Favre's finale? You might want to tune in on Sunday night for
the Packers-Bears game since it could be Brett Favre's final NFL game. According
to this report from our
Packer's site, Favre recently told a reporter, "Hey, we've got a
long ways to go, and I don't have that much time. We're struggling to score
touchdowns. We're struggling to be productive. Thank goodness our defense has
pulled us through the last few games. But I expect to be more productive,
regardless, and I'm not, for whatever reason. I could point to a lot of those,
but the bottom line is, I'm not as productive."
Don't you forget about me: For AFC playoff teams that are mainly
concerned about the Ravens' defense or the way that Steve McNair has provided
the Baltimore offense with an aerial attack for the first time in years, they
better not forget about one other guy -- running back Jamal Lewis. Aaron Wilson
at our Ravens site points out how Lewis' role has changed since three years ago
when he gained a career-high 2,066 rushing yards, but how he will be a potent
weapon in the mix of the Ravens' attack. Scout.com subscribers
can
click here to read the rest of the story.
QB Rumor Mill: While the Vikings hope that
rookie Tarvaris Jackson will have a better day against the Rams than he did last
week in his first start, they'll likely need to secure a veteran quarterback for
next year to compete with the youngster. In
this article at our Vikings site, check out who some of the veterans are
from around the NFL who could get an offer from Minnesota during this offseason.
Quotable: “I’m disgusted. I haven’t felt this
miserable in my 17 years here.” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made that statement
this week and Scott Knudsen at our Dallas site joins in. "Reality says the
Cowboys aren’t playoff ready, nowhere near, and if things remain static,
they’ll visit Seattle’s 12th Man and promptly return home for a long
winter’s nap," Knudsen says. Scout.com
subscribers can read his commentary on the state of the Cowboys here.
Pick 'em: Kick up some more debate in your respective team's
fan forums by linking to "Mac's
Picks" at our Seahawks site. Whether or not you agree with his picks,
he has some good zingers in there like this one about the Bengals. "Before
everyone starts calling Brad St. Louis and Kyle Larson, the snapper and holder
on the infamous botched extra point that will likely keep the Bengals out of the
playoffs, the Scott Norwoods of the Queen City, they really should look on the
bright side: Neither of them were arrested this week." Click the link above
and have some fun.
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| Virginia Tech OLB Vince Hall (Doug Benc/Getty Images) |
Top Prospects Showcased: You can check out four players that
could be selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft by watching the
Chick-fil-A Bowl tonight on ESPN at 8:00 p.m. (ET). Tony Pauline from TFY Draft
Preview provides his analysis of the 16 Georgia players and 11 Virginia Tech
players that pro scouts have been evaluating in
this Scout.com subscribers feature. Pauline notes that projected
first-round DE Quentin Moses is starting to slip on some draft boards. But he
says that projected first- or second-round OLB Vince Hall is a "Terrific
linebacker who forces the action. Could start at a number of linebacker
positions."
Quotable: "You better get low, because he can break
tackles. He's a big-legged, strong-legged guy. He's like a little bowling ball,
with butcher knives on." -- Chiefs head coach Herman Edwards on Jaguars
running back Maurice Jones-Drew during his Sirius NFL Radio interview. Check
it out at our Kansas City site. Scout.com subscribers can listen to the full
9-minute interview which also talks about the team's win over the Raiders.
Two different paths: Last year Oakland and the New York Jets completed
disappointing 4-12 seasons. Since then, the two teams have taken distinctly
different paths. "Unlike veteran taskmaster Tom Coughlin, who appears to
have lost the players in the Giants' locker room, Mangini's firm hand hasn't yet
turned off his team, perhaps because he often will throw in a small dash of
humanity to make it palatable," says Denis Savage at our Raiders site.
Scout.com subscribers can check
out his analysis of why the Raiders have fallen apart while the Jets are
likely to qualify for the playoffs.
Thousand-yard drought ends: RB Edgerrin James' 1,093 rushing
yards puts him first in the record books in single-season rushing yards since
the team moved to Arizona back in 1988. And he still has a game to play on
Sunday to add to that record. He's the first Cardinals running back to break the
1,000-yard threshold in eight years.
"At first I didn't look at it as a big deal," he said. "but then
you realize what's happened around here and how rare it is -- it's a big
accomplishment."
See ya next year...maybe: Ryan Wilson at our Steelers site takes
a look at the Pittsburgh roster and projects who might not be back next year
either due to free agency or by management's choice. Scout.com subscribers
can
take a peek at which players might be available to join your favorite team
next year.
Today's Birthday Bunch: Titans QB Kerry Collins (34), Cowboys FS
Keith Davis (28), Dolphins RB Kyle Eckel (25), Patriots FB Heath Evans (28),
Falcons DE Patrick Kerney (30), Ravens SS Dawan Landry (24), Lions C Dominic
Raiola (28).
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| Eagles QB Jeff Garcia on the run (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) |
Sticking around? Eagles quarterback Jeff Garcia signed a
one-year deal before the start of this season, and with the way he's led the
Eagles into the playoffs after the loss of Donovan McNabb you would think he
could be an attractive draw for some other NFL clubs. But as our Philadelphia
site is reporting, Garcia may be content to stay right where he is and re-sign
with the Eagles. Scout.com subscribers
can
get the scoop here.
Winning despite him: At our Chargers site, they point out that
quarterback Phillip Rivers is a source of concern and could use a big game
against the Cardinals to get back to form before the playoffs. According to
their report, "In his last two games, he's completed 18-of-53 for 278
yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and a fumble." Check
out the full article here.
Looking over his shoulder: Our Denver site is reporting that RB
Tatum Bell's recent lack of productivity has to do with the footsteps he's
hearing from the team's rookie running back, Mike Bell. "I've got to hit
the hole, quit thinking too much, quit worrying about the fumbles, quit worrying
about Mike coming in and taking over," he said. Scout.com
subscribers can read the full article.
Quotable: "... I've been a huge fan of Joe Gibbs my entire life. I
grew up in Roanoke and was an enormous fan of the Redskins and particularly Joe
Gibbs. It's ironic and cool that my last [regular-season] game is in my home
neck of the woods against my favorite coach growing up.'' -- Giants RB Tiki
Barber on playing the Redskins on Saturday. Check out the transcript of his
conference call with the Washington media at our Redskins site.
Accomplishing less with more: Keith Idec at our Giants site
believes that the Giants will keep head coach Tom Coughlin at the helm of the
New York franchise, but he's having a tough time figuring out why they want to
hold onto him. "Coughlin’s bottom line is that he lost eight straight
games and finished 6-10 in his first season, got shut out in a home playoff game
after going 11-5 during his second season and blew a 6-2 start this year,
leaving a talented team in the precarious position of not reaching the playoffs
for the third time in four years," Idec says. Scout.com subscribers
can
read his commentary and analysis here.
Noteworthy: The New Orleans Saints are 7-0 in games where they
haven't turned the ball over. They face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, who
still have faint playoff hopes.