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Team Notes Week 9
by Bob Harris
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Our latest Cheat Sheets updated constantly through September.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr1')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Testaverde Sits, Carr Practices Wednesday
(10/31 11:11 AM PT)
The Facts:
Vinny Testaverde missed practice Wednesday, leaving David Carr the front-runner to start on Sunday at Tennessee.
Diehards Line:
The 43-year-old Testaverde aggravated a right Achilles' tendon injury in the first half of Carolina's loss to Indianapolis. He sat out the second half and has been receiving extensive treatment the past three days. Carr replaced Testaverde despite still recovering from compression fractures in his lower back. Saying he was only at 80 percent, Carr threw for 103 yards as the Panthers were outscored 21-0 in the second half of the 31-7 loss. It appears he'll get another shot this week.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr2')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Laveranues Coles Has Concussion, Likely To Sit
(10/31 10:41 AM PT)
The Facts:
Coles suffered a concussion in Sunday's loss to the Bills, HC Eric Mangini confirmed today. Coles didn't practice, and there are strong indications he will sit out the game.
Diehards Line:
Coles is known for his toughness, but concussions are a hot-button issue in the NFL and the mere fact that Mangini admitted it was a concussion -- in a conference call with the Washington D.C. media -- should speak volumes. Without Coles, Kellen Clemens will be throwing to Jerricho Cotchery, Brad Smith and Justin McCareins, who has been in the doghouse since his two-drop disaster in Week 2 at Baltimore.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr3')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Rudi Johnson Practices; Watson Held Out
(10/31 10:15 AM PT)
The Facts:
Johnson, who has missed three of the past four games with a hamstring injury, was back on the field practicing on a Wednesday for the first time since Sept. 19. Johnson is expected to play Sunday at Buffalo. Meanwhile, Kenny Watson, who has started the past four games, is not practicing because of the concussion he suffered at the end of the Steelers game Sunday.
Diehards Line:
Johnson had played in the previous 64 games in a row prior to being inactive Oct. 1 against New England. He played briefly at Kansas City on Oct. 14 but missed the Jets and Steelers games the past two Sundays. Watson has played well in his absence, but the tables could turn this week. Of course, nothing is etched in stone on Wednesday, so you'll want to follow along closely in coming days before ruling either man in or out for your team.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr4')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Ben Watson Getting Closer To Returning?
(10/31 10:14 AM PT)
The Facts:
Watson, who has missed the last two games with a left ankle injury, was present at the end of the media-access period in the locker room. Watson declined comment when asked if he'd be ready to suit up Sunday.
Diehards Line:
Still, as Globe staffer Mike Reiss notes, the fact Watson was putting on his game pants as the team prepares for practice might be an indication that Watson is nearing a return. Watson has missed the last two weeks of practice. ... Stay tuned. We'll be following his progress in practice closely in coming days.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr5')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Adimchinobe Echemandu's Week 9 Status Uncertain
(10/31 10:13 AM PT)
The Facts:
Echemandu's 62 rushing yards on 10 carries in his debut provided a lone ray of hope on an otherwise dreadful afternoon against the Chargers, but such is the Texans' luck of late that he may not be able to play against the Raiders Sunday because of a pulled hamstring.
Diehards Line:
An MRI Monday, he said, "showed a deep contusion" in the muscle, which he apparently damaged the first time he ran the ball in San Diego. ... Stay tuned. We'll be following his progress in practice closely in coming days.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr6')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Raiders Waive Mike Williams; Will Sign Dwight
(10/31 1:28 AM PT)
The Facts:
Williams, the 10th overall choice in the 2005 draft but a disappointment with two different franchises during his less than three full seasons in the NFL, was waived by the Oakland Raiders on Tuesday afternoon.
Diehards Line:
The release of Williams clears a roster spot for the Raiders to sign nine-year veteran wideout and return specialist Tim Dwight, who recently auditioned for Oakland personnel officials and coaches, and who is expected to soon reach contract terms. ... In six games this season, including one start, Williams had only seven receptions for 90 yards and did not score a touchdown.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr7')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Packers Place Wynn On IR; Activate Robinson
(10/30 3:35 PM PT)
The Facts:
Koren Robinson was officially placed on the roster of the Green Bay Packers, and the team ended the season of leading rusher DeShawn Wynn in order to make the move.
Diehards Line:
Wynn, who injured his left shoulder on the first play of the second quarter Monday night against the Broncos and did not return, was placed on injured reserve. He is ineligible to play again this season. HC Mike McCarthy named Ryan Grant the starter going forward after last night's win. Robinson was reinstated Oct. 17 from a year-long suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. The Packers' two-week roster exemption expired this afternoon.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr8')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">J.P. Losman To Start For Bills This Week
(10/30 3:29 PM PT)
The Facts:
HC Dick Jauron on Tuesday named Losman as his starting quarterback for Sunday's matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. Losman replaced injured rookie Trent Edwards and guided the Bills to a 13-3 victory over the New York Jets this past weekend.
Diehards Line:
Jauron, who announced Edwards would be his starter exactly one week earlier, said the sprained right wrist suffered by his rookie QB was the reason for the switch. "J.P. Losman will start Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals," Jauron said in a statement. "Trent Edwards' wrist will prevent him from participating until late in the week, if at all. ..." And so it goes; Losman, who lost his starting job while injured, regains it with Edwards out. We'll suggest the move isn't permanent -- unless Losman makes it impossible to go back.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr9')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Report: Matt Schaub Unlikely To Play This Week
(10/30 9:49 AM PT)
The Facts:
The concussion he suffered against the San Diego Chargers is the most serious injury Schaub has sustained this season. The team is listing Schaub as day-to-day; Sage Rosenfels is expected to start against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.
Diehards Line:
Schaub has left the past three games early with injuries. He suffered a thigh bruise against Jacksonville. He injured his ankle, along with his hip and lower back, against the Titans. Against San Diego, he suffered the concussion. Still, HC Gary Kubiak said he has no concerns about Schaub's durability and we tend to agree. The problem isn't Shaub's ability to absorb punishment; the problem is Houston's failure to protect him.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr10')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Dungy: Marvin Harrison Was Held Out As A Precaution
(10/30 12:27 AM PT)
The Facts:
Harrison was out for a second time in the last three games with a knee injury Sunday. HC Tony Dungy said on Monday Harrison was kept out partly as a precautionary measure.
Diehards Line:
According to Dungy, "It was one of those things where he played against Jacksonville, played about 35 plays and ended up still being a little but sore and not making improvement. We said, ‘We can do the same thing again, play 30 more plays, not improve and be in the same boat another month or maybe with a full week off, he can get better and be able to practice again this week.' If it was a playoff game, I think he probably would have played. ..." We'll see if that full week was all Harrison needed soon enough. If ever there was a big game, it's this week's tilt against the Patriots.
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