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The Green Bay Packers took a surprising loss at the hands of the Detroit Lions in Week 18, despite deploying their starters for the first half of the game. While the loss doesn't carry much of an impact on the Packers, there was some concern regarding the status of David Bakhtiari ahead of the playoff run. Bakhtiari was making his season debut on Sunday after being sidelined with a knee injury for the entire season. The star offensive lineman didn't play the full game, exiting early despite his lack of reps throughout the season. Fortunately, head coach Matt LaFleur offered an explanation for Bakhtiari's departure that will calm the nerves of Packers fans, via Rob Demovsky.
LaFleur said David Bakhtiari came out of the game in the middle of that series because he “felt more fatigued than anything else.”
“I wouldn’t say it’s anything we’re concerned about.”
If Bakhtiari’s knee feels OK, it sounds like he would be a go for the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/LrM51qvbzi
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) January 9, 2022
LaFleur indicated that Bakhtiari's early departure from Sunday's game was due to the offensive lineman experiencing fatigue. While there was some concern that the 30-year-old had reaggravated his knee injury, LaFleur insists that isn't the case, and that the Packers fully expect to have the veteran available for the playoffs.
Bakhtiari is one of the game's most elite offensive linemen and serves as a key protector for Aaron Rodgers. The Packers managed just fine without him during the regular season, but having him back on the field for the playoffs will be a huge boost to one of the league's most feared offenses.
It is only natural that Bakhtiari was dealing with some level of fatigue in his first game back. Hopefully, as the Packers gear up for their playoff opener, the veteran lineman will have the chance to build up some stamina in order to keep himself on the field.
