• Buffalo placed S Izell Reese on the IR prior to week 16 with a calf injury. Pierson Prioleau, a starter in 16 games last year for the Bills, replaces him in the lineup.



• Browns CB Anthony Henry had season ending knee surgery. Rosevelt Williams and Michael Lehan will combine to fill his role, with Williams starting week 16. No major structural damage was reported with Henry's knee.



• The Jaguars placed CB Jason Craft on the IR prior to week 16. He sprained a knee ligament during week 16 and never made it back onto the field.



• Houston CB Kenny Wright, who had been starting in place of the injured Aaron Glenn, tore a knee ligament on Sunday and will be lost for the year.



• The Cardinals placed backup S Justin Lucas on the IR with an ankle injury.



• Eagles LB Carlos Emmons broke his leg on Sunday and has been placed on the IR, ending his season. Ike Reese will take his place in the lineup.



• The Panthers placed LB Mike Caldwell on the IR with a lingering hamstring injury. He played in just three games this year.



• Bengals LB Adrian Ross tore his ACL on Sunday and is done for the year. He's expected to go through six months of rehab and be ready for next years training camp.



• Tampa Bay placed DE Greg Spires on the IR. He injured his shoulder on Sunday but returned to the game as was initially considered probable for week 17. Either DE Chartric Darby or rookie DE DeWayne White will start in place of Spires.



• Redskins S Ifeanyi Ohalete sprained his knee during week 16 and has been placed on the IR. He'll be replaced by Todd Franz. Ohalete's injury will not require surgery.



• Broncos CB Kelly Herndon fractured two fingers when he got in the way of teammate Kenoy Kennedy's hit on Colts WR Reggie Wayne. Kennedy was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play. Herndon will miss this weeks game but should be ready for the playoffs.



• Broncos S Nick Ferguson is done for the year with a broken wrist. He'll be replaced in the lineup by early season starter Sam Brandon.



• Jaguars DE Tony Brackens suffered a knee injury on Sunday that may be considered serious. Scheduled to make $9.2 million next year, Brackens has likely played his last down in Jacksonville.



• Lions DT Luther Elliss and DE Kalimba Edwards are both done for the year. Elliss was inactive for week 16 and is still experiencing headaches from a December 7th concussion. Edwards suffered a torn groin on Sunday and has been placed on the IR. Detroit may also be without DE Robert Porcher, who's suffering from wrist and elbow injuries, but a decision on him has yet to be made.



• Bears S Mike Green, who's been in and out of the lineup with a groin injury, has also been placed on the IR.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

• Raider's CB Charles Woodson will be an unrestricted free-agent in less than week and believes that he's earned a big contract. "I want every penny. I'm not going to keep that a secret," the four-time Pro Bowl CB said. "Forget the average, I want to be the top." He also realizes that the contract will likely come from someone other than the Raiders.



• Last week, Giants LB Michael Barrow made the news by comparing a loss with the experience of a sexual assault. This week, he offered an apology. "Obviously, I am deeply sorry that my comments offended anybody, especially anybody who has been in that situation," Barrow said. "I am sorry that my remarks were offensive in any way toward anybody. I accept full responsibility for my poor choice of words, and I am sorry."



• The Ravens have signed the recently-much-traveled LB T.J. Slaughter, who was released by Green Bay on December 10th after being released by Jacksonville earlier in the year. It's a precautionary move made to fill the roster spot opened when Adalius Thomas was placed the IR and Baltimore does not expect Slaughter to see the field this year. "He's a veteran linebacker that hopefully never takes the field," said head coach Brian Billick.



• Former Panthers' first-round draft pick CB Rashard Anderson met with NFL officials and doctors on December 17 in hopes of being reinstated to the league. He has missed the last two seasons after multiple violations of the league's substance abuse policy. Even if reinstated, it's unlikely that he'll suit up for the Panthers again.



• Chargers LB Ben Leber was fined $7,500 by the NFL for leading with his helmet on a hit against Green Bay QB Brett Favre during week 15.



• Rams DE Grant Wistrom was fined $5,000 by the NFL for a late hit on Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck during week 15.



• Cowboys S Roy Williams may be receiving a fine this week for a hit he laid on Giants WR Amani Toomer this Sunday. It appeared that Williams led with his helmet, but Cowboys HC Bill Parcells believes the hit was legal. He was not flagged on the play.



• Jaguars CB Fernando Bryant is an unrestricted free-agent at seasons end and has likely played his last home game with Jacksonville. They have not made an attempt to extend his contract and it appears that he is no longer in the Jaguars plans. A first round pick in 1999, Bryant has started 70 games over the last five years.



• Buccaneers DT Warren Sapp is also an UFA that will likely be looking for a new team soon. Tampa Bay has not offered him a contract. He is said to be looking for a four year deal and eager to explore his options.



• Cowboys CB Terence Newman was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week and the NFL Rookie of the Week for his performance against the Washington Redskins in Week 15. Newman had five tackles and three interceptions in the Cowboys' victory.



• Earlier this year, Falcons CB Tyrone Williams was made inactive for the first time in his career for reasons other than injury related. Eleven year vet Ray Buchanan suffered the same fate during week 15 when he was de-activated and it's looking like Buchanan will be released once the season is over.



• It appears that LBs Mo Lewis and Marvin Jones, with a combined 23 years of service in New York, have likely played their final home game with the Jets.



• KGB v. AGB. Monday night's Packers-Raiders game saw the Gbaja-Biamila brothers face-off on separate teams for the first time in their careers. Big brother Kabeer got the better of the matchup with three sacks while Akbar, a rookie defensive end for the Raiders, picked up two assists.



• Browns DT Gerard Warren was benched for the first series of Sundays 35-0 loss to Baltimore because he was late for a team meeting on Saturday night.



• Baltimore LB Terrell Suggs set the Ravens' rookie record for sacks with his 12th of the year on Sunday. "That's one milestone, and now I have to climb to the next one," Suggs said. "He told me he was out for the all-time rookie sack record," defensive line coach Rex Ryan said. Titans DE Jevon Kearse set the NFL rookie record with 14 1/2 sacks in 1999.



• Texans DT Seth Payne tore his ACL during week two this year and, because of complications with the original surgery, will probably miss all of training camp in 2004.