“Adam Stenavich and Luke Butkus do a great job with this room,” said LaFleur, referring to his two offensive line coaches. “But these guys also take on the responsibility to prepare themselves in the right way. This is the best O-line group I’ve ever been to, and I’m not just talking about the players. I’m talking about the mentality of this room.”
On a personal level, the team feels for Bakhtiari, one of the most respected and talented veterans in the locker room. He is the third oldest player in the Packers, after Aaron Rodgers and Mason Crosby, and recently signed a contract extension that makes him the highest-paid striker in the league.
“It’s hard to see a guy fall for it,” said Rodgers, a best friend. “You’re hoping for the best. I got a call from him yesterday in the late afternoon. I was hoping for some good news, I don’t understand.
“You have to move on, but now it is still a little sore. We are still sad and suffering for Dave just because he is our brother and he is our left tackle, our teammate. It has been a difficult time for us, and endless times. it’s probably where he is now. “
LaFleur said that when the injury occurred, the team took a while to focus again on Thursday’s training. He added that the team responded well on Friday with a “clean” practice.
The team’s psyche is naturally a concern when a blow like this is delivered just before an important game at this stage of the season. The Packers are trying to secure seed # 1 in the NFC playoffs, while the Bears are struggling to win a wildcard spot. And whether or not the Packers receive the best seed and goodbye, the postseason is coming.
“I think my job is just to emphasize to our boys the importance of what lies ahead and to attack every moment of every day,” said LaFleur.
“You can’t let that affect your attitude, the way you prepare, the effort you give, the focus you bring every day. We have a job to do which is to go on Sunday and play against a team that is fighting for everything they have ahead of them too. “