LaFleur addresses Bakhtiari’s Atlanta absence

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - As you well know, star left tackle David Bakhtiari missed the Packers’ loss in Atlanta on Sunday. Last week I had asked Bahktiari, in light of Aaron Rodgers’ injury on turf, Bakhtiari’s own injury history, and his strong opinion against playing on artificial surfaces; if he would consider sitting out games that are not played on grass.

“I don’t think that’s a conversation that should be had,” Bakhtiari said. “I just don’t think that it is... it’s not appropriate.” Well, coach Matt LaFleur is being asked about it a whole lot now.

Q: Did he not play because it was a turf game or because he had an issue that popped up last week?

“Well his knee is injured, and there is swelling, so,” LaFleur said.

Q: If that game is played at Lambeau Field, is he able to play or not?

“I don’t believe so,” LaFleur said. “Just to clarify I am done talking about it.”

Bakhtiari or no Bakhtiari, the Packers had plenty of chances to win. And that left a sour taste.

“We had every chance to win that game, we just have to execute,” said WR Samori Toure. “It’s on us. We need to win those games. We need to finish the 4th quarter the way we did the 2nd and 3rd. We had a lot of missed opportunities.

“Do I seem frustrated?” LaFleur said. “You only get so many opportunities in this league. When you feel like you missed and opp, that is extremely frustrating. I don’t want to ever take any credit from Atlanta, they did what they had to do, But we are always looking at what we can control and what we can do better. and we have to capitalize.”

In another offensive line injury to keep an eye on, left guard Elgton Jenkins confirmed to reported Monday that he did suffer an MCL sprain when he was run into by A.J. Dillon in the game Sunday. It done not look like he will be available for Sunday’s home opener as he had a big brace on that knee in the locker room.

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