The blitz is having a hard time getting through Packers' line 

Green Bay If on opening day the Philadelphia Eagles find a way to blitz the Green Bay Packers in a way they haven't yet seen, their defensive coordinator, Sean McDermott, will be in line for an official mad scientist label.

From the start of the off-season conditioning program through the first three exhibition games, the Packers' offense has seen almost every blitz, stunt, twist and zone drop known to mankind. Some of it was by design, some of it by virtue of playing a pair of preseason opponents who have thrown a good array of pressures at quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his offensive line.

Two weeks after facing a Cleveland team that blitzed like there was no tomorrow, the Packers faced an Indianapolis defense Thursday night that dialed up a number of clever pressures during the first half.

In both instances, Rodgers and the No. 1 offensive line appeared ready for every protection call, blitz pickup and hot throw. Unlike much of last season when the line couldn't be trusted to block and Rodgers couldn't be trusted to get rid of the ball, the two looked like they were actually functioning in unison.

"I hope so," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "We spent a lot of time - a lot of time - on that stuff. So, you hope it pays dividends. I think they have a good handle on how to handle that."

So far this preseason, Rodgers has not been sacked, he's been forced to run twice and he has been knocked down three times.

In the case of the Colts, it wasn't that the Packers faced a constant barrage of blitzes, it was the variety in which defensive coordinator Larry Coyer designed them. He dropped ends into coverage, sent linebackers from the inside and outside, brought safeties and stunted and twisted his defensive linemen.

The Packers' two touchdown drives in the second quarter best exemplified the job the line and Rodgers did handling the blitz.

On the first drive, the Colts brought six rushers on a third-and-3 play and, understanding the line wasn't going to be able to block everyone, Rodgers got the ball off quickly to wide receiver Donald Driver for a 6-yard gain.

Two plays later, the Colts rushed seven on second and 2, bringing linebacker Pat Angerer, safety Alvin Bethea and linebacker Clint Session along with their front four. Tight end Tom Crabtree picked up Bethea, center Scott Wells and guard Daryn Colledge picked up Session and Rodgers hit tight end Jermichael Finley for a 15-yard gain.

"I think we've shown him that he can trust us and I think his confidence in us is a lot higher this year," right guard Josh Sitton said. "I think he's a lot more confident in himself to know where he's going, know where the protection is going to be, know where the free guy is going to be, know where he's going with the ball.

"All that goes together. We're rolling right now. It's pretty good."

Two plays later, Rodgers faced a second and 8 at the 15 when the Colts again brought six, this time flooding the right side with a safety-linebacker blitz. Right tackle Mark Tauscher and running back Brandon Jackson teamed up to stymie Bethea, then turned outside and drove Session off course. Angerer eventually got free up the middle, but by the time he hit Rodgers the ball was in the air to a wide open Finley in the end zone.

"The touchdown to Jermichael, they brought the 'Will' (weak-side linebacker) and the free safety and Aaron knew it was coming and made a little adjustment," Philbin said. "We got the communication down. Now the pickup of the blitz wasn't as clean as we would have liked it to be, but those are things we've practiced a lot."

And come Sept. 12, they should be ready for a lot more.