Falcons Bring Back Kicker Andersen, 46

Morten Andersen, 46, became the second-oldest player in NFL history Tuesday, returning to the Atlanta Falcons after Michael Koenen flopped badly in his attempt to do all the team’s kicking.

Andersen, the league’s second-leading career scorer, rejoins the league after last kicking with Minnesota in 2004. He will handle extra points and all field goal attempts -- except those beyond 50 yards.

“In my heart, I knew I could still play,” Andersen said.

George Blanda is the only player older than Andersen to play in the NFL, retiring after the 1975 season at age 48.

“Morten Andersen is one of the finest field goal kickers in the history of the National Football League,” Falcons Coach Jim Mora said. “His outstanding career speaks for itself, and we are excited to have him rejoin our organization.”

Koenen, who made only two of eight field goal attempts in Atlanta’s first two games, will continue to handle the kickoff and punting duties.

A change was expected after he missed four field goals -- all from 40 yards and in -- in a 14-3 victory over Tampa Bay on Sunday.

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The San Diego Chargers obtained quarterback Billy Volek from Tennessee to give them a veteran behind first-year starter Philip Rivers.

Volek wanted out of Tennessee since being demoted to third string behind rookie Vince Young after the Titans signed Kerry Collins.

He got his wish, but the deal was delayed for obvious reasons because the Titans played the Chargers on Sunday.

The Chargers, who opened the season with the untested Rivers and rookie Charlie Whitehurst as their only quarterbacks, gave up a sixth-round draft pick that could become a fifth-rounder if Volek participates in 50% of San Diego’s offensive plays this year.

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Pittsburgh Steelers Coach Bill Cowher is not ready to panic after his team’s listless performance in a 9-0 loss to Jacksonville.

“I’m not ready to assess people’s play after one game or two games,” he said of the Monday night loss that included the return of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

“Let’s let this thing play out four or five games to find some tendencies that take place that you might have to address or you might have to expand on.”

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ESPN’s Monday night NFL game was watched by more viewers than any show in cable TV history except a 1993 debate between Al Gore and Ross Perot.

Jacksonville’s victory over the Super Bowl champion Steelers posted a rating of 10.6 and was seen in 9.81 million homes, topping the network’s “Monday Night Football” debut a week earlier that had been the most-watched program in the network’s history, ESPN said.

The Gore-Perot debate on NAFTA on CNN was watched in 11.174 million households.

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Cleveland cornerback Daylon McCutcheon, a former USC standout, will miss the rest of the season because of a right knee injury, another blow to the Browns’ banged-up secondary.