CHIEFS’ HALI PLANS TO PLAY AGAINST BRONCOS
Kansas City: Pass rusher Tamba Hali plans to play in Sunday’s matchup against the Denver Broncos despite spraining his right ankle in last weekend’s loss to San Diego.
The two-time Pro Bowl linebacker rolled over his right ankle in the first half of a 41-38 loss to the Chargers. He watched the second half from the training room with injured teammate Justin Houston, and said initially that he thought the injury might be serious.
Hali, who has nine sacks on the season, went through a walkthrough Wednesday and said that he wants to play against the Broncos. Both teams are 9-2 and tied atop the AFC West, though Denver has already beaten Kansas City once this season. Green Bay: QB Aaron Rodgers will miss his third consecutive game, and Matt Flynn will become the Packers’ fourth starting quarterback of the season today when the Packers play the Lions in Detroit.
Rodgers, who suffered a fractured left collarbone Nov. 4 against Chicago on the opening possession of the game and has watched his team go 0-3-1 since the injury, practiced on Tuesday but was ruled out by coach Mike McCarthy on Wednesday.
The Packers (5-5-1) are hoping Rodgers will return for their Dec. 8 game against Atlanta at Lambeau Field. Denver: The Broncos have placed DT Kevin Vickerson on season-ending injured reserve with a dislocated hip and have signed Sione Fua.
Vickerson was injured in the Broncos’ loss at New England Sunday night. He’s the second Denver defensive starter to get hurt this month, joining S Rahim Moore (leg), who was put on recallable IR.
Vickerson was in the midst of a solid season, helping Denver rank fourth against the run and collecting 22 tackles and one sack, which came against Tom Brady in the first quarter Sunday night before he got hurt.