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Titans roll with Munchak as new head coach
Posted: Mon, 07 Feb 2011 19:16:43 +0000
One day removed from watching the Packers reign supreme on the NFL’s biggest stage, the Titans made a decision that they hope will eventually put them in position to replicate Green Bay’s success, promoting offensive line coach and franchise icon Mike Munchak to fill their head coach position.
A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Munchak was the first candidate to interview for the opening once Tennessee and longtime head coach Jeff Fisher decided to part ways last month, and has long been seen as a head coach in the making. He’ll have his work cut out for him with a Titans franchise in transition, with no set starter at quarterback and several other key positions in need of upgrading as well.
©2011 NFL News & Rumors. All Rights Reserved.
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Packers take home title in thrilling championship game
Posted: Mon, 07 Feb 2011 04:26:48 +0000
In a season filled to the max with opportunities to collapse and go at it next year, the Packers rose above the injuries and the excuses, silencing their critics with a Super Bowl victory for the ages, beating the Steelers 31-25.
All year long Green Bay was forced to shuffle their roster, elevating players with little to no experience into starting roles, as their premier players went down with season ending injuries. For just about every other team, losing playmakers like running back Ryan Grant, tight end Jermichael Finley, and others would inevitably destroy a season that started with so much promise. Instead, the Packers are headed home from Dallas with the Lombardi Trophy by their side and a multitude of fans ready to turn Green Bay into the nation’s biggest party.
Winning the game wasn’t easy, although nothing worth doing ever is, but in the end, the Packers found a way to overcome a Pittsburgh team that had been there and done that with regard to the championship game.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, long the target of critics hell bent on crucifying the Packers for dumping Brett Favre, masterfully directed his offense down the field when it mattered most, hitting a streaking Greg Jennings for a 38 yard pass on third and long with the game on the line, setting up a field goal to force the Steelers into TD or bust mode late in the game.
The biggest play of the game though came on the first play of the fourth quarter, with linebacker Clay Matthews slamming his helmet into Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall and forcing a crucial turnover near midfield that eventually led to a brilliant touchdown throw from Rodgers to Jennings in the far corner of the end zone. That score was the difference in the game and it wouldn’t have happened without a spectacular play by Matthews, who has provided a one man highlight all season long.
The joy of winning will inevitably fade into the background, especially with the looming labor strife between the league and the players hanging over everyone’s head like a guillotine, but tonight the world belongs to the Packers and their fans. Congratulations on a fantastic season and another outstanding Super Bowl win.
©2011 NFL News & Rumors. All Rights Reserved.
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Munchak emerging as early favorite in Tennessee?
Posted: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 05:12:39 +0000
When news first broke earlier this evening of Jeff Fisher’s imminent departure from the head coach position in Tennessee, the first name at the tip of everyone’s tongue was former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher, who’d provide a major splash to ramp up fan enthusiasm and provide the quick spark needed to turn things around in a hurry.
But if early indications are to be believed, the Titans won’t be looking to Cowher anytime soon, focusing their efforts instead on promoting current offensive line coach Mike Munchak to the top job instead. Munchak is one of the team’s most recognizable names and faces among the fan base, given that he’s been with the franchise for the past thirty years as a standout offensive lineman and a position coach.
Given Munchak’s unparalleled reputation in the locker room, hiring him as Fisher’s successor would be the best case scenario for the Titans if they choose to go down the coordinator road rather than go after a premier candidate like Cowher or even former Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden. Replacing Fisher won’t be easy by any means, but if anyone can do it, Munchak should be capable, provided he can attract a quality staff to join him in his efforts.
©2011 NFL News & Rumors. All Rights Reserved.
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Pollard, Texans unlikely to agree on new deal
Posted: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 04:58:28 +0000
Two seasons removed from his arrival in Houston, safety Bernard Pollard isn’t optimistic that he’ll be back for a third next fall, saying “you don’t want to know that” when pushed for his gut feeling on whether he’d be back next season. Pollard spoke on the subject with CBSRadio’s Houston affiliate earlier today.
Given Pollard’s inability to offer much of anything in the way of coverage skills, the Texans have to be looking elsewhere this off-season for help in their secondary, and while they’d likely be open to bringing him back, there’s little to no chance Pollard will earn the kind of money he’s seeking.
Pollard does provide solid run support from his safety position and could be an option for a team in need of a reasonably priced defender to play on early downs in the box to stop the run.
©2011 NFL News & Rumors. All Rights Reserved.
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Fisher departure leaves Titans in disarray
Posted: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 04:45:33 +0000
The love-hate relationship between Tennessee head coach Jeff Fisher and owner Bud Adams has finally come to a boiling point, with the team and Fisher reportedly deciding to part ways earlier this evening, leaving the Titans in a quandary with no real starter at quarterback and no obvious internal candidates to choose from to step up into Fisher’s place.
The peace between Fisher and Adams that seemingly came with the announcement that Tennessee would either trade or release quarterback Vince Young this off-season was incredibly short-lived, with both sides apparently incapable of seeing eye to eye enough to stay the course for one final season.
“After the season was complete, we had numerous discussions on the direction of the team and were pleased that we were moving forward with Jeff at the helm. Since that time, it became evident that consensus was increasingly hard to find and reality wasn’t matching the vision we discussed. It is unfortunate that this decision is coming at this juncture, but we believe that we have reached the point where change is in the best interest of both parties.
“We will start the head coaching search tomorrow. We expect to talk to a broad and diverse group of candidates. We are confident the coaching pool still has a number of quality candidates that can lead our football team.”
Fisher, who was the NFL’s longest tenured head coach at 17 years, waves goodbye at a perfect time for himself and at the worst possible moment for the Titans, as he’ll be able to relax all season long doing whatever he pleases with Adams footing the bill via the remainder of his contract. Meanwhile, the team will likely be forced to either shell out major cash for a big name coach like Bill Cowher and Jon Gruden, or go the route no one wants to in hiring a new head coach from the scrap heap of retread coordinators that have flamed out with previous opportunities.
With Fisher’s departure, the door has opened to a possible continuation of Young’s career in Tennessee, as Fisher was the only real obstacle standing in the way of his return next season. That said, the Titans were quick to say that wasn’t an option, telling ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Young’s time with the club wouldn’t be getting an extension anytime soon.
Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt is expected to head up the search committee and while it’s likely that he’ll turn to several candidates he’s familiar with to start, the focus will almost certainly turn towards luring Cowher out of retirement, given his pedigree and ability to quickly right the ship. It remains to be seen if Cowher will be interested in replacing Fisher or if he’d rather sit tight in the comfort of the CBS studio on Sundays next fall, but if the Titans offer the right kind of cash, he’ll almost certainly listen.
In the end, finding a legitimate starter at quarterback will be the first task at hand for whoever signs on as the team’s new head coach and until they do that, the Titans aren’t likely to go very far in one of the league’s most competitive divisions. The draft should have a few interesting options whereas free agency (if it happens) probably won’t offer a player capable of handling that role for the long term, making it probable that the Titans will use their first pick this spring on a quarterback if one they like is available.
©2011 NFL News & Rumors. All Rights Reserved.
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Seahawks to open bidding on Palmer?
Posted: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:29:46 +0000
Despite several statements from the Bengals front office and ownership over the past few days indicating they have no desire whatsoever to put Carson Palmer on the market, at least one team is reportedly lining up for a shot at acquiring him.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Tony Pauline, the Seahawks have expressed interest in swinging a trade to reunite Palmer with his former college coach Pete Carroll. Any move to get Palmer is going to be creative, considering the size of his contract and the compensation required to obtain a starting quarterback of Palmer’s caliber.
Obviously there would be significant hurdles to overcome for such a deal to even get started, not the least of which Cincinnati’s aforementioned desire to keep Palmer as their starter going forward, but it’s interesting to say the least that Seattle would be open to a trade like this, as it clearly shows that they’re not set on Charlie Whitehurst as their quarterback in waiting.
We’ll keep you posted with anything that hits the wire, but for the time being a deal for Palmer isn’t likely to come around.
©2011 NFL News & Rumors. All Rights Reserved.
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Palmer looking for way out in Cincinnati
Posted: Sun, 23 Jan 2011 19:11:15 +0000
Coming off a disastrous season filled to the max with discontent and infighting between teammates/coaches, Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer was expected to spend a fair amount of time this off-season contemplating his future in Cincinnati. And after head coach Marvin Lewis made it clear earlier this month that Palmer was definitely the team’s starter going forward, it seemed as though the matter was settled, with Palmer still under contract through 2014.
But apparently no one bothered to give Palmer that message, as reports have begun to surface that he has asked the Bengals to seek out a trade for him this off-season, and is more than willing to threaten retirement if need be.
Given the situation in Cincinnati isn’t exactly good right now, it’s not surprising to see Palmer push for an exit now rather than finish out his career with a team that isn’t likely to make a deep post-season run anytime soon.
Whether or not the Bengals will be willing to acquiesce to Palmer’s demands remains to be seen, but if they do offer him up in the coming months, several teams in need of a bridge option for a few seasons should be interested, including Minnesota, Carolina, Arizona, and possibly San Francisco. All four have a definite need at the quarterback position and may not be able to answer it with a draft pick or via free agency, making Palmer an intriguing option given his experience and ability as a starter in the NFL.
©2011 NFL News & Rumors. All Rights Reserved.
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Suitors abound for Asomugha
Posted: Wed, 12 Jan 2011 04:01:11 +0000
It’s rare that one player is capable of drawing interest from just about every single team in the league, but that’s exactly what is playing out right now with soon to be free agent Nnamdi Asomugha, who was set free from his purgatory in Oakland just a few days ago after specific clauses in his contract voided the final year in his deal.
Since news of his pending free agent status first hit the wire, there has been no shortage of attention devoted to potential destinations for Asomugha this off-season, with Green Bay and New York taking the early lead. despite definite roadblocks to such a union ever coming to fruition. Other teams with an obvious need at his position, such as Houston, Detroit, and now Philadelphia have quickly jumped up after that, with local beat writers clamoring for their respective teams to go hard after the Pro Bowl cornerback and damn the consequences.
All of that leads me to wonder what wonders will be present once free agency actually begins in February. There will be no telling what teams will do to get the attention of Asomugha, not to mention the kind of money that will undoubtedly be tossed around like candy at a parade.
All three teams listed above as being seriously interested in acquiring him have the money and then some to give him the kind of contract that most players can only dream of receiving. As such, it will be interesting to say the least when Asomugha finally hits the open market, and there is little doubt that he will find a new home without much delay.
Obviously it would be hard for any team to say no to the addition of a quality player like Asomugha, no matter the players they already have in the fold or how much money it would cost to do so, but separating reality from fantasy when it comes to possible suitors is hard to do in practice, and in Asomugha’s case, it’s even harder. Only time will tell which team decides to go all out for his services, and chances are it’s going to be a team on the rise and not simply about the money.
©2011 NFL News & Rumors. All Rights Reserved.
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Panthers locked in on Rivera as new head coach
Posted: Mon, 10 Jan 2011 21:28:16 +0000
After seemingly going through the motions with teams merely intent on fulfilling the Rooney Rule requirements over the past five years, Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera has finally landed his shot to step up into the big leagues, as Carolina is reportedly set to hire him as the next head coach.
According to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, it’s a foregone conclusion that the Panthers will announce Rivera as early as tomorrow, and they’ve already begun the process of informing other candidates of their decision.
Rivera has interviewed with eight other clubs for head coaching vacancies since 2006, but has failed in almost every case to be seriously considered for those positions. Being responsible for the one of the league’s best defenses this season with the Chargers may have been the boost he needed to get over the hump, although Carolina’s hiring of a defensive minded head coach is no surprise, considering the fact that all three coaches in their history have come from the same side of the ball.
©2011 NFL News & Rumors. All Rights Reserved.
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Asomugha sets sights on Jets, Packers
Posted: Mon, 10 Jan 2011 21:16:49 +0000
Now that Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha has surprisingly found a way out of his contract with Oakland, his potential landing spots are beginning to shape up, as those who know him well are offering up their predictions.
According to former Raiders beat writer David White (now with the San Francisco Chronicle), Asomugha has long wanted to play for a proven winner, and his next home will likely come down to two locales: Green Bay and New York. The main motivating factor for a move to the Packers is Asomugha’s close friendship with standout cornerback Charles Woodson, and while it would seem that there wouldn’t be much in the way of space for him with the Jets, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them unload another player or two to make room for Asomugha next season.
A return back to Oakland is almost assuredly not in the cards, although it’s possible that Raiders owner Al Davis pulls out the stops and offers Asomugha another major contract to keep him in the fold. In any case, the team that does end up landing Asomugha will undoubtedly have to fork over one of the largest contracts in the history of the NFL, given his proven skill at a premium position.
©2011 NFL News & Rumors. All Rights Reserved.
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