Sage Rosenfels

The Raiders and Vikings are “discussing the availability” of Sage Rosenfels, according to Mike Lombardi of the National Football Post. A third-stringer in Minnesota, Rosenfels would be a significant upgrade in Oakland Raiders over JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski. According to Lombardi, a former Raiders personnel man with close ties to Al Davis, the Vikings will only trade Rosenfels if they are certain Brett Favre is coming back. Rosenfels could be a fallback plan if Oakland misses out on Donovan McNabb.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

Green Bay: The Minnesota Vikings will host free agent DL Michael Montgomery on Monday. Montgomery, 26, can play three positions along the defensive line, but has just five career sacks in five seasons. He’d likely battle Letroy Guion, Jayme Mitchell, and Fred Evans for snaps off the bench if he made the team.

Pittsburg: Ben Roethlisberger will not report to the Steelers’ offseason program on time. The Pittsburg Steelers’ voluntary workouts begin on Monday. Roethlisberger, facing his second sexual assault case in as many years, made the decision in an effort to avoid being a distraction in Pittsburgh. Dennis Dixon will act as the team’s stand-in starting quarterback, with Charlie Batch behind him.

Baltimore: Restricted free agent LT Jared Gaither confirmed that he will report to the Baltimore Ravens’ offseason program on Monday. Better late than never. Gaither also wants a long-term deal. “It would be my dream to stay with the Ravens…winning multiple championships,” he said. “I’d be more than happy to remain here.” Gaither says he didn’t show up last week because he was rehabbing an ankle injury that didn’t require surgery.

St. Louis: Rams RT Jason Smith (concussion) is doing well and participating fully in the offseason program, according to coach Steve Spagnuolo. The No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft missed the final six weeks of last season after battling concussion-related symptoms. Assuming LT Alex Barron keeps his job, Smith will be the Rams’ starting right tackle in 2010.

2010 NFL Draft: Mike Lombardi of the National Football Post writes that he “keep(s) hearing” Florida CB Joe Haden will not be a top-ten pick. Lombardi calls Haden “a speed-deficit corner,” despite his 4.4 forty at the Gators’ March 17 Pro Day. Should Haden get past the Jaguars at No. 10, the 49ers (No. 13), Seahawks (14), Giants (15), and Titans (16) will all be serious candidates to take him. He isn’t going to fall any further than that.

2010 NFL Draft: Murray State DE Austen Lane ran 4.89 and 4.98 in the forty-yard dash at the Racers’ Pro Day. He also had a 4.44 short shuttle and performed 20 reps of 225 pounds. A dominant small school pass rusher who goes 6’6/274, Lane will likely convert to defensive tackle if he’s drafted by a 4-3 team, or five-technique end if he lands in a 3-4. He’s a late second- to third-round prospect.

Donovan McNabb

Rams GM Billy Devaney shot down reports that his club might acquire Donovan McNabb Wednesday, calling the rumors “absolutely false.” “Nothing to it,” another high-ranking Rams official informed Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Rams Post-Dispatch. “It’s utterly ridiculous,” Devaney added.

“I haven’t talked to Philadelphia about any of their players.” “They may have a trade offer, but not from us,” yet a third Rams source said. “Why would we trade for McNabb and then go watch (Sam) Bradford throw on Monday?” Expect McNabb to get traded on or around draft week.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

Pittsburg: KDKA 2 in Pittsburgh reports that the woman accusing Ben Roethlisberger of sexual assault has declined to be re-interviewed by police. Police already lack key physical evidence (Big Ben’s DNA), and now have an uncooperative key witness.

The woman skipped one previously scheduled interview. “Bottom line is, no cooperative victim under these circumstances, probably no crime,” said Robert Del Greco, an unbiased Pittsburgh defensive attorney. No charges would probably also mean no NFL suspension.

Carolina:  Panthers coach John Fox confirmed that the team has no interest in trading Jonathan Stewart or DeAngelo Williams. There were some rumors that Williams would be available thanks to Stewart’s breakout down the stretch in 2009, but they were quickly shot down.

Stewart is coming off another Achilles’ surgery and the Carolina Panthers need two elite backs anyway to implement their smash mouth style

Washington: Redskins coach Mike Shanahan was noncommittal when asked Wednesday if Jason Campbell will be the team’s starting QB in 2010. “There’s competition at every position,” Shanahan said. “Rex Grossman was with Kyle [Shanahan] in Houston, he understands the system.

We’re going to…have all these guys compete.” Campbell should win a camp battle with Grossman handily, but any true competition would limit his offseason reps

Jacksonville: Free agent Torry Holt indicated Wednesday that he’s receiving little interest on the open market. Holt claims he spoke to a few teams recently, but he’s still in wait-and-see mode at this time. The 34-year-old also reiterated his desire to play for Mike Martz in Chicago, but the Bears aren’t showing strong interest in him.

Holt probably needs at least another year of solid production to solidify a spot in the Hall of Fame. Things may pick up for him after the draft.

2010 NFL Draft: Opinions of Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour’s passing were reportedly “mixed” after he threw for evaluators at his Pro Day. LeFevour didn’t throw to moving targets in Indianapolis, so he needed a big day to motivate his draft stock. However, LeFevour “struggled throwing the ball downfield,” which isn’t surprising considering his lack of ideal arm strength.

Receivers reportedly had to slow down their routes frequently to haul in his throws, with some “out-running LeFevour’s deep passes altogether.”

Elsewhere around the NFL:

Detroit: Lions coach Jim Schwartz is expecting Calvin Johnson (hand, knee) and Matthew Stafford (knee) to be available for Sunday’s game at Cincinnati. Both players participated in team practice on Tuesday. “I’m optimistic both of them would be without limitation on Sunday,” said Schwartz. “At this time of the year, (they will be) about as full-speed as you can be. Everybody’s banged up or beat up a little bit.” Johnson and Stafford will have a tough matchup on Sunday as they will face off against the Bengals Pro Bowl caliber corners.

Pittsburg: Pittsburg Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger (concussion) is expected to start against the Raiders Sunday.
Roethlisberger has apparently been cleared by the neurologists and his coach is giving him the go ahead. Getting Roethlisberger back is obviously a huge upgrade for all the Steelers’ skill players even though they’ll be facing Nnamdi Asomugha and a decent Raiders secondary on Sunday.

Atlanta: The Falcons have released K Jason Elam. Elam missed four field goals from 39 yards out or closer this season, including two in the last three weeks. He turns 40 in March and is no longer a reasonable option on kickoffs. Matt Bryant is the Atlanta Falcons new kicker.

Carolina: Jake Delhomme is “unlikely” to play against the Bucs this week, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Schefter says Delhomme will sit because of his finger injury, but there’s a good chance he would have been benched anyway. Coach John Fox already said that Matt Moore would take the first-team reps on Wednesday while the turnover plagued Delhomme rests.

Philadelphia: Eagles signed TE Brent Celek to a six-year, $33 million extension. The deal includes $11 million in guaranteed money. The Philadelphia Eagles do a great job of locking up their young talent to long-term deals as Celek was set to become a free agent in 2011. He’s now in the fold through 2016. It’s a well-deserved extension for Celek, who has proven to be one of the better all-around tight ends in the league. At age 24 and in his first season as a full-time starter, he’s fifth in the league in receptions.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

Indianapolis: Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning has returned to full practice from a glute injury and is probable for Sunday’s AFC South game at Houston. Manning had seen limited work Wednesday and Thursday before participating in the full workout on Friday.

Indianapolis: Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez (knee surgery) has been ruled out for Week 12. Gonzalez never did resume practicing this week, despite NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora reporting last week he would. He has no timetable to return

Seattle: Seahawks Head Coach Jim Mora revealed Friday that Julius Jones (ribs, lung) is still in pain and will be a game-time decision in Week 12. Jones was “limited” in Seattle Seahawks practice for the second straight day Friday. Even if Jones is able to play Sunday, expect the banged-up RB to only get 8-10 touches.

Detroit: Lions rookie TE Brandon Pettigrew is done for the season after an MRI revealed “significant damage” to his left knee. The extent of Pettigrew’s injury wasn’t revealed, but he likely tore ligaments and needs reconstructive surgery. The talented rookie finished the year with 31 catches for 352 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 11 starts.

St. Louis: Steven Jackson (back) was held out of St. Louis Rams practice for a third consecutive day Friday. While coach Steve Spagnuolo indicated that S-Jax could face Seattle without any practice reps, he’s waiting for pre-game warmups to decide his workhorse’s availability. “I think he’s been in the league long enough that he knows he doesn’t want to hurt the team,” Spags said. If you have Jackson on your fantasy team, make sure to check his status prior to kickoff.

Atlanta: Falcons RB Michael Turner (ankle) was limited in Atlanta Falcons practice for the third straight day Friday.
Despite Thursday’s report from Jay Glazer of FOX that the Falcons “think” Turner will return this week at Tampa Bay, but his playing status is not looking good at this point. Turner’s status should be check before the game as well.

He has a high ankle sprain, the Falcons are more secretive about injuries than most teams, and Turner was unable to practice in full all week. The good news is that the game starts at 1ET, so we’ll know Turner’s status early. Jason Snelling will not be a fantasy option if Turner is active.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

Detroit: ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that Matthew Stafford is “iffy” for Thursday’s game against the Packers. X-rays revealed no fracture to Stafford’s collarbone, which the team initially feared, but he amazingly reentered Sunday’s game against the advice of doctors. Stafford will undergo further test on Monday, including an MRI, but the team has officially called his status for Thursday a “game-day decision.”

Arizona: Arizona Cardinals QB Kurt Warner completed 15-of-19 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns before suffering a “minor” concussion that knocked him out for the rest of Sunday’s win over St. Louis. Warner, 38, was replaced by Matt Leinart with :47 left in the second quarter and did not return. Even though Warner was on the sideline for the second half and the game remained close, he did not see any further action.

Green Bay: According to Packers beat writer Greg Bedard, the initial prognosis for OLB Aaron Kampman is that he has a torn ACL. Green Bay Packers may not pursue re-signing Kampman in the offseason because he’s not a good fit in their 3-4 defense.

Washington: The Redskins have already ruled out Clinton Portis (concussion) for Week 12, coach Jim Zorn revealed Sunday. Offensive coordinator Sherman Smith added that the team will scour their free agent list and pick up a back to be active behind Rock Cartwright and Quinton Ganther because Ladell Betts (torn MCL) is probably done for the season.

Buffalo: Marshawn Lynch, who left in the second quarter Sunday with a shoulder injury, said after the game that he expects to be fine. Lynch had eight carries for 18 yards, no catches and no touchdowns before departing. He’ll undergo a precautionary MRI Monday, which will go a long way in determining his readiness for Week 12.

Chris Simms: Simms, who came off the Broncos bench due to Kyle Orton’s injury, should have refused to enter the game. Simms finished the game going 3-of-13 for 13 yards and an interception. He looked truly lost at QB and the Broncos as a team only gained 36 yards of total offense after halftime. Kyle Orton anyone?

JaMarcus Russell:  I feel so bad for the guy I don’t even want to put him on the list. Russell completed just 9-of-24 passes for 64 yards before being benched on Sunday. Please, please Al, sign quality head coach that can help this kid.

Ben Roethlisberger: Usually up for a big game, Roethlisberger completed only 50 percent of his passes (20-of-40), was picked off once, did not throw a TD pass and finished the game with a passer rating of only 51.5. Not JaMarcus Russell like by any stretch of the imagination, but Steeler fans have grown accustom of seeing more out of their QB.

The Jets’ defense: The Jets defense has been pretty stout the entire season, but the team yielded 250 yards of total offense to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first half alone. Even though the Jets were behind nearly the entire game, they had a chance to win until a 15-yard catch by Mike Thomas and a 33-yard grab by Marcedes Lewis to help set up the game-winning kick by Josh Scobee. Once really got away here.

The Eagles’ running game: What has become a regular assurance, Eagles RB Brian Westbrook suffered another concussion and none of the backup players could get anything going against San Diego Chargers defense that was down several starters.

Nathan Nau:  Yes, I will admit it, with the score at 31-21

AFC East – How the times have changed, a couple weeks ago it looked as if the Bills were in complete control of this division and now it is wide open. The Patriots and Bills lost in week 9 and the Jets and Dolphins won, making the division the closest in all of football. The Jets, Bills and Patriots are all tied at 5 – 3, while the Dolphins are 4 – 4.  This sets up a huge match up in week 10, Bills vs Patriots, that will feel like a must win for both teams. Both teams are coming off losses and will look to bounce back on Sunday. Miami has a home game vs Seattle and the Jets are home as well against the Rams, you have to expect both teams to win. Right now it looks like 10 -6 might get you into the playoffs in the AFC, therefore only two of these teams can make it. I think this division will stay close all year long and you should look for big match ups in the last week of the season.

The Brady Quinn era will get under way in week 10. The Browns announced that Anderson has been benched in favor of the 1st round pick and popular Quinn.

Ben Roethlisberger - It was only a matter of time, Ben Roethlisberger missed the second half on Mondays game with a shoulder injury. “Big Ben” gets sacked more then any quarterback in the league and has had a sore shoulder since early in the season. Steelers fans should be concerned without Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh becomes an ordinary team that might struggle for wins. They do have a suitable back up in Byron Leftwich, that is capable of playing a solid QB for this team. Fantasy players should keep an eye on the news to find out more about Ben and his status in week 10.

Daunte Culpepper signs a 2 year deal with the Detroit Lions. I had a feeling Culpepper wouldn’t stay retired for long and hopefully he can still play at a high level. No doubt he is an upgrade for the still winless Lions, and should add some stability to there offense. Culpepper is only 31 years old and if he returns to near the form he had prior to his injuries he can lead the Lions to a victory or two.

Donte Whitner , the Bill safety, suffered a separated shoulder in week 9′s game against the Jets. Whitner has become a reliable safety for the Bills and is one of there leaders on defense and in the locker room. His status is unclear for next weeks match up against the Patriots, but its likely he will be out. This is a big blow to the Bills, who are already struggling in the middle of this season.

Second Half Favorites - We are approx. half way through this season and it is time to take a look at who the favorites might be to compete for a Super Bowl at season end. We are only half way through the year and a lot of things are going to change, but there are some clear cut favorites emerging. In the NFC the New York Giants look like the heavy favorites to return to the Super Bowl this season. The Giants boast the 2nd raked offense to go along with there 4th ranked defense, and they have proved they can beat teams in a variety of ways. Its unclear who the true competition for Giants will be in the NFC, but the Carolina Panthers are looking good at 6 – 2 and I think the Philadelphia Eagles are going to step it up in the second half. The AFC has become a bit more foggy in the past couple weeks, but the perfect Tennessee Titans look like they will continue to role. The Titans are starting to remind me of the Super Bowl winning Ravens who won there title with all defense. The question will be whether or not the Titans are ready to perform on the big stage, and I personally look for the Pittsburgh Steelers to give them a run in the second half. Pittsburgh looks like the Steelers of old, but a lot will depend on the health of Ben Roethlisberger. The Patriots and Colts are still hanging around and with big second halves can get into the discussion, because they have been there before. My mid season prediction is a New York Giants vs Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl.

The Detroit Lions looked like they might get there first win of the season in week 9, but 14 unanswered second half points led the Bears to victory. The final score was 27 – 23 and had to be disappointing to the fans and management of the Lions.  The Lions have a tough schedule remaining and there best chance to win might be next week against the Jaguars. After that they might have to hope in week 17 that the Packers rest some players getting ready for the playoffs, and they can steal a win from a better team.

We are about half way through the year and things are starting to get  interesting. Here’s some storylines to watch for in the coming weeks, can the Bills rebound, can the Colts fight for a playoff spot, can the Lions win and can the Titans remain perfect. Enjoy the upcoming weeks of NFL football and the run for the Super Bowl.

Ben Roethlisberger - Pittsburgh played in the Sunday night game again this week and “Big Ben” Came to play. Roethlisberger is off to a good start this year, but week 5 was his best showing of the season. Against a good defense in Jacksonville, Ben put up 309 passing yards and threw for 3 touchdowns. With a QB rating over 100 and completing 65 percent of his passes Roethlisberger definitely had a great week. The Steelers are off to a 4 -1 start and a lot of that has to do with the great play of Ben. If he keeps up this pace, the Steelers might be heading for a Super Bowl appearance.

Kurt Warner - The Cardinals pumped the Bills on Sunday and the big story is that Warner didn’t turn the ball over. At times it looked as if he could move the ball at will. He had a massive QB rating of 107 and threw 2 touchdowns. Warner even managed to rush for 10 yards and didn’t fumble the ball. He completed an amazing 78 percent of his passes and led Arizona down the field on every possession. With Warner playing this good, the Cards are a playoff team and one of the best offenses in the NFL.

DeAngelo Williams - Out of no where the Panthers running back put up 123 yards on the ground averaging over six yards a carry. He found the end zone twice the ground and received another. Williams showed how bad the Kansas City defense really is and I am sure he will get rewarded with more carries in the future. Williams had only 7 career touchdowns heading into this week and scored three in one game.

Ronnie Brown – The new Miami offense seems to agree with Brown. He put up 125 rushing years in week 5 averaging more then 5 yards a carry. In the past 2 weeks Brown has more then 230 yards on the ground and has scored 5 touchdowns. Ronnie is proving that when he is healthy he can be one of the better backs in the NFL. Look for Brown to keep this streak going, Miami’s offense is focused on him and he is performing. A great fantasy player of late, you never know when he will run, catch or even throw a touchdown.

Aaron Rodgers – You would have never known that Rodgers has a shoulder injury and was questionable for his week 5 start. He torched Atlanta’s D with 313 yards and 3 touchdown throws. He had a QB rating of 109 and averaged over 8 yards per throw. A lot people questioned whether Aaron was an NFL starting QB, so far it looks like he might be a pro bowl QB. Rodgers was hurt, but he started and played great for Green Bay.

Roddy White - White looks like he might just be that true number one receiver that Atlanta wants him to be. Roddy made eight catches for 132 yards this week and 1 touchdown. White is a big play threat on every down, he averaged more then 16 yards per reception in week 5. He is putting up great numbers this season for Atlanta, averaging 100 yards a game and has become a good target for QB Matt Ryan.

Charles Tillman - The Bears corner had a big week 5, highlighted by a 26 yard interception return for a touchdown. The Bears defense is great and Tillman is one of the better corners in the game. In week 5 to go along with the interception he had 4 deflections and 2 tackles. Tillman is a big play guy and when he gets the ball in his hands you never know what will happen.

Patrick Willis - I am not sure this guy ever has bad weeks and San Francisco is lucky to have him. Once again he made a ton of tackles, 14 in total and added a sack against the Patriots. Willis might be the best linebacker in the game and is a tackle machine for the 49ers.

Mario Williams - Houston suffered a heart breaking fourth quarter loss to the Colts, but Williams still had a good game. He put pressure on Peyton Manning all day and managed to sack him twice. He also had 3 tackles and was a threat on every snap. Williams is one of the best defensive ends in the game and is turning in to a true pro bowler.

Chris Cooley - The Redskins are playing great football and once again came up with a win this week. Cooley had his best game of the year from the tight end position gaining 109 yards. He had 8 catches averaging more then 13 yards per, and added a touchdown against Philly. Cooley is one of the best tight ends in the game, and Washington hopes he will repeat these numbers for the rest of the season.

Randy Moss - Moss got the ball this week and he produced for the Patriots. He caught 5 balls, averaging 22 yards per catch and 111 yards in total. He also added a touchdown in the Patriots win over the 49ers. This is the first time since week 1 Moss had more then 100 yards receiving and scored a touchdown. If Cassell has found a way to get Randy the ball, it will go along way to the New England having a good year.

You can put some players on this list every week, but there are always some surprises. There was a lot of great offense in week 5, but no one put up massive numbers like last week. Monday Night should be full of offense to and I am sure someone will put up some big numbers

The 1970′s were dominated by the Steelers making eight playoff appearances and winning four Super Bowls: IX, X, XIII, XIV. The Steelers were the first team to win four Super Bowls and also the first team to win back to back Super Bowls twice. Key players in the Steelers success of the 1970′s was quarterback Terry Bradshaw, wide receiver Lynn Swann, running back Franco Harris, linebacker Mean Joe Green, wide receiver John Stallworth, linebacker Jack ham, linebacker Jack Lambert and coach Chuck Noll, all members of the Hall of Fame. In total the Steelers have seventeen members in the Hall of Fame and nine of those members were on the 1970′s championship teams.

After a long drought of not making the Super Bowl, the Steelers once again returned to their past success making it to Super Bowl XXX against the Dallas Cowboys. The Steelers lost 27-17 which was the third Super Bowl victory for the Cowboys in the previous four years. A more successful Super Bowl appearance came only nine seasons later with a Super Bowl XL victory over the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 under coach Bill Cowher who is now retired and a NFL analyst on The NFL Today. The Steelers are tied with Dallas Cowboys, and the San Francisco 49ers with five Super Bowls each.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are the working mans team, grind -out low scoring games by playing hard defense and running the ball first. Ben Roethlisberger was the quarterback of the Super Bowl winning team and is one of the more productive quarterbacks in the NFL. He is the youngest quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl and was named Rookie of Year in 2004.

The Steelers future is a bright one and hopefully for them and their fans another Super Bowl victory is not too far in the future. With the AFC being the stronger conference, the road to the Super Bowl is that much more difficult.