Ben Maller's NFL rumors
by FOXSports.com
Ex-Pats LB Junior Seau could return next season?
While former Patriots LB Junior Seau seems resigned to not playing this season, he hasn't ruled out a return next year. "I don't expect a phone call anytime soon. The waves are going well and I'm pretty happy where I am with the coolers and being part of the life with my kids and what have you, but you never know about next year," he said, adding with a laugh that the former graduate, not retiree, wants to "get some extra credit." -- Providence Journal
Bengals could bench Chris Perry?
Is Bengals starting tailback Chris Perry about to get benched in favor of Cedric Benson or Kenny Watson? Sure sounds like it. Perry rushed 11 times for 14 yards (1.3) with a long gain of four yards. "We're going to look at all that," head coach Marvin Lewis said in the aftermath of the Bengals' 26-14 loss to the New York Jets. "We need to look at it and take a hard look, and see what's the best thing for us to go forward. It's a combination of things. I'm not going to sit here and elaborate much on it now. We've got to do better. It's not good enough." -- Dayton Daily News
Quarterback Kitna returning? Lions aren't talking
Lions management has refused to answer any questions about the long-term health of quarterback Jon Kitna, who missed all of last week with back problems. Kitna had an MRI and also consulted a spine specialist, but the Lions refuse to discuss details of Kitna's health. Kitna did not make the trip to Minnesota. Lions coach Rod Marinelli said the organization would huddle Monday morning and discuss Kitna's future. While Dan Orlovsky has been the backup all season, he's on a one-year contract. Drew Stanton, last year's second-round draft pick, appears to be the future of the team. Stanton finally is healthy after spraining his right thumb in the preseason and took half the snaps in practice last week. If Kitna is going to miss an extended period of time, the Lions will have to make a decision of when -- or if -- to make the switch from Orlovsky to Stanton. -- Ann Arbor News
Dolphins dealing QB Beck?
If any trades go down -- and they rarely do -- they are expected to be of the "B" list players, not the headliners. Players that have been shopped in recent days include Dolphins quarterback John Beck and Lions wide receiver Shaun McDonald. Of course, the interest in each player has been, at best, minimal. Since the summer the Dolphins have attempted to trade Beck to no avail. At one point in the spring, the Dallas Cowboys expressed a modicum of interest and even offered a player that Bill Parcells once drafted. But the Dolphins rejected that offer. -- NFL Network
Rams want Fakhir Brown back
The Rams already were short at cornerback due to the release of Fakhir Brown, plus Tye Hill's knee surgery. With Manning's injury, look for the Rams to do everything but send out a search party for Brown. Even before Sunday's game, officials at Rams Park said the club hoped to have Brown back under contract on Monday. -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Lions should deal Roy Williams or Cory Redding?
The Lions must stockpile as many draft picks as possible, and if that means moving assets such as Roy Williams or Cory Redding and shedding their salaries, then they must do that. They should move Kitna, but it won't happen because the NFL trading deadline is a waste. You don't see much in-season player movement because it takes too much time to learn a new system. The Lions will remain intact, but it'll have nothing to do with how they played Sunday. -- Detroit Free Press
Report: Haslett will keep Rams job with six wins
New Rams coach Jim Haslett knows that if his team wins this season, he will keep his job for next season. Buried inside Haslett's new Rams contract is a clause that says if he leads the teams to six wins this season -- and it will not be easy with upcoming games at Washington, home against Dallas, at New England -- then St. Louis will be obligated to keep him as its head coach for next season. -- NFL Network
Portis: Zorn didn't have Skins focused
Redskins RB Clinton Portis suggested his team had in fact listened to the sudden praise. He said practices on Thursday and Friday were excessively relaxed, that Coach Jim Zorn needed to "get on" players, and that the Redskins had more focus when they had been regarded as underdogs. "I think it was loose. It was people smiling everywhere: us, coach," Portis said of the past week. "You know, we overlooked a team that came here ready to play. And honestly, we've been the underdogs since I've been here, and we came out with fight every game we was the underdog. Win, lose or draw, we came out to fight. So for us to expect St. Louis not to come out and fight, I don't know how we let them shock us like that." -- Washington Post
Junior Seau gets AFC Championship ring
Football fans who visited Junior Seau's Mission Valley restaurant yesterday got more than what was on the menu. Patriots owner Robert Kraft stopped by to present Seau, the former New England linebacker, with his AFC Championship ring from last season, according to reports from New England. Seau, who played 13 seasons for the Chargers through 2002, became a free agent after last season, and he said in August he would only play for the Patriots if he returned. He repeated that yesterday. "The only reason why I would come back is to finish what we didn't finish last year," Seau, 39, said, according to the Boston Globe's Web site. "That's the only purpose. There is no other reason for me to come back." Seau joked that if the Patriots called to ask him to return, his answer would depend on the surfing conditions on the San Diego coastline. -- San Diego Union-Tribune
Giants DC Spagnuolo: Statistics Mean Nothing
The numbers are in and they're spectacular. The Giants are the third-ranked defense in the NFL heading into this weekend and were in the top five in virtually every significant defensive category. Do those statistics mean much to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo? "I put them in the trash when they come around," Spagnuolo said. "To me, the only time those rankings are ever . . . you can't take them with you on the field. And the only time they are really going to mean anything is when it is all over with. And I think the guys are kind of buying into the same thing. Every once in a while, I'm sure guys cheat. We all do that. But we have tried to just put the blinders on and worry about the team that we are playing." -- NY Post
Chiefs need some big plays from rookie Charles
Jamaal Charles' season can hardly be called a waste. The rookie running back is averaging 4.7 yards per rush, is the Chiefs' third-leading pass receiver and has proved to be a willing and able pass protector. But for his season to be a true success, Charles has to deliver more big plays. The fastest of their offensive players, the Chiefs designed some plays intended to get the ball to Charles in the open field, where he might be able to outrun defenders. The Chiefs have even tried him as a kickoff returner, where he's averaging slightly more than 26 yards per return. He still doesn't have a rush of more than 13 yards or a reception of more than 17 yards. -- KC Star
Raiders Burgess could have season-ending surgery
Oakland is staring straight at the possibility of indefinitely losing its Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Burgess to a partially torn triceps. As it is, Burgess is expected to be out two to four weeks after spending Wednesday of this past week in Birmingham, Ala., meeting with Dr. James Andrews. Burgess was told to take off some time, hope to have his tricep heal on its own and then have it examined again later this month. If his tricep has healed, then Burgess will be able to resume playing. But if it has not, Burgess will need to undergo season-ending surgery. -- NFL Network
Dolphins to extend SS Yeremiah Bell?
The Dolphins took a risk during the offseason in re-signing SS Yeremiah Bell, who had missed almost all of 2007 with a torn Achilles tendon. Word we're hearing out of Miami is that the Fins couldn't be more pleased with Bell's play, as he's developed into a tremendous physical presence. He only signed a one-year contract but could be extended soon. -- Pro Football Weekly
Terry Bradshaw: Pacman's not smarter than a fifth-grader
You're not doing well in the court of public opinion when Terry Bradshaw derides your intelligence. With Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones potentially facing league discipline this week for fighting his team-supplied bodyguard last week, the TV talking heads piled on Sunday. Said Fox's Bradshaw: "One thing we know for certain -- he's not smarter than a fifth-grader." Ouch. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Friday that if he had suspended Jones, who played Sunday, he "would have had to suspend half the team over the last 20 years. ? This was a nothing." At least CBS' Boomer Esiason seemed to agree: "This is nothing more than a child going after the baby sitter. ? I don't think this is really that big of a deal." -- USA Today
Lions Roy Williams offered to Cowboys?
Roy Williams, Detroit -- Reportedly, the Lions offered the star receiver to Dallas for two No. 1 picks, the Cowboys turned it down.
Jeff Garcia, Tampa Bay -- Why some team, like New England, doesn't make the Bucs an offer, is crazy.
Torry Holt, St. Louis -- With the Rams in a rebuilding phase, the veteran receiver could be had.
Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City -- The same goes with the All-Pro tight end from the Chiefs.
Lito Sheppard, Eagles -- If he stays, and the Eagles fall out of the race it could get real interesting. -- Trenton Times
Titans could turn to punter Josh Miller
The Titans are not going to take any chances if P Craig Hentrich's back pain flares up during the season, so don't be surprised if they have to call again on veteran Josh Miller, who filled in for Hentrich once last season under similar circumstances and was added to the roster in Week Five in the event Hentrich could not go. -- Pro Football Weekly
Bills won't rush QB Edwards back
There's concern in Buffalo regarding quarterback Trent Edwards' concussion and whether he will be able to play in the Bills' next game, Oct. 19, against the San Diego Chargers. Edwards' concussion was not as serious as it could be. Still, the Bills are taking every precaution to make sure their quarterback is safe and he is not rushed back to action too early. The team has not made any determination yet as to whether Edwards will play or sit next Sunday. -- NFL Network
Steelers Sweed shows patience despite lack of time
Limas Sweed was among those who had high expectations when the Steelers drafted him in the second round -- a big and fast receiver who conceivably could be the team's No. 3 receiver and a big-play threat to pair with Santonio Holmes. But, not only was Sweed unable to beat out Nate Washington for the third receiving spot, he hasn't been able to move past Dallas Baker as the No. 4 receiver. That has produced one of the most popular questions in town -- what's wrong with Sweed? "Just tell 'em patience is a virtue," said Sweed, who was drafted out of Texas. "I'm playing behind some guys on fire right now. It's their time right now and I'm the younger guy. My time is coming." -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Merriman makes appearance on Chargers sideline
Linebacker Shawne Merriman made his first appearance on the Chargers sideline since he had reconstructive knee surgery on Sept. 15. It was not a quiet showing. Merriman, who got off crutches for the first time Friday, stepped into the middle of the Chargers' pregame inspirational huddle and jumped up and down, firing up his teammates. -- San Diego Union-Tribune
Rams Incognito in trouble for swearing?
Rams Coach Jim Haslett said the officials told him Richie Incognito was penalized for swearing. Several Redskins said Incognito blurred the lines of fair play, drawing their ire on more than one occasions. "He could have got several penalties, several personal fouls," linebacker London Fletcher said. "That's his M.O. He does a lot of late hitting, grabbing face masks, things like that." -- Washington Post
Kendall key to Redskins running game
Redskins sources marvel at the job that OLG Pete Kendall is doing. The Redskins have become a left-handed running team, often sending Clinton Portis right over Kendall's backside. And Kendall is getting it done, muscling bigger, stronger defensive tackles and cleaning out linebackers even at age 35 with ailing knees. He's a big reason why the Redskins have been so strong up front. -- Pro Football Weekly
Kris Jenkins is Jets defensive MVP
We hear that the Jets' dramatic rise in sack production from last year -- 13 in the first four games -- can be attributed to one man: Kris Jenkins. The player whom the Jets traded for in the offseason has been the unquestioned defensive MVP of the team thus far, tying up multiple interior offensive linemen to open up lanes to the quarterback for the Jets' other box defenders. -- Pro Football Weekly
Checketts wants to save Rams
Cynics can ridicule Blues Chairman Dave Checketts by taking shots at his personal worth, but I don't see any wealthy St. Louis individuals stepping forward to declare a willingness to preserve the Rams' future in St. Louis. So I applaud Checketts for caring about this community. -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Falcons Hester plan works
The Falcons were able to contain Chicago's Pro Bowl returner Devin Hester by squibbing the ball down on most kickoffs. On two punts, Hester did not get a return. The first Michael Koenen punt went into the end zone for a touchback. His fourth-quarter punt had so much hang time that Hester was forced to call a fair catch. While the Falcons were able to control Hester in the return game, he did have six receptions for 87 yards while playing slot receiver. -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Steelers happy with LB LaMarr Woodley
Much is being made about the type of pass rusher that Steelers LOLB LaMarr Woodley has become -- he had 5½ sacks in the first five games -- but a source close to the club has come away impressed with the strides Woodley has made in pass coverage -- no small feat for a converted collegiate defensive end who's only in his second season at his new position. -- Pro Football Weekly
McNabb's tax bill shoots up to $1.3 mil
Two former Eagles, trying to sell their Moorestown cribs, are feeling the economic pinch. The asking price on Terrell Owens' place just dropped to $2,675,000, and Jevon Kearse's has been marked down to $2,452,500. And regarding a current Eagle living in Moorestown: Public records show that the annual real estate tax bill for Donovan McNabb shot from $628,800 in 2007 to $1,332,100 in 2008. -- Philadelphia Inquirer
Jessica Simpson: Not engaged to Tony Romo
Jessica Simpson performed a pre-race concert and sang the national anthem at the NASCAR Bank of America 500 on Saturday in North Carolina, but before she crooned for car race fans, she spoke to ET about love with NFL beau Tony Romo! The beauty also got a lesson in changing tires at pit crew speed from pro driver Scott Wimmer, and ET caught it all on tape! Jessica dished about her budding romance with Tony -- and debunked some crazy rumors in the process! "Tony and I have not gone to Neiman Marcus -- somebody said we bought a ring there," Jessica tells ET about engagement rumors. "I couldn't drag Tony in to Neiman Marcus if I tried." Jessica also says she is "beyond the moon and stars," adding, "I'm very happy." -- Entertainment Tonight
Who Knew?
With Philip Rivers at quarterback, the Chargers have won all six of their home night games and are 17-2 overall at home in the regular season. -- San Diego Union-Tribune
Who Knew?
New York is No. 1 in total offense this season, averaging 431.0 yards per game. The last time the Giants led the league in total offense was way back in 1963. -- FoxSports.com
How About That?
Brandon Jacobs recorded his seventh career 100-yard game last Sunday (Giants are 6-1 in those games) and is averaging 95.0 yards per game on the ground in 2008 -- third best in football. -- FoxSports.com
OJ Simpson went to jail for 23 Joe Montana lithographs
What items are so valuable that O.J. Simpson was willing to risk spending the rest of his life in prison--sentencing is set for Dec. 5--to possess? For the first time, the Clark County, Nevada, district attorney's office has released a copy of the evidence list, which itemizes the sports memorabilia now residing in an evidence vault in Las Vegas. The list includes:
- A football marked with "O.J. Simpson / Detroit Lions; 11/25/1976 NFL Record-273 yards rushing"
- A football marked with "O.J. Simpson, 4 touchdowns, Bills 45, Patriots 31, 11/23/1975"
- A football marked with "Juice 1000 yards, Bills 23, Chiefs 14, 10/29/1973"
- A football marked with "O.J. Simpson Pro Football Hall of Fame 1969/1979-Inducted 8/3/1985"
- A football marked with "Kodak All America Team, 1975"
- A football marked with "O.J. Simpson Heisman 1968"
- A football marked with "Juice 250 yards, Bills 31, Pats 13, 9/16/1973"
- A football marked with "O.J. Simpson 2003 yards, 1973; 10,183 yards rushing, Hall of Fame 1985"
- 164 photographs from his last game at the University of Southern California in 1969
- 140 photographs of Simpson with the Buffalo Bills 14 photographs called Simpson/Heisman
- Framed All American Football Award
- Framed AFL Award
- Bag containing 23 Joe Montana lithographs
Some media outlets reported that seized items included the suit Mr. Simpson wore when he was acquitted 13 years ago in the 1994 killing of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. That, however, doesn't seem to be the case, according to Michael Sommermeyer, court information officer for Clark County's courts. -- Wall Street Journal
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