IPBprez
Cheesehead
Packers running low on healthy backs
Fisher could be thrust into a prominent role
By BOB McGINN
[email protected]
Posted: Oct. 23, 2005
Minneapolis - The outlook could hardly be more bleak for the running attack of the Green Bay Packers.
One day after gaining 45 yards in 23 carries against the National Football League's lowest ranked rushing defense, the Packers will learn how long Ahman Green will be out. He suffered more damage to his right thigh tendon Sunday in a 23-20 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
"He reinjured his quad tendon severely," coach Mike Sherman said. "We will evaluate that further when we get back."
Green went down ******* his right knee after being tackled by inside linebacker E.J. Henderson with about 8 minutes left. The Packers asked for a motorized vehicle to transport Green from the field.
Later, Green's knee was in a protective brace. Accompanied by fullback William Henderson, Green was barely able to lift his right leg as he walked slowly out of the Metrodome.
Green suffered the same injury Oct. 3 in Carolina, sat out the Oct. 9 game against New Orleans and returned to practice last Monday. He looked fast and explosive and appeared to be over the injury.
"It's about the same in terms of the way it happened," Green said. "In terms of pain, Carolina's worse."
Green carried 16 times for 49 yards, giving him 255 yards in 77 carries for a 3.31-yard average. His high-water marks this season were 58-yard outputs against Detroit and Tampa Bay. He hasn't surpassed 100 yards since Week 9 last season.
As a team, the Packers are averaging 72.3 yards per game on the ground and 3.06 per rush. The Vikings went into the game having allowed 161.4 yards per game and 5.01 yards per rush.
Sherman has said several times that if the Packers cannot rush effectively they cannot have an effective offense.
Without Green, the Packers have Tony Fisher and ReShard Lee at running back. Najeh Davenport, the top backup, suffered season-ending ankle and leg damage against the Saints.
"I think Fisher is a little bit of an underrated football player," general manager Ted Thompson said. "You can throw darts at him but he's a pretty good player."
Jeff Robinson, the Vikings' coordinator of pro personnel, is high on both Fisher and Lee.
"They've still got two pretty good ones, they really do," he said. "Fisher has stepped in many times. He can do a lot of positive things. Lee is a solid back. He's a top-notch returner and he's always very, very capable coming out of the backfield running routes."
The Packers entered the game one player below the 53-man roster limit but Thompson said they hadn't decided on whom to add even before injuries struck Sunday. They'll probably add a wide receiver early in the week and perhaps a running back.
Maybe the top available veteran would be Dorsey Levens, the former Pro Bowl back for the Packers from 1994-2001. Last year, he carried 94 times for 410 yards (4.4) and four touchdowns for Philadelphia and played in the Super Bowl. He has been out of football all year.
Levens would know the West Coast system like the back of his hand, probably could play Sunday in Cincinnati and always has been a terrific workout guy.
Other veteran backs who are available include James Jackson, who spent two weeks with Green Bay last November, former Bengal Brandon Bennett and Walt Williams, who was cut in early September by the Packers after spending portions of 2003 and '04 with them.
Fisher had a good game against New Orleans but has been more inconsistent in 2005 than in his first three seasons. This year, he has 14 carries for 20 yards (1.4) and 13 receptions for 85 yards (6.6).
"I might be No. 3 on the depth chart but I never felt like that and I don't play like one," Fisher said. "I'm confident in myself. I might not be starting but I get a lot of playing time.
"Ahman runs hard and is also effective in our passing game. With Najeh, everybody knew you better lower your pads because Najeh's coming. With me, you never know what you're going to get. You don't know if we'll run, pass or have me as a receiver."
Fisher carried 25 times for a career-best 96 yards against Minnesota in Week 13 of 2002, his only pro start.
Fisher could be thrust into a prominent role
By BOB McGINN
[email protected]
Posted: Oct. 23, 2005
Minneapolis - The outlook could hardly be more bleak for the running attack of the Green Bay Packers.
One day after gaining 45 yards in 23 carries against the National Football League's lowest ranked rushing defense, the Packers will learn how long Ahman Green will be out. He suffered more damage to his right thigh tendon Sunday in a 23-20 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
"He reinjured his quad tendon severely," coach Mike Sherman said. "We will evaluate that further when we get back."
Green went down ******* his right knee after being tackled by inside linebacker E.J. Henderson with about 8 minutes left. The Packers asked for a motorized vehicle to transport Green from the field.
Later, Green's knee was in a protective brace. Accompanied by fullback William Henderson, Green was barely able to lift his right leg as he walked slowly out of the Metrodome.
Green suffered the same injury Oct. 3 in Carolina, sat out the Oct. 9 game against New Orleans and returned to practice last Monday. He looked fast and explosive and appeared to be over the injury.
"It's about the same in terms of the way it happened," Green said. "In terms of pain, Carolina's worse."
Green carried 16 times for 49 yards, giving him 255 yards in 77 carries for a 3.31-yard average. His high-water marks this season were 58-yard outputs against Detroit and Tampa Bay. He hasn't surpassed 100 yards since Week 9 last season.
As a team, the Packers are averaging 72.3 yards per game on the ground and 3.06 per rush. The Vikings went into the game having allowed 161.4 yards per game and 5.01 yards per rush.
Sherman has said several times that if the Packers cannot rush effectively they cannot have an effective offense.
Without Green, the Packers have Tony Fisher and ReShard Lee at running back. Najeh Davenport, the top backup, suffered season-ending ankle and leg damage against the Saints.
"I think Fisher is a little bit of an underrated football player," general manager Ted Thompson said. "You can throw darts at him but he's a pretty good player."
Jeff Robinson, the Vikings' coordinator of pro personnel, is high on both Fisher and Lee.
"They've still got two pretty good ones, they really do," he said. "Fisher has stepped in many times. He can do a lot of positive things. Lee is a solid back. He's a top-notch returner and he's always very, very capable coming out of the backfield running routes."
The Packers entered the game one player below the 53-man roster limit but Thompson said they hadn't decided on whom to add even before injuries struck Sunday. They'll probably add a wide receiver early in the week and perhaps a running back.
Maybe the top available veteran would be Dorsey Levens, the former Pro Bowl back for the Packers from 1994-2001. Last year, he carried 94 times for 410 yards (4.4) and four touchdowns for Philadelphia and played in the Super Bowl. He has been out of football all year.
Levens would know the West Coast system like the back of his hand, probably could play Sunday in Cincinnati and always has been a terrific workout guy.
Other veteran backs who are available include James Jackson, who spent two weeks with Green Bay last November, former Bengal Brandon Bennett and Walt Williams, who was cut in early September by the Packers after spending portions of 2003 and '04 with them.
Fisher had a good game against New Orleans but has been more inconsistent in 2005 than in his first three seasons. This year, he has 14 carries for 20 yards (1.4) and 13 receptions for 85 yards (6.6).
"I might be No. 3 on the depth chart but I never felt like that and I don't play like one," Fisher said. "I'm confident in myself. I might not be starting but I get a lot of playing time.
"Ahman runs hard and is also effective in our passing game. With Najeh, everybody knew you better lower your pads because Najeh's coming. With me, you never know what you're going to get. You don't know if we'll run, pass or have me as a receiver."
Fisher carried 25 times for a career-best 96 yards against Minnesota in Week 13 of 2002, his only pro start.
