NFL notes
Published 9:14 pm Wednesday, December 5, 2007
STEELERS: Defensive back Anthony Smith is so certain Pittsburgh will end the New England Patriots’ unbeaten season, he is guaranteeing a win Sunday in Foxborough.
The Patriots (12-0) may have the perfect record, Smith said Wednesday, but it should be New England that is worried about the Steelers (9-3) rather than the other way around.
“People keep asking me if we’re ready for the Patriots,” Smith said. “They should be asking if they’re ready for us.
“We’re going to win,” Smith said. “Yeah, I can guarantee a win. As long as we come out and do what we got to do. Both sides of the ball are rolling, and if our special teams come through for us, we’ve got a good chance to win.”
Despite Smith’s abundant optimism, no other Steelers are designating Sunday as guaranteed win day. Linebacker James Farrior, cautioning that Smith hasn’t been in the NFL long and may not realize what he is saying, doesn’t think the Patriots will pay any attention.
Smith, a third-round pick from Syracuse in 2006, became the starter at free safety only after Ryan Clark needed spleen surgery in late October.
“He better keep his mouth shut,” Farrior said, though he was laughing and wasn’t angry at his teammate. “Oh well, I guess we’ve got to go deal with that.”
Patriots safety Rodney Harrison, asked by Fox Sports Radio about the comments, answered, “Who was it?”
Told it was Smith, Harrison said, “Never heard of him.”
If Smith didn’t give the Patriots enough hey-look-at-this material, here’s this nugget for the Patriots’ receiving corps: Smith said they may have Randy Moss, but Cincinnati — not New England — has the league’s best wide receivers.
“They’ve got Welker and Moss,” Smith said, referring to Patriots receivers Wes Welker and Moss. “But they’re not like Cincinnati.”
PATRIOTS: New England’s pursuit of an undefeated season continues to draw viewers. Their dramatic comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night attracted the largest audience ever for a cable program. The game on ESPN averaged more than 12.5 million homes and 17.5 million viewers.
EAGLES: Quarterback Donovan McNabb has his mobility back, and along with it, his starting spot. McNabb returned to practice for his first full workout since spraining his right ankle and jamming his thumb in a victory over Miami two weeks ago.
REDSKINS: An attorney for the 17-year-old accused gunman in the killing of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor wants to work with Miami prosecutors to resolve the case.
Sawyer Smith, who along with his father Wilbur is representing Eric Rivera, said his client was admitting no wrongdoing yet.
Taylor died Nov. 27, a day after he was shot in the bedroom of his home. Police have said the 24-year-old player was a victim of a botched burglary. For men have been charged with first-degree felony murder and armed burglary.
TITANS: The arraignment of Adam “Pacman” Jones was rescheduled for today because a co-defendant missed a flight and was unable to attend the hearing in Las Vegas. The suspended NFL player was expected to plead no contest to a reduced charge in a Las Vegas strip-club melee that preceded a triple shooting, which left a man paralyzed. Tennessee defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth watched practice Wednesday, giving his sore right hamstring time to heal.
BILLS: Marshawn Lynch is scheduled to practice in pads today, the next step in determining when the Buffalo running back can return since spraining his left ankle more than three weeks ago.
VIKINGS: Minnesota defensive end Ray Edwards has been suspended four games for violating the NFL’s policy on steroid use. Edwards has been a starter, but was replaced last Sunday.
PACKERS: Quarterback Brett Favre was back at practice, but he wasn’t quite ready to put his bruised elbow, tingling throwing hand and tender shoulder to the test. Favre bruised his right elbow and separated his non-throwing left shoulder in the second quarter of the Packers’ loss at Dallas last Thursday. Favre is expected to start zinging passes in practice today, allowing him to run his quarterback-record consecutive starts streak to 250 (270 including playoff games) Sunday against Oakland. The Packers’ quarterback situation became even more complicated when Aaron Rodgers hurt his hamstring on Tuesday and could be out a week or two.
Associated Press
