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Despite cutting one thirty-something running back this off-season, the New York Jets are now entertaining another.

Today the Jets, who cut Thomas Jones due to a large roster bonus he would have otherwise received, are hosting LaDainian Tomlinson, who met with the Vikings yesterday.

Tomlinson, who was released by the Chargers, hasn't been the same dominant running back he was earlier in his career during the past two disappointing seasons.

With the Vikings or the Jets, LT would serve as the back-up running back to either Adrian Peterson or Shonn Greene. His role with the Vikings, however, would be more defined since they lost Chester Taylor, who was their third-down back, to Chicago. Meanwhile, the Jets have Leon Washington to occupy that role.

The one thing that LT hasn't done in his Hall-of-Fame career is win a Super Bowl. Both the Vikings and the Jets were one game away losing to the Saints and Colts, respectively, in the conference championships.

Tomlinson ranks eighth all-time in rushing yards (12,490) and third in touchdowns (153) behind Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 01:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Receiver Randy Moss is about to enter the final year of his three-year contract with the Patriots and he doesn't "think they going to extend my contract," according to Christopher Gasper of the Boston Globe.

“It’s the business of it, man. You’ve got to understand the business of football,’’ said Moss. “There is not bad blood. There is no animosity on my side or their side. I think it’s just the nature of the business of the NFL. You know the Patriots don’t really pay, so when I got my second contract from them that was a blessing in disguise. I understand the business. I don’t think they’re going to re-sign me back. I’m not mad. I’m not bitter. It’s just the way things are in this NFL, so like I said after this year I’ll be looking for a new team.’’

Moss is due to make $6.4 million with the Patriots in 2010. But is it possible that Moss has already played his final season with the Patriots?

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk speculates about the possibility of Moss getting traded, especially after these comments, back to Minnesota.

If you remember, one of the differences that Brett Favre had when he was still in Green Bay was that the front office did not pursue Moss before he landed in New England.

"It is disappointing," Favre said in May 2007. "We could have gotten him for less money than New England did. He wanted to play in Green Bay for the amount of money we would have paid him. It [was] well worth the risk."

With or without Moss in Minnesota, it's been my opinion that Favre would return for another season. As Florio points out, however, adding Moss to the weapons in the Vikings' offense, which ranked second only to New Orleans in scoring, would help to ensure an earlier commitment of a Favre return.

That said, a trade seems unlikely to me.

After having knee surgery at the beginning of this month, the status of receiver Wes Welker is in question for the start of the 2010 season. And his recovery could take up to 12 months, which would keep him out for the entire year.

So if Moss is traded and Welker isn't ready to go, that could potentially leave the Patriots with Julian Edelman, who played well when Welker was out, as the team's top receiver to enter week 1.

Although Moss says that he separated his shoulder in week five, he still finished the season tied for the league lead in touchdown receptions (13) and tied for fifth in receiving yards (1,264). However, Moss didn't reach the 100-yard receiving milestone in any of his final seven games despite doing so in five of his first nine games.

With a recent history of deals with Oakland (acquiring Moss, trading Richard Seymour, etc.), wouldn't it be funny if the Patriots could convince Al Davis that Moss is the big-play threat that the Raiders need to help JaMarcus Russell reach his potential?

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While the NFC playoff seedings are now set, the final AFC playoff teams and seeding will be decided by the Jets-Bengals game tonight.

Here are the NFC seeds:

1. New Orleans: Although the Saints entered the weekend with the top seed already clinched, they enter the playoffs with a three-game losing streak after today's loss to the Panthers.

2. Minnesota: The Vikings bounced back in a big way with an old-fashioned beatdown of the New Jersey Giants by the score of 44-7.

3. Dallas: After back-to-back shutouts of the Redskins last week and the Eagles today, the Cowboys clinched the NFC East title and the #3 seed. They will host the Eagles again next week.

4. Arizona: The Cardinals won the NFC West and will face the Packers again next week. This week, the Packers crushed the Cardinals 33-7.

5. Green Bay: Tough to beat a playoff two weeks in a row. But that's what the Packers will try to do.

6. Philadelphia: If Minnesota had lost and Philadelphia had won today, the Eagles would have been the #2 seed. Instead it's two rematches of today's games in the wildcard round.

Click here to discuss the Jets-Bengals game in our NFL Gameday Forum.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While most fantasy football leagues conduct their championship game in week 16, some leagues still hold their title game in week 17. That creates the extra challenge of trying to forecast playing time in addition to evaluating matchups.

That said, here are our top five fantasy quarterbacks for week 17:

1. Matt Schaub, Texans (vs Patriots): While they don't control their own destiny like the Jets and Ravens, the Texans need to win to make the playoffs. That means, Schaub will play the entire game. On the season, Schaub has been remarkably consistent with only two single-digit fantasy games and only three games with less than 250 passing yards. Over the past five weeks, the Patriots have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

2. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers (at Dolphins): Big Ben is two games off his franchise-record passing performance (503 yards). Over the past five weeks, the Dolphins have allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. As the Steelers face a similar scenario as the Texans, you should expect Roethlisberger to play the entire game and light up an inexperienced Dolphins' secondary.

3. Brett Favre, Vikings (vs Giants): The Giants secondary has been banged up all season and over the past five weeks, they have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. The Vikings have lost three of their past four games and Favre has posted single-digit fantasy points in two of his past three games. Although the Vikings lost to the Bears last week, Favre played well -- 321 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs. With the potential of losing their first-round bye with another defeat, expect Favre and the Vikings to come out swinging -- and gun-slinging.

4. Tony Romo, Cowboys (vs Eagles): In his past five games, Romo has finished with 13+ fantasy points every week. During that span, he has thrown nine touchdowns and only one interception. The mood surrounding the Cowboys is different than last year when they faced the Eagles in a do-or-die game in week 17 last year. The Cowboys didn't respond well last year. Now Romo and the Cowboys have a chance for redemption (and possibly even a first-round bye).

5. Donovan McNabb, Eagles (at Cowboys): With the exception of the two games McNabb missed due to injury, McNabb has posted double-digit fantasy points every week except one. Who held him to under 10 points? This week's opponent. That said, it will be difficult to hold McNabb and their pass-first-and-ask-questions-later offense to less than 10 fantasy points for a second time in a row. McNabb has thrown for 300+ yards in each of the past two weeks and a win Sunday could potentially mean a first-round bye for the Eagles.

Click here to view our full quarterback rankings for week 17.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While most fantasy football leagues conduct their championship game in week 16, some leagues still hold their title game in week 17. That creates the extra challenge of trying to forecast playing time in addition to evaluating matchups.

That said, here are our top five fantasy running backs for week 17:

1. Chris Johnson, Titans (at Seahawks): No player will be more watched in week 17 than "Every Coach's Dream." Johnson is 128 yards shy of 2,000 and 233 yards shy of Eric Dickerson's record of 2,105. With a streak of ten straight games of 100+ yards, 128 seems like a sure thing. With a season-high performance of 228, the single-season record seems like a possible stretch goal. In the past 10 games, Johnson has also scored 11 touchdowns.

2. Ray Rice, Ravens (at Raiders): Rice was one of the guys that I expected to have a breakout year and I suggested you target him in your fantasy football draft in the pre-season. Now in a meaningful win-and-you're-in game against the run-friendly Raiders should allow Rice to cap his breakout season. No team has allowed more rushing touchdowns than the Raiders, who have allowed 21 rushing scores.

3. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars (at Browns): Pocket Hercules has a nose for the endzone reaching pay dirt 16 times this season. Of course, his most famous TD was the one that he didn't score. But only Adrian Peterson has more rushing TDs (17) than Jones-Drew (15) has. Although the Browns have finished strong with their three-game winning streak, they have allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season. Despite the Jaguars chances of making the playoffs being remote due to the need of help/tie-breakers, there is plenty of incentive to give MJD a healthy dose of touches in week 17.

4. Adrian Peterson, Vikings (vs Giants): The Vikings have stumbled to the regular-season finish line losing three of their final four games. With another loss, there's a good chance that the Vikings could enter the playoffs without a bye. In other words, they have incentive to play AD and the rest of the Vikings offensive (and defensive) starters. Peterson leads the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns and only two teams have allowed more rushing touchdowns than the Giants, who gave up a 206-yard game against Carolina's Jonathan Stewart last week.

5. Frank Gore, 49ers (at Rams): Along with the Raiders, no team has allowed more rushing touchdowns than the Rams (21). And the Rams have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season. In the past three weeks, Gore has 345 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He also has nine receptions for 110 yards during that span. If the one-win Rams fall behind early, Gore should be the recipient of plenty of carries and generate a ton of fantasy points.

Click here to view our full running back rankings for week 17.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While most fantasy football leagues conduct their championship game in week 16, some leagues still hold their title game in week 17. That creates the extra challenge of trying to forecast playing time in addition to evaluating matchups.

That said, here are our top five fantasy wide receivers for week 17:

1. Andre Johnson, Texans (vs Patriots): For a second year in a row, Johnson is going to lead the NFL in receiving yards. Entering week 17, Johnson and Wes Welker are one of two receivers to average 100 receiving yards per game this season. In the past four games, Johnson has dominated with 32 receptions, 559 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Johnson's offensive explosion has coincided with the Patriots' fantasy friendliness to receivers as the Pats have allowed the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers over the past five weeks.

2. Brandon Marshall, Broncos (vs Chiefs): Marshall only had 39 receiving yards on eight receptions last week, but he has caught 43 passes for 406 yards and four touchdowns over his past four games. Marshall is questionable with a hamstring injury, but he has said that he will play. That said, make sure to check his status prior to kickoff.

3. DeSean Jackson, Eagles (at Cowboys): Jackson doesn't lack for big-play potential nor confidence. He has scored in five consecutive games minus the game he missed due to a concussion and he is tied with Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace for the NFL lead in yards per reception (18.7). During that five-game span, Jackson has 499 receiving yards.

4. Roddy White, Falcons (at Buccaneers): On the season, only five teams have allowed more fantasy points to wide receivers than Tampa Bay. White is coming off his second-most productive game (8-139-2) of the season from a fantasy perspective. With Matt Ryan back and the Falcons looking to post back-to-back winning seasons, White should have another big week.

5. Sidney Rice, Vikings (vs Giants): Rice is currently sixth in the NFL in receiving yards ahead of guys like Randy Moss, Vincent Jackson, Brandon Marshall and Steve Smith (both of 'em). Not bad for what was likely a waiver-wire pickup this year. The Vikings offense is sputtering and I expect them to get back on track against a Giants secondary that has been banged-up all year.

Click here to see our full wide receiver rankings for week 17.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | 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)

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson didn't participate in Friday's practice due to illness and is listed on the team's injury report as questionable, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

It doesn't appear serious as coach Brad Childress said, "It's a concern today. He's sick, but that's it."

Peterson currently ranks third in the NFL in rushing with 999 yards and he is second in rushing touchdowns with 11.

While it seems as though Peterson will be play on Sunday, it would be wise to check back on Sunday. The Vikings and Bears have a 4:15 kickoff.

The Bears rank 23rd in the league against the run allowing 122.3 yards per game.

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"...If they feel like bringing him in is going to get them to the next level, I think they should. But to be honest with you, I think the two guys with the team right now should be the two guys that they should be focusing on.”

"...I think if he still wants to play, I think he should. But I really thought this team would be moving and looking down the road instead of trying to look for the one-year miracle.”

"...I think with Brett right now, he’s been so in love with the game and he still wants to play. I tip my hat to him for going out there and giving it everything he can give it, but I don’t know if it’s going to be a good year.’ "

”Then everything backfires. You’ve got a major problem. Also you have to look at the scenario that happened in New York. If he pretty much distances himself completely from the players, then all of a sudden you’re going to divide the players because a lot of the players are going to say, ‘Hey, Tarvaris Jackson should be in here or Sage.’ You don’t want this to divide the team. So this could really backfire.”

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"Certainly a player of Brett Favre's (credentials), a Hall of Fame quarterback, with the competitive (drive) he has, that is a player that we would have interest (in), as we would have (for) other players," Wilf said. "But, again, it's (a) process of evaluation and a variety of factors that go into it, and that has to play itself out, and I defer to our coach and our personnel people to really evaluate those issues."

"At the same time, he's retired a couple of times, so you wonder where his loyalties lie," Greenway said. "For us, it's about: We're moving forward with what we've got here. We have a team that can obviously win at a high level, and we have a team that moving forward we think can really compete for an NFC North title again and get to the championship game and hopefully further. As good as something may sound, we have a great team to play with right now, and there is no sense in looking outside of what we have."

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"Brett would have to be mentally ready to go play, physically ready to go play and want to go play, and I'm not sure all three of those things are there right now." [agent "Bus"] Cook said.

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"Like anyone else, he could always change his mind in the future about retiring, but I haven't heard anything from him that that's the case," [Favre's agent "Bus"] Cook has said.

"I'm tired of being part of his soap opera," said one player, who requested anonymity. "If he really wanted to win a championship, he'd be right here. Let's call it for what it is: He wants to play for Minnesota so he can stick if to Green Bay twice a year. He's just being selfish. I'm, not surprised."

"Before he came to us, the whole thing was he wanted to go to Minnesota," Cotchery said. "You kind of feel bad if you were the team he settled for."

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"We haven't [talked about Favre]. It doesn't mean we won't. We talk about everything from what's going on in the United States on the front page today. ... We talk about everything. So, yeah, I'm sure we'll talk about that."

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"I just think the grind had caught up with him," Childress said, adding: "It's an unfortunate circumstance, but it is what it is."

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"He had some tears, my wife had some tears, and I might have had a tear, too," McDaniel said of Fulton's reaction and acceptance.

"He knows more about me than I do," McDaniel said. "He believed in me because of the person, not because I was an athlete. He always believed in education first. He has been an educator for 50 years. He would tell you that playing sports is fine, but that it's only for a short period of your life, so you should get your education."

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"You don't want to bring a guy in that the coaches don't want," [Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick] Spielman said. "That's where you kind of get into some scenarios that, 'OK, why don't we want this guy in? Does he fit our offense? Is it the type of character guy [we want]?' ... Everybody gets to weigh in their opinions, and we decide what's best for the organization."

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“If I can play with Adrian Peterson, can you imagine what I would do getting one-on-one coverage?” Houshmandzadeh said. “I'm going to win 98.6 percent of the time with one-on-one coverage with him in the backfield.”

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“We’re excited to have Jim back,” said Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress. “We wanted him back and we’re glad he took time out from ice fishing to come in and sign his contract. Jim’s an important part of our offense and the kind of guy you want in your locker room.”

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"We have the pieces there," Frerotte said. "We just have to see what happens. I think every year teams lose key players. It's whether you can keep those core guys around and keep adding little pieces here and there."

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"Just thinking about my father and all the sacrifices he and my mother made when I was a child growing up to be a man," Smith added, tearfully. "How he wanted me to have a life better than he had. I just wish he was here. He would be extremely proud of this day."

"It's a great honor, a great feat," said Woodson. "I'm still pinching myself a little bit, thinking it's surreal."

"Derrick Thomas was the cornerstone of the modern era of the Kansas City Chiefs and one of the most feared performers of his era," Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said. "Every head coach and offensive coordinator who faced the Chiefs during the 1990s knew when they came to Arrowhead Stadium they had to account for Derrick Thomas."

"Randall was a beast," Smith said. "Once he locked on to you, you couldn't go anywhere."

In a statement, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said, "This is a deserving honor for one of the Cowboys' most and truly gifted stars. We all know he changed the game on the field, but he also brought a unique star quality to the NFL that helped make professional football the most popular sport in the world."

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"I'm just totally disappointed in the system," Eller said.

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"It must mean he's doing something right and we're doing a great job for him and helping him out," defensive tackle Kevin Williams said. "Hopefully, one of those will come through for him and he'll have a great head coaching career."

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"He's already the best in the world, but he's trying to get better, so I kind of looked at that," Longwell said. "On top of that, because we are around each other, I get to see how hard he works."

"It's impossible to block out," he said. "But I think like Tiger Woods has said, once you've won a major, you can rely on that again in the next major. Once you've kicked a game-winner, you're nervous, but you can kind of rely on the fact that I've done this before (and) I can do it again."

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"Based on the activity we've seen the last couple of days and particularly in the last 24 hours, we're very optimistic that this extension will get us where we need to be," said Ron Minegar, the Cardinals executive vice president and chief operating officer.

"They're in the same boat as everybody else," [LaCroix] said. "It's the start of a new quarter in a very tough financial and economic environment. There's no one that's going to come in and save the day at this point. When you have this many seats still available, it ends up being a pretty expensive proposition.

"I think it's 50-50," said Eckes. "I think part of it is price. I think part of it is performance.

"I've been a die-hard Viking fan my whole life, and a lot of my family. We just haven't been impressed with the (coach) Brad Childress era."

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Continue reading "Week 17 playoff scenarios" »

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1. New York Giants (11-3)
2. Carolina Panthers (11-3)
3. Minnesota Vikings (9-5)
4. Arizona Cardinals (8-6)
5. Dallas Cowboys (9-5)
6. Atlanta Falcons (9-5)

Continue reading "NFC Playoff Picture" »

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"He's a different kind of cat and a tough one at that," coach Brad Childress said when asked about the possibility of Williams being ready should the Vikings qualify for the playoffs. "We'll see. He's fully informed. He's looked at all the pictures and had an idea of where it's at. It's just a matter of getting that thing settled down and let it start to heal."

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"It was an obvious oversight on our part, and we apologize," said Dan Bell, the vice president of communications for Fox.

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1. New York Giants (11-1)
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3)
3. Minnesota Vikings (7-5)
4. Arizona Cardinals (7-5)
5. Carolina Panthers (9-3)
6. Atlanta Falcons (8-4)

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

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"You and you alone are responsible for what goes into your body. Claiming that you used only legally available nutritional supplements will not help you in an appeal. ... Even if they are bought over-the-counter from a known establishment, there is currently no way to be sure that they contain the ingredients listed on the packaging or have not been tainted with prohibited substances ...

"If you take these products, you do so AT YOUR OWN RISK! For your own health and success in the league, we strongly encourage you to avoid the use of supplements altogether, or at the very least to be extremely careful about what you choose to take."

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"Whenever you have a fracture, you reinjure the same hand you had trouble with, you can go from there. Right now, I just know he's out this week."

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Owner Zygi Wilf is a frequent visitor to practice, and this is what I like about him: Not only is he approachable, he does not draw attention to himself while standing on the sideline. Here's something else I like about him: When a trainer challenged him to field punts one afternoon at practice, insisting he couldn't catch one, Wilf took him up on it -- walking on the field in front of an audience of Vikings fans. He caught three of six. I knew there was a reason I liked this guy.

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