Ponder wants to meet Favre as he progresses as a QB

Getty Images

The Vikings are still trying to figure out whether Christian Ponder can be a franchise-level quarterback.

Toward the end, Ponder wants to meet the lsat guy the Vikings had who met that description.

Ponder told Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com he was trying to arrange a meeting this offseason with Brett Favre, to pick his brain for help taking the next step in his own development.

“We’re going to bring that up and try to take advantage of that,” Ponder said.

After trying and coming close with a quarterback on the downside of his career, the Vikings went the opposite route in drafting Ponder and trusting him with the job as a rookie, after it became obvious Donovan McNabb had nothing left.

He’s played a mostly efficient style, and the Vikings haven’t asked too much of him, but he’s nearing the point where he’s either going to take a step or not. Tomorrow’s game against the Packers is going to be a good gauge of where he stands in the process.

“You talk about litmus tests,” Frazier said. “This will be one going on the road in Green Bay against a high-powered offense that we need to match at times. This will be a gauge for [Ponder] as to where he is in his career.”

Walking in as the starter on a team that was already 1-5 last year tempered expectations, but he’s got them 6-5 this season, and on the fringes of the playoffs.

“He’s coming along,” cornerback Antoine Winfield said of Ponder. “The coaches are working with him. But it’s a process. You don’t expect him to come in and be All-World.

“He’s going to make some mistakes and go through some growing pains. But I think he’ll be a better player because of it.”

Whether he ever gets to Favre’s level remains to be seen.

AP

The Seahawks have played a good chunk of this season without cornerback Brandon Browner and almost all of it without wide receiver Percy Harvin, which should leave them well prepared to play without them on Sunday against the 49ers. 

Coach Pete Carroll said Friday that both players have been ruled out for Week 14. It’s not a particularly surprising turn of events for Harvin, who didn’t practice at all this week and had a cortisone injection last week in hopes of alleviating soreness in his surgically repaired hip. Todd Dybas of the Tacoma News Tribune reports that Carroll said he hopes Harvin can play next week. 

Browner was able to practice on Wednesday, but Carroll said his groin injury didn’t hold up well in the return to work. Browner’s still waiting to hear a ruling on his appeal of a suspension under the league’s substance abuse policy. If it is successful, Browner could still return to help the team this season but he’s likely played his final game with the team if the suspension stands. 

Linebacker Bruce Irvin, who missed practice with a thigh injury, is expected to be in the lineup. 

Getty Images

The Patriots likely won’t need a full complement of healthy players on Sunday against the Browns.  Which is good because they won’t have one.

As usual.

Out for the Week 14 game are receiver Aaron Dobson (foot) and tackle Marcus Cannon (ankle).

Dobson missed last Sunday’s win over the Texans, as did Cannon.

The list of 50-50 questionable players is extensive, as usual, for the Patriots.  Included among the 10 are cornerback Aqib Talib (hip), receiver Kenbrell Thompkins (hip), tight end Rob Gronkowski (back, forearm, hamstring), and cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, who was limited in Wednesday’s practice with a knee injury and absent on Thursday and Friday due to court proceedings in Nebraska.

Getty Images

Eagles quarterback Nick Foles takes his 19 touchdowns and zero interceptions into a matchup with the Lions this Sunday and it looks like the Lions will be without one of their cornerbacks as they try to stop him and the Eagles’ winning streak.

Cornerback Darius Slay injured his knee during Thursday’s practice and missed Friday’s session while undergoing tests. He’s been listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game and coach Jim Schwartz said the team is waiting to find out how long the corner will be out.

“He hurt his knee in practice yesterday and he’s still being evaluated,” Schwartz said, via the Detroit News. “We’ll just see where that takes us. It was sort of a freak thing.”

Slay started against the Packers in Week 13 because Chris Houston was out with a foot injury. Houston is listed as questionable for Sunday, but he’s practiced all week and is expected to return to the lineup this week. Jonte Green would move into a bigger role behind Houston and Rashean Mathis with Slay out of the lineup.

Running back Reggie Bush is also questionable after returning to practice on Friday. Bush had been sidelined by a calf injury the rest of the week.

AP

As the Bucs try to continue a late-season push that could save coach Greg Schiano’s job, one key player may not be available for Sunday.  Another one most likely will.

Receiver Vincent Jackson is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Bills with a hamstring injury.  Jackson, who joined the Bucs in 2012, has started all 12 games in 2013.  He has 61 catches for 963 yards and five touchdowns this season.

Cornerback Darrelle Revis has been listed as probable with a chest/shoulder injury.  He fully participated in practice all week.

Revis hasn’t been diagnosed with a concussion, even though he claims he was briefly knocked out on Sunday against the Panthers.  Which exposes one of the lingering flaws in the league’s concussion protocol:  Spotting concussions in the first place.

Defensive end Da’Quan Bowers also is listed as questionable after popping up on the Friday injury report as practicing on a limited basis with a knee injury.

Getty Images

It’s good to be a Seahawk, but not every Seahawk is created equally.

That’s what defensive end Michael Bennett found out when he couldn’t get a table at an exclusive restaurant the day after returning a fumble for a touchdown.

So thinking as quickly on his feet as when he scooped up a loose ball and rambled to the end zone, he called back and told them he was quarterback Russell Wilson.

“I called them back a few minutes later,” Bennett told 710 ESPN, via Terry Blount of ESPN.com. “I said, ‘Hey, this is Russell Wilson. I’ll be attending your restaurant today. Do you have any tables?‘

“And she was like, ‘Yes! We can make a table for you! You were 22-for-30 the other night, 130 quarterback rating!’ She knew every stat.”

Bennett said he still got the star treatment when he showed up and they realized he was not, in fact, the quarterback, enjoying the VIP treatment.

Of course, that just means that when Wilson goes out to eat, he’s going to have to start telling people he’s Robinson Cano, who just signed a $240 million deal with the Mariners.

Getty Images

It looks like the Ravens have a better shot of having tight end Dennis Pitta in the lineup against the Vikings than linebacker Elvis Dumervil.

Coach John Harbaugh said Friday that there’s a “reasonable chance” that Pitta plays for the first time this season, but Dumervil is listed as doubtful for the game as a result of the ankle injury that kept him out of practice all week. Harbaugh called Dumervil a game-time decision, although the designation means the Ravens believe that Dumervil has only a 25 percent chance of playing.

If Dumervil, the team leader in sacks, is out of the lineup, Courtney Upshaw will likely see a boost in playing time.

Defensive tackle Chris Canty and cornerback Lardarius Webb are listed as questionable for the Ravens after limited participation in practice this week. Cornerback Jimmy Smith is probable after passing through the league’s concussion protocol.

Getty Images

The Chargers got an extension Thursday in order to try to sell enough tickets to Sunday’s game against the Giants to avert a blackout.

Such extensions are usually granted when there’s an arrangement in place to purchase the remaining tickets and that has proven to be the case this time as well. The Chargers have announced that a guarantee is in place to buy the necessary tickets and put the game on television in the San Diego area.

The release from the team notes that around 2,400 tickets are still up for sale in addition to “plenty” of premium seats should any Chargers fans with long memories decide to show up and give Eli Manning some help in jogging his memory about why he wanted no part in playing in San Diego.

Some of the tickets purchased to make up the shortfall will be distributed, with the help of local military organizations, to those who wouldn’t normally have a chance to attend a game.

AP

Maybe it’s like Survivor, and by the end of the season, the last guy left gets the prize of the head coaching job.

After firing head coach Gary Kubiak earlier in the day, the Texans have also dismissed special teams coach Joe Marciano, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

He’ll be replaced the rest of the season by assistant special teams coach Bob Ligashesky.

Marciano has been with the Texans since their inception, leaving just runnning backs coach Chick Harris from the inaugural staff in 2002.

Getty Images

Though Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (groin) was limited in practice on Friday, it appears he’ll be ready to play in Sunday’s game at Baltimore.

While the Vikings have ruled out quarterback Christian Ponder (concussion), tight end Kyle Rudolph (foot) and cornerback Josh Robinson (chest), coach Leslie Frazier expressed hope that the club’s other injured players would be available.

“We should have everybody else,” Frazier said Friday.

Frazier indicated Peterson’s injury will be something the star tailback will be dealing with throughout the final weeks of the season, and the club will adjust accordingly.

“We’ll have to manage it throughout the rest of the reminder of the regular season,” Frazier said.

Peterson, 28, leads the NFL with 1,208 rushing yards.

In addition to Peterson, linebacker Larry Dean (knee) and safety Jamarca Sanford (ankle) are listed as questionable for Sunday. Dean was limited on Friday, while Sanford fully practiced.

Seven Vikings players are listed probable, including defensive end Jared Allen (finger). All seven probable players went through full practices on Friday.

Getty Images

Patriots cornerback Alfonzo Dennard was back in court on Friday and he again avoided a sentence that would interfere with his ability to continue playing with the Patriots this season.

Lori Pilger of the Lincoln Journal Star reports that Dennard had DUI charges against him dismissed when he pleaded no contest to refusing a chemical test. Dennard was fined $500, had his drivers license revoked for 60 days and was sentenced to three years probation for the refusal to take the test.

That probation will run concurrent to the probation that Dennard is already serving as part of his sentence for assaulting a police officer in 2012. He was in court Thursday for sentencing on the probation violation related to the initial DUI arrest and received 30 additional days in jail. He’ll serve the time in March after the end of the football season.

Dennard has missed practice the last two days to take care of legal matters. He should be back in time for Sunday’s home game against the Browns, although the Patriots haven’t made any official determination about his status yet.

Getty Images

If the Chiefs are going to get back on track after three straight losses, they’re going to have to do it without a pair of key pieces.

According to Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star, left tackle Branden Albert (knee) and  linebacker Justin Houston (elbow) have been ruled out for Sunday’s game with the Redskins.

The Chiefs will use Donald Stephenson at left tackle again, but the line hasn’t necessarily been the problem.

Their defense spring leaks against the Broncos can be almost be excused, but giving up 41 to the Chargers was a red flag, and one they need to get corrected soon.

AP

As NFL investigator Ted Wells continues to gather information regarding the events that resulted in Dolphins tackle Jonathan Martin leaving the team, the investigation has extended beyond Martin to those close to him.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Wells is interviewing Martin’s agent, Kenny Zuckerman.  Wells also is interviewing one or more of Martin’s family members.

The specific purpose of the interview isn’t known.  Zuckerman and/or Martin’s family members could corroborate certain allegations Martin has made.

Martin’s parents are both lawyers.

Wells also could be exploring the theory in some league circles that Martin simply wanted out of football (or at least Miami), that a hazing/bullying scenario was crafted as leverage to allow him to keep his signing bonus, and that the whole thing went out of control when the Dolphins summarily suspended guard Richie Incognito for conduct detrimental to the team.  (Again, that’s just a theory.  The facts are being determined by Wells.)

Wells previously interviewed Martin for more than seven hours.  On Thursday, Wells met with Martin again.

Wells also has interviewed many Dolphins players and other employees.  His final report will be made public.

AP

The news is mostly good for the Bengals on the injury front entering Sunday’s matchup with Indianapolis.

Outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict (ankle), tight end Tyler Eifert (knee), wide receiver A.J. Green (groin), wide receiver Andrew Hawkins (hamstring), cornerback Adam Jones (hip) and left tackle Andrew Whitworth (calf) put in full practices Friday and are listed as probable on the injury report. Long-snapper Clark Harris (illness) is also probable, but he was held out of practice Friday.

Right guard Kevin Zeitler (foot) is the lone player listed as questionable. He went through a limited practice Friday. Mike Pollak has started the last two games in place of Zeitler, whom the Bengals selected in the first round in the 2012 draft.

Zeitler (6-4, 315) has started all 26 regular-season games in which he’s played for Cincinnati, which has a two-game lead in the AFC North with four games left to play.

Getty Images

Quarterback Carson Palmer was limited in practice again on Friday, leaving open the possibility that he won’t be able to play against the Rams on Sunday.

Palmer hurt his right elbow early in last Sunday’s loss to the Eagles, but was able to remain in the game for the duration. He admitted this week that his play was affected by the injury, however, and hasn’t thrown much in practice this week as the team tries to manage the injury.

Coach Bruce Arians said Friday, via Darren Urban of the team’s website, that Palmer will be a game-time decision while adding that he believes Palmer will be able to play. Arians also said he was confident in Drew Stanton’s ability to take over in the event that Palmer can’t go on Sunday. Stanton hasn’t played in a regular season game since the 2010 season.

There was some good news for the Cardinals offense as well. Running back Andre Ellington (knee) and wide receiver Michael Floyd (ankle) are both set to be in the lineup.

Palmer missed 12 games in 2008 because of a partially torn ligament in his throwing elbow. Palmer avoided surgery and returned to play all 16 games the next season.

Getty Images

On Thursday, the question was whether or not the Broncos would be coached by John Fox from the press box on Sunday against the Titans.

We got our answer on Friday. Fox will not coach them from a box, house or with a mouse. The coach announced, via Mike Klis of the Denver Post, at his Friday press conference that he will be on the sideline in his first game back with the Broncos since undergoing heart surgery in early November.

Fox said he didn’t think there was much difference in his location on Sunday since defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, offensive coordinator Adam Gase and special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers would be able to do their jobs either way. That group handled things well while Fox was recovering from his operation and there’s no reason to think that things should change now that the head man is back on the scene.

Fox also announced that defensive end Derek Wolfe remains out of the lineup after experiencing seizure-like symptoms last week. Kick returner Trindon Holliday is questionable with a shoulder injury, but the rest of the team is probable for Fox’s return to the sideline.