The Packers have said nothing about the status of wide receiver Jordy Nelson other than that he spent the night in the hospital with a rib injury. Now we know that the injury is to ribs, plural, and they’re broken.
Nelson suffered at least two fractured ribs, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The report suggests that Nelson hasn’t been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Cowboys but is a long shot to play.
Giants cornerback Leon Hall broke Nelson’s ribs when he lowered the crown of his helmet into Nelson’s body while Nelson was reaching up to try to catch a pass. Although Hall wasn’t flagged, he’s likely to be fined by the NFL.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was outstanding after Nelson left Sunday’s game against the Giants, but losing Nelson would still be a major blow for the Packers against the Cowboys. Nelson led the team with 97 catches for 1,257 yards and 14 touchdowns during the regular season.