The NFL notebook …
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler appears ready to play Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.
Cutler went through a full practice on Friday despite knee and neck problems and was officially listed as probable. The Bears ruled out receiver Earl Bennett (concussion), cornerback Tim Jennings (shoulder) and Brian Urlacher (hamstring) for the second straight week.
49ER’S SACKS
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — As Aldon Smith chases down the NFL record for sacks, his specialty becomes of particular significance this week when the San Francisco 49ers face New England and the NFL’s top-ranked offense.
The Patriots have been vulnerable most often when opponents put quarterback Tom Brady on his back.
Nobody in the league has been better at that this season than Smith. The NFL leader with 191/2 sacks, he enters Sunday night’s game three sacks short of Michael Strahan’s single-season record after recording at least one in seven consecutive games and 14 in San Francisco’s past six games.
PACKERS
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers expect to have linebacker Clay Matthews back in the lineup Sunday against the Chicago Bears and coach Mike McCarthy couldn’t be happier about it.
“I thought he looked good all week,” McCarthy said Friday after the Packers held their last practice before the game. “I look for Clay to play and make an impact in the game.”
Matthews practiced the last three days without incident. The team’s top pass rusher has missed the last four games because of a recurring hamstring injury.
BOUNTY UPDATE
METAIRIE, La. — Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt said witnesses in the NFL’s bounty investigation of the New Orleans Saints have lied about him and the organization, and that their stories might change in federal court.
Alluding to a defamation lawsuit filed by Saints linebacker Jon Vilma against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Vitt angrily said he feels the truth about the pay-for-pain system will come out before U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan, who is presiding over the pending case in New Orleans.
Vitt’s comments came a day after The Associated Press reported that former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams testified in recent NFL appeal hearings that he tried to stop the Saints’ bounty program, only to be overruled by Vitt. The AP obtained transcripts from the closed-door hearings, which were held for Vilma and three other players who had been punished in the bounty probe.
GIANTS
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants will play a critical game Sunday afternoon against the Atlanta Falcons without their leading rusher.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin confirmed that Ahmad Bradshaw will not play Sunday due to lingering knee and foot problems.
Bradshaw, who has 869 yards and five touchdowns on the ground this season, has played through injury before. But the sprained knee the six-year veteran suffered Sunday in the 52-27 win over New Orleans did not recover in time for him to practice this week.
COWBOYS
IRVING, Texas — Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant says he will play with a broken finger Sunday against Pittsburgh and there are signs that it might not be wishful thinking.
The third-year pro fractured his left index finger in last weekend’s 20-19 win at Cincinnati, but he caught a touchdown after getting injured. He will need surgery, but the question remains whether he can try to play through the injury and have surgery after the season.
FINES
NEW YORK — Jets rookie defensive lineman Quinton Coples has been fined $15,000 by the NFL on Friday for grabbing the facemask of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne.
Coples was called for a penalty when Henne scrambled for 1 yard on third-and-3 last Sunday.
Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara was fined $15,750 for a horse-collar tackle on New Orleans running back Pierre Thomas.
in New York’s 52-27 win.
Detroit offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus was docked $10,000 for a chop block in the Lions’ 27-20 loss at Green Bay.
St. Louis cornerback Cortland Finnegan was also fined $10,000 for grabbing Buffalo running back C.J. Spiller by the facemask. Chicago cornerback Charles Tillman was fined $7,875 fine for a late hit on Minnesota running back Toby Gerhart.