NFL Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers Must Play Despite Slight Calf Tear

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When football gets into January, everyone on every team is going to be banged up. However, the Green Bay Packers wish their golden goose of a quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, wasn’t quite as banged up as he is.

ESPN reports indicate Rodgers has a slight tear in his calf, but will start against the Dallas Cowboys this weekend in the Divisional Round. Despite the pain, Rodgers really doesn’t have a choice on whether to start or not. First of all, he’s a gamer, so it’s not like he would try to talk his way out of starting anyway.

Also, his backup, Matt Flynn, only has seven career starts to his credit. The Packers don’t want his eighth to be in the Divisional Round in a win-or-go-home scenario, though it’s worth noting that Flynn has been pretty effective as a starter: in five starts last season while Rodgers recovered from a broken collarbone, Flynn compiled a 2-3 record while completing 62 percent of his passes.

Flynn added eight touchdown passes as well as five interceptions in that time. While he’s a serviceable backup during the regular season, he’s not a starter you want to rely on in a playoff game of this magnitude. That is why Rodgers has to start as long as he’s even 50 percent.

As crazy as it is to think, Rodgers at 50 percent is still probably better than half the league’s quarterbacks. With his mobility being limited, he will have to be more of a pure pocket passer. As someone who can seemingly hit receivers in stride 40 yards down field with the flick of a wrist, it shouldn’t be a huge problem.

Especially considering that this game is at home for the Packers, Rodgers is going to show up for the contest. While he may not be 100 percent effective, the Packers still have a very good chance to win this game. They’d rather rely on the man who should be the 2014 NFL MVP than a backup who has shown faint flashes of playmaking ability.

With the season on the line and both teams playing desperate football, this Rodgers injury may have leveled the playing field. However, that doesn’t mean Rodgers won’t blow fans away like he’s done all season long at Lambeau Field.

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