- Mar 19, 2006
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NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush will not play Monday night in Atlanta because of a knee injury.
He had been listed as questionable after an MRI this week indicated a partially torn left knee ligament. The team Saturday did not comment about Bush's prospects for the rest of the season.
Bush became the Saints' featured running back when a knee injury ended Deuce McAllister's season in the third week. Bush has scored six touchdowns with 581 yards rushing and 417 yards receiving.
With Bush out, Jamaal Branch, Aaron Stecker and rookie Pierre Thomas will be the running backs. Thomas returned to practice Friday following a kidney bruise.
The Saints (5-7) have a slim chance at an NFC wild-card spot.
Dec. 8, 2007
CBSSports.com wire reports
INDIANAPOLIS -- Colts wideout Marvin Harrison will be out for the eighth time in nine games when Indianapolis plays the Ravens on Sunday.
Harrison, who did not travel with the team to Baltimore, saw limited practice time Wednesday and had been listed as questionable for the game. He injured his knee Sept. 30 against Denver.
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu is likely to miss Sunday's game at New England after sitting out practice for the second day in a row Friday because of a sprained knee.
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Polamalu, who has missed the Steelers' past two games, aggravated the injury during practice Wednesday and has been unable to practice since. He is listed as doubtful, meaning he has a 25 percent chance of playing.
Polamalu, a Pro Bowl safety the past three seasons and the team's highest-paid player, injured the knee Nov. 18 against the New York Jets. He is not having a big year statistically -- he doesn't have a sack or an interception -- but his versatility is a key to Pittsburgh's zone blitz defense.
The Steelers almost never allow players to play in a game when they are physically unable to practice on Friday -- one reason wide receiver Santonio Holmes struggled through the team's workout on a sprained right ankle.
Holmes, also out for two games, continues to have pain in the ankle and was urged earlier this week to sit out another game. Holmes said the game against New England (12-0) is too important to the Steelers (9-3) to miss and he plans to play.
Holmes has averaged 17 yards per reception on 39 catches. He leads the Steelers with seven touchdown catches.
AP NEWS
Dec. 7, 2007
CBSSports.com wire reports
ST. LOUIS -- Rams quarterback Marc Bulger had a setback in his recovery from a concussion, meaning it's possible third-stringer Brock Berlin, who has never attempted a pass in a regular-season game, might start Sunday at Cincinnati.
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Bulger passed a neurological exam Tuesday and was cleared to practice but began feeling poorly during meetings Thursday afternoon, Rams coach Scott Linehan said, adding that the decision on a starter is likely to be made late Saturday.
Regular backup Gus Frerotte will be the emergency quarterback for the Rams. Frerotte partially tore the labrum in his right (throwing) shoulder in Sunday's win over Atlanta. Frerotte can hand off but is unable to throw, Linehan said.
"Right now, I'm just getting ready to play," Berlin said. "If my number is called, I'll be ready to play. Football is football. I've played it my whole life. If it does come, it's a great opportunity."
The Rams have added 35-year-old veteran Todd Bouman to the roster. The 11-year veteran out of St. Cloud State practiced Friday. He has played in 42 games with Minnesota, Green Bay, New Orleans and Jacksonsville.
Bulger, who was not made available to the media after practice Friday, was injured in the first quarter of a 24-19 loss to the Seahawks on Nov. 25 and had failed the neurological exam last week. After passing the test Tuesday, he worked out Wednesday and Thursday and took some limited snaps Friday.
"He was able to pass his baseline test and that put him into position to practice," Linehan said. "He had, what I thought, were two really good practices Wednesday and Thursday. He didn't feel real good in the afternoon meetings. Because of that, it's put some question in my mind as to whether or not he should be cleared to play."
The Rams' medical personnel, coaches, trainers and Bulger will discuss the situation before a decision is made.
"We're not going to put anybody who is not 100 percent in harm's way," Linehan said. "After I gather the information, I'll make a decision if he'll be our starting quarterback or if he'll be up at all."
It's been an injury-plagued season for Bulger, who has also missed time because of broken ribs and a sprained thumb. Bulger has completed 61 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and nine interceptions in what has been a disappointing season after he signed a six-year, $65 million contract extension on the first day of training camp.
That deal made him the highest-paid player in franchise history. The contract included $27 million in guaranteed money and put him in a group of six quarterbacks making $10 million annually.
The 26-year-old Berlin was activated from the practice squad Nov. 27.
"I told Brock to get ready after the meeting Thursday afternoon," Linehan said.
The University of Miami graduate was undrafted in 2005 despite going 19-5 as a two-year starter for the Hurricanes. He has spent time with Dallas and Miami, as well as the Hamburg Sea Devils of NFL Europe.
After practice, Berlin and Bouman stayed longer and threw passes to various receivers. In the locker room, Torry Holt spent several minutes with Berlin at his locker.
"We were chatting just in case," Holt said. "We were going over some things; just trying to have some clarity. ... I thought he looked good in practice. Brock has a big arm. We'll see how it goes."
Bouman has six starts in the NFL. He has 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on 129-of-230 passing. Bouman played in 2002 for Linehan when he was in Minnesota. He was released by Jacksonville on Nov. 20 after spending three weeks on the Jaguars' active roster.
CB Eric Bassey (knee) and OT Rob Petitte (concussion) are out for Sunday's game, and kick returner/receiver Brandon Williams (ankle) is questionable. Williams will be replaced by Marques Hagans.
AP NEWS
He had been listed as questionable after an MRI this week indicated a partially torn left knee ligament. The team Saturday did not comment about Bush's prospects for the rest of the season.
Bush became the Saints' featured running back when a knee injury ended Deuce McAllister's season in the third week. Bush has scored six touchdowns with 581 yards rushing and 417 yards receiving.
With Bush out, Jamaal Branch, Aaron Stecker and rookie Pierre Thomas will be the running backs. Thomas returned to practice Friday following a kidney bruise.
The Saints (5-7) have a slim chance at an NFC wild-card spot.
Dec. 8, 2007
CBSSports.com wire reports
INDIANAPOLIS -- Colts wideout Marvin Harrison will be out for the eighth time in nine games when Indianapolis plays the Ravens on Sunday.
Harrison, who did not travel with the team to Baltimore, saw limited practice time Wednesday and had been listed as questionable for the game. He injured his knee Sept. 30 against Denver.
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu is likely to miss Sunday's game at New England after sitting out practice for the second day in a row Friday because of a sprained knee.
Advertisement
Polamalu, who has missed the Steelers' past two games, aggravated the injury during practice Wednesday and has been unable to practice since. He is listed as doubtful, meaning he has a 25 percent chance of playing.
Polamalu, a Pro Bowl safety the past three seasons and the team's highest-paid player, injured the knee Nov. 18 against the New York Jets. He is not having a big year statistically -- he doesn't have a sack or an interception -- but his versatility is a key to Pittsburgh's zone blitz defense.
The Steelers almost never allow players to play in a game when they are physically unable to practice on Friday -- one reason wide receiver Santonio Holmes struggled through the team's workout on a sprained right ankle.
Holmes, also out for two games, continues to have pain in the ankle and was urged earlier this week to sit out another game. Holmes said the game against New England (12-0) is too important to the Steelers (9-3) to miss and he plans to play.
Holmes has averaged 17 yards per reception on 39 catches. He leads the Steelers with seven touchdown catches.
AP NEWS
Dec. 7, 2007
CBSSports.com wire reports
ST. LOUIS -- Rams quarterback Marc Bulger had a setback in his recovery from a concussion, meaning it's possible third-stringer Brock Berlin, who has never attempted a pass in a regular-season game, might start Sunday at Cincinnati.
Advertisement
Bulger passed a neurological exam Tuesday and was cleared to practice but began feeling poorly during meetings Thursday afternoon, Rams coach Scott Linehan said, adding that the decision on a starter is likely to be made late Saturday.
Regular backup Gus Frerotte will be the emergency quarterback for the Rams. Frerotte partially tore the labrum in his right (throwing) shoulder in Sunday's win over Atlanta. Frerotte can hand off but is unable to throw, Linehan said.
"Right now, I'm just getting ready to play," Berlin said. "If my number is called, I'll be ready to play. Football is football. I've played it my whole life. If it does come, it's a great opportunity."
The Rams have added 35-year-old veteran Todd Bouman to the roster. The 11-year veteran out of St. Cloud State practiced Friday. He has played in 42 games with Minnesota, Green Bay, New Orleans and Jacksonsville.
Bulger, who was not made available to the media after practice Friday, was injured in the first quarter of a 24-19 loss to the Seahawks on Nov. 25 and had failed the neurological exam last week. After passing the test Tuesday, he worked out Wednesday and Thursday and took some limited snaps Friday.
"He was able to pass his baseline test and that put him into position to practice," Linehan said. "He had, what I thought, were two really good practices Wednesday and Thursday. He didn't feel real good in the afternoon meetings. Because of that, it's put some question in my mind as to whether or not he should be cleared to play."
The Rams' medical personnel, coaches, trainers and Bulger will discuss the situation before a decision is made.
"We're not going to put anybody who is not 100 percent in harm's way," Linehan said. "After I gather the information, I'll make a decision if he'll be our starting quarterback or if he'll be up at all."
It's been an injury-plagued season for Bulger, who has also missed time because of broken ribs and a sprained thumb. Bulger has completed 61 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and nine interceptions in what has been a disappointing season after he signed a six-year, $65 million contract extension on the first day of training camp.
That deal made him the highest-paid player in franchise history. The contract included $27 million in guaranteed money and put him in a group of six quarterbacks making $10 million annually.
The 26-year-old Berlin was activated from the practice squad Nov. 27.
"I told Brock to get ready after the meeting Thursday afternoon," Linehan said.
The University of Miami graduate was undrafted in 2005 despite going 19-5 as a two-year starter for the Hurricanes. He has spent time with Dallas and Miami, as well as the Hamburg Sea Devils of NFL Europe.
After practice, Berlin and Bouman stayed longer and threw passes to various receivers. In the locker room, Torry Holt spent several minutes with Berlin at his locker.
"We were chatting just in case," Holt said. "We were going over some things; just trying to have some clarity. ... I thought he looked good in practice. Brock has a big arm. We'll see how it goes."
Bouman has six starts in the NFL. He has 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on 129-of-230 passing. Bouman played in 2002 for Linehan when he was in Minnesota. He was released by Jacksonville on Nov. 20 after spending three weeks on the Jaguars' active roster.
CB Eric Bassey (knee) and OT Rob Petitte (concussion) are out for Sunday's game, and kick returner/receiver Brandon Williams (ankle) is questionable. Williams will be replaced by Marques Hagans.
AP NEWS
