The Packers Are Good Enough to Weather the Storm Without Rodgers for a While

It is never a good thing when a team loses its best player for a while because of an injury. Not only the team's best player, but one of the very best players in the entire NFL. I'm speaking about quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, of course.

It's hard to say exactly how long Rodgers will be out with a fractured clavicle. The Packers aren't putting a timeline on it. Maybe Rodgers will be back in three weeks, but it could be twice as long.

Head coach Mike McCarthy felt much better about the injury situation once he received the nature of the injury from the team medical staff. McCarthy talked about that on Tuesday via Packers.com.

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I'm relieved, no doubt. You talk to the doctors after the game, talk to Aaron after talking to the doctors, (I) felt better talking to Aaron than I did talking to our medical staff.

With the new information that was given today, everybody felt better about it. How long? We don't have our hands around a timeline yet, but I know Aaron is very optimistic and he'll do everything he can to get back in a timely fashion.

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Rodgers himself talked about the injury on his weekly radio show on ESPN Milwaukee.

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It's a difficult injury because there's not a specific type of rehab you can do for this. It's not like you can get a massage or 'stim' (electrical stimulation) or the different various treatments that they have out there that can try to get you back quicker.

You just have to wait for the bone to heal. That's going to be the frustrating part, but I feel like I've been a quick healer in the past and am hopeful this will be on the short end of whatever prognosis comes up.

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I've had a fractured clavicle myself, but I was also dealing with a fractured skull and a fractured vertebra near my neck due to an auto accident several years ago. The clavicle injury healed at around a month's time.

Bottom line, the Packers are going to be without their best player for a while. It's going to be hard to replace a player who is so dynamic and productive at the quarterback position, as Rodgers has been over the past five-and-a-half years.

In that time, Rodgers has put together a remarkable stat line that has him now rated as the top quarterback in NFL history based on quarterback rating. Rodgers has a 105.2 career mark, based on his 186 touchdown passes versus just 50 picks for 23,879 yards.

Rodgers also led the Packers to a win in Super Bowl XLV, where he was the MVP of the game, as well as being named NFL MVP in 2011.

That's why he will be so difficult to replace. But it can be done. And it will take a total team effort.

In terms of Seneca Wallace, the man who will replace Rodgers as the starting quarterback for a while, McCarthy bristled at a reporter's question about why McCarthy had confidence in Wallace.

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What gives me the confidence? Seneca Wallace, once you read his bio, he's played a lot of games, been in the league a long time. I look for him to improve with a week of preparation, and we'll set a plan that will help him with that.

I have all the confidence in the world in Seneca.

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Wallace has had a decent career in the NFL if you do indeed check out his career statistics.

Not earth-shattering stats to be sure, but I like any quarterback who has more touchdowns (31) than interceptions (19).

Wallace's quarterback rating (80.6) is serviceable for a backup. Wallace also has better mobility than most quarterbacks and has started 21 games in his NFL career.

That being said, Wallace is going to need a lot of help to get the job done. It starts again with the offensive line. They have to do a much better job of protecting Wallace, unlike the game on Monday night when he was sacked three times by the Bears.

The line also has to keep opening holes for the now second-ranked running attack in the NFL. The duo of rookie Eddie Lacy and James Starks has become a lethal combination at running back.

That has to continue, so Wallace can have an opportunity for big plays while utilizing play-action fakes.

Special teams also needs to continue to play well. The effort on Monday night by all the special-team units was definitely the best effort of the year, and perhaps even a few years.

That's what happens when you block a punt, execute a successful onside kick, get a solid kicking game in all areas and keep the dangerous Devin Hester contained.

But the unit that has to really come up big over the next few games is the defense. Even with the injury to Rodgers on Monday night, the Packers still could have won that game. But they didn't, and most of the blame has to be pointed at the defense.

The defense didn't put pressure on quarterback Josh McCown, and he shredded the secondary with big pass plays. The tackling was atrocious, and running back Matt Forte also had a big night. Time after time, the defense was given an opportunity to make a play, and it didn't.

That was somewhat surprising, because the defense has improved so much as the season has worn on. At least up until the game against the Bears. But just like all the injuries the offense has dealt with this year, the defense has had similar issues.

The Packers were able to win four straight games without the help of their second-best player, outside linebacker Clay Matthews, in three-and-a-half of those games. But that situation caught up with them on Monday night.

It all starts with tackling. The Packers had Forte contained a number of times before he could gain a first down, but shoddy tackling allowed him to gain the necessary yardage each time. That is unacceptable.

Matthews is expected back this week versus the Philadelphia Eagles at Lambeau Field. The Packers will need him against a very explosive offense. I wrote about the return of Matthews in my most recent article.

The offense of the Packers will also be facing the 32nd-ranked defense in the NFL. Wallace should have some opportunities, especially after getting all the reps in practice this week.

Remember, Wallace had not ever had a snap as a Packers quarterback until Monday night. He wasn't signed until just before the regular season started.

After the game against the Eagles, the Packers will travel to New Jersey to face the New York Giants, then return home to face the Minnesota Vikings again.

If the Packers are fortunate, Rodgers will be back for the big game against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.

Bottom line, it will take all three phases of the Green Bay football team to weather the storm while Rodgers is out. The coaching and the talent is there to get the job done.