Miami Dolphins starting center Samson Satele did not practice yesterday because of a neck injury suffered in Sunday's 22-19 loss to the Houston Texans.

According to agent Leo Goeas, the former University of Hawai'i standout is suffering from a pinched nerve in his neck.

An MRI did not show any damage, Goeas said.

Goeas said Satele will not practice today or tomorrow. He will be evaluated Friday. Satele is listed as "questionable."

Goeas said Satele incurred the injury when he blocked Mario Williams in the first quarter. Satele played through the third quarter despite muscle spasms in his neck. He was pulled in the fourth quarter.

Goeas said Satele has been advised to: "Listen to your body."

CARDINALS

SEASON OVER FOR LEINART

An already difficult second NFL season came to an end for Arizona's Matt Leinart yesterday when he was placed on injured reserve with a broken collarbone.

Kurt Warner, the 36-year-old quarterback who had shared duties with Leinart, moves into the starting job. The team signed Tim Rattay yesterday to be Warner's backup.

Leinart, a left-hander, fractured his left collarbone when he was sacked by Will Witherspoon in the second quarter of the Cardinals' 34-31 victory over the Rams in St. Louis Sunday.

ELSEWHERE

Bengals: The NFL has suspended starting cornerback Johnathan Joseph for Sunday's game at Kansas City, Cincinnati announced yesterday. Joseph will forfeit his salary for both this game and the Jets game Oct. 21, the club said. He was suspended for violating the league's substance abuse policy. The second-year pro was arrested in northern Kentucky Jan. 22 after a Boone County sheriff's deputy stopped a vehicle he was a passenger in and smelled marijuana, according to the police report.

Buccaneers: Tampa Bay plans to place backup quarterback Chris Simms on injured reserve today, creating room on the roster to bring in a replacement for injured running backs Carnell "Cadillac" Williams and Michael Pittman. Simms had his spleen removed after taking several hard hits in the third game of last season and has struggled to regain his form.

Falcons: Already facing prison time, quarterback Michael Vick lost the first round in his financial battle with the Atlanta Falcons when an arbitrator ruled yesterday that Vick should repay much of the bonus money — an estimated $20 million — he got while secretly bankrolling a gruesome dogfighting ring. The Falcons said that Vick, who pleaded guilty to federal charges for his role in the long-running operation, knew he was in violation of the contract when he signed a 10-year, $130 million deal in December 2004.