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.

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Last years Super Bowl champs, the New York Giants, are prepared to defend their title for the 2nd time in the past five years.

Quarterback Eli Manning had one of the best seasons of his career. Eli threw for a career high, 4,933 yards, 29 touchdowns, and a passer rating of 92.9. Manning showed his superior  passing ability all season long, especially in the 4th quarter. Eli’s quarterback rating in the 4th quarter was 110.0; he threw for 1,715 yards, and 15 touchdowns. Manning led the Giants to eight game winning drives this season more than any other quarterback in the NFL.

Manning had several reliable targets to throw to last season; however, New Jersey native Victor Cruz stole the show. Cruz had 82 receptions, for 1,536 yards and 9 touchdowns, all Giant highs for the season. Hakeem Nicks was Eli’s 2nd favorite target: they connected 79 times for 1,192 yards and 7 touchdowns. Although the Giants lost wideout Mario Manningham to the 49ers, they added ex-Dallas tight-end Martellus Bennett, and drafted wideout Rueben Randle from LSU.

As for New York’s run game, they were led by Ahmad Bradshaw who had a team high, 659 yards, and 9 rushing touchdowns. Also, running back Brandon Jacobs contributed with 571 yards and 7 rushing touchdowns.

Despite Jacobs’ success, he and the New York Giants parted ways this summer and also joined the San Francisco 49ers. As a result, the Giants used their 1st round pick on Virginia Tech running back David Wilson. Wilson showed positive spurts this preseason with 28 rushing attempts for 131 yards, and 5 receptions for 61 yards this preseason. Wilson’s quick explosiveness will help make him one of the elite rookies this upcoming season. With the exit of Jacobs and constant injury concern for Ahmad Bradshaw, Wilson could eventually get the majority of carries.

Defensively, the Giants had one of the most ferocious front fours in the NFL. The Giants compiled 48.0 sacks, 3rd best in the NFL. Third year defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul led the giants with 16.5 sacks.

In addition, they were 2nd in the NFL with 1,131 tackles. The Giants tackling leader was safety Antrel Rolle, who had a career high 96 tackles.

The Giants added defensive free agent, Shaun Rogers. They traded their 5th round pick to Cincinnati in exchange for linebacker Keith Rivers.  Rivers has been extremely disappointing after being drafted 9th in the 2008 draft, and has had constant injury problems. The Giants are hoping he can stay healthy and resurrect his young career.

The Giants will be facing nine opponents who had a .500 or better record last season. Seven of the nine opponents make up the Giants final eight games of the season. The NFC East Division has improved significantly, which will make each divisional game gut-wrenching. Realistically, the Giants should be optimistic; however, nothing will come easy for them in their attempt to repeat as champions.

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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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The Jets are mathematically still in the thick of the AFC wild card race, but if they don’t improve their play it’s not going to matter what the numbers say. Coming off a victory over the Bills in a must-win game, the Jets look to keep things rolling when they travel to FedEx to face the Washington Redskins on Sunday.

New York narrowly avoided a loss and possibly the end of their season when Mark Sanchez found Santonio Holmes for the game winning touchdown with just over a minute left last week against the Buffalo Bills. While they got the win it was hardly a pretty game as Sanchez struggled, despite throwing for a career high four touchdowns, and the defense had trouble stopping a Bills offense which was without its best player in running back Fred Jackson.

Their play wasn’t a good sign for a team likely forced to win at least four of their last five games, if not all, to have a shot at the final playoff spot in the AFC. For the Jets to have success down the stretch, they’ll have to rely on Sanchez to improve his play and lead the team. He completed 48.6 percent of his passes for only 180 yards last week.

The once feared defense allowed the Bills to drive 90 yards down the field for the score earlier in the game, and almost let Ryan Fitzpatrick lead the Bills down the field in less than a minute for the game winning score. Had Stevie Johnson made a wide-open catch on a play during that drive, the Bills probably would’ve scored and won the game.

“We have to keep improving, there’s no question,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “We’re not going to win and we’re not going to reach our goal if we don’t get better. But we definitely plan on getting better.”

“It is funny how if we make a mistake, we’re horrible and it’s, `Oh, they’re terrible,” Ryan said. “That could be bad luck there, too. But if we make a play, it’s, `Oh, we’re just lucky.’ So, maybe it’s the green (team colors). I don’t know. I hope karma is with us. I hope we continue to be lucky, and we’ll take that.

“The old saying, `I’d rather be lucky than good.’ I’d rather be both, and I think we are.” The Jets are hoping for luck, and that they gained momentum heading into the game Sunday because their track record against the ‘Skins isn’t good. The Jets are 1-8 all time versus Washington.

Washington also hopes to keep some momentum going, coming off a close win over Seattle to snap a six game losing streak. The Redskins came back from 10 down in the fourth to score 16 unanswered points. ”That’s what you’re in this game to do, is to win,” Washington coach Mike Shanahan said. “But at the same time, when you’re around a football team that’s giving you everything they’ve got, you feel good.

“That’s why I feel good about the character of this football team, and it was nice to find a way to win because they deserved to win. Our players have been working extremely hard, and hopefully we can keep it going.”

Rex Grossman is coming off of one of his best performances of the season completing over 73 percent of his passes and racking up 314 yards. To add to that, rookie running back Roy Helu earned himself the start this week rushing for 108 yards and a touchdown last week. He also caught seven passes for 54 yards as well.

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The Packers are still number one, but things changed after that as the Ravens knocked off the 49ers on Thanksgiving, moving them into the 2 spot. The 49ers, Steelers, and Saints round out the top 5. The Houston Texans moved up from 9^th to 7^th with a victory on Sunday, but with Matt Leinart going down leaving T.J. Yates as their only QB they could drop down in the next few weeks.

The Falcons saw themselves crack the top 10 moving up one from 11^th to 10^th after a solid win over Minnesota has them nipping at the Saints heels. The big winners this week are the Ravens, Patriots, Cowboys, and Raiders. The Ravens got a great win over the 49ers to prove they are legit title contenders moving from 5^th to 2^nd.

The Patriots beat up the Eagles, and with an easy schedule they now have their sights on a number 1 seed. The Cowboys moved up from 10^th to 8^th, but with the Saints win over the Giants and the Giants playing Green Bay next they look to pull away with the NFC East and vie for a top seed.

The Raiders moved from 14^th to 12^th and could easily keep moving up as Carson Palmer continues to learn the offense and Michael Bush continues doing his best Darren McFadden impression. The big losers this week are the Bears, Giants, Eagles, and Chargers. The Bears dropped the furthest by far this week falling from 6^th to 13^th and with Caleb Hanie under center their playoff chances are dwindling.

The Giants fell from 12^th to 14^th losing badly to the Saints and watching their playoff chances slip away due to a rough schedule. The Eagles, while remaining in the 18^th spot are big losers this week as they saw their season, which started with Super Bowl aspirations, essentially ended as the Patriots routed them at home.

The Chargers fell again this week from 20^th to 22^nd with their sixth straight loss and only a small hope of making the playoffs. Rounding out the bottom this week is the Vikings, Rams, and Colts. All three teams look like they’ll remain there for the rest of the season and the Colts don’t even look like an NFL team at this point.

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The Tampa Buccaneers (4-7) season ended in Nashville on Sunday after the Titans (6-5), behind a mammoth performance from running back Chris Johnson, had a fourth quarter comeback victory. The score was 23-17. Although running back LeGarrette Blount had 103 yards on 20 carries and Josh Freeman’s 199 yards and one touchdown pass on 18-33 passing were not enough to hold off the Titans in the game’s final minutes.

The game was a final stand for Tampa, who has completely fallen out of the NFC playoff race after its fifth straight loss following a 4-2 start. Bucs fans had a tough time swallowing this one, as they saw a 17-10 fourth quarter lead become a distant memory.

A 52-yard field goal from Titans’ kicker Rob Bironas cut the deficit to 17-13 at the beginning of the final period, but Tampa still appeared poised to end the game on the next drive with a touchdown. After starting at their own 20-yard line, Tampa’s penalties pushed them back into a 1st and 25 situation back near midfield. The offense was unable to make up the lost yardage, and was forced to punt.

The game was then put into the hands of the defense. With just 7:15 remaining they still had an excellent opportunity to preserve the lead and allow the offense to win the game. But Johnson, who ran for a season high 190 yards on 23 carries, put the Titans into excellent scoring position with a 34-yard run to the Tampa Bay 25 after back to back first down throws by Matthew Hasselbeck to open the drive, which began back at the Tennessee 20-yard line.

The Bucs were able to stop the Titans on 3rd and goal from the five after tackling Johnson at the 2-yard line, but needed one more stop, as Tennessee elected to go for it on the 4th down with only a few minutes remaining and trailing by four. Hasselbeck rolled right and threw back towards the middle of the end zone to receiver Damian Williams for the touchdown, giving the Titans a 20-17 lead.

Freeman, who has 2 game-winning drives this season, and a total of nine in his three seasons as the Bucs’ quarterback, aimed to lead his team on another, but was intercepted by linebacker Colin McCarthy at the Tampa Bay 47-yard line. Turnovers was the name of the game for both teams throughout the day due to the cold, rainy conditions.

Each side struggled to take care of the football and there was a total of eight fumbles and three interceptions. There was even a stretch of six plays in the 3rd quarter where the teams combined for three turnovers. “Looking back, we had our timeouts and we had plenty of time. It would have been fairly routine for us to drive down, but the turnover made things difficult.

That’s something that at that point just can’t happen,” said Freeman about the late interception. The Bucs’ defense could have easily lost all hope after Johnson’s second carry of that next drive went to the Tampa 21-yard line leading up to the two minute warning, but they still fought hard and allowed only a field goal with 1:44 remaining.

Freeman would have one more opportunity to win the game trailing 23-17. It only took three plays to move the ball from his own 20 to the Titans’ 34 and things certainly looked promising. However, the Bucs found themselves at the 4-yard line, and were unable to convert after Freeman fumbled on the quarterback sneak attempt, recovered, and was stopped at 26 yards.

The turnover  led to thoughts of the 2012 season for the Bucs faithful. Titans fans, however, kept their postseason hopes alive. “We knew that this was a do-or-die situation, a critical situation,” said Hasselbeck.

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It wasn’t as easy for the New York Jets in their second game with the Buffalo Bills, but the end result was the same. The Jets won a critical game and kept their playoff hopes alive. Led by Mark Sanchez and his career high four touchdown passes, the Jets escaped Sunday’s game with a win when Sanchez found Santonio Holmes for a 16-yard score with just over a minute left to keep the Jets in the thick of the AFC playoff race.

“He’s at his best in big moments,” coach Rex Ryan said. This was as big a moment as the Jets have had all season and with the win they now have only five more to go. The sentiment through the Jets locker room this week has been that they have to win in order to make it to the post season. It was looking like that was going to end with the first game when Dave Rayner hit a 53-yard field goal to put the Bills up 24-21.

Sanchez then led the Jets down the field, the key play coming on a third and 11 from the Bills 36 where Sanchez found Plaxico Burress along the sideline. Burress reached up and made an amazing one handed catch for 18 yards and the first down. ”It was crazy,” Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis said of the catch. “He’s 6-foot-5 and he’s got those ‘Go-Go-Gadget’ arms. It was probably one of the best catches I’ve seen in a while.”

Sanchez ran a sneak to assure there would be no challenge and then on the next play rolled out right and found Holmes in the end zone for the go ahead score. Though posting a career high in touchdown passes, Sanchez was far from great. He finished 17 of 35 for 180 yards and a pick, but when things mattered most, he prevailed.

His Bills counterpart, Ryan Fitzpatrick, bounced back from a streak of bad games to go 26 of 39 for 264 yards and three touchdowns, but couldn’t manage one more at the end. Fitzpatrick found a wide open Stevie Johnson, but Johnson dropped the pass. He also missed Johnson in the end zone as he threw behind him and the catch couldn’t be made.

Johnson made headlines for other reasons than just the dropped pass. He scored a touchdown late in the first half and to celebrate mocked shooting himself in the thigh, clearly a shot at Plaxico Burress who had accidentally shot himself in the leg in a nightclub in 2008 when he was with the Giants.

He then continued by mocking the “flight” celebration many of the Jets use after they score and fell to the ground which got a flag for 15 yards and ended up leading to the Jets tying the game back up 14-14. ”I was just having fun and part of having fun ended up being a penalty and a touchdown for the Jets,” Johnson said. “It was a stupid decision by myself.”

“I’ve seen worse, and I’ve heard worse,” Burress said of Johnson’s celebration. “So, it doesn’t bother me at all. The result I’m looking at is we won the football game.”

The Jets have won their first game and look to continue their streak for the playoffs as they head down to Washington to square off with quarterback troubled Redskins. The Bills, now losers of four straight games look to snap the streak as they head home to face Matt Hasselback and the Tennessee Titans.
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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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Rex Grossman and the Washington Redskins were able to come back from being down three points against the Seattle Seahawks going into the final quarter, winning the game 23-17 on Sunday.

The Redskins were able to move downfield thanks to the help from Grossman, who threw for 314 yards on 26 completed passes for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Receivers Fred Davis and Anthony Armstrong were his two targets for the touchdowns, both making five receptions all together for a total of 108 yards.

Seattle quarterback Tarvaris Jackson helped offensively, throwing for 144 yards on 14 completed passes for two touchdowns and one interception. Receivers Marshawn Lynch and Golden Tate were caught the only two touchdown passes for the Seahawks, altogether collecting two receptions for a total of 35 yards.

Running back Roy Helu played well for the Redskins, rushing for 108 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries. The same can also be said for Seattle’s Lynch, who ran for 111 yards on 24 carries. The Redskins were the first to take the lead halfway through the first quarter, when Davis caught a two-yard pass from Grossman after a time of possession that lasted 14 plays and almost eight minutes.

Seattle was able to tie the game up four minutes into the second quarter when Lynch caught a 20-yard pass from Jackson, making the score 7-7 after the first half. The only time points were scored in the third quarter was when Seattle took the lead after a 36-yard field goal kick from Steven Hauschka.

In the last quarter, both teams stepped up their game. Seattle widened their lead to 7-17 almost three minutes into the quarter with a 15-yard pass from Jackson to Tate after 12 plays that moved the ball 88 yards downfield. The Redskins responded three minutes later with Helu rushing for a 28-yard touchdown, leaving Washington down by three points.

Washington was able to score on their next drive thanks to a 50-yard touchdown pass from Grossman to Armstrong, giving the Redskins the lead with six minutes left to play. Seattle was unable to recover and make any successful attempts to score after a 25-yard field goal from the Redskins’ Graham Gano, which wrapped up the game with Washington winning 23-17.

The Washington Redskins (4-7) head home to face the New York Jets on Sunday, while the Seattle Seahawks (4-7) get to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday.

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An exciting AFC North clash between the Cleveland Browns (4-7) and Cincinnati Bengals (7-4) ended in a 23-20 victory for the Bengals, who have been one of the surprise teams of the year. The Browns welcomed back running backs Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty from injury, as they joined Chris Ogbonnaya, who has performed admirably during their absences.

Cleveland were still without the services of defensive back T. J. Ward however, and Usama Young had to shoulder the responsibilities at strong safety. Cincinnati had injury concerns of their own, and were without defensive end Carlos Dunlap and offensive linemen Anthony Collins and Clint Boling.

They were boosted though by left tackle Andrew Whitworth being declared active after a thigh injury, and rookie wide receiver A. J. Green returning after missing their last game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Normally a ferocious contest between two sides battling it out for third place in the AFC North, the Bengals form in the first half of the season had many predicting that the Browns would struggle, as Cincinnati look to upset the old order of both Baltimore and the Pittsburgh Steelers dominating the division.

Cleveland, however, had no intention of sitting back and letting the game be dictated to them, and took an early lead when Colt McCoy found Jordan Norwood for a 24-yard touchdown pass at the end of an 82-yard drive for the visiting side. The Bengals hit back quickly though, leveling the scores by the end of the first quarter, as running back Cedric Benson found space and cruised in for a 16-yard touchdown, taking a big hit from the Cleveland defense as coasted into the end zone.

This served to reignite the Browns, who regained the lead in the second quarter, successfully kicking a field goal, before extending their lead to 10 points when rookie Greg Little climbed high at the back of the end zone to collect a 3-yard touchdown pass from McCoy. Both teams traded field goals early in the second half, maintaining the Browns lead of 10 points.

This lead was then cut to just three when Andy Dalton, who continued his excellent recent form, finishing with 271 yards, a touchdown and no interception, found tight end Jermaine Gresham for a 22-yard touchdown, with Gresham leaping acrobatically to take the ball above the heads of the Cleveland defense.

The game was tightly poised as time began to run down in the fourth quarter, but kicker Mike Nugent kept his cool as he kicked two field goals, the latter coming with just over a minute left on the clock, to give the Bengals a deserved victory over their AFC North rivals.

Cincinnati will now be looking to upset both Baltimore and Pittsburgh as they keep alive their goal of finishing top of the AFC North, and the return from injury of Green, who caught three receptions 110 yards, as well as the Pro-Bowl form of Dalton could combine to make this dream a very real possibility.

Cleveland continue to have a disappointing season, but will be more optimistic going into games now with the return of their two best running backs, and Hillis in particular will be keen to impress, with the Browns already admitting they may be willing to let the inconsistent tailback leave at the end of the season.

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The Miami Dolphins couldn’t have started their season any worse when they lost their first seven games. The Buffalo Bills couldn’t have started any better when they were sitting atop the AFC East. It all changed on Sunday. The Dolphins laid a beat down on the reeling Bills 35-8 to win their third straight game, handing Buffalo their third loss in a row.

The turnaround for the Dolphins, who are now 3-7, was been due to their improved defensive play. ”You can see how good we can be,” said safety Yeremiah Bell. “This is where we expected to be at the beginning of the season. It just took us a while.”

The Dolphins were able to turn two interceptions into touchdowns, along with a blocked punt, which was recovered for a touchdown. The defense also made a goal line stand midway through the second half. The Bills were stuffed four times in a row after having first down at the Dolphins second yard line.

On the other side of the ball, Matt Moore torched the Bills’ defense. He finished the day 14 of 20 for 160 yards and three touchdowns for a passer rating of 133.3. The Dolphins punched it in on their first three possessions and Moore wasn’t called upon to throw much after that. ”Guys around me are making big plays and making it easy for the quarterback,” Moore said. “It’s such a good feeling.”

The Bills didn’t have any good feelings in this game. With their once-promising season in a tailspin, the Bills have been outscored 106-26 during their losing streak, a far cry from the team that was scoring 30 points a game earlier this season. ”We’re baffled as to what has happened,” quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said.

“For the past three weeks, it has not been fun to play, and I’m sure it has not been fun to watch.” They have only managed two touchdowns in the past three weeks. One of those touchdowns was during the end of the game. To add to their problems, the Bills lost three of their key players. Wide receiver Donald Jones and cornerback Terrence McGee were both carted off the field in the second quarter.

The NFL’s leading rusher, running back Fred Jackson, left in the third quarter with a bruised right calf. Since signing his big, six-year, $59 million contract, Fitzpatrick has failed to win a game and has turned the ball over 12 times in the past six games. On Sunday, he was 20 of 39 for 209 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. His passer rating was a mere 45.8.

Fred Jackson was held to 17 yards on seven carries. The Bills fumbled the ball four times (though all were recovered), and went zero for 14 on third and fourth down. ”I don’t know if I’ve ever been through that before, ever,” coach Chan Gailey said. “When you’re that bad, you’re having a pitiful day.”

The Bills try to bounce back and save their season as they head to MetLife Stadium to face the struggling New York Jets in a must-win for both teams if they wish to make the playoffs. The Dolphins have a short week as they look to continue their recent success and continue to play spoiler as they travel to Jerry World to face the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving.

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No change at the very top this week with the Packers remaining undefeated and the 49ers remaining a 1 loss team, but after that there were some shakeups. The Steelers moved into first with the best record in the AFC as they beat Cincinnati. The Saints and Bears break into the top 5 with solid wins over divisional rivals. The big winners for the week were the Patriots, Cowboys, Titans, and Broncos.

The Patriots took control of the AFC East with a win over the Jets and moved from 13^th up to 8^th. The Cowboys beat up on the Bills and moved to 12^th from 15^th and look to continue moving up with an easy schedule ahead of them.

The Titans saw Chris Johnson finally break out and with Matt Schaub potentially out for the season they look to make a run at the AFC South title. The Broncos are now at 19 after being 23 the week before as they notched another win against Kansas City which puts them right in the race for the AFC West title.

Other notable winners are the Cardinals who jumped from 29^th to 22^nd and the Seahawks who moved from 28^th to 24^th. The big losers this week are the Ravens, Lions, Eagles, and Redskins. The Ravens fell from 3^rd to 7^th with a bad loss to the Seahawks, but with a season sweep of the Steelers they’re still in the thick of it.

The Lions fall from 4^th to 10^th  got pummeled by the Bears who got 2 defensive touchdowns and a Devin Hester punt return, while injuring quarterback Matt Stafford. The Eagles nightmare season continues as they fall from 18^th to 23^rd after losing to the Cardinals. The Redskins fall from 22^nd to 26^th with a fifth straight loss, this one at the hands of the Dolphins, and no answer for their quarterback problem.

Another notable loser is the Panthers who fell from 26^th to 30^th. Bringing up the rear yet again this week is the Colts who fell to 0-10 after losing to the Jaguars and their bye week couldn’t have come any sooner for a team in need of a lot of help.

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Around the middle of the NFL season, usually week 7-9, teams hit that proverbial fork in the road. Coaching staffs around the league have personnel decisions to make at the most important position, the starting QB. Option A is pretty simple, and it consists of staying with the starter QB you selected at the beginning of the season with the hopes that he will lead your team to the playoffs.

However Option B is a complex situation full of hard decisions and calculated gambles. Option B requires a coaching staff to replace the starting QB with someone on your bench for the remainder of the season. The complex part revolves around why replace the starter, who you do replace the starter with, and when do you finally pull the trigger.

Well in Week 7, six NFL teams have gone the route of Option B and that got my editorial partner, Kristian Winfield, and me to thinking. Which one of these fresh faces will have the better season? The candidates are as followed Charlie Whitehurst (SEA), A.J. Feely (STL), Christian Ponder (MIN), Carson Palmer (OAK), Tim Tebow (DEN), and John Beck (WSH).

It’s almost a loaded question against us because a QB swap is usually only made after a team has had an unproductive 7 weeks. We will admit that there are some exceptions, and injuries sometimes force the hand of a coach. More often than not, the former is the underlying factor in a change at the QB position.

Before we each give you our picks, let’s review why each QB is starting in the first place.

John Beck: John Beck impressed people during the preseason with his picture perfect passes, but because of a single interception thrown, the start was given to Rex Grossman. In five games Grossman might have hauled in 1,132 but it was clear Grossman was driving the Redskins’ offense into the dirt. Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan decided to make a change and Beck was named the new starter.

Carson Palmer: After losing starting QB Jason Campbell for the season because of a broken collarbone, coach Hue Jackson came face to face with his biggest crisis as new head coach, who was going to start at QB. In a surprise move the Raiders traded away multiple draft picks for former “retired” Cincinnati Bengals QB Carson Palmer.

A.J. Feely: Feely was the back up on the St. Louis Rams to Sam Bradford. In last week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Bradford suffered a high ankle sprain that forced him wear a protective boot during the week. With a 0-5 record and the Rams clearly out of the divisional race there was no need to rush Bradford back, so head coach Steve Spagnuolo handed over the reins to Feely.

Tim Tebow: Late in the season last year Tim Tebow was named the starter on the Denver Broncos after the Broncos’ playoff hopes were dashed. Tebow was supposed to remain the starter this year but due to a coaching change and horrible pre-season play by Tebow, Kyle Orton was given his starting position back.

Under Orton this year, the Broncos went 1-4 and new coach John Fox gave Tim Tebow a chance to reclaim his starting position back. Charlie Whitehurst:  Charlie Whitehurst was given the starting position after Tarvaris Jackson injured his pectoral muscle against the Giants.

Whitehurst had been previously named the starter late into the 2011 season, winning a game against the St. Louis Rams that sent the Seahawks to the playoffs. Christian Ponder: After Donovan McNabb’s abysmal 1-5 start for the Minnesota Vikings, head coach Leslie Frazier made a power move, inserting Christian Ponder into the lineup as the starting QB.

Now for what you’ve been waiting for, our “expert” picks.

Kristian’s Pick

The Vikings season was going nowhere fast, to put things into perspective, Donovan McNabb played absolutely terrible for the six games as the Vikings starter. In the first game of the season, he only threw for 39 yards—worst among starting QB’s in the NFL for season openers. Through five-and-a-half games, McNabb threw for four touchdowns and two interceptions.

I can name some wide receivers that have more receiving TD’s than McNabb has passing. Either McNabb was going to drag the franchise into the dirt, or a change was going to be made. Enter my pick, the pure passing rookie QB out of Florida State, Christian Ponder.

In their win last week over Carolina, Ponder played very well, considering the situation, throwing for 236 yards and a touchdown, while completing 18-of-28 attempts. And the week before, against the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers, Ponder threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns.

He’s still got a long way to go, but for a rookie that was pretty much dumped into the rotation after six weeks, Ponder is a significant improvement from the lackluster performances of McNabb. Ponder IS NOT the short term solution, but by showing promise and glimpses of greatness, he definitely is the Vikings’ QB of the future.

Terrance’s Pick

My pick is the man who can do no wrong, the Christian crusader, the legend himself, Tim Tebow. All of the reasons why I think Tebow will have the better season are not intrinsically football-related.  Tebow has the will to win, and has proven that he can win on every level of football.  You can’t teach a man how to be winner, that is something you have to be born with, and Tebow has it in spades.

For example take his performance in week 7 against the Miami Dolphins into consideration.  Tebow played like absolute crap for 55 minutes of a 60 minute game, but when you have that never-say-die mentality, sometimes five good minutes is all you need. Tebow lead his Denver Broncos to score 15 points in five minutes, throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for a two point conversion.

Being down 15 points and subsequently scoring 15 points in the final five minutes of game a feat that hadn’t been accomplished since the merger of the NFL and AFL in 1970. During the Broncos’ improbable comeback, Tebow consistently made big throw after big throw, performing so well that ESPN analyst Skip Bayless compared him to Steve Young.

However if there is one factor that could trump all of Tebow’s intangibles it would be his poor throwing mechanics. This has been the one gripe about Tebow since he entered the NFL last year. His awkward throwing release causes him to be inaccurate and overthrow receivers.

Before the 2010 NFL Draft Tebow worked tirelessly on correcting his throwing motion, when under pressure old habits tend surface and his team suffers. That same awkward delivery was on display during the first 55 minutes of the Dolphins game; Tebow consistently missed open receivers.

The one upside to Tebow’s glaring flaw is that his throwing motion can be fixed, and there are instances where he has shown that, just not on a consistent basis. Only time will tell us which one these six QBs will have the better season.  The only that is for certain is that each NFL season is highly unpredictable.

For all we know, both Ponder and Tebow could perform miserably the rest of season, and make our expert picks null and void. If that happens let’s just hope that Toonari Post doesn’t swap us out for some fresh journalistic faces.

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There were just as many Tim Tebow fans in Miami on Sunday as there were Dolphin fans. Tebow’s fans were all very disappointed as he looked absolutely awful. It looked like Miami, to many fans’ dismay, were on their way to their first victory of the season. Then he did the unthinkable and led an improbable comeback.

Tebow led the Denver Broncos with two touchdown passes in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter in his first start of the season, which forced overtime. Matt Prater sealed the win with a 52-yard field goal in overtime to give Denver the 18-15 victory over Miami. Denver was trailing 15-0 with five minutes left in the game when Denver took over at their 20 yard line.

Tebow, who had been hearing it from fans all game, looked atrocious up to that point, and Denver had zero conversions on third down. “It was my fault we were in that position,” Tebow said. “Silly things kept happening. On the sidelines, we were still believing. We wanted it, and they believed in me for more than 60 minutes.”

Tebow managed to lead touchdown drives of 80 and 56 yards with a successful onside kick thrown in the middle. He scored the game tying two-point conversion untouched with only 17 seconds left on the clock. In overtime, it was Denver’s D.J. Williams who sacked Matt Moore, forced a fumble, and recovered it at Miami’s 36 yardline.

It only took three more plays, and Prater sealed the Dolphins’ fate as their winless streak continues extending the NFL’s longest streak to ninegames. If coach Tony Sparano wasn’t on the hot seat before, he sure is now after this disappointing loss. “Of course he’s the head coach, and he’s going to take a lot of heat,” receiver Brandon Marshall said. “But trust me, it’s not him. Not just him. It’s all of us.”

“I’m just discouraged for the players in the locker room,” Sparano said. “They work really hard, and we don’t have anything to show for it right now.” Tebow struggled for most of the game, suffering seven sacks, failing to pick up blitzes, and making several horrible throws nowhere near the intended receiver.

But this didn’t make him lose confidence, and he was able to lead an eight-play drive capped by a five-yard pass to Demaryius Thomas for the touchdown with three minutes left to make the score 15-7. The Dolphins failed to grab the ensuing onside kick, and Virgil Green recovered at their 44 with two and a half minutes left.

Tebow was able to find Daniel Fells for a 28-yard gain, brining them to the three yard line, Again, he found Fells for the three-yard score with time running out. As for the Dolphins, they are just looking for any sort of remedy to their season. “I’m trying to search for answers,” Miami running back Reggie Bush said. “I just keep coming back to embarrassing.”

This was a big win for Denver and Tebow. Midway through the third quarter, Denver had netted two yards on 10 pass plays, which is an average of seven inches a play. After that, Tebow went nine for 13 for 1,121 yards and finished 13 of 27 for 161 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 65 yards on eight carries.

Despite the salute to the Gators and Tebow mania, the stadium was almost half empty at the start — a sign of growing fan discontented with the Dolphins. The crowd was booing the home team before Miami’s first series ended, but Denver moved the ball no better. Together, the two teams failed to convert their first 16 third-down situations.

Miami is just looking for any answers as they fall to 0-6, and have to travel to MetLife stadium to square off with Big Blue.

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The NFL season is a quarter of the way through after four weeks and what a start we have witnessed. Despite the lockout and no training camps, teams have not missed a beat. The offensives have put up historic numbers, setting NFL records in passing yards for a single week by week one and breaking that record in week two.

Also for the first time in history, in weeks two and four, there were no divisional games. The league protected itself just in case of a lockout. Now bye weeks come into play, where teams will be giving off selected weeks from week five to eleven. Here is how the teams stack up through four weeks:

The Real Deal

No Surprise

.500 Club

Overachievers: 

Underachievers: 

Andrew Luck Sweepstakes

Rebuilding

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Everyone knows about the Jets’ defense. They’re big, they’re strong, they’re good, and they were embarrassed by Darren McFadden and the Oakland Raiders.

The Jets, who believe they have the most intimidating and best defense in the NFL, were given a dose of their own medicine when they went into Oakland on Sunday. The Raiders punished the Jets’ defense physically on their way to 234 yards on the ground, with 171 coming from McFadden.

There have been three games in this young NFL season and this Jets’ defense looks like a shell of the defenses we saw in 2009 and 2010. This may just be a temporary skid or loss of defensive identity, but if you look at the games so far, they’ve had two bad performances sandwiching a beat down of a journeyman quarterback.

Rex Ryan took blame for the defensive performance, saying that Raiders coach, Hue Jackson, out prepared him, but that was blatantly obvious.

On the first drive, the Raiders came out in a no huddle offense. The Jets’ defense looked like it had never heard of a no huddle, let alone seen one before. Oakland marched right down the field for a five play 76 yard opening drive for a touchdown.

“That’s unacceptable for our defense,” said cornerback Darrelle Revis, alluding to the no-show on the game’s opening drive. “That had us on our heels.”

The other thing that’s not a good sign for the Jets’ defensive line is how Oakland simply pushed them around. They exploited the weaknesses in the Jets’ defense around the perimeter as the Jets’ linebackers aren’t known as the quickest bunch and that, combined with poor tackling, led to a long day for the Jets.

They were also fooled on multiple plays. There was the McFadden 27 yard gain on a broken trick play. Then the next play on an end around missed tackles and poor positioning led to Moore’s 27 yard reverse for a touchdown.

“We didn’t play to our identity,” Revis said. “It’s a shocker for a lot of us.”

Well, the Jets better play to that identity next weekend as they face the Baltimore Ravens and Ray Rice who is another back who can make them look foolish. While this maybe just a temporary lapse, this Jets defensive line needs to turn things around quickly, otherwise a season that started with Super Bowl aspirations is going to end with “We’ll get em next year” aspirations.

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Yes, it is a little unfortunate to be the Miami Dolphins or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. These teams belong to a pretty strong division, AFC East and NFC South.

The Bucs, who were 10-6 last season didn’t even make the playoff while the NFC West’s winner, the Seattle Seahawks, cruised through the elimination round with a losing record of 7-9.

“I mean the rules are the rules but it’s just a little unfair for the teams that play well to have missed the playoff, just because there are better teams in their field.

We got to admit it: if they play so well this year, they likely will again next season. Barely, we see a team that goes from 13-3 to 4-12 next season and some teams are just so consistent” said a Bucs fan.

After watching the first two preseason games, it’s pretty safe to say that the Fins have improved offensively, the area they needed to made adjustments. During last season, QB Chad Henne really didn’t do much; often throwing interceptions and were unable to get past the third and fourth down.

It was bad to the point where the team’s most valuable player seemed to be Kicker Dan Carpenter, who scored countless field goals for them. “Chad cleaned up well and we hope he’ll continue with his good work through the season. He now gets the ball moving and keeps on getting first downs. ” said a sport analyze.

From the way the last game look, acquiring running back Reggie Bush was certainly a great move.  He, too, made improvement and played well during the second preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.

Now, with better offense and the already strong defense, it looks like there’s a good chance the Fins can make it far this season. Although, they might have to hope that the Pats or the Jets will choke.

The New England Patriots, so far, looks unbeatable. A Buccaneer player whom they prevailed 31-14 last Thursday said “They treated the preseason game like it counts and that’s why they are who they are”. Tom Brady, who is still looking sharp, threw two touchdowns in the first quarter alone. But the end of first half, they were 28-0.

Patriot’s offense has always been in good form but the addition of improved defense will push them even further to catch up with.

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Talking to some people this weekend got me thinking that the average NFL football fan doesn’t care about concussions. Most NFL football fans only care about the blood, guts and glory of big hits that have been known to define the game of football, since the early stages of its existence.

English author and journalist, George Orwell equated the game of European Football (soccer) to war saying, “Football has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence: in other words it is war minus the shooting.”

In many ways, this quote by Orwell defines the game of American football as well. There have been countless and countless times when football players have said they want to hurt and injure opponents. During this past football season (2010) James Harrison of the Steelers was a perfect example.  Just as a side note the 2010 season was one roughest on record. “468 players [were] placed on injured reserve, a 22 percent jump from 2009; [there were] 261 documented concussions, or almost 30 percent more than in 2008.”

Following a game in which he knocked out Browns receivers Josh Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi (with what the NFL saw as helmet-to-helmet collision) Harrison spoke of having the intent to hurt people on the football field yet not injure them.

Harrison was charged $75,000 for his hit Massaquoi. Harrison stated, “I don’t want to injure anybody. There’s a big difference between being hurt and being injured. You get hurt, you shake it off and come back the next series or the next game. I try to hurt people.”

Despite this comment by Harrison, it is worth mentioning that football players get paid for big hits, because big hits are the plays that are often associated with causing fumbles. Therefore, big hits are also associated with winning and losing football games.

All of this begs the question: is James Harrison’s attitude uncalled for, or is he simply a player stuck within the inevitable realities of the game?

Some of Harrison’s comments in a recent Men’s Journal article make a whole lot of sense. He says in the article,  “I get dinged about three times a year and don’t know where I am for a little minute. But unless I’m asleep, you’re not getting me out of the game…If a guy has a choice of hitting me high or low, hit me in the head and I’ll pay your fine. Just don’t hit me in the knee, ’cause that’s life-threatening. How’m I going to feed my family if I can’t run?”

The article about Harrison pointedly shows why concussions are becoming more of an issue and demonstrates why many football players might feel the same way Harrison does, preferring higher hits rather than lower. The article insightfully continues, “If you’ve been wondering why players hit higher than they used to, here’s as good a reason as any.

A concussion is, on average, a one-game injury, according to numbers kept by the league. But a torn medial collateral ligament is a season or more — and the NFL is the only major sport that refuses to guarantee contracts. Stack up the far-off prospect of brain damage against a voided $30 million, and most players will roll the dice on the former.”

Besides revealing that he would rather be hit in the head and pay a fine, than to be hit in the knee-which he correctly says is more threatening to a football players career than a concussion, Harrison also had some pretty offensive words directed at NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, the least offensive of which was to call him a “crook and a puppet.”

However, Harrison made even more explicit and inappropriate comments regarding Goodell, saying, “If that man was on fire and I had to piss to put him out, I wouldn’t do it. I hate him and will never respect him.” He also was quoted using a very derogatory homosexual slur when referring to Goodell.

Harrison is clearly upset with the league and Goodell for the fines that players, like him, have had to pay for helmet-to-helmet hits. As Harrison probably sees it, these contact situations are a necessary evil of the game of football as it is played.

As I see it, there are two sides to this issue. Firstly, all players should be held to a high standard of personal conduct off the field as well as on it, despite the nature of the game. Therefore, I believe without hesitation that Harrison should be fined for these comments that he aimed at the Commissioner.

Also, I believe that players should receive guaranteed contracts and stable retirement plans that include optimal health benefits even after they have stopped playing the game. Players should not have to worry about where to hit and how it will affect them in the short or long term, nor should they have to push themselves to continue playing in a way that puts their lives at risk, just to keep their jobs.

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Yesterdays (Wednesday, June 6) death of former Baltimore Colt and hall of fame tight-end John Mackey, exhibits how much of a necessity fines and suspensions are for helmet-to-helmet hits.

Mackey died Wednesday from dementia, which has been linked to people who suffer concussions. Dementia is defined as, “ a loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases. It affects memory, thinking, language, judgment, and behavior.”

Despite mounting evidence that NFL players who experience concussions are at risk to dementia, football players themselves have not been swayed to the idea that fines and suspensions for helmet-to-helmet hits are the right step forward. NFL players are hypocritical when it comes to their own safety; they want to have their cake and eat it to.  A majority of players don’t want to be fined or suspended for a helmet-to-helmet hit yet they are fighting for better health benefits.

There are countless examples of players saying they want to injure opposing players. This past year James Harrison of the Steelers was a perfect example. Following a game in which he hit Browns wide receiver Josh Cribbs with a helmet-to-helmet collision, Harrison spoke of having the intent to hurt people on the football field yet not injure them. Harrison stated, “I don’t want to injure anybody. There’s a big difference between being hurt and being injured. You get hurt, you shake it off and come back the next series or the next game. I try to hurt people.”

Its comments like Harrison’s that make the current NFL policy of fining players and suspending them after such types of collisions a necessity. Linebacker Channing Crowder, of the Miami Dolphins, said this past NFL season, “They give me a helmet. I’m going to use it.”

There’s an unmistakable difference between players’ helmets accidentally colliding and when they are used as weapons to tackle the opponent. Wide receiver of the San Diego Chargers, Patrick Crayton puts this difference in crystal clear fashion saying, “When you come in to tackle, sometimes helmets collide. But when a guy’s suspended in the air, and you launch yourself at his head, come on now. You can tell because usually their hands go down and it’s just a straight line to the head, a missile almost.”

Clearly, as Crayton points out, there is a difference between accidental helmet-to-helmet contact and the blatant use of a helmet as a purposeful weapon to tackle and seriously hurt opponents.  Helmet to helmet contact, according to some like Yeremiah Bell, say that it’s something “which guys aren’t trying to do, but that’s just the way it is. It’s part of the game.”

Players also say that the rules in place that fine and suspend players for unintentional and intentional helmet-to-helmet hits will change the game in negative ways.  Linebacker Ray Lewis, of the Baltimore Ravens, comments, “My opinion is play the game like that game is supposed to be played, and whatever happens, happens. If you go into the game thinking about any of that stuff, I’m telling you, the game will be diluted very quickly.”

A similar sentiment is shared by New York Giants safety Antrel Rolle, who warns,  “This is a game of physical guys going to battle. Once you start saying to guys ‘You’ll get suspended for a game,’ that’s when you’re going to get a very, very tentative football game.”

However, these injuries like the one sustained by John Mackey, which led to his death from dementia, are more important than keeping the game the way that it is now. It’s not worth it for player’s lives to be put at risk in the short term, or the long term. The sad truth is, players’ like Mackey who suffer from dementia suffer severe side affects. More specifically, as an example, Matt Crossman of sportingnews.com shares, former Chicago Bear Larry Morris, who suffers from dementia “can’t sign his name, can’t complete basic hygiene tasks and sometimes struggles to dress himself.”

During the short term players get very good health benefits from the NFL. However, if a player is retired they get terrible health benefits. Recently, Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth and senior writer Peter King of Sports Illustrated wrote an article for King’s, Monday Morning Quarterback column.

In the article, King and Foxworth paint a vivid picture of what retired players are going through, saying, “Players who retire from the NFL leave with, at most, five years of health insurance, but often with several lifetimes worth of injuries and recurring mental health issues. Elvin Bethea, the Hall of Fame defensive end for the former Houston Oilers, for example, has had over 25 operations relating to his football career and racked up astronomical medical bills, all without the pension support.”

Better health benefits for retired players are one of the caveats players are fighting for during the current lockout that has been taking place.  In reference to what plays are currently fighting for Foxworth, says, “we are fighting for things you’re more likely to find in a game of LIFE: a safer practice regimen, better pensions for former players, long-term health insurance.” Foxworth elaborates saying that it is essential to fight for these benefits because of the “number of hits to the head” that players take, which “neuroscientists have come to consider as important long-term as in-game collisions.”

Foxworth, says, “Finding a way to guarantee that the players…receive adequate health insurance is not a nicety, it is a necessity”; it is also a necessity to have policies in place to limit the amount of future health problems for current players. Fines and suspensions for intentional helmet-to-helmet hits are important to the NFL, just like it should be for the NFL’s players.

If the NFL has to dish out expensive health benefits to every retired player who sustains a concussion or suffers from dementia they could potentially go bankrupt. The NFL is trying not only to save themselves from losses of money due to potential lawsuits in the future, but also, they are trying to limit the damage done to current players body’s hoping for less cases of dementia and other series life threatening injuries when they retire. Players should realize the NFL is trying to protect them as much as the NFL is trying to protect itself.

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