Paige: Broncos coach Fox wants winner for next ring - The Denver Post
The late Gillman, a pass-offense genius, and Fox, a run-oriented coach, disagreed about a critical offensive strategy. Gillman felt that running the football was an unnecessary nuisance. "He would tell us that in any situation, if he had to choose between his worst pass play and his best run play, he'd call the pass. "I'm the opposite. I'd rather use my worst run play than my best pass play."
Broncos Mailbag: Six picks more than "only" - The Denver Post
Their voids are in the fourth and fifth rounds. And you do need those rounds for immediate special teams help. And to find the occasional Elvis Dumervil and Marshall. But in general, teams look for starters in the first three rounds. And it is there the Broncos are in good shape. They needed a horrific, 4-12 season to get in good draft shape, but so it goes in the NFL's quest for competitive balance.
Q&A: Broncos a better fit for Allen - The Denver Post
Allen's close friends have said he was considering offers from both teams, and Allen has publicly said he considered Denver a "better fit" after interviewing with both teams. Allen is obviously going to limit what he says about the interview process, but in talking to many of his former associates in coaching, working for Fox was a big part of Allen's decision.
Klis: Matthews is Green Bay's mane man - The Denver Post
Elway the football celebrity will be making an appearance on behalf of Visa. Elway the Broncos' front-office boss has a huge decision coming up regarding veteran cornerback Champ Bailey.
2010 Season Review: Fourth Quarter
DenverBroncos.com closes a four-part series looking back at the 2010 season. A come-from-behind win against the Texans highlighted the final quarter of the season.
NFL NEWS
Patience in NFL draft pays off for Packers, Steelers - The Denver Post
The Packers had a Hall of Famer behind center and took Rodgers anyway, because they did their homework and they took the best player available.
Forte: It takes a half to figure out the Packers defense | ProFootballTalk
Forte said the Bears were able to "settle down" against the Packers in the NFC Championship after halftime. Staying patient is easier said than done. "The tough thing is they have a good offense," Forte said. "If you are trying to figure out what to do against them while they are scoring points, you get behind easily." So what makes them so tough to figure out?
Rabid Packers and Steelers Fans Put Super Bowl on Their Itinerary - NYTimes.com
Just moments after the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears for the N.F.C. championship, Tony Hoes ran for the phone to call Titletown Tickets, a tour operator. After waiting nervously on hold, Hoes plunked down $10,000 for two trip packages to suburban Dallas so he and his wife can see the Packers play in the Super Bowl for the first time in 13 years.
Mike Tomlin Makes Steelers His Team With "Militant" Approach - NYTimes.com
"Mike Tomlin was very militant when he came here. He wanted to see who would challenge his authority and he got rid of some of the guys that questioned his authority a little bit. He kept the guys that followed what he wanted."
Cold, Hard Football Facts.com: A sacred Hog slaughtered: the untold story of the Super Bowl's greatest ass-whuppin'
The Cold, Hard Football Facts have never worshiped at the altar of the sacred cows of the game. Turns out, even sacred Hogs are no match for our razor-sharp knives of analysis.
NFL.com news: Fans plan ahead as inclimate weather hits Dallas area
A storm is expected to dump more than a foot of snow on parts of the Midwest and bring freezing rain and bone-chilling cold to parts of Texas on Tuesday and Wednesday. There's a chance of light snow off and on this week in the Dallas area, which is hosting Sunday's Super Bowl between Green Bay and Pittsburgh.
On Way to Super Bowl, Steelers Groom Linebackers Their Way - NYTimes.com
But it is the current iteration of the Steelers that has come close to perfecting the care and feeding of linebackers, unearthing them even in the draft’s late rounds, sometimes changing their positions, keeping plenty of them in the pipeline and then making them sit, marinating in a difficult defense until its details seep in.
ProFootballWeekly.com - Super Bowl XLV preview
Super Bowl XLV has it all: history, superstar sizzle and impassioned fans. It all adds up to what should be a great matchup in the first big game held in the Dallas area.
Packers, Steelers, Roger Goodell in spotlight as Super Bowl nears - Peter King - SI.com
We'll start off with a tease for a project of mine. I've spent some time this season following Commissioner Roger Goodell around for a story due to run in Sports Illustrated this week. It's the longest piece I've done for the magazine, around 6,800 words (if the editors are kind). It's not so much about the labor deal, more about just who this guy is -- though, obviously, I try to illustrate whether he can bridge the oceanic gap in these talks between players and owners.
NFL.com news: Writer clarifies Goodell's quote about players' take on Big Ben
Sports Illustrated's Peter King, who used the quote in question, issued a clarification Monday night, explaining that Goodell wasn't referring to Steelers players when he said "two dozen players" had no nice things to say about Roethlisberger.
Super Bowl A Magnet For Under - Age Sex Trade - NYTimes.com
Pimps will traffic thousands of under-age prostitutes to Texas for Sunday's Super Bowl, hoping to do business with men arriving for the big game with money to burn, child rights advocates said.
Hyping the Hype About Super Bowl Hype - NYTimes.com
Those of us covering the Super Bowl often self-consciously acknowledge the hype before contributing to it. A Google Search of "Super Bowl Hype" on Monday afternoon revealed 4,123 news articles. Mentioning the hype in a headline or lead is like a mini-apology to the reader or viewer, akin to saying "It’s just my job," before repossessing your truck. "We know we have gone too far," we tell our audience. "Now come with us a little further."
Sampling Restaurants Near Super Bowl - Sam Sifton - NYTimes.com
All over the city and region parking lots are being expanded or resurfaced in anticipation. Landscapers trim bushes and trees, plant flowers. Men repair streetlights and potholes along Interstate 30, the corridor that links Fort Worth to Dallas. The odor of fresh paint fills the hallways of local hotels. Enforcement of a new anti-panhandling law has been stepped up.
Steelers, Packers prove pass defense wins Super Bowls - Kerry J. Byrne - SI.com
But more importantly, both teams dominate on pass defense, too -- especially when measured by what we call Defensive Passer Rating, perhaps the most important indicator in football. We simply apply the formula used to rate quarterbacks to pass defense. It has an incredibly high correlation to team success.
ProFootballWeekly.com - Lombardi and Noll meet the press
They take their chairs. 1,300 take a quick breath. Hushed, like the start of Mass. Then a voice. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Chuck Noll and Vince Lombardi." Vincent and The Emperor, fine and fit, just how you remembered them. Applause is normally a protocol breach in press conferences; today it is not.
Pro Bowl draws NFL's highest All-Star ratings in 11 years - ESPN
For NFL junkies, even half-speed football helps fill the two-week void between the conference championships and the Super Bowl.
Suspended Sal Alosi resigns from position with New York Jets - ESPN New York
Alosi tripped Nolan Carroll, a gunner on the Dolphins' punt-coverage team. The following day, Alosi offered a public apology and was suspended for the remainder of the season without pay and fined $25,000. It was going to cost him a total of about $50,000.
Farmers will sponsor LA stadium, source says - ESPN Los Angeles
"AEG is expecting taxpayers to dole out well over a billion dollars for a proposal that will compromise the City's general fund, the L.A. Convention Center, the new stadium and the financial success of any potential NFL team," said John Semcken, vice president of Majestic Reality, who has been working with Roski over the last 15 years to attract an NFL team back to Los Angeles.
Browns won't hire offensive coordinator? - AFC North Blog - ESPN
The Browns have been in discussions with Whipple for a couple of weeks, but it was assumed he was up for the team's vacant offensive coordinator position. It turns out, Schefter writes Cleveland is not likely to fill that position and is comfortable going forward with head coach Pat Shurmur calling the plays and Whipple working closely with rookie quarterback Colt McCoy
Advanced NFL Stats: Defensive Gamblers
It could be that game situations or a team's offensive strengths dictate a certain risk profile on defense. It could be that poor defenses are just on the field for more plays, giving them more opportunities for both positive and negative outcomes. Much more research would be needed to understand what's going on. But whatever the causal relationship is, there is a relationship.
Ray Sherman to satisfy Rooney Rule, again | ProFootballTalk
Sherman, an African American, was used to satisfy the Rooney Rule for Dallas owner Jerry Jones. Sherman will do the same for the Titans.
NFL DRAFT
Ravens still high on Terrence Cody | National Football Post
Cody overcame arthroscopic knee surgery before the regular season to repair his lateral meniscus, starting once and playing in 13 games after missing the first three games. The second-round pick from Alabama recorded 13 tackles during the regular season, forcing a fumble in the playoffs.
NFLPA Bowl Preview | National Football Post
5. DT Jerrell Powe: Mississippi A former five-star recruit, Powe has had a real rollercoaster of a ride during his time at Ole Miss. Struggled with weight and academic problems during the early part of his career, only to recommit himself in 2009 and develop into one of the more dominant defensive linemen in the SEC.
Newton taking unnecessary risk with media workout - CBSSports.com
Despite winning the Heisman Trophy and BCS Championship, there are plenty of questions about the Auburn junior's ability to translate his success into the NFL. The spread-option offense he ran under Gus Malzahn's direction won't cut in the NFL. He'll need to be able to read defenses quicker, be more accurate with a greater variety of passes and do both while dropping back from center -- something he was rarely asked to do with the Tigers.
10 NFL Draft prospects to follow in the NFLPA Game - Mocking The Draft
89. Jerrell Powe | DT | Ole Miss At 6'2, 320 pounds, Powe has the kind of compact build that naturally gives him leverage. With that leverage, Powe is stout against the run. He didn't have quite the season everyone expected, but he's arguably the best player in this year's game.
ROCKOUT WITH YOUR MOCKOUT LOCKOUT
CBS won't air players union ad
Advertisements are often declined by networks if deemed offensive or for other reasons, but the union considered the move to be evidence CBS sides with the league. CBS has a $622 million per year broadcast deal with the NFL. CBS officials did not respond to requests for comment.
CBS declines to run ad submitted by NFL players union
The league, according to the legal complaint, lowered its price to get the lockout insurance, and by doing so breached its obligations to share revenue with players. "In essence, the NFL knowingly left money on the table . . . at the expense of the players," said players association counsel Jeffrey L. Kessler. "The NFL thus has acted in bad faith."
NFL, NFLPA to have CBA negotiating session Saturday before Super Bowl - ESPN
"They also agreed to a series of meetings over the next few weeks, both formal bargaining sessions and smaller group meetings, in an effort to reach a new agreement by early March," the statement said.
Goodell finishes third in NFL compensation | ProFootballTalk
According to Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal, NFL Network chief Steve Bornstein earned $12.65 million during the league’s most recent fiscal year, which ended March 31, 2010. Goodell earned only (only?) $9.69 million.
Vince Wilfork: 18-game season ‘stupid’ - BostonHerald.com
"Playing 20 games, then going into the postseason, I think that will hurt the better teams," he said. "You wind up playing two seasons because of all of those games. So you never get a chance to get your team back, or their bodies back. So again, I think 18 games would be real stupid."
A Battle Between Owner And Slave Could Lead To An NFL Lockout | News One
What is in common in employer rhetoric, whether it is the rhetoric of the NFL owners, government officials speaking about public workers, or corporate types attacking auto workers, is something one learns in watching a magic show: keep the audience distracted and focused away from what is really going on. Pay attention to what is happening in the NFL. It is far more important than any game.
Analysis: Rookies will suffer, too, if NFL lockout occurs
Under a lockout, the immediate impact on a drafted rookie would be a ban on participating in the traditional day-after press conference at his new team's headquarters. Those are feel-good moments, often attended by the player and a combination of his parents, close family members, agent and friends.
With NFL lockout looming, Browns likely to suffer worst of all - Cleveland Sports | Examiner.com
A likely outcome is a last-minute deal that saves the season in some form. And that’s fine for teams with an offensive and defensive system already in place. But what about the franchises that just hired a new head coach…