Tuesday's NFL: Packers' Aaron Rodgers to return Sunday; Bears' Eddie Jackson goes to IR
Green Bay, Wis. — Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers says he expects to play Sunday at Chicago after a rib injury knocked him out of a 40-33 loss at Philadelphia.
“I got good news with the scans yesterday, so I plan on playing this week,” Rodgers said Tuesday on “The Pat McAfee Show” on YouTube and SiriusXM.
Rodgers left in the second half against the Eagles because of the rib injury. He already has been playing with a broken right thumb, an injury he sustained on the final play of a 27-22 loss to the New York Giants on Oct. 9.
“There was an earlier shot in the game that kind of rattled the ribcage,” Rodgers said. “I was trying to stretch some things out at halftime a little bit and realized it probably wasn’t some sort of muscle injury. And I just got hit again in the third quarter and was just having a hard time breathing.”
Packers coach Matt LaFleur had said Monday that Rodgers was feeling better, but added the team would know more about the four-time MVP’s status in the next couple of days.
Rodgers said he wouldn’t be surprised if the injury limited his practice time.
“I might miss practice Wednesday and not be a full contributor, but that’s kind of been standard for the last, I don’t know, six or seven weeks,” Rodgers said. “(We’ll) go to one of my favorite places to play down in Chicago and hopefully get a big win, get into the bye week, get healthy and see where we can get to.”
The Packers (4-8) still have a slim chance of reaching the playoffs heading into their game with the Bears (3-9). Rodgers said after the Eagles game that he wanted to keep playing through these injuries as long as the Packers still have a chance of making the postseason.
Rodgers also offered praise Tuesday for Jordan Love, the 2020 first-round pick who took over for him in the Eagles game and went 6 of 9 for 113 yards with a touchdown.
“It was really nice to watch,” Rodgers said. “I feel like an older brother watching him do well. I care about the kid a lot.”
Bears place Jackson on injured reserve with foot injury
The Chicago Bears placed safety Eddie Jackson on injured reserve Tuesday because of a foot injury that could keep him out for the remainder of the season.
The Bears (3-9) are last in the NFC North with five games remaining. They've dropped five in a row and are coming off a loss to the New York Jets that was particularly painful.
Leading receiver Darnell Mooney suffered a season-ending ankle injury that coach Matt Eberflus said Monday requires surgery. The Bears placed him on IR on Tuesday and signed practice squad defensive back A.J. Thomas to the active roster.
With Jackson, tied for third in the NFL with four interceptions, also going down against New York, the Bears lost two leaders. He was hurt in the second quarter.
Jackson's injury combined with a concussion Jaquan Brisker already had and a hamstring injury to Dane Cruikshank left the Bears playing their only two remaining safeties — DeAndre Houston-Carson and rookie seventh-round pick Elijah Hicks.
The Bears host rival Green Bay on Sunday. The Packers beat them 27-10 at Lambeau Field in Week 2.