Pro Football Connection

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Tampa Bay TE Alex Smith was downgraded after his ankle kept him from practicing on Thursday in preparation for Week 12 at Detroit. Smith was able to practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday but could not go the next day. The Pewter Report notes Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden was asked if Smith was a long shot to play in Week 12 at Detroit and the Super Bowl winner said, "Based on today, I'd say that. But we'll give him another day and see how he feels."

Eagles RB Brian Westbrook sat out another practice Thursday to rest the high ankle sprain and cracked ribs plaguing him for the last month. Westbrook will be listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Baltimore.

Steven Jackson's persistent thigh injury is no surprise to Rams coach Jim Haslett, who factored in down time after the running back's 27-day training camp holdout. "It happens all the time," Haslett said. "You can run all you want, you can lift weights all you want, but until you put pads on and you actually cut and move at full speed, you can't replicate that until you actually do it." Haslett noted it's the same in any sport, that the body needs time to adjust. "That goes back to when I was playing," said Haslett, a former NFL linebacker. "Guys that don't go to training camp get hurt." Jackson will miss his fourth game in five weeks when the Rams (2-8) play the Bears (5-5) on Sunday. He disagreed Thursday with Haslett's blanket assessment, countering that injuries are bound to occur to players who take a pounding.

New Orleans TE Jeremy Shockey (ankle) was able to practice in full on Thursday in preparation for Week 12 vs. Green Bay. Shockey caught six passes for 39 yards in Week 11 at Kansas City.

Browns QB Brady Quinn broke his right index finger during the first half of Monday night's game against the Buffalo Bills, but Cleveland's new starter stayed in and led the Browns to a 29-27 victory. Despite the injury, Quinn will try to play Sunday when the Browns host the Houston Texans. "At this point, it's just a little sore," he said before practice on Thursday. "Just doing the best we can to take all the precautions to make sure it's all right." Quinn didn't seem to be bothered by the finger while throwing during the 30-minute segment of practice open to the media. He didn't favor the finger while taking snaps and fired a few tight spirals while working out in the team's indoor practice facility. Later, the team's injury report said Quinn participated in the full practice.

Vikings DE Jared Allen, who's rehabilitating a sprained shoulder, did not practice Thursday.