McCarthy: Injuries create opportunities

Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy spoke to the media following practice on Wednesday. Here are some highlights from his news conference:

Injury report

Did not practice – G T.J. Lang (ankle), G Josh Sitton (toe). Full participation in practice – S Morgan Burnett (calf), DL Datone Jones (ankle), QB Aaron Rodgers (hamstring), CB Sam Shields (knee).

On Sitton:

Josh Sitton had a big injury in the New Orleans' game with his toe. He finished. He's making progress. We'll see what he can get into tomorrow. You take your hat off for finishing the game.

On the offensive line without Sitton and Lang:

It's an opportunity for a number of people. That's the way we practiced today. We had a series of guys rotating through there. Hopefully, we'll get more information on T.J. and Josh tomorrow.

On continuity on the offensive line:

The best offensive lines are the ones that play week in and week out. Timing and communication, it happens so fast on the line of scrimmage. It helps with the flow of the offense.

On JC Tretter at guard:

JC has the ability to play a number of those positions.

On the possible challenge of playing for Tretter:

JC looks good. He's looked good in practice. It was the right thing going the path we did with him. He's fully recovered. I have all the confidence if JC needs to go. We worked JC at all positions. He played probably every position on the line during the transition period.

On Rodgers:

He looked good. Normal Wednesday practice for us. He had a good day.

On the run defense:

Our run defense is obviously a focus. Coming out of the self-scout, it's a focus with who we're playing this week. He's a complete back. Their offensive line is blocking well.

On having success after bye weeks:

I think success after a bye week. It's not related to one thing. We've practiced differently coming out of bye weeks each year. Healthier football team. A lot of variables.

On backup guard Lane Taylor:

Lane Taylor, he needs to perform better. He knows that. New Orleans was not his best night. He was given a big opportunity. Impressed with what he did in pass protection. He'll learn from the run part of it.

On tackle Derek Sherrod's broken leg and release:

That was a tough one for everybody to watch what he went through. That's one of the worst ones I stood over. He did everything he could. It was not an easy decision. It was a decision we felt we needed to make.

On who's at backup tackle:

For spirit of gamesmanship, I'm not going to say where anyone is playing. Just look at the philosophy of how we've drafted offensive linemen, every one of them has played offensive line in college. We've planned for this and feel like we have a good plan.

On tight end Brandon Bostick being more involved in the second half of the season:

I hope so. He was a little up and down on special teams. I like what Brandon has done here the last couple weeks. The way the games are played.

On getting the secondary healthy:

It's very important. You talk about communication, who's in command of the operation in the back end. Morgan Burnett, it's different when you have your top safety back there. Sam looks good. We have a lot of depth there. I think it's good we've been playing everybody.