RAIDERS QB CARR SAYS PINKIE ISN’T A CAUSE FOR CONCERN

alameda, calif.» Derek Carr says he will have no limitations this week because of the injured pinkie on his throwing hand that forced him to miss a series in Sunday’s game against Carolina.

Carr deflected all questions about the finger Wednesday, saying repeatedly that it’s “doing great.”

Carr dislocated the finger while taking a snap on the second play from scrimmage in the second half in the Raiders’ 35-32 win. He left for a series before returning to play the rest of the game with a glove on his throwing hand. Carr took all snaps out of the shotgun to protect the finger and led the Raiders to a comeback.

Carr was holding a glove when he left the field following walk-through Wednesday and kept his hand in the pocket of his sweatshirt while talking the media.

B renton, wash.» The Seahawks are hopeful starters Earl Thomas and DeShawn Shead will return for Sunday’s game against Carolina.

Both players suffered hamstring injuries two weeks ago in a win over Philadelphia and missed last Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay.

Shead is considered to be ahead of Thomas in the recovery process and coach Pete Carroll said the status of both probably won’t be determined until Saturday. Thomas missed the first game of his career when he was unable to go against the Buccaneers.

Seattle could have a number of injured players back against the Panthers, including defensive end Michael Bennett following minor knee surgery and starting center Justin Britt, who missed last week’s game with an ankle injury.

Seattle getting healthier

B flowery branch, ga.» Falcons coach Dan Quinn said defensive end Adrian Clayborn, who is second on the team with 4½ sacks, will miss at least two weeks after having surgery on his left knee. Clayborn suffered the injury in Sunday’s 38-19 win over Arizona.

The loss of Clayborn came after cornerback Desmond Trufant was placed on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle that forced him to miss the past two weeks.

Atlanta will be missing key cogs Mathews says injury came from “cheap shot”

B green bay, wis.» Clay Matthews didn’t mince words about the play that got him injured against the Eagles. “It was a cheap shot,” Matthews said. Matthews sustained an injured left shoulder on a crunching first-quarter block from Philadelphia lineman Allen Barbre on Monday night.

Matthews missed three plays and returned, then missed the next series while receiving a pain-killing injection. He returned for the Eagles’ third series and played most of the rest of the game. Matthews recorded a fourth-quarter sack, his first since the fourth game of the season.

The injury is the latest to limit Matthews, who has missed four games this season with a hamstring injury.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers injured his left hamstring during the third quarter, but both he and Matthews are expected to play Sunday against Houston. The team didn’t practice Wednesday.

Footnote.

Dolphins reserve defensive tackle Leon Orr was cut during practice when the team learned of his arrest on marijuana charges near Naples, Florida. Orr was charged Tuesday afternoon with misdemeanor marijuana possession and felony possession of a controlled substance. He was released on $7,000 bail.