Collins to start at quarterback for Bears
LAKE FOREST, Ill., Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Todd Collins will be the starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears in their game Sunday, the team said Thursday.
Collins will replace Jay Cutler who suffered a concussion in last Sunday's loss to the New York Giants. Collins was also knocked out of that game with what was described as a stringer.
But with Cutler only able to practice on a limited basis this week, the Bears turned to Collins, who at 38 is making his first start since 2007 when Chicago play at Carolina. Cutler will see a string of 57 consecutive starts come to an end.
Collins completed 4-of-11 passes for 36 yards against the Giants. He last started in 2007, leading the Washington Redskins to three consecutive victories and a playoff appearance. Prior to that he hadn't started a game since 1997.
In a 16-year NFL career, Collins had thrown for 4,515 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Green Bay safety Burnett out for the year
GREEN BAY, Wis., Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Green Bay rookie defensive back Morgan Burnett has been diagnosed with a knee ligament injury and will miss the rest of the season.
Burnett, 21, was the Packers' choice in the third round of this year's draft. He started all of Green Bay's four games this year and had 14 tackles and an interception.
Packers Coach Mike McCarthy said Burnett's injury was noticed during the second quarter of last week's game but no one knows exactly how it occurred.
Subsequent examinations revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament in Burnett's left knee. Green Bay placed Burnett on injured reserve Thursday.
Derrick Martin, a fifth-year pro, filled in after Burnett was hurt Sunday and is likely to take the starting safety position Sunday when Green Bay plays at Washington.
Serena Williams return set for next week
LINZ, Austria, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- World No. 1 Serena Williams, who hasn't played competitive tennis since winning Wimbledon, said Thursday she'll return to tournament play next week in Austria.
Williams announced she would participate in the Generali Ladies Linz tournament, a $220,000 event in Austria that begins Monday. She is also expected to participate in the WTA Championships in Qatar the last week of October and the Fed Cup final Nov. 6-7 in San Diego when the United States goes against Italy.
Williams hasn't played competitive tennis since she cut a foot on broken glass, an injury that required surgery, shortly after winning Wimbledon.
Her announcement about Austria comes one day after Venus Williams said a leg injury would keep her out action for the rest of the year.
It also was made the day Caroline Wozniacki locked up enough WTA rankings points to knock Serena Williams from the No. 1 spot in the rankings. Williams has been the top-ranked women's tennis player for the last 49 weeks.
Lafeber among leaders at Dunhill Links
FIFE, Scotland, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Maarten Lafeber had six birdies in a seven-hole span Thursday and is among the leaders of the European Tour's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.
Lafeber ended with a 6-under-par 66, a score matched by Thomas Bjorn, Martin Laird and Ricardo Gonzalez after one round of the tournament.
The first three rounds of the tournament are played over three courses, including the Old Course at St. Andrews, which will be the site of Sunday's final 18 holes.
Lafeber played Carnoustie Thursday and opened with a bogey at No. 10. But he had four consecutive birdies beginning at the 12th hole and, after a par at No. 16, had birdies at 17 and 18.
His round also included a double bogey 6 at the seventh hole, but he got both strokes back with birdies at 7 and 8.
Bjorn, on St. Andrews, closed with four birdies in six holes to grab his share of the lead. Laird played Kingsbarns to a bogey-free 66 while Gonzalez, playing St. Andrews, posted six birdies and 12 pars.
Six other players finished the first round in 5-under 67 while 14 more are at 4-under 68.
