The Patriots got back on the practice field Wednesday to start preparations for Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Ravens and they were missing just one player who has a chance of playing.
Cornerback Alfonzo Dennard missed the session, but the team said it was not an injury-related absence. Tight end Rob Gronkowski also missed practice, although we already know that he’ll be out after suffering another injury to his previously broken forearm and would suspect the Patriots would make a move with his roster spot at some point this week.
Two Patriots who were forced out of last weekend’s game with the Texans were able to practice in limited fashion. Running back Danny Woodhead and defensive end Chandler Jones were both on the field. One member of the Ravens feels confident that Jones will be on the field and his opinion might mean a little more since he’s also Jones’ brother.
“He’s not telling me anything,” Ravens defensive end Arthur Jones said, via the Baltimore Sun. “I think he’s going to be out there. He’s a hard worker, and I know he’s getting treatment on it hard.”
On the Ravens end of things, running back Bernard Pierce was limited in practice and 16 players were listed as full participants in practice. That’s a page right out of the Bill Belichick playbook, although there were just five Patriots on Wednesday’s injury report after 20 players made the list at this time last week.