Rodgers ‘day to day’ with ‘knee sprain’

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer isn’t buying it.

The Packers can say all they want that quarterback Aaron Rodgers is day to day with a knee injury. The two-time NFL MVP will be given the whole week to get ready for Sunday’s game against the Vikings, coach Mike McCarthy said.

“Yeah, well, you know he walks on water, so I’m sure he’s going to play,” Zimmer said Wednesday.

The Packers returned to the practice field Wednesday, though Rodgers didn’t participate and stayed at Lambeau Field to rehab. Asked at his locker if it was accurate to say his injury was a sprained left knee, Rodgers said, “Sure say sprained knee.”

It’s understandable why Zimmer and the Vikings think Rodgers will play. After all, Rodgers returned from injury Sunday after being taken to the locker room on the front seat of a cart.

The two-time league MVP walked back out halftime, took over on the first series of the second half and threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to rally the Packers from 20 points down to a 24-23 victory over the Bears.

Rehabbing Wednesday wasn’t a setback, McCarthy said.

“I think anytime a player comes off a game where he’s injured, obviously there’s the hope of playing,” McCarthy added. “We’ll give him the whole week to get ready. So we’ll take it day by day and learn as we go.”

Bills call on Allen: Coach Sean McDermott said rookie quarterback Josh Allen will make his first start Sunday against the visiting Chargers.

Allen replaces secondyear pro Nathan Peterman, who struggled badly in a 47-3 loss to the Ravens in Week 1.

McDermott declined to elaborate on his thought process behind the decision, instead saying it was “the right move” for his team more than 10 times.

Allen was the seventh overall draft pick in this year’s draft.

Big Ben hopeful: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said his right elbow issue is just “a bruise” and that “it will be fine,” and that he didn’t expect to miss the Steelers’ game against the Chiefs on Sunday.

Roethlisberger didn’t practice Wednesday, though that isn’t unusual for the 15-year veteran.

Extra points: G Trai Turner, who missed three games with a concussion last season, is in danger of missing the Panthers’ game against the Falcons on Sunday because of another concussion . ... An MRI showed that there were no significant injuries to the shoulder of DE Ezekiel Ansah, raising the expectation he could play in the Lions’ game against 49ers on Sunday.