"Ryan Grant and John Kuhn had just been stopped for no gain on consecutive snaps from the Cleveland Browns' 1-yard line in the second quarter when Grant looked toward the Green Bay Packers' sideline and gestured demonstratively at coach Mike McCarthy.

The Packers' running back wanted the ball. His body language left no doubt about that.

No need for Grant to worry. By then, McCarthy had shown that he was committed to sticking with the run. The Packers' coach called Grant's number once more, and this time, he banged into the end zone for the touchdown.

It was just one of his season-high 148 yards rushing in Sunday's 31-3 rout of the Browns and for the first time all season, the Packers presented a formidable rushing attack. Granted, it was against a Browns defense that came in ranked 30th out of 32 teams against the run. But for an offense that had been ranked 19th in rushing, for a running back who had averaged a pedestrian 3.8 yards per carry and for a line that was missing two of its five starters, it was a significant accomplishment.

"We wanted to get out and run the ball, and Coach said if were able to do it, he'd let us keep doing it," left guard Daryn Colledge said. "If the offensive line can prove that it can get first downs running the ball and get good yardage, then he's going to keep giving us the opportunity to do it."

McCarthy insisted he didn't put together a run-heavy game plan, but his play calling seemed to suggest otherwise. He opened the game in a two-tight end formation and called Grant's number on consecutive plays. He even ran on the first third-down of the game, a third-and-3 on which Brandon Jackson ran a draw for 3 yards and a first down."