Packers’ Mayes Sidelined

Derrick Mayes’ knee injury is worse than first thought, but it’s not known if his prognosis is too.

Green Bay Packer team physician Patrick McKenzie said an arthroscopic exam on the wide receiver’s right knee Thursday revealed damage to both the posterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments.

The good news was that the anterior cruciate ligament appeared stable, McKenzie reported, meaning Mayes’ season isn’t over.

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Cornerback Donnie Abraham of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was fined $5,000 by the NFL for an illegal blow to the head of wide receiver Ike Hilliard of the New York Giants during last Sunday’s game. Abraham struck Hilliard with his forearm and was penalized 15 yards after the tackle during the second quarter of the Buccaneers’ 20-3 victory.

AFC / Foley Will Start for Jets

Glenn Foley will start Sunday’s game for the New York Jets at St. Louis, ending his two-game stint as the third quarterback because of a rib injury suffered in the second game of the season against Baltimore.

“We have upgraded him to probable,” Jet Coach Bill Parcells said. “He has improved appreciably. It’s the same as it has been all summer, Foley is my starter. I told you when he got better, he’d play.”

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Wide receiver Charles Jordan’s season ended when the Miami Dolphins put him on injured reserve because of a strained tendon in his groin. He is tentatively scheduled to undergo surgery Saturday.

AROUND THE LEAGUE / Fans Flocking to Games

Attendance at NFL games is on a record pace through five weeks of the regular season. The 30 NFL teams are averaging 63,816 fans per game through 68 games. A total of 4,339,479 people have purchased tickets. The regular-season mark was set in 1995 at 62,682.