Cullen Jenkins is done for the year. He tore his pec. Say goodbye to the McCarthy fantasy of the Packers being led this season by a top-notch defense.
Why do I say this? Is it just the parade of injuries to Bigby, Hawk, Harris, Rouse, Harrell and now Jenkins? Well, yes. The idea that the Packers would have a top-tier defense this season, with this personnel, was a bit of a stretch unless certain guys took a major step forward and everyone else's level of play stayed the same.
Sadly, certain guys have dropped off. Kampman seems less effective. KGB has done almost nothing, his best moment wiped out by a bad offsides call. Jolly isn't as dynamic as last season. The chip on Barnett's shoulder has apparently fallen off.
Now, it's true that Woodson has been fantastic, despite the penalties. Nick Collins has taken some major steps forward. And Jenkins, as his agent said, had been the team's best d-lineman through the first four games. But that hasn't been enough. And now Jenkins is gone. The defense is going to be iffy for the foreseeable future.
Unless the o-line finally relearns how to run-block, Clifton and Taushcer rediscover their form, Jones heals properly, and Rodgers stays healthy and develops more quickly, the offense doesn't look capable of carrying the team. So what does that leave us with? A team with a questionable defense and a sputtering offense. At least the kicking game is good. Oh wait, Derrick Frost has been terrible. Ok, at least Mason Crosby and Will Blackmon are excellent. I'm being ironic. Things look very dicey. Lots of things can happen, but this is shaping up to be a tough season.
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