Manning hurt in win
Mark Sanchez was sharp, while Eli Manning needed stitches.
Manning was forced to leave the New York Giants’ 31-16 victory over the Jets after suffering a bloody, 3-inch gash to the left side of his head early in the second quarter.
The Giants quarterback needed 12 stitches to close the cut, and showed no sign of concussion after being hurt with 10:45 left in the first half.
Sanchez led the Jets on three scoring drives, overcoming an interception on his first pass, while playing the entire first half in the first football game played at the New Meadowlands Stadium.
The teams traditionally meet in the third game of the preseason, but both wanted to be part of the unveiling of their new $1.6 billion, 82,500-seat home.
The big night ended early for Manning, who was hurt when running back Brandon Jacobs rumbled up the middle and smacked into him with his shoulder on a fake handoff.
After losing the ball, Manning tried to grab it, but was smacked in the middle of his back by Calvin Pace. Manning’s helmet was knocked off, pushing him forward, face-first. Manning’s head plowed into either Jets safety Jim Leonhard or Jacobs, and the quarterback quickly called for the training staff, his hand covered in blood.
Manning was replaced by Jim Sorgi. Sorgi filled in nicely, throwing two touchdown passes to rookie Victor Cruz.
Ref apologizes to Hall
A few months late, Tennessee fullback Ahmard Hall says referee Ed Hochuli apologized to him for the holding call on Jan. 3 at Seattle that wiped out a 62-yard gain by Chris Johnson.
The running back still became only the sixth man in NFL history to reach 2,000 yards, finishing with 2,006. But that 62-yard run in the fourth quarter of the regular-season finale would have put the All Pro close enough the Titans would have kept handing him the ball to chase Eric Dickerson’s NFL rushing record of 2,105 yards.
Hall said Monday that Hochuli apologized to both himself, Johnson and the entire team during the referee’s four days spent working the Titans’ training camp between Aug. 4 and 7.
Around the league
The Indianapolis Colts have lost safety Jamie Silva for the season with a torn ACL. … Dallas Cowboys right tackle Marc Colombo had arthroscopic surgery to remove five loose particles from his right knee. They became enough of a problem for him to leave the practice field on a cart Sunday. He will miss at least two preseason games. … The San Francisco 49ers have signed free-agent running back Brian Westbrook to a one-year deal. … Houston Texans rookie running back Ben Tate is out for the season because of a fractured ankle. He broke the ankle in Saturday’s game against Arizona. … Former Buffalo Bills linebacker Aaron Schobel is retiring, saying he lost his hunger for playing last year. The Bills released Schobel on Aug. 4 after nine seasons. Schobel was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and his 78 career sacks rank second in Buffalo history behind Hall of Famer Bruce Smith. … Running back Fred Jackson has a broken bone in his left hand, leaving his status uncertain for the Buffalo Bills’ season opener. Jackson revealed he’ll be out four to six weeks. … Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith has been activated off the physically unable to perform list and has caught live passes for the first time since breaking his left arm.