With the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions getting better each week, the Green Bay Packers know how important it is to step up while quarterback Aaron Rodgers is out with a fractured collarbone. While the team works quickly to replace him with someone that can hopefully lead the team the next few weeks, Rodgers is predicting the Packers will not be without him for too long.
While Rodgers is not exactly sure when he will return from the injury he suffered a week ago, he is making the Thanksgiving game a goal in the back of his mind. While speaking on his weekly radio show on 540 ESPN, Rodgers said he accomplished his first goal which was to get himself dressed. Now, he believes a realistic return date could be Green Bay's matchup against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.
"I would like to be back this week," Rodgers said. "Now, whether that's realistic or not remains to be seen. I would never rule myself out on a Tuesday. Now, Mike [McCarthy] probably already has, I think. I haven't given up hope on playing any week. It depends on how I heal and depends on what the next x-ray looks like. Obviously, this week is probably not going to happen -- not going to happen. (pause) Probably not going to happen."
For now, the Packers have announced that Scott Tolzien would get the start this week. The quarterback has seen a quick turnaround from sitting on the practice squad to being inserted into his first NFL game after backup Seneca Wallace went down with an injury. The Packers have also announced the signing of quarterback Matt Flynn who started his career in Green Bay before moving on to both Seattle and Oakland.
McCarthy is confident that Rodgers will get back sooner than expected, but notes that the team has no plans to rush his return as they need him 100 percent healthy to risk setbacks before the playoffs. The Green Bay coach was impressed with Tolzien enough to keep him the starter and Rodgers agrees, heaping praise onto the young quarterback. Rodgers understands that right now it is more about small victories rather than thinking of a quick return.
"I'm doing everything I can to get back out there," Rodgers said. "We have our treatment routines. Again, it's giving the bone time to heal and not trying to do anything too stupid to aggravate it. The collarbone obviously has an important role in your shoulder movement. Small victories to me have been being able to sleep through an entire night, which I finally can; being able to put a shirt over my head, which I can now; putting socks on. Yes, I can put them on without being in an extreme amount of pain."
Green Bay is coming off back-to-back losses since the Rodgers injury. If he cannot come back by the time December rolls around, the Packers could be in serious trouble.
