packers11
07-11-2007, 08:01 PM
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=630927
Line hopes to stay on the right path
Unit's youngsters think growing pains in past
By ROB REISCHEL
Special to Packer Plus
Posted: July 11, 2007
Green Bay - Back in 2000, the Green Bay Packers threw rookie tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher on the field. The following year, center Mike Flanagan and guard Mike Wahle became full-time starters for the first time, as well.
And by 2003, that youthful group along with guard Marco Rivera rivaled Kansas City as the NFL's best offensive line.
Green Bay's line of today has light years to travel before coming close to the group assembled earlier this decade. But the blueprint for success is definitely the same.
A year ago, rookies Daryn Colledge, Jason Spitz and Tony Moll all started at least 10 games. Scott Wells also became the starter at center for the first time.
While the group - which includes holdovers Clifton and Tauscher - had its share of growing pains last season, it also showed great promise. Now, with everyone back in 2007, the Packers expect their line to continue growing into a strength.
"They should because they're more experienced," Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "Everybody's been here, they know the system better. They didn't know squat about the NFL a year ago. They should take some strides, absolutely."
If Green Bay's offense is going to improve, the line has to step up.
A year ago, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy tried protecting the group by keeping seven blockers in on several passing downs. While that helped the Packers rank No. 3 in percentage of sacks allowed, it also meant they were often sending out just two receivers which limited the passing attack.
Things figure to be different this time around. McCarthy would like to employ far more three- and four-receiver sets, meaning the line won't be getting nearly as much help.
"That seems to kind of be the plan," Spitz said. "And that's just fine. As we get more comfortable and experienced, we shouldn't need the same amount of help we had last year."
The Packers' offense was a far cry from those that dominated through much of the 1990s and earlier this decade. But considering the line was cutting its teeth, things could have been worse.
Green Bay ranked 23rd in rushing yards per game. But that was due largely to the fact the Packers ran the ball just 39.7% of the time.
Green Bay was eighth in passing yards per game, but a far less impressive 17th in average gain per pass play. The Packers did virtually nothing to improve their skill positions this off-season, so if improvement is going to come on the offense, the line will be a major reason why.
"I'm very encouraged," McCarthy said. "I spend a lot of time with those line coaches. They're the guys that are always there at night when you're leaving. When we first got together in February (of 2006), there were a lot of holes on that depth chart.
"In just a short time, it's a credit to (general manager) Ted Thompson, the personnel staff and the coaches and their evaluation on the number of young guys we've taken and the quality of young players we have there. I think we have a very, very bright future starting this year with the offensive line."
The greatest reason for optimism remains Clifton and Tauscher. Although both are entering their eighth seasons and are each on the wrong side of 30, they continue to form one of the top tackle tandems in football.
Clifton has battled creaky knees the past few seasons, yet continues to be one of the best pass-blocking left tackles in football. Clifton gave up two sacks in 2006, just below his seven-year average of 2.14.
Clifton isn't a natural in Green Bay's cut-blocking run game. But he improved as the 2006 season went on as he became more comfortable with the scheme.
Tauscher showed just how tough he is last season when he suffered a torn groin in Game 9 that would have ended the year of most players. Tauscher missed the next five games, but refused to shut it down and returned for the final two games of the season.
Tauscher is bright, has tremendous feet and is an underrated athlete who took well to the new blocking scheme. Tauscher's contract expires after the 2008 season, so this year could go a long way in deciding his future in Green Bay.
"Just having those two bookends is such a fantastic starting point," said Philbin, who was Green Bay's offensive line coach in 2006. "There aren't many guys that pass block any better than Chad does. And Mark does everything pretty well. Those two are just as steady as they come."
The key for Green Bay is to have the interior of its line rise to a similar level.
Wells looks like the runt of a litter when lumped with the rest of the linemen. But he plays with the bite of a Doberman.
Wells, a former wrestling standout, overcomes his lack of size with great strength and tremendous leverage. He earned himself a five-year, $15 million contract last November and figures to anchor Green Bay's line for years to come.
The Packers also seem set at guard with Colledge on the left side and Spitz on the right. Both showed great promise during rookie seasons that were filled with as many ups as downs.
Colledge lost his starting job after the first exhibition game when San Diego terrorized him. But he came back strong, reclaimed his job and was named to the all-NFL rookie team after starting 15 games.
Colledge is as athletically gifted as any lineman you'll find, has Pro Bowl ability and is the ideal fit for Green Bay's zone-blocking system. Colledge's feet are so good that he would slide over to left tackle if Clifton went down, something he did at Miami a year ago.
Philbin said Colledge met his off-season goal of improving his upper-body strength. Now, he'll embark on playing with greater consistency and beefing up his efforts in the run game.
Strength isn't an issue for Spitz, who plays with tremendous toughness and doesn't back down from anyone. Spitz struggles in space and needs to improve his flexibility, though.
Spitz's best long-term position could wind up being center. But for now, he's just what the Packers need at guard.
"They look a little bit thicker and they're still moving as well if not a little better," Philbin said of Colledge and Spitz. "Maybe they're increasing their mass a little bit, they're not that much different looking guys than they were a year ago. But I think they're making solid progress."
The wild card in the whole picture is Moll, who was Green Bay's version of a Super Sub in 2006. Moll started five games at both right guard and right tackle when injuries hit, and surprisingly held his own.
Moll's technique was shaky last season and he needed to get much stronger. But he's a fighter who doesn't carry bad plays with him.
Moll dropped his body fat from 30% to 20% this off-season and has hopes of making a run at a starting spot. That could be tough, though, as the Packers say they'll leave him at primarily right tackle for now.
"The coaches have stressed to me that things definitely aren't set," Moll said about the prospect of starting. "To me it's not really a big deal and I'm not really worried about that right now. I'm getting reps in with first-team, second team and third team, and it's not something I'm really focused on right now."
After Moll, the depth is largely unproven.
Third-year man Junius Coston is likely facing a make-or-break training camp. Coston has seen the field in just three of 32 games, and all of those appearances have been extremely brief.
Coston is one of the team's most athletic linemen, but seems to lack passion. He has alternated between guard and tackle his first two years, and will likely need to shine at one of those spots in training camp to stick around.
"He's a very young man. He's younger than the rookie class last year," McCarthy said of Coston. "When I look at 'Juice' I just see a guy that's getting better. He's once again done a great job in the weight room. Just the techniques, it's a different run game than what they were asked to do here two years ago. So I think he's really improving."
Rookie fourth-rounder Allen Barbre played mostly left tackle at Division II Missouri Southern, but will begin at guard in Green Bay. Barbre starred at the NFL combine in February, but still has to show he can consistently hold his own against top-flight competition.
Second year wide body Tony Palmer played in six games a year ago, primarily on special teams. The Packers love Palmer's competitiveness, and unless he falls on his face in camp, he stands a decent chance of making the team as a reserve guard.
Massive tackle Orrin Thompson was signed to Green Bay's practice squad last November. He had some impressive moments this spring, and has a chance to stick around depending on the number of linemen the Packers keep.
Sixth-year man Tyson Walter was signed last November after Tauscher went down. He offers flexibility by playing both tackle and guard, but has limited upside and could lose out to a younger player.
Guards Travis Leffew, Pat Murray and Adam Stenavich are all extreme long shots, although Philbin said Leffew has shown as much improvement as anyone on the roster this off-season.
"I think we're all pretty optimistic," Moll said. "Last year was a learning year in a lot of ways. This year, hopefully we can take a big step and the line can become a real strength here."
Line hopes to stay on the right path
Unit's youngsters think growing pains in past
By ROB REISCHEL
Special to Packer Plus
Posted: July 11, 2007
Green Bay - Back in 2000, the Green Bay Packers threw rookie tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher on the field. The following year, center Mike Flanagan and guard Mike Wahle became full-time starters for the first time, as well.
And by 2003, that youthful group along with guard Marco Rivera rivaled Kansas City as the NFL's best offensive line.
Green Bay's line of today has light years to travel before coming close to the group assembled earlier this decade. But the blueprint for success is definitely the same.
A year ago, rookies Daryn Colledge, Jason Spitz and Tony Moll all started at least 10 games. Scott Wells also became the starter at center for the first time.
While the group - which includes holdovers Clifton and Tauscher - had its share of growing pains last season, it also showed great promise. Now, with everyone back in 2007, the Packers expect their line to continue growing into a strength.
"They should because they're more experienced," Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "Everybody's been here, they know the system better. They didn't know squat about the NFL a year ago. They should take some strides, absolutely."
If Green Bay's offense is going to improve, the line has to step up.
A year ago, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy tried protecting the group by keeping seven blockers in on several passing downs. While that helped the Packers rank No. 3 in percentage of sacks allowed, it also meant they were often sending out just two receivers which limited the passing attack.
Things figure to be different this time around. McCarthy would like to employ far more three- and four-receiver sets, meaning the line won't be getting nearly as much help.
"That seems to kind of be the plan," Spitz said. "And that's just fine. As we get more comfortable and experienced, we shouldn't need the same amount of help we had last year."
The Packers' offense was a far cry from those that dominated through much of the 1990s and earlier this decade. But considering the line was cutting its teeth, things could have been worse.
Green Bay ranked 23rd in rushing yards per game. But that was due largely to the fact the Packers ran the ball just 39.7% of the time.
Green Bay was eighth in passing yards per game, but a far less impressive 17th in average gain per pass play. The Packers did virtually nothing to improve their skill positions this off-season, so if improvement is going to come on the offense, the line will be a major reason why.
"I'm very encouraged," McCarthy said. "I spend a lot of time with those line coaches. They're the guys that are always there at night when you're leaving. When we first got together in February (of 2006), there were a lot of holes on that depth chart.
"In just a short time, it's a credit to (general manager) Ted Thompson, the personnel staff and the coaches and their evaluation on the number of young guys we've taken and the quality of young players we have there. I think we have a very, very bright future starting this year with the offensive line."
The greatest reason for optimism remains Clifton and Tauscher. Although both are entering their eighth seasons and are each on the wrong side of 30, they continue to form one of the top tackle tandems in football.
Clifton has battled creaky knees the past few seasons, yet continues to be one of the best pass-blocking left tackles in football. Clifton gave up two sacks in 2006, just below his seven-year average of 2.14.
Clifton isn't a natural in Green Bay's cut-blocking run game. But he improved as the 2006 season went on as he became more comfortable with the scheme.
Tauscher showed just how tough he is last season when he suffered a torn groin in Game 9 that would have ended the year of most players. Tauscher missed the next five games, but refused to shut it down and returned for the final two games of the season.
Tauscher is bright, has tremendous feet and is an underrated athlete who took well to the new blocking scheme. Tauscher's contract expires after the 2008 season, so this year could go a long way in deciding his future in Green Bay.
"Just having those two bookends is such a fantastic starting point," said Philbin, who was Green Bay's offensive line coach in 2006. "There aren't many guys that pass block any better than Chad does. And Mark does everything pretty well. Those two are just as steady as they come."
The key for Green Bay is to have the interior of its line rise to a similar level.
Wells looks like the runt of a litter when lumped with the rest of the linemen. But he plays with the bite of a Doberman.
Wells, a former wrestling standout, overcomes his lack of size with great strength and tremendous leverage. He earned himself a five-year, $15 million contract last November and figures to anchor Green Bay's line for years to come.
The Packers also seem set at guard with Colledge on the left side and Spitz on the right. Both showed great promise during rookie seasons that were filled with as many ups as downs.
Colledge lost his starting job after the first exhibition game when San Diego terrorized him. But he came back strong, reclaimed his job and was named to the all-NFL rookie team after starting 15 games.
Colledge is as athletically gifted as any lineman you'll find, has Pro Bowl ability and is the ideal fit for Green Bay's zone-blocking system. Colledge's feet are so good that he would slide over to left tackle if Clifton went down, something he did at Miami a year ago.
Philbin said Colledge met his off-season goal of improving his upper-body strength. Now, he'll embark on playing with greater consistency and beefing up his efforts in the run game.
Strength isn't an issue for Spitz, who plays with tremendous toughness and doesn't back down from anyone. Spitz struggles in space and needs to improve his flexibility, though.
Spitz's best long-term position could wind up being center. But for now, he's just what the Packers need at guard.
"They look a little bit thicker and they're still moving as well if not a little better," Philbin said of Colledge and Spitz. "Maybe they're increasing their mass a little bit, they're not that much different looking guys than they were a year ago. But I think they're making solid progress."
The wild card in the whole picture is Moll, who was Green Bay's version of a Super Sub in 2006. Moll started five games at both right guard and right tackle when injuries hit, and surprisingly held his own.
Moll's technique was shaky last season and he needed to get much stronger. But he's a fighter who doesn't carry bad plays with him.
Moll dropped his body fat from 30% to 20% this off-season and has hopes of making a run at a starting spot. That could be tough, though, as the Packers say they'll leave him at primarily right tackle for now.
"The coaches have stressed to me that things definitely aren't set," Moll said about the prospect of starting. "To me it's not really a big deal and I'm not really worried about that right now. I'm getting reps in with first-team, second team and third team, and it's not something I'm really focused on right now."
After Moll, the depth is largely unproven.
Third-year man Junius Coston is likely facing a make-or-break training camp. Coston has seen the field in just three of 32 games, and all of those appearances have been extremely brief.
Coston is one of the team's most athletic linemen, but seems to lack passion. He has alternated between guard and tackle his first two years, and will likely need to shine at one of those spots in training camp to stick around.
"He's a very young man. He's younger than the rookie class last year," McCarthy said of Coston. "When I look at 'Juice' I just see a guy that's getting better. He's once again done a great job in the weight room. Just the techniques, it's a different run game than what they were asked to do here two years ago. So I think he's really improving."
Rookie fourth-rounder Allen Barbre played mostly left tackle at Division II Missouri Southern, but will begin at guard in Green Bay. Barbre starred at the NFL combine in February, but still has to show he can consistently hold his own against top-flight competition.
Second year wide body Tony Palmer played in six games a year ago, primarily on special teams. The Packers love Palmer's competitiveness, and unless he falls on his face in camp, he stands a decent chance of making the team as a reserve guard.
Massive tackle Orrin Thompson was signed to Green Bay's practice squad last November. He had some impressive moments this spring, and has a chance to stick around depending on the number of linemen the Packers keep.
Sixth-year man Tyson Walter was signed last November after Tauscher went down. He offers flexibility by playing both tackle and guard, but has limited upside and could lose out to a younger player.
Guards Travis Leffew, Pat Murray and Adam Stenavich are all extreme long shots, although Philbin said Leffew has shown as much improvement as anyone on the roster this off-season.
"I think we're all pretty optimistic," Moll said. "Last year was a learning year in a lot of ways. This year, hopefully we can take a big step and the line can become a real strength here."