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© St. Petersburg Times, published October 18, 2002
ASHBURN, Va. -- Coach Steve Spurrier's frequent lineup changes were questioned Thursday by Redskins receiver Rod Gardner, who said he was "baffled" that he might not start Sunday at Green Bay.
Spurrier said Derrius Thompson and Chris Doering will start, with Gardner on the field only in a three-receiver set.
In five games, Spurrier has used three starting quarterbacks and four starting receivers.
"Week-in, week-out, if the whole team doesn't know who's going to be playing or not, what will that do to the team?" Gardner said. "That's what he does to the quarterbacks and receivers, I guess, so that's what we've got to stick with."
Gardner is the only receiver to start all five games, and he leads the team with 21 catches for 331 yards. Thompson and Doering, who took the first snap with the first-stringers at Thursday's practice, have just 26 career receptions between them.
"I'm just baffled by it," Gardner said. "It lights a fire. It lights a bonfire under you. You can say, "Is that good or bad?' I don't know. I can't remember the last time I didn't start for a team, period."
Asked to respond, Spurrier said: "If he knows more about throwing the ball, he needs to go into coaching."
BENGALS: Quarterback Joe Germaine, the former Buckeye, was signed to the practice squad and cornerback LaVar Glover was released from it.
DOLPHINS: Receiver Oronde Gadsden will wait for swelling to subside before deciding whether to play with a torn ligament in his left wrist or opt for season-ending surgery.
In other news, ex-Pro Bowl offensive lineman Leon Searcy will miss his third consecutive season because of injuries. Searcy had surgery to repair a torn right triceps tendon, meaning he won't be able to play this season.
His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said Searcy, 32, hasn't decided whether to retire or try to play next season.
FALCONS: Coach Dan Reeves upgraded Michael Vick from questionable to probable after the quarterback practiced without pain.
49ERS: Receiver Terrell Owens was fined $5,000 by the league for not having his jersey tucked.
JAGUARS: Quarterback Mark Brunell, who suffered a concussion Sunday, had only a "faint headache," coach Tom Coughlin said. Despite Brunell's improvement, Coughlin would not confirm him as Sunday's starter.
PANTHERS: Owner Jerry Richardson had quadruple-bypass surgery after discovery of an irregular heart rhythm. Richardson, 66, is expected to remain in the hospital for another week.
RAMS: An injury to his backup is motivating offensive tackle Orlando Pace to suit up two weeks ahead of schedule. Pace wasn't supposed to return from his leg injury until Nov. 3.
But backup Grant Williams is out for the season with a broken leg, so the team needs Pace.
"That kind of accelerated things," Pace said after practice. "There's so much shuffling you want to get back in there and help your teammates out. In my mind, hopefully I'll be out there playing."
TITANS: Defensive end Jevon Kearse agreed with coach Jeff Fisher's estimate he'll most likely return for the Nov. 10 home game against Houston. Kearse broke a bone in his left foot in the season-opening victory over Philadelphia.