FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta quarterback Chris Chandler practiced Wednesday and expects to start in a key game against NFC West rival New Orleans.

        Chandler, hindered by injuries throughout his career, sprained his left ankle in last Sunday's 35-6 loss to the St.Louis Rams.

        Chandler hobbled off the field and didn't play in the second half, but he said the ankle felt much better after three days of treatment.

        “I'm lucky,” he said. “It wasn't as bad as it looked.”

        The Falcons desperately need Chandler for a game matching two 6-5 teams fighting for a wild-card playoff spot. Since the start of the 1999 season, Atlanta is 2-13 when Chandler is injured during a game or doesn't play at all.

        Michael Vick played most of the second half against the Rams.

        VIKINGS:

        Quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who has a sprained left knee, missed practice and remains questionable for Sunday's game against Tennessee. He spent half an hour riding a stationary bike on the sideline while backup Todd Bouman worked with the first-team offense.

        Culpepper said he has never missed a start due to injury in his football career. He hurt his knee Nov.25 against Chicago and was removed early in the fourth quarter last week against Pittsburgh as Bouman nearly rallied the Vikings from an 18-point deficit.

        “If I can move around better than I did last week, I probably will play,” Culpepper said.

        COLTS:

        The team, plagued all season by short kickoffs and facing another possible blow with an injury to kicker Mike Vanderjagt, has signed veteran Doug Brien.

        To make room for Brien, the team released veteran defensive back Thomas Smith, signed in September after being waived by the Chicago Bears.

        Brien, who also played for Colts coach Jim Mora for two seasons at New Orleans, will be used on kickoffs. But another factor is the questionable status of Vanderjagt, the NFL's career leader in field goal accuracy, who strained a muscle in his lower back in last week's game at Baltimore.

        CHARGERS:

        Cornerback Scott Turner, who played with the team the last three seasons, was re-signed.

        Turner played in all 16 games last year, making two starts and intercepting one pass. He is insurance for rookie Tay Cody, who sprained his right ankle in a 13-10 overtime loss at Seattle and is questionable for Sunday's game at Philadelphia.

        Cody started the last seven games in place of Alex Molden, who had surgery on Nov. 13 to repair a ligament in his left ankle.

        JAGUARS:

        Receiver Alvis Whitted was waived, a move made because of salary-cap and injury concerns, as well as Whitted's lack of productivity.

        The Jaguars replaced Whitted with linebacker Joe Wesley. Middle linebacker Kevin Hardy (knee) is listed as questionable, and outside linebacker T.J. Slaughter (knee) is out for Sunday's game against the Bengals.

        Coughlin conceded that Whitted might still be on the roster had he not dropped a catchable ball on third-and-12 on Jacksonville's final drive in a 28-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Monday. Mark Brunell fumbled the next play to essentially end the game.

        PATRIOTS:

        Terry Glenn was not at practice and coach Bill Belichick hinted soon there could be a resolution in the one-time star receiver's festering relationship with the team.

        “I expect to get together with him soon,” Belichick told reporters. “He's not here today, and that's really all there is to it.”

        CARDINALS:

        Arizona may be without its starting guards when the Cards go after their fourth victory in a row, against Washington.

        Left guard Pete Kendall will miss several weeks with a sprained left foot, and right guard Leonard Davis is questionable with back spasms.

        BRONCOS:

        Although disappointed and confused by the ruling, Denver coach Mike Shanahan said the Broncos will abide by an NFL decision that will cost the team a third-round draft choice and a fine of nearly $1 million.

        NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue found the Broncos guilty of violating guidelines under the league's deferred compensation fund.

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