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Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green began filling out his staff Wednesday, hiring offensive coordinator Alex Wood and three other assistants.
The others are Richard Solomon (defensive backs), Kirby Wilson (running backs) and Steve Wetzel (strength and conditioning).
``Alex Wood has been destined to be one of the top coaches in the NFL for a long time,'' Green said. ``He has touched every base throughout his career. He was at Miami when its program was revitalized, he has been a head coach at James Madison and he's been very successful in the NFL with the Vikings and Bengals. He's ready for the next step.''
Green did not offer jobs to any of the 15 assistants of former coach Dave McGinnis. The housecleaning extended to former strength coach Bob Rogucki, who survived three other head coaching changes over 14 years before he was told Monday that his contract would not be renewed. Tickets
Wood, Solomon and Wetzel have ties to Green through his 10 years as coach of the Minnesota Vikings. Arizona hired Green on Jan. 7. He worked as a TV football analyst for two years after Minnesota fired him late in the 2001 season.
New England Patriots offensive lineman Damien Woody was listed as doubtful for the AFC championship game amid reports he will be out until next season with a knee injury.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick would not elaborate on the injury Wednesday, but the official injury report gives Woody a 25 percent chance of playing Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. Russ Hochstein, who started one game this season at left guard, would start in Woody's place.
``We finished the game with Russ the last week, so that's probably where we'll start then this week,'' Belichick said.
Woody was hurt on the Patriots' first play against the Tennessee Titans last
Saturday night and played intermittently in the 17-14 victory.
The Boston Globe reported Wednesday that Woody had a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee that will not require surgery but will keep him out of Sunday's game and the Feb. 1 Super Bowl, if the team advances. Woody was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Asked about the injury Sunday, Belichick said, ``If it was a broken leg, I'd tell you he had a broken leg. It's not a broken leg.''
Hochstein has played 14 games this season, filling in on the offensive line.
``I'm a backup, so I'm just doing what I can and doing what's asked of me,'' he said. ``I've filled in in a number of spots, so this is just part of the game for me.''
New England's first pick in the 1999 draft out of Boston College, Woody made the Pro Bowl last season and began this one as the team's starting center. He missed the second game of the season with a knee injury and returned for Week 3 as the starting right guard. He missed the fourth game, then started the rest of the way as left guard.
The Patriots started a different offensive line in each of the first four weeks. Since then, though, they have had the same lineup every week and have won 13 consecutive games.
``Continuity on the offensive line is really important. It's about building up trust in the guys,'' center Dan Koppen said. ``We've got trust in Russ any week when Russ is in there. The guys take their jobs seriously. The backups practice like they're going to take every snap.''
Only left tackle Matt Light has started every game at the same position. Joe Andruzzi has also started every game -- 16 at right guard and one at left guard.
``We have 53 men in here. Nobody came here to take a backup role when they're called upon,'' Andruzzi said. ``Koppen was called on in Week 2. He stepped in and did a great job. (Right tackle Tom) Ashworth, a week or two later. When called upon, you do your best.
``We're very confident in Russ. He's stepped in all year long,'' Andruzzi said. ``It's going to be a little change, but it's not going to be a huge change.''