On top of a five-game losing streak, the Green Bay Packers have a new hurdle they need to overcome: injuries. Eight players exited Sunday’s 15-9 loss to the Detroit Lions due to injury, and one is confirmed to be season-ending. In the mind of Aaron Rodgers, the team has two options for dealing with what feels like insurmountable adversity.
Here is the first option, as laid out by Rodgers during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
“Cash it in, mentally. Just become an independent contractor almost. And I’ve seen this during my time, not really recently, but where everybody just kind of comes in and does their work and then goes home.”
Now the second option.
“To cede to the competitive greatness that lies within you, and what I mean by that is to let that take over and to let that be your North Star, and your guide, and to say, ‘I care so deeply about this, and I am so thankful for this opportunity and so grateful to still be out there playing, that no matter what happens to anybody on the squad, including myself, I’m going to go out and compete as hard as I can because that all I know how to do.’ Maybe in that, there will be inspiration in others to raise their level of game, but that’s all I know how to do, and the opposite, like I said, I’ve seen it, and I hope I don’t see it moving forward, but that’s the other option, is to just come in, do your work. You can still be professional about it, but I’m going to keep choosing to come in, prepare as I always do, and go put out my competitive greatness on Sunday and hope it is good enough to win and inspire people. That’s all I know how to do.”
Rodgers has used motivational speech to rally the troops before. He is also no stranger to digging deep and elevating his play to unworldly levels to lead a battered football team. However, words aren’t going to repair Rashan Gary’s ACL, and Rodgers doesn’t appear to be even remotely close to returning to the MVP he was two years in a row after throwing three interceptions to the worst defense in the NFL.
To pile on, one of his top receivers, Romeo Doubs, is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a high ankle sprain. Luckily, the Packers may have dodged a bullet with running back Aaron Jones, who could potentially play this week against the Dallas Cowboys. Wide receiver Christian Watson also avoided a concussion for a second straight week- his absence after taking a hard hit on Sunday was strictly precautionary, according to Matt LaFleur.
Gary, however, wasn’t the only loss on defense. Corner Eric Stokes is also feared to have suffered a season-ending injury after exiting the first half with knee and ankle injuries. Last year’s first-round pick out of Georgia was struggling in his second NFL season but started every game in 2022.
So, where does Green Bay go from here? Do the players phone it in, or does Rodgers’ war cry resonate within the locker room for an unlikely turnaround?
With eight games remaining, hope is not completely lost, but there may be no answer for galvanizing a 3-6 Packers team hit with devastating injuries.
