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Message: <blockquote data-quote="TJV" data-source="post: 383809" data-attributes="member: 4300">With just one game to evaluate them, I’m a believer. Starks averaged 4.8 ypc and Grant, who doesn’t break tackles like Starks, averaged 4.4. They gained 103 yards rushing and didn’t allow a sack. How good was the competition? We probably won’t know for several games but their DC is very good. The title-winning OL returns intact except for Lang taking over for Colledge. As McGinn writes, Lang is “bigger, he’s meaner and he’s stronger” than Colledge and I agree. I think Colledge had his best season last year but IMO Lang was already a better run blocker and he has the tools to become as good as, or a better pass blocker. Lang did have a couple of false starts – that can’t be a trend – but other than that I thought he played well. On Starks’ 17-yard TD run he got to the second level and blocked a LB and that wasn’t the only time. Wells played great down the stretch last season and picked up where he left off. Watch Starks’ TD again: Wells’ job was to “reach block” the DT: The DT lined up on Wells’ left shoulder and the play was going left. That’s a very tough block but Wells has the quickness to get it done. On Kuhn’s 1-yard TD, Wells blocked Shaun Rogers to his backside. Ideally you’d like the OC to be stouter vs. a bull rush but Wells is a good “QB” of the OL and is playing his best football. Bulaga is already good and he should continue to get better and Sitton is IMO the best OL they have and should make the pro bowl. My only question regarding the OL is depth. Clifton did well Thursday – I think he allowed only one pressure - and he was fantastic during the late season run last year. But time will catch up to him eventually and injuries can strike any player anytime. I think/hope the Packers will have a replacement ready to step in for Clifton by the start of next season, but I’m concerned about this season. Early this season it looks like Newhouse would step in for either OT (and perhaps one of the OGs) and Dietrich-Smith fills in at OG and C. Newhouse’s progress this year was a pleasant surprise, but you’d like to have a better option backing up inside. To me the ideal player to replace Clifton is Sherrod. His arms are longer and his hands are bigger than Bulaga’s and I think he’s a little more athletic – his feet are a little better for LT. I think the staff screwed Sherrod up by having him play LG. He’s just not built to be an OG IMO. I understand they want O linemen to be versatile, but with no OTAs or minicamps IMO a better plan would have been to have him concentrate solely on LT with the idea that he’d be inactive on game days until he got LT down well enough. Then see if he could handle RT or LG as a backup. In any event he would have been more prepared to take over for Clifton the game after he got hurt than he is now - that is if he were better than Newhouse at LT at the time. In addition to having a LT’s build, Sherrod is smart and I believe motivated so I’m expecting him to be ready to start at LT next year (but I wouldn’t replace Clifton until his performance slips). When Clifton is done, I’m hoping Sherrod – Lang – Wells – Sitton – Bulaga is the next starting OL for the Packers, with Newhouse backing up both OTs. Thompson can concentrate on adding interior OL talent next off season. I don’t think Dietrich-Smith or McDonald are the long-term answers. </blockquote>

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