In the recent orgy of praise that has draped itself around the shoulders of Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson, let us not forget one thing:
Except for the quarterback, nobody is able to run the football.
Add to that the fact that the head coach seems to think his team does have a running game and one-dimensional hardly begins to adequately describe the 7-4 Packers, who trail the Bears by one game in the NFC North after a 20-17 loss Sunday at Atlanta.
Don't get me wrong. With Aaron Rodgers and a troop of talented receivers and with a defense that's as good as any in the league, the Packers are still one of the top teams in the league. The game against the Falcons, another of the strongest teams in the league, was thrilling.
But just think how good the Packers would be if they had even the semblance of a running game.
A lot of people will point to the loss of Ryan Grant as the biggest reason for the absence of a running game. Obviously that's a part of it, since "Brandon Jackson" and "good running back" are two phrases that should never be used in the same sentence.
But I think one of the other huge factors is the play of Chad Clifton at left tackle.
Clifton has been a very, very good tackle for a lot of years. The primary task of a left tackle is to protect the blind side of the quarterback, and Clifton can still do that. But he's not much of a run blocker any more. I don't know if it's the toll of surgeries and injuries or what, but it's obvious that his team even knows that he's weak.
Watch the Packers' running game and they virtually ignore the left side of their line. The plays where the left tackle is called on for a kick out block or to block down on a linebacker to open a space for a running back are almost non-existent.
This isn't really a rap at Clifton. He's been a great pro but Thompson knew he was entering this season with a couple of aging tackles, guys who have been hurt and guys who had obvious deficiencies.
It's a tremendous credit to Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy that they can still run up some amazing totals given the fact that the defenses they face can all but ignore any running threat.
A team that can't run may easily be a good team but it is unlikely to be a championship team.
Despite all the praise that's been heaped on Thompson lately, the inability to have players who can mount a running attack, falls right at his doorstep.
With a history in Milwaukee stretching back decades, Dave tries to bring a unique perspective to his writing, whether it's sports, politics, theater or any other issue.
He's seen Milwaukee grow, suffer pangs of growth, strive for success and has been involved in many efforts to both shape and re-shape the city. He's a happy man, now that he's quit playing golf, and enjoys music, his children and grandchildren and the myriad of sports in this state. He loves great food and hates bullies and people who think they are smarter than everyone else.
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Despite some opinions to the contrary, Dave likes most stuff. But he is a skeptic who constantly wonders about the world around him. So many questions, so few answers.
