Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy addressed the media at 7:45 a.m. in Lambeau Field. Here's what he said:
• The first injury report will be out Tuesday, instead of the usual Wednesday, because of the earlier game. Jerel Worthy (knee) and WR Jarrett Boykin (ankle) are the main injuries from the loss at Minnesota.
• Randall Cobb was close to playing but he was not ready. Part of the decision to not play him was the surface in Minnesota "and the ability in the lateral movements." They will look at him closer for a Tuesday late afternoon practice.
• The schedule will be different than usual with the six-day work week ahead; today the players are off technically, with an optional lift. Tuesday morning they come in for weight work. "We’ll do our normal installs Tuesday afternoon. We’ll have a 3:15 practice, then Wednesday will be a Thursday. Then Thursday will be a Friday and so forth as we go to Saturday night."
• The prep work should be pretty clean for Minnesota; this will be a shorter work of week with the Saturday night game. Playing at home in Lambeau for the playoffs, can't ask for any more than that.
• There is testing right now on Jerel Worthy's knee, and so far it has not been good news.
• Christian Ponder was good in converting long down and distances. More than likely the Packers will not grade out well in their tackling, either.
• DuJuan Harris has unique skills. They planned on using Ryan Grant and Harris for this game; not necessarily Alex Green. We run with the guy with a hot hand and that's why Harris got the ball.
• We don't have a starting running back at this time. Will make sure all three backs are ready to go for the game.
• Charles Woodson is expected to review his status this Monday again like he has in the past Mondays. No news there yet.
• James Starks is getting close. McCarthy is hoping he can practice this week but doesn't know yet.
• Clay Matthews and Jordy Nelson had their injuries but weren't considered too serious by the staff at the time. However, the real test is to see how they feel today, tonight and even in to Tuesday. "There’s nothing that the staff felt very serious about. We’ll see how those guys are today. This usually takes a full Monday, sometimes leaks into Tuesday to find out exactly where we are."
• Jeremy Ross will work with Randall Cobb throughout the week on the return duties. This job has not been handed to Ross yet; they will not make any decisions today. "Saturday night we’ll figure out how we’re going to do it. We have to see where Randall is health-wise. I feel good that Jeremy Ross, in that environment, just went in there and played football. I thought he was exceptional, breaking tackles and ran hard with instinct and did a nice job. I thought we blocked very well for him on the two returns that came out."
• "There's nothing but positive right now. This is playoff football. Really, yes we had every intention of winning the game yesterday. We're one of six teams with the opportunity to fight to go to New Orleans. And that's what we're focused on. This is a whole different deal. This is the time of year our players live for and work for. We have a high percentage of players in our locker room that have been there every year the last couple of years, so they know what this is all about."
• Adrian Peterson had two big games against the Packers this year, what was the difference in the two games that affected outcome?: "When I go through the grading with the defensive coaches, I’d have to say it’s tackling. Just based on what I watched yesterday. I thought a number of times, as far as our gap control ... B.J. Raji, I felt, he was on their line of scrimmage most of the day. My sense is B.J. graded out very well. We haven’t done the grades yet. That’s what’s going on as we speak. But I thought Adrian Peterson, with his second and third effort, to come and spin out of tackles and come out of the pack and go into the line and bounce the football, that’s where our gang tackling and our pursuit, our pursuit to finish, at times, was not where it needed to be."
• Finally, McCarthy was asked about the pros and cons of playing the Vikings two weeks in a row: "Ah, I don’t mean to be callous with your question, but I don’t operate that way, frankly. I don’t believe in pros and cons. Football’s football. Like I tell the team, it doesn’t matter who comes out of that tunnel, I don’t care what color they have on, we’ll know what their tendencies are, we’re going to make them line up a certain way on offense, and on defense we’re going to line up the way they line up. It’s about fundamentals, matchups and that’s what we’re focused on. We’re playing at home, it’s going to be a great environment.
"Fans, I know you’re going to be there. Someone said something about you selling tickets, don’t do that. I want you out in full support. It will be a great environment. I mean Sunday night football, Saturday night football in Lambeau Field. The Vikings obviously have done a great job to get into the tournament, and we respect that, but this is a different deal. This is what everybody’s been fighting for, and this is what we’re excited about."
MM's Presser Notes
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