Peyton Manning still thinks he can be ready for the Colts’ regular-season opener, but the rest of the preseason appears to be out.
Manning, who had neck surgery in May, said yesterday he will use the next two weeks to get healthy from offseason neck surgery, a timeline that could put his streak of 227 consecutive starts in jeopardy.
Colts coach Jim Caldwell hasn’t said when Manning might return to the practice field, but it’s clear there are concerns within the organization. About 6 hours before Manning spoke, team owner Jim Irsay used his Twitter account to acknowledge there is a possibility the Colts will start the season without their No. 1 quarterback.
Irsay posted his comments yesterday morning on his Twitter account, less than 12 hours after the Colts lost their eighth straight preseason game.
“We’r evaluating the QB sitch, #18 healing but we must 2 b prepared 4 early season possibility without him,defense has 2 pick it up,big time!” Irsay wrote.
CARDINALS: Larry Fitzgerald agreed to an eight-year deal that could pay the star receiver as much as $120 million, making it one of the richest deals in the NFL.
Reports said the contract, which runs through 2018, includes close to $50 million in guaranteed money and will pay the soon-to-be 28-year-old wide receiver $17 million annually for the final six seasons. Fitzgerald and team president Michael Bidwill appeared at a hastily called news conference to announce the agreement.
EAGLES: Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and defensive tackle Mike Patterson, who both recently recovered from serious health scares, could be in uniform for Philadelphia’s regular-season opener.
Maclin underwent five months of tests from various specialists to determine why he was experiencing fevers, trouble sleeping and weight loss. Although the tests were inconclusive, Maclin has been cleared to play and his symptoms have gone away.
Patterson suffered a seizure on Aug. 3. Tests determined it was caused by a brain AVM (arteriovenous malformation), a prenatal tangling of blood vessels.
ETC.: Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor worked out for 17 NFL teams yesterday in Greensburg, Pa., and said afterward he wouldn’t appeal his five-week suspension at the start of the NFL season.
Pryor, appearing in top shape, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds and threw an array of passes, trying to prove he should be taken in tomorrow’s supplemental draft.
PRESEASON GAMES: Kyle Orton, who has rendered the Broncos’ quarterback drama a question of who will be his backup, led two touchdown drives in a 24-10 victory over the Bills in Denver.
Brady Quinn had a mostly solid performance as the No. 2, throwing a touchdown pass but also an interception, and Tim Tebow had a sack and a big scramble in cleanup duty.
The game was marred by an injury to Bills running back Johnny White, who was strapped to a body board and carted off the field after his head was driven into the grass on a clean tackle by linebacker Mario Haggan in the third quarter. White moved his left hand, but there was no immediate word on his condition.
* Arian Foster ran for two touchdowns and Ben Tate rushed for 95 yards and another score in the first half in the Texans’ 27-14 victory over the Saints in Houston.
* Sam Bradford threw an 83-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Gibson on the first play of the game, and Josh Brown kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired to give the Rams a 17-16 victory over the Ravens in St. Louis.
* Alex Smith threw for 126 yards and an interception in new 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh‘s home debut, getting showered with a mix of boos and cheers, but San Francisco beat the Raiders, 17-3.
Oakland quarterback Jason Campbell was knocked out of the game with a possible concussion after getting kneed in the helmet.
Campbell was hurt while scrambling on a play late in the second quarter. He lost the ball on the play and then got hit by defensive lineman Justin Smith and linebacker Ahmad Brooks as he fell to the ground to recover his own fumble.
Campbell went for tests last night to determine whether he had a concussion.
In other news, police in San Francisco say two men were shot and injured in the parking lot after the game. Police Sgt. Michael Andraychak says the shootings occurred shortly after 8 p.m.
* In Seattle, Marcus Sherels intercepted a deflected pass and returned it 64 yards for a touchdown, Donovan McNabb led a long drive that ended in the first of Ryan Longwell‘s two field goals and the Vikings beat the Seahawks 20-7.
