Lions vice chair would sack Millen

Maybe things can get worse for the Detroit Lions.

A day after Detroit lost at San Francisco, falling to 0-3, Lions vice chairman Bill Ford essentially said he'd fire team president Matt Millen if he had the authority.

"I think the fans deserve better and if it were in my authority, which it's not, I'd make some significant changes," Ford said yesterday.

Asked by a reporter if he believed Millen should leave the team, Ford said, "Yes, I do."

The Ford Motor Co. executive chairman is the son of William Clay Ford, the franchise's owner since 1964.

In rare interviews, the elder Ford has stood by his decision to hire Millen in 2001 and to stick with him since then. With Ford atop the franchise, the Lions have won only one playoff game and are an NFL-worst 31-84 since Millen took over in 2001.

Millen won Super Bowls as a linebacker and was an acclaimed TV analyst, but had no front-office experience when he was hired in Detroit.

Shockey out 3-6 weeks

Tight end Jeremy Shockey, second on the New Orleans Saints in receiving through three games, is expected to be out 3-6 weeks because of a torn muscle in his groin.

Shockey, who was acquired from the New York Giants in a trade shortly before training camp, had 16 receptions for 151 yards during the Saints' first three regular-season games. He played Sunday in a 34-32 loss at Denver, catching five passes for 56 yards.

Yesterday afternoon, a team spokesman confirmed a report on the New Orleans Times-Picayune's website that Shockey was set to have surgery this week.

The injury to Shockey was the second major blow to the Saints' receivers this season following the loss of Marques Colston in Week 1.

Taylor streak to end

What seemed like an annoying kick in the calf turned into a significant medical issue for the Washington Redskins and defensive end Jason Taylor, who underwent a 20-minute emergency procedure yesterday and will miss next week's game against the Dallas Cowboys.

"He's going to be fine," coach Jim Zorn said. "Our problem is that he's going to be out for this Dallas game for sure. I can't tell you beyond that."

The injury will end Taylor's consecutive games streak at 133, the seventh longest among active players. He hasn't missed a game since 1999, early in his career with the Miami Dolphins.

Taylor was kicked in his left leg in the second quarter of Sunday's 24-17 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

He finished the game and had three tipped passes - including two during a crucial stand inside the Redskins' 10-yard line in the second half - but the leg became painful and sore Sunday night, and he lost feeling in his ankle as blood began to pool.

Westbrook day-to-day

Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook is day-to-day with a strained ankle. Westbrook injured his right ankle while hurdling a teammate on a 2-yard run on the first play of the second quarter of Sunday's 15-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He walked to the locker room without help, but didn't return and left the stadium on crutches. An MRI revealed no torn ligaments . . . With his team off to an unexpected 0-3 start and Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Anderson coming off another rough performance, Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel said he is considering personnel changes, including possibly starting backup QB Brady Quinn in Sunday's game against the winless Cincinnati Bengals. "We have to look at all of the positions," Crennel said.

Tests for Harris

Green Bay Packers cornerback Al Harris was undergoing tests amid a report he might have ruptured his spleen in Sunday's loss to the Cowboys . . . Bills starting fullback Darian Barnes had tests on his injured right foot, leaving his status uncertain for Buffalo's game at St. Louis Sunday. Barnes was hurt when he tumbled awkwardly into the sideline after a 9-yard reception midway through the second quarter of Buffalo's 24-23 win against the Oakland Raiders Sunday . . . Carolina Panthers rookie linebacker Dan Connor will miss the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, sustained in Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings . . . The New York Jets re-signed recently released punter Ben Graham . . . Court officials in Pomona, Calif., said former NFL kicker Tony Zendejas has pleaded not guilty to charges that he drugged a woman at his Southern California sports bar and raped her.