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CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Panthers coach John Fox apologized Monday to Jets coach Herman Edwards for comments CB Ken Lucas made about New York quitting during Carolina's 30-3 victory.
Fox also lectured his NFC South-leading team about the consequences of trash talking.
"John's on the phone with me for 20 minutes trying to explain what (Lucas) was trying to say," Edwards said. "I believe Foxy, and I believe the kid. John didn't have to call me, and he called me to let me know, "Coach, he knows better than that. This is what he was trying to say."'
Lucas, who had back-to-back game-changing interceptions Sunday, said the Jets "kind of gave up after that because they felt they couldn't score."
Fox made no mention of his call to Edwards during his Monday news conference. Later, he said Lucas regretted making the remark and he addressed the team about it. Also at issue were comments by LB Will Witherspoon , who predicted the Panthers would beat division-rival Atlanta later this season.
Fox chalked up Witherspoon's bravado as excitement after the game, which was Carolina's sixth consecutive win and kept it tied with Seattle for the best record in the NFC.
"We are 7-2 and the worst we can do is 7-9, that's all I know," Fox said.
NO SUSPENSIONS FOR BEARS: C Olin Kreutz will not be suspended by Bears coach Lovie Smith for breaking OT Fred Miller 's jaw in a fight last week.
The players admitted they had the fight. Smith, unhappy he wasn't told the truth about what happened until late last week, said he won't suspend the players but will discipline them. He wasn't specific, but fines are expected.
Miller needed surgery after initially saying he hurt his jaw in a fall at his home. Miller and Kreutz came to the team's locker room Monday - it is often not open after wins the previous day - made statements and took questions about the incident.
"We realize it was something very stupid on both of our parts and it's not going to happen again," Miller said as he apologized to his family, his teammates and Kreutz.
Details of the fight were not clear, and neither Kreutz nor Miller would provide them.
In other Bears news, RB Cedric Benson 's first start could be his last of the season. The team's top draft pick sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee during the second quarter of Sunday's win against the 49ers. He will be out an undetermined time, perhaps a month.
CARDINALS: Starting LG Reggie Wells will miss the rest of the season with a broken left ankle. WR Anquan Boldin (bruised right knee) could be back for Sunday's game at St. Louis.
49ERS: S Tony Parrish was put on injured reserve with a broken left leg, ending his streak of 121 consecutive starts.
GIANTS: DT William Joseph has a dislocated elbow and will miss at least four weeks. ... The team is dealing with the terminal illness of one of its co-owners for the second time in less than a month. Robert Tisch , 79, who purchased 50 percent of the team in 1991, has inoperable brain cancer. On Oct.25, Wellington Mara , who had co-owned the team since 1930, died of cancer at 89.
LIONS: Jeff Garcia is still the No.1 quarterback. That doesn't mean he's going to play Sunday in Dallas. Coach Steve Mariucci said Garcia is still the starter, even after Joey Harrington 's three-touchdown performance in Sunday's victory over Arizona. But Garcia has missed the past two games with soreness in his left leg.
VIKINGS: Coach Mike Tice , who sprained a ligament in his left knee Sunday, said he will not miss any games and will wait until after the season to have surgery.