Packers Looking Like A MASH Unit » Brats & Beer

November 26, 2007
posted under: Aaron Rouse, Charles Woodson, injury report, KGB, Mark Tauscher, Packers

Cause suicide is painless, It brings on many changes,

And I can take or leave it if I please

I’ve never seen Dr. Pat McKenzie on camera but hopefully he’s channeling Hawkeye Pierce and his zany antics to keep his sanity amid the madness of Green Bay’s injury situation. The Packers might be the youngest team in the league, but they are also one of the most banged-up among the leading playoff contenders.

Colin Cole, who broke his arm Thursday against the Lions, was put on injured reserve yesterday, and the Packers signed Marviel Underwood as an insurance policy due to Aaron Rouse’s knee injury suffered Thanksgiving. That game also saw injuries to KGB and Mark Tauscher, both of whom had to leave the field, and Donald Driver was limping around the sidelines with a foot injury.

The official injury list for this week doesn’t come out until tomorrow, but from the post-game reports it doesn’t sound like Tauscher and Driver will be held out of Thursday’s contest against the Cowboys. Rouse’s situation is still up in the air; he was at practice Sunday but did not participate. On the defensive line, in addition to having Cole out for the season, Johnny Jolly missed the last game with a shoulder injury and isn’t expected to be back in the lineup for the Dallas game, while KGB could be a game decision depending on the seriousness of his ankle sprain.

Most troubling, though, is Charles Woodson’s injury suffered on a punt return in the Thanksgiving Classic. He missed most of the game and the team has been downright Bill Belichickian with regards to information about his situation. Not having Woodson on the field in Dallas against that potent aerial attack would pose some serious problems for the Green Bay defense.

On the bright side, though, it sounds like Bubba Franks and Nick Collins are getting healthy and could be ready for action on Thursday. Collins would provide some much needed coverage support behind Al Harris against Terrell Owens, while Franks would offer Brett Favre one more weapon in a game that the Packers likely will have to score a lot of points to win.

We might also get to see Will Blackmon back on the field Thursday night for the first time since training camp. He got some reps returning kicks Sunday, so hopefully Woodson will be relieved of his punt return duties down the stretch.

With a little bit of luck and the skill of Dr. McKenzie’s medical staff, the Packers should be able to field a decent compliment of starters Thursday in the biggest game of the year. A win against the Cowboys would not only put Green Bay in position to earn home field advantage through the playoffs, but it would also be a big confidence boost for this young team steamrolling their way towards a conference championship.