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Green Bay Packers: Packers offensive coordinator Tom Rossley underwent emergency heart surgery to clear at least one blocked artery.

"He's fine, everything went well," Green Bay coach Mike Sherman said Wednesday. "He's at home right now, will probably come in tomorrow."

Rossley, 58, reported to work Tuesday, hours after the Packers' 48-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans, and said he hadn't been feeling well overnight, Sherman said. He went to Bellin Hospital in Green Bay, where tests determined he needed an immediate angioplasty.

Sherman said Rossley wanted to report to work Wednesday, when the Packers installed their game plan for the Lions, but Sherman told him to stay home. Sherman said he wasn't sure whether Rossley would make the trip to Detroit.

"Right now, we're just going to wait to see what the doctor says and we'll see at the end of the week," he said.

If Rossley doesn't make the trip, Sherman will call the plays on Sunday, something he hasn't done much of in his four-plus seasons as head coach. Sherman, whose background is on offense, prepared the offensive game plan Tuesday and ran the unit at practice Wednesday.

New York Jets: Receiver Santana Moss is questionable for Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers with a strained right hamstring.

Moss was hurt against Buffalo last weekend, but coach Herman Edwards said after the game that he had cramps. Moss, who had a breakout season in 2003 with 10 touchdown receptions, has 11 catches for 231 yards and no touchdowns this season. He didn't practice Wednesday.

Edwards also said reserve cornerback Derrick Strait is out "for a while" with a stress fracture in his right foot. Left guard Pete Kendall also is out with a fractured big toe on his right foot, and Edwards would not give a timetable for his return. Right guard Brandon Moore, also missed practice, is doubtful with a strained hamstring.

Arizona Cardinals: The football used on Emmitt Smith's memorable first pass in his 15 NFL seasons was returned to the Cardinals' running back.

The wobbly 21-yarder to fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo went for a touchdown in Arizona's 34-10 victory over New Orleans on Oct. 3. Ayanbadejo flung the ball into the stands, where it was retrieved by fan Mike Taylor of Chandler.

"It almost hit me in the face," Taylor said. "I got my hands up at the last second and caught it."

Taylor, a copy editor for the East Valley Tribune, decided to give the ball to Smith and asked nothing in return. The Cardinals and Smith, however, gave Taylor a bag of souvenirs, a football autographed by Smith and a pair of tickets to the Oct. 24 game against Seattle.

San Diego Chargers: If LaDainian Tomlinson is excited about his first game against Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons, he sure wasn't showing it on Wednesday.

The two stars will always be linked because Atlanta took Vick with the top pick in the 2001 draft after obtaining it from San Diego for the fifth pick, which the Chargers used on Tomlinson. The Chargers also got receiver Tim Dwight and other picks.

"Like I've said all along, I play a different position than Mike," Tomlinson said. "It just happened that it worked out the way it did. It wasn't like I was going to go to Atlanta. It worked out well."

Tomlinson sat out Wednesday's practice after reaggravating a groin injury in Sunday's 34-21 win over Jacksonville. He expects to play Sunday.

New England Patriots: The Miami Dolphins couldn't put a blemish on Tom Brady's winning streak so they put one on his face.

The Patriots' coverboy quarterback had four stitches on his chin after he was hit in the mouth during Sunday's 24-10 victory over the Dolphins and he also had a sore shoulder. His mouth was still sore on Wednesday, when he strained a little to speak to reporters.

"It's fine. I'll be ready to go," said Brady, who was on the injury report as probable for Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. "You just get sore from the bumps and bruises. You get landed on, but you just have to get up and get treatment. It does feel better today."

The stitches will come out eventually.

Buffalo Bills: Lawyer Milloy practiced for the first time in six weeks, but the Bills safety is unlikely to be ready for Sunday's game against Miami.

Milloy took part in individual drills, including catching a few passes, while wearing a carbon-fiber cast to protect the right forearm he broke in a preseason game last August.

Milloy said it will be up to team doctors to clear him to play.

The Bills have upgraded Milloy's status on their injury report, listing him as questionable. Coach Mike Mularkey described Milloy as a day-to-day decision, saying he wants to see the player become comfortable in a competitive setting.

Houston Texans: Ankle injuries kept Texans quarterback David Carr and wide receiver Andre Johnson out of practice but both are expected to play Sunday against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.

Carr and Johnson suffered the injuries in Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Both are expected to practice no later than Friday.

"David does a good job mentally when hes not practicing," coach Dom Capers said. "You obviously want your starters in practice, but hes to the point in our offense that if he does a good job mentally on Wednesday and Thursday and takes all his repetitions on Friday, he does well in the games."

Starting right tackle Todd Wade, who suffered a high ankle sprain Sunday, is expected to miss the game at Tennessee.

Seattle Seahawks: Veteran punter Tom Rouen has a strained right hamstring and is listed as questionable for Seattle's game at New England, raising concerns in the kicking game -- where coaches never want problems.

"It's a heck of a game to be worried about that," coach Mike Holmgren said Wednesday. "I've got enough to worry about without having to be worried about our punter, but that's the way it is."

Holmgren doesn't plan to make any decision until Friday, giving Rouen's leg more time to recover.

Rouen, in his 12th NFL season, didn't practice Wednesday, and Holmgren told kicker Josh Brown and rookie punter Donnie Jones to be ready.

Back with a Wunsch: The Seahawks waived cornerback Tod McBride on Wednesday and re-signed offensive lineman Jerry Wunsch.

McBride, a five-year veteran who also has played with Green Bay (1999-2002) and Atlanta (2003), signed with the Seahawks on Sept. 14 but has been inactive for the last three games.

Wunsch, who was waived Sept. 11, has spent the last two seasons with the Seahawks, playing guard and tackle and making five starts. Before that, he spent five seasons with Tampa Bay (1997-2001).

Washington Redskins: With safety Matt Bowen out for the season with a knee injury, the Redskins signed five-year veteran Pat Dennis on Wednesday.

Dennis spent the last three seasons with Houston, but he hasn't played a game since October 2002 because of injuries.

Even so, Dennis instantly becomes by far the most experienced safety on the Redskins roster. He has 13 career NFL starts, all with Kansas City. That's more than the other active Washington safeties -- Sean Taylor, Todd Franz, Andre Lott and Ryan Clark -- have combined.

Bowen tore a ligament in his right knee in Sunday's 17-10 loss to Baltimore. He was placed on injured reserve to make room for Dennis.

Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings placed kick returner and backup wide receiver Keenan Howry on injured reserve Wednesday, ending his season.

The second-year player injured his right shoulder in Sunday's overtime win against Houston. He's been used sparingly on special teams, returning two punts for 33 yards and two kickoffs for 45. Howry also has one catch for 3 yards.

The Vikings on Wednesday signed center Billy Conaty to provide extra insurance behind starter Matt Birk, who is expected to play Sunday against New Orleans after recovering from a sprained ankle.

Birk's backup, Cory Withrow, is out with a sprained right knee.

Weakside linebacker Chris Claiborne, who didn't play against the Texans because of an injured calf, was taken off the injury report and is expected to play against New Orleans. But coach Mike Tice said the Vikings will probably be without middle linebacker E.J. Henderson, who's still recovering from a sprained left knee.

New York Giants: Linebacker T.J. Hollowell and running back Derrick Ward have signed with the Giants.

To make room on their roster, the Giants (4-1) placed receiver Tim Carter and linebacker Wes Mallard on injured reserve.

Carter fractured a hip socket in Sunday's win over the Dallas Cowboys. Mallard injured a knee in practice last week.

Hollowell has been on the Giants' practice squad. He was with the team in training camp, and was among the last players cut. During the preseason, he had eight tackles, including two on special teams.

Ward was a seventh-round pick by the Jets. He rushed for 2,061 yards and 28 touchdowns at Ottawa University in Kansas last year. He has been on the Jets' practice squad this season.

The Giants also signed receiver Jason Geathers to their practice squad. Geathers was in the Cleveland Browns' training camp this summer.

Indianapolis Colts: The Colts signed quarterback Travis Brown to their practice squad and released former Georgia Tech star Joe Hamilton.

Brown spent the last three seasons with Buffalo before reaching an injury settlement with the Bills in September. The agreement allowed Brown to become a free agent.

He sprained his left knee in a preseason game against Indianapolis on Aug. 28 and wore a brace on the knee at the Colts' practice on Wednesday.

In four NFL seasons, Brown is 29-of-52 for 361 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. He spent the 2000 season with the Seattle Seahawks.

Colts coach Tony Dungy said the move was made because the team believed Brown was healthy, bigger and stronger than Hamilton, who started the season as the Colts' top backup to Peyton Manning.

Hamilton finished second to Wisconsin's Ron Dayne in the 1999 Heisman Trophy voting, but has yet to throw an NFL pass.

Rookie Jim Sorgi, who has not played this season, is the only other quarterback on the Colts roster.

Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys cut tight end Mikhael Ricks and added linebacker Ryan Fowler from the practice squad to avoid losing him to another team.

Tight end Landon Trusty was re-signed to fill the practice squad vacancy.

Teams can sign players off other teams' practice squads, as Dallas has done twice in recent weeks with players from Baltimore. Moving up Fowler enabled the Cowboys to retain him.

Ricks was signed after starting tight end Dan Campbell went on injured reserve. He was inactive for the only game he was with Dallas.

Kansas City Chiefs: Punter Steve Cheek has signed off the practice squad, getting another chance to keep the job he won in preseason.

Cheek averaged 44.7 yards in the Chiefs' first two games but then injured his calf in practice.

Kansas City waived him and brought in Jason Baker, who punted for the Chiefs last season but was beaten out by Cheek this year. Baker was cut after averaging 37.8 yards in two games.

Also Wednesday, Kansas City signed guard Matt Miller to the practice squad.

Good to go: Chiefs receiver Eddie Kennison, who missed the last two and half games with a hamstring injury, showed no ill effects after working near full speed on Monday and will start at Jacksonville.

Miami Dolphins: Sidelined running back Lamar Gordon had successful surgery on his shoulder.

Gordon, who was supposed to fill the hole created by the sudden retirement of Ricky Williams, had successful surgery on his left shoulder Tuesday. He already is on the injured reserve list and ineligible to return this season.

Acquired last month in a trade with St. Louis, Gordon suffered a dislocated left shoulder upon taking a hit from safety Chris Hope in the first quarter of a 13-3 loss to Pittsburgh on September 26. He went on IR two days later.

Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press