It's no secret that the Packers major problem in 2009 is the offensive line. Aaron Rodgers is being hit repeatedly and his sack total continues to rise. The Packers have allowed more sacks than any other team in the NFL thus far with 37. They have already eclipsed their total from last season, and the sacks are not a good sign for a team that had some hopes for this season.

To put into perspective the stat that sacks allowed is you must realize that in the top 15 (or bottom I suppose) teams in the category (which actually encompasses 17 teams because of ties), only four of those teams have a record better than .500. That is a telling number.

The passing game was supposed to be a strength of the this team, and so far it has been as this team is ninth in the league. Even with that, there seems to be something off with the Packers air game.

Is the line that bad? Yes. Is Rodgers holding on to the ball too long? Probably. Have the Packers changed their offensive game plan? I think so.

What I mean by that is that the Packers seem to have gone away from the short passing game that made them so successful in years past. The Viking game was a clear example of this. The Packers were able to get into the game late with short passes that allowed the receivers to make plays after the catch.

It wasn't but two years ago where the Packers were one of the most dangerous YAC teams in the NFL. In 2007 the Packers went 13-3 behind Brett Favre and basically the same group of receivers, minus Koren Robinson. Greg Garber of ESPN wrote prior to their playoff game with the Seahawks that,

"Essentially, the Packers won this season less because of Favre's arm than the feet of his receivers. Almost half of Favre's 4,155 passing yards -- 2,061 -- came after the catch, according to the Elias Sports Bureau."

Why did this team go away from that strategy? The game plan seems to have shifter to going deep more often as evidenced by the Packers 41 plays of 20+ yards or more. Only two teams in the NFL have more big plays, the Cowboys and the Texans.

This issue is discussed in an interview between Jason Wilde of the ESPNMilwaukee.com and the Drew Olson here.

There seem to be a lot of factors at play when discussing the Packers and their inability to keep Rodgers upright. One of the quickest fixes could be play calling changes. If more quick routes are called the Packers should be able to keep Rodgers protected and should be able to let the receivers make the plays on their own, they are some of the most talented in all of the NFL.

I think all the evidence you need is in the Packers-Vikings box score from Sunday, November 1st. In the third quarter the Packers mounted their comeback with 17 straight points to pull within four points. On those three consecutive drives Rodgers was 12-14 for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Of those 14 passes, only three were deep balls.

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