Texans shake up defense with changes
Houston Texans: The Texans' shakeup didn't stop with the firing of offensive coordinator Chris Palmer.
Cornerback Phillip Buchanon and outside linebacker Jason Babin have been removed from the starting lineup, the Houston Chronicle reported, and will be replaced by DeMarcus Faggins and Shantee Orr.
"This should be an attention-getter that lets everyone know that we're going to put the lineup on the field that we believe will do the job that needs to be done," coach Dom Capers told the newspaper.
"This business is all about accountability," Capers told the Chronicle. "If you're going to talk about accountability, you can't talk out of both sides of your mouth. We'll hold people accountable, whether it's the quarterbacks, receivers or linebackers."
Carolina Panthers: Carolina safety Mike Minter missed practice
with a strained calf that could end his streak of playing
in 64 consecutive regular-season games.
"I hate being on the sideline," Minter said. "If we're out there playing, I want to be out there playing. I don't want to be over there watching. That's the worst feeling in the world. Even in practice, I hate that."
Minter had been on the field for every defensive snap for more than two seasons before he left late in Sunday's game against New England with his calf injury. He was hesitant to go to the locker room, only doing so when the 27-17 victory was guaranteed.
Once inside, he couldn't watch the game's final few minutes. It was similar to the Super Bowl loss to the Patriots two years ago, when Minter broke a bone in his foot during the third quarter and refused to leave the game.
Instead, Minter tied his shoe as tight as he could and finished the game without missing a play.
Minter, who's in his ninth season with the Panthers, has not missed a game since he sat out the first two contests of the 2001 season with a knee injury. He's Carolina's all-time leader in tackles, a longtime team captain and the motivator of the defensive unit.
If he can't play against the Dolphins on Sunday, free-agent pickup Idrees Bashir will probably replace him.
Green Bay Packers: Bubba Franks has always been there for the Packers, either to catch a high, hard one from Brett Favre in the end zone or to drive a defender aside for Ahman Green.
Franks has played in all of Green Bay's 88 games, counting playoffs, since former general manager Ron Wolf made him his top pick out of Miami in the 2000 draft.
But a bruised left knee could keep Franks on the sideline Sunday for the first time in his six-year NFL career, further hampering the Packers' efforts to straighten out their sputtering offense.
Franks, who was hurt Sunday when four Cleveland defenders drove him into the ground after a 10-yard reception, missed Wednesday's workout and is listed as questionable for Sunday, when the Packers (0-2) will try beat Tampa Bay (2-0) for the 13th straight time at home.
"I still haven't come to grips with the fact that he would be unavailable -- because he's always been there," said Mike Sherman, who has never coached a game for Green Bay without the three-time Pro Bowler in the lineup. "But we're not going to put him out there and put him at risk if that's going to be the case."
Walker placed on IR: The Packers placed Pro Bowl receiver Javon Walker on injured reserve.
Walker blew out the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the Packers' opener two weeks ago. He'll have surgery once the swelling subsides, then embark on a rehabilitation that could take up to a year.
Walker was on crutches during the media's locker room access Wednesday but he declined comment.
Walker's injury was just the thing he and his agent feared could happen if he didn't get a new contract to replace the one that still had two years remaining.
But instead of holding out as he had threatened all offseason, Walker reported on the eve of training camp and said he was willing to play for his $515,000 salary this season to prove he was worthy of a bigger payday down the road.
Buffalo Bills: Safety Lawyer Milloy had surgery to
repair an injured right thumb, leaving his status uncertain for
Buffalo's game against Atlanta on Sunday.
Wearing a cast on his right hand, Milloy did not practice Wednesday and was one of three Buffalo starters listed as questionable. The other two regulars on Buffalo's injury report are middle linebacker London Fletcher (right hamstring) and right tackle Mike Williams (left ankle), who were also held out of practice.
Coach Mike Mularkey said Milloy could be able to play with a padded cast. He noted Milloy did continue playing after being hurt in a 19-3 loss at Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Fletcher was hurt in the second quarter Sunday and did not return. Fletcher, who has not missed a game in his eight-year NFL career, maintained Wednesday that he expects to play against Atlanta.
Williams wore a wrap on his left ankle and was noticeably limping in the locker room Wednesday.
Minnesota Vikings: Minnesota likely will be without two
starters for Sunday's game against New Orleans, wide receiver
Nate Burleson and linebacker E.J. Henderson.
Burleson, the Vikings' top receiver, sprained his left knee in last week's loss at Cincinnati, and he's listed as doubtful.
"Not too promising," coach Mike Tice said.
Henderson sprained his right ankle, and he's also doubtful after playing the entire second half with the injury against the Bengals.
The good news for Minnesota is that middle linebacker Sam Cowart should return from a strained left calf that kept him out against Cincinnati. Free safety Darren Sharper, who sprained his left knee against the Bengals, is also listed as probable, as is defensive end Kenechi Udeze (strained right calf).
Tennessee Titans:
Rookie safety Vincent Fuller will miss Sunday's game against the St. Louis Rams after undergoing surgery and having a plate inserted into his broken right fibula.
Coach Jeff Fisher said defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth (left knee) and linebacker Peter Sirmon (left knee) are day to day. Both had MRI exams, along with receiver Courtney Roby (left toe), who missed practice and wore a walking boot on his foot.
Fisher wouldn't divulge results on the players' tests.
"They're day-to-day, and we hope to get them on the practice field. That would suggest things went well," Fisher said.
Quarterback Steve McNair wasn't on the report for his back, which was surgically repaired in 1999 and stiffened up after tackling safety Will Demps in last weekend's 25-10 victory over Baltimore.
"I came out today. It feels good. It worked itself out Monday and Tuesday. It won't be a big deal," McNair said.
San Diego Chargers: Chargers left guard Toniu Fonoti had a plate surgically inserted in his broken right hand and it's doubtful he'll play in Sunday night's home game against the New York Giants.
Fonoti broke his hand during practice last week but played in Sunday's loss at Denver.
Kris Dielman will start in his place at left guard.
Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars placed safety
Donovin Darius on injured reserve and re-signed guard
Derrick Fletcher and defensive tackle Martin Chase.
The team also signed rookie wide receiver Chad Owens to the practice squad after he cleared waivers.
Darius, one of the team's top run-stoppers, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Sunday against Indianapolis and will miss the rest of the season.
Fletcher and Chase were released Sept. 3 as part of the team's final roster cuts.
Fletcher, a fourth-year player who spent last season on Jacksonville's practice squad, could help right away. The Jaguars have allowed nine sacks in two games and are looking to shake up the offensive line.
Owens, a sixth-round pick, was waived Monday, a day after he fumbled two punts and mishandled another before getting benched in a 10-3 loss to the Colts.
• Leftwich misses practice: Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich missed practice Wednesday with a sore groin and was listed as questionable on the injury report.
But Leftwich insisted he will play Sunday at the New York Jets.
"I'm fine. I'll be ready to play Sunday," he said.
Leftwich was injured in the fourth quarter of last week's 10-3 loss at Indianapolis, getting bent awkwardly during a tackle. He hobbled off the field, but didn't miss a play.
Indianapolis Colts: The Colts shored up a depleted backfield by signing free-agent running backs Kory Chapman and Anthony Davis.
Chapman, 6 foot-1 and 202 pounds, was originally signed by Baltimore as an undrafted free agent last year and was allocated to NFL Europe by the New England Patriots this spring. He is expected to be on the Colts' active roster Sunday against Cleveland, and coach Tony Dungy said Chapman could see action on special teams.
The Colts also brought back Davis, their seventh-round draft choice in April, to the practice squad. Davis was waived Sept. 3 in the final round of cuts.
Indianapolis needed help because backup running back Dominic Rhodes bruised his left shoulder against Jacksonville and is listed as doubtful for this week's game. Third-string back James Mungro sprained a knee ligament, and is expected to miss at least two weeks.
To make room for the two running backs, the Colts released defensive tackle Jason Stewart from the active roster and defensive end Gabe Nyenhuis off the practice squad.
Cleveland Browns: Veteran quarterback Doug Johnson, signed in
the offseason to give Cleveland protection behind starter
Trent Dilfer, was released by the Browns.
The club claimed rookie quarterback Derek Anderson on waivers from Baltimore.
Johnson, who made 11 career NFL starts for Atlanta from 2000-03, was beaten out for Cleveland's No. 2 quarterback job by rookie Charlie Frye. The 27-year-old Johnson started eight games in 2003 for the Falcons when Michael Vick got hurt.
Anderson was selected in the sixth round (No. 213 overall) by the Ravens. A three-year starter at Oregon State, he passed for 11,249 yards and 79 touchdowns and was the first QB in school history to lead the Beavers to three bowl games.
New York Jets: Quarterback Chad Pennington and the Jets Women's Organization are teaming up with The Leukemia and
Lymphoma Society for the Light The Night Walk on Thursday at
Hofstra Arena in Hempstead, N.Y.
The walk, an annual event, is to raise awareness and funds for blood cancer research.
Pennington and the Jets Women's Organization will join more than 2,000 patients and supporters as they walk throughout Hofstra University's campus. Pennington's father-in-law died in 2003 after a 10-month battle with leukemia.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
