Chicago Bears 11/07/2006 8:18 AMThe Chicago Sun-Times reports If Bears LB Brian Urlacher plays Sunday against the New York Giants as expected, he's likely to be playing in pain that threatens to slow him down. Michael Terry, a University of Chicago orthopedic surgeon, said Urlacher's sprained left big toe sounds like a classic case of turf toe, an injury suffered by most pro football players at some point in their careers. ''Most of the time, if it's a low-grade injury, you don't do more harm by playing on it,'' said Terry, the team doctor for the Blackhawks. The more severe the sprain, the harder it's going to be for Urlacher to push off and run.Read more
Minnesota Vikings 11/07/2006 8:16 AMThe Pioneer Press reports Vikings CB Fred Smoot is expected to miss some practice time, at least, this week following the death of his younger brother in a car accident over the weekend. HC Brad Childress said Smoot learned of the accident after Sunday's 9-3 loss at San Francisco and flew home to Jackson, Miss., early Monday. Asked when Smoot would return, Childress said: "I have no idea. I'd be guessing. I don't know when the service is."Read more
Cincinnati Bengals 11/07/2006 8:11 AMThe Dayton Daily News reports the Bengals hit the midway point of a roller-coaster season at 4-4, and they're reeling â with four losses in five games spoiling a 3-0 start. Fans are perplexed, coaches are unhappy and players are chirping at one another. Sounds like pre-2003, eh? Five of the Bengals' remaining eight games are against division leaders, so problems better get fixed in a hurry. How we grade the team at the midway point of the 2006 season:Read more
