Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.sports From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Headline Article Date: Sat, 14 Nov 92 16:22:11 EST Message-ID: \SE D;SPORTS;PRO FOOTBALL;NFL REPORT \SS (WS) PACKERS LB NOBLE EXPECTED VS. EAGLES Linebacker Brian Noble, who suffered a bruised back last month, probably will return to action for the Green Bay Packers this weekend against the Philadelphia Eagles, coach Mike Holmgren said yesterday. Noble, an eight-year veteran, has practiced all week. He has not played since suffering major back bruises during an Oct. 25 game against Chicago. The Packers practiced indoors yesterday, as snow flurries fell and the temperature dropped to 34 degrees. The wind gusted to 23 mph and the wind chill was 13 degrees. Tomorrow's game conditions against the Eagles in Milwaukee may be a lot like yesterday's Green Bay weather. All four players on the Packers injury report practiced this week and appeared to be on course to playing Sunday. Listed as questionable were linebacker Noble and defensive end Matt Brock (neck). Cornerback Vinnie Clark (leg) and guard Frank Winters (toe) were probable. Sunday will be punter Brian Wagner's regular-season Packers debut. He re-signed with the team Monday after the Packers waived Paul McJulien. Meanwhile, Holmgren said he had a partial report from the Mayo Clinic on offensive lineman Tony Mandarich's health. Holmgren said he would read it and discuss it with Packers general manager Ron Wolf, who attended yesterday's practice. Mandarich, the Packers No. 1 draft pick in 1989 and the second man taken overall, has missed the entire season. He is on the non-football illness reserve list because of a hypoactive thyroid condition diagnosed Aug. 13. MORE COUNTERSUITS Four more present or former Cincinnati Bengals players have countersued a Washington state woman who claims she was gang raped by several Bengals players two years ago in Seattle. Altogether, 11 of the 20 men accused of rape or witnessing the rape have filed counterclaims. Safeties David Fulcher and Rickey Dixon and former cornerback Lewis Billups jointly filed their countersuit Thursday in Seattle, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported. Former running back Ickey Woods filed a separate counterclaim. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM