Giants’ Hampton, Sehorn Have MRIs

Running back Rodney Hampton and cornerback Jason Sehorn of the New York Giants had MRI scans on knees they injured Saturday night in an exhibition game against the New York Jets, but their status was not known Sunday.

Hampton, the Giants’ all-time leading rusher, did not play after his right knee locked up as the team was leaving the locker room. Sehorn, a fourth-year player from USC, was injured in the third quarter and did not return.

Of Hampton’s injury, Giant Coach Jim Fassel said, “It’s been something he has had for a while.”

Said Sehorn of his injured left knee: “It feels OK. They know it’s not an ACL [anterior cruciate ligament injury], but it popped.”

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The San Diego Chargers lost two more players to knee injuries in Saturday night’s exhibition victory over the Tennessee Oilers when it was determined that cornerback Johnny Thomas and backup offensive tackle Pulu Poumele will miss the season. Thomas is a nine-year veteran considered one of the NFL’s top special teams players and Poumele is a first-year player who spent the 1995 season on the Cleveland Browns’ developmental squad.

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Miami Coach Jimmy Johnson tried to put a positive spin on the Dolphins’ 24-10 loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday. At first, he said statistics mean nothing in the exhibition season, but then used them to try to point to something good about the loss.

“Anybody who gets caught up with statistics in preseason is really off base,” Johnson said. But then he cited opponents’ yards per play, which have decreased from 6.2 yards per play to 3.6 over four preseason games, to show his defense is improving.

“I feel good about where our football team is,” Johnson said. “Not only has [the defense] gotten better as the preseason has gone on, it was actually outstanding last night.”

Johnson was in a different mood Saturday night. He was overheard telling players to pack quickly or risk being left behind.

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Miami Dolphin wide receiver Lamar Thomas was sent home before Saturday night’s game against the Buccaneers at Tampa, Fla., after getting into an argument with his former fiancee, Ebony Cooksey, at the team hotel that afternoon.

Cooksey came to the team hotel to ask Thomas for keys to a house the player still keeps in Tampa, a leftover from his days with the Buccaneers, a source told the Miami Herald.

Thomas refused to give her the keys and shouting ensued. Sources said there was no physical contact between the two and police were not called.

Thomas and Johnson were to meet Sunday night.

The wide receiver spent nearly three weeks in jail for suspicion of violating his probation for domestic abuse last spring. One summer ago, he was arrested for allegedly beating a then-pregnant Cooksey and was let go by Tampa Bay.

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The euphoria of the Seattle Seahawks’ 45-3 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday night didn’t last long. On Sunday, Coach Dennis Erickson released 11 players and must make 12 more moves to get the roster down to 60 players by Tuesday at 1 p.m. He is expected to make the 12 other roster moves today.

There weren’t any surprises among the first wave of cuts as only two of the players waived were drafted by the Seahawks--1996 third-round pick Robert Barr, an offensive tackle, and 1997 seventh-round choice Carlos Jones, a cornerback who played for Erickson at the University of Miami. Quarterback Jim Arellanes of Fresno State was also among the players cut.

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Rooke left tackle Orlando Pace worked out with the St. Louis Rams for the first time in training camp, but it was obvious to Coach Dick Vermeil that Pace, who signed a seven-year, $29.4 million contract with the team Saturday night, is not ready to step right into the lineup. “There’s no way he can be close,” Vermeil said after introducing Pace to some of the players as “our new left tackle and part owner.” . . . Veteran safety Roger Harper, expected to play in the Dallas Cowboys’ nickel pass defense, was among seven players waived. . . . Nose tackle Ed Philion, cornerback Michael Reed and tight end Syii Tucker were the only veterans among 17 players cut by the Carolina Panthers to reduce the roster to 61.