Clay Matthews likely out for Pack
— -- GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers are preparing to move forward without linebacker Clay Matthews, who reinjured his right thumb in Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Matthews was undergoing medical evaluations Monday, but it appears unlikely he will play in Week 17 against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field with the NFC North title at stake.
"The training staff didn't feel very good about the injury," coach Mike McCarthy said Monday. "So we're still working through the process."
There also was nothing definitive about quarterback Aaron Rodgers or running back Eddie Lacy. McCarthy said he had not discussed Rodgers' fractured collarbone with team physician Pat McKenzie. However, he planned to meet with general manager Ted Thompson in order to make "a quicker decision" on Rodgers' status. The team waited until Friday before ruling him out the past three weeks.
Lacy aggravated his sprained right ankle in the third quarter against Sunday and did not return to the game.
"Eddie, he's sore, which he has been pretty much the whole season," McCarthy said. "We're not going to practice on the field until Thursday, so I'll probably have a better feel for where he's at [then]."
Matthews broke his thumb on an Oct. 6 sack of Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. It was diagnosed as a Bennett's fracture and required surgery to have pins inserted to stabilize the break. Matthews had the pins removed Nov. 4 and returned six days later against the Philadelphia Eagles after missing four games.
In his first game back, Matthews wore a club cast that covered his entire right hand. The next week against the New York Giants, Matthews wore a smaller cast that allowed him to move his fingers.
Matthews was wearing a small cast on Sunday, but it didn't prevent him from hurting his thumb when he sacked Ben Roethlisberger in the second quarter. He appeared to know right away he was injured because he ran off the field holding right arm by his side.
Matthews, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, leads the Packers with 7.5 sacks. He was injured on his 50th career sack, which is fifth on the Packers' career list.
