09/30/06
- [Tampa Bay Buccaneers] Ruud Misses Mother's Influence
- Catching up with Bruce Mathison
- Rulon Gardner audio interview now available on TransWorldNews
09/28/06
- [New Orleans Saints] Quick Chemistry for Saints Linebackers (Shanle)
- [CFL] DeAngelis put stamp(s) on Argos
- [CFL] Sandro DeAngelis won the special teams player of the week award after kicking six field goals against Toronto. (Calgary Sun)
- [Kansas City Chiefs] Q&A with G Will Shields
09/27/06
- [Detroit Lions] Lions Captains are on alert (Raiola)
- [New York Jets] The Jets released DE/LB Trevor Johnson. Johnson was on the team's inactive list in each of the first three games.
- [Denver Broncos] The Broncos worked out six defensive backs, including Jerrell Pippens. (Denver Post)
09/26/06
- [Green Bay Packers] RB Ahman Green eclipsed the 10,000 yards from scrimmage milestone after totaling 131 yards (63 rushing, 68 receiving) during Week 3. Green now has 10,122 yards from scrimmage for his career. In addition, Green surpassed former Packers RB Jim Taylor for second place on the Packers' all-time list with 9,791 yards. Green is just 111 yards shy from former WR James Lofton in becoming the franchise's all-time leader in scrimmage yards. (Packers.com, KFFL)
- [Cleveland Browns] Apparently the position in the Browns defense to “pick” on is the nickle back. Ralph Brown got a reprieve by starting at cornerback Sunday and the latest victim became Daven Holly. If you didn’t know who #39 for the Browns was at the start of the game, you certainly did by the finish.
- Week 3: Stats, Pictures & Stories
09/24/06
- [CFL] DeAngelis boots Stamps past Argos
- [Baltimore Ravens] The Baltimore Ravens' biggest injury question mark heading into Sunday's football game against the Cleveland Browns is running back Musa Smith, the primary backup to starter Jamal Lewis... If Smith is deactivated, Baltimore could active rookie runners Cory Ross or P. J. Daniels for the first time this season. (RavensInsider)
09/23/06
- Warfield: 'As for now football is over'
- [Tampa Bay Buccaneers] Injuries may push Ruud back into starting lineup
- [New Orleans Saints] Bullocks remains a fan of New Orleans
09/22/06
- [Cleveland Browns] Brown doesn't feel cornered
- [New Orleans Saints] CB DeJuan Groce missed a second straight game last week because of a hamstring injury, but also was removed from this week's injury report. (TheNewsStar.com)
- [Green Bay Packers] Green injures hamstring
- Ottey backs Jones in doping row
- Ottey not ready to quit yet
09/22/06
- [Cleveland Browns] Brown doesn't feel cornered
- [New Orleans Saints] CB DeJuan Groce missed a second straight game last week because of a hamstring injury, but also was removed from this week's injury report. (TheNewsStar.com)
- [Green Bay Packers] Green injures hamstring
- Ottey backs Jones in doping row
- Ottey not ready to quit yet
09/21/06
- [Carolina Panthers] Minter, Rucker support HGH testing
- [Oakland Raiders] Cornerback Fabian Washington returned to practice after missing a day with a hamstring injury. (SF Chron)
- [Cleveland Browns] Three Browns have been on same secondary page for years (Ralph Brown)
- [St. Louis Rams] Richie Incognito made his first career start at center last week after Andy McCollum sustained a season-ending knee injury. Incognito moved from left guard and is likely to stay at center for the rest of the season. (NFL.com)
- [Detroit Lions] Daniel Bullocks ready for first start
09/20/06
- [Baltimore Ravens] Rookies in search of home:
For the Ravens' rookies, their rationale for buying or renting is as varied as the positions they play. Punter Sam Koch bought a house big enough for his wife, Nikki, and their three children. And undrafted running back Cory Ross is still living in the team hotel, but he intends to move into an apartment in a week or two.
- [Tennessee Titans] Vanden Bosch' wife helps with benefit for T.J. Martell Foundation
- [] Lions' S Kenoy Kennedy will not play against the Packers becuase of a foot injury and it is unknown how many games he may miss. Kennedy will be replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Daniel Bullocks. (AP)
09/19/06
- [CFL] Top CFL Safety Miles suffers from dyslexia
- [] Chatting With...Stampeders PK Sandro DeAngelis
- Week 2: Stats, Pictures & Stories
09/18/06
- [Minors] Q&A with Adam Stern
09/17/06
- [Detroit Lions] Rookie second-round draft pick Daniel Bullocks replaced the injured Kennedy and had six tackles. (MLive.com)
- [Baltimore Ravens] From Baltimore Sun blogger Ray Frager-- "What is it with the Ravens names and CBS pronunciations? This week, play-by-play man Gus Johnson said punter Sam Koch's last name as 'kotch' instead of the correct 'cook'. (BaltimoreSun.com)
The mispronunciation is nothing compared to the mistake made during a preseason game when an announcer noted that Koch had graduated from "Seward College in Nebraska".
- [St. Louis Rams] Incognito in Rams' new world
09/16/06
- [St. Louis Rams] Incognito will start at center to replace injured McCullum
- [CFL] DeAngelis kicks five field goals in Stamps win
09/15/06
- [CFL] An unusual edge: Barron Miles has an uncanny ability to read plays
- [Green Bay Packers] Packers: Strong start for Green
09/14/06
- [Carolina Panthers] Rucker: Ready to regroup
- [Carolina Panthers] Video- Wistrom on the Seahawks home opener against Arizona
09/13/06
- [St. Louis Rams] Incognito Could Take Center Stage
- [MLB] Morris thanks Midland for help in cancer fight
09/12/06
- [Detroit Lions] Eight Seahawks players did not take part in the running drills, including DE Grant Wistrom and SS Michael Boulware.
Boulware got his sore shoulder courtesy of Cory Schlesinger, the Lions' 247-pound fullback. "He's a load," Boulware said. "Usually when I hit most people, they give a little bit. But hitting him was like hitting a brick wall. It was amazing, and kind of scary, too." (SeattlePI.com)
- [MLB] Erstad not into farewells
- Craig will join the Sea of Red in LA
09/11/06
- [Green Bay Packers] Green's play lone highlight for offense
- [Philadelphia Eagles] Buckhalter isn't any worry to Reid
- [MLB] Drew Anderson Called Up To Majors
- [Cincinnati Bengals] The Bengals had an average drive start at the 47 yard line, but head coach Marvin Lewis saw room for improvement-- "Kyle (Larson) gave us two opportunities to get that ball inside the five yard line, and we’ve got to get that ball downed there." (Bengals.com)
- [Oakland Raiders] It was with one eye on the Chargers that coach Art Shell moved Corey Hulsey to center when Jake Grove suffered a shoulder injury Aug. 22. Oakland has lost the last five games to San Diego and have been unable to make any headway running the ball.
The center in those five games was Adam Treu, a capable veteran who possesses solid technique and intelligence but is not endowed with brute strength. The last time the Raiders beat the Chargers, in the first game of the 2003 season, the center was the more powerful Barret Robbins.
Hulsey, at 6-4 and 324 pounds, is an inch shorter and 25 pounds heavier than Treu, with the theory being he would have a better chance at getting leverage and battling Jamal Williams on more even terms.
To be fair, Treu isn't the only center who has had difficulty moving Williams. Oakland was only one of three teams the Chargers held to under 40 yards rushing in a game en route to a league-best figure of 84.3 yards per game in rushing defense. (InsideBayArea.com)
- Week 1: Stats, Pictures & Stories
09/10/06
- [MLB] Erstad a shrining example
- [MLB] Erstad Influence
- [Detroit Lions] Fan Talk: Some love for Cory Schlesinger
- [New England Patriots] LeKevin Smith (formerly #65) changed his number to #90.
- [Cleveland Browns] Ralph Brown (formerly #41) changed his number to #20.
09/09/06
- [Chicago Bears] Bears Pick Team Captains for 2006: Mike Brown
- [Kansas City Chiefs] Bengals' QB Carson Palmer ranked the Bengals' offensive line as the best in the NFL since the Chiefs lost some key players.
"I think we slide right into the spot where they were," Palmer said of the Bengals' offensive line. "They've been banged up. (Left tackle) Will Shields retired. Everyone probably considered them the top or one of the top, and now our offensive line slides right into that spot."
In fact, Chiefs left tackle Willie Roaf retired this off-season. Right guard Will Shields will start his 208th consecutive game Sunday, the 2nd longest active streak in the NFL behind Brett Favre. (Cincinnati Enquirer, Blue Springs Examiner)
09/08/06
- [New England Patriots] DL Le Kevin Smith (undisclosed) wore a red, non-contact jersey for the second consecutive day (Thurs/Fri). (KFFL)
- [Tennessee Titans] DE Kyle Vanden Bosch was voted as a team captain by his teammates. (Tennesseean,KFFL)
- [New Orleans Saints] CB DeJuan Groce (hamstring) will likely be a game-time decision Week 1, and remains listed as questionable. (KFFL)
- [St. Louis Rams] After series of setbacks, Incognito gets chance
- [Detroit Lions] Lions' Schlesinger, Hawks' Strong are retro fullbacks
- [Seattle Seahawks] Mechanic Work: Josh Brown
- [CFL] Barron has many Miles left
- [Green Bay Packers] Green's return leaves the defense guessing
- Tomich's foundation provides support for families
09/07/06
- [Atlanta Falcons] Falcons shuffle linebackers- Demorrio will start
- LB Edgerton Hartwell (knee) is likely out until Week 4. LB Demorrio Williams will start with LB Keith Brooking moving to outside linebacker.
- [Chicago Bears] Mike Brown expected to play Sunday
- [Carolina Panthers] Super Bowl or bust for Panthers (Minter, Rucker)
- [Carolina Panthers] Minter named as Panthers captain
09/06/06
- [New York Jets ] The Jets re-signed Titus Adams to their practice squad. (KFFL)
- [New Orleans Saints] CB DeJuan Groce (hamstring) practiced Wednesday but is questionable to play Week 1. (KFFL)
- [Tampa Bay Buccaneers] LB Barrett Ruud would likely start at MLB in Week 1 if MLB Shelton Quarles (groin) cannot play. (Tampa Tribune,KFFL)
- [Tennessee Titans] Vanden Bosch adds more moves to pass rushing arsenal
- [Green Bay Packers] Packers need Green to succeed
- [Detroit Lions] SeattlePI.com tabbed Cory Schlesinger as their week 1 opponent's "Unsung hero"--
"Just call him the Mack Strong of the Midwest. Schlesinger is in his 12th season as Lions fullback and, like his Seahawks counterpart, is still going strong -- despite the now annual concerns that he is getting too old and losing his agility. The best path for running back Kevin Jones to follow is still the one being cleared by No. 30."
- [Coaches] Absegami (high school), under former NFL linebacker Doug Colman, has proven to be one of the top teams in South Jersey. The Braves were in the South Jersey Group IV final last season. (TheHammontonNews.com)
- [Cleveland Browns] Journeyman Ralph Brown, who signed with the Browns on Aug. 6, will be the nickelback in place of the injured Daylon McCutcheon and could see a lot of Reggie Bush across the line in the slot.
"I’m not worried. This is my seventh year, that’s a rookie, he’s human," Brown said. "I don’t think anybody’s scared of him. We know he’s a talented player, we know his speed, know what he can do. If we study film and do our job, there shouldn’t be too much we should have to worry about." (ChronicleT.com)
09/05/06
- [Cleveland Browns] The Browns signed several veterans to try to plug holes and gave yet another chance to second year man Antonio Perkins. None of the options worked out very well. The Browns settled on Ralph Brown as the least of the evils as the #4 corner, but with McCutcheon unlikely to return in week 1, Brown will likely see playing time. (TheOBR.com)
- [Green Bay Packers] 'Green' fits in Green Bay
- [Tennessee Titans] Vanden Bosch adds more moves to pass rushing arsenal
09/04/06
- [Chicago Bears] SS Mike Brown (Achilles') returned to practice Monday, Sept. 4, and is expected to start Week 1. (KFFL)
- [Atlanta Falcons] LB Edgerton Hartwell (knee) is out for the Week 1 game, but will practice this week. LB Demorrio Williams will start in his place.(KFFL)
- [MLB] Johnson's grand slam highlights A's 10-1 victory
- [Detroit Lions] Five captains shall lead the Lions (Raiola)
09/03/06
- [New Orleans Saints] Dejuan Groce wasn't a free agent for long. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints within a day of his release from the Rams.
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- [CFL] Miles ahead of others: Safety has reinvented the position in twilight of his career
09/02/06
- Big surprises from NFL's cut downs included a few former starters: Toniu Fonoti, Buccaneers; Dejuan Groce, Rams; Jay Foreman, Saints; Mike Erickson, Titans; Aaron Golliday, Chiefs; and Titus Adams, Jets.
Ravens RB Cory Ross was not among the final cuts and made the 53-man roster as a return man, as did fellow Ravens rookie P Sam Koch.
- [St. Louis Rams] Injury played role in Groce' release
- [CFL] Miles goes from castoff to treasure
- [St. Louis Rams] Head Coach Scott Linehan on depth being the reason CB DeJuan Groce was cut-- "No question. We’ve added some real quality depth to our secondary. We needed to. The battles were very good there. DeJuan did a nice job for us. I think he had an interception early in the preseason, I think I might have even been the Indianapolis game, but he did a nice job for us. Had a little set back with the hamstring injury, and that held him back some. It didn’t allow him to stay in that mode he was in as far as competing, but that was another tough one. It hampered him being able to help possibly making the team as a specialist because he was never 100 percent healthy after he got that hamstring injury in training camp." (StLouisRams.com)
- [Kansas City Chiefs] Shields remains on guard for KC
- Preseason Week 1: Stats, Pictures & Stories
09/01/06
- [CFL] Barron Miles, hungry Lion, lies in waiting for pal Calvillo
- [Baltimore Ravens] Rookie Sam Koch, the team’s sixth-round draft pick from Nebraska, pretty much has a stranglehold on the punting job. He boomed a 58-yard punt down to the Redskins’ 12-yard line on his first try. Koch averaged 52.3 yards on four punts in the first half.
It’s regarded as a forgone conclusion that Koch will win the job and that the Ravens will release veteran Leo Araguz. Koch's ability to kick off, too, could alleviate the need for kickoff specialist Aaron Elling. (RavensInsider.com)
- [Baltimore Ravens] ...Sam Koch has clearly outperformed veteran Leo Araguz. The sixth-round draft pick from Nebraska averaged 45.1 yards on 16 punts compared to Araguz’ output of a 37.7 average on 16 punts. Besides his hang-time, Koch also proved to be capable on kickoffs.
"I thought I did really well," Koch said. "It comes down to someone else’s decision and hopefully I put some trust in their minds." Against the Redskins, Koch averaged 52.2 yards on four punts while Araguz averaged 34 yards on three punts.
"He’s consistently shown a lot," Billick said of Koch, who also kicked off three times without incident at FedEx Field. "The ability to do both is a big asset." Koch and his family want to make their residence in Westminster, where they’re currently renting a house, a permanent one.
"We’ll probably keep on renting for now," Koch said. "But there’s always the possibility of buying a home if everything goes right. I'm very optimistic." (Ravens24x7.com)
- [New Orleans Saints] Jay Foreman started at middle linebacker against the Chiefs ahead of Alfred Fincher and, for the second straight game, Scott Shanle started at right outside linebacker ahead of Colby Bockwoldt. (NOLA.com)
- Update: The starting nod's from the Saints were for naught, Foreman was among those released by the Saints.
- [New England Patriots] Warfield among Patriots' cuts