GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Maybe Clay Matthews and his fellow injured defensive players were just trying to con Mike McCarthy so they don't have to stick around for treatments during the bye, but the Green Bay Packers coach thinks his banged-up crew should be good to go after this week off.

Matthews missed Sunday's win over the Detroit Lions because of both ankle and hamstring injuries. He was one of five key players on the defensive side of the ball to sit. McCarthy put Matthews and three others -- defensive tackle Letroy Guion (knee), defensive end/outside linebacker Datone Jones (knee) and safety Morgan Burnett -- into the same category as players who could play in the next game on Oct. 9 against the New York Giants.

"I have no reason to think that I won't but at the end of the day, they have to go through the testing and pass everything and so forth," McCarthy said Monday after he excused the players for the entire week. "You know, history will tell you that they feel great because they know that their schedule will be affected greatly if they didn't feel great right now. They're feeling better than they did. I'm hopeful that we'll be OK there."

What McCarthy was referring to was this: players with significant enough injuries have to stay in Green Bay for the bye. Those who don't need treatment or can seek treatment elsewhere are free to leave for the week.

Although McCarthy gave no update on cornerback Sam Shields (concussion) and tight end Jared Cook (ankle), neither is expected to play against the Giants. Shields, who hasn't played since the regular-season opener, is expected to miss a few more weeks, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Cook also won't be ready immediately after the bye, but his injury won't end his season.