McNabb said he should still be the starter in Minnesota

Posted by Mike Florio on October 29, 2011, 10:04 AM EDT

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It’s unknown whether former Vikings quarterbackDonovan McNabb is attempting to sell any of his teammates on the notion that he should be the starting quarterback, in the hopes that perhaps enough players will clamor for McNabb that he’ll be reinstalled at the top of the depth chart.  But it is known that McNabb is willing to publicly declare that he should be the starter.

Because he already has.

NFL Network special correspondent Andrea Kremer asks McNabb in an interview that will air Sunday morning whether he should still be the starter in Minnesota.  “Absolutely,” McNabb says.  “Absolutely.”

He thinks he isn’t the starter because the quarterback gets both the credit for a team’s success and the blame for its failures.  “Well, I mean, everyone focuses on my position,” McNabb told Kremer.  “We should be sitting here, I’ll be honest, at about what, 4-3, 5-2, or whatever?  We had games that we should have won, but we just didn’t. Now is it the quarterback position?”

What he’s overlooking is the fact that he wasn’t benched due to his play or because he’s the scapegoat for a 1-5 start punctuated by a blowout loss at Soldier Field that ran the team’s road record against the Bears to 1-10 since 2001.  Chrisian Ponder is playing and McNabb isn’t because the Vikings realize that the playoffs are a pipe dream, and because the Vikings need to know what Ponder can do.  Especially if that 1-5 (now 1-6) becomes 1-10 and worse, giving the Vikings a crack at Andrew Luck.

McNabb also flatly denied a report, originating last weekend on the same network, that he was benched because he showed up late for meetings and practices.

“Never,” McNabb said.  “But from just people from the outside listening, they’ll say, ‘Oh, you know, sources said that he’s not putting in that time to be a top tier quarterback.’  Well, just come to Minnesota.  Pack up your big jacket and your headwear, and come watch me.”

They can watch him practice.  For the foreseeable future — and possibly the rest of the year — they won’t be able to watch him play.

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14 Things to know about the Week 8 injury report

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on October 28, 2011, 7:25 PM EDT

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We handle the big injury stories in the rumor mill throughout the day. 

The rest of the nuggets from the Friday injury report are collected here, in the second most popular running injury report segment written by a non-practicing Jew.

1. The Ravens ruled starters Lee Evans (ankle), and guardBen Grubbs (toe) out once again.  Perhaps Evans really isn’t a starter if he never plays.

(Sources indicate that is not Lee Evans of the Ravens in the picture.)

2. The Lions will likely be without rookie Nick Fairley. He re-injured his foot and is doubtful.  Matthew Stafford (ankle) is questionable, but is expected to start.

3. The Broncos may be without Elvis Dumervil again. He’s questionable with an ankle injury after returning for a limited practice Friday.  Running back Willis McGahee is out, as expected.

4. Joseph Addai (hamstring) returned to a portion of practice Friday. He’s questionable.  Four questionable Colts didn’t practice all week and don’t look likely to play: T Anthony Castonzo (ankle), G Ryan Diem (ankle), DT Drake Nevis(back), and C Mike Pollak (hamstring).

5. Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck’s thumb injury is not a concern. He’s probable to start and practiced all week, although Jake Locker got a few more snaps than usual.

6. The Jaguars will be without two key players: T Eben Britton (back) and DEJohn Chick (abdomen).

7. Good news for the Giants receiver group. Miami’s top cornerback Vontae Davis(hamstring) is doubtful.

8. Giants rookie first rounder CB Prince Amukamara (foot) is out. Justin Tuck(groin, neck) is questionable, but is expected to play. Brandon Jacobs (knee) andChris Snee (concussion) will both definitely return. They are probable.

9. The Vikings expect WR Percy Harvin (ribs) to play, although it’s possible his snaps will be limited. While cornerback Chris Cook was suspended by the team,Antoine Winfield (neck) could return. He returned to a limited practice and is questionable.

10. The Leigh Bodden release looks even stranger after we learned that Patriots rookie cornerback Ras-I Dowling (hip) is still doubtful coming off a bye week.

11. We already told you about Sam Bradford being out for the Rams. They are also without tackle Jason Smith (concussion) and wideout Danario Alexander(hamstring) is doubtful.

12. Redskins tackle Trent Williams (ankle) is out once again. So John Beck is short three key offensive weapons and his protection could be spotty.

13. Cowboys running back Tashard Choice (hamstring) is officially questionable after missing practice Friday. It sounds like he’ll be a gametime decision.

14. The Eagles should have their entire team available following the bye.

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Lions claim Chris Harris off waivers

Posted by Michael David Smith on October 28, 2011, 5:22 PM EDT

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Chris Harris became a Detroit Lion today, and he already has one game circled on his calendar.

Harris, who was claimed by the Lions after being waived by the Bears this week, told theDetroit Free Press that he’s excited about playing at Chicago on November 13.

“It’s going to be weird,” Harris said. “It’s going to be kind of a surreal feeling, but I think it’s going to be fun. It’s definitely going to be fun.”

Harris isn’t expected to be ready to play for the Lions on Sunday against the Broncos, and after that comes Detroit’s bye. So the Bears game will be Harris’s first in a Lions uniform.

“That’ll be awesome,” Harris said. “Man, I’m sitting here smiling right now. It’ll be awesome.”

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Harbuagh emerges with cut under eye after horsing around with Flacco

Posted by Mike Florio on October 29, 2011, 6:58 AM EDT

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Ravens P.R. guru Kevin Byrne has a blog on the team’s official website.  The latest entry contains an interesting revelation regarding a recent encounter between coach John Harbaugh and quarterback Joe Flacco.

Byrne initially writes that Harbaugh and Flacco got into “a little bit of a wrestling match” this week.  Byrne later explains that it was a “little horsing around” that resulted in Harbaugh getting a cut under his eye.  Harbaugh was holding a pen in his hand and reached out to Flacco, who knocked the arm away, causing the pen to hit Harbaugh in the cheek.

Harbaugh calls it a “badge of courage,” while Flacco says the coach is “old and slow.”

If the blog were maintained by anyone other than a specialist in spin, I’d think nothing of it.  But Byrne’s effort to make light of the situation (he says at one point that “the quarterback and head coach [are] going after each other”) makes me at least wonder whether there’s more to it.

There probably isn’t.  OK, there most likely isn’t.  But if offensive coordinator Cam Cameron emerges with any visible cuts, scrapes, or scars, it’ll be time to assume that Flacco is dealing with his frustrations by dealing out ass whuppings.

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