GREEN BAY, Wis. -- At least on paper, the Green Bay Packers' starting secondary should be intact for the Sunday night game against division rival Chicago.
The three defensive backs who appear on the injury report were listed Friday as being probable for the game. Whether the Packers are at full strength on the back end of the defense as they try to improve to 5-0 remains to be seen, however.
Safety Nick Collins said after practice Friday that he won't know his playing status until shortly before kickoff at Lambeau Field.
"It's going to be a game-time decision," Collins said. "It depends on how I feel and how the medical staff feels."
Collins suffered a bruised knee in the Packers' win at Minnesota last Sunday. The injury limited his participation in practice the last three days. When asked whether he's still enduring soreness in the knee, Collins said, "Right now, I'm pretty mobile. That's all I can say about it."
Collins is preparing to play against the Bears but acknowledged that being held out of the game is a possibility.
"They might play it safe. Maybe not," he said. "Like I said, it's going to be a game-time decision."
Rookie Aaron Rouse split reps with Collins in practice this week and could make his first NFL start.
"He's been taking a lot of reps this week," Collins said. "You never know, he might get this opportunity to start this week or play this week. You never know."
Cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson, meanwhile, have no doubts that they'll be on the field Sunday.
Their practice work was limited all three days as they continue to cope with an assortment of injuries that stem back to the start of the season.
Harris has been bothered by back spasms. Speculation mounted after the last game, which he had to leave briefly in the second half because of a hand injury, that Harris would need to miss a game for the first time in his career to allow the back a chance to heal.
On Friday, Harris repeatedly said, "My thing isn't an issue."
Coach Mike McCarthy said Harris appeared to function better the last two days in practice than he did at the same juncture last week.
"He's got two good days under his belt, so I think he'll be fine," McCarthy said.
Woodson has been playing with a hip flexor and a foot injury in recent weeks. He's confident that Green Bay's banged-up secondary will be ready to go at game time.
"The confidence comes from it being Sunday," Woodson said. "You worry about the bumps and the bruises during the week. On Sunday, you go out there and you play football. Everybody in the league at this point is nicked up in some type of way. So, you just go out there and you play your game. You've got to get it done."
The Packers lost backup cornerback Will Blackmon for an indefinite period earlier this week. Blackmon suffered a broken right foot in practice Wednesday.
McCarthy said Blackmon isn't a candidate, for now, to be put on season-ending injured reserve. "We're going to give it two weeks and see how it progresses," McCarthy said. "The biggest thing is to get the swelling out and see where the pain tolerance (is)."
Blackmon injured the same foot in similar fashion during minicamp as a rookie in May 2006 and was out for nearly five months. He played in just four games last year before suffering a season-ending ribs injury.
"Him having the opportunity to go through this in the past, we're hopeful that maybe this is something he can deal with and play," McCarthy said. "Two weeks will give us more information."
The Packers rarely use a formation with six defensive backs, but McCarthy is comfortable with Frank Walker or Tramon Williams filling the dime role with Blackmon out.
Also on defense, tackle Colin Cole returned for a full practice after being held out Thursday because of complications from a mild concussion sustained Wednesday. Cole is probable for the game.
Receiver Greg Jennings and center Scott Wells were removed from the injury report and will play Sunday.
Running back Brandon Jackson is questionable to play Sunday. He's been bothered by a strained shin, which kept him out of the last game. He had limited work in practice Friday.
Fellow rookie DeShawn Wynn is in line to make his second straight start at running back.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
