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Tight end is a good news, bad news position
Davis' return is probable, but Chmura's isn't
TOM MULHERN
and JASON WILDE
GREEN BAY -- Green Bay Packers coach Mike Holmgren doesn't know if he will have tight end Mark Chmura for Sunday's game at Chicago, but the chances are good that backup Tyrone Davis will be back.
Chmura strained a calf muscle in a 30-22 win over Tennessee on Sunday. On Monday, Holmgren said Chmura's status is up in the air.
Davis has missed the last two games with a pulled hamstring but is feeling better.
``I've come a long way," he said. ``It's feeling pretty good right now. If I can get that little bit extra, to be able to cut and do all the things, and the leg can hold up, I think I should be able to play."
He has not been cleared to run yet, other than on a treadmill, but there is a chance Davis could practice Wednesday.
``First, I've got to prove to the doctors that I can run," he said. ``Once I do that, then I should be cleared to practice. Hopefully, that will happen."
Chmura played only two snaps against the Oilers. Once he went out, the only tight end available for the Packers was Jeff Thomason.
``We've had injury situations all year," Davis said. ``To have (Chmura) go down the second play of the game, me already being hurt, that kind of put the clamp on some of our offense for that game."
A win keeps the Packers' chances of a home playoff game alive, but Holmgren is also concerned about getting his team healthy for its playoff game with San Francisco.
Davis doesn't think it is necessary to hold him out another week, especially given Chmura's unknown status.
``I wouldn't want to rest anyway," Davis said. ``If I can play, I want to be out there. Plus, we have enough guys hurt already."
BACKFIELD IN MOTION:
In addition to a lot of different formations on offense, Mike Holmgren likes to use pre-snap shifts and motion to confuse defenses. But it's not always the defense that gets confused.
On a couple of different occasions in recent games, the Packers have shifted as many as four players on a single play. They have also used a lot of motion, and it helped spring Antonio Freeman for his first touchdown reception against the Oilers.
``We had planned to do that (Sunday) because of all the problems (the Oilers) give you in the blitz package," Holmgren said. ``It worked for us on the first touchdown.
``It's fun to do those things. I like to do those things. But we've had so many procedure penalties this year, let's line up and run a play before we start tinkering with all this other stuff. Prove to me we can do that first. We just haven't been as disciplined in that area as I would like."
On the fist touchdown Freeman initially lined up in the backfield. That's something Holmgren also did with former wide receiver Sterling Sharpe when defenses were focusing their coverages on him.
``Freeman, because of our situation with (injuries to) our offensive personnel, is starting to demand that type of attention," Holmgren said. ``We're just going to put him in different places to make it a little more difficult, in case teams want to double him."
FLANAGAN TRIES TIGHT END:
Even with Jeff Thomason as the only healthy tight end on the Packers' roster, don't plan on seeing center Mike Flanagan filling in at that position again anytime soon. He certainly doesn't expect to be there.
``I'm definitely a better center than I am a tight end, that's for sure," said Flanagan, who lined up on the left side in the Packers' two tight-end formation on Antonio Freeman's 32-yard touchdown catch Sunday. ``It was something different. However little it was, it was nice to feel like I did something. It's the first play from scrimmage I've had this year, so that was nice.
``But if that's the situation, they'll change the game plan before they put me in there, put it that way. I'm essentially a last-case scenario."
Mike Holmgren said Monday he and general manager Ron Wolf were going to discuss adding another tight end to the roster if Tyrone Davis and Mark Chmura aren't healthy enough to play Sunday against the Bears, but that appears about as likely as Flanagan catching a pass.
``Mike was our second tight end in short-yardage situations," Holmgren said. ``He wouldn't be the answer, however, in most other situations."
LEVENS FEELS OK:
Halfback Dorsey Levens reported no unusual soreness Monday after his first start since returning from a broken fibula. Levens carried the ball 26 times for 70 yards against the Oilers. His carries have gone up each week since returning to action Nov. 29 against Philadelphia.
``I feel better and better each week," Levens said. ``Hopefully I can continue to get stronger and continue to get healthier and get close to full speed once the playoffs come around."
Mike Holmgren said Darick Holmes could have played Sunday but was better off resting his injured shoulder. Holmgren said he was pleased with Levens' progress.
``The only think is, he carried the ball more than I really would have liked him to," Holmgren said. ``Darick Holmes, he could have played, but you run the risk of losing him for another week or something if he bangs that shoulder again. So, as long as Dorsey was feeling OK, and we were monitoring that thing all the time, then we were going to play him. (But) he carried the ball a few more times than I planned on yesterday."
EXTRA POINTS:
Think the 49ers care if they lose to the Rams Sunday and have to play their wild-card game with the Packers in Lambeau? ``We've got to get a home game. If we play Green Bay, we've definitely got to get those guys at home," safety Tim McDonald said. ``Nobody wants to go to Lambeau Field in January. So we'd better go out and try to beat the heck out of the Rams." ... Freeman's 186 yards receiving Sunday moved him back into first place in receiving yards in the NFL. He has 1,359 yards. Minnesota's Randy Moss is second with 1,281. Freeman is tied for sixth with 77 catches.
Tom Mulhern and Jason Wilde are reporters for the Wisconsin State Journal in Madison.
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