2008 NFL Thanksgiving game preview - Titans vs Lions.
November 27, 2008
The Tennessee Titans are looking to rebound from a loss for the first time this year.
That’s the way the Detroit Lions have spent their entire season.
If there’s a good way to bounce back from a defeat, it would seem to be a matchup with the Detroit Lions, who must beat the AFC-best Titans to avoid emerging from their annual Thanksgiving Day game with a winless record for the second time in franchise history.
“No one is quitting, but we don’t know how to win,” said Lions defensive tackle Shaun Cody.
While Detroit (0-11) is getting closer to becoming the first team to go 0-16, Tennessee saw its hopes of a perfect regular season disappear on Sunday with a 34-13 loss to the New York Jets.
That defeat brought the Titans (10-1) back down to earth as they were outplayed on both sides of the ball, getting outgained 409-281 even though they were at home. It was the most points they had allowed in nearly two years.
“We weren’t worried about being undefeated,” defensive tackle Tony Brown said. “We were trying to win as many games as we could. … (Sunday) was a good test for us. It’s going to test our courage and how we’re going to bounce back.”
Tennessee still has a two-game lead in the AFC for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, not to mention a three-game edge over Indianapolis for the AFC South lead.
“We are still in the driver’s seat, and everybody else is playing catch-up,” linebacker Keith Bulluck said.
The Lions won’t be catching anyone that matters, but they have an opportunity to give their fans a thrill by impressing a national television audience with a win over the team which shares the league’s best record.
The only time Detroit has not had at least one victory through its Thanksgiving Day game came in 2001, when it took an 0-12 record into mid-December. The team finished 0-11 in 1942 but did not play on Thanksgiving due to World War II.
The Lions have lost 12 in a row overall and 18 of 19.
“The record is on me,” coach Rod Marinelli said. “I’ve never used an excuse.”
Detroit is 3-6 all-time versus the Titans, including a 24-21 loss in 1992 in the only Thanksgiving game between the franchises.
Controlling the ground game had been a key to Tennessee’s strong start, but that has not been as easy to do lately. The rushing attack has been slowed down, averaging 59.7 yards and 2.5 per carry over the last three weeks. In the last two games, the run defense has given up 332 yards and four touchdowns on 71 attempts.
Running the ball is one of the few areas in which Detroit has performed well lately, rushing for more than 100 yards in three straight games. However, the Lions have the worst run defense in the league, giving up 166.7 yards per game.
That could bode well for Chris Johnson and LenDale White. Johnson is the AFC’s second leading rusher with 833 yards, but has been held to 118 on 41 carries with no touchdowns over the last three games. White got only one carry against the Jets, and he’s been limited to one rushing TD over the last four weeks after having 10 through seven games.
Kerry Collins had stepped up in place of the rushing attack lately and performed reasonably well Sunday, but could not come up with the big plays when Tennessee needed them and saw his receivers drop plenty of passes. Collins was 21-of-39 for 243 yards with one touchdown, and did not throw an interception for the fifth time in six games.
“We don’t have much time to feel sorry for ourselves,” he said. “We’ve got to be able to move on.”
His counterpart will be Daunte Culpepper, maybe only because Detroit hardly has any other options. Culpepper was benched in the third quarter last week as the Lions blew an early 17-point lead in a 38-20 home loss to Tampa Bay.
He returned late in the game because Drew Stanton left with a concussion, and finished 8-of-20 for 121 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. With Jon Kitna out for the season, and both Stanton and Dan Orlovsky unlikely to be available, the Lions had to sign Drew Henson off the practice squad just to have a backup.
Culpepper is the latest quarterback to join in the Lions’ tradition of hosting a game on Thanksgiving, a day on which Detroit is 33-33-2 all-time. The Lions have lost their last four games on the holiday, getting outscored 132-52.
“It gives my friends and family a chance to watch me on national TV and we’re still looking for our first win,” rookie offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus told the team’s official Web site. “There’s no better way to go there and get it done on Thursday when the whole nation is watching. Our record is not who we are.”
Hookscenter.com wire report.
Washington Redskins cut 2005 league MVP Shaun Alexander.
November 26, 2008
Former NFL MVP Shaun Alexander was released by the Washington Redskins on Tuesday after getting only 11 carries in five games.
Alexander was signed Oct. 14 after backup Ladell Betts sprained his knee in a loss to the St. Louis Rams. Betts has since returned and resumed the No. 2 role behind NFL leading rusher Clinton Portis.
The Redskins replaced Alexander on the roster by signing defensive tackle Ryan Boschetti, who adds depth to an ailing defensive line. Defensive end Andre Carter and defensive tackle Kedric Golston both suffered foot injuries, and defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin hurt his shoulder in Sunday’s 20-17 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
Also, defensive tackle Anthony Montgomery is recovering from an Achilles’ tendon injury, although he is expected to be available for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.
Alexander was trying to make a comeback after foot and wrist injuries ruined his last two seasons and prompted the Seahawks to cut him in April. But in limited carries with the Redskins, the 31-year-old back never showed anything close to the form that helped him rush for 1,880 yards in his 2005 MVP season.
Alexander ran for only 24 yards, a 2.2-yard average. He didn’t play at all in the win over the Seahawks, even though he was returning to the stadium where he earned his fame as well as his fortune — in the form of an eight-year, $62 million contract signed after his MVP year.
Boschetti played 19 games with two starts for the Redskins from 2004-07. He was among the final cuts at the end of this year’s preseason.
Hookscenter.com wire report.
Browns’ QB Quinn out for the season with a broken finger.
November 26, 2008
Browns quarterback Brady Quinn doesn’t regret playing with a broken right finger that will sideline him for the rest of this season and may require surgery.
Quinn did more damage to his finger when he started Sunday against the Houston Texans.
“I knew that was a consequence if I went in and played,” Quinn said Wednesday. “That was something that I was willing to risk. If I had a chance to do it over, I would do it again.”
Quinn is now trying to decide whether to have an operation on the finger or just have it immobilized in a splint. Whatever he decides, the second-year QB, who waited 25 games to make his first NFL start, will miss the Browns’ final five games in what has been a disastrous season for a team that entered the season with playoff expectations.
“It’s frustrating,” said the former Notre Dame star, who broke the tip of his finger and sustained tendon damage in his second start on Nov. 17 at Buffalo. “I can’t begin to tell you. I’m hurting right now because I love to play the game. I wish I could be with my teammates. I feel bad for the fans because I really wanted to be out there and continue to play and continue to grow in this league.
“Hopefully, this will allow me to grow stronger and something good will come from this.”
Before last week’s game, Quinn consulted with team doctors as well as noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews. Quinn was presented with three options: keep playing, immobilize his finger or have surgery. However, when it came down to whether he would suit up or not, Quinn said he made the call.
“It was my decision in the end,” he said. “It wasn’t anyone else’s, so it didn’t matter what anyone else thought but me.”
Quinn started but was ineffective in a 16-6 loss to the Texans. He was benched late in the third quarter by coach Romeo Crennel and replaced by Derek Anderson.
Anderson, who lost his job three weeks ago to Quinn, will start Sunday when the Browns host Indianapolis.
Although he only saw Quinn play in three regular-season games, Crennel, whose job could depend on how the Browns finish the season, sees potential in the former first-round draft pick.
“I’m impressed with what he (Quinn) has done on the field, off the field, the way he’s handled situations, the way he’s handled the team. I like the kid a lot,” he said.
Assuming he’s back in 2009, Crennel said Quinn would be his starter.
“I had planned to go with Brady as the quarterback,” Crennel said. “When he comes back, he’s going to be healthy and he’s going to be the quarterback. Quinn is the starter next training camp.”
Hookscenter.com wire report.
Dolphins WR Camarillo will miss the rest of the season (knee injury).
November 25, 2008
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Greg Camarillo will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, coach Tony Sparano said Monday.
Camarillo left Miami’s 48-28 loss to New England in the second half Sunday and did not return.
“You don’t want to lose a player like that,” Sparano said. “He’s been really productive for us. To me, the guy’s been exactly what you’re looking for on your football team. I’m disappointed for him. I know how important it is for him. Just disappointed for the kid.”
The injury ends Camarillo’s breakout year with the Dolphins. He leads the Dolphins with 55 receptions for 613 yards and two touchdowns after catching a total of eight passes in his first two NFL seasons.
“He’s a very, very consistent player,” said Casey Cramer, who has roomed with Camarillo for the past three games. “I just hope that he heals quickly and he gets back out as soon as he can. He’s a great guy.”
Camarillo did not think the injury was season-ending after Sunday’s game, his agent J.R. Rickert said.
“He’s in good spirits considering the circumstances,” Rickert said.
This is the second time in two years that the Dolphins have lost a key player during a game against the Patriots. Running back Ronnie Brown needed surgery to repair a torn ACL after the Dolphins’ 49-28 loss to New England on Oct. 21, 2007.
Camarillo signed a $6 million, three-year extension this year that will keep him under contract through 2011. Telephone messages left with his agent were not immediately returned.
“It hurts to lose Greg, but I think we’ll be fine,” running back Patrick Cobbs said. “I think this team can pick it up and we can definitely move forward.”
Hookscenter.com wire report.
Cleveland Browns owner Lehner says he’s committed to winning.
November 25, 2008
Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner says he will wait until after the season before deciding on the future of coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Phil Savage.
During a rare interview Tuesday, the intensely private Lerner addressed a wide-range of topics, but steered clear of specific questions about Crennel or Savage. The two are under fire with the Browns at 4-7 and out of the playoff picture one year after winning 10 games and sending six players to the Pro Bowl.
Lerner has not yet decided whether he’ll bring back Crennel or Savage, whom he hired in 2005. The Browns are just 24-35 in that span and have yet to make the postseason.
“I will take issues and concerns and criticisms very seriously and think through them and evaluate them in January,” he said.
Lerner did outline his criteria for evaluating his GM, who was forced to apologize to a fan last week for sending a profane e-mail following Cleveland’s game at Buffalo.
“You weigh strengths and weaknesses,” he said. “I think that Phil recruits as aggressively as anybody could ever ask a guy to do and as thoroughly as anyone could ask a guy to do. I think we’ve been a beneficiary of those skills and that determination and commitment.”
The 46-year-old Lerner has been criticized by some Browns fans for not seeming more involved with the daily operations of his franchise, which he inherited following his father’s death in 2003. Lerner also owns Aston Villa of the English Premier League, leaving some to wonder about his commitment.
“I care totally about the team,” Lerner said. “When I reflect on that concern and criticism, it’s probably a byproduct of the management approach I’ve chosen. If you’re going to give people authority and hold them responsible and ultimately accountable for their performance, you’ve got to get out of the way. Especially when they have unique skills that you don’t have, like picking players or coaching.”
Lerner said he has no plans to sell the franchise and denied a rumor he has been approached about a possible deal.
“I’m not prepared to throw in the towel at 46 and suggest I can’t get the job done,” he said. “On the other hand, I don’t want to live in some delusional bubble somewhere.”
Lerner expressed frustration about not being able to build an identity for the Browns and described Sunday’s home loss to Houston as “sickening.”
Hookscenter.com wire report.
Michael Vick pleads guilty to state charges in Virginia, eyes early release.
November 25, 2008
Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick pleaded guilty Tuesday to a state dogfighting charge, a move that could make him eligible to leave prison early and potentially speed up a return to pro football.
Vick, 28, arrived wearing a gray suit and wrist and ankle shackles, but the restraints were removed by the time he entered his plea. The one-time Atlanta Falcons star also pleaded not guilty to a count of cruelty to animals, but that charge was dropped under his plea deal.
He received a three-year suspended sentence, far less than the maximum of 10 years he could have faced.
“I want to apologize to the court, my family, and to all the kids who looked up to me as a role model,” Vick told the judge.
Vick’s mother Brenda Boddie, brother Marcus Vick and fiancee Kijafa Frink walked in together and sat together in the front row of the gallery with other family and friends. Vick’s mother declined to comment to reporters but Marcus Vick acknowledged the family was glad the ordeal was nearly over.
Vick was stoic throughout the approximately 20-minute hearing. Afterward, he turned to his young daughter and winked.
After the hearing, Surry County Commonwealth Attorney Gerald Poindexter approached Vick’s mother and hugged her, saying, “At least some of this is over.”
Vick already is serving a 23-month sentence in Leavenworth, Kan. on federal charges of bankrolling a dogfighting operation at a home he owned in eastern Virginia’s rural Surry County, southeast of Richmond. He also admitted to participating in the killing of several underperforming dogs.
Poindexter defended allowing Vick to avoid additional prison time.
“I feel that what I did today is approved by more than a majority of Surry County, and that’s the constituency that I’m concerned about,” he said.
Vick is scheduled for release on July 20, 2009, and will serve three years of probation. His latest plea is important because it resolves the remaining charges against him, which is required under federal law if he is to move into a halfway house.
Vick’s agent Joel Segal attended the hearing and afterwards wouldn’t talk specifically about a possible return to the NFL, saying only, “Mike takes full responsibility for his actions and is ready to move forward and will let his actions speak for him.”
Once the highest paid player in the NFL, Vick appeared about as trim Tuesday as when he entered prison a year ago. His lawyer, Billy Martin, said Vick’s legal team hasn’t been involved in any preliminary steps to revive the suspended player’s career, focusing instead on reuniting him with his family.
“Michael as a human being is clearly somebody that we want to salvage,” Martin said. “Michael as a football player is somebody that down the road may get a chance again.”
The trick may be finding a team ready to take a risk on the former quarterback.
Atlanta still has Vick under contract. But Falcons owner Arthur Blank made clear late last month the three-time Pro Bowl selection won’t wear that team’s uniform again.
“I hope they’re prepared to face the dog lovers of America,” Kansas City Chiefs president and general manager Carl Peterson said earlier of a team that acquires Vick. “There are going to be a lot of problems. People love their pets, and particularly dogs. There will be protests, people expressing their thoughts — even though he’s served his time.”
Vick’s problems have compounded since his federal conviction in 2007. He’s landed in bankruptcy court after losing nearly all of his record-breaking $130 million from a 10-year deal he signed with Atlanta in December 2004.
Nine protesters from the animal rights group PETA stood quietly outside the courthouse before the hearing, holding signs with photographs of bloodied fighting dogs and others that read “Dogfighters repent.”
Asked how activists would respond if the NFL takes Vick back, Dan Shannon, assistant director of PETA, said Vick must speak out against dogfighting as someone who “participated in dogfighting and saw it ruin everything he built for himself and take away all his fame, all his fortune, all of his respect.”
“If he chooses to do that, that’s the only way I think he could ever be seen as any kind of a positive public figure,” Shannon said.
Associated Press Writer Dena Potter and AP Sportswriter Hank Kurz Jr. contributed to this report.
Hookscenter.com wire report.
Packers embarrassed by the Siants, 51-29, in the Big Easy on MNF.
November 25, 2008
After heading out on the road for more than a month, the New Orleans Saints were unstoppable at home.
The Saints spent 43 days away from the Louisiana Superdome for a trip to London, a bye and three road games, the Saints returned to New Orleans and put on one of the more memorable performances in franchise history.
Drew Brees threw for four scores, Deuce McAllister set a Saints record with his 54th career touchdown and New Orleans rolled to a 51-29 victory against the Green Bay Packers on Monday night.
“I mean, 40-something days on the road. It was great to get back in the dome,” Brees said. “You look at this game, so many things. Deuce getting the record, us just really feeling like we had our stride going the whole game.
“We’re kind of in the middle of pack, just like a lot of other teams,” Brees continued. “This is the time where a few of those teams start to separate themselves and we want to be one of those teams.”
Brees dismantled a Packers secondary that came in ranked third in the NFL with 176.3 yards passing allowed per game. He was 20-for-26 for 323 yards as New Orleans tied a club record for points scored and touchdowns (seven) in a game. Two of Brees’ touchdowns went to Lance Moore, one for 70 yards.
“It’s a dream come true playing with him,” said Moore, who had 115 yards. “All we have to do is run our routes. We don’t have to worry about doing anything extraordinary.”
Brees remained on pace to break Dan Marino’s 1984 record of 5,084 yards passing in a season. He has 3,574 yards with five games remaining. He also has the Saints (6-5) feeling better about their hopes of rallying for a playoff spot now that they’ve won back-to-back games for the first time all season.
“There’s an old saying, ‘10 and you’re in,’ ” Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma said. “We’ve got to find a way to get to 10 wins and get into the playoffs.”
The Packers (5-6) dropped a game behind Minnesota and Chicago in the race for first in the NFC North.
“We didn’t slow them down at all tonight,” Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. “Give credit to the Saints and the play of their quarterback. He was on fire coming into the game and we didn’t cool him off any.”
Aaron Rodgers’ attempt to keep up with Brees’ torrid passing resulted in three interceptions, two by Jason David and one by Kevin Kaesviharn. David returned his first pick to the 3, setting up McAllister’s scoring run, which broke Dalton Hilliard’s club record set in 1993.
The sellout crowd erupted after McAllister’s score. The Saints’ career rushing leader kept the ball as he trotted to the sideline, where he was hugged by Payton.
“I didn’t want it to be anything out of the context of the game because I respect the game so much,” McAllister said. “I wanted it to come in the natural flow.”
It might have been McAllister’s final game in the Superdome this season. He has appealed a four-game suspension levied after he tested positive for a diuretic banned by the NFL because it could be used as a masking agent for steroids. It is not clear when the league will rule on McAllister’s case.
Rodgers was 23-for-41 for 248 yards and touchdown passes of 7 yards to Greg Jennings and 4 yards to Ruvell Martin. Rodgers also ran for a 10-yard score. Ryan Grant rushed for 64 yards in the first half, but the Packers were forced to throw more as their deficit grew and Grant finished with only 67 yards.
“After the first half we knew we had to throw,” Rodgers said. “We tried to answer but we didn’t. We let this one get away from us.”
Leading 24-21 at the half, the Saints began to seize control with a long touchdown drive that ended with Brees’ 16-yard strike to tight end Billy Miller. McAllister then went in from the 3 and Brees hit Marques Colston in stride down the sideline for his second 70-yard TD pass of the game. It was Colston’s first score of the season after battling back from a thumb injury on opening day.
Pierre Thomas rushed for 87 yards and two touchdown runs, a 4-yarder in the first half and a 31-yard scamper in the fourth quarter that gave New Orleans a 51-29 lead. The Saints had scored 51 points twice before in their four-decade history and easily could have reached 52 if Payton had elected to kick the extra point. However, Payton called for a 2-point conversion that failed in an attempt to go up by 24 points.
The Packers scored first on a 1-yard touchdown leap by fullback John Kuhn. It was the first rushing touchdown for Kuhn in his three-year career and only his eighth carry.
But that would be Green Bay’s last lead. Moore’s 70-yard score came on the Saints’ next play, and New Orleans took the lead on Thomas’ first TD run. Green Bay tied it at 14 and again at 21 before New Orleans took the lead for good shortly before halftime on Garrett Hartley’s 30-yard field goal, set up by Courtney Roby’s 62-yard kickoff return.
Hookscenter.com wire report.
Donovan McNabb will start Thanksgiving day against Arizona.
November 24, 2008
Donovan McNabb will start when the Philadelphia Eagles host the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night.
The five-time Pro Bowl quarterback was benched for the first time in his career at halftime of Philadelphia’s 36-7 loss at Baltimore on Sunday. Second-year pro Kevin Kolb played poorly against the Ravens, and Eagles coach Andy Reid said Monday he’s going back to McNabb.
“Sometimes you have to step back to step forward in a positive way and Donovan will do that,” Reid said. “This has nothing to do with Kolb’s performance or Donovan’s performance.”
The Eagles (5-5-1) are on the verge of missing the playoffs for the third time in four years since losing the 2005 Super Bowl. No matter how they finish, this could be McNabb’s last season in Philadelphia.
McNabb, who turns 32 on Tuesday, is signed through 2013, but there’s no chance the Eagles will pay him $9.2 million next year to be a backup. He’s 22-21-1 as a starter since leading Philadelphia to four straight NFC championship games from 2001-04.
“As I sit here right now, he’s my starting quarterback,” Reid said. “I need to coach better. Donovan needs to play better and the guys around Donovan need to play better.”
McNabb was 8-for-18 for 59 yards with two interceptions and a fumble in the first half against Baltimore. But the Eagles only trailed 10-7 when Reid decided to have quarterbacks coach Pat Shurmur tell the veteran he’d be replaced.
Last week, McNabb threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in an overtime tie with Cincinnati. Overall, he’s completed 58.8 percent of his passes for 2,770 yards, 14 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a passer rating of 81.1
“I think I know Donovan McNabb better than anybody in this room,” Reid said. “I know (seven) turnovers, that’s not him. That’s no part of his game. You back up an inch and you evaluate it and you should be able to step forward a mile after that.”
Kolb, a second-round pick in 2007, had thrown only nine career passes before entering a game that was critical to Philadelphia’s slim playoff hopes. He was 10-for-23 for 73 yards and two interceptions, including one returned an NFL-record 108 yards for a touchdown by Ed Reed.
The Eagles were down 22-7 and had a second down inside the 1 with just under 8 minutes left when Kolb threw the costly pick to Reed.
Hookscenter.com wire report.
Saints host Packers in 2008 MNF tilt - game preview.
November 24, 2008
The Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans posted victories last weekend that helped strengthen their playoff chances. They’ll need to keep that momentum going if they want to reach the postseason.
The Packers and Saints each seek to make it two in a row on Monday night as they meet at the Superdome for the first time in over six years.
Green Bay and New Orleans enter with identical 5-5 records, but are in vastly different positions within their divisions.
Last Sunday, the Packers moved into a three-way tie for the NFC North lead with a 37-3 rout at home over rival Chicago, while the Saints - last in the NFC South - posted their first road win of the season, 30-20 over lowly Kansas City.
With the playoffs still several weeks away, the teams put their results in perspective as they shifted focus to this contest.
“There is a sense of urgency that this game is important and it’s certainly important for Green Bay,” New Orleans coach Sean Payton said. “I think that after this game next week there’s going to be that same urgency because not only the division, but the rest of the NFC is playing pretty well.”
Payton’s team, which has alternated wins and losses in its last six contests, closes out the regular season with matchups against all three division rivals among six conference games.
The first of those comes at home, where the Saints are 3-1. Since beating Oakland there on Oct. 12, New Orleans has played three road games, had its bye week, and was designated as the home team in a win over San Diego that was played in London.
Green Bay, meanwhile, is 2-3 away from home this season, and looks to avoid its first three-game road slide since Nov. 27-Dec. 19, 2005.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy returns to New Orleans for the first time since serving as the Saints’ offensive coordinator from 2000-04. McCarthy held the same position with San Francisco the following year before joining Green Bay, but has faced his former team just once since departing as the Packers lost 37-24 at home on Sept. 17, 2006.
Green Bay owns a 14-6 advantage in the all-time series despite losing two of the last three meetings. It’s also won six of 10 in New Orleans, but fell 35-20 there on Sept. 15, 2002 in its only visit to the Superdome this decade.
A victory on Monday would give the Packers back-to-back wins for a third time this season, but that would be a first for the Saints in 2008.
Green Bay is coming off a dominant defensive performance as it held Chicago to 234 total yards and a season low in points while scoring its franchise-record seventh defensive touchdown.
The Packers allow an average of 333.9 yards, but have been particularly stingy against the pass as they’ve yielded 176.3 per contest while totaling 16 interceptions. That unit will face a Saints offense that is among the best in the NFL, averaging 416.9 yards and 29 TDs behind quarterback Drew Brees, who’s thrown for 3,251 yards with 18 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.
“The Saints possess an excellent challenge for us,” McCarthy said. “They have the ability to attack you a lot of different ways. I think Drew Brees and Sean Payton are a very good match as far as the way Sean attacks a defense and Drew’s ability to run the wide-open offense.”
While going 1-1 in his career versus Green Bay, Brees has passed for 716 yards with four TDs. Against Kansas City last Sunday, he went 25-for-36 with a TD to send the Saints to their first road win in six tries.
Green Bay’s offense, meanwhile, has shown it can excel without Brett Favre. It amassed 427 total yards as Aaron Rodgers went 23-for-30 for 227 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Chicago.
Rodgers, averaging 235.1 yards, is hoping one of his favorite targets will be available. Donald Driver, second on the team with 572 yards and three receiving touchdowns, was expected to sit out practice on Wednesday and Thursday to rest nagging injuries, but McCarthy said Driver is also dealing with a personal situation.
If Driver can’t play, Green Bay could turn more to Ryan Grant, who had 25 carries for a season-high 145 yards - the seventh 100-yard performance of his career and his second in 2008 - and a TD last weekend.
New Orleans running back Deuce McAllister, meanwhile, has a team-leading 299 yards and tied Dalton Hilliard for the Saints’ all-time lead with his 53rd career touchdown last Sunday.
Off the field, though, McAllister and teammates Will Smith and Charles Grant are among several players identified as facing suspension after testing positive for a banned diuretic. The lawyer for the three Saints players said Wednesday that the NFL’s independent drug administrator acknowledged he didn’t inform NFL players that the supplement StarCaps contained Bumetanide.
Hookscenter.com wire report.
Jets hand Titans first loss of 2008 season, 34-13, in Nashville.
November 23, 2008
Brett Favre gave the Tennessee Titans a painful reminder Sunday. He will pick apart the best NFL defenses when given too much time.
Favre threw two touchdown passes, Leon Washington ran for two scores and the New York Jets served notice they will be a factor in the AFC this season by routing the Titans 34-13, ending the perfect start by the NFL’s last undefeated team.
“I’m not going to sit here and say we’ve established ourselves as the best team in football,” Favre said. “All it says is I think we beat the best team in football today, definitely if you go by record and the way that they’ve played. They have been the best team in football.”
The Jets (8-3) came in atop the AFC East after a victory over New England at Foxborough. They have won five straight for the first time since October 2004 and seven of their last eight. The win also pulled them within two of Tennessee (10-1) with five to play in the race for home-field advantage through the playoffs.
Jets linebacker Bryan Thomas called it a statement to the rest of the NFL.
“Now people are going to start looking at us and say, ‘They are a team you have to reckon with,”‘ Thomas said.
New York coach Eric Mangini said he was proud of his team for playing, and winning, in a challenging environment. The Titans sold out their 101st consecutive game.
“We’ve been down here the last three years. It’s loud, and it’s always been a tough place to play,” Mangini said.
The Titans had won 13-straight regular-season games dating to Dec. 16, 2007, in becoming only the 11th team since 1970 to win its first 10 games.
“It was a great run, and we’ve got to win our next game,” Titans coach Jeff Fisher said of playing Detroit on Thursday.
This time, the NFL’s stingiest scoring defense that had been allowing 13.1 points per game had no answer for Favre and the Jets, even with the return of defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch.
The Jets spread out Tennessee, Favre threw fast and often, and they wore the Titans’ defense down by keeping it on the field for more than 40 minutes. New York overcame two turnovers and two sacks in the first half by outgaining Tennessee on offense 409-281.
“We really didn’t have an answer for it today,” Vanden Bosch said. “Favre had a really good game. Give him credit. We knew what to expect from him. He’s a great player, and he beat us today.”
Not that they got any help from their own offense.
“It felt like we were on the sideline forever just watching Brett Favre play,” Titans fullback Ahmard Hall said. “The defense, I felt bad that we on offense couldn’t get anything going and keep them off the field.”
This was only the third game in NFL history featuring two starting quarterbacks with more than 100,000 yards combined yards passing in Favre and Kerry Collins.
Favre threw for 224 yards and had much more help than Collins, whose receivers dropped at least five passes in the first half, including one by Bo Scaife in Jets territory with room to run. Favre took advantage of a Titans’ secondary featuring Chris Carr starting at cornerback in place of Nick Harper, and he was flagged twice on one drive for pass interference.
With the win, Favre broke a tie with Dan Marino for victories in the most NFL stadiums by winning in his 32nd at LP Field.
Washington scored on runs of 61 and 4 yards in the fourth quarter as the Jets padded their lead. Jay Feely also kicked two field goals.
The Jets led 10-3 at halftime and could have had an even bigger margin if not for two turnovers — the first at the Tennessee 21 at the end of the first quarter. Favre could not have started hotter as he completed his first eight passes for 89 yards, the sixth a 10-yard TD pass to Thomas Jones on the opening drive.
The Titans went three-and-out on three of their first five drives and had only 55 yards offense until a final drive just before halftime when Rob Bironas finally put Tennessee on the scoreboard with a 43-yard field goal. Bironas added a 49-yarder in the fourth quarter.
By the time Collins tossed a 6-yard TD pass to Hall, it was too late. They finished with just 45 yards rushing.
“We are a very confident team anyway, but coming in here and doing this and getting it done, that can only help us,” Jets safety Kerry Rhodes said.
Hookscenter.com wire report.