Panthers’ Carstens hospitalized with clot

Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Jordan Carstens was hospitalized Wednesday with a blood clot in his left lung.

A team official said Carstens complained of pain in his chest early Wednesday and did not practice. When the pain got worse, he was taken to Carolinas Medical Center, where his condition was diagnosed.

Carstens will not play Monday night against Tampa Bay.

Carstens started a career-high 15 games last season in place of the injured Kris Jenkins. But Carstens has played in only one game this season due to the return of Jenkins and the offseason signing of Maake Kemoeatu.

Stomach virus plagues Houston D-line

Three defensive linemen, including No. 1 pick Mario Williams, missed practice Wednesday because of a stomach virus.

Also out were defensive tackles Travis Johnson and Anthony Maddox. Receiver/kick returner Edell Shepherd became ill with a similar problem during practice.

“We’ve got this thing going around and hopefully we can get through that this week,” coach Gary Kubiak said.

The absences forced Houston to practice with only six defensive linemen.

Kubiak said team officials had spoken to a Giants official who said New York had about seven players suffering from a similar problem. The Giants beat Houston, 14-10, on Sunday.

Injuries suddenly deplete Jacksonville front four

The Jaguars placed rookie defensive end Brent Hawkins on injured reserve, another loss for a defense playing without three key starters.

Making matters worse, the Jags could be without Pro Bowl defensive tackles Marcus Stroud and John Henderson against Houston on Sunday.

Stroud has missed the last four games with a nagging bone bruise in his right ankle, joining linebacker Mike Peterson and DE Reggie Hayward on the sideline.

Stroud missed practice Wednesday and was listed as doubtful. But coach Jack Del Rio already has ruled him out.

Henderson also missed practice Wednesday with a hamstring injury.

‘Overall body soreness’ sidelines Vikings’ Taylor

The Vikings are starting to take precautions with workhorse running back Chester Taylor.

Taylor rested for much of Wednesday’s practice due to “overall body soreness,” coach Brad Childress said. The NFL’s fourth-leading rusher said he will play Sunday against Green Bay.

Taylor signed with the Vikings in the offseason after spending four years as Jamal Lewis’ backup in Baltimore. In his first season as the starter, Taylor has become the focal point of the Vikings’ offense, touching the ball 205 times in the first eight games.

Taylor has rushed for 917 yards on 173 carries and caught another 32 passes for 209 yards.

“I feel like, so I can be able to play on Sunday, they want to rest me during the week,” Taylor said. “I don’t have a problem with it.”

Luck catches up to Dolphins’ ‘D’

To achieve a turnover turnaround, the Dolphins harassed the quarterback, made jarring tackles, jumped on loose balls, snatched errant passes and caught a few breaks.

“Sometimes the ball bounces your way,” safety Yeremiah Bell said Wednesday.

The Dolphins were due for a little luck, which contributed to their six-turnover bounty in last week’s 31-13 upset at Chicago.

They can’t count on the same good fortune Sunday against Kansas City. But coach Nick Saban would like to think the Dolphins have discovered a formula for forcing turnovers that will serve them well through the second half of the season.

“We didn’t get hardly any turnovers in a whole bunch of weeks, and then we got six in one game,” Saban said. “Certainly it’s something we’ve been harping on all year long. Those things affect games. If we’re going to have success, we’re going to have to affect the turnover ratio in every game.”

Rams’ rush defense

may catch a break

After getting gouged in consecutive weeks by Larry Johnson and LaDainian Tomlinson, the Rams’ defense could use a break. Maybe it’s getting one.

Shaun Alexander, the NFL’s MVP last year, will miss his sixth straight game with a broken foot on Sunday when the Rams travel to Seattle. Still, at this point the Rams know better than to exhale.

Maurice Morris, Alexander’s backup, had a career-high 138 yards Monday night against the Raiders.

“The bottom line is whether it’s Alexander or Morris, it’s another challenge,” safety Corey Chavous said. “Regardless, we’ve got to step up.”

Bengals’ quarterback still adjusting after injury

Carson Palmer is still a work in progress.

On the 10-month anniversary of his devastating injury, the quarterback said Wednesday his left knee is doing so well that he never gives it a thought. The problem is that a lot of other things aren’t quite right yet.

It shows in his throws.

Palmer’s touchdowns are down, his interceptions are up, and his passer rating is nowhere near what it was at the halfway point of last season. Some of it has to do with what’s going on around him; a beat-up offensive line hasn’t protected him nearly as well.

And, some of it goes back to that low hit by Pittsburgh’s Kimo von Oelhoffen during the Steelers’ playoff victory on Jan. 8.

“When you go back and have to start all over, which is essentially what I had to do, you rebuild your mechanics from the ground up, and that’s something I did,” Palmer said. “That’s something I’m continuing to do.

“Last year, I felt when I was on the field that I was just playing football and reacting. It’s something I’ve started over on and continued to build.”

Palmer listed all the things he’s trying to refine as the Bengals (4-4) try to find their own offensive comfort zone: holding onto the ball, moving around in the pocket, keeping his balance, dropping back properly.

“There’s not one or two things I’m working on,” Palmer said. “It’s the whole position of playing quarterback.”

Browns’ tackle Tucker vows to play Sunday

Ryan Tucker couldn’t bring himself to watch the Browns play on TV while he was away, preferring to listen to their games.

“It doesn’t hurt as bad,” he said. “I use my imagination a little more on the radio.”

Tucker’s pain has eased. After missing two games with an undisclosed illness, the starting right tackle and one of the team captains returned Wednesday and vowed to play this weekend against the Falcons.

Tucker last played on Oct. 22 against Denver. He missed two practices in the final days before facing the Broncos, and then took an excused absence from the club to deal with his still unknown condition.

“I feel good. I needed to take that time,” the 31-year-old said. “I got everything straight and I’m 100 percent again.”

Tucker wouldn’t disclose the nature of his illness.