Fisher: Titans will place Young on injured reserve

Titans coach Jeff Fisher said >Monday that quarterback Vince Young needs season-ending surgery on his throwing hand. The team is placing Young on injured reserve in the next few days, but after his latest meltdown, Fisher said he wouldn't have started this week, anyway.

Fisher was angry over Young's behavior after the game, when he tossed his shoulder pads into the stands. Young had a heated exchange with Fisher in the locker room, then bolted the stadium.

Young saw a hand specialist Monday, and Fisher said team doctors recommended surgery to repair Young's torn flexor tendon in his right thumb. He was hurt late in the third quarter of Sunday's 19-16 overtime loss to Washington.

"He may want to get a second opinion,'' Fisher said. "He may want to get two dozen opinions. Our doctor said for his position, it needs to be fixed."

Rusty Smith replaced Young in the game, and Fisher reiterated that the rookie would start Sunday against Houston. The Titans are bringing in Chris Simms as a backup because Kerry Collins needs a couple of more weeks to heal a strained left calf.

The Tennessean reported that Titans owner Bud Adams had talked to Fisher and Young and told them to "get this thing settled" and work together.

Adams said Young told him he wanted to return to the game, and the 87-year-old owner isn't going to release the No. 3 overall pick in the 2006 draft.

"He is under contract. I wouldn't want to let him go. We are going to pay him a lot of money," Adams said of Young, who is due to receive $8.5 million in 2011.

Chargers rout BroncosPhilip Rivers tied a career high with four touchdown passes as the host Chargers beat the Broncos, 35-14, last night for their third straight win.

Four-time defending AFC West champion San Diego (5-5) pulled into a second-place tie with Oakland, a game behind Kansas City. Denver fell to 3-7.

Hobbs has neck injury

Eagles cornerback/kick returner Ellis Hobbs, who was down on the field for 11 minutes during Sunday night's game against the Giants, suffered a disc injury in his neck, an MRI revealed. The Philadelphia Inquirer quoted his agent, Kevin Omell, as saying Hobbs is out for the season. Hobbs' second neck injury in two years raises questions about his NFL future. He was hurt returning the second-half kickoff in a helmet-to-helmet collision with the Giants' Dave Tollefson.

Around the leagueThe NFL fined the Raiders' Richard Seymour $25,000 for striking the helmet of Ben Roethlisberger with his hand . . . Cardinals linebacker Will Davis (broken leg) is expected to be out for the season. - AP