Matt LaFleur is doing everything possible to keep the Philadelphia Eagles guessing which players will return from injury for the NFC Wild Card Round.
Getting a detailed injury update from LaFleur is about as likely as the Chicago Bears winning a playoff game. He likes to reiterate what the injury report reads. For example, his latest update on Quay Walker was that he "was limited today." For Jordan Love, LaFleur said "he looked full."
Thanks, Coach. LaFleur intentionally uses the same wording as the injury report. And fair enough. He doesn't want to give the Eagles any more information than he has to.
Unfortunately for him, players often aren't as cryptic as the coaches when they speak to the media. Xavier McKinney provided far more insight into the Packers' injury report than LaFleur, and it's good news.
Xavier McKinney reveals Packers should have 'majority of our guys back' vs. Eagles
The Packers need their key injured starters to play this week ahead of a daunting matchup against the Eagles. That includes Evan Williams, who is having an outstanding rookie season. He has missed the past three games with a quadricep injury but has returned to practice this week.
Based on McKinney's comments, it sure sounds like Williams is set to return for the playoffs. He even took it a step further to discuss the Packers' injury situation as a whole.
"Yeah, it's good to have (Williams) back," said McKinney. "I think we're getting the majority of our guys back, too, especially on the defensive side, so it's good to be back out there with everybody and have everybody get back healthy."
The key part there is McKinney saying he expects the Packers to get the "majority" of their defensive players back. Along with Williams, Quay Walker and Brenton Cox Jr. missed last week's game against the Bears, while Javon Bullard, Edgerrin Cooper, and T.J. Slaton are on the injury report.
We haven't seen Walker and Cooper together often this season. Walker was playing his best football before getting hurt, while Cooper has been outstanding in recent weeks, taking home the NFC Defensive Rookie of the Month award.
Having Williams back out there will also make a huge difference. If the Packers have their preferred starters in the secondary available (minus Jaire Alexander, who is on injured reserve), they could have McKinney pair with Williams at safety, Bullard at nickel, and Keisean Nixon with Carrington Valentine outside. That would give the Packers their best shot at slowing down the Eagles' offense. Without Williams, Jeff Hafley would need to reshuffle the lineup.
The Packers aren't revealing much, and McKinney may have said more than he should, but we'll take it. If McKinney is right, Green Bay will get defensive reinforcements in time for the playoffs.