National Football League News and Rumors
Raiders FB Reece replaces Leach in Pro BowlAssociated Press, ESPN.com Oakland Raiders fullback Marcel Reece will replace Baltimore's Vonta Leach on the AFC's Pro Bowl roster after the Ravens earned a trip to the Super Bowl on Sunday. |
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Hidden In Plain SightJan 20
Did we see the Ravens coming? After their 28-13 win over the Pats, maybe we should've, says Don Banks, who adds Baltimore fits the recent profile of Super Bowl winners to a tee. |
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Brian McIntyre, yahoo.com Joe Flacco, quarterback, Baltimore Ravens: After a relatively quiet first half, Flacco stepped up in the final 30 minutes, completing 15-of-24 pass attempts for 159 yards and three touchdowns as the Ravens scored 21 straight points to defeat the New Eng… |
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Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs doesn’t like the Patriots. And now that he’s on his way to the first Super Bowl of his career after beating them in the AFC title game, Suggs has teed off on his team’s long-time nemesis. “Tell them to have fun at… |
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Frank Schwab, yahoo.com Tom Brady probably should have known it wasn't his day when he tried to run upfield against the Ravens and got tackled by an official. In the first play after the two-minute warning of the first half in the AFC championship game, the Patriots' quarterba… |
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Lots To Be Raven AboutJan 20
Baltimore beat New England 28-13 to advance to the Super Bowl and Joe Flacco was one reason why. The quarterback is playing his best during this postseason, says Chris Burke. |
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Frank Schwab, yahoo.com New England coach Bill Belichick doesn't handle losing all too well, and he blew off CBS' customary postgame interview with the coach of the losing team after the AFC Championship Game. CBS analyst Shannon Sharpe wasn't impressed and called him out for … |
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ESPN.com news services, ESPN.com Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan suffered a sprained left shoulder during Sunday's NFC Championship Game, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. |
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Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com In what could be his last time wearing a plain orange helmet, Browns receiver Josh Cribbs is heading back to the Pro Bowl. Cribbs has secured his third Pro Bowl berth via the Ravens’ berth in the Super Bowl. Jacoby Jones is out, and Cribbs is in. Crib… |
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Frank Schwab, yahoo.com Not too long ago, Ray Lewis was out of the lineup with a triceps injury and it seemed like there was a chance he would never play in the NFL again. Instead, Lewis will finish his illustrious career on the biggest stage, in his first Super Bowl since win… |
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Associated Press, ESPN.com Joe Flacco outdueled Tom Brady, throwing three touchdown passes in the second half and leading the Baltimore Ravens to their first Super Bowl in 12 years with a 28-13 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday for the AFC championship. |
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Call them AFC champions. Joe Flacco engineered three second-half touchdown drives as the Ravens rallied to topple the Patriots 28-13 to earn a berth in Super Bowl XLVII. |
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Frank Schwab, yahoo.com Dennis Pitta took one of the hardest hits of the season from one of the NFL's toughest linebackers, then came back on the next play to give the Ravens the lead in the AFC championship game. The sequence says plenty about Pitta's toughness. The Ravens ti… |
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Doug Farrar, yahoo.com New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady must have been upset when he was stopped by umpire Chad Brown near the end of the first half of the AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens. That happened with 1:52 left in the first half, and when y… |
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Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com Among the various awards to be distributed the night before the Super Bowl will be the one that combines on-field performance with off-field service. This year, the finalists for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award are Cardinals receiver Larry F… |
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Timothy Burke, deadspin.com Hat tip to ol' Diamond Joe on this one, from the NFC Championship Game postgame show today on KTTV, L.A.'s Fox affiliate. This segment was actually considerably longer than you see here, and includes several more minutes of ill-advised drunken fan inter… |
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Michael David Smith, profootballtalk.com Even a quarterback as experienced in the postseason as Tom Brady sometimes makes clock-management mistakes at big moments. Just before halftime in New England, Brady botched his clock management, running for a short gain, going down inbounds with 20 sec… |
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ESPN.com news services, ESPN.com An Atlanta Falcons fan was stabbed in the neck during an altercation outside the Georgia Dome following Sunday's NFC Championship Game, Channel 2 Action News in Atlanta reported. |
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Mike Rodak, ESPN.com New England Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib left in the first quarter of Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens with a thigh injury. The team announced his return as questionable. |
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Maggie Hendricks, yahoo.com Ray Rice helped the Baltimore Ravens take a 7-3 lead over the New England Patriots during the AFC Championship on Sunday night by running in a two-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Afterwards, Rice did his customary flexing touchdown celebration. Fo… |
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Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com The NFL is in the process of replacing the various 49ers who won’t be able to play in the Pro Bowl because they’ll be getting ready for a slightly more meaningful game. The Redskins have announced that linebackers Ryan Kerrigan and London Fletcher wil… |
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Timothy Burke, deadspin.com We brought you the GIF, and so you had to figure the Deadspin Video was coming. Jim Harbaugh and his legendary temper are headed to the Super Bowl, and if we're lucky America's largest television audience will get to witness another historic meltdown li… |
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Michael David Smith, profootballtalk.com The first seven drives of the AFC Championship Game ended with six punts and a Patriots field goal. The eighth drive was a different story. Baltimore marched down the field on a 13-play, 90-yard drive at the start of the second quarter, culminating with… |
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Josh Alper, profootballtalk.com The season ended for tight end Tony Gonzalez and the rest of the Falcons on Sunday afternoon. Based on everything Gonzalez said over the course of the season, it’s also going to be the end of his career. Gonzalez has maintained a 95 percent answer for t… |
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Sean Newell, deadspin.com Thank you for your continued support of Deadspin. We'll be with you through Pats-Ravens and get you those GIFs you lust for. Thanks for stopping by. More » |
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The 49ers' defense was pushed around in the first half, but made enough plays, especially in the final quarter, to stun the Falcons 28-24 in the NFC title game, says Chris Burke. |
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Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com For the second straight week, a first-quarter injury has affected the Patriots. Last week, it was running back Danny Woodhead and tight end Rob Gronkowski who left early. This week, it’s cornerback Aqib Talib who is heading to the locker room, with an… |
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Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com ESPN’s Chris Mortensen stirred up a bit of a storm earlier in the day, reporting that the Seahawks received a call last week from a representative of quarterback Russell Wilson “insisting” that Wilson’s contract be adjusted. Agent Bus Cook, who re… |
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Maggie Hendricks, yahoo.com During the national anthem before the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots faced off in the AFC championship, Baltimore's Ray Lewis got very, very emotional. Dancing back and forth while making this face kind of emotional. Perhaps he realizes that,… |
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Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com With the 49ers qualifying for the Super Bowl, the NFL needs to replace San Fran’s eight Pro Bowlers. The NFL already has announced that Bucs running back Doug Martin will replace running back Frank Gore. The other 49ers Pro Bowlers are tackle Joe Staley… |
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Sean Newell, deadspin.com We're going to be putting our GIFs from the respective Conference Championship games right here. So if you're looking for Julio Jones's touchdown scoring and/or security guard eliminating prowess, here's your spot. We'll update with Patriots-Ravens as s… |
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Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com Eventually, quarterbacks coach David Lee will work for the Patriots. He has to. For now, he’s embarking on his third tour with an AFC East team. According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN, Lee has become the quarterbacks coach of the Jets. Lee spent 2012 … |
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For the first time since 1995, San Francisco is headed to the Super Bowl. The Falcons overcame a 17-point hole and held off the Falcons to earn a 28-24 win in the NFC title game. |
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Josh Alper, profootballtalk.com When Tom Moore’s consulting gig with the Titans came to an end, he said he wanted another job in the NFL for the coming season. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, Moore is going to be part of Bruce Arians’ staff in Arizona. Moore won’t … |
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Frank Schwab, yahoo.com Matt Ryan and the Falcons' passing offense had a great Sunday against the 49ers, but when Atlanta needed 4 yards, San Francisco didn't let receiver Roddy White have an inch of open space. The moment of truth in the NFC championship game came with 1:13 l… |
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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- Running back Danny Woodhead and defensive end Chandler Jones are active for the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game against the Baltimore Ravens. |
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Frank Schwab, yahoo.com Watch Harry Douglas' fourth-quarter catch a dozen times and you might change your opinion on the call each time. Catch? Or not a catch? Depending who you are rooting for, the answer might be different. The Falcons had a third down with about four minute… |
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Did Atlanta’s Asante Samuel’s smack talk lead to David Akers’ field goal miss for San Francisco?Jan 20
Maggie Hendricks, yahoo.com David Akers hasn't had a great season. The San Francisco 49ers kicker has struggled, and that didn't change when his team was down by three to the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship. In the third quarter, David Akers missed a 38-yard field goal tha… |
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Doug Farrar, yahoo.com For the second straight week, the Atlanta Falcons have blown a considerable playoff lead. Now, we'll see if they can do what they did against the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday. After going up 20-0 at the half, the Falcons allowed Seattle to storm back in… |
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ATLANTA (AP) -- Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner limped off the field of Sunday's NFC title game against San Francisco in the third quarter with a sprained ankle. |
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Darin Gantt, profootballtalk.com Ravens linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (ankle/back) is active for tonight’s AFC Championship Game, after he was limited in Friday’s practice and ruled questionable. Likewise, rookie running back Bernard Pierce is active after he missed two days of practice… |
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Jay Busbee, yahoo.com ATLANTA - Julio Jones played about as flawless a quarter of football as you can possibly play to start off the NFC Championship. The Falcons receiver caught five passes for 100 yards and a touchdown (and another on the first play of the second half), an… |
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ESPN.com news services, ESPN.com The Seattle Seahawks have given new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn a three-year contract worth $5.7 million, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. |
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Frank Schwab, yahoo.com Wind will be a factor in New England today, especially judging from the goal posts on the nearby practice fields that look like they're going to topple over. The Patriots tweeted out a picture that it said was the goal posts on the practice fields, whic… |
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Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com The Falcons and 49ers continue to play Arena Football. The Niners took the opening kick of the second half and drove the ball 82 yards in seven plays to cut the Atlanta lead to three. The drive ended with a five-yard run by Frank Gore. The Falcons now … |
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Frank Schwab, yahoo.com Vernon Davis finally re-emerged for the 49ers in the second quarter of the NFC Championship Game. Tony Gonzalez wasn't going to be upstaged, however. Davis, who strangely disappeared from the 49ers offense once Colin Kaepernick was made the starting qua… |
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Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com Falcons fans will spend the next 12 minutes slightly less anxious than they would have been. After watching a 17-point lead quickly evaporate to three, the Falcons drove 80 yards in seven plays in only 90 seconds to push the lead to 24-14 at halftime. Q… |
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Ravens 0, Patriots 0Jan 20
The Patriots bested the Ravens in last year's AFC championship game, can Baltimore seize revenge? Or will history repeat itself in Foxboro? Follow along and join our discussion. |
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ESPN.com news services, ESPN.com The Philadelphia Eagles made Chip Kelly one of the highest-paid coaches in the NFL, giving him a five-year contract worth $32.5 million, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. |
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Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com Well, the Falcons won’t have to worry about blowing a 20-point lead this week. But they suddenly have to worry about blowing a 17-point lead, thanks to an 11-play, 80-yard drive from the 49ers that was punctuated by a 15-yard dash to the end zone by roo… |
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Falcons defense dominates the first quarter against Colin Kaepernick as Atlanta grabs big early leadJan 20
Frank Schwab, yahoo.com Atlanta's passing game having a big first quarter was a small surprise, but not a total shock. What the Falcons defense did to start the game is something nobody saw coming. Atlanta held San Francisco to minus-2 yards in the first quarter. San Francisco… |
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Falcons already up 17-0Jan 20
Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com So far, so good for the Falcons. With everyone expecting the 49ers to roll into the Georgia Dome and get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1994, the Falcons are rolling over the 49ers. It’s 17-0 after one snap in the second quarter. Matt R… |
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Maggie Hendricks, yahoo.com Baltimore Ravens star Ray Lewis intends to retire at the end of his season. Some New England Patriots fans are so positive that his retirement is coming on Sunday that they've put up a billboard counting down to his retirement party. This billboard was … |
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Darin Gantt, profootballtalk.com Cowboys coach Jason Garrett should consider himself warned. According to Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com, John Garrett has taken the wide receivers coach job with the Buccaneers, a lateral move from his old tight ends coaching position on his brother’s st… |
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Sean Newell, deadspin.com This is the last week of multiple football games. What an incredible bummer. In a few weeks it will all be over and it will just be, ugh, February. Terrible. But anyway, let's enjoy the final real weekend of the year and worry about February in February… |
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Todd Archer, ESPN.com Cowboys passing game coordinator/tight ends coach John Garrett has been hired as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' wide receivers coach, the latest change to Dallas' coaching staff. |
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Darin Gantt, profootballtalk.com After an offseason which saw every team comply with the letter of the Rooney Rule, but none implement its spirit, the NFL is considering broadening the scope of the rule. According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, one possibility which has been discussed is a… |
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Adam Schefter, ESPN.com Michael Vick likely will not be following Marty Mornhinweg to the New York Jets. |
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Adam Schefter, ESPN.com One well-placed league source said he "highly, highly doubted" that 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree will be charged in the events that led to an investigation of sexual assault last week. |
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Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com The guys on ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown have engaged in an intriguing debate regarding the question of whether it will be worse for linebacker Manti Te’o at the NFL level if he was involved in the fake, dead girlfriend hoax - or if he wasn’t. Cris |
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Josh Alper, profootballtalk.com Last week, there was a report that NFL executive V.P. of football operations Ray Anderson was under consideration for a senior front office role with the Raiders. Per the report by Chris Mortensen of ESPN, Raiders owner Mark Davis is contemplating a res… |
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Doug Farrar, yahoo.com The NFL won't announce the names of the "all-star" crew set to officiate Super Bowl XLVII until the conference championship games have been decided, but reports from several sources indicate that Jerome Boger, a league referee since 2006, will… |
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Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com In the week leading up to Sunday’s AFC title game, Ravens receiver Anquan Boldin paid homage to the quarterback of an AFL champion from 43 years ago, who accurately predicted the toppling of an elite team that used to be in Baltimore. “We’ll win,”… |
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Matt Ryan and the Falcons scored two early touchdowns, but the Niners responded with one of their own. Who will win the NFC title game? Follow the game and join our discussion. |
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Josh Alper, profootballtalk.com We spent a lot of time talking about Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III’s knee surgery earlier this month, but he isn’t the only member of the team’s offense to wind up in an operating room. Wide receiver Josh Morgan sent out a picture of himse… |
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Josh Alper, profootballtalk.com Browns defensive coordinator Ray Horton admits that he’s disappointed that he didn’t land a head coaching job this year, but that disappointment doesn’t take away his excitement over his new job. Horton, who left the Cardinals after Bruce Arians was… |
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Josh Alper, profootballtalk.com Head coach Mike McCoy’s first Chargers staff is showing a lot of similarity to this year’s Cardinals staff. Ken Whisenhunt will be the offensive coordinator, Frank Reich will be the quarterbacks coach and now comes word that Keith Spencer will be in c… |
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ESPN.com news services, ESPN.com Former Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur is expected to join Chip Kelly's coaching staff in Philadelphia, likely as the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. |
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Jacksonville’s Cecil Shorts, one of the NFL’s best bargains, is still paying off his student loansJan 20
Doug Farrar, yahoo.com Ah, those mid-round rookie contracts. If a guy catches 55 passes for 979 yards and 7 touchdowns in an otherwise anemic offense, and he does so despite starting just nine games in a season, you'd think he'd be flush with cash. But for Jacksonville Jaguar… |
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Sunday morning one-linersJan 20
Josh Alper, profootballtalk.com WR Brad Smith is excited about the new arrivals on the Bills coaching staff. Dolphins WR Brian Hartline had a memorable season. The Patriots promoted DT Marcus Forston from the practice squad. Those who have worked with new Jets G.M. John Idzik are conf… |
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Isaac Rauch, deadspin.com Above is the infamous Ryan Clark hit on Willis McGahee, four years ago yesterday, that put McGahee on a stretcher to close out the 2009 AFC Championship game. Though the next day the Associated Press considered it newsworthy that Willis McGahee would, i… |
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Mike Florio, profootballtalk.com Last year, the Buccaneers uncharacteristically splurged in free agency. One of the free agents on whom they splurged is interested in helping this year’s potential splurge. And, yes, I like the word splurge. Receiver Vincent Jackson raves about his co… |
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Associated Press, ESPN.com Pep Hamilton already knows what he wants to do with the Indianapolis Colts offense. |
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Darin Gantt, profootballtalk.com When Scott Pioli left the Patriots to go to Kansas City, the Patriots brought in veteran personnel man Floyd Reese, but that arrangement has apparently reached its end. According to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com, Reese’s contract is expiring and he isn”… |
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Toni Monkovic, nytimes.com The Jets took steps to transition to a pass-oriented offense, and one of the big off-season talking points will be whether they can trade for Seattle quarterback Matt Flynn. |
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Michael David Smith, profootballtalk.com When I posted the list of 73 early entrants in the NFL draft, I heard from a couple readers who wanted to know why Alabama’s D.J. Fluker and Syracuse’s Justin Pugh weren’t on it. The reason, according to the NFL, is that Fluker and Pugh are in a sep… |
