| Packers WR Randall Cobb hopes to play in the season finale despite an ankle injury. (US Presswire) |
When Randall Cobb was injured returning a punt in last week’s 55-7 win over the Titans, his immediate fear was that it might be career-ending. But even with a leg that was “hurting pretty bad,” he jogged off the field under his own power because his mom was in the stands and moms tend to fret.
“I was worried the whole time,” Cobb said Thursday. “I know she was crazy in the stands, so that’s the only reason I jogged off the field.”
Cobb said he felt much better on Monday and the ankle injury, which is not a high-ankle sprain, is “not that big of a deal.” He said there was also some minor knee damage that showed up on an MRI, but “it’s nothing to be worried about.”
He’s been “progressing every day” and playing in the regular-season finale against the Vikings remains “a possibility.” Still, while his health may be progressing, his involvement at practice took a step back.
After being a limited participant on Wednesday -- and even though coach Mike McCarthy said he would be limited again the next day -- Cobb did not practice at all Thursday. He was not in uniform for the Packers’ final padded session, only doing a brief bit of individual agility drills to the side.
McCarthy insisted that was by design. The next step, he said, is a medical evaluation on Friday, and then a decision on whether Cobb can play at Minnesota could come Saturday.
"Yesterday was a much lighter practice," McCarthy said. "He went down and did some rehab work and pre-practice there, but treatment was the plan for Randall Cobb today. We’re going to test him tomorrow and see how he goes through testing and how he responds.
"We may know tomorrow, we may know Saturday. That’s our plan."
Cobb said at his locker that he did not know what sort of test was in store for him but sounded like he was in agreement with the wait-and-see nature of the daily medical process.
“Like I said, we’re going to take it day by day and see where we’re at on Sunday. We’ll test it tomorrow and see how much progression I’ve made over the past few days and we’ll see where we’re at on Sunday.
“You definitely have concerns when you’re dealing with an ankle or a knee, but you have to go out there and test and let your body go and let your mind go and see where you’re at.”
While his mother -- not to mention nervous Packer fans -- probably cringe every time Cobb fields a kick or punt in the midst of certain special teams mayhem, McCarthy was adamant earlier in the week that the dynamic second-year playmaker would remain the primary return man -- for the rest of this year, at least.
The debate of whether to recuse the team’s leading receiver (80 catches for 954 yards and eight touchdowns) of his return duties was fueled by QB Aaron Rodgers, who said after the Tennessee game, “I hope we can get him off special teams soon.”
It may be irrelevant this week. If Cobb isn’t deemed healthy enough to play in a game that holds immense importance to both teams -- if the Vikings win, they’ll be in the playoffs; if the Packers win, they clinch the NFC’s No. 2 seed and a first-round bye -- first-year reserve WR Jeremy Ross will likely be the deep man.
Ross, a successful returner in college at California, replaced Cobb after the latter’s injury and had a 58-yard punt return.
Like McCarthy, Cobb broached the possibility of relinquishing the returner role in 2013, but said he will never play the game with reservations.
“I love football, I love being on the field. If I wasn’t on returns, it would take away from who I am and what I do,” Cobb said. “Obviously, hopefully, at some point, it would happen, it would change. But right now, we’re worrying about the season and what would be the best option to get us to the Super Bowl.
“Statistically, it may show that (there’s greater injury risk on special teams), but this is a physical, dangerous game that we play. At any given time, your career could end. I had flashes mine was over on just that play Sunday, because I didn’t know the severity of it.
"You can’t go out there and play scared, you have to go out there and play ball regardless of what play it is -- special teams, offense or defense. You just have to go out there and play ball.”
Follow Packers reporter James Carlton on Twitter: @CBSPackers and @jimmycarlton88.