9/04 In addition to the moves reported earlier, the Cardinals also released WR Ed Gant, WR Mike Jones, WR Onrea Jones, FB Charles Scott and WR Isaiah Williams.

9/04 Following up on the previous item. ... The Cardinals made it official this afternoon by announcing the rights to QB Matt Leinart have been waived. ... The team also waived/injured RB Alfonso Smith (neck).

9/04 According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Cardinals have told Matt Leinart they will release him today. Max Hall will be No. 2 QB. ... Stay tuned. Leinart is likely to draw some attention once the move is officially announced. The Seahawks -- with Leinart's college coach, Pete Carroll, running the show -- are down to two QBs after releasing J.P. Losman this morning.

9/03 Reviewing the ongoing saga. ... As the National Football Post notes, for the time being, meaning at least one more day, the Cardinals are going to carry four QBs. Perhaps that means the team is still hopeful a trade opportunity will come together for Matt Leinart. He’s on the roster behind starter Derek Anderson and with rookies Max Hall and John Skelton, both of whom impressed during training camp and preseason. Will the Cardinals roll into the regular season with four quarterbacks? It’s certainly possible. Would the Cardinals feel secure about Hall or Skelton being in the No. 2 role in the regular season? According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, they believe Hall is capable enough. ... So how will the team ultimately determine Leinart's fate? According to Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers, HC Ken Whisenhunt summarized the key question on Friday: "[C]an [Leinart] survive in the role as a No. 2 on this team? And that's really what the decision is about. ..." But there might be more to it. As Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio suggests, the Cardinals would like to get something, anything in return for Leinart. And by all appearances the Cardinals don't want to cut him loose, since Florio believes doing so would likely result in Leinart making a beeline for Pete Carroll and his Seahawks. ... Whatever the case, we'll know tomorrow. Stay tuned.

9/03 According to AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, HC Ken Whisenhunt told reporters on Friday that WR Larry Fitzgerald is on schedule in his recovery from the sprained MCL he suffered last month to play in next week's regular-season opener.

9/03 According to Profootballtalk.com, the Cardinals have parted ways with TE Anthony Becht. The ten-year veteran has played in all but two regular-season games of his 10-year career. Stephen Spach and Ben Patrick remain as the team's top-two TEs.

9/03 According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, QB Matt Leinart isn't pursuing a trade; sources tell Mortensen that Leinart believes his best chance to start again this year is in Arizona. That being said, the Cardinals are still gauging interest on their own with Mortensen adding: "I'll be surprised if Leinart remains, whether traded or cut."

9/02 As the Associated Press reported, with the controversy swirling ahead of him on the QB depth chart, Max Hall wrapped up his preseason with a big night. The undrafted rookie from BYU completed 7 of 9 passes for 126 yards and scored on a 6-yard run Thursday night in the Cardinals' 20-10 victory over a Washington Redskins team made up almost entirely of reserves. ... Hall, who has impressed coaches throughout training camp, directed Arizona to two touchdowns and a field goal in the three possessions he was in the game. ... Meanwhile, Derek Anderson, starting for the second week in a row ahead of Matt Leinart, played one series, completing 2 of 3 passes for 47 yards for Arizona. Leinart played the next two series, going 3 of 5 for 14 yards. ... According AZCardinals.com staffer Darren Urban, RB Beanie Wells, who left the game early and appeared to be icing his knee after leaving, said he was fine after the game. His status will still bear watching in coming days. ... Oh yeah. So will the QB situation. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 According to the Sports Xchange and CBSSports.com's Len Pasquarelli, Matt Leinart and his representatives have been granted permission to seek potential suitors for a trade. Pasquarelli added, however, that a quick survey of the franchises rumored to have an interest in Leinart indicated that none has heard from anyone representing him. ... As Pasquarelli pointed out, it is not unusual for a franchise attempting to trade a player to grant permission for the player or his agents to test the market themselves. The team, though, still has the prerogative to accept trade conditions, if they are worked out. ... Meanwhile, the Arizona Republic reported that Leinart is expected to participate in tonight's preseason finale against Washington. ... Stay tuned.

9/02 Following up on the ongoing drama. ... According to NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora, league-wide interest interest in Matt Leinart is "soft." In fact, La Canfora put it at "nil. ..." One reason would be the fact that not many teams are interested in his contract (which reportedly pays $2.49 million this season and $7.4 million in 2011). ... With a trade looking unlikely, releasing Leinart or keeping the unhappy camper around as Derek Anderson's backup are the top two options. Leinart has said he isn’t interested in being a backup. So, as NFL.com suggests, if his current situation in Arizona is irreconcilable, the next step appears to be his release. ... Meanwhile, former teammate Kurt Warner appeared on Xtra Sports 910 in Phoenix to discuss Leinart's failure to secure the starting job in 2010. And while Leinart has claimed that he outperformed Anderson this summer, Warner explained that the decision has obviously been based on more than that -- and that HC Ken Whisenhunt is making the call with the goal of winning as many games as possible in the coming season. "Coach has thought long and hard and watched every play since way back when they started this offseason, and the evaluation process starts with Coach and goes through I'm sure a number of other people," Warner said. "And they're weighing a lot of different things to come to the final conclusion, whatever that is. You know, so I think that's where it's hard. Everybody looks at two preseason games and thinks, 'Well, that's not enough.' But you have to understand that this process has been going on for a while. ..." That's a fact. As Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio put it: "Leinart didn't lose his job in two weeks; Leinart systematically has been putting himself in this position over the last four years. He has received every opportunity to succeed. In 2010, Leinart was backed up with a failed starter from the Browns, hardly a worth adversary. And Leinart still failed. ..." Stay tuned. Sounds like we'll have some resolution in coming days.

9/01 Following up on a previous item. ... FOXSports insider Jay Glazer is advising his Twitter followers the Giants are not interested in trading for Matt Leinart. Per Glazer the Giants are looking for a veteran who's perfectly content with being Eli Manning's backup. Leinart told Glazer earlier today he believes he should be a starter somewhere. ... Stay tuned.

9/01 According to Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio, the Cardinals locker room currently is buzzing with a rumor that Matt Leinart will be traded to the Giants. Per Florio: "It's unclear whether there's any truth to the rumor, but it is true that the Cardinals' locker room is buzzing with a rumor that Leinart will be traded to the Giants. ..." Fair enough. As previously noted, the Giants were one of three teams that ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported has an interest in Leinart. The Giants are the only one of the three not publicly denying Schefter's report. Remember: This is a rumor. Not a fact. ... We'll continue watching and let you know if it moves beyond the rumor level.

9/01 FOXSports insider Jay Glazer discussed the ongoing Matt Leinart trade rumors during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show this morning. ... Per SI.com's Dan Perloff, Glazer said he got calls from teams asking about Leinart's character. Glazer said that he worked out with Leinart in MMA and teams thought he knew the QB's character. Glazer said he subsequently texted with Leinart. "I told Leinart. He didn't know," Glazer said. Glazer asked Leinart if he'd be a backup. Glazer said that Leinart doesn't want to be backup and texted this: "He's done enough in this league. ... He wants to be a starter somewhere." Glazer explained that Leinart didn't sling the rock when he was out there in preseason -- he was being too careful. And there were always problems with the coach. "He and Ken Whisenhunt, they just never clicked," Glazer said. ... At this point Leinart's biggest problem appears to be th fact there are no starting jobs available -- including in Arizona. Stay tuned.

9/01 According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, three teams have discussed picking up Matt Leinart: The Bills, Raiders. The Bill have denied the report, but Schefter insists they have discussed the possibility. Of concern for any interested suitor is Leinart's contract. ... Stay tuned. More to come

9/01 Reviewing the ongoing QB drama in Arizona and seeing where we stand. ... Derek Anderson will start at quarterback again for Arizona when the Cardinals play Washington on Thursday night in their final preseason game. HC Ken Whisenhunt says he will use the same playing order as he did in last Saturday’s win at Chicago. That means Matt Leinart will come in to replace Anderson at some point. ... Whisenhunt’s decision comes following a meeting with Leinart on Monday afternoon after the former first-round pick told reporters that he had outplayed Anderson in training camp and preseason, and that his problem with his coach “probably goes beyond football. ..." Given Whisenhunt's comments upon announcing the move last week -- suggesting Leinart's reaction to the demotion was something he'd be watching, you have to believe the coach was paying close attention to the QB's words. Indeed, Whisenhunt told reporters on Tuesday that he's always had an open-door policy for players if they have a problem to come to him. He says he talked to Leinart earlier about the situation but obviously a second conversation was necessary. "I understand where Matt was coming from, he was disappointed," Whisenhunt said. "I expect those types of situations to happen. Would I have rather he come to me and talk to me? Yes, to be perfectly honest with you, I would. Matt and I had an opportunity to talk [Monday], and he definitely had some feelings that he needed to get out and he came up (to the office) and saw me. ..." Asked what he and Leinart talked about, Whisenhunt said they "touched base" on all the issues surrounding the decision to make Anderson the starter. "It was a good talk,' the coach said. "Obviously, there must have been some breakdown because he didn't hear what he wanted, but, hopefully, we got that cleared up yesterday. ..." As ESPN.com's Mike Sando said, Leinart's reaction to Whisenhunt's moves is understandable. He's frustrated after putting in the time and effort he felt was necessary to keep the starting job, and it's not like Anderson has lit up the practice field or opposing defenses. Sando added, however, it's also possible the Cardinals will view Leinart's response as whining and unbecoming of a starting quarterback -- in effect, more evidence Leinart isn't suited for the role. Adding to the intrigue, NFL Network insider Mike Lombardi advised Total Access viewers that "nobody in the locker room is in favor of Leinart" -- including WR Larry Fitzgerald, who was undoubtedly consulted about the change. ... And as previously noted, FOXSports insider Jay Glazer is reporting the Cardinals are actively shopping Leinart. And that's where we stand. Stay tuned, however, sounds like more change could be coming.

8/31 Cardinals waived TE Dominique Byrd and placed RB Nehemiah Broughton (knee) on IR. Byrd fell behind late-round rookie Jim Dray at the bottom of Arizona's TE depth chart, sealing his fate. Broughton's season-ending injury explains the acquisition of FB Charles Scott in a trade with Philadelphia on Monday. ... Also: The team waived/injured WR Darren Mougey, who broke his hand last week in practice.

8/31 According to FOXSports insider Jay Glazer, the Cardinals have been contacting teams today shopping QB Matt Leinart. Glazer cites "several sources" and adds it's unclear what compensation the team is looking for at this point. ... Stay tuned.

8/31 According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, HC Ken Whisenhunt, during an appearance on the Scott Van Pelt Show, said that Arizona's plan is for Derek Anderson to start final exhibition game. ... Stay tuned. It's safe to say we'll be hearing more on this situation before all is said and done.

8/31 As Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers noted, Matt Leinart exercised some diplomacy last week when talking about being demoted to backing up Derek Anderson. On Monday, however, Leinart didn't hold back, saying he must have lost his job for reasons other than performance. "I feel like I've outplayed the competition, training camp, preseason," he told reporters. "I think my plays speaks about that. For me, this goes beyond the football field. The philosophy is you want the best 11 guys to play. I feel like I've proved that with my performance. I don't really know what else I could possibly do, so it probably goes beyond football. For me, I just really want an explanation and I haven't been given one. ..." Leinart acknowledged he had not asked HC Ken Whisenhunt for an explanation. We'll suggest Leinart might not like what he hears if he does ask. ... "I've been with Matt for four years now, I have great respect for how Matt's worked," Whisenhunt said. "I think what we've been consistent with is. ... Always trying to pick the best team. That's what this process is about. It's not about whether you like somebody or don't like somebody. ..." Whisenhunt and Leinart met Monday afternoon to talk it out but Somers believes Anderson is still likely to start the regular-season opener. Somers also went on to point out the obvious: If Leinart is not the starter, it's questionable if the Cardinals would keep him as the backup, or if Leinart would want to stay. Leinart could be released or traded, although it's believed the Cardinals have not started to test his value with other teams. The other two QBs on the roster, Max Hall and John Skelton, are rookies, and it would be a risk to have one of them backing up Anderson.

8/31 As Arizona Republic staffer Kent Somers reported Monday, there is plenty of tangible evidence for HC Ken Whisenhunt and his staff to consult as they pick a QB to start the regular season. Since May, every second of every practice and game has been recorded on video. Passes have been charted, knowledge of the offense tested, footwork dissected. Yet, it's the intangibles that have the biggest impact on Whisenhunt's decision to pick Derek Anderson or Matt Leinart. Per Somers, the list of qualities will included: Command of the huddle. Team chemistry. Leadership. The trust of his teammates. ... Whisenhunt didn't name a starter after the 14-9 victory over the Bears on Saturday night in Chicago, nor did he provide a timeline for doing so. "The starting QB evaluation covers more than just this game, Whisenhunt said. "We've had a lot of practices, and there are a lot of things that will be taken into account in making this decision." But as Somers notes, the decision is most likely already made, and signs point to Anderson being the choice. Why else would Whisenhunt risk benching Leinart, who has been the starter since the day Kurt Warner announced his retirement? Somers summed up: "It's not a move a head coach makes if he's convinced the other players have implicit trust in Leinart." Of course, there might not be an official announcement until the regular season begins. So, we'll go ahead and remind you at this point that just because one of the two is starting for the Cardinals that doesn't mean they should start for your team.

8/31 As Associated Press sports writer Andrew Seligman framed it: "Not exactly a dominant performance by Derek Anderson. Not quite redemption, either, for Matt Leinart, but a win for Arizona. ..." Anderson and Leinart each threw for a touchdown while delivering solid if not spectacular performances to help the Cardinals beat the Bears 14-9 in a preseason game Saturday night. ... Anderson started after the first-team offense struggled with Leinart, and he responded by completing 7 of 12 passes for 94 yards. Leinart came in late in the second quarter and was 9 of 10 for 84 yards, with a touchdown pass early in the third that made it 14-0. ... Anderson led the Cardinals to their first touchdown, converting three third-down passes on a 72-yard drive, and WR Stephen Williams turned a slant underneath into a 27-yard touchdown. Leinart came on with just over two minutes left in the first half near midfield. Leinart had the Cardinals in position to score after going three-and-out on all three series in a loss to Tennessee on Monday night. They were on the 15 when Beanie Wells lost a fumble at the 6 after being stripped by with 52 seconds left, stopping what could have been their first scoring drive of the preseason for Leinart. Leinart finally broke through midway through the third when Steve Breaston caught a 13-yard pass, flying over Chris Harris at the goal line to make it 14-0. The TD had to feel good for Leinart, who was on the defensive this week after HC Ken Whisenhunt made the switch. In an interview with the Arizona Republic on Friday, the former Southern California star said he's been "efficient" and "accurate." Even so, it's been a trying preseason for a QB who was penciled in to take over for the retired Kurt Warner. He's been labeled a bust. His arm strength has been questioned, as has his accuracy downfield. It doesn't help that the receivers have been hit hard by injuries, most notably Larry Fitzgerald. ... Early Doucet was back after missing a game with an abdominal strain and caught a 2-yard pass, but Darren Mougey (broken hand) and Andre Roberts (shoulder) were out. So was TE Ben Patrick (knee), who missed his third game. ... FB Nathan Broughton sprained his knee in the second quarter. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/02 With most starters watching from the sideline, the Falcons and Jaguars took a last look at players vying for open roster spots. According to the Associated Press, no one really stood out on either team. ... The teams exposed just a few starters to the preseason finale and the Falcons converted just one of their first nine third-down plays. Chris Redman started at QB in place of Matt Ryan and completed 15 of 22 passes for 142 yards. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 On Sirius NFL Radio last night, Gil Brandt announced that he’s selecting QB Matt Ryan to win the NFL’s MVP award. “I think he’s going to be a big factor in the success of that team,” Brandt said on the Late Hits show. Brandt, the longtime former personnel man with the Dallas Cowboys, said he had to write a piece for NFL.com and in the article he picking Ryan.

9/01 According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, WR Michael Jenkins, who injured his shoulder on Aug. 6, was doing light work at practice Tuesday, and HC Mike Smith said the timetable for his recovery of four to six weeks is looking on target. "I think he's on track," Smith said. "You guys may have noticed, Mike was catching the ball, throwing the ball. I think that time frame we mentioned when the injury first occurred, I think we're still on schedule for that. ..." As Journal-Constitution staffer Jeff Haws noted, the team never has disclosed the extent of Jenkins' injury. If he misses six weeks, that potentially would have him ready for the Falcons' second game, at home against Arizona on Sept. 19.

8/31 As the Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted Monday, the reserves will get to play a lot in Thursday's exhibition closer against Jackson. And Journal-Constitution staffer D. Orlando Ledbetter believes one of the most interesting battles will be at backup RB. The Falcons probably don't have the luxury of keeping two FBs so Dan Klecko will need to have a good special teams day. Also, RBs Dimitri Nance and Antone Smith are in a fight for the last running back spot.

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9/06 According to the National Football Post's Aaron Wilson, with WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh joining the team this morning, WR Mark Clayton is on the trading block. If they can't trade him, the current plan is to release him.

9/06 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, T.J. Houshmandzadeh reached an agreement with the Ravens on a one-year, $855,000 contract. The Ravens get a bargain because of Houshmandzadeh's $7 million guaranteed deal with Seattle. The Seahawks will make up the difference. ... Suddenly, the Ravens seem to have a surplus of possession receivers with Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason already in the starting lineup. ... Stay tuned. It will be interesting to see how the rotation shakes out.

9/04 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Ravens have waived QB Troy Smith, RB Curtis Steele and WR Demetrius Williams.

9/03 There were no field goal attempts by kickers Shayne Graham and Billy Cundiff against the Rams Thursday evening. According to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, Cundiff appears to have a slight edge as the Ravens contemplate who should win the job. “They've had a month to gather information, stats, make their decisions whether there's reputation, history involved or just straight out numbers,” Graham said . “Who knows? My job is to kick. Their job is to coach and make decisions, so it's in their hands now." HC John Harbaugh didn't declare a winner, or a leader in the kicking competition. "I don't know if we've seen enough to make a clear determination, because they've both done so well," he said. "Either way we go, it'll be a good decision. I'm quite certain whichever way we don't go, he'll be kicking for a team the next day. ..." Stay tuned. Decision coming tomorrow.

9/03 NFL Network reported the Ravens will place six-time Pro Bowl S Ed Reed on the physically unable to perform list, which mean he will miss at least the first six games. Reed underwent reconstructive hip surgery in early May. He likely will be replaced in the lineup by third-year S Tom Zbikowski, who started four games in his first two seasons.

9/02 The Ravens held out all of their starters, plus backup QB Marc Bulger in his return to St. Louis after getting released by the Rams in April, denying fans a shot to either cheer or boo a player who was the starter from 2003-09. ... As the Associated Press notes, their production suffered, especially in the first quarter when they were outgained 157-19 with one first down and gave up two touchdowns in a 27-21 loss to the Rams. ... Third-string QB Troy Smith went the distance for the Ravens, who missed a chance to go unbeaten for the second straight preseason to end a seven-game winning streak. Smith was 18-for-38 for 237 yards with two interceptions and was the Ravens' top rusher with 56 yards on seven carries, scoring on a pair of short runs in the second half. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/01 In speaking to Baltimore Sun staffer Mike Preston on Monday, GM Ozzie Newsome made it perfectly clear that the Ravens were interested in trading to upgrade their entire football team, not just at CB (the Ravens acquired CB Josh Wilson from the Seahawks in exchange for a conditional fifth-round draft pick Tuesday). ... While Newsome wouldn't go into specifics, Preston believes the Ravens could use more depth on the offensive line at the guard and tackle positions. According to Preston, the Ravens might also want to pick up a FB. He went on to suggest if they trade backup RB Willis McGahee, or starting RB Ray Rice gets injured, that leaves fullback Le'Ron McClain as the starting FB and probably doubling as the No. 2 RB.

8/31 According to Baltimore Sun staffer Ken Murray, Bill Cundiff isn't sure what to make of his preseason battle with Shayne Graham. Preseason and training camp numbers give a slight edge to Cundiff, who might also have an edge in leg strength. But Graham, 32, is a proven commodity, the fourth-most accurate kicker in NFL history (85.2 percent) after nine seasons, all with the Cincinnati Bengals. And as Murray noted, Cundiff, 30, has been a career vagabond. The Ravens are his ninth NFL team. For that reason alone, Graham was perceived as the favorite going into training camp. ... Now, however, it would surprise no one if Cundiff is awarded the job after Thursday's final dress rehearsal in St. Louis against the Rams. Even after Cundiff hammered three kickoffs into the end zone and smacked a chip-shot field goal in a 24-10 win over the New York Giants, special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg was noncommittal. "We expected it to be close," Rosburg said. "And it's all that we expected. We have two very good NFL kickers. They've both performed very well all the way through training camp." Cundiff is 3-for-3 in the preseason, hitting from 26, 42 and 25 yards. Graham is 2-for-3, good from 32 and 24 yards, and missing from 50. ... How close is this competition? In training camp workouts when reporters were permitted to watch, Murray reports that Cundiff hit 82 of 96 attempts, a success rate of 85.4 percent. Graham converted 83 of 103 attempts, or 80.5 percent. If there is separation between the two, it would appear to be on kickoffs with Cundiff holding a clear edge.

8/31 Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post reports the Ravens have placed inside linebacker and special-teams ace Brendon Ayanbadeo and RB Matt Lawrence on the reserve physically unable to perform list. That means both players will miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season. Lawrence is coming off a torn ACL suffered last season.

8/31 According to Carroll County Times staffer Aaron Wilson, Willis McGahee was aware that he wasn't going to play during the Ravens' 24-10 win over the New York Giants, but it wasn't because the organization was protecting him for a rumored trade. ... Per Wilson, McGahee, who has been the subject of unconfirmed trade speculation about cornerbacks like the Denver Broncos' Andre Goodman, was informed before the game by RBs coach Wilbert Montgomery that the team was going to use other backs. Team officials said that the lack of playing time isn't a precursor to the trade and was done so other backs could be evaluated. "Coach told me what was going on, so I knew what was happening," McGahee said. "I wasn't worried about it. I'm good ..." Wilson went on to remind readers the Ravens did the same thing with Pro Bowl RB Ray Rice during the first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.

8/31 As the Baltimore Sun suggested, just when you thought you could count out WR Demetrius Williams, he might be back on the Ravens' roster yet again. Donte' Stallworth's broken foot (see previous item and Previous Weeks' News Updates) means the Ravens will need a No. 4 wide receiver for at least the first two months of the regular season. The top candidates are Williams, Marcus Smith and rookie David Reed. Per the Sun, it looked like Williams' days were numbered when he sat out the third preseason game with a sprained ankle. But Williams would be the most experienced fall-back option as a wide receiver.

8/31 As the Baltimore Sun reported, Donte' Stallworth apparently didn't waste any time undergoing surgery on his broken foot. Via his Twitter account, the WR wrote that he was scheduled to undergo surgery to insert a screw into his foot. "Thanks for all your prayers & well wishes," Stallworth wrote. "It's helping me escape melancholy. Please keep me in your prayers, having surgery today. ..." HC John Harbaugh clarified that Stallworth suffered the injury while playing on offense, not during one of his three punt returns. "He said he knew right away," Harbaugh said. "He was running a nine route, a streak route and said he made a move outside to get around the corner. Planted on his foot and just felt it pop. He wasn't sure how serious it was, but he suspected it."

8/31 Joe Flacco threw for 229 yards and two touchdowns for the pass-happy Baltimore Ravens, whose no-huddle offense befuddled the New York Giants in a 24-10 preseason victory Saturday night. ... As Associated Press sports writer David Ginsburg reported, Flacco completed 21 of 34 passes before leaving after one series in the third quarter. Last year, he threw as many as 34 passes only seven times for a team that relied heavily on the run. Going without a huddle and often throwing on first down, the Ravens scored 17 points over three straight possessions in the first half and coasted to their seventh consecutive preseason win.The third-year quarterback connected with five different receivers -- throwing touchdowns to newcomer Anquan Boldin and old hand Todd Heap -- and ran for a team-high 16 yards. "We had a good tempo going tonight, we got in a groove and we were able to march the ball down the field," Flacco said. "I really feel good about the how we were doing things. ..." The Ravens passed 32 times in the first half, ran only 11 times and amassed 17 first downs and 243 yards. ... WR Donte' Stallworth broke his foot and will probably be sidelined for two months. HC John Harbaugh said Stallworth will have a screw placed in the foot. Harbaugh said he hopes to have Stallworth back on the field around the time the team has its bye week Oct. 31. ... WR Mark Clayton, who left the game with a minor concussion, tightens his grip on the No. 3 spot with Stallworth injured. (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/04 Following up on the previous item. ... In addition to WR James Hardy, the Bills have released WR Chad Jackson, QB Levi Brown and RBs Joique Bell and Chad Simpson.

9/04 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bills have released WR James Hardy, a former second-round draft pick.

9/02 According to Associated Press sports writer Larry Lage, Trent Edwards was 4 for 4 for 66 yards—including a 50-yard pass to Lee Evans — on his only drive that set up Rian Lindell’s first of three field goals in Thursday night's 28-23 loss to the Detroit Lions. ... Marshawn Lynch had 2 yards rushing on five carries after missing two games with an ankle injury. Rookie RB C.J. Spiller was rested and RB Fred Jackson missed a third straight game because of a broken left hand. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/01 ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on his Twitter account that the Bills were one of three teams that have discussed trading for Arizona QB Matt Leinart along with the Raiders and Giants. According to the Bills, that report is erroneous. ... BuffaloBills.com staffer Chris Brown subsequently reported he has confirmed that the Bills have not had any discussions with the Cardinals in regards to Leinart and aren’t anticipating any in the future. Per Brown: "The report is simply not true. ..." Schefter, however, fired back in an e-mail to Profootballtalk.com. "The Buffalo Bills had ongoing discussions with the Cardinals regarding a trade for Matt Leinart, according to two separate credible and knowledgeable people," Schefter told PFT via e-mail. "I was told this weekend that a trade to Buffalo was unlikely because the Bills were uncomfortable about bringing aboard Leinart's contract, which carries a $2.485 million base salary this season and balloons to $7.36 million next season." Schefter added: "I didn't report Leinart would be traded to Buffalo. I simply reported that Arizona and Buffalo discussed it this summer, which they had. There's nothing erroneous about that. ..." And at this point, there's no reason to believe Leinart will be a Bill any time soon.

9/01 Following up on the previous item. ... Fred Jackson was given a timetable of four to six weeks for the broken bone in his hand suffered in the preseason opener on Aug. 13. Just 18 days later, Jackson had the big bulky cast off of his left arm and was practicing with his teammates Tuesday. ... Per BuffaloBills.com staffer Chris Brown, Jackson was wearing a hard plastic brace on his left hand that covered the right side of his palm and wrapped around his ring and pinkie fingers, which did limit him somewhat. “I felt like I was able to go full go, but I still can’t hold the ball in my left hand with the brace that I have on,” he said. “I was trying to see how much I could do it, but I definitely wouldn’t be able to do it with this brace on my hand. ..." Jackson will not play in the team’s preseason finale, but expressed confidence that he’d be able to play in the season opener against Miami. “I feel there’s a 100 percent chance I could play, but it’s going to come down to how much they want to get me out there and if they want to use me,” he said. “I still don’t know what the deal is, but I think we’ll find out more next week.” HC Chan Gailey wasn’t ready to be quite as optimistic about Jackson playing in Week 1. “I’m not ready to commit to that,” Gailey told Brown. “I think that’s a wait and see. ..." Still, Brown reports that Jackson was able to catch passes with the brace on his hand in practice, though he felt the QBs were taking it easy on him. When Jackson does play in a game he does not intend to use the brace in its current form. He’s hoping a different version of it can be put together by the athletic training and equipment staff. Ultimately Jackson realizes the biggest factor in determining how much he can do will be the pain that his hand causes him, but he’s not expecting it to restrict him. “I think I have a high pain tolerance,” he told Brown. “I think that has something to do with it. They said if I can deal with it then I would be able to play. They said it’s coming along as good as we wanted it to. They said about four weeks and that’s what we’re looking at. ...” For those keeping track at home, the four week mark will be Friday, Sept. 10.

8/31 According to BuffaloBills.com, HC Chan Gailey made it official for Thursday night. Marshawn Lynch will play in the preseason finale against the Lions. “Marshawn took quite a few reps today and looked good,” said Gailey after the team’s Tuesday practice. ”He didn’t look like there were any residual effects so we’re looking forward to seeing him Thursday night. ...” Fred Jackson also participated in practice, but he will not play Thursday night as the goal is to have Jackson ready for the regular season opener.

8/31 Following up on the previous item. ... According to the Associated Press, Marshawn Lynch is scheduled to test his sore ankle in practice Tuesday. The results will help determine whether he'll play in the team's preseason finale at Detroit. HC Chan Gailey was pleased with how Lynch ran sprints at the end of a team walkthrough Monday. The next test will be to see how Lynch looks during practice two days before Buffalo travels to play Detroit. Lynch has been out since hurting his ankle in a preseason loss at Washington on Aug. 13. Lynch had been targeting the Sept. 12 season opener against Miami as his return date. "That was my goal," he said. "I feel pretty confident in getting there."... Also Monday, the Bills released WR Aaron Rhea.

8/31 As BuffaloBills.com staffer Chris Brown noted Monday, there's no question that top draft pick C.J. Spiller has been impressive in the preseason, but in the eyes of the coaching staff a big move up the depth chart is a bit premature. "We've got a long way to go yet," said HC Chan Gailey. "We don't know how that's going to shake out yet. We've got the luxury of three pretty good backs. We'll make that decision when we get closer there. They may all be in there at the same time you never know on the first play of the game. ..." When asked if Spiller's play has changed Gailey's initial plans for him, the Bills sideline boss indicated he kind of expected the kind of play from Spiller that we've seen thus far. "To be honest with you I think we had a pretty good idea of what he could do and to say all he's done is verify that would be sort of an understatement," said Gailey. "I think we understood and I'm excited about his year. ..." We'll also note that Fred Jackson is still sidelined by a broken hand and that Marshawn Lynch is coming off a sprained ankle. It's not clear how much either man will be ready to contribute Week 1. We do, however, have a pretty good idea of where Spiller is at.

8/31 As Pro Football Weekly pointed out, it wasn't long ago that all signs pointed to WR James Hardy winning the starting spot opposite Lee Evans. But that hasn't been the case. Instead of seizing his opportunity, the 2008 second-rounder has been sidelined for most of August with a foot injury, falling well back on the depth chart. With fellow WR Steve Johnson looking like the probable starter and both Chad Jackson and multiple rookies impressing in camp, PFW believes Hardy could be in danger of not making the final roster.

8/31 As Associated Press sports writer John Wawrow reported, rookie RB C.J. Spiller keeps providing a spark to the Buffalo Bills offense. That includes an entertaining first half of a preseason play last Saturday night, when Spiller scored twice in leading to Bills to a 35-20 win over the Bengals. ... After scoring on a 1-yard run to tie the game at 14 midway through the second quarter, Spiller showed his dynamic speed on a 20-yard scamper up the left sideline to produce the go-ahead touchdown in the final minute of the half. Beating S Marvin White to the corner, Spiller outran CB Adam Jones to the end zone. ... It was the first-round draft pick's third touchdown in his second start in place of injured veterans Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch. Spiller, who also took one snap out of a Wildcat formation, finished with 52 yards rushing and had two catches for 33 yards. "You saw that we can be explosive," said Spiller, who also scored on a 31-yard run in a 34-21 win over Indianapolis the week before. "It's been great. I can't wait until the season opens. ..." QB Trent Edwards seemed to solidify the starting job. In six series, he finished 13 of 17 for 153 yards and a 12-yard touchdown pass to Roscoe Parrish. ... CB Reggie Corner sealed the win by returning Jordan Palmer's interception 20 yards for a touchdown with 10:33 left. ... Ryan Fitzpatrick took over at the start of the second half and finished 6 of 9 for 77 yards and a 20-yard touchdown to David Nelson. ... WR James Hardy showed no signs of an injury that forced him to miss the first two preseason games. He had a big 30-yard catch from Fitzpatrick to set up Nelson's score. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/04 According to Profootballtalk.com, the Panthers have reached the 53-man roster limit. The list of those getting their walking papers includes: WR Trent Guy, FB Rashawn Jackson, TE Jamie Petrowski, RB Dantrell Savage and RB Josh Vaughan.

9/03 According to Gaston Gazette staffer Steve Reed, RB Jonathan Stewart said he’s ready to play in the Sept. 12 regular season opener against the New York Giants. “Yep, I’m ready,” Stewart said after Thursday night's exhibition closer. ... Stewart didn’t play at all in the preseason, but said his foot is good to go. He said he planned on playing last night against the Steelers, but was informed just before the start of the game that he would be sitting this one out. Stewart warmed up before last week’s game against Tennessee, but did not play. “I was just testing the waters last week, but if coach [John] Fox wanted me to play I would have played (tonight),” Stewart said. ... When asked if he’s worried about not playing in the preseason being a problem, Stewart said. “It’s got to be no problem. I have to be ready regardless. That is what they pay us for to be professional and show up when it’s time. So I will be ready.”

9/02 Carolina's offense ended the preseason the way it began -- with no touchdowns -- as No. 3 QB Hunter Cantwell and No. 4 Tony Pike took all the snaps in a game that both teams played with the intent of not having any key player hurt. Only the Panthers accomplished it (Steelers QB Byron Leftwich spained an knee) as Pathers HC John Fox rested all his sarters in the final preseason game -- a 19-3 loss to the Steelers in Pittsubugh. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/01 OC Jeff Davidson told reporters last week there's also a misconception that the Panthers will be throwing the ball more this season after spending three days of OTAs working on the passing game. When asked if he thinks the Panthers will throw more often in 2010, he simply said, "No. ..." According to the Sports Xchange, Davidson still views the running game as the strength of this team -- and with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart running behind a veteran line, why not? -- but said making plays in the passing game when needed will be key to the team's overall success on offense. "I would say this: we're always going to be about finding balance on offense," Davidson said. "The major push for is us when a defense is making us throw it, we have to be efficient when they are doing that to us. ..." As the Xchange pointed out, that's something the Panthers struggled with last season. Outside of Steve Smith, who has yet to play in the preseason, the Panthers had little else in the passing game in 2009 and Jake Delhomme struggled all year with turnovers, often trying to force the ball into Smith's hands.

8/31 According to the Gaston Gazette, the Panthers placed WR Wallace Wright on injured reserve today with a shoulder injury that will require surgery. According to Gazette staffer Steve Reed, that’s a huge blow to the special teams. It also opens the door for WR Charly Martin to earn a roster spot.

8/31 As the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes, Jake Delhomme continues to play like a seasoned NFL quarterback, completing 20 of 25 attempts for 152 yards and one touchdown for a 105.3 rating. Overall, he's completing 79.2 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 110.5 rating. ... "It's funny, I got text from my wife. She said, 'good job, that smile is back,'" Delhomme said after Saturday's game against the Lions. "We've been together for a long time, since we were in high school. I believe in having fun. I'm having whole lot of fun right now." Said HC Eric Mangini: "I thought he was outstanding. I think he's been outstanding the whole preseason. The way he gets us into a good play when we're not necessarily in the best situation, that's what I'm looking for. ..." Delhomme threw a beautiful sideline pass to Josh Cribbs and a 5-yard TD to a wide-open Lawrence Vickers in the end zone. He spread the ball around to 10 receivers in his one half of play.

8/31 Star RB DeAngelo Williams couldn't find any holes. Matt Moore wasn't much better through the air. ... All of which prompted Associated Press sports writer Mike Cranston to suggest the optimists can point to the ferocious defense played Saturday night, but offensive ineptitude was cause for concern after the Panthers slogged to a 15-7 victory over the Titans. ... The Titans stymied Moore and Williams, with Carolina's first-team offense still looking for its first touchdown of the preseason despite playing into the fourth quarter against Tennessee's second- and third-stringers. It should be noted that Carolina again played without star WR Steve Smith (broken arm) and RB Jonathan Stewart (heel). ... Moore had his third straight uninspiring performance. He completed 18 of 33 passes for 190 yards and no interceptions as the Panthers' first-team offense has managed five field goals in 39 preseason possessions. Williams rushed for just 13 yards on nine carries, and there is still no clear No. 2 receiver opposite Smith. ... The game didn't open up until Carolina's starting offense left early in the fourth quarter. While Moore's protection was better than the first two games, he had trouble finding receivers, his accuracy was suspect and there were drops. Five of Carolina's first six drives ended in three-and-outs. Carolina finally moved the ball late in the first half with an odd group of Wallace Wright, Trent Guy and David Gettis at WR. But Wright fumbled after a catch and it was recovered by Tennessee's Stephen Tulloch at the 14 to end the only first-half scoring threat for either side. To make matters worse, Wright injured his right shoulder on the play and didn't return. ... The Panthers had another adventurous night trying to field punts. After rookie Armanti Edwards and Kenny Moore fumbled against the Jets, Carolina had Guy back there to start the game. But Guy badly misjudged two punts before letting them fall. Per Cranston, a good portion of the crowd stood with a mock standing ovation when Guy made a successful fair catch in the second quarter. ... Mike Goodson may have won the kickoff return job with a 91-yard return for a touchdown. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/02 QB Todd Collins, recently signed by the Bears (0-4) to back up Jay Cutler, completed 10 of 15 for 139 yards and a 15-yard TD pass to TE Greg Olsen in Thursday night's 13-10 loss to the Browns in Cleveland. Not wanting to risk injuries with their season openers looming, both teams rested most of their starters. Cutler didn't play at all. ... Collins set up the Browns' touchdown with his own miscue. Backed up after a holding penalty, Collins was in the shotgun when he turned his head just as second-string center Josh Beekman hiked the ball. It bounced off Collins and the Browns recovered at the 13. "It was pretty comfortable on most things," Collins said. "The formations and play-calling, some of them I wasn't as sharp as I needed to be, but overall I thought it was a pretty decent effort other than the mishap we had on the shotgun snap. ..." GM Jerry Angelo is comfortable with Collins, 38, as the Bears' second QB. "We've seen enough of him," said Angelo, who plans to keep thre QBs. "His arm looks live. We feel good about him. We have confidence that he's going to be our backup." ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 As Chicago Sun-Times staff reporter Sean Jensen noted, the preseason numbers are modest and the initial impressions of the Bears' new offense are largely unexceptional. But QB Jay Cutler is quick to suggest the reason has nothing to do with poor performance. "It's very vanilla stuff," Cutler told Jensen on Tuesday. "We're kind of running things at inopportune times -- we're not dialing stuff up when we could dial stuff up. So it's kind of a cloak-and-dagger thing right now. ..." Let's hope so. The Bears have only scored 36 points this preseason, and the production of the starting offense has left much to be desired: Two touchdowns, five three-and-outs, two interceptions and 10 sacks in 16 drives. But Cutler insisted the Bears aren't going to reveal much of their offense before the games count. 'We're not really out there game-planning and making adjustments," he explained. Cutler went on to tell Jensen that OC Mike Martz has emphasized learning the offense and instructed players not pay attention to opposing defenses in the preseason. 'We watch very limited tape on the opponent,' Cutler said. 'We're just installing our plays. We're running a lot of stuff for the future, those first five games. Just doing stuff, getting ready for the year. ...' As a result, overall performance has been uneven. As Jensen noted, Cutler was solid in his first two preseason games but he struggled in the 14-9 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday, throwing two interceptions. For the preseason, he has completed 19 of 37 passes for 275 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. That gives him a passer rating of 62.3, which is 80th in the NFL. Martz isn't concerned. "They're just picks," Martz said. "The reasons for them are varied. But both those interceptions are preventable. We'll get that corrected." Even if Cutler still tosses his share of picks, we still believe the offense will be much more aggressive than we've seen this summer as Martz starts gameplanning and looking to attack opposing defenes' weaknesses.

9/01 According to Chicago Sun-Times staffer Mike Mulligan, a league source said Tuesday there is still talk that TE Greg Olsen is available to teams interested in trading for him. ... Mulligan reminded readers that Olsen trade talks heated up at the owners meetings in March, and the team thought there was a deal to be made with the New England Patriots on draft day, only to see them grab a TE in the second round and come back the next day for another in the fourth round. ... Per Mulligan, the problem remains the Bears' reluctance to trade Olsen for anything less than a second- to third-round pick despite his market value being roughly a fifth-round pick. The situation is complicated by Jay Cutler's friendship with Olsen, who has received favored-receiver status with the QB. ... And it is worth noting that Olsen got plenty of touches during training camp workouts.

8/31 According to Chicago Tribune staffer Brad Biggs, WR Earl Bennett has returned to practice, getting in his first work since injuring his hamtring on Aug. 8. While Bennett's roster spot doesn't seem to be in danger, his chances of making an immediate contribution this season have certainly taken a shot.

8/31 In last Saturday's loss to the Cardinals, Jay Cutler had the kind of game that too often defined his 2009 season and might be starting to show some signs similar to ones that surfaced as pressure on him grew through the year. As CSNChicago.com's John Mullin noted, Cutler was sacked on two of the Bears' first three possessions, three times total in the first half plus once on the opening series of the second. He threw two interceptions, although one appeared to be the result of WR Devin Aromashodu not breaking toward the inside where Cutler delivered the ball. ... Making matters worse, however, Mullin believes that Cutler, taking four sacks and six quarterback hits, may already be starting to react to pressure or the expectation of pressure. Combined with the difficulties against the Raiders, Cutler was sacked nine times in barely more than two halves. Worse, Cutler has had progressively worse passing performances with each preseason game. His rating of 118.8 against the San Diego Chargers was down to 90.7 against the Oakland Raiders, and then there was the 31.0 against the Cardinals, his worst of the preseason. ... While the struggles haven't resulted in a sudden drop in ranking, it does have us a little worried.

8/31 The Bears worked to get down to the 75-man roster limit Monday morning by releasing QB Matt Gutierrez and WR Zeke Markshausen. The bigger round of cuts is due by Saturday afternoon, when the 53-man roster will be established.

8/31 Saturday wasn't a great night for the Chicago Bears. Lance Briggs sprained an ankle early in the second quarter of Saturday night's 14-9 loss to the Arizona Cardinals and sat out the rest of the game, another blow to a linebacking corps already missing Brian Urlacher because of a strained left calf. It was also a rough night for Jay Cutler, who was sacked four more times after being taken down five times the previous week. He simply fell down on one of them and got intercepted twice by Greg Toler, while completing just 10 of 20 passes for 129 yards. ... The Bears got a 22-yard field goal from Robbie Gould and a 3-yard TD pass from Dan LeFevour to Juaquin Iglesias in the fourth quarter. Gould also had a 48-yard field goal hit off the left upright midway through the second quarter. ... Hunter Hillenmeyer started at middle linebacker in Urlacher's place. … The Bears had Israel Idonije start at left defensive end over Mark Anderson. ... Chicago closes out the preseason at Cleveland on Thursday. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/04 As noted earlier, the Bengals released WR Matt Jones and PK Dave Rayner earlier today (leaving Mike Nugent as their PK). The team also waived/injured FB Fui Vakapuna. Other moves to get down to the 53-man roster limit includes releasing the following: TE Chase Coffman, TE Darius Hill, RB James Jones, WR Maurice Purify, WR Dezmon Briscoe and FB Joe Tronzo.

9/04 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Mike Nugent has beat out Dave Rayner for the team's PK job; Rayner has been released.

9/04 According to Cincinnati Enquirer staffer Joe Reedy, the Bengals have released WR Matt Jones.

9/02 As the Associated Press reported it, Cedric Peerman had a 93-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Indianapolis Colts, 30-28, on Thursday night in the preseason finale for both teams. ... Peerman finished with 100 yards rushing, and Jordan Palmer completed 10 of 14 passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns for the Bengals (3-2). Starting QB Carson Palmer played for one possession, which netted a field goal. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 According to NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora, free-agent WR Antonio Bryant will consult with specialist this week about his knee to determine if he might be able to return. And in addressing the decision to release Bryant, HC Marvin Lewis left the door slightly open about a possible return. “I just think it’s hard to go forward and not know (about a player’s availability)," Lewis said. “It provides him an opportunity to catch up with another team, give him a possible opportunity to come back here and whatever that may be. I love this guy, for whatever reason, since he got drafted and when I coached against him when I was with the Redskins. It’s unfortunate it didn’t work out, but we’ll see what happens in the future. ...” We'd advise Bryant fans not to get their hopes up too high about a possible return. ... Meanwhile, Lewis also defended the Bengals’ medical staff and its role in signing Bryant, amid recent reports that the team misdiagnosed the broken leg of LB Rashad Jeanty.

9/01 With final cuts looming, Cincinnati Enquirer staffer Joe Reedy notes that WR has been a position that has generally been afforded six spots in the past eight seasons under HC Marvin Lewis. Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens are the starters, while third-year player Andre Caldwell and rookie Jordan Shipley have good security as the third and fourth receivers. That leaves Jerome Simpson, Matt Jones, Maurice Purify, rookie Dezmon Briscoe and Quan Cosby fighting for the final spot(s). ... According to Reedy, Simpson’s chances this year are enhanced because he has expanded his role. He has just one career reception for two yards and has been a regular member of the game-day inactive squad his first two seasons, playing in just eight of a possible 32 games. But this summer Simpson has played on both kickoff and punt coverage teams. Contributing on special teams earned Cosby a job last season. He responded by averaging 11.9 yards returning punts, fifth in the NFL. He also caught four passes for 55 yards last season. Briscoe was drafted in the sixth round out of Kansas but he is in learning mode. Per Reedy, if he doesn’t make the final roster and clears waivers, would be a candidate for the practice squad. Purify worked his way from the practice squad last season to play in five games and record five tackles on special teams but he has been limited by injury this preseason and faces a one-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. He’s missed the last three games with knee tendinitis. And finally, Jones is attempting to resurrect a career that includes 166 catches and 15 touchdowns but also a three-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy in 2008. His chances of making the final cut seem slim but he has been catching the ball well in practices.

8/31 As ESPN.com's James Walker suggested, there's only one word to explain the signing of a major free agent and then cutting him before he plays a single game: "Strange. ..." Walker went on note the Bengals have been known to do odd things with personnel over the years. But signing WR Antonio Bryant to a four-year, $28 million contract in March and releasing him five months later before the regular season is near the top of the list. And Walker is right; there were red flags with this signing from the beginning. Bryant had offseason knee surgery and never looked right in mini-camp. It turns out the knee never healed properly. The signing of Terrell Owens was a tacit admission that the organization had blundered. Cincinnati ended speculation by cutting ties with Bryant on Sunday. Now the Bengals owe Bryant $8 million in guaranteed money. The good news? As Walker pointed out, the Bengals will not take a salary cap hit because it's an uncapped year.

8/31 WR Maurice Purify has been suspended for one game to start the 2010 season, the NFL announced Monday. According to ESPN.com's James Walker, Purify violated the NFL's personal conduct policy in May after he was arrested for disorderly conduct in Northern Kentucky. He's one of Cincinnati's top special-teams players but is on the roster bubble due to the Bengals' depth at WR.

8/31 QB Carson Palmer continued to build chemistry with Terrell Owens and the Bengals' revamped receivers in last Saturday night's 35-20 loss to the Bills. As Associated Press sports writer John Wawrow reported, the Bengals could take consolation out of how Carson Palmer performed in engineering a pair of touchdown drives in the three series he played. ... On the opening possession, Palmer efficiently capped a five-play, 47-yard drive by hitting wide-open rookie TE Jermaine Gresham over the middle for a 9-yard touchdown. Two series later, Palmer went 5-for-6 for 39 yards and hit Chad Ochocinco in the back left corner of the end zone for a 6-yard catch. "I'm feeling more comfortable every time I throw a pass," Palmer said. "I love what Jermaine is doing. I love what Terrell is doing, and Chad is playing like he believes he's the best receiver in the league." For Palmer, the scores marked his first two touchdown passes of the preseason, after Bengals starters scored only twice on 10 drives in their previous t -- in going 9-for-11 for 95 yards. Owens had three catches for 35 yards in his return to Buffalo after spending last season with the Bills. ... HC Marvin Lewis was pleased with what he saw, saying the "first group on offense took another step forward, and that's a big thing for our team." The Bengals avoided a scare when rookie CB Brandon Ghee was carted off the field midway through the third quarter after a violent helmet-to-helmet collision with running back Chad Simpson. Ghee lay motionless for several minutes before he was able to take a few groggy steps on his own to the cart. The Bengals announced that Ghee sustained a head injury and had movement in both his arms and legs. ... CB Adam Jones did not return after leaving with a neck injury late in the third quarter. The Bengals' secondary was already banged up. Starting SS Roy Williams (ankle) and backup Chinedum Ndukwe are out, and Cincinnati was also without FS Gibril Wilson, who's out indefinitely after hurting his left knee last week. ... The Bengals struggled after Palmer left, limited to a pair of field goals. Mike Nugent, attempting to secure the Bengals' kicking job, hit a 54-yarder early in the third quarter. Dave Rayner, who is also competing for the job, made a 32-yard field goal. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/03 Following up on previous items. ... According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Browns have placed rookie RB Montario Hardesty on the injured reserve list, officially ending his 2010 season.

9/03 Following up on the previous item. ... ESPN's Adam Schefter is now reporting that further tests revealed what initial tests showed: Rookie RB Montario Hardesty has a torn ACL. He's out for the year. ... Jerome Harrison is all but certain to serve as the team's lead back for the foreseeable future. Peyton Hillis and James Davis will also contribute.

9/03 According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the initial diagnosis on rookie RB Montario Hardesty's knee injury is a torn ACL. More exams will be performed today to confirm the injury but it appears he'll miss the season. ... Stay tuned.

9/02 As previously noted, Montario Hardesty can't seem to outrun his knee problems. ... The Browns' highly touted rookie RB, whose career at the University of Tennessee was slowed by knee injuries, hurt his left one in the second quarter of Thursday night's 13-10 win over the Chicago Bears, in what the Associated Press characterized as a "potentially major blow" to the Browns' running game. ... Fellow rookie Colt McCoy got his first pro start and went a perfect 13 of 13 for 131 yards in two-plus quarters. McCoy fumbled his first snap, but finally showed some potential in easily his best performance of an otherwise rough preseason. ... Hardesty made his pro debut after missing training camp because of a bone bruise, an injury he sustained in his surgically repaired right knee in a 1-on-1 tackling drill during the week before Browns veterans reported. He recently returned to practice, and the Browns were excited about him finally getting on the field. Hardesty showed his inside power before getting hurt, scoring on a 1-yard run in the first quarter. He finished with 25 yards on seven carries. On a routine running play off the left side, Hardesty picked up 2 yards but stayed on the ground after being tackled. Per the AP, Hardesty grimaced as trainers worked on his leg before he walked slowly to the sideline, where the Browns medical staff examined him. He was escorted to the locker room for further tests. Hardesty didn't limp and was able to put full weight on his left leg as he left the field. The team provided no details on Hardesty's injury. ... Stay tuned. We'll have more on Hardesty's status going forward as further details are released. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 According to Cleveland Plain Dealer staffer Mary Kay Cabot, RB Montario Hardesty suffered a left knee injury in tonight's game against the Bears. His return is questionable. ... Hardesty, in his first live action since injuring a knee early in training camp, started tonight's game and at one point had three straight runs for 13 yards (6, 6 and 1 yard) with the last carry good for a touchdown. As Plain Dealer staffer Tony Grossi commented: "The Bears are playing backups, too, but Hardesty certainly demonstrated a nose for the end zone. ..." Now we'll await word on how serious the knee injury is. ... Stay tuned.

9/01 According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Thursday's game will mark the pre-season debut of rookie RB Montario Hardesty, whom the Browns had penciled in as a feature back this season. Hardesty (right knee) said he’s ready for whatever they give him despite practicing only two full days so far. "He’s a kid we thought very, very highly of in the spring," said Jake Delhomme. "He picked up the offense extremely quickly. He’s very intelligent. Obviously playing in the SEC last year, you get battle-tested, especially as a running back. It’ll be nice to have him out there. He can really help us." He'll need to get up to speed in rather short order, but with Jerome Harrison struggling a bit this summer the door is clearly open for Hardesty to fullfill his potential.

8/31 According to Cleveland Plain Dealer staffer Mary Kay Cabot, Jerome Harrison promised Saturday that he'll get his fumbling issue fixed -- and soon. "It's definitely not a part of my game," the Browns' starting RB said. "I definitely don't want it. I just have to be more conscious of it and get back to [protecting the ball]. But I'm not worried about it. It's something I've never been big on doing and I'll definitely get it fixed before [the opener] comes around. ..." Harrison put the ball on the ground twice in the driving rain the previous week against St. Louis and then fumbled Sunday in Detroit with 3:40 left in the first half. Chris Houston recovered and scored on a 14-yard return to pull Detroit to within 17-14. HC Eric Mangini talked to Harrison about the fumble at halftime. "It's got to get better," said Mangini. "When you have the ball in your hands, you have the whole team in your hands and there's no statistic that determines the outcome of games more than turnovers. ..." Harrison said Mangini knows how much he hates making mistakes. Last season, he fumbled only twice in 194 carries. "He knows me as a player, and when I make a mistake, it's something the whole week I'll be conscious of," Harrison said. ... For what it's worth, Harrison gained 34 yards on 11 carries. It was consistent with his preseason totals: 23 carries for 72 yards for a 3.1 average. He hasn't yet produced like the Harrison who ran for 561 yards over the final three games of last season.

8/31 Rookie Colt McCoy was chastised by HC Eric Mangini and OC Brian Daboll on the sidelines after botching the final two plays of last Saturday's game against the Lions, a short pass with 26 seconds left and no timeouts that kept the clock running and a deep pass out of bounds on the final play instead of flinging it into the end zone. "He's still growing," said Mangini. "On that short pass, you just throw it away and go to the next play. On the last play, whether there are receivers there or not, you throw it up in the end zone and see what happens. You don't throw it out of bounds. I'm chalking it up to age and inexperience and we'll get that fixed."

8/31 Peyton Hillis had a combined 66 yards, including 40 on four catches against the Lions. He also rushed for a touchdown. And the former Bronco is enjoying himself. ... "This feels like high school again," he said. "It's so much fun playing for the guys on this team and the fans in this city. People are always [doubting me] and I like to override that train of thought." Hillis caught a short third-quarter pass from Seneca Wallace and turned it into a 25-yard gain. It led to a field goal. "I'm just grateful for any opportunity I get," he said. ... Meanwhile, RB James Davis got limited chances in Detroit, but Cleveland Plain Dealer staffer Mary Kay Cabot believes he helped himself with a 26-yard catch from Seneca Wallace. He's not certain if he'll make the team, but hopeful.

8/31  Despite dropping a 35-27 decision to the Lions in Detroit, the did come out strong. Jake Delhomme was 20 of 25 for 152 yards and a TD for the Browns. The Browns led 24-14 at halftime after finding a lot of holes in Detroit's defense and taking advantage of a turnover. ... Rookie Colt McCoy fumbled on his first drive to set up a lead-padding touchdown for the Lions. ... Phil Dawson made his first of two field goals and Eric Wright returned Kevin Smith's fumble 44 yards for a score in the first quarter. Delhomme tossed a short pass to Lawrence Vickers midway through the second quarter and Peyton Hills had a 1-yard TD with 24 seconds left in the half. ... DB Nick Sorensen was able to move his arms and legs after being taken off the field on a backboard in the second quarter. Sorensen was covering a kickoff when he was blocked simultaneously by the Lions' Caleb Campbell and Andre Fluellen. He was responsive when he was taken to a Detroit hospital for further evaluation. Sorensen was diagnosed with a concussion. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/03 According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Chargers acquired WR Patrick Crayton from the Cowboys in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick. ... From the Cowboys' perspective, Crayton's $2 million price tag was too large for him to be kept as a No. 4 or 5 WR.

9/02 According to the Associated Press, the Cowboys are going into the season feeling a lot better about PK David Buehler. ... Limited to kickoffs as a rookie last season, Buehler showed he can handle placekicks, too, by making field goals of 51, 45 and 40 yards -- all with plenty of room to spare -- then nailing a 31-yarder as time expired to lift the Cowboys past the Miami Dolphins 27-25 in the preseason finale Thursday night. ... Third-string QB Stephen McGee also boosted the club's confidence, throwing a perfect 43-yard touchdown pass to Sam Hurd against the Dolphins' starting defense, then leading the Cowboys on the winning drive in the final 2 minutes. The Cowboys used only one likely starter, FB Deon Anderson, but held their own while the Dolphins' top units played into the second quarter. ... McGee was 27 of 42 for 304 yards with a sack and no turnovers. He had a quarterback rating of 93.8. ... Tony Romo and the rest of the Cowboys' first-teamers suited up and went through warm-ups, then watched from the bench. ... For what it's worth, Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland and Cowboys WR Dez Bryant shook hands and spoke for about a minute before the game, seemingly having patched things up since Ireland asked during a pre-draft interview whether Bryant's mother was a prostitute. Ireland already had apologized, but this was their first face-to-face meeting since. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 According to USA Today's Jarrett Bell, owner Jerry Jones still has questions about Marion Barber's ability to avoid injury. Jones isn't, however, going to question Barber's toughness. "Barber's not the guy that can just take it and play with pain," Jones says. "He wants to give it back." Still, Jones wonders how long Barber will last in the NFL's war of attrition. "His liability is that he will never not be physical," Jones says. "You have to worry about his ability to get through a season. He doesn't get any 'free' stuff. There's always something happening at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of every damn run. ..." Barber has been relatively durable, missing four starts in two seasons but the Cowboys also have Felix Jones, a first-round pick in 2008. As Bell explained, Jones is the instant big-play threat, a dangerous edge runner and ultimate complement to the physical inside pounding that Barber brings. "Barber is a guy that can inspire you when you're trying to set a tone and tell 'em, 'Here we are,' at the start of a game," Jerry Jones says. But the owner/GM is a bit conflicted. He remembers how effective Barber was as a finisher coming off the bench to wear down defenses as the game progressed, scoring 24 rushing touchdowns in 2006 and 2007, when he earned his first Pro Bowl berth. Asked if he believed Barber should be the starter, Jones evokes the name of his former coach and says, "I don't, but our coaches do. Bill Parcells doesn't. Parcells thinks that Barber's the finisher. Save him and wear 'em down at the end. But our coaches like to use him early, that physical part, to establish that." HC Wade Phillips and OC Jason Garrett contend that they expect the status quo for a pecking order in their backfield. Barber had nearly twice as many carries last season as Felix Jones, and rushed for 932 yards. "He needs to be out there," Phillips says of Barber. "He's that type of back." Phillips, whose offense ranked No. 2 in 2009, says he sees no need to try to manage Barber's touches or ask him to engage defenders any less. With the deep backfield, Barber averaged about 15 rushes per game last season. "You can't change a guy's running style," Phillips told Bell. "He's so strong, so powerful, he can ignite your team early in a game -- and late in a game. ..." As long as he's healthy. And as long as Jerry Jones isn't dictating personnel packages during the games.

9/02 Sam Hurd is not looking to leave the Cowboys, but he is hoping for a chance to be a regular contributor as a WR. According to Dallas Morning News staffer Todd Archer, the Cowboys have had some inquiries on Hurd's availability but nothing appears imminent. Archer went on to explain Hurd finds himself in a precarious spot with the Cowboys in part because of his $1.759 million salary and spot on the depth chart at WR. While he has had a solid camp and preseason (a team-high 11 catches for 132 yards), he does not appear to be at the top of the rotation with Miles Austin, Roy Williams, Dez Bryant and Patrick Crayton working more with the regulars. Hurd, however, is one of the Cowboys best special teams players. He had 19 special teams' tackles to lead the unit. ... Archer also pointed out that St. Louis lost its No. 1 receiver, Donnie Avery, to injury last week and has an inexperienced crew of wide outs. Kansas City, coached by former Cowboy assistant Todd Haley, could be another possibility. Should the Cowboys part ways with Hurd he would become a free agent and not subject to waivers.

9/01 Following up on a previous item. ... WR Roy Williams missed Tuesday's practice with a strained lower back and hip flexor. Williams wouldn't talk about his injuries, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he expects Williams to be in the starting lineup against the Washington Redskins. "I have no reason, the trainers have given me no indication that he won’t be (ready for the opener)," Jones said. ... According to Fort Worth Star-Telegram staff writer Charean Williams, Roy Williams has had a good training camp. He caught three passes for 39 yards against the Texans last Saturday night. Most of the starters will sit out the final exhibition game, so Williams was not expected to play Thursday night anyway.

9/01 Dez Bryant's debut will have to wait for the Sept. 12 season opener at Washington. ... According to the Dallas Morning News, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said before Wednesday's Kickoff Luncheon at Cowboys Stadium that Bryant will not play Thursday against Miami in part because the first-team offense will not play. ... Bryant returned to practice on Tuesday for the first time since suffering a high right ankle sprain on July 30 at San Antonio. WRs coach Ray Sherman said Bryant looked good in practice but his conditioning needs work.

8/31 According to ESPN.com, Dez Bryant returned to practice Tuesday, but the Cowboys were still missing a high-profile WR. ... Roy Williams did not practice due to a strained lower back and hip flexor. According to ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon, the ailments are not expected to sideline Williams for the Sept. 12 season opener. Most of the starters won't play the preseason finale anyway. ... HC Wade Phillips said he still hasn't determined whether Bryant, who had been sidelined since suffering a high ankle sprain July 30, will play in Thursday's preseason finale. Bryant has said he wants to get a feel for the game before the regular season, but Phillips intends to consult with the team's medical and athletic training staff after watching Bryant practice this week before making a decision. "Let me see what he does in practice and we'll just go from there," Phillips said. "I would like to see him play with the first group if he were going to play, but overall, that wouldn't happen."

8/31 Rookie WR Dez Bryant ran routes and caught passes from Stephen McGee under the supervision of WRs coach Ray Sherman for at least 15 minutes before other players started warming up for Saturday's pre-season game against the Houston Texans. ... A similar session, in which Bryant ran three-quarters speed, was halted Thursday by associate athletic trainer Britt Brown. Bryant jogged through the rest of his routes that afternoon. There were no signs that Bryant's right ankle gave him any trouble Saturday afternoon. He made several sharp cuts off his right foot without problems. Bryant plans to push to play in the preseason finale Thursday against the Miami Dolphins. As ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon suggested, the Cowboys' training staff is likely to exercise caution with the first-round pick, but there's no question he'll be ready for the Sept. 12 season opener against the Washington Redskins.

8/31 The Cowboys waived TE Scott Sicko and WR Terrell Hudgins on Monday. As Profootballtalk.com suggested, it looked like Sicko had a decent shot to make the team with John Phillips headed to injured reserve, but Dallas will keep just two TEs.

8/31 Don't look now but the Cowboys' offense is still sputtering. ... As Associated Press sports writer Chris Duncan noted, Tony Romo was sacked twice and fumbled, and Dallas (2-2) mustered only 7 yards rushing before the reserves took over late in the third quarter of Saturday night's 23-7 loss in Houston. ... The Cowboys' starters haven't put together a legitimate touchdown drive in four pre-season games. Their only touchdown came on a possession that started at the 8-yard line against San Diego last week. The starting offense drove inside the Texans' 20-yard line twice Saturday, but coughed up sloppy turnovers both times. Those miscues came after the unit lost yardage on five of its first nine plays, two of them sacks by the Texans. ... The Cowboys' No. 1 defense wasn't much better. ... The Cowboys mounted their first promising drive in the second quarter, aided by two Houston penalties. On first down from the Texans 16, Romo flipped a pitch out of Felix Jones' reach, the ball bounced backward and Houston LB DeMeco Ryans recovered. ... The Cowboys gained only 96 yards in the half -- 30 on a meaningless long pass from Romo to Miles Austin in the final seconds. Dallas couldn't get off another snap before time expired. ... Romo guided the Cowboys to the Houston 13 later in the third quarter, then fumbled a snap and lost 4 yards. Two plays later a pass intended for Jason Witten was deflected and intercepted. ... Kubiak pulled his defensive starters, and Kitna threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Ogletree with 12:51 left in the game. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/04 The Broncos have announced their final roster moves which include the release of TE Marquez Branson, WR Britt Davis and TE Riar Geer. The team also placed WR Brandon Stokley on injured reserve. According to the Denver Post, Stokley’s contract will be terminated as soon as his agent and the team work out an injury settlement. Stokley suffered a groin injury a couple days after the Broncos’ first pre-season game. ... As Post staffer Mike Klis notes, Branson had been the Broncos’ replacement to Tony Scheffler but as preseason went along, he had issues with dependability and durability. Newly-acquired Dan Gronkowski -- a good receiver but not considered much of a blocker -- is now Scheffler’s replacement.

9/04 As ESPN insider Adam Schefter notes, the Broncos used a high pick on CB Alphonso Smith and now traded him to the same place as Tony Scheffler for TE Dan Gronkowski.

9/03 Following up on an ongoing story. ... The Broncos have placed RB LenDale White on injured reserve, officially ending the veteran's 2010 season.

9/03 Following up on a previous item. ... According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, RB LenDale White tore his Achilles tendon in last night's game against the Vikings. He is out for the season.

9/02 Rookie QB Tim Tebow got the start and played reasonably well, but the Vikings forced four first-half turnovers and beat the Broncos 31-24 on Thursday night in the preseason finale for both teams. ... Tebow fumbled his first snap, Erin Henderson found the ball and scooted into the end zone from 35 yards out for the Vikings. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and first-round draft pick from Florida then threw a wobbler over the middle that was easily intercepted and returned for 41 yards to set up a field goal. ... TE Marquez Branson and RB Bruce Hall lost fumbles on Denver's next two drives and Minnesota led 17-7 at halftime despite a meager 54 yards of offense. ... Tebow called it a night after hitting 12 of 16 attempts for 167 yards, a touchdown and the interception. ... As previously noted, LenDale White left the game in the first half with an injured ankle. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 RB LenDale White was carted to the locker room with an injured right ankle suffered in the second quarter of tonight's game against the Vikings. The team says his return is doubtful. ... Stay tuned. More as further details are released.

9/02 As Denver Post staffer Mike Klis pointed out, QB Tim Tebow and backup RB LenDale White played Sunday against Pittsburgh despite practicing with injury limitations last week. So there is precedent for Knowshon Moreno to play Thursday against the Vikings. It would still be a surprise, though, because of the shortened work week and Moreno's admission that his hamstring is only 80 percent healed (see previous item). "I'm not really sure. It's whatever coach wants to do," Moreno said. "I'm just trying to get healthy, get better and get back. ..." Whether he plays this week or not, Klis advises readers that Moreno is expected to be a starter in the Broncos' opener at Jacksonville.

9/01 Following up on an ongoing story. ... Knowshon Moreno resumed practicing for the first time since hurting his right hamstring on the first day of training camp Aug. 1. ... Moreno, who remains No. 1 on the team's depth chart, pronounced himself "80-some percent" healed from the injury. It's unlikely he'll play in the Broncos' preseason finale at Minnesota on Thursday, however. ... According to the Associated Press, HC Josh McDaniels said he isn't worried about Moreno being OK for the regular season without a training camp because he went through something similar last season as a rookie, when he held out at the start of camp and then sprained a knee in his first preseason game. ... For what it's worth, Tuesday marked the first day Denver's top three tailbacks -- Moreno, Correll Buckhalter and LenDale White -- were on the field together. ... Also on the injury front: Denver Post staffer Mike Klis reports that LT Ryan Clady reportedly could suit up for Thursday night's preseason finale against the Vikings. Clady returned to practice on Tuesday, but he performed in an orange no-touchy jersey. The third-year man, who has started every game of his career, partially tore a patellar tendon while playing basketball in April.

8/31 According to Denver Post staffer Lindsay Jones, Knowshon Moreno returned to practice for first time since Aug. 1. Moreno was wearing an orange no-contact jersey. ... Stay tuned. We'll follow up with more as further details come to light.

8/31 As Denver Post staffer Jeff Legwold, Knowshon Moreno suffered a hamstring injury during the first practice of the first day of training camp and has not practiced since. He missed most of training camp last year after a brief holdout and then because of a sprained knee he suffered in the preseason opener in San Francisco. Per Legwold, the Broncos have been bringing him back slowly. Moreno has been working with the team's strength coaches every day and going through his rehab with the team's trainers. He's usually walking over to the Broncos' weight room when the team begins its practice each day. Despite all that, Post staff write Mike Klis advised readers that Moreno was moving gingerly in pre-game warmups Sunday night. And because it appears the Broncos hope his first competitive carry comes in the regular-season opener in Jacksonville, Fantasy owners drafting him in coming days will essentially be flying blind. ... So are the Broncos, of course. Moreno, Correll Buckhalter and LenDale White have missed significant time with injuries in training camp -- Buckhalter and White have just returned to practice -- so the team's running game is still a question mark. ... As Legwold summed up, "The Broncos have high hopes for Moreno to be their three-down back, and he said he feels stronger. He appears to have added some bulk in the upper body during the offseason to guard against the decline he had as the 2009 season wore on."

8/31 According to the Denver Post, the Broncos released RB Justin Fargas on Monday. Fargas, the former Oakland Raider, was signed during the second week of training camp. He got only one carry in Sunday's game against Pittsburgh.

8/31 The Broncos got a bit of a scare in their 34-17 win over Pittsburgh on Sunday night. QB Kyle Orton was shaken up in the first half and left the game briefly after taking a hit from Steelers LB James Harrison. Orton tried to make the tackle after Harrison picked up a loose ball and rumbled toward the end zone in the second quarter. Orton tried to tackle him low but Harrison put his helmet down and hit Orton on the back of the head and his left shoulder as he fell out of bounds. While Orton was down, the officials huddled and ruled the play was an incomplete pass. Brady Quinn replaced Orton and was sacked on the next snap. Orton returned to the game on the Broncos' next series. Orton finished 9-for-14 for 80 yards with one interception. ... Rookie Tim Tebow made his home debut for Denver. He missed last week's game with bruised ribs he sustained on a 7-yard dart into the end zone on the game's final play in his pro debut at Cincinnati. He had mixed results, throwing an interception that set up a touchdown and then throwing a touchdown pass to fellow rookie Eric Decker. ... LenDale White scored a touchdown, his first for his hometown team that brought him into camp after injuries to Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter, neither of whom has played in the preseason. The Broncos' bottled-up ground game finally found some traction with Lance Ball gaining 75 yards on 10 carries. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/05 The Lions claimed TE Spencer Havner off waivers from Green Bay. To make room on the roster, the Lions cut WR/KR Dennis Northcutt.9/04 According to MLive.com's Tom Kowalski, the Lions have reached the 53-man roster limit. Among those released were: WR Brian Clark, RB DeDe Dorsey, PK Steven Hauschka, WR Michael Moore and WR Tim Toone. ... Also worth noting: CB Dre' Bly and S Ko Simpson were also released.

9/04 According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Lions acquired CB Alphonso Smith from the Broncos in exchange for TE Dan Gronkowski.

9/02 According to Associated Press sports writer Larry Lage, Matthew Stafford had an interception returned for a touchdown, but third-stringer Drew Stanton threw a pair of second-half touchdown passes to lif the Detroit Lions to a 28-23 win over the Buffalo Bills in their preseason finale Thursday night. ... Stafford’s second pass was picked off by Drayton Florence and Detroit punted on his second and last drive. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 According to MLive.com's Tom Kowalski, there are a lot of candidates to fill the WR position at No. 4 and No. 5 spots. ... Brian Clark is heavily involved in special teams, so he seems like a good candidate to stick. Derrick Williams was a third-round pick from last season and the Lions probably don't want to give up on him already. However, Kowalski notes that veteran Dennis Northcutt has two things going for him: He's an experienced punt returner and most of his $1.55 million salary is guaranteed. Rookies Mike Moore and Tim Toone have potential, but they're more likely to find themselves on the practice squad.

9/01 According to the Detroit Free Press, Jason Hanson looked good in practice Tuesday, when he booted a 45-yard field goal into a slight wind. Hanson, who is coming off minor surgery on his left (non-kicking) knee, is expected to make his season debut Thursday. Hanson is entering his 19th season and has been itching to return and get comfortable with the routines and flow of the game. "I'd skip some of the practices, if I could," he said. "But I would take the preseason games. For me, the only thing that really is helpful anymore once I'm in kicking form is feel of the game, running out there, get one shot, the sights, the sounds. ..." Although Hanson is relegated to bye-week filler status, he will be working alongside what appears to be an improving offense in Detroit.

9/01 According to the Detroit Free Press, the Lions know what they have in RB Kevin Smith. They know they have a hard worker who has played through injury, a starter for two NFL seasons, and a complete back who knows how to block and doesn't miss assignments. But as Free Press sports writer Carlos Monarrez notes, they also know Smith is a player coming off knee surgery who doesn't play special teams, has not shown explosiveness and has a 2.4-yard rushing average -- second-worst among the Lions' RBs in the exhibition season. Monarrez further explained, the Lions have been fond of Smith, but when NFL rosters have to be trimmed to 53 players by Saturday, the Lions may have a tough decision with Smith. "I don't know," HC Jim Schwartz said Tuesday. "I'll cross that bridge when we get there. I don't know that there's very many people that have 100 percent earned a spot. ..." Smith struggled Saturday when he had his biggest workload of the exhibition season against Cleveland. He had eight carries for 20 yards, and his longest run was seven yards. He also fumbled a ball that was returned for the Browns' first touchdown. On the Lions' next play from scrimmage, QB Matthew Stafford completed a nine-yard pass to Smith. On the next play, Smith took the handoff, slipped and lost one yard. The Lions went three-and-out, punted and the Browns scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive. Smith had a scheduled day of rest Tuesday and did not practice as coaches prepared to give him a good chunk of work in Thursday's exhibition finale against Buffalo. ... Smith's performance will be worth watching.

8/31 As the Detroit News reported, Jahvid Best took the handoff on the Lions' first play from scrimmage against the Browns last Saturday, darted through a hole blasted out by Dominic Raiola and Stephen Peterman, and dashed 51 yards. On the second play he caught a short pass, broke a tackle and turned it into a 10-yard gain. On the third play, Matthew Stafford hit Bryant Johnson in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. And Best was done for the day. ... "He was a little tight," HC Jim Schwartz said. "He could've continued to play. He didn't get hurt or anything like that, he just said he didn't feel loose. I didn't feel like stretching that for the preseason. ..." As News staffer Chris McCosky, it worked out well from a coaching standpoint. Best has all but locked up the starting running back spot and they had plenty of time to assess Kevin Smith (20 yards in eight carries with a fumble) and the other backs.

8/31 As Associated Press sports writer Larry Lage reported it, Matthew Stafford threw a touchdown pass, rookie Jahvid Best had a 51-yard run and Aaron Brown scored twice in the fourth quarter to lift the Detroit Lions to a 35-27 win over the Browns in a preseason game last Saturday night. ... Stafford was 13 of 17 for 141 yards and connected with Bryant Johnson in the end zone on Detroit's first drive. The Lions were spectacular on their first drive with Stafford handing off to Best for a 51-yard run on their first play, throwing a 10-yard pass to him on the second and lofting a 7-yard TD to Johnson on the third. Kevin Smith stunted Detroit's second possession with a fumble, an incomplete pass stopped the next drive and the third ended with a punt on fourth-and-1 at the Browns 45 as the crowd booed. Detroit's fans had a reason to cheer one play later because Jerome Harrison fumbled and Chris Houston returned it 14 yards for a score. .. Smith tried to make up for his fumble with a touchdown in the third quarter to pull the Lions within three points and Brown put them ahead in the fourth with enough speed to get into the end zone twice. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/02 Aaron Rodgers and a host of other Packers starters didn't suit up for the final preseason game. Backup signal-caller Matt Flynn played into the third quarter and hit 23 of 37 passes for 304 yards, much of it against backups in a 17-13 loss to Kansas City Chiefs. ... According to the Associated Press, RB Ryan Grant and CB Charles Woodson also did not dress for what was predicted to be a rainy night but actually remained dry. Nine other Packers were held out with injuries, including four other starters: LBs Clay Matthews and Brad Jones, DE Cullen Jenkins and OT Chad Clifton. ... Rodgers, who led the No. 1 offense on three touchdown drives in one half against the Indianapolis Colts last Thursday, watched Flynn go three-and-out in the Packers' first four possessions. ... Trailing 14-3, the Packers got a 77-yard catch-and-run when backup CB Jackie Bates bit on a play fake and left Brett Swain wide open over the middle. Swain was knocked out of bounds at the 5. Two plays later, Kregg Lumpkin dived into the end zone from the 1. The play was first ruled no gain, but the Packers challenged and got the call reversed. ... Three WRs had a big night for the Packers. Swain caught six passes for 130 yards, Charles Dillon caught six for 85 and Patrick Williams had five catches for 70 yards. Mason Crosby kicked two 41-yard field goals for the Packers. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 As the Kansas City Star notes, Aaron Rodgers hasn’t been sacked in 53 attempts during the preseason. While we try not to read too much into the preseason, that's certainly another factor to add to the already huge stack of factors weighing in Rodgers' favor. We'll go ahead and remind you that Rodgers was sacked a (co-)league high 50 times last year.

9/01 If three exhibition games mean anything, and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel staffer Bob McGinn believes in this case they most assuredly do, TE Jermichael Finley isn't going to be spending much time standing next to HC Mike McCarthy on Sundays this fall. ... As McGinn put it, "[Finley is] too good. He must be on the field. ..." Unfortunately for one of the NFL's premier corps of WRs, that means some of its members will get less playing time than they deserve. McGinn used Jordy Nelson as an example. In 12 snaps of seven-on-seven on Monday, Nelson was the leader with two receptions. The third-year man probably has made more plays down the field than Greg Jennings, Donald Driver or James Jones, although Jones would be close. Nelson has scarcely dropped a pass, seems immune to traffic over the middle and appears to be more precise on his entire route tree. But Jones has played as well if not better. Against the Colts, McCarthy and position coach Jimmy Robinson started Jones rather than Nelson when Jennings' back rendered him unavailable. Bottom line? McGinn tosses out the obvious: "Finley and the Big Four could use more than one football. ..." But they only get one and it's going to be difficult for Fantasy owners to get a feel for who might lose touches to Finley until that one ball starts flying around. We suspect the starters -- Jennings and Driver -- are going to get theirs. But you have to wonder if Jones and Nelson can be consistently productive enough to be legitimate, front-line Fantasy prospects.

8/31 According to the Green Bay Press Gazette, the Packers will play the first six games of 2010 without CB Al Harris. Harris missed the entire offseason and training camp while recovering from knee reconstruction surgery after sustaining the season-ending injury in Week 11 against San Francisco. Reports surfaced two weeks ago that the 35-year-old would return to practice Aug. 23, but that never happened. “Al Harris is definitely getting better, he’s getting close,” HC Mike McCarthy told USA Today. “But he’s going to have to start the season on the PUP (physically unable to perform list). ...” Meanwhile, S Atari Bigby and RB James Starks were also added to the PUP list Tuesday afternoon, while RB Quinn Porter was put on injured reserve.

8/31 According to Green Bay Press-Gazette staffer Rob Demovsky, RB Quinn Porter is believed to have an MCL sprain and is likely to miss two to four weeks. Porter is seeking a second opinion. Per Demovsky, this leaves the Packers with a dilemma and could put Porter's roster spot in jeopardy. A player cannot be placed on PUP once they have practiced in camp. With rookie James Starks (hamstring) still without a timetable for a return, Kregg Lumpkin is now the heavy favorite for the No. 3 tailback job.

8/31 OC Joe Philbin was asked last Thursday night about the prospect of the Packers keeping five TEs on their 53-man roster to open the season. "We have to see," the coach said. "Those guys all do some good things, but I'm not sure where we're at with all that stuff. But pretty soon we'll have to, I guess, start making decisions. ..." As Madison.com's Tom Ziemer suggested, the very thought of keeping that many tight ends would seem ridiculous, but the Packers face a genuine dilemma. Starter Jermichael Finley is an obvious lock, Ziemer believes the uncertainty begins immediately after the young superstar in waiting. Seven-year veteran Donald Lee is coming off a poor season, but is a reliable blocker. Converted LB Spencer Havner showed potential as a pass-catcher last season and is one of the Packers' core special teams players. Fifth-round pick Andrew Quarless has had an up-and-down camp, but has potential. And then there's Tom Crabtree, who spent the end of last season on Green Bay's practice squad but has been one of the surprise standouts of camp.

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9/04 Following up on a previous item. ... Although initial reports indicated the Texans released PK Kris Brown, that isn't the case. Brown has been placed on injured reserve, which means that he's still part of the team and will be paid unless/until released with a settlement agreement. Neil Rackers will be the team's kicker this season. ... Also: The Texans released the following players on Saturday: FB Jack Corcoran, TE Derek Fine, WR Derrick Townsel, QB John David Booty and RBs Chris Henry and Jeremiah Johnson. ... Johnson and Henry could return as practice squad players.

9/03 Following up on the previous item. ... The Houston Texans are signing free agent RB Derrick Ward according to Houston Chronicle beat writer John McClain. Profootballtalk.com is confirming McClain's report, indicating the former Buccaneer and Giant signed a one-year contract. ... Ward was chosen over Justin Fargas, who also worked out for the team earlier today.

9/03 According to Houston Chronicle staffer John McClain, the injury RB Jeremiah Johnson suffered in Thursday night's game was a dislocated toe. The injury could sideline him for a month. ... As previously noted, the Texans had free-agent RBs Justin Fargas and Derrick Ward in for workouts today.

9/03 HC Gary Kubiak told reporters on Friday that WR Andre' Davis was headed to injured reserve and that QB John David Booty will be released. That leaves the team with just two QBs on the current roster -- Matt Schaub and Dan Orlovsky. Kubiak suggested he could add a practice squad QB. ... Also: The Texans, who have issues at RB, looked at RBs Derrick Ward and Justin Fargas today. Both Steve Slaton and Jeremiah Johnson have turf toe issues. Arian Foster and Chris Henry are the only completely healthy RBs. ... And finally: Kubiak said PK Kris Brown, who was released, was the first player he met with this morning. Brown was the only original Texan on the roster prior to his release. Neil Rackers takes over as the team's PK.

9/03 According to Houston Chronicle staffer John McClain, the Texans are keeping PK Neil Rackers over Kris Brown, who was the last original Texan. ... An official announcement is expected later today.

9/02 Backup QB Dan Orlovsky started and threw a pair of interceptions -- one returned 91 yards for a TD -- in Thursday night's 24-17 home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. ... As the Associated Press reported, third-stringer John David Booty played the second half and threw touchdown passes to Bobby Williams and Derek Fine. Booty completed 17 of 37 passes for 209 yards. ... Nearly all the starters sat out for the Texans, including QB Matt Schaub, WR Andre Johnson, DE Mario Williams and LBs Brian Cushing and DeMeco Ryans. ... Kris Brown came up short on a 56-yard field-goal try on the final play of the half. It was a potentially pivotal miss, as HC Gary Kubiak decides whether to keep Brown or free-agent acquisition Neil Rackers. Brown, the last player remaining from the Texans' inaugural 2002 season, missed 11 field-goal tries last season, prompting the team to bring in Rackers to compete for the job. Neither missed a kick in the first three preseason games. Rackers kicked a 21-yard field goal to cut Tampa Bay's lead to 17-10. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 The Texans announced that RB Jeremiah Johnson suffered a right toe sprain in tonight's game against the Buccaneers. His return is questionable. As HoustonTexans.com staffer Nick Scurfield notes, Arian Foster, who's resting, and Steve Slaton, who has a toe injury himself, are not playing tonight. That leaves Chris Henry as the last running back left standing for the Texans for the rest of the game, depending of course on whether Johnson returns.

9/02 With Steve Slaton out with a toe strain and starter Arian Foster unlikely to play, RBs Jeremiah Johnson and Chris Henry will have featured roles in tonight's game. "Those two guys will have to step up and make this team this week," Kubiak said. ... Per the team's official web site, Johnson, an undrafted free agent in 2009, has moved up to third on the depth chart. He missed his entire rookie season with a shoulder injury. He led the Texans with five carries for 33 yards in the pre-season opener and gained 53 yards on nine carries against the Cowboys. Henry has only four carries for eight yards this preseason, but he has shown bursts of talent in practice and shown up on special teams. ... "Jeremiah has shown good run ability; needs to shore himself up in all the other phases of the game to go out there and work with Matt Schaub and those guys," HC Gary Kubiak said. "Henry continues to do a few good things [on special teams]."

9/01 Because HC Gary Kubiak is resting many of his starters for Thursday night's game against Tampa Bay at Reliant Stadium, the Houston Chronicle reports that backup QB Dan Orlovsky will start and play most of the game. "Dan's had a good camp and preseason," Kubiak said. "He's been more consistent, and he's protected the ball better. He'll play most of the game. ... I'd like to get [John David] Booty some time in the fourth quarter. We'll have to see how it goes. ..." While Orlovsky is improving, nobody should believe he's capable of running the offense at a level even remotely resembling the level Matt Schaub play at. The Texans -- and especially those involved in the passing attack -- will suffer greatly should something happen to Schaub. ... Also: Kickers Kris Brown and Neil Rackers are still even in their competition. They have one more game for one of them to gain the upper hand. "That's going to be a tough decision, and I'm going to feel bad about it, but it's part of the game," Kubiak said. "I can't tell you how well they done and how impressive they've been in the way they've handled the situation. ..." We're still betting on Rackers to come out on top; a sore foot isn't helping Brown's cause.

8/31 Matt Schaub was 18-of-29 for 183 yards and one touchdown, a 24-yarder to Jacoby Jones in the first quarter of Saturday's win over the Cowboys. He had a passer rating of 91.6 and was not sacked. "I thought we were efficient," Schaub said. "I thought we executed our game plan. We had a good week's worth of practice. We went out and executed. Our offensive line really played well against a good front seven. The running backs ran well. Vonta (Leach) did a great job. Our receivers continued to make some plays for me. ..." Unlikely to play against the Bucs on Thursday, Schaub's preseason totals are 31-of-45 passing for 378 yards, two touchdown passes and no interceptions in three games. His cumulative passer rating is 109.3.

8/31 According to the team's official web site, TE Owen Daniels returned to practice for the first time in 10 months. Daniels (knee) passed a physical on Monday and was removed from the active/PUP list, which had precluded him from practicing since the start of training camp. "He took about 15 plays in practice, got to push ground a little bit, looked good," HC Gary Kubiak said. "That's a first step. (He'll) probably take a few more each day, but you won't see him on Thursday night. But he looks good. ..." Meanwhile, PK Kris Brown (plantar fasciitis) and RB Steve Slaton (toe strain) both watched practice while wearing a walking boot on Monday. Slaton is expected to be ready for Week 1. Kubiak said that Brown, who kicked through his injury on Saturday, would be back on the practice field Tuesday.

8/31 For those who missed it previously. ... The Texans announced Monday that TE Owen Daniels passed his physical and was removed from the active/Physically Unable to Perform list. This allows Daniels to resume practicing with the team less than two weeks before the regular-season opener against Indianapolis. ... Also in case you missed: HC Gary Kubiak told reporters on Sunday the best-case scenario has Daniels being on the field for 15-20 snaps Week 1. ... Also: The Texans announced that they placed RB Ben Tate and WR/KR Trindon Holliday on the reserve/injured list. Both rookies suffered season-ending injuries that required surgery in the Texans' Aug. 14 preseason opener at Arizona.

8/31 RB Steve Slaton left Saturday's game against the Cowboys early with turf toe. He had only three carries for six yards and did not return any kickoffs. Kubiak said that Slaton is unlikely to play on Thursday in the preseason finale against the Buccaneers, but he could be ready for the regular season opener against the Colts on Sept. 12. "My rookie year, the same thing happened against the Cowboys and I missed the last preseason game, so I guess it's a little bad luck with them," Slaton said. "But it'll get better. It's not too, too bad. I'll be ready… It'll heal with treatment. (I've got) plenty of time. ..." Also: PK Kris Brown made a 22-yard field goal and averaged 73 yards on three kickoffs, but HC Gary Kubiak said that Brown was experiencing pain from plantar fasciitis during pregame warmups. "We're hoping to get that under control as we go into Tampa Bay," Kubiak said. "We'll see. He has kicked with it before. ..." Brown is battling Neil Rackers for a job in Houston.

8/31 As Associated Press sports writer Chris Duncan noted, the Houston Texans' running game is showing progress. Arian Foster rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown, Matt Schaub threw a TD pass to Jacoby Jones and the Texans routed the Cowboys 23-7 on Saturday night. ... Foster, who emerged as Houston's most dependable running back late last season, became the first Texan to go over 100 yards rushing in a preseason game. The Texans finished with 173 yards rushing, an encouraging sign for HC Gary Kubiak, whose team ranked 30th in rushing (92 yards per game) last season. ... Houston's defense also played well, a week after giving up 409 yards in a 38-20 loss to New Orleans. Rookie Kareem Jackson returned an interception 64 yards, and the Texans (1-2) held the Cowboys' first-team offense to 135 total yards. ... Neil Rackers hit a 23-yard field goal with 9:22 left in the first half for a 10-0 lead. Rackers and Kris Brown are locked in a tight competition for the kicking job. Brown kicked a 22-yard field goal in the final minute before halftime to make it 13-0. Rackers kicked a 23-yard field goal for a 23-0 lead with 3:09 left in the third quarter. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/04 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Colts have released QB Tom Brandstater.

9/02 As the Associated Press reported, Peyton Manning didn't play in Thursday night's 30-28 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Most of the Colts' starters took the night off as expected. ... Curtis Painter got the start at QB and completed nine of 20 passes for 114 yards. Backup Tom Brandstater completed 10 of 18 passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns, all to rookie Brandon James. ... Tonight's loss made this year the the sixth winless preseason in Colts history. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 With tonight's home game against the Bengals the last bit of business on their preseason schedule, Indianapolis Star staffer Mike Chappell notes there's little chance the Colts will expose Peyton Manning, RB Joseph Addai, WR Reggie Wayne or several other front-line players -- offensive as well as defensive -- to unnecessary risk. "If you look at our history," HC Jim Caldwell said Monday, "don't expect anything to deviate much from the norm. ..." As Chappell reminded readers, the norm for this point in the preseason has been for several starters, Manning foremost among them, to go through pregame warm-ups, then spend the game standing leisurely on the sideline. Manning hasn't played in a pre-season finale since 2004, when he directed one series. So, if the No. 1 offense has seen its last action of the preseason, has it made the necessary progress? Manning emphasized there's still work to be done, and time to do it. "I think we need to use these next two weeks of practice," he told Chappell. "We're still working on things, still installing things." To insist the offense is ready for the regular-season opener against the Texans, Manning added, "wouldn't be accurate." And the truth is, the projected starting unit has yet to be together for as much as one snap in the three preseason games. Pro Bowl C Jeff Saturday (knee), LT Charlie Johnson (sprained right foot) and TE Dallas Clark (left leg) have missed all three games. WRs Pierre Garcon (undisclosed injury) and Austin Collie (undisclosed) and RG Kyle DeVan (hamstring) have missed one game. ... Still, in the three games, Manning has directed 15 drives that have generated five touchdowns, two field goals, five punts and three turnovers. But Chappell points out there have been problem areas, and many can be traced to the patchwork offensive line. Despite a few impressive bursts from Addai, Chappell notes the running game has been lackluster. Addai has broken free for runs of 49 and 17 yards, and added a tenacious 7-yard touchdown against San Francisco. His other 11 carries have netted 11 yards. One carry by backup Donald Brown was a 13-yard gain. His other 13 have netted 12 yards. That has to improve.

9/01 According to New York Times reporter Judy Battista, NFL teams received a memo on Tuesday outlining tweaks that the league hopes will smooth out the move of the umpire to the offensive backfield. ... The new position provoked harsh criticism last week from Peyton Manning, who said it seemed to him the league did not take into account how some offenses operate when it made the rule. The Colts, who run a no-huddle offense to great success, were penalized twice during last week’s preseason game for snapping the ball before the umpire was in position. The bad news for Manning and other teams who have been concerned about the impact on the hurry-up offense ever since the move was made in the spring, is that the umpire is staying on the offensive side of the ball, Carl Johnson, the NFL’s vice president for officiating said Monday. The competition committee moved the umpire, who used to stand in the middle of the defense, for his own safety after several umpires were injured last year. The good news for hurry-up offenses is that the NFL has made a few subtle changes -- and more could be coming, perhaps in the form of a shift to the umpire’s position. In the end, look for the league to make all the adjustments necessary to keep the scoreboard lit up. The NFL knows which side its bread is buttered on and keeping offenses moving keeps fans -- especially Fantasy owners -- happy. Don't think it's not a consideration.

8/31 As Profootballtalk.com's Michael David Smith noted Monday, Peyton Manning and GM Bill Polian are still steaming over the illegal snap penalties that were called in last week's preseason game, saying that the league's decision to move the umpires to the offensive side of the field -- and require the offense to wait to snap the ball until the umpire is in position -- could devastate their offense. ... "I am dead-set against the penalty," Polian told Peter King of SI.com. "It is insane. If I knew it would be this way, I'd have voted against it, and not only that, I'd have crusaded against it. ..." And there has indeed been a significant unintended consequence of the league's decision to move the umpires. Even NFL VP of officiating Carl Johnson admits that. "The way the new mechanic of the umpire positioning is, I don't have a resolution to that," Johnson told King. "It's going to take a couple extra seconds to spot the ball. There's no way around that." As Smith summed up: "This is a rule change that has the potential to be a nightmare for no-huddle offenses." Don't be surprised if the league makes some adjustments.

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9/03 According to the Associated Press, Maurice Jones-Drew expects to be back at practice next week. Jones-Drew has missed five consecutive practices, didn't travel to Tampa Bay last week and didn't dress for Thursday night's preseason finale against Atlanta. He denied an Internet report he had arthroscopic knee surgery, but acknowledged that he has been "taking care of all the nicks and bruises." He called the false report "a big mess over nothing. ..." Jones-Drew started every game last season and finished with a career-high 1,391 yards and 15 touchdowns. He carried 312 times and ranked third in the NFL with 365 touches, trailing only Tennessee's Chris Johnson and St. Louis' Steven Jackson. HC Jack Del Rio wants to limit Jones-Drew's touches this season, with backup Rashad Jennings sharing more of the workload. We'll believe it when we see it.

9/02 With most starters watching from the sideline, the Falcons and Jaguars took a last look at players vying for open roster spots. According to the Associated Press, no one really stood out on either team. ... FB Brock Bolen scored on a 16-yard run, and Josh Scobee kicked two field goals as the Jaguars beat the Falcons 13-9 on Thursday night. The teams exposed just a few starters to the preseason finale and the Jaguars had a measly 100 yards in the first half. ... Luke McCown filled in for David Garrard and completed 5 of 12 passes for 39 yards. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/01 According to FOXSports Florida, it's not out of the realm of possibility that the Jaguars keep six WRs on their final roster, but five is much more likely. Per the FOXSports report, Troy Williamson and Tiquan Underwood have a similar skill set, and they are the front-runners for the final spot. John Matthews has had a spectacular camp, but he is a possession receiver and doesn’t have the upside of the other two. ... For what it's worth, FOXSports notes that Mike Sims-Walker, Mike Thomas, Kassim Osgood and Jarett Dillard have all locked up roster spots.

8/31 Following up on an ongoing story (see Previous News Updates). ... Maurice Jones-Drew has not had knee surgery HC Jack Del Rio said Monday. Del Rio squelched the surgery rumors put out by the National Football Post which said Jones-Drew had the surgery. "No," he said. "No, has not happened, is not necessary. He's working, rehabbing, strengthening and gearing up for the regular season. ..." Because of the team's short week, they beat Tampa Saturday, Del Rio will give Jones-Drew, who has a sometimes balky left knee, more rest and he won't play against Atlanta on Thursday. Jones-Drew, who had 10 carries in the preseason last season, has only six carries for minus-two yards this preseason, but Del Rio told the Associated Press he'll worry about the diminutive back being in game shape later.

8/31 Backup QB Luke McCown showed his team the way to the end zone and a 19-13 preseason victory over the Buccaneers in Tampa on Saturday night. ... According to Associated Press sports writer Fred Goodall, Jacksonville moved the ball consistently with starter David Garrard at QB. But it settled for field goals on three promising drives and had its best possession of the night turned back by a goal-line interception that was returned 80 yards to set up Tampa Bay's only touchdown. ... McCown gave the Jaguars some relief from their frustration, throwing a 27-yard TD pass to John Matthews on his first attempt of the night to put Jacksonville up 16-13 late in the third quarter. Josh Scobee's fourth field goal provided the final margin of victory. ... Garrard, in what likely was his final tuneup for the regular season, played into the third quarter and completed 24 of 31 passes for 211 yards and one interception. HC Jack Del Rio has said he probably will not play many starters in Thursday's preseason finale against Atlanta.... The Jaguars played without RB Maurice Jones-Drew, who sat out three days of practice last week and did not make the trip to Tampa. The Pro Bowler's agent said the fifth-year pro is not injured and that the Jaguars were holding him out of the final two preseason games for "precautionary reasons. ..." Meanwhile, Jacksonville's running game sputtered again, despite having the first-team offensive line intact for the first time this preseason. After averaging just 2.4 yards per carry against Philadelphia and Miami, the Jaguars were limited to 33 yards on 11 attempts in the opening half, when both team's starters were on the field. ... Other than the goal-line interception, Garrard was efficient if not spectacular. He completed 15 of his first 17 passes for 134 yards and was 4 of 4 in marching the Jaguars into scoring position before Bucs LB Barrett Ruud stepped in front of his pass intended for Greg Jones. "Obviously that is a missed opportunity there," said Del Rio, who nevertheless was encouraged that the Jaguars took the ensuing kickoff and drove 49 yards in 11 plays to set up Scobee's 43-yard field goal just before halftime. "What I talked to the guys about tonight coming out was as a football team we have to learn how to respond positively. It's not always going to go the way you want," Del Rio said. "I thought we did a nice job coming back on the two-minute drill, moving down the field, having a shot at a touchdown, securing the points, so we go into halftime at least feeling good about how we finished the half. ..." (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/04 Among the Chiefs falling by the wayside as the team cut down to the 53-man limit were TE Leroy Banks and WR Rich Gunnell. ... Also: The team announced that S Jarrad Page signed his contract and he was immediately traded to New England in exchange for a conditional draft pick.

9/02 Matt Cassel and Brodie Croyle each led touchdown drives, and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Green Bay Packers, 17-13, Thursday night for their first preseason victory since 2008. ... As the Associated Press notes, Cassel got off to another slow start, but he wound up hitting 4 of 9 throws for 58 yards, with one interception and a 2-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Leonard Pope late in the first quarter. The drive, against many backups, covered 62 yards on 11 plays. Cassel turned a 7-0 lead over to Croyle and the oft-injured backup engineered an 8-play, 95-yard march in which Jackie Battle broke a tackle and went 49 yards. On fourth down, Battle plowed across from the 1, making it 14-0. ... Croyle hit Tim Castille with a short pass late in the third quarter and the FB broke a tackle, got a block and went 43 yards, setting up Ryan Succop's 26-yard field goal. ... The Chiefs were 1-3 in preseason after going 0-4 a year ago. ... Per the AP, the Chiefs' first possession seemed to confirm the impression many have had of Todd Haley's second team: inconsistent offense and greatly improved return game. Rookie Javier Arenas returned a punt 44 yards to the Packers 33, but the Chiefs went three-and-out. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/01 HC Todd Haley haven’t finalized the players’ play-time schedule for tomorrow night’s game against Green Bay, but KCChiefs.com's Josh Looney believes it’s a pretty safe bet that we’ll see a lot of QB Brodie Croyle. ... A year ago, most of the starters were seen exiting the Chiefs fourth preseason game by the start of the second quarter. Throw in the fact that Croyle hasn’t seen a game snap since the preseason opener in Atlanta, and it only furthers the assumption that he’s going to see plenty of live action against the Packer. Croyle had been sidelined with an arm injury for the past two weeks and only began throwing in full earlier this week. As it turns out, Croyle’s injury wasn’t such a bad thing. According to Looney, Croyle appears fine now and his absence allowed the club to see plenty of Tyler Palko. The Chiefs know what they have in Croyle, but Palko entered camp as somewhat of an unknown commodity. During the two games in which Croyle was held out, Kansas City only used two QBs. The end result got Palko on film for 42 pass attempts and a variety of different game situations. Now that starter Matt Cassel has had ample time to work with the new weapons that surround him and the team has seen plenty of Palko, it’s time to get the team’s top reserve quarterback back into the flow of things.

8/31 The Chiefs released WR Lance Long on Tuesday. In 2009, Long appeared in seven games and started one for the Chiefs. He caught 20 passes for 178 yards.

8/31 According to the Kansas City Star, the Chiefs believe that Dwayne Bowe, who has been advised to keep mum, is getting a grip on what it takes to be a successful WR. ... As Star staffer Kent Babb reported, difficult as it might be for Bowe to remain silent, there's little doubt that the Chiefs' plan for him is working -- at least for now. And Babb stressed that Bowe's silence is part of a plan. When reporters approached Bowe on Sunday, a team employee caught the player's eye and shook his head, reminding Bowe to keep quiet. Babb believes it was an indication that Bowe's silence is an organizationwide mandate. And again, it seems to be working. ... Bowe has, through training camp and three preseason games, been one of the Chiefs' most impressive players. He had four catches last Friday night in an exhibition loss to Philadelphia, and one of those was a touchdown. The old problems that once haunted Bowe -- the drops, the animated behavior that might have distracted him, the lack of focus -- appeared to be in the past. "He understands," HC Todd Haley said. "The message was clear to him what he had to do, and he came into the offseason exactly the way he was asked." Haley said Bowe just has to stick with the plan the Chiefs have set forth. That means maintaining his concentration. That means keeping quiet. Then, Haley said, Bowe might emerge into that top receiver the team has been waiting on. "He's doing all the things that are asked of him," Haley said. "He's working very hard. He's focused, and I think that's showing up. The sky is the limit; he's just got to continue to stay focused."

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9/04 According to Profootballtalk.com, the Chargers are going to open the season with just two true tailbacks on their 53-man roster, as Shawnbrey McNeal and Curtis Brinkley were both axed on Saturday. Look for FB Mike Tolbert to serve as the primary backup to Ryan Mathews with Darren Sproles handling his usual third down work. ... Meanwhile, in addition to releasing veteran WR Josh Reed (see previous item), the team also released WRs Seyi Ajirotutu and Jeremy Williams.

9/04 A day after acquiring WR Patrick Crayton in a trade with Dallas, the Chargers have released veteran WR Josh Reed.

9/03 According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Chargers have acquired WR Patrick Crayton in a trade with the Cowboys. The Chargers reportedly surrendered a seventh-round pick for the veteran... More as further details come to light.

9/02The Chargers finished the preseason Thursday night with a 17-14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park. ... And as San Diego Union-Tribune staffer Kevin Acee reported, since so many starters warmed up before the game and then simply tried to stay warm on the sidelines, it was a night for rookies to make an impression. “Based on what we saw,” head coach Norv Turner said, “we have some decisions to make at the bottom of our roster. ...” WR Jeremy Williams, the front-runner to make the team as the No.5 receiver until leveling out in the first three preseason games, returned a punt 93 yards for the Chargers’ first touchdown and caught four passes for 42 yards, including a 29-yarder from rookie Jonathan Crompton that set up their second touchdown. ... Philip Rivers, Ryan Mathews, Antonio Gates, Malcom Floyd, Quentin Jammer, Luis Castillo and a number of other starters did not play. ... Billy Volek started at quarterback and led a few promising drives that ended with him turning the ball over. Volek played the entire first half and 15-for-24 for 157 yards. For the preseason, Volek was 36-for-71 for 425 yards, with no touchdowns and four interceptions. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)bsp;

9/02 According to Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports (via the Redzone.org), Chargers GM A.J. Smith has been asking for a second-round pick in 2011 and a third-round pick in 2012 for WR Vincent Jackson. Faced with the prospect of getting nothing for Jackson this season, and with a potential lockout looming, Silver suspects owner Dean Spanos might tell the GM to lower his demands and get the deal done. But one could argue that Jackson's asking price (perhaps as much as $50 million over the next five years) is as big an issue.

9/01 According to the Sports Xchange, WR Craig "Buster" Davis continues his quest to gain the coaches' confidence after an up-and-down stint with the Chargers. The team's former first-round pick had three catches for 41 yards against the Saints, including a long of 21. This is a make-or-break summer for Davis. ... Meanwhile, WR Josh Reed is in a fight for a roster spot and he didn't help his cause in New Orleans. He did not have a reception. ... Also: RB Darren Sproles has recovered from a sore shoulder that slowed him early in camp and he looked good against the Saints. Sproles will be part of the team's four-headed running attack, along with rookie Ryan Mathews, Mike Tolbert and Jacob Hester.

8/31 According to Profootballtalk.com, the San Diego Chargers have announced their various roster moves in an effort to get the squad down to 75 players. Gone are RB Marcus Mason are WR Gary Banks. Mason appeared in 10 games for the Redskins in 2009, rushing for 127 yards on 32 carries. His departure lends further credence to the notion that No. 2 FB Mike Tolbert could end up being Ryan Mathews' backup, too (with Darren Sproles handling his usual role).

8/31 HC Norv Turner said he's pleased with the performance of his first-team offense as the exhibition season winds down. Although the Chargers lost 36-21 at New Orleans last Friday night, Turner said the first-string offense was sharp. ... "That was a good example of what we can be," Turner said Saturday. "There are things we can clean up, but I'm happy with how we've played. That was as close to a regular season game as you can get through 2 1/2 quarters, and I thought we were sharp. ..." The focus remained on the progress of rookie RB Ryan Mathews. While his numbers were down, the No. 12 overall draft pick showcased physical skills and an ability to learn from his mistakes. He turned a few broken plays into positive gains and made strides in pass blocking. He sealed the pocket by blocking a linebacker on a play similar to one a week before, when he missed an assignment that got QB Philip Rivers sacked. "Even though his numbers weren't as good as they've been in other games, I thought he gave his best performance," Turner said. "He's really getting comfortable with our group and has an understanding of what we're doing. New Orleans was geared up with a complicated blitz package. They treated it like a regular-season game early. It's clear he's growing comfortable with what we want to do."

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9/04 Following up on a previous item. ... The Rams talked about the possibility of pursuing disgruntled Chargers WR Vincent Jackson. Per St. Louis Post-Dispatch staffer Jim Thomas, that has been the case not just over the weekend, but for some time. But team sources told Thomas on Saturday evening that the Rams apparently have decided against it. ... Six WRs remained on the active roster Saturday when the Rams reached their regular-season roster limit of 53 players: Danny Amendola, Keenan Burton, Dominique Curry, Brandon Gibson, Mardy Gilyard, and Laurent Robinson.

9/04 According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, more roster shuffling probably is in the works over the next several days, but the Rams have reached their regular-season roster limit of 53. Among those released were: QB Keith Null (see previous), RB Chris Ogbonnaya, FB Dennis Morris, WRs Danario Alexander, Jordan Kent and Brandon McRae and TE Darcy Johnson.

9/04 Are the Rams in the mix for Vincent Jackson, the disgruntled wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers? St. Louis Post-Dispatch staffer Jim Thomas, citing two sources, reports there were rumblings Saturday morning that that could be the case. ... Stay tuned.

9/04 HC Steve Spagnuolo named QB Sam Bradford as the Week 1 starter today. He also announced A.J. Feeley and Thaddeus Lewis as QBs No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. Keith Null is odd man out.

9/03 According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, HC Steve Spagnuolo is still not ready to announce his decision on the team's opening-day starting QB against Arizona. On a conference call Friday with reporters, Spagnuolo said it may be two or three days before he's ready to make his decision. (Or at least make it public.) However, as Post-Dispatch staff writer Jim Thomas suggested, after another stellar outing by Sam Bradford, it would be a major upset if the rookie isn't the opening-day starter. There are still health concerns with backup A.J. Feeley, who wants to practice Monday, when the team returns to work, but isn't sure if he can take a snap under center. ... For the preseason, Bradford completed 60 percent of his passes (33 of 55) for 338 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. His passer rating was 95.9.

9/03 The Rams aren't pursuing Chargers holdout WR Vincent Jackson, a league source told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfoa said Thursday. The Rams had some contact with the Chargers regarding a possible trade for Jackson, but they aren't attempting to land him at this point and don't expect to acquire him, according to La Canfora's source. ... A deal for Jackson would be complex because the Chargers are seeking a second-round draft pick, plus another selection, in return, according to the team source. Working out a new contract with Jackson also would be tricky. ... The Rams are in the market for a receiver after starter Donnie Avery tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last week during the team's third preseason game, ending his season. But La Canfora's source doesn't expect the Chargers to trade Jackson anytime soon. He added that although the Rams hadn't been granted permission to speak with Jackson, had the team been of the mind a deal was close and it pushed for permission, St. Louis believes it would have been granted. ... Meanwhile, the San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting the Chargers are more open to the idea of trading Jackson -- and they are targeting the deadline of Saturday afternoon to complete a deal.

9/02 As the Associated Press reported, one perfect series and done for Sam Bradford. No doubt, facing the Baltimore Ravens' second-string defense made it easier for the No. 1 pick. Bradford made another favorable impression in his second preseason start, going 6-for-6 for 68 yards and a touchdown to open the St. Louis Rams' 27-21 victory over Baltimore on Thursday night. A.J. Feeley's thumb injury gave Bradford his starting shot last week, and the rookie may have done enough to get the nod in the opener Sept. 12 against the Cardinals. ... The Rams opened with their starters on both sides of the ball, with the notable exception of RB Steven Jackson. They used the game to audition potential backups Kenneth Darby, Chris Ogbonnaya and Keith Toston, who combined for 117 yards on 32 carries. ... Bradford and second-year QB Keith Null were a combined 12-for-12 for 131 yards and two touchdowns to open the game for a 14-0 cushion. ... Bradford's arm accounted for all but 7 yards of a 10-play, 75-yard drive to open the game. Most of the throws were short and safe, but the big play was a 36-yarder to Danny Amendola that set up a 2-yard scoring pass to Billy Bajema. ... Josh Brown kicked a 54-yard field goal in the third quarter for St. Louis, finishing the preseason 8-for-8. Thaddeus Lewis, competing with Null for the Rams' third-string job, threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Brandon McRae in the fourth quarter. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/01 Eighteen months ago at the start of the 2009 free agency period, new Rams HC Steve Spagnuolo phoned RB Derrick Ward to gauge his interest in joining the Rams. Coming off a 1,025-yard rushing season with the New York Giants, where Spagnuolo had been defensive coordinator, Ward signed with Tampa Bay instead -- for a reported $17 million. ... Now, after just one highly disappointing season with the Buccaneers, Ward is available once again. He was released Tuesday, but this time around, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting it doesn't look like the Rams are interested. Why not? Simply stated, Ward looks awful on tape. One league source told Post-Dispatch staffer Jim Thomas that Ward looks almost disinterested. According to reports out of Tampa, Ward showed up to training camp overweight. He rushed for only 50 yards on 21 carries (2.4 yards per carry) during the preseason. ... Per Thomas, the Rams will continue to scan the waiver wire and league transaction list for help at running back behind Steven Jackson. But it doesn't look like it will be Ward.

9/01 Steven Jackson wishes Week 1 would get here. "I'm really excited. I'm ready for Sept. 12," when Arizona visits for the regular-season opener, Jackson said Monday. "As the days go by, I'm getting more anxious. ..." Still, one more preseason contest awaits: Baltimore will face the Rams on Thursday night at the Edward Jones Dome. According to St. Louis Post-Dispatch staff writer Bill Coats, Jackson would prefer to sit that one out. In fact, asked if he wanted to play Thursday, Jackson quickly replied, "No. ... But if coach wants me to go out there, I'm fully prepared to play however long the 'ones' are going to be out there. But me personally, no, I don't want to play." Jackson has seen brief action in the last two preseason games. He's had nine carries for 42 yards. That's enough, he said — although he conceded that getting more game time with rookie QB Sam Bradford would be beneficial. "It definitely would be. ... In letting us to grow more chemistry," Jackson said. HC Steve Spagnuolo hasn't decided whether to deploy Jackson vs. the Ravens. ... Although it probably won't play a role in Spagnuolo's decision, Jackson noted that the offense has been on a bit of a roll lately and that another good showing could carry over into the regular season. The Rams, who averaged a league-low 10.7 points a game last year, totaled 55 in preseason wins at Cleveland and New England. The attack was particularly potent against the Patriots, producing 36 points and 462 total yards. And Jackson likes what he's seen from a unit that could have at least three rookies in the starting lineup: Bradford, Rodger Saffold at LT and Michael Hoomanawanui at TE. "I think as an offensive group, we're making great strides," Jackson said. "For us to have so many young guys and be able to move the ball like we have these last two preseason games, it's very encouraging. We're going in the right direction."

8/31 According to Sirius NFL Radio and USA Today Sports Weekly's Howard Balzer, WR Keenan Burton was shut down today after experiencing swelling in his knee. There was some thought that Burton might move into the starting lineup opposite Laurent Robinson. That now seems unlikely. ... In fact, Robinson is not practicing due to a mid-foot sprain. ... That leaves Brandon Gibson, Danny Amendola and rookie Mardy Gilyard as potential starters depending on the severity of Robinson's and Burton's respective issues. Gibson might be best-suited for a leading role -- if that's necessary -- but as the Redzone.org suggests, the coaching staff seems to prefer the Amendola. Gilyard is an unproven commodity. ... Stay tuned.

8/31 HC Steve Spagnuolo calls rookie TE Michael Hoomanawanui "Illinois Mike," because, as he says, "I have no chance at that name." As SI.com's Peter King suggests, Spagnuolo will have to call him something. Hoomanawanui caught two touchdown passes against the Patriots and has been one of the big stars of Rams training camp. Hoomanawanui's rise could be bad news for Daniel Fells, who hasn't looked as good as he did last season.

8/31 The St. Louis Rams traded rookie DE Hall Davis to the Redskins for rookie TE-FB Dennis Morris according to Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Morris practiced with the Rams on Monday. The teams also swapped conditional draft picks.

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9/04 According to Miami Herald staffer Jeff Darlington, the Dolphins have released WR Patrick Turner. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that QB Pat White has been released, too.

9/02 Chad Henne started Thursday night's game in Dallas Stadium and was 6 of 11 for 53 yards. He led three drives, reaching the Dallas 7-yard line on the opening series before settling for a 28-yard field goal in what turned out to be a 27-25 loss to the Cowboys. ... Chad Pennington was 7 of 10 for 40 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown pass to Brian Hartline that put Miami up 10-7. ... As the Associated Press reported it, there was a furious finish with Tyler Thigpen leading the Dolphins to 15 points on their final two drives (a pair of short touchdown passes and a go-ahead 2-point conversion run with 2:22 left). The Cowboys answered each time, however. ... Thigpen was 10 of 18 for 160 yards. RB Ricky Williams had only two carries, but they included a 42-yarder right up the middle. ... Starting LT Jake Long left with a knee injury. He was treated on a table behind the bench and didn't return. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/01 According to South-Florida Sun Sentinel staffer Omar Kelly, there is no mystery surrounding Chad Henne’s chemistry -- or perceived lack thereof -- with Brandon Marshall, who has caught seven passes for 116 yards during the Dolphins three exhibition games? “[Henne] has reads. It’s a progression he goes through. It’s not just me on the field,” said Marshall, whose 16.6 yard per reception average this preseason is higher than his career average (12.3). “So, if the ball is supposed to go to [Davone] Bess then that’s where it’s going to go. So [the] connection thing, he’s just throwing it where it’s supposed to go. ...” Kelly went on to remind readers that Marshall recently told Steve Wyche of the NFL Network that he doesn’t care about putting up another 100 catch season. His goal is to be part of a winner.

8/31 According to the National Football Post, the Dolphins released TE Joey Haynos with an injury-waived designation. Haynos injured his foot recently and HC Tony Sparano said that he would be out for a while.

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9/04 According to Minneapolis Star Tribune staffer Judd Zulgad, the Vikings have released WR Javon Walker. Could they be setting up for to make a run at T.J. Houshmandzadeh? Stay tuned.

9/03 According to the Associated Press, the Giants have acquired QB Sage Rosenfels from the Vikings for an undisclosed draft pick. Rosenfels was third string behind Brett Favre and Tarvaris Jackson in Minnesota. He is entering his 10th NFL season as a backup quarterback. The move means that the Vikings likely will keep rookie NYG -- Giants Acquire Rosenfels In Trade With Vikings (9/03/18:28 PT) as the third QB.

9/02 Faced with an opportunity to get a look at the three backups behind Brett Favre on Thursday night, the Vikings gave the start to Tarvaris Jackson in their 31-24 victory over Denver in their preseason finale at the Metrodome. ... But as the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports, Jackson -- playing with the rest of the offensive backups as the starters sat out the fourth and final exhibition -- continued to struggle and the Vikings did little to gain clarity on their QB depth chart. Sage Rosenfels, who many believe should be Favre's top backup, didn't stand out but continued to look far more comfortable than Jackson. Could that have been enough for HC Brad Childress to reconsider his position that Jackson is his top backup? That isn't the only decision the Vikings are going to have to make. Not with Joe Webb showing so much athletic potential. ... Per Star Tribune staffer Judd Zulgad, the always exciting Webb entered Thursday's game with 11 minutes, 33 seconds left in the third quarter. He proceeded to guide the Vikings on a seven-play, 76-yard drive that ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by RB Ian Johnson. ... Webb, who had thrown for 91 yards and two touchdowns in the first three preseason games, also found Javon Walker for a 63-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 As the Minneapolis Star Tribune noted Wednesday, the Vikings had one of the NFL's premier third-down RBs in Chester Taylor last season. Taylor's departure left a significant void because he handled most of the third-down work. As the Vikings prepare for their final preseason game against Denver, OC Darrell Bevell said the team could use a committee approach with Adrian Peterson, Albert Young and rookie Toby Gerhart combining in that role. "We've been trying to get all three of them ready and see what the strengths and weaknesses are for all those guys," Bevell said. How important is it to narrow the field? Brett Favre, unprompted, mentioned that unsettled role when discussing the offense last week. "We've got to find a third-down back," Favre said. "Are we going to use Toby, Albert or Adrian? One more than the other? I really don't know. We have to just start narrowing it down because this season is going to be a much tougher start than it was last year. ..." Per the Star Tribune, Peterson clearly is more comfortable catching the ball out of the backfield, but his pass protection remains a concern. Young might be the most reliable blocker in that group. RBs coach Eric Bieniemy said recently that Young earned the nickname "Little Chester" in the position meeting room. HC Brad Childress described Young and Gerhart as "2 and 2A" behind Peterson. Gerhart seems more comfortable as a pure backup at this point, but he hopes to get some third-down work too. Bottom line? Taylor is difficult to replace and it's still not clear if the Vikings will pull it off -- whether it's one man or a committee.

9/02 According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Bernard Berrian expects to rebound from an unhealthy 2009 campaign that was the least productive of his seven NFL seasons, and circumstances have aligned for the big-play WR to do just that notwithstanding last week's sloppy performance. As Pioneer Press staffer Brian Murphy pointed out, Berrian is healthy again after last year's nagging hamstring injury prevented him from synchronizing with Brett Favre before the quarterback established a dynamic connection with Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin. With Rice sidelined at least two months following hip surgery and Harvin's migraines wildly unpredictable, the Vikings look for Berrian to re-establish himself as the downfield threat who averaged 20 yards per catch in 2008 -- his first season in Minnesota under a six-year, $42 million contract. ... So what to make of Berrian's substandard play during the starting offense's dress rehearsal Saturday night against Seattle? After all, he caught only one of four Favre passes thrown in his direction, bobbling one ball off a slant pattern into the hands of Seahawks rookie S Earl Thomas, who ran it back 86 yards for a touchdown. Berrian also missed a block that allowed Harvin to get drilled for a loss on a quick screen pass and later could not come up with Favre's deep throw to start the third quarter. Berrian finished with one reception for 8 yards while Favre connected four times with newcomer Greg Camarillo for 47 yards, completed three passes to TE Visanthe Shiancoe and twice hooked up with Harvin. ... Berrian insisted Tuesday that he and Favre are on the same page. "It was one of those things that just happened," he said. "Preseason's a time where you want to take some chances to see what you can get out of it. You take some chances, and sometimes it doesn't work for you." And Murphy reminded readers there's no doubt the duo was in sync the last time they played a game that mattered. Berrian's best game of 2009 was his last, when he hauled in nine passes from Favre for 102 yards in the NFC championship game loss at New Orleans. Asked about his connection with Favre compared to January, Berrian said, "Same place, only it's getting better." If that's true, Berrian will provide fantastic value.

9/01 Darius Reynaud moved from WR to RB this offseason, making the task of sticking on the roster a difficult one because of the team's numbers at the latter position. But the Sports Xchange reports that Reynaud seems like a good bet to make it based on his ability on kickoff and punt returns. He averaged 38.3 yards on three kick returns versus Seattle. Percy Harvin made the Pro Bowl team as a kick returner last season but the Vikings might want to limit the punishment Harvin takes given his issues with migraines.

8/31 As expected, the Vikings placed WR Sidney Rice on the reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list, a week after he underwent arthroscopic hip surgery. As Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio explained, Rice will miss the first six games of the season. Thereafter, the team will have a three-week window to activate him for the purposes of practicing, and three weeks thereafter to decide whether to put him on the active roster or place him on injured reserve. ... The team also waived WR Marko Mitchell.

8/31 According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, rookie RB Toby Gerhart was back on the field after missing Monday's practice because of a minor right knee injury. Gerhart said his knee got bent backward in a pile in the third quarter of Saturday's game against Seattle.

8/31 In case you missed it previously, Brett Favre is already taking injections in his wounded ankle. ... As SI.com's Peter King reported Monday, after his eight series Saturday night on the hard Metrodome surface, Favre went into the trainers' room in the Vikes' locker room and got an injection of lubricant in the left ankle that has three times been operated on to remove loose bodies. "Like a grease fitting," Favre said. Dr. James Andrews did the most recent surgery May 22. "They took out a cup full of stuff -- bone and all these other loose bodies," Favre said Saturday night. And while he feels better than he did, King reports that Favre isn't all that good. Despite all they took out during the procedure, Dr. Andrews wasn't surprised a significant spur returned when Favre went for a re-exam a month ago -- but he was surprised it happened so fast. The Vikings will attempt to manage the pain the spur brings on, but Favre said he didn't think he'd take any painkillers stronger than Motrin. "It's catching up with me, all this stuff," said Favre, who turns 41 in October. All of which prompted King to ask if Favre felt he can last the full season. "I don't know. I have no idea, really," Favre answered. "My ankle just seems to get easier to sprain. My mind's telling me one thing, but my body's telling me something else. ..." Bottom line? According to King, "This ankle thing's a little different that the weariness he felt a year ago. There could come a time where his mobility is so compromised that Favre won't be able to get out of the way of the rush consistently. It wouldn't surprise me if the ankle knocked him out for a few games this year. ..." It's not an unreasonable conclusion.

8/31 Percy Harvin is back on the football field, and he thinks doctors finally have found the root of the problem that's kept him off of it, too. "I did a test (Friday) night," Harvin said after the Vikings' 24-13 exhibition win over the Seattle Seahawks. "They found some things that we think is the main cause of it. We're all feeling really confident. I know we said that a couple times, but I think this time we found what the main cause was. I'm not saying I won't ever get a headache again, but hopefully, we can slow it down a little bit. ..." As 1500ESPN.com's Tom Pelissero suggested, that would be good news for the Vikings and Harvin, who hadn't done much of anything on the field since his Aug. 19 collapse and hadn't been cleared to resume football activities as of Thursday afternoon. ... Harvin declined to say what doctors discovered -- head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman recently said an adverse reaction to medication was one of several possible factors -- or where he underwent the final test, saying only, "We did find something. It's not life-threatening, but it's something that we need to work on, and we will. ..." Like many other starters, Harvin will have nearly two full weeks to get ready for Week 1. Most starters are expected to sit out Thursday's preseason finale against Denver. "I've got a lot of work to do as far as condition-wise," Harvin said. "But otherwise, it just felt good to get out there and have something to base my performance off of."

8/31 According to ESPN1500.com's Tom Pelissero, rookie RB Toby Gerhart received far more work with the first-team offense on Saturday than Albert Young, but the No. 2 halfback job behind Adrian Peterson apparently is headed for a timeshare. "I think it'll be by week and who we're facing and what exactly we need out of a second running back," HC Brad Childress said. "If you remember last year, there were numbers of games where we didn't have a third running back up, and from time to time, that'll happen when we need maybe another tight end up or need another rush guy. ... Those guys are (numbers) 2 and 2A. ..." Gerhart injured his right knee on Saturday and was missing when practice resumed on Monday morning, but his status isn't believed to be in doubt for the opener. ... Also: Childress said Tarvaris Jackson remains the unquestioned No. 2 QB, ahead of Sage Rosenfels. "It'd probably be hard for it to change."

8/31 As Associated Press sports writer Jon Krawczynski suggested, Brett Favre had an up-and-down 2010 Metrodome debut, but his two newest receivers definitely gave him something to smile about. Favre threw for 187 yards and two interceptions, one that Seattle rookie Earl Thomas returned 86 yards for a touchdown in Minnesota's 24-13 victory over the Seahawks on Saturday night. ... Favre completed 16 of 26 passes and took a couple of big hits while playing two series into the third quarter. His interception to Thomas went in and out of the hands of Bernard Berrian. ... The Vikings signed veteran Javon Walker on Tuesday and acquired Greg Camarillo from Miami in a trade on Wednesday to bolster a receiving corps that has lost Pro Bowler Sidney Rice for eight weeks because of hip surgery. Camarillo had four catches for 47 yards and Walker made a great catch over Walter Thurmond for a 25-yard TD from Sage Rosenfels in the fourth quarter. ... Favre, who was coaxed back for a 20th NFL season on Aug. 18, played eight series on Saturday night. He led the Vikings to one field goal and a touchdown, a 24-yard run by Adrian Peterson that was set up by a 73-yard kickoff return by Darius Reynaud. Peterson finished with 37 yards on 11 carries. ... Favre lost a fumble when Chris Clemons blew past LT Bryant McKinnie for a sack that had the 40-year-old QB shaking his throwing hand in pain early in the first. But he remained in the game and helped the Vikings amass 242 yards of offense, but only 10 points, while he was playing. ... Worth noting: The Vikings had to be encouraged by Percy Harvin's return. The reigning offensive rookie of the year has only practiced six times this preseason because of recurring migraine headaches, including a bout that caused trainers to call an ambulance to practice just over a week ago. Harvin had two catches for 30 yards. He also took two big hits to the head without any signs of trouble. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/04 According to Profootballtalk.com, the Patriots are nearing their 53-man roster limit and have yet to waive any big-name players. The list so far includes WRs Darnell Jenkins and Rod Owens, RB Thomas Clayton and QB Zac Robinson. We'll have more if/when further pertinent announcements are made.

9/03 As Boston Globe staffer Albert Breer noted, the "process" is now just about over for Wes Welker. He went through months of grueling rehab, just about a full training camp (he missed the first three days), and three preseason games. Next comes the Sept. 12 regular-season opener against the Bengals at home. And Welker is certainly ready to play. But is he ready to play at the level necessary to deliver a 123-catch effort (despite missing two games and most of another) last year? "I still feel like I’m a long ways off from that personally," Welker told Breer. "People say it looks the same. I don’t feel the same. So I’m not gonna put a number on myself. ... My deal is going out there and playing as hard as I can every single play, and just trying to do my job. Whatever it is at the end is what it is, and we’re gonna just go out and try to win games. ..." Based on the glimpses we've seen in pre-season play, Welker is ready to contribute. And that alone is quite a feat for a man who had reconstructive knee surgery in February. Might it take him some time to get up to speed? Certainly. But the fact he'll work his way back up to that level by playing his way there means he'll be producing at some level. And that's better than anybody might have suspected even a month ago.

9/03 Laurence Maroney didn’t miss a practice during training camp, but in the exhibition games he rarely got the call -- until last night's final against the Giants. Maroney made his first game appearance since the opener Aug. 12 and rushed a team-high nine times for 32 yards in a 20-17 loss. As Botson Globe staffer Monique Walker, the mystery behind Maroney’s lack of playing time has generated questions about the RB’s roster status. HC Bill Belichick has maintained the RBs have been on a rotation throughout the preseason, but that rotation has not always included Maroney. Another possible explanation for Maroney’s lack of playing time could be injuries. Walker, citing a league source, advised readers that Maroney has been dealing with a number of issues, including an abdominal strain and groin and ankle injuries. ... Belichick said last week he thinks Maroney can help the Patriots this season. Maroney said he has not had any conversations with Belichick about expectations. Maroney said the RBs know what is expected of them. “I’m just one of the guys right now,’’ he said. “Just basically, [I’m] being patient and sitting back and just seeing how things play out. One of the situations where I’m always going to be prepared for anything, for the best or the worst, and whenever they call my number, I’m going to always be ready. ...’’ And the truth is, Fantasy owners are going to have a very hard time getting a handle on the Patriots' backfield on a weekly basis. We might as well get used to dealing with it now.

9/03 According to ESPN.com, the Patriots have waived TEs Carson Butler and Rob Myers. That leaves rookies Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez along with veteran Alge Crumpler on the roster.

9/03 Rob Gronkowski showed up big in the red-zone again in Thursday night's game against the Giants. ... The rookie TE once again used his size (6-6, 265) to shield a defender for a touchdown catch -- his fourth of the preseason. On the play before, it looked like Gronkowski might have been part of a miscommunication with QB Tom Brady. If that was the case, ESPN.com's Mike Reiss points out it was a nice effort to come back and answer with the touchdown catch. ... In a related note: The Patriots ran a lot of plays with two tight ends on the field, with Alge Crumpler and Gronkowski lining up in a variety of spots. At one point, Crumpler was in the offensive backfield. Both Crumpler and Gronkowski also lined up split wide.

9/02 According to the Associated Press, Tom Brady was solid in his final tuneup for the regular season in Thursday night's 20-17 loss to the New York Giants. ... Of primary interest would be the fact nobody was injured. ... Fred Taylor started at RB but Laurence Maroney, who hasn't seen much action this summer, handled the bulk of the rushing attack. Rookie TE Rob Gronkowski added another TD catch to his pre-season collection. ... New England will host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 12. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/01 Now that Wes Welker has cleared the hurdle of live preseason action, it would seem a virtual certainty that the guy who's caught more passes than anyone in the NFL over the last three seasons will be in the New England starting lineup on opening day against the Bengals. ... But as the Sports Xchange notes, the question remains: Can Welker be the same, key cog in the Patriots' offense that he's been in his three seasons in New England? While there is little doubt that Randy Moss strikes fear into opposing defenses thanks to his big-play ability, the Xchange explained it's Welker who's been the most consistent force on the New England offense since its genesis in 2007. He's caught 346 passes -- topping the 100-catch mark for three-straight seasons. Marvin Harrison holds the NFL record with fourth straight. Is it realistic that after blowing out the ACL in his left knee in last year's regular season finale that Welker can still be the same nearly unstoppable pass-catching machine out of the slot? Welker himself seemed to understand the magnitude of his own appearance in the Patriots second preseason game in Atlanta, and as such doesn't seem likely to assume that just because he's on the field in September that he'll be the same guy he was before the injury. He admits the injury is not yet an afterthought. "It's a step forward," Welker said of his appearances in the team's last two pre-season games. "I don't know if we're all the way there yet. ..." And the Xchange suggests, that's the uncertainty Tom Brady and the Patriots face heading into the regular season. Sure, it's great to have No. 83 back in the slot ready to catch passes. But can he be the same guy? Can he find a way to slip two would-be tacklers to pick up 5 extra yards and a first down? He appears to be on track, but Fantasy owners looking at the upside need to realize nothing is guaranteed at this point.

8/31 According to CBSSports.com, rookie TE Aaron Hernandez continues to miss time with an undisclosed injury. The good news? He has still been spending some 1-on-1 time with Tom Brady after practice, working end-zone routes. ... Also: The Patroits placed CB Leigh Bodden on injured reserve. Though the official release from the Patriots claims that Bodden's season was ended due to a shoulder injury, Profootballtalk.com notes that multiple media outlets have attributed the move to a knee injury.

8/31 As Providence Journal sports writer Robert Lee suggested, whether it's one-handed catches or sprinting past two defenders and grabbing a 65-yard bomb like he did in the third quarter of the Patriots' 36-35 loss to the Rams last Thursday, Randy Moss does so many spectacular things on a regular basis that it's easy to forget how difficult some of the plays he makes really are. "Randy is tough," Tom Brady said. "When he gets behind those guys, there're not many people that are catching him. It's amazing to me how he catches the ball like he does." While that was the first long bomb of the season between Moss and Brady in game action, Lee believes fans can expect to see more of that as the year progresses. In practice against Atlanta, for example, the two hooked up for two 50-plus-yard passes. Lee went on to advise readers that Moss has been stellar in practice. Not only has the 33-year-old phenom not taken any "veteran" days off, but when doing drills, he does them at full tilt. From watching him at camp, Lee reports "it's evident that he's still got a great first step. He's added another gear that he can shift to on deep routes, too." Bottom line? According to Lee, "Moss is back healthier than ever and it has shown throughout training camp. He's ready to have another big season."

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9/03 According to the National Football Post, the Saints have released QB Patrick Ramsey, electing to make former Missouri standout Chase Daniel the backup to Drew Brees.

9/03 According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Saints have cut veteran RB Ladell Betts. That would appear to leave Chris Ivory with an inside on track on what has in the past been a (relatively speaking) productive No. 3 role behind Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush. Veteran DeShawn Wynn is still on the roster, but Ivory has made the better impression.

9/02 Drew Brees and Reggie Bush dressed in their New Orleans uniforms, but they stayed on the sideline all night long as the Titans beat the Saints, 27-24 in Thursday night's pre-season closer. ... New Orleans looked ahead to the NFL's regular-season opener on Sept. 9, in which the defending Super Bowl champs play host to the Minnesota Vikings, with most of its starters also safely on the sideline. ... Harry Coleman recovered the first of two blocked punts for a score and Chase Daniel threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Adrian Arrington for New Orleans. Daniel tried to rally the Saints to victory, but his pass to Tyler Lorenzen was intercepted in the final seconds. ... Patrick Ramsey, trying to beat out Daniel for the job backing up Brees, got the start for the Saints. He drove them 53 yards before settling for Garrett Hartley's 45-yard field goal -- the first points Tennessee had given up in the first quarter this preseason. Ramsey completed 11 of 16 passes for 98 yards. He was sacked twice. Daniel hit on 10 of 18 throws for 137 yards. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/01 Asked by a reader if he thinks Robert Meahem's performance to date has been worth the No. 1 pick used to secure the WR's services, New Orleans Times-Picayune staff writer Jeff Duncan answered: "To date, you'd have to say, no. ..." Duncan went on to explain that Meachem's three-year totals -- 57 receptions, 1,011 yards, 12 touchdowns -- are less than Marques Colston's production in his first season alone, albeit with four more touchdowns. And Colston, of course, was a seventh-round draft pick. ... Duncan conceded, however, it's all Meachem's fault. He emerged last season as a bona fide playmaker but had to share playing time with Colston, Deverey Henderson and Lance Moore. If he were on another team, he might have doubled his 45-catch, 722-yard season. Bottom line? Duncan summed up by writing: "It's difficult to write off Meachem at this point, but his toe injury is another setback that threatens to limit his production and playing time this season. But let's wait to see if or how much it does before casting him as a disappointment. He still has time." We're still convinced Meachem's combination of play-making ability and New Orleans' aggressive offense make him a great Fantasy prospect.

8/31 RB Chris Ivory won't know until the weekend whether he will make the Saints 53-man roster, but as Baton Rouge Advocate correspondent Les East noted Monday, Ivory has gone from a long-shot rookie free agent to a very strong candidate to make the team. East went on to explain that from the early days of training camp a month ago he has looked more like a competitor for a roster spot than the proverbial "camp body." He has stood out in all three of the preseason games, including the 36-21 victory against San Diego last Friday night in which he took a seemingly routine swing pass and turned it into a 76-yard highlight-reel touchdown. "My mindset has been to work hard and open some eyes," Ivory said, "just prove that I want to be here. I am trying to go hard on every play. ..." Now East believes Ivory looks like a guy who wants to be here and he may well be after opening lots of eyes. When he arrived at camp, Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas and Lynell Hamilton were ahead of him at running back and he was fighting P.J. Hill for the fourth spot at a position that would warrant three, maybe four, roster spots. But Hamilton (knee) and Hill (triceps) suffered season-ending injuries and Ivory has settled in as the third running back even after New Orleans signed two veterans -- Ladell Betts and DeShawn Wynn -- to replace the injured players.

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9/03 Following up on a previous item. ... According to the New York Daily News, HC Tom Coughlin was admittedly “surprised” when he heard this morning that Brandon Jacobs finally let his frustration boil over. And not surprisingly, Coughlin sought out Jacobs for a little chat. When it was over, Coughlin declared that there was no issue and that Jacobs is well aware of his new, potentially reduced role. “We have always (had) a multiple running back situation,” Coughlin said. “Nothing has changed. The big thing that’s important is to realize that Brandon is as healthy as he’s ever been prior to start of season. That’s good news. So we’re looking forward to the opportunity to play with a multiple running game and the ability to use our power back in combination with Ahmad [Bradshaw] and Danny Ware. ...” Daily News staffer Ralph Vacchiano noted, however, that Coughlin dodged the question of whether he had previously spoken to Jacobs about the fact that he’s clearly the second back in the Giants’ two-back attack. Jacobs said that the coaches never told him anything. Coughlin said “I’m not sure of all of that.”

9/03 According to the Associated Press, the Giants have acquired QB Sage Rosenfels from the Minnesota Vikings for an undisclosed draft pick. The Giants lost backup Jim Sorgi with a shoulder injury and he was placed on injured reserve, leaving untested Rhett Bomar as the only QB behind starter Eli Manning.

9/03 According to the Newark Star-Ledger, RB Andre Brown battled all the way back from a torn Achilles tendon to be on the field this summer only to come down with turf toe this week. Brown missed Thursday's pre-season finale against the Patriots Thursday and the injury could keep him out of the season opener.

9/03 According to ESPN.com, Brandon Jacobs dressed quickly after the New York Giants' fourth preseason game, a 20-17 win over the Patriots in which the three-year starter didn't have a single carry. A disappointed Jacobs, who watched his friend Ahmad Bradshaw line up as the official starting RB, said football was a brutal business. "No question," Jacobs said. "To be in this business, you have to know that. No one's your friend in this business. This is a cutthroat, backstabbing business. That's just the way it goes. It's been like that before me. If you expect anything else out of a business like this, you're crazy. ..." Bradshaw admitted he has jumped Jacobs in the rotation, a fact fairly obvious but not said out loud until Thursday night. "I am going to take it as it comes and as much as they give me, I got to take advantage of it," Bradshaw said. "They're giving me this job for a reason, and I think I have earned it so I am going to take advantage of it. ..." Jacobs meanwhile, told ESPN's Jane McManus it's too early to ask for a trade. There isn't anything that can be done with the season about to start and the situation could work itself out. In the meantime, he said he would work hard and stay ready for the moments when his number is called. "It's almost hard to stay positive in a situation like this, but that's what I've got to do," Jacobs said. ... Bottom line? The quicker Bradshaw clearly gives the Giants a more dangerous threat out of the backfield than Jacobs. It's that simple.

9/02 As the Associated Press noted, Eli Manning was solid in his final tuneups for the regular season and Rhett Bomar may have nailed down the job as the Giants’ backup quarterback, throwing a 60-yard scoring pass to Duke Calhoun with 1:49 to play as the Giants rallied for a 20-17 victory over the New England Patriots on Thursday night. ... The good news for a Giants team that has struggled with injury issues all summer was they came out the preseason finale relatively healthy. ... The Giants will open at home against Carolina in their new $1.6 billion stadium. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 According to New York Daily News beat man Ralph Vacchiano, "The phone rang, the Giants answered, they talked, they hung up. ... And that’s about as close as Matt Leinart came to becoming the Giants backup QB on Wednesday. ..." Sources familiar with the discussion told Vacchiano the Cardinals were the ones who called the Giants, knowing that they may need a backup to Eli Manning now that Jim Sorgi is on injured reserve. Giants GM Jerry Reese, as he always does, listened and he may have even discussed the possibility inside the organization. But according to Vacchiano's source, the Giants don’t have any interest in Leinart, a former first-round pick who is due more than $10 million in salary alone in the next two years. As Vacchiano framed it: "Is Leinart, with no knowledge of the Giants offense, a better option at backup QB than Rhett Bomar, who hasn’t played in a real NFL game but at least has worked in the Giants’ offense for 17 months? Probably not at the moment. And certainly not at that price. ..." If the Giants decide they’re not comfortable with Bomar as the backup, Reese still could scour the market to see if any suitable veterans are available. There appear to be no good options on the free-agent market at the moment, nor does it appear as if any high-profile veteran QBs are in danger of being cut when rosters are trimmed for the final time on Saturday -- although Chris Simms might not make the final roster in Tennessee. Vacchiano notes that Sage Rosenfels could be the odd man out behind Brett Favre and Tarvaris Jackson in Minnesota.

9/01 According Newark Star-Ledger staffer Mike Garafolo, WR Ramses Barden spent a great deal of time during practice Tuesday flexing his back and was "walking more like an old man than a second-year NFL player." Even in the locker room, Garafolo reports that Barden was wincing and grabbing his lower back, where he recently suffered a stress fracture in his transverse process. "It's okay," Barden sid. "It's not all the way back, but it's better. The arrow is definitely pointed upward. ..." Nonetheless, Barden is unclear if he'll play on Thursday.

8/31 Following up on the previous items. ... The Giants announced they have placed QB Jim Sorgi and WR Sinorice Moss on injured reserver, ending their seasons. Sorgi suffered a shoulder injury in the preseason opener against the Jets that has prevented him from throwing a football the last two weeks. Without Sorgi, the Giants' reserve quarterbacks are Rhett Bomar and Dominic Randolph, neither of whom has thrown a pass in a regular season game. Randolph, a rookie who was signed on Aug. 19, has never taken a pre-season snap. Moss underwent surgery this morning to repair a sports hernia.

8/31 As New York Daily News staffer Ralph Vacchiano reported it, heading into their third -- and theoretically most important -- preseason game against the Ravens, the Giants had picked up right where it left off at the end of the disappointing 2009 season. Last year's team was ravaged by injuries. And so far this summer, it's been more of the same. ... While there are still two weeks for players to heal before the regular season opens on Sept. 12, the injury report is startling. C Shaun O'Hara (ankle), S Michael Johnson (back), WR Ramses Barden (back), DT Chris Canty (groin), QB Jim Sorgi (shoulder) and CBs Terrell Thomas (calf) and Aaron Ross (foot) all missed Saturday night's game. Several others -- including Gs Rich Seubert (broken hand) and Chris Snee (knee) -- saw only their first action of the preseason. And, as Vacchiano further noted, it could've been worse, since an incredible 14 of the Giants' 22 projected starters have missed at least one practice since camp opened on Aug. 1. Seventeen other key players have missed time, too. To put it another, more alarming way: 31 players who could be -- or could have been -- on the Giants' final 53-man roster have been dealing with some injury that past four weeks. And those are only the injuries that have been disclosed. Vacchiano went on to explain that's made it tough for HC Tom Coughlin to evaluate his team, particularly on offense where they've been forced to play, at times, without QB Eli Manning (head), RB Brandon Jacobs (neck), his four top WRs, all but one of his TEs, and three of his five starting offensive linemen.

8/31 According to the Newark Star-Ledger, WR Sinorice Moss was scheduled to get a second opinion on his groin injury after continued soreness has sidelined the four-year veteran. HC Tom Coughlin did not know whether the injury will last long-term, but the setback is a troubling sign for Moss. Rookie Victor Cruz has ascended on the depth chart with an impressive preseason, and Moss, who has played four seasons with the Giants, is in a roster battle to make it a fifth season.

8/31 The torn capsule in backup QB Jim Sorgi's shoulder kept him out of practice Monday, and New York Daily News staffer Ralph Vacchiano believes it could end up keeping him off the Giants' final roster. ... Per Vacchiano, HC Tom Coughlin was noncommittal on the veteran's roster spot Sunday after he declared he would likely miss all the practices this week. Sorgi had said he hoped to return Monday, even though doctors told him he might need another 1-2 weeks to recover, because he was worried about his place on the team. Asked if Sorgi should be worried, Coughlin did nothing to put his mind at ease. "We're going to go by whatever the medical circumstance (is)," Coughlin said. "The closer we get (to opening day), of course we are going to have to make some calls."

8/31 The Giants managed only five first downs in the pivotal first half of last Saturday night's 24-10 pre-season loss to the Ravens in Baltimore. Returning after a one-week absence, QB Eli Manning went 9 for 18 for 63 yards and an interception in 30 minutes of play. ... As Associated Press sports writer David Ginsburg reminded readers, Manning last played on Aug. 16, when he received stitches to his forehead after taking a hard hit in a game against the New York Jets. In this one, he received little support from the running game: New York rushed for 58 yards in the first half, half of them on a 29-yarder by Brandon Jacobs. "We've got to have more production than we're having and we've got to play better," HC Tom Coughlin said at halftime. ... Baltimore's defense did not permit a touchdown during the preseason until Rhett Bomar threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Victor Cruz with 1:18 left. The Giants' lone first-half score was a field goal by Lawrence Tynes as time expired. The kick came after Corey Webster returned an interception 37 yards to the Baltimore 32. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/05 According to New York Daily News staffer Manish Mehta, the Jets waived WR David Clowney on Sunday.

9/05 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Jets have released veteran FB Tony Richardson; the move leaves hard-hitting rookie John Connor as the team's top FB.

9/05 According to Newark Star-Ledger staffer Jenny Vrentas, the Jets have claimed WR Patrick Turner off waivers from Miami.

9/04 Following up on the previous item. ... In addition to the moves listed earlier, the Jets placed WR Santonio Holmes on the reserve-suspended list.

9/04 The New York Jets got down the NFL roster limit of 53 players. ... Among the players who survived the final roster cutdown: RBs Chauncey Washington and Danny Woodhead as well as TE Jeff Cumberland. Among those released: WR Larry Taylor, FB Jason Davis and WR Brooks Foster.

9/02 Mark Brunell's 51-yard touchdown pass to former Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes in the fourth quarter put the Jets ahead to stay against the Eagles in Thursday night's 21-17 win. ... Neither team used its starting QBs. Mark Sanchez watched from the sideline while backups saw plenty of action and no-name rookies fought for roster spots. Of some interest for the Jets would be the fact that rookie RB Joe McKnight drew the wrath of HC Rex Ryan for fumbling the ball. Making matters worse, McKnight's fumble was returned 64 yards for an Eagles touchdown. Asked about it by WCBS in New York (via Profootballtalk.com) at halftime, Ryan said it was "Ridiculous. ...You better hold on to the ball if you want to make our football team. We seem to be playing some defense tonight. I'd like to keep them off the scoreboard on offense. ..." Rookie FB John Connor also fumbled -- although his standing with the club seems much less tenuous than McKnight's. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 Following up on a previous item. ... WR Santonio Holmes will not be banned from the Jets' facility during his drug suspension, after all according to Bart Hubbach of the New York Post. The NFL confirmed last night that Holmes can work out at the club's headquarters and even attend team meetings during the four-game league ban that begins with Week 1. The only thing Holmes can't do during that time is practice with the Jets. ... According to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, the rules keeping all suspended players away from the team completely were changed "several years ago" to allow players serving less than a one-year drug suspension to have access to their team's facility. The change only applies to players suspended for substance abuse. Players banned for steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs or for violating the league's conduct policy must remain away from their team's facility and not have official contact with the team.

9/01 On Friday, WR Santonio Holmes will begin to serve a four-week league suspension. To keep him in touch with the offense, Holmes and QB Mark Sanchez will have weekly skype sessions, according to HC Rex Ryan. By rule, suspended players aren't allowed to be at the facility or have contact with the team; ESPN.com's Rich Cimini advised readers he was checking on whether skyping is a violation of the rule. ... Stay tuned.

8/31 Instead of letting Mark Sanchez remain idle on the sideline for the pre-season finale Thursday night against the Eagles, HC Rex Ryan is going to let his second-year quarterback call some plays via the walkie-talkie, a la Brian Schottenheimer. ... As ESPN.com's Rich Cimini suggests, the idea is to expose Sanchez to a different aspect of the game, giving him a coach's perspective on why and how certain plays are called. Cimini went on to note it's a clever way of doing things. Ryan said he used to do it in Baltimore on defense, letting LB Ray Lewis and S Ed Reed call plays in the preseason. ... Also: Ryan admitted that one of the reasons why they cut QB Kevin O'Connell now, instead of waiting for the final cutdown Saturday, is because they didn't want him to have access to their Baltimore game plan. If they had waited to cut him, he could've been picked by a team -- the Ravens -- for the sole purpose of pumping him for information. Sort of like what the Jets did last year, when they traded for O'Connell (a former New England Patriot) two weeks before facing the Patriots.

8/31 The Jets have waived QB Kevin O'Connell on Tuesday. According to Profootballtalk.com, the move is good news for Kellen Clemens. While there's a small chance the Jets could keep two QBs (and Brad Smith as an emergency option), HC Rex Ryan said on Monday that there's a "strong chance" the team will keep Clemens as a third quarterback for $1.1 million.

8/31 According to New York Post staff writer Mark Cannizzaro, even though the Jets said goodbye to Laveranues Coles for a third time Sunday, releasing the veteran receiver from his third tour of duty with the team, there's a chance they could say hello again. Sources told Cannizzaro that team officials informed Coles they want to bring him back after the first week. Coles, though, has talked openly about retiring as well. ... Remember: If a player is on a team's roster the first week of the season his salary for that season is guaranteed. So if Coles returns after that, the Jets would not be on the hook for the entire $855,000; he would make about $50,000 per game. HC Rex Ryan confirmed that a Coles return was "a definite possibility. ..." Meanwhile, with Coles, Marcus Henry and Aundrea Allison waived Sunday, the Jets are set to go into the season with Jerricho Cotchery, Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith as their top three receivers. The release of Coles, at least temporarily, seems to give David Clowney, who has been inconsistent in the eyes of the coaches, a reprieve. Clowney, whom the Jets want to be a big contributor on special teams, looks like he's the fourth receiver until Santonio Holmes returns from his four-game suspension or Coles is re-signed.

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9/02 Bruce Gradkowski threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter and the Raiders mostly used backups to end the preseason with a 27-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night. ... Kyle Boller also threw a touchdown pass and Swayze Waters kicked two field goals for the Raiders, who the Associated Press reports were more focused on staying healthy than winning their final exhibition game. ... Gradkowski started in place of Jason Campbell, who was knocked out of last week’s game against San Francisco because of a stinger and a sore right wrist. ... Campbell was on the sideline and not in uniform as Gradkowski led Oakland to its third opening-drive touchdown in three weeks. RB Darren McFadden, WR Louis Murphy, CB Nnamdi Asomugha, DLs Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly, and LBs Rolando McClain and Kamerion Wimbley were among the healthy Raiders sitting out. RB Michael Bush (broken left thumb) was also not in uniform. ... The Raiders scored an opening drive touchdown for the third straight exhibition game although this time it came from Gradkowski and the backups this week. ... Gradkowski finished 7 for 14 for 128 yards and the two scored before turning it over to Boller to start the second half. Boller led one touchdown drive, completing a deep pass to rookie Jacoby Ford and a 16-yard TD pass to Nick Miller. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 Following up on an ongoing story. ... Based on what information is available regarding the fractured thumb of RB Michael Bush, Oakland Tribune staffer Jerry McDonald reports it’s highly unlikely Bush will be ready to play in the opener and could miss up to a quarter of the season or more. ... Bush broke his thumb on his last carry when the digit was hit by an opponent's helmet, with HC Tom Cable saying it was fractured following the game and saying Monday “he’ll need a procedure on it, and whether that keeps him out or not remains to be seen.” Cable has since declined to discuss the injury and wouldn’t confirm the surgery had taken place. McDonald, however, consulted with an othepedic surgeon familiar with the procedure who suggested a 4-to-6 week recovery period. If Bush were to be out four weeks from the time of surgery, he would be available to practice for the in the days preceding the Houston Texans game on Oct. 3 in Week 4. Six weeks would mean Bush could be ready to face the 49ers on On Oct. 6 in Week 6. ... McDonald went on to note that Bush’s health will affect how the Raiders approach their final cutdown, which takes place Saturday. They are more likely to keep both Rock Cartwright and Michael Bush, rather than releasing one of them, to provide depth behind Darren McFadden. The Raiders also could be on the lookout for running backs released by other teams. Former Raider Justin Fargas is available.

9/02 According to Oakland Tribune staffer Steve Corkran, QB Jason Campbell's acclimation to the West Coast has been a smooth one, thanks in no small part to the presence of TE Zach Miller. Per Corkran Campbell "latched on" to Miller as a security blanket of sorts as soon as he stepped on the field a week after the Redskins traded him to the Raiders in April. It's a relationship that figures to help both players prosper this season. HC Tom Cable talks up his WRs at every turn as emerging talents. Yet, as their progress moves along at a slower-than-hoped-for pace, it's apparent Miller again will be the focal point of the passing game. "There's a comfort level there with both of them, whether it be in third down or the red zone," Cable said. "Certainly Zach and Jason's relationship is flourishing." Miller, 24, set a Raiders rookie TEs record with 44 receptions in 2007. He increased his catch totals and receiving yards each of the past two seasons. Don't be surprised if they increase again. Campbell said he felt the connection from the first time he worked with Miller. "Everyone knows he's a supreme talent at tight end," Campbell said. "He's just like [Redskins TE Chris] Cooley, a guy that helped us stretch the field in Washington because of his ability to make plays. Zach has that same type of mentality, so I look forward to connecting with him. ..." Miller caught 66 passes for 805 yards last season but scored only three touchdowns as teams often double-teamed him near the goal line. Cable and OC Hue Jackson have made freeing up Miller a top priority, be it through a more potent running game or designing plays to getting Miller into the end zone. "He can be a lot better," Cable said. "When you look at him, we have done a poor job of utilizing him in the red zone. So, if you just start right there, see where he would impact that part of the field, that would really raise his game to a whole new level. ..." According to Corkran the plan is working. Miller hasn't had any difficulty scoring in practices throughout training camp, even when the defense realized the ball was coming was his way.

9/01 The Raiders have plenty of roster moves they need to make before the start of the season. Apparently trading for Matt Leinart isn't one of them. According to CSNBayArea.com, the Raiders are denying an ESPN report saying the team has had discussions about trading for Leinart. The Raiders say in a statement they have never discussed acquiring Leinart in a trade from Arizona and that they are "very happy' about their QB situation. Jason Campbell goes into the season as the starter in Oakland. Bruce Gradkowski and Kyle Boller are expected to be the backups.

9/01 With Chaz Schilens out, who is the No. 3 guy behind Darrius Heyward-Bey and Louis Murphy? Even though San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Vittorio Tafur watched practice every day at training camp and has seen all 3 preseason games, he had no idea. So Tafur asked HC Tom Cable. "I think there's a number of guys," Cable said. "I think Yamon Figurs has stepped it up. Jacoby Ford. We've got to teach him to get his feet up underneath him when he's coming out of breaks a little bit. Johnnie Lee Higgins has showed some things. So we have a nice corps right there, a next group just ready to step up. ..." Notice he didn't mention Todd Watkins, who had a game-winning catch bounce off his hands Saturday, or Nick Miller.

8/31 RB Michael Bush said on his Twitter account Tuesday he underwent surgery the previous day that included the insertion of screws in his left thumb to repair a fracture. Bush even gave it a name. It’s a “Bennett fracture." According to Oakland Tribune staffer Jerry McDonald, citing an orthopedics web site, treatment for a Bennett fracture includes surgery if the joint surface is out of position to properly align bone fragments. Bush gave no time frame for his return. ... HC Tom Cable has suggested that Bush could return for the regular-season opener.

8/31 Following up on an ongoing story. ... According to the Oakland Tribune, Jason Campbell was participating in a walk-through practice session with the other Raiders quarterbacks Monday, throwing passes of 20 to 30 yards in range. ... In case you missed it, Campbell sustained a stinger and a right wrist injury in Saturday night's 28-24 loss to San Francisco, with HC Tom Cable saying during a conference call that the wrist injury was of bigger concern with regard to the season opener Sept. 12 against Tennessee. ... The Raiders have just three days to prepare for Thursday night's game against the Seattle Seahawks. It's not clear if Campbell will start that game -- or if he would have even if fully healthy. We'll undoubted have more on that as the week progresses. ... Also (for those who didn't catch the Previous Week's News Updates): RB Michael Bush will have a "procedure" on his fractured left thumb but won't necessarily miss the opener. Cable said Bush would be "protected" but not with a cast. ... WR Chaz Schilens' arthroscopic knee surgery is a "three to six week issue." Cable said he'd be questionable for the opener, meaning he's more than likely out.

8/31 According to the Oakland Tribune, veteran TE Tony Stewart was the only surprise as the Raiders got a head start on Wednesday's cutdown to 75. Also released were FB Chane Moline and WR Paul Hubbard.

8/31 Bruce Gradkowski threw for 202 yards and two touchdowns after Jason Campbell left with an injury in Saturday night's 28-24 loss to the 49ers in the annual Battle of the Bay. ... Campbell left the game in the second quarter after being hurt on a sack. Campbell was down for about 5 minutes before leaving in the passenger seat of a cart with what the team described as a stinger. But as Associated Press sports writer Josh Dubow noted, Gradkowski once again proved more than capable as a backup. ... After breathing life into Oakland's offense last year when he took over the reins from JaMarcus Russell, Gradkowski was once again relegated to backup status after the Raiders acquired Campbell in the offseason. Gradkowski did not play in the first two exhibition games because of a groin injury and was in danger of falling behind Kyle Boller on the depth chart. But he completed 14 of 22 passes and led Oakland to scores on his first three drives. He threw touchdown passes to Louis Murphy and Zach Miller and set up a 57-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski. ... Campbell got off to another strong start, completing four passes for 67 yards on the 81-yard touchdown drive. Darrius Heyward-Bey had two of his three catches on the drive, FB Marcel Reece had a 34-yard reception and Michael Bush scored on a 1-yard run. Oakland didn't get another first down until the final minute of the first half, and even that play lost 2 yards when Mario Henderson was called for a personal foul. Two plays later, Gradkowski hit Murphy on a seam route for a 74-yard touchdown that cut San Francisco's lead to 17-14 at the half. ... In between the two touchdowns, the Raiders had four straight three-and-outs as the offense struggled to get into any kind of rhythm against the Niners defense. ... Bush suffered a fractured thumb in the game. His status going forward has yet to be determined ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/03 A little more than a week before the Eagles open the regular season against the Packers, HC Andy Reid and OC Marty Mornhinweg still are being purposely vague about their plan for Mike Vick in the offense. Yes. Vick will serve as Kevin Kolb's backup. Some, however, are expecting a little more. ... According to Philadelphia Daily News staffer Paul Domowitch, last week's game against the Chiefs may have offered the best clue into how Reid and Mornhinweg intend to use Vick. With Kolb playing almost three quarters of that game, Vick twice replaced him on third-and-short situations. That's right. As Domowitch framed it: "Meet Vick, your short-yardage quarterback. ..." Domowitch went on to remind readers the Eagles finished 23rd in the league in third-down efficiency last season, converting just 36.2 percent of their third-down situations. In their six losses, their third-down success rate was 28.7, including 5-for-23 (21.7) in their two season-ending losses to the Cowboys. While they weren't very good at converting third-and-longs (12-for-56 on third-and-10 or more, 21.4 percent), it was their failure to consistently convert third-and-shorts that really hurt them. And there's no doubt bringing Vick, who appears to be back up to full speed heading into the second season of his comeback, creates problems for opposing defenses. ... We'll go ahead and suggest if they bring Vick in at the goal line it could cause problems for Fantasy owners who would prefer Kolb remain on the field in scoring position.

9/02 Michael Vick's first start in four years was merely a cameo. ... According to the Associated Press, Vick led the Philadelphia Eagles to a field goal in two series, and Kurt Coleman scored on two fumble returns, but the New York Jets won 21-17 in their preseason finale Thursday night. ... Neither team used its starting QBs. Kevin Kolb watched from the sideline while backups saw plenty of action and no-name rookies fought for roster spots. ... A three-time Pro Bowl QB during six seasons with the Falcons, Vick last started on Dec. 31, 2006, against the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 In Kevin Kolb's two starts under center last season, TE Brent Celek caught 12 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown. Because of Celek's production with Kolb, there was an assumption heading into this season that he would benefit most from the QB's promotion. But as Philadelphia Inquirer staff writer Jeff McLane notes, it hasn't been that way through the first three pre-season games. In the starters' six quarters of play, Celek has just four catches for 51 yards. Kolb has targeted him just eight times compared with 17 and 10 for wide receivers Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson, who each left a game early because of injuries. "It's not like I'm in panic mode or anything," Celek said Monday. "Honestly, I really don't care about the catches as long as we're winning." McLane advised readers there should have been an additional reception, but Celek could not hold on to a would-be touchdown pass in the first preseason game against Jacksonville. "We just haven't clicked as well as we'd like to," Kolb said. ... While we would have liked to see more from Celek, who led the team with 76 catches a year ago, we still believe the duo will get on the same page once the snaps count again.

9/01 HC Andy Reid told reporters on Tuesday that Michael Vick will play the first half against the Jets Thursday night and Mike Kafka will play the second half, perhaps their last extended game action for quite a while. ... Reid also said DeSean Jackson is "a little swollen and sore" after having his wisdom teeth removed, but "his back is feeling a little bit better, though."

8/31 According to Philadelphia Daily News staffer Les Bowen, J.J. Arrington, bothered by a foot/ankle problem and coming off microfracture surgery that kept him out of the league in 2009, hasn't gotten a lot of reps in practice or in games. This week of practice -- in which the normal starters get the fewest reps, leading up to a game they won't play in at all -- and this game are Arrington's last, best chance to make an impression. "Show 'em my burst, blocking and stuff, show 'em that I'm picking up the playbook pretty well -- of course it's not going to be great, because I haven't been here that long, but it's coming together," Arrington told Bowen when asked what he needs to do to make the final roster. Asked if he thought the Eagles had seen enough of what he can do so far to make a fair evaluation of him, Arrington said, "honestly, probably not. Not right now. That's what this week is for."

8/31 According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles traded sixth round draft pick Charles Scott to Arizona for CB Jorrick Calvin, who was also a sixth round selection in April's draft. Scott, drafted as a halfback, had disappointed and was moved to fullback during preseason. The team, however, typically carries just one fullback.

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9/04 According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette staffer Ed Bouchette, Charlie Batch -- and not Dennis Dixon -- likely will lead the Steelers at QB into their season opener Sept. 12 against Atlanta because Byron Leftwich will miss two to four weeks with a sprained MCL in his left knee. While the decision isn't final, Bouchette reports the Steelers are leaning toward Batch to start and they will bring in Dixon as they had planned to do had Leftwich started -- using him in various spots at QB. ... The team's original plan was to keep two QBs until Ben Roethlisberger returned from suspension -- he will not count against the Steelers roster until he rejoins the team Oct. 4 to get ready to resume play Oct. 17 against Cleveland at Heinz Field. That obviously changed when Leftwich was injured.

9/04 According to Profootballtalk.com, the Steelers didn't find a trade partner for C Justin Hartwig, so he was among the 11 players released on Saturday as the team got down to the 53-man limit. Others of interest included: WR Tyler Grisham, WR Stefan Logan and FB Frank Summers, who lost his roster spot to rookie RB Jonathan Dwyer.

9/03 QB Byron Leftwich has a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee and he will miss two to four weeks with the injury, a source told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today. Leftwich, the presumed starter during Ben Roethlisberger’s four-game suspension, will clearly not be in position to do that. Again, Dennis Dixon is expected to move into the starting spot.

9/03 According to ESPN insider Chris Mortensen, Byron Leftwich has a second-degree sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Leftwich, who was injured in Thursday night's preseason game, avoided a complete tear of the MCL, but nevertheless it remains a debilitating injury that is likely to prevent him from starting Pittsburgh's regular season opener. Dennis Dixon is now expected to start for Pittsburgh.

9/03 NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has reduced Ben Roethlisberger's suspension to four games. According to NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora, Goodell reduced the suspension after Roethlisberger met with commissioner today. The move comes as no real surprise. Goodell had previously said Roethlisberger would have his suspension reduced from six to four games if he stayed out of trouble and more recently Goodell said Roethlisberger had done everything asked of him and more.

9/03 Following up on a previous item. ... Ben Roethlisberger and team president Art Rooney II will meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell this morning in New York, but they will not be politicking to have his suspension reduced beyond two games, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has learned. Reports have suggested that Rooney is accompanying Roethlisberger to the meeting to have his suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy reduced from six games to three games. But that is not the case. "That door is not open," a source who is familiar with the meeting told Post-Gazette Gerry Dulac. ... This news comes after a number of observers suggested that such a request might not go over well with Goodell -- the sole arbiter of Roethlisberger's fate.

9/02 Following up on previous items. ... HC Mike Tomlin said Byron Leftwich would undergo an MRI on Friday, but the QB's teammates sounded discouraged. Backup Charlie Batch called it a "serious" injury, and Dennis Dixon -- now the likely starter -- said he couldn't talk to Leftwich because doctors were working on the knee so intensely. "It's an opportunity, I guess, but it's unfortunate for Byron for what he went through. But this team has to continue to go forward," Dixon, who has started only one NFL game, told the Associated Press. "I know once he's going to come back he's going to give us nothing but tremendous support. ..." Stay tuned. More when we hear something more official.

9/02 As previously noted, Byron Leftwich, expected to replace Ben Roethlisberger during his suspension, injured his left knee during the second quarter Thursday night as his team beat the starter-less Panthers 19-3. ... As the Associated Press reported, Leftwich, tuning up for his anticipated start in the Sept. 12 season opener against the Atlanta Falcons, completed an 18-yard pass to rookie Emmanuel Sanders before being knocked off his feet as RB Mewelde Moore and Panthers S Marcus Hudson collided near him with 10:25 remaining in the first half. ... HC Mike Tomlin confirmed Leftwich sprained his knee; independent reports indicate an MCL rather than the more serious ACL. ... We'll all know more, however, when MRI results are released. Stay tuned. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 Following up on a previous item. ... In a post-game press conference, HC Mike Tomlin said that Byron Leftwich has a knee sprain and that he is undergoing an MRI. Profootballtalk.com is reporting that Leftwich has MCL damage -- which would clearly be good news given the circumstances (meaning it's not his ACL). ... Stay tuned. More as further details come to light.

9/02 According to Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio, Byron Leftwich suffered a knee injury during the second quarter of Thursday night's preseason game against the Panthers. Per play-by-play man Bob Pompeani of KDKA-TV, it "didn't look good. ..." Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Leftwich was taken to a local hospital for an MRI. As Florio notes, if Leftwich can't play in Week 1, the Steelers will have Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch at QB.

9/01 According to ESPN.com's Sal Paolantonio, in their meeting scheduled for Friday, Ben Roethlisberger's representatives plan to ask commissioner Roger Goodell to reduce the six-game suspension by at least three games, bringing along team president Arthur J. Rooney II to the New York meeting to support the QB's case. Goodell has made it clear he would consider reducing the length of the suspension if Roethlisberger complied with a number of league imposed conditions, including a comprehensive behavioral evaluation, and stayed clear of any other off field problems. As Paolantonio notes, most observers believe Goodell has had in his mind all along to reduce the suspension by two games to four. But Roethlisberger's attorney, David Cornwell, is expected to ask for a greater reduction in the suspension. ... Stay tuned. Some reduction seems all but certain. It'll be interesting to see how Roethlisberger's request is met by the commissioner.

9/01 According to Pittsburgh Tribune-Review staff writer Scott Brown, Ben Roethlisberger intends to work out with QBs coach George Whitfield Jr. in Pittsburgh while he is suspended. ... Roethlisberger will meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell Friday in New York about the six-game suspension he received in April for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Goodell could reduce the suspension to four games because of good behavior. "I don't know if it's going to be a discussion, it's going to be a question and answer or [Goodell] just does all of the talking," Roethlisberger told Brown in an exclusive interview. "I think there are probably a lot of things I could tell him but I want to make sure that we have the right answers and the truth and the things we think will be beneficial. ..." In addition to bringing in the California-based Whitfield -- the two have worked together during past offseasons -- Roethlisberger said he will train with wide receivers that have been cut by NFL teams and want to stay in football shape. "I am going to be doing a lot of drills, a lot of drops," Roethlisberger said. "I will do everything humanly possible that I can do to stay as sharp as I can with the things I am allowed to do."

8/31 In an item published Monday, SI.com's Peter King advised readers he'll be "very surprised" if commissioner Goodell doesn't reduce Ben Roethlisberger's suspension from six to four games when they meet in New York Friday. King went on to explain whether Roethlisberger's turned his life around or not, he seems to have had no blemishes since his second sexual-assault accusation and Goodell always left open that Roethlisberger would be able to chip two games off the suspension if he toed the line through the offseason and was serious about changing his ways. ... Stay tuned on this one.

8/31 As the Associated Press reported, Ben Roethlisberger gave way to his backups after a quick night's work. Now, he can get ready to make his case for a shortened suspension, too. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed during Denver's 34-17 win over Pittsburgh on Sunday night that commissioner Roger Goodell and the Steelers QB will meet soon. Subsequent reports indicate the two will meet Friday. ... Roethlisberger was suspended for six games after being accused of sexually assaulting a Georgia college student in March. He was not criminally charged in the case. If Roethlisberger's suspension is reduced to four games, he'll be back for their game against Cleveland on Oct. 17. Otherwise, he'll be out until the Steelers visit New Orleans on Halloween night. ... After Roethlisberger was pulled, Dennis Dixon got his first significant playing time with the starters. Dixon has started only one NFL game, and he is expected to be Byron Leftwich's backup when the season starts and Roethlisberger's suspension begins. Dixon didn't make a good impression Sunday night, throwing two costly interceptions. Dixon finished 9-of-16 for 94 yards, two interceptions and a pair of sacks. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/03 Following up on an ongoing story. ... Vernon Davis' frustrations with Michael Crabtree finally came to a boiling point. In case you missed it, Davis angrily confronted Crabtree during Wednesday's practice and HC Mike Singletary had to step between them. It was a matter of being a team captain. All I was doing was taking care of my responsibilities and doing my job," Davis said. "I was just expressing the way I felt at the moment. I just pretty much said whatever was on my mind at the time. Just pretty much giving him a check, getting his head leveled and just getting on him about some things he did in the past. ..." Davis said his issue with Crabtree was football related but not about the second-year WR not playing during the exhibition schedule. "I hope he got the message. I think he did, I strongly believe, but if anything I see that I feel is wrong or that needs to be addressed, then I'm going to say something," Davis said. "I don't really have any frustrations with Michael. He just did some things during that time that I didn't like. That's all. ... It was basically taking ownership." Davis said he no longer has a problem with Crabtree. The 49ers are counting on both men to be two of their biggest offensive stars. "We're great. I love him like a brother," Davis said. "I feel like everybody's on the same page. We still have some growing to do. We have Week 1 coming up, and that's all we can concentrate on at the moment. We don't need any distractions. ..." And it sounds like the biggest distraction -- Crabtree's lacksadaisical approach to practice -- has at least been addressed.

9/03 In addition to RB Michael Robinson, CSNBayArea.com's Matt Maiocco reports that WR Jason Hill has been released by the 49ers. ... Also released: FB Jehuu Caulcrick and TE Tony Curtis.

9/03 According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the 49ers have released RB Michael Robinson. That leaves veteran Brian Westbrook and rookie Anthony Dixon on the depth chart behind Frank Gore. We suspect Dixon would get the nod if something happened to keep Gore off the field for an extended period.

9/03 Following up on an ongoing story. ... Michael Crabtree has never played a preseason game, perhaps one of the things that irked teammate Vernon Davis when the Pro Bowl TE verbally confronted Crabtree during Wednesday’s practice. HC Mike Singletary intervened and talked to both players in the locker room away from the rest of the team. ... While he had been nursing a neck injury, he hasn’t been limited in practice and Singletary said before last Saturday’s exhibition in Oakland he expected the wideout to play a quarter. In fact, as CSNBayArea.com's Matt Maiocco notes, before the 49ers arrived in Indianapolis on the morning of Aug. 15, Crabtree was declared available for action. Crabtree did not suit up for that game. He sat out the following week's game, too. Then the Oakland game. Then he sat out last night's exhibition finale. ... Of course, Crabtree came to the 49ers as the No. 10 overall pick in the 2009 draft. Maiocco reminded readers that while every other rookie accepted the unwritten rule of slotting as a way to achieve agreement with their respective clubs on a rookie contract, Crabtree and agent Eugene Parker delayed the process in hopes of gaining a bigger deal. In the lead-up to the draft, Crabtree was the subject of unflattering reports. He was tagged with the reputation of being a "diva" after making his round of pre-draft visits to NFL clubs. Eventually, the 49ers and Crabtree's side even agreed to a "diva clause" being inserted into his contract that requires him to take part in all mandatory functions and 90 percent of the voluntary offseason activities through the life of his contract. ... Prior to the incident Wednesday, Crabtree was seen playfully going through practice next to Davis, who seemed to grow increasingly agitated. According to Maioccco, Crabtree is regarded as a good worker. But he seems to play by different rules than everyone else. Maiocco further noted that team officials have coddled Crabtree from the moment he signed his six-year contract and reported to the team after a 71-day absence. Even without any training camp, he became an immediate starter as a rookie. The 49ers expected things to be different this time around. So far that hasn't been the case. It's worth watching.

9/02 According to the Associated Press, on a night when San Francisco’s offensive stars sat out, the 49ers got more big plays on the other side of the ball to cap their first unbeaten preseason in 18 years. Manny Lawson and rookie Taylor Mays each had interceptions and rookie Anthony Dixon ran 46 yards for a first-half touchdown in the Niners’ 17-14 victory over the San Diego Chargers on Thursday night. ... Jehuu Caulcrick caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Nate Davis with 8:41 left and Joe Nedney added a 25-yard field goal. San Francisco went undefeated in its exhibition schedule for the first time since a 5-0 showing in 1992. ... San Francisco’s offense looked little like the unit it will be for the team’s Sept. 12 opener at NFC West rival Seattle. No Alex Smith at QB, no Frank Gore or Brian Westbrook at RB, no Michael Crabtree at WR or Joe Staley leading the line at LT. The Niners did go with their regular starting on 11 on defense—but for one series. ... David Carr started in place of Smith and was solid running the offense before giving way to Davis midway through the second quarter. ... Dixon finished his impressive exhibition campaign with another nice game. He finished the preseason with 74 carries for 300 yards and three TDs. He did sustain a ribs injury Thursday that wasn’t considered serious. ... WR Jason Hill was poked in the eye in the second quarter. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/01 As the Redzone.org notes, HC Mike Singletary told reporters he dealt with the issue that caused WR Michael Crabtree and TE Vernon Davis to get into a heated argument during Wednesday's practice and described the problem as a "non-football issue. ..." And it turns out the coach wasn't totally lying. According to CSNBayArea.com's Matt Maiocco, the "issue" is Crabtree's perceived attitude and apathy towards training camp and the exhibition season. SI.com's Jim Trotter heard the same thing. Trotter advised his Twitter followers that players don't like Crabtree's ambivalence toward preseason and training camp -- although they "love his talent. ..." This is presumably what Singletary meant when he said "There is no more elephants in the room. The elephant was exposed." Davis, one of the 49ers' captains, reportedly initiated the confrontation and was seen gesturing angrily and exchanging heated words with the second-year receiver. After several minutes Singletary took both parties to the locker room. After 10 minutes, Davis reappeared and received" fist-bumps" from several of his teammates. Crabtree and Singletary returned to the practice field nine minutes later. ... Singletary later said: "Vernon doesn't sugarcoat things. He doesn't know how to sugarcoat things. Sometimes I wish he would. But I appreciate what he was trying to do, it was just wrong. ..." Anybody else wondering if Singletary was winking as he said that last "it was just wrong?"

8/31 According to CSNBayArea.com's Matt Maiocco, Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree returned to full 11-on-11 drills Tuesday after both have been held out with knee and neck injuries, respectively. Neither man's injury was ever considered serious and both are expected to be at full speed come Week 1.

8/31 According to Associated Press sports writer Josh Dubow, David Carr left no doubt about who the backup QB will be in San Francisco. This after Carr led a late touchdown drive that gave the San Francisco 49ers a 28-24 victory Saturday night in the annual Battle of the Bay. ... After a slow start, Carr did just enough to win it by putting together a 16-play, 80-yard. The biggest play might have been Carr's 5-yard run on third-and-3. Carr leaped in the air and was spun around like a helicopter after being hit by a defender a week after Nate Davis went down shy of the marker on a similar play. Anthony Dixon pushed it up the middle on third-and-goal from the 1 to give the Niners the lead with 1:44 remaining. Carr's pass to Nate Byham for the two-point conversion made it 28-24. ... Frank Gore ran for 58 yards on two carries in his first action of the preseason for the Niners, Alex Smith threw a touchdown pass and rookie Phillip Adams scored on an 83-yard punt return as San Francisco remained undefeated in the preseason. ... The Niners offense started well, getting a 49-yard run from Gore on his first carry of the preseason. Gore ran over Michael Huff and Stanford Routt on the play, showing he needs little work in exhibition games. Gore had one more carry and dropped a pitch before leaving for the night. "It feels great, man, especially going through training camp all month and I didn't get to go against another team," Gore said. "I was like a little kid out there. I was happy. ..." San Francisco's first touchdown came on Adams' return. The seventh-round draft pick just started fielding punts in practice this week but could have done enough to make the team with his three returns for 116 yards. ... Late in the half, Brian Westbrook had a 17-yard run on his second carry of the preseason to help set up Smith's 16-yard touchdown pass to Josh Morgan. Smith was 9 for 15 for 113 yards. ... Westbrook is considered day-to-day after suffering a hamstring cramp during his brief appearance. ... The 49ers played without WR Michael Crabtree (neck). ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/06 Following up on a previous item. ... ESPN's Adam Schefter, after originally reporting the Seahawks released RB Julius Jones, is now reporting that Jones was never actually released. Schefter is now reporting Jones saved his job by taking a paycut. As Schefter explained via Twitter: "The plan, which multiple people confirmed, was to cut him." But it never happened.

9/05 The Seahawks have signed former 49ers RB Michael Robinson, who was released earlier this week. FB Owen Schmitt was waived to clear a roster spot for Robinson's arrival. Robinson, a former college QB, joins a backfield led by Justin Forsett, Leon Washington and Quinton Ganther. Seattle released RB Julius Jones earlier today.

9/05 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Seahawks have released RB Julius Jones. The move leaves Justin Forsett and Leon Washington as the team's top two RBs heading into Week 1.

9/04 In addition to releasing WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh and QB J.P. Losman, the Seahawks made a number of moves to reach the 53-man roster limit. Among those no longer on the team includes: RB Louis Rankin, TE Nick Tow-Arnett, WR Brandon Jones and WR Ruvell Martin.

9/04 The Seahawks have traded a late-round 2011 draft pick to Philadelphia for OL Stacy Andrews according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Also according to Schefter, OL coach Alex Gibbs has resigned. Per Schefter, Gibbs' resignation was abrupt, and it's not quite clear why he did it.

9/04 According to ESPN insider Chris Mortensen, the Seahawks have released WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Remember, any team signing Houshmandzadeh can do so for the veteran minimum ($850,000) and Seattle is on the hook for the remainder of his $7 million guaranteed. We suspect he won't be unemployed long.

9/04 With the Seahawks reportedly planning to trade or release T.J. Houshmandzadeh, speculation about his future has begun in earnest. ... While it makes little sense for a team to give something up for the veteran's services knowing he'll be released (and they can get likely get him on the cheap without giving anything up in return), Cincinnati Enquirer staffer Joe Reedy reported the Vikings, Jets, Chargers and Cardinals made trade offers. The Vikings and Jets have denied the report. ... Other possible landing spots? The Rams clearly have a need; the Redskins, too. Cleveland and Buffalo have also been mentioned. ... Stay tuned. We'll undoubtedly hear more on this one throughout the day.

9/04 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Seahawks have released QB J.P. Losman.

9/03 The Seahawks will cut ties with T.J. Houshmandzadeh by trading or releasing him, two league sources have told ESPN insider Adam Schefter, and it will promote Mike Williams into its starting lineup for a Sept. 12 game against San Francisco. ... Schefter went on to explain the 32-year-old Houshmanzadeh will be a bargain for another team this season. His Seahawks contract includes offset language that makes Seattle liable to pay Houshmanzadeh whatever his new team doesn't. So if Houshmanzadeh were to sign a veteran minimum deal of $850,000, the Seahawks would be liable for the remaining $6.15 million balance. ... Meanwhile, Williams will start likely opposite Deion Branch, with Deon Butler and Golden Tate as reserves. ... Also according to Schefter, the Seahawks also are likely to pursue QB Patrick Ramsey, whom New Orleans released Friday. If Seattle landed him, it likely would have to get rid of another QB.

9/02 Charlie Whitehurst threw a touchdown pass and former Raider Louis Rankin scored on a 99-yard kickoff return for the Seahawks, who like the Raiders held out most of their starters in Thursday night's 27-24 loss in Oakland. ... Olindo Mare kicked three field goals for Seattle while QB Matt Hasselbeck, WRs T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Deion Branch, LB Lofa Tatupu and DBs Marcus Trufant and Lawyer Milloy were among the Seahawks to get the night off. ... Whitehurst got off to a slow start for the Seahawks as he tries to establish his role as a backup. But he started clicking late in the first half, throwing for 210 yards and a 26-yard touchdown pass to Deon Butler. ... Whitehurst had three long completions over Raiders CB Chris Johnson. Golden Tate, Ben Obomanu and Butler had the three catches for 101 yards against Johnson. Whitehurst could have had an even bigger day except a 45-yard TD pass to Cameron Morrah on the final play of first half was negated by a holding call. ... Former Raiders WR Mike Williams had two catches for 28 yards for Seattle. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 Following up on the previous item. ... According to Minneapolis Star Tribune staffer Judd Zulgad, Seattle is believed to be trying to unload T.J. Houshmandzadeh because it would like an opportunity to clear salary space to potentially add disgruntled San Diego WR Vincent Jackson in a trade. Houshmandzadeh is due to make $7 million plus guaranteed this coming season. ... Again, the 32-year-old Houshmandzadeh is coming off a season in Seattle in which he caught 79 passes for 911 yards and only three touchdowns in 16 games. That reception total was his lowest since he caught 78 passes with the Bengals in 2005 in 14 games. It's still not clear if he'll draw any interest.

9/02 According to NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora, the Seahawks are trying to move WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh. La Canfora believes it's unlikely anyone would be willing to take Houshmandzadeh on. He's due to make $7 million-plus in guaranteed money this year. That's a heavy price for a veteran whose talents appear to be diminishing. We'll note that La Canfora's reporting jibes with speculation in the Seattle area. ... We'll continue to follow up but we're with La Canfora; hard to imagine anybody giving up much in exchange for Houshmandzadeh.

9/01 With CB Josh Wilson traded to Baltimore, the Tacoma News Tribune reports that Leon Washington now will get a chance to earn the kick returner position, something that he’s been chomping at the bit to do according to HC Pete Carroll. If the regular-season opener was today, Carroll said Washington would be the kick returner.

8/31 In the wake of Saturday night's loss to the Vikings, Seattle Times staffer Danny O'Neil notes that Charlie Whitehurst has looked progressively worse over the course of Seattle's three exhibition games. He remains firmly entrenched as the back-up, but he was particularly bad in the fourth quarter of Saturday's game. His 47-yard pass to Golden Tate was a highlight, but his next three throws were increasingly worse, culminating in an interception that two different Minnesota defenders were vying for. ... Also according to O'Neil, Leon Washington gained 16 yards on six carries as the starter, and HC Pete Carroll conceded afterward that the team remains unhappy with the production on the ground, and that really, Seattle's lack of first-down production made it tough to give an accurate reading of Washington's success as the starter. In three exhibition games, Seattle has started three different players and the first-quarter results have been similarly dismal. The Seahawks' starting running back has averaged fewer than 3 yards per carry in the first quarter of all three exhibition games. ... And finally: TE John Carlson caught one pass for 6 yards, and unless the Seahawks are playing possum or keeping coy when it comes to his involvement in the passing game, O'Neil believes it's now OK to be officially concerned.

8/31 In an item published Monday, SI.com's Peter King advised readers that while watching Seattle play in Minnesota on Saturday, WR Mike Williams caught his attention. As King noted, Matt Hasselbeck went to Williams early and often. King added: "You can tell the Seahawks have [Williams] built into the game plan, and he'll take the big receiver's role there.

8/31 Seattle's offense was less-than-impressive in Saturday night's 24-13 loss to the Vikings in Minnesota. In fact, rookie S Earl Thomas' 86-yard interception return (of a Brett Favre pass) was the Seahawks' lone touchdown of the night. It was a big night for the heavy-hitting safety from Texas, taken by the Seahawks with the 14th overall pick. ... Seattle's offense sputtered. Matt Hasselbeck completed nine of 17 passes for 126 yards, 42 coming on a completion to Mike Williams in the third quarter. More importantly, he left after two series in the third quarter without a scratch on him. As Associated Press sports writer Jon Krawczynski suggested, that was no small feat for Seattle's patchwork offensive line against a defensive line that led the NFL in sacks last year. Sixth overall draft choice Russell Okung is out indefinitely with a high ankle sprain, forcing the Seahawks to move backup LG Mike Wrotto out to LT. Two years ago, Jared Allen put a crunching hit on Hasselbeck in the preseason that knocked him out of the game with a back injury, one that lingered most of the season and kept him out for nine games in the regular season that year. He missed two games with a rib injury last season, but the Seahawks did a pretty good job of protecting him on Saturday night. Hasselbeck was sacked twice and hit two other times, but came away unscathed. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/05 According to PewterReport.com, the Bucs waived RB/KR Clifton Smith today.

9/05 According to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel staffer Greg A. Bedard, Tampa Bay has claimed Packers RB Kregg Lumpkin off waivers.

9/04 In addition to releasing WR Michael Clayton (see previous), the Bucs reached the 53-man roster limit by releasing a list that included: RB Carlos Brown, TE Jeron Mastrud, QB Jevan Snead and FB Rendrick Taylor.

9/04 According to St. Petersburg Times staffer Rick Stroud, the Buccaneers have released WR Michael Clayton.

9/02 QB Rudy Carpenter threw two touchdown passes to Arrelious Benn, Corey Lynch returned one of his two interceptions 91 yards for another score and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Houston Texans 24-17 on Thursday night. ... As the Associated Press reported, Carpenter completed 15 of 22 passes for 203 yards and played into the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay rested starter Josh Freeman and backup Josh Johnson. ... Carpenter completed a 29-yard pass to Preston Parker and a 21-yarder to Ryan Purvis on consecutive plays early in the fourth quarter. On third-and-12 from the Texans' 37, Carpenter hit Parker across the middle for a 16-yard gain. Benn made an acrobatic touchdown catch on the next play, reaching over Houston CB Jacques Reeves and hanging onto the ball as he hit the ground in the end zone. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 According to the team's official Twitter feed, QB Josh Freeman isn't playing tonight but he's throwing the ball around some on the Reliant Stadium field during pre-game warmups. The reports suggests he looks good. Freeman, who fractured the tip of his throwing thumb last month, is expected to be the Week 1 starter.

9/01 According to the Sports Xchange, PK Conner Barth continues to demonstrate a strong leg. His kickoffs were at or several yards deep in the end zone and he made a 51-yard field goal in last week's pre-season game. ... Also: TE Kellen Winslow made his pre-season debut last Saturday and caught one pass for five yards. We'll remind you that Winslow's current Fantasy value should still be based more heavily on last year's performance than this summer's. ... Finally: RB Clifton Smith, who has been battling gout, made his first appearance of the preseason Saturday. He fumbled his first kickoff return out of bounds.

8/31 HC Raheem Morris said several players have been ruled out of the Bucs' final preseason game, on Thursday at Houston. Of primary interest to Fantasy owners would be WR Maurice Stovall, who will be held out with an injured ankle. Stovall might be the player most impacted by his injury. He hasn't played since the pre-season opener at Miami and will miss his third straight game. He is yet to return to practice, too. At the very least, he's lost his grip on the starting receiver position for which he was slated at the start of the preseason. According to St. Petersburg Times staffer Stephen Holder, Sammie Stroughter is, for all intents and purposes, going to be the starter there on opening day.

8/31 According to PewterReport.com, the Bucs will be without starting CB Aqib Talib for the season opener. The Bucs have announced that Talib has been suspended by the NFL for violating the Personal Conduct Policy. Talib loses one game check and is fined another game check as punishment.

8/31 According to the PewterReport.com, the Buccaneers have cut RB Derrick Ward and WR Terrence Nunn. HC Raheem Morris announced the roster moves after Tuesday's practice. Morris said that Ward, who signed to a lucrative, four-year, $17 million deal in 2009, didn't fit the long-term plan for the Buccaneers. Second-year pro Kareem Huggins, a 2009 undrafted free agent out of Hofstra, beat out Ward for the backup spot to starter Carnell "Cadillac" Williams. In three presesaon games Huggins has run for 97 yards on 19 carries (5.1 average) with two receptions for 16 yards. Huggins brings more speed and big-play ability to the Buccaneers backup running back position.

8/31 QB Josh Freeman was able to grip the football and threw passes briefly with a trainer Sunday, according to HC Raheem Morris. Freeman broke the tip of his thumb on his throwing hand against the Chiefs nine days ago and has been receiving treatment ever since. On Monday, he rejoined his teammates on the field for practice but did not participate. "He's on or maybe ahead of schedule," Morris said Monday. ... According to St. Petersburg Times staffer Rick Stroud, the Bucs expect Freeman to practice sometime next week and play in the Sept. 12 season opener against Cleveland.

8/31 According to the St. Petersburg Times, WR Michael Clayton, clearly on the bubble with final cuts six days away, did not play in Saturday's game against Jacksonville, begging the question of whether that says something about his status with the club. In Clayton's opinion, the answer is clear. "I have full confidence that I will be here," Clayton said. Clayton's base salary of $3 million this fall is guaranteed, but the Times suggests the Bucs would entertain trading the veteran who disappointed the club last season after signing a $26 million deal. They might opt to release him despite the guaranteed salary, which will complicate those efforts to trade him. HC Raheem Morris said Clayton's absence from the game was not indicative of anything, saying coaches wanted to take a longer look at rookie Arrelious Benn and some other receivers. Morris said Clayton would play Thursday night in Houston.

8/31 According to Associated Press sports writer Fred Goodall, Josh Johnson gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the reassurance they sought with starting QB Josh Freeman sidelined by a broken thumb in a 19-13 preseason loss last Saturday night. ... Filling in for Freeman, who the Bucs expect to return in time for their regular season opener, Johnson completed 9 of 14 passes for 122 yards and one touchdown to build a 13-6 lead before leaving the game in the third quarter. HC Raheem Morris doesn't plan to play his starters much if at all in the Bucs' finale at Houston, which is why it was important for Johnson to play well. ... The third-year pro started four games last season, going 0-4 but showing enough progress that Morris insists he's comfortable with the idea of the 24-year-old leading the offense in the opener if Freeman doesn't recover as quickly as expected. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/04 The Titans included QB Chris Simms on their list of players released to get down to the 53-man limit. Others of interest: TE Steven Pfahler, RB Alvin Pearman, WR Paul Williams, WR Dominique Edison, FB Jed Collins, RB Samkon Gado and TE Sean Ryan.

9/03 One day after yanking Kenny Britt from the field following a rash of mistakes, HC Jeff Fisher said the second-year WR is going to have to prove he’s ready to be counted on to play. "If I suspect there’s issues he is not part of the (45-man roster on game days)," Fisher said on Friday. "If his mind is clear and he is focused and is ready to play, he is potentially a really good player. But if I suspect there would be a problem, we have other receivers I’ll play instead of Kenny. ..." Nashville Tennessean staffer Jim Wyatt notes that Britt dropped two passes and was whistled for a false start in less than a half of action against the Saints. Britt said he wasn’t focused. That inability to get his mind right has to be of great concern to Fantasy owners. Playing on a run-first team, the former first-round pick is surrounded by enough receiving talent (Nate Washington, Justin Gage, Bo Scaife among others) to keep Vince Young in business if Britt isn't getting the job done. Let's hope Britt gets "it" soon.

9/02 As the Associated Press reported, Chris Johnson wore a visor and T-shirt and stayed busy as Tennessee's top cheerleader and Alvin Pearman's 5-yard touchdown run with 3:18 left helped the Titans beat the Saints, 27-24, Thursday night in a preseason finale in which both teams employed safety-first policies for their key stars. ... Vince Young tossed a TD pass and LeGarrette Blount also ran for a score as Tennessee protected Johnson by sitting him. ... Johnson worked out before the doors opened, running stadium steps, and later signed autographs. Tennessee starters such as WRs Justin Gage (right thumb) and Nate Washington (left wrist) and LG Leroy Harris (ankle) also were kept out to heal nagging injuries before the Titans' opener Sept. 12 against Oakland. ... Playing mostly against the Saints reserves, the Titans rolled up 223 yards rushing without Johnson. Javon Ringer rushed for 64 yards on four carries; Samkon Gado, a late add during camp, ran for 63 yards; and Blount finished with 57. Tennessee amassed 466 yards total offense. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/01 According to the Nashville Tennessean, QB Chris Simms puts his chances of making the 53-man roster at 50-50. Simms, who did not play in the Carolina game, is scheduled to see action against the Saints on Thursday. The roster must be cut to 53 by Saturday. "There's maybe one or two guys that can change an opinion, whether it's my position or not, I don't know, nor do I care," Simms said Tuesday. "It is just about going out and doing my best and working on my craft. ... I say it's 50-50 whether I am here or not. I have been around the NFL long enough to know what the heck is going on. I know we have four quarterbacks here and four pretty good ones, so we'll see what happens. ..." Meanwhile, the Tennessean reports that Kerry Collins has played well enough to secure the backup job behind Vince Young. Simms is 9-of-18 passing for 41 yards in two appearances, while rookie Rusty Smith is 16-of-30 for 144 yards with two interceptions. Of the four quarterbacks, Collins is the only one with a touchdown pass.

8/31 RB Chris Johnson couldn't fine any running room and Vince Young found the passing lanes equally clogged in Saturday night's 15-7 loss to the Panthers. According to Associated Press sports writer Mike Cranston, Carolina's overhauled defense hardly looked like it missed Julius Peppers, sacking Young four times, keeping Johnson in check and holding Tennessee to 50 yards in the first half. ... Johnson, the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2009, managed just 10 yards on eight carries with little room to roam in his most extensive work of the preseason. He has 39 yards on 19 carries in three games after rushing for 2,006 yards last season. With Johnson getting stuffed, Young had little room to maneuver, either. ... Young, playing the entire first half, completed just 6 of 9 passes for 48 yards under constant pressure. The Titans were able to briefly take the lead on Kerry Collins' 35-yard touchdown pass to TE Jared Cook. ... Tennessee pulled its starters at halftime. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

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9/04 According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Redskins have told RB Willie Parker they are releasing him.

9/03 According to Washington Post staffer Jason Reid, Chris Cooley has fully recovered from the fractured ankle that cut short his 2009 season. He has developed a good rapport with Donovan McNabb and Reid believes Cooley is poised to have a personal-best season. That said, the Redskins believe fellow TE Fred Davis possesses Pro Bowl talent. They plan to utilize two TE sets often this season.

9/02 As was the case in HC Mike Shanahan’s days with Denver, his main players took the fourth preseason game off, including QBs Donovan McNabb and Rex Grossman. Richard Bartel and John Beck split time at QB. Bartel threw 21 yards to Terrence Austin on the first play of the fourth quarter for Washington’s lone touchdown in the team's 20-10 loss to the Cardinals. ... Willie Parker, who started at RB, had a 13-yard run and a 15-yard reception on Washington’s first possession. ... Graham Gano’s 40-yard field goal was nullified by a holding penalty, then he kicked a 50-yarder to tie it at 3. ... (Get complete game stats HERE)

9/02 Donovan McNabb has been critical of his performance in HC Mike Shanahan's offense. McNabb spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Eagles, so as the Washington Post noted, a transition process was inevitable. And then McNabb suffered an ankle injury in the second pre-season game against the Ravens and has not practiced or played since. Although Shanahan has declined to discuss McNabb's availability for the Sept. 12 game against the Cowboys, many Redskins players said McNabb will start the season opener. But Post staffer Jason Reid wonders how sharp will McNabb be? Reid went on to explain it's not so much that McNabb needs practice and game reps to determine whether Dallas is in a two-deep zone, playing man underneath or whatever. Rather it seems he could use as much time as possible running Shanahan's offense until he picks up everything well. "I don't think anyone has to worry about Donovan," WR Devin Thomas said. "I've gotten a chance to work with Donovan in the off-season and training camp, and I know he'll be ready for whatever the coaches ask him to do." TE Chris Cooley also expressed confidence in McNabb. "People don't understand how much of an adjustment this is for him," Cooley said. "He's working with a new line, new receivers, new running backs and a new system. He went from doing things one way for a long time to make a lot of changes. It takes time. ..." Cooley is right. And that's the problem. McNabb is clearly missing more time than is ideal.

9/01 According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Redskins signed QB John Beck to a two-year, $2.25 million contract extension. Beck was already under contract for this year at $1 million, so the team now has him locked up for the next three years, at a total salary of $3.35 million. There's no word on how much of the contract is guaranteed. As Profootballtalk.com's Michael David Smith notes, Beck started four games for the Dolphins in 2007 but hasn't played at all since then. He's currently listed fourth on the team's online depth chart, but he's expected to be the No. 3 QB this season, behind Donovan McNabb and Rex Grossman.

9/01 According to the Washington Post, OC Kyle Shanahan said he expects starting QB Donovan McNabb to return to workouts next week, when the team will be preparing to open the season against Dallas. McNabb hasn't practiced since spraining his left ankle Aug. 21 against Baltimore. "I expect him to be able to practice next week," Shanahan said following Tuesday's practice. "I think he does too. You never know. We'll see how the injury goes. We know he's hurting right now, but we think he'll be good to go next week. ..." Per the Post, McNabb attended practice Tuesday without shoulder pads, but also without the protective sleeve he wore on the lower part of his left leg Monday. He has moved around team headquarters without an air cast or walking boot since early last week. ... Meanwhile, HC Mike Shanahan said it was impossible to say for certain when McNabb would return to workouts. "I kind of used this before, and I don't mean to not answer your question, but how do you know? How do you know?" Mike Shanahan said. "...You're hoping that a guy can go, but you don't know if there's going to be a setback or not. Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping. He's doing everything he can in rehab to get himself ready, but when he's ready to go I'll let you guys know. ..." We'll be watching for more. But don't bet the ranch on the elder Shanahan being any more forthcoming than this.

8/31 Following up on the previous item. ... While Malcolm Kelly's future is no longer up in the air -- he was placed on the season-ending injured reserve list Tuesday -- the Washington Post notes the exact nature of his injury is still shrouded in a bit of mystery. ... HC Mike Shanahan was very clear on Monday, saying Kelly pulled his hamstring. "Obviously, it must be a lot worse than we first thought," Shanahan said. One day later, rather than cut Kelly, the team placed him on IR. One of Kelly's teammates, CB DeAngelo Hall, has said the team misdiagnosed Kelly's injury at the outset of training camp and didn't learn the severity of it until after Kelly was already exercising the muscle. "They thought it was one thing, he ended up finally getting a second opinion three weeks later, and we find out it was something a heck of a lot worse than they ever thought it was," Hall told ESPN 980 earlier this month. "So we're here babying Malcolm, saying, 'He's a baby, he's a baby, get out there and play,' when he has a Grade 2 strain. And they're around here saying it's a Grade 1 and there ain't nothing wrong with him." As the Post explained, a Grade 2 strain is much more serious than a Grade 1 and requires different types and lengths of rehabilitation. Asked Tuesday whether the hamstring was torn, Shanahan said: "What's the difference? Tear, strain. Same thing. Just different terminology. ..." Or not. As the Post explained, the possibility of a misdiagnosis raises a series of questions: Why wasn't the injury properly diagnosed in the first place? Was there a misdiagnosis that resulted in further damage to Kelly's hamstring? If the team's doctors and training staff failed to properly diagnose the injury, did the team feel culpable and more inclined to keep Kelly in the organization?

8/31 HC Mike Shanahan said the team will place injury-plagued WR Malcolm Kelly on injured reserve Tuesday, ending the third-year player's season because of a recurring hamstring problem. As the Washington Post notes, Kelly, who practiced just three times during training camp and the preseason, suffered a setback during Monday's workout, his first since July 30. Further evaluation showed that he would likely miss six weeks, Shanahan said. The Redskins could have released Kelly Tuesday, reaching an injury settlement. By putting him on injured reserve, they retain his rights for the future. Shanahan, though, made it clear that Kelly is guaranteed nothing with the Redskins -- even after his hamstring heals. ... Per Post staffer Barry Svrluga, the injury whittles the group of potential Redskins receivers to nine -- for perhaps as many as six spots -- and costs Washington its tallest target.

8/31 Following up on an ongoing story. ... Practicing for the first time all month, receiver Malcolm Kelly suffered a "setback" on Monday, aggravating the left hamstring injury that has kept him out almost the entire preseason. HC Mike Shanahan said Kelly could not complete practice on Monday and his status for this Thursday's game -- and the regular season -- is unclear. Shanahan said he hadn't yet spoken with Kelly but trainer Larry Hess described the injury to him as a "pretty good pull. ..." "Let me see how bad he is first before I start talking about our options," Shanahan said. "I really don't know how bad it is. It's definitely a setback. And once they do that I can share it with you. ..." As the Washington Post reminded readers, Kelly first injured his hamstring the week before training camp opened and aggravated it in the team's first practice. Shanahan said Kelly had an MRI after the initial injury and sought out a second opinion on August 19, a day he was absent from practice. Shanahan said there was no tear. Shanahan said Kelly returned to practice Monday because the team felt he was ready. "If we didn't think he was healthy enough, we wouldn't have practiced him," he said. ... Because he has missed all three of the team's preseason games, Kelly's status with the team was a bit up in the air. Last year's Week 1 starter, Kelly hasn't been able to showcase himself for coaches; injuries slowed him during offseason workouts as well. But the Post notes that Shanahan says he has kept players in the past who missed the preseason due to injury. ... We'll see if Kelly gets that kind of break. Remember: Shanahan has previously expressed the belief that Kelly could provide the team with a great target in the end zone. But of course, Kelly has to get on the field to prove it.

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