The last time the Vikings played the Packers, Jared Allen sacked Aaron Rodgers 4 1/2 times.
Even though Green Bay’s offensive line appears to be as shaky now as it was then, Allen doesn’t envision another day quite like that at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
“I’m not expecting them to let me tee off on him like that again,” Allen said.
That’s exactly what happened when the teams met on Oct. 5, Brett Favre’s first matchup with his former team. Allen blew by tackle Daryn Colledge, who was filling in for the injured Chad Clifton, time and again. He also had a forced fumble and a safety in Minnesota’s 30-23 victory.
Colledge went down with an injury as well, prompting Packers coach Mike McCarthy to insert rookie fourth-round pick T.J. Lang at left tackle later in the game. It was Lang’s first extensive action at left tackle of his young career, and McCarthy said this week he has liked what he has seen from the rookie.
sota and Detroit.”
Allen isn’t sure who he will be lined up against Sunday, with Clifton and newly signed Mark Tauscher both on the injury report.
“I don’t know if Clifton’s playing. I don’t know if Lang’s playing. I don’t know if Colledge is going to be out there,” Allen said. “I’m going to prepare for everybody. I’m going to do my due diligence and watch tape on everybody.”
If he plays the way he did in their first meeting, it might not matter. Allen is fourth in the league with 7 1/2 sacks this season and has more sacks than anyone since 2004.
“We’ve got to put ourselves in position to get in rushing situations,” Allen said. “We’ve got to put ourselves in positive positions. We’ve got to win on first and second down. That’s key. And they thrive on big plays. We’ve got to hold them off of that.”
—
DELHOMME’S ELITE COMPANY: With an NFL-high 13 interceptions in six games, Carolina’s Jake Delhomme has been bad.
But it’s not even close to the most horrible stretch in the league. Such quarterbacks as Dan Fouts, Joe Namath, Ken Stabler, Peyton Manning and Johnny Unitas have all gotten off to worse starts.
Delhomme ranks 20th for most interceptions through six games since 1960, according to STATS LLC. Eddie LeBaron threw 17 picks in 1960, while Fouts in 1986, Namath in 1975 and Jack Kemp in 1964 threw 16.
8, as did George Blanda in 1962. There’s a long list with 14 that includes Manning in his rookie year of 1998 and Unitas in 1961.
Delhomme is on pace to challenge former teammate Testaverde, whose 35 picks in 1988 ranks second on the single-season list. Blanda threw 42 in 1962 in the old AFL.
Coach John Fox decided to stick with Delhomme, who has thrown 18 interceptions and lost three fumbles in seven games dating to last season’s playoff loss to Arizona. The Panthers visit the Cardinals on Sunday.
“I think the offense in general, we’re to blame on certain situations that we’ve put him in,” Panthers tight end Jeff King said.
—
LIGHTENING UP: Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder has mellowed on the subject of New York Jets running back Leon Washington, whose season was ended by a broken leg Sunday.
Crowder had harsh words for Washington before the teams met earlier this season. But he said he’s sorry Washington won’t be able to play Sunday against the Dolphins.
“I love playing the guy because he makes you play your best game,” Crowder said. “I wish I had his cell phone number so I could call him and tell him, seriously, I’m mad he’s not playing. I like playing him. He’s an amazing player.”
The two players have traded barbs since Crowder was with Florida and Washington with Florida State. But Crowder said the feud is overblown.
am, I get way more mad at him than anybody else in the world. I hate FICA. Whoever FICA is, I hate her.”
—
SAVAGE ATTACK: Former Browns general manager Phil Savage delivered a cheap, but calculated, shot at the team he helped assemble this week.
Speaking at a function in Alabama, Savage, fired late last season, said the current regime has damaged quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn and put the team farther behind.
“You don’t take a lot of solace in watching a place you leave go downhill further,” Savage said in comments published by the Mobile Press Register. “But they took what we did have going there and they just dismantled that even further. We left two quarterbacks behind that both seem ruined right now. They traded a lot of players out of there. I feel for the guys we brought in because they’re good players and good people and they’re stuck in a situation and can’t get out for at least the time being.”
Savage was fired on Dec. 28 with four years remaining on his contract. He may have sealed his fate when it was learned he sent a profane e-mail to a Buffalo fan following Cleveland’s win over the Bills.
It’s not clear if Savage violated any conditions of his severance package by criticizing the Browns, who are 1-6 entering this week’s game in Chicago.
Savage is now working as a radio analyst for Alabama football. The Browns went 22-40 with Savage running the show.
—
AP Football Writer Barry Wilner and Sports Writer Jon Krawczynski in Minneapolis, Steven Wine in Miami, Tom Withers in Cleveland and Mike Cranston in Charlotte and Doug Tucker in Kansas City contributed to this story.
Add A Comment