GREEN BAY, Wis. nike free run herre tilbud . -- Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy isnt sure if quarterback Aaron Rodgers will start the teams winner-take-all NFC North matchup with the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Soldier Field. McCarthy did say Monday that the team wants to make a decision on Rodgers availability "sooner than later." Rodgers, who has not played since fracturing his left collarbone against the Bears at Lambeau Field on Nov. 4, has missed the past seven games. Including the loss to the Bears when Rodgers was injured at the end of the Packers opening series, the Packers have gone 2-5-1 with three different starters at quarterback. Throughout the process, the team has emphasized that Rodgers has not been "medically cleared" by team physician Dr. Pat McKenzie. McCarthy also emphasized last week that the decision not to start Rodgers in Sundays 38-31 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers was an "organizational decision," suggesting that general manager Ted Thompson, McCarthy and McKenzie made the call. "(There is) lot of conversation going on with Aaron and obviously Dr. McKenzie and Ted Thompson and I. Were working through that," McCarthy said Monday of the teams plans for Rodgers. "I do not have anything to announce today. Hopefully we can get the question answered sooner than later. Were still working that." Asked directly if Rodgers has been medically cleared, McCarthys answer was different than previous answers to the same question. "Thats all part of the conversation. Were still gathering information today," McCarthy said. "Theres testing and things to get done, so were still working through that. I, personally, havent talked to Dr. McKenzie yet. He left for surgery. Were working through it." Last week, McCarthy had also said that Rodgers looked "ready to play" after observing him in practice last Wednesday and Thursday. While Rodgers had experienced pain in his shoulder after returning to practice in advance of the Dec. 8 game against Atlanta, he was essentially pain-free before the Dec. 15 game against Dallas and before Sundays game against the Steelers. "Clearly after seeing Aaron practice for two weeks, this is something Ted Thompson and I need to sit down and we need to assess all the information and to decide if its time for him to play," McCarthy said. "Aaron wants to play, has wanted to play for the last couple of weeks. He fully accepts, understands everything going on with his injury, so this is really a decision for Ted Thompson and I representing the organization. Thats how it works." Backup Matt Flynn had led Green Bay to back-to-back double-digit comebacks in victories over Atlanta and Dallas the previous two weeks to keep the Packers playoff hopes alive. And their loss to Pittsburgh ended up having no ill effect because of the Bears 54-11 blowout loss at Philadelphia later in the night. Now, the Packers (7-7-1) and Bears (8-7) will square off Sunday, with the winner earning the NFC North crown and a home playoff game in the NFC wild-card round. "We know whats at stake," Flynn said. Rodgers status isnt the only issue for the Packers on the injury front. Four-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Clay Matthews, who missed four games earlier this season after breaking his right thumb against Detroit on Oct. 6, broke the thumb again Sunday and may be lost for the season. "The training staff didnt feel very good about the injury, so were still working through the process," McCarthy said. And running back Eddie Lacy, who has been hobbled by a sprained right ankle since suffering the initial injury Dec. 8, hurt the ankle again Sunday and could be out, too. "Eddie, hes sore, which he has been pretty much the whole season," McCarthy said. "Were not going to practice on the field until Thursday, so Ill probably have a better feel for where hes at." The Packers have 16 players on injured reserve, including wide receiver Randall Cobb, who has been designated for return but has yet to be medically cleared for game action. Defensive end Johnny Jolly was the latest starter to be placed on season-ending IR on Saturday with a neck injury. And yet, here they are, with a chance to win the division. "Its been a wild ride so far. And I like to think were just getting started," McCarthy said. "Thats what Im selling. Hopefully theyre buying it." nike free run 2 dame . - Gaston Fernandez is making the most of his new job with the Portland Timbers. nike air max 90 essential herre . The forward left Thursdays game against the Philadelphia Flyers late in the third period with a lower-body injury that was thought to be a muscle pull.Hours before the Stanley Cup finals began, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman proudly proclaimed that concussions are down across the league and there are numbers to back him up. That does not mean the league has figured out how to prevent head injuries among its players. Or that the numbers tell the whole story. According to data from STATS provided to The Associated Press, there were 53 concussions during the regular season, a sharp decline from the 78 reported during the leagues last full season two years ago. But even Bettman said there is only so much the league can do about a player hiding a head injury to stay on the ice. "Obviously, its difficult for us to get into a players head, no pun intended, with this concussion discussion," he said. "But if a player is going to not follow the protocol, not say exactly what hes feeling, thats pretty difficult to address." Dr. Jeff Kutcher, an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based neurologist who works with NHL players believed to have concussions, wasnt sure the lower numbers indicated a dramatic change. "Im not surprised that the numbers are down, but I wouldnt read too much into those numbers," Kutcher said. The NHLs concussion protocol, like other leagues, requires players to get a team doctors OK before they can return to play. They are taken to a quiet place for evaluation, questions and tests of their memory, balance and general awareness. Players, though, seem to be able to skate around the protocol. Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman James Wisniewski said he avoided return-to-play protocol after he went head first into the boards during the playoffs. He wanted to keep playing. The Montreal Canadiens were criticized for letting forward Dale Weise return to Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals after a blindside hit sent him to the dressing room. General manager Marc Bergevin insisted the team did not know Weise had a concussion until the next day and that the leagues protocol was followed. "Its flawed, but Im not a doctor," Bergevin said. "We all worry about our players, but we can only go by what were given." Hockey Hall of Famer Brendan Shanahan, who was hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs to be their president two months ago after he was the NHLs chief disciplinarian, said it is good for the game that concussions are part of the conversation. "When there are situations like weve had in the playoffs, whether it is a hit to the head or mis-reporting, it gets put in the spotlight and it should," Shanahan said. "That is part of the continuing change of culture, and its going to be an ongoing process. I dont think there ever will be a perfect system because players are always going to want to play.&quuot; The NHL Players Association says it has taken steps to educate its players about the dangers of concussions, including bringing doctors to each team before the season for discussions. nike free 5.0 herre. . "The players understand the seriousness of concussions, and along with our consulting doctors we continue to discuss with them the importance of early diagnosis, treatment and proper recovery," NHLPA executive director Don Fehr said. Detroit Red Wings forward Drew Miller said players choose to keep playing with head injuries for at least a few reasons. "Guys downplay the symptoms or dont report them because of job security and they dont want to lose their spot," Miller said. "And, guys want to keep playing because they want help their team. In the back of our minds, too, you dont want other teams to know you have a head injury." Retired players Dave Christian, Reed Larson and William Bennett filed a class-action suit nearly two months ago in federal court that alleged the league has promoted fighting and downplayed the risk of head injuries that come from it. They joined another group of former NHL players in the fight for compensation for head injuries they blame on a game that promotes hard-hitting action. Current players seem to be adapting to the NHLs emphasis on safer play: Physical penalties -- such as illegal checks to the head, checks from behind and elbowing -- have dropped in each of the last six regular seasons. An average of 1.03 physical penalties were called per game during the 2013-14 season, according to STATS, down from 1.14, 1.16, 1.25, 1.36 and 1.39 the previous five years. Suspensions have generally held steady at around 35 per season the past few years, and players are sometimes forced to sit even if no penalty is called. Montreals Brandon Prust wasnt penalized for a hit that broke the jaw of New York Rangers forward Derek Stepan during the Eastern Conference finals, but he was suspended for two games by the league. Stepan sat out one game after going through a series of tests. "The protocol helps make sure that the player is OK and that he is not playing with something that he shouldnt be," he said. "I think its a good step in the right direction." Ultimately, though, players have to protect themselves and each other. "It comes down to the guys on the ice respecting each other and playing it as safe as possible," Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp said. "You see some of the big hits this year, inevitably youre going to catch a piece of the head and cause a problem, but the leagues done well with suspensions and penalties and the players have done a good job as far as the respect factor." cheap jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '