David Bakhtiari was not absent from Sunday’s loss at Atlanta due to the game being played on artificial turf.

That was the word from Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur yesterday when asked directly whether the former All-Pro left tackle, who has been extremely critical of playing on turf, did not play for that reason.

“Well, his knee is injured,” LaFleur told reporters Monday. “There was swelling.”

The fifth-year coach was then asked if the game had been on the grass at Lambeau Field, would Bakhtiari have been able to go.

“I don’t believe so,” LaFleur answered, before cutting off the next question about the situation and saying he was done discussing it.

Bakhtiari’s status has been a constant point of questioning for the last two seasons. He missed the entire 2021 season except for about 30 plays due to complications from a torn ACL suffered at the end of the 2020 season. He was limited to 11 games last year and rarely practiced during training camp this summer. Despite not practicing at all leading into the Chicago game in Week 1, he was still out there against the Bears, putting together a great effort in a win. He took the same path heading into the Atlanta game, though he was listed as questionable after not having a designation in the opener.

“No, I think that’s just the nature of the beast,” LaFleur said last Friday when asked if anything had changed from the previous week for Bakhtiari. “He will probably be questionable all year.”

The issues around Bakhtiari came on the same day that the team lost its starting left guard in Elgton Jenkins to a sprained MCL. He is expected to miss an extended period of time with the injury but should be able to return this season. He told reporters Monday that the turf might have played a role in the injury but it was also “wrong place, wrong time.”

Elgton Jenkins said he has a sprained MCL in his left knee. In a sizable brace but does not think his season’s over.

When asked if it was turf related, Jenkins said, “felt like it had something to do with it” because his foot got caught but also said “wrong place, wrong time.”

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Jenkins took a shot to his left knee from AJ Dillon after the running back slipped trying to make a cut in the second quarter.

“He means a lot to our football team, obviously. He’s played at a really high level,” LaFleur said. “It’s an unfortunate play. I’ve got to give him credit, man. He stayed in there and battled and played another two plays. When they told me he was (out), it actually kind of shocked me. I saw the initial hit and was a little concerned. I saw him slow to get up but then he kept going, so I thought he was able to play through it. But, yeah, it’s unfortunate.”

Royce Newman took over at Jenkins’ spot the rest of the game against the Falcons.