August, September, October, November, December
12/23/01
- [Green Bay Packers] Ahman Green, Cleveland Post-game: RealAudio
- Tyrone Williams, Cleveland Post-game: RealAudio
12/19/01
- Packers sign safety Scott Frost.
- [Green Bay Packers] Scott Frost, on joining the Packers: RealAudio
12/16/01
- Warfield and the KC defense finally comes through with game-winner for Chiefs.
12/12/01
- [MLB] Angels management nixes Erstad deal to Chicago
12/09/01: Week 14
- [Pittsburgh Steelers] Kordell Stewart lends support, experience to Kris Brown
- Play of the Game: Brown's 38-yard field goal
- [Green Bay Packers] Ahman's the man in Green Bay now
- Ahman Green rushed for 102 yds and 2 TD's as the Packers hung on to beat the Lions 29-27: 300k
- Ahman Green, Chicago Post-game: RealAudio
- The Green Bay Packers re-established their supremacy in the NFC Central as Ahman Green runs for 125 yards and a TD in a 17-7 win over the Bears: 300k
12/03/01: Week 13
- [Green Bay Packers] Ahman Green, Jaguars Post-game: RealAudio
- Tyrone Williams, Jaguars Post-game: RealAudio
11/18/01: Week 11
- [Green Bay Packers] Ahman Green, Detriot Post-game: RealAudio
- Tyrone Williams, Detroit Post-game: RealAudio
11/15/01
- [Detroit Lions] Trash or pigskin, Schlesinger hauls it.
11/13/01
- [Arizona Cardinals] Cardinals quarterback Jake Plummer sponsored a charitable fund-raising spaghetti eating contest on November 13. All proceeds benefited Homeward Bound to serve Thanksgiving dinners to the homeless and less fortunate. Plummer was joined by fellow Cardinals Michael Pittman, L.J. Shelton, Terry Hardy, Lester Holmes, Dave Brown, Norberto Davids-Garrido, Frank Sanders, Chris Gedney, David Boston, and former Husker guard Chris Dishman.
11/12/01
- [Pittsburgh Steelers] From Zero To Hero: Brown boots Steelers' OT winner
- Brown finds redemption with five FGs, game-winner
11/11/01: Week 10
- [Green Bay Packers] Green does enough to win against Bears
- [St. Louis Rams] Grant Wistrom lost a touchdown on a fumble recovery against the Lions when the Rams' offense came on the field too quickly and was called for too many players on the field. Wistrom recovered the Charlie Batch fumble and stayed down for a few seconds before a teammate pulled him to his feet because he hadn't been touched. That pause led the offense to think the play was over. Said coach Mike Martz, "The whole coaching staff might have gotten indicted on that one, too, because we were all taking the field. I got pretty excited. I know Lovie got excited. He even fessed up to it. Who knows who the official ran into but the rumor is it might have been a coach."
- [Green Bay Packers] Ahman Green, Chicago Post-game: RealAudio
- [Pittsburgh Steelers] Kris Brown boots 5 FGs against Cleveland: RealVideo
11/10/01
- Brown redeems himself, boots OT winner
11/08/01
- [Pittsburgh Steelers] Kris Brown aiming to boot ghosts.
- NCowher urges Brown to get 'back on bike'.
- [Carolina Panthers] Neck injury might end Jason Peter's career.
- [Oakland Raiders] Raider special teams standout Eric Johnson sustained a broken left leg and is out for the season after undergoing surgery Wednesday. He was one of Oakland's top cover men on kickoff and punt returns. The Raiders will be hard-pressed to replace Johnson's productivity. Randy Jordan, David Dunn and Brandon Jennings will be tried in place of Johnson. None is apt to match Johnson's effectiveness.
- [Philadelphia Eagles] Eagles rookie running back Correll Buckhalter has shown the ability to be an every-down back in the league. Buckhalter has good quickness, hits the hole in a hurry and has good burst. He looked more like a power runner running between the tackles in the preseason, but when given the chances, he has proved he can get to the outside as well. What Buckhalter must work on is becoming more of a complete back. He wasn't asked to catch the ball or block much in college at Nebraska and it shows. He is an average receiver at best, which isn't good enough in Andy Reid's West Coast offense and Buckhalter's blocking must get better as well. He has fixed one bad trait by holding on to the ball better. After three fumbles in his first three games, he has not put the ball on the ground in his past four games.
- [Pittsburgh Steelers] Cowher To Kris Brown: Keep Kicking- RealVideo
11/07/01
- [Packers vs Bears] Ahman Green- Chicago Pre-game: RealAudio
- Mike Brown- Green Bay Pre-game: RealAudio
- [Pittsburgh Steelers] Brown coaches kids to 'never, never give up'.
- Brown ready to move forward.
- Brown receives support from teammates, Cowher
11/06/01
- [Pittsburgh Steelers] Cowher Gives Vote Of Confidence To Brown.
- [Green Bay Packers] Green named Miller Lite Player of the Week.
11/05/01
- Green gets red hot.
11/04/01: Week 9
- [Green Bay Packers] Green has career game.
- [Philadelphia Eagles] Locker room interview with Correll Buckhalter: RealVideo
- [Green Bay Packers] Ahman Green and Mike Brown earn Players of the Week honors: 300k
- Ahman Green had a career day against the Bucs: RealAudio
10/30/01
- [St. Louis Rams] Despite a slow start, defensive end Grant Wistrom is playing at a Pro Bowl level. After recording a career-high three sacks Sunday, Wistrom has five in six games. Many of his sacks come from pure desire -- simply running down quarterbacks. But under the tutelage of line coach Bill Kollar, Wistrom is perfecting his technique. He's using his hands much better, leading to better pass-rush moves.
- [Kansas City Chiefs] Kansas City CB Eric Warfield tantalizes the team with his talent, then frustrates it with his mistakes. Warfield, a good athlete, tends to lose focus. One such error came against the Colts, when he was left one-on-one vs. wide receiver Marvin Harrison. Titan QB Peyton Manning recognized it and audibled to a pump-and-go route. Warfield bit on the first move, and Harrison caught a long TD pass. The team recognizes Warfield, a safety in college, is in his first year as a starter. But he could return to safety if the errors continue.
10/29/01
- [NFL Draft] Mel Kiper: Crouch as NFL running back? Absolutely.
10/28/01: Week 8
- [Chicago Bears] Mike Brown, young Bears making their mark.
- [49ers vs Bears] Last week the 49ers and Bears contest was stretched to overtime; just 38 seconds in Mike grabbed a tipped pass and took it 33 yards to the endzone and a Chicago win. Like last week Chicago went to OT again, this time against Cleveland,and again like last week Mike Brown picked off a tipped pass and ran it 16 yards for a touchdown and another OT win. "If a book was written, I don't think they'd believe it. It just came right to me and fell right into my hands," Brown said. "I don't know what to say. A higher power, luck, destiny, whatever you call it."
- Mike Brown is the toast of the town in Chicago. The Bears scored a late touchdown to force OT in their matchup with the 49ers. In overtime Mike Brown intercepted a pass and took it 33 yards give the Bears the win.
- Chicago S Mike Brown returns an interception in overtime to give the Bears the win: RealVideo 56k | 100k; WindowsMedia 56k | 100k
- [Green Bay Packers] It's obvious that the Packers two biggest offensive playmakers are running back Ahman Green and receiver Bill Schroeder. The coaches should recognize this by now. Green needs to carry the ball at least 20 times a game to give him a chance to have an impact. The offensive line excels in run blocking and needs the opportunity to show it. There's no one more important to Favre's success than Green. When he's running the ball, defenses have to choose whether to focus on Favre or Green. Since they don't want to be run on all day, windows of opportunity open for Favre. Dorsey Levens has not been much of a factor this season, in part because Green is so valuable. He and Green have been playing together on third downs, but given a choice the explosive Green is the favored target.
10/25/01
- [Green Bay Packers] There is not much more the club could ask from Ahman Green. He is running with tremendous power and aggression. He is catching the ball out of the backfield.
10/21/01: Week 7
- [Packers vs Vikings] Ahman Green on the Packers' 35-14 loss to the Vikings: RealAudio
- [Green Bay Packers] Under Mike Sherman, this team has played strictly as an underdog. But when faced with being a front-runner, it couldn't get the job done. The Vikings outplayed them in just about every facet. Sherman has to get back to focusing the offense around running back Ahman Green and putting the onus on his offensive line to win games. Even though he was stymied in the first half, Green ran hard as usual. Then in the second half, after the offense was challenged, he broke three tackles on his way to a 61-yard run. It led to a touchdown and should have set up the team for a comeback. Sherman didn't stick with the run long enough and then got behind and had to abandon it. Green only ran 11 times.
- [San Diego Chargers] Chargers LB Carlos Polk (shoulder injury) was listed as "questionable" last week and practiced some, but Polk sat out his third straight game. Coverage teams miss him. He's a terrific special teams player.
- [Arizona Cardinals] Arizona DE Kyle Vanden Bosch (knee ligament) will miss at least six to eight weeks - and possibly the season. It's a big blow because he's the best defensive lineman on the team. His replacement, Burke, has played fairly well, but there isn't much depth at the position.
- 10/18/01: Locker room interview with Correll Buckhalter: RealVideo
10/14/01: Week 6
- Philly Rookie Correll Buckhalter has jumped in for the injured Duce Staley and has run well, gaining 285 yards in two-plus games. Buckhalter, a fourth-round draft pick, is far from a finished, or complete, player. He is not a real good blocker and is just an average receiver. Staley's return from a shoulder injury, will make for a good duo in the backfield.
- [Chiefs vs Cardinals] Chiefs CB Eric Warfield was in the middle of the action. He generated both of the team's takeaways by forcing two fumbles. But he also yielded a 49-yard pass to David Boston and a 23-yard touchdown to Boston. One of the fumbles was forced out of Joel Makovicka's hands and the other came on a kickoff return.
10/11/01
- [Carolina Panthers] More than usual, strong safety Mike Minter will play a huge role in the Panthers run defense. With the team's problems at linebacker, it's likely Minter will be asked to help even more against the running game.
- [Philadelphia Eagles] Correll Buckhalter has shown the ability to run with 285 yards over the past two-and-a-half games for the Eagles. Buckhalter does need to work on his blocking, and needs to become more efficient in the offense. Still, he has been a find for a fourth-round draft pick.
- [Arizona Cardinals] Kyle Vanden Bosch vows to play against the Bears despite having suffered a high ankle sprain that knocked him out of the Eagles game after he returned a fumble for his first pro touchdown.
"Kyle is different. He's exactly what I wanted when we drafted him (in the second round)," coach Dave McGinnis said. "I love his mindset. He's a football player. He may be a rookie who knows how to be a pro quicker than some of these guys who have been in the league three or four years. He had his foot elevated and ice on it for five hours on the way back from Philly. I walked up to him on the plane and asked how he was doing, and he said, 'Be well Wednesday.' That's about as much as he has said to me since he has been here."
- [Chicago Bears] Mike Brown-- "We expect to win every Sunday, I think sometimes last year we didn't expect to win, we were just hoping to win. We expect to win, and we expect to play well on every down. We handled Atlanta pretty good, pretty much the whole game on the defensive side of the ball. It's a combination of things," Brown said of the new attitude. It's real encouraging when you say we're a young defense and with experience we'll just get better." "Hopefully we can keep the majority of the guys here, but it's a business, so we're thinking this is our year. We're all together this year, so why not go out there and play great ball for 16 games and see what happens?"
10/07/01: Week 5
- NFL Films showcases the explosive Ahman Green: RealVideo
- [Arizona Cardinals] Kyle Vanden Bosch and Joel Makovicka each score a TD as the Cardinals upset the Eagles: 56k | 100k | 300k
09/30/01: Week 4
- [Philadelphia Eagles] RB Correll Buckhalter registered his first career 100-yard rushing game. His 134 yards were the highest total ever for an Eagles rookie, eclipsing the 129 by Steve Van Buren on 11/5/44 vs. the Brooklyn Dodgers. The last time an Eagles rookie broke the 100-yard barrier was Charlie Garner (122) on 10/9/94 vs. Radskins. (From PhiladelphiaEagles.com)
- [Green Bay Packers] Ahman Green, Panther Post-Game: RealAudio
09/27/01
- [Oakland Raiders] Linemen are anonymous. Linemen who serve as long snappers are practically invisible. "My wife, she always kids me," long snapper Adam Treu said. "(She says), 'Your name is never in the (news)paper.' I (said), 'Well, honey, that's good, because if it is, then something happened.'" Something not so good — like a bad snap, a hold, a false start. "I'm used to just being around and having it sort of taken for granted that my job gets done," Robbins said. That is no longer the case because Treu became the starting Raider center when Barret Robbins went down for the year last week with torn ACL and MCL in his right knee. "Hopefully, the transition isn't really noticed," Treu said. (USA Today)
- [Philadelphia Eagles] Eagles rookie RB Correll Buckhalter likely will become the first rookie to start at running back for the Eagles since 1994 when Charlie Garner started a handful of games. Buckhalter will replace Duce Staley, who is out with a shoulder injury. In Andy Reid's West Coast offense, the backs are required to catch and block as well as run, and it appears Buckhalter is adapt at all three. He showed better hands than expected in his first game action last week against Seattle. His toughest assignment will be blitz pickup, but the Cowboys are not a tenacious blitz team, which could ease him into it. Buckhalter has decent speed, but is more of a straight-line power runner who has trouble getting to the outside. Buckhalter will test a Dallas defense that has been better against the run this year. The Cowboys have held backs to a 2.8 yards per carry average in two games.
09/24/01
- [Green Bay Packers] Batman Forever- ABC's Eric Dickerson catches up with Ahman Green following his 116-yard rushing performance; on the Packers' 37-0 win over Washington: 314 k
- Ahman Green on the Packers' 37-0 win over Washington: RealAudio
09/23/01: Week 3
- [Philadelphia Eagles] Another reason Eagles coach Andy Reid would be inclined to give Staley another week off is Correll Buckhalter. The rookie out of Nebraska started in Staley's place Sunday against Dallas and had his second straight solid game. He rushed for 99 yards on 20 carries. "We brought him in with this in mind," Reid said. "It was going to be up to him to step up when he got the opportunity, and that's what he's done. He has the confidence of the players and the coaches." Even when Staley comes back, Reid likely will rest him more, now that Buckhalter has proven he can get the job done. (USAToday)
- In his first NFL start Eagles RB Correll Buckhalter gained 99 yards on 20 carries and had one reception for 9 yards. He also earned the first touchdown of his career. After running into the endzone Bucky was going to celebrate by spiking the ball into the ground- but decided that he'd rather keep the pigskin as a souvenir.
- [Green Bay Packers] For some reason, coach Mike Sherman ignored the running game early, running Ahman Green just three times in 19 plays. Then he smartened up and fed Green the ball. He responded with 116 yards on 25 carries, running with the same speed and power he showed in the opener.
09/21/01
- [Kansas City Chiefs] Newcombe, two others, work out with Chiefs.
- Warfield living the ups and downs of cornerback play.
09/20/01
- [San Diego Chargers] One of the reasons why the the San Diego special teams already seem better than a year ago is the presence of rookie middle linebacker Carlos Polk, who is a rare breed. Polk loves special teams. He loves to tackle and he loves to block. His on-the-field temperament is perfectly suited for the unit. He is young, smart, quick, very strong and a sure tackler. It won't be long before Polk makes a serious run at the starting middle linebacker position.
09/19/01
- [Green Bay Packers] Tyrone Williams on playing after the National Tragedy: RealAudio
- Green named Offensive Player of the Week
09/00/01
- [Green Bay Packers] Ahman Green rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns as the Packers defeated the Lions 28-6: RealVideo
09/09/01
- [Pittsburgh Steelers] Steelers punter Josh Miller was injured when a Jaguar player crashed into him, forcing kicker Kris Brown to punt for the first time since high school.
09/06/01
- [Tennessee Titans] So, just how much did rookie Joe Walker do in training camp? Well, Perry Phenix played in almost every situational package the Titans had on defense, but the Titans traded Phenix to Carolina in order to keep Walker. Walker was an undrafted player out of Nebraska, but he's instinctive and picked up the Titans defense more quickly than any rookie in recent memory. He's backing up Bobby Myers at free safety. Walker can also return punts and kickoffs adding to his value.
- [Oakland Raiders] Adam Treu will take over as the starting center for the Raiders replacing Barret Robbins who suffered a season-ending knee injury. To fill in the now-vacant backup center slot the Raiders picked up Aaron Graham. Graham was origionally signed by Oakland in August to battle Treu for the reserve role- Treu won out and Graham was released on September 3rd. "Here's a guy who played at Nebraska and was a very good player there, who's played in the league and does have experience in the league," Raiders QB Rich Gannon said. "He's done a very, very good job when he's had the chance to play. We'll rally around him and he'll do a good job and we'll go from there. That's all we can do."
- The Raider spotlight was on five-year veteran Adam Treu who was making his first start in the league. Treu had the unenviable task of replacing Pro-Bowler Barret Robbins as the Raiders' center. Treu gave the spotlight nothing to shine on- which is good when you're talking about a center. Head coach Jon Gruden said of Treu: "He'll get a game ball, he did an outstanding job. We needed him to step up today." Oakland QB Rich Gannon didn't have any complaints: "Our communication was excellent. That's about what I expected of him. He's a great athlete and a guy you can count on."
09/00/01
- [Pittsburgh Steelers] Will Blackwell, who remains on the physical unable to perform list, ran long and short pass routes yesterday, catching passes from kicker Kris Brown. Blackwell, though, has not started to practice with the team. Brown, a former high school quarterback in Southlake, Texas, threw the ball 50 yards on the fly.
- [Arizona Cardinals] Offensive lineman Chris Dishman is close friends with the man who authored one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history, Greco-Roman super-heavyweight champion Rulon Gardner. The gold medalist, who defeated previously unbeaten Russian star Alexander Karelin, attended the University of Nebraska with Dishman in 1994. Gardner even tried to earn a spot on the Cornhuskers football team as a walk-on.
"He came out for spring ball one year, defensive line," Dishman said this week. "I remember that you could knock him back, but he would never fall down. He had unbelievable balance. He didn't come back, though, the next fall."
Dishman has stayed in touch with Gardner through the years, but didn't follow how his friend was doing in the Olympics until he was idly channel surfing one night.
Recalled Dishman: "I said, 'That kind of looks like Rulon.' Then I looked in the corner (of the TV screen), and it said, 'Gardner 1, the other guy 0.'
08/29/01
- [Arizona Cardinals] Chris Dishman-- "I immediately called my dad in Nebraska. He follows anything that has to do with Nebraska. It was a huge upset. Rulon is such a nice guy. He's the same guy he was in Nebraska. Plus, we love him because he has the body of one of us linemen. You've got to love the guy." (from CBS Sportsline.com)
- [Cleveland Browns] After being cut by the Jets Scott Frost signs with Browns
08/23/01
- [San Diego Chargers] What Carlos Polk needs to do is ditch that jersey No. 93. It looks out of place at the linebacker position. Polk, though, looks just fine — no matter the digit. Polk remains one of the stars of training camp. The fourth-round pick out of Nebraska has four tackles and a team-high three special teams tackles. This guy has a nasty streak, and the Chargers are thrilled. "Carlos Polk," coach Mike Riley said, before a reporter could finish a question regarding a standout rookie. "Carlos Polk."
- [Arizona Cardinals] Kyle Vanden Bosch continues to make the Arizona coaches giddy. After knocking down a screen pass and running down a back for a short gain on a toss-sweep against Oakland, Vanden Bosch, a second-round pick, caused a fumble against the Seahawks as they were driving toward the goal.
08/22/01
- [New York Giants] The biggest surprise (for the Giants) has been last year's fifth-round pick, Ralph Brown, who is fully recovered from his 2000 kidney injury and has shown his speed and conditioning by winning post-practice sprints among the receivers and defensive backs.
- [Detroit Lions] Raiola adjusts to life in the NFL.
08/21/01
- [Kansas City Chiefs] 08/21/01 - Warfield locked in fight with Bartee for Chiefs cornerback job.
08/19/01
- [Tennessee Titans] 08/19/01 - Safety Joe Walker has leveled off some since a torrid start to training camp, but he makes the right calls and finds his way to the ball. He will get an extensive audition returning punts and kickoffs as well over the next couple weeks and that could certainly help his cause. The former Nebraska safety moves well and has been a fast learner.
08/15/01
- [Arizona Cardinals] Rookie RDE Kyle Vanden Bosch not only ran down RB Randy Jordan, he also got a hand on a flat pass from QB Rich Gannon. Coach Dave McGinnis said Vanden Bosch still needs to improve his pass-rush moves, though.
- [Pittsburgh Steelers] Coach Bill Cowher challenged kicker Kris Brown to "stay right there" and try four field-goal attempts from 47 yards in practice. Brown made all four, which he has been doing most of camp. His leg looks much stronger.
08/14/01
- [San Diego Chargers] Now that veteran John Holecek has signed with the Chargers, maybe rookie fourth-round draft choice Carlos Polk won't start at middle linebacker, nor will incumbent Orlando Ruff. But don't count out Polk. The Nebraska All-American can move around, looks every bit the part of a middle linebacker and continues to impress. He has from day one. One thing Polk brings to the table is something we haven't seen from San Diego defenders in years: A knack of stripping the ball. Polk has caused numerous fumbles in drills. Another plus is that Polk loves to play special teams and the team is in desperate need of people who really want to.
- [New York Giants] Assuming rookies Will Allen (1st round pick) and Will Peterson pan out, second-year man Ralph Brown could be the sixth man on a deep list at cornerback. But Brown has proven he has recovered from last season's lacerated kidney, and is ready to contribute as a role player and special teams player. Brown is in excellent condition and usually wins among receivers and defensive backs in post-practice sprints.
08/06/01
- [Tampa Bay Buccaneers] There's no slowing Bucs' Mr. Excitement Monte Kiffin.
08/04/01
- [Arizona Cardinals] Rookie DE Kyle Vanden Bosch had a sack and was 'a force against the run.' "Kyle is not worried about endorsements or what kind of car deal he has," head coach McGinnis said. "He's here to play football." (From FootballInsider.com)
08/03/01
- [Buffalo Bills] Rookie free agent WR Matt Davison of Nebraska left camp earlier today. He has been hampered by a pulled quadriceps and was evaluating his future, though the team has not officially released him. (Associated Press )
08/02/01
- [Arizona Cardinals] Newly signed defensive end Jared Tomich said he struggled through the last of his four seasons with New Orleans because he was moved from end to tackle and because he was playing behind La'Roi Glover. "He had a breakout year," Tomich said. "Taking a play away from him was like taking a steak away from a hungry dog." Tomich, who signed two days before the opening of camp, is working with the third team while acclimating. By the opener, he is expected to be a central figure at left end, where Andre Wadsworth played the past three years.
- [Carolina Panthers] Rucker visited children at hospital and "cyber chat" with New Orleans Saints players and children at the Big Easy Children's Hospital of New Orleans on the Stephen Spielberg's StarBright hospital computer system.
- [Green Bay Packers] Who knows? One day when both their football careers are finished, the cruisin' (Packers DT) McKenzie may dial up his car radio and hear a crooning Steve Warren, the Packers' rookie defensive tackle.
Warren has been in high demand the past few years as a one-man solo act for weddings. He was approached before the season by Packers public relations director Lee Remmel about singing the national anthem prior to a game. Warren politely declined, as he did with similar overtures in college at the University of Nebraska.
"I told them the only way I would do it is if it's pre-recorded," Warren said. "It would be too much to do getting ready for the game. It's a distraction."
Then again, it's one example of how a professional football player can escape the game for a while. (Green Bay News Chronicle)
- [Buffalo Bills] The Bills moved Sheldon Jackson to FB in 2000 to try to utilize his blocking skills. The 'experiment' didn't work out the way the Bills had hoped and Jackson moved back to TE.
08/01/01
- [Arizona Cardinals] Vanden Bosch, youthful defensive linemen give Cards cause for hope.