NFL Capsules: Saints stay unbeaten with 38-17 win over Patriots
NEW ORLEANS — With one pinpoint throw after another, Drew Brees put New Orleans' pursuit of perfection into overdrive and left Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the dust.
Brees threw for a season-high 371 yards and five touchdowns, carving up coach Bill Belichick's defense like few quarterbacks ever have in the Saints' 38-17 victory Monday night.
"It only counts for one win on the stat sheet, but emotionally, those types of wins can mean a little more," Brees said. "Anytime you can win, and win that way, it builds confidence for you."
By harassing Brady all game and routing one of the NFL's top powers, the Saints joined the Indianapolis Colts at 11-0 — the first time two NFL teams have opened with that many consecutive wins in the same season.
The convincing victory left little doubt about New Orleans' credentials as the Saints try to match the Patriots' 16-0 regular-season mark in 2007. New England remains the only team to go undefeated in a 16-game regular season — for now.
Brees threw touchdown passes to five different players: Pierre Thomas, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, Darnell Dinkins and Marques Colston. In doing so, the Pro Bowl quarterback kept New Orleans on pace to narrowly eclipse New England's single-season scoring record of 589 points set in 2007.
"He was special," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "Let's just say he's playing really well."
It was the first time the Patriots allowed five TD passes in a game since Belichick, a defensive guru for decades in the NFL, took over as head coach in 2000, according to STATS LLC. The Saints averaged 9.6 yards per play, a club record that Brees called "ridiculous."
Brees went 18 of 23 and finished with a perfect passer rating of 158.3. His average of 16.1 yards per passing attempt also was a team record.
"We were able to accomplish something offensively tonight that was pretty special," Brees said.
It was the second time the Patriots (7-4) lost to an unbeaten team on the road in three weeks. Unlike in Indianapolis, there was no drama at the end this time, only thunderous chants of, "Who dat say they gonna beat them Saints?"
"There's obviously a big gap between us," Brady said. "It wasn't nearly as competitive as we all were expecting."
Brady, returning to the Louisiana Superdome for the first time since leading the Patriots to their first Super Bowl title in 2002, won't have many fond memories of this game. He was intercepted twice, sacked once, hit as he threw several times and pulled from the game in the fourth quarter with New Orleans leading by three TDs.
"There's a reason why they are 11-0," Brady said. "They played really well and we didn't play up to their level."
Brady finished 21 of 36 for 237 yards and did not throw a TD pass. He did, however, become New England's career passing leader, eclipsing Drew Bledsoe's mark of 29,657 yards.
Brady fell short of tying the record for consecutive games with 300 yards passing. He had done it in his previous five games, one short of the mark shared by Steve Young, Kurt Warner and Rich Gannon.
The Patriots were within a touchdown early in the third quarter after marching 81 yards on a drive highlighted by Brady's 47-yard completion to Randy Moss, which set up Laurence Maroney's 2-yard TD.
New Orleans needed only three plays to get it back, though. Brees hit Colston along the right sideline and the receiver turned it into a 68-yard gain by eluding Jonathan Wilhite's tackle. That set up tight end Dinkins' first TD of the season on a 2-yard pass to make it 31-17.
Belichick called his defense "really bad."
"We had several blown coverages and they took advantage," he said. "There were enormous mistakes on our part. You can't make those mistakes against a good team."
Clearly worried about his club's ability to stop Brees, Belichick made his latest unconventional fourth-down call.
Unlike in Indianapolis, where the Patriots tried to put the game away by going for it in their own territory late in the fourth quarter, New England this time went for it on fourth-and-4 from the New Orleans 10 in the third quarter.
Brady's pass for Moss along the left sideline was broken up by Mike McKenzie, who was playing for the first time since fracturing his right kneecap a year ago. The play preserved New Orleans' two-touchdown lead.
McKenzie apparently had little trouble learning the system of new Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. McKenzie also had an interception in the first half that stalled a promising Patriots drive and led to a Saints score. Darren Sharper intercepted Brady in the fourth quarter, ending the quarterback's night.
Brees' scoring passes of 18 yards to Thomas, 75 yards to Henderson and 38 yards to Meachem gave New Orleans a 24-10 lead at halftime.
Brees — who threw six TDs in Week 1 against Detroit — made the long TD to Henderson look easy, recognizing that Wilhite's blitz had left the receiver wide open. Brees' 20-yard TD pass to Colston with 7:49 to go left little doubt about the outcome.
NOTES: The Saints have 22 interceptions this season, which leads the NFL. Sharper has eight. ... Saints CB Chris McAlister, signed two weeks ago, played for the first time since having surgery on his right knee a year ago. ... The Saints said cornerback Randall Gay had a leg injury but were not more specific. ... New England lost a regular-season game in New Orleans for the first time after winning its previous four.
Injuries
Culture of hiding concussions may be changing
Kurt Warner headed to a meeting with Arizona Cardinals medical staff and coaches before Sunday's game wrestling with the question of whether to be honest about the post-concussion symptoms he was experiencing.
"Do I want to stretch the truth a little bit? Do I want to not tell them everything so I could play?" he wondered.
"I know I could dictate it," he said Monday. "But then I had to go, 'What are you thinking?' Because I know this is bigger than that."
The issue of concussions is front and center in the NFL, illustrated starkly Sunday when the two quarterbacks from last season's Super Bowl sat out — after saying during the week they planned to play despite sustaining head injuries the previous game.
Warner didn't play against the Tennessee Titans, and the Cardinals lost. Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger didn't play against the Baltimore Ravens, and the Steelers lost.
Their absences came against the backdrop of increased attention to the issue, from studies highlighting the dangers of repeated head injuries to several statements issued by the NFL on how teams should handle concussions.
"We weren't involved in the decisions (regarding Warner and Roethlisberger). ... But there's no question there's been a culture change in sports regarding concussions," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. "Everybody is much more aware and more conservative in the way they're managing them. And that's a good thing."
Aiello said league officials wouldn't hesitate to question a team if they saw indications that concussions guidelines were possibly not being followed, even without a complaint from somebody within the club.
But as Warner's comments emphasize, all the harrowing stories and the policy changes won't completely solve the problem if players aren't honest about their symptoms. Thirty of 160 NFL players surveyed by The Associated Press from Nov. 2-15 replied that they have hidden or played down the effects of a concussion.
"The players have to raise their hand and say, 'You know what? I got hit and I don't feel 100 percent,'" commissioner Roger Goodell said recently.
That seems to be happening.
"I'm sure all the reports that are out there about concussions and the long-term effect, that those things weigh in your mind heavier than maybe they did five or six years ago," Warner said.
In Philadelphia, Eagles coach Andy Reid acknowledged that the increased attention to the issue is on his mind, too, as dynamic receiver DeSean Jackson recovers from his own concussion.
"I know a lot is being said about concussions," Reid said Monday. "We are as conscious as they come with concussions. We are going to do everything within our power to get (Jackson) the proper treatment and diagnosis."
In 1990, Steelers coach Chuck Noll challenged team neurologist Dr. Joseph Maroon to provide an objective assessment of whether a player should be cleared to return from a concussion. From that conversation emerged the ImPACT Test, now used across the NFL, which measures functions such as reaction time, memory and concentration.
Maroon believes the test catches the "great majority" of players still affected by a concussion. But some will pass the test and still experience symptoms such as headache or nausea that indicate a problem. And those players could choose not to report their symptoms.
Maroon said he has noticed players becoming more likely to admit their symptoms over the last couple of years.
"The hardest thing is for the player to make that decision, that you second-guess yourself," Warner said. "You want to play. You want to consider going into those meetings and not telling the full truth because you know you can sway it one way or another to play."
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Roethlisberger passed neurological tests all week but started experiencing headaches when he practiced. Maroon recommended Saturday that the quarterback sit out. He said he has never been overruled by Noll, Bill Cowher or Tomlin.
"We respect his expert medical opinion," Tomlin said Sunday.
"I wanted to go out there and play tonight," Roethlisberger said. "But the doctors told me it wasn't a good decision. Then, the coaches told me the same thing. So I wasn't playing."
Still, the reaction of some of his Steelers teammates shows how slow the process is. Receiver Hines Ward called Sunday's matchup with the Ravens "almost like a playoff game." He said he could see some players saying, "It's just a concussion. I've played with a concussion before."
-- Rachel Cohen
Warner still has symptoms, plans to see eye doctor
TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner said he plans to see an ophthamologist about lingering post-concussion symptoms that kept him out of Sunday's last-second 20-17 loss at Tennessee.
Warner said Monday he's having hard-to-describe issues with his eyes, a condition he had hoped would subside last week but never did. He said the Cardinals medical staff told him before Sunday's game he shouldn't play and he agreed.
The decision ended Warner's string of 41 consecutive starts.
He sustained the concussion in the second quarter of Arizona's 21-13 victory at St. Louis and didn't play in the second half of that game.
Warner took all the first-string reps in practice last week but acknowledged that the eye issue persisted.
"I just think I hoped that it would get better and better throughout the week, as we all did and were optimistic that it would be good enough to play," he said.
Warner tried to describe the symptom.
"It's not a visual issue where I'm foggy, where I can't see or I can't focus on something," he said, "but there's a fogginess that's kind of in and behind my eyes, or on top of my eyes. It's something that's just not right. It's just not normal."
He said he has unusual sensitivity to light, especially fluorescent light.
"Everything I look at there's kind of a shadow that kind of follows it that's different than normal," he said. "But this other feeling that I've tried to explain and nobody can really grasp what it is, I don't know if it's necessarily related to that light sensitivity."
Warner said he plans to start on Sunday night when the Cardinals (7-4) host Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings (10-1).
"But again you've got to take it one day at a time," he said.
Warner said he was seeing the eye doctor "to see if we can come to any resolution if there's something related with the eyes or something there that we're not aware of."
Warner, who passed all the necessary neurological tests, said he was honest with the training staff and coach Ken Whisenhunt throughout the week as he experienced neck tightness as well as the eye problem.
"Then we got together again on Sunday morning and although the neck tightness was better, I was still having the issue with my eyes," he said. "That's when they said we don't feel comfortable with you playing, and I couldn't argue with them because I knew I wasn't right."
Warner's absence gave Matt Leinart his first start in more than two years. The former Heisman Trophy winner completed 21 of 31 passes for 220 yards with no interceptions. In the second half, he was 13 of 16 for 137 yards.
"I thought he did a great job," Warner said. "I thought he made some key throws in some critical situations. He did everything he needed to do to put us ahead with two minutes to go in the game."
Leinart directed a nine-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that put Arizona ahead 17-13 with 12:27 to play.
"Kurt had texted me something before the game, 'read and react,' and that's when you play your best, when you don't think about it, you don't think twice," Leinart said. "And that's what I did in the game, I read it and just played, and let my ability take over."
Leinart said he had about three hours to prepare once he knew he was starting.
"I'm hoping I probably get more reps this week just in certain situations, just so they have me more prepared," he said. "I don't know what's going to happen. Once again I'm going to assume Kurt's playing, but I'm going to prepare like I'm starting."
Whisenhunt defended the decision to give Warner his normal practice work as the starter last week, despite the chance that Leinart might get the job.
"Kurt wanted his reps. He was doing well," the coach said. "We felt like he was getting better every day. That's why we were preparing Kurt to play."
-- Bob Baum
Jackson's status remains uncertain with concussion
PHILADELPHIA — DeSean Jackson's playmaking skills helped the Philadelphia Eagles overcome losing Brian Westbrook.
What will they do now if both players are sidelined?
Jackson's status is uncertain after the dynamic wide receiver sustained a concussion in Sunday's 27-24 win over Washington. Meanwhile, Westbrook will be re-examined this week after missing the last two games with his second concussion of the season.
Jackson was injured on a hit after running a short crossing pattern in the third quarter. He didn't lose consciousness and left the field on his own.
"He doesn't feel bad today," coach Andy Reid said Monday. "We are as cautious as they come with concussions. We're going to continue to test him and go through the process."
The Eagles (7-4) have won two straight games and are looking to improve their playoff positioning. They trail Dallas by one game in the NFC East and have tough road games against Atlanta (6-5) and the New York Giants (6-5) upcoming.
Rookie running back LeSean McCoy and veteran fullback Leonard Weaver have filled Westbrook's absence in the backfield. Jackson has replaced him as the offense's big-play threat.
Jackson has 44 catches for 769 yards and six touchdowns. He's also scored on a run and a punt return. All of his TDs are 35 yards or longer, including six beyond 50 yards.
"If guys go down, the next guy better go in and do his job," Reid said. "That's what our guys do here."
Without Jackson, Donovan McNabb relied on Jason Avant and rookie Jeremy Maclin to make big catches against Washington in the fourth quarter of the team's second straight comeback win.
"We have some guys that can make plays for us and you just want to give them opportunities to do that," McNabb said. "Obviously, (Jackson) is a big-time talent and a guy that has just kind of came into his own this year. We just want to spread it around and give guys opportunities to make plays for us."
The diminutive Jackson — he's generously listed at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds — is vulnerable in traffic because of his size.
"He has a lot of success in there with the underneath crossing routes," Reid said. "This one here he got caught on. He got hit; really that hit was more on the shoulder. It wasn't really on the head as it was really on the shoulder there."
The team expects Westbrook to see specialists this week in Pittsburgh. The doctors said they wanted to see Westbrook two to three weeks after their previous exam Nov. 18.
"I'm not sure exactly what step the doctor will take with him," Reid said. "I don't know that. We'll see what phase the doctor feels he's at and the doctor will determine what he will do. If that's going back on the field, we'll do that. If that's more conditioning work in the weight room, we'll do that."
Westbrook experienced a mild headache last week after a workout. The 30-year-old former All-Pro sustained his first career concussion when he hit his head on a defender's knee during a Monday night win at Washington on Oct. 26. He briefly lost consciousness but walked off the field under his own power.
Westbrook returned against San Diego on Nov. 15 after missing two games. But he sustained another concussion when he got sandwiched between a blocker and a tackler on a screen play.
"I know a lot is being said about concussions," Reid said. "We are as conscious as they come with concussions. We are going to do everything within our power to get (Jackson) the proper treatment and diagnosis. To compare to Brian's, are we going to be more cautious? No. We're always cautious. We're going to do what we do."
Also, TE Brent Celek has a sprained thumb, DT Brodrick Bunkley has a sprained ankle, LG Todd Herremans has a shoulder sprain and LB Will Witherspoon has a foot strain. WR Kevin Curtis already has been ruled out against the Falcons because of a knee injury. He's played in two games this season.
-- Rob Maaddi
Tests show nothing new with Smith concussion
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Rams offensive tackle Jason Smith was in a lighthearted mood Monday, tossing out one-liners a day after passing precautionary tests that revealed no new concerns regarding his recovery from a concussion.
That's not to say he's confident of returning to the lineup this week.
"Who knows when I'll be Superman again?" Smith said Monday. "Right now, I'm just Batman. I can't fly."
Smith was inactive for Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks and watched from the sideline before becoming ill in the second half. He was taken to Barnes Hospital for tests including a CT scan before being released later that night.
Smith said the illness might have been unrelated.
"They tested me on a couple of different things, but they never said, 'Hey, it was because of your concussion,'" Smith said.
Smith, the second pick of the draft, failed two baseline tests last week and wasn't certain when he'd make a third attempt. He won't return to practice until he's been cleared of concussion symptoms, and coach Steve Spagnuolo said the team would not rush Smith back to action.
"We're certainly concerned with Jason," Spagnuolo said. "So we'll make sure everything is done the right way."
Stars including Kurt Warner, Clinton Portis and Ben Roethlisberger sat out on Sunday following concussion-like symptoms. Smith agreed with being cautious, saying he wants to get back in the lineup while adding, "I don't want to die."
"Like in my situation, what good is 310 pounds of twisted steel without a head?" Smith said.
Smith joked that he felt great and described himself as "310 pounds of twisted steel, sex appeal, you know." But he also said all last week he experienced concussion symptoms that appeared to change with the weather and then on Sunday "I felt real bad."
Noise and bright lights in the Edward Jones Stadium didn't help, Smith said.
Smith was injured late in the first half of last week's loss to the Arizona Cardinals. It's the first official concussion of his career but he has estimated he's had several concussions during his career including perhaps a few just in his first NFL training camp.
"Linemen get concussions all the time, you go out and keep playing," Smith said. "You get hit helmet to helmet all the time and you get a little woozy."
"I don't recall blanking out, I just remember being real woozy and 'Uhhh, something's wrong, uhhh, something's really wrong.'"
The Rams (1-10) played much of Sunday's game minus three offensive line starters, with center Jason Brown sidelined by a sprained right knee in the second quarter and guard Richie Incognito out for a fourth straight game with a ligament injury to his right foot. Coach Steve Spagnuolo said is hopeful both Brown, whose injury was described as moderate, and Incognito will practice Wednesday.
-- R.B. Fallstrom
Browns lose Rogers for season
BEREA, Ohio — The generous gap in Cleveland's defense has grown to canyon-like proportions.
Already missing their two starting inside linebackers, the bad-as-they've-ever-been Browns lost Pro Bowl nose tackle Shaun Rogers to a season-ending lower leg injury, another blow to a struggling unit that gave up 210 rushing yards on Sunday in Cincinnati.
Rogers was injured in the final minutes of the 16-7 loss to the Bengals. He was accidentally struck on the side of the leg by teammate C.J. Mosley, bending the 6-foot-4, 350-plus-pound Rogers awkwardly over a pile of players. He had to be carted off the field.
Browns coach Eric Mangini, who rarely addresses injuries, opened his Monday news conference with an update that Rogers' season was over.
"In terms of Big Baby, he's going to be going on IR (injured reserve)," Mangini said, using Rogers' nickname. "So, not very good news there."
Mangini said Rogers will need surgery. The Browns previously lost linebackers D'Qwell Jackson and Eric Barton, who also sustained season-ending injuries and were placed on IR.
Cleveland's injury woes don't end there.
Browns starting safety Brodney Pool sustained a concussion — at least the fourth of his career — while defensive end Kenyon Coleman and linebacker Kamerion Wimbley suffered knee injuries.
"It's tough, but the game still has to be played," said linebacker David Bowens, who has had to shift from outside to inside linebacker in Cleveland's 3-4 system. "What guys need to understand is what we're doing schematically on defense and how they fit in and our goal each week. When we have injuries, guys need to understand that you can't really get down on it. You have to move forward.
"Sad as it is to lose those guys, the game has to be played on Sunday."
Rogers, who made the Pro Bowl last year in his first season with Cleveland, has been one of the club's few dependable defensive players. Mainly responsible for clogging the middle and forcing teams to run outside, Rogers has performed admirably for the Browns, who are 1-10 for the first time in team history.
Rogers may be the only irreplaceable player on Cleveland's roster. He's definitely one of the few that opponents had to account for on every snap.
"He's big. He's disruptive," Mangini said. "They have to deal with him from a game-plan perspective. It's difficult from that perspective."
Defensive tackle Corey Williams said the Browns will be incomplete without Rogers — for a lot of reasons.
"You miss a dominant player," Williams said. "He's a guy that's going to take a double-team just about every play. He's a hard-playing guy, a fun guy, a funny guy. Just all of the above, it's him."
Ahtyba Rubin will likely move into Rogers' spot in the starting lineup. A sixth-round pick in 2008, Rubin has shown flashes of being a solid interior run stopper.
"It's a great opportunity," Rubin said. "It's unfortunate it happened to a great person like Big Baby and I just look forward to getting out there on Sundays and proving myself. It's big shoes to fill."
Pool's injury may have broader implications.
Because the 25-year-old has sustained previous concussions, there's a possibility he may have to consider retirement. That could depend on the severity of his most recent head injury. But given the NFL's heightened sensitivity and awareness on concussions, Pool's career could be at a crossroad.
Mangini said the Browns have been proactive in protecting their players.
"You do everything you can to make sure that you're not putting the player at any greater risk and that you have the best information available when you're making those decisions," he said. "It's important to us organizationally. It's something we take very seriously."
Browns safety Mike Adams is concerned about Pool.
"Me and Brodney are great friends," he said. "He's a great player and an even better person. It worries me. I wish him all the best and hopefully he makes the right decision on him and evaluating himself."
Like many past and present players, Adams said the risk of getting hurt doesn't keep them off the field. He noted that Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott once had part of a finger amputated so he could keep playing. If he had sustained four concussions, Adams isn't sure if he'd go on.
"We love this game," he said. "I can't put myself in his (Pool's) situation because that's him going through it and I don't really know how it feels because I only had one (concussion) in my career — that I know of. That I remember."
Adams said trainers have noticeably stepped up precautions with players who suffer head injuries.
"They start hiding helmets on the sideline," he said. "As competitors, I don't care if you've had 20 concussions. As a competitor, you'll always say, 'Oh, I'm good, I'm good.' I think the trainers do a good job of making sure everything is OK before they let you back in."
-- Tim Withers
Jarmon, Cooley become 8th, 9th Redskins on IR
ASHBURN, Va. — Jeremy Jarmon and Chris Cooley are the eighth and ninth Washington Redskins to go on injured reserve, while Clinton Portis will miss a fourth consecutive game as he recovers from a concussion.
Coach Jim Zorn had another lengthy injury report Monday, a day after losing 27-24 to the Philadelphia Eagles. Jarmon topped the list, tearing the ACL in his left knee while covering a kickoff.
The injury ends a promising rookie year for the supplemental draft pick from Kentucky. Jostling for playing time along a talented defensive line, Jarmon played in all 11 games and had nine tackles and one forced fumble.
The Redskins also declared an official end to Cooley's season. The two-time Pro Bowl tight end broke his right ankle on Oct. 26, and his recovery from surgery has been slower than expected.
Cooley had never missed a game over six seasons until his injury. His 2009 ends with a career-low 29 catches for 332 yards and two touchdowns.
The Redskins (3-8) now have six players on IR who have started at least two games this season: Cooley (7), Chris Samuels (5), Chris Horton (5), Chad Rinehart (4), Randy Thomas (2) and Ladell Betts (2).
To fill the vacant spots on the roster, the Redskins promoted linebacker Alvin Bowen and defensive end Rob Jackson from the practice squad.
Portis is still showing symptoms of the concussion he suffered against Atlanta on Nov. 8 and will sit out this week's game against the New Orleans Saints. Zorn said Portis might practice a little bit this week and will have another medical exam next Monday.
"We're going to try to get him going and try to see if we can get those symptoms to not recur," Zorn said.
With only five games remaining and a winning season no longer possible, Zorn was asked if there's a reason for Portis to play again this year.
"Oh, yeah," Zorn said. "He's a guy we want. We want him to participate and we want him to be a Redskin player. If he's healthy, he's going to want to go and we're going to want him to. Now, we're going to make sure his head's right, but that's why we're taking the precautions we are."
Zorn said defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who has missed the last two games with a sprained left ankle, is feeling better and is expected to return to practice in some capacity this week. The coach said cornerback DeAngelo Hall, who missed Sunday's game with a sprained knee, is currently questionable to play against New Orleans.
The Redskins also lost two cornerbacks during Sunday's game. Justin Tryon left with a hip pointer, and Fred Smoot departed with a head injury. Zorn said Tryon's injury was mild, and that we was awaiting test results on Smoot. Smoot kept his head down at his locker while being interviewed Monday, but he said he was fine.
Zorn also said he expects Jason Campbell to be OK. The quarterback said he blacked out momentarily after being slammed to the ground by Philadelphia's Juqua Parker on a fourth-and-1 incompletion that ended the Redskins' final drive. No penalty was called on the play, and Zorn said he plans to ask the league office to review the hit.
-- Joseph White
Falcons' Ryan to miss at least 1 game with injury
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons will be without quarterback Matt Ryan as they try to improve their playoff hopes in a key NFC game against Philadelphia this week.
Coach Mike Smith said Monday that Ryan will miss at least one game with a turf toe injury. Chris Redman, who took over for Ryan in Sunday's 20-17 win over Tampa Bay, will start against the Eagles.
Before the win over the Buccaneers, Redman had not attempted a pass since his last start in the final game of the 2007 season. Redman completed 23 of 41 passes for 243 yards with two touchdowns, including a 5-yard scoring pass to Roddy White with 23 seconds remaining, and no interceptions against Tampa Bay.
"It was good to get back out there and get back into the game and get a feel for it," Redman said Monday.
Ryan did not return after he injured his right big toe on the first series against the Buccaneers. Smith would not speculate on Ryan's status beyond this week.
"During the week he's going to work with our medical staff diligently to get back as quick as he can," Smith said.
The Falcons (6-5) lost three more starters on offense against Tampa Bay.
Running back Michael Turner aggravated his right ankle sprain in his return after missing one game. The team also lost offensive linemen Harvey Dahl (right ankle and Achilles' tendon) and Sam Baker (left elbow).
Smith said Turner has not been ruled out of this week's game.
Smith added he plans to carry only two quarterbacks on the roster against the Eagles. Rookie John Parker Wilson, who has never been on the active roster for a game, will be Redman's backup.
The Falcons released quarterback D.J. Shockley earlier this season.
Ryan has passed for 2,291 yards with 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He has completed 59.4 percent of his passes, a slight dropoff from his 61.1 percentage last year when he won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Redman, Joey Harrington and Byron Leftwich were Atlanta's starting quarterbacks in 2007. The team struggled to a 4-12 finish following the NFL suspension of former Falcons star Michael Vick, who will return to Atlanta this week as Philadelphia's backup.
Redman passed for four touchdowns with no interceptions in the Falcons' 44-41 win over Seattle to end the 2007 season.
"Chris has got a lot of confidence in his ability and when he has had an opportunity to play in this league he has played effectively," Smith said. "I don't anticipate there is going to be a significant dropoff in the effectiveness of our offense."
Smith said Redman should benefit from his first significant playing time in two years.
"That's just part of being a backup, when you don't have that many practice snaps you just have to take mental reps," Redman said. "That's definitely different than getting out there and doing it yourself, and I could tell during the game just timing was a little off between me and Roddy and a couple of the guys. But everybody hung tough with me and we pulled through."
It will be the first game Ryan has not started in his two-year career. He made every start last season when he led the Falcons to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth.
Ryan had a walking boot on his injured foot and wore a black warmup suit as he watched Redman rally the Falcons past Tampa Bay in the final minute Sunday.
Redman said the Falcons' ability to overcome the four injuries should provide a confidence boost.
"There was no panic at all," he said.
"I think it does show the depth we have and I think that's something you need if you're going to be a playoff contending team."
Before Smith announced Ryan will not play, center Todd McClure said the team would have confidence in Redman as the starter.
"You'd like to have your starters, but if Redman is the guy, we have a ton of confidence in Redman," McClure said. "One thing that will be key and is key every week is getting our running game going and taking pressure off of him."
Turner was held to 33 yards rushing on 12 carries before he hurt his ankle again. Backup running back Jerious Norwood returned after missing five games with a hip injury and had six carries for 22 yards.
-- Charles Odum
Struggling Panthers QB Delhomme has broken finger
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A broken finger, not coach John Fox, may bench struggling Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme.
Fox said Monday that Delhomme fractured a finger on his throwing hand late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the New York Jets and may be replaced by untested Matt Moore next week against Tampa Bay.
The injury could sideline Delhomme late in the worst season of his career. He threw four more interceptions against the Jets, completing only 14 of 34 passes for 130 yards with a passer rating of 12.7. The Panthers (4-7) didn't score a touchdown in the 17-6 loss that virtually eliminated them from playoff contention.
Delhomme has a career-high 18 interceptions this season, tied with Detroit rookie Matthew Stafford for second-most in the NFL behind Chicago's Jay Cutler (20). Fox considered benching Delhomme a month ago after he threw three picks in a loss to Buffalo, but decided against it.
Fox was again supportive of his beleaguered QB on Monday, despite another game where he struggled with his accuracy.
"If his finger wasn't an issue, I couldn't with a straight face make a change just with him," Fox said. "That was a combined effort by the offensive players, not just one player. ... It was poor not just by the quarterback."
Fox said Delhomme was hurt when his hand was hit while throwing a 24-yard pass to Dwayne Jarrett on fourth-and-14 with 2:25 left. Fox wouldn't say which finger on his right hand was broken and said they didn't know the severity of the injury until Delhomme was examined Monday morning.
Delhomme, who threw nine passes and an interception after the injury, didn't appear in the locker room during the media availability period Monday.
Fox said Delhomme would be "hard-pressed" to take snaps at practice on Wednesday. That could leave Moore as Carolina's starter for the first time since late in the 2007 season when Delhomme was recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery.
"We'll see how things shake out later in the week," Moore said. "I've been here before."
He'd be taking over an offense in disarray, weighed down by Delhomme's woes, key injuries to the offensive line, and various other miscues.
Delhomme had an interception returned for a touchdown Sunday when Steve Smith ran the wrong route. Delhomme's pass bounced off his heel into the hands of Darrelle Revis, who raced 67 yards. Delhomme was under pressure for most of the day and was sacked three times, and the Panthers managed only 75 yards rushing.
"Obviously we didn't do a good enough job preparing them," Fox said of the offense. "We weren't ready to play and that starts with coaching, all the way down to the players' responsibility."
The 6-foot-3 Moore, who went undrafted out of Oregon State, played in nine games as a rookie with three starts, throwing three touchdowns and five interceptions. Moore didn't appear in a game last season and has played in only one game this year, throwing a single incomplete pass against Arizona after Delhomme was shaken up.
Moore has stayed ahead of journeyman A.J. Feeley on the depth chat. Feeley was signed early in the season when Josh McCown was placed on injured reserve. But there have been questions about whether Moore has a firm grasp of the offense.
"We haven't had a chance to see a whole lot of him in live play lately," Fox said. "I think he's capable of making all the throws, has the height, weight and arm strength you look for.
"The quarterback position is about decision-making, and until you get in there in live situations, you really never know. And he hasn't had that opportunity a lot."
The injury could provide a needed break for Delhomme, who hasn't been the same since throwing five interceptions and losing a fumble in last season's playoff loss to Arizona.
The Panthers gave the 34-year-old Delhomme a lucrative contract extension in the offseason, but he's looked far from the QB that led the Panthers to a Super Bowl appearance in 2003 and a berth in the NFC championship game in 2005. Both years he had 16 interceptions, his previous career high.
Delhomme's 59.4 passer rating this season ranks 31st in the NFL and his 55.5 completion percentage is below his 59.7 career mark entering this season.
NOTES: Fox said RB DeAngelo Williams played through a sprained ankle in the second half Sunday. ... WR Dwayne Jarrett (ankle) and DT Tank Tyler (knee) were also banged up. ... FB Brad Hoover said he "tweaked" his ankle in his first game back from injury, but "I don't see it keeping me out" against the Buccaneers Sunday.
-- Mike Cranston
Jets QB Sanchez limited but should play vs. Bills
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez was limited during the team's light practice Monday with a sore left knee, but should play against the Buffalo Bills in Toronto on Thursday.
Coach Rex Ryan said Sanchez had some soreness in the knee after he tweaked it in the Jets' 17-6 win over Carolina on Sunday. Sanchez downplayed it, saying he woke up Monday and the knee was fine, showing no concern that it might hamper him.
"It felt really good," Sanchez said. "The training staff looked at it this morning, stretched me out and we went through the walkthrough, pretty seamless. It feels fine. We'll see how it goes as the week goes on and make sure we take it slow and be smart about it."
Ryan said he thought Sanchez would be able to play against the Bills without any major limitations, despite the quick turnaround.
"I know he's sore, so we'll see how that goes," he said. "It is a short week ... but he finished the game. I thought he was still moving around pretty good, so hopefully he'll be 100 percent when we play."
Sanchez said he missed no snaps in Monday's practice, but Ryan listed him as limited anyway.
"I think it's appropriate to put him there because he did miss some time during the game," Ryan said. "And, he does have some soreness there."
Ryan also characterized the injury as a tweak without going into details.
"The tweak is good because nobody knows what that is, so tweak," he said. "I think he tweaked his knee. There's obviously no major damage, so that's the first thing."
With the Jets leading 14-3 Sunday, Sanchez scrambled to the sideline on first-and-10 from New York's 46 when he was tackled by Richard Marshall after an 8-yard gain. He went down, grabbing at the leg and giving the Jets a scare. He missed the next four offensive plays before returning and finishing the victory.
"I thought it almost looked like it scared him and that's why I was like, 'Just breathe. You'll be all right,'" Ryan said. "We're fortunate that that's probably what it was more than anything."
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
Bucs punter Dirk Johnson out for season
TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay punter Dirk Johnson will miss the remainder of the season after being placed on injured reserve with a pulled hamstring.
Reserve cornerback Torrie Cox also went on injured reserve Monday with a hip injury. Guard Arron Sears has been placed on the reserve/non-football illness list.
The Buccaneers are filling Cox's roster spot by promoting cornerback Brandon Anderson from the practice squad. Johnson's replacement likely will be signed before the team practices again Wednesday.
Sears has not played this season. He was reinstated to the team on Nov. 17 after sitting out offseason workouts and training camp for personal reasons.
The Bucs had a two-week exemption in which Sears did not count toward the 53-man roster. He can't practice the rest of the season, but will continue to work with strength coaches and trainers to get ready for 2010.
Player Moves
Bengals sign CB Mickens to practice squad
CINCINNATI — Rookie cornerback Mike Mickens from the University of Cincinnati was signed to the Bengals' practice squad on Monday.
Mickens was a seventh-round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys. Tampa Bay signed him off the Cowboys' practice squad on Nov. 3. He was inactive for three games with the Buccaneers, who waived him on Nov. 25.
To open a spot for Mickens, the Bengals released cornerback Antonio Smith, a second-year player from Ohio State, from the practice squad.
Elsewhere
Panthers LB Beason arrested on assault charge
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers Pro Bowl middle linebacker Jon Beason was arrested Monday and charged with punching a man at a strip club.
Beason was booked on a misdemeanor assault charge Monday afternoon — while his teammates were watching film of their loss to the New York Jets a day earlier — and released on a written promise to appear in court.
His attorney, George Laughrun, said Beason had nothing to do with the incident on Nov. 15 and would plead not guilty.
"He's adamant that he never hit anyone," Laughrun said. "He's just pretty devastated that he's charged with something like this. But he has confidence in the system and looks forward to clearing his good name."
Gregory Frye accused the 6-foot, 237-pound Beason in the arrest warrant of inflicting serious injuries at the Uptown Cabaret, a strip club within walking distance of Bank of America Stadium. Frye, who has an arrest record, claimed his nasal cavity was crushed and he suffered bruising to his nose and face.
Beason hours earlier on Nov. 15 had recorded eight tackles in Carolina's victory over Atlanta.
Laughrun said police hadn't finished an investigation, but Frye was able to obtain a warrant from a judge for Beason's arrest.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police spokeswoman Rosalyn Harrington said she had no information and couldn't comment. Laughrun said Beason is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 11.
"We were aware of the police department looking into the incident and have addressed it with Jon," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said in a statement. "At this time there appears to be two different versions of what happened."
Beason could not immediately be reached. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, didn't immediately return a phone message seeking comment
The arrest comes a day after Beason matched a career-high with 17 tackles and recovered a fumble in Carolina's 17-6 loss to the New York Jets.
After starring at Miami, Beason immediately became one of Carolina's top defensive players after being the team's first-round pick in 2007. He set a franchise record with 160 tackles his rookie year, and recorded 159 tackles last season when he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time.
Beason has a team-best 115 tackles in what has been a disappointing 2009 season for the Panthers (4-7).
-- Mike Cranston
Chiefs coach says team has not contacted Weis
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs coach Todd Haley insisted Monday that the team has not contacted Charlie Weis about joining the staff in Kansas City.
But Haley, a rookie head coach who also is calling plays as offensive coordinator, acknowledged that someday he would prefer to let someone else be coordinator and call the plays.
"I believe in my heart of hearts that's the way to be the most efficient," Haley said. "It's fun calling plays. There's no doubt about that. I've also said my job is to be the head coach of the team and if and when that's possible, I would think that, in my opinion, is the best way to run the operation.
"If you get the right situation."
Weis was fired Monday as coach at Notre Dame. He and Haley worked together when they were assistants with the New York Jets. Weis also won Super Bowls as the offensive coordinator in New England, when Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli was the Patriots' vice president of player personnel.
"I shared an 8-by-8 office with Charlie for three years in New York, oh, by the way," Haley said with a grin. "I know Charlie about as up-close-and-personal as you could know him."
Haley said there would be no coaching staff changes for the Chiefs (3-8) until after the season. He also emphatically denied reports that Kansas City had already contacted Weis.
"I can say with clear conscience there's been no contact," Haley said. "The focus in this building is putting this team in the best possible position to succeed each day and each week and that's where the focus is. As far as staff goes, that would be something I would have — that would be a decision I would have to make."
Haley called plays for Arizona last year, helping the Cardinals reach the Super Bowl. After taking over in Kansas City, he fired offensive coordinator Chan Gailey 13 days before beginning his first season as a head coach.
Calling his own plays hasn't worked very well for Haley's talent-thin Chiefs. They rank 14th in the AFC in total offense.
"As I've said earlier, at the end of the year I will do anything and everything to evaluate the areas of this team and coaching staff that we can get better at," Haley said.
-- Doug Tucker
NFL won't say if it's looking into McDaniels spat
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The NFL is keeping mum on the latest developments in the trash talking episode between Denver coach Josh McDaniels and San Diego linebacker Shaun Phillips.
Phillips said after the Chargers' victory at Denver on Nov. 22 that McDaniels had sneered "We own you!" during warmups. McDaniels repeatedly declined to tell his side of the story but in the face of mounting criticism, he told ESPN over the weekend that Phillips had confronted and taunted him.
The coach said his response was meant to imply that McDaniels' former team, the Patriots, had always made Phillips eat his words.
Both have said they are sorry, although McDaniels indicated the Broncos asked the NFL to look into the encounter, according to ESPN. League spokesman Greg Aiello told The Associated Press on Monday, "We are not commenting on the report."
The Broncos were off Monday and not available for comment.
Three times last week McDaniels declined to give his side of things. He told ESPN that was partly because the Broncos had a Thanksgiving night game against the New York Giants to prepare for. After coaches and players across the NFL questioned the wisdom of taunting a player, McDaniels finally broke his silence on the matter.
McDaniels, one of the most demonstrative coaches in the league, found himself at the center of another sideline issue Thursday night when the NFL Network accidentally aired two obscenities as he was yelling at his offense over a series of false starts that stalled a promising drive in the first half.
The NFL Network apologized to viewers and to McDaniels.
-- Arnie Stapleton
Vick gives anti-dogfighting message at old school
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick advised students at his old middle school Monday to avoid the kind of bad decisions that landed him in federal prison for dogfighting.
Vick spoke to about 400 sixth- and seventh-graders at Huntington Middle School — the first of his two homecomings within a week. The Eagles play Sunday at Atlanta, where Vick was the NFL's richest and perhaps most dynamic player before his stunning fall.
The former Virginia Tech star's appearance was sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States. Vick has been working with the group since his release from federal custody in July, taking his anti-dogfighting message to schools and community groups in several cities.
The Newport News event was closed to the public and the press, and Vick did not speak to reporters waiting outside.
Humane Society spokesman Dale Bartlett, who was inside the school auditorium for the 30-minute speech and question-and-answer session, said Vick came across as sincerely remorseful.
"These kids heard a message against dogfighting today that they couldn't have heard anywhere else," Bartlett said.
He said the kids asked some tough questions, including why Vick didn't acknowledge his wrongdoing and express remorse until after it was clear he could no longer hide the truth. Bartlett said Vick admitted that he thought he could get away with it because he was wealthy, and he encouraged the students to always tell the truth from the start.
Vick was convicted in August 2007 and sentenced to 23 months for operating a dogfighting ring from his property in rural southeastern Virginia. He served 18 months in the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., and two months on home confinement in Hampton, Va. The Eagles signed him to a one-year deal shortly after his release, and he has played sparingly behind starter Donovan McNabb.
-- Larry O'Dell
Broncos-Colts not switched to prime time
NEW YORK — The NFL is not switching the Denver at Indianapolis game on Dec. 13 to prime time even though it could be the Colts' record-setting 22nd straight regular-season victory.
Instead, the Philadelphia Eagles-New York Giants matchup remains as the night game. The only change under the flexible scheduling policy for Dec. 13 will be moving the St. Louis at Tennessee game from noon to 3:05 p.m.
Indianapolis (11-0) has won 20 consecutive in-season games and would tie New England's mark with a win Sunday at home against Tennessee.
