News Not Sounding Good On Finley
Bad news keeps coming for the Packers on the injury front.
By PackerAaron
Lots of stuff swirling about Jermichael Finley potentially being lost for the season (as I wrote directly after the game on Sunday)
First, there was this report from the National Football Post, saying Finlely could be out for six to ten weeks.
Then Paige Pearson of Fox 11 Tweeted that a source was telling her Finley would be lost for the year.
And moments ago Greg Bedard gave the following update via Twitter:
Finley is out 8-10 weeks. Packers are deciding right now what to do. They knew he would be gone for about 4 weeks so they could wait.
Lori Nickel has since updated the JSOnline blog with more info from Greg.
Add it all up and it certainly doesn't look good for the young tight end out of Texas.
UPDATE: From Finley's Twitter account:
#JermichaelFinley YOTTO has been rescheduled for the 2011-2012 Green Bay Packer Season
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Comments (60)
October 13, 2010 at 11:17 am
I still think that if theres a chance that he is there to help with a playoff push you keep him on the roster. If we can somehow still put ourselves in a position to get to the playoffs and he is able to come back week 14 or so, you have to take that chance for such an impact player.
October 13, 2010 at 11:19 am
I agree. Gotta let him rehab and get back by Week 16/the playoffs.
October 13, 2010 at 11:18 am
Done with the computer for awhile. Harbinger of bad fucking news.
GBP 4 LIFE
OUT
October 13, 2010 at 11:46 am
Evil Rectangular Future box is bad...
Fire also bad.
October 13, 2010 at 11:20 am
Aaron - this is what Bedard tweeted as an explanation for the longer timeline.
“Got more info on Finley. They discovered the lateral meniscus could be repaired, which is a longer recovery time but better long term.”
and
"every doctor will tell you if you can repair a meniscus in a 23yo you do it. Greatly diminishes chance for arthritis, knee replacement"
Can you explain what that means?
October 13, 2010 at 11:26 am
It means our offense is f'ed.
October 13, 2010 at 11:32 am
Well, that I disagree with. The Packers can score without Finley. Obviously other people need to step up for that to happen (ahem, Greg Jennings...), but I think they can survive.
But my question was more about the nature of his injury. I thought they went in to fix his torn meniscus. So, why does "discovering the lateral meniscus could be repaired" nearly double the recovery timeline?
October 13, 2010 at 11:46 am
Time for Quarless to step up. He looked good last week, so I guess we're gonna find out.
October 13, 2010 at 12:15 pm
When you tear through a piece of cartilage like the meniscus it usually cannot be salvaged. The three weeks originally given was the time table for removing the destroyed cartilage and inserting some artificial cushion that would function as the meniscus does in the short term, but likely lead to an early knee replacement and arthritis. What the doctors have discovered is that Finley only slightly tore the meniscus and they believe they can heal it without removing it entirely. Good news for Finley, but it doubles the recovery time.
October 13, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Thank you! That's what I was looking for.
October 13, 2010 at 12:20 pm
I knew watch you meant--just messing with you. I actually agree with you. We oughta be able to muster up 7 more wins on the schedule...wounded or not. Pretty tough looking schedule tho. Gotta get at least a split with the Purple Pervs and a 2nd win against detroit will not be easy in their place.
October 13, 2010 at 12:19 pm
They'll be fine. Quarless doesn't have to be the answer. James Jones has been playing well, and Jordy Nelson can step up. Both are bigger bodies and can probably block as well as Quarless. With Crabtree, Quarless, and the big 4, I think they have the tools.
October 13, 2010 at 01:12 pm
I have to disagree with your statement that James Jones has been playing well. I don't have stats, but I think over the five games he's had more than his share of drops, and his targeted to reception ratio has to be the lowest of the first 4 receivers.
October 13, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Haha, +1 to davyjones for making me laugh at a time when I needed it.
We still have a very good football team, folks. Our backs are against the wall, it's survival mode, but we need to keep supporting and keep believing.
It starts with the Dolphins. And this is a statement game for the Packers if there ever was one.
October 13, 2010 at 09:25 pm
Doesn't it mean that the doctors just found this so there's no way anyone could have known just after the game? So, 'as I wrote' doesn't really mean anything?
October 13, 2010 at 11:27 am
Welp, time to go to that bar attached to the office for lunch today. Hope they have some Ranger IPA on tap, cuz I'm going to need it.
October 13, 2010 at 11:36 am
Gives the whole "XLV or Die" mantra a new meaning, doesn't it?
I guess we know which one of those options fate has picked for the Packers.
October 13, 2010 at 11:42 am
Does anyone even think we can go to the playoffs with this banged up team? Our schedule only becomes tougher the rest of the way -- maybe if we were 4-1 or 5-0 right now.
October 13, 2010 at 11:46 am
I do. They can't absorb many more injuries, but I think their current make-up is still playoff worthy. Offensively, as long as Rodgers is playing I like their chances. Finley's absence hurts, but only Rodgers is irreplaceable.
Defensively, I liked their performance a lot last week. Obviously Matthews needs to come back asap (by the Vikings game, ideally), but I liked Bishop and Neal a lot and Bigby and Harris should help strengthen the secondary.
October 13, 2010 at 11:48 am
Yes. IIRC, New Orleans had a ton of injuries last season and we all know what they accomplished.
It certainly makes it much more difficult, but I think we're gonna learn that the Packers are one of the deepest teams in the league, from a talent stand point.
October 13, 2010 at 11:49 am
This is what makes footballs fun times.
Either the team sinks into oblivion and we wait for next year (like 31 other franchises)
OR
This becomes the triumphant feel good story of the year....
What else are you gonna do on Sunday?
October 13, 2010 at 11:50 am
*correction: 30 other franchises
October 13, 2010 at 11:54 am
To say nothing of the fact that the NFC is collectively playing like garbage right now.
October 13, 2010 at 12:11 pm
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 13, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Cool special effects!!
October 13, 2010 at 12:27 pm
amazing out of the box feature. Want the same.
October 13, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Ha, just noticed it. I guess the page coding only wraps text when there are spaces.
October 13, 2010 at 12:11 pm
I believe that the current set of injuries are of course a big concern with several first stringers out for the season or for several weeks. I still believe in the team we have and think they will do us fans right. As for SB, now that is a different story, seems key folks that we would need are now missing. It is now time for players to really step up and show what they are worth. Enough of the talk, start playing like pros.
You never know what will happen and guessing wins and losses is a fun exercise, but lets face it teams beat teams that should not, that is what makes this sport great. If the AZ Cardinals can beat the NO Saints, anything can happen.
I will continue to fly my Green Bay Packer flag in a hostile environment.
October 13, 2010 at 12:22 pm
If Jones is OK, we get Shields and Chillar back this weekend, and Rodgers and Matthews are good to go, we'll be in good shape. Quarless has to step up. and Lee and Pickett need to comes back soon.
October 13, 2010 at 12:29 pm
You think Jennings was struggling the last 5 games with Finely, just wait and see what defenses do to him when they don't have game for Finely's production.
WOW, TT took a gamble with the Lynch trade, he just got dealt the wrong cards and is sitting one card short of a flush.
October 13, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Season over.
BTW, why is this medical staff and training staff still employed?
I know, I know, as with Slocum and Campen, they employ the "let's wait till they absolutely rape us in the ass" method.
Don't give me no injuries happen crap. This ammount of injuries, since 08, is beyond the normal curve.
October 13, 2010 at 12:34 pm
Closer to the curve if you take out Harrell's contributions to the injury number.
October 13, 2010 at 12:52 pm
Right now, there are 8 starters injuried (Rodgers, Finley, Grant, Pickett, Barnett, CM3, Harris, Bigby). Of those, 3 are season ending.
Backups, we have 6 (Burnett, Martin, Chillar, Harrell, Shields, Lee). OF those, 3 are also season ending.
Sorry, 14 injuried players, 6 being season ending, is ludicrous. Even if you take Harrell out of the picture, it's still ridiculous, and way beyond the normal curve.
And I'm not listing the minor injuries, like Jenkins playing with a cast.
October 13, 2010 at 02:30 pm
I agree wholeheartedly, I was just taking the opportunity to make a lazy joke about Harrell's (lack of)health.
October 13, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Not over at all, RS, not by a long shot.
11 games left and going 7-4 is very, very doable. 8-3 not out of the question.
They easily could tank here, but if they can just limp into bye week at 3-1 or 2-2, they could certainly go 5-2 after the bye. We will see the character of this whole organization in the next coupla weeks.
October 13, 2010 at 12:45 pm
Agreed, if the remaining players all perform at the level they're supposed to.
Which never happened in the same game.
October 13, 2010 at 01:19 pm
Got to look at preventable vs non-preventable injuries. Finley's injury was preventable. Meaning if he was properly prepared by the medical/conditioning staff prior to the game he would not have been injured on the play. Even the announcer commented "does not look like much". Last year Harris and Kampman had preventable injuries. Just imagine the games we lost because of the medical staff failures. With those two healthy the SB was a realistic possibility.
When I first pointed out last year the medical staff needed to be upgraded I was laughed at. Don't know what this staff is doing but it isn't working. They may be great at rehab/surgery. Whoopee, I want/demand a staff that prevents injuries. You don't go far with the JV team.
October 13, 2010 at 02:33 pm
Finley got injured doing absolutely nothing. How is that sort of fluke injury preventable?
October 13, 2010 at 12:43 pm
From the outside, it would appear that the Packers training and practice routines leave them more susceptible to injury. I obviously have no proof of this, however there do seem to be an inordinate amount of ACL tears on our team. Si
October 13, 2010 at 01:03 pm
Just throwin' this out there...but....
Is it possible that McCarthy has gone too easy on these guys in camp?
How can one team be so 'broken' after just 5 games.
What's the point of easing up in camp just to have them fall apart in real game situations?
I went to many practices this summer; the way these guys practice does not seem all that intense as far as contact and hitting.
Is that what this is all about, or are the other teams they've faced just that much tougher?
October 13, 2010 at 02:27 pm
You can't practice for torn ligaments and squashed meniscus. I would not want to read what you would have posted if the Pack had lost Finley in summer practice because they went all out full contact in every practice.
It happens, but some player's injuries were no surprise as they are a little injury prone (Barnett, Bigby, Finley and Tauscher, all injured last year).
There are injuries you can work around (like Tauscher, where you have his future replacement in the wing anyway) but when you have to start the 3rd guy like at the Safety position it gets really nasty. Opponents will exploit this.
I still think the worst injuries are Grant and those 2 strong safeties. Bigby might be back, but noone can predict if he can ever be the same as in the 2007 season. Rodgers, CM3, Chillar and Picket should be back soon. MLB and TE are positions where I think the Packers have OK depth and should be fine. Lets just hope this injury bug leaves them alone for the rest of the season.
October 13, 2010 at 02:33 pm
"Bigby might be back, but noone can predict if he can ever be the same as in the 2007 season."
No, but I CAN guarantee that he's better than Peprah.
October 13, 2010 at 03:43 pm
You are probably right, but ony if he is 100% healthy. Plus he needs to actually believe that he is 100% healthy and not worry about hitting people. Because that is what made him good in 2007.
October 13, 2010 at 02:47 pm
Just FYI, if you replace the miniscus you only have to wait for the surrounding tissue to heal since the miniscus is replaced with a prostetic. If you repair the existing miniscus, which is live tissue, it has poor vascular perfusion it takes longer to heal than any other tissue in the body.
October 13, 2010 at 03:01 pm
Despite the depressing news, I stand by the fact that every year I have seen the Packers play they have ended up in the NFC Championship. I refuse to give up. Just going to have to suck it up and play harder.
October 13, 2010 at 03:22 pm
We were a good team in 07 without Finley really doing anything at all. It's now on McCarthey to come up with some excellent game planning if we are going to make a playoff run.
October 13, 2010 at 03:24 pm
this crushes me....finley is my favorite packer and has a chance to become an all time great
October 13, 2010 at 03:42 pm
I completely understand Josh, but in addition to the cyber group hug that fitz suggested, let's all breath a collective deep breath. This may sound far fetched, but it's at least as plausible as the doomsday "the seasons over" comments on here. Here's how it's gonna go down: 1) We go 3-1 up to the bye to sit at 6-3...not horrible. 2) We get a few bodies back on "D". 3) MM pulls his head out of his ass and realizes it smells a lot better out here and starts calling a bit more balanced of a game...we get less predictable. 4) We win at least 4 more games after the bye and make playoffs. 6)after a reasonble run in the postseason, MM is coach of the year for cobbling together a lineup each week and working through the adversity. 7) The same guys that have been calling for him to be fired this week will be squawking about how his contract should get extended.
I'm just saying, it's just as likely as a complete implosion.
October 13, 2010 at 03:51 pm
I totally agree with taking a collective breath. No use in panicking. But on your points:
1) Going 3-1 until the Bye week: This is a best szenario I can think of. But right now it really looks like 2-2 at best. Jets looks like a clear defeat, and I would not be surprised if they lose against the Dolphins this week
2) Agreed, hopefully we get a few back then
3) McC needs someone inside the coaching staff to step up and stick it to him from time to time.
4) I would suspect that 10-6 is well enough this year to make the playoffs. If the Packers win against the Lions, win one against the Vikes and win the rematch against the Bears they are fine probably winning the division.
5) Missing that one ;-)
6) Don't see it, AFC looks totally in control and should win the SB
7) See 6.
But we should all take a step back and not despair.
October 13, 2010 at 03:58 pm
Ya. I no count so good.
Didn't say they'd be going to the SB...just not 1 and done this year.
October 13, 2010 at 04:49 pm
yes those are all very great and possible predictions...i think we all bought into the superbowl hype this year because this team means so much to all of their fans unlike any other team in the NFL and we have all the young talent to become a dynasty this decade think of it this way aaron rodgers hasnt even hit his prime yet and hes this good already
October 13, 2010 at 03:51 pm
That doesn't sound good: "@JermichaelF88
#JermichaelFinley YOTTO has been rescheduled for the 2011-2012 Green Bay Packer Season RT RT RT"
October 13, 2010 at 03:55 pm
Fuck it.
I'm sick of being negative.
Time to change my tune. I've been calling this an 8-8 team for a couple weeks now. I've gone so far as to have called the season over after losing grant in the first game. Hell - I've even ripped rodgers for his inconsistent play.
ENOUGH!
I'm back, baby.
Let's F'n do this.
I can't remember the last time I read/heard anything positive about this team... even when they win - they don't win "pretty" enough (det.).
The problem is that I did it to myself again. I told myself after last season that I wouldn't get sucked in by preseason prognostications and game performances. BUT I DID! I'M SUCH AN IDIOT!
But here's where I am now...
-everyone's gonna be back except for barnett, finley, martin, grant, harrell, and burnett.
*burnett= who cares? bigby's comin back
*barnett= who cares? i can't remember the last time i said "WOW" after a barnett play. bishop played like a madman last week.
*harrell=WHO CARES?
*martin=who cares? peprah's just as good as martin - it's a wash
*grant=this one hurts, but i got a funny feelin' about starks.
*finley=this one hurts A LOT. but maybe we start gettin' the ball to jennings now. having finley was supposed to open things up for jennings... how's that been workin? ever play basketball with a guy who's way better than everyone else on the team? it sucks because everyone just passes that guy the ball. you feel like you're supposed to. finley's that guy. jennings is the fat guy sitting in the corner who can just flat out drill threes. it's time to start passing the ball to the fat guy in the corner.
COME ON MIKE! LET'S GET THESE GUYS FIRED UP! TALK ABOUT A CORNERED/WOUNDED ANIMAL! THIS COULD END UP BEING THE STUFF OF LEGENDS!
DON'T SLEEP ON WHAT'S LEFT OF THE PACKERS!
YOU THOUGHT 6 BULLETS TO THE CHEST WAS ENOUGH!
YOU THOUGHT WRONG!
PEOPLE FROM WISCO DO NOT QUIT WHEN THINGS GET HARD!
THEY JUST FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN!
SOMEONE GET ME A HELMET! I'M READY!
October 13, 2010 at 04:00 pm
ATTA BOY RICKYBOBBY!!!! WELCOME BACK!!!
IT'S GONNA BE A HELLUVA RIDE!!!!!
October 13, 2010 at 03:57 pm
YOTTO has been rescheduled for the 2011-2012 Green Bay Packer Season
October 13, 2010 at 05:17 pm
I'm literally and physically laughing my freaking ass off trying to figure out who is more pathetic.Those who won't acknowledge anything ANTI Packers or those who are TRYING to change their Homer Packer denials.
A smorgasborg of crap,and OMG where the heck is CSS is this fervor of bliss.The self annoited asst coach of knowledge to the "DON NAGLER" of Packerdom.
Still wearing goggles and repulsed by dissent and more indignant of others views that offend their own.
No run game,WR's that think their (MR Myagi"s) with chop sticks,a defense that can't find or grasp that there is a middle,a QB(who I love)seems this year to have suffered a concussion in pre -season from the hype and is playing into it,a coaching staff that cut the 2nd best TE(Havner)and now we have...a Quart and a Crab,a DPOY who has adopted a(more than obvious grab) syndrome,and last but not least,the confidence that in pre-season cuts,the Packers had the most guys picked up than any other team.
Question-Did we keep the right ones or are they playing elsewhere.The answer lies in this riddle.How deep were we or how deep are we,by digging or filling in the direction pursued?.
Riddle or not,think about it.The answer can and will only be answered at week eleven.
I wait now for the why do you hate the Packers if your a Packer fan rhetoric.
October 13, 2010 at 05:34 pm
yup. we'd be fine if we still had havner and mcdonald.
you're a bafoon.
please name one player that was cut that could help the Packers right now.
October 13, 2010 at 05:58 pm
Havner,and please be realistic and stop using Bill O'Reilly words of the day...bafoon,really.
I bet if you called someone that in a bar they'll KICK your ASS real quick,not for the word but for GP of saying it.
OH,you should re-read what I wrote and the tone of it,you...wait,he isn't on yet to get a word of the day.I'll get back to you on that so hold on okay...
October 13, 2010 at 06:47 pm
huh?
i don't understand any of this.
October 13, 2010 at 07:29 pm
Now I'm really confused ..... All this time I thought "RickyBobby & Tarynfor 12" were actually the same person .......
Plus, all this optimism on this blog must be a first for CHTV ....... Usually the doom & gloomers dominate following the lead of the blog .......
I'm looking forward to the rest of the season (at least at this moment) ..... If/when the Pack loses it's 7th game of the year will I start looking at next season .......