Peppers Practices Despite Setbacks

Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers practiced Friday in Charlotte, N.C., the first time this week he hit the field in preparation for the NFC championship game against Seattle.

Peppers sat out Wednesday and Thursday with a shoulder injury, then an illness. He’s still listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Seahawks.

“He practiced today and he felt much better,” Coach John Fox said. “He’s still day to day on the shoulder.”

Asked whether he had a feeling whether Peppers would play Sunday, Fox said, “I do, but I’m not willing to share it.”

However, fellow defensive end Mike Rucker said he was confident Peppers would be a go against Seattle.

“He’s doing good,” Rucker said. “There’s not going to be too many things holding the big man down.”

Everyone else on Carolina’s injury report practiced Friday.

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A rock was thrown through the front window at the Stockton, Calif., home of Pete Morelli, an NFL referee who made an incorrect call in last Sunday’s playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts.

Morelli also is a high school principal, and police said it was unclear whether the incident was related to his school job or his role as a referee.

Morelli, who has been an NFL official for nine years, overturned on replay an interception by Pittsburgh’s Troy Polamalu. The league said Monday that Morelli should have let the call on the field stand.

Police said they have no suspects in the rock-throwing incident.

“There are no leads to follow up on,” said Stockton police spokesman Pete Smith. “We don’t have any idea of the motivating factor.”

The grapefruit-sized rock was thrown at the home Monday night, Smith said. Neither Morelli nor his wife, who also was home at the time, was injured.