GREEN BAY -- Aaron Rodgers made a good first impression. Now, the Green Bay Packers' new starting quarterback must replicate it against the Detroit Lions Sunday at Ford Field.

In his first NFL regular-season start, following legendary You Know Who, Rodgers was effective both throwing the ball (18 for 22, 178 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, 115.5 rating) and running it (six non-kneel down carries, 34 yards, one touchdown) in the Packers' 24-19 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on "Monday Night Football."

So, what does he do for an encore?

"Just try to be consistent," Rodgers replied Wednesday afternoon. "I think the best quarterbacks in the league prove it by their consistency week in and week out. You have to be consistent with your preparation, consistent with your practice habits. When you get on the field, you've got to make plays every week, and the best quarterbacks in the league, quarterbacks that I want to put myself in the same sentence with, they do that.

"The off-season and hang-out time and the locker-room time, getting to show the guys your personality only goes so far. They want to see a guy at the quarterback position who's playing consistently and making plays. And I was able to do some of those things on Monday night. We got the win, and that's the first step. The guys, especially the veteran guys, they'll get behind you when they see that consistency on Sundays and Mondays. That's my goal. I put a good one under the belt on Monday, and I've got to do it again on Sunday."

Rodgers' in-game to-do list doesn't change, coach Mike McCarthy said.

"He needs to run the game plan and manage the game. That's his job description," McCarthy said. "He needs to make sure everything is precise in (communication) and make the proper checks in the run and (pass) protection, make the proper decisions in the passing game, throw with accuracy, and most importantly, take care of the football. That will never change for him."

What might change, if he continues to play solidly, is the public's perception of him. While Rodgers didn't want to talk about what this week would've been like had he played poorly after the departed Brett Favre had a strong debut with the New York Jets -- "I don't like thinking negatively or hypothetically (about) that situation," he said -- Rodgers admitted "it was definitely important for us to get a win. 'Must-win,' (in the) first game of the year, doesn't really apply, but it was important for us to play well. And we did for the most part."

Actually, what pleased McCarthy the most was the way Rodgers played when the team didn't play well. As the offense racked up six penalties (five enforced) on the first two series and managed to advance the ball just 18 total yards, it would have been easy for Rodgers to try to do too much and make a crucial mistake, McCarthy said.

But that didn't happen. Rodgers also avoided all the mistakes quarterbacks coach Tom Clements harps on -- "No premeditated throws; no late down the middle throws; take care of the ball; have no turnovers," Rodgers rattled off -- while making good decisions and getting rid of the ball quickly (his only sack was nullified by a defensive holding penalty).

"He managed the rough waters of the game," McCarthy said during his conference call with reporters covering the Lions. "There were a number of situations, particularly (with) all the penalties -- it was a sloppy game early. It's a common spot to make a bad decision and maybe try to force the football. So, I thought his ability just to stay the course, stay calm and don't overreact to the situations that were presented to him, particularly in that game, I was impressed with that."

Running back shortage: With No. 2 halfback Brandon Jackson having suffered what McCarthy termed a "minor" concussion in Monday night's victory and starting halfback Ryan Grant being held out of practice until Friday as a precaution for his sore hamstring, rookie Kregg Lumpkin was the only healthy running back on the roster Wednesday.

"It's sort of wild," said Lumpkin, who made the team as an undrafted free agent. "But opportunities come, and you've just got to take advantage of them."

The Packers weren't aware of Jackson's injury until Wednesday morning -- "That was a little bit of a surprise to all of us," McCarthy said -- but neither the coach nor general manager Ted Thompson thought the team would have to add a player. The Packers have DeShawn Wynn on the practice squad while veterans Noah Herron and Vernand Morency both remain on the street after being cut on the final roster reduction.

"We're always looking at things like that, but we don't know where we are there yet," Thompson said.

McCarthy said he's "confident" Jackson (who suffered a concussion during a training-camp practice last year and missed the preseason finale) will be ready for Sunday's game and "hopeful" Grant will be fine, but if pressed into service, Lumpkin could handle it, McCarthy said.

"You can only judge him on what he's done," McCarthy said. "Every time the young man has been given an opportunity to play, he has improved."

In other injury news, No. 3 wide receiver James Jones (knee) participated fully in practice, 2 1/2 weeks after damaging the MCL in his right knee at Denver, and looks like he could return to action.

"I thought it would feel a little worse, but I actually feel good," Jones said. "(We'll) see how I wake up tomorrow, if it's sore or whatnot, but I felt good today."

Added McCarthy: "James looked good. I don't see any problem with him going through a full week of practice and being ready to go."

Linebacker A.J. Hawk (chest) isn't even on the injury report, and after being forced to sit out the last three preseason games before playing against the Vikings, McCarthy joked, "if A.J. gets hurt again, he is not going to tell anybody this time." Hawk said he'll wear a harness for at least one more game.

McCarthy revealed veteran cornerback Charles Woodson, who did not practice, has a broken toe, while wide receiver Ruvell Martin practiced wearing an awkward club cast to protect a broken finger on his left hand. Martin originally broke the finger while playing special teams against the Broncos, and the fracture was healing before he was tangled up with a defender in practice last week.

Center Scott Wells (back) didn't practice, and while he told McCarthy he feels "really good," team physician Pat McKenzie "wants to be a little more cautious this time on how fast we bring him back," McCarthy said. 
 Defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (knee), safety Atari Bigby (biceps) and left tackle Chad Clifton (knees) were limited in practice. Rookie guard Josh Sitton (knee) has been ruled out.

The end zone: Punt returner Will Blackmon was named the NFC's special teams player of the week for his 76-yard punt return for a touchdown against the Vikings. Blackmon also won the award last season, when he recovered a fumble in the end zone and returned a punt 57 yards for a score against Oakland. ... For the third straight year, the Packers had the NFL's youngest opening-day roster. Based on an analysis of all 32 rosters by the league, the Packers and Kansas City Chiefs tied with an average age of 25.57 years. The Packers' average roster age was 25.72 years last season (Indianapolis was second at 25.74), and in 2006, the Packers' average roster age was 25.57 years (Tennessee, at 25.77, was second).