NFL Capsules: Packers rookie LB Jones to make first start

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Short-handed at outside linebacker, the Green Bay Packers are turning to an untested rookie for their game Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.

Coach Mike McCarthy said Friday that Brad Jones would make his first NFL start.

"This is a big opportunity for him," McCarthy said. "He’s had a good week’s work, and I’m sure he’s up to the challenge. I like what I’ve seen."

Jones will start in place of Aaron Kampman, who will miss his first game because of injury since October 2003. Kampman is recovering from a concussion he sustained in the Packers’ loss at Tampa Bay last Sunday.

"As much as it hurts (to not play) — I want to be there for this one — this is probably the right thing to do," said Kampman, who didn’t practice this week.

Brady Poppinga, a potential fill-in for Kampman, also won’t play Sunday because of a quadriceps injury.

That leaves Jones, a seventh-round draft pick, to fill the void at left outside linebacker against the Cowboys’ high-powered offense. Jeremy Thompson, another young player with no starting experience at linebacker, also was under consideration at the position.

The coaches feel Jones is ready to handle a prominent role after his development was stunted by a back injury during the preseason. Jones has been a major contributor on special teams, making eight tackles in the first half of the season.

"We’ve seen some things out of him up to this point in time in terms of instincts," defensive coordinator Dom Capers said. "I think he has some naturalness rushing the passer, I think he’s got enough toughness, and we’ll just have to see. He’s going to get some opportunities."

Kampman said he would be on the sideline Sunday to provide in-game guidance to Jones.

Meanwhile, inside linebacker Brandon Chillar hasn’t been ruled out from playing against the Cowboys. Chillar missed the last game because of a broken right hand, which required the insertion of nine pins and a plate in surgery last week.

Chillar was fitted with a big club-like cast and wore it for the first time as he practiced on a limited basis Friday.

"Playing football one-handed is definitely not fun," said Chillar, who is questionable for Sunday.

Jets LB Gholston doubtful, WR Smith expected back

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets linebacker Vernon Gholston was listed as doubtful Friday for the team’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars because of a strained hamstring.

Wide receiver Brad Smith and cornerback Lito Sheppard are both expected to play Sunday after missing a few weeks with quadriceps injuries.

Gholston, the team’s first-round pick last year, didn’t practice all week after tweaking his hamstring Monday in the Jets’ first workouts following the bye-week break.

"He did not participate, so that’s going to be very doubtful that he plays," coach Rex Ryan said.

Despite showing some improvement since his disappointing rookie season, Gholston is still looking for his first NFL sack. Gholston said he was feeling "a lot better" Friday, but the team was being cautious so it didn’t turn into a more serious injury.

Smith hasn’t played in the team’s last three games after being injured at Miami on Oct 12. He was limited Friday, but listed as probable. If he plays, it’ll be the first time quarterback Mark Sanchez has Smith, Jerricho Cotchery and David Clowney all healthy and available this season.

Sheppard has missed five of the last six games with his injury. Ryan said Sheppard won’t start, but will play in a rotation with Dwight Lowery.

"Even though he’s practiced fully, I don’t think Lito’s all the way back yet," Ryan said. "We’ll evaluate to see how much he’ll play. I think we’ll start Dwight Lowery."

Defensive end Shaun Ellis (knee), cornerback Donald Strickland (ankle), right tackle Damien Woody (back) and wide receiver Wallace Wright (knee) are all probable.

-- Dennis Waszak Jr.

Winfield says he’s out for Detroit game

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Minnesota Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield will not play against Detroit on Sunday because of an injured right foot.

The Pro Bowler has missed the last two games and was hoping to be ready coming out of the off week. He practiced in full gear all week but said he still feels pain when he plants on the foot.

"I’ve been out the last couple of days running on it, testing it," Winfield said on Friday. "It’s good going forward but I still have a little problem cutting. But I would say next week I should be OK."

The Vikings (7-1) host Seattle next week. Winfield said he doesn’t want to rush back and risk further injury that would keep him out longer.

"A lot of guys try and come back from injuries real early and something else happens," Winfield said. "Hopefully we won’t do that."

He said sitting has been easier with the Vikings winning. The Vikings have already built a comfortable lead over Green Bay and Chicago in the NFC North.

Receiver Bernard Berrian is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury. Quarterback Brett Favre (groin), linebacker E.J. Henderson (knee), backup linebacker Jasper Brinkley (hamstring) and punt returner Darius Reynaud (hamstring) are all listed as probable.

Bills’ Owens ready to play Sunday against Titans

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills receiver Terrell Owens returned to practice Friday and declared himself ready to play in Sunday’s game at Tennessee.

Owens said he fell asleep on his couch Monday night after practice, and woke up feeling stiff the next morning. He was held out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and the team said he had a strained hip.

"Earlier in the week it was painful, but I knew I would be ready," said Owens, who is officially listed as questionable. "My couch is very comfortable, so it’s easy to fall asleep on. (But) I don’t know if it was the couch."

Meanwhile, the Bills will be without three starters on defense — linebacker Keith Ellison (quad), cornerback Terrence McGee (knee) and defensive tackle Kyle Williams (knee).

Defensive end Aaron Schobel (groin) and safety Donte Whitner (ankle) are both questionable. Rookie safety Jairus Byrd (groin), who is tied for the league-lead with seven interceptions, is probable.

Koppen questionable for Patriots

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Starting center Dan Koppen is one of 10 New England Patriots listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the undefeated Indianapolis Colts.

Koppen hurt his knee during last Sunday’s win over Miami.

There was some good news for the Patriots on Friday. Tackle Matt Light, running back Sammy Morris and rookie wide receiver Julian Edelman all practiced for the first time in weeks. Light and Morris are recovering from knee injuries and Edelman from a broken arm.

Light is listed as doubtful for the Colts game, while Morris and Edelman are questionable.

Coach Bill Belichick says several players could be game-time decisions.

Listed as out for Sunday are defensive end Jarvis Green, running back Fred Taylor and rookie wide receiver Brandon Tate.

LT Locklear back to start for Seahawks

RENTON, Wash. — Sean Locklear will start at left tackle for the Seahawks in Sunday’s key divisional game at Arizona.

Locklear has been out since he sustained a high right ankle sprain midway through the second game of the season, Sept. 20 at San Francisco.

Seattle has gone through five left tackles this season. Six-time All-Pro Walter Jones was supposed to make it back from major knee surgery but didn’t and is on injured reserve. Damion McIntosh has started the last two games after signing last month.

Coach Jim Mora also said Friday that Josh Wilson will start at cornerback opposite Marcus Trufant. Wilson has unseated veteran Ken Lucas.

Lucas has been recovering from a neck injury sustained on Nov. 1 at Dallas, but Mora says he is healthy now.

Arizona LBs Hayes, Okeafor doubtful for Seahawks

TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals starting linebackers Gerald Hayes and Chike Okeafor are doubtful for Sunday’s game against NFC West foe Seattle.

Neither has practiced this week because of back injuries. Hayes would miss his second straight game.

Ali Highsmith started in place of Hayes at inside linebacker last week. Bertrand Berry is Okeafor’s backup at outside linebacker.

Starting left tackle Mike Gandy (pelvis) was listed as questionable after being limited in practice Friday. If Gandy can’t play, it would break a string of 28 consecutive games that Arizona has had the same offensive line. Jeremy Bridges is his backup.

Redskins’ Betts questionable for game vs Denver

ASHBURN, Va. — Washington running back Ladell Betts is questionable for the Redskins game against Denver in which he had been slated to start for Clinton Portis.

Coach Jim Zorn said Friday he thinks Betts will play in Sunday’s game despite a sprained ankle, but the coach also is prepared to go with a running back by committee of Betts, Rock Cartwright and Quinton Ganther.

Portis is out after sustaining a concussion in last week’s loss to Atlanta.

Stephon Heyer, who was moved this week from left tackle to right tackle, is also listed as questionable with a sprained knee.

Zorn also said that Chad Rinehart has regained the right guard spot. Will Montgomery had started the last three games.

Zorn will wait until Saturday to decide on a punter.

Panthers RB Williams questionable with knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams is questionable for the Panthers’ game against Atlanta with a sore left knee.

Williams sat out practice Friday for the second time in three days. He was limited in Thursday’s workout.

William ranks fifth in the NFL with 768 yards rushing, including 307 in the past two games.

Fellow running back Jonathan Stewart (Achilles’ tendon), receiver Muhsin Muhammad (knee), tight end Dante Rosario (knee) and fullback Tony Fiammetta (concussion) are all listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. But all four players practiced Friday.

Fullback Brad Hoover and safety Charles Godfrey are doubtful and haven’t practiced all week because of ankle injuries.

Defensive end Julius Peppers is probable with a hand injury.

Dolphins’ Smiley doubtful for game against Bucs

DAVIE, Fla. — Dolphins starting guard Justin Smiley is listed as doubtful for the Dolphins’ game against Tampa Bay because of a shoulder injury.

Reserve nose tackle Paul Soliai (ankle) and reserve linebacker Erik Walden (hamstring) were also listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game. Smiley and Walden did not practice Friday, while Soliai and starting tight end Anthony Fasano (hip) were limited.

Fasano was listed as questionable. Linebacker Joey Porter (knee) participated in the full practice and was listed as probable.

Nate Garner would likely make his first NFL start in place of Smiley.

League News

Ochocinco fined $20,000 for $1 ‘bribe’

CINCINNATI — Chad Ochocinco’s pretend $1 bribe is going to cost him a lot more.

The Cincinnati Bengals receiver was fined $20,000 and reprimanded by the NFL for taking a dollar bill onto the field during an officials’ review of one of his catches last Sunday. Ochocinco held the dollar in his right hand at his side but didn’t give it to the official, who motioned for him to stay away.

Ochocinco said he was just having fun, but the league didn’t like it.

Ray Anderson, the league’s executive vice president of football operations, sent Ochocinco a letter that said: "The very appearance of impropriety is not acceptable. Your conduct was unprofessional and unbecoming an NFL player."

The letter cited league rules that prohibit abusive, threatening or insulting language or gestures toward officials. The letter also noted that players are prohibited from taking items onto the field that are not part of their uniform. The league has cracked down on players using props for celebrations.

During the third quarter of Cincinnati’s 17-7 win over the Baltimore Ravens, officials initially ruled that Ochocinco got both feet down at the sideline for a 15-yard catch. The Ravens challenged, and the call was overturned when replays showed the receiver’s toe landed on the white sideline.

While the play was under review, Ochocinco walked toward the officials with the dollar bill.

In response to the fine, the company that made Ochocinco’s iPhone application said it will donate an additional $20,000 in the receiver’s name to the Hillview Acres home for abused children in Chino, Calif. John Shahidi, the president and CEO of Rock Software, Inc., has assisted the home. Also, Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer hosts an annual golf tournament that has raised more than $400,000 for it.

-- Joe Kay

Cutler, Harris fined for conduct in Arizona game

CHICAGO — A bad season for the Chicago Bears just got worse.

The NFL said Friday that quarterback Jay Cutler had been fined $20,000 for abusive conduct toward a game official during a 41-21 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday.

Cutler drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty with 6:24 left in the third quarter after an incomplete pass to tight end Greg Olsen on a fourth-down play with the Bears trailing 34-7 at the time. Cutler apparently thought there should have been an interference penalty.

The fine came one day after Cutler threw five interceptions during a 10-6 loss at San Francisco. Cutler has thrown an NFL-worst 17 interceptions this season for the Bears (4-5), who have lost four of five.

The NFL also said defensive lineman Tommie Harris had been fined $7,500 for punching Cardinals offensive lineman Deuce Lutui on the fourth play from scrimmage. Harris was ejected and later apologized.

Player fines collected by the league have been used to support retired player programs, including the NFL Player Care Foundation and NFLPA Players Assistance Trust, disaster relief programs and and other charities.

Cardinals get sellout after deadline extension

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals’ game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday has sold out.

After the NFL gave the defending NFC champions a 24-hour extension on the television blackout deadline, the Cardinals announced the sellout Friday.

The Cardinals said they had about 800 tickets remaining Thursday and the NFL extended the deadline.

It was the fourth time this season Arizona needed a 24-hour blackout deadline extension from the league.

The Cardinals now have sold out all 39 games at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, which opened in 2006.

Player Move

Bengals sign WR Purify after Henry injury

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals have moved up first-year wide receiver Maurice Purify from the practice squad for Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh.

Receiver Chris Henry is out for the season with a broken left forearm. Henry, who had surgery on Monday, was hurt on his only catch in Sunday’s 17-7 win over Baltimore.

Purify, who played for Nebraska, was on the Bengals’ practice squad last season.

Also Friday, the Bengals placed eighth-year safety Roy Williams on injured reserve after he missed three of the last four games with a forearm injury.

Elsewhere

Two Chicago Bears praised fraud defendant to judge

CHICAGO — Chicago Bears star Brian Urlacher and former Bear Terry "Tank" Johnson wrote letters to a federal judge last year that praised a disgraced Chicago pol facing sentencing in a $1.5 million real estate kickback scheme.

The letters, both dated December 2008, were part of a newly released court file in the case of former Alderman Edward Vrdolyak, known in Chicago political circles as "Fast Eddie."

In his Dec. 19 letter, Urlacher said he spent time with Vrdolyak on family vacations and during the offseason. The Pro Bowl linebacker, who is not playing this season because of a wrist injury, said Vrdolyak had been generous with advice.

"During some of the most stressful times of my life, some publicized, some not, the advice he has given me has been of infinite value," Urlacher wrote in the two-page letter. "It is clear to anyone lucky enough to know him that all his actions are motivated by good intentions."

In his letter, Johnson told the judge "my relationship with Mr. Vrdolyak had a direct result in my turning my life around."

The Bears released Johnson in 2007 after several run-ins with the law. Now with the Cincinnati Bengals, the defensive tackle once spent two months in jail because of weapons charges.

The letters were written a month after Vrdolyak pleaded guilty to a single count of mail fraud for arranging to sell a piece of real estate and plotting to share in what prosecutors said would be a $1.5 million finder’s fee.

Vrdolyak was given five years’ probation and fined $50,000.

-- Mike Robinson

Shanahan selected for Colorado Sports Hall of Fame

DENVER — Former Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan is among a half dozen sports personalities selected for the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.

Shanahan was fired in December after 14 seasons and two Super Bowls with the Broncos. He’s 146-98 in his coaching career, which he plans to resume next season somewhere in the NFL.

Former Avalanche captain Joe Sakic also will be inducted at a banquet on April 20.

Joining them in the class of 2010 are former Northern Colorado football coach Bob Blasi, Cherry Creek High School baseball coach and Colorado Rockies scout Marc Johnson, former NCAA champion wrestler Dean Lahr and former Broncos announcer Larry Zimmer.