NFL Wire Notes | Ligament tear sidelines Vikes’ rookie Peterson
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - As Adrian Peterson was prone on the Lambeau Field turf, his football future flashed before his eyes as a searing pain radiated from his right knee.
“That pain was horrible. I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced pain where you don’t want anybody to touch you. Just be still for a few minutes until it calms down. That’s the kind of pain it was,” Peterson said. “Not really knowing what to expect because it was my knee. I was just praying, ‘God please, don’t let it be anything serious.’ ”
After getting an MRI exam Monday, Peterson should be sleeping much better now.
The rookie sensation, who just a week earlier set the NFL game rushing record with 296 yards against San Diego, will miss at least one game with a torn lateral collateral ligament. But the injury is not deemed serious enough to require surgery or jeopardize Peterson’s season.
“I was very relieved. It could’ve been a lot worse,” Peterson said. “I just thank God. I’ll be back soon.”
Vikings coach Brad Childress ruled Peterson out for Sunday’s game against Oakland, but wouldn’t put a timetable on his recovery beyond that.
Chiefs’ Croyle
to start at QB
instead of Huard
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Coach Herm Edwards said the strong-armed Brodie Croyle, who came in for a shaken-up ex-Husky Damon Huard against Denver on Sunday, would start at Indianapolis this week as the Kansas City Chiefs try to snap a two-game losing streak and revive one of the NFL’s weakest offenses.
“You need a spark,” Edwards said. “We’ve been in some contests now where we haven’t had the ability to score points. That’s part of your job as a quarterback, to put points on the board and move the football team. We’ve moved at times, but we’ve also been very inconsistent.”
The Chiefs (4-5) fell out of first place in the AFC West after their 27-11 loss to the Broncos.
Notes
• The NFL Players Association hopes to convince commissioner Roger Goodell to change his mind and reduce the season-long suspension of Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones, a union attorney said Monday.
“Our main argument is when you compare Jones’ suspension to that of other players whose conduct have fallen under the policy, his discipline is quite severe in comparison,” attorney Richard Berthelsen said.
• Rex Grossman came off the bench and rescued the Chicago Bears with a go-ahead touchdown pass, but that doesn’t mean he’s retained his starting spot. Coach Lovie Smith said that Brian Griese sprained his left shoulder Sunday in Oakland and needs medical clearance before he can play. “It’s unclear who will start Sunday,” Smith said the day after a 17-6 win at Oakland gave the Bears a 4-5 record headed into this week’s game at Seattle.
• Marshawn Lynch will have further tests on his sprained left ankle, but Bills coach Dick Jauron hopes the rookie running back will play against New England this weekend. Jauron said Lynch is sore, but noted initial tests showed no broken bones after the player limped off the field after helping secure a come-from-behind 13-10 win at Miami on Sunday.
“There is a concern,” Jauron said. “But as [Lynch] said last night, he feels like he’ll play. We’ve got to kind of wait and see on that one. But he’s very upbeat.”
• Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback David Garrard, who missed the last three games because of an ankle injury, anticipates returning to the starting lineup Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.
“Everything’s feeling good,” Garrard said. “We’re going to have to once again get out and practice and make sure we continue down the right path and make sure we don’t have any setbacks.”
• Denver Broncos safety John Lynch is still suffering numbness and weakness from a jarring tackle two weeks ago and could remained sidelined a while.
“John’s such a warrior, he’ll play through any pain, but there’s got to be some kind of common sense when there is no feeling in your fingers, and obviously no strength,” coach Mike Shanahan said.
Lynch had to leave an Oct. 29 game with the Packers in the first quarter after the hit. He returned to practice last week in a limited capacity, but was inactive Sunday against the Chiefs.
Lynch has said the injury was unrelated to a neck surgery he had in 2004.
Shanahan said he wasn’t sure how quickly Lynch would return.
“It’s hard to say until he practices, takes a hit,” Shanahan said. “We don’t want to take a chance on him taking any hits until that numbness wears off. I don’t think it makes any sense.”
• Desperate and determined, the Eagles found a way to win a game they couldn’t afford to lose. They’ll likely be in the same situation the rest of the way, so they better get used to playing with a season-on-the-line mentality.
“We’re in a position where you can’t overlook anybody or underlook anybody, however you want to call it,” coach Andy Reid said. “Without having to emphasize it too much, I just think that preparation, in this league, you’ve got to focus in week in and week out, play in and play out, or you’re in trouble.”
• Oakland coach Lane Kiffin would not commit to who would start this week at Minnesota, leaving the door open to a switch back to Daunte Culpepper or for JaMarcus Russell to make his debut. But Kiffin wasn’t laying all the blame for the latest struggles at Josh McCown’s feet.
Injury report
Player, Pos.
Team
Injury (Prognosis if available)
Adrian Peterson, RB
Vikings
knee; out for Sunday’s game
Marshawn Lynch, RB
Bills
ankle; status uncertain
Brian Griese, QB
Bears
sprained shoulder; status uncertain
John Lynch, S
Broncos
neck; status uncertain
Sean Taylor, S
Redskins
knee; out at least two weeks
Jon Kitna, QB
Lions
back; status uncertain
Fernando Bryant, CB
Lions
sprained foot; questionable
Nick Harper, CB
Titans
concussion; status uncertain
Brandon Jones, WR
Titans
concussion; status uncertain
David Stewart, OT
Titans
sprained ankle; status uncertain
Isaac Bruce, WR
Rams
hamstring; status uncertain
Aaron Walker, TE
Rams
shoulder; out for season
Source: Seattle Times news services