"Running back Ryan Grant's drop-off in production will be examined closely when the Green Bay Packers conclude their season.

Grant was a true home-run hitter last season, but this season his runs of 20 or more yards can be counted on one hand. Despite having 105 more carries than he did last year, Grant has just four runs of 20 or more yards, including one of 40 or more.

Compare that to last year, when he had 11 runs of 20 or more yards, two fewer than San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson, who had 127 more carries. Grant, who had two runs of 40 or more yards - both for touchdowns - averaged more 20-yard runs per carry than any other back in the NFL.

Through 15 games this year, Grant has 1,097 yards, but he is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry, down from the 5.1 he averaged last year. Grant's lone 40-plus gain occurred on opening day, which means he has gone 14 straight games without a breakaway run.

"This is not all on Ryan Grant, I wouldn't say," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "But if you look at Week 16 a year ago, he averaged 4.9 and this year it's 3.7. So there's a drop-off there that's a concern to everybody.

"It's a concern to him, it's a concern to me, it's a concern to our offensive staff. I can't sit here and say there were two tackles in this game he should have broke and three in that and four in that. It's safe to say that we've got to be a little more consistent running the ball. He's part of that."

So is the offensive line, which until midseason wasn't settled and struggled to open holes. But of late, Grant has gotten into the second level with a shot to beat a safety for a long run and hasn't done it.

Philbin dismissed the possibility that Grant's off-season workouts had bulked him up too much and taken away some of his speed and agility. He said from what he can see, Grant is the same physically as he was a year ago.

Grant did not go through on-field workouts during the off-season conditioning program or take part in minicamps because he was not under contract. He did, however, attend the off-season program and took part in weight-lifting and film study."