Vince Young Injures Hand During Preseason Finale

In this space yesterday, I exclaimed "WHAT???" after linking to the news that Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher was going to play his starters into the 3rd quarter.

Well, last night Titans quarterback Vince Young injured his throwing hand late in the 2nd quarter. Young is going to be fine, (he didn't even need X-rays) but playing the franchise's most important player that late in a meaningless preseason game is still a questionable decision by Fisher, a head coach I deeply respect.

Titans 23, Packers 21

Titans safety Vincent Fuller scored a touchdown on a fake punt the team had been practicing all week. The Titans sacked Green Bay's rookie quarterbacks six times.

Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy only needed to see one play from his starting offense, a 68-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings, before giving them the rest of the night off. The Packers have a very difficult decision to make regarding their backup quarterbacks. Packers long-snapper J.J. Jansen injured his knee last night.

Lions 14, Bills 6

The Detroit Lions won't be trademarking "4-0", but the are the only NFL team to finish the 2008 preseason undefeated. Lions safety Daniel Bullocks played his first game since tearing his ACL last year. Nicholas Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press hands out some game balls.

The fear of injuries turned last night's Buffalo Bills-Detroit Lions preseason finale into a glorified scrimmage, writes Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News. Bucky Gleason thinks the Bills are prepared to play this season without Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters. Gleason also suggests that Peters' teammates privately question "his common sense and timing", Gleason writes. The Bills had a moment of silence to honor Buffalo News staff reporter Jay Bonfatti, who passed away on Thursday. Bonfatti was 52.

Jets 27, Eagles 20

New York Jets running back Jesse Chatman was the star of the "Backup Bowl", gaining 180 total yards (97 rushing, 83 receiving) and scoring the game-winning touchdown. Rich Cimini of the New York Daily News writes that the rookie linebacker Vernon Gholston has been the Jets' biggest preseason disappointment.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Jerome McDougle, a 1st round pick in 2003, is "on the griddle", according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. As a kick returner, Eagles safety Quentin Demps could help the Eagles improve their field position. Eagles backup quarterback Kevin Kolb had his best game of the preseason.

Jaguars 24, Redskins 3

Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union recaps the Jacksonville Jaguars preseason finale, which included a Derrick Harvey sighting and an injury to the starting offensive line. Jaguars wide receiver Troy Williamson had his first reception of the preseason, a 51-yard touchdown pass from Todd Bouman. Jaguars rookie running back Chauncey Washington had a big night.

The Washington Redskins offense doesn't have a problem as they head into the regular season. They've got problems. Plural. Jason La Canfora runs down the list of question marks facing the Redskins as they head into the regular season. Redskins tight end Chris Cooley has confidence in Jim Zorn.

Bengals 27, Colts 7

The Cincinnati Bengals had a 21-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that ate up 11 minutes and 22 seconds of the 1st quarter. Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh and running back Rudi Johnson dressed but did not play. Rudi Johnson still thinks he could be traded before the regular season opener.

Only one of the Indianapolis Colts' 22 starters played last night. Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star thinks Peyton Manning looks ready to start the regular season. Colts wide receiver Courtney Roby's 103-yard kick return helped his prospects of making the 53-man roster.

Falcons 10, Ravens 9

The Atlanta Falcons now turn their attention to making their roster cuts. Falcons wide receiver Brian Finneran on his chances of making the 53-man roster: “I did everything that they asked. I made some plays. It’s in their hands though. They’ve got some tough decisions to make with the receivers and running backs.”

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh might have a hard time not starting rookie quarterback Joe Flacco when the regular season starts against Cincinnati. Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun doesn't think Flacco is ready, but he likes how the offensive line is improving. His colleague Peter Schmuck thinks Flacco's the guy.

Steelers 19, Panthers 16

For the second week in a row, Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Jeff Reed delivered the winning points. More importantly, he kept his shirt on. The Steelers have a difficult decision to make about their backup quarterback. The 5th wide receiver spot on the Steelers' roster will come down to Willie Reid and Dallas Baker.

The Carolina Panthers rested their starters, but backup quarterback Matt Moore was sacked low and left the game in the 3rd quarter. Charles Chandler reports that Moore has no broken bones, but will undergo more tests today. Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme didn't like the way Moore was hit on that play. The Panthers may be keeping two kickers on the 53-man roster.

Chiefs 21, Rams 17

The Kansas City Chiefs starters got a confidence boost by scoring on two quick, touchdown drives against the Rams' reserves on Thursday. The brilliant Joe Posnanski of the Kansas City Star writes that if the rest of the NFL agreed to play their backups, the Chiefs would have a chance at going to the Super Bowl. The Chiefs are still looking for a kick returner. The Chiefs are selling the naming rights to Arrowhead Stadium.

St. Louis Rams head coach Scott Linehan sat 21 of his 22 starters in the Governor's Cup, which Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt did not attend. In order for Rams running back Steven Jackson to void the final two years of his contract, he'll need to average 1,200 yards rushing and 400 yards receiving between 2008 and 2011. Rams kicker Josh Brown missed a field goal, but wouldn't blame Mother Nature.

Giants 19, Patriots 14

New York Giants quarterback David Carr's performance last night (20-29, 192 yards and 2 touchdowns) likely makes him Eli Manning's top backup. Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka looked good at defensive end last night.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady did not make an appearance during the preseason. Patriots backup quarterbacks Matt Cassel and Matt Gutierrez were unimpressive last night. Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe cautions against reading too much into preseason results.

Bears 16, Browns 10

The Chicago Bears first-team defense has been embarassing itself, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times. Mike Mulligan, also of Jay Mariotti's former employer, writes "Preseason statistics are considered as meaningless as the exhibition games themselves, but the wretched reality for the Bears is they were at their worst when they played their best". Mulligan also adds that the Bears didn't exactly face the Peyton Mannings or Carson Palmers of the NFL's quarterbacking fraternity. Speaking of quarterbacks, Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Hanie hopes he made his mark on Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith.

Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel removed what passed for his first-team units in the second quarter last night, but the Browns still suffered a few injuries. Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer graciously allows us to take a look at his Browns notebook.

Dolphins 14, Saints 10

Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano was pleased with the poise rookie quarterback Chad Henne showed last night. Dolphins running back Ricky Williams was booed by the Superdome crowd whenever he touched the ball last night.

Even though head coach Sean Payton said he'd play, New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey stayed in the sidelines last night. Saints running back Deuce McAllister had 11 carries for 30 yards last night. The Saints are ready to pack up and move to Indianapolis if tropical storm Gustav heads towards New Orleans.

Cowboys 16, Vikings 10

The Dallas Cowboys backups beat the Minnesota Vikings backups. Cowboys wide receiver Sam Hurd sprained his left ankle last night. With Kyle Kosier expected to miss up to six weeks, the Cowboys acquired guard Montrae Holland from the Denver Broncos for a fifth-round pick in 2010.

Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback John David Booty didn't help himself last night. Vikings head coach Brad Childress wasn't happy after last night's loss. Vikings owner Zygi Wilf is rejecting the advances of real estate mogul Ed Roski Jr. regarding moving the Vikings to Los Angeles.

Buccaneers 16, Texans 6

Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times cleverly compares Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Dexter Jackson to the Wright Brothers. Buccaneers kicker Matt Bryant was 7-for-12 on field goal attempts this summer. Buccaneers quarterback Chris Simms appears to be on his way out of Tampa.

The Houston Texans had an injury-free preseason finale. The Texans paid tribute to injured wide receiver Harry Williams before last night's game. Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle remains concerned about the Texans' running game.

AFC News and Notes

Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall had his suspension reduced from three games to one. Woody Paige of the Denver Post has some thoughts on an 18-game schedule for the NFL. Broncos wide receiver Darrell Jackson stirs up the Raiders-Broncos rivalry by quoting Al Davis.

Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union Tribune projects the San Diego Chargers' 53-man roster. The Chargers schedule, particularly late in the season, presents some challenges.

Tonight's preseason finale is an important night for Oakland Raiders linebackers Shane Simmons, Adam Archuleta and Sam Williams. Steve Corkran of the Bay Area News Group looks at the five items Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin wanted to address during training camp.

NFC News and Notes

Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle looks at the bubble players on the San Francisco 49ers. Daniel Brown of The Mercury News recaps looks at how the 49ers answered the question marks heading into training camp.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt could be using tonight's game against Denver to determine the Cardinals' starting quarterback and right guard. Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic projects the Cardinals' 53-man roster.

Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer writes that the Seattle Seahawks will look to showcase their younger talent tonight against Oakland. Seahawks rookie running back Justin Forsett should be a busy guy tonight.

Vince Young Says He Wasn't Going to Quit

Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young said that the NFL.com report that he considered retirement after his rookie season was "blown out of proportion".

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I ain't never said (Ed. note: English major?) I was going to quit football," Young said. "There was a lot of stuff going on in my life, but football is not hard to me. Football is easy. All you have to do is be coachable and use your God-given talent. If it was a thought at all it was just a passing thought for a second.''

Living in the spotlight clearly had an affect on Young.

"When you retire, a lot of stuff goes away, people calling you and asking you for things. Some people say things about you that you don't like, and a lot of that stuff was killing me inside,'' Young said. "I am trying to be a role model and be a good citizen and have fun with my friends. Things were so fuzzy (that) I could hardly see through it all.''

If Young harbored momentary thoughts of retirement two years ago, it doesn't sound like that notion is on his mind today.

"My goal is to win three or four Super Bowls,'' Young said.

NFL News and Notes

Both of the Dallas Cowboys first-round picks figure to have an impact in Dallas' return game. Despite being unhappy with the amount of reps he's getting during practices in May, Cowboys linebacker Greg Ellis is keeping himself eligible for a $1.5M bonus tied into his participation in off-season workouts.

Mike Garafolo has the play-by-play from the "Blue Carpet" as the New York Giants arrived Tiffany & Co. to receive their Super Bowl rings. Giants quarterback Eli Manning called the rings "perfect". (Jared Lorenzen thought his "tasted funny".)

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Bam Childress always thinks his position coach is talking to him. Eagles rookie defensive end Bryan Smith hopes to put on some more weight.

Green Bay Packers defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila had knee surgery on Thursday and will be out until training camp. The Packers removed Brett Favre's locker and will ship it to his Mississippi home.

On August 7th, the NFL Network will re-air the "Hail Mary Game" between the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings from December 28th, 1975. I'd add further comments about that game, but I was exactly three weeks old at the time. Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson returned to practice on Thursday.

Nicholas Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press is impressed with the comeback workout video free agent running back Kevin Jones hopes to use to convince teams he's healthy.

Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher will attend the Bears' mandatory three-day mini-camp which begins today. Urlacher's decision to show up gives him more leverage at the bargaining table, writes David Haugh.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterbacks Luke McCown and Bruce Gradkowski will be competing for a training camp roster spot.

New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith will attend the Saints' mandatory three-day mini-camp which begins today.

Carolina Panthers rookie linebacker Dan Connor was lugging equipment and passing out towels after practice on Thursday. There's no timetable for when rookie tackle Jeff Otah (ankle) will practice.

Atlanta Falcons rookie linebacker Curtis Lofton is looking forward to putting the pads on. Falcons assistant coach Emmitt Thomas was in Dallas last weekend preparing to be bronzed.

Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Rocky Bernard has a court date on Monday.

The Arizona Cardinals rookies were sent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio for a history lesson.

Kevin Lynch writes that the San Francisco 49ers decision to move Chilo Rachal to right tackle was done out of necessity.

A new state-of-the-art football stadium in downtown St. Louis could cost taxpayers nearly $1 billion.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said that Junior Seau's decision to come back for a 19th season will be made closer to training camp. Belichick has been a highly visible presence at Boston Celtics playoff games, sitting near the visitor's bench. (Insert Spygate joke here.) Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe is impressed with the length of Patriots rookie linebackers Shawn Crable and Vince Redd.

Buffalo Bills safety Ko Simpson is recovering from broken ankle that ended his 2007 season just as it was beginning.

After his team spent $22M in free agency and a Top 10 pick in the draft on outside linebackers, New York Jets outside linebacker Bryan Thomas admitted he got complacent in 2007. In what I hope was done in his best Howard Lederman voice, Dave Hutchinson scores the Kellen Clemens-Chad Pennington fight as 3 rounds to 1 in favor of Clemens, who is beating the more experienced Pennington with clean, effective punching. (Ho-kay Jim!)

14-year old Akeem Havens closed out yesterday's Pittsburgh Steelers practice with a 10-yard touchdown.

Tony Grossi writes that Rex Hadnot is fitting in "seamlessly" at right guard for the Cleveland Browns.

The Cincinnati Bengals released wide receiver Doug Gabriel on Thursday.

Free agent wide receiver Freddie Mitchell worked out for the Baltimore Ravens yesterday.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver D'Juan Woods knows he's got to make the most of his second shot at making an NFL roster.

Former Titans quarterback Steve McNair doesn't regret his decision to retire.

Megan Manfull of the Houston Chronicle is all for a 17th regular season game.

The Brits want to see the Bolts.

Denver Broncos safety John Lynch welcomes the competition bringing in a few free agents has created. The Broncos success in 2008 hinges on the defense, writes Mark Kiszla. The Darrent Williams Memorial Teen Center celebrated its grand opening on Thursday.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Brodie Croyle knows the starting job is once again his to lose. Chiefs middle linebacker Napolean Harris was surprised to learn that his starting job might be in jeopardy.