Cleveland Browns 10/28/2008 3:27 PMThe Dayton Daily News reports the Cleveland Browns young secondary was at the center of controversy when the season began for its inconsistent play. But now the unit is the toast of Cleveland as they continue to improve as the season progresses. The Browns defense has made significant strides since the season opener against Dallas. They're ranked seventh in the NFL in points allowed (17.6) and 10th in passing yards allowed with 195 per game. A major player in the team's success on defense has no doubt been second-year cornerback Eric Wright. The Browns 2007 second-round draft pick, Wright has elevated his game and has come into his own as a pro. He is the premiere playmaker in the secondary, making big plays when they count.Read more
New Orleans Saints 10/25/2008 9:43 AMThe Times-Picayune reports Saints running back Deuce McAllister and defensive ends Will Smith and Charles Grant have tested positive for a drug on the National Football League's list of prohibited substances, two NFL sources Friday. Those positive tests mean that all three likely will miss four consecutive games each sometime soon. The reports of the positive tests for McAllister and Smith originated early Friday with Fox 31 television in Denver, which quoted "a highly placed NFL source" as saying that McAllister and Smith were among six to 10 NFL players who tested positive. Many of them, including McAllister and Smith, tested positive for a weight-loss diuretic and possible steroid-masking agent called Bumetanide, according to the Denver report.Read more
Pittsburgh Steelers 10/25/2008 9:34 AMThe Post-Gazette reports Steelers receiver Santonio Holmes, who has been dogged by a variety of legal troubles in recent years, will not play in tomorrow's home game against the New York Giants because of his latest scrape with the law. Pittsburgh police on Thursday afternoon pulled over Mr. Holmes' sport utility vehicle near Mellon Arena and found three marijuana-filled cigars. Mr. Holmes told the officers that he had smoked marijuana in the vehicle the day before, according to a police affidavit. Officers charged Mr. Holmes, 24, of Ohio Township, with a misdemeanor count of prohibited acts, in this case having a small amount of marijuana. Mr. Holmes did not seem impaired, so officers let him go. They are charging him through the mail by summons.Read more
Dallas Cowboys 10/25/2008 9:29 AMThe Star-Telegram reports Dallas Cowboys receiver Roy Williams makes his Texas Stadium debut Sunday with his new team. But for those fans hoping to see a lot of Williams or a breakout performance, it still might take some time. Williams, who did not have a catch last week for only the second time in five years, is trying to learn the playbook. "It’s going to take me 2-3 weeks to know the whole playbook and I don’t even know if this is the whole playbook or not," Williams said. "Hopefully by the bye week, I will be comfortable."Read more
