In a catastrophic blow to Green Bay's playoff chances, three-time Pro Bowl selection David Bakhtiari suffered a likely torn ACL during a Thursday practice in advance of the team's crucial Week 17 game in Chicago.
An official prognosis will not be made until Friday, but preliminary diagnosis (save for a Reggie White miracle once) prove to be almost never wrong. The Packers rise to the top of the NFC over the past two years has been due to the emergence of several players to elite status according to Pro Football Focus at multiple positions. The group includes Bakhtiari, fellow lineman Elgton Jenkins and Corey Linsley, receiver Davante Adams (ranked No. 1 at his position), tight end Robert Tonyan, running backs Aaron Jones and late addition A.J. Dillon, linebackers Za'Darius Smith and Rashan Gary, along with a secondary including Jaire Alexander, Darnell Savage and Bears castoff Adrian Amos. Bakhtiari was deemed responsible for allowing just one sack in the team's 420 pass attempts this season. Outside of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Bakhtiari is arguably Green Bay's most valuable player.