Newz Forum: FOOTBALL: Favre supports backup Couch in tough early going

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Brett Favre can sympathize with Tim Couch, who is wrestling with the Green Bay Packers' perplexing West Coast offense.

Couch was expected to be an upgrade over Doug Pederson as Favre's backup, but he completed just 2 of 11 passes for 18 yards in the Packers' preseason-opening loss to Seattle on Monday night.

He'll get another shot Saturday night against the New Orleans Saints after Favre plays about a half.

Favre said he didn't expect Couch, a former No. 1 draft pick in Cleveland, to quickly digest the confounding play book.

"It doesn't really surprise me, but it wouldn't surprise me for anyone" to struggle, said Favre, who has a dozen years of experience running the ever-evolving passing game that Mike Holmgren introduced from San Francisco in the early 1990s and which Mike Sherman has refined over the last four years.

"It's a very difficult offense to learn," Favre said. "And compared to five or 10 years ago, it's almost a totally different offense. Had I had to come in and learn what we learn today, (I'd struggle). I struggled with it back then."

For instance, Favre said a play he learned in 1992 called "Red right, 22 Texas," has morphed into something called "Squeeze right, Empty east, Z-right, scat, U-Texas fullback smash."

"I mean, we all get paid a lot of money to learn it, but that's a lot to digest," Favre said. "And that's just calling the play."

Executing it is another thing altogether.

"Now, you've got to figure out what's the best side to go to, what the defense is doing, where to send protection, where to throw hot (in case of a blitz)," Favre said.

"I'm not defending Tim. But I understand," Favre said. "On the sidelines after he came out, he said, 'Man, there were several plays where I only knew what one guy was doing.' ... That's understandable."

Couch wasn't released by Cleveland until after the Packers' offseason minicamps were over, so he's had only about three weeks to learn the new offense.

Couch will follow Favre against the Saints, but Sherman also wants to get a peek at Scott McBrien, an undrafted free agent from Maryland.

With a rested throwing arm, Couch said he's eager to make a good second impression.

"The only good thing about (Monday night) is I can't go down from that performance," Couch said. "I can only get better. I'm looking forward to getting back out, getting another opportunity and playing better this week."

Starting wideout Robert Ferguson, who pulled a hamstring when he hyperextended his left knee last week, isn't expected to play, but top draft pick Ahmad Carroll might play. He practiced during Friday's walkthrough.

Carroll and Michael Hawthorn, a former Saints cornerback, are vying for the starting job vacated by Mike McKenzie, who is holding out. Cornerback Joey Thomas, another draft pick, missed the Seattle game with a sore knee but will play Saturday.

Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks missed New Orleans' first exhibition game with a sore leg but will play the first half with the other starters, coach Jim Haslett said.

Its good couch is picking it up, he isnt going to get playing time during the regular season, with Favre being as tough as he is, but he needs to get to know the playbook if Farve retires at the end of the season.

ok im currently looking for a new favorite team after reading this.

i dont like couch, never have and never will. as NFL diehard fan that lives in basketball country, kentucky, i got tired of hearing how good couch was with UK and i said it before he left he was gonna suck in the NFL. guess i wasnt totally wrong. but if he's even close to being in contention to replace favre i will find a new team to root for. like the redskins or the cardinals....anyone but him!

pederson isnt a bad QB, he's surprised me a time or two.

one thing to learn something in a book, quite another to actually do what you learned, he has problems in that area IMO.

regardless of the fact i dont like the guy i seriously dont think he has what it takes to really make it. i was rooting for redman but something told me he wasnt gonna be a big star QB either and he's not. he's decent but he's like couch, really good at college football but the transition to NFL...eh not so hot.

[Edited on 8/24/2004 by ThePrankMonkey]

maybe farve could help t he guy become a better all around QB

i dont think thats it. couch was good in college. redman was good in college but both have been mediocre at best in the NFL. not sure why. maybe that'll change but i doubt that. some people have "it" and some dont. im jsut not sure about couch. pederson has been pretty good himself...surely he'd be "next in line" before couch.

time will tell on this one.

Sometimes its not always teh players its the coaching staff. Look at some of the stars in the college level and then they dropped off in t he NFL level, while some players that werent so good in college took off in the NFL, its how they are coached.

Originally posted by Ben
Sometimes its not always teh players its the coaching staff. Look at some of the stars in the college level and then they dropped off in t he NFL level, while some players that werent so good in college took off in the NFL, its how they are coached.

and i'm not sure that couch had good teams to play on in Cleveland

lets just see if couch can prove himself when he gets the chance. Its a fresh start for him.