Packers Blog The Journal Sentinel's team of Packers beat writers provide the latest news, notes and analysis SHARE

By of the

Green Bay – No sling, no problem.

That was the key to Frank Zombo getting back on the football field ASAP. After breaking his scapula during the pre-game warm-ups of Green Bay’s preseason game against Arizona — and playing that game — Zombo faced an 8-12-week timetable.

Six weeks later, on Wednesday, the outside linebacker was practicing again. He wore a sling only for one day. Zombo wanted to use the shoulder blade as much as possible. Now, the linebacker says he is ready to play Sunday in Atlanta.

“The doctors and trainers believed that the more I use it, the more it stresses the area and my body will realize it’s weak and send more resources to the area,” Zombo said.

So right away — two days after the injury — Zombo opened doors with that arm. He used it while he was driving. He didn’t want to “baby” it for two weeks, he said.

Other players commonly use a sling for this injury, Zombo said.

“I would think so. It’s at the base of your arm,” he said. “I knew I had to be back quick so I tried to use it a little bit everywhere I went.”

Initially, the shoulder hurt. If he winged his arm out too far or rotated, it stung. He knew this was the quickest way to get back, though. A week and a half after the injury, Zombo was running. Training-wise, with strength and conditioning coach Mark Lovat, he hasn’t felt restricted.

Now, Zombo hopes to play this weekend. The reverse approach worked.

“If they needed me to go, I could easily go,” Zombo said. “It is completely up to them. I don’t know when it’s going to be.”

Generating a consistent pass rush was a problem last week for Green Bay against Denver. With time to throw, Kyle Orton sliced an early 21-3 deficit to 21-17 in a hurry. The Packers had only one sack and three hits on Orton. And while this is one reason for Green Bay’s 31st ranked pass defense, Zombo defended the team’s linebackers.

According to him, he'll have to earn back his playing time.

“Everyone bases it on sacks,” he said. “But Clay’s getting great pressure, there’s no doubt about it. He’s disrupting quarterbacks…and Erik’s holding that edge strong. It’s not all about getting a great pass rush. We need to keep contain. We have other responsibilities besides just getting sacks.

“Both of our linebackers are doing a great job. It’s going to be hard for me to get snaps because they’re doing a great job.”