Knee Injury Ends Season for Miller

Jim Miller’s season of pain is over. The Chicago Bear quarterback will not play in the last three games because of a sprained ligament in his left knee.

The injury won’t require surgery but will leave him on crutches. Miller suffered the injury in the third quarter of Chicago’s 27-9 loss to Miami on Monday.

Bothered by a sore shoulder and elbow that restricted his ability to throw the ball, Miller has been fighting injuries for three seasons. His injuries include a torn Achilles’ tendon and problems with his hip, side, ankle and hamstring.

In the playoffs last January, he separated his throwing shoulder when he was slammed to the ground during an interception return.

Chris Chandler will replace Miller when the Bears play host to the New York Jets on Sunday at Champaign, Ill.

Miller’s injury is the latest for the Bears in a trying season. The Bears have used more than 40 starters and have 10 players on injured reserve.

Miller finished the season with 180 completions in 314 attempts for 1,944 yards and 13 touchdowns with nine interceptions.

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The NFL has acknowledged its officiating crew made at least nine mistakes during Sunday’s Green Bay-Minnesota game, including a key pass interference call, two newspapers reported.

The mistakes were documented in a confidential memorandum, the Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press said, citing unidentified sources.

The Vikings lost, 26-22. Eight of the plays in question occurred in the fourth quarter, when the Packers made up a nine-point deficit with two touchdowns. An interference call negated a Vikings’ interception on the Packers’ game-winning drive.

“Conversations between the NFL officiating department and teams are confidential,” league spokesman Michael Signora said. “We do not comment on them.”

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Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre apologized for making an obscene gesture toward Minnesota’s Chris Hovan after the Packers’ victory.

Also, the league said that the participants in the teams’ postgame melee about 50 yards from the Favre-Hovan exchange could expect fines but not suspensions when punishment is meted out today.

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With Matt Hasselbeck unable to practice, Jeff George worked out as the No. 1 quarterback for the first time since signing with the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 29, and the 13-year veteran might play Sunday at Atlanta.

Hasselbeck’s status is uncertain because of a sprained left foot.

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Coach Mike Martz suggested for the first time that if Marc Bulger continues to play as well as he has, he could compete with Kurt Warner next season for St. Louis’ quarterback job.

“Oh, absolutely,” Martz said. “If Marc continues to grow and get better with the success he’s had, you can’t ignore that kind of success, and we certainly would not.”

Bulger has a 106.0 passer rating, which would lead the league if he had enough attempts, and is 5-0 as a starter this year -- the Rams’ only victories. He returns to the lineup Sunday against Arizona after recovering from a sprained finger. Bulger has 12 touchdown passes and four interceptions.

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After being sidelined by a shoulder injury for nearly three full games, San Diego receiver Curtis Conway returned to practice and said he’ll start at Buffalo on Sunday.... Tampa Bay Pro Bowl safety John Lynch did not practice because of a neck strain suffered against Atlanta, and doesn’t believe he’ll be able to play Sunday against the Detroit Lions.... Oakland beefed up its depleted secondary by signing Tony Lukins, a cornerback who has been working as a telephone operator the last two months. Lukins joined the practice squad.... Detroit running back James Stewart sat out practice because of neck and toe injuries, and is questionable for the game against Tampa Bay.... Cincinnati free safety Lamont Thompson had surgery for torn knee cartilage and is out for the season.... The New York Giants suspended injured receiver Ron Dixon for a game because he missed treatments and a doctor’s appointment for his sprained knee.... A small fire broke out at Detroit’s Ford Field, but there were no injuries or damage.