Sports Briefing | Football: Goodell: Some NFL Teams Could Be London Regulars

Commissioner Roger Goodell said Saturday the league is looking into whether such a scenario would "advance our cause here by growing the fan base quicker." He is talking to several teams about becoming regulars in the British capital, a development he thinks would be "very powerful and lead us to what we ultimately would like to do — have a franchise here in London."

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are making their second trip in three years to Wembley to play the Chicago Bears on Sunday. It is the fifth regular-season game held in London since 2007.

The league decided this month to keep playing in London through at least 2016, with an aim to play at least two games a year.

Goodell said multiple games in Britain could happen as early as next year, and he hopes more teams will agree to make regular trips.

"We want as many teams to come over. We want to see the more popular teams come over," Goodell said at a question-and-answer session with international fans. "Should we focus on just a couple of teams as consistently coming back here to build a fan base around those teams? The Bucs are coming back now for a second time in a five-year period of time. And the idea is, will that allow them to build a fan base quicker?"

Goodell praised the Glazer family, which owns both the Bucs and Premier League team Manchester United, for taking a leading role in promoting the game overseas. He said the Bucs are one of several teams the league has been in discussions with over more London visits.

"Obviously, the Glazer family has an interest over here with Man U," Goodell said. "And I think they want to see the Bucs become a global franchise. And I think that's a great thing for Tampa. I think it's a great thing for the NFL."

The league's ambitions haven't been dampened by a decrease in ticket sales this year. Sunday's game is the first of the five regular-season games at Wembley that is not expected to be a sellout. Organizers say an estimated 75,000 tickets have been sold, with the stadium's capacity about 82,000.

Goodell echoed organizers' claims that the lower sales were caused by the lockout, which meant tickets didn't go on sale until September — several months later than usual.

"We started late," Goodell said. "But we're thrilled with our ticket sales. We obviously love to sell as many as we have, and we're still selling."

He said the NFL has no plans to play in other European countries in the near future, looking to establish as big a presence as possible in Britain first.

"We want to bring our game to continental Europe. The issue is, we want to make a success out of it in the U.K.," he said. "We think this (London) has got all of the basics that we need to be successful. It's got an advanced fan base, a strong media market, a great stadium. We have a long history here. So all those things contribute, let's make it work. And if we can be successful here, then we can take that model, potentially, to continental Europe."

Goodell was joined by Jerome Bettis, the former Pittsburgh Steelers running back who is one of several NFL stars who have flown to London to promote the game. "The Bus" was given a warm reception by a knowledgeable group of about 100 fans, but said he's had to tweak his nickname this week to fit in.

"I'm a double-decker now," he said.

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Column: Occupy the BCS! Could This Be the Season?

It's the reason the cartel was created in the first place, to make sure the stars align in the postseason exactly the way the major conference commissioners and their pals at the big bowl committees and TV networks desire. Or at the very least, as analyst Bill James put it a short while ago, "to create some gobbledygook math to endorse" their version of that universe. Either way, there's more than the usual reasons for optimism this could be the season that brings the BCS house of cards crashing down.

It's only week 2 of the BCS poll, but there are already signs the computers are overheating. There's no arguing with the teams on the top two lines, No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama. All three human polls — the USA Today coaches and Harris Interactive, which each account for one-third of the BCS formula, as well as The Associated Press poll — have them ordered the same way. Then the fun begins.

The computers, the final third of the BCS formula, aren't impressed by the Pac-12 or Big Ten so far, even though the humans are. Both the Harris and AP polls have Stanford at No. 3, while the coaches have the Cardinal at No. 4. But Stanford checks in at No. 6 in this week's BCS rankings because the computers have the Cardinal at No. 9, making some people wonder whether the machines, too, have a tough time staying up late to catch games on the West Coast. The real answer is simpler, and for those who want a playoff ASAP, hopeful.

There are eight undefeated teams in the Top 25 at the moment, 10 more with just one loss, and just eight weeks' worth of data for the computers to sort them out. Strength of schedule, to cite just one component, isn't nearly as a reliable an indicator as it will be later in the year. And, because of a ruckus at the end of the 2001 season that left a deserving Oregon team out of the national championship game, the BCS told computer operators the next year to drop margin of victory as a component to determine their rankings. Small wonder then that Stanford has gotten short shrift from the machines.

They have no idea the Cardinal has won 10 games in a row by 25 points or more dating to last season — the first team to accomplish the feat in 75 years — or that a few NFL teams might be sliding into the tank for a chance to draft quarterback Andrew Luck. All the machines know is Stanford has played all six of its games this season against teams with losing records and beat them. The Cardinal, as the BCS soothsayers love to point out, have plenty of control over their fate and their strength of schedule picks up beginning next week with a visit to Southern California. Oregon, 6-1 and No. 7 in the BCS ranking, should benefit similarly from a strength-of-schedule bump as the season progresses. But the Ducks are currently behind one-loss Arkansas and Oklahoma teams in the computers (12th), so even winning out may not be enough.

Big Ten flag-bearer Michigan State might be in the same boat. After upsetting Wisconsin, the conference's previous best BCS hope, the one-loss Spartans checked in at No. 11 in the latest BCS rankings, but were only 15th in the computer rankings. Like Stanford, Michigan State could win the rest of its games and wind up in the Rose Bowl — not a bad consolation prize, but not the BCS Championship, either, which this year is set for the Sugar Bowl.

The BCS counts on the regular season to winnow down the number of legitimate contenders, but in the early going, this looks like one of those seasons that won't cooperate. Of course, deserving teams have been hosed before, and every time their final poll kicks up a fuss — remember 2001, when then-Oregon coach Mike Bellotti reacted to the Ducks' exclusion by likening the BCS to "a cancer" — the suits went back and tweaked the formula. The stated rationale is usually to add more "weight" to the human polls; the real reason for the tweaks more often is so those same suits don't get caught trying to explain away the "gobbledygook math" again.

So just imagine the storm if Stanford and someone like Clemson of the Atlantic Coast Conference finish off perfect seasons and both wind up on the outside of the BCS national championship picture looking in. It happened to 13-0 Auburn in 2004 — it was nosed out of the BCS championship by Oklahoma and shuffled off to the Sugar Bowl — and its coach at the time, Tommy Tuberville, only got a small measure of satisfaction back last weekend. That's when his current team, Texas Tech, knocked those same Sooners, previously unbeaten, all the way back to No. 9 in the BCS ranking.

"Payback sometimes works in mysterious ways," he told SI.com after the win.

But if the guys in charge of the BCS wind up leaving out unbeaten teams from both the ACC and Pac-12, the payback won't be mysterious. It will be devastating.

___

Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org. Follow him at http://twitter.com/jimlitke

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Analysis: Tweaks in B.C.S. Could Results From Conference Changes

Those were the good old days, before a wave of off-the-field scandal and realignment uncertainty engulfed the sport, the real-time drama distracting everyone from the annual end-of-season headaches.

But with the release of the B.C.S. standings Sunday night, the potential for college football’s season to end with a lot of unhappy undefeated teams became clear. There are nine undefeated teams that could make a case that they should play for the title — sorry, No. 19 Houston, you’re not one of them — and yet another awkward finish appears likely.

But perhaps more important, with so much big-picture change brewing, the biggest question among the sport’s administrators is whether the shifts in conferences’ makeup will result in significant changes to the B.C.S.

As the tumult of conference expansion has defined the past three months, the B.C.S. coordinator, Bill Hancock, has been calling commissioners and administrators to brainstorm about potential changes. The B.C.S. contract expires at the end of the 2013 regular season, and Hancock said a mechanism had been set up for B.C.S. leadership to discuss potential changes. Hancock said changes would be determined in the next calendar year, as they have to be prepared to be presented to ESPN for its exclusive negotiation window by next fall.

“Because it is so early in the process, it wouldn’t be appropriate to even try to describe the general direction right now, except to say that I am hearing little to no sentiment for an F.C.S.-style playoff,” Hancock wrote in an e-mail Sunday. He was referring to the Football Championship Subdivision, which has a playoff format for its national title.

Hancock added that the integrity of the regular season and the bowl experience were priorities to be preserved, which are familiar talking points. The party line from university presidents has always been that a playoff in college football would interfere with academics, spoil the regular season and professionalize a sport that is having difficulty rationalizing its vestiges of amateurism.

But even with conferences seemingly growing as fast as television contracts are increasing in value, the resistance to extreme change in the B.C.S. is severe.

The Big Ten commissioner, Jim Delany, who has long been an advocate of the sport’s vibrant regular season and his league’s relationship with the Rose Bowl, said it was a leap to think that bigger leagues were a gateway to a playoff system.

“That’s not a logical conclusion,” he said in a phone interview Sunday. “The reasons people do or don’t judge a viewpoint on the system is not related to the size of a conference.”

There are a few possible B.C.S. discussions that everyday fans would care about. That would include adding a B.C.S. bowl game — the Cotton Bowl is commonly mentioned — to increase the number of B.C.S. bids and changing the limit of two teams per conference for B.C.S. games.

During the build-up to the current B.C.S. contract, there was a formal discussion of whether leagues would favor the so-called Plus One model, which would essentially have the top four teams play off in the B.C.S.

Just moving to have a discussion about the Plus One model was a big deal, and only the commissioners Mike Slive of the Southeastern Conference and John Swofford of the Atlantic Coast Conference favored it. There was so little interest that a vote wasn’t even taken.

Plus One was ultimately seen as a gateway to a bigger playoff, and college football still appears a long way from trending in that direction. During the expansion boom the past two years, a common refrain was that the march toward 16-team superconferences would inevitably lead to a playoff.

Delany said he did not see that.

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3rd Round Pick DL Ellis Could Make His Debut Monday Night

With defensive end Ropati Pitoitua’s availability for Monday night in question, Jets third-round defensive lineman Kenrick Ellis could make his NFL debut against the Dolphins, defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said on Friday.

“I think it’s looking that way,” Pettine said via Connor Orr of The Star-Ledger. “I think this is a team that I know will try and establish the run. It’s a pretty good offensive line we’re going against and again, not sure of Ropati’s eligibility.

“I could see this being the week, he’s certainly getting the reps in practice, but that decision has yet to be made. He’ll be ready to go.”

Pitoitua has not practiced this week due to a knee injury.

A third-round pick out of Hampton, the 6-foot-5, 346-pound Ellis had seven tackles, including one for a loss, and a pass defensed in the preseason, but has been unable to crack the team’s 46-man roster on gamedays.

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Three and out: Texans’ Johnson could “miss a few weeks”

NFL.com Staff | Tags: Three and out, Andre Johnson, Ben Tate, Houston Texans, Mario Manningham, New York Giants, Roy Helu, Ryan Torain, Tim Hightower, Washington Redskins

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Johnson to have MRI: The Houston Texans got good news on Sunday when Andre Johnson’s injury appeared to be a hamstring and not a knee. But the bad news is that his injured hamstring could put him on the shelf for a bit. Add that to Ben Tate’s groin injury and Derrick Ward’s bum ankle and the Texans might have to go without quite a bit of firepower. If Johnson is gone for any length of time, it means more snaps for Jacoby Jones and Kevin Walter. However, it likely means more targets for Owen Daniels and more dependence on the renewed Arian Foster and the running game.

Redskins to rotate running backs: Sunday turned out to be a big day for Ryan Torain and if he keeps running hard, there could be more on the way. Redskins coach Mike Shanahan unveiled his new running back strategy after yesterday’s win, telling reporters that “we’ve got three football players at the running back position. All three guys can play. All guys have a strength, and we’ll play the hot guy.” Translation: Tim Hightower, Torain and Roy Helu all become risky plays — unless you can get into the mind of Shanahan. Good luck.

Manningham demoted during game: The disappearance of Mario Manningham had a lot of fantasy owners scratching their heads on Sunday. The fourth-year receiver had just one catch for 10 yards and was reportedly dropped from the team’s two-receiver sets midway through the game. In his place, Victor Cruz did a nice job, catching six passes for 98 yards. It’s premature to banish Manningham to the waiver wire, but with a game against the woeful Seattle Seahawks next week, if Manningham finds himself behind Cruz again, it might be time to move him off your roster.

– Marcas Grant

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Tranghese: Big Ten could be big winner

Former Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese is one of the nation's most respected voices on college sports. He's also extremely sharp and not afraid to speak his mind.

Tranghese sounded off Monday with WFAN Radio in New York. He lit into the ACC for poaching the Big East again, and he also ripped college presidents for being greedy and disloyal as realignment fever hits again.

The entire interview definitely is worth a listen, but Tranghese had some very interesting thoughts about the Big Ten and its position when the realignment dust settles.

I think you'll like what he says.

"You know who's going to be the winner in all this when it's all is said and done if you want to talk about conference? Big Ten. The Big Ten is sitting there, they took Nebraska, they're on the sidelines, they're watching all this chaos, everybody's going to be taking people. And you know you could be standing there all alone at the end? Notre Dame and Texas. And the Big Ten would not be accused of raiding because they're just going to be sitting there."

Commissioner Jim Delany's patience might pay off, according to Tranghese.

Tranghese also discussed whether the Big Ten would pursue Rutgers and Connecticut.

"I don't think so. ... Before the Big Ten took Nebraska, knowing Jim Delany as well as I do ... Jim did a lot of work. He did a lot of analysis, and I believe that Rutgers was looked at, and Pittsburgh was looked at, and Syracuse was looked at, and Connecticut was looked at. And a lot of schools were looked at. And I think the Big Ten came to the conclusion that the addition of any one of those schools wasn't going to deliver them the New York market. ... So that's why I think that ultimately led them to Nebraska. Now they sit there and they ask themselves the same question: Can they get the New York market with Rutgers or Connecticut? You can do it with Notre Dame."

Tranghese also said the Big Ten doesn't have to be reactive to other conferences.

"Why can't they stay at 12? In fact, I would argue you're better off at 12 than you are at 16. You have less mouths to feed, easier to run. You add people when you add value. You just don't add numbers."

I agree 100 percent. I wish more people in powerful positions took the same approach.

Will the Big Ten's patient approach pay off? Will the Big Ten once again be a big winner in realignment?

Stay tuned.

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Today Could Be the Day For Donnie Avery, T.J. Houshmandzadeh

While “next man up” has rung true for the Buccaneers, Cowboys, Bills and Broncos through their wideout injuries, those next guys stepped up.

However, the Bills’ Roscoe Parrish is going to be out for awhile. Chan Gailey has hinted that they will sign a free agent rather than bringing up from the practice squad. Not only has Donnie Avery already worked out for them, but he fits the returner role better than T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Those two should be on the top of every WR-needy teams’ list. It’s hard to believe that – with as important as the passing game is – that these guys haven’t gotten non-guaranteed deals.

Eddie Royal hurt his groin and will be out 2-4 weeks. Tim Tebow played a little wide receiver for the Broncos.

The 49ers could be without Michael Crabtree and Braylon Edwards on Sunday. Crabtree missed last Sunday and Braylon Edwards is day-to-day.

The Chargers have injuries to Malcom Floyd and Patrick Crayton.

The Giants’ Mario Manningham might not be able to play the Ravens 6 days after having a concussion.

Ironically, the Cowboys need a receiver with Miles Austin likely out 4 weeks but would not consider the most decorated one out there, Terrell Owens.

Ravens WR Lee Evans could get shut down this week for healing purposes.

The Bears, Texans, Buccaneers, Rams, Saints, Seahawks and Jaguars have minor injuries at wide receiver.

Free agents:
David Clowney
Mardy Gilyard
James Hardy
T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Johnnie Lee Higgins
Jaymar Johnson
Terrell Owens
Maurice Price
Laurent Robinson
Derrick Williams

Practice squad:
Kris Adams (Bears)
Emmanuel Arceneaux (Vikings)
Ed Gant (Buccaneers)

With Randy Moss uninterested in coming back, I think the best receivers out there are Arceneaux, Houshmandzadeh, Avery and a recovering Owens in that order. The Bills, 49ers, Giants, Cowboys and Broncos are the teams that have the highest chance of signing someone.

Hit “LIKE” if you want to see either Donnie Avery or T.J. Houshmandzadeh back in the NFL.

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Lombardi: McDaniels could land with Rams

Published: January 17th, 2011 | Tags: Josh McDaniels, Michael Lombardi, Minnesota Vikings, NFL Total Access, St. Louis Rams

Josh McDaniels didn’t last as coach of the Broncos, but he’s one of the hottest names right now among candidates for several offensive coordinator openings.

It’s been reported for over a week that McDaniels has been linked to both Minnesota and St. Louis.

NFL information man Michael Lombardi told “NFL Total Access” Monday he believes McDaniels will make a decision in the next 24 hours, and it will “probably” be the Rams.

The offensive coordinator carousel was spinning fast Monday with the Browns plucking Brian Daboll and the Rob Chudzinski reportedly landing in Carolina, and it sounds as though McDaniels will be next.

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The Vikings could ruin your title dreams

Published: December 16th, 2010 | Tags: Adrian Peterson, Brett Favre, Joe Webb, Sidney Rice, Tarvaris Jackson, Visanthe Shiancoe

Remember in the summer when you were thrilled to draft Adrian Peterson in the first round? Or when you felt a sense of accomplishment when you landed Sidney Rice off the waiver wire a few weeks back?

Well, I’d be very worried right now if I were you. Why, you might ask?

Two words: Joe Webb.

Who is Joe Webb? Well, he’s a rookie out of Alabama-Birmingham who was drafted as a wide receiver and converted to quarterback. And with Brett Favre injured and Tarvaris Jackson going on injured reserve, Webb is likely to start for the Vikings on Monday night.

That’s bad news for every prominent member of that offense – including Peterson.

With Webb under center, the Bears’ game plan will be simple: Stack the line of scrimmage to stop A.P. and make Webb, who has thrown five passes at the NFL level, beat them through the air.

I’m not telling you to bench Peterson. After all, he is one of the elite players in fantasy football. But he’s going to be playing at a major disadvantage against a defense that will be geared up to perform at a high level.

I would, however, find a place on my bench for Rice, Percy Harvin (if active) and Visanthe Shiancoe.

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Fantasy owners could get Nicks, Smith back

Published: December 9th, 2010 | Tags: Eli Manning, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, Steve Smith

Tom Rock of Newsday wrote on his Twitter page that Hakeem Nicks (leg) and Steve Smith (pectoral) both practiced Thursday and are “looking good for Sunday.”

That would be great news for fantasy owners, as the postseason starts in most traditional leagues.

The Vikings have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to wide receivers, so Nicks and Smith would instantly become starters if neither has playing-time limitations in the contest. In a best-case scenario where both players starts, Eli Manning would also be a much more attractive option.

Of course, the full return of Nicks and Smith would limit the appeal of Mario Manningham.

Be sure to check NFL.com’s inactives report on Sunday morning for definitive news on the Giants wide receivers and all the injured players for Week 14.

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Bucs WR Williams could be gametime call

Published: December 9th, 2010 | Tags: Arrelious Benn, Mike Williams, Raheem Morris

Mike Williams has been one of the best rookies in fantasy football this season, so when he misses practice it’s certainly noteworthy. That was the case on Thursday, as he sat out of drills due to a bum knee.

“He’s got a sore knee, has been fighting through it for a couple weeks,” Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris told the St. Petersburg Times. “He’s a tough guy, he goes out and he plays, right now it’s little bit sore, just got to get him to tomorrow, and see what he can do tomorrow. Get him through Saturday, see what he can do Saturday and hopefully get him in the game.”

Williams, who is on pace to finish with better than 1,000 yards, could be a game-time decision to face the Redskins. If he is active, it will be hard to bench the rookie despite the threat of rainy weather at FedEx Field.

In the event that Williams is declared inactive, fellow rookie Arrelious Benn would see a spike in value for owners in deeper leagues.

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Could TCU open up Texas recruiting base?

ESPN Recruiting's Jamie Newberg takes a look today at how the addition of TCU to the Big East could affect recruiting for the league.

Obviously, having a pathway to an automatic BCS bid now helps the Horned Frogs immensely as they make pitches to prospects. It could also mean that Big East schools benefit from the exposure in Texas and start signing players from that talent-rich area.

"I can't speak for the other schools in our league but I think we are going to try and take advantage of it," Syracuse coach Doug Marrone told Newberg.

My take: I think that this could open doors for a few prospects here and there, but it's certainly not going to open any floodgates. The best players in Texas will still go to Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma, and the idea of playing in the East Coast probably will not be that appealing to many of them.

But any extra pipeline can help. West Virginia got quarterback Jeremy Johnson out of Texas last year, though he quickly got homesick and ended up transferring. A more successful example is Louisville starting center Mario Benavides, who's from Los Fresno, Texas.

Big East coaches now have some additional recruiting tapes to comb through.

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WRs Smith, Nicks could return for fantasy playoffs

Published: December 1st, 2010 | Tags: Hakeem Nicks, Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants, Steve Smith North, Tom Coughlin

The Giants could be getting more help at receiver: Steve Smith was reportedly running routes at practice Wednesday, according to coach Tom Coughlin, and WR Hakeem Nicks told reporters that he wants to return soon, maybe as soon as Week 14 vs. the Vikings. These returns would coincide with the heart of the fantasy playoffs.

And that is obviously good news.

The duo would have a favorable matchup against the Vikings in Week 14 and then face the Eagles and Packers down the stretch.

Coughlin also reiterated that RB Brandon Jacobs will be the starter this week against the Redskins but that Ahmad Bradshaw will remain in the mix. Both have a great matchup and should be seen as flex starters.

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Sanders: Titans could cut Vince Young

Published: November 22nd, 2010 | | Tags: Bud Adams, Bump -n- Run, Deion Sanders, Jeff Fisher, Michael Irvin, Tennessee Titans, Vince Young

Vince Young is out as the starting quarterback for the Titans, and his long-term future in Tennessee appears to be in jeopardy as well.

The details of the fallout between Young and Titans Jeff Fisher reached the surface soon after Sunday’s loss to the Redskins, and NFL Network’s Deion Sanders believes that the two can’t coexist in Tennessee. And the coach will likely win this battle of wills.

“(My sources) told me that Vince is really upset because every time he messes up, they place Kerry Collins in the game,” Sanders said. “But when Collins messes up or someone else, nothing happens, and (Young) has just gotten fed up with it. He wanted to go back into the game. He and Fisher got into a shouting match where a policeman had to break them up. This all took place in front of the GM.

“This is what the Titans plan on doing with him: putting him on injured reserve or cutting him, as soon as [Monday].”

Fellow analyst Michael Irvin agrees that Young should be the Titans’ starter, but his actions didn’t reflect the true leadership required by an NFL quarterback.

“Young deserves to be the starting quarterback for that team, make no mistake about it,” Irvin said. “The way he’s played and his win-loss record says that. But there are some things Young is doing that can not happen from the quarterback position.”

Could the Titans cut ties completely with Young, who has one year left on his contract?

There’s a lot of spin in this story, and it has a complex history. It leaves one to wonder if the reported damaged relationship between Young and Fisher — and the locker room — is irreversible. It seems this will come down to the stance Titans owner Bud Adams decides to take, either backing Fisher or continuing his unwavering support of Young.

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Redskins RB Williams could start again

Published: November 18th, 2010 | | Tags: Clinton Portis, Ryan Torain, Keiland Williams

A report on TBD.com suggests that Ryan Torain (hamstring) “doesn’t appear likely” to play in Week 11. He was unable to practice on Thursday.

With Clinton Portis (groin) also at less than 100 percent, it looks like Keliand Williams is destined to see a featured role against the Titans. He’s coming off a huge performance against the Eagles, posting 31.90 fantasy points on NFL.com, so he’s a viable flex option in most leagues against the Titans.

A free agent in close to 95 percent of NFL.com leagues, Williams should be a hot name on the waiver wire.

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Value of Texans WR Johnson could take another hit

Published: November 17th, 2010 | | Tags: Houston Texans, Andre Johnson, Matt Leinart, Dan Orlovsky, Matt Schaub, Darrelle Revis, Gary Kubiak

Texans starting QB Matt Schaub has been hospitalized with a bursa sac in his knee according to coach Gary Kubiak, according to the team’s official website. Kubiak said that he expects Schaub to be released from the hospital Wednesday, and possibly return to practice on Thursday.

“Well, he’s not here today,” Kubiak said. “I’ve got to see where he’s at tomorrow, but I’m telling you, I expect him here tomorrow. If that’s the case and he’s doing what he normally does, then you’re damn right he’ll be out there.”

Sound like somebody is worried about their job security? Either that, or he is worried about his options behind Schaub. Normally, this is where a coach would talk up his backup quarterbacks. Yet, Kubiak could not wait to say that Schaub will be back on the field, even if he is wearing a robe and a bedpan for a helmet.

Or, at least it just sounded that way to me.

The value of Texans WR Andre Johnson has taken a hit this week because of matchup against Jets CB Darrelle Revis. Dre’s value will plummet like the elevator car on Disney’s Hollywood Tower of Terror if the Texans have to turn to QBs Dan Orlovsky or Matt Leinart, who has been listed as the team’s emergency quarterback for most of the season.

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La Canfora: Wade Phillips could land in Washington

Published: November 17th, 2010 | | Tags: pierre thomas, Wade Phillips, Reggie Bush, Kenny Britt, Joshua Cribbs, Fran Charles, Jason La Canfora, NFL Total Access, Around the League

NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora has the latest on the CBA negotiations, injury updates on Saints RBs Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas, Browns WR Joshua Cribbs and Titans WR Kenny Britt, as well as the possibility of former Dallas coach Wade Phillips landing with Mike Shanahan in Washington.

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Mayock: This could be Favre’s last stand

Published: November 17th, 2010 | | Tags: Minnesota Vikings, Brett Favre, Tarvaris Jackson, Mike Mayock

The window on the Minnesota Vikings’ season, and the final chapter of Brett Favre’s career, has yet to be shut. Not … quite … yet.

But it’s worth considering whether a 3-7 record, a bleak shot at the NFC playoffs and a banged-up Favre would prompt a change at quarterback by Vikings coach Brad Childress. That scenario could become reality by the end of the week, leaving us to consider at what point — if there is one — the Vikings could decide to see what they have in former starter-turned backup Tarvaris Jackson.

Stands to reason. If Favre .. ahem … stands by his word that this season is indeed his last, then it’s presumable to believe Sunday’s game — against the Packers — could be Favre’s last if the Vikings lose. Analyst Mike Mayock believes the above is a distinct possibility.

“I think you’re looking at Brett’s last stand,” Mayock told fans during his weekly chat. “If the Vikings can win, they continue to hope for a playoff spot. If they lose, I think you’re looking at Tarvaris Jackson at quarterback, because they have to find out if he’s the quarterback for the future.”

Surely very few, including Favre, imagined it all ending like this. At some point, the Vikings will have to move on and soon the question at hand could become more about “when,” and less about “if.” It only goes to show that NFL magic like last season doesn’t repeat itself just because all the pieces are in the same places.

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Draft Day 2011 Could Bring Tough Choices, Surprise Decision for Seattle

The final seconds tick off the clock. Beads of sweat trickle down your face as you shuffle through your notes. All around you, phones ring and voices fight to be heard. You’re moments away from making Seattle’s first pick in the 2011 National Football League Draft and you’ve decided the team’s going to invest in a quarterback and the options at the position are plenty.

There’s Jake Locker. He’s the local product who has captured the hearts of many. Standing at 6-foot-3, 230-pounds, his physical tools are well known. He’s more mobile than most at the position and has a strong arm. His competitiveness has never been in doubt despite playing for one of the country’s worst college football teams over the past few years.

There’s also the downside to the Husky. He’s an erratic passer and, because of his mobility and competitiveness, he’s been banged up more than you’d like for someone his age.

What about Ryan Mallet? Not many quarterbacks come in the form of a 6-foot-6, 238-pound gunslinger. He’s spent two years in the SEC – a conference everybody knows is among the best if not the best in terms of competition. In the conference, he’s not only shown that he can play, but play well. His completion percentage (67.3) has jumped roughly 12 percentage points in his second season at Arkansas and is approaching 70 percent.

He’s not all that mobile, though, but is that something you need from your quarterback?

How about a dark horse? Someone that can play with the best of them and that can be had with your pick or possibly a later one if you trade back a few spots and pick up an additional selection or two in the process?

Enter Cam Newton.

In his first year starting in the SEC, Newton’s put himself front and center among the nation’s top quarterbacks and has built a strong portfolio towards winning the Heisman Trophy. His completion percentage (68.2) is better than Mallet’s and, with 1,297 rushing yards on 6.3 yards per carry and 17 rushing touchdowns, is as much a threat on the ground as he is via the air.

With all the hype also comes a serious question mark.

The alleged pay-for-play recruitment scandal has dragged Auburn’s signal caller through the mud. Did he or people associated with him take money? Did he or people associated with him even ask for money? How will this situation affect his maturity and decision making on and off the field at the next level of the sport?

With the final seconds waning quicker than they should, you call together the team’s decision makers for one last go-over of opinions and the final decision is made.

Now all that is left is to turn in the card to the commissioner and welcome in the next generation of Seahawks football.

Can’t get enough NFLGridironGab?  Follow SeahawksGab Editor Devon Heinen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DevonHeinen.

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Bears run game could be silent the rest of 2010

Thanks mostly to a mish-mashed O-line that’s been in a constant state of flux, the Bears have generated the 27th best rushing game in the league…despite having a duo of backs capable of producing Top 10 numbers.

I know what you’re thinking – with 8 weeks left to play, there’s still room for the line to grow and for the Bears to see significant improvement. But surely you’ve considered…

1)      The Bears’ mediocre performances against 3 of the worst rush defenses in the league so far:

Buffalo (32nd) – 105 yardsDetroit (27th) – 101 yardsDallas (24th) – 38 yards

2)      In their remaining 8 games, the Bears will have 5 tilts vs. Top 16 rush defenses, including:

Jets – 4th bestMinnesota (twice) – 7th bestPhiladelphia – 12th best

3)      Mike Martz has never been a big fan of sticking with the run, especially when it’s not working early. Sure, he may have been a little more patient in St. Louis when he had future Hall of Famers at Running Back (Marshall Faulk) and Left Tackle (Orlando Pace), and not to mention the aerial threat of another HOFer, QB Kurt Warner. But with question marks across his current line, Martz is more likely to lean on the right arm of his talented QB rather than settle for a 2-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust running game.

The 2008 Steelers dispelled the notion that champions had to have a formidable rushing offense. But they also had a Hall of Fame defensive coordinator (Dick LaBeau) and a Super Bowl-winning QB (Big Ben).

The Bears have…well, you know…

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