Playoffs? Owens may miss them
Eagles star receiver Terrell Owens will miss the final two games of the regular season and possibly the playoffs and Super Bowl because of a sprained right ankle, a devastating blow for a team that has lost three straight NFC title games.
"I was looking forward to the playoffs, really trying to get this team to the Super Bowl," Owens said yesterday. "I think without me, still, they achieve that goal."
"There's no reason for the city of Philadelphia to get down because I'm not there," he said. "Obviously, my presence will be missed, but we have the guys to get it done."
The NFC East champion Eagles (13-1) are left without their biggest offensive threat, their most animated player, and the man simply known around this Eagles-crazed town as TO.
Owens will have surgery tomorrow and stands only an outside shot at being able to play in the NFL's championship game Feb. 6 -- if Philadelphia makes it that far -- head trainer Rick Burkholder said.
Owens, who has 77 catches for 1,120 yards and the team-record 14 touchdowns, also has a fracture a few inches below his knee. But Burkholder didn't rule out the chance that Owens would be able to run in five weeks -- the weekend of the NFC title game.
Owens was hurt on the second play of the third quarter of Philadelphia's win over Dallas Sunday when he was dragged down from behind by Roy Williams on a 20-yard reception. Owens immediately grabbed the back of his leg, which was bent backward.
The Eagles are left with basically the same lackluster receiving corps that has disappeared when needed in the title games. Freddie Mitchell or Greg Lewis could join Todd Pinkston as the other starting wideout. Those three have a combined 60 catches for 1,073 yards. Pinkston has an injured knee and the Eagles will activate wide receiver Billy McMullen.
Del Rio plays defense
Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio defended hard-hitting safety Donovin Darius, saying he never intended to hurt Robert Ferguson with a clothesline tackle that put the Green Bay receiver in the hospital. Del Rio also said he expected Darius to be fined but not suspended for the shot that temporarily paralyzed Ferguson and knocked him unconscious Sunday. "It was a nasty shot, but I don't believe his intent was to headhunt the guy," Del Rio said. Ferguson was taken off the field on a stretcher and temporarily paralyzed below the waist following the hit. He regained feeling and movement on his way to the hospital, where he spent Sunday night. He will remain there at least one more night for tests and observation. Meanwhile, Jaguars running back Fred Taylor had an MRI on his left knee, which Del Rio called a "precautionary measure." Results were not expected until today at the earliest. Taylor had a season-high 165 yards rushing and a touchdown in a 28-25 victory over Green Bay Sunday. He injured his knee late in the second half, but returned to the game . . . The Dolphins, whose coaching search drew criticism last week from a group that advocates minority hiring, interviewed former Raiders coach Art Shell, said an NFL source speaking on condition of anonymity. Shell, a Hall of Fame offensive tackle, became the NFL's first black coach of the modern era in 1989 with the Raiders. Dolphins interim coach Jim Bates was expected to interview today. The favorite for the job remains LSU coach Nick Saban . . . Four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Woodson and safety Marques Anderson were arrested early yesterday for investigation of public intoxication following the Raiders' victory over Tennessee. The Oakland Police Department said the players were arrested at 4:20 a.m. in downtown Oakland after refusing to leave the back seat of a woman's car. Both could be subject to league sanctions under the NFL's substance-abuse policy within the collective bargaining agreement . . . A proposed stadium that would keep the Colts in Indianapolis for 30 years could face stiff opposition because its funding relies on gaming revenue. Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson proposed asking state lawmakers to legalize slot machine-like devices to help finance the $500 million stadium, which would open by fall 2008.
McGahee injured
Running back Willis McGahee has a hyperextended and bruised right knee that could prevent him from playing in Buffalo's game this weekend at San Francisco. Tests showed the injury is not more severe than initially feared, and indicated the running back will not require surgery, according to McGahee's agent. The injury is not to McGahee's left knee, the one he tore up in his final college outing for Miami in the Hurricanes' loss to Ohio State in the 2003 national championship game . . . Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is expected to play when Arizona visits this weekend, though his sore throwing elbow will require treatment and he's not expected to practice until tomorrow . . . Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said Patrick Ramsey will be his 2005 starting quarterback, and he expects Mark Brunell to remain with the team as a high-priced backup . . . Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer (sprained left knee) is hopeful he'll play against the Giants . . . The Giants placed linebacker Barrett Green (knee) and defensive end Regan Upshaw (hand) on injured reserve and signed defensive end Raheem Orr and offensive lineman Jason Hilliard from the practice squad.
