Packers preparing to play again without Aaron Rodgers

Published Dec. 16, 2013 4:17 p.m. ET

foxsports

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- For the seventh consecutive week, the Green Bay Packers will prepare as if they won't have quarterback Aaron Rodgers available.

When coach Mike McCarthy met with the team's medical staff Monday, they didn't even discuss Rodgers' status. That conversation won't happen until Wednesday, which is when Rodgers will be next evaluated.

"We'll have a plan for him come Wednesday," McCarthy said.

In the meantime, though, as the Packers game plan for their matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, McCarthy isn't counting on Rodgers being ready.

"We're game planning right now for Matt Flynn," McCarthy said. "That's where we started our conversation Saturday. We do some preliminary game-planning each week for the next opponent. That's the way we're going about it as an offensive staff."

Flynn has started the past three games and has led Green Bay to a 2-1 record. In Sunday's comeback win over the Dallas Cowboys, Flynn completed 26 of 39 pases for 299 yards with four touchdowns and one interception.

Last week, when the Packers ruled Rodgers out against Dallas, McCarthy said that it was "in our best interest as a football team, as an organization, for Aaron not to play in this game." McCarthy also added, "this is clearly a decision that's made in the best interest of Aaron Rodgers."

Rodgers is now six weeks removed from breaking his left collarbone on Nov. 4. Rodgers initially said that the recovery time was estimated to take between 6-8 weeks for the bone to heal.

With Green Bay's win over Dallas, the Packers (7-6-1) still need to surpass the Chicago Bears (8-6) and Detroit Lions (7-6) in the NFC North standings in order to make the playoffs.

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