SAINTS-BREES
Saints focused on Brees’ health vs Panthers, fixing mistakes
METAIRIE, La. (AP) β Saints coach Sean Payton isn’t ready to say whether he expects Drew Brees to miss snaps because of a hit he took to his throwing arm.
Payton says the Saints will keep evaluating Brees’ health and do what’s best for him before deciding whether he plays this Sunday at Carolina.
Brees was in the locker room Monday when it was open to reporters. His outward appearance offered no hint at anything unusual, but on Sunday he acknowledged that one of the hits he took hurt his throwing shoulder and probably affected him on some throws.
Brees never left Sunday’s 26-19 loss to Tampa Bay. He finished 255 yards and one touchdown.
Brees has not missed a start because of injury since joining New Orleans in 2006.
T25-CLEMSON-LAKIP
No. 11 Clemson reinstates suspended kicker Ammon Lakip
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) β Clemson kicker Ammon Lakip has been reinstated by the coaches after serving a three-game suspension for an offseason drug arrest, but will not get back his starting job.
Coach Dabo Swinney said Monday that Lakip would be eligible when the 11th-ranked Tigers (3-0) face No. 6 Notre Dame (3-0) on Oct. 3. However, Swinney says walk-on kicker Greg Huegel will remain Clemson’s starter.
Lakip was arrested in June for cocaine possession and driving under the influence. Lakip’s case is still pending.
Huegel has made four of five field goals this season, including kicks of 36 and 27 yards in a 20-17 win over Louisville last Thursday.
Lakip is a senior who took over as starting kicker in 2014, making 21 of 28 field goal attempts.
S CAROLINA-DAVIS
South Carolina reserve guard Tiffany Davis tears her ACL
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) β South Carolina reserve guard Tiffany Davis has torn a ligament in her left knee and will miss the upcoming season.
The school said in a release Monday that the 5-foot-7 junior had a torn ACL and was consulting with South Carolina athletics medical director, Dr. Jeffrey Guy, about scheduling a date for surgery. Davis tore the ACL in her right knee during her freshman season of 2012-13 and missed all but three games.
Davis has worked at point guard since arriving at South Carolina and was expected to support starter Khadijah Sessions and backup Bianca Cuevas this winter.
Davis has averaged 2.2 points in 51 games at South Carolina. She played in 16 games last year as the Gamecocks reached their first Final Four.
BRAVES-METS
Niese pitches Mets to 4-0 win over skidding Miller, Braves
NEW YORK (AP) β Jonathon Niese won for the first time in a month, Michael Conforto homered and the New York Mets inched closer to an NL East title with their 4-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.
Daniel Murphy lined a two-run double, Yoenis Cespedes had three hits and the Mets handed hard-luck Shelby Miller (5-16) his 15th straight defeat. New York stretched its lead to 6 1/2 games over the second-place Nationals with 12 to play and lowered its magic number for clinching the division to seven.
Washington’s interleague home game against Baltimore was postponed because of rain and rescheduled for Thursday.
Thanks in large part to Niese (9-10), the Mets rebounded nicely from a disappointing loss to the crosstown rival Yankees in the Subway Series. The left-hander tossed three-hit ball for six innings, keeping the ball down during an encouraging outing and getting 13 of his 18 outs on the ground.
FALCONS-COLEMAN’S RIB
Falcons’ Coleman has fractured rib, may miss game at Dallas
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) β Atlanta Falcons running back Tevin Coleman has a fractured rib that leaves his status in question for this week’s game at Dallas.
Coach Dan Quinn on Monday would not rule out Coleman. Quinn says Coleman’s status will be determined by his ability to play with pain.
Coleman will not practice on Wednesday and Thursday and his status will be updated on Friday.
Quinn says Devonta Freeman will start against the Cowboys if Coleman is held out.
Coleman had 32 yards rushing in Sunday’s 24-20 win at the Giants before he was carted off the field with the injury.
Coleman, a rookie, started the first two games. He moved into the starting role when Freeman missed all four preseason games with a hamstring injury.
