Ben Maller's NFL rumors
by FOXSports.com
LB Colvin returns to Patriots
Linebacker Rosevelt Colvin inked a one-year contract with the Patriots this morning, according to a league source. Colvin, who played for the Patriots from 2003-2007, has been out of football this season after being cut by the Houston Texans at the end of training camp. He addresses a need at outside linebacker, where the Patriots have been without Adalius Thomas (forearm) and also had Pierre Woods leave Sunday's loss to the Steelers in the third quarter with a mouth injury. -- Boston Globe
Attorney 'confident' New York Giants' Pierce will be cleared of wrongdoing
Antonio Pierce didn't stop to talk to reporters outside Giants Stadium Tuesday, but the Giants linebacker will speak with authorities soon, according to his lawyer. Michael Bachner said his office has been in communication with the New York Police Department and the New York County District Attorney's Office to schedule a time for them to interview Pierce, who is under investigation by police for his role in teammate Plaxico Burress' accidental shooting of himself in the thigh early Saturday morning in New York. "It is our intention to cooperate fully in their investigation," Bachner said. "We'll continue to do everything in that regard." Police believe that Pierce put Burress' weapon, a .40-caliber Glock, in his Cadillac Escalade after the shooting at the Latin Quarter, a nightclub and restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, and held it at his home. Someone later retrieved the gun and brought it to Burress' house, according to Paul Browne, NYPD deputy commissioner of Public Information. As of Tuesday afternoon, Browne hadn't yet heard of plans for Pierce to meet with authorities, but reiterated that police need to hear his account of the night. Because the investigation is still in the information-gathering phase, Browne declined to comment on what charges, if any, Pierce could face. "I'm not going to speculate on what may or may not have been a violation" of the law, Browne said. "We want to talk to him about any information he may have to shed on events that transpired." -- Newark Star-Ledger
Vikings Pat and Kevin Williams will sue NFL over four-game suspension
The NFL announced that Pat Williams and Kevin Williams were among six players suspended four games each without pay, effective immediately, for violating "a longstanding provision of the policy relating to the use of diuretics and water pills, which serve as masking agents for steroids and are potentially dangerous to the health of players." The players were not available for comment Tuesday, and the Vikings issued a statement that said they are "very disappointed" in the league's decision. An attorney representing the Williamses said Tuesday night that he will file legal action on their behalf today. "The players will take proactive steps to correct a harm suffered as a result of actions by the league and its arbitrary and inequitable administration of the program," said Peter Ginsberg, a New York-based partner at Crowell and Moring, an international law firm. "Neither Pat nor Kevin has ever used steroids and do not warrant this kind of treatment." Ginsberg said he is representing several players but would only confirm the Williamses to the Pioneer Press. -- St. Paul Pioneer Press
Six suspended players to apply for an injunction in U.S. District Court
The situation involving Vikings defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams, along with the four other players suspended today by the NFL for violating the league's steroid policy, isn't over. According to a people with knowledge of the situation, all six will apply for an injunction in U.S. District Court on Wednesday. This action has been expected since news first broke that a group of players faced four-game bans for using a diuretic that can serve as a masking agent for steroids. -- Star Tribune
QB Matt Schaub ready for Texans return
The Texans are planning for quarterback Matt Schaub to return to the starting lineup when they play at Green Bay on Sunday. Schaub, who suffered a torn medial collateral ligament on Nov. 2 at Minnesota, made so much progress last week that he was able to back up Sage Rosenfels in Monday's 30-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. "If everything goes OK this week, then expectations are that he goes back into his role as our starter," coach Gary Kubiak said . "All indications are that he'll be fine, but let's wait and see how he works this week." Schaub was injured when Vikings defensive end Jared Allen hit him low twice. The NFL fined Allen $50,000 for the hits. There's no way to know for sure how Schaub's left knee will respond to being hit until it actually happens. -- Houston Chronicle
Falcons' Jackson suspension still pending
Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jackson's appeal of his four-game suspension remains pending before the NFL office, which has requested further information, according to league spokesman Greg Aiello. "Attorney Jeff Pash has informed him and his representatives that his case is still pending," Aiello said. Aiello said that the league would decide Jackson's appeal "as soon as possible." The Falcons are 8-4 and in the thick of the NFC playoff race. With four games left in the season, Jackson could be in danger of missing a round of the playoffs if his case is not decided before Sunday's game with the Saints. "Suspensions are served when they are decided and would include playoff games if applicable," Aiello said. -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Patriots coaches respond to Seymour's gripe
On Monday, Patriots defensive lineman Richard Seymour expressed his disagreement with the decision of the New England coaching staff not to have him on the field for every third-down play. In their conference calls with media yesterday, head coach Bill Belichick and defensive coordinator Dean Pees were asked about Seymour's comments and his lobbying for more playing time. Just as Seymour said he respects the decision of the staff, Belichick said he respects Seymour's stance. "I think all the players want to play and contribute," he said. "I have that conversation with players every week. (But) I respect that. That's why you prepare and compete for this game -- to play it and play well. I respect that from all the players. But at the same time, I try to take everything into consideration and try to put the team out there that we feel like has the best chance. "I know the players all understand that. They may not agree with every single thing, but they understand that." -- Providence Journal
Eagles coach Reid should follow NFL lead, stop being GM
Bill Belichick, Mike Shanahan and Andy Reid are the only three NFL head coaches who still have final say over all of their organization's personnel decisions. With the Eagles precariously close to missing the playoffs for the third time in the last 4 years, many people, including moi, think that number needs to be reduced to two. Of course, my opinion and your opinion don't mean squat. The only opinions that matter belong to Lurie and club president Joe Banner. If you read body language and anonymous quotes, their faith in coach Andy doesn't appear to have wavered. As for whether their faith in GM Andy has, well, that's a little harder to ascertain at the moment. This much is clear: Despite the Patriots' three Super Bowl titles under Belichick, the era of the monarch coach in the NFL appears to be over. Most of the league's teams have returned to a two-tiered setup in which the coach coaches and somebody else makes personnel decisions, although usually with considerable input from the coach. -- Philadelphia Daily News
Former Bucs QB Gradkowski lands with Browns
Cleveland signed former University of Toledo and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Bruce Gradkowski. Gradkowksi, 25, was a sixth-round draft choice of Tampa Bay in 2006. He made 11 starts as a rookie and appeared in 17 games overall in '06 and '07. Gradkowski was waived by Tampa Bay in June, claimed by St. Louis and waived by the Rams at the final roster cutdown on Aug. 31. He has been out of football since. At Toledo, Gradkowski became the first quarterback in NCAA Division I history to complete more than 70 percent of his passes in consecutive seasons. His 68.2 career completion percentage broke the Division I record set by former Browns quarterback Tim Couch at Kentucky. Gradkowski is a Pittsburgh native who shattered schoolboy passing records in the area held by Pro Football Hall of Famers George Blanda, Joe Namath, Joe Montana and Dan Marino. -- Cleveland Plain Dealer
Doc who treated Giants Plaxico Burress suspended
The doctor who helped treat Giants star Plaxico Burress' self-inflicted gunshot wound was mysteriously summoned to the hospital in the middle of the night - and has been suspended for failing to alert police and signing off on medical papers identifying him by a phony name, sources said yesterday. Dr. Josyann Abisaab, 44, does not work directly for New York-Cornell Hospital but is affiliated with the facility. Not long after Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg at the Latin Quarter nightclub, investigators say, she was called at home and asked to come to the hospital to meet him there. Investigators are not sure who made the mysterious call. But the Giants vice president of medical services, Ronnie Barnes, told detectives he received a call from Burress and teammate Antonio Pierce after the shooting and he told them to go to that hospital. Barnes, too, went to the hospital and met the players there. He did not tell investigators if he had called Abisaab. Cops and prosecutors are now weighing whether to bring charges against anyone who was obligated under state law to alert police about Burress' gunshot wound. -- NY Post
Burress' career with the Giants most likely is over
By placing Plaxico Burress on the non-football injury list, they can avoid paying him the $823,529 remaining on his $3.5-million salary for this season. Burress will not be eligible to return to the Giants until next season, by which time he could be serving a prison sentence for his violations of New York gun laws. Even without a conviction there, several Giants officials have speculated in recent days that Burress' career with the Giants most likely is over. The Giants expect to fill Burress' roster spot today. They'll likely promote wide receiver Taye Biddle from the practice squad. Domenik Hixon has taken Burress' starting job in the games Burress has missed this season due to injury or suspension. -- Newsday
Jets coach Mangini feeling pressure for big finish?
The biggest question, though, is about their head coach: Just how good is Eric Mangini? We're nearly three seasons into the Mangini Era, and the answer is still hard to find. Mangini is 22-22 as the Jets' coach, not including his one playoff loss. He is the definition of mediocrity - exactly .500. The first-year success that earned him the handle "Mangenius" and a trip to the playoffs was canceled by last year's 4-12 disaster. This season, Mangini has mixed big victories with perplexing losses to craft a resume that would not have suitors lining up at his door. Next month will mark three years from when Woody Johnson plucked Mangini from Bill Belichick's staff. The most memorable moments of Mangini's time in New York have been his dinner with Tony Soprano and a couple of dead-fish handshakes with Belichick. But Mangini has a chance in these final four weeks of the regular season and into the playoffs to show what he's capable of. -- NY Post
Packers punter search continuing
The Green Bay Packers did not sign a punter Tuesday and chances are they won't have a replacement for recently released Derrick Frost ready for practice until Thursday. Their personnel staff worked out free agents Paul Ernster and Jeremy Kapinos and they are scheduled to work out Durant Brooks and Danny Baugher today. It is expected that they will chose from those four. General manager Ted Thompson said it wasn't essential that the new punter take part in practice today. Most of the punt coverage work is done on Thursday. According to a source close to one of the punters, the 6-foot-1, 235-pound Kapinos punted better than Ernster and impressed Packers officials. Kapinos, who played at Penn State, has punted in one NFL game, averaging a respectable 41.6 yards gross and 36.4 net on five attempts for the New York Jets. -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
NFL defends Wes Welker hit
It looked bad and surely it felt worse, but Ryan Clark's explosive hit on Wes Welker on Sunday was neither illegal nor unnecessary. It was a consequence of what pro football is and what Welker has done to opposing teams the past few seasons. Most importantly, it was within the rules. When the Steelers free safety all but split the tiny wide receiver in half as he ran across the face of Pittsburgh's defense, it felt like you could hear the collision in the stands. It looked even worse on television as a slowing Welker was leveled by a speeding bullet who threw his shoulder into the receiver's body as Matt Cassel's errant pass twisted in the air behind him. It was gruesome, yet Patriots fans and radio talk show hosts who chattered on about how Clark "launched himself" at Welker, leaving his feet and throwing his shoulder illegally, are wrong. They, like Donovan McNabb, do not know the rules. "A lot of people think it's a foul to leave your feet," NFL vice president of officiating Mike Pereira said yesterday from New York. "Launching is not a foul. There is nothing in the rulebook that states that at all. It's a misconception people have. "It is a foul to hit with your helmet against a defenseless receiver. It is a foul to throw a forearm into the neck or head area of your opponent. I don't think either of those things happened. I'm not a fan of those high hits but if you do it with your shoulder you're OK." -- Boston Herald
Skins Campbell: I hear criticism
The Redskins' performance, particularly a lack of scoring by the offense, has stirred more criticism of Jason Campbell, who acknowledged this week that "you can't help but hear it when it's out there like it is now." "You try not to listen to it, try to just stay away from all the negativity, but it's all over the place," he said. "But I know who I am and how hard I work. You always have to remember that. You can't let outside people get you down when they really don't know what's going on." -- Washington Post
Will Norv Turner return to Chargers in '09?
Bodog.com, which last week listed Norv Turner as an even-money proposition to return as the Chargers' head coach in 2009, has since adjusted its odds (slightly) to reflect an influx of wagers influenced by the adamant support of Dean Spanos and A.J. Smith. Now, you must lay $120 to win $100 on Turner surviving. Disclaimer: Money moves the line, but it's not always the smart money. "Although A.J. Smith has publicly stated that Turner's job is not in jeopardy, we firmly believe that someone will lose their job in regards to this season and we believe that to be Turner," said Richard Gardner, Bodog's sportsbook manager. "A.J. Smith may have to remove Turner, if only to save his own job, as surely management will question some of the moves he made this season . . . If it comes down to it, Turner could take the fall for some of Smith's failures." -- San Diego Union-Tribune
Saints Shockey still looking for first touchdown
Veteran Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey has played nine games for the New Orleans Saints this season and is still looking for his first touchdown. That's his longest absence from the end zone since his rookie year in 2002. Shockey has the most receptions in the NFC this season (39) without a touchdown. Only Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew has caught more passes (43) in the NFL this season without reaching the end zone. Counting last season with the New York Giants, Shockey has now gone 15 consecutive games without a touchdown -- Dallas Morning News
Cowboys Romo's mobility could be crucial
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has tried to be judicious this season when faced with the choice of staying in the pocket or throwing on the run. "The reality is some games you have to move around," Romo said. "Some games you have enough pocket. It's not always a benefit to move around just because sometimes that's when turnovers can happen. You have to be subjective and know the time and place to do it." With the Pittsburgh Steelers leading the NFL in sacks with 42, it would seem Sunday at Heinz Field would be the perfect time and place for Romo to show off his quick feet and agility. -- San Antonio Express-News
Steelers are NFL's best home team this decade
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the NFL's best home teams this decade with a 49-20-1 record. That includes a 13-3-1 mark against NFC teams at Heinz Field. The Cowboys won in their last two visits to Pittsburgh, but those games were played in the 1990s at Three Rivers Stadium. -- Dallas Morning News
NFL a ratings winner again for CBS
With over forty minutes of NFL overrun, CBS easily took the night in terms of viewers, and football ruled the 18-49 and 18-34 demos too, but that was for NBC's Sunday Night Football matchup(Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings). There will be some delays with posting a show data table (sorry) but due to the overrun, the CBS show data is completely horked anyway. -- TVByTheNumbers.com
Steelers could be even better on Field Turf?
I think the speed of the Pittsburgh defense is amazing, and playing on Field Turf only enhances it. Given how fast the Steelers played, Coach Mike Tomlin is probably telling Dan Rooney to consider putting it down in Heinz Field. -- National Football Post
Eagles McNabb & wife have twins (boy & girl)
Congrats to Donovan McNabb and wife Roxie, who welcomed twins early yesterday. As NBC 10's John Clark was first to report, the babies, who have a 4-year-old sister, Alexis, are a boy and a girl. No names or birth weights are yet revealed, but McNabb is expected to discuss the happy news today at his regular weekly press conference. Reached yesterday, McNabb's spokesman Rich Burg declined to comment on the bundles of joy. -- Philadelphia Daily News
Favre remains a ratings hit in Wisconsin
Brett Favre interest was strong among local television viewers last Sunday. How strong? The audience for the Denver Broncos at New York Jets telecast late Sunday afternoon was bigger than the audience for the Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings telecast Sunday night. The Bears-Vikings game was for the lead in the NFC North Division, the Packers' division. Broncos at Jets on WDJT-TV (Channel 58) had a rating of 17.5 or 158,436 households. Bears at Vikings on WTMJ-TV (Channel 4) had a rating of 15.3 or 138,518 households, the highest-rated show in primetime on local TV Sunday night.-- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Plaxico Burress song
Plaxico Burress shooting himself has inspired a new song from sports music guru Ryan Parker. "With or Without You Plaxico," is all about Plax big mistake at the club in Manhattan. -- RyanParkerSongs.com
Vikes could get NFL flex treatment again
After Adrian Peterson's highlight performance for the Vikings against Chicago on Sunday night on NBC, don't be surprised if the Vikings-Atlanta game Dec. 21 at the Dome is moved from noon to evening as part of the NFL's flex schedule. That could depend, too, on how the Vikings play without Pro Bowl defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams. -- Pioneer Press
Chiefs rookies dance with seniors
Members of the Kansas City Chiefs Rookie Club, including Branden Albert and kicker Connor Barth, made a visit Tuesday to the Don Bosco Senior Center in Kansas City where many of the players took to the dance floor with the senior citizens to learn the merengue. In addition to the dancing, the players played cards and signed autographs. -- KC Star
Warren Sapp quite gracious to fans in Philly
Dancing With the Stars" runner-up Warren Sapp dined a couple of nights back at Mel's (201 Jefferson) in Belmont Hills. The former NFL star is in town weekly working on "Inside the NFL," which tapes in the area. Sapp ate at the bar at Mel's and was quite gracious to customers who lined up to take pictures with him. -- Philadelphia Daily News
Who Knew?
Of the 99 teams that have been scheduled three-game road trips since 1990, 66 managed to win one game or less. Traveling three consecutive weeks takes a toll. It's a competitive disadvantage to the traveling team. -- Dallas Morning News
Did You Know?
In games against the NFL's three heaviest offensive lines, the Seahawks averaged 0.7 sacks. In all other games, they have averaged 2.7. -- Seattle Times
How About That?
Eighteen of the 43 Super Bowl champions went unbeaten in the final month of the regular season and 16 more suffered just one loss. Only three teams survived a losing December to capture the Lombardi Trophy: the 1967 Green Bay Packers (1-2), 1997 Denver Broncos (1-2) and 2006 Indianapolis Colts (2-3). -- Dallas Morning News
Who Knew?
The Redskins have scored four offensive touchdowns in their last four games, and are among only three teams -- the Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals are others -- without a 30-point game. -- Washington Post
Did You Know?
The Chargers rank 26th in the 32-team NFL with a per-game average of 93.4 yards on the ground. A year ago, the San Diego running game was seventh at 127.4. -- San Diego Union-Tribune
How About That?
Road teams are on a roll, having won 22 of the 32 games the last two weekends. Coincidentally, officials have penalized the home teams more than the road teams each of the last two weekends. Home teams have been assessed 184 penalties the last two weekends compared to 163 by the road teams. -- Dallas Morning News
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