St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger will be sidelined 3-6 weeks with a fractured left leg sustained in Sunday’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

The team said it would not place Bulger on injured reserve.

Bulger underwent two MRI exams Monday, one on his groin and hamstring and a second for what the team believed was a swollen knee. He also was to be tested for concussion-related symptoms Tuesday after a physically demanding loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Coach Steve Spagnuolo said the first MRI revealed a strain.

“Marc Bulger’s pretty banged up,” the coach said. “Marc’s got a few things going on.”

Bulger has completed 56.7 percent of his passes for five touchdowns and six interceptions for the Rams (1-9). Backup Kyle Boller will make his third start of the year Sunday against the Seahawks.

I would be surprised if Bulger is back this season. Broken legs need time to heal, and a possible concussion compounds matters.

Matthew Stafford was flat on his back, getting his left shoulder evaluated on the sideline by the Detroit Lions medical staff.

The Cleveland Browns called a timeout and gave the rookie a chance to get back in the game.

Stafford threw his fifth touchdown pass from 1 yard to Brandon Pettigrew and Jason Hanson’s extra point with no time on the clock gave Detroit a thrilling 38-37 win over Cleveland on Sunday.

“That was wild,” Stafford said with ice strapped around his shoulder.

The No. 1 pick in the NFL draft became the first rookie to throw five TDs in a game since Ray Buivid for the Bears in 1937, according to STATS LLC.

Detroit was given the untimed play because safety Hank Poteat was called for pass interference in the end zone when Stafford heaved a desperation attempt.

Just an amazing finish. If not for a Brown timeout, Stafford wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity. Shades of Tony Sparano’s timeout to ice the New Orleans kicker. The Saints got the touchdown instead of the field goal and things went down hill from there for the Miami Dolphins. Here I don’t question Mangini’s call. In hindsight it looks bad, but his team needed time more than the Dolphins did.

Stafford’s five TD throws almost equaled his total for the year prior to this game(6). Cleveland Brown QB Brady Quinn also had a career day with 4 touchdown passes.

Two bad teams put on an entertaining game. Who would have thunk it? I certainly didn’t.

Ricky Williams showed he’s still got it.

The 32-year-old Williams rushed for 119 yards and scored three touchdowns, and the Dolphins beat the Carolina Panthers 24-17 on Thursday night for their fourth win in six games to get into the AFC playoff picture.

A day after learning Brown is lost for the season to a foot injury, the Dolphins (5-5) continued their surge after an 0-3 start behind Williams. The 2002 NFL rushing champion had a receiving and rushing touchdown in the same game for the first time in his career that included a couple of lost seasons.

*****

DeAngelo Williams rushed for 122 yards for the Panthers (4-6), but Jake Delhomme had his streak of three games without an interception snapped. His desperation pass into the end zone was knocked down as time expired.

*****

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano hinted his team might abandon the wildcat without Brown, who was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. Miami didn’t use the formation until the second quarter. It coincided with the Dolphins’ first touchdown drive — Chad Henne’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Williams, who wrestled away from linebacker Na’il Diggs.

Miami took a 14-3 halftime lead when Williams took the direct snap at the 1 and got to the end zone ahead of linebacker Jon Beason.

Carolina narrowed the score to 17-14 but a Ricky Williams 46-yard touchdown run with a little over minutes left in the game essentially locked it up for Miami.

The Dolphins rarely used the Wildcat. It isn’t the same without Ronnie Brown. Brown can throw the football as well as run it. Williams so far as I know is no threat with his arm. Backup Quarterback Pat White wasn’t seen last night.

Miami has turned it around this year but I remain pessimistic for the year. They have games left with New England, Pittsburgh, and Houston which they will be lucky to win one of. The rest of the schedule, including Buffalo a week from Sunday, is weak. I predict Miami to finish 8-8 for 2009.

The Detroit Lions placed safety Marquand Manuel on injured reserve due to a shoulder problem, meaning he will miss the remainder of the season.

The team also put cornerback Jack Williams on IR with a torn ACL in his left knee.

Lions safety Kalvin Pearson (hamstring), guard Stephen Peterman (ankle), linebacker Ernie Sims (hamstring), defensive end Dewayne White (toe) and wide receiver Derrick Williams (hip) all didn’t practice Wednesday.

So who gets first shot at tearing apart Detroit’s pass defense? The Cleveland Browns, who like the Lions, have won just one game this year. Will anyone outside of Ohio and Michigan be watching this game next weekend?

Browns quarterback Brady Quinn has been fined by the NFL for his chop block on Baltimore’s Terrell Suggs.

A league source tells ESPN’s Michael Smith that an MRI exam showed Suggs suffered a severe MCL sprain from Quinn’s chop block on Monday night. There is no definitive timetable for Suggs’ return, but he is expected to miss at least the next couple weeks, the source said.

Quinn said he received a letter from the league on Wednesday but would not disclose the size of his fine, saying only that it was “a good amount.” Quinn insists he was not trying to hurt Suggs and has apologized to him and the Ravens.

The Ravens were fuming over the hit, during the Ravens’ 16-0 win on Monday night, as it could cost Suggs significant playing time while Baltimore attempts to remain in playoff contention.

IMHO, the Ravens are justified in being angry about Quinn’s block. It was a chop block and he deserves to be fined for it.

I think you will agree with me when I say- This has been a flat out awful year for the Cleveland Browns.

Miami Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown will miss Thursday night’s game at Carolina because of an injured right foot, and his status for the rest of the regular season is uncertain.

Coach Tony Sparano says Brown will see a specialist for further evaluation. Brown is the Dolphins’ leading rusher.

Ricky Williams will replace Brown and start for the first time this year. He’ll also become the primary triggerman in the wildcat.

The Wildcat isn’t the same with Williams running it. Brown can pass the football, Williams can’t so far as I know.

I’m concerned about Brown’s status for the rest of the 2009 season. A specialist isn’t necessary for a minor ankle sprain. Two years ago Brown’s season was cut short by a knee injury. Dolphin fans may be seeing a repeat this year.

Former Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson signed a one-year contract Tuesday morning with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Because NFL veteran contracts are guaranteed at the start of the regular season, Johnson will collect $4 million from the Chiefs and earn an additional $255,290 from the Bengals, the veteran minimum for the remainder of this season.

Money was not an issue for Johnson to sign with the Bengals. It was the opportunity to continue playing this season that convinced him to sign.

Absolutely money was not an issue with Johnson. As a sign it wasn’t, I expect Johnson to cut me a check for the $255,290 before the end of November.

You can turn off the snark now.

The Buffalo Bills have fired head coach Dick Jauron after a 3-6 start in which the offense has been one of the worst in the NFL.

Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell will likely take over as interim head coach, NFL.com reported.

“I am announcing today that I am relieving Dick Jauron from his duties as our head coach, effective immediately,” Bills owner Ralph Wilson Jr. said in a statement. “I have tremendous respect for Dick and thank him for all of his efforts during these past four years. While this was a very difficult decision, I felt that it is one that needed to be made at this time for the best interest of our team. We will now focus on moving forward and preparing for our game this week in Jacksonville.”

Jauron was 24-33 since being hired by former general manager Marv Levy in 2006 to be head coach.

Actually I think Cleveland is worse offensively than Buffalo. I’m not surprised by Jauron’s firing, but don’t think it will have any effect on this year’s team.

For 30 minutes, the Ravens were inefficient, unproductive and disorganized.

In 17 seconds, they changed all that.

Ray Rice scored on a 13-yard run on Baltimore’s first possession of the third quarter and safety Dawan Landry returned an interception of Quinn 48 yards for a touchdown on Cleveland’s next play as the Ravens overcame a horrendous start and routed the lowly Browns.

Baltimore’s second PAT attempt was blocked. They scored a field goal later in the game.

The Browns continue to be a horrendous offensive team. They have scored SIX offensive touchdowns over their last 15 games. Whether it’s Derek Anderson of the sub-40 passer rating or the hugely disappointing Brady Quinn(Don’t Cam Cameron look like a genius now for passing on Quinn in 2007), Cleveland can’t do anything offensively. The team is 1-8 so far for 2009 and any prediction for two wins at year end is looking overly optimistic.

Larry Johnson’s record-breaking career as a Kansas City running back is over.

The Chiefs confirmed Monday that they had run out of patience with his off-the-field problems and released Johnson the day he was due to come back from his second suspension in a year.

Johnson, who turns 30 on Nov. 19, was just 75 yards away from breaking Priest Holmes’ team rushing record.

The decision by the Chiefs (1-7) was not a surprise.

“A part of him is excited and a part of him is very regretful,” Johnson’s agent, Peter Schaffer, told The Associated Press. “There’s a lot of feelings going on right now. It’s analogous to breaking up with a girlfriend. Maybe you saw it coming, but it still hurts when it happens.”

A No. 1 draft choice out of Penn State in 2003, Johnson was one of the best running backs in the NFL in 2005 and 2006, rushing for more than 1,700 yards in each of those Pro Bowl seasons.

Johnson can still help a NFL team at running back. I expect someone to sign him. Oakland or Cleveland maybe.

The New Orleans Saints moved to 8-0 for the first time in club history Sunday when Drew Brees overcame two early turnovers to pass for 330 yards and a touchdown in a comeback 30-20 victory over Carolina 30-20.

While the Saints’ defense did not intercept a pass for the first time all season, the unit forced three turnovers on fumbles. The last produced New Orleans’ seventh defensive touchdown of the season on Anthony Hargrove’s strip, recovery and 1-yard return late in the fourth quarter.

DeAngelo Williams rushed for 149 yards and two TDs, and Carolina gained 182 on the ground. However, it was Williams’ fumble at his 1 with just more than 2 minutes left that led to New Orleans’ clinching TD.

I watched parts of this game plus the Saints wins against Miami and the New York Giants. Their offense looks almost unstoppable. Can they go 16-0?

The next two games for New Orleans are against St. Louis and Tampa Bay, two of the worst teams in the NFL. After that comes a game against New England. I think the well balanced Patriots will stop the Saints march to perfection.

Wearing one of those ghastly creamsicle jerseys that are an ugly reminder of Tampa Bay’s past, rookie Josh Freeman gave the struggling Buccaneers plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the future.

The third quarterback selected in this year’s NFL draft led the previously winless Bucs to a 38-28 victory over the Green Bay Packers in his first start Sunday, ending the league’s longest losing streak at 11 games.

Playing with poise that belied his inexperience, Freeman passed for 205 yards and three touchdowns, including a 7-yard throw to Sammie Stroughter on fourth-and-4 for the go-ahead TD with under 5 minutes to play.

Freeman’s selection by Tampa Bay was much maligned by NFL experts last spring. One game doesn’t prove those people wrong, but I’d be hopeful if I was a Bucs fan. The fans of a a team likely to go 3-13 this year has to some kind of hope to cling to.

The Edgerrin James experiment in Seattle is over.

The struggling Seahawks cut ties with James on Tuesday, releasing the backup running back who never provided the pop Seattle hoped to get when it signed the 31-year-old in late August.

James’ release was one of a handful of moves Seattle made two days after a lackluster 38-17 loss that dropped the Seahawks to 2-5. Seattle also released safety C.J. Wallace and cornerback Travis Fisher.

The two-time NFL rushing champ signed with Seattle near the end of training camp hoping to revitalize a career that fell flat after moving from Indianapolis to Arizona. After getting benched for the first time last season, James provided a spark the Cardinals needed in their run to the Super Bowl. But he was released by Arizona in the offseason, and remained unemployed until the Seahawks came calling. Before his release by the Cardinals, James had one year and $5 million remaining on the four-year, $40 million deal he signed with Arizona before the 2006 season.

James had gained only 125 yards rushing this year. I think his productive years in the NFL team are over but I wouldn’t be surprised if another NFL gives James a shot.

The San Diego Chargers have waived veteran wide receiver Chris Chambers.

Chambers must clear waivers in order to play for another team. Each team will have chance to claim him by 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Chargers coach Norv Turner said the Chargers released Chambers because of the emergence of Malcom Floyd and the need to sign a linebacker because of an injury to Tim Dobbins on Sunday. If another team claims Chambers, the Chargers won’t have to pay the $2.25 million they owe him.

Chambers had one catch for 20 yards Sunday against Oakland. He has only nine catches for 122 yards and one touchdown this season.

The Chargers acquired Chambers from the Miami Dolphins in 2007. Would Miami be interested in Chambers services? The rumors have already begun. Miami has a young and inexperienced receiving corps. If I were Dolphins management, I’d sign Chambers.

Ted Ginn Jr. was angry, his ego bruised by an embarrassing benching.

The Miami wide receiver took out his frustration on the New York Jets, returning two long kickoffs for touchdowns in the third quarter, and the Dolphins’ defense held on for a 30-25 victory Sunday.

Ginn was the first player since Green Bay’s Travis Williams in 1967 to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same quarter.

One of the most questionable moves Tony Sparano has made since becoming the Dolphins coach, has been his use of other players than Ginn as return men. Ginn has always been explosive on kick returns, including when the Dolphins were stinking up the NFL at 1-15 in 2007. There is no other Dolphin who is threat to bust one for a touchdown. So why doesn’t Sparano always have Ginn returning kicks?

I think Sparano is letting his other assessments of Ginn color his judgment when it comes to his use on special teams. Ginn has problems as a receiver, he wasn’t your personnel decision, but benching him for kick returns in favor of people like Davonne Bess and Brandon London is not puzzling but idiotic instead.

Miami really was fortunate to pull out a victory yesterday.

Maybe so, especially when the Jets’ defense shut down the Dolphins’ wildcat formation and held Miami to just 104 yards of total offense compared to New York’s 378.

*****

Miami’s second-ranked running attack rushed for just 52 yards, and Chad Henne was 12-of-21 for 112 yards and a late touchdown to Joey Haynos.

Miami’s other touchdown was a Jason Taylor fumble return.

Next up for Miami is the New England Patriots. I will be surprised if the Dolphins win 9 or more games this year.

Note- In 2007 at least two Ginn returns for touchdowns were called back by penalties.