Carolina goes back to Matt Moore at quarterback

Things are so bad on offense for the Carolina Panthers that struggling rookie Jimmy Clausen was benched Monday to make way for a quarterback with eight turnovers and a 33.3 passer rating.

But Matt Moore is hoping a nostalgic film session will help him regain his 2009 form and end Carolina’s nightmare start to the season.

The Panthers (0-5) returned from their bye weekend to hear Coach John Fox announce in a team meeting that Moore, benched after six turnovers in the first two games, would again take control of the NFL’s worst offense against San Francisco (1-5) on Sunday.

Fox announced the move to reporters in a statement through a team spokesman.

“We have struggled on offense since the beginning of the season,” said Fox, whose team is averaging a league-low 10.4 points a game. “Sometimes it helps to step back and watch, and Matt has had a chance to do that.”

It was Moore’s strong end to last season in place of an injured and ineffective Jake Delhomme — going 4-1 with eight touchdowns and one interception — that got Delhomme released in March.

“It’s a good reminder of what you can do,” said Moore, who has completed just 42% of his passes this season. “It reminds me, when times are tough, that it can be done. You can do this, and you’ve made this throw, you’ve been in this situation, and here’s the result.”

NFL considering suspensions for illegal hits

Aiming for the head or leading with the helmet to deliver a blow could soon cost NFL players game time as well as money.

The league is considering suspending players for illegal hits in an effort to help prevent serious injuries, NFL executive vice president of football operations Ray Anderson told the Associated Press on Monday, one day after several scary collisions in games.

Anderson, a member of the league’s competition committee and one of its loudest voices on the need for enhanced player safety, said the NFL could make changes in its approach immediately, with Commissioner Roger Goodell having the final say. League officials would consult with the players’ union, but he didn’t expect any opposition.

“Obviously, suspensions would be a much bigger deal than fining guys,” said Colts center Jeff Saturday, the team’s player representative. “But if guys are headhunting out there to knock a guy out of the game, that’s the only way to take care of it.”

Redskins probably won’t deal Haynesworth

The Washington Redskins insist Albert Haynesworth will remain with the team through Tuesday’s trade deadline.

Coach Mike Shanahan said there’s “a pretty good chance” that Haynesworth won’t be sent elsewhere, even though the two-time All-Pro has missed three of six games and has clashed often with the coach this year.

“I’ll be so glad when that’s over with so I don’t have to talk about this anymore,” Shanahan said. “I’ve answered this question for the last six months, every day. You’ll just have to wait and see.”

Celebration penalty was on Hurd, not Austin

The touchdown-celebration penalty the Dallas Cowboys received Sunday wasn’t for Miles Austin leapfrogging Roy Williams in the end zone,

It was against receiver Sam Hurd for flashing a University of Texas “Hook ‘em, Horns” hand gesture along with Williams. That’s what Carl Johnson, the league’s vice president of officiating, told Cowboys Coach Wade Phillips on Monday.

Austin was announced as being guilty during Dallas’ 24-21 loss to Minnesota. Phillips said an official on the sideline also told him it was Austin’s fault.

Harrison says he wants to hurt people

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison states his objective matter-of-factly: He’s out to hurt any opposing player who roams into his vicinity.

If he sees players down on the turf — as he did Sunday when he sidelined Browns wide receivers Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi with concussion-causing hits only minutes apart — he knows he’s done his job.

“I don’t want to injure anybody,” Harrison said. “There’s a big difference between being hurt and being injured. You get hurt, you shake it off and come back the next series or the next game. I try to hurt people.”

Neither hit was penalized, although the NFL said Monday it is reviewing the hit on Massaquoi. The league determined the tackle of Cribbs was legal.

Etc.

Detroit Lions linebacker Zack Follett has been cleared to return after being hospitalized for a violent helmet-to-helmet hit with a New York Giants player Sunday…. Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson has a concussion from a hit on Philadelphia wide receiver DeSean Jackson that knocked both players out of Sunday’s game. His status for next week’s game in unknown. Jackson has already been ruled out of next week’s game, also because of a concussion…. The New York Giants released Shayne Graham after being awarded offensive tackle Jamon Meredith off waivers from Detroit…. The NFL and NFL Players Assn. have agreed to provide financial assistance to former players who have Lou Gehrig’s disease. In August, scientists funded in part by the NFL said they found evidence connecting head injuries in athletes to a condition that mimics Lou Gehrig’s disease. The plan provides up to $88,000 a year for institutional care and up to $50,000 for home custodial care, plus costs for certain doctor care, medical equipment and medication…. Denver Broncos wide receiver and special teamer Matthew Willis was put on injured reserve after breaking a foot Sunday in a loss to the New York Jets…. The Green Bay Packers put tight end Jermichael Finley on injured reserve.