Packers: Starters may see little time against Eagles
By Phil Watson
The Green Bay Packers make their home preseason debut Saturday night when they host the Philadelphia Eagles at Lambeau Field, but if you’re planning on making the trip to get a good look at the starters in what is sort of the convention for the third preseason game, you might be disappointed.
Coach Mike McCarthy indicated Tuesday he would weigh heavily the medical information on injured guards T.J. Lang and Josh Sitton and left tackle David Bakhtiari.
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Bakhtiari did not play in Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field because of a knee injury. Lang left the game with a concussion and Sitton played 17 snaps before departing with an ankle injury.
The Packers lost Pro Bowl wide receiver Jordy Nelson to a torn ACL in the game and McCarthy may be understandably gun shy heading into the game with the Eagles.
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Rodgers played 45 snaps in last year’s third preseason game, but given the state of flux on the offensive line in front of him, he may be limited Saturday night, as well.
“I hope Aaron plays a lot because I’m really excited to see our guys go up against them,” Eagles defensive coordinator Billy Davis said, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We took a pretty good beating (53-20) last year down there. … We love competing against the best, like Aaron is, and they’ve got some quality receivers that hopefully play the first half.”
Backup quarterback Scott Tolzien, who also sustained a concussion Sunday, likely won’t play, which would leave the quarterback spot to fifth-round pick Brett Hundley and free agent Matt Blanchard.
“This is a huge week for Brett Hundley and Matt,” McCarthy said. “They’re going to be playing potentially against Philadelphia’s No. 1s. I don’t know what {the Eagles’) plan is. It’s irrelevant.”
Rodgers has logged 47 snaps this preseason and finished last preseason with 69.
On Tuesday, the first-unit offensive line included Don Barclay at left tackle, Lane Taylor at left guard, regular center Corey Linsley, Josh Walker at right guard and starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga.
The preseason has not been kind to Barclay, who has played 46 snaps at left tackle and 37 at right tackle and has been victimized for three sacks, six hurries and two holding penalties.
Sitton said he’s like to play this week after his ankle was much improved on Tuesday.
“Actually, it feels a lot better than it did [Monday],” Sitton said. “I don’t really know the timetable, but I’d like to play this week.”
Bakhtiari said he would be on the field when the Packers visit the Chicago Bears on Opening Day.
“No matter what, with limited reps or no (more) preseason games, myself, the organization, the fans are counting on me to be ready for Week 1,” Bahktiari said. “And I will.”
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Nelson talked for the first time Tuesday after his season-ending injury and said what surprised him most was a lack of pain.
“If it was a regular season game, I felt like I would have walked it off and then would have tried running on the sideline to see what would happen,” Nelson said, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Thankfully it wasn’t because I could have done more damage. That’s a blessing.
“I thought it would be honestly more painful than what it was. So the shock of when the doctor told me was a little overwhelming. I was shocked and obviously disappointed.”
Nelson spent his day Tuesday looking at film and jumping into a self-appointed new role of mentoring the other receivers.
“He is what you look for as far as a Green Bay Packer,” McCarthy said. “When you have the opportunity to build a program, a championship program, and you talk about what you want your players to look like, act like, he’s a prime example of that.”
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