Still stinging from a 31-24 home loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the New England Patriots travel across the country to face the woeful San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.And they will do so without Rob Gronkowski.The big tight end, injured by a smashing hit from Seattles Earl Thomas on Sunday night, missed five plays but came back and finished the game, which ended when an attempted fade to him in the end zone was incomplete. He was ruled out of the game against the 49ers on Friday.On Monday a report surfaced he suffered a punctured lung. Then Tuesday another report said it was a bruised sternum.There was no Gronkowski news Wednesday -- except that his brother, Glenn, was re-signed to the practice squad.While all was quiet on that front, it was apparent neither Gronkowski will be on the field when the 7-2 Patriots visit the 1-8 (with eight straight losses) 49ers.Clearly, Rob Gronkowskis absence makes the powerful New England offense weaker. But the injury took focus away from what the Patriots defense did Sunday, which was little as Russell Wilson threw for 348 yards and three touchdowns.Chip Kelly is the coach of the 49ers now, but last year he brought the Philadelphia Eagles to Gillette Stadium and won, scoring 35 points.(Coach Bill Belichick) has been on us about that game, too, defensive captain Devin McCourty said Wednesday. Obviously, we didnt do some things well that game, so we just talked about the importance of, with Chip Kelly being there now, theyll definitely probably go through that game, and things that they gave us trouble with theyll look at and probably go back to.Hes (Belichick) trained us as players I think in really all phases of the game about being prepared for those things, so weve gone through that game a little bit, just watching and seeing how we might get attacked, obviously, not by Philly but by a team coached by Chip Kelly.Asked what his team has to do to calm the fears of anxious Patriots fans about the defense, McCourty said, Its simple. Weve just got to play better -- theres nothing I can say to calm that or anything, weve just got to go out there and play better. I think thats what everyone in the locker room and everyone on the defense wants to go out there and do. Theres nothing to say. Youve just got to go do it.The 49ers are 29th in the NFL in total offense and 30th in passing. But theyre seventh in rushing, with Colin Kaepernick always a threat to take off with the football. And the New England defensive players have been impressed with the way the Niners have moved the ball the last two games -- the third and fourth games with Kaepernick as the starter.I mean, if wed have played well (last week) wed still have something to prove, New England defensive end Chris Long said. Every week we have something to prove. If you have a mindset any different in this league, youre going to get embarrassed because theres good teams every week that you have to play that has weapons. San Francisco certainly has that.The 49ers only win was a 28-0 opening victory over the Los Angeles Rams, who also remain on New Englands schedule. They lost by three points at Arizona last Sunday.Earlier this week, Kelly, the former offensive coordinator at the University of New Hampshire, revealed some extremely important news on his relationship with Belichick.Were Facebook friends, Kelly said. We spend a lot of time online together.He is a good friend. Hes always been very, very kind to me, whether I was at New Hampshire or Oregon or now, when Ive been in the NFL. Very good friend. ... I was just very thankful that he is a friend of mine, and Ive got great respect for him. Excited about the matchup this week and getting a chance to coach against him again.Talking about Kaepernick and the Niners attack Wednesday, Belichick said, They run the ball as much as any team in the league so that sets up their play action and some of the quarterback movement plays that hes good at, as well as their third-down package. He has a good group of skill players to work with. The receivers are good, the tight ends are good, the backs are very good. They can move the ball. Air Jordan 1 Italia . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. Air Jordan 1 Outlet Italia .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. http://www.airjordan1scontate.it/ . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. Air Jordan 1 Scontate . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. Scarpe Air Jordan 1 Outlet . Fernandez, coached in Toronto by former two-time Olympic silver medallist Brian Orser, scored 267.11 points and is the first champion to successfully defend since Russias Evgeny Plushenko in 2005 and 2006.How do you bowl the perfect yorker in a World Twenty20 semi-final? Rob Key went along to Englands last practice session before their last-four clash against New Zealand - live on Sky Sports 2 from 1.30pm on Wednesday - to find out how the seamers prepare under bowling coach Ottis Gibson.Click on the video above to get an insight into how the likes of Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Ben Stokes and David Willey use practice to make perfect - all with the help of some multi-coloured cones. If I put in good intensity and make the practice short and sharp then Ill be in good stead going into the game, says Jordan.Im just trying to make sure that I stay nice and still at the crease and really focus on the area that I want too put the ball.dddddddddddd.For me its maximum effort - I try to ram it in the hole, if you like; I try to be aggressive so that Im getting the ball right up there.If I do miss a little bit, if my pace is up around 90mph then you have a little bit of margin for error and the batsman can still make a mistake.Watch England take on New Zealand live on Sky Sports 2 from 1.30pm on Wednesday, on Sky Sports 2. Before then dont miss Englands Women in semi-final action against Australia, from 9.30am on Sky Sports 2. 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