Steelers QB has apology for coach

Ben Roethlisberger ripped offensive coordinator for calls in loss to Cowboys.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger apologized to offensive coordinator Todd Haley for his comments following a 27-24 overtime loss to Dallas on Sunday.

Roethlisberger took Haley to task over the team’s inability to feature tight end Heath Miller in the second half and wondered why the Steelers didn’t stay in the nohuddle offense. The quarterback says he was frustrated after Pittsburgh (77) lost for the fourth time in five games and that he was unable to keep his emotions under control.

Bills: Center Eric Wood said the Bills are giving away their home-field edge by playing under a dome and in front of ambivalent crowds north of the border in Toronto. “Yeah, I did call it a joke,” Wood said of Sunday’s 5017 loss to Seattle. “It stunk that we were up there.” The Bills are 1-4 in regular season games at Toronto since the series began in 2008. The five-year deal, in which Rogers Communications agreed to pay the Bills $78 million to play in Toronto, has expired. The two sides are close to extending the series for what’s expected to be another five years.

Browns: Running back Trent Richardson said he would be surprised if Nick Saban followed him from Alabama to Cleveland. Saban, who will lead the Crimson Tide against Notre Dame in the BCS national championship game in Miami on Jan. 7, has been mentioned as returning to the NFL, perhaps with the Browns if second-year coach Pat Shurmur is fired at season’s end. “I can’t see him coming to the NFL,” said Richardson, a former Tide star. “I would be very shocked. He’s got so much going there. He has no reason to leave. He gets what he needs and he treats his program like the NFL (anyway).”

Dolphins: Running back Daniel Thomas (knee) was placed on injured reserve.

Eagles: LeSean McCoy will start at running back Sunday against Washington in his first game back after missing four because of a concussion.

Jets: Coach Rex Ryan acknowledged that he had higher expectations for seldom-used quarterback Tim Tebow in the wildcatstyle offense. “For some reason, it hasn’t panned out to my expectations and maybe Tim’s, either,” Ryan said. “Defenses have attacked us a little differently. Maybe that’s a contributing factor to it.”

Lions: Defensive tackle Nick Fairley (shoulder) was put on injured reserve.

Redskins: Robert Griffin III took part in his first full practice since spraining his right knee on Dec. 9. Coach Mike Shanahan said doctors will examine Griffin’s knee today to see if there’s any swelling. He could then be cleared to play against the Eagles on Sunday. Griffin also was fined $10,000 by the NFL for wearing Adidas at his postgame news conference Sunday. Griffin has a sponsorship deal with Adidas, but the league has a deal with Nike.

Vikings: QB Christian Ponder and ESPN’s Samantha Steele were married at a courthouse in Wisconsin on Monday.