Saints WR Moore is going to play Saturday game

The New Orleans Saints wide receiver Lance Moore is hoping that he would be able to put on his No. 16 Saints jersey and play this Saturday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals after missing eight of the last nine games because of a series of ankle and hamstring injuries.


The Saints would like to use the shifty, 5-9, 190-pound Moore a lot like the New England Patriots use Wes Welker and the Dallas Cowboys use Miles Austin. That could be why the team has not placed Moore on injured reserve by so far. Plus quarterback Drew Brees has great trust and confidence in Moore, who became his go-to guy last year. And Moore showed his value well in Week 6 by catching six passes for 78 yards and a touchdown in a high-profile showdown with the New York Giants, who remained unbeaten till the game ended with Saints’ 48-27 victory.

Other Saints who were still dealing with injuries but are possible to play Saturday’s game include cornerback Malcolm Jenkins and tailback Pierre Thomas. Jenkins with a hamstring injury missed last Saturday’s practice but will return to practice on Tuesday and play Saturday. Thomas practiced despite ribs injury and he was confident that he will be able to play at a high level with some extra padding around the middle.

Jaguars TE Lewis went on IR with broken bone

The Jacksonville Jaguars will finish the season without tight end Marcedes Lewis, who got a bone in his face broken in Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots after taking on a crushing hit from a safety in Patriots jersey.


The Jaguars may also have to play this Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns without cornerback Rashean Mathis and defensive tackle Atiyyah Ellison as Mathis is still hampered by an injury suffered in November and Ellison was still walking on crutches Monday after suffering a knee injury.

The hit on Lewis came on an off-target throw from QB David Garrard. The throw symbolized Garrard’s struggles to deliver pinpoint passes in clutch situations. Despite Coach Jack Del’s support and GM Gene Smith’s confidence, Garrard may still have to give up his starting job because his production hasn’t matched the salary the team promise to offer.

Six injured Colts starters missed practice

The Indianapolis Colts practiced Wednesday without six starters, who were nursing different injuries. Pro Bowl defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis were among the six injured starters, remaining uncertain for this Sunday’s game against the New York Jets.


Freeney is having abdomen problem and Mathis injured quad, but both played last week’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The practice report has more significance this week because Coach Jim Caldwell said he will decide who to play based, in large part, on who is healthy.

Other starters who sat out were: receiver Pierre Garcon with hand injury, left tackle Charlie Johnson with foot injury, cornerback Jerraud Powers with injured hamstring and linebacker Clint Session with knee injury. And the most important guy wearing No. 18 Colts jersey was listed again with an injury to his backside but anyway took full part in the practice.

Four Giants players missed Thursday practice

Offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie and cornerback Corey Webster missed the New York Giants Thursday practice with knee injuries, wide receiver Mario Manningham missed the practice with an undisclosed illness and backup running back Ahmad Bradshaw was out with an ankle injury.


According to Giants Coach Tom Coughlin, it remains unsure whether McKenzie and Webster would wear back Giants jerseys to play next Monday night’s road game against the Washington Redskins. But he indicated that Webster is having a better chance to play than McKenzie.

Rookie Will Beatty, who already started an Oct. 25 game against the Arizona Cardinals as replacement to McKenzie, would get the starting job again if McKenzie could miss Monday’s game, and Webster’s possible replacement should be Aaron Ross, who started at safety last week after missing the first nine games with hamstring injury.

Two Cardinals starting linebackers may miss Sunday game

The Arizona Cardinals starting linebackers Gerald Hayes and Chike Okeafor did not practice Friday after missing all previous workouts this week, indicating that they are unlikely to play this Sunday against NFC West foe the Seattle Seahawks.


If so, Hayes will miss two consecutive games since he got the injury. Ali Highsmith will start for the second time in Hayes’ place. The team will have Bertrand Berry start at Okeafor’s place if the latter will not play.

Backup left tackle Jeremy Bridges will probably get his chance to start, too. As starting left tackle Mike Gandy was struggling with a pelvis injury and listed as questionable for Sunday’s game after being limited in practice Friday. His absence will also break his 28-game streak of starting for the Cardinals at the same spot.

Several Panthers key players missed practice Wednesday

The Carolina Panthers practiced Wednesday with quite a few key players sidelined because of injuries, including running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart and fullback Brad Hoover. Some other injured players were limited in practice.


Williams missed the practice because of a sore knee. According to Coach John Fox, the running back tweaked it while playing in his Panthers jersey during Sunday’s loss to the New Orleans Saints, although he managed to rush for 149 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Steward’s absence from Wednesday workouts has been a routine since he had a sore Achilles’ tendon. Hoover was sidelined with a sprained ankle.

Defensive end Julius Peppers had a messed up right hand and took limited part in Wednesday’s practice, so did tight end Dante Rosario, who had knee injuries. Players returning to practice from injuries included backup fullback Tony Fiammetta and receiver Muhsin Muhammad.

Four more Bills players left field with injuries during Sunday game

The Buffalo Bills won the home opener over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by 33-20 on Sunday, but with the cost of four more injured players including right tackle Brad Butler, tight end Derek Schouman, starting cornerback Leodis McKelvin and rookie tight end Shawn Nelson.


So it was really not an easy victory. Butler hurt his right knee late in the first half when Buccaneers defensive lineman Stylez White rolled into back of his legs. He was cart off in his intact bills jersey the field and did not return. Third-year tackle Jonathan Scott then took over in Butler’s place. And Schouman and Nelson’s leaving made Derek Fine being the Bills only one tight end on the field. McKelvin was seen limping off the field after Carnell Williams scored on an 8-yard touchdown pass to cut Buffalo’s lead to 20-14 with 27 seconds left in the first half. But fortunately, the Bills finally made it to win.

According to the Bills Coach Dick Jauron, the status of the four injured players needed to be evaluated after having further tests. So it is still uncertain whether any one of the four would be able to play the Bills home game against the New Orleans Saints next weekend.