The Minnesota Vikings surprised most people by taking Christian Ponder with the twelfth pick in the 2011 NFL draft. Ponder wasn’t supposed to be the quarterback of the present, with Donovan McNabb in the fold. McNabb proved ineffective, though, and Ponder ended up starting ten games as a rookie. The results from that playing time […]

In many ways, 2011 was by far the best season in the ten-year history of the Houston Texans. They won the AFC South and made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, then beat the Bengals at home in the playoffs before falling to the Ravens on the road. Despite such success, Texans […]

From the right point of view, it seemed like the 2011 Green Bay Packers might be even better than the 2010 version that almost missed out on the last playoff spot in the NFC before catching fire in the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl. Aaron Rodgers was playing at an incredibly high level, and […]

The Detroit Lions took a massive leap forward as a team in 2011, returning to the playoffs for the first time since 1999, as Matt Stafford threw for over 5,000 yards and Calvin Johnson led the league in receiving yards en route to being an almost-unanimous All-Pro selection. Their stay in the playoffs would prove […]

Probably the most important question facing new Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emery is what to do with Matt Forte. The star running back and 2008 second-round pick is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency when the new league year begins March 13. The obvious answer is that the Bears absolutely have to pay the […]

The Super Bowl also brings with it a tradition highlighting the NFL’s history, the election of a new class of selectees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This year’s Hall of Fame class includes cornerback Jack Butler, center Dermontti Dawson, defensive end Chris Doleman, defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, running back Curtis Martin, and offensive […]

The Denver Broncos’ playoff run ended at two games on a chilly night in Foxboro, as the New England Patriots earned their first playoff win since losing to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. The Patriots jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead, the Broncos cut that to 14-7, and then New England […]

It looked like the Houston Texans would eke their way to a win on the strength of a Dan Orlovsky fumble, but Orlovsky went from hero to goat in the final 20 seconds, hitting Reggie Wayne to cap off a two-minute drill and give the Colts their first and only touchdown of the game in […]

With a chance to get a step closer to a division title and first-round bye thanks to the Houston Texans’ loss today, the Baltimore Ravens traveled cross-country to face a sub-.500 team. As was the outcome when the Ravens traveled cross-country to meet the sub-.500 Seahawks, though, the Ravens come away with a loss as […]

In an entertaining back-and-forth contest, the New York Giants first blew a fourth quarter lead, then pulled off the fifth comeback of the week of at least 12 points to defeat the Dallas Cowboys, 37-34, behind a superlative performance by Eli Manning.  It looked like the Cowboys would come away with the win when they […]

The Pittsburgh Steelers earned a closer than expected win Thursday night against the Cleveland Browns, 14-3, but the big thing to come out of tonight’s game is the long-term status of Ben Roethlisberger’s left ankle. Roethlisberger was sandwiched between two Browns players on a sack in the second quarter and had a nasty turn of […]

What was just an incredibly disappointing season officially lost what sliver of hope remains,as the Philadlephia Eagles were virtually eliminated from the postseason race with a 31-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.  Marshawn Lynch took advantage of the Eagles’ porous run defense, Tarvaris Jackson played very efficiently, and Vince Young threw four interceptions in the […]

It was neither pretty nor prolific, but the Pittsburgh Steelers did just enough on the primetime stage to come away with a road win over the Kansas City Chiefs, 13-9. The key in the game was Chiefs quarterback Tyler Palko’s three interceptions. The Steelers converted those into 10 of their 13 points, including the game’s […]

Who says you have to be able to complete a pass regularly or have more than two decent offensive possessions to win an NFL game? Tim Tebow’s 20-yard rushing touchdown with a minute to play was the difference as the Denver Broncos playing at home upset the Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets, 17-13 […]

The New England Patriots used the Sunday night showcase game to show that they, not the New York Jets, were the best team in the AFC East, as they routed the Jets, 37-16, in a regular season rematch. Tom Brady recovered from his struggles in that first contest to throw complete 26 of 39 passes […]