Rodgers could sit out with Pack eliminated
Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy left the door open for quarterback Aaron Rodgers to play against the Vikings on Saturday — but that was before the Packers were eliminated from the playoff picture.
“Aaron Rodgers is sore, rightfully so,” McCarthy said Monday night, one day after Rodgers’ return from a fractured right collarbone wasn’t enough in the Packers’ 31-24 loss at Carolina. “He was hit too many times, took two big hits . ... So we’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
McCarthy made the comments before the Falcons’ 24-21 victory against the Buccaneers, a win that marked the end of Green Bay’s eight-year run of postseason berths.
Rodgers convinced the team’s brain trust and medical staff to let him play against the Panthers, but he did not play well, throwing three interceptions.
McCarthy and the medical staff must weigh whether Rodgers should play without a postseason berth on the line. Rodgers said he wanted to play against Minnesota — the team that derailed his season — regardless of the playoff picture, saying, “I’m a competitor. Until they tell me otherwise, I’m expecting to play.” More QB news: Arizona head coach Bruce Arians says he will return to Drew Stanton as starting quarterback for Sunday’s home game against the Giants, benching former 49ers QB Blaine Gabbert, who went 2-3 in five starts . ... Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson said DeShone Kizer will remain the starting quarterback despite three turnovers in Sunday’s 27-10 loss to Baltimore. Chargers’ changes: Nick Rose is the Chargers’ fourth kicker of the season. The Chargers (7-7) waived Travis Coons and claimed Rose off waivers from Washington on a busy day that also included disappointing injury diagnoses for three key players.
Coons had made six of his seven field-goal attempts in three games, but head coach Anthony Lynn said his “leg strength was a little short.”
Defensive lineman Corey Liuget and linebacker Denzel Perryman will miss Sunday’s game at the Jets after getting hurt in Kansas City. Tight end Hunter Henry might join them on the sideline with a lacerated kidney. Briefly: Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis was suspended for two games by the NFL following his helmet-to-helmet hit on Green Bay wide receiver Davante Adams . ... The Colts put center Ryan Kelly and linebacker Jon Bostic on injured reserve . ... Former 49ers wide receiver Jeremy Kerley was waived by the Jets. He had 22 catches for 217 yards and a TD in eight games.