Warner Not a Smooth Talker Yet

St. Louis Ram quarterback Kurt Warner gave his voice more of a test in practice Friday, and the team expects no problems in Sunday’s playoff game against Green Bay.

Warner’s vocal cords were bruised in the regular-season finale Jan. 6 when he took a blow to the throat. He hasn’t talked to reporters since then, but has been speaking softly in the huddle and on the line of scrimmage.

His voice was inaudible from the sidelines on Thursday, and could barely be heard Friday. He also began talking in meetings on Thursday.

“They evaluated him again last night and he’s not quite completely normal,” Coach Mike Martz said. “But he’s as close as you can get without being normal.

“They called it miraculous how well and how fast his throat has healed.”

Against the Packers, Warner will wear an elongated facemask designed to protect him against further injury.

Offensive tackle Ryan Tucker has not practiced all week because of a sprained ankle sustained in the season finale, and backup Rod Jones likely will start in his place. Jones started one game, against the Jets in Week 6, and has played as a reserve in five others.

For the first time all season, Ram players will spend the night before the game in a hotel. Martz said it will help eliminate distractions for him as well.

“In a game like this, there’s so many friends and relatives in town for the players and coaches alike that it gives them an opportunity to get away from everything and stay focused on the game,” Martz said. “Even my own relatives, they don’t fully understand the day of the game or the day before the game, trying to get yourself ready to play emotionally and mentally.”

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Green Bay Packer Coach Mike Sherman has decided to use Allen Rossum on kickoff returns instead of Dorsey Levens in Sunday’s playoff game at St. Louis.

Rossum hasn’t returned a kickoff since Thanksgiving, but Levens has a tender left shoulder. Tod McBride will be used as Rossum’s lead blocker.

“Dorsey dinged that shoulder, and I really need him to help us on the offensive side of the ball,” Sherman said. “If, in fact, we need him back there we’ll put him back there. But right now, we’re going to go with Rossum and McBride back there.”

Rossum, in his first game since arthroscopic knee surgery in late November, returned punts in Green Bay’s first-round playoff victory over San Francisco last week. But he also interfered with Levens on two kickoff returns, which netted only 24 yards. Levens was injured on the second return.

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Chicago Bear offensive guard Rex Tucker practiced for a second day and expects to play in today’s playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Tucker has been nursing a strained calf since the Bears’ regular-season finale against Jacksonville. He missed most of the second half of that game.

“It’s taken longer than I wanted to, I think,” Tucker said. “It’s feeling OK today.”

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Here’s the Swoop

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