Cardinals look divine
(Bloomberg) The San Diego Chargers and Arizona Cardinals, neither considered favorites by Las Vegas oddsmakers, have advanced past the first round of the National Football League playoffs on Saturday
The Chargers secured a 23-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in the American Football Conference playoff. The Cardinals won by 30-24 over the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football Conference game.
"We're a work in progress," Cardinal quarterback Kurt Warner said. "The great thing about playoffs is if you show for three or four Sundays, you have a chance to win it all. This is one step closer to our goal."
The Cardinals will play the Carolina Panthers or New York Giants next weekend and the Chargers will meet the Pittsburgh Steelers or Tennessee Titans.
In San Diego, Darren Sproles, who had a total of 328 all - purpose yards, gave the Chargers a 14-10 halftime advantage on a 9-yard run with 47 seconds left in the half after LaDainian Tomlinson, playing with a groin injury, rushed for 3 yards at 10:18 in the second quarter to tie the game at 7-7.
"He's all purpose. That's what I call him, Mr. All Purpose," Antonio Gates, who had eight receptions for 87 yards, said. "He made a tremendous run at the end of the game."
San Diego kicker Nate Kaeding sent the game into overtime with a 26-yard field goal to tie the game at 17-17 with 33 seconds left. The Chargers won the toss for the start of overtime.
The Colts, looking for their 10th straight win, had scored first with a one-yard run by Joseph Addai. Adam Vinatieri kicked a 43-yard field goal in the second quarter before Reggie Wayne, who caught four passes for 129 yards, scored on a 72-yard pass from Peyton Manning.
Manning, the NFL Most Valuable Player, completed 25 of 42 for 310 yards.
The Baltimore Ravens played the Miami Dolphins in Miami, while the Philadelphia Eagles took on the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis yesterday.
Copyright (c) 2004,2005 Cayman Free Press Ltd
Singletary shares spotlight with Niners' new president
It's easy to get overshadowed at present by Mike Singletary, who has taken on a bigger-than-life persona in the Bay Area in the wake of his new four-year, $10 million contract as the Niners' head coach. The new deal was announced in a joyous post game lockerroom Sunday following the team's 27-24 come-from-behind victory over the Redskins that wrapped up the 2008 season on an upbeat note.
But the person making the announcement was also more than a little noteworthy - 27-year-old Jed York, who was named the Niners' new team president responsible for day-to-day operations by his parents before kickoff Sunday. York's previous title was vice president of strategic planning, but it's been no secret to daily team observers that he's been the 49ers' actual leader going back to training camp. Now, for better or worse, he, Singletary and GM Scot McCloughan will be pulling the strings moving forward, with no apparent plans to hire a senior football executive - as has been suggested by some close observers - in the offing.
The PFW spin
Jed York, who told the local media that the decision to stick with Singletary as the head coach was actually made last Friday, is well-aware that he's considered by many to be perhaps in over his head in his new role. But, like his uncle, Eddie DeBartolo Jr., who previously thrived as the Niners' owner while in his early 30's, Jed is showing no fear and wasting little time eagerly asserting himself. Unlike his father, John, he comes across well in the public spotlight and has, by all accounts, quickly earned the respect of the people in the organization who work under him.
Jed York takes charge of the Niners with all kinds of tricky challenges on the horizon, most notably the end of the league's collective-bargaining-agreement and a possible work stoppage in 2011. But apparently he is more than willing to tackle whatever might come his way, with his parents just as willing to fade into the background and let him do this thing. In addition to overseeing his team's hopeful emergence into a consistent playoff contender, York will spend considerable time continuing to finalize the building of a new billion-dollar stadium for the Niners somewhere in the Bay Area.
Jed York now officially become part of an interesting second-generation group of league higher-ups - also including the likes of Patriots president and CEO Jonathan Kraft, Giants president and CEO John Mara and Cowboys executive VP and COO Stephen Jones - that is likely to anchor the NFL's future power base and become increasingly influential.
(c)2002-2008 by Pro Football Weekly LLC
NFL asks appeals court to reconsider 5 suspensions
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The NFL is asking an appeals court to reconsider a federal judge's order that blocked the suspensions of five players for violating the American football league's anti-doping policy.
Attorneys for the NFL on Monday filed notice they were asking the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals to take up the issue.
U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson in St. Paul, Minnesota, said earlier this month he needed more time to consider the case. Magnuson cleared the way for Kevin Williams and Pat Williams of the Minnesota Vikings, and Charles Grant, Deuce McAllister and Will Smith of the New Orleans Saints to continue playing at least until an order was issued.
The players were suspended for four games each after testing positive for a banned diuretic in the dietary supplement StarCaps.
(c) 2008 Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC.
Broad Run's Burnett is Redskins Coach of the Year
Ashburn (Dec. 15, 2008) - The Washington Redskins announced Friday that head football coach Mike Burnett of Broad Run High School in Ashburn, VA has been named Redskins High School Coach of the Year for the 2008 high school football season.
The Redskins High School Coach of the Year program is designed to recognize and reward excellence in high
school football coaching.
Coach Burnett has been coaching football for 11 years with this season being his 3rd as head coach at Broad Run. In his three years coaching at the school, Burnett has accumulated an overall record of 29-6 and has led the team to two Dulles District Championships (2007 & 2008), the first since 1991.This season marked the team's first AA Region II Division 4 Championship title as well as the first AA Division 4 State Championship for the Broad Run Spartans. The Spartans finished the season ranked #3 on the Washington Post High School
Football Rankings with a record of 14-0.
Burnett and his team have achieved success on and off field. Burnett's student-athletes have been instrumental in starting a successful conflict mediation program at Broad Run. This program allows students at the school to resolve conflicts through mediation-trained mediators. Out of 20 students who volunteer with this program, 25% are football players. Burnett and his athletes also help run youth football camps during the summer. These youth football players and cheerleaders also participate during halftime at one of the Broad Run's football games.
Burnett stated to the Loudoun Times-Mirror after winning the championship game, "In the end, I hope the perception is that we have really good kids and good character. If I wanted to say what people would think about Broad Run, it's that they're fine young men-not state champs-because that's what matters."
Each week during the 2008 high school football season, the Redskins selected one area high school head coach as the Redskins High School Coach of the Week. Each of the coaches selected received a $1,000
donation from NFL Charities to their football program and a certificate signed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Redskins Head Coach Jim Zorn and NFL Director of Football Operations Gene Washington. At the end of the high school season the Redskins selected one area coach as Coach of the Year. Head Coach Burnett was selected based on his continuing commitment towards promoting youth football, developing motivated student-athletes, his overall community involvement and overall team performance and record. As Coach of the Year, Burnett will receive a $2,000 donation from NFL Charities to his football program and a framed certificate.
COPYRIGHT (c)2008 DIGITALSPORTS
Another Failed Trip West for the Jets, and a Tie for First
SAN FRANCISCO -- After the two-minute warning sounded an official alarm on his team's downward spiraling season, Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum left the press box and headed toward the field.
He had to pass through the stands at Candlestick Park on his way down, past the 49ers fans dancing and screaming and whistling in delight. All around Tannenbaum, the stadium pulsated with the sounds of winning football - sounds the Jets themselves were singing just a few weeks back.
The Jets have followed back-to-back wins full of bravado with back-to-back losses that threaten to sink their season, the latest a 24-14 defeat to the 49ers on Sunday in front of a red sea of 67,782.
"When people didn't believe in us, we didn't listen to folks," nose tackle Kris Jenkins said. "Honestly, right now it looks like when people are believing in us, we're not listening to them, either."
The loss dropped the Jets to 8-5 and into a three-way tie for first place in the American Football Conference East. Juicy subplots and familiarity bond the teams atop the division, as the Jets join their longtime nemesis New England and resurgent Miami, led by Chad Pennington, the quarterback they released in August.
These are the same Jets who sauntered into Tennessee last month and dropped the Titans from the ranks of the unbeaten, the same Jets who vanquished the ghosts of Patriots past the week before with a victory in Foxborough, Mass.
But those Jets - the ones who elicited talk of an all-New York Super Bowl with the Giants - have looked like the same old Jets in recent losses to Denver and San Francisco, the same old Jets of 40 years of tortured history since their last Super Bowl victory.
"This team is as talented as any team I've been a part of, but talent only takes you so far," cornerback Ty Law said. "We have to go out there and believe in ourselves that we're a good football team."
On the last play of the game, officials whistled the 49ers' defense for having 12 men on the field. The Jets declined the penalty, not wanting to extend the nightmare any longer.
Coach Eric Mangini walked away with his head down and his hands in his pockets. Running back Thomas Jones wore a scowl as he stalked to the locker room. Cornerback Ahmad Carroll flung his gloves angrily into the stands.
Someone in the crowd held a sign that read, "Brett Favre, may you rock on," but this was the sobering reality: With the muddled AFC playoff picture, Favres career could be down to the three guaranteed games the Jets have left.
Still, the Jets remained defiant. No, they did not feel their confidence had been shaken. Yes, they still controlled their playoff chances.
"I have faith," said linebacker David Bowens, who added: "We just have to find that team that won those games. It's really ticking me off, actually. We're better than this."
Against the Broncos a week earlier, at home and in the rain, the Jets played their worst game of the season. The 49ers defeat made a fitting encore.
After the loss to the Broncos, Mangini was unhappy with his team's week of practices heading in. In Sunday, several players said the week of practice had been crisp.
Against the Broncos, the Jets were out of the game by halftime. Against the 49ers, returner Leon Washington took a kickoff 99 yards into the end zone early in the fourth quarter. The play would have given the Jets a 21-17 lead, but it was negated by a holding penalty on safety James Ihedigbo.
The Jets never recovered.
"It's another wake-up call," receiver Laveranues Coles said. "I don't know how many of these we need to get us going."
It was Coles who told San Francisco-area reporters last week that he had had difficulty this season adjusting to the offense, that it used to "go through" him and now goes through Favre.
Coles caught only one pass on Sunday. The offense converted only one third down in 10 chances, a sure sign, tight end Chris Baker said, of losing football. In comparison, the 49ers converted 8 of 15 third-down chances, a main component for winning football.
"Something's definitely not right," right guard Brandon Moore said. "Guys have to pull together and get that swagger back. And that comes from playing well and winning games."
The Jets' defense forced five 49ers fumbles but recovered only one. That included three forced fumbles in a bizarre first quarter (one recovered) that ended with the Jets trailing, 7-0.
Even with linebacker David Harris back for the first time since late October, even with the 49ers star running back Frank Gore missing nearly all of the second half with an injured left ankle, the season-long struggle of the Jets' pass defense continued.
Playing against Shaun Hill, a career backup who became the 49ers' starter during this season, they yielded 285 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. Gore caught the second scoring pass, a 4-yarder, near the end of the first half for a 14-7 lead. (The Jets' score came on Favre's 2-yard run, his first rushing touchdown since October 2006.)
Bowens stepped in front of a Hill pass for his first career interception in the third quarter, and his 24-yard return gave the Jets the ball at the 49ers' 45-yard line. Bowens said that the 49ers' offense relied on timing, and that Hill probably expected a receiver to be in that spot.
"Someone was there," Bowens said with a coy wink.
Four plays later, Jones scored his 12th rushing and 14th total touchdown this season, both of which tied single-season team records. The score, on a 17-yard run, also marked his seventh straight game with a touchdown, which tied Santana Moss for another single-season record.
"I'm not even thinking about that now," Jones said.
After the Washington kickoff return was called back, the Jets' sideline deflated. Gone was the swagger so evident last month, replaced by losses both repetitive and head scratching.
There was also the recent arrest of their sack leader, Shaun Ellis, for marijuana possession. Ellis played well in his first game after the news broke, recording eight tackles, a quarterback hurry, a sack and a forced fumble. But he also did not partake in the coin toss, an interesting move for a team captain. Ellis claimed he missed the coin toss by accident.
Jenkins said the Jets still controlled their destiny.
"We've done too much good this year when nobody basically believed in us but ourselves to squander it away," he said.
Asked where they go from here, he shook his head and added, "We go home, pick up the pieces and try to get out of this slump."
Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company
Stewart's sure TD run turns into costly fumble
GREEN BAY, Wis. - As the goal line approached - and nearing the end of what appeared to be a 48-yard touchdown run in the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field -- Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart felt both his hamstrings begin to cramp up.
Then, Stewart began to slow.
Then, Packers safety Rod Woodson swooped in from behind, tackling Stewart and knocking the ball from his hands.
Luckily for Stewart, Panthers offensive guard Travelle Wharton, who had already made the key block upfield that sprang him, stayed with the play. He pounced on the ball at the Packers 2. Three plays later, quarterback Jake Delhomme scored from 1 yard and the Panthers had a 14-3 lead.
Ultimately, Stewart's cramp and subsequent fumble wasn't a factor in the game, which the Panthers won 35-31.
But, said Stewart, it was a "frustrating" play.
"I thought it was something serious," said Stewart, who would have tied Fred Lane's Panthers' rookie touchdown record of seven had he scored. "I looked up at the last minute at the big (scoreboard) screen and saw the man (Woodson) reaching," said Stewart.
Stewart said he thought the cramp came because he hadn't warmed up enough and hadn't gotten in the game until that carry. Trainers massaged the cramp out of Stewart's hamstring after the play and he returned to the game. He finished with 58 yards rushing (he was credited with 43 on the play he cramped up on).
Notes
Here's what Julius Peppers had to say about the unnecessary-roughness call against him late in the game, when he hit Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers out of bounds. "I'm going over there and I'm not trying to judge whether he's getting ready to step out of bounds," said Pepper. "I'm just going for the hit. I'm not trying to hurt him or nothing like that, but from the last thing I saw, he was still in bounds. A few plays before that, I saw him acting like he was going out of bounds and he stayed in and got 5 or 6 yards for a first down. I didn't want to take that chance again." Peppers was actually credited with a sack on the play. He had two for the game and now has 11 for the season (he needs two more to tie his career high of 13). The back-and-forth with the Panthers' No. 3 receiver continued. D.J. Hackett, who was inactive last week against Atlanta, played Sunday but didn't catch a pass. Dwayne Jarrett, who played against the Falcons and caught two passes for 15 yards, was inactive. Other inactives: Matt Moore (third quarterback), cornerback C.J. Wilson, linebacker Adam Seward, offensive lineman Mackenzy Bernadeau, offensive tackle Frank Omiyale, receiver Kenneth Moore and defensive tackle Gary Gibson. Defensive Darwin Walker, who missed four games after injuring his neck in a traffic accident, was active Sunday. Packers rookie defensive end Jeremy Thompson, who played at Charlotte Christian and Wake Forest, hurt his ankle in the second quarter and didn't return. Due to injuries to the Packers' safeties, Woodson started there instead of cornerback. His place at corner was taken by Tramon Williams. It was Woodson's first career start at safety. The Panthers' Jason Baker had two long punts that were downed deep in Packers territory. The first came in the first quarter, a 41-yarder that was downed by James Anderson at the 3. The second came in the third quarter, a 47-yarder that Richard Marshall downed at the 5. The punt to the 5 ultimately didn't do any good. The Packers drove the length of the field and scored a touchdown.
By the numbers
3: Inches of snow expected in Green Bay late Sunday (it began snowing with about eight minutes remaining). That looked conservative because, by 7 p.m. it appeared at least that much had already fallen. 4: Touchdowns by DeAngelo Williams, a Panthers single-game record. 9:13: Time elapsed in fourth-quarter Packers' drive, resulting in a field goal and a 31-28 lead. 275: Consecutive sellouts at Lambeau Field.
Observations
You've got to be really good to have your number retired as a Packer. Only six players - Don Hutson (14), Tony Canadeo (3), Bart Starr (15), Ray Nitschke (66), Reggie White (92) and Brett Favre (4) have been honored that way by the team. Other stars, including Forrest Gregg, Herb Adderley, Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor, Willie Davis, Johnny (Blood) McNally and Henry Jordan are in the Packers' hall of fame but haven't had their numbers retired. Players like Gregg, Hornung, Taylor and McNally are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and haven't had their numbers retired. The Packers might have a secondary team color, something favored by the NFL to boost apparel sales. The Lambeau Field crowd was peppered with fans wearing "hunter orange." Thought a penalty flag had been thrown in the Panthers' backfield on one play. Actually, Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga's bright yellow helmet came off and had fallen to the ground. Worst play: Packers center Scott Wells' snap that went high and wide of Aaron Rodgers out of a shotgun formation. That led to a Panthers touchdown in the second quarter. Best catch (for receivers not named Steve Smith): Packers receiver Donald Driver laying out for a pass from Rodgers that appeared to be way out of his reach in the third quarter, good for 46 yards on the first play of a 95-yard drive that would allow Green Bay to tie the game. Packers fans spent a lot of time booing, especially punter Derrick Frost. The boos, believe it or not, came after punts of 41 and 40 yards by Frost. The Panthers have introduced a "pay as you play" playoff ticket option for season-ticket holders. Rather than have fans pay for all possible home playoff games at once as they've done in the past (getting a refund or credit toward next season's games if the games aren't played), they'll only be charged for games that are played. Panthers director of ticketing Phil Youtsey said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell asked teams to figure out ways to help fans in these troubled economic times and this was one way to do it.
Quoting
"I'm sure there were a lot of things said, you'd be amazed. But I wouldn't go into it here." - Panthers coach John Fox on conversations in Panthers' defensive huddle when the Packers had a first-and-goal at the 7 late in the game and came away with a field goal. "It's not about starting points, it's about points." - Fox, on the Panthers' good field position for much of the game. "To be honest, I'm getting kind of tired learning from experiences like this." - Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, in his first season as a starter. "I was confident in that position." - Packers coach Mike McCarthy on his team leading by three points late in the game, after electing to kick a field goal rather than go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1.
charlotteobserver.com
Buffalo's Rout of Chiefs Rings Hollow
The NFL is supposed to be easy. Feel good when your team wins, feel sad when your team loses. For the torturous life of a Bills fan, fandom is so much more complex. If it were as easy as it's supposed to be, the pounding the Bills placed on the Chiefs wouldn't come off as empty and hollow.
See, right or wrong, Western New York's fragile ego lives and dies through the local professional sports teams. The Sabres are nice to have around, and beloved in Buffalo, but 80 percent of the country could care less about hockey, and the NHL is small potatoes compared to the revenue and interest the NFL generates.
The NFL is not just America's pastime, but one of America's biggest businesses. It's the NFL where Buffalo gets to show a national audience a local identity. When the Bills play well, fans aren't just proud of the team, they carry a incomparable civic pride.
The Bills started the season hot. They beat some bad teams, jumped out to a 5-1 record, and became a story. Marcus Stroud and Donte Whitner charged a fiery defense, special teams played special, head coach Dick Jauron received a contract extension, and Trent Edwards became an NFL buzz word.
Buffalonians were talkin' proud, while the true meat of the Bills' schedule--divisional games which the team could prove their hype as legitimate, were in view.
While Buffalonians waited for the team to stake a claim to the division which has eluded them for so long, for the Bills, the wheels came off. Three divisional games followed by a Monday night game in front of a national audience, and the team didn't just choke, they disappeared.
Jauron was out-coached, and his team was outplayed by every divisional team. While the team's play intrepidly regressed, what looked after the 5-1 start like minor, fixable issues, quickly bubbled to the surface as major cracks.
One week ago today, and for the three weeks prior, the Bills had an opportunity to win a game which meant something. Games which were viewed nationally, would have kept them in the divisional hunt and in the playoff picture. Not just as a football team, as a community.
Yesterday, against a woefully pathetic Chiefs team, the last pair of CBS announcers called the Bills breaking a franchise record for most points scored in a game. Trent Edwards played well, the running backs ran with purpose, and the defense made critical takeaways.
It was supposed to be fun. Maybe for the players getting paid, it was. Maybe, it was fun, even, for some fans who still hang on to the belief the Bills can elevate into something more.
In Buffalo, the only thing which feels worse than losing, is irrelevancy. Yesterday, the last pair of CBS announcers saw a tree fall in the woods.
Copyright 2008 Bleacher Report, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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