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| Coughlin hopes to get Pierce back "quicker than anybody expects" November 21, 2009 10:39 PM ET, by Gregg Rosenthal It's unclear how long defensive leader Antonio Pierce will be out for the Giants with a bulging disc in his neck. The situation was serious enough for Giants coach Tom Coughlin to release a statement Saturday. "Our concern is for AP, and we are here to support him," Coach Tom Coughlin said. "He is, obviously, very disappointed, and our thoughts are about him and his well-being right now." The Giants face a crossroads game with a similarly banged-up, slumping 5-4 Falcons squad. Coughlin expects Pierce's support. "We won't have AP on the field, but we will have him on the sideline, and we'll have his heart and his leadership there to rally the troops --- all the troops, defense, offense and special teams," Coughlin said. "Hopefully through treatment and doing what needs to be done, he will get back quicker than anybody expects." The Giants defense has lost key parts for various stretches of the season, but was finally looking healthy after its bye. Chris Canty and Michael Boley are finally healthy, and the team hopes for cornerback Aaron Ross to make his season debut Sunday. Chase Blackburn will fill in for Pierce at middle linebacker. |
| Benson makes trip to Oakland November 21, 2009 10:02 PM ET, by Gregg Rosenthal Cedric Benson still looks like a long shot to play Sunday, but he did travel with the Bengals to Oakland this weekend. Both the Cincinnati Enquirer and the team's website mention that the team left linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald behind due to pneumonia, but Reedy confirmed to us that Benson made the trip. If Benson had stayed home, he would have been downgraded from doubtful to out. Still, Joe Reedy writes that "unofficially, it is all but certain" that Benson will not play. That means Bernard Scott, Brian Leonard, and Larry Johnson will likely split the workload. |
| Orton hasn't improved, so Simms expected to start November 21, 2009 9:15 PM ET, by Gregg Rosenthal The Denver Post stops just short of announcing Chris Simms as Denver's starting quarterback, but it will take an "overnight medical miracle" for Kyle Orton to get the call. Mike Klis reports that Orton's ankle has not recovered enough to play as of Saturday afternoon. The news hardly comes as a shock after Simms took all the practice reps with Denver's first team offense during the week. The Broncos are expected to use rookie Tom Brandstater as the team's backup quarterback against San Diego. This will mark Simms' first start since rupturing his spleen as a member of the Buccaneers more than three years ago. |
| Jacoby Jones will be gametime decision November 21, 2009 8:52 PM ET, by Gregg Rosenthal As the Texans get ready to play their biggest game in franchise history until next week's game, the status of one of their key players remains up in the air. Houston's final injury report listed kick returner/receiver Jacoby Jones questionable with a calf injury. He was a limited participant in Saturday's practice. "He did a little more today, so he made progress today, he'll be a game time decision," coach Gary Kubiak said. Coming off the bye week, the Texans are largely healthy. Safety Dominique Barber is doubtful, while cornerback Antuan Molden is out. Defensive rookie of the year candidate Brian Cushing and tight end James Casey are probable and should play. MDS broke down the Titans injuries earlier Saturday. |
| Florio, King talk future for Browns and Bills November 21, 2009 8:03 PM ET, by Gregg Rosenthal With the Notre Dame home schedule wrapping up this week, so are the halftime segments with Mike Florio, Peter King, and Jimmy Roberts. So you can savor this one all offseason. The crew talks about the future of the Bills and Browns, and wonder what Vince Young's turnaround could mean for the future of the Titans. Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more. |
| Weis' demise could lead to Clausen, Tate leaving November 21, 2009 7:17 PM ET, by Gregg Rosenthal The guessing game regarding Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis' future probably ended Saturday in South Bend. Another home loss -- this time in overtime to UConn 33-27 in double overtime -- is expected to seal Weis' fate at the school, if it wasn't already. So why are we posting this here rather than CollegeFootballTalk or Inside the Irish? Weis' removal will likely have a ripple effect on the NFL Draft. As NBC announcer Pat Haden pointed out after Saturday's loss, quarterback Jimmy Clausen came to Notre Dame to work under Weis. He's unlikely to stay if Weis is removed. (As a potential first-round pick, there was a good chance he would leave already.) With Weis and Clausen possibly on their way out, ultra-talented wide receiver Golden Tate also seems less likely to stick around. Who knows, perhaps Weis can coach Clausen or Tate as their coordinator in the NFL next year. |
| Jaguars, Raiders, Lions blacked out again November 21, 2009 6:45 PM ET, by Michael David Smith A season-high three Sunday NFL games will be blacked out in the local television market, as the Jaguars, Raiders and Lions all failed to sell out their games. The Jaguars are blacked out as usual, but the team is reminding fans that they can watch the game online at jaguars.com and NFL.com starting at midnight Sunday night. The Raiders have their fifth straight blackout. It's the 74th time in 118 home games since moving back to Oakland from Los Angeles that the Raiders have failed to sell out. The Browns-Lions game failed to sell out Ford Field and are blacked out in the Detroit area, as well as Toledo, Ohio. One market where the fans will get to see the home team is St. Louis: The Rams had 4,000 unsold tickets late this week but avoided a blackout because the team purchased its own unsold tickets and distributed them to charitable organizations. |
| Andre Johnson denies that he'll ask to be traded November 21, 2009 6:20 PM ET, by Gregg Rosenthal Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson wants to make it clear that he's staying in Houston, no matter what his uncle/agent says. In a recent article for ESPN the Magazine, Johnson's uncle Andre Melton said that Johnson is getting frustrated with not making the playoffs. "Everybody has their breaking point," said Melton. "Even Andre." Melton said that if the Texans didn't make the playoffs, he might take action. "If he never gets a chance at a ring and I let him stay, I'd be doing him an injustice," Melton said. "Andre has done everything and given everything for this franchise. At some point, if your best player becomes angry and doesn't want to be there -- there's just something wrong with your franchise." Johnson is the boss, though, and says his uncle spoke out of turn. "That didn't come from me," Johnson told the Houston Chronicle Saturday. "I wish he hadn't said what he said, but that's his opinion. I make my own decisions, and I plan on being here until I retire." Johnson was concerned enough about the article to tell Texans general manager Rick Smith that he has no problem. "I didn't want the organization to worry about it. . . . that's not something I'm thinking about. Like I said, I want to finish my career here I talked to Rick, and we killed it. That's it." Now Johnson may just want to kill his uncle's ability to speak to the media. Or think about getting a new agent. |
| Jaguars release Brian Russell November 21, 2009 5:31 PM ET, by Gregg Rosenthal The Jaguars signed former Seahawk safety Brian Russell just before the season in a last-minute effort to help improve their secondary. The move didn't pay off, and Russell was cut Saturday in favor of former Raiders offensive lineman Paul McQuistan. Jacksonville's pass defense remains a weakness of the team, but it should be in fine shape Sunday against Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Bills. A win would put the Jaguars at 6-4 and in fine position to make a run at a wild card spot in the AFC. |
| Report: Bills had "back channel" communications only with Gruden November 21, 2009 5:09 PM ET, by Mike Florio Last night, WIVB-TV in Buffalo reported that the Bills' first choice to replace coach Dick Jauron was former Bucs and Raiders coach Jon Gruden. But while the initial report indicated that a face-to-face meeting occurred with Gruden, WIVB now reports that there were only "back channel" communications with a source close to Gruden. The thrust of the report is unchanged, however. The Bills wanted Gruden, and Gruden wasn't interested. WIVB also reports that the Bills will have "informal conversations" with potential candidates in the coming weeks, but that no hire will be made until after the season. As a practical matter, no hire can be made until after the season. An interim coach already has been named, and it would be unconvential to the point of awkward to bring in an outsider to take the reins through the end of the season -- and then to conduct a Rooney Rule-compliant search from scratch after the season, with the outside hire suddenly a mere candidate for the job for which he already has been hired. Coincidentally, Peter King of NBC reported during halftime of Saturday's UConn-Notre Dame game that the presumed top choice of the job, Mike Shanahan, won't make any decisions until after the season, either. King also pointed out that it's possible owner Ralph Wilson will "blow up" the organization, cleaning house and starting from scratch with new leadership of the entire football operation. |
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