Belichick's gamble against Colts made sense
(Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:30:49 PST)
"You play to win the game." That phrase has echoed throughout the NFL for years, ever since Herm Edwards uttered it while coaching the New York Jets. It's exactly what Bill Belichick was doing in Indianapolis last Sunday night. And as for delivering any message of distrust in his defense, maybe it was just the opposite.

Fewell well-prepared for challenge when Bills offered chance to be interim coach
(Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:07:00 PST)
Sitting in a hot tub overlooking a postcard-perfect panoramic view of the sun setting behind the Smoky Mountains. Perry Fewell never had an inkling his long-imagined opportunity of a lifetime of being an NFL head coach hung on the misty horizon.

NFL union opposes reporting on teammates
(Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:01:29 PST)
The NFL Players Association opposes commissioner Roger Goodell's call for players to tell their teams' medical staffs if they think a teammate shows symptoms of a concussion, saying that is not an adequate solution. "If every player were a medical doctor that could recognize symptoms of concussions, then that would be a great idea," NFLPA assistant executive director George...

Patriots Team Report
(Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:06:53 PST)

The best way for the New England Patriots to forget about last week's deflating loss to Indianapolis is to have something to occupy their minds.

Luckily for the Patriots, they have an equally important game on the horizon Sunday against the rival New York Jets, who are still alive in the AFC East race, albeit on life support.

There will be no distractions because the Patriots can't afford to have them. The challenge now is to put last week's loss in the rear-view mirror and focus solely on the task at hand.

"You lose those games and emotionally you're pretty drained," quarterback Tom Brady said. "It's disappointing for everybody, but the reality is there's a lot of games left for us.

Pats-Jets rematch has different look than 1st game
(Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:34:53 PST)
By HOWARD ULMAN AP Sports Writer

Mass. panel OKs $9 million for Patriots footbridge
(Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:07:01 PST)
A Massachusetts panel has given approval to use $9 million in federal stimulus funds for a pedestrian bridge sought by the owner of the New England Patriots. The span over the north-south highway U.S. Route 1 would help pedestrians cross parking lots outside Gillette Stadium and connect the Patriot Place mall with an office park being proposed by team owner Robert Kraft.

Eagles, Packers' futures brighter than Giants'
(Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:21:00 PST)
New York's offensive struggles will contribute to the team being a playoff outsider when the field is set.

On the Corner, podcast #32: How Vince Young saved the world
(Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:31:15 PST)
This week's edition of the podcast takes a closer look at the resurgence in Tennessee and how Vince Young is...

AP IMPACT: Nearly a fifth of 160 NFL players hid effects of concussions
(Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:17:00 PST)
Washington Redskins kick returner Rock Cartwright remembers his brain "shaking like a bell" when he was walloped in a game against the New York Giants a few years ago.

NFL's worst injuries
(Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:42:00 PST)
As teams jockey for playoff spots, these 10 are the most debilitated by star players stuck on the sidelines.

Patriots return to practice after big loss at Indy
(Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:41:59 PST)
Bill Belichick has heard enough about his fourth-down decision that failed. So has Tom Brady. The Patriots returned Wednesday for their first practice since Sunday night's 35-34 loss in which their coach went for it on fourth-and-2 from the New England 28-yard line instead of punting with a six-point lead.

The absurdly premature playoff picture: Week 10
(Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:44:01 PST)
See last week's absurdly premature playoff picture here . AFC First-Round Byes : Indianapolis Colts...

Week 11 playoff forecast: Packers make big jump
(Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:42:00 PST)
Green Bay boosted its playoff outlook with a very impressive home win over the Cowboys.

Pats' assistant says boss unaffected by critics
(Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:35:42 PST)
When defensive coordinator Dean Pees returned to work after New England's stunning loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Bill Belichick was preparing for the Patriots' next opponent. The coach was seemingly unaffected by the wave of criticism stemming from his fourth-down gamble. "As far as I can see right now, it's business as usual," Pees said Tuesday.

Patriots defense lacks consistency despite record
(Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:39:51 PST)
The New England Patriots' young defense kept Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts under control for three quarters. The Patriots forced seven punts, made one interception and led 24-14 with 15 minutes left. But they couldn't finish the job as Manning rallied the Colts to a 35-34 win Sunday night.

Patriots' defense put Belichick in tough situation
(Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:06:00 PST)
New England's recent inability to slow down the Colts forced Belichick to make the unconventional fourth-down call.

The Week 10 NFL Quarterback Power Rankings
(Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:06:11 PST)
HTML clipboard Shutdown Corner presents the weekly quarterback power rankings. They're just as arbitrarily...

Risky call puts Belichick in bad company
(Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:32:00 PST)
Bill Belichick isn't the first Super Bowl-caliber coach to make such a crucial jaw-dropping decision.

Live Trippin': Tuesday, Nov. 17 at noon PT
(Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:29:00 PST)
Join in for a discussion on Bill Belichick's decision, the latest rankings, The Big Game and much more.

Counterpoint: Pros outweighed the cons on Belichick's 4th and 2
(Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:50:08 PST)
As Chase noted earlier in his post criticizing Bill Belichick for "The Decision," Belichick took a...

Manning rallies Colts after Patriots' late gamble
(Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:19:46 PST)
With his team trailing by six points and approaching the 2-minute warning, Peyton Manning was on the sideline getting ready to lead the Indianapolis Colts' offense back onto the field. Expecting to need a long drive to win the game, Manning's task was made easier when the New England Patriots fell short on Bill Belichick's stunning gamble on fourth-and-2 from their own 28.

Belichick's fourth-down call dooms Pats, sends Indy to victory
(Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:08:20 PST)
Bill Belichick's swagger and arrogance helped the New England Patriots to three Super Bowl titles earlier...

Tomlinson delivers after hearing special news
(Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:50:00 PST)
Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson celebrated a precious gift from his wife with his best outing in nearly a year.