Landry Jones to start for Steelers against Chiefs

Landry Jones had his first regular-season NFL action last week.

Now, it looks as if he will make his first start this week for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that his team will prepare for Sunday’s game against the Chiefs at Kansas City as if Jones will be the starting quarterback.

Starter Ben Roethlisberger has been out since spraining his left knee Sept. 27 in a win over the Rams at St. Louis. Backup Mike Vick suffered a strained right hamstring in Sunday’s 25-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

“I think it’s prudent and appropriate right now to operate under the assumption that Landry is our quarterback this week,” Tomlin said. “He is the guy that’s healthy.”

The Steelers (4-2) have gone 2-1 without Roethlisberger. Vick has struggled, completing 40 of 66 passes for 371 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

No decision on Dez Bryant

Dez Bryant’s status will be evaluated all week as the Dallas Cowboys decide whether the star receiver can return six weeks after breaking his right foot in the season opener.

Coach Jason Garrett said there was no “Magna Carta” of checkpoints the team was following to determine whether Bryant would return against the New York Giants on Sunday. He broke his foot in a win over New York.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said there was no “set line of demarcation on this or anything.”

Garrett and Jones said Bryant’s feedback will have a lot to do with the decision on the 2014 All-Pro’s return. The Cowboys have lost three straight games without quarterback Tony Romo and Bryant.

Giants’ Fells out of hospital

Giants tight end Daniel Fells has been released from a hospital after being treated for nearly three weeks for MRSA.

The Giants announced Tuesday that Fells left Hackensack University Medical Center, where he has been treated since Oct. 2. Fells was placed on season-ending injured reserve after his diagnosis.

Fells was diagnosed with the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that kills thousands a year a couple of days before the Giants were to play the Bills in Buffalo on Oct. 4. It was until almost two weeks later that he started feeling better and was able to sleep at night.

Earlier in the season, Fells had an ankle injury. Coach Tom Coughlin said it became infected, but the team did not know how. The Giants had their facility disinfected after the case was found and players were lectured about the illness.

Etc.

The New York Jets promoted wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins to the active roster from the practice squad. The move comes a day after wide receiver Quincy Enunwa was suspended four games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy in an incident last year.

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The Tennessee Titans placed center Brian Schwenke on injured reserve and agreed to terms with offensive lineman Joe Looney.