What Green Bay center Mike Flanagan hated most about missing most of training camp was knowing who awaited him tonight: Carolina Panthers All-Pro defensive tackle Kris Jenkins.
"So much for easing back into it," said Flanagan, who missed all but the last six days of camp because of patellar tendinitis in his right knee.
"I want to play a junior high girls team, you know, just to ease back," Flanagan cracked.
Flanagan's teammates are putting up a brave front, too, saying he'll be ready, not rusty.
Truth is, they have no time for commiseration because they've got their hands full themselves with the Panthers' front seven, which might be the best in the league.
In addition to Jenkins, arguably the league's top inside player, left end Julius Peppers, right end Mike Rucker and tackle Brentson Buckner make up a front four that drives offenses batty.
"Individually, they're so talented that even if they screw up, more often than not it comes out looking good," Packers left guard Mike Wahle said.
Behind them are speedy linebackers Mark Fields, Dan Morgan and Will Witherspoon.
The linemen and linebackers are the strength of the defending NFC champions. The seven are so capable of rushing the quarterback and stopping the run they don't have to put an eighth defender near the line of scrimmage the way other teams do, Packers coach Mike Sherman said.
The Packers counter with one of the top offensive lines in football - when healthy.
Wahle teamed with Flanagan, right guard Marco Rivera and tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher to help spring Ahman Green for a franchise record 1,883 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. They also protected quarterback Brett Favre enough for him to lead the league with 32 touchdown passes.
Wahle (bone bruise) also missed most of training camp. When he and Flanagan finally got back on the practice field, Green went down with a sore knee.
So, although the Packers return all 11 starters on offense, they haven't played a down together since the playoffs. They had just a week together to get their timing down and their technique refined to face the Panthers' formidable front four.
"Well, it's going to be a test for our guys," Favre said. "I know that they're not where they were when we left last season. And even if they would have practiced together this whole preseason, I don't think that they would have been at that point. Now that some of those guys have been out, this is a challenge for them."
Carolina coach John Fox is certain the Packers offense will be tough to stop.
"As far as talentwise and even schematically, Green Bay's offense is as good as we'll face," Fox said.
Can the Packers offensive line make it all work again on such short notice?
"Well, it is a concern," Sherman acknowledged. "I'd be misspeaking to say that doesn't concern me. But I fall back to the talent level that they have and the toughness and the competitiveness and I think they'll figure out a way."
