NFL ROUNDUP News and notes

Rams: Marc Bulger will start, at least for next week, while healthy quarterback Kurt Warner watches from the sideline. Coach Mike Martz picked Bulger over the two-time MVP on Monday, a day after Bulger played well in the second half of the Rams' 27-24 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Martz said he made the decision in the "best interests" of the team. The overriding factor: Bulger moved the team. He lost two fumbles in the first half, but was 15-for-17 for 155 yards the rest of the way. Bulger is 7-1 as the Rams starter the past two seasons. Warner is 0-7 in that span and fumbled six times in the opener.
Buccaneers: Wide receiver Joe Jurevicius has a torn ligament in his right knee and will be out four-to-six weeks. The injury will not require surgery. Jurevicius was hurt in a collision with Bucs fullback Mike Alstott during Tampa Bay's 12-9 overtime loss to Carolina. Coach Jon Gruden said Monday he will explore the prospect of signing a receiver. Andre Rison worked out for the Super Bowl champions last month, but Gruden would not say if he planned to contact him again.
Falcons: Michael Vick's return to the field is still at least a month away. The target date for the quarterback to make his regular season debut is Oct. 13 at St. Louis. But coach Dan Reeves said it's more realistic that Vick would play the week after when the Falcons host New Orleans. Outside linebacker Will Overstreet had his left arm in a sling Monday because of a staph infection that developed from a cut on his elbow.
Eagles: Defensive tackle Paul Grasmanis will have surgery Wednesday for his torn left Achilles' tendon and most likely is out for the season. Grasmanis was injured in the fourth quarter of the Eagles' 31-10 loss to New England on Sunday.
Panthers: Defensive end Kavika Pittman will miss the rest of the season with torn knee ligaments, an injury the team contends stemmed from a chop-block by Tampa Bay's Keenan McCardell. The Panthers are also sending in a clip of an exchange between Tampa Bay's Kenyatta Walker and Carolina's Julius Peppers. Carolina says Walker hit him in the face several times.
Dolphins: Backup quarterback Brian Griese has resumed throwing on a limited basis but won't practice this week, coach Dave Wannstedt said. Griese has been sidelined since sustaining ligament damage in his left big toe during a preseason game Aug. 22.
Jets: Cornerback Donnie Abraham underwent tests on his injured right shoulder and his status is uncertain for this weekend's game against New England. Coach Herman Edwards said Abraham had an MRI and CT scan. Edwards did not know the severity of the injury but said surgery is possible. Though test results were not available, it is possible Abraham could be out four-to-six weeks.
Titans: Tests showed right guard Benji Olson didn't tear a ligament in his right knee, but defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth might miss two weeks with a dislocated left elbow. Coach Jeff Fisher said Olson has a third-degree sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his knee but no damage to the anterior cruciate ligament. Whether he is able to play next week against New Orleans remains to be seen. Fisher said quarterback Steve McNair had swelling in his right ring finger, which he dislocated just before halftime Sunday. That might limit him in practice, but Fisher said McNair didn't further injure his sprained left knee. Tight end Frank Wycheck is still having headaches as the result of concussions and hasn't made much progress. He said he made a mistake by playing in the Titans' season opener.
Broncos: Quarterback Jake Plummer and running back Clinton Portis are expected to practice this week after missing the second half against San Diego. Plummer's right shoulder was still sore, but tests Monday showed no ligament damage, coach Mike Shanahan said. He said Plummer still had fluid in his shoulder but treatment had reduced much of the swelling.
Saints: Three defensive starters were injured in Sunday's win over Houston. Linebacker Sedrick Hodge has a hairline fracture in his right knee and it's not yet known if he will need surgery or how long he will be out, coach Jim Haslett said. Cornerback Dale Carter suffered a concussion and a fracture of the bone around his right eye and will have surgery this week. He will be out up to a month. No. 1 draft pick Johnathan Sullivan has torn cartilage in his left knee and will have surgery that will sideline him two to three weeks.
Texans: Nose tackle Seth Payne will miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his left knee. Payne was hurt when he and teammate Jerry DeLoach sacked Aaron Brooks. Coach Dom Capers said that Terrance Martin, a rookie free agent from North Carolina State, will start in place of Payne, who has played all 18 games in Texans history. The Texans signed free agent defensive tackle Steve Martin, an eight-year veteran who played for the Patriots last year.
Lions: Injured cornerback Chris Watson was released. Watson was signed as a free agent from Buffalo during the off-season, but missed the entire preseason with a back injury and was placed on injured reserve before the season opener against Arizona.
Jaguars: Linebacker Keith Mitchell underwent more tests on his injured neck Monday, one day after being taken from the field on a stretcher. Mitchell was expected to be released from the hospital later today.
Packers: Versatile and vocal defensive back Michael Hawthorne, waived last week by New Orleans was signed.
Raiders: Rod Woodson still can't run on his repaired left knee, so it's unlikely he'd be ready to play next Monday night at Denver. The 38-year-old free safety underwent a procedure last Tuesday to repair a torn meniscus in the knee and he missed Oakland's 23-20 win over Cincinnati on Sunday.
-- Associated Press