Atlanta Falcons 11/19/2007 8:23 AMThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports as if the 31-7 beating by Tampa Bay Sunday wasn't enough, the Falcons appear to have lost at least one starter for the season and could have two others in serious jeopardy because of injuries. NT Trey Lewis suffered a severe right knee injury in the first quarter and likely is out for the season. DT Rod Coleman suffered triceps and hand injuries on his right arm, and both were said to be potentially serious. OT Todd Weiner also left the game. "Trey, I don't think is a good deal," coach Bobby Petrino said. "It looks serious." Coleman played after getting hurt but wore a protective support on both problem areas plus sizeable padding on his hand. "Both of them might not be good," Petrino said of Coleman's injuries.Read more
Atlanta Falcons 11/19/2007 8:21 AMThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the return of Byron Leftwich as the Falcons' starting quarterback against TampaBay on Sunday was supposed to create a spark. Instead, it may have started a wildfire. Leftwich struggled, got booed and then benched. Former starter Joey Harrington got cheered, got playing time and then led Atlanta to its only touchdown. The Falcons got manhandled, whipped and mercilessly embarrassed, 31-7, before a stadium that was never full and, by the start of the fourth quarter, resembled a tree that shed nearly all but its most resilient leaves. Afterward, coach Bobby Petrino declined to endorse Leftwich or Harrington as the starter for Thursday's Thanksgiving game against Super Bowl champion Indianapolis at the Georgia Dome. The mess is getting messier.Read more
Miami Dolphins 11/19/2007 8:19 AMThe Palm Beach Post reports Jesse Chatman and Patrick Cobbs have had the backfield all to themselves for three-plus games since RB Ronnie Brown's season-ending knee injury. But now it gets crowded. Sunday's 17-7 loss to Philadelphia was the Dolphins' last game without RB Ricky Williams, reinstated by the NFL on Wednesday following an 18-month suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. He is eligible to play next Monday night at Pittsburgh, and Chatman and Cobbs - the only Dolphins running backs to touch the ball since Brown went down - don't know if that means a reduced role for them. And they aren't talking about Williams, either. "Honestly, I ain't even got a comment on that," Chatman said after Sunday's loss. "I'm not supposed to talk about that," Cobbs said.Read more
Pittsburgh Steelers 11/19/2007 8:15 AMThe Post-Gazette reports WR Santonio Holmes left the game in the fourth quarter with a right ankle sprain and did not return. His 7-yard touchdown reception was his seventh, giving him the team lead. QB Ben Roethlisberger's 23rd touchdown pass brought him within five of tying Terry Bradshaw's team record.Read more
