Bruschi returns to Patriots’ practice field
Tedy Bruschi lifted both legs far over his head as he lay on his back and stretched. He chased teammate Mike Vrabel and blocked him playfully in the back. He ran to the next drill.
And he smiled.
For the first time since a minor stroke eight months ago threatened his NFL career, the Patriots’ star linebacker was practicing with his team Wednesday.
“I’m back playing the game that I love,” Bruschi said before putting on his shoulder pads and his dark blue 54 jersey, carrying his helmet out of the locker room and walking into the noon sun.
After practice he said he had some jitters but wasn’t discouraged by anything that took place.
“If you haven’t done something in a long time, you always have some nerves the first time back,” Bruschi said. “I feel good with my conditioning level. It’s where it needs to be, I think. Game shape is another thing, but we’ll cross that road when we come to it. I thought it was a good day.”
New England has a bye this week, so the practice was unusually short, lasting about 75 minutes, with no hard contact between players. Bruschi said he had no pain or discomfort and would try to be ready for the next game Oct. 30 against Buffalo.
Raiders list Moss as doubtful
Randy Moss is unlikely to play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills after being listed as doubtful in Oakland’s injury report.
Moss attended the Raiders’ walk-through, but the receiver was still nursing bruised ribs, a strained groin and a bruised pelvic area after getting hurt in a hard fall while trying to make a leaping catch late in the first quarter of last Sunday’s 27-14 loss to the San Diego Chargers.
Green keeps quarterback choice quiet
Arizona coach Dennis Green has decided who will start at quarterback against Tennessee but won’t make his choice public until shortly before Sunday’s kickoff.
“We basically take the position this week the more we know, the better for us it is, and the less that Tennessee knows, the better it is for us,” Green said after practice.
Carolina player tests positive for steroids
Aden Durde, a practice squad player with the Carolina Panthers, left the team after the NFL cited him for violating the league’s steroid policy.
Durde, a linebacker, was assigned to the Panthers through the NFL International Development Practice Squad program. He said in a statement that the league told him he tested positive for nandrolone on August 1 during a routine preseason drug test.
Baltimore doubts Reed will play
Baltimore star safety Ed Reed will almost certainly miss Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears with a high ankle sprain, an injury that could sideline the 2004 NFL Defensive Player of the Year for several weeks.
Mariucci weighs options at quarterback
Joey Harrington and Jeff Garcia split the snaps in practice, although coach Steve Mariucci would not commit to a change at quarterback for the Lions in Cleveland on Sunday.
Doctors cleared Garcia to play at Cleveland. Garcia injured his ankle and leg in the final preseason game after signing with Detroit as a free agent.
Arizona signs former Seahawk Cochran
Arizona signed defensive end Antonio Cochran to replace the injured Calvin Pace.
The 6-foot-4, 299-pound Cochran played the last six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.
Cochran was released by the Seahawks late in training camp.