NFL 2007/08 - Laber, Infos und mehr

Zitat von aceknox

aber belichick hat das die ganze saison so gecallt. lieber den 4. versuch ausspielen als nen langes fieldgoal versuchen. hatte vielleicht auch nicht sooo viel vertrauen in seinen kicker.

aba die haben doch nen richtig guten mit Janudingsda

hätte auch nicht bei 35 sec auf der Uhr und den Auszeiten fast 4 Hail Marys geworfen...aba egal Eli´s Pass für die Ewigkeit war eh nich zu toppen

Zitat von flitschi

Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy Signed To New Contract

posted 02/05/2008

The Green Bay Packers have signed Head Coach Mike McCarthy to a new, five-year contract that runs through the 2012 season.

wow ...sooo lange

egal

McCarthy: Favre decision 'probably a couple of weeks away'

By Andy Fenelon | NFL.com

KAPOLEI, Hawaii -- Brett Favre's decision on whether to retire or return to the Green Bay Packers for an 18th season is still "probably a couple of weeks away," says coach Mike McCarthy.
McCarthy, who signed a new five-year contract with the Packers on Tuesday, says he talks with his quarterback weekly and intends to talk with him in the next few days, but that he doesn't anticipate an answer, and isn't worried about it dragging out for months like it did last year.
"It would be a different team because you're talking about a guy that's led the football team for 17 years," said McCarthy, who's in Hawaii coaching the NFC team in the Pro Bowl. "But it's a change that's inevitable. His career will go down as one of the greatest in the history of the National Football League. It's going to change and we're prepared for that with the progress of Aaron Rodgers."
Rodgers showed great progress in his third NFL season. He played a good portion of the Week 13 loss at Dallas when Favre got injured, performing at a high level and keeping the Packers in the game to the end.
Still, the Packers would like to hold off on the start of the Aaron Rodgers era for at least one more season.
"I hope (Favre returns), I just don't know if he will," tackle Chad Clifton said. "When you take away someone who's been there 17 years and is the face of the team ... but we don't want to think about that. We just keep our hopes up that he's coming back."
Favre was voted to his ninth Pro Bowl this year but declined the offer and instead headed home to Hattiesburg, Miss., to spend time with his family and contemplate his future. He was replaced by Tampa Bay's Jeff Garcia.

Packers.com » News » Stories » February 8, 2008: 'Favorite Fives' of 2007: Top Pass Plays At Home

Steelers staying with grass at Heinz Field

Associated Press

Paul Spinelli/Getty ImagesUnseasonably heavy rains soaked Heinz Field for the Steelers' Nov. 26 game against Miami.

PITTSBURGH -- The Heinz Field maintenance crew won't be throwing away those "Keep Off The Grass" signs after all.
The Pittsburgh Steelers gave into their players' wishes and will keep their grass field, though it may not necessarily be the field that is currently in place.
While the Heinz Field surface is regularly rated by NFL players as one of the league's worst, a large number of Steelers players lobbied the team to keep the grass because they are convinced it reduces injuries.
"The majority of our players have told us that they prefer natural grass to any artificial surface," Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement issued Monday. "Grass is also the preference of our coaches and athletic staff. We discussed this with the University of Pittsburgh to make sure everyone is comfortable moving forward."
Gregory Shamus / Getty ImagesSteelers running back Willie Parker has been outspoken in his support of keeping grass at Heinz Field.
Pitt athletic director Steve Pederson also said the school favored grass. Pitt also plays its home games at Heinz Field, which opened in 2001.
"We have had in-depth conversations about the playing surface at Heinz Field since the completion of the season," Pederson said. "After the review, we all agreed that we are committed to a natural grass surface. We appreciate the great job the staff at Heinz Field has done to have the field ready for our games."
The Steelers currently use a grass surface called DD GrassMaster that has reinforcing strands of artificial fibers interwoven with natural grass. The team has not said if it will keep that surface or put down a different type of grass.
The Steelers received considerable criticism after a newly installed layer of sod became swamped by unseasonably heavy rain during their Nov. 26 game against Miami. There was standing water several inches deep, resulting in a nearly unplayable surface.
Both offenses stalled nearly the entire game, and the Steelers scored the only points on Jeff Reed's 24-yard field goal with 17 seconds remaining -- the first time in 64 years an NFL game went that long without any points.
After that game, the Steelers said they would study installing an artificial surface for the 2008 season. The stadium is used for an average of 22 games per game, including all home games by the Steelers and the University of Pittsburgh and at least five high school games.
However, Steelers running back Willie Parker -- the NFL's leading rusher at the time -- broke his right leg while cutting on artificial turf Dec. 20 in St. Louis.
Without Parker, the Steelers had almost no running game while losing their final regular-season game to Baltimore and their only playoff game, a last-minute 31-29 home-field loss to Jacksonville.
That injury may have swayed some in the Steelers' front office who were beginning to become convinced that, because of the heavy pounding the field takes each season, that switching to artificial turf would create a more uniform surface. It also would allow more non-football events to be held there each season.
But in a postseason interview with The Associated Press on Jan. 7, Steelers chairman Dan Rooney said the NFL was pleased with the grass surface for the playoff game.
"I think the grass held up really good," Rooney said.
Part of the Steelers' turf problems this past season resulted from rain or snow falling before or during each of their final four games.
After five high school and college games were played at Heinz Field in a 30-hour period Nov. 23-24, $150,000 worth of new sod was laid atop the permanent grass field within hours before the Dolphins-Steelers game.
But the new grass became inundated when 1 1/2 inches of rain fell before and during the Dolphins game, and the field didn't drain as usual because there were two layers of sod -- rather than the usual single layer -- above the drainage system.
There was heavy rain again the following week for the Bengals-Steelers game, but the new sod held up much better. The field was criticized again by some Jacksonville players after about a half-inch of snow fell during the Jaguars' 29-22 regular-season win at Heinz Field on Dec. 16.
"That's a lawsuit waiting to happen," Jaguars running back Fred Taylor said.
However, once the field finally dried out during a two-week gap without games, conditions were much better for Jacksonville's return visit on Jan. 5, although light rain fell during that playoff game.

Zitat von aceknox

that´s why i hate the patriots

SI.com - NFL - Goodell tells Specter that Pats have taped since '00 - Wednesday February 13, 2008 10:25PM

Punktabzug

Falcons release Crumpler, Leftwich, five others

Atlanta Falcons

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. –- The Atlanta Falcons released seven players on Friday including: tight end Alge Crumpler, quarterback <A href="http://www.nfl.com/players/byronl…le?id=LEF677964" _extended="true">Byron Leftwich</A _extended="true">, offensive tackle Wayne Gandy, cornerback Lewis Sanders, wide receiver Jamin Elliott, linebacker Marcus Wilkins and defensive tackle Rod Coleman.
Dale Zanine / US PRESSWIREAlge Crumpler led the Falcons in receptions and receiving yardage three times in his career.
“This is a difficult day for the entire organization,” Falcons General Manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “A number of these players have contributed to this organization on and off the field at a high level and we greatly appreciate their efforts. These decisions weren’t easy, but we felt they were necessary to build a team in the long-term best interest of the Falcons and its fans.”
“As a football coach it is never easy to cut any player, especially veteran players who have been valuable members of the organization,” Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith said.
Crumpler was one of the Falcons' main offensive threats over the course of his seven-year career in Atlanta, catching 316 passes for 4,212 yards and 35 touchdowns. The tight end was a four-time Pro Bowl selection (2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006) and a two-time All-Pro (2003 and 2006). From 2004-06, Crumpler was the Falcons' leading receiver.
Leftwich was cut by the Jaguars after the 2007 preseason when David Garrard won the starting job. The Falcons signed the former first-round pick, who started two games, completing 55.2 percent of his passes for 279 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Coleman recorded 30 sacks in his four seasons with the Falcons. Gandy started 21 games over two seasons in Atlanta, while Sanders started six games in his only season with the Falcons.

Belichick denies taping St. Louis' walkthrough, apologizes for controversy

Associated Press

BOSTON -- Patriots coach Bill Belichick broke his silence on New England's twin taping controversies, denying he told anyone to tape the St. Louis Rams' walkthrough before Super Bowl XXXVI and apologizing for all the attention generated by Spygate.
Paul Jasienski / Getty ImagesBill Belichick broke his silence about the spying controversy and apologized for it being an issue.
Belichick also told the Boston Globe he "couldn't pick Matt Walsh out of a lineup." Walsh, a former Patriots employee, reportedly taped St. Louis' walkthrough practice the day before the Patriots beat the Rams 20-17 in the championship.
"In my entire coaching career, I've never seen another team's practice film prior to playing that team," Belichick said in a story posted on the Globe's Web site Sunday night. "I have never authorized, or heard of, or even seen in any way, shape, or form any other team's walkthrough. We don't even film our own."
Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli also told the newspaper that part of the reason Walsh was fired in January 2003 was because he secretly recorded conversations between himself and Pioli.
Michael Levy, Walsh's attorney, said Pioli's account was a "complete fabrication."
"This is a predictable and pathetic effort to smear Mr. Walsh's character rather than confront the truth about the Patriots' conduct," Levy said in the Globe story.
Levy has said his client is willing to turn over videotapes he made for the team if the NFL guarantees Walsh protection from lawsuits or other legal action.
Commissioner Roger Goodell has said he offered Walsh a deal requiring him "to tell the truth and he has to return anything he took improperly" in return for indemnity, but Levy has said the deal doesn't go far enough.
Goodell fined Belichick $500,000, the Patriots $250,000 and took away a first-round draft choice after the Patriots were caught taping New York Jets' coaches in last year's season opener, a 38-14 New England victory.
Belichick said he misinterpreted the rule, which he felt only prohibited taping that could be used during the same game.
He also apologized for the controversy the taping caused.
"I respect the integrity of the game and always have and always will," he said in the Globe story. "I regret that any of this, or to whatever extent, it has in any way brought that into question or discussion or debate. The decision was made by the commissioner, the practice was immediately stopped, and we're not doing it.
"Just going back over the whole taping incident, if I contacted the league and asked them about the practice, I'm sure they would have told me - as they have done - that it is not permissible. Then I could have avoided all of this.
"I take responsibility for it," he said. "Even though I felt there was a gray area in the rule and I misinterpreted the rule, that was my mistake and we've been penalized for it. I apologize to everybody that is involved - the league, the other teams, the fans, our team, for the amount of conversation and dialogue that it's caused."
The day before the Patriots' 17-14 loss to the New York Giants in this year's Super Bowl, the Boston Herald reported New England taped St. Louis' walkthrough before the first of the Patriots' three Super Bowl victories. In a walkthrough, teams practice plays at a slower pace than normal without pads or helmets.
Patriots spokesman Stacey James did not return phone calls or an e-mail seeking comment Sunday night.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.

New England declines to place franchise tag on Moss

Associated Press

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots did not designate Randy Moss as a franchise player Thursday, but there was no word from the team on whether they had reached a contract agreement with the wide receiver or are allowing him to become a free agent.
Teams had until 4 p.m. to designate one player as a franchise player if they wished. Only 11 teams did that, not including the Patriots. If Moss and the Patriots have agreed to a multiyear contract, it cannot be announced until Feb. 29.
After taking a pay cut when he was traded by Oakland to New England last April, Moss had an outstanding season. He set the NFL record with 23 touchdown catches in a season and totaled 98 receptions for 1,493 yards.
He repeatedly has praised quarterback Tom Brady, who has said he wants Moss back.
Last year the Patriots designated cornerback Asante Samuel as a franchise player but agreed not to do it again this year

erstaunlich - sind die schnell - 25 Dollars

Packers president thinks Favre is coming back for 18th year

Associated Press

MILWAUKEE -- New Packers president Mark Murphy believes Brett Favre will return to Green Bay for another run at the Super Bowl.
"My guess is that he's going to come back," Murphy said Wednesday at a Milwaukee Press Club luncheon. "The team has gotten better around him and is in a position to really do great things next year."
A message left with Favre's agent, Bus Cook, wasn't immediately returned.
Brett Favre, QB
<A href="http://www.nfl.com/teams/profile?team=GB" _extended="true">Green Bay Packers</A _extended="true">
2007 Statistics
Att: 535
Comp: 356
Yards: 4,155
TD/INT: 28/15
Favre had a renaissance season in 2007, setting numerous league records leading the NFL's youngest team to an NFC North division title and the NFC championship game at Lambeau Field.
Everything seemed aligned for the Packers and Favre to return to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1998, but Favre threw a costly overtime interception against the Giants. New York won 23-20 and went on to beat New England in the Super Bowl.
Murphy, who played eight years in the NFL with the Redskins from 1977-84, said that Favre continues his annual rite of winter in Wisconsin because it's hard to prepare for the rigors of another season.
"When we watch the games on Sunday, you see the joy and how much fun he has with the game and obviously he's still playing at a high level," Murphy said. "What you don't see is all the work that he has to do all through the offseason. The training and the grind of it."
Murphy, the former Northwestern athletic director who formally replaced Bob Harlan as the Packers' top executive on Jan. 28, said he anticipates a decision in the coming days.
"I think he still enjoys it, particularly the games, and he has a passion for it, but it's not as easy of a decision as some people might think," Murphy said.
Most of Murphy's major franchise decisions were made before he formally took over, with Harlan locking up general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy to five-year deals in the wake of the successful season.
"Bob was really smart, and I supported it, locking both of them up with long-term contracts right as we made the transition," Murphy said. "I really feel good about the future of the Packers. I think that has really given me the luxury of time. I don't feel the organization is broken in any way."
Instead, Murphy said the early part of his tenure as team president will center on league issues, including the collective bargaining agreement and revenue sharing.
"There's a level, a sense that the agreement is costing the clubs a lot more than they would like, more than the previous agreements have cost them, but I think it's all part of negotiation," he said.
Murphy has a unique perspective with any labor disputes on the horizon.
He was the assistant executive director of the NFL Players Association for four years after his playing career ended, including during the 1987 strike.
"If you look back over the history, one of the biggest changes in the relationship between the owners and the Players Association was the '87 strike," said Murphy, who credits former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and union boss Gene Upshaw for mending fences to establish a good working relationship that resonates today.
Of course, big labor issues mean much less than championships in Titletown, the league's smallest outpost.
And Murphy, a former defensive back, said the Packers have their best shot to win again with Favre, who threw for 4,155 yards last season with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions to earn his ninth Pro Bowl nod.
"If Brett Favre comes back, as I said before, I do think it gives us our best chance to win a Super Bowl next year, just with his experience, his knowledge of the game and his leadership ability," Murphy said. "Nothing that a defense does to him fazes him or surprises him. He really can take advantage of defenses when they leave themselves vulnerable."