Most Viewed Stories
NFL Capsules - Playoffs: Johnson finally healthy as Texans prep for Ravens
HOUSTON (AP) — Andre Johnson missed several games this season dealing with injuries to both hamstrings.
The star receiver got healthy just in time to help Houston beat Cincinnati in the first round of the playoffs. He had 90 yards receiving, including a 40-yard touchdown — his first since Sept. 18 — in a 31-10 win over the Bengals.
Now he's feeling even better and hopes to do more on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens and their stingy defense.
After playing for many years in relative obscurity on losing Texans teams, Johnson is excited to be part of a game garnering so much attention.
"It's a big platform," he said. "Everybody is watching ... so I'm very thankful that I'm healthy and hopefully now I can go out and show people what type of player I am."
The 30-year-old Johnson had more than 1,200 yards receiving in each of the last three seasons, but finished with only 492 in the regular season after missing nine games, the most in his career.
The Ravens beat Houston 29-14 in Week 6 — a game Johnson missed. It was the second of six consecutive games he sat out after surgery to repair an injured right hamstring. He missed three more games late in the season after an injury to his other hamstring and saw limited action in Houston's regular-season finale before returning to full speed last week.
Houston offensive coordinator Rick Dennison believes Johnson's presence will help the offense find more success this time around against the Ravens.
"Andre helps us in so many ways," Dennison said. "It makes the defense have somebody else to concern themselves with (because of) his talent. We're hoping he'll go out there and make some plays like he did last weekend for us and keep us moving because we'll need them all."
The Texans say Johnson improves not only their passing game but also their ground attack because defenses have to account for him at all times. That point was illustrated on Saturday when Arian Foster ran for 153 yards after rushing for just 41 in Houston's first game against Cincinnati — another one that Johnson missed.
"He changes how we roll offensively," quarterback T.J. Yates said. "He adds a different element to our game and it opens up other aspects of our game for the running game, because a defensive play is different when he's on the field."
Yates was still a third-stringer buried on the depth chart behind Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart when Houston played Baltimore the first time. He didn't get on the field until Nov. 27 when Leinart broke his left collarbone in his first game in place of Schaub (right foot, Lisfranc).
When Johnson wasn't healthy enough to practice during his first injury, he caught passes from Yates on a side field to stay in shape. The receiver believes that time together has helped their chemistry now that Yates is starting.
"I didn't know that I'd be playing with him this season," Johnson said of their early-season workouts. "But it worked out that way. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise."
Yates and Foster said the offense felt different on Saturday with Johnson back in the lineup and that it gave the unit more confidence. For Yates, Johnson's return not only gave him an emotional boost, but made his job easier.
"Being able to throw to that guy on a daily basis now just gives you a lot more confidence knowing that if you happen to not put it on point as much as you want, he's going to go get it no matter what," Yates said. "He's one of those guys that if there's kind of a 50-50 ball, he's going to go up and get it for you, and that's very comforting."
Johnson knows better than most the quality of the defense they will face on Sunday. He's followed free safety Ed Reed's career since the two were teammates at Miami and he's watched linebacker Ray Lewis, another former Hurricane, play for years. Johnson is close friends with Reed, but the notoriously quiet Johnson said he dislikes playing against him because he cracks jokes constantly.
That defense is a big reason why the Ravens are favored by 7 1/2 points — and not too many people believe the Texans can win on Sunday — but Johnson isn't fazed by what people are saying.
"We don't care about being the underdog. I've been an underdog for nine seasons," Johnson said, referring to his career with the Texans. "So it really doesn't matter."
Flacco accepts criticism because he doesn't care
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Joe Flacco is the only quarterback in NFL history to reach the playoffs in each of his first four years. He's 44-20 during the regular season with the Baltimore Ravens and 4-3 in the postseason.
Despite his success, Flacco has found it easier to dodge blitzing linebackers than fend off his critics. Some say he's not mobile enough in the pocket. Some question his decision-making under pressure. Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley took the bashing to another level, saying the Ravens won't win a Super Bowl with Flacco "in this lifetime."
Flacco smirks at all this. After all, he's one of only eight NFL starting quarterbacks still playing, and he intends to make the best of that situation Sunday when Baltimore (12-4) faces the Houston Texans (11-6) for the right to play in the AFC title game.
Asked Wednesday how it feels to generate such negative reviews, Flacco responded, "I don't care. We've won a lot of games around here. This is the second year in a row we won 12 games. At the end of the day, do you see the criticism sometimes and say, 'What the (heck) are they talking about?' Yeah. But who cares?
"It all comes down to three games now. Win this one, win the next one, win the Super Bowl. Then what are they going to say? That's what we've got to do, that's what I've got to do. I'm not thinking of anything else."
Flacco, who turns 27 on Monday, didn't play at a big-time college. He has never been named to the Pro Bowl, never led the league in passes and has never been compared to many of the elite quarterbacks in the game today.
All he does is win, and that's OK with Ravens coach John Harbaugh. After being drafted out of the University of Delaware, Flacco started in Game 1 of his first season when Harbaugh was a rookie head coach. Together, the team has made Baltimore the only team in the league to reach the playoffs in each of the past four years.
"Joe Flacco, he's our quarterback. He's the Ravens quarterback. We think he's a great player, a great person," Harbaugh said. "And the best is yet to come. Joe is like every quarterback. You watch the curve and you watch him develop and grow. We've all had a front-row seat. You see the good, you see the not so good, like with any player. Joe's been overwhelmingly good, and he's only going to get better. I can't wait to see it. I'm looking forward to seeing it on Sunday."
The not so good? Flacco had a career-low 57.6 completion percentage this season and threw 12 interceptions, tying a career high. He also fumbled 11 times, losing six.
But the Ravens are back in the playoffs as AFC North champions, thanks in no small part to Flacco's game-ending, beat-the-clock, 92-yard drive in Pittsburgh on Nov. 6 that gave Baltimore a 23-20 victory and a sweep of the Steelers. Pittsburgh and Baltimore finished with the same record, but the Steelers entered as the No. 5 seed and were ousted last weekend while the Ravens enjoyed a bye.
"I think Joe has proven himself, especially after we faced Pittsburgh and he led us down the field," Ravens running back Ray Rice said. "I was involved in the offense, but that was solely Joe Flacco doing his thing. Him being calm, him being himself, I think that's really Joe. It's no surprise me and him are back in the playoffs, back in the hunt again, ready to fight what everybody's fighting for, and that's the Super Bowl."
Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, who has seen more than a dozen quarterbacks come and go since he arrived in 1996, believes Flacco can take Baltimore to a world championship.
"There's something about Joe I've liked from Day One," Lewis said. "You have to appreciate a young kid who comes out with that much talent, and now you see where his talent is going. Now he's more of a mentor, getting the offense to understand him. You see his composure and how he's settling in to really control this offense. Now where we are, why wouldn't it be Joe to lead us to a Super Bowl?"
Flacco rarely garners the same style points as some of the NFL's more notable quarterbacks, but those guys don't have Ray Rice lining up behind them — as Flacco is quick to point out.
"You guys want everybody to be Aaron Rodgers and be Tom Brady, but you guys realize those (teams) don't run the ball, right?" Flacco said. "If we tried to do that, the criticism we'd take around here would be ridiculous. We could win eight games like that and we could lose one and you guys would be like, 'What were you guys doing?' You guys have to remember that. If you guys want an elite quarterback, you have to stop complaining when we go out there and throw the ball 60 times a game, because that's what elite quarterbacks do."
Heck, even if he takes the Ravens to the Super Bowl, Flacco might not get the credit he deserves.
"It's really going to come down to what team is the best," he said. "I'm sure if we win, I'll have nothing to do with why we won, according to you guys."
Flacco decided a few weeks ago to grow a Fu Manchu mustache, and the resulting patch of facial hair has left him open to criticism of a different kind. Some people like it, others hate it. Almost no one is indifferent.
"People will get going with anything, no matter how crazy it is," Flacco said. "You figured something was going to happen with it, good or bad. It's not really my personality to have something like this on my face, but you just have a little fun and see how people take it."
-- David Ginsburg
Patriots must handle run better against Broncos
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — On the first series of their regular-season meeting, the Denver Broncos rushed for 73 yards against the New England Patriots. By the end of the first quarter, that total reached 167.
When the game was over, though, the Patriots had a 41-23 win.
New England, as expected, made the necessary adjustments to control Tim Tebow and Co. Of course, the mission was helped by a hamstring injury that knocked Denver running back Willis McGahee out of the game in the third quarter.
But, in take two on Saturday night, as a heavy favorite to win the rematch, the Patriots would much rather shut down Denver's ground game from the start of this AFC divisional round game.
"We can't go out and fall behind early. It will be a long day for us if we do that," defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said. "We definitely have to tackle better. (Tebow) is tough in the pocket and he's tough out of the pocket."
Tebow led the Broncos with 93 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries against the Patriots on Dec. 18. McGahee picked up 70 yards on seven rushes and Lance Ball rushed for 64 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown, on 11 attempts.
"We're excited," Ball said. "As an offense, (offensive) line, running backs, we're excited to go out there and prove again that we can run the ball."
Denver's 252 yards rushing in that game were its second most this season, but many teams had trouble stopping its rushing attack. The Broncos led the NFL with a team record 164.5 yards per game.
Tebow threw for just 194 yards in that game with no completion longer than 39. But last Sunday, he had 316 yards passing with four pass plays covering at least 40. An 80-yarder to Demaryius Thomas on the first play of overtime gave the Broncos a 29-23 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round.
"They've made changes," Patriots cornerback Devin McCourty said. "You can see, definitely, with the last game, just taking more shots down the field and they throw some balls up there and they have guys that can come down with them and make good catches. They definitely threw some more vertical passes."
Tebow doesn't expect to see the same defense either.
"I feel like every game they go into they have a different game plan," he said.
One thing seems certain. The Patriots will make sure they try to keep Tebow from turning the corner and running for big chunks of yardage. But his strength makes him a dangerous inside rusher, too.
"He'll go anywhere," Wilfork said. "We can't be out of rush lanes. We can't be thrown off blocks. We have to play with good technique, trust our technique, trust one another, just trust that the guy next to you is doing his job. Do that and we'll be OK.
"But times when you don't do that, it's just that little crack or that little second. You might not think they can find it, but a good team and a good football player will find it, which they've done. They've done that a lot this year."
They certainly did it a lot against the Patriots.
The Broncos ran on eight of nine plays of the opening drive vs. New England, with Tebow scrambling off right guard for a 9-yard touchdown. On their next series, McGahee ran 29 yards on the first play, Tebow then completed a 22-yard pass to Thomas and Ball finished it with his 32-yard score.
They didn't stop there.
The next possession, in fact, featured runs of 12 yards by Ball and 19 by Tebow that led to a 26-yard field goal by Matt Prater and a 16-7 lead less than two minutes into the second. But three second-quarter turnovers were costly for Denver.
The Patriots opened the game in a 4-3 defense but relied more on the 3-4 after the Broncos ran wild.
"Four weeks ago is four weeks ago and they're a different team now," Patriots safety Patrick Chung said, "some injuries, different players. ... I honestly feel they have (improved) because they're still in the playoffs."
Against the Steelers last Sunday, the Broncos gained more than twice as many yards passing as they did rushing, picking up just 131 yards on the ground. McGahee led them with 61 yards on 19 carries.
During the regular season, he rushed for 100 or more yards in seven games, tied for the most in the NFL. He was headed for another 100-yard game until he was hurt six minutes into the third quarter on a 6-yard run against the Patriots. By that time, New England led 27-16, but Denver had lost a key player who had made the rushing game so productive.
"I think I had a big (role in) that because at the beginning of the game I was in there until I tweaked my hammy," McGahee said, "and then I was out, and it was really a difference maker for us. So I think that had a lot to do with it."
Now he's back, Tebow never left and Ball can still produce.
So the Patriots defense can't divert its attention from the ground game just because Tebow showed last Sunday that he can throw long, accurate passes.
''They have a good mix offensively," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "If you play everybody up (on the line), they'll go downfield. If you drop everybody off, they'll take what's underneath and run the ball. They do a good job of attacking where the defense is soft. They can go inside, outside, short, deep. They're well balanced."
-- Howard Ulman
Broncos buoyed by big win and performance vs. Pats
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos are even bigger underdogs at New England this weekend than they were against Pittsburgh.
The Patriots (13-3) have been installed as nearly two-touchdown favorites over the Broncos (9-8) in Saturday night's divisional playoff at Foxborough, Mass.
"I like being the underdog because no one's giving you a chance and you get to prove everyone wrong — just like we have all year," tight end Daniel Fells said Wednesday.
After all, the Broncos were nine-point underdogs last week and they beat Pittsburgh 29-23 in overtime. No chance. No shot. The Broncos have heard it all week, and they don't mind.
"I love listening to people hate on us," Fells said. "I mean, you can hate if you want to, but we're still here and we're moving forward. The more you hate, the more we feed off of it."
The Broncos are buoyed not only by their electrifying win over the Steelers and the league's No. 1 defense Sunday but also by the fresh memories of manhandling the Patriots last month before self-destructing in an 18-point loss at home.
The Broncos gashed the Patriots for 167 yards rushing in the first quarter and jumped out to an early nine-point lead before a trio of turnovers did them in.
"I think you definitely find some positive things in that," Tebow said. "We drove the ball really well for most of the game. You know, we had three turnovers where we dropped the ball on the ground and ... gave them the upper hand. So, whatever we can do to eliminate turnovers, play a very sound game and execute, I think we'll have a chance."
Back on Dec. 18, the Broncos were riding a six-game winning streak that included four straight fourth-quarter comebacks when they staggered the Patriots by jumping to an early 16-7 lead. Then, the three takeaways opened a trap door that tempered Tebowmania.
Lance Ball fumbled at his 19, Tebow fumbled at his 20 and Quan Cosby fumbled a punt at his 16. The Patriots pounced on the football each time, and Tom Brady turned the takeaways into 13 points that ignited their 41-23 wipeout.
"Yeah, we did some things that are uncharacteristic of us," wide receiver Eddie Royal said. "We're a team that doesn't turn the ball over too much, and we did a little bit of that against them. They're an explosive offense with one of the best quarterbacks ever to play the game, so when you're playing against a guy like that, you really have to take advantage of every possession that you have."
Tailback Willis McGahee tweaked a hamstring in the first half, and the Broncos couldn't maintain their great ground game after the Patriots switched from a 4-3 look to a 3-4 and jumped ahead 27-16 at halftime.
"When you're playing a great team, you can't give them anything," rookie linebacker Von Miller said.
Some Broncos think they beat themselves last time.
"We definitely gave the game away," Ball said.
Others don't want to take anything from the victor — except the rematch, of course.
"No, they definitely beat us," defensive end Robert Ayers said. "We did some things that hurt ourselves and shot ourselves in the foot, but they beat us. We couldn't stop them. We couldn't score, and we couldn't do anything on special teams."
That's not a good formula for keeping up with Brady and his bunch.
The disheartening defeat sent Tebow into a three-week funk that he emphatically ended Sunday by hitting Demaryius Thomas for an 80-yard touchdown strike on the first play of overtime. Tebow celebrated that night, then started working on ways to win against all odds again this weekend.
"Every week's a new week, and you can't focus on the past, whether it was good, whether it was bad," he said. "I think each week you learn from it, but it's a new game, it's a new week, it's a new stadium and we can't be thinking about last week when we're in Foxborough. We have to be focused on the Patriots and what they're doing."
Ball said were it not for the fumbles, the Broncos would have beaten the Patriots last month.
"Yeah, when we were on our winning streak, we held the ball, played well on both sides of the ball and on special teams," Ball said. "If we do that, we have a great chance of winning.
"We have great talent in this locker room. We know that when we're going on all cylinders, we can beat anybody."
Las Vegas doesn't think so, making Denver the biggest underdog of the four games this weekend. While Fells relishes the 13 1-2-point spread, Tebow doesn't use the oddsmakers' opinions to light his competitive fire.
"Playing the Patriots is enough motivation for us and going to Foxborough and playing Tom Brady and playing Bill Belichick," Tebow said. "That's enough motivation. Let alone, it's a huge playoff game."
Tebow said the formula for winning the rematch is pretty simple: keep the football out of the Patriots' hands, including Brady's, and convert red-zone opportunities better this time.
Just like last weekend, nobody seems to be giving them a chance, just the way they like it.
"We owe them something," Fells said. "They came out here and they beat us pretty good and I think that sour taste is still in a lot of guys' mouths. Just turning on the film and watching it this week, you could see that we did some things well but then we also had a lot of mistakes. So, we'll go out and fix those mistakes and prove that we still deserve to be on the same field with them."
Notes: A snowstorm forced the Broncos to practice inside Wednesday. ... S Brian Dawkins (neck) missed practice again but was on the field providing instruction like coaches do. Coach John Fox said he was encouraged by Dawkins' progress: "He was way further along this week than he was last week." ... Long snapper Lonnie Paxton missed practice because of personal reasons. ... DE Elvis Dumervil (right ankle) was limited.
-- Arnie Stapleton
Notebook: Broncos coordinators drawing interest
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Mike McCoy's own ingenuity might have cost him a shot at a head coaching job. Denver's offensive coordinator drew up the play that turned into an electrifying 80-yard touchdown on the first snap of overtime Sunday, giving the Broncos a 29-23 win over heavily favored Pittsburgh.
McCoy was supposed to interview for the Jacksonville Jaguars' head coaching job Monday, but with the Broncos still alive in the playoffs, he never got to go and the position went to Mike Mularkey.
"I talked to (Jacksonville general manager) Gene Smith last night, and he wished me the best of luck in the future," McCoy said Wednesday. "He had to do what was best for the organization."
McCoy hopes to get another chance someday at a head coaching job.
"But I'm very happy with where I'm at," said McCoy, who helped restructure the offense midway through the season to capitalize on Tim Tebow's unique skill set, a move that buoyed the Broncos, who are 8-4 since Tebow took over the quarterback job.
"I work for a great organization with great people. I love coaching the guys that we coach here," McCoy added.
McCoy isn't the only Broncos coach drawing attention for the work in turning around a franchise that hadn't been to the playoffs since the 2005 season. Defensive boss Dennis Allen is scheduled to talk to the St. Louis Rams about their opening later this week.
The Rams also have interviewed front-runner Jeff Fisher, who's expected to pick between St. Louis and the Miami Dolphins this week.
"I'm extremely flattered about it," Allen said. "It's obviously exciting."
Allen revamped a defense that was among the league's worst a season ago.
"In my mind, it's more of a tribute to those players that are in that locker room," Allen said. "It's a tribute to the assistant coaches that I work with every day. When you have success as a team, individual achievements come.
"At the end of the day, my focus is to try to win a game against the New England Patriots, and that's the only thing that I'm concerned with right now."
COACH DAWKINS: Although safety Brian Dawkins (neck) didn't practice Wednesday, the emotional leader still had a presence on the practice field as he led the secondary through a series of drills.
Held out last week against Pittsburgh, the Broncos are "playing it by ear" on whether Dawkins will suit up Saturday night in New England.
"He's way further along than he was last week," said coach John Fox, whose team practiced indoors as a snow storm blanketed the area. "When he gets cleared medically, we'll have him out there."
Receiver Eric Decker (knee) and long snapper Lonie Paxton (personal reasons) didn't practice. Safety David Bruton (Achilles), tight end Daniel Fells (ankle) and defensive end Elvis Dumervil (ankle) were limited.
Asked if his ankle was feeling better as he walked through the locker room, Dumervil said, "Yeah. I'm going to get treatment now."
ON THE FLY: Turns out, the play that sprung Demaryius Thomas for his game-winning TD was hatched at halftime.
Noticing the Pittsburgh Steelers were bringing their safeties down low on first down when the Broncos presented a certain look, offensive coordinator Mike McCoy drew up a play to attack that tendency.
And then waited for just the right moment to unleash it.
When the Broncos received the ball first in overtime, McCoy dialed up the route he diagrammed on the drawing board.
Thomas' eyes lit up as he went out wide because it was just as McCoy had envisioned. Thomas flew off the line of scrimmage, cut into the middle of the field and Tim Tebow hit him in stride.
Thomas stiff-armed cornerback Ike Taylor and was off to the races, beating safety Ryan Mundy for an 80-yard score that took all of 11 seconds.
"We said it might come to this play," Thomas said. "That's exactly how it happened."
The Broncos had shown that formation on several occasions, with Eddie Royal usually going in motion before Tebow handed the ball off to Willis McGahee up the middle.
This was just a little wrinkle on the fly.
"I was talking to Demaryius before the series," McCoy explained. "I said, 'If we win the toss, this is what we're going to go to. If they play the right coverage we could end in a hurry.'"
VON'S THUMB: The cumbersome cast protecting the right thumb of Von Miller remains quite a nuisance. But the rookie linebacker is slowly getting used to it.
"I don't even really think about it as much. It's just there," Miller said. "It's not like I don't want to take it off or anything. I do want to get it off, but this is what I have to do to play, and I'm just going out there and playing the game that I love."
Miller was terrorizing quarterbacks until he tore a ligament in his thumb at San Diego on Nov. 27. He wasn't the same after, recording just one of his 11 1-2 sacks after the injury.
"It's feeling a lot better," Miller said.
Miller had one of the five sacks on Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger, bringing down the QB late in the fourth quarter to send the game into overtime.
Next up, a quarterback even more difficult to take down in Tom Brady.
"He stays pretty shallow in the pocket," Miller said. "You've just got to be able to beat your guy quickly."
TEBOWED OUT: Broncos rookie safety Quinton Carter is tired of Tebowmania, saying the cultural phenomenon doesn't exist inside the locker room.
Inside there, Tim Tebow is just their quarterback, not an iconic figure drawing heaps of hype.
"Everybody else outside of here can have fun with that," Carter said. "We're here to work. We're here to win. We don't think about it.
"All I care about is how good of football he plays. I'll let you guys worry about the rest."
UNDERDOGS: The Broncos are relishing their underdog role in the playoffs. The Steelers were nine-point favorites, while New England enters the game Saturday night favored by nearly two touchdowns.
"I love listening to people hate on us because we get to prove them wrong," tight end Daniel Fells said. "I mean, you can hate if you want to, but we're still here and we're moving forward. The more you hate, the more we feed off of it."
-- Pat Graham
NFC
Packers OC Philbin away from team indefinitely
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Mike McCarthy called it a "punch in the heart."
Then the typically stoic Green Bay Packers coach briefly lost his composure, pausing for several seconds as he choked up with emotion.
It was another sign of how hard the team has been hit by the death of Michael Philbin, the son of Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin.
With Sunday's playoff game against the New York Giants to prepare for — and a Super Bowl repeat to strive for — real life has knocked the Packers back.
"I think the reality of this just gave everybody a punch in the heart to let you know the reality," McCarthy said, pausing and looking downward as he gathered his emotions. "How fortunate to be where we are."
Philbin wasn't with the team Wednesday and will be away indefinitely as he and his family deal with the loss of Michael, whose body was recovered from an icy Wisconsin river on Monday.
The 21-year-old Philbin disappeared early Sunday morning after a night out with friends in the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh campus area. Police said preliminary autopsy results showed he drowned. No evidence suggesting foul play was found during the examination.
McCarthy said he and the rest of his offensive assistant coaches are dividing up Philbin's responsibilities, and will continue to do so as long as they need to.
"Joe Philbin is where he's supposed to be," McCarthy said. "Frankly, Joe and I haven't even talked about his responsibility — and will not. He's with his family and he'll return when he feels he's ready to return."
Giants coach Tom Coughlin passed along his condolences.
"Our heart goes out to the Philbin family," Coughlin said. "When we first heard this the other night, the whole coaching staff, the room went absolutely silent. Many guys know Joe Philbin. You have tremendous empathy, but you can't (have) anywhere near the feeling that his family's going through. Just tragic. The sympathy of the Giants organization goes out to the Philbin family."
Although police didn't publicly confirm Michael Philbin's death until Tuesday morning, players were told Monday afternoon.
After a day off Tuesday, McCarthy talked to the team Wednesday about separating their personal challenges from their professional challenges.
"It really goes in line with the family-first philosophy," McCarthy said. "Everybody's feeling it. There's no question on what level. That's really for the individual (players) to speak on. But professionally, I've been very pleased with what we've been able to accomplish. We had a very productive day Monday with everything going on on Monday. And today just a ton of energy."
The Philbin family will hold a visitation Thursday and the funeral is Friday afternoon. Wide receiver Greg Jennings hopes he'll be able to attend.
"Definitely," Jennings said. "Obviously, he's a part of us, he's a part of our family and we're a part of their family. When you work with a guy every single day from morning until late night, it's like you become a part of them and they become a part of you. So we definitely want to support (them) if that will allow us."
Aaron Rodgers also wants to attend the funeral — something he apparently hasn't done before.
"I don't know the right words to say to him to try and comfort him," Rodgers said of Philbin. "I have zero experience and have never really dealt with anything like this before. I have never been to a funeral in my life, knock on wood. So this is a tough time."
This week is especially tough for Packers offensive lineman T.J. Lang, who already was dealing with the recent death of his father.
"Today I think was definitely tough, being the first day back, but I think it will get better," Lang said. "With everything going on around the organization, it's been pretty rough. I think times like these, when guys are going through some personal struggles, that guys really rally up and get behind you. I've had a lot of support, and I know everyone's shown a lot of support for Coach Philbin as well."
But while players are taking the Philbin situation hard, they're also using it as a rallying cry for Sunday.
"I think this will only make us tougher as a group and even more family-oriented," Lang said. "We've always had a great family feel to this team. I think when people go through some things like this, I think it will only strengthen it. Nothing's ever going to heal it, but if we accomplish our last goal, I think that will take a little of the pain away. It's good to be back with the guys."
Players know that winning a game in Philbin's honor won't really do anything to take away the family's loss — but at least it's doing something.
"Being in the team meeting, when everything was relayed to us, you could just sense that, 'OK, we've got to do this for Joe,'" Jennings said.
"If he can't be with us to experience it, he's with the people he should be with, which is his family. We need to make sure that he knows that we're thinking about him and the one way we can definitely show that is going out there and performing and executing the way he would want us to perform and execute."
-- Chris Jenkins
Ross, Giants secondary ready for Packers sequel
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants secondary has a message for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers this time: It's not going to be as easy as last time.
The communication problems and blown assignments that allowed Rodgers to hit a wide-open Donald Driver in the first half and lead a last-minute, game-winning field goal drive in a 38-35 victory in early December have been fixed, and everybody is seemingly healthy.
Aaron Ross, who had to leave Sunday's 24-2 win over Atlanta in the NFC wild-card game with a head injury, practiced on a limited basis Wednesday and said he would play Sunday in Green Bay in the NFC divisional round.
What's more is there is a sense a confidence and a belief that the Packers can be beaten.
"To me, it's another game," safety Antrel Rolle said. "I don't put any opponent on a pedestal. I understand they have a lot of weapons on this team and they are an awesome opponent, and so are we."
The Giants (10-7) have evolved over the past month from an inconsistent defense that gave up big plays both on the ground and in the air to one that suddenly has found itself. The last three opponents — the Jets, Cowboys and Falcons — have combined for 30 points, with the Giants offense contributing two to that total with a safety last week.
A big part of the transformation has been getting the defensive line back. Osi Umenyiora has returned from an ankle injury. Justin Tuck has overcome neck, groin, ankle and toes woes. Combine those two with All Pro Jason Pierre-Paul and the front line is harassing opposing quarterbacks.
What's also different is the play of the back seven, particularly the secondary. The talent has been there with Ross, Rolle, cornerbacks Corey Webster and Prince Amukamara, and safeties Kenny Phillips and Deon Grant.
However, getting them and the linebackers on the same page in pass coverage has been a yearlong effort that finally has everyone reading the same lines.
"We've come a long way," linebacker Michael Boley said. "Early on, we were so up and down, the linebackers and the secondary. One week, one thing would hurt us and the next week it would be something else. The last couple of weeks, we've brought everything together, not really simplified things, but made sure that everyone was on the same page."
Grant said the Giants weren't doing that the day they played the Packers for a number of reasons.
Umenyiora didn't play that game. Tuck was limited by injuries. Boley was just coming back from a hamstring injury and was only 70 percent. Phillips sprained a knee in the first half and Amukamara, who was still working his way back into shape after breaking his foot in training camp, ran out of gas, and was replaced in the second half by recently signed Will Blackmon.
"The first game we had to move around so much, it was hard to get a key because we were playing different positions," Grant said, noting the he had to take over at safety for Phillips and Ross had to play the nickel, something he hadn't done much.
Still, the Giants were competitive with the league's highest scoring team.
"After that game, our confidence level just went sky high," Phillips said. "It was the undefeated team that was supposed to be the best team in the league and we were right there with them. There is no such thing as a moral victory, but we got a lot of confidence from that game."
Rodgers threw four touchdowns in that game, hitting 28 of 46 passes for 369 yards. He also ran four times for 32 yards to keep a couple of drives alive.
"He's an elite quarterback, one of the best," said Ross, who passed the concussion protocols even if he was not certain whether he actually suffered a concussion. "His balls are pinpoint. He has the receivers to get the ball to and he's a smart quarterback."
Rodgers also should have his full compliments of receivers. Greg Jennings, who tore a ligament in his left knee the week after playing the Giants is ready to return to the lineup, bolstering a receiving corps that includes Jordy Nelson, Driver and tight end Jermichael Finley.
"Playing them the first time, I think they understood what challenges we presented," Rolle said. "I think we could have helped ourselves out in certain situations, but we were a step away. It was minor things that led to big things that led to a couple of touchdowns.
"We're a different team right now. We understand that and we're going to keep that focus and keep that drive. We're going to keep playing at that same level and we're going to pick it up a bit. We're coming in here expecting to win this game that is going to be our mindset and stay our mindset. No one is going to tear that away from us."
Rodgers has seen the difference.
"They are not just letting guys run free, they are in their rush lanes getting after the passer and they are making plays," he said. "They are tackling well and they are doing everything really well. I have a lot of respect for that defense because they play hard, play well, they play within the whistle and they have respect for the game.
"It is going to be a tough challenge for us."
NOTES: RB Ahmad Bradshaw did not practice because of back spasms. ... WR Victor Cruz became a father for the first time on Monday. His girlfriend gave birth to a baby girl. All are healthy. ... Coach Tom Coughlin said that when the Giants coaching staff learned of the drowning of the son of Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, the room went "absolutely silent." ''Many guys know Joe Philbin. You have tremendous empathy, but you can't (have) anywhere near the feeling that his family's going through. Just tragic." ... The Giants have scored 84 points on their three-game winning streak.
-- Tom Canavan
Smith has turned boos into cheers as 49ers QB
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — At the end of last season, Doug Smith never imagined his son would play for the San Francisco 49ers again, not after hearing the quarterback get booed out of Candlestick Park and yet another coaching change on the way.
Alex Smith sat down with his father to seek advice ahead of free agency. The 2005 No. 1 overall pick was intrigued by new coach Jim Harbaugh, an offensive guru at Stanford and a former NFL quarterback who embraced Smith instantly.
Still, the quarterback had his apprehensions about staying in San Francisco.
"It's easier to say, 'Well, the grass has got to be greener somewhere else,'" Doug Smith said by phone this week from his home in La Mesa, Calif. "As I reminded Alex, if he'd have turned the clock back two years to the post-Mike Nolan era, 'If they'd have hired Harbaugh instead of (Mike) Singletary, you'd have been doing backflips at that point, Alex. You wouldn't have had any qualms. You would have been anxious. You would have been eager.'
"So I said, 'OK, you had some bad years there that went nowhere. But here it is. What do you do? You could try it somewhere else. Here's a guy that's finally offensively oriented.'"
Every step since has been more surprising than the next.
Smith has started to shed his draft-bust label and turned around his career under Harbaugh, leading the 49ers (13-3) to the playoffs for the first time in nine years. They'll host the New Orleans Saints (14-3) in the NFC divisional round Saturday at Candlestick, a place fans smothered Smith with boos so often in the past.
"There are so many quarterbacks but they don't have that it factor. I'm starting to see a lot more of that in him right now and it probably has a lot to do with Jim Harbaugh because he played that position," said former 49ers receiver and Hall of Famer Jerry Rice.
Smith has been by far the most surprising player for the NFC West champions.
The former Utah quarterback threw for a career-best 3,144 yards and 17 touchdowns with only five interceptions, anchoring Harbaugh's version of the West Coast offense with record-tying efficiency. San Francisco finished with 10 total turnovers, equaling the 2010 New England Patriots for the fewest in NFL history.
Smith, who has played under a different coordinator each season and only one previous offensive-minded coach in Norv Turner, has even started to sound like Harbaugh — refusing to relish any vindication and deflecting attention back to the team.
"I had a great season up to this point, but like I said, just got us a ticket to the dance like everybody else," Smith said.
Those who know Smith best believe the NFL lockout might've helped more than hindered the quarterback despite a shortened offseason and a new coaching staff.
Certainly, he had little chance to move elsewhere in free agency.
Before he even signed a one-year deal, Smith hosted a pair of informal minicamps at San Jose State during the lockout that some 49ers dubbed "Camp Alex," forcing him to assume a leadership role. Smith organized practices, led classroom sessions to teach Harbaugh's playbook and even played the part of security guard and public relations coordinator with fans and reporters.
Smith sought out advice on how to organize practices from his father and uncle, John, the former Michigan State coach. By the time training camp began, the 49ers had about as much of the offense installed as players could without Harbaugh's guidance.
Even still, he debuted with a preseason debacle at New Orleans — with six sacks in all by the Saints, including two on Smith — in San Francisco's 24-3 loss. There haven't been many hiccups since.
"I just see a guy that doesn't really care too much what people think," said kicker David Akers, who made an NFL-record 44 field goals this season. "He's broken records where people think, 'OK, well it's just passing.' Well, how about not turning the ball over? How about moving the ball down the field and having some long, sustaining drives where it wears down the defense, gets you in scoring opportunities? If we're able to have all the field goal opportunities, that means we're still moving the ball."
Smith also credits his approach this season to his expanded family.
His son, Hudson, turned 8 months old Wednesday. Smith split time with his wife tending to Hudson late at night during the lockout, inspiring him to reach out to the rest of his family with the uncertainty surrounding his football future.
"I think family helps keeps things in perspective for Alex, and that's the important thing," Doug Smith said. "Life deals you a whole bunch of cards, and some of those cards you can do something with, and some of them you can't. Family shows him there are bigger things in life."
During a family vacation in Santa Barbara for his father's 60th birthday July 13, Alex and his older brother, Josh, convinced their dad that they should all get matching tattoos.
The Smith men had an artist ink a Serbian-style cross with a symbol around each corner in a tribute to Alex's great grandfather, an Austrian immigrant of Serbian descent who immigrated through Ellis Island at age 12. The cross means "father" in Serbian.
Alex has one on his back. Doug has a smaller one on his right thigh with ski crosses on each corner, one of his favorite hobbies — besides watching 49ers games. Sisters Abbey and MacKenzie are expected to follow.
"It's painful. I'm not doing that again," Doug Smith said.
Same might've been said for another go-around at Candlestick for the Smith family.
After being the punching bag for the franchise's failures, the 49ers have trumpeted Smith's season — Harbaugh believed the quarterback should've made the Pro Bowl — and are already talking about bringing him back for the long haul. Games for the Smith family, which normally tries to "stay incognito," are understandably more enjoyable these days.
Even for the quarterback, too.
"We never would have thought he'd been there this year, to be honest with you, after what he had gone through last year," Doug Smith said. "It was kind of a surprise to us that he's even at the 49ers this year. But Alex is the kind of guy, he's a pretty loyal guy. A high level of determination is one of his best assets. He wanted to see this through."
-- Antonio Gonzalez
Quiet Colston lets clutch catches speak for him
METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Marques Colston usually sits next to Drew Brees on the New Orleans Saints' charter plane, which is ideal for a quarterback who likes using that time to study the game plan or take a nap.
Colston isn't big on small talk. More often, the receiver puts on a pair of earphones and keeps to himself, sometimes dozing off. Brees describes Colston as an "old soul."
"He's 28 but behaves like he's 58," Brees said, describing the silence between them as comfortable because they understand each other.
That shows in the way they connect on the field.
Colston and Brees have played together for six seasons, and Colston has had more than 1,000 yards receiving in five, coming up short only when he missed five games with a hand injury in 2008.
When 49ers defensive backs reviewed Saints film in advance of this Saturday's meeting in a second-round playoff game in San Francisco, they saw a lot of the 6-foot-4 Colston, who had seven catches for 120 yards in New Orleans' first-round victory over Detroit last weekend.
Niners cornerback Carlos Rogers emphasized that Colston is "real big and tall," and "can make all types of catches."
This season, Colston missed two games with a broken collarbone and finished third on the club in catches with 80, second in yards with 1,143 and tied for second in touchdown catches with eight.
Colston averaged 81.6 yards receiving in his 14 games. Had he maintained that for all 16, he would have posted 1,306 yards, four fewer than tight end Jimmy Graham, who led the Saints and ranked seventh in the NFL.
"He's playing great and he's so dependable. He's always been a playmaker," Brees said. "No matter what the situation, he's a guy you can always count on."
Brees has been counting on Colston increasingly during the latter part of the season. Initially, Graham and versatile running back Darren Sproles were the focus of the offense, particularly during the two early-season games Colston missed.
Colston was supposed to be out four-to-six weeks but returned earlier after having a metal plate inserted in his shoulder to stabilize his collarbone, and sleeping in an oxygen-rich hyperbaric chamber to hasten the healing process.
Colston has the tube-shaped chamber in a hallway in his home, and he still takes naps in it, or lies in there with his tablet computer.
Brees and other teammates marvel at Colston's toughness, not just because of how he plays through injuries but also the way he runs the brutal routes over the middle. He holds onto tough catches while absorbing head-on collisions that slam him flat on his back.
The 6-foot-4 Colston, who has a slender physique, often wears glasses and rarely celebrates his touchdowns. He hardly projects the tough-guy image.
"I don't see myself as a tough guy, but I'm definitely not a guy that's going to be intimidated," Colston said. "For whatever reason, I can focus on the ball and not the hit. I just think that was something I was born with."
Colston takes pride in being the over-the-middle receiving threat, which is something he believed he needed to prove he could do reliably when the Saints drafted him in the seventh round in 2006 out of Hofstra.
"Somebody has got to do it. Coming in here that was the opportunity for me to step in and make the team," Colston said. "I feel like I've turned that opportunity into a pretty good thing."
Colston has played his best during the second half of the season.
He had three 100-yard games, and five of his touchdowns were scored in the last seven games of the regular season. In the playoff victory over Detroit, Colston overcame an early fumble and a dropped pass in the end zone to put up team-high receiving numbers.
Colston said he used to dwell on mistakes, but has learned to move past them quickly.
"You've got too many other people depending on you to bounce back" from a turnover or drop," Colston said. "It's just something you just kind of learn with being a vet. You just hope it doesn't happen to you on the last play of the game."
Colston is entering the last year of his contract. His agent, Joel Segal, said Colston "is completely focused on the playoffs right now" and won't worry about a new deal with the Saints or free agency until after the season.
Brees said that from all the game video he has seen, he would compare Colston closely to Larry Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson in terms of his body type, his range and his ability to make tough catches in traffic.
"Now," Brees added, "he looks as good as I've ever seen him."
Notes: WR Lance Moore (left hamstring), SS Roman Harper (right ankle) and TE John Gilmore (toe) didn't practice, but Harper and Moore said they did individual work and hope to play on Saturday. ... LB Jonathan Vilma (left knee) and LB Jonathan Casillas (right knee) were limited in practice.
-- Brett Martel
Pro Picks
One mountain scaled, Tebow faces another
Tim Tebow and the Broncos passed one huge test. Now comes an even bigger challenge.
If the Broncos stunned the football world — and they did everywhere outside of the Rockies — with their thrilling overtime victory against the Steelers, they could set the universe spinning out of control by beating the top-seeded Patriots.
New England isn't nearly as strong as it was in winning three Super Bowls and going undefeated on its way to a fourth NFL title game. Although the Patriots went 13-3 to secure AFC home-field advantage this season, winning their final eight, they have major issues on defense.
Plus, they've lost their last three postseason games: the 2008 Super Bowl to the Giants, then at home against the Ravens and Jets.
"To me it's not 'where,' it's more 'who,' " Broncos coach John Fox said. "They are a very good football team; they've got a lot of playoff experience. We will have to deal with crowd noise; that's always a little bit of an issue but it won't be the first time this season we've had to do that. It'll be a huge challenge and when you get to this point in the playoffs that's kind of how it always is."
New England snapped Denver's six-game winning streak with a 41-23 win in the Mile High City a month ago. So the Patriots are plenty familiar with Tebow and company.
"It's always challenging to go up against an offense like this because you can do so many things," Pro Bowl nose tackle Vince Wilfork said. "You can't just say, 'When they get in this formation, this is going to happen,' or 'When they do this, look out for (this).' You can't do that because you can be attacked and blindsided from so many different ways.
"This game is going to come down to disciplined football for us."
The Patriots always seem to be hosting January games in Foxborough, ever since the "Tuck Rule" win over the Raiders 10 years ago. Because recently they've been vulnerable at home in those situations, and because Denver (9-8) has performed some, uh, miracles, there's a line of thought that the Broncos will surprise the Patriots on Saturday night.
The oddsmakers don't think so: The Patriots are 13 1/2-point favorites, a massive line for the playoffs.
We agree with the oddsmakers. BEST BET: PATRIOTS, 38-20
New Orleans (minus 3 1/2) at San Francisco, Saturday
For all those folks who've already put the Saints (13-4) in the NFC title game at Green Bay, which would be a reprise of the season opener, the 49ers (13-3) have two choice words: Hold on.
San Francisco has the best defense in the conference, if not the league, a versatile group that can cover, rush the passer, and force turnovers. The 49ers had a plus-28 turnover margin, were tops in takeaways (38) and fumble recoveries (15). New Orleans was minus-3.
The Niners also protect the ball better than anyone, with 10 giveaways all season.
All of San Francisco's strengths will be severely tested, though, by record-setting quarterback Drew Brees, who has been virtually unstoppable all season. The Saints also are experienced at this juncture of the schedule, while the 49ers most decidedly are not.
"It's special being in the playoffs," Niners coach Jim Harbaugh said. "I want them to feel that, understand what this is all about. You get one shot. They've earned a right to be here. But understand that we're not trying to get every ounce of pleasure out of this thing. We're focused on what we need to do and that's prepare for the New Orleans Saints."
Take the experience — and the better offense in this high-scoring season. SAINTS, 24-20
Houston (plus 7 1/2) at Baltimore, Sunday
And take the defense in this one. Of course, both teams have solid units.
The Ravens (12-4) swept their home games and are far more fearsome in Baltimore than on the road. Key here is whether dynamic RB Ray Rice can break free for big gains against the Texans (11-6), and how well the Ravens' secondary can handle WR Andre Johnson.
Just well enough, we say. RAVENS, 17-14
New York Giants (plus 7 1/2) at Green Bay, Sunday
The last time these two met in the playoffs at Lambeau, it was frigid, yet Giants QB Eli Manning outplayed Brett Favre and New York won 23-20 in overtime.
For the Giants (10-7) to replicate that, they must unleash the pass rush and make Aaron Rodgers uncomfortable. With their defense vastly improved since Green Bay's 38-35 win at the Meadowlands on Dec. 4, that could happen.
What also could — and will — happen is Rodgers still making enough plays for the defending champions Packers (15-1) to squeeze through. PACKERS, 27-24
RECORD: Against spread: 2-2 (overall 128-109-5); straight up 2-2 (overall 171-89). Best Bet: 3-15 against spread, 12-6 straight up. Upset Special: 11-7 against spread, 8-10 straight up.
-- Barry Wilner
News & Notes
Clarkson to sing anthem at Super Bowl
"American Idol" Kelly Clarkson is set to perform at America's most popular sporting event: the Super Bowl.
Clarkson has been chosen to sing the national anthem before the NFL championship game at Indianapolis on Feb. 5, a person familiar with Super Bowl entertainment plans told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because no announcement has been made. The league is expected to reveal the anthem singer later this month.
Since becoming the first winner of "American Idol" a decade ago, Clarkson has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide and had more than a half-dozen singles reach the top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100.
Among her hit songs: "Since U Been Gone" and "My Life Would Suck Without You." Her latest album, "Stronger," was released last year. Clarkson is currently on tour and appeared as the musical guest on "Saturday Night Live" last weekend.
Also slated to participate in the Super Bowl pregame festivities at Lucas Oil Stadium: country music couple Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton, singing "America the Beautiful."
Grammy-winner Lambert released her latest album, "Four the Record," last fall. Shelton is a judge on "The Voice," a singing competition on NBC, which is broadcasting the Super Bowl this year.
The NFL announced in December that Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Madonna will perform at halftime of the league's title game.
At last year's Super Bowl between the Packers and Steelers in Dallas, pop star Christina Aguilera flubbed a line while belting out the national anthem.
When she was supposed to sing the line "O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming," Aguilera instead repeated an earlier line, with a slight variation — drawing plenty of attention on social media such as Twitter.
Afterward, Aguilera released a statement saying: "I can only hope that everyone could feel my love for this country and that the true spirit of its anthem still came through."
Others who have performed the national anthem at the Super Bowl include Carrie Underwood — like Clarkson, an "American Idol" product — Whitney Houston, Billy Joel, Diana Ross, Neil Diamond, Beyonce and Mariah Carey.
-- Howard Fendrich
The Tebow Show lures in new television viewers
NEW YORK (AP) — Just how many television viewers tuned into Sunday's Steelers-Broncos game solely because of Tim Tebow? Consider the wild-card playoff matchup in the same time slot last year for a rough estimate.
In 2011, Packers-Eagles attracted what at the time seemed like a massive audience. It averaged 39.3 million viewers and earned the highest rating for a wild-card game in a dozen years, an especially impressive feat considering most shows on TV draw far fewer people than they did a decade ago.
The game seemed to have all the elements to pull in lots of eyeballs. A nationally popular team in Green Bay. A large market in Philadelphia. A lightning-rod quarterback of its own in Michael Vick. A close score.
A wild-card matchup couldn't bring in many more viewers than that in this era, right? Well, Denver's overtime win Sunday averaged 42.4 million viewers, an 8 percent increase. It was the highest-rated wild-card game in 18 years.
Next, Tebow and the Broncos face the New England Patriots, a highly popular team in their own right. The clubs' regular-season meeting last month drew a huge audience.
CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus figures some people who don't normally care about football turned on his network Sunday hoping to catch "60 Minutes." Instead, they saw a close NFL playoff game — featuring that Tebow guy everybody is talking about. No way they changed the channel, he said.
"Not many stories travel so quickly from the sports pages to the front pages," McManus said Wednesday.
Tebow reminds him a bit of a pre-scandal Tiger Woods, who inspired non-golf fans to tune in just with his "aura."
Speaking of Tiger, Tebow accomplished a feat in popularity even Woods couldn't match. The monthly ESPN Sports Poll found that the Broncos quarterback was America's favorite active pro athlete for December.
In the poll's 18 years, only 11 different athletes have earned that distinction. Nobody ascended to the top as quickly as Tebow, in his second pro season; Woods needed three years.
The poll was compiled from 1,502 interviews from a nationally representative sample of Americans 12 and older. Tebow was picked by 3 percent, ahead of Kobe Bryant (2 percent), Aaron Rodgers (1.9 percent), Peyton Manning (1.8 percent) and Tom Brady (1.5 percent).
