nfl roundup News and notes

October 28, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

Raiders: The bad news from the Oakland Raiders’ blowout loss at Baltimore carried over into Monday with the news that starting fullback Justin Griffith would need season-ending surgery on his knee. Griffith tore the ACL in his right knee late in the third quarter of a 29-10 loss to the Ravens. He stayed in the game for a few plays and managed to score Oakland’s only touchdown on a 2-yard catch. He was hit hard by Ray Lewis on the play and knocked out of the game. An MRI on Monday determined the severity of the injury. Oakland will place Griffith on injured reserve and look to sign another fullback. “You lose a terrific person, a lot of leadership,” coach Tom Cable said. “He’s solid as a rock. He comes to work every day. He does things to the best of his ability every opportunity he gets. Someone who’s familiar with the system. You’re losing quite a bit there.” The only healthy fullback on the roster is Luke Lawton, who has mostly played special teams after being brought in late in training camp when Oren O’Neal went down with a season-ending knee injury. Lawton played in 11 games last season for the Colts at running back and on special teams. He had five rushes for 13 yards and four receptions for 29 yards, including a one-yard reception against Jacksonville on Dec. 2 for his lone career touchdown. Lawton also played four games for the New York Jets in 2005. Cable said moving tailback Michael Bush to fullback, a position he worked at briefly in training camp, was an option, but that the team would probably have to bring someone in this week.

Bills: Josh Reed is out indefinitely with injuries to his ankle and Achilles’ tendon, leaving the Bills minus one of their most reliable third-down receivers. Though coach Dick Jauron wouldn’t say Monday how much time Reed might miss, it generally takes players two to three weeks to recuperate from such injuries, depending on their severity. Jauron also didn’t indicate which ankle Reed hurt late in the second quarter of a 25-16 loss at Miami on Sunday. Reed ranks second on the team with 26 catches for 288 yards. He is also second on the Bills, and tied for 16th in the AFC, with eight catches for 116 yards in third-down situations. Without Reed, the Bills will have to rely more on slot receiver Roscoe Parrish and rookie second-round pick James Hardy to play behind starter Lee Evans. The Bills (5-2), in the midst of playing three straight games against AFC East rivals, host the New York Jets (4-3) on Sunday. Buffalo has lost two of three and now shares top spot in the division with New England, which it will face on Nov. 9. Reserve guard Jason Whittle could not finish against Miami after straining his left quadriceps. Jauron said it was too early to determine whether he will practice this week. Whittle was starting in place of Brad Butler, who did not play against the Dolphins because of a sprained left knee.

Panthers: Reserve defensive tackle Darwin Walker was driving to the team’s walkthrough Saturday morning when he was involved in a car accident near Bank of America Stadium. A team spokesman initially described it as a fender-bender, but coach John Fox acknowledged Monday it was a “pretty serious accident” that caused Walker to miss the win over Arizona due to general soreness. “No structural damage. Luckily it wasn’t more serious than it is,” Fox said. “He was just a little bit too stiff and sore both Saturday night and Sunday morning. He didn’t sleep real good either.” There were few details about the wreck, but Fox said Walker’s car suffered extensive damage. Walker, signed to a free-agent deal by Carolina in the offseason, has four tackles in six games.

Redskins: Defensive end Jason Taylor and cornerback Shawn Springs are expected to miss the game next week against Pittsburgh. Taylor had a minor procedure done on his injured left calf Monday. Coach Jim Zorn said Taylor has a skin infection — not a staph infection — that is being treated with antibiotics. Taylor was kicked in the calf during Washington’s victory over Arizona on Sept. 21. Blood pooled in the leg overnight, and Taylor had an emergency operation the next morning. He missed two games, then played in each of the past three. After next Monday night’s game against Pittsburgh, Washington will have its bye week. “We’re going to give him a rest. He’s likely not to play in this football game coming up, and then hopefully the bye will help,” Zorn said. “He’s not going to do anything for the next three days. He’s going to do zero.” Springs, meanwhile, will sit out a third consecutive game with a strained left calf. “We’re going to hold him out,” Zorn said. Otherwise, Zorn said the injury news was positive a day after Washington improved to 6-2 by beating Detroit 25-17. Receiver Santana Moss has swelling in a slightly strained hamstring, and Clinton Portis, the NFL’s leading rusher, has a sore ankle, but Zorn thinks both will face Pittsburgh. Left tackle Chris Samuels (knee), defensive lineman Cornelius Griffin (shoulder) and safety Chris Horton (ankle), who all missed Sunday’s game in Detroit, are expected to play next Monday, too.

Cowboys: Coach Wade Phillips said it is “really unknown” whether tight end Jason Witten and cornerback Anthony Henry will be able to play Sunday against the New York Giants.Witten hurt his ribs in the second quarter of a victory over Tampa Bay. He tried returning in the third quarter, but didn’t last long. Henry bruised a thigh in the third quarter and didn’t return. Rookie Martellus Bennett filled in at tight end and Orlando Scandrick took over at cornerback. Phillips said they would be the replacements if either starter is out. The secondary already has lost Terence Newman and Roy Williams to injury and Adam “Pacman” Jones to a suspension. Rookie Mike Jenkins and second-year man Alan Ball have been filling in.

Associated Press