Babineaux will miss 3-5 weeks after suffering a partially torn MCL in the season opener, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.||||||| Babineaux won't undergo surgery, but may later. Corey Peters hopes to return this week.

The NFL has suspended Babineaux for one game following his arrest last year on marijuana charges.||||||| Babineaux will miss the Falcons' Sept. 12 opening game at Pittsburgh. He also has been fined one week's pay, $260,000 of his $2.2 million salary.

Babineaux, facing a felony marijuana possession charge, said Wednesday he is sorry ``for being a distraction'' to the Atlanta Falcons.||||||| Babineaux said he is embarrassed and included Falcons owner Arthur Blank, general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith in his apology. "First and foremost, I want to apologize for being a distraction to my family, to my teammates,'' Babineaux said in his first public statement since his arrest Thursday night.

A police report says Babineaux was smoking marijuana as he and a friend drove through the northeast Atlanta suburbs.||||||| The Gwinnett County police report says Babineaux picked up a friend at the Atlanta airport and took him to a nearby town house to buy marijuana. Babineaux was arrested last week and charged with felony possession of marijuana. He started in Sunday's loss to New Orleans. Falcons coach Mike Smith said Monday the team followed NFL rules in letting him play. The Falcons had no immediate comment Tuesday.