Davis’ Leg Placed in Boot

Running back Terrell Davis of the Denver Broncos, hobbled all season by an injury to his lower left leg, will have his leg placed in a boot for about three weeks to prevent a stress fracture.

Bronco officials said Tuesday that an MRI exam showed a “stress reaction on the mid-lower leg,” which is a precursor of a stress fracture. The team emphasized that it has not become a stress fracture.

With only four weeks left in the regular season, the medical decision could mean the end of Davis’ season, although the Broncos (8-4) are in position to qualify for the playoffs.

Davis, who suffered a severely sprained left ankle and foot in the season opener, has played in only two full games and parts of three others.

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Despite a four-game losing streak that has taken his team out of playoff contention, Coach Gunther Cunningham of the Kansas City Chiefs has received a vote of confidence from his boss.

But he said he didn’t even read President and General Manager Carl Peterson’s comments in the Kansas City Star because he is so absorbed in getting the Chiefs (5-7) prepared for Monday night’s game against the New England Patriots.

The losing skid has caused an uproar among the rabid fans of the Chiefs, who for the last five years have led the NFL in home attendance.

“I know they’re frustrated. But hopefully if they can keep their patience like I’m keeping mine, eventually good things will happen,” Cunningham said.

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CBS is expected to sell more than $200 million worth of advertising for the Super Bowl, giving it a needed boost at a time when U.S. broadcasters are facing a slowing ad market.

Advertisers are paying an average of $2.4 million for each 30-second commercial spot, media buyers said. CBS has sold about 80% of all available network ad spots for the game, said Joe Abruzzese, head of CBS TV Network sales.

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The Oakland Raiders asked a judge in Sacramento to reconsider his tentative decision throwing out the team’s $1.1-billion lawsuit against Alameda County and the city of Oakland because the Raiders waited too long to file their claim.

Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Joe Gray said in a tentative ruling Monday that he would move to dump the fraud suit because the Raiders missed the deadline.

But lawyers for the Raiders say even though they didn’t expressly file a claim against public officials for the $1.1 billion in alleged damages in time, their claim is valid because they expressed their intent to sue.

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Seattle quarterback Brock Huard was released from the hospital after treatment for a bruised kidney suffered in Sunday’s 38-31 loss to Denver. Huard was hurt in the first quarter when he was sacked from behind by linebacker John Mobley. Mobley, meanwhile, may sit out Sunday’s game against New Orleans after suffering a broken right thumb against the Seahawks. . . . Green Bay defensive tackle Santana Dotson will miss the remainder of the season after tearing a tendon in his right knee during Monday’s 31-14 loss at Carolina. . . . Fairron W. Newton, an Atlanta financial advisor, was indicted for allegedly using accounts of four NFL players to file false income tax returns and taking about $1 million in bogus refunds over a five-year period. The players listed on the indictment were Charlie Garner of San Francisco, Tim Bowens of Miami, Fred Baxter of the New York Jets and Shaun King of Tampa Bay.