The Sunday Spotlight

Examining the biggest game of the week. Colts-Patriots highlights Week 11. 

The NFL’s best rivalry over the last decade resumes Sunday at Gillette Stadium, as the Colts take on the Patriots in a key AFC contest.

Tom Brady and the Pats are coming off of perhaps their most impressive victory in two years, defeating the Steelers 39-26 in Pittsburgh. At 7-2, the Patriots are tied for first in the AFC East with the Jets, and along with the Falcons have the best record in the NFL.

Plagued by injuries on both sides of the ball the last few weeks, the Colts have struggled, but are still finding ways to win. And as long as No.18 is under center, it’s hard to bet against the Colts in the regular season.

A 6-3 record has them on top of the AFC South and one game back of the Patriots and Jets for the best record in the AFC.

Much like last week’s Patriots-Steelers game, this week’s contest could go a long way towards determining home-field advantage in the conference.

Despite a blowout loss at the hands of the Browns in Week 9, the Patriots have at times looked like the best team in the NFL. Brady is playing at an MVP level, and the young defense is improving under the guidance of Bill Belichick. The real test comes this week, even though Manning doesn’t have all of his weapons to work with.

Indy has won the last two regular season meetings in this series, but they have a couple of things working against them in this one.

First, the Indy defense plays much better at home. Pass rushers Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis take advantage of the crowd noise at Lucas Oil Stadium, giving them a big edge against opposing offensive lines. But when they play on the road and the crowd is quiet when the home team is on offense, Freeney and Mathis aren’t nearly as effective.

Moreover, Indy’s defense is awful against the run – 29^th in the league – and the Patriots have an effective run game with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead.

Second, the injuries on offense will be too difficult to overcome in a big game like this one. Both the running backs and the receivers have been hit hard this season. Joseph Addai, Donald Brown and Mike Hart are all injured. The good news for the Colts is that Addai practiced on Thursday and reportedly could be a game-time decision on Sunday. Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie and Blair White all fully participated in practice on Thursday, but Collie’s status is still in doubt.

Manning’s numbers have taken a big hit over the last few weeks, and he didn’t throw a touchdown last week against the Bengals. Tight end Jacob Tamme has become his go-to receiver, making the offense far less explosive.

Lastly, Brady rarely loses at home. He has won 24 straight home games in which he has started, one short of Brett Favre’s record of 25 straight wins in Green Bay.

The Patriots surely will be out for revenge after last year’s gut-wrenching loss in Indianapolis, when Belichick went for it on fourth-and-two, giving Manning and Reggie Wayne a short field. The Colts won the game, 35-34.

This one shouldn’t produce that high of a score, but make no mistake; points will be put on the board.

Brady and the Patriots will be too much for Manning and the Colts, and the Patriots win 28-17.

OVERTIME

>> Much has been made of the rivalry between Brady and Manning.

This debate will never be settled, because it really depends on what fans value more: stats or rings?

Barring injury, Manning will end his career as the all-time leader in every significant statistical category for a quarterback. But Brady has three Super Bowl rings, while Manning has just one.

Manning has won four regular season MVP awards, appeared in two Super Bowls and won one Super Bowl MVP. Brady has won one regular season MVP, appeared in four Super Bowls, winning three and taking home two Super Bowl MVPs.

When it has mattered most, Brady has come through. Manning is a different story, and interceptions at key times have plagued him in the playoffs. In Super Bowl XLIV, Manning threw an interception when his team was driving down the field with a chance to tie the game. The interception was returned for a touchdown for the Saints, putting the game out of reach.

In the one Super Bowl that Brady lost, he drove his team down for the game-tying touchdown. If not for a dropped interception by the Patriots’ Asante Samuel and a miraculous catch by the Giants’ David Tyree, Brady would four-for-four in Super Bowl appearances.

Manning’s numbers look great, and he will likely be on top of the record books for quite some time.

But Brady has the true hardware – the kind of hardware that makes players legendary: rings.

Week 4 Primer

Game of the Week – Ravens (2-1) vs. Steelers (3-0):

The Ravens and Steelers renew their bloody rivalry at Heinz Field on Sunday with a lot on the line.

Though it’s early in the season, every division game in the AFC North is crucial. Baltimore already has a loss within the division to Cincinnati, and losing this week would all but assure that their only hope for a playoff berth would be to win the wild card.

For Pittsburgh, it’s the final game of Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension, and the team is still out to prove that they can win without their two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback.

Charlie Batch will get the start at quarterback after an impressive performance against Tampa Bay in Dennis Dixon’s absence.

Baltimore has only one major injury concern, and that is the status of running back Ray Rice. Rice suffered a knee contusion against the Browns last week and is listed as questionable. Coach John Harbaugh sounds confident Rice will play, however.

That’s enough talk about offense. As always, this game will come down to defense. The Steelers defense is back to the tough, hard-nosed style that helped get defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau into the Hall of Fame.

Much of Pittsburgh’s success can be attributed to the return of free safety Troy Polamalu, who started just three games last year due to injury. Polamalu is proving once again that he is the most valuable defensive player in the league. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco will have to keep his eyes on No.43 at all times, or he’ll pay the price.

Talk of Baltimore’s defense starts and ends with middle linebacker Ray Lewis. The 15-year veteran is better than ever, and he seems to be playing with a big chip on his shoulder this season. When he plays well, it’s tough to score on the Ravens.

The game kicks off at 1 p.m. EST and will be televised by CBS. Jim Nantz and Phil Simms are on the call.

Upset alert – Broncos (1-2) vs. Titans (2-1):

Denver quarterback Kyle Orton has quietly had a fantastic start to the season, compiling the second-most passing yards (1,078) of anyone in the league.

Orton is working with a highly underrated receiving corps, and the Broncos as a whole are much better than their record suggests.

Broncos’ running back Knowshon Moreno will miss his second straight game with a hamstring injury. Correll Buckhalter and Laurence Maroney will share the carries in his absence.

The Titans are coming off an impressive 29-10 win over the Giants and may be feeling a little too comfortable heading into this home contest with Denver.

Defenses have been stuffing the box against Tennessee running back Chris Johnson, meaning it will be up to Vince Young and the passing game to lead the Titans to a victory.

And speaking of defenses, the Titans gave up 471 total yards against the Giants last week.

The game can be seen at 1 p.m. on CBS. Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots are on the call.

Blowout potential – Panthers (0-3) vs. Saints (3-0):

The Stains have to be fuming after losing at home to division-rival Atlanta in overtime last week. Moreover, New Orleans offense has yet to explode like it did a year ago, which must be frustrating coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees.

There’s no better way to take out your frustrations than to face Carolina, which managed to make Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman look like a Pro Bowler in Week 2.

The Panthers are a complete mess, and coach John Fox can’t do anything about it. Rookie Jimmy Clausen is the team’s starting quarterback, and he struggled mightily against the Bengals last week.

While Brees does have a minor knee injury, it isn’t even significant enough to land him on the injury report.

FOX will air the game at 1 p.m. Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa will be on the call.

Quick Slants –

Redskins (1-2) vs. Eagles (2-1):

Donovan McNabb makes his return to Philadelphia in one of the most intriguing games of the season. How Eagles fans respond to McNabb will certainly generate a lot of headlines.

On the other side, Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is arguably playing the best football of his career. He could have a big day against Washington’s weak secondary.

The game kicks off at 4:15 p.m. on FOX. On the call are Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver.

Jets (2-1) vs. Bills (0-3):

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez has been on fire of late, throwing six touchdowns and no interceptions in the last weeks.

Buffalo has many weaknesses, but rookie running back C.J. Spiller isn’t one of them. He had two touchdowns (one receiving, one kick return) against the Patriots last week.

The game airs at 1 p.m. on CBS with Greg Gumbel and Dan Diedorf on the call.

Coughlin is on the Hot Seat

Tom Coughlin led the New York Giants to a Super Bowl win just three years ago. Fans of Big Blue don’t want to hear that.

Coughlin, now in eighth season as head coach of the Giants, finds himself on the hot seat for a number of reasons. Chief among them, the Giants haven’t been quite the same since that memorable 2007 season, which ended with the Giants pulling off a remarkable victory over the New England Patriots in February, 2008.

It’s not as if the Giants have been terrible the last three seasons, but it has appeared at times that Coughlin has lost control of his team.

Take last year, for instance. The Giants got off to a 6-0 start and looked poised to make another deep run in the playoffs. But the team completely fell of the wagon, ending the season with a record of 8-8 and no trip to the postseason. Giants’ co-owner John Mara was not pleased, and reportedly blew a gasket after the season. While the fall wasn’t enough to get Coughlin fired, it did count as a strike against him.

Assuming there was already a strike against him considering some of the struggles his team suffered before winning the Super Bowl; Coughlin is down to his last strike. 

What’s taking place now is the final act of Coughlin’s tenure. 

The Giants are sitting at 1-2 after the first three weeks, a disappointing record considering the expectations heading into the season. And the two losses haven’t been pretty. Losing to Indianapolis 38-14 in Manning Bowl II wasn’t terribly surprising, but it would have been nice if the Giants had at least showed up for the contest. The Colts destroyed the Giants in every phase, and the game was virtually over after the first quarter.

Then there was last Sunday’s debacle against the Tennessee Titans. There have been many awful and embarrassing performances from the Giants during Coughlin’s tenure, but this one had to be one of the worst. It wouldn’t appear that way when looking at the box score.

Big Blue dominated in virtually every statistical category, gaining 471 yards to Tennessee’s 271, racking up 26 first downs to Tennessee’s 17, and winning the time of possession battle 31:38-28:22. And yet the Titans won the game 29-10. That’s because the Giants turned the ball over three times, one of which came on Manning’s horrific left-handed toss in the end zone, and committed 11 penalties. And of those 11 penalties, five were personal fouls.

Smart, disciplined football teams don’t commit five personal foul penalties in one game. Coughlin has always prided his teams on being the opposite of what the Giants were on Sunday.  

Now, it’s not all Coughlin’s fault. Part of the reason stupid penalties are being committed is due to the fact that the Giants don’t have a single player willing to step up and become the true leader of this team.

Everyone has always assumed Justin Tuck was the one, but he isn’t the vocal presence that the Giants have needed the last two seasons. And that goes back to the downfall this team has experienced since winning the Super Bowl. Michael Strahan was leading the way in 2007, and it’s laughable to think that he would have let everything that’s happened take place when he was around.

This team is in desperate need of someone to step up and say, “We’re not going to do this anymore.” Instead, the Giants are stuck with players who don’t have the leadership skills to say anything useful. It would be nice if Eli decided to say something, but he’s never been a vocal presence and probably never will be.

The Giants look like a team with no direction, and Coughlin looks like a coach who doesn’t have a clue what to say to his team.

With Bill Cowher stating that he would be willing to come back to coaching if he found the “right situation” and Jerome Bettis saying Cowher “covets” the Giants job, Coughlin isn’t going to last much longer if things stay the same.

Maybe a change would be good for all parties. Anything would be better for the Giants at this point. 

Pay the man

Chris Johnson is the best running back in the NFL. He's one of the best offensive players in the game, and he's certainly one of the best players in all of football. And yet, he is due to make to just $550,000 in 2010. Does that seem fair to you? 


Johnson, the 24th pick in the 2008 draft by the Tennessee Titans, signed a 5-year, $12 million contract when he entered the league. He burst onto the scene with a 1,228 yard season on the ground, sharing carries with LenDale White in the process. Last season, he became just the sixth player in league history to rush for 2,000 or more yards in a season -- he finished with 2,006 -- and he broke Marshall Faulk's single-season yards from scrimmage record as well. Without him, the Titans wouldn't have won many games in 2009. They will have a hard time winning games going forward as well. Which is why Johnson deserves to be paid, immediately. 


The elusive running back is holding out of voluntary practices and is threatening to hold out of training camp as well. And it's hard to blame him. Running backs have a short shelf-life in the NFL, especially when they are getting as many carries as Johnson has gotten and likely will continue to receive. Most running backs begin their fall from grace around the age of 30. Signing a third contract is anything but a guarantee, which is why that second contract is so important to get. It's just as important to get it now, when Johnson, 25, is at his best. 


Unfortunately for Johnson, there are a few things that make it difficult for the Titans to give him a raise. The biggest obstacle is getting around the 30 percent rule, which does not allow a player's salary to increase by more than 30 percent during an uncapped year. A 30 percent increase in Johnson's 2010 salary would be roughly $1.6 million, which is not close to what he deserves. Despite the 30 percent rule, the San Francisco 49ers were able to give star linebacker Patrick Willis a new contract. That contract contains multiple signing bonuses, which is the only real way to get around the rule. For the Titans, paying Johnson $50 million in signing bonus money would be a large financial commitment that could strap them in signing other players down the road. 


The Titans are a smart franchise. Owner Bud Adams, general manager Mike Reinfeldt and head coach Jeff Fisher know what it takes to win in the NFL. They should realize that Johnson is a rare talent, and should be paid as such. A player like Johnson doesn't come around every day. He has remarkable speed, feet, vision, toughness -- everything that makes a great running back. Should the Titans get into playoff contention this season, which is a good bet, Johnson will become a key factor. Teams can throw the ball all they want, but the running game is what really wins late in the season and in the playoffs. Johnson has the ability to steal the show in December and January, and the Adams certainly wants to see him wearing while a Titans uniform while doing so.  


Financial consequences be damned, Chris Johnson must be given a contract worthy of his talents. 


It's time for the Titans to pay the man. 

Addai on the way out in Indy?

In an informative question-and-answer column for the Indianapolis Star, Colts beat writer Mike Chappell raises an interesting point following a question about the status of running back Joseph Addai going forward. 


"Addai has been a very good back for the Colts and I expect him to have a solid season in 2010," Chappell writes. "But after that, it should be time to turn to Donald Brown and find someone to work as his backup. That's life in the NFL.


Zone Coverage must agree with Chappell here. Addai was an excellent back early in his career, and it looked as if he was going to be good enough to stay with the Colts for years to come -- a good replacement for Edgerrin James. He rushed for 1,081 yards and seven touchdowns his rookie season, when the Colts marched all the way to a Super Bowl title. Addai had over 100 yards in that championship game against the Bears, and he arguably could have been named the game's MVP. 


The problem has been that Addai hasn't shown any improvement, and his numbers have mostly been in decline since his rookie year. He's not a great running back, and is therefore expendable.  The Colts are anything but a run-heavy team, so it's not as if the position is of great concern. Donald Brown looks like he's going to be a good player should he stay healthy, and Mike Hart has also flashed some potential. 


Addai's contract runs through the 2010 season. Currently 27 years old, he should have no trouble finding a job in the 2011 offseason. 

J.P. Losman headed to Seattle

Former first-round draft pick J.P. Losman is the newest member of the Seattle Seahawks, his agent announced last night. In an e-mail to the Associated Press, Gary Wichard let it be known that Losman agreed to a one-year, $630,000 contract. He signed on the dotted line Wednesday. 

Losman, 29, was a first round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2004. He spent five years with the team, never living up to the hype of his draft status. Derailed by injuries and poor performances, Losman was nothing short of a disappointment. He showed some promise in 2006, when he passed 3,501 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also threw 14 interceptions that season, and it was the only time he played all 16 games in a season. 

Matt Hasselbeck and Charlie Whitehurst are already on the roster, so Losman likely will have no chance to move up on the depth chart. 

Marshall had surgery on other hip

The football-following world was well aware that Miami Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall has been dealing with a hip issue from some time now, and had it surgically repaired last year. What we did not know is that Marshall has an issue with the other hip, and thus was forced to undergo a procedure on it, according to Jeff Darlington of the Miami Herald. 


Though the Dolphins don't seem too worried about the development -- head coach Tony Sparano called it "routine" it has to be of some concern that Marshall has needed surgery on both hips within the course of two years. The good news for Dolphins fans is that Marshall's play hasn't declined, so it would appear that the team didn't get coaxed into giving an injured player a large contract.


Marshall, as noted by Darlington, won't be able to return to the field until training camp.

Report: Roth wants a trade

Apparently, Matt Roth loves controversy. Less than a year after forcing his way out of Miami, the Cleveland Browns linebacker wants a trade.


Via Adam Schefter comes word that Roth is unhappy with current contract talks, and the situation won't be easily resolved.


Roth is a restricted free agent, and he believes that he should receive a big contract, something Cleveland is by all appearances unwilling to give him. In this case, the Browns are right to stand pat here. Roth recorded just four sacks last season, which isn't anything special. Why should the Browns shell out the big bucks for him when they could simply wait and see how he plays next season, and then make a decision?


The problem for Roth is that Cleveland has all the leverage here. If Roth refuses to sign his tender, which Schefter reports is likely to happen, the Browns can reduce the offer -- forcing him to play for less money in 2010.


Another question: Who gave Roth this sense of entitlement? Roth has registered a total of 16-and-a-half sacks in his career. After he forced his way out of Miami, he joined the Browns in Week 12. The Browns would be absolutely crazy to hand him a new contract after seeing him play just six games. And by continually creating problems for the teams he plays for, he's beginning to look less appealing to other franchises.


A word of advice for Roth. Shut up, sign the tender, and play at a higher level. Then the Browns will give you the money you are looking for.

Crayton M.I.A. from Cowboys OTA's

Disgruntled Dallas Cowboys receiver Patrick Crayton will not be present this week as the team opens up its organized team activities.


Crayton was recently given permission to seek a trade, though nothing appears imminent. A talented player, Crayton's $2 million base salary for 2010 likely is holding back any team's that would like to acquire him. 


Last season, Crayton had 37 receptions for 622 yards and five touchdowns. Mostly playing in the slot, he was a valuable target for quarterback Tony Romo. With the addition of rookie Dez Bryant via April's draft, Crayton realizes that there probably won't be enough balls to go around, and he is mostly likely to get the shaft. 


Though his agent, Fred Lyles, claims that isn't trying to send the Cowboys a message, it's clear that Crayton is anything but happy with the way the offseason has played out in Dallas. 


Should the Cowboys eventually release him, expect him to find multiple suitors on the open market. Crayton has value as a receiver and in the return game, and more than a few teams will jump at the chance to grab him for a lower salary. 

Andre Johnson deserves a new contract

Normally when a player is demanding a new contract with five years still remaining on his current deal, I refuse to take it seriously. But in the case of Houston Texans receiver Andre Johnson, things are different. 


Johnson, who signed a eight-year, $60 million contract in 2007, is skipping organized team activities in the hopes of getting a new deal from the Texans. And he deserves it. 


Casual football fans don't know much about Johnson, mainly due to the fact that -- unlike the Chad Ochocinco's of the world -- he's a quiet guy who simply does his job. Moreover, the Texans rarely get the national television treatment (they had one Monday Night Football appearance in 2009). As a result, people are not aware of the incredible talent that Johnson is. 


For my money, he's the best receiver in football.  At 6-3, 225 pounds, Johnson has the perfect size for the position. He has fantastic hands, good speed and will run any route that is asked of him. In an interview with NFL Network, Jets All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis described Johnson as a "beast," which is about as accurate a statement as anyone could give.


Johnson led the league in receiving yards last season with 1,569, and he also had nine touchdowns. 


The Texans typically wouldn't even consider giving a player in Johnson's boat a new contract, but the team should break policy for a player as special as Johnson. 

Hargrove expected to sign Saints tender

With speculation mounting that the Detroit Lions are interested in signing New Orleans Saints restricted free agent defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove to an offer sheet, WWL-TV in New Orleans is reporting that Hargrove will sign his tender from the Saints on Monday.


Tendered at the original round level, the Saints would have had the right to match any offer for Hargrove, or receive a third round pick as compensation.


The former St. Louis Rams draft pick has had numerous off-field problems during his career, including being suspended for the entire 2008 season due to substance abuse. Hargrove experienced a renaissance with the Saints however, recording 42 tackles and five sacks last season.


As shown on NFL Network's Super Bowl Journey, Hargrove became a leader for the Saints defense last season, and his life and career are now on the right track.


Hargrove will make $1.226 million in 2010.

Report: Lynch wants a new home

Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch may be interested in finding a new home next season, according to a report from Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News. 


Though Gaughan has no hard evidence, he says that the locker room chatter is that Lynch "would not be disappointed at all if he were shipped elsewhere."


Considering Fred Jackson took over the starting tailback role last season, this is hardly surprising news. Since his rookie campaign in which he wowed everyone who saw him, Lynch has started to fall out of favor in Buffalo. His run-ins with the law have not helped the situation, and his four game suspension at the beginning of last season made Jackson the starter, and Jackson took advantage of it. As the backup to Jackson, Lynch rushed for 450 yards and two touchdowns in 2009. 


With three years left on his rookie contract, Lynch likely isn't going anywhere this offseason. 

Cardinals sign Feeley

The Arizona Cardinals have lost a number of star players this offseason, including Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin. But can they deal with the loss of Neil Rackers?


Cardinals fans may have to deal with that question. In a move first reported by the Newark Star-Ledger, Jay Feeley has agreed to a two-year deal with the NFC West club, ending Rackers' stay in Arizona.


Feeley was solid for the New York Jets last season, connecting on 30-of-36 attempts, including a streak of 24 made field goals. Rackers conversely made 16-of-17 field goal attempts last year.


The Cardinals and Rackers were reportedly working on a new contract, but that seems to be irrelevant now that Feeley is a member of the team.

Parkers joins Redskins

Apparently, you can never have enough over-the-hill running backs. At least that's what Mike Shanahan believes, as evidenced by the Washington Redskins signing of former Pittsburgh Steelers star Willie Parker. 

Parker, 29, signed a one-year deal with the team today, joining a backfield that already includes Clinton Portis and Larry Johnson. 


Much like Johnson's three-year deal, Parker signed a deal that, with incentives, could be worth up to $3.1 million. Parker rushed for just 389 yards last season as Rashard Mendhenhall took over the work load in Pittsburgh.


How Parker will fits into the Redskins plan is anyone's guess, but conventional wisdom says the Redskins don't plan on keeping all three running backs. Since Shanahan has indicated that Portis will be the team's starter, it could mean that Parker will be battling Johnson for a roster spot. If it comes down to that, it could be one of the most intriguing training camp stories to follow this offseason. 

Rodgers "remorseful" after arrest

Shaun Rodgers was released from jail today after posting $1,000 bail. 


The Cleveland Browns nose tackle was arrested Thursday night for allegedly carrying a loaded gun into an airport. Rodgers is facing a fourth-degree felony charge, and intends on pleading not guilty. After being released, Rodgers made a statement to reporters, saying: "By no means did I intend or willingly or knowingly take a firearm into the airport," he said. "That's not something I would do." 


"I'm truly remorseful, and I really can't put into words how unfortunate the incident is," Rogers said. "Again, I'm completely sorry."


What this does to Rodgers' status with the team is not known, and team president Mike Holmgren said that he would  not comment "until the legal process has taken its course."


Though Rodgers claims that he did not know his gun was in his luggage, it's a mistake that should not be taken lightly. Commissioner Rodger Goodell has come down hard on all incidents involving the law, and this is not a minor one. Goodell always mentions the "integrity" of the league, and this does nothing to help it. As a result, a suspension is not out of the question. 


As the AP report mentions, Rodgers is arguably the Browns' best player, though Josh Cribbs' likely would have something to say to that. 

Adams, Hamlin released by Cowboys

Two members of the Dallas Cowboys have hit the free agent market. The team announced today that left tackle Flozell Adams and safety Ken Hamlin have been released. 


Adams, a five-time pro bowler, was a stalwart at the position for 12 years. He signed a $43 million deal in 2008, and his productivity has been in decline ever since. Adams has recently found himself near of the top of the list in most penalties, and his age (34) seems to be catching up with him. Still, he gave the Cowboys great protection for a number of years. 


“We will always be grateful for his outstanding durability, dependability and contributions to this team,” said owner Jerry Jones in a statement released by the team. “I don’t know that you could ask for any more than what Flozell Adams gave to the Dallas Cowboys for 12 seasons.”


Adams was due to receive a base salary of $5.0 million this season, something that not even Jones was willing to pay. Reserve tackle Doug Free is expected to take over for Adams, if the Cowboys do not address the position through the draft. 


As for Hamlin, he failed to live up to the big money contract that was given to him after his breakout season in 2007 in which he registered 102 tackles, five interceptions and a Pro Bowl appearance. The Cowboys could not justify paying him the $5.5 million he was set to earn in 2010.

Sproles signs tender

Coming into this offseason, San Diego Chargers running back Darren Sproles presumably had one goal in mind: sign a long-term deal. Thanks to the lack of a collective bargaining agreement and the Chargers placing the highest possible tender on him, that won't happen. 

According to ESPN's John Clayton, Sproles today signed his one-year tender, which will keep him in San Diego at a base salary of $7.2813 million.


As a backup to LaDainian Tomlinson last season, Sproles rushed for 343 yards and 3 touchdowns. Sproles is also an excellent receiver, and last season he had 45 receptions for 497 yards. The Chargers will likely turn to this month's draft to add depth to the position. Sproles is not considered to be an every-down back, and adding too many carries to his workload could hamper his ability as a punt and kickoff returner. 

Rams must take Bradford for the right reasons

The St. Louis Rams have a tough decision on their hands. Holding the No.1 overall pick in this month's draft, the Rams must decide who they want to become their future face of the franchise. It's obviously a big decision -- one that can get a general manager and head coach fired. Three weeks from today, the Rams must send in the their pick. 


Just one month ago, experts and draftniks generally agreed that former Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh should be the Rams' pick. Not since Reggie White has a defensive player this dominant come out of college, they said. And dominant he was. Suh registered 12 sacks in 2009, good enough to be tied for the fourth most in the country. 


Personally, I have a huge problem with taking a defensive tackle with the first overall pick. Quarterbacks win games in the NFL, which is why they are paid the most money. Never have I come away from a Super Bowl believing that a defensive tackle was the reason a team won it all. Obviously, a large number of quarterbacks have made their marks in Super Bowl games. Moreover, with all of the money that the No.1 overall pick is commanding these days, it doesn't seem to make financial sense to pay a defensive tackle $40 million in guaranteed money. The Rams need a quarterback to turn around the franchise. While defensive tackle is a position that the Rams must address, it is not as important as finding a quarterback. 


And this leads me to Bradford. Recently, all the talk regarding the Rams pick has centered around Bradford, who is now fully recovered from the shoulder injury he suffered during his last season at Oklahoma. Bradford received raving reviews from his pro day, where he threw just one incompletion. Many personnel gurus came away extremely impressed, including NFL.com's Gil Brandt, who said it was "one of the best individual workouts I've seen in a long time." Now, a pro day is a pro day, and I'm not someone who is going to overreact to a performance from a quarterback who has wearing a t-shirt and shorts. But what the workout did do was debunk any concerns regarding the shoulder, and that will make it easier for the Rams to take Bradford should they go that route. 


If the Rams do decide to select Bradford, they need to make sure they are doing it for the right reasons. Some fans believe that the Rams must take Bradford because they passed up on Matt Ryan and Mark Sanchez over the last two drafts. Wrong. If that's how the Rams are going to operate, they might as well stop being a franchise. The Rams need to select Bradford because they believe he is the best player in this year's draft. If he's not, then they need to go in a different direction. 


As I mentioned earlier, this pick will help shape the Steve Spagnuolo/Billy Devaney regime. The organization must be absolutely sure that Bradford is the player that they want to spend over $40 million on. 


It's not an easy decision, especially if the building is split between Suh and Bradford. But when the Rams send in their pick on the 22nd, they better be damn confident in their choice. 

McNabb deserves better

Donovan McNabb has led the Philadelphia Eagles to five NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl appearance, and this is how the franchise is treating him? 


McNabb has been not a good, but great, quarterback for the Eagles. He has done almost everything the team has asked of him. And now, with the Eagles offense looking like one of the best in the NFL, it is all-but-inevitable that the team will trade him. According to reports, the leading candidate to land McNabb is none other than arguably the worst franchise in the league, the Oakland Raiders. That doesn't seem fair to McNabb. But when you look closer, McNabb has never been treated fairly by this organization. 


From the day he was drafted, Eagles fans haven't respected McNabb, going so far as to boo him as he was announced as the Eagles draft pick by NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Through it all, McNabb has been as graceful as possible, never calling out Eagles fans for being the jerks that they are. 


McNabb has broken every Philadelphia passing record of note, and should go down as the greatest quarterback ever to don a Eagles jersey. At 33 years old, McNabb is a franchise quarterback in the prime of his athletic career, and the Eagles are looking to trade him. How does that make sense? 


Yes, McNabb never has been able to win a Super Bowl, but not that many quarterbacks have. To lead a team to five Conference Championship games is quite an achievement, one that Eagles fans should appreciate. Instead, the general consensus is that McNabb is a bum, and the team must trade him immediately if it ever wants to win a Super Bowl. The problem is that there is no guarantee that the team will get better if McNabb is traded. 


Nearly everyone in the Eagles organization believes that Kevin Kolb is the future of the Eagles franchise, and I have no problem with that thinking. When McNabb went down with a rib injury last season, Kolb looked excellent in two starts against the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively. He threw for 391 yards and two touchdowns against the Saints, and proceeded to throw for 327 yards and two touchdowns against the Chiefs. Just 25 years old, Kolb certainly would appear to be the future. But two games worth of film isn't enough to prove that he will be better than McNabb; McNabb has 11 years worth of statistics that show he is one of the league's best. 


All throughout his career, McNabb has never had great pieces around him offensively. Things have now changed, with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Brent Celek and LeSean McCoy forming a young nucleus that has the chance to do some great things for the Eagles. The time to win is now, and McNabb provides the team with the best opportunity to do that. 


Instead, the Eagles believe it is time to cut ties with McNabb. A number of teams reportedly want McNabb, as they should. After all, everyone but the Eagles seems to believe this guy can still get it done. With so many teams reportedly interested, the Eagles should be demanding the world for him, right? Wrong. He's available for a high second round pick, according to multiple outlets. Multiple outlets are also reporting that McNabb would prefer to stay in Philadelphia and does not want to play for Oakland, but that doesn't matter to the Eagles. After all he has given to this organization, they are willing to send him to Al Davis' insane asylum, against his wishes. 


When McNabb was benched at halftime of a game against the Baltimore Ravens two years ago, Andy Reid seemed to permanently damage the relationship between coach and quarterback. How could Reid have benched McNabb in a game the Eagles were still in? McNabb deserves better than Reid, who like the rest of the city doesn't seem to appreciate all McNabb has done for this franchise. Without McNabb, Reid likely would have been fired years ago. 


For Donovan's sake, I hope he gets traded. He has always been an excellent quarterback for the Eagles, and deserves to go to a place where his talents are respected and celebrated. He may not love the idea of going to Oakland -- who would -- but Raiders fans would love and adore him in the Silver and Black. He deserves to go to a city can logically look at the game of football and realize that it takes more than a good quarterback to win a championship. Should he end up on a team in the NFC, I hope he comes back to torment the Eagles and make them regret the day they traded away a franchise quarterback in his prime. 


Should McNabb win a championship with another team, justice will have been served. He deserves it.