PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : AFC : League to Review Outburst by Cox

Bryan Cox puckered his lips and spit in the direction of jeering fans. Again and again.

For the second week in a row, Cox was featured in the NFL highlight films Sunday night after another of his trademark outbursts punctuated Miami’s 23-20 loss to Buffalo.

On Monday, Coach Don Shula and the Dolphins found themselves again defending the team’s defensive leader. This time, Cox remained mum.

“There was an excellent football game going on before that incident right at the end of the game,” Shula said. “He fought hard, gave it everything he had.”

The incident was a punching match with Buffalo fullback Carwell Gardner. Both players were ejected, and Cox was showered with beer and trash from fans as he headed down the tunnel at Rich Stadium.

NFL spokeswoman Leslie Hammond said Monday that Cox’s spitting episode and the fight which got him ejected were “being reviewed,” and a decision on any disciplinary action could be announced by the end of the week. Gardner would face similar punishment.

Shula, who spoke to Cox about the episode, said he would postpone team punishment, if any.

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Neil Smith, Kansas City’s Pro Bowl defensive end who suffered a shoulder bruise on Sunday, had his arm in a sling on Monday.

Like almost everybody else on the Chiefs, Smith hasn’t sat out a game all year.

“It’s sore right now,” he said. “But at least I don’t have any separation. The only thing I have is a bruise, a slight sprain or something.”

His availability for Sunday’s game against Seattle, the regular-season finale in which the Chiefs can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, is in question.

“There’s no doubt it’s going to be day-to-day,” he said. “I’ve got a week ahead of me. I should be OK.”

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The Indianapolis Colts will go into Saturday’s game against New England without fullback Roosevelt Potts. An MRI exam Monday determined he had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during Sunday’s 27-24 loss to San Diego.