For several years, many music fans and critics alike have speculated that Kelly Rowland was/is jealous of her more successful band mate Beyoncé Knowles. On May 15, Rowland confirmed this in the first verse of her new single, “Dirty Laundry,” that there was a time that she envied Beyoncé’s solo success. She sings, “when my sister was on stage, killin’ it like a (expletive)/ I was enraged, feelin’ it like a (expletive)/ Bird in a cage, you would never know what I was dealing with/ Went our separate ways, but I was happy she was killin’ it/ Bittersweet, she was up, I was down…”

While there may have been a time that critics would have reveled in such a confession, a much more harrowing revelation came as the song played out. In the second and third verses Rowland revealed a dark secret that she had been holding onto: she had been in an abusive relationship for many years.

Rowland sings, “this (expletive) puttin’ his hands on me…I was battered, he hit in a window like it was me until it shattered/ He pulled me out, he said ‘Don’t nobody love you but me / Not your mama, not your daddy and especially not Bey.’”

While Rowland and Knowles have since rekindled and strengthened the bond between them, the abuse is still a sensitive subject for the former. “It was very emotional. It took me days to record,” Rowland said in an exclusive interview with Billboard. “I had to get past being so upset and actually sing the song, not sob through it. I always hope that my music can inspire someone, the same way other artists inspire me.”

Since the song’s premiere, many fans of Destiny’s Child have made a connection to one of DC3’s last songs as a group, “Girl.” In this song the trio sings to a friend who has been going through a hard time in a relationship. In the first verse Beyonce sings, “in your face I can see the pain, don’t you try to convince us that you’re happy./ We’ve seen this all before, But he’s taking advantage of the passion/Because we’ve come too far for you to feel alone, you don’t let him walk over your heart.” In the accompanying video, the member that was being sang to was none other than Rowland. Fans flocked to YouTube and other social media outlets to express shock and sadness as well as admiration for Rowland’s willingness to share her traumatic ordeal with them.

While no one knows for sure who the man that Rowland was referring to is, her ex-fiance, NFL player Roy Williams, assured her fans and his as well that he was not the abuser. “So Kelly has a new song. Called #DirtyLaundry.. & what ever she’s saying in it ppl thinks it’s me. #wow #imnottheonlypersonshedated #wasntme,” he tweeted.

While the speculation of which ex is guilty of abusing the songstress continues, fans can focus their attention on “Talk a Good Game,” Rowland’s fourth studio album led by “Kisses Down Low,” which will arrive in stores on June 18.

Image credit: Kelly Rowland on Instagram

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The modern day NFL has truly developed into a passers’ league, and if you can’t defend against the pass, chances are you will find yourselves picking pretty early in the NFL Draft. Last season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers secondary was horrendous, and the statistics speak for themselves.  The Buccaneers gave up 297.4 passing yards a game (worst in the NFL), which resulted in them being just 38 yards short of the single season record for passing yardage given up. In fairness to the Tampa’s secondary, blame must also be laid at the feet of the Buccaneers’ pass rushers, who notched  just 27 sacks (T-30th) and quarterbacks often had plenty of time to allow their receivers to gain separation and make composed throws.

There are now whispers around the NFL however, that the league’s worst pass defense could actually become the league’s best in 2013. Valid? Maybe. Pre-emptive? Certainly.

Heading into this offseason, General Manager Mark Dominik probably only had confidence in one player in his secondary; safety Mark Barron. The Alabama product showed flashes of ability in his rookie season, and is certainly one of the most talented young safeties in the league. Dominik and Head Coach Greg Schiano will hope that he can show more consistency this season, and that the year playing with veteran Ronde Barber helped the younger player develop.

Outside of Barron, there was very little proven talent in the Buccaneers secondary. Corner Eric Wright underperformed last season, whilst also takin

g up a sizable chunk of the salary cap, and Barber, in addition to being 37, was heading into free agency. The Buccaneers had no higher priority than improving their secondary heading into free agency and the NFL Draft.

First up was the signing of safety Dashon Goldson, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers, potentially adding an effective ball hawk, and the perfect complement to the physical, enforcer-type play of Barron.  If you look at the more successful teams on the defensive side of the ball in recent years, they have almost all had a play-making tandem of this type. You need look no further than the San Fransisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers or Seattle Seahawks for evidence.

The next move made, the trade for Darrelle Revis, will likely define Dominik’s tenure as Tampa’s GM. If Revis can return from his injury and replicate the kind of form which has had people labeling him as the best defensive player in the NFL, then the price Tampa paid for him will seem almost insignificant. It’s a question which, at the moment, remains unanswered, and could possibly stay unanswered until his second season with the Buccaneers. If Revis does regain both his fitness and form this season however, there is no better single addition the Buccaneers could have made to improve their woeful pass defense.

Then came the addition of Johnathan Banks in the second round of the NFL Draft, and despite not grabbing the same headlines that the arrivals of Goldson and Revis did, Banks could prove to be a very good move by Dominik. A tall, rangy corner, Banks is reminiscent of Richard Sherman, and could prove to be a valued press corner in the NFL. He will probably need to put on some more muscle to be as effective in the pro game as he was in college, but he certainly has the talent and mentality to be a success.

It is almost unthinkable to presume the Buccaneers pass defense will not improve. They have added key veterans and a solid rookie, whilst they will also be confident of an improved showing from their defensive line. However, the question posed was: can the Buccaneers secondary be the best in the league? And the short answer is no. There is little to no quality depth behind the starters, meaning that an injury to Barron, Goldson, Revis or Banks would be hugely impactful. It is also arguably a year or two too soon, with Barron and Banks still inexperienced.

That being said, if the Buccaneers can keep this group together, and perhaps add a dominant pass rusher, there is no reason why this same question won’t receive a different answer in a season or two.

Image credit: Tampa Bay Buccaneers via Facebook

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Following the NFL Draft, there has been plenty of talk about which rookies will have the biggest impact in the NFL in their debut season and which teams ‘won’ the draft, but there has been little debate over which NFL veterans could benefit from their team’s recent additions. Here is a look at the NFL vets primed for a big season in 2013.

Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans

Johnson, or ‘CJ2K’, set the league alight in 2009 when he rushed for 2,006 yards, 14 touchdowns, and also notched up a useful 503 receiving yards, firmly establishing himself as one of the premiere running backs in the NFL. His last three seasons have been considerably less successful, however, and he has not been shy about laying at least some of the fault at the door of his offensive line.

It seems as if the Titans’ front office was listening. After signing one of the best guards in the NFL in the form of Andy Levitre, they went out and drafted Chance Warmack out of Alabama, a player that many had rated as the best guard in this years’ draft. They should help open up running lanes for Johnson up the middle, whilst fourth round pick Brian Schwenke will challenge Fernando Velasco for the starting center position, creating healthy competition on the interior of Tennessee’s offensive line. Throw into the mix two veteran tackles, Michael Roos and David Stewart, and Johnson has potentially one of the best offensive lines in the league to run behind.

There will be no excuses for ‘CJ2K’ this year.

Michael Huff and Lardarius Webb, Baltimore Ravens

Ed Reed may be gone, but the ‘ball hawks’ of the Ravens’ secondary could be primed for a big year. Injuries in Baltimore’s front seven last season often meant that they struggled to consistently pressure the passer. Premiere pass rusher Terrell Suggs was never at 100% after coming back from a potentially season-ending Achilles injury, while both Haloti Ngata and Pernell McPhee struggled with minor injuries throughout the season, leaving outside linebacker Paul Kruger responsible for getting to the quarterback. As a result, quarterbacks had more time to let receivers gain separation, and the Baltimore secondary had difficulty containing more explosive offenses.

The defensive line has been bolstered with the additions of Marcus Spears and Chris Canty, whilst Elvis Dumervil, one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, has also joined Baltimore’s ranks. If the likes of Ngata and Suggs can stay healthy, and emerging defensive stars like McPhee and Courtney Upshaw can continue their development, then both Huff and Webb could reap the rewards of the Ravens’ reinvigorated pass rush.

Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles

It wouldn’t be too surprising if the Eagles ended up starting either Nick Foles or Matt Barkley ahead of Vick, but if the season started tomorrow, Vick would likely be the man under center for the Eagles. Last year Vick (and Foles) suffered from an offensive line bereft with injuries, and both struggled to stay upright and healthy when they faced teams with at least an average pass rush.

Their offensive line is healthy, at least for now, and has been bolstered by Lane Johnson, the fourth overall pick of the NFL Draft, who should fit a Chip Kelly offense perfectly. Johnson will most likely move to right tackle, opposite Jason Peters, allowing Todd Herremans to move inside, demoting disappointing first round pick Danny Watkins. Evan Mathis will retain his spot at left guard. Second-round pick Zach Ertz will compliment Brent Celek well, and give Vick more options in the passing game as both DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin stretch the field.

Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings

Bear with us on this selection. Adrian Peterson is potentially heading into this season fully healthy and gunning for a mind-boggling 2,500 yards, taking some pressure off of Ponder in terms of needing to put up the yards and points for the offense. Then there are the additions the Vikings have made on the offensive side of the ball: Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson. Both are playmakers and give Ponder a more dynamic receiving corps to target. Left tackle Matt Kalil, who had a very good rookie season, should also head into his second year as a more dominant lineman, and will give Ponder better protection from his blindside.

We are not suggesting Ponder will go on to post numbers worthy of mentioning him in the Tom Brady/Aaron Rodgers class, or even the Joe Flacco/Matt Ryan class, but he could go a long way towards proving himself a capable franchise quarterback for the Vikings.

Image credit: Tennessee Titans via Facebook

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Plenty of big names are off the board by the 17th pick, but historically this is where contenders become champions. Most teams in this range already have strong rosters, so who will they take to help tip their side over the edge and onto greatness? Here’s the second part of your definitive NFL Mock Draft:

17. Pittsburgh Steelers – Barkevious Mingo (LB, LSU)

Mingo drops to the 17th pick thanks to concerns over which position he will play in the NFL, as well as questions over whether or not he can bulk up enough in time for the season. This makes him the perfect fit the Steelers, who tend not to rush rookies into the starters roles, and will show the patience required to turn him into a premiere NFL pass rushers.

18. Dallas Cowboys – Kenny Vaccaro (S, Texas)

Dallas have shown a commitment to improving their secondary given the nature of the modern NFL, and Vaccaro is the best safety available in the draft. There is a real need at the position for the Cowboys, but do not be surprised if Jerry Jones goes elsewhere.

19. New York Giants – Alec Ogletree (ILB, Georgia)

The inside linebacker position has been a weakness of the Giants’ defense for some time now, and Ogletree is used to playing the position in a 4-3 defense. New York could also potentially trade back a few places and still pick up Ogletree.

20. Chicago Bears – Desmond Trufant (CB, Washington)

The Bears’ secondary was causing turnovers for fun at times last season, and adding a player of Trufant’s caliber will only improve the unit.

21. Cincinnati Bengals – D. J. Fluker (OT, Alabama)

Reportedly, Andre Smith is looking for big money, and it is looking likely that the Bengals will replace him with a fellow Alabama-alumnus in the form of Fluker, who can step in immediately and take over Smith’s position at right tackle.

22. St Louis Rams – Eddie Lacy (RB, Alabama)

An unlikely pick for many, especially considering serviceable running backs can be found in the lower rounds, and that the Rams have three rookie running backs on their roster from last season, but they have let Steven Jackson go, and Lacy could be the workhorse back who directly replaces him, with the likes of Isaiah Pead being utilized more sparingly.

23. Minnesota Vikings – Manti Te’o (ILB, Notre Dame)

The linebacker has his fair share of critics, but his performances over the years at Notre Dame (barring the infamous game against Alabama) warrant him going in the first round. A much needed component to help improve Minnesota’s defense.

24. Indianapolis Colts – Jesse Williams (DT, Alabama)

The Colts are a young and growing team, but they lack quality at the defensive tackle position. Williams has the ability to start in his first year, and could be just the nose tackle that Chuck Pagano is looking for.

25. Minnesota Vikings – Tavon Austin (WR, West Virginia)

Minnesota lost Percy Harvin this offseason, and if there is a player in this draft who can step in and fill his shoes, it is Austin. Not only is Austin an explosive receiver, but also offers versatility as a returner and occasional running back.

26. Green Bay Packers – Montee Ball (RB, Wisconsin)

Running back has been a need for the Packers for some time now and Ball could be a very good fit for their pass-heavy offense. They could also afford to trade back a few places and accumulate an extra pick.

27. Houston Texans – Keenan Allen (WR, California)

If the Texans want to progress deeper into the playoffs, they need another receiver to draw attention away from Andre Johnson. Allen has the speed and ability to form a good dual-threat with Johnson.

28. Denver Broncos – Datone Jones (DL, UCLA)

Elvis Dumervil’s infamous fax machine-related departure could push Denver’s hand here. It will be interesting to see how effective Von Miller is without Dumervil, but a pick like Jones could help minimize the effects of losing Dumervil.

29. New England Patriots – DeAndre Hopkins (WR, Clemson)

Although replacing Wes Welker with Danny Amendola may offer the Patriots more long-term security at the position, there is a drop-off in talent. Picking up Hopkins, a solid short-to-intermediate route runner, could help Tom Brady acclimatize to losing his favorite safety blanket.

30. Atlanta Falcons – Damontre Moore (DL, Texas A&M)

The Falcons are ageing in some key positions, and by letting John Abraham go, amongst others, they are taking strides towards getting younger, particularly on defense. Moore has great potential, but should also be a serviceable starter in his rookie year.

31. San Francisco 49ers – Tyler Eifert (TE, Notre Dame)

If any team is going to take a tight end in the first round, it will be San Francisco. The loss of Delanie Walker has significant connotations for the 49ers offense, and Eifert would be a good fit, providing an effective dual-threat with Vernon Davis.

32. Baltimore Ravens – Eric Reid (S, LSU)

Baltimore may have signed Michael Huff, but the losses of both Ed Reed and Bernard Pollard means they are under-strength at safety. They may need to trade up a few places to ensure they can grab Reid, but his potential to make plays against both the pass and the run, and be an immediate starter in the NFL, should be enough to convince them he is worth trading up for.

Image credit: NFL.com

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It’s that time of year. The Combine and Pro Days are all but over with, and Free Agency has hit its annual lull. Taking into account performances during the college season, Combine showings, and teams’ needs, here is part one of your definitive NFL Mock Draft:

1.  Kansas City Chiefs – Luke Joeckel (OT, Texas A&M)

By letting Eric Winston walk, the Chiefs have effectively committed themselves to taking an offensive tackle with their top pick, and despite strong competition from Eric Fisher, Joeckel is the best player available at the position.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dion Jordan (DL, Oregon)

The Jaguars have a lot of holes, but their ability to rush the passer is almost non-existent. Patience would be required with prospects like Barkevious Mingo and Ezekiel Ansah, but Jordan is ready to make an istant impact in the NFL.

3. Oakland Raiders – Sharrif Floyd (DT, Flordia)

Given the state of the Raiders roster last season, coupled with the releases of several key players, Oakland really can go with a ‘best player available’ policy. Questions remain over Star Lotulelei, leaving Floyd as the best defensive tackle in the draft by a considerable distance.

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Dee Milliner (CB, Alabama)

The Eagles have brought in safeties Pat Chung and Kenny Phillips to help their beleaguered secondary, and adding a corner like Milliner could make it a formidable unit next season.

5. Detroit Lions – Eric Fisher (OT, Central Michigan)

The retirement of Jeff Backus and departure of Gosder Cherilus means that the Lions have a big need at tackle. Fisher could be paired with last year’s pick Riley Reiff to give Detroit a tandem that will protect Matthew Stafford for years to come.

6. Cleveland Browns – Ezekiel Ansah (DL, BYU)

Cleveland seem committed to Brandon Weeden, at least for the moment, and will resist the temptation to go after Geno Smith. Few players have improved their draft stock as much as Ansah over the last couple of months, and he will add to an already strong defensive line in Cleveland.

7. Arizona Cardinals – Lane Johnson (OT, Oklahoma)

This year’s draft class is extremely deep at the tackle position, and therefore taking the third tackle off the board with just the seventh pick can probably not be considered a reach. They have brought in Carson Palmer in the offseason, so protecting him, and giving him the time to find a target like Larry Fitzgerald, is a must.

8. Buffalo Bills – Geno Smith (QB, West Virginia)

Smith has been questioned a lot this offseason, essentially because he isn’t Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III, but he has the tools to be a good franchise quarterback. Parting ways with Ryan Fitzpatrick was a brave move, but probably the right one, and don’t be surprised to see the Bills trade up to ensure they acquire Smith.

9. New York Jets – Bjoern Werner (DL, Florida St.)

The Jets’ offensive failings have been well documented, but their once formidable defense has also struggled of late, and Werner could help reverse that trend. He could also help cover the loss of Mike DeVito to the Chiefs.

10. Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack (OL, Alabama)

Warmack is undoubtedly one of the best players in this year’s class, but guards are just not seen to be as valuable as tackles in the modern NFL. The Alabama-product could arguably start on every single team drafting above the Titans, but expect Tennessee to be the first team willing to use a high first-round pick on a guard.

11. San Diego Chargers – Jonathan Cooper (OL, North Carolina)

Like the Titans, the Chargers also have a big need at the guard position, especially with the loss of Louis Vasquez, and they should take Cooper off the board immediately after Warmack.

12. Miami Dolphins – Xavier Rhodes (CB, Florida St.)

Miami have spent big money to improve their team during free agency, but one area they were unable to make much of a splash in, was the secondary. Rhodes is a big, physical corner, in the ilk of Richard Sherman, and would help solidify an under-strength secondary.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Sheldon Richardson (DL, Missouri)

The Buccaneers love interior defensive linemen who can get after the quarterback, and Richardson fits that mould perfectly. Coupled with Gerald McCoy, Tampa could have a solid pairing at the position for years to come.

14. Carolina Panthers – Star Lotulelei (DT, Utah)

A highly versatile defensive tackle, Lotulelei could help improve the Panthers’ defensive line, and help out a very talented linebacker corps behind him.

15. New Orleans Saints – Jarvis Jones (LB, Georgia)

Although New Orleans might be tempted to take LSU’s Mingo, Jones would be the better fit for their defense. If it weren’t for some lingering questions over his health, Jones would potentially be a top-10 pick.

16. St Louis Rams – Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee)

The Rams are looking for a star receiver following Brandon Lloyd’s departure last year, and Patterson arguably offers the most potential at the position in this year’s class. He would give the Rams one of the youngest and most dynamic, albeit raw, receiving corps in the NFL, along with the likes of Brian Quick and Chris Givens.

Image credit: NFL.com

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Pittsburgh Steelers’ fans are used to being envied. The Steelers are an almost perennial playoff team and have a record six Super Bowl trophies, including two titles since 2005. This success means that their fans will be fairly unaccustomed to the dark cloud hanging over Pittsburgh this offseason.

Not only did the Steelers miss out on the playoffs, but they also saw two of their divisional rivals, the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals, make the postseason, with the former eventually lifting the Vince Lombardi trophy. Throw into the mix the aging defense, inconsistent offense and salary cap constraints, and you can see the challenge that lays ahead for the Steelers’ front office.

Pittsburgh may not have been at their vintage best at any point last season, the loss of Ben Roethlisberger for several games due to injury was almost directly responsible for their omission from the playoffs. If the importance of keeping Roethlisberger upright and healthy wasn’t clear before, it certainly is now.

By drafting David DeCastro and Mike Adams last year, General Manager Kevin Colbert will be fairly confident he has a good, young offensive line developing, especially with the likes of Maurkice Pouncey and Marcus Gilbert already on the roster. If Colbert can find the cap space, a far from easy task, he may look to add a veteran guard in free agency and add some much needed experience to the unit.

Indeed, finding salary space will be an unenviable challenge for Colbert, with Pittsburgh’s top 10 salaries currently accounting for just over $100 million. The consequences of this will almost certainly see wide receiver Mike Wallace hit free agency, and unless serious salary cap sacrifices are made, the Steelers will struggle to enthuse youth into their ageing defense in free agency.

Pittsburgh’s arch-rivals, the Ravens, have had similar issues in recent years, coping with an ageing defense and relatively little cap room. As much as Steelers’ fans will not want to hear it, they could learn a lot from the Ravens, and their GM Ozzie Newsome, who have arguably coped with these issues much better than the Steelers.

Pittsburgh defensive veterans Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, Ike Taylor, James Harrison and Brett Keisel are all now well into their 30s and will account for nearly $40 million in cap space in 2013.

Offensively, the loss of Bruce Arians as offensive coordinator last season and the arrival of Todd Haley, hurt the Steelers. The deep threat of Wallace was rarely used and Pittsburgh were uncharacteristically poor in their running game, ranked 26^th in the NFL. This was certainly not helped by the mercurial form of the Steelers’ running backs, with no back in particular shining consistently throughout the season.

Once again, Colbert will be limited as to what he can do offensively in free agency. Along with Head Coach Mike Tomlin, he will need to decide whether or not there is a running back currently with the Steelers of starting quality, whilst a slot receiver in the mould of Wes Welker would be a perfect fit for Haley’s offense, but neither will come cheap, and instead may be looked for in the draft.

Even with all the challenges that face the Steelers in this offseason, a team which features a player of Roethlisberger’s quality at quarterback, and a coach as talented as Tomlin, will undoubtedly be competitive next season. With the team continuing to age on defense however, this offseason, and specifically the draft, could prove to be critical in ensuring long-term competitiveness with both the Ravens and the Bengals in the AFC North.

Image Courtesy : The Pittsburgh Steelers

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Ray Lewis. There are few figures in sport who divide public opinion to the extremes which Lewis does. Love him or hate him, the Baltimore Ravens linebacker performance on the field, and his skills as leader, not only in the locker room, but also in the franchise, are unquestionable.

His announcement that this year’s playoff run would be his ‘last ride’ was something every Baltimore fan knew was coming sooner or later, but few, if any, had prepared themselves to truly accept this as a reality.

Super Bowl XLVII proved to be a fitting farewell for Lewis as the 17-year veteran collected his second Super Bowl trophy in what, barring a dramatic change of heart, was the linebackers last ever game.

Whilst losing a player of Lewis’ caliber could never be seen as a good thing, some of us hope to take a pragmatic approach to his departure, and give Ravens’ fans some positive aspects to focus on. Just in case winning the Super Bowl was already getting a bit old (…)

Most importantly, Baltimore are now an offensive-dominated team. With stars like Joe Flacco, Ray Rice and Torrey Smith on offense, this team is now capable of going head to head with the league’s premier offenses and winning. This has not been the case in Baltimore for Lewis’ entire tenure at the franchise, and should help ease the pains that losing Lewis will cause.

The defense, despite not being at its vintage best this season, is also better equipped now to cope with the loss of Lewis, than it has been in recent years. Inside linebackers Dannell Ellerbe and Jameel McClain are both good enough to start in most NFL teams and will minimize any potential drop off in playing ability on the field.

The loss in leadership cannot be underestimated, Lewis is a ‘once in a generation’ type player, but key players like Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata will be ready to step up and help fill the void. Flacco’s growth in ability and confidence will undoubtedly see him assume the mantle of the teams’ ‘general’.

The Ravens are also facing the challenge of retaining many of their players who are coming to the end of their contracts. The list is long, and includes the likes of Reed, Ellerbe, Paul Kruger, Cary Williams and Bryant McKinnie, not to mention recent Super Bowl MVP, Flacco, who is due a very big contract indeed. Lewis’ departure won’t free up a lot of cap room, but it may be enough to make room for a couple of new contracts for their upcoming free agents.

Having tried to remove as much sentiment as possible from this article, I have to be perfectly honest; the Baltimore Ravens will never be the same again. Lewis’ retirement won’t devastate the franchise, General Manager Ozzie Newsome is too smart of an operator to allow that to happen, but number 52 certainly cannot be replaced. He is one of a kind.

This marks the beginning of a new era for Baltimore. The last of the ‘original Ravens’ is heading off into the horizon. The time is ripe for a new group of players to cement their legacy in ‘Charm City’ and I for one cannot wait to see who steps up to the plate.

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Future Hall of Famer Ray Lewis saw his ‘last ride’ end in perfect fashion as the Baltimore Ravens saw off a spirited comeback from the San Francisco 49ers to triumph 34-31 at Super Bowl XLVII. The game also saw quarterback Joe Flacco named Super Bowl MVP after a nearly faultless performance.

Legendary linebacker Lewis opted to defer after winning the toss, a decision which was vindicated soon after when he helped the Ravens defense restrict the 49ers offense to a quick three and out.

Baltimore’s offense, keen not to be outdone by their defense, quickly laid down a similar marker. They moved swiftly down the field in a drive which culminated in a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Anquan Boldin.

San Francisco made a statement of their own on their next drive, moving seemingly effortlessly up the field. Once they entered the Red Zone however, the Baltimore defense immediately looked to tighten up. A sack from Paul Kruger helped restrict San Francisco to a successful field goal from David Akers.

The 49ers registering on the scoreboard seemed to spur the Ravens into a higher gear, and Baltimore’s defense registered two quick turnovers, the first a forced fumble from Courtney Upshaw, and the second an Ed Reed interception. The Ravens capitalized on both, with quarterback Flacco showing his ‘elite’ credentials, hitting Dennis Pitta and Jacoby Jones for touchdowns on the respective drives.

San Francisco managed to double their points tally late in the second quarter, successfully landing another field goal, which sent them into the halftime break trailing 21-6. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick had look rattled up until the late scoring drive, but his key role in overcoming a 17-point deficit against the Atlanta Falcons previously had 49ers fans remaining fairly confident over their chances in the second half.

Clearly, Jim Harbaugh had his work cut out in the locker room at the half, but it looked as if John Harbaugh had more success, with Jones returning the subsequent kickoff for a 108-yard touchdown, tying the NFL record.

The 49ers ensuing drive was of critical importance. If San Francisco were to have any chance of a comeback, they needed a score. A disruptive loss of power then sparked a monumental swing in momentum, despite the Ravens defense holding strong and forcing the 49ers into a three and out.

A 31-yard Michael Crabtree touchdown midway through the third quarter brought the 49ers to within 15 points of the Ravens and gave much needed hope to an ailing 49ers side. Hope was then compounded by the San Francisco defense, who forced the previously ruthless Baltimore offense into a three and out.

Ted Ginn’s punt return to Baltimore’s 20-yard line gave the 49ers excellent field position as Kaepernick went back to work, first finding Vernon Davis with a precision pass, before Frank Gore ran untouched into the end zone.

Things then went from bad to worse for Baltimore as running back Ray Rice fumbled deep in Ravens territory, which was recovered by San Francisco and eventually a field goal kicked, leaving the score at 28-23 to Baltimore.

The Ravens were in dire need of a score on their next drive. A big gain down the sideline by Boldin put Baltimore into 49ers territory, but the San Francisco defense came up strong in the Red Zone, limiting the Ravens to a field goal.

The Ravens reprieve was short lived however as Kaepernick lead the 49ers down the field in just three plays, and then sped into the end zone on a 15-yard rush. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful however, and Baltimore maintained a two point lead.

Time management was now on both teams’ minds. A Ravens’ drive, ending in a field goal by Justin Tucker, increased their lead to five points with just over four minutes left on the clock.

The 49ers drive made it to the Baltimore’s 7-yard line by the two minute warning, but the Ravens forced a turnover on downs with some fierce defense. The Ravens were then unable to get a first down and wind down the clock, but gave up an intentional safety in order to take as much time off the clock as possible. The 49ers attempted to return the resulting punt, but with just four seconds left on the clock, they were unable to do so.

Lewis’ legacy cemented. Reed won his first Super Bowl in his hometown. Flacco proved, perhaps unequivocally, that he is an elite quarterback. John Harbaugh won the ‘HarBowl’. The storylines were concluded in dramatic fashion, amidst scenes of euphoria for the Baltimore Ravens.

The Baltimore Ravens, World Champions.

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On Saturday, the NFL’s current Pro Bowl stars were given the unique opportunity to play in what was expected by many to be the last Pro Bowl ever played. Following the abysmal effort from players in the exhibition last year, coupled with a strict warning from Commissioner Roger Goodell that the Pro Bowl’s future would be decided this year, the portents were not looking kind for the event, which was first played back in 1939.

Although many expected the Pro Bowl to write its own eulogy, the viewing public were treated to a surprising compelling game, and the players could well have done enough to breathe life into an event that was all but on the scrapheap.

Both teams displayed considerable effort given the circumstances, and could have found a comfortable ‘middle ground’ which could see the Pro Bowl remain a feature on the NFL calendar.

A perfect example of this was evident when Denver Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil had a big blindside hit lined up on Drew Brees, but pulled out of it, seemingly remembering where he was as he got closer to the quarterback. Protecting the quarterback in a game such as this seems fair, especially when you consider the defensive hustle that was shown throughout the game (by this I mean tackles were made, an odd sight in recent Pro Bowls).

The game also featured its madder moments, not least so the inclusion of JJ Watt as a wide receiver at one point, but to the Pro Bowl detractors, let’s not forget that this is an end of season showpiece – If you can’t do the crazy here, where can you?

One of the most resounding arguments for keeping the Pro Bowl was surely made by Peyton Manning and Jeff Saturday. Manning and Saturday played together for the majority of their careers in Indianapolis, and following Saturday’s recent retirement announcement, the NFC center was allowed to snap the ball one last time to the AFC’s Manning. It was a poignant moment, and if Goodell does end up scrapping the Pro Bowl, it was a fitting moment for the exhibition to go out on.

It will inevitably, if unfairly, be compared to the NBA’s ‘All Star Weekend’ which far exceeds it in popularity and effort displayed by its players (the joys of a non-contact sport). However, could the Pro Bowl learn something from its round-balled cousin?

All Star Weekend is littered with extra events that all lead up to the All Star game, such as the three-point shootout, slam dunk competition, and a celebrity game, all of which contribute to the success of the weekend. It is difficult to imagine similar events at the Pro Bowl, with perhaps the exception of a highly appealing quarterback shootout, but it is something which Goodell could consider to help rejuvenate the event.

Unfortunate, it is unlikely that we will ever see a Pro Bowl competed for with the intensity that the players play with in the NFL. Due to the money these players risk losing if they suffer a serious injury, sensibility will always cause them to reel in their efforts.

In the world of Rugby Union, the Barbarians invitational side play with passion and effort abound, despite the fact the players are at just as much risk of injury as those in the Pro Bowl. There is however a large disparity in earnings, and most rugby players also have guaranteed contracts, meaning that all but the most serious injuries should have little to no affect on the players’ earnings.

With the Super Bowl, Free Agency, Combine and Draft all looming on the horizon, anxiety over Goodell’s decision in regards to the Pro Bowl will be very low. This essentially has left many with decidedly mixed feelings over the Pro Bowl. It is a nice event to have, but if Goodell does decide to do away with it, I certainly won’t lose any sleep over it.

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Never has one man done more for a team than Ray Lewis has done for the Baltimore Ravens.

Since his arrival in Baltimore in the 1996 NFL Draft, Forbes have stated that Lewis’ tenure in the city has likely accounted for a $100-125 million increase in the franchise’s value, which according to a 2012 survey, sits at a very respectable $1.16 billion.

The experienced linebacker has missed the majority of the season after suffering a torn triceps injury in the Ravens’ Week 6 clash with the Dallas Cowboys. For most this would be a season-ending injury, but it should be evident to all NFL fans by now that Lewis is not just your average football player.

His dramatic return at the beginning of the playoffs, coupled with the momentous announcement that this would be his ‘last ride’ has been suggested by many to be the key reason behind Baltimore’s timely return to form.

It is hard to imagine anything more motivating for his teammates than helping Lewis go out on the best possible note. At this point of the season, one solitary mistake can mean the end of the journey, and to borrow a phrase from Bill Belichick, the Head Coach of the Ravens upcoming AFC Championship opponents, the New England Patriots, ‘Do your job’.

Let me put it another way. Would you want to be the person culpable for the end of Lewis’ last ride? The kind of determination, focus and concentration that this breeds can be just as important, if not more so, than any of the intangibles we regularly judge football players by.

Beyond the emotional and mental contributions that the return of Lewis brings the team, let us not forget, he can still play.

The traditional strength of the Ravens has always been their unforgiving defense, but unfortunately for the Baltimore fans, this has not been the case for much of the season, with the unit being far from dominant.

There are several reasons for this, not least so the fact that defensive standouts Terrell Suggs and Lewis were not on the field together at any point this season until Baltimore’s win over the Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Throw into the mix the fact that both Haloti Ngata and Ed Reed have been playing hurt all season and the disruption that losing Defensive Coordinator Chuck Pagano undoubtedly caused, it is perhaps not too surprising that the Ravens defense has faltered.

This all changed two weeks ago however when Baltimore won their Wild Card round match against the Colts. The defense has finally started to get healthy with Suggs and Lewis both on the field together, as well as players such as Paul Kruger and Corey Graham continuing the form they were showing in the second half of the regular season. The Ravens’ defense is beginning to look vintage once more.

One factor which has been critical for Baltimore in both of their playoff victories so far has been the performance of their new-look offensive line. If the revival in the Ravens’ form could be attributed to one person, and one person alone (and that person cannot be named Ray Lewis), it could be Bryant McKinnie.

Michael Oher is a Pro Bowl-caliber offensive tackle. It is just that he is a Pro Bowl-caliber right tackle, not the left tackle position he has been playing at all season. Given time at the position I’m sure he would flourish, but the form and fitness that McKinnie has found has allowed the veteran to retake his spot at left tackle, pushing Oher back to his favored right tackle position. This in turn has pushed rookie Kelechi Osemele from his position at tackle to guard, and the young man from Iowa State has proven to be just as impressive in his new position as he was in his last.

This re-jigged offensive line has performed outstandingly, giving up just two sacks in their last two games (which includes facing the powerful defensive front of the Denver Broncos). If there is one pertinent criticism of the quarterback Joe Flacco, it is his lack of pocket awareness, and the improvements that the offensive line have made in pass protection have helped Flacco throw for five touchdowns and no interceptions in those two games.

Should Baltimore go on to beat Tom Brady and the Patriots in a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship game, undoubtedly the vast majority of the praise will go to Lewis and the impact his return has had on the team. Given that he even now has me believing in fate, I will probably be adding my voice to that praise, but that being said, keep your eyes on the Ravens’ offensive line this Sunday, they are primed to continue their good form and I think a big night for Flacco could be on the cards.

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Candlestick Park was silenced after second year quarterback Collin Kaepernick dropped back on the fourth play of the game and threw an interception to Packers cornerback Sam Shields, who returned it for a touchdown.

Kaepernick quickly brushed off his lone mistake to have a career day to help lift the 49ers over the Packers 45-31.

Green Bay’s defense was non-existent and unable to contain the dual threat quarterback. Kaepernick set a quarterback rushing record, compiling 181 yards on 16 carries for two touchdowns. He also completed 17 of 31 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns.

His favorite target was wideout Michael Crabtree, who caught nine passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

The Packers also had no answer for 49ers running back Frank Gore. Gore carried the ball 23 times for 119 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two passes for 48 yards.

After the Packers had a 14-7 lead going into the second quarter, momentum quickly shifted when Packers punt returner Jeremy Ross muffed the catch and the 49ers recovered the fumble. The 49ers responded with a touchdown to tie the game.

On Green Bay’s ensuing drive quarterback, Aaron Rodgers over threw wideout Jordy Nelson and was intercepted. Once again the 49ers turned a Packers mistake into a touchdown to retake the lead.

The Packers went into the half down 24-21 but did not make any halftime adjustments to get back into the game and were outscored 21-10 in the second half.

Rodgers finished the game, completing 26 of 39 passes for 257 yards two touchdowns and one interception. Rodgers connected with James Jones and Greg Jennings for touchdowns.

Jones finished the game with four receptions for 87 yards along with his touchdown. Jennings led the Packers with six receptions for 54 yards along with his late score.

The 49ers are now heading back to the NFC Championship game. They will either face the No.1 seed Atlanta Falcons or the No.5 seed Seattle Seahawks. If the Seahawks pull off the upset, San Francisco will host the Championship game at Candlestick Park.

As for the Packers, they will enter the offseason with many decisions to make regarding players and staff.

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The Green Bay Packers took care of business over NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings 24-10 at Lambeau Field to punch a ticket into the next round of the playoffs.

Minnesota, was without starting quarterback Christian Ponder. Ponder was ruled inactive in Saturday’s match-up because of an elbow injury. As a result, back-up Joe Webb got the nod and started in his first game of the season.

Webb, completed 11 of 30 passes for 180 yards one touchdown and one interception. He had success evading the pocket and scrambling seven times for 68 yards. The third-year quarterback from UAB, led the Vikings down the field on their first drive but settled for a Blair Walsh 33 yard field goal.

The Packers answered back towards the end of the first quarter to help swing momentum on their side. On Minnesota’s nine yard line, Green Bay’s starting running back DuJuan Harris punched in an nine yard run to give the Packers a 7-0 lead.

Green Bay was back on the board in the second quarter with a Mason Crosby 20 yard field goal. Right before the half, Packers full-back John Kuhn punched in a three yard run to give Green Bay a 17-3 lead into half.

On the first drive of the second half, Aaron Rodgers lead the Packers offense right down the field with ease. The Vikings gave the Packers another opportunity after committing a 12-men on the field penalty. On the ensuing play, Rodgers dropped back and connected with Kuhn for a score to give the Packers a 24-3 lead.

Kuhn, had one touchdown all season long and was able to be a leading factor scoring two touchdowns to help the Packers defeat the Vikings.

Webb threw his first touchdown pass with just under four minutes in the game to a wide open Michael Jenkins.

After torching Green Bay in the regular season, the Packers defense was able to contain Adrian Peterson. Peterson rushed 22 times for 99 yards.

Rodgers ended the game completing 23 of 33 passes for 274 yards and one touchdown. Rodgers was able to connect with 10 different wide receivers. Wideout Greg Jennings caught four passes for a team high 61 receiving yards.

With the victory, the Packers will travel to No.2 seed the San Francisco 49ers next week. The Packers lost to the 49ers in Week 1 at Lambeau 30-22 and will look to clinch a spot in the NFC Championship.

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The Minnesota Vikings defeated NFC North rivals the Green Bay Packers 37-34 at Mall of America Field to earn themselves the final NFC Wild Card position.

All eyes were on Adrian Peterson, who entered the game 208 yards away from Eric Dickerson’s rushing record. Peterson had an extremely effective game but fell nine yards shy of the record. Peterson carried the ball for a career high – 34 times for 199 yards and one touchdown. Peterson also had one reception that was a touchdown.

Vikings quarterback, Christian Ponder played mistake free football to help Minnesota win a fourth straight game and clinch a spot in the playoffs. He completed 16 of 28 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns. His three touchdown passes was a season high along with his 120.2 passer rating.

Rookie wideout Jarius Wright caught an eight yard touchdown pass with just over a minute left in the first half. Ponder connected with Wright again in the fourth quarter on a 65 yard bomb, that later resulted in a Michael Jenkins three yard touchdown catch.

Wright led the Vikings with three catches for 90 yards along with his touchdown. Also wideout Michael Jenkins had three catches for 37 yards along with his touchdown grab.

As for the Packers, they were unable to take a lead the entire game and found themselves fighting back until the final whistle.

Quarterback, Aaron Rodgers completed 28 of 40 passes for 365 yards and four touchdown passes. His 365 passing yards was a season best and it was the fourth time this season he threw at least four touchdown passes.

Rodgers favorite target was wideout Greg Jennings. Jennings caught eight passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns and his big performance helped the Packers stay competitive the entire game. Wideout, James Jones was the recipient of Rodgers second touchdown pass in the third quarter. Rodgers and wideout Jordy Nelson connected on a two yard back shoulder pass to tie the game 34-34 with less than three minutes to go.

Green Bay was led on the ground by back, DuJuan Harris. Harris had 14 carries for 70 yards. Although, having some success the Packers were forced to throw the ball because they were trailing the entire game.

With the loss the Vikings snapped Green Bay’s 12-game winning streak over the NFC North division.

The Packers are now the No. 3 seed in the NFC Playoffs and will face the No. 6 seed Vikings next week in the Wild Card Round.

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The Bears’ tenacious defense turned four turnovers into 16 points, defeating NFC North rivals, the Detroit Lions, 26-24.

Jay Cutler led the Bears, completing 18 of 31 passes for 257 yards and one touchdown. Cutler’s lone touchdown pass came in the first quarter on a 60 yard screen pass to wide out Earl Bennett. Bennett led the Bears with five catches for 109 along with his touchdown catch.

Detroit’s defense kept wideout Brandon Marshall in check limiting him to five catches for 42 yards. Marshall finished the regular season with a team high 118 catches.

Running back Matt Forte carried the ball 24 times for 103 yards and punched a one yard run touchdown. Forte injured his ankle for the third time this season and withstood the pain in a must win game. This was Forte’s third game this season surpassing the 100 yard mark on the ground.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford broke Drew Bledsoe’s pass attempts record after completing 24 of 42 passes for 272 yards three touchdowns and one interception. He was intercepted by cornerback Tim Jennings. Jennings, ninth interception is a league best.

Stafford finished the season with 727 pass attempts and with 4,967 passing yards, just 33 yards shy of consecutive 5,000 yard seasons.

He connected with two year wideout Kris Durham on a 26 yard touchdown pass for his first touchdown catch of his career. Stafford and Durham were teammates at the University of Georgia. He also threw a touchdown pass to tight end Will Heller for his first touchdown of the season and his final touchdown pass came in the fourth quarter to wide receiver Brian Robiskie to pull within two points.

Wideout Calvin Johnson, led the Lions with five catches for 72 yards. Unfortunately, Johnson came short of setting a  2,000 receiving record finishing the season with 1,964 yards.

After starting 7-1, the Bears are not heading into the postseason finishing the year 10-6 because the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers to earn the final wild card position.

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The New York Giants won in convincing fashion, beating NFC East Rivals the Philadelphia Eagles 42-7. Yet they will not be heading to the playoffs because of the Chicago Bears’ victory over the Detroit Lions.

The Eagles started the game off with trickery, recovering an onside kick to gain possession. Five plays later, quarterback Michael Vick dropped back, threw the ball deep down the middle and was intercepted by Giants safety Stevie Brown. Brown’s interception was his eighth of the season.

Vick started in his first game since Week 10 because rookie quarterback Nick Foles was placed on injured reserve after suffering a hairline fracture of his hand.

Eli Manning and the Giants offense were on point early, scoring touchdowns on their first three possessions in the first quarter. Manning connected with Rueben Randle on a three yard pass to begin the scoring spree. On the following possession, Manning and Randle connected again on a 38 yard pass.

Rookie back David Wilson caught a 15 yard pass towards the end of the first quarter to give the Giants an early 21-0 lead.  Wilson finished the game with 15 carries for 75 yards.

The Eagles scored their one and only touchdown in the second quarter. Vick connected with wideout Jeremy Maclin on a seven yard pass. Vick finished the game completing 19 of 35 passes for 197 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Ahmad Bradshaw carried the ball 16 times for 107 yards and punched in a one yard touchdown in the second quarter. This was Bradshaw’s fourth game, surpassing the 100 yard mark in a game. Seconds before the end of the first half, Manning connected with wideout Victor Cruz on a 24 yard pass to take a 35-7 lead into the half.

Fullback Henry Hynoski caught his first touchdown of the season and Eli’s fifth touchdown pass of the game in the fourth quarter to put the icing on the cake.

Manning finished the game completing 13 of 21 passes for 208 yards and five touchdowns. Manning’s 134.5 passer rating was a season best. His five touchdowns is a career best.

Both the Eagles and Giants will look to make offseason improvements with hopes of  making a playoff run next season.

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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco started the season, the last of his rookie contract, in a confident mood. He boldly stated that he thought he was the best quarterback in football. He then went on to praise the strength of his offensive line and receiving corps, whilst also reiterating his faith in then-Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron.

Fast forward six months and a change in offensive coordinators, and Flacco’s ability has been consistently questioned, despite the quarterback already having registered his career high passing yards with a game still left to play.

Nobody questions Flacco’s arm strength or his ability to make any kind of throw needed, but his pocket awareness and decision making has been scrutinized widely, with many expecting a starting quarterback of four years experience to have developed further in these areas. Flacco also had forays into the playoffs in all four of those seasons, impressing particularly in both 2010 and 2011.

This leaves Baltimore with an unenviable dilemma at the end of the season. Flacco and his agent, Joe Linta, have been holding out for ‘Elite Quarterback money’ with Linta stating earlier in the season that his ‘biggest negotiating tactic is his (Flacco’s) play on the field’. Linta could possibly be regretting that statement at this current moment.

Key errors in decision making as well as poor pocket awareness leading to strip-sacks in two consecutive games have both contributed significantly towards a three game losing streak for the playoff-bound Ravens late in the season.

This streak was snapped in Week 16 as the Ravens cruised to a comfortable victory over the New York Giants, thanks largely to an excellent performance from Flacco; a performance which will just fuel the critics’ claims that the quarterback is far too inconsistent to warrant a contract similar in value to those of Tom Brady and Drew Brees.

That being said, Flacco would certainly be an upgrade at the quarterback position for a lot of teams in the NFL, and it’s unlikely that the Ravens will want to part ways with him, especially with the lack of superior talent available at the end of the season (Michael Vick and Alex Smith both potentially available) and no high first-round draft pick to compete for the likes of Geno Smith and Matt Barkley.

Both the Seattle Seahawks (Russell Wilson) and Cincinnati Bengals (Andy Dalton) have shown in recent years that you can hit on a successful quarterback outside of the first round, but it’s a gamble that a perennial playoff side like the Ravens will not want to take.

The most likely course of action now seems to be that Baltimore will use their franchise tag on Flacco, giving them another season to analyze his abilities and weigh up whether he deserves a long-term contract or they begin afresh with a new quarterback.

This could have the unwelcome consequence of bringing about the end of Ed Reed’s time with the Ravens. Many had predicted that Baltimore would use the tag on Reed, with the organization not keen to give a player of his age a long-term contract. Without the tag, and uncertain over a new long-term contract, Reed could sign a big money deal with what would likely be a long list of suitors, or carry through with his threat of retirement.

Whether or not Flacco gets the contract he has been hoping for this offseason, or the tag gets used on the quarterback rather than long time Baltimore favorite Reed, it will have serious connotations for the Raven’s strategy heading into the 2013 NFL draft, especially considering their potential lack of salary cap to lure in free agents.

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The Atlanta Falcons clinched a home-field advantage through out the playoffs after their 31-18 victory at Ford Field over the Detroit Lions.

Although losing, star wideout Calvin Johnson stole the show with a record breaking night. Johnson caught 11 passes for 225 yards. His performance, helped him surpass Hall-of-Famer Jerry Rice’s NFL receiving yards record. Johnson has accumulated 1,892 yards and will look to hit 2,000 in the season finale.

He also broke the record for most consecutive 100-yard games (8), tied the record for 100-yard games in a season (11), broke the record for consecutive 10-catch games (4) and he broke the record for most receptions in a month (44).

Detroit quarterback, Matthew Stafford finished the game 37 of 56 for 443 yards and one interception. Stafford, has attempted 685 pass attempts, just six away from breaking Drew Beldsoe’s NFL single season passing attempts record. Stafford is also 305 yards away from compiling 5,000 passing yards in consecutive seasons and becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to do so.

As for the Atlanta Falcons, quarterback Matt Ryan had an extremely efficient evening. Ryan completed 25 of 32 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns. Ryan’s 142.6 passer rating tied his season best that he set last week.

Roddy White, was probable with a knee injury but performed exceptionally well. White lead the Falcons with eight catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver, Julio Jones also caught seven passes for 71 yards and scored his 10th touchdown of the year.

The Falcons are 7-0 at home this season and 33-6 at the Georgia Dome in the regular season since the 2008 season. The last time the Falcons clinched the No.1 seed and home field advantage was in 2010 where they were demolished  by the Green Bay Packers 48-21.

Atlanta will look to end the season 8-0 at home and will face divisional rivals the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Detroit will look to continue to break and expand more records in their season finale against the divisional rivals the Chicago Bears.

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The Chicago Bears kept their playoff hopes alive with their 28-13 victory on the road against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Bears defense put them ahead in the first quarter after Arizona running back Beanie Wells fumbled and cornerback Zack Bowman recovered the fumble and easily got into the end-zone.

Cornerback Charles Tillman extended the Bears’ lead in the third quarter on a 10 yard interception return for a touchdown. All three of Tillman’s interceptions this season have been returned for touchdowns.

Cornerback Kelvin Hayden and safety Anthony Walters both recorded interceptions. The Bears defense also compiled four sacks and were without veteran leader Brian Urlacher.

Quarterback Jay Cutler led the Bears, completing 12 of 26 passes for 146 yards and one touchdown. Cutler and wideout Brandon Marshall connected on an 11 yard pass for pass in the second quarter. Marshall caught six passes for 68 yards along with this touchdown.

On the ground, Matt Forte led the Bears carrying the ball 12 times for 88 yards and punched in a four yard touchdown in the second quarter.

The Arizona Cardinals started quarterback Ryan Lindley. Lindley completed 17 of 30 passes for 141 yards and one interception. Lindley has yet to throw a touchdown pass since becoming a starter and was benched early in the third quarter.

Fourth year player Brian Hoyer entered the game and completed 11 of 19 passes for 105 yards and one interception.

Larry Fitzgerald led all wide receivers with eight receptions for 111 yards surpassing the 100 yard mark for the second time this season.

The Bears will finish their season on the road at Ford Field against NFC North divisional rivals the Detroit Lions and look to sneak into the playoffs. The Cardinals will end their season with a tough match-up against NFC West rivals the San Francisco 49ers.

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The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Houston Texans 23-6 at Reliant Stadium to improve to 9-6 and keep their playoff hopes alive.

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder played efficiently, completing 16 of 30 passes for 174 yards and one touchdown. Ponder connected with tight-end Kyle Rudolph on a three yard play action pass to go ahead 7-3. Ponder’s favorite receiver was rookie Jarius Wright, who caught five passes for 53 yards.

Running back Adrian Peterson carried the ball 25 times for 86 yards. This was Peterson’s first game being held under 100 yards after running for over 100 in the last eight games. Peterson needs 208 yards to surpass Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record.

Vikings rookie kicker Blair Walsh hit three field goals from 39, 41 and 56 yards to help Minnesota stay ahead. Walsh broke an NFL record with nine field goals of 50 yards or longer.

The Houston Texans offense was out of sync the entire day and was only able to compile 187 total yards. Quarterback Matt Schaub completed 18 of 32 passes for 178 yards. This was Schaub’s fourth game this season without throwing a touchdown pass and the Texans lost three of those four games.

Schaub’s favorite target was wideout Andre Johnson, who hauled in seven passes for 97 yards. Back-up quarterback T.J. Yates came in on Houston’s final drive. Running back Arian Foster was limited to 10 carries for 15 yards and one fumble. His 1.5 yards per carry was a season worse for the four year back. Foster left the game because of an irregular heart beat.

Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt recorded one sack to expand his total to 20.5 sacks. Watt needs 2.5 sacks to surpass Michael Strahan’s single season record.

The Vikings will have another tough match-up next week against NFC North rivals the Green Bay Packers. The Texans will end the season next week against AFC South rivals the Indianapolis Colts and will look to clinch home field advantage in the playoffs.

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The Green Bay Packers demolished the Tennessee Titans 55-7 at Lambeau Field to improve to 7-1 at home and an 11-4 overall record.

Green Bay played ferocious defense the entire day, giving up 180 total yards and compiling seven total sacks. Titans quarterback Jake Locker completed 13 of 30 passes for 140 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Locker threw back-to-back interceptions on the Titans final two drives of the first quarter.

Linebacker Erik Walden and cornerback Sam Shields both recorded their second interceptions of the season. The Packers contained Titans running back Chris Johnson to 11 carries for 28 yards. Johnson exited the game in the first half with an ankle injury but was able to return.

The Packers were led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers completed 27 of 38 passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns. This was Rodgers seventh game throwing at least three touchdowns in a game. Rodgers started the scoring frenzy in the first quarter with a six yard run.

Rodgers connected with wideouts Randall Cobb, Greg Jennings and James Jones. Jones led all wide receivers with seven receptions 100 yards along with his touchdown. Jones’ touchdown was his 13th of the year an NFL best for wide receivers.

Cobb caught three passes for 62 yards along with his eighth touchdown of the season. He also broke a Green Bay record for most all-purpose yards, previously held by Ahman Green. Unfortunately, Cobb injured his ankle in the third quarter on a punt return.

Rodgers and the Packers were on cruise control and he was able to take a seat for a majority of the fourth quarter.

The Packers were led on the ground by Ryan Grant. Grant had 20 carries for 80 yards for a touchdown. Also DuJuan Harris carried the ball eight times for 29 yards and one touchdown.

With the victory, the Packers are still in contention for the No.2 seed. The Packers have won 20 of their last 21 home games. They will end the season at Mall of America Field against NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings. The Titans season finale will be at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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Adrian Peterson rushed for 212 yards and one touchdown to help earn the Minnesota Vikings a much needed 36-22 victory over the St. Louis Rams.

Peterson, cut through St. Louis’ defense in the second quarter for an 82-yard touchdown score tying his season long he set just two weeks ago against the Green Bay Packers. This is his eighth consecutive 100+ yard game for the NFL’s leading rusher. With two games to go, Peterson needs 294 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s 2,105 NFL single-season rushing record.

His success on the field not only has him in contention for comeback player of the year but also keeps him in the running for MVP.

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder completed 17 of 24 passes for 131 yards. On his first offensive drive of the game on 3rd and 5, Ponder scrambled in for a 5-yard touchdown run giving the Vikings an early 7-0 lead. His favorite target was Jerome Simpson, who caught four catches for 27 yards.

Rams quarterback Sam Bradford completed 35 of 55 passes for 377 yards three touchdowns and one interception. Bradford’s first touchdown came in the second quarter when he connected on a 4-yard pass to wideout Brian Quick.

Bradford threw his lone interception in the second quarter to defensive end Everson Griffen, who returned it 29 yards for a touchdown.

Bradford and the Rams started to come back in the fourth quarter. First Bradford connected with wideout Danny Amendola on a 6-yard touchdown pass. The Rams defense was able to force the Vikings to punt  on the following drive. On the Rams ensuing offensive drive, Bradford lead his offense from their own 12-yard line. Bradford connected with tight-end Lance Kendricks for a score and converted a two-point conversion to cut the lead to 33-22.

The Vikings answered back with a 51-yard field goal from kicker Blair Walsh and preserved the lead, earning Minnesota their second consecutive win.

At 8-6, the Vikings are still in contention for a wildcard play-off position, but will need help. They will have a tough match-up on the road next week against the Houston Texans. As for the Rams, they will head to Raymond James Stadium to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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The Arizona Cardinals started the season 4-0, and have since been on a nine-game losing skid. The Cardinals finally snapped their losing streak after their 38-10 victory over the Detroit Lions.

The Detroit Lions took a 7-0 lead in the second quarter with a Mikel Leshoure 1-yard touchdown run. Arizona answered back on the ensuing drive and running back Beanie Wells punched in a five yard touchdown to tie the game up.

Arizona’s defense played extraordinarily well and inevitably led the Cardinals to victory. The Cardinals forced four turnovers: three interceptions and one fumble. Arizona picked off Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford for the first time in the second quarter. Cornerback Patrick Peterson intercepted Stafford and returned it 31 yards.

The Cardinals capitalized on that interception and Wells punched in a 1-yard run. Seconds before the end of the first-half safety Rashard Johnson intercepted Stafford and returned it for a 53 yard touchdown to give the Cardinals a 21-7 lead going into halftime.

Cornerback Greg Toler picked off Stafford in the fourth quarter and returned it 102 yards for a score and put the Cardinals comfortably ahead 31-10. Wells put the icing on the cake with a 31-yard run with less than four minutes remaining in the game.

Wells finished the game with 67 yards along with three touchdowns.

Cardinals quarterback Ryan Lindley completed 14 of 21 passes for 104 yards and threw one interception. Lindley has played in five games and has yet to throw his first NFL touchdown.

As for Stafford, he completed 24 of 50 passes for 246 yards. This was Stafford’s third game this season without throwing a touchdown pass, two of those three games resulted in loses.

Star wideout Calvin Johnson may be the only reason why the Lions are still getting some attention despite a six-game losing streak. Johnson hauled in 10 receptions for 121 yards. This was his seventh consecutive game with 100+ receiving yards — he still needs 182 yards to break Jerry Rice’s NFL single season receiving yard record.

Johnson will look to get closer to Rice’s record next week as the Detroit Lions will welcome the Atlanta Falcons to Ford Field. As for the Cardinals, they will welcome the Chicago Bears.

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The Green Bay Packers clinched the NFC North division for a second consecutive season with their 21-13 victory over divisional rivals the Chicago Bears at Solider Field.

Aaron Rodgers helped the Packers continue their 12-game winning streak in the NFC North division by tossing three touchdown passes. Rodgers completed 22 of 36 passes for 291 along with his three touchdown passes.

James Jones was the recipient to all three touchdowns, catching a total of five catches for 60 yards. Also, wideout Randall Cobb caught a game high six reception for 115 yards.

The Packers featured a combination of running backs to help jumpstart the run game. Alex Green, Ryan Grant and DuJuan Harris combined for 94 of Green Bay’s 113 rushing yards. The run game has picked up in the recent weeks due to rotation they have implemented.

Green Bay was ecstatic with the return of linebacker Clay Matthews, who missed the team’s last four games with a hamstring injury. His presence on defense was known, finishing the game with six tackles and two sacks. Matthews has 11 sacks in the 10 games he has played this season. The defensive pressure stepped it up in his return, combining for four total sacks.

The gameplan for Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears was to run the ball, control the clock and keep Rodgers off the field. Their opening drive looked as if it would have been successful but they had trouble moving the ball.

Cutler finished the game after completing 12 of 21 passes for 135 yards one touchdown and one interception. Cutler connected with wide receiver Brandon Marshall on a 15-yard touchdown in the second quarter to give the Bears their early (and only) lead of the game.

The Packers secondary contained Marshall, who leads the league with 107 receptions, to only six receptions for 35 yards along with his score.

As for Chicago’s run game, Matt Forte had 20 carries for 69 yards. Forte also contributed in the pass game catching five passes for 64 yards.

Chicago’s tenacious defense was without Brian Urlacher but was still able to force two turnovers against Green Bay. Grant busted through the defense for a positive gain and was hit by cornerback Charles Tillman, who forced a fumble recovered by linebacker Nick Roach.

With less than eight minutes left, on a punt, returner Cobb attempted to throw a backwards pass to Jeremy Ross which he also fumbled — the Bears regained possession. The Bears were only able to kick a field goal on the horrendous Packers mistake.

With the victory, the Packers are in contention to earn a first-round playoff bye. As for the Bears, they have fallen to 8-6, along with four other teams in the NFC and will have to battle to earn a wild card playoff position. The Packers will be play their final home game of the season next week against the Tennessee Titans. The Bears will head west to take on the Arizona Cardinals.

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The Atlanta Falcons demolished the New York Giants 34-0, to improve to 12-2 and 7-0 at the Georgia Dome.

Falcons quarterback, Matt Ryan completed 23 of 28 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns. His 82.1 completion percentage and 142.6 quarterback rating were both season highs for the five-year starter. This was also Ryan’s sixth game this season throwing at least three touchdown passes.

Wide receiver Julio Jones was tied for a game-high six receptions for 74 yards and hauled in two touchdown catches. Jones has surpassed his eight touchdown rookie season, catching nine with for over 1,000 yards and still two games to go.

Veteran tight-end Tony Gonzalez also caught six receptions for 49 yards and one touchdown. Gonzalez leads the Falcons with 87 receptions.

As for the run game, Michael Turner carried the ball 16 times for 52 yards and punched in a one-yard run on the Falcons first offensive drive.

The Giants were out of sync from the start, opening their first drive with Eli Manning throwing an interception on 2 and 7 from their own 16 yard-line. Manning threw his second interception in the second quarter, resulting in a Falcons field goal.

Manning only completed 13 of 25 passes for 161 yards. His favorite target was wide receiver Domenik Hixon, who caught five passes for 80 yards.

The Giants were without running back Ahmad Bradshaw because of a foot-and-knee injury. Instead, rookie David Wilson got the nod for the start but was not nearly as explosive as last week. Wilson carried the ball 12 times for 55 yards.

With the loss, the Giants have fallen to 8-6 along with four other teams in the NFC. The Giants are currently third in the NFC East division at 8-6 behind the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins, who are all 8-6. However, the Giants still control their own destiny and by winning out they will earn a wildcard playoff position. As for the Falcons, they will head to Ford Field to take on the Detroit Lions and control their own destiny for the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.

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A snowy and cold Lambeau Field played a decisive role in the Green Bay Packers 27-20 divisional win over the Detroit Lions, continuing a NFL record 22 consecutive victories over the Lions at Lambeau.

The Detroit Lions, marched down the field on their first drive with ease. The drive was capped off with quarterback Matthew Stafford’s four-yard touchdown run for an early 7-0 lead. On the Packers ensuing drive, Aaron Rodgers brought his offense down to Detroit’s 12 yard-line.

On 2nd and 10, Rodgers was sacked and fumbled the ball. Lion’s linebacker, Stephen Tulloch, recovered the ball. Once again the Lions attacked Green Bay’s weak defense and went ahead 14-0, after Stafford and tight-end Tony Scheffler connected on a 3-yard touchdown pass.

The Packers were able to respond with a Mason Crosby, 49 yard field goal. The Lions slowly started moving down field once again. On 1st and 10 from the Packers 42 yard-line, Stafford dropped back, went to throw and the ball slipped out of his hand. Packers’ defensive end Mike Daniels, recovered the fumble and took it back 72 yards to cut the deficit 14-10.

Rodgers, led the Packers down field on the first drive of the second half. On third and four from Detroit’s 27 yard-line Rodgers bought himself some time, eluding the pass rush and headed for the end-zone giving Green Bay their first lead of the night, 17-14.

Packers’ running back, DuJuan Harris put the finishing touches on the Lions in the fourth quarter, on a 14 yard touchdown run.  Harris finished the game with seven carries for 31 yards along with his touchdown. Also running back Alex Green had 13 carries for 69 yards. Recently signed, Ryan Grant got some action running the ball once for a 13 yards.

Green Bay had a well balanced offense running for a total of 140 yards. Rodgers completed 14-of-24 passes for a 173 yards. Rodgers’s favorite target was Randall Cobb. Cobb caught seven passes for 102 yards.  This was Rodgers second game this season not tossing a touchdown pass. Also he snapped his 30 consecutive home game touchdown streak.

Green Bay welcomed back corner back Sam Shields who has been out with an ankle injury. Shields picked off Stafford in the win.

Stafford finished the game completing 27-of-45 passes for 264 yards one touchdown and one interception. Wideout Calvin Johnson, caught 10 passes for 118 yards and still remains on pace to break Jerry Rice’s receiving yards record.

With the victory the Packers improved to 9-4 and control their own destiny. The Packers have an opportunity to win the NFC North next week, when they travel to Soldier Field to take on rivals the Chicago Bears. As for the Lions, they will be heading west to take on the Arizona Cardinals.

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After last weeks pivotal divisional loss over the Washington Redskins, the New York Giants bounced back strong, demolishing the New Orleans Saints 52-27.

Giants’ rookie running back and returner, David Wilson had a career day, single-handily becoming the Saints worse nightmare. Wilson compiled 327 all purpose yards, third-highest total for a rookie since the NFL-AFL merger.

Right after the Saints intercepted Eli Manning and went ahead 7-0, Wilson’s day started. On the ensuing kick-off Wilson jolted past the Saints special team unit and returned the the kick, 97-yards to the tie the game back up.

Wilson punched in a six yard run in the third quarter to give the Giants a 28-13 lead and then put the Saints to sleep with a career long 52 yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal off the victory. Wilson averaged 7.7 yards per carry rushing for 100 yards on 13 carries, the rookie’s first 100 yard game of his career.

Manning quickly bounced back after throwing an interception on the Giants second offensive drive of the game. On the Giants’ next drive, Manning connected with tight-end Martellus Bennett on a six yard touchdown. Bennett caught five passes for 32 yards along with his touchdown.

Right before the half, Manning connected with wideout Domenik Hixon to take a 21-13 lead into the third quarter.

Manning also connected with wideout Hakeem Nicks for a 25 yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. Nicks caught four passes for 67 yards along with his touchdown. Nicks has been suffering through injury all season long and after the win over the Saints was re-examined. Coach Tom Coughlin expects Nicks to continue to play however it is unlikely he will be at 100% for the rest of the year.

Manning threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game at the start of the fourth quarter to wideout Victor Cruz. Cruz led the Giants in receiving hauling in eight catches for 121 yards along with his touchdown catch.

The Giants’ defense was on point, limiting Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees. Brees completed 26-of-43 passes for 354 yards one touchdown and two interceptions.

Brees lone touchdown came towards the end of the third quarter, connecting with speedster Darren Sproles. Sproles caught four passes for 28 yards along with his touchdown reception. He also had five carries for 56 yards and punched in 13 yard run in the third quarter.

Brees was picked off twice by Giants’ safety, Stevie Brown.

With the victory, the Giants remain atop the NFC East at 8-5 with both the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins breathing down their neck at 7-6. The Giants have a tough match-up next week on the road against the NFC’s current number one seed the Atlanta Falcons. As for the Saints, who have now dropped to 5-8,  they will face NFC South division rivals the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Adrian Peterson continued his MVP campaign and the Minnesota Vikings remained playoff contenders with their 21-14 victory over NFC North rivals, the Chicago Bears.

Peterson, carried the ball 31 times for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Both touchdowns came in the first quarter, right outside the goal-line to help the Vikings take an early 14-0 lead.

Peterson has gone over the 100 yard mark in the last seven games and is atop the NFL with 1,600 rushing yards. He is also atop the NFL with 18, 20+ yard runs.

Not only is he in contention for MVP but also in the running for Comeback Player of the Year after last season’s gruesome knee injury.

Vikings’ quarterback, Christian Ponder completed 11-of-17 passes for 91 yards and one interception. Ponder’s favorite receiver was wideout Michael Jenkins who caught four passes for 36 yards. It is evident that Ponder is missing his number one guy, Percy Harvin who was placed on injured reserve last week.

As for the Chicago Bears, they were lead by quarterback Jay Cutler. Cutler completed 22-of-44 passes for 260 yards a touchdown and two interceptions. Cutler’s lone touchdown pass was to rookie Alshon Jeffery. Along with his touchdown, Jeffery had three catches for 57 yards.

In the fourth quarter, Cutler exited the game after receiving a hard hit. According to reports, Cutler suffered whiplash and could not finish the game. As a result, back-up Jason Campbell tried to lead the team to victory.

Campbell, completed 6-of-9 passes for 64 yards and one touchdown. Campbell connected with wideout Brandon Marshall on a 16-yard touchdown pass with less than two minutes to go in the fourth quarter, but that was not enough.  Marshall finished the game with 10 catches for 160 yards along with his touchdown.

Marshall has been the number one go-to-guy all season long and sits atop the NFL with 101 receptions, four shy of his 2008 career best while playing with the Broncos. This is Marshall’s fourth time in his career hauling in over 100 passes.

Unfortunately for the Bears, long-time favorite Brian Urlacher appears to be done for the rest of the regular season. Urlacher, injured his hamstring last week against the Seahawks.

With the loss, the Chicago Bears have lost their division lead to the Green Bay Packers but do have a wild card playoff position. The Bears will have a pivotal match-up next week against the the Packers. If the Packers win next weeks game they will clinch the NFC North division. As for the Vikings, they will head to St. Louis to take on the Rams and try to fight for their playoff lives.

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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.

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After last week’s pounding, the Green Bay Packers prevailed past the Minnesota Vikings and Adrian Peterson to retake the NFC North Division lead in a 23-14 victory at home.

The Packers were led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers completed 27-of-35 passes for 286 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Rodgers connected with wide receiver James Jones on a 32-yard strike to take a 7-0 lead after their first drive.

Green Bay welcomed back wide receiver Greg Jennings, who has been out since week four ailing a groin injury. Jennings caught four passes for 46 yards in his return. Unfortunately, the Packers lost wide receiver Jordy Nelson.  Nelson was forced out of the game in the first quarter after re-injuring his hamstring.

The Packers run game finally emerged after being nearly non-existent. James Starks carried the load with 15 carries for 66 yards and a touchdown. Alex Green also contributed with 12 carries for 58 yards. Green Bay still remains at the bottom of the NFL in rushing touchdowns.

The Packers defense was able to contain Christian Ponder, limiting him to 12-of-25 for 119 yards one touchdown and two interceptions. Safety, Morgan Burentt recorded the two interceptions for the Packers.  Ponder was unable to connect with a wide receiver until the fourth quarter.

The Vikings were without Percy Harvin, who still has not recovered from his ankle injury. Tight-end Kyle Rudolph led the Vikings with six receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown.

However, the Packers defense had difficulties stopping Adrian Peterson. Peterson carried the ball 21 times for 210 yards and a touchdown. Peterson broke through Green Bay’s defense, bounced off a few defenders and busted up-field for a career long 82 yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Peterson’s 210 yards was a season best thus far. He continues to run through defense after defense compiling his sixth straight 100+ rushing game.

Green Bay improved to 5-1 at home and 8-4 overall. They will be back in action next week at Lambeau Field against NFC North rivals the Detroit Lions. As for the Vikings, they fell to 6-6 but are still in playoff contention. The Vikings will have another tough match-up next week against NFC North rivals the Chicago Bears.

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Seattle Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson, led his offense down the field in overtime and connected with wide receiver Sidney Rice for a 13 yard touchdown to defeat the Chicago Bears 23-17.

Wilson, completed 23-of-37 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson’s first touchdown strike came with less than 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter to wide receiver Golden Tate to take a 17-14 lead.

On the ensuing drive, Jay Cutler connected with Brandon Marshall for a 56 yard bomb to help put the Bears into field goal range. Kicker, Robbie Gould nailed a 46-yard field goal to send the game into overtime.

Cutler completed 17-of-26 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns. Cutler and Earl Bennett connected on a 12 yard pass to give the Bears an early 7-0 lead. His second touchdown pass was a 12 yard pass to running back Matt Forte in the third quarter. Forte also had 21 carries for 66 yards.

Wide receiver, Brandon Marshall caught 10 passes for 165 yards. Marshall has caught at least 10 catches in back-to-back games for the first time of the season.

Seattle’s Rice caught six passes for 99 yards along with his game winning touchdown. Also Tate caught five passes for 96 yards along with his touchdown catch.

Running back, Marshawn Lynch had a productive game on the ground with 19 carries for 87 yards and one touchdown. Lynch punched in his sixth touchdown of the season with his second quarter score.

Seattle’s cornerbacks, Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner, played after they were accused for using Adderall earlier in the week. The corners combined for 11 tackles for the Seahawks defense.

The Chicago Bear’s defense lost some key playmakers. Safety Chris Conte was ruled out because of illness, cornerback Tim Jennings left the game with a shoulder injury, and linebacker Brian Urlacher injured his hamstring in overtime. Cornerback, Kelvin Hayden had a fumble recovery for the Bears only takeaway of the game.

With the loss, the Bears fell to 8-4 and are no longer atop the NFC North Division because of the Packers victory against the Minnesota Vikings.  The Bears now hold one of the two NFC wild card positions. Chicago will take on the Minnesota Vikings at Mall of America Field next week. As for the Seahawks, they improved to 7-5 and also hold an NFC wild card position. Seattle will return home next week to take on the Arizona Cardinals.

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