Time to sit Wells? Clifton?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

I think they should consider moving Tausch at some point in time to guard. That was the plan in the past. Could work out now.

[Guiness]

I look for more than one O lineman to be drafted new year.

CC, I think at this point you'd know better than to make any sort of a prediction about what TT's going to do in the draft!

[digitaldean]

I don't know about moving Tauscher, at least at this point.

One thing seems apparent, Clifton though still trying like hell through injury is struggling mightily this year.

With the amt. of injury he has to deal with, I don't see him being here beyond 1 more season. Tauscher has had his issues so far too, but nearly to the same degree.

I'd lean to having Sitton get in there more.

[Guiness]

I'm sort of intrigued by Giacomini. Obviously he is of no help whatsoever this year, and may not be next year either, he is that raw, apparently. But with a couple years of weight training, he could be a huge RT, and they say he has very good feet and athleticism. They also say he is extremely focused and very tenacious. Might turn out to be nothing, but looks like he could be an interesting developmental player, too.

Giacomini does seem to be a project. I hope he turns out better than our last OL project, Coston - he was also raw, needed time to develop physically, etc. I'm surprised they didn't stash him on the PS, and move him up if someone tried to sign him.

[boiga]

Clifton still rocks.

Considering we were doubting him prior to the Indy game, we should all give a lot of credit to Cliffy for taking yet another probowl speed rushing DE out of the game. Football Outsiders thought so much of his play that they singled him out for in depth analysis of how he out played Freeney. Here's the end of a much longer article :

Clifton's extremely good at picking up speed-rushing ends from an angle, as he did to Freeney with 8:20 left in the first half. Freeney tried to drive inside at the snap, but Clifton proved to be far too powerful, and his technique too good, for that to happen. By the end of the first half, Clifton was starting to exert physical pressure on Freeney, forcing him lower to the ground and taking away whatever leverage he had.

Clifton was going to have some advantages coming into this game - the Colts didn't blitz a lot, which meant that he wouldn't have to deal with Freeney's speed and someone else's power at the same time. Still, his ability to take that speed and consistently push it out of the way really impressed me. He also displayed the ability to drive-block when facing end Josh Thomas on certain plays. Clifton is a classic grinder -- he's missed only one game since returning in 2003 from the Sapp injury -- and he's playing as well as any team can ask of its premier offensive lineman. Freeney displayed good speed and agility; he was simply defeated by an opponent playing at a very high level.

So Clifton's still got it and we should all feel like schmucks for doubting the guy.

[Fred's Slacks]

Re: Clifton still rocks.

Considering we were doubting him prior to the Indy game, we should all give a lot of credit to Cliffy for taking yet another probowl speed rushing DE out of the game. Football Outsiders thought so much of his play that they singled him out for in depth analysis of how he out played Freeney. Here's the end of a much longer article :

Clifton's extremely good at picking up speed-rushing ends from an angle, as he did to Freeney with 8:20 left in the first half. Freeney tried to drive inside at the snap, but Clifton proved to be far too powerful, and his technique too good, for that to happen. By the end of the first half, Clifton was starting to exert physical pressure on Freeney, forcing him lower to the ground and taking away whatever leverage he had.

Clifton was going to have some advantages coming into this game - the Colts didn't blitz a lot, which meant that he wouldn't have to deal with Freeney's speed and someone else's power at the same time. Still, his ability to take that speed and consistently push it out of the way really impressed me. He also displayed the ability to drive-block when facing end Josh Thomas on certain plays. Clifton is a classic grinder -- he's missed only one game since returning in 2003 from the Sapp injury -- and he's playing as well as any team can ask of its premier offensive lineman. Freeney displayed good speed and agility; he was simply defeated by an opponent playing at a very high level.

So Clifton's still got it and we should all feel like schmucks for doubting the guy.

Clifton played a great game this week. He looks like the Cliffy of old. I was hard on him before. For a couple weeks he looked like a shell of himself. I wondered if it was an injury that was hindering him. Hopefully with some rest in the bye week, this is the Cliffy we'll see the rest of the year. He has been the biggest reason for our improved play the last 2 weeks.

[bobblehead]

Re: Clifton still rocks.

Considering we were doubting him prior to the Indy game, we should all give a lot of credit to Cliffy for taking yet another probowl speed rushing DE out of the game. Football Outsiders thought so much of his play that they singled him out for in depth analysis of how he out played Freeney. Here's the end of a much longer article :

Clifton's extremely good at picking up speed-rushing ends from an angle, as he did to Freeney with 8:20 left in the first half. Freeney tried to drive inside at the snap, but Clifton proved to be far too powerful, and his technique too good, for that to happen. By the end of the first half, Clifton was starting to exert physical pressure on Freeney, forcing him lower to the ground and taking away whatever leverage he had.

Clifton was going to have some advantages coming into this game - the Colts didn't blitz a lot, which meant that he wouldn't have to deal with Freeney's speed and someone else's power at the same time. Still, his ability to take that speed and consistently push it out of the way really impressed me. He also displayed the ability to drive-block when facing end Josh Thomas on certain plays. Clifton is a classic grinder -- he's missed only one game since returning in 2003 from the Sapp injury -- and he's playing as well as any team can ask of its premier offensive lineman. Freeney displayed good speed and agility; he was simply defeated by an opponent playing at a very high level.

So Clifton's still got it and we should all feel like schmucks for doubting the guy.

Clifton played a great game this week. He looks like the Cliffy of old. I was hard on him before. For a couple weeks he looked like a shell of himself. I wondered if it was an injury that was hindering him. Hopefully with some rest in the bye week, this is the Cliffy we'll see the rest of the year. He has been the biggest reason for our improved play the last 2 weeks.

I don't feel like a schmuk...the cliffy I saw before leaving for thailand was looking pretty ass sad. I'm VERY glad he is turning it around as I have always been a big fan of his pass blocking. I hope the article is accurate and he is turning it around to the form we are used to (which is shutting down fools who try to hit our QB)

[Fritz]

If you're going to sit either Wells or Clifton, my guess would be Wells first. Not only did Cliffy play pretty well against Indy, I think he's earned the right to hang in there a little longer as a starter than Wells has.

One piece of the puzzle at a time. I'd like to see Clifton-College-Spitz-Sitton-Tauscher first.

Hey, whatever happened to Barbre? He was going to be the next big thing, and now he's inactive half the time. Cripes, Tony "The Stiff" Moll is ahead of him on the depth chart.

[hoosier]

If you're going to sit either Wells or Clifton, my guess would be Wells first. Not only did Cliffy play pretty well against Indy, I think he's earned the right to hang in there a little longer as a starter than Wells has.

One piece of the puzzle at a time. I'd like to see Clifton-College-Spitz-Sitton-Tauscher first.

Hey, whatever happened to Barbre? He was going to be the next big thing, and now he's inactive half the time. Cripes, Tony "The Stiff" Moll is ahead of him on the depth chart.

Not to mention that the Packers don't have a proven legit LT waiting in the wings if they did decide to sit Clifton. Colledge MIGHT be able to do it, but I wouldn't feel comfortable throwing him into the fray against the opponent's best passrusher the way he's performed up until now. Besides, Clifton has a way of rising to the occasion in big games. Wells, on the other hand, if they sit him that puts Spitz at center and lets them try out one of the many possibilities at RG while losing relatively little.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I'm actually fine with Colledge at LT. It seems like he plays better at OT than OG. I did notice he looks a lot bigger this year though. Physically, I think he's finally molded himself into an OG.

[pbmax]

If you're going to sit either Wells or Clifton, my guess would be Wells first. Not only did Cliffy play pretty well against Indy, I think he's earned the right to hang in there a little longer as a starter than Wells has.

One piece of the puzzle at a time. I'd like to see Clifton-College-Spitz-Sitton-Tauscher first.

Hey, whatever happened to Barbre? He was going to be the next big thing, and now he's inactive half the time. Cripes, Tony "The Stiff" Moll is ahead of him on the depth chart.

Barbre suffers because he can only play one position and it isn't LT. Some games they seem to have only one active spot for a guy like that and right now that spot is Sitton's.

I agree though, I would like to see Spitz at C and Sitton at Guard get some playing time this year. Clifton will hopefully recover some over the bye but odds are he will need to be rested which means Barbre will get some time at LG.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Barbre suffers because he can only play one position and it isn't LT.

ya, but his ability at LG allows Colledge to move to LT

uhhh, never mind, guess this is a Mr. Obvious post.

[mraynrand]

I'm actually fine with Colledge at LT. It seems like he plays better at OT than OG. I did notice he looks a lot bigger this year though. Physically, I think he's finally molded himself into an OG.

But when he misses his backside block, it's brutal. He had a couple bad ones against the Colts, one for a 2 yard loss.

It was a relief to see Clifton play a whole lot better on Sunday. I was telling a lady friend to keep an eye on #93 for the Colts and after the game she said: "He didn't do anything." Pretty much true, with the exception of a play or two, thanks to Cliffy.