Sports briefly: Doctor punctures Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor's lung

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor missed last Sunday's game because a team doctor accidentally punctured his lung.

Coach Anthony Lynn said Taylor is still not 100% and that rookie Justin Herbert will get his second NFL start on Sunday against the Panthers.

Lynn said he wasn't angry about what occurred because the mistake wasn't intentional.

"There were complications with the shot, but I know the man [who gave it)]. ... People make mistakes. It is something we will talk about internally," Lynn said.

Herbert was the Chargers' surprise starter in last Sunday's 23-20 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Lynn said he didn't find out until less than five minutes before kickoff that Taylor would be unable to play.

•Jimmy Garoppolo missed practice because of a sprained ankle and is unlikely to return this week, setting the stage for backup Nick Mullens to possibly make his first start at quarterback for the Frncisco 49ers against the Giants.

Defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas were placed on injured reserve after tearing their ACLs last week and will miss the rest of the season.

The injuries last week happened on the same MetLife turf the Niners will play on this week against the Giants. Players complained about the surface and have expressed anxiety about returning to it this week despite assurances from the league that it is safe.

•The Panthers placed running back Christian McCaffrey on short-term injured reserve, meaning the All-Pro running back will miss at least three games because of a high ankle sprain.

•Two-time Pro Bowl halfback Devonta Freeman signed with the Giants.

•Eagles receiver and first-round pick Jalen Reagor is expected to miss several weeks because of a torn UCL ligament in his thumb.

•The Jaguars will be without place-kicker Josh Lambo for at least the next three games because of a hip injury.

The latest team forced to bail on Houston was North Texas, which said it would not be able to field a team for Saturday's road game after four positive tests this week. The school didn't specify an affected position group or how many additional people needed to self isolate because of contact tracing.

Tulsa's scheduled game at Arkansas State this week was also postponed. Arkansas State said only that it was unable to assemble a two-deep depth chart at an unspecified position.

Earlier in the day, the Atlantic Coast Conference rescheduled Notre Dame's game at Wake Forest for Dec. 12. The seventh-ranked Fighting Irish could not play Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C., because of 13 players in isolation with COVID-19 and 10 more in quarantine due to contact tracing.

•Ohio State's athletic department will cut 25 jobs, furlough hundreds of other employees and ask coaches and others to take 5% pay cuts to help grapple with a projected $107 million budget deficit due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NCAA has approved plans for championships in eight fall sports to be held in the spring, including volleyball, women's soccer, cross-country and FCS football.

The volleyball season will begin Jan. 22, with the Final Four on April 23-25. Women's soccer will start Feb. 3 and conclude with the NCAA championship May 13-17. FCS programs can play as many as eight regular-season spring games in a 13-week period ending April 17, with the FCS championship game held the weekend of May 14-16.

Men's and women's cross-country will hold their NCAA championships March 15, with 255 athletes per gender.