Green Bay Announces Return of Rodgers for Week 17
The NFC has a number of big games entering the final week of the regular season including Philadelphia at Dallas, San Francisco at Arizona, St. Louis at Seattle and Green Bay at Chicago.
The most intriguing of the bunch features the Packers and the Bears. The winner will be NFC North champion and move on to the postseason and the loser will go home disappointed.
Making this matchup even better was the announcement on Thursday that Aaron Rodgers, the former MVP and All-Pro quarterback for Green Bay will start against the Bears.
Thursday morning Mike McCarthy the Packers head coach announced in a team meeting that Rodgers would start the game.
The announcement ended several weeks of speculation as to whether Rodgers would return this season following his injury on November 4 in which he broke his collarbone, the first time the two teams met.
Rodgers has been practicing for the past month. However, he has been waiting to receive clearance from the team’s doctor.
Rodgers went through a full workout in practice on Thursday for just the first time since his collarbone was broken during the first series in their 27-20 loss against Chicago.
Even though the Packers were just 2-4-1 in Rodgers’ absence Green Bay can still be the NFC North champion by defeating Chicago Sunday.
McCarthy was hoping that a decision could have been taken by Tuesday, but the medical evaluations were not completed prior to Christmas and with the team off on Wednesday, the announcement was delayed until Thursday.
Green Bay has been hit hard by injuries this season. Clay Matthews, the team’s star linebacker will sit out the game due to a broken thumb and Eddie Lacy the rookie running back has been slowed by an injured ankle. However, it appears Lacy will be able to play on Sunday.
Green Bay has had to play most of this season without Jermichael Finely their tight end and Randal Cobb their talented wide receiver. Nevertheless, the team started the season 5-2 behind Rodgers.
However, things changed when Rodgers was sacked while scrambling and broke his clavicle. The Packers went five straight games without a win, while going through a myriad of backup quarterbacks.
The Packers however won two consecutive with Matt Flynn as the starting quarterback before losing in the snow to Pittsburgh last weekend 38-31. However, losses by the Detroit Lions and Chicago set up this Sunday’s winner take all division title game with the Bears and a playoff game at home the next weekend.
Chicago must stave off the initial wave of momentum the Packers will feel when Rodgers takes to the field for Green Bay’s first offensive series.
Odds makers now have Green Bay as a 3-point favorite in the matchup. With a win, the Packers would win their third consecutive NFC North title.
Before Rodgers went down with his injury, the Packers were averaging over 28 points per game on offense, which was third in the league. The Packers were also No. 2 in total yards and No. 5 in passing yards.
Pick: Green Bay 24-21
