Aaron Rodgers Will Play, But How Well?
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GREEN BAY (CBSDFW.COM) -- There's little question that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will play on Sunday as Green Bay hosts Dallas in the NFC Divisional playoffs at Lambeau Field.
What's in doubt is how Rodgers will play.
"I'm going on Sunday," Rodgers said Wednesday. "It's just a matter of how."
The first-team All Pro quarterback injured his left calf in the Dec. 28 regular-season finale against the Detroit Lions. He returned to play in the second half, but was severely limited with his mobility.
He missed practice on Wednesday, and was "limited" on Thursday.
Rodgers also has a "slight tear" in his calf in addition to the strain, according to ESPN.
A doctor familiar with the injury says Rodgers will certainly not be 100 percent: "The question is whether he'll be 95 percent or 50 percent."
Packers head coach Mike McCarthy says that Rodgers is prepared mentally to play, having taken all the walk-through reps -- and he's absolutely in the game plan.
"They're terrified of what's going on with this calf," said Cowboys.com scout Bryan Broaddus. "They're trying to treat it the best they can."
Broaddus says the Packers game plan changed dramatically against the Lions once Rodgers returned to the game.
"If you watch them play the Lions, once he came back from the injury, they got in pistol formation -- they put a back right behind him and just handed the ball off that way. They don't want him under center having to drop back and hand the ball off or even throw from underneath the center."
And if a similar trend continues at Lambeu Field -- where temperatures will hover beneath 20 degrees -- that could indicate a lingering concern.
"You'll know real early in this game how much shotgun formation they play if in fact they're really worried about the calf -- and I think they are."
Broaddus believes the Cowboys play a style of defense -- a 4-3 with cover 2 concepts -- that can present problems for Rodgers.
"When teams blitz him, that's when he's at his best. When you play coverage on him, then he tends to struggle a little bit more."
While Rodgers and Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will be the focus, Broaddus believes the running game could ultimately be the deciding factor.
"Whatever team can find a way to run the ball better, control the ball, I think that team is going to win."
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