11/16/23 Hometown Broadcasting Sports Thursday
16 November 2023 Sports
From Wayne Mausser
The Packers returned to the practice field Wednesday in preparation for Sunday’s matchup at Lambeau Field against the Chargers, who will be making their first trip to Green Bay in eight years.
Green Bay will be facing a potent passing attack that averages nearly 250 yards a game, led by quarterback Justin Herbert. Herbert has become one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. This season he’s already eclipsed 2300 yards and has 17 touchdowns with just five interceptions. Statistically on pace for one of his best for seasons.
Herbert and Packers quarterback Jordan Love were in the same draft class in 2020. Herbert was picked sixth by the Chargers, and Love was selected 20 spots later by the Packers. Herbert got to start right away while Love waited behind a future Hall of Fame quarterback for three years.
Love has shown progress in recent weeks. This after completing 12 of 13 passes in the second half against the Rams. Then followed up with a 289 yard, two-touchdown performance in Pittsburgh on Sunday. A pair of late interceptions were the only blemishes against a Steelers defense that specializes in takeaways.
Love will need some help from his wide receivers, mainly Christian Watson, who remains confident he can turn his disappointing season around. After all, he has done it before.
“At some point, it’s going to click,” Watson said. “It’s tough mentally just knowing it hasn’t happened yet, but at the end of the day, I can’t control or change anything that’s happened in the past. I’m just focused on this next one.”
After missing Green Bay’s first three games with a hamstring injury, Watson had a 1-yard touchdown catch against Detroit in his first appearance of the season. The 6-foot-4 wideout hasn’t scored since.
Watson has caught just 14 passes for 236 yards. Nearly one-third of those yards came on one play — a 77-yard gain in a 17-13 loss at Las Vegas on Oct. 9.
In Green Bay’s past four games, Watson has been targeted 22 times, but has just nine catches for 120 yards. Last season, Watson caught 41 passes for 611 yards and scored nine touchdowns (seven receiving, two rushing).
On the injury front, LB Quay Walker, who hasn’t played in the Packers’ last two games due to a groin injury, practiced on a limited basis Wednesday. CB Jaire Alexander didn’t practice as he deals from a shoulder injury that kept him from playing in a 23-19 loss at Pittsburgh on Sunday. S Rudy Ford (biceps) also didn’t practice.
The Packers claimed CB Kyu Blu Kelly (Ka-You-blue) off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks. Kelly played five games for the Seahawks this season.
Meanwhile, the Chargers have announced the signing of former Packers linebacker Justin Hollins. Green Bay released Hollins less than a month ago.
The Chargers already have some familiarity with Joe Barry’s scheme. Barry was linebackers coach for the Los Angeles Rams while Brandon Staley was the defensive coordinator in 2020. Staley is now the Chargers’ head coach.
In Thursday Night Football the Ravens hos t the Bengals. Baltimore is 7-3 in the AFC North and coming off a home loss at home to the Browns, 33-31, while the Bengals upset the Bills at home 24-18 to go to 5-4 in the AFC North.
Damian Lillard had 37 points and a season-high 13 assists, Malik Beasley scored a season-high 30 points and the Milwaukee Bucks overcame Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence to beat the Toronto Raptors 128-112 on Wednesday night.
Antetokounmpo missed his first game of the season after playing the first 10, sitting out because of a strained right calf. He played 35 minutes in Monday’s win over Chicago, finishing with 35 points and 11 rebounds. The 7-footer is averaging 29.5 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Lillard shot 9 for 18 and made 15 of 16 at the free throw line.
The Bucks finished 20 for 39 from long range, matching a season-high for made 3-pointers. Lillard made 4 of 10 while Beasley shot 8 for 11 from deep. Milwaukee avenged a loss at Toronto and won for the second time since Lillard returned after missing two games because of a sore right calf.
Bucks guard MarJon Beauchamp scored four points in 10 minutes before leaving because of a sprained right ankle.
Scottie Barnes scored 29 points for Toronto. Jakob Poeltl had 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The Raptors fell behind by 20-plus points for the second straight game. Toronto rallied from a 71-48 deficit to beat Washington 111-107 on Monday but didn’t have enough to recover against the Bucks.
Toronto led 8-2 early but the Bucks replied with a 17-0 run and never trailed again. Milwaukee led 36-21 after one quarter and 70-47 at the half.
Next up for the Bucks a trip to Charlotte to take on the Hornets Friday night.
After spending the last eight seasons as Craig Counsell’s bench coach, Pat Murphy is taking over for his former boss as the Milwaukee Brewers manager.
The Brewers announced they were promoting Murphy on Wednesday, a little over a week after the Chicago Cubs announced they had hired Counsell away from Milwaukee. Counsell’s introductory news conference with the Cubs was Monday.
The Brewers will hold an introductory news conference on Thursday for Murphy, who received a three-year contract. The Athletic first reported the Brewers were expected to hire Murphy.
. Counsell set a Brewers record for career managerial wins and led the franchise to its longest run of sustained success, including four playoff berths over the last six seasons. Counsell took over as the Brewers manager when Ron Roenicke was fired in 2015. He hired Murphy as his bench coach following that 2015 season.
The Counsell-Murphy connections go well beyond that. Murphy, who turns 65 on Nov. 28, was Notre Dame’s manager when Counsell played his college ball for the Fighting Irish from 1989-92.
Murphy’s only managerial experience in the majors came in 2015, when he went 42-54 as the San Diego Padres’ interim manager after the firing of Bud Black. When the Padres hired Andy Green as their full-time manager after the 2015 season, Murphy joined Counsell’s staff in Milwaukee.
Before that, Murphy spent about three decades as a head coach in the college ranks and manager in the minor leagues.
Murphy takes over a team that went 92-70 and won the NL Central this year before getting swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks in a Wild Card Series.
Nov. 15th
Kettle Moraine Lutheran, 72, Fix Valley Lutheran 22
Nov. 16 th
Waupaca at Berlin
Plymouth at Cedar Grove-Belgium
Lomira at Winneconne
Xavier at Laconia
North Fond du Lac at Amherst
Little Chute at Green Bay East
Menasha at Valders
Wausau East at Shawano
Green Bay Southwest at West De Pere
Oshkosh West at De Pere
Adams-Friendship at Poynette
Nekoosa at Necedah
Wautoma at Iola-Scandinavia
Cambria-Friesland at Hustisford
Dodgeland at Montello
Oakfield at Rio
Algoma at Freedom
The 47th Annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Football State Championships will be held Thursday and Friday, Nov. 16-17, at Camp Randall Stadium on the campus of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wis.
ADMISSION TICKETS: The WIAA uses GoFan Ticketing for all digital and cashless tickets. Admission for a single game is $11 plus online fees for adults and students. An all-day pass for Thursday is $30 plus online fees, and $25 for an all-day pass for Friday’s games. All tickets must be redeemed on a mobile device. To purchase tickets, visit the WIAA website at: https://www.wiaawi.org/Tickets#4269710-11-player-football. Children 2-years old or younger do not require a ticket.
CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE:
Thursday, Nov. 16
Div. 7 – Edgar (12-1) vs. Black Hawk/Warren, Ill. (12-1) – 10 a.m.
Div. 6 – Stratford (12-1) vs. Darlington (12-1) – 1 p.m.
Div. 5 – Wrightstown (11-2) vs. Aquinas (12-1) – 4 p.m.
Div. 4 – Luxemburg-Casco (12-1) vs. Lodi (13-0) – 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 17
Div. 3 – Rice Lake (12-1) vs. Grafton (11-2) – 10 a.m.
Div. 2 – Waunakee (13-0) vs. Badger (13-0) – 1 p.m.
Div. 1 – Marquette (11-2) vs. Franklin (13-0) – 4 p.m.
LAST YEAR RECAP: Kimberly won the Division 1 championship by defeating Mukwonago 34-30. In Division 2, Kettle Moraine downed West De Pere 27-10 in the final, and Monroe rolled past West Salem 35-14 to win the gold trophy in Division 3. Columbus won the crown in Division 4 with a 23-21 victory over Catholic Memorial, and Aquinas downed Mayville 22-14 to win the Division 5 title. Stratford defeated Mondovi 32-14 in the Division 6 championship game, and Regis won Division 7 with a 41-7 win over Shiocton in the final.
The Wisconsin Herd plays their first home game of the season tonight (Thurs.) as they host the Iowa Wolves at the Oshkosh Arena. Tip off is at 6:00. The two teams meet again Saturday night with the Tip off at 7:00
On Sunday the Herd hosts the Sioux Falls Skyforce with the tip off at 5:30.
The Herd dropped a pair of games last weekend to open the season on the road to the Cleveland Charge.
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