by TOM SILVERSTEIN, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Woodson made his debut there Sunday in the 35-31 loss to Carolina, filling in for starter Atari Bigby and backup Aaron Rouse, who were both out with ankle injuries. The move allowed the club to insert nickel cornerback Tramon Williams into a starting position and get what it considers its four best available defensive backs on the field.

"He was outstanding," secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer said. "He caused a fumble, he played with great anticipation and he made some good tackles. We were really pleased with Charles' ability to go back and play there."

Though Woodson played well, one question that lingers is whether it was smart to move the defense's top-performing player from the position where he is at his best. At cornerback, Woodson's moves are natural and his ability to blanket receivers is invaluable to the defense.

Against the Panthers, Woodson was in coverage on receiver Steve Smith's game-changing 54-yard reception with less than 2 minutes left. Smith timed his leap better than Woodson and used his strength to fend him off.

Woodson was playing him from a deep safety position, which means he was playing over the top of him. Had he been assigned to Smith from his cornerback position, it's possible he would have slowed him down near the line of scrimmage or played underneath as he ran down the field.

"It would have depended on the coverage," defensive coordinator Bob Sanders said.

Sanders said all things were considered in the discussion about whether to move Woodson to safety. Ultimately, he said, it was the best thing to do given the conditions of the other safeties.

"The other guys, we weren't sure if they were healthy enough to perform," Schottenheimer said. "They aren't healthy."

Woodson might stay at safety because Bigby suffered a shoulder sprain on one of the goal-line plays in the second quarter. According to coach Mike McCarthy, he will miss the game Sunday against Houston. Rouse's return isn't a sure thing.

"As we move forward, we'll talk about that again tomorrow, but I like what I saw out there in our secondary," McCarthy said.

Tough blow: Since joining the team off the street on Oct. 1, defensive end Kenny Pettway has established himself as the best player on special teams.

"He's the bell cow," special teams coach Mike Stock said.

The Packers found out Monday that they will be without him for the rest of the season because Pettway tore a ligament in his right knee on the second-to-last kickoff. On the last one, which Carolina returned 45 yards to set up the Smith play, end Mike Montgomery had replaced Pettway.

No other players were lost for the season, but center Scott Wells, who suffered a concussion Sunday, probably won't play against Houston. Wells suffered the injury the series before he snapped a ball over quarterback Aaron Rodgers' head.

"The communication I had with Scott after the fumble, I did not notice it, that he was in that state," McCarthy said. "Obviously no one noticed it before that or he would not have been out there."

Running back Ryan Grant will have to show he can hold on to the ball with a splint on his sprained thumb before he will be allowed to play. It's possible Brandon Jackson will get the start ahead of him.

Defensive end Jeremy Thompson returned from a groin injury only to suffer ankle and knee sprains that probably will keep him out this week.

Others who were injured, but not seriously, were: safety Nick Collins (hip) and end Aaron Kampman (thigh).

Added help: The Packers placed Pettway and linebacker Nick Barnett on season-ending injured reserve and replaced them with defensive lineman Alfred Malone and cornerback Joe Porter, both of whom were on the practice squad.

Malone showed some pass-rush potential in training camp and might get a chance to compete for playing time.

Short yardage: McCarthy said for now, backup quarterback Matt Flynn would be kicker Mason Crosby's holder. . . .

Of the two plays he called at the 1-yard line late in the game, McCarthy said he probably would have changed the second-down call, which was a run by Jackson. . . .

McCarthy said he considered going for it on fourth down there because he had a good play in mind, but decided to play the odds.

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Copyright 2008 Journal Sentinel Inc.
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