NFL kicks off season with concert in D.C.

Washington — Rain and mud were no match for a crowd of thousands who flocked Thursday to the National Mall for a free concert featuring Britney Spears, Aerosmith and Aretha Franklin.

The concert was staged by the NFL to create excitement about the start of football season — a game between Washington and the New York Jets.

Six blocks of the Mall were filled with a crowd estimated at 130,000, according to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy.

About 1,000 officers from the Park Police and 35 other agencies were on hand. D.C. police activated their network of 14 closed-circuit TV cameras, trained on downtown sites such as the U.S. Capitol and the White House.

Three starters out for Falcons opener

Flowery Branch, Ga. — Quarterback Michael Vick isn’t the only starter who won’t play for Atlanta in Sunday’s opener at Dallas.

Outside linebacker Sam Rogers was ruled out Thursday because of an injured left knee. He had hoped to return to practice this week, but a chunk of cartilage floating in the knee preventing him from taking the field.

Rogers and starting safety Cory Hall were injured in the final preseason game. The Falcons already knew that Hall would miss at least the first two games with a sprained ligament in his right knee.

Quarles breaks forearm

Tampa, Fla. — Tampa Bay middle linebacker Shelton Quarles likely will be sidelined for several games after breaking his left forearm Thursday in the Buccaneers’ final practice in pads before the regular season. Quarles, a Pro Bowl selection for the first time last season, was injured while blocking during a special teams drill.