Bye week gives Packers a chance to get healthy

[img_r]http://graphics.jsonline.com/graphics/packer/img/news/oct08/3atari20.jpg[/img_r]Three weeks ago, when the Green Bay Packers were smarting physically and emotionally from a tough defeat against Tampa Bay, the bye couldnt have come soon enough.

Now that theyve won two straight games, including an impressive 34-14 decision over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, it would hardly seem time to take a break. But with a week off, the Packers have a chance to have every player on their 53-man roster available for action when they next play, Nov. 2 at Tennessee.

When coach Mike McCarthy met with his medical staff Sunday night to discuss the long-term outlook heading into the bye week, he was hoping to hear that the worst of the teams injury problems was over and that he would be dealing with a full deck when practice resumes next Monday.

Thats what I told the doctor, McCarthy said. The basis of last nights conversation was really to decide exactly how to go forward. Originally, we were going to practice Wednesday. But really, as a football team, the most important thing they feel is a number of these guys just need rest.

Every injury is different, just as far as the treatment that goes on with each guy. But the goal is to have the majority of our football team come off of this bye healthy, and that will start with Mondays practice.

Given that 14 players have missed a total of 40 games because of injury this season including four starters who missed a combined 15 games and several other key starters have played through significant injury, it would be somewhat of a miracle to have a healthy 53-man roster.

But starters Atari Bigby (hamstring), Al Harris (spleen) and Mike Montgomery (ankle) and key backups James Jones (knee) and Jason Hunter (hamstring) are likely to return. Bigby and Montgomery were close to returning last week, Harris expects to be cleared next week and Jones and Hunter are on the tail end of the rehabilitation process for injuries that have sidelined them two weeks or more.

As well as the Packers have played in the secondary and at wide receiver, the impact of having Bigby, Harris and Jones back at full strength would still be felt.

Bigby was the teams best safety in training camp and had a victory-clinching interception in the season opener before pulling his hamstring at the end of the first half against Detroit in Week 2. The Packers had a lot of difficulty stopping the run against Dallas, Tampa Bay and Atlanta and Bigbys presence could go a long way in strengthening that part of the defense.

When hes at 100%, he brings a tremendous physical presence to the defense, secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer said. Hes a very physical, very violent player. He truly wants to hit people. He doesnt slow down to hit anything. If its moving, hes going to hit it. Hes very explosive. I thought he would have just a tremendous year this year had he stayed healthy.

Assuming Bigby gets back to what he was, the Packers will have a dynamic pair of safeties given the emergence of Nick Collins this season. Collins has four interceptions this year, two of which were returned for touchdowns, and has piled up 25 unassisted tackles in the last four games.

Harris might need a little more time than Bigby to return fully given the position he plays, but he is expected to be back at his starting right cornerback position despite the high level of play the Packers have gotten from backup Tramon Williams and dime back Will Blackmon. Like Bigby, Harris gives the Packers a physical defender who tends to get the rest of the unit fired up with his play.

On offense, the Packers seem to be doing fine at receiver. They rank 10th in the National Football League in passing offense, and starters Greg Jennings and Donald Driver have combined for more receiving yards (1,015) than any receiver/tight end duo in the NFL.

But Jones, coming off a rookie season in which he caught 47 passes for 676 yards and two touchdowns, was supposed to provide a catch-and-run option who would benefit from the attention the others received. Its too early to tell when, or if, hell get his legs back this season, but hes getting closer to overcoming his kneecap injury.

The return of Montgomery will give the Packers more depth on the defensive line, although with the way rookie Jeremy Thompson has been playing, he is not guaranteed his starting job back. Hunters return would greatly assist a special teams unit that has had to do some mixing and matching in recent weeks.

As for others like Aaron Rodgers (shoulder), Charles Woodson (toe), Ryan Pickett (triceps), A.J. Hawk (groin) and Ryan Grant (hamstring), the week off should provide some much needed relief. Some of the players will have to stay in town to continue rehabilitation, and all of them will have to do some form of conditioning during the five-day vacation.

This is a good time for the bye for our football team, McCarthy said. I think we need this from a health standpoint, and thats really the primary focus as we go into this week.