Tag: thumb

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers not using thumb injury as excuse

Aaron Rodgers on his thumb injury: “It’s been an issue since the Giants, but it’s not an issue that I’m going to rely on for an excuse or need.”

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said his thumb injury won’t be healed until after the bye week, and he isn’t willing to use the injury as an excuse for poor performance.

Rodgers, who initially injured his thumb in London against the New York Giants on Oct. 6, missed a few throws during the Packers’ 27-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans last Thursday night.

“My thumb is what it is. It’s been an issue since the Giants, but it’s not an issue that I’m going to rely on for an excuse or need,” Rodgers told “The Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday.

Rodgers didn’t specifically say he has a broken thumb but he did say he’s played with broken fingers in the past.

The injury isn’t healing due to in-game stresses including hits and playing under center.

In terms of accuracy, Rodgers said he “put every ball” where he wanted it during a sublime quarterbacking performance against the Dallas Cowboys, providing proof that the injury doesn’t have to be a roadblock to playing up to his standards.

A few big misses in the fourth quarter against the Titans – and another loss dropping the Packers to 4-7 – brought the thumb back into the spotlight.

“I missed two throws I probably hit 99/100 and people wonder what’s going on,” Rodgers said. “Nothing’s changed week to week.”

Rodgers’ adjusted completion percentage (not counting drops and throwaways) against the Cowboys was 84.2 but dropped to 67.6 against the Titans, per PFF.

The Packers go on the road to play the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. Rodgers’ thumb is getting extra rest this week after playing the Thursday night game last week.

Here’s the segment from “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday:

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Packers QB Aaron Rodgers doesn’t think injured thumb will heal until bye week

Aaron Rodgers thinks his injured thumb needs a week off before it can properly heal. The Packers bye arrives in three weeks.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was pinpoint accurate (and playing at MVP levels) during Sunday’s win over the Dallas Cowboys, but his thumb injury is still an issue and he doesn’t think it will truly heal until the bye week when he can rest it fully.

In fact, Rodgers said the thumb – on his right hand, which has been taped up for several games to provide support – feels “about the same” now as it did when it was first injured in London against the New York Giants on Oct. 9.

“I need probably a week off for it get back to where I need it to be,” Rodgers said Wednesday. “Every game there’s been something that’s hit it, whether it’s a snap from under center or a hit from a defender. So I just gotta deal with it.”

Rodgers appeared in some pain after a hit on Sunday but still played arguably his best game of the season, completing 14 of 20 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns and zero interceptions.

The Packers’ bye week doesn’t arrive until Week 14, so Rodgers will need to play three more games – against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night, on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12 and on the road against the Chicago Bears in Week 13 – before getting the much-needed break for his thumb.

Even the mini-bye coming up after the Thursday night game isn’t going to be enough to get it back to 100 percent.

“Every day off is going to help, for sure, but I feel like it needs seven days probably,” Rodgers said.

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Packers QB Aaron Rodgers won’t practice Wednesday due to new thumb injury

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers won’t practice on Wednesday after injuring his thumb on the final play of Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants. 

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers won’t practice on Wednesday after injuring his thumb on the final play of Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants, according to coach Matt LaFleur.

Despite his absence to start the week, the team isn’t overly concerned about Rodgers’ availability for this week’s game against the New York Jets.

“He’s not going to practice today, but I don’t think we have much concern as far as gameday,” LaFleur said.

The 38-year-old quarterback will be on the first injury report of the week coming later Wednesday.

Rodgers was injured while attempting to throw a Hail Mary as time expired against the Giants. He was hit by several players while winding up to throw.

On Tuesday, Rodgers revealed to “The Pat McAfee Show” that his thumb was a “little banged up” but he was confident he could still “spin” the ball.

The Packers have Jordan Love as the No. 1 backup and Danny Etling available as the third-string quarterback on the practice squad.

Cowboys spin doctor Jerry Jones reveals what team needs to see from QB Dak Prescott

Prescott is expected to start throwing for real on Wednesday. Whether he can “spin the ball” could decide if he starts versus Philadelphia. | From @ToddBrock24f7

If there’s anybody who knows spin, it’s Cowboys owner, general manager, and chief eternal optimist Jerry Jones.

And despite a surprising 4-1 record on an undrafted backup quarterback’s watch, Jones senses that his team could be getting even better in the coming days- just in time, perhaps, for a divisional showdown with the last undefeated club in the NFL.

All it’s going to take to get Dak Prescott back in the starting lineup after fracturing the thumb on his throwing hand exactly one month ago, the owner says, is spin.

“Let’s put it like this,” Jones said Tuesday during his weekly call-in on 105.3 The Fan. “He’s got to spin the ball. He’s got to really spin the ball.”

The fracture was originally thought to be an injury that could have the two-time Pro Bowler sidelined for six to eight weeks. Reports starting surfacing almost immediately after his Sept. 12 surgery, however, that Prescott might return after missing just four games.

Of course, much of that best-case-scenario talk came from Jones.

Second-string passer Cooper Rush was a nice story last year when he filled in for Prescott for one game and picked up a win. But being thrust into the starting role for an extended period? Amid talk of a ruined season before Week 2, Jones needed to offer hope to the fanbase that No. 4 would be back in the saddle sooner rather than later.

The stitches came out of Prescott’s hand, the swelling went down, and it all became about grip. Prescott has been seen doing some light tossing and even showed off his handshake strength to Fox sideline reporter Tom Rinaldi during the team’s Week 5 visit to Los Angeles.

While that date with the Rams marked Prescott’s fourth missed game, it also saw Rush guide the Cowboys to their fourth straight win in his understudy role.

Now, contrary to those early sky-is-falling fears, Sunday’s meeting with the Eagles isn’t the Cowboys’ last-gasp chance to save their season; it’s an opportunity for Dallas to move into a tie with Philadelphia for the NFC East lead and to make the notion of taking a 7-1 record into their bye week a realistic possibility.

All it’s going to take… is spin.

“Just think about it,” Jones continued on-air Tuesday. “Put your hand down on something that would be the equivalent of a football. Try to do that without thumb strength. Try to spin that ball. Try to direct that ball without thumb strength if you’re really giving it a proper thumb. You can’t do it. But if you do have strength and can grip the ball, then you can spin the ball.”

Prescott was reportedly scheduled to meet with a doctor on Tuesday, and the expectations are that he’ll be cleared to start throwing for real on Wednesday. Head coach Mike McCarthy said Monday that he’d “like to see” Prescott handle a full week of practice before reclaiming his starter’s spot.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport called Prescott “a long shot to play” this Sunday, saying he “still can’t grip a football.”

Prescott, however, says he can.

“Can he zip the ball out there and make the throw?” Jones asked. “We’ll start working on that Wednesday real hard. He’s certainly doing the kinds of things medically that you want to do.”

So now- and for the next four days- it’s all about spin.

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Tua Tagovailoa will be game-time decision for Dolphins vs. Bengals

Tua Tagovailoa is still nursing an injured thumb that kept him out of last weekends contest against the NEw York Jets. Now, it may keep …

The Miami Dolphins are 7-4 in the thick of the playoff race. One game behind leading the AFC East, and sitting comfortably in the AFC Wild Card.

Former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had gotten his opportunity to start as a rookie, and the team is fully convinced it’s his time to shine.

While starting 3-0 in his first three starts, he suffered his first loss against the Denver Broncos, and has not seen the field since being benched in the fourth quarter.

Tagovailoa injured his thumb on a helmet during practice in preparation for the Week 13 contest on the road against the New York Jets. He did not play in the Dolphins win against the AFC East rival.

Now, as the team prepares to face the Cincinnati Bengals, there’s a chsnce Tagovailoa stays on the sidelines for the second consecutive week.

A game that was once seen as a potential rematch of LSU’s Joe Burrow and Alabama’s Tagovailoa might not feature either of the two young stars after Burrow suffered a torn ACL.

Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald reports on Dolphins head coach Brian Flores’ assesment of the young quarterback’s availability for Sunday:

The Dolphins don’t seem to be miss a beat when Tagovailoa is off the field, but there’s a clear difference in play calling.

Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on Tagovailoa’s health and his availabitilty for the contest.

Report: Matthew Stafford’s thumb injury doesn’t present ‘much concern going forward’

Updating Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford’s injured thumb.

After a rough sack — where the Washington Football Team was flagged for a penalty — Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford injured his right thumb (his throwing hand) and required it to be taped for the remainder of the game.

Post-game Stafford acknowledged the injury and said he was planning on getting X-rays that night to examine the extent of the damage. This morning, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting optimistic news.

A “source said there was not much concern going forward,” Rapoport tweeted. “X-Rays negative. Though he may be limited some this week, the initial belief is he won’t miss game time. Stafford will have some more tests today to make sure there is no structural damage. But the early vibe is optimistic.”

Bottom line, expected Stafford to be limited this week in practice and he will surely show up on the injury report, but he is on track to play this Sunday.