Getty head coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers.
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur announced some new and concerning injury news ahead of the team’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers this weekend.
Rashan Gary is questionable for Sunday’s game at Lambeau Field after suffering a shoulder injury during practice on Friday, November 17th.
“Unfortunately there was a little mishap in practice and we’ll see where he is on Sunday,” LaFleur said. “I would say obviously it’s not that bad as he’s questionable, but we’ll see. I should say [it’s] nothing long-term that we’re worried about.”
The Packers may be missing several defensive players against the Chargers, including Rashan Gary
GettyOutside linebacker Rashan Gary of the Green Bay Packers reacts after registering a sack during an NFL game against the New Orleans Saints in September 2023.
Gary will be a huge loss to Green Bay’s defense if he is unable to play against LA, as that side of the ball is already significantly impacted by injuries.
LaFleur also noted Friday that cornerback Jaire Alexander (shoulder) and inside linebacker Quay Walker (groin) are both questionable for Sunday, while safety Rudy Ford is questionable with a bicep issue. According to the team’s official injury report, Ford did not practice all week, while both Alexander and Walker had limited participation on Thursday and Friday.
The Chargers (4-5) are a very beatable team, although their greatest strength is an explosive passing attack led by quarterback Justin Herbert. With three other defensive players potentially out, including two players in the Packers’ secondary, putting pressure on Herbert will be paramount if Green Bay hopes to keep the Chargers’ bottom line manageable. Safety Darnell Savage is also on the Injured List (IR) with a calf problem and won’t be back on the roster for another week at the earliest.
Gary is a potentially costly loss for the Packers after signing a four-year, $96 million contract extension on October 30. The pass-rushing specialist has produced 16 pressures, 11 QB hits, 4.5 sacks and one pass breakup in nine games this season, according to Pro Football Reference.
Packers face a critical extension
GettyGreen Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love.
The Packers (3-6) face a tough schedule with a road game scheduled against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day before hosting the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 3. After that, however, the list of opponents becomes smaller.
If Green Bay can win two of the next three games, the team doesn’t have to give up on its playoff hopes, no matter how tenuous they currently seem. According to ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), the Packers should win about seven games and have just a 9 percent chance of reaching the postseason. But this calculation should improve with every victory in the coming weeks.
The Packers started last season 4-8 before rattling off four straight wins, putting the team in position to make the playoffs by defeating the Lions in the final regular season game of the year. In the end, Green Bay missed its goal by five points, but many of the players who led that attack at the end of the season remain on the roster.
The main difference is that four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers played quarterback in 2022, while struggling Jordan Love is now under center and is expected to remain there for the rest of the year unless he gets injured.
Max Dible covers the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns and Golden State Warriors for Heavy.com. He covered local and national news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group’s family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy. More about Max Dible
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