november 8, 2009 news clippings - national football...

November 8, 2009 News Clippings

Pittsburgh Steelers

SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL

Gerry Dulac's NFL Forecast: Week 9Sunday, November 08, 2009 By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

• Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) at Denver Broncos (6-1)

8:30 p.m. tomorrow • The Broncos might have lost a little of their steam after an off week, based on what happened in Baltimore. The Steelers are hoping their off week doesn't have a similar effect.

Prediction: Steelers 27-23

• Baltimore Ravens (4-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)

1 p.m. • The Bengals already surprised the Ravens once this season, beating them, 17-14, last month on a last-minute TD pass. If it happens again, it would be wise not to dismiss the Bengals as playoff contenders.

Prediction: Ravens, 30-20

• Arizona Cardinals (4-3) at Chicago Bears (4-3)

1 p.m. • The Cardinals are 3-0 on the road for the first time since 1982 and appear to play much better away from home. I mean, how does the NFL's top run defense allow 270 yards rushing at home to Carolina?

Prediction: Cardinals, 24-21

• Washington Redskins (2-5) at Atlanta Falcons (4-3)

1 p.m. • The Falcons have lost back-to-back games for the first time since Mike Smith became their head coach. But they're back at home, where QB Matt Ryan has won his past six starts, and it is the Redskins.

Prediction: Falcons, 31-10

• Houston Texans (5-3) at Indianapolis Colts (7-0)

1 p.m. • It's tough to pick against the Colts, who keep finding ways to keep alive their 16-game regular-season winning streak. But the Texans have won four of five and are 3-1 on the road. The Upset Special.

Prediction: Texans 27-24

• Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4)

1 p.m. • How do you think Maurice Jones-Drew feels, running for 177 yards on just eight carries and not being the most productive running back on the field last week? The same way the Chiefs will feel.

Prediction: Jaguars, 24-16

• Miami Dolphins (3-4) at New England Patriots (5-2)

1 p.m. • The Dolphins likely will rue blowing that 24-3 lead to the Saints a couple weeks ago. Otherwise, they'd be on a four-game roll. Speaking of rolls, Tom Brady is starting to get on one.

Prediction: Patriots, 31-24

• Green Bay Packers (4-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7)

1 p.m. • Not even Brett Favre or Bart Starr had five consecutive 100-plus passer ratings such as Aaron Rodgers. That wasn't good enough to beat Favre last week, but it will be enough against the Buccaneers.

Prediction: Packers, 24-10

• Carolina Panthers (3-4) at New Orleans Saints (7-0)

Page 1 of 2Gerry Dulac's NFL Forecast: Week 9

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4:05 p.m. • If the Saints coughed up 151 rushing yards to Michael Turner Monday night, they can expect more of the sameagainst the Panthers. Doesn't matter, though, when you average 39 points per game.

Prediction: Saints, 38-24

• Detroit Lions (1-6) at Seattle Seahawks (2-5)

4:05 p.m. • The Seahawks have won one of their past five games, and that was a 41-0 shutout at home against the Jaguars. The Lions have managed one touchdown since they played the Steelers.

Prediction: Seahawks, 23-15

• San Diego Chargers (4-3) at New York Giants (5-3)

4:15 p.m. • This is the first time Eli Manning and Philip Rivers, two of the three QBs from the Class of '04, will meet on the football field. The Giants have lost three in a row and allowed 112 points in those games.

Prediction: Giants, 27-24

• Tennessee Titans (1-6) at San Francisco 49ers (3-4)

4:15 p.m. • Vince Young looked more like Steve Young in his first start, completing 12 of 15 passes and not throwing an interception. Wait till he gets a look at some of the 49ers' defensive packages.

Prediction: 49ers, 24-9

• Dallas Cowboys (5-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)

8:30 p.m. • Tony Romo hasn't thrown an interception during the Cowboys' three-game winning streak. The only thing more amazing is if the Eagles can repeat their performance of last week against the Giants.

Prediction: Eagles, 31-28

Dulac's mark • Last week: 7-6 (.538) • Season: 72-44 (.621)

Ed Bouchette's blog on the Steelers and Gerry Dulac's Steelers chats are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.

First published on November 8, 2009 at 12:00 am

Page 2 of 2Gerry Dulac's NFL Forecast: Week 9



The Opponent: McDaniels has brought energy to the Denver BroncosSunday, November 08, 2009 By Lynn DeBruin, Special to the Post-Gazette

Chris Park/Associated Press

Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels yells instructions on the sidelines during the second quarter of the Oct. 19 game against the San Diego Chargers.

ENGLEWOOD, Co. -- The flickering lights at Josh McDaniels' weekly press conference eventually were linked toconstruction outside the building.

But players wouldn't have been surprised were it McDaniels himself causing the power surge.

The personable young coach has brought passion and fire to a Denver Broncos team that already has won nearly as many games (six) as Las Vegas oddsmakers predicted for the entire season.

"He has a lot of energy," Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said of the 33-year-old McDaniels, just two years his senior. "Whether it's good or bad energy, he's going to let you know how he feels. I'm getting used to it and I kind of like it because I know where it's coming from."

That McDaniels is even in this position may be a testament to coaches like Mike Tomlin, his counterpart in tomorrow night's AFC showdown in Denver.

Broncos owner Pat Bowlen never mentioned Tomlin by name in introducing McDaniels to replace long-tenured Mike Shanahan. But McDaniels' hiring certainly followed a trend in teams moving toward rookie coaches.

Like McDaniels, Tomlin found early success in Pittsburgh after replacing icon Bill Cowher, going 10-6 as a rookie and winning a Super Bowl in just his second season.

Then there were the big turnarounds last year in Atlanta and Miami under rookie head coaches. And this year Indianapolis head coach Jim Caldwell is the first rookie head coach since the 1970 merger to start the season 7-0.

While McDaniels said Tomlin's success didn't influence whether or not he thought he could do the job, he admitted Tomlin is a role model.

"He's certainly a guy that most of us would emulate, winning a Super Bowl in his second year and being as successful as he has been so far in his coaching career," McDaniels said.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was among the first to buy into Tomlin's system, admitting that he didn't always see eye to eye with Cowher.

That's not to say both coaches didn't have their detractors.

In Denver, the new coach was lambasted on a Fire Josh McDaniels website, while enduring conflicts with quarterback Jay Cutler (eventually traded) and wide receiver Brandon Marshall (he demanded a new contract and trade only to be seen exchanging hugs with McDaniels after upsetting Dallas).

But McDaniels' wild display of emotion after defeating mentor Bill Belichick and New England to go 5-0 won over a legion of fans.

Page 1 of 2The Opponent: McDaniels has brought energy to the Denver Broncos


McDaniels charged down the sideline through a sea of players, pointed emphatically toward his family in the stands and let loose five fist pumps that would have made Tiger Woods proud.

Then he turned and jumped into the arms of one of his players, Kenny Peterson, who not coincidentally played high school ball with his new coach.

"He definitely takes the cake because he is passionate about what he does," said Peterson, whose clearest memories of McDaniels at Canton McKinley High School are of how small the pint-sized QB looked in uniform.

"It meant a lot to us," added defensive lineman Andra Davis of the emotional display. "You know he's riding this wave with us. If it's good, he's there with us and if it's bad he's there with us. We're in this together."

The I-pod carrying McDaniels may be precise in what he demands but nonetheless is seen as a players' coach.

"He connected with a lot more players especially in this generation just because he is this generation," said running back Peyton Hillis. "And when you find someone that passionate and who has that will to win, you've got to buy into everything he says."

Like Tomlin, McDaniels comes from a fine coaching pedigree. Tomlin learned under Tony Dungy, Jon Gruden, Monte Kiffen and Herm Edwards.

McDaniels was groomed first by his father, Thom, a coaching legend in northeast Ohio, then by Belichick in New England.

Yet unlike other Belichich disciples, he has fared the best.

Charlie Weis has had his struggles at Notre Dame, Romeo Crennel was fired after losing 40 games in four seasons in Cleveland and Eric Mangini is doing all he can to avoid being the next biggest Mistake by the Lake.

"Thank God I'm not in Cleveland," said Davis, who has brought toughness to Denver's defensive line.

Backup quarterback Chris Simms no doubt is thankful he's no longer in Tampa, which is 0-7 under rookie head coach Raheem Morris.

And ditto for Peterson, who re-upped for three years with Denver in March.

"Guys can see from his demeanor he's a winner," Peterson said of McDaniels. "Knowing him as long as I have, I knew what he was going to bring to the table. And it's coming to fruition."

Tomorrow

• Game: Steelers (5-2) at Denver Broncos (6-1).

• When: 8:30 p.m.

• Where: Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium.

• TV: WTAE & ESPN.



Page 2 of 2The Opponent: McDaniels has brought energy to the Denver Broncos



Steelers' Timmons likely to miss gameSunday, November 08, 2009 By Robert Dvorchak, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

Steelers linebacker Lawrence Timmons.

Linebacker Lawrence Timmons did not practice yesterday for the fourth consecutive day.

Although he is officially listed as doubtful for the game tomorrow night in Denver, players who cannot practice almost never play in games.

Safety Ryan Clark participated fully in practice but is listed as questionable and not expected to play because of health concerns related to sickle-cell anemia.

Defensive end Travis Kirschke (torn calf muscle) also is listed as doubtful.



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On The Steelers Sunday, November 08, 2009 By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Peter Diana

It's a need-to-know system and any NFL coach -- including Mike Tomlin -- doesn't think anyone outside the team needs to know.

For all I know, Mike Tomlin decided not to play Ryan Clark in Denver tomorrow night a long time ago and allowed the mystery to play out until he no longer could keep the cat in the bag. That would be following a long tradition of football coaches trying to keep everything secret except the color of their teams' uniforms.

The idea that Denver might know early in the week whether Clark or Tyrone Carter would start at free safety might provide the Broncos with the slightest of edges, but, in the NFL, those can mean the difference between winning or losing, making the playoffs or not. If Denver knew from the beginning of the week that Carter would play free safety and not Clark, it would give them an advantage when putting the game plan together. The longer the Broncos had to wait before knowing for sure, the better. That is how the Steelers felt about it.

This is how I feel about it: Maybe if the Broncos concentrated on how to beat Tyrone Carter, they would forget about what they do best, or at least take away from what they do best. And what if Ryan Mundy steps up and plays like Ryan Clark? Then, what? You've wasted all that time trying to exploit what you thought was a weaker free safety and now the guy in there plays up to what Tomlin might call, the "standards."

In baseball, they don't care what the other team knows. They announce their starting pitchers well ahead of time, allowing for the two opponents to set their batting orders accordingly. If a football coach were running a baseball team, he would announce one thing and do another. Or not announce his pitching choice at all. Or start a lefty and, after one batter, bring in a righty.

Football coaches are paranoid about everything. Trust me on this one. Jackie Sherrill once thought someone was spying on his Pitt team in 1981 during a training camp practice at Edinboro University. He shouted down from his scaffolding overlooking the practice field to two of his sheriff's deputies who were in charge of security. Sherrill told them to check out asuspicious character way, way down the road, off campus, leaning against a telephone poll.

They jumped in their car, drove over to the guy, talked to him and returned back to Jackie, who stood on his tower awaiting word. "Well?" Sherrill asked.

"He's waiting for a bus," one of them answered.

Early in Bill Cowher's coaching tenure with the Steelers, linebacker Hardy Nickerson wore a wrap on one hand in training camp. He told me he broke a bone, but that he would still practice and play. I wrote it. Cowher assailed me the next day, said I put Nickerson in danger because opponents now would target the linebacker's hand! Can you imagine, an offensive guard trying to block a middle/inside linebacker and instead of trying to get good position on him to do his job, thinking, "Oh, I must go after his wounded hand?" Me neither, and I told Cowher that. He said I was naïve.

Paranoia grips NFL coaches. They could have given President Nixon lessons.

I asked linebacker James Farrior last week about why the Steelers believed it was important to keep their decision on Clark a secret for as long as they could. Did he think it mattered to Denver?

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"I don't think so, but a lot of coaches around the league like to keep that stuff kind of secret," Farrior said. "Me, as a player, I don't really think it makes a difference either way."

Paint by numbers for Steelers

No one puts on a better charity event than Deshea Townsend. In the past, he has had garage sales where his teammates brought something from their garage for auction. He never did get that Porsche one promised.

This year, he's going after their heads, their helmets, to be precise for his "Black & Gold Art Show" Nov. 23 at Tusca restaurant in the SouthSide Works. Steelers players have either designed or painted their own helmets in unique ways, then autographed them.

Among the more interesting are a certain quarterback's helmet that is painted like a golf ball and has "Roethlisberger 7" on it. Hines Ward had his South Korean kids, who visited a few weeks ago, paint Korean words on his helmet.

They created one for Dick LeBeau.

"We put ear phones over the top and drew it like it's his brain," Townsend explained. "We have all our zone blitzes on it all the way around."

All helmets are authentic Riddell white and will go on auction that night. There also will be autographed jerseys, including Nos. 7, 26, 51 and 86.

"For all Steelers fans here who have so much memorabilia, this is something that can add to your collection," Townsend said.

The event benefits Townsend's Pay It Forward Foundation. For tickets/information go to www.dtownsend26.com or call 412-298-1611.

Ward done dirty

You have to give Sports Illustrated credit. The magazine took a flawed little poll of 296 NFL players -- some of whom may even still be in the league -- at training camps this summer and turned it into marketing genius.

One of the questions was guaranteed to garner the most attention: "Who's the dirtiest player in the NFL?"

Then they release it during the November television ratings sweeps period and right before the "winner" plays on "Monday Night Football."

Brilliant marketing, SI, even if it is defective. First, there are 1,696 players on active rosters in the league. The magazine once sent a young reporter to Steelers camp, and, among those she polled, were rookie free agents who were never before in the league and would never make it.

Nevertheless, the magazine never claimed it was scientific, and it certainly got the attention. Even Hines Ward, who moved up from No. 2 in the poll last season to No. 1 this year as the NFL's "dirtiest," took it in good humor.

"I'm going to tear it out, frame it, put it in the office. I finally got a title for once. It's a big honor."



Page 2 of 2On The Steelers


A look at the Steelers' first Super Bowl

By The Tribune-Review Sunday, November 8, 2009

A weekly glance at the 1974 season, the first time the Steelers went on to lift the Lombardi Trophy:

SHUTTING OUT THE SOONERS

Oklahoma was unbeaten, untied and unranked in the UPI coaches' poll as a major-college football controversy brewed. For being on probation, the Sooners were barred from bowl games and playing on network TV. The 25-member coaches board agreed not to rank the Sooners, which was in contrast to the AP poll. The Sooners were No. 2 until vaulting past Ohio State, which lost to unranked Michigan State. Said Sooners coach Barry Switzer: "They can keep us off TV and ban us from the bowls, but nobody said that we couldn't win and have some fun." Oklahoma was led by quarterback Steve Davis, running back Joe Washington and a defensive front that featured Lee Roy and Dewey Selmon.

ALL THE PRESIDENT'S WRITERS

Spurred by the Watergate investigation by Washington Post writers Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, U.S. colleges and universities saw a dramatic and unprecedented rise in journalism school applicants. According to Time magazine, the country's 213 graduate and undergraduate journalism programs had attracted 48,327 students, a 16 percent increase from 1972 figures. On the other hand, only two-thirds of 11,000 journalism graduates that year found jobs in the field.

ELSEWHERE THIS WEEK

• A 19-year-old forward named Moses Malone was thriving for the Utah Stars in the ABA. He was the fifth player to jump from high school to a pro league and would average 18.8 points and 14.6 rebounds as a rookie

• Los Angeles Dodgers closer Mike Marshall became the first reliever to win the Cy Young award

• The No. 1 song on the Billboard charts was "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" by Bachman Turner Overdrive

WHAT THE STEELERS DID

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A five-game winning streak was snapped and the Cincinnati Bengals moved within a half-game of the division lead with a 17-10 victory at Riverfront Stadium. The record-setting quarterback that day was not Terry Bradshaw, who was 13 of 35 for 140 yards and an interception. Rather, it was Cincinnati's Ken Anderson, who set the NFL record for single-game completion percentage by going 20 of 22 for 227 yards. Anderson's record stood until 1993 when Vinny Testaverde eclipsed it, and it now ranks third behind Testaverde and Kurt Warner, who set the new standard this September (24 of 26 completions).

AFC CENTRAL STANDINGS

Through Nov. 10, 1974

Team: W-L-T — PF-PA

Steelers: 6-2-1 — 203-133

Cincinnati Bengals: 6-3-0 — 222-159

Houston Oilers: 4-5-0 — 161-198

Cleveland Browns: 3-6-0 — 177-232

The Tribune-Review can be reached at or .

Images and text copyright © 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.

Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

Page 2 of 2A look at the Steelers' first Super Bowl - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review


Week 9: Steelers Key Matchup

By The Tribune-Review Sunday, November 8, 2009

STEELERS TACKLES MAX STARKS/WILLIE COLON VS. DENVER LB ELVIS DUMERVIL

STEELERS — MAX STARKS AND WILLIE COLON

The Steelers' offensive line has been a pleasant surprise, limiting the sacks on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger this season. Starks has lined up against some of the top pass-rushing players in the league through the first half of the season and has virtually shut them out. Starks officially has allowed 4.5 sacks in seven games, but all but one of them have been coverage sacks. Colon has been just as impressive on the right side of the line, but with him, he has been better run blocking than pass blocking. The Steelers have found a liking to running the ballon the right side, and many of the big plays from Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall have come over Colon.

BRONCOS — LB ELVIS DUMERVIL

Dumervil is a small pass-rushing demon. He is 5-foot-11, 242 pounds. Dumervil is second in the NFL with 10 sacks and has accounted for a pair of sacks in four of his past six games. Dumervil's 36 sacks since enter the league in 2006 are the most in the AFC during that period. A week ago, Baltimore tackles Jared Gaither and rookie Michael Oher held Dumervil sackless. He has been held sackless three times this season, with Cincinnati and New England also holding him in check. Dumervil had four sacks against Cleveland Week 2.

ADVANTAGE: DUMERVIL

Denver's 3-4 defense affords Dumervil to move from right end to left end exposing Starks and Colon to his pass rush. Denver has been good at finding a matchup for Dumervil to expose. If he can't use his speed rush against Colon, the Broncos will move him to Starks' side to see if that works and vice versa. He also lines up at defensive end. Dumervil tied an NFL record for fastest to 10 sacks in a season, getting there in six games. The Giants' Michael Strahan accomplished that feat in 2001. Dumervil is on pace for a 22.8 sacks this season.

The Tribune-Review can be reached at or .



Page 1 of 1Week 9: Steelers Key Matchup - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review


Broncos sign veteran defensive back Law

By The Associated Press Sunday, November 8, 2009

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Ty Law spent the first half of the season waiting for the right team to come calling. Now that it has, he doesn't want to waste any more time getting back on the field.

Law, an Aliquippa graduate, came out of what he called "semiretirement" Saturday to join the Denver Broncos and counts on contributing Monday night when the Steelers bring three wide receivers to Invesco Field who are averaging more than 14 yards per catch.

"They're trying to get me ready to play this week in a limited fashion," Law said. "I did it last year."

The 15-year veteran joined the Jets at midseason in 2008 and played aplenty a few days later against New England.

"I'm just going to kind of wing it and go out and do the best I can," Law said. "But right now they're just shoving a lot down my throat because the terminology is totally different."

The 35-year-old Law gives the Broncos five players in the defensive backfield who are older than 30. Law said it was comforting to join a seasoned secondary that features Champ Bailey, Andre' Goodman, Renaldo Hill and Brian Dawkins.

"It's different between walking into a situation where you've got a bunch of young guys, a bunch of first- and second-year guys. This is perfect. I can take my time and learn the system because it's already established and all I'm doing is trying to help," Law said.

The five-time Pro Bowl cornerback passed his physical and practiced with the Broncos yesterday, trying to acclimate himself to the altitude after signing what was believed to be a one-year deal.

Law, who gives the Broncos a defensive backfield that now sports a combined 20 Pro Bowl selections, also is familiar with Denver coach Josh McDaniels, who was an assistant with the Patriots during his time in New England.

To make room on the roster, the Broncos waived defensive back Jack Williams. Law's signing also likely means reduced playing time in the nickel and dime packages for rookie Alphonso Smith.

Page 1 of 2Broncos sign veteran defensive back Law - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review


FOX NFL PREGAME SHOW IN AFGHANISTAN

The Fox NFL pregame show will be broadcast from a military installation in Afghanistan today.

The six-man announcing team traveled to an undisclosed location in the country this week to honor servicemen and women three days before Veterans Day. The two-hour special begins at 11 a.m.

"It's been so surreal, it's hard to describe," Fox analyst Michael Strahan said of the trip. "To witness so many young, smart, committed and capable men and women is inspiring. We're here to show our appreciation for their service and sacrifice, and all they want to do is show their appreciation to us for coming here."

The Associated Press can be reached at or .



Page 2 of 2Broncos sign veteran defensive back Law - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review


Timmons, Kirschke to sit out Monday's game

By Mark Kaboly Daily News Sports Editor Sunday, November 8, 2009

Already unlikely to have safety Ryan Clark for Monday night's game against Denver, the Steelers will be missing two more starters on the defensive side of the ball.

Inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons and defensive end Travis Kirschke missed practice for the third consecutive day Saturday and each said after the final tuneup before Monday's game that they will not play against the Broncos.

"I am not going to be able to play," said Timmons, who is nursing a right ankle injury he suffered two weeks ago against Minnesota.

Kirschke, who is already filling in for the injured Aaron Smith at left end, has a torn left calf muscle that hasn't responded well enough over the past two weeks for him to give it a go Monday.

"No, I am not going to be able to go," Kirschke said. "I am just going to have to be patient."

Timmons will be replaced by Keyaron Fox, while veteran Nick Eason will start for Kirschke.

Timmons was injured when teammate Casey Hampton accidentally rolled up on his ankle during a Percy Harvin reverse.

Timmons is second on the team with three sacks and sixth in tackles with 28. He missed the first two games of the year with a left ankle sprain.

"We have a long season," Timmons said. "We are only at the halfway point, so there is no use in rushing. Keyaron Fox is good, and I am sure he is going to go out and play great. We have a lot of faith in him. We will be fine."

Eason has made only four starts in his seven-year career and Monday will be his first since Oct. 28, 2007.

"We have confidence in all the guys coming in because they have been there before," linebacker James Farrior said. "We are just going to do the same thing that we have always done."

As for Clark, he would not comment on whether he will play against the Broncos, but all indications point toward him sitting out due to the danger with

Page 1 of 2Timmons, Kirschke to sit out Monday's game - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review


sickle cell trait in high altitude even though he was listed on yesterday's practice report as a full participant.

Clark did not work with the first team and spent a portion of practice with a green No. 20 practice jersey simulating Broncos' safety Brian Dawkins.

COMING CLOSER

Kick returner Stefan Logan has come close a number of times of breaking one for a touchdown but has yet been able to do so.

"I am always close, but close isn't good enough," Logan said. "I want to break one. I don't want to be close, close, close."

Logan is 12th in the league in kick returns for players with at least 10 opportunities, averaging 26.5. He is second behind Cleveland's Joshua Cribbs with the most 20-yard returns with 19 and is 19th in punt returns, averaging 7.5.

"I am doing OK, but I can do a lot better," Logan said. "I just want to break for that long run and make it a foot race. If I get caught then, oh well."

BOOK 'EM

Linebacker James Harrison was passing out his book "Never Give Up" to teammates in the locker room after practice, and even taking the time to sign a few who asked.

The book was released last week.

Mark Kaboly can be reached at [email protected] or 412-664-9161.



Page 2 of 2Timmons, Kirschke to sit out Monday's game - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review


Younger coaches making their mark in NFL

By John Harris TRIBUNE-REVIEW Sunday, November 8, 2009

When Mike Tomlin scans the opposing sideline Monday night in Denver, the Steelers coach essentially will be looking at a younger version of himself in rookie Broncos coach Josh McDaniels.

McDaniels, 33, is trying to follow in the footsteps of Tomlin, 37, the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl.

Two years ago, Tomlin was the new kid on the NFL block, the youngest coach in the league and commander of one of the league's most decorated franchises. But when Tomlin led the Steelers to the championship win over Arizona last year, it led NFL owners to entrust their franchises to other young, untested coaches.

McDaniels is having the best season of the first-year bunch, leading the Broncos to a 6-1 record. Tampa Bay's Raheem Morris, 33, is 0-7, and Kansas City's Todd Haley, 42, and Detroit's Jim Schwartz, 43, are 1-6 among the under-45 group.

"Let's just say it like it is: Mike Tomlin and Josh McDaniels are two dynamic guys. Regardless of their age, you're talking about two special coaches," said Jon Gruden, the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers until Tomlin's victory.

Tomlin has been so successful — 27-12 overall and 3-1 in the postseason — that his youth has become irrelevant.

McDaniels overcame a rocky beginning because of the offseason trade of franchise quarterback Jay Cutler to Chicago and challenges from a veteran roster, including star wide receiver Brandon Marshall.

Led by new starting quarterback, Kyle Orton, who was acquired in a stunning trade for Cutler, the Broncos are atop the AFC West.

Said retired wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson, who played under Gruden and Tomlin at Tampa Bay: "I don't think age matters. It's all about the coach and how you deal with players. Jon Gruden was young when he was hired. He wasn't a 50-year-old dude. Bill Cowher was young. Young head coaches have always been hired. It's just that a couple of them came in a little bit of a sequence."

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Gruden, the color commentator on ESPN Monday Night Football, which will broadcast the game, said it's folly to concentrate on the youth of Tomlin and McDaniels while overlooking their credentials.

Gruden faced similar scrutiny upon becoming coach of the Oakland Raiders.

"I've always been very sensitive about that. I think you get hired because you have what it takes to lead your organization," Gruden said in a phone interview. "I always felt every job I got was because somebody felt I could get the job done.

"Mike Tomlin and Josh McDaniels had an extensive history as assistant coaches in this league with very good organizations. Both of them had Super Bowl rings on their fingers before they became a head coach."

Tomlin was Gruden's secondary coach, when Tampa Bay defeated Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII. McDaniel was an assistant on New England's championship teams.

"There's not a better leader, a more creative, stimulating guy (than Tomlin)," said Gruden, who was fired after last season following seven seasons with Tampa Bay. "Whether he got his head coaching job when he was 32, 37 or 39, to me, that's a moot point."

Earning respect of the players, regardless of age, is a key to success, NFL insiders say. Former NFL safety Matt Bowen saw evidence of that when the Steelers confronted adversity on the league's grandest stage — Super Bowl XLIII.

The dramatic fashion in which the Steelers rallied in the closing minutes to defeat the Cardinals revealed the players' true feelings for their coach, Bowen said.

"You can tell by the way they play football, the way they play all four quarters. Look at the Super Bowl last year. They had to drive down the field to win. That's players playing for their head coach," said Bowen, who writes about the NFL for the National Football Post. "When you do that as a coach, you're coaching. You're making your players want more every time they go on the field."

Johnson said Tomlin won over the Steelers players because he didn't change his personality.

"He's not trying to be Tony Dungy. He's not trying to be Bill Cowher. He's not trying to be Brad Childress. He's just trying to be Mike Tomlin," Johnson said. "Players will respect you if you just be yourself.

"(Cleveland Browns coach) Eric Mangini, he wants to be Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick, instead of Eric Mangini. He'd get a whole lot done if he'd just be Eric Mangini, coach the team and go about his business."



McDaniels also is a Belichick coaching disciple. Yet, McDaniels goes about his business differently than stoic Belichick.

When the Broncos defeated New England, 20-17, in overtime Oct. 11, McDaniels celebrated with his players on the field: a Belichick no-no.

"If you're a veteran guy, an older guy, you're going to have questions about a new head coach, a young head coach. I would," Bowen said. "But it's obvious (the Broncos) don't anymore. Guys were running over to him after the New England game, hugging him. You don't see that type of emotion from the head coach in a regular-season game."

Steelers linebacker James Farrior, 34, is one of the oldest players on the team. He believes Tomlin has been a welcome addition to a veteran roster that needed a spark.

"I feel like it'a a good thing that he's so young and that he's so close to our generation," said Farrior, the Steelers' leading tackler. "He can relate a lot better than older coaches. He's a couple of years older than me. I feel like he can talk to the players on the level that we're on. He's able to get his point across, and that's probably the main thing."

John Harris can be reached at [email protected] or 412-481-5432.





Sunday November 8, 2009

Bires: No matter what they say, Clark won't playBy: Mike Bires Beaver County Times

PITTSBURGH — Today when the Steelers fly to Denver, Ryan Clark will be on the plane.

But I don’t think he’s taking his uniform with him.

There is no way the Steelers are going to allow him to play Monday night against the Broncos.

Due to the sickle cell trait he carries, Clark experienced a life-threatening health scare the last time he and the Steelers played in the rarified Rocky Mountain air.

It would be idiotic for Clark to choose to play.

It would be idiotic for the Steelers to allow him to play.

But just as it’s been all week at team headquarters, there was an annoying refusal by the team after practice Saturday to unequivocally say that Clark is either in or out.

Coach Mike Tomlin continued his public stance that he’ll decide at the appropriate time. In other words, the verdict will likely come around 7 p.m. Monday when the game-day inactives are announced.

All week, Clark has become more and more frustrated with the media for asking him: “Ryan, are you going to play?”

“Please … don’t even ask,” Clark begged after practice Saturday.

Well, it’s the media’s job to keep asking even if Clark and Tomlin aren’t willing to give a straight answer.

Of course, Tomlin is under no obligation to do so.

Most NFL coaches, if not all of them, would do the same. They’ll argue that they don’t want to tip their hand as the opponent puts together a game plan.

But I’ll bet that as Broncos coach Josh McDaniels prepared his strategy this week, he did so thinking that safeties Tyrone Carter and Ryan Mundy, as well as backup cornerbacks Deshea Townsend and Keiwan Ratliff, will be splitting time at free safety.

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Even though he’s only 33 and one of the youngest coaches in the NFL history, McDaniels is smart enough to know Clark will be watching from the sideline.

Officially, the Steelers list Clark on their injury report as questionable. Realistically, he should have been listed as out. The risks are just too high.

Hines Ward said it best the other day: “I love life more than football.”

So Tomlin and the Steelers aren’t fooling anyone by refusing to delay the inevitable.

Ryan Clark is not going to play.

Mike Bires can be reached online at [email protected]

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If Steelers follow blueprint, they will construct win over Broncos 11/8/2009 3:32 AM When you're the defending Super Bowl champion, you get a little more respect than most teams.

And this week the Steelers are getting plenty of respect from those who make the odds as they are 21/2-point favorites heading to Denver on Monday to face the 6-1 Broncos.

It doesn't make a lot of sense for a team that is 6-1 and leads the NFL in defense to be an underdog at home, but that's where Denver finds itself.

And you can bet that head coach Josh McDaniel, who comes straight out of the Bill Belechick school of coaching, will use that as motivation.

But that fact is, the Steelers are better than the Broncos.

After watching Baltimore dismantle the Broncos, 30-7, last week to hand Denver its first loss, the Steelers have a blueprint to follow. Pressure quarterback Kyle Orton and force the Broncos to move the ball slowly down the field. Denver isn't explosive enough on offense to do it against a good defense.

The game will have a playoff-type atmosphere, but the Steelers are used to that. The Broncos are not.

Take Pittsburgh, 20-16

Baltimore (minus 3) at

Cincinnati

The Bengals won the first meeting, 17-14, in Baltimore. A Cincinnati win would leave the Ravens fighting for a wild-card.

Take Baltimore, 24-20

Houston (plus 10)

at Indianapolis

Since joining the NFL as an expansion team, the Texans are just 1-13 against division-rival Indianapolis. The Texans are better, but not good enough to beat the Colts on the road.

Take Indianapolis, 31-20

Washington (plus 10)

at Atlanta

Page 1 of 3If Steelers follow blueprint, they will construct win over Broncos

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The Falcons are home after consecutive road losses. The offensively challenged Redskins are just what the doctor ordered.

Take Atlanta, 27-13

San Diego (plus 3)

at N.Y. Giants

The Giants have lost three straight. The bet here is they won't make it four. San Diego struggles coming East.

Take the Giants, 27-20

Dallas (plus 3)

at Philadelphia

Dallas has gotten back on track with three consecutive wins. But two of those games were at home and the other was at Kansas City.

Take Philadelphia, 30-24

Green Bay (minus 10)

at Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay might not win a game all season.

Take Green Bay, 31-10 as the Pick of the Week

Arizona (plus 3) at Chicago

The Cardinals are 3-0 on the road, 1-3 at home. Chicago is 3-0 at home, so something has to give.

Take Arizona, 34-21

Miami (plus 101/2)

at New England

Miami's pass defense is awful, allowing 14.4 yards per reception. The Patriots won't take advantage of that, right?

Take New England, 38-17

Carolina (plus 141/2)

at New Orleans



Carolina's running game could keep it close for a while but the Saints will pull away. Take Carolina to cover in a 34-20 loss.

Tennessee (plus 6)

at San Francisco

Defense is the difference. The 49ers play some, the Titans don't.

Take San Francisco, 21-13

Detroit (plus 91/2)

at Seattle

Seattle should have enough to handle the Lions at home.

Take Seattle, 27-13

Kansas City (plus 7)

at Jacksonville

I don't blame the people in Jacksonville for not wanting to go to this one. These are two teams going nowhere fast.

Take Jacksonville, 24-10

Last Week: 6-7, correct Pick of the Week

Overall: 66-48-1, 4-4 in Pick of the Week

Copyright Observer Publishing Co.



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Super season taking on look of inside job By Jeff LegwoldThe Denver Post Posted: 11/08/2009 01:00:00 AM MST

Despite a little evidence to the contrary, there still is a school of thought around the NFL that a dome team can't win the Super Bowl. That it would rely too much on finesse and not enough on brawn, to go outside late in the season, roll up the sleeves and win a big game. The 1999 Rams won the Super Bowl, having played all of their playoff games at home — indoors — before winning a Super Bowl played in a dome. The 2006 Colts won a rainy Super Bowl in Miami after winning one postseason game on the road — in Baltimore — to go with two under their own roof. They played their road December games that year at Tennessee, Jacksonville and Houston. But this year, both remaining undefeated teams play their home games indoors — Indianapolis

and New Orleans — and both are among the NFL's top five in touchdowns scored. The Colts (7-0) are tied for fifth with 24 touchdowns scored, and the Saints (7-0) lead the league with 36 touchdowns.

Must-see game of the week

Ravens at Bengals 11 a.m., KCNC-4

The skinny: With the Ravens and Steelers in back-to-back games, the Bengals could tighten their grip on the AFC North lead or fall back to third place over the next eight days. Cincinnati has played better on the road — going 3-0, compared with 2-2 at home — and Cedric Benson has just one of his three 100-yard games at home.

The difference will be: If the Ravens can keep the offensive surge going. Their defense showed some of its best work of the season against the Broncos last week, and that makes them a tough out.

The call: Ravens 33-28

Catch them if you can

Cardinals at Bears11 a.m., KDVR-31

This is the Cardinals' first trip to Chicago since 2003, when Kordell Stewart was the Bears' QB. The Cardinals have been one-dimensional this season on offense, having thrown the ball 145 more times than they have run it. Kurt Warner has nine

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interceptions in the last five games.

The call: Bears 27-24 Texans at Colts 11 a.m. Gary Kubiak has the Texans competing for a playoff berth. Kubiak is 1-5 against the Colts as a head coach, but his QB (Matt Schaub) leads the

NFL in passing yards (2,342) and is tied for the league lead in TD passes (16).

The call: Texans 38-31

Chargers at Giants 2:15 p.m., KCNC-4

In his past five games against NFC teams, Chargers star Philip Rivers has thrown 11 touchdown passes and one interception. Eli Manning has thrown six interceptions in the last three games, and the Giants have lost all three.

The call: Giants 24-21

Cowboys at Eagles 6:20 p.m., KUSA-9

Tony Romo has been Mr. November in his career. The Dallas quarterback has won his last 12 starts in the month and has thrown for 34 touchdowns in those 12 games. Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson has averaged at least 24 yards a catch in four games this season.

The call: Eagles 28-21

Quick hitters

Redskins at Falcons 11 a.m.

Washington's offense has stalled for much of the season. The Redskins are tied for 28th in scoring, and that has wasted a defense playing well enough to rank second in the NFC, having allowed only 283 yards per game.

The call: Falcons 31-16



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Chiefs at Jaguars 11 a.m. Last week Jacksonville became the first team to lose to the Titans this season. Add on a loss to the Chiefs in this one, and coach Jack Del Rio will be on the hot seat with a faltering team that is having a lot of trouble selling tickets. The call: Jaguars 21-9 Dolphins at Patriots 11 a.m. Second-year Dolphins coach Tony Sparano has made his mark in the AFC East, having gone 7-2 in division games so far in his career — including five division wins in a row dating to last season. The call: Patriots 31-23 Packers at Buccaneers 11 a.m. The Buccaneers are one of five teams that have yet to top 100 total points this season, and they have had just two games this season where they have lost by fewer than 13 points. This one probably gets added to the list. The call: Packers 27-10 Panthers at Saints 2 p.m. The Panthers have won six of the last seven meetings, including a 33-31 victory at the Superdome last season on a John Kasey kick with one second to play. Remarkably, the Saints have had 17 different players score a touchdown this season.

The call: Saints 38-17

Lions at Seahawks 2 p.m.

If the Seahawks can't protect veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who is playing with fractured ribs, better than they did last week, they will continue to watch their season unravel.

The call: Seahawks 20-16

Titans at 49ers 2:15 p.m.

The 49ers have lost to the Vikings (7-1) by three points, to the Texans (5-3) by three points and to the Colts (7-0) by four points. The Titans do not like the longest road trips — they are 1-9 in their last 10 road games combined at San Francisco, San Diego, Oakland, Arizona and Denver.

The call: 49ers 21-14

Legwold's record

7-5 last week

77-38 for the season



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Steelers haven't thrown away running game Posted: 11/08/2009 01:00:00 AM MST

No-huddle offense, strong-armed quarterback and receivers all over the formation. So, with the NFL's No. 5 passing attack powering their offense, are the traditionally ground-hugging Steelers a throw-first outfit these days?

"You've got a quarterback like Ben Roethlisberger, you're going to put the ball in his hands, and they're very explosive because they do," said outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil,

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whose Broncos play the Steelers in Denver on Monday night. "But they can definitely run when they want to. I don't think you can ever say they're not going to run it against you if you can't hold up." The Steelers have thrown the ball 49 more times than they've run it this season, and they let Roethlisberger run a fast-break, no-huddle look — 31 snaps against the Vikings two weeks ago. But when push comes to shove, the Steelers can still push and shove. In two of their last four games — wins over San Diego and Cleveland — the Steelers ran the ball at least 36 times. "We know they can still run it when they feel the need to," Broncos linebacker Andra Davis said. Trend or coincidence? The Broncos and Steelers are among the teams playing a 3-4 defense that have seen their special- teams units possibly impacted by those roster decisions. Of the 10 kickoff returns for touchdowns in the NFL this season, seven have been allowed by teams that predominantly play the 3-4 defense. The Steelers have surrendered two for touchdowns, and the Broncos have allowed one. With bigger players at outside linebacker in a 3- 4 defense than teams that play a 4-3 would have at linebacker, it forces some adjustments on kick coverage. The Broncos use smaller "coverage"

linebackers such as Spencer Lar- sen and Wesley Woodyard to go with a host of safeties, including rookies David Bruton and Darcel McBath.

Four times six.

The Steelers, at 6.1, are one of four teams averaging at least 6 yards per offensive play. The others are the Saints (6.3), the Colts (6.5) and the Cowboys (6.6).

Footnotes.

Running back Peyton Hillis was excused from practice for the second consecutive day and did not take part in the Broncos' workout Saturday. Hillis is expected to rejoin the team for Monday night's game. . . . Defensive lineman Ryan McBean (knee) and offensive tackle Ryan Harris (toes) will not play Monday.

Jeff Legwold, The Denver Post

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(Illustration by Andrew Lucas, The Denver Post)

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Denver Broncos OLB Darrell Reid always embraces change By Lindsay H. Jones The Denver Post Posted: 11/08/2009 01:00:00 AM MST

If there's been one constant in Darrell Reid's life, it has been change.

He moved with his mother and sister five or six times through his childhood, all in the same area on the central New Jersey shore before settling for his whole high school career in Freehold Borough — the same hometown as Bruce Springsteen.

He's been in constant flux on the football field too, playing linebacker and offensive guard in high school, then moving from linebacker to defensive line in college at Minnesota. Reid was a reserve defensive tackle in Indianapolis and switched to outside linebacker when he became

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a Bronco this year. Reid is one of the Broncos' premier special- teams players and plays primarily on passing downs. He is second on the team with three sacks and also has one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Q: What was your family life like when you were growing up in New Jersey? A: Raised basically by my mother, single parent, and her father — he played the father-figure role in my life. George Hendry. And the family helped out: aunts, uncles, cousins. There were definitely a lot of women around. I learned a lot, and I guess I'm still learning things, but one of the biggest things is how to respect a woman. I guess that's from my sisters, you know not wanting them to be disrespected by another man, as well as my mom bringing me up that way. Q: What about your grandfather? What sort of influence was he? A: My grandfather was a taxi driver; he owned his own taxi business for over 50 years. He taught me most of my morals and values and how to be a man, what things are required to be a man, responsibilities and all that. I learned a lot about entrepreneurship from him, and I'm definitely entrepreneurial-minded. Q: Who got you into football? A: My mom, she was trying to keep me out of

trouble when I was young. She made me play every sport, every season. I tried everything — soccer, baseball,

basketball, football. She was always working, so she figured the busier I was the less trouble I'd get in.

Q: What memories stick out from your early years playing Pop Warner?



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A: The first year I played, actually, I quit. I don't know if I wasn't ready for the physical aspect of the game, or the running — the conditioning after practice or something, but I remember quitting, like, "This isn't for me." Maybe a week, four or five practices. Q: What brought you back to the sport? A: I moved to a different town, from Ocean Township to Red Bank, and I guess the mentality in Red Bank was a little different. I think I played for two years, but then by the time I was in seventh grade I couldn't play anymore. I was too big, so I had to wait until high school. High school is where my skills in football really began to develop. In Pop Warner, I wasn't really better than the other kids, I was just a guy out there. But in high school, my freshman year I could see myself separating from my peers. Q: Where did you get your nickname "Footz"? A: I got it from the guys in Freehold, hanging out with guys that were older than me when I was in high school. I had big feet and they said, man, we're going to call you "Footz." They made it stick. You know how that is. Q: How has the transition from defensive tackle to outside linebacker been for you? A: I guess over my career, even in high school, I'm used to my role changing. If you go back to my living situation changing, changing houses, or changing positions on the football, I just try to embrace it and look at the positive sides of it.

Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or [email protected]

About Reid

Position: Outside linebacker/defensive end

Height: 6-feet-2

Weight: 270 pounds

Year: Fifth, first in Denver

College: Minnesota

Draft: Was undrafted, but signed with Indianapolis as college free agent in 2005.

Career stats: Played in 55 games with two starts for the Colts. He had 2 1/2 sacks and two recovered fumbles while in Indianapolis, where he built a reputation as being one of the league's best special-teams players.

Season stats: Played in all seven of Denver's games on special teams and as a pass rusher in the nickel package. He has three sacks, one forced fumble and one recovered fumble, as well as four special-teams tackles.



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Klis: TDs rise without wedge By Mike KlisThe Denver Post Posted: 11/08/2009 01:00:00 AM MST

It's as if returners are pulling wedgies on NFL coverage units. The entire 2008 season produced 13 kickoff returns for touchdowns. Not quite halfway through this season, there already have been 10 kickoffs returned for touchdowns. Tom Jackson, a first-team linebacker on the Broncos' all-time team and a longtime NFL analyst for ESPN, believes the league's decision to prohibit the four- man wedge this season is behind the increase in electric returns. "What they did is they forced people to spread out, and the two guys who were not in the wedge are going to get their blocks," Jackson said. "By the time we get to end of the year, the final number is going to be very revealing." Jackson's theory is somewhat counter- intuitive because when the NFL initially decided to divide the wedge from four to no more than two

players, it seemed to sacrifice returns for the sake of safety.

The kamikaze style in which coverage teams were attacking the grouped formation were too often leaving designated wedge busters, and the wedge blockers they were busting, at great risk of serious injury.

The lowest-paid players on each team thought nothing of sacrificing their spinal cords and neck vertebrae in return for an NFL paycheck.

The rule change was applauded, even if it meant that eliminating the wedge would give coverage players freer rein to attack the returner.

Instead, the early returns in 2009 suggest special-teams coordinators may have previously put too much credence in the effectiveness of the wedge concept.

"I used to like the wedge because it was easier to read and know exactly what you were looking for," Broncos returner Eddie Royal said. "But now it's so spread out, you're able to create a little bit more. There's more space."

As rookies last year, Spencer Larsen and Wesley Woodyard were the Broncos' top wedge busters. While they were happy to have surrendered the occupational hazard this season, they're aware their coverage responsibilities are no less challenging.

"It's a little harder to identify where the return is going without the wedge," Lar- sen said. "When

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the wedge was there, you knew it was wedge right or wedge left. You knew the returner was either going through the wedge or on either side of the wedge. The more guys you get to the wedge, the more chance you had to get the returner. "Now you don't have the same indicators that tell you early on where the returner is." The Broncos' adjustment to the new wedge rule has been split. Royal returned a kickoff for a touchdown that helped the Broncos beat the Chargers in San Diego. But the Broncos also surrendered a kickoff-return TD to Baltimore's Lardarius Webb last weekend that was the most critical play in their season's only defeat. The new rule also seems to have produced a positive side effect for return teams. Splitting up the blockers has subsequently reduced the overall body fat of the return team. "When you have the wedge, you have more linemen in there, and most of the time they're not really good in space," Woodyard said. "That allows you to clog the hole up. But now you're able to bring in another guy or two who's able to move around; they can make more open-field blocks." It's not often that a safety rule brings about less caution and greater speed. From fan entertainment to so many young craniums, it was better for so many that the league decided to bust up the wedge so players wouldn't have to.

Eye on ...

DeSean Jackson, WR-PR, Eagles

What: Entering the game tonight against the rival Dallas Cowboys, the second-year player has receptions of 71, 64, 57, 54, 51 and 43 yards; a run for 67 yards; and a punt return for 85 yards.

Background: In his three years at Cal, Jackson had 52 plays of 20 yards or more. He was initially projected as a top-12 pick in the 2008 draft, but his stock dropped amid speculation he was a "me" player and because of his 169-pound weigh-in at the NFL scouting combine. The Broncos considered him with their No. 42 pick in the second round but took Eddie Royal instead. Jackson went five picks later to Philadelphia.

Klis' take: This is a case of NFL people



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outthinking themselves. Jackson has already become the league's undisputed No. 1 big-play threat. And no one should be surprised, because he was sensational at Cal. Jackson, not Michael Vick, has opened up the Eagles' offense, which otherwise can be a dink-and-dunk, chain-to- chain operation. His small frame remains a long- term concern. Then again, tacklers can't hurt what they can't catch. At issue Jacksonville fan base What: A Jaguars' home game will be blacked out for the fourth time this season today when they host the 1-6 Kansas City Chiefs. This is significant because today will be Jacksonville's fourth home game. The Jaguars are expected to draw a crowd of around 40,000. Background: In 1993, the NFL awarded an expansion franchise to Jacksonville primarily because of the deep pockets of owner Wayne Weaver. The Jaguars' first season of play was 1995, and in their second year, Mark Brunell, Natrone Means, Tony Boselli, Jimmy Smith and coach Tom Coughlin upset the top-seeded Broncos in the playoffs. That win remains the No. 1 highlight in franchise history. Klis' take: When are major sports leagues going to realize Florida has some of the worst sports markets in the country? The Florida Marlins (in Miami) and Tampa Bay Rays perennially rank near the bottom in Major League Baseball attendance. Jacksonville and now Tampa are

weak NFL markets. With the exception of perhaps Orlando, the demographics of the state are not conducive to paying the enormous sums it requires to enjoy a major sporting event in person. Never mind Los Angeles. I see the London Jaguars in the NFL future.

On the hot seat

G-Men's top gun

Who: Eli Manning, QB, Giants

When: Today vs. Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers at the Meadowlands.

Why: Knowing he would be the No. 1 pick in the 2004 draft, and knowing the Chargers had the first pick, Manning pulled an Elway and let it be known he would not play for owner Alex Spanos. That led to a trade to the Giants, who sent their first-round pick to the Chargers, who took Rivers. Manning is currently in the midst of his annual slump. After throwing 10 TDs against two INTs in the Giants' 5-0 start, he's had three TDs and six picks in their three losses since.

Ups and downs

THREE UP

1. Eagles: Rookies McCoy and Maclin, second- year player Jackson have given McNabb terrific young weapons.

2. Texans: Rookie OLB Brian Cushing is leading improved defense.



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3. Rams: Steven Jackson has 283 yards rushing the last two weeks. THREE DOWN 1. Falcons: Matt Ryan has seven INTs in his last three games. 2. Browns: Mangini's top assistant Erin O'Brien fired; Mangini's GM George Kokonis fired. Mangini, not fired. 3. Seahawks: With team ranked 29th in rushing, Edgerrin James gets fired.



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Veteran cornerback Ty Law has played for the Patriots, Jets and Chiefs. ( Getty file photo )

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Law looking to lift value of nickel By Lindsay H. JonesThe Denver Post Posted: 11/08/2009 01:00:00 AM MST

Ty Law's semi-retirement officially ended Saturday after he passed a physical and signed a one-year contract to play for the Broncos.

Law, a 35-year-old five-time Pro Bowl cornerback, participated in the team's practice Saturday afternoon and attended team meetings in preparation to play Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Invesco Field at Mile High.

"I've trained and stayed in shape in case the right opportunity came along, but the right opportunity didn't come along. Now it finally did,"

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Law said. "I had to jump on it." Law's contract will pay him $800,000 in base salary. He received a $200,000 signing bonus and could earn an additional $400,000 in incentives. To make room for Law on their 53-man roster, the Broncos released second-year cornerback Jack Williams, a fourth-round draft pick in 2008. Williams had split time as the team's nickel cornerback with rookie Alphonso Smith in recent weeks. Coach Josh McDaniels said Saturday he felt the Broncos had been a "pretty solid coverage group," but that the secondary would be improved with the addition of the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Law, who is two inches taller and more than 15 pounds heavier than Williams. "It's a thing where we felt he could come in and help us in more than one way, give us some depth at corner," McDaniels said of Law. "He's played a long time in this league; knows how to play inside, outside. He's in good shape and ready to go." Law, who celebrated the birth of his third child, a daughter named Phoenix, on Tuesday, said it was a "shock" to hear from McDaniels but an easy decision to come to Denver. "I've got a good situation here, veteran guys," Law said. "This is perfect. I can take my time and learn the system because it's already established. I'm just trying to help."

With Champ Bailey and Andre Goodman as the outside corners, opponents have increasingly attacked the Broncos' nickel cornerback in recent weeks — especially last Sunday, when Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco completed 12-of-15 passes against the nickel package, including completions of 18 and 21 yards against Williams in the third quarter.

"It's funny, it happened so fast. We're definitely getting a guy with a lot of experience, a guy that's made a lot of plays," Bailey said. "I think it's a good addition. I think he can help us. I just hope it works out well."

Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or [email protected]

Page 2 of 2Law looking to lift value of nickel - The Denver Post


November 8, 2009

N.F.L. Tries to Get a Grip on Tackling That Has Suddenly Gone Amiss

By JUDY BATTISTA

Jacksonville Coach Jack Del Rio was so disgusted by how many tackles the Jaguars missed last Sunday in a

30-13 loss at Tennessee that he took an unusual step in today’s N.F.L.: he had his team practice in full pads.

Del Rio even considered, but ultimately rejected, having his players actually tackle in practice.

“You can design it any way you want, you can have any number of X’s and O’s and D-linemen and linebackers

and secondary guys,” Del Rio said. “You can distribute them any different which way you want, but if you

can’t tackle, you can’t stop people, you can’t play good defense.”

Del Rio is not alone in his frustration. Tackling, one of football’s bedrock elements, seems to be worse than

ever, setting running backs and wide receivers loose and confounding coaches desperate for a remedy in an

era when tackling has become an only-on-Sunday requirement.

Last week, the San Francisco 49ers’ Frank Gore broke two tackles on his way to a 64-yard touchdown. The

Miami Dolphins’ Ted Ginn Jr. was faced with a wall of Jets, only to break free for a 101-yard kickoff return

for a touchdown. Earlier this season, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Coach Raheem Morris lamented his team’s 24

missed tackles against the Buffalo Bills.

Missed tackles are not an official N.F.L. statistic but Football Outsiders, a Web site that provides statistical

analysis of the league, began tracking them this season. In Week 4, it counted 131 broken tackles in the 12 ½

games that were charted, an average of 10 ½ per game. One trend most exposes how poor tackling is.

According to the N.F.L., there were 81 touchdowns of 50 yards or more through Week 8, the most since 1970,

great for highlight reels, a nightmare for defenses.

“We were watching the games, and it was sickening to look at these teams and how many big plays are made

because of missed tackles,” said the retired safety Rodney Harrison, who is an analyst for NBC.

From their first practice at Pop Warner, players are taught to put their face mask into the ball carrier’s chest,

wrap him up with their arms and explode with their hips into the runner. But once the N.F.L.’s regular

season starts, full-speed tackling happens only on Sunday.

It was not always like that. Tony Dungy, a former coach and current NBC analyst, recalled that when he

played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Coach Chuck Noll never held a practice that was not in full pads, even on

Friday, the lightest day of the practice week. There was contact every day, although defenders were told not

to explode through their hits or bring an offensive player to the ground.

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“You got used to hitting and tackling,” Dungy said.

But that was before the salary cap and roster limits. A hard cap and soft tissue do not mix, and avoiding

injuries during practice is now the primary concern for teams.

By the time Dungy became the Indianapolis coach, players even had pad-free days in training camp. If the

Colts played a Monday night game, they would practice for the next game with no pads, in an effort to spare

their bodies. The Colts never practiced in pads on Fridays, and late in the season, as players wore down,

Dungy would call for no pads on Thursdays.

So while his players still practiced technique — taking the correct angle to the ball or at most wrapping up the

ball carrier before releasing him — the physical aspect of tackling was virtually absent.

“It does show,” Dungy said.

LaMarr Woodley, a linebacker for the Steelers, who are considered one of the best tackling teams, said:

“People take for granted that you can just go in there, hit somebody and make the tackle. It’s harder than

people think. It’s something you’ve definitely got to work on to prepare, and have to practice during the

week.”

And when teams do not?

“Those are the teams that miss a lot of tackles,” Woodley said.

Wide-open passing attacks have complicated matters, encouraging complex defenses. Players and coaches

say more time is spent teaching the nuances of a defense than on tackling technique. And it is much harder to

make an open-field tackle, particularly if the ball carrier is the size of the 6-foot-4 Brandon Jacobs or has the

quickness of Percy Harvin, than one near the line of scrimmage where there is plenty of help.

Breakdowns in technique are more apparent in the open field, particularly if a defender takes the wrong

angle to catch a ball carrier. The Hall of Fame linebacker Harry Carson lamented about how often he sees

defenders, frequently in the secondary, reaching or lunging to make tackles, hoping to grab a jersey or an

ankle instead of getting their bodies into the plays. Earlier this year, a Cleveland Browns defender was so far

away from the Green Bay Packers’ Ryan Grant that John Lynch, calling the game for Fox, said, “It wouldn’t

have been a tackle in flag football.”

“When you see the ball carrier in the open field and the defender is coming at him, we say close the ground

where the ball carrier could make a move,” said Rod Woodson, a Hall of Fame defensive back who is an NFL

Network analyst. “We see today even the slowest quarterbacks are putting moves on defenders. It’s because

when they come to the ball carrier, defenders are stopping their feet. They stop 3 or 4 yards in front of him,

and now the ball carrier has the defender at his mercy.”

The prevalence of the pass has put a premium on covering a receiver to deter a quarterback from throwing to

him instead of on sounder tackling.

“There was no such thing as a cover corner with the Steel Curtain,” Dungy said. “That means I’m only out

there in the passing game, my job is to intercept and cover the receiver and you do the rest. Cover corner was



a code word for I’m not very physical. We have a lot of guys like that.”

The most common complaint among active players is that penalties devised to protect players from injury —

like flags for a horse-collar tackle or hitting a defenseless receiver — have narrowed the scope of acceptable

tackling and may cause a critical moment’s hesitation for defenders who fear being penalized and fined.

Lynch said he made a conscious decision not to worry about fines during his career, fearing it would subtly

alter his hard-hitting style of play. But for many current players, the uncertainty of what constitutes a legal

hit complicates an already difficult task.

“Whenever the mentality of the game changes, the mentality of the defender changes,” said Pittsburgh safety

Troy Polamalu, one of football’s best tacklers.

The mentality may be starting to change back. Lynch said he noticed that some teams held more physical

training camps this summer, the Jets, the Denver Broncos and the Jaguars among them. And as with the

Jaguars last week, full pads are coming back in vogue in the hope that a throwback skill will return with

them.

“The message was go back to the basics and fundamentals,” Lynch said. “Sometimes, it takes chronically bad

tackling. It’s kind of old school.”

John Branch contributed reporting.

Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company

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November 8, 2009

SPORTS BRIEFING | FOOTBALL

Broncos Sign Veteran Ty Law

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Denver Broncos have shored up their secondary by signing the veteran cornerback Ty Law, 35, who has

been to five Pro Bowls. Denver now has five players older than 30 in the defensive backfield. To make room

for Law, the Broncos waived defensive back Jack Williams. Law’s signing probably means reduced playing

time in the nickel and dime packages for the rookie Alphonso Smith. Law, a 15-year veteran, played seven

games with the Jets last season.

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By Tom Pedulla, USA TODAY

While the floundering Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns use bye weeks to assess their quarterback situations, USA TODAY looks at four passers who will start this Sunday after opening the season on the bench:

WEEK 9 PICKS: Our analysts choose winners & losers MIDSEASON MVP? Familiar names vie for NFL's top award

Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Background: Former Kansas State star was third quarterback drafted this year. Bucs rookie coach Raheem Morris knows him well after working as that school's defensive coordinator and never hesitated in taking strong-armed 6-6, 248-pounder 17th overall. Viewed as more of a project than either top pick Matthew Stafford (Detroit) or Mark Sanchez (fifth to N.Y. Jets).

ROOKIE FOCUS: Freeman can put a ball 'really anywhere'

• Worth promoting? Freeman offers hope for the future to NFL's last winless team. May give Bucs spark that Byron Leftwich (three starts) and Josh Johnson (four) could not. At the least, makes sense to endure some of his inevitable growing pains now. Has arm, size and desire to succeed as franchise QB.

• What they're saying: "He's earned the right. He's gone into the lab, he's done the extra studying, he's done the extra preparation." —Morris

Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins

• Background: Second-round pick learned from sidelines after Miami acquired Chad Pennington shortly before start of last season. Went 33-14 as Michigan starter. Threw for 9,715 yards and his 87 touchdown passes to rank second in Big Ten history to Drew Brees, then of Purdue and now an elite QB for New Orleans.

• Worth promoting? Took over 0-3 club when injury-prone Pennington went down with season-ending shoulder problem, casting doubt on his future. Has gone 3-1 while completing 74 of 124 passes for 771 yards with four TDs, three INTs. Offers much bigger arm than Pennington. Quickly won over teammates with coolness under fire. Lots of reasons to think he has a bright future.

• What they're saying: "If I don't love him for nothing else, his confidence, his swagger, is exactly what you want in a young quarterback." —Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter

Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers

• Background: Top pick in 2005 draft has faltered due to injuries and poor performances. Missed all of last season after re-injuring surgically-repaired shoulder. Coaches say he used the time away to his benefit, continuing to strive for improvement. Owns 11-20 record as a starter.

• Worth promoting? If Smith is ever going to play to expectations, 49ers should find out whether it can be for them. Although San Francisco lost 24-21 at Houston in Week 7, Smith rallied club from 21-0 halftime deficit after replacing Shaun Hill. Hit 19 of 32 passes for 198 yards with one TD, one INT in 18-14 loss at Indianapolis last Sunday in first start since Nov. 12, 2007.

• What they're saying: "I think right now, overall, Alex Smith really just kind of fit the bill in terms of doing the things we need to get done." —49ers coach Mike Singletary

Vince Young, Tennessee Titans

• Background: Third pick overall in 2006 draft after Mario Williams (Houston) and Reggie Bush (New Orleans). Showed promise early but was displaced by veteran Kerry Collins amid questions about his makeup and emotional state. Collins helped Titans to league-best 13-3 mark last year as steady game manager.

• Worth promoting? When Tennessee started 0-6, no one could blame owner Bud Adams for all but insisting that Young replace Collins. If he can't get it done now, club will know it must spend high draft choice on the position. Young, in improving to 19-11 as a starter, converted 15 of 18 passes for 125 yards and a score in Titans' breakthrough 30-13 win vs. Jacksonville last Sunday.

• What they're saying: "I think there's some things that happened to him early in his career that didn't let him concentrate on football. I think he realized he needed to work at it hard. And he has shown that." —Adams

Second chances: For teams & QBs, ex-backups get new hope

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Saturday, November 7, 2009

Law joins experienced Broncos defense

ESPN.com news services ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Ty Law spent the first half of the season waiting for the right team to come calling. Now that it has, he doesn't want to waste any more time getting back on the field.

Law came out of what he called "semi-retirement" Saturday to join the Denver Broncos and counts on contributing Monday night when the Pittsburgh Steelers bring three wide receivers to Invesco Field who are averaging more than 14 yards per catch.

"They're trying to get me ready to play this week in a limited fashion," Law said. "I did it last year."

AFC West blog

ESPN.com's Bill Williamson writes about all things AFC West in his division blog.

• Blog network: NFL Nation

The 15-year veteran joined the Jets at midseason in 2008 and played aplenty a few days later against New England.

"I'm just going to kind of wing it and go out and do the best I can," Law said. "But right now they're just shoving a lot down my throat because the terminology is totally different."

The 35-year-old Law gives the Broncos five players in the defensive backfield who are older than 30. Law said it was comforting to join a seasoned secondary that features Champ Bailey, Andre' Goodman, Renaldo Hill and Brian Dawkins.

"It's different between walking into a situation where you've got a bunch of young guys, a bunch of first-and second-year guys. This is perfect. I can take my time and learn the system because it's already established and all I'm doing is trying to help," Law said.

The five-time Pro Bowl cornerback passed his physical and practiced with the Broncos on Saturday, trying to acclimate himself to the altitude. He signed a one-year, $800,000 deal with Denver that includes a $200,000 signing bonus, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. He could earn up to $400,000 in playing-time and performance incentives, the source said.

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Law

Law, who gives the Broncos a defensive backfield that now sports a combined 20 Pro Bowl selections, also is familiar with Denver coach Josh McDaniels, who was an assistant with the Patriots during his time in New England.

Law helped New England to three Super Bowl titles. He signed with the Jets in 2005 after being released by the Patriots, and had a career-high 10 interceptions and was voted to the Pro Bowl. He was released by the Jets after that season and followed coach Herm Edwards to Kansas City, where he played two years before being cut in the offseason.

"He gives us some depth at corner. He played obviously a long time in this league. He knows how to play inside, outside and he's in good shape and ready to go," McDaniels said. "We feel like hopefully it will take us take a step forward."

To make room on the roster, the Broncos waived defensive back Jack Williams. Law's signing also likely means reduced playing time in the nickel and dime packages for rookie Alphonso Smith.

Two of the Broncos' last three opposing quarterbacks -- New England's Tom Brady and Baltimore's Joe Flacco targeted Denver's third cornerback with great success.

Law had been training in Florida and said he hadn't counted on staying on the sideline much longer.

"I trained to play. I wouldn't be out there if I didn't," he said. "[I] had some closure in my career as far as what I've done and what I've accomplished. I've accomplished a lot of things. But I still had the itch."

Law said he spurned other teams' offers this season and never expected the Broncos to call, but jumped at the chance when he heard from McDaniels. He said he later heard Indianapolis had some interest, too.

But this seemed like the perfect fit.

"First, I'm familiar with a lot of their guys here. They're hungry. They're winning and then, my familiarity with Josh McDaniels. I've won a few championships with him," Law said. "Other than going back to New England, this would be the ideal situation for me.

"There are a bunch of guys out there hungry to get a championship and that's what I'm looking for, to try and capture another championship before I shut down for good."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Posted: Saturday November 7, 2009 12:43PM; Updated: Saturday November 7, 2009 12:46PM

Pro Bowler Law signs with Broncos

Story Highlights Five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Ty Law has signed with the Broncos Law, 35, gives the Broncos five players over 30 in their defensive backfield

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) -- The Denver Broncos have shored up their secondary with another veteran, signing cornerback Ty Law.

The 35-year-old Law, who has been to five Pro Bowls, gives the Broncos five players over 30 in the defensive backfield that now sports a combined 20 Pro Bowl selections.

To make room, the Broncos waived defensive back Jack Williams. Law's signing also likely means reduced playing time in the nickel and dime packages for rookie Alphonso Smith.

Law, a 15-year veteran, played seven games with the New York Jets last season and had been training in Florida in case the right team came calling.

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