METAIRIE, La. -- New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas won't play in Sunday night's game against the Green Bay Packers after he was ruled out for the second straight week with his high ankle sprain.
Thomas has not practiced since he suffered the ankle injury during the final minutes of New Orleans' Week 1 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, the team chose not to place him on injured reserve -- which would have required him to miss at least three games. So there is still hope that he could potentially return as soon as next week.
The Saints' offense struggled without Thomas in Monday night's 34-24 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, which led to scrutiny over Drew Brees' lack of downfield passes.
Brees completed 26 of 38 passes for 312 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Third-year receiver Tre'Quan Smith caught five passes for 86 yards, but newly signed veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders had just one catch for 18 yards.
"Obviously with the loss of Mike Thomas last week, we're having to fit some guys in new roles, get some guys some significant playing time, maybe in different situations that they haven't been in before," Brees said earlier this week. "I think there definitely is that element of just getting everybody on the same page, everybody in sync. And man, I'm confident with the guys that we have, with the system that we have and everything that we're gonna be able to get back on track."
Thomas is obviously vital to New Orleans' offense. He won the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year award last season after setting the NFL record with 149 catches in a season.
Thomas isn't the only star receiver who might be missing from Sunday night's marquee matchup. Packers receiver Davante Adams is listed as doubtful after missing practice all week with a hamstring injury.