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NFL confirms Wes Welker's hit on Aqib Talib was legal; Richard Sherman says he is "not a villain" - Horse Tracks

An interview with John Elway, the NFL's findings on Wes Welker's hit on Aqib Talib, and Richard Sherman's Richard Nixon-ish press conference headline a day chock-full of Broncos-Seahawks Super Bowl XLVIII coverage.

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Seattle-area teen fired after wearing Denver Broncos jersey to work
A Seattle-area teen was sent home from work for wearing a Denver Broncos jersey on championship Sunday, then was fired when he never returned.

Video: John Elway on assembling Denver’s roster and Peyton Manning’s future | The MMQB with Peter King
The MMQB's Peter King sits down with Denver Broncos Vice President John Elway.

Super Bowl XLVIII Behind the Scenes: Jersey Prep
Go behind the scenes and view photos of Hilda Mayr sewing on the Broncos' Super Bowl XLVIII jersey patches at her Centennial, Colo. shop.

Welker's hit on Talib deemed legal

NFL VP: Wes Welker's hit on Aqib Talib was legal
New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick says Denver Broncos receiver Wes Welker's pick on cornerback Aqib Talib was a deliberate act and

NFL deems Wes Welker hit on Aqib Talib legal, talks to Bill Belichick - ESPN Boston
NFL Vice President of Officiating Dean Blandino has spared Denver Broncos receiver Wes Welker of any wrongdoing for his hit on New England Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib in Sundays AFC Championship Game.

Borges: Bill Belichick’s game deflects blame | Boston Herald
It was a brilliantly deceitful statement that changed the narrative from "Why can’t you rebuild your defense?" to whether or not his former player purposely tried to injure an ex-teammate.

South Stands Denver Fancast - Boston papers blast Belichick and the Patriots, which is awesome.
As ferociously as Volin’s column tears apart the Patriots it showers praise upon the Broncos.

Broncos reacted to Belichick’s claims with "laughter" | ProFootballTalk
So how did the Broncos truly react to the contention from Patriots coach Bill Belichick that Denver receiver Wes Welker deliberately targeted New England cornerback Aqib Talib? With "laughter," according to Vic Lombardi of CBS 4 in Denver, who joined PFT Live on Wednesday.

Broncos were far better than the Patriots across the board - Sports - The Boston Globe
The New England Patriots didn’t belong on the same field as the Denver Broncos in Sunday’s AFC Championship game. That’s the first conclusion that jumps to mind after watching the Broncos trounce the Patriots, 26-16, on the coaches’ tape, in a game that was much more one-sided than the final score would suggest. Peyton Manning was masterful in the Broncos’ win, there’s no doubt about that. In a stretch from the late second quarter to the early fourth quarter, Manning hit 19 of 20 passes, including 12 straight. But this wasn’t just about Manning getting the better of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. The Broncos were clearly the more talented team, across the board.

Seahawks DB Thurmond thinks Broncos' Welker should have been fined - The Denver Post
Wes Welker should have faced punishment for his hit on New England's Aqib Talib. That was the clear view of Seattle Seahawks nickel back Walter Thurmond on Wednesday, admitting that Seattle will be prepared for "similar contact" from Broncos receivers in the Super Bowl.

Richard Sherman: "I am not a villain"

Video: Richard Sherman #SB48 Bye Press Conference
Richard Sherman talks about coming from adversity, his press conference after the Seahawks vs 49ers game and the hard work it took for the team to get to the Super Bowl.

'Sound FX': Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree clash - NFL Videos
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree wasn't happy when Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman approached him after the NFC Championship Game.

Richard Sherman story grabs America's attention after NFC Championship | The MMQB with Peter King
Flying home from Denver on Monday, I was fascinated at the burgeoning controversy of the Richard Sherman story. I wondered why it got so big, and why America was so magnetized and polarized by it. I will get to that in a moment,but first, a measure of your fascination with the story.

Renck: Richard Sherman deflects vitriol - The Denver Post
Richard Sherman stood at his locker Wednesday afternoon and declared, "I am not a villain."

Is Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman a distraction? - NFL Videos
The "NFL Total Access" team debates whether or not Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman is a distraction to his team as they prepare for Super Bowl XLVIII.

With Richard Sherman, Broncos have nothing but praise for Seahawks cornerback - The Denver Post
Seattle's "Legion of Boom" defense has a reputation for being physical. Expect Denver's receivers to get heavy man-to-man coverage and bumping at the line of scrimmage by the likes of all-pro cornerback Richard Sherman.

Super Bowl XLVIII

Percy Harvin returns to practice for Seahawks | ProFootballTalk
The Seahawks have moved a big step closer to having receiver Percy Harvin available for Super Bowl XLVIII. Harvin, concussed 11 days ago against the Saints in the divisional round, was cleared to practice and indeed practiced on Wednesday, via our own Curtis Crabtree (who also works for KJR radio...

NFL postpones discussion of postponement - SBNY Blog - ESPN New York
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- If a snowstorm like the one that just dumped a foot of snow on New York fell on Feb. 2, the NFL could consider moving the Sup

Russell Wilson Talks Respect for Manning - DenverBroncos.com
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson talked Wednesday about his respect for Peyton Manning.

The Notebook: Running games, pick plays & other lessons from the Broncos' AFC Championship - SBNation.com
Retired NFL defensive end Stephen White digs into the film from Denver's AFC title game, and finds a team that isn't going to be easy to beat in the Super Bowl.

Two-year plan: How Broncos, Seahawks fast-tracked to Super Bowl XLVIII - NFL - Sporting News
Get the latest NFL news, video updates, scores, schedules, standings and more on Sporting News.

Five to Watch: 'Beast Mode' - DenverBroncos.com
As Marshawn Lynch goes, so go the Seahawks. Independent Analyst Andrew Mason takes a look at Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch.

Denver Broncos won't say how many Super Bowl tickets offered to fans - The Denver Post
The odds that a Denver Broncos season-ticket holder would win the organization's lottery and a chance to buy Super Bowl tickets at face value was slim.

Super Bowl XLVIII to test theory that defense wins championships | Audibles - SI.com
The NFL seems to be challenging the long-held notion that "defense wins championships." Recent seasons have delivered an explosion of points, with more and more offenses spreading the field for various purposes and implementing up-tempo attacks. And then there are the Seattle Seahawks.

48 reasons we can’t wait for Super Bowl XLVIII - NFL - Sporting News
Get the latest NFL news, video updates, scores, schedules, standings and more on Sporting News.

The Denver Broncos Have Stampeded to the Super Bowl
The Seattle Seahawks Will Have a Tough Time With Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 48.

What's It Like to Cover the Super Bowl? | The MMQB with Peter King
Mike Klis is among the panelists who talk about the frenzy upon which they are about to embark.

Hochman: Demaryius Thomas figures to have his hands (and ears) full with Richard Sherman - The Denver Post
For the miffed many, the Seattle Seahawks no longer are this anonymous army of opposing players — these are now the Richard Shermans.

NFL

What we learned in first Pro Bowl Draft - NFL.com
The inaugural Pro Bowl Draft brought out a fun side to NFL players. Andrew Luck is happy to be playing with his regular coaches, but not every player has familiar faces on his sideline.

2014 Pro Bowl Draft Day 2: The selections - NFL.com
The first ever NFL Pro Bowl Draft continued Wednesday, as Team Sanders and Team Rice rounded out their rosters in Kapolei, Hawaii. Here's the full draft order.

2013 PFF All-AFC West Team | ProFootballFocus.com
This All-Division team is headed by our choice for league MVP and features a Bronco-dominated offense and a Chief-controlled defense. You’ve seen the All-Division lineups for the AFC East, North and South already. Here is the 2013 PFF All-AFC West Team.

AFC playoffs end early for Colts, Chiefs, Bengals, Patriots, Chargers | The MMQB with Peter King
In the past three weeks, the Super Bowl dreams ended for 10 teams. Here, we diagnose precisely how every AFC playoff loser—Indianapolis, San Diego, Cincinnati, New England and Kansas City—missed out on an early February trip to New Jersey. (The NFC version will run Thursday.