Packers Notebook (Dec. 8)

By: 
Bill Huber
Correspondent

Bulaga battles through injury

Conventional wisdom suggested right tackle Bryan Bulaga might miss a game or two with the knee injury sustained against San Francisco.

After all, last week’s game was against the Giants. This week’s game is against Washington. With games against two lesser opponents, perhaps Bulaga could heal to ensure he’d be at full strength for critical games against Chicago and Minnesota.

Instead, Bulaga was back in the lineup for Green Bay’s 31-13 victory over the Giants.

Why?

“I’ve missed too many games in my career with things that I can’t control,” Bulaga said on Wednesday, referring to ACL tears in 2013 and 2017. “When you can’t physically go and you’re watching your guys go out there and they’re playing and they’re winning and they’re having fun, my mindset is if I can play on it and do my job effectively, I’m going to play. That’s the way I approach injuries.

“Yeah, it hurts, it’s sore. I understand the team that we were playing has the record that they have but that’s not really a thought process that I go through. If I can play and I can get through things somewhat safely — obviously, nothing’s 100 percent guaranteed that you’re going to get through it OK — but if I can do my job and help the team, I’m going to go.”

Bulaga played a key role in Aaron Rodgers not being sacked against the Giants. And he’ll play a key role on Sunday against outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan. Kerrigan has only 4.5 sacks this season but is a four-time Pro Bowler with back-to-back 13-sack seasons.

“He’s a good football player,” Bulaga said. “He’s been doing it for a long time, too. He has a motor that not a lot of guys have in the league. I think he plays extremely hard. He’s got good movement, he’s got great hands, he understands leverage points really well. He has an array of moves that have worked well and they still work well. Big challenge. Got to be on your game fundamentally to play against him.”

Crosby’s balancing act

Brittany Crosby, the wife of kicker Mason Crosby’s brother, Rees, died on Friday morning after a three-year battle with ovarian cancer. Crosby flew home to Georgetown, Texas, on Friday, jetted to New Jersey on Saturday, played in the victory over the Giants on Sunday and flew back to Georgetown after the game.

On Wednesday, he was back in Green Bay — briefly — for practice.

“I feel a responsibility to be here with these guys and the work that we’ve put in and the family that we are, as well,” Crosby said. “Just to be able to come back, get a few solid days in, then I’ll head down to Texas on Friday for the funeral and be there with my family there. I’m just trying to do everything I can to be the best teammate and the best brother I can.”

Crosby, who won the game ball after making a 47-yard field goal and four extra points in the snowy victory over the Giants, will return to Green Bay late Friday or Saturday for Sunday’s game against Washington.

“The routine and being around these guys and being able to come into work and have that consistency there gives a little reprieve from it,” Crosby said. “But I come in here and I check on my brother and make sure that he’s doing all right, because his world is turned upside down and he doesn’t have a reprieve right now. So, I’m trying to be there for him as much as possible.”

Special addition

The Packers started the season with Trevor Davis returning kicks. Then, it was Tremon Smith’s turn. Then, the team gave Darrius Shepherd a shot. Then, it was back to Smith.

Now, the team is turning to Tyler Ervin to provide a badly needed shot in the arm to its feeble return units. The Packers rank 28th in kickoff-return average and 32nd in punt-return average.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to come play at Lambeau. So I’m excited, ready to get after it,” Ervin said.

Ervin, who returned five kicks for touchdowns while at San Jose State, was a fourth-round pick by Houston in 2016. For his career, he’s averaged 8.3 yards per punt return and 21.1 yards per kickoff return. In six games for Jacksonville this year, he averaged a miniscule 1.8 yards per punt return and 21.4 yards per kickoff return.

“It’s just a matter of making good decisions back there and trying to make the play when it’s there, try not to force anything,” Ervin said. “I just try to play my game. When I do that, I tend to have some success. That’s what I’m going to go ahead and do.”

Birthday boy

Rodgers turned 36 on Monday. On Wednesday, he acknowledged “seeing the 18th hole” of his career on the horizon.

That doesn’t mean he’s going to retire anytime soon. He is ninth in the league with a 102.4 passer rating and has thrown 204 consecutive passes without an interception. Rodgers’ arm remains as live as ever, and he can still make plays on the move. It’s the mental side, though, where Rodgers is elite.

“Well, it’s definitely slower,” Rodgers said when asked about his evolution. “That really does happen. It’s the feel when you’re on the field. I do feel like there’s times where the speed is very manageable. The speed is often misconstrued as some sort of physical thing.

“It’s really the mental speed of being able to think in real time very quickly and to be able to have a relaxed feel that accompanies that. I think the experience of so many years being a starter really helps with that. I think I’m definitely more cerebral.”

Speaking of older guys

Adrian Peterson, who tormented the Packers for so many years with Minnesota, leads the Redskins with 642 rushing yards. Since 2010, the 34-year-old has the sixth-most rushing yards for any running back age 33 or older. The 33-year-old version of Peterson topped that list with his 1,042 rushing yards last season.

Both Packers coach Matt LaFleur and Redskins interim coach Bill Callahan called Peterson a freak.

“It’s interesting because guys with his age and his caliber, it’s freakish in so many ways,” Callahan said in a conference call. “I would tell you first-off that when you go to the offseason, his regimen and his preparation for the regular year is incredible. How he trains and prepares, he takes advantage of every resource that’s out there. Obviously, with what he’s been doing to his benefit, my gosh, it’s incredible.”

Old friends

Outside linebacker Preston Smith signed with the Packers in free agency after four seasons with Washington. He’s fifth in the league with a career-high 10.5 sacks.

“He was a high-valued free agent coming out of last year,” Callahan said. “He had an abundance of talent. It flashed every day at practice. You could see his abilities. Also, I think he has some complementary players there that are really allowing him to get isolated in a lot of one-on-one matchups.

“I think the scenarios are always different. I think every organization is different. I’m sure his experience has probably helped him make the transition into Green Bay and he’s with a hell of a coach. It’s not surprising. I got a lot of respect for him. I think he’s a hell of a player.”