Matthews practices; Shields, Montgomery sit

The Green Bay Packers returned to the practice field on a cloudless Wednesday afternoon at Clarke Hinkle Field with Clay Matthews in tow.

The Packers linebacker was a limited participant after rolling his ankle in Sunday’s 29-10 loss to Denver. Packers coach Mike McCarthy wasn’t certain whether Matthews would practice Wednesday after he spent the first half of the week undergoing treatment at the team’s facilities.

However, Matthews felt well enough to take part in everything during the early portion of practice open to the media. He was also listed with a knee injury. Cornerback Quinten Rollins was also suited up and stretched with the team, but didn’t practice because of a neck injury.

Cornerback Sam Shields (shoulder) and fullback Aaron Ripkowski (illness) didn’t practice. An NFL source said that tests Monday showed no significant damage and Shields is considered day-to-day. He watched the second half of practice from the sideline in sweats.

There’s a chance rookie receiver Ty Montgomery could be available Sunday after he returned in a limited capacity Wednesday. He missed Sunday’s game with a sprained ankle.

“We’ll see. Hope so,” McCarthy said. “I know he feels better at this point in the week than he did last week.”

Extra points

- Packers coach Mike McCarthy hasn’t considered reassuming his play-calling duties following the offense’s slow start.

McCarthy delegated those responsibilities to long-time assistant Tom Clements this offseason to take on a more encompassing role in all three phases. So far, the Packers are 28th in total offense (332.1 yards per game).

“I don’t think that’s a good structure as far as … you dictate the job responsibilities,” McCarthy said. “When things may not go well in any phase, I don’t think you just abandon the process and the procedure and the responsibility of everybody and everything involved.”

- Carolina coach Ron Rivera was surprised as anyone to see Aaron Rodgers throw for only 77 yards against Denver’s top-ranked defense, but that doesn’t mean the NFL’s reigning MVP will do it again.

“That must have been a heck of a drive,” Rivera said. “In all honesty, we’re so used to the good numbers that you think, ‘OK, that was one drive for him. What’s he going to do the rest of the game?’ I was a little surprised. You give credit to what Denver did. I think Denver did a couple things that were probably unexpected that Green Bay wasn’t ready for.”

Below is the full injury report:

• Clay Matthews, LB — Ankle/knee — Limited participation
• Ty Montgomery, WR — Ankle — Limited participation
• Nick Perry, LB — Shoulder/hand — Limited participation
• Aaron Ripkowski, FB — Illness — Did not participate
• Quinten Rollins, CB — Neck — Did not participate
• Sam Shields, CB — Shoulder — Did not participate

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