FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) - Ty Law has been riding an exercise bike instead of backpedaling to cover receivers. He'd prefer to get off the bike and back on the field for the New England Patriots before the playoffs.
"I feel like the Tour de France right now," the four-time Pro Bowl cornerback said Wednesday. "I probably can do a couple of miles."
Law just had the cast taken off his broken left foot this week, wears a removable boot to take pressure off it and watches his team - and its inexperienced cornerbacks - keep winning without him.
He was injured Oct. 31 at Pittsburgh and feels fortunate that he didn't need surgery. Since that game, New England's only loss this season, the Patriots are 4-0. His replacements include Troy Brown, the third leading receiver in club history, rookie free agent Randall Gay and ex-practice squad player Earthwind Moreland.
"The young guys are getting a lot of experience. The team is doing great and they're holding down the fort till I get back," Law said.
They've also filled in for the other starting cornerback, Tyrone Poole, who missed the last six games with a knee injury and appears closer to returning than Law.
"Day by day, week by week," Poole said Wednesday. "We're 10-1. We're in a good seat so there's no need to rush it."
Poole was on the field before last Sunday's 24-3 home win over Baltimore "just to test" his knee, he said. "Why go out and risk injury?"
New England (10-1) has simplified the cornerback assignments without Law and Poole. When they do return, the team should be much deeper at that position. Both players would like to return for a few regular-season games to get ready for the playoffs.
"It's whatever my body can tolerate," said Law, who often has played with injuries during his 10-year career. "When can I come back? That, I don't know. I'm just trying to get back as soon as possible, but I think that I'll be back, definitely, a few games (before the end of) the regular season."
Law, a first-round pick from Michigan, remains one of the NFL's top cornerbacks and has been chosen for the last three Pro Bowls. They'll need him in the playoffs when they could face Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts (8-3), against whom Law had three interceptions in last season's AFC championship game.
One lesson he learned is that no matter how tough he is or how much pain tolerance he has, some injuries just won't allow him to play.
This is one of them.
"I thought I could play through anything," Law said. "I've had so many injuries throughout my career that I was still able to play. Even if I wasn't 100 percent, I was good enough to do my job and this one right here stopped me."
And doctors told him, "If I did do something stupid I could end my career."
So he resists the temptation to do too much too soon and does what the doctors tell him.
There's one ride, though, that he refused to take when he was hurt even though he first thought the injury might be minor. Then he tried to walk and couldn't.
"I wasn't about to start waving and get carted off. But I want to tell you a little secret, though," Law said with a smile. "When we got in that tunnel? 'Bring that cart. Bring that cart. I need it.' When nobody was looking? 'Bring that cart.' "
Associated Press
"I feel like the Tour de France right now," the four-time Pro Bowl cornerback said Wednesday. "I probably can do a couple of miles."
Law just had the cast taken off his broken left foot this week, wears a removable boot to take pressure off it and watches his team - and its inexperienced cornerbacks - keep winning without him.
He was injured Oct. 31 at Pittsburgh and feels fortunate that he didn't need surgery. Since that game, New England's only loss this season, the Patriots are 4-0. His replacements include Troy Brown, the third leading receiver in club history, rookie free agent Randall Gay and ex-practice squad player Earthwind Moreland.
"The young guys are getting a lot of experience. The team is doing great and they're holding down the fort till I get back," Law said.
They've also filled in for the other starting cornerback, Tyrone Poole, who missed the last six games with a knee injury and appears closer to returning than Law.
"Day by day, week by week," Poole said Wednesday. "We're 10-1. We're in a good seat so there's no need to rush it."
Poole was on the field before last Sunday's 24-3 home win over Baltimore "just to test" his knee, he said. "Why go out and risk injury?"
New England (10-1) has simplified the cornerback assignments without Law and Poole. When they do return, the team should be much deeper at that position. Both players would like to return for a few regular-season games to get ready for the playoffs.
"It's whatever my body can tolerate," said Law, who often has played with injuries during his 10-year career. "When can I come back? That, I don't know. I'm just trying to get back as soon as possible, but I think that I'll be back, definitely, a few games (before the end of) the regular season."
Law, a first-round pick from Michigan, remains one of the NFL's top cornerbacks and has been chosen for the last three Pro Bowls. They'll need him in the playoffs when they could face Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts (8-3), against whom Law had three interceptions in last season's AFC championship game.
One lesson he learned is that no matter how tough he is or how much pain tolerance he has, some injuries just won't allow him to play.
This is one of them.
"I thought I could play through anything," Law said. "I've had so many injuries throughout my career that I was still able to play. Even if I wasn't 100 percent, I was good enough to do my job and this one right here stopped me."
And doctors told him, "If I did do something stupid I could end my career."
So he resists the temptation to do too much too soon and does what the doctors tell him.
There's one ride, though, that he refused to take when he was hurt even though he first thought the injury might be minor. Then he tried to walk and couldn't.
"I wasn't about to start waving and get carted off. But I want to tell you a little secret, though," Law said with a smile. "When we got in that tunnel? 'Bring that cart. Bring that cart. I need it.' When nobody was looking? 'Bring that cart.' "
Associated Press
