Jacobs fined for helmet-tossing incident
NEW YORK, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs was slapped with a $10,000 fine Tuesday for heaving his helmet into the stands, the league said.
A NFL spokesman confirmed Jacobs was fined, The Indianapolis Star reported.
Jacobs threw his helmet during the third quarter of the Giants' 38-17 loss to the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The running back maintained he was trying to toss his helmet against a wall behind the Giants bench in a moment of frustration, but that it accidentally ended up in the sixth row of the stands.
Two fans were shown on television fighting over the souvenir before being forced to give it back so Jacobs could return to the field.
Giants Coach Tom Coughlin told reporters Mondays he accepted Jacobs' explanation it was an accident, but added, "It really makes no sense. It's a senseless act. I don't know what you're going to accomplish by that. Even if it was an accident, the frustration, you've got to learn to deal with it."
Report: Faulk out for year with ACL tear
FOXBOROUGH, Mass., Sept. 21 (UPI) -- The New England Patriots have lost running back Kevin Faulk for the season with a knee injury, a source told The Boston Globe Tuesday.
The newspaper, citing a league source, said Faulk tore the anterior cruciate ligament of his right knee after being pushed out of bounds by New York Jets defensive back Drew Coleman during New England's 28-14 loss Sunday.
The loss of Faulk, 34, depletes the Patriots' backfield corps after Laurence Maroney was traded to Denver last week.
The 12-year pro is known as one of the top receiving backs in the league. He caught six passes for 62 yards and rushed eight times for 45 yards over the course of the season's first two games.
Mauer MRI shows no serious damage
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- An MRI exam of Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer's left knee turned up nothing more serious than tissue inflammation, the team said Tuesday.
Mauer, who is key to the Twins' playoff hopes, has been out of the lineup since Sunday when he experienced pain in the knee during Minnesota's 6-2 loss to Oakland.
The MRI, however, revealed no serious problems, and Mauer is likely to receive a cortisone shot to help with the inflammation, Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire told MLB.com.
Minnesota was on the verge of clinching their second straight American League Central crown Tuesday. The Twins' magic number for clinching was down to two with 12 games to play, and Gardenhire said a rest for Mauer would probably be beneficial heading into the post-season.
"If they decide to do (the cortisone shot), then it's probably four or five days (off), which he could use," the Twins skipper told the Web site. "That would be good" for him.
Rangers' Hamilton has fractured ribs
ANAHEIM, Calif., Sept. 21 (UPI) -- X-rays of Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton have revealed two small rib cage fractures that likely won't keep him out too long, the slugger said Tuesday.
Hamilton, who leads the American League with a .361 batting average and has 31 homers with 97 RBI, has been bothered by pain since he crashed into the wall at Target Field in Minneapolis Sept. 4 while making a catch.
Previous X-rays and an MRI didn't turn up the broken bones, but a third exam by a California back specialist did, MLB.com reported.
"It's almost a relief to know there was such pain for a reason," Hamilton told reporters in Anaheim, Calif., where the Rangers were playing the Los Angeles Angels.
He added he's hopeful of playing again in the regular season before Texas makes a likely playoff appearance. The team's magic number to clinch the American League West crown was six entering Tuesday's game.
Hamilton told MLB.com he received injections to reduce the inflammation and block the pain and expects to resume his workouts within a few days.
