Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Jeff Faine Gets Second Chance, Starts For Bengals By Wes Morgan After being unemployed for six months, center Jeff Faine, who was cut by Tampa Bay for financial and salary cap reasons in March, started Cincinnati’s first game of the year, against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football Sept. 10. The first test involved trying to slow down Ravens Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata. The real problem for the Bengals, however, was Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco, who completed 21 of 29 passes for 299 yards with two touchdowns in his team’s 44-13 victory. Ngata also got his, finishing with three tackles and two sacks. Faine, just happy to have a job this season, let alone a starting position, was purely thrilled to have the opportunity prior to the game. “Yeah, welcome back, huh?” Faine told the Cincinnati Enquirer before the game. “I wouldn’t have it any other way from the standpoint of this is the NFL, and as I was telling Coach [Marvin] Lewis, I haven’t seen an easy schedule since I entered the NFL. “I’m excited about the challenge. It’s always a great environment to play on Monday night and on the road in Baltimore. I’m excited and looking forward to it.” After the loss, Faine held his head high. “I feel good about my play,” he said. “I didn’t feel rusty at all. I thought the communication was real good. There were a couple of things that we missed out there assignment-wise that led to a couple of big hits on [quarterback] Andy [Dalton]. We’ll clean that up and fix that and move forward. “I thought we did a decent job running the ball. I wish it were a tighter game. I wish we could have kept running it. … Hopefully we play just a little better, execute a little better and keep the run going a little longer throughout the game.” According to an NFL.com story, the former first-round NFL Draft pick (2003) can earn up to $2.25 million this season. Faine received a $100,000 signing bonus and is expected to make $1.4 million in base salary in 2012-13. He’s also eligible to make $31,250 per game in “active roster” bonuses and $250,000 in playing-time incentives. The 10-year veteran was selected by Cleveland in 2003 and started 36 games over three seasons for the Browns. Faine lined up with the first team for 30 contests with New Orleans from 2006-07 before spending the next four years in Tampa Bay, where he started 53 games, including 15 in 2011. NFL Notes Through Sept. 14 • Minnesota Vikings rookie safety Harrison Smith started his first career game, a 26-23 overtime victory over Jacksonville on Sept. 9, and registered seven total tackles and a pass defended. • Third-year Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate hurt his knee in the preseason finale and missed the regular-season opener. He returned to practice on Sept. 13 and is expected to replace former Michigan wideout Braylon Edwards on the depth chart. • Minnesota Vikings rookie strong safety Robert Blanton appeared in only one preseason game after pulling a hamstring, but he’s back to practicing at full speed and is currently on the second unit. • Tight end John Carlson is running behind former Notre Dame teammate Kyle Rudolph in Minnesota after recovering from a knee injury in camp. Carlson missed all of last season in Seattle with a shoulder injury. • Overtaken by Lorenzo Booker for a roster spot and cut, running back Armando Allen was signed to the Chicago Bears’ practice squad Sept. 1. He was elevated to the active roster when Booker was moved to injured reserve on Sept. 8. Allen immediately began working on special teams in practice in anticipation of his new assignment. He had one carry for negative-three yards in a 23-10 loss to Green Bay on Sept. 13. • The Washington Redskins released fullback Robert Hughes, a member of the practice squad, on Sept. 11. • In his season debut for the Minnesota Vikings, second-year tight end and 2011 team rookie of the year Kyle Rudolph caught five passes for 67 yards in a win over Jacksonville. His six-yard catch late in the fourth quarter got Vikings rookie kicker Blair Walsh just close enough to deliver on a 55-yard field goal to tie the game with 20 seconds remaining in regulation. • The defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants got off to an 0-1 start after dropping a 24-17 decision to the Dallas Cowboys Sept. 5. Giants defensive end Justin Tuck called the performance “alarming” after he and fellow ends Osi Umenyiora and Jason Pierre Paul failed to register a sack as a collective unit for the first time since 2010. • Indianapolis safety Tom Zbikowski appeared in a regular-season game for the first time with the Colts in a 41-21 loss to Chicago on Sept. 9. He recorded four tackles and a pass defended. MLB Player Updates Through Sept. 14 • Jeff Manship (Played at Notre Dame from 2005-08) RHP, Minnesota Twins: Has made 12 relief appearances with a 0-0 record and a 7.89 ERA … Notched 12 strikeouts in 212⁄3 innings of work … Optioned to Triple-A Rochester in August. • David Phelps (2006-08) RHP, New York Yankees: Has pitched in 28 games, including eight starts … Has compiled a 4-4 record and a 3.42 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 841⁄3 innings. • A.J. Pollock (2007-09) CF, Arizona Diamondbacks: Was called up to Arizona for three separate stints this season … Batted .250 (14 for 56) with one home run and five RBI in 22 games … Hit .318 with three home runs, 52 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 106 games with Triple-A Reno. • Jeff Samardzija (2004-06) RP, Chicago Cubs: Has started all 28 games he has appeared in … Finished the regular season with a 9-13 record, 3.81 ERA and 180 strikeouts in 1742⁄3 innings … Will not pitch again this year for the Cubs, which were 56-87 overall and 30.5 games behind National League Central Division leader Cincinnati … This year, he eclipsed the 1692⁄3 innings previously pitched over his first four seasons in Major League Baseball and was clearly Chicago’s top starter down the stretch. • John Axford (2002-05) RP, Milwaukee Brewers: Logged 65 appearances out of the bullpen … Has a 5-7 record, 28 saves, a 4.62 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 601⁄3 innings … He is 6 for 6 in save opportunities in September. Irish In The NFL As of Sept. 13 Name (Years At Notre Dame)Pos.Current Team Armando Allen (2007-10)RBChicago Bears Robert Blanton (2008-11)DBMinnesota Vikings Sergio Brown (2006-09)SIndianapolis Colts David Bruton (2005-08)SDenver Broncos John Carlson (2003-07)TEMinnesota Vikings Jimmy Clausen (2007-09)QBCarolina Panthers Jeff Faine (1999-2002)CCincinnati Bengals Anthony Fasano (2002-05)TEMiami Dolphins Darius Fleming* (2008-11)LBSan Francisco 49ers Michael Floyd (2008-11)WRArizona Cardinals Jonas Gray (2008-11)RBMiami Dolphins Ryan Harris (2003-06)OTHouston Texans J.J. Jansen (2004-07)LSCarolina Panthers Derek Landri (2002-06)DTPhiladelphia Eagles Trevor Laws* (2003-07)DTSt. Louis Rams Kyle McCarthy* (2005-09)SKansas City Chiefs Eric Olsen (2006-09)OLNew Orleans Saints Brady Quinn (2003-06)QBKansas City Chiefs Trevor Robinson (2008-11)OGCincinnati Bengals Kyle Rudolph (2008-10)TEMinnesota Vikings Harrison Smith (2007-11)SMinnesota Vikings John Sullivan (2003-07)CMinnesota Vikings Golden Tate (2007-09)WRSeattle Seahawks Justin Tuck (2001-04)DENew York Giants Ian Williams (2007-10)DTSan Francisco 49ers Sam Young (2006-09)OTBuffalo Bills Tom Zbikowski (2003-07)SIndianapolis Colts ^ Practice squad member; * suffered a season-ending injury