Mike McCarthy shrugs off Aaron Rodgers's missed practice

Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy has insisted that Aaron Rodgers missing practice on Wednesday will not keep him out of Sunday's NFC divisional showdown with the Dallas Cowboys.

With Rodgers absent, word on Twitter spread fast that he might be a doubt for the game with the Cowboys, before his coach moved quickly to suggest that was not the case.

According to McCarty, this was a pre-planned day of treatment on the calf that he first injured during the week 16 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Packers coach told reporters: "I plan on Aaron playing Sunday. Today's schedule was for him to stay exclusively in the training room. It's day-to-day.

"He is totally into the game plan. He's taken all the reps in the walk-throughs. Mentally, he's right on top of it and he'll return for a key practice tomorrow."

Should Rodgers not be available to take to the field, Matt Flynn would be his replacement.