left tackle Jammal Brown sidelined indefinitely with possible sports hernia. <h1>New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans tangle in fight-marred practice Thursday morning</h1> <div class="photo-center large">
<span class="byline">Chuck Cook/The Times-Picayun</span><span class="caption">A scrum develops as members of the Saints defense and the Texans scrap on the field.</span> </div>
One day after an amiable pair of workouts between the New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans, tensions boiled over between the teams during an intense practice on Thursday morning at Reliant Park.</p>
Four fights - two on each field within an hour of each other - erupted during the teams' final intra-squad workout against each other in preparation for Saturday night's exhibition game at Reliant Stadium</p><a rel="nofollow" name="more"></a>
The final fight was the most intense. Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey and Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans went toe to toe after jockeying for a short incomplete pass in the right flat. Shockey appeared to take exception to Ryans' tight coverage and swung a right back fist at him after the play. Ryans shoved Shockey back and the melee began. Ryans and linebacker Xavier Adabi teamed to take Shockey to the ground and a dog pile ensued.</p> <div style="margin: 0pt 15px 15px 0pt; padding: 15px; width: 140px; float: left;"> <p style="margin-top: 0pt; font-size: 15px;"></p>
</div>
"I haven't seen this many fights in my whole career," Saints safety Darren Sharper said. "From our team, now against another team. I've been used to having a lot of loving teams in training camp. (But) we're doing a little bit of brawling. We've got a lot of testosterone and built up a lot of anger. No, this is the most fights I've seen at training camp in my career."</p>
Saints tight end Buck Ortega and linebacker Troy Evans, a former Texan, also insitigated bench-clearning incidents.</p>
Fortunately, no players were injured in any of the melees.</p>
Some Texans players apparently took exception to the Saints' physical practice habits and their penchant for ball-hawking, even after the play. Some even accused the Saints afterward of being cheap-shot artists, according to members of the Houston media.</p>
.</p> <div class="photo-right medium">
<span class="byline">Chuck Cook / The Times-Picayune</span><span class="caption">The Saints' Rod Coleman and the Texans' Vontra Leach are at the bottom of the pile during the second fight at the morning practice.</span> </div>
One day after an amiable pair of workouts between the New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans, tensions boiled over between the teams during an intense practice on Thursday morning at Reliant Park.</p>
Four fights - two on each field within an hour of each other - erupted during the teams' final intra-squad workout against each other in preparation for Saturday night's exhibition game at Reliant Stadium</p><a rel="nofollow" name="more"></a>
The final fight was the most intense. Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey and Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans went toe to toe after jockeying for a short incomplete pass in the right flat. Shockey appeared to take exception to Ryans' tight coverage and swung a right back fist at him after the play. Ryans shoved Shockey back and the melee began. Ryans and linebacker Xavier Adabi teamed to take Shockey to the ground and a dog pile ensued.</p> <div style="margin: 0pt 15px 15px 0pt; padding: 15px; width: 140px; float: left;"> <p style="margin-top: 0pt; font-size: 15px;"></p>
</div>
"I haven't seen this many fights in my whole career," Saints safety Darren Sharper said. "From our team, now against another team. I've been used to having a lot of loving teams in training camp. (But) we're doing a little bit of brawling. We've got a lot of testosterone and built up a lot of anger. No, this is the most fights I've seen at training camp in my career."</p>
Saints tight end Buck Ortega and linebacker Troy Evans, a former Texan, also insitigated bench-clearning incidents.</p>
Fortunately, no players were injured in any of the melees.</p>
Some Texans players apparently took exception to the Saints' physical practice habits and their penchant for ball-hawking, even after the play. Some even accused the Saints afterward of being cheap-shot artists, according to members of the Houston media.</p>
.</p> <div class="photo-right medium">
