Quick Kicks

Tough break for Williams

An NFL franchise with arguably the worst luck through the years received more bad news Sunday.

Ricky Williams, New Orleans’ star running back for whom the Saints traded their entire 1999 draft, broke his left ankle in two places late in a 20-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

The injury left the streaking Saints (7-3), who have won six in a row, in a state of shock. Coach Jim Haslett was near tears when he told the media of Williams’ injury.

The injury occurred on a 2-yard run with about 6 minutes left, a rush that put the former Heisman Trophy winner from Texas right at 1,000 yards for the season.

Haslett said Williams, who leads the NFL with 30 touches a game, will likely be lost for 6-8 weeks, meaning he may be back for the playoffs. The team’s best winning streak since 1991 moved the Saints into great position for the postseason, where the franchise has never won a game.

“We’ve got to find a way to keep it going,” offensive lineman Willie Roaf said. “We’re going to keep fighting.”

“It’s devastating to me,” said rookie running back Chad Morton, who likely will take over for Williams in the backfield. “I feel sick about it right now. I can’t even enjoy this win. He’s our offense.”

Brown angry with Browns

Former Cleveland Browns lineman Orlando Brown contends team doctors and the Cleveland Clinic hid information about the severity of the eye injury that led to his release.

Brown also told The (Willoughby, Ohio) News-Herald that the Browns did not properly respond when referee Jeff Triplette’s BB-weighted penalty flag hit his right eye during a Dec. 19 game against Jacksonville.

“I’m a professional athlete. I should have been taken to the hospital in an ambulance right away,” Brown said.

He said fellow offensive lineman Lomas Brown drove him there.

Brown said the clinic’s doctors did not reveal the full severity of his eye condition and that team doctors falsely claimed he passed his physical earlier this year.

Team president Carmen Policy called Brown’s accusations “absurd.”

Ironman Favre hurt

Brett Favre left Sunday’s game between the Packers and Buccaneers with a sprained left foot that could sideline him for a week or more.

Favre, who has made 135 successive starts, an NFL high for quarterbacks, was hurt in the third quarter when sacked by Warren Sapp. Favre limped off the field and was taken to the locker room on a cart.

Mitchell breaks record

Brian Mitchell of the Philadelphia Eagles broke the NFL record for career kickoff return yardage with a 32-yard return in the second quarter Sunday against Pittsburgh.

Mitchell has 10,269 yards on kickoff returns, breaking Mel Gray’s record of 10,250 yards.

Mitchell set the record for career punt return yardage last month and is tied with Eric Metcalf for first on the career list with 11 touchdowns on returns.

They said it …

“We heard all the nay-sayers say we hadn’t beaten anybody and is this team a first-place team? We wanted to answer those questions and silence them. We didn’t.”

Giants tackle Lomas Brown after losing 38-24 at home to the Rams.