Vinatieri’s streak will end
Kicker Adam Vinatieri will miss the first game of his 11-year NFL career because of a lingering groin injury.
Vinatieri, who came to the Indianapolis Colts from the New England Patriots in the off-season, strained his groin in last week’s victory over Houston and will sit out today’s game against AFC South rival Jacksonville, coach Tony Dungy said Saturday.
The Colts were expected to sign veteran kicker Martin Gramatica as Vinatieri’s replacement.
Vinatieri, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, was the AFC special teams player of the week in the first week of the season. Through two games, he leads the league in scoring with 27 points on seven field goals and six extra points.
Now hear this, Giants
The NFL notified Seattle Seahawks officials that the league will monitor today’s game against the New York Giants in response to charges that artificial noise was pumped into Qwest Field when the teams met last year.
The Giants were penalized for 11 false starts in that game, which the Seahawks won 24-21 in overtime.
“Our fans are the best in the world,” Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said. “It put a little smile on my face when I saw this memo come across my desk. If I’m a fan, I take that kind of personally. Like, ‘If you think (the) last game was loud, or you think the NFC Championship Game was loud, wait until (Sunday).’ “
Linehan takes offense
Remember when the St. Louis Rams were “The Greatest Show on Turf?”
Two games in, the Rams have scored one touchdown and kicked eight field goals.
The point was made to new coach Scott Linehan, who replaced Mike Martz and came to town with a nice track record for offense from his days in college (Louisville) and stops in Minnesota and Miami.
“The last I checked, there’s a whole new coaching staff here,” said Linehan, who played at the University of Idaho. “There’s some newness and change. Not to harp on it, but I wouldn’t be here if everything was perfect last year.”
Detroit detractor
Speaking of Martz, the offensive guru now in Detroit, the Lions rank 26th in total offense.
That’s the good news.
Last week, wide receiver Mike Williams, the 10th pick in the ‘05 draft, ripped new coach Rod Marinelli for being deactivated for the second consecutive game, a 34-7 home loss to Chicago.
“The way the organization is going under Marinelli, it’s going to need a poster boy for what’s wrong,” Williams said. “I’ve given up trying to figure out what it is, or what it has been, or what it’s going to be.”