NEWS & NOTES
Ankle to Sideline Bills' Whitner
Along with a national title, Kansas Coach Bill Self has 30 million reasons to smile after signing an extension.
(By Ronald Martinez -- Getty Images)
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Starting strong safety Donte Whitner will miss the Buffalo Bills' preseason opener at Washington on Saturday because of a sore left ankle.
Whitner, who was held out of his third practice yesterday, said tests on his ankle came back negative, and he expects to be back to practice next week. Whitner jammed his ankle last weekend, and he said it's still sore.
Wide receiver Josh Reed also is expected to miss the game because of a nagging lower back injury. Reed has not practiced since Friday.
Wide receiver James Hardy, the Bills' second-round draft pick, was back at practice yesterday after missing nearly a week with a sore left hamstring. Coach Dick Jauron has not yet determined whether Hardy will play Saturday. . . .
Brandon Marshall is content to let his actions -- and others -- do the talking for him.
A day after the Denver Broncos' talented but troubled star was suspended for three games by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league's personal conduct code, Marshall sidestepped several questions about the matter, including whether he felt he needed counseling, which the league suggested.
"Brandon is not a bad guy at all," quarterback Jay Cutler insisted. "He's a good guy, he means well. It's just he's been in some sticky situations, some things he probably shouldn't get into. . . . I think it definitely hit home with this. I don't expect Brandon to be in any more situations like that for the rest of his career and probably for the rest of his life."
Marshall was arrested three times in a year-long span beginning in March 2007. . . .
For everything the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line did right a season ago, there now seems to be a major worry in its place.
Ben Roethlisberger passed for a team-record 32 touchdowns and threw only 11 interceptions, a year after throwing 23. The problem: 47 sacks, giving the offensive line a worrisome 93 in two seasons.
Willie Parker led the NFL in rushing until late December, and the Steelers have since added first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall to complement him. The problem: Parker broke his right leg, and Pittsburgh lost its final two games as the rushing yardage dried up.
Roethlisberger and Coach Mike Tomlin profess to having considerable trust and faith in the offensive line, traditionally the strength of the offense. But the Steelers are entering the great unknown without left guard Alan Faneca, a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.
