The Dallas Cowboys keep getting all the breaks.
Last week it came from an official picking up a flag and reversing a pass interference penalty against them. This week it's the health of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. And while the likely NFL MVP will start the division playoff game against the Cowboys at Lambeau Field in Green Bay on Sunday, according to a report he will be far less than 100 percent.
Rodgers, according to ESPN, has a slight tear of his left calf muscle which the report said is also “significantly strained.” He suffered the injury in the Packers' season finale against the Detroit Lions on Dec. 28, which until Thursday was the last time he practiced or played.
On Thursday, Rodgers did return to work but was only able to take 50-60 percent of the snaps, according to Mike McCarthy. That, the Packers coach said, was the "target."
"(Rodgers) practiced in the team periods (and) looked good," McCarthy said. "We have a game plan and he went down and did everything we asked him to do today. It's always a better practice when he's out there."
Rodgers was listed as "limited" on their practice report, and it sounds as if he'll remain that way for the rest of the week. According to the report, the Packers are "aggressively treating" the injury in the hopes of getting him as close to full strength as possible for the game.
"Aaron is one of our captains," McCarthy said. "He's obviously very important to our football team."
Rodgers, for his part, insisted he'll play on Sunday after he missed practice on Wednesday.
"I'm going Sunday," Rodgers said. "Just a matter of how. … It's progressing, but we'll see how it feels."