SCHERERVILLE, Ind. — Northwestern Indiana is full of Chicago Bears fans, but many of them feel jilted by the team over playoff tickets.
The Bears will play a home playoff game on Jan. 14 or 15, with tickets to go on sale Monday. The Ticketmaster Web site, however, declares that ticket sales are limited to Illinois residents and out-of-state orders will not be accepted.
While a team spokesman said the policy is intended to limit the number of tickets bought by non-Bears fans and ticket brokers, some longtime fans from Indiana are livid they won't have a chance to attend the game.
"I live 30, 35 minutes away. But people that live five hours away in southern Illinois and aren't even going to go to the game have a chance to buy 'em — and I can't," said Adam Paulson, who lives in the Lake County town of Schererville. "These brokers, I guarantee you, are going to find a way around this. This is ridiculous."
Bears spokesman Scott Hagel said the same restriction on ticket sales was used in 2001, the last time the team had a home playoff game.
"We obviously know there are a lot of rabid Bears fans in northwest Indiana, just as there are in eastern Iowa, southwest Michigan and southern Wisconsin," he said. "It's not an exact science. It's an exciting time, and we want everyone to feel a part of it, but you have to draw the border somewhere."
BRUNELL TO START: Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said he expects quarterback Mark Brunell to start Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. Brunell sprained his right knee in last week's victory over the New York Giants, but he practiced Friday for the second straight day. "Mark took most of the script and looked good," Gibbs said. "I'm sure that's the way we'll start." The Redskins will clinch a playoff spot with a victory.
LEFTWICH REMAINS IFFY: The Jacksonville Jaguars will wait until gametime Sunday before deciding whether quarterback Byron Leftwich will return to the lineup against the Tennessee Titans. Leftwich, out since breaking his left ankle Nov. 27, returned to practice this week. "Byron has progressed well during the week and was a little better each day," coach Jack Del Rio said Friday. "But I'm not going to declare whether he'll play until I have to." During Leftwich's absence, backup David Garrard guided the Jaguars to three wins in four games and the team clinched the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs.
TEXANS PUT WELLS ON IR: The Houston Texans placed backup running back Jonathan Wells on injured reserve Friday, leaving rookie Vernand Morency as the starter for Sunday's finale against San Francisco. Wells bruised his thigh against Jacksonville last week. He started the last two games in place of Domanick Davis. Davis was placed on injured reserve earlier this week after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.
2 RAMS SIGN EXTENSIONS: St. Louis Rams middle linebacker Trev Faulk, who'll make his fifth start in the season finale, on Friday signed a one-year contract extension. The Rams also signed offensive lineman Ben Noll to a one-year extension.
COWBOYS' BURNETT OUT: The Dallas Cowboys put rookie Kevin Burnett on injured reserve Friday because of a torn knee ligament. Burnett, a second-round pick who has seen playing time lately, was injured "jogging around on a punt return" during practice Thursday, coach Bill Parcells said. Parcells said he expects Burnett to be ready by training camp and perhaps even for some of the offseason training program.