NFL NOTES : AILING SHOULDER SIDELINES GREENE FROM PRACTICING.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

Carolina linebacker Kevin Greene, the NFL's sacks leader, was held out of the Panthers' practice Thursday with a sore shoulder but is expected to play in Sunday's divisional playoff game against Dallas.

Greene bruised his right shoulder Wednesday when he and a receiver landed awkwardly after diving for a pass, coach Dom Capers said. The shoulder was still sore, so Capers held Greene out of Carolina's practice on the advice of team trainer John Kasik.

``John feels he should be fine for Sunday,'' Capers said. ``We'll have to see how it feels tomorrow, but John is very optimistic.''

Greene has 14-1/2 sacks, tops on a defense that leads the NFL with 60 sacks. Now in his 12th year in the league and his first with the Panthers, Greene last month was named to his fourth Pro Bowl. It will be his first as a starter.

Bettis update: Jerome Bettis still isn't practicing. He's not limping, either.

Bettis again sat out the Pittsburgh Steelers' practice with a strained groin, but seemed to be moving better and with less pain than Wednesday.

The All-Pro running back, whose 1,431 rushing yards are the second-best single-season mark in team history, remains listed as questionable for Sunday's AFC playoff game at New England.

Bettis may not fully test the injury, or a sore right ankle he injured last month, until just before game time.

``(The groin) is still sore,'' said Bettis, who ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns as the Steelers beat Indianapolis 42-14 Sunday. ``The problem is cutting and running from side to side.''

Chad Brown, the All-Pro linebacker, also missed practice again as he recovered from the flu. He was visibly queasy, but is optimistic of playing.

``They said it would take 4-6 days (to get over),'' he said ``Saturday will be six days, so sometime between now and then I'll be over it.''

Brown remembered how Buffalo's defense missed All-Pro Bruce Smith, who sat out the Bills' playoff loss in Pittsburgh with the flu last season.

``I was thinking that when I got out of bed, and my back was aching and I could barely bend over. Luckily, I didn't have a 104-degree temperature like he did,'' Brown said. ``My temperature was normal. I just have the other signs of the sickness.''

Also not practicing were defensive end Brentson Buckner (ankle) and Bill Johnson (injured finger) and Rod Woodson, who usually sits out practice on Thursdays to rest his surgically repaired knee.

Allegation files: Police in Millbrae said that they were continuing their investigation into an allegation that a member of the Eagles' practice squad sexually assaulted a woman Saturday night at the team's hotel outside San Francisco.

A spokesman said the police still were interviewing witnesses and the alleged victim.

The Eagles stayed at the Westin Hotel in Millbrae, a suburb south of San Francisco, on Saturday night. Their season ended with a 14-0 loss to the 49ers on Sunday in the NFC wild-card game at 3Com Park.

Early Sunday, a woman who police said had a record of prostitution contacted police with the accusation. The Eagles have not identified the player, but sources with the team confirmed that it was a practice-squad player.

Practice-squad players are not part of the 53-man roster, but they travel with the team.

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Photo

Photo: Jerome Bettis, who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game, tests out his injured leg.

Associated Press