Rodgers: 'I'm going Sunday. It's just a matter of how'

Randall Cobb isn't worried about his quarterback.

Even if Aaron Rodgers doesn't practice this week, the Green Bay Packers' fourth-year receiver trusts his MVP teammate will be ready Sunday.

"Not concerned at all," Cobb said. "Why? I would never be concerned. I have trust in my teammates, I have trust in this coaching staff, and our training staff."

Cobb, like everyone inside Green Bay's locker room, especially has trust in No. 12.

Rodgers continued rehab on his left calf Wednesday. He sat out of an early afternoon practice held inside the Don Hutson Center. Packers coach Mike McCarthy said there's "a chance" his quarterback could practice Thursday. McCarthy also said he plans for Rodgers to play Sunday.

At his locker Wednesday, Rodgers made it clear he will be on the field when Green Bay hosts Dallas in the NFC divisional playoff round.

"I'm going Sunday," Rodgers said. "It's just a matter of how."

Rodgers has received extensive rehab in the Packers' training room since further injuring his left calf in the season finale against Detroit. Acupuncture, he said, has been one method used to accelerate the healing process. Rodgers said he could "possibly" wear a wrap or sleeve around his calf Sunday.

Asked when he plans to practice this week, Rodgers couldn't answer definitively.

"I mean, it just kind of depends on how it feels," Rodgers said. "I met with Doc, I've seen him every day. Nothing really changed on the schedule. This was kind of the plan from the start. It's progressing, but we'll see how it feels (Thursday)."

Sunday wouldn't be the first time Rodgers has played on limited to no practice. Receiver Jordy Nelson said Rodgers didn't do much on the practice field in the week leading up to the Lions. Like Cobb, Nelson said he doesn't expect Rodgers' lack of reps to be a problem.

Nelson also knows it'll be important for him and the rest of Green Bay's receivers to play well around Rodgers.

"We'll run our routes like we always have," Nelson said. "He'll have his timing down. I think it'll be pretty smooth. I think we've had a lot of years together that it won't be an issue."

Rodgers' mobility and ability to extend plays is a vital piece to Green Bay's offense, but Nelson said the Packers' flexibility will help the entire unit adjust to any limitations their quarterback might have Sunday.

Running back Eddie Lacy is fresh after having a lighter workload during the season. He enters the playoffs with 246 carries through 16 games, down from 284 at this time last year. Playing with Rodgers through an entire season, Lacy said his body took less of a pounding this fall.

"Definitely less hits," Lacy said. "I probably get hit the same, I guess you could say, but it's not eight, nine guys in the box every time because of our quarterback."

Physically, Lacy said, he feels good entering the postseason. His fresh legs made a difference in the season's second half, when he finished with 929 total yards, 711 on the ground, and nine touchdowns.

The Packers will again have to rely on the balance of their running game against the Cowboys, but Lacy isn't the only player who must step up. Cobb said it's important for every teammate to help Rodgers on Sunday.

"I've got to continue to do the things I've been able to do," said Cobb, who finished with a career high 91 catches, 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns. "Obviously, if he can't move around, we've got to win at the line of scrimmage, we've got to win on all of our routes, but we try to do that in a game anyway. You never know what's going to happen in a game time. He may start scrambling around, you never know. So you've just got to be prepared for whatever."

-rwood@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @ByRyanWood