Manning has a sore backside

"Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning went through his second limited practice Thursday, but the team has no concern about his availability for Sunday's game at Houston.

The NFL's three-time MVP is dealing with a "glute'' injury. Coach Jim Caldwell wouldn't comment on the specifics or severity of the injury.

"Just a little soreness, so we're just kind of being careful with it,'' he said.

Asked how limited Manning was during Thursday's workout, Caldwell smiled.

"He was limited.''

Owner Jim Irsay isn't worried about Manning missing practice time.

"It's a long season and guys get nicks all the time,'' he said. "It's just that when it's Peyton, it gets a lot of attention.""

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Turner to be a game-time decision

"Running backs Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood both practiced again on Thursday.

Norwood fully participated, while Turner was limited.

"Jerious is definitely ahead of Mike," Smith said. "Mike is probably going to down to the wire in terms of a game-time decision on if he's going to be able to play or not." "

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Larry Johnson inks deal to join the Cincinnati Bengals

"Larry Johnson is a Bengal after agreeing to terms on a one-year contract with the team this morning. The Bengals still have not made an official announcement since they still have to make a roster move to put Johnson on the 53-man roster.

Johnson arrived on Monday night in Cincinnati and met with the coach Marvin Lewis and his staff. Since being released by the Chiefs last Monday, Johnson had talked but the Bengals will be the one to take a chance on the oft-troubled seven-year running back. Lewis spoke with Johnson last Thursday about possibly coming to the team.

Lewis also said on Monday that Johnson would be the fourth running back and that the role of the three backs on the roster would not change.

“It would have zero affect on Cedric Benson, Bernard Scott or Brian Leonard,” Lewis said. “I’m very happy right now with what they’re doing and their roles and I want to see Bernard’s role continue to expand as it did yesterday.”

The rumors about Johnson coming to Cincinnati really intensified following Sunday’s 18-12 win over Pittsburgh when Benson left during the second quarter with a hip flexor strain.

But both Lewis and Benson said that the injury, which is officially an abductor strain, was not serious and that he could be available for this week’s game at Oakland. But Benson is expected to be limited in practices with the final decision being made close to game time.

“I had an opportunity to visit with Cedric, and it (Johnson’s signing) doesn’t affect him zero,” Lewis said. “Obviously this was already underway last week, so Ced in the game had no affect on this thing.”

Benson said this morning on Sirius XM’s Mad Dog Radio morning show that he is feeling pretty good, calling it “just a minor speed bump in the road” and also supported the signing."

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Chiefs' Bowe suspended four games by NFL

"Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has been suspended four games for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

League spokesman Corry Rush announced the suspension in an e-mail, and the Chiefs have acknowledged Bowe's suspension.

In a news release, the Chiefs said Bowe’s suspension will begin immediately.

"As a result of the league suspension, the team will have no further comment," the Chiefs' news release said."

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Bills Fire Jauron After Dismal 3-6 Start

"The Buffalo Bills fired coach Dick Jauron today, team owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr. told The News.

"It's the toughest thing I ever had to do personally because he's such a great guy," Wilson said. "But nothing ever seemed to go right."

The move comes in the wake of Sunday's 41-17 loss at Tennessee, which dropped the Bills to 3-6 on the season.

"He's just a great guy, and I feel very bad about it," Wilson said. "But I think it's best for the team and the fans and everybody."

It's expected that either defensive coordinator Perry Fewell or assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Bobby April will take over."

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Browns running back Jamal Lewis said team works too hard to win

"Browns running back Jamal Lewis said today the Browns work too hard during the week to be efficient on game days. They're 1-7 and he's tired of it.

He said the team works every day for 2 1/2 to three hours and has practiced in pads through a half-season more than he did with the Baltimore Ravens in three seasons.

"Hey, you want a W on Sunday when you work like that," he said.

"There's talent all over this room, young and old," Lewis continued. "At the same time, that talent's got to be able to be ready for Sunday and to be fresh for Sunday and be ready to go out and be efficient on Sunday.

"You can work hard as you want. You can work all day, seven days a week all the way up to Sunday in practice. But at the same time, if you're going to work like that, then maybe on Sunday you're probably not going to get what you want out of your players."

Lewis also said he doesn't fit in the Browns' offense because it's a "pass-type offense."

The comments stemmed from another conversation about Lewis' decision to retire after this season, which he first made out of frustration following the Browns' last game in Chicago before their bye week."

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Texans To Look At Ex-Chief Running Back Johnson

"The Texans' running game is so bad they are interested in signing former Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson.

The Texans, who are 5-4 and averaging only 90.8 yards rushing, are one of several teams showing interest in Johnson, who was placed on waivers Monday.

"We're going to do our homework on him just like we did our homework on Edgerrin James last week," coach Gary Kubiak said. "Obviously, I think when a name like that (Johnson) comes on the free-agent market like today, we'll take a look at him just like any other player.

"He's been a good player in this league, and I'm sure he'll get a lot of interest from a lot of people."

Johnson, who turns 30 on Nov. 16, will be an unrestricted free agent if he clears waivers today as expected. The Chiefs released him on the day he returned from a two-week suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.

Johnson, who was dogged by off-the-field issues at Kansas City, was suspended for making anti-gay remarks on his Twitter account and for repeating them to reporters who cover the Chiefs. He also was critical of coach Todd Haley on his Twitter account.

The NFL told the Kansas City Star on Monday that Johnson doesn't face a suspension from the league because the Chiefs suspended him for two games, costing him about $330,000, according to the newspaper."

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Freeman leads Bucs to first win

"It has to have a starting point. Every escape from the darkness does. Maybe that game-winning drive late Sunday against the Packers, which produced a 38-28 victory, was it.

It wasn't necessarily one for the ages. But coming as it did, with rookie quarterback Josh Freeman at the wheel and in a uniform that has come to symbolize a losing era, it was enough to make some believe better days are just ahead.

"You've got to think it's the start of something special," Bucs receiver Michael Clayton said of Freeman's work during the eight-play, 72-yard touchdown drive that completed Tampa Bay's comeback from an 11-point, fourth-quarter deficit and ended an 11-game losing streak.

"That's why we brought him here to lead this franchise," said first-time winning Bucs coach Raheem Morris, a former Kansas State defensive coordinator who had as much to do with bringing the former K-State quarterback to Tampa as anyone. "It reminded me of his first college start.""

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D-Hall calls out Smith, plans to contact league office

"Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall was still steaming hot over a skirmish on the Falcons' sideline during the game Sunday.

After Washington safety LaRon Landry hit Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan out of bounds in the second quarter, Hall, a former Falcon, got into a jostling match with several Falcons, strength coach Jeff Fish and head coach Mike Smith.

"I ran over there to kind of pull my guy away," Hall said. "One of their strength and conditioning coaches put his hands on me and started grabbing me. Then it went to various other guys pulling at me and grabbing me. Through the whole time, I'm trying to get the guys' hands off of me."

Falcons coach Mike Smith said he didn't know who the player was from the Redskins who was involved in the incident."

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Chiefs release Larry Johnson

"The Chiefs released running back Larry Johnson on Monday, his first day back from a two-week suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.

Johnson called out coach Todd Haley two weeks ago in a Twitter post before using a pair of gay slurs on his Twitter profile and, a day later, to a group of reporters. He missed Sunday’s game at Jacksonville, and the suspension cost him about $330,000. He also ended his Chiefs career 74 yards short of the franchise rushing record, set by Priest Holmes.

Johnson’s high point with the Chiefs was in 2006, when he established an NFL single-season record with 416 rushing attempts and a franchise single-season mark with 1,789 rushing yards. He was the Chiefs’ first-round selection at 27th overall in the 2003 NFL draft out of Penn State."

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