PHILADELPHIA — An Aaron Rodgers rib harm, infinitesimal playoff hopes and the Jordan Love issue.
The Inexperienced Bay Packers have been left to cope with all of it on their approach out of city Sunday night time.
Rodgers exited Inexperienced Bay’s 40-33 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles within the third quarter with what the quarterback mentioned afterward was a rib harm and an preliminary concern of a punctured lung.
He was in sufficient ache after the sport — the Packers’ seventh loss of their previous eight — {that a} workforce workers member carried Rodgers’ suitcase out of the guests locker room at Lincoln Monetary Area.
That left Love to complete the sport — and practically rally the Packers to victory virtually 15 years to the day that Rodgers crammed in for an injured Brett Favre on Nov. 29, 2007, at Dallas and virtually did the identical factor.
Each backup quarterbacks fell quick, with Love by no means getting a shot at a tying drive as a result of the Packers’ protection could not get a cease within the closing minute. Whereas Rodgers’ fill-in obligation in his third 12 months as a backup served as an indication he was prepared to switch Favre, nobody was able to say Love did the identical Sunday. But it surely was his most spectacular displaying in his three NFL seasons and left questions on whether or not he ought to end out the 12 months.
Rodgers wasn’t able to concede something, not even subsequent Sunday’s sport on the Chicago Bears.
“So long as I try high-quality tomorrow, I anticipate to play this weekend,” Rodgers mentioned Sunday night time. He may have one other scan on his ribs Monday.
He was X-rayed on the stadium however mentioned it was “onerous to inform on the X-rays” if he had any fractured ribs. He mentioned two performs — one within the second quarter when he bought hit and landed awkwardly, after which a third-quarter mixed sack by Haason Reddick and Brandon Graham — triggered the issue.
On the time of his departure, Rodgers had simply led a drive that culminated in a Packers subject objective to chop the Eagles’ result in 34-23 with 2:03 remaining within the third quarter. He gave the impression to be in some discomfort on the drive and subsequently jogged to the locker room with a number of members of the workforce’s medical workers.
“Simply [was] having a tough time respiration and rotating my higher physique,” Rodgers mentioned. “I used to be frightened a few punctured lung, as properly, so I wished to get that checked out.”
X-rays confirmed Rodgers didn’t have a punctured lung.
“I knew that he was in a whole lot of ache,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur mentioned. “This is without doubt one of the hardest dudes that I’ve ever been round, so I do not ever for one second query his toughness, his need to be on the market, his need to compete. Matter of reality, he apologized to me and I am like, ‘Do not ever apologize to me.’ Like, I will by no means query that.”
Earlier within the week, Rodgers revealed the thumb harm he has been enjoying with since Week 5 is definitely a damaged bone. He maintained after the sport that surgical procedure on his thumb wouldn’t be essential both instantly or after the season, and actually mentioned it was “undoubtedly higher than it was final week.”
Rodgers had accomplished 11 of 16 passes for 140 yards with two touchdowns earlier than he left the sphere. He additionally threw two first-half interceptions for the second time in 4 weeks; he additionally had two within the first half of Inexperienced Bay’s Week 9 loss at Detroit. It upped his interception whole for the season to 9, already essentially the most he has thrown in a season since 2010 (when he had 11).
Love, the Packers’ 2020 first-round decide and attainable inheritor obvious to Rodgers, entered the sport with 11:11 left within the fourth quarter and the Packers trailing 37-23. He promptly threw a 63-yard, catch-and-run landing to rookie receiver Christian Watson with 9 minutes left to make it a one-score sport. He led one other drive that ended with a subject objective with 1:08 to play.
“There’s clearly a whole lot of different conversations that come into play when you’re eradicated and I will be open to all these conversations. Pleasure involves thoughts. Love of the sport. However there’s different components that, clearly, would come into play ought to we be mathematically eradicated.”
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers
At that time, the Packers had all three of their timeouts remaining, so Love thought he may get one other possession. However identical to what occurred all sport, the Eagles ran out the clock. They rushed for 363 yards (157 by quarterback Jalen Hurts and 143 by working again Miles Sanders), essentially the most dashing yards the Packers have allowed in a sport since 1977.
Love completed 6-of-9 passing for 113 yards, and each of his possessions resulted in factors for the Packers. They’d not transformed a 3rd down till Love hit Allen Lazard for 7 yards on third-and-5 from their very own 30-yard line. On the subsequent play, Love threw a slant to Watson, who turned it right into a 63-yard landing.
Rodgers dismissed any considered shutting it down for the season — not less than so long as the Packers nonetheless have an opportunity to make the playoffs. At 4-8, they’re nonetheless technically not out of it, however ESPN Analytics provides the Packers only a 2% likelihood to succeed in the postseason.
“We have to win all 5 and possibly want somewhat little bit of assist,” Rodgers mentioned.
As for what’s going to occur if or when the Packers are eradicated from postseason competition, Rodgers mentioned: “There’s clearly a whole lot of different conversations that come into play when you’re eradicated, and I will be open to all these conversations. Pleasure involves thoughts. Love of the sport. However there’s different components that, clearly, would come into play ought to we be mathematically eradicated.”
A type of components, after all, is Love.
“Clearly I need to be on the sphere, however the scenario is what the scenario is,” Love mentioned. “The hardest factor is attempting to remain mentally ready and keep locked in since you by no means know what may occur.
“I simply go on the market and attempt to profit from the chance. Who is aware of what occurs sooner or later? So long as I do my greatest and profit from my alternative, who is aware of what occurs?”
