Rodgers bemoans Packers injuries
The Green Bay Packers entered this season with Super Bowl aspirations. Instead, they are limping into New York with a 5-8-1 record to face the Jets in a battle of also-rans.
Nonetheless, the Packers will be playing to win rather than trying to secure a last-place schedule and bolster their draft positioning. That includes playing quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has played through a knee injury all season and then hurt his groin in last week’s loss at Chicago.
“I think it’s a lot about leadership,” Rodgers said of his desire to play the Jets. “If I want to be listened to and followed and looked up to, how could I stand here and say that these games that don’t matter for playoffs, I’m going to cash it in? That’s just not the way I lead, and I’m super competitive, and I want to be out there with the guys, and I look forward to being out there.”
Green Bay’s offense has been dysfunctional all season. In fact, it’s only about a field goal per game better than it was last season, when Brett Hundley played quarterback for half the season with Rodgers sidelined by a broken collarbone. In seven games since the bye, they’ve scored 17 points in four of them – all losses.
The Jets field one of the worst defenses in the NFL, including No. 22 in total defense and No. 26 in scoring. However, they rank second on third down and will challenge a Packers offense that is No. 22 on third down.
“You look at their defense that I’ve been watching quite a bit the last couple of days, you know they’ve got some good players at every single level of the defense,” interim HEAD coach Joe Philbin said. “Obviously, Leonard Williams up front’s a guy that kind of catches your eye quite a bit. (Avery) Williamson has been a very, very good linebacker in the league for a couple of different teams. And their safety really jumps off the tape. I mean, the safety, No. 33 (Jamal Adams) is excellent. He’s all over the place.”
Injuries have been and continue to be an issue. Running back Aaron Jones, who leads the NFL in yards per carry, was placed on injured reserve this week and veteran receiver Randall Cobb is in the concussion protocol. Jones is the 14th player to land on IR, a list that includes eight starters.
“It’s pretty extensive,” Rodgers said of the injury list. “You know, looked at the roster preseason, and felt good about obviously a number of positions, and we’ve had some injuries at some important spots for us. Obviously, (receivers) Geronimo (Allison) and Randall being hurt for a number of games, the offensive line injuries that we’ve had. It’s been a tough year injury-wise, but we’ve still had our chances to put ourselves in position to make a run.”
The Packers are trying to avoid some ugly history. They are 0-7 on the road and trying to avoid their first winless season away from home since the 1950s. Green Bay and San Francisco are the only teams without a road win this season.
SERIES HISTORY: 13th regular-season meeting. Jets lead series, 8-4, though the Packers rallied from a 21-3 deficit and won the last meeting, 31-24, in Week 2 of the 2014 season.
