The Facts: The question had hardly been tossed his way when Hackett caught it and practically spiked it. "It feels good," the Carolina Panthers' wide receiver said Wednesday, grinning as loosely as the black knee brace hanging from his left knee. "I just had some swelling in my knee, so I just took it easy. It swells up, but it's nothing that's hurt, nothing injured." The question was natural, after he missed the previous two days of work.

Diehards Line:As Herald staffer Darin Gantt suggests, Hackett's reaction can be expected, since he's one of the unfortunate few in the business who carries the "injury prone" label. He has missed 31 of a possible 64 games with a collection of problems big and small. ... Hackett insists the recent knee swelling was something that happens from time to time, and a few days of rest and ice usually have him ready again. ... It's worth watching.