WEEK#10 UPDATES

[Old School]

SAN DIEGO -- Chargers cornerback Quentin Jammer will miss Sunday night's home game against the Indianapolis Colts because of a hamstring injury, meaning Antonio Cromartie will make his first pro start.


Cromartie has scored three touchdowns in the past two games, including setting an NFL record by returning a missed field goal 109 yards for a touchdown in a 35-17 loss at Minnesota last Sunday. In a 35-10 win against Houston two weeks ago, he scored on a 70-yard interception return and when he recovered an errant punt snap in the end zone.

Jammer injured his hamstring against Houston on Oct. 28 and aggravated it against the Vikings.

The team listed him as doubtful on Friday's injury report, but the cornerback said he won't be in uniform.

"I'm going to have to be smart about the injury," Jammer said. "I feel I could probably go but I felt like I could go last week and it ended up catching again and set me down for another week. I don't want that to keep happening.

"I'd rather just go ahead and get ready for Jacksonville than risk an injury that's going to put me out for two, three, maybe seven weeks."

Jammer, a six-year veteran, has started 72 consecutive regular-season games dating to the 2003 season opener.

"I don't really think about streaks of games," Jammer said. "The thing that keeps me going is my love for this game. That's the only thing that kept me playing injured and playing through some pain. I just love to be out there."

Backup linebacker Marques Harris (toe) was listed as questionable after missing all three practices this week. Pro Bowl center Nick Hardwick (foot) will miss his third consecutive game.

Also, Jacques Cesaire will start in place of defensive end Luis Castillo, who underwent ankle surgery on Monday. Castillo will miss at least six weeks.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press







Clayton: Injury updates

Check out John Clayton for the latest news on injuries going into Week 10 of the 2007 NFL season. Injury report
Jammer injured his hamstring

 

[Old School]

INDIANAPOLIS -- Colts receiver Marvin Harrison's bruised left knee will keep him out of the team's game in San Diego on Sunday night.




Harrison

Harrison didn't make the trip to San Diego on Saturday. He participated in limited practice work this week and was previously listed as questionable for the game.

Rookie receiver Anthony Gonzalez (dislocated left thumb) and offensive tackle Dan Federkeil (concussion) also did not make the trip to San Diego.
Also Saturday, the Colts waived defensive back T.J. Rushing, and signed Michael Toudouze from the practice squad to the active roster.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

 

[Old School]

The Cleveland Browns offensive line, which has started the same five players in each of the first eight games, suffered a setback Saturday when right guard Seth McKinney was placed on injured reserve, ending his season.

A six-year veteran, McKinney suffered a shoulder injury in last Sunday's overtime victory against the Seattle Seahawks.

This marks the second straight season that McKinney, 28, will finish on the injured reserve list. He missed the entire 2006 season with the Miami Dolphins because of a disk injury to his neck. Despite that injury, the Browns signed McKinney as an unrestricted free agent this spring, and he has played well as the team revamped the offensive-line unit.

A third-round choice of the Dolphins in 2002, McKinney, a former Texas A&M standout, has appeared in 69 games in his career, 42 of them as a starter.

Cleveland could also be without starting left guard Eric Steinbach, who has been slowed by a back injury, and could be a game-time decision for the key AFC North matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Steinbach, who is playing at a Pro Bowl level, said this week that he feels he can play, but he missed significant practice time.

Signed as an unrestricted free agent this spring after four standout seasons in Cincinnati, Steinbach has teamed with rookie tackle Joe Thomas, the third overall player selected in the draft, to provide the Browns one of the best left sides in the league.

Versatile veteran Lennie Friedman replaced McKinney in last week's game, but there is a chance the Browns will instead use former starting right tackle Ryan Tucker at the right guard spot against the Steelers. Tucker has not played guard since 1998, but he practiced there during the week.

The Cleveland offensive line has been dramatically improved this season, and is a big reason for the Browns' success and their 5-3 record. The unit has allowed only 13 sacks, including just seven in the past seven games.

The Steelers, who dominated the Browns in a season-opening 34-7 victory on Sept. 9 in Cleveland, had six sacks in that game. But the Browns have changed quarterbacks since, and the quicker release of Derek Anderson and the improvement of the line have cut down on sacks.

Anderson, who replaced Charlie Frye as the starter after the first game, has been sacked just once every 33.1 "dropbacks."

Senior writer Len Pasquarelli covers the NFL for ESPN.com.