AP source: Chiefs' Smith agrees to 4-yr extension

When he was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs last offseason, quarterback Alex Smith professed his admiration for coach Andy Reid and his excitement at playing for the storied franchise.ow, he could have that opportunity for at least four more years.

Smith signed a $68 million extension Sunday to remain with the Chiefs through the 2018 season, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team did not disclose the terms of the contract.

Smith, who is due $7.5 million this season, will receive $45 million in new guarantees.

''It was a priority of ours to get this deal done and keep Alex in a Chiefs uniform long term,'' Chiefs general manager John Dorsey said in a statement. ''Alex is a proven leader on and off the field. He is a special individual with a lot of ability and we are fortunate to have him here.''

Smith and his agent, Tom Condon, had been discussing an extension for several months, and both sides were hopeful that a deal would be reached by the regular season. But with the Chiefs opening against Tennessee next weekend, time was quickly running out.

''John and his staff along with Tom and his group have worked hard to get this deal done. They've done a nice job,'' Reid said in a statement. ''Alex is a smart, talented football player that has adapted well to our offensive scheme. He also, obviously, has had a tremendous amount of success as a quarterback in this league. We as a team are very happy to have Alex as our quarterback.''

The Kansas City Star first reported that Smith had reached an agreement.

The former No. 1 overall draft pick joins a wave of quarterbacks who have recently signed long-term extensions, including the Bengals' Andy Dalton and the 49ers' Colin Kaepernick.

Smith has not played well in the preseason, throwing two interceptions in the red zone in his final outing against Minnesota. But he's been hampered by an offensive line in turmoil, an injury to running back Jamaal Charles that kept him out two weeks of training camp, and a suspect group of wide receivers that will start the season without suspended star Dwayne Bowe.

''I feel good. I mean, I feel great,'' Smith said last week. ''We got some good work, some things to learn from to get better, but I do - I do feel confident in what we're doing.''

Smith's deal is important for the Chiefs on other fronts, too.

Now that he's under contract, they can turn their attention toward a long-term deal with Pro Bowl pass rusher Justin Houston. And if they fail to reach an agreement with him, the Chiefs could put the franchise tag on Houston without worrying about losing Smith to free agency.

After arriving in Kansas City for a pair of second-round draft picks, Smith had possibly the best season of his career. He threw for a career-high 3,313 yards and 23 touchdowns against only seven interceptions, even while skipping a meaningless regular-season finale.

More importantly, he took a downtrodden team that had won two games before his arrival to an 11-5 record and the playoffs. Smith threw for 378 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-44 loss to the Colts, setting playoff franchise record with 30 completions and 46 attempts.

Smith's won-loss record the past three seasons is 30-9-1, trailing only the Patriots' Tom Brady, Packers' Aaron Rodgers and Saints' Drew Brees in wins among QBs with at least 30 starts.

Now with a year in Reid's system, Smith thinks he can be even better this season.

''It's always a progression. It's not like we've arrived anywhere,'' he said recently. ''I mean, last year is a great example of where we started the season and where we ended it. Every season is like that.

''There are ups and downs along the way throughout the season, but you've got to continue to progress. You want to be playing your best football as the season goes on and into late in the year. So, you're never just at a place. You're always striving to be moving forward.''

Now, Smith knows that he'll be moving forward with Kansas City.

Wozniacki outlasts Sharapova, in US Open quarters

Caroline Wozniacki trusts her stamina so much that she plans to return to New York in two months to run a marathon.

Maria Sharapova, usually the one wearing down opponents in the third set, sure couldn't keep up on a steamy Sunday at the U.S. Open. Wozniacki won 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 in 2 hours, 37 minutes to get back to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in more than two years - and get back in the headlines for reasons other than her personal life.

''The season for me has been a little bit up and down,'' she said in quite an understatement, ''and it's so nice to kind of start feeling like I'm playing the way I want to.''

Because of the heat, the players received a 10-minute break before the final set; Sharapova returned to the court late, arguing with the chair umpire after receiving a time violation warning. Perhaps sensing that she was fresher than the five-time major champion, Wozniacki later complained that Sharapova was dawdling between points.

Her tardiness seemed to swing the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd's support squarely in Wozniacki's favor. When the 10th-seeded Dane broke Sharapova at love to go up 3-1 in the final set, she got a standing ovation from the fans and waved her arms to egg them on. Sharapova had appeared to hit a winner three times on that game's final point only for Wozniacki to somehow chase down the ball. Finally, Sharapova put a volley into the net.

Wozniacki mixed in just enough aggression with her signature defense to keep the pressure on Sharapova in the final set.

''She's very good at getting a lot of balls back and making you hit another one,'' Sharapova said. ''In the end, I went for a little too much.''

She insisted the conditions didn't bother her. Sharapova had been 17-6 in three-set matches this year, including her come-from-behind second-round victory here.

The fifth-seeded Sharapova's loss leaves No. 1 Serena Williams as the only woman remaining of the top six. Ninth-seeded Jelena Jankovic was also upset, losing 7-6 (6), 6-3 to 17-year-old Swiss Belinda Bencic.

With mentor Martina Hingis cheering from the stands, Bencic became the youngest U.S. Open quarterfinalist since Hingis herself in 1997.

After a sloppy first set, Sharapova was painting the lines in the second. Wozniacki seemed to spend most of it watching in dismay as one of Sharapova's 22 winners whizzed by.

Wozniacki said she told herself before the third set to go for her shots.

''If I'm going to lose,'' she recalled thinking, ''at least I'm going to do it with dignity.''

She closed out the match by breaking Sharapova's serve again with a backhand winner. About a half-hour later, thunderstorms halted play with second-seeded Roger Federer down a break in the first set to Marcel Granollers.

Federer acknowledged the two-hour delay helped him regroup. While Granollers won the first set, Federer dominated the rest of the way, winning 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1.

Unlike the women's draw, the men's side didn't lose a top-10 player until Sunday, when fourth-seeded David Ferrer was upset by Gilles Simon in the third round 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3. Sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych and No. 7 Grigor Dimitrov also advanced.

Dominic Thiem, 20, made his first Grand Slam round of 16 with a straight-set win over 19th-seeded Feliciano Lopez. Another first was achieved in the women's draw by Peng Shuai, who had never been to a major quarterfinal before beating 14th-seeded Lucie Safarova 6-3, 6-4.

Wozniacki will next face 13th-seeded Sara Errani, who ended the run of qualifier Mirjana Lucic-Baroni with a three-set victory.

As a 19-year-old, Wozniacki made the 2009 U.S. Open final, losing to Kim Clijsters, and reached No. 1 in the world the next year. But she hadn't been back to a Grand Slam quarterfinal since the 2012 Australian Open.

In the meantime, she was best known for getting engaged to star golfer Rory McIlroy - then getting dumped in late May after wedding invitations had gone out.

Wozniacki lost in the first round at the French Open soon thereafter and was upset in the fourth round at Wimbledon. She had been playing much better since, though, winning her first title in nine months at Istanbul then dropping a pair of three-set matches to Williams.

Wozniacki also announced a month ago that she planned to run the New York City Marathon on Nov. 2 for charity, somehow squeezing in training during a busy fall season. Seems to be working out well mentally and physically on the tennis court.

''Kind of clears my head,'' she said of the extra running. ''I feel more free when I go on court.''

Wozniacki plans to stick around New York after the U.S. Open to attend Fashion Week - including her pal Williams' show - and get in some running in Central Park. The marathon prep has gone on hiatus the last few days, though.

As Wozniacki deadpanned, ''I have a pretty big tournament here that I kind of want to try and win.''

49er Ray McDonald accused of domestic violence

San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Ray McDonald was arrested early Sunday on felony domestic violence charges after officers responded to a home in an upscale neighborhood, San Jose police said.

Sgt. Heather Randol, a police spokeswoman, declined to discuss the circumstances that led to McDonald's arrest, saying only that officers had probable cause to take him into custody.

McDonald, 29, was later released from Santa Clara County Jail after posting $25,000 bail.

He wouldn't discuss what happened with television news reporters who approached him after he posted bail.

''I can't say too much, not right now, but the truth will come out. Everybody knows the kind of person that I am,'' McDonald said. ''I'm a good-hearted person.''

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced tougher penalties this past week for players accused of domestic violence. The move followed scrutiny over Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice's two-game penalty stemming from his arrest on an assault charge in February.

''The 49ers organization is aware of the recent reports regarding Ray McDonald and we take such matters seriously,'' general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement. ''As we continue to gather the facts, we will reserve further comment.''

McDonald has been playing for San Francisco since he was drafted as a third-round pick in 2007.

The incident is the latest blow to what has been one of the NFL's fiercest defenses. On Friday, linebacker Aldon Smith received a nine-game suspension for what the league called violations of its substance-abuse and personal-conduct policies.

Dunn dealt to A's, could be his last shot playoffs

One more shot at the playoffs for Adam Dunn before he says he's probably done.

The slugger with 460 career home runs but zero at-bats in the postseason was traded by the Chicago White Sox to Oakland on Sunday, possibly giving the contending A's the power boost they need for the stretch.

The White Sox also sent cash to Oakland while acquiring minor league pitcher Nolan Sanburn. Because the deal was made before Sept. 1, Dunn will be eligible for the postseason if the suddenly sluggish Athletics make the playoffs.

The 34-year-old Dunn has played more games - 1,976 - without reaching the postseason than any active major leaguer. This is his 14th season and, with a contract set to expire, said he's planning to retire after this year.

Dunn waived his no-trade clause and approved the deal.

''This is probably going to be it,'' he said. ''I think that also weighed a lot, too. This is an opportunity. I've been playing a long time and haven't got this opportunity, so I'm going to try to make the most of it.''

Dunn is hitting .220 with 20 homers and 54 RBIs. Earlier in his career, he played for Cincinnati, Arizona and Washington.

Oakland holds the top wild-card spot in the American League. The A's were second in the AL West after three straight losses to the division-leading Los Angeles Angels, and hadn't scored in 22 innings going into Sunday's series finale.

''I think this is just an opportunity for him that he should've taken,'' White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. ''It came about and you talk to him about it, you're happy that he gets a chance to go do this. I think even if he does happen to hang it up after this year, he'll at least get a shot at doing this.''

The A's trailed the Angels by four games, their largest deficit since May 2013. The Athletics were looking to add a hitter after trading Yoenis Cespedes to the Boston Red Sox for starter Jon Lester before the July 31 nonwaiver deadline.

''We're trying to do whatever we can to get some offense going here,'' Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. ''The guy has a history of hitting homers and getting on base, and I know he's excited about being with us.''

Along with Dunn, the White Sox have traded away second baseman Gordon Beckham and outfielder Alejandro De Aza in the past week and a half.

Dunn has struggled in four seasons with the White Sox, mostly as a designated hitter. He has played first base and some outfield, and even made his first career pitching appearance this season in a mop-up role.

The White Sox envisioned making playoff runs when they signed Dunn to a four-year, $56 million contract in December 2010. Dunn was coming off back-to-back 38-homer seasons with Washington but the plan didn't unfold as envisioned.

''I wish things would've worked out better, but it didn't,'' he said.

Dunn's first season in Chicago was brutal. His average dropped more than 100 points to .159 while he hit just 11 homers in 2011, and he never really lived up to expectations after that.

He became a lightning rod for fans with his high strikeout totals, finishing one shy of the record with 222 in 2012, but he remained popular in the clubhouse.

''Some people like to lump it all together,'' teammate Paul Konerko said. ''We know the first year was a rough year, but if you look at a lot of his time here, he kind of did what he was supposed to be doing.''

General manager Rick Hahn said the White Sox started to zero in on the Oakland deal on Saturday. He discussed the possibility with Dunn, and the veteran waived his no-trade clause.

''This deal, we feel real good about Sanburn,'' Hahn said. ''He's a young power arm with good pitch ability and good secondary pitches.''

He said Sanburn will likely start next season in Double-A. As for Dunn's time in Chicago?

''Obviously, we were both disappointed that we didn't accomplish on the field what we had hoped when the deal was originally signed four years ago,'' Hahn said. ''He was brought here as part of a plan to help us win championships in that window, and it didn't happen. From that standpoint, I think we're all disappointed. From the clubhouse standpoint, he was outstanding.''

The White Sox also called up first baseman Andy Wilkins and Scott Snodgress from Triple-A Charlotte, reinstated outfielder Moises Sierra from the 15-day disabled list and outrighted pitcher Nestor Molina to Double-A Birmingham on Sunday.

Wilkins, who had 30 home runs and 85 RBIs for Charlotte, started at first base on Sunday.

Dunn, meanwhile, gets to play in meaningful games down the stretch.

''I think that's what's probably really exciting for him at this point, is to come in here and play meaningful games in September and hopefully help a team get to the postseason,'' Melvin said.

Patriots trade Mallett to Texans

Jimmy Garoppolo will be carrying a clipboard for Tom Brady on the New England Patriots' sideline this season.

The Patriots traded former Brady backup Ryan Mallett to the Houston Texans on Sunday, elevating Garoppolo to the No. 2 job behind the two-time NFL MVP.

Garoppolo was a second-round pick in this year's draft - the highest coach Bill Belichick has ever selected a quarterback in New England.

''We have three good players at that position, three players we have a lot of confidence in,'' Belichick said on Sunday just hours before the trade was announced. ''It's a good situation.''

Mallett was 14 for 26 for 161 yards and a touchdown this preseason, and his fate seemed decided when Garoppolo played the entire exhibition finale on Thursday night against the New York Giants.

Originally a third-round draft pick from Arkansas, Mallett played four regular-season games in three years with the Patriots, completing one pass.

In Houston, Mallett will move into the backup role created when the Texans cut Case Keenum later Sunday. Keenum had been competing with rookie fourth-round pick Tom Savage for the No. 2 role behind Harvard product Ryan Fitzpatrick.

In the preseason, Garoppolo was 46 for 79 for 618 yards, five touchdowns and an interception.

But the Patriots are hoping he returns to the bench and stays there.

Brady has only missed games because of injury once in his career since inheriting the starting job from Drew Bledsoe in 2001. With Brady's knee torn up, Matt Cassel led the Patriots to an 11-5 record in 2008 but missed the playoffs - one of just two seasons in the Brady era in which New England failed to make the postseason.

Also Sunday, the Patriots claimed defensive linemen Bruce Gaston and Kelcy Quarles off waivers. New England released linebacker Chris White.

Gaston was a rookie free agent from Purdue cut by Arizona on Saturday. He played 50 consecutive games at Purdue and finished with 131 total tackles, seven sacks, four fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.

Quarles was cut by the Giants on Saturday. He played in 35 games in three years at South Carolina, finishing with 105 total tackles and 13 sacks.

White played two seasons with the Buffalo Bills before joining the Patriots last season. Originally a sixth-round draft pick from Mississippi State, he played in 16 games and finished with one tackle on defense and nine special teams tackles.

Michael Sam appears to be unclaimed; could sign with Rams' practice squad

Michael Sam's journey to the NFL has hit another snag, but he is free to keep trying to make it with the first team that gave him a chance.

The St. Louis Rams made Sam one of their final cuts, which subjected the seventh-round pick to the league's waiver process. Any team could have put in a claim to sign Sam to their active, 53-man roster, but it appears that none have.

That could mean that Sam ends up back in St. Louis on the Rams' 10-man practice squad (the league recently expanded from eight).

Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said of Sam on Saturday:

“Well, it was a football decision and it was no different than any other decision that we make. It was a football decision. It was a football decision back in May to draft Mike. And once again, it’s been all about football.

"I will tell you this: I was pulling for Mike. I really was. I don’t say that very often, but Mike came in here and did everything that we asked him to do. He got a chance to play a lot of snaps. He had the second most snaps on the defensive line, to Ethan Westbrooks. He had well over 120, 130 snaps and was productive.

"But as we said on the front end of the whole...when we drafted Mike, on the front end, we mentioned that this was going to be a tough road. Those four defensive ends that we have on the roster are good and they play a lot and they’re very productive, as well as the tackles. It’s the strength of our football team. But again, it was a football decision.”

Is that a signal that the Rams could be interested in adding Sam to their practice squad? Perhaps, but it also shows that Sam getting on the field anytime soon with the Rams — barring a slew of injuries — could be tough.

Sam also could field offers to sign with any other team's practice squad now, too, but with so many teams running 3-4 schemes for which he's a poor fit, the options could be a bit limited.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - AUGUST 31ST

1881 - First US men's single tennis championships (Newport, RI).

1909 - A J Reach Co patents cork-centered baseball.

1915 - Chicago White Sox Jimmy Lavender no-hits NY Giants, 2-0.
1918 - Boston Red Sox, win earliest AL pennent ever (season ended Sept 2).

1931 - Jean Marc Beliveau, Trois-Rivieres Quebec,

NHL center (Montreal Canadiens, 10 Stanley Cups) is born.
1935 - Frank Robinson, baseball player/manager (MVP 1961-NL 1966-AL) is born.

1935 - Chicago White Sox Vern Kennedy no-hits Cleveland Indians, 5-0.

1947 - NY Giants set season record for HRs by a club 183 (en route to 221).
1950 - Dodger Gil Hodges hits 4 HRs & a single in a game vs Braves.

1955 - Edwin Corley Moses, Dayton, 400m hurdler (Oly-2 gold/br-76, 84, 88) is born.

1969 - Rocky Marciano, former Heavyweight champ, dies in a plane crash at 45.

1972 - Olga Korbut, USSR, wins olympic gold medal in gymnastics.

1973 - First Heavyweight championship fight in Japan (Foreman beats Roman).

1979 - 16 yr old Tracy Austin defeats 14 yr old Andrea Jaeger at US Open Tennis.

1983 - Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals football player is born.

1985 - Angel Cordero becomes 3rd jockey to ride horses earning over $100 M.

1990 - Nat (Sweetwater) Clifton, NY Knick, dies at 65 of a heart attack.

1991 - Houston QB David Klingler sets NCAA record with 6 touchdown

passes in the 2nd quarter as the Cougars clobbered Louisiana Tech 73-3.

1997 - Don Mattingly's #23 is retired by NY Yankees.

2006 - Tom Delaney, British racing driver (b. 1911).

Michael Sam cut from Rams, but may still have NFL future

Not long after Michael Sam waved to an adoring crowd at Missouri's season opener, he looked down at his cell phone.

It was 3 p.m. CT, the deadline for NFL teams to pare rosters to 53 players. And the Rams coach was talking to the players who didn't make the cut.

He headed into the locker room. At some point, his phone rang with the bad news: He didn't make the cut.

Twenty others were cut by the St. Louis Rams on Saturday, all of them mere footnotes. For Sam, it meant a roadblock in his journey to become the first openly gay player to make an NFL roster.

Over and over, coach Jeff Fisher said, it was purely a football decision.

''I will tell you this: I was pulling for Mike,'' Fisher said. ''I really was, and I don't say that very often. Mike came in here and did everything we asked him to do.''

The seventh-round draft pick projected confidence while scrutinized at least as closely as Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel. He's been cheered by athletes and celebrities, denigrated by just a few.

In the end, the defensive end couldn't make a team stocked with pass rushers and lost out to undrafted Ethan Westbrooks, who proved more productive and more versatile.

Fisher believes Sam has an NFL future, and it still could be with the Rams. If he's not picked up by another team, he could land on the St. Louis practice squad.

''I can't go there right now,'' Fisher said. ''Coaches don't talk about practice squads because we have to see what happens. We'll know better tomorrow afternoon.''

Wherever he lands, Fisher said ''there will be no challenge, no challenges whatsoever.''

''He's not about drawing attention to himself,'' Fisher said. ''He kept his head down and worked and you can't ask anything more out of any player for that matter.''

On Twitter, roughly an hour after he was cut, Sam wrote ''The most worthwhile things in life rarely come easy, this is a lesson I've always known. The journey continues.''

He also thanked the Rams and city of St. Louis on Twitter, adding that he looks forward to a long and successful career.

Sam was introduced to the Missouri crowd in the end zone alongside defensive E.J. Gaines, a sixth-round pick who made the team. He blew a kiss and waved before returning to the sideline, then posed for a few pictures before starting to look at his phone, and then headed for the locker room.

Fisher personally delivered the news to the 20 others released in meetings Friday and Saturday, but didn't seem to mind that Sam was out of town, visiting his alma mater. The conversation was perfunctory, with plans for a face-to-face meeting on Sunday.

''He said 'Yes sir,' and he said, 'I understand.' He said, 'Thanks for the opportunity,' and I said, 'Mike, I'm looking forward to visiting with you tomorrow,' and he goes, 'I am, too.'''

Sam was the SEC co-defensive player of the year at Missouri and had been projected as a mid-round draft pick. His stock fell after a poor combine showing not long after he came out as gay in February, and the Rams took him with the 249th overall pick out of 256.

He kissed his boyfriend as a national television audience looked on, and arrived brimming with confidence and with a quick retort for anyone who contended he was in the NFL only because he came out. Fisher was proud to have made the landmark pick, but made clear from the start that Sam would be judged on talent.

The cameras followed, but the extra attention did not seem to faze Sam or his teammates. Veteran defensive end Chris Long noted rosters are always made up of players from different backgrounds. Players said Sam was part of their family.

Sam shed weight before training camp to be faster for special teams duty, reporting at 257 pounds. But after the preseason opener, Fisher said he'd have to make the team based on defensive end play.

Sam came out publicly following his final season at Missouri, though he had told his teammates before it began. It was no distraction. Missouri tied the school record with 12 wins and won the SEC Eastern Division and Sam had 11 1-2 sacks.

Sam was lightly regarded out of Hitchcock, Texas, a town of about 7,000 along the Gulf Coast about 40 miles southeast of Houston. His first two years at Missouri, Sam backed up Aldon Smith and Jacquies Smith, both of whom are in the NFL.

From the start, teammates seemed to like having Sam around. His energy was infectious and, if there were problems, they stayed behind closed doors. Publicly, Sam was just another late-round pick trying to make the Rams, which, like other NFL teams, held sensitivity training early in camp. The Oprah Winfrey Network put off a planned documentary on Sam, saying it would allow him to focus on his dream.

At one point, Sam's Rams jersey was the No. 2 seller among rookies online, trailing only Cleveland's Johnny Manziel, and Sam was among just 10 draftees selected by the NFL to be featured on commemorative coins. Sam headed to the ESPY Awards to pick up the Arthur Ashe Courage award. He got a hug from Hall of Famer Jim Brown on his way to the stage and fought back tears throughout his speech.

He told the audience: ''Great things can happen when you have the courage to be yourself.''

Saints cut Champ Bailey, Meachem, both kickers

The New Orleans Saints included 12-time Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey, veteran receiver Robert Meachem and both kickers among their final preseason roster cuts Saturday.

Receiver Nick Toon was among several young, relatively unproven players who survived the last round of cuts before the Saints begin preparations for their Sept. 7 regular-season opener at Atlanta. Others still with the club include undrafted rookie cornerback Brian Dixon; linebackers Kyle Knox and Kasim Edebali; and offensive lineman Senio Kelemete.

New Orleans also held onto to veteran defensive tackle Brandon Deaderick.

The Saints brought in Bailey after he was released by Denver and general manager Mickey Loomis said after the move that Bailey was expected to compete for a starting cornerback job. However, Bailey struggled with a foot injury and saw limited action in only the final two preseason games. Meanwhile, Patrick Robinson, a 2010 first-round draft choice, came back strong from a knee injury and apparently won the job.

The younger cornerbacks the Saints kept over the more accomplished 36-year-old Bailey have been healthier and also contribute on special teams.

The Saints did not immediately indicate what their intentions were at kicker after their decision to cut both veteran Shayne Graham and rookie Derek Dimke, but they could have in mind one of a number of proven kickers cut by other clubs.

Veteran kicker Ryan Succop, for example, was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday after being beaten out by rookie Cairo Santos, a former Lou Groza Award winner from Tulane. Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals recently cut veteran kicker Jay Feely.

The Saints also could choose to bring back either of the kickers they had throughout camp after they've had an opportunity to review all of the new candidates for that position. When they find a kicker, they'll have to either cut another player or put one on injured reserve.

Saints players still on the roster who've been struggling with injuries during the past few weeks of the preseason include fullback Erik Lorig and linebacker Khairi Fortt.

For now, the Saints have chosen to keep three quarterbacks, giving them the option of going with either veteran Luke McCown or second-year pro Ryan Griffin in the event they need to relieve star quarterback Drew Brees. McCown also has gotten the majority of work as the holder on field goals.

The Saints had to trim 22 players from the roster between Thursday night's preseason finale and Saturday afternoon's deadline to get down to the 53-player regular-season limit.

Included among final cuts were: receivers Brandon Coleman, Seantavious Jones and Charles Hawkins; cornerbacks Terrence Frederick, Trevin Wade and Derrius Brooks; running back Derrick Strozier, linebackers Keyunta Dawson and Todd Davis; fullback Greg Jones; tight end Nic Jacobs; defensive tackle Lawrence Virgil; and offensive linemen Jason Weaver, Marcel Jones, Tavon Rooks, Thomas Welch and Matt Armstrong.

A number of the younger players cut by New Orleans could be eligible to be brought back on the club's practice squad as early as Sunday. The NFL this season expanded practice squads from eight to 10 players.

Jets release suspended CB Patterson

Dimitri Patterson went from likely starting cornerback for the New York Jets to being out of a job - all in the span of one bizarre week.

The Jets released Patterson on Saturday, capping a strange stretch that included an unexcused absence, accusations from both the cornerback and the team, and a suspension.

The move came as the Jets got down to the mandatory 53-player roster limit. Also among the team's 21 cuts were wide receiver Stephen Hill, running backs Daryl Richardson and Alex Green, and quarterbacks Matt Simms and Tajh Boyd.

The Jets also placed linebacker Antwan Barnes on the reserve-physically unable to perform list as he continues to recover from a knee injury suffered last season.

Patterson was suspended Tuesday for the rest of the preseason after he left the team, according to the Jets, and went missing before the preseason game against the Giants on Aug. 22 without speaking to anyone in the organization.

The team said Patterson was at meetings, a walkthrough and the pregame meal, but didn't show for the game at MetLife Stadium.

General manager John Idzik said Patterson gave the Jets no warning he would leave the team, and didn't speak to anyone directly until he met with Idzik and coach Rex Ryan two days later at the training facility.

Idzik also said he learned Patterson was OK only last Saturday through agent Drew Rosenhaus.

But in a statement to ESPN on Thursday, Patterson said the Jets' claims that he went missing for 48 hours without notifying the team were ''completely false.''

Patterson said Rosenhaus contacted the Jets ''multiple times several hours prior to Friday night's game.''

The 31-year-old Patterson was expected to start opposite Dee Milliner, who is recovering from a high ankle sprain, after signing with the Jets in April. He dealt with a few leg ailments throughout training camp, and played only in the preseason opener.

Patterson was eligible to rejoin the team on Monday, but the Jets decided to cut ties. There was some speculation that Patterson was disappointed with his standing on the Jets' depth chart, but he denied that in his statement, saying it was ''totally and completely false.''

But neither Patterson nor the Jets have revealed the reasons for his absence.

The move to part ways with Hill wasn't a major surprise after the 2012 second-round draft pick had two seasons marked by injuries and inconsistent play.

Hill was a raw receiver when he came out of Georgia Tech, which ran a heavy run-first offense, but the Jets were high on his speed and athleticism. They traded up in the second round to draft Hill, but he finished with 45 catches for 594 yards and four touchdowns in two seasons - ending both on injured reserve.

''I'm disappointed in Idzik and Rex with the way the whole thing went down there,'' agent Alan Herman told USA Today. ''Two years in that kind of situation is disheartening. He didn't have a chance that first year with that whole Tim Tebow-Mark Sanchez fiasco. His second year, Geno Smith was learning how to play quarterback. So they never threw the ball deep because they wanted to simplify things for Geno.''

The cuts of both Richardson and Green came after Ryan acknowledged the Jets could go with four running backs. It appears the Jets will go into the season with the trio of Chris Johnson, Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell in the backfield.

With Simms and Boyd both let go, New York will have just two quarterbacks on the roster: Smith and Michael Vick.

Also released were: wide receiver Clyde Gates, linebackers Garrett McIntyre, Troy Davis and A.J. Edds, tight end Chris Pantale, defensive linemen Tevita Finau, Kerry Hyder and Zach Thompson, guards Will Campbell and Caleb Schlauderaff, offensive tackle Brent Qvale, cornerbacks Brandon Dixon, Johnny Patrick and Jeremy Reeves, and safety Rontez Miles.

Penn State tops UCF 26-24 with last-second FG in Dublin

Penn State won a thrilling season opener with a 36-yard field goal as time expired to defeat the University of Central Florida 26-24 in front of a raucous 55,000-strong crowd in Ireland.

Behind second-half replacement quarterback Justin Holman, the Knights appeared to have scored their own unlikely come-from-behind victory when Holman's 6-yard touchdown run with 1:13 left put UCF up 24-23.

But Christian Hackenberg - capping a 32-for-47, 454-yard performance - coolly directed a seven-play drive to set up Sam Ficken's fourth successful field goal as Penn State players stormed the field in joy. Hackenberg ran 8 yards for a first down on a 4th-down play in Penn State's own half of the field during the final drive.

Saturday's win was the first for new Penn State coach James Franklin, who declared his pride in a team that wasn't rattled by the Knights' go-ahead TD.

''There was only a minute or so left in the game, and I looked across the sideline and there wasn't doubt in anybody's eye. Everybody believed. They believed in Hack. They believed in Ficken,'' said Franklin, who bear-hugged and lifted up his kicker moments after victory.

Penn State players received the Dan Rooney Trophy, a football made of ancient Irish bog wood that was specially commissioned for the game. Cannons blasted blue-and-white streamers and confetti into the air at Dublin's Croke Park, a stadium that normally hosts Gaelic football matches, not American football games.

Both teams agreed to play a game in Dublin for their own reasons. Penn State was seeking an overseas trip and a bowl-like experience for a squad that is barred by NCAA sanctions from postseason contention until 2016, while UCF - just months before its breakthrough 12-1 season and Top 10 finish in national rankings - was seeking an international showcase.

Hackenberg spoiled a stunning performance by Holman, who came on for the second drive of the second half after coach George O'Leary benched the ineffective Pete DiNovo. The redshirt freshman had been 3 of 8 for just 18 yards and gave up a drive-killing sack on his final play.

O'Leary praised both Holman and Hackenberg, describing the Penn State QB as a player that ''everybody in the country would like to have.'' He expressed bewilderment at DiNovo's poor play.

''I said at halftime that he's not moving the chains, I didn't like the way he was handling things out there. He just seemed to be all over the place,'' O'Leary said of DiNovo.

He said the UCF receivers were consistently open in both halves, but DiNovo too often misfired or hesitated.

''Justin, give him credit,'' he said of the replacement quarterback. ''He went out there and made the throws. He was the spark plug in the second half offensively.''

Penn State ended the first half up 10-3, but should have been ahead by more as UCF struggled to move the ball at all. Both teams looked jet-lagged in what was the first overseas game in either school's history.

The Nittany Lions' opening drive was extended by a roughing-the-kicker penalty, then Hackenberg dropped a 44-yard pass between two defenders to receiver DaeSean Hamilton, who set a Penn State receiving record for freshmen with 11 catches for 165 yards. Zach Zwinak finally punched the ball in from the 1-yard line on his third attempt to put Penn State up 7-0.

A 68-yard kickoff return by Jordan Akins gave UCF the ball on Penn State's 23, but O'Leary gambled and lost with a 4th down decision to go for it on PSU's 1-yard line. DiNovo's rollout straight into a pass rush ended with a throwaway.

UCF cornerback Jacoby Glenn made a diving interception on Hackenberg's next possession, but the Knights could manage only a 36-yard Shawn Moffitt field goal to make the score 10-3.

The game tempo accelerated as soon as Holman entered the game. He ran for two touchdowns, the first a one-yard plunge to pull UCF within 13-10 with 2:39 left in the third quarter. And he threw for a third, a 10-yard bullet to Josh Reese with 11:31 left that narrowed Penn State's lead to 20-17.

Between those two UCF scores, Hattenberg pulled off the longest play of the game. On 3rd and 17 deep in his own half, he lobbed a bomb to Geno Lewis, who had gotten behind three defenders and ran untouched for a 79-yard TD.

The start of the fourth quarter featured a rat-a-tat three turnovers in 52 seconds.

Hackenberg, rolling right and under pressure from defensive tackle Demetris Anderson, saw his pass picked off on the UCF 39-yard line by cornerback Jordan Ozerities.

On the very next play Holman suffered his only miscue, failing to keep hold of the ball during a play-action move. Defensive tackle Anthony Zettel recovered.

Two plays later, Chris Godwin took a bubble-screen pass and got hit hard by two defenders, particularly Glenn, whose low-shoulder tackle popped the ball loose again. Strong safety Clayton Geathers recovered.

UCF's defense forced Penn State to settle for a third field goal with 3:30 left to make it 23-17. Then Holman, who finished 9 of 14 for 204 yards, marched his team down the field - straight into a 4th down-and-10 crisis on the Penn State 37.

As the heavily pro-Penn State crowd roared, Holman fired a long ball down the left sideline that looked overthrown. But Reese leaped backward and caught the ball with both hands as he fell on his back at the 6. Holman scored on the ground the next play, leaving too much time on the clock for Hackenberg.

''He's what a college quarterback should look like,'' O'Leary said of Hackenberg. ''He delivered the ball on time and with great efficiency. We should've had our hands on him more, but he was the difference in the game.''

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - AUGUST 30TH

1884 - Jack "Nonpareil" Dempsey wins Middleweight title in 1st fight with boxing gloves.

1905 - Tiger Ty Cobb makes his debut, doubling off Yank Jack Chesbro.
1912 - St Louis Brown Earl Hamilton no-hits Detroit Tigers, 5-1.
1913 - Phillies lead Giants 8-6 in top of 9th, fans in bleachers try to

distract Giants, Umpire forefeits game to Giants, later overruled.

1918 - Ted Williams, American baseball player, last player in MLB to bat over

.400 in a single season (Red Sox, AL MVP '46, '49; Trip Crown '42, '47) is born.
1922 - Babe Ruth is thrown out of a game for 5th time in 1922.

1939 - NY Yankee Atley Donald pitches a baseball a record 94.7 mph (152 kph).
1941 - St Louis Card Lon Warneke no-hits Cin Reds, 2-0.

1943 - Jean Claude Killy, Paris France, alpine skier (Olympic-3 golds-1968) is born.

1945 - 12th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: Green Bay 19, All-Stars 7 (92,753).

1952 - Arky Vaughn, infielder (Pirates & Dodgers), drowns.

1953 - Robert Parish, NBA center (Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets) is born.

1965 - Casey Stengel announces his retirement after 55 years in baseball.

1979 - Wildest US Tennis Open match, John McEnroe defeats Ilie Nastase

6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Nastase was defaulted by the umpire then reinstated.

1982 - Andy Roddick, Austin Texas, American tennis player

(2003 US Open champion) is born.

1987 - Knuckleballer Charlie Hough on the mound, Rangers catcher

Geno Petralli ties the major league record by allowing 6 passed balls.
1990 - Ken Griffey & Ken Griffey Jr become 1st father & son to play

on same team (Seattle Mariners), both single in 1st inning.

1997 - First WNBA Championshion: Houston Comets beat NY Liberty.

49ers linebacker Aldon Smith suspended by NFL

The San Francisco 49ers have been preparing for months to play on without Aldon Smith over an extended period.

Now they know the exact timeframe: He is suspended for more than half the season.

The star linebacker received his nine-game penalty from the league Friday stemming from a series of off-field legal issues.

A statement from the NFL said Smith had violated the NFL's substance abuse and personal conduct policies.

Smith won't be eligible to return until Nov. 10, the day after the 49ers' game against the New Orleans Saints.

''Our organization has known this decision would come and we have prepared for it as a team,'' 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement. ''Aldon has taken responsibility for his actions and has continued to show growth personally and professionally. We will continue to support him, but it is time to put this matter behind us and focus on the season ahead.''

The 24-year-old Smith, one of the NFL's top pass rushers, missed five games last season to undergo treatment at an in-patient facility following his DUI arrest Sept. 20.

It was unclear whether Commissioner Roger Goodell would consider that absence toward time served. Smith was suspended two days after Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon's indefinite suspension by the NFL was upheld and he will miss at least 16 games for another violation of the league's substance abuse policy.

Just before training camp began last month, Smith was sentenced to serve three years of probation and to spend 11 days with a work crew after he pleaded no contest to drunken driving and weapons charges.

He has repeatedly said he has been sober since his DUI arrest last September. Smith played in a 27-7 home loss to the Colts on Sept. 22, two days after he was arrested and jailed on suspicion of DUI and marijuana possession. After the game, he publicly apologized for his behavior and later announced he would leave for treatment.

While the Niners went on a five-game winning streak without him, Smith's menacing presence was sorely missed. The team still picked up his 2015 contract option this spring.

The 49ers, who went 14-5 last year and lost to the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in the NFC championship game, also are without injured All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman for at least half the season as he recovers from a left knee injury that required surgery after the NFC title game.

Coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio have expressed their confidence in the linebackers, who will be called upon to fill in with Bowman and Smith out - including rookie Chirs Borland, Dan Skuta, Michael Wilhoite and Corey Lemonier.

Third-round draft pick Borland made his case for a starting spot with a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown in Thursday night's 40-13 preseason win at Houston.

In his latest run-in with the law, Smith was arrested April 13 at Los Angeles International Airport. Police said Smith was randomly selected for a secondary screening and became uncooperative with the process, telling a TSA agent that he had a bomb. No charges were filed.

In November, he pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of illegal possession of an assault weapon, stemming from a June 2012 party at his home. Investigators said several shots were fired, two partygoers were injured and Smith was stabbed. In the subsequent investigation, prosecutors say detectives found five unregistered, illegal weapons in Smith's house.

Last season, Smith finished with 8 1/2 sacks and 34 tackles in 11 games with eight starts. He was initially worked back in slowly, but demonstrated he had stayed in shape while away.

Selected seventh overall in the 2011 draft out of Missouri, Smith had a franchise-record 19 1/2 sacks during the 2012 season for the 49ers, who lost to Baltimore in the Super Bowl after that season.

Tony Stewart back at the track, looking to heal

Tony Stewart took his seat on the podium - unshaven, his eyes glassy - and unfolded a sheet of paper. His voice quivered as he read, pausing to maintain his composure as he described the death of a driver he hit as ''one of the toughest tragedies I've ever had to deal with.''

This was a far cry from the brash driver known around the track as ''Smoke.''

Ninety minutes later, he climbed into his No. 14 car and sped toward the high-banked oval at Atlanta Motor Speedway, drawing a cheer from the crowd gathered around his garage. He quickly got up to speed, turning laps of nearly 190 mph, a racer back in his element.

Ready or not, Stewart is back on the track.

Describing himself as heartbroken but eager to heal, Stewart rejoined the race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship surrounded by those he considers a second family - his team, his crew, his rivals. He missed the last three races, going into seclusion after the sprint car he was driving struck and killed 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr., who had stepped on the track to confront him during a race.

He'll get back to work as an investigation continues in upstate New York. Authorities said Friday that the probe into the cause of the crash will last at least another two weeks. No decision has been made about whether Stewart will face charges.

''This is something that will definitely affect my life forever,'' Stewart said. ''This is a sadness and a pain I hope no one has to experience in their life. That being said, I know that the pain and mourning that Kevin Ward's family and friends are experiencing is something that I can't possibly imagine.''

He mentioned Ward's parents and three sisters by name, saying he wanted them ''to know that every day I'm thinking about them and praying for them.''

Stewart took no questions about Ward's death because of the ongoing investigation, and said he wasn't sure if he had the emotional strength to answer them anyway. But his timid, halting delivery presented a much different side to a racer whose infamous temper has sparked clashes with the media and fellow drivers.

It was business as usual when Stewart switched to his racing suit. He signed autographs. He talked with his crew about the car's setup. He chatted up Kurt Busch.

Behind the wheel, Stewart looked as though he had never been away. He advanced to the final round of qualifying before settling for the 12th starting spot in Sunday night's race with a speed of 187.907 mph. One of his teammates at Stewart-Haas Racing, Kevin Harvick, claimed the pole at 190.398.

Stewart went out ahead of Harvick and advised him to take a lower line on the track.

''He was definitely a big help,'' Harvick said. Afterward the two chatted briefly, a conversation Harvick described as ''all racing.''

If Stewart should win in Atlanta, or next week's race at Richmond, he would qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. While NASCAR requires its drivers to compete in every event to make the playoff, Stewart was granted a waiver that is normally applied to a driver who misses a race for medical reasons.

Mike Helton, president of the governing body, said NASCAR made the decision after consulting with third-party experts who ''were relevant under these circumstances.'' He would not elaborate.

''We want to join everybody in racing in welcoming Tony back,'' Helton said. ''He's a great asset to NASCAR. He's a great champion, a great participant in our sport.''

There was no word from Ward's family on Stewart's return. A woman who answered Friday at the home of Kevin Ward Sr. said the family would not be commenting.

During an Aug. 9 sprint-car event in upstate New York, Stewart and Ward's cars bumped while racing into a turn, sending Ward's car spinning. Ward climbed from his wrecked machine and wandered onto a darkened track in a black racing suit, wanting to make his displeasure known to the three-time NASCAR champion.

One car appeared to swerve to avoid Ward, but he was struck by the back right tire of Stewart's car.

The 43-year-old Stewart pulled out of the race at nearby Watkins Glen the morning after Ward was killed, and then skipped events at Michigan and Bristol.

''I've taken the last couple of weeks off out of respect for Kevin and his family and also to cope with the accident in my own way,'' he said. ''It's given me the time to think about life and how easy it is to take it for granted. I miss my team, my teammates and I miss being back in the race car, and I think being back in the car this week with my racing family will help me get through this difficult time.''

Asked if it was fair to make Stewart eligible for the Chase, rival driver Denny Hamlin wavered a bit.

''It's a very vague thing,'' he said. ''It's tough to say what's considered medical and not.''

Stewart-Haas Racing executive vice president Brett Frood said the driver sent flowers and a card to Ward's family around the time of the funeral. He hopes to meet with them at some point.

''He's been very respectful of them and their time to grieve,'' Frood said. ''It's important for Tony to spend time with the family. I do think that will happen at the appropriate time.''

Stewart said he knows there are plenty of questions surrounding Ward's death. Many of those have focused on whether he was trying to frighten a young driver who had the nerve to challenge him over a racing crash. But he emphasized that the best way for him to heal was to put on his helmet.

''Being in that car,'' Harvick said, ''cure a lot of problems for a short time.''

Errani's 'cottage cheese' serve tops Venus at Open

A day before facing Venus Williams - and a partisan crowd - at the U.S. Open, Italy's Sara Errani came across a video posted on Twitter that gave her a little extra motivation.

It showed a pair of former players and coaches, Brad Gilbert and Darren Cahill, forecasting Friday at Flushing Meadows. Both picked Williams to win.

The 13th-seeded Errani's ears perked up particularly when Gilbert referred to her ''cottage cheese'' serve and predicted she'd win only four games.

So much for that. In a riveting third-round match of wild momentum swings, the 19th-seeded Williams, a two-time U.S. Open champion, came within two points of victory four times before succumbing to Errani 6-0, 0-6, 7-6 (5).

As if needing a reminder of what she'd seen online, Errani was interviewed for TV by Cahill before the match, and by Gilbert afterward.

''Let's just say that during the match I thought about that (video) more than once,'' said Errani, who pounded her chest with a fist and put a finger to her lips on court as if to hush doubters - or the loud folks in Arthur Ashe Stadium pulling for her American opponent.

Williams is 34, dealing with an autoimmune disease, and hasn't been to the fourth round at a major since 2011. She also played a doubles match Thursday with her sister Serena that lasted about 2 1/2 hours and finished shortly before 8 p.m.

''I guess the schedule definitely wasn't ideal,'' Williams said. ''It was just such a late match.''

After losing to Errani, Williams went on court again for doubles and won that one, although she was treated by a trainer.

Williams did not blame injury or fatigue for the way she failed to close out Errani, including getting broken while serving at 5-3 in the third.

''I went for too much,'' explained Williams, 3-0 against Errani until Friday.

''She just played one of the best matches of her life,'' Williams added.

Errani is listed at 5-foot-4 1/2 - 8 1/2 inches shorter than Williams - and truly, there is just as big a disparity in their serving. Errani's top speed Friday was 88 mph, about 30 mph slower than Williams. Errani's second serves were in the low 60s mph, but she got 86 percent of her first serves in.

''I know (people) say my serve is terrible, but it helped me get to where I've been,'' Errani said. ''It's not easy to improve it. It's definitely one of my weak points, but today it helped me.''

Her next opponent will be another surprise winner: 32-year-old qualifier Mirjana Lucic-Baroni of Croatia, who eliminated No. 2-seeded Simona Halep of Romania 7-6 (6), 6-2. Lucic-Baroni hadn't reached the fourth round at a major since getting to Wimbledon's semifinals in 1999.

''I feel,'' she said, ''like a little kid; like this is the first time ever.''

Half of the top eight seeded women already are out, with Halep joining No. 6 Angelique Kerber (beaten 6-1, 7-5 Friday by 17-year-old Belinda Bencic of Switzerland), and earlier losers No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska and No. 8 Ana Ivanovic.

No. 5 Maria Sharapova, a five-time major champion, was hoping to avoid another upset when she played 2013 Wimbledon runner-up Sabine Lisicki in Friday's last match.

The men's draw, in contrast, has gone pretty much to form. No. 2 Roger Federer's 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Australia's Sam Groth at night closed the second round with only two top-20 men departed: No. 11 Ernests Gulbis and No. 15 Fabio Fognini, both eliminated Friday.

Halep, the French Open runner-up and Wimbledon semifinalist, had three set points in the first while ahead 5-2, before collapsing. When that lead slipped away, Halep said, ''I wasn't in a good mood.''

Williams wound up with 52 unforced errors, more than twice as many as Errani. A terrible start hurt, too: It was the sixth time in her 276 Grand Slam matches that Williams lost a set at love.

Of the five other women to shut her out in a set at a major - Martina Hingis at the 1997 U.S. Open, Lindsay Davenport at the 1999 Australian Open, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario at the 2000 French Open, Agnes Szavay at the 2009 French Open, and Kim Clijsters at the 2009 U.S. Open - four won multiple Grand Slam singles titles.

Errani has yet to win one, but she is hardly unaccomplished. In singles, she reached the French Open final and U.S. Open semifinals in 2012, and the French Open semifinals last year. She is even better at doubles, completing a career Grand Slam with Roberta Vinci at Wimbledon last month, and the volleying skills she's developed in that event were on full display against Williams.

None was better than the backhand volley in a 27-stroke exchange at 5-all in the tiebreaker.

''Absurd. A bit lucky, but absurd,'' Errani said. ''Even my coach said he thought I was going to lose that point.''

Jake the Snake Roberts hospitalized following collapse, 24-hour coma: report

Legendary wrestler Jake "The Snake" Roberts has been admitted to a Las Vegas hospital in intensive care with double pneumonia, according to reports.

Roberts was en route to Las Vegas for a promotion on Wednesday and lapsed into unconsciousness, according to WrestlingInc.com. Roberts was in a coma for 24 hours but has regained consciousness.

Roberts had battled substance abuse problems but had turned his life around in recent months thanks to his association with onetime protege Diamond Dallas Page. Roberts moved into Page's suburban Atlanta home in 2013 and began a rigorous detoxification treatment that Roberts credited with saving his life.

Roberts is a recently-inducted member of the WWE's Hall of Fame.

Vikings WR Simpson gets 3-game suspension by NFL

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jerome Simpson has been suspended for three games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, his second such punishment in three seasons.

The league announced the punishment Friday, putting Simpson on the sideline without pay until Sept. 22 when the Vikings begin practice for a Week 4 matchup with Atlanta.

He won't count against the 53-man active roster until then, creating an opportunity for Adam Thielen and Rodney Smith, both of whom spent last year on the practice squad as undrafted rookies, to survive the final cuts and make the team for now.

Simpson will sit out games against St. Louis, New England and New Orleans. Cordarrelle Patterson and Greg Jennings are the top two wide receivers, with Jarius Wright the only other player with NFL experience at the position.

Offensive coordinator Norv Turner, asked recently about the possibility of losing Simpson, the team's best deep threat, dismissed any concern.

''You have to have a varied plan. Unfortunately, in this game, guys miss,'' Turner said.

Simpson traveled to NFL headquarters last week for an appeal hearing, but his effort ultimately had no effect on the ban. Simpson was arrested last November on suspicion of drunken driving, and in January he pleaded guilty to careless driving and refusing to submit to a chemical test while avoiding the DUI charge.

Simpson denied he'd been drinking to the state trooper who arrested him when his sports car was stalled in a freeway lane just outside of downtown Minneapolis. His attorney, David Valentini, has said Simpson would have passed had he taken a blood alcohol test that day.

But the league considers the past in assessing punishment, and Simpson previously was suspended for the first three games of the 2012 season following a felony drug conviction. That stemmed from a marijuana shipment that authorities found at his home in Kentucky while he played for Cincinnati in 2011. He was still on probation for that at the time of his arrest in Minnesota last fall.

The Vikings have seen enough good behavior from Simpson off the field and glimpses of potential on it that they've signed him to three consecutive one-year contracts, at relative bargains because of his trouble. Only one of his eight career touchdown catches has been with the Vikings, but he established career highs last season with 726 receiving yards and an average of 15.1 yards per catch.

Second-seeded Simona Halep loses to qualifier at US Open

Second-seeded Simona Halep's recent run of Grand Slam success ended with a third-round exit at the U.S. Open against a 32-year-old qualifier ranked 121st.

Halep, the runner-up at the French Open and a semifinalist at Wimbledon, had seven-double faults and only 17 winners in a 7-6 (6), 6-2 loss to Mirjana Lucic-Baroni of Croatia.

Halep was trying to make the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the second year in a row.

But Lucic-Baroni outplayed her, totaling 31 winners, to get back to the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since she was a Wimbledon semifinalist as a teenager in 1999.

Bengals release RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis

The Bengals released running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis on Friday, a move that was anticipated after they drafted LSU's Jeremy Hill in the second round.

Green-Ellis was Cincinnati's leading rusher each of the last two seasons. His role was reduced last year when Giovani Bernard was added to the backfield. Green-Ellis ran for 756 yards and a career-low 3.4 yards per carry. He was entering the final year on his contract.

The Bengals wanted another pass-catching threat out of the backfield. Hill carried 20 times for 90 yards and caught a team-high six passes for 70 yards during a 35-7 preseason win over Indianapolis on Thursday.

The Bengals also waived linebacker Brandon Joiner, defensive tackle LaKendrick Ross and quarterback Tyler Wilson on Friday.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - AUGUST 29TH

1885 - Phillies Charlie Ferguson no-hits Providence 1-0.
1885 - Boxing's 1st heavyweight title fight with 3-oz gloves &

3-minute rounds fought between John L Sullivan & Dominick McCaffrey.
1889 - First American International professional lawn tennis contest (Newport RI).

1895 - The formation of the Northern Rugby Union

at the George Hotel, Huddersfield, England.

1925 - After a night on the town, Babe Ruth shows up late for batting

practice Miller Huggins suspends Ruth & slaps a $5,000 fine on him.

1946 - Bob Beamon, Jamaica NY, high jumper

(Olympics-gold-68, 29' 2½" 8.9m) is born.

1964 - On Elston Howard Night, Mickey Mantle ties

Babe Ruth's career strikeout record (1,330).
1965 - Willie Mays sets NL record for HRs in a month with his 17th of August.
1967 - Yanks longest day, Red Sox take 1st game 2-1 in 9, Yanks win

2nd game in 20, 4-3 a total of 8 hours & 19 minutes.

1968 - First US Open tennis match (Billie Jean King beats Dr Vija Vuskains).
1969 - Joe Pepitone quits Yanks after being fined $500 for leaving the bench.
1972 - SF Giant Jim Barr retires 1st 20 batters he faces added to last

21 he retired 6 days earlier for record 41 in a row.

1977 - St Louis Cardinal Lou Brock eclipses Ty Cobb's 49-year-old

career stolen bases record at 893 as Padres win 4-3.
1978 - USTA National Tennis Center opens in Flushing NY.

1981 - Phillies minor leaguer Jeff Stone steals pro baseball record

121st base en route to 122 (Spartanburg (South Atlantic League)).
1982 - George Brett gets his 1,500th hit.

1987 - Nolan Ryan passes the 200-strikeout barrier for record 11th time.

2007 - Richard Jewell, central figure in the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park

bombing (b. 1962) Jewell died from natural causes at the age of 44.

He was suffering from severe heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes.

After Rice, NFL increases domestic violence bans

Acknowledging he ''didn't get it right'' with a two-game suspension for Ravens running back Ray Rice, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced tougher penalties for players accused of domestic violence, including six weeks for a first offense and at least a year for a second.

In a letter sent to all 32 team owners Thursday and obtained by The Associated Press, Goodell never mentions Rice by name but makes clear references to the Baltimore player who was charged with assault after being caught on video dragging his then-fiancee off a casino elevator.

''My disciplinary decision led the public to question our sincerity, our commitment, and whether we understood the toll that domestic violence inflicts on so many families. I take responsibility both for the decision and for ensuring that our actions in the future properly reflect our values,'' Goodell wrote. ''I didn't get it right. Simply put, we have to do better. And we will.''

Since January 2000, 77 players have been involved in 85 domestic violence incidents with six being cut by their teams, according to USA Today's NFL Arrests Database. The NFL suspended six players for one game each, and Rice was the second player to be suspended for two games.

Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy was convicted in July of assaulting his ex-girlfriend and has appealed for a jury trial set for November. His league punishment has not been announced. Goodell's letter doesn't state clearly how the league will handle pending cases and NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an email, ''Each case will be addressed individually on its merits.''

Outrage over Rice's punishment prompted three members of Congress to write to the commissioner asking him to reconsider Rice's suspension; the governor of Maine also threatened to boycott the league, and numerous groups that advocate for women and families condemned the penalty as too lenient.

The commissioner told teams to distribute his memo to all players and to post it in locker rooms. It reads in part: ''Domestic violence and sexual assault are wrong. They are illegal. They are never acceptable and have no place in the NFL under any circumstances.''

The memo says that violations of the league's personal conduct policy ''regarding assault, battery, domestic violence and sexual assault that involve physical force will be subject to enhanced discipline.''

The NFL Players Association said it had been informed of the increased punishments.

''As we do in all disciplinary matters, if we believe that players' due process rights are infringed upon during the course of discipline, we will assert and defend our members' rights,'' the union statement said.

The personal conduct policy is not subject to collective bargaining with the players' union, and the commissioner has leeway to impose punishments for such off-field violations. Goodell's statement also did not stipulate whether the commissioner would act before a player is formally charged.

''We particularly applaud your decision to impose tougher penalties, and to give serious consideration to circumstances that may warrant even harsher consequences,'' said Esta Soler, chief executive of the advocacy group ''Futures Without Violence,'' who met last week with Goodell.

''We know that this is not an issue that can be addressed overnight, and intimate partner violence will not be eliminated by tougher game penalties alone,'' the statement continued. Goodell promised more training and education for staff and players.

Rice's suspension begins Saturday. He has never said exactly what happened in the elevator, and he and the woman in the video are now married. Rice apologized publicly and said his actions were ''totally inexcusable.''

An initial domestic violence offense will draw a six-week ban without pay, although the memo says ''more severe discipline will be imposed if there are aggravating circumstances such as the presence or use of a weapon, choking, repeated striking, or when the act is committed against a pregnant woman or in the presence of a child.''

A second offense will result in banishment from the league, but a player will be allowed to petition for reinstatement after a year.

''There is no assurance that the petition will be granted,'' the memo says.

Goodell's letter notes other steps the league will take to ''strengthen our policies on domestic violence and sexual assault,'' including efforts to educate all NFL employees on the subject.