NFL Columns: Pro Sports Daily

Eli Manning can become NY sports royalty with another Super Bowl victory vs. New England Patriots

February 4

New York Daily News

columnist Filip Bondy

"If he wins on Sunday, if Eli Manning pulls off another fourth-quarter comeback or merely beats the Patriots, his two Super Bowl titles will land him on a pedestal reserved only for New York's greatest sports icons. Already, Eli has entered into sacred one-name-only territory in the city, joining the likes of the Babe, Joe D., Yogi, Mick, Willis, Walt, Reggie, Mess and Derek. No Giant or Jet quarterback in history has ever piloted his teams to two championships, in the biggest of games. Phil Simms came closest, but he watched from the sidelines with a broken foot while Bill Parcells' team captured a second title in Super Bowl XXV. So this is fresh territory, and Manning already has won the"

Peyton hogging spotlight during Eli's big moment

February 4

New York Post

columnist George Willis

"Peyton Manning made national headlines again yesterday and likely will do so again today, making him the focus of about as many stories in the buildup to Super Bowl XLVI as his brother Eli. I understand it's Peyton's city and Peyton's stadium, and I understand his uncertain future with the Colts is a story of high interest. But it seems like Peyton can't help but upstage his little brother, who deserves to be the star of the biggest game of the year. It's easy to blame the media for the constant string of Peyton Manning stories this week that have made the Giants quarterback an afterthought. The thirst for updates on Peyton's surgically repaired neck and the Colts' impending decision"

Will Saturday be Stanfel's Hall day?

February 4

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"His Super Bowl ring from the Bears' magical 1985 season sits in a drawer inside Dick Stanfel's Libertyville home. It means the world to Stanfel, the Bears offensive line coach from 1981 to '92, yet doesn't convey the significance of the more modest ring he wears every day. The gold one with a single diamond and faint engraving commemorating the Lions' 1953 NFL championship. The one Stanfel earned in a 17-16 victory over the Browns that capped a season in which his teammates voted him the Lions' most valuable player. "That was my biggest honor and a pleasant surprise for a guard,'' said Stanfel, 84, who played for the Lions from 1952 to '55. "I got lucky.'' Stanfel hopes fortune smiles on"

Happy returns? Not always

February 4

Boston Globe

columnist Bob Ryan

"The Horror! The Horror! Every punt returner in the league felt for Kyle Williams. The young 49er started the NFC Championship game minding his own business and finished it as the perpetrator of a two-pronged returners' faux pas. 1. Stay away from the bouncing ball. 2. Once you get the ball, hold onto the damn thing. "It's tough,'' says Will Blackmon, who was on the other side of the field, wearing a Giants uniform, when Williams's double nightmare occurred. "He's a good player, and he was having an awesome game.'' But no one will ever recall the good things Williams did in that contest. The world will only remember that he allowed one bouncing ball on a punt to graze his uniform, creating"

Do the Giants have another David Tyree in the wings this Super Bowl?

February 4

Newark Star-Ledger

columnist Steve Politi

"The surprise star for the Giants in this Super Bowl does not have to catch a desperation pass up against his helmet to be the next David Tyree. But wouldn't it be perfect if he did? "I made one like that in college," says Jerrel Jernigan, who — like Tyree — is a little-used receiver for this team. Reeeaaally. Do tell. "I was playing for Troy against Florida Atlantic, my sophomore year," he explains. "I was running an out-route to the sideline and caught the ball with one hand on my helmet." Did you make the cover of Sports Illustrated, too? Did you get a book deal to tell your story and become an instant star? "Nah, nothing like that," he laughs. "But you can see it on YouTube. People in"

Drafting of Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez redefined Pats offense

February 3

Boston Herald

columnist Dan Ventura

"Rob Gronkowski was deemed a medical risk because of a back injury. Aaron Hernandez had the proverbial character issues draped around his neck like an albatross. Well aware of all of this, the Patriots still drafted the tight ends two rounds apart in 2010, and the results speak for themselves. Gronkowski established records for touchdown receptions by a tight end (17) as well as receiving yardage (1,327). Hernandez turned in a highly productive season as well, catching 79 balls for 910 yards and seven TDs."

Fears factors in Patriots running game

February 3

Boston Herald

columnist Dan Ventura

"Looking at it from a numbers standpoint, the Patriots' running game can be considered middle of the road. It ranked 17th in rushing attempts (438), 20th in rushing yardage (1,764) and tied for 21st in rushing average (4.0). You would have to scroll down 27 places to find the Patriots top rusher, BenJarvus Green-Ellis (667 yards). Just don't try to dish those numbers off to running backs coach Ivan Fears without an immediate rebuttal. He insists the passing game is so successful because the team does have the ability to run the ball if needed."

G-Men ready to let history repeat itself

February 3

New York Post

columnist Mike Vaccaro

"Surely, you remember The Helmet Catch. Surely, in fact, you remember both ends of The Helmet Catch, The Escape and The Catch, capital letters all around, Eli Manning looking like Francis Tarkenton right down to the red "10" on his jersey on the front side, David Tyree's hardhat clinging to the football as if both were made of Velcro on the back end. Surely, you remember the game-winning play, a quick toss from Manning to Plaxico Burress on a slant-and-go. In memory and in myth, Burress looks 8 feet tall, plucking the ball out of the air 5 yards deep in the end zone over Ellis Hobbs who, in memory and in myth seems about 4 feet tall."

Moore or less same

February 3

Boston Herald

columnist Ian R. Rapoport

"Sterling Moore's life hasn't changed that much. He's still mostly anonymous. In fact, even after making the game-saving deflection late in the AFC Championship Game to send the Patriots into Super Bowl XLVI, Moore has been recognized in the public eye only one time. He signed an autograph for a child at Best Buy, where he happened to work in junior college. "Besides that and a jump in Twitter followers, nothing has changed," said Moore, the Patriots rookie defensive back from SMU. "Still walk around not being recognized, and that's cool with me.""

Comparing Tony Romo to Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach is unfair

February 3

Dallas Morning News

columnist Brad Sham

"Do you think Spears and Lissemore can handle the middle? Do you think Rat and Hatcher can be good at DE? Lissemore played a lot in the middle this year. I think Spears is better at end, and I think Ratliff and Hatcher are good at DE if that's where you want to play Ratliff. Lissemore is an excellent complementary player. Tony Romo gets compared to Staubach and Aikman a lot, but he doesn't exactly have the same supporting cast. I think Romo is neither of those two, and he's not done yet. It's not Romo's problem that folks compare him to two Hall of Famers, it's the problem of people doing the comparing. He's good and getting better at being Romo. That's all you can ask him to be. It may yet"

Madonna shows her true Blue colors by picking Eli Manning over Tom Brady

February 3

New York Daily News

columnist Filip Bondy

"When you stop to think about it, Madonna is a lot like the Giants. She lives in New York. She is constantly turning over her roster (of tunes) to reinvent herself. She pays no attention to the carping of critics, who find her a 7-and-7 sort of singer. She also wears weird costumes with odd padding that spectators generally accept as fitting for her vocation. So when the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer performs four songs on Sunday during the Super Bowl XLVI Halftime Show — thereby producing more minutes of real action than the football game — she really will become little more than an extension of Tom Coughlin's canny playbook."

The state of the Ravens? There's a lot of work to do

February 3

Baltimore Sun

columnist Mike Preston

"It was almost near the end of the annual "State of the Ravens" address before general manager Ozzie Newsome talked about the team's most pressing needs heading into the 2012 season. He finally mentioned the offensive line and getting another pass rusher to complement outside linebacker Terrell Suggs. Most of Wednesday's news conference was devoted to team officials promising they were going to re-sign potential free agent running back Ray Rice and slobbering over quarterback Joe Flacco, who believes he has been underappreciated in Baltimore."

NFL's tales of the unexpected

February 3

Washington Times

columnist Dan Daly

"Every NFL season has its share of the unexpected. For instance, who would have guessed when the league resumed business in July that Albert Haynesworth, the disinterested defensive tackle, would con not one but two teams — New England and Tampa Bay — into paying him a salary? On a somewhat smaller scale, who had any inkling that Brandon Banks, the Washington Redskins' flyweight kick returner, was capable of hurling a 49-yard touchdown pass? Wonders never cease."

Pregame show began 12 days ago

February 3

Charlotte Observer

columnist Ron Green Jr.

"We have arrived at the end, that Super Bowl moment when an estimated 8 million pounds of avocadoes are sold and Madonna has been pulled out of wherever Madonna has been for the past decade, and all anyone around here wants to talk about is the Panthers' new logo. Personally, I'm glad someone pointed out it's a new logo because, otherwise, I probably wouldn't have noticed. Logos apparently need updating, like Demi Moore's Facebook status and parts of the Panthers' secondary."

Fewell at heart of Giant turnaround

February 3

Buffalo News

columnist Jerry Sullivan

"Back in his Buffalo days, Perry Fewell talked about being a light sleeper. Typically, it was the week before the New England game. Coaches are like that. They'll lie there in the middle of the night, eyes closed, game film projecting through their unconscious mind. Sometimes, Fewell would bolt awake, enlivened by some fresh idea, some new way to move defensive players around like chess pieces. This is the coach's joy and his obsession, the urge to tinker and teach gifted young players to a higher level. Now, two years after leaving Buffalo and more than a quarter century into his coaching journey, Fewell finally has a chance to prepare a defense for the biggest game of all. On Sunday, his"

Matured Eli no longer in Peyton's shadow

February 3

CSN Philly

columnist Ray Didinger

"The 2004 Maxwell Club dinner was a Manning family affair. Peyton Manning was in Atlantic City to receive the Bert Bell Award as NFL Player of the Year. Brother Eli was there, too, to accept the Maxwell Award as college player of the year. Typically, Eli was walking in Peyton's shadow. Peyton had won the Maxwell Award in 1997 following his senior season at Tennessee. Seven years later, he was back to collect the Bert Bell Award. He was the headliner, the star of the show. Eli was little brother."

New England Patriots' tight ends creating matchup headaches

February 3

Miami Herald

columnist David J. Neal

"Heat fans might call it blasphemous for Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez to refer to Rob Gronkowski as "LeBron" and Gronkowski say Hernandez fits the Dwyane Wade role. Others might call it the modern NFL reality. A tight end tree with roots in John Mackey, and a trunk of former basketball player Tony Gonzalez now extends to big branches like Gronkowski and Hernandez that threatens to change strategies on both sides of the ball."

Franchise tags, running backs and Marshawn Lynch

February 3

Seattle Times

columnist Danny O'Neil

"Ray Rice isn't going anywhere. That was the message from Baltimore's brain trust this week. It became clear that the Ravens' running back will be back with the team with either a long-term deal or the franchise tag. Ravens say Ray Rice will be back By Jeff Zrebiec, The Baltimore Sun The party line in Chicago sounds similar with regard to running back Matt Forte. He led the Bears in both rushing yards and receptions in 2011, and the running game certainly isn't going to become less important after Mike Martz's departure as offensive coordinator."

Ex-Buff Boyd Dowler enjoyed a Super career with Packers

February 3

Denver Post

columnist Woody Paige

"In the inaugural "supergame," as the NFL-AFL championship was referred to in 1966, a Wyoming native and former Colorado quarterback could have been somebody. "The Chiefs had defensive players we respected, but we knew we could attack their corners. That was the weakness," says Boyd Dowler, the Packers' best receiver at the time. "Bart (Starr) was planning to throw to me a lot.""

What if Bolts kept Eli instead of trading for Rivers?

February 3

San Diego Union-Tribune

columnist Kevin Acee

"They are questions as unfair to Philip Rivers and impossible to answer as they are logical to ask at this time. But they are all Chargers fans have now. What if Eli Manning were playing for the team that drafted him No.?1 overall in 2004 rather than the team he was traded to 45 minutes later? Would the Chargers be playing for a second Lombardi Trophy to place in that lobby case that currently houses various lesser mementos? Would Manning be on the doorstep of immortality, as he is now, already the MVP of one Super Bowl and perhaps days away from becoming just the 11th quarterback in history to ever win two of the game's most-coveted rings?"

Super Bowl XLVI offers valuable lessons for Arizona, the Cardinals

February 3

Arizona Republic

columnist Dan Bickley

"Incredulity is in the air. Nap Town is alive and thriving. The urban Super Bowl is a huge success, where everything is in walking distance, and everyone feels the electricity. These are high times for Hoosiers, who may be the luckiest sports fans in history. And there are lessons to be learned for Arizona, the Cardinals and our own Super Bowl host committee. First, imagine being a Colts fan, treated to 13 wonderful years of Peyton Manning. Following one awful season, they are about to hitch their wagon to a worthy successor, Andrew Luck. That could mean nearly three decades of elite quarterback play, at a time when Miami is still trying to replace Dan Marino, when the Broncos are still"

Sunday could be Osi's final game with Blue

February 3

New York Post

columnist George Willis

"Osi Umenyiora insisted it was all an innocent mistake. He didn't realize the media interview session Wednesday morning was mandatory or that his absence would create all the fuss it did. He simply wanted to spend some time with his family. That's his story and he's sticking to it. "It cost me a lot of money," Umenyiora said of the $20,000 fine he incurred for skipping the session. "I'm sorry about that. But at the end of the day, I don't know what I had to discuss with you guys between Tuesday's media day and Wednesday morning. It's not like we had a practice or anything like that.""

Cruz discusses championship hopes in Super Bowl diary

February 3

New York Post

columnist Victor Cruz

"We had one of our best practices of the year yesterday, and it strengthens my belief we are a Team of Destiny. Guys were flying around, and I loved the way we took care of business, in and out. We made very few mistakes. It was really high-energy and up-tempo. Eli Manning looked sharp. Today was our third-down day, and we converted a lot of them. He really led us today, and we were catching everything. The defense was yelling and running around and batting balls down. I have a really good feeling the way we've been practicing."

Foot injury can't stop Ahmad Bradshaw

February 2

New York Post

columnist George Willis

"Giants running backs coach Jerald Ingram was trying to describe the kind of pain Ahmad Bradshaw endures from his injured feet. "For the average person who stubbed their toe on the bed, he feels that way all day long," Ingram said. That's why it was a good sign Bradshaw was able to take part in the Giants' first practice of Super Bowl week yesterday, even if it was on a limited basis. If he had sat out, it wouldn't have been surprising because Bradshaw has been limited to about one practice a week since re-injuring his surgically repaired feet midway through the season."

Plaxico Burress predicts a Big Blue win Sunday

February 2

New York Post

columnist Steve Serby

"Plaxico Burress once again is picking the Giants to win the Super Bowl. And sounds very much like he misses his old quarterback and old team. "I think they're gonna go out and play Giant football," Burress told The Post. "One thing about it, they're gonna be well-coached, they're gonna be ready for whatever the Patriots throw at them, and I think Coach Belichick is gonna be ready also. "It's gonna be a chess match, it's gonna be a great game. I wouldn't expect anything less than for it to come down in the last couple of minutes with both quarterbacks to have the ball in their hand to go down and win it.""

Don't worry Packers fans, be happy

February 2

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

columnist Tyler Dunne

"For once, the hoopla is justified. The exhausting dissection of two players is worth every second of airtime. This year's Super Bowl script is made for cinema. Eli Manning is gunning for his second title . . . in his brother's backyard. Tom Brady is gunning for his fourth ring . . . and revenge. These are two quarterbacks at their peaks of their games on the world's biggest stage. Please, by all means. Bring on the madness. So even though the Green Bay Packers are not here, they shouldn't be grieving. If anything, maybe there's slight embarrassment in having to play in a half-speed, impossible-to-watch Pro Bowl game. Because in real football, tackle football, the Packers should contend"

No easy way for Colts, Irsay to say goodbye to Peyton Manning

February 2

Indianapolis Star

columnist Bob Kravitz

"After Peter Pocklington traded hockey icon Wayne Gretzky in 1988, the one-time Edmonton Oilers owner was overwhelmed with death threats, "hundreds of them," he said from his home in Palm Desert, Calif. After Carmen Policy dealt quarterback great Joe Montana in 1993, the former San Francisco 49ers executive said the public view of him changed -- forever. "I had a pretty good reputation and persona in the Bay Area," he said recently from his home in the Napa Valley. "But when I'd go out, I could see it and feel it. People wouldn't be rude, but they were looking at me like, 'How could you do it? How could you do it?' ""

Belichick & Brady — the best?

February 2

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

columnist Bernie Miklasz

"It began as a violent but routine NFL hit, with New York Jets linebacker Mo Lewis breaking free to slam New England quarterback Drew Bledsoe to the ground. Little did anyone realize the true magnitude of the blow. Lewis not only rearranged Bledsoe's shoulder, but he dramatically changed the course of NFL history. The date was Sept. 30, 2001. When the injured Bledsoe checked out, an obscure second-year quarterback named Tom Brady entered in relief, and the Patriots lost a 10-3 yawner. The Patriots slumped to 0-2 on the season. Head coach Bill Belichick, already fired in Cleveland, was struggling early in his second season at New England. At that point Belichick's NFL career head-coaching"

Denver deserves to host Super Bowl

February 2

Denver Post

columnist Mark Kiszla

"Once in our lifetime, the greatest sporting event in America needs to be played in the best sports city in the country. Bring the Super Bowl to Denver. "We are a city worthy of hosting the Super Bowl," Broncos president Joe Ellis said Wednesday. "It's definitely something we're looking at." While it should be noted that the No. 1 priority of the Broncos is getting back to the NFL championship game, regardless of where it's played, having the world's biggest football party in the backyard of franchise owner Pat Bowlen would be a fitting tribute to this sports-crazy town and his decades of commitment to the league."

Can't ignore models at Super Bowl

February 2

Indianapolis Star

columnist Phillip B. Wilson

"Perhaps some of you have heard of my friend, Troy. He runs around like a crazy man, smacks the crap out of people, and gets paid millions to do it. Like me, the dude takes special care of his hair. Take a look at the photo. Cool, huh? As much as I try to keep the blond spikes in order, this Troy guy has me beat with his black locks."

Giants hoping for a Super Groundhog Sunday vs. Patriots

February 2

New York Post

columnist Steve Serby

"Eli Manning wakes up Sunday morning and it's the Super Bowl, against Tom Brady and the Patriots. Tom Coughlin wakes up Sunday morning and it's the Super Bowl, against Bill Belichick and the Patriots. Brady wakes up Sunday morning and starts worrying about Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora. Today is Groundhog Day. For the Giants, Sunday is Super Groundhog Day."

Unnecessary bluntness by Brady

February 2

Buffalo News

columnist Jerry Sullivan

"Silly me. By Wednesday, with the Media Day circus over, I figured it would be safe to talk some actual football. The original plan was to ask the Giants about defending Tom Brady. I never expected to be defending Buffalo against him. It's not as if Bills fans need more reasons to despise Brady. Since taking over as the Patriots' quarterback, he has gone 18-2 against Buffalo. The Pats have won those games by an average score of about 30-10. Brady is a pretty boy with a supermodel wife. This is his fifth Super Bowl since the last time the Bills made the playoffs. Brady is the kid you hated in school, the one with the looks and the advantages, a reminder of your own pathetic irrelevance. But"

What will Eagles do about Jackson?

February 2

Courier-Post

columnist Geoff Moshier

"Now that Andy Reid has finalized his coaching staff and reviewed the past season, the Eagles' head coach is looking ahead to next season. Reid, who spoke for nearly an hour Tuesday in his long-awaited press conference, said the Eagles would once again be aggressive in free agency and look to capitalize on another outstanding crop of college talent available in late April's draft. One of first major roster decisions centers on mercurial wide receiver DeSean Jackson, whose contract will expire when the new league year begins at 4 p.m. on March 13."

If chips fall just right, Peyton Manning's place could be D.C.

February 2

Washington Times

columnist Dan Daly

"Picture Peyton Manning in a Washington Redskins uniform. Just entertain the possibility, even though there's no telling if it'll ever happen. Would he have to slip Terrence Austin a few bucks to gain proprietary rights to the number 18? So many thoughts rush through your head. Something is going to happen soon with Manning. It might happen as soon as next week, when the Super Bowl leaves town. The Indianapolis Colts have a decision to make regarding their franchise quarterback, and their franchise quarterback — and his doctors — have a decision to make about his surgically repaired neck and career prospects."

Ravens go overboard with Joe Flacco love-fest

February 2

Baltimore Sun

columnist Mike Preston

"After nearly 30 minutes, it was apparent that the theme of the "State of the Ravens" address was about kissing up to quarterback Joe Flacco. In the weeks leading up to the AFC championship, Flacco had talked about being underappreciated here in Baltimore and was concerned about his role in the offense. Some of the national experts were saying he was nothing more than a clock manager, and you could see it irritated Flacco. Inside The Castle, the coaching staff knew that Flacco hasn't handled criticism well, and they were hoping he continued to grow in that area. And in case he hadn't, the Ravens were prepared to slobber all over him with love Wednesday."

Giants must be ready to lay it all on the line

February 1

New York Post

columnist Steve Serby

"They know how to win a Super Bowl. The Giants champions who prevailed over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII told The Post yesterday the mindset they will take into Super Bowl XLVI Sunday to beat Tom Brady and Bill Belichick and the Patriots once again. "It's crazy. You have to have a real [feeling] like ... you're ready to die," defensive end Osi Umenyiora said. "There's no bigger game. The team you're playing against is one of the best teams in football, so you're not just going to go out there and walk all over them. You're going to have to fight with what you have. So knowing that, and knowing that if you lose this game, you might as well have not even made the playoffs if you lose this"

In God we trust ... our pastime

February 1

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

columnist Dejan Kovacevic

"If American culture has a heaven, then this must be that place times seven. The streets of Indiana's surprisingly sleek capital are decked out in Super Bowl bunting. The logos of the New England Patriots and New York Giants light up the sides of skyscrapers. And inside monstrous new Lucas Oil Stadium, more than 1,500 accredited journalists — some actually working — descended on players and coaches Tuesday as part of Media Day, which is now such a big deal it not only merits capital letters but also a corporate sponsor. (Clue: It's a certain energy drink looking to expand its brand beyond providing September baths to John Harbaugh.) This was a ton of fun, too, even for the fans allowed"

Bill O'Brien lines up his future

February 1

Boston Herald

columnist Ron Borges

"Bill O'Brien's last day as a dishwasher will be Sunday. The following morning he will be Penn State's head coach, a job he accepted several weeks ago but treated as a side gig because the offense he coordinated in New England continued to pester opposing defenses so effectively that it, and he, are otherwise occupied Super Bowl week even though today is national signing day. The position in which O'Brien finds himself may seem difficult to some, but not to O'Brien. He is a guy who understands his role today, Sunday and when a new day dawns on Monday."

Three-week-old daughter gives Cruz Super strength

February 1

New York Post

columnist Victor Cruz

"I don't want to pinch myself, so I can stay in the moment and soak it all in. It's been an amazing journey for me, and I don't want it to end. Yesterday was a whirlwind with Media Day. It was exciting to see what it was all about. They got me to dance the salsa, of course, that was pretty cool, and a TV lady from Azteca Sports asked me to put on a sombrero and say hi to everybody in Mexico — saludos a Mexico! I signed a deal with IMG, which was huge for me to have someone like that market my off-the-field stuff and all the ventures I want to do and a lot of stuff I've dreamed about doing. It's the start of something special."

So much on the line

February 1

Boston Herald

columnist Karen Guregian

"Despite being off limits to the media most of the season, offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia still has plenty to say about his star pupils. We finally got to him yesterday. Here's a sample: On Logan Mankins: "He's taken on the leadership role. He's an outstanding player, a good person and a pleasure to coach in many respects." On Matt Light: "He plays a very tough position and he's been a consistent player and leader on this football team for a long time. We're all very glad that he did come back to us and he's had a nice year.""

Reid: Am I still the best guy for the job?

February 1

CSN Philly

columnist Reuben Frank

"Andy Reid looked in the mirror and didn't like what he saw. He saw a coach whose team went 8-8 last year and didn't make the playoffs. He saw a coach who hasn't won a playoff game since 2008 and has won just three in the last seven years. He saw a coach who's 0 for 13 trying to win a Super Bowl. He saw a coach whose owner admitted he considered firing him. So for the past month, Reid has evaluated every facet of his football team – the players, the coaches, the schemes, yes. Most of all, himself."

No way Cowboys pursue Peyton; 'Romo's not the problem'

February 1

Dallas Morning News

columnist Kevin Sherrington

"On if the Cowboys could consider pursuing Peyton Manning if he's cut by the Colts: Sherrington : No, he's not going to do that, especially because Jerry doesn't want to pay anybody anyway and Peyton's going to cost a lot of money. Even on a one-year deal, he'll cost a lot. There's no way the Colts will bring him back — I wouldn't bring him back either for a $28 million bonus on top of everything for a guy that's clearly at the end of his career. He had an injury that was career threatening and may still be. You've got a chance to draft Andrew Luck, just hand that job to him. So do the Cowboys [go after Manning]? No. Tony Romo's not the problem here. The problem is the talent around Tony,"

Doesn't sound like Emery knows how to judge a coach

February 1

Chicago Tribune

columnist Steve Rosenbloom

"Phil Emery got so revved up that he forgot reality. No, wait, Emery didn't get revved up at his introductory news conference. Emery seems incapable of getting revved up. So, maybe Emery was just so focused on offering snappy catchphrases about "leadership'' instead of coming off as the guy in charge that he lost track of the truth. Or at least a clue. Emery was asked whether he could fire coach Lovie Smith, which we know he can't do until next year because that's what team president Ted Phillips said because presumably that's what Viginia McCaskey told him to say."

For Herzlich, beating cancer the real victory

February 1

New York Post

columnist Mike Vaccaro

"When Mark Herzlich first noticed the pain in his left leg, he did what most 21-year-old kids — and the rest of us, too, be honest — would do. He ignored it. He waited for it to go away. He was a football player, after all. A day without pain for a football player is a day they don't try very hard. "But then," Herzlich said, "it wouldn't go away." It wasn't a dull ache anymore, either, but a shooting pain. It wasn't going away. And it was impossible to ignore. "I was naïve," Herzlich said. "And maybe a little scared.""

Nate Collins, marvels at Victor Cruz's path to stardom

February 1

New York Daily News

columnist Mike Lupica

"It was the spring of 2010 and they were roommates at a Meadowlands hotel for more than a month, a couple of undrafted free agents, telling each other at night what they were going to do with the Giants if they ever got a chance. Nate Collins was a defensive lineman out of Virginia, Victor Cruz was a wide receiver out of UMass, a couple of dreamers trying to make it through Organized Team Activities, known as OTAs, and rookie mini-camps, make it to training camp in Albany and then somehow into the big time. "Yeah, we talked about our dreams every single night when we'd get back to the room," Nate Collins was saying Tuesday, with the Jaguars now, having gone there from the Giants' practice"

Eli Manning could be in store for a record day against Patriots

February 1

New York Daily News

columnist Gary Myers

"Eli Manning will pick up his second Super Bowl trophy on Sunday night against the defensively challenged Patriots. While he's at it, he could make a place for himself in the Super Bowl record book for most passing yards. The Giants' strength is throwing the ball. The Patriots' weakness comes anytime the ball is put in the air. Manning is going to torch the Patriots secondary. New England gave up the second-most passing yards in NFL history this season, and Manning threw for nearly 5,000 yards. The Patriots' pass defense is made for the Giants' pass offense. "We understand that's a position and spot we can capitalize on," Victor Cruz said Tuesday. "Hopefully, that's a spot we can exploit a"

Manning's health pushing Dolphins to Plan B

February 1

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

columnist Dave Hyde

"It sounds like the first hope for the Dolphins this off-season won't make it past the first hurdle. I was trying to hang onto this idea, but reports from respected writers like Sports Illustrated's Peter King and Yahoo!'s Jason Cole underline how Manning's recovery from neck surgery isn't progressing as hoped. Cole quotes two sources supporting Rob Lowe's idea that Manning will retire. Manning continues to rehab and work hard so there must be some thought of his returning. He also said Tuesday afternoon on ESPN that, "Everything looks good...that I'll be cleared and ready to go.""

Ravens should wrap up Flacco sooner than later

February 1

Baltimore Sun

columnist Peter Schmuck

"This may sound strange, but whatever doubts that may have lingered about Joe Flacco's future as the Ravens franchise quarterback should have been stripped away the moment New England Patriots rookie Sterling Moore stripped Lee Evans of what should have been an AFC-title-winning touchdown catch. Sorry to have to remind you of that awful moment. It probably still stings to think about it. But Flacco outplayed Tom Brady and put the ball right where it was supposed to be with the Super Bowl on the line in a hostile stadium against a team that was a decided favorite going into the game. It doesn't get much more clutch than that, though that pass to Torrey Smith in Pittsburgh was pretty"

Life's a fiesta for Pats' Gronkowski, day by day

February 1

Buffalo News

columnist Jerry Sullivan

"The first thing you noticed, as Rob Gronkowski walked across the field toward his personal media station, was that his cap was on backwards. Then, as his lower body came into view, you saw that he no longer had a walking boot on his lower left leg. You could sense the optimism rising in the hearts of New England fans as Gronkowski settled into his seat in Lucas Oil Field for his first Super Bowl media day. Gronk was walking without the boot! Maybe he really is a fast healer and will be ready for Sunday's game with the Giants. How are you feeling, he was asked? "Good," Gronkowski said. "How are you feeling? I'm good. I'm just going day by day. Working with my training staff and improving"

Former Texans QB David Carr gives Super Bowl XLVI a familiar look

February 1

Houston Chronicle

columnist John McClain

"Quarterback David Carr beat his former team to the Super Bowl. Carr, who backs up Eli Manning, will receive a Super Bowl ring if the New York Giants defeat New England on Sunday. The Texans, who made Carr the first pick in the 2002 draft, made the playoffs for the first time this season. They won the AFC South and defeated Cincinnati in a playoff game before losing at Baltimore. "I was very happy for them, especially for (owner) Mr. (Bob) McNair," Carr said during Tuesday's media day. "He deserves everything that comes to them, like the playoffs. "Hopefully, someday, they'll be in the Super Bowl. I know Mr. McNair really cares, and he wants to bring a Super Bowl winner to Houston. They've"

January 31

Boston Herald

columnist Ron Borges

"On the sidelines one turns red while the other seems perpetually gray. That may be the biggest difference between Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick, and perhaps the only one that separates them on a football field or in a meeting room. Outwardly, Coughlin is a boiling cauldron of emotions, slamming down his headset or play sheets when things go awry while Belichick stands stoically, his face and emotions hidden deep inside the shadowy folds of his signature hoodie. Belichick is Mt. Rushmore to Coughlin's Mt. Vesuvius."

Brady on brink of joining NFL legends

January 31

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

columnist Charean Williams

"While sitting in the stands at Candlestick Park, Tom Brady grew up dreaming of following in the footsteps of Joe Montana. He has done just that, only not in a San Francisco 49ers jersey. Brady has joined Montana, and a handful of others, in the conversation about the greatest quarterback ever. A victory by the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI would give Brady his fourth Super Bowl title. Only Montana and Terry Bradshaw have won that many. It also would give Brady his 17th postseason win, breaking a tie with Montana. "Honestly, I haven't really given much thought to any records or anything like that," Brady said after arriving in Indianapolis. "For me and for our team, it's really"

Pats' DT poses Giant threat to Eli & Co.

January 31

New York Post

columnist Mark Cannizzaro

"Go ahead and tell Vince Wilfork he's too fat and slow to be an every-down defensive lineman. Go ahead and do that, but do so at your own peril. You'll be quickly reminded that without Wilfork the Patriots would not be in Indianapolis this week preparing to play the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI. If you are deceived by Wilfork's appearance (he's listed at 6-foot-2, 325 pounds, but his weight is a lot closer to 400 than 300), you wouldn't be the first. Even Patriots coach Bill Belichick was deceived by Wilfork's — shall we say — husky appearance."

Could the move to extend Sensabaugh's contract inhibit the Cowboys?

January 31

Dallas Morning News

columnist Rainer Sabin

"When the Cowboys agreed to a five-year, $22.5 million contract extension with Gerald Sensabaugh in December, they made a longstanding commitment to a safety they had previously deemed worthy of a short-term investment. The transaction invited skepticism, in part because there wasn't a marked spike in Sensabaugh's performance. In fact, by the time the Giants finished off the Cowboys on New Year's Day, Sensabuagh had fewer passes defended and interceptions than he had accumulated the year before. He was also a featured member of a secondary that seemed as incapable of making consequential plays as it was prone to allowing them."

Sources fearful over Manning's ability to return

January 31

Yahoo! Sports

columnist Jason Cole

"For all the discussion over Peyton Manning's future with the Indianapolis Colts, the underlying issue is that people close to him don't believe he'll resume his career. The nerves in Manning's arm are not healing as quickly as hoped and, worse, don't appear to be progressing at enough of a rate to indicate that he will play again, according to two sources with knowledge of Manning's rehabilitation from neck surgery. The vertebrae in his neck that were fused have healed as expected and Manning began throwing in December. But he hasn't shown improvement in velocity on his passes, and the two sources fear he likely never will again."