Johnson Named to Start Over Flutie

Rob Johnson will be in and Doug Flutie out as starting quarterback when the Buffalo Bills face the Tennessee Titans on Saturday in the AFC playoffs.

Coach Wade Phillips announced the change Monday, a day after Johnson turned in a strong performance when the Bills closed the regular season by beating Indianapolis, 31-6. Johnson, in his only start of the season, completed 24 of 32 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns.

“My feeling is with either one of them we can win,” Phillips said. “It was a tough decision. It wasn’t a haphazard thing.”

Flutie had been the starter all season, and led the Bills to 10 victories, but had faced criticism in Buffalo for inconsistent play.

Flutie was not available for comment.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars will head into the playoffs without their cornerstone, Tony Boselli.

Boselli, an All-Pro left tackle and the first draft pick in team history, was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

It’s a season-ending injury, and Boselli is expected to spend about seven months rehabilitating the knee.

“This is the thing about this business I find most difficult of all,” said Coach Tom Coughlin, whose team has a first-round bye. “We’ve had our share of injuries and this is another huge blow to our team.”

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Indianapolis Colt linebacker Cornelius Bennett tore one knee ligament and possibly another and will be sidelined in the playoffs, Coach Jim Mora said.

Mora was uncertain if the injury, suffered in Sunday’s loss to Buffalo, could end the career of Bennett, a 13-year veteran and the only person to play on five losing teams in the Super Bowl.

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Miami Dolphin running back Cecil Collins was formally charged with one count of burglary in the break-in last month of a neighbor’s apartment at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

He is charged with burglary of a dwelling in a stealthy manner, a second-degree felony. If convicted, Collins faces 15 years in prison.

Collins is in a Broward County jail awaiting extradition to Louisiana for a probation violation.

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Tennessee defensive back Marcus Robertson will see a doctor Wednesday, and Coach Jeff Fisher said there is a chance the safety could play Saturday.

Robertson needed 150 stitches to his face last week after wrecking his motorcycle. Fisher said Robertson came to the practice facility Monday for his first workout since the accident and is looking much better.

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Denver Bronco quarterback Chris Miller, plagued by concussions throughout his career, retired.