Packers’ Rodgers may play vs. Falcons
The Green Bay Packers caught a break on Monday when it was revealed that starting QB Aaron Rodgers has just a sprained (and not separated) throwing shoulder. However, it’s still not clear whether Rodgers will be able to play Sunday against Atlanta – his only backups are rookies Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn.
“He has every intention on playing,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said of Rodgers. “But I think Wednesday’s practice will be a pretty good indicator for us. It’s just something we’ll have to continue to rehab and see where we are on Wednesday.”
McCarthy and his assistants will spend this week monitoring Rodgers’ progress and preparing Flynn to start, just in case. Flynn was 2-for-5 for 6 yards after replacing Rodgers against Tampa Bay, and his inexperience doesn’t bode well for the Packers’ offense, even against a weak secondary such as the Falcons.
The question is: Do the Packers sit Rodgers for a week against a week team like Atlanta in hopes that Green Bay can pull out the game at home without him. Following Atlanta, Green Bay plays at Seattle and at home against Indianapolis.
Rodgers was injured on a scramble in the third quarter of Sunday’s 30-21 loss at Tampa Bay. He stayed in the game and threw a touchdown pass to Greg Jennings, but sat out part of the fourth quarter. Rodgers said after the game he might have separated his shoulder.
If he can’t make all his normal throws during practice this week, McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson will have to decide whether it’s in the team’s best interests to start him. McCarthy said pain tolerance and arm strength would be key factors in determining Rodgers’ status.
“It’s really a combination of both things,” McCarthy said. “It’s important for him to have the strength back in the shoulder, and really to see how well he throws on Wednesday will have a lot to do with it. And then Thursday morning how he recovers.”
Either way, Flynn will get plenty of practice time with the first team.
“We’re in uncharted waters,” offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said about whether Rodgers could be ready without much practice time. “It would be a total guess. I have no idea. Until we go through it with him, I can’t sit here and say, ‘Yeah, all he needs is Friday and he’ll be rip-roaring to go.’
Meanwhile, Packers LB A.J. Hawk suffered a groin strain and his availability for Sunday’s game is in question. McCarthy called it a “pretty good strain,” but that Hawk has not been ruled out of Sunday’s Atlanta game. DT Cullen Jenkins, who suffered a pectoral strain, may not be available against the Falcons.
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