The Indianapolis Colts suddenly have some serious holes in the secondary: Cornerback Marlin Jackson and strong safety Bob Sanders are gone for the season.

The team said yesterday that Jackson (left knee) and Sanders (left elbow) have been placed on injured reserve.

Sanders will have surgery for a torn biceps. He had just returned to the Colts' lineup two weeks ago. He had missed all of training camp and the first five games of the year after having offseason knee surgery. He has missed 40 of 87 games during his injury-plagued, six-year NFL career.

Veteran cornerback Kelvin Hayden also is expected to be out for the next three to four weeks with a knee sprain.

The Colts play host to Houston tomorrow.

Texans quarterback Matt Schaub and receiver Andre Johnson likely will be looking at a Colts defense with two rookies -- Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey -- starting at cornerback. Three-year veteran Melvin Bullitt will take Sanders' place at strong safety.

Also, Indianapolis linebacker Clint Session was fined $5,000 for roughing the passer because he struck 49ers quarterback Alex Smith Sunday in the knee area.

Defensive tackle Johnny Jolly, cornerback Al Harris and rookie defensive tackley B.J. Raji were fined $5,000 each by the NFL for actions in a loss Sunday to Minnesota.

Jolly was fined for unnecessary roughness for head-butting Minnesota running back Chester Taylor.

Harris was fined for unnecessary roughness for grabbing a helmet-opening to make a tackle, and Raji was fined $5,000 for a major face-mask violation.

Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett was hit with a $5,000 fine for a helmet-to-helmet contact in a game against Carolina, and Panthers tight end Jeff King was fined the same amount for striking an opponent late.

The biggest fine of the week went to linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, $7,500 for roughing the passer when he struck Chicago's Jay Cutler in the face.

New England released guard Kendall Simmons.

Simmons has been inactive for six of his seven games with the team. He played only on special teams Oct. 18 in a 59-0 win against the Tennessee Titans.

Simmons, 30, signed with the Patriots Sept. 6 after being waived by the Steelers. The Steelers chose him with the 30th pick of the first round in 2002 out of Auburn and he started all 80 games in which he played in his seven seasons with the Steelers. He missed the entire 2004 season with a right knee injury and was limited to four games last year by a right Achilles' tendon injury.

Riding a three-game losing streak, New York is making a lineup change for its game tomorrow against the San Diego Chargers. Coach Tom Coughlin announced that Aaron Rouse will replace the beleaguered C.C. Brown at safety. Brown had gotten the job in September after Kenny Phillips was placed on injured reserve after knee surgery.

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