Packers' offensive line still rolling even without Bakhtiari

t even loss of All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari can slow a Green Bay Packers offensive line that has withstood adversity all season.

Green Bay lost two of its original five starters to season-ending knee injuries, with right guard Lane Taylor going down in opener. Packers were missing All-Pro center Corey Linsley for three games last month. w y’re continuing ir Super Bowl chase without Bakhtiari.

Yet line hasn’t missed a beat while helping make Packers NFL’s highest-scoring team.

“Our attitude in O-line room is just, ‘Next man up, step up, everybody’s got to prepare like y’re starting,’ because if you get thrown in in middle of game and you don’t kw what you’re doing, you’re going to get exposed,” Linsley said. “And y’re going to keep coming at you. And that’s kind of how it works.”

That approach has been most evident since Bakhtiari suffered a season-ending knee injury in a Dec. 31 practice.

In Green Bay’s first game without Bakhtiari, Packers scored touchdowns on ir first three drives and gave up just one sack to win 35-16 at Chicago. y followed that by scoring on ir first five possessions and allowing sacks in a 32-18 divisional playoff triumph over Los Angeles Rams, whose 53 regular-season sacks ranked second in NFL.

After Packers beat Rams, All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers called his offensive linemen “ stars of game.”

“I don’t kw if I got touched hardly at all entire night, or than scrambling outside pocket,” Rodgers said. “That was a fantastic performance by m. y dominated line of scrimm.”

Packers replaced Bakhtiari by moving Billy Turner from right tackle to left tackle while having Rick Wagner fill Turner’s old spot. It’s same plan Packers used when Bakhtiari missed three games earlier this season with broken ribs.

“You never want to see anybody go down, especially a player of (Bakhtiari's) caliber,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “But we are pretty fortunate that we have a lot of depth at that position, and guys that have been asked to step in have done a hell of a job.”

Switching positions is thing new for Turner. He has made six starts at right tackle and four each at left tackle and right guard this season.

“It’s one of those things that I’ve become accustomed to,” Turner said last week. “And don’t get me wrong, it’s t easy by any means. It’s t like it’s something that I prefer. But at end of day, if that’s what is necessary to help this team win games, that’s what I’m going to do every single time.”

Green Bay’s current starting five on line also includes Pro Bowl selection Elgton Jenkins at left guard, Linsley at center and Lucas Patrick at right guard.

This line faces one of its toughest tests of season Sunday when top-seeded Packers (14-3) host Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13-5) in NFC championship game.

Green Bay allowed five sacks in a 38-10 loss at Tampa Bay back on Oct. 18. Packers rushed for 94 yards as a team that day, but Aaron Jones was limited to 15 yards on 10 carries.

Tampa Bay tied for fourth among all NFL teams in sacks (48) and ranked second in pressures per game (10.9) during regular season. Bucs’ defense should get a boost Sunday from return of se tackle Vita Vea, who hasn’t played since breaking his ankle Oct. 8 but has been activated from injured reserve.

Bucs realize success y had against Green Bay during regular season doesn’t guarantee anything Sunday.

“It’s going to be a different ballgame,” Bucs linebacker Lavonte David said. “A lot is at stake right here, so we’ve definitely got to forget about what happened that game last time we played m and focus on right w.”

That performance against Tampa Bay was out of character for a Green Bay offensive line that orwise has stood tall against virtually every challenge.

Packers have allowed more than one sack in 14 of ir 17 games. After overcoming injury upon injury, se linemen want to make amends for one of ir poorest performances of season.

“ professionalism in room is great,” offensive line coach Adam Stenavich said. “se guys, y’re all about one thing and that’s winning. How can we help this team win?”

Im credits: AP