Hall says Owens should be suspended

Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens admitted to spitting in the face of Atlanta Falcons defensive back DeAngelo Hall on Saturday and now Hall says the league should punish Owens.

“I think they should suspend him,” Hall said Sunday on the Fox NFL pregame show. “It’s ridiculous. At first I couldn’t believe it happened and people who know me know how I’d want to haul off on him but I kept my composure about it and didn’t retaliate. But the league should hit him by suspending him.”

Owens had one of his better games this season with two touchdown receptions in the Cowboys’ 38-28 victory over the Falcons, but the spitting incident took center stage.

Owens acknowledged the transgression during a postgame interview with the NFL network, saying, “I got frustrated and I apologize for that. It was a situation where he kept bugging me and getting in my face.”

The incident occurred away from the ball in the first quarter and was not captured by television cameras. Owens was not penalized because referees did not see him spit.

League officials said Sunday they would review the incident using coaches’ films.

“I lost all respect for the guy,” Hall said after the game. “That’s the No. 1 thing in the National Football League. You don’t spit in another grown man’s face.”

Past NFL spitting incidents have drawn fines. In last season’s playoffs, Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor was ejected after spitting on Tampa Bay tailback Michael Pittman and Taylor was subsequently fined $17,500.

In 1997, Bill Romanowski of the Denver Broncos was fined $7,500 for spitting on San Francisco 49ers receiver J.J. Stokes.

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‘Tank’ missing in action

Chicago defensive lineman Terry “Tank” Johnson, dealing with legal troubles, was inactive and not at Soldier Field for the Bears’ 34-31 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team spokesman said.

Coach Lovie Smith had no “new news” on Johnson and said “no decision has been made” about his future with the team.

Johnson was arrested for the third time in 18 months and hit with misdemeanor weapons charges after a raid at his home Thursday. Less than 12 hours after issuing a public apology, Johnson was at a nightclub with a friend who was shot to death.

“He’s a really good guy,” Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said. “He got himself in a bad situation. I know he wants to turn it around and get things going in the right direction. Hopefully, he gets a chance.”

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Who knew?

Green Bay’s Brett Favre surpassed Dan Marino’s career completions record with a 21-yard pass to Carlyle Holiday in the second quarter against Detroit, but was unaware of the accomplishment until referee Ed Hochuli offered congratulations.

Favre said he told Hochuli, “ ‘I have no idea what you’re congratulating me for, but thank you.’ ”

Favre has 4,974 career completions, seven more than Marino, but three of his passes were intercepted in the Packers’ 17-9 victory.

“I’m more concerned about the three I completed to their team,” Favre said.

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Home away from home

Pittsburgh’s Willie Parker was a little-used running back in college at North Carolina, so rushing for 132 yards when the Steelers visited the Carolina Panthers was extra special.

“I never did anything in the state of North Carolina before, so you know how much that meant to me, coming back and playing the Panthers,” Parker said.

Even though it was a road game, Parker, who has 355 yards rushing in his last two games, was cheered after his touchdown by thousands waving yellow “Terrible Towels” and rooting for the Steelers.

“It is frustrating that fans give their tickets away and the other teams get that many fans,” Panthers fullback Brad Hoover said. “But in reality, we just have to deal with it. Right now we’re not playing very good football and when you don’t play well, people don’t want to come watch you.”

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No competition

Matt Leinart was drafted No. 10 in the 2006 NFL draft and Jay Cutler was drafted No. 11, but draft order wasn’t on either quarterback’s head when Cutler’s Denver Broncos defeated Leinart’s Arizona Cardinals, 37-20.

“That didn’t cross my mind,” Leinart said. “I wasn’t worried about a Matt vs. Jay contest.”

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Injury report

Baltimore quarterback Steve McNair left in the first quarter against Cleveland after another player accidentally stepped on his right hand. McNair did not return....Jacksonville running back Fred Taylor left after his first carry against Tennessee because of a strained right hamstring and did not return....The Jaguars lost running back Maurice Jones-Drew in the fourth quarter because of a left leg injury. He was taken for X-rays, but the results were not known....Jets receiver Laveranues Coles was taken for X-rays after injuring his back against Minnesota.... Miami receiver Marty Booker twisted an ankle in the third quarter against Buffalo and did not return....Cleveland running back Jason Wright suffered a “pretty severe” knee injury, Coach Romeo Crennel said....Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick, who left late in the game Saturday against the Cowboys, reported to team headquarters Sunday for treatment on his groin. The team had no word on his status for next weekend.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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peter.yoon@latimes.com

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Complete picture

Green Bay’s Brett Favre, above, completed 20 passes Sunday, giving him an NFL-record 4,974 completions for his career. But Favre is also inching closer to the record for completing passes to opponents. Three of his passes were intercepted Sunday and he moved into second place on that all-time list. The career leaders for the most passes intercepted and most completions

(x-active):

Most career interceptions:

*--* No. Player Team(s) Years 277 George Blanda Bears, Colts, Oilers, Raiders 1949-75 270 Brett Favre Packers 1991-2006 268 John Hadl Chargers, Rams, Packers, Oilers 1962-77 266 Fran Tarkenton Vikings, Giants 1961-78

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Most career completions:

1. x-Brett Favre: 4,974

2. Dan Marino: 4,967

3. John Elway: 4,123

4. Warren Moon: 3,988

5. x-Drew Bledsoe: 3,839

6. x-Vinny Testaverde: 3,691

7. Fran Tarkenton: 3,686

8. Joe Montana: 3,409

9. Dan Fouts: 3,297

10. Dave Krieg: 3,105