NFL News and Notes

The Philadelphia Eagles will be without cornerback Lito Sheppard for Saturday night's NFC semifinal at New Orleans.

Coach Andy Reid confirmed that during a news conference yesterday but said it's possible that Sheppard could play again during the postseason if the Eagles advance. Sheppard suffered a dislocated elbow during Sunday's triumph over the New York Giants in a first-round NFC playoff game in Philadelphia.

Rod Hood replaced Sheppard against the Giants and likely will start at the cornerback spot opposite Sheldon Brown in New Orleans.

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Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Darrell Jackson "probably will play" in Sunday's NFC semifinal at Chicago, according to Coach Mike Holmgren, who said during a radio show that Jackson aggravated a toe injury during last Saturday's win over the Dallas Cowboys.

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Miami Dolphins officials, including owner Wayne Huizenga, reportedly met with University of Southern California Coach Pete Carroll on Sunday in Costa Rica to see if he was interested in the team's head coaching job. Carroll coached the Patriots and New York Jets but has said in the past he's not interested in leaving USC to return to the NFL.

The Dolphins lost their coach, Nick Saban, when he returned to the college ranks last week by accepting a $4 million-a-year contract offer from the University of Alabama.

The club also has interviewed Georgia Tech Coach Chan Gailey, just-fired Atlanta Falcons coach Jim Mora and NFL assistant coaches Ron Rivera and Ron Turner of the Chicago Bears, Cam Cameron of the San Diego Chargers, Ken Whisenhunt of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Mike Tomlin of the Minnesota Vikings.

The Dolphins are among four NFL teams looking for coaches, along with the Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals and Steelers.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Dirk Koetter, fired in November as Arizona State's head coach, as their offensive coordinator and the league narrowed the list of potential hosts for its regular season game overseas next season to two, Germany and England. Six teams are under consideration to be the home team in the game -- the Seahawks, Dolphins, Saints, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.


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