Well, Friday’s injury report was a good news/bad news scenario. The good news is that Aaron 
Rodgers, Datone Jones, Sam Shields, and Morgan Burnett are all listed as PROBABLE, which means “there is a 75% chance” that they will play. In official coach-speak, that means they’re gonna go.
On the bad side of things, Kevin Dorsey is listed as OUT with a foot injury. This hurts our depth at wide receiver but should not be of major concern. But there are two names on the injury report that Packers fans do not yet have any answers about. And in a game where the Packers would love to minimize the amount of running Aaron Rodgers has to do, these are the last two names they want to be obscured with uncertainty.
Josh Sitton and TJ Lang have both been listed as QUESTIONABLE for Sunday’s night game against the Bears. Significant? I think so…for two reasons:
- If both of our starting guards are out, we obviously have to turn to Taylor and Gerhart as backups. While I always try to see the bright side of such things (ie. those guys get some valuable playing time), this is the Bears game and losing a Division battle at Lambeau is the last thing this Packers team needs right now. Having two second string guards would force the Packers to drastically change the game-plan if they want to be successful and keep Aaron from getting really hurt. Unfortunately, we have seen that the Packers are also a stubborn “we do what we do” kind of team and they may try to run the game-plan as it is which, in my opinion, would be a disaster.
- But there is another, more subtle reason that I would like to see Sitton and Lang both healthy enough to play. While J.C. Tretter seems to be back to health, Corey Linsley is still listed as the starting center and while I think Linsley has done a good job for the most part, we all know that he greatly relies on veteran guards, not just for their play, but also for their on-the-fly situational knowledge. On the other hand, if the Packers were to start Tretter, we would have a guy who hasnt’ played all season going out for the first time without solid guard support. The center situation is a lose/lose if neither Lang or Sitton can go.
Of course, there is the possibility that we get one of these guys on the field while the other has to sit. If that happens, I would expect Josh Sitton to go with an injury to his toe. TJ, on the other hand, I really think might be in danger of missing extended playing time if his ankle isn’t given time to heal.
All in all, it is important to remember that the long-term health of our two starting guards is the priority. As hard as it may be, the Packers may be forced to risk a loss against the Bears to ensure that the team is in the best possible shape at the end of the season and going into a possible playoff scenario. The health of the players will be the ultimate deciding factor so until Sunday afternoon, Packernation will be left with two big “QUESTIONABLE” marks.
GO PACK!!!
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I think Tretter will play guard if one of the starters are unable to go Brady! I believe Lang and Sitton both will start and if one feels like he can’t keep playing then Tretter will step in and if both go down then it will be a toss up with Taylor or Gerhart
I totally disagree that there is ever a game in the NFL that you can “risk a loss”.
I think in the long run what he is saying is it will be better to take the risk of a loss to the Bears with starting Gerhart and Taylor instead of losing Sitton and Lang for the season and that makes total sense. It is better to let them heal properly to be able to finish the year. If that means sitting them for one game it is worth the risk. With that said I think the Packers can still beat the bears with Sitton and Lang out it will just be a little harder is all, But next man up are capable of doing their jobs IMO. If they were not then they would not be on the payroll.
What happened to guys playing with small injuries? These guys now a days are pansys. The NFL has really gotten pathetic.
It generally isn’t the players themselves who make the decision not to play. I would say every one of them wants to be on the field. But, the team doctors are the ones who make the decision about players participating in practice or the game, and they’re job is to make sure we don’t burn these players out in a single season.
why do we seem to have tons of injuries? This line is already porous and now we have 2 starters out? Lombardi would have kicked their rear for even saying they were injured. Amazing the players of today.
I hear what you’re saying Bob but Lombardi also didn’t have a medical staff making these decisions.
Packers have got to build more depth along the Oline. This is not the first time that they have had to shuffle people around.
Plain and simple to me this game is a must win if you all me every damn game in our division is a must win because if we look at the NFC in a nut shell the only way the pack are gonna get in the playoffs is by winning the Division!!!! Because I’m sorry but we have Three really bad loses already all of our losses are to NFC potential playoff teams Detroit, New Orleans, Seattle!!!! 10-6 ain’t getting in the playoffs!!
Great timing to cut Sherrod. I’ll never understand some of the decisions of our current management.
I get that team doctors have the final word in who plays and who doesn’t, but unless the doctors can state with some degree of certainty that these guys will walk with a limp if they play, the doctors shouldn’t be allowed to make these calls.
Where is our d-line we need a pass rush ,Our db are playing soft,Our linebacker got to stop the run.lets get back to playing packer ball fellas. packers 4life Go PACKERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS !