IRVING, Texas — COWBOYS
Three limited for practice
IRVING, Texas - Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins, tight end Jason Witten and receiver Dez Bryant have been limited in practice because of injuries, but are expected to play Sunday against Houston.
Nose tackle Jay Ratliff also was absent Wednesday because he went to be with family following the death of his grandparents last week. He is expected to return Friday and should play against the Texans.
Coach Wade Phillips said Jenkins only has a bruised knee. Witten is recovering from a head injury that Phillips said may be less serious than the club initially thought.
Bryant has a ribs problem sustained in the opener.
PATRIOTS
Faulk out for the year
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - New England Patriots all-purpose running back Kevin Faulk has done nearly everything except grab headlines.
He finally made one this week and it brought him to tears: Torn Knee Ligament, Out For The Season.
Faulk, one of the team’s most valuable players, said Wednesday he would have surgery in about a month. He left unanswered the question of whether he would play again after being hurt on Sunday.
“I got the question asked of me by my son when I got home on Monday. ‘Is that it for me?’ “ the 12-year veteran said with a laugh. “I said, ‘son ... I’m going to do my best to rehab and see what happens from there.’ ”
The 34-year-old Faulk was placed on injured reserve. He is the only Patriots player who was with the team when Bill Belichick became coach in 2000, ushering in an era in which injury information is guarded very closely. But Faulk was very forthcoming when he told reporters swarming at his locker that he had a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Then he lingered to discuss his feelings.
“I’m not sad anymore,” he said. “I think when it first happened ... I was sad, cried a whole lot. But, hey, it’s life. You’ve got to deal with it. You get knocked off the road sometimes. It’s how you get back on and who you are as a person” that matters.
Faulk hurt his right knee less than two minutes into the fourth quarter of the Patriots’ 28-14 loss to the Jets when he ran wide to the left and was brought down near the New York sideline when cornerback Drew Coleman hit him on the knee.
STEELERS
Harrison fined $5,000
PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison has been fined $5,000 for slamming Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young to the turf while sacking him Sunday.
Harrison was not penalized on the play, but Titans Coach Jeff Fisher questioned on Monday why the former All-Pro linebacker wasn’t called for unnecessary roughness.
Harrison was chosen as the AFC defensive player of the week after having two sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, a tackle for a loss and 11 tackles as the Steelers won 19-11.
BUCCANEERS
Jackson suspended
TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa Bay’s improved defense was dealt a blow Wednesday when safety Tanard Jackson was suspended for a minimum of a year without pay for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
The league made the announcement, saying the fourth-year pro has been suspended indefinitely but will be eligible for reinstatement beginning Sept. 22, 2011.
Jackson sat out the first four games of the 2009 season while serving a previous suspension for violating the substance abuse policy.
A fourth-round draft pick in 2007, the 25-year-old Jackson is the only defensive player in Bucs history to start every game in his first two seasons.
Despite the four-game ban last season, Jackson finished with five interceptions in 12 starts. He had 13 tackles in two games this seasons.
Sports, Pages 21 on 09/23/2010