Pats’ Workhorse Martin In Rush For 50 Carries

Curtis Martin doesn’t want people to think he’s greedy. It’s not as if the NFL rushing leader wants to carry the ball on every play.

He’ll settle for 50.

“I just want to see how it is to carry the ball 50 times,” he says. “Forty is the closest I came. I’m not a ball hog or anything. I just like to be put to the test like that.”

Those 40 rushes came in the Patriots’ emotional 27-24 overtime win Sunday night over Bill Parcells and the New York Jets. Martin also caught two passes and handled the ball on more than half of New England’s 80 plays.

On a day when Drew Bledsoe faltered, Martin excelled. Twenty of his carries came on three scoring drives in the fourth quarter and overtime.

He knew how much they were counting on him when running backs coach Kirby Wilson came to him in the second half:

“He said, ‘Curt, the game’s going to come down to you. You’ve got to make the plays.’ And he said, ‘We’re going to put the game in your hands. We’re going to give you the ball.’

“And I said, ‘cool.”’

Coach Pete Carroll also thought it was pretty neat.

“You saw Curtis Martin play just a phenomenal game from start to finish,” he said.

Joyner recovering faster than expected

The Green Bay Packers defense could get a big boost this weekend.

Three-time Pro Bowl linebacker Seth Joyner hopes to make his Packers debut against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, just three weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to remove cartilage from his left knee.

And if not this Sunday, then certainly the next, Joyner said.

“I’m very anxious. I haven’t played a game that’s meant anything since December. We’re pushing October. This is really unusual for me,” Joyner said. “It’s really difficult to stand by and not be a part of what’s going on when you’ve been doing something like this all your life.”

Until he underwent surgery on the eve of the seasonopener, Joyner had started 161 of 168 games in his 11-year career.

Joyner’s original prognosis was 4-6 weeks, but he said his knee started feeling much better this week. Still, “until I get out there and run on it and then see how it feels the next day, I don’t really know,” he said.

Russell fined $7,500

The National Football League fined Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Darrell Russell $7,500 for an illegal hit on Atlanta Falcons quarterback Chris Chandler during Sunday’s game.

Chandler suffered a bruised sternum when he was hit late in the third quarter of Oakland’s 36-31 victory. The 6-foot-5, 320-pound Russell was penalized for roughing the passer on the play.

Chandler, who entered the game recovering from the effects of a concussion suffered the previous week against the Carolina Panthers, is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.

Salaam undergoes surgery

Chicago Bears running back Rashaan Salaam has undergone season-ending surgery on his broken lower right leg, the team said.

Salaam, 22, suffered a broken right fibula and a torn ligament in his ankle when he was tackled by Detroit Lions linebacker Stephen Boyd in Sunday’s 32-7 loss.

No timetable has been set for a rehabilitation program.

Brunell’s condition upgraded

Jacksonville quarterback Mark Brunell was upgraded to questionable for Monday night’s game against Pittsburgh, and Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin said he expects him to take more snaps every day until then.

Still, Coughlin did not say Thursday whether Brunell, who tore knee ligaments Aug. 9, would be able to start or even play.