Bulaga: Not much to say about Hughes' hit

Bryan Bulaga never saw Jerry Hughes coming.

Shortly after Aaron Rodgers' tipped pass turned into a Bacarri Rambo interception, the Buffalo linebacker dropped his shoulder into the Green Bay Packers' unsuspecting starting right tackle, sending him to the turf at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Bulaga suffered a concussion on the play, which was eerily similar to the 2002 incident when former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive lineman Warren Sapp leveled Chad Clifton, which sent the left tackle to the hospital with a shattered pelvis.

Like Sapp, Hughes was not flagged or fined for the play. Bulaga missed Wednesday and Thursday's practices, but has been making progress in the concussion protocol. He's listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"You know, I watched it on tape a couple times. He took the shot, and that's that," Bulaga said. "No flag on the play. So it really wasn't much to say."

"As an offensive lineman, we have chances to take those type of shots at every play, and we don't. That's just kind of the way I look at it. As an offensive player, you get those type of angles on pretty much every play."

Bulaga said it's the first concussion he's suffered during his NFL career, though he had one in college. His parents also told him he had one when he was five years old after falling off a swing set.

Bulaga, who'll be an unrestricted free agent after the season, has been making steady progression throughout the week.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said he was able to get into the weight room Wednesday before watching Thursday's practice. Although the Packers don't practice Fridays before a Sunday game, he was estimated as a limited participant on the injury report.

"I think we're on a good track right now, so we'll see what comes about tomorrow and go from there," Bulaga said. "I think I still need to go through a few more steps in testing and seeing the independent neurologist check that we have to do. I think I have a couple more steps. "

As for the incident with Hughes, Bulaga is moving past it.

"It's a violent game. I get it," Bulaga said. "I don't really have much to say about it."

Barrington fined

Sam Barrington didn't get off as easy as Hughes. The NFL fined the Packers inside linebacker $16,537 for his horse-collar tackle of Bills running back Anthony Dixon in the second quarter.

He was flagged again later in the quarter for a late hit on Buffalo running back Fred Jackson.

Barrington declined comment when asked earlier this week if he was fined, but said his two personal fouls in the game won't change the way he plays.

"I'm not going to sit here and say I'm going to slow down because I had some personal fouls," said Barrington, who has 41 tackles and a sack this season. "I'm going to just go even harder and just try to get to the guy carrying the ball a little faster and hopefully I can get a different type of tackle where I won't have to bring him down by his horse collar."

-whodkiew@pressgazettemedia.com and follow him on Twitter @WesHod.