With less than a week to go until their first preseason game, the Packers took further steps to simulate that game-day feeling Sunday, holding an evening practice under the new lights at Lambeau Field.
Although the team played to empty stadium bleachers for the first time this training camp, the cheers were still plentiful thanks to outspoken offensive line coach Larry Beightol, who bellowed his well-known catch-phrases such as 'That's the way to work,' and 'Way to follow through,' as players ran through routine drills.
At the south end zone, three-time MVP Brett Favre and rookie quarterback Craig Nall worked primarily with the tight ends and running backs, while veteran backup quarterback Doug Pederson and rookie quarterback Marcus Brady occupied the north end zone with the wide receivers.
Rookie running back Tony Fisher, acquired as a free agent after the NFL Draft, continued to impress in pressure situations, finding the holes and making plays on the ground attack, while veteran Donald Driver continued to look sharp for the air attack.
The 11-on-11 portion was as physical and intense as ever this preseason, which GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman attributed to the alternate environment.
"They've been beating up on each other pretty much the same time of day, the same field, so we changed up the field and I thought it picked things up as anticipated," Sherman said. "It would have been nice if we could have had this environment with 50,000 in the stands for our Family Night, but that wasn't meant to be this year so this was the next-best thing to be able to get into the stadium and practice . . .
"I think anybody that comes into this stadium feels it's special, regardless of rookie or veteran, or even a coach who has been here couple years."
Monday's practices will be from 8:45 until 9:30 a.m., and 2:15 until 4:15 p.m., at Clarke Hinkle Field, weather and field conditions permitting.
-- by Sarah Sherman
