Jordy ruled out: Nelson won’t be playing against the Cowboys.
Receiver sidelined for game against Cowboys
Green Bay — The broken ribs he suffered last weekend are going to prevent Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson from playing against the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.
Coach Mike McCarthy announced Friday that Nelson has been ruled out for Sunday’s game but will travel with the team to Dallas.
“Jordy Nelson, actually, we’re going to declare him out for the game,” McCarthy said in his news conference. “Meeting with the medical staff, Dr. (Patrick) McKenzie and Dr. (John) Gray will not medically clear him to practice tomorrow. He will be out for the game Sunday.
“They just would not medically clear him for Sunday. We’ll reevaluate Monday. He’s actually in the training room now going through a workout and he’ll continue to progress. He says he feels better every day.”
Nelson, 31, exited last week’s win over the New York Giants in the second quarter after absorbing a hard hit from New York Giants safety Leon Hall along the sideline. As Nelson leaped to make a catch between the cornerback and safety, Hall drove his helmet and hands into Nelson’s midsection.
The hit crumpled Nelson, who remained doubled over on the sideline for several minutes. He eventually climbed to his feet and walked gingerly to a cart, which took him to the locker room. His final destination was a local hospital.
Hall was not fined by the league for his hit on Nelson.
“It gives us one less receiver, but obviously (an) extremely productive player,” McCarthy said. “You just go by the way the game plan was set, the importance and really the emphasis on Jordy Nelson. So with that, that’s gone.
“You just tilt opportunities the other way. That’s the way you always have to approach these types of situations, anytime you have a player of his magnitude that’s not available. That’s all part of developing a game plan. You have to do that in the early stages of the week. We anticipated potentially not having him this week. So we’ll be prepared for that.”
Without Nelson, who was a long shot to play despite the glimmers of hope McCarthy dropped throughout the week, the majority of playing time should fall to Geronimo Allison, an undrafted rookie from Illinois. Allison performed well during extended action in Weeks 16 and 17 — he caught a crucial touchdown pass against Detroit to help capture the NFC North title — and offers quarterback Aaron Rodgers a different type of receiver with his tall frame and long limbs.
Earlier this week Allison brushed aside the notion that a story by the Journal Sentinel detailing his misdemeanor possession of marijuana charge was a distraction. Instead, Allison said he recognized the potential opportunity if Nelson was unable to play.
“I have a lot of confidence in Geronimo,” McCarthy said. “Not just the way he played in Detroit, it’s definitely an experience he can build off of, but really what he’s done and watch the progression that he’s made throughout the season. So he’ll be ready to go.”
Injury report: Though cornerback Quinten Rollins (neck/concussion) practiced twice this week, including a padded session Thursday, McCarthy said he is still in the concussion protocol and has not been cleared.
Rollins was listed as questionable on the final injury report Friday.
This week marked the first time Rollins had practiced since his scary fall against the Lions that led to a hospitalization. Because he is in the protocol, Rollins has not been available to the media for interviews.
“The work for Quinten Rollins yesterday at practice was all part of the concussion protocol sequence to get back on the field, but he’s still in the protocol,” McCarthy said. “He has not been cleared.”
Running back James Starks (concussion) and center JC Tretter (knee) also have been ruled out and will not play. Outside linebacker Jayrone Elliott (hand) and wide receiver Jeff Janis (quadriceps) are questionable.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, appear healthy ahead of Sunday’s game.
Cornerback Morris Claiborne (groin), defensive end Tyrone Crawford (shoulder), linebacker Justin Durant (elbow), defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (back), defensive tackle Terrell McClain (ankle), left tackle Tyron Smith (knee) and defensive tackle Cedric Thornton (ankle) were all listed as questionable.
New gig: Bryce Paup, 48, was named the defensive line coach at the University of Minnesota. Paup had 321⁄2 sacks as an outside linebacker for the Packers from 1990’94.
He spent the last four years as the defensive line coach at Northern Iowa. He worked previously as the head coach at Green Bay Southwest High School from 2007-’12, where he compiled a record of 43-21.
Paup was on the Packers’ board of directors when he left for Northern Iowa.