TO a TV star, Mikell impresses, and Collins is back

While Terrell Owens idles away his time waiting to get back into the NFL, the loquacious receiver has focused his attention on his more natural career — acting.

Owens, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament and had surgery in early April, filmed an episode of the USA sitcom Necessary Roughness on Wednesday at the Georgia Dome. He said his knee is a couple months away from being completely healed and though no team has contacted him, he still expects to play this season.

He may not have to — Liz Kruger, the executive producer and creator of Necessary Roughness, said Owens has the potential to become a good actor and is eager to learn.

"He has the personality," Kruger said. "It's a charisma you can't learn."

MIKELL MAKES AN IMPRESSION. Quintin Mikell has been impressing people at the St. Louis Rams' camp, quickly justifying one of the first post-lockout deals.

On July 26, the first day teams could negotiate with free agents, the safety Mikell agreed to a four-year, $27 million contract with St. Louis. The first two years, which total $14 million, are guaranteed.

That's a great pay day for a guy who wasn't recruited out of high school, walked on a Boise State to become a two-time conference defensive player of the year, then went undrafted and basically walked onto the Eagles in 2003.

Mikell, who turns 31 on Sept. 26, will see the Eagles in the season opener on Sunday, Sept. 11. He'll be fully committed to the Rams.

"It definitely was a lot of heartache, a lot of ups and downs, going down that road," he told Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Feeling like you should be playing, and dealing with a whole bunch of different things.

"To finally feel appreciated was probably the biggest thing. I'm not saying I wasn't appreciated in Philly, but to feel like I was wanted once I hit the open market, it was just perfect."

As the song says, see you in September.

THEY'RE NO. 1. In case you were wondering why the Redskins signed Eagles' castoff Sav Rocca after the lockout ended, look no further — Washington is the worst punting team of the millennium: last in overall average (40.9) since 2000. Last in net average (34.5) since 2002.

The Redskins have used 14 punters in regular season games since 1999 — not counting placekickers called into emergency duty because of injuries. They've gone through seven punters over the past four years, including three last season. And they they still stink.

So that's why Sav Rocca's 37-year-old leg is still employed.

AND THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMING. The Giants finished 10-6 last season and just missed the playoffs, but have been riddled so far this summer.

First they lost TE Kevin Boss to the Raiders in free agency, then they lost WR Steve Smith to the Eagles.

Then it got really nasty.

Cornerbacks Terrell Thomas and Brian Witherspoon and defensive tackle Marvin Austin all were lost for the season after suffering injuries in Monday's preseason game. And that disaster came on the heels of first-round pick Prince Amukamara breaking his foot and backup cornerback Bruce Johnson tearing his Achilles.

The Gints visit the Eagles on Sunday, Sept. 25. Get your popcorn!

COLLINS HEADS TO INDY. Less than a week after Indianapolis owner Jim Irsay cryptically tweeted that Peyton Manning may miss the start of the regular season, the Colts added Kerry Collins, a 16-year NFL veteran to give them some credibility at quarterback.

Prior to that, Indianapolis had been heading into Week 1 with Curtis Painter and Dan Orlovsky behind Manning.  (No -- I don't know anything about them, either).

Collins, who'll be 39 before the season's over, obviously has seen better days. But he's made the playoffs in Carolina, New York and Tennessee and at least will be able to carry Manning's weighty clip board for a few weeks.

And look on the bright side -- if Chad Henne makes it to opening day in Miami, Wilson High in Berks County once again will have two starting NFL quarterbacks.

TAKE A LOOK. If you are one of us who channel surf between innings of the Phillies games, there's a pre-season game on Saturday night that rates a peek.

New England has been trying to improve on the offensive line ever since Tom Brady got beat up a bit in the second half of last season. The Pats' line will get a serious test against Detroit's big-time pass rush.

NO DEAL FOR CHRIS JOHNSON. Tennessee general manager Mike Reinfeldt said Wednesday's meeting with Chris Johnson was beneficial even though no deal was reached to end the running back's holdout. The GM expects to talk with the running back's agent again in the "next day or so." Neither Johnson nor his agent immediately responded to messages from The Associated Press.

NO WORD ON BRITT. Titans receiver Kenny Britt met with commissioner Roger Goodell in New York on Tuesday to discuss the four arrest warrants issued the former Rutgers star during the lockout. Britt said Goodell promised to make a quick decision on any disciplinary action.

BUTLER AND STANFEL GET NOD. Defensive back Jack Butler and offensive lineman Dick Stanfel, members of the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1950s, have been named by the Pro Football Hall of Fame's seniors committee as finalists for election into with the Class of 2012. Butler, a cornerback from St. Bonaventure, played nine seasons with the Steelers from 1951-59. Stanfel, a guard from the University of San Francisco, was named to five Pro Bowls and won to NFL titles with the Detroit Lions.

Contact Don McKee at dmckee@phillynews.com