David Bakhtiari, Green Bay Packers. (USA Today)
David Bakhtiari is not even traveling with the Green Bay Packers this weekend.
The Green Bay Packers will be without starting offensive tackle David Bakhtiari in Week 7.
Bahktiari has been ruled out of the Packers’ road game vs. the Houston Texans. He did not travel with the team to Houston and thus, will miss his first game of the season due to a chest injury. Green Bay is coming off a brutal road loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week and look to get right vs. one of the worst teams in the AFC. Now, the Packers must do it without Bakhtiari Sunday.
How concerned should the Packers be about David Bakhtiari’s health?
Though their next three opponents are not playoff-caliber teams in Houston, the Minnesota Vikings and the San Francisco 49ers, keep in mind the Packers have already exhausted their bye this season. While they are 4-1 through six weeks, the Packers are in a dogfight for the best record in the NFC North with the Chicago Bears, who have only lost one game so far as well.
In short, this feels like a precautionary measure for the Packers to give themselves the very best chance at success long-term. Even without their starting left tackle, the Packers are too talented to drop a road game vs. the first team to fire its head coach this season. Green Bay should have no issues whatsoever winning two of its next three games, possibly winning them all to get to 7-1.
Aaron Rodgers must do more to win on Sunday, but his team is more talented than the Texans.