Collins May Return Earlier Than Expected
Carolina quarterback Kerry Collins, whose jaw was broken in two places by Denver linebacker Bill Romanowski Aug. 9, could be back in uniform on the Panthers’ bench this weekend.
Coach Dom Capers said Collins, who began working out with the team last week, might be designated as the Panthers’ emergency quarterback for Sunday’s game against the Falcons at Atlanta.
By declaring Collins as their third-string quarterback for the game, Collins would be eligible to be on the bench and in uniform. Beyond that, however, Capers said Collins has not received medical clearance to return to game action.
Doctors have said Collins is expected to miss at least two more games following the Atlanta contest, but Capers said he may return sooner.
Druckenmiller in as 49ers QB
The San Francisco 49ers will start a rookie quarterback for the first time since 1979.
Then, it was Joe Montana. Sunday, it will be Jim Druckenmiller.
First-stringer Steve Young needs another week to recover from a concussion, his third in 10 months.
Deion to concentrate on one sport
Deion Sanders is going back to the thing he does best - cover receivers - on a full-time basis this weekend, unsure whether his latest fling with baseball will be his last.
The Cincinnati Reds have given Sanders permission to end his season after tonight’s game against Pittsburgh so he can be with the Dallas Cowboys.
Sanders intended to play baseball during the week and football on weekends through the end of the month, but a bulging disc in his lower back made it impossible to do both effectively.
Seau expected to start Sunday
Six-time Pro Bowl linebacker Junior Seau, who hasn’t played since arthroscopic knee surgery Aug. 4, is expected to start Sunday’s game at New Orleans for the San Diego Chargers.
Patriots fined for hits on Humphries
New England Patriots linebackers Tedy Bruschi and Todd Collins were fined $7,500 each by the NFL for hits on San Diego Chargers quarterback Stan Humphries last Sunday.
The Patriots beat the Chargers 41-7 and Humphries separated his left, non-throwing, shoulder.
Besides the dislocation, Humphries took a helmet-to-helmet shot from Bruschi and a forearm under the chin from Collins. Bruschi’s hit split Humphries’ lip.
Bears linebacker Bryan Cox, already fined $10,000 by his team, was one of 12 players fined by the league for their roles in a fight.
Six players from each team were fined amounts ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 for the incident in Monday night’s game at Green Bay.
Hit for the largest fines were Cox, Chicago teammate John Thierry and the Packers’ Earl Dotson, all for fighting.
Packers quarterback Brett Favre, the two-time league MVP, and fullback Dorsey Levens were each assessed $1,000 for unnecessarily entering a fight area.
The Bears’ Jim Flanigan, Carl Simpson, Barry Minter and Alonzo Spellman, and Aaron Taylor, Jeff Thomason and Frank Winters of Green Bay were fined $2,500 each for unnecessarily entering a fight area and actively participating.
Tampa Bay linebacker Hardy Nickerson was fined $5,000 by the NFL for a hit on San Francisco backup quarterback Jeff Brohm during the Buccaneers’ 13-6 season-opening victory.
Rowdy Lions to be tamed
Detroit Lions officials said they were working with Pontiac Silverdome management to prevent a repeat of the drunkenness and rowdy behavior at last weekend’s season opener.
Three people were arrested Sunday, when the Lions defeated Atlanta 28-17, Silverdome executive director Eric Walker said. Two were charged with felonious assault in connection with a postgame incident in the parking lot, and one was charged with disorderly conduct. Seven others were ejected for being drunk.
Lions and Silverdome officials said they planned to have tougher security measures in place for this Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay.