Jones-Drew on tweet about Cutler: 'I didn't do anything wrong'

People who expect Maurice Jones-Drew to apologize for his tweet criticizing Jay Cutler's toughness will be disappointed.

Jones-Drew told NFL Network's Kara Henderson in an interview that aired Tuesday he doesn't regret his January post, which caused a backlash and even incited death threats from Chicago Bears fans who backed the team's quarterback.

"I haven't gotten a chance to, but I wouldn't apologize because I didn't do anything wrong, I don't think," said Jones-Drew, the Jacksonville Jaguars' two-time Pro Bowl running back. "I didn't commit a crime. I didn't kill anyone or rape anyone or anything like that. I mean, I stated my opinion, and it seems like you get more backlash for that than committing a real crime in some sense.

"I don't know, I don't feel I did anything wrong. I just said what everybody else was thinking at the time."

What Jones-Drew tweeted during the Jan. 23 NFC Championship Game was a direct shot at Cutler, who left with a knee injury in the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers with a Super Bowl berth on the line.

"Hey I think the urban meyer rule is effect right now... When the going gets tough........QUIT," Jones-Drew posted on his Twitter page.

The nature of Cutler's injury was unknown during the game, but it later was revealed as a sprained medial collateral ligament. Even with that knowledge, Jones-Drew insists that he doesn't have any regrets.

"I don't regret anything I do," said Jones-Drew, who played through a knee injury of his own last season before missing the final two games. "I mean, you think about everything you put out there anyway. I'm not one of these guys who's going to say, 'Well, I shouldn't have done it,' because I did it. I mean, I knew what I was doing when I tweeted it. I just didn't know that many people were following me (on Twitter) at the time."

Jones-Drew might have led the way, but he wasn't the only player to criticize Cutler. Darnell Dockett of the Arizona Cardinals and Bruce Gradkowski, then of the Oakland Raiders, were some of the current and former NFL players who took shots at Cutler via Twitter.

Cutler has said he isn't bothered by what happened and appreciates how his teammates, most notably linebacker Brian Urlacher, came to his defense in the immediate aftermath of the Bears' 21-14 loss.

"That's all new," Cutler said last month when he reported to training camp. "That's never been an issue for me. I've never been questioned about it. I didn't really know how to react to it. I know that anyone who has played with knee (injuries) should never question that. I know the guys in the locker room aren't going to. You can't get caught up in that stuff. ... You're going to have to take it as it is and move on."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Will Favre play? 'Wouldn't put anything past me,' QB says

The signs of progress are small but noticeable for Brett Favre.

Favre missed his second consecutive day of practice Thursday for the Minnesota Vikings, but he walked around the facility without the oversized boot that had been protecting an injury that is putting his NFL-record 291 consecutive-starts streak in jeopardy.

The 41-year-old quarterback limped through the locker room with a heavy wrap on his ankle, which was injured during Sunday night's loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Asked if he thought he could play this weekend against the New England Patriots, Favre said: "I wouldn't put anything past me, to be honest with you."

One day earlier, the quarterback had lobbied to start.

Favre has a stress fracture in his left ankle as well as an avulsion fracture -- in which a bone fragment is torn away from the bone at the tendon or ligament -- in his left heel. He consulted with the doctors who performed surgery on his ankle this summer, to get him ready for a 20th NFL season, and was told that the injury wouldn't worsen by playing on it.

"He's been a little better every day," Vikings coach Brad Childress said Thursday. "Whether it's good enough to play in an NFL football game remains to be seen. Just have to take it a day at a time."

Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said he would be surprised if Favre doesn't start.

"Surprising would probably be a good word," Bevell said during his weekly news conference. "He's never not been out there, so it would probably be a surprise.

"I was there (in Green Bay), and he broke the thumb. Immediately, the doctor said, 'Hey, we've got to pin it, and you're going to be out six to eight weeks.' In his mind, he said, 'Well, wait a minute, I just played really well.' We didn't know it was broken. He said, 'I'm going to give it a shot.' He played with that as well. It would surprise me if he wasn't able to be out there."

Favre's current injury presents a different set of problems, specifically with his mobility in the pocket.

"The thing that's kept (Favre) playing for so long is his ability, similar to Tom Brady, being able to have that innate feel in the pocket," Bevell said. "He feels the pressure, he can slide, he can step up. It doesn't have to be huge movements of escaping the pocket, it's just being able to have that feel and still be able to stick your foot in the ground and to step up and step to the side and have that type of mobility."

Favre was still in pain as he hobbled around Thursday -- he was looking for a size 15 shoe for his left foot; he normally wears a 14 -- but that's nothing new for the NFL's version of Iron Man. Favre has played in 315 consecutive games, including playoffs, by far the longest streak in league history.

"That's legendary, honestly," Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe said. "Let's be real: 291 games straight. First thing that comes to my mind is, of course, I'm a little jealous. That's something that wows me as well.

"I'm pretty sure it's important to him. But I know that the team's welfare is more important to him. I'm pretty sure he'll make the best decision for the team."

Friday appears to be a big day for Favre's chances to play Sunday against the Patriots. He said Wednesday he hoped to get out on the practice field at least on a limited basis by Friday. The team will issue the final injury report of the week for him Friday afternoon, declaring him out, doubtful or probable to play.

"It's going to take the sky to fall for him not to go out there," Shiancoe said.

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If Favre cannot play, Tarvaris Jackson would step in for his first start since a divisional playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at the end of the 2008 season.

It has been a trying season for Favre. He already has thrown more interceptions (10) than he did all of last season (7) and has a 68.0 passer rating, which ranks 30th in the league -- above only Arizona's Derek Anderson and Carolina's Matt Moore and Jimmy Clausen.

Off the field, Favre is the subject of an NFL investigation into allegations that he sent inappropriate messages to a New York Jets employee when both worked for the team in 2008. Favre has spoken to league officials about the matter, but the woman who allegedly received the messages has not.

Jenn Sterger's manager, Phil Reese, said Thursday that she hasn't met with league investigators. Reese didn't say if any meetings with the league are planned but that "she is strongly considering it and is leaning towards it."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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