Report: Bills eye fight between Hangartner, Wood at center

Geoff Hangartner has started 28 games in the middle of Buffalo's offensive line over the past two seasons, but the veteran center now finds himself in a battle to keep his starting role at that spot with the emergence of Eric Wood.

Veteran Geoff Hangartner might face stiff competition from Eric Wood for the Bills' starting center spot. (Paul Abell/Associated Press)

When Hangartner went down with a sprained knee late last season, two-year veteran Eric Wood shifted over from his right-guard spot to start the final four games at center -- and turned heads within the organization.

"We think Eric Wood was the best center in the draft coming out," Bills general manager Buddy Nix told The Buffalo News at the Senior Bowl in January. "Obviously he wasn't (fully) healthy. But when he gets healthy, there's a good chance that's where he'll be. We'll just see. We'll play the best ones."

The Bills are enamored with the physicality of Wood, who fought his way back in 2010 from a severe leg fracture. They also treasure Hangartner's intelligent play -- he scored 47 out of 50 on the Wonderlic before the 2005 NFL Draft -- and he has brought consistency to a position long in flux for Buffalo.

Hangartner, who has appeared in 83 games for the Carolina Panthers and Bills in six seasons, plans to continue as the Bills' starter.

"That's my mind-set, yes," Hangartner told The News this week at the team's player-only workout in Elma, N.Y. "I haven't spoken with anybody about it. But that is my mind-set.

"I talked to (offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris) for a little bit. And (switching positions) never come up in our conversations. There's always speculation on this and that in the offseason. So we'll see how it shakes out."

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It's a nice problem to have for coach Chan Gailey, who relishes competition along the offensive line, knowing both will find a way into the lineup if they continue their solid play.

Hangartner this week also addressed the subject of players encountering serious financial problems during the NFL lockout, saying it was hardly indicative of a league-wide epidemic.

"I think you're just hearing more about the problem that guys have dealing with money in this league," Hangartner said Tuesday. "I don't think it's just a problem with the lockout. It's an underlying problem, regardless. I don't think a whole lot of guys have missed money at this point."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Labor lawyer sees similarities between NFL, NHL owners

DALLAS -- An outside labor lawyer for the NFL says the league's owners are as unified right now as NHL owners were when that sport lost an entire season to a lockout.

Bob Batterman said Wednesday that the owners of the NFL's 32 teams "know what's wrong with the business today, and know how it needs to be changed."

He said the "only other time" he has seen team owners show such "complete unity" was when he worked for the NHL during its labor problems that led to the 2004-05 season being wiped out.

Batterman spoke after a pre-Super Bowl news conference held by Jeff Pash, the NFL's lead in-house negotiator. Pash emphasized the "considerable significance" of reaching a deal with the players' union by early March, when the current collective bargaining agreement expires.

For more NFL labor news, visit http://NFLLabor.com

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Frustration over rout leads to brawl between Texans' Johnson, Titans' Finnegan

HOUSTON -- Andre Johnson politely asked Cortland Finnegan to stop it. By the fourth quarter, Houston's star receiver had simply had it with the Tennessee cornerback's antagonistic antics.

Their feisty duel exploded into a full-blown fistfight late in the Texans' 20-0 win over the Titans on Sunday. Both players were ejected, and the ugly incident could lead to further discipline from the NFL.

"He kept doing little things and I told him: 'Just because you're frustrated, you need to stop what you're doing,'" Johnson said. "I guess he thought it was funny."

The usually soft-spoken Johnson caught nine passes and a touchdown before walking off the field to a standing ovation.

"It's just a buildup of things over plays," Johnson said. "I just lost my cool."

Finnegan did not speak to reporters after the game.

"It's not good for the game, no," said Titans coach Jeff Fisher, co-chairman of the NFL's competition committee. "You don't want to see that stuff."

Arian Foster rushed for 143 yards and also caught nine passes for the Texans (5-6), who were on their way to their first shutout since 2004 when Johnson and Finnegan began slugging it out midway through the fourth quarter.

The two got into a milder shoving match on the previous play, with Johnson giving Finnegan a shot in the back before Finnegan took off his helmet and walked away.

Finnegan then set off the brawl by jabbing at Johnson's neck and face mask at the line of scrimmage. Johnson ripped off Finnegan's helmet and landed at least two punches to Finnegan's head and neck. The two spun each other, and Finnegan tore off Johnson's helmet before players and referees intervened.

"I awarded it to Andre on points," Texans owner Bob McNair joked.

This was Round 2 between Johnson and Finnegan. Last season, Johnson was fined $7,500 for taking Finnegan to the ground by the face mask during a scuffle after a play in a 34-31 Texans win.

Johnson said this week: "That's the past, I'm over that. That's way behind me, I don't think about that." But Finnegan got under his skin again, and Johnson was apologetic after the game.

"I wish that I could take back what happened, but I can't," Johnson said. "I'm pretty sure I'll be disciplined for it."

Houston plays at Philadelphia on Thursday night.

The incident, meanwhile, came at the end of a tumultuous week for the Titans (5-6), who've lost four in a row.

Houston cornerback Glover Quin set a franchise record with three interceptions off Titans rookie quarterback Rusty Smith, who struggled in his first career start.

Smith replaced Houston native Vince Young, who argued with Fisher after he was taken out of last week's loss to Washington with a thumb injury. Young was placed on injured reserve and apologized to Fisher via text message. Young did not join his team for Sunday's game.

Smith completed 17 of 31 passes for 138 yards and a 26.7 passer rating.

"I wish I could have some of those throws back," Smith said. "You can't get them back."

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Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger was on the sideline calling plays after he was diagnosed with cancer this week. He's due to start chemotherapy Monday.

The drama with Young and Heimerdinger overshadowed the matchup of the two top rushers in the AFC, Foster and Chris Johnson. It was a mismatch: Foster set a Texans record with his sixth 100-yard game of the season, while Johnson managed a career-low 5 yards on seven carries.

"We weren't able to run the ball at all," Johnson said. "I don't know why we couldn't run it."

The Texans, with the league's 31st-ranked defense, had not held an opponent to fewer than 24 points all season. They dominated from the start Sunday, limiting the Titans to 12 yards and no first downs in the first quarter.

Quin got his first career interception on the first play of the second quarter, a much-needed confidence boost for the second-year cornerback. Quin batted a last-second desperation pass into the hands of receiver Mike Thomas for the winning score in a 31-24 loss at Jacksonville two weeks ago.

Schaub threw touchdown passes to tight end Joel Dreessen and Andre Johnson in the second quarter. Schaub completed 25 of 35 passes for 178 yards in the game.

Neil Rackers kicked a 36-yard field goal that bounced off the left upright for a 17-0 lead in the third quarter, and the Titans' offense was no better in the second half. Tennessee got to the Houston 12 when safety Bernard Pollard was whistled for pass interference. Quin then intercepted Smith's pass near the goal line.

Foster ran 37 yards down the sideline, and the Titans were flagged for a personal foul after the play, tacking on another 15 yards. A few plays later, the individual battle between Johnson and Finnegan boiled over.

Notes: Andre Johnson became the first player to make 60 receptions in each of his first eight seasons. Houston coach Gary Kubiak awarded Johnson the game ball for the accomplishment -- not for the fight. ... Titans K Rob Bironas had his franchise record streak of consecutive games with a field goal snapped at 20. ... Titans WR Randy Moss caught three receptions to reach 952 for his career and pass Andre Reed for eighth all-time.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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