Rodgers apologizes for Packers’ lopsided loss to New York

Aaron Rodgers apologized to Packers fans Tuesday 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 fans to “stick with us” because the team is 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, “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.

“We can’t just drop back every time,” he added.

Rodgers said the Packers need to incorporate more screens and running plays that give defenses a different look.

Defensive line injuries

The Green Bay Packers are expected to be without at least one of their starting defensive linemen on Sunday when they host Minnesota.

Defensive end C.J. Wilson is not likely to play after he injured a knee in last Sunday night’s loss to the New York Giants.

Starting end Ryan Pickett bruised a thigh in that game, he’s expected to play against the Vikings even though he sat out of Wednesday’s practice. Still, it’s not a great time for Green Bay’s front-three to be banged up, especially because the onus will be on them to contain the NFL’s leading rusher. Adrian Peterson has rushed for 1,236 yards this season in an amazing comeback following an ACL knee injury last December.

Rookies Jerel Worthy and Mike Daniels filled in for Wilson after he got hurt. Wilson says Daniels and Worthy are both considered to be pass rushers, but he’s confident that they can help contain Minnesota’s running game. Mike Neal is expected to fill in as well.

Green Bay comes into Sunday’s contest at 7-4, a game behind front-running Chicago in the NFC North. The Vikings are third in the division at 6-5.

Offensive line struggles

Green Bay Packers’ coach Mike McCarthy says the offensive line was not the only unit that struggled in the Pack’s loss to the Giants last Sunday night. But the line’s been getting the most heat for letting Aaron Rodgers get sacked five times.

Still, McCarthy says he won’t make any changes to the O-line this Sunday when Green Bay hosts the Minnesota Vikings in a pivotal NFC North Division battle.

The coach says he doesn’t buy the idea that two of the five line positions got weaker after right tackle Bryan Bulaga went out for the season with a hip injury.

Left guard T.J. Lang moved to right tackle, while Evan Dietrich-Smith moved into Lang’s old guard spot.

McCarthy could have made only one move on the line, by putting rookie Don Barclay into Bulaga’s spot. McCarthy said it’s more important to put the best five linemen on the field. He says the linemen have been cross-trained to play more than one position if need be.

Matthews return against Vikings unlikely

McCarthy says it would a stretch for All-Pro linebacker Clay Matthews to return on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. Matthews has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury suffered almost a month ago against Arizona.

The Packers coach said Matthews is getting close to coming back. He said after Matthews worked out on Wednesday, the star linebacker planned to test his hammie again on Friday.

Defensive end Ryan Pickett was added to the injury report with a sore quad muscle. If he didn’t return Thursday, the coach expected Pickett to definitely return to practice on Friday.

Defensive lineman C.J. Wilson missed Wednesday’s practice with a knee injury, and running back Johnny White was getting over a concussion.

Also, the coach did not have an update on running Cedric Benson, who was eligible to return to practice Wednesday but didn’t. He was put on the injured reserve-return list with a Lisfranc foot injury in October.

After their Sunday night loss to the Giants, McCarthy says the Packers face a sense of urgency in this weekend’s NFC North Division matchup. He predicted it would be a physical game.

Sherrod is out for the year

Packers offensive tackle Derek Sherrod is out for the year. The NFL’s transaction wire showed that he was put on the physically unable to perform reserve list Tuesday,which automatically means Sherrod won’t return until next season.

The second-year pro is still getting over a broken right leg suffered last December at Kansas City. Sherrod started this season on the physically unable to perform list.

After three weeks of practice, the Packers were required to either place him on the 53-man roster or put him on the PUP-Reserve list for the rest of the year.

McCarthy said Tuesday that Sherrod was making progress, but still has more to do.

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