Packers' run D takes big hit
Defensive starters Nick Barnett of Green Bay and Mike McKenzie of New Orleans both will miss the rest of the season with knee injuries.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Monday that linebacker Barnett tore a right knee ligament in Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings, which the Packers lost 28-27. Surgery has not yet been scheduled.
It's a major blow to an already-suspect run defense that gave up 192 yards rushing to Vikings running back Adrian Peterson on Sunday, and will next face Matt Forte and the Bears.
McCarthy said coaches were discussing plans to replace Barnett, including using backup Desmond Bishop or moving outside linebackers A.J. Hawk or Brandon Chillar to the middle.
"I shot downhill, fast, trying to get a shot on him, and he cut back," Barnett said after Sunday's game. "So I tried to cut, and it was just bad footing."
Vikings running back Chester Taylor turned a short pass into a 47-yard touchdown on the next play after Barnett's immediate replacement, Bishop, blew the coverage.
Saints cornerback McKenzie fractured his right kneecap Sunday, and New Orleans coach Sean Payton said McKenzie will have surgery this week and be placed on injured reserve.
Portis is "50-50": Clinton Portis was unable to practice because of a sprained knee, and coach Jim Zorn said the running back is "50-50" for Sunday night's game against Dallas.
Portis bruised his knee on the final play of the first quarter of last week's 23-6 loss to the Steelers, but returned for the next series and finished the game. The pain got progressively worse after treatment following the game, however, and Zorn said Monday that Portis (995 yards on 200 carries) has a bone bruise on the femur as well as a sprain.
"He's questionable," Zorn said. "I'd say there's a 50-50 chance. I'm hoping that he'll be even better than that. Another day of rest, and then we'll see how he comes in on Wednesday. ... We've got to get the pain out of the knee and see how he progresses along."
Hasselbeck ready to return: Matt Hasselbeck is ready to make his first start in six weeks on Sunday when the Seahawks play first-place Arizona.
Coach Mike Holmgren said Monday his three-time Pro Bowl quarterback has been cleared to practice with the starting offense Wednesday. Barring the unforeseen, Hasselbeck will then start his first game since he hyperextended his right knee in a loss at the New York Giants on Oct. 5.
Law signs with Jets: Ty Law is back with the New York Jets - just in time to play against the New England Patriots. The five-time Pro Bowl cornerback agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Jets on Monday after sitting out the first 10 weeks of the season as a free agent.
The NFL Network first reported the signing on its Web site Monday night. The Jets wouldn't confirm the deal because it had not yet been completed, likely pending a physical. The Jets play the Patriots on Thursday.
Jury awards $28.1 million: A federal jury on Monday ordered the NFL Players Association to pay $28.1 million to retired players after finding the union failed to properly market their images.
The figure includes $21 million in punitive damages, just short of the $21.9 million award the players' lawyer had asked of the jury to reflect roughly 10 percent of the union's net worth at the start of the year.
A union lawyer had urged the jury to award a far lesser amount so as not to damage the union's ability to represent its members.
Hall of Fame cornerback Herb Adderley filed the lawsuit last year on behalf of 2,056 retired players who contend the union failed to actively pursue marketing deals on their behalf with video games, trading cards and others sports products.
Extra points: Adalius Thomas is the latest Patriots starter who might miss time after the linebacker suffered what could be a long-term arm injury. Thomas didn't return after leaving the Patriots 20-10 win over the Buffalo Bills midway through the second quarter Sunday. The Patriots said only that he hurt his arm, but ESPN.com, quoting unnamed sources, reported Thomas broke his left forearm and "likely" will miss the rest of the season. ... Carnell Williams, Tampa Bay's fourth-year running back, feels he's "good to go" after being sidelined more than 13 months with a serious knee injury. Williams will likely be added to the 53-man roster Wednesday. ... Next in line in the Broncos' battered backfield is free agent Alex Haynes, who signed with the team Monday after rookie Ryan Torain was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. Haynes, an undrafted free agent out of Central Florida in 2005, was waived by Baltimore on Aug. 30. ...
With seven games left, there's no indication that Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer will play in any of them. ... A woman filed a lawsuit Monday alleging negligence, assault and battery against Chiefs running back Larry Johnson a month after claiming he spit a drink in her face at a bar and threatened to kill her and her boyfriend. ... Tyrone Romaro Hartsfield, the man charged with shooting Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman Richard Collier 14 times, has pleaded not guilty. ... Former Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Javin Hunter was sentenced to six months in jail Monday for a fatal hit-and-run accident last year.