A single hit from Anthony Barr earlier in the year may have been the difference between the Packers making and missing the playoffs, and the Vikings linebacker expects fans in Green Bay to continue letting him know how they feel about it on Sunday.
Barr, who was responsible for the tackle that broke Aaron Rodgers’ collarbone in Week 6, has already received hate mail from fans, one of which told Barr he hopes “you get your neck snapped.” With the Vikings playing at Green Bay this weekend, Barr knows he could hear some boos and worse.
“It is what it is,” he said, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com. “What are you doing to do? I can’t control that. I have to go about my business the same way I’ve been doing for the last — what’s it, Week 16? Same old story.”
While Barr doesn’t expect to hear any Packers fans wishing him a Merry Christmas, he isn’t concerned about being distracted.
“I don’t think it’ll be too much of a factor,” he said. “I’m pretty good at tuning that stuff out.
“We’re playing for seeding. We have big things to play for right now. Division games are always important. Road games are always important. My focus, our focus, is winning the game. Doesn’t matter who the opponent is. We’re going to go in there and try and play to win.”
Barr’s hit on Rodgers was more unfortunate that anything. It wasn’t late and it wasn’t dirty, but a lot of people feel that he didn’t need to drive Rodgers into the ground the way he did. Still, the NFL determined that the hit was legal and Barr did not face any disciplinary action.
The Packers had a chance to keep their playoff hopes alive last weekend, but Rodgers threw three interceptions and his team lost to the Carolina Panthers.
