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NFL Capsules: Roethlisberger, Warner leave games with injuries
Comments 0 | Recommend 0The two quarterbacks from last season's Super Bowl left their games after taking blows to the head Sunday.
The Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger wobbled off the field during overtime of Pittsburgh's 27-24 loss to the Chiefs, while the Cardinals' Kurt Warner went out in the second quarter of Arizona's 21-13 win over the Rams.
Roethlisberger had thrown for 398 yards and three touchdowns when he apparently took a knee to the helmet while being sacked by Derrick Johnson and gave way to Charlie Batch. Coach Mike Tomlin said he was not certain how severe the injury might be.
"He took a blow, needless to say, it was a concussion-oriented thing so I doubt he was going to come back into the football game," Tomlin said. "I don't have a lot of information in terms of where he is or his level of availability. We will have more information as we proceed."
Warner was 15 for 19 for 203 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Cardinals take a 21-3 lead. It appeared Warner was hurt by safety O.J. Atogwe's high hit on a blitz that drove the quarterback's head into the turf. Warner lay on the field for a few seconds before getting up and stayed in the game for the last six plays of a 90-yard drive.
Matt Leinart replaced Warner late in the second quarter. Warner said it was just a precaution for what the team termed concussion-related symptoms
"I felt pretty good coming out right after halftime, but I just wanted to be smart," Warner said. "It was one of those situations where I didn't feel perfect."
St. Louis quarterback Marc Bulger said he took a blow to the head on the team's final possession, apparently on a sack by Darnell Dockett, and will undergo evaluation Monday. Like Warner, Bulger said his head had cleared after the game.
The Steelers, already missing Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu (knee), also lost guard Chris Kemoeatu to a right knee injury.
Two other quarterbacks played through injuries to throw for game-winning touchdowns.
Lions rookie Matthew Stafford was able to return to the game because the Browns called a timeout after he hurt his left shoulder on what would have been the last play. Detroit was given an untimed play because of a pass interference call in the end zone when Stafford heaved a desperation attempt.
Stafford was hit after his throw to the end zone and replaced by Daunte Culpepper. He came back to throw his fifth touchdown pass from 1 yard to Brandon Pettigrew for the 38-37 win.
Coach Jim Schwartz said X-rays showed Stafford's collarbone wasn't broken, but added more tests are needed.
Before and after every snap, the Cowboys' Tony Romo felt the throbbing in his back, the result of an accidental blow while making a first-quarter tackle.
Romo scrambled for a first down, then completed seven straight passes, the last a 10-yarder to Patrick Crayton for a touchdown with 2:41 left that gave Dallas a 7-6 victory over the Washington Redskins.
After Marion Barber's fumble, Washington's DeAngelo Hall recovered and Romo brought him down. As Hall was falling, his knee conked Romo in the back. Romo was so bad after that it was obvious something was bothering him.
Redskins running back Ladell Betts, the fill-in for injured Clinton Portis, damaged the MCL in his left knee midway through the first quarter. Coach Jim Zorn said Betts will have an MRI to determine the severity of the injury.
Right guard Chad Rinehart fractured his right leg early in the third period. Rinehart was taken off the field on a motorized cart with his lower leg in a brace after it was rolled on by Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer.
The Buffalo Bills are even more banged up after losing 18-15 to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Running back Marshawn Lynch (shoulder), guard Eric Wood (leg), guard Seth McKinney (knee) and defensive tackle John McCargo (calf) left the game and did not return.
Wood appears to be the most serious of the group. He broke his left leg on the second play of the fourth quarter and will remain in Jacksonville overnight.
The Bills already were playing with a shuffled offensive line. Lynch was taken to the locker room on a cart in the second quarter. He was on the sideline in the second half in street clothes.
The Green Bay Packers lost two cornerstones of their defense during a 30-24 victory over San Francisco and could be playing without them for a lot longer.
Coach Mike McCarthy said the knee injuries to cornerback Al Harris and outside linebacker Aaron Kampman "did not look very good" and were cause for concern.
McCarthy said the team would have more definitive information Monday.
It could be a serious setback for a defense trying to keep the Packers (6-4) in the thick of the NFC wild-card race. Teammates already were pondering a future without Harris and Kampman.
Harris was injured early in the fourth quarter and was carted to the locker room. While on the cart, he pulled his sock down and tried to brace his left knee; the team did not identify which knee was injured.
Kampman also appeared to hurt his left knee, which buckled on a play in the third quarter. Kampman walked off the field with a limp, then headed to a cart and was taken to the locker room.
Packers lose Harris, Kampman to knee injuries
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers lost two cornerstones of their defense during Sunday's victory over San Francisco and could be playing without them for a lot longer.
Coach Mike McCarthy said the knee injuries to cornerback Al Harris and outside linebacker Aaron Kampman "did not look very good" and were cause for concern.
McCarthy said the team would have more definitive information Monday.
"Hopefully, these two injuries aren't as serious as we may think," McCarthy said.
Agent Neil Cornrich said Kampman was scheduled for more tests Monday.
"We'll just have to wait and see," Cornrich said.
If the injuries are serious, it could be a major setback for a defense trying to keep the Packers (6-4) in the thick of the NFC wild card race. Teammates already were pondering a future without Harris and Kampman.
"We're all professionals in this game," cornerback Charles Woodson said. "We'll come in; we know what we've lost. The coaches, they'll spend a lot of time tonight and in the morning figuring out what we'll do. And then it's up to the guys to come in and execute it."
Linebacker Nick Barnett posted on his Twitter account after the game that Harris' season is over, although it was not clear where he got the information.
"Bad news!!!" Barnett wrote. "Lost Al this whole season."
Harris' agent, Jack Bechta, did not immediately return a telephone message left by The Associated Press on Sunday night.
Harris was injured early in the fourth quarter and was carted to the locker room. While on the cart, he pulled his sock down and tried to brace his left knee; the team did not identify which knee was injured.
Kampman also appeared to hurt his left knee, which buckled on a play in the third quarter. Kampman walked off the field with a limp, then headed to a cart and was taken to the locker room.
Kampman sat out last week's victory over Dallas with a concussion, the first game he has missed because of an injury since 2003. Harris missed four games last season with a lacerated spleen, the first significant injury of his career.
Bills have more injury concerns after latest loss
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Buffalo Bills are even more banged up following an injury-filled game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Running back Marshawn Lynch (shoulder), guard Eric Wood (leg), guard Seth McKinney (knee) and defensive tackle John McCargo (calf) left Sunday's game and did not return.
Wood appears to be the most serious of the group. He broke his left leg on the second play of the fourth quarter and will remain in Jacksonville overnight.
The Bills already were playing with a shuffled offensive line. Starting right tackle Brad Butler was placed on injured reserve early in the year and left tackle Demetrius Bell injured his right knee last week against Tennessee. Bell was inactive Sunday.
The latest injuries forced Jonathan Scott and Jamon Meredith back on the field against the Jaguars. Scott missed practice all week following a death in his family, and Meredith sat out last week's game with a knee injury.
Lynch, meanwhile, was taken to the locker room on a cart in the second quarter. He was on the sideline in the second half in street clothes.
Chiefs RB Kolby Smith hurts ankle
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City running back Kolby Smith injured his left ankle and will probably not return to Sunday's game.
Smith made his first carry against the Pittsburgh Steelers and then limped off the field. He was activated two weeks ago after missing a year with knee surgery.
Pittsburgh guard Chris Kemoeatu injured his right knee and will not return to the game.
Team officials said Kemoeatu was hurt early in the third quarter. The Steelers were already missing Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu, who was not active because of a knee injury.
Warner out after taking blow to head
ST. LOUIS — Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner left Sunday's game after taking a blow to the head in the second quarter, and the team said his return was questionable.
Warner was in uniform but on the sideline for the start of the second half as Matt Leinart took over.
Warner was 15 for 19 for 203 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Cardinals take a 21-3 lead. It was unclear when Warner was injured although he took a hard hit from safety O.J. Atogwe on a blitz on his last drive.
Warner, a two-time NFL MVP with the Rams, was facing his old team for the seventh time since joining the Cardinals in 2005. Leinart replaced Warner late in the second quarter.
Like Warner, Bulger rocked by blow to head
ST. LOUIS — Kurt Warner wasn't the only quarterback who got rocked by a hard, high hit in the Cardinals-Rams game. St. Louis quarterback Marc Bulger said he also took a blow to the head late in Arizona's 21-13 victory on Sunday.
Bulger was injured on the team's final possession, apparently on a sack by Darnell Dockett, and will undergo evaluation on Monday. Warner was held out in the second half as a precaution after experiencing concussion-related symptoms following a hit by Rams safety O.J. Atogwe that drove the quarterback's head into the turf.
Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said Bulger got a "little bit dinged in the head. He took some whacks there at the end."
Like Warner, Bulger said his head had cleared after the game. Bulger said he also had hamstring and groin injuries.
Eagles' Samuel suffers stinger against Bears
CHICAGO — Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel suffered a stinger during Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears and was questionable to return.
Samuel did not start the second half, another blow for a team that was already short-handed.
Besides star running back Brian Westbrook, who's out after suffering two recent concussions, the Eagles were missing starting weakside linebacker Akeem Jordan because of a knee injury.
Dawkins leaves game with neck injury
DENVER — Broncos safety Brian Dawkins left the game Sunday in the second quarter with a neck injury and his return is questionable.
Dawkins may have injured his neck on a third-down play when he tackled San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson just short of the first-down marker at the Broncos 11. The Chargers kicked a field goal on the next play.
The 14-year veteran has been the Broncos' emotional leader since joining them in free agency last winter.
Chargers OT Clary injures left leg
DENVER — San Diego right tackle Jeromey Clary was taken off the field in a cart early in the fourth quarter at Denver after hurting his left leg.
Clary clutched at his leg following a running play deep in Denver's territory. The third-year player stayed down for a few minutes and then was helped into the cart.
Before the cart drove away, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers trotted over and spoke to Clary.
Seymour leaves with lower back injury
OAKLAND, Calif. — Defensive lineman Richard Seymour left Oakland's game against Cincinnati with a lower back injury and will not return.
Seymour left in the opening quarter Sunday and the team announced at the start of the third quarter that Seymour would not return.
Elsewhere
Vikings smash Seahawks with stout defense vs. run
MINNEAPOLIS — Their proud run defense falling off a little this season, the Minnesota Vikings have been eager to re-establish that dominance when the other team keeps the ball on the ground.
With a mere 4 net yards allowed on 13 attempts in Sunday's 35-9 victory over Seattle, Minnesota's vaunted group of run-stuffers was back in form. The Vikings forced the Seahawks into an all-time rushing low and yielded the second-fewest yards in franchise history. They held the Detroit Lions to minus-3 yards rushing in a game in 2006, the first of three straight seasons as the NFL run defense leader.
Entering Sunday, the Vikings were sixth in the league in that category this year. Still strong, but not good enough for them.
"We've just been trying to get back to fundamentals. The coaches were telling us we were trying to do too much, putting too much pressure on ourselves trying to keep that crown," defensive end Ray Edwards said. "Now we're just out there having fun and attacking the ball."
Linebacker Chad Greenway made no secret of the goal to rise in the rankings and finish first in rushing defense for an unprecedented fourth straight season: "It's No. 1 on our list of things we want to get accomplished" statistically, he said.
Sunday's game sure helped. After allowing an average of 2.8, 3.1 and 3.3 yards per carry the last three years, the Vikings are giving up an average of 3.9 yards per rush in 2009. Their per-game yardage average is up to 85.5, after holding it to 70.8 over the previous three-season span.
"It has slipped a little bit," linebacker Ben Leber said. "That's very uncharacteristic of our defense, and something we talk about during the week. We need to get better at that. So it was nice to have a performance like today."
The Seahawks lost yardage on six running plays, including a questionable third-and-2 call in the second quarter when backup quarterback Seneca Wallace took the snap, rolled right and was forced out of bounds by Edwards upon seeing no openings.
"We tried to get some things going in the run game early, and they did a heck of a job of stuffing that," Seattle coach Jim Mora said. "We were intent on protecting Matt (Hasselbeck), and we struggled there as well. They've got a fearsome front that kind of took it to us."
Justin Forsett, taking the place of injured starter Julius Jones, totaled 9 yards on 9 carries, including a late touchdown.
"We had some good stuff called, but we've got to make more plays," Forsett said. "They're a great defense. They do a good job of pursuing to the ball, everybody from the linebackers to the DBs."
It starts up front, though, as Vikings coach Brad Childress — and probably every other football coach in the country — is fond of saying. Edwards, Jared Allen and the Williams Wall inside consistently penetrated the line, whether the play was run or pass.
"Our sack numbers are up, too, so it's not like they've been throwing the ball," Allen said, downplaying the slight slip in rushing defense. "It's just a year to year thing. It depends on the point of the game you're in and stuff like that. Sometimes when teams are down multiple points, they might call it a day and try to get out of there with some dignity and try to run draws and stuff like that."
Quarterback yardage on scrambles to avoid sacks and draw plays also have helped opponents with their rushing totals against the Vikings.
"We weren't worried about it," Pat Williams said. "We always start late."
-- Dave Campbell
NFL to have teams work with neurologists
NEW YORK — NFL teams will soon be working with independent neurologists on concussion issues.
Commissioner Roger Goodell will implement the policy as soon as details can be worked out. The neurologists will work with the teams' medical staffs.
Goodell recently urged players to tell their teams' medical staffs if they think a teammate shows symptoms of a concussion. He and union director DeMaurice Smith also testified before Congress at hearings on football head injuries.
The Associated Press this month conducted a survey of 160 NFL players — about 10 percent of the league — and 30 replied that they have hidden or played down the effects of a concussion.
Told of the AP's findings, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an e-mail to the news agency that Goodell spoke to Smith about "the importance of players reporting head injuries, no matter how minor they believe they might be. The commissioner said that process needs to include players observing and reporting to the team medical staff when a teammate shows symptoms of a concussion."
The NFLPA said it opposes Goodell's suggestion that players tell medical staffs about possible head injuries to teammates.
"The players want a uniform standard for clearance to return to play that is at the current state of medical knowledge," NFLPA assistant executive director George Atallah told the AP in an e-mail Sunday. "It should not vary from team to team.
"Equally important, the NFL should release all aggregate medical data it collects from players every year. ... Our players are not test subjects."
The new NFL policy was first reported Sunday by Fox.
The union wants the league to provide all information from researchers to the players, as well, believing such data could help retired players and youth players.
"We will continue to push the envelope on player safety," Atallah said, "and are happy when the NFL does as well."
Tenn. Titans' owner makes nice with Buffalo Bills
NEW YORK — Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams is making a friendlier gesture to the Buffalo Bills one week after his obscene hand sign to fans of the team earned him a hefty fine.
A full-page ad on the back of Sunday's Buffalo News says, "We wish the Bills and their fans good luck today and for the remainder of the season." Adams' name is printed below.
The NFL fined Adams $250,000 last Monday for obscene gestures he made at Buffalo fans a day earlier while celebrating the Titans' 41-17 victory.
The NFL said the fine was for conduct detrimental to the league.
Adams issued an apology hours before he was fined. The 86-year-old owner said he got caught up in the win.
A Titans' spokesman could not immediately be reached Sunday for comment. The team was traveling.
Wilf on Childress extension: Why wait?
MINNEAPOLIS — Vikings owner Zygi Wilf says there was no reason to wait on a contract extension for coach Brad Childress.
Wilf told reporters before Sunday's game against Seattle "there was never that type of thought" to delay the deal until assessing the team after the season. Wilf says the organization feels "very comfortable" with Childress in charge.
Childress signed his new contract on Thursday. It reportedly runs through the 2013 season.
Wilf also reiterated the team's urgent desire to raise the request for a new stadium at the Minnesota Legislature this session. The Vikings are upset with the Metrodome's operator for proposing to extend their lease by two more years to buy time for a stadium bill.
Wilf says that's just a way for "everyone to procrastinate."
Simms gets start for Broncos against Chargers
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Chris Simms is starting an NFL game for the first time since he was nearly killed in a game three years ago.
The Denver Broncos' backup quarterback got to nod over hobbled starter Kyle Orton, whose sprained ankle kept him out of practice all week. Orton threw a few passes at Invesco Field this morning but after several minutes went back into the locker room.
Orton is in uniform and not among the players that were inactive for the game against San Diego.
Simms' last start was on Sept. 24, 2006, when he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was battered so badly by the Carolina Panthers that he needed emergency surgery to remove his spleen.
-- Arnie Stapleton
Cribbs active for Browns vs. Lions with sore neck
DETROIT — Josh Cribbs is active for the Cleveland Browns against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, less than a week after he was strapped to a backboard and wheeled into an ambulance.
Cribbs had said he expected to play despite a sore neck after Baltimore's Dawn Edwards hit his chin on Monday night.
Cribbs' fearlessness has turned the undrafted free agent into a Pro Bowler and one of the NFL's best return specialists.
Detroit has starting defensive end DeWayne White (toe) and kick returner Derrick Williams (hip) on its inactive list because of injuries.
Favre's personal best: 88 percent completion rate
MINNEAPOLIS — Brett Favre has added a few more records to his overcrowded resume.
Favre completed a career-best 88 percent of his passes for Minnesota against Seattle on Sunday. He was replaced by Tarvaris Jackson late in the third quarter with the Vikings leading comfortably.
Favre went 22 for 25 to also set Minnesota's single-game franchise record for completion percentage. Randall Cunningham held the previous mark, 84 percent in 1998 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Favre also had his 22nd career four-touchdown passing game, passing Dan Marino for most in NFL history.
Favre was shown on the videoboard as his records were announced, and the crowd started chanting, "M-V-P!"
Detroit Lions unveil Pride of the Lions
DETROIT — Every successful era of the Detroit Lions is represented in the 12-member "Pride of the Lions" charter class announced Sunday by the team.
The Lions revealed the class and unveiled a permanent display at Ford Field during Sunday's game between the Lions and Cleveland Browns.
Members of the class include: running backs Barry Sanders and Doak Walker, cornerbacks Dick "Night Train" Lane and Lem Barney, safety Jack Christiansen and Yale Lary, quarterbacks Bobby Layne and Dutch Clark, offensive linemen Lou Creekmur and Alex Wojciechowicz, and linebacker Joe Schmidt.
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