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Monday Roundup Broncos QB Griese throwing; return still uncertain
Updated: Tuesday December 05, 2000 10:53 AM
DENVER (AP) -- Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan didn't have to watch Brian Griese throw. Just knowing his starting quarterback is on the road to recovery was welcome news in itself. Griese, the NFL's top-rated passer, threw a football Monday for the first time since separating his shoulder three weeks ago, making 15 tosses from about 10 yards. Griese reported pain in the shoulder, but Shanahan was encouraged after receiving a progress report from Denver trainer Steve Antonopulos. "I didn't even see him. I just talked to Greek and he said that he's working on continuing to strengthen that shoulder," Shanahan said. "I know it was 10 yards, and 15 yards, and that's about it. He might have been throwing in the training room for all I know."
Griese separated his right shoulder Nov. 13 against the Oakland Raiders. The injury happened in the first half, but he returned to lead Denver to an important victory against its AFC rival. Shanahan said there is date set for Griese's return, and he does not plan to rush things as the Broncos (9-4) pursue the Raiders (10-3) and a playoff spot. "For him to be able to go out there and throw was a good sign," he said. "I think the more he throws, obviously the better we'll feel. But we don't want to push it too much the first day, and today was good." In Griese's absence, Gus Frerotte has thrown six interceptions and seven touchdown passes in three Denver victories. Griese has 19 touchdowns and four interceptions in nine games, and his 64 percent completion rate leads the NFL. Team doctors recommended Griese rest the shoulder for three weeks, and the Broncos remained optimistic he could return before season's end. His job will be waiting, regardless of how Frerotte fares. "Hopefully Gus keeps on playing well, but when Brian's able to come back full speed, Brian will be our starter," Shanahan said.
Titans QB McNair on crutches following X-raysNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Quarterback Steve McNair was listed as questionable Monday for Tennessee's game next week with Cincinnati after injuring both an ankle and a knee in Philadelphia. An MRI showed mild sprains of the left ankle and the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, a team spokesman said late Monday afternoon. McNair walked around the Tennessee Titans facility Monday on crutches with a plastic boot around his left foot, which he likely will wear for at least a couple days. Head coach Jeff Fisher said the ankle is more swollen than the knee. The sprained knee was described as being less severe than a similar injury suffered by running back Eddie George in October, which didn't cause him to miss a game. McNair was hurt Sunday when he was sandwiched between two Philadelphia Eagles, left the game briefly and returned to set up the winning field goal in a 15-13 victory. But he said his leg stiffened up a couple hours after the game ended. He said both the ankle and the knee were "real sore."
Reeves says he will be back in 2001FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) -- Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Reeves says he has told team president Taylor Smith that he intends to coach the Falcons in 2001. "My intentions are to be back," Reeves said Monday. "I've got another year on my contract. The way I feel right now, I certainly want to be here for that and, hopefully, get this thing turned around." Just two years after playing in the Super Bowl, the Falcons are 3-11. Reeves, who underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery Dec. 14, 1998, is 29-33 in four seasons as Falcons head coach. His record is 170-139-1 in 20 years as an NFL coach, including stints with the Denver Broncos and New York Giants. Smith said he has expected all along for Reeves to remain through his contract. "I think he's more entrenched than ever to see this turn around," Smith said. "I always felt that if his health was in line he was going to stay." Rams may use Faulk on kickoff returnsST. LOUIS (AP) -- The St. Louis Rams' situation has become so dire that Marshall Faulk, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery four weeks ago, may be used on kickoff returns. Faulk, who missed two games, is third in the NFL with 1,618 yards rushing and receiving. He set a league record with 2,329 last season and before he was sidelined had been among the top early MVP candidates.
Head coach Mike Martz said Monday he likely will make a switch from Dre' Bly, who has struggled in two games since replacing the injured Tony Horne, on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. He'll start out with Darius Blevins, signed Nov. 24 to the practice squad and elevated to the roster last week. "We may use Marshall a little bit as a return man as well," Martz said. "It depends on the situation. "If the game's on the line, I'll do that. If we need him back there to win it, we'll do that." Bly returned four kicks for a 14.7-yard average in Sunday's 16-3 loss to the Panthers. He botched one of the returns to give the Rams the ball at the 1. Faulk had 94 yards on 15 carries and caught five passes for 34 yards against the Panthers. "He's not as healthy as before the knee injury, but boy, he played very well in that game," Martz said. "He ran very, very well." Martz said he will not make a change at punt returner, however, even though Az-Zahir Hakim muffed a punt Sunday, his fourth fumble in two games.
Bears' Robinson will miss last three gamesLAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) -- As if the Chicago Bears needed anything else on their list of woes, now they'll have to play their last three games without Marcus Robinson. The team's leading receiver will miss the rest of the year because of a bulging disc in his lower back, head trainer Tim Bream said Monday. Robinson, a Pro Bowl alternate last year, doesn't need surgery, but his back will take about eight weeks to heal. "He just has to go and rehabilitate and let the swelling go down," Bream said. "He should be fine for the future." Robinson was hurt during practice last Wednesday, when he bent down to catch a pass and felt "a pop" in his back, Bream said. He was admitted to Northwestern Memorial Hospital on Wednesday night with back spasms and was released Saturday. He did not play in Sunday's 28-6 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The loss assured the Bears their fourth straight season with double-digit losses. "It's certainly a disappointment," head coach Dick Jauron said. "Marcus is clearly one of the only threats in the offense right now. He keeps people honest downfield." Robinson leads the Bears with 55 catches, 738 yards receiving and five touchdowns. Without him, Chicago's passing attack Sunday was harmless. The top "receiver" was running back James Allen, who had 11 catches for 93 yards.
The Bears did get some good news Monday, as McNown was officially cleared to play this week. McNown threw during practice last week, but he was the third quarterback Sunday night. "We'll see how he performs Wednesday and then we'll decide," Jauron said. "Yeah, ideally you'd like to see him out there."
Packers' Warren lost for season with muscle tearGREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- Green Bay Packers rookie nose tackle Steve Warren wanted to learn everything he could from Santana Dotson -- except how to rehabilitate from a serious leg injury. Warren tore the quadriceps muscle just above his right knee in Green Bay's 28-6 victory against Chicago on Sunday night, the same injury that sidelined Dotson for the season just a week earlier. Dotson had surgery Thursday and faces up to 10 months of rehabilitation. Warren will need the same operation, and both likely will miss the first month of the 2001 season. That means the worst spate in injuries in the franchise's 82-year history will carry over into head coach Mike Sherman's second season.
"I'm not overly concerned about next year," Sherman said Monday. "Obviously in the back of my mind, I'm saying, 'Well, why is this happening?' I have a lot of confidence that we'll be able to get them back for next year. But I haven't put a whole lot of thought into that. "I'm concerned about playing the Detroit Lions this weekend down two defensive linemen now, and also with Vonnie Holliday not being 100 percent," Sherman said. "Those are the issues that concern me." Defensive assistant Billy Davis said the silver lining is that Warren, a talented, third-round draft pick from Nebraska, can learn from a cagey veteran exactly what it takes to return from a serious injury. That's of little comfort to Warren, who was having a solid season before his right leg buckled when he was hit by Bears tackle Blake Brockermeyer in the third quarter. "It's part of the business," Warren said. "There's a good part to everything and there's a bad part to everything. That's the way it goes." General manager Ron Wolf immediately began calling around the country for an available backup tackle. But the creation of the XFL has left the list of serviceable free agents at a low for NFL teams looking for emergency help. The Packers were down to seven defensive linemen, and ends John Thierry, David Bowens and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamilia aren't big enough to play on the interior. Holliday is playing on a severely sprained ankle. That leaves Billy Lyon and Cledidus Hunt at tackle.
Jaguars' Bryant may miss remainder of seasonJACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- The swelling in Jacksonville cornerback Fernando Bryant's left ankle subsided Monday, but head coach Tom Coughlin said there was no guarantee Bryant would return again this season. Bryant sprained the ankle in the first half of the Jaguars 48-0 victory against the Cleveland Browns. A second-year defensive back, Bryant has started all 13 games this season. "I told him he's got to will himself well, otherwise his season will be over," Coughlin said. Coughlin was somewhat optimistic because the injury came without contact. "[Bryant] was not in a pile of bodies, he did not have weight on his back," Coughlin said.
Bengals' CB Heath out for seasonCINCINNATI (AP) -- Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Rodney Heath separated his shoulder during the closing minute of a 24-13 victory against Arizona on Sunday and is out for the season. The Bengals placed Heath on injured reserve Monday. Trainer Paul Sparling said Heath has a moderate shoulder separation. The Bengals promoted cornerback Sirr Parker to the 53-man roster from their practice squad, where he's been for the last nine games. They also signed safety Gary Thompkins to the practice squad. Thompkins, 23, from West Virginia, played in two preseason games for the Bengals before being waived.
Lions place Gibson, Westbrook on IR, sign twoPONTIAC, Mich. (AP) -- The Detroit Lions on Monday placed tackle Aaron Gibson and cornerback Bryant Westbrook on injured reserve and signed free-agent cornerbacks J.B. Brown and Jeremy Lincoln. The team withheld terms of Brown's and Lincoln's contracts. Brown, a 6-foot, 200-pounder, is in his 12th NFL season. He most recently saw action in 1999 for the Lions when he played in 13 games. He started three times and had 34 tackles and 10 passes defended. Brown spent his first eight years with Miami, then played for Pittsburgh and Arizona. Lincoln, 5-10, 182, is in his 10th NFL season. He began his pro career as a third round selection of the Chicago Bears in 1992 from the University of Tennessee, and played there for four seasons before moving to St. Louis in 1996, playing for Seattle in 1997 and the New York Giants in 1998-99. Gibson, 6-4, 375, injured his right shoulder against Atlanta on Nov. 12. Westbrook, 6-0, 198, ruptured his left Achilles' tendon Thursday night against Minnesota.
Activist still battling county over Bengals stadium leaseCINCINNATI (AP) -- An activist is renewing his court claim that Hamilton County illegally granted powers to the Cincinnati Bengals under the team's lease of the county-owned Paul Brown Stadium. Tim Mara, a Cincinnati lawyer, contends the county's lease with the Bengals gave the team unreasonably low rents and undue power to decide attributes of buildings that are built near the new stadium. Mara said the lease provisions amount to county-awarded subsidies or powers delegated to the Bengals that go beyond what the Ohio Constitution allows. His lawsuit was dismissed last month by Judge Thomas Nurre of Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. Mara appealed that ruling Friday to the 1st Ohio District Court of Appeals in Cincinnati. The Bengals began play in August in the $453 million stadium. It was paid for by a half-cent county sales tax increase which voters approved in 1996. Mara led an unsuccessful campaign against the tax increase. County officials said last week that the cost of the already over-budget stadium is likely to increase by millions more because of building code violations.
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