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Knee injury might end season for Cards receiver Boston

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Cardinals Pro Bowl receiver David Boston has a partially torn tendon in his right knee and probably will have season-ending knee surgery.

Boston is traveling to Dallas this week for a second opinion from specialist James Montgomery.

"If there's a tear there, I've got to have surgery, and probably my season is going to be over with," Boston said Thursday. "I've just got to go confirm that in Dallas."

An MRI on Wednesday showed two partial tears of the patella. One was an older tear that apparently was the cause of problems Boston had this summer and in training camp. The second tear apparently occurred in the Cardinals' loss at San Francisco on Oct. 27.

"It's disappointing," Boston said. "It's unfortunate that this injury would happen now. We had eight games left and I wanted to go out there and make enough plays to get this team to the playoffs."

If Boston can't come back this season, the Cardinals will have lost three of their top four receivers in the past two weeks. Bryan Gilmore broke his right leg when he fell on camera equipment in San Francisco, and MarTay Jenkins fractured his right shoulder blade in Sunday's loss to St. Louis.

That leaves Frank Sanders as the only experienced wideout. Rookie Jason McAddley, a fifth-round pick out of Alabama, becomes the No. 2 receiver, and Jake Soliday, an undrafted rookie from Northern Iowa, becomes No. 3.

The other receivers are seldom-used 5-foot-8 Arnold Jackson and Nathan Poole, who was signed off the practice squad this week.

COLTS: With running backs Edgerrin James and backup Ricky Williams out with hamstring injuries, Lions castoff James Mungro is expected to get his first NFL start Sunday. Mungro rushed for 60 yards and caught six passes for 33 yards Sunday after coming off the bench against Tennessee.

DOLPHINS: Quarterback Ray Lucas, nursing a bruised throwing shoulder, took half the snaps in practice and probably will start Sunday night against the Jets. "He's still not 100 percent, but he worked," coach Dave Wannstedt said. "Unless something would happen (today), I think he'll be fine to start." Lucas, who didn't talk to reporters, took part in all drills wearing pads. He remained questionable on the injury report.

FALCONS: The NFL has rescinded the $5,000 fine on quarterback Michael Vick for violating its uniform dress code last month. Vick was fined because his white oversocks were rolled down, exposing red undersocks from ankle to knee against New Orleans on Oct. 27. NFL guidelines say the exterior sock must be white at least to the mid to lower leg.

GIANTS: Rookie tight end Jeremy Shockey aggravated his turf toe injury and missed practice. Coach Jim Fassel said Shockey "tweaked" the toe at practice Wednesday and could not participate in drills.

PACKERS: Vonnie Holliday had arthroscopic surgery to repair damaged cartilage in his right knee and is expected to miss 2-5 weeks. The team says it believes Holliday can return well before the playoffs. Green Bay faces Tampa Bay on Nov. 24.

RAIDERS: Defensive end Tony Bryant is scheduled for a third MRI that will help determine whether he plays again this season. Bryant was carted off the field after injuring his neck during overtime in Sunday's loss to San Francisco. He didn't practice this week and won't play Monday night in Denver.

SAINTS: Backup guard Wally Williams was suspended for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy and will miss the next four games.

TITANS: Quarterback Steve McNair practiced, then eased back because of soreness in his right big toe. A sore left foot kept defensive end Jevon Kearse from participating. McNair is questionable on the injury report, but he played with turf toe on his left foot in 1999. Kearse was upgraded from out to questionable this week, and he ran outside Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. But his left foot was sore Thursday, so he did nothing on the practice field.

VIKINGS: Defensive tackle Chris Hovan left practice with back spasms and is questionable for Sunday's game against the Giants.

TV RATINGS: Games are drawing an average of 14.1-million people per telecast, 9 percent higher than in 2001 and 2 percent higher than two years ago. ABC, Fox, CBS and ESPN all have increases in viewership, which eventually should translate into more advertising dollars.

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