NFL-National Football League roundup

Dec 24 (The Sports Xchange) - Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart will miss his second straight game because of a sprained left foot. Carolina coach Ron Rivera said Stewart had made progress but not enough to play Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. The Panthers will use Cameron Artis-Payne, Fozzy Whittaker and Mike Tolbert to fill in for Stewart, who is 11 yards shy of his second career 1,000-yard season. Stewart was injured during Carolina's 38-0 victory over the Falcons on Dec. 13. - - - It might be Garrett Grayson at quarterback when the New Orleans Saints host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Head coach Sean Payton said Drew Brees is in pain and his foot injury is unlikely to improve until the offseason when torn plantar fascia can be addressed. Brees has not yet accepted the need for a backup plan. He insisted that he will play against the Jaguars. - - - Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant continues to be limited with a foot injury. He did not practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday, but he is not expected to miss Sunday's game in Buffalo. Coach Jason Garrett said Bryant's status against the Bills would be a medical decision. Bryant was sidelined for five games earlier this season after fracturing the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during the season opener, but he played the past eight games. Bryant caught his third touchdown of the season against the Jets last week, hauling in a 10-yard score from quarterback Kellen Moore. - - - Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson sat out practice for the second consecutive day with a sprained ankle and his status is uncertain for Sunday's game against the New York Giants. Peterson injured his left ankle during last Sunday's victory over the Chicago Bears. Coach Mike Zimmer remains hopeful that Peterson will be available for Sunday's game. Zimmer had thought Peterson would return to practice on Thursday. Peterson leads the NFL with 1,314 rushing yards, nine ahead of Tampa Bay's Doug Martin. - - - Tyler Eifert was on the field for the start of the Cincinnati Bengals' practice Thursday, but the Pro Bowl tight end was not a participant for the second consecutive day. NFL Network reported Wednesday that Eifert would not play Monday at Denver because of a head injury. However, the Bengals denied he was ruled out. Eifert left in the first half of the Dec. 13 loss to Pittsburgh after taking a hit from Steelers safety Mike Mitchell, who was fined $23,152 for the play. Eifert, 25, worked out on the side of practice Wednesday. He has career highs in receptions (48), yards (564) and touchdowns (12) this season. The Bengals also signed cornerback Chris Lewis-Harris to the 53-man roster and waived rookie cornerback Troy Hill. - - - The Arizona Cardinals re-signed running back Marion Grice to the practice squad and released running back Abou Toure from the practice squad, the team announced. Grice played in 10 games for Arizona last year and was released shortly before the 2015 season began. He spent three weeks on the Detroit Lions' practice squad earlier this season. Grice was a sixth-round draft choice by the San Diego Chargers in 2014. - - - Atlanta Falcons rookie running back Tevin Coleman entered the league concussion protocol after slipping in the shower. Coach Dan Quinn offered few details on the matter but said Coleman would be treated for a head injury. That likely puts his status in doubt for Sunday's game with only two days of preparation before the Falcons play host to the Carolina Panthers in a game that could eliminate Atlanta from the postseason picture. The third-round pick is averaging 4.5 yards per carry and is second behind Devonta Freeman with 392 rushing yards. - - - (Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)