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Chad Clifton, Mark Tauscher likely to start

The Green Bay Packers have given up 31 sacks this season, the most in the league. But as they prepare for Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they think they have the right pair of offensive tackles in place.

Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher worked with the first-string offense in Wednesday's practice, and it appears that they'll be the starters Sunday against the Buccaneers.

"Mark Tauscher had a lot of work today with the (No.) 1s, so (we're) looking at Mark at the right tackle position. He took the majority of the reps, and Chad Clifton looked healthy," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said after Wednesday's practice. "So really (we'll) see how Chad responds tomorrow from today's practice. Hopefully, they'll both go through the padded practice tomorrow, and we'll see where they are."

Heading into this season, Clifton had been one of the Packers' most reliable players, starting all but two games in the last six years. But this year he's been plagued by a sprained ankle and played just three games.

Tauscher has also been a reliable starter for the Packers for years, but he hasn't played at all this season while recovering from knee surgery. With Tauscher and Clifton hobbling, the Packers have used four different offensive line combinations this season. They're hoping that with Tauscher and Clifton back in the starting lineup, the fifth combination will take them through the rest of the season.

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