IDP Notes

Packers DE Joe Johnson suffered a torn quad during week six and will need surgery. He's been placed on the IR, ending his season and possibly ending his career with Green Bay. Aaron Kampman replaced him in the lineup for their week seven game and picked up just one tackle.

Also placed on the IR was Falcons LB Sam Rogers. After injuring his knee during the preseason, he was inactive for all but two games thus far and finally gave in to surgery.

The Chargers have released DT Leonardo Carson, who faces kidnapping and burglary charges in Alabama. He's been picked up by the Dallas Cowboys.

Jets S Jon McGraw injured his shoulder during their week six game against the Bills and was inactive this past weekend. He's expected to miss 1-3 more weeks and has been replaced in the starting lineup by veteran DB Tyrone Carter.

Along with McGraw, the Jets were also missing CB Donnie Abraham (out since week two) and nickel back Jamie Henderson for their week seven matchup with Houston. David Carr's stats for the game: 170 passing yards & 0 touchdowns in a Jets 19-16 win. Sometimes, the NFL just doesn't make much sense (OK, most of the time).

After two games, the Vikings had ranked 4th in overall defense. They've fallen to 20th overall since, but a lot of that has to do with "garbage" yardage while Minnesota protects a big lead. More telling is their rush defense, which ranks 11th in the league allowing 101.0 yards per game.

Broncos 6'4 CB Lenny Walls has covered 6'5 Plaxico Burress and 6'4 Randy Moss over the last two weeks. While he did a decent job against Burress, holding him to five catches for 60 yards, his height didn't seem to be a problem for Moss (10-151).

Redskins DE Bruce Smith is still 1.5 sacks shy of tying Reggie White for the career sack title. Many thought that he would get it last week when facing the Buffalo Bills, the team with which he picked up the majority of his sacks, but it didn't happen. He recorded just one assisted tackle. Barring injury, the record will be his by seasons end.

DE Michael Strahan picked up two sacks on Sunday, raising his career total to 101.5. He's the 21st player to reach the 100-sack mark since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

Redskins CB Fred Smoot fractured his sternum during week six and was expected to miss 3-4 weeks. He was inactive this past weekend, but he's improving and now has his sights set on a November 2nd return for their matchup with the Cowboys.

Responding to his $50,000 fine by the NFL for abusing officials, Bucs DT Warren Sapp says that the league is trying to make an example of him. If true, that wouldn't be a bad idea from the NFL's standpoint, seeing as how Sapp almost seems like an untouchable mouthpiece for the players.

Here's what Jeff Fisher had to say about Warren Sapp: Titans HC Jeff Fisher believes Tampa Bay Buccaneers DT Warren Sapp should be suspended for bumping an official before last Sunday's Bucs-Redskins game. Had Sapp bumped the official during the game, ejection would have been automatic. "What Warren Sapp did last week did not show any respect for this game and I'm disappointed in that," Fisher said. "I personally think he should have been suspended." Titans DT Robaire Smith was ejected from a game earlier this season for bumping an official. "We have a defensive lineman who accidentally bumped an official and he's ejected from the game and Warren Sapp intentionally bumps an official and he is not ejected," Fisher said. "Something's wrong." Indeed.

Over the last two weeks, Patriots "player" Dan Klecko has posted two tackles and two rushes (five yards).

Rams CB James Whitley returned to the field during week seven after missing the first five games with a Lis Franc foot injury.

Texans S Matt Stevens, known for big hits and bad coverage, has been replaced in the starting lineup by Marlon McCree. A three year vet, McCree was claimed off waivers in September after he was released byt the Jaguars.

Buccaneers DE Simeon Rice has been named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his week six performance against the Redskins in which he recorded four sacks, raising his season total to eight. He will not repeat this week after the 'Niners held him sackless with just two solo tackles (alhtough he did pick off an attempted screen pass).

Buccaneers DE Greg Spires has been fined $7,500 for a week six helmet-to-helmet hit on Redskins QB Patrick Ramsey.

The Redskins are contemplating some changes on defense, which include expanded pass-rushing roles for LB LaVar Arrington and DE LaDarius Jackson, an increase in playing time for Regan Upshaw (helping to keep Bruce Smith fresh), and the 3-4 defensive alignment. Through seven games, Washington has just 10 sacks as a team and ranks 21st in rush defense (allowing 117.9 yards per game).

Raiders LB Bill Romanowski has been sued by teammate Marcus Williams, who Romo seriously injured during a fight in practice when he ripped off Williams' helmet and punched him in the face. The suit seeks unspecified damages for alleged battery, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Giants CB Will Peterson will be out for at least 6-8 weeks (possibly the season) with a stress fracture in his back. He was replaced in the starting lineup for week seven by Ralph Brown.

Broncos CB Deltha O'Neal has been benched during the last two games because of inconsistent play and attitude. He's been replaced in the starting lineup by Kelly Herndon.

Patriots S Rodney Harrison has been fined $10,000 for unnecessary roughness. He hit Titans WR Drew Bennett in the head during a pushing match when the teams met during week five. If these teams meat again in the near future, I'd watch out if I was Bennett. Harrison will be looking to get his 10K's worth.

Jaguars LB Keith Mitchell remains sidelined not for physical problems, but for a gut feeling. He's still bothered by neck pain and mental issues surrounding his neck injury earlier in the year and has sought a second opinion.

Ravens S Ed Reed was named the NFL's special teams Player of the Week during week six. Against the Cardinals, he blocked a punt, picked it up and ran 22 yards for a touchdown. They could've used a little of that during this past weeks loss to the Bengals, where Reed collected just one solo tackle.

Ravens CB Chris McAlister was fined $5,000 by the NFL for taunting the Arizona Cardinals during his interception return for a touchdown in their week six matchup.

Jets DT Jason Ferguson was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his week six performance against the Bills in which he posted two sacks, a forced fumble and six solo tackles. Ferguson is quietly having a fine season with 19 solo tackles and 2.5 sacks over the last month.

Broncos DT Daryl Gardener has seen limited action during the last two games, posting just one solo tackle, but doctor's have recommended that he shut it down for the year. His wrist will not be 100% this year.

Julius Peppers has one word for his play so far this season, and he believes it so strongly that he said it twice. "Unacceptable," Peppers said Wednesday. "Unacceptable." "I'm playing average," Peppers said. "I'm playing just as good as a lot of the defensive ends in the league, but people around here don't expect me to be an average player. And I don't expect myself to be an average player." Well, it looks to have worked as Peppers posted his best game of the year during week seven, picking up five solo tackles with a sack and a forced fumble.

Last year, Seattle ranked last in the league allowing 152.6 rushing yards per game. Through six games this year, they're 14th (104.7) against the run and 7th overall. New defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes says that he knows they can play much, much better. At this point, who's to argue.

After posting 25.5 sacks over the last two seasons, Packers DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila in on pace for eight. So much for increased playing time equalling better production. With Joe Johnson done for the year, he'll find little help in improving on this number (although he did pick up a sack this past weekend).

Packers LB Nick Barnett has been named the NFL Rookie of the Week for week six. It was the second week in a row and third time this year that Bennett received the award. He wasn't such a bad first round pick afterall.

Jets DT Josh Evans is close to being reinstated after being indefinitely suspended as a repeat substance abuse offender. He's targetting a week 10 return to the field, although he may be getting ahead of himself. How about Darrell Russell, remember him? Also serving a league imposed suspension as a repeat violator, there's no word of his reinstatement.

Falcons LB Keith Brooking will be out from 2-6 weeks with this years favorite injury, chipped vertebrates in his back. Even with Brooking in the lineup, the Falcons defense has been horrible against the run. Currently ranked 29th in the league, they're allowing 149.9 rushing yards per game. I guess that's pretty good when you consider that their pass defense is dead last (266.9).

The Rams lost LB Tommy Polley for at least a month when he dislocated his elbow on Sunday. In Polley's absence, starting middle linebacker Robert Thomas will slide to the weakside with Jamie Duncan starting in Thomas' spot.

With an interception in six consecutive games, Minnesota S Brian Russell has tied Hall of Famer Paul Krause for the Vikings team record. Raiders DB Tom Morrow set the NFL record at eight back in 1963.