Packers OL has Whole Offense out of Tune

What the writer fails to realize is: It starts up front, and a bad OL will bring down a good offense. You can have a great sports car, with brand new, top-of-the-line tires, gorgeous interior, etc. But if the engine loses a cylinder (Tauscher), or two (+Clifton), that will negatively affect the whole car’s performance. Does it mean those tires aren’t as good as we thought? No it does not.

Tom Silverstein, Journal Sentinel 
Oct. 18th, 2009

Green Bay — Coming out of the exhibition season, the Green Bay Packers’ offense looked primed to challenge the New Orleans Saints for supremacy in the points race.

The No. 1 offense scored touchdowns on nine of its 13 possessions, averaged 20 points in the first half of its four games and ran for a healthy 4.2 yards per carry. The Packers’ top four receivers averaged 18.4 yards a reception, and tight end Jermichael Finley looked like a star in waiting with two touchdown catches.  

And most encouraging, quarterback Aaron Rodgers wasn’t sacked once and finished with a passer rating of 147.9, just 10.4 points off the highest possible mark.

Four games into the regular season, the Packers don’t resemble that offense much.

Rodgers has a fine passer rating of 101.1 and has thrown only one interception, the running game is averaging 4.2 yards per carry and the receivers are averaging an NFL-high 14.3 yards per catch. But statistics don’t win division titles, victories do, and the Packers have cheated themselves out of possibly two more than they have because their offense can’t get in the end zone.