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NFL

Playoff notes

By wire services
Published January 8, 2004

EAGLES: Five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Troy Vincent remains optimistic he will play Sunday. Still, playing against the Packers isn't a sure thing.

"I'm going to let my body determine whether I should be able to play," Vincent said. "I don't want to be all caught up in the emotion of the game and go out there and jeopardize my team."

Vincent missed the last two regular-season games with a hip injury. If Vincent isn't ready, second-year pros Lito Sheppard of Florida and Sheldon Brown will replace him.

"They can play," Vincent said. "An injured Troy is not as good as a healthy Lito or Sheldon. They're playing good football. Playing a couple of snaps or a quarter or two doesn't do us any good when those guys have to come off the sideline cold as ice."

Vincent, listed as probable, said he probably wouldn't play if the game was earlier than Sunday. But he keeps making progress and said after practice if there are no setbacks, he'll play.

PACKERS: Left tackle Chad Clifton and Kevin Barry, who lines up as an extra tight end on certain running downs, were home in bed with the flu. Defensive tackle Grady Jackson also missed practice due to wear and tear.

RAMS: Torry Holt is all about football now.

His radio show is history, and there are managers handling his Web site and clothing line.

This new dedication has produced plenty for the receiver: All-Pro honors, the league's best numbers in catches and yards, recognition as one of the league's elite.

"Nobody advised me to do that, I just wanted to see what it felt like not to have any distractions off the field," Holt said. "Let me rededicate myself to playing the game, and let me see how good I actually can be."

Holt had 117 catches for 1,696 yards and 12 touchdowns, racking up a franchise-record 10 100-yard games. The yardage total is fifth-best in history, and Holt finished two catches and 85 yards shy of Isaac Bruce's franchise records set in 1995.

In one five-game span, he averaged nine catches and 147 yards. Focus did the trick. All the off-field stuff will have to wait, including TorryHolt.com and his clothing line, Big Game wear. Holt is too busy preparing for Saturday's second-round playoff game against his home state Panthers.

"I ain't shut it down. I ain't going to turn down money," Holt said. "I let somebody else handle it and it's doing well, but no TV show, no radio show or anything like that, just come in here every day and working."

TITANS: Quarterback Steve McNair went through a full practice, which amounted to about 60 percent of the snaps with the first-team offense.

The team practiced at the Coliseum in 28-degree weather in preparation for Saturday's playoff game at New England.

McNair did not take part in a two-hour walkthrough Tuesday as he rested his legs, which had been hurting because of a sprained left ankle with a cracked bone spur and a strained right calf muscle.

Running back Eddie George ran on the side but did not practice with the team. The Titans had planned to hold him out at least a couple of days because of the left shoulder he dislocated last weekend in a wild-card victory over Baltimore. He also twisted his left ankle in the game.

Linebacker Rocky Calmus, who broke a leg Dec. 1, practiced for the first time while working with the scout team. Coach Jeff Fisher said there's a chance Calmus might be a backup.

Running back Robert Holcombe practiced for a second straight day after missing two games with a strained hamstring.

[Last modified January 8, 2004, 03:49:20]


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