Browns quarterback Frye may have broken right wrist
Browns quarterback Charlie Frye may have broken his right wrist during Sunday’s win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Frye got hurt on Cleveland’s first offensive series when he braced himself while being knocked down. He stayed in and threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Braylon Edwards before being taken to the locker room for X-rays.
Frye returned with 5:53 left before halftime, and drove the Browns to a tying score with 19 seconds left.
However, when Cleveland came out for the second half, Frye was wearing a large brace on his wrist and an orange jacket but no shoulder pads.
“I tried to fight it off for a while,” said Frye, who also hurt his left ankle on the same play. “At halftime, the trainer pulled the plug on it. I should know (today) just how serious it is.”
Tight end Kellen Winslow blurted out that Frye’s wrist was broken, but later backtracked on his claim.
Coming off a four-interception performance against Cincinnati, Frye went 11-for-13 for 122 yards. In his first full season as a starter, Frye has taken a beating behind an injury-depleted offensive line, but has not missed any significant time.
Browns coach Romeo Crennel said Frye will be evaluated today. The Browns (4-8) play at Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
INJURIES
Four Chargers hurt in victory at Buffalo
San Diego wide receiver Keenan McCardell and linebacker Randall Godfrey were injured in a 24-21 win over Buffalo.
McCardell hurt his left calf and didn’t return after making a 7-yard catch in the third quarter. Godfrey, the Chargers’ second- leading tackler, hurt his left calf in the first quarter and didn’t return.
McCardell said it’s the same injury that prevented him from playing in San Diego’s 21-14 win against Oakland last weekend. He said his calf was still sore following the game. The Chargers host the Broncos on Sunday.
Backup safety Clinton Hart (left ankle) and reserve receiver Kassim Osgood (elbow) were hurt when the Bills attempted an onside kick in the final minute.
New Orleans wide receiver Joe Horn aggravated a groin injury while making a first-down catch in the first quarter of a 34-10 win over San Francisco.
Horn struggled with the injury for a month and was inactive for two games in early November because of it.
Miami defensive end Jason Taylor was sidelined late in the first half against Jacksonville with an injury to his right wrist, but returned for the start of the second half with it wrapped and played the rest of the way in the Dolphins’ 24-10 loss.
Taylor was hurt tackling quarterback David Garrard and quickly trotted off the field to the locker room, clutching his arm against his side.
Taylor, enjoying perhaps the best season of his 10-year career, recorded 1.5 sacks in the first half to give him 10.5 this season. He finished with three tackles.
MILESTONES
Peyton Manning’s 18-yard completion to Ben Utecht put him over 3,000 yards passing for a ninth straight season, tying him with Dan Marino for the second-longest streak in NFL history. Only Brett Favre has more 3,000-yard passing seasons (14).
San Diego’s LaDainian Tomlinson joined Eric Dickerson as the only NFL players to reach 1,200 yards rushing in each of his first six seasons. Tomlinson surpassed 1,200 with a 51-yard TD run in the first quarter. Dickerson set the mark from 1983-89 with the L.A. Rams and Indianapolis.
Devin Hester, Bears, tied an NFL record with his fourth touchdown return, a 45-yard punt runback against Minnesota. The rookie has three punt returns for scores, a team record.
Audition time for Garcia
When Jeff Garcia lines up under center for Philadelphia against the Carolina Panthers tonight, a national audience will be watching. Teams looking for a quarterback next season ought to pay close attention to a guy who went to three Pro Bowls and seems to have plenty game left for a 36-year-old.
Garcia is focused on helping the slumping Eagles climb back into the playoff race, but he also knows he’s auditioning for his next job.
“Sure, let’s get one more big one,” Garcia said of a multiyear contract. “I know that’s a little less likely due to the fact that I’ll be 37, but I feel like I’m a young 37 next year. But it’s one of those things where I’m not so much caught up in that.”
Garcia signed a one-year deal with the Eagles in March after playing five seasons in San Francisco and one each in Cleveland and Detroit. He became the starter when Donovan McNabb went down with a season-ending knee injury two weeks ago. In his first start at Indianapolis last Sunday, Garcia completed 19-of-23 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-21 loss.
The Eagles (5-6) need another solid performance from Garcia to have a chance against the Panthers (6-5). Both teams are fighting for a playoff spot in the mediocre NFC. Despite losing five of their past six games, the Eagles would thrust themselves into the playoff picture with a win over Carolina.
On the other sideline, the opposing quarterback also is under the microscope.
Jake Delhomme has underperformed this season a year after going to the Pro Bowl and leading the Panthers to the NFC championship game. He has thrown 12 TD passes, nine interceptions and has a rating of 78.7 this year, while the offense is ranked 27th in the NFL in scoring at 17.2 points a game.
