The Green Bay Packers have an opportunity to win this week and assure themselves an NFC North title and playoff berth, but they might have to do it without several key players.
Clay Matthews, who broke his thumb in October and missed several weeks of action apparently suffered a re-injury of the same thumb that is likely to knock him out of Sunday's game.
"The training staff didn't feel very good about the injury," coach Mike McCarthy said Monday. "So we're still working through the process." He suffered the injury while sacking Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, an ironic reminder of what Green Bay will be missing against the Bears and their sometimes-shaky protection.
Matthews is joining a list of major uncertainties that also includes quarterback Aaron Rodgers and running back Eddie Lacy. Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone several weeks ago and his status has been up in the air since the night the injury happened. "Clearly after seeing Aaron practice for two weeks, this is something Ted Thompson and I need to sit down and we need to assess all the information and to decide if it's time for him to play," McCarthy said.
"Aaron wants to play, has wanted to play for the last couple of weeks. He fully accepts, understands everything going on with his injury, so this is really a decision for Ted Thompson and I representing the organization. That's how it works."
In Rodgers' absence, Lacy has been the workhorse of the Green Bay offense. Losing Lacy, and remaining without Rodgers could be the death knell for Green Bay. With Lacy in tow, the Pack could expect to run roughsod over Chicago's banged up defense.
"Eddie, he's sore, which he has been pretty much the whole season," McCarthy said. "We're not going to practice on the field until Thursday, so I'll probably have a better feel for where he's at [then]."
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