NFL notes

— RAVENS

Coordinator fired

OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Cam Cameron was fired Monday as offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, who have lost two consecutive and are still striving for consistency in the running and passing game.

Cameron ran the Baltimore offense since the start of the 2008 season for Coach John Harbaugh. Since that time, the Ravens’ attack has repeatedly taken a back seat to the team’s defense, and this year the offense ranks 18th with 344.4 yards per game.

Jim Caldwell, who was hired as quarterbacks coach before the season, will assume Cameron’s duties. Caldwell was head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2009-11.

Harbaugh didn’t give a detailed explanation for the move, which came less than 24 hours after the Ravens lost to the Washington Redskins 31-28 in overtime.

“We put 28 points up, so you’re not going to say it’s a reaction to a down offensive performance. It’s not that. I think that’s really important to point out,” Harbaugh said. “It’s what I believe is best going forward for our offense and for our football team.

“Cam was doing a heck of a job here. He was doing a heck of a job here for a long time. Nobody knows that better than me, and nobody has stated that more times. I believe that. I also believe right now at this time, the timing says this is the best thing, and this is what we’re going to do.”

Although Harbaugh refused to criticize Cameron, the Ravens’ offense has sputtered at times this season. Baltimore scored touchdowns on three of its first four possessions against the Redskins but managed only seven points after halftime. Fifth-year quarterback Joe Flacco passed for 182 yards and committed two turnovers in the third quarter.

Baltimore’s running game ranks 17th in the NFL despite the presence of Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice, who has topped the 100-yard rushing mark only three times (compared to six times last year). Rice led the NFL in yards from scrimmage in 2011.

Cameron, 51, went 1-15 as head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2007 before being chosen by Harbaugh to run the Baltimore offense. The Ravens made the playoffs in each of his previous four seasons, and under his direction Flacco became the team’s career leader in passing yards, touchdowns and completions.

REDSKINS

Griffin has sprain

ASHBURN, Va. - All the medical terms associated with Robert Griffin III’s knee injury can be boiled down to one simple message: It’s not too bad.

Beyond that, there are still some very important unknowns.

The NFL’s top-rated quarterback might or might not play Sunday when the Washington Redskins visit the Cleveland Browns. Griffin has a mild, or Grade 1, sprain of the lateral collateral ligament, caused when he was hit by defensive tackle Haloti Ngata at the end of a 13-yard scramble late in regulation of the 31-28 overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens.

“When I looked at it on film,” Coach Mike Shanahan said, “I thought it would be worse than it was.”

A Grade 1 sprain typically means the ligament is stretched or has some minor tears and usually doesn’t require surgery. Griffin will get multiple treatments daily and will probably have to wear a brace for several weeks.

The next major benchmark is whether Griffin will able to take part when practice resumes Wednesday.

“You’re hoping with rehab it gets better very quickly,” Shanahan said. “But we don’t know for sure. ... He’s definitely not ruled out for the Cleveland game.”

Griffin’s father, Robert Griffin Jr., said in a text message that his son was “feeling good” and that “we will know by Thursday” whether Griffin III will be able to suit up against the Browns.

TITANS

Cook out for season

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee tight end Jared Cook has a torn right rotator cuff and Coach Mike Munchak said Cook will be placed on injured reserve for the final three games.

Cook caught an 18-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive in Sunday’s 27-23 loss to Indianapolis. But he hurt his shoulder catching a screen pass late in the third quarter.

The tight end ranks second on the team with 44 catches and has 523 yards receiving. He will become the 15th player on injured reserve, and Munchak called it unfortunate.

49ERS

Jacobs suspended

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The San Francisco 49ers suspended running back Brandon Jacobs on Monday for the final three games following a series of posts on social media sites addressing his lack of playing time, including one during the weekend saying he was “on this team rotting away.”

The 49ers made the announcement about two hours after Coach Jim Harbaugh’s news conference, but provided no explanation for why Jacobs had been disciplined. It is doubtful he would return for the playoffs.

Harbaugh declined to address Jacobs’ comments, even when asked whether Jacobs was still on the team. He said he was invoking his “fifth amendment” right.

The 30-year-old Jacobs has five carries for 7 yards while playing in only two games with the NFC West leading 49ers (9-3-1). He spent his first seven NFL seasons with the New York Giants and has called this his “worst” year - though he knew he was joining a crowded backfield that features three-time Pro Bowler Frank Gore as one of the faces of the franchise.

In recent days, he posted a series of photos of himself playing for the Giants - and even a picture of his two Super Bowl championship rings, side by side.

“I am on this team rotting away so why would I wanna put any pics up of anything that say niners,” Jacobs said in an Instagram post Saturday. “This is by far the worst year I ever had, I’ll tell you like I told plenty others.”

Jacobs ran for 571 yards and seven touchdowns last season with New York as a backup to Ahmad Bradshaw.

BILLS

Jackson done for year

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Buffalo Bills running back Fred Jackson will miss the remainder of the season with a sprained ligament in his right knee.

Coach Chan Gailey provided the update on Monday saying Jackson is expected to miss between three and five weeks. And that won’t be enough time to recover considering the Bills (5-8) have only three games left and have all but mathematically been eliminated from playoff contention.

“No, he’s not going to make it,” Gailey said, a day after Jackson was hurt in the fourth quarter of a 15-12 loss to St. Louis.

Jackson won’t require surgery after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain to his medial collateral ligament. Though the plans haven’t been finalized, Gailey said it’s likely the player will be placed on the season-ending injured reserve list.

Jackson was hurt with about 5:30 left, when two Rams defenders sandwiched his right leg in making a tackle during a 2-yard run.

Jackson lay on the field for several minutes and was unable to put much weight on his right leg while being helped off to the sideline. With a towel draped over his head, Jackson was then carted off to the locker room as fans chanted “Freddie! Freddie!”

Jackson, who has led the Bills in rushing in each of the previous three seasons, has 437 yards rushing this season - his fewest in five seasons. He has scored three touchdowns rushing and also has 217 yards receiving and a touchdown.

RAIDERS

McClain reinstated

ALAMEDA, Calif. - The Oakland Raiders reinstated linebacker Rolando McClain from the suspended list Monday and cut starting cornerback Ron Bartell in the team’s latest roster shake-up.

The Raiders (3-10) also cut backup fullback Owen Schmitt and promoted cornerback Chimdi Chekwa from the practice squad.

McClain had been suspended for two games Nov. 30 for conduct detrimental to the team after a practice run-in with Coach Dennis Allen. McClain did not practice Monday and is not required to return to the team until he meets with Allen, who was in Texas on Monday for his father’s funeral. The team said Allen will discuss McClain’s role with him after he returns.

Bartell was signed to a one-year contract worth $3 million in the off season after missing all but one game in 2011 with St. Louis because of two neck fractures.

Bartell began the season as the starter but broke his left shoulder blade in the season opener. He returned to the lineup Nov. 11 in Baltimore and started the past five games, playing 95 percent of the defensive snaps. For the year, Bartell allowed 18 catches on 28 throws in his direction for 295 yards and 4 touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus. He had no interceptions.

Schmitt played sparingly in his first season with Oakland, getting his most action when Marcel Reece shifted to tailback following injuries to Darren McFadden (Pulaski Oak Grove, Arkansas) and Mike Goodson. With McFadden and Goodson healthy again and the Raiders having signed fullback Jamize Olawale from the Dallas Cowboys practice squad last week, Schmitt was expendable.

Sports, Pages 21 on 12/11/2012

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