Question about active/inactive guys

[Carolina_Packer]

OK, I have heard the term thrown around, but don't really understand the significance. I know a player who is inactive for a game is not dressing for the game, but what is the significance? In hockey, they call it a healthy scratch.

If you have a 53 man roster, why not dress everyone who is healthy in case someone ahead of them gets hurt. I assume an inactive player can't rush to the dressing room, become active and then play in the game. O' knowledgeable ones, please come forth and grace us with your expertise.

[sepporepi]

Only 45 are avtive on gameday. The other 8 can not play. Only exception is the 3rd QB, he can play if the two active QBs go down even if he is not active.

[Bretsky]

I don't know the exact numbers, but every Sunday morning the Packers designate 3-5 of their players as being inactive on game day. They announce the list every Sunday morning a few hours before the game.

They are healthy players that, for the most part, the coaches deem they will not help GB via gameday so they do not dress and just roam the sidelines.

I believe they can only have X amount of players active come game day.

Where is Patler to give us the exacts of my general info ??