Nelson reflects on return from injury
GREEN BAY – Jordy Nelson never would’ve won the NFL comeback player of the year award last season if there was nothing from which to come back, and Sunday night the Green Bay Packers receiver will return to the place where that journey began with one unfortunate twist of his right knee.
Nelson tore his ACL in the first quarter of a preseason visit to the Pittsburgh Steelers two years ago. He leaped to catch a pass from Aaron Rodgers at the 18-yard line and crumbled without being touched at the 16 after turning and trying to run. The injury cost Nelson all of the 2015 season, hurting the Packers’ chances of going to the Super Bowl.
The Packers’ game Sunday against the Steelers will mark Nelson’s first game back at Heinz Field since the injury. Nelson said he hadn’t thought about that play until being asked about it Friday.
“It’s not like you don’t know it’s there,” Nelson said, “but I’ve thought about it more in the last 10 seconds than I have all week.”
Nelson’s production hasn’t been the same in the five games since Rodgers’ broken collarbone last month in Minnesota, but the Packers couldn’t have realistically hoped for a better return after his torn ACL.
In earning last season’s comeback player of the year honor, Nelson led the NFL with 14 touchdown catches. He ranked fifth in the NFL with 97 catches in 2016, only one fewer than his careerhigh 98 as a Pro Bowler in 2014, and his 1,257 yards ranked sixth.
Without Rodgers for half of the Packers’ 10 games this season, Nelson has only 35 catches for 382 yards. But he led the NFL in touchdown catches through five games with six, and still is tied for fifth in the league despite not catching a touchdown pass since Brett Hundley took over.
Nelson said he wasn’t sure whether he could return to such high production in the immediate aftermath of his torn ACL in Pittsburgh.
“You have no idea,” Nelson said. “You can’t predict the future. But I knew what I was doing in my rehab was everything I could do. I knew I was going to put the time and the effort into it and be happy with the results.
“I mean, obviously you want to come back and you want to be successful, but if I didn’t it wasn’t because I didn’t put the work and time in. That’s what I think I do with a lot of things, is if I do what I’m supposed to do to the best of my ability with everything I can control — control what you can control — then you’ll be satisfied with the result.” Injury updates: Ty Montgomery has not practiced this week, and coach Mike McCarthy said the Packers’ running back won’t play Sunday night if he is unable to practice Saturday.
Montgomery was listed as doubtful, putting him in jeopardy of missing his second game since injuring his ribs Nov. 12 at Chicago. He was inactive last week against the Baltimore Ravens.
“He’s kind of the same as he was earlier in the week,” McCarthy said. “So, we’ll see.”
If Montgomery is unable to play, the Packers again will be without half their backfield. They likely will rely on rookies Jamaal Williams and Devante
Mays (questionable, ankle) against the Steelers. Rookie tailback Aaron Jones will miss his second game with a torn MCL.
The Packers also listed defensive tackle Kenny Clark as doubtful. Outside linebacker Clay Matthews (groin), rookie cornerback Kevin King (shoulder), safety Morgan Burnett (groin), guard Lucas Patrick (hand) and center Corey Linsley (back) were listed as questionable.
King and Burnett were full participants in Thursday’s practice. Matthews will be a game-time decision.
McCarthy is optimistic about Linsley’s chance to play Sunday. Linsley was limited in practice Thursday morning with a back injury.
“I think he’s going to be fine,” McCarthy said, “but we’ll see how he is in practice tomorrow.”
If Linsley has an unforeseen setback, the Packers would start Justin McCray at center. McCray made the 53-man roster this fall as a reserve interior lineman but has started six games at right tackle.
‘Special opportunity:’ McCarthy returns to his hometown this weekend when the Packers travel to play the Steelers. The Packers’ 12th-year coach said the short flight to Pittsburgh opened some time to see his family Saturday night and possibly grab dinner together.
“Any time you get to see your family for a little while the night before the game, it’s a special opportunity,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy did not reveal how many family members he’ll have in the stands at Heinz Field.
The Packers are facing very different circumstances now with a 5-5 record, trying to keep their season alive without Rodgers. McCarthy said his return home is special, but hasn’t overshadowed the importance of winning.
“We all understand what this trip and this game means,” McCarthy said. “We need to be 6-5 when we get on that plane ride coming back home. That’s ultimately the focus. But yeah, definitely, I love Pittsburgh, and it’s good to go back there and see your family and compete against the Steelers.”
Fine time: Second-year defensive end Dean Lowry was fined $18,231 for his roughing-the-passer penalty Sunday against Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.
Lowry swiped his left hand against Flacco’s facemask, trying to deflect the pass. He missed the football and instead contacted the quarterback’s head.
Lowry wasn’t pleased with the call after the game.
“I saw his right hand moving the ball and I saw him throwing at that point,” Lowry said. “I put my hand up there, and then the momentum took me into sort of his face, I guess, what it ended up to be. So I thought it was kind of a cheesy call, but I was just playing football, and my hand got stuck in his helmet.”