NFL - National Football League News Blog

Seahawks FS Russell questionable
KIRKLAND, Wash. (AP) — Just as quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was getting back to relatively full heal…

Jets’ Jerricho Cotchery toughing out finger injury and still making big catches
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) — The toughest game of Jerricho Cotchery’s season was the one in which he didn…

Storm could affect Bills-Browns game (AP)
It’s not as though Cleveland and Buffalo aren’t used to a little snow. But this storm could have an affect on Sunday’s game between the Browns (8-5) and Bills (7-6), who are both fighting for a spot in the AFC playoffs. Cleveland is expected to get 4 to 6 inches Saturday night and more on Sunday with wind gusts up to 35 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

Big Ben practices after missing two days
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger practiced Friday after sitting…

Vikings’ Smith cited for drug possession (AP)
Minnesota Vikings safety Dwight Smith was cited for misdemeanor possession of marijuana after his vehicle was stopped for impeding traffic at a downtown intersection Thursday night, according to the police report. When the officer approached the car to issue a citation, he smelled the “strong odor of marijuana” coming from the vehicle, according to the report.

Hey! Willie Anderson Ain’t Retiring!
Filed under: Bengals, AFC North, NFL Injuries, CincinnatiBengals tackle Willie Anderson is tired of hearing rumors and questions about him possibly retiring. So, are you coming back, Willie?”Yes, I’m coming back. No, I don’t want to stop playing football,” Anderson said. “My question is: How do I go from 112 straight games (extended to 116) to, ‘Oh, I don’t want to do it anymore’ or ‘I can’t do it’? C’mon, man.” Good point.Anderson is in his 12th season, his worst thus far. It isn’t his fault; injuries to his heel and knee have nagged him all season and caused him to be inactive eight times this season. Still, unless he physcially cannot do it anymore why would he retire? The man did his best to not miss any action to all of the sudden losing his love for the game?In fact, Anderson is set to play against the Niners on Saturday night. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Ocho Cinco Goes Loco Over San Francisco’s Patrick Willis
Filed under: 49ers, Bengals, AFC North, NFC West, Cincinnati, San FranciscoThe Bengals’ Chad Johnson really likes Niners’ LB Patrick Willis. I mean really, really likes him. During a conference call, he sang the praises of Willis in a rather funny way.”Who in the (expletive) is 52? Oh, my (expletive) God! I done seen a lot of linebackers in a seven-year period. … You guys can laugh all you want, he is the real deal! He’s playing with a cast on his hand, right? All during film, I’m calling him Bam-Bam.”Johnson wasn’t finished. “He’s the truth. You just tell him 85 said you’re the truth. I stopped watching the DBs to watch him. I don’t know anything about playing the position but I know when someone is doing something right, because he is making every damn play.” Of course, #52 is Willis … a rookie linebacker from Ole Miss who San Francisco used the #11 pick in this spring’s draft on. He also made that damn play in the video above … running down Arizona receiver Sean Morey a few weeks ago. Chad Johnson’s Bengals face Willis’ 49ers on Saturday night. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

One Word Explains Broncos Season
Filed under: Broncos, AFC West, DenverThere’s one word that sums up the Broncos season, which all but ended with last night’s 31-13 loss in Houston, and that word is inconsistency. The team started the season with two wins that were marked by tons of yards gained but few points scored as a result. That was the first tip off that this Bronco team was two-faced, capable of great feats on the one hand but a step or two short of actually being a great team. And so it went for the rest of the year. Three losses in a row, closing in a 41-3 thrashing by the Chargers, followed by a win against the Steelers. Two more losses and another humiliating blowout were followed by two wins that featured complete performances worthy of a playoff team. But then they lost twice more and looked awful in the process before blowing out the Chiefs. That led us to last night, the final nail in the coffin of the 2007 season, and the final verdict on this Bronco team. The defense was a big reason for the losses but, save a game or two, they were bad all year. The offense, on the other hand, was a crapshoot from one week to the next. And that leads us to Jay Cutler.He’s looked spectacular at times and dreadful at others. The team struggled with injuries at tailback and on the offensive line and wasn’t able to count on a consistent performance from Cutler on a weekly basis. Such is the plight of the young quarterback. All but a few of them have moments where you think there’s no chance they’ll ever make it in the NFL. The good thing is that he’s had the good with the bad. There’s not much reason to think that Cutler isn’t going to pan out for Denver. A full season of experience will go a long way toward a consistent offensive attack in 2008. And that’s the right direction back to the playoffs. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments