Detroit quarterback Daunte Culpepper had an MRI on his shoulder yesterday, leading to doubt he will play next Sunday at the Indianapolis Colts.

Detroit coach Rod Marinelli said the team would wait for results of the exam before exploring other options for a starting quarterback.

After Culpepper was hurt, Drew Henson was sacked on the final play Sunday.

Dan Orlovsky hopes to be healthy enough to play this week after being out for a month with a wrist injury. Drew Stanton has been sidelined for two weeks with a concussion, but is expected to be ready to play, if necessary.

The Lions (0-13) will close at Indianapolis, against New Orleans and at Green Bay hoping to avoid being the NFL's first 0-16 team.

RETIREMENT

NFL'S TOP SCORER QUITS

Kicker Morten Andersen, the NFL's career-leading scorer, is retiring because of knee problems.

The 48-year-old Dane, who scored 2,544 points during his 25-year career, played for the Atlanta Falcons the past two seasons but wasn't able to get a contract this year. Andersen said yesterday he has given up his search and his NFL career.

"I realized I no longer can train in an optimal way because of my knees," Andersen told The Associated Press in a phone interview from Copenhagen, Denmark. "So I am retiring."

BRONCOS

HILLIS DONE FOR SEASON

Rookie Peyton Hillis has a torn right hamstring and is done for the season, becoming the fifth Denver tailback to go on injured reserve.

Coach Mike Shanahan said Hillis will need eight weeks to recover and might need surgery. Hillis was hurt Sunday after an acrobatic catch against Kansas City when he was bent over with his right leg planted and his knee locked on the tackle.

"It's always tough to lose a guy like that," Shanahan said. "But he will be good for the future. He's proved that he can play tailback in the National Football League, and that one catch he made was probably as good a catch as you could make in a very tough situation and unfortunately, he pulled his hamstring making that catch."

Hillis joined tailbacks Andre Hall, Michael Pittman, Anthony Alridge and Ryan Torain on IR. Plus, Selvin Young, the starter when the season began, has carried just once in the last two months because of a torn groin.

PATRIOTS

INJURIES MOUNTING

Bill Belichick isn't shedding any light on New England's growing injury situation.

The coach said he had no update on any of the players who missed most of Sunday's 24-21 win at Seattle after being hurt. Linebacker Tedy Bruschi injured his knee, nose tackle Wince Wilfork left with a shoulder injury and safety James Sanders hurt his ribs.

New England already has lost two defensive starters for the season: safety Rodney Harrison and linebacker Adalius Thomas. And starting defensive end Ty Warren missed Sunday's game with a thigh injury.

BENGALS

QB PALMER TO THROW

Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer will throw for longer distances this week, an encouraging development as he tests his injured passing elbow.

Palmer hasn't played since Oct. 5 because a tendon and ligament in his right elbow are partially torn from the bone. He rested the elbow for two months and resumed throwing last week, hoping the elbow has healed and won't need surgery.

Coach Marvin Lewis said yesterday that Palmer will increase the throwing distance this week. He started by throwing the ball about 15 yards, and has increased the distance a little more as he went along.

ELSEWHERE

Redskins: Five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels is out for the season with a torn right triceps. Samuels was injured in Sunday night's 24-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Right tackle Jon Jansen was also hurt in the game and an MRI yesterday revealed a sprained MCL in his left knee.

Saints: New Orleans placed kick returner Courtney Roby on injured reserve and waived cornerback David Pittman yesterday, a necessary move following a federal judge's decision to block the suspensions of Will Smith and Deuce McAllister.

Packers: Veteran right tackle Mark Tauscher will miss Green Bay's last three games of the season because of a serious left knee injury. Tauscher has a torn ACL.