Jones-Drew should play this weekend

The Jacksonville Jaguars expect to have rookie running back Maurice Jones-Drew back in the lineup Sunday against New England.

They’re not sure about Fred Taylor.

Jones-Drew and Taylor, the duo that has the Jaguars ranked second in the league in rushing, were hurt in Sunday’s loss at Tennessee. Taylor re-injured his right hamstring on his second run of the game and did not return.

“The word I got from the training staff was that he was better today than he was last week the day after the game,” Coach Jack Del Rio said Monday. “It’s just a matter of whether or not he’ll be able to go this week or need to wait.”

Jones-Drew jammed his knee in the fourth quarter on a 37-yard reception. X-rays were negative. “The news that I got back was that he was feeling better than anticipated and that we expected to have him this week, so that was good news,” Del Rio said.

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Quarterback Steve McNair is expected to start Sunday for the Baltimore Ravens, although his injured right hand might affect his practice time this week. McNair played only two series in the Ravens’ victory over Cleveland on Sunday. He left shortly after Cleveland linebacker Andra Davis accidentally stepped on his throwing hand, opening up a cut that made it difficult for the quarterback to take snaps from center.

McNair could have returned if needed, but backup Kyle Boller played well enough to make that a moot point.

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Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Strahan might play for the New York Giants on Sunday in their crucial game against the New Orleans Saints.

Strahan hopes to practice this week for the first time since spraining his right foot against the Houston Texans on Nov. 5. He has missed the last six games, a span that has seen the Giants (7-7) lose five times.

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Tampa Bay Coach Jon Gruden said that seventh-year quarterback Tim Rattay will make his first start of the season, replacing rookie Bruce Gradkowski when the Buccaneers (3-11) travel to Cleveland (4-10) on Sunday.

“It’s just common sense right now based on performance and who gives us a better chance to win a football game,” Gruden said. “We’d like to finish the season as strongly as we can, and I think Bruce is struggling to a degree right now.”

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Carolina Panthers all-time sacks leader Mike Rucker will miss the rest of the season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

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Ex-New Orleans Saints quarterback Adrian McPherson is suing the Tennessee Titans because their mascot hit him with a golf cart before the second half of an August exhibition game.

McPherson is seeking $5 million in compensatory damages for the Titans’ negligence and $15 million in punitive damages. The quarterback was on the field Aug. 12 warming up when T-Rac, the Titans’ mascot, hit him with a golf cart while throwing items into the stand.