Oh, those crazy Thursday night games. This week, we got quite the treat as the Los Angeles Rams bested the San Francisco 49ers, 41-39. So what on earth does this have to do with the Green Bay Packers as Mike Mccarthy’s team prepares for a Sunday visit from the Cincinnati Bengals? Frankly, everything. That’s because after Marvin Lewis’ club comes to Lambeau Field, and the Packers have less than a week before the Chicago Bears arrive for a Thursday night tilt. So what is Mike McCarthy’s injury-riddled team to do?
Who is unavailable?
According to the NFL’s official injury report on Friday, the following starters for the Green Bay Packers were listed as doubtful:
- left tackle David Bakhtiari (hamstring)
- wide receiver Randall Cobb (chest)
- defensive tackle Mike Daniels (hip)
- cornerback Davon House (quadricep)
- linebacker Nick Perry (hand)
- linebacker Jake Ryan (hamstring, concussion)
- safety Kentrell Brice (groin)
Via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, none of these players practiced during the week.
However, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that we could see a couple of these performers on Sunday. Mike McCarthy spoke specifically about Cobb. “He’s getting better, just talking to the training staff before we came in here…” Meanwhile, Daniels’ hip injury seemed to be making progress. “It's getting better,” he told Demovsky on Friday. “Taking it day by day and just really working to rehab it so I can get back out there.”
The plan going forward
It may be hard to believe, but there was actually some good news when it came to the walking wounded of the Green Bay Packers. Right tackle Bryan Bulaga, dealing with an ankle injury, was a limited participant in practice on Thursday and Friday after running through a full practice on Wednesday.
And a quartet of players – starting wideout Jordy Nelson (quadricep), rookie nose tackle Montravius Adams (foot), reserve outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks (concussion) and starting right guard Jahri Evans (groin), practiced all week. With Bulaga a possibility to play, that will make life easier against the likes of Bengals’ left defensive end Carlos Dunlap – one of the NFL’s better pass-rushers – if he’s able to go.
In any case, the Packers will likely rely on their depth on the offensive front to get by this week against Cincinnati. Better to have both Bakhtiari and Bulaga get some extra rest for that all-important divisional encounter with the Bears. And that, in turn, will give the Packers some additional days to get ready for a showdown with the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5.
