Thursday will be a critical day for the Green Bay Packers. The biggest name to watch is Aaron Rodgers.
Out of action since Week 9 with a broken collarbone, Rodgers is expected to decide today whether he will play Sunday against the Chicago Bears.
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It's a huge game for the Packers, who with a victory would win the NFC North and lay the Bears to rest.
But the Packers aren't in good shape for this game, even if Rodgers returns. They will be without linebacker Clay Matthews, who was ruled out Wednesday after aggravating a right thumb injury.
Wednesday, feature back Eddie Lacy sat out while nursing a bum ankle.
"Eddie, he's sore, which he has been pretty much the whole season," coach Mike McCarthy said this week. "We're not going to practice on the field until Thursday, so I'll probably have a better feel for where he's at."
If Lacy can't play, James Starks will start.
Linebacker Mike Neal will replace Matthews, the Packers' top defensive playmaker.
"I'm not Clay Matthews, I've said that before," Neal said. "I'm not trying to fill Clay's shoes, I'm trying to fill Mike Neal's shoes."
Rodgers has 15 touchdowns to four interceptions and 2,218 yards passing. His replacements have eight TDs to 10 picks and 2,002 yards.
If Rodgers is unable to go, Matt Flynn would start his fifth consecutive game. Until now, the Packers had not announced their decision on Rodgers' status each week until Friday, when he has been ruled out.
"I think No. 1 for the football team and also Aaron Rodgers, I think it's important for us to make a quicker decision," McCarthy said. "This has obviously been frustrating and stressful for Aaron, rightfully so, but also our football (team). I want them to know who the quarterback's going to be."
Rodgers made it clear this week the Packers will know his status for the Bears game.
"We've done a scan and we're going through the process of evaluation," Rodgers said on his weekly radio show. "Probably not what everybody wants to hear, but I can say definitively Thursday — one way or another —it will be a definitive conclusion to this week's unknown. We wanted to give everybody a rest for Christmas, be able to enjoy their Christmas."
Even without Rodgers the Packers have an edge on the Bears, who have a miserable run defense. That makes Lacy worth watching into the weekend.
Rodgers' injury made the Packers a better running team. Green Bay averages 131.7 run yards per game, and Lacy accounts for nearly 80. He was just shy of 100 yards per game the past three starts.
Contributing: Associated Press