The Official Gado Thread

[HoldMyOwn]

I just thought the way he's been playing we'll be talking about him alot, and this can be your one stop for posting any stats, news and articles you may find....i'll start

Samkon Gado Runs With Opportunity

by Nathan Hager, Packers.com
posted 12/12/2005

Samkon Gado




Related Information

: Packers-Lions Gameday



When opportunity knocks in the NFL, the old adage suggests that you do everything you can to take advantage of it or you may not last long.

If that theory holds true, Samkon Gado will undoubtedly be around for a long time.

The rookie running back stole the show in the Green Bay Packers 16-13 overtime win against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field Sunday night. Gado, who now has played in seven games in the NFL, has proven to be a quick runner and maybe an even quicker learner.

Gado finished with 171 yards on 29 carries, good enough for an impressive 5.9-yard per carry average. He also brought his team back to life in the second quarter when the Packers trailed 13-3. That's when the 5-10, 226 pound Gado hit the corner and turned on the jets down the right sideline for a 64-yard touchdown giving the Packers a much needed boost.

The big play was also significant on a personal level for Gado as it marked the team's longest rush of the season and served as his seventh touchdown of the season, moving Gado past Brent Fullwood and Gerry Ellis for the rookie record for touchdowns in Packers history.

The only problem Gado had on the big play was the celebration. He admitted that fatigue got the best of him in his attempt at a Lambeau Leap.

"That was more like a Lambeau skip," Gado said. "I was very tired."

Nonetheless, Gado had his best game as a Packer, and it obviously didn't go unnoticed by those around him, either.

"I thought he played a hell of a game," Brett Favre said. "When guys get an opportunity like Sam Gado, some take advantage of it, some don't. And I think he's making the most of his opportunity. He just had an outstanding game."

Right tackle Mark Tauscher, who played an instrumental role in creating running lanes for Gado, also was impressed.

"He ran pretty well from the get-go," Tauscher said. "He's got it going on right now. We're going to try and keep it moving and try to keep getting him yards."

Known for his quiet demeanor and his ability to remain humble throughout his success, teammates appreciate what kind of player and person Samkon Gado is.

"The guy deserves it," William Henderson explained. "I'm not considering Sam a rookie anymore because he came in like a determined older man. He's professional in his performance on and off the field. He's just solid in so many ways. He brings a lot to this locker room and I really appreciate having him here."

Tauscher also praised Gado's efforts.

"I think you can just see every game his confidence is growing and growing," Tauscher said. "He is a great guy and he works his tail off. He's been given an opportunity and he's run with it pretty well.

Gado, in his trademark style, however, shrugs off any notion that he's a great player at this stage of his career.

"I think it's too soon to say that, even if I have 100 yard games the rest of the season," Gado said. "I am not worried about being labeled as a legitimate NFL running back although I would like to be. I think in the end, I just want to get better."

And despite finishing with his third 100-yard effort of the season, Gado insists that he's had plenty of help from his teammates.

"It's obviously a team effort," Gado explained. "If you look at some of those runs, I wasn't even touched. It really is humbling to be a beneficiary of all their hard work."

Though Gado had a remarkable game running the football, one play that stood out after the game was one in which the Packers didn't gain a single yard.

Faced with a 1st and 10 on their own one-yard line, Green Bay was merely trying to get out of their own endzone with 7:07 left in the fourth quarter. Favre handed off to Gado, and the running back sensing that he was about to be stopped for a safety, shoved the ball forward out of the endzone.

The ruling initially was that the Lions stopped the Packers for a safety as Gado was ruled with intentional grounding. Mark Tauscher was also called for holding on the play. However, after discussing the situation further, officials ruled that Gado was not guilty of intentional grounding and Tauscher was out of the endzone when he committed the holding infraction.

Gado's pass was ruled incomplete and the safety was taken off the board. However, some players in the locker room, who hadn't had the benefit of seeing the replay, weren't exactly sure what to make of the ruling.

"It was confusing to be honest with you," Favre said.

"I don't know anything about it," Tauscher explained. "It's the rules. I'm sure if it wasn't judged properly, we would have had a safety and it would have been two points for them."

They sat down and I guess they got it right. I have no idea. I think you have to have a doctorate in something to get that right."

To no surprise, the Packers were relieved that the right call indeed was made.

"I appreciate the referee's interpretation of the play," Henderson said. "He (Gado) was in the pocket, he was behind the line of scrimmage, he did get the ball past the line of scrimmage and there was an eligible wide receiver there.

I appreciate the play. It gave us new life. It gave us the ability to go out there and close it. For once, the ball bounced our way and we'll take it."

The Packers were also glad to take the overtime win, one that was spearheaded by Gado and the offensive line according to Favre and Head Coach Mike Sherman.

"I think the biggest difference today is that we didn't have to rely on the pass as much because we ran the football well," Favre said. It enabled us to pick and choose some of our passes and not be as much of a gambling passing team. We ran the ball well enough."

"I think we're getting better," Sherman added. "Samkon has improved week by week by week. I think he's beginning to prove he's not a one-time wonder. I think he's seeing things better. It is a learning process.

Certainly he hasn't played a lot of football. I think he's improving, he's certainly not the finished product yet, but he made a statement today."

A statement in which Samkon Gado undoubtedly got everyone's attention.

[HoldMyOwn]

RB Coach speaks on Gado & his future with the Pack

RB coach speaks about Gado:

One other note about Gado: I really like the professional approach he brings to his game. It's refreshing to see a rookie with his head on straight. A lot of young guys come in and are not as receptive or as professional as Samkon has been, and it's evident that he is a very intelligent player. To come in and learn the offense as quickly as he has and to be as effective as he's been for the past five weeks is no easy feat. Gado has done more than the Packers could possibly have expected when they picked him up on the free agent wire. He's been a pleasant surprise and he deserves a lot of credit for working incredibly hard with running backs coach Edgar Bennett in learning the offensive schemes and game plans. Gado has been so impressive that the hot topic on many of my radio shows last week was on whether he is good enough to allow the Packers to not worry about the running back situation during the next NFL draft. Frankly I think he is. For him to be so green and yet so productive tells me he's just going to get better. With his attitude, professionalism and mental approach to the game, Gado could be the Packers' number one guy next year if Ahman Green is not able to come back at 100 percent. At worst Gado should fit in well with the rest of the running back rotation and give the Packers real depth at the position.

[dale]

This is the greatest story of the season not just because he is a former Flame. With all the trash talking and bad attitudes that get so much attention, it is great to see a young guy come in, perform better than imagined, and remain humble and respectful. He sounds like a very bright guy who works hard. I hope he is around the NFL for a long time.

[PAmedic]

his interviews sound great too, very well spoken. His humility is obvious- a breath of fresh air in the NFL.

[Sly Fox]

This may be the best story I've seen on Sam thus far:

Gado is bright spot in dark year

By Dylan B. Tomlinson
PackersNews.com

Before he made it to the NFL, Green Bay Packers running back Samkon Gado would have to tear phone books in half with his bare hands to get people’s attention.

Gado would also break bricks, sometimes as many as 12, with his elbow. If that didn’t get their attention, he would snap a baseball bat across his thigh.

No, Gado wasn’t auditioning for “Fear Factor” and he wasn’t in need of anger management therapy. He performed all those stunts while helping spread the word of God.

While in college at Liberty University, Gado and several of his friends and teammates were part of the “Men of Armor,” a Christian traveling team that would go around and speak to young kids.

“We used to run through two 2-by-4s, rip phone books, break baseball bats over our thighs, bend metal bars, bend frying pans,” Gado said. “We did it to get their attention because after watching us tear apart a phone book, they would be more than willing to give us a listening ear.”

The mere thought of Gado, who is perhaps one of the most polite, articulate and soft-spoken players in the Packers’ locker room, tearing through a 1,000-page phone book, or breaking a baseball bat Bo Jackson style, is enough to make anyone take pause.

“To be honest, I don’t know how I did that stuff,” Gado said. “The premise of the (Bible) verse is that the Holy Spirit will give you the power to be witnesses and not just where we are. We’d pray and then we would just dedicate what we were doing not so we would get attention, but so people would see God and Jesus Christ through us. Some of the stuff I used to do then, I have never been able to do outside of that context.”

Former Liberty coach Ken Karcher said it was inspiring to see the kind of impact Gado and his teammates would have on young kids.

“To watch Samkon run full speed through a pair of 2-by-4s would just amaze them,” Karcher said. “They would really respond to him. Samkon Gado has a positive impact on everybody he meets.”

That impact has carried over to Gado’s NFL career, where he has become a warm and fuzzy story on a team that has seen far too many unhappy endings this season.

Since September, Gado has been cut twice, spent time on the practice squad for two teams and even spent a brief time completely out of football. Since being signed to the Packers’ practice squad on Oct. 17, Gado has worked his way to the active roster and into Green Bay’s starting lineup. As impressive as that is, what has been truly amazing is what Gado has done since winning the starting job. After rushing for more than 100 yards in three of the last five games, Gado is making people wonder who exactly he is, and why it has taken this long for them to hear of him.

“I tell people that I’m not surprised, and they laugh at me,” Karcher said. “But anyone who knows Samkon Gado can’t be totally surprised by this. He’s someone who makes amazing things happen.”

‘A complete unknown’

In April’s NFL draft, running backs were in demand early and often. The Miami Dolphins took Ronnie Brown with the No. 2 pick. The Chicago Bears took Cedric Benson with the No. 4 pick and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took Carnell Williams with the No. 5 pick.

Brown received an $18.5 million signing bonus. Benson got $16 million. Williams got $13 million.

“I got $3,500,” Gado said laughing.

It would be hard to imagine a bigger bargain, given what Gado has done in limited action this season. In seven games, which includes one where he carried the ball just once, he has 537 yards and seven touchdowns (six rushing, one receiving), which is more than any of his multi-millionaire counterparts. Gado leads all non-kicking rookies in scoring this season, despite missing six games.

Coming out of Liberty, Gado barely received a sniff from NFL teams. He wasn’t invited to the NFL Scouting Combine and the New England Patriots were the only team to attend his pre-draft workout, which they only did as a favor to one of the coaches.

“He ran a 4.45 and had a great workout, but teams were scared to take a guy they knew nothing about,” Karcher said. “He was a complete unknown.”

Gado said he knew it would be a longshot to be taken.

“I got picked up on the radar way too late,” Gado said. “I think it would have been a gamble for anybody to draft me, because there were so many unknowns with me. All teams had to go on was a 40 time.”

After the draft, Karcher, who played two seasons in the NFL, called Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Al Saunders.

“I wouldn’t call them about just anybody, and they knew that,” Karcher said. “I told them I guarantee you that Sam Gado will bless your life as well as the lives of others in that organization. This is a kid that you have to get into camp.”

Gado said he knew he faced an uphill battle to make the Chiefs, but he spent his time there learning as much as he could from two veteran running backs in training camp.

“Priest Holmes and Tony Richardson let me pick their brains about all sorts of things like playing in the NFL, lasting in the NFL and doing well in the NFL, so that I did learn when I was in Kansas City,” Gado said. “I was constantly asking them what it takes to do well here. They went out of their way to help me. They were very patient with me. We had some conversations that lasted hours.

“Priest Holmes told me to never get comfortable. He said that no matter what you’ve done, it’s never enough and that you always have to prove yourself. I think that stuck with me the most since I left.”

Gado didn’t make Kansas City’s final roster, but he was quickly signed to the practice squad. He lasted there for less than a month before he was released on Oct. 4.

“I thought my football playing days were done,” Gado said. “I knew I had done my best, but I thought that was as close as I was going to get to playing in the NFL.”

The Packers first caught notice of Gado at Kansas City’s “Family Fun Night” on Aug. 7. The Chiefs hold their training camp in River Falls and the Packers had a scout there, who was impressed with Gado. But with Ahman Green, Najeh Davenport and Tony Fisher at tailback, Green Bay seemed well-stocked at that position.

Then the injuries started to pile up. Green injured his quadriceps and knee in practice and backup Najeh Davenport broke his ankle against the Saints on Oct. 9. During Green Bay’s bye week, Gado was brought in for a workout. After stunning the Packers by running a 4.45 in the workout, he was immediately signed to the practice squad.

In the next game, against the Vikings on Oct. 23, Green tore his quadriceps and joined Davenport on injured reserve. Packers running backs coach Edgar Bennett said Gado made a huge impression on the coaching staff from the day he first arrived in Green Bay.

“I think we just saw how hard the guy was willing to work,” Bennett said. “He was in here working out on Tuesdays, their day off. You never see a guy on the practice squad do something like that.”

After being elevated to the active roster on Oct. 29, Gado still was third on Green Bay’s depth chart. But after Fisher broke a rib and ReShard Lee fumbled on his first carry of the Pittsburgh game, the starting job was Gado’s.

In Gado’s first start, he rushed for 103 yards and accounted for all three of Green Bay’s touchdowns, rushing for two and catching another on a pass from Brett Favre.

“That was a special day,” Gado said. “My mom was at the game, and it was my birthday.”

Third string

Dre Barnes is a manager of a bread factory. Eugene Goodman works at a bank.

Anyone who has heard of either player is probably either from Lynchburg, Va., or a die-hard fan of NCAA Division I-AA football.

But Barnes and Goodman both began the 2004 season ahead of Gado on the Liberty depth chart.

Finding enough playing time for all three running backs was enough of an issue for Karcher that he redshirted Gado for his senior season.

“On the ninth play from scrimmage that season Dre Barnes was hurt,” Karcher said. “Then in the third game, Eugene Goodman breaks his ankle.”

Without both of those injuries, Gado would have returned to Liberty for the 2005 season.

“A lot of players have gotten hurt for me to get to where I am now,” Gado said, shaking his head, referring to his senior year in college and his rookie season in the NFL. “My heart goes out to all of the guys who have gotten hurt, but I’m not going to apologize for making the most of the opportunities that have been given to me.”

Gado made the most of his limited action during his senior season, rushing for 901 yards and 11 touchdowns.

“It was incredibly selfless of him to play last year,” Karcher said. “He told me that he wanted to help the team, and he played brilliantly.”

Karcher said Barnes was the most talented of the three running backs and thought all three were capable of playing in the NFL.

“I thought all three would have a shot, but Sam is the one who is getting his chance,” Karcher said. “He’s definitely earned this, because no one works harder than him. We couldn’t be prouder of what he’s done.”

Out of Africa

If Gado has one regret about this season, it’s that his father, Jeremiah, won’t get to see him play. Jeremiah Gado went to Ghana and Nigeria to do missionary work in October and won’t return until Jan. 11 after the season is over.

“This means a lot to both of my parents, but I think it means more to my dad,” Gado said. “It’s tough. I really wish he was around to see this, but I know that the situation is out of both of our hands.”

But even in Africa, Jeremiah Gado was able to see some of his son’s highlights after the Philadelphia game.

“He had a friend who had a satellite and they were able to get ESPN,” Gado said. “That’s all he’s been able to see.”

Gado wants to be able to share his NFL success with his father, because it was his dad who first turned him on to football. Gado was born in Nigeria but moved to Wheaton, Ill., when he was six months old. The Gado family moved back to Nigeria two years later but came back to the U.S. in 1991, when Samkon was 9. It was then that Gado and his father quickly became very interested in the NFL.

“There was a player from Nigeria who was in the NFL and my father and I would always watch him play on Sundays,” Gado said. “That’s when my interest piqued.”

The player Gado is referring to is former Kansas City Chiefs running back Christian Okoye. Gado has never met Okoye, but just a few weeks ago, Okoye called him.

“We were more reminiscing about Nigeria and developing a friendship,” Gado said. “I’m so glad that he went out of his way to call.”

Love of football isn’t the only thing Gado has in common with his father. When Gado’s NFL career is done, he plans to go to medical school so he can be a missionary doctor in Africa.

“That is something I spent the last four years working toward and when football is done, that’s what I want to do,” Gado said. “Right now, I don’t know when that will be.”

A changed life

In the last several weeks, Gado has gone from being a complete unknown to being an instant celebrity. He said some of the fame has caught him a bit off-guard.

“I had never had a girl come up to me and give me her number,” Gado said, laughing. “That happened for the first time last week.”

In a town where NFL players are treated like celebrities, Gado’s little black book should be growing in the weeks to come. While fame has come to Gado quickly, he said he realizes it can all be gone just as fast. While Gado almost has certainly done enough this season to merit a return to the NFL next season, he’s not taking anything for granted.

“I don’t think anything is a given,” Gado said. “I hope I have, but I don’t know that.”

Bennett said he thinks Gado has shown enough that his NFL career isn’t likely to be over anytime soon.

“He’s been able to do what a lot of other players couldn’t do this season,” Bennett said. “The guy works so hard that you like to see guys like that succeed.”

If anything, Gado is humbled by his success and the instant fame that has come with it. This is why he is grateful for the opportunities he has gotten, and he realizes what had to take place for him to get where he is

“I’m not so worried about what might happen. I have stopped to think about all that had to happen to get me to this point,” Gado said. “I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has ordered my steps to this point.

“What’s next? I don’t know. I know in the NFL there are no guarantees.”

www.packersnews.com/archives/news/pack_23896228.shtml

[HoldMyOwn]

sumner said:

This may be the best story I've seen on Sam thus far:

By far the best article i've seen, I'm going to have to foward this...

[HoldMyOwn]

Jerry will be at the game tomorrow in Balt. and ABC is looking to maybe do an interview with him...Gado had some team meeting (nothing to important) and he told the packer's he wasnt going to be able to make it b/c he wanted to meet with Jerry, yet Jerry wont be there in time to meet with him before the game, only after...

Word is Karcher is going to be up there as well....they wont be going together if you couldnt guess

[PAmedic]

Word is Karcher is going to be up there as well....they wont be going together if you couldnt guess

shame- they coulda split the cab fare

[Sly Fox]

It'd be awesome if some crafty LU fan were to get a sign for Sam on the national telecast tomorrow night. Anybody have tickets?

[HoldMyOwn]

sumner said:

It'd be awesome if some crafty LU fan were to get a sign for Sam on the national telecast tomorrow night. Anybody have tickets?

We all know Jerry is the ultimate self promoter...if and they say they will put him on TV, it'll be worth 100 signs

[HoldMyOwn]

Hey I heard yall talkin about how the ad's on Firehouse are search related...In this thread Jerry's name as been mentioned a few times and the ad was something about Weight Loss....are they that smart??? ;D

[Sly Fox]

Sam just went down. Let's hope its not serious.

[Sly Fox]

Sideline twinkie: "He tweaked his right knee" and his return is probable.

That's a very positive report.

[HoldMyOwn]

MCL...that's to bad, I hope the tests are negitive

He was running well too...Jerry may not be allowed at another game!

[Chris Lang]

Just got done talking to Samkon. Not a surprise: Great guy. As polite and well-spoken as any NFL player I've ever talked to. Jerry was here, as was Terry Falwell. They cheered in the press box during the 26-yard run (to the gasps of stunned reporters.)

Bad news: Torn MCL, out for sure next week. Outside chance he may play against Seattle in Week 17.

***

Agreed on Dylan Tomlinson's story. He and I have worked together this week and I helped get him in touch with Karcher and he's helped get me some stuff from Mike Sherman on Samkon and Paris Lenon.

My story on Sam will run Saturday, the Lenon story is running Thursday, I think.

[HoldMyOwn]

chrislang said:

Just got done talking to Samkon. Not a surprise: Great guy. As polite and well-spoken as any NFL player I've ever talked to. Jerry was here, as was Terry Falwell. They cheered in the press box during the 26-yard run (to the gasps of stunned reporters.)

Bad news: Torn MCL, out for sure next week. Outside chance he may play against Seattle in Week 17.

***

Agreed on Dylan Tomlinson's story. He and I have worked together this week and I helped get him in touch with Karcher and he's helped get me some stuff from Mike Sherman on Samkon and Paris Lenon.

My story on Sam will run Saturday, the Lenon story is running Thursday, I think.

I was told Terry knew better and had to quickly remind Jerry that he couldn't cheer in that room!

That news is so sad about Sam....with all the success he's had I doubt this is possible but my mind can only help to think about how quickly he came into the league due to all the injuries in his favor, i hope he doesn't go out just as quick with them now going against him...I look forward to the story

[guest]

How bad is a torn MCL? Is that a common injury?

[Sly Fox]

It depend on the severity of the tear, but any MCL injury can be significant. Hopefully its just a slight tear and it won't keep him from getting paid this offseason. Medical school isn't cheap, you know.

[PAmedic]

if memory serves, of the 3 (PCL, ACL and MCL) you retain the most stability w/ a MCL tear.

I think

[Chris Lang]

MCL tears can be more of the 4-6 week variety at their worst, not catastrophic nine-month injuries like ACLs are. I don't think the MCL is nearly as crucial to the overall knee structure as the ACL is. I've seen guys come back from MCLs and meniscus injuries rather quickly. (Then again, I'm no doctor, so ... take it FWIW).

Yeah, Hold My Own, Terry told Jerry to pipe down (in a nicer way, I think) after he started cheering.

[PAmedic]

I'm 99% sure CHRIS is right on- the MCLs aren't as bad, can often be fixed w/ a scope* as opposed to total open knee surgery.

*arthiscopic surgery

[beigledog]

What I want to know is how it went from a "tweek" to a torn MCL? MCLs are definitely the better of the two though...that's for sure. If it was an ACL, my guess is that his career would be over. Everybody would forget about him.

[HoldMyOwn]

pamedic said:

if memory serves, of the 3 (PCL, ACL and MCL) you retain the most stability w/ a MCL tear.

I think

I played ball with someone who tore his MCL and was only out a few weeks (5)...hopefully they wont forget about him

[PittLU]

Big Ben had a MCL that was fixed with the scope. He looks fine mobility-wise. He ran for a TD this past Sunday. Duce Staley had the same thing fixed with a scope, but was out 6 weeks and is still usually deactivated (though I think there is something more behind that).

[coastal89]

[/quote]I played ball with someone who tore his MCL and was only out a few weeks (5)...hopefully they wont forget about him[/quote]
Although he only played 1 quarter he was still the leading rusher for GB last night. Six carries for 45 yds. I doubt they'll forget about him.

[HoldMyOwn]

lupitt said:

Big Ben had a MCL that was fixed with the scope. He looks fine mobility-wise. He ran for a TD this past Sunday. Duce Staley had the same thing fixed with a scope, but was out 6 weeks and is still usually deactivated (though I think there is something more behind that).

Yeh duce did A LOT more damage this time then just a MCL

[bigsmooth]

samkon is the best feel good story in the NFL this year! im praying that he will be OK. im sure no matter how severe, his faith and determination will carry him through this!

[tallyw]

The Kansas City Star ran a wrap from the weekend in football from the Cheifs POV. Obviously Sam Gado got some ink... as did Dr. Falwell.

Link:
www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/football/nfl/kansas_city_chiefs/13452684.htm

[[Guess who was at the Monday night football game in Baltimore? None other than Jerry Falwell.

Falwell, the founder of the Moral Majority and the president of Liberty University, was there to see one of his alums — Packers running back Samkon Gado, who was with the Chiefs earlier this year.

Liberty, in Lynchburg, Va., is about a four-hour drive from Baltimore.

Gado has become a fascinating story in the NFL, mainly because he was just a third-string running back while at Liberty.

“We have 98,000 alumni, and not one represents a university better than Samkon Gado,” Falwell told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “He’s a very committed Christian whose goal in life is to be a doctor. I think it still is, but he’ll probably play longer than he ever thought.”

Falwell told the newspaper that given Gado’s talent, he should have been utilized more in college.

“The coach made a mistake,” Falwell said. “The bottom line is that the other two guys were good enough and Samkon was humble enough that it was easy to get lost.”

Asked whether the reason he recently fired coach Ken Karcher, who recruited Gado, was because of his failure to get Gado on the field, Falwell said, “I don’t want to comment on that.”]]

Jerry... He sure knows the media doesn't he?

[Sly Fox]

Gado's run likely over
Back opened eyes before injuring MCL
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
[e-mail]
Posted: Dec. 20, 2005

Samkon Gado's season took a wrong turn Monday night but his future remains headed firmly in the right direction.

Were it not for a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee suffered in the first quarter of a 48-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the Green Bay Packers rookie might have reached another landmark. Gado (six carries for 45 yards) was well on his way to a fourth 100-yard rushing game before getting torpedoed from the side on a 2-yard run with 1 minute 10 seconds left in the quarter.

He was unable to return and tests confirmed Tuesday that he had torn the ligament. The injury will not require surgery and in some instances can be mitigated with a knee brace, but given how much Gado relies on his legs to make sharp cuts and accelerate, he won't be back this season.

"It's three to six weeks," coach Mike Sherman said.

General manager Ted Thompson said Gado wasn't headed directly for injured reserve because there was a remote chance he could still play. But it's unlikely the Packers would risk exposing their potential running back of the future to further injury with two weeks to go in a 3-11 season.

"Those injuries usually take a little bit longer than two weeks. Not much longer and some guys have played on them," Thompson said. "It just depends on the injury and the nature of the person. If we felt there wasn't any appreciable risk, we would like to see him out there again. He'd like to play."

Gado's strong - albeit brief - performance against a hearty Ravens defense was yet another hurdle the rookie from Liberty University appeared to have cleared since being signed from the practice squad Oct. 29. The Packers were hoping to see him finish out that game and play against two of the top NFC teams, Chicago and Seattle, to close out the season.

Instead, Gado will have to spend the final weeks of the season healing and preparing for next season. Gado will go into the off-season as the leading candidate to start at halfback, but the Packers would have felt a lot better about it if he had proved he could survive three successive games against big-time competition.

"I think everybody here likes him quite a bit," Thompson said. "He's also benefited greatly from the experience he's gotten over the course of the last six or seven weeks. And it seemed like he was doing pretty well last night and that would have been a good experience for him against that kind of defense to hang in there and play all night.

"It would have been nice for him to play the last two games."

Gado's injury is another in a long series suffered at the running back position. All told, the Packers have dressed seven halfbacks this season and placed five on injured reserve, if you include rookie Chaz Williams, who was hurt in training camp. Consider that Tony Fisher missed two games with a broken rib and the numbers are mind-boggling.

"It's kind of eerie," Sherman said.

Fisher regains the starting role he inherited from Ahman Green (thigh) lost to ReShard Lee (ribs) and regained after Gado fumbled too much. Gado took over from Fisher three weeks ago and had gained 291 yards and two touchdowns in 55 carries in his last three games.

Against the Ravens, he broke off a 26-yard run in his second carry to give the Packers breathing room on a drive that started at their 8-yard line. Two possessions later, he looked explosive on a burst up the middle that gained 9 yards.

On the next play, he injured his knee.

"Based on last night - and that's mostly what I have to base it on - he looks like an exceptional talent," said former Packers general manager Ron Wolf, who attended the game in Baltimore. "I don't know what his injury was, so we'll see.

"But when he hit that one hole and then hit through the other, you said to yourself, 'Holy smokes. My goodness, that's a real talent. He's someone to reckon with.' "

It certainly would have helped the Packers to know that Gado could have gotten through that game and the next two healthy and productive. But he did carry 20 times against the Bears' top-rated defense three weeks ago and managed 75 yards and a touchdown, so there is a body of work there.

Still, the Packers are probably going to have to consider addressing the running back position in the draft, especially with Green, Fisher and Najeh Davenport set to become unrestricted free agents. It's possible none of the three will be back next season.

The Packers aren't completely out of the Reggie Bush sweepstakes, especially after Houston won to improve to 2-12. But they're going to trail in a tie-breaker with most of the contenders for the top pick.

If there is a tie, the team that played the softest schedule (the lowest winning percentage in the combined record of its opponents) would prevail. The Packers currently have the easiest schedule (.510) of any of the five contenders - Houston (2-12, .546), San Francisco (2-12, .587), New Orleans (3-11, .531) and the New York Jets (3-11, .531) - but that will change in the final two weeks.

The Packers finish against the 10-4 Bears and the 12-2 Seahawks and by the time the season ends, their strength of schedule will have improved greatly.

There could be a handful of backs considered in the first round if the right juniors declare early, including USC's Bush and LenDale White, Minnesota's Laurence Maroney and Memphis' DeAngelo Williams. All will come with more hype than the modest Gado, but none will have laid the foundation the young rookie did this year.

www.jsonline.com/packer/news/dec05/379402.asp

[PAmedic]

hey, if GB can't use him- Philly can. And half their coaching staff has ended up here at some point.