2006 NFL General News Thread

#41

Posted Friday September 22

Colts Sign Gramatica For Insurance

INDIANAPOLIS --With kicker Adam Vinatieri nursing a groin injury that kept him out of practice all week, and his availability still uncertain, the Indianapolis Colts on Friday night signed veteran free agent Martin Gramatica, league sources here told ESPN.com.

The Colts remain cautiously optimistic that Vinatieri, who was the team's highest profile addition in the offseaon, will be able to handle placements in Sunday's key divisional game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Vinatieri, who suffered the groin injury in last week's victory over Houston, has converted all seven field-goal attempts in the first two outings of the season, and he also handled the kickoffs.

Plagued by injuries the past two seasons, Gramatica was out of the league in 2005 and has not attempted a field goal in a regular-season game since November 2004. He signed with New England this spring and converted both his field-goal attempts in the preseason but was released.

The six-year veteran spent nearly all of his NFL tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including three seasons under coach Tony Dungy, but he was released late in 2004 and signed by Indianapolis to handle kickoff chores. He averaged 61.8 yards for the Colts while handling the kickoff duties in four games. His career kickoff average is 62.9 yards.

For his career, Gramatica has converted 137 of 179 field-goal attempts and all but two of his 183 extra-point tries for 592 points. But his career, which included an all-rookie team selection in 1999 and a Pro Bowl appearance in 2000, spiraled downward his last two seasons with the Bucs, and his inconsistency led to his 2004 release. Notable, too, is that Gramatica is just 43-for-71 on field-goal tries beyond 39 yards.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2599345

#42

Posted Monday September 25th

Madden Curse? Alexander Out With Broken Foot

SEATTLE, WA --League MVP Shaun Alexander has a cracked bone in his left foot and will be lost to the Seattle Seahawks for at least a couple of weeks.

Coach Mike Holmgren said Monday that a bone scan revealed Alexander sustained a "small crack" and "displaced fracture" on a non-weight-bearing bone in his foot sometime during the Seahawks' 42-30 win over the New York Giants on Sunday. Alexander ran for 47 yards on 20 carries before sitting out the fourth quarter, which began with Seattle leading 42-3.

The coach said last season's NFL rushing leader was on crutches inside team headquarters on Monday.

Alexander will miss at least Sunday night's showdown at Chicago, which is also 3-0. Seattle has its bye the following week before playing at division rival St. Louis on Oct. 15.

"I don't think it will be lengthy," Holmgren said. "He just has to stay off of it and let it heal."

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2602571

Posted Monday September 25

Cardinals Rumored To Bench Warner for Leinart

TEMPE, AZ --Arizona coach Dennis Green declined to say on Monday whether he would stay with Kurt Warner at quarterback or replace him with rookie Matt Leinart for next Sunday's game at Atlanta.

"I don't talk personnel on Monday," Green said. "We'll start looking at things and have a staff meeting and take it from there."

Green's noncommittal comments came in the wake of Warner's awful performance in Sunday's 16-14 home loss to the St. Louis Rams. The 35-year-old quarterback was intercepted three times -- once with the team at the Rams' 1-yard line and another at the St. Louis 14.

To cap it off, Warner fumbled a snap at the Rams' 18 with 1:46 to play as Arizona was positioning itself for what would have been a game-winning field goal.

When asked if he remained committed to Warner, Green said, "You know what? I've not thought about who the starting players are right now. ... Normally personnel is something we do on Tuesday."

The remarks made it clear Green was considering benching Warner, who has fumbled five times, losing two of them, and thrown four interceptions in the last two games.

Warner was named NFC offensive player of the week after Arizona's season-opening victory over San Francisco, but the offense has produced just 24 points in subsequent losses at Seattle and against the Rams.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2602503

#43

Posted Tuesday September 26

Cardinals Change Mind And Will Stick With Warner

TEMPE, AZ --Matt Leinart's time as a starting quarterback in the NFL will have to wait -- the Cardinals are sticking with Kurt Warner as their starter.

"Generally talking about the starting lineup is not something we do," coach Dennis Green said. "However, given the speculation that was out there we want to make it clear. We're disappointed after last week, but we still expect to be a playoff football team and we fully expect Kurt Warner to be the quarterback that leads us. That has not changed."

Sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that the Cardinals were planning to go with Leinart as their starting quarterback this week, but a team source said the Cardinals reconsidered overnight and decided that starting Leinart at this point in the season would put too much pressure on the rookie quarterback. The Cardinals will continue to monitor the quarterback situation and still could make a change later in the season.

Warner had an awful performance in Sunday's 16-14 home loss to the St. Louis Rams. The 35-year-old quarterback was intercepted three times -- once with the team at the Rams' 1-yard line and another at the St. Louis 14.

To cap it off, Warner fumbled a snap at the Rams' 18 with 1:46 to play as Arizona was positioning itself for what would have been the winning field goal.

The Cardinals' ugly loss came in front of a sellout crowd of 63,278 in their new stadium, and many of them let Warner know what they thought of his performance as he left the field.

"I'm not worried about that," Warner said Sunday. "I mean, whatever."

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2602503

Posted Tuesday September 26

Titans To Keep Collins As QB

Despite an 0-3 start, Titans coach Jeff Fisher isn't looking to next season and the future starting quarterback of the franchise yet.

Fisher told reporters Monday that he's sticking with Kerry Collins as his starting quarterback against the Cowboys on Sunday, despite reports that Tennessee was soon ready to hand the reins to No. 3 overall pick Vince Young.

"Kerry's our starter and if you want to see if Vince is going to play, you're going to have to watch the game," Fisher told reporters. "He got plenty of playing time the first couple of weeks. I am prepared to put him in the game if we feel like it's necessary. This particular week, I wanted to get Kerry in there, get him into the flow, give him a chance to put drives together and not interrupt drives or interrupt continuity."

A Titans front office source told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that Young could make his debut as Tennessee's starting quarterback next week against the Cowboys if Collins was unable to get on track Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.

Collins was 19-of-33 passing for 269 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions as the Titans lost 13-10.

He overthrew open receivers several times and was intercepted with 1:54 left in the game as Tennessee tried to drive for the tying or winning score.

"That's not the case," Fisher said of an impending quarterback switch. "That is not what has been discussed in any meetings with anyone, so I don't know where that came from. As far as how it affects the team, it doesn't affect the team. If these guys are affected by what they read and what they hear, they might as well just not show up for work. It does not affect them."

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2603391

#44

Posted: Tuesday October 10, 2006 12:08AM

Denver Dynamite

Denver, CO (AP) -- A cold rain and two
stingy defenses turned the Baltimore-Denver
showdown into a kicking competition, and Jason
Elam bested Matt Stover in the Broncos' 13-3
win over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night.

The Broncos (3-1) intercepted three Steve McNair
passes -- including Champ Bailey's leaping end-zone
pick just before halftime -- to hand the Ravens their
first loss after Baltimore started a franchise-best 4-0.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/qvvfo

#45

Posted Tuesday October 17

NFL Suspends WR Robinson For Season

Green Bay, WI-- Green Bay Packers wide receiver Koren Robinson was suspended without pay Tuesday for a minimum of one year for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

The league's action came hours after Robinson pleaded not guilty to charges of drunken driving and fleeing police stemming from a high-speed chase in August.

Robinson's agent, Alvin Keels, said in a telephone interview he was surprised the league didn't wait until after Robinson's legal issues in Minnesota had been resolved to issue the suspension.

Keels said Robinson was disappointed by the decision.

Keels said the reason given for the suspension was the league believed Robinson consumed alcohol on the night he was arrested in Minnesota. Under the terms of the league's substance abuse policy, officials didn't have to wait for Robinson's court case to be resolved to suspend him.

Speaking at a news conference in Green Bay, Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Robinson had an appeal hearing with the league by conference call Monday.

Under the terms of the suspension, McCarthy said Robinson would not be allowed to work out or practice with the team. McCarthy said he wasn't even sure if he was allowed to talk to Robinson while he was suspended.

"I really have never been involved in this process before, but my understanding is, we're not allowed to be involved as an organization," McCarthy said. "Just in respect to the NFL guidelines, we will follow those guidelines."

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2629860

#46

Posted: Sunday October 29, 2006 9:58PM

Bush sprains ankle

New York (AP) -- Reggie Bush
sat on the field wincing while his New Orleans Saints
teammates wondered how badly the star rookie was hurt.

"I just sprained my ankle a little bit," Bush said after
the game. "It hurt at the time, obviously, but it's feeling
better now."

Bush injured his left ankle on a short reception late in
New Orleans' 35-22 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on
Sunday, but later said he expected to play next
week in Tampa Bay.

"I'm looking forward to" playing, Bush said after
limping from the shower to his locker

Source: http://tinyurl.com/y3nlu2

#47

Posted: Monday October 30, 2006 12:56AM

Cowboys dominate Panthers in Romo's initial start

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Tony Romo found a way
to put a smile back on Dallas coach Bill Parcells' face.

Romo rallied the Cowboys from a 14-point first-quarter
deficit, throwing for 270 yards and a touchdown, and
Julius Jones ran for 94 yards and a score to help the
Cowboys beat the Carolina Panthers 35-14 Sunday night.
The Cowboys set a team record with 25 fourth-quarter points.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/wsxaa

#48

Lamar Hunt Dies

Lamar Hunt, the soft-spoken son of a Texas oil tycoon whose vision gave birth to the modern NFL, is being remembered as a man who changed the face of pro football.

"Lamar Hunt was one of the most influential owners in professional football over the past 40-plus years," Dan Rooney, chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers, said Thursday as plans were being made for burial of the 74-year-old sports pioneer.

"He was instrumental in the formation of the American Football League and in the AFL-NFL merger, which helped the National Football League grow into America's passion."

Hunt, who founded the American Football League in 1960 after the NFL refused to sell him a team, died Wednesday night in a Dallas hospital following a long battle with prostate cancer.

Hunt entered the hospital for the last time Nov. 22, only 24 hours before his beloved Chiefs hosted Denver in a Thanksgiving night game, something he sought for 37 years. While treating him for a partially collapsed lung, doctors discovered the cancer had spread.

"He wanted people to love the sports like he did," his wife Norma said. "He loved sports so much, he was so passionate about them and he wanted others to share the joy."

Said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell: "His vision transformed pro football and helped turn a regional sport into a national passion. Lamar created a model franchise in the Kansas City Chiefs, but he was always equally devoted to the best interests of the league and the game."

n 1972, Hunt became the first AFL figure to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and each year the Lamar Hunt Trophy goes to the winner of the NFL's American conference.

"He was a founder. He was the energy, really, that put together half of the league, and then he was the key person in merging the two leagues together," Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "You'd be hard-pressed to find anybody that's made a bigger contribution [to the NFL] than Lamar Hunt."

In 1967, the Chiefs lost the first AFL-NFL championship -- it was then called the World Championship Game. Three years later, the Chiefs beat the Minnesota Vikings for the title.

By then, the championship game had been christened the Super Bowl, a name Hunt came up with while watching his children at play.

"But I was smart enough to understand," he once said with characteristic humor, "that it was a corny term that would never catch on with the public."

"Our league will miss him, but more importantly, those who he touched over a lifetime of giving will miss him."

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2697040

#49

Pro Bowl Roster Announced - Chargers, Bears lead the way

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#50

Javon Walker got screwed big time.