Patriots' Brady says he is ready to go for opener
■ Tom Brady is ready to play in the New England Patriots' opener but stopped short yesterday of saying he would.
"If it's up to me, there's no question" Brady said. "I've been getting progressively better over the past couple of weeks. I'm excited. I'm excited to start the year."
Brady, who has a right foot injury, didn't play in any of four exhibition games although he said he could have. New England lost all four exhibition games.
The Patriots will start the regular season Sunday at home against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Brady stretched and did agility drills with his teammates during the first 15 minutes of yesterday's practice to which the media were admitted.
■ NFL players will wear a uniform patch this season to honor NFL Players' Association leader Gene Upshaw, who died Aug. 20.
The league announced yesterday that the patch will have the initials GU and the number 63, which he wore while playing for the Oakland Raiders. Upshaw died of pancreatic cancer just three days after it was diagnosed.
The patch will be worn on the left chest of jerseys and is scheduled to make its debut Thursday, when the New York Giants and Washington Redskins open the season. Upshaw's wife, Terri, and his three sons will participate in the coin toss.
■ Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson, sidelined since Aug. 18 with a concussion, returned to practice and is expected to start Sunday's season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.
Coach Romeo Crennel indicated that Anderson, a Pro Bowl pick, would play against the Cowboys as long as he didn't have any setbacks during Cleveland's workout. Anderson got hurt when he was sacked by New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora in an exhibition game.
Wide receiver Braylon Edwards was also back after missing more than three weeks with a severely cut foot.
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