GREEN BAY — So what if Al Harris suffered what could have been a career-threatening (or even life-threatening) injury, missed a regular-season game for the first time in his 11-year NFL career, had to spend a week at home doing nothing but convalescing and cost himself his weekly roster bonus money?

It’s not as if absolutely nothing good has come from the lacerated spleen the Green Bay Packers’ Pro Bowl cornerback suffered against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 21.
“I found a new restaurant in Green Bay, a really good spot — Urban Frog. Have you been there? It’s good. I’d go there every day,” Harris said Monday. “So it hasn’t been total loss.”

He almost sounded convincing. All kidding aside, though, there was good news for Harris Monday: According to coach Mike McCarthy, he should be back in action for the Nov. 2 game at Tennessee, after the team’s bye week.

McCarthy said Harris’ spleen was scanned Monday morning — a day after Harris missed his third consecutive game, the Packers’ 27-17 victory at Seattle — and that the tests showed “significant improvement.”

“So obviously we are moving in the right direction,” McCarthy said.

While Harris, who was on his way to Lambeau Field on Monday night to meet with the medical staff, would love to return to action Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field, McCarthy said it’s unlikely — although he didn’t dismiss the possibility.

“We’ll see what the other doctors’ opinions (are). That’s just one doctor’s opinion. We’ll send his results out and get back more information,” McCarthy said. “I think he will be hard-pressed to make it this week, but I think after the bye is realistic.”

Harris was injured when he collided with teammate A.J. Hawk during the Packers’ 27-16 loss to the Cowboys. Thought initially to be suffering from cramps, Harris found blood in his urine, which led to fears that the spleen had ruptured, which would have ended his season.

Instead, though Harris missed the Packers’ Sept. 28 game at Tampa Bay, snapping his streak of 175 straight games played (including playoffs), multiple doctors conferred and decided that Harris’ injury wasn’t severe enough to require surgery.

But it did require Harris to rest for seven days, something that didn’t sit well with a guy who’d asked doctors to simply remove his spleen immediately after the injury because he thought it would allow him to play.

“The first week, I couldn’t do anything. It was just rest. And I suck at that,” said Harris, who’d last sat out a game in 1997, when he was on the Buccaneers’ practice squad. “But I had to do it, so I did. I sat home and rested. I’m just thankful they didn’t have to take my spleen out or anything like that.”

Harris was cleared to do light workouts — small weights and cardio on the elliptical trainer — after that, which wasn’t enough for him, either. (Hence the restaurant search.)

“It’s been hard, not being able to prepare every week (for a game). You’re so used to preparing and used to doing one thing every day, my whole day, I’ve had to literally make up a different schedule to keep my days (tolerable),” Harris said. “Because I’ve been having the same schedule for so long: Go to practice, workout, go home, eat, maybe get another workout in, study and then go to sleep.”

Harris said he’s been impressed with the way nickelback Tramon Williams has played in his stead — he’s had an interception in each of his three starts in Harris’ place — but said his return would give the Packers’ defense a boost.

“I’m definitely anxious to get back out there. I think I can help,” Harris said, singling out the play of Williams and veteran cornerback Charles Woodson, who continues to play with a broken toe on his right foot. “The guys are doing a great job, but I’m anxious.”

Anxious, but not without concerns, Harris confessed.

“I’m still scared, right now. But the odds of it happening again are unlikely,” Harris said. “I may be wrong. But I’m going to give it a shot once the doctors clear me.”

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