Update:Ringer was held out of Wednesday's practice with back soreness, the Tennessean reports.Recommendation:If Ringer's aches and pains linger into the weekend, then Jamie Harper(notes) could see extra work behind starter Chris Johnson.
Matt Cassel: (Ribs) Ready to Go
Update:The Chiefs' injury report lists Cassel (ribs) as a full participant in Wednesday's practice, the Kansas City Star's Kent Babb reports.Recommendation:Despite his words to the contrary, we won't presume that Cassel is 100 percent pain-free, but the QB seems pretty sure that he'll be fine for the Chiefs' regular season opener. "Oh yeah. We are ready to go. Everything is a go," Cassel said Wednesday. "No pain. No discomfort. Ready to go."
Marion Barber: (Calf) Another Missed Practice
Update:Barber (calf) did not practice again Wednesday, the team's official site reports.Recommendation:It is looking less and less likely that Barber will be available for Sunday's game against the Falcons which would be a major boost for starter Matt Forte(notes). Lovie Smith had this to say about the situation, "Were running out of time a little bit for Marion, but hopefully hes feeling a lot better. Hopefully well be able to get him on the field before long."
Oh, Brother: Patriots sign another Gronkowski
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP)Dan Gronkowski(notes) got a job, Rob Gronkowski(notes) got aroommate, and their parents have one fewer channel to surf on NFL Sundays.New England signed former Denver tight end Dan Gronkowski on Wednesday,giving the Patriots two of the three brothers currently on NFL rosters. Dan'snew locker is a few steps down "Gronkowski Row" from little brother Rob, whowas drafted by New England last year; middle brother Chris is a running back whowas claimed off waivers by Indianapolis on Sunday."You're grateful to have brothers in the league. But then when it comesdown to it, Authentic Vikings Jersey you get a brother on the same teamthat's awesome," Rob saidWednesday as the Patriots prepared for Monday night's game against the MiamiDolphins. "It was already a dream come true that he was in the NFL at the same time.But having him on the same team is awesome. To have someone there (can give you)a lot more support, a lot Chicago Bears Jersey Authentic more intensity that we can bring out of each otherbecause we know each other like this. It's going to be a lot of fun."Rob Gronkowski, 22, played in all 16 games for the Patriots last year afterbeing selected in the second round of the draft out of Arizona. He caught 42passes for 546 yards and 10 touchdowns. Dan Gronkowski, 26, was a seventh-roundpick out of Maryland who has played in 14 games over two seasons with Detroitand Denver, catching nine passes total.By the way, Chris Gronkowski(notes), 24, signed with the Cowboys as an undraftedfree agent but was waived at the end of camp before latching on with the Colts.And another brother, Glenn, is at Kansas State."I Official New York Jets Jersey think the two brothers were giving each other headlocks in the lockerroom yesterday, and they're excited," Patriots quarterback Tom Brady(notes) said. "Heseems to be a nice guymature and he has some familiarity with what we'vedone."Patriots coach Bill Belichick said it will help that Dan played for formerPatriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in Denver, "so it's easy to seehim doing some of the things that are similar to what we do."He will also help in the kicking game, Belichick said."He's been involved," the coach said. "When you're a tight end, you haveto be involved in all facets of the game. I don't think he has big receivingnumbers, but he can run and catch the ball."Asked for a scouting report on his brother, Rob said Dan is a hard workerwho has been busy trying to learn the Patriots playbook. Dan was not availableon Wednesday when the team's locker room was open to reporters."He just came in yesterday, so he has to catch up on everything," Robsaid. "We have no time to interact as brothers right now. We're both justfocused on the job and getting it done. It feels just like another player rightnow, because he's just working hard to get nfl jerseys wholesale down the plays."Also Wednesday, New England released defensive lineman Gerard Warren(notes) andcornerback Darius Butler(notes) and claimed linebacker A.J. Edds(notes) off waivers from theDolphins.Follow Jimmy Golen on Twitter at /jgolen
59-14 loss to Raiders in '10 still haunts Broncos
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP)Try as they might, the Denver official sports shop Broncos can't shakethe memories of the Oakland Raiders' last visit. The 59-14 loss to theirarchrivals last Oct. 24 is among the lowest points in the franchise's 52-yearhistory."It was one of those days where nothing went right for us," Broncos middlelinebacker Joe Mays(notes) recalled. "It was just terrible. It's one of those thingswhere you want to forget it, but it's still in the back of your head."The Broncos have been watching snippets of that blowout as they prepare forthe Raiders' visit to Mile High on Monday night. The horror film shows Zach Miller practically strolling in for a 43-yardtouchdown that started the rout, Darren McFadden(notes) running for 165 yards andscoring four touchdowns, and the Broncos turning the ball over on their firsttwo offensive plays as they fell behind 21-0 before running a play that didn'tresult in a turnover. The stadium was practically empty by the time the gameended."The veterans on the team talk about how they killed us last year,"Broncos rookie pass-rusher Von Miller(notes) said. "But this is a new year, we've gota new coach, new players and hopefully it'll be different this year."The Raiders are certainly expecting no encore."It was just one of those games that happens probably once in a bluemoon," Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell(notes) said. "It seemed like things werejust going our way. The ball was bouncing our way, guys were making plays andit's like you jump on someone so fast it, it's like, `Wow!'"But we understand they're a totally different football team," Campbellsaid. "They were totally different when they came out and played us here" in arematch in December that was close until the final minutes. "So, we're notgoing into this game expecting anything like that. They're a totally differentteam and it's a different season.""That's why they call it last year," Broncos coach John Fox agreed.Still, some losses linger, especially one this historic.The Raiders scored the most points in their history, their third straightwin in Denver fueled by a 38-point outburst in the first 22 minutes thatstaggered the Broncos, who allowed 328 yards rushing.The Broncos, also born in 1960, allowed this many points only one othertime, in the 1963 season opener, which they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 59-7."The guys that were here last year definitely think about it and that's alittle extra motivation to practice hard this week, make sure Official Reebok NFL Cincinnati Bengals Jersey you do all yourassignments right," Denver defensive lineman Jason Hunter(notes) said. "And the guyswho are new to the team, I'm sure they heard about it."The trick, Hunter said, is not to dwell on the debacle."You do think about it but you can't really let that be your focus. You'vejust got to go out there and know this is the start of a season and everybodywants to go out there and play hard, Authentic Minnesota Vikings Jerseys play well and get the 2011 season off on agood note," he said."Everybody has a fresh start. It's kind of like the first day of school.You've got a fresh notebook and everybody has 100 percent."The A's and C's and F's will be sorted out later.Like the Broncos, the Raiders also have a new coaching staff, a revampedroster and high hopes of returning the franchise to glory. Although they've beenstuck in a bit of a rut themselves of late, the Raiders have won three straightgames in Denver.In 2008, they came in with a 2-8 record but beat the first-place Broncos31-10 in a game that helped cost Denver a shot at the division title. TheBroncos finished 8-8 and lost a tiebreaker for nfl jerseys cheap the division title to San Diego,then fired coach Mike Shanahan.In 2009, JaMarcus Russell(notes) came off the bench to throw a touchdown pass inthe final minute of a 20-19 win that helped cost the Broncos a wild-card spot.And last year's fiasco helped usher nfl jerseys from china out coach Josh McDaniels, who wasreplaced by Fox, who has no firsthand memories of the 59-14 loss and isn'tharping on it."It's the Raiders, so there's really no revenge," linebacker Mario Haggan(notes)said. "It's a division rivalry. You don't like them, period. Revenge is everytime you play them."AP Sports Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.Connect with AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton attwitter.com/arniestapleton