GREEN BAY -
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers intends to play
against Atlanta on Sunday despite a sprained shoulder that his
coaches will be watching closely in practice.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy and his
assistants will spend this week monitoring Rodgers' progress and
preparing rookie backup Matt Flynn to start, just in case.
"Speaking with Aaron this
morning, he has every intention on playing," McCarthy said
Monday in Green Bay. "But I think Wednesday's practice will
be a pretty good indicator for us. It's just something we'll have
to continue to rehab and see where we are on Wednesday."
Rodgers was injured on a scramble
in the third quarter of Sunday's 30-21 loss at Tampa Bay. He
stayed in the game and threw a touchdown pass to Greg Jennings,
but sat out part of the fourth quarter. Rodgers said after the
game he might have separated his shoulder.
"It felt like that's what
possibly happened," Rodgers said Sunday. "But we're
going to wait until tomorrow to figure out exactly what the
problem is."
McCarthy said Monday that medical
tests revealed no major structural damage.
"I think it's just how he
responds to rehab and how fast we can move forward," McCarthy
said.
Rodgers, the Packers' first-round
pick in 2005, has had two injuries in the past two seasons despite
limited playing time. Some have interpreted that as a sign of
Rodgers being injury prone, particularly when compared to the
quarterback-record consecutive starts streak belonging to his
predecessor, Brett Favre.
But Rodgers' ability to play
through a broken foot in a 2006 game against New England also
could be interpreted as a sign of his toughness. And McCarthy said
Rodgers' ability to throw a touchdown pass after the injury showed
he can play through pain.
"For him to muster up and
throw that ball the way he did was a tribute to his ability to
deal with that in that particular situation," McCarthy said.
The Packers plan to have Rodgers
rehabilitate the injury Monday and Tuesday, then see how well he
can throw in practice Wednesday and how he feels Thursday morning.
"It's important to have the
strength back in the shoulder," McCarthy said. "And
really how he throws on Wednesday will have a lot to do with it,
and then Thursday morning, how he recovers."
McCarthy said Rodgers would split
time with Flynn running the No. 1 offense in practice, with the
intention of "making sure that both Matt and Aaron are ready
to play."
Flynn is a seventh-round pick out
of LSU who beat out more-heralded fellow rookie Brian Brohm for
the backup spot in training camp. If he has to start, he'll be
expected to run the offense the same way Rodgers has.
"Any quarterback that plays,
his job is to run the game plan," McCarthy said. "Stay
within the game plan and make the proper decisions. Play with good
vision, accuracy and footwork. They're all trained the same
way."
Rodgers isn't the only Packers
player nursing an injury coming out of Sunday's game. McCarthy
said linebacker A.J. Hawk has a groin strain, defensive lineman
Cullen Jenkins has a strained pectoral muscle and safety Aaron
Rouse has a knee sprain.
The Packers already were missing
cornerback Al Harris, out indefinitely with a spleen injury. And
cornerback Charles Woodson continues to play with a broken toe.
McCarthy hopes to know more about
the status of injured players later in the week, particularly
Hawk.
"Knowing A.J., I'm sure he'll
do everything he can to play this week," McCarthy said.
And while the Packers have lost two
straight games after a 2-0 start and injuries are beginning to
mount, McCarthy said the team's mini-slump wouldn't result in a
slew of personnel changes.
"It's not about changing
parts, it's about getting the parts cleaned up and working in a
better fashion," McCarthy said.
