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The Packers are finally doing what they should have done months ago. Theyre giving the starting right tackle job to T.J. Lang.
Better late than never.
Lang, the rookie fourth-round draft pick, will start Sundays game against the Cowboys. It will be his first start at right tackle after starting twice at left tackle earlier in the season.
Lang spent most of the offseason working at right tackle and seemed poised to put up a good fight for the job in training camp and in the preseason. But when August rolled around, the Packers never gave Lang an opportunity to compete with Allen Barbre and Breno Giacomini for the job. Barbre beat out Giacomini but struggled in pass protection in his seven starts, prompting the Packers to re-sign Mark Tauscher on Oct. 12. Tauscher started in last weeks loss at Tampa Bay and played well until he re-injured his left knee early in the second half.
Although the Packers went back to Barbre in the second half last week, coach Mike McCarthy admitted Friday Barbre has underperformed.
In what is essentially a do-or-die game this week, theyre going with Lang. Its as much of an admission there is that they erred by not giving Lang a shot at the job from the start.
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What happened to the Lambeau Field advantage?
The Packers head into Sundays game with an ordinary 2-2 mark at home this season, the same as their road record. In McCarthys 3 seasons as head coach, his teams home record is just 16-12 in the regular season (17-13 counting playoffs). His road record of 15-13 is only one game worse than his Lambeau Field mark. Its hard to ask for much more on the road, but the home record should be better.
Twice in McCarthys tenure, the Packers have had winning records on the road (5-3 in 2006 and 6-2 in 2007) compared with only one winning season at home (7-1 in 2007).
The Packers have lost twice as home favorites this season, to the Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings. Both teams took the home crowd out of the game.
If the Packers are going to get the Lambeau mystique back, this would be the week. Theyre a 3-point underdog at home this week to the Cowboys in a game they probably have to win in order to stay in the playoff race.
Key matchup
Packers left tackle Chad Clifton vs. Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware
DeMarcus Ware typically plays right outside linebacker, meaning hell be matched mostly against Chad Clifton. The Packers better hope Clifton is sharper this week than he was at Tampa Bay last Sunday, when he returned after missing consecutive games (and four of the last five) because of a recurring ankle injury. Clifton gave up a sack that almost led to a safety against the Bucs. Ware, who had 20 sacks last season, is strong and fast. He had a sack and three quarterback hits against the Packers last year in Dallas win at Lambeau Field. Ware is the fourth-fasted player in NFL history to reach 50 career sacks. He did so in 62 regular-season games. This season, he ranks tied for eighth in the NFC with five sacks but is second among NFC linebackers in sacks.