The Green Bay Packers have clinched the NFC's top seed and are playing the conference's worst team, the Detroit Lions, in the final week of the regular season. Surely, they would rest Aaron Rodgers, their MVP-caliber quarterback, in this meaningless game, right? Well, apparently not.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that Rodgers will start against the Lions. He also added that he doesn't think Rogers needs to play.
The Packers are planning to start Aaron Rodgers on Sunday and then LaFleur will see how the game goes.
“I don’t think he needs to play. I think he wants to play and keep the momentum going.”
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) January 7, 2022
With Rodgers' future with the Packers uncertain and the team positioned very well to make the Super Bowl, this decision is truly head-scratching. Momentum doesn't seem like something important enough for Rodgers — a 17-year veteran who missed just one game this season — to play a meaningless game.
Article Continues BelowYet, playing just parts of the game to stay loose seems to be a worthwhile option. Getting rusty could also hurt the Packers' ability to come out strong against a good team. Davante Adams said he wants to use this game against the Lions to stay active. LaFleur said that he has looked into this strategy by examining how teams have handled the first-round bye in the past.
Even with the bye, Davante Adams said he’d want to play next week so the gap off isn’t that big.
“I want to get out there and run around a little bit for sure.”
— Lily Zhao (@LilySZhao) January 3, 2022
Wide receiver Randall Cobb will rest this weekend, though, as he continues to recover from surgery to a core muscle. Tackle David Bakhtiari may make his season debut after tearing his ACL last season.
Just how much Rodgers, Adams and Green Bay's starters will play has yet to be determined. The real impacts it has on players will show up when the Packers welcome a playoff opponent to Lambeau Field.