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Redskins rookie Cousins replacing rookie RGIII at QB

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 12/16/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

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Ben Roethlisberger (CP)

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A bum knee will keep Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III out of action today. (DOUG KAPUSTIN / MCT)

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Dwayne Bowe (CP)

WASHINGTON -- Kirk Cousins will start for the Washington Redskins today in place of Robert Griffin III.

The team announced Saturday night that the fourth-round pick from Michigan State will make his first career start against the Cleveland Browns.

Griffin, the NFL's leading passer, sprained his right knee in last week's overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens. He was limited in practice all week.

The decision apparently came after Griffin was re-examined by doctors on Saturday. Coach Mike Shanahan had said the doctor's evaluation would play a factor in who starts.

Griffin tweeted: "The decision was not my own... But I will be there for my team!!! In every way I possibly can".

Bowe's season over in K.C.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs put wide receiver Dwayne Bowe on injured reserve Saturday night, ending his season and potentially his up-and-down career in Kansas City.

The Chiefs' leading receiver already had been ruled out of today's game at Oakland after hurting his ribs while delivering a block in last weekend's game at Cleveland. Bowe underwent a series of MRI exams and other tests this week to determine the extent of the injury.

"Well, one of the things that Bowe presents is he presents some dependability to our offence, playmaking ability," Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel said earlier this week.

"We all kind of depend on him a little bit," Crennel said. "So now with him being out, what we're going have to do is, we're going to have to rely on those other guys to step up and be able to make some plays for us so that we can generate some offence."

Cowboys to wear helmet decal

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys will wear a helmet decal today against Pittsburgh to honour practice squad linebacker Jerry Brown a week after he died in a one-car accident that led to manslaughter charges against teammate Josh Brent for allegedly driving drunk.

The decal will feature Brown's No. 53.

Last week, the Cowboys honoured Brown by draping his jersey over the bench in Cincinnati, where they beat the Bengals 20-19 on a field goal on the final play a day after Brown died.

The Cowboys held a private memorial for Brown on Tuesday, and his funeral was Saturday in St. Louis.

Police in the Dallas suburb of Irving say Brent was speeding when his car hit a curb and flipped Dec. 8. Brown was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Lewis scratched vs. Broncos

BALTIMORE -- Injured Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis won't play today against the Denver Broncos.

Lewis has been sidelined since tearing his right triceps on Oct. 14 against the Dallas Cowboys. The 17-year NFL veteran was eligible to come off the injured reserve-designated to return list today, but the Ravens did not move him to the active roster before Saturday's deadline.

The 37-year-old Lewis has been practicing for the past two weeks but obviously is not healthy enough to return.

His absence means the Ravens will be short at middle linebacker. Jameel McClain is out with a neck injury and the status of Dannell Ellerbe (sprained ankle) is uncertain.

Baltimore hopes to have outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, who missed last week's game against Washington with a torn right biceps.

Suggs says 'I do', not 'I didn't'

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs has married his fiancee, Candace Williams.

The announced nuptials come a month after Williams alleged the former Pro Bowler punched her in the neck and dragged her alongside a car he was driving while their two children sat inside.

Suggs announced the marriage on his public Facebook page Saturday morning.

"Last night I married my best friend and the love of my life," he wrote. "Our son gave her away and our daughter looked like a miniature version of my beautiful bride as she stood next to her. I'm a lucky, lucky man. Thank you God for all of your blessings and for showing me such amazing favor."

Williams on Tuesday removed a protective order filed on Nov. 20 which alleged Suggs struck her in September. The couple came to a global resolution agreement in Baltimore County Circuit Court regarding custody of their children, the terms of which were sealed by a judge at the request of Suggs and Williams.

Big Ben's bad memories

STEELERS quarterback Ben Roethlisberger prefers to forget one thing about his only previous game at Cowboys Stadium: that Pittsburgh lost a Super Bowl there two seasons ago.

"I don't have any memories. I don't know what you're talking about," Roethlisberger joked with Dallas media on a conference call this week. "It's obviously a beautiful place to play a football game. It is unfortunate that the last game there is not a good memory, but everything else other than the game was great."

Even though the Steelers haven't played a regular-season game at Dallas since the quarterback was a rookie in 2004 -- a win at Texas Stadium when Roethlisberger threw two touchdowns -- they lost 31-25 to Green Bay in the Super Bowl at Cowboys Stadium on Feb. 6, 2011.

-- from the news services

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 16, 2012 B6

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