Packers start to prepare for Sunday's game with Vikings

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GREEN BAY - The Green Bay Packers will start practicing today for their NFC North contest against Minnesota on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

Receiver Greg Jennings is expected to return, after being out since late September with a groin injury and a subsequent operation to fix a torn abdominal muscle. Coach Mike McCarthy said yesterday that he’s still not sure how long Jennings can go against the Vikings – and this week’s practices will answer that question.

Meanwhile, McCarthy said the team expects to make announcements today about running back Cedric Benson and tackle Derek Sherrod. Benson is eligible to return to practice this week, after being put on the injured reserve-return list with a Lisfranc foot injury. But McCarthy says Benson will not practice this week. And Sherrod is expected to go on injured reserve, after starting the year on the physically-unable-to-perform list with a broken leg suffered last season. McCarthy said Sherrod has gotten better in recent practices, but he still needs more time to recover.

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Aaron Rodgers apologized to Packers’ fans yesterday for the team’s 38-10 loss to the Giants at New York last Sunday night. On his weekly Milwaukee radio show, the quarterback encouraged Packer Nation to quote, “stick with us” because the team’s still in a good playoff position with five games left. The 28-point margin of defeat was the biggest since Rodgers has been a starter – and it tied for the second-largest loss since Mike McCarthy became Green Bay’s coach in 2006. Rodgers also said there was some validity to receiver Randall Cobb’s remark that the Packers’ “care level” was not present against the Giants. The quarterback said quote, “Each person has to look in the mirror after a game like that, and ask themselves how much heart they thought they played with.” Rodgers said he was personally prepared and focused. But he said the Giants’ defense got to him for five sacks, and the Packer offense did not execute very well. He said the adjustments need to be made to correct the sack problem and quote, “We can’t just drop back every time.” Rodgers said the Packers need to incorporate more screens and running plays that give defenses a different look.

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