Merriman pulls plug on season, will have surgery

Star outside linebacker Shawne Merriman pulled the plug on his
2008 season on Tuesday when he told the San Diego Chargers he’ll
have surgery on the two torn ligaments in his left knee. The
loss of Merriman, whose hard hits earned him the nickname
“Lights Out,” is a big one for a team that has Super Bowl
expectations. Merriman’s decision came two days after he
barely resembled the player who had an NFL-high 39 1/2 sacks
in the past three seasons and played in three straight Pro
Bowls. Merriman, known for his spasmodic sack dance, didn’t
immediately return e-mails and telephone calls seeking
comment. His agent, Tom Condon, declined to comment.
“Shawne informed me he did not feel right and thought it best
to shut it down,” Chargers general manager A.J. Smith said in
a statement. “The road to winning the AFC West just got more
difficult, but not impossible. Nothing is impossible. Shawne
is a great player and an inspirational leader. He will be
missed. We wish him a successful surgery and a speedy
recovery.” Smith didn’t return calls seeking further comment.
Merriman had only two tackles and no sacks in a shocking 26-24
loss to Carolina at home on Sunday. Even though Merriman
appeared to be a non-factor, coach Norv Turner said he
thought the linebacker looked “explosive and very physical.”

Dolphins place G Donald Thomas on injured reserve

The Miami Dolphins placed rookie starting guard Donald Thomas
on the injured reserve list Tuesday. Thomas suffered a foot
injury in Sunday’s season opener against the New York Jets.
Thomas, a sixth-round draft pick from Connecticut, had been
wearing a protective boot on the foot at practice Monday but
had expected to practice Wednesday. The team signed guard
Evan Mathis, who was cut by the Carolina Panthers before
the season after starting 15 games in three seasons. He is
the nephew of former Dolphins defensive tackle Bob Baumhower.
The team also cut fullback Boomer Grigsby, signing Casey
Cramer to replace him. Cramer, 26, has played 27 games
for the Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans over four
seasons, primarily on special teams.

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Lead detective says Collier was targeted when shot

-The lead detective in the shooting of Jacksonville Jaguars
tackle Richard Collier says investigators believe the player
was targeted. Sheriff’s Detective Dennis Sullivan says Collier
remains in critical but stable condition at a Jacksonville
hospital, with multiple gunshot wounds. He was shot in his
car outside an apartment last Tuesday. Sullivan refused to
give any other details about the investigation. Sheriff John
Rutherford also said police do not believe the shooting was
the result of any earlier confrontation at a nightclub.
Police said Collier’s teammates and friends added $10,000
to the usual $1,000 reward for information on the assailant.

Agent: Kicker Jay Feely signs with Jets

Veteran kicker Jay Feely signed with the New York Jets on
Monday, according to his agent, and will replace the injured
Mike Nugent. “He is very excited to join the Jets and help
them keep winning,” agent Glenn Schwartzman said in an e-mail
to the Associated Press. The Jets need to make a move to open
up the roster spot for Feely, but hadn’t yet officially
announced the signing. Feely, cut by Kansas City last month
just a day after the Chiefs signed him to a one-year deal,
is in his eighth NFL season. He was with Miami last season,
going 21-for-23 on field-goal attempts and setting a franchise
record with a 91.3 field-goal rate. Despite his success, the
Dolphins cut Feely in August. He had been sidelined with a
groin strain that forced him to miss the preseason opener,
and his outspoken nature often clashed with the new Bill
Parcells-led regime, which has overhauled the roster with
younger players. Feely, 32, will replace Nugent for at least
Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots. Nugent, the
team’s top draft pick in 2005, injured his right thigh on a
kickoff — resulting in a squibbed kick — following the Jets’
first touchdown in their 20-14 victory at Miami.

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Roethlisberger expected to play Sunday despite sore shoulder

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be limited in
practice this week because of a sore shoulder but is expected
to play this weekend at Cleveland. Roethlisberger played
three quarters of the Steelers’ 38-17 win over the Houston
Texans in the season opener Sunday. “We will see what he looks
like when he comes in here (Wednesday),” coach Mike Tomlin said
Tuesday. “It was just a little sore from playing in the football
game.” Roethlisberger was thrown to the turf on a second-quarter
sack by Houston’s Mario Williams. He also appeared shaken on the
next-to-last play of the first half after taking a shot to the
leg by Amobi Okoye after completing a pass. He remained in the
game, however, and was pulled in the second half only because
of Pittsburgh’s lopsided lead. Roethlisberger, a Pro Bowl
selection last season who completed 13 of 14 passes for 137
yards and two touchdowns Sunday, has missed at least one game
in each of the last three seasons because of injury. Tomlin
also said left tackle Marvel Smith and cornerback Deshea
Townsend won’t fully participate in practice this week.
Smith has a groin strain and Townsend a bruised heel. Both
are expected to play Sunday. Pittsburgh has won six straight
season openers, the longest active streak in the league.
“I am not going to complain about winning by 21 points,”
Tomlin said. “But some of the things that you begin to know
about yourself when you get in games that come down to the
wire are still unanswered for us.”