Packers’ Rodgers doesn’t sweat pre-playoff layoff

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The next time Aaron Rodgers steps under center, it will have been 20 days since he last played for the Green Bay Packers.

Rodgers sat out the regular-season finale against Detroit, and Green Bay gets a bye in this weekend’s wild card round after earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

For Rodgers, the opportunity to rest outweighs any danger of getting rusty. He compares it to sitting out a preseason game, saying, “It’s not that big of a deal.”

Packers coach Mike McCarthy found a way to help Rodgers stay mentally sharp during the season-ending 45-41 victory over Detroit. With backup Matt Flynn starting in Rodgers’ place, McCarthy allowed Rodgers to call some plays.