. Still, it was impressive to see McCarthy make the call (even though it came early in a meaningless exhibition game). Equally impressive were a pair of defensive stands by the defense on fourth down for the Jaguars.
Make an impression: It has been well-documented that the third exhibition game of the already-too-long preseason is a dress rehearsal for the regular season. McCarthy let most of his starters sit after the first quarter and instead chose to let some reserves battle it out for depth-chart positions. Carlton Brewster could find himself in good position as a return man after returning three kicks for 69 yards.
Dueling kickers: Mason Crosby and Dave Raynor are still battling it out for the kicking job. Crosby, drafted in the sixth round of the April draft, connected on a 38-yard field goal to cap off a 12-yard drive while Raynor was good from 22 yards out. Somebody will have to be cut after next week's preseason finale at Tennessee, but with the way these two have played, McCarthy could have a tough decision on his hands.
Still going strong: Quarterback Brett Favre has continued to improve over the course of the preseason. He completed 14 of 20 passes for 130 yards and played deep into the second quarter. The Packers will only go as far as Favre can carry them, and after some sub-par performances in the past few years, his solid play thus far has to raise some hope. The Packers are still a long way from being a legitimate Super Bowl contender, but seeing Favre perform well is a good omen.
Bad timing: Favre has already questioned the chemistry on this Packers team, and it is evident that he has a long way to go before that chemistry exists between him and a young receiving corps. Donald Driver is an established veteran and Greg Jennings is an up-and-coming young talent, but for the team to maintain any sort of success, the receivers will have to learn their routes and develop a rapport with Favre ... soon. Things did look good during a second-quarter stretch in which Favre used six difference receivers on six consecutive passes and James Jones' hauled in six passes for 80 yards.
Driving dangerously: The biggest complaint about the length of the exhibition season is the increased chance of needless injuries. With the Packers already suffering from injuries at skill positions, the loss of Driver to an ankle injury could have disastrous results for the young offensive unit. As mentioned, Favre doesn't exactly have a plethora of weapons to work with and Driver was on the receiving end of 92 of Favre's throws a year ago.
Running in circles: The Packers let Ahman Green get away as a free agent and lost Vernand Morency to injury early in camp. Rookie Brandon Jackson looked adequate, but hardly mind-blowing as he picked up 20 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown. The running backs will need to show the ability to break a big one every once in awhile if the offense is going to be productive.
Much ado about nothing: Exhibition games are notorious snooze fests, and Fox Sports' broadcast crew did little to help. Tony Siragusa was a total and complete waste of time. With the exception of a late-game interview with Favre, the former Jaguar offered absolutely nothing during the tidy, three-hour broadcast. Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston are good team and Chris Meyers is as good a reporter as there is in the NFL, but Siragusa's antics were completely unnecessary.
Who is this guy: Aaron Rodgers continued to impress. The third-year back up was 6-of-9 for 92 yards and showed some pretty good poise for a guy who's barely seen the regular-season light of day. The only unimpressive portion of Roders' day had to be his new look, which is a cross between a member of the 1982 Brewers and a northern Wisconsin factory worker. The fu-Manchu mustache and scraggy hair out of the helmet didn't make him look too tough, but instead ... comical. Nonetheless, it's good to see Rodgers -- who is in a contract year -- make the most of his chances.
