FLASHUPDATE WEEK 4 TEAM NOTES/Wednesday, 29 Sept. 2004 Compiled By FlashUpdate Editor Bob Harris ========================= ARIZONA CARDINALS As initially reported by Associated Press sports writer Mel Reisner, despite being benched after three fumbles against Atlanta, Josh McCown is still the starting quarterback. Reisner went on to suggest, "Given Dennis Green's track record with Minnesota, McCown might not have a lot of time to learn the position -- the coach used seven different quarterbacks to get the Vikings to the playoffs eight times." Green said Monday that McCown needs to learn how to make better reads on when to scramble and when to get rid of the ball. "You just have to make sure you're protecting the ball, particularly in a hard-hitting game," Green said. "It was hard-hitting on both ends, so Michael Vick was disappointed in the ones he lost and Josh was disappointed in the ones he lost." Green said McCown has to temper his athleticism, which makes his scrambles a threat, with better feel for pressure. "There will be times when a defense will give you a look you don't anticipate or somebody misses a block -- whatever the case may be -- and you've just got to get rid of the ball," he said. McCown was 20-for-26 for 198 yards, completing 13 consecutive passes at one point, but wasn't able to guide the offense to a touchdown in a 6-3 loss to the Falcons. Two of McCown's fumbles (and one by wide receiver Karl Williams) occurred inside Atlanta's 20-yard line. ... In a related note. ... Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers reports that Green's efforts to inject some life into his offense didn't end last week with the hiring of a consultant. He also took over the play calling in Sunday's 6-3 loss to Atlanta. Offensive coordinator Alex Wood called plays throughout the preseason and the first two games of the regular season. But Green was displeased with the lack of production and decided it was time to show, and not just tell, those around him what he wanted. "Sometimes as a head coach you can only explain things so many times," he said. Over the previous two weeks, Green blamed part of the team's offensive problems on a new coaching staff. Wood, ironically, was the only member of the staff who had previously worked with Green. He was Minnesota's quarterbacks coach for four years under Green. Wood's role was diminished last week, however, when Green hired Carl Hargrave, also a former assistant of his in Minnesota, as an offensive consultant. Hargrave played a prominent role in practices last week, according to two people with knowledge of the workouts. Reporters are allowed to watch only the first 30 minutes of practice, which consists mostly of stretching and warm-ups. Against Atlanta, Wood was in the coaches booth, communicating with Green and other offensive assistants. Green's decision to call plays was consistent with the changes made last week, most notably the hiring of Hargrave, he said. "It kind of fell into the line of last week," Green said, "trying to get everyone to understand how it will go, this is kind of how our flow should go, this is how our rhythm should go, and this should be our tempo and how quick the play should come in. "I thought it went OK. We didn't score. We missed a lot of scoring opportunities." Other items of interest. ... Also according to Reisner, Green said wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee after a warmup-exercise injury on Aug. 11, should be able to return sometime between mid-October to Nov. 1. Boldin's absence has hampered the development of the offense and forced rookie wideout Larry Fitzgerald, the No. 3 pick in this year's draft, to endure near-perpetual double coverage. The Falcons held Fitzgerald to 36 yards and five catches. "That's something you're going to see in this league every week," Fitzgerald said. "I am physical enough to get off the line of scrimmage." But as the Sports Xchange pointed out on Tuesday, Fitzgerald doesn't look like the same player who made electrifying catches against St. Louis in the opener. The youngster appeared to run a handful of routes at less than full speed and finished with five receptions for 37 yards. Fitzgerald has been bothered by an ankle sprain that forced him to miss much of training camp. ... Meanwhile, Bryant Johnson played his best game as a pro Sunday. Johnson caught six passes for 53 and most of them were not easy catches. As the Xchange noted, it was an encouraging sign of development for the former first-round pick, whose performance has been uneven since being drafted in 2003. ... Freddie Jones continues to struggle with pass blocking. Jones isn't a good blocker, and the team's protection schemes often have him matched up against defensive ends, one on one. That's no mean feat for Jones, whose strength is catching the ball. ... And finally. ... In a column published Monday, Sports Illustrated insider Peter King wrote: "I think if Emmitt Smith has an ounce of petrol left in the ol' gas tank, I certainly didn't see it Sunday. I realize he's running behind a terrible offensive line, but I didn't see him slam one time up into the hole. ..." Nor did I. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Josh McCown, Shaun King, John Navarre RB: Emmitt Smith, Josh Scobey, Troy Hambrick, Larry Croom FB: Obafemi Ayanbadejo WR: Larry Fitzgerald, Bryant Johnson, Karl Williams, Nathan Poole, Reggie Newhouse TE: Freddie Jones, Lorenzo Diamond, Eric Edwards PK : Neil Rackers ========================= ========================= ATLANTA FALCONS According to Associated Press sports writer George Henry, a week after scoring 34 points against St. Louis, the Falcons managed just two field goals -- the lowest score for a win in franchise history -- in last Sunday's win over the Cardinals. The Falcons have 531 yards rushing this year and average 5.5 yards per carry. Their opponents, who have a combined 1-8 record, have only 184 yards rushing with 2.9 per carry. Atlanta is now 6-for-30 this season on third down. ... Meanwhile, Peerless Price made it clear he was a little unhappy following Sunday's game. Price caught just two passes for 16 yards and had a 9-yard reverse run against the Cardinals. For the season, he has caught eight passes for 96 yards. That leaves him tied for 42nd in the NFC in receptions. "Didn't nobody cover me all day," said Price. "I'm tired of people believing and thinking that (defenders have been covering him). They didn't show us anything different than what we studied. We just didn't execute." According to the Sports Xchange, there are reasons Alge Crumpler leads the Falcons with 11 receptions while Price is tied with fullback Justin Griffith for second on the team with eight catches. It's the same reason Atlanta's wideouts have combined for just 14 receptions in three games. Chief among them, the Falcons have attempted just 61 passes, fewer than every team in the league other than the Jets (56), who've played just two games. "Alge, Justin and Peerless, your [flanker]. ... In this style (offense) it's usually going to be one of those three," head coach Jim Mora said. "It's not a concern right now. You look at it, and say how can we find ways to get them more balls, but it's not like we're up there beating our heads against a wall trying to get the receivers more catches. "We're finding ways to exploit a defense. Sometimes it will be outside, and sometimes it will be inside. ..." Other notes of interest. ... In an article published Monday, the Sporting News suggested that coordinator Greg Knapp should call for more short and intermediate passes early in games so Michael Vick can build up the confidence needed on deeper passes. Vick tends to force throws when coverages cause receivers to change their routes and often misfires on rollouts when throwing across his body. Increased confidence would improve those problems. ... T.J. Duckett didn't take a snap against the Cardinals leading to calls for Knapp to ways to use Duckett to take pressure off starter Warrick Dunn and improve the rushing attack. As an unnamed NFL personnel man told ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli on Sunday, "I'm starting to wonder what's going on with Duckett. He dressed but didn't play on Sunday, and he isn't getting many touches at all. Dunn has the ball a lot more than I thought he would. "But, hey, he's playing well in that offense. The only thing is, and I think their coaches are aware of it, you don't want to wear Dunn down physically, and have him fade on you in December, you know?" Veteran receiver Brian Finneran, who did not play against the Cardinals because of a strained left Achilles tendon/sprained ankle, may return to practice this week. He was out of his walking boot Monday, and did not appear to be limping. Rookie Michael Jenkins participated in only two plays on offense in the first two games because coaches were disappointed in his special teams work and wanted him to improve his blocking. Finneran's injury allowed Jenkins to play more in Week 3, but Jenkins has no shot at Dez White's starting job and enters Week 4 with no catches -- a stat TSN believes is unlikely to change until he shows intensity. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Michael Vick, Matt Schaub, Ty Detmer RB: Warrick Dunn, T.J. Duckett FB: Justin Griffith, Stanley Pritchett WR: Peerless Price, Dez White, Brian Finneran, Michael Jenkins, Jimmy Farris TE: Alge Crumpler, Eric Beverly, Neil Rackley, Darnell Sanders PK : Jay Feely ========================= ========================= BALTIMORE RAVENS As the Associated Press reported it: "Jamal Lewis up the middle. Jamal Lewis around the end. And, with the game on the line, Jamal Lewis rumbling toward the end zone. "After two sub par efforts, the Baltimore Ravens' game-breaker is back at it. ..." Or as Baltimore Sun columnist David Steele put it: "Jamal with the ball above all. ..." Lewis ran for 186 yards -- the fifth-best total of his career -- and broke a 75-yard touchdown run that clinched a 23-9 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. "It was time," said Lewis, who hadn't come close to 100 yards in a game this season. "I'm a patient guy. I just wait for things to unfold." When Lewis is off and running, things usually unfold nicely for the Ravens, who rely on their punishing back. Kyle Boller ran for a touchdown and threw for another, but had two costly fumbles that kept it close. Lewis needed only 13 seconds to finish it off midway through the fourth quarter. He took a handoff, changed direction twice, left two tacklers empty-handed and sped off, pulling so far ahead of the defense that everyone slowed once he reached the 20-yard line. Of course, the Bengals always have trouble bringing him down. Lewis has topped 100 yards in all seven of his career games against Cincinnati, including a 180-yard effort last December. "Jamal's one terrific player, but you've got to tackle or you can't win," Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said. "We stayed with the script and got back into the game, but that long run they got at the end was disheartening." Until Sunday, the record-setting back who topped 2,000 yards last year had little room to run. He managed only 57 in a season-opening loss to Cleveland -- a team he tormented for 500 yards last season -- and Pittsburgh limited him to 62 yards a week later. The Bengals were much easier to crack. Lewis powered through defenders who couldn't get a grip. They clawed at his shoulder pads and lunged at his thighs, then found themselves flailing on the ground while Lewis went on his way. "He's an All-Pro running back, but we helped him a lot," linebacker Kevin Hardy said. The Ravens needed it. Leading receiver Todd Heap is sidelined by a severe ankle injury, and Boller is still finding his way. The second-year quarterback was 11-of-18 for 126 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown run and a 38-yard TD pass to Randy Hymes that put the Ravens up 17-0. But for every good moment, there was a bad one. Boller fumbled on a scramble 2 yards from the end zone and lost the ball without being touched on a second-half run, setting up the last of Cincinnati's three field goals. "I'm still learning," Boller said. "I've got to hold onto the ball sometimes." For what it's worth, it was Lewis' 25th 100-yard game. Lewis, 25, became the fifth-youngest to reach 5,000 yards. ... Also of interest. ... Kevin Johnson's streak of 81 consecutive games with a catch ended as he was shut out for the first time in his six-year career. Johnson took it in stride: "This is the motto for winning here," he said. "If this can get us to the Super Bowl, I'm all for it. It's just one of those things. ..." According to the Sports XChange, Heap still has swelling in his ankle and is at least another week from returning to the starting lineup. ... Receiver Travis Taylor is probably a week away from starting because the team doesn't want to rush him back after he re-injured his groin. Terry Jones will replace him in running situations and Dan Wilcox on passing downs. Wilcox has good hands and runs decent routes, but Heap has big-play ability. And finally. ... According to the Sporting News, Chester Taylor has emerged as an effective change of pace back. He is more of a slasher than Lewis and has a knack for finding holes, keeping his pads low and then accelerating. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Kyle Boller, Kordell Stewart, Josh Harris, Anthony Wright RB: Jamal Lewis, Chester Taylor, Musa Smith FB: Alan Ricard, Ovie Mughelli WR: Kevin Johnson, Randy Hymes, Clarence Moore, Devard Darling, Travis Taylor TE: Terry Jones, Daniel Wilcox, Todd Heap PK: Matt Stover ========================= ========================= BUFFALO BILLS As Rochester Democrat & Chronicle staff writer Leo Roth advised readers last weekend, we can say this about the Buffalo Bills running game: "The new coaching staff has kept its promise to use it willingly." As for that 1-2 punch featuring Travis Henry and Willis McGahee, that has yet to show itself, which Roth contends is a major reason for the club's offensively challenged 0-2 start. In establishing the ball-control identity head coach Mike Mularkey and offensive coordinator Tom Clements feel is best for their team, the Bills have called 60 run plays versus 51 pass plays. But while that commitment to the run bodes well, the production has been less than scintillating, and according to Roth, raises questions about why Mularkey and Clements have been unwilling, or unable, to capitalize on McGahee's talents. "You have to talk to the coaches on that situation," McGahee, who had just two touches in the team's 13-10 loss to Oakland, told Roth. "When they call my number, I go out there and play. That's basically it." Facing two very good run defenses in Jacksonville and Oakland, the Bills eked out 162 yards on the ground, or 2.7 yards per carry. That's second worst in the NFL behind Miami's 2.3. Henry, the club's fourth all-time rusher, has justifiably remained Buffalo's workhorse with 44 carries for 142 yards and five catches for 19. But McGahee, the Bills' 2003 first-round pick who is healthy again after major knee surgery, remains a stallion kicking in his stall. He gained 31 yards on nine carries against Jacksonville after Henry went down with leg cramps, but all but vanished against the Raiders with two carries for minus-3 yards. He didn't get a carry in the second half and had no receptions. Roth went on to suggest, "Mularkey, who masterfully used two running backs during his three seasons as the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive coordinator, said the flow in each game thus far hasn't been conducive to using Henry and McGahee with abandon." The coach blamed too many plays gaining zero or negative yardage on first and second down. The Bills have had eight first- or second-down runs result in zero or negative yardage. The Bills are averaging their same 2.7 yards per carry on first down. "That's hard to sustain a drive and overcome, especially when you get into second and long," Mularkey said. "You can call runs and get four, five, six yards and they look like big plays but they still put you in third-and-long. We didn't control the ball as much as I'd like (at Oakland) and that obviously helps you get more run opportunities. Willis would probably be involved more if that was the case." According to Roth, who seems to have a bit of an ax to grind here, "that still doesn't explain why McGahee, one of the top scoring running backs in college football history who showed a knack for finding the end zone in the preseason using his superior speed, hasn't gotten one carry near the goal line." "It'd be deflating for anybody but you have to keep your composure and hope things work out for my role," McGahee said. "You have to know your role and my role is to come in and make a play and come out, hoping to keep the drive alive. "Everyone wants to get in there and do more, but it's not to the point where we've been able to really establish our offense." Meanwhile, Henry, encouraged by his average of 22 carries per game, told Roth he's confident the production will improve and that McGahee will become a big part of that. "The flow of the game just hasn't dictated it yet," he said. "I think once you see that we're up a lot and we're running the ball, trying to save gas and we're pounding it out and trying to wind the clock down, that's when you'll see the (1-2 punch). "But these couple of games, we just haven't gotten into that kind of rhythm. ..." Other notes of interest. ... According to the Sports Xchange, Drew Bledsoe has been almost as easy to sack as ex-Bill Rob Johnson, who was run out of town because of his inability to make plays under pressure. Bledsoe has been sacked 111 times in 34 games with Buffalo -- an average of 3.3 per game. Johnson was sacked an average of 3.63. ... According to the Sporting News, rookie receiver Lee Evans didn't contribute consistently in the team's first two games but flashed big-play speed on a 65-yard catch in Week 2. He's a good route runner and has excellent hands but still is learning how to read coverages and get separation from defensive backs. With defenses focusing on Eric Moulds, Evans will have opportunities to stretch defenses and make plays downfield. ... And finally. ... According to Pro Football Weekly, it appears as if the Bills could be losing confidence in place-kicker Rian Lindell, who missed a 42-yard field goal attempt in the season-opening loss to Jacksonville. Lindell has made just three field goals in his last 10 attempts from 40 yards or longer, including last season. Coming into this season, Lindell's career field goal percentage was .731, the second-worst mark in the NFL among non-rookies. After the missed field goal, Mularkey elected not to send Lindell out to try a 50-yard attempt late in the fourth quarter that could have pushed Buffalo's lead to seven points, instead electing to punt. Lindell has done a good job on kickoffs, booming the ball deep, but his iffy field-goal accuracy appears to be a concern in Buffalo. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Drew Bledsoe, Shane Matthews , J.P. Losman RB: Travis Henry, Willis McGahee, Shaud Williams, Joe Burns FB: Daimon Shelton, Joe Burns WR: Eric Moulds, Josh Reed, Lee Evans, Bobby Shaw, Sam Aiken TE: Mark Campbell, Tim Euhus PK : Rian Lindell ========================= ========================= CAROLINA PANTHERS As the Sports Xchange noted on Tuesday, Jake Delhomme hasn't missed a beat despite losing his top receiver Steve Smith to a broken leg. In two games Delhomme has thrown five touchdown passes and been picked off three times, although two of those simply weren't his fault. On one Keary Colbert ran the wrong route and on the other Smith simply had a pass go in and out of his hands for a pick. Colbert isn't playing like a rookie and should fill in well for Smith, although he doesn't have the same speed. In fact, Pro Football Weekly suggested last week that coaches are likely to tweak their offense a bit as Colbert takes over for Smith, going to more of a short-passing game than was planned prior to Smith's injury. That said, it would be unwise to overlook Colbert's big-play ability as he had three long TD catches in the preseason. Muhsin Muhammad needs to step up more in the passing game with Smith out, as do Carolina's tight ends. So far, Ricky Proehl has been very effective in a No. 3 receiver role. Carolina's offensive line bounced back with a solid performance after a terrible week against Green Bay in the opener. ... Meanwhile, DeShaun Foster, filling in for Stephen Davis, ran for 174 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs and showed great instinct running the ball both inside and outside. And, equally as important, he did not fumble. According to Winston-Salem Journal staff writer Joe Menzer, Davis didn't practice yesterday, either, but head coach John Fox left open at least a remote possibility of Davis returning to the practice field in time to get ready for the Atlanta game. "We will have to wait and see," Fox said of Davis, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee 12 days ago and at the time was expected to be sidelined two to five weeks. ... While I find it hard to believe Davis actually has a shot at playing this weekend, he should be back within the next three weeks and will return to the starting lineup. And finally. ... Also according to PFW, it appears Smith will not return to the Panthers' lineup until at least mid-December, and there is a chance he might miss the rest of the season if his recovery goes slower than expected. The receiver will be in a cast for three more weeks before sporting a protective boot for another month. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Jake Delhomme, Rodney Peete, Chris Weinke RB: DeShaun Foster, Rod Smart, Stephen Davis FB: Brad Hoover, Nick Goings WR: Muhsin Muhammad, Keary Colbert, Ricky Proehl, Karl Hankton, Steve Smith TE: Kris Mangum, Mike Seidman, Michael Gaines PK: John Kasay ========================= ========================= CHICAGO BEARS According to the Associated Press, Rex Grossman knew his season was over the second it happened. Chicago's quarterback will miss the rest of the season after rupturing a ligament in his right knee in Sunday's loss to Minnesota. "In a split second, I knew I was out for the year," Grossman said Monday. "It's devastating." The promising young quarterback's loss is a severe blow to a team that has struggled with injuries this season, but managed a 21-10 upset at Green Bay in Week 2. Backup Jonathan Quinn, who signed with the Bears in March, will start. Chad Hutchinson on Monday also agreed to terms on a two-year deal contingent on Hutchinson, who played 10 games two seasons ago with the Cowboys before being waived, passing a physical. Grossman is expected to undergo surgery in a couple of weeks and will face seven to 10 months of rehabilitation. "Personally, all I can do is work as hard as I can, do what the doctors tell me to do, get healthy and learn the offense," Grossman said Monday. "(This) just postponed my excitement for playing football for a little bit." Grossman was injured as he scored on a 6-yard scramble at the 2-minute warning. He left the stadium wearing a brace and using a crutch. An MRI exam confirmed the anterior cruciate ligament tear along with damage to other knee ligaments. Grossman was the fourth quarterback chosen in the 2003 draft and started the final three games of the season. In Sunday's game, he completed 21 passes in 31 attempts for 248 yards. He never missed a game due to injury in high school or at Florida, but injuries have become common for the Bears this season. Quinn, a seven-year veteran, played in 11 games with three starts in four seasons with Jacksonville. He will start against Philadelphia at Soldier Field on Sunday. The Minnesota game was the first time Quinn attempted a pass in the regular season since Nov. 18, 2001. He threw three straight incompletions and was sacked on fourth down as the Bears tried a last-minute drive. Quinn said he knows the pressure on him will increase. "It's tough, but that's the life of a backup," he said. "That's your job and that's what you're here to do and that's what I'm prepared to do." Quinn is familiar with the Bears offense because last year he was a backup in Kansas City under current Bears offensive coordinator Terry Shea. "He's a very talented passer and understands this offense, but hasn't really had a chance to play," head coach Lovie Smith said. "This will obviously give him a chance to show what he can do." When Hutchinson was with the Cowboys, he started the final nine games of 2002 and led the team in passing. He threw for 1,555 yards while completing 127 of 250 passes with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions. Hutchinson joined the Cowboys after playing baseball for four years with the St. Louis Cardinals' organization. He briefly made it to the majors in 2001 before returning to football. Also of interest. ... As Chicago Tribune staff reporter David Haugh noted Monday, the Bears ran 64 plays against the Vikings. Thomas Jones touched the ball on 30. "I think their defense got a little tired at the end of the game, and our offensive line is in great shape and blocked just like it's the beginning of the game," the Bears running back said. Jones carried 22 times for 110 yards and caught eight passes for 71 more. He scored his fourth touchdown of the season in the fourth quarter when he felt stronger than ever. "When you get that late in the game, you're just like you're in another zone, so you take whatever the defense gives you," Jones said. "That's what I tried to do." Jones was in such a zone that he said he didn't remember what caused his fumble that tackle Qasim Mitchell recovered in the third quarter. He did recall the early breakdowns when the Bears' first three drives inside the 20 resulted in just two field goals. "We just made too many mistakes in the red zone," Jones said. "That can't happen. ..." Meanwhile, Anthony Thomas carried twice for 2 yards, once out of the same backfield with Jones. ... After getting shut out against Green Bay last week -- a performance that included a fumble on an end-around -- David Terrell caught two passes for 25 yards against the Vikings. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, he flipped the ball to a ref after one catch and harmlessly spun it on the ground after the other. And finally. ... Bobby Wade's 40-yard reception was the longest of his NFL career. The second-year player had a career-best four catches for 71 yards. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Jonathan Quinn, Chad Hutchinson, Rex Grossman RB: Thomas Jones, Anthony Thomas, Adrian Peterson FB: Bryan Johnson WR: David Terrell, Bobby Wade, Justin Gage, Bernard Berrian TE: Desmond Clark, Dustin Lyman, John Gilmore PK: Paul Edinger ========================= ========================= CINCINNATI BENGALS According to Cincinnati Enquirer beat man Mark Curnutte, Carson Palmer and Marvin Lewis are hearing the same calls from some Bengals fans for Lewis to switch quarterbacks. No way, Lewis said Monday, a day after Palmer threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in a 23-9 loss to Baltimore. "I share their disappointment, but we will not share their panic," Lewis said at his Monday news conference. "Carson made a number of fine plays. There are a couple plays he will learn from and never do again. I'm sure." Palmer saw his passer rating drop to 60.9 after the Ravens game, which included four sacks. "I've been expecting it all year," Palmer said Monday. "It happened to [Jon] Kitna last year the first couple of games. That's just how fans are. I'm not going to worry about that. I'm worried about what the people in this building think of my performance." Curnutte went on to remind readers the team started 1-4 in 2003, prompting some fans to call for Palmer -- then a rookie -- to replace Kitna as the starter. Kitna went on to lead the Bengals to a 7-4 finish. "Fans just want to win and want to have something good to cheer about," Palmer said. "They don't know everything that's going on throughout the game. They see a quarterback who throws three picks, and it looks like you need to change something. I understand where they're coming from. It's frustration. But I just hope they hang with me and just believe in me and trust in me the way I know the team will." The Bengals have not scored an offensive touchdown since the fourth quarter of the Jets game, the opener. They have gone 30 possessions without a touchdown. "You see quarterbacks of all ages make the same mistakes as Carson," Lewis said. "I believe he was trying to do too much. He must play within himself. He made some fine throws, many under pressure. ..." Other notes of interest. ... With Peter Warrick limited because of a bruised shin, wide receivers T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Kelley Washington took on an increased role against the Ravens. Houshmandzadeh caught seven passes for a career-high 116 yards. Washington caught five passes for 58 yards. "Kelley and I talk about this a lot. I don't see it as seizing an opportunity," Houshmandzadeh said. "We know we can do this every week. When you get the chance, you have to make the most of it." Houshmandzadeh's last catch of the day - a 20-yarder over the middle - was punctuated by a vicious collision with safety Ed Reed. "That's expected when you go across the middle like that," Houshmandzadeh said. "It's no secret. You know he's going to be there." Warrick did not catch a pass Sunday, breaking his streak of 64 consecutive games with at least one reception. According to the Sports Xchange, Warrick (shin) was downgraded to doubtful for this week's game because of continued soreness in the leg. Lewis said rest should get Warrick back healthy after the bye. ... Houshmandzadeh (ribs) is probable for Pittsburgh. ... Rudi Johnson had 98 yards rushing on 23 carries for a 4.3-yard average. The Bengals had 109 yards on the ground (4.2). "I think we did a great job today running the football," he said. "We talked all week about coming in and getting positive yards on first and second down to make it easier on third down, but we didn't make the plays when we had to. ..." First-round pick Chris Perry did not play for the third consecutive game and has yet to make his NFL debut. He was injured and inactive for the opener but dressed for the last two. According to Curnutte, word around the club is Perry is not picking up blocking schemes, although he said coaches have not told him what the problem is. "That could be it," he said of his blocking. "It could be a plethora of things." And finally. ... Shayne Graham was perfect on all three of his field goal attempts -- from 29, 47 and 26 yards. He is 7 of 8 this season and leads the team in scoring with 25 points. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Carson Palmer, Jon Kitna, Casey Bramlet RB: Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson, Chris Perry FB: Jeremi Johnson, James Lynch WR: Chad Johnson, Peter Warrick, Kelley Washington, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Kevin Walter, Maurice Mann TE: Tony Stewart, Reginald Kelly, Matt Schobel PK: Shayne Graham ========================= ========================= CLEVELAND BROWNS According to the Associated Press, Lee Suggs, inactive for the first three games with a neck stinger, has been granted medical clearance to practice at full speed this week. As long as there are no setbacks, the speedy second-year back from Virginia Tech expects to make his season debut Sunday against the Washington Redskins. "I hope so," Suggs said. So do the Browns, who are coming off a 27-10 loss on Sunday to the New York Giants. Cleveland's offense has struggled because of inconsistency and injuries, and Suggs thinks he can provide a much-needed spark. "We need something in there," Suggs said. "Except for a few times in the second half (against New York), the offense really wasn't clicking." Suggs was injured during practice a few days before the Browns' final exhibition game. The team expected Suggs to return much sooner, but he hasn't had enough strength to satisfy team doctors to let him play. "I don't think you could be too cautious," he said. "I don't want to grow old and be unable to use my left arm. I have to trust the doctors. They know what they're doing a whole lot more than I do." Once he's truly ready to go full speed, I'm convinced Suggs' ability to hit the hole more quickly and get around the corner more effectively than William Green will make him a welcome addition to this offense. ... Also on the injury front. ... According to AP sports writer Tom Withers, rookie tight end Kellen Winslow needs a second operation on his right leg and will miss the remainder of this season. Winslow, who broke his fibula during a loss on Sept. 19 in Dallas and had it operated on last week, will have surgery Wednesday to stabilize ligaments. Winslow, the No. 6 overall pick in this year's draft, was initially expected to be out for at least eight to 10 weeks but will now need longer to recover. "Our No. 1 concern is Kellen's health and his long-term contribution to the Cleveland Browns," head coach Butch Davis said in a statement Tuesday. "We know he will approach his rehabilitation with the same determination that he shows on the football field and look forward to his return for the 2005 season." Last week, the first-round draft pick had screws and plates inserted to stabilize the fracture that was clean through the bone. Following the surgery, Davis reported that doctors found no ligament damage and said there was a good chance Winslow would be back in November. But after evaluating Winslow, team doctors decided he needed more surgery. "Kellen needs a stabilization of his syndesmosis (a sprain of the high ankle ligaments) in order to prevent further laxity," head trainer Mike Colello said. Other notes of interest. ... In an article published Monday, Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Mary Kay Cabot noted that Jeff Garcia diagnosed the Browns' offense with an identity crisis following Sunday's loss. "We need to find an identity," he said. "We need to find out who we are." Asked what he thinks the offense should be, he emphasized, "We need to find that." Garcia went on to reiterate what he's been harping on since preseason: don't shortchange the passing game. "I think obviously there's been an emphasis to run the football and obviously we have solid running backs, guys who can pound it," he said. "But we're also capable of putting the ball down the field and making things happen through the pass." Garcia was careful and diplomatic, but his message was clear: He wants to capitalize on the Browns' talent at wide receiver and his own improvising style. He also said the Browns don't lack confidence as much as they do a sense of urgency. "I don't think there's a sense of urgency coming out at the start of the game, especially on the offensive side of the ball," he said. "We haven't started well and we've put ourselves in a hole over the last two games. It's something that needs to be improved and improved right now." Garcia finished 21-of-31 for 180 yards with one TD and one interception. He was sacked four times and hit hard several other times after the throw. He was harassed much of the day by defensive end Michael Strahan, who had two sacks. Strahan opposed Joaquin Gonzalez, who replaced the injured Ryan Tucker. "I'm sure Joaquin played great, but he's not Ryan Tucker," Garcia said. Meanwhile, Garcia needs to get on the same page as center Jeff Faine. On two occasions, they fumbled the exchange. ... In a couple of related notes. ... According to the Sporting News, Andre Davis has the best straight-line speed on the team, and the Browns are trying to exploit that. One way is with deep passes, but opponents shade their defenses accordingly and force Davis to be a catch-and-run man on short routes. Unfortunately, Davis is average at avoiding tackles. TSN went on to suggest that Quincy Morgan isn't necessarily pressing, but he is aware he's playing for a team that might not jump through hoops to keep him when his contract expires at the end of the season. ... And finally. ... After missing more than a month with a sprained right knee, Pro Football Weekly reports that Steve Heiden is expected to practice at full speed on Wednesday. Barring any setbacks, he should be available for Sunday's game against the Washington Redskins. He had 18 catches for 134 yards in nine games last season. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Jeff Garcia, Kelly Holcomb, Luke McCown RB: Lee Suggs, William Green, James Jackson FB: Terrelle Smith, Aaron Shea WR: Quincy Morgan, Andre Davis, Dennis Northcutt, Andre King TE: Aaron Shea, Steve Heiden, Chad Mustard, Kellen Winslow PK : Phil Dawson ========================= ========================= DALLAS COWBOYS As Fort Worth Star-Telegram staffer Rick Herrin noted Tuesday, Bill Parcells continues to prove with this offense he'd rather pass first, pass second. Again, the Cowboys were fully committed to the passing game in a 21-18 victory against the Washington Redskins on Monday night. This might be the face of the offense this season behind 40-year-old quarterback Vinny Testaverde, who entered Week 3 leading the NFL in pass attempts and yardage. Herrin went on to point out that Dallas started three of five first-half drives with a pass. And how did they create some cushion in the fourth quarter? Not with the run. "We had a little trouble, but I'm not going to talk about that right now," a frustrated Parcells said of the running game. "We did enough to win tonight, that's all I care about." Parcells used to try and shorten games with a running attack; now he's running flea-flickers and halfback passes. He went to the razzle dazzle for the second consecutive week in the fourth quarter. Richie Anderson's halfback pass to Terry Glenn for a 26-yard touchdown with 13 minutes in the fourth quarter gave the Cowboys a 21-10 lead and proved to be the winning points. Last week, Parcells pulled out his old flea-flicker with success in the victory against Cleveland. Part of the reason Parcells' passing mentality grows is the inability to run consistently. Cowboys running back Eddie George, who had his streak of 130 consecutive starts snapped, was ineffective and rushed for 19 yards on 11 carries (1.7 avg. per carry) but did have a 1-yard touchdown run. ReShard Lee had 10 yards on four carries and Anderson had 20 yards on four carries. The Cowboys opened the game with a five-receivers, formation. It was a telling sign as the Cowboys were passing to set up the run. Any run. When they needed a rushing attack to run out the clock they couldn't. Testaverde had to step in. The Cowboys entered the game with 86 passes to 49 rushes. Against the Redskins, Testaverde threw 29 passes for 214 yards. ... According to the Sporting News, coaches have turned a less-than-speedy receiving unit into an explosive threat by using formations that create mismatches with linebackers and safeties for Keyshawn Johnson, Glenn and Antonio Bryant. The team even has split tight end Jason Witten wide. As a result, Testaverde had 10 completions of 20-plus yards in the first two games. ... Also of interest. ... According to the Sports Xchange, the Cowboys were among those called by the Chiefs last week to gauge any interest in trading for running back Larry Johnson. They were rebuffed as the Cowboys, who lost rookie Julius Jones for two months to a shoulder injury, said they had none. TSN added that team officials are reluctant to put Jones on IR in case he is available in December. ... The same can't be said, unfortunately, of tight end Dan Campbell, who was placed on the injured reserve list Wednesday with season-ending injuries. Campbell came up limping after catching a 9-yard pass on third-and-8 late in the fourth quarter. It was only the second catch this season for the team's best blocking tight end. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   The Cowboys are idle this week due to the NFL bye. ========================= ========================= DENVER BRONCOS As Sports Illustrated insider Don Banks put it: "Don't say it too loud, because he's already sensitive about it, but it looks like the Broncos new No. 1 running back has a fumbling problem. ..." Nonetheless, head coach Mike Shanahan said Monday that he's sticking with running back Quentin Griffin. Griffin rushed for seven yards on 12 carries against San Diego on Sunday, his second straight poor performance after a strong opening game against Kansas City, but Shanahan said the Chargers' defensive plan and the lack of opportunities for Griffin were the biggest factors. "I won't give up on him," Shanahan said. Denver's 37 rushing yards on Sunday -- its lowest total since 1993 -- brought up questions about whether Garrison Hearst or Tatum Bell might supplant Griffin, but Shanahan dismissed that on Monday. "It's always disappointing anytime you've had the success we've had in the running game and you take a look at those numbers and go 'Wow,'" Shanahan said. "But I think sometimes people overreact a little bit." Shanahan absolved Griffin of most of the problems the running game had on Sunday. "We didn't do a very good job in the blocking," Shanahan said. "Nobody could have run in that situation, I don't care who it was." Shanahan did say that he wouldn't be surprised if Griffin's confidence has taken a hit, because of his quiet, serious personality. "He takes it very personal," Shanahan said. "He wants to play perfect. You like guys with that kind of mindset." Bell did not suit up because of a rib injury sustained during practice last week. That left the Broncos, already without Mike Anderson for the season, with only two healthy tailbacks -- Griffin and veteran Garrison Hearst, who missed the Jacksonville game with an ankle sprain. Hearst had three carries for 13 yards. Starting fullback Reuben Droughns had a 9-yard rush and picked up a third-and-1 on his first two carries of the season. Also of interest this week. ... Jake Plummer finished with 294 yards and two touchdowns, including a 16-yarder to Rod Smith to open the scoring. Ashley Lelie, largely considered a disappointment his first two years in Denver, caught four passes for 67 yards and his first TD since Sept. 28, 2003, a span of 15 games. "Has it been that long?" Lelie said. "Yeah, it felt good, just because it helped us win. ..." As noted by the Boulder Daily Camera, Jeb Putzier had a great training camp and preseason, which led to Denver cutting veterans Byron Chamberlain and Jed Weaver. But the third-year tight end didn't have much of an impact in the passing game during the first two Sundays of the season. That changed quickly against a vulnerable Chargers defense, as Putzier made five catches for 66 yards, including a 24-yard reception. Darius Watts added four catches for 42 yards to help take a little pressure off Smith and Lelie. "Hopefully more teams have to look at me and guys like Darius Watts," Putzier said. "Hopefully that will open a lot of things up for Rod, Ashley and [Griffin]. ..." For what it's worth, Shanahan won his 100th game with the Broncos, including regular and postseason. His regular-season record is 101-66, including time with the Raiders. And finally. ... Plummer continued to pay tribute to his friend Pat Tillman, the former Arizona Cardinals safety who was killed in Afghanistan this year, by wearing a decal with Tillman's No. 40 on the back of his helmet. The NFL has instructed players not to wear the decals anymore and threatened to fine those who do so for violating the uniform code. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Jake Plummer, Danny Kanell, Mike Quinn RB: Quentin Griffin, Tatum Bell, Garrison Hearst FB: Rueben Droughns WR: Rod Smith, Ashley Lelie, Darius Watts, Triandos Luke, Charlie Adams, Adrian Madise TE: Jeb Putzier, Patrick Hape, Dwayne Carswell PK : Jason Elam ========================= ========================= DETROIT LIONS According to the Associated Press, Kevin Jones is expected to miss two to four weeks after sustaining a high right ankle sprain in the loss to Philadelphia. The first-round draft choice was injured in the first quarter of Sunday's 30-13 loss to the Eagles. "High ankle sprains can be two weeks or they can be 12," head coach Steve Mariucci said Monday. "He's had these before, and he was back in a couple weeks both times, so that's what we are hoping for." Fullback Cory Schlesinger pulled a hamstring, but the Lions hope to have him back for their Oct. 10 game in Atlanta. Detroit has a bye this week. ... Also of interest. ... Rookie receiver Roy Williams had another big game, catching nine passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns. In three games, Williams has 17 catches for 277 yards and four scores. Williams has 100 more receiving yards than the rest of the Lions' tight ends and wide receivers combined. They have teamed for 23 catches, 177 yards and one touchdown. "Roy was a bright spot," Mariucci said. "He was terrific after the catch on several occasions, but we didn't get any big plays other than Roy's." Joey Harrington was 21-of-38 for 199 yards with two TDs. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   The Lions are idle this week due to the NFL bye. ========================= ========================= GREEN BAY PACKERS According to Associated Press sports writer Arnie Stapleton, no stranger to injuries, Brett Favre can add another ailment to his list: a bum left shoulder to go with a bruised left hamstring. The three-time MVP revealed after the Green Bay Packers' loss at Indianapolis on Sunday that his non-throwing shoulder has been bothering him for two years. "If it was my right one, I wouldn't be playing," Favre said. "But I feel like Mel Gibson in 'Lethal Weapon.' It's just kind of loose and kind of wobbles around and pops out from time to time. As long as it pops back, I'm OK." Favre, who has started 211 consecutive games, including playoffs, an NFL record for quarterbacks, was asked about the shoulder after he winced and held his left arm lower when signaling touchdown after one of his four TD throws against the Colts. "It's been hurting for about two years. It's just that with each day that passes, believe it or not, it gets worse and worse," Favre said. Favre said he considered surgery last winter, but decided against it, figuring rest was best. "But when I started training camp, it actually felt worse than it did at the end of the season," Favre said. "But so far the worst of it is doing the half-touchdown (celebration). I can live with that." Apparently, so can the Packers. Head coach/general manager Mike Sherman said Monday he's been aware of the injury since last season. "Anytime No. 4 has an injury there's a level of concern," Sherman said. "He's not overly concerned by it. But it's always been a concern of mine. I ask him about it. The doctor will check on it. It doesn't detract from his performance. "It's something that he might have looked at when he retires someday. But if it causes him an issue, then it'll be looked at sooner. But it hasn't been an issue." Favre, who turns 35 in two weeks, is expected to make his 212th straight start Sunday against the New York Giants. He has thrown for 755 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions so far. He threw for 360 yards in his shootout with Peyton Manning on Sunday, but missed the Packers' final series after defensive end Dwight Freeney struck him on the back of the left leg on the previous drive. "He has a bruise there about the size of a golf ball that probably caused a charley horse reaction. He couldn't really maneuver after that," Sherman said. "So, we believe he'll be all right." For what it's worth, Favre became the third member of the 4,000-completion club Sunday. Favre entered the game with 3,999 career completions. He joined Dan Marino and John Elway as the only other players to reach that level when he connected with Javon Walker for a 6-yard completion on the Packers' second offensive play. Favre ranks third all-time in completions. Marino has the NFL record with 4,967 completions, Elway is second at 4,123. Later in the series, Favre also hooked up with Walker on a 36-yard touchdown pass. It marked the 28th straight game Favre has thrown a touchdown, tying Dave Krieg for the third-longest streak in NFL history. Favre broke a fourth-place tie with Manning and Chris Chandler. ... Favre also had his 50th career game with three or more touchdown passes and 17th with four. ... Walker, meanwhile, had a career day but won't soon forget the fumble in the fourth quarter that ended the Packers' last threat. He caught a 6-yard slant pass but had the ball stripped out by diminutive nickel back Jason David. His 11 receptions tied with many others for the fifth highest total in Packers' history. His 198 yards were the 11th-highest total in club annals. His three touchdown receptions also tied with many others for the fourth-highest total in Green Bay's record book. "He played the best game of his career," fellow wide receiver Donald Driver said. "But the biggest thing he's upset about is he had the fumble. But that doesn't matter. He played a great game." But of course, it did matter. The Colts recovered that fumble and went on to the clinching touchdown. ... Also of interest. ... Ahman Green had a quiet day. His long gain was 11 yards. In all, he finished 17 for 67. Green is giving way to backup Tony Fisher about 30 percent of the snaps. According to Pro Football Weekly, Najeh Davenport missed practice most of last week, and as a result, he was inactive for the second consecutive Sunday, due to a strained right hamstring. Tony Fisher served as Green's primary backup in Davenport's absence. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Brett Favre, Doug Pederson, Craig Nall RB: Ahman Green, Tony Fisher, Najeh Davenport FB: William Henderson, Nick Luchey WR: Robert Ferguson, Donald Driver, Javon Walker, Antonio Chatman TE: Bubba Franks, David Martin PK: Ryan Longwell ========================= ========================= HOUSTON TEXANS As noted by the Sports Xchange, David Carr has been horrible in the first quarter the past two weeks, completing only 1-of-11pass attempts. But he turns into a different person in the second half and last Sunday, put the Texans in position for an upset of the Chiefs. Carr completed 13 of his 20 passes after starting 0-for-6 and perfectly placed a 35-yard pass to Derick Armstrong on the eventual game-winning drive. Andre Johnson did what No. 1 receivers are supposed to, making an incredible juggling catch between two defenders for a 37-yard gain late in the fourth quarter while the Chiefs were in two-deep coverage. Armstrong continues to show big-play potential, and Jabar Gaffney made his route look easy on a nine-yard fourth-quarter touchdown. According to the Sporting News, Armstrong has reliable hands, runs good routes and has a knack for making acrobatic catches. He came up big after Corey Bradford was injured against Kansas City and his role should increase as the season progresses. The coaches like his upside. ... Domanick Davis sprained his right ankle early in the game and was limited to only 10 carries for 12 yards, the worst game of his brief career. Head coach Dom Capers said Davis will not practice Wednesday and will be listed as questionable for Sunday's game. Fellow halfback Tony Hollings (knee) and Bradford (shoulder) are scheduled to practice on a limited basis. Meanwhile, Jonathan Wells, the team's leading rusher in 2002, brought some energy off the bench and scored on a crucial two-point conversion in the third quarter. The Texans are thin in the backfield due to injuries, which partly explains why they managed only 76 yards and 2.9 yards per carry against the worst run defense in the league. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: David Carr, Tony Banks, Dave Ragone RB: Domanick Davis, Tony Hollings, Jonathan Wells FB: Moran Norris, Jarrod Baxter WR: Andre Johnson, Jabar Gaffney, Corey Bradford, Derick Armstrong TE: Mark Bruener, Billy Miller, Bennie Joppru PK: Kris Brown ========================= ========================= INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Peyton Manning's gaudy numbers after three games include nine touchdown passes, one interception and an outrageously high quarterback rating of 119.9. And as Associated Press sports writer Michael Marot suggested on Monday, "Dare him to beat you, like the Green Bay Packers did Sunday, and Manning will riddle a defense. "Yes, somehow, Manning is doing the unthinkable -- getting even better. ..." "He's such a competitor," receiver Brandon Stokley said Monday. "Whether it's a game or practice on Saturday, he wants to get the ball in the end zone. He wants everything to be perfect." On Sunday, Manning nearly was perfect. In outdueling Brett Favre, Manning started with 22 straight passes, producing 247 yards in the first quarter and becoming the first quarterback in 18 years to throw five TD passes in a half. He finished 28-of-40 for 393 yards and connected on seven pass plays of 20 yards or more. But as Marot further noted, it's not the statistics that impress the Colts most; it's Manning's flawless game management. When the Packers blitzed, Manning made all the right reads. When he saw holes in the secondary, Manning beat the man-to-man coverage repeatedly. When the officials reset the play clock to 40 seconds with 2:40 left, Manning walked to the line of scrimmage and gestured continually despite having no intention of running a play before the 2-minute warning. He even saw things that his teammates didn't recognize. "One time, he looked at a coverage and we had a play set up for it," Stokley said. "I didn't see the coverage, they disguised it, but Peyton did and that's where all of his studying pays off." Manning entered this season facing the biggest expectations of his seven-year career. After sharing the MVP award with Steve McNair and leading the Colts to the AFC championship game in 2003, Manning signed a franchise-record $98 million contract in March. Some wondered whether Manning was worth the money. There's no question now. "In training camp, I study a lot of film," Manning said in August. "Some guys play cards. But I feel very obligated to earn it and that's not by playing cards at night." The long hours and extra work have paid big dividends, too. Manning has thrown five or more touchdowns four times in the last 19 games, counting the playoffs; has produced a 100 rating in nine of those games; and is off to a career-best start. He's already on pace to throw for more than 4,800 yards and 48 touchdowns -- numbers that would easily be career highs -- with a career-low in interceptions. To put his numbers in perspective, consider that this week's opponent, Jacksonville, has scored less than half as many touchdowns (four) as Manning has produced himself. Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich has 391 yards passing this year, two yards fewer than Manning had Sunday. And when the Colts need points, Manning always seems to deliver. "After two and a half years here, there's probably not a whole lot that surprises me," head coach Tony Dungy said. "He knows the details, he knows what's going on out there and he thinks his way through the game all the time. As a coach, that's fun to see." The next question is whether Manning can keep it up. He's already faced the defending Super Bowl champs and two other playoff teams, and this week the Colts visit Jacksonville, which has allowed the league's third-fewest points and owns the AFC South lead. At this rate, it may not matter what defense Manning must contend with. "He's the same old Peyton," receiver Reggie Wayne said. "He's always watching film, doing extra work, wanting to throw to you. He's just a special guy." Also of interest. ... Wayne had a career day against Green Bay with 11 catches for 184 yards and a touchdown. "This is Marvin Harrison's team. I kind of like being in the background. This offense revolves around [Manning], [James] and [Harrison]. If teams are going to continue to double and triple team Marvin, it leaves a lot of room for me and [Stokley] to operate," Wayne said of his responsibilities in the Colts' offense. ... As Indianapolis Star News beat man Mike Chappell noted, the way coaches chose to attack Green Bay's defense, Edgerrin James could have played with a broken left leg instead of a strained left hamstring. "It was kind of boring for me," he said. "I've never played in a game like that. "I don't want to get used to it." James was the subject of concern last week after suffering a second-degree strain to his left hamstring at Tennessee. He was held out of practice Wednesday, but he returned to work the next three days. James finished with 62 yards on 21 carries. He was at his busiest in the second half after the Colts grabbed a 35-17 lead. James rushed 18 times for 53 after the break. "Edge did fine," Dungy said. "It became a lot of a passing game, so it probably played into not getting him fatigued. ..." Also according to Chappell, Mike Vanderjagt had an active Sunday. And that wasn't necessarily a good thing. Vanderjagt became the Colts' career field goal leader when he converted a 45-yarder in the fourth quarter. It was his 177th, surpassing Dean Biasucci. He also converted six extra points, although the first was an adventure. And finally. ... According to the Sports Xchange, Stokley should be okay to play against the Jaguars on Sunday. Stokley suffered a bruised hip in the fourth quarter of the Green Bay game. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Peyton Manning, Jim Sorgi, Joe Hamilton RB: Edgerrin James, Dominic Rhodes, James Mungro FB: Tom Lopienski WR: Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Brandon Stokley, Aaron Moorehead, Brad Pyatt TE: Marcus Pollard, Dallas Clark, Ben Hartsock PK: Mike Vanderjagt ========================= ========================= JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS According to Florida Times-Union staff writer Bart Hubbuch, "the Jaguars had waited since the end of the 2003 season for Fred Taylor to start looking like, well, Fred Taylor." After getting out of the gate slowly this year, Taylor finally reverted to form in the second half Sunday. And it was just in time, too, paving the way for the Jaguars' 15-12 victory over the AFC South rival Tennessee Titans. Taylor finished with 81 yards in 17 carries, and did the bulk of his damage in the final two quarters, when he ran 13 times for 70 yards. Taylor capped that second-half effort with a memorable exclamation point: a 1-yard touchdown run standing up with nine seconds left that gave the Jaguars their first victory in Nashville since 1998. "We knew it was going to happen for Fred," center Brad Meester said. "It was just a matter of time. We just had to keep plugging away for him, and we knew eventually that he would do the rest." The Jaguars had reason to wonder about Taylor going into Sunday's game. He had missed the final two preseason games with a sore left foot, and that foot still seemed to be an issue when Taylor ran for just 115 yards and no touchdowns in the first two games combined. Taylor's slow start continued well into the first half against the Titans, who held him to 11 yards in four carries. But Taylor became energized in the third quarter, when he ran for 43 yards in seven carries. Taylor was mostly responsible for the Jaguars' first touchdown, ripping off runs of 9 and 25 yards to set up a Byron Leftwich's scoring pass to tight end George Wrighster. "It was a matter of settling down," Taylor said. "We got so anxious in the beginning to play well as an offense, and we needed to relax. Once the offensive line started opening holes and Byron started making some throws, I was able to settle into a little groove." Taylor's teammates considered his second-half groove against the Titans to be considerably more than "little." "That was the real Fred you saw out there in the second half," Meester said. "If we give Fred any type of hole, he's going to make something happen. He pounds out the yards." Taylor added runs of 11 and 12 yards early in the fourth quarter before culminating the Jaguars' comeback in the final minute by bouncing to the right side untouched and into the end zone. "Once we got to the 1, there was no doubt in my mind we were going to score," Taylor said. ... In a related note. ... According to the Sporting News, LaBrandon Toefield continues to be a terrific change-of-pace back and receiving weapon out of the backfield when Taylor isn't on the field. Toefield excels at running between the tackles with a low, elusive running style and tremendous burst, especially once he gets into the secondary. The Jaguars are especially fond of using Toefield on third downs catching passes out of the backfield, an area in which Taylor traditionally has struggled. ... Other notes of interest. ... According to the Sports Xchange, quarterbacks are judged on whether they can bring their team from behind on the final drive in the fourth quarter. Leftwich has done it twice in three games. Now he's got to play better in the first half. ... Also according to Hubbuch, head coach Jack Del Rio demanded more production from his tight ends in the passing game, and Del Rio got exactly that Sunday. Wrighster caught a team-high five passes for 30 yards. Wrighster, who started in place of injured Kyle Brady for the second consecutive week, also caught the Jaguars' first touchdown, a 7-yard grab in the third quarter in which he dove over a defender into the end zone. "The tight ends knew we had to step up and produce, because Coach Del Rio had really stressed that in practice," Wrighster said. For what it's worth, Brady could sit out the Indianapolis game because of concerns about infection in the finger, giving Wrighster additional opportunity to secure a contributing role. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Byron Leftwich, David Garrard, Quinn Gray RB: Fred Taylor, Greg Jones, LaBrandon Toefield FB: Marc Edwards, Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala WR: Jimmy Smith, Reggie Williams, Troy Edwards, Earnest Wilford, Cortez Hankton TE: Todd Yoder, George Wrighster, Kyle Brady PK: Josh Scobee ========================= ========================= KANSAS CITY CHIEFS Priest Holmes became the Chiefs' career leading rusher with 4,941 yards but couldn't get into the end zone in last Sunday's loss to the Texans -- a loss that leaves the Chiefs winless through three games. Trent Green threw three touchdown passes but also gave up the interception that Marcus Coleman returned 102 yards for a third-quarter touchdown to tie the game at 14. Holmes was incredible in coming back from a sprained ankle that had him wearing a walking cast just last Monday. His 32-134 rushing effort was diminished only by two failures in the red zone on fourth-and-2 from the 6 just before halftime, and a first-and-goal call from the 1 that was stuffed for a loss right before Green threw the game-changing interception. For what it's worth, Holmes broke Christian Okoye's record of 4,897 yards midway through the third quarter, on a 7-yard run up the middle. Green hit nine straight passes before his second-and-goal throw from the 2 was intercepted by Coleman. Journeyman receiver Chris Horn's performance in his first NFL game prompted the Chiefs to rethink his position as an emergency replacement for the injured Eddie Kennison. With Kennison down for Houston, the team signed Horn off the practice squad and cut third quarterback Damon Huard to open a roster spot. Huard was re-signed on Tuesday, with the team releasing Richard Smith in order to keep Horn. Smith will be added to the practice squad once he clears waivers. For the record, Vermeil said Kennison is questionable for Baltimore. Holmes will not be listed on the injury report this week. Also of interest. ... According to Kansas City Star staff writer Adam Teicher, the Chiefs don't appear to be aggressively seeking offers for discontented halfback Larry Johnson but would part with him if the right one came along before the NFL's Oct. 19 trading deadline. The Chiefs have held recent substantive discussions with at least four teams regarding Johnson -- Tampa Bay, Miami, Philadelphia and Dallas. Each of the four teams has an issue at halfback and could use some depth at the least. However, the Dallas Morning News reported the Cowboys are not interested in Johnson. The efforts to trade Johnson appear to have more to do with the Chiefs' excess at halfback than Johnson's unhappiness or his recent public quarrel with head coach Dick Vermeil. Johnson is rooted on the bench behind Holmes and Derrick Blaylock. He hasn't had a rushing attempt or caught a pass this year. Johnson has made no attempt to hide his unhappiness with the Chiefs since being drafted by them in the first round last season. He played in only six games as a rookie. Vermeil last week said it was time for Johnson "to take the diaper off and go play" when it appeared an ankle injury would keep Holmes from playing in Sunday's game against Houston. Johnson responded by saying he didn't appreciate the sentiment. "I don't need another grown man telling me I need to take the diapers off," he said last week. The two later met to discuss the issue. Vermeil said Monday he didn't wish to part with Johnson. "Personally, no," he said. "Larry's got a long way to go. I'd just as soon see him do it here. He's got talent, and he can be a very fine player." DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Trent Green, Todd Collins, Damon Huard RB: Priest Holmes, Derrick Blaylock, Larry Johnson FB: Tony Richardson, Omar Easy WR: Eddie Kennison, Johnnie Morton, Dante Hall, Chris Horn, Samie Parker TE: Tony Gonzalez, Jason Dunn, Billy Baber, Kris Wilson PK : Lawrence Tynes ========================= ========================= MIAMI DOLPHINS Jay Fiedler will replace A.J. Feeley at quarterback and start for the winless Dolphins against the New York Jets on Sunday, a team source told Associated Press sports writer Steven Wine on Tuesday on condition of anonymity. That's not the only lineup change: The Dolphins placed running back Lamar Gordon on injured reserve with a dislocated shoulder, meaning he's out for the season. Feeley has thrown two touchdown passes and five interceptions since supplanting Fiedler at halftime of the Dolphins' opener. Miami is 0-3 for the first time since 1969, and last in the NFL in scoring with 23 points. Fiedler will rejoin a lineup that has endured weekly shakeups. Both quarterbacks have operated behind a patchwork line, and with the loss of Gordon, the Dolphins are on their fifth running back since July, when Ricky Williams retired. Running back Leonard Henry, a third-year pro who made his NFL debut Sunday, is expected to start against the Jets. According to the Miami Herald, Travis Minor, who started the season for the Dolphins, will miss his third game this week because of a sprained right ankle sustained in the opener. Sammy Morris, who opened eyes with his strong running in training camp, might be active. Fiedler, a starter the past four seasons, is more experienced and more mobile than Feeley. But Fiedler lost his job by throwing two interceptions in the first half of the opener against Tennessee. After that game, head coach Dave Wannstedt said he would go week to week regarding a starting quarterback. Feeley, a former Philadelphia backup acquired in a trade in March, is 55-of-97 for 523 yards this season. In Sunday's 13-3 loss to Pittsburgh, he threw two interceptions, lost a fumble on a sack and drew criticism from Wannstedt for failing to convert a sneak with 2 inches needed on fourth down. "A.J.'s young," Wannstedt said Monday. "Every game is a new adventure for him. It's a learning process. ..." Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs called the Dolphins this week to gauge Miami's interest in running back Larry Johnson, and that interest might have risen Sunday night. Johnson, a first-round draft pick in 2003, has apparently fallen out of favor in Kansas City. Last week, Chiefs head coach Dick Vermeil was quoted as saying Johnson would have to get rid of his "diapers" -- the inference being that the running back has been a baby. Vermeil apologized. It is unclear what the Chiefs are asking for Johnson, but they need a defensive back. Through a team spokesman, Dolphins general manager Rick Spielman declined to comment, saying he would talk only about players on the roster. For now, the Dolphins will apparently settle for former Chicago reserve Brock Forsey, who will fill the roster opening created by Gordon's absence. Forsey, a second-year player from Boise State, had 50 carries for 191 yards and two touchdowns last season for Chicago. Released in the preseason, Forsey had a workout last week with the Dolphins. Also of interest. ... Rob Konrad said Monday that he planned to return for Sunday's game against the New York Jets. Konrad has missed the first three games because of complications stemming from a preseason staph infection near his right thigh. Tight end Donald Lee continues to struggle in his second NFL season, losing a fumble on Miami's first play from scrimmage in last Sunday's 13-3 loss to Pittsburgh. Lee, who committed two holding penalties the previous week against Cincinnati, is receiving extended playing time Konrad and Morris sidelined. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Jay Fiedler, A.J. Feeley, Sage Rosenfels RB: Leonard Henry, Sammy Morris, Travis Minor, Brock Forsey FB: Rob Konrad, Jamar Martin, Doug Easlick WR: Chris Chambers, Marty Booker, Derrius Thompson, Bryan Gilmore, Sam Simmons TE: Randy McMichael, Donald Lee PK: Olindo Mare ========================= ========================= MINNESOTA VIKINGS According to St. Paul Pioneer-Press staff writer Don Seeholzer, with starter Michael Bennett ready to return from a sprained knee, the team is bracing for the seemingly inevitable loss of Onterrio Smith, who soon will have a hearing on his appeal of a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. "I know he has a hearing scheduled for later in the week, and our anticipation is that it won't go the way we want it to go" head coach Mike Tice said Monday. "So again, it's another player we're going to move on without." Smith's agent, Doug Hendrickson, said he still doesn't have an exact date for the hearing, but it will be some time next week. "I'm definitely an optimist and half-full kind of guy," Hendrickson said. "But as you know, these kinds of things are hard to overturn." Smith gained a personal-best 198 yards from scrimmage (94 rushing, 104 receiving) on Sunday in a 27-22 victory over Chicago. He leads the Vikings with 198 rushing yards and 223 receiving yards on 15 catches. Asked if Bennett might energize the offense, Tice said that isn't necessary. "I don't know how much more we can be energized after watching Onterrio Smith run the ball out there yesterday," he said. "Mike's going to have to come back at a high level just to pick up where Onterrio left off." Bennett has been sidelined since he injured his knee in the third exhibition game against the San Francisco 49ers. He said he could have played Sunday in an emergency, but he wasn't needed, the way Smith and the other backs were going. "He's given me a tough act to follow, but I've got the ability to back it up," Bennett said. "I'm ready to rock and roll." With the bye week, Vikings players will have Tuesday and Wednesday off before beginning to prepare for a Week 5 game at Houston. Other notes of interest. ... Daunte Culpepper heads into the bye week as the NFL's No. 1-ranked quarterback with a 124.8 passer rating and 945 passing yards, and the co-leader with eight touchdown passes. Culpepper has completed 73.0 percent of his passes. "Daunte Culpepper continues to play at a very high level," Tice said. "He's just having a brilliant month and continuing to make a lot of plays for us." In an article published Monday, ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli noted that Randy Moss has five touchdowns in three games, but his average scoring catch, no joke, is 2.6 yards. He has touchdowns of 3, 1, 4, 3 and 2 yards. At his current pace, Moss would catch 101 balls, for "just" 1,147 yards, but would score 27 touchdowns. ... Receiver Marcus Robinson tweaked his left hamstring during the Bears game. He returned to the game at the end, but it's an injury that must be watched closely. Robinson tweaked it during the preseason and missed the final three preseason games. And finally. ... Morten Andersen broke George Blanda's NFL record for career games played when he missed a 46-yard field goal in the first quarter of Sunday's game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears. Andersen, 44, made his 341st appearance. He has kicked for New Orleans, Atlanta, the New York Giants, Kansas City and now the Vikings in his 23-year career. He made up for the miss in the 27-22 victory with field goals of 42 and 24 yards, and three extra points. Andersen, with 2,274 career points, is also the league's second all-time leading scorer behind Tennessee's Gary Anderson -- who entered Sunday with 2,351 points. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   The Vikings are idle this week due to the NFL bye. ========================= ========================= NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS In an article published Monday, Boston Globe staff writer Nick Cafardo noted that few athletes in the area are more respected than receiver Troy Brown. At 33, he's struggled to fight his way up the depth chart again after falling behind Deion Branch, David Patten, and David Givens, while having to endure a stint as a cornerback in the exhibition season. But Brown, who has been recovering from a knee injury suffered while returning a punt in the third exhibition game, hopes to rise again. "I've had to fight all my career," Brown said. "I'll keep fighting my way back up. It's a long season. You wind up needing all of your players before it's over. I can still play. You're never going to get that out of my mind." To have someone of Brown's big-play capability in reserve shows the depth of the roster. Yet he knows he's fighting time. Branch and Bethel Johnson are former second-round draft picks who have shown flashes of brilliance. Givens is a former seventh-rounder who has drawn praise from Brown for the way he's emerged. Patten's rebirth is also proof that while one might be out of the picture temporarily because of injury, one can rise again. Patten surprised the coaching staff with his speed in training camp, and coupled with his intangibles, there's no way he shouldn't be on the field. Brown said his first punt return last week, when he split a pair of Arizona tacklers and scampered up the middle for 22 yards, felt good. "It was good to feel I could make people miss," he said. "That's a good sign. That's what I need to show more often." "It's a process," he added. "I'm 3 1/2 weeks closer to where I want to be physically. You have to keep fighting and fighting. I want to be a contributor to this team like I always have been." In a related note. ... As reported by the Sports Xchange, Branch has to be considered a long shot to play in Buffalo this week after injuring his knee in Arizona. He moved around with the aid of crutches last week and while the Patriots won't update his playing status until Wednesday at 4 p.m., it would be a surprise if he were listed as anything better than questionable. Other notes of interest. ... Also according to the Xchange, Kevin Faulk will likely be questionable for Buffalo with a knee injury suffered back on Aug. 28 in the preseason game at Carolina. Faulk missed the first two games for personal reasons while back home in Louisiana where his mother died two days before the opener. Faulk wasn't sure if he would have been able to play last week if the Patriots weren't on a bye. If he is able to return, he will spell Corey Dillon and play on third down. The Patriots have been without a third down back in the first two games and Dillon has split the chores with fullback Patrick Pass. ... According to the Sporting News, Daniel Graham is prone to occasional drops and missed reads, but his hands and awareness are improving. TSN added: "Graham has the speed to destroy linebackers assigned to cover him, and he's a favorite target of Tom Brady. Graham also is a willing blocker. ..." And finally. ... Veteran signal caller Jim Miller continues to progress health-wise and could begin to challenge Rohan Davey for the No. 2 QB job behind Brady. Miller did not participate in training camp because he was still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, but made the active roster and has been throwing more and more since the start of the season. He is virtually pain free throwing the ball, but doesn't know how the shoulder would react to contact, although he says it feels better than it did in 2002 when he played through pain. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Tom Brady, Rohan Davey, Jim Miller RB: Corey Dillon, Kevin Faulk, Rabih Abdullah, Cedric Cobbs FB: Patrick Pass WR: Deion Branch, David Givens, Troy Brown, Bethel Johnson, David Patten, P.K. Sam TE: Daniel Graham, Ben Watson, Christian Fauria PK: Adam Vinatieri ========================= ========================= NEW ORLEANS SAINTS As New Orleans Times-Picayune staff writer Brian Allee-Walsh put it, "If Sunday's performance is any indication, the Saints' running game appears to be in capable hands until the return of injured running back Deuce McAllister. ..." McAllister's replacement, Aaron Stecker, rushed 18 times for a career-high 106 yards and scored on a 42-yard run in the Saints' 28-25 overtime victory against the Rams. The Saints also compiled a season-high 149 yards on the ground, albeit against the NFL's 29th-ranked rushing defense. If you believe Saints players and coaches, apparently everyone questioned their ability to run the ball after dismal performances against Seattle and San Francisco. Stecker said he had to endure a week of second-guessing by the local and national media. "Every time I was watching ESPN or NFL Network or looked at the paper this week, it was like the season's done with," Stecker said. "That they got a guy named Aaron Stecker, who's he? He's only had two starts in his career. He hasn't done much, and he ain't going to do anything. "So I got a lot of motivation this week. That's why they brought me here. I'm a running back. It's not like they pulled me out of the front office and said, 'Deuce is down. You know how to play running back?' I just wanted to go out there and do what I can do. I believe in myself. My teammates didn't have no doubt in me." According to the Sports Xchange, the final straw came as the Saints were getting dressed in the locker room before the game. Wide receiver Donte' Stallworth said several players took notice when a commentator on ESPN's NFL Countdown show said the Saints would have to throw the ball to beat the Rams. "He took it personally," Stallworth said. "I was even mad for him. He went out and did a great job today. He held up his end of the bargain -- plus some." Stecker's touchdown run in the second quarter was the first by a Saints running back since McAllister scored twice against Philadelphia in Game 11 last season. Until Sunday, the Saints had not produced a 100-yard rusher since Game 12 of 2003. "The O-line did a heck of a job, so did (fullback) Mike Karney, the tight ends and the wide receivers," Stecker said. "They made it easy. [Head coach Jim Haslett] challenged the O-line early in the week and they took it upon themselves to create some holes. They made some big holes in there. "I fed off of their energy and I think they fed off of mine. It was a complete team effort." Haslett said Stecker's production could have been greater but he shared time with veteran running back Ki-Jana Carter, who rushed seven times for 12 yards. "We knew Aaron was a pretty good running back, that's the reason we signed him," Haslett said. "He stepped to the plate today." Other notes of interest. .... Haslett said Monday that McAllister was much better than he was the previous Monday, but is far from ready to return to the field. He is expected to be sidelined for at least three more games and maybe four. Joe Horn had a bursa sac pop in his left knee during the fourth quarter of Sunday's game, but he returned to make a 9-yard touchdown catch. Haslett said he had a lot of fluid in the knee on Monday and will be monitored in practice this week although he is expected to be ready for Sunday's game at Arizona. Stallworth bruised his hamstring, but should be ready for the Cardinals. Reserve receiver Talman Gardner suffered a sprained right ankle early in the fourth quarter while covering a punt and will be out a week or two, Haslett said. Haslett said the injury wasn't as severe as McAllister's although Gardner said he heard something pop in the ankle when he slipped on the painted portion of the artificial turf in the Edwards Jones Dome. And finally. ... With 16 points Sunday, place-kicker John Carney took the league scoring lead for kickers with 29 points. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Aaron Brooks, Todd Bouman, J.T. O'Sullivan RB: Aaron Stecker, Ki-Jana Carter, Deuce McAllister FB: Mike Karney WR: Joe Horn, Donte' Stallworth, Jerome Pathon, Michael Lewis, Devery Henderson, Talman Gardner TE: Boo Williams, Ernie Conwell PK : John Carney ========================= ========================= NEW YORK GIANTS As reported by Newark Star-Ledger staff writer Mike Garafolo, with Ron Dayne inactive for last Sunday's game against Cleveland because of a swollen left calf, Tiki Barber was given more carries and Dayne's backup, Mike Cloud, was activated for the first time this season. Barber gained 106 yards on 23 carries and had an 8-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. He also caught three passes for 48 yards. "I'll do whatever it takes for this team to win. I do what I'm told for this team," Barber said. "If [head coach Tom] Coughlin wants to give me 12 carries a game and six or seven passes, that's what I'll do. If he needs to give it to me 25 times a game, that's what I'll do." Barber's 23 carries were his most since the third game of last season, when he rushed 28 times against the Redskins. Perhaps all the work left him a bit tired because he was stopped twice at the Cleveland 1 yard line in the second half following a 41-yard catch and run from Kurt Warner. "All the fantasy players must hate me right now," he said. Cloud started slowly, gaining 4 yards on his first five carries. His sixth carry was a 5-yard TD in the fourth quarter -- his sixth TD run in his past six games, dating to last season with the New England Patriots. "I don't know how many touches [Tiki] had, but that probably would not have been the way it would have gone (if Dayne had played)," Coughlin said. "In the second half, we did get Mike Cloud in there, and Mike did make a strong contribution at the end. ..." Meanwhile, Warner continued to play well. The veteran signal caller was 19-for-27 for 286 yards against the Browns and has yet to throw an interception this season. In fact, he has not been intercepted in his past 111 attempts. "I give a lot of credit to the coaches," Warner said. "They're calling good plays, they're making my reads easy. The receivers get open. When you don't have to force things, interceptions aren't going to be as prevalent." Warner ran for a touchdown to give the Giants a 17-0 lead in the third quarter, his first rushing TD since Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002. But he was knocked to the ground while crossing the goal line. "I don't care if I ever run the rest of my career," said Warner, who scored just his second career regular-season rushing TD. "That's always the last thing I want to do." According to New York Newsday beat man Ralph Vacchiano, Kurt Warner said he felt "OK" yesterday, one day after complaining of a "weird feeling" in his left ankle, knee and quad. Still, the Giants quarterback limped out of the locker room with his left ankle and left knee heavily wrapped in ice. And he planned to see a doctor Monday just to make sure nothing was wrong. "I feel OK," Warner said. "I feel pretty good today, a little bit sore in the ankle and the knee, but I feel extremely fortunate that everything seems to be intact. Everything has checked out well. The structure, the strength, everything is solid." Warner was dragged down awkwardly in the fourth quarter Sunday. He got up limping and was checked out by the trainers. But he never came out of the game and isn't expected to miss any practice time this week. The news isn't as good for Dayne, who is still bothered by the swollen calf that kept him out of Sunday's game. Dayne said he'll be able to practice this week, but Coughlin wasn't so sure. "They're probably going to run all kinds of tests to see where that is," he said. "It was really a strange reaction. ... "It was a calf strain up until now." Also of interest. ... According to New York Post staffer Paul Schwartz, after a week in which Jeremy Shockey admitted his frustration at not being comfortable with his expanded duties and his dismay at not being more involved in the passing attack, he watched as others around him excelled on offense. But he did show signs of progress last Sunday. Shockey had five catches for 41 yards against the Browns, which isn't anything special, but three of the receptions gave the Giants a first down. "This game I felt more comfortable than last and, hopefully, next time I feel more comfortable than this game," Shockey said. "That's the point I was trying to make." And finally. ... Amani Toomer extended his own Giants record by a catching a pass for the 86th straight game. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Kurt Warner, Eli Manning, Jesse Palmer RB: Tiki Barber, Ron Dayne, Derrick Knight, Chris Douglas FB: Jim Finn WR: Amani Toomer, Ike Hilliard, Tim Carter, Jamaar Taylor, David Tyree, Willie Ponder TE: Jeremy Shockey, Marcellus Rivers, Visanthe Shiancoe PK : Steve Christie ========================= ========================= NEW YORK JETS As Associated Press sports writer Andrea Adelson noted last week, with a healthy Chad Pennington and reinvigorated Curtis Martin, the Jets are scoring plenty of points. In fact, they've scored 65 in two games, more than enough to satisfy Fantasy owners. "If you can tell me that at the end of 16 games, I'll be one happy guy," offensive coordinator Paul Hackett told Adelson. "It's been a good start, no more than that." A good start against Cincinnati and San Diego, two teams not exactly known for their defense. Their first big test comes this week, when they play at Miami on Oct. 3. But there is something to be said for being able to find an offensive rhythm so quickly in the season. Hackett is all too familiar with the other side. After Pennington went down last preseason with a broken left wrist, Vinny Testaverde took over. Hackett acknowledged that he should have tried to focus more on the running game while Pennington was out. Martin had 15 carries in the opener last year and 10 in the following game. The Jets had to abandon the run so quickly in those games because they fell behind, and Martin struggled to gain any yards even when he got carries. "Maybe the balance could have been improved upon," Hackett said. "That is being seen now. Now all of a sudden there is a shift in the Curtis Martin focus, perhaps where it should have been a year ago. "Last year, I did not do a good coaching job. A guy got hurt and we weren't able to overcome it. If you don't learn from the years where you get your butt kicked, you have a problem." After finishing 6-10, Hackett was the target for criticism. Head coach Herman Edwards sat down with him in the offseason to talk about what the offense needed to do to be more productive. Hackett and his assistants went back to watch every game tape dating to 2001, his first season with the Jets. He wanted to find what worked and what did not work. What he saw was a productive Martin in 2001, when he had 1,513 yards, and an offense in rhythm at the end of 2002, when Pennington had a few games under his belt after replacing Testaverde as the starter. At the end of that regular season, the Jets posted 72 points in their final two games. "I think the meetings on the offseason were good on both sides of the football," Edwards said. "We just knew how we wanted to go about doing things. We've kind of played it how we like to play. Done a good job." So far this year, the Jets have scored over 30 points in both games. Last year, they did it just twice. Martin is in great shape, with 315 yards rushing. And Pennington once again has been accurate and efficient, going 42-of-56 for 482 yards with four touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 124.3. Because of the balance, the Jets have noticed better, more creative play calling. "Hackett is doing such a good job mixing up the formations," Martin said. "He is doing a great job keeping the defense off-balance. They are on their heels more this year." It helps that Hackett and Pennington have a great relationship. When Hackett came under scrutiny at the end of last season, Pennington was his biggest supporter. Now that Pennington came in as the entrenched starter and stayed healthy in the preseason, there is more continuity. "The flowing, the rhythm we established in 2002, you see moments of that now," Hackett said. "It's been a year to sort of recapture that." Other notes of interest. ... According to the Sporting News, despite constant speculation, the team won't trade backup halfback LaMont Jordan. He wasn't a factor in the first two games, but team officials believe he'll be needed for the long haul because Martin (61 carries) can't possibly maintain his workload. Jordan has replaced Jonathan Carter as the No. 1 kick returner. Also according to TSN, fullback Jerald Sowell is one of the team's most versatile players. He's a tough matchup for opponents because he can line up in a number of positions -- fullback, tight end and split out as a receiver. Pennington loves to throw to Sowell on play-action bootlegs. Sowell isn't a dominant blocker, but he's not a liability, either. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Chad Pennington, Quincy Carter, Brooks Bollinger RB: Curtis Martin, LaMont Jordan, Jonathan Reese FB: Jerald Sowell, B.J. Askew WR: Santana Moss, Justin McCareins, Wayne Chrebet, Jonathan Carter, Jerricho Cotchery TE: Anthony Becht, Chris Baker PK : Doug Brien ========================= ========================= OAKLAND RAIDERS As reported by Contra Costa Times beat man Steve Corkran, Rich Gannon sustained a fractured vertebra in his neck and is expected to miss at least eight weeks, head coach Norv Turner said Monday afternoon. That was the preliminary word anyway. The Raiders sent Gannon for further tests to learn more about the injury he sustained in the first quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night. "It was disappointing news to get (Monday) morning," Turner said in his weekly news conference. The news tempered the upbeat mood the players had after a stirring 30-20 victory over the Bucs. Turner said after the news conference that Gannon suffered a fracture to the C-7 vertebra. His status will be re-evaluated today. Gannon felt well enough to watch the second half of the game from the sideline Sunday. Then came the MRI test Monday morning that revealed the fracture and left Gannon in a neck brace. "Before he had the MRI, he told me he felt good," Turner said, "and he was talking about Houston. So he appeared to be in pretty good shape." Kerry Collins now is Oakland's starting quarterback, with Marques Tuiasosopo moving back into the No. 2 slot. Collins makes his first start as a Raider on Sunday against the Houston Texans. "I hate that Rich got hurt," Collins said. "It's the worst part of the game, injuries. But we know that they happen. And as a backup, my job is to come in and fill in do a good job, and that's what I plan to do." Collins completed 16 of 27 passes for 228 yards and one touchdown against the Bucs in his first regular-season action as a Raider. Turner said he won't make a decision on how to proceed beyond the Texans game until he gets more definitive results on Gannon's long-term prognosis. Team doctors are prohibited from speaking with the media. Turner's options include: placing Gannon on the injured-reserve list, which would make him ineligible to play for the rest of the season; signing practice squad-player Bret Engemann to the active roster; going with only Collins and Tuiasosopo; or signing a free-agent quarterback. Several Raiders players said they expect Gannon to return in less time than expected because of his toughness and determination. But according to Corkran, that isn't apt to happen, based on information provided by the National Institutes of Health Osteoperosis and Related Bone Diseases -- National Resource Center. A doctor on the Web site is quoted as saying, in general, "A fractured vertebra can take anywhere from six to eight weeks for the bone to set, and up to 12 weeks to heal completely. "But recovery from a vertebral fracture goes beyond healing the bone. Recovery becomes an ongoing process to enable you to regain strength and mobility and to resume your daily activities. Everyone experiences a slightly different recuperation." The NIH site adds that muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves near the fractured bone are affected by a vertebral fracture, yet steps can be taken to minimize the damage. Also, surgery is not needed. "Football's a tough game, Rich is a tough guy," guard Frank Middleton said. "We're going to hold it down until he gets back." Also of interest. ... According to the Sports Xchange, even though the bulk of the statistical damage was generated off one 60-yard Tyrone Wheatley run on the first play of the game, the Raiders had their best rushing game of the season by far. The final tally was 173 yards off 31 carries and through three quarters, by which time the team had a 30-6 lead, the Raiders were dominating in the ball-control department. The Raiders' left side with Barry Sims and Middleton, took advantage of their size superiority to mow down the smallish Bucs. Wheatley's 102 yards represented his second 100-yard game since the 2000 season. ... While starting receivers Jerry Porter and Jerry Rice now have 15 catches with no touchdowns, backup receivers Ronald Curry and Doug Gabriel have 11 catches, three touchdowns and are averaging 21 yards a catch. Rice, 41, continues his adjustment as a bit player in the Raiders' offense. He rolled himself into the legs of Tampa Bay safety Mario Edwards after a one-yard route and catch by Curry. The block freed Curry to romp untouched to the goal line, where he then somersaulted into the end zone with his second career touchdown in as many games. ... In an article published Monday, ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli quoted an unnamed NFL personnel man as saying: "What the Raiders coaches have done with Curry is pretty amazing. They've taken a guy with no position and turned him into a contributing wide receiver. "With him and Gabriel, and if they can convince Jerry Porter to stay, the Raiders could have a really nice, young bunch by next season." DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Kerry Collins, Marques Tuiasosopo, Rich Gannon RB: Tyrone Wheatley, Justin Fargas, Amos Zereoue FB: Zack Crockett, J.R. Redmond WR: Jerry Porter, Jerry Rice, Ronald Curry, Doug Gabriel, Alvis Whitted, Johnnie Morant, Carlos Francis TE: Doug Jolley, Roland Williams, Courtney Anderson, Teyo Johnson PK: Sebastian Janikowski ========================= ========================= PHILADELPHIA EAGLES As the Associated Press noted this week, Donovan McNabb's sixth NFL season is looking like it might be his best. McNabb threw for 356 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score, while Terrell Owens caught six passes for 107 yards and a TD in last weekend's 30-13 win over the Detroit Lions. He fell just 34 yards short of his career high, a 390-yard game in 2000 against Cleveland, and surpassed his 330-yard performance in this year's opening win over the Giants. McNabb has completed 69.8 percent of his passes for 931 yards with eight TDs and run for two scores without throwing an interception through three games. "He's taken that next step to become a great quarterback," Detroit cornerback Fernando Bryant said. "He's one of the two or three best in the game right now." McNabb proved he is human, however, because he lost a fumble against the Lions. The McNabb-led passing attack negated a lackluster day on the ground for Brian Westbrook, who ran for just 44 yards on 13 carries. Getting back to McNabb. ... According to Philadelphia Inquirer staff writer Bob Brookover, the main reason for the signal caller's success is his mastery of head coach Andy Reid's version of the West Coast offense in much the same manner that Brett Favre became Mike Holmgren's prized pupil in his sixth NFL season with the Green Bay Packers. After Sunday's win, veteran teammate Dorsey Levens said this offense reminds him a lot of the one he used to be a part of in Green Bay. "Absolutely," Levens said. "You've got weapons everywhere. It's like a mirror image of the Packers when we had those great offensive teams. The X factor is that Donovan is a little more athletic than Brett Favre as far as running the ball." Brookover went on to point out that one persistent knock against McNabb -- his accuracy -- no longer exists. After three games, McNabb has completed 74 of 106 passes for 931 yards and eight touchdowns. He has not thrown an interception. Last season, he did not complete his 74th pass until his fifth game. He did not throw his eighth touchdown pass until the 11th game of the season. "It's scary what he can do," Levens said. ... Other notes of interest. ... According to Inquirer staffer Shannon Ryan, when this offense arrives in the red zone, it does not take long for them to also find the end zone. The Eagles are 10 for 10 scoring from inside the red zone through three games. "I think it's basically guys getting up field and getting pressure on the defense," Owens said. "I know it's a short field when you get in the red zone, but it's all about timing and precision and running the routes and getting open." That's something the Eagles do splendidly in that area. Coming into the game, the Eagles ranked third in the NFC in red-zone offense, with an 83.3 touchdown percentage. Only Carolina and Seattle were better. Against the Giants, the Eagles had four red-zone scores inside the 20. On Monday night against the Vikings, they put in two touchdowns and a field goal. When McNabb, Owens and Westbrook speak of the Eagles' offensive efficiency, they mention a multitude of teammates who help get the job done. McNabb has gone to three different receivers inside the 20 -- Owens, long-snapper/tight end Mike Bartrum and tight end L.J. Smith. He has thrown for six red-zone touchdowns and run in two others. "They can't stop everything," Westbrook said. ... According to the Sports Xchange, last week, the Eagles cut fullback Josh Parry from their practice squad. This week, he may be starting for them against Chicago Bears. Reid confirmed Monday that fullback Jon Ritchie tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will miss the rest of the season. The Eagles have one other fullback on their roster. That's rookie Thomas Tapeh, who was inactive for Sunday's game. The Eagles like the fifth-rounder out of Minnesota. But he's more of a one-back guy who still is trying to get a grasp of the Eagles' offense. The 6-2, 250-pound Parry, who spent all of last season on the club's practice squad, is more of a true blocking fullback, much like Ritchie. "When we let him go, I knew he could play in this league and I knew he could contribute for a team," Reid said. "He's a smart kid with good hands. He's a tough kid and a willing blocker. I know he can step in and play. ..." And finally. ... According to reports out of Philadelphia, the Eagles have no interest in dealing for Chiefs' halfback Larry Johnson, who is currently on the block. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Donovan McNabb, Koy Detmer, Jeff Blake RB: Brian Westbrook, Dorsey Levens, Reno Mahe, Thomas Tapeh FB: Thomas Tapeh, Josh Perry WR: Terrell Owens, Todd Pinkston, Freddie Mitchell, Billy McMullen TE: L.J. Smith, Chad Lewis PK: David Akers ========================= ========================= PITTSBURGH STEELERS As Associated Press sports writer Alan Robinson put it: "Ben Roethlisberger passed the audition." The weather -- a first-half downpour that trailed the back edge of a hurricane -- couldn't have been much worse. The distractions -- a 7 and a half-hour delay and a loss of power in the team hotel -- could have been unsettling. No matter, Roethlisberger became the first Steelers rookie to win his initial NFL start since Mike Kruczek in 1976. And unlike Kruczek, Roethlisberger wasn't backed by the defending Super Bowl champions. Despite being intercepted on his first throw and leading an offense that scored only three points in the first half, Roethlisberger played just well enough Sunday night to lead the Steelers to a 13-3 victory at Miami. No doubt when Roethlisberger relates the story to his relatives some day in the future, they won't believe the part about the hurricane that had just departed or the ankle-deep water on the field. "Talk about getting thrown into the fire," said Roethlisberger. But as Robinson noted, it was more like getting thrown into a monsoon. The field was so slick and the rain was so hard during the first half, it seemed unlikely either team would get much going on offense. But the rain let up enough for Roethlisberger to find Plaxico Burress on a 42-yard reception that set up the first of two Jeff Reed field goals, a 40-yarder, and the Steelers never trailed. In the second half, Roethlisberger finished the only touchdown drive of the game by hitting Hines Ward for a 7-yard score just inside the right front end-zone pylon on a perfectly thrown pass. Call it the one perfect play of an imperfect game, but head coach Bill Cowher liked what he saw of a quarterback who figures to be the starter for at least five more weeks while Tommy Maddox heals from a right elbow injury. "He never lost his composure and he played liked I thought he would," Cowher said. "This is a great learning experience. ... After the first play when he threw an interception, he bounced back and made good decisions and gave guys a chance to make some plays." With the Steelers' running game not doing much until late in the game, when the rain let up and Duce Staley got most of his 22 carries for 101 yards, Roethlisberger was forced to shoulder most of the offense for three quarters. "It was rough for a little bit, but he held his own," Ward said. "He came out and did a tremendous job. He settled down. ... he played his heart out." Ward also said the first-round draft pick didn't take long to take control of the huddle. "For a rookie, I figured he was a little shy for a little bit, but we have a great group of guys in the huddle," Ward said. "If he's not saying anything to someone, someone else will take control and step up." Roethlisberger said his teammates didn't treat him like a rookie. "They'll come up to me with suggestions such as `speak up' or other little things that will make a difference," he said. Other notes of interest. ... According to Pittsburgh Tribune-Review staff writer Jerry DiPaola, the field was sloppy and the footing tricky, but Cowher said that's no excuse for Reed missing two field-goal attempts against the Dolphins. "I know they were tough conditions the other night," Cowher said, "but, hey, they are what they were. It's going to be windy one week. It's going to be wet the next week. We don't play in a dome. I'm sure that is where all the kickers would love to go, but we don't have that. We deal with what we have." Reed has attempted six field goals this season -- none shorter than 40 yards -- and hit three of them. He was successful from 40 and tied a career high with a 51-yard field goal against the Dolphins, but he also missed from 44 and 45. This is Reed's first season after offseason hip surgery which followed nine misses in 32 tries in 2003. "I think he is a very quality kicker," Cowher said, "but he has been somewhat inconsistent. He will be the first one to tell you that. And, yet, we have to continue to have trust in him. "You know what he is capable of doing. We would just like to see him do it on a more regular basis, because we are going to need him to become that automatic three when you get inside the 30-yard line. That's what he has the ability of being. ..." And a few final items. ... Duce Staley averaged 4.6 yards in bad running conditions and had his first 100-yard game as a Steeler, with 22 yards on 101 carries. Ward remained two yards off the pace for the NFL lead with 346 yards on 22 receptions. Ward caught nine passes for 96 yards against Miami. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Ben Roethlisberger, Brian St. Pierre, Mike Quinn, Tommy Maddox RB: Duce Staley, Jerome Bettis, Verron Haynes FB: Dan Krieder WR: Hines Ward, Plaxico Burress, Antwaan Randle El, Chris Doering, Lee Mays TE: Jerame Tuman, Jay Riemersma PK: Jeff Reed ========================= ========================= ST. LOUIS RAMS As Associated Press sports writer R.B. Fallstrom noted Monday, "Win or lose, Mike Martz is doing it his way." The coach was defiant Monday in the face of persistent questions about his heavy reliance on the pass, insisting his air-first philosophy will work. He defended his 54-15 pass-run ratio in a 28-25 overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints, like it or lump it. "Look, you can find another coach then," Martz said. "We're going to play fast and furious, that's what we do, and we're going to run it because we want to run it, not because somebody feels like we've got to be balanced. "That's just the way it is. Get used to it." Martz pointed out the Rams' go-ahead touchdown, a 19-yard scramble by Marc Bulger with 28 seconds to go in regulation, came while the team was in passing mode. The nine-play drive that began with 1:48 remaining was all pass. And the Rams were successful at the start of the game while calling 11 pass plays and one run, scoring one touchdown and driving deep into New Orleans territory before Bulger fumbled on a scramble. So don't talk to him about balance. "You want to sit in that meeting room with me and look at tape with me all year long, then we'll discuss it," Martz said. The passing game isn't what got the Rams beat. The culprit was a soft defense perhaps still adjusting to new coordinator Larry Marmie, and to injuries at cornerback and linebacker. On offense, the bright spots have been Bulger and Isaac Bruce, who leads the NFL in catches (25) and yards (348). In the backfield, Martz thus far has been unwilling to fully integrate first-round pick Steven Jackson, who had only two carries for 15 yards against the Saints as Marshall Faulk's backup. "We want to spell Marshall and we didn't do that as much as we would have liked to, looking back in hindsight," Martz said. "We absolutely want to get him more involved, no question. ..." As the Sporting News noted Monday, "Jackson shows plenty of potential. He runs with power and speed and displays good instincts. He rarely dances and waits for daylight; he turns upfield with authority and should be effective in short-yardage situations. ..." Meanwhile, Faulk extended his streak to 149 games with at least one reception, second among active players and sixth in NFL history against the Saints. He also extended his streak to 72 consecutive games as a Ram with a reception, which is second in franchise history. Bruce had seven receptions for 116 yards, his third consecutive 100-plus yard receiving game this season. It was his 36th 100-yard receiving game of his career, and marks the first time he has had three consecutive 100-yard receiving games since 1995, where he had six in a row (Games 5-10). Bruce passed Stanley Morgan (10,716) for 14th on the NFL's all-time receiving yards list (10,781). Jeff Wilkins hit a 53-yard field goal in the second quarter, which was his 13th career 50-plus yard field goal. That same field goal gave him 1,000 career points. And finally. ... According to SportsLine.com insider Pete Prisco, Martz said recently that Kurt Warner didn't offer Bulger much help on the sideline last year when Bulger was playing and Warner was sitting. That simply is not true, according to Rams players. Warner was more than accommodating to Bulger, but Martz still holds some bitterness. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Marc Bulger, Chris Chandler RB: Marshall Faulk, Steven Jackson FB: Arlen Harris WR: Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Dane Looker, Kevin Curtis, Shaun McDonald TE: Brandon Manumaleuna, Cameron Cleeland PK: Jeff Wilkins ========================= ========================= SAN DIEGO CHARGERS As initially reported by Associated Press sports writer Bernie Wilson, Philip Rivers just got a lot closer to taking his first snap with the woeful Chargers. Rivers was promoted from third-string quarterback to No. 2 on Monday, a day after Drew Brees was ineffective in a 23-13 loss at Denver that dropped the Chargers to 1-2. Head coach Marty Schottenheimer said Brees remains the starter. But if Brees were to get hurt -- or get the hook -- Rivers, the $40.5 million rookie, would get the call over 41-year-old Doug Flutie, who's now No. 3. "I'm not sitting here all fired up like I've achieved something," Rivers said. "I'm pleased that I've made some progress, obviously, and shown them such, that they feel that I'm ready to be in that position." Schottenheimer said he made the move to give Rivers more snaps during practice. Rivers had been directing the scout team against the No. 1 defense, running the plays that the upcoming opponent is expected to run. Rivers said he's gotten virtually no snaps with the No. 1 offense during practices so far. Wilson went on to suggest it could very well be that Schottenheimer is preparing for a change at No. 1. After a strong performance in a season-opening win at Houston, Brees has struggled in consecutive losses. He threw for just 8 yards in the first half of a 34-28 home loss to the New York Jets, and for just 16 yards in the first half at Denver on Sunday. He's completed just 54.2 percent of his passes, and his passer rating has tumbled to 77.1. He's thrown for three touchdowns and two interceptions, and has lost two fumbles. He was pulled from the Jets game after sustaining a concussion, although he ran 12 plays and threw a 33-yard TD before Schottenheimer replaced him with Flutie. Asked if he's looking over his shoulder because of Rivers' promotion, Brees said: "Absolutely not." If a team uses its No. 3 quarterback in the first three quarters, the other two QBs can't go back in. If the No. 3 goes in during the fourth quarter, the other two would still be available. Although a contract holdout cost him 29 training camp practices and two exhibition games, Rivers said he's ready to play. "I say that confidently. I'm not by any means going to play the perfect game, but I feel like I can go in there and make the plays and get the things done that can win us a game," said Rivers, who started an NCAA-record 51 games at North Carolina State. "That's not all on my shoulders, but I certainly feel like I can get in there and manage it and handle the situation." Schottenheimer said Flutie "has been a fireman, if you will, the guy who would come in during the fourth quarter, and by putting him at No. 3, we don't compromise his ability to do that." Said Flutie: "I didn't know we were into specialties. I'll be the closer, I guess. I'll do what's asked of me, whatever that might be." Schottenheimer said Brees has made considerable progress. "The Houston game comes to mind, but yesterday he missed some throws. every quarterback in the league misses throws, but there's a major spotlight given our circumstance, and so of course it reflects in that regard." Other notes of interest. ... As reported by the Sports Xchange, for the third time in three visits to Denver, LaDainian Tomlinson failed to rush for 100 yards. "They do a good job attacking, closing the running lanes," he said. Tomlinson finished with 60 yards on 22 carries. Receiver Eric Parker sustained a tweaked neck Sunday, but is expected to start and play as usual this weekend. ... Reserve receiver Kassim Osgood reportedly didn't endear himself to anyone with his route running on Sunday. He turned the wrong way on one, and didn't look back early enough on a hot read. Rookie place-kicker Nate Kaeding made a 51-yard field goal and improved to 4-for-4 on the season. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Doug Flutie RB: LaDainian Tomlinson, Michael Turner, Jesse Chatman FB: Lorenzo Neal WR: Eric Parker, Reche Caldwell, Tim Dwight, Kassim Osgood TE: Antonio Gates, Justin Peelle PK: Nate Kaeding ========================= ========================= SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS According to the Sports Xchange, Tim Rattay will try to practice Wednesday and might return to the starting lineup for the 49ers this Sunday against the St. Louis Rams. Rattay sustained a separated throwing shoulder in the 49ers' season-opener Sept. 12 against the Falcons and has missed the last two games. Rattay said he believes he has a good chance to play this week. "Yeah, I'm really shooting and trying to have a chance to play," Rattay said. Rattay served as the backup to Ken Dorsey in the 49ers' landmark 34-0 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday, the first time the 49ers had been held scoreless since the 1977 season. Rattay said it took only two pain-killing injections to get him ready to be the backup in Sunday's game. The previous week, it took approximately 10 shots to get Rattay's shoulder numbed enough to serve as the No. 2 quarterback. Last week, head coach Dennis Erickson said he could not make a decision on who would be the team's quarterback for the remainder of the season until he watched Dorsey again. But after the game, he made it clear that Rattay's job was safe. Dorsey has often said he is looking forward to Rattay returning to the lineup because of their friendship, but it's clear he didn't want to bow out as a starter quite like this. Dorsey is the lowest-rated passer in the NFC and No. 30 in the league. "I want to be out there playing well," Dorsey said. "But no matter what the situation I'm preparing like a starting quarterback and anything less than that wouldn't be fair to the team." Rattay said the timing of returning as a starter has nothing to do with the 49ers' offensive struggles. He said he just wants to get healthy and play football. "I'm motivated to get back as fast as I can regardless of the situation," Rattay said. "Obviously, it's a situation where we need to get a win. Like everybody in this locker room, I just trying to do the best to help team to win and I want to be a part of that." Other notes of interest. ... The holes were not there for Kevan Barlow, who gained just 22 yards on 10 carries. The 49ers averaged just 2.7 yards on their 18 rushing attempts. Terry Jackson was stopped for a 2-yard loss on a third-and-one play in the first quarter when the 49ers trailed only 3-0. Receiver Brandon Lloyd was inactive for Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks, due to the strained groin he suffered in practice earlier in the week. The receiver, who has five catches for 36 yards in two games this season, was replaced in the 49ers' starting lineup by veteran Curtis Conway. Lloyd's status for this week's game remains uncertain. Keep an eye on Late-Breaking Updates for developments. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Tim Rattay, Ken Dorsey, Cody Pickett RB: Kevan Barlow, Terry Jackson, Jamal Robertson FB: Fred Beasley, Jasen Isom WR: Brandon Lloyd, Cedrick Wilson, Curtis Conway, Rashaun Woods, Arnaz Battle, Derrick Hamilton TE: Eric Johnson, Aaron Walker, Kevin Ware PK: Todd Peterson ========================= ========================= SEATTLE SEAHAWKS Another week, another impressive performance by the Seahawks. ... Matt Hasselbeck threw for 254 yards with two touchdowns, Shaun Alexander scored three TDs and Seattle's defense was magnificent against the 49ers. The Seattle offense looked better after sputtering last week at Tampa Bay. Hasselbeck, who was 21 of 30, threw a 3-yard TD pass to Alexander in the first quarter and added a 1-yard TD pass in the third to Itula Mili. Alexander didn't have a huge day rushing, gaining 52 yards on 19 carries. But as usual, he was hard to keep out of the end zone, scoring on two 1-yard runs along with his TD pass from Hasselbeck. "You definitely feel better, putting that many points up," guard Chris Gray said. "Really, to put up that many points against any team in the NFL is quite an achievement. ..." No doubt about. And don't be surprised if head coach Mike Holmgren uses the bye to make this unit even more effective. Other notes of interest. ... As Seattle Times staff reporter Jose Miguel Romero framed it this week: "Darrell Jackson has been shocking the NFL world, so to speak, since he was a rookie. "Every big game, every touchdown, every new record is another reason for the fifth-year pro to laugh at those who didn't think he was worth a first- or second-round draft pick coming out of Florida in 2000. ..." Jackson, a third-round choice of the Seahawks, went past the 4,000-yard mark in receiving yards for his career with a seven-catch, 97-yard performance last Sunday. He achieved the mark when he gained 25 yards on a pass from Hasselbeck on the first play from scrimmage in the second half. Jackson tied Ring of Honor inductee Steve Largent as the second-fastest Seahawks receiver to top 4,000 yards in his career. Both Jackson and Largent did so in 64 games. Only Joey Galloway got to 4,000 faster. He did so in 61 games as a Seahawk. This isn't the first time Jackson has been mentioned in the same sentence as Largent. Jackson's career numbers are similar to those of Largent at the same stage. "Man, that's pretty good," Jackson said. "A couple of times I've been mentioned with Largent, and that's the best thing about that, to be mentioned with Steve Largent. With what he's done for the organization and the league and Seattle, it brings a lot of honor to me." Jackson is far and away the Seahawks' leading receiver after three games. Jackson is the only Seahawk with double digits in receptions (19) and has a team-high 245 yards. ... According to Seattle Post-Intelligencer beat writer Clare Farnsworth, when fullback Mack Strong limped off the field with a sprained right knee nine minutes into Sunday's game, the rest of the home opener belonged to Heath Evans. "The only way you get in shape for playing like that is playing like that, and I haven't played that much since high school," said Evans, who carried six times for 21 yards, caught a 9-yard pass and slammed his 245-pound body into various 49ers defensive players while attempting to open holes for running back -- and good buddy -- Alexander. Fortunately for Strong, he'll have extra time to mend before the Oct. 10 home game against the St. Louis Rams. "I'm able to walk," Strong said. "I just wasn't able to push off and do some of the things I would have to do at the fullback position and even on special teams. I wasn't going to be able to do that at my best, or even 60 percent for that matter. "But I feel with the extra time off, I'll be ready by the time we have to play again." And finally. ... Bobby Engram has been the leading receiver on a pretty bad team, while with the Chicago Bears. Now, he's the No. 3 receiver on a pretty good team. There's no comparison. "I don't mind who's getting the write-ups, as long as we're winning. That's the point I'm at in my career," said Engram, who caught four passes against the 49ers for 95 yards. "It's not fun when you're on a losing team and you're the leading receiver. But winning team? Third receiver? Making some plays? Contributing? I'll take that. It's fun." DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   The Seahawks are idle this week due to the NFL bye. ========================= ========================= TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS According to Associated Press sports writer Fred Goodall, it was difficult to tell if Jon Gruden was serious or attempting to make light of a trying situation. The Buccaneers are 0-3 for the first time since 1996, and their coach insisted Monday things aren't as bad as they seem. "I think the future's so bright here you've got to wear shades," Gruden said after beginning his answer to a question about the team's emotional state by saying: "We're all dejected, we're all down." Sunday night's 30-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders dropped the Bucs three games behind unbeaten Atlanta in the NFC South. Still, Gruden said his injury-riddled team is far from finished. Even while announcing running back Charlie Garner is out for the year after tearing the patella tendon in his right knee and that tight end Rickey Dudley will be sidelined indefinitely with a broken right thumb, Gruden said the Bucs could be fine if they somehow find a way to win a game. "There are a lot of games left. ... If we can get some momentum going, we've seen crazier things happen," the coach said. "I am going to be resilient. This is as low as I have been personally. The two or three friends that I have left in Tampa, I am sure will call me sometime today and pump me up. We are going to rebuild this thing. We are going to re-energize this thing and we are going to once again be great." Gruden said Brad Johnson will remain the starting quarterback, even though most of the yardage the Bucs gained against the Raiders came after Oakland built a 30-6 lead. The offense produced its first touchdowns of the season in the fourth quarter, finishing with 389 yards. The loss of Garner, who signed with Tampa Bay after undergoing offseason surgery on his left knee, is a major blow because Gruden was counting on his playmaking ability. Michael Pittman, who sat out the first three games while serving a suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, rejoined the team Monday and will replace Garner in the starting lineup. "We're anxious to get him going again," Gruden said. "We had obviously looked forward to working him and Charlie in the same backfield together, but unfortunately that won't be the case this year. But Pittman's a guy who we think is a fine football player and we'll have to lean on him at this time." Garner and Dudley -- both placed on IR Wednesday -- join a growing list of key injuries on offense. Receiver Joey Galloway is out with a groin strain he aggravated in the opener, while receiver Joe Jurevicius is recovering from back surgery after missing most of 2003 with a knee injury. The team's woes are compounded by Keenan McCardell's holdout. Last year's leading receiver wants a new contract; the Bucs insist they will not give in to his demand for a raise over the $2.5 million he was scheduled to earn. "We would love to have him in here playing for us, but there is a salary cap. There is a reality that makes this very difficult," Gruden said. "This is a business decision and, unfortunately, we are at an impasse right now. It is frustrating for him, frustrating for me, frustrating for us and hopefully it gets resolved at some point soon. The guy should be playing football. He is a good player. ..." Meanwhile, in an article published Wednesday, Tampa Tribune staffer Katherine Smith advised readers that trade rumors involving McCardell have picked up again, this time involving a possible swap for Chiefs running back Larry Johnson. Johnson is unhappy in Kansas City, and McCardell is prepared to sit out the season unless the Bucs upgrade his contract. The Kansas City Star reported the Chiefs have contacted several teams, including Tampa Bay, sniffing out offers for Johnson. Bucs general manager Bruce Allen would not comment. McCardell holds the distinction of being the only holdout in the league as he continues to protest his contract, which has two years remaining. Johnson is seething over Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil's recent comment that the second-year running back "take the diapers off." Though McCardell's representatives won't confirm the latest reports, the scenario sending McCardell to Kansas City for Johnson would appear to be a win-win situation for two teams yet to record a victory this season. "It seems to make a whole lot of sense," said Steve Caric, spokesman for McCardell's management firm, told Smith. "You're getting a 23-year-old first- round pick for a guy who's not there." By golly. ... I'm with him. Other notes of interest. ... Mike Alstott had his best rushing day of the season last Sunday, carrying 12 times for 65 yards against the Raiders. But most of that came on the final play of the game. ... Rookie receiver Michael Clayton, who entered the game as the Bucs' top receiver, caught just two passes for 35 yards against the Raiders. With Tim Brown returning to Oakland, Gruden played the 38-year-old veteran more at flanker than his top rookie. According to Pro Football Weekly, the Buccaneers aren't making an effort to promote Clayton as their new No. 1 receiver because Gruden wants to keep as little pressure as possible on the youngster. And finally. ... Brown had a 16-yard TD reception for his 100th career touchdown catch -- and the Bucs' first offensive TD of the season. Brown passed Don Hutson for fourth in career touchdown catches. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Brad Johnson, Chris Simms, Brian Griese RB: Michael Pittman, Jamel White FB: Mike Alstott, Jameel Cook WR: Tim Brown, Michael Clayton, Bill Schroeder, Charles Lee, Frank Murphy, Joey Galloway, Keenan McCardell TE: Ken Dilger, Dave Moore, Will Heller PK : Martin Gramatica ========================= ========================= TENNESSEE TITANS According to Nashville Tennessean staff writer Jim Wyatt, Steve McNair was released from an area hospital Tuesday after spending two nights there following his sternum injury on Sunday. According to a team spokesman, McNair was resting at his home. He was expected to report to team headquarters this, though he won't practice with the team today. McNair isn't expected to play in Sunday's game against the Chargers, and his status for the next several weeks also remains unclear at this point because of the injury. Backup quarterback Billy Volek is expected to get his second career NFL start in San Diego. Doug Johnson is the only other QB on the roster. Volek completed 26 of 41 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns while guiding the Titans to a 28-26 win over Buffalo when McNair sat out with an injury last December. He also came off the bench to rally the Titans to a win over Atlanta a few weeks earlier. "What Billy has done, it would make no sense to risk further injury with Steve this week," Fisher said. "A limited Steve McNair versus the Chargers will probably do us no good, considering the fact we have Billy and now we know what Billy can do." In case you missed it, McNair suffered a severely bruised sternum in the final minutes of Sunday's 15-12 loss to the Jaguars when he fell on the football while being tackled. After having difficulty breathing, he was taken to Baptist Hospital following the game and remained there for observation until Tuesday. McNair suffered a similar injury in a game against Kansas City during the 2000 season and missed two weeks of practice, though he was able to come off the bench and guide the Titans to a win over the Steelers in their next game. The Titans had a bye week the week following the Chiefs game. The Titans will monitor McNair's condition this week, and there's at least a chance he won't make the long trip to California. ... I'll have more as developments warrant. ... Other notes of interest. ... According to the Sports Xchange, Tyrone Calico (sprained knees) is expected to be back in the lineup Sunday after missing the Titans' first three games. Fisher said he doesn't have a feel for how many snaps Calico can play. The news on Erron Kinney isn't as positive. ... The veteran tight end will not play in San Diego because of a strained right calf suffered against Jacksonville. Ben Troupe will play in his place. Kinney could be out multiple weeks. For what it's worth, the Sporting News advised readers on Monday that Troupe is "taking tiny steps in his development. He is a great athlete, but he still doesn't have a solid understanding of the offense. ..." Time to accelerate that process. ... And finally. ... In a column published Monday, Sports Illustrated insider Don Banks wrote: "I'm officially calling an end to the Chris Brown-Eddie George debate in Nashville, starting now. "Brown has 353 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 65 carries (5.43 average gain), and this week he became only the second running back since 1970 to rush for at least 100 yards in each of his first three career starts. "George? He had 87 yards on 26 attempts (3.3) and a touchdown heading into his Monday night game at Washington. Technically speaking, that's a TKO." DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Billy Volek, Doug Johnson, Steve McNair RB: Chris Brown, Antowain Smith FB: Robert Holcombe WR: Derrick Mason, Drew Bennett, Tyrone Calico, Eddie Berlin, Jake Schifino, Darren Hill TE: Shad Meier, Ben Troupe, Erron Kinney PK: Gary Anderson ========================= ========================= WASHINGTON REDSKINS According to Washington Post staffer Jason La Canfora, Mark Brunell suffered no setbacks with his strained left hamstring in Monday night's loss to Dallas, head coach Joe Gibbs said Tuesday, but several other players picked up minor injuries. Brunell said his hamstring felt fatigued late in the game, and Gibbs raved about his quarterback's performance under less than ideal circumstances. "I thought it was a heroic effort from his standpoint," Gibbs said. Wide receiver Laveranues Coles dislocated a middle finger early in the game, Gibbs said, and put it back into place himself. He returned to the game after missing one series. Gibbs expects Coles to play with considerable discomfort Sunday. Kickoff returner Chad Morton suffered a knee sprain and a concussion, but Gibbs said he expects him to be fine for this week. "His knee was pretty sore today and with that we'll see," Gibbs said. "But it's nothing serious there." Other notes of interest. ... According to the Sports Xchange, Gibbs was effusive in his praise of Clinton Portis, who may not be the biggest runner but has a giant heart. Portis simply plays hard, whether it means running through the first tackler or laying out a punishing block. He enjoyed a much better night against the Cowboys (23 carries, 94 yards) than he did against the Giants a week earlier (69 yards, two fumbles). The run game was good enough for Washington to win. ... Veteran receiver James Thrash has been an essential blocker this season, willing to take on much bigger opponents to aid the running game, and he made his first contributions to the passing game in Monday night's loss. Thrash caught four passes for 47 yards against the Cowboys. He helped Brunell get through a rough stretch early in the second half by making consecutive catches for a total of 31 yards and seems primed to make more regular contributions with his hands. "James, you can count on him," Brunell said. "He's a go-to guy. He doesn't make mistakes. He's a competitor, one of those guys who has incredible heart and a lot of character. That's a good man right there and a good football player, too. ..." And finally. ... According to the Sporting News, rookie TE/H-back Chris Cooley picked up the offense quickly. He has excellent hands and the speed to get open against linebackers and safeties. His blocking skills are not elite but will develop. He could be a starter for years to come. DEPTH CHART AS OF WEDNESDAY AT 14:00 PT   QB: Mark Brunell, Patrick Ramsey, Tim Hasselbeck RB: Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, Rock Cartwright, Chad Morton HB: Chris Cooley, Mike Sellers, Brian Kozlowski WR: Laveranues Coles, Rod Gardner, James Thrash, Darnerien McCants, Taylor Jacobs TE: Walter Rasby, Robert Royal PK: John Hall ========================= CopyrightŠ 2004 Fantasy Sports Publications, Inc.