Packers QB Rodgers will begin Sunday if he can, LaFleur says

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Inexperienced Bay Packers will not be Jordan Love’s crew fairly but.

A day after Love’s productive efficiency in Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Packers coach Matt LaFleur made it clear that Aaron Rodgers will begin on Sunday in opposition to the Chicago Bears if his rib damage permits it.

Rodgers, who left the sport in opposition to the Eagles within the third quarter due to ache and hassle respiratory, underwent further exams on Monday. Nevertheless, LaFleur was obscure in regards to the outcomes.

“Typically there’s stuff that does not present up on all of the scans,” LaFleur mentioned. “All I can inform you is he is feeling a little bit bit higher.”

Rodgers additionally has performed with a damaged proper thumb for the final seven weeks, but LaFleur mentioned they will not go together with Love until it is an injury-related transfer even when the third-year backup is in higher form bodily than Rodgers.

“I do not suppose that is what we’re arguing right here,” LaFleur mentioned. “It is simply, we have a number of religion, fairly frankly, in each these guys. However you understand, Aaron’s the beginning quarterback. He is battled via rather a lot all through the course of his profession. It is fairly nicely documented, and I believe he is been capable of play at a reasonably excessive stage via a number of completely different conditions. So once more, we’ll take it one sport at a time and make one of the best resolution transferring ahead.”

The Packers have their bye subsequent week, and LaFleur mentioned that would additionally issue into whether or not they maintain out Rodgers to present him extra time to heal.

“I believe all these conversations, we’ll have these conversations,” LaFleur mentioned. “If that is what we really feel is finest, then that is what we’ll do.”

Rodgers accomplished 11 of 16 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns plus two interceptions (one on a tipped ball and one other when tight finish Tyler Davis ran the mistaken route) earlier than departing in opposition to the Eagles. In Love’s two drives, he went 6 of 9 for 113 yards and a landing and totaled 10 factors whereas he was on the helm.

The lack by the Packers’ protection to get a cease after they received to inside 40-33 prevented Love from ever getting an opportunity at a game-tying or game-winning drive. The Eagles, who totaled 363 speeding yards, ran out the ultimate 1:08 of the sport.

The quarterback scenario wasn’t the one concern LaFleur confronted on Monday. One other poor defensive exhibiting, which included greater than 20 missed tackles by the coaches’ depend and helped result in a 363-yard speeding sport by the Eagles, compelled LaFleur to reply questions on coordinator Joe Barry’s future.

LaFleur made it clear that he wasn’t contemplating a change to the defensive workers at this level regardless of continued struggles from Barry’s unit.

“We’re not going to go down that highway,” LaFleur mentioned. “So, once more, if I assumed there was a difficulty there then I would definitely, we might make the change. However we work as a workers and collectively we’re all on this sucker collectively and it is by no means only one particular person. It is by no means one particular person. It begins with myself after which it goes to our assistant coaches after which our gamers.”