The Associated Press

NEW YORK - Although there were fewer penalties overall in the first week of the NFL season, the number of defensive holding calls tripled, presumably because of the new emphasis on calling them.

According to figures from the league's officiating department, there were 218 penalties accepted in the 16 games in Week 1 compared to 240 in the first week of the 2003 season.

However, there were 15 defensive holding calls accepted compared to five last year. Illegal contact calls remained the same, five in each season.

At league meetings last spring, the NFL's competition committee instructed the officiating department to emphasize enforcement of the holding and illegal chuck penalties. That emphasis comes, in part, because of what was thought to be lenient officiating on those calls in last year's AFC title game between Indianapolis and New England.

PANTHERS: Steve Smith had surgery Tuesday on his broken left leg, leaving Carolina searching for replacements for its top receiver and punt returner.

Both candidates - Keary Colbert at receiver and Chris Gamble at returning kicks - are rookies.

"Obviously that's a blow to lose a guy like Steve Smith," coach John Fox said. "Obviously he's a big-play guy for us both offensively and in the kicking game. But as is football, there's injuries."

Smith led the Panthers last season with career highs in receptions (88), yards receiving (1,110) and touchdowns (7). He also averaged 28.1 yards a kickoff return.

PACKERS: Green Bay cornerback Mike McKenzie's holdout could end soon.

"All I know is I'm meeting with Mike tomorrow at 8 o'clock," coach-general manager Mike Sherman told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.

McKenzie is entering the third season of a five-year, $17.1 million contract he signed in January 2002.

He missed a weekly paycheck of $161,000 by failing to report to the team last week.

DOLPHINS: Miami re-signed cornerback Jimmy Wyrick and waived linebacker Corey Jenkins.

The Dolphins released Wyrick on Sept. 6 after signing him in August. He had 10 tackles and two passes defensed during the preseason, and had one tackle on special teams.

TITANS: Tennessee signed veteran kicker Gary Anderson, the NFL's all-time leading scorer.

Anderson, a 23-year veteran, rejoins the Titans after the start of the season for the second straight year. Tennessee's regular kicker, Joe Nedney, was placed on injured reserve after the first game last year with a knee injury and before last weekend's win over Miami with a torn hamstring.

Anderson had 123 points in 2003 for the Titans, and made 27 of 31 field goals.

NINERS: General manager Terry Donahue signed a four-year contract extension.

Donahue's new deal will keep him with the club through 2009, owner John York said.

Donahue took over the 49ers' football operations on May 2, 2001 after spending two years learning the job under Bill Walsh, who won three Super Bowls as the 49ers' coach before returning as GM in 1999.

VIKINGS: Minnesota added a pair of cornerbacks, signing Terrance Shaw and Ralph Brown.

The Vikings lost backup cornerback Ken Irvin before Sunday's opener against Dallas when he ruptured his right Achilles' tendon in pregame warmups.

His injury left the team thin at cornerback behind starters Antoine Winfield and Brian Williams.

• Tight end Jim Kleinsasser will miss the next two weeks after an MRI revealed his right knee injury was worse than originally thought.

SAINTS: The team joined the mass exodus of people fleeing New Orleans, moving its base of operations to San Antonio, far from the reach of approaching Hurricane Ivan. The Saints will return to New Orleans Friday for Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers.

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