George Wastes No Time Getting Started

After only four days in camp, Jeff George will start at quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons tonight when they play host to Oakland.

“The hardest thing to readjust to is throwing with people in your face and I’ll get that out of the way on Thursday,” George said after ending his 19-day holdout and working with the first team this week.

Also making his Atlanta debut will be linebacker Cornelius Bennett, a former Buffalo Bill signed as a free agent.

*

Unless the NFL tells him otherwise, New Orleans Coach Jim Mora said he intends to start Darren Mickell in the season opener at San Francisco even though the defensive end faces suspension for substance abuse.

Mickell missed the first 32 days of training camp while receiving outpatient therapy for substance abuse. He faces a four-game suspension if his appeal to the NFL for substance abuse violations is denied.

*

New York Giant defensive end Cedric Jones was not injured when he got poked in the eye on which he had surgery.

Jones, the fifth player taken in the April draft, underwent a cornea transplant in December. He was poked in his left eye by offensive tackle Jerry Reynolds on Tuesday, but returned to practice Wednesday.