Starting QBs Could Be Hobbled for Packers-Ravens Showdown
GREEN BAY, Wis. – With the Green Bay Packers beating the Chicago Bears on Sunday and getting ready to turn the page for the upcoming showdown at the Baltimore Ravens, quarterbacks are in the news.
In order of importance:
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers: Rodgers’ broken pinky toe, which he’s been battling since his comeback from COVID-19 a month ago, took a turn for the worse following some bye-week healing.
“It feels worse,” Rodgers said after a 45-30 victory. “I don’t know what kind of setback that I had tonight but we’ll look at it tomorrow. Definitely took a step back tonight.” He added that surgery would be a “last resort.”
The 2020 NFL MVP directed the offense at Friday’s practice, his first practice in three weeks, but that might be off the table for this week.
Coach Matt LaFleur on Monday said he hadn’t talked to Rodgers but, “I’m sure that will probably be a conversation that I’ll be having shortly. Whatever he needs to be at his best for Sunday.”
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson: Jackson missed most of Sunday’s loss to the Cleveland Browns with a sprained ankle. It’s not a high-ankle sprain, which would have kept him out for at least a couple weeks, so the 2019 NFL MVP could be behind center for this week’s showdown.
“The plans are right now, in my mind, for Lamar to be out there,” coach John Harbaugh told reporters on Monday. “So, we’ll see where it goes this week. If he can go, he’ll go. If not, Tyler [Huntley] will be the quarterback. So, that’s where we’re at.”
Harbaugh said Jackson’s availability for practice on Wednesday is an “unanswerable” question.
Jackson is 22nd in the league in passer rating and 23rd in completion percentage. His 16 touchdowns vs. 13 interceptions is one of the worst ratios in the NFL. But what makes Jackson elite is his ability to throw and run, and the stress that presents to pass rushers and defensive backs. He is 10th in the NFL with 767 rushing yards and second with a 5.8-yard average. Obviously, the state of Jackson’s ankle will have a role in his effectiveness.
Packers QBs Jordan Love, Kurt Benkert (and Danny Etling): The Packers released Etling from the practice squad, a pretty obvious sign that Love will be back this week after testing positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 6.
Benkert, who officially was a COVID-19 elevation to the 53-man practice squad last week, reverted back to the practice squad.
It was an eventful week for Benkert, an undrafted free agent in 2018 who was active for a game for the first time of his career. At Rodgers’ urging, Benkert took a knee on the final two plays on Sunday night, then happily shared a photo of his knee.
“Aaron came up to me right before that, just wanted to make sure because it was a special occasion,” LaFleur said. “He’s been four years in the league and first time dressing. He’s like, ‘Hey, let’s let Kurt take the victory snaps,’ and I said, ‘Absolutely.’ It’s a well-deserved honor. He works really hard and he’s been a really great contribution to that quarterback room.”
