After Further Review: Disrupting receivers key to dealing with air elite

You have Drew Brees breaking Dan Marino's single-season record for yards passing. You have Tom Brady just 190 yards behind him and you have Aaron Rodgers with 45 touchdown passes.

How do you stop these guys? Or at least slow them down?

"You have to beat up their receivers," one NFC personnel director said. "These quarterbacks are too good now. They will eat you alive if you play zone against them and let their receivers find the open spots. They are too smart. You have to mug their outside players, not let them get into their routes as easy as they can against zone."

Those three quarterbacks are arguably the three favorites going into the NFL playoffs next week. The Packers are the top seed in the NFL and the Patriots are expected to join them in the AFC, with the Saints likely a third-seed that is playing as well as any team right now.

They are the top three passing teams in the NFL. The Saints are first, followed by the Patriots and then the Packers. The quarterback play for all three has been sensational, but there have been games where each has struggled.

For Brees and the Saints, it came in a loss to the Rams. For Rodgers, it came two weeks ago against the Chiefs in the Packers' only loss. Brady's lowest output in terms of yards came against the Steelers, but his second lowest came against the Chiefs.

Kansas City is a team with two good, physical corners who can play man-press coverage and knock your receivers off their routes. They did that to the Packers and to the Patriots in Week 11.

The Rams physically beat up the Saints when they played them, sacking Brees six times. That took him out of his groove.

"Hitting all of them is key," one NFC coach said. "But you have to make it tough for their receivers. They are so good at hitting them on the run. They are so accurate that if you just let the receivers go where they want, they will kill you."

The Falcons played a lot of zone against the Saints on Monday and Brees ate them alive. He did what he wanted when he wanted to do it, throwing four touchdown passes on the night.

On several big plays, Saints receivers got wide open because the Falcons got lost in zone coverage.

A week after Rodgers struggled against the Chiefs' man coverage, he threw five touchdown passes against the Bears -- primarily a Cover-2 zone team.

"Soft-zone defense may seem like a way to slow those three down, but all it does it allow free release for their receivers," one NFC personnel director said. "Why not take your chances beating them up? Make the quarterback pull the ball down when the receiver can't get into the route."

The Patriots lack deep speed, which shows up when teams press their receivers, including Wes Welker. The Packers didn't have Greg Jennings against the Chiefs, and they had trouble beating the man coverage. The Saints have a little more speed outside in Robert Meachem and Devery Henderson, but the book on both is that they can have problems with press-man coverage.

So how do you stop the big-three passing offenses? You don't. But the best option is to mug the receivers. That might lead to some big plays -- a few penalties here and there -- but it also could lead to some turnovers and to the disruption of the passing game's timing.

Either way, it won't be easy but at least beating up the receivers gives a defense a fighting chance.

Film Study: 10 things I saw from the tape

1. So what happened to Denver quarterback Tim Tebow last week against Buffalo? In watching the tape, Tebow went back to some of his bad habits. He held the ball. He sailed the ball. And he wasn't patient in the pocket, feeling phantom pressure again. Tebow had a wide-open Eric Decker down the left sideline early in the game. He would've been able to make a big play, but his lack of arm strength was exposed in a painful incomplete pass. He did come back and make a nice throw to Daniel Fells for a touchdown, but it was downhill after that. He threw high much of the game and into coverage. The interception return for a touchdown by Bills safety Jairus Byrd was a rookie-type mistake. He thought Decker was open down the seam, but he never saw Byrd. Bad read. The second interception for a touchdown came when he was hit while holding the ball too long. The final pick of the game was his throwing to a blanketed receiver in the end zone. It was not a good game for Tebow. It showed his flaws as a passer. Once the Broncos got down by more than 10, they were done. That's why Tebow has to be used the way Denver is in that spread-option offense.

2. I'm still not sure if the Ravens are good enough on the corner, but Lardarius Webb is playing well. He picked off Seneca Wallace pass last week against the Browns. Wallace threw late to the right sideline and Webb jumped in front of receiver Mohamed Massaquoi for a diving interception. It was a back-foot throw by Wallace, but Webb made a great play. Webb needs to be able to take away the other team's top receiver come playoff time. He has been a good player all year long, but he needs to keep it up in the playoffs. Rookie corner Jimmy Smith is playing better on the other side and had a nice game against Cleveland. If those two continue to improve, the Ravens defense could be special in the postseason.

3. It's amazing how much better the Raiders offense looks when Denarius Moore is in the lineup. The rookie from Tennessee gives Carson Palmer another speed option down the field. Moore missed three games with an ankle injury and Oakland's offense struggled in that stretch. He played two weeks ago against Detroit, but started for the first time since Nov. 20 last week against Kansas City. Moore had four catches for 94 yards, including a 61-yard catch -- blowing by safety Langford in zone coverage -- for a touchdown. It's hard to get on top of a safety in two-deep zone, but Moore's speed allowed him to do just that. It's scary to think what the Raiders offense could have been with Moore, Darius Heyward-Bey and Jacoby Ford (he's missed the past six games) all on the field this season, catching passes from Palmer. It's something Raiders fans have to be excited about heading into next season

4. The Seahawks have something special in their secondary. In fact, I'd say it's the best young foursome in the entire league. Both safeties, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, are on their way to the Pro Bowl. Some say Chancellor, the strong safety, has played better. I beg to differ. Thomas is a rangy player who can also tackle. But it's the corners who are the biggest surprise. Brandon Browner has really come on after a slow start, and Richard Sherman might be one of the better man-cover players over the last eight games. Sherman and Browner are both big players who can mug opposing receivers. The 49ers had just six catches by receivers last week in their victory over Seattle. A lot of that was because of great man coverage by the two corners. Those four players give the Seahawks a great base to build around for next season.

5. The Giants have the speed and players up front to create problems for opposing quarterbacks. Jason Pierre-Paul is on his way to the Pro Bowl and is coming off an impressive game against the Jets. But Justin Tuck is also starting to play better. That does not bode well for the Cowboys this week. Dallas had trouble last week with Philadelphia's Jason Babin and Trent Cole. Left tackle Doug Free has really struggled the past month. He must play better if the Cowboys are to keep Tony Romo upright.

6. One of the more improved players in the second half is Bengals tight end Jermaine Gresham. The early word on him last season and early this season was that Gresham didn't always go to the right spot, missing assignments and hurting the passing game. But it's clear he's become more comfortable with Jay Gruden's offense over the past two months. Gresham caught a touchdown pass last week against the Cardinals and did so making a smart adjustment. He ran and out and up, but the linebacker had him blanketed so Gresham turned back out as quarterback Andy Dalton was flushed left outside the pocket. Dalton saw him make the move, quickly threw to him for a 12-yard touchdown pass. On the next series, Dalton threw a tight-end screen to Gresham. He turned it into a 12-yard gain by making two tacklers miss and carrying two more past the first-down marker. He had five catches for 56 yards but you can see Dalton's confidence growing in him each week. Gresham needs to come up big this week against the Ravens in the middle of the field.

7. When the Falcons went into free agency over the summer, they did so with an eye on Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson. But when Carolina re-signed him to a huge deal, Atlanta turned to Ray Edwards. They probably wish they hadn't. He has been a major disappointment. Edwards is a grinder, a guy who plays hard but isn't that edge rusher the Falcons hoped he could be. When they signed Edwards, they hoped he could be a 10-sack player. That's dreaming. He has 3 1/2. Edwards is solid against the run, but when you play Brees and Cam Newton, he has to be more of a pass rusher. Backup Kroy Biermann actually might be a better pass rusher, even though he gets by with more of an effort game. The Falcons have John Abraham, and he's still a good pass rusher, but they need more. In fact, their entire defensive line has been a major disappointment this season.

8. There were a lot of people doubting Bills running back C.J. Spiller. Was he a first-round bust? The Bills actually moved him to receiver earlier this year because Fred Jackson was playing so well. But when Jackson got hurt, Spiller moved to running back and has done a nice job. He had his first career 100-yard game last week against Denver and the thing that stood out was his blazing speed. That was the book on Spiller coming out of Clemson, but he hadn't played to that speed with the Bills. Last week, on the Bills' fourth play from scrimmage, he took a handoff, burst through a hole on the left side and ran away from defenders for a 38-yard gain. Later, he took a swing pass on the right side and gained 11 yards. Spiller ran for 111 yards, averaging 6.9 per carry. Spiller also lined up wide right and caught an inside screen for 16-yard gain showing off his speed again. Each and every week, you can see Spiller's confidence growing. When Jackson returns next season, the Bills might have a dilemma on their hands.

9. I know the Ravens beat the Browns last week, but they won't beat many teams by completing two passes to their receivers. Two. Both of those were caught by Torrey Smith, one was a 29-yard crossing route. That means the Ravens didn't hit one pass down the field against Cleveland. With Anquan Boldin out with a knee injury, Lee Evans started opposite Smith and didn't catch a pass on the four occasions he was targeted. Joe Flacco missed an open throw to Smith in the third quarter, a pass he has to hit. Sheldon Brown also picked off Flacco on a ball he tried to force to Evans, who was blanketed by Brown. The Ravens can run the ball. They can throw it to the tight ends, but if they are going to be a Super Bowl team they have to do more down the field. It seems to show up more and more lately.

10. Where is the talent on San Diego's defense? Aside from safety Eric Weddle, who is a keeper on the unit that lined up last week against the Lions? Quentin Jammer, who had played decently at corner, had a horrible day. Nose tackle Antonio Garay, who had a breakout season in 2010, has been a huge disappointment this season. The pass rushers don't scare anybody. The Chargers are 23rd in scoring defense, and the reason is talent. There isn't an abundance of it on that side of the ball. That falls on the head of general manager A.J. Smith. There are no real playmakers on defense == aside from Weddle == and that's a big reason why Matt Stafford carved them to shreds last week.

Hot Tub

1. Lions quarterback Matt Stafford -- He looked so sure of himself against the Chargers, throwing for 379 yards and four touchdowns.

2. Jets corner Darrelle Revis -- He had a big day locking down Giants receivers and batting down passes.

3. Redskins running back Evan Royster -- I liked this kid coming out of Penn State and he ran for over 100 against the Vikings last week.

4. Bills outside linebacker Chris Kelsay -- He had a sack and made several good stops against the run. That's been missing from the Bills.

5. Bengals right tackle Andre Smith -- He was overpowering against the Cardinals, pushing guys around in the run game and doing a great job in pass protection.

Cold Tub

1. Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez -- In the team's biggest game, he came up small against the Giants.

2. Falcons middle linebacker Curtis Lofton -- He spent the Saints game getting blocked, which is why they ran the ball the way they did.

3. Chiefs quarterback Kyle Orton -- He made some really bad throws against the Raiders, including a horrible end-zone pick by Matt Giordano.

4. Falcons corner Dunta Robinson -- He got lost in coverage several times against the Saints. Do the Falcons have buyer's remorse?

5. Bengals running back Cedric Benson -- He lost two fumbles in the fourth quarter against Arizona and almost cost his team the game.

Three Pro Bowl snubs

1. Redskins linebacker London Fletcher -- He leads the NFL in tackles and has really been good the past month.

2. Giants receiver Victor Cruz -- He wasn't on the fan ballot, which shows the flaw in the system.

3. Raiders safety Tyvon Branch -- Forget Troy Polamalu, this kid outplayed him all season long.

Three reputation Pro Bowl picks

1. Jets tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson -- He certainly hasn't played to that level this season.

2. Patriots guard Logan Mankins -- He was the second-best guard on his team to Brian Waters and had a lot of penalties.

3. Packers nose tackle B.J. Raji -- People remember him as a force in last year's postseason. The tape this season says otherwise.

Three who will be there next year

1. Panthers quarterback Cam Newton -- Is there any doubt about that, even in the quarterback-heavy NFC?

2. Cowboys tackle Tyron Smith -- He will move to the left side next season and be a perennial Pro Bowl left tackle.

3. Bears defensive tackle Henry Melton -- He bulked up this season and was a force inside. Too bad nobody notice.

Tweets at me

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Pack's Dietrich-Smith says Suh called to apologize

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith said Ndamukong Suh called him to apologize a few days after the Lions defensive lineman's infamous Thanksgiving Day stomp.

As far as Dietrich-Smith is concerned, that was the end of a widely publicized incident that got Suh suspended for two games - and briefly made Dietrich-Smith famous for all the wrong reasons.

"He's cool, he apologized, and there's no hard feelings and that's pretty much it," Dietrich-Smith said.

With the Lions coming to Lambeau Field for Sunday's regular-season finale, Dietrich-Smith doesn't expect anything out of the ordinary to happen between him and Suh if they're on the field together.

"I think we've all moved past it," Dietrich-Smith said. "It's a big learning experience for everybody. I think everyone in the league can take note of everything that happened and I think every player is going to take a step forward to move past that kind of stuff."

Even in the heat of the moment, Dietrich-Smith said he wasn't tempted to snap back at Suh.

"Stuff happens," Dietrich-Smith said. "It's football. It's an emotional game. Sometimes you get carried away and you learn from those kinds of things, and that's about it."

Dietrich-Smith is a backup for the Packers and was playing on Thanksgiving after an injury to right guard Josh Sitton. He has started four straight games since then because of injuries, three at right guard and one at left guard.

Now Dietrich-Smith hopes he'll be better known for his play instead of as the guy who was stomped by Suh.

"It's always better when it's about football," Dietrich-Smith said. "That's how we're always looking forward. Our performances on the field are always going to speak more than the words we (say) in the locker room."

Lions coach Jim Schwartz said he doesn't expect any retribution toward Suh from the Packers.

"Ndamukong didn't plan on doing that," Schwartz said in a conference call with members of the media in Green Bay. "He lost his composure in the heat of the moment. I'd be very, very surprised if any team - Green Bay Packers included - was to plan something like that. It's a very physical game, it's tough, sometimes people make decisions on the field, but I'd be very surprised if anything like that's premeditated."

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Tomlinson might call it quits if Jets fail to make playoffs

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- This could be the end for LaDainian Tomlinson.

The Jets running back is a free agent after this season, and he acknowledged that the regular-season finale Sunday at Miami could be the last game of his career if New York does not make the playoffs.

"There's definitely the thought that this possibly could be because you never know how things shake out," Tomlinson said Thursday. "For me, it just depends on the situation. I've said that before. I would love to keep playing, but if the situation is not right, then I won't. And this possibly could be my last game."

Tomlinson signed a two-year deal with the Jets in 2010 after nine record-breaking seasons with the San Diego Chargers. When asked if he would hypothetically accept the veterans' minimum salary to return to the Jets, Tomlinson smiled and made it clear he would want more.

"I've got kids, man," he said with a laugh. "I mean, I don't know. It would be hard for me to do that. It's never been about the money for me. It really hasn't. But at some point, you have to close that chapter if it just doesn't line up. So I'm just going to wait and see what happens."

That means the 32-year-old Tomlinson would be willing to play elsewhere in 2012, but will talk to his family and agent in the offseason before deciding on what he wants to do.

"I'm open to anything," he said. "It doesn't have to be here. It could be another place. I'm just open to playing football."

Tomlinson would want to play only for a team that has a shot at a championship - the reason he chose Rex Ryan and the Jets nearly two years ago.

"Speaking off the top of my head, obviously, I've played this game a long time," he said. "I don't want to go to someone that's going to lose every week. That's not going to be fun."

Tomlinson will enter the regular-season finale needing 35 yards rushing to pass Jerome Bettis for fifth place on the NFL's career list. He has 224 yards rushing this season after taking a backseat to Shonn Greene for the starting job, but has been an effective third-down back with 38 catches for 426 yards.

"If it is my last game, I've enjoyed 11 years of playing football, playing a kids' game," Tomlinson said. "Two great organizations. Obviously being here the last couple of years, I've really enjoyed my time here. The fans have been great. My teammates have been great, the coaching staff. There's really nothing I can complain about. Really."

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League fines Saints RB Thomas $12K for TD celebration

METAIRIE, La. -- Saints running back Pierre Thomas has been fined $12,500 for a uniform violation and a touchdown celebration in which he placed a bow on a football and gave it to a fan.

The fine for the celebration is $7,500. Thomas also violated NFL policies by wearing Christmas-themed green and red tape on his black and gold Saints uniform, and his fine for that is $5,000.

Notice of the fines was taped to Thomas' locker by teammates with a big red bow on top as part of a prank.

Thomas says he's still happy he "gave a lucky fan a wonderful gift." He says he'd noticed the woman in Saints gear behind the end zone and figured she deserved it.

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Brady returns to limited practice after report of shoulder injury

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Tom Brady participated in practice Thursday on a limited basis because of a left shoulder injury.

The New England Patriots quarterback had missed Wednesday's session, but the team said his absence was not injury-related.

Comcast SportsNet reported that same day that Brady had X-rays to check for a separated left shoulder and was told he was "all set." Patriots spokesman Stacey James said Thursday: "If there was an injury then it would be on the injury report."

Brady was listed on Thursday's report as having participated on a limited basis with the shoulder injury. He was one of 17 Patriots listed as participating on a limited basis, meaning a player took part in fewer than 100 percent of his normal repetitions.

He loosened up and ran with his teammates at the start of the practice while reporters were allowed to watch.

Brady landed hard on his left shoulder with 1:40 left in the fourth quarter Saturday when he was tackled by Kevin Burnett on a scramble in a 27-24 win over the Miami Dolphins in which he also scored on two 1-yard sneaks.

The Patriots have one more practice on Friday before a walkthrough on Saturday for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Buffalo Bills (6-9).

The Patriots (12-3) have clinched a first-round bye and can lock up home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a win or tie. If they lose, they could still get home-field advantage with a loss or tie by both the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Brady has a chance for the fourth 5,000-yard passing season, needing just 103. Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints set the NFL record of 5,087 Monday night, 3 more than the mark set by Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins in 1984.

The Saints, tied with the San Francisco 49ers for the second-best record in the NFC at 12-3 and with a chance to earn a bye, face the Carolina Panthers.

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McCoy not upset with way Browns handled his concussion

BEREA, Ohio -- Colt McCoy didn't want to relive any of what happened to him three weeks ago.

It's not clear if he remembers that night in Pittsburgh.

The Browns' young quarterback wants to move on from a concussion that ended his season, spawned a controversy and prompted the NFL to do more to treat injured players.

Sporting a newly grown beard, McCoy said Thursday that he's "feeling better" and making progress from the concussion he sustained on Dec. 8 from a helmet-to-helmet hit delivered by Steelers linebacker James Harrison. McCoy, who has not been medically cleared to practice since he was blasted by Harrison, refused to answer questions about what he recalls from the hit or what transpired in its aftermath.

McCoy, though, did praise Cleveland's medical staff for its handling of his concussion despite the team not testing him for a head injury on the sideline and sending him back in the game after sitting out just two plays.

"Our medical staff does an outstanding job and that should never be in question," said McCoy, speaking for the first time since he was diagnosed with the concussion.

McCoy didn't want to talk about the vicious hit by Harrison, who lowered his head and delivered a crushing blow to the QB's facemask, knocking his feet out from under him and sprawling him on his back. McCoy also declined to reveal any of his symptoms or why he hasn't been allowed to return to the field.

"I just don't want to go there guys," McCoy said. "I really don't want to recreate anything. I don't even want to think about it. I can tell you that I'm feeling a lot better, especially of late. I really feel like I'm coming out of this, and I hope to at least be able to be out there this weekend and help my team."

McCoy was asked if he thought Harrison's hit was a cheap shot.

"No," he said. "I really have no opinion. I think the league has handled that, and I'm doing the best that I can to move forward and do the best I can to get healthy and get back and help our team."

McCoy was equally vague when asked if Harrison deserved more than the one-game suspension he received.

"I really have no opinion on that," he said. "That's a league matter. That's completely out of my control."

Wearing a flannel overcoat and jeans, McCoy stood in front of his locker for nearly 10 minutes. He was typically polite and alert while addressing his injury, which has overshadowed the final month of Cleveland's season. Other than driving away from the team's facility, McCoy had not been seen since that fateful night at Heinz Field.

McCoy would not say if he has sought any outside medical opinions on his injury, and took the chance to again compliment the Browns' medical personnel.

"I don't want to go there, but our staff here has really been first class through all this and they are doing a great job and again I really am making really good progress," he said. "They've said the same thing to me and I'm telling you the same thing. I'm feeling much better."

McCoy can't practice and it's obvious he won't play Sunday against the Steelers. Backup Seneca Wallace will make his third start in a row in place of McCoy, who won't get a final chance to prove to the Browns that he should be their long-term starter.

McCoy had an inconsistent second pro season, his first running coach Pat Shurmur's West Coast offense. McCoy expects to be evaluated in the offseason by Shurmur, general manager Tom Heckert and president Mike Holmgren like any other player.

"There's two things I can control: One, I can control how hard I work, how hard I prepare; and the second one is I can control how I feel," he said. "I want to be here. I love this city. I love my teammates. I'll do anything. I want to be here, so after that ... speculation has never gotten me anywhere. I'm a factual guy. That's all I've got."

The Browns were criticized in many corners for their handling of McCoy's concussion. In the days that followed, the NFL sent a medical team to Cleveland to meet with the Browns and representative of the Players Association also took part in discussions to see what more could have been done.

Holmgren said the team did not test McCoy for a concussion during the game because trainers and doctors were busy treating other players and did not see Harrison's hit.

Those meetings led to the league instituting a change in its game-day policy on injuries. Teams must have a certified athletic trainer in the press box to monitor play and provide medical staffs with information to help them assist injured players.

Also, in the hours after McCoy was injured, his father condemned the Browns for not checking McCoy more thoroughly and sending him back into the game. Brad McCoy made his comments to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

McCoy was asked if his father's remarks have done damage to his standing with the club.

"No," he said. "But I will say I have talked to my dad and I have addressed some things with my dad and what we talk about I'm going to keep private."

The Browns have had nine players sustain 12 concussions, with McCoy's appearing to be the most serious. Tight end Benjamin Watson also missed three games, but the team placed him on injured reserve after he suffered his third concussion since July.

It's been frustrating for McCoy to be away from his teammates. He said he's watched the past two games from home and doesn't know if he'll be allowed to be on the sideline for the Browns' season finale. Still, it won't be the same as playing.

"The hardest part is not being able to travel or be with your team or be out there at practice with them or be in games," he said. "You work so hard all year long to be able to just be out there and contribute, so that's been the hardest part."

Notes

Browns starting RT Tony Pashos has a stomach virus and didn't practice for the second day in a row. Artis Hicks and Oneil Cousins split reps with the starters. ... Shurmur said he planned to watch Baylor QB Robert Griffin III in the Alamo Bowl. "Tremendous talent, good player," said Shurmur, who was asked if the Heisman Trophy winner fit the West Coast offense. "Good players at all positions fit every offense," he said. ... Shurmur would not say if the Browns plan to re-sign RB Peyton Hillis, who will be a free agent. Hillis, whose season was slowed by injuries and drama, hopes to stay in Cleveland. "I'm a Cleveland Brown at heart," he said. "I fell in love with the fans and the city. We'll see what happens."

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2009 NFL Coaching Changes

Roethlisberger says he'll play vs. Browns as long as he can take pain

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger doesn't want his sprained left ankle to keep him out of Pittsburgh's regular-season finale Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

"As long as I can deal with pain, I'll be out there," Roethlisberger said Thursday. "I don't want to let the guys down, so I'll do what I can to be out there."

Roethlisberger, who sat out the Steelers' win last Sunday against the St. Louis Rams, fully participated in practice again Thursday. He said the ankle, sprained on Dec. 8 in Pittsburgh's last meeting with the Browns, was "a little sore." Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said he was "much more" confident in Roethlisberger's ability to play Sunday after watching his mobility improve in Thursday's practice.

Roethlisberger will play if he's healthy, Arians said.

"I want him out there but not at the risk of injuring himself," Arians said. "If he can't move around and get out of the way, there's no sense in getting him out there."

There's plenty at stake against the Browns as the Steelers (11-4) remain in the hunt for the AFC North championship. To win it, they need a win vs. Cleveland and hope the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

If Roethlisberger can't play, 37-year-old Charlie Batch, who threw for 208 yards in the Steelers' win over the Rams, is available.

Guard Doug Legursky (shoulder) and safety Troy Polamalu (knee) sat out for the second straight practice Thursday. Linebacker James Harrison, who sat out Wednesday's practice with a neck injury, and receiver Mike Wallace (ankle), who was limited in practice Wednesday, participated fully Thursday.

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Giants DE Umenyiora hopes to play against Dallas in Week 17

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora is optimistic but uncertain about his status for Sunday's critical game against Dallas.

Umenyiora has missed the past four games with a high ankle sprain -- the team won't say which leg -- but has practiced on a limited basis this week, including Wednesday. Coach Tom Coughlin likes what he saw from Umenyiora, saying, "He did good. He did a little bit more, felt better, felt good, moved around well."

New York's defense is built on a strong pass rush and, until the emergence this season of second-year DE Jason Pierre-Paul, Umenyiora was the team's most dangerous sack threat. He has only seven sacks this season because of his injuries, which also included knee problems.

Umenyiora says this is "a fun time" to be playing.

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Stopping Drew Brees: Fight surprises with surprises

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Ten-Point Stance: Ryan's bravado losing charm, may cost him his job

Rex Ryan has drawn criticism for the way he dealt with Tom Coughlin leading up to Week 16. (US Presswire)

One NFL assistant coach on the Jets' Rex Ryan: "Very smart guy ... good coach but he is quickly becoming a caricature of himself."

And another: "You can see how smart he is by what happens on film. He does some innovative stuff but there's no question he's starting to take things too far."

One more assistant: "I like him but it's hard to defend him sometimes."

And, finally, this from a head coach: "The way he treated Coughlin was just flat wrong."

Ryan might be the most talked about coach in football right now and maybe the last few years. No coach generates more discussion -- particularly true within his own community. A handful of coaches were asked their thoughts on Ryan and in a profession where there often is no consensus on anything, there was on Ryan.

The unanimous opinion seems to be the following: Ryan is bright, still well liked and respected but he's rapidly losing some of that respect because, these coaches believe, his attacks are beginning to become more numerous and personal.

One coach put it this way. Ryan has allowed his rhetoric to get so out of control that each quote must be more extreme. This, he said, is a highly dangerous trap.

Where some coaches say Ryan went too far was in his dealings with Tom Coughlin last week before the Jets played the Giants. Indeed, that seems to be the line of demarcation for some in the profession.

When Ryan bragged how the Jets weren't the Giants' little brothers, the Jets were the better of the two franchises and all but stated he'd beat Coughlin, it put increased pressure on the Giants coach. Now, to most people, they don't care if Ryan's bragging put more pressure on Coughlin. This is the big time. So what if Coughlin has to deal with Ryan's mouth.

But in the coaching community Coughlin is highly respected. In that world, outside of the staff firings that are done out of necessity because of performance, you don't mess with another coach's job. You certainly don't use the media in a way that can cause harm. Everyone in the sport knows Coughlin is fighting for his job.

"Did you see Coughlin that week say a word about Rex Ryan until Rex said something about him?" asked an assistant coach.

It should be noted the coaches respect Ryan (as do I) but believe Ryan is irreparably damaging his image and can't possibly live up to his constant bragging.

Should Ryan change? It's almost a moot point because he won't.

"When I leave this job, 10 or 15 years from now, I'm going to be true to myself," Ryan said this week according to the New York Daily News. "And you know maybe it's not the traditional way of doing things or whatever, but for me this is who I am, this is how I believe. I made the statements and like I said before, I'll stand by everything I said."

Ryan won't change and neither will the opinions of his fellow coaches.

2. The San Francisco 49ers released wide receiver Braylon Edwards. Few receivers in such a short time had the kind of rapid decline in skills as Edwards. Dropped balls didn't help, either. Edwards had 15 catches for the 49ers. The price tag: $1.6 million.

3. John Elway may have given his vote of confidence to Tim Tebow too soon. That's called premature confidation.

4. ESPN said its love everyone/love everything analyst Jon Gruden plans to stay at Monday Night Football. They cite his contract. Remember: the contract Gruden signed in no way prevents him from returning to coaching, according to a person familiar with the contract's language. He could depart tomorrow with no penalty. The language in the contract is more about preventing Gruden from leaving for competing networks. The prevailing belief among league officials remains that Gruden will end up coaching next season in San Diego or St. Louis. I also would not rule out Jacksonville. The new owner of the Jaguars is prepared to pay top money for a coach.

5. Even if the Cowboys lose to the Giants, many in football don't expect Jerry Jones to fire Jason Garrett. They do, however, expect Jones to do something otherwise humiliating to Garrett like force the coach to fire several members of his staff.

6a. Champ of the week: Jim Schwartz. Got a joke of a franchise into the playoffs. Finally, the wreck, the curse, the plague that was Matt Millen is dead.

6b. Chump of the week: Jeff Triplette. Easily the worst game official in all of sports. Again, during the Monday night game, he showed why with a rash of unnecessary, inconsistent and wrong penalty calls.

6c Tweet of the week: "I'm convinced the only guy who may be able cover NFL TE's, the Gronk, Graham and Finely is @RajonRondo." -- Boomer Esiason

7. Pro Bowl voting results are out. Yawn.

8. There remains very little interest in Donovan McNabb, who is a free agent. Ironically, McNabb's one-time nemesis, Terrell Owens, has drawn even less interest. The careers of both men might be over.

9. One reason why the Chargers are struggling. The team let Drew Brees walk. Well, that happens. Great players go to other teams. But the Chargers haven't done a good job of restocking their talent. A good example is Clemson linebacker Anthony Waters, a third round pick While Brees honed his skills and developed into a Hall of Fame thrower, Waters struggled. He missed all of his rookie year in 2007, had just three tackles in 2008 and was waived by the Chargers in 2009.

10. From Packers blogger Aaron Nagler: quarterback Aaron Rodgers' six interceptions are a record low for a quarterback with more than 4,000 yards passing in a season. That's pretty damn impressive. Brees threw for over 5,000 yards and had 13 picks. That's not terrible either.

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Cards' Kolb still dealing with lingering concussion symptoms

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Kevin Kolb still has lingering concussion symptoms but the Arizona quarterback is resisting the idea that his injury-plagued first season with the Cardinals is over with one game to go.

Kolb says he didn't do much when his teammates practiced on Wednesday after a test he had a day earlier confirmed the symptoms.

"I had a full psych exam," he said. "It showed that I'm a little slow with reaction stuff and some processing stuff from my baseline that I had earlier in the year. It basically just validates what we have been saying as far as the symptoms."

The quarterback has not played since he took a knee to the head on Arizona's third offensive play against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 11. Kolb missed four games earlier in the season with a right turf-toe injury.

He would not rule out returning for the season finale, rather than just calling it quits and regrouping for work in the offseason.

"That's not the way this league works," he said. "That's not the way a competitor works. I've gone through all the film, still trying to get my mind in it. You never know when you can help out. That's very important for us to go 8-8. That's a big thing in our locker room. We felt that we had a great thing going this last half of the season and we want to continue that for next year."

But wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald hinted that Kolb might be better off waiting until next season to return to the brutal game action.

"I think he'll be OK," Fitzgerald said. "It's just at this point we're not playing for a playoff position. Why take the risk of doing any further damage? Get a whole offseason in and get him back ready and pick it up for next year."

Kolb was the starter for Philadelphia in the season opener a year ago. A concussion knocked him out of that game and Michael Vick replaced him. This concussion is different, Kolb said.

"The lingering symptoms are the biggest kicker," he said. "That is something I didn't deal with last time. I felt like once I got to that Friday or Saturday of the next week I felt pretty good. Obviously this one seems to linger a little bit further. Not ideal, but you roll with the punches."

Kolb said he has "talked to a number of veteran quarterbacks that went through" concussions.

"One thing I've collected is that every one of them is different with every single player. My first one was a lot different than this one was," he said. "You can't anticipate it, and I think this is a thing where you have to be smart, especially in our situation. No one wants to be out there worse than I do. I'm not happy about it, but it's something I have to deal with."

John Skelton is 4-2 as a starter in Kolb's absence, 5-2 counting the 49ers game. The Cardinals wrap up their season at home Sunday against Seattle.

Coach KIen Whisenhunt said he understands Kolb's reluctance to say he's done for the year.

"I think that, in order to play at this level, you have to have a competitive fire that burns in you to some degree," Whisenhunt said. "Maybe there are some guys that are just talented enough that it doesn't matter. For the most part, I think that everybody wants to play and that's important."

Whisenhunt said the injuries that have plagued Kolb are simply the nature of the game.

"I think that we all know that, especially at that position, the chances of guys getting through a whole season without an injury doesn't happen that much," Whisenhunt said. "It doesn't really matter how I feel about it. That's the way it is."

The coach said he doesn't believe concussions will be a long-term problem for Kolb.

"I don't think you can say that," Whisenhunt said. "I don't think there are any kinds of studies or anything that says that's the case. I personally haven't thought along those lines. I don't know that we have and I don't think there is any information that would be the case."

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Bengals' ticket problem isn't shortage of fans, it's the owner

After a strong draft and solid season, Mike Brown's riding high except at the box office. (Getty Images)

CINCINNATI -- The Bengals were giving away tickets this week, but not because they're generous. Believe me, it wasn't that.

They gave away tickets to Sunday's finale against Baltimore -- among the most important regular-season games in franchise history -- because they couldn't sell them. Because people around here didn't want to go. The announced attendance at Paul Brown Stadium this season has hovered around 42,000, less than two-thirds capacity, but that's tickets sold, not fannies in seats. Thousands of paying customers have been staying away each week, and not to watch it on television. Every game but one has been blacked out locally, the exception being Pittsburgh's visit Nov. 13, when Steelers fans filled the place.

This week, with a playoff spot at stake, the Bengals tried to keep Baltimore's fans away by offering a giveaway promotion to season-ticket holders: Buy one, get one free. And it worked, I guess. A sellout for Sunday has beeen announced.

In other towns, though, I imagine they're laughing at us in Cincinnati.

In other towns, they don't know. They can't. In other towns, they don't have Mike Brown playing puppet-master to their NFL team, their city, their reputation, their heart.

And Mike Brown is a lousy puppet-master. Give him one of those fancy marionettes with strings, and he'd accidentally choke the damn thing. As a businessman he's a success in a ruthless, impossible-to-fail way -- threatening to leave years ago and bullying Cincinnati into a stadium deal that the Wall Street Journal called "one of the worst professional sports deals ever struck by a local government."

But as a football man, he's incompetent and tone-deaf, a pitiable combination that means Brown has no idea how bad he is at his job -- or why Bengals fans are staying away. So let me put this into terms that all of you will understand, even the puppet-master himself:

Fans are staying away because of Mike Brown.

This is your fault, Mike.

This is not Cincinnati's fault. Bengals fans are not bad fans. Get that straight right now. They lack neither passion nor loyalty. This is a franchise that, until last season, sold out 57 consecutive home games. That's a streak of nearly eight years. Any idea how many playoff games the Bengals won in those eight years?

Zero.

Then again, since Mike Brown assumed control of the Bengals in 1991, the Bengals haven't won a single playoff game -- not one -- in 20 years. They've had a parade of clowns and cretins on the field, harmless narcissists like Corey Dillon and Chad Johnson Ochocinco and Terrell Owens, and real-life criminals like Pacman Jones and Tank Johnson and (the late) Chris Henry. They had a franchise quarterback, Carson Palmer, who enabled the idiots in his huddle for years before finally becoming decisive and tough last summer -- when he decided he'd had enough and quit.

These were our heroes in Cincinnati. This was all we had. We had Ochocinco and Dillon and Palmer and Pacman and Tank and Cedric Benson and T.O. This is who Cincinnati was asked to support, and for eight years this town supported them.

Don't you dare question the loyalty of a Bengals fan.

These fans, this whole town, is in a terrible spot right now. On the one hand, they've already decided Mike Brown doesn't deserve our love. That's not the kind of decision you make lightly, but it's the decision that has been made around here. For years Brown has filled the front office with relatives and in-laws, as if marrying into the Brown family makes you a football expert, while installing himself as general manager. But as owner he has refused to give his team the resources to win -- the scouting department is a joke, and the Bengals are the northern-most franchise without an indoor practice facility -- and at some point over the last year his unrelenting incompetence finally broke his fans.

They're gone, and they might not be coming back. Not without major changes, starting with this one: Someone else running the football operations. As long as Mike Brown is hiring coaches, running the draft, wooing free agents, treating his team like a toy -- picture a 4-year-old pounding away on his plastic piano -- fans around here aren't coming back. They have more pride than that.

So this hurts, this special season. The Bengals got rid of most of the prima donnas, mainly because they were too expensive -- Brown doesn't make football decisions; he makes money decisions, and if the football part of it happens to work out, so be it -- and replaced them with cheap rookie talent. Who knew second-round pick Andy Dalton and even first-rounder A.J. Green would be this good, this fast? Or that a defense of mostly unrecognizable names would come together so quickly? Or that kicker Mike Nugent, after failing at four franchises, would become Pro Bowl-caliber in Cincinnati?

Mike Brown didn't know any of that, so stop right there. This is the guy who hired Dave Shula and drafted Akili Smith and signed injured receiver Antonio Bryant for $28 million -- and believe me, I could go on -- so don't look at the Bengals' 9-6 record this season and decide that Mike Brown became football-savvy overnight. He didn't. There's a saying: Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while. That's Brown, and those are the 2011 Bengals.

And for that, fans are supposed to forget? No. They haven't forgotten, because they can't forget. Because this is a mirage, and people here know it. For too many years, Bengals fans have made like Charlie Brown and sprinted passionately toward the football ... only to have Lucy jerk it away at the last minute. That's Brown, and those are Bengals fans from 1991-2010.

And enough is enough. Bengals fans have made a principled stand, but not against the 53 players on roster. They have made their stand against Mike Brown, who used this area's passion for football against it, getting a stadium deal that hasn't enriched the area but has helped cripple it. Public schools and law enforcement departments are laying off people left and right, in part because they aren't getting the tax money they need. Why? The biggest reason -- seriously, the very biggest reason -- is because the Bengals are getting that tax money instead.

So don't expect fans to come back to Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday. Not unless they're coming for free. Bengals fans want this team to win, yes, but they want this owner to lose. And since they can't have it both ways, they'll root for the Bengals from afar.

Mike Brown has already abused their hearts and raided their wallets. He has been a one-man plague of locusts -- and Bengals fans have nothing left to give.

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No McCoy as Browns brace to face Harrison, Steelers

BEREA, Ohio -- With starting quarterback Colt McCoy still shaken from the head shot heard `round the NFL, the Browns are getting ready for the NFL's nastiest - and some insist dirtiest -- player.

James Harrison is coming Sunday.

Buckle up.

Harrison, his violent reputation and the chance to get revenge on the Steelers menacing linebacker were major topics of discussion in the Browns locker room Wednesday as Cleveland's players were pressed to discuss Pittsburgh's notorious No. 92, who laid out McCoy with an illegal helmet-to-helmet hit on Dec. 8.

Browns center Alex Mack was asked point blank if Harrison was dirty.

He paused seven seconds.

"I mean, he's getting fined," Mack said.

Fined for past violations, Harrison was suspended one game without pay for his vicious hit on McCoy, a devastating blow that prompted the league to change its game-day policies on head injuries after the Browns failed to test the QB for a concussion and sent him back into the game after missing just two plays.

McCoy's season appears to have been ended by Harrison's infamous hit. He has not yet been cleared by team doctors to practice, and it's likely that backup Seneca Wallace will make his third straight start Sunday against the Steelers (11-4), who can still win the AFC North.

Browns coach Pat Shurmur reported McCoy is "much better" and has increased his physical activity. However, the second-year QB has not yet passed the necessary medical tests to return to the field.

And even if McCoy were allowed to play, the Browns might be inclined to have him sit out the season finale because of Harrison's presence and the inevitable scrutiny.

Shurmur did not provide specifics on what symptoms McCoy is still experiencing.

"He needs to be medically cleared before he can practice or play and that hasn't happened," Shurmur said. "He's not passing it, so whatever that means, until it's passed he can't play and it's pretty cut and dry."

McCoy has not spoken to the media since after the game in Pittsburgh nearly three weeks ago.

The QB's orange helmet remained hanging on a hook in his locker cubicle, his shoulder pads sitting untouched on a high shelf. A bound copy of this week's game plan against the Steelers rested on a bottom shelf not far from a recent issue of Field & Stream magazine.

McCoy's concussion was the third sustained by a Browns player in the past two seasons on hits by Harrison, who drilled wide receivers Josh Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi with his helmet last season.

Massaquoi politely declined to answer any questions about Harrison.

Cribbs didn't duck the issue. He was asked if the Browns "owe" Harrison.

"I would say so," said Cribbs, Harrison's college teammate at Kent State. "But we're not going into this game thinking about getting even with him. We're going into this game trying to win it. It's nothing personal with him. We'd like to knock their guys out as well, but within the whistle, according to the rules.

"We just want to go into this game thinking about winning, we're not thinking about one particular guy."

Maybe not. But it's impossible to ignore Harrison and the impact he has had on the Browns.

Tight end Evan Moore wouldn't characterize Harrison as "dirty," but acknowledged he plays on the fringes of acceptable limits.

"He plays hard, but there's been some rules changes in the last three or four years that have changed the game and he has yet to evolve or adapt to those rules," Moore said. "When I come off the ball, I would love to grab someone's face mask to block them and throw them on the ground, but you can't do it.

"They're combative penalties. He's playing the game. I don't think he's purposely out there trying to kill anybody or anything like that, but there are rules and we've got to play by them."

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin defended Harrison during a conference call with Cleveland's media, and described the linebacker's helmet-to-helmet hits as "unfortunate collisions."

Tomlin strongly disagreed that Harrison is headhunting or dirty.

"They are unfortunate plays and the circumstances around those plays and all of that has been well documented," he said. "I base my judgment on his quality of play and the total body of work and from being around him day to day for the last five years.

"I can say comfortably that I don't believe James Harrison is a dirty player."

The Browns can retaliate if they choose to, but left tackle Joe Thomas said that would not be wise.

"What you're trying to do is win, so anything that diverts from trying to win is not a good strategy," said Thomas, selected to his fifth straight Pro Bowl this week. "Personal vendettas and things like that detract from your team having the best chance to win. We're not going to do anything that isn't going to try to help us win the game."

Shurmur was asked if he would like to see his team go after Harrison.

"Do you mean start a fight? A bench-clearing brawl?" he said. "No. What I want my guys to do is play fast and physical from the snap until the whistle. We know that when you do stuff that's beyond the whistle you end up hurting the team."

Browns rookie Greg Little joked that he would seek revenge on Harrison as long Cleveland fans pay his fine.

"I don't think we should go about this game with personal vendettas," he said. "The optimal goal is to win and not to take a cheap shot on guys. If I gotta block, I'm going to go and block [Harrison]. We gotta do what we gotta do to win the game."

Mack agreed there's only one sure way for the Browns to even the score with Harrison.

"Winning," he said. "That would be a good team shot. I'd take that over anything else."

Notes

McCoy gave all the offensive linemen outdoor charcoal smoker grills for Christmas. The units were delivered to the locker room. "Pretty cool," Thomas said. "I'm really excited to put it together. I know a lot of guys are foodies on the O-line as you can tell by the bellies on a few of us." ... Along with McCoy, WR Jordan Norwood (concussion) and starting right tackle Tony Pashos (sick) did not practice. ... Cribbs is the team's nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, given for community service and playing excellence. ... The Browns signed WR Owen Spencer to their practice squad.

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Jags' MJD: Suits fuel NFL's effort to change concussion policies

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew wonders how much of the NFL's efforts to prevent or properly treat concussions have to do with lawsuits brought by former players against the league and its teams.

The NFL's leading rusher spoke out about the issue again Wednesday, nearly a week after telling the Associated Press he would hide a possible head injury so he could stay in a game.

"I've had concussions before, and it wasn't this big deal about concussions," Jones-Drew said. "The only reason they're making a big deal about concussions right now is because the league is getting sued over it. Before this, you never heard about it. A couple of years ago, you didn't hear anything about it."

After NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was grilled about his sport's concussion policies at a congressional hearing in October 2009, the league made several significant changes. Those moves have continued, including this month's addition of certified athletic trainers sitting in booths during games to keep an eye out for possible head injuries and alert teams' medical staffs.

Starting this summer, at least eight lawsuits have been filed against the NFL by dozens of retired players who say they have medical problems related to brain injuries from their time in professional football. The NFL's stance, in part, is that players knew there were risks of injury, and there was no misconduct or liability on the league's part.

Jones-Drew called the possibility of serious injury in football an "occupational hazard."

He was one of 44 players the AP interviewed recently about concussions. Slightly more than half -- 23 -- said they would try to hide a concussion and stay in a game rather than pull themselves out.

Players generally indicated they are more aware now of the possible long-term effects of jarring hits to the helmet. Five said that while they would have tried to conceal a concussion during a game in 2009, now they would seek help.

Players also said they should be better protected from their own instincts: More than two-thirds of the group the AP talked to would like to have independent neurologists on sidelines during games.

"You know playing football you're going to get hurt, right?" Jones-Drew said Wednesday. "In the back of your mind, you've got to know that the worst that can happen is you can break your neck and be paralyzed for the rest of your life, right? You have to go into every game knowing that could be what happens. Any given play that could happen to you, right? So there it is. When you sign these deals, you know in the back of your mind, that's what can happen.

"Now basketball, on the other hand, it's a different sport. Race car driving, you know that when you get in that car, there can be an opportunity for that thing to flip over and catch on fire. You see what I'm saying? It's an occupational hazard, simple as that, and you have to be willing to accept it, and I am."

Jones-Drew reiterated that he takes the risk because of his family and said he strongly believes NFL teams would be hesitant to sign players with a history of concussions. So he would hide a concussion to stay in a game, even if it meant increased potential for long-term health issues.

"I would do anything for my kids," he said. "If they're happy, I'm happy. I think they would appreciate it. As long as my kids' kids would be happy with what I did, that's what this life is about: sacrifice. It's not about you anymore, you know?"

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Bruised Cowboys QB Romo 'fairly functional' at practice

IRVING, Texas -- Tony Romo expects to go in Sunday's night's showdown with the Giants for the NFC East title.

The Cowboys quarterback was limited in practice Wednesday because of his still-swollen bruised right hand, though he did throw several passes.

On a conference call with the New York media, Romo said the swelling was subsiding more each day and that he expects to play against the Giants. He doesn't anticipate wearing a glove in the game.

"Today was good. I was able to do some things with the ball that we weren't sure about, so it was a good start to the week," Romo said. "We are going to keep working on it and get all the treatment and stuff. We should be good to go for this weekend."

His coach was more reserved about Romo's likely availability. Jason Garrett said it was still early and that the Cowboys were hoping to get Romo "some more work [Thursday], and he'll get himself ready to play in the game." The coach said the biggest issue was to get the swelling down.

"It seemed like he was able to throw the ball OK, but he still needs to make some progress with that thing, [his] hand is still swollen," Garrett said after practice. "Typically, he gets a full complement of reps, he didn't get all the reps."

The winner of Sunday night's regular season finale, a matchup of 8-7 teams, clinches the NFC East title and a home playoff game in the wild-card round the following weekend.

Tight end Jason Witten and receiver Laurent Robinson said the passes Romo threw in practice were good. Witten is one of the quarterback's best friends, teammates in Dallas throughout their nine NFL seasons.

"Tony did good. I thought he was throwing the ball well. I couldn't tell any difference," Witten said. "You'd probably have to ask him about the details, but I thought from the receiving end of it, he was as good as he always is.

"I would be hard pressed to see him not playing," he said. "Anyone who knows what he is about, knows he's going to play."

Romo usually does his weekly session with Cowboys media on Thursdays and wasn't in the locker room when it was open Wednesday.

Romo got hurt on the opening series Saturday against Philadelphia when he banged his throwing hand against the helmet of a defender while following through on a pass. He never returned to the game.

"He has progressed since the game, so we'll see how he responds to the work he got [Wednesday]," Garrett said, not going into specifics about what and how much Romo did. "I thought he had a good day. ... He seemed fairly functional with the stuff that he was able to do."

Stephen McGee, who finished Saturday's game, also took snaps with the first-team offense.

Reporters were only allowed to watch a few minutes of the early portion of practice. During that time, Romo made some soft tosses without wearing any kind of protection.

When the team gathered for stretching, Romo slipped a black glove on his right hand. But he removed the glove before a few more throws and at least one play where he took a snap from center and handed off the ball. When it wasn't his turn, he stuffed both hands in his pockets.

"I'm happy he's back, he threw well in practice," defensive end Jason Hatcher said. "I wouldn't have no other guy than Romo right now. Very happy he's back."

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Dolphins' Marshall on Revis' 100-yard pick: CB benefited from 'Jordan Rule'

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Brandon Marshall thinks Darrelle Revis has something in common with Michael Jordan.

No, not jaw-dropping dunking ability. The Miami Dolphins wide receiver told New York reporters on a conference call Wednesday that the Jets' Pro Bowl cornerback receives preferential treatment from officials.

Revis was defending Marshall on Oct. 17 when he intercepted a pass from Matt Moore and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown in the Jets' 24-6 win. Marshall, who'll face Revis again Sunday at Miami, implied that Revis committed a defensive pass interference penalty on the play.

"My technique could've been better, but at the same time, I think they gave him `the Jordan Rule,"' Marshall said. "You get a little close to Michael Jordan, they're going to call a foul. It works that way in football. Some guys you know they are scared to throw the flag on, and he may be getting that rule."

Marshall added that one would've been thrown "nine times out of 10" if someone other than Revis covered him.

"I am one of the faces of football, but it's not as big as Darrelle's," Marshall said, "so when they have to pick, they pick Darrelle."

Marshall has 77 catches for 1,177 yards and six touchdowns, and was selected for the Pro Bowl. He said he has noticed in his film study that teams appear to be throwing in Revis' direction more than in previous years.

"Darrelle is one of the best corners in the league right now, but he's still human," he said. "I look at my matchup against Darrelle and it reminds me of a boxing match. It's 12 rounds. It's a fight. We're both physical players, we're both tough, smart players and it's fun. I love competing versus the best and look forward to the challenge again this week."

Marshall added that he and Revis have a "cool" relationship off the field and they "go at each other" during games, but don't cheap shot each other or talk trash.

The Dolphins wide receiver clearly isn't afraid to speak his mind, though. When he was asked about how much the loss of safety Jim Leonhard means to the Jets' defense, Marshall said Brodney Pool and "No. 33" were doing a good job in his absence.

"What's 33's name?" Marshall then asked.

He was told it's Eric Smith, and was then asked what he thought of his play this season.

"He's got to get Cruz on that play, man," Marshall said, laughing. "He's got to make that play."

Marshall was referring to the 99-yard touchdown reception last Saturday by the Giants' Victor Cruz, who hurdled a diving tackle attempt by Smith on his way to the end zone.

Before the teams' last meeting, Marshall promised to get kicked out of the game by getting into a fight. Instead, he played the whole game - and he has no grand plans for this one.

"I was thinking about getting kicked out again, but I'm looking forward to next season," Marshall said. "I don't want to start the home opener at home suspended."

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Not all of the most deserving players will make it to the Pro Bowl

Most teams who face the Patriots have trouble bringing down tight end Rob Gronkowski. (US Presswire)

The NFL will announce the 2012 All-Popular teams Tuesday.

Oops, I mean Pro Bowl teams.

But you get the drift. The Pro Bowl teams are rarely made up of the players who deserve to be there.

It's more popularity than production. That's in large part because of the fan vote.

Just ask the Green Bay Packers fans. They stuffed the ballot box for their Packers and many of them led the fan voting, even if they didn't deserve to be on the team.

To help balance the popularity contest that has become the Pro Bowl, I have my 2012 Pro Bowl rosters.

These rosters are based on watching tape, talking to scouts, attending games and none of the choices have to do with popularity.

These are Pro Bowl teams, which is why some of the names you will see aren't the usual names and many of them won't even be on the real teams, which is sad.

AFC

Quarterback

Tom Brady, Patriots. Reserves: Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers; Philip Rivers, Chargers.

• Just missed: Andy Dalton, Bengals.

• Comment: The first two picks, including Brady as a starter, were easy. But the quarterback pool in the AFC isn't very good. Went with Rivers over Dalton. Tim Tebow did not get consideration -- nor should he.

Running back

Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars. Reserves: Arian Foster, Texans; Ray Rice, Ravens.

• Just missed: Reggie Bush, Dolphins.

• Comment: Jones-Drew leads the NFL in rushing and Foster and Rice were easy picks. Bush got started late with his success, otherwise he might make it tougher to leave him off.

Fullback

Marcel Reece, Raiders. Reserve: None

• Just missed: Vonta Leach, Ravens

• Comment: I went with a guy who isn't a great blocker, but adds a ton to the Oakland offense. Leach is a guard playing fullback.

Tight end

Rob Gronkowski, Patriots. Reserve: Aaron Hernandez, Patriots.

• Just missed: Owen Daniels, Texans; Anthony Fasano, Dolphins.

• Comment: Gronkowski is second in the AFC in catches with 82 and has 15 touchdown passes. Hernandez has 72 catches and six touchdowns. In a weak year for AFC tight ends, he gets the nod.

Wide receiver

Wes Welker, Patriots; Mike Wallace, Steelers. Reserves: A.J. Green, Bengals; Brandon Marshall, Dolphins

• Just missed: Vincent Jackson, Chargers; Antonio Brown, Steelers.

• Comment: Welker leads the NFL in catches and was an easy choice. Wallace edges out Marshall, who has really come on, and the rookie Green.

Tackle

Jared Veldheer, Raiders (LT); David Stewart, Titans (RT) Reserve: Joe Thomas, Browns (LT).

• Just missed: Andrew Whitworth, Bengals; Ryan Clady, Broncos; Michael Roos, Titans; David Stewart, Titans; Duane Brown, Texans.

• Comment: Veldheer got off to a great start, had a rough go against Julius Peppers, but has been good other than that. Stewart tops a bad right tackle class.

Guard

Andy Levitre, Bills (LG); Marshall Yanda, Ravens (RG). Reserve: Brian Waters, Patriots.

• Just missed: Stefen Wisniewski, Raiders,

• Comment: Levitre was dominant at left guard before moving to left tackle because of injuries. He was one of my highest-rated players early in the season. He finished back at guard and again played well. Yanda was a mauler most of the season, but he had a tough time with Geno Atkins in one game.

Center

Nick Mangold, Jets. Reserve: Chris Myers, Texans.

• Just missed: Mike Pouncey, Dolphins.

• Comment: When Mangold was injured early, the Jets line really struggled. He came back to solidify it.

Kicker

Sebastian Janikowski, Raiders. Just missed: Josh Scobee, Jaguars; Rob Bironas, Titans.

• Comment: Can you believe Janikowski will be going to his first Pro Bowl (he was a Pro Bowl alternate in 2010)? Wow.

Defensive end

J.J. Watt, Texans; Elvis Dumervil, Broncos. Reserve: Jeremy Mincey, Jaguars.

• Just missed: Brett Keisel, Steelers; Carlos Dunlap, Bengals.

• Comment: This is a bad position in the AFC, especially since I count Terrell Suggs as an outside linebacker.

Defensive tackle/nose tackle

Geno Atkins, Bengals; Ahtyba Rubin, Browns. Reserve: Broderick Bunkley, Broncos.

• Just missed: Haloti Ngata, Ravens; Richard Seymour, Raiders; Tommy Kelly, Vince Wilfork, Patriots; Sione Pouha, Jets.

• Comment: Atkins has eight sacks and has been a force all season long. Rubin is a run-stuffing player who doesn't get his due playing on a bad team.

Outside linebacker

Terrell Suggs, Ravens; Tamba Hali, Chiefs. Reserve: Von Miller, Broncos

• Just missed: Connor Barwin, Texans; Cameron Wake, Dolphins; Jarrett Johnson. Ravens.

• Comment: Suggs is having a huge year with 13 sacks and Hali has 12. Miller edges out Barwin, a surprise player on this list.

Middle/inside linebacker

Brian Cushing, Texans; Derrick Johnson, Chiefs. Reserve: Paul Posluszny, Jaguars.

• Just missed: Ray Lewis, Ravens; David Harris, Jets; D'Qwell Jackson, Browns.

• Comment: Cushing and Johnson were easy picks, especially after Lewis got hurt. Posluszny was a great pickup by the Jaguars in free agency.

Cornerback

Darrelle Revis, Jets; Champ Bailey, Broncos. Reserve: Johnathan Joseph, Texans.

• Just missed: Brandon Carr, Chiefs; Brandon Flowers, Chiefs.

• Comment: Revis hasn't been as good as he's been in the past, but he's still the best. Bailey continues to play outstanding man defense, edging out Joseph.

Safety

Eric Weddle, Chargers (FS); Tyvon Branch, Raiders (SS). Reserves: Jairus Byrd, Bills.

• Just missed: Ed Reed, Ravens; Dawan Landry, Jaguars.

• Comment: Weddle has been a ball-hawking player in the back end for the Chargers and tackles better than people think. Branch has been all over the field for the Oakland defense.

Punter

Shane Lechler, Raiders. Reserve: none.

• Just missed: Zoltan Mesko, Patriots; Brandon Fields, Dolphins.

• Comment: Lechler leads the NFL with a 50.7 average.

Kick returner

Antonio Brown, Steelers.

• Just missed: None.

• Comment: Brown isn't just a great receiver, but he's a scary return man.

NFC

Quarterback

Aaron Rodgers, Packers. Reserves: Drew Brees, Saints; Matthew Stafford, Lions.

• Just missed: Tony Romo, Cowboys.

• Comment: It was close between Rodgers and Brees, but I went with the guy with more touchdown passes. Stafford edged out Romo.

Running back

LeSean McCoy, Eagles. Reserves: Frank Gore, 49ers; Michael Turner, Falcons.

• Just missed: Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks.

• Comment: I took the top three rushers in the conference with Turner edging out Lynch.

Fullback

Jed Collins, Saints. Reserves: None.

• Just missed: Ovie Mughelli, Falcons.

• Comment: If Mughelli doesn't get hurt, he gets the nod. Collins has been a nice surprise for the Saints.

Tight end

Jimmy Graham, Saints. Reserve: Tony Gonzalez, Falcons.

• Just missed: Jason Witten, Cowboys

• Comment: Graham was as easy a pick for the NFC as Rob Gronkowski was for the AFC. It was close between Gonzalez and Witten, but Gonzalez was a tad better.

Wide receiver

Calvin Johnson, Lions; Victor Cruz, Giants. Reserves: Roddy White, Falcons; Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals.

• Just missed: Hakeem Nicks, Giants; Jordy Nelson, Packers.

• Comment: We expect to see Johnson on this list, but Cruz? He's had an amazing season.

Tackle

Jason Peters, Eagles (LT); Tyron Smith, Cowboys (RT). Reserve: Jordan Gross, Panthers (LT).

• Just missed: Todd Herremans, Eagles (RT); Anthony Davis, 49ers (RT).

• Comment: Peters reverted to his dominant form again this season, while Smith was as impressive a rookie as there was in the league.

Guard

Carl Nicks, Saints (LG); Chris Snee (RG), Giants. Reserve:Josh Sitton, Packers (RG).

• Just missed: Jahri Evans, Saints.

• Comment: Nicks is the best guard in the NFL. Snee solidified the Giants line when it seemed to be coming apart.

Center

Ryan Kalil, Panthers. Reserve: Scott Wells, Packers.

• Just missed: John Sullivan, Vikings.

• Comment: Kalil is a big reason why the Panthers had the offensive success they had with a rookie quarterback.

Kicker

David Akers, 49ers.

• Just missed: Mason Crosby, Packers; Dan Bailey, Cowboys.

• Comment: Akers set an NFL record for field goals made with 42.

Defensive end

Justin Smith, 49ers; Jared Allen, Vikings. Reserves: (tie) Jason Pierre-Paul, Giants; Jason Babin, Eagles.

• Just missed: Chris Long, Rams; Calais Campbell, Cardinals.

• Comment: This is a deep position in the NFC. All six of these players were worthy of being on the team.

Defensive tackle/nose tackle

Cullen Jenkins, Eagles; Henry Melton, Bears. Reserve: Isaac Sopoaga, 49ers.

• Just missed: Jay Ratliff, Cowboys.

• Comment: This isn't a strong position in the NFC. Melton is a young player who emerged this season, while Jenkins was strong in his first season with the Eagles.

Outside linebacker

DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys; Sean Weatherspoon, Falcons. Reserve: Clay Matthews, Packers.

• Just missed: Chad Greenway, Vikings

• Comment: Ware is the most explosive edge rusher in the game and Weatherspoon was by far the best defender on the Falcons roster, a run-and-chase player with great speed.

Middle/inside linebacker

Patrick Willis, 49ers. Reserve: London Fletcher, Redskins.

• Just missed: NaVorro Bowman, 49ers; Sean Lee, Cowboys.

• Comment: Willis is the best inside backer in the game, and Fletcher had one of his best seasons at the age of 36.

Cornerback

Carlos Rogers, 49ers; Chris Gamble, Panthers. Reserve: Brandon Browner, Seahawks.

• Just missed: Charles Woodson, Packers; Tramon Williams, Packers; Corey Webster, Giants. Comment: This is not a great position in the NFC, but Rogers had a good season for the 49ers. Gamble bounced back from a bad 2010 to play well this season. Browner was horrible against the Steelers early, but he has been good since. He has had have a lot of penalties called on him.

Safety

Adrian Wilson, Cardinals (SS); Earl Thomas, Seahawks (FS). Reserve: Kam Chancellor, Seahawks (SS).

• Just missed: Roman Harper, Saints; Kenny Phillips, Giants.

• Comment: Wilson reverted to his Pro Bowl form, even playing with a torn biceps muscle. Thomas is a rangy safety who fits perfectly with the modern game.

Punter

Andy Lee, 49ers. Reserve: None.

• Just missed: Thomas Morstead, Saints.

• Comment: Lee has been the league's best punter this season, leading in net yards with a 43.5 average.

Kicker returner

Patrick Peterson, Cardinals. Reserve: None

• Just missed: Devin Hester, Bears; Ted Ginn, 49ers.

• Comment: Peterson has four punt returns for touchdowns. This is an easy choice.

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Denver castoff Orton standing between Broncos and playoffs

Orton was No. 1 through camp and the first five games of the season with Tebow his understudy. (US Presswire)

Too bad the Kansas City Chiefs lost last weekend. Had they won, we'd probably see the Chiefs-Broncos on Sunday night instead of Dallas-New York, and, yes, there's a compelling reason beyond Tim Tebow to tune in.

Would Kyle Orton please step forward?

Talk about a perfect end to an imperfect season. The guy is supposed to be dealt to Miami before the season ... but isn't. So he stays with the Broncos where he's supposed to make them respectable ... but doesn't. Then he's benched and put on waivers, with the Bears supposed to pick him up ... only they don't. Kansas City beats them to Orton and sits him behind Tyler Palko until the Chiefs change coaches.

That's when they change quarterbacks, Orton steps in and -- voila! -- here we are: Orton vs. Tebow ... in Denver, no less, where Orton spent the last two-and-a-half seasons.

Tell me Orton would switch places with anyone this week because he wouldn't. Where Denver determined what happened to him once, he can now determine what happens to the Broncos once and for all.

If they lose, and Oakland beats San Diego, the Raiders win the AFC West. If they lose, and the Raiders lose, the Broncos win the division. But if Denver wins, it doesn't matter what happens in Oakland. The Broncos go to the playoffs.

I can't imagine Orton gives a rip about Oakland, but I guarantee his emotions run higher regarding his former team.

Beating Denver in the season finale would be Orton's way of giving Denver the ol' Rex Ryan. Granted, Kansas City couldn't stop Tebow ... or anyone else for that matter ... when Denver went to Arrowhead Stadium earlier this season. That was over six weeks ago when Tebow completed two passes -- one of which was a 56-yard touchdown -- in the Broncos' 17-10 victory.

But that can happen when you run for 244 yards, which the Broncos did that afternoon, and they're going to have to run for another 244 to hold off Orton and the Chiefs. Granted, Orton's no Len Dawson. But the guy has something to prove, and never underestimate the power of determination.

That's not all. Kansas City has nothing to lose, and neither does Orton. So the Chiefs will be loose, and that counts for something, too. I look for gadget plays, fumble-rooskies, unexpected calls, gambles, you name it, to pull the upset. I imagine Denver will be looking for them, too, because there's one team with a division title at stake, and it's not Kansas City.

The pressure, then, is not on Orton. It's on his former backup, Tebow, to deliver another victory. He's done it again and again this season, with critics starting to pile on after the Broncos were wasted the past two games, including a 40-14 blowout in Buffalo where Tebow was intercepted four times.

But the Broncos aren't designed to overcome turnovers, and they committed seven in the past two games. You can talk all you want about the Denver defense, but all I know is that after Tebow brought Denver within three last week, the Bills scored on their next three possessions.

So the defense isn't what it used to be, and it used to be pretty solid. That means Tebow must dial up more big plays, and good luck against Kansas City. The Chiefs shut down Aaron Rodgers, for crying out loud, and haven't allowed more than 16 points in four of their past five starts.

I know, Tebow and the Broncos' running game shredded them last month. My guess is that Kansas City knows what's coming this time. But that's not all: Now the Chiefs have someone who can exploit the holes in Denver's defense. It wasn't going to happen with Palko; it could with someone familiar with the Broncos.

Meaning it could with Orton.

"This is a game we need and must take," running back Willis McGahee said. "A must-take game. We need to go into that game and play lights-out football."

Somebody does. The Broncos are on their heels and in danger of blowing another playoff shot, just as they did in the final games of 2006, 2008 and 2009. They insist that won't happen again, only look what they're up against. It's not just the Chiefs; it's Kyle Frickin' Orton.

He gave the Broncos two decent years of service, only to have the Broncos abandon him. That means he has something to prove, and he proved it in the Chiefs' 19-14 upset of then-unbeaten Green Bay.

So he can still win. But can he win a big game? There haven't been many on Kansas City's schedule, but this one qualifies ... not because of what it means to the Chiefs but because of what it means to Denver.

And Kyle Orton.

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49ers, Patriots lead Pro Bowl picks

The 49ers and Patriots each placed eight players on the 2012 Pro Bowl rosters, followed by the Ravens and Packers, who had eight players selected.

The Pro Bowl, plaed January 29 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, could feature Aaron Rodgers (Packers) against Tom Brady (Patriots), unless Super Bowl preparations interfere.

Brady was voted to his seventh Pro Bowl and this is Rodgers' second (2010), but he's on pace to set the NFL record for passer rating.

Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis was voted to his 12th Pro Bowl in 16 seasons and is one of four Baltimore defensive starters chosen for the game. Defensive end Haloti Ngata, outside linebacker Terrell Suggs and free safety Ed Reed are the others.

NFL voting combines input from fans, players and coaches. A consensus vote of each group counts one-third toward the total. Each team submits two ballots ??? those of the coach and the players with no one permitted to vote for a player on his own team. This year, a record 100.64 million votes were cast by fans this year online and on web-enhanced mobile phones at NFL.com. In the event an AFC quarterback can't be in Hawaii, due to injury to Super Bowl obligation, Tim Tebow of the Broncos is the second alternate.

AFC Roster

* Asterisk denotes starter

OFFENSE

Quarterback * Tom Brady, New England, Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh, Philip Rivers, San Diego

Running back * Ray Rice, Baltimore, Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville, Arian Foster, Houston

Fullback * Vonta Leach, Baltimore

Wide receiver * Wes Welker, New England, * Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh, A.J. Green, Cincinnati, Brandon Marshall, Miami

Tight end * Rob Gronkowski, New England, Antonio Gates, San Diego

Tackle * Joe Thomas, Cleveland, * Jake Long, Miami, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, N.Y. Jets

Guard * Logan Mankins, New England, * Brian Waters, New England, Marshal Yanda, Baltimore

Center * Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh, Nick Mangold, N.Y. Jets

DEFENSE

Defensive end * Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis * Andre Carter, New England, Elvis Dumervil, Denver

Interior linemen * Haloti Ngata, Baltimore, * Vince Wilfork, New England, Richard Seymour, Oakland

Outside linebacker * Terrell Suggs, Baltimore, * Von Miller, Denver, Tamba Hali, Kansas City

Inside/midde linebacker * Ray Lewis, Baltimore, Derrick Johnson, Kansas City

Cornerback * Darrelle Revis, N.Y. Jets * Champ Bailey, Denver, Johnathan Joseph, Houston

Free safety * Ed Reed, Baltimore, Eric Weddle, San Diego

Strong safety * Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh

Special teams

Punter Shane Lechler, Oakland

Placekicker Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland

Kick returner Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh

Special teamer Matthew Slater, New England

NFC Roster

OFFENSE

Quarterback * Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay, Drew Brees, New Orleans, Eli Manning, N.Y. Giants

Running back * LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia, Matt Forte, Chicago, Frank Gore, San Francisco

Fullback * John Kuhn, Green Bay

Wide receiver * Calvin Johnson, Detroit, * Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona, Steve Smith, Carolina, Greg Jennings, Green Bay

Tight end * Jimmy Graham, New Orleans, Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta

Tackle * Jason Peters, Philadelphia, * Joe Staley, San Francisco, Jermon Bushrod, New Orleans

Guard * Jahri Evans, New Orleans, * Carl Nicks, New Orleans, Davin Joseph, Tampa Bay

Center * Ryan Kalil, Carolina, Scott Wells, Green Bay

DEFENSE

Defensive end * Jared Allen, Minnesota, * Jason Babin, Philadelphia, Jason Pierre-Paul, N.Y. Giants

Interior linemen * Justin Smith, San Francisco, * Jay Ratliff, Dallas, B.J. Raji, Green Bay

Outside linebacker * DeMarcus Ware, Dallas, * Clay Matthews, Green Bay, Lance Briggs, Chicago

Inside/midde linebacker * Patrick Willis, San Francisco, Brian Urlacher, Chicago

Cornerback * Charles Woodson, Green Bay, * Carlos Rogers, San Francisco, Charles Tillman, Chicago

Free safety * Earl Thomas, Seattle, Dashon Goldson, San Francisco

Strong safety * Adrian Wilson, Arizona

Special teams

Punter Andy Lee, San Francisco

Placekicker David Akers, San Francisco

Kick returner Patrick Peterson, Arizona

Special teamer Corey Graham, Chicago

Copyright (C) 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

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Stafford, Cruz highlight list of players Pro Bowl left behind

Matthew Stafford (left) and Victor Cruz will be watching the Pro Bowl from home, not in Honolulu. (AP)

Guaranteed, there are people out there wondering why Detroit's Matt Stafford didn't make the Pro Bowl. He has more touchdown passes than anyone not named Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, and he put the Lions into the playoffs for the first time since 1999. So what held him back?

Eli Manning, that's what.

I know, Manning's numbers don't match Stafford's. He doesn't have as many touchdown passes, and he has more interceptions. He doesn't have as many victories, either. Nor is his completion percentage as high. What he does have is a remarkable record based on what he had to play with -- which wasn't much -- as he put the Giants in position for the NFC East title and a possible playoff berth.

He lost wide receivers. He lost running backs. His center bowed out. His left tackle bowed out. His tight end exited. And the vaunted Giants' defense? Well, let's just say it wasn't so vaunted. Nevertheless, Manning threw for 14 fourth-quarter touchdown passes, has the league's second-best fourth-quarter rating, leading the Giants to six fourth-quarter comebacks. That should count for something.

It counts for third among NFC quarterbacks, and it's deserved. Sure, Stafford qualifies. He just happens to play in a conference loaded with good quarterbacks. Maybe you consider him an omission. I don't because of what he was up against. But there are others I do. Here are some of my most noteworthy:

Brian Cushing, linebacker, Houston: He leads the Texans defense that is second overall in the NFL in tackles. He makes sacks. He has interceptions. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips describes him as a "holy terror" on the field, but apparently nobody got the memo. One reason the Texans didn't slip after Mario Williams exited is because Cushing's season is reminiscent of 2009 when he was the league's Defensive Rookie of the Year. My take: He should have made it over Ray Lewis.

Victor Cruz, wide receiver, N.Y. Giants: I guarantee the New York Jets know who this guy is now. After Darrelle Revis said he hadn't heard of him, Cruz went out and blistered the Jets' secondary for 164 yards -- including 99 on one touchdown reception. He leads the Giants in catches. He leads the Giants' receivers in touchdowns. He has an average of 17.9 yards per catch. And he has more yards receiving than everyone but Wes Welker and Calvin Johnson. It's time someone remembered his name.

Andy Dalton, quarterback, Cincinnati: Philip Rivers is one of my favorite quarterbacks, but, no, he did not have a Pro Bowl season. I don't care that he has over 4,000 yards passing. He is tied for the league lead in interceptions and his team is a disappointing 7-8. Dalton, on the other hand, won more games (9) than Carson Palmer in his first season and has the Bengals on the cusp of a playoff spot. So his numbers aren't gargantuan. He wins.

David Harris, linebacker, N.Y. Jets: When I surveyed ex-coaches last week about the Jets, one of them told me Harris was a lock for the Pro Bowl because he does everything you want from an inside linebacker. He was right. Harris is the Jets' leading tackler, he has five sacks and four interceptions. But he was wrong, too. Somehow, he got left off this team. Are you kidding me? First it's Cushing. Then it's Harris. Someone call Missing Persons.

London Fletcher, linebacker, Washington: I have no idea how this guy continues to get overlooked. He is, was and always has been a tackling machine. The guy leads the league in tackles, for crying out loud, with 146, according to NFL GSIS. Then again, he led the league in tackles last year, with this season his 13th straight with 100 or more tackles. Since joining Washington, he has led the team in tackles all five years and was named its defensive MVP three times. What more must he do to get noticed?

Tyron Smith, offensive tackle, Dallas: Smith is the Cowboys' best offensive lineman, and that's an achievement. The guy's a rookie. Normally, it takes offensive linemen a year to work out the wrinkles in their game, but Smith wouldn't wait. He's been terrific from the beginning -- a find for the Cowboys who don't normally take offensive linemen in the first round. Dallas was rolling when DeMarco Murray was healthy. One reason for that success was Murray. Another was the guy he ran behind, Tyron Smith.

Geno Atkins, defensive tackle, Cincinnati: He has eight sacks, tying him for the Bengals' record by a defensive tackle. Quick now, how many defensive tackles in the NFL have more this season? I'll tell you: None. There's a reason the Bengals remain in the playoff picture. Part of it has to do with their rookie quarterback and wide receiver, and part of it is the league's sixth-ranked defense, with Atkins playing a significant role.

Aaron Hernandez, tight end, New England: I understand the reluctance to vote in another guy from the Patriots. I mean you already have Welker, and you already have a tight end. So how can you have two tight ends from the same team? Just watch them. The Patriots use their tight ends like wide receivers, and the numbers reflect it. Hernandez has 72 catches and six touchdowns. Only one other AFC tight end has more catches, and, no, it's not Antonio Gates.

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Former Patriots defensive line star Antwine dies at 72

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Houston Antwine, one of the Patriots' top defensive players in their early years, and his wife, Evelyn, have died, the team said Tuesday.

Antwine, 72, died Monday in Memphis, Tenn., of heart failure, and his wife died Tuesday of lung cancer, the team said.

A member of the Patriots' 50th Anniversary Team, Antwine played from 1961-71 with the franchise before spending the 1972 season with the Philadelphia Eagles. In 142 regular-season games for the Patriots, he had 39 sacks, leading the team in that category during the 1967, 1968, and 1969 seasons, although sacks were not an official statistic then.

"For those of us who grew up watching the Boston Patriots, this is a really sad day," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. "In the 1960s, the defensive tackle tandem of 'Twine' and Jim Lee Hunt were as good as any in the league and helped propel the Patriots to the franchise's first division championship in 1963.

"I loved hearing Houston's stories about those early days in Boston. It was such a thrill for me, personally, to spend time with the players from that era.

"I am saddened to learn of the deaths of both Houston and Evelyn and want to express my deepest sympathies to the Antwine's daughter, Regina, and all who mourn her losses. Let us all cherish life and remind loved ones how we feel about them daily."

Antwine attended Southern Illinois, where he became a multiple sport athlete, a defensive tackle and an NAIA wrestling champion.

At 6-foot, 270 pounds, he was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the eighth round (64th overall) in 1961, then traded to the Patriots before ever playing a game for the Oilers. Antwine became a defensive catalyst for the Patriots, making the all-star team from 1963-1968.

In addition to making the Patriots 1960s All-Decade team, he was chosen to the all-time All-AFL team.

Services and burial information were not yet available.

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