 |
|
Aaron
Rouse
|
GREEN BAY - The Green Bay Packers'
injury-depleted defensive backfield received at least a little
encouraging news Thursday when No. 3 safety Aaron Rouse practiced
fully, giving the coaches hope that he'll play in Sunday's game
against Tampa Bay.
Rouse's return from a knee injury
suffered against Dallas last Sunday night may not seem like huge
news, but it is when you consider some other facts.
The Packers will be without
cornerback Al Harris (lacerated spleen) and are practicing without
their other veteran cornerback Charles Woodson, who'll play again
without practicing all week because of a a broken toe.
They also have both their usual
starting safeties battling injuries.
One starter, Nick Collins (bruised
back), remained limited Thursday while the other, Atari Bigby
(hamstring), remained sidelined.
"I thought Aaron did OK today,
just from watching him as much as I did," Packers coach Mike
McCarthy said. "He went throughout the whole practice. He's
obviously feeling better. Nick is still sore, so that's why he was
limited."
Nevertheless, secondary coach Kurt
Schottenheimer said after practice he expects Rouse and Collins to
be ready to go Sunday, with Charlie Peprah and converted cornerback
Jarrett Bush serving as backups.
Bigby may test his hamstring Friday
but is likely to miss his second straight game.
"Nick and Aaron, when they're
healthy, we know what kind of players we've got,"
Schottenheimer said. "I feel comfortable now. I've got a good
feeling they'll be fine and ready to go."
___
Health watch: With No. 3 halfback
Kregg Lumpkin (hamstring) unlikely to play Sunday, the Packers will
have to make do with just two halfbacks (Ryan Grant and Brandon
Jackson). Fullback John Kuhn will serve as the emergency running
back. McCarthy said Kuhn worked in a one-back system in college at
Shippensburg.
Lumpkin sat out his second straight
practice on Thursday, and he'll likely be listed as doubtful when
the official injury report comes out today. Can the Packers get by
with only two halfbacks on the 45-man game-day roster?
"(We) might have no choice.
That's kind of where we are," McCarthy said. "We'll make
do with what we have."
In addition to Bigby and Lumpkin,
fullback Korey Hall (knee) also did not practice and will likely
miss his second straight game. Wide receiver James Jones (knee) took
part on a limited basis but is not expected to play.
___
Line dancing: Guard Josh Sitton, who
went down with a knee injury at Denver Aug. 22, practiced fully
Thursday and appears ready to return to action. However, with the
Packers finally having set their five-man line, Sitton, who was the
starter at right guard for the first three preseason games, could be
the odd man out.
While McCarthy said Sitton has
"a chance" to be active Sunday, the coach made it sound
unlikely that he would rotate Sitton in for a few series the way he
did with backup left guard Allen Barbre at Detroit two weeks ago.
"Ideally, philosophically, those
are all things you'd like to do. But we're in the mode of winning
games, so the continuity of the front five is the priority,"
McCarthy said. "Now, if we feel we can (rotate guys in) and it
doesn't disrupt that flow, that would be a nice option to
have."
|
