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Patriots in demand: Pioli and McDaniels finding opportunities

By | January 2, 2009 | The Patriot Act

Although the recent news about vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli interviewing for the Cleveland Browns and the interest from the Browns to also interview offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is not new, other teams have also shown interest.Pioli has drawn interest from the Kansas City Chiefs to become their next gerneral manger and is scheduled to interview with them soon. While McDaniels may be interviewing for the head coaching job with the Denver Broncos.Both Pioli and McDaniels have been sought after for positions with other NFL teams in the past. What makes this interesting is the recent success of going to the AFC Championship in 2006, Super Bowl in 2007 and now having finished 11-5 and missing the playoffs for 2008.The decision for McDaniels may be a 'no brainer' as it was for Eric Mangini - go and get the big bucks with what knowledge you have or wait...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Bill Belichick, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Josh McDaniels, Kansas City Chiefs, Kevin O'Connell, Matt Cassel, Matt Gutierrez, New England Patriots, Scott Pioli, Tom Brady

The Blitz: NFL Wild Card Weekend

By Chris Maier | January 1, 2009 | The Blitz

NFLDRAFT101.com's Chris Maier and Dan Wernery ring in the New Year with the Wildcard Weekend edition of the Blitz. This week we take a look back at the week 17 stumbles of the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers and discuss coaching changes in Detroit, NY Jets, Denver and Cleveland. We also being talking about the NFL Draft as Dan talks about his Pre-New Year's Bowl standouts and gives his for NFL Mock Draft of the New Year (1st 10 picks). We wrap up the show with previews of this weekends wildcard matchups and make our picks for the Super Bowl....

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, audio, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Podcast, Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers

How about Shanahan to the Redskins

By Anthony Brown | December 31, 2008 | Hog Heaven

Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen gave Daniel Snyder a new name to play with this off-season. He fired Mike Shanahan yesterday.Washington's mercurial owner has a known weakness for basking in the reflected glow of famous football names. Few are more famous than Shanahan's whose sterling success includes a 138-86 record in 14 years with Denver, 8-5 playoff record, 2 Super Bowl wins.More appealing is that Shanahan is a West Coast Offense guy whose teams managed to make stars of running backs, like Clinton Portis, and featured productive passing games. Portis burst on the league in his first two NFL seasons under Shanahan ('02-'03) when he gained over 1500 yards per season averaging over five yards per attempt. He's never been as productive here where Joe Gibbs converted him to a power back. The passing game and scoring are two glaring shortfalls in the Redskins' move to the West Coast Offense....

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Denver Broncos, Mike Shanahan, NFL, Washington Redskins

Chiefs' Odds & Ends

By Ryan Brown | December 31, 2008 | Home of the Chiefs

There is a lot going on at Arrowhead the last couple of days, so I wanted to discuss them and see what you guys thought. We have a disgruntled running back, some GM candidates being named, a firing in our conference, and other moves. So - let's get going. Larry Johnson wants out - Larry, I think I speak for most of Kansas City when I say "Don't let the door hit you where the good Lord split you" on your request to leave this city. Do you need the number for U-haul? I know a great realtor that can help you sell your place if you need it. Ever since he got the big guaranteed contract, LJ has ceased to be an impact player. His defining feature as a running back was that chip on the shoulder to prove everyone wrong and take it out on opposing defenses. Then he got...

Read more | 3 Comments | Tags: Bill Cowher, Clark Hunt, Denver Broncos, herm edwards, Kansas City Chiefs, Larry Johnson, Mike Shanahan, Oakland Raiders, Scott Pioli

Shanahan Firing Sends Shockwaves Through the NFL

By Joel | December 30, 2008 | The Football Wire

Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen's decision to fire Mike Shanahan with 3 years and $20 million remaining on his contract (yeah, Bowlen will likely have to pay most of that) sent shockwaves through the NFL, including the Denver Broncos players themselves."After giving this careful consideration, I have concluded that a...

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: Coaching Change, Denver Broncos, NFL

Farewell, Mike Shanahan

By Nick | December 30, 2008 | Thin Air

This is a day that I thought would never come. I had always been of the assumption that the only way Mike Shanahan would ever leave the Denver Broncos would be on his own volition. It just confirms what they say about assumptions, as Pat Bowlen showed Shanahan the door this afternoon. This is a very distressing decision, and one that I do not agree with. With all the problems the Broncos suffered this season, I do not believe coaching was one of them, especially on the offensive side, where Shanahan's mind always favored. I highlight two major problems--one is injuries, where no one can really be blamed, save maybe the trainers and conditioners. The second clear problem was a lack of talent on the defensive side of the ball. As I'll remark in detail later on, I'm not sure if there is one safety or defensive lineman on the...

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Oakland Raiders news and rumor notebook 30 Dec 08

By Patrick Patterson | December 30, 2008 | Thoughts from the Dark Side

Offseason day two is underway, and there hasn't been too much motion on the Oakland Raiders head coaching search. It has been established that whatever "front office" person that Al Davis mentioned in his press conference will be brought in after the head coaching search is done, which pretty much eliminates the name of Bill Parcells from the running. It was a nice thought for the 30 seconds it took to realize it would never work. Without further ado, here's the rundown of the Oakland Raiders news for today.Former Raider coach turned Raider-Killer Mike Shanahan was fired in Denver. One guarantee, Al Davis will not bring him in to interview for the Raiders job.Tim Kawakami said on KNBR 680 that he expects Jim Harbaugh to be the hire. He could be the guy from Al Davis's press conference that has Bay Area ties and could not be mentioned due to...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: 49ers, Al Davis, Bill Parcells, Broncos, Denver Broncos, Kentucky, Kentucky Wildcats, Michael Bush, Mike Martz, Mike Shanahan, NCAA, NFL, Oakland Raiders, Patrick Patterson, Raiders, Raiders News, San Francisco 49ers, Tim Kawakami, University of Kentucky

Cable guy impresses, but is it enough? Only Al knows

By Rob Calonge | December 29, 2008 | Thoughts from the Dark Side

Rumors swirl about big Al's next move, but the fact remains that even HE may not know what it is yet. (Photo by Candy Padilla)

At first glance, a 4-8 record as head coach of the Raiders, wouldn't seem to be enough for Tom Cable to get the 'interim' label removed from his official title. In fact, in this space we've done our share of discounting him as a viable candidate in the official Oakland Raiders coaching search. I would've named it the 'annual' coaching search, but it's more a bi-annual event than anything else. Coach Cable was quick to point out, when asked about his status, the team played .500 football over the last six games. Armed with that and the fact that he led the team for 12 games, that would mean that the team went 1-5 his first six games. This begs the question, if Cable is named the head man, what team will show up on game day?

Read more | 7 Comments | Tags: AFC, AFC West, Al Davis, Andrew Walter, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Bill Callahan, Broncos, Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, Chargers, Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Dolphins, Falcons, Houston Texans, JaMarcus Russell, Jets, Jim Fassel, Jon Gruden, Justin Fargas, Kansas City Chiefs, Kevin Gilbride, Kirk Morrison, LaMont Jordan, Marques Tuiasosopo, Miami Dolphins, Mike Shanahan, Mike White, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, NFL, Oakland Raiders, Panthers, Patriots, Raider Nation, Raiders, Randy Moss, Ravens, Rob Ryan, Robert Gallery, Saints, San Diego Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Texans, Tom Cable

NFL Top Ten: Best Games from the 2008 Season

By Greg Trippiedi | December 27, 2008 | MVN Outsider

The regular season may not be over just yet, but it has already produced plenty of classic games. I had the pleasure of picking ten games that might show up again on NFL Classics in the future. All games had to be heavily competitive to be considered, but bonuses were given to games with great storylines, great endings, and really critical results. Here are the top ten games from the first 16 weeks of the regular season:Number 10 (October 26)Giants defeat Steelers 21-14At the time of this game, whether or not the NFC had overtaken the AFC was very much in the air. The Eagles had taken care of the Steelers at home earlier this season, but the Steelers were hosting the Giants in this one. The Giants controlled much of the action in the first half, but the Steelers came out and scored in the second half, and led...Read more

Read more | 2 Comments | Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Top Ten

NFL Power Rankings Week 16: Pennsylvania teams eventually rise to top

By Greg Trippiedi | December 18, 2008 | MVN Outsider

1. Tennessee Titans (12-2) The Titans hold the top spot at least one more week through the loss, but they will have to beat Pittsburgh at home without Albert Haynesworth and Kyle VandenBosch to hold it any further. Good luck guys.2. Philadelphia Eagles (8-5-1)The Eagles jump up to number two this week behind the strength of a third consecutive win, and the Steelers knocking off the Ravens, who beat the Eagles back when this was a team in turmoil. 3. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3) Do the Steelers have the greatest defense of all time? Only a championship would validate this. The offense apparently isn't going to assist them until the final two minutes of every game.4. Baltimore Ravens (9-5) The Ravens aren't going to fall too far, falling victim to the "Tuck Rule curse". They should have taken care of business in Pittsburgh, and then it wouldn't have come down to...Read more

Read more | 4 Comments | Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, power poll, Tennessee Titans

Notable pro-bowl snubs; 2008 Edition

By Greg Trippiedi | December 17, 2008 | MVN Outsider

It's because of the way that the pro bowl selection process works that makes snubs inevitable. The fans get one third of the vote. The players get one third of the vote. And the coaches get one third of the vote. Herein lies the problem: no one knows anything. The coaches and players are too busy watching film on their opponents to be able to accurately grade players on teams they don't play. Same with the players. And don't get me started on the fans: who if they would have had their way would have sent Redskins K Shaun Suisham to Honolulu, and he's one of the larger reasons the Redskins have lost 5 out of their last 6 games.With all that out of the way, the selection trio from hell actually did a relatively good job this year. But they still inexcusably omitted some overqualified players in order to...Read more

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, Pro Bowl, San Diego Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, Snubs, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins

NFL Stock Market Week 15: Eagles soar while Jets grounded

By Greg Trippiedi | December 9, 2008 | MVN Outsider

This week, we're going to change around the structure of the NFL Stock Market. We're looking for teams, players, coaches who are down right now, but for the rest of this year, you should buy, buy, buy what they are selling. And for other teams, players, and coaches, it's time to sell their stock while you still can.Buy LowWashington Redskins -- the Redskins have played five games versus elite NFL teams this year, Philadelphia, New York (twice), Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and have gone 1-4 in those games. The Redskins still have to finish out against the Eagles, in a game that will likely determine who, besides the Giants, from the NFC East will make the playoffs. But the other two games are against the Bengals and the 49ers. The Redskins have been a remarkably consistent slightly above average team ever since upsetting the Eagles in Week 5, and above average...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Buffalo Bills, Cincinatti Bengals, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, Trent Edwards, Washington Redskins

News and notes from around the NFL

By Andrew Strickert | December 5, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Six players have been suspended for four games, the remainder of the regular season, for violating the league's steroid policy. Hardest hit are the Vikings, who lost defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams, two keys for the Vikes' playoff hopes. Minnesota has a one-game lead in the NFC North and will struggle to keep it without the Williams Wall to stop the run. The Williamses obtained a temporary restraining order Wednesday which allows them to practice but does not guarantee they will play on Sunday. The judge in the case is awaiting legal briefs by both sides before making a final ruling. Meanwhile, the Vikings have signed Jimmy Kennedy as an insurance policy. The Saints lost three players, running back Deuce McAllister and defensive ends Charles Grant and Will Smith, but New Orleans is in last place in their division with no realistic playoff hopes. The sixth player is Texans long snapper Bryan...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins

The NFL third-quarter review

By Andrew Strickert | December 4, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Three quarters of the NFL regular season have been played and we head into what should be an exciting fourth quarter. Nineteen teams are in strong contention for postseason play. The Giants, Titans, Cardinals and Broncos each have three-game leads in their divisions and are on the verge of clinching. They'll be jockeying for position in the home stretch for the best seedings. The other four division races are a lot closer. The Steelers, Jets and Vikings each have one-game leads and the NFC South is extremely close. The Panthers and Bucs are tied with 9-3 records and will face each other Monday night, with the Falcons on their heels and only a game behind them at 8-4. Here's a look at the current standings, remaining schedules and the remaining strengths of schedule. AFC division leaders: Tennessee Titans (11-1) Browns, Texans, Steelers, Colts 26-22 (.542) Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3) Cowboys, Ravens,...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins

NFL Power Rankings Week 14: While the West crumbles, the South rises

By Greg Trippiedi | December 3, 2008 | MVN Outsider

The big winner in the NFL this week has to be the Denver Broncos. At an incredibly unimpressive 7-5, the Broncos appear to have the AFC East well in-hand. They upset a pretty overrated Jets squad as the Chargers fell to the Falcons to drop three games back in the division. The Falcons moved to 8-4, which actually puts them at third place in their own division, and still on the outside looking in when talking about the NFC playoff picture. The Chargers play three of their final four games in the division, so they could win out against incredibly poor competition and win the thing, but if the past is any indicator, they'll choke against the Raiders this week, and Mike Shannahan will be able to rest his starters at 7-6.But the MVN Power Rankings are oblivious to all this, and still argue that the Chargers are better than...Read more

Read more | 3 Comments | Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans

Which current NFL players will be in the Hall of Fame?

By Andrew Strickert | November 20, 2008 | MVN Outsider

I'll be fortunate to tell my grandchildren one day that I saw most of the future Hall of Famers listed below. Not on TV, but in person, watching them in games with my binoculars focused on them and observing their actions. Whenever any of them are playing in the NFL stadium closest to you, I hope you'll take advantage of the opportunity to go see them. The primary criteria I used in selecting these players is not how their stats compare to others already in the Hall, but how they compare to their contemporaries. The players who were the best in their era are the most deserving to be inducted one day. This is measured best, in my opinion, by the number of Pro Bowl appearances and first-team All-Pro honors garnered. Please also note that I am measuring these players by their entire body of work. If a player's career ends today, would he be...Read more

Read more | 11 Comments | Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New York Jets, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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