Aaron Rodgers will face the Cowboys on Sunday without the services of his No. 1 receiver.
Jordy Nelson (ribs) was injured in last Sunday's win over the Giants and will not play this weekend, according to Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. Nelson will travel with the team and take in the action on the sidelines.
Reading the tea leaves this week, this is the most likely course of action for the Packers and something both McCarthy and quarterback Aaron Rodgers seemed to hint at. Rodgers mentioned on Thursday in an interview with reporters that he hoped Nelson could be back next week if he wasn't prepared to make it against Dallas. Nelson did not practice with the team on Thursday.
Nelson's value to the team cannot be overstated. Rodgers thrives on an unconscious, on-the-fly relationship with his receivers and Nelson embodied the quarterback's return to the upper echelon of NFL signal callers in 2016. With 97 receptions for 1,257 yards and 14 touchdowns, his production and knowledge of the system is irreplaceable.
According to NFL Research, Rodgers' passer rating is 15 points higher in games which Nelson plays since 2014. His completion percentage is five points better and his yards per game average is 37.7 yards higher.
The one solace for Packers fans should be the re-emergence of Randall Cobb. Cobb put up a season-best 116 receiving yards along with three touchdowns in Sunday's win over the Giants. Can he do it again vs. Dallas?
