Driver misses Friday practice

[PaulOttCarruth]

Driver may not play Sunday

 

By Pete Dougherty

pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com

 

Donald Driver’s continued discomfort in his injured side caused him to miss practice Friday and puts into question the availability of the Green Bay Packers’ best receiver for Sunday’s game against St. Louis.

 

Driver injured his ribs and hip when he took a hard hit while trying to make a catch over the middle last week against Philadelphia.

 

He missed practice Wednesday, returned for practice Thursday but then was absent Friday while undergoing further diagnostic tests. Coach Mike McCarthy said he’d not received the results of the tests before he met with reporters early Friday afternoon, but having Driver miss the last day of practice of the week to undergo tests isn’t a good sign.

 

“It’s uncomfortable, so we’re just being proactive and sent him for some further tests,” McCarthy said.

 

McCarthy is listing Driver on the Packers’ official injury report as “questionable” (50 percent chance of playing). Halfback Ahman Green was listed as questionable last week after missing the last day of practice because of a hamstring injury, and he didn’t play against Philadelphia. Green is expected to play this week, however.

 

If Driver can’t play, it will be an especially big blow to the Packers because he’s the leading receiver (23 receptions) on a team that’s been struggling to score this season. Also, No. 3 receiver Robert Ferguson didn’t practice all week and probably won’t play because of a foot injury sustained last week.

 

If Driver’s out, that means newcomer Koren Robinson will move into the starting lineup after an especially fatiguing week that included not only a Monday night game but a trip to Washington state for a court hearing Wednesday afternoon and a red-eye flight back to Green Bay so he could participate in all meetings and practice Thursday.

 

Robinson is only in his fourth week with the Packers after they signed him one week into the regular season. He’d played in the basic framework of the West Coast offense in his four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, which helps the transition some. But he also doesn’t need to know the entire playbook, because when the Packers prepare their game plan each week they reduce the likely plays called to 35 or so.

 

“If he knows the game plan, once he learns the checks he’s ready to go,” backup halfback Noah Herron said.

 

Robinson worked in the starting lineup in place of Driver on Friday, so he and rookie Greg Jennings will be the starters if Driver has a rib or other internal injury that prevents him from playing.

 

“I tell you what, he looked really good in practice, he didn’t seem to have any miscues in practice,” tight end David Martin said. “I’m sure the way he practiced is the way he’ll play.”

 

Robinson was moving slowly in the locker room Friday because of a back-rib injury himself — he said he fell on the ball while getting tackled against Philadelphia. But he’s not listed on the injury report and has a chance to rest until Sunday.

 

“I hope Driver’s ready to go, I think he’ll be ready to go,” Robinson said. “But if not then I feel I’m prepared to step in.”

 

If Driver can’t play, the Packers nevertheless should have halfback Ahman Green back in the starting lineup this week. Green missed practice Wednesday and Thursday because of his sore hamstring but participated in team work Friday and is expected to play. He’s listed as “questionable” also.

 

 

 

Koren Robinson could be a nice start against the Rams...

[CaptainHook]

crap

[Big John]

And he practed on Thursday