Clay Matthews - Broken thumb (Schefter: Out 4 weeks)

"I'm having a hard time coming to grips with the fact a thumb is going to keep him from playing football.  "

Would he be able to shed linemen if he has a club?  It's not like he is playing in space.. I say sit him and get it right.

I'm just whining.  Give me my moment godammit. 

The left ring finger is missing its knuckle, a loss after surgery on a broken metacarpal.

The knuckle next to it is knotted with calcification. The nail on the left index finger was half ripped off in the Denver game last year and took forever to grow back.

The right index finger is a little crooked.

By the middle of the season, bruises and swelling will marble the flesh on the top of his hands. Nicks, scabs and scars will speckle the rest.

A palm reader need not bother with Green Bay outside linebacker Clay Matthews. His life's work already is etched in his hands.

In his fourth season, Matthews digs and claws his way to quarterbacks. But what few people know is that Matthews actually works out and strengthens his hands, just as he does every other muscle group of his body.

"That's a huge part of my game," Matthews said. "You look at guys who play my position and anytime they're wearing casts, it completely takes them out of their game because hands are so much a part of it."

Matthews uses all the moves to free himself from blockers and snuff out the quarterback. The bull rush, the spin move, the swim. The torque, the crawl, the crab. Remember the Giants game last season when he looked like he was in boot camp, crawling under the barbed wire?

The moves have helped him gather 29 1/2 sacks in his career, but to finish off the job, he's needed his hands. He's dedicated much of his off-season work to making his hands a weapon as much as his speed and power are.

And so he had to make them fast.

Matthews was drawn to mixed martial arts a couple of years ago in an effort to maximize his off-season workouts but he ended up helping his hands as well. Throwing jabs, hooks, undercuts and crosses strengthened and sped up his hand strikes, making the 10th punch as swift and painful as the first.

But he had to be careful to tape up his hands well to prevent the swelling and bruising, especially around the knuckles.

@RobDemovsky

The thread about moving him to MLB isn't looking AS crazy... IF he goes the club route.  

Hoping they put Perry on the right where he was in college, seemed to do well there Sunday.  Between him and Neal playing well, we'll survive.  

I'm not sold on this right side / left side argument on Perry.

So after playing on left side for two training camps and bout 10 games in the pros, an in-game switch to right side jogs his memory and now he is able to pass rush like TT hoped when he drafted him?

I think a more likely scenario is that the Lions O-line isn't that good and the Lions offense was limited.   Plus, I thought he was playing decent coming into the game.  Not as good as Neal had been playing, but decent. 

Per Jay Glazer, Matthews had surgery on the thumb today.

Glazer's celebrity status is clearly getting him in with the hot babes.  

they signed a CB (James Nixon)

YES! Got my guy back. Offenses will be getting impeached now.

I expect Matthews back for Thanksgiving

I was looking forward to watching Matthews vs. that cupcake Ravens offensive line. 

It's time for Perry to bring it. No more "transition period", no more "adjustment time", he needs to step up. I'm sure he realizes that. Yesterday was a great start. 

It's nice to know that this position is extremely well coached, so guys like Neal and Perry are prepared to step in. 

Awful news, but I can't say I didn't expect it. Hope he's back soon. What Perry and Neal were able to do yesterday makes me feel a little better, and you have to figure they're getting Hayward back next Sunday. Pass rush no doubt has taken a hit, but with Hayward back, coverage will get a significant upgrade.

I'm not expecting Hayward until the Vikes game 10/27.

Why? He was able to practice in pads last Thursday. If not this week, then probably the next barring a setback.

Don't trust whitey.

A big loss, but the team managed last year without him and will do the same this year. Time for Perry and Neal to step up and continue where they left off against the Lions.

So he'll be out likely for more than 4 weeks if it needs more time to heal. Ugh. Wonder if they put him on IR/designated to return because this sounds like something that will keep him out 6 weeks or more

Must be a Green Bay packer fan thing.    So used to these injuries.  

I read this and think...man that sucks....but then also think...We will be ok...Next man in.

Appreciate the work of ROTTT and the depth on the team. 

I am excited to see what Kneelya and Perrya can do in the next several games

Over/Under on weeks CMIII misses,  7.5.

Well, at least the Packers are staying away from injuries this year.

Ian Rapoport ‏@RapSheet <small class="time">1m</small>

Could #Packers put Matthews on IR/ to/return? It's possible. But hope is he's ready before 8 weeks. Don't want him ready & unable to play

I'll bet they don't put him on IR-to-return but he misses 8 weeks anyway just because of the way the Packer bring guys back from injury.

I don't recall Hayward being in pads last week.

This is from last Friday:

@WesHod

Hayward was in pads on Thursday. MM said last Friday something to the effect of early next week would be a big test for Hayward (sounded like he was close to being back).

Helen Hunt circa '85 and Clay Matthews in drag?

BTW GB went 3-1 without CMIII last season. And that was with Walden and Neal as a rotating DE.

yeah, no kidding......   wtf?

trailertrash

GO SEAHAWKS!

Yep.  You're going to wear that one for quite some time.

dream from heaven

Right, found the post (from you) about that after I posted the Friday tweet from Wes Hodzinki. Would be great if he is back before the Vikes... don't mind being wrong about that.

under.  the roids should help him heal faster.

I don't get this...........

minimum of 4 weeks?  possibly 8 weeks?????????

THIS is exactly what is wrong with today's NFL.

Too f-in much worry about long term..........

IF I was making the type of money that he is, I would be out there with half an arm. Trying to earn that huge salary is what I would be trying to do.

For todays players it is about the payday and heaven forbid i get a hangnail. i will be out for 6 to 8 weeks....

try telling that to someone's boss that has a real job.......

I would wrap it up and EARN my millions.

the NFL is turning into a p...sy league, with pu##y players.

but they all want to be compared to the likes of Butkis, Ditka, Starr, Hornung; Nitschke, Davis and so on...............

nothing but a bunch of half-asses in todays nfl.

YOU WANT THE MONEY; THEN EARN THE MONEY.

Quit acting like it is a 9 to 5 job with benefits.

YOU ARE BEING PAID MILLIONS!

Perform like it!!!!!!!!!!

IF I was making the type of money that he is, I would be out there with half an arm. Trying to earn that huge salary is what I would be trying to do.

Hey SJ,

not a bad ass, just think todays NFL is too soft.

if you want to actually respond to my opinion, please do.

If you want to continue our difference of opinion regarding humor, then, please go ahead

and, by the way, CMIII is my favorite player in the NFL. right after him is Jones, you figure out why............

The determination will be made by the physicians and I would expect the team and Clay to follow whatever their recommendations are.