Irsay Backs Down From Manning Comments – NFL Roundup For Oct. 17th

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Indianapolis owner Jim Irsay has backed down a bit after Broncos coach John Fox and former Colts general manager Bill Polian chided him for comments critical of Peyton Manning. Fox used his weekly SiriusXM NFL Radio appearance Tuesday to criticize Irsay for sounding ungrateful for what Manning did for his team and city, including winning a Super Bowl in 2007. Polian used the same platform to say Irsay was wrong in both his facts and opinions.

After a series of tweets defending himself Tuesday night, Irsay took to Twitter to say he meant that if the Colts had given Manning better special teams and defense, they could have won more than one Super Bowl, instead of asking the quarterback to do too much.

UNDATED (AP) — New England's Jerod Mayo will miss the rest of the season after injuring his chest in Sunday's win over New Orleans. The Patriots have placed the two-time Pro Bowl linebacker on injured reserve. Mayo is the NFL's leading tackler since 2010 with 546.

In other NFL news:

— Josh Freeman will be the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night against the New York Giants. Coach Leslie Frazier says Christian Ponder will be the backup, not Matt Cassel (KAS'-uhl). Freeman will be the third starter in the last four games for Minnesota. He was cut by Tampa Bay on Oct. 3 and signed by Minnesota five days later.

— Jay Ratliff's mysterious and rapid decline with the Dallas Cowboys has ended with his release. The Cowboys have unloaded their apparently disgruntled defensive tackle, saying he failed a physical after spending the first six weeks of the season on the physically unable to perform list. The four-time Pro Bowler injured his hamstring during the conditioning test before training camp in July and never practiced for the Cowboys this season.

— A person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press the NFL has fined Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (ehn-DAHM'-uh-kehn soo) $31,500 for a hit on Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden Sunday. Suh was fined $100,000 for an illegal block on Minnesota center John Sullivan in Week 1.

__ Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall says he has been fined $10,500 by the NFL for wearing green football shoes in the Oct. 10 game against the New York Giants. Marshall had said before last Thursday's game he was wearing the shoes to attract attention to Mental Health Awareness Week. Marshall has been treated for a personality disorder in the past.

— Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller returned to practice for the first time since Aug. 22, having served his six-game suspension for violating the NFL's drug abuse policy. The All-Pro Miller makes his 2013 debut Sunday when the Broncos visit the 4-2 Colts in quarterback Peyton Manning's return to Indianapolis.

— Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback EJ Manuel is expected to miss another four to six weeks now that he's begun rehabbing his sprained right knee.