National Football League

Bucs' Nicks inactive; Banks will play vs Eagles

Published Oct. 13, 2013 5:43 p.m. ET

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Tampa Bay's Carl Nicks is inactive for Sunday's game against Philadelphia because of a recurrence of a MRSA infection in his left foot. Teammate Johnthan Banks, who also has the staph infection, will play after being cleared by the NFL.

Nicks also missed the first two games of the season while being treated for MRSA. Banks was diagnosed as having MRSA on Thursday and was cleared to play Saturday, when the league and players union said in a joint statement a medical specialist concluded the rookie ''does not pose a risk of transmission to other players.''

Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick (hamstring) is active, but isn't starting. The Eagles are going with backup Nick Foles, making his seventh career start.

Philadelphia's inactives are cornerbacks Shaun Porter and Jordan Poyer, tackles Matt Tobin and Dennis Kelly, tight ends Emil Igwenagu and James Casey and defensive end Damion Square.

Banks, a second-round draft pick out of Mississippi State, is the third Tampa Bay player diagnosed with MRSA. Cases involving Nicks and kicker Lawrence Tynes, who's on the non-football injury list, were discovered during training camp in August.

The Bucs have had a professional company clean One Buc Place, the team's training facility, twice and flew in an infectious disease expert to speak with players last week. That came after Nicks had a recurrence and the team later learned Banks also had MRSA, which is a staph infection that is resistant to many common antibiotics.

After missing the first two games of the season, Nicks played in losses to New England and Arizona.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org

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