Lions RB Smith "got it bad" (6:03)

   There are a few hints when a coach knows a player has suffered a major injury.

   He won’t talk about it, or worse, talks about the value of his replacement. But Lions coach Jim Schwartz came up with a new one Monday when he said running back Kevin Smith “got it bad.”

   He was referring to the knee injury Smith suffered on Sunday. What we do know is Smith is done for the season. What we don’t know is exactly how severe the injury is.

   "I don't want to speak for doctors until they go in and they can analyze all those different things, because I've seen situations where it's been worse than expected or even better than expected,” said Schwartz. “But it'll be a season-ending injury for him. Where it goes from there will depend on what happens when the doctors get in there and really see what's at stake and all. But I think anybody who saw it knows it's a severe knee injury."

 

Bucs already targeting Nebraska's Suh? (5:52)

   Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik already has his eyes on Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

   Either Tampa Bay or St. Louis figures to have the first overall pick, and Dominik expects Suh to be at the top of many draft boards.

   "The only thing that worries me is living up to the hype," Dominik said. "If he gets six sacks as a rookie playing defensive tackle, someone's going to call him a bust because of the high expectations. How's he going to handle that?"

 

 

Gradkowski doubtful for Raiders' next game (4:19)

   Raiders quarterback Bruce Gradkowski has injuries to both knees that are expected to sideline him Sunday, although coach Tom Cable said on Monday that he wouldn’t know Gradkowski’s status until midweek.

   Even if he somehow managed to play, Gradkowski would lose some effectiveness because his mobility was key behind the Raiders’ crumbling offensive line. Oakland gave up eight sacks against Washington – two were absorbed by Gradkowski and six more by JaMarcus Russell in the second half.

   In an interesting twist, Cable didn’t commit to Russell after the Redskins game should Gradkowski not be able to play, saying only that he would do “what’s best for this team.”

   Time for Charlie Frye to dust off the old chicken wing and get in some game action?

 

With Finneran down, Falcons need Booker to stand up (4:17)

   The Falcons lost wide receiver Brian Finneran for the season to a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee that isn’t expected to require surgery. In his place, the team will look to Marty Booker to produce behind Roddy White and Michael Jenkins.

   --The Sports Xchange

 

Sanchez will practice, but status still uncertain (2:44)

   Jets coach Rex Ryan said rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez will return to practice this week, although he’s still not sure who will start against Atlanta on Sunday. Kellen Clemens started against Tampa Bay in Week 14 with Sanchez sidelined by a sprained posterior collateral ligament in his right knee.

 

Titans' Young has hamstring strain

   Titans quarterback Vince Young has a “mild” hamstring strain, according to coach Jeff Fisher. Young’s status is day-to-day as Tennessee prepares for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.

   Young was injured during a career-long 44-yard run against St. Louis. It’s that mobility that has been so critical to the turnaround in the Titans’ season since Young took over the job in the seventh game. The threat of his legs often forces opponents to keep a defender on the backside to account for Young, which takes at least one player out of the mix in defending running back Chris Johnson.

   If Kerry Collins is forced back into the lineup, the Dolphins will no doubt load the box with eight defenders and dare Collins to beat them.

 

Broncos rookie S McBath done for season

   Second-round pick Darcel McBath is out for the remainder of the season with a broken arm suffered Sunday, according to The Associated Press. A special teams standout as a rookie, McBath was injured while filling in when Renaldo Hill left with an ankle injury. Denver signed Vernon Fox, who was released during final roster cuts.

 

Polamalu wants to play again in '09

   Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu has missed eight full games and parts of two others with ligament issues in his left knee, but said he wants to play at least one more game this season even if Pittsburgh is eliminated from playoff contention.

   “I’m a football player. I’m not a coach, I’m not a cheerleader,” Polamalu told The Associated Press. “What I love to do is play football and be out there with my brothers. That’s why. It’s always been irrelevant for me whether or not we go to the Super Bowl or playoffs. It’s something I enjoy.”

   --The Associated Press

 

Vikings aren't sure when Harvin will return

   Explosive rookie wide receiver Percy Harvin sat out Minnesota’s victory over Cincinnati on Sunday as he continues to battle migraines, and the team isn’t sure if he’ll be ready to play next Sunday.

   “That’s a thing that none of us have a great feel for,” coach Brad Childress said. “They are so wide-ranging and people report different things. It’s different for different people. As coaches you want to put it in a box. ‘What is it? It’s a fractured femur. Well, how long is that?’ We will get up to speed as we go through next week and he will work as hard as anything.”

 

Randle El likely to lose punt return job (2:15)

   Redskins wide receiver Antwaan Randle El is averaging just 3.9 yards on 15 punt returns, including three fumbles.

   "I'm surprised the way it has turned out with Antwaan because I really do trust him in there," said coach Jim Zorn, who said he might use Devin Thomas as well as usual fill-in Santana Moss in that capacity.

   --The Sports Xchange

 

 

Ware could face Saints (2:09)

   Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware is out of the hospital and there is “a possibility” he could play at New Orleans on Saturday night. Ware left the field on a stretcher Sunday after suffering a strained neck in the fourth quarter against San Diego. He was released from a local hospital Sunday night and came to the team facility Monday, although he did not talk to the media.

   --The Sports Xchange

 

 

Caldwell says Colts playing to beat Jaguars (2:01)

   Colts coach Jim Caldwell has admitted his focus is on preparing his team for the postseason and not on chasing a perfect record. Indianapolis has already clinched home-field advantage, but Caldwell isn’t ready to start resting starters just yet with division rival Jacksonville next on the schedule.

   "I just want to kind of set the record straight so that we can move on," Caldwell said. "What we're going to do is we're going to approach the 14th game exactly like we did one through 13. We're going to look at this game and prepare just as hard, be on a great rhythm in terms of our preparation. And we're going to go out and play just like we have done the previous 13 (games).

   --The Sports Xchange

 

Owens OK with Marshall breaking his record (1:57)

   Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens seemed genuinely happy for Brandon Marshall after the Denver receiver broke Owens' NFL record for most receptions in a game on Sunday. Owens set the mark with 20 catches for the 49ers in a 2000 game against the Bears, and Marshall had 21 against the Colts.

   "No more deserving of a guy than he is," Owens said of Marshall. "He's just been a hard worker. They always said that he was the 'Baby T.O.' All records are meant to be broken at some point. I wish him well. He's going to have a great career. When I broke it I really didn't know much about the record. I didn't know much about Tom Fears, either. It was one of those moments I had when we were kind of clicking. I knew it was only a matter of time (that his record would fall)."

   --The Sports Xchange

 

 

Peppers won't discuss future (1:55)

   Defensive end Julius Peppers is likely playing his final three games in a Panthers uniform. Just don’t expect him to tell you so.

   Peppers asked to be traded last offseason and begrudgingly returned to play for the one-year, $14 million franchise tender. But it would cost Carolina more than $2 million per game to franchise him next season, and Peppers is unlikely to sign a long-term deal with the Panthers.

   "Right now I'm getting ready to play the Minnesota Vikings," Peppers said. "Everything else is irrelevant and useless to waste time thinking about it."

   --The Sports Xchange

 

Coughlin stands behind Sheridan (1:50)

   The Giants have given up 147 points over their past five games, but coach Tom Coughlin is standing by first-year defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan. Coughlin said the gameplans Sheridan is installing should be working.

   “I look at that as I follow through the entire practice week and study the concepts that we’re having to defend and knowing full well what we expect to do there,” said Coughlin. “And then try to follow up with that on game day and then of course after I evaluated the tape.”

  

   --The Sports Xchange

 

 

Maclin injury has Eagles looking at receivers (1:42)

   DeSean Jackson’s electric return to the Eagles on Sunday night overshadowed rookie Jeremy Maclin leaving on a cart. He’ll miss at least one game after tearing the plantar fascia in his foot, and the Eagles are looking into potentially adding a wide receiver with Kevin Curtis’ return date uncertain. Curtis practiced last week, but still hasn’t played since Week 2.

   "There's a chance we do," coach Andy Reid said Monday when asked about signing a receiver. "We'll have to see how Kevin's doing."

   If Curtis isn’t ready by this weekend, Reid said Jordan Norwood, a rookie out of Penn State, would be signed to the active roster.

   --The Sports Xchange

 

Extend regular season? Let's survive the one we have

   Running back Brian Westbrook and wide receiver DeSean Jackson won’t play in the Eagles’ critical home game Sunday against Atlanta.

   Clinton Portis will miss his third consecutive game for Washington, while reserve running back D.J. Ware won’t be available for the Giants’ injury-riddled ground game as they face division-rival Dallas in a must-win game.

   Browns safety Brodney Pool’s NFL career is in jeopardy after he was placed on injured reserve, as was teammate Jamal Lewis, whose career is over if the running back sticks to his plan to retire after this season.

   Quarterbacks Kurt Warner and Ben Roethlisberger were on the sideline watching their teams lose last Sunday and are racing the clock – and symptoms – to return for key games this weekend.

   The common theme? They are all dealing with concussions.

   The list goes on and on, including Chargers linebacker Kevin Burnett, Vikings guard Anthony Herrera, Panthers cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, Seahawks defensive tackle Corey Redding, Colts tight end Gijon Robinson, Rams rookie right tackle Jason Smith and Bears cornerback Charles Tillman.

   And the NFL wants to extend the regular season?

   Good luck getting that past the players union after this season.

   Philadelphia is getting all too familiar with the league’s policy on dealing with concussions. To their credit, the Eagles have been highly cautious with Westbrook, and are taking the same approach with Jackson – no matter the playoff implications of being without their two biggest offensive weapons.

   "It's important that you listen to the experts," coach Andy Reid said. "I'm not an expert on the subject. I'm listening to doctors whose expertise is the head. I'll do whatever they want us to do.

   "You want to make sure the kid's OK and not put him in any jeopardy of getting hurt again on the field, or something that might hinder him through life. We're very cautious in this area."

   Hines Ward created a controversy in Pittsburgh this week by questioning whether Roethlisberger should have played at Baltimore last Sunday night. And Warner has admitted players don’t want to tell doctors about head injuries.

   "The hard thing is to make that decision where you feel like you could be hurting your team, but you don't know whether you're putting yourself at risk or not,” said Warner.