NFL Capsules: Browns sack Steelers 13-6

CLEVELAND — There’s nothing Super about the Pittsburgh Steelers anymore.

The defending NFL champions lost their fifth straight and had their playoff hopes thrown for a loss by the lowly Cleveland Browns, who ended a 12-game skid against their bitter rival by beating the Steelers 13-6 on Thursday night in subzero wind chills.

Ben Roethlisberger was sacked eight times and lost for the first time in 11 career games against the Browns (2-11), who extended Pittsburgh’s longest losing streak in six years and defeated the Steelers (6-7) at home for the first time since 2000.

Pittsburgh is going to need help to make the playoffs, a stunning freefall for a team that hit the season’s halfway point at 6-2.

Unexpected losses to Kansas City, Oakland and Cleveland — three of the NFL’s worst teams with a combined record of 9-28 — have pushed the Steelers to the brink.

"To lose five straight coming off a Super Bowl from last year is embarrassing," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "There’s nothing fun about losing games, especially five in a row. We’re better than that. We should play better than that. With three games left, you’re going to see who really wants to go out here and play for the pride of this organization and this city and who doesn’t want to be around here."

Chris Jennings, who began the season on Cleveland’s practice squad, scored on a 10-yard run and Phil Dawson kicked a pair of 29-yard field goals for the Browns, who snapped a seven-game losing streak, a 10-game slide at home and beat the Steelers for just the second time in 20 games.

Roethlisberger tried to rally the Steelers, but his fourth-down pass to Santonio Holmes with less than two minutes left was knocked down by linebacker David Bowens.

When Holmes was tackled on a punt return and the final second ticked off the scoreboard’s clock, frozen Browns fans, who were nearly outnumbered by Terrible Towel-waving Pittsburgh fans, danced in the aisles. Several Cleveland players sprinted down field and jumped into the Dawg Pound section to celebrate.

"It means everything," Browns do-it-all wide receiver Josh Cribbs said. "There are a lot of Steelers fans around the city so I hope people go to work and kick those Steelers fans."

The Steelers, whose defense lost some of its spirit and much of its toughness when Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu went down with a knee injury, left the field stunned.

"Hurtful," Holmes said. "I never thought I’d be losing five games in a row. I know those guys will continue to fight these last three games. Hopefully, we can get back in the lab this summer, regroup and start all over."

The win was just the second for Cleveland’s embattled first-year coach Eric Mangini, who certainly helped his job security by beating Pittsburgh, something no Browns coach had done since Chris Palmer nine years ago.

Cribbs rushed for 87 yards out of the wildcat formation, had 104 return yards and caught one pass for 9 yards. He picked up a big first down on a 14-yard run in the fourth quarter when the Browns were trying to milk the clock.

Afterward, Cribbs soaked in his biggest win since turning pro. He knew the Steelers’ 2½-hour bus trip to Pennsylvania would not be pleasant.

"They’re going to hear that bus’ engine all the way back," Cribbs said. "That’s a lonely ride. I’ve ridden that ride for five years now. It’s time for them to hear that engine all the way home while they look at the stat sheet."

Needing a touchdown to tie, the Steelers got the ball back with 6:16 left at their own 21. Roethlisberger, who has broken Cleveland’s hearts before, began working his team down field with short passes. But he was sacked at midfield in the final two minutes and had his final pass batted away.

Brady Quinn, making his first career start against Pittsburgh, completed just one pass in the second half and finished 6 of 19 for 90 yards.

Roethlisberger went 18 of 32 for 201 yards. He had trouble throwing in the swirling winds that consistently blew over 20 mph and the Steelers were never able to establish their running game against the Browns’ defense, which came in ranked 32nd overall.

Cleveland’s defense dominated the first half, sacking Roethlisberger five times and pressuring him on nearly every snap.

Jennings’ 10-yard scamper around right end — the first TD scored by a Cleveland running back in more than a year — put the Browns up 13-0 late in the second quarter. With their defense stuffing the Steelers and the temperature dropping, the Browns’ lead seemed insurmountable.

But the Steelers drove 58 yards in 41 seconds and got a 27-yard field goal from Jeff Reed as time expired to close to 13-3 at halftime.

Reed’s second field goal with 8 seconds left in the third brought the Steelers within a touchdown.

But Pittsburgh was unable to put together a scoring drive in the fourth, and now the Steelers find themselves in more trouble than they could have imagined.

This is certainly not what Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin had in mind when he promised his team would "unleash hell" in December.

"We’ve found new and different ways to not rise up at critical moments and we’re losing football games because of it," Tomlin said. "This one happened in all three phases."

NOTES: Ward played despite a hamstring injury and caught four passes for 21 yards. ... Holmes, the MVP in Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl win over Arizona, surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in four seasons. ... Browns DE Robaire Smith injured his hip in the first half but returned. ... Jennings previously played for Montreal in the Canadian Football League. ... Cleveland’s offensive line went sleeveless in the bone-chilling weather.

League News

Central Pa. Steelers fans can hang banner for now

PITTSBURGH — A pair of Pittsburgh Steelers fans in south-central Pennsylvania will be able hang a banner at their house supporting the NFL team — at least for now — even though the borough claims the sign violates a zoning ordinance.

Alissa Myers and her husband, Frank Patti, purchased a 2-foot-by-8-foot "You’re in Steelers Country" banner at a fair this summer and hung it from the porch of their home in Penbrook, just outside Harrisburg, when the football season started in early September.

The couple was notified by Penbrook officials on Sept. 30 that they were violating an ordinance governing temporary banners. They were given three choices: remove the banner, pay $40 for a permit to hang the sign as long as the Steelers’ season lasted, or display it only on game days.

While the banner has been displayed only on game days since October, none of the options suited the 34-year-old Myers, a longtime Steelers fan. She wanted to display the banner much of the year.

"There’s just a different mentality to Steelers fans, and once it gets in your blood, it doesn’t get out," Myers said Thursday.

She said she developed a fondness for Pittsburgh teams while growing up near State College, and her devotion to the Steelers was further solidified while attending Penn State’s Fayette County campus.

A neighbor suggested she contact the ACLU , which took up her cause and notified Penbrook officials Wednesday that the ordinance violated Myers’ free speech rights.

"The important issue here is the government can’t tell a homeowner what messages they can display on their property," said Witold "Vic" Walczak, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union in Pennsylvania. "It’s a matter not just of free speech, but of property rights."

Penbrook’s solicitor Bruce Foreman said the ordinance is relatively old and that the borough would look into whether it needs to be modified

Until the borough decides what to do, Myers and Patti can display the banner.

The banner wasn’t the issue, Foreman said.

"Whether it says ‘Steelers Country’ or ‘Elect candidate X’ ... it just wouldn’t matter," Foreman said of the area that divides its NFL loyalties between the Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens.

"I would say the majority of people in Penbrook who are football fans are Steelers fans," he said.

-- Dan Nephin

Man bets against Saints, gets his TV shot to bits

NEW ORLEANS — A Louisiana man who bet against the New Orleans Saints has lost his 60-inch high-definition, flat-screen TV to a backyard firing squad, but he also became an Internet star.

Wayne A. Spring told his friends that if New Orleans beat the Washington Redskins on Sunday, anyone who wanted could come to his house and shoot his television.

"I was a Saints fan, but used to be they never could win and I admit I was a fair-weather fan," Spring said on Thursday. "And there was all that ‘Who-Datting’ going on, online, so I just decided to go against the grain."

Things were looking good until the Saints tied the game and sent it into overtime.

Spring, a nurse who owns a medical staffing company, said as soon as the undefeated Saints kicked the winning field goal, his phone started ringing.

About a dozen Saints fans, toting firearms and a case of beer, showed up at his home in Albany, some 50 miles northwest of New Orleans, and shot up his TV in the back yard.

Spring put the video on YouTube and says it has had over 145,000 hits in three days.

"I was amazed," Spring said. "I’ve put stuff on YouTube before."

About three years ago, he said, he posted a video of a jet engine on a bicycle, "and it took two years to get 80,000 hits on that one."

After the barrage of gunshots, Spring joked, "I ain’t checked on my neighbors. I guess they’re all right, but I ain’t seen them lately either."

Spring said he actually lives in a fairly isolated area.

Authorities said the TV shooting apparently didn’t break any laws.

"But I would say mixing booze and firearms is not a good thing," said Lt. Doug Cain of the Louisiana State Police.

Spring said he would not be betting against the Saints again.

"I’ll be watching the game this weekend on a 13-inch black and white set," he said. "I’ve learned my lesson."

-- Mary Foster

Chargers: Public money probably needed for stadium

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Chargers said Thursday they probably need public money to build a new stadium on a downtown site just east of Petco Park.

The team has said since 2002 that it wants to finance stadium construction privately, although they have sought a piece of public land to develop and help pay for the stadium.

Previous sites under consideration would have accommodated both a stadium and a related development project, the profits from which would help pay for the costs of the stadium.

Chargers attorney Mark Fabiani said Thursday that because the downtown site is just bigger than 10 acres, it would accommodate just the stadium and no related development to help pay for the stadium.

That would require other sources of funding, in addition to $200 million from the Chargers and a hoped-for $100 million loan from the NFL, Fabiani said.

Fabiani said the team, which plays at aging Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley, wants to put any stadium measure onto a public ballot.

Fabiani said it’s too soon to say what other funding sources may be available. A redevelopment agency is sponsoring a financing study.

"Nonetheless, we believe it is important for everyone to understand that the downtown site might require some sort of taxpayer subsidy," Fabiani said.

Such a subsidy would only be possible if voters agree that an investment downtown will result in significant returns for taxpayers elsewhere, he said. The city could save the $300 million or more taxpayers will pay through 2020 to maintain the Qualcomm Stadium, Fabiani said, and the city could sell, lease or otherwise generate hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue from the 166-acre Qualcomm site.

Women sues Ravens’ Suggs, claims abuse, paternity

BALTIMORE — A woman has filed a $70 million lawsuit against Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs, claiming he is father of her two children and assaulted her multiple times.

Suggs said at practice Thursday that he has nothing to hide, but he was not able to discuss the case yet.

Candace Williams, 26, is seeking $50 million in punitive damages and $20 million in compensatory damages from the three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher. She filed a separate complaint seeking custody of the children. Both were filed Monday in Baltimore Circuit Court.

Williams is also seeking a restraining order against Suggs, who she said knocked her down and poured bleach on her and their son.

"I can’t talk about all that right now," Suggs said at the Ravens’ training complex. "You know I’ve always been fair. When I can address it, I will. I really have nothing to hide. As bad as I want to talk about it right now, I can’t."

Suggs has been sidelined since hurting his knee in a game against the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 16. He wouldn’t say whether he planned to attend a hearing Friday on the motion for a restraining order.

"It’s one of those things you have to deal with," he said. "I’m still coming to work. I’m still getting ready for Sunday."

Williams alleges Suggs broke her nose during a Nov. 3 incident and threatened to kill her. On Nov. 29, she said he threatened to drown her with bleach and poured bleach on her "entire body as she was forced to stay on the ground."

A district court judge noted that she had a laceration on her chest when he granted her a temporary restraining order against Suggs that requires him to stay away from Williams and vacate their residence.

Williams claimed that Suggs has "irrational and violent tendencies."

Suggs hasn’t been charged with a crime, and there’s no record of emergency calls to his Windsor Mill home. Suggs, who has missed three games in a row with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, would not say whether he would return Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

"I’m trying to feel it out," Suggs said. "It does feel better. I’m still not trusting it fully."

Another Jaguars home game blacked out

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Not even a five-game winning streak at home, an in-state opponent and playoff implications could prevent the Jacksonville Jaguars from another blackout.

The Jaguars (7-5) failed to sell out Sunday’s home game against Miami (6-6), prompting the team’s ninth blackout (including preseason) in 2009. The game will not be televised in Jacksonville or in secondary markets that include Gainesville, Daytona Beach, Orlando and Savannah, Ga.

The Jaguars believed winning would help the small-market franchise sell tickets in a tough economy, but last week’s game against Houston drew the smallest announced crowd (42,079) in franchise history.

Team officials are hoping to sell out next Thursday night’s home finale against unbeaten Indianapolis.

Chiefs straining to keep blackout streak intact

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs, straining to keep their 155-game sellout streak alive, were given a 24-hour extension Thursday to sell tickets to Sunday’s game against Buffalo.

If the Chiefs do not sell out by 12:05 p.m. Friday, they will face the first broadcast blackout in the local market since 1990. The game would not be available within a 75-mile radius of Kansas City. The team said late Tuesday that it needed to sell 3,500 tickets.

Dating to Dec. 16, 1990, the Chiefs have played 155 consecutive home games without a blackout.

The Chiefs (3-9) host the Bills (4-8) on Sunday. The next week could be an even bigger test when Cleveland, with only one win going into this week, is the final home opponent of 2009.

Injuries

Knee could keep Redskins’ Hall from facing ex-team

ASHBURN, Va. — It’s always entertaining to hear DeAngelo Hall talk about facing his old teams, even when he’s not certain he’ll get a chance to play.

Hall got so excited standing on the sidelines during the Washington Redskins’ overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday that he developed back spasms, another setback in his goal of returning to the field in time to play in this week’s game against the Oakland Raiders.

"I probably should have been up in the suites relaxing, but I wanted to be down there with my teammates and encourage my guys on," said Hall, who had a sit in a chair to ease the strain on his back while meeting with reporters this week. "I found myself almost jumping up and down every play."

Hall has missed the last two games with a sprained right knee and hasn’t been able to practice this week. The cornerback was healthy for his first revenge trip of the season when the Redskins visited Atlanta last month, a game in which Hall was involved in a sideline melee that ended up costing Falcons coach Mike Smith a $15,000 fine.

Now Hall was looking forward to a chance to show his stuff in front of owner Al Davis and coach Tom Cable of the Raiders, who released him last year only eight games into a new contract.

"Al Davis told me it salary cap issues," Hall said. "Coach Cable actually made the statement that they had somebody better behind me. So I kind of took a little offense to that, but I don’t have any hard feelings toward Coach Cable, the organization. It was a great, great, great time for me there, the short period of time that I was there."

All sides agree that Hall wasn’t the best fit for a Raiders defense that relies heavily on man-to-man coverage. If that’s the case, Hall now wonders, why did Oakland give him a seven-year, $70 million contract in the first place? And, for that matter, why did he accept?

"As I’ve said before: Not all money is good money," Hall said. "I probably should have did my due diligence, but I was so eager to get out of Atlanta, I was so eager to get out of that place that I just ran to the first people who opened up their arms to me. ... It definitely wasn’t my forte to go out there and play that particular style."

Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, who had expected to form a long-term shutdown tandem with Hall, said his former teammate didn’t get enough time to adjust to Oakland’s schemes.

"DeAngelo’s a play-maker," Asomugha said. "He wants to be free to go out and make plays and do what he does best. When you come here, you have to understand that you’re going to be in man-to-man 90 percent of the game. It was definitely something he wasn’t used to. It took some adjusting for him, and he never really got that full chance to adjust to that change."

Hall landed in Washington within days of his departure from Oakland and impressed the Redskins enough that they gave him a $54 million, six-year deal in the offseason.

Thus, in a short period of time, Hall has become quite the expert on interesting NFL locales, having played in Atlanta during the Michael Vick dog fighting scandal before his brief time with Davis and the Raiders and move to owner Dan Snyder and the Redskins (3-9).

Compare and contrast?

"Night and day. Apples and oranges," Hall said. "To each person, whatever they prefer. I really hadn’t experienced anything like what probably transpired in Atlanta more so than here. Here, it’s been a little bit of controversy, but not much. It just comes with not winning football games.

"In Atlanta, you got scandals and all this other stuff. The Feds out there, PETA out there. In Oakland, you never know what’s going to happen. Al Davis would come down there holding a press conference. Everybody’s ready to go to work, and we see 30 news cameras out there. So it’s a little bit different as far as those two situations go as opposed to here. Here it’s just a product of not winning football games."

Coach Jim Zorn said Thursday that trainers are still trying to stabilize Hall’s knee, making it sound unlikely that Hall will play Sunday. Hall is obviously hoping that’s not the case.

"It’ll be frustrating," Hall said. "It’s so much harder being on the sidelines watching."

Especially when it causes back spasms.

NOTES: DT Albert Haynesworth appears likely to miss his third game in four weeks with a sprained left ankle. Haynesworth reinjured the ankle in the New Orleans game and hasn’t practiced this week. ... FB Mike Sellers (severe thigh bruise) has been ruled out for the game. ... OL Edwin Williams was excused from practice because of illness.

-- Joseph White

Once again, Rams saving Jackson for Sunday

ST. LOUIS — Steven Jackson missed his eighth straight practice Thursday, resting an aching back. On game day he’ll again be carrying a heavy load for the St. Louis Rams’ feeble offense.

Apparently, practice is overrated for the 235-pound running back who’s the lone threat on one of the worst offenses in franchise history. Jackson’s seven 100-yard games this season is a career best, including five of the last six, and he’s done it for an offense that’s scored 13 offensive touchdowns.

"First things first, is making sure I’m ready to go on Sunday," Jackson said. "Making sure my back is getting to the point where I can take the carries, take the pounding, that’s what’s more important."

If the Rams played Thursday night instead of Sunday at Jacksonville, Jackson said he’d had missed it.

"I’m just being honest with you, because of the pounding I take on Sunday," Jackson said. "I need the entire week to get ready to do it again."

Jackson participated in a walkthrough early in practice and rode a stationary bicycle, and has been working with the strength and conditioning coach to keep his fitness level high. He prepares for blitz protection and route-running by watching more film than before, although he believes run reads are not a problem given the work he put in earlier in the season.

It’s a maintenance routine that the Rams (1-11) may be forced to use the rest of the season.

"Long periods of standing and doing stuff with his back, we’re just still being careful," coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "The idea is to get him to the game on Sunday."

Jackson has been productive in two outings since hurting the back, if a bit stiff. Last week he had 112 yards on 28 carries in a loss at Chicago, and the week before that he had 89 yards on 23 carries and a touchdown in a loss at home to Seattle.

Jackson said he felt more himself last week.

"When I watch the film I kind of still feel like I wasn’t getting under my pads like I’d like to, so I can tell that I’m bothered by it," he said. "But it didn’t hurt as much."

This week there’s plenty of motivation given the game features the NFL’s top two rushers. The Titans’ Chris Johnson has 1,396 yards and Jackson has 1,120 yards, and the pair are also 1-2 in yards from scrimmage.

"Chris is having an unbelievable year, he’s having a year I can only dream to have one day," Jackson said. "I’m a big fan of his because not only is he a speedy guy but he’s willing to take a pounding."

Jackson said he and Johnson have mutual friends and had planned on working out together last offseason, although the plans never worked out.

"Him being in Florida and me being out West, we just couldn’t really match any dates up to be able to train together," Jackson said. "I think highly of his game."

Quarterback Kyle Boller (sore thigh) was limited for the second straight day along with fullback Mike Karney (neck). Rookie Keith Null, a sixth-round pick who has yet to play, got a lot of snaps with the first string.

Spagnuolo said Boller had to back off after taking close to a full load Wednesday while still fighting soreness from the Bears loss.

Offensive tackle Jason Smith (concussion) watched only a small portion of practice. Spagnuolo said Smith seems to have problems when he moves around, but said there’s been no discussion about possibly shutting down Smith for the rest of the season.

"We’re trying to get him through a few days where he doesn’t have any symptoms," Spagnuolo said. "We’re trying to get him back."

-- R.B. Fallstrom

Giants G Chris Snee uncertain with knee injury

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Rich Seubert waited for fellow Chris Snee to walk from the trainer’s room to his locker before raising his voice for everyone to hear.

"Chris Snee is at his locker," Seubert bellowed Thursday afternoon in the New York Giants’ locker room.

Snee just looked in Seubert’s direction and shook his head. No words came out of his mouth, although the "thanks for nothing" was loud and clear.

Snee is one of the main story lines as the Giants (7-5) prepare for Sunday’s NFC East showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles (8-4), who share first place in the division with Dallas with four games to go in the season.

Probably the Giants’ best offensive lineman, Snee is a question mark this week. He injured his left knee in Sunday’s 31-24 win over the Cowboys and he did not play in the second half.

Snee did not practice on Wednesday. He worked out on a limited basis on Thursday, improving his chances of playing on Sunday and extending his streak of consecutive starts to 77 straight games.

"I have nothing to say," Snee said when asked how he felt. He deferred all questions about his injury to coach Tom Coughlin, his father-in-law.

When told Coughlin said he was limited at practice, Snee laughed.

"I’m always limited," said Snee, who went to the Pro Bowl last season. "I’m a limited athlete."

Seubert was willing to speculate.

"This is the last guy you’d expect to miss a game," Seubert said. "He’s tough as nails."

If Snee is unable to play, veteran Kevin Boothe will replace him. Boothe, who filled in at right guard in the second half in last week’s 31-24 win over Dallas, has not started a game since 2006 with Oakland.

Boothe is preparing to play but he also believes Snee will be in the lineup on Sunday.

"This is Chris Snee we are talking about," Boothe said. "He is as tough as they come."

Boothe, who played well after replacing Snee against the Cowboys, said he is not preparing any differently this week. The Giants dress seven offensive linemen for games and he backs up at both guard and tackle positions.

"When I am out there I am just trying to be as anonymous as possible," Boothe said. "The best situation is when nobody knows Chris is out of the game."

Whoever plays, the Giants are going to need a big effort from their offensive line, especially if the forecast for inclement weather is on the mark.

Eli Manning is not the best poor weather quarterback and the Giants will need a running game to slow down the Eagles defense.

"No question, you want that in every game," halfback Brandon Jacobs said. "You want to keep an explosive offense like that off of the field, no matter who you are playing against and no matter how good your defense is. You want to keep an offense like that on the sideline where they can’t do any harm."

The Giants’ running game has slipped this season. After averaging 157.4 yards rushing last season, New York is averaging 124.6 this year. Jacobs has yet to have a 100-yard game.

"Last year was like Haley’s Comet," center Shaun O’Hara said. "Sure the numbers are down. But all we are looking to do is gain 100 yards."

NOTES: S Michael Johnson, who has a groin injury, also practiced on a limited basis Thursday. Backup halfback Ahmad Bradshaw did not practice but he is expected to work out on Friday. Manning (foot), running back D.J. Ware (concussion) and tight end Travis Beckum (groin) practiced fully.

-- Tom Canavan

Ryan sits out another practice for Falcons

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan sat out another practice Thursday because of a toe injury, making it increasingly unlikely he’ll be able to play against the unbeaten New Orleans Saints.

While Ryan took part in a walkthrough, which was closed to the media, he wasn’t even at the indoor practice facility for the main 2½-hour workout. Chris Redman ran the first-team offense.

Even so, coach Mike Smith isn’t ready to say for sure that Ryan won’t play Sunday.

"He was with us in the walkthrough," Smith said. "He did more today than he did yesterday. We would make an announcement if we knew for sure he wouldn’t play. We’re not ready to make that announcement."

Ryan hurt the big toe on his right foot in a Nov. 29 victory over Tampa Bay. He sat out last weekend’s game against Philadelphia, along with four other offensive starters, and the Falcons (6-6) lost 34-7 to severely damage their playoff hopes.

Now, it looks as though they might have to face the Saints (12-0) without Ryan and star running back Michael Turner, who also missed practice and is struggling to get over a lingering high ankle sprain.

Turner was the NFL’s second-leading rusher a year ago and is pacing the Falcons again with 864 yards despite missing two games and part of two others since he was initially hurt Nov. 15. He tried to come back two weeks ago and re-injured his right ankle.

"We’re missing a Pro Bowl running back and our franchise quarterback," receiver Roddy White moaned.

Ryan’s absence was especially noticeable in the last game. Redman had at least four passes batted down at the line and threw two interceptions, one of which was returned 83 yards for a touchdown.

"Matt does a lot of things good. He gets us out of a lot of bad situations," White said. "He takes control in the huddle. He’s a big part of what we do."

Adding to the injury woes, starting cornerback Chris Houston (hamstring) and backup tight end Justin Peele (head injury) are definitely out for Sunday’s game.

Also, offensive guard Harvey Dahl still hasn’t returned to practice because of a hamstring injury that kept him out of last weekend’s debacle, while left tackle Sam Baker is trying to come back with a large pad protecting his ailing left elbow. Center Todd McClure is limited by a knee injury, but he expects to play against the Saints.

"With all those guys, you know what you’re getting," White said. "It’s real tough right now."

-- Paul Newberry

Young leaves practice early with ice on right knee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vince Young aggravated his right knee Thursdsay and left practice early in what Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher called a "setback.

Young had just stepped back and thrown a pass when he started walking to the sideline and laid down on the ground. A trainer and a doctor checked out his knee. They wrapped ice around his knee, then he left practice early, walking out of the indoor practice field gingerly.

The quarterback originally hurt his knee in last week’s 27-17 loss at Indianapolis and had been trying to push through practice. He was tended inside the building and not seen in the locker room while reporters were in the room. Fisher said he expects Young to play Sunday against St. Louis (1-11).

"At this point, I’m no more concerned about Vince than I am the other guys trying to work themselves back into health," Fisher said.

Young is 4-1 as a starter since taking over the job from veteran Kerry Collins at the end of October. The Titans (5-7) need to win out to keep their faint playoff hopes alive. Collins finished practice, and Fisher joked that Collins had been busy deer-hunting rather than attending meetings and practices.

Collins had warmed up in Indianapolis in case he was needed, but Young finished the game.

"If I’m needed to play, I’ll be ready to go. It hasn’t been that long since I played really. As far as my preparation and stuff, I haven’t done anything different since we made the switch," Collins said.

Chris Johnson, the NFL’s leading rusher, was also limited Thursday. Fisher says Johnson has a sore ankle but will be fine.

Fisher said defensive tackle Jason Jones’ surgery Wednesday to repair a torn rotator cuff went well. The Titans have not made a decision yet on whether to end his season by placing him on injured reserve or replace him on the roster yet.

-- Teresa M. Walker

Steelers’ Ward to face Browns

CLEVELAND — Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward was active for the Steelers’ game Thursday night against Cleveland despite a hamstring injury.

Ward, injured Sunday in a loss to Oakland, was limited in practice this week. But with the Steelers (6-6) riding a four-game losing streak and fighting for an AFC playoff spot, Ward, the team’s leading receiver, was expected to start against the Browns (1-11).

Ward recently questioned Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for not playing despite a concussion.

Pittsburgh cornerback William Gay also was active. He left last week’s game because of a concussion.

The Steelers have won 12 in a row over the Browns.

Harvin misses another practice with migraines

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin has missed practice again because of migraine headaches.

Coach Brad Childress confirmed Thursday that Harvin has been held out this week because of the condition. Harvin visited a doctor for the problem, which he has dealt with since college.

It first popped up this year in Week 3, forcing him to miss two practices. But Harvin played against San Francisco that Sunday and had his first kickoff return for a touchdown.

The Vikings have 13 players, including 12 starters, listed on this week’s injury report with the Bengals coming to town Sunday. Running back Adrian Peterson (foot/ankle) and right tackle Phil Loadholt (shoulder) participated in part of practice Thursday after being held out Wednesday.

Safety Tyrell Johnson missed practice again because of a concussion.

Brady misses second straight practice

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady has missed practice for the second straight day.

The New England Patriots listed Brady with right finger, right shoulder and rib problems although none seemed serious. Before practice on Thursday, Brady walked through the locker room, holding a plate of food and smiling.

The quarterback’s wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, gave birth Tuesday to their son. Brady said Wednesday he didn’t get much sleep.

The finger didn’t stop him from throwing a 58-yard touchdown pass to Randy Moss on the first series of last Sunday’s 22-21 loss at the Miami Dolphins. Brady went to the locker room early in the game with an arm injury, but didn’t miss a play and finished 19 for 29 for 352 yards and two touchdowns.

Hasselbeck returns to practice for Seahawks

RENTON, Wash. — Matt Hasselbeck is back practicing with the Seahawks — and tired of talking about his health.

The 34-year-old three-time Pro Bowl quarterback practiced Thursday, after taking another Wednesday off to rest a sore throwing shoulder. He will start Sunday at Houston.

The shoulder that had been paining him got worse last weekend on a tackle at the end of a scramble against San Francisco.

Hasselbeck has missed 2½ games this season with broken ribs. He missed nine games last year with a bad back.

He says he understands his health is an issue because he is a quarterback, but he wishes everyone would stop talking about it. He calls it "really annoying."

He says this is not his most painful season. That was 2001, his first as Seattle’s starter.

Dolphins’ Taylor returns to practice

DAVIE, Fla. — Miami Dolphins linebacker Jason Taylor has returned to practice after missing one day of drills with a sore right shoulder.

Linebacker Joey Porter remained sidelined Thursday with the right knee injury that has hampered him much of the season. Center Jake Grove (ankle) and reserve cornerback Nathan Jones (hamstring) were limited.

The Dolphins play at Jacksonville on Sunday.

Chiefs CB Flowers misses practice

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers missed Kansas City’s practice on Thursday with a shoulder injury.

Coach Todd Haley declined to speculate on whether Flowers would be ready for Sunday’s game against Buffalo, or say which shoulder was the problem.

Flowers, the Chiefs’ best defensive back, sustained a shoulder injury in the preseason and missed the season opener at Baltimore.

Raiders OL Robert Gallery done for season

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Oakland Raiders left guard Robert Gallery will miss the rest of the season with a lower back injury.

Gallery injured himself in last week’s game at Pittsburgh. Coach Tom Cable said Thursday that Gallery will need a "repair" done and won’t return this season. The injury is not career-threatening. Gallery missed six games earlier this season with a broken bone in his leg.

Chris Morris is expected to take Gallery’s spot in the lineup this week against Washington.

Player Moves

Jets place LB Izzo on IR, sign 2 to practice squad

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets placed linebacker and special-teams ace Larry Izzo on injured reserve Thursday with a herniated disk in his neck.

Coach Rex Ryan said Izzo thought he was getting stingers, but it turned out to be more severe. Ryan said Izzo saw a spine specialist and had several tests done to determine the nature of the injury.

It was unclear when the injury initially occurred, but Izzo had played in every game this season.

"He would get his strength up enough to where he thought he could play," Ryan said. "I don’t know exactly when, and I’m not sure he knows."

Special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff said the pain would shoot from Izzo’s neck down his right arm, and was hindering his play. Ryan said Izzo would likely need surgery if he plans to keep playing, and indicated his career could be over.

"It was tough to see," defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said. "He kept saying, ‘This isn’t the way I wanted it to end.’ You could just tell that with his warrior mentality, he wanted to go out fighting."

Izzo, who signed a one-year deal with the Jets in the offseason, was tied with Eric Smith for the team lead with 18 special-teams tackles. He has 275 special-teams tackles in 200 games with New York, New England and Miami in 14 NFL seasons, and made the Pro Bowl three times.

The Jets also signed linebacker Josh Mauga and center Michael Parenton to the practice squad. Both spent time with the Jets during training camp before being among the team’s final cuts.

New York lost defensive tackle Antonio Garay earlier Thursday when San Diego signed him off the Jets’ practice squad.