Aaron Rodgers hopes to be able to play without a knee brace in the near future.

Rodgers suffered a left knee injury in Week 1.

With or without the knee brace, Rodgers said the Packers (3-2-1) are "going to have to play better, we're going to have to play a lot better than we have to win those games."

The Packers' next five opponents have a combined record of 23-10-1, and only the Seahawks (3-3) don't have a winning record.

"This is an important stretch in our season," Rodgers said. "I'm not going to say it's going to define our season, but it's definitely going to shake things out when we get on the other side of this and get back home in six weeks on where we're at in the race and what we're playing for."

Marshawn Lynch has been placed by the Oakland Raiders on injured reserve with a groin injury.

Lynch would be eligible to return for the Christmas Eve game against Denver in Week 16.

Lynch has rushed for a team-high 376 yards on 90 carries (4.2 yards per carry) and three touchdowns in 2018. He also has 15 receptions for 84 yards.

Rob Gronkowski didn't travel with the New England Patriots to play in Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears.

Gronkowski was limited in practice all week with ankle and back issues.

Sources say Gronkowski is "highly unlikely" to play in the game.

Marshawn Lynch will miss an extended period of time with a groin injury.

The Raiders have discussed placing Lynch on injured reserve but no decision has been reached.

Lynch has rushed for a team-high 376 yards on 90 carries (4.2 yards per carry) and three touchdowns this season. 

Devonta Freeman has been placed on injured reserve with a groin injury.

"Following the game against Pittsburgh, where Devonta injured his foot, we thought he was just having general soreness in his groin area," Quinn said. "As the week went on, it continued, so we decided to have him get some tests. It has been determined that he will need a procedure that will result in us placing him on injured reserve.

"We are hopeful he will be able to return this season, but we will have a better feel for that in the coming weeks."

A source told ESPN that Freeman has not yet scheduled the procedure.

Freeman played in just two of the first six games while slowed by knee, foot and groin injuries. 

Ben Roethlisberger admitted that his elbow has been bothering him since Week 1 and it affected how he threw last week.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a bye after this Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals and Roethlisberger won't throw during the time off.

"I don't know that it's completely healthy," offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said of the quarterback's right elbow. "But I don't know that in any given season anyone — or any arm — is going to be completely healthy all the time.

"We try to do the right things to manage numbers of throws in the week, and I know that after this weekend he will get an extended rest and it will be good for him. But as far as being able to make throws, he can make the throws, and as far as practice, he can practice."

Aaron Rodgers experienced what he called a setback with his ailing left knee during last week's loss to the Detroit Lions.

Rodgers was wearing a smaller, lighter brace for the first time since injuring himself in Week 1. There's a chance he may have to go back to the larger brace that he wore in the three games immediate following the injury.

"I hope not," the Green Bay Packers quarterback said. "The goal would be to wear the same brace I wore last week, but I have a lot of faith in our training staff and we're going to [use] the brace we feel is most safe and allowing me to do exactly what I'm able to do on Monday."

Adrian Peterson said he suffered a dislocated shoulder during Monday night's game between the Washington Redskins and New Orleans Saints.

Jay Gruden initially called the injury a strained shoulder and said Peterson would get an MRI on Tuesday to determine if there's any issue.

"It's not going to keep me out," Peterson said. "I came back into the game. It was just a situation where it was sore.

"I just thank God it wasn't worse."

Peterson finished Monday's game with four carries for 6 yards and two catches for 36 more.

Jay Ajayi will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee. Ajayi tore the ACL in his right knee as a freshman at Boise State.

Ajayi, who is in a contract year, has been playing through a transverse fracture in his back suffered against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2.

Ajayai was acquired by the Eagles from the Miami Dolphins at the 2017 trade deadline.

Leonard Fournette has been ruled out of Week 5 due to a hamstring injury.

Fournette aggravated a previous injury to his right hamstring during the team's victory over the New York Jets last Sunday.

Running backs T.J. Yeldon and Corey Grant will get the bulk of the work in Fournette's place.