The Green Bay Packers are entering Week 18 in the best spot of any NFL team.
They have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs and Aaron Rodgers is on his way to his fourth MVP award.
That means there is no real need for him to suit up against the Detroit Lions in the season finale.
But will he?
Packers head coach Matt Lafleur revealed that Rodgers will indeed start then “see how the game goes.”
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
“I don’t think he needs to play,” LaFleur said. “I think he wants to play and keep the momentum going.”
There is nothing wrong with a veteran like Rodgers wanting to play.
But there are some important questions to ask about whether this is a good idea at all.
Rodgers Has No Reason To Play
What if he gets hurt?
That is the top question on the minds of fans as the Packers prepare for a meaningless game against a lowly Lions team.
Detroit defenders may be looking to make a statement and any big hits on Rodgers are totally preventable.
And at this point, he seems to have the MVP locked up.
Or he is at least at a point where another game is not going to sway voters too much.
He already missed a game earlier this season and the fact he is already about 1,000 yards behind Tom Brady is not making much of a difference in the voting odds.
Mentioning that Rodgers wants to “keep the momentum going” is interesting too because the Packers already have a bye in the first round of the playoffs.
LaFleur said that he doesn't think there's a scenario in which he won't play QB Aaron Rodgers Sunday unless Rodgers comes to him and says he doesn't want to play. He said they will do everything they can to protect Rodgers with their play calls.
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) January 7, 2022
A break is already coming.
Would missing a game against the Lions make a big difference?
Rodgers has earned the right to have a say in whether he plays or not.
LaFleur may just want to step in early on Sunday and tell the veteran he can take a seat, regardless of how the game is going.
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