Tomorrow I return to work at my volunteer job at the Closter Borough Hall. A rainy dreary day today. I went to get a physical checkup and got a flu shot today. We have some surprising breaking news regarding the Denver Broncos as the Broncos and head coach John Fox have parted ways. The following information is from two articles, the first one from Pro Football Talk NBC Sports and the second one from the NFL. That escalated quickly. A day after losing in the playoffs, the Broncos are now looking for a head coach. According to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, Fox and the Broncos have agreed to mutually part ways. This move seemed like it was coming with the reports and counter-reports about his future there, and how it related to the future of quarterback Peyton Manning. Now, he’ll rocket to the top of the lists for teams looking for head coaches, and Chicago and Atlanta figure to be of particular interest to him. Fox went 46-18 in four years with the Broncos, after a 73-71 stint with the Panthers. Whether or not Sundays Divisional Round loss marks Peyton Mannings final performance in Denver, it will be stand as John Foxs last game on the Broncos sideline. NFL Medias Jeff Darlington and NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport report, per a team source, the Broncos and Fox are parting ways. Although general manager John Elway insisted Sunday that Fox was coming back, there were whispers around the league last week that the move could be forthcoming if the Broncos couldnt get past the Colts. Its not clear yet if the decision is connected to the futures of Manning and offensive coordinator Adam Gase. With Gase gaining momentum as a head-coaching candidate, Manning was faced with the prospect of learning a new offense if he decides to return for an 18th NFL season. Fox is now free to interview with the 49ers, Bears, Bills, Falcons and Raiders for their own vacancies. Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning has reportedly been playing with a torn quad injury the last month of the season. The following information is from an article from Yahoo Sports: It turns out Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning was dealing with a pretty serious injury. ESPNs Adam Schefter, citing two sources, reported that Manning tore his quad against the San Diego Chargers on Dec. 14. The Broncos knew about the injury, but Manning did what he could to intentionally conceal the injury from as many people as he could, Schefter said. In that game Manning went straight to the locker room after trying to throw a block on a run by C.J. Anderson, but Schefter said Manning hurt his thigh rolling out right on a completion to Emmanuel Sanders earlier in the second quarter. He stayed in the game after that play. On the other hand, Vic Lombardi of CBS 4 in Denver emphatically said sources told him it was not a tear, just a strain. Either way, a serious injury could change the perception on Manning and his future. If Manning had a serious quad injury that could heal in a long offseason, could he return and play like he did in the first half of this season? Its possible. That is, if he decides to return. He sounded very unsure about whether he wanted to play again next season, although that might have been due to the emotions of a heartbreaking 24-13 playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Manning was asked if he was healthy after the game on Sunday. He did not divulge that he was seriously injured, and in fact downplayed the thigh injury. It’s hung around but I felt like I tried to manage it, Manning said. I felt like I could manage it. Completed some passes, won some games with it. So just — it hung around, just that one thigh, but there is nothing more to it than that. And I thought — felt good with it coming into the day. Why he didnt say anything about the severity of the injury can be interpreted in a number of ways. Maybe he didnt want to make excuses for a performance in which he was dreadful throwing downfield, and only passed the 200-yard mark on the last play of the game. If Mannings struggles can be attributed to the quad injury — and there can be some debate there, because the Broncos started to dial back his role in the offense and give more to Anderson well before Dec. 14 — then that might change outlook for the 2015 season. If he wants to come back. While were on the topic of Peyton Manning, Peyton Manning was noncommittal regarding his future for the 2015 season. The following information is from an article from Yahoo Sports: Peyton Manning hedged on returning next year to play for the Denver Broncos. Following a 24-13 loss to Indianapolis in the AFC divisional playoffs on Sunday, the 38-year-old, five-time MVP was asked if he planned to return for the 2015 season. I guess I just cant give that simple answer, Im processing it, Manning said. So, I cant say that. As recently as Christmas Eve, Manning said he planned on being back next season if the Broncos wanted him. Manning went 26 for 46 for 211 yards and a touchdown against the Colts. He struggled to find his rhythm, as has been the case since mid-November, when the Broncos started running the ball more. He said hes been dealing with a thigh bruise since the Dec. 14 game against the Chargers, but said it felt good enough to play with coming into the playoffs. Buffalo Bills officially have a new head coach today and it is a familiar face, Rex Ryan, the former head coach of the New York Jets. The following information is from an article from Yahoo Sports: Rex Ryan is officially going from Broadway to Buffalo. The Bills announced in a news release Monday that Ryan has been hired to take over as coach. The news came a day after the former New York Jets coach tentatively accepted the Bills contract offer. Ryan replaces Doug Marrone, who stepped down abruptly on Dec. 31. Rex brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the position that we feel will be a tremendous benefit to our players and the entire Bills organization, owner Terry Pegula said in a statement released by the team. He was very impressive during the interview process, as were many of the candidates to which we spoke. And we feel Rex is the best fit for our team. Ryan will be formally introduced during a press conference scheduled for Wednesday. The 52-year-old is a defensive specialist, and noted for a brash personality and having a deep loyalty to his players. Ryan had a 50-52 record, including 4-2 in the playoffs, in six seasons coaching the Bills AFC East rival. He was fired along with general manager John Idzik following a 4-12 finish last season. The Jets reached and lost the AFC Championship game in each of Ryans first two seasons, but failed to make the playoffs since. The Bills are already making plans to assist Ryan on offense. A person familiar with negotiations told The Associated Press that the Bills are finalizing contract discussions to hire Greg Roman as their offensive coordinator. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because Roman has not yet been signed. Roman spent the past four years as the San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator, and was among the 12 candidates interviewed by the Bills last week. He is regarded as a good fit under Ryan, because the two share a similar run-first philosophy. Ryans hiring provides stability to a team that endured a tumultuous 10-month stretch, which began when Hall of Fame owner Ralph Wilson died in March. Wilsons death raised concerns that the franchise might relocate under new owners before the Pegulas - who also own the NHL Buffalo Sabres - purchased the Bills for an NFL-record $1.4 billion in October. Then came Marrones surprising departure following a 9-7 finish. Buffalo matched its best record in a decade, but missed the playoffs to extend the NFLs longest active drought to 15 seasons. The second-year coach quit by exercising an opt-out clause in his contract that kicked in once the Bills were sold. Marrone, who will be paid $4 million this season by the Bills, had concerns of were where he fit in the teams hierarchy. The Pegulas had expressed interest in hiring a veteran NFL presence to oversee the teams football operations. Former Bills general manager Bill Polian was a candidate to fill the newly created position before informing the Pegulas on Jan. 1 that he preferred staying in broadcasting. Marrone, coincidentally, has interviewed with the Jets, where he previously served as the teams offensive line coach. The Bills became the first of six NFL teams to fill their coaching vacancy this offseason. Ryan was also a coaching candidate in Atlanta and San Francisco. In choosing the Bills, Ryan is following in the footsteps of former understudy, Mike Pettine, who left the Jets two years ago to become Buffalos defensive coordinator. Pettine spent a year in Buffalo before being hired to coach the Cleveland Browns. The Bills defense thrived under Pettine, and continued to be the teams strength under coordinator Jim Schwartz last season. Buffalo finished fourth in fewest yards allowed, and the defense produced three Pro Bowl linemen. Schwartz was a candidate for the Bills job, and his status is now uncertain under Ryan. Improving the Bills offense is Ryans top priority, and no different than the challenge he faced in New York. Buffalo finished 26th in yards gained last season, four spots behind the Jets. And the quarterback position was a concern for both teams, and involving two players selected in 2013 draft. The Jets faltered behind Geno Smith, who was eventually benched and replaced by Michael Vick for three games before finishing out the season. In Buffalo, EJ Manuel was benched after four games and replaced by 10-year journeyman Kyle Orton, who has since said he plans to retire. Manuel has two years left on his contract and is the only experienced starter on the roster. Tonight is the first ever College Football Playoff National Game between (4)Ohio State and (2)Oregon- 8:30pm ESPN Here is some insight on the game tonight from an article from Yahoo Sports: Ohio State and Oregon will meet in a game that has never been played for a trophy that has never been raised. The winner Monday night in North Texas can be called the truest champion in the history of major college football. The first College Football Playoff national championship game matches the second-seeded Ducks and fourth-seeded Buckeyes at AT&T Stadium. Its college football history, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said Sunday during a news conference with Oregon coach Mark Helfrich, with that new championship trophy sitting in between them. The days of bowls, polls and the BCS having the final say about who is No. 1 are over. The playoff that fans wanted for so long - and finally got - will determine a champion without a doubt. Oregon (13-1) and its Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota are in search of the programs first national title, the last remaining goal for a school that has barged onto the national stage over the last two decades with ostentatious flare and flashy uniforms. Ohio State (13-1) is shooting for national championship No. 5, but the first under coach Urban Meyer, who returned to his home state three years ago to take over a college football goliath that was looking to start its next golden age. Traditional rich vs. cutting edge. The Ducks from the Pac-12 raced into the championship game with an emphatic 59-20 victory against Florida State last week at the Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes from the Big Ten upset Alabama 42-35 at the Sugar Bowl to cap an improbable rebound from an early season loss and injuries to two star quarterbacks. This is much more of a business trip, this time around, Ohio State All-America defensive end Joey Bosa said. Last week we went, we hung out and had some fun. This week its all about business; no going out, no messing around. Were just preparing. Ohio State has won 12 straight since stumbling at home to Virginia Tech in September. The Ducks have won nine in a row since, all by double-digit margins, since losing to Arizona in October. Weve been playing, both our program and Ohio State have played with that kind of early loss, and your back was against the wall to get to this point every play of every game, the entire rest of the season, it was to the those words: do or die, Helfrich said. For decades college footballs best team was picked by poll voters and postseason matchups were set with little regard for determining a national champion. The Bowl Championship Series was implemented in 1998, a system designed to create a No. 1 vs. No. 2 national championship game to end the season. It was an awkward and imperfect step in the right direction, often leaving everyone involved unsatisfied. The conference commissioners who ran the BCS relented a couple of years ago and decided to create a four-team playoff. Here are some things to know about the ultimate winner-take-all-game: SUPER MARIOTA Mariota can become the seventh Heisman Trophy winner since 1996 to win the national championship in the same season he won the Heisman. Florida States Jameis Winston did it last season. Another victory in what is very likely his last college game would top off a career that can go down as one of the best in college football history. Mariota has thrown for 10,463 yards, 103 touchdowns passes and just 13 interceptions while winning 35 games in three seasons as Oregons starter. Our No. 1 concern is their quarterback, Meyer said. The Buckeyes hope to contain the fast-moving Mariota with a defensive line, led by Bosa, that is among the best in the nation. Theyve got an awesome front seven, Mariota said. Big, physical guys that really control the line of scrimmage. MEYERS MILESTONE Meyer can become the second coach in college football history to win national championships with two schools, joining Nick Saban, who won the BCS title in 2003 with LSU and then three more titles with Alabama. Meyer won national titles with Florida in 2006 and 2008. A third championship would make Meyer the ninth coach in college footballs poll era (dating to 1936) to win at least three championships. Bear Bryant leads with the six he won at Alabama. MISSING The Ducks will be down their most productive receiver over the last two games. Darren Carrington is ineligible after failing an NCAA administered drug test. He is second on the team in yards receiving with 704 and averages 19 yards per catch. Hes been especially good lately. In the Pac-12 championship game against Arizona and the Rose Bowl against Florida State, Carrington had 14 catches for 292 yards and three touchdowns. Oregon also lost Devon Allen, second on the team in catches (41) and touchdown receptions (seven), at the Rose Bowl to a knee injury. We dont have things in our system that its, hey, we need to throw this guy the ball in this play period, Helfrich said. That doesnt exist. OH-FER OHIO STATE This will be the ninth meeting between Oregon and Ohio State. The Buckeyes have won the previous eight. NFL Championship Game Match-ups: Both Conference Championship Games will be played on Sunday January 18th NFC Championship Game: (2)Green Bay Packers 12-4, 1-0 playoffs at (1)Seattle Seahawks 12-4, 1-0 playoffs 3:05pm FOX AFC Championship Game: (4)Indianapolis Colts 11-5, 2-0 playoffs at (1)New England Patriots 12-4, 1-0 playoffs 6:30pm CBS Lets take at look at the season schedules for the four remaining teams to see how they each got to this point. Seattle Seahawks 12-4: Week 1- Thursday September 4: Seattle Seahawks 36 Green Bay Packers 16 Week 2- San Diego Chargers 30 Seattle Seahawks 21 Week 3- Seattle Seahawks 26 Denver Broncos 20- Overtime Week 4- BYE Week 5- Monday October 6- Seattle Seahawks 27 Washington Redskins 17 Week 6- Dallas Cowboys 30 Seattle Seahawks 23 Week 7- St. Louis Rams 28 Seattle Seahawks 26 Week 8- Seattle Seahawks 13 Carolina Panthers 9 Week 9- Seattle Seahawks 30 Oakland Raiders 24 Week 10- Seattle Seahawks 38 New York Giants 17 Week 11- Kansas City Chiefs 24 Seattle Seahawks 20 Week 12- Seattle Seahawks 19 Arizona Cardinals 3 Week 13- Thanksgiving Day- Seattle Seahawks 19 San Francisco 49ers 3 Week 14- Seattle Seahawks 24 Philadelphia Eagles 14 Week 15- Seattle Seahawks 17 San Francisco 49ers 7 Week 16- Seattle Seahawks 35 Arizona Cardinals 6 Week 17- Seattle Seahawks 20 St. Louis Rams 6 Divisional Playoffs: Seattle Seahawks 31 Carolina Panthers 17 Green Bay Packers 12-4: Week 1- Thursday September 4- Seattle Seahawks 36 Green Bay Packers 16 Week 2- Green Bay Packers 31 New York Jets 24 Week 3- Detroit Lions 19 Green Bay Packers 7 Week 4- Green Bay Packers 38 Chicago Bears 17 Week 5- Thursday October 2- Green Bay Packers 42 Minnesota Vikings 10 Week 6- Green Bay Packers 27 Miami Dolphins 24 Week 7- Green Bay Packers 38 Carolina Panthers 17 Week 8- New Orleans Saints 44 Green Bay Packers 23 Week 9- BYE Week 10- Green Bay Packers 55 Chicago Bears 14 Week 11- Green Bay Packers 53 Philadelphia Eagles 20 Week 12- Green Bay Packers 24 Minnesota Vikings 21 Week 13- Green Bay Packers 26 New England Patriots 21 Week 14- Monday December 8- Green Bay Packers 43 Atlanta Falcons 37 Week 15- Buffalo Bills 21 Green Bay Packers 13 Week 16- Green Bay Packers 20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3 Week 17- Green Bay Packers 30 Detroit Lions 20 Divisional Playoffs: Green Bay Packers 26 Dallas Cowboys 21 New England Patriots 12-4: Week 1- Miami Dolphins 33 New England Patriots 20 Week 2- New England Patriots 30 Minnesota Vikings 7 Week 3- New England Patriots 16 Oakland Raiders 9 Week 4- Monday September 29- Kansas City Chiefs 41 New England Patriots 14 Week 5- New England Patriots 43 Cincinnati Bengals 17 Week 6- New England Patriots 37 Buffalo Bills 22 Week 7- Thursday October 16- New England Patriots 27 New York Jets 25 Week 8- New England Patriots 51 Chicago Bears 23 Week 9- New England Patriots 43 Denver Broncos 21 Week 10- BYE Week 11- New England Patriots 42 Indianapolis Colts 20 Week 12- New England Patriots 34 Detroit Lions 9 Week 13- Green Bay Packers 26 New England Patriots 21 Week 14- New England Patriots 23 San Diego Chargers 14 Week 15- New England Patriots 41 Miami Dolphins 13 Week 16- New England Patriots 17 New York Jets 16 Week 17- Buffalo Bills 17 New England Patriots 9 Divisional Playoffs: New England Patriots 35 Baltimore Ravens 31 Indianapolis Colts 11-5: Week 1- Denver Broncos 31 Indianapolis Colts 24 Week 2- Monday September 15- Philadelphia Eagles 30 Indianapolis Colts 27 Week 3- Indianapolis Colts 44 Jacksonville Jaguars 17 Week 4- Indianapolis Colts 41 Tennessee Titans 17 Week 5- Indianapolis Colts 20 Baltimore Ravens 13 Week 6- Thursday October 9- Indianapolis Colts 33 Houston Texans 28 Week 7- Indianapolis Colts 27 Cincinnati Bengals 0 Week 8- Pittsburgh Steelers 51 Indianapolis Colts 34 Week 9- Monday November 3- Indianapolis Colts 40 New York Giants 24 Week 10- BYE Week 11- New England Patriots 42 Indianapolis Colts 20 Week 12- Indianapolis Colts 23 Jacksonville Jaguars 3 Week 13- Indianapolis Colts 49 Washington Redskins 27 Week 14- Indianapolis Colts 25 Cleveland Browns 24 Week 15- Indianapolis Colts 17 Houston Texans 10 Week 16- Dallas Cowboys 42 Indianapolis Colts 7 Week 17- Indianapolis Colts 27 Tennessee Titans 10 Wildcard: Indianapolis Colts 26 Cincinnati Bengals 10 Divisional Playoffs: Indianapolis Colts 24 Denver Broncos 13 NFL Playoff Scores Recap: Wildcard Round: Saturday January 3rd: Carolina Panthers 27 Arizona Cardinals 16 Baltimore Ravens 30 Pittsburgh Steelers 17 Sunday January 4th: Indianapolis Colts 26 Cincinnati Bengals 10 Dallas Cowboys 24 Detroit Lions 20 Divisional Playoffs: Saturday January 10th: New England Patriots 35 Baltimore Ravens 31 Seattle Seahawks 31 Carolina Panthers 17 Sunday January 11th: Green Bay Packers 26 Dallas Cowboys 21 Indianapolis Colts 24 Denver Broncos 13 Conference Championship Schedule: Sunday January 18th: NFC Championship Game: (2)Green Bay Packers 12-4, 1-0 playoffs at (1)Seattle Seahawks 12-4, 1-0 playoffs 3pm FOX AFC Championship Game: (4)Indianapolis Colts 11-5, 2-0 playoffs at (1)New England Patriots 12-4, 1-0 playoffs 6:30pm CBS Super Bowl XLIX: NFC Champion vs. AFC Champion Sunday February 1st 6:30pm NBC- From University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale Arizona. Things are getting interesting now in the NFL.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 22:32:47 +0000
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