MVN: Most Valuable Network

The NFL's Competition Committee will be convened for a special meeting, following the fallout after Sunday's Steelers-Chargers game. The officiating crew did not represent their brethren well in blowing another call which altered the final score. I've heard there was an exchange of $66 million which could have gone the other way if the zebras had made the correct call. I didn't see the game, but have also heard there were three other Steelers touchdowns taken off the board by the officials. NFL VP of Officiating Mike Pereira said he would do another background investigation of the officials who worked the game and I presume he means he will have their finances investigated.

 

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said commissioner Roger Goodell is reinstating Adam "Pacman" Jones, who has been indefinitely suspended. Pacman could be back on the field in Pittsburgh on December 7. If Las Vegas has a line on how many more games he'll play this year, I'll take the under.

 

Edgerrin James, who has lost his starting job to Tim Hightower, wants the Cardinals to release him so he can get some playing time with another team. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, says James is healthy and can still be productive if given the opportunity. The Cards will probably release James after the end of the season, but not before.

 

Monday night could be Deuce McAllister's final game in the Superdome, reports The Times-Picayune's Jeff Duncan. McAllister is facing a possible four-game suspension which could sideline him for the remainder of the Saints' home games and he could be released next year for salary cap reasons.

 

Jaguars WR Troy Williamson said he lost all respect for his former coach, Brad Childress, after being fined for attending his grandmother's funeral last year. They'll be on opposite sides of the field this week, as Jacksonville hosts Minnesota.

 

The NFL is still overly sensitive about criticism of the officials and is still overzealous in passing out fines. The latest person to be fined is 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who was fined $20,000 for criticizing the officiating after the 49ers-Cardinals game.

 

 

Tony Romo will keep the splint on his broken pinky for the next two games and then have it reevaluated. Romo said he didn't know if he could pass accurately right now without the splint.

 

Cleveland QB Brady Quinn fractured his index finger Monday night but it won't prevent him from starting when the Browns host the Texans Sunday. Coach Romeo Crennel said the team would monitor Quinn but he didn't seem too concerned about it.

 

Matt Hasselbeck issued a retraction and apologized to the Cardinals for saying he wished they would be fined for hitting him. "They played hard, they played physical, but they played within the rules and with class," he said. "I regret saying that; in fact I hope nobody gets fined."

 

Rams interim coach Jim Haslett says he's sticking with Marc Bulger as his starting quarterback.Bulger is the 28th rated passer in the league, which is fitting for the quarterback of a team which is 28th in the standings. Seven of Bulger's eight turnovers in the last three games have led to 45 points for the guys wearing different colored uniforms. Hey Marc, your team is wearing purple and gold this week.

 

The Cardinals are not in talks with Kurt Warner's agent about a new contract, even though he's a strong contender for league MVP. Talks broke off when they couldn't agree about whether Warner should be paid as a starter or a backup.

 

 

It's that time of year when just about every team has notable players hampered by injuries. Clinton Portis heads up a list of injured Redskins who will play this week at Seattle.

 

Brandon Jacobs says his swollen knee feels fine and he expects to play against the Cardinals this week. Jacobs didn't practice Wednesday but did run some in individual drills.

 

Ravens coach John Harbaugh is being tight-lipped about the status of LT Jared Gaither, whose arm is in a sling and didn't practice Wednesday. If Gaither doesn't play, Baltimore would probably have to reshuffle their line, moving RT Adam Terry to LT, which would weaken them at two positions.

 

Tampa Bay has placed Earnest Graham on injured reserve. The Bucs' leading rusher suffered an ankle injury of an unspecified nature on the second play in the Vikings game on Sunday.

 

RB Felix Jones has been put on IR by the Cowboys after being unable to practice satisfactorily on Wednesday. Jones will now have surgery to correct a torn toe ligament. 

 

Patrick Kerney's latest MRI revealed his shoulder is not healing properly and the Seahawks have placed him on injured reserve. That's a good move to protect a player's health, but the cynic in me wonders if he would still be playing if Seattle wasn't five games behind in their division.

 

Talk about a waste of money, how about the $36 million contract the 49ers gave to RT Jonas Jennings? He's missed 35 of a possible 58 starts with the Niners and never made it through a full season in four years with the Bills. Jennings has finally had surgery on his frequently injured right shoulder, which has kept him out of action since Week Two.

 

Aaron Steckel has become the 13th player to be placed on Injured Reserve this year by the Saints. The injuries are a prime reason why the talented Saints are 5-5 and in last place in the NFC South.