GREEN BAY - It was so surreal that not even Antwan Odom could truly comprehend what had just happened.

Did he really sack Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers five times Sunday at Lambeau Field?

"I still think it's a dream," the Cincinnati Bengals defensive end said. "I'm wondering when I'm going to wake up."

That's funny, because people are wondering the same thing about the Packers offensive line.

After only two games that count - one harder-than-it-needed-to-be win over Chicago and Sunday's 31-24 loss to Cincinnati - Green Bay has sprung a leak that threatens to sink its season.

In two games, the performance of the Packers offensive line has been notable for three things, none of them positive. It has turned two previously anonymous defensive ends into Pro Bowl candidates, made Rodgers into an at-risk quarterback and generally short-circuited an offense that was expected to be among the NFL's best.

In the Packers' opener, it was right tackle Allen Barbre who became a turnstile for the Bears' Adewale Ogunleye, who had two sacks and led a charge that put nine hard licks on Rodgers.

Sunday, it was the left tackle spot that foiled most of the Packers' plans. When Chad Clifton sprained his ankle on Green Bay's first snap of the second half, Daryn Colledge slid over from guard to tackle, where Odom abused him for three of his five sacks.

A team simply can't afford to have its quarterback sacked six times, as Rodgers was Sunday, and expect to win.

"It's extremely disappointing," Colledge said. "We know how special Aaron is and we know what he can do. But he can't do that when he's laying on his back. Every guy's going to say they had some problems today, but the big problem was me more than anybody else. And that's my fault."

In Colledge's defense, he was put into a difficult situation. He has replaced Clifton for short stretches in the past, but this year coach Mike McCarthy decided to stop moving his linemen around and Colledge has practiced exclusively at guard.

Like Barber the week before, Colledge's problems with Odom were largely technique problems in one-on-one blocking.

"We know exactly what we're doing wrong," Colledge said. "We're going to rewind the tape and we're going to know tomorrow that it's technique issues. We've got to find a way to do things better. Right now, we're holding back the offense."

That is putting it mildly. Of the Bengals six sacks, five caused drives to stall and forced the Packers to punt or attempt a field goal. For the game, the Packers had only one sustained scoring drive, an 80-yarder in the first quarter.

"We're not protecting the quarterback very well right now," McCarthy said. "I'm going to have to look at it (on tape). I don't know if (Rodgers) was holding the ball on some of those or (what)."

If Rodgers was holding the ball too long, it wasn't apparent. Penalties and dropped passes didn't help matters, but the offense's biggest problem was its inability to keep Odom out of its backfield.

"He's a good player, but we've got to protect better, myself included, " Rodgers said. "I've got to make sure we're all on the same page with the declaration. I felt like I wasn't holding it too long, but maybe I was a tick long and I've got to get to the checkdowns."

It was admirable for Rodgers to take a bullet for his linemen, but it has become obvious the team's long-term plan for the group isn't materializing and now it is threatening to ruin a promising season.

The line has been somewhat inconsistent throughout McCarthy's four seasons, but it has usually managed to protect the quarterback. This year, it can't even do that.

"That's the guy we all depend on to take us to the Super Bowl," tight end Donald Lee said of Rodgers. "When you're running routes or blocking and look back and see him getting off the ground, it's kind of hurtful. You've got to keep the quarterback safe if you want to win in this game."

Until the Packers figure out a way to do that, their offense will hold them back.

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