Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has played very well in recent weeks, despite a calf injury. So how has Rodgers played so well with the injury?
Seahawks safety Earl Thomas has an apparent theory: Rodgers isn’t injured at all.
“I’m not buying into this leg issue,” safety Earl Thomas told reporters on Thursday. “I’m not buying into it. I saw him scramble close to the goal line on the Cowboys, so he’s not fooling me with that.”
Reminded that Rodgers still didn’t look like his usual self, Thomas didn’t budge.
“I’m not falling into that,” Thomas said. “I’m on my own road regardless. I’m on my road regardless.”
The deeper message from Thomas may be that he’s not going to allow himself to think that he’ll be facing anything other than a fully-functioning Aaron Rodgers.
“We know he’s a little banged up but he looks just fine to me in that last game — he was making most of his throws, he didn’t scramble as much and get out of the pocket as he’s done in the past, but for the most part, he’s making all of his throws and he looks just fine,” linebacker K.J. Wright told reporters. “So we’re going to treat him like he’s healthy and like he’s 100 percent.”
Added safety Kam Chancellor: “That’s the mentality you’ve got to have. . . . You don’t want any surprises so just go in with that mentality, and you won’t be surprised.
It’s smart to assume Rodgers will be healthy, since it’ll be much easier to adjust to Rodgers being less mobile than it will to be to adjust to quarterback who can both throw and run at the highest levels.