Sportz Assassin Posts

ESPN's John Clayton reported during NFL Countdown that Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates will be game-time decisions for their Wild Card game against the Indianapolis Colts tonight. Clayton said he thinks that LT will play, but this information puts into doubt about how effective he will be. ESPN's Ed Werder reported that San Diego coach Norv Turner said that LT won't play if he can't be effective.

Remember that in last year's AFC Championship game, LT got a lot of heat for not fighting through a bum knee. Tomlinson got only two carries despite everyone believing that he was good to go. Yet CBS cameras kept panning over to him with his helmet on, sitting on the Chargers bench. It also looked bad when Philip Rivers fought through a worse injury in the very same game.

These Chargers don't have the luxury of Michael Turner as LT's backup (side note: how amazing is it that they had both these guys?). Darren Sproles is a different kind of back who gained just 330 yards rushing this year. And just like their last playoff game in New England, the Chargers will be facing a team with the NFL's longest current winning streak, who also has the MVP at quarterback.

(Via PFT)

With the Vikings just hours away from the deadline to sell their remaining tickets for tomorrow's Wild Card game against the Philadelphia Eagles, the organization decided this was the best time to push for a new stadium.

Though the economy is crunching the country, Vikings owner Zygi Wilf decided that what Minnesota needs is a $954 million state-of-the-art stadium for his team. Wilf and his Vice President of Stadium Development, Lester Bagley, think that a new stadium will be a huge economic boost and keep jobs in the Twin Cities. He and Wilf also believe that Minnesota should use some most of their economic stimulus package on the new stadium.

The Minnesota legislature isn't putting this request very high on their list of priorities. The state is in a budget crisis and can't flip the over $600 million bill that Wilf wants them to pick up. Because of this, the threats are starting to fly.

"It's reality check time," Bagley said. "If we want an NFL franchise in this state, we have to resolve the stadium issue. Time is running out. If nothing gets done, then maybe the Wilfs throw in the towel."

The lease at the Metrodome expires in 2011 so the Vikings could go elsewhere with very few strings attached.

As we get ready for the Wildcard Weekend matchup of the Vikings and Eagles, Dan Zinksi from The Viking Age and Derek from Iggles Blog were nice enough to offer some insights on their teams for this week's Behind Enemy Lines feature.

Sportz Assassin: How do both of you feel about how your teams are playing heading into the playoffs?

Dan Zinksi (Viking Age): I would've been happier if the Vikes hadn't needed a 10-point comeback against the Giants' second-stringers to win their last game. I think they're shaky. I think Tarvaris Jackson's performance was a bit of a mirage, since a lot of it came against some bad pass defenses. I get nervous every time Adrian Peterson touches the ball now, because he keeps fumbling. I don't think they're exactly going into the playoffs with momentum.

Derek (Iggles Blog): I'd feel a lot better if the Eagles had won that "must win" game against the Redskins two weeks ago. These guys are clearly playing some good football right now, but I still think they're short a couple of guys needed to make a Super Bowl run.

As we get ready for the Wildcard Weekend matchup of the Chargers and Colts, Loren Casuto from Bolt Talk was nice enough to offer some insights on the Chargers for this week's Behind Enemy Lines feature.

Sportz Assassin: How do both of you feel about how the Chargers are playing heading into the playoffs?

Loren Casuto: It's a minor miracle, no team has ever come back from 4-8 to make the playoffs. The Chargers showed an incredible amount of heart and grit to play as hard and well as they did when everyone, even some Charger fans, wrote them off for dead. I'm thrilled because this is what we were expecting at the start of the season and now the real work for the Chargers can begin.

Sportz: San Diego and Indianapolis have had some great battles in recent years. What, if anything, from those games will help decide this playoff game?

As we get ready for the Wild Card Weekend matchup of the Dolphins and Ravens, Brian Miller from PhinPhanatic and Tony Lombardi from ProFootball24x7 were nice enough to offer some insights on their teams for this week's Behind Enemy Lines feature.

Sportz Assassin: How do both of you feel about how your teams are playing heading into the playoffs?

Brian Miller (PhinPhanatic): I like the fact that no one is giving us any real credit for getting there. Jim Mora says on air that the best AFC East team is New England and there has been little "props" for winning the division as most of the kudos surrounds simply the turnaround. The Ravens are three-point favorites in this game and the Phins are getting tired of feeling second rate.

Tony Lombardi (ProFootball24x7): The Ravens are really beginning to gel in Cam Cameron's offense and now they are getting contributions from Mark Clayton and Willis McGahee. Joe Flacco has come on strong since the last meeting with the Dolphins and has the third highest road QB rating among NFL quarterbacks. And of course the team's defense is always dependable. The Ravens could be a dangerous post season participant.

You have to love the fact that Mike Shanahan is fired by the Denver Broncos yet, to some, can have his pick of the myriad of job openings around the NFL.

The one that is getting the most run is Shanahan going to the Dallas Cowboys. He is cool with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, tried to get Terrell Owens to Denver and wanted Tony Romo as a college free agent (they both are Eastern Illinois alums). Though it has been a while, Shanahan has won two Super Bowls and Jerrah Jones is dying to have that kind of success.

He has also had success with young quarterbacks, like Romo, and been able to squeeze the best out of his offensive line and running backs.

One interesting subplot to this is the fact that current Cowboys had coach Wade Phillips is supposed to be keeping his job. Still, you can't put it past Jones to can Phillips for Shanahan. By the way, Shanahan got the Denver gig 14 years ago after the Broncos fired ... Wade Phillips.

Also, there has been some rumblings that the Broncos could go after current Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett for their head coaching position. Remember that Garrett was perceived as Phillips' eventual successor before a sub-par offensive showing this season.

Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner was reportedly involved in a domestic dispute. Gwinnett County Police responded to a call Monday evening that involved Turner and the mother of his infant child, though no arrests were made.

Gwinnett County Police Corp. David Schiralli said police responded to a call between 7 and 8 p.m. EST Monday, but he would not identify the woman or the site of the incident.

Police made no arrests and do not plan to file charges.

"There is not enough probable cause for us to proceed any further," Schiralli said.

No charges is good news for Atlanta. Turner was the NFL's second-leading rusher this year with 1,699 yards and 16 touchdowns. His Pro-Bowl effort help earn the Falcons an improbable wildcard berth. Only Eric Dickerson and Ricky Williams rushed for more TDs in their first season with a new team.

With the Redskins' season ending unceremoniously with a loss in San Francisco, thoughts of the 2009 season have already begun.

Cornerback Carlos Rogers believes that he shouldn't be a part of those thoughts.

"I'm not a backup to nobody," Rogers said. "I'm a starter in this league. Everybody knows that. There's a lot of teams that would give their right arm to have me on their team."

"In Cincinnati, I played [just] nine plays," Rogers said. "I'm used to playing 60 to 70 plays. All of a sudden, you're a backup, you're a nickel, you're a third corner. That don't sit well with me. I still haven't had answers to the questions I want to know."

Rogers had a great start to the season as the team's No. 1 corner, but saw his playing time reduced towards the end of the season. That coincided with the Redskins bringing in DeAngelo Hall -- who is also looking at signing a long-term deal with the team -- and the improved health of Shawn Springs.

Rogers plans on meeting with secondary coach Jerry Gray, who is a candidate for the Detroit Lions head coaching job. If Rogers doesn't get the answers he wants from Gray, he could request a trade.

Just because he's not going to be the head coach anymore doesn't mean that Romeo Crennel's time with the Cleveland Browns is up. He told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that he would consider staying on with the team if the new head coach asks him to.

"You'd have to be careful about how it would be looked on by the new people coming in," he said. "They don't want anyone looking over their shoulder, particularly someone who was here before. Even though the position might not be one they're directly in charge of, human nature gets into this thing a little bit. If that's their perception, whether it's right or wrong, it might impact their judgment or impact the way they do things."

This could actually happen if Scott Pioli takes the vacant general manager position with the Browns. Crennel has a great relationship with Pioli from their time together with the New England Patriots. Another factor could be that the Browns are interested in recently fired Jets coach Eric Mangini. Crennel and Mangini have remained close friends from their days in New England.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning will get to enjoy a bye for the first week of the NFL postseason. His brother, Peyton, will lead his Colts into San Diego to take on the Chargers this Saturday night.

So, during a conference call, Eli was asked if he was going to San Diego to watch Peyton's game:

"No, no, no plans," Manning said. As an afterthought, Manning added: "My plans to Cabo fell through, so I am going to sit here. That is a joke, by the way."

That, obviously, is a jab at Tony Romo's vacation to Cabo during last year's playoffs. The Dallas Cowboys had the No. 1 seed in the NFC last year and an off week, just as the Giants do this year. Romo spent his off week in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with Jessica Simpson and her family. Romo's Cowboys would go on to lose to Eli's Giants the very next week.