The Packers’ playoff hopes appeared to be on the brink of elimination Sunday night against the Eagles. The sight of an injured Aaron Rodgers does little to bolster confidence in Green Bay reaching the playoffs.
Rodgers left the “Sunday Night Football” contest in Philadelphia in the third quarter with an oblique injury. The Packers listed him as questionable to return.
Jordan Love replaced him in the fourth quarter and immediately threw a 63-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Christian Watson.
Prior to his injury, Rodgers completed 11 of 16 passes for 140 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. His nine interceptions in 12 games are the most he has thrown in a season since 2010, when he had 11. Rodgers was sacked three times in the game, making it 24 for the season.
The injury continued a down year for Rodgers and the Packers, who were the No. 1 seed in the NFC a season ago. They entered Sunday’s game at 4-7 and, according to FiveThirtyEight, had just a 7 percent chance of making the playoffs. A loss would drop them to 3 percent.
MORE: Packers vs. Eagles updates, highlights
Here’s the latest on Rodgers’ injury.
Aaron Rodgers injury update
Rodgers was sacked for a 5-yard loss with 13:26 left to play in the third quarter; on the play, Philadelphia’s Hassan Reddick hit Rodgers on his injured thumb and put his helmet into Rodgers’ chest.
Rodgers was examined by trainers after the play. During Green Bay’s next drive, NBC cameras kept showing Rodgers grimacing each time he threw the ball. He attempted four passes on the drive and pitched the ball once.
The oblique injury is the Rodgers’ latest ailment this season. According to NFL.com, Rodgers suffered an avulsion fracture of his throwing thumb in the team’s 27-22 loss to the Giants on Oct. 9. The report said the injury is both a fracture and a torn ligament and that surgery is almost always required.
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Rodgers reportedly is not considering surgery at this time, but he has been listed on the injury report each week with the injury.
Packers QB depth chart
If Rodgers is forced to miss any time, there is a clear replacement for him in Love.
The team’s 2020 first-round draft pick has made one start in his NFL career. It came against the Chiefs in Week 9 of the 2021 season, after Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19. Love completed 19 of 34 passes for 190 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a 13-7 loss.
The Packers’ only other quarterback is practice squad member Danny Etling, who has not appeared in an NFL game.
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