Bucs/NFL

Bad gets worse: After loss, no more Kearse

By TIMES WIRES
Published September 19, 2006

PHILADELPHIA - The season is over for Jevon Kearse because of a severe knee injury the star defensive end sustained in the Eagles' overtime loss to the Giants on Sunday.

The former Florida star, who had 2½ sacks against New York, badly sprained multiple ligaments in his left knee when his leg was hit by Mike Patterson as the two brought down Eli Manning on the first Giants drive of the extra period. Kearse reached for his knee immediately and was carted to the locker room.

The injury includes sprains of the medial collateral, lateral collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments. Treatment options have yet to be determined, though surgery is likely.

Also, Eagles guard Shawn Andrews strained his shoulder, cornerback Rod Hood left with a heel injury, tight end L.J. Smith sprained his shoulder and running back Brian Westbrook has swelling in his knee.

Kearse was in his third season with the Eagles after signing a $66-million, eight-year contract in 2004 following five seasons with the Titans.

LIONS: Coach Rod Marinelli explained why wide receiver Mike Williams was not in uniform for the first two games.

Williams, the 10th pick of the 2005 draft and a former Plant High standout, has made progress recently but he still hasn't reached the standards the coaches have set and won't play until he does.

"He did get better last week," said Marinelli, a former Bucs assistant. "We'll go on from there."

But Marinelli declined to tell the media why Williams wasn't good enough, and there is a disagreement over whether anyone has told Williams.

PANTHERS: John Fox is fond of saying a punt isn't a bad play.

Yet Monday, one of the league's most conservative coaches took the blame for a botched trick play that ended up the turning point in a 16-13 overtime loss to the Vikings. The play resulted in a fumble and led to Minnesota's own surprise - a fake field goal - which produced a touchdown that tied the score at 13.

With Carolina up 13-6 in the fourth quarter, Chris Gamble fielded a punt at the Carolina 40. He then tried to pull off a play the Panthers had worked on in practice all week after seeing what they believed was a flaw in the Vikings' punt coverage.

Gamble moved left and was swarmed. He spun and lofted a wobbly lateral across the field for rookie Richard Marshall. The ball bounced then clanged off Marshall's chest. Minnesota's Jason Glenn recovered it at the Carolina 21.

"At that point in the game we were trying to be aggressive. We got too greedy - or I should say I did," Fox said. "If I could do it over again I wouldn't do it."

RAMS: First-year coach Scott Linehan chalked up his sputtering offense to growing pains.

"The last I checked, there's a whole new coaching staff here," Linehan said. "There's some newness and change. Not to harp on it, but I wouldn't be here if everything was perfect last year."

The Rams, who dropped to 1-1 with a 20-13 loss to the 49ers on Sunday, have one touchdown in two games, a far cry from their "Greatest Show on Turf" days.

VIKINGS: Right defensive end Erasmus James tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Sunday in the fourth quarter and is out for the season, coach Brad Childress said.

[Last modified September 19, 2006, 01:32:21]