10-20-22 Hometown Broadcasting Sports Thursday
20 October 2022 Sports
Thursday Sports
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers insists he’s still having fun even as he plays through a thumb injury while trying to lead a slumping offense on a .500 team.
“This has been my love since I was 5 years old. I still love waking up every day knowing I’m coming into 1265 (Lombardi Avenue),” the four-time MVP said Wednesday as he referenced the address of Lambeau Field.
Rodgers didn’t practice for a second straight Wednesday because of an injured right thumb, but said afterward that it’s feeling better. He hurt the thumb while getting hit before he could attempt a desperation pass on the final play of a 27-22 loss to the New York Giants in London on Oct. 9. He said the thumb problem gave him grip issues at times Sunday when the Packers fell 27-10 to the New York Jets at Lambeau Field.
Rodgers has previously played through injuries and continued to thrive. He threw 20 touchdown passes without any interceptions through the Packers’ final seven regular-season games last season while fighting through a fractured pinky toe that severely limited his practice time.
“I can deal with pain,” Rodgers said. “Pain management has been part of all of our careers. We just learn to deal with whatever you’ve got going on. And if you can be out there, you’re out there.”
The Packers open a three-game road swing Sunday at Washington (2-4).
Rodgers said he expected to follow the same pattern as last week by returning to practice on Thursday and Friday. He said the thumb is improving and added that “hopefully in a couple of weeks it won’t be an issue.”
He’s eager to get back on the practice field and help figure out a cure for whatever ails the Packers’ struggling offense.
Green Bay (3-3) is searching for ways to boost an offense that has scored 10 points over its past six quarters, causing the Packers to lose consecutive regular-season games within the same season for the first time since Matt LaFleur’s arrival in 2019. The Packers are scoring 17.8 points per game to rank 24th in the league.
Rodgers has a passer rating of 94.2. He hasn’t finished a season with a rating that low since 2015.
He’s throwing to a receiving group that already was missing the traded two-time All-Pro Davante Adams and now is dealing with multiple injuries.
Veteran Randall Cobb injured an ankle against the Jets and rookie second-round pick Christian Watson didn’t play because of a hamstring injury. Neither practiced Wednesday, and LaFleur has indicated Cobb could miss multiple games.
Sammy Watkins returned to practice Wednesday after missing four games with a hamstring injury, but LaFleur noted that “I don’t think anybody’s ready to say that he’ll be playing this week.”
Rodgers also is working behind a line that hasn’t come close to matching its 2020 and 2021 form. He was sacked four times and pressured throughout the game in the loss to the Jets.
That line could have similar trouble against Washington.
The Commanders rank third in sacks (14) and quarterback hits (34) over the past four weeks. They have five different players with at least three sacks in Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen, Jamin Davis, Montez Sweat and Efe Obada.
“It can give you nightmares if you let it,” LaFleur said.
In Thursday Night Football New Orleans is at Arizona. Both teams are 2-2 on the season.
In the NLCS Wednesday San Diego evened up its series at home with the Phillies by winning 8-5. The Padres came up with five runs in the seventh to grab the lead. In the ALCs Houston won at home 4-2 over the Yankees. The Astros hammered three home runs and lead the series 1-0. The two teams meet again tonight.
Tonight the Milwaukee Bucks the regular season at Philadelphia. The 76ers are 0-1.
GIRLS REGIONAL VOLLEYBALL
D2
Notre Dame 3, Denmark 0
Freedom 3, Two Rivers 0
Fox Valley Lutheran 3, Chilton 0
Kiel 3, Sturgeon Bay 2
Plymouth 3, Little Chute 1
Luxemburg-Casco 3, Green Bay West 0
Seymour 3, Wrightstown 0
Waupaca 3, Rhinelander 0
Shawano 3, New London 0
Mosinee 3, Marinette 0
Medford 3, Clintonville 1
Berlin 3, Mayville 0
Ripon 3, Lodi 1
Watertown Luther Prep 3, North Fond du Lac 0
Campbellsport 3, Wautoma 1
Sheboygan Falls 3, Milwaukee Lutheran 0
Winneconne 3, Waupun 1
D3
Coleman 3, Amherst 2
Peshtigo 3, Manawa 0
Bonduel 3, Oconto 0
Crandon 3, Crivitz 0
Weyauwega-Fremont 3, Omro 0
St. Mary’s Springs 3, Markesan 0
Southern Door 3, Gibraltar 0
Manitowoc Lutheran 3, New Holstein 0
Valders 3, Roncalli 0
Brillion 3, Mishicot 0
Sheboygan Area Lutheran 3, Kohler 0
Oortsburg 3, Kewaunee 0
Winnebago Lutheran Academy 3, Princeton/Green Lake 0
Laconia 3, Pardeeville 0
D4
Valley Christian 3, Sheboygan Christian 1
Rio 3, Oneida Nation 0
Lourdes Acad. 3, Oakfield 2
BOYS SOCCER REGIONAL
D1
Neenah 3, Appleton West 1
Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln 5, Hortonville 0
Appleton North 1, Kimberly 0
Oshkosh West 3, Appleton East 0
Green Bay East 3, Sheboygan North 0
Bay Port 4, Hartford 0
Arrowhead 6, Sheboygan South 0
Homestead 6, Fond du Lac 0
Menomonee Falls 2, De Pere 0
Germantown 4, Green Bay Preble 1
Hamilton 11, Manitowoc Lincoln 0
Green Bay Southwest 2, Shawano 1
D2
Kaukauna 3, West Bend West 1
Pulaski 12, Green Bay West 0
West De Pere 3, Ashwaubenon 0
Slinger 4, Menasha 1
Oshkosh North 2, Watertown 1
D3
Denmark 5, Berlin 0
Little Chute 5, Sheboygan Falls 4
D4
Peshtigo 1, Howards Grove/ELG
St. Lawrence Seminary 6, Kewaunee
Thursday
Wautoma/Wild Rose at Waupun 7:00
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