With the NFL Draft just days away, beginning on April 25, here’s a look at the AFC East’s biggest needs heading into the opening rounds.

Buffalo Bills

By cutting Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Bills showed they are committed to finding a new franchise quarterback, and they could do a lot worse than taking Geno Smith with their first round pick. Smith has come in for a lot of criticism this offseason, largely in part to the fact he isn’t a player of the same caliber as Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III, but he does have all the tools required to become a franchise quarterback in the NFL.

Buffalo has some talented young offensive tackles in Chris Hairston and Cordy Glenn, but with Andy Levitre leaving in the offseason, they could look for a guard in the early rounds to potentially help protect their new quarterback. Barrett Jones (Alabama) could still be on the board when they come to pick in the third round, but if not, Earl Watford (James Madison) or Hugh Thornton (Illinois) should be available.

A need for a tight end could also be filled in the second round, with Zach Ertz (Stanford) likely still available, and has the ability to be a starter immediately in the NFL.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins helped fill some of their many needs by spending big in free agency, but there is still a glaring need at left tackle. Trading up to try and take Lane Johnson (Oklahoma) is a move mooted by many, but if they can’t work out a deal, it’s hard to see them taking anyone other than Xavier Rhodes (Florida St.) with the 12^th overall pick, as corner is another big need.

Depending on who Miami ultimately takes in the first round, offensive tackle Terron Armstead (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) or corner Robert Alford (Southeastern Louisiana) are potential second round targets.

Helping Ryan Tannehill has to be the Dolphins priority so do not be surprised to see Miami look for a tight end or guard in the third and fourth rounds, with both Vance McDonald (Rice) and Brian Winters (Kent St.) good fits.

New York Jets

New York could go in a number of directions with their first round pick, but finding a premiere pass rusher at the outside linebacker position has to be high on their list, and although patience will be required while he transitions to the new position, Barkevious Mingo (LSU) has so much upside that he’s hard to ignore. In addition, the recent first round they picked up as part of the Darrel Revis trade could help them aggressively go after a Dee Milliner (Alabama) or Xavier Rhodes.

Surprisingly, Mark Sanchez is still on the roster, but the Jets could be tempted to try and make a move for E. J. Manuel (Florida St.) or Tyler Bray (Tennessee) in the second or third round, to provide competition for Sanchez, and most likely, eventually replace him.

There are big question marks over Tyrann Mathieu (LSU) and whether he can keep himself out of trouble, but there are few players in the draft with more ability on the field. With Revis now a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Mathieu could be a valuable pickup, especially if head coach Rex Ryan is confident he can help Mathieu overcome his troubled background.

New England Patriots

The Patriots have been putting together a talented and young defense over the last couple of years and targeting a top corner in the first round could be vital in helping it progress to the next level. Desmond Trufant (Washington) could be off the board by the time they come to pick, but Jamar Taylor (Boise St.) is not far behind Trufant, and could be an immediate starter in the Patriots defense.

New England has replaced Wes Welker with Danny Amendola, but they could be looking for some more depth at receiver, and Marcus Wheaton (Oregon St.) could help make the transition easier. Wheaton is an accomplished route-runner and has good hands, making him perfectly suited to the Patriots offense.

An injection of youth at the guard position will also be high on New England’s wish list, but given their lack of picks, they would probably have to target one with their third round pick. Like the Bills, they might have to look at the likes of Watford and Thornton at this point in the draft, and hope they can develop one of them into the long-term successor  Logan Mankins.

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The National Football League Draft is one of the most highly anticipated events on the sporting calendar as the 32 NFL franchises select the best young American Football players from the collegiate leagues to replenish their ranks. Predictably, a large portion of players who go on to become stars in the NFL are selected in the first round, where selections can make or break teams for years to come.

Names such as Ryan Leaf, Tony Mandarich and JaMarcus Russell should serve as cautionary tales to NFL General Managers, but the sheer amount of quality available in the Draft arguably makes it easier to hit, rather than miss, on a player in the first round.

On the flip side, for every Leaf or Russell, there is a Tom Brady or Kurt Warner, players who fall to the later rounds of the Draft or even fail to get drafted at all, but who go on to have stellar careers within the NFL.

With that in mind, we have examined which current NFL rookies (non-first and second rounders) have the potential to stand in the lofty heights created by the likes of Brady and Warner.

1) Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks.

Wilson was selected in the third round by the Seahawks, presumably to learn from the duo vying for the starting jersey, Matt Flynn and Tavaris Jackson. Not even the most optimistic of Seahawks’ fans would have predicted that their young rookie would oust the highly paid acquisition that was Flynn, but he did just that.

Wilson has thrown for 2,051 yards and 17 touchdowns so far this season, despite playing behind an inexperienced offensive line and without an elite receiving corps. With a few decent additions to Seattle over the coming years, Wilson could, and perhaps should, develop into an elite quarterback.

2) Alfred Morris, RB, Washington Redskins.

Understandably, headlines were focused on another Redskins pick at the start of the season, a certain Robert Griffin III but fast forward a few months and, well, they’re still focused on RG3, but running back Morris is also earning some time in the spotlight.

Selected in the sixth round, Morris has perhaps offered more value for money than any other rookie currently in the NFL. Morris has 982 rushing yards (fifth in the NFL), with an average of 4.7 yards-per-carry, further proving that excellent running back prospects can be found towards the end of the draft (honorable mentions also to Daryl Richardson and Bryce Brown).

3) Vontaze Burfict, LB, Cincinnati Bengals.

The former Arizona State University player went undrafted this year, despite entering the 2011 NCAA season as one of the most highly rated prospects in the country. A poor combine workout, personality concerns and testing positive for marijuana all ensured that Burfict slipped off of most teams’ radars.

He has already collected 76 combined tackles this season and would perhaps have more if he had not been moved from inside to outside linebacker. More importantly, Burfict is repaying the faith shown in him by Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis by training hard, playing well and avoiding any off-field controversies. Providing he can continue in this vein, we could well be witnessing the first few steps of the next Ray Lewis.

4) Alfonzo Dennard, CB, New England Patriots.

There was little fanfare in New England when Dennard was selected in the seventh round. Fans were far more focused on defensive counterparts Chandler Jones and Don’t’a Hightower, both of whom were selected in the first round, whilst the secondary was also strengthened in the second and sixth rounds with the acquisitions of Tavon Wilson and Nate Ebner. Although it was safe to say Dennard flew in under the radar, there is nothing under the radar about his play since.

Dennard has three interceptions — one of which was returned for an 87-yard touchdown — in just seven games and already looks at home in the Patriot’s defense. His form has also allowed for Devin McCourty to move back to safety, with a potentially dominant secondary forming among the young defensive backs for New England.

5) Justin Tucker, K, Baltimore Ravens.

The Ravens were faced with a conundrum at the beginning of the season: stick with veteran kicker Billy Cundiff or roll the dice on the undrafted Justin Tucker? Tucker eventually won the battle in preseason and neither Tucker nor the Ravens have looked back since.

The kicker has missed just two of his field goal attempts, has 100 percent success rate on extra point attempts and has broken the franchise record with a 56-yard field goal. Although Baltimore was criticized by some for going with the rookie at the start of the season, they have proved their critics wrong as Tucker has arguably outshone all the kickers drafted above him, with perhaps the exception of Greg Zuerlein.

Image Courtesy : Seattle Seahawks

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Last Sunday Wembley stadium in London, England played host to its sixth Regular Season game as the New England Patriots blowout the St Louis Rams, 45-7. Although mentions of a potential franchise being based in the UK were tentatively whispered back in 2007, those whispers are now being echoed by some of the most prominent figures in the sport.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft is one of the most outspoken persons on the issue, claiming “it’s time for you [UK] to have your own NFL franchise”, based in London and cited the way London handled the recent Olympics as proof that the city could host a permanent franchise.

The NFL has also taken significant steps towards finding out if a permanent franchise would be viable in the UK. By securing the Jacksonville Jaguars to repeated appearances from 2013 through 2016 at Wembley, the league will be able to evaluate whether or not a fan base can be built to a level that would sustain a franchise. They have also arranged a second Regular Season fixture in 2013 to be played in London, when the Minnesota Vikings will host the Pittsburgh Steelers. As well as rewarding UK-based NFL fans with an extra game, it will also go a long way to finding out if the consistent sell outs of Wembley are due to novelty, or if it can occur on a more regular basis.

Whilst things are progressing as well as could be expected in regards to the NFL’s international ambitions, there are a number of obstacles which first need to be tackled. League commissioner Roger Goodell has put his weight behind growing the game in the UK over other potential markets such as Germany and Mexico, but feels that the sport needs to be in the top five viewed sports before a franchise could be considered. Given the congested sports market in the UK, American Football will first need to overcome the likes of golf and motorsport, before it sits amongst the national sports of soccer, rugby union and cricket.

Another potential problem is logistics. The distance, and time required, to travel to and from London 16 times a year, not to mention preseason or possible playoff appearances, would certainly be an issue for some teams and owners. It is, however, not an unthinkable proposition. There is not a large difference in distance between London and the NFL teams based on the East Coast than there is between East Coast and West Coast based teams. The Patriots also proved last week that a team can fly into London on the Friday, perform to a high level on the Sunday, and be back at their training facility by the Monday.

Concerns have also been raised over the desire college players would have of joining an overseas based franchise in the NFL Draft, the primary resource NFL teams have for acquiring new players. Whilst this may limit a London-based franchises pool of players to select from, it is not a death sentence to the prospect of an overseas franchise. The creation of a London-based team would do miracles for the game at college level in the UK, something which is currently miles behind their American counterparts, and thus create a larger pool of players who would be willing to play in the UK. In addition to this, London would likely be a desirable location for free agents, as the city could likely rival anything that a New York or Chicago for example, could offer.

For arguably the first time since the inception of the International Series, a franchise in London within 10 years actually seems a realistic option. Many experts have even said that London could likely get a franchise before Los Angeles, given that the infrastructure is already in place, and the huge potential fan base the UK offers if the sports profile can be grown. With television audiences growing swiftly every year in the UK, and the continued success of the International Series, it may be time to start thinking of some potential franchise names. I’m going to put the London Bulldogs on the table.

Image Courtesy : New England Patriots

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At long last, one team has broken away from the middling pack and established a sole proprietorship on first place. After a 29-26 overtime victory over the New York Jets, the New England Patriots now sit atop the AFC East with a record of 4-3. However, the Jets weren’t the only team to suffer a late game loss in week 7. The Buffalo Bills fell to the Tennessee Titans 35-34, after a fourth quarter comeback led by veteran quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck, handed the Bills their fourth loss of the season.

In Foxboro, Massachusetts the Patriots took advantage of a couple of untimely Mark Sanchez turnovers and some suspect play-calling to grab their fourth win of the season. Tom Brady tossed two touchdowns and didn’t turn the ball over once to a Jets defense that looked primed and ready for an upset from the first snap. However, even a stellar defensive effort wasn’t enough to combat the continued offensive woes for the Jets.

Mark Sanchez fumbled a hand-off in the opening half which lead to a safety, and threw an interception on an under thrown pass to a wide open Stephen Hill in the end zone. The Patriots rallied off a first quarter kick return touchdown by Devin McCourty. Rob Gronkowski added two touchdown passes, and his size ultimately proved too much for the Jets undermanned secondary to handle. Despite a valiant effort, the Patriots added a Gostkowski field goal in overtime, followed by a strip-sack of Sanchez to end the game. Jets fans have to be wondering how much longer Mark Sanchez can struggle before Tim Tebow sees some substantial playing time.

In Buffalo, the Bills engaged in a back and forth shootout all day, only to fall 35-34. Ryan Fitzpatrick looked more impressive than in recent weeks, tossing three touchdowns to only one interception. Running backs, Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller, both looked fresh, having seemingly fully recovered from early season injuries. However, the Bills are still working out the kinks on defensive. One of the most highly touted units in the off-season, this Buffalo defense is yet to make any type of meaningful impact toward a Bills victory.

In Week 8, the Miami Dolphins return from bye to face the Jets at Metlife Stadium. The Patriots travel to St. Louis to take on the Rams, and the Bills receive their much needed bye week.

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Another week in the AFC East and the division continues to travel as a pack. After four weeks, the Buffalo Bills, the New York Jets, and the New England patriots all stand at 2-2 while the Miami Dolphins are just one game back at 1-3.

The 2-1 Jets hosted an angry San Francisco team that completely overpowered the Jets on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Mark Sanchez posted one of his worst efforts in recent memory in a 34-0 shellacking at the hands of the 49ers. Sanchez’s consistent mistakes lead many fans to call for backup Tim Tebow to see some snaps under center, but the Jets brass remains steadfast in their commitment to Sanchez as the starting quarterback. To add injury to insult, wide receiver, Santonio Holmes, left the game with an apparent foot injury. His status is uncertain for the coming weeks, but the Jets fear he is lost for the season.

In Arizona, the Dolphins took the undefeated Cardinals to their limit, ultimately succumbing to an overtime field goal in a 24-21 loss. That makes two straight overtime losses for Miami, but this one came with a little more gusto. Ryan Tannehill looked motivated to win the game, finding target, Brian Hartline, 12 times for 253 yards and a touchdown. Ultimately, a loss is a loss, but Dolphin fans can be proud of the effort their team put forth on Sunday.

The Patriots looked the opposite of their 2-2 counterparts in the Jets and Bills after trouncing Buffalo in a 52-28 blowout. Thirty-one fourth quarter points propelled Tom Brady and the Patriots to a road win, while forcing four interceptions from Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. This might be just the type of win New England needed to shed their early season rust and leave the rest of the division in the dust.

For this upcoming week, the Jets face an equally tough foe in Houston on Monday Night Football. Miami travels to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals, Buffalo takes on the 49ers in San Francisco, while New England hosts Denver for another installment of the great rivalry between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

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What if you were told that the New England Patriots would have the highest point differential in the division after three weeks? No surprises. What if you were then told that they were in a share of last place with the Miami Dolphins, under .500 for the first time in almost a decade? Somehow, all of this is true. Whether blamed on the replacement officials, injuries to key offensive starters, or Tom Brady’s broken nose, the Patriots are 1-2. After a disappointing 31-30 loss to Baltimore, the Patriots need to go back to the drawing board before a divisional showdown next week.

For the second straight week, the Buffalo Bills took it to an overmatched squad, defeating the Browns in a hostile Cleveland environment by a final score of 24-14. After a week one debacle against the Jets, the Bills have quietly put together an impressive couple of weeks. However, the victory was bittersweet; C.J. Spiller, the offensive juggernaut of the early season, went down with a sprained shoulder. The injury doesn’t seem to be severe, but with starting running back Fred Jackson already nursing an ankle injury, the Bills’ backfield may become an issue.

This week’s divisional matchup saw the New York Jets narrowly edge the Miami Dolphins 23-20 in an overtime contest. Both teams looked offensively challenged and undisciplined. The Jets capitalized on a missed Miami field goal in overtime. In fact, the Jets had an overtime field goal of their own blocked, but Nick Folk was given a second chance and booted the game winner because Miami head coach Joe Philbin called a timeout on the previous play.

Adding insult to injury, Miami lost Reggie Bush to a sprained knee ligament. There was no structural damage, so the Dolphins will have their greatest offensive threat back this season. The same optimism could not be felt by Jets fans. All-pro cornerback Darrelle Revis suffered a torn ACL and is likely out for the season. At 2-1, the Jets have reason to believe they will be fine, but Revis is the most important player on the team, and Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson will have a lot of ground to cover without Revis out there.

Next week, Miami travels to Arizona to take on the undefeated Cardinals, the Jets host the 49ers at Metlife Stadium, and Buffalo and New England match up in a divisional showdown.

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Remember everything that happened in the AFC East last week? Well forget it all and flip the script! Week 2 of the 2012 NFL season saw some serious surprises, highlighted by the defeat of defending AFC champions New England Patriots to the lowly Arizona Cardinals after a missed game-winning field goal by all-pro Stephen Gostkowski. If things couldn’t get any worse, it appears as if star tight end Aaron Hernandez could be out up to six weeks after injuring his ankle.

The New York Jets, who looked like a well-oiled machine last week against Buffalo, struggled to find any type of offensive or defensive consistency and were severely overmatched in a 27-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mark Sanchez struggled to find any type of flow, and the team’s wildcat offense proved effective but ultimately too late. Tim Tebow only saw the field for three offensive snaps, a decision that left Jets fans scratching their heads when it was apparent that the proto-typical offensive strategy wasn’t getting it done.

However, it wasn’t all gloom and doom for the AFC East. The Miami Dolphins won their first game of the season by besting Carson Palmer’s Oakland Raiders 35-13. Running back Reggie Bush had arguably his best game as a pro, rushing for 172 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie Ryan Tannehill stayed virtually mistake-free, throwing for one touchdown and rushing for another while successfully notching a zero in the turnover column. If the Dolphins continue to cut down on mistakes and Tannehill continues to progress, this season could be far more promising than previously anticipated.

After a debilitating week one defeat of divisional rival New York that saw starting running back Fred Jackson sidelined for at least a month, the Buffalo Bills bounced back with a decisive 35-17 victory at home against the Kansas City Chiefs. Running back C.J. Spiller filled in admirably for Fred Jackson, accumulating 170 total yards and two touchdowns. Ryan Fitzpatrick’s effort of two touchdowns to zero turnovers provided a catalyst for this sudden turnaround in Buffalo.

After two weeks of this NFL season, each team in the division is 1-1. With everything still up for grabs and teams still out to prove themselves, the AFC East looks to stay competitive for the foreseeable future. Next week, the New England Patriots travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens in a Sunday Night Showdown. Buffalo travels to Cleveland, Ohio, while the Jets travel to Miami for an early season divisional showdown.

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The AFC East’s week one results didn’t prove much for fans of the New England Patriots or the Miami Dolphins. The Patriots systematically dismantled an inferior Tennessee Titans team on the way to a 34-13 rout. Tom Brady looked on point, and starting running back Stevan Ridley turned some heads with 125 rushing yards. Defensive rookies Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower made an immediate impact, collaborating on a strip sack touchdown. Overall, no surprises at New England, and the Patriots remain one of the favorites to represent the AFC in the Superbowl yet again.

At the bottom of the division lay the Miami Dolphins, who were highlighted on this season of HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ and endured some hard knocks of their own in a Week 1 loss to the Houston Texans. Rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill struggled with his accuracy, and made some prototypical rookie mistakes as the veteran Texans capitalized. Rookie Head Coach Joe Philbin has his hands full with an inexperienced offensive line and a green quarterback behind center. The Dolphins are in for a long season if they continue to commit turnovers at the rate they did on Sunday.

The real surprise of the NFL’s kickoff weekend came in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the New York Jets put up 48 points on route to a decisive victory over their divisional rival, the Buffalo Bills. An offensive unit that seemed inept for the entirety of the preseason came out firing against the supposedly new and improved Buffalo defense. Mark Sanchez had one of his best games as a pro, tossing three touchdowns to only one interception and completing over 70 percent of his passes. Rookie wide receiver Stephen Hill and second-year standout Jeremy Kerley contributed for two touchdowns each, including one by punt return for Kerley. Tim Tebow was virtually irrelevant for the Jets, contributing five carries for eleven yards.

Ryan Fitzpatrick of Buffalo looked shaky, tossing three interceptions, one of which was returned easily for a touchdown by Antonio Cromartie. Starting running back Fred Jackson left with a knee injury, and while C.J. Spiller handled the load admirably, Buffalo will sorely miss Jackson’s versatility and experience alongside Fitzpatrick.

Prized free agent signee Mario Williams was a virtual no-show for Buffalo, as was the rest of the Bills defense. Buffalo fans are left scratching their head as to the promise of this season, whereas Jets supporters are already talking about a return to AFC glory. After one week this talk may be premature, but the Jets certainly proved that they can perform on both sides of the football.

For week two, the Jets travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers, Miami hosts Oakland, Buffalo is at home against Kansas City, and New England takes on Arizona in Foxboro.

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The annual Hall of Fame game kicked off the beginning of preseason football, featuring the New Orleans Saints defeating the Arizona Cardinals, 17-10.

The Saints have been bashed with unpleasant publicity as a result of the bounty scandal. All playerms and staff members are still facing initial penalties and suspensions. One of the biggest questions entering play will be, how will the Saints respond?

As for the Arizona Cardinals, they are hoping to finish over .500 after last season’s 8-8 record and second place NFC West finish. However, their biggest off-season concern is their quarterback battle. Kevin Kolb was Arizona’s starter last season, but he only played in 9 games because of an injury. Kolb had an 81.1 passer rating, threw for 1,955 yards, and had 9 touchdowns. Arizona is concerned with Kolb’s health and very well should be after his short first performance. Kolb’s first intended pass was intercepted by Saints’ safety, Malcolm Jenkins, and it got worse from there. Kolb only completed 1-of-4 passes for 4 yards and exited the game after suffering rib contusion when he was knocked down by Saints’ defensive tackle, Sedrick Ellis.

John Skelton took over the Cardinals’ offense once Kolb went down. Skelton has been giving Kolb a run for his money for the starting job and was impressive under center. Skelton completed 4-of-6 passes for 32 yards against the Saints first team defense.

Drew Brees played one possession for the Saints, completing 4-of-5 passes for 41 yards. However, back-up, Chase Daniel, had a stellar performance. Daniel completed 15-of-20 passes for 203 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Although Daniel will not see the playing field come regular season, he has shown the potential to step in and play if Brees were to miss some time.

Saints’, Mark Ingram, rushed 4 times for 14 yards and punched in a goal-line touchdown. Also, rookie running back, Travaris Cadet from Appalachian State hands’ shined, catching 8 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown. Although the Saints have deep running back depth, it should be intriguing to see if Cadet can make the roster.

Cardinal, Alfonso Smith, carried the load at running back for Arizona rushing 8 times for 46 yards and one touchdown. As for the Cardinals’ talented receiving core, rookie, Michael Floyd, caught one pass for 15 yards and veteran, Larry Fitzgerald, caught one pass for 10 yards.

However, rookie wideout, LaRon Byrd, led all Cardinal receivers with 4 receptions and 54 yards. Byrd was an undrafted free agent from the University of Miami and signed with the Cardinals in early May. Concern regarding these wideouts is essentially not reaching their full potential because of the lack of a true quarterback presence to distribute the ball.

The Saints will be back in action Thursday, August 9 against the New England Patriots. As for the Cardinals, they will be playing in Kansas City Friday, August 10. Fortunately for both the Saints and Cardinals, they will play an extra preseason game to help prepare for the upcoming season.

Click here to view the rest of the NFL’s preseason schedule.

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With the 2012 NFL Draft all wrapped up, heated initial reactions have given way to more methodical and calculated analysis of who will look back on this draft as the pivotal moment that sent their franchise soaring towards Superbowl contention and those, who will have to endure further seasons of obscurity after setting their franchise back years.

Hit a Home Run: Patriots and Steelers.

- New England Patriots

The Patriots surprised a lot of people at the draft, trading up twice in the first round to snag both Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower, with Bill Belichick usually much more in favour of trading down and stockpiling picks. Both Jones and Hightower are elite prospects and combined with their second-round selection, safety Tavon Wilson, Belichick has upgraded his defense significantly.

Providing they can work through his off-field issues, they will have also gained great value with cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, who slipped all the way to the seventh round despite being a potential second-round selection. New England already have a Superbowl caliber offense which needed very little strengthening after the free agency additions of Brandon Lloyd and Robert Gallery, and this draft will potentially go a long way to shoring up a defense which had become a bit of a liability for Tom Brady and Co.

- Pittsburgh Steelers

If the Steelers were asked prior to the draft where their biggest weakness lay, they would have replied ‘Offensive Line’ – cue the arrivals of David DeCastro and Mike Adams. Despite the lack of excitement generated by using your top two picks on offensive linesman, the Steelers added potentially the best guard and tackle (some had Adams rated higher than Riley Reiff) respectively in the draft.

Although Adams comes to Pittsburgh after testing positive for marijuana, both he and DeCastro will shore up an offensive line which was often out-muscled and outsmarted last season. The additions of both Shaun Spence and Alameda Ta’amu in the third and fourth rounds will also help invigorate an aging defense and could be the long term starters in place of both James Farrior and Casey Hampton.

Plenty of Potential: Eagles and Ravens.

- Philadelphia Eagles

The addition of Fletcher Cox in the first round will be huge for Andy Reid’s defense this season as they have lacked a good nose tackle for sometime now. Cox was arguably the best in this years’ draft class despite being picked after Dontari Poe. Despite Cox’s lauded ability and potential, it was in the second round that the Eagles really found success, drafting both Mychal Kendricks and Vinny Curry to bolster their defense. Both guys were predicted by many to possibly make it into the first round and should be able to make an instant impact for Philadelphia in the tough NFC East division.

- Baltimore Ravens

General Manager Ozzie Newsome continued the tradition of making great draft moves when he traded out of the first round, picked up an extra fourth-round selection, and still managed to draft a first-round talent in the form of Courtney Upshaw. Fellow second-round pick Kelechi Osemele will likely start on a Ravens’ offensive line bereft of guard Ben Grubbs, whilst running back Bernard Pierce, a third-round selection, could be used on short-yardage situations to help out Ray Rice in a way similar to Ricky Williams last season.

Fourth-round picks Gino Gradkowski and Christian Thompson both have the chance of being the long-term replacements for Matt Birk and Ed Reed respectively, whilst sixth-round pick Tommy Streeter has the physicality to be able to offer something in the receiving corps immediately for Joe Flacco.

Must Do Better: Browns and Broncos.

- Cleveland Browns

It is hard to admonish a team which picked up a player of Trent Richardson’s caliber, but the price they paid was big, perhaps too big. He will dramatically improve their running game, which is admirable, but the Browns have the misfortune of playing in a division with three of the best run defenses in the entire league.

They have also fallen for criticism with their other first-round pick, Brandon Weeden. The 28-year old is a good quarterback and should serve the Browns well, but there is no denying that he is a stopgap until they can found their franchise quarterback of the future. As such, Cleveland has been criticized for picking Weeden with the 22nd overall pick, with most experts suggesting he would have still been available later in the round and the Browns could have traded down and picked up a pick which they lost in the trade to ensure they got Richardson.

They also failed to draft a wide receiver until Travis Benjamin, who they took with the 100th overall pick, and look somewhat undermanned at the position.

- Denver Broncos

New arrival Peyton Manning may be happy to be a Bronco, but it is very doubtful he will be pleased with his new team’s performance in the draft. Similar to the Ravens, Denver traded out of the first round but picked up Derek Wolfe in the second. Wolfe, although a talented nose tackle, was tipped as a third, or even fourth, round pick by many experts, and was not deemed to be good value.

Running back Ronnie Hillman and corner Omar Bolden may eventually become starters, but in reality there is little for the Broncos fans to be excited about immediately, with quarterback Brock Osweiler, who will learn from Manning, as perhaps their most exciting pick.

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The New York Jets will not pursue former Colts great Peyton Manning, as the team gave its starting quarterback of the last three years, Mark Sanchez, a three year contract extension on Friday night. Sanchez’s contract will be worth $58.25 million, making him the seventh-highest paid quarterback in all of the NFL. He is guaranteed $20.5 million combined through 2012 and 2013.

“The best part about it is, they chose to stick with me,” said Sanchez. “I’m going to be their starting quarterback for the next few years and that’s exciting.

“I’m the leader of this team and I’m excited to get back.”

Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum stated that the decision to extend Sanchez was made after the season ended, despite leaving the door open recently on a possible change at the position when asked about any potential interest in bringing in Manning. Sanchez previously had two years remaining on his rookie contract, but they did not include any guaranteed money.

New York completed a three game losing streak in Miami in Week 17 to end the season at 8-8, preventing them from making their third consecutive playoff appearance with Sanchez under center. The ensuing result during the offseason was heavy criticism of the 25-year-old, which came in the form of negative remarks from several unnamed teammates concerning his talent level and mental makeup.

Sanchez led the Jets into back-to-back AFC title games in his first two seasons and losses in these were his only two in six career playoff games. All four of his post-season wins were impressive for a young quarterback, considering that they all came on the road in hostile environments against elite quarterbacks – Carson Palmer in Cincinnati, Philip Rivers in San Diego, Peyton Manning in Indianapolis, and clearly the most extraordinary victory, Tom Brady in Foxboro.

Sanchez showed flashes of brilliance in 2011 with a career high 26 touchdown passes, but a career high with an equal amount of turnovers left him looking like a split personality quarterback at times.

Jets fans moaned for years that former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s quick passing, mainly horizontal air attack was the central factor that prohibited Sanchez from ever reaching his full potential as a quarterback. It did not allow Sanchez to take very many shots down the field, which drastically limited the Jets offense while also holding back his necessary progression at the position.

Jets management finally felt that it was time to make a change at the offensive helm, and thusly fired Schottenheimer this offseason. They then hired former Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano to replace him. Sparano was the head man in Miami for the past three plus seasons.

Time will prove if the coaching alteration will get Sanchez to the place that he, the Jets, and their fans believe he is more than capable of getting to. “We’ve won a lot of football games with Mark as the starting quarterback of the New York Jets and that’s what really concerned us,” said Tannenbaum. “It’s not a projection, it’s not a hope, it’s not an incremental leap of faith. Here’s a three year body of work.

“That said, we don’t have blinders on. It has to get better and it will get better. We think he’ll become more consistent. Taking a long view of things, we’re excited and encouraged by the trajectory of Mark’s career.”

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After his epic play in Super Bowl XLVI leading his team to a come-from-behind 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots, what is New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning going to do next? In the celebratory moments after his team captured the National Football League championship Sunday night in Indianapolis, Manning stood in front of a TV camera and shouted five words that have become ingrained in Super Bowl victory celebrations:

“I’m going to Disney World!”

Manning’s pronouncement, part of the production for one of TV’s most enduring and iconic Super Bowl commercials, was captured seconds after the final whistle. Manning – named the game’s MVP — completed 30 of 40 passes and amassed 296 yards, including his trademark fourth-quarter heroics, leading the Giants to the winning score.

Manning’s stellar performance was crucial in Sunday’s game and earned him a second “I’m going to Disney World!” accolade. In 2008, Manning was treated to a hero’s welcome at Disney after leading the Giants to an upset win over the Patriots, 17-14, in Super Bowl XLII. He becomes the first Giants quarterback to win two Super Bowls.

On Monday (Feb. 6), Manning is scheduled to go to the place where millions of vacationers make memories celebrating their own personal milestone moments – Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla. Manning will be joined in the Magic Kingdom by NFL Youth football players, who will participate with the Giants star in the Super Bowl celebration near Main Street, U.S.A.

This latest commercial is the 45th in a series that began in 1987 following Super Bowl XXI. The first “I’m going to Disney World” commercial, featuring Giants quarterback Phil Simms, was regarded as a groundbreaking concept – a produced national commercial involving a current event, airing on major networks within hours of its conclusion.

Manning again joins a lineup of people from sports and beyond who have celebrated milestone accomplishments in “I’m Going to Disney World” commercials.

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The New York Giants held their Superbowl celebrating parade on Tuesday after their victory over the New England Patriots on Super Bowl Sunday. The team took the Lombardi Trophy back to New York to share the experience with the fans after a ‘come from behind’ drive orchestrated by Eli Manning and their high powered offense.

After a miraculous catch by wide receiver Mario Manningham, Manning marched down the field, capping off a nine play, 88 yard drive with Ahmad Bradshaw rushing the touchdown. The New York Giants paraded through Manhattan receiving the key to the city and finishing off a memorable day with a pep rally at Met Life Stadium.

One of the most unforgettable experiences any sports fan can have is seeing their team in a parade like this. People were chanting, “Let’s go Giants!” as the head float, carrying Eli Manning, defensive end Justin Tuck and members of the coaching staff rolled on by. Fans were throwing footballs for the players to autograph and the players would throw them right back.

Coughlin, who received a phone call from President Obama on his way to the parade, said, “All things are possible for those who believe. We always believed, we always knew we could get here.”

The celebration started at 11 a.m. and continued all day with a ceremony at City Hall followed by a ceremony at Met Life Stadium. Players were leading the fans in with an “I gotta ring!” chant which was led by running back Andre Brown and continued throughout the day. Former Giants Super Bowl winner Michael Strahan helped present each Giant player a key to the city alongside Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Victor Cruz even made his signature move after receiving his key and salsa’d on stage.

Players went on to comment on the experience of celebrating their victory with the fans. Punter Steve Weatherford was quoted for saying, “It’s unbelievable, celebrating this is front of the greatest fans in the world.”

Eli even made the joke, “We needed to lose four in a row,” saying that it wasn’t tough enough. He went on to say that Coughlin reiterated, “Make it tough just make it possible.” You can say the Giants did that. Starting the season 6-2 and then losing four straight is definitely a way to make it tougher.

The Giants became the first 9-7 team to ever win a Super Bowl. Entering week 16, the Giants were 7-7 and wound up winning the last six games to reach the goal that every NFL player strives for; the Lombardi Trophy.

The Giants had a record setting eight fourth-quarter comeback victories this season, including one in the Super Bowl; so you can see why President Obama complemented Coughlin and the Giants with words like, “finishing” and “being resilient.”

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Dial Global has announced that 23.1 million people tuned in to hear the radio broadcast of Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, February 5, 2012 featuring the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. Dial Global commissioned the study from  Edison Research, designed to accurately measure the number of people that tuned in to hear Super Bowl XLVI broadcasts and make this information available within two days of the event’s conclusion.

The survey found that listeners accessed the live broadcast in multiple listening environments, including the home, while driving, at work and other locations, on over 680 stations nationwide.

The national survey was conducted via live telephone interviews on February 6, 2012, following the Giants 21-17 victory over the Patriots. The game, which wasn’t decided until the final play, marked the second time in four years that the Giants topped the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

“We are again excited, but not surprised, to see that our research findings highlight the strength of the Dial Global brand and the ongoing demand for radio broadcast coverage of live sporting events,” said David Landau, Co-President CEO of Dial Global. “Dial Global is committed to showcasing the value of our content and exemplifying our commitment to being the most innovative, service focused company in the industry while supporting our affiliates and advertisers.”

Broadcasting nearly 100 NFL games, exclusive NFL primetime games, the Playoffs and the Super Bowl, Dial Global commissioned the Super Bowl study following the results of their initial research during the Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots (AFC Championship) and New York Giants vs. San FranciscoForty-Niners (NFC Championship) games on Sunday, January 22, 2012, which found that 22.9 million Americans listened to radio broadcast coverage of these two live NFL events.

“Given the popularity of The Super Bowl as ‘television’s ultimate event’ where people actually look forward to the commercials and the halftime show, the number of radio listeners may come as a surprise to those who are not familiar with the significant reach of broadcast radio. We are excited that our ongoing research continues to highlight the power of radio,” said Larry Rosin, Edison President.

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The 46th Super Bowl will take place in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Sunday, February 5, 2012. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 PM EST (7:30 AM Beijing time, February 6). The AFC Champion New England Patriots and NFC Champion New York Giants will battle for the Lombardi Trophy.

While 164 million US audiences watched Super Bowl XLV live on NBC last year, watching live broadcasting of the Super Bowl in China is yet a luxury until this year, after NFL entered a partnership with PPTV for online live broadcasting in China.

PPTV is set to be the first and the only Chinese online TV media officially invited by the NFL to enter into the media studio of Lucas Oil Stadium. It is also the only online TV on the list of live broadcasters for the Super Bowl. With the coverage Super Bowl XLVI, it is no doubt that the leading position of PPTV in online live sports broadcasting would be reinforced.

As a new comprehensive online TV media that becomes famous for its live sports broadcasting, PPTV Online TV demonstrates its edge in front-line live coverage this time with its rich experience in the field of live broadcasting. PPTV has the most experienced online live broadcasting operation team and technical platform in China.

Mr. Huang Jianxiang, the most renowned Chinese sports commentator, together with Mr. Dong Li, a famous sports TV host, will comment the game live on the spot. PPTV will start broadcasting programs of Super Bowl XLVI from 7 AM Beijing time on February 6 ^th and the review of the competition between the two teams of the final in 2008.

Simultaneously, the audiences can watch the commentary Huang Jianxiang and Dong Li from US and feel the enthusiasm of the American fans directly. Coincidentally, both Huang Jianxiang and Dong Li had witnessed Super Bowl XLII in Phoenix in 2008, when the Giants ended New England’s bid for a perfect season with a 17-14 upset victory.

It is believed that the two commentators would deliver a lot of flavor about the match to PPTV’s audience through their comments. In addition, NBC announced that the Super Bowl will be broadcasted live through online media for the first time throughout the history. Mobile users of Verizon can also watch the live broadcasting on their handsets.

Nevertheless, PPTV will carry out the live broadcasting through its entire platforms including its web page, PC client, iMAC client, Android app, iPhone App, iPad App and WP 7 client. PPTV provides the Chinese fans with the opportunity to get in touch with overseas top sports game.

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The Super Bowl is no ordinary game: it’s an American holiday.  Verizon, the official wireless service provider of the NFL, is making sure Verizon Wireless customers are part of the excitement during Super Bowl XLVI with NFL Mobile. This year marks the first time the Super Bowl will be streamed live to select mobile devices, providing fans with an unprecedented viewing experience.

With NFL Mobile’s game day coverage, fans can catch all the action on their smartphones. Prior to the game, customers can use NFL Mobile to keep up-to-date with breaking news, highlights, video on demand and live NFL Network coverage.

Verizon at The Big Game
With the New York Giants and the New England Patriots ready to square off on Feb. 5, the company has enhanced its network at more than 30 venues in Indianapolis, including major hotels and all of the facilities where the game and related events will take place.

The NFL Experience, which features Verizon’s Training Ground Experience on game day, and the Super Bowl XLVI Village give visitors a chance to test their athletic skills, both mentally and physically. Fans will also get the opportunity to meet, take photos with and get autographs from professional football legends. The NFL Experience is the ultimate experience for football fans in Indianapolis.

To kick off Super Bowl XLVI weekend, Verizon will participate in the 13th annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration (SBGC) on Friday, Feb. 3, an NFL sanctioned event, where legendary NFL Pro Bowl players, Super Bowl Champions and MVPs come together on one stage with Grammy Award-winning artists, A-list entertainers and special guests.

Salvation and Deliverance Church Choir, the winner of Verizon’s 2011 “How Sweet the Sound” national choir competition, will perform during the 2012 SBGC taking place at Butler University in Indianapolis. HopeLine from Verizon will also make a donation to a local domestic violence agency to help the organization increase awareness of domestic violence and further prevention efforts.

For more information about NFL Mobile, including how to purchase the application and a list of compatible devices, visit www.verizonwireless.com/nfl. Data charges may apply for download and use of the app. For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

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With Super Bowl XLVI right around the corner, most fans are getting geared up for the game that will pit the New England Patriots against the New York Giants. However, a particularly large number of watchers are more excited for the Super Bowl commercials than the football game. This year’s line-up of commercials hosts a plethora of funny advertisements, not to mention several hard-hitting trailers for spring and summer blockbusters.

Joss Whedon’s ‘The Avengers’ is first on the list as it is quite possibly the most highly anticipated superhero movie of the year, next to Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Dark Knight Rises’. ‘The Avengers’ combines nearly all of Marvel studios’ superheroes—Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Hawkeye, and Black Widow—into one film to face a dire threat by the likes of Loki and other villains that have yet to be revealed. Marvel released a 17-second peek of the Super Bowl TV spot on Youtube on January 31, and it has already accumulated more than one million views. ‘The Avengers’ is soaring into theaters May 4, 2012.

Not far behind ‘The Avengers’ is Jon M. Chu’s ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’, thanks to a successful Twitter campaign from its new star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. The sequel features vast improvements from its lukewarm, semi-faithful predecessor, including Bruce Willis as the titular Joe and a darker tone overall. ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ explodes into theaters June 29, 2012.

Disney throws its magical hat in the ring with ‘John Carter’, an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ ‘Barsoom’ series about a former Confederate captain transported to Mars right in the middle of an alien conflict. Disney hopes to generate public interest in the film as it approaches its March 9, 2012 release date.

Alongside ‘John Carter’ in the adaptation department is ‘The Hunger Games’, based on the novels by Suzanne Collins. The wildly successful series about a teenage girl and boy in a post-apocalyptic world forced into a televised battle by their oppressive government will be in theaters March 23, 2012.

Sasha Baron Cohen’s next comedy, ‘The Dictator’, a “mockumentary” and parody of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, also heads for a Super Bowl spot, hoping to tickle the funny bones of his fans. Like ‘Borat’ (2006) and ‘Bruno’ (2009), the film promises outrageous interviews, offensive humor, and plenty of jokes to keep its audience happy. ‘The Dictator’ is slated for release May 11, 2012.

Surprisingly, two other superhero titans, ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ and Sony’s ‘The Amazing Spider-Man,’ are staying out of the Super Bowl trailer game. However, there is a large difference between the two films as ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ made a huge splash in 2011 as a trailer in front of Brad Bird’s ‘Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol’, while ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ has not been seen since San Diego Comic Con 2011 this past July. If Sony wants the public to embrace the Spider-Man reboot by its release date, July 3, 2012, it had better have a stellar marketing plan to compensate for missing one of the most-watched television events of the year.

As the final days count down, fans can eagerly speculate about which trailer will win the coveted title of Most Talked About Trailer once the game is over. Like Super Bowl XLVI itself, the competition will be brutal, merciless, and winner-take-all.

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Someday, Tom Brady will hang up the cleats and be remembered for being one of the greatest quarterbacks we ever have and ever will see, despite being selected with the 199^th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.

But when that day does come, the final score of Super Bowl XLVI may ultimately be the deciding factor in how he is remembered – win or lose.

Yes, the two time league and Super Bowl MVP has already been the man under center to lead New England to three world championships in his first four years as the starter. There’s no doubt that this is leaps and bounds above what the majority of quarterbacks in this league would ever dream of accomplishing.

However, after losing to them in Super Bowl XLII, another loss to Eli Manning and the New York Giants may eventually make a remembrance of Brady’s days in the NFL look like a tale of two careers – only if he fails to win another ring over the final years of his career, of course. Fans and analysts of the game would certainly still agree that he had an outstanding career once it’s over, but would immediately question his inability to make it back to the top after such remarkable success from the get-go.

The notion of ‘What if?’ is something to be considered with a loss in Indianapolis, as well. In the scenario that Brady once again falls short to Eli and never leads his team back to the top of the mountain, one of the first things that people will bring up during his induction into Canton is chatter about what he could have potentially accomplished. They’ll bring up points like, ‘What if he had won those two Super Bowls against Eli and won five? Would he be undoubtedly be the greatest ever?’

On the other hand, a victory in this game would at least open the door that begins comparisons to former 49ers Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana no matter what happens during the rest of Brady’s time in the league. Montana and former Steeler Terry Bradshaw are the only quarterbacks to have ever won four Super Bowls during their illustrious careers, but of the two, Montana has historically received more recognition for being a winner than Bradshaw. Brady wants nothing more than to join an exclusive class that includes the man he idolized growing up in California – Montana.

Brady is well aware of what this one game could potentially mean for him on an individual standpoint, and it will be very interesting to see how that affects his performance on Sunday.

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Reminiscent of the infamous ‘Wide Right’ miss by Scott Norwood in Super Bowl XXV, Billy Cundiff’s failed 32-yard field goal attempt against the New England Patriots broke the hearts of Ravens’ fans worldwide. In addition to being a missed opportunity for Baltimore, it raises widespread concerns over whether or not the current side can mount another genuine shot at Super Bowl glory.

With defensive talismans Ray Lewis and Ed Reed both winding down their illustrious careers, it remains to be seen whether they will be able to maintain their high level performances for another season. Although Lewis has already moved to reassure fans he will be back next season, and remains confident of being able to challenge for the Super Bowl once more, he is not the only issue Baltimore will have to contend with as they move into the offseason.

Primary amongst Baltimore’s concerns will be resolving questionmarks over both defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Pagano has orchestrated another great season for the Ravens, helping them maintain their position as one of the best defenses in the league, ending the regular season ranked 3^rd in Total Defense, 3^rd in Sacks and 1^st in Forced Fumbles.

These kind of statistics are hard to ignore and Pagano has been linked with several of the vacant Head Coach positions around the league, and as such, ensuring his continued position at the Ravens must be a priority for Baltimore.

Questions of a different kind abound over the future of Cameron however, with the OC coming in for widespread criticism from both fans and pundits alike. Most prominent of these criticisms have been Cameron’s inability to get Ray Rice the touches he needs to be a dominant force in games, and his persistence to try and shoehorn Joe Flacco into a system which the quarterback is clearly not comfortable in.

Highlighting this problem has been the fact that some of Flacco’s best plays this season have come either in the no huddle offense or when he is escaping the pocket and giving his receivers more time to find space. Whether they stick with Cameron or decide to pursue an alternative, Baltimore need to make a decision quickly in order to ensure the least possible disruption come the preseason.

In terms of personnel on the playing field, the Ravens have key opportunities in the upcoming draft to address positions which are in need of an injection in both quality and depth. The first of these positions is the inside linebacker. Although Lewis has performed exceptionally given his age this season, he no longer has the pace to make himself a force in coverage, which means both he and Jameel McClain are focused on stopping the run, and leave the vaunted Ravens defense susceptible to the pass and feeling unbalanced.

Another receiver would also be top of the Ravens wish list, whether he is a tight end or a wide receiver. Rookie Torrey Smith has done well in his first sseason, but has yet to develop the ability to catch the ball consistently, whilst Ed Dickson showed signs of his potential early in the season, but like Smith, has a penchant for dropping passes which are relatively pressure free.

Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta have both acquitted themselves well this season, but the lack of reliable targets in his receiving core has led to Flacco recording his lowest completion rate since he entered the NFL, as well as his quarterback rating dropping to a similar level that he recorded in his rookie year.

Come the Ravens’ pick in the first round, inside linebacker Vontaze Burfict of Arizona State could be available, but would represent a high-risk reward scenario for Baltimore. None can doubt his talent, and he possess the speed that would make him an excellent tandem with both Lewis and McClain, but his form has been highly inconsistent this season and he has been known to give away unnecessary penalties when he lets his anger get the better of him.

These are flaws which can be corrected however, and there is arguably no better guy for him to learn from and have as a positive role model than Lewis. In terms of taking a receiver with their first round pick, the Ravens could do far worse than Mohamed Sanu of Rutgers who, whilst not quite possessing the top end speed of Smith, is a good route runner and has reliable hands.

An alternative to both of these could be Nick Perry of USC who is an outside linebacker with a great ability to rush the passer, making him the perfect option to line up opposite of Terrell Suggs and really torment opposition quarterbacks.

Whichever way Baltimore decides to go this offseason, fans can be left fairly assured that GM Ozzie Newsome has rarely led the Ravens astray in recent seasons and that between himself and Head Coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens will be in a good place come preseason and ready to give both Lewis and Reed probably their last shot at Super Bowl glory.

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Once news broke that Josh McDaniels was re-hired as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator, most assumed that he would be joining the team next year, not next week in a divisional playoff matchup against the quarterback he once drafted, Tim Tebow.

Although current coordinator, Bill O’Brien, agreed to become the new head coach at Penn State last Saturday, it was determined that he would still retain the role of New England’s offensive coordinator throughout this postseason. McDaniels, who had previously held the position for the Pats from 2006-2008, was chosen as his replacement shortly after and will shockingly serve the coaching staff as an offensive assistant beginning Saturday night with a trip to the AFC title game on the line against the Broncos.

Adding a new coach right before a huge postseason showdown is already an interesting move to begin with, but considering the fact that McDaniels brought in Tebow and coached Denver from 2009-2010, it is raising even more eyebrows across the league. Many are outraged by the idea of McDaniels possibly being able to provide New England new information about Tebow specifically.

That concept should not be too large of a concern, though. New England did an excellent job of containing Tebow’s heroic antics, handily defeating Denver on the road 41-23 back in Week 15, without McDaniels’ assistance.  Tebow threw for just 194 yards that day, as the Pats were able to easily overcome an early deficit.

Still, that does not justify what New England has attempted to do coming into this crucial game. Hiring someone who once coached or played for your opponent is not a crime in sports. If anything, it is gamesmanship, as we have seen it occur countless times. However, the timing concept in this scenario is absolutely absurd.

Imagine if this happened to your team. With so much at stake in a do-or-die situation, would you not be livid knowing that the team you are battling against has inside information as to what you were trying to do – and that they were able to bring the informant in just days before?

The fact that the NFL allows teams to add unnecessary pieces to their coaching staffs in the middle of the postseason is simply unbelievable. We have never seen anything like this take place in other major sports, so why does this league think that it is acceptable, especially when preparation plays a bigger role than it does in any other sport?

If a team has to have a strict playoff roster set before the end of the regular season, then it should go the same way for coaches as well. The role that they play for their teams needs to be more respected.

Unfortunately, we are not psychics, so we cannot outright proclaim that actions like these really do change the outcomes of games. Instead of giving the fans, players, and coaches alike something to strongly complain about, do not give them the opportunity at all by forcing coaching staffs to remain the same during the postseason.

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The Dolphins were just 30 minutes away from pulling off a Christmas miracle in Foxborough. Tom Brady and the Patriots (12-3) came roaring back in the second half on Christmas Eve, erasing the Dolphins’ (5-10) 17-0 halftime lead as they would hold on to win the game 27-24.

The victory clinched the Patriots one of the top two seeds and a first round postseason bye following the Colts dramatic win over the Texans on Thursday night. “It’s good to clinch,” said receiver Deion Branch, “but not by the way we played. It’s not the way you want to do it.” Miami gave Pats fans quite a scare during the course of the first 30 minutes. The Dolphins defense, which had allowed only 14.7 points per game during their recent 5-2 stretch, sacked Brady three times while keeping New England’s high powered offense off the board.

Matt Moore and the Dolphins jumped at this rare opportunity and put together two impressive touchdown drives following a 47 yard field goal on the game’s opening possession. Just two plays after making a 47 yard catch downfield, Brandon Marshall caught a 19 yard touchdown to give Miami a 10-0 lead at the beginning of the second quarter. The drive went 82 yards on just 5 plays.

Interim head coach Todd Bowles remained aggressive. After forcing a quick 3 and out Miami added on another touchdown. A one yard touchdown pass to Charles Clay concluded an 11 play, 89 yard drive to put the Dolphins up 17-0 with 6:31 remaining in the half. Two long pass interference penalties aided the Dolphins along the way.

New England went into the locker room stunned after missing a 51 yard field goal attempt with only a few seconds left on the clock. A 17-0 score was the largest home halftime deficit for a Patriots team since trailing 18-0 to the Jets all the way back in 1999. The Dolphins were poised to give the Pats only their second home loss in 35 games – until Moore’s giveaways gave New England new life. “Our guys fought,” said Bowles, “but we didn’t finish.”

A fumbled snap by Moore early in the 3^rd was recovered by the Patriots’ Vince Wilfork at the Miami 38 following a 45 yard New England field goal to cut the lead to 17-3. Brady took advantage. He went a perfect 5-5 on the drive and finished off with a two yard scrambling touchdown pass to Deion Branch, making it a one possession game at 17-10.

The Pats then had a short field to work with after forcing a punt deep in Miami territory. Brady led his troops 41 yards downfield and tied the game with a one yard quarterback sneak with 2:17 remaining in the third. Although things were falling apart for the Dolphins, they were still in great position to take the lead to start the 4^th quarter.

Moore brought them down to the New England 44, but was intercepted by Devin McCourty down at the 2 on a ball that was held up in the air by the wind. Moore’s two turnovers proved costly despite going 17-33 for 294 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The Pats would eventually convert the pick into a 42 yard field goal to take their first lead at 20-17 with 8:55 left to go. A 59 yard drive and another quarterback sneak touchdown for Brady on their next possession pretty much sealed the deal with 2:56 remaining.

Miami could not stop Brady in the second half after shutting him down in the first. He finished 27-46 with 304 yards and 3 total touchdowns. “We had (Brady’s) number in the first half, but in the second half he came out and made a lot of plays,” said Dolphins linebacker Karlos Dansby. “He is a coach on the field.”

A late touchdown by Davone Bess made it a 27-24 game, but the Patriots converted a critical 3^rd down, ran the clock out, and secured the victory. New England has now won 7 in a row with just one game remaining before beginning yet another postseason run.

And while the Dolphins let this one slip away, there were some nice milestones reached in the meantime. Reggie Bush’s fourth straight 100 yard rushing game gave him over 1,000 yards on the year. Marshall also reached the 1,000 yard receiving mark, making this the first time in team history that Miami has had both a 1,000 yard rusher and 1,000 yard receiver in one year.
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Everyone in America has been hearing or talking about Tim Tebow nonstop for the past few weeks. The Patriots were apparently tired of hearing it.

Behind Tom Brady’s three touchdowns, two passing and one running, the New England Patriots put an end to Tebow’s string of late game comebacks and clinched a playoff spot in a 41-23 win over the Denver Broncos.

“It was a really good day for us,” Brady said. “Very emotional game. It was really rocking early. We showed some mental toughness.”

The Patriots were able to bounce back from a horrendous start that saw them fall behind 17-6 as Denver scored on its first three possessions. Denver outgained New England 167 to 4 in the first quarter.

But unfortunately for the Broncos, there was no late game heroics as the fast start eventually turned into a fizzle as they didn’t do anything for the rest of the game. Three late turnovers, something Denver had been limiting during their winning streak, was too much to overcome.

“We did have things going pretty well early, scored on the first three possessions and felt like we were moving the ball good and then we put it on the ground,” Tebow said. “That’s something you can’t do against a great team and Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Besides that, we were right there with them.”

Denver still controls their own destiny, but the road to an AFC West title goes through Buffalo and Kansas City, who knocked off the undefeated Packers ending their 19 game winning streak.

Tebow finished 11 of 22 for 194 yards along with 93 yards on 12 carries for two touchdowns, but was sacked four times.

The Achilles heel for the Broncos seems to be elite passers as they are 1-4 this season against the likes of Matthew Stafford, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Philip Rivers. Their lack of offensive scoring punch doesn’t seem to allow them to keep up with the quarterbacks who can sling it all over the field.

“He’s still the best out there, in my opinion,” Bailey said of Tom Brady. “And you make mistakes against a guy like that, he’s going to make you pay. That’s pretty much what happened all day.”

Brady finished 23 of 34 for 320 yards the two scores, one of which was to Ochocinco who found the end zone for the first time this season on a 33 yard reception. Brady again was able to pick up his subpar defense which gave up 167 yards on the ground in just the first quarter.

After falling behind the Patriots went into hurry up mode and Brady was able to find Aaron Hernandez from 1 yard out. Hernandez had a career game hauling in 9 passes for 129 yards.

The Broncos made things close late when Tebow scored on a keeper from 2 yards out to pull them to 34-23, but that’s when Tom Brady did what he does best, and led the Patriots down the field on a 80 yard clock draining scoring drive culminated by BenJarvus Green-Ellis’ 1 yard touchdown to put them up for good.

“The more we fight, the better this team gets,” defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said. “We knew they were going to come out fighting. They were going to come out fast and explosive. Our main goal was to weather the storm.”

The Patriots finish out the season against Miami and Buffalo as they look to secure the top seed in the AFC and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

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The story catching everyone’s attention from Sunday’s Patriots Redskins showdown wasn’t tight end Rob Gronkowski breaking the NFL record for most touchdown receptions by a tight end. It wasn’t how the Patriots barely escaped Washington with a victory, or how the defense managed to do just enough to win the game despite surrendering 463 yards.

It was how Tom Brady and offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien had a screaming match on the side line after Brady threw an interception. The Patriots were up by 7, and Brady tried to sneak one into Tiguan Underwood, but was picked off with just over 6 minutes to go in the game.

The Redskins got the ball and started marching down the field trying to send things to overtime as Brady and O’Brien were engaged in a screaming match. ”I threw a pretty bad interception, so he wasn’t happy about it,” said Brady, ”And there was probably a long line of coaches and players that were pretty (upset) at me after that, but Billy got to me first. He let me have it; I deserved it.”

Brady finished 22 of 37 for 357 yards three touchdowns and his first interception in over a month. He also passed Warren Moon for sixth on the all time touchdown list and crossed the 4000 yard mark for the fourth time in his illustrious career. Gronkowski had quite the day catching six passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns propelling him past Antonio Gates and Vernon Davis for most touchdowns by a tight end ever.

The Patriots hardly won an easy one, needing a penalty and a tipped pass to save the day. Santana Moss made a catch for the score, but it was negated by a pass interference call on Moss. On another play, Moss tipped a pass right into the hands of Jerod Mayo to seal the deal for the Patriots who have the worst defense in football.

Rex Grossman finished 19 of 32 for 252 yards with two touchdowns and the one interception. Roy Helu had another big day rushing for 126 yards on 27 carries. ”You kind of don’t want to give up those yards in the first place,” Patriots safety James Ihedigbo said. “But at the same time, we’re going to bow our necks once we get down there, and say, ‘Hey, they’re not getting in the end zone.’”

The Redskins had a great day despite missing both left and right tackles and tight end Fred Davis. The loss was bad, but the officiating really had the Redskins upset after the game. There was the flag on Moss late in the game, but another call where linebacker London Fletcher was flagged for hitting a sliding Brady with a forearm to the head. Replay showed that he clearly hit him in the chest. Coach Mike Shanahan said the call was “horrible.”

“We don’t get no calls around here, man,” Moss said. “You guys have been covering us for a long time. Y’all see what goes on out there. We blow our breath on one of the doggone guys over there and it’s a penalty. Our quarterback gets killed — and you just almost hit somebody that’s a quarterback and we get flagged. So a lot of stuff goes on. But I guess we’ve got to play against a team and the ref.”

New England continues their quest for the best seed in the AFC with a trip to Denver to face Tebow-mania and then back home to finish against the Dolphins and Bills. Washington, looking to finish the season strong heads to New York to try to play spoilers against the Giants, then home to play Minnesota and finish up their season at Philadelphia.

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It was the game at the beginning of the year that was marked on everyone’s calendar. The annual showdown between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Fast forward to Week 13 and the Colts are still winless and going nowhere fast without Manning under center. Starting at quarterback for the Colts was Dan Orlovsky the former UCONN quarterback in place of Curtis Painter who was benched due to poor play. He played well completing 29 of 38 for 353 yards two touchdowns and an interception.

“We felt confident going into the game that if we stayed patient we could move the ball,” Orlovsky said. “We fell short. I wish we had more time on the clock.” In what seemed like a sure fire blowout became a game when the Colts put up 21 points in fourth quarter to pull within one score. Deion Branch recovered the onside kick that kept the Colts from getting a chance to tie the game up.

“We played good for 45 minutes and then didn’t do anything offensively,” Brady said. “So we’ll hear about that.” The Patriots won their fourth straight and moved to 9-3 tied for the best record in the AFC with the Houston Texans while the colts who are 0-12 have only four games left against Baltimore, Tennessee, Houston, and Jacksonville to avoid becoming the second team in history to go 0-16.

“People can say what they want to say about not playing hard, but I think that (comeback) pretty much shut that up right there,” Colts tight end Jacob Tamme said. Tom Brady had his usual game completing 29 of 38 for 289 yards and two touchdowns, both to Gronkowski.

The touchdown passes put Brady past Johnny Unitas and into a tie for 6^th with Warren Moon for most touchdowns during the regular season. They also tied Gronkowski with Antonio Gates and Vernon Davis for most touchdowns by a tight end in a season. He had a third touchdown which was originally ruled a catch, but was later changed to a run because it was a lateral.

“I wasn’t thinking about whether it was a pass or a lateral,” Gronkowski said. “I’ll take the rushing touchdown. It’s the first of my whole career.” Gronkowski finished with 5 catches for 64 yards and two scores, while Wes Welker had 11 catches for 110 yards. ”Guys played well and did some things well,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said, “but, still, we’re measured by wins.”

Brady got the offense rolling after the Colts tied the game at three leading scoring drives on the next four possessions to put the Patriots up a by a commanding 28 points. The Colts got their first touchdown when Donald Brown ran it in from five yards out. Orlovsky then found Pierre Garcon, who had nine catches for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns, for 33 and 12 yard scores.

“If we don’t play four quarters, we’re not going to end up in the situation we want to be in,” Welker said. Orlovsky definitely made Patriots Coach Bill Belichick aware of a glaring issue for his team, their defense. ”We’ve obviously got to do a better job of finishing the game,” Belichick said. “That was disappointing, but we’ll work on that.”

The Patriots continue their quest for the number 1 seed in the AFC when they head to Washington to face the Redskins who have lost five straight. The Colts don’t get a tougher task as they travel to Baltimore for a game with the Ravens who are also in the hunt for the number 1 seed.

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At the beginning of the year, the Colts vs. Patriots game looked like a good one. For the past decade this has been one of the premier rivalries in the NFL with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning facing off. This season the game won’t be so special. The Colts come in 0-11 and without Peyton Manning under center. The Patriots are taking things lightly though, and it’s business as usual for Belichick and company.

Instead of having to worry about Peyton Manning, the Patriots defense will face Dan Orlovsky, the former UCONN quarterback. For a Patriots defense that is one of the worst in the league, they’ve been lucky the past few weeks. Sunday will mark the third straight game that Patriots have faced a backup quarterback.

First it was Tyler Palko filling in for former Patriot, Matt Cassel two weeks ago against Kansas City. Last week they faced Vince Young filling in for the injured Michael Vick in a blowout over Philadelphia. This week they face Orlovsky who is the backup to the backup Curtis Painter, who has been benched due to ineffectiveness.

New England figures to have an easy game as they continue on their quest for the number one seat in the AFC. ”They’ve heard me talk about every week, saying we don’t care about the record and we don’t. What difference does it make? How someone played two weeks ago against somebody else — who cares?” coach Bill Belichick said. “The only thing that matters is how we and the Colts perform against each other on Sunday.”

Tom Brady and the NFL’s highest scoring offense should have no issues this week against a Colts defense that ranks among the league’s worst. Though only surrendering 238.7 yards per game in the air, Tom Brady should be able to do his work and pick apart the Colts secondary.

The Patriots are coming off a game with their more balanced display of offense. Brady was 24 of 34 for 361 yards and three touchdowns, and the team rushed for 104 yards on a season high 36 carries.

New England will look to continue to improve their running game facing a Colts defense that is ranked 31^st against the run surrendering 150.6 yards per game.

“I thought it was more balanced,” Brady said. “That’s how it needs to be, you got to run it. You got to throw it to everybody and you got to keep them off balance.”

Orlovsky will have his hands full trying to keep up with the high scoring Patriots. Being the third quarterback to be under center for the Colts this season he understands he can’t force the issue.

“I’m not going to be Superman or anything like that,” Orlovsky said. “I’m just going to run the offense, try to get us in good situations, try to move the chains and go from there. … I’m excited about the opportunity and appreciative of it.”

The Colts offense has only scored 29 points and put up 721 yards of offense the past three games so he can’t do any worse.

To make things worse for the Colts, their banged up defense got a change as linebacker coach Mike Murphy is now in charge of the defense.

“Obviously, it’s going to be very, very difficult to say you’re going to see a wholesale change (on defense) in three days,” Caldwell said. “But I do think that you’re going to see effort, hustle and good, sound principles and practices, and football in the way in which we know how to play. We just expect to be better in all areas.”

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Backup quarterback Vince Young and the Philadelphia Eagles were unable to keep up the offensive attack on a strong New England Patriots defense, losing at home to their visitors 38-20.

On paper, Young seemed to have a very good game; he threw for 400 yards in the game on 26 completions for one touchdown and one interception. Receiver Jason Avant was Young’s main target, making eight receptions for 110 yards and the only touchdown. New England’s quarterback Tom Brady also had a great game, throwing for 361 yards on 24 complete passes for three touchdowns.

Wes Welker was Brady’s most successful receiver, making eight catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Deon Branch also helped move the ball downfield after his receptions, making six catches for 125 yards. The Eagles’ rushing game was not too successful with Young and running back LeSean McCoy rushing for a total of 71 yards in the entire game.

Patriots’ running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis was able to make his runs count, rushing for two touchdowns on 14 attempts. The first quarter started out quite well for the Eagles, with McCoy rushing in for a touchdown on the Eagles’ first offensive possession. Four minutes later, field-goal kicker Alex Henery kicked a 43-yard field goal to give the Eagles a ten-point lead.

However, the Patriots were able to get on the scoreboard in the final two minutes of the first quarter after Green-Ellis ran for a four-yard touchdown. The Patriots got back the lead early in the second quarter when Green-Ellis ran in for his second touchdown of the night, after the Patriots were able to move the ball downfield in under two minutes with only four plays.

The Patriots widened the distance between the Eagles six minutes later when Brady threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Welker, making the score 21-10 halfway through the quarter. The only points obtained by the Eagles came off the boot of Henery with two minutes left in the half, but was equaled by a 45-yard field goal kick from Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski.

The only offensive action that came in the third quarter came from the Patriots when, after eight plays that took the team 69 yards, Brady threw a 9-yard pass to Welker for his second touchdown of the night and strengthened the Patriots lead 31-13.

Receiver Rob Gronkowski widened the Patriot’s lead even further halfway through the final quarter after making a 24-yard touchdown catch from Brady after the team spent seven minutes with possession. However, although there was no sign of a possible comeback, the Eagles had the last say in the game after Avant caught a one-yard pass from Young in the final minute of the game, making the final score 38-20.

The Philadelphia Eagles (4-7) travel to Washington on Thursday to face the Seattle Seahawks, while the New England Patriots (8-3) head back home to face the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

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At the beginning of the year, the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles shared aspirations of winning a super bowl. The Patriots had Tom Brady, and the Eagles were hopeful after their multiple, big, free agent signings had been labeled a “dream team.”

Fast forward to Week 12, and the Patriots are in position to win the AFC East, securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs while the Eagles are sitting at 4-6, two games behind the Cowboys and Giants for first place. The Patriots’ final six games do not include a team with a winning record, and the Patriots are rolling after two straight blowout wins over the Jets and the Chiefs, outscoring the teams 71-19.

“We’re 7-3. I don’t think we’re really where we hoped to be at this point,” said Tom Brady. The Eagles would love to be where the Patriots are right now. They are looking to keep their momentum going following their 17-10 upset over the Giants at MetLife Stadium last Sunday. “You see the excitement and the smiles on the guys, and that’s what we need, what we have to have,” said Eagles quarterback, Vince Young.

Young looks like he will make his second straight start in place of the injured Michael Vick in the first meeting in almost five years between the two teams. The last meeting in 2007 saw the Patriots winning a close one, 31-28, behind Brady’s 380 yards and a touchdown.

Brady has recently been finding his tight end, Rob Gronkowski, who has 20 catches for 310 yards and five touchdowns in the Patriots past three games. Brady feels the team needs to make more improvements down the stretch, alluding to the slow start by the offense who was trailing Kansas City 3-0 in the first quarter.

“We’re going to need to play better than we did offensively (Monday), if we want to start making serious improvements down the stretch,” Brady said. The Patriots will need the defense to continue its recent good play. The defense which gives up a league high 404.2 yards per game has only allowed 357.7 yards over the past three games. “We have the possibility of being a pretty good defense as long as we play well and get better each week,” tackle Vince Wilfork said. “(We) can’t get complacent. That’s one thing we can’t do.”

The defense will have a tough test this week, facing an Eagles offense that features two superstar wide receivers, the league’s leading rusher LeSean McCoy, and even though he is not in the same caliber as Micahel Vick, Vince Young still provides problems with his ability to run the ball. “Both guys have been productive, and they have a lot of weapons to utilize,” New England coach Bill Belichick said.

“They do a good job of getting them the ball.” Young will have to improve from last week when he went 23 of 36 for 258 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. He should have some help as DeSean Jackson hopes to play this week and Jeremy Maclin, who missed last week’s game, hopes to play as well.

The key for the Eagles will be how their defense, who has played better as of late, is able to handle Tom Brady and the Patriots. The Eagles have three  amazing cover corners in Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and former Patriot Asante Samuel, as well as a good pass rush which could cause some problems for the Patriots who are a pass first team.

New England will have to focus on the run a little more. Last week, they rushed for 157 yards on the ground, and facing a team that has struggled against the run, they will want to continue to build on that as they make their run toward a top seed in the AFC.

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The New England Patriots coasted to a victory Monday night over the Kansas City Chiefs, who were without their starting quarterback Matt Cassel, by a score of 34-3. After a slow offensive start Tom Brady and Co. were able to pick things up. Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes to tight end Rob Gronkowski, and the Patriots got another score from Julian Edelman who returned a punt 72 yards for the score.

With the win the Patriots, who now sit at 7-3, increased their lead in the AFC East to two games, but by beating Kansas City who’s in the hunt for the wild card helped their division rivals the New York Jets.

No one was expecting much from the Chiefs who started quarterback Tyler Palko in place of the injured Cassel. He threw three interceptions, two which were picked off by Kyle Arrington, and the Chiefs only managed one scoring drive, a field goal that gave them the lead with 1:30 left in the first quarter.

“Three interceptions is inexcusable,” Palko said. “The game is hard enough as it is without making mistakes.” Palko finished 25 of 38 for 236 yards and three interceptions. The Patriots got off to a slow start punting on three of their first four possessions and the other ending in a fumble by Brady. On the next series Brady was sacked twice.

“Obviously, the first half we didn’t do anything,” Brady said. “I don’t think it could have gotten much worse.” After that the Patriots were lights out scoring on their next three drives. Brady found Gronkowski for a 52 yard touchdown in which Gronkowski ran for the last 35 yards and tiptoed the line barely remaining inbounds.

The Chiefs gave it right back when Arrington got his first of two picks to set up a field goal to make it 10-3 Patriots. ”We were still fighting and we knew it was a close game going into halftime,” Chiefs safety Kendrick Lewis said. “They got a big play and a big score (Gronkowski’s second touchdown) in the second half and that started their rally.”

The Patriots drove 85 yards on plays to start the third quarter capping on a 19 yard pass to Gronkowski for his second score. Brady finished 15 of 27 for 234 yards and two scores. A minute after that Edelman got his chance and returned a punt for only the second time in his career to put the Patriots up 24-3 with just under nine and a half minutes left in the third.

Arrington got his second pick of the day on the next possession setting up another field goal by Stephen Gostowski to make it 27-3. ”We did too many things that get you beat in this league too many times,” Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali said. The Patriots got their final score in garbage time when rookie Shane Vereen scored his first NFL touchdown on a 4 yard score with a minute left.

The Patriots look to continue their quest for the number one seed in the AFC when they travel to Philadelphia to square off with the Eagles. The Chiefs will try to stay in the hunt for the AFC West and the wild card, but without Cassel it will be hard. They head home to face Pittsburgh, but after that travel to Chicago and to New York before heading back home to face the Packers.

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The New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs have connections with each other. From the GM of the Chiefs, Scott Pioli, to the currently injured quarterback of Kansas City, Matt Cassel, to the defensive coordinator for Kansas City, Romeo Crennel. The one thing they don’t share is success on the football field.

The Patriots are coming off a crucial road win against the Jets to gain sole possession of first place in the AFC East and sweeping the season series with New York. The Chiefs have dropped two straight after winning four in a row, but without their starting quarterback, they will have to turn to Tyler Palko to keep them in the hunt for the AFC West.

For the Chiefs, they might not be getting Cassel back anytime soon. Coach Todd Haley said Cassel suffered a “significant” hand injury against the Broncos last Sunday and potentially could miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on Monday. Palko has only thrown 13 passes in the NFL and will be leading the Chiefs for now.

“Tyler is the next in line, and he’s done a terrific job, like I said, of keeping himself ready,” Haley said. “That’s what the No. 2 quarterback has to do, because you don’t know. At a moment’s notice, you could be in there playing, just like any other position.” The Patriots, on the other hand, are sitting pretty atop the AFC East after responding well against the Jets behind Brady’s 329 yards and three touchdowns.

Brady will look to continue that against a defense ranked 22^nd overall giving up 364.3 yards per game. ”No matter what happened last week, whether we won, lost, at home or on the road or in London, it doesn’t matter. Once that game is over, we have to put it behind us,” Belichick said.

“Now it’s about preparing for Kansas City, what they do, what their schemes are, what their players are, what their tendencies are in certain coaching decision situations that we’ll have to make.” Brady has not faced the Chiefs since the season opener in 2008 in which he was knocked out for the year, which led to Cassel starting for the Patriots and eventually getting traded to Kansas City.

“In order to make plays, you have to run good routes, you have to make good throws, you have to pass protect against one of the best pass rushers that we face in (Tamba) Hali,” Brady said. Hali has 6 of the Chiefs 9 total sacks, but even with pressure from him Brady should be able to find his tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

The Patriots offense has never been the problem; the problem lies with the defense that played very well against the Jets. Defensive end Andre Carter had four sacks against the Jets and, if he can keep that going, the battered Patriots secondary could have an easier time.

Cornerback Devin McCourty who suffered a shoulder injury in the game against New York will likely be out for a few weeks and safety Patrick Chung is questionable this week. Without those players, the Patriots may not be able to match up against wide receiver Dwayne Bowe who has 19 touchdowns since 2010.

Coach Bill Belichick isn’t counting on a significant drop off from Cassel to Palko. “I think that Palko can do everything that he needs to do from what Matt has done,” he said. “I wouldn’t expect them to deviate too far from what they like to do.” This is a must win for both teams.

The Chiefs are looking to keep pace in the crowded race for the West and the Patriots look to increase their lead over the Jets, who lost on Thursday to Denver, and stay a game ahead of Buffalo who right now owns the tiebreaker having beat the Patriots back in Week 3.

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All is where people thought it would be at this point in the season. The New England Patriots are 1^st in the AFC East and the New York Jets are chasing them for the divisional title as usual. Led by Tom Brady’s three touchdown passes, two which went to tight end Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots moved into sole possession of first place in the AFC East with a convincing victory over the Jets at MetLife stadium on Sunday Night.

Brady finished 26 of 39 with 329 yards and the three scores, the biggest which came after the Jets pulled within a score 23-16 early in the fourth quarter. Brady led the team on an 84 yard drive capped by an 8 yard touchdown catch by Deion Branch who burned nickel back Kyle Wilson.

The victory was sealed with linebacker Rob Ninkovich intercepted Mark Sanchez on the next possession and returned it 12 yards for the score. The game was for first place in the East, and the Patriots cruised, snapping their two game losing streak and the Jets three game winning streak, while sweeping the season series.

The Bills entered Sunday tied for first, but were blown out in Dallas earlier 44-7. For the Jets this marked their first home loss of the season entering the game 4-0 at home. Coach Rex Ryan insisted that his team had greatly improved since losing to the pats a month ago in New England, but tonight wasn’t indicative of that. The Jets still have a lot to do if they want to take over the AFC East.

All day the Jets secondary had no answer for Rob Gronkowski who finished with 8 catches and 113 yards and kicker Stephen Gostkowski was good on his three attempts. The Patriots, who ranked last in the league coming into the game in sacks, saw Andre Carter collect 4 ½ alone as the Patriots were in Mark Sanchez’s face all game.

Sanchez had a dreadful game. He finished 20 of 39 for 306 yards a touchdown and two interceptions. He was also sacked five times. A 7 yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress had the Jets right back in the game, but then Brady took over leading the Patriots down the field for a 13 play 84 yard drive using a no-huddle offense to keep the Jets off balance. The drive ate up half of the fourth quarter.

The key play came when Joe McKnight bobbled a muffed punt which set up a field goal. Isaiah Trufant had two chances to recover the punt, and Donald Strickland who let the ball squirt out of his hands, failed to recover the punt which eventually was recovered by Niko Koutouvides at the Jets 13.

The Patriots capitalized with another field goal to increase the lead. They got the ball right back when a Sanchez pass went off Shonn Greene’s hands and was deflected by Jerod Mayo into Ninkovich’s hands. The Jets played well early getting on the scoreboard with a safety when Jamaal Westerman got to Brady in the end zone forcing an intentional grounding.

The Jets took the ball and went down the field on a 7 play 65 yard drive capped by a 2 yard draw by Mark Sanchez to put them up 9-6. Though they got the score Sanchez made the mistake of calling a timeout instead of letting the clock run out. This gave Tom Brady plenty of time to drive down the field and answer with a touchdown right before the half.

Ryan, angry with Sanchez, told NBC at the half that the timeout call was the “stupidest play in NFL history.” The Jets opened the game with an impressive drive, but couldn’t punch it in and got no points when Nick Folk missed a 24 yard field goal wide left.

The Jets have a quick turnaround as they head to Denver to face Tim Tebow and the suddenly relevant Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football. The Patriots look to continue their good play as they head home to face former quarterback Matt Cassel and the Kansas City Chiefs who have lost two straight since winning four in a row.

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