Packers Dished Out Brutal Injury Reckoning Ahead Of Week 12
The Green Bay Packers are entering a very key stretch of the season – indeed one that will in all likelihood be their most challenging yet.
It is no surprise that Packers may well rue needless losses to the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers, alongside a tie with the Dallas Cowboys – but now that the team face the Vikings (twice), Bears (twice), Lions, Ravens and Broncos to finish the year, those dropped games could end up becoming critical “what if” moments of the season.
Given quarterback, JJ McCarthy‘s greater-than-expected growing pains as he adjusts to NFL signal calling, Green Bay will likely consider week 12 their most winnable game for the rest of the regular season – and one in which they are currently 6.5 point favorites to win according to the sportsbooks.
Packers Could Be Staring At An Injury Crisis
Yet, unfortunately for the team, things may not end up going as smoothly as the Packers would hope, as a substantial amount of players have ended up on the injury report prior to the weekend’s divisional matchup in Lambeau against the Vikings.
Approximately 32% of the Packers roster on the injury report.
The team had 17 players on the injury report for week 12 – 32%, or almost a third of the entire active roster.
Perhaps even more concerning for Green Bay is that only two players – quarterback Jordan Love and kicker Brandon McManus – were full participants in practice.
Four players did not practice at all; running back Josh Jacobs, cornerback Nate Hobbs, rookie wideout and returner Savion Williams, and defensive tackle Karl Brooks.
The other 11 players, which included All-Pro Micah Parsons and starting right tackle Zach Tom, were limited participants in practice on November 19th.
What Does This Mean For The Packers In Week 12 And Beyond?
A large amount of players on the IR does not necessarily signify that many of them will end up missing the game.
Wide receiver Christian Watson, for example, is still getting his knee back to full use – despite having already played over the past three weeks – so it figures that he could be a limited participant in practice without there being a broader concern for his playing status going forward.
Keisean Nixon, equally, was out with illness according to the report – which, unless the bout of sickness is very serious, will likely mean the team’s #1 corner will play come the Vikings game.
The best news, without question, is that Love was one of the two full participants in training, after the QB had to miss multiple offensive snaps in week 11 due to a shoulder injury.
Although Green Bay will certainly have been calmed by backup quarterback, Malik Willis‘ strong – if perhaps limited – seven snaps in week 11, where he managed to go 2/2 for 6 yards and a passing touchdown, all for a 118.8 passer rating in the game, Love’s presence is critical for the future of the season’s success.
Hopefully for the Packers, the injury report starts to thin as the week goes on.
Bo Nix Ends Social-Media Silence With Ruthless Message for Broncos Fans
Days after leading the
For a player who recently admitted he deletes his social media apps to avoid outside noise, the post landed like a deliberate, ruthless message about where his focus is now.
Bo Nix’s message on his IG reel is he’s approaching the rest of the season with a 0-0 mindset
Bo Nix’s ‘0-0’ Instagram Reel Ends Social-Media Silence
The reel plays like a personal hype video for Nix’s second
Instead of closing on the scoreboard from Sunday’s win over
Broncos fans did the explaining for him in the comments, flooding the reel with “job’s not finished” vibes and Super Bowl talk.
On X, DNVR Broncos reporter Zac Stevens helped the clip go wider, writing that Nix’s message is that he’s approaching the rest of the season with a “0-0 mindset.”
The timing couldn’t be bigger. Nix just threw for 295 yards on 24-of-37 passing against Kansas City, engineering a game-winning drive that set up Wil Lutz’s 35-yard field goal at the buzzer to beat the defending champs and keep Denver atop the AFC West.
Why the ‘0-0’ Message Hits Different After Nix’s Admission
The reel also lands differently because of what Nix said last week.
Speaking to reporters before the Chiefs game, Nix revealed he deletes his social media so he doesn’t hear criticism or praise, saying he doesn’t hear anything unless someone says it to his face. He described online chatter as part of the “entertainment” side of football that he tries to block out so he can stop overthinking and just play.
That Heavy story painted a picture of a quarterback intentionally unplugging to protect his process during a stretch when Denver’s offense was under heavy scrutiny.
Now, after one of the biggest wins of his young career, Nix is using those same platforms — at least temporarily, and perhaps, due to the luxury of more idle time during a bye week — to reinforce the exact mindset he’s been talking about. The highlights celebrate what’s happened; the “0-0” at the end wipes the slate clean.
It fits with how teammates and coaches have described him since the win. Broncos linemen and coaches have praised Nix’s toughness and preparation, saying he faced the criticism “head on”
What Nix’s Mindset Means for the Broncos’ Super Bowl Push
The “0-0” message comes with Denver squarely in the mix. The Broncos are 9-2, riding that eight-game winning streak and sitting in first place in the AFC West after back-to-back wins over Kansas City in the rivalry.
Nix already owns the record for the most fourth-quarter comebacks by a quarterback in his first two NFL seasons, a stat that has helped turn skeptical national chatter into full-on “franchise QB” debates.
But the reel makes it clear he isn’t interested in a victory lap — or in what anyone outside the Broncos’ building thinks about his play.
By ending his social-media silence with a ruthless “0-0” stamp, Nix is telling Broncos fans and teammates the same thing: the season that matters starts now, and everything that’s happened so far is just the opening act.
Bo Nix heading into the bye week:
2,421 passing yards (10th) 21 total touchdowns (t-4th) 18 passing touchdowns (t-5th) 237 completions (3rd)
9-2 and has his team first in the AFC West and in the AFC
Cry about it 🤷♂️
