Packers second-year receiver/returner Randall Cobb showed last year that he is a dynamic playmaker, but one who occasionally risks ball security for big plays. He had two return touchdowns in 2011, including a league record-tying 108-yard kick return in his first professional game. But he also had three fumbles.
And on Thursday night in the Packers' 35-10 loss to the Browns, Cobb had another. After catching a screen pass from Rodgers, Cobb made a move to get around his defender and it would’ve been a nice gain of about seven yards, but he was careless with the ball, holding it out, high and lose. It was stripped away by the Browns and returned 19 yards.
Cobb had to be reined in last year by coaches who told him not to return kicks that were deep in the end zone, and they may have to give him another lesson.
“We’re turning the damn ball over too much,” coach Mike McCarthy said after the game. “I don’t care if it’s preseason, scrimmage, practice, it’s something that needs to stop. There’s no excuse for that.”
Rodgers to Nelson still gold: As if the 12 touchdowns they connected on last year weren’t evidence enough, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Jordy Nelson showed again why their chemistry and mutual understanding is unrivaled. On the Packers’ first drive, Rodgers overthrew Nelson, who’d beaten his man, down the sideline. Two plays later, Rodgers called the exact same play, Nelson ran the exact same route, and the quarterback’s perfectly thrown pass found the receiver, who made an outstanding catch despite tight coverage. It was truly pretty. “He’s kind of hit a spot in his career where you expect him to make those plays,” Rodgers said. “Whether that’s good or not, it’s almost surprising when you have a one-on-one matchup with him and he doesn’t come up with the football.”
McMillian makes a move: One bright spot on a defense that surrendered 35 points to the lowly Browns was strong safety Jerron McMillian. The rookie from Maine made a couple of big tackles at the line of scrimmage on Browns running back Brandon Jackson, including stopping Jackson for a loss of two yards. McMillian hits and he hits hard. For a secondary that often shied away from that type of contact last year, McMillian can be a beacon. He’s been playing behind second-year safety M.D. Jennings in practice in the nickel and dime defenses, but big hits are contagious on defense -- if he can inspire other defensive backs to tackle, he might find himself a major role. McCarthy thought the rookie “improved from Week 1 to Week 2.” McMillian said afterward: “I just wanted to make sure I improved my performance from last week. … I feel as though I’m a strong tackler, so I take pride in that.”
Oh and two, uh-oh? The Packers got shellacked in their second preseason game, an embarrassing result for a Lambeau Field affair. That was a week after they were beaten 21-13 by the Chargers. Sure it’s preseason and it doesn’t really matter, but was McCarthy concerned about the winless start to preseason? “We don’t brush anything off,” he said. “I thought what was concerning was the final score. … You play to win, but you have other objectives, you have other goals. The one main goal is to make sure you hit your target as far as how many reps and particular plays you’re able to get in this game. And I felt good about that because we needed a lot of information about our younger players and I felt we were able to do that [Thursday night].”
For more Packers news and notes, follow James Carlton on Twitter @CBSSportsNFLGB.
