Morning Buzz: Packers defense has upper hand early

Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com.

The Packers are back on the practice field today at 11:15 a.m. On Saturday, they will conduct their Family Night practice inside Lambeau Field.

We’ll start with Tom Silverstein’s latest Insider from Packers practice.

From Tom:

It’s been a long time since the defense has given the offense fits this early in training camp, but that was the case Thursday. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers might have won the two-minute drill with a no-look, across the field touchdown to Geronimo Allison, but for a good part of the day, the defense prevailed.

Rodgers is still learning defensive coordinator Mike Pettine’s system and some of the blitzes Pettine brought during one team drill forced Rodgers to dump the ball off in the flat several times. On a fourth-and-3 play, he threw the ball low into the ground about 10 feet in front of tight end Lance Kendricks. On a third-and-11 play, Rodgers had to throw the ball away because no one was open. Pettine said the work against Rodgers has been crucial for the defense.

“He’s not going against the same defense that he had gone against and maybe he got used to over years and years and years that he figured out,” Pettine said. “He’s still trying to figure us out, and there’s that element. I just love the competition part of it. It’s great.”

Tom also wrote on a ridiculous play from Rodgers on Thursday:

Ryan Wood looks at a now-or-never season for Kyler Fackrell:

Be sure to check out all of Jim’s pics from camp:

I chatted with readers late Thursday afternoon:

Incredible stuff on Jerry Kramer from Pete Dougherty:

You can hear from the man himself:

Elsewhere, NFL Network had a report from Thursday’s practice:

The Packers have talked about adding a veteran inside linebacker:

Mike McCarthy’s got jokes:

Ahmad Thomas has flashed early in camp:

Bill Huber touched on the punting of JK Scott in his latest camp report:

Bill also has video of the Man Hands drill:

Who remembers when the Packers played in Tokyo?

Donald Driver is hosting a charity softball game this Sunday:

The tackle that injured Aaron Rodgers last year will now be a penalty:

How good can this Packers defense be?