Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers runs 14 yards for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of their game against the New Orleans Saints. Credit: Mark Hoffman

By of the

Green Bay — This time last year, the Green Bay Packers were trying to replace their starting quarterback, tight end and wide receiver. Scramble mode was officially in effect.

Eight games into this season, it's a much different story. Out of the bye week, the Packers are a team on the mend.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers (hamstring) participated in Monday's practice, as did a trio of starters on defense — cornerback Sam Shields (patellar tendon), safety Morgan Burnett (calf) and defensive end Datone Jones (ankle). The only player who didn't go was right guard T.J. Lang, who left Green Bay's 44-23 loss at New Orleans on Oct. 26 with an ankle injury.

Monday was not a traditional in-season practice for Green Bay as the offensive and defensive units worked separately inside the Don Hutson Center. Coach Mike McCarthy described it as an "off-season"-like session featuring conditioning and a first look at the Chicago Bears. Wednesday will be the better indicator.

Rodgers, who was confined to the pocket against the Saints after tweaking his hamstring on a third-quarter scramble, apparently did not suffer any setbacks through the bye week.

"Aaron did everything today," McCarthy said. "He looked good, he went through the workout today."

McCarthy added that Lang remained in "rehab mode" and both Shields and Burnett did "everything" on Monday.

Meanwhile, Jones has been out a month with an ankle injury suffered Oct. 2 against Minnesota. Decked out in Compton High School gear Monday, he spoke with plenty of optimism.

Jones spent the bye week icing and conditioning the ankle with an eye on Sunday night's game against the Chicago Bears.

"I feel very, very confident about playing," Jones said.

Green Bay's last-ranked run defense could use Jones, who was coming on before the injury. In 4 ½ games, he had 12 tackles and one sack and was generating pressure.

Jones practiced one day the week before Green Bay's loss at New Orleans but the coaches didn't like what they saw and held him out.

As for the delay, Jones points to his size.

"I'm 290 pounds. I'm a big guy," Jones said. "It takes time. Freak accident, got caught off-guard and that was it. Felt like I was off to a great game when I did get hurt....I've been moving great, and I'm excited about this week."

Being 100% compared with 60 or even 70% at defensive end — at 290 pounds — is "a huge difference," Jones added. He said he probably could have played at New Orleans, but "it wasn't there."

He'll need to prove in practice he can make the necessary movements in the trenches.

"My coaches know me and they know the way I move," Jones said. "If I'm not moving the right way, they know, 'OK, we can't play him.'...I'm trying to do everything I can so I can be available for Sunday."

Stop the run: Above all, the No. 1 concern for McCarthy over the bye week had to be his permeable run defense.

Coming out of the bye, the Packers (153.5 yards per game) still rank dead last against the run and it's not even close — the 31st-ranked Cleveland Browns are allowing 139.6.

And now, a familiar nemesis will cross state lines — Chicago's Matt Forte, who helped the Bears total 235 yards on the ground in Week 4.

To nose tackle Letroy Guion, correcting all this is simple.

"Get off blocks up front and make tackles," Guion said.

It is "most definitely" a matter of pride, he added. Players see where they're ranked leaguewide.

"You never want to be last. You want to be first," Guion said. "We'll do all the things we have to do out at practice and just keep continuing working. This game is a very hard game to play. We have 31 other good teams out there preparing just like we're preparing. We just have to step it up and do better."

Jones is quick to note the Packers held Chicago to 17 points in their win earlier this season. Yards, he said, don't matter in a win. That may be true. But this is an issue they'll also need to correct as the weather continues to turn.

The Bears, reeling at 3-5, do boast multiple weapons on offense — starting with Forte, who has 1,052 total yards and six touchdowns.

"At any point of a game, there's a big play waiting to happen," Jones said.

Bye, bye, bye: Green Bay and Chicago historically know each other better than any other opponent. And Sunday night, both have the benefit of coming off a bye. With a week to self-scout and scout each other, time has been on both of their sides.

McCarthy said this makes it "more challenging."

"Any time you a) play your second time around division-wise, it's always going to be a little different than the first time," McCarthy said. "History will tell you that. I think the fact both teams have had a bye week to take a step back and take a hard look not only at themselves but take a harder a look at what Chicago has done since we played them last.

"So, you have to anticipate some unscouted looks and things like that."