New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marques Colston underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday.
Coach Sean Payton announced the procedure on Colston’s right knee today at his press conference, and while he didn’t rule him out for Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, that would seem to be a real stretch.
The important factor for the Saints is having a healthier Colston for the playoffs. It’s much more reasonable that he’ll be in good shape for the team’s likely wild-card round game. Colston leads the Saints with 84 receptions for 1,023 yards and seven touchdowns.
I’ve been trying to get a hold of a highly rated senior for 6 months now. Letters, emails, texts, and calls to both him and his parents. However, I wasn’t getting any love in return. Then finally, out of nowhere, a text that read, “Hey Jack it’s Xxxxxx Xxxxx (the player) here. Can you call me in 15 minutes?” Finally, a breakthrough, just a few days before his bowl game and before he could sign with another agent.
Fourteen minutes later I called the prospect and the conversation went positively in my favor. We talked about a Combine training plan, my services and his needs. He did tell me that he had only spoke to one other agent and that he thought he was initially going to go with him. After a few more phone calls and texts, he told me to call his mom and that he was going to go with me.
Agents like Arli$$ and Bob Sugar tell you what you want to hear, not what you need to hear.
Definitive plans were in place to meet after his game and get the paperwork done. Then, something odd happened. He called me back a few hours later and said “Hey Jack, bad news, I am going with the other agent (who I know).” When I asked him “why the sudden change?”, he said (and this is his direct quote), “XXXX (other agent) represents xxxx xxxx (a GM of an AFC team) and I really want to play for the xxxxx (the team that is located close to where he grew up). I then asked him, “did XXXX (the agent) tell you he can get you drafted to that team?” The prospect responded that the agent has the relationships to make it happen.
For those not in the business, it doesn’t work that way. Agents can’t and don’t dictate to GMs who to draft.
I didn’t want to get into telling the naive kid that he was being misled. I feel sorry for him that he is going to be guided by someone who is bull-shitting him right out of the gate. Oh well, wasn’t meant to be, I move on. There is nothing wrong with an agent representing coaches, General Managers, and players but when the agent, unbeknownst to all his clients, misleads a kid into believing that he can control the draft process, it’s downright sad. This stuff happens all of the time in the recruiting process.
For example, several years ago, a wide receiver from Utah State told me that he was going with another agent over me because he was the only agent who believed, and had the power to, get him drafted in the first round. He was eventually a third round pick.
In any competitive business there are people who will say anything to get the deal done. There seems to be an overabundance in this business.
For any players or parents reading this – an agent does NOT possess the power in getting you to a certain team via the draft. If they are telling you that, then you are being misled.
An agent CANNOT get you drafted higher than a team has you rated. We can give you all the best tools to be prepared, but we can’t manipulate the system. We can efficiently communicate important facts about a player to teams, but we don’t make the pick.
There is a reason why agents only get paid 3 percent and not 10 percent. If we could control the outcome of the team that drafts you and the round they do it in, we would get paid a lot more.
The Philadelphia Eagles are going to make certain Michael Vick is as rested as possible for the postseason.
The team will start backup quarterback Kevin Kolb on Sunday in the season finale against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Vick suffered a leg contusion on the first play of Tuesday night’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and was hobbled throughout the game.
The Eagles are locked into the No. 3 seed in the NFC, and are prioritizing having a fresh Vick ready for what could be a meeting with the Green Bay Packers or New York Giants in the wild-card round.
“I’m just preparing like I’m going to be (starting) and that way I’m ready to go if that’s what’s called,” Kolb said. “Really we're just missing by a hair here and there, but that’s the difference between winning and losing football games.”
It wouldn’t be a North Carolina football game in 2010 if Butch Davis’ squad once again wasn’t undermanned. But the Tar Heels are used to winning with a depleted roster, since expectations were tempered following an NCAA investigation regarding player-agent relationships as well as academic violations. Tennessee, meanwhile, went unbeaten in November to become bowl eligible in Derek Dooley’s first season in Knoxville after a rough first two months of the season. The Vols will enjoy a home-field advantage in this one — just another obstacle for the Tar Heels.
Here’s a closer look at the Tar Heels and Volunteers.
ICONT.J. Yates has answered his critics with a stellar senior season.
North Carolina (7-5, 4-4 ACC): With the exception of a disastrous four-interception effort against Virginia Tech, quarterback T.J. Yates really shined during his senior season after being the subject of much criticism throughout his career in Chapel Hill. His veteran savvy will be needed in this game, especially with the Tar Heels being so thin at running back after starter Anthony Elzy was suspended. Elzy had stepped up big time, starting the final three regular-season games and logging 531 all-purpose yards combined against Virginia Tech, NC State and Duke — including a career-high 118 yards rushing against the Blue Devils and a career-high 178 yards receiving against the Wolfpack. Shaun Draughn will be expected to pick up the load, and UNC cannot afford to lose his services to injury again.
Defensively, the Tar Heels will be without starting linebacker Bruce Carter because of injury, so career reserve Herman Davidson will likely get the nod in his place. Carter, who was a 2010 finalist for the Butkus Award, has seven blocked kicks in his career and scored twice on interception returns. But this UNC defense is deep, and although it isn’t as talented because of various personnel losses, it has the ability to fluster Tennessee’s true freshman quarterback Tyler Bray — as good as he looked the final month of the season.
Tennessee (6-6, 3-5 SEC): And Bray certainly looked good in his four starts, leading the Vols on a four-game winning streak into the postseason. He has surprising poise for a youngster, and he has very good pocket presence behind a solid offensive line. He’s undefeated as a starter, throwing 12 touchdowns and only four interceptions while racking up 1,234 passing yards in those games, and he led the nation in November with 24 completions of 20 yards or longer. Running back Tauren Poole, who has 11 touchdowns on the ground, is six yards away from reaching 1,000 on the season, and the newfound balance on offense for the Vols is a big reason why they have converted over 45 percent of their third-down opportunities in the last eight games. With a talented group of receivers in veterans Denarius Moore and Gerald Jones, along with Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rogers, the Vols are fun to watch once again.
Tennessee has limited opponents to fewer than 250 yards passing in three of the last five games, and after notching only 10 sacks in the first eight games, the defense has recorded 13 sacks in the last four. Getting pressure on Yates will be huge, especially with a vulnerable Tar Heels rushing attack. If Tennessee can be stout on first and second downs, the Vols will take their chances on defense. There is sure to be a lot of orange in the stands in Nashville, so Dooley’s bunch will look for every opportunity to take advantage of that environment.
ICONTyler Bray has helped give Tennessee's offense a spark.
Tennessee could have gone in the tank after the rough start to the season, but the seniors stuck with Dooley’s vision and played hard. Perhaps more importantly, the staff was able to get good production from key freshmen. The Vols are excited to be in this game, but keep an eye on two things: How does defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox’s unit play early on in the contest? He’s been on the radar for the same position at Texas. Will that distraction manifest itself on the field? Also, the Vols have been prone to special-teams blunders. We’ve already seen this postseason how crucial special teams play is after long layoffs. Will a key turnover swing the momentum of the game?
Odds and ends
• Despite being border states, North Carolina and Tennessee haven’t met since 1961, though they previously met every season from 1945-61.
• Tennessee has won 15 straight games in Nashville — 14 of those, however, came against Vanderbilt.
• The Vols are just 3-6 in their last nine bowl games, including an 0-3 mark against the ACC (they lost in the Chick-fil-A bowl to Virginia Tech, Clemson and Maryland).
• The Tar Heels have lost their last three bowl appearances and haven’t won a bowl game since the 2001 season. However, they have won three of their last four bowls against the SEC.
Email dave.miller@nationalfootballpost.com or follow me on Twitter at Miller_Dave
No matter what anyone else says, the NFP will always stand by the belief that fantasy championships are won and lost on draft day.
You’re building a roster from scratch, which means that in order to compete for a title an owner must combine the concepts of roster balance, depth and knockout punch. A bad day in August will almost certainly spell disaster in December.
However, uncovering that rare diamond in the rough on the waiver wire could be the move that puts your team over the top for good. That’s why we’re spending our focus on this fine Thursday afternoon recognizing the top waiver wire acquisitions of the 2010 season.
And before we get started, here is your motivational moment of the day…
10. LeGarrette Blount, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Current rank: 23rd in scoring among fantasy running backs
Elite performance: 22 carries, 120 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns in a Week 8 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Blount’s impressive path to fantasy stardom began last April when the rookie from Oregon went undrafted before signing a free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans. He was later cut by Jeff Fisher, only to claimed off waivers (pro teams do it too!) by the Buccaneers on Monday, September 6. It took a few weeks, but the 247-pound bruiser broke onto the scene in Week 8 at Arizona with a 120-yard, two-touchdown effort in a thrilling 38-35 win over the Cardinals.
Despite appearing in just 12 games so far this season, Blount currently ranks 16th in the NFL in rushing yards (941), 16th in rushing attempts per game (15.2) and boasts a rock-solid 5.2 yards per carry average. The best part about having added Blount to your roster: the guy delivered in the clutch (Weeks 15 and 16) with 274 rushing yards and a score on 33 carriers.
9. Oakland Raiders, D/ST
Current rank: 9th in scoring among fantasy D/STs
Elite performance: 2 touchdowns, 3 forced turnovers, 3 sacks and 1 safety in a Week 5 win over the San Diego Chargers.
After failing to eclipse the five-win mark in each of the past seven years, little was expected from the Oakland Raiders entering the 2010 season. After all, this was a team that concluded their 2009 campaign ranked 26th in the NFL in total defense (361.9 yds/gm) and 23rd in scoring defense (23.7). But as the legendary Bob Dylan once wrote, “The Times They Are a-Changin.”
The Raiders spent a top-ten draft pick on Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain, a second-round pick on Texas defensive tackle Lamarr Houston and a fourth-round pick on a speedy little WR/KR from Clemson named Jacoby Ford, who it just so happens has already taken three kick returns to the house this season. The offseason improvements helped the Silver & Black Attack improve to 13th in the NFL in total defense this season (330.9 yds/gm). In addition, the Raiders currently rank third in the league in D/ST touchdowns (6), ninth in fumble recoveries (12) and seventh in sacks (40).
This is a unit on the rise.
8. Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Buffalo Bills
Current rank: 18th in scoring among fantasy quarterbacks
Elite performance: 382 passing yards, 4 touchdowns (67.4% completion percentage) in a Week 7 overtime loss against the Baltimore Ravens.
Fitzpatrick fizzled a bit down the stretch, but had a hell of a run in place of Trent Edwards.
If you lose a preseason quarterback battle to a guy like Trent Edwards, it’s safe to say that you’re going to go undrafted in most fantasy leagues across the country. But after some truly awful play from the aforementioned Edwards, new Buffalo head coach gave Fitzpatrick a shot at the starting gig. The former Harvard signal-caller responded by throwing 11 touchdown passes over his first four starts.
It’s true that Fitzpatrick fizzled a bit down the stretch and left owners high and dry with a zero-touchdown outing in Week 16 vs. New England, but the 28-year-old averaged a reliable 230.8 passing yards and 1.8 touchdown passes over his 13 starts this season. Those types of numbers may not win you a fantasy championship, but they were certainly good enough to keep you afloat if you ended up with a guy like Donovan McNabb or Brett Favre as your starting quarterback back in August.
7. Mario Manningham, WR, New York Giants
Current rank: 19th in scoring among fantasy wide receivers
Elite performance: 8 receptions for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns on 12 targets in a Week 15 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles.
With Steve Smith coming off a career-high 107 receptions in 2009 and Hakeem Nicks getting preseason recognition as one of the league’s top sleeper prospects for 2010, Manningham entered September with very little fantasy hype…and for good reason. How many owners are willing to use a roster spot on a No. 3 wideout?
But the door was opened for the former Michigan standout as both Smith and Nicks spent part of the season sidelined with injuries, allowing Manningham to assume a featured role in the New York offense. The 24-year-old responded by scoring eight touchdowns (t-15th in NFL among wideouts) and posting double-digit fantasy totals seven times in only seven starts. In addition, this dude came up big during the fantasy world’s two crucial weeks (Weeks 15 & 16), as Manningham hauled in 12 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns on 18 targets over his last two games.
6. Jacob Tamme, TE, Indianapolis Colts
Current rank: 15th in scoring among fantasy tight ends
Elite performance: 11 receptions for 108 yards and 1 touchdown on 17 targets in a Week 9 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles.
ICONDallas Clark's injury opened the door for Jacob Tamme.
Disaster struck for Dallas Clark owners in Week 6 when the Pro Bowl tight end was lost for the season after suffering a wrist injury in a 27-24 win at Washington. Shortly thereafter, owners began to wonder who this Jacob Tamme guy was and whether or not he’d be worth a pickup, seeing that All-World quarterback Peyton Manning would be throwing him the football.
The previously unknown tight end from Lexington, Kentucky became a fantasy sensation after catching a staggering 38 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns on 56 targets over his first five NFL starts. Tamme wa
s so damn effective that he cracked the top-four in scoring among fantasy tight ends three times over his first five games in place of the injured Clark. Unfortunately, Tamme fell back down to earth for a three-game stretch that began on December 5, but the 25-year-old came up big in Week 16 with a 13-point fantasy effort (7-78-1) against the Oakland Raiders.
5. Stevie Johnson, WR, Buffalo Bills
Current rank: 9th in scoring among fantasy wide receivers
Elite performance: 8 receptions for 137 yards and 3 touchdowns on 11 targets in a Week 11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Be honest. How many of you had heard of Johnson prior to his 12-point, Week 3 breakout game against the New England Patriots? The third-year wideout from Kentucky went on a five-game touchdown streak (6 TDs total) this season that started against the Patriots and included a 158-yard, one-score effort at Baltimore against the Ravens in Week 7. Johnson then went scoreless for two weeks (but still racked up 17 fantasy points) before going ballistic and putting up 31 fantasy points against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11.
Through 15 games, Stevie J ranks 13th among NFL wide receivers in receptions (77), 14th in receiving yards (1,001) and fifth in touchdowns (10). While he’s only found the end zone one time over his last five games, it’s always a treat to land a top-ten fantasy receiver off the waiver wire during the first month of the season.
4. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, New England Patriots
Current rank: 15th in scoring among fantasy running backs
Elite performance: 17 carries for 112 yards and 2 touchdowns in a Week 8 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
BJGE became very familiar with the end zone in 2010.
Give credit to Bill Belichick’s “next man up” system because the New England Patriots always seem to produce at least one waiver wire hero. This year, the law firm of BenJarvus Green-Ellis takes home the prize as the 25-year-old from Ole Miss current ranks second in the NFL in rushing touchdowns among running backs. The amazing thing about BJGE is that nobody is even talking about what a beast he’s been this year.
Green-Ellis has found the end zone in nine of 15 contests this season despite averaging just 13.9 rushing attempts per game. He’s posted three multi-touchdown efforts in 2010 and has rushed for at least 70 yards in eight outings. In addition, the former Rebel is averaging a touchdown every 17.4 rushing attempts this season. This guy is a security blanket that could be inserted into the starting lineup every week without debate. There aren’t many players who can offer that type of reliability.
3. Brandon Lloyd, WR, Denver Broncos
Current rank: 2nd in scoring among fantasy wide receivers
Elite performance: 5 receptions for 135 yards and 2 touchdowns on 14 targets in a Week 5 loss against the Baltimore Ravens.
Stat Line No. 1: 59 receptions, 860 yards, 2 touchdowns
Stat Line No. 2: 72 receptions, 1,375 yards, 10 touchdowns
Believe it or not, Stat Line No. 1 is what Lloyd produced over the course of four NFL seasons from 2006-2009. Stat Line No. 2 is what the Denver wide receiver has amassed in 15 games this year.
Back in August, the only Denver wideouts to surface during pre-draft fantasy discussions were Jabar Gaffney, Eddie Royal and rookie Demaryius Thomas. Lloyd was an afterthought…and that’s putting it nicely. But after catching eight passes for 170 yards over the first two weeks of the season, Lloyd became quarterback Kyle Orton’s go-to-guy, as the 29-year-old wide receiver was targeted a ridiculous 52 times over his next four games.
Lloyd has eclipsed 100 receiving yards in six games this season and has found the end zone seven times, which includes three multi-touchdown outings.
Top-30 draft picks Calvin Johnson, Greg Jennings, Roddy White, Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Miles Austin and Marques Colston have all accounted for fewer fantasy points this season than Lloyd, who will without question go down as one of the best waiver wire pickups of the 2010 season.
2. Peyton Hillis, RB, Cleveland Browns
Current rank: 3rd in scoring among fantasy running backs
Elite performance: 26 carries for 131 yards and 3 touchdowns in a Week 12 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Do you remember back in August when the big debate regarding the running back position in Cleveland focused on Jerome Harrison and rookie Montario Hardesty? You’re right, that does seem like it was ages ago. Since that time, Hardesty was lost for the season after blowing his knee out and Harrison was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for former Saint Mike Bell.
From waiver wire to RB1.
Meanwhile, former Denver Bronco Peyton Hillis stepped into the starting lineup and promptly ripped off 1,638 total yards and 13 touchdowns on 324 carries in only 13 starts to earn himself a spot inside the top-three in scoring among fantasy running backs. Though 15 games, Hillis has rushed for over 100 yards five times and has found the end zone in eight contests.
We understand the frustration over the fact that the 24-year-old only rushed for 104 yards in Weeks 15 and 16 combined (with no touchdowns), but how often is it that you can find yourself a workhorse running back on the waiver wire that is capable of averaging 14.8 fantasy points per week?
1. Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Current rank: 1st in scoring among fantasy quarterbacks
Elite performance: 20/28 (71.4%), 333 yards, 4 passing touchdowns, 8 carries, 80 yards, 2 rushing touchdowns in a Week 10 blowout win at Washington.
The crown jewel of this year’s waiver wire all-stars comes to us from the city of Philadelphia where a quarterback named Michael Vick took the fantasy world by storm after starting the 2010 season on the bench behind Kevin Kolb.
Vick has been sensational in every sense of the word this season. For starters, the guy has actually rushed for more yards (676) than running backs Ryan Mathews, Jahvid Best, Joseph Addai, Beanie Wells and DeAngelo Williams. Not only that, but Vick currently ranks ninth in the NFL in rushing touchdowns (9) despite A) not being a running back and B) only appearing in 12 games this season!
As for his aerial skill set, Vick has already posted career-highs in passing touchdowns (21), passing yards (3,018), YPA average (8.1) and QB rating (100.2, 4th in NFL).
We could go on and on about Vick’s accomplishments this season as well as what he’s done for fantasy owners around the world, but you get the idea.
I’d be willing to bet that over 70% of the owners that grabbed Vick off the waiver wire went on to make the playoffs.
HONORABLE MENTION: Josh Freeman (QB, Tampa Bay), Austin Collie (WR, Indianapolis), Ryan Torain (RB, Washington), Marcedes Lewis (TE, Jacksonville), Rob Gronkowski & Aaron Hernandez (TEs, New England), Atlanta Falcons (D/ST).
With the exception of Auburn's Gus Malzahn and new Florida head coach Will Muschamp, there wasn't a hotter name in the assistant ranks linked to head-coaching openings than Dana Holgorsen, who enjoyed his final game with Oklahoma State Wednesday night in the Alamo Bowl. The Cowboys' offensive coordinator is off to West Virginia to serve in the same role before becoming head coach in Morgantown in 2012.
Dana Holgorsen has the right idea with his choice of beverage.
So how did his stock rise so fast? And how was his Cowboys offense so prolific in 2010?
Well, perhaps the secret to his success is in downing sugar-free Red Bulls, which he was doing Wednesday night in the game against Arizona.
It makes sense, right? Whenever we need that extra kick to get ready for a night on the town, isn't Red Bull always the go-to option? Sugar-free, of course, as it minimizes the pain the next morning.
You want a high-octane offense with star playmakers? Try a little Red Bull Vodka at your New Year's Eve celebration on Friday night.
Email dave.miller@nationalfootballpost.com or follow me on Twitter at Miller_Dave
Syracuse returns to the postseason for the first time since 2004 when it plays Kansas State in the Pinstripe Bowl on Thursday afternoon, and the Orange will celebrate by playing in their home state and at Yankee Stadium. Kansas State is back in postseason play for the first time since 2006, and not even a winter snowstorm could prevent the Wildcats from arriving in the Big Apple. So for the third time in their histories, the Orange will face the Wildcats in a bowl game. The two previous times occurred in the 1997 Fiesta and 2001 Insight.
Here’s a closer look at the Wildcats and Orange.
Kansas State (7-5, 3-5 Big 12): Kansas State’s offense begins and ends with running the football, and senior Daniel Thomas paces the attack. The running back churned out a career-high 1,495 yards and 16 touchdowns this season, and he finally found a partner-in-crime in the backfield late in the season with the emergence of quarterback Collin Klein. Senior Carson Coffman is still expected to start under center for the Wildcats, but it’s Klein’s rushing ability that has really helped K-State’s ground game become unstoppable — as if it wasn’t already difficult to contain with Thomas alone. Even though Texas suffered through a miserable season, it’s still a feather in the cap when a duo could make a Longhorns defense look silly. And that’s exactly what Klein and Thomas were able to do when the teams met. Klein will get ample opportunity on the field whether Coffman starts or not, and the zone-read scheme with Klein and Thomas will be tough for the Orange to defend.
Defensively, the Wildcats love giving up yards in big chunks. Bill Snyder’s squad allowed 75 plays of more than 10 yards and 28 plays of more than 20 yards this season. As well as its rushing attack can be when it’s clicking, Kansas State doesn’t have enough firepower to stay in games when the defense is so porous.
ICONDelone Carter is confident that the Orange will be able to move the ball against the Kansas State defense.
Syracuse (7-5, 4-3 Big East): The Orange have a productive rushing attack of their own led by running back Delone Carter, who stated earlier in the week that the Orange’s healthy offensive unit was “going to dominate” and that he will enjoy playing in the cold weather. In their last two games, the Wildcats allowed 270 yards on the ground to Lance Dunbar of North Texas and Colorado’s Rodney Stewart gained 195 yards, so Carter could be primed for a nice season-ending effort.
Defensively for Syracuse, coordinator Scott Shafer loves to load the box and pressure the quarterback. Kansas State is a one-trick pony, so shutting down Thomas will force Coffman to have to make plays through the air — and that’s when the pressure will come. The defensive unit, besides Carter on the ground, was the strength of the Syracuse team all season. Tackle Andrew Lewis will miss the game due to suspension, but the Orange have depth up front. And linebackers Doug Hogue and Derrell Smith are at their best when they are able to roam.
While the Orange scored only two offensive touchdowns in their final three regular-season games, Kansas State has struggled on defense for most of the season. Case in point: the Wildcats allowed their last six opponents to average 235.5 rushing yards per game and 6.5 yards per carry. Carter and the Orange should find plenty of running lanes.
The last time a Yankee Stadium hosted a bowl game was in 1962 when it housed the Gotham Bowl. That game was played between Miami (FL) and Nebraska. The day before the game, Nebraska refused to leave Lincoln until the bowl’s check for expenditures cleared, which it did. Miami made a similar demand and received their expense check up front. Yes, money was involved back then, too. Nebraska went on to beat Miami 36-34. But the poor attendance made the game the last one to be played in New York. Let’s hope the Pinstripe Bowl doesn’t suffer the same fate.
Email dave.miller@nationalfootballpost.com or follow me on Twitter at Miller_Dave
If you thought the fine performance by the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday night at the end of an extended weekend stay in Philadelphia would be the final push interim coach Leslie Frazier needed to become the head coach, well, that isn’t happening. Not this week, anyway.
The Vikings, a two-touchdown underdog, stunned the Eagles 24-14 and they did so without team owner Zygi Wilf in attendance. Wilf called Frazier to congratulate him, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Granted, it’s been a wild season for the Vikings and an even more bizarre final month of the season with the roof of the Metrodome collapsed. There’s a lot going on. Maybe the owner wants to wait until all is settled to begin moving forward.
The Vikings are now 3-2 with Frazier at the helm and they close out the season Sunday at Ford Field in Detroit. It’s hard to imagine Wilf’s decision on Frazier will hinge on 4-2 or 3-3 as his record in place of Brad Childress. Maybe Wilf wants to see more. Maybe he wants to wait until the season has ended to talk at length with Frazier about the situation. Maybe he has other candidates in mind.
This much is certain: If Frazier isn’t in the plans for Wilf, and there’s no indication that is the case, he’s certainly raised his stock and would likely draw attention from elsewhere. Frazier is in a good position heading toward the final game of the season. Now, it’s a waiting game.
Life is good when you are quarterbacking the NFC North champions and you'll be able to enjoy sleeping in during Wild Card weekend, basking in the glow of a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Life is also pretty awesome when you’re dating a dame as lovely as Kristin Cavallari.
Yeah, Jay Cutler is certainly living the dream.
It's not a bad life being the QB of the Chicago Bears.
As tracked by the hard-working staff here at the Daily Jolt, the Chicago Bears quarterback is enjoying dating Cavallari, the former MTV reality star. They’ve enjoyed carving pumpkins for Halloween, she’s enjoyed watching his games both in person and from various establishments in the Los Angeles area. And, of course, they’ve enjoyed the night life in the Windy City.
The latest story was filed late to the offices of the Daily Jolt — perhaps our sources are still on the holiday clock. But over the weekend, the former star of The Hills flew into Chicago for Christmas — and to see her guy. The pair celebrated the Bears’ shootout victory over the New York Jets by hitting Market Bar with a couple of friends on Monday evening.
Our spies say that Cutler had a Black Angus burger with extra fixings, washed down by a Stella — perhaps singular, perhaps plural.
Cavallari also had an Angus burger along with a Blue Moon — at least one, according to our sources. She also thoroughly enjoyed her order of truffle fries.
Cutler had his arm around K-Cav — what a gentleman — before the two left in a cab.
But the pair wasn’t done. According to another source, the two continued to celebrate Sunday’s win at Mercadito the next night.
The Daily Jolt is a section of the National Football Post that serves as a one-stop shop for all things football, sports, pop culture and everyday life.
The section’s editor, Dave Miller, also writes the Against the Grain college football column for the NFP. When he isn't putting coaches on the hot seat, he can often be found daydreaming of hanging out on set with Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. You can follow him on Twitter at Miller_Dave.
He knows what could lie ahead for him, too, and exit from Dallas. But he sure would like to stay where he is.
As Bill Nichols of the Dallas Morning News lays out, Williams is owed $20.4 million over the next three seasons as part of the massive contract Jerry Jones gave him upon trading for him. Williams’ production this season – 36 receptions for 524 yards and five touchdowns – doesn’t warrant that kind of pay, especially with the development of rookie Dez Bryant and with Miles Austin in place.
“I can only do what I can do,” Williams said. “Started off nice and then fell off the face of the earth somehow.
“I want to be here. If not, I will be somewhere else. I was the go-to guy in Detroit. Coordinators can make who they want to make the star.”
Williams probably has productive football left in him, but the simple economics of the situation make it difficult for you to envision him back in Dallas. Then again, Jones can be unconventional and he might want to squeeze what he can out of what’s been a bad trade.
Agents like Arli$$ and Bob Sugar tell you what you want to hear, not what you need to hear.
Fitzpatrick fizzled a bit down the stretch, but had a hell of a run in place of Trent Edwards.
BJGE became very familiar with the end zone in 2010.
From waiver wire to RB1.
Dana Holgorsen has the right idea with his choice of beverage.
It's not a bad life being the QB of the Chicago Bears.