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Elliot Harrison
Elliot Harrison has covered the league for seven seasons, first for Fox Sports before joining the NFL in 2009. He contributed to several NFL Network shows as a content editor and research analyst, including Pro Football Preview, Total Access and NFL RedZone. He has been a regular contributor to NFL.com since 2010.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013. To commemorate this milestone, NFL Media historian Elliot Harrison is picking his Hall of Fame 50th Anniversary Team. Selecting from the pool of more than 200 players voted into... more
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013. To commemorate this milestone, NFL Media historian Elliot Harrison is picking his Hall of Fame 50th Anniversary Team. Selecting from the pool of more than 200 players voted into... more
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013. To commemorate this milestone, NFL Media historian Elliot Harrison is picking his Hall of Fame 50th Anniversary Team. Selecting from the pool of more than 200 players voted into... more
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013. To commemorate this milestone, NFL Media historian Elliot Harrison is picking his Hall of Fame 50th Anniversary Team. Selecting from the pool of more than 200 players voted into... more
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013. To commemorate this milestone, NFL Media historian Elliot Harrison is picking his Hall of Fame 50th Anniversary Team. Selecting from the pool of more than 200 players voted into... more
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013. To commemorate this milestone, NFL Media historian Elliot Harrison is picking his Hall of Fame 50th Anniversary Team. Selecting from the pool of more than 200 players voted into... more
Your fantasy football team plays in the NFL, and you should too! Sign up today to play the official free and customizable fantasy game of the National Football League! NFL.com held its second experts league mock draft of the year on Friday, July 19th.... more
It's hard to believe, and it doesn't quite connect in the brain, but do you realize that the New York Giants have missed the playoffs three out of the past four years? On the surface, it might seem like the postseason and Big Blue go together like... more
Last week, I innocently penned an article on the most overrated/underrated Dallas Cowboys of all time . Somehow, I overlooked safety Roy Williams in the overrated section. Somehow, I overlooked that placing a certain quarterback in the underrated section... more
First I heard it on the radio... "...Peyton Manning can't hold up for another season." Then, while making the rounds in the newsroom. "So are the older quarterbacks due for a letdown this season?" asked NFL.com Fantasy Editor Michael Fabiano. Fabs... more
It is July 2, not Jan. 2. Discussing potential regime changes in the NFL seems a bit awkward. Then again, this planning period before training camp -- the deep breath before the plunge, as Gandalf once deemed it -- can have a significant impact on what... more
Editor: "How do you feel about some PR next week?" Me (thinking): Public Relations? Did I do something wrong? Is he drafting a letter for me to sign and awkwardly read in the HR department? Maybe I'll pull an Al Davis and read it off an overhead... more
Turnover . It's a gnarly word in the confines of Corporate America, with its lousy aftertaste sparking some misguided diatribe about "capitalism." Yet, there is nothing misguided, or off the mark, about turnover when it comes to NFL standings. It's... more
On Tuesday, we took a glance at summer storylines for all the NFC teams -- the impactful subplots around the league worth delving into, some of which exist off the beaten path. With so many teams running mandatory minicamps this week and next, we'll get... more
The dog days of summer ... yeah, we've all heard that one before. In June and July, the NFL news cycle truly does grind to a halt faster than a '79 Pinto . Breer: Who's really in charge? When it comes to building an NFL roster, hierarchies vary... more
What is the pecking order of NFL head coaches? We delved into this topic last year, and it's time to take stock of the various front men across the league in 2013. Eight teams have a new head man, adding another layer to this challenge. Tough choices abound. In fact, the competition is so stiff that the reigning Coach of the Year barely cracks the top 20. So, let's get started, counting down from No. 32 to 1. As always, your take is welcome: @Harrison_NFL is the dropbox.... more
NFL.com held it's first experts league mock draft of the year on Monday, May 20th. The standard scoring league consists of NFL Fantasy LIVE members Dave Dameshek, Elliot Harrison, Michael Fabiano, Akbar Gbajabiamila, Jaime Maggio, Adam Rank, Matt "Money"... more
Draft kit | Sleepers | Deep Sleepers | Busts | Breakouts | Bargains M. Fabiano D. Dameshek M. Grant E. Harrison A. Rank J. Smith Last year I wrote about the strategy you should take when approaching the tight end... more
Draft kit | Sleepers | Deep Sleepers | Busts | Breakouts | Bargains M. Fabiano D. Dameshek M. Grant E. Harrison A. Rank J. Smith 1. Wes Welker is not going to have a career year or anything close to it with Peyton... more
Draft kit | Sleepers | Deep Sleepers | Busts | Bargains | Strategies M. Fabiano D. Dameshek M. Grant E. Harrison A. Rank J. Smith Matt Prater, K, Denver Broncos: Laugh it up fuzzballs ... yep, that's a kicker listed... more
Draft kit | Sleepers | Deep Sleepers | Busts | Breakouts | Strategies M. Fabiano D. Dameshek M. Grant E. Harrison A. Rank J. Smith Aaron Hernandez, TE, New England Patriots: The news on Rob Gronkowski has been... more
Draft kit | Sleepers | Deep sleepers | Breakouts | Bargains | Strategies M. Fabiano D. Dameshek M. Grant E. Harrison A. Rank J. Smith Wes Welker, WR, Denver Broncos: Much like Percy Harvin's arrival in Seattle, Wes... more
Draft kit | Sleepers | Busts | Breakouts | Bargains | Strategies M. Fabiano D. Dameshek M. Grant E. Harrison A. Rank J. Smith Le'Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers tailback position is this kid's to lose.... more
Draft kit | Deep sleepers | Busts | Breakouts | Bargains | Strategies M. Fabiano D. Dameshek M. Grant E. Harrison A. Rank J. Smith Lamar Miller, RB, Miami Dolphins: I fully expect the Dolphins to run the football this... more
It is about that time. The 78th annual college flea market is in the books, and every team has new hope. Vikings fans certainly expect their team to be No. 1 in our post-draft Power Rankings. I Ponder'd it, for about two milliseconds. 2013 NFL Draft... more
It's summer time at the NFL. During the next few weeks, we here at NFL.com will unveil our Most Underrated and Overrated Players of All Time for all 32 teams and allow users to determine their choices as well. The task force in features asked that I... more
The 2013 NFL Draft is in the books ... and I am tired . Top 100 Players of 2013 Make sure you vote for the Top 100 players of 2013. Voting ends May 31. Get your vote in. More ... OK, now that we've gotten that bit of accounting over with, let's... more
Schedule time. Don't kid yourself, the schedule release is cool. Yeah, we know, the NFL draft is on the horizon. But we hear about it for weeks ... The schedule? Well, the release packs a wallop in its short life span in the media cycle. Think about... more
This month, my colleague Bucky Brooks and I have readdressed the 2011 and 2009 drafts, respectively, in an attempt to not only match what we thought each team's front office would do, but also give each club the best shot at winning. So, naturally,... more
While we don't have dates yet, we do know the matchups. So which are the sweetest games on tap for 2013? There are a ton. In fact, picking the slickest 13 games of 2013 was much more difficult than picking the 12 best last season, when we were looking at a handful of premium games and then a bunch that were not so much. This year, there are so many contests with unique storylines, along with those that shine brighter because of the surrounding context.... more
Eddie Vedder wasn't singing about the NFL schedule when he screamed "RELEASE ME!" in the throes of one of Pearl Jam's best songs, "Release," on the back end of the album Ten . Yet, if you want 11 good songs in one shot, that's the album -- er, CD -- to... more
As we close in on the 2013 NFL Draft (April 25-27 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City), our analysts examine each team's biggest needs. Elliot Harrison previews the NFC East below, but click here for other divisions. Dallas Cowboys 2013... more
As we close in on the 2013 NFL Draft (April 25-27 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City), our analysts examine each team's biggest needs. Elliot Harrison previews the NFC North below, but click here for other divisions. Chicago Bears 2013... more
Garbage. Seriously. Gar-BAHZGE . That was my thought after looking over the 2009 NFL Draft . My esteemed editor asked (mandated) that I redo the entire first round. Truth be told, I had never fully examined this four-year-old raid of the great college... more
In the days leading up to the 2013 NFL Draft , NFL.com will allow users to determine the best and worst draft picks for every team. The series continues with the team that owns the No. 51 overall pick in this year's draft, the Washington Redskins.... more
Associated Press Cam Newton, Brandon Myers and Daryl Washington (from left to right) merit more respect on a national scale. Underrated. What exactly does this word mean? Catch Me If You Can was an underrated movie. John Mayer certainly is... more
The Dolphins made it rain, Blaine played the blame game and the rest of the NFL can only hope the Seahawks drop five again ... Yep, the last few weeks of the pro football news cycle need to be HGH tested. Beyond the Miami Dolphins showering money on... more
Associated Press Packers GM Ted Thompson (left) typically eschews free agency, but this is new for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. What about us? Free-agent tracker Where will Greg Jennings wind up? Follow him and all the other NFL players on... more
Associated Press Brett Favre, Michael Turner and Peyton Manning (from left to right) were big-time free agency prizes in years past. Let the feeding frenzy begin. Free agency starts Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, and you can be sure that the... more
With free agency set to kick off at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 12, Elliot Harrison identifies needs for all 32 teams over eight divisional primers. You'll find the outlook for each AFC West team below, but click here to examine other divisions . Send... more
Scott Boehm/Associated Press Osi Umenyiora's production declined in 2012, but the Seattle Seahawks could use him as a situational pass rusher. With free agency set to kick off at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 12, Elliot Harrison identifies needs... more
With free agency set to kick off at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 12, Elliot Harrison identifies needs for all 32 teams over eight divisional primers. You'll find the outlook for each NFC South team below, but click here to examine other divisions . Send... more
Scott Boehm/Associated Press Defensive end Cliff Avril posted 29 sacks over the last three seasons with the Detroit Lions, including 11 in 2011. With free agency set to kick off at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 12, Elliot Harrison identifies... more
Associated Press Martellus Bennett, Jared Cook and Fred Davis (from left to right) are three tight ends due to hit the open market. With free agency set to kick off at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 12, Elliot Harrison identifies needs for all 32... more
With free agency set to kick off at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 12, Elliot Harrison identifies needs for all 32 teams over eight divisional primers. You'll find the outlook for each AFC North team below, but click here to examine other divisions . Send... more
With free agency set to kick off at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 12, Elliot Harrison identifies needs for all 32 teams over eight divisional primers. AFC East » Buffalo Bills: Linebacking corps needs a significant upgrade. » Miami Dolphins:... more
With free agency set to kick off at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 12, Elliot Harrison identifies needs for all 32 teams over eight divisional primers. You'll find the outlook for each AFC East team below, but click here to examine other divisions . Send... more
Ric Tapia/NFL Signing safety Dashon Goldson might make sense for a Philadelphia Eagles team looking to pump up its secondary. With free agency set to kick off at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 12, Elliot Harrison identifies needs for all 32 teams... more
National Football League When Reggie White rumbled his way over to the Green Bay Packers 20 years ago, it signaled the start of a new era. Twenty years. A lot's changed in the past 20, no? Laser discs came and went. Axl and Slash pulled a Kim... more
Tim Heitman/US Presswire The 2012 NFL season turned on a handful of pivotal moments, from the 'Fail Mary' to RG3's late-season injury. A single game is just a drop in the bucket in the NFL, what with 21 weeks for teams to decide their fate and... more
Standing on a fake field, in a nuts-and-bolts second-story gym, rap music blaring ... that's where I found myself, along with about 10 college prospects aiming to improve a looming mistress: their draft stock. Brandt: Early look at the Hot 100 Before... more
Russell Wilson was the choice, after much consternation and internal strife. Last week, we had an Instant Debate asking which player you would most want when starting a team from scratch . It's an interesting query. Who would your selection be? Take a... more
What a Super Bowl, right? It was the second-greatest of the past few years, behind only Super Bowl XLII , when the New England Patriots' undefeated season went down in flames -- although Steelers-Cards (XLIII ) certainly merits consideration.... more
Color me shocked. The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2013 was announced Saturday , and like so many of you who appreciate the history of the game, there were some surprises to go around. Before we get to that, however, here's the final accounting... more
Associated Press Eddie DeBartolo Jr. (left) and the late Art Modell are among 17 Hall of Fame finalists in the Class of 2013. Eddie DeBartolo Jr. is a Hall of Famer. There, I said it. You can take the riverboat gambling casino fiasco legal... more
This might be the greatest article of all time. Well, if Randy Moss had edited it, he would say so. The eccentric San Francisco 49ers wideout with 156 touchdowns to his name made a bit of news -- er, caused a minor stir -- this week when he made the... more
Apparently, there are some brothers teeing it up in the Super Bowl. I imagine you'll have heard about that storyline 857,333 times by kickoff. But it makes you think ... What kind of siblings were John and Jim Harbaugh growing up? Did the elder John... more
This just in: Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and "the Evil Empire" didn't make it to the Super Bowl. OK, maybe you're up on the latest postseason news. But you might have missed the latest on the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where Brady will reside when it's... more
It sure isn't what we expected. Those feisty old Baltimore Ravens just wouldn't say die in Denver . So here they are, one win away from the Super Bowl, again, playing in New England, again, against a team favored to beat them, again. No one expected... more
So, Monte Kiffin appears to be the man in Dallas . The 72-year-old defensive coordinator truly is -- with apologies to Steve Spurrier -- the ol' ball coach. Which means he brings a lot of experience to an organization that requires it. Debate: Cowboys'... more
Never heard of a leg injury game in a playoff game (Seahawks-Redskins , to be exact) causing such a media/Twitter/Facebook/eHarmony/water-cooler firestorm ... Analysts' picks: Divisional round Our analysts forecast each divisional-round game.... more
The elite eight. Brooks: Divisional-round preview Bucky Brooks examines the matchups and lays out a path to championship weekend for each surviving playoff team. More ... Usually it's a college basketball term -- not during the second week of... more
Is there a better weekend in pro football? No way. We get to see eight above-average-to-premium clubs, most of which had to scratch and claw their way here, fighting low expectations and/or injuries. The Indianapolis Colts actually stick out in... more
Black Monday ... Gray Tuesday. Gray area, at least for a lot of our teams in the Top 32 Countdown. With seven coaches getting fired Monday, not to mention a handful of general managers, ranking teams gets a bit difficult. Believe it or not, 21 and... more
And we're there ... Week 17, unbelievably, has arrived, and not without some juice. The No. 1 seed is up for grabs in the AFC. The NFC West has been guaranteed to no one. The NFC East is anybody's boxing match. What a game that will be in... more
Week 17 is here, as are the NFL.com Power Rankings. Or maybe I should just say, Merry Christmas, Broncos fandom ... Considering the abuse this space took from those who felt Denver was being disrespected, it's amazing we're not pushing Tatum Bell... more
Week 16 ... Harrison: Week 16 Power Rankings A new team at the top, a new team at the bottom and plenty of action in between. Elliot Harrison reshuffles the deck. More ... ... hope it's different than Week 15. Too much unpredictability, too many... more
Statement Sunday. We said it on NFL Network all last week. Over the top? Maybe. True? Absolutely. Let's face it: The league has become such a parity party that it's impossible to determine which teams are consistent and which are two-week wonders.... more
Fourteen down, three to go ... ... three BIG weeks left. For a few teams, failing to win this week means failing to maintain relevance over the final two contests of the season (other than getting a looksee at young players and determining overall... more
The race to the postseason presses on, with some teams vying for playoff spots while others deal with the walking wounded and the disappointment only a lost season can bring. More coverage on Profootballhof.com Learn all about the illustrious careers... more
Week 15 brings a major shakeup in the top 10. No less than eight teams are on the move -- either up or down -- starting at the top. Tom Brady The Houston Texans' four-week reign in the No. 1 spot is over. After that debacle in New England , the... more
It's that time of the week. Picks time. It's also do-or-you-know-what time for several NFL teams, or they won't be playing football in January. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers find themselves in must-win territory after dropping two straight. Another loss,... more
The Philadelphia Eagles make a change in the Nick of a time, the clock is ticking on Big Ben's return, and the Dez dispenser is dishing out touchdowns and fantasy points for Big D. Yup, bad puns are alive and well as we head into Week 14, and so is bad... more
You hear persistent chatter about "must-win" scenarios each Sunday, but until Week 13 or yonder rolls around, all that blabber is usually much ado about nothing. Well, guess what? Week 13 is upon us. Several clubs are fighting for their playoff... more
Week 12, in the books ... ... so what does that mean for the best teams in football? Well there is some shakeup in the top 10, although the first three stand pat. The Atlanta Falcons won on the road against what appears to be a quality team in the... more
Because we believe in giving thanks across the country, you get the NFL.com picks a day early this week. I'd say, "Enjoy," but if you're a Minnesota Vikings fan, you're probably going to be mad at me. Their game in Chicago is difficult to read because... more
The top teams in the league are starting to present themselves as such -- or so we think -- and thus, we'll see a little less spastic movement in the rankings. No teams jumping 10 spots, although the little Buffalo Bills got a bump of some note, as... more
So who do you like this weekend? More importantly, who is gonna tie? OK, probably nobody. The St. Louis Rams and New York Jets might be able to make it happen. Shoot, with two backup quarterbacks potentially starting against two disruptive defenses... more
Week 10 was just plain odd. Jeremiah: Texans have it all Whether they're shooting or slugging it out, the Texans have plenty of ways to best an opponent, Daniel Jeremiah writes. More ... Two of the top three teams went down. The hapless Tennessee... more
Hard to believe, but we're already prognosticating games again. Does the NFL season move fast or what? Seems like just Monday I was watching the Philadelphia Eagles implode in the red zone. Oh, wait. Another week for Atlanta Falcons fans to hate... more
Andrew Luck electrified the Lucas Oil Stadium faithful last Sunday with a record-setting day for a rookie quarterback. Luck's 433 yards set an NFL record for first-year quarterbacks, but was it enough to merit inclusion in the NFL's list of top 15 single game performances by a rookie? Drumroll...no. There is no doubting Luck's impact on pro football. But it was another quarterback who bombed expectations into oblivion, not only as a rookie, but in the first game of his career. Let's kick off the best games by a rookie in league history with...... more
Week 10 is here, which means we're already taking an early glance at awards on NFL.com . It also means playoff positioning is in play and rankings are solidifying. Or are they? Twenty-two franchises moved spots from last week's rankings ,... more
Fourteen games on the docket for Week 9, but this NFL slate will have trouble matching the late heroics (and surprises) from last Sunday ... ... some of which put my Week 8 picks in flux. The Dallas Cowboys' comeback-turned-crushing-defeat , the... more
Another week of insane finishes (the Ballard corkscrew , Dez's digits , old man Titus ), rankings in flux and Monday Night defense ... ... the latter suffocated the Arizona Cardinals, who are the jumping-off point in the discussion of mediocre... more
Midseason is pretty much here. We're getting a clearer picture of who's for real and who's not, right? Which, in theory, should make picking games a smidge more manageable. Maybe. But there are some tough games to call this weekend. Who wants to tell... more
Midseason is pretty much here. We're getting a clearer picture of who's for real and who's not, right? In theory, that should make picking games a smidge more manageable. Maybe. But there are some tough games to call this weekend. Who wants to tell... more
Different approach to the Power Rankings for Week 8. Oh, don't worry -- the usual suspects lurk around the bottom of the order. And, of course, there are plenty of slots you won't agree with ... This week, with midseason approaching, we're going to try... more
Is there any way Week 7 can be as unpredictable as Week 6? After hearing my groans in trying to piece together what went down last week -- Tennessee Titans over Pittsburgh Steelers? The Green Bay Packers and New York Giants embarrassing viable title... more
Is there any way Week 7 can be as unpredictable as Week 6? After hearing my groans in trying to piece together what went down last week -- Tennessee Titans over Pittsburgh Steelers? The Green Bay Packers and New York Giants embarrassing viable title... more
Does it feel like the Tennessee Titans' upset win over the Pittsburgh Steelers was 10,000 years ago or what? Tennessee's out-of-nowhere win last Thursday really set the tone for Week 6, when nothing made sense: Instant Debate: Fraud squad? Which... more
Six weeks in. We're at the point when injuries really are making their presence felt. How will the Green Bay Packers fare without running back Cedric Benson? The Arizona Cardinals' backfield is even more depleted; does that give the Buffalo Bills a... more
Six weeks in. We're at the point when injuries really are making their presence felt. How will the Green Bay Packers fare without running back Cedric Benson? The Arizona Cardinals' backfield is even more depleted; does that give the Buffalo Bills a... more
Week 5 is in the books, and the best team is ... well, still the best team. The Houston Texans (barely) disposed of the New York Jets on Monday night , despite not playing their most impressive game. While 5-0 Houston will cruise home to face the... more
Whole lotta soul-searching on the docket for the four teams not playing this week ... It's bye week for the Dallas Cowboys, which is good news. Dez Bryant won't be able to kill his football team this Sunday. Tony Romo won't be able to throw any more... more
Whole lotta soul-searching on the docket for the four teams not playing this week ... It's bye week for the Dallas Cowboys, which is good news. Dez Bryant won't be able to kill his football team this Sunday. Tony Romo won't be able to throw any more... more
So much to like about Week 4 ... ... Matt Ryan's moon shot to Roddy White with the unblemished Atlanta Falcons on the brink of a bad loss. The Houston Texans' defense imposing its will on the NFL. Getting the regular referees back, mistakes and all.... more
Another week of complete football madness. Lord knows who will fall from grace this week, a la the San Francisco 49ers being toppled over at the Metrodome last Sunday. One group who we know won't be bludgeoned are the zebras. Has any sport ever been... more
While penning my Week 4 picks for NFL.com , it dawned on me just how tight games have been thus far. Forget Tate-gate. There just aren't too many blowouts in the league right now, plain and simple. So sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to get a... more
Another week of complete football madness. Lord knows who will fall from grace this week, a la the San Francisco 49ers being toppled over at the Metrodome last Sunday. One group who we know won't be bludgeoned are the zebras. Has any sport ever... more
Speechless in Seattle. Tate Gate. The last play of the Seattle Seahawks' 14-12 "win" over the Green Bay Packers on Monday night will be recalled for years to come. Combine that with the bogus pass-interference call on Green Bay's Sam Shields -- not to... more
Week Three is here, and scoring is the topic of the day for Inside the Numbers . Okay, maybe just the lead topic. But let's get something off the collective chest about this whole scoring deal and everyone going all kittens and rainbows about offensive... more
Two weeks down, 15 to go, and as much movement as ever in the league ... That's the five-second logline for Week 2 of the 2012 season. Or, in non-Hollywood speak, that sums it up. All of us in the NFL Network/NFL.com studios are actually located in... more
Knee-jerk mania. Ogletree mania. Week 1 certainly lived up to its crazy reputation. But before you go and buy that Garcon "88" Washington Redskins jersey, remember that some guy out there has a Willie Parker Fathead on his wall. Jeremiah: Believe the... more
Your fantasy team plays in the NFL, and you should too! Sign up today to play the official free and customizable fantasy game of the National Football League! Ogletreemania has died down. We got a whole slew of games to play this Sunday and Monday,... more
The NFL's 93rd season gets going Wednesday night when the Dallas Cowboys visit the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants . Ironic, as perhaps the most memorable Cowboys-at-Giants game ever came during the 1993 season. In a fight for both the NFC... more
Jay Cutler and his Chicago Bears teammates walked off the grass at Soldier Field on Nov. 20 with what seemed to be the whole world in front of them ... or, at least, the whole NFC. Chicago had just finished off the San Diego Chargers for its fifth victory... more
Recently, our crew of fantasy football analysts conducted a mock fantasy football auction draft. The 15-man roster consisted of one QB, two RBs, two WRs, one TE, one WR/RB, one K, one DEF and six bench spots. It uses NFL.com's standard scoring system .... more
If ever there was a worse preseason game than Dallas Cowboys-Oakland Raiders , these eyes didn't see it. It was the same old (recent) story for two of the league's most storied franchises: a pair of clubs that just can't seem to get out of their own way.... more
J. Pat Carter/Associated Press Wes Welker racked up 160 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns in the Pats' Week 1 rout of the Dolphins. Â Training camp presents an opportunity for all players to get better. But this summer, it's the guys... more
Mike Fabiano Dave Dameshek Elliot Harrison Adam Rank Jason Smith Matt Smith  1. Who will be this season's biggest breakout player? Boy, I really want to go with Jacob Tamme or the Cardinals defense here. Maybe Coby Fleener. But... more
QBs - Rank RBs - Fabiano WRs - Jason Smith TEs - Harrison Overall draft strategies  You have enough on your plate, what with a quarterback, at least two premium running backs(!) and two or three wideouts not named Santonio Holmes to... more
Mike Fabiano Dave Dameshek Elliot Harrison Adam Rank Jason Smith Matt Smith  This "perfect" draft is based on NFL.com's standard 10-team leagues with a basic (non-PPR) scoring system that rewards four points for touchdown passes... more
Draft kit | Sleepers | Deep sleepers | Busts | Breakouts | Bargains  Mike Fabiano Dave Dameshek Elliot Harrison Adam Rank Jason Smith Matt Smith  Click the above tabs to see picks from our various analysts So... more
Mike Fabiano Dave Dameshek Elliot Harrison Adam Rank Jason Smith Matt Smith  1. Caught on Cam. Cam Newton outscores Michael Vick by 50 points. Vick was a freaking beast in 2010 with 310 points in 12 games. Newton eclipsed that... more
Draft kit | Deep sleepers | Busts | Breakouts | Bargains | Strategies  Mike Fabiano Dave Dameshek Elliot Harrison Adam Rank Jason Smith Matt Smith  Click the above tabs to see picks from our various analysts Matt... more
Draft kit | Sleepers | Deep sleepers | Breakouts | Bargains | Strategies  Mike Fabiano Dave Dameshek Elliot Harrison Adam Rank Jason Smith Matt Smith  Click the above tabs to see picks from our various analysts... more
Draft kit | Sleepers | Deep sleepers | Busts | Bargains | Strategies  Mike Fabiano Dave Dameshek Elliot Harrison Adam Rank Jason Smith Matt Smith  Click the above tabs to see picks from our various analysts... more
Draft kit | Sleepers | Deep sleepers | Busts | Breakouts | Strategies  Mike Fabiano Dave Dameshek Elliot Harrison Adam Rank Jason Smith Matt Smith  Peyton Manning, QB, Broncos: Is it odd seeing Manning on this list?... more
Draft kit | Sleepers | Busts | Breakouts | Bargains | Strategies  Mike Fabiano Dave Dameshek Elliot Harrison Adam Rank Jason Smith Matt Smith  Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals: Dalton is not going prior to the tenth round in... more
Matt York/Associated Press When Kevin Kolb (left) went down last year, John Skelton took advantage of the opportunity, going 5-2 as a starter. It's May. Not even late May. It's slooooow time in the NFL. After minicamps wrap up, it will be off time... more
First wave of free agency? Done. Second wave of free agency? Done. (Call it A.P. -- after Peyton.) NFL draft? Done. Now, where does your team stand in relation to its peers? Well, I'll spoil the surprise and tell you the New York Giants still sit... more
Ed Zurga/Associated Press Entering his fourth season with the Chiefs, Matt Cassel might be playing for his job during the 2012 campaign. With the 2012 NFL Draft and the bulk of free agency in the rearview mirror, NFL.com analyst Elliot Harrison is... more
With the 2012 NFL Draft and the bulk of free agency in the rearview mirror, NFL.com analyst Elliot Harrison is examining each team's offseason activity and identifying remaining holes to fill. Arizona Cardinals Free agency: The Cardinals got a key... more
Paul Sancya/Associated Press Coming off a resurgent 2011 campaign, Steve Smith signed an extension with the Panthers in the offseason. With the 2012 NFL Draft and the bulk of free agency in the rearview mirror, NFL.com analyst Elliot Harrison is... more
Jay LaPrete/Associated Press The Texans need a secondary threat at wide receiver. Could third-round pick DeVier Posey be the answer? With the 2012 NFL Draft and the bulk of free agency in the rearview mirror, NFL.com analyst Elliot Harrison is... more
David Richard/US Presswire Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall tore his ACL last season and could miss the beginning of 2012, as well. With the 2012 NFL Draft and the bulk of free agency in the rearview mirror, NFL.com analyst Elliot Harrison... more
Chuck Cook/US Presswire The Lions lost CB Eric Wright to free agency. Is third-rounder Dwight Bentley (above) ready to start as a rookie? With the 2012 NFL Draft and the bulk of free agency in the rearview mirror, NFL.com analyst Elliot Harrison... more
Michael Conroy/AP Which Mark Sanchez will show up in 2012? And how quickly could Tim Tebow replace him behind center for the Jets? With the 2012 NFL Draft and the bulk of free agency in the rearview mirror, NFL.com analyst Elliot Harrison is... more
Elise Amendola/Associated Press The Giants' inexperienced O-line could struggle to protect Eli Manning in a division with many stellar pass rushers. With the 2012 NFL Draft and the bulk of free agency in the rearview mirror, NFL.com analyst Elliot... more
NEW YORK -- We're live, inside Radio City Music Hall, for Day 2 of the 2012 NFL Draft. The first pick begins at 7 p.m. ET, although we'll fire this blog up at 6 with a recap of Day 1 and a preview of Day 2. NFL.com analyst Elliot Harrison brings you... more
NEW YORK -- We're live, inside Radio City Music Hall, for the 2012 NFL Draft. It all begins at 8 p.m. ET, when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell puts the Indianapolis Colts on the clock. NFL.com analyst Elliot Harrison brings you inside the first round... more
In addition to it being Schedule Release Day, it's also Tax Day. Leading up to the latter, people always seem to have a case of the "We-gonna's." We gonna do them when we get our W-2's ... We gonna do them in late March ... We gonna do them tomorrow. .... more
The next football season is upon us! (... Or at least the schedule is.) The league released the full 2012 NFL schedule for the coming season on Tuesday. It seems like just yesterday I was wondering why some dude at FoxSports.com stole my seat in the... more
This week on NFL.com, we're re-doing the first rounds of the past five drafts, and 2008 is next on the docket. You'll hear this draft mentioned often. Why? Because of the two young quarterbacks selected by Atlanta and Baltimore. This was the only... more
To do over anything is a luxury few of us get in life. Matt Dodge probably would like a re-kick , Dewey a recount , and the rest of us a recharge ... something, anything to re-energize us after what we felt was a missed opportunity. What's yours? Is... more
Jim Prisching/Associated Press Aaron Rodgers' Packers host the Niners in 2012, a classic matchup of high-powered offense vs. stingy defense. Earlier this week, we posted 12 for '12 , a look at the top games of the upcoming season. There are some... more
Tom Hauck/AP San Francisco's Vernon Davis beat New Orleans with this game-winning touchdown catch in a classic playoff bout. The 2012 season is upon us, or at least the matchups are. No exact dates yet, but we know each team's slate, home and away... more
Todd Rosenberg/NFL Giants quarterback Eli Manning won his second Lombardi Trophy (and second Super Bowl MVP) in Indianapolis. Why is nobody out there making a case for the New York Giants to repeat? Last week, the Giants were the top dog in the... more
What's the difference between your dad's NFL and yours? Player movement. Lombardi: Market conclusions With the free-agency frenzy winding down, Michael Lombardi reviews notable action on this year's open market. More ... The free-agency... more
Nam Y. Huh/AP Jay Cutler took a beating last season, as the Bears gave up 49 sacks -- the fifth-highest total in the league. A wide receiver who has averaged 95 catches per year over the past five seasons ... acquired for two third-round picks. The... more
Now that Manningmania has died down, it's an appropriate time to look at the league as a whole. After all, free agency is officially a week old today. So, who are the free-agency "winners" thus far? Who's dropped the ball? Well, the obvious "loser"... more
Don McPeak/US Presswire Demaryius Thomas made a splash in 2011, despite playing in an offense that downplayed its passing attack. Peyton Manning is coming to Denver. Time to put the Tim Tebow project on ice. Admit it, Denver fans, you kind of love... more
Well, they clearly got the memo. The Washington Redskins, once the poster child for free agency jet-setting, have once again kept the spending down to somewhat earthly levels. Question is, was the Twofer Tuesday a smart level of spending? Bruce... more
Al Golub/AP After signing as a free agent, Rickey Jackson was invaluable for the Niners, including in the NFC title game. With free agency upon us yet again, it's time to take a quick look back before this year's feeding frenzy gets going. For all... more
Associated Press (From left to right) Mario Williams, Cortland Finnegan and Vincent Jackson highlight the 2012 free-agent class. Now that the overblown game of tag has played out across the league, who are the Last of the Mohicans -- the big-time... more
Perry Knotts/NFL Super Bowl XLVI hero Chase Blackburn was substitute teaching before the Giants signed him in late November. If you're counting on your favorite team winning the Super Bowl in free agency next week, think again. Oh, there might... more
Darron Cummings/AP After spending the first 14 years of his NFL career in Indianapolis, could Peyton Manning move to Kansas City? Sometimes we don't write what we think because there's not much to substantiate it. Cool. Now that this issue has been... more
Associated Press (From left to right) Darren McFadden, Robert Griffin III and Tony Romo will enter the 2012 campaign in the spotlight. For all of you football fiends who have something on your mind besides the 40-yard dash and how many times some... more
Eric P. Mull/US Presswire Colt McCoy threw 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 13 games for the Browns last season. With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and... more
Gail Burton/AP Peyton Manning's injury led to the firing of Jim Caldwell (left) and truly changed the face of the Colts franchise. With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the... more
David Duprey/AP Reggie Bush was a bright spot in a disappointing season, piling up a career-high 1,086 rushing yards in 2011. With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups... more
Associated Press Greg Schiano (left) takes over a Buccaneers squad that went 4-12 in Josh Freeman's third season. With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs... more
Mel Evans / Associated Press Mike Shanahan will have to solve his team's offensive struggles if the Redskins hope to compete next season. With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to... more
Jason O. Watson/US Presswire San Diego QB Philip Rivers certainly didn't enjoy his finest season in 2011, but he turned it on down the stretch. With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance... more
AP The Bears' 2011 season took a big hit when QB Jay Cutler and RB Matt Forte (above) went down with injuries. With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of... more
AP Darren McFadden averaged 5.4 yards per carry in 2011, but could only stay healthy for seven games. With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of each team's... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of each team's past season and spin it forward. 2011 in a Nutshell: Who You Are? A city known for its music scene... more
Kevin Terrell/AP Dallas CB Terence Newman struggled mightily in man coverage, routinely drawing the ire of Cowboys fans. With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of each team's past season and spin it forward. 2011 in a Nutshell: Seeing it from the 20-yard line on Sunday night,... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of each team's past season and spin it forward. 2011 in a Nutshell: From field level, as well as the catwalk at... more
NFL / US Presswire Miles Austin (left) couldn't come up with a big catch in Week 14, and now the Giants are in the Super Bowl. It was an innocent go route off the right hash. Tony Romo probably has thrown this specific kind of deep ball... more
AP Super Bowl XIII MVP Terry Bradshaw threw four touchdown passes in Pittsburgh's thrilling defeat of Dallas. INDIANAPOLIS -- Walking the corridors of the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis, there is already a palpable feel of football energy.... more
Associated Press Victor Cruz (left) and BenJarvus Green-Ellis both went undrafted before being picked up by the Giants and Patriots. INDIANAPOLIS -- Whether it's cooking, a first date, or a Super Bowl roster, the right mix is everything. Last... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror for all but two teams, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of each team's past season and spin it forward. 2011 in a Nutshell: Dumervilmania? OK, maybe... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror for all but two teams, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of each team's past season and spin it forward. 2011 in a Nutshell: This was a middle of the... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror for all but two teams, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of each team's past season and spin it forward. 2011 in a Nutshell: A franchise reversal on... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror for all but two teams, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of each team's past season and spin it forward. 2011 in a Nutshell: While not exactly the... more
Three hours and fifty-four minutes of grueling back-and-forth drama. For a good while during the NFC Championship Game Sunday evening, you wondered if each end zone was a country mile away from each team's offense. On NFL Network "NFL Replay" will... more
Jason O. Watson/US Presswire In his second season in the NFL, the Saints' Jimmy Graham led all tight ends with 99 receptions in 2011. With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror for most teams, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a... more
Pierre Thomas' body did more than a 180. Donte Whitner's blow went right through the Saints tailback, spinning him around on the wheel of misfortune. Call it about a 210, roughly. It was a blunt trauma-induced pirouette uglier than all things Tonya... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror for most teams, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of each team's past season and spin it forward. 2011 in a Nutshell: The unbeatable got beat. Done and... more
And then there were four. The chuck-it-around-the-park-60-times-a-game clubs are done, save the New England Patriots. There aren't enough superlatives with which to laud the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers, which respectively shut down the... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror for most teams, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of each team's past season and spin it forward. 2011 In A Nutshell: The Houston Texans definitely... more
The once-invincible Packers went down Sunday . The unstoppable Saints? Also down for the count . Consequently, with the New York Giants facing off against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, we all get to see some defense instead of... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror for many teams, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of each team's past season and spin it forward. 2011 in a Nutshell: Detroit's 12-year playoff drought... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror for many teams, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of each team's past season and spin it forward. 2011 in a Nutshell: The Bengals were the classic... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror for many teams, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of each team's past season and spin it forward. 2011 in a Nutshell: The Steelers were a 12-4 team... more
This is the time of year that pro football truly kicks some tail. Who wasn't a little fired up when Demaryius Thomas was bobbing his head while running as fast as he humanly could toward the pylon in Sunday's instant-classic upset of the Steelers?... more
In our early look at the four divisional matchups, we start with a Patriots team that must avoid the costly mistakes (like penalties and protection breakdowns) that Pittsburgh could not Sunday evening: No. 4 Denver at No. 1 New England When: Saturday,... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror for most NFL teams, it's time for NFL.com's annual "exit interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of the 2011 season for each team and look ahead to 2012. 2011 in a Nutshell: Do you think anyone... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror for many teams, it's time for NFL.com's annual "Exit Interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of the past season for each team and spin it forward. 2011 in a Nutshell: The team labeled the "Dream... more
With the 2011 season in the rearview mirror for most NFL teams, it's time for NFL.com's annual "exit interviews," a chance to review the ups and downs of the 2011 season for each team and look ahead to 2012. 2011 in a Nutshell: As Bill Parcells... more
You know how you know the Playoff Power Rankings are here? Because everyone keeps getting fired. Harrison: It's about to get wild From the surprising Bengals and late-surging Giants to the playoff-tested Steelers and Saints, Elliot Harrison examines... more
It's unbelievable to think that the regular season has come and gone. Wasn't it just yesterday that we saw Jason La Canfora sweating out another three-hour lockout meeting? Perhaps even less believable is that the Bengals -- a team almost no one gave... more
I found myself having to get past the reality that several undeserving players were named to the AFC and NFC Pro Bowl rosters. As in, some of these players didn't deserve being anywhere near a Pro Bowl roster. Of course there were others, like the... more
Another week down, just one more to go ... for the regular season, that is. So what was the biggest surprise of Week 16? How about Indy winning its second in a row on the wares of Dan Orlovsky? The Chargers having an epic fail in Detroit? Perhaps the... more
Under the radar is not exactly the phrase one thinks of when the names Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are tossed around. Yet, the Patriots could very well win the Super Bowl with nary a vote of confidence from league observers and fans. Has any team... more
Week 15 saw the worst team win and the best team stumble. Just another notch in former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue's parity belt ... Think You Can Do Better? Disagree with Elliot Harrison's power rankings? Head to NFL.com/fanrankings to make your... more
Don McPeak/US Presswire With a 7-6 record, Jake Locker and the Titans still have a shot at a wild-card spot in the AFC. Talk about agony. When my editor asked me to prognosticate the final three weeks of the regular season, I thought it would be a... more
Tim Tebow delivers, while the Cowboys collapse ... ahh, another week of pro football. While the Tony Romo haters are sure to come out in full force following Dallas' loss to the Giants, the man played great Sunday night and is the reason that team is... more
AP/US Presswire Darren Sharper patrolled the secondary in New Orleans and Green Bay and has unique insight on those teams. After witnessing the Saints' 31-17 shellacking of the penalty-ridden Lions Sunday night, a certain question started creeping... more
Another week down, a kabillion complaints upâ?¦ The biggest gripe? Ravens fans wanted to know why their team sits below the 49ers and Steelers despite having beaten them both. Let me explain some of the theory behind these NFL.com rankings: Think You... more
Tim Tebow. Pro Bowl. Has a ring to it, huh? Except not at all. So let me come out with it. My Pro Bowl ballot for AFC quarterbacks reads like this: 1. Tom Brady, NE 2. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT 3. Matt Schaub, HOU Brady and Roethlisberger shouldn't... more
With five weeks to play in the regular season, teams are trying to string together some wins for a playoff push or at least make a run to build on for 2012. Several players, too, need to go on a run to not only make something of this season, but make some... more
At some point Sunday night, long after Tyler Palko lulled my eyes closed, I realized something the rest of you probably already came to grips with: the 2011 NFL season truly boils down to the Packers and everybody else. No matter who wins their division... more
Another week, another Niners win. You realize that if Green Bay wasn't playing like the 1962 Packers, the 49ers -- with a rookie coach and Alex Smith at quarterback -- would be your No. 1 team? Think You Can Do Better? Disagree with Elliot... more
The NFC wild-card race is beginning to look like one gnarly bowl of beef stew. Yes, it's early. Yes, there's any number of catastrophes that could take place, like Matt Stafford going down (again). But let's start with figuring out what we know. How... more
Can you believe we have 10 weeks in the books? Week 11 is here, which means one last stanza of byes on the docket. While Indy has the bye week to court Jim Sorgi, the Colts will also be pondering the possibilities of getting lucky and going 0-16. Let me... more
Associated Press / US Presswire The combination of Matt Forte (left) and Julius Peppers makes the Bears a legitimate contender. What to make of the Bears? Did Monday night's win over the Eagles sway any of you out there toward believing Chicago... more
Seems like there's the Packer machine, and then there's everybody else. Green Bay actually looked vulnerable in San Diego in spurts, but the third-oldest team in the NFL continues its season-long stay atop the charts. Meanwhile, there's some shuffling... more
Mike Roemer/Associated Press With multiple weapons, like Jordy Nelson, at his disposal, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is dominating defenses in 2011. Â Can any team stop Aaron Rodgers and that Packers offense? It's a damn good question, with the... more
Another NFL weekend behind us, another week of ridiculous outcomes. The Saints went marching out of St. Louis demoralized and defeated. The Cowboys laid a Wade in Philly. And the Bills pitched a shutout in a place Dave Stieb and Jimmy Key used to throw a... more
When the Lions and Broncos square off Sunday in Denver, the stakes will be high for Detroit. A loss would make three in a row, with the inevitable "here we go again" carryover from a decade's worth of Lions' failures. Although Lions quarterback Matthew... more
Yes, a Tim Tebow sermon is about to commence. I'll wait for the shock and awe to subside. Awe really is the operative word where Tebow is concerned. But it's time to reduce some of the hero worship and look at where his game is headed in the near... more
Week 7 is in the books, and so too are our power rankings. I promise no mention of the quarterback who-shall-not-be-named and his fourth-quarter heroics in Florida. I do promise a mention of the biggest arguments concerning last week's rankings. Think... more
We've all heard the phrase, "How the West was won." But how will the AFC West be won? Week 17, San Diego at Oakland, is your answer. Carson Palmer or no Carson Palmer, I've felt through the lockout and preseason that the Raiders would be right there... more
The buzz of Week 6 was not the package of tight games, but rather what transpired after them. There was Shake-gate in Detroit, Oakland learning that Jason Campbell is for all intents and purposes gone for the year and what that led the Raiders to do, and... more
The Texans, Falcons and Jets all suffered tough losses in Week 5 that have their fans a bit discouraged, but Elliot Harrison still sees all three teams reaching the playoffs. HOUSTON -- Don't freak out, Texans fans. Take the panic button and throw it... more
Good times in the Bay Area. That's the storyline coming out of Week 5, with the Niners and Raiders producing huge wins. One was the biggest blowout of the year, while the other was the emotional let-out of 2011. Think You Can Do Better? Disagree with... more
The potent-on-paper Eagles who can't get out of their own way at 1-3 ... Tony Romo not closing out a game, just when you think he's closed the door on the old criticisms ... Matt Forte playing lights out in search of an extension ... the Steelers looking... more
We're a quarter of the way into the 2011 season, and a couple of standard football principles are starting to come into play: Running the football still has its place in today's pass-happy NFL (SEE: the 49ers, Redskins and Texans); injuries still happen... more
If you're still bashing Tony Romo, it's time to wake up. Convert from CDs to iTunes and get rid of your satellite dish. Romo bashing is similar to a cockroach. It just won't die. Oh, and by the way, it's wholly unwarranted. Romo is a top 10 quarterback in... more
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What's the logline for Week 3 in the NFL? Teams that look liked crap for most of the day came from behind, playing like a totally different group than the dudes who suited up in the first half. Every winner from Sunday's eight early games had to play... more
Tuesday at NFL West in Culver City, Calif., is usually a ho-hum day. The players are off, the madness of the Monday morning knee-jerk reactions has waned, and we all get on with planning our week. That is, until your editor assigns the ridiculous task... more
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Week 2 gave us more surprises and, once again, made the burden of producing NFL.com's Power Rankings almost too much to bear. What to do with the upstart Bills? Or the new "Silver Rush?" How about the Cowboys, who won despite having injuries to their... more
I've got news for ya, Oakland is here to stay. To quote George Strait, "If you're thinkin' you want a stranger, there's one comin' home." Talent-wise, and scheme-wise, these aren't your older brother's Raiders. The Silver and Black boast good players on... more
What an opening weekend in the NFL. Holy cow. Think You Can Do Better? Disagree with Elliot Harrison's power rankings? Head to NFL.com/fanrankings to make your own, Nos. 1-32, in whatever order you choose. » Expert rankings | » Consensus... more
Hey, Jets fans: To quote Jack Nicholson, "You can't handle the truth!" Actually, that goes for you, too, Cowboys fandom. Sunday night's opener will provide a blueprint for the season that followers of either franchise will find difficult to ignore.... more
Opening kickoff on Thursday night is right around the corner. Unbelievable. Think You Can Do Better? Disagree with Elliot Harrison's power rankings? Head to NFL.com/fanrankings to make your own, Nos. 1-32, in whatever order you choose. »... more
Opening kickoff on Thursday night is right around the corner. Unbelievable. Think You Can Do Better? Disagree with Elliot Harrison's power rankings? Head to FanRankings.NFL.com to list the teams, Nos. 1-32, in whatever order you choose. » Expert... more
Tim Heitman/US Presswire James Harrison is one of nine Steelers regulars on defense who are more than 30 years old. Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, soon to be 74, told all who would listen that "age is just a number"... more
Jeff Hanisch / US Presswire Jay Cutler has been the subject of much debate since leaving the NFC title game with a knee injury. Is this the year? Does Jay Cutler turn the corner and become the top-10 quarterback he is supposed to be? Beyond... more
The 2011 season, I predict, will have a host of teams bunched together at the top. I don't think any team wins 14 games this season, like the Patriots did in 2010. In fact, I don't think any team will hit the 13-win mark, like the Falcons did a year ago.... more
Paul Spinelli/Associated Press Matt Cassel played poorly in the Chiefs' 30-7 loss to the Ravens in last year's playoffs. Is anyone in Kansas City getting nervous? Just wondering, mostly because the starting quarterback isn't garnering much... more
Greg Trott / Associated Press Matt Ryan and Roddy White have their sights set on taking the Falcons on a deep playoff run. When the Rams fell to the Patriots in one of the biggest upsets in sports history, Super Bowl XXXVI in February 2002,... more
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Howard Smith / US Presswire Michael Vick will get an idea of how ready he is for the season when the Eagles face the Steelers on Thursday. It's the second week of the preseason . Yawn. Well, wait. There are games worth watching,... more
Is it OK to call 2011 the "Year of the Tight End"? Sounds cheesy, but I'm afraid it might be true. Take a look around the league. If there is one position that's loaded with young and old talent, it's tight end. Let's throw out some young names:... more
Brad Childress recently sat down with NFL.com to discuss his tenure with the Vikings. His thoughts on Randy Moss made headlines across the league. Using words like 'vomited' tends to do that. Childress still stays on top of NFL news and is... more
Brad Childress has one big regret about the 2010 season, his last as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. But it's not the one that likely comes to everyone's mind first. Roaming the hallways of the NFL.com and NFL Network offices in Culver City,... more
With free agency slowing down from the autobahn-pace in which it began, teams are starting to look set. With that, it seemed like a good time to take a first swipe at power rankings. You'll find surprises below, to be sure. Some of you will definitely... more
Elaine Thompson/Associated Press The Seahawks signed Tarvaris Jackson (left) to throw passes to fellow former Viking Sidney Rice. The past 10 days or so have seen more NFL-style shotgun weddings and player movement than the league has... more
With a potential settlement to the NFL lockout looming, analyst Elliot Harrison takes a quick glance at where each division left off following last season. This is a look at the NFC West. Arizona Cardinals Where we left off: The Cardinals... more
With a potential settlement to the NFL lockout looming, analyst Elliot Harrison takes a quick glance at where each division left off following last season. This is a look at the AFC West. Brooks: Tebow will be Fox's guy All you've got to do is take... more
With a potential settlement to the NFL lockout looming, analyst Elliot Harrison takes a quick glance at where each division left off following the 2010 season. This is a look at the AFC South. Houston Texans Where we left off: Houston's promising... more
With a potential settlement to the NFL lockout looming, analyst Elliot Harrison takes a quick glance at where each division left off following last season. This is a look at the NFC North. Chicago Bears Where we left off: The Bears rode a very... more
With a potential settlement to the NFL lockout looming, analyst Elliot Harrison takes a quick glance at where each division left off following last season. This is a look at the AFC North. Baltimore Ravens Where we left off: Baltimore was the... more
With a potential settlement to the NFL lockout looming, analyst Elliot Harrison takes a quick glance at where each division left off following last season. This is a look at the NFC East. Dallas Cowboys Where the Cowboys left off: The Cowboys... more
With a potential settlement to the NFL lockout looming, analyst Elliot Harrison takes a quick glance at where each division left off following last season. This is a look at the AFC East. Buffalo Bills Where the Bills left off: Buffalo was one... more
With a potential settlement to the NFL lockout looming, analyst Elliot Harrison takes a quick glance at where each division left off following last season. This is a look at the AFC East. AFC East team needs When the lockout ends, it could be a mad... more
With a potential settlement to the NFL lockout looming, analyst Elliot Harrison takes a quick glance at where each division left off following last season. This is a look at the NFC East. NFC East team needs When the lockout ends, it could be a mad... more
If there is one 2010 playoff team that hasn't received much respect from the media this offseason, it's the Chicago Bears -- myself included. Jason La Canfora's recent Super Bowl predictions didn't include much love for these guys, either. So what's... more
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White has gone from a young player with trouble hanging onto the football a few years ago to an established big-time player in the NFL. So quickly, in fact, that it's difficult to imagine him a top-three receiver in the... more
We've been kicking around the new rules regarding kickoffs on NFL.com a lot recently. While much of the discussion has been about the value -- or devalue -- of premium returners, there's one facet of the discussion I'm sure of: The Colts will be fine.... more
 As the research analyst for NFL Network's NFL RedZone , Elliot Harrison watched all 267 games in the 2010 season. We asked him to rank the 20 most memorable. "That's one of the most incredible football plays I think I've ever seen." Look... more
 As the research analyst for NFL Network's NFL RedZone , Elliot Harrison watched all 267 games in the 2010 season. We asked him to rank the 20 most memorable. When I was asked to rank the top 20 games of 2010 by my editor, Andy Fenelon, the... more
David Duprey / Associated Press If Steve Johnson comes up with this catch, is Blaine Gabbert the Bills' QB of the future? What if one or two plays last season had gone differently? How would those snaps affect the drama of last weekend, when... more
Paul Spinelli / Associated Press Deion Sanders collected five of his career 53 interceptions with the Ravens. As if Plaxico Burress ' potential return to the NFL after having the unfortunate mishap of shooting himself in the leg at a night... more
Gary A. Vasquez / NFL Clay Matthews and Aaron Rodgers are just two of the Packers' many draft picks to play big roles en route to a title. Did anyone notice the flurry of activity last week? How about Thursday, when O.J. Atogwe , Bob Sanders,... more
Paul Jasienski / Associated Press Poor pass protection resulted in the Cowboys losing Tony Romo for the season in Week 7. Will Dallas improve? "RUSH the quarterback!" So many of us who grew up watching NFL Films saw former Steelers coach... more
US Presswire Jeremy Shockey (left) and Clinton Portis will move on to new teams. When and where, though, is to be determined. The clock is ticking, not only for NFL owners and players to get a new CBA constructed by Thursday night, but also... more
It's not easy being a Panthers fan. If you aren't, it's probably hard imagining being one ... at least recently. The team's freefall since the playoff loss to the Cardinals in January 2009 has been tough on a fan base that for the most part is pretty... more
Charles Rex Arbogast / Associated Press If Calvin Johnson held onto this ball in Week 1 vs. the Bears, the course of the 2010 season could have changed. In a typical NFL season there are 267 games. Of those, 256 come in the regular season... more
Rick Osentoski / Associated Press When healthy, Matthew Stafford has shown glimpses of why he was a No. 1 overall draft pick. Close, but no cigar. That was the story of the Detroit Lions' 2010 season, wasn't it? Here was a team that was... more
January and February are a time for reflection in the NFL, with coaching turnover being the inevitable offshoot. And that's not just head coaches. Coordinators are moving around all over the league, and not always because someone got fired. Such is the... more
Ron Chenoy / US Presswire Unfortunately for San Diego, Ryan Mathews fell short of expectations in his rookie season. The 2010 campaign might have been the most depressing winning season in Chargers history. There was little disagreement... more
Steeler fans, I feel your pain. After closing the gap to 21-17 in Super Bowl XLV , it looked as though the game was playing into Pittsburgh's hands. Even on the final drive, it was almost as if it was a foregone conclusion that Ben Roethlisberger would... more
Super Bowl XLV will be like any other game, at least in the sense that it will come down to matchups. Every contest does, whether it's Week 3 or the Super Bowl. Kansas City didn't have the horses on offense to compete with Vince Lombardi's Packers... more
"That's a misnomer. You don't have to have a defensive lineman drop back for it to be a zone blitz. There's all kinds of zone blitzes." -- Rod Woodson. The Hall of fame defensive back should know. He played under both Dom Capers and Dick LeBeau, who are... more
Michael Conroy / Associated Press The Texans struggled in several defensive categories last season, something the team must change. Watching the playoffs must not be fun for the Houston Texans. This season was supposed to be the Texans'... more
Joe Robbins / NFL The Jets fell at Pittsburgh in the AFC title game, but Rex Ryan is confident his team will return next season. The Jets went down with some serious fight Sunday night. While it would be easy to nitpick all of the missed... more
John E. Sokolowski / US Presswire Rob Ryan will try to improve a Cowboys defense that finished 31st in points per game allowed last season. Good defensive coordinators don't grow on trees. You don't see very many minivans with "My son is an... more
The Jets bounced the Patriots from the playoffs Sunday evening by exercising a smart defensive game plan and sticking to it. Expect more of the same against Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game. So what exactly did Rex Ryan and company do that... more
Michael Conroy / Associated Press Matt Cassel grew under Charlie Weis, and it's up to coach Todd Haley to find a suitable replacement. No Chiefs fan can be too pleased with last Sunday's outcome. But despite Kansas City's lackluster... more
There was no bottom to the depths of despair for Saints fans Saturday afternoon. What is being coined as one of the biggest playoff upsets in NFL history -- Seattle's silencing of New Orleans' repeat plans -- also became Day 1 of the Saints' offseason.... more
Every team is facing some tough questions with the regular season over, especially those who won't be dancing in the playoffs. We continue our Exit Interview series with the Dallas Cowboys, a team that always carries its share of drama, with the... more
It's over. Brett Favre is done (we think). Finally... thankfully... regrettably? How we feel about his retirement, and his legacy, depends on the prism in which one views his career. Is he the NFL's greatest quarterback? Will he be remembered as the... more
They say men get better looking with age. Maybe not Nick Nolte, but for the guys in the pewter and red, it holds true. The NFL's youngest team last season, and youngest roster in the preseason, is now only older than the Panthers. While Carolina... more
There was much to take from Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday. The Chargers were ousted from the playoffs. Fans left the parking lot in their Jettas saying, "Where the heck was that all season?" Perhaps most importantly, the Bengals learned that Carson Palmer... more
Ben Margot / Associated Press Darren McFadden had his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season in the Raiders' win over the Broncos. If you asked Raiders fans last spring if they'd take being 7-7 and in the thick of the AFC West race in... more
Tom E. Puskar / Associated Press Troy Polamalu's aggresive, big-play style and Dick LeBeau's creative mind make them a perfect match in Pittsburgh. He's at it again. Dick LeBeau's defense is back at the top of the charts, and the 73-year-old... more
Todd Rosenberg / Associated Press Not even the snowy weather in Chicago and a tough Bears defense could put an end to Tom Brady's tear. Tom Brady is on a run. Like, a Hall of Fame run. A Forrest Gump ping-pong run. He's playing as good or... more
There's a group of quarterbacks in the NFL today that can give a nod to Don Meredith -- as in, a nod of understanding. The legendary quarterback and Monday Night Football broadcaster's passing this week at the age of 72 brought about stories of his... more
Toxic Differential . Ever heard of it? Me neither. Until earlier this season when I learned how much NFL Network analysts Brian Billick and Jim Mora leaned on it. Both of these former NFL coaches feel it's the best playoff predictor -- stat wise -- that... more
Associated Press When Dan Marino passed for 5,084 yards in 1984, he did it against DBs faced with more lenient rules. One of the NFL's big ones might fall, and it's too bad. Dan Marino's single-season record of 5,084 passing yards -- set... more
There's a reason for everything in the NFL. Sometimes coaches make decisions based on hard data, and at other times, football myths. But this much is sure: The myth about running backs hitting the wall at 30 is true. The facts about 30-year-old backs... more
Associated Press Michael Vick (left), Vince Young and David Garrard are surprises among the NFL's top five passer ratings. Have you taken a look at the NFL passing statistics lately? Where are all the "good" guys? The franchise quarterbacks?... more
The Pittsburgh Steelers might have fallen to the Saints in New Orleans, but it's becoming easy to see that the organization feels its best chance to win is dialing Ben Roethlisberger back. What is "dialing back?" It means the days of offensive... more
Never has a fractured clavicle had such an impact on the imminent future of the Dallas Cowboys or their direction. No, Tony Romo's broken collarbone is not a first among the franchise's name players. Walt Garrison suffered the same injury in the 1970... more
Strange things are a happenin' statistically in the NFL these days ... stranger than Curtis Enis and Troy Hambrick once being first-rounders in fantasy drafts. Perhaps even stranger than Lando Calrissian's creepy bald-headed assistant. Here's three of... more
"How much we spread out and how much we don't spread out, the coaches coach, and the players play." Those were Mike McCarthy's words to the media last week, in response to Aaron Rodgers' notion that the Packers should spread the field more on offense,... more
If you're an avid follower of the navy and orange, there's good and bad news. The good? Chicago is 3-1 and better than its pitiful offensive display against the New York Giants on Sunday night. The bad? Get used to Jay Cutler hitting the deck. All... more
There are intriguing matchups all over the Week 3 docket. The Lions and Vikings might be playing for their seasons. The Falcons are looking to show everyone they are a legit threat to win the NFC South crown as they face the defending champion Saints in... more
Evan Vucci / Associated Press Tony Romo completed 31 passes in Sunday's loss to the Redskins, but averaged just 6 yards on his 47 attempts. You're bombarded with them every Sunday. They scurry across your screen with the subtlety of a... more
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