Titans' Finnegan responds to Orton's 'dirty player' accusation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan didn't throw the first verbal blow -- Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton did when he said Tennessee players were "cheap" following Denver's 26-20 victory -- but he delivered a counterpunch.

"We don't play the Broncos this week. We play the Cowboys," Finnegan said after practice Wednesday. "I could care less what another man says. He's a quarterback man, who cares? If he wants to show up in Nashville and see me, that's cool, too, but I doubt it."

Orton criticized the Titans for playing dirty -- so did Broncos coach Josh McDaniels -- and pointed out Finnegan in particular. Orton claimed Finnegan punched Broncos guard Chris Kuper when the lineman's helmet was off during Sunday's game at Tennessee.

"If that's the type of player Cortland Finnegan wants to be, then he is a cheap player," Orton said. "He is a cheap player."

Titans outside linebacker Gerald McRath returned from a four-game suspension and worked with the first-team defense Wednesday. All indications are that he would start Sunday at Dallas in the Titans' base defense at weakside linebacker.

Jamie Winborn started in McRath's absence. McRath was suspended for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Coach Jeff Fisher would not fully confirm McRath's status for Sunday but a team source said McRath is on track to start. Fisher said McRath likely would not play in nickel and dime packages.

View the original article here

Browns will see how Delhomme responds after testing ankle

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme is testing his right ankle again in practice and will start Sunday against Atlanta if it responds favorably to the extra workload.

Cleveland coach Eric Mangini said Wednesday that Delhomme and backup Seneca Wallace, who has started the past three Browns games, would split reps in practice in preparation for the game against the Falcons and that Delhomme situation was work, wait and see.

"I would say that's the approach that we are going with," Mangini said. "However, we have to go through today with more reps. It will be more reps today than it was last week. So, then, how he wakes up tomorrow and what that looks like will give us a better idea if he is ready to go or if we are just a step closer."

Delhomme, signed by the Browns to a two-year contract in March, has been inactive in Cleveland's last three games after badly spraining his right ankle in the season-opening loss Sept. 12 at Tampa Bay. He returned to practice last Thursday on a limited basis, but his injury didn't improve enough for him to play in last week's win against Cincinnati.

Delhomme seemed more mobile during the 30 minutes of practice open to reporters Wednesday.

"His ability to function is at his normal level -- his ability to move, to go through all the normal mechanics of playing QB ...," Mangini said. "You are really just looking at his normal operation at this point to what it was and what things bother him, what things don't bother him, and get a gauge as the week goes on. If (he can't), you play Seneca."

NFL RedZone

Watching football on Sundays will be a whole new experience with NFL Network's new channel, NFL RedZone. Find out why.

Delhomme's familiarity with the Falcons -- he played them twice a year during most of his seven-year tenure with the Carolina Panthers, who released him in March -- would be helpful this week, Mangini acknowledged.

"There are some positives there, but things have changed, too," Mangini said. "Over any year to year you get some changes, but it definitely helps to have familiarity with the personnel. He starts at maybe a higher point (than) maybe a lot of us who haven't seen them twice a year."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

View the original article here