I don't know if it's still the case, but I always thought it was all downhill after the end of two-a-days, and they are ending today. The Packers only had to go through seven of them in these enlightened times, but it's still tough and demanding. Practicing football is almost fun once a day, but twice, it's real work. The team worked on Seattle stuff in pads this morning and will do so again without pads tonight. When you're working toward an opponent, practice changes a bit. The offense has its periods where it's supposed to do well and the same goes for the defense. The scout team is running an opponent's schemes and that takes the edge off the normal competitive spirit you see early in camp when it's your own offense against your own defense. Occasionally somebody on the scout team will get a wild hair and start disrupting plays but that's not all bad. It makes people practice harder because if it's your drill, you're supposed to win. The second game is somewhat of a stepchild when it comes to the preseason. It's after the excitement of the first one and before the anticipation of the third which is usually used as the dress rehearsal for the league opener with the starters playing into the second half. Still, there are things I'd like to see the Packers accomplish in Seattle. On offense, it's the first unit getting something going on the ground. Didn't do it in the scrimmage, didn't do it vs. the Browns (7 rushes for 14 yards at halftime). This team has an outstanding passing attack, and while that will be its meal ticket there will be times it will have to run it for a first, stick it on in the goal line or eat some clock late in the game. Showing any or all of the above against the Seahawks would be a welcome change of pace. (I know John Kuhn took it in from the 2 against Cleveland but the blocking was lousy.) Defensively, how 'bout a little pass rush. Brady Poppinga got in the QB's neighborhood pretty consistently last week but everybody else seemed to be working belly to belly. The Packer rushers have to get on the edges of the blockers - it's a lot easier to go around a 300 pound man as opposed to going through him. You know who has more pass rush ability than we've seen, B.J. Raji. He isn't just a pile driver, he's got some serious quickness about him and he has the potential to be a good pass rusher. Haven't seen it yet. With all the bodies involved, special teams are hard to get a read on during the preseason, but if Will Blackmon plays and returns kicks (he's been practicing this week) it'll be a chance to see if that area is going to be a plus or minus down the road. That end of things was rather underwhelming in the opener. Of course I don't think we're going to see Sam Shields as a return man anytime soon and that should help. Tomorrow is a travel day and we'll be back with a report on the Seahawk game on Sunday. Thanks for reading. PM Practice Update: No pads tonight but good work none-the-less. The youngest team in the league for the past several seasons has matured and has learned to practice well even without pads. Some teams don't, it's like screw-around time. The defense really looked sharp taking the ball away. Nick Collins and Charles Woodson both had interceptions of Matt Flynn passes. By the way the corners rotated tonight, it would come as no surprise if Woodson did not play in Seattle. (Artificial surface at Qwest Field and that makes coaches nervous.) Flynn came back to lead the #2 offense to a touchdown (pass to Patrick Williams) in a practice-ending 2 minute drill. B.J. Raji also intercepted a Graham Harrell pass by batting it up at the LOS and hauling it in. He flashed the quickness he has in a one on one pass rush drill as well. Best move all camp. Harrell seems like a good kid but he's had an awful week throwing the ball. Faces in the Crowd: Sherman Lewis, the Packers offensive coordinator during the Super Bowl years of the Nineties.