The Green Bay Packers need to continue running the table in order to ensure a playoff berth. Their best player, Aaron Rodgers, will have to improve physically to ensure that happens.
After all, the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions will offer more resistance than the Chicago Bears did in Week 15, and all three teams are fighting for a playoff spot right now.
Thankfully, head coach Mike McCarthy had some good news to report on Monday regarding Rodgers’ calf injury.
“The early indication is he’s better today than he was going into the game. So we feel good about that,” he said, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.
This is a fantastic development for the Packers and their fans. For their upcoming opponents? Not really so much.
Before Sunday’s struggle in the bitter cold at Soldier Field, Rodgers was one of the hottest players in the NFL. As it was, he did find it difficult yesterday to move around in the freezing temperatures of the Arctic blast that descended on the Windy City and was sacked four times.
“It actually felt a little better as the game wore on and had some heat on it,” he said after the game. “As the adrenaline got going, I felt like I was able to do a little more than I expected coming into the games, so I definitely didn’t take any steps back.”
When it came time to deliver the biggest strike of the game, Rodgers found Jordy Nelson on a 60-yard bomb to set up the game-winning field goal (watch here). He then had just enough in his leg to amble down the field and spike the ball in time to set up said kick, which went through off the foot of Mason Crosby.
If Rodgers’ calf continues to improve during the next two weeks and the Packers win out, then the rest of the NFC should be awfully scared of Green Bay, which has now won four straight games.