NFL: Vikings preparing as if Favre won't play

The Minnesota Vikings are preparing this week as if Brett Favre won't be able to start against the Eagles on Sunday because of a concussion that knocked him out of the last game.

Interim coach Leslie Frazier said Favre's status would be day to day. He'll take daily tests until he's cleared by the team's medical staff. Until then, he won't be allowed to take the field.

Frazier said the plan was to have rookie Joe Webb start Sunday unless Favre's condition improves.

Favre was not made available to the media Wednesday, when he usually holds his weekly news conference between games.

Rodgers practices. Aaron Rodgers returned to practice for the Green Bay Packers. With the playoffs still a realistic possibility, he's expected to start Sunday's game against the New York Giants.

And while Rodgers acknowledges he'll be careful about sliding instead of taking a direct hit when he scrambles in the future, he said coming back from his second concussion this season won't fundamentally change the way he plays.

Sore Sanchez says he'll play. New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez was limited in practice, but he insisted he'll be under center when the team plays at Chicago on Sunday whether or not his right shoulder is 100 percent.

The Jets (10-4) would clinch a playoff spot, their second straight under coach Rex Ryan, with a win over the Bears (10-4).

Gates to sit. Star tight end Antonio Gates likely will sit out the final two games of the regular season to rest his injured right foot in case the San Diego Chargers make the playoffs.

"I do want to get healthy," Gates said. "That's what's best for this team."

Gates has missed the last two games and four of six with a painful tear in his right plantar fascia.

Singletary keeps his secret. The San Francisco 49ers still aren't saying who their starting quarterback will be for Sunday's pivotal NFC West game against the St. Louis Rams. Even offensive coordinator Mike Johnson says he doesn't know.

Coach Mike Singletary said on Tuesday that he already had decided who would start between Alex Smith and Troy Smith but that he didn't want to announce it at the time.

A day later, Johnson said he had no knowledge of Singletary's decision.

Collie out for the year. Colts receiver Austin Collie suffered a concussion Sunday against Jacksonville, and the team placed him on injured reserve.

Though Collie is in his second year, quarterback Peyton Manning said he feels like he's losing a veteran.

Collie was injured late in the first half against Jacksonville when linebacker Daryl Smith appeared to hit him in the head with his forearm as Collie went low to make a catch. It was his second concussion of the season.

Kindle may miss 2011. Ravens rookie linebacker Sergio Kindle might be forced to miss a second straight season in 2011 because of the uncertain status of his fractured skull.

Baltimore's top draft pick this year has yet to play in the NFL. He sat out this season after falling down two flights of stairs in late July at a friend's house in Austin, Texas.

The former University of Texas star met with doctors at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore on Tuesday and wasn't given good news about his neurological condition.

"It's up in the air from what they tell me," said Kindle, who is on the reserve non-football injury list. "Basically, they're just saying they don't know. They haven't dealt with an injury like mine before."