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John Clayton's injury updates
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Wide receiver Frank Sanders practiced despite a bad back and should be ready
to play Sunday against the Falcons. He practiced Friday after missing the
past couple of days. With Rob Moore out with a hamstring, the Cardinals
would have had to bring Bryan Gilmore off the practice squad had Sanders not
been able to go. Cornerback Tom Knight missed another day of practice
because of a hip injury. David Barrett is the likely starter for him.
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Michael Vick's touchdown run against the Panthers last Sunday came with a
price. Though he returned to practice Friday, the back injury he suffered
scoring the touchdown is expected to leave him as the third quarterback for
Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. Falcons coach Dan Reeves
indicated Friday that Doug Johnson will back up Chris Chandler and the Vick
experiment will be put on hold for a week. The Falcons offense will also be
without Tony Martin, who played all but three plays of last Sunday's game
with a fractured clavicle. Shawn Jefferson will fill in for him the next
four weeks. Left undecided is the right side of the offensive. Rookie
starting guard Kynan Forney practiced despite a bad toe injury, but Reeves
is leaning toward starting Travis Claridge at his spot. He'll decide Sunday
whether to start Michael Thompson or Ephraim Salaam at right tackle.
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Despite heading to Denver with nine injured players, the only Ravens
expected to miss the Broncos game are right tackle Leon Searcy (arm) and
tight end Todd Heap (high ankle sprain). The Ravens had a scare Thursday
when safety Rod Woodson missed practice with a tight hamstring. Woodson
practiced Friday and will be fine. The Ravens may have Jermaine Lewis back
returning kicks and being a key backup receiver. Lewis missed the Bengals
game with a hamstring injury.
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Bills wide receiver Eric Moulds, slowed by a shoulder injury that has
affected his sternum, said after Friday's practice that he will play Sunday
against the Steelers. Moulds has been held to three catches in his first two
games and missed most of the practices this week. Though he was limited in
his work, Moulds pronounced that he will play. Left tackle John Fina,
questionable because of a bad leg, also might give it a try. If he can
start, Kris Farris would be free to start at right tackle instead of the
left side. Right tackle Jonas Jennings is out with a leg injury. The Bills
currently have 52 players on their active roster and may promote a practice
squad player Saturday.
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Panthers coach George Seifert is concerned that Thursday's surprise ankle
injury to wide receiver Donald Hayes could leave them without two of their
top four receivers. Patrick Jeffers remains out with a knee injury. Hayes
twisted his ankle late Thursday and couldn't practice Friday. Seifert said
he would have to wait until Saturday to make a determination but he
indicated that he is concerned. The Panthers play the Packers Sunday and
need offense. Isaac Byrd filled in for Hayes and the team could use rookie
Steve Smith as the third receiver if Hayes can't go. Seifert named Nick
Goings as the starting halfback and said that Richard Huntley, who's missed
two games with an ankle injury, will participate. Former starter Tim
Biakabutuka could be inactive. Strong safety Mike Minter is also expected to
make his 2001 debut. He's been out with a knee injury.
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The Bengals headed off the San Diego Friday thinking there is a good chance
that safety Darryl Williams may have to miss another game because of a foot
injury. Williams hasn't practiced all week and didn't practice Friday.
Backup center Brock Gutierrez, bothered by a bad back, practiced but remains
listed as questionable.
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Wide receiver Dennis Northcutt remains a no-go for the Browns because of his
fractured clavicle for Sunday's game against the Jaguars. He is hoping to be
able to return next week. Defensive end Courtney Brown still needs about
three more weeks to heal from his knee injury and is out for the game. Guard
Andre Johnson will play despite a nasty finger injury that had him listed as
probable.
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Anthony Wright will be the starting quarterback for the Cowboys game against
the Eagles, but Quincy Carter returned to the field to run the scout team.
Carter won't play because of a thumb injury, but his return shows he might
be able to be the starter next week. Four Cowboys are out: defensive end
Ebenezer Ekuban (back), linebacker Orantes Grant (ankle), wide receiver
Rocket Ismail (knee) and tight end Jackie Harris (groin).
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The Packers added halfback Dorsey Levens to then injury report as
questionable because of a lower back injury that has kept him out of
practice all week. Levens played through the back problems Monday night and
might be able to play the game. Coach Mike Sherman will have to make a
gametime decision about returner Allen Rossum, who has a hamstring injury.
Linebacker Nate Wayne hasn't practiced all week because of a knee injury and
remains questionable. Still, it doesn't look as though he will play against
the Panthers.
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Jaguars left tackle Tony Boselli was limited in Friday's practice because of
shoulder injury that comes from the wear and tear from years of blocking,
but coach Tom Coughlin expects him to play against the Cleveland Browns.
Boselli has played through more painful injuries. The Jaguars will be
without three other starters -- defensive end Tony Brackens (knee), strong
safety Donovan Darius (hip) and halfback Fred Taylor (groin).
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The Chiefs won't have rookie starting receiver Marvin "Snoop" Minnis for
Sunday's game against the Redskins, but they will have wide receiver Derrick
Alexander, who had a good week of work on his sore Achilles tendon. The
Chiefs plan to give Alexander a week off appears to have worked. Backup
defensive back Corey Harris was added to the injury list with an ankle.
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Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt confirmed that Tim Bowens has recovered enough
from knee surgery to return to the starting lineup against the Rams Sunday.
Deon Dyer will start at fullback for injured Rob Konrad, who has an ankle
injury. Bowens will team up with Daryl Gardener as the two tackles on the
defensive line.
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Expect Henry Jones, who signed Tuesday, to be the Vikings starter at strong
safety for the injured Robert Griffith. He picked up enough of the defensive
calls during the week to merit the start over Don Morgan. Fullback Jim
Kleinsasser's ankle isn't bothering him too much. He's listed as probable
but he will start.
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Patriots coach Bill Belichick will have three game day decisions to make
before Sunday's game against the Colts. The two most important involve
center Damien Woody, who couldn't practice again because of a neck injury
and defensive end Willie McGinest, who has back problems that causes
tightness in his upper leg. If Woody can't go and it's looking doubtful at
this point, the Patriots will have Gary Ruegamer snap to new starting
quarterback Tom Brady. Roman Phifer already is starting at McGinest's
linebacker-defensive end slot. The third injury involves halfback J.R.
Redmond, who is questionable with an ankle injury. Nose tackles Richard
Seymour (leg) and backup Jace Sayler (knee) are also questionable marks but
it appears they are going to play.
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Saints tight end Cam Cleeland's hamstring injury, which happened on
Wednesday, didn't stop him from practicing Friday so he should be able to
play against the Giants Sunday. Backup linebacker Brian Williams had been
upgraded from questionable to probable because of hamstring injury. The only
Saint who won't play middle linebacker DeShone Myles.
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The Giants will have a reasonable healthy squad for Sunday's game against
the Saints. Wide receiver Ike Hilliard will test out his foot injury for
about 10 to 15 plays Sunday, but Joe Jurevicius will remain the starter.
Guard Ron Stone is playing despite a bad shoulder injury but coach Jim
Fassell said the injury isn't bad enough to keep Stone on the sidelines.
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The Eagles tried to fix halfback Duce Staley with a shoulder harness Friday,
but he wasn't able to practice, leaving the starting job to rookie Correll
Buckhalter unless there is a miraculous recovery. Coach Andy Reid doesn't
plan to have Buckhalter handle the entire load of the running game and will
use Brian Mitchell in some situations along with fullback Cecil Martin.
Guard John Welbourn missed another practice because of his injured ankle.
Listed as doubt, Welbourn probably won't be able to play, meaning that Doug
Brzezinski takes over his job. With center Bubba Miller out for the seconds,
that is the second change on the Eagles offensive line.
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Defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen was the only Steelers player who didn't practice
Friday and appears to be out of the game against the Bills. Coach Bill
Cowher plans to start sixth-round pick Rodney Bailey, which means two
rookies have prominent roles on the three-man line. Rookie Casey Hampton
alternates with starter Kendrick Clancy. On Thursday, Cowher upgraded
cornerback Chad Scott, who wouldn't have played last week, to probable
because of a knee injury that has healed during the past three weeks.
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The Rams expect to have outside linebacker Mark Fields in uniform but he
probably won't start. His rib cartilage injury is too sore for him to be the
starter, but it is too important of a game to have Fields not available.
Fields played through a lot of pain during last Sunday's victory over the
49ers. Rookie Tommy Polley will be the starter.
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The Bucs added third receiver Reidel Anthony to the injury report Friday and
listed him as questionable with a strained right hip. Anthony told a club
official that he would play, but the fact he couldn't go Friday was a
concern. The Bucs won't have backup defensive tackle James Cannida (knee)
and guard Russ Hochstein (foot). The Bucs visit the Vikings Sunday.
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The Redskins line will lose backup Dorian Boose next week after being
suspended by the commissioner's office for bumping into a ref in last
Monday's loss to the Packers. This week, though, they will have to deal with
the loss of defensive end Marco Coleman, who may miss as close to a month
with a dislocated elbow. Coach Marty Schottenheimer all but ruled out
linebacker LaVar Arrington, who has a knee injury. Those injuries have
caused three changes in the Redskins defensive front seven. Kenard Lang will
move from defensive tackle to end and former practice squader Jerry DeLoach
will take over his tackle spot. Undrafted rookie Antonio Pierce will take
over Arrington's spot at linebacker. Schottenheimer announced that he
prefers experience on the offensive line so Matt Campbell will handle the
right guard spot for rookie free agent David Brandt, who began the season as
the starter but has been bugged by a knee injury.
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