James Jones says he’s playing through pain
Green Bay Packers wide receiver James Jones (89) catches a pass against New York Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara (20) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Green Bay Packers wide receiver James Jones sprained his PCL in the first half of the Packers Week 6 win over the Baltimore Ravens, and the injury could have easily been a whole lot worse. Based on Jones’s reaction following the injury, the Packers dodged a bullet, because he only missed two weeks. But he hasn’t seemed the same since the injury, as he has just seven receptions in the three games since returning.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Ty Dunne, Jones stated that he is still playing through some pain in his knee, “It’s getting better every week. It’s a process. I have to play with a little pain. That’s football. Everybody on the team is playing with some pain. I have to play through it. That’s where that’s at. I’m fighting through it and trying to be the best player I can be to help my team win.”
Although Jones admitted that he isn’t fully healthy at this moment in time, he downplayed the severity of the injury and will definitely continue to play through the injury. Once Aaron Rodgers comes back, so will Jones’s numbers. To be honest with you, Scott Tolzien playing QB accounts for significantly more of Jones’s lack of production than lingering effects from his knee sprain. While I don’t doubt that Jones is still playing through pain (and more pain than he’s admitting, though it is true that most players deal with some level of pain each week), the Packers simply aren’t going to throw as much with Tolzien. And with Tolzien at the helm, receptions are going to be harder to come by than if the game’s best QB were slinging the passes.