Mays ‘shocked’ after fumbling first NFL carries
GREEN BAY – Everybody has a bad day. That’s what Green Bay Packers rookie running back Devante Mays has been hearing since making his NFL debut.
Brett Favre? Threw a pick-six on his first career pass. Fellow rookie tailback Kareem Hunt? Fumbled on his first carry with the Kansas City Chiefs.
It hasn’t helped Mays feel much better. He’d waited 10 weeks to get a carry. When that chance finally came Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, Mays felt ready. Instead, he fumbled. Then he fumbled on his second carry.
“I was just shocked,” Mays said. “I couldn’t believe it happened.”
What’s worse, Mays said, was his fumbles were completely avoidable.
On the first, Mays ran the wrong play. He expected to receive a handoff from Brett Hundley. So Mays took two steps toward his quarterback, but the football arrived before he could take a third.
He forgot it was a toss.
“I went down,” Mays said, “when I was supposed to be going out for the toss. So that’s what happened with that one . ... It was a mistake on my part with the handoff. Because if I would’ve took the right path, I wouldn’t have been there, and it wouldn’t have happened. The guy got his arm in there.”
Mays had time to stew over his mistake. With the exception of special teams, he remained on the sideline until the Packers’ final drive.
Mays might not have gotten a chance to redeem himself if the game wasn’t already over. Twelve seconds before the 2-minute warning, the Packers trailed, 23-0. It was garbage time, but Mays wanted to show he was a reliable ball carrier.
He fumbled again.
“It was just my fault,” Mays said. “I’ve just got to put two hands on the ball, and I know that it’s my job to take care of the ball. Just got to do a better job at that.”
Fortunately for him, Packers tackle
Jason Spriggs recovered Mays’ second fumble. He carried one more time, for 1 yard. After the game, Mays was distraught. He declined to speak with reporters.
Mays was still upset with the fumbles Wednesday. In a frigid practice at Clarke Hinkle Field, Mays was one of two skill-position players (along with fullback Joe Kerridge) to not wear sleeves. He wasn’t taking any chances with fumbling, even in practice.
“I was just really upset with myself,” Mays said. “I felt like I let a bunch of people down. It just weighed a lot on me.”
Teammates and coaches have tried to encourage him this week.
Mike McCarthy said Mays will get the same practice reps, and he’s expected to get another chance to be part of the Packers’ run game Sunday night in Pittsburgh.
Fellow rookie Aaron Jones, out a few more weeks with a torn MCL, made sure to funnel those Favre and Hunt comparisons.
“I just told him, keep his head up,” Jones said. “It’s not the start you wanted. But, hey, people have bad starts.” Fast and loose: Kyler Fackrell wanted to rush up the field, outside Baltimore Ravens tackle Austin Howard. He took two hard steps in that direction off the snap near the end of the first half Sunday, but Howard was waiting.
In the past, this might be where Fackrell’s pass rush short-circuited. He’s a thinker on the field, and that isn’t always good. Improvisation is required for edge rushers, a second move when the first one fails.
This time, the Packers’ second-year outside linebacker had a second move.
“There was kind of a big, wideopen B gap,” Fackrell said.
Fackrell adjusted, turning his hips inside to hit that wide-open B gap. He arrived at Ravens quarterback Joe
Flacco for his first sack of a frustrating season, something that was a long time coming.
The Packers had hoped Fackrell would become a regular contributor to their edge rush this fall after finishing his rookie season with two sacks, but that hasn’t happened. He has played 39% of the Packers’ defensive snaps, significantly more than the 15% he played as a rookie.
Until Sunday, he didn’t have a sack to show for it.
“You’re always frustrated,” Fackrell said, “when you’re not really producing. I don’t think that I took a step back from last year. I think I’ve continued to get better. I just haven’t really had any stats to go along with it.”
Fackrell will need to string more plays together to meet expectations. He said the season’s final six games will be important for him to show he can produce entering the off-season.
And with Clay Matthews’ availability uncertain this week because of a groin injury, Fackrell could get an even larger helping of snaps to show what he can do. Bracing for Brown: Anticipating one of the toughest matchups in the NFL, Packers cornerbacks started watching film on Steelers receiver Antonio Brown this week.
Across the Packers locker room, teammate Davante Adams already got a head start.
Adams, the Packers fourth-year receiver, said Brown is someone he’s gleaned several tips from through frequent film study. He especially admires Brown’s route running, an area Adams has improved since his rookie season.
“His ability to make plays,” Adams said. “Obviously you look at the routerunning and the different, intricate pieces he does well.”
It has worked for Adams. While he doesn’t have Brown’s yardage – Brown is the only NFL receiver to cross 1,000 so far this season – his six touchdowns are tied with Brown for fourth most in the league.
Linsley limited: Center Corey Linsley was among eight Packers either limited or held out of the team’s Thanksgiving morning practice.
Linsley was limited Thursday with a back injury. Outside linebacker Nick Perry (foot) and defensive lineman
Quinton Dial (chest) also were limited. Each of the three practiced Wednesday and are presumably on track to play Sunday night.
The Packers were without Matthews, defensive tackle Kenny Clark (ankle), reserve guard Lucas Patrick
(hand) and running backs Jones and
Ty Montgomery (ribs).
The Packers’ secondary continued to look healthier. Rookie cornerback
Kevin King (shoulder) was upgraded to full practice participant after being limited Wednesday. Safety Morgan
Burnett (groin) had no setbacks after returning to practice Wednesday, participating in full Thursday morning.
Outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks was a full participant.
Mays (ankle) and guard Justin
McCray (knee) were upgraded to full participant after being limited Wednesday.