Ravens coach Brian Billick is accusing the Jets of using an illegal ploy to draw false start penalties on the Ravens' offensive linemen during Sunday's game.

According to Billick, the Jets' defense shouted out signals to throw off the Baltimore offense, and the result was three illegal procedure penalties against the Ravens.

"They did an outstanding job.  I credit the New York Jets.  Their defensive line and linebackers did a very, very effective job of illegally simulating the snap count," Billick said.  "They did it the whole game long.  It needs to be caught."

Billick also seemed to indicate that he believed the officials called too many penalties on his team and not enough on the Jets.  The Ravens had 11 penalties for 100 yards and the Jets had two for 20 in the Ravens' 20-13 victory.

"You have to look at the nature of the penalties.  First off, the fact that we had 11 penalties and they only had two and we dominated the game," Billick said.  "I have a hard time understanding that the team that was playing so well and dominating had so many penalties and the other team had only two."

Billick's complaint against the Jets could represent the coaching fraternity's first piece of retribution against Jets coach Eric Mangini for the role the Jets played in turning in the Patriots for illegally taping the Jets' defensive signals.  Billick may want to spread the word that, in his view, Mangini isn't exactly a model coaching citizen, either.

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Chris Mortensen of ESPN is reporting that the Atlanta Falcons are meeting with former Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich.

Leftwich, who was released at the end of the preseason after spending the entire off-season being assured that he would be the Jaguars' starter, is by far the best veteran quarterback available as a free agent right now, but there are few teams where he could step in and become a starter in 2007, considering that he'd have to learn a new offense while working with teammates and coaches who are more concerned about winning the next week's game than tutoring the new guy.

Mortensen reports that if he signs, Leftwich would be the third quarterback at first, but the Falcons hope he would learn coach Bobby Petrino's offense well enough to compete for the starting job.

The Falcons are one of the few teams where Leftwich would have a chance of earning the starting spot and providing an upgrade at quarterback relatively quickly. Starting quarterback Joey Harrington wasn't brought in to be a starter, and after two games the Falcons have scored just 10 points.

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Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Atlanta Falcons have signed kicker Morten Andersen, the NFL's all-time leading scorer.

Andersen will kick for the Falcons Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Andersen had previous stints with the Falcons from 1995 to 2000, as well as last season.

When Andersen kicks for the Falcons Sunday, it will be the 25th different season that Andersen has played in the NFL, putting him one year closer to George Blanda's all-time record of 26 seasons. (Coincidentally, Blanda turns 80 today.)

Schefter also notes that there are 22 players on the Falcons roster who weren't born in 1982, Andersen's first year in the league.

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POSTED 7:18 p.m. EDT, September 13, 2007

BELICHICK TO BE SUSPENDED?

Don Banks and Peter King of SI.com report that the NFL is considering the possibility of stripping a first-day pick from the New England Patriots, and also suspending coach Bill Belichick.

League sources told SI.com that Commissioner Roger Goodell has not yet decided on a punishment.  The determination will be announced on Friday.

One option that has been ruled out is forfeiture of Sunday's 38-14 win over the Jets.

Goodell is attempting to balance the punishment between the organization and Belichick.  The draft pick that is taken from the team could be a first-rounder selection, and a multi-game suspension could be imposed on Belichick.

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POSTED 7:04 p.m. EDT, September 13, 2007

LEAGUE REITERATES PROHIBITED CONDUCT

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the league's football operations department has e-mailed a memo to all 32 teams, reminding them of the dos and don'ts that apply when seeking a competitive advantage.

Among other things, the memo reiterated that videotaping opposing coaches is banned.

Commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to make a formal decision as to the punishment that will be imposed on Friday.

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POSTED 6:55 p.m. EDT, September 13, 2007

GOODELL VISITS EVERETT

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell visited Bills tight end Kevin Everett on Thursday at a Buffalo hospital.  Goodell flew from New York to Buffalo, spending 90 minutes with the injured player, who is recovering from a severe spinal cord injury.

POSTED 5:27 p.m. EDT, September 13, 2007

DOG AT DELTHA'S DIGS BITES WOMAN, CHILD

A Rottweiler possibly owned by Bengals cornerback Deltha O'Neal bit a 23-year-old woman and her three-year-old son on Thursday morning, according to WLWT-TV in Cincinnati.  They were bit on the legs and buttocks.

The incident occurred at O'Neal's home.  He was not present at the time, but he returned to help the woman after the incident occurred.  The dog was taken into custody, and the incident is under investigation.

"When this happens and it involves someone well known, some people always suspect something is going on, that they were negligent or criminal in some fashion," Clermont County Sheriff A.J. Rodenberg told WLWT.  "We have no indication that Mr. O'Neal had anything to do with this."

O'Neal could be cited for failure to obtain proper licensing of the dog, if it is indeed his animal.

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POSTED 3:58 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 5:10 p.m. EDT, September 13, 2007

NO SIGNING BONUS, NO OPTION BONUS FOR RUSSELL

Nancy Gay of the San Francisco Chronicle and John Czarnecki of FOXSports.com have gotten their hands on the contract numbers payable to Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell. 

We've analyzed both reports, and the most significant news is that Russell received no signing bonus, and no option bonus.  However, he still will get $29 million in actual guarantees, and another $3 million in the form of the so-called "falling off of a log" bonus, which is regarded in league circles as guaranteed (unless your name is Kellen Winslow).

Russell's people wanted to maximize the option bonus, because options bonuses are not subject to forfeiture in the event of a suspension, a holdout, or some other default.  On this point, the agents completely caved.   

No signing bonus was used because the amount of the signing bonus does not count toward the basis for application of the so-called "25 percent rule."  Under that rule, rookie contracts can only grow each year by 25 percent of the first-year value.  The first-year value is determined by the rookie pool.

For Russell, the remaining rookie pool amount was $2.975 million.  Any signing bonus would have reduced the maximum growth in each year from 25 percent of $2.975 million, which equates to $743,750.  For example, if Russell's signing bonus had been $6 million, $1 million would have counted toward the 2007 salary cap.  Thus, Russell could have received only $1.975 million in 2007 from other types of compensation, such as base salary.  As a result, the maximum increase in 2008 and each year thereafter would have been only $493,750.    

So the guaranteed money comes from guaranteed base salaries, with each year's pay being $743,750 more than the year before.

Thus, Russell will make $2.975 million in 2007, $3.71875 million in 2008, $4.4625 million in 2009, $5.20625 million in 2010, $5.95 million in 2011, and $6.693 million in 2012.  All guaranteed.

To simulate the signing/option bonus, Russell will receive advance payment of a big chunk of the guaranteed base salaries.  If Russell later is unable to play in the seasons from which the salary advances arise, the Raiders presumably will be able to recoup any base salary relating to games that he misses.  (We suspect that the contract might also contain language requiring any and all unearned advances to be returned in the event of any suspension, holdout, or motorcycle/jet ski/mechanical bull/tramampoline accidents.)

 

The remaining $3 million in "guaranteed" money will be paid if Russell participates in 35 percent of the snaps in 2007, 45 percent in 2008, or 50 percent in 2009.  With Russell unlikely to play in 2007, there's a risk (not huge, but a risk nonetheless) that Russell won't earn the money if he is injured or ineffective to the point of being benched in either 2008 or 2009 -- or if he simply doesn't win the starting job.

With the advances on the guaranteed base salaries and via some "easily-attained escalators," Russell can earn more than $41 million in the first four years of the deal.  The specific triggers for the escalators (other than the $3 million "log" bonus) are not yet reported.

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MAKE YOUR PICKS, GET FREE TIX

The PFT Pick Challenge is back -- and even better -- for a second week, and we want to get as many members of PFT Planet as possible into the game.

It's easy, it's free, and you get a chance to make me look like the idiot that I am.

Here's how it works.  You click this link, and you register for the game (if you haven't already registered.)

Then, you pick the teams that you think will win each game. 

The weekly prizes are awarded based on three categories.  First, it's the "Meathead of Fathead?" game, where everyone who gets more total game picks correct than yours truly (it shouldn't be hard to do) is eligible for a randomized drawing.  The winner of the drawing gets a free Fathead product.

Last week, I got nine of 15 right.

Next, the folks with the highest total number of correct picks per week will be entered into a separate drawing, the winner of which will receive a free one-year subscription to Sporting News.  (Until our "refer a friend" game is up and running the winner of that drawing also will receive a free online 2008 fantasy draft guide and season pass package from our friends at Rotoworld.com.)

As the season progresses, every correct game pick and every friend referral counts as one point.  Each point will then be a "ticket" in the final raffle for the grand prize of two tickets to the Football Game of Some Significance that will be played in Glendale, Arizona on the first Sunday in February 2008.  The tickets have been made available to us at face value by our friends at NFL.com, who also will be supplying to the winner and a guest invitations to NFL.com events in the days leading up to said Football Game of Some Significance.

And there's a new prize for Week Two.  Every contestant who correctly predicts the outcome of the Steelers game (this week, its Bills at Steelers) will be entered into a drawing, and the winner of the drawing will get a free copy of the The Bus:  My Life In And Out Of A Helmet.  A total of 16 books -- one for each remaining week of the season -- have been made available to us at no charge by Jerome Bettis and by Doubleday Books. 

We'll be announcing the Week One winners soon.

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PFT RETURNS TO WFAN

We're back . . . back in the New York grooooove.  (I still love that stupid song, 30 years later.)

A week after what we thought would be a one-shot deal, yours truly will be visiting again with WFAN's Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton on Friday, September 14.  You can tune in for the 8:05 a.m. spot right here. 

The calendar of the weekly PFT radio spots is right here.  Our weekly segments include visits with Glen Macnow of WIP in Philly, Dave Ragone of 1570 The Zone in Louisville, P.A. and Dubay on KFAN in Minneapolis, Steve Dueming of WDAE in Tampa, Todd Wright of Sporting News Radio, Chris McClain of WFNZ in Charlotte, Joe Rose and Jason Jackson of WQAM in Miami, Steve Davis of WBAL in Baltimore, Brad Riter of WGR in Buffalo, Frank Frangie and Mike Dempsey of 1010XL in Jacksonville, the Sunday late afternoon/early evening crew at FOX Sports Radio, and the Sports Junkies' Redskins pregame on WJFK in D.C.  

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POSTED 12:39 p.m. EDT, September 13, 2007

BASEBALL UPPING THE ANTE ON HGH?

According to USA Today, Major League Baseball hopes to have in place by 2008 a blood test for HGH, otherwise known as Human Growth Hormone.

If/when the measure is implemented, we believe that the NFL will feel intense pressure to follow suit.  Failure to do so could be the straw that causes the public to finally notice all of the acne on the camel's back.

Inexplicably, baseball has been suffering from the whole steroids/HGH stigma while football has received a pass, despite a fair share of high-profile guys who have gotten in trouble, including Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman and Patriots safety Rodney Harrison.  Though some pundits predict that actual and suspected use of such substances will never undermine the popularity of the NFL because:  (1) there isn't the same obsession with individual stats as there is in baseball; and (2) people already assume that the Sasquatch-sized linemen and linebackers aren't using Morty Seinfeld's training techniques.

But if the NFL is ever perceived as being less vigilant in its testing than MLB, the worm could finally turn.

Already, NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw is resisting the use of a blood test in the NFL.  "There's no way I'm having my guys punched for a blood test every time they walk into a locker room," Upshaw told USA Today.

But why in the hell would Upshaw take that position?  If HGH is a banned substance and if NFL players are clearly using it and if there's no other bodily fluid in which it can be detected, why would Upshaw put the golden goose at risk in order to save the rank-and-file from a periodic pinch to the arm?

His hyperbole regarding the frequency of such testing is laughable.  Players who haven't ever tested positive aren't tested very often.  Besides, we're talking about football players.  They shed blood, externally and internally, all the time.  Why would they have a problem with giving blood once or twice a year?

Maybe Upshaw should check with his constituents before ruling out such measures.  If/when the casual fan finally turns away from the NFL, the revenues will decrease and the money available to pay the players will shrink.  If the NFL's failure to test for HGH once baseball begins to do so could be the event that sparks the exodus of dollars, we tend to think that the players will be happy to do whatever needs to be done.

Unless, of course, a high percentage of NFL players are currently using HGH, and hope to be able to continue to do so.

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POSTED 10:40 a.m. EDT, September 13, 2007

IS BRADY TARNISHED, TOO?

At the risk of inviting another 500 or so e-mails, we need to address a twist to this whole Patriots Act ordeal that we have yet to tackle, but that we have been pondering for the past 36 hours or so.

Do the revelations of stolen defensive signals diminish the reputation and perceived abilities of quarterback Tom Brady?

If the goal of the brazenly overt operations was to help the team know the tactics that an opposing defense would employ on a given play (either on game day or the next time the two teams met), the player squarely in the eye of the storm of information was Brady.  And, surely, he knew (or at least suspected) that the intelligence that the offensive coaches had about what a given defense might be doing didn't come from legitimate methods.

So, as an industry source posed the question to us this morning, what did Brady know, and when did he know it?

Unless and until Brady comes clean with a full and frank -- and credible -- explanation about his first-hand experiences, it fairly can be presumed that his legend has been fueled by the advantage derived from the actions for which the Patriots undoubtedly will be punished, as soon as Friday.

How many times has Brady come up with a key play late in a close game?  In those occasions, how many times did he know exactly what the defense would be doing?

Part of the effectiveness of a blitz is the element of surprise.  And a quarterback's challenge in that situation is to spot the corresponding gap in the coverage, and to get the ball to the receiver who'll likely be wide open in the sliver of time that the quarterback has to unload the ball before landing on his butt.

If the quarterback knows that the blitz is coming before the play is snapped, and if he knows who'll be blitzing, the task of finding that open receiver suddenly becomes a lot easier.

How many times have we seen Brady fire the ball to a wide open receiver an instant after Brady got the snap?  How, in those cases, did he know so quickly that the guy would be open?

Though we realize that there are many factors that influence the ability of the team to achieve success on the field, most of which are unrelated to cheating, the added advantage that can come from knowing what the defense is going to do can make a huge difference.  Otherwise, the Patriots (and other teams) wouldn't be devoting time and effort and money in order to find out, through legitimate and/or illegitimate means.

As we see it, the fact that the Patriots did what they allegedly/apparently/actually did creates a presumption that a benefit came from it.  The fact that Brady has been the quarterback since 2001 creates a presumption that he knew or should have known what was going on.  The fact that he took less money to stay in New England suggests that he knew (or feared) that he might not be able to replicate his success in a system that doesn't involve videotaping defensive signals. So unless he comes clean, we think it's fair to believe that, but for the added benefits that came from knowing what the defense was doing via techniques that crossed the line, he might have performed more like a sixth-round draft pick and less like a future Hall of Famer.

Regardless of whether he opts not to disclose what he knew and when he knew it, we think that Brady will be required to achieve a high level of success under another coach, and possibly with another team, before he is regarded as being truly worthy of Canton.   

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POSTED 9:53 a.m. EDT, September 13, 2007

VIKINGS DEFENSE BETTER WITHOUT TOMLIN?

Last year, former Bucs defensive backs coach Mike Tomlin finally got a chance to become a defensive coordinator (due in large part to the stubborn refusal of the Buccaneers to allow position coaches to take promotions elsewhere short of head coach).  Hired by Minnesota, Tomlin installed the Tampa Two defense, and the Vikes became the best team against the run in the NFL.

Unfortunately, they remained one of the worst against the pass.

Still, the jolt that Tomlin brought to the unit helped him attract the attention of the Pittsburgh Steelers, where Tomlin is now the head coach.  So the Vikings found another Tampa Two assistant coach to take Tomlin's place -- Leslie Frazier of the Colts.

And there's already a feeling that the Vikes might be even better on defense under Frazier.

Safety Darren Sharper, who played college football with Tomlin, is one of the most vocal members of the defense regarding the new guy.

"You know what, he's a heck of a coach.  I'm having a blast playing for him and he's gotten us the right way," Sharper said, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.  "He got us to play lights-out football, and we want to play dominating football.  He has us playing that way right now, but that was the first game of many, so we have to continue."

And thought Sharper suggests that Frazier hasn't made dramatic change, his numbers sound a little more significant than that.

"[W]e have a little bit of wrinkles that we throw in there just to do a little bit different things," Shaper said.  "But more than that, I'd say it's probably about 60 percent similar. We've got a little extra 40 percent that we do a little different."

One of the biggest differences is that the Vikings are blitzing more, which is typically a no-no in the pure Cover 2 defense.  The fact that tackles Pat Williams and Kevin Williams can tie up the inside of the line (and generally push it into the backfield), creates openings for guys like middle linebacker E.J. Henderson, who registered two sacks in Week One.

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POSTED 8:57 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 9:25 a.m. EDT, September 13, 2007

JETS EXTEND MOORE

One of the items we missed in Wednesday's frenzy regarding the Patriots' cheating scandal (we received more e-mails than ever before with opinions and arguments about the issue), was that the New York Jets have extended the contract of right guard Brandon Moore.

Per Rich Cimini of the New York Daily News, Moore signed a six-year, $17.3 million deal.  But because the contract includes a $5 million roster bonus in 2009, it's essentially a two-year deal with a club option for the balance.

The contract also pays out $1.4 million in new money over the next two seasons.

Per NFLPA records, the base salaries are $1.8 million in 2007, $1 million in 2008, $620,000 in 2009, $760,000 in 2010, and either $1.75 million in 2012.  Other roster bonuses, signing bonuses, option bonuses, and/or workout bonuses are presently unknown.

So, in essence, Moore got a $700,000 annual raise for 2007 and 2008, and if he performs well over the next two years the team will pay him the $5 million roster bonus.  If he doesn't, the team will likely squeeze him -- just as it did a year ago with former left guard Pete Kendall -- to take less money.

The due date of the $5 million roster bonus is presently unknown.  Moore's agent ideally would have asked for the roster bonus to be earned on the first day of the league year, since it would allow Moore to hit the open market when the money is flowing if the Jets decide not to pay him.  It also prevents the Jets from scouring the market for cheaper options to Moore before having to decide whether to cough up the $5 million.

The most surprising thing about the decision to extend Moore is that he had four more years remaining under his prior deal.  The fact that Kendall had three years left on his contract was the primary argument advanced by the Jets in support of the team's refusal to re-work it.

Kendall apparently has moved on (and moved out) despite the inconsistency.  "At this point in time, Pete is with the Redskins and he wishes the Jets the best," Kendall's agent, Neil Schwartz, told Cimini.  "It's unfortunate it didn't work out. Pete is happy for Brandon."

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NO NEW CHARGES FOR MAAS

Former NFL defensive lineman and FOX broadcaster Bill Maas will not face charges in Missouri after attempting to carry a gun onto a plane last week, according to the Kansas City Star.

A loaded 9mm Glock was found in Maas's bag as he prepared to board a flight.  Maas claimed that he grabbed the wrong bag when departing for the airport.  (And haven't we all from time to time confused our overnight bag with our loaded gun bag?)

Maas nevertheless faces a civil penalty ranging from $3,500 to $7,000. 

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POSTED 7:48 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 10:44 p.m. EDT, September 12, 2007

MANGINI:  HERO OR HEEL?

Rich Cimini of the New York Daily News reports that the Patriots' efforts to videotape defensive signals was brought to light by former New England defensive coordinator Eric Mangini, who shared the information in 2006 with members of the Jets' organization.

"When Eric came, he said that's what they used to do," a source told Cimini.  "Bill [Belichick] is going to be [ticked] at Eric.  He kissed and told."

It would be easy to proclaim that Mangini did the right thing, ignoring the good-old-boys' network and bringing to light Belichick's dirty little secret.

But it would naive to do so, too.

Mangini didn't blow the whistle when he first learned of the situation, while Mangini was working for the Patriots.  Instead, he took advantage of the competitive advantage, and parlayed it into a head-coaching job of his own.

And then Mangini blew the whistle in a manner that will eventually create for him a competitive advantage, since it will result in the imposition of some sort of a sanction on the Patriots.

But should Mangini be allowed to have it both ways?  And did he bother to consider whether bringing this situation to light might indirectly call into question his own credentials to be a head coach?

Meanwhile, there's talk in league circles that Mangini will find it very hard to win the trust of anyone in the NFL moving forward.  Even though Belichick has no cause to gripe about getting caught under circumstances where he knew that the opposing head coach knew what Belichick was doing, the truth is that anyone who chooses to confide in Mangini now or in the future will do so at his own peril.

Keep that in mind, Mike Tannenbaum, if/when you ever consider doing something like, say, contacting the agent for a player who is under contract with another team.

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WEDNESDAY INJURY REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

It's Wednesday.  Hump day.  (Heh-heh.  Heh.)  And that means it's time for the first injury report of the week.  Here are the highlights.  (In other words, this is not a complete list.)

Falcons:  DT Rod Coleman (knee) is out; S Chris Crocker (knee) did not practice.

Jags:  C Brad Meester (ankle) and K Josh Scobee (quad) did not practice.

Bills:  DE Ryan Denney (foot), LB Keith Ellison (ankle), and CB Jason Webster (forearm) are out; strangely TE Kevin Everett and S Ko Simpson are listed as out, even though both are already on injured reserve.  RB Marshawn Lynch (illness) and WR Josh Reed (thigh) did not practice.

Steelers:  LB Marquis Cooper (hamstring) and CB Deshea Townsend (groin) did not practice.

Bengals:  DE Frostee Rucker (hamstring) is out; K Shayne Graham (hip) and WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (knee) did not practice.  CB Deltha O'Neal (knee) was limited in practice, and T Willie Anderson (foot) fully participated in practice.

Browns:  CB Daven Holly (concussion), LB Willie McGinest (back), DE Antwan Peek (foot), and DT Robaire Smith (player decision) did not practice.  CB Gary Baxter (knee), WR Joshua Cribbs (knee), WR Joe Jurevicius (elbow), and P Dave Zastudil (back) were limited in practice. 

Cowboys:  LB Greg Ellis (Achilles), WR Terry Glenn (knee), CB Terence Newman (foot) did not practice.

UPDATE:  There are media reports that Ellis and Newman practiced.  Per the official report, they did not.

Dolphins:  RB Jesse Chatman (knee) did not practice.

Packers:  DE Aaron Kampman (rib) did not practice.  CB Al Harris (elbow), WR Carlyle Holiday (knee), WR Greg Jennings (hamstring), T Tony Moll (neck), and RB Vernand Morency (knee), had limited participation.

Giants:  RB Brandon Jacobs (knee) is out.  QB Eli Manning (right shoulder), K Lawrence Tynes (right calf), and DE Osi Umenyiora (knee) did not practice.

Texans:  DT Travis Johnson (foot) and DE Ndukwe Kalu (hand) did not practice.

Panthers:  S Nate Salley (knee) did not practice. 

Colts:  CB Tim Jennings (knee), T Charlie Johnson (knee), and LB Freddy Keiaho (elbow) did not practice.

Titans:  G Benji Olson (team decision) did not practice.

Chiefs:  WR Eddie Kennison (hamstring) is out.

Bears:  G Ruben Brown (shoulder) did not practice.  TE Greg Olsen (knee) had limited participation in practice.

Vikings:  S Mike Doss (calf), RB Tony Richardson (forearm), RB Naufahu Tahi (ankle), and RB Chester Taylor (hip) had limited participate in practice.  LB Vinny Ciurciu (hand) and WR Robert Ferguson (ankle) fully participated in practice.

Lions:  RB T.J. Duckett (ankle) did not practice.  RB Kevin Jones (foot) was limited in practice.

Bucs:  DE Patrick Chukwurah (knee) is out.  CB Brian Kelly (groin) did not practice.  WR Joey Galloway (team decision), DT Chris Hovan (ankle), RB Carnell Williams (ribs) had limited participation in practice.

Jets:  CB Andre Dyson (foot), RB Thomas Jones (calf), CB Justin Miller (thigh), G Brandon Moore (shoulder), QB Chad Pennington (ankle), and S Eric Smith (thigh) had limited participation in practice. 

Ravens:  LB Ray Lewis (triceps), QB Steve McNair (groin), T Jonathan Ogden (toe), and CB Samari Rolle (foot) did not practice.  WR Mark Clayton (toe) and WR Demetrius Williams (chest) had limited participation in practice.  TE Todd Heap (elbow), DT Haloti Ngata (knee), and S Ed Reed (ankle) fully participated in practice. 

Raiders:  QB Josh McCown (foot), C Jeremy Newberry (hamstring), and CB Duane Starks (groin) did not practice.

Broncos:  Practice was not complete.

49ers:  No injuries.

Rams:  G Richie Incognito (ankle) and LB Pisa Tinoisamoa (ankle) did not practice.  WR Drew Bennett (thigh) fully participated in practice.

Seahawks:  Practice was not complete.

Cardinals:  C Al Johnson (knee) is out.  DT Alan Branch (hand) did not practice. 

Chargers:  Practice was not complete.

Patriots:  QB Tom Brady (right shoulder) and DE Jarvis Green (shoulder) had limited participation in practice.

Redskins:  Did not practice.

Eagles:  Did not practice.

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WEDNESDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

Eleven dog advocacy groups want a federal judge to put Mike Vick away for the full five years.

QB Kellen Clemens will start on Sunday for the Jets in place of injured QB Chad Pennington.

Chargers TE Antonio Gates missed practice on Wednesday with a sore back; LB Shawne Merriman missed part of practice with a sore Achilles' tendon.

Bucs G.M. Bruce Allen says that the character of the team is "outstanding" and "excellent."  (Now we know where the rest of David Boston's GHB might have ended up.)

49ers OT Kwame Harris knows that his days in San Fran are numbered. 

Niners coach Mike Nolan kept CB Walt Harris, DE Bryant Young, and G Larry Allen out of practice on Wednesday to rest them.

Indiana lawmakers want to toughen dogfighting laws.

Undrafted rookie C Lyle Sendlein will start in Week Two for the Cardinals.

The Saints and QB Drew Brees had a long weekend to realize that a 10-6 record in the NFC doesn't mean squat when playing the best teams in the "real" conference.

Bucs LB Derrick Brooks doesn't think he has lost a step.

Maybe the Steelers should have seven Super Bowl trophies.

Brett Favre talks about the whole spying thing.

S Will Demps was drawing interest from several teams; he signed with the Texans in lieu of checking out other options.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is in favor of using a radio in the helmet of a defensive players.

Vikings RB Chester Taylor would like to start a pro football game in his hometown of Detroit.  (Did you know that Jerome Bettis is from Detroit, too?  It's a little-known fact.)

Jags coach Jack Del Rio says that his team's coach-to-quarterback radio system "mysteriously malfunctioned" during a 28-3 playoff loss at New England in early 2006.

Says Jags DE Paul Spicer regarding the spying brouhaha:  "This ain't news.  I've heard it in the past.  They finally got caught. . . .  The Patriots got caught.  They're busted."

Time magazine asks whether football is too dangerous.

Pittsburgh leads the nation in female NFL fans.

NFL director of officiating Mike Pereira didn't like the pass interference call on Ravens' tight end Todd Heap.

Falcons coach Bobby Petrino says that stealing signals is part of the game.

Ravens LB Ray Lewis doesn't have a torn triceps.

Adrian Peterson is the new Randy Moss in Minnesota.

Raiders QB Josh McCown is out 3-4 weeks.

Though he didn't practice, Giants QB Eli Manning tested his shoulder on Wednesday.

Texans DE Mario Williams is the AFC defensive player of the week.

Rams LT Orlando Pace has been placed on IR, officially ending his season.

The Lions are facing a local blackout, which would be the first since the opening of Ford Field.

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POSTED 7:06 p.m. EDT, September 12, 2007

LEAGUE STUDYING INJURIES ON NEW SURFACES

At a time when there have been an alarming number of injuries during the first week of the NFL season, a league source tells us that the NFL is studying the possible connection between foot, leg, and ankle injuries, and the newer playing surfaces that involve synthetic blades of grass.

Per the source, the question is whether changes need to be made to the footwear used on these surfaces.

And the study, we're told, has been expedited.  At the end of the day, the decision could be that no changes are needed.  But there's enough of a concern to at least prompt the league to explore it.

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POSTED 6:55 p.m. EDT, September 12, 2007

LEAGUE LEANED ON BUCS TO CUT BOSTON?

A league source tells us that there's a belief in some circles that the NFL nudged the Tampa Bay Buccaneers toward parting ways with receiver David Boston.

The thinking is that the league wants to get some of the negative news regarding players out of the press, and Boston is facing DUI charges after testing positive for GHB.

We're not saying that the league actually had a role in the decision of the Bucs to reach an injury settlement with Boston; but it's definitely a theory that's making the rounds in the wake of his departure from the team.

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POSTED 6:43 p.m. EDT, September 12, 2007

LOMBARDI WORKING FOR FREE?

A league source tells us that former Raiders personnel executive Mike Lombardi, who was fired after the draft and who currently is working as a personnel assistant with the Broncos, is receiving a salary of zero dollars and zero cents.

Lombardi, we're told, believes that the Raiders owe him money, despite the fact that (like many Raiders employees) Lombardi had no contract.  We're also told that Lombardi has taken steps to assert his alleged right to the money, but it's unclear whether he has filed any type of a grievance.

If Lombardi is able to finagle any additional money from the Raiders, his payment would be offset by any income earned in other NFL employment.  Since he's earning nothing, Lombardi would likely argue that there should be no offset.

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POSTED 4:43 p.m. EDT, September 12, 2007

DID PATS USE RADIOS ON DEFENSE?

Now that the entire pro football community is atwitter over the allegations/proof of cheating by the New England Patriots, we're hearing more rumors on the NFL grapevine regarding the extent to which this stuff went on.

In addition to the rumor we heard on Wednesday that the Pats were putting microphones on defensive players in 2006 to pick up audibles and offensive line calls, we're now hearing that there has been a rumor for years that the Patriots have inserted a radio in the helmet of one or more defensive players for the purposes of direct communications with the coaching staff.

Such a tactic, if true, would be an even more significant violation of the rules, in our opinion.  As several readers have pointed out, the only thing illegal about the signal-stealing issue is the use of the electronic equipment to record the images.  Nothing prevents a team from using low-tech means to track signals and connect them to the defensive coverages used.  It's simply harder to do it via the naked eye, especially since the video can be used later to confirm the specific signals given, if/when the team with the video is preparing to face the same opponent in the future -- or a member of that coaching staff who might use the same signals in a new city.

So the only competitive advantage is that it's a better way of doing something that already can be done.

In contrast, using radios in the helmets of defensive players gives the team access to something that folks who follow the rules simply can't use.

Keep in mind that this new twist is only a rumor, one of many that are now on the NFL grapevine as this story continues to percolate.  Still, given the events of the last 48 hours, it's hard not to rule out anything at this point. 

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SO WHAT SHOULD THE PENALTY BE?

As the Patriots signal-stealing continues to dominate the headlines and the discussions regarding the NFL (we've gotten more e-mails on this one than ever), we've heard all sorts of ideas as to what should or could happen to the franchise and/or to coach Bill Belichick.

Plenty of folks think that the Patriots should forfeit the Week One game against the Jets, but we're not comfortable with the notion of altering game outcomes after the fact.  However we also think that taking away a couple of draft picks is not an adequate remedy, especially in the age of free agency and the salary cap.

Another possible solution would be a reduction in the team's overall salary cap room for 2008, but the union would likely object to anything that reduces the total money paid to the players.

We think that, before any penalty is announced, Belichick should be interviewed by the NFL in detail as to what was done and how it was done, and for how long it was done.  All current members of the coaching staff and front office should be interviewed as well, and the NFL should make a decision based on all of those interviews as to the extent to which this practice occurred. 

Like Mike Vick's dog-fighting ring, this wasn't a "mistake."  It was, by all appearances, a way of life.  If that's true, there should be a separate sanction for each occasion on which it occurred.

As to Belichick, there should be a stiff suspension -- as we explained on Tuesday night and as we discuss in the following PFTV segment regarding the situation.

The belief that others have been doing it (and/or will continue to do so) shouldn't change the fact that the team that got caught should suffer the consequences.  For the same reason that the federal government locks in on big targets (like Mike Vick) in order to deter the rest of us from engaging in similar conduct, slapping the Pats hard is the only way to get others to realize that the potential cost isn't worth the potential benefit.

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POSTED 2:48 p.m. EDT, September 12, 2007

WILL BELICHICK APOLOGIZE TO OPPONENTS?  by Michael David Smith

The brief statement released today by Patriots coach Bill Belichick about the reports that his team used video cameras to steal opponents' signals includes the words, "I want to apologize to everyone who has been affected, most of all ownership, staff and players."

He is, apparently, referring to the Patriots' ownership, staff and players.  But so far, the Patriots haven't been hurt by any of this.  Shouldn't Belichick apologize to the people who were harmed by his apparent flouting of the league's rules -- i.e., the Patriots' opponents?

Adam Schefter reported on NFL Network that there's a feeling in some league circles that the Patriots' cheating ultimately cost some people -- coaches on teams that lost key games to the Patriots -- their jobs.  If Belichick wants to apologize, shouldn't he apologize, "most of all," to those people?

Overall, Belichick's statement doesn't go far enough.  No one who knows anything about Belichick expects him to send a sincere "I'm sorry" to Jets coach Eric Mangini, but when he talks to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, he needs to show that he understands that he's not above league rules.  So far, he hasn't done that.

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POSTED 12:28 p.m. EDT, September 12, 2007

COWBOYS CONSIDERING TANK  by Michael David Smith

The news this morning (scroll down) that former Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson will be off suspension and eligible to return after Week Eight could be particularly relevant to the Cowboys. 

Todd Archer and Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News are reporting that Johnson's name has come up in discussions about how to deal with the loss of nose tackle Jason Ferguson, who suffered a torn right biceps in the season opener and was placed on injured reserve Tuesday.

The Cowboys would not say whether they had talked to Johnson, and Jerrold Colton, Johnson's agent, likewise would not comment on whether any teams have expressed interest.

It's been widely reported that prior to the 2004 draft, when the Bears chose Johnson in the second round, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was enamored with Johnson's talent.  However, all of Johnson's experience is as a 4-3 defensive tackle, so he might not be a great fit to replace a 3-4 nose tackle like Ferguson. 

We can probably expect some commentary on ESPN this weekend from former Cowboy Emmitt Smith about how well Tank Williams would fit in Dallas.

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POSTED 11:30 a.m. EDT, September 12, 2007

BOSTON DONE IN TAMPA by Michael David Smith

Wide receiver David Boston is now a former Tampa Bay Buccaneer.

The team announced today that it has reached an injury settlement and released Boston, and that wide receiver Mark Jones, who played in Tampa Bay the last two years, has been re-signed to take Boston's spot on the 53-man roster.

The move comes two days after it was reported that Boston tested positive for GHB after he was arrested for DUI on August 23.

Although the Bucs initially said they stood by Boston, that was before the results of Boston's urinalysis came back.  Given Boston's previous off-field problems, and given how long it's been since he did anything of note on the field, it's very hard to imagine any other team picking him up.  That means it's probably the end of the NFL career for a guy who in 2001 led the league in receiving yards at age 23 and looked like he had the potential to become the best receiver in the league.

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RUSSELL DEAL OFFICIALLY DONE  by Michael David Smith

Oakland Raiders rookie quarterback JaMarcus Russell is finally, officially, signed.

Russell is at the Raiders' facility this morning, and the holdout that lasted through all of training camp and the preseason and even beyond the first game of the regular season has come to an end.

The Russell contract actually would have been done Saturday, but a key person on Raiders' negotiating team had a family issue that held up getting all the i's dotted and t's crossed.

Russell now will, most likely, spend the entire 2007 season standing on the sidelines holding a clipboard and watching Josh McCown and/or Daunte Culpepper. That's probably not what the Raiders envisioned when they drafted Russell, but it worked well enough for Carson Palmer.

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POSTED 10:58 a.m. EDT, September 12, 2007

TANK'S SUSPENSION IS SHRINKING

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, responding to a Wednesday morning e-mail inquiry, tells us that the eight-game suspension imposed on defensive tackle Tank Johnson is being served, even though he's not currently on a team.

So, as a practical matter, Johnson apparently will be eligible to return after Week Eight. 

This news conflicts with our prior understanding that a suspension can't be served by a player who isn't under contract with a team.  For example, we thought that receiver Andre Rison's NFL career ended prematurely had ended because he would have to serve a four-game suspension promptly after signing with a new team.

We've believed the Rison rule to be accurate for so long that we couldn't recall how we first came to believe that it was the standard practice.  To support our misimpression, we found a 2003 Tip Sheet from ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli, wherein Len writes as follows:  "Rison, 37, faces a four-game suspension if he ever signs a contract because of past sanctions resulting from a repeat violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy."

But, per Aiello, the standard practice is to give players credit toward their suspensions for games that are played even if the players aren't on an NFL roster.  We've since confirmed, for example, that receiver Antonio Bryant's remaining two-game suspension from 2006 will be satisfied after Week Two, despite the fact that he is not currently on any team.    

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POSTED 10:27 a.m. EDT, September 12, 2007

VIKES PUSH $13.2 MILLION INTO 2008 CAP

A league source tells us that the recent contract extension signed by Vikings defensive tackle Pat Williams has allowed the team to carry a whopping $13.2 million in 2007 cap space into the 2008 cap year.

The Vikings managed this feat via the use of a "likely to be earned incentive" that, as a practical matter, will not be earned given the position that Williams plays.  For example, rushing attempts of less than 100 and pass receptions of less than 32 are "likely to be earned" under Article XXIV (and Exhibit B) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.  Since there's no requirement that the player who has, for example, a likely to be earned incentive tied to rushing attempts or pass receptions actually play offense for the team, the tactic is permissible.

The end result?  When Williams doesn't reach the trigger for the $13.2 million payment as a result of the 2007 final statistics, the cap room will be credited to the team's number in 2008.

The NFLPA doesn't like this tactic, since it prevents players from earning money in the current cap year.  However, the use of the phony LTBE incentive as part of a legitimate contract restructuring will likely insulate Williams' agent, Angelo Wright, from any scrutiny.  With that said, if a player does a new deal with an LTBE incentive solely for the purpose of allowing a team to carry cap money from one year into the next, the union would likely take action against the agent.  (In fact, we vaguely recall a 2006 memo from the NFLPA to the agents regarding this very issue.)     

And the practical reality of this development is that there's $13.2 million less in the Vikings' cash pool to sign new players in 2007, or to give raises to current members of the roster.

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POSTED 9:18 a.m. EDT, September 12, 2007

EVERETT TO WALK AGAIN

It's great news, without a doubt.  Bills tight end Kevin Everett is expected to walk again.

The news is even more miraculous in light of statements from Monday suggesting that Everett would never walk again.

Haven't we seen this before?  Didn't a doctor named Lonnie Paulos try to claim that Carson Palmer's January 2006 knee injury was far worse than it really was, with the apparent purpose of making folks conclude that it was the efforts of Dr. Paulos that cured a "devastating and potentially career-ending" condition?

In Everett's case, there's a belief in some circles that Dr. Andrew Cappucino (which sounds like the name of the next phony doctor on The Simpsons, given that Nick Riveira died in the movie) was pulling a Paulos, and that Everett's condition was not as dire as it was described to the public on Monday.

Or as it was described to Everett on Sunday.

"I told Kevin that the chances for a full neurologic recovery were bleak, dismal," Cappuccino said on Monday.  "I was honest with him, and he told me, 'Do everything you can to help me.'"

Don't get us wrong.  We're very happy to hear that Everett will walk out of the hospital.  The only thing that bothers us is the possibility that one of the folks who cared for him might be attempting to overly dramatize the situation in order to make future patients conclude that he's a better doctor than perhaps he really is.

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POSTED 8:58 a.m. EDT, September 12, 2007

WERE PATS STUNG BY COMPETITION COMMITTEE?

There's a theory making the rounds in league circles that the Sunday confiscation of Matt Estrella's camera was the result of a specific effort by the NFL's Competition Committee to nail the Patriots.

It was, some believe, a sting operation.

Rumors also are swirling that Jets coach Eric Mangini, who was with the Pats through the 2005 season, began to spread the word to other teams in 2006 regarding the tactics that Bill Belichick employs.  But even after a close call last year in Green Bay, the Patriots kept doing it.

The thinking in some circles is that the Competition Committee, which has endorsed the use of a radio receiver in the helmet of one defensive player, wants to use the Patriots' situation as the impetus for getting the additional two votes necessary to pass the rule.

In March 2007, 22 of the 24 teams needed to push the measure through voted in favor of it.

Though such a rule will not be perfect given the extent of the substitutions made on defense,  it would eliminate the temptation to steal defensive signals, because it would eliminate the defensive signals.

And, in our view, it's a no-brainer that this rule will be passed come March 2008. 

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POSTED 10:18 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

DO CHEATERS PROSPER?

We've been pondering for the past two days the question of whether the Patriots or any other team would really benefit from knowing the meaning of the defensive signals.

The obvious answer is "hell yes," because otherwise they wouldn't go to the trouble of trying to swipe the signals.  As a practical matter, however, we wonder whether the knowledge can be effectively utilized.

There are 40 seconds or so between plays.  During that period of time, the offense picks a play, and the defense picks a play.  The offensive coaches radio the offensive play to the quarterback as the defensive coaches signal by hand the defensive play.  So as the defensive signals are being sent in, someone on the New England sideline is intercepting the signal, deciphering it, communicating it to someone who has the ability to relay the information to the quarterback, with all of that stuff being accomplished before the radio shuts off.

That's a lot of things that have to happen.  Chances are that, more often than not, the offense can't get it all together.

Still, the mere fact that the Patriots are even trying to use such tactics suggests that there's a benefit to be derived, and that alone is enough to conclude that there is a perceived competitive advantage.

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POSTED 10:01 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

WHAT NEXT FOR BELICHICK?

With the NFL reportedly concluding that the New England Patriots used video cameras in an effort to discern the defensive signals of opponents, an obvious questions arises.

What does any of this mean to coach Bill Belichick?

For starters, we believe that he should be suspended.  If punter Todd Sauerbrun gets tossed for four games for using ephedra, the head coach of a team that is committing a blatant violation of the rules for competitive advantage should be suspended much longer than that.

If Cowboys quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson gets parked for five games because he purchased HGH for his own personal use, the head coach of a team that is committing a blatant violation of the rules for competitive advantage should be suspended much longer than that.

Though it's unknown whether a suspension is even on the table, it should be.  And if it's anything less than four games, the NFLPA should be raising holy hell with the league, as the NFLPA usually . . . um . . . often . . . um . . . occasionally . . . um, okay, rarely does.

Meanwhile, questions automatically will be raised regarding Belichick's future with the Patriots.  If owner Bob Kraft didn't know about the "Patriot Act" project, owner Bob Kraft is going to blow a gasket.  If owner Bob Kraft knew about the "Patriot Act" project, he needs to act like he didn't know, and thus owner Bob Kraft is going to blow a gasket.

But will Kraft pull the plug on Belichick?  The owner arguably could fire Belichick for cause, and owe him nothing under his contract, assuming it runs beyond 2007.  Stillm maybe Kraft will want to see Belichick win a Super Bowl or two "fair and square," which will tend to quiet the Barry Bonds-style concerns that already are being raised as to those three championships in four seasons.

It's too early to tell how all of this plays out, and Belichick's status with the team beyond 2007 might be tied to whether an untarnished Lombardi can be added to the case.  Either way, it's a horrible development for one of the best teams in the league, and it will be a supreme challenge for Belichick to keep himself and everyone around him focused on the task at hand.

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POSTED 8:56 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

RAVENS FEAR LEWIS, OGDEN LOST FOR YEAR

A league source tells us that there is concern within the Baltimore Ravens organization that linebacker Ray Lewis or left tackle Jonathan Ogden, or both, are potentially lost for the year with injuries suffered on Monday night in Cincinnati.

The fact that the Ravens are being tight-lipped about the status of Lewis and Ogden is fueling the belief that the situation might be serious.  As we understand it, information regarding the status of Lewis and Ogden is also scarce within the building.

It doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure out that the Hall of Famers, both of whom were selected in the first round of the 1996 draft, could be seriously hurt.  It took Odgen months to recover from a toe injury, and it looks like all of the progress was undone in less than one half of football.  As to Lewis, he'll definitely be willing to play with one arm, but he could very well be shut down based on the outcome of an MRI that was conducted on Tuesday.

In Ogden's case, a season-ending injury could also be career-ending.  He contemplated retirement after the 2006 season, and would likely be sorely tempted to call it quits in lieu of enduring more rehab and preparation for 2008.

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POSTED 8:34 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

WERE PATS WIRING DEFENSIVE PLAYERS, TOO?

The situation regarding the New England Patriots and the allegations/proof that they have stolen defensive signals is unofficially getting weirder.

The signal stealing flap is relevant only to defensive signals, since all offensive calls are made by radio. 

But we're now aware of suspicions/rumors regarding efforts by the Pats to get a leg up as to opposing offenses.  Specifically, we're told that it's believed that, during the 2006 season, the Patriots were putting microphones on defensive linemen in order to capture the offensive line calls and the quarterback audibles.

Then, the audio and the video of the game would be matched up, and the defensive players would be given the code at halftime.

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POSTED 7:27 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

EAGLES REEL IN RENO

The Philadelphia Eagles have announced that they have signed running back/kick returner Reno Mahe to a one-year deal. 

To make room for Reno on the roster, the Eagles cut safety/kick returner J.R. Reed.

Reed muffed the fateful final punt against the Packers on Sunday, allowing Green Bay to win the game late.  It was Reed's second stint with the Eagles.  After a solid rookie season in 2004, Reed suffered nerve damage in his leg during a freak fence-jumping accident.  He didn't play in 2005, and bounced around the league in 2006.

Reed re-joined the team after 2006 draft pick Jeremy Bloom was cut.

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POSTED 7:18 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

FINS ADD DARIUS

On the same day that the Miami Dolphins placed safety Yeremiah Bell on injured reserve due to a ruptured Achilles' tendon suffered in Week One against the Redskins, the Fins signed free-agent safety Donovin Darius.

Darius, a first-round pick in 1998, was cut by the Jaguars during the offseason.  He was picked up by the Raiders, but then was included in the final roster cuts.

The Dolphins also signed safety Lamont Thompson, and released defensive end Akbar Gbaja-Biamila.

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POSTED 6:01 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

PATS GUILTY OF CHEATING

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has concluded that the New England Patriots violated league rules when videotaping defensive signals being sent in from the sidelines by Jets coaches during Sunday's game at the Meadowlands.

NFL Security confiscated a camera and videotape from Pats employee Matt Estrella, a video assistant.  Mort says that the evidence that was confiscated confirmed the suspicion.

And the punishment could be severe.

Mortensen reports that Goodell is considering the possibility of stripping the team of "multiple draft picks," given that he has issued a stern warning to all teams to avoid such behavior.

We'll echo what we said below about Claude Wroten and anyone who tests positive at the scouting combine.  In this case, the persons responsible for doing this are either stupid, or they have a serious problem. 

The Patriots previously had been linked to such behavior.  And yet they kept on doing it.

Former defensive coordinator Eric Mangini is now the head coach of the Jets, and likely knew a thing or two about these practices in New England.  And yet they kept on doing it.

In fact, we're told by a very good source that, when the Packers caught a Pats employee doing the same thing last season, the Packers knew exactly what to look for, and nailed the guy in the act.  The Packers didn't press the issue only because they lost the game 35-0, and didn't want to complain under those circumstances.

The Pats' habits in this regard were so well known that, per the same source, Colts president Bill Polian had all on-field cameras removed for the 2006 AFC championship game.

Thus, the Patriots knew that other people know what was happening.  And yet they kept on doing it.

If all of this is true, it reflects a dangerous amount of arrogance in that team's coaching staff.  In fact, our guess is that, now that the poo has hit the propeller, whoever put this system in place will privately justify it after the fact by explaining that, in the end, the cost was far less than the benefits that have been derived.

And it makes us -- and likely many others -- wonder how far back all of this goes.  How many Lombardis are potentially tainted?  How many of the games during that record-setting winning streak?

Regardless of the lost draft picks, which mean much less in the salary cap era than they used to, there's now a stain on the NFL first dynasty of the new century.  How far it spreads and how deep it goes remains to be seen. 

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POSTED 5:37 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

WROTEN SUSPENDED FOUR GAMES

Howard Balzer of The Sports Xchange reports that the NFL has suspended Rams defensive tackle Clause Wroten four games for violation of the substance abuse policy.

Wroten, a third-round pick in the 2006 draft, tested positive for marijuana at the scouting combine that year.  As we've said before (and surely will say again), anyone who tests positive when they know the test is coming is either stupid or has a serious problem.

Assuming that the positive test put Wroten in Stage One of the substance-abuse program, he likely had one or more other incidents before the violation that triggered the four-game suspension.

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POSTED 5:08 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

T.O. DIDN'T GIVE WILSON THE FINGER, AFTER ALL

It looked the like the finger.  It smelled like the finger. 

It wasn't the finger.

Per a source with access to more accurate images of the key moment in question than those that were televised by NBC on Sunday night, Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens did not flash his middle finger to Giants safety Gibril Wilson while heading to the end zone on a fourth-quarter catch-and-run.  

"It was his index finger and he was waving it the way a parent would to a bad kid," the source said.  "He should have been flagged for taunting."

Wilson said on Monday that he thought Owens had given him the finger.  And that's why Wilson hit Owens well after Owens had scored.

We initially were convinced that it was the middle finger, especially in light of the way that Owens subtly dropped his hand toward the ground and showed it to Wilson as Owens ran away from him. 

And we agree with the source -- Owens was taunting Wilson.  Though Owens was not penalized, he could be fined.

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POSTED 4:20 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

'SKINS SIGN CALDWELL

Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post reports that the Redskins have signed received Reche Caldwell to a one-year deal.

To create room on the roster for Caldwell, tackle Jon Jansen has been placed on injured reserve.

Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe reports that the Jets and the Vikings were also interested in Caldwell, and that Caldwell believes that the Jets were genuinely interested in him -- and not just trying to get information from him about the Patriots.

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POSTED 4:05 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

BELICHICK SUMMONED TO NEW YORK?

WVCB in Boston reports that Pats coach Bill Belichick has been summoned to New York by Commissioner Roger Goodell to answer questions regarding allegations that the Patriots were stealing defensive signals on Sunday against the Jets.

WEEI in Boston reports that the Patriots deny the WVCB report.

Either way, this issue is generating all sorts of buzz in league and media circles.  Though it could be driven by the perception that the Patriots are the top organization in the league and the other 31 franchises would love to seem them take a fall, there's just too much smoke on this one to disregard it.

Still, we doubt that the Pats are the only team stealing signals, if the final decision is that they are or have been.  Multiple readers have told us that the Eagles were taking great pains to shield their own defensive signals from prying eyes against the Packers, which suggests that this could be a fairly common thing.  

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POSTED 3:09 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

'SKINS EYEBALLING CALDWELL

Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post reports that the Redskins are visiting with free-agent receiver Reche Caldwell.

Caldwell led the Patriots in receptions and yardage in 2006.  He was cut on September 3.

Because Caldwell is a vested veteran, teams likely waited to court him until after Week One.  Any vested veteran who is on a team's opening-day roster can elect to take the remainder of his base salary as termination pay.  After Week One, there amount of termination pay is significantly reduced.

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POSTED 3:01 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

NFL SECURITY TAKING DOG FIGHTING SERIOUSLY

We've previously opined that the NFL and its 32 member franchises would be wise to keep better track of the off-field habits and hobbies of the league's star players than the Falcons did with Mike Vick.  Such an approach would help to avoid future public embarrassments for the greatest pro sport on the planet.  

As it relates to dog fighting, the NFL apparently is now taking a far more aggressive approach.  And the extent to which the league is addressing the situation suggests that NFL Security is leaving no stone unturned -- or that NFL Security fears that it's completely uninformed on the whole woof-woof problem (if there even is one) and is grasping at any shred of information that might come its way.  (Or, perhaps, a little of both.)

A.J. Daulerio of PhillyMag.com explains that he recently was poking around about some rumors linking certain members of the Eagles to dog fighting, and that his efforts resulted in an unanticipated visit.  From NFL Security.

"I made some phone calls to various members of the local media that cover the team," Daulerio writes, "all of whom said that there was not an ounce of evidence supporting it, and that they've never heard any of the rumors.  I called PETA, which had also never heard of any rumors involving these certain players.  I called the Eagles front office and, of course, they declined comment.  Story over."

Not quite.

James Clark of NFL Security arrived at Daulerio's office at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday to ask him about the situation.

"Mr. Clark and I had about 10 minutes of conversation that he wrote down on his yellow notepad," Daulerio writes, "most of which was me explaining how I found nothing in any of the conversations I'd had with other people that was worth reporting.  However, Mr. Clark explained that the league had received a call from the Eagles, and that this is what the NFL does in certain criminal matters — regardless of how, in this case, unfounded or questionable the source of the allegations may be."

Though we don't know whether Mr. Clark was intimidating in size, speech, or demeanor, our guess is that the goal here was merely to get information.  Though there are ways of getting information without showing up at a guy's office, these NFL Security types usually  are former law enforcement officials, most of whom exclusively talk to potential sources and/or witnesses on a face-to-face basis.  It's the best way to read body language for signs of dishonesty.

With all that said, it would be easy for the cynical mind to conclude that NFL Security is hoping that, by taking a keen interest in writers who are asking questions about dog fighting, the writers might choose to write about topics other than dog fighting. 

We're not yet prepared to come to that conclusion.  But it'll be interesting to see if Daulerio's experience was an isolated occurrence, or whether it's the beginning of a trend.

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POSTED 1:05 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

FRYE FLIES WEST

Jay Glazer of FOX reports that the Cleveland Browns have traded quarterback Charlie Frye to the Seattle Seahawks.

Terms of the deal are not yet known.

On Tuesday morning, the Seahawks acquired an extra draft pick via the trade of defensive end Bryce Fisher to the Titans.  Maybe that pick was sent to Cleveland for Frye.

The Seahawks previously were linked to quarterbacks Kelly Holcomb, who was traded from Philly to Minnesota, and Mark Burnell, who remains with the Redskins. 

The addition of Frye could allow the Seahawks to incorporate Seneca Wallace more heavily into game-day preparations at the receiver position, with the ability to make Wallace the interim starter if Matt Hasselbeck suffers a multi-week injury.  Under that approach, Frye would be the in-game backup.  However, this would prevent the Seahawks from making Wallace or Hasselbeck the extra "emergency" quarterback that is not part of the 45-man pool of active playerson game days.

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POSTED 12:54 p.m. EDT; UPDATED  1:30 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

JAGS SIGN CARNEY

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Jaguars have signed kicker John Carney.  Carney will replace Josh Scobee, who injured a leg during pre-game warmups on Sunday and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks.

We previously were under the impression that Mike Vanderjagt was the guy.  As it turns out, Vandgerjagt was in Jacksonville for a tryout on Tuesday.  But the Jags decided to go with Carney. 

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POSTED 12:20 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

NO FRYE TRADE YET

WTAM has altered its report regarding Browns quarterback Charlie Frye.  Earlier in the day, WTAM reported that Frye has been traded to an unnamed team.  Now, WTAM reports that the Browns are merely trying to trade Frye.

Per the new report, Frye will be cut if he's not traded.

The speed with which Frye has gone from starter to reject highlights, in our view, the pressure that coach Romeo Crennel and G.M. Phil Savage are facing.  Frye didn't even get a full half to prove himself. 

Our guess is that the Browns initially floated the "Charlie is already traded" story in the hopes of smoking an interested suitor out of the weeds.  Apparently, it didn't work.

Frye, a third-round draft pick in 2005, generated plenty of hype as a rookie.  But his performance never matched the perceived potential.

He is signed through 2008, at salaries of $435,000 in 2007 and $465,000 in 2008.  Since he is not a vested veteran, he can be released without the Browns potentially owing him the rest of his 2007 base pay.  

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POSTED 11:56 a.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

TITANS TRADE FOR FISHER

A league source tells us that the Seattle Seahawks have traded defensive end Bryce Fisher to the Tennessee Titans for a draft pick.

Fisher, a former starter, was No. 2 on the depth chart at right defensive end, behind Daryl Tapp.

Originally a member of the Bills in 2001, Fisher is due to make a base salary of $2.4 million in 2007 and $2.6 million in 2008.

He was a 16-game starter in 2006, and he has 26.5 career sacks.

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POSTED 11:48 a.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

FRYE TRADED

WTAM radio in Cleveland reports that the Browns have traded quarterback Charlie Frye to an unnamed team.

Because WTAM is the Browns' flagship radio station, the news is being regarded in media circles are legit.  Per WTAM, Frye is being traded to make room for Ken Dorsey.

Earlier on Tuesday, a league source told us that Frye was "definitely not out" in Cleveland.  Apparently, "definitely" doesn't mean what our source thought it meant.

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POSTED 10:55 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 11:18 a.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

PACE DONE FOR THE YEAR

It was originally reported by Jay Glazer on Fox's The O.T. that the Rams feared that left tackle Orlando Pace would miss the entire 2007 season wit ha Week One shoulder injury.

On Monday, it was confirmed that, indeed, Pace is done.

It's a huge blow for the Rams, who before the season looked to be a potential playoff team.  (One Internet hack even picked them to make it to the Super Bowl.)

Without Pace, one-time first-rounder Alex Barron will move to the left side.  And, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the move of Barron means that Adam Goldberg will move up to start at right tackle, or that Milford Brown will slide over from right guard.

Further complicating matters is that starting guard Richie Incognito aggravated a high ankle sprain last week during practice and remains out.

The Rams will take a look-see at possible replacement tackles on Tuesday, including Kenyatta Walker.

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EMMITT WILL APOLOGIZE TO TANK JOHNSON, ER, WILLIAMS

In the first PFT Ten-Pack to be imported/exported to Sportingnews.com, I mentioned that ESPN's Emmitt Smith inadvertently defamed Vikings safety Tank Williams when attempting to make a comment regarding former Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson and his guns.  Per ESPN spokesman Mac Nwulu, the mistake was not corrected on the air.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that Emmitt plans to call Tank Williams to apologize for the blunder.

But is that good enough?  We think that Emmitt also needs to declare his error at the top of the September 16 Sunday NFL Countdown show.  Even then, there will be some folks out there who saw the relevant portion of the September 9 broadcast and who won't see the relevant portion of the September 16 show, and who will possibly conclude whenever they hear the name "Tank Williams" that he's the same turdish Tank whose name gets mentioned with guys like Pacman Jones and Chris Henry and Michael Vick.

Then again, the fact that Tank Williams is named "Tank" has likely caused such confusion already, as evidenced by Emmitt's miscue.  But Smith's statement only compounds the problem, and if Tank Williams is as litigious as, say, Kramer, Tank will soon be getting a settlement that includes a lifetime supply of ESPN:  The Magazine and $50,000.  (Assuming, of course, that Tank doesn't yell "I'll take it!" before they offer the money.)

 

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POSTED 10:32 a.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

THERE'S AN EASY SOLUTION TO SIGNAL STEALING

As the storm clouds gather regarding allegations that the New England Patriots have been stealing defensive signals on a chronic basis, two basic truths are obvious to us.

First, surely the Pats aren't the only team to do it.  (If, of course, the Pats are doing it.)

Second, there's an easy solution to the problem.

Put.  A.  Radio.  In.  The.  Helmet.  Of.  The.  Middle.  Linebacker.  Please.

We'll never hear about anyone stealing offensive signals because there are no offensive signals to steal.  Because the coaching staff can speak directly to the quarterback, through the radio receiver in the helmet with the ugly-ass green dot on it.

So why not do the same thing on the defensive side of the ball?

Such a measure was presented for approval at the ownership meetings in March 2007, but it mustered only 22 of the 24 votes necessary to pass.

We'd love to know whether the Pats voted for it -- or whether any of the teams presently carping about the allegations voted against it.  Or whether the teams who really want it have opted to pile on the Pats in an effort to get the measure pushed through in 2008. 

Regardless of the motivations, plenty of teams have accused the Pats of stealing signals.  Currently, the Jets, Bills, Broncos, Eagles, Lions, and Packers have complained, privately or publicly.

John Tomase of the Boston Herald reports that the alleged pattern is that a credentialed Patriots employee records opposing coaches signaling in the defensive plays.  Sources in Green Bay told Tomase that the cameraman also relays information to the Pats' bench via hand signals.

Though there's a lot of smoke here -- and there very well could be fire -- the situation still makes little sense to us.  On one hand, videotaping the defensive signals would presumably be used when preparing to play the team in the future.  On the other hand, the Pats only play the Lions and Packers once every four years.  So unless there's a black market for this kind of stuff, the risk would seem to outweigh the reward.  (Then again, it's possible that they'll face an NFC opponent in a Super Bowl before the Pats play them again in the regular season.  Still, the benefit is too remote, in our view, to ever take that kind of a chance.)

Also, the in-game communication between the cameraman and the Pats' coaching staff suggests some type of Rain Man card-counting skills that allows the guy with the camera to figure out in real time what the defensive signals might be.  But how does the video camera come into play?  Is the guy rewinding the tape and comparing it to defense that was used?  How can the guy do both things? 

And even if he's merely taping the calls and signaling the information to a member of the New England coaching staff, why not use two people to do that job?

These questions are irrelevant for now.  The tape that was reportedly confiscated won't lie.  If it shows a zoomed-in record of defensive signals, the Pats will be in hot water.

Moving forward, however, the far better approach is to remove the temptation to cheat by getting rid of the signals and allowing the coaching staff to talk directly to one member of the defense through a radio.

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POSTED 9:13 a.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

OWENS DENIES GIVING WILSON THE FINGER

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens has denied our report from Monday that T.O. shot a visual F.U. to Giants safety Gibril Wilson as Owens was heading to the end zone with a fourth-quarter touchdown catch-and-run.

On Monday, Owens was asked about our report.  And Owens claimed that he was merely showing his index finger, not his middle finger.

But maybe Owens' finger was misquoted.  Because Wilson said that it was the bird that was flipped in his direction.  "I guess we're really not fond of each other," Wilson explained, according to Newsday.

Several readers have sent us published photos of the play, and Owens clearly is displaying at that time his index finger.  But the images were captured after the specific point at which we believe Owens dropped his hand toward the ground and flashed a different finger to Wilson.

Wilson clearly thought so, too.  Because it prompted Wilson to hit Owens well after Owens had scored.

We're currently mining our media sources to track down clearer video or a still photo of the exact moment at which Owens made the gesture.  The non-HD replay from the end zone camera on NBC isn't completely conclusive.

But what is clear is that Owens at a minimum was taunting Wilson with the gesture, whatever the gesture might have been.  Thus, whether it was his index finger, his middle finger, or his pinky toe, Owens should be bracing himself for a $7,500 fine.

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POSTED 8:47 a.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

TROUBLE BREWING IN BALTIMORE

Sal Paolantonio of ESPN reports in the current SportsCenter loop that Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis had some choice words after Monday night's 27-20 loss to the Bengals.

Rushing out of the locker room following a game in which the Baltimore offense played poorly, Lewis told Paolantonio:  "I can't have that.  I can't have six turnovers.  Not with this defense.  I can't go back to that."

The offensive woes supposedly were fixed in Baltimore after coach Brian Billick jettisoned offensive coordinator Jim Fassel and took over the duties personally.  And the offseason acquisition of running back Willis McGahee raised expectations, since McGahee was viewed as a clear upgrade over Jamal Lewis.

But the problem appears to be the lack of a solid offensive line -- and the loss of Tony Pashos and Edwin Mulitalo, two starters from a year ago, hurts the team's chances.  With Jonathan Ogden limping off of the field early after aggravating a nagging toe injury, it might be even harder for quarterbacks Steve McNair and/or Kyle Boller to find enough time to get rid of the ball, or to remain in one complete, uninterrupted piece. 

As to the Lewis arm injury, he told Paolantonio that he believes he suffered a torn triceps.  Ravens doctors told Paolantonio that it's not the main triceps.  An MRI will be conducted on Tuesday.

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POSTED 8:31 a.m. EDT, September 11, 2007

FRYE IS SAFE

Rumblings that the Browns might be bringing back quarterback Ken Dorsey to serve as a mentor to rookie quarterback Brady Quinn have sparked rumors and speculation that Week One starter Charlie Frye will be cut.

Not so, according to a league source.

"Charlie is definitely not out," said the source.

It's also not clear that Dorsey is re-joining the Browns.  He lives in Berea, Ohio, and plans to stay there until someone else signs him.  With that said, it's been reported that he was at the team's facility on Monday.  So unless he's gotten a job with UPS and was making a delivery, it looks like Dorsey might be back.

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POSTED 9:47 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

LEWIS HAS TORN TRICEPS?

While working the Live Blog of the Monday night opener, we heard from a source that it's believed that Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis has a serious arm injury.

Moments ago, Suzy Kolber of ESPN reported that Lewis likely has a torn triceps muscle in his right arm.

Even with the injury, Lewis is playing as well as ever.  It remains to be seen whether he'll be able to continue to play with the injury after this week's game.

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POSTED 9:15 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

RUSSELL, RAIDERS AGREE IN PRINCIPLE

Steve Corkran of InsideBayArea.com reports that, after four days of negotiations, the Raiders and quarterback JaMarcus Russell have agreed in principle on a contract that will pay Russell $31 million in guaranteed money.

The deal is expected to have a duration of six years and a maximum value of $60 million.

Russell is the first No. 1 overall draft pick to be unsigned by the start of the regular season since Bo Jackson in 1986.

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POSTED 8:55 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

QUINN ERA COMING

The obvious meaning of the news that quarterback Ken Dorsey is back in Cleveland is that the Browns are getting ready to begin the Brady Quinn era sooner rather than later.

Quinn and Dorsey forged a strong friendship, to the point that Quinn openly bemoaned the decision of the team to release Dorsey after the preseason.

Now, after starter Charlie Frye didn't make it for a full half and backup Derek Anderson didn't fare much better, it appears that Dorsey will be back to help accelerate Quinn's preparation.

If/when Dorsey is re-signed, the Browns could carry four quarterbacks.  Or they could try to trade Frye or Anderson.  Or they could cut one of them.

Bottom line -- this move means that Quinn will be playing, soon.

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POSTED 6:40 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

VARYING REPORTS ON ELI INJURY

At a time when we're hearing rumors that Giants quarterback Eli Manning could miss the entire 2007 season with a shoulder injury, media reports regarding the extent of the injury are all over the map.

Adam Schefter of NFLN says that Manning has a separated shoulder, and that he could be back by September 30.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that Peyton's little brother will miss at least a month, which means he'd be back for a Monday nighter on October 15 in Atlanta.

Mort also reports that there were fears that Manning had suffered a torn labrum, but that an MRI showed that the labrum was intact.

The Giants, however, insist that Eli won't miss significant time.  Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star Ledger echoes that sentiment, as does Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.

So what gives?  It could be that the injury is serious, but that the team is hoping to sign or trade for a replacement without the player or the team in question knowing that the situation is dire.  The price tag naturally goes up if the Giants are perceived to be desperate. 

Of course, such an approach wouldn't work on free-agent quarterback Byron Leftwich, since Leftwich and Manning are represented by the same agent. 

Hey, it wouldn't be the first time a team lied about a guy's condition for strategic reasons.  And it wouldn't be the last.

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POSTED 6:27 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

OGDEN WILL START

Sal Paolantonio of ESPN reports that Ravens left tackle Jonathan Ogden will start on Monday night at Cincinnati.

Ogden has been out with a toe injury.  He pondered retirement after the 2006 season.

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POSTED 6:22 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

EVERETT LIKELY WILL BE PARALYZED

The AP reports that Bills tight end Kevin Everett suffered a "catastrophic" neck injury on Sunday.  The injury also is described as "life-threatening."

"A best-case scenario is full recovery, but not likely," Dr. Andrew Cappuccino said, one day after performing a four-hour operation on the player. "I believe there will be some permanent neurological paralysis. . . .  A full neurological recovery was bleak, dismal."

Although Everett has had successful surgery to remove bone chips resulting from fractures of the third and fourth vertebrates in Everett's neck, he remains at risk for blood clots, infections, and breathing failure.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that Everett has been placed on the Bills' injured reserve list.  But Everett's playing status is just a footnote at this point; the injury is a reminder of how dangerous the game of football can be, at every level. 

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POSTED 4:29 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

MORE BAD NEWS FOR GIANTS

On the same day that the Giants learned that starting tailback Brandon Jacobs will miss 3-5 weeks with a knee injury, it also was learned that defensive end Osi Umenyiora will be out for two months with a knee injury of his own.

But that might not be the worst news.

We're hearing an unconfirmed rumor -- and this is incredibly unconfirmed for now -- that quarterback Eli Manning might be done for the year with a shoulder injury that he suffered during a failed two-point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter of Sunday night's loss to the Cowboys.

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POSTED 4:24 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

BOSTON TESTS POSITIVE FOR GHB

The Tampa Tribune reports that Bucs receiver David Boston has tested positive for GHB in connection with a urine sample that he provided after being arrested last month for DUI.

GHB is often referred to as liquid Ecstasy.  It is a common date-rape drug.

On August 23, Boston was found asleep at the wheel of a Range Rover.  He failed a field sobriety test, but a breathalyzer showed no evidence of alcohol in his system.

The concentration was 870 mcg/ml.  "We're told by the experts that that is a level that would make you impaired," Bruce Bartlett, chief assistant state attorney at the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office, told the Tribune.

Boston faces immediate scrutiny under the substance-abuse policy, since the presence of GHB in his system possibly constitutes the kind of behavior that could get him placed into Stage One of the program.  If/when he is convicted of or pleads guilty to DUI, Boston will be subject to discipline under the league's Personal Conduct Policy.

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POSTED 4:08 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

NEW ENGLAND SPY SCANDAL GATHERS MOMENTUM

On Sunday, Dan Leberfeld of Scout.com reported on suspicions that an employee of the New England Patriots had been stealing signals from the Jets' sideline.  The notion that the person would venture onto the New York sideline to obtain images of the signals made no sense to us.

Now, Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that NFL security confiscated a video camera and a videotape from a Patriots' employee who was on the Patriots' sideline. 

Per Mortensen, the camera and the tape were placed into a sealed box and shipped to the league office for further review.

Mort's version makes a lot more sense -- if someone is going to record signals, it's not going to happen on the opposing team's sideline.  The images will be shot from the safety of the sideline of the team for which the person with the camera works.

In 2006, the Patriots reportedly caused a "sternly written letter" regarding the videotaping of signals and/or play-calling gestures.  Also, Mortensen mentions that a similar incident occurred last year, when the Patriots played at Lambeau field.

Since quarterbacks have radios in their helmets, the only signals to be stolen would relate to calls made on defense.

Stuff like this usually gets brushed under the rug, due in part (in our opinion) to the reluctance of the league office to air dirty laundry.  If, however, the tape in that camera shows that the person using it was making like Brodie at Deathblow, the league might have no choice but to take action.

Especially in a climate where Commissioner Roger Goodell is smacking down players who misbehave.  

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POSTED 3:12 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

BEARS LOSE TWO DEFENSIVE STARTERS

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Chicago Bears have lost not one but two defensive starters for the season due to injuries suffered in Sunday's loss to the Chargers.

Gone are safety Mike Brown and defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek.

Last year, the Bears overcame injuries to guys like Brown and defensive tackle Tommie Harris to make it to the Super Bowl.  So it's not quite time for the Bears to fold the tents.

Still, it's not an encouraging development for a team that if widely expected to make it back to the top of the NFC.

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POSTED 1:07 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 1:30 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

TANK ROLLING TO TEXAS?

Cowboys defensive tackle Jason Ferguson suffered a torn biceps tendon on Sunday night against the Giants.  Per the Cowboys' official web site, Ferguson is expected to miss the rest of the season.

Ferguson's absence could (key word:  could) mean that the Cowboys will take a look at Tank Johnson, who was cut in the offseason by the Bears after an arrest in Arizona on suspicion of DUI.  The only drawback is that Johnson must first serve an eight-game suspension after being signed; thus, he wouldn't be available until the tenth game of the season.

There was some talk after Johnson was cut that the Cowboys might be interested, even though Dallas runs a 3-4 defense and Johnson's NFL experience has come exclusively in the 4-3.

For now, Jay Ratliff will handle the job in Ferguson's place.

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LIVE BLOGS COMING TONIGHT

Make sure you check in with us tonight -- early and often -- as we attempt our first-ever Live Blog doubleheader for the Monday night twin bill featuring the Ravens at the Bengals and the Cardinals at the 49ers.

We'll get started at some point after the ESPN pregame coverage gets rolling, and we'll hit a six-hour full boil in time for kickoff. 

Meanwhile, here's our PFTV preview of the early game.

 

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POSTED 12:57 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

JACOBS OUT 3-5 WEEKS

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that Giants running back Brandon Jacobs is expected to miss 3-5 weeks with a sprained MCL suffered in Sunday night's loss to the Cowboys.

Jacobs entered the game as the heir to Tiki Barber.  With Jacobs out, the rushing duties will fall to Derrick Ward and to Reuben Droughns.  Rookie Ahmad Bradshaw also could get some reps.

It remains to be seen whether the Giants try to sign a replacement.  Corey Dillon is still available.  As is Barber.  But Barber made it clear on Sunday night that he sees a return as highly unlikely -- even as John Madden nearly keeled over while guaranteeing that Tiki will be getting a call.

Another potential problem is that the Giants would need to clear a roster spot for any new running back who is signed; as to any player who suffers an in-season injury, the player remains on the roster unless and until he is placed on injured reserve.  But if/when a player is placed on injured reserve, he cannot return at all for the balance of the season. 

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POSTED 12:05 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 12:45 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

PATS ACCUSED OF STEALING JETS' SIGNALS

Dan Leberfeld of Scout.com reports that an unnamed member of the Patriots organization was caught shooting video near the Jets' bench on Sunday, during New England's season-opening win.

Per Leberfeld, an unnamed Meadowlands source was told about the incident by Jets security chief Steve Yarnell.

The Pats' employee, who was credentialed for the event, supposedly was recording images of the signals that were being sent in from the Jets sideline.

We're not questioning the accuracy of Leberfeld's report.  We're certain that there is a Meadowlands employee who told Leberfeld exactly what Leberfeld has written. 

But Leberfeld's item doesn't address the obvious flaw in the logic of the contention.  Specifically, why in the hell would a Patriots' spy record images of signals being sent to the field . . . from the Jets' bench?  The signals could surely be seen from other vantage points, such as (for example) portions of the Patriots' sideline.

It just makes no sense to us that the Pats' employee would sidle right up to Mangini and company with a camera and starting rolling video.

Our guess, then, is that nothing will come of this.

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A NEW HEIDI GAME?

Plenty of readers have chimed in over the past 20 hours or so regarding the fact that, while watching the decisive moments of the Eagles-Packers game on FOX, the coverage was switched abruptly to one of the three contests that commenced at 4:15 p.m. EDT.

A few readers mentioned in e-mails to us the infamous Heidi Bowl of 1968, during which NBC cut from a nail-biting Jets-Raiders game to a children's movie that was due to be aired at 7:00 p.m. EDT.  (Wikipedia has a great summary of the 39-year-old incident.)

On Sunday, the switch was made right after the Packers recovered a fumbled punt return by the Eagles, preventing viewers from watching the final moments of Green Bay's win.

We were confused by the criticism, since the channel on DirecTV that was supposed to air Bears-Chargers continued to broadcast the Packers-Eagles contest.  So we opted to get an explanation straight from the source.

POSTED 9:54 a.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

BEARS LOOKING UP AT THE REST OF THE NFC NORTH

One of the most surprising outcomes of Week One of the NFL season is that the defending NFC champions, who are clearly the class of the NFC North, are suddenly in the cellar of the worst division in the NFL.

The Lions, Packers, and Vikings are each 1-0.  The Bears are 0-1.

But does any of that mean anything?

In our view, no.

The Bears lost at San Diego.  The Lions won at Oakland.  The Vikings beat the Falcons.  The only eyebrow-raiser is the Packers stealing a game from the Eagles, one of the best teams in the conference.

Each of the three 1-0 teams will play the Chargers this year, and San Diego will be favored in each of those games, unless LaDainian Tomlinson loses an appendage or two.  So the Bears will have plenty of chances to re-establish their dominance over the other three teams -- especially when Chicago plays each of them twice.

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THROW OUT WEEK ONE

Looking more broadly at the whole NFC North dynamic, we've always believed that Week One (and, for that matter, Week Two) is generally meaningless.

Plenty of teams who lose in Week One end up being very good, and plenty of teams who find themselves at 1-0 end up in the septic tank.

For example, the Pats were blown out by the Bills in Week One of the 2003 season.  The Bills didn't make the playoffs; the Pats won the Super Bowl.

In 2001, the Panthers won in Week One at Minnesota.  And then Carolina lost 15 in a row.

The other problem is that it's hard to tell how good the teams that won this weekend really are, because we don't yet know how good (or bad) the losers are.  The Vikings looked very good at home . . . against the Falcons.  The Steelers were nearly flawless on the road . . . against the Browns.

It'll take a few more weeks, then, to know who's good and who isn't.  Either way, that outcome in Week One will soon be more diluted than the mixed drinks in the Bengals' luxury suites as more and more games are played.

With that said, Week One does have some potential significance at the end of the season.  For teams playing games in their own division, that win (or loss) could have significant implications when it comes to sorting out tiebreakers, especially if the road team gets the "W".  Ditto for games against other teams from another division in the same conference, since the outcomes of those matchups can control who gets a wild-card berth and/or playoff seeding.

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POSTED 8:55 a.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

OWENS GAVE THE FINGER TO WILSON

It seemed odd to us that Giants safety Gibril Wilson took such a late shot at Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens after T.O. scored a fourth-quarter touchdown in Sunday night's 45-35 Dallas victory. 

Video of the play in question appears at 3:25 of the highlight package on NFL.com.

We assumed that Wilson was merely acting out his frustration regarding the inability of the Giants defense to stop the Dallas passing game (or because his first name is so similar to the word "gerbil").

However, the replay shown on NBC last night from an end-zone camera shows that Owens subtly dropped his right hand and showed his middle finger to Wilson as Owens was moving toward the end zone.

A reader pointed it out to us this morning, and we confirmed it on the TiVo. 

It doesn't excuse Wilson for hitting Owens so far out of bounds, but the league office could take a look at the tape and impose a fine on T.O., regardless of the fact that none of the officials saw him make the gesture to Gerbil.  (I mean, Gibril.)

Under the 2007 fine schedule, the specific price tag likely will be $7,500.

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POSTED 8:37 a.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

EVERETT'S STATUS IS UNCLEAR

Bills tight end Kevin Everett underwent emergency surgery on Sunday night to repair his cervical spine.  ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that bone chips were removed during the procedure.

Everett has had some "sparse movement," his agent Brian Overstreet told the AP.

"The next couple of days is going to be critical," said Overstreet.  "Our concern is for him to come out of this healthy and, hopefully, be able to walk again."

The third-year player from the University of Miami appeared in 16 games in 2006, starting four times.

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POSTED 8:17 a.m. EDT, September 10, 2007

TEXANS LOSE STARTING SAFETY

Houston Texans strong safety Jason Simmons, an opening-day starter for the first time in his career, was lost for the season on Sunday when he tore a patellar tendon.

"I just was going to avoid a lineman and put my foot in the ground, and it just gave way," Simmons said, according to the Houston Chronicle.  "Nothing more to it, just a freak accident.  I was so upset.  You finally get your chance — I wait to start my whole career — but I never could question God's timing.  I'm fine."

Von Hutchins replaced Simmons in the lineup.  It's unknown whether the Texans will explore signing a veteran free-agent.  Available guys include Robert Griffith and Nick Sorensen.

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FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE . . . OR PAIN

We've been doing this long enough to know that our highest weekly traffic coincides with the days of the week during which our readers are at work.  Monday is usually the biggest day; Saturday and Sunday are usually the slowest.

But Sundays in the regular season are different for us.  Yesterday, we posted 34 new items over the course of the day.

Fear not, those of you who don't surf the web on your own time.  The Sunday stories are still up -- scroll down to read them all.

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NEW TEN-PACK IS ALREADY DONE

In past years, we posted a ten-pack of takes on the weekend's action, usually on Tuesday and/or Wednesday.

This year, the Ten-Pack has been exported (or is it imported? -- I can never get those straight) to SportingNews.com, and it will be available for review every Monday morning.

Here it is. 

Getting it written by Sunday night made for an even more hectic day, but now that the Ten-Pack is done we can focus on loading even more new stuff onto PFT.  Or playing Madden.

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For our most recent stuff that isn't up there, click here, and if you want to go even farther back in time, click here for more than five full years of archives.  (Or you can continue to watch ranked college teams in nail-biting early-season games with those narrow 50-point margins of victory.)