Soccer Sports News & Betting

Browns Edwards questionable for Sunday.

Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards was limited in practice Friday and listed as questionable for Sunday’s game at Baltimore.

Edwards, who has had a rough start to the season with five drops for the 0-2 Browns, is dealing with an injured shoulder.

It’s likely the Browns will be without guard Eric Steinbach, who strained his shoulder in last Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh, and linebacker Willie McGinest (hamstring). Both missed their third straight day of practice Friday.

Wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth (quadriceps), who has yet to play in a game for Cleveland, missed practice again and is questionable.

—-
Saints sign Harrington as third QB.

The “piano man,” Joey Harrington, has landed a new gig in the birthplace of jazz. He’ll be playing third fiddle behind Saints starting quarterback Drew Brees and backup Mark Brunell.

Harrington signed with the Saints and participated in his first practice Friday at the team’s suburban training center, a day before the Saints were set to leave for Sunday’s game at Denver.

“When I say it’s going to be a great fit, I think it’s in all areas,” Harrington said. “You’ve got the weapons, so you’re going to win some games. You’ve got a great coach who knows how to use them and you’ve got two great quarterbacks here. … That’s the biggest thing for me now is just to take a step back, get my feet under me and learn the best that I can. See what it’s like to be on a team that wins some games.”

Harrington, a standout at Oregon also known for his talent as a pianist, has spent six seasons in the NFL since being drafted third overall by Detroit in 2002. He played for Miami in 2006 and for Atlanta last season.

He appeared in 12 games for the Falcons, completing nearly 62 percent of his passes for 2,215 yards, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions.

“I’ve obviously had a few bumps along the way,” Harrington said. “Some mistakes I made and some I couldn’t control. They’ve all been learning situations. I think here it gives me the chance to learn from somebody who’s done it well in Drew the last four or five years.

“I was hoping for a situation like this. So I couldn’t be happier.”

The Saints opened training camp with three quarterbacks, but cut Tyler Palko before the regular season and settled on reserve receiver and special teams regular Terrance Copper as their emergency third quarterback.

This week, Copper is out with a pulled hamstring, so the Saints decided to bring in Harrington, who had worked out for New Orleans in Indianapolis, where the Saints practiced during Week 1 to avoid disruptions from Hurricane Gustav.

“Joey is a guy that we’ve kept our eye on,” Payton said. “With Terrance out this week, we addressed that and felt like the timing was right in bringing Joey in here now. He’s a guy that we thought played pretty well for Atlanta last year on tape. He has ability. It’s a good opportunity for him to come in here under guys like Brees and Brunell, learn our system and for us to get a chance to develop and work with him.”

To make room on the active roster, the Saints waived defensive tackle Alvin McKinley.

Meanwhile, Payton also said linebacker Scott Fujita, who missed last week’s game with a bruised right knee, also will sit out at Denver, as will cornerback Aaron Glenn (ankle) and tight end Mark Campbell (hamstring).

The Indianapolis Colts don’t expect a change in their defensive game plan against Jacksonville. Even with second-year safety Melvin Bullitt subbing for injured Bob Sanders, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year last season.

Sanders could be out up to six weeks with a right ankle sprain he suffered last week against Minnesota. But Bullitt, an undrafted free agent last year, played well in Sanders’ place in the fourth quarter of the Colts’ 18-15 come-from-behind win against the Vikings on Sunday.

“Obviously when you lose a great player, other guys have to step up their performance,” Colts coach Tony Dungy said Friday. “You can’t expect the player who comes in to be able to do all the same things, but we’re not going to really change what we do. And Melvin Bullitt is going to play and he’ll do a great job.

“You really don’t change a lot. You may simplify a little bit and maybe not do quite as much when you have a lot of young guys in there. But we’ve been in this situation before.”

Jacksonville rushed for 375 yards against the Colts in their final meeting in 2006, when Sanders also was out of the lineup. But the Jaguars (0-2) are averaging just 65.5 yards rushing this season.

“That’s not characteristic of Jacksonville. We know they’re going to try and get that thing going,” Dungy said. “You see even on tape some of the runs they’re making are unbelievable and still making guys miss and running through people. So we know we’re going to see a heavy dose of that.”

Dungy said center Jeff Saturday and tight end Dallas Clark, both out last week with knee injuries, are expected in the starting lineup for the Colts (1-1) on Sunday. Both players went through full workouts this week, and defensive tackle Keyunta Dawson returned Friday after missing two days of practice.

—-
Rams receiver says QB needs better protection.

Receiver Torry Holt blames the offensive line for much of the Rams’ problems when they have the ball.

Holt said Friday that the St. Louis line has to step up and protect quarterback Marc Bulger better.

The offense ranks No. 32 in the league - that’s dead last. Bulger has been sacked 10 times and is on a pace to be sacked 80 times.

“Those guys, the offensive line guys, have to continue to take more pride in what they’re doing to keep the quarterback clean,” Holt said after practice at Rams Park. “I can stand here and say what needs to be done and who needs to do what, but that’s not going to solve anything.

“It’s going to come down to the guys up front that’s protecting Marc and giving Steven (Jackson) running lanes and giving us time to get open in the secondary to make things happen. They have to continue to take a stronger initiative, a more sense of urgency to keep No. 10 off his back. If he continues to get smacked around, we won’t be seeing No. 10 for long.”

Bulger, who acknowledged he is a little sore but not injured, said the sacks have to be reduced.

“It’s a lot of hits,” Bulger said. “We don’t want to continue that, so we try to get our running game going and open up passes and we’ve got to get in a rhythm to be balanced.”

The Seahawks (0-2) lead the league in sacks with nine.

Coach Scott Linehan acknowledged the Rams (0-2) will have a be ready to block because of the defense and the crowd noise in Seattle.

“It’s a really tough challenge and they’ve always really been on their game at their place,” Linehan said. “That’s probably one of the best home-field advantages, especially for a defensive line, because of the crowd noise. That’s going to be probably our toughest test and biggest matchup question of the game right there.”

Last year, the Rams lost their first eight games en route to a 3-13 season. Holt said the club can’t go down that road again.

To rebound, they have to win at Quest Field, which has not been a hospitable place for the Rams, who have lost the last six meetings with Seattle.

“A win there would be huge for us,” Holt said. “I mean, hell, if we won at Frontenac Mall (an upscale St. Louis shopping plaza) if would be great. It don’t matter where we win at. Heck, we just need a win whether it’s on the road, at Frontenac Mall or the Edward Jones Dome or here at Rams Park.

“We need a victory. It would mean a tremendous amount to our football team.”

Holt provided a big push in last week’s loss to the visiting New York Giants. On his back, Holt caught a pass in the end zone for 45 yards. The score pulled the Rams within 20-13 early in the fourth quarter.

It was the first touchdown of the season for St. Louis, which has been outscored 79-16 in two games.

“It was a situation there where a play needed to be made,” Holt said. “Marc put it up. (Safety Kenny) Phillips did a good job for the Giants. My eyes never left the ball. I did the best I could to come down with it. Once I had corralled it, I was saying to myself and I said to Steven (Jackson) last night on his radio show, I was telling the audience that we would have been on that ground for an hour because I was not letting that ball get out of my hands.”

Holt kept the ball for his collection.

“Coach talked about someone sparking the fire and some energy being put into the building,” Holt said. “I was going to do whatever I could to help our football team get things turned around.”

NFL Injury Report.

NEW YORK -The updated National Football League injury report, as provided by the league:

Sunday

ARIZONA CARDINALS at WASHINGTON REDSKINS - CARDINALS: DOUBTFUL: TE Jerame Tuman (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: DE Travis LaBoy (ankle). PROBABLE: WR Steve Breaston (hamstring), T Levi Brown (knee), DT Gabe Watson (knee). REDSKINS: QUESTIONABLE: LB Khary Campbell (thigh), WR Malcolm Kelly (ankle), S Kareem Moore (hamstring), WR James Thrash (ankle), LB Marcus Washington (hamstring). PROBABLE: LB H.B. Blades (knee), LB London Fletcher (not injury related), CB Carlos Rogers (groin), RB Mike Sellers (hamstring), CB Fred Smoot (hip), DE Jason Taylor (knee).

CAROLINA PANTHERS at MINNESOTA VIKINGS - PANTHERS: OUT: QB Matt Moore (fibula), G Travelle Wharton (knee). DOUBTFUL: WR Ryne Robinson (knee). QUESTIONABLE: DE Tyler Brayton (ankle), LB Na’il Diggs (shoulder), CB Chris Gamble (shoulder), S Chris Harris (thigh), DT Ma’ake Kemoeatu (illness), CB Richard Marshall (thigh). VIKINGS: OUT: S Madieu Williams (neck). QUESTIONABLE: RB Adrian Peterson (hamstring), WR Sidney Rice (knee). PROBABLE: WR Aundrae Allison (foot), WR Bernard Berrian (foot), T Artis Hicks (elbow), RB Maurice Hicks (foot), S Darren Sharper (shoulder), DT Ellis Wyms (concussion).

CINCINNATI BENGALS at NEW YORK GIANTS - BENGALS: OUT: S Dexter Jackson (thumb), S Herana-Daze Jones (hamstring). DOUBTFUL: CB Johnathan Joseph (ankle), TE Ben Utecht (chest). PROBABLE: S Kyries Hebert (hamstring), TE Reggie Kelly (head), S Nedu Ndukwe (knee), QB Carson Palmer (ankle), DT John Thornton (knee). GIANTS: DOUBTFUL: CB R.W. McQuarters (calf). QUESTIONABLE: CB Terrell Thomas (hamstring), K Lawrence Tynes (left knee). PROBABLE: S Michael Johnson (neck), DE Mathias Kiwanuka (ankle).

CLEVELAND BROWNS at BALTIMORE RAVENS - BROWNS: OUT: S Sean Jones (knee), TE Martin Rucker (knee). DOUBTFUL: LB Kris Griffin (calf). QUESTIONABLE: WR Braylon Edwards (shoulder), LB Willie McGinest (hamstring), WR Donte’ Stallworth (quadricep), G Eric Steinbach (shoulder). PROBABLE: WR Joshua Cribbs (shoulder), RB Jamal Lewis (ankle), DT Shaun Smith (hand), G Ryan Tucker (hip). RAVENS: OUT: DT Kelly Gregg (knee), QB Troy Smith (illness). DOUBTFUL: CB Fabian Washington (neck). QUESTIONABLE: LB Nick Greisen (contusion - thigh). PROBABLE: LB Brendon Ayanbadejo (contusion - calf), WR Yamon Figurs (hamstring), TE Todd Heap (wrist), CB Corey Ivy (ankle), CB Derrick Martin (shoulder), WR Demetrius Williams (hamstring), G Marshal Yanda (knee).

DALLAS COWBOYS at GREEN BAY PACKERS - COWBOYS: OUT: RB Deon Anderson (knee), LB Anthony Spencer (knee), S Roy Williams (forearm). QUESTIONABLE: WR Sam Hurd (ankle). PROBABLE: WR Miles Austin (knee), G Kyle Kosier (foot), CB Terence Newman (groin), WR Isaiah Stanback (shoulder), TE Jason Witten (shoulder). PACKERS: OUT: S Atari Bigby (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: RB Korey Hall (knee), TE Tory Humphrey (knee), WR Ruvell Martin (finger), G Josh Sitton (knee). PROBABLE: T Chad Clifton (knees), DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (knee), RB Ryan Grant (hamstring), C Scott Wells (back), CB Charles Woodson (toe).

DETROIT LIONS at SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS - LIONS: QUESTIONABLE: LB Jordon Dizon (neck), DT Cory Redding (ankle), DE Corey Smith (hamstring). PROBABLE: S Gerald Alexander (concussion), DT Langston Moore (groin), QB Drew Stanton (right thumb). 49ERS: OUT: T Jonas Jennings (shoulder), CB Shawntae Spencer (knee). QUESTIONABLE: CB Donald Strickland (knee).

HOUSTON TEXANS at TENNESSEE TITANS - TEXANS: OUT: TE Mark Bruener (hamstring), DT Travis Johnson (knee). DOUBTFUL: RB Ahman Green (knee). PROBABLE: T Ephraim Salaam (knee). TITANS: OUT: QB Vince Young (knee, hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: LB Colin Allred (ankle), DE Jacob Ford (chest), WR Justin Gage (groin). PROBABLE: CB Nicholas Harper (ankle).

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS - JAGUARS: OUT: LB Justin Durant (groin), WR Roy Hall (knee), C Brad Meester (biceps), G Chris Naeole (knee), WR Troy Williamson (thigh). QUESTIONABLE: WR Jerry Porter (hamstring). PROBABLE: RB Maurice Jones-Drew (ankle), RB Fred Taylor (toe), CB Brian Williams (toe). COLTS: OUT: G Mike Pollak (knee), CB Bob Sanders (ankle, Knee), TE Jacob Tamme (ankle), T Tony Ugoh (groin, Knee). QUESTIONABLE: DT Keyunta Dawson (ankle), CB Matt Giordano (back), DT Daniel Muir (knee). PROBABLE: CB Marlin Jackson (hip).

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS at ATLANTA FALCONS - CHIEFS: OUT: QB Brodie Croyle (right shoulder), CB Patrick Surtain (shoulder). QUESTIONABLE: DE Tamba Hali (knee), DE Turk McBride (stomach, Abdomen). FALCONS: QUESTIONABLE: LB Michael Boley (neck), T Tyson Clabo (elbow), DT Grady Jackson (knee), C Alex Stepanovich (back), T Todd Weiner (knee). PROBABLE: T Sam Baker (concussion).

MIAMI DOLPHINS at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - DOLPHINS: No injuries to report. PATRIOTS: DOUBTFUL: RB LaMont Jordan (foot), WR Kelley Washington (ankle). QUESTIONABLE: LB Eric Alexander (calf), RB Laurence Maroney (shoulder). PROBABLE: DT Vince Wilfork (back).

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS at DENVER BRONCOS - SAINTS: OUT: WR Marques Colston (thumb), WR Terrance Copper (hamstring), LB Scott Fujita (knee), CB Aaron Glenn (ankle), DT Antwan Lake (groin). QUESTIONABLE: RB Aaron Stecker (hamstring). PROBABLE: S Josh Bullocks (heel), CB Randall Gay (hamstring), S Roman Harper (hamstring), LB Scott Shanle (hand), DT Brian Young (knee). BRONCOS: OUT: WR Darrell Jackson (calf), C Tom Nalen (knee), RB Ryan Torain (elbow). QUESTIONABLE: LB Louis Green (hamstring), DT Josh Shaw (calf). PROBABLE: LB Boss Bailey (ankle), DE Elvis Dumervil (finger), S Marquand Manuel (thumb), QB Patrick Ramsey (right elbow), DT Dewayne Robertson (knee).

OAKLAND RAIDERS at BUFFALO BILLS - RAIDERS: DOUBTFUL: RB Justin Fargas (groin), T Kwame Harris (knee). PROBABLE: RB Darren McFadden (toe), WR Javon Walker (hamstring). BILLS: OUT: TE Derek Fine (hand). PROBABLE: CB Terrence McGee (back), WR Roscoe Parrish (knee).

PITTSBURGH STEELERS at PHILADELPHIA EAGLES - STEELERS: OUT: DE Brett Keisel (calf), CB Deshea Townsend (heel), LB Donovan Woods (hamstring). PROBABLE: LB James Farrior (back), DT Casey Hampton (groin), G Chris Kemoeatu (ankle), QB Ben Roethlisberger (right shoulder). EAGLES: OUT: DE Victor Abiamiri (wrist), WR Kevin Curtis (hernia). DOUBTFUL: G Shawn Andrews (back). PROBABLE: WR Reggie Brown (hamstring), S Sean Considine (hand), RB Tony Hunt (hamstring), DT Dan Klecko (hand), DT Trevor Laws (quadricep).

ST. LOUIS RAMS at SEATTLE SEAHAWKS - RAMS: OUT: WR Drew Bennett (foot), WR Keenan Burton (knee). QUESTIONABLE: G Jacob Bell (hamstring), DE Leonard Little (hamstring). PROBABLE: CB Ron Bartell (abdomen). SEAHAWKS: OUT: WR Bobby Engram (shoulder), RB Maurice Morris (knee). DOUBTFUL: WR Deion Branch (knee), QB Seneca Wallace (calf). QUESTIONABLE: T Sean Locklear (knee), WR Koren Robinson (knee). PROBABLE: DT Rocky Bernard (hip), CB Kelly Jennings (rib), T Walter Jones (hip).

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS at CHICAGO BEARS - BUCCANEERS: OUT: WR Joey Galloway (foot), G Davin Joseph (foot). QUESTIONABLE: DE Gaines Adams (abdomen), LB Derrick Brooks (hamstring), CB Aqib Talib (hamstring). BEARS: OUT: S Brandon McGowan (ankle), T Chris Williams (back). DOUBTFUL: S Craig Steltz (ankle). QUESTIONABLE: KR Devin Hester (ribs). PROBABLE: DT Tommie Harris (knee).

Monday

NEW YORK JETS at SAN DIEGO CHARGERS - JETS: OUT: WR David Clowney (shoulder), K Mike Nugent (right thigh). QUESTIONABLE: CB David Barrett (shoulder), WR Laveranues Coles (thigh), CB Justin Miller (foot). CHARGERS: OUT: C Nick Hardwick (foot). QUESTIONABLE: T Marcus McNeill (neck), RB LaDainian Tomlinson (toe). PROBABLE: LB Marques Harris (rib), S Clinton Hart (hand), LB Shaun Phillips (groin), DT Jamal Williams (knee).

Chansi Stuckey spent last season. Imagining the catches he’d make once his injured right foot finally healed.

Two games into his delayed NFL career, the New York Jets’ speedy receiver has two touchdown receptions and surprisingly established himself as a favorite target of Brett Favre.

“I envisioned myself catching touchdown passes and you have to envision yourself doing big things, but I never imagined it would be from Brett Favre,” Stuckey said Friday. “It was kind of surreal when he came here and now you have a chance to do something special with a really, really great quarterback.”

Stuckey is tied with running back Leon Washington for the team lead with six receptions, and he’s the first Jets player since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 to get a touchdown in each of his first two games.

“I like everything about him,” Favre said after the Jets’ loss to New England last Sunday. “Stuckey’s one of those guys who just seems to be around the ball. He’s a small guy, but he’s in and out of tight spaces pretty quick and catches the ball. He’s a very smart guy.”

Talk about a glowing endorsement. And that’s coming from a quarterback who knows a thing or two about good receivers.

“It’s great just because of who Brett is, and all the things he’s done over the years,” Stuckey said. “For him to come here and I catch my first two touchdowns from him has been great. I’m just trying to build a lot of trust with him.”

So far, so good. In the season opener at Miami, the 6-foot Stuckey made a leaping grab in the end zone for a touchdown after Favre launched a desperate heave on fourth-and-13 from the Dolphins 22. Last week, Favre found Stuckey cutting to the right side in the middle of the end zone.

“I think it’s just a matter of being in the right place at the right time,” Stuckey said. “Brett does a great job of improvising and finding people.”

Maybe so, but Stuckey has also played well enough to become a go-to guy for Favre.

“It’s not surprising, to me, the way that he’s been able to contribute here early on,” coach Eric Mangini said. “I expect him to continue to do that. He’s a smart guy. He kind of reminds me of Deion Branch. Not just purely physically, but how intuitive he is, how things just come naturally to him from a football perspective.”

Added offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer: “From the time he’s been here, we’ve noticed him. I think we’ll continue to see good things from Stuck.”

Stuckey hurt his foot late last summer, was inactive for the season opener against New England and then was placed on injured reserve. His rookie season was done before it even started, but he stayed around the team and took part in meetings when he wasn’t in the trainer’s room rehabilitating.

“It’s not like he took off to Cabo and relaxed,” Mangini said. “He was here and he was working. That experience that he gained sitting in those meetings, you can tell that he was listening.”

Stuckey’s first love growing up was basketball, but he focused on football once he got to college. He was the first Clemson player since 1940 to score a touchdown by pass, rush, punt return and reception, but was plagued by injuries. Stuckey had a nagging left ankle injury as a sophomore, a concussion as a junior, and a thumb injury and broken right foot that sidelined him for three games as a senior.

Originally thought to be a second-round pick, the foot injury dropped Stuckey to the seventh round despite him finishing sixth in Clemson history with 141 receptions and eighth with 1,760 yards receiving.

And that’s quite an accomplishment, considering he came to Clemson as a quarterback.

“We would watch each other’s highlights,” said cornerback Justin Miller, who was roommates with Stuckey in their first year at Clemson. “You’d see him as a quarterback when he’d get into the open field, he was as dangerous as any running back or wide receiver that played.”

Stuckey described himself as a scrambling quarterback whose best weapon was his legs, which is why he went from throwing passes to catching them.

“Don’t let him fool you,” Miller said. “He’s a strong one and he could sling that ball, too. I’ve seen a couple of highlights where he’d throw a ball you wouldn’t think he could throw. He came into college probably like 160 pounds, but he could throw that ball.”

These days, Stuckey is happy being on the receiving end of Favre’s rocket throws.

“It’s my first real live action in the NFL and I’m still learning a lot,” Stuckey said. “I’m learning how things change in the game and what people like to do. I’m constantly learning.”

It has been so long since the Houston Texans played. That coach Gary Kubiak doesn’t think of Steve Slaton as a rookie anymore.

Coaches and teammates alike say the running back’s progress since the draft has been impressive. With Ahman Green out indefinitely because of an injured ankle, Slaton’s development will be key to Houston’s success.

Slaton will get his first start on Sunday against Tennessee as the Texans return to the field after missing a week because of Hurricane Ike. He had 13 carries for 43 yards and three receptions for 6 yards in Houston’s loss to Pittsburgh on Sept. 7.

“Steve has really grown up a lot,” quarterback Matt Schaub said. “Running back is a very challenging position to come into as a rookie in this league, especially … with all of the pass protections we do here in the running game and his pass routes. We ask him to do a lot and it’s been a lot for him.”

When Slaton was drafted 89th by the Texans this year, they didn’t envision him as the starter, instead projecting him to be the third-down back they’ve never had. Green and Chris Brown were expected to split the bulk of the carries, but with Brown out for the season with a back injury and Green nursing an ankle problem, the job fell to Slaton.

He ran for 3,923 yards and 50 touchdowns in three seasons with West Virginia, but many believed the 5-foot-9 player was small to be an every-down back in the NFL.

Either way, that’s what he will have to be for Houston, at least until Green gets healthy.

“We need a guy like him to become one (heck) of a player really fast,” Kubiak said. “And if he does that it’s going to help our team in the long haul. So there’s no waiting anymore. He’s a tough kid. We’re counting on the kid doing it.”

The Texans managed 75 yards rushing in their opener and Slaton’s first start will be against a defense that is allowing 60.5 yards rushing a game.

The key to success, Slaton believes, is studying the opposing team.

“Try to learn your opponent as best as you can,” he said. “It’s going to make it easier if you know what they’re going to do before they do it.”

Slaton said he’s getting more comfortable with Houston’s pass protection schemes after not having to do much of that in college. He’s gotten advice from everyone since his NFL debut two weeks ago and he listens to all of it. Slaton said he tries to soak it all in to help him improve.

Slaton didn’t expect to be starting this soon, but he certainly hoped for it.

“You have to,” he said. “You want to help out your team. You don’t want to sit around. You want to do as much as you can.”

While Kubiak thinks he’s already shaken his rookie status, Slaton, who is sometimes still forced to carry the shoulder pads and helmets of veterans, isn’t quite ready to agree with his coach.

“I still feel like a rookie,” he said. “There’s still a lot of stuff that I haven’t seen. After I go through the season and learn the ups and downs, then I probably won’t feel like a rookie anymore.”

The Chicago Bears promoted linebacker Joey LaRocque from the practice squad to the active roster Friday. And placed safety Brandon McGowan on injured reserve due to an injured left ankle.

A seventh-round draft pick this year, LaRocque led Oregon State in tackles (184) over his two seasons and was an all Pac-10 second-team selection as a senior.

McGowan, knocked down from starting strong safety to nickel back, left last week’s 20-17 loss at Carolina. He was demoted when Kevin Payne started at strong safety in the season opener at Indianapolis.

That also led to a demotion for Danieal Manning, who could play a big role in Sunday’s home opener against Tampa Bay. He’ll move back into the nickel role with McGowan hurt and could be the primary kickoff returner if Devin Hester is sidelined by a rib injury. He was listed as questionable on Friday.

—-
2008 Detroit Lions Roster.

Head Coach: Rod Marinelli

No. Player Pos Ht Wt Born Exp College

2 Nick Harris P 6-2 218 07-23-1978 8 California

4 Jason Hanson K 6-0 190 06-17-1970 17 Washington State

5 Drew Stanton QB 6-3 230 05-07-1984 1 Michigan State

6 Dan Orlovsky QB 6-5 230 08-18-1983 4 Connecticut

8 Jon Kitna QB 6-2 220 09-21-1972 12 Central Washington

10 Brandon Middleton WR 5-10 190 01-02-1981 2 Houston

11 Roy Williams WR 6-2 220 12-20-1981 5 Texas

12 x-Reggie Ball WR 5-11 195 10-06-1984 1 Georgia Tech

21 Travis Fisher CB 5-10 189 09-12-1979 7 UCF

23 Keith Smith CB 5-11 192 03-20-1980 5 McNeese State

24 Kalvin Pearson S 5-10 200 10-22-1978 4 Grambling State

25 Brian Kelly CB 5-11 193 01-14-1976 11 USC

26 Dwight Smith S 5-10 201 08-13-1978 8 Akron

27 Daniel Bullocks S 6-0 213 02-28-1983 2 Nebraska

28 Leigh Bodden CB 6-1 193 09-24-1981 6 Duquesne

29 x-Brian Calhoun RB 5-10 208 05-08-1984 3 Wisconsin

31 x-Stanley Wilson CB 5-11 189 11-05-1982 4 Stanford

32 Rudi Johnson RB 5-10 225 10-01-1979 8 Auburn

33 Marcus Thomas RB 6-2 215 05-28-1984 0 UTEP

34 Kevin Smith RB 6-1 211 12-17-1986 0 UCF

36 x-Aveion Cason RB 5-10 204 07-12-1979 8 Illinois State

38 Ramzee Robinson CB 5-10 186 02-20-1984 2 Alabama

40 x-Jon Bradley RB 6-1 310 01-13-1981 5 Arkansas State

42 Gerald Alexander S 6-0 204 06-28-1984 2 Boise State

45 Jerome Felton RB 6-0 247 07-03-1986 0 Furman

48 Don Muhlbach C 6-4 265 08-17-1981 5 Texas A&M

50 Ernie Sims LB 6-0 225 12-23-1984 3 Florida State

51 Dominic Raiola C 6-1 295 12-30-1978 8 Nebraska

53 Paris Lenon LB 6-2 235 11-26-1977 7 Richmond

54 x-Teddy Lehman LB 6-1 238 11-18-1981 5 Oklahoma

54 Gilbert Gardner LB 6-1 228 05-09-1982 5 Purdue

55 Ryan Nece LB 6-3 224 02-24-1979 7 UCLA

57 Jordon Dizon LB 6-0 225 01-16-1986 0 Colorado

59 Alex Lewis LB 6-0 227 06-11-1981 5 Wisconsin

63 Manuel Ramirez G 6-3 335 02-19-1983 2 Texas Tech

64 Edwin Mulitalo G 6-3 350 09-01-1974 10 Arizona

66 Stephen Peterman G 6-4 323 01-11-1982 4 LSU

67 Andy McCollum C 6-4 300 06-02-1970 15 Toledo

72 George Foster T 6-5 338 06-09-1980 6 Georgia

74 Damion Cook T 6-5 330 04-16-1979 8 Bethune-Cookman

75 Shaun Cody DT 6-4 310 01-22-1983 4 USC

76 Jeff Backus T 6-5 305 09-21-1977 8 Michigan

77 Gosder Cherilus T 6-7 318 06-28-1984 0 Boston College

78 Cory Redding DT 6-4 295 11-15-1980 6 Texas

79 Langston Moore DT 6-1 305 07-17-1981 4 South Carolina

81 Calvin Johnson WR 6-5 235 09-25-1985 2 Georgia Tech

82 Casey FitzSimmons TE 6-4 258 10-10-1980 6 Carroll (MT)

83 John Owens TE 6-3 255 01-10-1980 6 Notre Dame

84 Shaun McDonald WR 5-10 183 06-13-1981 6 Arizona State

86 Michael Gaines TE 6-4 277 03-30-1980 5 UCF

87 Mike Furrey WR 6-0 195 05-12-1977 6 Northern Iowa

89 x-Dan Campbell TE 6-5 262 04-13-1976 9 Texas A&M

91 Chuck Darby DT 6-0 297 10-22-1975 8 South Carolina State

92 Cliff Avril DE 6-3 251 04-08-1986 0 Purdue

93 Corey Smith DE 6-2 250 10-02-1979 6 North Carolina State

95 Jared DeVries DE 6-4 275 06-11-1976 10 Iowa

96 Andre Fluellen DT 6-2 296 03-07-1985 0 Florida State

97 Ikaika Alama-Francis DE 6-5 280 12-04-1984 2 Hawaii

98 Landon Cohen DT 6-3 272 08-03-1986 0 Ohio

99 Dewayne White DE 6-2 273 10-19-1979 6 Louisville

x-Injured reserve.

In her 37th and final year, Texas Stadium can only handle so much. Her bones, weary from hundreds of games, concerts and tractor pulls, shook for more than three hours Monday.

In the end, she withstood a game that will not soon be forgotten even as the Cowboys move into their new digs in Arlington next year.

The Cowboys somehow, some way kicked off the stadium’s final season with a 41-37 regular-season win against Philadelphia.

Marion Barber’s 1-yard muscle run into the end zone with 4:35 to play was the difference on a night in which a fan, clad in a silver Cowboys jersey, went almost unnoticed after jogging to the midfield star in the fourth quarter to copy the Terrell Owens pose. And that display was not even among the strangest things that happened.

Not when the Eagles scored two touchdowns in 14 seconds in the second quarter thanks to a Tony Romo interception and fumble in the end zone.

Not when Romo threw three touchdown passes and topped 300 yards for the 12th time.

Not when Jason Witten had 110 yards receiving, most of them coming after he had X-rays on his right shoulder.

Not when Felix Jones returned a kickoff 98 yards for a Cowboys touchdown.

Not when Barber, playing with bruised ribs, gutted his way to yards on the ground and through the air.

Not when Philadelphia receiver DeSean Jackson flipped the ball away before crossing the goal line in the second quarter, briefly delaying an Eagles touchdown.

Not when Donovan McNabb looked like the McNabb that flummoxed the Cowboys in Philadelphia’s last Monday Night Football visit in 2004.

And not when a defense that struggled most of the night came up with two sacks (Greg Ellis, DeMarcus Ware) and a fourth-down stop to end a potential winning drive.

Somehow the game ended with Romo twice taking a knee for a victory that gave the Cowboys back-to-back 2-0 starts for the first time since 1998-99.

Somehow.

“Well, it’s one in the bank,” coach Wade Phillips said. “You never know which one is going to come back and mean a lot for you, so it’s a good win at home, a big win in the last Monday night game at Texas Stadium.”

In 2004, when McNabb and Owens lit up the Cowboys after a towel-less Nicollete Sheridan introduction caused a stir, the Cowboys simply did not have enough to either mount a comeback or stop the Eagles’ momentum.

This Monday was different.

A defense that allowed more than 30 points in a game just twice last season gave up 30 in the first half Monday. But just seven came in the final two quarters.

The offense only stopped itself, really. Owens’ 72-yard touchdown catch that opened the Cowboys’ scoring was his longest since a 91-yarder at Denver in his last game as an Eagle, on Oct. 30, 2005, and the 131st of his career, moving him into second place in NFL history.

And the special teams came through as well. Jones’ kickoff return for a score was the first by a Cowboy since Randal Williams’ 37-yard return on Oct. 12, 2003, against the Eagles.

The Cowboys needed it all, too. Even if the second half hardly resembled the up-and-down action of the first half, it was heart-stopping just the same.

Not only did the defense give up just the one score, it also came up with the game-changing turnover when Jay Ratliff fell on a Brian Westbrook fumble.

Romo and Witten combined for a 32-yard gain to the Philadelphia 5 after completions to Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin to the Eagles’ 37. Two plays later, Barber had his touchdown and the Cowboys had a lead they would not give up.

Somehow.

“This shows a lot about the composure of our team,” Witten said. “You never really know about your team unless you get in these moments.”

TD CONNECTIONS Since 2006, no quarterback-wide receiver duo has hooked up more times than Tony Romo and Terrell Owens.

TDs QB Receiver

29 Tony RomoTerrell Owens

23 Eli ManningPlaxico Burress (Giants)

23 Tom BradyRandy Moss (Patriots)

21 Carson PalmerT.J. Houshmandzadeh (Bengals).

Throughout the Jacksonville Jaguars locker room just after the team lost. Its home opener to the Buffalo Bills, players brought up the same comparison.

Look what the Super Bowl champion New York Giants did last year.

“I keep believing because, one, I’m a competitor,” running back Fred Taylor said. “Two, because of what did. They started 0-2. It’s a great reference when you’re talking about finding something to keep your mind-set positive.”

With Sunday’s 20-16 loss, the Jaguars fell to 0-2, their worst start since 2003 when Jacksonville started 0-4 in Coach Jack Del Rio’s first season. A lot will need to change if the Jags are to repeat the Giants’ feat and win the Super Bowl. And the road doesn’t get easier. This weekend the Jags will travel to reigning division champion Indianapolis, needing a win against the Colts to keep from falling to 0-2 in the AFC South.

“My message this week is we need to win because we need to win,” Del Rio said. “It’s Indy, division, AFC team, all those things are great; divisional games, they’re all part of it. We just need a win. We just need to find a way to score more points than the other guy and come home a little happier.”

After a season-opening loss to Tennessee last year, Jacksonville peeled off four wins. The Jags finished second in the AFC South. The Jags haven’t won a division title since 1999.

Scoring touchdowns has been the issue.

Jacksonville’s defense allowed 37 points in the first two games — which puts the Jags in the top 10 in scoring defense among teams that have played two games this season. But offensively, the Jags have converted just two-of-seven red-zone chances and running backs Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew have combined for fewer than 100 yards so far this season. The Jags rank 28th in the league with 131 yards rushing.

Injuries have played a major part in the Jags’ start. Jacksonville started just two regulars on the offensive line against Buffalo. The Jags expect to get center Brad Meester back in a few weeks and receiver Jerry Porter’s arrival is pending.

And Del Rio doesn’t think the team is too far from where it was this time last season. “I think if you look back last year we were probably pretty similar in terms of rank,” he said. “I think the biggest difference is we had squeaked out a win here at home and we were 1-1.”

As reporters gathered around Trent Edwards locker Monday. To discuss the Buffalo Bills hot start, the quarterback had only one request.

“OK, if I sit down?” said Edwards, still sluggish and a little drained a day after playing in 90-degree temperatures during a 20-16 win at Jacksonville.

Sure, have a seat. You’ve earned it.

Just don’t ask him to put his feet up.

“I wouldn’t go that far. It’s only Week 2,” Edwards said, as the Bills prepare to host the Oakland Raiders (1-1) on Sunday.

Early as it might be, Edwards can be credited for helping Buffalo get off to its first 2-0 start in five years. The 2007 third-round pick out of Stanford has been resourceful, poised and efficient in showing he’s capable of leading a revamped offense, and has looked nothing like the inconsistent rookie that stumbled down the stretch last year.

In two games, Edwards has gone a combined 38-of-55 for 454 yards, with two touchdowns, no interceptions and a well-above acceptable 107.7 passer rating. What the numbers don’t reflect is Edwards’ sudden ability to produce in the clutch.

Despite the oppressive heat and facing a stingy defense, he capped the win over the Jaguars by engineering a nine-play, 74-yard drive that ended with a perfectly placed 7-yard touchdown pass to rookie James Hardy to provide the go-ahead points with 4 minutes left.

“‘Encouraged’ is a good way to describe it,” Edwards said. “But for me, personally, I still feel like we have a lot to prove. It’s Week 2. It’s nothing monumental.”

It just feels that way in a football-mad and win-starved community that’s gone eight seasons without a playoff appearance - the longest stretch in franchise history. A win over the Raiders would mark the Bills’ first 3-0 start since 1992, when the Jim Kelly-led team was enjoying its Super Bowl run.

The Bills revamped defense, anchored by the addition of veteran defensive tackle Marcus Stroud, has been dominating. The unit that finished 31st in the league by allowing 363 yards per game last year, has given up only 495 in two games, while producing seven sacks.

The offense entered the season a bigger question mark because of Edwards’ lack of experience and whether first-year coordinator Turk Schonert would deliver on his objective to revive what had been a sputtering and unreliable unit.

As well as the Bills played in opening their season at home with a 34-10 win against Seattle, the victory at Jacksonville was an important next step.

“It’s just another step, but it’s a good step because it was versus a tough defense, on the road, in adverse conditions, and we came from behind and won,” offensive tackle Langston Walker said. “It’s a great confidence-booster.”

Edwards says the ability to win a game coming from behind provided the entire unit validation for the hard work it put in during practice.

“It was very important I think for myself and the other guys in the huddle in recognizing that we can do something like that,” Edwards said. “That gains a lot of momentum for this team and momentum for this season.”

Edwards was near-perfect in the fourth quarter, going 8-of-11 for 91 yards, and set up Hardy’s touchdown by laying in a perfect pass to Lee Evans up the left sideline for a 37-yard gain to convert a third-and-6.

Evans is suddenly shedding his reputation for getting off to slow starts. Though he doesn’t have a touchdown, the Bills’ No. 1 receiver has eight catches - all for first downs - for a team-best 179 yards. That’s 66 more than he had combined in his first five games last season.

It’s no coincidence that Evans and Edwards spent part of the offseason working out at the receiver’s home in south Florida.

“The mood is good around here,” Evans said. “Right now, we’re starting to find our niche. Everybody’s starting to get a little more confidence in what we’re doing and believing in what we’re doing.”

Monday NFL Capsules.

DALLAS 41, PHILADELPHIA 37

IRVING, Texas With two high-powered offenses battling it out, it was only fitting the game came down to the last team to score.

Marion Barber scored his second touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run with 4:35 remaining to give the Dallas Cowboys a come-from-behind 41-37 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Terrell Owens had three catches - but two were for touchdowns. He moved past Cris Carter for second on the all-time list after reeling in a 72-yard pass from quarterback Tony Romo to give Dallas a 7-3 advantage with 7:46 remaining in the first quarter. Owens added a four-year scoring strike in the second quarter to give Dallas a 21-20 lead.

But the game came down to the Eagles last drive in the fourth quarter.

After getting sacked on two consecutive plays, quarterback Donovan McNabbs 4th-and-17 pass to DeSean Jackson wasnt far enough for a first down - even after two laterals - and Philadelphia turned the ball over on downs with 63 seconds remaining.

In a wild back-and-forth game that saw seven lead changes, Romo completed 21-of-30 for 312 yards with three touchdowns and one interception to lead Dallas. It was the second straight week he surpassed 300 yards.

Jason Witten caught seven passes for 110 yards and Barber added 114 total yards - 51 rushing and 63 receiving for Dallas (2-0).

The Eagles high-octane offense has now scored a league-high 75 in their two games. McNabb was sharp once again, throwing for 281 yards and a touchdown while Brian Westbrook scored three touchdowns - two rushing and one receiving - for Philadelphia (1-1).

With the Eagles again again missing their top two receivers, Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown, rookie DeSean Jackson again became McNabbs favorite target, reeling in six catches for 110 yards. That made him only the second player ever to record two 100-yard games to start a career - and first since Philadelphias Don Looney did so in 1940.

The two NFC East rivals, who each won impressively in Week One, battled for the 40th and final time at Texas Stadium, with the Cowboys triumphing for the 26th occasion.

Westbrooks second 1-yard TD run of the game gave the Eagles a 37-31 lead on the second play of the fourth quarter, but Dallas battled back with 10 consecutive points.

Nick Folks 47-yard field goal pulled Dallas to within 37-34 with 10:29 remaining, and then the Cowboys got the ball back when Jay Ratliff recovered a Westbrook fumble. That led to a 67-yard Dallas drive which was capped by Barbers 1-yard run to make it 41-37.

Dallas appeared to be in control early, especially after rookie Felix Jones 98-yard kickoff returned gave the Cowboys a 14-6 lead.

But as the first quarter wound down, the tide turned quickly.

Asante Samuel intercepted Romo to set the Eagles up on the Dallas 28, and on the next play, Cowboys cornerback Anthony Henry was called for pass interference with Greg Lewis in the end zone, giving Philadelphia the ball on the 1-yard line as time expired. Following an Eagles penalty that pushed them back to the 6, McNabb found Westbrook for the touchdown five seconds into the second quarter.

The Eagles angled the ensuing kickoff to Isaiah Stanback instead of Jones and Stanback muffed it before recovering on his own 5-yard-line. On the first play from scrimmage, Romo fumbled in the end zone and Philadelphia linebacker Chris Gocong fell on it for another touchdown, just 14 seconds after their previous score to go up 20-14.

That jump-started the Eagles offense to a 24-point quarter. Included in the offensive eruption was a 60-yard pass from McNabb to Jackson, who was about to score, but relinquished the ball just before actually entering the end zone, leaving Philadelphia on the 1-yard-line. Westbrook scored on the on the very next play to put Philadelphia ahead, 27-21.

The clubs traded field goals in the final minute of the second quarter to leave the Eagles with a 30-24 halftime lead.

Each clubs defense settled in and began to make plays in the third quarter, at least until Romo found Barber for a 17-yard touchdown pass with 5:08 left to put Dallas back on top 31-30.

After the Eagles opened the scoring on David Akers 34-yard field goal on games opening possession, Romo struck back quickly, firing a 72-yard bomb to Owens.