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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Another week, another round of Gronk questions. And another few days before it becomes clearer whether the New England Patriots star tight end might make his 2013 debut Sunday. Rob Gronkowski has missed all five games while recovering from off-season surgeries on his left forearm and back. But hes getting closer to playing and that could happen against the unbeaten New Orleans Saints on Sunday, which should help the Patriots struggling offence. A person with knowledge of Gronkowskis health says doctors havent cleared him to play yet and wont know for a few days. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no official announcement was made. Gronkowski participated in practice on a limited basis on Wednesday. ProFootballTalk.com reported Tuesday that he is expected to be cleared to play this week and that its likely but not definite that hell play. Gronkowski has been asked about his status on Wednesdays throughout the season. But hes shed little light on when he might return, saying repeatedly hes taking it "day by day." He skipped this weeks media availability Wednesday and was expected to speak Thursday. Quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick also get peppered with questions about when Gronkowski will return but provide little insight. "Whenever that happens, who knows?" Brady said Wednesday. "I feel like Ive kind of talked about it a lot the past five weeks. If he is there, hes there. If hes not, hes not. Were going to try to win anyway." Belichick answered several questions about Gronkowski on Wednesday. His response to three of them: "day to day." And how did he look in practice? "He practiced," Belichick said. The interest in Gronkowski has intensified as Brady and the Patriots offence have been inconsistent. But the team is 4-1, so rushing Gronkowski back hasnt been imperative. And the Patriots are still favourites to win the AFC East even though Miami (3-2) and the New York Jets (3-2) are off to decent starts. That said, the Patriots are 24th in the NFL in scoring after leading the league last year. Brady is 22nd in passer rating after ranking sixth in 2012. So, clearly, Gronkowski, who has 187 catches in his 43 games with the Patriots, would help, especially in the red zone. After all, this season, New England tight ends have five receptions -- total. "When you get down in the red zone, you want to score a touchdown," rookie receiver Kenbrell Thompkins said. "You dont want to score three points. Sometimes when you score three points, it can hurt you and, unfortunately, thats what cost us in the Cincinnati game." The Patriots reached the red zone just once in last Sundays 13-6 loss to the Bengals but settled for a field goal after getting a first down at the 1-yard line. "Whoever is out there, whatever personnel, every play is designed to make positive yards, and a lot of them are designed to score touchdowns," Brady said. "But they dont always do that, so were trying to figure out how to do that and do better than what weve done the first five weeks." The 6-foot-6 Gronkowski could make a huge difference with his strong hands, ability to shield the ball from defenders and skill at reaching for passes with his long arms. The Patriots didnt put him on the physically unable to perform list at the start of the season. That would have required him to miss the first six games and barred him from practice. He hasnt missed a practice since the season began and could be back for the sixth game on Sunday. He was listed as questionable for the past three games after being doubtful for the previous two. The final injury report comes out after Fridays practice. "Hes a beast, man. I cant wait to see him, whenever he gets backs," receiver Aaron Dobson said. "Being out there practicing with him kind of gives you a feel of being out there but in a game ... it could be different." Gronkowski is also a quality safety valve, a player Brady can dump the ball off to when pressured. "Hes got a lot of excitement and brings a lot of energy to the team. Hes a great player," Brady said. "Im just kind of waiting like everyone else. Whenever it is, it is. Were 4-1. Weve won four games without him. If he is not there this week, weve got to try to go 5-1 anyway. "Hopefully, when he does get back out there, we will be more productive." Greg Maddux Jersey .“I always did my stuff ahead of the deadline. The best deal Ive ever done was the Darryl Sydor deal. We did that at the end of January in 04, and Syd was the missing piece. Sammy Sosa Jersey . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. http://www.thecubsteamshop.com/Cubs-Joe-Maddon-Kids-Jersey/ . Reimer is winless (0-2-1) since returning from a six-week absence due to concussion-like symptoms. The Maple Leafs dropped a 4-2 decision to the hosting Washington Capitals on Friday. Andre Dawson Jersey . Hamelin overcame a weak start to win bronze in the 500-metre race behind winner Wu Dajing of China and American J.R. Celski on Saturday at the world short track speed skating championship. Javier Baez Jersey . Obasi chested the ball past one defender, prodded it past another and then rounded the keeper before scoring from a tight angle in the 16th minute. Seconds after the restart, Obasi set up Klaas Jan Huntelaar for the Dutchmans 11th goal from 13 games this season.Paris, France (SportsNetwork.com) - Rising Romanian Simona Halep whipped former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and resurgent German Andrea Petkovic upset 2012 runner-up Sara Errani in a pair of lopsided quarterfinal matches Wednesday at the French Open. Both Halep and Petkovic will now play in their first-ever Grand Slam semifinals. The fourth-seeded Halep handled the 27th-seeded Russian Kuznetsova 6-2, 6-2 on Court Lenglen and the 28th-seeded former top-10 star Petkovic played her best match of the fortnight in whipping the 10th-seeded Italian Errani 6-2, 6-2 on Chatrier in a pair of matches that started under overcast skies following a three-hour rain delay. The veteran Kuznetsova was slowed by a left leg injury on Day 11. Errani was the Roland Garros runner-up to Maria Sharapova two years ago and lost to eventual champion Serena Williams in the semifinals last year, while the two-time major champion Kuznetsova titled here in 2009 and was the runner- up in 2006. The graceful Halep is now 3-2 lifetime versus Kuznetsova, while Petkovic improved to 2-1 against Errani.dddddddddddd The 22-year-old Halep hadnt reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal until this years Australian Open. Shes captured a whopping seven WTA titles over the last 13 months, second only to Williams. Halep, however, is the only woman to have won titles on clay, grass and hard courts during that stretch. The 26-year-old one-time world No. 9 Petkovic reached the quarterfinals at three of the four major events in 2011 before injuries derailed her in 2012 and for the first half of last year, dropping her as low as 177th in the world. Halep and Petkovic will meet on Thursday, with the Romanian leading their all-time series, 2-1. Thursdays other semi will pit a seventh-seeded Sharapova against 18th-seeded Canadian Eugenie Bouchard. Sharapova completed the career Grand Slam with a title here in 2012 and lost to Williams in last years finale. The 20-year-old Bouchard has reached the final four at both Grand Slam events in 2014. The 27-year-old Sharapova is 2-0 lifetime against Bouchard, including a second-round win here in Paris last year. ' ' '