Green Bay Packers Call Trapper John, MD, to Triage

In the past week, Packers fans have watched their team go from contender to pretender.

However, this has less to do with the losses on the field than the losses to the roster. Instead of being able to focus on who is returning from training-camp injuries, such as center Scott Wells, the team has seen their injury report grow.

Last week, Al Harris went down with what has been reported as a ruptured spleen. Despite Harris' hope he can return, the team should plan on him being done for the year.

The good news there is Tramon Williams did an admirable job this week; heck, the entire Packers pass defense did, holding Brian Griese to a passer rating under 40.

The bad news is that six more players were added to the report, and that contributed to the team's second consecutive loss.

A hamstring injury to Jason Hunter (who?) and a groin injury to linebacker A.J. Hawk may continue to nag them, even if they don't miss time. Safety Aaron Rouse suffered a knee injury but says he will be okay. But safety Nick Collins (back), who got his third interception of the year, and defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins (shoulder) could barely move their injured areas.

The most alarming injury was to Aaron Rodgers. Stretching to try to make a first down on a scramble, the young quarterback landed awkwardly on his right arm and believes he suffered a shoulder separation.

Three plays later, it became apparent he was hurt. He rifled a 49-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings to bring the Packers back to within 20-14, but one could see how he went to the sidelines favouring the arm.

By the time his replacement, Matt Flynn, came into the game, the Packers had a 21-20 lead thanks to a tremendous play by Charles Woodson. He stole a pass from his Michigan (who won a heart-breaker over the Wisconsin Badgers just a day earlier) teammate Griese and returned it for a score.

There will be so-called Packers fans who will seize upon Brett Favre's six TD, one-INT performance Sunday, compared with Rodgers' two TD and three INTs, as more proof the Packers made the wrong call in letting Favre go. Nevermind that Favre has at best two years left in him and keeping him would have meant losing Rodgers, whose contract is up next year.

There are also the following additional reasons not to judge that move badly:

1. Rodgers has played against three good defenses: Minnesota, Dallas, and Tampa Bay; Favre has played only two: New England and San Diego.
   
2. Rodgers has thrown for more yards and, including runs and fumbles, accounted for eight TDs and only four turnovers. Favre has accounted for 12 and 5, respectively—a nearly identical ratio.
   
3. Only one of Rodgers turnovers was at all attributable to Rodgers: one interception was on a pass that went off Brandon Jackson's hands and another occurred when Rodgers was hit as he threw. His fumble against the Lions was also certainly not his fault, as he was stripped from behind.

However, there is one legitimate concern all Packers fans had when the choice of Rodgers over Favre was made: Favre's durability was legendary, Rodgers' was questionable at best. I do not question Rodgers' toughness—he tried to return, even after that TD pass made it clear he was hurt, because it was equally clear that Flynn could not move the chains.

The point is, he has already spent more of his brief career on the sidelines for injury than Favre has in 16 years. That is why the most questionable management decision was not having a quarterback on the depth chart behind Rodgers that is even arguably ready to lead this team.

The Packers walking wounded includes three safeties (the third being Atari Bigby), one wide receiver (James Jones), a running back still appearing hobbled (Ryan Grant), a corner likely done for the season, and injuries to the defensive line and linebacking corps. This, aside from the potential of the team's only good quarterback being out, makes things look bleaker than they did just hours ago.

With all those injuries, one has to wonder if there needs to be a change in the strength and conditioning coach. Trapper John, are you available?