Jaguars wide receiver Kassim Osgood had to leap out a second-floor window late Monday to escape a gun-wielding man who had attacked him and a 19-year-old Roar cheerleader he was visiting in a Jacksonville home.

 

By the time it was over, police said the armed intruder had traded gunfire with the woman after sticking a gun to her head, saying, “What did that football player say to his girlfriend, ’It’s a good day to die,’ ” misquoting ex-Florida Gator Chris Rainey’s recent text message to a former girlfriend after an arrest.

Osgood, a former Pro Bowl special teams player in his first season with the Jaguars, had some minor bruises from his escape and being pistol-whipped, the Sheriff’s Office report said. He declined to comment Wednesday.

“He’s fine,” coach Jack Del Rio said. “I’m aware of it. I really can’t comment on that whole deal. But he’s doing OK.”

Julian Armond Bartletto, 20, of the 10500 block of Running Oak Court has been arrested on charges of aggravated battery, false imprisonment, armed robbery, burglary and violation of an injunction, police said. He was booked into the Duval County jail ineligible for bail, according to jail records.

 Mackenzie Rae Putnal and Osgood, 30, were watching television in a second-floor game room just before 11:15 p.m. when a man walked in with his face covered with a plastic bag and pointed a gun at them. Exclaiming that “I can’t believe you’re with that guy,” he pulled Putnal around the room by her hair and hit her with gun and fists before hitting Osgood in the head with the weapon too, the arrest report said.

 

 

 Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Tanard Jackson has been suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, the team announced Wednesday afternoon.

Jackson is suspended for the rest of the season and is not eligible for possible reinstatement until Sept. 22, 2011. He will not be paid while he is suspended.

"Tanard is a talented young man whom we hope is able to use this year to put his troubles behind him and ultimately return a stronger man and player," general manager Mark Dominik said. "It's up to Tanard whether the teams and our fans eventually realize his considerable promise."

Jackson was supended for the first four games of the 2009 season for violating the substance abuse policy. Despite the four-game ban last season, Jackson finished with five interceptions in 12 starts. He had 13 tackles in two games this season, helping Tampa Bay to its first 2-0 start in five years.

Fourth-year pro Sabby Piscitelli, who lost the strong safety job to Sean Jones during training camp, is one possible replacement. Rookie Cody Grimm, a seventh-round pick, is listed as the backup on Tampa Bay's depth chart. Corey Lynch, a third-year player, is listed as the third team free safety.

"Talking to coach [Raheem] Morris, obviously we have a position open. He's going to take the next few days to determine who's going to be the starter going forward," Dominik said. "We are happy we did have guys like Corey Lynch and Cody Grimm and Sabby Piscitelli, and obviously Sean Jones, who played well enough to be on this team."

When Jackson, who has eight career interceptions, returned from last year's suspension, he talked about how difficult it was being away from the team and how much football means to him.

"I could sit here and go on forever as to how much I learned. The main thing is that this is what I love to do, this is what I'm blessed to do," he said in October.

"I definitely felt I let my team down," Jackson added at the time. "I disappointed myself, but your actions affect others around you, and that's one thing that hit home."

 

 

Michael Vick took advantage of his first start at quarterback since 2006, looking like the Pro Bowler he used to be by effortlessly flicking the football down the field and avoiding sacks with slick steps.

He didn't take the first snap in a game the past three seasons because he served an 18-month prison sentence for his role in a dogfighting operation and spent last year as a backup.

 

Vick said he reflects "all the time" on his journey back onto an NFL field.

 

"I thought about it this morning on the bus ride over," he said softly. "It's been a long road for me. It's been tough. Throughout it all, I had to be resilient and overcome a lot of adversity and self-inflicted wounds."

 

The electrifying athlete was 21 of 34 -- connecting with nine teammates -- for 284 yards with two TDs, ran for 37 yards and escaped losses with the spin moves of a dancer and speed of a sprinter.

 

"A lot of people doubted him and said he wasn't able to do this," said DeSean Jackson, who caught four of Vick's passes for 135 yards and a TD. "He's been able to prove everybody wrong."

 

 

Eagles coach Andy Reid insisted before the game he didn't need to reassure Kolb he was still the team's starting QB. Even though Vick seemed to do enough to make it tough to put him back on the bench, Reid said it won't be difficult to turn him back into a part-time player.

 

"We've got more plays for him than we did a year ago, so he'll be on the field," Reid said. "It isn't going to be five or six plays this year."

 

Vick passed his first test, rolling left and throwing back across the field against pressure to convert a third down on his opening drive to set up a 45-yard TD pass to Jackson.

 

After rookie Jahvid Best turned a short pass into a 75-yard reception to put Detroit ahead 17-7 midway through the second quarter, Vick ran and threw for first downs to set up McCoy's 14-yard run for his first TD.

 

Vick easily lofted a 53-yard pass that perfectly hit Jackson in stride before connecting with Jeremy Maclin on a 9-yard pass that put Philadelphia ahead 21-17 with 13 seconds left in the first half.

 

"You should have seen him before the game," Reid said. "He was like a kid in a candy store. He was so excited about getting a second chance at being a starter in this league."

 

The Lions, meanwhile, didn't have much to be proud about.

 

Best was an exception, catching nine passes for 154 yards and a score and running 17 times for 78 yards and two TDs.

 

He created a buzz at Ford Field, but by the time he scored for a third time against the Eagles -- and fifth time in two games -- most of the fans had left after growing tired of seeing the Lions lose again.

 

Detroit didn't give up, but it also couldn't come close enough to attempt a field goal that could've sent the game into overtime.

 

"We can't wait until the end of the game," Lions center Dominic Raiolalamented.