Titans say Vince Young needs season-ending surgery

Tennessee Coach Jeff Fisher said that Vince Young needs season-ending surgery on his throwing hand and that the Titans are putting the quarterback on injured reserve within the next couple of days.

Young saw a hand specialist Monday, and Fisher said team doctors recommended the surgery to repair Young’s torn flexor tendon in his right thumb. Young suffered the injury late in the third quarter of Sunday’s 19-16 overtime loss to Washington.

Fisher also said he didn’t know — and didn’t sound as though he cared — whether Young will get an outside opinion.

“He may want to get a second opinion. He may want to get two dozen opinions. Our doctor said for his position, it needs to be fixed,” Fisher said.

Rusty Smith replaced Young in the game, and Fisher said again Monday the rookie would be the starter against Houston on Sunday. Smith is a sixth-round pick from Florida Atlantic, and the Titans are bringing in Chris Simms to back up Smith with Kerry Collins needing a couple more weeks to heal his strained left calf.

Fisher said even if Young were healthy enough to play, he would not start this Sunday because of his behavior after the game when he tossed his pads into the stands. A security guard retrieved the shoulder pads. Young had a heated exchange with Fisher in the locker room following the loss, then bolted the stadium.

Raiders’ Seymour fined $25,000

A blowout loss to Pittsburgh to end a three-game winning streak was bad enough for the Oakland Raiders.

At least they know they won’t be without stalwart defensive tackle Richard Seymour this week following his ejection for hitting Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the helmet.

The NFL announced Monday that Seymour would be fined $25,000 for his actions in the second quarter of Oakland’s 35-3 loss at Pittsburgh. But there was no suspension.

Giants’ Hicks out at least three weeks

New York Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks will sit out at least three weeks because of a lower right leg injury.

Nicks was injured after a hit to the leg in Sunday’s 27-17 loss in Philadelphia. He experienced swelling in the area on Monday, which is consistent with compartment syndrome, a condition that compresses nerves and blood vessels. It can lead to muscle and nerve damage if not treated immediately.

Nicks’ absence could be crushing, as he is the team leader in catches (62), receiving yards (800) and touchdowns (nine). And the injury couldn’t have come at a worse time, as the Giants (6-4), who play host to the Jaguars (6-4) on Sunday, have lost two in a row and are no longer in first place in the NFC East.

McCoy having tests on ankle

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Colt McCoy is undergoing further tests on his sprained left ankle, the third Cleveland quarterback to suffer that injury this season.

Coach Eric Mangini confirmed McCoy sprained his ankle in Sunday’s loss at Jacksonville,but was unclear about the extent of the injury. Mangini will wait to see whether McCoy can practice Wednesday before naming a starter for Sunday’s home game against Carolina.