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News » Order out of chaos Jury-rigged offensive line jells in a big way


Order out of chaos Jury-rigged offensive line jells in a big way


Order out of chaos  Jury-rigged offensive line jells in a big way
Green Bay - Things were getting pretty thin along the Green Bay Packers' offensive line on Sunday.


That didn't mean the offensive line didn't help the skill players get fat, though.

The Packers finished Sunday's 31-21 victory over the Detroit Lions with no healthy offensive linemen on the bench, as center Scott Wells and guard Allen Barbre both left the game with sprained ankles.

Nonetheless, the Packers' mix-and-match line was superb on a historic offensive day. The Packers had two 100-yard rushers and two 100-yard receivers, the first time that's happened in NFL history.

"The guys got good movement and played hard," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "They sustained some blocks and the backs ran hard, so it appears there were some good things happening."

Making that even more impressive was the unsettled nature of the line leading into the game.

A week after Tony Moll struggled at right tackle, the Packers moved left guard Daryn Colledge to right tackle, slid right guard Jason Spitz to left guard and inserted rookie Josh Sitton at right guard.

In the first quarter, Wells left with his ankle injury. Spitz moved to center, and Barbre came in at guard.

When Barbre left in the second half, Colledge moved back to left guard and Moll went in at right tackle.

And the offense just kept clicking.

"I thought our offensive line did a great job," coach Mike McCarthy said.

"The one part that's definitely in place is the flexibility aspect of our offensive line. I mean, that's a real credit to those guys.

"It's hard to switch positions during the game, let alone switch positions during the week."

Moll had been playing right tackle since Mark Tauscher went down with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Nov. 30 against Carolina.

Including his first start at right tackle, Colledge has started games at three different positions over the season. In Week 9 at Tennessee, he started at left tackle for Chad Clifton, who was out with illness.

Some are theorizing that Colledge may be the starter at right tackle next season, factoring in Tauscher's injury and contract situation.

Entering the season, Colledge, a second-round pick in 2006, was in jeopardy of losing his starting spot at guard. He had been considered a weak link on the line in the 2007 season, but was one of the line's more consistent performers in 2008.

"Moving is tough," Colledge said. "I've enjoyed being a left guard, and I think I got better at it this year and really had a pretty solid season at it. Hopefully I can make those same improvements in the off-season and be a part of the foundation around here a long time."

With Tauscher's situation unsettled - even if he is re-signed, he'll miss the off-season programs and minicamps in May and June - and just one year left on Clifton's contract, Colledge may be viewed as the tackle of the future. He already has performed well in two starts at left tackle, and Sunday's stint at right tackle produced good results.

"Right tackle was great," Colledge said. "It was exciting, and I had a lot of fun with it. Except for one series, I was happy with the way I played. I gave up a sack . . . and had a pressure in the same series. That's poor performance and that hurts.

"And getting back left guard was nice . . . Aaron (Rodgers) threw the ball well, the receivers caught it, the running backs ran it and we got a win. That's what's important."

Colledge burst to the outside and threw two big blocks on DeShawn Wynn's 73-yard touchdown run in the first quarter Sunday.

Sitton, a fourth-round pick out of Central Florida, was named the starter at right guard during training camp. But a knee injury in the third exhibition game put him down, and Colledge eventually played well enough that Sitton only made one other start this season, when Colledge moved to left tackle for Clifton at Tennessee.

Looking ahead to 2009 and beyond, the Packers are high on Sitton's abilities.

"I think Josh Sitton has a chance to be a very good player for us," McCarthy said last week. "Josh came in as a rookie, a lot of people didn't know much about him, playing tackle in college. I really like the way he fits into what we do, particularly at right guard."

Barbre also got an extended look before leaving with his ankle injury. He was a fourth-round pick in 2007 and also is considered a guard of the future.

Breno Giacomini, a fifth-round rookie out of Louisville, might also have figured into the plans on Sunday, if not for a sprained ankle he suffered in practice the Friday before the Chicago game.

Although Giacomini has not been active since Week 2, McCarthy noted he has improved over his rookie season.

"Ask Aaron Kampman," McCarthy said, referring to the team's top defensive end, who plays against Giacomini in practices. "Aaron Kampman will be the first one to tell you how much (Giacomini has) improved throughout the year."

Copyright 2009, Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved. (Note: This notice does not apply to those news items already copyrighted and received through wire services or other media.)



Author:Fox Sports
Author's Website:http://www.foxsports.com
Added: January 1, 2009

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