Skip navigation

Lewis says Palmer should be ready for opener

Quarterback treated for broken nose after Saturday's preseason game

Image: Carson Palmer
David Kohl / AP
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer walks off the field while bleeding from the nose at the end of the first half of Saturday's preseason game against the Saints.
Special feature
Minnesota Vikings v Baltimore Ravens
Preseason All-NFL Team
A look at the top players at each position heading into 2008.

NBCSports.com

Special feature
Chicago Bears v Oakland Raiders
NFL's most exciting players
Take a look at the 10 players you need to watch each week.
Video: Football from NBC Sports
Sunday night showdown
Nov. 11: Rodney Harrison believes containing Indy's Peyton Manning and Dallas Clark are two of the keys for New England on Sunday night.

Slideshow
Image: Green Bay Packers v Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  Sideline support
Check out some of the NFL cheerleaders from across the league.

more photos

Special feature
San Diego Chargers v Oakland Raiders
Fantasy Fix team previews
The latest fantasy breakdowns from Gregg Rosenthal and Tiffany Simons.
Slide show
Image: AEK Athens' Nemeth reacts after a Europa League soccer match against BATE Borisov in Athens
  Week in Sports Pictures
Flying on the hardwood, racing on the rink, getting physical on the gridiron, and much more.

more photos

updated 3:44 p.m. ET Aug. 24, 2008

CINCINNATI - Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer broke his nose during Saturday night’s preseason game against the New Orleans Saints, but coach Marvin Lewis said he should be ready for the regular season opener.

Lewis said in a statement Sunday that Palmer had a small crack in one of his nose bones and it took doctors about 10 minutes to put it back in place.

Palmer is listed as questionable for Cincinnati’s preseason finale Thursday at Indianapolis, but is expected to start the opener Sept. 7 against Baltimore.

Story continues below ↓
advertisement | your ad here

The team said fourth-year quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will make his first Bengals preseason start if Palmer is unable to play.

Palmer was sacked three times by the Saints in the first half, the last on a safety blitz by Kevin Kaesviharn with 2 seconds left. The quarterback walked off the field with blood spilling down the front of his face, his nose already showing a prominent bump. He didn’t return for the second half.

Palmer got knocked to the ground five times during a 27-10 loss to Detroit a week earlier.

He was 11-of-16 against the Saints for 105 yards, working without Pro Bowl receivers T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson due to injury. Two of their backups also were hurt in the week leading up to the game.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sponsored links