Packers safety Darren Sharper might be able to play the Packers' upcoming game against the New York Jets despite suffering a sprained medial collateral ligament in last Sunday's win over the Buffalo Bills, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman said Monday.
Sharper suffered the injury while being hit at the end of his 19-yard interception return in the first quarter. He exited the game and did not return.
"I doubt very much that we would have him any earlier than Friday," Sherman said. "But we'll just wait and see how it plays out during the course of the week. I'm not going to rule him out right now...
"Anybody else, maybe two weeks -- I'd say definitely out. But Darren has been a guy that's come back fairly quickly from injury."
If Sharper isn't able to go, he would be replaced in the lineup by Matt Bowen.
Sherman complimented Bowen's performance in relief of Sharper.
As for Sharper's decision to return the interception rather than take a knee in the end zone, Sherman said he understood the two-time Pro Bowler's instincts, but that the wrong decision was made.
"Every time he puts his hands on the ball, he thinks he's going to score a touchdown," Sherman said. "He doesn't think anybody can tackle him.
"He thought from 5 yards deep into the end zone he could bring it back 100 yards for a touchdown. That's his mentality.
"It's hard to take away that competitive pulse that he has inside himself as part of his everyday belief and make him do it exactly how you want, even though in practice every time except early in our career together, he's taken a knee in the end zone.
"The game is in a flux, he's trying to make a play. He has been cautioned about that and we just keep talking to him about it."
In other injury news, both Earl Dotson (back) and Keith McKenzie (hamstring) will be listed as questionable this week, but Sherman said he was hopeful that both would see practice time and be able to play this weekend.
Tony Carter (shoulder), Nate Wayne (back) and William Henderson (shoulder) will be listed as probable.
