Falcons place Freeman on IR
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman is going on injured reserve, another major setback for a team that already has lost several key players.
Coach Dan Quinn said Tuesday that Freeman's groin injury was more serious than initially thought, forcing him to undergo a surgical procedure.
In another injury related move, the Falcons signed kicker Giorgio Tavecchio. He will fill in at least one game for Matt Bryant, who strained his right hamstring making a 57-yard field goal in the 34-29 victory over the Buccaneers.
One of the NFL's highest-paid running backs, Freeman is the fifth Atlanta player to go on injured reserve this season. He follows safeties Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen, linebacker Deion Jones and offensive guard Andy Levitre.
Neal, Allen and Levitre are all out for the season. The Falcons hope Jones, sidelined by a foot problem since Week 1, will be able to return after missing the required eight games.
Freeman also will have to sit out at least eight games while on IR, which means he wouldn't be eligible to return for the Falcons (2-4) until the next-to-last game of the regular season.
NFL downplays miss on Brady
The NFL doesn't want players worrying about getting flagged or fined.
“You gotta play,” NFL football operations chief Troy Vincent said Tuesday at the league's fall meetings in New York. “You hope that no player is thinking about a rule. We want them to play (with a) free mind where you're just free and you play.”
Chiefs rookie linebacker Breeland Speaks said he didn't take Tom Brady down because he was concerned about a roughing-the-passer penalty in the fourth quarter of Kansas City's 43-40 loss at New England on Sunday night. Brady eluded Speaks and ran 4 yards for a touchdown to give the Patriots the lead.
“We watched that video and watched that play and Tom did what we've seen Tom do a thousand times,” Vincent said.
“He stepped up in the pocket and the defender didn't make a play or didn't create a sack, but you don't want any player thinking about a penalty or being fined but you hope that he would make that adjustment on some of the things we've put in place and that's not just for his opponent's protection but for his as well.”
Overall, roughing-thepasser calls are down since the competition committee clarified to game officials the techniques used in such hits during a conference call last month. There were 34 roughing calls through the first three weeks and 19 in the three weeks since the call.
Odds and ends
The Raiders are releasing veteran linebacker Derrick Johnson. The Raiders signed Johnson in May to be the starting middle linebacker after the University of Texas product spent 13 seasons with the Chiefs. But secondyear player Marquel Lee has earned the bulk of the playing time at the position. … Bills rookie quarterback Josh Allen has been diagnosed with a sprained elbow on his throwing arm and is not expected to play against the Colts on Sunday. Allen's injury leaves Buffalo choosing between turnover-prone Nathan Peterman and newly signed veteran Derek Anderson.