As the season comes to an end, other NFL teams are facing more injuries, but the Green Bay Packers seem to be getting healthier at the right time.
Quarterback Jordan Love is looking like his usual self after dealing with early-season injuries to his left knee and groin, and the rest of the team is improving too.
“I think every team that can realize their potential needs to be as healthy as they can be. And injuries are a part of this business,” said coach Matt LaFleur. “It is what it is in terms of the next man up, but obviously, you want the guys that are your starters to be available — especially as you get closer to the end of the year.”
Love has been performing well lately, completing 67.1% of his passes for 904 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception (with a passer rating of 118.8) in the last four games. Some of his success can be credited to being healthy again.
“The name of the game is trying to stay as healthy as possible, especially late into the season,” Love said. “There’s definitely injuries that stack up and guys being out. To have everybody relatively healthy and to be able to have our top guys out there would be huge for us.”
The Packers (9-4) will play the Seahawks (8-5) in Seattle on Sunday night, and only one player, safety Javon Bullard, missed Wednesday’s practice completely. Bullard is week-to-week with an ankle injury he suffered during the Packers’ loss to Detroit on Dec. 5.
The team got full participation from cornerback Jaire Alexander, who has missed four of the last five games due to a knee injury he suffered on Oct. 27 against Jacksonville, and wide receiver Romeo Doubs, who missed the last two games due to a concussion he got against San Francisco on Nov. 24.
Although Alexander had been practicing on a limited basis in recent weeks, he has missed the last three games and pulled himself out of the Packers’ Nov. 17 win over Chicago because of his knee injury.
Getting Alexander back to face the Seahawks’ receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba would be a big boost for the Packers’ pass defense, which is currently ranked 21st, allowing 222.2 yards per game.
“When I was watching him, he looked like he was moving around well, and we’ll just see how it transpires throughout the course of the week,” LaFleur said. “Hopefully, he’ll be ready to roll.”
LaFleur also mentioned that Doubs and rookie safety Evan Williams, who left the Packers’ 34-31 loss to the Lions due to a concussion, are still in the concussion protocol. However, Williams was able to practice on a limited basis.
Tight end Luke Musgrave, who hasn’t played since injuring his left ankle in a Sept. 29 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, has been cleared to return from injured reserve. He practiced for the first time since undergoing surgery in early October to repair a torn ligament in the ankle. Musgrave said he only participated in individual drills on Wednesday, so it’s unlikely he will be activated this week.
“Just going to ease back into it, but I feel good,” Musgrave said. “Still getting the cutting back, but it feels good.”
