New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola, who underwent offseason surgery on his left knee and a procedure to remove bone spurs from his ankle, provided an update on his status Tuesday.I feel really good. I had a couple minor procedures done after the season. Everybody knows how long the season can be. I wanted to go into next season feeling as fresh and ready as I can, Amendola said on ESPNs NFL Insiders.Amendolas situation was previously referred to as minor and not a long-term concern, according to sources, although he did not participate in spring practices.All Patriots players are scheduled to report for training camp by July 27, with the first practice the next day. Amendola said on NFL Insiders that he plans to spend time in California before then. He said veteran defensive end Chris Long -- his former teammate with the Rams -- is one player who stood out in spring practices because of his extremely high motor.With the Patriots preparing for the possibility that third-year quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo might be thrust into the lineup should Tom Brady serve a four-game suspension, Amendola was asked what Garoppolo brings to the offense.Hes a great player, Amendola said. Hes been in the system a couple of years now and hes learned a lot. Hes picked up everything that Tom has taught him and then also what Coach [Bill] Belichick has to offer him. So were all excited to see where he goes and see what the future holds for him. Old Skool Vans China Wholesale .ca! Hi Kerry, Heres an interesting one. I know its common knowledge that all players are responsible for their sticks. We witnessed that when Zack Kassian hit Edmontons Sam Gagner in the face after a missed check. 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GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Without Eddie Lacy, the Green Bay Packers offense has become the most pass-happy attack in the NFL.With Lacy out following ankle surgery thats sidelined him for the past four games and will keep him out Sunday night at Washington, the Packers sputtering offense has been at its best throwing early and often. Coach Mike McCarthy, however, wants to build a more balanced attack after Aaron Rodgers dropped back 59 times and handed off only 10 times in last weeks blowout loss at Tennessee.I always want to run the ball more, but I also want to throw it 55 times a game, too, McCarthy said Wednesday. Thats the way games are. You have to run the ball. Everything starts with running the football. You cant extend your offensive line and your pass-protection unit the way we have. Running the football is very important for a number of different reasons.To that end, Green Bay was awarded running back Christine Michael on waivers Wednesday. Michael joins a backfield with veteran James Starks, who returned last week after missing four games following knee surgery.Michael was released by the Seahawks on Tuesday despite being the teams leading rusher with 469 yards (4.0 average) and six touchdowns. The hope is he will help deliver the balance the failed trade with Kansas City last month for Knile Davis didnt provide. Davis carried five times for 5 yards in two games before he was released Oct. 31.It allows us to get balanced again, receiver Jordy Nelson said of Starks and before the addition of Michael. I think thats what we were able to do early in the year, just stay balanced. It allowed us to get into the play action. It makes the defense worry about another playmaker out there. I think he brings the screen game into it as well, like he did last week when he scored a touchdown on a screen.When you dont have a running back, its hard to do those things. Weve tried to manage. I think weve done a decent job with the circumstances but, hopefully, we can get some guys healthy and get back to a normal offense.The Packers offense has been anything but normal. They are paassing two-thirds of the time, the highest rate in the league.dddddddddddd Rodgers had a big game in almost upsetting Atlanta in Week 8 and rallied the team from deficits in losses to Indianapolis in Week 9 and Tennessee in Week 10. However, without the threat of a running game, the statistical production hasnt been consistently good. While Rodgers is third with 22 touchdown passes, he ranks 16th with a passer rating of 93.9, 20th with a completion rate of 63.1 percent, and 29th with 6.53 yards per dropback.Redskins cornerback Josh Norman said dont be fooled by those mediocre numbers.Hey, man, lets not get things mistaken over there, said Norman, who called Rodgers and New Englands Tom Brady the best quarterbacks in the NFL.That guy can hit you at any time, any place, anywhere, any given day, any given game, Norman added. I really dont care what the outside noise is. I know who were facing and thats a cerebral quarterback thats the best of the best at what hes doing. Regardless of what others may think of him, I know for a fact that that is the toughest quarterback challenge to face because he has everything in his toolbox, in his arsenal, to make them win.Time is of the essence for Green Bays offense to build an effective identity. With Starks and Michael, can it find balance? With Rodgers, is throwing the football repeatedly the way to go?The Packers have lost three in a row and four of their last five games. At 4-5, their best road to the playoffs is through the beleaguered NFC North, in which neither Minnesota nor Detroit (both 5-4) has seized control.It doesnt matter stats-wise if were running it a bunch of throwing it a bunch, Rodgers said. We just need to find a way to win. If weve got to throw it 60 times to win, weve done that before. Obviously, youd love to have some balance, but, at this point in the season, it comes down to winning football games.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '