**
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- **OLB DeMarcus Ware practiced for the first time since re-injuring his back on Nov. 8 as the Broncos began getting ready for Sunday's game in San Diego.
Ware spent the last three weeks on the game-day inactive list because of the injury, which was a recurrence of the one he suffered Oct. 11 at Oakland that caused him to miss the Week 6 game at Cleveland.
"He took limited reps. He looked fine," Head Coach Gary Kubiak said. "It's a day-to-day process. It sure is nice to have him back on the field today. You could feel him out there—his presence. We'll see. [He is] day-to-day, but a good step in the right direction today."
Although the Broncos have maintained a solid pass rush without Ware, he's been missed. In the games he played from start to finish and the portions of the games he didn't finish, the Broncos averaged one sack every 9.30 pass plays. Without him, their sack rate dropped to one every 14.79 pass plays.
Although Ware was back, OL Louis Vasquez, S T.J. Ward and NT Sylvester Williams were sidelined. All of them were injured last Sunday against the Patriots.
Vasquez (groin) watched from the sideline, while Ward and Williams remained inside for practice.
"T.J. is doing great. Sly is probably a little bit ahead of T.J. if I was trying to rank them one and two, but they're both totally committed to rehab right now," Kubiak said. "We'll see how much ground we make up."
QB Peyton Manning also remains in a walking boot and did not practice. His walking cast was removed Tuesday night. He is expected to resume rehabilitation work Saturday.
LG Evan Mathis practiced Wednesday. He played through an ankle injury Sunday after replacing the injured Vasquez.
WR Cody Latimer and ILB Corey Nelson missed practice Thursday to be present for the birth of their children.
Head Coach Gary Kubiak had hoped to give Mathis the Patriots game off, but he said that the veteran starter did not suffer a setback in his recovery by playing.
Emergency Room Care/ Denver ERs
HealthONE has 12 full-service emergency departments -- seven at our hospitals and five free-standing ERs. These include a Level I Trauma Center (adult and pediatric) at Swedish Medical Center; Level II Trauma Center at The Medical Center of Aurora; and Level III Trauma Center at Sky Ridge Medical Center. AIRLIFE-DENVER is our air medical transport serving facilities in an eight-state region.
The Medical Center of Aurora
Saddle Rock ER
Centennial Medical Plaza
North Suburban Medical Center
North Suburban Northeast ER
North Suburban Northwest ER
Presbyterian/ St. Luke's Medical Center
Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children at P/SL
Rose Medical Center
Sky Ridge Medical Center
Swedish Medical Center
Swedish Southwest ER
The HealthONE System of Hospitals now offers you and your family convenient ways to find the closest HealthONE ER and average wait times. HealthONE's Fast LocatER is our mobile suite of tools that you can take with you on the go.
Text "ER" to 23000
Our 24/7 Emergency Rooms for adult and pediatric patients are prepared to serve your medical emergencies. Get our average ER Wait Times by texting "ER" to 23000. Standard message and data rates may apply.
Phone Service
Prefer to call? Just dial 720-523-3888 and enter your zip code, and you will receive our closest HealthONE ERs.
