Green Bay Packers season hopes diminishing
One week after losing starting wide receiver Jordy Nelson to a season-ending torn ACL injury, the Green Bay Packers have lost three more starters to injury in their Aug. 29 preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lambeau Field.
It’s as grim as it sounds. Packers fans can be forgiven if they’re finding it hard to remain positive.
Early in the first quarter, the Packers’ new No. 1 receiver, Randall Cobb, departed the game after landing awkwardly on his right shoulder. He immediately left the sideline to return to the locker room. Official word from the Packers is Cobb suffered an shoulder injury. The severity of this injury, which had ended his participation in this game and presumably the fourth and final preseason game, is unknown.
GameDay Live on the NFL Network reports that Cobb’s injury is not a broken collarbone, but a shoulder injury. An official diagnosis is not expected until the conclusion of the game or tomorrow, pending MRI results.
Starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga left the game shortly after Cobb’s injury with a lower leg injury. Reports indicated that Bulaga was rolled up on and is dealing with an ankle injury. He has removed his equipment and will not return.
As if this bad run of injury luck were not enough, starting nickel hybrid corner/safety Micah Hyde was seen leaving the field of play on a cart. His injury is unclear at this time, but his departure marks the third front-line player to leave the game due to injury. This comes on top of the absences of three of the Packers’ five starting offensive linemen, who were held out due to recent injuries: left tackle David Bakhtiari (knee), guard Josh Sitton (ankle) and guard T.J. Lang (concussion).
In what may be a lucky break, by comparison, Packers starting inside linebacker Sam Barrington was checked out by medical staff after running off the field, but now appears to be OK.
The first-string Packers defense has proven to be of little effect against the fast-paced Eagles offense, led by resurgent quarterback Sam Bradford, who went 10 out of 10 with three touchdowns in less than one half of work.
©Julian Rogers | @thejujueye | Juju Eye Communications, LLC
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