TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona coach Dennis Green has decided to
shake up his struggling offensive line.
He's also decided not to talk about any moves, at least for now.
"We're not going to announce any, but we've made a few
changes," Green said after practice Wednesday.
Green has not told the players what line-up changes are coming
when the 1-6 Cardinals, who have dropped six straight games, visit
Green Bay Sunday. But changes were expected after the offense
mustered just three field goals in a 22-9 loss to the previously
winless Oakland Raiders last Sunday.
With the Cardinals off to their worst start since 1997, Green
has already changed his starting quarterback and his offensive
coordinator. Even with all the changes, criticism of the line has
been a constant.
"You hear things, and it doesn't really make you feel good, but
it doesn't necessarily make you lose sleep at night," tackle
Reggie Wells said. "You've got to understand the business. You
know how it is when you're not successful."
Last week, the Cardinals started Leonard Davis at left tackle,
Wells at left guard, Nick Leckey at center, Chris Liwienski at
right guard and Oliver Ross at right tackle.
It's possible that Mesa native Deuce Lutui, the team's second
draft pick last spring, will make his first pro start in the
line-up shuffle.
No matter who's in the line-up Sunday at Lambeau Field, Green
wants to be able to run the ball more effectively. The running game
was expected to be a strength after the club signing free-agent
running back Edgerrin James.
But James has not been nearly as effective as he was in
Indianapolis. His 2.7-yards-per carry average is 1.5 yards lower
than his average over his first seven years.
James rushed for at least 100 yards 49 times in 96 games with
Indianapolis. He has yet to do it as a Cardinal.
Green said he has not been tempted to junk the running game and
try to throw more. One reason is that he's concerned about opposing
defenders teeing off on rookie quarterback Matt Leinart. Leinart
was excused from practice Wednesday to attend the birth of his son,
Cole, who was born Tuesday night in California.
Another reason, Green said, is that the Cardinals' air attack
isn't as potent without Larry Fitzgerald, who has missed two games
with a hamstring injury and isn't expected to play against the
Packers.
"First off, we're not throwing the ball that well right now,"
Green said. "We've got a Pro Bowl player (Fitzerald) that's not
there, and we have missed him a lot. I think that's put way too
much on Anquan (Boldin). If we're waiting for Anquan to come open,
which happened a little bit last week, and he doesn't, all of a
sudden the whole thing goes bad.
"I think that we've just got to make ourselves be able to run
the ball, emphasize it, keep working hard and try to reduce the
number of hits on the quarterback," Green said.
Davis said the running game isn't that complicated.
"Just getting a hat on a hat," he said. "That's what it boils
down to."
But Wells said the front line needs to work on mastering
run-blocking, which is different from pass protection.
"We're still learning the running game," Wells said. "I know
it sounds crazy at this point in the season, but guys are still
learning the system. We've got a bunch of new guys and guys are
still learning how to play with each other.
"It's something we have to get done," Wells said. "Edge knows
that we have a talented group. We know we do. For whatever reason,
it just hasn't gone that way. But what better time to start than
now?"