NFL History 101: All-time Top 12 Defensive Tackles Weighing 300+ lbs

Here at All-Out Blitz we've decided to come out with a series I like to call "NFL History 101." This is a series that will feature a different subject/topic each time and will focus on anything that has to do with NFL history, ranging from past to current players, season recaps of certain teams, records being broken, playoff/Super Bowl flashbacks and more.

The first installment of the series is a closer look at some of the game's most dominant 300+ pound defensive tackles, both past and present. In no particular order, I've picked out 12 of the league's most fan-friendly, popular and dominant defensive tackles weighing over 300 pounds and have included images of course.

The list includes four active players, five Super Bowl champions, one Hall of Famer and one soon-to-be Hall of Famer.

Tony Siragusa 330 lbs––12 seasons with Colts, Ravens

Tony A.K.A. "The Goose" spent just over a decade clogging up the middle of the defensive line and punishing quarterbacks. Siragusa anchored the defensive line of arguably one of the best defenses of all-time, helping the Ravens' snag a Super Bowl championship in 2000. He may be best-known for knocking Oakland Raider quarterback Rich Gannon out of the AFC Championship game that season, falling on top of his shoulder with his 330 pound frame.

Vince Wilfork 325 lbs––9 seasons with Patriots (active)

For a 325-pounder, Mr. Wilfork sure does move fast. And, lets face it, it's a lot of fun watching a 300-pound man running down the field. The Goose never picked off a single pass or scored a touchdown, but Wilfork has two career interceptions and has a defensive TD to his name. All three of these occurrences happened last season, which ended with his fourth Pro Bowl appearance. One of the most exciting and dynamic d-tackles in the game today.

Casey Hampton 320 lbs––12 seasons with Steelers (active)

Hampton, 35, has started all 13 games for Pittsburgh this season, and is just as effective at stopping the run as he has been over the last dozen seasons. He's not the most exciting 300+ guy on this list, but he's no slouch when it comes to stopping running back in their tracks. Not a good idea to run up the middle when Hampton's on the field.

Cortez Kennedy 305 lbs––11 seasons with Seahawks

The lone Hall of Famer on the list, the 8-time Pro Bowler had a freakish combination of power and speed, and was a physically-imposing threat at the defensive tackle position. Kennedy, due to the fact he was never on a championship team, seemed to fly under the radar for a majority of his career, but he was no doubt the biggest threat on the Seahawk defense during his time.

Warren Sapp 303 lbs––13 seasons with Buccaneers, Raiders

Sapp is the guy on this list that is a soon-to-be Hall of Famer, as this year is his first year of eligibility (he's one of 27 semi-finalists). With 13 seasons as not only a dominating force up the middle, but one of the most eccentric personalities of his time, I strongly believe Sapp will be enshrined into Canton within the next two years. With four seasons of double-digit sack totals and nearly 100 for his career (96.5 to be exact), Sapp struck fear into every quarterback he went up against.

Haloti Ngata 335 lbs––7 seasons with Ravens (active)

At 6'4"/335 pounds, the 28-year old has certainly established himself as the best d-tackle Baltimore has seen since the Siragusa days. With 45 combined tackles and 4.0 sacks in 12 starts this season, he's looking to capture his fourth consecutive, and career, Pro Bowl appearance this season. Ngata is the second-heaviest player on our list of 12, and is arguably the most dominant of the four active players.

Tim Bowens 325 lbs––11 seasons with Dolphins

Bowens spent his Dolphin career as more of a role player than anything else, but the two-time Pro Bowler managed to squeeze out a spot on the list mainly because of his productivity and his consistency. Bowens missed just four starts in his first nine seasons in the league and accumulated 22.0 sacks over his career. He was reliable, though never as flashy or electric as the likes of Sapp, Siragusa or Wilfork.

Gilbert Brown 340 lbs––10 seasons with Packers

Brown was not all that productive over his decade-long career in Green Bay. Nope, Brown simply made this list because of his size. Now 41, the 6'2"/340 pounder was always interesting to watch move around the field. By far the largest man on the list in terms of weight, I had to give him and Bowens a spot simply because there were not too many other big men to choose from. Some of the most dominant defensive tackles in NFL history ranged from 275-290 pounds, not 300-plus.

Brentson Buckner 305 lbs––12 seasons with Steelers, Bengals, 49ers and Panthers

Buckner began his career with the Steelers, being a part of the great 1995 Steeler defense that represented the AFC in the Super Bowl. As a second-year player that season, Buckner started all 16 games at D-tackle while raking in 49 combined tackles and 3.0 sacks. It wasn't until he began his final stint, with Carolina, in 2001 that he became a household name, however. Buckner made 146 tackles and 14.5 sacks in five seasons with the Panthers to end his career.

Roger Brown 300 lbs––10 seasons with Lions and Rams

Brown was actually the league's first 300-pound lineman in history, interestingly enough. Playing with Detroit from 1960-66 and Los Angeles Rams from 1967-69, Brown went to 6 Pro Bowls, was named to 2 First Team All Pro rosters and was much faster than you'd expect from a 300-pound defensive lineman. Lets just say Brown paved the way for 300-pounders. Roger says you're welcome, everybody.

William Perry 325 lbs––10 seasons with Bears and Eagles

I don't think there are any NFL fans that are not well-aware of William "The Refrigerator" Perry's antics, whether you were living in the '80s or not. Perhaps the owner of the best NFL nickname of all-time, Perry wasn't just a threat on the defensive side of things (524 combined tackles, 29.5 sacks). Perry is best-known for playing fullback in goal-line situations for the Bears, most notably in 1985, when Chicago's "Monsters of the Midway" defense led Chicago to a 46-10 Super Bowl victory. Perry has four career offensive TDs (3 rushing, 1 receiving), one of which came in the Super Bowl victory.

Ndamukong Suh 307 lbs––3 seasons with Lions (active)

Too soon to add the 25-year old Suh? No way. Ndamukong has already established himself as one of the league's "dirtiest" and "most-hated" players and he has yet to even complete his third season in the league. There's no questioning his toughness and physicality, but there is plenty of questions swirling around his intent on the field. Whether or not he plays hungry, or just plays flat-out angry football, there's no questioning the fact that he's one of the most feared defensive tackles in the game right now.

The Next BIG Thing: Dontari Poe

The 22-year old Kansas City Chiefs rookie nose tackle has just 28 combined tackles and no sacks in his first 13 career NFL starts, but the 6'3"/346 pound NT has the size and ability to be the next big star. Literally. He certainly turned heads at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last February, running a 4.87 40-yard dash in front of dozens of scouts. Pretty scary for a man pushing 350, huh? Give him some time in KC and he could develop into a huge threat up the middle.

Writer's note: Now, clearly the 300-pound defensive lineman is a relatively new concept. There's just two guys on the list that are pre-1990 (Perry, whose rookie season was 1985 and Roger Brown, who played from 1960-69). The rest played either in the '90s or 2000s, and four of which are still active.

If this article were to read "most dominant defensive tackles in NFL history" this list would look completely different. In fact, it would likely be guys such as "Mean" Joe Greene, Bob Lilly, Randy White, John Randle, Merlin Olsen, Alan Page, etc. etc.

But once again, if there are any you believe I may have miss or simply overlooked, feel free to enlighten us in the comments section.

I'll just leave you with one last piece of evidence, a Youtube video of Vince Wilfork's top 5 moments in his career. A couple of the plays will have you double-taking:

We do not own the above images. No copyright infringement intended.

Down the Stretch: Bold Predictions for the Final 3 Weeks of Play

Three weeks left to play, 8 playoff seeds still available.

You do the math.

As teams prepare for Week 15 action tomorrow afternoon, there's only one thing that we're sure of: the final three weeks of the regular season will be chaos.

Here are some bold predictions from the All-Out Blitz involving the final three weeks of the regular season. You can count on us:

*The loser of the Steelers/Cowboys showdown misses playoffs

This may be one of the biggest must-win games of the weekend, and it applies to both squads. Dallas (7-6) are tied for second in the NFC East while Pittsburgh (7-6) is sitting in third, and could be tied for second with a win. The winner doesn't necessarily make the postseason, but it certainly does boost its chances. The loser, however, may find itself out of the running due to the stiff competition.

*Adrian Peterson becomes 7th player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season

With three games to play, Peterson is 400 yards shy of 2,000 for the season and the Vikings are 7-6. In the middle of the playoff hunt, the Vikings aren't going to be getting away from running the ball down the stretch since that's what has gotten them this far. It'll be tough, considering after a Week 15 match-up with St. Louis the Vikings have to play Houston and Green Bay, but it's definitely attainable. All he has to do is average 133 yards per game down the stretch. Piece of cake for a guy who has run for 100 yards in 7 consecutive games.

He may even come close, or break, Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record of 2,105 if he can run for another 200-yard game tomorrow. He's only 506 yards away from surpassing Dickerson's record, set in 1984.

*Seattle makes postseason while Russell Wilson becomes OROY dark horse

With guys such as Andrew Luck, RGIII, Doug Martin, Alfred Morris etc. dazzling in their respective rookie seasons, it's easy to overlook Seattle's 3rd round pick Russell Wilson. But it's also easy to see that he's become the leader and franchise quarterback that the 'Hawks have been searching for since seasoned veteran Matt Hasselbeck left for Tennessee. Wilson's nearly 2,500 yards and 20 TD passes and running back Marshawn Lynch has the Seahawks at 8-5 and just a game back in the NFC West. Seattle wont beat out San Fran for the division, but a wild card seed is in clear sight.

*Giants lose 2 out of final 3 games, miss postseason...

This one really is a bold, ballsy prediction here. You can never count Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning's Giants out of it. New York has proven time after time that they can win games when it matters most, and they even currently own a one-game lead in the NFC East. However, there are just too many signs pointing towards a changing of the guard this season in the East. New York has blowout victories over teams such as San Francisco (26-3), Green Bay (38-10) and New Orleans (52-27) this season, but inconsistencies have ridden the G-Men of pulling away with the division and they have a tough remaining schedule.

Matt Ryan has never beaten the Giants, and they are the only NFC team Matty Ice has yet to beat. But Ryan is 32-4 at home during his career and is poised for revenge against New York following an early playoff exit at the hands of the Giants last season. With Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs likely making returns for the Ravens next week, Eli could be in for a long day for a second consecutive week. Given two of three losses in the final three weeks, and an easy remaining schedule for Washington and the Giants miss the postseason with a 9-7 record. Count on it.

*Bill Belichick does not rest starters, Patriots end regular season on 10 game winning streak

Let's face it, the Patriots are not going to rest Tom Brady & Co. That's just not Belichick's style. People need to stop complaining about the Patriots "running up the score." This is the National Football League, and Bill and Tom don't want to play "pity football" by running the clock out, they don't have to. The Patriots proved last week that they are the No. 1 team in the league by blowing out the Houston Texans defense.

With the top defense in San Francisco visiting Gillette Stadium on Sunday night, I don't expect anything different from New England. It could end up being another embarrassing one-sided match-up if the Pats defense can contain Colin Kaepernick.

*Chargers win out, finish 8-8 for second consecutive season

Philip Rivers plays his best football in December, we're all well aware of that. And after a 34-24 victory over the Steelers last week in Ben Roethlisberger's return, it's looking a lot like another mediocre 8-8 season thanks to a strong finish. But after four straight mediocre seasons with no postseason appearances, we're thinking that the Norv Turner era could be seeing its final three games in San Diego.

*Wild Card spots are Colts' and Bengals' to lose

At this point, there's really only three legitimate contenders for the two AFC wild card seeds, meaning only one team will be utterly disappointed at the end of the month. After watching a porous effort out of Pittsburgh's offense on Sunday, they are just one more loss away from being eliminated (currently 7-6, but can't afford another loss). The Colts (9-4) and Bengals (8-6; defeated Eagles 34-13 on Thursday night) currently hold the two seeds. The Colts just need one more win to solidify a playoff spot, while the Bengals can control their own destiny with a victory over Pittsburgh next weekend.

The other contenders include the 6-7 Jets, who will need to finish the season 3-0 to even have a shot, and a bunch of 5-8 teams (Bills, Dolphins, Browns and Chargers) who can't all win out. So the bold prediction here? Well, I guess this isn't all that bold, per se, but the Colts and Bengals will capture wild card seeds and your AFC playoff teams will be as follows: Patriots, Texans, Broncos, Ravens, Colts, Bengals).

*Calvin Johnson breaks Jerry Rice's single-season receiving yards record

Detroit's Madden cover boy Calvin Johnson Jr. has avoided the so-called "Madden Curse" this season by producing 1,546 yards for the Lions. Though Megatron experienced somewhat of a slow start compared to his 2011 campaign, he now finds himself just 303 yards shy of breaking Jerry Rice's 17 year old record of 1,848 receiving yards in a single-season. All Johnson has to do is average 101.0 yards per game for the final three games to break the record that was set in 1995.

Considering he came up just short of the record last season (just 167 yards shy), Johnson must realize that the record is within reach yet again. The one surprise that we've seen with Johnson in 2012 compared to last season is that he's caught just 5 TD passes this season, despite his 96 receptions and 1,500+ yards. Oh well, the record is his if he wants it.

Have any bold predictions of your own? Feel free to share them with The All-Out Blitz in the comments section...or on our Facebook or Twitter page: @AllOutBlitz1

Note: We do not own the above images. No copyright infringement intended.

Week 14: Key Inactives for Early Games

Week 14 Inactives list (Note: this is not the entire inactives list, just the inactives from each team with the most impact)

Falcons @ Panthers, 1 pm ET:

ATL

Dominique Davis, QB

Harland Gunn, G

Phillipkeith Manley, G

Travian Robertson, NT

Williams Moore, SS

CAR

Jimmy Clausen, QB

Jonathan Stewart, RB

Brandon LaFell, WR

Bruce Campbell, T

Dwan Edwards, DT

James Anderson, OLB

Jets @ Jaguars, 1 pm ET:

NYJ

Greg McElroy, QB

Clyde Gates, WR

Dustin Keller, TE

JAC

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB

Rashad Jennings, RB

Cecil Shorts, WR

Aaron Ross, CB

Bears @ Vikings, 1 pm ET:

CHI

Josh McCown, QB

Earl Bennett, WR

Stephen Paea, DT

Brian Urlacher, MLB

Tim Jennings, CB

MIN

McLeod Bethel-Thompson, QB

Mark Asper, G

Ravens @ Redskins, 1 pm ET:

BAL

Dennis Dixon, QB
Ray Lewis, ILB

Dannel Ellerbe, ILB

Terrell Suggs, OLB

Jimmy Smith, CB

WAS

Rex Grossman, QB

Brandon Banks, WR

Adam Gettis, G

Cowboys @ Bengals, 1 pm ET:

DAL

Anthony Armstrong, WR

David Arkin, G

Josh Brent, NT

Jay Ratliff, NT

Charlie Peprah, SS

CIN

Cedric Peerman, RB

Richard Quinn, TE

Devon Still, DT

Dre Kirkpatrick, CB

Mike Nugent, K

Rams @ Bills, 1 pm ET:

STL

Austin Davis, QB

Terrance Ganaway, RB

Danny Amendola, WR

Chris Williams, T

Matt Conrath, DT

BUF

Tarvaris Jackson, QB

Chris Scott, T

Eric Wood, C

Mark Anderson, DE

Aaron Williams, CB

Eagles @ Bucs, 1 pm ET:

PHI

Michael Vick, QB

LeSean McCoy, RB

DeSean Jackson, WR

Mike Patterson, DT

TB

Michael Smith, RB

David Gilreath, WR

David Douglas, WR

Roy Miller, DT

Chiefs @ Browns, 1 pm ET:

KC

Ricky Stanzi, QB

Steve Breaston, WR

Abram Elam, FS

CLE

Brandon Jackson, RB

Josh Cooper, WR

Chargers @ Steelers, 1 pm ET:

SD

Eddie Royal, WR

Michael Harris, T

PIT

Byron Leftwich, QB

Rashard Mendenhall, RB

Mike Adams, T

LaMarr Woodley, OLB

Ike Taylor, CB

Titans @ Colts, 1 pm ET:

TEN

Rusty Smith, QB

Damian Williams, WR

Lavelle Hawkins, WR

Colin McCarthy, MLB

IND

No inactive players were reported

Week 14: Regular Season Award Leaders

With a month left to play, the hunt for the coveted Most Valuable Player award is beginning to heat up. There are plenty of deserving candidates around the league, but only one can win. Unless of course you're Steve McNair and Peyton Manning in 2003 (co-MVPs) or Brett Favre and Barry Sanders in '97.

With Week 14 approaching fast, here is All-Out Blitz's favorites for the MVP award and the remaining NFL awards handed out each season.

Most Valuable Player: Adrian Peterson, RB

Stat line: 234 rush attempts, 1,446 yards, 8 TD, 6.2 YPC, 120.5 YPG

Peterson is just one year recovered from major ACL surgery and look at what he's done this season? He's the league's rushing leader with 1,446 yards and 8 TDs. With four games to play, Peterson will likely end the regular season with a career-high in rushing yards. The 27-year old just set a Minnesota franchise record with his sixth consecutive 100-yard game against the Packers last week (he actually topped 200 yards and ran for a career-high 82 yard touchdown in the 23-14 loss).

His Vikings are currently two games back in the NFC North at 6-6, but he's the sole reason Minnesota is even in the playoff hunt and is by far the most valuable player on any team at this point. He gets the edge of Peyton Manning and rookie Andrew Luck because of the fact he underwent knee surgery last December and is still destroying his opponents less than a year later.

Other contenders:

Peyton Manning, QB

Stat line: 68.0 comp%, 3,502 yards, 29 TD, 9 INT, 104.6 rating

Much like Peterson, Manning is recovering from major surgery. After missing all last season and undergoing four neck surgeries which put his career in jeopardy, Manning has stepped onto the field in a different uniform and is poised to take the Broncos to the next level. He got off to a slow start, but his 9-3 Broncos just clinched the AFC West last week and Peyton's arm is looking as strong as ever.

Tom Brady, QB

Stat line: 64.8 comp%, 3,537 yards, 25 TD, 4 INT, 102.6 rating

Brady is in the MVP talks every season, and his four interceptions and 100+ rating, in addition to New England's 9-3 record, obviously puts him in the top 3 at this point in the season. The two-time MVP has proven he still has what it takes to be at the top of the elite quarterbacks list at the age of 35, and I don't think he's going anywhere anytime soon. I don't expect him to capture his third career MVP award this season, but it's still not out of the question with four more games to play.

Andrew Luck, QB

Stat line: 55.5 comp%, 3,596 yards, 17 TD, 16 INT, 76.1 rating

Looking at his numbers, it's tough to take him serious next to Manning and Brady in the MVP race. But the fact that he has the 2-14 Colts in the Wild Card hunt as a 23-year old rookie in the National Football League, he deserves some sort of consideration. Luck has already shown he is a leader, leading the Colts to five comeback victories this season and leading Indy to an 8-4 record through 12 games. The interception total will go down as he progresses as a passer at the professional level.

Offensive Player of the Year: Tom Brady, QB

Stat line: 64.8 comp%, 3,537 yards, 25 TD, 4 INT, 102.6 rating

As the leader of the league's No. 1 offense, the three-time Offensive Player of the Year is a given for the award. Considering I don't like to award the MVP with the OPOY award (too redundant for me), Brady gets the nod over Peterson, and Manning as well. His 4 interceptions and 102.6 rating is what will catch the eyes of voters, even though All-Out Blitz hands out its own awards.

Other contenders:

Robert Griffin III, QB
Stat line: 67.1 comp%, 2,660 yards, 17 TD, 4 INT, 104.4 rating; 714 rushing yards, 6 TD

I left him off the MVP list, much to the surprise of many. But there's no way you can leave RGIII off the OPOY (and obviously OROY) lists. The young rookie signal caller has already broken Cam Newton's rookie record of most rushing yards by a quarterback. His 104.4 rating and 4 interceptions surpasses Brady and he's the reason the Redskins sit at 6-6 and in the middle of the NFC East race.

Adrian Peterson, RB

Stat line: 234 rush attempts, 1,446 yards, 8 TD, 6.2 YPC, 120.5 YPG

Obviously the league's Most Valuable Player will find himself on this list as well. Usually you'd think he'd win both, but like I said above we don't like to give out multiple awards to the same guy. Peterson has been the Vikings' offense this season and he has looked as impressive as ever. Does he look like a guy who tore a knee ligament last season? No way.

Calvin Johnson, WR
Stat line: 86 Rec., 1,428 yards, 5 TD, 119.0 yards/game

Why not add a wideout to the mix? The awards so far have been dominated by quarterbacks and running backs (just Adrian Peterson actually), so why not give the receivers a little love with Megatron, who has successfully battled the Madden curse thus far this season. Though he's caught just 5 TD passes this season, he's racked up over 1,400 yards and leads the league with 29 catches of 20 or more yards. He's still got the big play ability and ridiculous catch ability going for him one year after having the season of his career.

Defensive Player of the Year: J.J. Watt, DE

Stat line: 59 total tackles, 15.5 sacks, 15 PD, 1 FF, 2 FR

He's slowed up a bit recently, but the second-year defensive end's fast start to the season is enough to get him the Defensive Player of the Year award in our book. His 15.5 sacks is enough to put him at No. 2 on the list (behind SF's Aldon Smith) and his 15 passes defensed is by far the most in the league. The freakishly-built 23-year old has been disrupting opposing offenses ever since coming in to the league as the 2011 First round pick of the Texans. The other guys aren't even really close to him in the race at this point.

Other contenders:

Aldon Smith, LB
Stat line: 51 total tackles, 17.5 sacks, 3 FF

Smith has already set numerous records in his second season in the league with San Francisco. The 23-year old has an NFL record 31.5 sacks in his first two seasons in addition to setting the Monday Night Football single-game sack record earlier this season with 5.5. The 7th overall pick in last year's draft, Smith was in contention for the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award last season. But his league-leading 17.5 sacks this season will put him in contention for the AP Defensive Player of the Year award.

Von Miller, LB
Stat line: 53 total tackles, 15 sacks, 1 INT, 2 PD, 5 FF (1 defensive TD)

Miller, yet another second-year player, pulled away with the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award last season over Watt and Smith. This season, he's right up there with Watt and Smith with his 15 sacks. Overall, Miller's numbers are much more well-rounded than Watt and Smith's, which could put him in the driver's seat in the final four weeks of play. But for now, the award goes to Watt without a doubt.

Charles Tillman, CB
Stat line: 67 total tackles, 2 interceptions, 12 passes defensed, 8 FF (2 defensive TDs)

Peanut Tillman, 31, is coming off his first career Pro Bowl season in 2011 and has been the heart and soul of Chicago's defense this season. He has set a precedent in forcing fumbles this season, doubling his previous career-high of 4 and has scored 2 touchdowns on defense. The veteran of the group, Tillman isn't completely out of the race for the award just yet.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Andrew Luck, QB

Stat line: 55.5 comp%, 3,596 yards, 17 TD, 16 INT, 76.1 rating

The stats would point towards RGIII rather than Luck for the OROY, but the only two stats that we here at All-Out Blitz really care about is the fact Luck has 5 come-from-behind victories this season and the Colts' record is 8-4. Luck has surpassed Peyton Manning's rookie season in Indianapolis, and he has really impressed everyone under center. His leadership abilities may be the most stunning, to me.

Other contenders:

Robert Griffin III, QB
Stat line: 67.1 comp%, 2,660 yards, 17 TD, 4 INT, 104.4 rating; 714 rushing yards, 6 TD

RGIII is a very appealing choice for ROY, his stats speak volumes and the fact that he's got the Skins sitting a game behind at 6-6 is appalling. But I think this is a simple case of "there is no right answer." It's tough to go against either of the two, and they may even end up being named co-Offensive Rookie of the Year winners.

Doug Martin/Alfred Morris, RBs

It's tough not to have both Martin and Morris together on this one. Both running backs have nearly identical numbers and have carried their respective teams. Morris and RGIII make a great tandem in Washington while Morris is a great change of pace for Josh Freeman and the Bucs. Just how similar are the stats? Martin: 236 attempts, 1,106 yards, 9 TDs, 4.7 YPC; Morris: 230 attempts, 1,106 yards, 6 TDs, 4.8 YPC.

Russell Wilson, QB
Stat line: 63.4 comp%, 2,344 yards, 19 TD, 8 INT, 95.2 rating

Wilson has come as a bit of a surprise this season, showing off his leadership abilities and doing everything he can to get his team the victory. He's gained the trust of his teammates and has already established himself as Seattle's quarterback of the future. And I guess his numbers look pretty decent as well.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Luke Kuechly, LB

Stat line: 114 total tackles, 1 sack, 4 passes defensed, 1 interception

This year is a little different than last. Last season there were guys like Aldon Smith, Von Miller, J.J. Watt (all in the running for DPOY as explained above), but this season the candidates aren't running rampant around the league. Carolina's Luke Kuechly and his fourth-most combined tackles of 114 has the Panthers barely missing the injured Jon Beason, who is on the season-ending injured reserve for the second consecutive season.

Other contenders:

Mark Barron, SS
Stat line: 63 total tackles, 1 interception, 8 passes defensed, 1 FF

Barron has seemed to have gone overlooked by most, but he has managed to establish himself as a threat alongside free safety Ronde Barber. In his 12 starts, Barron's 63 combined tackles has him ranked 25th among all safeties around the league.

Chandler Jones, DE
Stat line: 34 total tackles, 6 sacks, 2 passes defensed, 3 FF

One of New England's two first round picks (the other was LB Dont'a Hightower), Jones has raked in 6.0 sacks and forced 3 fumbles over his 10 starts so far this season. With no one else really running away with the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, his 6 sacks has kept him in the running.

Comeback Player of the Year: Peyton Manning, QB

Stat line: 68.0 comp%, 3,502 yards, 29 TD, 9 INT, 104.6 rating

Considering no one was real sure Peyton would play another down in the NFL, and now he has led the Denver Broncos to a second-consecutive AFC West division title, I'd say it's safe to say that this is well-deserved.

Other contenders:

Adrian Peterson, RB

Stat line: 234 rush attempts, 1,446 yards, 8 TD, 6.2 YPC, 120.5 YPG

It's tough to decide whether Peterson should be considered for the Comeback Player of the Year award. Sure, he tore his ACL and MCL in December and underwent surgery, but it's not like he had an awful season statistical-wise. It was his first season without rushing for 1,000 yards (970), but he still averaged nearly 5.0 yards/carry and 12 TDs. So I'm on the border of handing the award to Peterson, and no matter what happens the final month of the season, this award will be handed to Peyton.

Coach of the Year: Pete Carroll, SEA

Having drafted Russell Wilson to become the franchise's quarterback of the future, that was the first step Carroll, Seattle's 3rd year head coach, took to have a successful 2012 campaign. The 'Hawks have struggled within the NFC West (0-3), but have pulled off upsets of numerous playoff-contending teams such as New England, Dallas, Green Bay (though it ended controversially and they probably shouldn't have won), Minnesota and Chicago.

Carroll has already matched his career-high in wins as Seattle's head coach (7-9 in both 2010 and 2011) and is just one win behind the West-leading Niners.

Note: We do not own the above images. No copyright infringement intended.

Chiefs Win it for Belcher

Just over 24 hours following a murder-suicide involving starting inside linebacker Jovan Belcher, the Kansas City Chiefs captured its 2nd win of the season against the Carolina Panthers.

Belcher, 25, shot his girlfriend Kasandra Perkins inside his KC home on the morning of Saturday December 1 before driving to the Kansas City practice facility outside of Arrowhead Stadium and pulling his handgun on himself.

According to the police, they saw Belcher, inside his car, with a handgun to his head. He was talking with members of KC's staff, including head coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Scott Pioli, among numerous others who went unnamed. The group attempted to talk Belcher out of it, but the police reported they heard a gunshot as Belcher shot himself from behind the wheel of his car.

Clearly shaken up by the incident, the team held a meeting between coaches and the captains to decide whether they should continue on and play on Sunday afternoon as planned. The group decided they would, in fact, take on the Panthers at 1 pm ET as scheduled.

The mayor of Kansas City, Sly James, had spoken with Pioli and had this to say (quote courtesy of Yahoo!'s Jeff Passan):

"I can tell you that you have absolutely no idea of what it's like to see somebody kill themselves. If you can take your worst nightmare and then put somebody you know and love into that situation and give them a gun and stand 3 feet away from them and watch them kill themselves, that's what it's like. It's unfathomable. It's something that you would love to wash away from your mind, but you can't do it. There's nothing like it. There's nothing like it. Think about your worst nightmare and multiply by five."

Belcher's agent Jim Linta was in shock and didn't see this coming, much like everyone else around Belcher. Linta spoke to Sports Illustrated's Peter King and this is what he had to say about the situation:

"Never until four hours ago did I think Jovan was anything but a model citizen. He came to my youth clinics in the offseason and worked with kids. He was a gracious, unselfish, hard-working, dedicated kid -- very, very caring of some of the underprivileged kids who came to the clinics. I saw him in a real positive way.

I never take on anyone as a client I wouldn't be proud to take home and spend time with my wife and kids. Jovan was one of those type of people."

The general public, much less Jovan and Kasandra's family, may never know exactly what caused Belcher to resort to this option. I think it's better to leave it unknown than to attempt to judge and make assumptions as to why it happened.

Kansas City will be mourning the loss for the remainder of the season, and I think it's obvious in the Chiefs' 27-21 victory over Carolina yesterday, that they are willing to continue on and fight for his memory this season.

I found some photos from yesterday's emotional victory and added them below (again, we do not own these images or quotes, no copyright infringement has been intended):

It turns out that this was not only the loss of a teammate for KC's star running back Jamaal Charles, but also a close friend and a family member. Charles' wife was Perkins' cousin and Charles was actually the one to introduce her to Belcher.

It was reported that Belcher, of all the KC team members, was closest with Charles. So this tragedy certainly has hit Jamaal hard. He released a statement about the situation earlier today (courtesy of NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal):

"Our family has suffered a personal tragic loss. Kassandra Perkins was in fact first cousins to my wife, Whitney. As this is a very tough time for our family, I ask that we are respected as we grieve. Kassandra was not only family, but a friend and a loving mother. As my actual family and my Kansas City Chiefs family have been altered forever, we ask that you keep us and most importantly their child in prayer.

Thank you all for your continued support."

The Chiefs will be as close as they have ever been for the remainder of the season. This story is bigger than the game.

It's Game Day: Everything you Need to Know

We're about 30 minutes from the kick-off of the early games. Here's your one and only stop for all you need to know about the 1:00pm (eastern time) games and updates of the games.

I'll be gathering information from sites such as NFL.com, CBS Sports, FOX Sports, ESPN.com, SI.com and more, so no need to go anywhere else.

12:30 pm: I will be continually updating the page, so be sure to keep checking back for more.

12:32 pm: If you're lucky, maybe there will be some live blogging during the early games as well.

Key Inactives:

Vikings @ Bears (1 pm)

MIN: Percy Harvin (ankle)

CHI: Alshon Jeffrey (knee)

Raiders @ Bengals (1 pm)

OAK: Darren McFadden (ankle), Mike Goodson (ankle), Richard Seymour (knee, hamstring)

CIN: Andrew Hawkins (knee)

Steelers @ Browns (1 pm)

PIT: Ben Roethlisberger (shoulder, ribs), Byron Leftwich (ribs), Antonio Brown (ankle), Jerricho Cotchery (ribs), Troy Polamalu (calf)

CLE: Dimitri Patterson (ankle), Josh Cooper (knee)

Bills @ Colts (1 pm)

BUF: Mark Anderson (knee), Aaron Williams (knee)

IND: Coby Fleener (shoulder), Vontae Davis (knee)

Titans @ Jaguars (1 pm)

TEN: Jamie Harper (ankle)

JAC: Blaine Gabbert (forearm), Maurice Jones-Drew (foot)

Broncos @ Chiefs (1 pm)

DEN: Willis McGahee (MCL), Tracy Porter (illness)

KC:

Seahawks @ Dolphins (1 pm)

SEA:

MIA: Lamar Miller

Falcons @ Buccaneers (1 pm)

ATL:

TB: Arrelious Benn (shoulder)

Ravens @ Chargers (4:05 pm)

BAL: Jimmy Smith

SD: Eddie Royal (hamstring), Jared Gaither (groin)

Rams @ Cardinals (4:25 pm)

STL: Mario Haggan (elbow)

ARI:

Niners @ Saints (4:25 pm)

SF:

NO:

Packers @ Giants (8:20 pm)

GB: Greg Jennings (groin), Clay Matthews III (hamstring), Sam Shields (ankle)

NYG: Domenik Hixon (ankle)

Panthers @ Eagles (Mon., 8:30 pm)

CAR:
PHI: Michael Vick (concussion), LeSean McCoy (concussion), Jason Avant (hamstring)

Additional Injury/Player Updates

*Jay Cutler (concussion) will be starting for the Bears today after missing last week's loss to the 49ers. No Jason Campbell this week, Bears fans.

*With both Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich out, Charlie Batch will be making the start under center for the Steelers today. The newly-signed Plaxico Burress is active and will be available in mostly red zone packages today as well.

*With Willis McGahee out and on the IR (would be eligible to return if Denver makes it to AFC Championship, however), Knowshon Moreno will be making the start at RB today.

*Haven't received official word yet, but reportedly San Francisco's Alex Smith was told that Colin Kaepernick would make the start today. Smart move if he does.

*Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy (both concussions) will miss the Eagles' Monday night match-up with Carolina. As if the Eagles weren't already worried about being embarrassed on National television...

Key actives: NO RB Darren Sproles, ARI RB Beanie Wells, BUF RB Fred Jackson, KC WR Dwayne Bowe, ATL WR Julio Jones, STL WR Danny Amendola

In-Game Talk

2:10 pm: Pittsburgh's offense has gotten off to a slow start, as expected. Cleveland just extended its lead to 13-7 with a 32-yarder off the foot of Phil Dawson. Charlie Batch is showing rust, making his first NFL start since December 24 of last year, but it's just his 8th start with the Steelers.

*Dawson's field goal is his 27th consecutive made FG, tying a team record.
*Steelers have turned the ball over three different times: a fumbles by running backs (Mendenhall, Redman and Dwyer). Longest play from scrimmage for PIT has been 11 yards (from Charlie "check down" Batch to Emmanuel Sanders).

2:13 pm: Cincinnati is drowning the Raiders at this point, up 21-0 at the two minute warning. Andy Dalton is 10/15, 116 yards and 2 TDs while BenJarvus Green-Ellis has run for 74 yards and a TD on offense.

2:20 pm: Matt Bryant shanks a last-second field goal for Atlanta as the Falcons (9-1) and Bucs (6-4) head into the half with a 10-10 tie.

2:22 pm: Speaking of domination, the Bears are up 25-3 over Minnesota thanks in part to Jay Cutler's 80 yards and 1 TD and Michael Bush's 2 rushing TDs. Under two minutes to play in the first half in Chicago, between two NFC North teams in the playoff hunt.

2:29 pm: Well, just before the half Pittsburgh's offense finally gets in to the end zone with a Chris Rainey 1-yard run. 14-13 Pittsburgh at halftime.

2:30 pm: Other halftime scores include DEN 7, KC 6...SEA 7, MIA 7...TEN 6, JAC 7. Lots of low-scoring games thus far today.

2:56 pm: Rookie Russell Wilson is looking great for Seattle, throwing his 2nd TD pass on the day to Michael Robinson. Early in the third the Seahawks are up 14-7.

2:58 pm: Down 13-10 early in the third qtr, Matty Ice and Julio Jones hooked up for an 80-yard touchdown. Originally questionable for today's game, Jones now has 4 catches for 123 yards and a TD on the day.

3 pm: Oops. Seahawks/Dolphins game has temporarily been delayed because the sprinklers came on. That doesn't happen during an NFL game very often, I'll say that much.

3:04 pm: It's all good though, the delay only lasted a couple of minutes.

3:05 pm: Offensive explosion in Tampa. Both the Falcons and Bucs offenses have had 5 plays go for 20 or more yards.

3:06 pm: Pittsburgh's woes have continued. Charlie Batch has a pass intercepted by Sheldon Brown, leading to a rare rushing TD, ran in from 15 yards out by rookie Trent Richardson. Cleveland elects not to go for 2, so it's 20-14 Cleveland.

3:12 pm: Peyton Manning's latest touchdown to Demaryius Thomas has the Broncos up 14-9, and that TD pass looked prettier than ever off the right arm of Manning. He may not be as explosive as his Colt days, but he's still got the Manning touch.

3:14 pm: T.Y. Hilton now has a 75-yard punt return TD and an 8-yard TD catch under his belt today. Andrew Luck's Colts are up 20-6 over the Bills.

3:19 pm: Pittsburgh's rookie OT Mike Adams was just carted to the locker room. Adams was the Steelers' 2nd round draft pick this past April.

3:23 pm: News on the late games...St. Louis wideout Danny Amendola has been announced as active and Arizona's Beanie Wells will be active for the first time since Week 3. Darren Sproles will be active for the Saints, and in that same game it's been announced that Colin Kaepernick will, in fact, make the start for the Niners. Nothing shocking there.

3:29 pm: Fifth turnover of the game for the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is getting out of hand and is very uncharacteristic of this offense. Exactly why I felt the Steelers should have signed David Garrard to a contract, he's been ready to play for quite some time now.

3:31 pm: Tampa Bay has re-taken the lead from Atlanta thanks to a Doug Martin 1-yard TD and a Connor Barth 48-yard field goal. 10 unanswered from Tampa. 23-17. Great game in Tampa.

3:32 pm: Clearly that was a late update on my part (^^^), because a Michael Turner 3-yard run and a Bryant extra point gives Atlanta a 24-23 lead. Probably the best game on at the current moment. I advised you flip the channel.

3:46 pm: Adrian Peterson with another 100 yard game. The rushing leader now has 5 consecutive games with 100+ and has accumulated over 1,200 on the season. His 108 yards, however, has not been enough for the Vikes to overcome Chicago, as they still trail 28-10 with just over seven minutes to play in the game.

3:51 pm: Atlanta just missed a long field goal, giving Tampa the ball back trailing 24-23. The problem is that Josh Freeman has just :08 to get into field goal range to win the game. Interesting end to this one.

3:53 pm: Tampa's last-second hail mary fails and Atlanta pulls away with a fourth consecutive victory of six or less points, 24-23. The Falcons improve to 10-1, tying the Texans with the best record in the league.

4 pm: Seven. Yes, seven turnovers for Pittsburgh's offense. A Chris Rainey fumble just gave Cleveland the ball back at the 2 minute warning. With a 6-point lead, appears as if the Browns will come away with a 20-14 victory.

4:03 pm: Two more final scores...Denver fends off the Chiefs, 17-9 as the Dolphins defeat Seattle 24-21 with last heroics from kicker Dan Carpenter, who kicked one through the uprights from 43 yards away as time expired.

4:06 pm: With Chad Henne the starter, Jacksonville captures its second win of the season with a 24-19 victory over Jake Locker's Titans. Henne threw for 261 yards and 2 TDs in the win. Breakout receiver Cecil Shorts completes his third 100-yard season and catches his 6th TD of the season. Fantasy stud at its finest (Henne would be a great pick-up if you're one of those owners who picks up quarterbacks on a weekly basis).

4:12 pm: Last play for Pittsburgh results in yet another lost fumble while attempting a desperation lateral. Ugly game all around for the offense, as the Browns force 8 turnovers. Browns win 20-14. Lets face it, Charlie Batch is more of a game manager. If you aren't running for 100-150 yards and running the ball early and often, you can't count on him to win you the game. Batch didn't lose it, the running game just didn't get the job done.

4:14 pm: Colts defeat Bills 20-13, Bears over Vikes 28-10, Bengals destroy the Raiders 34-10.

Well, that just about wraps up the early game coverage. Unfortunately I may not be able to stick around and do the same for the 4 pm ET games, but recaps and analysis of the day's action will be coming soon, and possibly even a separate thread for tonight's Packers/Giants SNF match-up tonight.

Thanks for following along this afternoon!

Thanksgiving Day Recap: What Have we Learned?

Unfortunately I was unable to post a preview of the three Turkey day games (happy belated Thanksgiving, by the way!). But I happened to go 3-0 on the day in terms of picking the games, so that's a positive––check out the "picks" tab if you don't believe me.

Thanks to some interesting football games, there is plenty that Thanksgiving day taught us and there's so much to take away from what we witnessed. Here's a start:

Parity, Parity, Parity

The 12:30 pm ET game between Houston and Detroit has proven even further that the National Football League is full of parity this season. This has made it extra tough to pick out a true No. 1 team in the league.

Early on, the Houston Texans were without a doubt the clear No. 1 team coming out of the AFC. Starting the season 5-0 and not allowing a team to put up any more than 25 points, Houston appeared to be on its way to an easy division title. They have continued to pull away with victories and are 10-1 on the season, but injuries to the defensive squad (Brian Cushing has been out for the season since Week 5; Johnathan Joseph missed Thursday's game due to hamstring injury) have exposed them.

The Texans' lone loss came at home against the Packers, a game in which Houston 427 yards and 42 points. The last two weeks, including Thursday, resulted in two overtime victories––43-37 over Jacksonville and 34-31 over Detroit––but very easily could have put Houston at 8-3 and just two games ahead of the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South.

Despite being the first team in the league to reach 10 wins, the Texans' defense has been exposed and could be in trouble when they get around to preparing for the 8-3, high-flying offense of the New England Patriots on Monday night, December 10. Keep your eye on the AFC South over these last 5 weeks of the season, especially considering Houston still has three division games remaining.

Ndamukong Suh has yet to change his style of play

I'm not saying whether or not it was on purpose, but the fact that it was Ndamukong Suh who happened to be the Detroit Lion defensive lineman that kicked Houston's quarterback Matt Schaub in the family jewels on Thursday seems a little fishy to me.

It appeared to be an accident, in my opinion, but the league has decided to review the play and decide whether it warrants a fine or not. If you're going to suspend Ed Reed for three safety rules violations over three seasons (though the 1-game suspension was reduced to a $50,000 fine), then why not suspend Suh for a game if the commish finds this to be a dirty play?

I'm just throwing ideas out there. It's one thing to play until you hear the whistle and play aggressively, but I would consider Suh's actions over-aggressive and unneeded. Suh, 25, is now in his 3rd NFL season and, as of last December, had been flagged for 9 personal fouls for his over-aggressive style of play and exactly one year ago today (on Thanksgiving vs. Packers) Suh stomped on Green Bay's offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith. He was suspended two games for the act.

In his first year and a half in the league he had been fined a total of $42,500 by the league. To top it all off, the a players' poll conducted by The Sporting News revealed Suh to be the league's dirtiest player. After 2+ seasons of this, he has clearly yet to change his attitude. At this point, I don't think he will ever change. It makes for interesting football, that's for sure.

NFC East will come down to the wire: Does Dallas still have a shot at the playoffs?

A 28-3 halftime lead for the Skins seemingly put the game away for Washington, until Dallas' Tony Romo came out in the 2nd half and put up 28 points. The deficit, however, was too large for the Cowboys, who ran for just 35 yards on the day. The Washington victory tied them with Dallas for second in the NFC East at 5-6.

Robert Griffin III continues to impress for the Skins, and is in the heart of the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. But with three more divisional match-ups and a tough game in Baltimore remaining on its schedule, the road to a postseason appearance looks to be rocky.

Clearly the East is still up for grabs as they are both just a half game behind the 6-4 Giants, but at this point the Cowboys, surprisingly, look to have the best shot at capturing the East. Despite the loss to Washington at home, the 'Boys have the easiest remaining schedule (vs. Philly, @ Cincy, vs. Pitt, vs. NO, @ Wash.). Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Washington are all win-able games for Dallas if their offense shows up and, depending on whether Pittsburgh has Ben Roethlisberger or not, they can compete with both the Steelers and Saints.

As for the Giants, they are already on a two game losing streak prior to the Week 11 bye and they still have a tough road ahead of them: vs. Green Bay (primetime), @ Washington (primetime), vs. New Orleans, @ Atlanta, @ Baltimore, vs. Philadelphia.

But, these are the Giants, you can never count them out of it in December. Not to mention the Cowboys and Skins have both been somewhat inconsistent this season. So this is clearly anyone's division, even the 3-7 Eagles have a slim shot at turning things around (doubtful). But my money is on the Cowboys getting things together down the stretch.

The Patriots once again have the scariest offense in NFL; Jets are done

I was expecting a rout of the Jets, but not on the defensive side of the ball. In New England's 49-19 embarrassment of the New York Jets on Thanksgiving night, New England put up 14 points on defensive touchdowns while forcing a season-high 5 turnovers and sacking Mark Sanchez twice.

Tom Brady and the offense put up staggering numbers too, of course, against New York's 14th-ranked scoring defense. The offense's 323 passing yards, 3 TDs and 152 rushing yards, 2 TDs was enough for a 30-point victory over the division rival. With 407 points in 11 games is an NFL-best, with the 2nd-ranked Texans putting up only 327 on the season.

The Patriots will get the chance to insert its dominance of the AFC in two weeks when they take on 10-1 Houston in primetime on Monday night. It will once again be up to the defense to step it up and make plays if they wish to make a Super Bowl run down the stretch. The offense is right where it's been for years.

As for the now-4-7 Jets, they've gone so far as to embarrass the infamous fan "Fireman Ed" so much that he left the game at halftime and deleted his Twitter account, according to ESPN. Wow, is the only word that can clearly describe the Jets' current state. Fans have been calling for Tim Tebow to take over the starting role, but Mark Sanchez isn't anywhere near the only problem with New York's squad.

My suggestion to New York: clean house after the season. Rex Ryan has had his chance and hasn't gotten the job done. I think it's time for a huge change within the Jets' organization and it all starts with Ryan.

Week 12 action is sure to reveal many more lessons:

*How will rookie signal caller Andrew Luck react to last week's beating. If he is able to bounce back against the Bills, he can savor his chances of winning OROY and stay in the hunt for Wild Card.

*Is starting Chad Henne going to save the rest of the Jags' season?

*Can Pittsburgh win with Charlie Batch under center, and what impact will the Plaxico Burress signing have?

*After last week's loss to San Fran's Colin Kaepernick, can Chicago's defense bounce back against the league's leading rusher (Adrian Peterson)?

*Is Tampa a contender coming out of the NFC South? They will get their shot at proving they belong with a chance to upset the 9-1 Falcons.

*49ers @ Saints: Rematch of last year's NFC Divisional showdown.

Note: We do not own the above images/video. No copyright infringement intended.

Week 11 Action Gives Out Mixed Signals

I'm not so sure about everyone else, but I have had a hard time deciphering exactly what happened around the league yesterday.

Records being set, feats being accomplished, players being hurt left and right, overtime games every where you look.

Impressive performance after impressive performance, and the Rookie of the Year debate has continued to heat up. Indianapolis' Andrew Luck may have taken a step back after his disappointing debut against Tom Brady and the Pats, but Robert Griffin III, Doug Martin and Trent Richardson continue to impress. Even Justin Blackmon stepped up to the occasion against Houston's defense.

The NFC East just got interesting, with RGIII putting up a head-shaking performance against the struggling Eagles, throwing for 200 yards and 4 TDs on 14/15 passing, in addition to his team-leading 84 rushing yards. Washington improved to 4-6 with a 31-6 victory over Philly's rookie signal caller Nick Foles (filling in for the concussed Michael Vick).

At 4-6, the Skins are just two games behind the regressing New York Giants, who had the week off but have dropped two straight after starting the regular season at 6-2. The Eagles have now dropped six consecutive and are a couple of losses away from a possible Andy Reid firing, and the Cowboys, though they survived a scare against Cleveland with a 23-20 overtime win, have been inconsistent at 5-5 and are not looking like a team that could compete for a playoff spot.

The NFC East is just one of many NFC divisions that are completely up for grabs at this point. In fact all four divisions are wide open with six weeks left in the regular season:

*Chicago (7-2), Green Bay (7-3) and Minnesota (6-4) are all neck and neck up North.

*San Francisco (6-2-1) and Seattle (6-4) are battling it out on the west coast.

*Tampa Bay (6-4) even has a shot at catching the Falcons (9-1) in the South after late-game heroics yesterday in an 11-point comeback and overtime victory to capture its fourth consecutive victory. Don't count out Drew Brees and New Orleans (5-5), either. A 3-game win streak has put them back on the map in the South.

The Niners and Bears face-off tonight on Monday Night Football, a game which features two back-up quarterbacks making their first start of the season. San Fran's second-year QB Colin Kaepernick is making his first career start and Chicago's Jason Campbell is making his first start as a Bear. Both signal callers are filling in for the injured Alex Smith and Jay Cutler, respectively, as they both left last week's games after sustaining concussions.

Speaking of concussions, that's another questionable topic of conversation these days, and it's not just quarterbacks that have been getting them this season. Through last week's action, 77 different players have suffered from at least one concussion and just three teams (Arizona, Cincinnati and Tampa) have yet to have a player sustain one, according to CBS Sports' website.

Also according to the article I read, 19 teams have had multiple players suffer from a concussion. That's basically 60% of teams. This past Friday there were five different defenders fined for illegal hits from the previous two week's of play, by commissioner Roger Goodell.

Clearly player safety has been put into question this season, and for a good reason. Concussions have been aplenty this season and it's been a huge concern for the National Football League. I plan on looking into this issue a little more later on this week, and will hopefully be making a post in further detail.

Until then, however, the AFC issues must be addressed. Denver and New England appear to be on the midst of running away with their respective divisions.

New England put on a clinic against the rookie Luck, putting up 59 points. With a 24-17 halftime score, a classic Indy/NE showdown looked inevitable. But 35 second half points, including an 87-yard interception of Luck that was turned into a pick-6, put the game well out of reach early in the fourth quarter.

Well aware of the offensive explosion that is New England's offensive attack, should 59 points against the Colts really surprise anyone? I still feel Indianapolis are playoff contenders, especially after Chad Henne stepped into the game against Houston and put up 354 yards, 4 TDs and 37 points against a tough and physical Texans' defense. Houston was exposed and showed that maybe they aren't completely invincible within the South? They came away with the win anyways, but it was a hard-fought game from a 1-9 Jaguars' squad.

New England will run away with the East like we've seen for years under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, especially with an ever-improving defense. And Peyton Manning is finally looking comfortable as Denver's starter.

Not only does Manning (2,975 yards, 24 TDs, 7 INT, 106.2 rating) find himself in the MVP race, but the Broncos have won five in a row and are sitting atop the West at 7-3. Not to mention the Chargers, Raiders and Chiefs are currently on 2, 3 and 7-game losing streaks, respectively.

The North and South may be a bit different. As mentioned above, Houston took a step back in a close victory over the Jags. Indy is three games behind and, if Houston falters down the stretch, they could steal one from the Texans. I still believe Houston is a top 3 team in the conference, but considering they have much tougher opponents in the final six weeks, anything is possible. Long story short, those two IND/HOU match-ups in the final 3 weeks of the season could prove vital for both teams.

As for the North, last night was an ugly showing for both Baltimore (8-2) and Pittsburgh (6-4), though the Ravens came away with a tough 13-10 victory and extended its division lead to two games. A couple of key mistakes by Pittsburgh's veteran defenders late in the game cost Mike Tomlin's crew and Ben Roethlisberger's sprained shoulder and dislocated rib (pressing into his aorta) could keep them from keeping up with the Ravens.

Luckily for us, however, the two teams will meet again in just two short weeks.

The final six weeks of the season will become slightly clearer after tonight's showdown in San Francisco, as more Week 11 wrap-up will be coming your way in the next couple of days.

Note: We do not own the above images. No copyright infringement intended.

Week 11: Injured Quarterbacks on Contending Teams

It's been a busy week for the quarterback position thus far, and it's only Wednesday. This past weekend four different teams witnessed its starting quarterback go down with an injury, two of which have already been ruled out for this Sunday's match-ups with division rivals.

Three of these four teams are contenders and the fourth team is fighting for its playoff chances.

The aforementioned quarterbacks include Philly's Michael Vick (concussion), San Francisco's Alex Smith (concussion), Chicago's Jay Cutler (concussion) and Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger (right shoulder sprain).

Vick has been ruled out of Sunday's game against Washington, as rookie Nick Foles will make his first career start for the struggling 3-6 Eagles. Foles, filling in for the injured Vick this past Sunday, completed 22 of his 32 pass attempts for 219 yards, 1 TD and an interception against Dallas. The interception was returned 47 yards for a Brandon Carr touchdown.

If Foles can keep the Eagles competitive, who knows how long Vick will end up being out of the lineup. This may have just lost him the starting job if Foles can take advantage of this opportunity.

Smith, before leaving the game, went 7/8 for 72 yards and a TD before Colin Kaepernick took over and threw for 117 yards on the Niners' way to the first tie since the Eagles and Bengals ended in a 13-13 tie during the 2008 regular season.

Smith appears to be doing much better after suffering the concussion on a blow to the head against the Rams. He's been following NFL protocol for concussions, and if he's cleared by a neurologist he could play in San Fran's Monday night game with the Bears.

Speaking of the Bears, news on Cutler in Chicago is similar to that of Smith. It's unclear as to whether or not he'll play but since no significant news has broken that he isn't likely to play, I think we'll see him in uniform. Smith and Cutler's concussions suffered in Week 10 will certainly make for a interesting Week 11 match-up, should they both suit up and play for their respective teams.

The big news this week has without a doubt been Ben Roethlisberger. All of these concussions have been overshadowed by Roethlisberger's right shoulder sprain suffered in Pittsburgh's 16-13 overtime victory over Kansas City on Monday night. His agent claimed that it is an unusual injury, which tells me this may be a little more serious than just a sprain.

Either way, he's been ruled out for Sunday night's game against AFC North rival Baltimore, leaving the door open for former Jaguars starter Byron Leftwich to make his first official start as a Pittsburgh Steeler.

In terms of contending teams being effected by the injured quarterbacks, I don't think the Bears or Niners have much to worry about, even if Josh McCown starts for the Bears and Kaepernick the Niners this Monday. It's the Steelers that have the most to worry about. With no set timetable for Roethlisberger's recovery, it looks as if it will just be a week-to-week basis until team doctors know more.

One thing is for sure, however. If Pittsburgh is forced to rely on the right arm of Leftwich for the long-term, the team's playoff hopes may go down the drain.

Note: We do not own the above images. No copyright infringement intended.

Week 10 Fantasy Update: Start 'em, Sit 'em

Torn between whether or not you should start your ailing star, or replace him this week with your underrated, ready-to-breakout running back? Well, you've come to the right place.

It's Week 10 already, which means you really only have a couple more weeks of the fantasy regular season. Every match-up counts on your way to your league's championship, and making one wrong move could cost you a victory.

So here is a list of players you should either start this week (if you happen to have them on your roster or can pick them up off waivers) or sit on your bench. Clearly I tried by best at picking guys to start that aren't obvious answers, but there still may be a couple of them on there:

Start

QB

Ben Roethlisberger, PIT vs. KC

Now that there have been injuries depleting the Steeler backfield this season, Roethlisberger has completely taken over the reins of the offense. As one of the more underrated fantasy passers, Ben has put up 20+ on four separate occasions thus far. And he usually fares pretty well against the Chiefs (2-1 record, 6 TDs, 3 INTs) and on Monday night's (8-3 record).

Tony Romo, DAL vs. PHI

Atlanta and Philadelphia's pass defense are ranked No. 11 and 12, respectively. Romo put up great (fantasy) numbers against Atlanta last week and even nearly came up with a victory too. Putting up nearly identical numbers with Atlanta's Matt Ryan made Romo look pretty good last week, meaning there's no doubt Dallas can keep up with Vick and the Eagles this week.

Josh Freeman, TB vs. SD

Likely one of the top QBs on the waiver wire, Freeman got off to a slow start to the season. Through the first four weeks of the season Freeman put up no more than 17 fantasy points in a game (10, 7, 17, 15). But after the Bucs' Week 5 bye, Freeman turned it on and his own % sky-rocketed quickly. Over the last four games he's put up 21 or more each week, including a 33-point and a 37-point performance in back-to-back weeks. I'm expecting between 20-25 points this week, so if your QB has a bye this week, snag Freeman.

RB

Ray Rice, BAL vs. OAK

After watching Tampa Bay's rookie Doug Martin tear up Oakland's defense for 251 yards and 4 TDs last week, it's likely the Ravens will give the Raiders a heavy dosage of Rice early on. He'll get 25+ carries and a couple of TDs for you if you keep him in your lineup.

Adrian Peterson, MIN vs. DET

If you're unsure whether or not AP can keep up his tear against Detroit's run defense (ranked 5th in terms of points allowed to opposing RBs), the answer is yes. Normally I'd be a little more skeptical against a defense that has surrendered just 2 rushing TDs all season. But Peterson is completely healed and is on a roll, scoring 4 TDs in the past three games with 100-yard performances in each. Peterson will put up 140 and 2 TDs against Detroit.

Doug Martin, TB vs. SD

Only one team has rushed for more than 120 yards against the Chargers this season, but if anyone has the hot hand it's "Muscle Hamster." Following his record-setting performance against Oakland, Martin is looking to record his third consecutive 100-yard game and I don't have a doubt he'll accomplish it this week.

WR

Mike Wallace, PIT vs. KC

Wallace has yet to really put up eye-popping numbers this season, as he did in 2011. But with Antonio Brown to miss Monday night's showdown with Kansas City, I'd expect this to be Wallace's game to do so. A little bit of rain isn't going to stop Ben Roethlisberger from throwing the ball.

Vincent Jackson, TB vs. SD

Is playing your old team motivation to play well? Why, yes it is. In Jackson's case anyways. Philip Rivers and his Chargers have struggled at times, and have shown that he misses his big target in Jackson. So what's Jackson going to do? Catch eight passes for 120 yards and a TD against his former team of course.

TE

Antonio Gates, SD vs. TB

He finally appears to be healthy. Combining for just 25 points over the first five weeks of the season before breaking out for 26 in Week 6, Gates' entire season has been filled with disappointment. But he finally appears to be a weekly weapon again after battling a rib injury early on. Tampa Bay allowed 26 points to TEs last week against Oakland, so that's a good sign for Gates too, right?

Sit

QB

Michael Vick, PHI vs. DAL

Vick has cut down on his interceptions lately, at least. But he was eaten alive last Monday against the New Orleans front. He was sacked 7 times and threw yet another pick-6 in the red zone, which of course was returned 99 yards for a NO touchdown. Against Dallas, things wont get much better for Vick, especially if he is given as much time as he was given against the Saints. Lets just say you may be in trouble if Vick is your weekly starting quarterback.

Matt Schaub, HOU vs. CHI

First of all, I hope Schaub isn't your No. 1 QB every week, because he has been underperforming in the fantasy world this season. Second of all, if he is, please place him on your bench. You're likely better off picking a guy such as Carson Palmer or Andy Dalton off waivers for this week than starting Schaub against Chicago's defense. The Bears have held two different QBs to -1 points this season. Enough said.

Jay Cutler, CHI vs. HOU

Clearly the theme of today is "don't start any offensive players from the Sunday night match-up" (you'll find one more if you keep reading). But that's clearly because two of the league's top defenses are going head-to-head, which will likely result in a 14-10 final score. Cutler's been inconsistent (24 pts last week, 4 the week prior) and I don't trust him against Houston's 8th-best defense vs. opposing QBs this season.

RB

Arian Foster, HOU vs. CHI

This is a shocker, I know. I'm even shocking myself by putting Foster on the "sit" list. But going up against Chicago's defense, which happens to be 3rd against opposing RBs this season, I'm worried for him. He's put up at least 14 points each week in ESPN's standard scoring leagues, but the Bears have allowed just one 100-yard team performance (last week vs. TEN) and have held teams under 90 yards in all 7 of the other games this season.

Chris Johnson, TEN vs. MIA

Johnson is coming off a 141 yard, 1 TD performance last week vs. the Bears and has rushed for 90 or more yards in each of the last four weeks. But his inconsistency continues to plague his reputation and his opponent, Miami, has allowed just 16.3 points to RBs this season, good enough for 5th in the league.

Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG vs. CIN

It's been announced that Bradshaw will, in fact, be active today. But as a fantasy owner that doesn't mean you stick him in your lineup right away. Have you seen his numbers lately? A total of 10 points in the last two games (ESPN standard). Even if he finally is healthy again, Andre Brown and David Wilson have been taking carries away from him. The days of Bradshaw being a viable second RB in fantasy lineups appear to be over.

WR

Demaryius Thomas, DEN vs. CAR

Carolina has been one of the best at containing wideouts this season, and are top 10 against the pass. Thomas' teammate Eric Decker will likely get more action as he has caught 7 TDs in his last five games. Carolina has surrendered just 5 receiving touchdowns to wideouts this season and over 200 yards one just one occasion. So, if you have to choose between which Bronco receiver to start (Thomas or Decker), choose Decker not Thomas.

Wes Welker, NE vs. BUF

Welker has fared very well in the team's last three meetings with the Bills (397 yards, 2 TDs), but after rolling his ankle in Week 8 against the Rams, there's reason for concern. With a bye week last week, he appears to have gotten plenty of rest and is ready to go, but I'm not completely sold. Not to mention Brady has plenty of other viable options and it wouldn't be surprising to see Welker get only a few targets.

TE

Owen Daniels, HOU vs. CHI

Daniels hurt his hamstring earlier in the season before injuring his hip last week vs. the Bills. Daniels' production has been there all season, but listed as questionable and expected to be a game-time call, it appears as though it'd be the safe bet to sit him and start a TE off your bench (if you even keep a second tight end on your roster) rather than risking it. Even if he does play he likely wont be as productive as he has been in recent weeks.

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Performance of a Lifetime: TBs Doug Martin Puts up Greatest Single-Game Performance by a Rookie

Rookies ruled the NFL in yesterday's action, with two records being broken in fashion.

Indianapolis' Andrew Luck broke the single-game passing yards record with 433 yards in a 23-20 win over Miami's starting rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill. The previous record was 432, set by Carolina's Cam Newton a season ago.

Luck also posted his rookie record-tying fourth 300-yard game of the season, which tied Indy's Peyton Manning from 1998. With eight games left on the Colts' schedule, there's no doubt Luck will shred Manning's record by season's end.

But it wasn't Luck who stole the show, despite the gaudy numbers he posted and his team's current 5-3 record. No, it was a guy who wasn't expected to make an immediate impact when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him with the 31st overall pick in last April's draft.

Doug Martin--the 5'9"/223 pound running back out of Boise State--ran for his first 100-yard game last week against the Minnesota Vikings. This week he one-upped himself with a franchise-record 251 yards and 4 TDs. In addition to being TB franchise records, they are also both rookie single-game records.

His astonishing performance has put him on the map, if his 135 yards, 1 TD performance on October 25 didn't already do so. What better way to put yourself on the map than to put up one of the 5 best fantasy performances of the last decade? He topped 50 in most leagues and, in the ESPN.com league I am in this season, he put up 60 points.

With a 10.0 yards/carry average on his 25 attempts against Oakland's defense, Martin is averaging over 5.0 yards/carry on the season and now has 794 yards and 7 TDs in 8 games.

Move over Luck and RGIII, Doug Martin is officially the man to beat in the 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year race.

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No Panic Button for Chargers: Slow Start in San Diego Follows Yearly Pattern

Just hours away from a Thursday night primetime match-up with AFC West rival Kansas City, the 2nd place San Diego Chargers (3-4) may find themselves in a must-win situation.

At 1-6, the Chiefs are virtually out of playoff contention as we approach Week 9 in the NFL, especially considering the Broncos and Peyton Manning appear to be heating up. The Chargers, however, find themselves in the heat of the race for the division title.

Philip Rivers' offense got off to a quick start to the season, beginning the season at 3-1 (including a 37-20 victory over these same Chiefs) with the lone loss coming to the still-undefeated Falcons. On defense, San Diego limited opponents to 17.8 points/game while putting up 25.0.

But since that Week 4 victory over KC, the Chargers have dropped three straight games, including a devastating 35-24 loss to Denver three Mondays ago and a 7-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns just last Sunday.

There didn't appear to be any reason for concern when the New Orleans Saints knocked off the Bolts by one touchdown in the beginning of October, but after blowing a 24-point halftime lead to the Broncos the following week, concern started building up.

To make things worse, the Chargers failed to re-group following the bye week and failed to put the ball into the end zone against a team (the 2-6 Browns) that has allowed the 4th-most yards, 10th-most points and 4th-most passing TDs in the entire league.

It's not like the Chargers didn't have run support against Cleveland, either. Running back Ryan Mathews, who, by the way, has finally appeared to be fully recovered from the broken collarbone suffered in August, ran for 95 yards on 24 attempts. But the struggling Rivers managed to complete just over half of his passes for 154 yards.

San Diego's 9th-best scoring defense and 8th-best total yardage defense did its job against rookie signal caller Brandon Weeden and the Browns, limiting them to just 250 total yards and one Trent Richardson touchdown. But Rivers failed to get anything going in terms of touchdown drives and two Nick Novak field goals is all San Diego came away with.

It's been clear that added pressure and lack of a true No. 1 receiver has really hurt the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback thus far in 2012. But, there's certainly a silver lining when it comes to Rivers' and San Diego offense's slow start: it can be overcome, and overcome rather quickly.

Ever since taking over the full-time starting role with the Chargers in 2006, the Bolts have struggled to pull away with a division lead through the first 7 games of the season. In fact, they're usually right around the current pace in terms of winning percentage. Just take a look:

Chargers' year-by-year records (thru first 7 games) since 2006: 5-2, 4-3, 3-4, 4-3, 2-5, 4-3, 3-4.

Total record (thru first 7 games) from 2006-12: 25-24 in seven seasons (average per year: 3.6-3.4)

How many postseason appearances over those 7 seasons? Four. With three double-digit win totals.

When it comes to Philip Rivers' numbers, everyone should be aware of his December/January breakout. Here's a look at his career regular season stats from September-November, compared with his December stats:

Pre-December: 77 games, 42-35 record, 245.0 yards/game, 1.6 TDs/game, 0.9 INTs/game
December/January (Regular season only): 31 games, 27-4 record (undefeated in January), 53 TDs, 18 INTs; 99.9 rating in Dec., 100.7 rating in Jan.

As a whole, San Diego's offense just plays better December football thanks in part to Rivers' elevated play. So, before you start rule the Chargers out of the race out Wes, keep in mind that Rivers is bound to turn this one around and improve on his current 82.4 rating (tied for his career-low as regular starter).

Despite being without top receivers Robert Meachem and Eddie Royal tonight (both inactive due to injury), San Diego's quest for its first postseason appearance since '09 begins with a victory over Kansas City.

Moral of the story: Never rule out the Chargers.

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