COVID Protocols Are The Only Thing That Can Slow Down NFL-Best Green Bay

Few teams have been as piping hot as Green Bay. Owners of the NFL's best record (12-3), the Packers have won four consecutive games and five of their last six. The only thing that can slow the Pack -- COVID protocols -- which has their coach, Matt LaFleur, holding his breath.

"When you have your football players available, I think we’re a pretty darn good football team, and we need to try to keep as many people available as possible,” said LaFleur.

Keeping those good players available has been a nerve-racking and seemingly never ending task. On Monday, Green Bay placed four players on the reserve/COVID-19 list. The quartet of players joined five teammates who found their way onto the list last week.

“Every time I get a text from (head trainer Bryan Engel), I’m always kind of holding my breath now," said LaFleur. "It’s just like, ‘All right. Who’s next?’ That’s why we’ve got to make sure that guys are trying to take every precaution that we can to make sure that we stay healthy, safe and available.”

Because of the NFL's updated, yet still ridiculous, COVID protocols, the Packers are going back to masks and virtual meetings in an attempt to keep their roster whole. "...Just making sure that we mask up as a team when we’re inside, and then trying to keep people as spread out as possible," added LaFleur. "We’ve even contemplated potentially, if we get more of these, maybe even going to virtual meetings and then just showing up when we want to get together to go out on the field."

Green Bay can experience a sense of normalcy if they're able to stay hot and secure a win this weekend. The Packers host division-rival Minnesota on Sunday night, a game in which FanDuel Sportsbook favors the home team by 6.5 points.

 

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