Packers Coach Mike McCarthy Says Team Is Unsure When Charles Woodson Will Be Back
The Packers have flown a bit under that radar this season. Any team, though, that has Aaron Rodgers playing quarterback is a legitimate Super Bowl contender. But, if Green Bay plans on winning its second Super Bowl in three years, it’s going to need its defense to step up and to do that, it’s going to need Charles Woodson on the field. The problem is that no one seems to know when exactly that may happen. From the Journal Sentinel:
Coach Mike McCarthy would not guarantee that Charles Woodson (broken collarbone) would be back for the Tennessee game Sunday, but he did say he hoped to get him some action before the playoffs start. Woodson was on schedule to play against the Bears, but Dr. Pat McKenzie reversed course and ruled Woodson out when he saw something he didn’t like in the healing process. There has been no set schedule for Woodson’s return. McCarthy said in his Monday press conference that it would be ideal to get Woodson a healthy number of snaps in the final two weeks of the regular season. The fact the Packers clinched the NFC North Sunday hasn’t changed the urgency to get Woodson back to form. ”Charles Woodson’s situation is, we’re going to play him as soon as we’re ready,” McCarthy said. “What happened yesterday will not factor into his medical decision, just from the fact that he’s been out about eight weeks and it’s important for him to play. ”He wants to play, get some momentum and be ready for the playoffs. I’ve spoken to Charles today, I’ve spoken also to Pepper (Burruss), our trainer, but I have not talked to Dr. McKenzie. As far as what we’re thinking this weekend, it hasn’t yet been decided.” Defensive coordinator Dom Capers had a lot of success incorporating CB Sam Shields and LB Clay Matthews back into the defense after their return from injury. In fact, both of them played an enormous part in the Packers beating the Chicago Bears, 21-13, Sunday at Soldier Field. It was Shields’ second game back and Matthews’ first. Capers would like to see Woodson meld in the same way as the other two. But he’s still not sure when he’ll be back. ”Clay came back last week and Clay had a good week of practice,” Capers said. “Whenever Charles gets back on the practice field, we’ll have to see where he is and evaluate where he is and then decide what the plan will be.”
