With the NFC North up for grabs, Green Bay hopes "Flynnsanity" strikes again — this time in Detroit. Coach Mike McCarthy announced the expected news Wednesday that Flynn will start for the Packers against the Lions while Aaron Rodgers continues to recover from a broken collarbone suffered Nov. 4 against the Bears.
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"We wanted to make sure Aaron had an opportunity to get down on the field and work, and then as a staff as we went through the plan, Matt took the starter reps from Day 1," McCarthy said. "It's like anything; you just wanted to make sure. I was more focused on getting them both ready, as I stated on Monday."
Scott Tolzien, who started at QB the last two games, will serve as backup.
Flynn came in for a struggling Tolzien in the second half of last week's 26-26 tie with the Vikings, and rallied the Packers from a 16-point, fourth-quarter deficit.
Flynn was drafted by the Packers in the seventh round of the 2008 draft. He signed with the Seahawks in 2012 and was traded to the Raiders — where he was eventually cut — a year later.
The Packers are expected to, again, rely heavily on their rushing attack — more specifically, rookie running back Eddie Lacy, who has led the league in rushing since Week 5 and finished with 65 yards after contact against the Vikings.
Johnathan Franklin, Green Bay's other rookie running back, has been placed on injured reserve after he suffered a concussion on the opening kickoff in that game, USA Today's Tom Pelissero reports.
Rodgers is expected to be out at least one more game.