Griese will play despite ankle injury

DENVER, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- A spokesman for the Denver Broncos say quarterback Brian Griese will play when they meet the Ravens in Baltimore Monday night even though he has a gimpy ankle.

Griese was injured earlier this week when he fell over his pet dog. He said he tripped over his retriever while coming down a flight of stairs.

"I was walking down the stairs and my dog came barreling down the stairs after me," Griese explained. "I kind of twisted my ankle."

The incident left many of his teammates dumbfounded.

"They say he tripped," said linebacker Ian Gold. "That's a quarterback for you. I'm just kidding. But he will be the butt of everybody's jokes."

"Did he really trip over the dog?" asked a stunned Shannon Sharpe, the Broncos' tight end. "Are you jiving? That's what I was thinking. I know y'all are joking. I don't believe I'd have told that one. I'm not a very good storyteller."

"The same thing happened to me," admitted defensive tackle Lional Dalton. "The doorbell was ringing, and I was walking to answer the door, and my dog rushes the door. It so happened he was behind me and he tripped me and I fell down the stairs. But I only had a carpet burn. I didn't sprain my ankle."

Griese said he has been getting treatments on the ankle since the accident happened on Wednesday at his home and expects to be in the starting lineup against the Ravens.

Because of his play, Denver has started the 2002 season by winning its first three games. Griese is 51-of-77 for 532 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions.