FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates Are Game-Time Decisions http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/ladainian-tomlinson-and-antonio-gates-are-game-time-decisions/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/ladainian-tomlinson-and-antonio-gates-are-game-time-decisions/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/ladainian-tomlinson-and-antonio-gates-are-game-time-decisions/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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ESPN's John Clayton reported during NFL Countdown that Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates will be game-time decisions for their Wild Card game against the Indianapolis Colts tonight. Clayton said he thinks that LT will play, but this information puts into doubt about how effective he will be. ESPN's Ed Werder reported that San Diego coach Norv Turner said that LT won't play if he can't be effective.

Remember that in last year's AFC Championship game, LT got a lot of heat for not fighting through a bum knee. Tomlinson got only two carries despite everyone believing that he was good to go. Yet CBS cameras kept panning over to him with his helmet on, sitting on the Chargers bench. It also looked bad when Philip Rivers fought through a worse injury in the very same game.

These Chargers don't have the luxury of Michael Turner as LT's backup (side note: how amazing is it that they had both these guys?). Darren Sproles is a different kind of back who gained just 330 yards rushing this year. And just like their last playoff game in New England, the Chargers will be facing a team with the NFL's longest current winning streak, who also has the MVP at quarterback.

(Via PFT)

 

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]]> antonio gatesAntonioGatesdarren sprolesDarrenSprolesladainian tomlinsonLadainianTomlinsonmichael turnerMichaelTurnerphilip riversPhilipRivers Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2009-01-03T12:00:00 00:00 Despite Not Selling Out, Vikings Brass Pick Now to Complain About New Stadium http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/despite-not-selling-out-vikings-brass-pick-now-to-complain-abou/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/despite-not-selling-out-vikings-brass-pick-now-to-complain-abou/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/despite-not-selling-out-vikings-brass-pick-now-to-complain-abou/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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With the Vikings just hours away from the deadline to sell their remaining tickets for tomorrow's Wild Card game against the Philadelphia Eagles, the organization decided this was the best time to push for a new stadium.

Though the economy is crunching the country, Vikings owner Zygi Wilf decided that what Minnesota needs is a $954 million state-of-the-art stadium for his team. Wilf and his Vice President of Stadium Development, Lester Bagley, think that a new stadium will be a huge economic boost and keep jobs in the Twin Cities. He and Wilf also believe that Minnesota should use some most of their economic stimulus package on the new stadium.

The Minnesota legislature isn't putting this request very high on their list of priorities. The state is in a budget crisis and can't flip the over $600 million bill that Wilf wants them to pick up. Because of this, the threats are starting to fly.
"It's reality check time," Bagley said. "If we want an NFL franchise in this state, we have to resolve the stadium issue. Time is running out. If nothing gets done, then maybe the Wilfs throw in the towel."
The lease at the Metrodome expires in 2011 so the Vikings could go elsewhere with very few strings attached.

 

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]]> zygi wilfZygiWilf Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2009-01-03T11:27:00 00:00 Behind Enemy Lines: Talking Wild Card With Eagles and Vikings Bloggers http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/behind-enemy-lines-talking-wild-card-with-eagles-and-vikings-bl/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/behind-enemy-lines-talking-wild-card-with-eagles-and-vikings-bl/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/behind-enemy-lines-talking-wild-card-with-eagles-and-vikings-bl/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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As we get ready for the Wildcard Weekend matchup of the Vikings and Eagles, Dan Zinksi from The Viking Age and Derek from Iggles Blog were nice enough to offer some insights on their teams for this week's Behind Enemy Lines feature.

Sportz Assassin: How do both of you feel about how your teams are playing heading into the playoffs?

Dan Zinksi (Viking Age): I would've been happier if the Vikes hadn't needed a 10-point comeback against the Giants' second-stringers to win their last game. I think they're shaky. I think Tarvaris Jackson's performance was a bit of a mirage, since a lot of it came against some bad pass defenses. I get nervous every time Adrian Peterson touches the ball now, because he keeps fumbling. I don't think they're exactly going into the playoffs with momentum.

Derek (Iggles Blog): I'd feel a lot better if the Eagles had won that "must win" game against the Redskins two weeks ago. These guys are clearly playing some good football right now, but I still think they're short a couple of guys needed to make a Super Bowl run.

 

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]]> adrian petersonAdrianPetersonandy reidAndyReidbehindenemylinesbrad childressBradChildressbrian westbrookBrianWestbrookdonovan mcnabbDonovanMcnabbFanHousesNFLplayoffcoveragejared allenJaredAllenjim johnsonJimJohnsonmike shanahanMikeShanahanpat williamsPatWilliamstarvaris jacksonTarvarisJacksonzygi wilfZygiWilf Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2009-01-03T10:20:00 00:00 Behind Enemy Lines: Talking Wild Card With a Chargers Blogger http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/behind-enemy-lines-talking-wildcard-with-a-chargers-blogger/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/behind-enemy-lines-talking-wildcard-with-a-chargers-blogger/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/behind-enemy-lines-talking-wildcard-with-a-chargers-blogger/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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As we get ready for the Wildcard Weekend matchup of the Chargers and Colts, Loren Casuto from Bolt Talk was nice enough to offer some insights on the Chargers for this week's Behind Enemy Lines feature.

Sportz Assassin: How do both of you feel about how the Chargers are playing heading into the playoffs?

Loren Casuto: It's a minor miracle, no team has ever come back from 4-8 to make the playoffs. The Chargers showed an incredible amount of heart and grit to play as hard and well as they did when everyone, even some Charger fans, wrote them off for dead. I'm thrilled because this is what we were expecting at the start of the season and now the real work for the Chargers can begin.

Sportz: San Diego and Indianapolis have had some great battles in recent years. What, if anything, from those games will help decide this playoff game?

 

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]]> antonio cromartieAntonioCromartieFanHousesNFLplayoffcoveragepeyton manningPeytonManningshaun phillipsShaunPhillipsshawne merrimanShawneMerriman Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2009-01-03T01:20:00 00:00 Behind Enemy Lines: Talking Wild Card With Dolphins and Ravens Bloggers http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/01/behind-enemy-lines-talking-wildcard-with-dolphins-and-ravens-b/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/01/behind-enemy-lines-talking-wildcard-with-dolphins-and-ravens-b/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/01/behind-enemy-lines-talking-wildcard-with-dolphins-and-ravens-b/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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As we get ready for the Wild Card Weekend matchup of the Dolphins and Ravens, Brian Miller from PhinPhanatic and Tony Lombardi from ProFootball24x7 were nice enough to offer some insights on their teams for this week's Behind Enemy Lines feature.

Sportz Assassin: How do both of you feel about how your teams are playing heading into the playoffs?

Brian Miller (PhinPhanatic): I like the fact that no one is giving us any real credit for getting there. Jim Mora says on air that the best AFC East team is New England and there has been little "props" for winning the division as most of the kudos surrounds simply the turnaround. The Ravens are three-point favorites in this game and the Phins are getting tired of feeling second rate.

Tony Lombardi (ProFootball24x7): The Ravens are really beginning to gel in Cam Cameron's offense and now they are getting contributions from Mark Clayton and Willis McGahee. Joe Flacco has come on strong since the last meeting with the Dolphins and has the third highest road QB rating among NFL quarterbacks. And of course the team's defense is always dependable. The Ravens could be a dangerous post season participant.

 

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]]> behindenemylinescam cameronCamCameronchad penningtonChadPenningtondave wannstedtDaveWannstedtdon shulaDonShulaed reedEdReedFanHousesNFLplayoffcoveragejimmy johnsonJimmyJohnsonjoe flaccoJoeFlaccomark claytonMarkClaytonnick sabanNickSabanray lewisRayLewistony sparanoTonySparanowillis mcgaheeWillisMcgahee Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2009-01-01T13:45:00 00:00 Let's Go Ahead and Start Those Mike Shanahan-to-Cowboys Rumors http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/31/lets-go-ahead-and-start-those-mike-shanahan-to-cowboys-rumors/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/31/lets-go-ahead-and-start-those-mike-shanahan-to-cowboys-rumors/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/31/lets-go-ahead-and-start-those-mike-shanahan-to-cowboys-rumors/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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You have to love the fact that Mike Shanahan is fired by the Denver Broncos yet, to some, can have his pick of the myriad of job openings around the NFL.

The one that is getting the most run is Shanahan going to the Dallas Cowboys. He is cool with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, tried to get Terrell Owens to Denver and wanted Tony Romo as a college free agent (they both are Eastern Illinois alums). Though it has been a while, Shanahan has won two Super Bowls and Jerrah Jones is dying to have that kind of success.

He has also had success with young quarterbacks, like Romo, and been able to squeeze the best out of his offensive line and running backs.

One interesting subplot to this is the fact that current Cowboys had coach Wade Phillips is supposed to be keeping his job. Still, you can't put it past Jones to can Phillips for Shanahan. By the way, Shanahan got the Denver gig 14 years ago after the Broncos fired ... Wade Phillips.

Also, there has been some rumblings that the Broncos could go after current Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett for their head coaching position. Remember that Garrett was perceived as Phillips' eventual successor before a sub-par offensive showing this season.

 

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]]> jason garrettJasonGarrettmike shanahanMikeShanahanterrell owensTerrellOwenstony romoTonyRomowade phillipsWadePhillips Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-31T00:44:00 00:00 Michael Turner Involved in Domestic Dispute http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/31/michael-turner-involved-in-domestic-dispute/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/31/michael-turner-involved-in-domestic-dispute/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/31/michael-turner-involved-in-domestic-dispute/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner was reportedly involved in a domestic dispute. Gwinnett County Police responded to a call Monday evening that involved Turner and the mother of his infant child, though no arrests were made.
Gwinnett County Police Corp. David Schiralli said police responded to a call between 7 and 8 p.m. EST Monday, but he would not identify the woman or the site of the incident.

Police made no arrests and do not plan to file charges.

"There is not enough probable cause for us to proceed any further," Schiralli said.
No charges is good news for Atlanta. Turner was the NFL's second-leading rusher this year with 1,699 yards and 16 touchdowns. His Pro-Bowl effort help earn the Falcons an improbable wildcard berth. Only Eric Dickerson and Ricky Williams rushed for more TDs in their first season with a new team.

 

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]]> eric dickersonEricDickersonmichael turnerMichaelTurnerricky williamsRickyWilliams Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-31T00:08:00 00:00 Redskins' Carlos Rogers Wants Out: 'I'm Not a Backup to Nobody' http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/redskins-carlos-rogers-wants-out-im-not-a-backup-to-nobody/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/redskins-carlos-rogers-wants-out-im-not-a-backup-to-nobody/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/redskins-carlos-rogers-wants-out-im-not-a-backup-to-nobody/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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Carlos RogersWith the Redskins' season ending unceremoniously with a loss in San Francisco, thoughts of the 2009 season have already begun.

Cornerback Carlos Rogers believes that he shouldn't be a part of those thoughts.
"I'm not a backup to nobody," Rogers said. "I'm a starter in this league. Everybody knows that. There's a lot of teams that would give their right arm to have me on their team."

"In Cincinnati, I played [just] nine plays," Rogers said. "I'm used to playing 60 to 70 plays. All of a sudden, you're a backup, you're a nickel, you're a third corner. That don't sit well with me. I still haven't had answers to the questions I want to know."
Rogers had a great start to the season as the team's No. 1 corner, but saw his playing time reduced towards the end of the season. That coincided with the Redskins bringing in DeAngelo Hall -- who is also looking at signing a long-term deal with the team -- and the improved health of Shawn Springs.

Rogers plans on meeting with secondary coach Jerry Gray, who is a candidate for the Detroit Lions head coaching job. If Rogers doesn't get the answers he wants from Gray, he could request a trade.

 

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]]> carlos rogersCarlosRogersdeangelo hallDeangeloHalljerry grayJerryGrayshawn springsShawnSprings Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-30T10:20:00 00:00 Crennel Wouldn't Mind Staying In Cleveland As an Assistant to New Coach http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/crennel-wouldnt-mind-staying-in-cleveland-as-an-assistant-to-ne/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/crennel-wouldnt-mind-staying-in-cleveland-as-an-assistant-to-ne/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/crennel-wouldnt-mind-staying-in-cleveland-as-an-assistant-to-ne/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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Just because he's not going to be the head coach anymore doesn't mean that Romeo Crennel's time with the Cleveland Browns is up. He told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that he would consider staying on with the team if the new head coach asks him to.
"You'd have to be careful about how it would be looked on by the new people coming in," he said. "They don't want anyone looking over their shoulder, particularly someone who was here before. Even though the position might not be one they're directly in charge of, human nature gets into this thing a little bit. If that's their perception, whether it's right or wrong, it might impact their judgment or impact the way they do things."
This could actually happen if Scott Pioli takes the vacant general manager position with the Browns. Crennel has a great relationship with Pioli from their time together with the New England Patriots. Another factor could be that the Browns are interested in recently fired Jets coach Eric Mangini. Crennel and Mangini have remained close friends from their days in New England.

 

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]]> eric manginiEricManginiromeo crennelRomeoCrennelscott pioliScottPioli Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-30T10:18:00 00:00 Eli Manning Has No Plans to Spend Bye Week In Mexico http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/eli-manning-has-no-plans-to-spend-bye-week-in-mexico/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/eli-manning-has-no-plans-to-spend-bye-week-in-mexico/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/30/eli-manning-has-no-plans-to-spend-bye-week-in-mexico/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning will get to enjoy a bye for the first week of the NFL postseason. His brother, Peyton, will lead his Colts into San Diego to take on the Chargers this Saturday night.

So, during a conference call, Eli was asked if he was going to San Diego to watch Peyton's game:
"No, no, no plans," Manning said. As an afterthought, Manning added: "My plans to Cabo fell through, so I am going to sit here. That is a joke, by the way."
That, obviously, is a jab at Tony Romo's vacation to Cabo during last year's playoffs. The Dallas Cowboys had the No. 1 seed in the NFC last year and an off week, just as the Giants do this year. Romo spent his off week in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with Jessica Simpson and her family. Romo's Cowboys would go on to lose to Eli's Giants the very next week.

 

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]]> eli manningEliManningjessica simpsonJessicaSimpsonpeyton manningPeytonManningtony romoTonyRomo Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-30T09:28:00 00:00 NFL Playoffs: Who Won't Be There http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/29/nfl-playoffs-who-wont-be-there/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/29/nfl-playoffs-who-wont-be-there/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/29/nfl-playoffs-who-wont-be-there/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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We all know the 12 teams that will be in the NFL playoffs, all of whom (mostly) deserve to be there.

The bigger story may be who won't be in the playoffs. There were several teams that came into the season with big dreams while others had a nice start to the season. Yet they still didn't make it.

New England Patriots

In the 2000s, only one team lost a Super Bowl and made the playoffs the next season. We love pointing that out, but never imagined that could happen to these Patriots. New England just came off an undefeated regular season and lost the Super Bowl in the game's final moments. But all it took was an injury to Tom Brady to put the season in doubt. Matt Cassel did a great job filling in, but injuries to the stable of running backs and a defense that, at times, looked its age forced New England slip up just enough to miss the playoffs.

They will be only the second team with 11 victories to not make the playoffs. To many, it is justice to see the Pats not in the postseason despite having a better record than four teams that will be.

 

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]]> aaron rodgersAaronRodgersbrett favreBrettFavreFanHousesNFLplayoffcoveragematt casselMattCasseltom bradyTomBradytony romoTonyRomo Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-29T13:30:00 00:00 All Four Home Teams Are Underdogs for Wild-Card Weekend http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/29/all-four-home-teams-are-underdogs-for-wildcard-weekend/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/29/all-four-home-teams-are-underdogs-for-wildcard-weekend/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/29/all-four-home-teams-are-underdogs-for-wildcard-weekend/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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Winning an NFL division championship means a playoff spot, a home game and nothing else. All four teams that will be hosting the wildcard round of the playoffs are underdogs.

The lines for the four wildcard games has been set:

Eagles (-3) at Vikings
Falcons (-2.5) at Cardinals
Colts (-2.5) at Chargers
Ravens (-3) at Dolphins

The Falcons have two more wins than the Cardinals. The Colts have four more wins than the Chargers. The Ravens and Dolphins have the same record. The Eagles finished with just one less win than the Vikings but the same amount of losses.

Since the NFL has established the current playoff format in 2002, this has not been rare. In both the 2004 and 2005 playoffs, three of the four road teams won their wildcard matchups. This year, we have our first 8-8 division champion since 1985.

 

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]]> FanHousesNFLplayoffcoverage Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-29T09:15:00 00:00 How Should the 2008 Season Be Viewed by Washington Redskins Fans? http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/29/how-should-the-2008-season-be-viewed-by-washington-redskins-fans/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/29/how-should-the-2008-season-be-viewed-by-washington-redskins-fans/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/29/how-should-the-2008-season-be-viewed-by-washington-redskins-fans/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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How would Redskins fans feel about an 8-8 season? It depends on when you ask.

If you asked in January when the Redskins were eliminated from the first round of the playoffs, Skins fans wouldn't be too happy. If you asked in July when a rookie head coach was implementing a new offense, they'd be happy. If you asked in September after the Redskins horrible loss to the Giants in the regular season opener, they'd be ecstatic.

However, if you asked in late October when the Redskins were 6-2, they'd be ticked off.

That's how this Redskins fan feels right about now. Sure, if you told me when the season started that the Redskins would finish the season 8-8, I would have taken it. Washington had some talent but was ushering in a new system and a new way of doing things. The NFC East looked stacked and the schedule looked daunting.

However, the Redskins jumped out to that 6-2 start and expectations change.

 

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]]> jason campbellJasonCampbelljim zornJimZorn Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-29T00:41:00 00:00 Browns Fire Phil Savage; Plan On Firing Romeo Crennel Any Minute Now http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/browns-fire-phil-savage-plan-on-firing-romeo-crennel-any-minute/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/browns-fire-phil-savage-plan-on-firing-romeo-crennel-any-minute/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/browns-fire-phil-savage-plan-on-firing-romeo-crennel-any-minute/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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The holiday season doesn't bring good tidings for everybody. Just ask those head coaches who are spending the New Year cleaning out their offices.

The Cleveland Browns have officially fired general manager Phil Savage. Owner Randy Lerner made the decision before the Browns' game with the Steelers but waited until after the game to make it official. Lerner called Savage after Cleveland's 31-0 loss to tell him that he will not be retained.

Lerner didn't attend the game in Pittsburgh because he reportedly was busy setting up interviews for the week. Tops on the list is former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher and current Patriots vice president Scott Pioli. Because the Patriots were eliminated from playoff contention today, he will be available for interviews immediately.

There are conflicting reports about whether or not Romeo Crennel has been fired already. Some reports say that it has already happened, others say it will happen as soon as tonight. The Browns are expected to interview Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo this week. With the Giants' first round bye, there is a one-week window, in which their assistants can be interviewed for other jobs.

 

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]]> 08coachingchangesbill cowherBillCowherkellen winslowKellenWinslowphil savagePhilSavageromeo crennelRomeoCrennelsteve spagnuoloSteveSpagnuolo Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-28T20:09:00 00:00 Can You Believe It? Miami Dolphins Are AFC East Champions http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/can-you-believe-it-miami-dolphins-are-afc-east-champions/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/can-you-believe-it-miami-dolphins-are-afc-east-champions/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/can-you-believe-it-miami-dolphins-are-afc-east-champions/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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One year ago, it would have been impossible to predict that the Miami Dolphins would win the AFC East. They had just finished an embarrassing 1-15 season and were set to overhaul the entire organization. Miami was a laughingstock of a franchise and had as much bad luck as any team could have.

They were also members of a division that housed the team that went an entire regular season undefeated, another that traded for Brett Favre, and another that was on the verge of becoming one of the better teams in the league. The face of their franchise was a guy who was sitting in the coaches' booth. All most Phins fans were hoping for were glimpses of getting back on track and going in the right direction.

Being a 7-9 team didn't look too bad.

Yes, some things fell in the Dolphins favor. Tom Brady shredding his knee brought the New England Patriots back to the pack a bit, while the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets had late-season swoons that negated their hot starts. If any of those teams had some things fall their way instead, Miami wouldn't be in the playoffs right now.

 

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]]> bill parcellsBillParcellsbrett favreBrettFavrechad penningtonChadPenningtonronnie brownRonnieBrowntony sparanoTonySparano Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-28T19:41:00 00:00 Cowboys Complete Collapse and End Most Disappointing Season in Franchise History http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/cowboys-complete-collapse-and-end-most-disappointing-season-in-f/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/cowboys-complete-collapse-and-end-most-disappointing-season-in-f/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/cowboys-complete-collapse-and-end-most-disappointing-season-in-f/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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This has got to be the most disappointing season in the history of the Dallas Cowboys. Oh, many seasons ended with the Cowboys not winning the championship, and others have had disappointing finishes, but none have been like this.

The Cowboys were the preseason favorites to win the NFC Championship and get to the Super Bowl. After the first three weeks of the season, Dallas had the look of the best team in the NFL. Tony Romo, Marion Barber, Terrell Owens and Jason Witten were firing on all cylinders, and there was no way this year would end with anything less than a Super Bowl.

Then the Redskins came into Big D and knocked that smile off their face. The win showed the league that Dallas can be contained and beaten. The next week saw them barely squeak out a home win over the lowly Cincinnati Bengals. From there were losses in Arizona and St. Louis (one of the Rams' two wins all season) and the Cowboys were suddenly 4-3 and without Romo for a month.

 

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]]> jason wittenJasonWittenjerry jonesJerryJonesmarion barberMarionBarberpacman jonesPacmanJonesterrell owensTerrellOwenstony romoTonyRomo Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-28T19:20:00 00:00 Panthers Win NFC South Championship and the NFC's No. 2 Seed http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/panthers-win-nfc-south-championship-and-the-nfcs-no-2-seed/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/panthers-win-nfc-south-championship-and-the-nfcs-no-2-seed/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/panthers-win-nfc-south-championship-and-the-nfcs-no-2-seed/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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The Carolina Panthers are deserving NFC South champions.

They became the only NFC South team to win a divisional game on the road all season. Heading into today, the Panthers, Falcons, Buccaneers and Saints all won their home games against other division foes. That extra victory gave the Panthers the division title.

Today, Carolina went into New Orleans and beat the Saints, 33-31, breaking that streak. They also become the only NFC South team win a winning division record.

With the win comes the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs and a first round bye. The Panthers can use the week off to get guys healthy before hosting the Vikings, Cardinals or Falcons in two weeks.

This is the third time the Panthers have won their division and their fourth playoff appearance. All three previous trips saw Carolina in the NFC title game (against the Packers in 1995; the Eagles in 2003; the Seahawks in 2005) with the Panthers reaching Super Bowl XXXVIII.

 

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]]> deangelo williamsDeangeloWilliamsjonathan stewartJonathanStewart Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-28T18:20:00 00:00 Romo, Again, Comes Up Small in Big Games http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/romo-again-comes-up-big-in-big-games/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/romo-again-comes-up-big-in-big-games/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/romo-again-comes-up-big-in-big-games/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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Cowboys haters love to point out that Tony Romo doesn't perform well on the big stage. His signature moment in this regard was the fumbled hold on a field goal attempt that would have beaten the Seattle Seahawks in the 2006 playoffs. For all the wins and successes he has had as a young quarterback, he has nothing to show for it.

So it should surprise no one that, as I type this, the Cowboys are down 34-3 to the Philadelphia Eagles. The latest score came off a Romo fumble that was returned by Chris Clemons 73 yards for a touchdown.

Earlier in the game, the Cowboys were driving towards midfield when Romo threw an interception. Philadelphia would capitalize on the turnover by scoring a touchdown and building a 24-3 lead.

This is a virtual playoff game as the winner will face Minnesota next week in the wild card round of the playoffs.

As I type this, Romo is 13-for-24 for 91 yards with no touchdowns and two turnovers.

UPDATE: Thanks to a Marion Barber fumble, the Eagles now lead 41-3

UPDATE II: Romo turns the ball over for the third time. He has the ball stripped as he scrambled for a first down.

 

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]]> marion barberMarionBarbertony romoTonyRomo Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-28T18:06:00 00:00 Bengals 16, Chiefs 6: Kansas City Finishes Worst Season in Franchise History http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/bengals-16-chiefs-6-kansas-city-finishes-worst-season-in-fran/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/bengals-16-chiefs-6-kansas-city-finishes-worst-season-in-fran/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/bengals-16-chiefs-6-kansas-city-finishes-worst-season-in-fran/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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Compared to what Lions fans are dealing with, folks in Kansas City and Cincinnati are rooting for a team that is on the right track. Of course, we all know that isn't true, as the Chiefs just capped off a 2-14 season, their worst in franchise history.

They did manage to win two games, but this truly was one of the worst teams in NFL history. Counting last year, they have lost 23 of 25 games. The Chiefs recorded just 10 sacks this season, breaking the record for least sacks in a season (the Colts had 11 in 1982).

What is amazing is that they were sharing the field with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals have been one of the worst franchises in the NFL over the past 17 years and were 1-11-1 just three weeks ago. An upset win over the Redskins and wins over the listless Browns and Chiefs gave Cincy a nice three-game winning streak to end the season. It also gives an excuse for owner Mike Brown to stay the course and keep head coach Marvin Lewis.

 

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]]> 08nflrecapscarson palmerCarsonPalmercedric bensonCedricBensonchad johnsonChadJohnsonherm edwardsHermEdwardslarry johnsonLarryJohnsonryan fitzpatrickRyanFitzpatricktj houshmandzadehTjHoushmandzadeh Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-28T17:18:00 00:00 Thanks to Buccaneers and Bears, Cowboys-Eagles Turns Into a Playoff Game http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/thanks-to-buccaneers-and-bears-cowboys-eagles-turns-into-a-play/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/thanks-to-buccaneers-and-bears-cowboys-eagles-turns-into-a-play/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2008/12/28/thanks-to-buccaneers-and-bears-cowboys-eagles-turns-into-a-play/#comments Sportz Assassinby Sportz Assassin

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Coming into the day, the Dallas Cowboys knew if they beat the Eagles this afternoon they would be in the playoffs. Philadelphia knew that they needed a lot of help during the early games to know if they had anything to play for.

They do.

Thanks to Tampa Bay's monumental meltdown and Chicago losing in Houston, the Philadelphia Eagles are a win away from the playoffs. Heck, this makes the Cowboys-Eagles a de-facto postseason game.

Now things are really looking up for Philly. Dallas has lost their last eight season finales and has lost eight of eleven in the City of Brotherly Love. There is also this little thing about Tony Romo and the Cowboys coming up short in playoff games. Since this is a win-or-go-home atmosphere for both teams, it will be interesting to see how Romo performs.

The winner of the Cowboys-Eagles game will travel to play Minnesota next weekend.

 

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]]> donovan mcnabbDonovanMcnabbtony romoTonyRomo Sportz Assassin sportz-assassin 2008-12-28T16:02:00 00:00