Packers-Raiders Injury Report: MVS Questionable After Playing Through Pain Last Week
Marquez Valdes-Scantling was bent so far backward that the back of his helmet hit the Lambeau Field turf. He immediately felt pain in his ankle and knee, as he went from blocking to being rolled into from behind by teammate Aaron Jones and Lions safety Tavon Wilson.
He said a prayer.
“Obviously, you never really know until you talk to the doctor about it,” the Green Bay Packers’ second-year receiver said on Friday. “You don’t want to think the worst because it puts you in a bad mental state. You just hope that you can get up and be all right. I was down and it went a little numb for a second. I said a quick prayer when I was on the ground and I was able to get up and went back into the game.”
While Valdes-Scantling returned from that second-quarter injury to play 57 of 74 snaps against Detroit on Monday, he did not practice all week and is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders.
“I’ve got two days to get it going,” Valdes-Scantling said. “I’ve gotten better every single day. Obviously, I won’t go out there if I can’t help this team out. I don’t want to be a detriment to the team. That’s the focus. If I can go, I’ll go. If I can’t, I can’t.”
He is part of an injury report filled with skill players. Star receiver Davante Adams (toe) is out and receiver Gernonimo Allison (concussion and chest) is doubtful. And if that’s not enough for Green Bay’s offense, promising tight end Robert Tonyan (hip) is doubtful. On defense, safety Darnell Savage (ankle) will miss a second consecutive game. Defensive tackle Kenny Clark (calf/back) is questionable but didn’t sound concerned.
“I’m all right,” Clark said. “It’s been stuff I’ve been dealing with for a minute now. I don’t really want to get too much into it but it’s stuff I’ve been dealing with.”
That Valdes-Scantling returned to action last week was remarkable, a combination of toughness and adrenaline kicking in to get him back for a big division clash. That he still had the speed to run past Lions cornerback Rashaan Melvin and make a 46-yard catch to start the fourth quarter was even more remarkable.
“Believe it or not, it wasn’t that difficult,” he said when asked about the degree of difficult on the reception. “That’s something that you work on every day is catching the ball over your outside shoulder. It was pretty routine, honestly. It wasn’t that difficult of a catch. I’ve seen guys make far more difficult catches. I kept the defender on my back, so it was pretty easy to keep him shielded away from the ball.”
“I’m thankful that God put me in that position,” he continued. “When I went down, I said a quick prayer on the ground and got up and moved around for a little bit. They said I could go back in, so I was able to go.”
Oakland won’t be healthy, either. Their top receiver, Tyrell Williams, is out and big-money right tackle Trent Brown is doubtful.
PACKERS INJURY REPORT
Out: WR Davante Adams (toe), S Darnell Savage (ankle).
Doubtful: WR Geronimo Allison (concussion/chest), TE Robert Tonyan (hip).
Questionable: CB Tony Brown (hamstring), DT Kenny Clark (calf/back), WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (ankle/knee).
RAIDERS INJURY REPORT
Out: DE Arden Key (knee), WR Tyrell Williams (foot).
Doubtful: RT Trent Brown (calf).
Questionable: WR/KR Dwayne Harris (ankle), G Gabe Jackson (knee).
