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          NFL Nation

          Clay Matthews says injury won't slow him

          • Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff WriterNov 20, 2014, 07:00 PM ET
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              Rob Demovsky is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Green Bay Packers. He has covered the Packers since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2013. Demovsky is a two-time Wisconsin Sportswriter of the Year as selected by the NSSA. You can follow him on Twitter at @RobDemovsky.
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          GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The last time Clay Matthews was coming off a groin injury, the Green Bay Packers linebacker returned an interception 40 yards against the Chicago Bears before veering out of bounds.

          That was in Week 4, one game after he dropped out of the loss at the Detroit Lions late in the fourth quarter.

          Matthews went back on the injury report this week with the same ailment, but thinks it's better this week than it was going into that Bears game.

          How much better?

          "I might go 50 yards and not 40," Matthews said.

          Matthews was listed as a limited participant in practice on Thursday.

          "I think we’re just being more cautious than anything," Matthews said. "I was able to go out there against Chicago, cautiously, of course. I feel like the progression I'm making this week as opposed to maybe Week 3 and 4 is ahead of where I was."

          Perhaps more of an issue is the status of outside linebacker Nick Perry, who has a shoulder injury and did not practice for the second straight day, leaving his status in question for Sunday's road game against the Minnesota Vikings. Perry has started the past two games at Matthews' old outside linebacker position while Matthews has moved inside on early downs.

          "Nick Perry is definitely important," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "Just that whole group, you talk about Nick and Mike Neal and Julius [Peppers], their ability to move around and play the elephant position has been very important. That was a big part of our change, and definitely fits with the movement of Clay."

          However, Matthews said he doesn't think his role would change if Perry can't play Sunday.

          "I think it's more of a 'next man up' type of mentality around here," Matthews said. "I'm sure [Jayrone] Elliott will have more opportunities as well as Mike and J.P. As we have seen in weeks prior, I rush off the edge and play in the middle, so wherever they need me, I will be there."

          Here's the full injury report:

          • TE Brandon Bostick (hip, did not practice)

          • CB Jarrett Bush (groin, did not practice)

          • LB Elliott (hamstring, limited participation)

          • G T.J. Lang (ankle, limited participation)

          • LB Matthews (groin, limited participation)

          • LB Perry (shoulder, did not practice)

          • G Josh Sitton (toe, limited participation)