Chiefs’ Holmes Questionable

The Kansas City Chiefs’ Priest Holmes is questionable for Sunday’s game at Houston because of bruised ribs, and the team’s coaches are being asked about the Pro Bowl running back’s heavy workload.

Holmes, the NFL’s offensive player of the year in 2002, sat out the final two games last season because of a hip injury that required surgery in March and had him on crutches for several weeks.

The Chiefs have said they wanted Holmes to get fewer touches than last season, when he had 313 carries for 1,615 yards and caught 70 passes for another 672 yards in 14 games.

But after victories over the San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers, Holmes has 53 touches, more than anyone else in the NFL except the Miami Dolphins’ Ricky Williams.

Coach Dick Vermeil said Tuesday that rookie Larry Johnson could be activated this week for the first time.

Vermeil was asked why Holmes wasn’t taken out with the Chiefs leading the Steelers by two touchdowns with five minutes left.

“As soon as you start taking people out of the game, you send a message to the rest of the team that you think it’s over,” Vermeil said.

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Pittsburgh linebacker Joey Porter might start Sunday’s game at Cincinnati on Sunday even though he is listed as questionable.

Porter was shot in the upper right thigh by an unknown assailant in Denver on Labor Day and missed the first two games of the season.

“I want to see where he’s at by the end of the week,” Coach Bill Cowher said. “He probably would start. How much he plays at that point? I don’t know. A lot of it might be more from a conditioning standpoint.”

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Carolina Panther reserve defensive back Jarrod Cooper was arrested during a traffic stop and charged with driving while intoxicated and possession of a controlled substance.

Cooper, who already has a drunken-driving conviction on his record stemming from a one-car accident in February 2002, was also charged with speeding and driving with a revoked license, police in Charlotte, N.C., said.

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The San Francisco 49ers waived kicker Jeff Chandler and kick returner Arland Bruce, and signed former New York Giant kicker Owen Pochman.... New York Jet cornerback Donnie Abraham is expected to sit out eight weeks because of a broken right shoulder. Ray Mickens is expected to replace him.... The New Orleans Saints signed veteran safety Victor Green, who played with the New England Patriots last season.... The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released veteran quarterback Jim Miller from the reserve-physically unable to perform list.