Westbrook Halts Talks With Eagles

Pro Bowl running back Brian Westbrook cut off contract talks with the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday because the two sides are far apart on a long-term extension, expressing disappointment management “hasn’t stepped up to the plate.”

“Me and my agent have told the Eagles’ management that we’re no longer interested in talking to them as far as the contract situation,” Westbrook said. “We don’t feel as though we’ve received a proposal from them that really represents the value that I bring to this team and my market value. I think that in the last 2 1/2 , three years that I’ve been here, I’ve brought a lot to this team.”

Westbrook had been seeking a long-term deal after signing a one-year restricted free-agent offer for $1.43 million.

He is coming off a breakout season in which he led the team with 1,515 total yards and was tops among NFL running backs with 73 catches for 703 yards and six touchdowns.

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A deal is close that would move four of the New Orleans Saints’ home games to the Alamodome, according to a report in the San Antonio Express-News.

The newspaper said games that would probably be moved to San Antonio were Oct. 2 against Buffalo, Oct. 16 against Atlanta, Dec. 4 against Tampa Bay and Dec. 24 against Detroit.

The projected dates for games in Baton Rouge are Oct. 30 against Miami, Nov. 6 against Chicago and Dec. 18 against Carolina.

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Pro Bowl linebacker Joey Porter will start the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opener Sunday against Tennessee despite sitting out all four exhibition games and most of training camp after knee surgery.

Running back Duce Staley, who also had knee surgery during the first week of camp, was downgraded from questionable to doubtful.

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Bill Parcells is letting someone else call the offensive plays, an unusual relinquishment of control for the Dallas Cowboys’ coach.

Parcells said that assistant head coach Sean Payton would handle the play-calling this season.

“It’s not a hard choice. It’s nothing. I just feel like it has a chance to improve the operation,” Parcells said.

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The NFL reduced the suspension of Indianapolis safety Mike Doss from two games to one. Doss was suspended in June for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor gun charge in Akron, Ohio.

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New York Giant running back Tiki Barber said he signed a two-year contract extension with the team. The new contract goes through the 2008 season. Under terms of his previous contract, Barber was scheduled to earn $4.25 million this season and in 2006.

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The Indianapolis Colts and the state board overseeing construction of a new downtown stadium have agreed on a deal that clears the way for work to begin on the $500-million project. Excavation work could begin as early as next week, officials said.