NFL Capsules: Ravens blank Browns 16-0
CLEVELAND — Even after Baltimore had punished Brady Quinn, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis got in one more vicious hit on Cleveland's quarterback.
Angered over Quinn's questionable chop block on Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs following an interception, Lewis accused Quinn of a dirty play.
"Heck yeah it was a cheap shot," Lewis snapped after Baltimore rocked Cleveland 16-0. "When you're running down and you're looking at the quarterback going at somebody's knees who doesn't even have the ball. I want to see if he gets the same fine I got or even higher. Now this man is out four or five weeks because of some baloney like that."
For 30 minutes, the Ravens were inefficient, unproductive and disorganized.
In 17 seconds, they changed all that.
Ray Rice scored on a 13-yard run on Baltimore's first possession of the third quarter and safety Dawan Landry returned an interception of Quinn 48 yards for a touchdown on Cleveland's next play as the Ravens overcame a horrendous start and routed the hapless Browns.
The game also included two plays that could force the league to hand out fines, and it ended with Browns wide receiver Josh Cribbs being carried from the field on a stretcher following another nasty hit. He was taken to a hospital for tests. Cleveland coach Eric Mangini said Cribbs was transported as a precaution.
"He's got feeling and movement in all parts of his body," Mangini said.
The Ravens (5-4) didn't score in the opening half, when they used up their three timeouts in the first 6:15, committed silly penalties, converted just one third down and actually made the Browns (1-8) look respectable.
"I guess I agree it wasn't pretty," quarterback Joe Flacco said. "It was an ugly win, but that's the way some wins are in the NFL."
Following his second interception, Quinn dropped and rolled into Suggs' right knee, drawing a 15-yard penalty and incensing the Ravens.
Suggs limped to the locker room. It's not known how long he'll be out.
"That's an illegal blow," Lewis said. "I don't care how you want to look at it."
Quinn said he didn't hit Suggs intentionally.
"I was trying to go for the ball carrier," he said. "Suggs came across at the last second in my vision. I would never wish that upon anyone. I was upset about it on the field. We worked out in Arizona together. I couldn't be any more sorry about that. That was never the intent. I'm sorry to Terrell and the rest of their team."
Despite being down by 16, the Browns, who never crossed Baltimore's 45, were fighting for yards on the final play. Quinn threw short to Cribbs, who then lateraled to tight end Robert Royal. After he got rid of the ball, Cribbs got drilled in the chin by defensive end Dwan Edwards as the clock expired.
As Cribbs laid motionless in the middle of the field, players from both teams knelt in prayer. Royal said Cribbs was making jokes and moving his arms and legs.
Ravens defensive end Trevor Pryce questioned Mangini's motive in running a dangerous play.
"I didn't see it, but I heard it," he said of Edwards' hit on Cribbs. "With five seconds left in the game, and you're down 16-0, to throw a hook-and-lateral, what's the point of that? I'm not trying to question their coaching, it's none of my business. But you see what the result was.
"You do a hook-and-lateral play with a whole bunch of guys that are big and run fast, people are running around crazy and someone is going to get hurt."
Edwards said he wasn't trying to injure Cribbs and wasn't looking for retribution on Quinn for his hit on Suggs.
"I was just hustling to the ball," he said. "He had just pitched it and I reacted. It wasn't him that hit Suggs. I consider myself a hustle player and I tried to hustle and make a play — not let them get a score."
The first time Baltimore got the ball in the second half, Flacco connected on a 41-yard pass to Derrick Mason, who spun out of cornerback Brandon McDonald's tackle and raced down the sideline to the Cleveland 13. Rice took it in from there to make it 7-0.
On the next snap, Quinn, making his first start since being pulled 10 quarters into the season by Mangini, threw high and wide to Royal and the ball bounced to Landry, who scampered in untouched to make it 13-0.
The Ravens missed the extra point, but that hardly mattered against a Cleveland offense that has scored only five offensive TDs in its past 15 games.
It was Baltimore's first shutout since Nov. 26, 2006, and it came at the perfect time for the Ravens, who had dropped four of five and were in danger of falling too far behind Cincinnati and Pittsburgh in the AFC North.
Pryce said the Ravens adjusted to Cleveland's no-huddle at halftime.
"You have to weather the storm when you're playing a team like Cleveland that has nothing to lose," Pryce said. "What they were doing was smart. They were running a no-huddle, quick substitution game plan. And that stuff messes with you badly. You waste more energy running on and off the field than you do in the game itself. That was the big thing we had to address in the second half."
NOTES: Before the game, Browns backup QB Derek Anderson played catch — left-handed — with Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, a lefty who returned the throws right-handed. Anderson threw some impressive spirals with his opposite hand. ... Browns P Dave Zastudil was inactive because of a sore knee. Reggie Hodges, signed Sunday, averaged 38.6 on nine kicks. ... Ravens S Haruki Nakamura, a Cleveland native, broke his right ankle on the opening kickoff. ... Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Suggs would have an MRI on Tuesday.
Fan protest fizzles at Browns game
CLEVELAND — A planned fan protest seemed to fail as Cleveland Browns Stadium was three-quarters filled before Monday night's kickoff against Baltimore.
Two die-hard Browns fans, disgusted with the direction of the 1-7 team, had urged fans to stay away from their seats for the start, hoping it would send a message to team owner Randy Lerner.
There were thousands of empty seats for the opening kickoff, but it was difficult to know if they were because of the protest or late-arriving fans. The notorious Dawg Pound bleacher section — where the protest's organizers normally sit — was at near capacity.
Heidi Nicklaus of Cleveland seemed to sum up the sentiments of the majority of the fans and took issue with the boycott's organizers.
"If you're a fan, you're a fan," she said. "If you're not, go find another team to root for. You should be in your seats for the kickoff. I'm a fan. I'm going to my seat."
Dan Kelly, who grew up in Cleveland and now lives in Akron, thought the boycott was a good idea. Kelly, who is 60, has been attending Browns games for 40 years. He wore a hockey goalie-type mask similar to the character that frightened people in the movie "Friday the 13th." The phrase "Wait Till Next Year" was written on the mask.
"I've looked at this stuff since I was a kid and it's always wait till next year," Kelly said.
Kelly, a barber, talks with fans every day and thinks their frustration with Lerner, who also owns the Aston Villa soccer team in the English Premier League, is boiling over.
"They think Lerner's more interested in his soccer team," Kelly said. "They think he's playing with the fans. You shouldn't play with the fans."
Kelly is glad Cleveland has one thing in its favor.
"I'm more of a Browns fans than a Cavaliers fan, but thank God for LeBron (James)," he said.
Justin Miller, who lives near Youngstown, thought the boycott had some merit, but won't abandon his team.
"I've been in the military," he said. "I've traveled all over the country and all over the world. I've seen Browns Backers clubs almost everywhere I've gone. It is frustrating, but I'll never give up on the Browns."
The two fans who initiated the protest online recently met for two hours with Lerner.
Browns' Cribbs injured on game's final play
CLEVELAND — Browns wide receiver Josh Cribbs was taken to a hospital for further tests after being injured on a hard hit on the final play of Baltimore's 16-0 win over Cleveland on Monday night.
Cribbs caught a pass from Brady Quinn on the final play and lateraled to Robert Royal. Following the pitch, Cribbs was hit near midfield by defensive end Dwan Edwards.
As Cribbs was on the field, players from both teams knelt in prayer around him.
After he was treated by Cleveland trainers, he was put on a stretcher and driven to the locker room. Cribbs was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.
Browns coach Eric Mangini said Cribbs had movement and feeling in all parts of his body when he left the stadium.
Ravens' Nakamura breaks ankle on opening kickoff
CLEVELAND — Ravens safety Haruki Nakamura broke his right ankle on the opening kickoff of Monday night's game at Cleveland.
Nakamura, a Cleveland native, was grabbing the ground in pain as trainers wrapped an air cast around his foot and carted him off the field. Baltimore's Lardarius Webb returned the opening kickoff 31 yards on the play.
Injuries
Westbrook’s status uncertain after concussion
PHILADELPHIA — Brian Westbrook’s status is uncertain after the former All-Pro running back sustained another concussion in Philadelphia’s 31-23 loss at San Diego.
Westbrook was playing his first game after sitting out two because of a concussion suffered Oct. 26. He was injured in the third quarter Sunday on a screen play in which he was caught between a block by Eagles receiver Jason Avant and Chargers safety Eric Weddle.
Eagles coach Andy Reid said the team will take precautions with Westbrook and it’s too early to tell when Westbrook will return, if at all.
"Football right now for Brian Westbrook is not the important thing," Reid said Monday. "It’s making sure that we get him analyzed, tested and taken care of and then we’ll go from there. Not that we didn’t do that before.
"We took every precautionary measure that we could before and it happened again. Obviously we’re going to check with experts and make sure that we listen to them like we did before. The No. 1 thing is Brian’s health. You can put football aside and make sure that he’s taken care of here."
Westbrook wasn’t available to reporters on Monday. His agent, Todd France, didn’t immediately return a phone message.
The 30-year-old Westbrook sustained his first career concussion when he hit his head on a defender’s knee during a Monday night win at Washington last month. Westbrook briefly lost consciousness but walked off the field under his own power.
He sat out Philadelphia’s victory against the New York Giants on Nov. 1 and was cleared to play against Dallas last week, but was held out for precautionary reasons after experiencing headaches. Westbrook had no problems leading up to the game against the Chargers.
"We left it up to the doctors," Reid said. "There’s a chance he could have played the week before and we held him out of that one according to tests and symptoms. He was symptom-free and tests came back normal and so on, so I did what the experts said. They felt comfortable with it and we went with it."
Reid wasn’t sure if a second concussion is more serious. Westbrook didn’t lose consciousness on this one.
"I’ve heard a couple different things on that," he said. "Obviously it’s not a good thing for a second one to happen. I don’t know the medical terms of it. I’ve heard them determine it by if it was a mild hit as compared to a severe hit. It wasn’t a mild hit I would say."
The eight-year veteran has been limited this season by ankle and knee injuries and the concussions. Westbrook has carried the ball 47 times for 225 yards, an average of 4.8 yards per carry, and has scored one touchdown. He has also caught 19 passes for 156 yards and a TD.
Before last season, Westbrook signed a three-year contract worth $21 million, including $13 million guaranteed the first two years. The Eagles have the option of not renewing his contract for 2010.
-- Rob Maaddi
Panthers shuffle line to make up for loss of Gross
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In all but one game over the past seven years, Jordan Gross has lined up at tackle as Carolina’s highest-paid and most effective blocker.
Now Jake Delhomme’s blind-side protector will watch the rest of the season while wearing a cast, just when the Panthers were starting to feel confident with their recent streak of good play.
Gross was recovering from surgery Monday, a day after breaking his right ankle when an Atlanta player fell into his leg in the Panthers’ 28-19 victory. The 2008 Pro Bowl pick, who had missed only one game in his career, is lost for the season.
"He’s a leader, a top-10 pick," Delhomme said of the eighth selection in the 2003 draft. "He was placed at tackle at the first minicamp and he hasn’t left."
Except for one game last season when he was recovering from a concussion, Gross has been the anchor of the line going back to Carolina’s Super Bowl season in 2003. Now two men face new roles in trying to replace him: veteran Travelle Wharton and untested Mackenzy Bernadeau.
When Gross went down in the second quarter Sunday, Wharton moved from left guard to left tackle, a position where he has 33 career starts. Bernadeau, who has played only as a short-yardage fullback and on tackle-eligible plays in his two years in the NFL, moved to Wharton’s spot.
The Panthers weren’t overly impressive on offense in the second half, but they held on to beat the Falcons. Now they have little time to prepare, with only two practices scheduled before Thursday’s game against Miami.
"Everybody came up to me and were telling me it was time to step up and that we need you here," Bernadeau said. "I knew that."
The Panthers (4-5) were more equipped to deal with offensive line injuries last season, when they had capable and veteran backups in Geoff Hangartner, Jeremy Bridges and Frank Omiyale.
But Hangartner signed a lucrative free-agent deal and is the starting center in Buffalo. Omiyale got big money from Chicago, where he started at guard until being replaced recently. Bridges, released in a salary-cap move, is a backup in Arizona.
"Mac Bernadeau is a young kid we like," Delhomme said. "Same thing happened last year with Frank Omiyale and Hangartner. They had to step in and they parlayed it into some good contracts for them. I think this is something Mac will enjoy."
The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Bernadeau was a 2008 seventh-round pick out of Division II Bentley in Waltham, Mass. He didn’t appear in a game last season.
Now he’ll be depended on to open inside holes for running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. He’ll also be counted on to think and act quickly if the Panthers continue with the effective no-huddle offense they used against the Falcons.
Bernadeau did open a key hole in Stewart’s 45-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter that sealed the victory on Sunday. Williams, who rushed for 92 yards, thinks the Panthers can continue their success with a new-look line.
"We see Mac step in all the time. They mix up those pretty good during the course of the season (in practice) just in case something like this happens," Williams said. "I think he can step up and play a great role."
Williams played some with Wharton at left tackle early in his career when Gross played on the right side. Gross moved to left tackle last season, earned his first Pro Bowl trip, then cashed in with a six-year deal that pays him about $30 million in the first three seasons.
Sunday was the second straight week Carolina lost one of its top players for the season. Similar to Landon Johnson in replacing weakside linebacker Thomas Davis, Bernadeau needs to grow up quickly.
"Jordan Gross, everybody called him ‘Franchise,"’ receiver Muhsin Muhammad said. "It’s hard to fill those shoes, but we expect guys to come in and play."
-- Mik Cranston
Jets S Leonhard having surgery on broken thumb
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets safety Jim Leonhard was scheduled to have surgery on his broken right thumb Monday night.
Coach Rex Ryan was uncertain of the nature of the procedure, or whether Leonhard might be sidelined this weekend or longer.
"They said when they go in, they’ll have a much better idea," Ryan said of the doctors. "They don’t even know if they’re going to put screws in it, what they’re going to do.
"When I heard it, surgery, that doesn’t sound good to me."
Leonhard was injured early in the first quarter on Maurice Jones-Drew’s 33-yard touchdown run in the Jets’ 24-22 loss to Jacksonville on Sunday.
Leonhard left the field after the score and went into the locker room to have the thumb placed in a cast. He came back into the game on defense, but wasn’t able to field punts as he normally does and was replaced by Darrelle Revis.
"It doesn’t feel good, I’ll tell you that much," Leonhard said after the game. "It was on the touchdown. Missed tackle and a touchdown — it doesn’t get much worse than that — and hurt your hand.
Ryan said he wasn’t sure if Leonhard would be able to play in a cast, as he did for much of the game Sunday.
"I hope so, but we’ll see," Ryan said. "You know, when they say surgery, though, I mean, I don’t think that sounds very good."
Leonhard, who played for Ryan’s defense in Baltimore last season, had seven tackles, a sack and a pass defensed against the Jaguars. He’s third on the team with 58 total tackles and makes the defensive calls on the field.
Losing Leonhard would be another tough blow to a team that has already had nose tackle Kris Jenkins and running back-kick returner Leon Washington go down to season-ending injuries.
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
Saints CB Porter has sprained MCL
METAIRIE, La. — Saints starting cornerback Tracy Porter has a sprained left knee, will not require surgery and is expected to return to the field this season.
Tests on Monday including an MRI revealed that Porter has a sprained medial collateral ligament, Saints coach Sean Payton said.
Payton expressed relief that the injury would not end Porter’s season as initially feared a day earlier when he was carted to the locker room during the Saints’ victory at St. Louis.
"He does not need surgery," Payton said. "I don’t have a timeframe on it, but it’s an MCL and that’s great news."
The injury occurred in a collision with Saints safety Usama Young as the two defenders tried to make a tackle.
A second-round draft choice out of Indiana in 2008, Porter won a starting spot as a rookie only to dislocate his right wrist five games into last season, forcing him to spend the rest of the season on injured reserve.
Through nine games this season, Porter ranks fourth on the team with 44 tackles and second with three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown in Miami. He also has been credited with a pair of forced fumbles and eight passes defended.
"He was down yesterday because he had gone through an injury that took him out of the season last year and he’s been playing so well," Payton said. "I’m excited for Tracy. Obviously we were all concerned when you deal with a knee and you have to take a player off the field like that."
While Payton declined to estimate how long Porter will be sidelined, he said there was "no question" that he expected him to play again this season.
-- Brett Martel
Seahawks RB Jones likely out with bruised lung
RENTON, Wash. — Seahawks running back Julius Jones is likely to miss at least Sunday's game at Minnesota because of a bruised lung.
Coach Jim Mora said Monday that what was thought to be a cracked rib sustained in the first quarter of Seattle's loss at Arizona on Sunday is a bruised lung — "and potentially, possibly a cracked rib."
Doctors had Jones stay behind overnight in an Arizona hospital as a precaution. Jones flew back to Seattle on Monday.
"He's OK," Mora said, after speaking to Jones while Seattle's lead runner was at the airport in Phoenix. "They just took the proper precautions in not having him travel with that injury.
"At this point, I would say it would be unlikely that he would be cleared to play on Sunday."
Jones had only two carries before getting hurt, apparently while pass blocking against Arizona's blitzing Karlos Dansby. Justin Forsett replaced him and ran for 123 yards on just 17 carries.
Mora said Forsett and third-stringer Louis Rankin will be getting more carries over the next few weeks, if not the final seven games.
It may be that time of year for Seattle to try out young players, for the second season. The Seahawks are 3-6 and essentially four games out of the NFC West lead with seven games remaining since the Cardinals own the first tiebreaker.
Bills fear LT Bell's knee injury is season-ending
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Bills left tackle Demetrius Bell's right knee injury could be season-ending, leaving the team's young and banged-up line down another starter.
Coach Dick Jauron said Monday further tests are required, but he's "not optimistic."
Bell was hurt in the first half of a 41-17 loss at Tennessee on Sunday and was limping around the locker room Monday with his right leg heavily wrapped.
Jauron acknowledged the team already is considering signing a lineman before Buffalo (3-6) plays at Jacksonville (5-4) this weekend.
Once Bell was hurt, rookie starting left guard Andy Levitre switched to tackle, a position he played at college. The move was necessary because the Bills' only other available tackle, Kirk Chambers, was starting on the right side in place of Jonathan Scott, who was absent because of a death in his family. Backup Jamon Meredith was also out because of a knee injury.
Brad Butler, who opened the season at right tackle, has been out since Week 2 with a season-ending knee injury.
Jauron also announced Monday that reserve cornerback Ashton Youboty is out indefinitely after spraining his left ankle.
-- John Wawrow
Jaguars’ Mathis likely out because of groin injury
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars are hoping their next game without cornerback Rashean Mathis goes better than their previous one.
Coach Jack Del Rio says Mathis likely won’t play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills after injuring his groin in a 24-22 victory at the New York Jets.
Mathis sat out Jacksonville’s game at Tennessee earlier this month because of a broken index finger on his left hand. Safety Reggie Nelson started in his place, missed several tackles and got beat for a touchdown in a 30-13 loss.
Del Rio declined to say who would start if Mathis can’t play. Del Rio says his injury "doesn’t look like it will be great for the next week or two."
Mathis underwent tests Monday to determine the severity of his injury.
Rams lose WR Burton for season
ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Rams have lost leading wide receiver Keenan Burton for the rest of the season, the result of a right knee injury in Sunday’s 28-23 loss to New Orleans.
The Rams placed Burton on injured reserve Monday with a torn patella tendon. Coach Steve Spagnuolo says Burton will have surgery on the kneecap.
Burton, a second-year player out of Kentucky, was hurt on a pass in the first quarter when he fell awkwardly in the end zone while the Saints’ Usama Young made an interception.
Burton led the Rams with 25 catches for 253 yards. Two other receivers, veteran Laurent Robinson and rookie Brooks Foster, were also lost to injury this season
St. Louis (1-8) hosts Arizona this weekend.
Polamalu’s status for Chiefs game uncertain
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers have not yet updated the condition of star safety Troy Polamalu, who injured his left knee for the second time this season during their 18-12 loss to Cincinnati.
Polamalu missed four games after tearing the medial collateral ligament in his left knee Sept. 10 against Tennessee. He played three games before hurting the knee again during the Bengals’ opening drive on Sunday.
The Steelers did not disclose the results of Polamalu’s MRI exam, but he is not believed to have been as badly injured as he previously was. The Steelers (6-3) play Sunday at Kansas City (2-7).
Following a Sunday game, the Steelers usually do not update injuries until coach Mike Tomlin meets with reporters on Tuesday.
Player Moves
Bengals interested in RB Larry Johnson as backup
CINCINNATI — Larry Johnson might get to revive his troubled career with a team known for giving second chances.
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said on Monday that Johnson would be in Cincinnati to discuss a limited role — fourth-string running back, essentially an insurance policy in case Cedric Benson’s hip injury gets worse or another running back gets hurt.
It’s a very low-profile role.
"That’s what his role would be, it would be as a fourth running back and an opportunity as a backup player on this football team doing all the things backup players do, and that’s work their tails off in the kicking game and showing looks (on the scout team) and so forth that way," Lewis said. "And then he would be an insurance policy if something would happen down the line to one of our guys where he’d have a chance to be active.
"But I couldn’t foresee him being active when he was initially here, if this is what happens. And that’s what I’ve told him."
Lewis said the interest in Johnson is unrelated to Benson’s injury. Benson, who is one of the NFL’s top running backs, strained a hip muscle and couldn’t finish an 18-12 win in Pittsburgh on Sunday that left the Bengals (7-2) in control of the AFC North.
Benson is expected to practice on a limited basis this week. Lewis said there’s a chance he could play Sunday in Oakland.
Johnson turns 30 on Thursday and is coming off several years of decline. He also created controversies while with the Kansas City Chiefs, who released him last week on the day he was due back from his second suspension in the last 12 months.
The Bengals have a history of giving extra chances to troubled players. Owner Mike Brown brought Chris Henry back to the team before the 2008 season — over Lewis’ disagreement — and the receiver has stayed out of trouble since then. Henry is out for the rest of the season with a broken left arm.
Benson was signed last year after the Bears let him go because of his off-field problems. He had two alcohol-related arrests in Texas, but the cases were dropped when grand juries declined to indict. Benson has revitalized his career in Cincinnati — he ranks sixth in the league in rushing with 859 yards and leads the NFL with 205 carries.
Lewis assured Benson that the interest in Johnson would have no effect on his status as the primary runner. Lewis said he first spoke with Johnson by phone last Thursday, before Benson’s injury.
"I had a chance to visit with Cedric about this, that it doesn’t affect him — zero," Lewis said. "This was under way last week, so Cedric (being injured) in the game had no effect on this thing."
Johnson was benched for three games in 2008 by former Chiefs coach Herm Edwards for violating team rules. The NFL added a game for violating its player conduct policy. He was later sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to disturbing the peace at a Kansas City night spot.
Three weeks ago, he posted a gay slur on his Twitter account and questioned the competence of coach Todd Haley, drawing a two-week suspension.
Lewis saw a parallel with how Benson has turned his career around in Cincinnati.
"That’s one of the things I told Larry, that we would judge him on his future and really not on his past," Lewis said. "We’d judge him that way forward. I told Ced, ‘I think you could help him with that. You could validate that."’
-- Joe Kay
Jets waive CB Carroll, sign LB Cummings
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets waived cornerback Ahmad Carroll, one of their special teams standouts, and signed linebacker Kenwin Cummings from the practice squad Monday.
The moves came a day after New York lost to Jacksonville 24-22 on Josh Scobee’s 21-yard field goal as time expired. Coach Rex Ryan said Carroll became expendable because undrafted free agent Marquice Cole had earned the spot on special teams.
Carroll, nicknamed "Batman," was inactive for New York’s last two games. He tied for the team lead last year with 26 special teams tackles. Carroll has had trouble off the field in the past, but this move had nothing to do with any legal matters.
"I think Cole has really taken his role," Ryan said. "I think he’s done an outstanding job. That’s not a slight to Batman. It’s just that I think this guy won the job and it’s a chance for us to get Kenwin Cummings up."
Carroll was drafted in the first round by Green Bay in 2004. He signed with the Jets in July 2008 and had 30 special teams tackles in 22 games. Carroll also played for Jacksonville.
Cummings, an undrafted free agent out of Wingate, has spent most of the last two seasons on the Jets’ practice squad. He was inactive for the season opener at Miami last year.
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
League News
AP Source: NFLPA looks into Mangini complaints
WASHINGTON — The NFL Players Association is trying to set up a meeting with Cleveland Browns players this week to talk about coach Eric Mangini’s practices, a person at the union told The Associated Press on Monday.
The person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to protect the Browns players’ confidentiality, said the union is looking into what has been going on in Cleveland this season because of concerns about health and safety.
Two Browns players have been injured during post-practice drills Mangini calls "opportunity periods." A member of Cleveland’s practice squad, defensive end Keith Grennan, hurt his knee on one such drill last week. Rookie running back James Davis went on injured reserve last month with a season-ending shoulder injury.
The NFL examined what happened to Davis and determined the Browns did not violate any league policies. The league reviewed video of the practice session and interviewed Browns players, coaches and team staff.
Last week, veteran running back Jamal Lewis said he thought Mangini was tiring out his players by overworking the Browns, although Lewis then reversed field a day later and blamed the media for exaggerating his complaints.
In his first year with Cleveland after being fired by the New York Jets, Mangini ran a tough training camp, one with much more contact than any held by former Browns coach Romeo Crennel. The Browns also have practiced in full pads more under Mangini than in the past.
Cleveland was 1-7 heading into its game against the visiting Baltimore Ravens on Monday night.
-- Howard Fendrich
Jets, D-line coach part ways in ‘mutual decision’
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Rex Ryan decided he needed to start making changes.
With the New York Jets spiraling in a 1-5 stretch, Ryan parted ways with defensive line coach Kerry Locklin on Monday in a move the coach called a "mutual decision."
Locklin was hired by Ryan, a longtime friend, after nine seasons as the defensive line coach at Fresno State. The two coached together at Morehead State from 1990-93, and Ryan wouldn't go so far as to say Locklin was fired.
"This is a real sensitive issue," Ryan said. "It's unfortunate, the timing of it. I think it was in both our best interests that we mutually agreed upon this."
The Jets' defensive line has struggled at times, particularly without injured nose tackle Kris Jenkins, and poor tackling contributed to a 24-22 loss to Jacksonville on Sunday. The Jets (4-5) were also forced to burn a crucial timeout in the second half — something Ryan called "totally unacceptable" — when they had 12 players on the field.
"It's never just one thing," Ryan said. "There were some disagreements. Let's just put it that way. It was really more of, there's some issues, some personal issues that have been behind us."
Defensive assistant Jeff Weeks and pass rushing instructor Chuck Smith will handle the defensive line, with Ryan and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine overseeing it.
Locklin, a former tight end, was a sixth-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams out of New Mexico State in 1982. He also played with the Denver Broncos and Arizona of the USFL before going into coaching.
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
Gruden agrees to multiyear contract with ESPN
BRISTOL, Conn. — Jon Gruden has agreed to a multiyear contract to stay at ESPN, suggesting he won’t be returning to coaching anytime soon.
The Super Bowl-winning coach’s name was bound to come up about any job openings after this season. He was fired by the Buccaneers in January, then joined ESPN as a "Monday Night Football" analyst.
The network said Monday that Gruden has "made a commitment to remain with ESPN."
Gruden led Tampa Bay to a Super Bowl title after the 2002 season.
Under the new deal, he will appear on ESPN’s NFL Draft and Super Bowl week coverage and will call the 2010 Pro Bowl. Gruden will serve as an analyst for ESPN Radio’s 2010 Rose Bowl and BCS title game broadcasts.
NFL, union contributing $50,000 to tsunami victims
NEW YORK — The NFL and the NFL Players Association are contributing $50,000 to help victims of the tsunami that struck American Samoa in September.
The league said Monday that two former players of Samoan descent, Eagles running back Reno Mahe and Bears tight end Gabe Reid, will visit the region in the next few weeks.
Many players with Samoan backgrounds are also raising funds on their own to help victims. The Sept. 29 tsunami spawned by a magnitude-8.3 earthquake killed 34 people in American Samoa, 183 in Samoa and nine in Tonga.
The league and the union will contribute the money to the American Red Cross through their Disaster Relief Fund.
