Dominic Raiola blasts Titus Young, and says Lions have moved on

Leon Halip - Dominic Raiola

Allen Park — Titus Young sat on a stool in front of his locker wearing a black stocking cap and oversized dark sunglasses.

His message was clear. He wasn't about to reveal anything about his latest transgression, about being sent away from the practice facility for the second time this season or about getting back in good graces with the team.

Here was the entire interview:

Q. What can you tells us about your dismissal from the team this past week?

A. What happens in-house stays in-house.

Q. Are you disappointed that you've been dismissed twice in the last six months?

A. Well, I just made my comment on that whole situation.

Q. How do you feel like you have progressed this week?

A. Well …

Q. Do you expect to be in the plans on Sunday?

A. It's all in God's hands.

Q. Coach (Jim Schwartz) said you have to be more accountable and you have to grow up. Do you think what you are doing now is part of that?

A. You have to talk to coach about that.

Q. What would you say to Lions fans who wonder why they should trust you won't do it again?

A. Well, I am not here to talk about the past.

Q. Do you understand people's curiosity in what goes on with Titus Young and the Lions?

A. (No response.)

Q. Are you disappointed in yourself?

A. I am not here to comment about the past.

Anybody who expected contrition and a vow of better days ahead from Young came away disappointed. Even though Young has been back at practice the last three days, he still appears very much on an island.

It is doubtful he will be in the mix against Indianapolis Sunday, though Schwartz has not closed that door. And it is become more and more clear that his days with this franchise are numbered.

Center Dominic Raiola, one of the offensive leaders, expressed the team's exasperation with Young's antics.

"It's not a distraction because we have moved on from him," Raiola said. "If he wants to be an a------, let him be an a------. It's not my problem. What we can control is the guys who want to be here. I want people who want to be here and I think everybody else wants the same thing.

"If you don't want to be here, then leave."

Raiola and other players who were asked about Young don't fully understand what he's upset about. And Young obviously isn't sharing that information.

"I don't know; I have no idea," Raiola said. "He could have it made here."

Young has, since he was drafted in 2011, has chafed about his role on the team, even as a rookie. He hated being the third receiver and he apparently hasn't been any happier as the No. 2 receiver behind All-Pro Calvin Johnson.

He was benched late in the game against Green Bay for being a distraction. He was lining up in the wrong spots, apparently intentionally. He was running wrong routes, sulking and not running hard at times.

He was also being mouthy and petulant in the huddle and on the sideline.

For that he was sent home for a week and deactivated for the game Thursday against Houston.

"The more we think about it, the more we talk about it, that's what holds this team back," Raiola said. "We don't talk about it, we don't think about it, you know, we have a good group on offense. Don't be an a------. Don't be a jerk. Just go with the flow."

Raiola pointed toward Young's locker, which is located between Nate Burleson's and Johnson's.

"We've got the best player in the world over there (Johnson)," Raiola said. "He should look no further than that to know how to act. If you are going to act like that, you are done."

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121130/SPORTS0101/211300452#ixzz2Dk0edSB5

Report: Gruden out as UT coaching candidate

Posted by Mike Florio on November 30, 2012, 9:52 AM EST

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If/when Jon Gruden continues his coaching career, it apparently won’t be at the University of Tennessee.

According to Jimmy Hyams of WNML in Knoxville, Gruden recently informed the school that he won’t be taking the job.  Hyams also reports that no contract was offered.

The second part is likely meaningless.  In coaching, contracts typically aren’t offered until contracts are poised to be accepted.  The contract is merely the list of the terms to which the coach and the program have verbally agreed.  Gruden and UT never agreed verbally on terms, so there was no need to write it all up.

Indeed, the Chattanooga Times Free Press had reported that an offer had been made to Gruden, which can be very different from a formal contract.  The talks may have broken down regarding the money that would have been available to Gruden for hiring a staff.

Still, Gruden likely was never truly interested in coaching college kids.   He’s an NFL coach, and he’s destined to return to the NFL.  Flirting with UT merely ensures that he’ll get his choice of seats when the annual game of musical chairs begins on December 31.

Brees tosses 5 picks in loss to Falcons

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on November 29, 2012, 11:47 PM EST

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The Atlanta Falcons intercepted quarterback Drew Brees five times on Thursday night as the Falcons improved to a league-leading 11-1 with a 23-13 win over Saints.

Atlanta’s defense helped snap Brees’ streak of 54 consecutive games with a touchdown pass. It was the first five interception game of Brees’ career and his first game without a touchdown pass since Oct. 4, 2009 against the New York Jets.

The loss drops the Saints to 5-7 and puts their chances of rallying to a Wild Card berth in serious peril.

The Falcons jumped on top quickly as they relied on the running game to take the early lead. The Falcons went 80 yards on six plays for the opening score as quarterback Matt Ryan threw just one pass on the opening series. Michael Turner scored on a 3-yard touchdown run to give Atlanta the early 7-0 lead.

Matt Ryan then connected with tight end Tony Gonzalez for a 17-yard touchdown early in the second quarter to extend the lead to 14-0. A 45-yard field goal from Matt Bryant gave the Falcons a 17-0 lead before the Saints finally got on the board late in the first half.

Mark Ingram scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with three minutes to play in the first half to cap an 11-play, 80-yard drive to get New Orleans on the board. The Saints had a chance for more points before the half but badly botched their handling of the game clock and ended the half without getting any points.

Brees’ touchdown streak would have continued if not for a costly gaff by receiver Lance Moore in the third quarter. With the Saints trailing 17-7, Moore dropped a Brees pass in the end zone that hit him directly in the hands. The drop lead to the Saints having to settle for a 21-yard Garrett Hartley field goal. A 52-yard field goal from Hartley on the next Saints drive pulled New Orleans within 17-13 late in the third quarter.

Another Bryant field goal, this one a 29-yard try, gave the Falcons a seven-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

The Saints looked to be putting together a promising drive after a 25-yard completion to tight end Jimmy Graham moved the Saints into Falcon territory. After a quick screen to Darren Sproles netted nine yards, the New Orleans drive stalled. William Moore stopped Pierre Thomas for a 4-yard loss on 2nd and 1 and John Abraham came up with a sack of Brees to push the Saints out of field goal range.

Ryan led the Falcons into Saints territory and Bryant connected on a 55-yard field goal to take a 23-13 lead. Ryan completed 18 of 33 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown.

Rafael Bush stripped the ball from Turner’s hands on the next drive to give the Saints another opportunity to close the gap and for Brees to extend his streak.

But Brees was intercepted for a second time by Moore to seal the end of the streak and the win for the Falcons. Brees completed 28 of 50 passes for 341 yards and the five interceptions.

Rolando McClain was asked to stay away from Raiders

Posted by Josh Alper on November 29, 2012, 6:36 PM EST

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Linebacker Rolando McClain is still a member of the Oakland Raiders, although he may not be playing another game for the team.

Coach Dennis Allen addressed McClain’s absence because of “team-related issues,” which reportedly began after a heated conversation with the head coach on the practice field on Wednesday. Allen said that McClain has not been suspended, but McClain has been asked to remain away from the team because “there’s going to be consequences to his actions.”

Allen wouldn’t say what comes next for the team and McClain. They could still try to suspend him suspend him without pay for conduct detrimental to the team or they could simply wipe their hands of him. That option might be giving McClain exactly what he wants and the Raiders would be stuck paying more than $285,000 for the rest of the season, but that might not be as big a concern for the Raiders as getting rid of a player with no future in the organization.

“We’ve got to make a decision as an organization. We’re going to make sure we make the right decision,” Allen said, via CBSSports.com.

If the Raiders don’t cut ties with McClain now, it shouldn’t be too long after the season ends that they do cut him loose.

Early Playoff Scenarios

As we enter week 13 of the NFL season, it is time to start looking at the potential playoff scenarios around the league. While there are several teams battling it out for wild card spots in the AFC and the NFC, there are a few teams who have a pretty clear playoff picture. Let's take a look at where the 32 teams stand in terms of a playoff spot.

AFC:

Already Eliminated:
Kansas City 1-10
Jacksonville 2-9

On Life Support:
Oakland 3-8
Cleveland 3-8
Buffalo 4-7

Needs Help:
San Diego 4-7
Tennessee 4-7
New York Jets 4-7

In The Hunt:
Miami 5-6
Cincinnati 6-5

Wild Card Teams:
Indianapolis 7-4
Pittsburgh 6-5

Division Leaders:
New England 8-3
Baltimore 9-2
Houston 10-1
Denver 8-3

Who Can Clinch This Week?

The Denver Broncos can clinch the AFC West with a win this Sunday vs Tampa Bay. This is because they will have a four game lead and a tiebreaker over San Diego with four games remaining. At worst, they will be the fourth seed in the AFC.

New England can clinch their division with a victory against the Dolphins in Miami this coming Sunday.
Baltimore can clinch their division with a win over the Steelers and some help. If the season ended today, they would be the number two seed in the AFC.

While Houston cannot yet clinch a division title, they can clinch a playoff berth with a loss. Even if they don't win, they could still clinch a playoff spot if Pittsburgh or Cincinnati were to lose.

NFC:

Already Eliminated
None

On Life Support
Carolina 3-8
Philadelphia Eagles 3-8

Need Help
Arizona Cardinals 4-7
St. Louis Rams 4-6-1
Detroit Lions 4-7

In The Hunt
New Orleans Saints 5-6
Washington Redskins 5-6
Dallas Cowboys 5-6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-5
Minnesota Vikings 6-5

Wild Card Teams
Green Bay Packers 7-4
Seattle Seahawks 6-5

Division Leaders
New York Giants 7-4
Chicago Bears 8-3
Atlanta Falcons 10-1
San Francisco 49ers 8-2-1

Who Can Clinch This Week?

No one is able to clinch either a division title or a wild card berth this week. The only team that is close to clinching either are the 10-1 Falcons. With a win this week and next, they will be able to clinch the NFC South.

While almost every AFC divisional race could be decided this week, the NFC is still up for grabs. That should make for some exciting races with many teams checking the scoreboard on a regular basis to see if the teams ahead of them are faltering.

Texans Matt Schaub To Enter Hall of Fame

By: Colin Cook

Not as a career player, of course.

Schaub had a career day two weeks ago, throwing for 527 yards (43 completions on 55 attempts) with 5 touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars on November 18th. This equated to being tied for the second best passing performance in the history of the NFL. Schaub tied with Warren Moon and is behind only Norm van Brocklin, who threw for 554 yards in a game.

The Texans sent Schaub's jersey and cleats (I guess from that game) to Canton, Ohio to be immortalized in the Hall of Fame as the fourteenth quarterback to join the '500 Club'.

Gregg Williams will finally testify in bounty appeal hearings

Posted by Mike Florio on November 29, 2012, 11:28 AM EST

AP

It was known that, on Thursday, former Saints assistant Mike Cerullo will testify in the bounty appeal hearing conducted by former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

It wasn’t known (or, at a minimum, it wasn’t accepted by some in the media) that former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams would testify on Friday.

After weeks of suggesting that Williams might not show up, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com finally has acknowledged that Williams will appear.

Williams, as we’ve been saying all along, has no choice.  His indefinite suspension allows him to apply for reinstatement after a year, and the extent to which he cooperates with the league’s internal bounty-related proceedings is an express factor that the league will consider when considering whether to reinstate him.

So if Williams had refused to appear, the NFL quite likely would have refused to reinstate him.

And so the stage has been set for a pair of compelling days of testimony, with Cerullo and Williams initially tracking the terms of sworn statements that clearly were drafted by lawyers and then both getting separately grilled by attorneys Peter Ginsberg (who represents Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma) and Jeffrey Kessler (who represents Saints defensive end Will Smith, Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, and free-agent defensive end Anthony Hargrove).

Adversarial proceedings are aimed at using opposing forces to get to the truth.  In the end, Tagliabue will be the one to decide whether and to what extent Cerullo, Williams, and all other witnesses are telling the truth.

And I’d love to be a fly on the wall for the proceedings.  (Actually, I’d prefer to simply have a microphone in the room.  Being a fly on the wall means being a fly, which means having to eat a fairly wide range of nasty stuff.)

Lions benched Titus Young for sabotaging their offense

Posted by Evan Silva on November 29, 2012, 8:18 AM EST

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The Lions deactivated receiver Titus Young on Thanksgiving Day for bad behavior that had led to in-fighting among the coaching staff. Young was allowed back on the practice fieldWednesday, as a second-team receiver. The Lions never provided the specifics that resulted in Young’s team-imposed ban, but Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has them.

Per Birkett, Young purposely lined up in the wrong place on the field “multiple times” during the Lions’ Week Eleven loss to Green Bay. He also “mouthed off” to receivers coach Shawn Jefferson before being benched for the final possession. Apparently upset that he wasn’t getting enough passes thrown his way, Young responded by attempting to sabotage the Lions’ passing offense.

Young’s teammates understandably don’t have his back anymore; top wideoutCalvin Johnson indicated after the Thanksgiving game that he anticipates the Lions moving forward with rookie Ryan Broyles and newly acquired Mike Thomas in the lineup.

“It was nice to see some new playmakers in there making plays,” Johnson told the Detroit News. “We are going to keep progressing with these new guys in our receiver group.”

Asked if Broyles and Thomas would stay in the rotation, Johnson replied “Yeah. No doubt.”

Young has resumed practicing, but there are no guarantees on his game-day role, if he has one at all. Young’s actions suggest he’s more concerned with himself than the cause of his team.

It’s hard to play with that type of a guy. You can’t win with ‘em. Can’t do it.

Atlanta airport workers egg Saints bus

Posted by Mike Florio on November 28, 2012, 10:19 PM EST

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If it’s not a rivalry, we’d hate to see what would happen if it were.

Via WWL-TV, multiple Saints players indicated via Twitter on Wednesday night that workers at the Atlanta airport egged the Saints bus after the team arrived from New Orleans for Thursday night’s game at the Georgia Dome.

A team source confirms that, indeed, eggs were hurled at the bus by workers at the airport.

It’s fitting that they chose eggs, given that the Saints are going for a dozen wins in their last 14 games against the Falcons.

Thursday morning one-liners

Posted by Darin Gantt on November 29, 2012, 8:19 AM EST

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Bills players said they stand behind coach Chan Gailey (something that never comes up until a team has issues).

Dolphins WR Davone Bess has developed intomore than just a slot guy.

The Patriots promoted DE James Develin to take the spot of suspended Jermaine Cunningham.

With Tim Tebow nursing sore ribs, the Jets might have to activate QB Greg McElroy.

Ravens TE Ed Dickson said his knee injury “could have been a lot worse.”

Bengals WR A.J. Green continues to lead fan voting for the Pro Bowl at his position, and is sixth overall.

Browns QB Brandon Weeden described his own concussion as “mild,” and said he was “just a little foggy” (Somebody should tell him his backup isn’t Colin Kaepernick).

Despite three fumbles in his last 28 attempts, Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhallsaid he’s not a fumbler.

Texans WR Andre Johnson’s 461 yards the last two games are the most everover a similar span.

The Colts were thinking long-term when they put NT Josh Chapman on injured reserve.

Jaguars RB Jalen Parmele earned a game ball, but it might have come at the cost of needing surgery.

Breathe easy Titans assistants, head coach Mike Munchak said no more staff changes this season.

Broncos rookie DE Malik Jackson is getting ready to replace Robert Ayers, who has missed this week after the death of his father.

Former Chiefs players including Hall of Famer Willie Lanier met with Army officialsto discuss head injuries.

Even with Darren McFadden close to a return, the Raiders still want to use FBMarcel Reece.

Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego takes a closer look at the offensive dysfunction of the Chargers.

According to Stephen Jones, the Cowboys didn’t put in a waiver claim on DE Jason Babin, in part because of his salary, and partly because it’s one of the few healthy spots on the roster.

Giants LB Mathias Kiwanuka was used exclusively as a lineman last week, and he’s OK with that.

Much like the Spanish Inquisition, nobody expected the release of Eagles DE Jason Babin.

The Redskins did successfully claim a player off waivers yesterday, but it was LB Brayn Kehl.

Bears QB coach Jeremy Bates learned some lessons from his year off.

Lions QB Matthew Stafford said all WR Titus Young has to do to get back in the team’s good graces is: “Just come out and work.”

Since they can’t change personnel, the Packers will tweak their scheme to try to protect QB Aaron Rodgers better.

Vikings RG Geoff Schwartz isn’t a starter, but he’s starting to get more and more reps.

The Falcons are hoping the return of LB Sean Weatherspoon keeps Saints TEJimmy Graham from destroying them like in the last meeting.

Panthers DT Sione Fua will step into the starting lineup with Ron Edwards on IR.

Saints WR Joe Morgan’s going to play Santa Claus this weekend after playing the Falcons tonight.

The Buccaneers are going for a franchise-record fourth straight road win this weekend in Denver.

A truck-driving heckler at Cardinals practice reminded the team it could be worse, they could have Tim Tebow.

The Rams are approaching this week’s game with the 49ers as the sixth quarter of their previously tied game.

With veteran K David Akers hurting, the 49ers worked out some veteran options this week.

A Seahawks defense which had been so consistent suffered what LB K.J. Wrightcalled a “total meltdown.”

Jaguars bolster their pass rush by claiming Jason Babin off waivers

Posted by Mike Florio on November 28, 2012, 4:27 PM EST

AP

When defensive end Jason Babin was cut by the Eagles, he probably thought he’d be upgrading his chances of playing for a contender.

If he did, he thought wrong.

Per a league source, Babin was awarded to the Jaguars, who at 2-9 were second on the priority list.  At this point, it’s not known who else made a claim for his contract; it’s only known that the Chiefs, who have top priority, didn’t.

The next question becomes whether Babin will make noise about being involuntarily shipped to a bad team, which now holds his rights through 2015.  Apart from playing for a bad team, Babin will now be playing in London once per year over the next three seasons.

If Babin opts to retire in lieu of playing for Jacksonville, the Jags would be able to recover $900,000 in signing bonus money, along with the remaining proration of his signing bonus for 2012, which by our calculations is another $88,000.Plus, he’d be giving up $1.69 million for roughly a month of work.

The NFL contradicts itself with Suh's $30,000 fine

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 28, 2012, 3:00 PM EST

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The NFL has fined Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh $30,000 for his kick to the groin of Texans quarterback Matt Schaub on Thanksgiving.

The fine was confirmed by the NFL shortly after Suh made his first public comments about the incident, comments in which he insisted that he had nothing to apologize for because he hadn’t intentionally kicked Schaub and had only made contact because he was falling awkwardly after being dragged to the ground.

Apparently the NFL didn’t buy that explanation, although the NFL’s decision to discipline Suh at all raises a couple of questions.

For those who think Suh is telling the truth that it was an accident, the question is, Why should Suh be fined at all? After all, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has saidthe league has no way of knowing what Suh’s intent was.

For those who think Suh meant to do it, the question is, Why wasn’t Suh suspended? This was his second consecutive Thanksgiving in which he was involved in a controversial incident with his foot striking an opposing player. Last year he was suspended two games for stomping on Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith. The NFL says it will deal particularly harshly with repeat offenders, and yet Suh is getting off with a much softer punishment than last year’s two-game suspension.

Ultimately, this punishment indicates that the league doesn’t want to give Suh the benefit of the doubt given his history but also can’t say for sure that Suh meant to do it.

Brandon Marshall says NFL players use Viagra as a PED

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 28, 2012, 1:49 PM EST

Reuters

At a time when many football fans are wondering why the NFL keeps suspending players for using Adderall as a performance-enhancing drug, Bears receiver Brandon Marshall says there’s another common prescription medication that players use to get an edge: Marshall says he has heard stories of other players using Viagra as a performance enhancer.

Yes, he means on the football field. Get your mind out of the gutter.

According to Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times, Marshall told reporters today that he has heard stories of other players using Viagra to get an edge.

Marshall isn’t the first to hear about that: A 2008 Slate article noted that Viagra works by dilating blood vessels and increasing oxygenation, which means it could improve athletic performance, particularly at elevation. If you’re playing a game in Denver — where Marshall spent his first four NFL seasons — and you want to reduce the effects of playing at altitude on your body, popping a Viagra could help.

Or a road trip to Denver could be a convenient excuse for a player filling a Viagra prescription.

Rumors of Jeff Fisher to Auburn swirl

By Aaron Brenner - Ledger Enquirer

AUBURN, Ala. -- St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher is one of the big names that keeps popping up in public forums when surmising who Auburn might consider to replace Gene Chizik.

Fisher's son, Trent, is a former walk-on safety for the Tigers who earned a scholarship before this season and had a chance to shine in the final two games. Other than that, Fisher's interest in the job is unknown.

Something to consider: rarely do successful NFL head coaches bolt for the not-so-greener pastures of college football, where salaries are lower but headaches are higher in terms of recruiting responsibilities, NCAA compliance commandments, and the like.

There are 106 currently-employed head coaches at Division I universities. Only a half-dozen have ever been the head man for a single NFL game.

And get this: even those six have not been very successful.

There are some pretty good college coaches in that company. Alabama's Nick Saban, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier, Oregon State's Mike Riley and UCLA's Jim Mora Jr. each lead top-20 programs. USC's Lane Kiffin and Southern Methodist's June Jones, solid in their own right, round out the list.

But the group's combined NFL record is 100-156 -- a 39 percent success clip. None individually has a winning percentage at the professional record.

As for Fisher? He would shake up the list completely. He's 150-132-1 in 18 years coaching the Oilers, Titans and Rams, a man who has coached more days in his life in the Super Bowl (XXXIV) than he has in college football.

Throw in the fact his salary ($7 million) is double what Chizik made, and it's not a stretch to call it a major upset if Auburn lured Fisher to the Plains.

For the record, ESPN's Jon Gruden has rebuffed rumors he's linked to Arkansas and Tennessee openings while serving as Monday Night Football color commentator. He's 100-85 in 11 years as coach of the Raiders and Buccaneers, including a Super Bowl XXXVII victory.

Gruden has not coached since 2008, and did spend four years in the college ranks from 1986-89, including a two-year graduate assistant stint for the Volunteers.

Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2012/11/27/2292009/rams-jeff-fisher-in-auburn-talk.html#storylink=cpy

NaVorro Bowman lands 5 year extension with San Francisco

Brad Biggs - NFP

The San Francisco 49ers have successfully locked up one of their core defensive players.

Linebacker NaVorro Bowman agreed to a five-year contract extension, the team just announced. Adam Schefter of ESPN broke the story, reporting earlier Bowman was close to signing a five-year extension, a deal that will keep him in place through the 2018 season.

The 49ers signed Patrick Willis to a $53.5 million, seven-year deal in 2010, a contract that included $29 million guaranteed. It’s unknown how big the windfall will be for Bowman, who pairs with Willis to give the 49ers one of the best tandems at the position in the NFL.

Bowman is in the third year of his rookie contract and is earning $540,000 this season. He was scheduled to earn $575,000 next season and he will be earning much, much more than that.

Follow me on Twitter: @BradBiggs

Report: Gruden to get stake in Browns ownership if he coaches the Vols

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on November 28, 2012, 1:19 AM EST

AP

Oh boy.

This may be the most outlandish Jon Gruden coaching rumor yet.

WREG-TV in Memphis, Tenn. reported Tuesday night that the ESPN NFL analyst has an offer on the table to become the next head coach of the University of Tennessee with an interesting twist. According to the report, Gruden would be getting an ownership stake in the Cleveland Browns as part of the deal and a decision could be made as early as Wednesday.

New Browns owner Jimmy Haslam attended Tennessee and is a booster of the program. His father, Jim, played on the offensive line for the Volunteers in the early 1950s, including the 1951 National Championship team.  The Browns owner also is a major Tennessee booster.

The report does bring up a potential road block to this ever coming to fruition. Gruden may still be owed money from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from his time as head coach that ended with his firing in 2008. Apparently the league is looking into the conflict of owning a part of one team while potentially still getting paid from another franchise.

Here’s another possible hiccup. According to John Infante, who worked as a NCAA compliance officer at Colorado State University and ran the Bylaw Blog for the NCAA website, NCAA rules would prohibit this transaction unless the ownership stake was first gifted to the University of Tennessee. He says there is no rule prohibiting coaches being involved with pro teams but rather the issue has to do with outside compensation.

This deal seems a little too ridiculous to actually come together in the end. But with SEC football, there seems to be no limit to the distance schools will go to try and put the best possible team on the field. So maybe it’s not completely out of the question after all.

5 teams can clinch playoff spots this weekend

Posted by Mike Florio on November 27, 2012, 2:12 PM EST

Reuters

Week 13 of the NFL season could be lucky for up to five teams.

In the coming days, the Texans, Ravens, Patriots, Broncos, and Falcons can each clinch playoff berths.

For the Pats, it’s simple:  Win and they’re in, via the AFC East crown.

For the Texans, a win or a tie gets it done.  Also, the Texans back in with a loss and:  (1) a Dolphins loss or tie and a Steelers loss or tie; or (2) a Dolphins loss or tie and a Bengals loss or tie; or (3) a Steelers loss and a Bengals loss.

The Ravens can win the AFC North with a victory and a Bengals loss.  Also, Baltimore can secure a playoff berth (but not the division), with a win or a tie combined with a Bengals loss and a Dolphins loss or tie.

The Broncos win the AFC West with a win, or with a Chargers loss or tie.

The Falcons win the NFC South with a win and a Bucs loss or tie, or with a tie and a Bucs loss.  Atlanta secures a playoff berth with a win and a Seahawks loss or tie, or Falcons tie and losses by the Seahawks and Vikings.

The fact that five teams can get in this week, when only one had a chance in Week 12, highlights the separation that occurred via wins by every division leader (except, technically, the Packers), and losses by every second-place team (except, technically, the Bears).

Eagles cut Jason Babin

Posted by Josh Alper on November 27, 2012, 3:17 PM EST

AP

DeSean Jackson isn’t the only player who has played his final game for the Eagles this season.

The team announced that they have cut defensive end Jason Babin. The news comes as something of a surprise, although Babin wasn’t expected to remain with the team after this season. He signed a five-year, $27.725 million contract with the team before last season, more than $16 million of which was set to come in the next three years.

Babin made good on that deal with 18 sacks last season, but, like many other Eagles, his play has gone sharply south this year. He has 5.5 sacks this year and seen his playing time cut as a result. He’s also gone public with his dislike for what’s coming out of the mouths of Eagles fans during home games, leading to a rebuke from former Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter.

“We appreciate everything that Jason has given this team over the last couple of years. We wish him all the best as he continues his career,” coach Andy Reid said in a statement released by the team. “By releasing him today, this gives us an opportunity to give more playing time to some of younger guys in the defensive line rotation.”

Second-round pick Vinny Curry is one of the young players who should see a boost with Babin out of the picture. He was active for the first time this season on Monday night against Carolina.

While Babin has underperformed this season, a team headed to the playoffs might take a shot on claiming him off waivers, or signing him once he clears, in hopes of boosting their pass rush. He’s picked up sacks in each of the last two weeks and, as mentioned, isn’t far removed from a season with plenty of them.

Report: Kendall Hunter is done for the season

Posted by Mike Florio on November 27, 2012, 12:42 PM EST

AP

The 49ers have impressive depth at the skill positions.  And that depth is about to get tested.

Running back Kendall Hunter is out for the season with an ankle injury, according to Mike Garafolo ofUSA Today.  Hunter joins receiver Kyle Williams as key offensive cogs who were lost for the year in Sunday’s win over the Saints.

As Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com explained during Tuesday’s PFT Live, the loss of Hunter likely means more opportunities for Brandon Jacobs, and not necessarily the debut and/or extended use of second-round rookie LaMichael James.

As to Williams’ absence, Maiocco thinks it will translate into more Randy Moss, not more/any first-round rookie A.J. Jenkins.

Still, the Hunter and Williams injuries nudge the to-date unused rookies farther up the chart.  If others are injured, it’ll be time to see whether this year’s first-round and second-round picks can make the same kind of impact that last year’s first-round and second-picks, Aldon Smith and Colin Kaepernick, respecitvely, are making

Eagles lose DeSean Jackson for the rest of the season

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 27, 2012, 12:24 PM EST

AP

As the Eagles’ season goes from bad to worse, they’ve now lost one of their top offensive playmakers.

DeSean Jackson, the wide receiver who guaranteed a Super Bowl when he signed a new five-year contract in March, will miss the rest of this season with fractured ribs, coach Andy Reid announced today. Jackson leads the team with 45 catches for 700 yards, so his loss will be yet another blow to an offense that continues to struggle.

Reid said Jackson’s injury will take about six weeks to heal and shouldn’t affect him during the offseason. (Reid, of course, will have no role in anything Jackson does during the offseason, as Reid is sure to be fired when this season ends.)

Reid also confirmed that left tackle Jason Peters will not play this year, that Peters’ replacement at left tackle King Dunlap will at the very least miss some practice with an MCL sprain, that running back LeSean McCoy is still in Phase 1 of the NFL’s post-concussion protocol and that quarterback Michael Vick has still not been cleared from his own concussion. Injuries have devastated the Eagles’ offense, but Reid declined to blame injuries for his team being 3-8.

“Injuries are not an excuse for our record. The next guy plays. There are no excuses,” Reid said. “Hopefully you have the character on the team where guys will fight to the end. You saw that last night. We’re just not getting it done.”

The Eagles are not getting it done, and with Jackson done, it’s one more sign that Philadelphia may fail to win another game before the season is done.

Ndamukong Suh involved in another traffic incident

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 27, 2012, 6:43 AM EST

AP

Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suhfound out on Monday that he won’t be suspended for kicking Texans quarterbackMatt Schaub. But at the rate Suh is going, it may be just a matter of time before his drivers license is suspended.

FOX 2 in Detroit is reporting that Suh was ticketed in Lathrup Village, Michigan, on November 15 for failure to use due care and caution. That is at least Suh’s fourth traffic incident within the past year: A month earlier Suh and another driver both said they were sideswiped by each other. In March, Suh was ticketed for driving 91 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone. A year ago, while Suh was serving his suspension for his infamous Thanksgiving stomp of Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith, he was ticketed for an accident in which he drove into a tree in Portland, Oregon.

Suh’s bad driving goes back to his college days at Nebraska: He was cited for negligent driving in college when he sideswiped several parked cars in an incident that he said was caused by swerving to avoid hitting an animal.

It might be time for Suh to use some of the $68 million in his five-year contract with the Lions to hire himself a full-time chauffeur.

Tuesday morning one-liners

Posted by Josh Alper on November 27, 2012, 8:27 AM EST

AP

Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News doesn’t see the same progress from the Bills that coach Chan Gailey talks about seeing.

Can Charles Clay repeat his Sunday performance in upcoming Dolphins games?

Patriots S Patrick Chung has found an unusual outlet for his love of music.

Jets G Brandon Moore disagreed with Cris Collinsworth’s analysis of QB Mark Sanchez’s collision with Moore’s posterior on Thanksgiving night.

The Ravens defense has shown some signs of improvement in recent weeks.

The Bengals have seen more wins since their running game has picked up.

Said Browns coach Pat Shurmur, “I don’t want to overstate it. It’s one football game. But we played a physical team, and we found a way to finish. I think that’s something our young guys can build on.”

The quarterback issues have taken a toll on Steelers WR Mike Wallace’s production.

Texans coach Gary Kubiak is confident linebacker Whitney Mercilus is ready foran expanded role.

Colts G Mike McGlynn helped out a local family that had all of the Christmas gifts they’d just purchased stolen.

Coach Mike Mularkey wasn’t thrilled with the work done by the Jaguars offensive line on Sunday.

Titans S Michael Griffin needs to do more to avoid fouls for leading with his helmet.

The Broncos defensive backs have become a strength for the team.

Having a 1-10 record isn’t enough to take away the Chiefs’ motivation.

Raiders players haven’t stopped supporting coach Dennis Allen.

LB Jonas Mouton and S Brandon Taylor should make their Chargers debuts this week.

Cowboys LB Anthony Spencer won’t talk about his contract situation until after the season.

It looks like this week’s Monday night appearance will be the Giants’ last primetime game of the season.

Eagles RB Bryce Brown’s big rushing totals were mitigated by a pair of fumbles.

A deep thigh bruise will be a concern for Redskins T Trent Williams this week.

Bears QB Jay Cutler helped himself by staying in motion in Sunday’s win.

Can WR Titus Young reclaim his spot on the Lions depth chart?

CB Davon House’s size gave him a bigger role in the Packers defense than Casey Hayward on Sunday night.

G Brandon Fusco might not be a starter for the Vikings much longer.

CB Asante Samuel’s health will be an issue for the Falcons as they get ready for Thursday’s game.

Other Panthers receivers stepped up as the Eagles focused on defending Steve Smith on Monday night.

The fourth quarter hasn’t been particularly kind to Saints QB Drew Brees this season.

Throwing the ball is proving to be the best way to beat the Buccaneers.

Assessing the impact of the Cardinals’ loss of C Lyle Sendlein for the rest of the season.

Getting a healthy offensive line in front of him has worked well for Rams RBSteven Jackson.

Is 49ers QB Alex Smith a sympathetic figure?

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times wonders if the stories of Seahawks cornerbacksBrandon Browner and Richard Sherman are too good to be true.