Looking healthy

The Green Bay Packers have seven players listed on their injury report as limited for Sunday's NFC Championship game against the New York Giants, but only cornerback Will Blackmon's injury is of any concern.

Among the players listed as being limited are:

• Will Blackmon (foot)


• Nick Barnett (hamstring)


• Scott Wells (glute)


• Koren Robinson (knee)


• Charles Woodson (knee)


• Greg Jennings (groin)


• Bubba Franks (knee)

As far as Blackmon goes, he looks more active in practice than he has anytime since the playoffs have begun. Apparently the Packers are taking a wait and see approach for the time being.

"He needs to go through the whole week before we make that call," head coach Mike McCarthy is quoted as saying in the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "I'm not comfortable just putting him out there based on — it's an important game, and I want to see him do it in practice."

McCarthy is right that it's a big game, and the team sure could use a spark in the return game with Blackmon in there. But he's not going to risk further injury.

Just notice what the Packers did last weekend against the Seattle Seahawks. Tramon Williams only returned one punt all day. He constantly let the punts hit in front of him and die. And it's not as if that was Williams' choice. He was definitely instructed to do that.

The Packers were not going to take a chance with another turnover after having two in the opening minutes of the game. And Williams was healthy. They're not going to take chances with Blackmon unless he's ready to go.

The Packers pulled Wells and Barnett out of Wednesday's practice just to be safe. Barnett has some soreness that he experienced last week as well while Wells felt something during practice in his glute. Neither appears to be serious.

The injury to Wells gave the Packers a chance to slide over Jason Spitz to center during practice and insert Tony Moll in the right guard spot.

As far as the other players go, they're nursing old, nagging injuries. All will play in the game barring any major setbacks.

Unfortunately for the New York, the Giants are facing as healthy a team as the Packers have been all year long. At least as far as the players on the 53 man roster go.

Photo credit: Jeff Hanisch for US Presswire