JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mark Brunell's nagging leg injury has turned out to be much worse than anyone thought and he might be sidelined for Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens.

        Brunell sat out Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and coach Tom Coughlin declined to say Monday whether he thought Brunell, who first was bothered by the strained right quadriceps while preparing for a Nov.11 game with Cincinnati, would miss another game. Coughlin said Brunell had done further damage to the leg when he played against the Bengals.

        “He's obviously better than he would have been if he had played” against the Steelers, Coughlin said.

        Brunell's strained right quadriceps first became public when he was listed as probable for Jacksonville's game against Cincinnati two weeks ago. He missed practice Wednesday and Thursday before that game, but recovered well enough to play.

        That's why there wasn't much alarm when Brunell missed practice again last Wednesday and Thursday and was listed as probable against the Steelers. Last Wednesday, Brunell said he expected to play.

        But Coughlin revealed Monday that Brunell had actually done more damage to the leg against the Bengals. , which contributed to his late scratch before the Steelers beat the Jaguars 20-7, dropping Jacksonville to 3-6.

        Backup quarterback Jonathan Quinn sounded as if he's preparing to start Sunday at home against the defending Super Bowl champions.

        “It's going to be a tough challenge,” Quinn said. “It definitely makes it easier when I prepare like I'm going to be the starter.”

        Sunday, in his third career start, Quinn threw for 225 yards, but it lost three fumbles. that essentially cost Jacksonville the game.

        EAGLES:

        Safety Terrence Carroll was released after he was arrested Friday on marijuana possession charges.

        Coach Andy Reid hasn't made a decision about the future of two other rookies, defensive back Darrel Crutchfield and running back Correll Buckhalter, who were suspended along with Carroll after being taken into police custody Friday night when officers smelled marijuana in their vehicle during a stop. Police said they found a small amount of marijuana.

        Carroll was charged with misdemeanor possession, and no charges were filed against Buckhalter and Crutchfield.

        CHARGERS:

        Coach Mike Riley said struggling Doug Flutie will remain the starting quarterback the rest of the season. “He is our quarterback, he will start and he will get us the next win, next week,” Riley said.

        In the last three games — all losses to AFC West rivals — Flutie is just 30-of-74 (41 percent) for 324 yards, with one touchdown and six interceptions.

        COLTS:

        Jerome Pathon will be put on injured reserve today and team president Bill Polian Pathon said the receiver will undergo surgery “sometime soon” to repair a damaged ligament in his right foot. Pathon ends the season with 24 receptions for 330 yards and two touchdowns.

        STEELERS:

        Tight end Mark Bruener will miss the rest of the season and is expected to have surgery after tearing his left rotator cuff Sunday against Jacksonville. He has 12 receptions for 98 yards in nine games, and is considered one of the best blockers in the league at his position.

        He probably will be replaced by Jerame Tuman, who has three catches for 67 yards and a touchdown this season.

        PACKERS:

        Safety LeRoy Butler will be out indefinitely after breaking his left shoulder blade Sunday against Atlanta.

        “I'm hopeful he can return at some point this season, but obviously a broken shoulder blade is a very painful injury,” coach Mike Sherman said Sunday.

        Butler had started all nine games for Green Bay this season, making 32 tackles and one sack.

        SUNDAY NIGHT:

        A key defensive stop changed the game's momentum, and a sustained offensive drive invigorated St. Louis in a 24-17 win over New England.

        “We don't get rattled,” Rams receiver Ricky Proehl said. “We know what we're capable of doing.”

        The Patriots led 10-7 with the ball at the St. Louis 4-yard line and 2:22 left in the first half. But with the Patriots on the verge of scoring again, London Fletcher stripped Antowain Smith of the ball, and Aeneas Williams fell on it.

        The Patriots challenged the call, but the replay showed Smith's knee had not touched the ground as he churned his legs for extra yardage.

        Kurt Warner needed only 1:41 to take the Rams down the field, collecting four consecutive first downs and never needing a third down, at all — before hitting Marshall Faulk with a 9-yard pass to make it 14-10.

        “It was a 14-point swing,” Patriots center Damien Woody said. “Turnovers kill you.”

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