Owens has surgery
Terrell Owens played in a Super Bowl for Philadelphia seven weeks after getting a plate and several screws put in his ankle. Now he’s hoping another plate and three more screws in his right hand will enable him to play against the Eagles on Oct. 8.
Owens had a plate screwed into his broken right ring finger during an operation Monday evening in Irving, Texas. His recovery time is estimated at two to four weeks, but he’s likely to do all he can to rejoin the Dallas Cowboys in 20 days for his much-anticipated return to Philadelphia.
“Most of those injuries, when they put a plate in there, which I think they might do, that pretty much fixes it,” coach Bill Parcells said Monday, before the surgery.
“Once they put that in there, it’s not going anywhere, you’re not going to displace it again. It’s a matter of if you can get it functional.”
The Cowboys are off this Sunday, then play at Tennessee before the game against the Eagles.
If things go well, perhaps Owens plays against the Titans. If there are any setbacks, it’s possible he doesn’t return until the game after Philadelphia, Oct. 15 at home against Houston.
“I feel like I’m a quick healer,” Owens said Sunday night. “I’m going to try to get back as fast as I can.”
Kearse out for season
Jevon Kearse’s season is over because of a severe knee injury the star defensive end sustained in Philadelphia’s overtime loss to the Giants.
Kearse, who had 2 1/2 sacks in the game, badly sprained multiple ligaments in his left knee when his leg knocked against Mike Patterson while the two brought down Eli Manning on New York’s first possession of the extra period. Kearse reached for his knee immediately after the play, was helped off the field and carted to the locker room.
The injury includes sprains of the medial collateral ligament, the lateral collateral ligament, and the posterior cruciate ligament. Treatment options have yet to be determined, though surgery is likely.
Brooks out, Walter in
Aaron Brooks will be sidelined two to four weeks with a strained pectoral muscle, giving the Raiders’ starting quarterback job to second-year player Andrew Walter.
Brooks hurt himself Sunday after fumbling his second straight snap from center in the first quarter of a 28-6 loss to Baltimore. Originally, the Raiders thought it was a rotator cuff injury, but an MRI showed it was just a muscle strain.
The Raiders have a much-needed bye this week after getting outscored 55-6 in their two losses to open the season. Walter will start Oct. 1 against Cleveland. After that, it will depend on Brooks’ health, coach Art Shell said.
Around the League
Cincinnati linebacker David Pollack is out for the season with a neck injury, the most serious setback for the banged-up Bengals heading into a highly anticipated game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. … Minnesota defensive end Erasmus James will have season-ending surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. James got hurt on a running play late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 16-13 overtime win over Carolina. … Houston Texans left tackle Charles Spencer had surgery to repair a broken leg after injuring it against Indianapolis and will miss the rest of the season. … The Denver Broncos signed former Pittsburgh receiver/returner Quincy Morgan to a one-year deal.