Umenyiora frustrated after Giants’ poor effort

An incredulous Osi Umenyiora expressed his frustration after the New York Giants’ dismal performance against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday and wondered whether he had played his last game with the team.

“I couldn’t really explain what I’m feeling right now. Disappointment is an understatement - in everything. The way everything has played out this year has been absolute nonsense, very disappointed, disheartened, discouraged, whatever you want to call it,” Umenyiora said after the Giants’ 41-9 loss to the Panthers.

“I feel all those emotions,” the two-time Pro Bowl defensive end said. “On a day like this, for us to come out and perform like that is unbelievable to me. I don’t even know what else to say.”

Umenyiora, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, lost his starting job to Mathias Kiwanuka earlier this month. He said he played about five plays Sunday in a loss that left the Giants (8-7) needing a ton of help to make the playoffs.

“I don’t know. I don’t know what happened,” Umenyiora said. “I thought I was the problem. It’s an unbelievable situation, man. Last game at Giants Stadium, probably as a Giant, just the way everything has unfolded has been unbelievable. I never would have dreamt this in a million years, but it is what it is. We live and we learn.”

BILLS: Terrell Owens had little chance to celebrate an important career milestone.

Owens became only the sixth player in NFL history to catch 1,000 passes Sunday in Atlanta, but his Buffalo Bills had too little offense in a lopsided loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Owens had four catches for 39 yards and said he didn’t make a big deal about joining Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, Cris Carter, Tim Brown and Isaac Bruce as the only players with 1,000 receptions.

“It doesn’t bother me,” Owens said. “I just go out and play the game. I’m blessed to be able to play this game and to play it at a productive level.”

Owens reached the milestone with an 8-yard catch in the second quarter. He had a 10-yard catch from Brian Brohm, making his first start, earlier in the drive.

BENGALS: Rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga broke his left ankle late in the first quarter of Cincinnati’s home win over Kansas City.

Maualuga limped to the sideline, then was put on a cart and taken for an exam that found the fracture.

The second-round draft pick has started every game on a toughened defense that has kept the Bengals in playoff contention.