Ever been forced at work to try to squeeze six days of hard work into three? Some of you have.
Very few of you will have the fruits of that work on display for a national television audience.
That's what the Green Bay Packers are in the midst of this week as they prepare to play the archrival Chicago Bears Thanksgiving night (5 p.m. on 620WTMJ, 7 p.m. on TODAY'S TMJ4 and NBC26).
"The preparation process is really a grind," explained coach Mike McCarthy about what his Packers are in the process of doing - putting a Monday-through-Saturday week of preparation into three days before their Thursday showdown.
"Once you get to Thursday, it's exciting. Everybody enjoys the fact you turn around and play quicker," said the coach. His teams have played plenty of Thursday games on short weeks under McCarthy, and they have a 6-1 record, 4-0 with Aaron Rodgers as starting quarterback.
"We have some history with Thursday games. We have a good schedule in place to follow. We've adjusted, tweaked it each and every year."
McCarthy said Rodgers, who is battling a right shoulder injury, is "good and sore. Just like everybody is."
However, Rodgers is not among the 16 Packers on the injury list for Tuesday. Some of them did not partake in practice.
Did not participate
- WR Jared Abbrederis (rib/chest)
- C Corey Linsley (ankle)
- WR Ty Montgomery (ankle)
Limited participation
- WR Davante Adams (ankle)
- T David Bakhtiari (knee)
- T Bryan Bulaga (knee)
- DB Micah Hyde (hip)
- G T.J. Lang (shoulder)
- LB Clay Matthews (ankle/knee)
- DT Mike Pennel (quadricep)
Full participation
- S Morgan Burnett (ankle)
- LB Jayrone Elliott (ankle)
- RB Eddie Lacy (ankle)
- FB Aaron Ripkowski (ankle)
The coach also praised Eddie Lacy, saying that his 100 yard performance was even better than his 85 yard day against Chicago in week 1 - and not only because of the 15 additional yards.
"Watching the first game against Chicago, watching against Minnesota, it's different. You have more confidence. You're more in sync. The flow's there. He's definitely hitting the hole quicker. He's more decisive....he had 22 carries. I thought he really got into a groove."
Chicago has also improved as a team since Week 1 in McCarthy's mind. They lost three straight games, but have gone 4-3 the last seven games, with no loss being any greater than a three point margin.
