Bleacher Report - Articles by NFL Gridiron Gab

Cardinals WR Fitzgerald a Huge Threat to the Tough Steelers Defense

NFL Gridiron Gab — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 05:35:31 -0500

If there is one area where the Steelers will have for sure their work cut out for them next Sunday, it will be the task of covering superstar wide out Larry Fitzgerald. All that Fitzgerald did last Sunday vs the Eagles was haul in three TD’s, all in the first half. He’s a monster reason the Cards are in the big game, and he has been making plays like Randy Moss all throughout the playoffs.

“When all else fails, you can throw it up to No. 11,” Casey Hampton said. “It’s going to be tough stopping him. When that ball goes in the air, even if there are two or three guys on him, it doesn’t matter. He jumps so high, it’s hard to get as high as him and get him down. I’ve never seen anybody jump like that, maybe a young Randy Moss. That’s what he reminds me of.”

And he is the biggest key to the Cards trying to beat the Steelers. It looks like it will be to Ike Taylor to try and hold Fitzgerald in check, but look for Ike to get some help from some linebackers and safeties as well during the championship contest in coverage. Even Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau knows the threat that Fitzgerald is.

“He’s probably the best I’ve ever seen with ball skills and extension at the ball,” said LeBeau. “You know how they say basketball players play taller than they are? This guy is like 7-feet tall at the ball.”

Fitzgerald caught 96 passes for 1,431 yards and 12 TD’s in the regular season, and in the postseason has 23 grabs for 419 yards and five scores. If he gets off, it could be a long day for the Steelers and their fans next Sunday.

Is It Already Too Late for Tony Romo To Change His Ways?

NFL Gridiron Gab — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:23:30 -0500

He wants to be a leader on the most focused in on team the National Football League. But for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, is it already too late?

After all, Romo is a player that has faced numerous perceptions about being a player that is known more for his dating life and vacation habits than known for being a team leader.

Let’s remember that this is the same guy that spent the bye week before the divisional playoff game last season in Cabo San Lucas with cover girl Jessica Simpson and good pal Jason Witten.

Then Romo and the rest of his teammates went out as the number one seed in the conference and laid an egg to division rival New York. Then there was the injury this past season that sat him down for a couple of tough weeks, and when he came back the team simply never reached that level that many thought they would.

The Cowboys were maybe the biggest failure of the 2008 season for being a team with a load of talent, but falling one game short of the playoffs.

How much of that failure is due to Romo?

I would have to say that at this point of his career, Romo and the Cowboys should be further ahead. The QB last season threw for 3448 yards and 26 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

Sure, he again had the injury to his pinkie finger, but at the same time, with the talent around him, Romo was not able to get this team in the playoffs, something that he was given a monster contract to do.

In the seasons final blowout loss to the Eagles, Romo was 21-for-39 for 183 yards with a pick. He threw five touchdowns and six interceptions in the teams final four games as they were trying to do whatever they could to make it to the postseason. Instead, losses to the Ravens in the final game at Dallas Stadium and in Philly to the Eagles started an offseason of “what if.”

Romo then went a little further to put his football life in question when he said some rather head scratching comments after the loss to the Eagles.

“If I’m never going to win the Super Bowl, I’ll be content in life. I’ll be disappointed because that’s what I wanted to do,” Romo said. “At that same point, it’s not going to be something that makes me a better human being. I think I’m going to work very hard to try to obtain those goals. But I’m not going to pretend to say that that’s what life’s all about either.”

Right now with Simpson by his side, it doesn’t seem like that is what life is ever going to be about for Romo, which is why the Cowboys very well may never reach their potential with him under center.

Now this past week with more firestorm from former Cowboys QB Troy Akiman questioning his play, Romo has tried to put water on the fire with talk that in 2009 he’ll be more of a leader.

“I think leadership sometimes comes with your ability to perform and your personality,” Romo said. “And some of it comes with experience. In a lot of ways, I think I’ve gotten to the point where I’ve gained experience. I’m definitely going to take a more active approach with that as we move forward from last year to this season, I’ll be very excited to get back out there and be with the guys and figure out a way to improve and get better and do the things we need to do to win. Period.”

But again, is it already to late for this gun slingin party boy with the high profile girlfriends to turn it around? 2009 may give us the final answer to that question.

San Francisco 49ers Interview Dan Reeves for Offensive Coordinator

NFL Gridiron Gab — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:27:28 -0500

The 49ers may be going a bit old school in their search for a new offensive coordinator, as earlier today they sat down with longtime Denver Broncos coach Dan Reeves and interviewed him for the position.

Reeves met with 'Niners coach Mike Singletary and general manager Scot McCloughan at the team’s facility. The team has yet to fill the coordinator role since firing Mike Martz on Dec. 30

Reeves was a head coach for 23 seasons in the NFL with Denver, the New York Giants and Atlanta. He he has been out of coaching since being replaced by Wade Phillips with three games left in the 2003 season with the Falcons.

The 65-year-old had a 190-165-2 record as a head coach, making the postseason nine times and losing in all four trips he made to the Super Bowl.

He for sure has the experience, as he has won the AP Coach of the Year award twice in his career, getting it for his work in 1993 with the Giants and ’98 with Atlanta. He spent his first 12 years of coaching in Denver.

The team also spoke to Ravens quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson Friday about the coordinator job.

Detroit Lions Hire Former Rams Coach Linehan To Run Offense

NFL Gridiron Gab — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:57:36 -0500

The Lions have hired a new offensive coordinator, as they are bringing in former Rams coach Scott Linehan to run the show for a team who will look for more firepower in the 09 season. Linehan resurfaces after being fired by the Rams after an 0-4 start to the 2008 season.

He also has been an offensive coordinator for the Dolphins and Vikings.

New coach Scott Schwartz now has the big two pieces in place for his new staff, as he has Linehan to now run his offense, and on Wednesday he hired former Chiefs defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham to run his defense.

The Lions' last season was pretty awful on both sides of the ball, as they put up 16.8 points per game, and allowed 32.3 points per game.

Linehan will take over an offense that ran for just 83.3 yards per game, but does have a good young player in running back Kevin Smith. As for the passing game, they averaged 268.3 yards per game, and have a good up and coming wide out in Calvin Johnson.

The question will be: Who will throw to him? Possibly Matthew Stafford?

Kansas City Chiefs Fire Herm Edwards

NFL Gridiron Gab — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:32:11 -0500

News out of Kansas City is that the Kansas City Chiefs have fired Herm Edwards.

Edwards was 15-33 after only three seasons in KC. This should not come as a surprise to anyone after the hiring last week of Scott Pioli as GM of the team.

“Since my arrival last week, Herm and I have had several conversations as part of my overall evaluation of the football operation,” Pioli said in a statement.

“After careful consideration, Clark and I felt that it was best to make a change. What I conveyed last week in the press conference I still believe to be true—Herm is a great man and a tremendous football coach. He respects the game and the league, and he is passionate about his players and his craft."

Overall in eight years as a head coach in the NFL, including five with the New York Jets, Edwards' record was 54-74. He was 39-41 with the Jets. In playoff games he was 2-4.

Possible replacements for Edwards include Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley, and don’t count out former Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan.

It appears that Shanahan is the frontrunner right now.

“On behalf of my family, I want to thank Herm for his service to the Chiefs,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said in a team statement. “After careful deliberation over the last week, Scott and I decided that it was in the best interests of the Chiefs to move forward in a different direction.

“This was not an easy decision. Herm is an outstanding football coach and a man of integrity. We appreciate his leadership over the past three seasons, and we wish him all the best in the future.”

Jets Owner Says If Farve Wants Back, He Wants Him at Offseason Program

NFL Gridiron Gab — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:49:44 -0500

If Brett Favre is going to play in 2009, the Jets want to see him take more of role in off-season team activities. Today’s Newark Star-Ledger says that team owner Woody Johnson is telling his new coaches that he wants Favre at those off-season functions.

Jets owner Woody Johnson said on WFAN Thursday that if Favre decides to return he’ll have to participate in the team’s off-season program.

“If he wants to play and he comes in early, which he will, he’ll have a lot more time to prepare and everything will be second-nature when he gets out there,” said Johnson, adding that he prefers a “strong-armed” quarterback to battle the inclement weather in the Northeast. “I think it’ll be a lot easier for him.” The Jets’ off-season program starts in March.

Last season Favre did not take part in those off-season activities since he didn’t join the team until early August.

Favre has not stated if he’s going to come back and play in '09.

Boldin Brushes Off Blowup

NFL Gridiron Gab — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:24:28 -0500

For those that want to keep pressing Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin for being mad during the NFC Title game last Sunday, leave him alone.

While he had a sideline spat with offensive coordinator Todd Haley, as far as Boldin in concerned, it’s a dead issue.

“I don’t want to sit here and dwell on it because that is something that is in the past,” Boldin said. “It’s something that goes on every week in the NFL, whether people know it or not. Once it’s all done, it’s dead on both sides. It’s not something I wish to dwell on and it’s not something I’ll let distract this team.”

Because of what was shown on the camera, it semeed like a big deal because it looked like a pretty heated debate between Haley and Boldin. The team has stated very little about the incident and Boldin’s statement is the first of what has come of it. There was a report that the wide reciever didn’t take part in the on-field celebration or the locker room party that was on-going as the team celebrated their first trip to the big game.

“I just tried to avoid this,” Boldin said with a laugh. “Me leaving, earlier than everyone else, seems to have made it worse. There are only two teams left now, all the attention is on those two teams. The attention has grown. Do you have to be careful? I guess so, but at the same time, you can’t alter who you are.”

I guess that means that Boldin can’t stop being a hot head. He has already caused enough distraction with plenty of time to go before the kickoff of the biggest game in the franchise history.

Arizona Cardinals' Anquan Boldin Brushes Off Blow-Up with Haley

NFL Gridiron Gab — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:24:28 -0500

For those that want to keep pressing Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin for being mad during the NFC Title game last Sunday in a sideline spat with offensive coordinator Todd Haley—leave it alone. As far as Boldin in concerned, it’s a dead issue, and he said as much during a press conference Thursday with the media in Arizona.

“I don’t want to sit here and dwell on it because that is something that is in the past,” Boldin said. “It’s something that goes on every week in the NFL, whether people know it or not. “Once it’s all done, it’s dead on both sides. It’s not something I wish to dwell on and it’s not something I’ll let distract this team.”

Maybe while it was such a big deal is that it was clearly shown on camera, and it looked like a pretty heated debate between Haley and Boldin. The team has stated very little about the incident, and Boldin’s first statements is the first of what has come of it. There was a report that the wide out didn’t take part in the on-field celebration or the locker room party that was on-going as the team celebrated their first trip to the big game.

I guess that means that Boldin can’t stop being a hot head, and one that has already caused enough distraction with plenty of time to go before the kickoff of the biggest game in the teams franchise history.

QB Matt Cassel Says the New England Patriots are Tom Brady's Team

NFL Gridiron Gab — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:10:11 -0500

Matt Cassel, Pats QB that could be a free man should he not get franchised or signed to a new deal, has spoken out about his teammate—fellow QB Tom Brady. Cassel stated today on ESPN News via the Boston Globe that make no mistake about it—“This is Tom’s team."

“He’s built that franchise up with his own two hands,” Cassel said. “He’s the guy, and he was the MVP the year before,” Cassel added. “I realize that. He’s been such a mentor for me that I would say ‘No, there is no quarterback competition.’ But I’ve learned so many things from Tom, and hopefully it’ll help me in my career.”

Cassel should have learned one thing very important, and that is how to make a boat load of cash. He’ll do so if he signs with another club in 2009 should he reach free agency, or if the Pats do franchise him even if he’s the backup.

Brady came out on 590 The Fan in Toronto on Wednesday and spoke about his rehab, and said it’s going well, but still there has to be that doubt in the mind of the team that Brady will be 100 percent.

The Pats QB this past season says he will do whatever is called upon him to be a successful QB in the NFL, even if it means being the backup.

“If the situation is what it is, then I would accept it and I would continue to do what I have done my entire career which is work hard, put my best foot forward and continue to work on the things that I need to and put out my best effort,” Cassel said.

Watch this situation closely, as Cassel has played himself into a starting role—somewhere—in the 2009 season.

Some Early Odds Surrounding Super Bowl XLIII

NFL Gridiron Gab — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:53:03 -0500

Some Interesting Super Bowl Lines to start mulling over from Bodog, www.BodogLife.com.

Media/TV Props

Will Barack Obama bring back US tradition and call winning team before broadcast goes off the air?

Yes +150

No -225

How Many Times will NBC show Brenda Warner on TV during the Game?

Over/Under 3 ½

How many times will Al Michaels and John Madden reference Ben Roethlisberger as “Big Ben” during the Game.

Over/Under 7 ½

How many food references will John Madden make during the game?

Over/Under 1 ½

What Betting Line will Al Michaels allude to or mention first during the Game?

Pointspread -200

Total +150

Will Matt Millen pick the correct team to win the SB on the NBC Pregame?

Yes -270

No +210

Which Teams Cheerleaders will be shown more often on camera?

Pittsburgh -175

Arizona +135

What will the TV Rating be, O/U (Nielsen)

Over/Under 42.5

What Super Bowl will average more viewers?

Super Bowl XL +110

Super Bowl XLIII -150

Who will have the largest market share in TV Ratings?

Arizona +300

Pennsylvania -500

Which Super Bowl commercial will have a higher rating on USA Today’s annual Ad Meter?

Anheuser-Busch/Budweiser 1/1

Doritos 3/1

Pepsi 3/1

Coca-Cola 4/1

McDonald’s 7/1

Go Daddy.com 8/1

Other 2/1

What brand of Anheuser-Busch will have more commercials on Super Bowl Sunday?

Bud Light +200

Budweiser -300

How long will it take Jennifer Hudson to sing the National anthem?

Over/Under 1:54

What Song will Bruce Springsteen sing to begin his Halftime Show at the Super Bowl?

Born in the USA 2/1

Glory Days 2/1

The Rising 4/1

Born to Run 5/1

The Wrestler 5/1

Radio Nowhere 8/1

I’m on Fire 12/1

What Song will Bruce Springsteen sing to End his Halftime Show at the Super Bowl?

Born in the USA 2/1

Born to Run 3/2

Glory Days 4/1

The Rising 4/1

The Wrestler 5/1

Radio Nowhere 8/1

I’m on Fire 12/1

Which NBC Show will get the most Promo’s during the game?

The Office 5/4

Heroes 7/4

30 Rock 5/2

Chuck 11/2

Friday Night Lights 8/1

Jay Leno 15/1

Conan O’Brien 15/1

Will Jay Leno make an appearance during the Super Bowl Pre Game Show?

Yes -140

No Even

Random Props

Will Kurt Warner break Joe Montana’s Super Bowl Record of 1142 career Passing Yards

Yes +500

No -800

(Kurt Warner needs 364 Passing Yards to break the record)

Who will the MVP of the Game thank first?

God 1/1

Teammates 2/1

Family 4/1

Coach 7/1

Doesn’t thank anyone 3/1

What Color will the Gatorade be that is dumped on the Head Coach of the Winning Super Bowl Team?

Clear/Water 4/5

Red 5/2

Yellow 3/1

Blue 7/1

Orange 7/1

Lime Green 10/1

What side of the ball with the Players that perform the Gatorade Shower be from?

Offensive Even

Defensive -130

How many current NFL Players will be arrested during Super Bowl Week?

Over 1 Even

Under 1 -140

What Color will Bill Bidwell’s bow tie be?

Red -500

Any Other Color +300

How many planes will be included in the Pregame Fly Over?

2 or less 6/1

3 4/1

4 3/1

5 5/4

6 or More 2/1

Who will win the Madden Super Bowl?

Pittsburgh -300

Arizona +200

What will happen with the Stock Market the day after Super Bowl XLIII?

Pittsburgh Wins Market Up 3/2

Pittsburgh Losses Market Down 5/2

Arizona Wins Market Up 2/1

Arizona Losses Market Down 7/4

Historical Props

Historical matchup - Total Passing Yards Ben Roethlisberger Super Bowl XL vs. Ben Roethlisberger Super Bowl XLIII

Ben Roethlisberger Super Bowl XL +96.5 Yards

Ben Roethlisberger Super Bowl XLIII -96.5 Yards

(Ben Roethlisberger had 123 Passing Yards in Super Bowl XL)

Historical matchup - Total Passing Yards Kurt Warner Super Bowl XXXIV vs. Kurt Warner Super Bowl XLIII

Kurt Warner Super Bowl XXXIV -148.5 Yards

Kurt Warner Super Bowl XLIII +148.5 Yards

(Kurt Warner had 415 Passing Yards in Super Bowl XXXIV)

Historical matchup - Total Passing Yards Kurt Warner Super Bowl XXXVI vs. Kurt Warner Super Bowl XLIII

Kurt Warner Super Bowl XXXVI -99.5 Yards

Kurt Warner Super Bowl XLIII +99.5 Yards

(Kurt Warner had 365 Passing Yards in Super Bowl XXXVI)

Historical matchup - Total Rushing Yards Willie Parker Super Bowl XL vs. Willie Parker Super Bowl XLIII

Willie Parker Super Bowl XL -13.5 Yards

Willie Parker Super Bowl XLIII +13.5 Yards

(Willie Parker had 93 Rushing Yards in Super Bowl XL)

Cleveland Browns Close To Naming George Kokinis As New GM

NFL Gridiron Gab — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 12:26:04 -0500

The Cleveland Browns are talking about making a big announcement in the next few days, and there is no doubt that it will be that George Kokinis is taking the job as general manager for the team. Kokinis spoke to Randy Lerner on Wednesday, and it seems like it will be just a few days away before he is officially named the team’s new GM.

He also spent time with new Browns coach Eric Mangini on Monday and Tuesday, and it looks like Mangini is on board with Kokinis coming on board as well.

“We talked through every different issue that we could think of collectively and it was nice to be able to have that time to do that and over a very concentrated space—just the two of us,” Mangini said. “The way that we’ve done this is that we’ve had different meetings, and in terms of when and where, there’s been a bunch of them.”

“Randy and I have been talking a lot and we’re trying to move forward with the decision as quickly as we can. But it’s definitely a process and we’re not going to rush the process.”

Kokinis was the Ravens pro personnel director, and word was that he cleaned out his office the day after the teams AFC Title game loss to the Steelers, pointing more to his eventual move to being with the Browns.

Lynn Swann, Roger Craig, John Elway To Be Part of Super Bowl Coin Toss

NFL Gridiron Gab — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:01:34 -0500

The NFL will salute four decades of champions during Super Bowl XLIII at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay on Feb. 1, it was announced today.

The Super Bowl coin toss ceremony moments before the start of the game will include greats from Super Bowls 10, 20 and 30 years ago— LYNN SWANN (Super Bowl XIII, 1979), ROGER CRAIG (Super Bowl XXIII, 1989) and JOHN ELWAY (Super Bowl XXXIII, 1999).

JOE NAMATH (Super Bowl III, 1969) will participate in the Vince Lombardi Trophy presentation following the game. Both will be televised live by NBC.

Viewed by more than 148 million people in the U.S. last year, the Super Bowl is annually the nation’s most-watched TV program. The game also will be broadcast in more than 230 countries and territories.

Swann, Craig, and Elway join an esteemed list of Super Bowl coin toss participants, including MARIE LOMBARDI, wife of Vince Lombardi; and Pro Football Hall of Famers EARL CAMPBELL, FRANK GIFFORD, RED GRANGE, GEORGE HALAS, DON HUTSON, TOM LANDRY, DAN MARINO, BRONKO NAGURSKI, ALAN PAGE, ART SHELL, and GENE UPSHAW.

The two-tone commemorative flip coin is silver with 24-karat gold highlights and is minted by The Highland Mint Co. The coin will feature the Super Bowl XLIII logo on one side and the Lombardi Trophy and competing team logos on the other.

Namath will continue the tradition of Super Bowl legends in the Lombardi Trophy ceremony, which began with Bart Starr’s participation in Super Bowl XL. Previous participants include Coach Don Shula (Super Bowl XLI) and Doug Williams (Super Bowl XLII).

Namath led the New York Jets to a 16-7 victory over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III and claimed the Most Valuable Player award.

Namath became the first player ever to pass for 4,000 yards, posting 4,007 in 1967, and finished his Hall of Fame career with 27,663 passing yards and 173 touchdowns.

Swann earned four Super Bowl rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers and claimed the game’s MVP award in Super Bowl X. The Hall of Fame member received All-Pro recognition in 1975, 1977 and 1978 notching 336 receptions, 5,462 yards and 51 touchdowns throughout his career.

The first player to score three touchdowns in a Super Bowl, Craig earned three Super Bowl rings during his career, including the 49ers’ Super Bowl XXIII victory. Craig made four Pro Bowl appearances and rushed for 13,143 yards and 73 career touchdowns.

The Super Bowl XXXIII MVP, Elway led the Denver Broncos in their five Super Bowl appearances during his tenure. Voted the NFL’s MVP in 1987, Elway, also a member of the Hall of Fame, passed for 51,475 yards and 300 touchdowns during his career.

Chargers Back: Tomlinson Says He Wants To Stay in San Diego

NFL Gridiron Gab — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:48:03 -0500

Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson is speaking out, and telling readers of his site that he has every plan on staying with the Chargers.

“As for now, I am a Charger and will be until I am told otherwise,” he wrote on LaDainian Tomlinson.com. The posting came up after a number of rumors that the team was interested in moving him this offseason and making Darren Sproles their feature back in 2009.

The 29-year-old was hurt during part of the 2008 season, but still put up 1,110 yards on the ground on a career-low 292 rushes. The five-time Pro Bowl back has played his entire eight-year career with the Chargers. He still has three years remaining on an eight-year contract he signed in 2004 that, at the time, made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.

“I feel that I need to make it very clear that I have NO intentions of leaving San Diego,” Tomlinson wrote on the Web site. ” San Diego is where my career started and where I’d like it to end. I have nothing but love and the upmost respect for this team, the players and the Spanos family [Chargers owners]. Me being trade[d] is completely out of my hands. I have ABSOLUTELY no control in that decision making.”

San Diego Chargers Back LaDainian Tomlinson, Says He Wants To Stay in San Diego

NFL Gridiron Gab — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:48:03 -0500

Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson is speaking out and telling readers of his site that he has every plan on staying with the Chargers. “As for now, I am a Charger and will be until I am told otherwise,” he wrote on LaDainian Tomlinson.com. The posting came up after a number of rumors that the team was interested in moving him this offseason and making Darren Sproles their feature back in 2009.

The 29-year old was hurt during part of the 2008 season but still put up 1,110 yards on the ground on a career low 292 rushes. The five-time Pro Bowl back has played his entire eight-year career with the Chargers. He still has three years remaining on an eight-year contract he signed in 2004 that, at the time, made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.

“I feel that I need to make it very clear that I have NO intentions of leaving San Diego,” Tomlinson wrote on the Web site.

"San Diego is where my career started and where I’d like it to end. I have nothing but love and the upmost respect for this team, the players and the Spanos family (Chargers owners). Me being trade[d] is completely out of my hands. I have ABSOLUTELY no control in that decision making.”

Would Ray Lewis Solve the Cowboys' Chemistry Issues?

NFL Gridiron Gab — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:22:05 -0500

By Josh Satler—Profootball101.org

A rumor came out the other day that the Dallas Cowboys secretly covet LB Ray Lewis and would be willing to lock him up with a three-year, $28M-$30M deal, $25M of it being guaranteed. According to team owner Jerry Jones, Lewis would be a strong presence in the locker room and this would help rebuild team chemistry.

First off, let’s hope Lewis thinks with his head (and not his wallet).

Lewis, a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer, should remain a Raven until the day he retires.

I don’t think Baltimore Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome would commit that kind of money to a 35-year-old player. But I do suggest Newsome offer some key incentives to lure Lewis to stay.

Secondly, the only way you’ll have team chemistry once again in Dallas is through addition by subtraction—releasing the cancer known as Terrell Owens.

The pairing of Lewis and Owens nearly happened before. In 2004, the Niners traded the troubled receiver to the Ravens, but the deal was vetoed after T.O. cried to the NFL league office.

And why was there anything to cry over?

Because Owens’ agent somehow missed the deadline to fill out the free agency papers, so he was technically still under contract with San Francisco. The Baltimore deal was ripped up and he got his wish to go to Philadelphia.

Well, that love affair lasted one season until he completely imploded, created a personal rift with McNabb, and brought the entire ‘05 Eagles’ team down with his selfish antics.

So he went to Dallas in ‘06, and fit right in with Jerry Jones’ belief that the Cowboys can rehabilitate anyone.

Aside from a few personality conflicts between Owens and Parcells—and I’m sure the Tuna was none too happy about the acquisition—once Romo took over after week seven of the 2006 season, he was a happy camper.

That transferred over until this year when he took his me-first attitude to a new level. In the past, whenever the Cowboys lost, he always used the “when the ball is thrown to me, good things happen” argument.

And against the likes of San Francisco, the team they played directly after he made those comments again, he put up over 200 yards and people thought he was right.

But shortly after the week 14 Steeler loss, a new kind of complaining began. He called Romo out and said that he looks to Witten too often. Perhaps he hasn’t taken note of how difficult it is for defenses to match up against the All-Pro TE.

And after the Cowboys were annihilated by the Eagles, 44-6, in week 17, T.O. even took some shots at offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.

So if Jones thinks that bringing Lewis in without removing Owens will solve team chemistry, he might need to have his head checked out. No one has ever been able to control Owens.

That’s why T.O., easily one of the top five receivers ever to play in the NFL, has been shipped out of two cities already and is close to getting the pink slip in the third.

Lewis would certainly be an asset to an already stout Dallas’ D, but even the most talented team in the league can’t overcome a personality like Owens. I believe that was proven this year by none other than Dallas.

Sure, there were other issues affecting the team (Romo’s injury), but they still had a shot for the playoffs when he (Romo) returned. And both the Eagles and Cardinals proved that all you need to do is get in.

So stick in Baltimore, Ray.

Jones is desperate to sell tickets and luxury boxes for the new stadium this year and wants his fans to believe that this is a Super Bowl team, but until T.O. is shipped to the Canadian Football League, there will be no Super Bowl in Big D.

There will only be internal bickering and fighting that’s bad for football, but great for ratings on HBO’s award winning Hard Knocks series.

Tom Brady Tells Radio Station His Rehab Is Going Well

NFL Gridiron Gab — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:10:22 -0500

There was plenty of speculation not that long ago that Pats QB Tom Brady’s rehab from knee surgery was not going well. In his first real interview on Wednesday, given to the Fan 590 in Toronto, Brady said that is not the case.

“Anyone who’s come back from injuries that require surgery, it’s just a process,” he said. “There’s some good days, some bad days, and you just got to keep plugging through them. That’s life.”

Brady spoke out for about 10 minutes, talking about a variety of things, including his rehab, the inauguration of President Barack Obama, and a new sports cream that he’s pushing.

However, the QB did not give a clear timetable explaining when he would return to the field, which is about all that Patriot fans care about.

“I’m in a new part of my career, and I’m excited about rehabilitation and different challenges,” he said. “The tough part is you’re not experiencing something you love to do. But you get over that and you focus on what you’ve got to focus on and you just say ‘OK, well, it happened. We’re moving on.’”

The Pats have a tough decision to make this offseason since QB Matt Cassel played so well. It’s thought that he will be franchised by the club. This would protect them in case Brady is not ready to go at the start of next season. If they don't do this and Brady isn't ready while Cassel has moved on, it would put the team in a real tough spot.

For now, though, Brady seems to be in good spirits, and that’s good news for Pats fans still hoping he makes a complete recovery from last year’s opening day injury vs. the Chiefs.

Arizona to Wear Red for the Super Bowl; Steelers in Road White

NFL Gridiron Gab — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:10:22 -0500

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As expected, being the road team in Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers will wear their road white uniforms when they take on the Cardinals. Arizona will wear their home red jerseys. The Steelers are 2-0 in the big game when they wear their white, as they did it for their first Super Bowl win over the Vikings back in the 1975 season, and again when they topped the Seahawks 21-10 back in Super Bowl XL.

Last season, the NFC’s New York Giants wore their road white, and beat the home team New England Patriots, who were wearing their home blue unis.

Free Agent Quarterbacks: Ranking the Class of 2009

NFL Gridiron Gab — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:39:07 -0500

It’s that time again to start talking about free agency. We’ll spend some time breaking down positions, and today we are going to start with maybe the most important position on the field—quarterback.

Here are our rankings of Free Agent QBs and what we think will be the end result for some of these players.

1. Kurt Warner—Cardinals

The Super Bowl QB is going to be a free man, but expect the Cardinals to make a more than fair offer to keep Kurt around. Kurt could have been the MVP this season. While a couple other teams will likely flirt with the idea of grabbing him, I can’t see him anywhere else but in the desert.

2. Matt Cassel—Patriots

Look for Cassel to be franchised, meaning he’s not going anywhere in 2009. The Pats need to protect themselves just in case Tom Brady is not going to be ready to go at the start of the season. Again, he’ll get plenty of interest in the open market, but don’t expect him to make it there unless teams are willing to give up two No. 1 picks.

3. Jeff Garcia—Buccaneers

Even at 39, Garcia can be a stop gap for some team on the steps of being a possible playoff or Super Bowl contender. With the coaching changes in Tampa Bay, it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see Garcia take his game elsewhere, but there is always the chance he may retire.

4. Kerry Collins—Titans

The Titans had a great season with Collins, but even as the No. 1 seed in the AFC were not able to get by the Ravens. Collins played tough when the team needed it, beating the Steelers late and Ravens early in the year. He’s the perfect QB for the Titans' system and giving him two years at $10 million per year would not be out of the question.

5. Rex Grossman—Bears

Rex in effect should get a fresh start and bail from the situation that is the Bears. The team appears to have made a commitment to Kyle Orton as their QB of the future. If Grossman wants to be a starter, he’ll likely have to go somewhere as a backup and then hope for poor play or an injury to be in the starting lineup.

6. Luke McCown—Buccaneers

McCown is still young enough that he could be a decent player in this league. He has shown flashes, but has never fully taken it to the next level. Look for him to go somewhere and be a backup with the hopes of being a starter down the road.

7. Kyle Boller—Ravens

This may be a shot in the dark, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Boller somewhere else with a fresh start. He wasn’t ever able to live up to the level of the pick the Ravens used on him. With Joe Flacco taking them to the AFC Title Game, there is no question who the long-term starter will be in Baltimore.

8. Ryan Fitzpatrick—Bengals

The former Harvard QB started the year awfully, but by the end was playing much better. Fitzpatrick's short-term starting opportunity will come to a close with the Bengals, as Carson Palmer will be back under center in 2009. Wouldn’t doubt if another team or even the Bengals locked him up as their backup. He’d be smart to stay in Cincy if the offer is there.

9. J.P. Losman—Bills

Not a big fan of Losman, but someone will give him a job as a second QB on their roster. I wouldn’t doubt if he’s in camp with a team that has an unstable QB situation come July.

10. Byron Leftwich—Steelers

The former starter with the Jags has found a nice home with the Steelers and has played well when called upon. With the desire to compete, my guess is he moves on to another squad.

Other Free Agent QBs

David Carr—NY Giants
Brett Ratliff—NY Jets
Brock Berlin—St. Louis
Charlie Batch—Pittsburgh
Dan Orlovsky—Detroit
Chris Simms—Tennessee
Joey Harrington—New Orleans
Brian St.Pierre—Arizona
Brooks Bollinger—Dallas
Gibran Hamdan (RFA)—Buffalo
Jared Lorenzen—Indianapolis
Tim Rattay—Arizona
J.T. O’Sullivan—San Francisco
Charlie Frye—Seattle
Patrick Ramsey—Denver
Craig Nall—Houston
Marques Tuiasosopo—Oakland
Lester Ricard—Carolina
Bret Basanez—Carolina
Todd Bouman—Baltimore
Jamie Martin—San Francisco
Anthony Morelli—Arizona

Ten Super Bowl Storylines That Will Drive You Crazy

NFL Gridiron Gab — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:29:18 -0500

No world event builds hype like the Super Bowl. The average NFL nationally televised game brings in 10-15 million viewers; the Super Bowl attracts around 100 million.

In the two weeks leading up to the game, the media feels obligated to bring the 80-85 non-football fans up to speed on all that’s been happening with the two final teams. Those of us who have followed the NFL all season will hear more Cardinals and Steelers stories repeated these next two weeks than we could have ever imagined.

Here are the 10 that will soon drive us absolutely crazy.

1. Underdog Story!

1947. 1947. 1947. 1947. 1947. The last time the Cardinals organization won a title. Nobody—nobody—expected the Cardinals to be here. And here they are, facing one of football’s most hallowed franchises, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The reality is that the Cardinals have never won anything because they’ve been a God-awful franchise. The Steelers have won throughout history because they’ve been a model franchise. But America won’t appreciate this. Instead, casual observers will root for the Cardinals because they’ll see it as a case of the little guy trying to overtake the big bully.

2. Kurt Warner

Football experts will pound his new Hall of Fame campaign into the ground. Okay, that’s fair. It’s an interesting debate (except nobody is going to argue on the anti-Warner side all week).

But the non-football experts are going to rehash the Kurt Warner rags-to-riches story that we all grew tired of eight years ago. You know, the grocery store bagger turned Arena League star turned unknown backup turned savior in St. Louis turned goat turned backup in New York turned unexpected starter in Arizona turned savior again. That story.

3. Larry Fitzgerald

He’s known as the best receiver in football right now—and probably rightfully so. But come February, he’ll be known as the best human being since Jesus Christ. Get ready for hearing about how Fitzgerald’s dad is a sportswriter and how Fitzgerald was a ball boy for the Minnesota Vikings during his early teenage years.

Also, more than a few people will remind us that Fitzgerald has already broken Jerry Rice’s playoff receiving record and that, unlike most receivers, he doesn’t try to hog the spotlight and demand the ball.

Visit www.NFLTouchdown.com to continue reading.

Hall of Famer Dante “Gluefingers” Lavelli Passes Away at 85

NFL Gridiron Gab — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 01:42:42 -0500

NFL Gridiron Gab is sad to pass along the news of the death of Hall of Famer Dante “Gluefingers” Lavelli who played for the Cleveland Browns from 1946 to 1956. He caught 386 passes for 6,488 yards and 62 TDs. But because Cleveland played in the AAFC, many of his accomplishments are not recognized on the club’s career lists.

Lavelli was nicknamed “Gluefingers” for his great hands and was part of four championship teams when the Browns dominated the All-America Football Conference in the 1940s. After Cleveland joined the NFL in 1950, Lavelli was a member of three title teams while playing for coach Paul Brown.

We here at NFL Gridiron Gab had the pleasure of speaking to Mr.Lavelli back on August 2, 2007, at the 27th Annual National Sports Collectors Convention. In honor of all he gave to the game and his storied career, below is that interview conducted with the man known as “Gluefingers” back in August of 2007.

Barack Obama Rooting for Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl?

NFL Gridiron Gab — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:54:13 -0500

While the country swore in a new president today, it appears that the new head man may already have a team that he’s rooting for in next Sunday’s Super Bowl XLIII. Yes, according to sources, Obama is going to be rooting for the Black and Gold of the Steelers.

The Pittsburg Post Gazette said in today’s edition that Obama has a game ball from their victory in the AFC Championship game Sunday over the Ravens. Dan Rooney and his son Jim personally delivered the football to Obama Monday night in Washington, D.C.

Obama also met with Dan and Jim Rooney in a separate room at the Hilton, where the pair gave him the game ball. “He’s a Bears fan first, he admits that,” Dan Rooney said yesterday at the Steelers UPMC training center. “But he’s a Steelers’ fan. He’s said it, and all his staff, they’re rooting for us [in the Super Bowl].”

Indianapolis Colts' Defensive Coordinator Ron Meeks Steps Down

NFL Gridiron Gab — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:02:56 -0500

Jim Caldwell will have a new defensive coordinator in his first season with the club, as it was announced today that Ron Meeks has stepped down after seven seasons on the job. Meeks started coaching in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys in 1991 and has coached for the Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, Washington Redskins and St. Louis Rams before joining the Colts in 2002.

There were rumors that Meeks was not going to be brought back by Caldwell, and he may have seen the writing on the wall and decided to simply step away instead of being fired. Look for Caldwell to make a move quickly and have someone already in mind for the position.

Seahawks Wanting to Improve Receiver Situation This Offseason

NFL Gridiron Gab — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 07:55:28 -0500

Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post Intelligencer reports Seattle Seahawks President of Football Operations Tim Ruskell wants to improve the team’s receiving core before the 2009 season.

“I know this: We don’t want to get caught with the situation we had at receiver going into this season,” Ruskell said of the Seahawks heading into the 2009 season under new head coach Jim Mora.

The Seahawks dealt with a multitude of injury problems last season for their receivers. Top receivers Deon Branch and Bobby Engram missed a combined 10 games. Branch caught fire late and Engram, 36, is looking at retirement or a contract extension. Nate Burleson, Ben Obamanu, and Logan Payne fell to season-ending injuries, and their replacements, Billy McMullen, Michael Bumpus and Mike Hass filled in and are signed heading into 2009.

But there will be decisions to be made with more receivers than necessary and promising prospects on the board with the fourth overall pick such as Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree, Texas’ Quan Cosby, Maryland’s Darius Hayward-Bey, LSU’s Demetrius Byrd, Missouri’s Jeremy Macklin, Oklahoma’s Juaqin Iglesias, OSU’s Brian Robiskie, Penn State’s Derrick Williams, North Carolina’s Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Tate, Florida’s Percy Harvin and Rice’s Jarrett Dillard.

Overall, the Seahawks are looking to upgrade their receiver positions unsure whether ther receivers will be healthy next season. While it may be hard for the 'Hawks to lure in one of the NFL’s top receivers in the free agency, an offseason with plenty of conditioning and smart management can help a healthy Matt Hasselbeck, Deion Branch and Nate Burleson to a smoother 2009.

Full List of the 46 Players Leaving Early to Enter the 09 NFL Draft

NFL Gridiron Gab — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:00:52 -0500

Asher Allen, DB, Georgia

Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

Eben Britton, T, Arizona

Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut

Everette Brown, DE, Florida State

Carson Butler, TE, Michigan

Jairus Byrd, DB, Oregon

James Casey, TE, Rice

Jeremy Childs, WR, Boise State

Glen Coffee, RB, Alabama

Emanuel Cook, DB, South Carolina

Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina

Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

Andrew Davie, TE, Arkansas

Nate Davis, QB, Ball State

Vontae Davis, DB, Illinois

Maurice Evans, DE, Penn State

Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State

Mike Goodson, RB, Texas A&M

Shonn Greene, RB, Iowa

Brian Hartline, WR, Ohio State

Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland

P.J. Hill, RB, Wisconsin

Greg Isdaner, G, West Virginia

Ricky Jean-Francois, DT, Louisiana State

Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

Sen’Derrick Marks, DT Auburn

Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State

LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh

Andrew Means, WR, Indiana

D.J. Moore, DB, Vanderbilt

Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

Cameron Morrah, TE, California

Captain Munnerlyn, DB, South Carolina

Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina

Kevin Ogletree, WR, Virginia

Jerraud Powers, DB, Auburn

Richard Quinn, TE, North Carolina

Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern California

Andre Smith, T, Alabama

Sean Smith, DB, Utah

Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia

Donald Washington, DB, Ohio State

Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State

Brandon Williams, DE, Texas Tech

Ray Lewis a Free Agent Target for Cowboys?

NFL Gridiron Gab — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 18:20:43 -0500

With free agency looming, there are already some rumblings that teams are targeting the players that will help them get over the top next season.

Lifelong Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis has an interesting decision coming his way, as he will be a free agent come March unless the Ravens get something done with him in the meantime.

Rumor has it that if the Ravens can't retain their leader, he may very well be headed to the Dallas Cowboys.

Just one day after the loss in the AFC Title game to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Baltimore Sun is reporting that Lewis may be on the Cowboys' radar as an impact player on defense that could come over,and change the attitude of that unit.

The Sun states the following about Lewis: “Word around the NFL is that the Dallas Cowboys are very interested in obtaining Ravens inside linebacker Ray Lewis if he becomes a free agent. The speculation is that the Cowboys are willing to give Lewis a three-year deal worth between $27 and $30 million, with $25 million guaranteed.”

Lewis is getting up there in years, but if the Cowboys can land him it would be a huge deal for a player that played with a lot of heart this past season getting, the Ravens just one step from the Super Bowl.

Dom Capers Agrees to Join Packers as Defensive Coordinator

NFL Gridiron Gab — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:41:31 -0500

Was it really just a few days ago when it seemed Dom Capers was not interested in joining the Packers' coaching staff?

In quite the turnaround, Green Bay announced today that they have landed coaching vet Dom Capers as their new Defensive Coordinator.

The 58-year-old Capers has 38 years of coaching experience, including 23 years in the National Football League. He has been a Defensive Coordinator for seven of those years (Pittsburgh, ‘92-’94; Jacksonville 1999-2000; and Miami ‘06-’07,) and head coach nine of them (Carolina 1995-’98 and Houston 2001-’05).

Capers accepted McCarthy’s offer on Sunday evening, according to reports. The deal came about after head coach Mike McCarthy spent part of the day on both Friday and Saturday talking with Capers about defensive ideas and which way the Packers' defense should go from here.

The Pack talked to a number of potential coaches before Capers finally accepted the job. Among the candidates were former San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Mike Nolan, former Jacksonville Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams and former St. Louis Defensive Coordinator and interim coach Jim Haslett.

Nolan took a job in Denver, Williams took a job in New Orleans and Haslett is still available.

List of 2009 NFL Free Agents Ranked by Scouts.com

NFL Gridiron Gab — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:43:22 -0500

The following is a list of NFL Free Agents as broken down by Scouts.com. They have ranked the upcoming free agents, as the signing period will kick off on in early March.

Pos	Overall Rank	Name	Type	Yr	Ht/Wt	2008 Team

DT	1	Albert Haynesworth	UFA	7	6-5/320	Tennessee
CB	2	Nnamdi Asomugha	UFA	6	6-2/210	Oakland
DE	3	Terrell Suggs	UFA	6	6-3/260	Baltimore
WR	4	Roy Williams	UFA	5	6-4/210	Detroit
MLB	5	Ray Lewis	UFA	13	6-1/245	Baltimore
WR	6	T.J. Houshmandzadeh	UFA	8	6-1/199	Cincinnati
OLB	7	Bart Scott	UFA	7	6-2/240	Baltimore
DE	8	Julius Peppers	UFA	7	6-7/283	Carolina
CB	9	Chris Gamble	UFA	5	6-1/200	Carolina
MLB	10	Karlos Dansby	UFA	5	6-4/240	Arizona
OT	11	Jordan Gross	UFA	6	6-5/300	Carolina
RB	12	Brandon Jacobs	UFA	4	6-4/264	NY Giants
OT	13	Marvel Smith	UFA	9	6-5/321	Pittsburgh
OT	14	Mark Tauscher	UFA	9	6-4/315	Green Bay
TE	15	Owen Daniels	RFA	3	6-3/247	Houston
C	16	Matt Birk	UFA	11	6-4/309	Minnesota
C	17	Jeff Saturday	UFA	10	6-2/295	Indianapolis
OG	18	Stacy Andrews	UFA	5	6-7/342	Cincinnati
OT	19	Jon Runyan	UFA	13	6-7/330	Philadelphia
OT	20	Tra Thomas	UFA	11	6-7/335	Philadelphia
OG	21	Jahri Evans	RFA	3	6-4/318	New Orleans
OG	22	Mike Goff	UFA	11	6-5/315	San Diego
OLB	23	Michael Boley	UFA	4	6-3/223	Atlanta
OLB	24	Leroy Hill	UFA	4	6-1/224	Seattle
CB	25	Dunta Robinson	UFA	5	5-10/184	Houston
C	26	Jason Brown	UFA	4	6-3/320	Baltimore
S	27	Jermaine Phillips	UFA	7	6-1/214	Tampa Bay
S	28	Oshiomogho Atogwe	UFA	4	5-11/210	St. Louis
DT	29	Rocky Bernard	UFA	7	6-3/290	Seattle
DT	30	Jovan Haye	UFA	4	6-2/295	Tampa Bay
MLB	31	Jonathan Vilma	UFA	5	6-1/230	New Orleans
MLB	32	Mike Peterson	UFA	10	6-1/235	Jacksonville
S	33	Sean Jones	UFA	5	6-1/215	Cleveland
MLB	34	Channing Crowder	UFA	4	6-2/247	Miami
OLB	35	Angelo Crowell	UFA	6	6-1/246	Buffalo
MLB	36	Eric Barton	UFA	10	6-2/245	NY Jets
OT	37	Willie Colon	RFA	3	6-3/315	Pittsburgh
OT	38	Khalif Barnes	UFA	4	6-5/325	Jacksonville
QB	39	Kurt Warner	UFA	11	6-2/222	Arizona
RB	40	Derrick Ward	UFA	5	5-11/228	NY Giants
C	41	Eric Heitmann	UFA	7	6-3/318	San Francisco
DE	42	Chris Canty	UFA	4	6-7/300	Dallas
WR	43	Amani Toomer	UFA	13	6-3/202	NY Giants
WR	44	Bobby Engram	UFA	13	5-10/188	Seattle
C	44	Richie Incognito	UFA	4	6-3/305	St. Louis
TE	45	L.J. Smith	UFA	6	6-3/258	Philadelphia
TE	46	Bo Scaife	UFA	4	6-3/249	Tennessee
WR	47	Bryant Johnson	UFA	6	6-3/211	San Francisco
RB	48	LaMont Jordan	UFA	8	5-10/230	New England
QB	49	Kerry Collins	UFA	14	6-5/245	Tennessee

Rex Ryan Set to Be Named New Coach for the Jets

NFL Gridiron Gab — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:37:46 -0500

Now that the Ravens are done in the NFL playoffs, it means that defensive coordinator Rex Ryan is a free man to talk to teams that have an interest in him. It seems that interest has landed him a head coaching position. Multiple reports are stating that Ryan has agreed to a four-year deal to be the next head coach of the New York Jets, and that a formal announcement will take place later today.

Ryan had spoken to the Jets twice, and it became apparent that he was the front runner after other teams started filling positions over the last two weeks. “He should have an opportunity to be a head coach soon,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, “and he’s deserving of it.”

Rex is the son of former NFL coach Buddy Ryan, and the twin brother of Rob Ryan, who just took over the defensive coordinator spot with Cleveland. Ryan also spoke to the Rams about their coaching job, but that position went to Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo on Saturday.

Cardinals-Eagles: Arizona Super Bowl Bound After High-Scoring Victory

NFL Gridiron Gab — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:36:18 -0500

In a season that no one could have possibly expected, the Cardinals took it to the wire on Sunday at home against the Philadelphia Eagles, and once again playing the role of underdogs, walked out a winner in a 32-25 victory to move on to the Super Bowl vs. the Steelers.

The game was the most emotional in Cards history, as the team built on the energy of the home crowd to go up 24-6 at the half, and then came back with a huge game-winning drive to put the finishing touches on the win.

The NFC championship could not have come without the play of wideout Larry Fitzgerald, who caught three touchdowns on the day and had nine catches for 152 yards with the three scores. All three TDs came in the first half, as the Cards built the big lead, only to see the game Eagles rally in the second half.

Led by Donovan McNabb, the Eagles scored a touchdown on a pass from the QB to Brent Celek for six yards to make it 24-13 with 4:08 left in the third quarter. Then Celek scored again with 0:49 left in the quarter on a 31-yard TD that made it 24-19 after David Akers missed the extra point.

Philly took their only lead of the game when McNabb went deep on a tipped ball to DeSean Jackson that was a circus catch that gave the Eagles a 25-24 lead at the 10:45 mark.

Arizona then went on their biggest drive of the year, capping it with a Kurt Warner TD pass to Tim Hightower on third down from eight yards out to make it 30-25. The team went for two and got it when Warner hit Ben Patrick to make it 32-25 with 2:53 left.

The final chance for the Eagles ended at the Cards 47 when McNabb threw four straight incomplete passes against the tough Cards defense. The last pass saw the ball go incomplete to the right, and the crowd at the University of Phoenix Stadium went nuts with the team reaching its goal—a trip to the Super Bowl.

Warner was 21-for-28 for 279 yards with four TDs, no picks, and a QB rating of 145.7. Edgerrin James again paced a solid running game that had 73 yards on 16 carries, a 4.6 yards per carry average. Warner spread the ball to nine different Cardinals receivers.

McNabb had a solid game in the comeback effort for the Eagles, as he threw for 375 yards and three TDs with a pick on 28-for-47 passing. The Cards did a good job vs. Brian Westbrook, holding him to 45 yards on 12 carries, as the Cards made sure with the big lead to have the Eagles throw often.

Now it’s off to the Super Bowl, and all the hype that will surround it. It will be Cards coach Ken Whisenhunt vs. his old team, as the Steelers topped the Ravens for a chance for their second title in four seasons. The Steelers are an early 6.5 point favorite.

NFL Touchdown Championship Games Snide Remarks

NFL Gridiron Gab — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 23:27:16 -0500

Arizona Cardinals 32, Philadelphia Eagles 25

The story of this game was Cardinals' offensive coordinator Todd Haley out-coaching Eagles' defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. Aside from the third quarter, Haley was one step ahead of Johnson’s blitzes all afternoon.

Those who know Haley from his days as the receivers coach in Dallas can see that he has a far more authoritative demeanor on the sidelines. He’ll be the hottest head coaching candidate on the market this time next year...Assuming he doesn’t get a new job before then.

Haley’s best move on the day was utilizing a two-tight end set late in the contest to help neutralize Philly’s blitz. Anquan Boldin wasn’t a big fan of it—Fox cameras caught the receiver bickering with the play-caller—but it was wildly successful.

I continue to be shocked—shocked—at how springy Edgerrin James looks.

One Cardinals lineman who has been good for several years but has never received proper recognition is Reggie Wells. His mobility is a big part of Arizona’s run-blocking scheme.

Brian Westbrook did not look like his usual self at all Sunday.

We talked about this a few months ago: One of the biggest differences in this Eagles offense down the stretch was Brent Celek replacing L.J. Smith in the lineup.

Maybe this is a cheap shot, but….do you think Andy Reid will one day be remembered not only as the Eagles head coach, but also as the NFC Pro Bowl team head coach?

Donovan McNabb had some accuracy issues in this game, and who knows, maybe it would have been a different outcome had all his passes been on target. But overall, I thought McNabb played well in the postseason, particularly in extending the play when he had to.

Keep in mind, Philly’s offense had a lethargic rushing attack in the three playoff games, and the front five was, at times, inconsistent in pass protection.

Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie might be the biggest factor in Arizona’s stunning turnaround. The first-round rookie is almost a shutdown corner already (he gave up a few catches to DeSean Jackson in this game, though none of them were because of terrible coverage).

Another Cardinal who has really upped his game is Karlos Dansby. Once known for his maddening inconsistency, Dansby is now primed to earn a huge long-term contract this offseason.

Visit www.NFLTouchdown.com for AFC Championship