NFL ROUNDUP

NFL ROUNDUP

News and notes

Vikings: running back Adrian Peterson will miss Sunday’s game against Oakland with a torn ligament in his right knee. Coach Brad Childress said Monday that Peterson tore his lateral collateral ligament in the Vikings’ 34-0 loss to Green Bay. Peterson will not require surgery, Childress said. “The good news is that the knee is otherwise stable and the injury is isolated to that ligament,” Childress said. “I’m told that’s a good healing ligament.” Childress said this is not a season-ending injury, but he did not talk about when Peterson might be back. “I’m real hesitant to put a timeline on that thing,” Childress said. Peterson was hurt just a week after he set an NFL single-game rushing record with 296 yards in a victory over San Diego. Team doctors told Childress that with ligament tears graded on a three-point scale, with three being the worst, Peterson’s tear is “two-plus.” It’s as serious as an anterior cruciate ligament tear, which would have required surgery and ended Peterson’s brilliant rookie season. “This is not one of those,” Childress said. Peterson was injured in the third quarter Sunday. Now the Vikings will turn to veteran Chester Taylor, who topped 1,200 yards rushing last season and has been solid in spot duty behind Peterson this year. Taylor is averaging 5 yards per carry in a backup role.

Broncos: Safety John Lynch is still suffering numbness and weakness from a jarring tackle two weeks ago and could remained sidelined a while. Lynch had to leave an Oct. 29 game with the Packers in the first quarter after the hit. He returned to practice last week in a limited capacity, but was inactive Sunday against the Chiefs. Lynch has said the injury was unrelated to a neck surgery he had in 2004.

Cardinals: The Cardinals believe defensive end Bertrand Berry again has a torn triceps. The injury to his left triceps came in Sunday’s 31-21 victory over the Detroit Lions. Last year, he was sidelined for the final six games of the season with a torn right triceps. That injury also came against the Lions. Berry made the Pro Bowl and led the NFC in sacks in 2004, but has been injury-prone since. He was being examined Monday to determine the extent of the injury.

Redskins: Safety Sean Taylor will miss at least two weeks with a knee injury, further depleting a secondary that allowed two big plays down the middle of the field late in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles. An MRI exam Monday revealed a sprain of the MCL in Taylor’s right knee. Taylor was having his best season as a pro after moving to free safety for the first time since being drafted by the Redskins in 2004. He was tied for the NFC lead in interceptions with five.

Lions: Quarterback Jon Kitna dismissed questions about a back injury Monday, despite concerns raised by coach Rod Marinelli. Marinelli said Monday that Kitna had a lower back injury, but Kitna disagreed. Marinelli said cornerback Fernando Bryant was questionable for this weekend’s game against the visiting Giants with a sprained foot, and defensive end Dewayne White could return after missing Sunday’s loss at Arizona with an arm injury. Offensive tackle Jonathan Scott is expected to miss his second straight game with a broken thumb.

Titans: Tennessee held out defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth against Jacksonville to avoid further injury to his sore right hamstring, but coach Jeff Fisher said Monday the decision didn’t involve much discussion. Cornerback Nick Harper and receiver Brandon Jones each suffered concussions versus the Jaguars last week. Right tackle David Stewart sprained an ankle. LenDale White hurt a knee, but Fisher said he expects him to practice. Chris Brown, who has missed four straight games with a sprained left ankle, also is expected to practice.

Saints: Running back Reggie Bush, who was dazed by a helmet-to-helmet hit against the Rams, and left tackle Jammal Brown, who left the game with a lower leg injury, both should be well enough to play Sunday at Houston. Brown’s injury was described as a muscle strain in his lower left leg. Several other Saints starters who sat out against the Rams could return against Houston. DE Charles Grant missed the first game of his career with a sprained left ankle, while linebacker Scott Shanle was sidelined with a sore hamstring.

Falcons: In need of additional depth at running back, Atlanta activated Jason Snelling from the practice squad Monday. The team waived linebacker Travis Williams to clear a spot for Snelling, a rookie from Virginia. The Falcons were without running back Jerious Norwood for Sunday’s win at Carolina. Norwood left the Nov. 4 victory over the 49ers with a right ankle injury. Veteran Warrick Dunn had most of the carries in each of the last two games. Snelling led the Falcons in rushing this preseason with 39 carries for 172 yards.

Rams: WR Isaac Bruce aggravated a left hamstring injury against New Orleans. Coach Scott Linehan said his availability for Sunday’s game at San Francisco will depend on how he does at practice this week. Third-string TE Aaron Walker will miss the rest of the season after suffering a left shoulder injury against the Saints. And RG Richie Incognito is still being evaluated with a partially dislocated kneecap, and Linehan did not sound optimistic he would play again this season. DE Leonard Little h ad surgery Monday on a toe injury. He is out for the remainder of the season.

Texans: The loss of Dunta Robinson will have implications beyond his position at left cornerback against the Saints. Most of the secondary has been shuffled to deal with the loss of the group’s most talented player. Robinson tore his right anterior cruciate ligament and injured his hamstring earlier this month in Houston’s win over Oakland and will miss the rest of the season. Rookie Fred Bennett will take over at left cornerback for Robinson, who has been his mentor since the two played together at South Carolina. Von Hutchins, who has started all but one game this season at free safety, will move to cornerback and likely start opposite Bennett. Hutchins has played both cornerback and safety in his career and probably will take over for DeMarcus Faggins, who has struggled. Will Demps, signed in September but mostly playing special teams, will take over at free safety.

Associated Press