Week 16 injuries: 49ers' Justin Smith, Eagles' Michael Vick inactive
- Brian Hartline playing with back injury for Dolphins
- Packers thin at running back
- Brooks Reed returns to Texans' lineup
SEATTLE – The San Francisco 49ers will be without defensive lineman Justin Smith tonight against the Seahawks.
Smith, part of the one of the league's best duos with end Aldon Smith, is inactive because of an elbow injury. He did not practice this week and was initially listed as doubtful on San Francisco's final injury report.
But perhaps in a move of gamesmanship between Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll, old Pac-10 rivals, Harbaugh upgraded Smith's status to questionable later on Friday.
Ricky Jean Francois will start in Smith's place at right defensive tackle.
San Francisco, which holds the No. 2 seed in the NFC prior to the game, can clinch the NFC West with a win over the Seahawks. Seattle, meanwhile, can secure a playoff spot with a win.
Reporting: Lindsay Jones, USA TODAY Sports.
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PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles listed quarterback Michael Vick, guard Danny Watkins and defensive end Darryl Tapp as inactive for Sunday's game against Washington.
Vick was cleared to play this week from a concussion that has cost him most of the last month of the season. But Vick won't even dress for the home finale. Watkins, a former first-round pick, was not listed on the injury report this week and was a healthy scratch. Tapp also was a healthy scratch.
For the Redskins, quarterback Rex Grossman was inactive again with Robert Griffin III back in the lineup. Griffin missed last week's win over Cleveland with a sprained right knee. Grossman was listed as the backup for the first time all season.
Tackle Tyler Polumbus was inactive after leaving last week's game with a concussion.
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GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals have activated Brian Hoyer as the backup quarterback to starter Ryan Lindley and placed former starter John Skelton on the inactive list for Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears.
The Bears were without right tackle Jonathan Scott with a hamstring injury. Scott was limited in practice on Friday and had been listed as questionable.
As expected, Chicago was without linebacker Brian Urlacher with a hamstring injury and Cardinals wide receiver Early Doucet was out after missing practice all of last week with a concussion.
Hoyer was claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh on Dec. 11., one day after the Cardinals' 58-0 loss at Seattle.
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BALTIMORE — Safety Bernard Pollard has been placed on the Baltimore Ravens' inactive list for their game against the New York Giants.
New York's inactive list Sunday includes defensive end Justin Tuck (shoulder), who is replaced in the starting lineup by Osi Umenyiora.
Running back Ahmad Bradshaw returns after missing last week with foot and knee injuries.
Pollard misses a second straight game with a chest injury. Baltimore's other inactives are wide receivers Tandon Doss and Deonte Thompson; linebacker Albert McClellan; offensive linemen Bobbie Williams and Ramon Harewood; and defensive tackle Bryan Hall.
Wide receiver Torrey Smith and running back Bernard Pierce, both of whom sustained concussions last week, are active for Baltimore.
Safeties Kenny Phillips and Tyler Sash, along with tight ends Adewale Ojomo and Adrien Robinson, are also inactive for New York.
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DENVER — Denver Broncos cornerback Tracy Porter is active Sunday for the first time since Oct. 7, making him available to play in the dime defense against the Cleveland Browns.
Porter has missed nine straight games after experiencing symptoms similar to those he had last summer that preceded a seizure.
Tony Carter is inactive for the game, along with right guard Chris Kuper (ankle). Manny Ramirez again starts in his place. Other Broncos inactives are Andre Caldwell, Julius Thomas and Salver Siliga.
Tashaun Gipson (foot) has been deactivated for Cleveland, so backup Eric Hagg starts at free safety, with Usama Young moving to strong safety. Other Browns inactives are Mohammed Massaquoi, Brandon Jackson, Adrian Moten, Ishmaa'ily Kitchen, Jarrod Shaw and Jordan Cameron.
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GREEN BAY, Wis. — Tennessee tackle Mike Otto and center Kevin Matthews are inactive for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers, forcing the Titans to use their fifth different combination on the offensive line.
Byron Stingily will make the first start in his two-year career, filling in for Otto at right tackle. Fernando Velasco will start at center, with Mitch Petrus moving to left guard. The Titans' offense also will be without leading receiver Kendall Wright, who hurt his ribs in Monday night's victory over the Jets.
Tennessee's other inactives are quarterback Rusty Smith; cornerback Ryan Mouton; linebacker Colin McCarthy; and defensive end Scott Solomon.
Alex Green is out with a concussion and James Starks is inactive for a third straight game with a knee injury, leaving the Packers with two running backs — neither of whom was on the active roster at the beginning of the month. Green Bay's other inactives are defensive back Charles Woodson; receiver Jordy Nelson; tight end Tom Crabtree; and defensive ends C.J. Wilson and Jerel Worthy.
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CHARLOTTE — DeAngelo Williams will make his fourth straight start at running back for the Carolina Panthers in place of Jonathan Stewart against the Oakland Raiders.
Stewart is inactive Sunday along with two other starters — center Geoff Hangartner and linebacker James Anderson.
Anderson was added to the injury report Saturday as probable with a back injury. He will be replaced by Jason Phillips.
Jeff Byers makes his second straight start for Hangartner. Also inactive for Carolina are quarterback Jimmy Clausen, wide receiver David Gettis, guard Hayworth Hicks and defensive tackle Sione Fua.
Defensive tackle Richard Seymour is inactive for the Raiders, along with running back Jeremy Stewart, receiver Juron Criner, linebacker Rolando McClain, defensive end David Tollefson, and offensive linemen Willie Smith and Lucas Nix. Desmond Bryant starts for Seymour.
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MIAMI — Receiver Brian Hartline is active for the Miami Dolphins against Buffalo after being limited in practice this week because of a back injury.
Hartline had been listed as questionable. Miami's other starting receiver, Davone Bess, was inactive Sunday with a back injury and replaced by Marlon Moore.
Dimitri Patterson, awarded to Miami after being waived Monday by the Cleveland Browns, started at cornerback in place of Nolan Carroll, who was inactive because of a knee injury. Tight end Michael Egnew, a third-round draft pick, was active for the first time this season.
Buffalo center Eric Wood was active despite a knee injury. He had been listed as questionable.
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PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Plaxico Burress will miss his second straight game after the team made him inactive for Sunday's showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Steelers signed Burress last month, but he has just one catch in three games. He also sat out last week's 27-24 overtime loss to Dallas.
The Steelers have made cornerback Ike Taylor (ankle), quarterback Byron Leftich, cornerback Justin King, linebacker Adrian Robinson, defensive end Al Woods and tackle Mike Adams inactive.
Cincinnati kicker Mike Nugent (calf) is inactive for the third straight game. Defensive backs Dre Kirkpatrick and George Iloka, defensive linemen Devon Still and Brandon Thompson, running back Daniel Herron and tight end Richard Quinn are also inactive for the Bengals.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Colts will attempt to clinch a playoff berth against the Kansas City Chiefs without two starters on the offensive line and three starters on defense.
Right tackle Winston Justice was inactive for Indianapolis on Sunday with a biceps injury, and center Samson Satele is out with an ankle injury. Jeff Linkenbach will start for Justice, and A.Q. Shipley, who has been dealing with a bum knee, will start at center.
Starting defensive tackle Antonio Johnson (ankle), linebacker Kavell Conner (hamstring) and safety Tom Zbikowski (knee) are also inactive for the Colts, along with running back Delone Carter and wide receiver Nathan Palmer.
Chiefs tight end Tony Moeaki has a head injury and left tackle Branden Albert a back injury. Both are inactive, along with safety Abe Elam, wide receiver Steve Breaston, quarterback Ricky Stanzi, fullback Nate Eachus, offensive lineman Russ Hochstein and defensive tackle Anthony Toribio.
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ARLINGTON, Texas — Dallas Cowboys safety Charlie Peprah is active for the first time in a month for Sunday's game against New Orleans, and cornerback Morris Claiborne is active after missing one game with a concussion.
Peprah was out three games after spraining his right foot in practice about a week after sustaining a concussion against Washington. His presence should help in pass coverage against Drew Brees and the Saints.
Peprah signed as a free agent in October as injuries piled up for the Dallas defense.
Saints fullback Jed Collins (right toe, left knee) and backup running back Chris Ivory (hamstring) are inactive. Running back Pierre Thomas is active after being limited in practice with knee soreness.
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HOUSTON — Linebacker Brooks Reed is active for the Houston Texans after missing three games with a groin injury, and Minnesota cornerback Chris Cook is also active after sitting out six games with a broken right arm.
Vikings defensive end Brian Robison, who has started each game this season, was inactive Sunday because of a sprained right shoulder. Everson Griffen was scheduled to start in his place. The Texans will be without safety Quintin Demps, inactive with a back injury.
Also inactive for the Texans were cornerbacks Alan Ball and Stanford Routt, guards Antoine Caldwell and Cody White, tackle Andrew Gardner and nose tackle Terrell McClain.
Minnesota's other inactive players were quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, receiver Stephen Burton, cornerback Brandon Burton, linebacker Audie Cole, tackle Troy Kropog and defensive end D'Aundre Reed.
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TAMPA — Cornerback LeQuan Lewis and running back Michael Smith are among the Tampa Bay players who are inactive for Sunday's game against the St. Louis Rams.
Guard Roger Allen, receivers Chris Owusu and David Douglas and defensive tackles Corey Irvin and Mathhew Masifilo are also inactive for the Buccaneers.
Quarterback Austin Davis, receiver Steve Smith, running back Terrance Ganaway, tight end Cory Harkey, linebacker Sammy Brown, tackle Joe Barksdale and defensive tackle Matt Conrath are inactive for the Rams.
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JACKSONVILLE — The New England Patriots are without tight end Rob Gronkowski and linebacker Brandon Spikes at Jacksonville.
It is the fifth consecutive game Gronkowski has missed while recovering from a broken forearm. Spikes sat out because of knee and ankle injuries. Both players had been listed as questionable.
Defensive back Antonio Dennard, running back James Develin, offensive lineman Markus Zusevics, defensive end Jake Bequette and defensive lineman Ron Brace also are inactive for the Patriots (10-4).
The Jaguars (2-12) are without cornerback Antwaun Molden, linebacker Brandon Marshall, guard Eben Britton, defensive end Austen Lane and running backs Maurice Jones-Drew, Rashad Jennings and Jonathan Grimes. Jones-Drew and Jennings were ruled out Friday.
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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow were both active as Greg McElroy's backups in the New York Jets' regular-season home finale against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.
It was the first time all season that Rex Ryan had all three of his quarterbacks active for a game. By having all three available, Ryan avoided having to designate either Sanchez or Tebow as the No. 2 quarterback Sunday. Both were listed as the backup on the team's flip card in the press box.
Ryan benched Sanchez after the quarterback had five turnovers in New York's 14-10 loss at Tennessee last Monday night. Tebow was leapfrogged on the depth chart earlier this week when Ryan chose to start McElroy, the third-string quarterback, over the popular backup for Sunday's game.
Tight end Dustin Keller (sprained ankle) and defensive back Aaron Berry (hamstring) were inactive for the Jets after being listed as doubtful. Wide receiver Braylon Edwards (hamstring) was questionable, but was active and expected to play in his second game back with New York after being claimed off waivers from Seattle.
Other inactives for the Jets included wide receiver Mardy Gilyard, cornerback Donnie Fletcher, linebacker Ricky Sapp, defensive tackle Damon Harrison and guard Caleb Schlauderaff.
The Chargers were without running back Ryan Mathews (broken left collarbone), wide receiver Malcom Floyd (ankle) and tackle Reggie Wells (toe), who were all placed on season-ending injured reserve earlier this week.
Among San Diego's inactives were defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklin, who was doubtful with a knee injury, and linebacker Demorrio Williams, who questionable with an injured ankle.
Also not playing for the Chargers were running back Edwin Baker, linebacker Jonas Mouton, offensive lineman Stephen Schilling, wide receiver Mike Willie and tight end Ladarius Green.