NFL Notes

With fractured ankle taped, Favre returns to practice field

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre was on the field for drills Friday for the first time this week. He had tape on his left ankle, which has two fractures, threatening his ability to play on Sunday at New England. Favre threw a few easy passes in warm-ups, but he didn't roll out or take any deep drop-backs while reporters were allowed to watch. At one point, someone tossed a ball Favre's way as he lightly jogged up the field and he was nimble enough to make a stutter-step catch after a slight jump. Coach Brad Childress has said he won't let Favre's streak affect the decision on whether to play the 41-year-old quarterback, who has started an NFL-record 291 consecutive games. Favre has both a stress fracture and an avulsion fracture in the foot, which was hurt in Sunday's loss at Green Bay.

More NFL notes: Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel missed practice for a third straight day because of a sore left hamstring and is doubtful for Sunday night's game against the New Orleans Saints. … Houston Texans owner Bob McNair ordered the team's staff to go through the locker room to make sure no players are using banned substances. USA Today first reported that the Texans had staff members remove any products from lockers that are not approved by the NFL. Two of Houston's players — left tackle Duane Brown and linebacker Brian Cushing — served four-game suspensions for different violations of the league's policy on banned substances. … Sunday's San Francisco-Denver game marks the fourth regular-season game to be played in London, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the success of the previous three sellouts has buoyed his hopes to succeed with his ultimate expansion goal — having a full-time franchise in London. "Each year, the different barometers indicate that our popularity continues to rise," Goodell said in London. "I think the next step will be multiple games [in Europe]. And if that's successful, then I think the idea of a franchise here is realistic." Goodell would not give any hints about a timeline for putting a team in London "other than as fast as is practical. Once we've got the logistics, which I think we have, then it's just a question of the growth of the marketplace," Goodell said. "And that's where we believe playing multiple games will demonstrate that there is a strong foundation for American football. Fans want to see it, there are partners that will support it. … And when you can get to that point, I think you've given yourself a great deal of confidence that a franchise here would be successful."

Et Cetera

Maryland women's basketball No. 21 in preseason AP poll

The Maryland women's basketball team is ranked No. 21 in the 2010 Preseason Associated Press poll. The Terps have begun six of their past seven seasons ranked in the AP Top 25. Maryland earned 134 points to earn a spot in the first ranking of the season. The Terrapins will face at least four ranked opponents this year: No. 13 Georgetown and Atlantic Coast Conference opponents No. 6 Duke, No. 15 North Carolina and No. 18 Florida State. The Terps could face No. 14 St. John's on Dec. 29 in the annual Terrapin Classic. ACC schools Georgia Tech, North Carolina State and Miami also received votes.

Women's college soccer: American (6-10-3, 2-2-3 Patriot League) scored two goals in the final three minutes to overtake host Navy, 3-2. With the loss, Navy (9-8-3, 2-3-2) fails to qualify for the league tournament and its season comes to an end. … Led by two goals from senior forward Omolyn Davis, George Mason (11-7-1, 7-4-0) secured a berth in the Colonial Athletic Association tournament with a 2-0 victory over host Towson (6-11-3, 2-8-1). The second-leading scorer in the CAA, Davis recorded her third two-goal game of the season as the Patriots earned their first tournament berth since 2007. They will either be the third or fourth seed in the four-team field, depending on the result of the Georgia State-UNC Wilmington match, which will be played today. Junior goalkeeper Alex Bodenschatz and the Patriots' defense limited Towson to just seven shots in the second half en route to their sixth shutout of the season. Junior goalkeeper Jocelyn Papciak (Atholton) made five saves for the Tigers. The loss ended the careers of senior defenders Melissa Gomes (John Carroll) and Samantha Young (Severna Park), who were honored in pre-game ceremonies. … Jasmyne Spencer's goal in the 62nd minute capped another come-from-behind victory for the host No. 3/5 Maryland (14-2-1 overall, 6-2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) as it knocked off No. 8/9 Florida State, 2-1, on Thursday night. Both squads are tied for second in the ACC standings with Virginia at 19 points, but Maryland holds victories over the Seminoles (12-4-1, 6-2-1) and the Cavaliers. Maryland's 14 regular-season wins are the third-most in school history, trailing on the 1995 team (15) and the 1996 squad (17). Jasmyne Spencer's goals gives her 19 for her career, tying her for ninth on the all-time goals list with Katie Ludwig.

College volleyball: UMBC (9-13, 5-2 America East) earned its first regular-season sweep of Binghamton on Friday, defeating the Bearcats, 26-24, 25-17, 25-15. With the win, the Retrievers move into a tie for first place with Albany, which they play Sunday at 1 p.m.

Capitals: Tonight in Calgary, Washington Capitals right wing Mike Knuble will play his 900 NHL game. He will be the 57th all-time player to reach 900 games in the league. During his career, Knuble, 38, has won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings (1997, 1998) and has played in the Stanley Cups playoffs eight out of his 13 seasons in the NHL. He has seven consecutive 20-goal seasons, one of only nine players to do that in that span. The Toronto, Ontario, native has 486 points (245 goals, 241 assists) and is a plus 84 in 899 NHL games.

—From Sun staff and news services