The last time Craig Nall took this many snaps during a regular-season practice was Dec. 24, 2003 — the week Brett Favre was in Mississippi for his father's funeral.
Nall took all the snaps during that Wednesday workout because then-No. 2 quarterback Doug Pederson was part of the Green Bay Packers' contingent that attended Irvin Favre's funeral.
Nearly four years later — and just four days after the Packers re-signed him — Nall was running the show for another important Wednesday practice. Other than a handful of throws during the jog-through portion of practice, Favre rested his sore right elbow and separated left shoulder. Meanwhile, backup Aaron Rodgers dropped out after the first period of practice due to a hamstring injury sustained on the final play of Tuesday's workout.
Though Favre pronounced himself ready to start Sunday's game against Oakland, Nall looks like a good bet to be the No. 2 quarterback due to Rodgers' injury. Coach Mike McCarthy said Rodgers could miss a week or two.
"We're kind of up in the air on how bad he did it," McCarthy said. "We don't know, because he's never had a hamstring injury. Usually when you have these types of situations, you have some history to work with. It's new for him. We'll see how he goes."
It was a crash course for Nall, who was released two weeks ago by the Houston Texans. He was last with the Packers in 2005, the year before McCarthy was hired, so the offense is mostly new to him. Though it's still a West Coast-based system, nearly all of the language is different than what it was when Nall was with the team. Yet, there was Nall, taking all the snaps during team passing periods, even though he couldn't spit out some of the plays.
"Even when I was down in Houston, I wasn't getting that much work," Nall said after he iced his throwing arm for 20 minutes. "It's fine right now. Ask me (today), and I might have a different answer."
Favre pressed the coaching and medical staffs to let him practice, but he was limited to taking snaps on running plays during the team portion of practice. He threw a few short to medium passes during the first 30 minutes of practice when the offense works against a skeleton defense made up of other offensive players. Favre is expected to take most or all of the passing reps today.
"That's the plan," McCarthy said. "We just felt he would be better off waiting another day. He went to practice anticipating on going, but we're just being smart with him."
Last season, Favre sustained a similar injury to his right elbow when New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi hit Favre's funny bone with a cast Bruschi had on his hand. Bruschi hit Favre's ulnar nerve, causing numbness and weakness in Favre's throwing hand. The next week, Favre didn't practice until Friday (the team had Thursday off for Thanksgiving) and played in the next game, a Monday night loss at Seattle.
Favre again took a blow to the elbow when he was sacked in last Thursday's loss at Dallas when cornerback Nate Jones sacked Favre on a blitz.
"It's still sore," Favre said. "I think this year, the bruising is more prominent. It got more than just the nerve this year. What little bit of throwing I had (on Wednesday), I had better feeling on the ball. There's still a little bit of numbness and tingling, but what little bit I did throw, I felt better than last year."
The left shoulder injury dates to a Nov. 15, 1992, game against the Philadelphia Eagles, during which Reggie White sacked Favre and separated his left shoulder. Favre said he may have re-injured the shoulder early in last week's game at Dallas and then landed on it when Jones sacked him.
"It is the non-throwing shoulder, but any injury affects you to a certain degree," Favre said. "For a right-handed thrower, you pull with your left side, so it can affect it."
Though there's little doubt Favre will make his 250th consecutive start, what would happen if he doesn't play well or doesn't feel well? Without Rodgers, the Packers would be forced to play Nall, who hasn't appeared in an NFL regular-season game since 2004.
"Based on last year, I anticipate it being OK," Favre said. "Do I think it will be completely (healed)? I doubt it. The streak, to me, I want to play because I think I can help this team win. I don't want to play to extend the streak and then just come out of the game or play bad or whatever."
Rodgers probably had not warmed up enough prior to the Dallas game, thinking he would not have played. He was running pretty darn fast to not aggravate his hamstring without proper stretching.
That being said, I am very excited to see him play more. I really hope Brett gets to at least the NFC Championship game and decides to retire on a high note, because I think Rodgers brings a lot more to the table and just needs to start getting the experience. He can't ride the bench another year.
Ya I was really happy to see how Rogers played last Thursday. I have been a little worried that he would struggle for a while, but I think he stepped up just fine. Well have to see what favre does after this season.
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With Favre, Rodgers hurting, Nall gets thrown into the fire
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