Bailey, Dumervil questionable vs. Pack
September 30, 2011
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP)—Tweaked hamstring and all, Broncos cornerback ChampBailey(notes) jumped a route Friday in practice and picked off a pass with one hand.
Granted, this was just a drill performed at half speed, with a fellowdefensive back running the pattern and an assistant coach throwing the football.
To Bailey, that’s at least a step in the right direction.
His left hamstring has held up just fine on a limited basis in practice allweek. But suiting up against Aaron Rodgers(notes) and the high-octane Green Bay offenseis an entirely different scenario.
Bailey and pass-rush specialist Elvis Dumervil(notes) (shoulder and calf) arequestionable for Sunday. To slow down Rodgers—if that’s even possible thesedays—and a Green Bay offense averaging 33 points, Bailey and Dumervil wouldcertainly come in handy.
“We’ve got our hands full,” said Bailey, who’s missed the last two games.“We’ve got to be on our game for this.”
Bailey won’t make any decisions on his playing status until Sunday morning,when he puts the hamstring through a strenuous test.
If Bailey is less than 100 percent, he realizes he will be picked on—evenwith his impressive resume.
“I know they need me out there, and I want to be out there,” Bailey said.“But I’m not exactly where I want to be.”
Dumervil’s chomping to begin chasing quarterbacks again. He’s playedsparingly this season after aggravating his shoulder in the season opener. Andnew on the injury report as of Friday was a calf ailment.
All this after sitting out last season with a chest injury.
It won’t be easy getting to Rodgers, not with the offensive line he has infront of him. Rodgers has been sacked five times this season.
Given time to operate, Rodgers has picked apart defenses, throwing eight TDpasses and just one interception.
“That guy is one of the best quarterbacks in the league,” linebacker JoeMays(notes) said. “He makes it happen over there. He gets their offense going. …They utilize everything they have.”
Especially now, with the emergence of Jermichael Finley(notes). The 6-foot-5,247-pound tight end caught three touchdown passes in a win over the ChicagoBears.
Provided he’s healthy, Bailey could very well find himself shadowing Finleywhen the Broncos are in their nickel package. That despite giving up more than50 pounds.
“I want to cover anybody,” Bailey said. “Whoever is the No. 1 threat,that’s who I want to get.”
That’s the thing with the Packers: They spread the ball around soefficiently. They have seven players with at least five grabs. Greg Jennings(notes)leads the way with 18.
“They’re just overall good,” Dumervil said. “They play well together,well-coached. They’ve got good technique, and they don’t really make errors.”
The Broncos could receive a boost at linebacker with D.J. Williams (elbow)being probable for the game. Williams dressed in the loss to Tennessee lastweekend but didn’t play.
Williams is a versatile linebacker who can play any linebacker spot.
“I think his athleticism matches up against (Green Bay),” defensivecoordinator Dennis Allen said.
The Broncos are still searching for their first interception of the season.Not that Allen is all that concerned, especially considering the Broncos havebeen without their best pass rusher and cover corner for the last two games.
“Those things come, and they come in bunches,” Allen said. “I’ve beenaround it long enough to know that you get one, and the next thing you know,you’ve got three or four and then nobody’s talking about how you don’t have anyinterceptions. So, I don’t worry about that.”
The Broncos took a lighthearted approach to the start of practice on asun-drenched day at the office Friday.
Wide receiver Eric Decker(notes) exchanged jerseys with tailback Knowshon Moreno(notes)—a tight fit for Decker—while offensive linemen ran passing routes with guardsZane Beadles(notes) and Russ Hochstein(notes) throwing spirals.
“We just had a little fun,” Decker said. “We mixed it up a little bit.”
Notes: Broncos WR Eddie Royal(notes) (groin), TE Julius Thomas(notes) (ankle) and WRDemaryius Thomas(notes) (finger) are all out for the Green Bay game. … DT MarcusThomas (groin) is listed as questionable while Moreno (hamstring) is probable.… Broncos K Matt Prater(notes) has touchbacks on all 13 of his kickoffs this season.
Goodell upholds Pryor’s 5-game ban
September 30, 2011
NEW YORK (AP)—Terrelle Pryor’s(notes) five-game suspension was upheld by NFLCommissioner Roger Goodell on Friday.
The Oakland Raiders rookie quarterback had appealed the punishment, whichwas related to NCAA violations he committed while at Ohio State. Pryor enteredthe NFL supplemental draft instead of serving a five-game ban with the Buckeyesafter being involved in a cash-for-memorablia scandal that has put Ohio Stateunder NCAA investigation.
“This smacks of a calculated effort to manipulate our eligibility rules ina way that undermines the integrity of, and public confidence in, those rules,”Goodell said in his decision.
Pryor was selected by the Raiders in the third round of the supplementaldraft Aug. 22. He originally said he would not contest the ban but changed hismind and filed the appeal through the union.
Several members of the NFL Players Association’s executive committee hadexpressed concerns about Goodell suspending a player who was not yet in theleague.
Pryor did not attend his hearing Sept. 15 in New York.
Pryor opted to give up his final season with the Buckeyes soon after coachJim Tressel was forced out of his job for failing to notify administrators aboutplayers—including Pryor—trading memorabilia for cash and tattoos at aColumbus, Ohio, tattoo parlor.
The quarterback originally was barred from entering the supplemental draft,then was approved by Goodell, with the proviso he must sit out five games.
Goodell said Pryor left Ohio State “in order to avoid the consequences ofhis conduct while in college—conduct to which he had admitted and for which hehad accepted a suspension—and to hasten the day when he could pursue apotentially lucrative professional career in the NFL.”
Pryor may be activated by the Raiders after their game at Houston on Oct. 9.
“In my judgment, allowing players to secure their own ineligibility forcollege play in order to avoid previously determined disciplinary consequencesfor admitted conduct reflects poorly not on college football—which acted todiscipline the transgressor—but on the NFL, by making it into a sanctuarywhere a player cannot only avoid the consequences of his conduct, but be paidfor doing so,” Goodell said.
NFL reminds teams of mimicking cadences
September 30, 2011
NEW YORK (AP)—The NFL reminded teams of the rule prohibiting defensiveplayers from mimicking the offense’s signal-calling cadence after Dallas accusedthe Washington Redskins of causing the Cowboys to bungle several snaps.
As part of a memo sent to clubs this week, the league reiterated that it wasunsportsmanlike conduct for defenders to use “acts or words” that were“designed to disconcert an offensive team at the snap.”
New Dallas center Phil Costa(notes) misfired on four snaps in Monday night’s win,and afterward the Cowboys accused Washington of mimicking quarterback TonyRomo’s(notes) cadence, which the Redskins denied.
“Due to the fact that the umpire is positioned in the offensive backfieldfor most scrimmage plays, no official is within close proximity of the line ofscrimmage,” the memo said. “Therefore it is more difficult to determine if adefensive player is imitating the quarterback’s cadence and/or snap count.
“If it is determined by video review or other means available to the leagueoffice that defensive players are engaging in such practices, such players, andtheir position coaches, coordinators, and head coaches, will be subject todisciplinary action.”
NFL warns against mimicking cadences
September 30, 2011
NEW YORK (AP)—The NFL has reminded teams of the rule prohibiting defensiveplayers from mimicking the offense’s signal-calling cadence after Dallas accusedthe Washington Redskins of causing the Cowboys to bungle several snaps.
As part of a memo sent to clubs this week, the league reiterates that it’sunsportsmanlike conduct for defenders to use “acts or words” that are“designed to disconcert an offensive team at the snap.”
New Dallas center Phil Costa(notes) misfired on four snaps in Monday night’s win,and afterward the Cowboys accused Washington of mimicking quarterback TonyRomo’s(notes) cadence, which the Redskins denied.
The memo says that players and their coaches are subject to discipline ifthe NFL determines a team violated the rule.
Jaguars likely without starting CB Cox
September 30, 2011
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP)—The Jacksonville Jaguars likely will be withoutstarting cornerback Derek Cox(notes) against the pass-happy New Orleans Saints onSunday.
Coach Jack Del Rio said Friday that Cox is doubtful to play because of agroin injury.
The Jaguars (1-2) also could be without backup safety Courtney Greene(notes) (neck)and special teams ace Kassim Osgood(notes) (hamstring). Both are doubtful. Del Rioalready ruled out fullback Montell Owens(notes) and defensive end Aaron Kampman(notes) becauseof knee injuries. If Greene and Osgood don’t play, the Jaguars would be withoutseveral of their best special teams players.
Left tackle Eugene Monroe(notes) is questionable with a shoulder injury. Righttackle Guy Whimper(notes) has been getting reps in his place, with Eben Britton(notes) movingback into the starting lineup at right tackle.
Packers RB Grant, RT Bulaga won’t play
September 30, 2011
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP)—The Green Bay Packers say running back Ryan Grant(notes) andright tackle Bryan Bulaga(notes) won’t play Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
The team ruled them out on Friday.
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Bulaga suffered a sprain and bruise of his left knee in the first quarter ofthe Packers’ 27-17 win at Chicago last weekend. Grant rushed for a season-high92 yards against the Bears but bruised his kidney on a hit to his back.
Grant had been splitting carries in the first three games with James Starks(notes),who will make the start Sunday. Marshall Newhouse(notes), a second-year player, willmake his first pro start as the replacement for Bulaga.
Raiders CB Johnson out, S Huff uncertain
September 30, 2011
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP)—Oakland Raiders cornerback Chris Johnson has beenruled out of Sunday’s game against New England, a blow to a secondary that mightalso be without starting free safety Michael Huff(notes).
Johnson injured his hamstring early in last week’s win over the New YorkJets and hasn’t practiced this week. Coach Hue Jackson said Friday that neitherJohnson nor wide receiver Louis Murphy(notes) would play against the Patriots.
Several other players are questionable, including Huff. The veteran safetysuffered a concussion in the first half of the Jets game and has also been heldout of practice.
Oakland was forced to scrap most of its man-to-man coverages when bothplayers went down against New York and went to more zone calls.
Titans S Hope likely to start vs. Browns
September 30, 2011
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)—Tennessee Titans safety Chris Hope(notes) has practiced allweek and appears ready to return to the starting lineup Sunday against theCleveland Browns.
Hope dislocated his shoulder in the opener at Jacksonville and has missedthe past two games for Tennessee (2-1). He says he’s not used to being injuredand is anxious and real excited to return.
Coach Mike Munchak says Hope will be listed as probable against the Brownsand they feel real good about having the veteran play.
But linebacker Gerald McRath(notes) is doubtful after not practicing this week. Heplays in passing situations and hurt his left knee in last week’s win overDenver.
Vikes RB Peterson able to practice fully
September 30, 2011
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP)—Minnesota Vikings middle linebacker E.J.Henderson(notes) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game at Kansas City with a soreknee.
Henderson was limited this week in practice, resting the knee that hasbothered him since the first week of the season.
Running back Adrian Peterson was listed as probable Friday after returningto full participation in practice with a sore calf muscle. Minnesota listedsafety Jamarca Sanford(notes) (thigh) as questionable but he was a full participant inpractice this week.
Umenyiora ready, has chip on shoulder
September 30, 2011
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)—New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora(notes)expects to play for the first time this season and he is coming back with thechip on his shoulder.
The two-time Pro Bowler said he felt good after practicing on Friday for thethird straight day, noting there has been no swelling in his right knee. He hadarthroscopic surgery on the knee in August, causing him to miss the Giants’first three games.
While he is excited about the prospect of playing again, Umenyiora feelsdisrespected after a turbulent offseason in which he argued with general managerJerry Reese about getting a new contract and showed up a day late for trainingcamp.
The Giants (2-1) take on the Cardinals (1-2) in Arizona on Sunday.
