NFL notes: Brawls end Texans-Redskins practice

The joint portion of the final practice involving the Washington Redskins and Houston Texans in Richmond, Va., came to an end Saturday when a series of fights broke out.

The teams had just started working against each other when the first skirmish occurred. When more followed on subsequent plays, and on both fields, the coaches decided to break the teams apart and each team worked on its own field for the rest of the session.

The change in plans caused Redskins coach Jay Gruden to agree the day was somewhat wasted.

“Initially we had a couple on our field on the offensive field, and I was just going to cut that period out and have everybody go to the side, let everybody cool down and finish practice,” Gruden said, “but then the other one broke out on the other field and it wasn’t worth it. Injuries take place.

“Obviously, it wasn’t a good situation, but we missed an opportunity to get better today against a good team.”

Gruden and Texans coach Bill O’Brien initially tried to let their teams know the fighting wasn’t acceptable, but Gruden added: “Unfortunately, it wasn’t two people. It was a group of men” and “for whatever reason, it escalated into a nasty brawl.”

The fights came early in the joint portion of the workouts as a heavy rain fell.

Redskins defensive lineman Chris Baker said one of the fights started when a Houston offensive lineman tried to “clean him off the pocket.” Baker says when he removed his helmet and confronted the player, the player hit him with a right hook and a brawl ensued.

Baker says the Texans were angry because the Redskins got the best of them in their joint workout on Friday.

Hamstring sidelines Bryant • Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr is returning to Texas from Oxnard, Calif., for surgery on a broken right hand, and All-Pro receiver Dez Bryant missed practice because of a strained hamstring.

Coach Jason Garrett said defensive end Kenneth Boatright remained hospitalized two days after injuring his neck in practice but that all tests had come back normal.

Carr, who is set for surgery Monday in the Dallas area, was hurt engaging a receiver during practice Thursday. Bryant tweaked his hamstring the same day, but Garrett said the injury isn’t serious.

At running back, Darren McFadden (hamstring) won’t get his first practice at camp until after the Cowboys’ preseason opener at San Diego on Thursday, and Lance Dunbar (ankle) is still out.

Patriots short on healthy players • There were 23 players missing from New England Patriots practice when running back Travaris Cadet walked off the field with a trainer and kicked the ground in disgust.

With more than a quarter of the roster injured, coach Bill Belichick believes the Super Bowl champs are a victim of their success.

Consistently going deep in the playoffs leads to shorter offseasons, less recovery time and more watching than doing at training camp.

“That’s really been a big challenge for us over the last 15 years,” Belichick said. “It’s a good problem to have, obviously, you want to play long into the season. But it definitely shortens the time period for the players to recover and be ready for the next year.”

Linebacker Donta Hightower may be the best example. Instead of having shoulder surgery in early January, his came in mid-February. Hightower has worn a red non-contact jersey throughout camp.

Other injuries are popping up in practice. The Patriots are so thin at receiver it’s unlikely they could have scrimmaged during the third straight workout in full pads.

Mariota still perfect • Marcus Mariota has thrown 140 passes in training camp without being intercepted.

Titans cornerback Coty Sensabaugh got his hands on not just one, but two of the rookie quarterback’s passes and couldn’t finish off the pick.

Turns out Mariota’s teammates are enjoying just how tough the Heisman Trophy winner is making their jobs.

“I just hope and pray he continues to do the things he’s doing right now ...,” veteran safety Michael Griffin said after a 90-minute practice in Nashville. “Hey, it’s to our credit.”

Griffin noted 140 pass attempts without an interception is the equivalent of three or four games, and he called that start very impressive.