Green will start for Chiefs
Trent Green is back as Kansas City’s starting quarterback, 10 weeks after a brutal head-snapping hit knocked him unconscious with a severe concussion.
Coach Herm Edwards announced Wednesday that Green will start Sunday against Oakland. On Tuesday, the two-time Pro Bowler was given medical clearance to resume full contact.
After being out of game action for two months, he’ll play two games in four days. The Chiefs host the Raiders on Sunday, then Denver on Thursday night.
Since being knocked out by Cincinnati’s Robert Geathers on Sept. 10, Green slowly has worked his way back. Initially, he could not even drive a car, but several weeks ago he was allowed to resume practice.
Damon Huard, who stepped in and went 5-3 as the starter, will go back to the bench.
Redskins put Portis on IR
Clinton Portis’ season was ruined in the first quarter of the first preseason game, when he decided to launch his body into Cincinnati cornerback Keiwan Ratliff while making a tackle following an interception.
Four injuries later, Portis’ season officially ended, when the Washington Redskins placed their star running back on injured reserve. His final tallies for the season: 127 carries, 523 yards, seven touchdowns, two shoulder injuries, one sprained ankle and one broken bone.
League fines Fisher
Not even the co-chairman of the NFL’s competition committee is immune from punishment for criticizing an official. Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher was fined $12,500 for scolding an official in last weekend’s 27-26 loss to Baltimore.
“It didn’t surprise me,” Fisher said. “I had a confidential conversation with the league, and it’s over.”
After Sunday’s game, Fisher said a “bad call by the umpire,” Jim Quirk, denied the Titans’ recovery of a fumble in the third quarter.
Walter apologizes
Oakland quarterback Andrew Walter apologized for criticizing the team’s offensive game plan, and coach Art Shell said the issue is in the past.
Whether Walter will keep his starting job, Shell won’t say. He might wait until just before game time to announce if Walter or Aaron Brooks will start Sunday when Oakland visits Kansas City.
Richardson may be done
Struggling on offense, the Minnesota Vikings likely lost fullback Tony Richardson for the rest of the season.
Richardson played with a broken thumb in Sunday’s game against Green Bay and then fractured his forearm. The latest injury will probably keep Richardson out for six weeks, and there are only seven games left. There’s a strong chance Richardson will be placed on injured reserve this week, coach Brad Childress said.
Rams sign Ponder
A season-ending injury to cornerback Travis Fisher gave the St. Louis Rams a roster spot to spend on a season-long trouble spot, kick returner.
Just-signed Willie Ponder is the fourth player the team has tried at that spot. Ponder averaged 23.5 yards per kickoff in six games with the Seahawks, including a 36-yarder against the Rams on Oct. 15. He was released later in October when Seattle needed a roster spot because of an injury to quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.
Horn improves
New Orleans’ Joe Horn practiced and both the receiver and coach Sean Payton anticipate the team’s all-time leading pass-catcher will play Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
“In Joe’s case, hopefully we pick right up where he left off and get him back in the flow of things,” Payton said. “It will be good to have him back, because he is someone who has made plays for us. Joe has good hands in tight traffic and is competitive.”
Horn has missed the past two games with a pulled groin.