Campbell replaces Redskins’ Brunell

Quarterback Jason Campbell will make his NFL debut Sunday for the Washington Redskins, replacing Mark Brunell for a 3-6 team apparently heading nowhere and needing a plan for the future.

Coach Joe Gibbs announced Monday that Campbell, who has been inactive for all 25 games of his pro career, would start against Tampa Bay.

“We’re going to give Jason his opportunity and see if we can be more productive and see if we can get some more answers,” said Gibbs, forced to switch quarterbacks during the season for the third straight year.

The move comes a day after the Redskins were beaten, 27-3, at Philadelphia. Brunell completed 16 of 32 passes for 132 yards and had an interception returned 70 yards for a touchdown. Brunell has completed 62% of his passes with eight touchdowns and four interceptions this season but the Redskins have struggled to get the ball downfield, and the offense failed to produce a touchdown in any of its three NFC East road games.

“I was kind of shocked,” Campbell said. “It’s like when the principal calls you into the office, you get kind of jittery, you don’t know what to expect.”

Meanwhile, running back Clinton Portis underwent surgery on his broken right hand. Portis, hurt against the Eagles, will be sidelined three to four weeks. Ladell Betts will replace him.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez will be sidelined for at least one week after spraining his left shoulder in Sunday’s loss to Miami.

More will be known with test results today.

Meanwhile, quarterback Trent Green could be cleared for full practice for the first time since suffering a severe concussion in the Sept. 10 opener.

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Tennessee Titans receiver David Givens tore a left knee ligament on a freak play in Sunday’s loss to Baltimore when he planted his leg and will miss the rest of this season, the team said.

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Dallas Cowboys linebacker Greg Ellis will miss the rest of the season after tearing his left Achilles’ tendon in Sunday’s victory over Arizona.

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The Atlanta Falcons lost defensive end Patrick Kerney for an “extended” period because of a chest injury, suffered in Sunday’s loss to Cleveland. An MRI exam will determine the extent of the injury.

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New England Patriots right guard Billy Yates will miss the rest of the season after breaking his leg in Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets.

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After watching a replay, Cincinnati Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh forgave San Diego safety Marlon McCree for the early, high hit that left him groggy in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Chargers.

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New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush severed ties to his Santa Monica-based marketing agent, Mike Ornstein, sources said. Bush declined to comment on the situation, first reported by Yahoo.com, and Ornstein did not return calls.

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The NFL announced that the starting time for the Philadelphia Eagles’ game at Indianapolis against the Colts on Nov. 26 has been switched to 5:15 PST so that it can be televised by NBC.