Updated: 4 p.m.
Pro Bowl WILL linebacker Vontaze Burfict worked on the side Friday in his jersey and helmet, which makes him probable for next week against Carolina. But it still makes him a longshot for Sunday night's game (8:30-Cincinnati's Channel 5) in New England as he progresses through the NFL concussion protocol and was officially marked as doubtful.
So was wide receiver Marvin Jones after he missed his third straight practice since he tweaked his ankle Monday. Right guard Kevin Zeitler (calf) is getting closer but was called doubtful and defensive tackle Brandon Thompson (knee) was ruled out for the second straight game.
Wide receiver A.J. Green (toe) surfaced on the injury report for the first time this week Friday when he went limited but was marked probable. Green missed most of the Sept. 14 win over Atlanta with the injury to his big toe, but came back to have a 102-yard game in the Sept. 21 win over Tennessee and hadn't been on the report since.
Defensive lineman Margus Hunt (shoulder) was called questionable after he went limited the past two days and defensive lineman Robert Geathers (toe) was called probable after being limited the last two days. For the second day this week on Friday, Mike Pollak (knee), expected to start in place of Zeitler, didn't work but he was called probable.
Burfict worked on the side the with head strength and conditioning coach Chip Morton and assistant Jeff Friday using a medicine ball and a pulley for stretching. And he was able to get in couple of throws with linebacker Rey Maualuga, cornerback Terence Newman and linebackers coach Paul Guenther in their weekly game of throw-the-football-in-the net in the most work he's done since suffering his second concussion in as many weeks Sept. 14 in the victory over Atlanta.
WEATHER UPDATE: The National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio is calling for a chilly, mostly clear night Sunday in Foxboro, Mass. The game kicks off in 53 degrees with a southwest wind of six miles per hour. No chance of rain with temperatures falling to 48 degrees by the end of the game.
WHAT'S IN A NAME?: On Friday Bengals rookie cornerback Darqueze Dennard (pronounced de-Nard) tried to explain why his cousin, Patriots cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, pronounces it Denn-ard.
"It's funny to me. It's crazy how stuff just works out. I don't pay attention to it,' he said before Friday's practice.
Asked who pronounces it the right way, Dennard said, "Probably him. Definitely him."
Apparently Darqueze's mother preferred de-Nard, but it hasn't stopped the two from becoming close since they became older. They didn't get to know each other until Darqueze went to high school near his home of Dry Branch , Ga., and he watched Alfonzo play at rival Wilcox High School about 20 minutes away from his home. When Alfonzo went to the Pats in the seventh round in 2012, Darqueze followed in the first round.
"It must be in our genes," Darqueze said. "I just talked to him last night. We don't talk much about football. We were talking trash to each other about playing (the video game) NBA 2K."
