Hilliard Lost for Season

A neck injury that New York Giant rookie receiver Ike Hilliard sustained last week has made his spine unstable and forced doctors to plan season-ending surgery, the team and medical experts said Monday in East Rutherford, N.J.

The injury to the seventh overall pick in this year’s NFL draft is not considered career-threatening, but Hilliard will have a three- to six-month rehabilitation period, doctors said. It was initially expected he would miss six to seven weeks.

Hilliard sprained the interspinous ligament between the sixth and seventh vertebrae on Sept. 7 when he was kneed in the back of the head by safety Chris Hudson after a catch.

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Rick Mirer is in as quarterback and Erik Kramer is out as the Chicago Bears desperately try to salvage their season.

“This is not a situation that Erik has been singled out. It’s a situation that we’re 0-3, as everybody knows, and we’re struggling on offense,” Coach Dave Wannstedt said in Lake Forest, Ill., in announcing the quarterback change.

Wannstedt also is benching often-burned cornerback Walt Harris in favor of James Burton for Sunday’s game at New England.

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St. Louis Ram wide receiver Isaac Bruce lasted only a few plays in his first start Sunday against the Denver Broncos before reinjuring his hamstring, and could be out another two games, the team said. Bruce isn’t expected to be ready to play again until Oct. 12 against San Francisco, after the Rams’ open date.

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All-Pro strong safety LeRoy Butler of the Green Bay Packers said he plans on playing next weekend against the Minnesota Vikings after suffering a torn right biceps muscle Sunday against Miami.

“Our season can make or break these four divisional games,” Butler said of the next month’s schedule. “I just think I need to be out there if I’m anywhere from 80% percent on.”

Packer nose tackle Gilbert Brown is questionable for Sunday’s game because of a knee injury.