Saints' Gleason apologizes for low blow
Saints special teams captain Steve Gleason expects to be fined by the league after being ejected from Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers for throwing a punch.
Gleason was tossed with 1:26 remaining in the first half after punching Panthers defensive end Kemp Rasmussen in his groin at the end of a kickoff return.
"There was really no justification for what I did," Gleason said yesterday. "I'm humiliated."
Gleason was on his knees after the play and Rasmussen was standing in front of him. There was a slight pause and then Gleason threw the punch.
"I should apologize to everyone," Gleason said. "My opponent, my team and my coach. I'm just sick about it."
NFL director of football operations Gene Washington is expected to review the incident.
Jets' Abraham out
Jets defensive end John Abraham will miss next week's game at Pittsburgh with a sprained ligament in his right knee. Coach Herman Edwards said an MRI exam revealed the injury to the lateral collateral ligament, and Abraham is week to week. Abraham leads the team with 9 1/2 sacks . . . Raider Ronald Curry, who has a team-high 50 catches, tore his left Achilles' tendon during Sunday's loss to Kansas City and is done for the season . . . Titans cornerback Samari Rolle had surgery on his left knee and will be out 2-4 weeks. The Titans also lost linebacker Rocky Calmus for the season with a strained left hamstring . . . Ram Marc Bulger, who sprained his right shoulder in the first quarter of Sunday's victory over the 49ers, is expected to miss at least a week . . . Eagles defensive end Derrick Burgess will miss the rest of the regular season with a chest injury and will be replaced in the starting lineup by veteran Hugh Douglas . . . Cornerback Antoine Winfield, who leads the Vikings with 94 tackles and three interceptions, will miss at least two starts with a high ankle sprain . . . The Bills could be without right tackle Mike Williams and tight end Mark Campbell against Cleveland. Both suffered right knee injuries against Miami.
Broken record Donovan McNabb broke an NFL record by completing 24 consecutive passes over two games. McNabb completed his first 14 passes in Philadelphia's 47-17 victory over Green Bay Sunday. He had completed his last 10 passes in a victory over the New York Giants the previous week. Joe Montana held the old record with 22 straight completions against Cleveland and Green Bay in 1987 . . . The Cardinals' quarterback carousel kept on spinning, with coach Dennis Green choosing Josh McCown as next week's starter by default. Seventh-round draft pick John Navarre, who threw four interceptions, broke his right ring finger during a 26-14 loss at Detroit . . . Former Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Warren has been arrested in Virginia on a federal warrant, accused of failing to pay $137,147 in child support for his two daughters in Washington state.
