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Injury bug pesters Saints
About one-fourth of team questionable for game vs. Miami

Tuesday, October 25, 2005
By Brian Allee-Walsh, Times-Picayune

SAN ANTONIO -- The injury count continues to mount for the slumping Saints.

The list of walking wounded grew to 14 Monday, more than a quarter of the team's 53-man roster, including veteran defensive end Darren Howard, who underwent surgery to repair a dislocated right ring finger originally injured at practice Friday.

Howard is joined on the list by wide receiver DontÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â© Stallworth (shoulder), tight end Ernie Conwell (knee), wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim (ribs), defensive tackle Brian Young (foot) and running back Aaron Stecker (ankle), all of whom were injured in Sunday's 28-17 loss to the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome.

Old injuries include wide receiver Joe Horn (hamstring), rookie tackle Jammal Brown (ankle), safety Dwight Smith (knee), linebacker T.J. Slaughter (groin), safety Mel Mitchell (hamstring) and guards Kendyl Jacox (knee), Montrae Holland (knee) and Jermane Mayberry (shoulder).

All 14 are questionable for Sunday's "home" game against the Miami Dolphins at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, meaning they have a 50-50 chance of playing.

"We got a lot of injuries; the league's got a lot of injuries," said Saints coach Jim Haslett, whose team has lost three consecutive games and five of its past six. "We just have to deal with it. It's not the best thing in the world, but we'll figure ways around it. We got other guys on the team who got to step up and play. We've been doing it all year."

Haslett already has lost seven players to season-ending injuries -- running back Deuce McAllister (knee), safety Jay Bellamy (shoulder), linebacker James Allen (knee), return specialist/wide receiver Michael Lewis (knee), tight end Boo Williams (knee), tackle Jon Stinchcomb (knee) and rookie wide receiver Chase Lyman (knee).

Story continues...
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