The Green Bay Packers walked into Sunday’s game high on confidence and things were looking good as they held a 10-3 lead in the fourth quarter. But a Jordan Love interception turned the tide in the fourth quarter and the Cleveland Browns shocked the Packers by handing them a 13-10 loss.
Packers fans are probably still reeling from the result, but they’re also waiting for the aftermath of several injuries including to offensive lineman Zach Tom.
After returning to the lineup for the start of the game, Tom left after the first play and was shown crying on the sidelines in frustration after aggravating his oblique injury. In the moments following the Packers’ loss, Matt LaFleur lamented the decision to let Tom play and perhaps did more long-term damage than the team expected.
“Obviously, yeah,” LaFleur admitted when asked if he made the wrong decision letting Tom play during his post-game press conference. “I would say if a guy plays one play…we’ve got to have some discussions about [it]. Like, we can’t allow that to happen, you know? Just…it’s disappointing when he plays one play.”
Packers Make Giant Mistake After Letting Zach Tom Play vs. Browns
It’s rare to hear a team second-guess themselves after letting an injured player return to the field. After all, it makes the entire staff -- from coaches to those involved on the rehab side -- look bad. Yet, this speaks to how regretful Green Bay is after seeing how Tom's return played out.
While Tom was in the starting lineup, he admitted earlier in the week that he still had pain while running. To make matters worse, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that he was attempting to play through a torn oblique muscle, which may explain why Tom left the game after one play.
Maybe Tom was insistent on playing to validate a four-year, $88 million contract he signed in July. Or he was just motivated to return with all the hype surrounding the team. But the Packers would have been best-served holding Tom out against a Cleveland team they were favored heavily against on Sunday afternoon and perhaps a few extra weeks to make sure stayed on the field once he returned.
LaFleur also shot down the notion that guard Aaron Banks returned too soon, noting that his groin injury was a new ailment to go along with the ankle and groin injuries he had been battling through in the opening weeks. But Tom’s situation is a head-scratcher especially if he was playing with a torn muscle.
Because of the Packers’ haste, Tom may be held out through their Week 5 bye. But it may require a different approach when a key player gets injured in the future.