NFL

Patriots ailing QB plans to face Bucs

Patriots QB Tom Brady, being hammered by the Bills' Aaron Schobel, says an injury to his lower left leg isn't serious enough to keep him out of Saturday's game against the Bucs.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The player the Patriots could least afford to lose limped through most of Sunday's game and had X-rays taken after it.

A day later, though, coach Bill Belichick said Tom Brady was "fine," and the quarterback said he didn't think his lower left leg injury was "too major."

Brady has started 84 consecutive games, beginning with his first pro start Sept.30, 2001. New England needs him Saturday when it plays the Buccaneers, a strong defensive team that has more wins (nine) than the Patriots' past two opponents combined, the Jets (3-10) and the Bills (4-9).

Brady was hurt less than 10 minutes into Sunday's 35-7 win at Buffalo on his 3-yard scoring run, his first touchdown on the ground in two seasons. He was injured while diving into the end zone, where he was hit by linebacker Jeff Posey.

He stayed in the game until Doug Flutie entered with 7:02 left and the Patriots leading 28-0.

"I don't think it's anything too major," Brady said on his regular Monday radio appearance. "It's feeling kind of what I expected this morning. It's exactly like I got hit on it, a little stiff. The only time I get banged up, though, I'm running around."

He said the injury was "below the (left) knee."

ANOTHER FALLEN EAGLE: Running back Brian Westbrook is finished for the season after the Eagles placed him on injured reserve. Westbrook, however, doesn't need surgery for his foot injury, called a Lis Franc sprain. Westbrook is the fourth Pro Bowl player Philadelphia has lost in the past month, joining quarterback Donovan McNabb, cornerback Lito Sheppard and left tackle Tra Thomas.

TEXANS HIRE EX-COACH REEVES: Grasping for answers in its 1-12 season, Houston hired Dan Reeves as a special consultant to owner Bob McNair. McNair made it clear that Reeves, an NFL head coach for 23 seasons with the Broncos, Giants and Falcons, was not brought in to critique coach Dom Capers or general manager Charley Casserly. He and Reeves said he is not a coaching candidate for the Texans.

COSTLY DIGS: The stadium the Giants and Jets will jointly build in the Meadowlands likely will cost more than $1-billion. Owners of both teams filed preliminary site plans for the 81,000-seat stadium, to be built between the existing Giants Stadium and the Meadowlands Racetrack.

RAMS: Ryan Fitzpatrick will remain at quarterback even though the rookie from Harvard threw five interceptions in Sunday's 27-13 loss at Minnesota.

TITANS: Running back Travis Henry will miss at least one game with a sprained right ankle.

VIKINGS: Linebacker Keith Newman, injured in Sunday's win over Minnesota, probably will miss two weeks with a sprained right knee. But All-Pro defensive tackle Kevin Williams will return this weekend against Pittsburgh.

[Last modified December 13, 2005, 04:19:35]