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Free-agent linebacker Karlos Dansby is set to meet with the Miami Dolphins today. However, if the Dolphins can't sign Dansby, the Cardinals will still be in the mix, according to Jason La Canfora of NFL.com.

After being franchised by the Cardinals for two consecutive seasons, Dansby is the top free-agent linebacker available this off-season and isn't limiting the teams he's willing to visit.

If the Dolphins don't sign Dansby, there is a good chance that they will use their first-round pick (12th overall) on an inside linebacker, which could limit their ability to upgrade at other key positions of need (outside linebacker, nose tackle and wide receiver), per ThePhinsider.com.

One of the teams that appeared set to bid on the free-agent linebacker was the New York Giants, who had released Antonio Pierce. However, they are unlikely to enter the bidding due to the amount of money Dansby is seeking and likely to get.

In six career NFL seasons (all in Arizona), Dansby has 559 tackles, 25.5 sacks and ten interceptions.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Denver Broncos will have a new defensive coordinator in 2010 as will the Miami Dolphins, who fired Paul Pasqualoni last week.

"I can't say anything other than [coach] Josh [McDaniels] and I mutually agreed to part ways," [Mike] Nolan said, per Mike Klis of the Denver Post.

Meanwhile ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted, "Broncos already are discussing former Patriots DC Dean Pees, who worked with Denver head coach Josh McDaniels in New England."

Pees was defensive coordinator in New England from 2006 to 2009.

According to Jeff Darlington of the Miami Herald, Nolan is expected to interview with the Dolphins by no later than Wednesday.

The Broncos finished seventh in total defense (315 yards allowed per game).

But the Broncos allowed a stingy 11 points per game in their first six games while allowing a generous 25.8 points per game in their final ten contests.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In picking NFL games against the spread (ATS), 2009 wasn't quite the year that 2008 was for me. After going 31-18-2 ATS in 2008, I'm only two games above .500 this year.

The challenge of picking winners in week 17 is determining the motivation and intention of the teams. That said, all of my picks involve teams that will follow the Herm Edwards rule, i.e., "you play to win the game" as opposed to trying to keep their players healthy heading into the post-season.

Here are my week 17 picks:

Ravens -10.5 (over Raiders): The Ravens face a must-win situation against the Raiders, who are still the league's most dysfunctional franchise despite some impressive wins this year (Steelers, Bengals, Eagles, etc.). With a renewed focus on the ground (109 rushes to 81 passes in the past three weeks), Ray Rice and the Ravens should be able to exploit the Raiders rush defense that has allowed the most rushing touchdowns in the NFL. The Ravens have beat bad teams handily this year and week 17 won't be any different as I predicted a 31-10 victory at FootBaltimore.com.

Vikings -7.5 (over Giants): The Giants will be without Brandon Jacobs, who's had a disappointing year. And Ralph Vacchiano of the NY Daily News says of Ahmad Bradshaw, "I don’t expect him to play, but if he does I think you can expect just a few carries for him..." Meanwhile, the Vikings, who have lost three of their past four games, need to win to clinch a first-round bye and to establish some momentum heading into the playoffs, which should not be discounted.

Steelers -3 (over Dolphins): The Steelers have won two close games against good teams and are possibly building some momentum heading into a playoff run. While they need some help to make the playoffs, they need to take care of business first by beating the Dolphins in a 1 p.m. matchup. Hines Ward says he will play and Santonio Holmes is on an eight-game streak of 74+ receiving yards. With an inexperienced Dolphins secondary, the Steelers should be able to air it out. In addition, Ricky Williams is questionable with a shoulder injury.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Every week, I make three picks against the spread (ATS) for that week's NFL games. Here are my three guaranteed (well, unless they lose) winners for week 16:

Texans +1.5 (over Dolphins): Good luck Vontae Davis and Sean Smith. They will need all the luck they can get in trying to stop Andre Johnson, who is averaging 194.5 yards per game over the past two weeks. Both teams are 7-7 and need to win this game to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Texans strengths match up well with Miami. When the Dolphins have the ball, they will look to feature Ricky Williams. But the Texans have a solid run defense, which could force the 'Fins to pass the ball more than they would otherwise like.

Packers -14 (over Seahawks): This game is a match made in blowout heaven. On one hand, Aaron Rodgers has thrown for 293.5 yards per game and nine touchdowns in his past four games. On the other hand, the Seahawks have allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game (249.4) in the NFL. Moreover, the Packers have blown out many of their inferior opponents whereas the Seahawks have been beaten badly by the teams that should beat them. After last week's heart-breaking loss to Pittsburgh, look for the Packers to take out their revenge on their next opponent. Sorry Seattle.

Vikings -7 (over Bears): While a first-round bye for the Vikings seemed like a lock three weeks ago, they have lost two of their past three games and now only lead the Eagles, who host the Broncos this week, by one game for the #2 seed. The Bears have played better at home (4-3) than on the road (1-6) mainly because QB Jay Cutler has been horrible on the road. But the first time these two teams played, the Vikings pummeled the Bears by 26 points. Matt Forte will struggle to run the ball (what else is new?) and the Vikings will pressure Jay Cutler into costly mistakes (again, what else is new?).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Every week, I pick three NFL games against the spread (ATS) and here are my week 13 picks:

Patriots -4.5 (over Dolphins): The Patriots are coming off a tough loss on a short week. And they are on the road against a division rival. The Saints held Tom Brady and the Patriots to no passing scores. But the Dolphins are coming off a disappointing loss as well against the Bills. Brady should bounce back against the league's 23rd-ranked pass defense. Meanwhile Laurence Maroney has scored a rushing TD (or two) in six consecutive games. The last time the Patriots lost two consecutive games was in November 2006.

Titans +6.5 (over Colts): I'm not necessarily calling for an outright upset here (although I wouldn't be shocked to see it happen). With the exception of a meaningless week 17 game last year, here are the point differentials in games Vince Young has started against the Colts: -1, +3, -2, +6. There's nothing wrong with winning close games, especially when you're 11-0, but the Colts have engineered come-from-behind victories in the fourth quarter in their past five games. With Chris Johnson running all over opponents (six straight games with 125+ yards), the Colts playing close games recently and the historical trend of close games in this series, give me the points.

Vikings -3.0 (over Cardinals): The Vikings are as complete as any team in football. With five weeks to go, they rank fifth in total offense and eighth in total defense. And despite all the will-he-or-won't-he-return drama, Brett Favre is a legitmate MVP contender. He's tied with Peyton Manning for second in TD passes (24) behind Drew Brees (27), but Favre has thrown only three interceptions. I expect Kurt Warner to return this week, but the Cardinals' pass offense is considerably less explosive with Matt Leinart under center.

Click here to see picks from all of our "handicappers."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the fantasy football playoffs on the horizon, here are my top 5 wide receivers for week 13:

1. Randy Moss, Patriots (at Dolphins): In his first matchup against the Dolphins, who rank in the bottom 10 in passing yards allowed (233 ypg), Moss had six receptions for 147 yards and one TD. On the season, Moss leads the NFL in receiving yards (992) and is only one behind the leaders in TD receptions (eight). After getting their ass whooped on prime-time TV, expect the Patriots, Tom Brady, Moss & Co. to come out swinging.

2. Andre Johnson, Texans (at Jaguars): Johnson is one of the league's most complete receivers and perhaps the most underrated. This week, Johnson gets a favorable matchup against the Jaguars, who have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to receivers this season. On the season, Johnson ranks fourth in the league in receiving yards (945).

3. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals (vs Vikings): The Vikings have been without Antoine Winfield, the team's best cornerback, for the past five games. On the season, the Vikings have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. My expectation is for QB Kurt Warner to return from his concussion as Fitzgerald had his worst game of the season with Matt Leinart as QB last week. Fitzgerald is tied for the league lead in touchdowns (nine) including four TDs in the last three games in which Warner has played.

4. Reggie Wayne, Colts (vs Titans): Wayne is second in receptions (79), second in receiving yards (987) and tied for first in touchdowns (nine) in the league. In addition to their improvements with Vince Young under center, the Titans have improved on the defensive side of the ball as they are healthier now. Only the Lions (27) have allowed more receiving touchdowns than the Titans (25) on the season. During their five-game winning streak, however, the Titans have allowed only the 18th-most fantasy points to opposing receivers.

5. Sidney Rice, Vikings (at Cardinals): In three of his past six games, Rice has 136 receiving yards or more including a game with 201yards. With the exception of his game at Green Bay, Rice has had 89 yards or more in five of his past six. Favre and Rice have built chemistry quickly and they have a favorable matchup against the Cardinals, who have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to receivers this season.

Click here for top 50 wide receivers for week 13.

More rankings: top 25 QBs | top 40 RBs | top 20 TEs | top 20 kickers | top 20 team defenses

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the fantasy football playoffs on the horizon, here are my top 5 running backs for week 13:

1. Thomas Jones, Jets (at Bills): The first time that Jones faced the Bills this season, he rushed for 210 yards and a touchdown. The Bills have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season and only the Raiders have allowed more rushing TDs than the Bills (16). Since the Jets want QB Mark Sanchez to air it out less and less (his attempts have gone from 35 to 30 to 21 to 17), Jones better bring his lunch-pail tonight.

2. Chris Johnson, Titans (at Colts): As well as Johnson has played in the past six weeks (125+ rushing yards every week), you can consider Johnson 1(a) -- not #2 -- in this week's rankings. During their five-game winning streak, Johnson has rushed for seven touchdowns. Although the Colts have a middle-of-the-pack run defense on the season, they've given up the 11th-most fantasy points to opposing RBs in the past three weeks.

3. DeAngelo Williams, Panthers (vs Buccaneers): DeAngelo has cooled off a bit with no touchdowns in the past three weeks and only one 100-yard game during that span. The first time that Williams faced the Buccaneers this season, he carried the ball 30 times for 152 yards and two scores. Expect more of the same against the league's third-worst rush defense.

4. Adrian Peterson, Vikings (at Cardinals): The Cardinals were the league's top-ranked run defense earlier in the season, but they have dropped to 14th in the NFL against the run (108.6 ypg allowed). In four of the past five weeks, they have allowed an opposing running back to eclipse the century mark. Surprisingly, Peterson has only three 100-yard games on the season, but he is second in the league with 12 rushing touchdowns.

5. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars (vs Texans): MJD has rushed for more rushing touchdowns (13) than any other running back. (Of course, none of those are as famous as the TD that he didn't score.) That said, Jones-Drew faces a Texans run defense that turned itself around after the first three weeks. In week 3, however, MJD rushed for 119 yards and three touchdowns.

Click here for top 40 running backs for week 13.

More rankings: top 25 QBs | top 50 WRs | top 20 TEs | top 20 kickers | top 20 team defenses

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

It's time to put up or shut up. If you haven't yet clinched a playoff berth in your fantasy league, it likely comes down to week 13 for you as most fantasy leagues start their playoffs in week 14.

And to paraphrase Bill Parcells, this is why you buy those cheat sheets, do those mock drafts, etc. -- to get into (and win in) the playoffs.

Here are my top 5 quarterbacks for week 13:

1. Peyton Manning, Colts (vs Titans): Manning is the only QB to average over 300 passing yards per game (310.5) and is second in passing touchdowns (24). While the Titans and their defense have been playing better lately, they have allowed the second-most passing touchdowns (25) this season.

2. Brett Favre, Vikings (at Cardinals): In his past four games, Favre has thrown 12 touchdowns and no interceptions. On the season, Arizona allows the fourth-most passing yards (258.3 ypg).

3. Drew Brees, Saints (at Redskins): Brees is coming off a five-TD performance against the Patriots in what was arguably the most important regular-season game in team history. Although this week's opponent (Washington) allows the fewest passing yards in the NFL (170.4 ypg), Brees and the Saints offense are firing on all cylinders right now.

4. Tom Brady, Patriots (at Dolphins): Brady failed to connect on a TD pass last week, but he had 332 passing yards against the Dolphins in their first match-up. With targets like Randy Moss and Wes Welker, it's not likely that Brady goes TD-less in back-to-back games.

5. Philip Rivers, Chargers (at Chiefs): Rivers has posted three consecutive 100+ QB ratings and this week he faces the Browns, who have allowed the ninth-most passing yards (233.4 ypg) this season. In the past four games, Rivers has thrown eight touchdowns and only two interceptions.

Click here for top 25 quarterbacks for week 13.

More rankings: top 40 RBs | top 50 WRs | top 20 TEs | top 20 kickers | top 20 team defenses

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here are three running backs that I expect to have a big week in week 12:

Marion Barber, Cowboys: You could argue that the Cowboys have the most talented trio of running backs in the league. Yet they haven't exploited their ability of their backs as much as I think they could (or should) have this season. Last weekend, the Cowboys gave Marion "The Barbarian" his first 20-carry workload of the season. Although he didn't reach paydirt, MBIII rushed for 99 yards and had his best game since week 2. This week, Barber faces the Raiders, who have given more rushing touchdowns (16) than any other team this season. Only the Bills and Browns have allowed more fantasy points than the Raiders this season. On a short week, the Cowboys and Barber should be able to wear down the Raiders defensive front and get their offense back on track.

Ricky Williams, Dolphins: With Ronnie Brown out for the season, Williams had a three-TD performance (two rushing and one receiving) in his first start of the season last week in prime time against the Carolina Panthers. In the past two games, Williams has received 20+ carries and 100+ yards in both games and this week should be no different. The Bills, who have one of the league's best pass defenses, struggle against the run. In fact, no team has allowed opposing running backs to score more fantasy points on the season.

Jason Snelling, Falcons: Provided that Michael "The Burner" Turner is out for another week, Snelling should be in for a big day against the Buccaneers. With Turner suffering a high-ankle sprain two games ago, Snelling has scored three touchdowns and has put up 35 fantasy points in the past two weeks. This week, he faces the Buccaneers, who are allowing a league-worst 168.9 rushing yards per game. Turner did practice yesterday, but it is unusual for players to only miss one game with this type of injury. If Turner can go, that would diminish Snelling's fantasy value significantly so make sure to check the actives/inactives for the game.

Click here to see my top 40 running backs for week 12.

More rankings: Top 20 QBs | Top 50 WRs | Top 20 TEs | Top 20 Ks | Top 20 Defenses

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last week was my worst week of the season in picking games against the spread (ATS) as I had my first O-for of the season. My goose egg dropped my 2009 cumulative record to 18-15 ATS.

With no help from me, collectively, we (our four "handicappers") went 7-5 in week 11 to improve to 72-59-1 (55%) versus the spread on the season.

Reader beware but here are my week 12 picks:

Dolphins -3 (over Bills): What the Dolphins do well the Bills do poorly. Despite having one of the league's best pass defenses, the Bills rank 31st in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (165.9 ypg) and rushing touchdowns (15). Even without Ronnie Brown, the Dolphins have an explosive running game as evidenced by Ricky Williams' three-TD (two rushing, one receiving) performance in prime-time against the Panthers last week. Winners of five of their past seven, Miami has gotten itself back on track and into the playoff picture while the Bills are conducting seven-hour interviews with potential coaching replacements.

Seahawks -3 (over Rams): The Seahawks are bad. The Rams are bad. But in this case, "bad" does not equal "bad." Granted the Rams are playing better lately, but if you remember, the Seahawks beat the Rams 28-0 in their first matchup in week 1. The Rams' offense is one-dimensional with Steven Jackson and the Rams will be without QB Marc Bulger this week and perhaps the rest of the season. Facing eight-men fronts, it really is amazing that Jackson is second in the NFL in rushing yards. But the Seahawks have a much more balanced team than the Rams and should be able to put this one away early.

Patriots +1.5 (over Saints): The Saints face their biggest challenge to their unbeaten streak when they host the Patriots on Monday Night Football. The Saints have scored 24 points or more every game this season, but they have allowed five of their past six opponents to score 20+ points and they haven't yet faced an offense nearly as explosive as the Patriots' offense. Tom Brady has thrown for 300+ yards in five consecutive games. During that five-game span, the Patriots have held four of their opponents to 17 points or less. The lone exception was Indianapolis, who scored 21 of their 35 points in the fourth quarter. With two high-powered offenses, I'm taking the defense that has been more consistent lately.

To view the picks of all of our "handicappers" for week 12, click here.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Miami Dolphins have placed running back Ronnie Brown on injured reserve (IR), which ends his season.

For the second time in the past three years, Brown will play less than ten games in a season.

When Brown played only seven games in 2007, he was playing as well as any running back in the league. In his final five games of that season, Brown had 850 combined rushing and receiving yards during that span.

After a down (but full) year in 2008, Brown was playing well in 2009 before suffering a season-ending injury to his right foot last week.

On the season, Brown had 648 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in nine games.

Last week, Ricky Williams rushed 20 times for 102 yards and he will be expected to carry the load for the Dolphins. Lex Hilliard will move into the back-up role.

This week, the Dolphins play the Carolina Panthers, who have allowed the 25th-most rushing yards in the NFL.

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Continue reading "2009 AFC East Prediction" »

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Game 1: 4 games, 54 carries, 142 rushing yards (2.63 avg), 2 rushing touchdowns
Game 2: 4 games, 49 carries, 163 rushing yards (3.33 avg), 0 rushing touchdowns
Game 3: 4 games, 89 carries, 447 rushing yards (5.02 avg), 7 rushing touchdowns

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''They didn't need to get someone else,'' Ginn said. "We already have a good receiver corps.''

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"I'd rather be homeless than go back to Pittsburgh," Marion said after his second full practice with the Dolphins.

"I haven't played a down. Haven't caught a pass. Haven't scored a touchdown. So I haven't accomplished any of my goals," Marion said. "I have a goal, and I have tunnel vision on that goal."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

''When you get older,'' he said, "you appreciate humdrum. I will be 32 on Thursday. Life was almost more fun when it was in flux. But there's more stability now, and it's easier. There's always temptations, but they're fleeting thoughts. I have a better idea what I want to do with my life now. To me, that's a better life. I'm in a good place.''

''This is the happiest I've been playing football in a while,'' he said. `` Ronnie Brown has a lot to do with it. . . . So does Bill [ Parcells]. Bill and I are happy to be with each other -- he likes the way I work, that I'm a student of the game. He likes my story. I found a place where I fit, a place I feel proud to call home.''

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"I'm thrilled to be able to add someone of Mike's background and expertise to our organization," Ross said. "His accomplishments with the Red Sox greatly expanded their business footprint and amplified the team's standing as one of the premier franchises in professional sports."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

''He didn't have a lot of life outside of football and study hall,'' [former Illinois assistant coach and current New Mexico head coach Mike] Locksley said. "If you see him, he probably has his Bible with him. He's a strong, spiritual kid.''

''Everybody who knows Vontae knows that I am a great person, a great player,'' he said, "and Bill Parcells speaks louder than words, and for him to draft me, he knows what type of person I am.''

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''I've never had a player do that before,'' one employee said.

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"Before the draft, you have a lot of people calling. Somehow, those things take on a life of their own. ... We're not looking to trade Ronnie Brown,'' Ireland said. "You can write that.''

"They're going to be competing for the position,'' Ireland said.

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"I think we're going to be a very tight-knit group," Wilson said, "and I think we can be the best secondary in the league if we all just put our heads together and put the talent together and make it happen."

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"Officers attempting to control the scene denied Whitner access to the area at which time he attempted to force his way past the officers in an aggressive manner," Cleveland police said in a statement.

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"We talked," Taylor said. "I'm not going to get into what we talked about and the details of it, but they know how I feel and what I'd like to do. I know how they feel and what they'd like to do, what they're looking for. But we talked, and I'll leave it at that."

"I'll always be a Dolphin," Taylor said. "There was no bigger fan last year than me. I'm leaving the field from Redskins games and running to see what the Dolphins are doing and checking my phone throughout the day. Those guys on that team will tell you: I was in contact the whole time."

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"I went fishing with J.T. two weeks ago; he wants to be a Dolphin," Crowder said.

"I would love to have J.T. back," Crowder said. "It would add a whole new dimension to a defense that, in spurts, looked really good last year. He's one of my closest friends. He kind of brought me up in the league when I was a young guy, so I love him to death."

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“Honestly, I don’t know,” Boldin said. “It’s at a point right now where there’s not any discussion between myself and the team.”

“As far as playing in my home state, I would love to,” Boldin said. “I’m a Florida guy and always will be a Florida guy at heart. If it happens, I’ll definitely be grateful.”

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"The problem you have with him is he can run like a deer and he can play like a deer - scared."

"I like his size. He attacks the football," Johnson said. "He doesn't look like he's fast, but he gets down the field because he has a long stride. I think he'd fit good with Ted Ginn."

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"We thought we were in a negotiating process,'' Holliday said. "But at the 11th hour it turned out it wasn't necessarily a negotiating process. It was more like they decided to go a different route.

"There was a deal on the table and I assume that deal would still be on the table and we would try and negotiate, but there was no negotiation. I'm not bitter at anybody. It's a business. I'm a 12-year guy. I thought my deal was pretty cap-friendly if you will."

"More than anything I want a chance to compete for a ring,'' Holliday said. "I've done very well for myself financially, fortunately…I want a chance to give up some of that for a chance to compete.''

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"They did have the whole season to re-sign me, and they really didn't want to talk about anything, so maybe they didn't like me as a player or whatever it was," Crowder said. "If they want to get into a bidding battle with somebody, that means they really didn't want me anyway.

"I want to play football next year, and I'm confident I can play in the NFL, so I'll play football next year and hopefully it's with the Dolphins. But if it's with somebody else, I know I can play football. They had the first crack at it and they dropped the ball, so we'll see what other teams do. It's their loss."

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"He brought veteran leadership to that group, an outstanding leader," [Dolphins coach Tony] Sparano said.

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"I saw myself," Parcells told The Post yesterday. "That's what I was. I could see it."

"He didn't talk about whether he's gonna get two cars or one car, or am I gonna do a TV show?" Parcells said. "He didn't give a bleep about that. "Can I get players and are we gonna be able to win?' I just liked him because I just sensed what he represented and what he wanted to accomplish."

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"Parcells is in charge," Ross said in a conference call. "He's staying, and I think we're very fortunate to have someone like Bill Parcells, who I think people have come to recognize as probably the best football mind in America."

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he said. "What do your eyes tell you?"

"It's not about money," Parcells said. "I've got more than I can spend."

"When I read the paper, the first section I go to is the sports section," Ross said. "Since I wasn't going to make it as a player, it was a dream to become an owner."

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"I talked to Bill a couple days ago and he said, 'Hey, I like it here.' So that's all I can say," Huizenga said today.

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“I’m honored individually, but more so for our coaching staff and our players,” Smith said. “It’s something that our guys have worked very hard to finish the season the way we did and very fortunate that we were able to play in the second season as well.”

“The thing that we tried to establish is that we were going to be very systematic in the way that we’ve done things,” Smith said. “We had a plan and we laid that plan out from the very beginning and how we were going to do business.”

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"He was our savior," [teammate Joey] Porter said. "He changed this whole team. He's not the one that's going to brag about it. He's just an old, humble country boy. So I'm going to brag for him."

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"He's the greatest and I would hope he doesn't leave," Ross said, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "He's in a great situation, I hope, for him."

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Continue reading "Week 17 playoff scenarios" »

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1. Tennessee Titans (12-2)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3)
3. New York Jets (9-5)
4. Denver Broncos (8-6)
5. Indianapolis Colts (10-4)
6. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)

Continue reading "AFC Playoff Picture" »

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"Plaxico is like a brother to me. I take it real personal how he's being treated," Porter said. "Everybody has their mistakes, but that's exactly what they are ... Until you've been in that situation, when you've been robbed at gunpoint or you've had a gun waved in your face or had your house broken into before or been carjacked, you really don't know what it's like."

"For a person to carry a gun, I mean, you're not carrying a gun to show that 'I'm tough.' It's safety, it's nothing but safety," Porter said.

"The real issue to me, is when the players feel they're unsafe, they shouldn't be there," Goodell said. "So get out, don't be there. If you feel the need to have a firearm to be someplace, you're in the wrong place."

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1. Tennessee Titans (11-1)
2. Pittsbugh Steelers (9-3)
3. New York Jets (8-4)
4. Denver Broncos (7-5)
5. Indianapolis Colts (8-4)
6. Baltimore Ravens (8-4)

Continue reading "A look at the AFC playoff picture" »

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“You don’t want to lose a player like that,” Sparano said. “He’s been really productive for us. To me, the guy’s been exactly what you’re looking for on your football team. I’m disappointed for him. I know how important it is for him.”

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"I had no idea what was going on," Gostkowski said. "I was just worried about them falling on my leg. I didn't want to get hurt from something like that."

"These guys are competitors," Sparano said. "At the same time, there's a right and a wrong way to do things. We have a standard here right now that we're trying to put in place. And for 10 solid games we've done that. Yesterday, we kind of got off the path a little bit for about eight minutes and that's not good enough. It has to be addressed."

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"My message to the players is that if you walk through the door on Wednesday and your heart's not racing a million miles an hour, then you don't have a pulse," Sparano said, according to AP. "This is why we do what we do. We put ourselves in position to have a big game at home at the end of November. That's where we are. That being said, I don't think too much has to be said this week."

"We don't like them," Porter said, according to The Associated Press. "They don't like us."

"They let us know how they feel about us," Porter said, according to AP. "Then they start punting over our heads -- like, you want the whole 100-yard field? You don't do that."

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"If I knew the answers, I'd still have 20 more thousand dollars," said Porter, who was fined $20,000 last month for criticizing referee Ed Hochuli after a loss to Houston. "But I'm still trying to figure out how a guy gets caught with cocaine in his car and still plays the game and nothing happens.

"He got caught with cocaine and Matt Jones is still playing football. How does he get away with that? And then you fine people $20,000 for making comments to the media about the refs. The guy got caught with cocaine."

"Nope. I know Orville Redenbacher. I know popcorn," he said. "But I'm not worried about that. That game is over. I'm looking at Seattle. For him to still be on that, I did get in his head, obviously. He's wasting time. They have a game tomorrow. I'm worried about me. I left Denver three days ago."

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“He’s one of those soft receivers, where he has to have the ball all the time. If he don’t get it, he’s going to mope and cry. He did it to himself,” Porter suggested.

“Yeah, Joey Porter’s one of them guys, when you got guys who talk a lot of trash, just want to talk about people or put people down, they have their own insecurities,” Marshall said. “And his insecurities I don’t know. But he’s definitely one of those guys who all those muscles are popcorn muscles. He’s soft.”

“You know, we hear stories floating around the league all the time about him as far (as being) in nightclubs dancing with his shirt off like a girl or in the playground getting beat up back in California,” Marshall said. “He’s one of those guys that no matter how big he is, he can still get knocked on his butt and he’s soft. He’s soft at heart and you can tell by the way he talks.

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Williams told The Miami Herald for Tuesday's editions that when players were given Friday off, "Automatically your mind, which is so constrained since training camp began ... says, 'I'm free, what can I do?' So there was definitely an urge," he said.

"I'd be lying if I said I'm never going to do it again after I'm done," he said. "I don't know. I don't spend much time thinking about it."

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"I just know he's not a Tom Brady," Porter said. "So if it's not Tom Brady, it shouldn't be that hard." (insert your own joke here)

Yet Porter said "It'll be good to go out there and get our first victory."

"You treat him like you treat a backup," Porter said. "How do you prepare for a backup? He don't get that many snaps, right? So you throw the kitchen sink at him. That's what we're going to do."

"He's a guy we'll prepare for, but that was his first start since high school," Porter said. "So you can take all the reps you want to. This is a totally different game, a totally different league. He's only had one start in the NFL. Take that for what it's worth. He won it, but if you compare him to Brady, there's no comparison.

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I was driving home from my "day job" yesterday when John Seibel from ESPN Radio's The Sports Bash predicted that on the silver anniversary of the last team to go undefeated that the '07 Fins would do the opposite - go winless.

Will it happen?  No way.  Are they the worst team in the NFL?  Don't think so.  Are the Fins any good? Not really. But they will win at least 1 game (my guess is about 5).

But it got me thinking. In this day and age of relative parity, could a team go winless? Or, for that matter, undefeated? 

Unlike the MLB, there isn't as much separating a 12-4 team from a 4-12 team as one would think.   But isn't that what makes this league great?  A couple of off-season moves and a weaker schedule the following season allows a team to make a dramatic turn-around like the Saints did last year winning 7 more games than they did in '05.

If you look at last year's results, the worst team in the AFC North was Cleveland (4-12).  But 2 of the 4 teams they beat were playoff teams: Jets & Chiefs.  The Texans, worst in the AFC South (6-10), beat the Super Bowl Champs in week 16 and swept the series with JAX.  Not-to-mention the NFC South's worst-to-first trend the past several years. 

There have been 7 teams in NFL history to go 1-15, but 15 games is the NFL record for most losses in a season.  In theory, for a team to go winless, they would have to be the worst team in modern-day football.  With the parity in the league, that's not gonna happen any time soon.

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