WARNER WILL MISS

8 TO 10 WEEKS

ST. LOUIS -- It'll be December before the St. Louis Rams, hurting with an 0-4 start, get their MVP quarterback back.

Kurt Warner will be sidelined 8-to-10 weeks with the pinkie on his throwing hand broken in two places, and will have surgery this morning.

"He's upset, he's very upset, but he understands," coach Mike Martz said. "There's nothing you can do about it."

The quarterback was injured in the first quarter of Sunday's 13-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The Rams estimated Sunday he would be sidelined at least a month, but because this is a compound fracture the recovery period will be a lot longer.

Two years ago, Warner had surgery on the same broken finger on his right hand and missed five games. That time, two pins helped the fracture heal. This time, three pins will be inserted in the break, below the joint at the base of the finger.

Dr. Matt Matava, one of the Rams' orthopedic surgeons, said if everything goes well Warner will begin moving the finger in 3 1-2 to four weeks. The pins will come out after five weeks and X-rays will monitor the extent of the healing process during rehabilitation.

Matava said the earlier break was not a factor in Sunday's injury.

-- AP