Green's Two Bad Hamies

Starting RB Ahman had one bad hamstring going into last week's game at Detroit. It wasn't even certain that he would play. He did. No great runs, but did show some toughness as we've come to expect. As we approach Monday night's game in Philly, however, it now seems that Green has not just one but two -- count 'em -- two bad hamies. That's not good. In a game where the Eagles are already posted as 11 point favorites -- the biggest spread of any game this weekend! -- to have the starting running back out just makes an already struggling offense even more reliant on ol' #4 to carry the day. And while Brett was the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance last week, the history in Philly does not lead one to be optimistic. The last time the Pack won a game in Philly was in 1962 when that guy named Lombardi was still coach.

So, according to the article in today's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, if Green can't go -- and could you blame him? -- the Pack will go with newcomer Vernand Morency with Noah Herron coming in as the third down back.

But that's not the entire story regarding the running game. Fan fave and old-timer FB William Henderson may actually be deactivated for the game Monday night. Whether this is due to the slower-than-expected recovery from Henderson's knee injury or just personnel numbers, it's not exactly clear. Maybe both factors come into play. So if Henderson doesn't start -- perhaps isn't even active -- who does? Newly activated FB Brandon Miree will get the call.

So, it will be interesting to see what this youthful backfield might accomplish. On the other hand, if the equally youthful and inexperienced offensive line -- which did a great job of pass protecting last week -- doesn't also up the ante on its run blocking it really will matter little who Brett hands off to.

It will also matter little if a defense that ranks near the bottom of the league -- and last in the NFC -- doesn't have a quantum leap in performance against the league's leading offense. News articles early in the week indicated that the defensive backfield gaffes that have happened at a disturbing pace over the first three games were due to a lack of "communication." A-duhhhhh! When you have defensive backs standing around talking to one another after receivers are left to run wide open I guess there is a communication problem. Namely, from coaches to players to get their you-know-what together. We're now one-fourth of the way into the season. Communication problems should have been gone by the end of preseason...or the players should have been gone, or at least asked to take a seat.

In this same regard, there is a troubling article by Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel sports reporter Bob McGinn in today's Packer Insider (unless you are a subscriber you have to be quick on the stop button in order to catch the article) about the Packers' newest free agent money pit, Charles Woodson. After delivering a boatload of cash to Mr. Woodson's already deep pockets, the Pack isn't yet seeing much of a return. In performance. In team spirit. In leadership. Charles: please pick at least one of the three, will ya? You know, paraphrasing Carl Spackler, how 'bout a little effort for the somethin'? Or, let's put it this way...