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The Green Bay Packers‘ chances at finishing an improbable run to the playoffs just got that much better.
Left tackle David Bakhtiari will return to action on New Year’s Day when the Packers host the Minnesota Vikings in a must-win contest at Lambeau Field. An appendectomy sidelined the two-time All-Pro for the previous four weeks.
Green Bay released the news Friday, when it was tweeted out by ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.
“David Bakhtiari good to go after his appendectomy a month ago,” Demovsky wrote. “Watson and Nixon both questionable.”
The appendix issue cost Bakhtiari three games and the team’s bye week. He has played in nine of 15 contests in 2022, as he has continued to struggle with knee issues following a torn ACL that cost him four games and the playoffs two years ago, as well as all but one regular season contest last season.
Packers May be Down Most Explosive Components of Roster Sunday
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GettyWide receiver Christian Watson suffered a hip injury against the Miami Dolphins and remains questionable against the Minnesota Vikings on January 1, 2023.
Wide receiver Christian Watson’s status remains up in the air after he suffered a hip injury last weekend against the Miami Dolphins that knocked him out mid-game. He was a limited participant in practice on Friday after sitting out the entire week prior.
Keisean Nixon — a revelation as a kick returner for Green Bay since he assumed those duties mid-season, as well as a backup cornerback — also remains questionable after sustaining a groin injury in Miami. He did not practice at all over the course of the previous week.
A strong argument can be made that Watson and Nixon are the Packers’ two most explosive threats, respectively. Watson has scored nine touchdowns during his rookie season and has provided Aaron Rodgers with his only home run threat in the passing game.
Meanwhile, Nixon has been a difference maker in the return game, most recently busting a 93-yard kickoff return against the Dolphins that led to the Packers’ first three points of the game.
“Keisean Nixon is such a crazy story. His high school didn’t have him return kicks. His college didn’t have him return kicks. The Raiders didn’t have him return kicks. The #Packers didn’t have him return kicks until the middle of the season,” Bruce Irons of Packers FTW tweeted on December 27. “Now, he leads the NFL in [kick return yards and average].”
Vikings Starting CB Cameron Dantzler Set to Return Against Packers
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GettyCornerback Cameron Dantzler of the Minnesota Vikings reacts after making a tackle during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on September 19, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
As far as the Vikings are concerned, their biggest injury news of the week is the return of starting cornerback Cameron Dantzler.
There was some concern in Minnesota that Dantzler would be unavailable against the Packers after a flare up of an ankle injury that sent him to the IR for four games earlier this year.
Dantlzer has missed six of the team’s previous seven games, including a contest against the Indianapolis Colts due to an illness. His presence will be meaningful to the outcome of the game on Sunday, particularly if Watson is healthy enough to go, as he is liable to apply pressure on the Vikings’ secondary all afternoon long.
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