Packers’ offensive line may get shuffled

William Whitticker apparently will keep his starting job at right guard this week, but coach Mike Sherman might shake up his offensive line a little after the Green Bay Packers’ embarrassing 21-yard rushing game against the Minnesota Vikings last week.

Whitticker was back working with the starters Friday after Grey Ruegamer took the majority of snaps in his place at right guard Thursday. But Sherman said Ruegamer probably will get some playing time after the Packers’ abysmal performance against Minnesota defensive tackles Pat Williams and Kevin Williams on Monday night.

Sherman and offensive line coach Larry Beightol demoted Whitticker temporarily because they were unhappy he still wasn’t finishing blocks, a problem he’s had much of the season. If they give Ruegamer some snaps in his place against the Eagles, they’ll be sending Whitticker and the rest of the offensive line another message.

“Letting some of these guys (know) these (starting jobs) aren’t forever,” Beightol said. “It’s a privilege to play in the National Football League. It’s a privilege to play on an NFL team. They call you a pro; when you play, you play well. This isn’t one of those things like high school football or college football where you’re on scholarship, and they threaten to take your scholarship away. They may threaten to take your job away. We have to do well.”

The Packers are trying to rebound from one of the offensive line’s worst performances in Beightol’s seven seasons as its coach. The Packers offered no running threat against the Vikings (1.5 yards a carry), and by early in the second half running against the two Williams became so futile that Sherman and offensive coordinator Tom Rossley almost completely abandoned the running game.

The majority of the line problems were at guard, especially on the right side, where the Vikings dominated Whitticker, a rookie. Starting left guard Scott Wells also missed at least two stunt pickups in pass protection.

“We got our (butt) kicked in the offensive line,” Beightol said. “One of the first times since I’ve been here that that’s occurred.”

Ruegamer played about 12 snaps two weeks ago at Atlanta in a relief role for ailing center Mike Flanagan, but more likely his playing time this week will come at guard. Sherman suggested Ruegamer also might get some snaps at left guard.

“Just trying to find the right combination there,” Sherman said. “But Ruegamer will play some.”
There’s also a chance, though small, that Wells won’t play Sunday because of a family tragedy late this week — his wife, Julie, gave birth to stillborn twins Thursday. Wells missed practice Friday, but Sherman said he thinks Wells will be back with the team today and in the starting lineup against the Eagles. If he doesn’t play, Adrian Klemm or Ruegamer would start in his place. The Packers benched Klemm for Wells three weeks ago.

“To be honest, I’m counting on (playing),” Wells told the Associated Press on Friday. “I’m trying to handle my family situation right now. It’s still fresh in my mind, but I plan on coming in in the morning.”

The Packers will face a Philadelphia defensive-tackle rotation that isn’t as strong this year as in past seasons after the Eagles withdrew the franchise designation on Corey Simon in late August, which allowed him to leave for Indianapolis as a free agent. Hollis Thomas is their best defensive tackle, and first-round draft pick Mike Patterson (6-foot-0, 292 pounds) regularly plays as a backup.

The Packers also are hoping Flanagan’s play will continue getting better week by the week after his expedited comeback from surgery for a sports hernia. Until Flanagan, that procedure always called for at least a six-week rehabilitation, but Flanagan came back in just less than four weeks because he was willing to work with the doctor to test the envelope on the recovery.
He’s a little more than seven weeks removed from surgery now, and last week he showed the best body snap he’s had since his return.

“He thought it was in the best interest of the team that he be back knowing our situation with the youthfulness and inexperience at guard,” Sherman said of Flanagan’s hasty return. “In his heart, he felt like he gave us our best chance to win, and I believe that’s why he did it. It was totally an unselfish decision on his part. It’s one that I am very fortunate to have coached a guy that is that unselfish, and I feel fortunate to have him on our team.”
source: http://www.packersnews.com/