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Jeffrey Lurie put Andy Reid on the clock with a pre-season decree that mediocrity was no longer acceptable.
With each grim defeat, the harsh reality becomes clear. If Lurie, the Eagles owner, remains true to his word, Reid will out of a job if Philadelphia continues to trudge through this season without a winning record or much hope for the future.
After an 8-8 season in 2011, Lurie called the results from this star-studded team unacceptable and said: “We need substantial improvement.”
So, needless to say, this is not what he expected.
The Eagles (3-5) again were sloppy, battered and inefficient inside the red zone in a 28-13 loss to New Orleans on Monday night, their fourth consecutive loss. And the struggles are on both sides of the ball.
Reid fired defensive co-ordinator Juan Castillo last month and the unit has only got worse.
While Reid reaffirmed his commitment to Michael Vick on Tuesday, the former dynamic quarterback is no longer the scrambling standout he once was behind a depleted offensive line.
Either way, Lurie’s edict hangs over the organization with each depressing loss. Reid said he can’t worry about Lurie’s win-or-else ultimatum, only about winning the next game, Sunday against Dallas (3-5).
“There is no time to think about those things,” Reid said. “The guys are worrying about getting themselves better to win football games. That’s number one.”
Reid, in his 14th season, sits on a hot seat that is blazing into an inferno. Fans want him out. Players are grumbling louder than ever. The respect and command Big Red once held over his team, the franchise and city’s fan base with a grip larger than his waistline, has crashed. The questions come at him faster than the blitz on a confused Vick: Has he lost the respect of the team? Have the Eagles quit? Does he like the character of his team?
Read the transcript and it indeed looks as if he’s focused on the cause, no matter what. In fact, it appears — on paper, at least — as if Reid is as optimistic as he’s ever been.
“I saw guys playing hard.”
“I do like the character of this team.”
“I would expect them to continue to battle through and good things will happen.”
But standing at the podium inside the Eagles practice facility, Reid sounded defeated.
Never a bombastic personality, a glum Reid mumbled his way through his answers and repeated many of the same refrains he’s used since the skid started, namely blaming himself, and the need to put his team in better position to win.
He said the Eagles were “just off a little bit” and an Eagles’ turnaround hinged on “getting a few things tightened up.”
The Eagles need more than a tune-up. They might need another coach to go under the hood and totally rebuild what had been one of the proudest and most successful, franchises in the NFL for most of the last 15 years.
The enigmatic Eagles won the final four games of last season to finish off a disappointing year at 8-8 and gave Lurie a reason to grant Reid another season. At this rate of losing, though, Reid may not return for Year 15.
Read more: NFL Eagles
With each grim defeat, the harsh reality becomes clear. If Lurie, the Eagles owner, remains true to his word, Reid will out of a job if Philadelphia continues to trudge through this season without a winning record or much hope for the future.
After an 8-8 season in 2011, Lurie called the results from this star-studded team unacceptable and said: “We need substantial improvement.”
So, needless to say, this is not what he expected.
The Eagles (3-5) again were sloppy, battered and inefficient inside the red zone in a 28-13 loss to New Orleans on Monday night, their fourth consecutive loss. And the struggles are on both sides of the ball.
Reid fired defensive co-ordinator Juan Castillo last month and the unit has only got worse.
While Reid reaffirmed his commitment to Michael Vick on Tuesday, the former dynamic quarterback is no longer the scrambling standout he once was behind a depleted offensive line.
Either way, Lurie’s edict hangs over the organization with each depressing loss. Reid said he can’t worry about Lurie’s win-or-else ultimatum, only about winning the next game, Sunday against Dallas (3-5).
“There is no time to think about those things,” Reid said. “The guys are worrying about getting themselves better to win football games. That’s number one.”
Reid, in his 14th season, sits on a hot seat that is blazing into an inferno. Fans want him out. Players are grumbling louder than ever. The respect and command Big Red once held over his team, the franchise and city’s fan base with a grip larger than his waistline, has crashed. The questions come at him faster than the blitz on a confused Vick: Has he lost the respect of the team? Have the Eagles quit? Does he like the character of his team?
Read the transcript and it indeed looks as if he’s focused on the cause, no matter what. In fact, it appears — on paper, at least — as if Reid is as optimistic as he’s ever been.
“I saw guys playing hard.”
“I do like the character of this team.”
“I would expect them to continue to battle through and good things will happen.”
But standing at the podium inside the Eagles practice facility, Reid sounded defeated.
Never a bombastic personality, a glum Reid mumbled his way through his answers and repeated many of the same refrains he’s used since the skid started, namely blaming himself, and the need to put his team in better position to win.
He said the Eagles were “just off a little bit” and an Eagles’ turnaround hinged on “getting a few things tightened up.”
The Eagles need more than a tune-up. They might need another coach to go under the hood and totally rebuild what had been one of the proudest and most successful, franchises in the NFL for most of the last 15 years.
The enigmatic Eagles won the final four games of last season to finish off a disappointing year at 8-8 and gave Lurie a reason to grant Reid another season. At this rate of losing, though, Reid may not return for Year 15.
Read more: NFL Eagles
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The San Diego Chargers have been fined $20,000 by the National Football League (NFL) for failing "to immediately surrender" towels when directed to do so by an official during an Oct. 15 game against the Denver Broncos.
However the NFL also said in a statement on Wednesday that, based on its investigation into the use of grip-improving 'Stickum' towels, the Chargers had not infringed any rule.
"Following a review ... the NFL has determined that the club did not violate a competitive rule by use of the towels," the league said.
"However, NFL game officials are charged with protecting the integrity and competitive fairness of the games and club staff members, like players and coaches, have a clear obligation to cooperate in this effort and comply with the direction of game officials.
"As a result of the failure of club staff to follow the directive of a game official to immediately surrender the towels when directed to do so, and to attempt to conceal the towels, the Chargers have been fined $20,000."
The league also said that, after consulting with its competition committee, it had advised all clubs that the use of towels or other products containing any type of adhesive substance was prohibited on game days until further notice.
The Chargers, who lost that Oct 15 game 35-24 after blowing a 24-0 halftime lead, said they would appeal the fine.
"Our staff member was unaware that the game official was trying to get his attention and he cooperated fully once he became aware," the Chargers said in a statement.
Stickum, an adhesive used to help improve grip, is widely available in powder, paste and aerosol forms. Its use in the NFL was banned in 1981 under the Lester Hayes rule named after the Raiders player known for using it. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
(Reuters)
However the NFL also said in a statement on Wednesday that, based on its investigation into the use of grip-improving 'Stickum' towels, the Chargers had not infringed any rule.
"Following a review ... the NFL has determined that the club did not violate a competitive rule by use of the towels," the league said.
"However, NFL game officials are charged with protecting the integrity and competitive fairness of the games and club staff members, like players and coaches, have a clear obligation to cooperate in this effort and comply with the direction of game officials.
"As a result of the failure of club staff to follow the directive of a game official to immediately surrender the towels when directed to do so, and to attempt to conceal the towels, the Chargers have been fined $20,000."
The league also said that, after consulting with its competition committee, it had advised all clubs that the use of towels or other products containing any type of adhesive substance was prohibited on game days until further notice.
The Chargers, who lost that Oct 15 game 35-24 after blowing a 24-0 halftime lead, said they would appeal the fine.
"Our staff member was unaware that the game official was trying to get his attention and he cooperated fully once he became aware," the Chargers said in a statement.
Stickum, an adhesive used to help improve grip, is widely available in powder, paste and aerosol forms. Its use in the NFL was banned in 1981 under the Lester Hayes rule named after the Raiders player known for using it. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
(Reuters)
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There's an inevitable consequence to the Miami Dolphins' defense being No. 3 in the NFL against the run – passing. The Dolphins' defensive backs are getting peppered at a NFL-high rate of 44.5 pass attempts per game.
"When you've got our front seven playing the way they're playing teams have no other choice but to put the ball in the air a lot," Miami safety Reshad Jones said. Tennessee could break the mold this week because the Titans feature running back Chris Johnson, who earned the moniker "CJ2K" after rushing for 2,006 yards in 2009. Johnson has rushed for 221 yards on 46 carries (4.8 yards per carry) in two career games against Miami. So far this season he's rushed for 736 yards on 147 carries (5.0 ypc).
However, the Titans also bring a respectable receiving trio among Nate Washington, Kenny Britt and rookie Kendall Wright. Washington (30 receptions, 478 yards, four touchdowns), Britt (57 receptions, 276 yards, one touchdown), and Wright (42 receptions, 381 yards, three touchdowns) have showed big-play and possession receiving skills.
Making it more tempting for the Titans is the Dolphins rank 29th in pass defense having allowed three 300-yard passers. At times Miami's secondary has had issues with deep passes as well as receivers gaining yards after short passes due to poor tackling. Indianapolis hit the Dolphins with both last week. Read More: Are NFL teams picking on Miami's secondary? - South Florida Sun-Sentinel-com
"When you've got our front seven playing the way they're playing teams have no other choice but to put the ball in the air a lot," Miami safety Reshad Jones said. Tennessee could break the mold this week because the Titans feature running back Chris Johnson, who earned the moniker "CJ2K" after rushing for 2,006 yards in 2009. Johnson has rushed for 221 yards on 46 carries (4.8 yards per carry) in two career games against Miami. So far this season he's rushed for 736 yards on 147 carries (5.0 ypc).
However, the Titans also bring a respectable receiving trio among Nate Washington, Kenny Britt and rookie Kendall Wright. Washington (30 receptions, 478 yards, four touchdowns), Britt (57 receptions, 276 yards, one touchdown), and Wright (42 receptions, 381 yards, three touchdowns) have showed big-play and possession receiving skills.
Making it more tempting for the Titans is the Dolphins rank 29th in pass defense having allowed three 300-yard passers. At times Miami's secondary has had issues with deep passes as well as receivers gaining yards after short passes due to poor tackling. Indianapolis hit the Dolphins with both last week. Read More: Are NFL teams picking on Miami's secondary? - South Florida Sun-Sentinel-com
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Patriots running back Brandon Bolden hasn’t played since Oct. 14, leaving the game at Seattle with a knee injury that has kept him off the practice and game fields ever since.
He won’t be able to return now until Dec. 3 at the earliest, even if his knee improves. Bolden, a rookie from Mississippi, was suspended four games by the NFL on Friday for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
The league announced the suspension, but would not specify which substance triggered the action.
Bolden is second on the team with 234 rushing yards, and his 5.4-yard average leads the Patriots. He’s added two touchdowns, providing his team a consistent pop in the backfield.
The suspension begins immediately, which means Bolden will miss games against the Bills (Sunday), Colts (Nov. 18), Jets (Nov. 22), and Dolphins (Dec. 2).
Bolden will be eligible to return to the team Dec. 3, and would next be able to play in the Dec. 10 game against the Texans.
Bolden, who has a base salary of $390,000 this season, stands to lose $97,500, because the suspension is without pay.
Undrafted out of Ole Miss, Bolden made the team with a strong training camp. He had his best game of the season in a 52-28 Week 4 win at Buffalo, rushing for a career-high 137 yards, the only time he’s topped 100 yards. He followed that with 14 carries for 54 yards the next week against the Broncos, and had rushed for 28 yards in the Seattle game when he got hurt.
Bolden’s been inactive the past two games, and didn’t practice at all this week.
The Patriots have won two straight games without Bolden, using Stevan Ridley at running back, plus reserves Danny Woodhead and Shane Vereen.
NFL suspends Brandon Bolden 4 games - Patriots - Boston-com
He won’t be able to return now until Dec. 3 at the earliest, even if his knee improves. Bolden, a rookie from Mississippi, was suspended four games by the NFL on Friday for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
The league announced the suspension, but would not specify which substance triggered the action.
Bolden is second on the team with 234 rushing yards, and his 5.4-yard average leads the Patriots. He’s added two touchdowns, providing his team a consistent pop in the backfield.
The suspension begins immediately, which means Bolden will miss games against the Bills (Sunday), Colts (Nov. 18), Jets (Nov. 22), and Dolphins (Dec. 2).
Bolden will be eligible to return to the team Dec. 3, and would next be able to play in the Dec. 10 game against the Texans.
Bolden, who has a base salary of $390,000 this season, stands to lose $97,500, because the suspension is without pay.
Undrafted out of Ole Miss, Bolden made the team with a strong training camp. He had his best game of the season in a 52-28 Week 4 win at Buffalo, rushing for a career-high 137 yards, the only time he’s topped 100 yards. He followed that with 14 carries for 54 yards the next week against the Broncos, and had rushed for 28 yards in the Seattle game when he got hurt.
Bolden’s been inactive the past two games, and didn’t practice at all this week.
The Patriots have won two straight games without Bolden, using Stevan Ridley at running back, plus reserves Danny Woodhead and Shane Vereen.
NFL suspends Brandon Bolden 4 games - Patriots - Boston-com
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There’s nothing quite like a victory over an arch nemesis to sweeten a flawless record — a fact not lost on the unbeaten Atlanta Falcons or resurgent New Orleans Saints as they renew one of the league’s more spirited and longstanding rivalries.
“There is so much history between the two teams. We have played each other for such a long time and I think that adds to it,” Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said. “There are so many people from Georgia and Louisiana that cross paths and live in those areas, so the fan aspect lends a lot to it as well. It’s fun to be a part of that.”
Now that Atlanta (8-0) has made it half way through its schedule without a loss for the first time in franchise history, the prospect of perfection has become a subplot to the Falcons’ season. To accomplish that, Atlanta will have to beat New Orleans (3-5) twice, with the first meeting coming this Sunday in the Superdome.
Outspoken Falcons receiver Roddy White pronounced this week that he believes Atlanta has “the pedigree” to run the table, which, back at Saints headquarters, drew a grin from Saints defensive end Will Smith.
“They’ve got to go 9-0 before they go 16-0, so I think he’s kind of getting a little ahead of himself,” Smith said. “I think they just need to take it one game at a time.”
While this season, played in the unavoidable and distracting context of the bounty scandal, has been a struggle for the Saints, they have won three of their last four. New Orleans also has pretty much owned the Falcons since Drew Brees’ arrival in the Big Easy in 2006.
With Brees under center, New Orleans is 10-2 against Atlanta. Odds makers still are listing the Falcons as favorites, but by less than a field goal.
“Anytime you have division games there (is) always something extra to it,” Ryan said. “For me, it’s a team I have a lot of respect for. I think they have been tough to play against.”
The game is about as high-stakes as a midseason contest can be for New Orleans, which has not yet given up on its long-shot hopes of clawing its way back into the wild card race.
“It’s a big game,” Brees said. “The fans probably view it as hatred more. The players, it feels like every time we play the Falcons it’s such a big game, whether it be our standings or the meaning of the game (or) just the fact that we’re divisional opponents (and) we always know it’s going to be a 16-round bout. But, I think it’s kind of obvious that there’s an extreme competitiveness on both sides knowing what type of game this will be.”
The last time these teams met last December, New Orleans turned it into a 45-16 beat-down in which Brees eclipsed Dan Marino’s 1984 single-season record of 5,084 yards passing. Brees went on to set the mark at 5,476, and returns this season with most of last year’s record-setting offense still intact.
Marques Colston is on track to surpass 1,000 yards receiving and has six TDs in his past five games. Tight end Jimmy Graham has five touchdown catches. Darren Sproles has been hampered by a broken left hand, but Saints running backs Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram and Chris Ivory combined last weekend for nearly 140 yards on the ground, while Thomas and Ingram each averaged better than 10 yards a catch out of the backfield.
In addition, New Orleans will be facing a defense giving up 127.5 yards per game on the ground, worse than every team in the NFC except the Saints, who are yielding a conference-worst 176.5 yards rushing a game.
Overall, the Saints are allowing a league-worst average of 471.3 yards per game, over 50 yards more than the next-worst team. New Orleans even yielded more than 400 yards to Philadelphia last week, but allowed only 13 points because of strong stands deep in its own territory. The Saints’ defense produced seven sacks, an interception for a score and a fumble recovery against the Eagles, but may very well struggle to repeat those feats against Atlanta.
Ryan has proven he is about as poised as a quarterback can be, distributing the ball quickly and decisively to a range of skill players. He has two big-play receivers in White (709 yards, four TDS) and second-year pro Julio Jones (628 yards, five TDs). Then there’s seemingly ageless veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez, who keeps threatening to retire after this season, even though he’s having one of the better campaigns of his career, now with a team-leading 50 catches for 495 yards and four scores.
Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt, overseeing the coaching staff while Sean Payton serves his season-long bounty suspension, said Gonzalez remains one of the premier tight ends in the NFL and that his presence complicates matters for defenses already struggling to contain White an Jones.
Vitt also noted that Atlanta, this season in particular, has been able to combine talent with intelligent, fundamentally sound football. Atlanta is plus-10 in the turnover column, fourth best in the NFL, and is the least penalized team in the league.
“There’s a recipe to be 8-0 and they’ve got that recipe going right now,” said Vitt, who was part of the Saints’ staff when New Orleans opened 2009 13-0 en route to Super Bowl title. “They’re extremely confident. They’ve won some tight football games. They’re executing extremely well. They’re not shooting themselves in the foot with needless penalties. They’re winning the turnover takeaway battle, so there’s a reason they’re on a roll.”
The Falcons also have a number of level-headed veteran leaders such as Gonzalez, who is determined not to allow his team to enter the Superdome overconfident, regardless of how much the Saints and their beleaguered defense may have struggled to date.
“Obviously they’re our archrivals,” Gonzalez said. “They have every reason to come out and play hard, just like we do. It’s going to be tough for us to go in there and get that victory, but I think we’re up to the challenge.”
Read more: RN-T.com - NFL Falcons hope to keep streak alive vs Saints
“There is so much history between the two teams. We have played each other for such a long time and I think that adds to it,” Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said. “There are so many people from Georgia and Louisiana that cross paths and live in those areas, so the fan aspect lends a lot to it as well. It’s fun to be a part of that.”
Now that Atlanta (8-0) has made it half way through its schedule without a loss for the first time in franchise history, the prospect of perfection has become a subplot to the Falcons’ season. To accomplish that, Atlanta will have to beat New Orleans (3-5) twice, with the first meeting coming this Sunday in the Superdome.
Outspoken Falcons receiver Roddy White pronounced this week that he believes Atlanta has “the pedigree” to run the table, which, back at Saints headquarters, drew a grin from Saints defensive end Will Smith.
“They’ve got to go 9-0 before they go 16-0, so I think he’s kind of getting a little ahead of himself,” Smith said. “I think they just need to take it one game at a time.”
While this season, played in the unavoidable and distracting context of the bounty scandal, has been a struggle for the Saints, they have won three of their last four. New Orleans also has pretty much owned the Falcons since Drew Brees’ arrival in the Big Easy in 2006.
With Brees under center, New Orleans is 10-2 against Atlanta. Odds makers still are listing the Falcons as favorites, but by less than a field goal.
“Anytime you have division games there (is) always something extra to it,” Ryan said. “For me, it’s a team I have a lot of respect for. I think they have been tough to play against.”
The game is about as high-stakes as a midseason contest can be for New Orleans, which has not yet given up on its long-shot hopes of clawing its way back into the wild card race.
“It’s a big game,” Brees said. “The fans probably view it as hatred more. The players, it feels like every time we play the Falcons it’s such a big game, whether it be our standings or the meaning of the game (or) just the fact that we’re divisional opponents (and) we always know it’s going to be a 16-round bout. But, I think it’s kind of obvious that there’s an extreme competitiveness on both sides knowing what type of game this will be.”
The last time these teams met last December, New Orleans turned it into a 45-16 beat-down in which Brees eclipsed Dan Marino’s 1984 single-season record of 5,084 yards passing. Brees went on to set the mark at 5,476, and returns this season with most of last year’s record-setting offense still intact.
Marques Colston is on track to surpass 1,000 yards receiving and has six TDs in his past five games. Tight end Jimmy Graham has five touchdown catches. Darren Sproles has been hampered by a broken left hand, but Saints running backs Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram and Chris Ivory combined last weekend for nearly 140 yards on the ground, while Thomas and Ingram each averaged better than 10 yards a catch out of the backfield.
In addition, New Orleans will be facing a defense giving up 127.5 yards per game on the ground, worse than every team in the NFC except the Saints, who are yielding a conference-worst 176.5 yards rushing a game.
Overall, the Saints are allowing a league-worst average of 471.3 yards per game, over 50 yards more than the next-worst team. New Orleans even yielded more than 400 yards to Philadelphia last week, but allowed only 13 points because of strong stands deep in its own territory. The Saints’ defense produced seven sacks, an interception for a score and a fumble recovery against the Eagles, but may very well struggle to repeat those feats against Atlanta.
Ryan has proven he is about as poised as a quarterback can be, distributing the ball quickly and decisively to a range of skill players. He has two big-play receivers in White (709 yards, four TDS) and second-year pro Julio Jones (628 yards, five TDs). Then there’s seemingly ageless veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez, who keeps threatening to retire after this season, even though he’s having one of the better campaigns of his career, now with a team-leading 50 catches for 495 yards and four scores.
Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt, overseeing the coaching staff while Sean Payton serves his season-long bounty suspension, said Gonzalez remains one of the premier tight ends in the NFL and that his presence complicates matters for defenses already struggling to contain White an Jones.
Vitt also noted that Atlanta, this season in particular, has been able to combine talent with intelligent, fundamentally sound football. Atlanta is plus-10 in the turnover column, fourth best in the NFL, and is the least penalized team in the league.
“There’s a recipe to be 8-0 and they’ve got that recipe going right now,” said Vitt, who was part of the Saints’ staff when New Orleans opened 2009 13-0 en route to Super Bowl title. “They’re extremely confident. They’ve won some tight football games. They’re executing extremely well. They’re not shooting themselves in the foot with needless penalties. They’re winning the turnover takeaway battle, so there’s a reason they’re on a roll.”
The Falcons also have a number of level-headed veteran leaders such as Gonzalez, who is determined not to allow his team to enter the Superdome overconfident, regardless of how much the Saints and their beleaguered defense may have struggled to date.
“Obviously they’re our archrivals,” Gonzalez said. “They have every reason to come out and play hard, just like we do. It’s going to be tough for us to go in there and get that victory, but I think we’re up to the challenge.”
Read more: RN-T.com - NFL Falcons hope to keep streak alive vs Saints
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When I say 'ancient', I am referring to the most important happenings/developments in NFL history from the sixties (that's 19th century) up to the mid-20s (that's 20th century). It's going to be a long journey (read: narration), so let's start.
Year 1869: Princeton versus Rutgers, the first (ever) soccer game, they utilized adjusted London Football Association rules for this one.
Year 1876: first mechanics for US football were penned, and this happened in the Massasoit convention. The icon of American football, Walter Camp, first got involved in this sport.
Year 1893: Pittsburgh Athletic Club enlisted one player, most probably Grant Dibert to the very first pro contract.
Year 1896: Allegheny Athletic Association fielded the very first team composed purely of pros.
Year 1898: trivia lovers, note this down- the touchdown was modified from 4 points to 5.
Year 1902: The Philadelphia Athletics and the Phillies organized pro football squads. First World Series was done among a squad composed of players from both Phillies and the Athletics. Syracuse and New York did the first game held indoor before a crowd of three thousand.
Year 1904: field goal got changed from 5 to 4 points. Then, a lot of talk came about regarding the formation of a statewide league, so that fluctuating salaries would be put to an end. They attempted to have it, but did not succeed.
Year 1905: Canton AC (later on they would be the Bulldogs), turned into a pro team, oh yes, Massillon once more won the Ohio League crown.
Year 1906: Finally, the forward pass became legalized, and the very first pass completion in the pro sphere happened on October. Peggy Parratt dished out a completion to Dan Riley. Pernnial nemeses Massillon and Canton faced each other twie, Canton won the first, but Massillon took the other.
Year 1909: field goal got adjusted from 4 to 3.
Year 1919: The Ohio League Championship was clinched by Canton.
Year 1920: This was a crisis year in more ways than one, actually, due to 3 problems. Rising salaries, the athletes turning the football world into an auction by jumping from one squad to the next, following the most lucrative offer, and third problem- college players being used in the competitions.
The answer seemed to be a league where all members would be forced to adhere to uniform rules. A meeting where the Dayton Triangles, Cleveland Indians, Bulldogs, the Akron Pro were all represented happened. From this momentous congregation, the American Professional Football Conference was born.
Another meeting happened on Sept 17 at Canton, squads came from 4 states- Ohio, Clevelan, Canton and Akron. League's name was modified to "American Professional Football Association".
Year 1923: in an unprecedented development, all franchises part of the NFL let out their own squads. Versus the Bears, Thorpe did a fumble, Halas got the ball, returned that 98- yes that's 98- yards for one incredible touchdown, don't take my word for it, you can look it up.
That record would stand until 1972, impressive isn't it?
Year 1924: at this point in history, league had eighteen franchises, new ones were from Kenosha, Kansas City and still others.
Year 1925: New franchises (five) made their presence felt and they were- New York Giants, Detroit Panthers, Providence Steam Roller, a new Canton Bulldogs squad and the Pottsville Maroons. NFL mandated a player limit- sixteen.
NFL accomplished the greatest "achievement" in the way of fame. Red Grange was acquired by the Chicago Bulls, ehr...Bears I mean, and on Thanksgiving Day, in front of 36 thousand people, the Bears did battle with the Cardinals. Two things that made this game very memorable: first, it was a scoreless tie. Second, the number of spectators was the biggest in history (at that year, that was).
Chicago Cardinals and the Pottsville were the strongest contenders for the ultimate crown, Pottsville won a tail-season.
Modern History
Let me say this, "modern" here is defined as the 70s and the 80s, yes...20th century. During these decades, NFL strengthened its monopoly as the country's top spectator sports, not to mention its role in the lifestyle of Americans. Super Bowl turned into a holiday (unofficial), and when I say holiday, I am saying it seriously. Changes in some rules during the late seventies allowed for a quicker-paced contest, with much passing and this turned the sport into a more exciting affair.
Founding of United States Football League (1980s) served as the biggest roadblock to NFL, this in the post-merger years. USFL was a moneyed competitor, and it had bigshot players, plus an agreement with the national TV. Still, the USFL did not earn and it folded after just a few years, but that was not the end of the story. USFL lodged an anti-trust lawsuit versus the NFL. That lawsuit was a victory, or failure, all depending on the kind of mindset you have.
Over the recent years, NFL branched out into uncharted and new waters. It was in 1986 when the league started holding a set of preseason exhibition contests, and they were called American Bowls. They were done in international places abroad, and in 1991, the World League of American Football was born. It would later be called NFL Europe, then NFL Europa.
NFL played a game at the turf of Mexico City just 3 years ago (now, this is really modern). Last year, a regular season contest was done between the Dolphins and the Giants, held outside North America, and this particular game happened at the Wembley Stadium. In terms of finances/earnings, to call it a monumental success is not an exaggeration. Close to forty thousand tickets got sold in a matter of (less than) 2 hours. The gameday attendance reached more than eighty thousand.
On the Numbers
This, I've included because I think this would interest at the very least 3 kinds of groups: the trivia buffs, the history buffs and the number-fixated individuals. That last group, I su
Year 1869: Princeton versus Rutgers, the first (ever) soccer game, they utilized adjusted London Football Association rules for this one.
Year 1876: first mechanics for US football were penned, and this happened in the Massasoit convention. The icon of American football, Walter Camp, first got involved in this sport.
Year 1893: Pittsburgh Athletic Club enlisted one player, most probably Grant Dibert to the very first pro contract.
Year 1896: Allegheny Athletic Association fielded the very first team composed purely of pros.
Year 1898: trivia lovers, note this down- the touchdown was modified from 4 points to 5.
Year 1902: The Philadelphia Athletics and the Phillies organized pro football squads. First World Series was done among a squad composed of players from both Phillies and the Athletics. Syracuse and New York did the first game held indoor before a crowd of three thousand.
Year 1904: field goal got changed from 5 to 4 points. Then, a lot of talk came about regarding the formation of a statewide league, so that fluctuating salaries would be put to an end. They attempted to have it, but did not succeed.
Year 1905: Canton AC (later on they would be the Bulldogs), turned into a pro team, oh yes, Massillon once more won the Ohio League crown.
Year 1906: Finally, the forward pass became legalized, and the very first pass completion in the pro sphere happened on October. Peggy Parratt dished out a completion to Dan Riley. Pernnial nemeses Massillon and Canton faced each other twie, Canton won the first, but Massillon took the other.
Year 1909: field goal got adjusted from 4 to 3.
Year 1919: The Ohio League Championship was clinched by Canton.
Year 1920: This was a crisis year in more ways than one, actually, due to 3 problems. Rising salaries, the athletes turning the football world into an auction by jumping from one squad to the next, following the most lucrative offer, and third problem- college players being used in the competitions.
The answer seemed to be a league where all members would be forced to adhere to uniform rules. A meeting where the Dayton Triangles, Cleveland Indians, Bulldogs, the Akron Pro were all represented happened. From this momentous congregation, the American Professional Football Conference was born.
Another meeting happened on Sept 17 at Canton, squads came from 4 states- Ohio, Clevelan, Canton and Akron. League's name was modified to "American Professional Football Association".
Year 1923: in an unprecedented development, all franchises part of the NFL let out their own squads. Versus the Bears, Thorpe did a fumble, Halas got the ball, returned that 98- yes that's 98- yards for one incredible touchdown, don't take my word for it, you can look it up.
That record would stand until 1972, impressive isn't it?
Year 1924: at this point in history, league had eighteen franchises, new ones were from Kenosha, Kansas City and still others.
Year 1925: New franchises (five) made their presence felt and they were- New York Giants, Detroit Panthers, Providence Steam Roller, a new Canton Bulldogs squad and the Pottsville Maroons. NFL mandated a player limit- sixteen.
NFL accomplished the greatest "achievement" in the way of fame. Red Grange was acquired by the Chicago Bulls, ehr...Bears I mean, and on Thanksgiving Day, in front of 36 thousand people, the Bears did battle with the Cardinals. Two things that made this game very memorable: first, it was a scoreless tie. Second, the number of spectators was the biggest in history (at that year, that was).
Chicago Cardinals and the Pottsville were the strongest contenders for the ultimate crown, Pottsville won a tail-season.
Modern History
Let me say this, "modern" here is defined as the 70s and the 80s, yes...20th century. During these decades, NFL strengthened its monopoly as the country's top spectator sports, not to mention its role in the lifestyle of Americans. Super Bowl turned into a holiday (unofficial), and when I say holiday, I am saying it seriously. Changes in some rules during the late seventies allowed for a quicker-paced contest, with much passing and this turned the sport into a more exciting affair.
Founding of United States Football League (1980s) served as the biggest roadblock to NFL, this in the post-merger years. USFL was a moneyed competitor, and it had bigshot players, plus an agreement with the national TV. Still, the USFL did not earn and it folded after just a few years, but that was not the end of the story. USFL lodged an anti-trust lawsuit versus the NFL. That lawsuit was a victory, or failure, all depending on the kind of mindset you have.
Over the recent years, NFL branched out into uncharted and new waters. It was in 1986 when the league started holding a set of preseason exhibition contests, and they were called American Bowls. They were done in international places abroad, and in 1991, the World League of American Football was born. It would later be called NFL Europe, then NFL Europa.
NFL played a game at the turf of Mexico City just 3 years ago (now, this is really modern). Last year, a regular season contest was done between the Dolphins and the Giants, held outside North America, and this particular game happened at the Wembley Stadium. In terms of finances/earnings, to call it a monumental success is not an exaggeration. Close to forty thousand tickets got sold in a matter of (less than) 2 hours. The gameday attendance reached more than eighty thousand.
On the Numbers
This, I've included because I think this would interest at the very least 3 kinds of groups: the trivia buffs, the history buffs and the number-fixated individuals. That last group, I su
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The Carolina Panthers got all worked up about spoiling the Redskins' homecoming last weekend in Washington.
But they did little to rain on John Fox's homecoming parade Sunday, allowing the former Carolina coach to fly back to Denver with a 36-14 victory and a smile on his face.
The Broncos sacked Cam Newton seven times, scored touchdowns in all three phases and likely drove another nail into the coffin of Ron Rivera, who succeeded Fox after the 2010 season.
Fox, who took the Panthers to the Super Bowl and two other playoff appearances in nine seasons in Charlotte, tried to downplay the game. But it meant enough to him that the Broncos presented him with the game ball after his first game at Bank of America Stadium as a visiting head coach.
"This game is fun when you win, anytime you get a victory on the road," Fox said. "I think the guys kind of knew what this was going to be like for me and it was very generous of them."
The Panthers (2-7) gave up no sacks last week in a 21-13 win against Washington. A few players said they felt slighted as the opponents for the Redskins' alumni weekend.
But if the Panthers were fired up to face their former coach, they didn't show it.
Read more here: CHARLOTTE, N.C.: Broncos out-Fox Panthers | NFL Football | Bradenton Herald
But they did little to rain on John Fox's homecoming parade Sunday, allowing the former Carolina coach to fly back to Denver with a 36-14 victory and a smile on his face.
The Broncos sacked Cam Newton seven times, scored touchdowns in all three phases and likely drove another nail into the coffin of Ron Rivera, who succeeded Fox after the 2010 season.
Fox, who took the Panthers to the Super Bowl and two other playoff appearances in nine seasons in Charlotte, tried to downplay the game. But it meant enough to him that the Broncos presented him with the game ball after his first game at Bank of America Stadium as a visiting head coach.
"This game is fun when you win, anytime you get a victory on the road," Fox said. "I think the guys kind of knew what this was going to be like for me and it was very generous of them."
The Panthers (2-7) gave up no sacks last week in a 21-13 win against Washington. A few players said they felt slighted as the opponents for the Redskins' alumni weekend.
But if the Panthers were fired up to face their former coach, they didn't show it.
Read more here: CHARLOTTE, N.C.: Broncos out-Fox Panthers | NFL Football | Bradenton Herald
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The big "Monday Night Football" showcase next week could feature a quarterback matchup of journeyman Jason Campbell of the Bears vs. untested Colin Kaepernick of the 49ers. Not exactly the creme de la creme of the NFC.
Why? Concussions, of course. Twenty-five percent of NFL games Sunday saw a starting QB leave with a concussion.
Two were Chicago's Jay Cutler and San Francisco's Alex Smith, whose teams play each other next Monday. Both stayed in the games Sunday for several plays after what appeared to be head-rattling hits. Smith even threw a touchdown pass while playing with blurred vision before he departed, according to coach Jim Harbaugh.
The NFL looked into the Cutler and Smith cases — and Philadelphia's Michael Vick, the third quarterback who got a concussion this weekend — and came away satisfied that the proper protocol was followed.
Another noteworthy player, Bills running back Fred Jackson, took a late hit to the head in a loss at the New England Patriots.
He was examined Monday — a day after showing what coach Chan Gailey called "concussion-like symptoms" on the flight home. Gailey said Jackson will miss the game Thursday against Miami.
Cutler will need to pass neurological and psychological tests and be cleared by both his team doctors and an independent neurological consultant before he can return. The same goes for defensive end Shea McClellin, who left early in the game with a concussion. But unlike Cutler, he immediately showed symptoms.
Vick, meanwhile, was diagnosed with a "pretty significant" concussion, coach Andy Reid said. Reid wouldn't rule Vick out for the game Sunday at Washington. Rookie Nick Foles would play if Vick doesn't.
Ex-Husky released
PITTSBURGH — The Steelers have parted ways with troubled rookie nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu.
Ta'amu, a former Washington Husky, was chosen by the Steelers in the fourth round of the NFL draft but has yet to play in a game. He was suspended two weeks without pay last month following a run-in with police in the city's South Side neighborhood that resulted in more than a dozen charges, including multiple felonies.
NOTES
• The Falcons released Ray Edwards after a lack of production from the DE who signed a five-year, $30 million deal, including $11 million guaranteed.
• The NFL said the 76-yard punt return by Denver's Trindon Holliday against Carolina should have been ruled a touchback, not a touchdown, because, in an early celebration, he let go of the ball before crossing the goal line. In a somewhat related note, Carolina coach Ron Rivera announced special-teams coordinator Brian Murphy was fired.
• Yahoo! Sports is apologizing for a site outage that left thousands of fantasy football players complaining of last-minute lineup problems Sunday.
• Hoping to squelch a report he would be interested in coaching the Cowboys if Jason Garrett gets fired, Mike Holmgren denied he is pursuing a future in Dallas.
• Texans defensive-line coach Bill Kollar did not travel home from Chicago with the team because of a possible blood clot. Coach Gary Kubiak said that his tests Monday "came out good" and he'll return home Tuesday.
• The Jaguars have signed LB Greg Jones and released WR Anthony Armstrong. A sixth-round draft choice by the Giants in 2011, Jones played in all 16 games as a rookie.
• The Packers placed OL Bryan Bulaga on the injured list. Bulaga started the first nine games this season and injured his hip Nov. 4 against Arizona.
• The Lions have released CB Alphonso Smith, who returned to the team last month at a time when they were desperate for help in a banged-up secondary.
• The Chiefs have placed DE Glenn Dorsey on injured reserve with a calf injury and added DB Neiko Thorpe to the roster.
Injury report
Player, position Team Injury, prognosis
Jay Cutler, QB Bears Concussion, under evaluation
Alex Smith, QB 49ers Concussion, under evaluation
Michael Vick, QB Eagles Concussion, under evaluation
Fred Jackson, RB Bills Concussion, out for Thursday
Ben Roethlisberger, QB Steelers right shoulder, undergoing tests
Kenyon Coleman, DE Cowboys Torn triceps, out for year
Elvis Dumervil, DL Broncos Left shoulder, no tear
Jerraud Powers, CB Colts Toe, out for season
NFL says proper procedure followed on injured quarterbacks | Seahawks | The Seattle Times
Why? Concussions, of course. Twenty-five percent of NFL games Sunday saw a starting QB leave with a concussion.
Two were Chicago's Jay Cutler and San Francisco's Alex Smith, whose teams play each other next Monday. Both stayed in the games Sunday for several plays after what appeared to be head-rattling hits. Smith even threw a touchdown pass while playing with blurred vision before he departed, according to coach Jim Harbaugh.
The NFL looked into the Cutler and Smith cases — and Philadelphia's Michael Vick, the third quarterback who got a concussion this weekend — and came away satisfied that the proper protocol was followed.
Another noteworthy player, Bills running back Fred Jackson, took a late hit to the head in a loss at the New England Patriots.
He was examined Monday — a day after showing what coach Chan Gailey called "concussion-like symptoms" on the flight home. Gailey said Jackson will miss the game Thursday against Miami.
Cutler will need to pass neurological and psychological tests and be cleared by both his team doctors and an independent neurological consultant before he can return. The same goes for defensive end Shea McClellin, who left early in the game with a concussion. But unlike Cutler, he immediately showed symptoms.
Vick, meanwhile, was diagnosed with a "pretty significant" concussion, coach Andy Reid said. Reid wouldn't rule Vick out for the game Sunday at Washington. Rookie Nick Foles would play if Vick doesn't.
Ex-Husky released
PITTSBURGH — The Steelers have parted ways with troubled rookie nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu.
Ta'amu, a former Washington Husky, was chosen by the Steelers in the fourth round of the NFL draft but has yet to play in a game. He was suspended two weeks without pay last month following a run-in with police in the city's South Side neighborhood that resulted in more than a dozen charges, including multiple felonies.
NOTES
• The Falcons released Ray Edwards after a lack of production from the DE who signed a five-year, $30 million deal, including $11 million guaranteed.
• The NFL said the 76-yard punt return by Denver's Trindon Holliday against Carolina should have been ruled a touchback, not a touchdown, because, in an early celebration, he let go of the ball before crossing the goal line. In a somewhat related note, Carolina coach Ron Rivera announced special-teams coordinator Brian Murphy was fired.
• Yahoo! Sports is apologizing for a site outage that left thousands of fantasy football players complaining of last-minute lineup problems Sunday.
• Hoping to squelch a report he would be interested in coaching the Cowboys if Jason Garrett gets fired, Mike Holmgren denied he is pursuing a future in Dallas.
• Texans defensive-line coach Bill Kollar did not travel home from Chicago with the team because of a possible blood clot. Coach Gary Kubiak said that his tests Monday "came out good" and he'll return home Tuesday.
• The Jaguars have signed LB Greg Jones and released WR Anthony Armstrong. A sixth-round draft choice by the Giants in 2011, Jones played in all 16 games as a rookie.
• The Packers placed OL Bryan Bulaga on the injured list. Bulaga started the first nine games this season and injured his hip Nov. 4 against Arizona.
• The Lions have released CB Alphonso Smith, who returned to the team last month at a time when they were desperate for help in a banged-up secondary.
• The Chiefs have placed DE Glenn Dorsey on injured reserve with a calf injury and added DB Neiko Thorpe to the roster.
Injury report
Player, position Team Injury, prognosis
Jay Cutler, QB Bears Concussion, under evaluation
Alex Smith, QB 49ers Concussion, under evaluation
Michael Vick, QB Eagles Concussion, under evaluation
Fred Jackson, RB Bills Concussion, out for Thursday
Ben Roethlisberger, QB Steelers right shoulder, undergoing tests
Kenyon Coleman, DE Cowboys Torn triceps, out for year
Elvis Dumervil, DL Broncos Left shoulder, no tear
Jerraud Powers, CB Colts Toe, out for season
NFL says proper procedure followed on injured quarterbacks | Seahawks | The Seattle Times
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Former Seahawks tight end Jerramy Stevens was arrested on suspicion of assaulting U.S. women's soccer team goalkeeper Hope Solo a day before their planned wedding day, according to police and court records.
A Kirkland Municipal Court judge released Stevens after a court appearance Tuesday, saying there was no evidence connecting Stevens to any assault, according to news reports. He was arrested early Monday for fourth-degree domestic violence assault but has not been charged.
The judge determined there was not enough to hold Stevens, but the case is still under investigation, Kirkland Police Lt. Mike Murray said Tuesday. Charges could be brought later if prosecutors and police find other evidence, he said.
Solo appeared in the courtroom Tuesday afternoon, but left without saying anything to reporters, according to KING-TV. A call to a number listed for Stevens in court documents rang unanswered. A message left at a listed number for Solo was not immediately returned.
Stevens, 33, and Solo, 31, applied for a marriage license Thursday, according to King County records.
The two, who have been in a relationship for two months, were set to get married Tuesday and argued over whether to live in Washington or Florida after their marriage, according to court documents.
Police in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland responded to a disturbance at a home around 3:45 a.m. Monday involving a physical altercation between eight people during a party, said Lt. Murray.
He said officers contacted several people in the home who appeared intoxicated and didn't cooperate with police, but determined based on information and observations that there was probable cause to arrest Stevens for investigation of fourth-degree assault. Murray didn't identify the alleged victim, but court records show it was Solo, who received a cut to her elbow.
Court documents show that Solo's 34-year-old brother, Marcus, called 911, and that he and Solo told officers there was a party and blamed the disturbance on two to three unknown men who were at the party. Marcus Solo told police he used a stun gun on one of the men, who left the party before police arrived, according to court records.
According to court documents, a police officer found Stevens, ''who appeared to be hiding,'' lying between the bed and the wall in an upstairs bedroom. Stevens told officers he was sleeping on the floor and didn't hear the fight. The officer saw signs of a fight, and dried blood on Stevens' shirt.
The officer noted in his affidavit for probable cause for arrest that he arrested Stevens based on his admission that he argued with Hope Solo, the injury to her elbow, signs of a fight in the bedroom where Stevens was found and blood on Stevens' shirt. One 32-year-old woman was taken to the hospital for treatment of a hip injury, and another man suffered multiple bumps, scrapes and contusions, Murray said.
''If officers find that an assault may have taken place, then we have to make an arrest on who we determine is the primary aggressor,'' Murray said.
Stevens was selected with the No. 28 pick of the 2002 draft by the Seahawks after a stellar career on the field at Washington. But he also was involved in incidents away from football that included reckless driving charges for crashing into a nursing home.
He was mostly a first-round bust with the Seahawks, except for the 2005 season when he started a career-high 12 games and had 45 receptions as the Seahawks won the NFC championship. His run-ins with the law weren't done when he left college. Stevens was arrested on reckless driving charges in 2003 in a Seattle suburb and in 2007 when he was charged with driving under the influence in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Stevens' most recent arrest came in 2010, while he was playing for Tampa Bay, when he was arrested the night before a game for possession of marijuana. He was almost immediately released by the team.
Ex-NFL player Jerramy Stevens was arrested on suspicion of assaulting U.S. women's soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo; Stevens released - News | FOX Sports on MSN
A Kirkland Municipal Court judge released Stevens after a court appearance Tuesday, saying there was no evidence connecting Stevens to any assault, according to news reports. He was arrested early Monday for fourth-degree domestic violence assault but has not been charged.
The judge determined there was not enough to hold Stevens, but the case is still under investigation, Kirkland Police Lt. Mike Murray said Tuesday. Charges could be brought later if prosecutors and police find other evidence, he said.
Solo appeared in the courtroom Tuesday afternoon, but left without saying anything to reporters, according to KING-TV. A call to a number listed for Stevens in court documents rang unanswered. A message left at a listed number for Solo was not immediately returned.
Stevens, 33, and Solo, 31, applied for a marriage license Thursday, according to King County records.
The two, who have been in a relationship for two months, were set to get married Tuesday and argued over whether to live in Washington or Florida after their marriage, according to court documents.
Police in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland responded to a disturbance at a home around 3:45 a.m. Monday involving a physical altercation between eight people during a party, said Lt. Murray.
He said officers contacted several people in the home who appeared intoxicated and didn't cooperate with police, but determined based on information and observations that there was probable cause to arrest Stevens for investigation of fourth-degree assault. Murray didn't identify the alleged victim, but court records show it was Solo, who received a cut to her elbow.
Court documents show that Solo's 34-year-old brother, Marcus, called 911, and that he and Solo told officers there was a party and blamed the disturbance on two to three unknown men who were at the party. Marcus Solo told police he used a stun gun on one of the men, who left the party before police arrived, according to court records.
According to court documents, a police officer found Stevens, ''who appeared to be hiding,'' lying between the bed and the wall in an upstairs bedroom. Stevens told officers he was sleeping on the floor and didn't hear the fight. The officer saw signs of a fight, and dried blood on Stevens' shirt.
The officer noted in his affidavit for probable cause for arrest that he arrested Stevens based on his admission that he argued with Hope Solo, the injury to her elbow, signs of a fight in the bedroom where Stevens was found and blood on Stevens' shirt. One 32-year-old woman was taken to the hospital for treatment of a hip injury, and another man suffered multiple bumps, scrapes and contusions, Murray said.
''If officers find that an assault may have taken place, then we have to make an arrest on who we determine is the primary aggressor,'' Murray said.
Stevens was selected with the No. 28 pick of the 2002 draft by the Seahawks after a stellar career on the field at Washington. But he also was involved in incidents away from football that included reckless driving charges for crashing into a nursing home.
He was mostly a first-round bust with the Seahawks, except for the 2005 season when he started a career-high 12 games and had 45 receptions as the Seahawks won the NFC championship. His run-ins with the law weren't done when he left college. Stevens was arrested on reckless driving charges in 2003 in a Seattle suburb and in 2007 when he was charged with driving under the influence in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Stevens' most recent arrest came in 2010, while he was playing for Tampa Bay, when he was arrested the night before a game for possession of marijuana. He was almost immediately released by the team.
Ex-NFL player Jerramy Stevens was arrested on suspicion of assaulting U.S. women's soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo; Stevens released - News | FOX Sports on MSN
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Early Monday morning, former NFL tight end Jerramy Stevens was arrested on suspicion of assault in a domestic violence incident involving his fiancée, U.S. Women's National Team goalkeeper Hope Solo. No charges were filed and a judge released Stevens a day later because there was no evidence that he had assaulted anyone.
But according to the police report, Stevens told police that he had argued with Solo prior to his arrest. The reason: the two were set to be married on Tuesday but the discussion became heated when they couldn't decide whether they were going to live in Florida or Washington.
But as Owen Wilson's character said in Wedding Crashers, "True love is your soul's recognition of its counterpoint in another." And that makes about as much sense as what you'll read next: after leaving court, Stevens and Solo were married Tuesday night, according to KJR Radio's Dave Mahler.
(In related news: who gets married on a Tuesday?)
USA Today's Kelly Whiteside reports that if Stevens and Solo really did tie the knot (there was no record of a marriage certificate at the King County Recorders Office on Wednesday but it can take up to 30 days to file the paperwork) it could complicate the investigation that landed Stevens in jail Monday.
"If the parties are not cooperating, it's not ideal," Lt. Mike Murray told Whiteside. "We take domestic violence issues very seriously. We realize it doesn't get better."
Stevens has had previous run-ins with authorities. Most recently he was accused of attacking two bouncers at a Tampa, Fla., bar in March 2011, and in 2007 he was convicted of drunk driving in Arizona. While in college at Washington in 2000, Stevens drove his vehicle into a nursing home, and two years before that he was charged with assault.
The former Seahawks first-round pick played nine NFL seasons, the final four with the Buccaneers. He had 202 career receptions and 22 touchdowns.
Report: Former NFL TE Jerramy Stevens marries Hope Solo - CBSSports-com
But according to the police report, Stevens told police that he had argued with Solo prior to his arrest. The reason: the two were set to be married on Tuesday but the discussion became heated when they couldn't decide whether they were going to live in Florida or Washington.
But as Owen Wilson's character said in Wedding Crashers, "True love is your soul's recognition of its counterpoint in another." And that makes about as much sense as what you'll read next: after leaving court, Stevens and Solo were married Tuesday night, according to KJR Radio's Dave Mahler.
(In related news: who gets married on a Tuesday?)
USA Today's Kelly Whiteside reports that if Stevens and Solo really did tie the knot (there was no record of a marriage certificate at the King County Recorders Office on Wednesday but it can take up to 30 days to file the paperwork) it could complicate the investigation that landed Stevens in jail Monday.
"If the parties are not cooperating, it's not ideal," Lt. Mike Murray told Whiteside. "We take domestic violence issues very seriously. We realize it doesn't get better."
Stevens has had previous run-ins with authorities. Most recently he was accused of attacking two bouncers at a Tampa, Fla., bar in March 2011, and in 2007 he was convicted of drunk driving in Arizona. While in college at Washington in 2000, Stevens drove his vehicle into a nursing home, and two years before that he was charged with assault.
The former Seahawks first-round pick played nine NFL seasons, the final four with the Buccaneers. He had 202 career receptions and 22 touchdowns.
Report: Former NFL TE Jerramy Stevens marries Hope Solo - CBSSports-com
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What happened to the Dolphins? It's crazy to think that on Halloween they were 4-3 -- with two very close losses -- and playing the Colts for the right to a midseason wild-card berth.
Since then they've dropped three games in a row and have looked completely inept on offense over the past two, losses to the Titans and Bills of all teams. They have all of one offensive touchdown in their last eight quarters, their running game's fallen off a cliff, Ryan Tannehill's hit a bit of a rookie wall and their defense isn't doing much to stop anyone.
Buffalo didn't win pretty on Thursday -- they were horrid in the red zone and gave Miami two chances to storm down the field and win the game -- but they won. Miami flat-out stunk on offense for most of the game, getting dominated by a previously dormant defense. (And, yeah, Mike Sherman, you got out-coached by Dave Wannstedt. It's awkward.)
Miami's playoff hopes are in the toilet, as they're now tied with Buffalo for second in the AFC East at 4-6 and well clear of the current wild-card teams. Not making the playoffs isn't the end of the world for this team, of course, because expectations don't dictate that.
But for a team that produced such high hopes in the early-going this season, it's got to be brutal to watch them collapse during the middle stretch of 2012, particularly with the wins coming against mediocre competition. Things don't get any easier down the stretch either.
2012 NFL Grades, Week 11: Good night, sweet Dolphins - CBSSports-com
Since then they've dropped three games in a row and have looked completely inept on offense over the past two, losses to the Titans and Bills of all teams. They have all of one offensive touchdown in their last eight quarters, their running game's fallen off a cliff, Ryan Tannehill's hit a bit of a rookie wall and their defense isn't doing much to stop anyone.
Buffalo didn't win pretty on Thursday -- they were horrid in the red zone and gave Miami two chances to storm down the field and win the game -- but they won. Miami flat-out stunk on offense for most of the game, getting dominated by a previously dormant defense. (And, yeah, Mike Sherman, you got out-coached by Dave Wannstedt. It's awkward.)
Miami's playoff hopes are in the toilet, as they're now tied with Buffalo for second in the AFC East at 4-6 and well clear of the current wild-card teams. Not making the playoffs isn't the end of the world for this team, of course, because expectations don't dictate that.
But for a team that produced such high hopes in the early-going this season, it's got to be brutal to watch them collapse during the middle stretch of 2012, particularly with the wins coming against mediocre competition. Things don't get any easier down the stretch either.
2012 NFL Grades, Week 11: Good night, sweet Dolphins - CBSSports-com
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The NFL is beginning to see vintage Peyton Manning, which is bad news for every team except the Denver Broncos.
It's especially daunting for the Chargers, who blew a 24-0 halftime lead at home to the Broncos a month ago and visit Denver on Sunday.
A Broncos win would be their fifth straight and would give them a three-game lead in the AFC West. It also could provide some more milestones for Manning in his 15th pro season and his first in Denver.
With one more touchdown pass, Manning would pass Dan Marino; both have 420, trailing Brett Favre's 508. He's completed 70 percent of his passes in six consecutive games, already an NFL mark.
Most importantly to Manning would be getting his 148th career victory, which would break a tie with Marino and deadlock him with his current boss, John Elway.
"I don't speak to the streaks or what's going on, all I know is, it's a division game, it's a team that, obviously, the Broncos have a lot of familiarity with," said Manning, whose comeback from neck surgery that sidelined him last season has been spectacular. "It's a longtime rivalry. NFL players have a lot of pride. I know when a team that beats us the first time, a team that have beaten us, I know I'll want to get another shot at them, and so we know they're going to be ready to play."
But ready to play the way the Chargers did in the first half of that 35-24 defeat, or the second half?
"Well, again, everyone can speculate all that stuff on the outside and obviously you're aware of it because of the numbers, but our biggest thing is we need to go play and put four quarters together and play at a high level and take care of the ball and not give up," coach Norv Turner said. "If a team's going to make plays on you, make them earn it, don't give up easy plays.
"It's a challenge for us coming into Denver, but certainly to have a chance to stay in the division race, we need to go win a game."
Otherwise, Denver could turn the AFC West into a runaway.
"We were the start of their streak," Chargers QB Philip Rivers said, "and hopefully we can be the end of it."
Also Sunday, it's Indianapolis at New England, Baltimore at Pittsburgh, Arizona at Atlanta, Green Bay at Detroit, Jacksonville at Houston, Tampa Bay at Carolina, New Orleans at Oakland, Philadelphia at Washington, Cincinnati at Kansas City, Cleveland at Dallas, and the New York Jets at St. Louis.
On Monday night, Chicago is at San Francisco.
The action began Thursday night with Buffalo's 19-14 home victory over Miami. Both teams are 4-6.
Idle this week are Minnesota (6-4), the New York Giants (6-4), Seattle (6-4) and Tennessee (4-6).
Read More: Vintage Peyton a problem for rest of NFL - Houston Chronicle
It's especially daunting for the Chargers, who blew a 24-0 halftime lead at home to the Broncos a month ago and visit Denver on Sunday.
A Broncos win would be their fifth straight and would give them a three-game lead in the AFC West. It also could provide some more milestones for Manning in his 15th pro season and his first in Denver.
With one more touchdown pass, Manning would pass Dan Marino; both have 420, trailing Brett Favre's 508. He's completed 70 percent of his passes in six consecutive games, already an NFL mark.
Most importantly to Manning would be getting his 148th career victory, which would break a tie with Marino and deadlock him with his current boss, John Elway.
"I don't speak to the streaks or what's going on, all I know is, it's a division game, it's a team that, obviously, the Broncos have a lot of familiarity with," said Manning, whose comeback from neck surgery that sidelined him last season has been spectacular. "It's a longtime rivalry. NFL players have a lot of pride. I know when a team that beats us the first time, a team that have beaten us, I know I'll want to get another shot at them, and so we know they're going to be ready to play."
But ready to play the way the Chargers did in the first half of that 35-24 defeat, or the second half?
"Well, again, everyone can speculate all that stuff on the outside and obviously you're aware of it because of the numbers, but our biggest thing is we need to go play and put four quarters together and play at a high level and take care of the ball and not give up," coach Norv Turner said. "If a team's going to make plays on you, make them earn it, don't give up easy plays.
"It's a challenge for us coming into Denver, but certainly to have a chance to stay in the division race, we need to go win a game."
Otherwise, Denver could turn the AFC West into a runaway.
"We were the start of their streak," Chargers QB Philip Rivers said, "and hopefully we can be the end of it."
Also Sunday, it's Indianapolis at New England, Baltimore at Pittsburgh, Arizona at Atlanta, Green Bay at Detroit, Jacksonville at Houston, Tampa Bay at Carolina, New Orleans at Oakland, Philadelphia at Washington, Cincinnati at Kansas City, Cleveland at Dallas, and the New York Jets at St. Louis.
On Monday night, Chicago is at San Francisco.
The action began Thursday night with Buffalo's 19-14 home victory over Miami. Both teams are 4-6.
Idle this week are Minnesota (6-4), the New York Giants (6-4), Seattle (6-4) and Tennessee (4-6).
Read More: Vintage Peyton a problem for rest of NFL - Houston Chronicle
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Two quarterbacks speeding in opposite directions meet today in Denver.
Peyton Manning has the Broncos on a four-game winning streak and in position to put a stranglehold on the AFC West with a win over slumping San Diego. A win by Denver (6-3) gives the Broncos what amounts to a four-game lead with six to play.
Manning’s comeback from neck surgery is one of the feel-good stories of the year in the NFL. Philip Rivers’ struggles for the Chargers is one of the confounding stories of the year.
Rivers is an elite quarterback who is capable of leading the Chargers to the Super Bowl. He has elite accuracy, great instincts in the pocket and fantastic intangibles.
Yet Rivers has been burdened with what San Diego media have taken to calling a case of the “yips,” the golfing term used to describe a jerking motion that causes the missing of easy putts.
A case in point came last week in Tampa. Rivers was 22 of 26 for 271 yards early in the fourth quarter before he threw a terrible interception along the sideline. The Bucs’ Leonard Johnson returned it 83 yards for a game-breaking touchdown.
Rivers has 15 TD passes and 12 interceptions this year. His interception rate is the highest in the league. Last season Rivers ranked third in the NFL in interceptions with 20, part of the reason the Chargers finished 8-8.
In his first five seasons as a starter, Rivers had 136 TDs and 58 interceptions, which at the time was the second best TD-to-INT ratio of all time. His career passer rating of 97.2 entering last season was the highest in the league for QBs with more than 2,000 passes.
The problem is Rivers’ supporting cast has deteriorated and he keeps pressing to compensate. Last season Rivers lost the left side of his offensive line. Left tackle Marcus McNeill had to retire because of neck problems. Left guard Kris Dielman had to retire because of concussions. Replacement left tackle Jared Gaither hasn’t been able to stay healthy enough to play at a high level.
Meanwhile, tight end Antonio Gates has gotten older. The Chargers lost starting wideout Vincent Jackson in free agency, and his replacement, Robert Meachem, so far has been a disappointment. The Chargers outbid the Bills for Meachem, who has just 13 catches.
The Chargers defense was a big disappointment last season, slumping to 22nd in the league in points allowed. Rivers last season played like a guy who thought he had to make every play in order to carry the defense on his back. The Chargers defense actually is much better this year. It’s seventh in yards allowed, second against the run and 11th in points allowed. But Rivers still seems to be trying to make plays when nothing is available.
“He’s obviously trying as hard as he can to go win,” Chargers coach Norv Turner said this week. “In a couple of cases, he’s trying to do too much. As I said, it’s not 20 plays. It’s one or two plays in two or three of the games.”
It’s Turner’s job, as an offensive-minded coach, to get Rivers to stop putting too much pressure on himself.
“It’s frustrating,” Turner said. “It’s frustrating for him and it’s frustrating for all of us. We’re spending a lot of time working on it. We handle the things that we need to handle and we’re coaching. As I said, he’s working hard at it.”
If the Chargers don’t catch the Broncos, Rivers will have somebody else trying to get him to play more relaxed next season.
Poor Garrett
The pressure meter never leaves the red zone for the coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Jason Garrett already is a marked man with his Cowboys (4-5) at the back end of the playoff race. There’s speculation that suspended Saints coach Sean Payton, the former Dallas aide and Dallas resident, would be a logical replacement for Garrett since Payton is due to become a free agent at the end of the season.
This week Dallas owner Jerry Jones added more gasoline to the fire after a rumor floated that lame-duck Browns president Mike Holmgren would be interested in the Dallas job. Jones initially expressed his respect for Holmgren and said he was flattered if Holmgren were interested. Then Jones moved to dismiss the talk by telling a Dallas radio station he is “fired up about” Garrett and his future. Jones and Holmgren get to exchange greetings when their teams meet today.
Garrett has one big factor in his favor in his effort to keep his job. Jones would have to relinquish a significant amount of power in making football decisions if he were to turn to Holmgren or Payton.
Dancing Machines
The Chiefs performed a public service in the loss to Pittsburgh by showing young athletes how ridiculous it looks to celebrate when you’re on a losing team. Team captains Eric Berry and Derrick Johnson, among others, got an excessive celebration penalty when the Chiefs returned an apparent fumble for a TD. But the fumble was ruled an incomplete pass on review. Chiefs Tamba Hali and Justin Houston did the “Kid ‘n Play dance” after a sack on Ben Roethlisberger.
“It was a surprise to me to see some of those celebrations, per se,” KC coach Romeo Crennel told the Kansas City Star. “The rules are explicit about no celebrating, particularly group celebrations. You cannot have those. ... With the record we have, we really can’t afford to be dancing.”
Wilson’s food drive
Bills safety George Wilson will host the third annual Thanksgiving Food Drive for Buffalo families from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Northwest Community Center. Wilson will help distribute more than 2,000 pounds of food to 150 families in need. Wilson’s SAFETY Foundation works with the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County to select families for the drive. The foundation stands for Saving Adolescents from the Everyday Trials of Youth.
Winning close ones
San Francisco’s showdown with Chicago pits the top two ranked defenses in the league. Niners coach Jim Harbaugh has the best winning percentage in the league in games decided by one score.
“It’s because of the heart of the p
Peyton Manning has the Broncos on a four-game winning streak and in position to put a stranglehold on the AFC West with a win over slumping San Diego. A win by Denver (6-3) gives the Broncos what amounts to a four-game lead with six to play.
Manning’s comeback from neck surgery is one of the feel-good stories of the year in the NFL. Philip Rivers’ struggles for the Chargers is one of the confounding stories of the year.
Rivers is an elite quarterback who is capable of leading the Chargers to the Super Bowl. He has elite accuracy, great instincts in the pocket and fantastic intangibles.
Yet Rivers has been burdened with what San Diego media have taken to calling a case of the “yips,” the golfing term used to describe a jerking motion that causes the missing of easy putts.
A case in point came last week in Tampa. Rivers was 22 of 26 for 271 yards early in the fourth quarter before he threw a terrible interception along the sideline. The Bucs’ Leonard Johnson returned it 83 yards for a game-breaking touchdown.
Rivers has 15 TD passes and 12 interceptions this year. His interception rate is the highest in the league. Last season Rivers ranked third in the NFL in interceptions with 20, part of the reason the Chargers finished 8-8.
In his first five seasons as a starter, Rivers had 136 TDs and 58 interceptions, which at the time was the second best TD-to-INT ratio of all time. His career passer rating of 97.2 entering last season was the highest in the league for QBs with more than 2,000 passes.
The problem is Rivers’ supporting cast has deteriorated and he keeps pressing to compensate. Last season Rivers lost the left side of his offensive line. Left tackle Marcus McNeill had to retire because of neck problems. Left guard Kris Dielman had to retire because of concussions. Replacement left tackle Jared Gaither hasn’t been able to stay healthy enough to play at a high level.
Meanwhile, tight end Antonio Gates has gotten older. The Chargers lost starting wideout Vincent Jackson in free agency, and his replacement, Robert Meachem, so far has been a disappointment. The Chargers outbid the Bills for Meachem, who has just 13 catches.
The Chargers defense was a big disappointment last season, slumping to 22nd in the league in points allowed. Rivers last season played like a guy who thought he had to make every play in order to carry the defense on his back. The Chargers defense actually is much better this year. It’s seventh in yards allowed, second against the run and 11th in points allowed. But Rivers still seems to be trying to make plays when nothing is available.
“He’s obviously trying as hard as he can to go win,” Chargers coach Norv Turner said this week. “In a couple of cases, he’s trying to do too much. As I said, it’s not 20 plays. It’s one or two plays in two or three of the games.”
It’s Turner’s job, as an offensive-minded coach, to get Rivers to stop putting too much pressure on himself.
“It’s frustrating,” Turner said. “It’s frustrating for him and it’s frustrating for all of us. We’re spending a lot of time working on it. We handle the things that we need to handle and we’re coaching. As I said, he’s working hard at it.”
If the Chargers don’t catch the Broncos, Rivers will have somebody else trying to get him to play more relaxed next season.
Poor Garrett
The pressure meter never leaves the red zone for the coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Jason Garrett already is a marked man with his Cowboys (4-5) at the back end of the playoff race. There’s speculation that suspended Saints coach Sean Payton, the former Dallas aide and Dallas resident, would be a logical replacement for Garrett since Payton is due to become a free agent at the end of the season.
This week Dallas owner Jerry Jones added more gasoline to the fire after a rumor floated that lame-duck Browns president Mike Holmgren would be interested in the Dallas job. Jones initially expressed his respect for Holmgren and said he was flattered if Holmgren were interested. Then Jones moved to dismiss the talk by telling a Dallas radio station he is “fired up about” Garrett and his future. Jones and Holmgren get to exchange greetings when their teams meet today.
Garrett has one big factor in his favor in his effort to keep his job. Jones would have to relinquish a significant amount of power in making football decisions if he were to turn to Holmgren or Payton.
Dancing Machines
The Chiefs performed a public service in the loss to Pittsburgh by showing young athletes how ridiculous it looks to celebrate when you’re on a losing team. Team captains Eric Berry and Derrick Johnson, among others, got an excessive celebration penalty when the Chiefs returned an apparent fumble for a TD. But the fumble was ruled an incomplete pass on review. Chiefs Tamba Hali and Justin Houston did the “Kid ‘n Play dance” after a sack on Ben Roethlisberger.
“It was a surprise to me to see some of those celebrations, per se,” KC coach Romeo Crennel told the Kansas City Star. “The rules are explicit about no celebrating, particularly group celebrations. You cannot have those. ... With the record we have, we really can’t afford to be dancing.”
Wilson’s food drive
Bills safety George Wilson will host the third annual Thanksgiving Food Drive for Buffalo families from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Northwest Community Center. Wilson will help distribute more than 2,000 pounds of food to 150 families in need. Wilson’s SAFETY Foundation works with the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County to select families for the drive. The foundation stands for Saving Adolescents from the Everyday Trials of Youth.
Winning close ones
San Francisco’s showdown with Chicago pits the top two ranked defenses in the league. Niners coach Jim Harbaugh has the best winning percentage in the league in games decided by one score.
“It’s because of the heart of the p
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As Raiders fans filed out of the Oakland Coliseum early in the fourth quarter, the few who remained showered the home team with boos.
Not exactly the sight or sound owner Mark Davis had envisioned when he talked about a new direction.
Carson Palmer threw one interception that was returned for a score and another in the end zone, a depleted defense did little to slow down Drew Brees and neither did the coaching staff in Oakland's 38-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Through 10 games this season, the first-year Raiders (3-7) regime of general manager Reggie McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen appear to have one monstrous mess to clean up.
"I'm not happy, I'll put it that way," Davis said in the locker room afterward, speaking to reporters postgame for the first time all season. "And why should I be?"
Everybody in Raider Nation is asking the same question.
Oakland lost its third straight game under Allen as Brees picked apart the defense with his precision passing. The Raiders have allowed 135 points in three straight defeats - the most in a three-game span for the franchise since allowing 141 in the first three games in 1961.
In the latest showing, Brees threw three touchdown passes and Malcolm Jenkins returned an interception for another score to get the Saints (5-5) back to an even record. Lance Moore caught two touchdown passes and Mark Ingram ran for a score as the Saints won for the fifth time in six games to move into position to make a late-season playoff run despite the season-long distraction from the bounty scandal.
"We're on our way," Brees said. "Had you told us or anybody after 0-4 we'd be looking at 5-5 at some point, I think a lot of people might have looked at that and said that's pretty unrealistic. But here we are. We stayed the course, we didn't overreact. ... We just knew that things were going to turn for us if we just continued to do things the right way, good things were going to happen. And we did that."
In other words, the kind of turnaround frustrated Raiders fans are hoping to make.
"I think when you look at it," Allen said, "it's really the whole thing you've got to get better at."
The Raiders left receivers open all day and struggled to tackle in another thorough beat down. They have been outscored by 56 points the past two games.
The Saints did just about everything the Raiders couldn't, starting with an efficient opening drive by Brees that set the tone for the game. Brees finished 20 for 27 for 219 yards, extending his own records by throwing a touchdown in his 53rd straight game and completing 20 passes for the 46th straight game.
Brees came out of the game late in the fourth quarter or the score could've been even more lopsided.
"I just know that all of us aren't playing well right now," Raiders linebacker Philip Wheeler said.
Even New Orleans' much-maligned defense got into the act. The Saints got the two big turnovers in the first half that got the blowout started and held Oakland to one touchdown until garbage time.
About the only bright spot for the Raiders was fullback Marcel Reece, who rushed for 103 yards and added 90 yards receiving as he started at halfback in place of injured Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson.
"I'm just a little disappointed with the regression," Davis said. "But like I said, they'll fight."
Brees broke open a close game late in the first half when he found Moore all alone in the end zone behind Michael Huff and fill-in safety Mike Mitchell for a 38-yard touchdown pass in the final minute of the first half to make it 21-7.
Travaris Cadet then returned the second-half kickoff 75 yards and Ingram ran it in from the 27 on the next play and the rout was on. Brees and Moore connected one more time in third quarter to make it 35-10.
The Saints easily scored on their first possession as Brees completed five of six passes on an 80-yard drive capped by a 1-yard toss to Jimmy Graham.
Palmer then threw a pair of interceptions on passes to Brandon Myers with Jenkins returning the first 55 yards for a touchdown and Roman Harper picking the second one off in the end zone after it went through Myers' hands.
"Very frustrated. Very painful loss," Palmer said. "We knew we had a team and a team that was on a roll and a team that's a Super Bowl contender coming into our place in front of our fans. We had a great crowd there today, they were into it and we let ourselves down and we let them down by not playing up to our potential and by getting beat the way we did."
NOTES: Brees has won his last seven starts against the Raiders with 16 touchdowns and no interceptions. ... The Raiders failed to score in the final 2 minutes of the first half for the first time this season. ... Former Raiders coach Jon Gruden lit the torch honoring late Oakland owner Al Davis.
Read more here: OAKLAND, Calif.: Raiders routed again, 38-17 to Saints | NFL Football | The Bellingham Herald
Not exactly the sight or sound owner Mark Davis had envisioned when he talked about a new direction.
Carson Palmer threw one interception that was returned for a score and another in the end zone, a depleted defense did little to slow down Drew Brees and neither did the coaching staff in Oakland's 38-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Through 10 games this season, the first-year Raiders (3-7) regime of general manager Reggie McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen appear to have one monstrous mess to clean up.
"I'm not happy, I'll put it that way," Davis said in the locker room afterward, speaking to reporters postgame for the first time all season. "And why should I be?"
Everybody in Raider Nation is asking the same question.
Oakland lost its third straight game under Allen as Brees picked apart the defense with his precision passing. The Raiders have allowed 135 points in three straight defeats - the most in a three-game span for the franchise since allowing 141 in the first three games in 1961.
In the latest showing, Brees threw three touchdown passes and Malcolm Jenkins returned an interception for another score to get the Saints (5-5) back to an even record. Lance Moore caught two touchdown passes and Mark Ingram ran for a score as the Saints won for the fifth time in six games to move into position to make a late-season playoff run despite the season-long distraction from the bounty scandal.
"We're on our way," Brees said. "Had you told us or anybody after 0-4 we'd be looking at 5-5 at some point, I think a lot of people might have looked at that and said that's pretty unrealistic. But here we are. We stayed the course, we didn't overreact. ... We just knew that things were going to turn for us if we just continued to do things the right way, good things were going to happen. And we did that."
In other words, the kind of turnaround frustrated Raiders fans are hoping to make.
"I think when you look at it," Allen said, "it's really the whole thing you've got to get better at."
The Raiders left receivers open all day and struggled to tackle in another thorough beat down. They have been outscored by 56 points the past two games.
The Saints did just about everything the Raiders couldn't, starting with an efficient opening drive by Brees that set the tone for the game. Brees finished 20 for 27 for 219 yards, extending his own records by throwing a touchdown in his 53rd straight game and completing 20 passes for the 46th straight game.
Brees came out of the game late in the fourth quarter or the score could've been even more lopsided.
"I just know that all of us aren't playing well right now," Raiders linebacker Philip Wheeler said.
Even New Orleans' much-maligned defense got into the act. The Saints got the two big turnovers in the first half that got the blowout started and held Oakland to one touchdown until garbage time.
About the only bright spot for the Raiders was fullback Marcel Reece, who rushed for 103 yards and added 90 yards receiving as he started at halfback in place of injured Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson.
"I'm just a little disappointed with the regression," Davis said. "But like I said, they'll fight."
Brees broke open a close game late in the first half when he found Moore all alone in the end zone behind Michael Huff and fill-in safety Mike Mitchell for a 38-yard touchdown pass in the final minute of the first half to make it 21-7.
Travaris Cadet then returned the second-half kickoff 75 yards and Ingram ran it in from the 27 on the next play and the rout was on. Brees and Moore connected one more time in third quarter to make it 35-10.
The Saints easily scored on their first possession as Brees completed five of six passes on an 80-yard drive capped by a 1-yard toss to Jimmy Graham.
Palmer then threw a pair of interceptions on passes to Brandon Myers with Jenkins returning the first 55 yards for a touchdown and Roman Harper picking the second one off in the end zone after it went through Myers' hands.
"Very frustrated. Very painful loss," Palmer said. "We knew we had a team and a team that was on a roll and a team that's a Super Bowl contender coming into our place in front of our fans. We had a great crowd there today, they were into it and we let ourselves down and we let them down by not playing up to our potential and by getting beat the way we did."
NOTES: Brees has won his last seven starts against the Raiders with 16 touchdowns and no interceptions. ... The Raiders failed to score in the final 2 minutes of the first half for the first time this season. ... Former Raiders coach Jon Gruden lit the torch honoring late Oakland owner Al Davis.
Read more here: OAKLAND, Calif.: Raiders routed again, 38-17 to Saints | NFL Football | The Bellingham Herald
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The Houston Texans won't have long to lament the mistakes they made against the Jacksonville Jaguars before rallying for a wild 43-37 overtime win.
They've got a quick turnaround before playing their first Thanksgiving game against Detroit where they'll look to improve on their franchise-best 9-1 start.
Coach Gary Kubiak said playing four days after an overtime game, ''is tough, but I think that's what builds the character of your team.''
He said they'll have very light workouts this week and most of their preparations for the Lions will be mental instead of physical.
The good news for his team is that it won't play again until Dec. 2 after this one.
''As hard as it is, you get a chance to give the guys a break after the game,'' he said. ''You've got a big period between that and your next game, so I think that gets them excited.''
Now the Texans face the NFC's top offense as they begin a three-game road swing that could be critical to their playoff positioning. They'll play AFC South foe Tennessee before a Monday night matchup at New England.
Houston receiver Andre Johnson, who has been with the team since its second season, is thrilled to be doing so well after years of struggling. But he isn't surprised by the success this season.
''It just feels like it's supposed to happen. This is where we are supposed to be,'' he said of being tied for the NFL's best record. ''It feels normal. I think if we had a worse record, guys would be upset and probably going crazy around here. But we knew what type of team we had coming into the season and we knew what we had to do to get to where we want to go. So far we've been doing it.''
Houston's normally dominant defense struggled Sunday. The Texans made up for it on offense. Their 640 yards were a franchise record, and Matt Schaub and Johnson both had career days.
Schaub threw for 527 yards and career-high five scores as the Texans rallied from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit.
Schaub's yards tied for second most in NFL history. Johnson's 273 yards receiving on 14 receptions - both career highs - were the most in the NFL since 2000.
Johnson, who scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime, enjoyed the game, but noted that it isn't how they prefer to play offensively.
''It was fun as an offense, but we try to run the ball, that's our main thing,'' he said. ''When we run the ball well we have a lot of control of the game, so it hasn't changed. It was just situations in that game where we had to throw the ball more to win.''
Kubiak has been pleased with the work of Arian Foster, who is fourth in the NFL with 949 yards rushing, but leads the league with 249 carries.
Houston has had to rely more heavily on him in the past three games with backup Ben Tate out with a hamstring injury. Tate has made significant progress in the past few days, and Kubiak said there's a ''good chance'' he could play Thursday.
The Texans gave up a season-high 458 yards on Sunday and cornerback Kareem Jackson said a lot of the problems came down to poor tackling.
''We obviously didn't play up to our standard,'' Kubiak said. ''We gave up big plays. We had a few assignment issues, which is unusual for us. That's something we've got to fix.''
Despite the problems, Kubiak believes the unit can gain confidence from the fact that it stopped the Jaguars late.
''When it was crunch time we found a way to make some plays to give the ball back to the offense and find a way to win,'' he said. ''It's nice to be able to (have) those problems and still win.''
Houston prepares for 1st Thanksgiving game - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN
They've got a quick turnaround before playing their first Thanksgiving game against Detroit where they'll look to improve on their franchise-best 9-1 start.
Coach Gary Kubiak said playing four days after an overtime game, ''is tough, but I think that's what builds the character of your team.''
He said they'll have very light workouts this week and most of their preparations for the Lions will be mental instead of physical.
The good news for his team is that it won't play again until Dec. 2 after this one.
''As hard as it is, you get a chance to give the guys a break after the game,'' he said. ''You've got a big period between that and your next game, so I think that gets them excited.''
Now the Texans face the NFC's top offense as they begin a three-game road swing that could be critical to their playoff positioning. They'll play AFC South foe Tennessee before a Monday night matchup at New England.
Houston receiver Andre Johnson, who has been with the team since its second season, is thrilled to be doing so well after years of struggling. But he isn't surprised by the success this season.
''It just feels like it's supposed to happen. This is where we are supposed to be,'' he said of being tied for the NFL's best record. ''It feels normal. I think if we had a worse record, guys would be upset and probably going crazy around here. But we knew what type of team we had coming into the season and we knew what we had to do to get to where we want to go. So far we've been doing it.''
Houston's normally dominant defense struggled Sunday. The Texans made up for it on offense. Their 640 yards were a franchise record, and Matt Schaub and Johnson both had career days.
Schaub threw for 527 yards and career-high five scores as the Texans rallied from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit.
Schaub's yards tied for second most in NFL history. Johnson's 273 yards receiving on 14 receptions - both career highs - were the most in the NFL since 2000.
Johnson, who scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime, enjoyed the game, but noted that it isn't how they prefer to play offensively.
''It was fun as an offense, but we try to run the ball, that's our main thing,'' he said. ''When we run the ball well we have a lot of control of the game, so it hasn't changed. It was just situations in that game where we had to throw the ball more to win.''
Kubiak has been pleased with the work of Arian Foster, who is fourth in the NFL with 949 yards rushing, but leads the league with 249 carries.
Houston has had to rely more heavily on him in the past three games with backup Ben Tate out with a hamstring injury. Tate has made significant progress in the past few days, and Kubiak said there's a ''good chance'' he could play Thursday.
The Texans gave up a season-high 458 yards on Sunday and cornerback Kareem Jackson said a lot of the problems came down to poor tackling.
''We obviously didn't play up to our standard,'' Kubiak said. ''We gave up big plays. We had a few assignment issues, which is unusual for us. That's something we've got to fix.''
Despite the problems, Kubiak believes the unit can gain confidence from the fact that it stopped the Jaguars late.
''When it was crunch time we found a way to make some plays to give the ball back to the offense and find a way to win,'' he said. ''It's nice to be able to (have) those problems and still win.''
Houston prepares for 1st Thanksgiving game - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN
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Ravens safety Ed Reed avoided a one-game suspension for late hits after an appeal. He instead will be fined $50,000.
Reed was suspended for one game without pay on Monday by NFL vice president of football operations Merton Hanks for his third violation in three seasons of the rule prohibiting helmet-to-helmet hits against defenseless players. The third violation occurred in Sunday night’s game at Pittsburgh: Reed’s hit to the head of receiver Emmanuel Sanders.
Reed appealed the ruling in phone session Tuesday morning with NFL hearing officer Ted Cottrell. The NFL Players Association represented Reed, who also participated.
In a letter to Reed, Cottrell wrote: “I have determined that your actions were egregious and warrant significant discipline. However, I do not believe that your actions were so egregious as to subject you to a one-game suspension without pay. ... I hope in the future you will focus on ensuring that your play conforms to the rules.”
Eagles-Cowboys still on primetime
NEW YORK – The Eagles’ game at the Dallas Cowboys will remain on Sunday night Dec. 2 even though neither team has a winning record.
The NFL announced its flexible scheduling decision Tuesday. Starting in Week 11, the league can move a more appealing matchup into prime time on NBC if need be.
Cutler's status remains unclear
CHICAGO – Jay Cutler was back home, nursing his concussion and watching as the Chicago Bears got pounded by the San Francisco 49ers 32-7 on Monday night.
Whether he’ll be back behind center this weekend remains to be seen.
He said he’s feeling “as normal as can be” and will play again this season. He said he “can’t say that for sure” when asked if he’ll be ready to play against Minnesota.
Having their starting quarterback certainly would help the Bears, who are suddenly reeling after back-to-back losses to two of the league’s top teams in Houston and San Francisco. What happened against the 49ers was particularly ugly and gave more fuel to skeptics who believe the Bears’ record was fattened by lackluster opponents over the first half of the season.
Read More: NFL roundup: Reed wins appeal; suspension nixed | The News Journal | delawareonline-com
Reed was suspended for one game without pay on Monday by NFL vice president of football operations Merton Hanks for his third violation in three seasons of the rule prohibiting helmet-to-helmet hits against defenseless players. The third violation occurred in Sunday night’s game at Pittsburgh: Reed’s hit to the head of receiver Emmanuel Sanders.
Reed appealed the ruling in phone session Tuesday morning with NFL hearing officer Ted Cottrell. The NFL Players Association represented Reed, who also participated.
In a letter to Reed, Cottrell wrote: “I have determined that your actions were egregious and warrant significant discipline. However, I do not believe that your actions were so egregious as to subject you to a one-game suspension without pay. ... I hope in the future you will focus on ensuring that your play conforms to the rules.”
Eagles-Cowboys still on primetime
NEW YORK – The Eagles’ game at the Dallas Cowboys will remain on Sunday night Dec. 2 even though neither team has a winning record.
The NFL announced its flexible scheduling decision Tuesday. Starting in Week 11, the league can move a more appealing matchup into prime time on NBC if need be.
Cutler's status remains unclear
CHICAGO – Jay Cutler was back home, nursing his concussion and watching as the Chicago Bears got pounded by the San Francisco 49ers 32-7 on Monday night.
Whether he’ll be back behind center this weekend remains to be seen.
He said he’s feeling “as normal as can be” and will play again this season. He said he “can’t say that for sure” when asked if he’ll be ready to play against Minnesota.
Having their starting quarterback certainly would help the Bears, who are suddenly reeling after back-to-back losses to two of the league’s top teams in Houston and San Francisco. What happened against the 49ers was particularly ugly and gave more fuel to skeptics who believe the Bears’ record was fattened by lackluster opponents over the first half of the season.
Read More: NFL roundup: Reed wins appeal; suspension nixed | The News Journal | delawareonline-com
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Rocking back and forth as his eyes dart from left to right, Scott Hanson looks like a nervous punt returner desperately searching for an opening to run through.
But instead of a free safety gunning for his head, Hanson is contending with trying to watch nine football games at once while simultaneously listening to producers barking in his ears and reading notes being waved in front of his face from two researchers.
Oh, and he's doing all this on live television.
Hanson is the anchor of NFL RedZone, a cable network designed for the fan who just can't be satisfied watching one game at a time. Every Sunday for seven commercial-free hours, RedZone hopscotches around every game in search of action. Hanson is the channel's ringmaster, taking viewers from blowouts to nail-biters and trying to provide a narrative to what otherwise might seem like spending an afternoon in a sports bar next to a drunk guy with a remote control.
"It's like reading several books at the same time," Hanson said. "You have to put a bookmark in it and remember where you are."
Helping guide Hanson is a team that resembles air traffic controllers more than they do producers. Each game is a jet and the producers follow it from takeoff to landing and scream out progress reports to each other, and then executive producers Kent Camera and Jonathan Kaplan make the call on what game to cut to for an update.
"We'll get you where you have to be," Camera promised. Hanson's perpetual motion persona is a source of much humor inside the Culver City-based NFL Network.
"He's so nuts he makes coffee nervous," cracked NFL Network lead anchor Rich Eisen.
Watching RedZone is no easy task. The dizzying speed with which it jumps from game to game can give one motion sickness and eye strain. Often it is showing two and sometimes three games at once. Earlier this month, RedZone debuted its "octo box," which showed eight games at once.
Kaplan likens RedZone to playing the old arcade game Frogger. It was clearly built for younger viewers who are already in the habit of watching TV while surfing the Internet, texting a friend and making lunch.
Although it is in its fourth year of operation, many Angelenos are getting their first taste of RedZone's addictive powers now that Time Warner Cable, the area's largest pay-TV provider, is carrying the channel, which was launched by the National Football League as a companion channel to its NFL Network. The high-energy Hanson, who also hosts two shows on the NFL Network and has been with the channel for six years, was the obvious choice for the job.
Since satellite broadcaster DirecTV has the exclusive rights to the NFL's Sunday Ticket package that gives subscribers access to every game from start to finish, RedZone was the league's way of throwing competing pay-TV distributors a bone and giving them an extra incentive to carry the NFL Network.
For some football fans, RedZone, which costs as little as $5 a month for a subscription, is a much better deal than Sunday Ticket, which runs $199 per season.
"I'll blow an entire Sunday sitting on the channel," said Jeff Katz, a Palms resident who dropped Sunday Ticket as soon as he could get RedZone. "I'm getting a grand guided tour around each game. I haven't remotely missed Sunday Ticket. It is the single best entertainment value I have."
The channel is catnip to hard-core football fans, but particularly those who play fantasy football, because one of RedZone's gimmicks is to show every touchdown in every game (hence the name RedZone). This season it has even been displaying updated fantasy statistics throughout the day on the bottom of the screen. Read More: NFL RedZone keeps its eyes on the football games — all of them - latimes-com
But instead of a free safety gunning for his head, Hanson is contending with trying to watch nine football games at once while simultaneously listening to producers barking in his ears and reading notes being waved in front of his face from two researchers.
Oh, and he's doing all this on live television.
Hanson is the anchor of NFL RedZone, a cable network designed for the fan who just can't be satisfied watching one game at a time. Every Sunday for seven commercial-free hours, RedZone hopscotches around every game in search of action. Hanson is the channel's ringmaster, taking viewers from blowouts to nail-biters and trying to provide a narrative to what otherwise might seem like spending an afternoon in a sports bar next to a drunk guy with a remote control.
"It's like reading several books at the same time," Hanson said. "You have to put a bookmark in it and remember where you are."
Helping guide Hanson is a team that resembles air traffic controllers more than they do producers. Each game is a jet and the producers follow it from takeoff to landing and scream out progress reports to each other, and then executive producers Kent Camera and Jonathan Kaplan make the call on what game to cut to for an update.
"We'll get you where you have to be," Camera promised. Hanson's perpetual motion persona is a source of much humor inside the Culver City-based NFL Network.
"He's so nuts he makes coffee nervous," cracked NFL Network lead anchor Rich Eisen.
Watching RedZone is no easy task. The dizzying speed with which it jumps from game to game can give one motion sickness and eye strain. Often it is showing two and sometimes three games at once. Earlier this month, RedZone debuted its "octo box," which showed eight games at once.
Kaplan likens RedZone to playing the old arcade game Frogger. It was clearly built for younger viewers who are already in the habit of watching TV while surfing the Internet, texting a friend and making lunch.
Although it is in its fourth year of operation, many Angelenos are getting their first taste of RedZone's addictive powers now that Time Warner Cable, the area's largest pay-TV provider, is carrying the channel, which was launched by the National Football League as a companion channel to its NFL Network. The high-energy Hanson, who also hosts two shows on the NFL Network and has been with the channel for six years, was the obvious choice for the job.
Since satellite broadcaster DirecTV has the exclusive rights to the NFL's Sunday Ticket package that gives subscribers access to every game from start to finish, RedZone was the league's way of throwing competing pay-TV distributors a bone and giving them an extra incentive to carry the NFL Network.
For some football fans, RedZone, which costs as little as $5 a month for a subscription, is a much better deal than Sunday Ticket, which runs $199 per season.
"I'll blow an entire Sunday sitting on the channel," said Jeff Katz, a Palms resident who dropped Sunday Ticket as soon as he could get RedZone. "I'm getting a grand guided tour around each game. I haven't remotely missed Sunday Ticket. It is the single best entertainment value I have."
The channel is catnip to hard-core football fans, but particularly those who play fantasy football, because one of RedZone's gimmicks is to show every touchdown in every game (hence the name RedZone). This season it has even been displaying updated fantasy statistics throughout the day on the bottom of the screen. Read More: NFL RedZone keeps its eyes on the football games — all of them - latimes-com
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Jim Schwartz's challenge-flag folly helped give Justin Forsett the longest run in Houston Texans history. Forsett isn't about to apologize for it.
"I know now that I was down, but I didn't think I was during the play," Forsett said after the Texans' 34-31 overtime win over Schwartz's Detroit Lions, via The Associated Press. "I didn't think my knee hit, and there was no whistle, so I kept going. "I wasn't giving the touchdown back."
It was the play of the game, a second-and-10 handoff that should've been marked down after an 8-yard gain. No whistle was blown, however, so Forsett regained his footing and took off running. Eighty-one yards later, he was in the end zone. That set the stage for the most embarrassing moment of Schwartz's career (Non-Harbaugh-Related Division).
"Obviously, that's a big break in the game for us," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "But I think you make your breaks when you work your tail off."
"Give him credit for continuing to play football," Kubiak said of Forsett. "We talk about that all the time. You don't stop, you play."
Kubiak didn't sound like a man with much sympathy for the coach on the other sideline.
"A rule's a rule," he said. "I know one thing: You've got to keep your flag tucked in your pocket."
The man's not wrong.
Justin Forsett admits he was down on touchdown run - NFL-com
"I know now that I was down, but I didn't think I was during the play," Forsett said after the Texans' 34-31 overtime win over Schwartz's Detroit Lions, via The Associated Press. "I didn't think my knee hit, and there was no whistle, so I kept going. "I wasn't giving the touchdown back."
It was the play of the game, a second-and-10 handoff that should've been marked down after an 8-yard gain. No whistle was blown, however, so Forsett regained his footing and took off running. Eighty-one yards later, he was in the end zone. That set the stage for the most embarrassing moment of Schwartz's career (Non-Harbaugh-Related Division).
"Obviously, that's a big break in the game for us," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "But I think you make your breaks when you work your tail off."
"Give him credit for continuing to play football," Kubiak said of Forsett. "We talk about that all the time. You don't stop, you play."
Kubiak didn't sound like a man with much sympathy for the coach on the other sideline.
"A rule's a rule," he said. "I know one thing: You've got to keep your flag tucked in your pocket."
The man's not wrong.
Justin Forsett admits he was down on touchdown run - NFL-com
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Defensive linemen Jerel Worthy and Mike Daniels haven't made the impact that cornerback Casey Hayward has when comparing the six rookies drafted by the Green Bay Packers in April.
After all, Hayward is tied for second in the National Football League with five interceptions.
But the Packers are satisfied with their newcomers from the Big Ten and are excited about their futures.
"They've got a lot to learn, both of them, but I think both will be good players in this league," said Mike Trgovac, who coaches the defensive line. "I think for sure it will be a wise investment for us."
Worthy, drafted in the middle of the second round from Michigan State, is tied with B.J. Raji for most snaps (343) on the unit.
Daniels, selected late in the fourth round out of Iowa, has played the fewest snaps (108) among the six D-linemen but certainly has made them count.
Neither player has been a world-beater. The Packers still haven't found an interior rusher to equal the level of performance that departed Cullen Jenkins provided in 2010.
But somebody must be doing something right on the inside. Green Bay has improved from 32nd in sack percentage last season to fifth through 10 games, and the D-line is on pace to total 14 sacks compared to a mere six in 2011.
"I'm just thankful to be able to say that I've played a part in that," Daniels said. "It's a great thing. We've just got to keep on improving."
Worthy, Daniels and Mike Neal have two sacks apiece, just behind unit leader C.J. Wilson, who has 2½. Just eight rookie D-linemen in the NFL have more than two sacks.
Daniels, with 7½ pressures (total of sacks, knockdowns and hurries), has the position's highest ratio of pressures per play.
Daniels has one pressure for every 16.6 snaps, followed by Neal (one/17.3), Raji (one/62.4), Wilson (one/66.3), Worthy (one/76.2) and Ryan Pickett (one/110.7).
"The best thing that Mike has done is, with limited opportunities, he has made the most of them," said Trgovac. "Mike Daniels is just a good, steady football player."
Daniels, 6 feet ½ inch and 294 pounds, also has produced against the run. He ranks third on the unit in tackles per snap with one every 13.5, behind Pickett (one/7.6) and Wilson (one/7.7) but ahead of Neal (one/14.4), Raji (one/17.2) and Worthy (one/21.4).
The Packers drafted Daniels knowing his height probably would preclude him from ever being the answer as an end in the base 3-4, but Trgovac says the rookie has proved he can play there in a pinch.
"It's just like a (short) quarterback that they talk about," said Trgovac. "Mike has overcome that. Obviously, he has played with that his whole life."
Trgovac, a one-time middle guard and D-line coach at Michigan, said NFL rules tilt toward O-linemen when it comes to using their hands and lining up deeper off the ball.
As for guards in the Big Ten and the NFL, he said, "Sometimes in college you'll find a pigeon. Normally, you don't get a lot of pigeons in this league."
Trgovac didn't define pigeon, but he probably was talking about collegiate guards with slow feet, poor fundamentals, insufficient strength, bad bodies and too little will.
"The Big Ten has great offensive lines and great offensive-line coaching," Daniels said. "It prepared me pretty well for the NFL.
"I will say this. Some of those 10, nine-year vets, they know some things that your typical college senior wouldn't. I've come across some guards in the NFL that know how to use their hands better than D-linemen in college. I guess they've learned from their enemies."
Daniels was relentless at Iowa and strives to be the same 100-percenter in Green Bay. His post-surgical shoulder has not bothered him, and he says he is feeling "great" after the light workload.
"I want my presence to be felt whenever I step on the field," said Daniels. "Whether it's for one snap or 100, I want them to know I'm there."
The 6-2½ Worthy is in the midst of a rather startling transformation of his body. He is playing at 288 pounds nine months after weighing 308 at the combine.
"I felt it would benefit me to be a lighter guy since I was required to do a lot of things," Worthy said. "We stand up a lot sometimes. We're required to be able to rush the passer. It's helped a lot just being able to go with the speed of the game."
Worthy is eating better in an NFL team environment. If he was carrying some bad weight, the Packers see him in the not-too-distant future becoming a more muscular 300-pounder.
"There was never a mandate on him that he had to lose weight," said Trgovac. "We've never had a problem with his weight.
"I don't know what he did before, but he's working really hard right now. I think it's just natural with his body, the training he's been doing and the way they feed him here."
Worthy posted 12 sacks in his three seasons for the Spartans, often by beating blockers off the snap. Acknowledging that he hasn't won as much in the NFL with get-off, Worthy is concentrating on improved hand placement and footwork.
"I always thought I was NFL-ready," said Worthy, who declared a year early. "If I get better at my fundamentals, I can make a lot more plays.
"I've got to get used to being a lighter guy on the field with a lot of bigger people. I just want to be effective when I do rush and be confident due to the fact I did lose 20 pounds."
Worthy has played considerably as a base end because of injuries, but with his entire group now healthy, Trgovac is trying to focus on Worthy's pass rush.
For the Spartans, Worthy said, "Every down for me was a Jet rush down. Using my speed to get up field."
Jet rushes give a D-tackle the green light to charge into either gap trying to raise havoc. The Packers run a disciplined, gap-conscious system that severely limits Jet opportunities.
"He gives very good effort," said Trgovac. "He's going to be a fine rusher. I really believe that. Sometimes it takes guys a little while."
Worthy t
After all, Hayward is tied for second in the National Football League with five interceptions.
But the Packers are satisfied with their newcomers from the Big Ten and are excited about their futures.
"They've got a lot to learn, both of them, but I think both will be good players in this league," said Mike Trgovac, who coaches the defensive line. "I think for sure it will be a wise investment for us."
Worthy, drafted in the middle of the second round from Michigan State, is tied with B.J. Raji for most snaps (343) on the unit.
Daniels, selected late in the fourth round out of Iowa, has played the fewest snaps (108) among the six D-linemen but certainly has made them count.
Neither player has been a world-beater. The Packers still haven't found an interior rusher to equal the level of performance that departed Cullen Jenkins provided in 2010.
But somebody must be doing something right on the inside. Green Bay has improved from 32nd in sack percentage last season to fifth through 10 games, and the D-line is on pace to total 14 sacks compared to a mere six in 2011.
"I'm just thankful to be able to say that I've played a part in that," Daniels said. "It's a great thing. We've just got to keep on improving."
Worthy, Daniels and Mike Neal have two sacks apiece, just behind unit leader C.J. Wilson, who has 2½. Just eight rookie D-linemen in the NFL have more than two sacks.
Daniels, with 7½ pressures (total of sacks, knockdowns and hurries), has the position's highest ratio of pressures per play.
Daniels has one pressure for every 16.6 snaps, followed by Neal (one/17.3), Raji (one/62.4), Wilson (one/66.3), Worthy (one/76.2) and Ryan Pickett (one/110.7).
"The best thing that Mike has done is, with limited opportunities, he has made the most of them," said Trgovac. "Mike Daniels is just a good, steady football player."
Daniels, 6 feet ½ inch and 294 pounds, also has produced against the run. He ranks third on the unit in tackles per snap with one every 13.5, behind Pickett (one/7.6) and Wilson (one/7.7) but ahead of Neal (one/14.4), Raji (one/17.2) and Worthy (one/21.4).
The Packers drafted Daniels knowing his height probably would preclude him from ever being the answer as an end in the base 3-4, but Trgovac says the rookie has proved he can play there in a pinch.
"It's just like a (short) quarterback that they talk about," said Trgovac. "Mike has overcome that. Obviously, he has played with that his whole life."
Trgovac, a one-time middle guard and D-line coach at Michigan, said NFL rules tilt toward O-linemen when it comes to using their hands and lining up deeper off the ball.
As for guards in the Big Ten and the NFL, he said, "Sometimes in college you'll find a pigeon. Normally, you don't get a lot of pigeons in this league."
Trgovac didn't define pigeon, but he probably was talking about collegiate guards with slow feet, poor fundamentals, insufficient strength, bad bodies and too little will.
"The Big Ten has great offensive lines and great offensive-line coaching," Daniels said. "It prepared me pretty well for the NFL.
"I will say this. Some of those 10, nine-year vets, they know some things that your typical college senior wouldn't. I've come across some guards in the NFL that know how to use their hands better than D-linemen in college. I guess they've learned from their enemies."
Daniels was relentless at Iowa and strives to be the same 100-percenter in Green Bay. His post-surgical shoulder has not bothered him, and he says he is feeling "great" after the light workload.
"I want my presence to be felt whenever I step on the field," said Daniels. "Whether it's for one snap or 100, I want them to know I'm there."
The 6-2½ Worthy is in the midst of a rather startling transformation of his body. He is playing at 288 pounds nine months after weighing 308 at the combine.
"I felt it would benefit me to be a lighter guy since I was required to do a lot of things," Worthy said. "We stand up a lot sometimes. We're required to be able to rush the passer. It's helped a lot just being able to go with the speed of the game."
Worthy is eating better in an NFL team environment. If he was carrying some bad weight, the Packers see him in the not-too-distant future becoming a more muscular 300-pounder.
"There was never a mandate on him that he had to lose weight," said Trgovac. "We've never had a problem with his weight.
"I don't know what he did before, but he's working really hard right now. I think it's just natural with his body, the training he's been doing and the way they feed him here."
Worthy posted 12 sacks in his three seasons for the Spartans, often by beating blockers off the snap. Acknowledging that he hasn't won as much in the NFL with get-off, Worthy is concentrating on improved hand placement and footwork.
"I always thought I was NFL-ready," said Worthy, who declared a year early. "If I get better at my fundamentals, I can make a lot more plays.
"I've got to get used to being a lighter guy on the field with a lot of bigger people. I just want to be effective when I do rush and be confident due to the fact I did lose 20 pounds."
Worthy has played considerably as a base end because of injuries, but with his entire group now healthy, Trgovac is trying to focus on Worthy's pass rush.
For the Spartans, Worthy said, "Every down for me was a Jet rush down. Using my speed to get up field."
Jet rushes give a D-tackle the green light to charge into either gap trying to raise havoc. The Packers run a disciplined, gap-conscious system that severely limits Jet opportunities.
"He gives very good effort," said Trgovac. "He's going to be a fine rusher. I really believe that. Sometimes it takes guys a little while."
Worthy t
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Four plays later, Denver scored the winning touchdown and John Elway, in his 16th and final season, had the 39th game-winning drive of the 40 he would engineer in the fourth quarter or overtime.
Fast forward 15 years to another November day in Cincinnati. Elway runs the team from the front office and the quarterback he brought to Denver, Peyton Manning, directs a five-play, 80-yard drive that gives the Broncos the lead in the fourth quarter. It's his 48th game-winning drive. Manning now holds the NFL record in a category Elway once defined.
"I think he thrives on it,'' Broncos coach John Fox said. "I think most competitors do. They want the ball in their hands.''
He could have been speaking about Elway. In this case, he was speaking about Manning.
The quarterback's latest escape act, which included four completions, including one of his three scoring passes against the Bengals, was more efficient than dramatic, more just another touchdown drive than, say, The Drive.
Yet for all the gaudy numbers Manning is putting up this season - 2,404 yards, 20 touchdowns, the 108.6 passer rating - it's the three fourth-quarter game-winning drives, against Pittsburgh, San Diego and Cincinnati, that show what he's really all about.
"I think all football players, when the fourth quarter comes around, that's when the pressure's on, that's when you want to rely on your fundamentals and techniques,'' Manning said. "I think we can draw on this type of game.''
Though any NFL quarterback will take what Manning got Sunday - a win - it will not go down as one of his best statistical performances, mainly because of the two interceptions he threw, both of which contributed to a 14-point lead turning into a three-point deficit early in the fourth quarter.
There was no sense of panic, said tight end Jacob Tamme, who played with Manning for three years in Indianapolis.
"He takes responsibility when he does something he feels wasn't good enough and we all take responsibility when we do something we feel wasn't good enough,'' Tamme said. "That's how we operate as an offense. It was just kind of a sense of, let's go out there and do our job a little bit better and we'll win.''
They did. Eight minutes later, with the help of a Champ Bailey interception, Manning led another touchdown drive to make it 31-20. The Bengals kicked a field goal but didn't recover the ensuing onside kick.
"If you run into an adverse situation, it's no reason to get down,'' Bailey said. "You just keep playing ball. Keep going out and doing your job because you know you're going to have a chance. You see other players doing that on this team. There are a lot of leaders on this team.''
Top on the list: Manning.
After the slow start so many predicted for both the team and the quarterback, coming onto a new team and after missing a year while his surgically repaired neck healed, Manning is playing as well as he ever has.
Denver's schedule, meanwhile, has eased. Games against Houston, Atlanta and New England are in the rearview mirror. Only one team with a winning record remains on the schedule.
The Broncos head into the second half of the season on a three-game winning streak. They lead the AFC West at 5-3. Manning leads the NFL in completion percentage (69.5), average gain per attempt (8.23) and with that passer rating of more than 108. That last stat, loosely translated, means he's playing quarterback better than anyone in the NFL right now.
"In his case, every time he goes out there, he's got a chance to do something special,'' Fox said.
He's making memories in the fourth quarter - a time that used to belong to Elway in this city.
It was against the Colts in 1983 that Elway made his first comeback. From 19-0 down to a 21-19 win, with all the touchdowns coming in the fourth quarter.
After another particularly impressive comeback - two touchdowns over the last two minutes to beat the Chiefs 20-19 in 1992 - Elway said he never gave up, no matter how dire the situation: "No. When I think we've lost is when the game is over,'' he said.
With Manning at the helm, the impossible seems possible again in Denver. A 24-point deficit in San Diego turns into a 35-24 win that goes down as the first time a team has won by double digits after trailing by so much. A blown lead in Cincinnati turns into a 31-23 win that, somehow, feels routine.
Of course, nobody goes into a game hoping to need a comeback. But when things play out this way, Manning said, it's not such a bad thing.
"The more you can go through it as a unit, the more you can draw on it later in the season,'' he said. "Anytime you can win going through those scenarios, that's a plus.''
NOTES: Fox said there was no update on OL Chris Kuper, who left the game with an injured left ankle. "No fracture involved,'' Fox said. "There'll be some rehab.'' ... Tamme, who left the game briefly with an injury, said he tweaked a nerve in his elbow when he hit it on the turf and it felt OK on Monday. ... The Broncos gave no update on CB Tracy Porter, who missed his third straight game because of problems related to a seizure over the summer. ... The Broncos lost two turnovers and picked up only one against Cincinnati, falling to minus-4 for the season, 23rd in the league.
Read more: Manning now the all-time comeback king - NFL - SI-com