SAN DIEGO -- Centre Nick Hardwick was cleared to work out five days after sustaining a concussion and was a limited participant as the San Diego Chargers practiced for the final time for their divisional-round playoff game at Denver. Hardwick said he was cleared just before practice started late Friday morning. "Well see how we respond in the next day or two and go from there," Hardwick said. "Its always a good step. Were moving in the right direction but well see how you wake up and how the rest of the day goes." Hardwick was hurt in Sundays wild-card win at Cincinnati and replaced by Rich Ohrnberger. He was listed as questionable on the injury report, meaning the Chargers feel he has a 50-50 chance of playing. "Im always confident. How could you not be?" Hardwick said. Hardwick has had concussions before. "Its not ever something you want to be dealing with but its part of football. This isnt my first rodeo," he said. "Well see how we go. No guarantees. You never know how things are going to unfold here. Running back Ryan Mathews didnt practice all week and also was listed as questionable. He left Sundays victory in the third quarter and didnt return. Hes been bothered by the ankle injury since a victory against Oakland on Dec. 22. Mathews rushed for 144 yards in a victory against Kansas City the next week that helped the Chargers earn the AFCs final playoff berth. Mathews was a big reason why the Chargers beat the Broncos in Denver on Dec. 12. He ran 29 times for 127 yards and one touchdown as the Chargers controlled the ball in the 27-20 win. Mathews said his mindset was the same as earlier in the week, that he wants to play. He said he watched practice and took mental reps. "Im just trying to do whatever I can to help my team," he said of playing through the injury. "Youre always hopeful theyll be able to go play and play like they played the last five weeks," quarterback Philip Rivers said. "They know their bodies better than anybody. Until someone goes on the inactive before the game, you hope theyre going to be out there for you." Rivers said Mathews has "shown that toughness all year long. Obviously, this injury has lingered on and kind of came on the last few weeks, but hes been tough for us all year long. As a running back you battle all kind of nicks and bumps and bruises. Ive been happy for him and us that he didnt have to deal with a fluke collarbone deal or things that you cant battle through, and then he gets an ankle. Hes battling through it though." In 2012, Mathews broke his right collarbone on his first carry of the exhibition season and then broke his left collarbone in December. Also listed as questionable were right guard Jeromey Clary (shoulder), right tackle D.J. Fluker (ankle), wide receiver Eddie Royal (toe) and defensive tackle Sean Lissemore. Clary was limited Wednesday and didnt practice Thursday or Friday. Fluker didnt practice Wednesday and was limited Thursday and Friday. Royal didnt practice all week. Lissemore was limited all week. "Its going to be a tough game," Rivers said. "All winning there a month ago does is it allows us to know it can be done. Other than that, that game means nothing. Theyre the No. 1 seed for a reason Theyve been the best team in the AFC all year long. Were going to have to play our best game to go in there and get a win." Cheap Air Max 97 From China . Torres calmly stroked a 51st-minute spot kick down the middle with goalkeeper Romel Quinonez diving right to convert a penalty earned by Javi Martinez. Spain controlled play at the Sanchez Pizjuan but found it hard to convert against a well-organized Bolivian team before Iniesta charged forward to curl around Quinonez in the 84th to seal victory. Cheap Nike Shoes China . He still wanted out. "It just seemed like the direction they were going didnt fit what I thought my career was going to be," Kesler said. "At the end of the day I want to win a championship and I want to win it now, and four years is a little too long for me. http://www.airmax97discount.com/. The Asheville, N.C. native, who signed as a free agent with the CFL club last May, didnt see any action with Edmonton this season after opening the year on the injured list. Clearance Air Max 97 Online .com) - James van Riemsdyk had two goals with one assist to help the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night. Authentic Air Max 97 Sale . LOUIS -- The St.TORONTO - For months weve been hearing all about their impossibly difficult early-season schedule. Through 34 contests, the Raptors have had the most difficult slate of games in the Eastern Conference, according to Basketball-Reference.com. Theyve played 19 on the road and 16 against winning teams, both tied for most in the East. They have seen both conference finalists, Miami and Indiana three times. In spite of it all, Toronto is right where Dwane Casey had cautiously hoped they would be; at sea level. "These five games are a crucial stretch of games here at home for us," Casey said ahead of Wednesdays 112-91 victory over the Pistons, a win that got Toronto back to the .500 mark. "Its a very crucial time." Following another daunting road trip, capped off by disappointing but expected losses to the Heat and Pacers, the Raptors schedule finally begins to ease up. Wednesdays meeting with Detroit was the first of four straight against losing teams. Four of their next five are at home and only two of the remaining 12 contests in January come against opponents that went into Wednesdays games with winning records. Casey had spoken about using recent tests against the leagues best as a measuring stick for his emerging team but these upcoming few weeks may tell him more about where they stack up in the Eastern Conference. They must continue to win the games they should. Taking care of the Pistons, one of the Easts talented disasters, was a promising first step. Toronto coughed up an 11-point second-quarter lead in what turned out to be an ugly opening half for both teams. DeMar DeRozan and Amir Johnson combined to shoot 0-of-16 while the team was outscored by 16 points in the paint, outworked by another physical frontline. Lucky to be down only four at the break, the Raptors adjusted going into the second half, where they outscored the visitors 62-37. "We pretty much said, this is a must-win game," Johnson maintained. "We have to go out and take it and we did that." Although they shot just 41 per cent from the field, the Raptors knocked down 11 three-pointers, including five from Terrence Ross, who had 17 points on the night. Toronto improved to 8-2 on the season when connecting on 10 or more three-balls. Kyle Lowry led the team in scoring with 21 too go along with nine assists, Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas both added double-doubles and DeRozan finished with 19 points, 13 of which came from the free throw line.dddddddddddd "We knew it was going to be a grind it out game and thats something were learning to do," Casey added. "Theres no pretty games in the NBA, its a mans league," he continued. "To win in this league, to win in the Eastern Conference especially - I found out in my three years in it - its a mans [conference]. Its a hit, knockdown, drag out [conference] and the strong survive. Were learning how to do that." The Raptors were a different team coming out of the locker room after intermission. They bested the Pistons in the paint - Detroit leads the league in that category - out-rebounded them and imposed their will on a struggling team that has now lost six in a row. After eight lead changes in the first half, there was just one in the second and it was all the Raptors needed to seize control. "Theyre must-win games," Johnson said. "Theyre all home and we need to win those games just to stay at the top of our division. Theyre must-win games and weve got to come out and play hard." With Brooklyn on deck, followed by games against the woeful Bucks and Celtics, the Raptors have to continue to do just that. Theyve got to seize this opportunity. Although Toronto is just 1-5 facing the Pacers and Heat this season, theyre 11-5 against the rest of the conference. Sitting just one game out of third place in the East - after the Horford-less Hawks upset Indiana on Wednesday - the Raptors are now in a position to validate their recent success. They can separate themselves from the heap of mediocrity theyll be facing throughout the duration of the month of they will end up blending in with them. "Theres no reason for any of us to be content or satisfied or be able to be happy about [where we are]," Casey preached. "Weve got to play like a hungry team. Weve got to continue to grow, weve got to continue to have the underdog attitude because thats where we are. " "Were nowhere near an established program. Im not kidding myself, I know what an established program is all about and were not there yet. We have a lot of growth to do with our core group of guys." ' ' '