The lengthy hearings were "pretty comprehensive," said Childress, who declined to reveal specifics about what was involved and how the meetings went.

The Williamses reportedly are facing four-game suspensions for testing positive for a banned diuretic.

Childress said the veterans, who practiced today after being gone Thursday, weren't groggy despite the travel to and from New York.

"In the meetings, they were fine," Childress said. "Bright eyed and bushy tailed. Early bird gets the worm."

That the Williamses missed a key day of practice isn't ideal, but Childress downplayed the significance of it. Childress said they're professionals who will know how to handle it and that defensive line coach Karl Dunbar will help them get caught up with the game plan.

"It's a pretty good review today of things they missed yesterday," Childress said. "It's not like we don't do anything tomorrow. That mock game (Saturday) is kind of a redo of the redo."

Childress said he won't allow the fact that Jared Allen and the Williamses all had trips to New York this week to meet with league officials to become a distraction. Allen was fined $25,000 after his meeting Tuesday to discuss his hits in recent games in the wake of his roughing-the-passer penalty on Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers.

"You deal with the hand that's dealt to you," Childress said. "We knew in advance and make plans."

The Williamses didn't address their appeals hearings Friday.

"They said it was a long tedious process, but it's something that needed to be taken care of," receiver Bobby Wade said. "I just hope them the best, that it will work out for them and that it will work out for us."

The league probably will not announce any decisions on the appeals until next week at the earliest. Losing the Williamses would be a huge blow to the Vikings' playoff hopes. They're the anchors of the defensive line and two Pro Bowl players.