Getty Guard Lane Taylor #65 of the Green Bay Packers on the sidelines during the NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field on September 20, 2015 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Seahawks 27-17.
A strong day for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers offense came at great cost to their offensive guards.
The Packers finished Sunday’s 43-34 victory over the Minnesota Vikings without either of the two guards who started the game for them, losing Lucas Patrick — who started on the left while Elgton Jenkins filled in as starting right tackle — early in the first half and later having veteran right guard Lane Taylor carted off the field with a knee injury.
Neither guard returned to Sunday’s game with a combination of Jenkins, rookie guard Jon Runyan and veteran tackle Rick Wagner making due in their absences.
Everyone is down on a knee for Lane Taylor. This doesn’t look good. Fought like hell to get back from his biceps injury in Week 3 last season, and now this. Music and crowd noise turned off. It’s silent in here.
Taylor’s injury was particularly gruesome for the manner in which the 30-year-old hit the turf, appearing to land awkwardly on his right shoulder and neck. When trainers attended to him, though, the focus was on his right knee — which was listed as the reason for him being ruled out shortly after he was carted away to the locker room.
Taylor was once considered a veteran who might not return for the Packers in 2020 after an early-season injury last year saw him lose his starting job to Elgton Jenkins, who went on to have an All-Rookie season in his absence. Instead, he agreed to take a pay cut with a restructured contract and came into Packers training camp looking to compete for the starting job at right guard while the team explored moving Billy Turner to right tackle.
Taylor won the starting job outright in camp and played three solid quarters against the Vikings on the right side before his injury knocked him out of the game.
The Packers also saw star defensive tackle Kenny Clark, who they made the highest-paid nose tackle in NFL history in the summer, exit the game with less than 30 seconds to play in the first half. While he walked off under his own power, Clark was ruled out with a groin injury.
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LaFleur Offers No Definitive Update in Postgame
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur didn’t have much to add about the injuries to Patrick or Taylor following Sunday’s game, but both he and Rodgers mentioned how “awful” they feel for both of the offensive linemen.
At the same time, LaFleur also sang the praises of his other linemen who stepped up when injuries struck and got the job done for the offense. He singled out Jenkins, who started at right tackle but flipped back to left guard when Patrick was knocked out of the game, for the versatility that came clutch for their offensive protection. He also talked up the rookie Runyan and Wagner, who each made their Packers debuts.
Even with a satisfactory backup effort, though, the Packers could find themselves in trouble heading into Week 2’s home opener against the Detroit Lions if injuries persist for three of the biggest contributors on their offensive line. Turner and Taylor are the preferred starters on the right side, while Patrick is the team’s most trusted interior backup at both guard and center. Replacing even one of them will take some effort.
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