Heavyhearted Smith plays catalyst for Ravens' emotional and spirited win

Smith (right): 'My teammates ... I love them to death, and they helped me get through this.' (AP)

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens don't beat New England without Joe Flacco, and Joe Flacco doesn't beat New England without Torrey Smith. I know how Flacco did it. What I don't know is how Smith did it.

Somehow, the Ravens' wide receiver fought through the loss of his 19-year-old brother, Tevin, killed in a motorcycle late Saturday night, and one hour of sleep to play the leading role in the Ravens' 31-30 come-from-behind defeat of New England that was significant for a number of reasons: 1) It marked the first time Baltimore beat Tom Brady in the regular season; 2) it demonstrated that Baltimore can complete a fourth-quarter comeback on the Pats, and 3) it proved something about Smith.

Basically, it proved that he never, ever, should be undersold.

I can't imagine what it's like to lose a sibling, and I can't imagine what it's like to try to play on national TV the day something like that happens. But, then, Smith never imagined it, either -- not until he got the news Sunday morning that his brother had been killed ... and how he dealt with the tragedy says something about the young man he is.

He spent most of Sunday with his family. Then he spent the late afternoon with his teammates. In between, he wrestled with what he would do Sunday night, and when he returned to Baltimore Sunday afternoon, he knew. He decided to play football and see what happened.

And what happened is a night that Smith won't forget.

He caught six passes for 127 yards. He scored twice. And he was the intended receiver on a critical pass interference call that led to Justin Tucker's game-winning field goal. In short, he was the catalyst in Baltimore's improbable victory, with the Ravens rallying from nine down with just over four minutes to play.

"It was tough," Smith said. "Emotionally, I didn't know how I would hold up. I was telling teammates a minute ago that this is new territory for me. I never really had to deal with a death in the family, let alone my brother. Our family is so tight, just like a lot of families. But it's part of life, and due to my teammates and my family and friends I'll be able to get over it."

The evening started with the Ravens asking fans for a moment of silence for Smith's brother. Then, the game began and Smith jogged onto the field ... with Flacco waiting until the end of the first quarter to throw to him. He would wind up throwing to Smith 10 times, finally connecting for a score when Flacco lobbed a 25-yard pass midway through the second period.

Smith quickly went to one knee, said a prayer, then ran off the field and into the arms of teammates and coaches waiting for him on the sidelines.

"I didn't want to be out there, just running around, doing nothing," Smith said. "If I was going to be out there I was going to give it my all. You just want to make the play. Afterward is when you can sit back and reflect on things. My teammates ... I love them to death, and they helped me get through this."

Well, the feeling's mutual. Because Baltimore wouldn't be 2-1 without Smith.

Yes, Flacco was superb in the fourth quarter, leading Baltimore to scoring drives on its last two possessions, but neither would have been possible without Smith. He was the deep threat the Patriots couldn't control, and nowhere was that more apparent than on Baltimore's last meaningful snap -- a third-and-7 at the Ravens' 34 when Flacco threw deep down the right sidelines for Smith.

He had beaten defensive back Devin McCourty by two yards, but the ball was underthrown and McCourty ran into him, grabbing Smith just before the ball arrived.

Result: Ballgame.

"Torrey plays like this all the time," said Flacco, who threw for 382 yards, "and for him to come out and be able to play football the way he did tonight ... it says a lot about just who he is. We all know he's a great guy, an awesome teammate, but this is just unbelievable."

No, this is: The New England Patriots are 1-2, and tell me the last time you remember that happening. Moreover, they just blew a nine-point lead in the fourth period, and that occurs with Bill Belichick-coached teams about as often as Christmas in July.

But it just did, and it happened because Torrey Smith made it happen.

"How do you explain it?" asked coach John Harbaugh. "Coming from a faith perspective, God and heaven work in beautiful, wondrous, mysterious, wonderful ways. I'm not talking about winning and losing. I'm talking about what you see people accomplish in the face of adversity. That's what it's really all about."

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Smith takes Newton to task for behavior after leaving Panthers defeat

Cam Newton was benched after completing just 16 of 30 passes and throwing three picks. (Getty Images)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith says he" lit into" Cam Newton about his actions on the sideline when the young quarterback was replaced late in the fourth quarter of Thursday night's 36-7 blowout loss to the New York Giants.

Smith said he was upset when Newton sat sulking on the bench instead of getting up to watch backup Derek Anderson and trying to learn from his own mistakes.

As a team captain and the elder statesman of the team, Smith felt something needed to be said to the 23-year old Newton about the importance of remaining positive and better handling adversity.

"I don't want to be passive and not do it because if I don't do it, who will?" Smith said. "The same way with my son, I can't expect somebody else [to do that]. So yeah, I lit into him because I thought it was an opportunity for him to see and understand what was going on. This is more than about playing football. It's about becoming a man and understanding what this is."

Newton declined comment through the team's public relations staff. The team said he isn't speaking until next Wednesday.

Players have the weekend off.

Coach Ron Rivera lifted Newton in the fourth quarter against the Giants after his third interception with Carolina trailing by 26 points. Rivera said he took out Newton because the game was out of hand.

After Newton was replaced by Anderson, Smith spoke to Newton on the bench because he felt he was sulking over the impending loss.

"I said, 'Get up and learn from this,'" Smith said. "I watched D.A. [Anderson] and Jimmy [Clausen] observe from the sidelines the last 20-something games and try to get mental reps. This is an opportunity for you to get some mental reps. Don't just sit on the bench and sulk. I know you feel bad, but that isn't going to help us."

It's the second straight year teammates have questioned Newton's demeanor on the sideline.

Last year offensive linemen Ryan Kalil and Jordan Gross both spoke to Newton in private about the importance of not getting down during a game.

"It's about not missing an opportunity to give him some advice that maybe I didn't listen to [when I was young] or maybe nobody told me," said the 32-year-old Smith.

Smith said former Panthers wide receiver Ricky Proehl "did it to me a few times and maybe he was more subtle than I was. But you know what, if I sit back and say, 'Oh look at Cam over there sulking,' or 'look at this, or look at that' that's not going to do anything. I told him this is an opportunity for you to learn from this."

Rivera said he'll probably have a talk with Newton but wouldn't discuss what the conversation will be about.

Rivera knows Newton is an emotional player and said there's a "fine line" to walk between maintaining his burning desire to win and keeping his emotions in check.

"You look at things like, well, if something positive happens do you want to hide the emotions? And if something negative happens do we want to hide the emotions?" Rivera said.

Gross, a longtime teammate of Smith's at Utah and with the Panthers, said he doesn't have a problem with Newton's demeanor. And he didn't think anything needed to be said about Newton outside of the locker room.

"Cam wears his heart on his sleeve and you know how he's feeling based on his actions," Gross said. "He wants to win as much as anybody, and when we don't he takes it to heart. I would like any of my teammates, if they're upset about things, to talk it out with us in the locker room, and know that we're all in it together."

Smith knows he might take some criticism for calling out Newton, but doesn't care. Smith said he hopes the lesson will pay off for Newton down the road when he's retired and the quarterback is setting NFL records.

"If this is something wrong for saying that, well, I'd rather be wrong and one day during his long career he goes, 'Ah, I hated to hear that, but maybe that's what Smitty was talking about,'" Smith said.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Texans' Smith fined $21K, says he was retaliating against Incognito

HOUSTON -- Houston Texans defensive end Antonio Smith says he has been fined $21,000 by the league for kicking Miami Dolphins guard Richie Incognito during Sunday's win.

Smith missed two practices this week with a sore right ankle. He says he was only retaliating when Incognito tried to twist his ankle after the whistle.

"If you're going strictly by the rule book, me kicking him was breaking the rules," Smith said Friday. "But I want them [the NFL] to look at why I was kicking him, trying to get him off of my ankle. You see on the film, the moment my ankle came free, I stopped. I was just trying to get my ankle free from him mauling it."

After Sunday's game, Incognito said he was innocent of wrongdoing.

"There was a lot of whining going on out there, and it went to the refs, and then the whining continued to the media after the game," Incognito said Monday.

Incognito, who has carried what he says is an outdated reputation as a dirty player, said the complaint about twisting Smith's ankle stemmed from a play where the Dolphins fumbled.

"He was getting up and trying to go for the ball," Incognito said, "so I pretty much tackled his legs."

The Texans (1-0) play at Jacksonville (0-1) on Sunday. Smith practiced on Friday and coach Gary Kubiak expects him to play against the Jaguars.

Smith says he plans to appeal.

"It's very disappointing, whenever you lose money," said Smith, who had a career-high 6? sacks last year. "Nobody wants to lose money, especially $21,000. That could be going to my daughter or son's trust fund, or something. That's a pretty penny, and nobody would like to get [fined] that kind of money, especially when I felt like I was defending myself."

Smith was fined $7,500 last season for pulling off Baltimore guard Andre Gurode's helmet in a game against the Ravens.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Panthers' Smith, Stewart questionable; Rivera expects both vs. Saints

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera said he expects wide receiver Steve Smith and running back Jonathan Stewart will play Sunday against New Orleans, although both are listed as questionable on the team's injury report.

Both practiced on a limited basis Friday.

Smith has been wearing a brace this week in practice because of soreness in his right knee. However, Rivera said Smith had a good day of practice and that "I'd be surprised if he doesn't play."

Stewart missed Sunday's game against Tampa Bay with a sprained right ankle but Rivera said he's making better cuts. Rivera says barring any setbacks Stewart will play. Without Stewart the Panthers were limited to 10 yards rushing in last week's 16-10 loss to Tampa Bay.

Guard Mike Pollack is doubtful with a shoulder stinger.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Smith proving to be as steady as they come at quarterback for 49ers

While Alex Smith outduels Aaron Rodgers in Week 1, it's the same Alex Smith we witnessed last season. (AP)

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Aaron Rodgers usually is recognized as the best quarterback ... or, at least, the best young quarterback ... in today's game, and he should be. The guy is talented, productive and a Super Bowl winner. But tell me this: If he's the gold standard, what does that make Alex Smith?

Because Alex Smith not only outplayed Rodgers in Sunday's 30-22 defeat of Green Bay, he outplayed Steve Young and Jeff Garcia and Elvis Grbac, too. Those former 49ers quarterbacks were part of the franchise's eight-game losing streak at Lambeau Field that Smith ended, and, yeah, I think that's significant.

Whenever you hear people talk about San Francisco they usually talk about Alex Smith as the one factor that can and, maybe, will drag the team down. Only he didn't last year. And he won't this season, and his latest performance tells us why.

Because he and his offense should be better than they were in 2011.

For only the second time in his pro career, Smith operates in the same offensive scheme run by the same coordinator. The first time that happened (2010), Jimmy Raye lasted three games into the second season before he was cashiered -- so Smith didn't go much beyond one year with the same guy.

But he will now, and you saw what happened Sunday. He outplayed Aaron Rodgers.

He didn't throw for as many yards but had as many touchdown passes. He spread the ball around more. He wasn't flustered. He didn't make a mistake. And, most important, he won. Sound familiar? It should. That was the Alex Smith of 2011, the Alex Smith critics said would not re-appear this fall.

Well, they're wrong.

"He went out and played with a lot of confidence," said tight end Vernon Davis. "He didn't back down. He was Alex Smith today. He did the same thing that he did last year to help us win."

Some people will say that's nothing, but they're mistaken. It was Alex Smith who hit Randy Moss with the touchdown pass that put the 49ers up by 10 early. It was Alex Smith who found Davis with a scoring pass into a tight window in the third period. And it was Alex Smith who held fast in the face of a Green Bay pass rush that produced four sacks.

Most important, it was Alex Smith who didn't screw up. It was Rodgers who did, and the damage was severe: His interception led to a game-clinching touchdown.

"Did you have the better quarterback out there?" Davis was asked.

"I think I've had the better quarterback all training camp," he said. "The same guy I've seen today is the same guy I've seen in training camp. I didn't see anything different."

That is good for San Francisco. Smith has only five interceptions in his past 19 starts (including the playoffs), and when you have a defense as tough, as physical and as intimidating as San Francisco's, that will take you a long way. For that reason, Smith sometimes gets referred to as a "game manager," a term Smith keeps demonstrating doesn't fit.

"I hope we're just continuing to build off what we did last year," he said, "and that's the goal. I don't know how many times you heard me say this: We're going to take pride in the fact that we're balanced. We're not going to be predictable. We're not going to be one-dimensional. We've got a lot of different guys who can do a lot of different things, and we're going to use them."

So we just witnessed.

The last time we saw him he completed exactly one pass to a wide receiver in the conference championship loss to the New York Giants, and that was for three yards. So the 49ers went out and signed Super Bowl hero Mario Manningham, talked Randy Moss out of retirement and drafted A.J. Jenkins, and now look: Smith completes 15 of 17 passes aimed at Moss, Manningham and Michael Crabtree, and the 49ers break the Lambeau jinx.

You can credit a lot of people, but when passing out the accolades don't forget the team's quarterback. Granted, he's not Joe Montana or Young, but he doesn't have to be. He just has to be as good as he was last season.

Only he wasn't Sunday. He was better. In fact, for one day, at least, he was better than the guy who's supposed to be the benchmark for all young quarterbacks in the NFL.

"He's a top quarterback in my book," said running back Frank Gore. "Look at his career. People who know football should understand how tough it is for a quarterback to have five or six coordinators. Now you see him grow in the same offense, and I'm happy for him."

His coaches and teammates should be, too. The 49ers flirted with the idea of signing free-agent Peyton Manning in the offseason, but, in the end, made the right decision with the right guy. They returned to Alex Smith because Alex Smith is as good for them as they are for him ... and he just proved it.

Again.

"All he can do is move forward," Davis said. "I have a lot of confidence in Alex. A lot of people didn't believe in him, but I did. I knew what he could do. Whatever is going to happen for Alex is going to happen. Everybody can say what they want, but at the end of the day it'll happen for him."

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Jets' Po'uha questionable, safety Smith out against Bills; Keller likely to play

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets defensive tackle Sione Po'uha is questionable to play in the team's season opener against Buffalo, and not out, as coach Rex Ryan initially announced.

Safety Eric Smith will not play, but tight end Dustin Keller is expected to go after missing time with a hamstring injury. Ryan said Keller is "ready to roll" after hurting his right leg in the Jets' preseason game against Carolina on Aug. 26.

Ryan said Po'uha, sidelined since training camp with a sore back, is "close" and has been "begging us to play." The team said Ryan misspoke on Po'uha's status because he hadn't read the final injury report.

Smith sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee and hurt his hip in the preseason opener at Cincinnati.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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Panthers Jon Beason fires back on Twitter at Niners Alex Smith over stats debate

Posted: 02:27 PM ET May 25, 2012

By Will Brinson | Senior NFL Blogger

On Thursday, 49ers quarterback Alex Smith made some noise when he said that passing yards are a "totally overblown stat." He's correct to a degree (although I personally don't believe he's as correct as my colleague Clark Judge does) but what really stood out from his potent quotables was the decision to invoke Cam Newton's name along with the stat.

Smith pointed out that Newton had a bunch of 300-yard passing games but was "not winning." Panthers linebacker Jon Beason took umbrage to that statement and fired off a Twitter zinger of his own in Smith's direction on Thursday night.

Alex smith, don't hate on Cam Bc your stats would've gotten u cut if Peyton decided to come 2 San Fran.Truth b told..That's after a 13-3 yr.

— Jon Beason (@jonbeason) May 25, 2012

First: Buuuuuurn. Second, Beason is also correct. If winning games was the only thing that mattered, the 49ers wouldn't have had secret flirtations with Peyton Manning in the offseason. (San Francisco said they weren't in on Manning, then promptly chased him to Raleigh; not enough is made of that.)

San Francisco won 13 games in 2011 and cruised to a division title in the NFC West. They were incredibly close to making the Super Bowl. They did all this with Alex Smith as their quarterback.

And yet, they felt compelled this offseason to attempt and upgrade the position by chasing after a 36-year-old coming off of four neck surgeries. Remember at one point Smith was making a trip to Miami to look into signing with the Dolphins?

And Beason's right. Smith, for all his talk of how important wins are, might be elsewhere if Peyton picked the 49ers. Newton, on the other hand, would be in Carolina no matter how many games the Panthers lost last year.

Tags: Alex Smith, Alex Smith, Cam Newton, Jon Beason, Peyton Manning, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, NFL

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NFLPA's Smith on collusion suit: 'Cartels do what cartels will do when left unchecked'

Posted: 04:40 PM ET May 24, 2012

By Will Brinson | Senior NFL Blogger

DeMaurice Smith is firing shots at the NFL. (Getty Images)
On Wednesday, the NFLPA dropped a hammer on the NFL, suing the league for salary-cap-related collusion during the uncapped 2010 year and claiming that the players were due $1 billion in damages.

It was a stunning move and a reminder, as Clark Judge wrote, that labor peace is already a distant memory. And on Thursday, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith ramped up the rhetoric, referring to the owners as a "cartel" while meeting with the media outside the union's headquarters in Washington, DC.

"Cartels do what cartels will do when left unchecked," Smith said.

Smith added that the NFLPA did not sue the league to lose, saying (via the NFLPA's Twitter feed) that the union "wouldn't have filed it if we didn't think it was true."

Additionally, per the NFL Network's Albert Breer, Smith pointed out that the relationship might be frosty but that's the nature of business.

"We all got along and the league locked us out," Smith said. "That's the business we're in."

On Wednesday, the NFL vehemently denied that any collusion took place during the uncapped year. The bigger issue for the NFLPA, however, is proving that they're able to actually sue the NFL over something that took place prior to the new CBA being signed in August of 2011.

The legalese in there should make for some fun, expensive debates in Minnesota soon. For now, we just have to hang out and watch the two sides fire public salvos at one another.

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Tags: Lockout, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, NFL

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Fantasy owners can have their stats; Alex Smith cares only about W's

Thursday May 24, 2012 - 7:52 PM

The only numbers Alex Smith is interested in reading are the ones in the standings. (US Presswire)

San Francisco's Alex Smith says he doesn't care about yards per game, which, I guess, means he doesn't care about stats, period. Well, good for him. That's easy to say when you don't have them. Except there's one thing we're forgetting here.

And it's that Alex Smith is right. He shouldn't care about stats, nor should other quarterbacks.

Of course, that's not easy when you live in a fantasy football world where numbers have become barometers of performances and performers. But it's the way it should be, and Alex Smith gets it. It might be the era of the 5,000-yard passer or the 400-yard game, but he doesn't give a rip, and let's hear it for Alex Smith.

"I could absolutely care less on yards per game," Smith told 49ers Rapid Reporter Kyle Bonagura. "I think that is a totally overblown stat because if you're losing games in the second half, guess what, you're like the Carolina Panthers and you're going no-huddle the entire second half. Yeah, Cam Newton threw for a lot of 300-yard games.

"That's great. You're not winning, though."

It might be the era of the 5,000-yard passer or the 400-yard game, but he doesn't give a rip, and let's hear it for Alex Smith.

So maybe he didn't have to cart out Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers to illustrate his point, but, hey, whatever drives home the message. Newton is an extraordinary talent who passed and threw for a gazillion yards, had 35 touchdowns rushing and passing and was named the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year. In short, he was every bit "the icon" he said he wanted to be.

But he was also 6-10.

I'm not saying that record is his fault. The Carolina defense stunk. I think we all can agree on that. But I am saying that I care more about that won-loss record than I do how many 300- or 400-yard games the guy produced.

Now, before we go further, let's make something clear: That's not a knock on Newton. It's a knock on fantasy-football numbers. Peyton Manning was 3-13 in his first season, yet became one of the NFL's top quarterbacks. And maybe that happens to Newton.

I hope so. Because, ultimately, the measure of a quarterback is success. If you can't win, nothing else matters.

Case in point: I was at a New England-Philadelphia game last year when Vince Young threw for 400 yards in a 38-20 defeat that caused some people to think about reassessing Young.

Except he stunk.

You heard me. He missed open receivers. He couldn't convert critical downs. And he was as culpable as an inept DeSean Jackson or a porous Eagles pass defense for blowing an early 10-0 lead. Yet people outside the 215 area code the next day were talking about how he wasn't all that bad ... except that he was.

Only the numbers didn't reflect it.

That takes me back to my favorite subject, which is Tim Tebow and the 2011 Denver Broncos. People shred the guy for his low completion percentage (46.5) and inability to hit open receivers, and I understand. What I don't understand is how you can ignore the facts, and the facts are these -- the Broncos were 8-5 with him at quarterback and beat the defending conference champion in the playoffs.

More specifically, they beat the Pittsburgh Frickin' Steelers, the league's No. 1-ranked defense and the league's No. 1-ranked pass defense, and they beat them with Tebow launching an 80-yard touchdown pass on the first play of overtime.

I don't care that he didn't complete 50 percent of his passes that day. I don't care that he threw for a career-high 316 yards, either. I just care that he won.

Now let's move on to Alex Smith. In 2011, he produced the best season of his career, yet some persons complain because he's not Joe Montana or Steve Young. Well, sorry; he's not. But he was 13-3 last year, and, sure, a lot of that had to do with a terrific 49ers defense, but a lot had to do with Alex Smith, too. He threw a career-low five interceptions and played with a poise, a confidence and a strength that stats can't measure.

Now, rewind the tape 12 years to when the 49ers worked out Tom Brady before the 2000 draft. Like others, they weren't dazzled, and there's a reason: They had 45 minutes to put him through drills, which meant they couldn't measure what makes Brady so extraordinary -- and that's his intangibles.

Brady doesn't have the talent of some of his contemporaries. But he does have an insatiable drive to succeed that has taken him to five Super Bowls. Brady knows how to win, and it's that quality -- not his arm strength or his speed -- that makes him special.

I was reminded when Robert Griffin III ripped off a 4.35 40 at the NFL combine. Griffin's time created a buzz and was perceived as another signal of how astounding he is and will be at the next level. And maybe he will. But keep this in mind: When Brady ran a 40 at the 2000 combine, he checked in at a leisurely 5.28.

Then look what happened.

I guess that's why I welcome what Alex Smith had to say about numbers and winning. If nothing else, he gave us something to debate between now and training camps, and maybe that something is stats, maybe it's Smith and maybe it's Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers. All I know is Newton gained a lot more attention last season than Andy Dalton, yet all Dalton did was lead lowly Cincinnati to the playoffs.

And he did it playing 10 top-10 defenses.

Alex Smith won a lot of games last year. That matters. He didn't throw for a lot of yards. That doesn't. What's so hard to understand?

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Aldon Smith says 49ers weren't targeting Ben Roethlisberger's ankle last season

Posted: 11:03 AM ET May 18, 2012

By Ryan Wilson | NFL Blogger

Smith makes a good point: 'The quarterback, he controls the game. So if he got hit, it happens.' (Getty Images)
Last week, during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hinted that the 49ers may have targeted his bum ankle during a Week 15 matchup. To his credit, Big Ben wasn't complaining, just answering a question.

"Um, wow, that's tough," he said at the time. "I don't really complain about that stuff, either. But I think when we played San Fran, I felt like there were some things going on, some extra ... Now, obviously, I did have the ankle and I was playing, so there was kind of a bulls-eye on there anyway. But for the most part, guys play tough and you go into a game expecting it. I expect to be tougher than them."

Roethlisberger had a horrible game; he didn't throw a touchdown, had three picks and a lost fumble in a 20-3 loss.

In the wake of Big Ben's conversation with Patrick, ESPN.com's Mike Sando looked at every play from that game and found no evidence of San Francisco players intentionally aiming for Roethlisberger's ankle.

And Aldon Smith, the then-rookie who terrorized Big Ben for most of that night (he ended up with 2.5 sacks), agrees: the 49ers didn't have any agenda other than to harass the quarterback.

“Our goal was to win the game,” Smith said according to the Sacramento Bee's Matt Barrows. “We don't go out and talk about hurting other players, their ankles, or injuries, or any of that. We were going out to win the game. The quarterback, he controls the game. So if he got hit, it happens.”

Barrows notes that the 49ers' defense was penalized three times in the game, and none were of the flagrant-foul variety.

Also worth pointing out: when Smith says that "if (the QB) got hit, it happens," it's another way of saying: "Yeah, this is what happens when you stand in the pocket for eight seconds trying to make a big play. Especially if you're already on a bad wheel."

That's been Roethlisberger's M.O. during his career: turning broken plays into big gains but at the cost of taking a beating. Week 15 of the 2011 season was just another example of that. He was just much less effective after suffering a high-ankle sprain 10 days before.

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Tags: Aldon Smith, Ben Roethlisberger, Ryan Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, NFL

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Receiver Rod Smith elected to Broncos' Ring of Fame

DENVER -- Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith entered the league as an undrafted rookie and now his name is about to go up in lights after being elected into the team's Ring of Fame on Thursday.

Smith, who set every major receiving record in franchise history, becomes the 23rd member of the Broncos to have his name etched into the inner facade encircling Sports Authority Field at Mile High. He will be inducted during a halftime ceremony on Sept. 23.

He's just hoping he can keep his emotions under control.

"I'm going to try not to be [emotional], but it is a big deal," Smith said. "It is a stepping stone in your life. It means you did something right. They don't put your name [up there] if you didn't go out there and represent yourself a certain way and you play with a certain passion for the game."

A college free agent out of Missouri Southern, Smith finished his career with 849 catches for 11,389 yards receiving and 68 TDs.

He also helped the Broncos to two Super Bowls and was a three-time Pro Bowl selection.

"Players like Rod don't come through your door very often, but he came through ours every day with a purpose and hunger to be great," owner Pat Bowlen said. "Rod's production and numbers -- as outstanding as they were -- paled in comparison to his commitment to winning and the respect he commanded from each and every one of his teammates throughout his career."

Smith had a club-record eight 1,000-yard seasons. He also has three of the top-10 single-season reception totals in team history, including a 113-catch performance in 2001.

"Rod brought his lunch pail to work each day, took nothing for granted and made himself into an elite player," said Broncos boss John Elway, who played with Smith. "He's a true pro. In addition to being one of the greatest undrafted players of all time, he's one of the greatest wide receivers to ever play the position."

Smith's last season was 2006 as an aching hip finally forced him to the sideline.

He spent his rookie season in 1994 on the Broncos' practice squad. His first NFL reception was against the Washington Redskins on Sept. 17, 1995, when he hauled in a 43-yard pass from Elway as time expired to lift the Broncos to a 38-31 victory.

It was simply a glimpse of things to come.

Smith helped Denver to seven postseason appearances, three AFC West crowns and, of course, two Super Bowl titles. Even more, the Broncos had a 126-70 record in games in which Smith played.

"Although he had plenty of catches and touchdowns in his career, the only things that mattered to Rod were winning and competing for Super Bowls," Elway said. "That's what was most important to him, and it showed in everything he did. Whether it was in the passing game or running game, you always knew Rod would give 100 percent on every play and do whatever it took to help his team win."

That's because he played with a chip on his shoulder pads - and really always has.

"I was hungry. I stayed hungry. I'm still hungry now," Smith said. "There is something about the human spirit, you just have to be hungry 24/7. A lot of guys now, and I'm a little bit on the outside - not too far removed - but a lot of those guys figure they have it made because they got to the NFL.

"I knew where I wanted to go and I knew I was going to outwork everyone else. When they were gone, I was still working. When they were asleep, I was still working. That right there - work - works. I tell people that all the time: work works."

Now, he has to think of a way to top Shannon Sharpe's Ring of Fame entrance. The Hall of Fame tight end made his appearance by parachuting into the stadium.

"I'm not coming in like that," Smith cracked. "I can think of some real cool cars or something like that we can come in with - some stuff I probably wouldn't buy myself, but Mr. Bowlen has the money so he might be able to just rent one for me. We'll pass that along. I'm just throwing a little hint out there for some crazy, exotic car that nobody has seen and be able to come in that.

"But I'm not going to be jumping out of any plane, we can promise you that."

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Report: Roman Harper, Will Smith could face bounty punishment from NFL

Posted: 09:22 AM ET April 17, 2012

By Will Brinson | Senior NFL Blogger

The NFL has yet to hand down punishments for players involved in the Saints bounty scandal. But it could be (very) soon, and word's starting to leak about who could be punished.

We already knew that linebacker Jonathan Vilma was "bracing for" a two-to-eight game suspension, but two new names emerged Monday afternoon: Roman Harper and Will Smith.

According to Jason LaCanfora of NFL Network, Harper and Smith are "featured prominently in the NFL's investigation" and "could end up facing more severe discipline" than many of the other players potentially involved in the bounty case.

One thing that these three players have in common: they were all Saints for the duration of the time Gregg Williams was there. Scott Fujita, as LaCanfora notes, was involved in a recent meeting, but only spent one year with the Saints.

It would make a lot of sense that the people who receive the majority of the punishment will be a significant part of the culture that Williams -- the perceived ringleader of the bounty punishment -- helped to install in New Orleans.

Vilma, whether or right or wrong, is considered the primary culprit on the players' end of things. It'll be interesting to see how the length of his suspension affects the rest of the players -- a big suspension for Vilma could indicate he's getting the brunt of the punishment or it could set the bar high for additional punishments to other players.

A shorter punishment would limit for Vilma would likely limit the exposure to suspension for the remainder of the defenders being eyed for suspension by the NFL.

Tags: Jonathan Vilma, Roman Harper, Scott Fujita, Will Smith, New Orleans Saints, NFL

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Smith expects Forte to return this season from knee sprain

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith expects star running back Matt Forte to return this season from a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

Smith said he "looked pretty good" on Monday, but he wouldn't put a timetable on Forte's return. Chances are he will miss a few games, although he played through a similar injury in 2009.

"Can't tell you exactly when or whether it's this week or next week or whatever, but hopefully we'll get him back soon," Smith said.

Forte was injured in the first quarter of Sunday's 10-3 loss to Kansas City and left the game. Chicago was already missing quarterback Jay Cutler, who is out indefinitely with a broken right thumb.

Smith said the Bears won't bring in a veteran quarterback even though Caleb Hanie is struggling, squashing speculation that they'll sign Donovan McNabb.

"We're not looking on the outside," Smith said. "We're not having a quarterback tryout or anything like that."

He also dismissed a report that offensive coordinator Mike Martz will be gone after the season, saying, "If there is a change that would be made, I'll be making it. I definitely haven't discussed that with anyone."

Martz reportedly turned down a one-year contract extension after last season's run to the NFC championship game, and he has an expiring contract. His name has been linked to head-coaching openings at UCLA and Arizona State, although he declined comment last week when asked about that.

The Bears (7-5) have more immediate concerns.

Three of the Chicago's remaining four games are on the road, starting this week at Denver, and the playoffs no longer appear to be a certainty for a team that had won five straight before dropping the past two. As if Cutler breaking his thumb against San Diego two weeks earlier wasn't bad enough, the Bears' fortunes took another turn for the worse when Forte got hit in the right knee by the Chiefs' Derrick Johnson on a run for no gain deep in Chicago territory with 6 minutes left in the first period against Kansas City.

He stayed down for several minutes while being tended to by medical personnel before walking off the field on his own power. He remained on the sideline for a short while before heading to the locker room, with five carries and 12 yards.

"Anytime you lose your star on offense -- we already lost one -- and to lose the best one we have, that's tough on the offense," receiver Roy Williams said. "That's tough on a team."

Entering the fourth and final season of his rookie contract, Forte sought an extension. Talks went nowhere, but that didn't stop him from having a career year. He was leading the league in yards from scrimmage and was third in rushing entering Sunday's game.

With Forte out, Marion Barber and Kahlil Bell figure to carry the load, and the results were mixed against the Chiefs.

Barber ran for 44 yards on 14 attempts. He also set up behind the line of scrimmage, resulting in an illegal formation call that wiped out his 4-yard touchdown catch and forced Chicago to settle for a field goal in the second quarter. Bell finished with 34 yards on four carries, including a 26-yarder, but the Bears will need more if they're going to get by without Forte, not to mention Cutler.

Hanie struggled again, throwing three interceptions for the second straight week. He got sacked seven times and posted a 23.8 rating for the game. That did nothing to quiet calls for the Bears to bring in outside help, such as six-time Pro Bowler McNabb, but Smith insisted they're standing pat.

"We have our quarterbacks here now," he said.

Cutler's injury led them to put in a claim for Kyle Orton after he was waived by Denver, but the Chiefs got him because they had priority. Once that happened, Chicago signed journeyman Josh McCown as a backup, but he's been inactive the past two games behind Hanie and rookie Nathan Enderle.

When asked if the backups will take more snaps with the first team in practice this week, Smith said, "With the first team? No more than they normally do. Like most teams in the league, you spend most of the reps on the guy that will be playing. And you get some reps for the next guy. That's what we'll do. This week, next week and in the future."

Smith said McCown is progressing but was noncommittal when asked if he would be active for the next game.

"That's hard to say, this week," Smith said. "We have time. Unless there's an injury, Nathan Enderle is our backup quarterback right now. We'll see how the week goes. I can't look that far into the future. But Josh is doing everything we're asking him to do, and he is making progress. But our focus is somewhere else right now."

Notes: Smith said S Major Wright, who left Sunday's game, has a sprained shoulder, and the Bears "should hopefully get back" D.J. Moore this week. He sat out with an ankle injury.

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Falcons' Smith hopes to continue feasting on rookie quarterbacks

The Falcons roughed up rookie Cam Newton once already this season and face Carolina again Dec. 11. (US Presswire)

ATLANTA -- To death and taxes, add this item to the list of life's inevitabilities: Atlanta Falcons' coach Mike Smith not losing to a rookie quarterback.

Since Smith became the Atlanta coach in 2008, the Falcons are a perfect 8-0 against rookie starters, following Sunday's 24-14 victory here over the Minnesota Vikings and rookie first-rounder Christian Ponder. Typical of a team that often plays down to the level of its competition, and sputters maddeningly on offense for inexplicable stretches, the Falcons struggled to put away a Minnesota club that is now just 2-9, and played on Sunday without its best player, tailback Adrian Peterson.

But the Falcons still won, something they always do versus rookie quarterbacks under Smith, and the schedule and circumstances now set up for them to face three more rookie starters in a row before a showdown with nemesis Drew Brees at New Orleans the day after Christmas.

"You treat [rookies] with the same respect you do everybody else in this league," said Atlanta weakside linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, who continued his strong play Sunday with a team-high 10 tackles [three for losses], a sack and a hurry of Ponder. "Everybody's dangerous. But, just like I had to do last year, you have to pay some dues. There's a learning curve."

Against the Falcons and Smith since 2008, it's been a steep one, and likely about to get even steeper.

Winners now of two straight games, following their gut-wrenching overtime loss to the Saints on Nov. 13, the Falcons figure to further fatten up their 7-4 record against rookie quarterbacks. For Atlanta, the road to a third straight playoff appearance with Smith at the helm is currently paved with rookie quarterbacks.

The Falcons have topped two rookie starters so far this season, and the upcoming schedule is favorable in that regard.

In what was expected to be a difficult road game, the Falcons will face rookie T.J. Yates at Houston next Sunday. A fifth-round pick seven months ago, Yates, an Atlanta-area native who had never even taken an NFL regular-season snap before Sunday, will replace the injured Matt Leinart as the Texans' starter. Leinart, who sustained a collarbone injury, was, of course, filling in for Matt Schaub (foot), who is on I.R. for the rest of the season.

On Dec. 11, the Falcons travel to Charlotte for a return matchup with the Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton, the top overall pick in the 2011 draft. The Falcons beat the Panthers and Newton in their earlier meeting, a 31-17 win on Oct. 16 at the Georgia Dome. Four days later, in a Thursday night mis-matchup, the Falcons host the Jacksonville Jaguars and first-rounder Blaine Gabbert, to complete what could be a four-game run against rookies.

Through Sunday's games, Ponder, Yates, Newton and Gabbert were a combined 6-19 as starters in the league. Newton was the only one of the group with more than two victories on his resume.

Things could change a bit, obviously, in the next few days. Texas almost certainly will sign a veteran free agent to bolster its wobbling depth chart, but Yates is still probably better prepared at this point than any late addition might be. Gabbert was yanked by the Jacksonville coaching staff late in Sunday's loss to Houston, but team officials announced shortly thereafter that he will remain the starter. There is always the possibility of injury that could snap the thread of the Falcons facing off against callow starters.

The run of success against rookie starters, though, likely will continue.

To a man, Atlanta defenders surveyed on Sunday were unaware of the club's record under Smith against rookie quarterbacks. No one, however, was surprised.

"The thing about [Smith] and his staff," said second-year veteran defensive tackle Corey Peters, "is that they don't change. There's a [consistency]. You prepare the same, no matter who is on the other side of the ball."

The Falcons' 8-0 mark against rookies has included victories over Josh Freeman of Tampa Bay (twice in 2009), the New York Jets' Mark Sanchez (2009), Sam Bradford of St. Louis (2010), Jimmy Clausen of Carolina (twice in 2010), Newton (2011), and now Ponder.

In those eight contests, the rookie quarterbacks completed 151 of 251 passes for 1,593 yards, with eight touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. The cumulative passer rating for the eight rookies, who were sacked 16 times in the defeats to the Falcons, is 71.02. Atlanta's average margin in the victories was 12.4 points, with all but two of the wins by10 or more points. Maybe most notable is that none of the rookie quarterbacks managed more than 17 points against the Falcons.

Under Smith, the Falcons simply own rookie quarterbacks.

To his credit, Ponder was poised and collected Sunday, completing 17 of 25 throws for 186 yards, with a touchdown pass and no interceptions. He was sacked four times, but had his team in a position to steal the game after rallying from a 17-0 halftime deficit. His 39-yard touchdown pass to Percy Harvin, on a fourth-and-13 play in the fourth quarter, was a terrific effort.

The Atlanta defense, despite its four sacks, didn't particularly load up on blitzes, although Weatherspoon's sack came on an inside, extra-man rush. By unofficial count, the Falcons sent an extra defender on the rush on less than half of Ponder's 29 drop-backs.

Said Ponder: "I thought we did some good things, but ..."

But the Vikings lost, which is what rookie quarterbacks have all done against the Falcons since Smith arrived in '08.

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Week 9 Judgements: 49ers QB Smith silencing bust talk in 2011

1. Jim Harbaugh's biggest achievement is finding something in Alex Smith nobody else could. Don't tell me the49ers knew what was coming. They traded up in the second round to draft Colin Kaepernick. But this just in: Smith is 8-1 in his last nine starts, with only two interceptions this season. Better yet, he just led the 49ers to their fourth straight road victory.

2. Me? I'm all for an Alex Smith-Aaron Rodgers NFC Championship Game so we can relive that 2005 draft all over again.

3. Time to start the countdown on San Francisco clinching the NFC West. The 49ers are five games up with eight to play. That's just another reason why Harbaugh is the frontrunner for Coach of the Year.

4. Tom Brady is right. You're going to see what the Patriots are made of this week when they play the Jets. New York hasn't lost at home and is coming off its best and most intimidating defensive performance of the year. Plus, New England is in a funk. Bad enough that it lost its last two and that its defense stinks; but Brady isn't himself. In his last four games the league's reigning MVP has seven TD passes and five interceptions. In his first four he was 13 and 5. Maybe Brady can't rescue these guys after all. I guess we're about to find out.

5. This is what I like most about what Eli Manning did: He not only beat New England where Brady almost never loses -- at home -- but he did it without his best two offensive weapons, wide receiver Hakeem Nicks and running back Ahmad Bradshaw. Aaron Rodgers will be everyone's mid-season MVP, but Manning deserves consideration for the silver.

6. Looks like Buffalo's Stevie Johnson is the next guy out of our Experts Pool. Sorry, Stevie, it's not Buffalo's time.

7. For all the talk about San Diego being explosive on offense that marked the first time this year the Bolts reached 30. Prior to Sunday there were four teams that averaged 30 or more and nine that averaged 25. San Diego was in neither group.

8. Sure glad I listened to all those people telling me that Tim Tebow can't play and should sit down. Yeah, sure, he's 2-1, just beat Oakland in Oakland, and he needs to sit down.

9. Uh, for those interested, Denver is a game out of first place in the AFC West. That tells you more about the division than it does the Broncos.

10. Please tell me that the bellyaching over Joe Flacco in Baltimore has ceased. That wasn't just a game-winning drive. It was a magnificent series reminiscent of a 12-play, 92-yard drive Ben Roethlisberger launched vs. Baltimore in 2008 ... in Baltimore no less. With the victory, his second straight over Pittsburgh, Flacco proved he's the quarterback who can take Baltimore to the top.

11. And this season's Cliff Klavan Award goes to ... the Indianapolis Colts. Talk about mailing it in. Their last three games the Colts have been outscored 120-24. "We will never accept this kind of chronic losing," said owner Jim Irsay in a Sunday tweet. "It's an unwelcome visitor that we will not tolerate." Maybe, but when it comes with Andrew Luck it's a lot easier to swallow.

12. Memo to Mike McCarthy: Next time you win the coin toss, take the kickoff. The last three times the Packers won they deferred, and all three times their opponent scored a first-series TD.

13. I saw a story that said Miami owner Stephen Ross wants Stanford's Andrew Luck "in the worst way." And this is news?

14. You never like to lose someone of Mario Williams' caliber. But look what his injury has done for Houston: Forced the Texans to play rookie Brooks Reed. So what? So Reed has sacks in each of his last three games (including two Sunday) and is getting invaluable experience that will make Houston a deeper and better defense in the future.

15. The more I see Julio Jones, the more I wonder if Cleveland should have made that Draft Day deal. The Browns need nothing more than playmakers, and Jones would've been a nice start for Colt McCoy.

FIVE THINGS I LIKE

1. Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals were supposed to be one of the league's bottom feeders, but they're not. Instead, they're tied for first in the AFC North, and I can tell you why: Andy Dalton. He doesn't play like a rookie quarterback. I understand the attention Cam Newton's getting in Carolina and how he's energized the Panthers, but I also understand this: Dalton has more touchdown passes, a higher completion percentage and a 6-2 record.

2. The Giants hoisting coach Tom Coughlin to their shoulders in the locker room after Sunday's win. Yes, that was Coughlin laughing with his players -- a signal how much he treasured the come-from-behind win. People used to say Coughlin was too tough, too stiff, too player-unfriendly to last in New York. Uh-huh, and Joe Flacco can't beat Pittsburgh, either. Puh-leeze.

3. San Diego's pass rush. The Bolts struggled all season to get to the quarterback, averaging fewer than two a game prior to Sunday. Then they dropped Aaron Rodgers four times -- all in the first half -- and pulled him down within a yard or two of the line of scrimmage on at least three other occasions. At least they got something out of their third straight defeat.

4. Torrey Smith's touchdown catch with eight seconds left to shock Pittsburgh. Smith is the guy who dropped the game-winning TD 30 seconds earlier and committed a brutal holding call that cost the Ravens a game-opening TD. "All you need is one play," said Flacco, "and that's what we got."

5. Dallas' upcoming schedule. I know, the Cowboys draw Buffalo next weekend, but it's in Dallas where they're 3-1. Then it's Washington, Miami and Arizona. That will take the heat off Tony Romo in a hurry.

FIVE THINGS I DON'T

1. What is going on with San Diego's Philip Rivers, and, honestly, I wish I knew. I bet the Chargers do, too. Rivers already has more interceptions (14) through eight games than he had all of last season (13). But his worst gaffe Sunday might have been an intentional grounding call that sabotaged the Chargers' next-to-last drive. "It was either that or the sack," Rivers said. I tell you, it's always something with him this season. Too bad, too. He's been one of the league's best and most efficient quarterbacks, but not this season.

2. Cleveland's run defense. Yeah, the Browns miss Eric Mangini, and Sunday's game will tell you why: Houston ran for a season-best 261 yards, including 132 in the first half on just 15 carries. Oh, yeah, all three of the Texans' touchdowns were runs, too.

3. Those stories about why Miami cornerback Vontae Davis didn't make the Kansas City trip. Hungover and late for work? You gotta be kidding me. Now I know why the Dolphins stink. Hey, wasn't this the guy who said he was part of the best cornerback tandem in the NFL? Maybe we should have administered a sobriety test then.

4. Carson Palmer trying to pick up the NFL in mid-season. I don't care how good you are, when you miss training camp and preseason there are repercussions -- and Palmer is finding out the hard way. Make that six interceptions in one-and-a-half games. Now he goes home to San Diego (he lives in Del Mar) for a Thursday night game with San Diego, with the winner taking sole possession of first in the AFC West.

5. Clay Matthews' performance. He was opposite right tackle Jeromey Clary, which should've been a mismatch. But it wasn't. Clary neutralized last year's runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year, holding him to one tackle, in what one Green Bay observer called Matthews' worst performance of the season.

FIVE GUYS WHO HAVE SOME 'SPLAINING TO DO

1. Referee Ron Winters -- His crew marked off a 5-yard penalty as 6 and a 15-yard penalty as 16. This is not rocket science, Ron. If you need help, that's why we invented math.

2. Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau -- I'm with NBC's Tony Dungy, a guy who knows something about defense. I don't get what Pittsburgh was doing on the Ravens' last series, particularly those last two plays. Bump and run? Sorry, I don't get it, not with speed like Torrey Smith on the outside.

3. Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham -- He scores the go-ahead touchdown, then draws a personal foul for taunting an opponent. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. That moves the Giants' kickoff from the 35 to the 20. You don't give Tom Brady an advantage like that and expect to escape ... and the Giants didn't. Brady led the Patriots to a go-ahead touchdown.

4. New England coach Bill Belichick -- The Patriots defense stinks, and I'd have some sympathy except ... he's the guy who drafted the guys that comprise the league's worst unit. Bad enough what we saw a week ago in Pittsburgh; Sunday was worse. The Patriots couldn't stop the Giants from sailing 80 yards in the last 1:21.

5. Washington coach Mike Shanahan -- He sat down Rex Grossman after his four interceptions vs. Philadelphia, replacing him with a quarterback (John Beck) who hadn't started since 2007. So what happens? Washington not only loses three straight with Beck; it has one touchdown in its last 25 possessions. Time to face facts, Mike: The quarterback who can win for you isn't on the roster.

JUST ASKING BUT ...

• What's happened to the Oakland Raiders?

• Do the Bengals make the playoffs?

• What lasts longer ... Washington's allegiance to John Beck or Kim Kardashian's marriage?

• Who wins the AFC East?

• What's going on with Tom Brady?

NUMBERS ON THE WALL

0 -- Tim Tebow fourth-quarter passes

2 -- Arizona safeties this year on intentional grounding

3 -- Straight games with Cleveland's Phil Dawson hitting a field goal from 50 yards and beyond

6-0 -- New Orleans when it runs for 100 yards

10 -- Punts in the first half of New York Giants-New England game

13-3 -- Combined records of Jim and John Harbaugh

20 -- Career 100-yard receiving games by Wes Welker

36 -- Straight games with a Drew Brees touchdown pass

MY TOP FIVE

1. Green Bay

2. San Francisco

3. Baltimore

4. Pittsburgh

5. Detroit

MY BOTTOM FIVE

32. Indianapolis

31. Miami

30. St. Louis

29. Seattle

28. Arizona

NEXT WEEKEND'S THREE BEST GAMES

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati ... Time to find out about the Bengals.

New York Giants at San Francisco ... It's best of NFC East vs. best in NFC West.

New England at N.Y. Jets ... Get ready for another week of Great Rex-pectations.

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Chargers reportedly interested in Panthers' WR Smith

Veteran wide receiver Steve Smith cleared out his locker and packed his belongings from the Carolina Panthers' team facility last month.

Was it the first step in the next phase of his career? He has two years remaining on his current contract and is owed $7 million for 2011 and $7.75 million for '12.

Smith, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, wants to be traded and the Los Angeles native prefers a California landing spot. The paper, citing sources close to the situation, indicates the Chargers are extremely interested in acquiring Smith if he becomes available at the conclusion of the NFL lockout. At present, player movement is not allowed because the league is, technically, closed for official business.

Coach Ron Rivera, entering his first season as a head coach, has maintained that Smith is part of the team's future in Carolina.

"Steve's a Carolina Panther. That's a situation where as we go further on we'll address. We'll talk and he knows how I feel about things. My biggest thing is let us put it all together and see how it works, see if it's something that can work for all of us. That's probably the most important thing. But we have to do what's best for the Carolina Panthers," Rivera said in February.

Smith, 32, has played 10 NFL seasons, all with the Panthers, and has 52 touchdowns. But he began last season with a broken arm that kept him out of the preseason and never found a groove amidst a season-long quarterback issue in 2010. The Panthers went 2-14, leaning on rookie Jimmy Clausen after veterans Matt Moore and street free agent Brian St. Pierre went down with injuries.

In December, Smith said Clausen should apologize to the veterans in the huddle and said he had a lot to learn. Clausen had issued an apology to defensive captain Jon Beason for a poor peformance in a 31-10 loss to the Saints.

"I'm the last guy to tell anybody to be apologizing, but if you're going to apologize, you know, you should apologize to the people in the huddle with you," Smith said. "But he has a lot to learn. He ain't in Notre Dame anymore, that's for sure."

The Panthers used the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft on Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. Whether Newton, a junior who won the Heisman Trophy and national championship in his lone season as a starter, can contribute immediately is open to debate. The current lockout, also prohibiting rookies from hands-on learning at the team facility, would seem to favor Clausen returning as the team's starter with Newton learning for most or all of his rookie season.

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

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Newton say he wants Smith to stay in Carolina

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith says he briefly contemplated retiring this offseason as his wife dealt with health issues.

Now that tests have shown she doesn't have lupus, Smith is looking forward to proving he still can be an elite receiver at age 32. But whether the four-time Pro Bowl pick will be paired with No. 1 overall pick Cam Newton remains uncertain.

After Smith sidestepped questions Friday on whether he wants to return to Carolina, Newton made a sales pitch at Smith's youth football camp, Newton told a child he wanted to play for Carolina because it had the top pick "and I wanted to have someone great to throw to."

Asked later if he said that in hopes of swaying Smith, Newton smiled and replied, "Hopefully, he got the message."

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De Smith doesn't charm Maryland grads with speech

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- DeMaurice Smith had barely settled behind the podium when University of Maryland students started chanting: "We want football."

Smith's response: "I want football, too."

The executive director of the NFL Players Association then gave a graduation speech that compared the players' lockout fight against the owners to the detractors the students will face in their future lives. For his final bit of advice, he turned on his own recording of Gary Glitter's Rock and Roll (Part 2) and encouraged everyone to clap while shouting the mild profanity that Maryland fans insert into the song at basketball games.

"To anybody who thinks for one minute that passion is something is that is cheap and futile, I have two words for them: 'You suck,"' Smith said. "And for anybody who would ever think that it is the wrong thing to do to care so much that you're willing to risk everything because it is right, reserve those two words for them."

It was an awkward moment, in part because Smith's recording of the song wasn't very loud. Many of the thousands who packed the Comcast Center -- especially the families and friends -- didn't play along.

After the speech, Smith was asked how those two words might work around a negotiating table.

"All I can do is tell you what I told my 6-year-old daughter when she heard it for the first time," he said diplomatically. "It's all about love."

Smith said no one should be "reading anything into anything" about his use of the song, other than the passion it evokes at Maryland basketball games. Passion was the theme of his speech, and he invoked it when he said the lockout shouldn't be reduced to a catch phrase like "Shut up and play."

"Do we care enough about who we are and who we want to be?" Smith said. "The decision to pursue and if necessary fight for what is fair was a decision those players made two years ago. And I've got to tell you, it's vastly different from something as simple as 'shut up and play.' That's not the decision that we made. We made the decision to fight for who we were going to be and who we are."

Smith, who attended classes at Maryland in 1985 and 1986, declined to comment on any specifics of the NFL's labor situation, including the recent court ruling in St. Louis that set back the players' hopes for an early end to the lockout.

"We believe as a group that it is important to fight for fairness," he said. "And I'm proud of the players who have stepped up to be leaders."

Later Thursday, New York Giants co-owner John Mara had an essay posted on nfl.com and giants.com in which he warned that any victory in the courts by the players could cause chaos throughout the sport.

"The likely changes would be great for NFLPA lawyers, but not for players, teams, or, most importantly, fans," Mara wrote. "For example, there could be no league-wide minimum player salaries, with many players making less than they do today, or no minimum team player costs, with many clubs cutting payrolls the way some teams do in other sports. Other bedrock components of the NFL's competitiveness, such as the draft, would be called into question and assailed as antitrust violations. ...

"There could be varying player benefit plans from team to team, and limits on the ability to enforce other league-wide rules that benefit players, especially rank-and-file players that do not go to the Pro Bowl."

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Chargers reportedly interested in Panthers' WR Smith

Veteran wide receiver Steve Smith cleared out his locker and packed his belongings from the Carolina Panthers' team facility last month.

Was it the first step in the next phase of his career? He has two years remaining on his current contract and is owed $7 million for 2011 and $7.75 million for '12.

Smith, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, wants to be traded and the Los Angeles native prefers a California landing spot. The paper, citing sources close to the situation, indicates the Chargers are extremely interested in acquiring Smith if he becomes available at the conclusion of the NFL lockout. At present, player movement is not allowed because the league is, technically, closed for official business.

Coach Ron Rivera, entering his first season as a head coach, has maintained that Smith is part of the team's future in Carolina.

"Steve's a Carolina Panther. That's a situation where as we go further on we'll address. We'll talk and he knows how I feel about things. My biggest thing is let us put it all together and see how it works, see if it's something that can work for all of us. That's probably the most important thing. But we have to do what's best for the Carolina Panthers," Rivera said in February.

Smith, 32, has played 10 NFL seasons, all with the Panthers, and has 52 touchdowns. But he began last season with a broken arm that kept him out of the preseason and never found a groove amidst a season-long quarterback issue in 2010. The Panthers went 2-14, leaning on rookie Jimmy Clausen after veterans Matt Moore and street free agent Brian St. Pierre went down with injuries.

In December, Smith said Clausen should apologize to the veterans in the huddle and said he had a lot to learn. Clausen had issued an apology to defensive captain Jon Beason for a poor peformance in a 31-10 loss to the Saints.

"I'm the last guy to tell anybody to be apologizing, but if you're going to apologize, you know, you should apologize to the people in the huddle with you," Smith said. "But he has a lot to learn. He ain't in Notre Dame anymore, that's for sure."

The Panthers used the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft on Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. Whether Newton, a junior who won the Heisman Trophy and national championship in his lone season as a starter, can contribute immediately is open to debate. The current lockout, also prohibiting rookies from hands-on learning at the team facility, would seem to favor Clausen returning as the team's starter with Newton learning for most or all of his rookie season.

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

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