Associated Press
TEMPE, Ariz. ó Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner says that after this season he will take his closest look yet at retiring from the NFL.
The scary injury to teammate Anquan Boldin, combined with other factors, has led him to give more serious consideration to leaving the game.
“I’m definitely considering retirement more than I ever have before,” the 37-year-old quarterback said Monday, “but that doesn’t mean it’s more than 50 percent or anything like that. I’m just going to consider it.”
The comments came after Yahoo.com reported that Warner text messaged his wife Brenda shortly after Boldin’s injury on Sept. 28 against the New York Jets, saying he’d decided it was time to retire. She said he meant immediately, but Warner said that wasn’t the case.
“There’s no question that I texted her and said that I was contemplating and thinking about it because she’s wanted me to retire for a couple of years now,” Warner said. “. . . It wasn’t I was going to retire last week. It was more I’m just really trying to keep this thing in perspective moving forward.”
BUCSCoach Jon Gruden isn’t in a hurry to declare who will start at quarterback when the Buccaneers face Carolina this week.
Brian Griese hurt his right elbow and shoulder during Sunday’s 16-13 loss at Denver and was replaced by Jeff Garcia, who was slowed by injuries in training camp before losing the job after playing poorly in the season opener.
RAIDERSTom Cable’s passion for blocking and the players who take on that all-important task remained the same following his promotion last week from offensive line assistant to head coach.
He still spends most of his time at practice during individual drills with the offensive linemen, meticulously arranging blocking pads at the beginning of the sessions.
“I’m one of them. I played that spot,” said Cable, who played four years at tackle in college at Idaho. “So, you really understand it and understand how much they go through, you understand what they put their bodies through, you understand that in the middle of camp when they’re dead tired and they’re sore and those big, 300-pound bodies don’t want to go quick anymore, you just have to kind of oil them up and keep pushing them.
“It is, without question, a tremendous passion for me. So, I always want to be a part of that.”
EAGLESLast place is starting to look too familiar to the Eagles.
They followed a disappointing 24-20 loss at Chicago with a distressing performance at home against Washington. The Redskins overcame an early 14-0 deficit, dominated on both sides and left Philadelphia with a 23-17 victory that further legitimized their status as an NFC East contender.
As for the Eagles (2-3), it might be time for them to accept being the fourth-best team in the NFL’s toughest division. It’s really nothing new. They’ve finished last twice in the previous three seasons after losing the 2005 Super Bowl.
“We’re 16 points off. That’s what we’re off,” coach Andy Reid said Monday. “It’s such a small margin between winning and losing in the NFL.”
BEARSLovie Smith insists the heart of the offense remains the running game. But the coach also said Monday there was much to like about career-best efforts by quarterback Kyle Orton in a 34-7 victory over winless Detroit.
The fourth-year pro set career highs in yards passing, completions and quarterback rating as Chicago (3-2) vaulted into sole possession of the NFC North lead.
“I thought it was the best game we’ve played offensively,” Smith said. “It all starts with the quarterback and Kyle Orton had a lot of passing yards and made a lot of great decisions spreading the football around.
Orton, who was 24-of-34 for 334 yards, completed passes to seven receivers and earned a 121.4 rating for the day.
COLTSINDIANAPOLIS ó Colts coach Tony Dungy does not appear overly concerned with the injury to three-time Pro Bowler Dwight Freeney.
“He strained something in his leg on the first fumble, but he went back in for about five or six plays,” Dungy said of the defensive end, who was hurt during Indianapolis’ win over Houston on Sunday.
HENRY ARREST
DENVER ó Former Denver Broncos running back Travis Henry appeared in court Monday, handcuffed and wearing yellow prison clothes for a hearing that stemmed from his arrest last week over an alleged cocaine deal.
A judge set bail for Henry at $400,000 and ordered the case moved to Montana, where authorities say they discovered a car with three kilograms of cocaine and six pounds of marijuana that was supplied by Henry and co-defendant James Mack.
RAMSAs if an 0-4 start wasn’t bad enough, things got worse for the St. Louis Rams on Monday: Tight end Randy McMichael will be lost for the season with a broken right leg.
McMichael broke his tibia and tore a ligament in his leg in the Rams’ 31-14 loss to Buffalo on Sept. 28. On Monday, the team put him on injured reserve, ending his 2008 season.
BRONCOSTony Scheffler’s groin injury isn’t nearly as serious as the one that knocked out fellow tight end Nate Jackson last season.
Scheffler said it was unlikely he’d play Sunday against Jacksonville.
SEAHAWKSWide receiver Deion Branch has a bruised heel and will be out indefinitely. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck apparently will be fine.