Not a lot of heavy favorites this week. Pittsburgh is only giving four against Cinci, and Baltimore is giving 6.5 against the lowly Seahawks. Green Bay is up 13 on the Vikings, no surprise.

Several games are too close to make any real predictions, but look for Buffalo and Tennessee to surprise.

Philadelphia is a good pick if you need a dinner in a pick’em league. Avoid Chicago/Detroit and Miami/Washington. Click here for more.

Date & Time Favorite Line Underdog Total
11/13 1:00 ET Pittsburgh -4 At Cincinnati 41
11/13 1:00 ET At Kansas City -3 Denver 41.5
11/13 1:00 ET Jacksonville -3 At Indianapolis 37.5
11/13 1:00 ET At Dallas -5.5 Buffalo 48
11/13 1:00 ET Houston -3.5 At Tampa Bay 45.5
11/13 1:00 ET At Carolina -3.5 Tennessee 46.5
11/13 1:00 ET At Miami -4 Washington 37.5
11/13 1:00 ET At Atlanta PK New Orleans 50
11/13 4:15 ET At Chicago -2.5 Detroit 43.5
11/13 1:00 ET At Cleveland -2.5 St. Louis 37
11/13 1:00 ET At Philadelphia -14 Arizona 46.5
11/13 4:05 ET Baltimore -6.5 At Seattle 41
11/13 4:15 ET At San Francisco -3.5 NY Giants 42.5
11/13 8:30 ET At NY Jets -2 New England 47

Monday Night Football Line

11/14 8:35 ET At Green Bay -13 Minnesota 51

If you’re looking for a guaranteed winner in a pick’em league, don’t sleep on Dallas coming back to beat Seattle after last week’s embarrassment against the Eagles. Houston should also make short work of Cleveland if you’re looking for a safer bet.

What’s not so safe is Oakland. Even at home, a seven point favorite seems high considering their recent performance and coming off a bye week.

Stay away from the Buffalo/NY Jets game and don’t be surprised if there’s a surprise when the Bengals face the Titans at home with Tennessee a 2.5 point favorite. Head over to your favorite online sportsbook like TopBet.com for more information.

Here are the lines this week:

Date & Time Favorite Line Underdog Total
11/6 1:00 ET Atlanta -6.5 At Indianapolis 45.5
11/6 1:00 ET At New Orleans -8.5 Tampa Bay 51
11/6 1:00 ET At Houston -10.5 Cleveland 41
11/6 1:00 ET At Buffalo -2.5 NY Jets 45
11/6 1:00 ET At Kansas City -4 Miami 40.5
11/6 1:00 ET San Francisco -4.5 At Washington 37.5
11/6 1:00 ET At Dallas -11 Seattle 45
11/6 4:05 ET At Oakland -7 Denver 42
11/6 4:05 ET At Tennessee -2.5 Cincinnati 41.5
11/6 4:15 ET At Arizona -3 St. Louis 41.5
11/6 4:15 ET At New England -9 NY Giants 51
11/6 4:15 ET Green Bay -5.5 At San Diego 51
11/6 8:30 ET At Pittsburgh -3 Baltimore 42

Monday Night Football Line

11/7 8:35 ET At Philadelphia -7.5 Chicago 47

While there isn’t many positives to think about when it comes to the NFL with the lockout in full swing, the draft will somehow still be held from April 28-30 in New York City as scheduled. The draft looks like the only way that NFL betting players can get their fix, and here is a look at a couple of NFL props at BetUs:

Who Will Have More Players Picked In The First Round?

By this, we mean the number of offensive and defensive players, and right, the early signs are pointing to this being a defense-first draft. Players like Alabama’s Marcell Dareus, Clemson’s Da’Quan Bowers, LSU’s Patrick Peterson, Texas A&M’s Von Miller and Auburn’s Nick Fairley are all assured of being in the top 10, and there is a slew of other prospects slated to be in the second half of the first round. There are definitely some great offensive prospects, but for pure volume, defense looks like the way to go.

Who Will Be The First Quarterback Selected?

This could be the most interesting prop of the night when it comes to the draft as there are a number of pivots who could go in the first round. Right now, it looks like a race between Auburn’s Cam Newton, who led the Tigers to the BCS title while winning the Heisman, and Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert, who played a spread in college like Newton, but ran a pro-style offense in high school and looks more comfortable dropping back. But there is also Washington’s Jake Locker, who many had as the No.1 quarterback before the college football season started, Florida State’s Christian Ponder, TCU’s Andy Dalton and Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett, who has a cannon for an arm, along with some character issues. It’ll likely be Newton, who has the most upside of any prospect, or Gabbert, who would be the most pro-ready right now. Andrew Luck would have gone first had he decided to leave Stanford, but with Luck staying in school, it opens up the door for an intriguing quarterback race.

With Super Bowl XLV rapidly approaching, most sports bettors and Las Vegas experts are busy with the Props for Super Bowl provided by BetUs. But for those trying to get an angle on who will actually win the contest, they have to ask themselves one thing: how many injuries can the Green Bay Packers withstand?

Most of the injury-related headlines have revolved around Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey, who says he’s 75 percent sure he’s going to play while the news outlet doubt that he’ll be able to play at all with a serious ankle injury. And while the game-time injury news is quiet, the cumulative injuries that the Packers have suffered have to be factored.

Green Bay has put 15 players on injured reserve this season, which includes five starters. Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost more starters to injury this season.

The Packers will be without Pro Bowl talents like Jermichael Finley, Ryan Grant and Nick Barnett, and while they gotten to the Super Bowl without them, they might feel their absence on the big stage more than ever. After all, every weakness is magnified at the Super Bowl.

Grant may be the injury that costs the Packers the most. They haven’t been able to run the football with any consistency since they lost him but rookie running back James Starks has injected some life since taking over the starting role in the playoffs.

But Starks is still a rookie sixth-round pick who played very sparingly in the regular season. Going up against the No. 1 run defense in the NFL, Starks is likely to be more intimidated than Grant would have been and he’s more liable to make a mistake.

Regardless, the Packers injuries have piled up and while they haven’t been burned by it yet, they may really feel the absences at the Super Bowl this Sunday.

For the Super Bowl XLV this Sunday, Pepsi MAX is releasing a new video featuring rapper Snoop Dogg as part of their NFL Audible program.

Previous NFL Pepsi Max Audible spots have featured B.oB, Big Boi, Talib Kweli, and Lupe Fiasco.

MIAMI — Standing on my seat at Joe Robbie Stadium, I felt an electric jolt of collective will and hope transmitting from the sellout crowd to the eleven Miami Dolphins strung into kickoff formation. The AFC Championship against Miami-killer Thurman Thomas and the nemesis Bills was seconds away. The special-teamers were pumping their arms at the raving, towel-waving crowd, inciting even more noise. It was a cloudless, temperate afternoon in 1993, Quiet Riot was blaring from the stadium speakers, and the Super Bowl would follow if they could just win this game. Those few minutes of optimistic anticipation during warm-ups, the intros, and that kickoff rank among my favorite Dolphin memories. It was finally going to be our time after so many letdowns and stories about the seventies.

Ten years before that awful loss to Buffalo, my preschool teacher gathered her class of mini-Miamians, with our defenselessly malleable developing brains, to start our indoctrination. She told us we were lucky, because we were from Miami, and Miami’s football team, the Dolphins, had the best winning percentage of any sports team in the world, she emphasized. It was also the only team that ever had a perfect season. Then she dropped the needle on a record and played the catchiest damn folk song our little ears had ever heard. I already knew about the golden-arm quarterback, because we had the same first name (my Dad’s friends made sure I knew this) and now I was hit with this fantastic little kids’ song, and told that I was a winner by geographical birthright, because the Miami Dolphins were #1. Soon I was watching every game on TV, learning to read with Edwin Pope’s articles, and even went to the Orange Bowl a couple times before Mr. Robbie built his stadium. There was never going to be another way for me. Unfortunately, following pro football in Miami means suffering the furious frustration of a spoiled kid denied the toy he covets, the self-delusion of an earnest mother with eternal faith in her no-good son, and, for the last decade, the excruciating boredom of a goat-rapist. Our teams’ irrelevance is perpetual, and because the draft and free agency are captivating times for a football fan, the disappointment is year-round, since we always blow the draft. Like smoking cigarettes, it’s marginally pleasurable, intellectually indefensible, and continued regardless. And we continue to dig to new lows. The losing is intolerable, but it is not the worst part. The star-struck owner has turned home games into a galling, cross-promotional caricature of a stadium experience. Random, chipper celebrities materialize constantly on a giant screen and make little dorsal-fin-hand-hats over their heads and tell the fans to “Fin Up!” Somebody reading this just yelled out “NO!” involuntarily and startled the people around him. But yes, I swear, that’s what happens at Dolphins games now.

The personnel department is exceptionally bad at procuring personnel, though we are used to that now. But our current GM seems a graceless ghoul, famous for suggesting that a potential draft picks’ mother was probably a whore. Though he is no longer nursing off the ample tit of the fraudulent Daddy Parcells, the baffling, bungling decisions continue. The organization has not been what anyone would call competent for many years. We have been losers, but we were somewhat classy losers. Now even that is gone. We used to have Marino – Dan the Man, to me, the best ever. Maybe we’d lose, but rarely because of him. Now we have Henne: inventor and champion of the one-yard swing pass Hail Mary. Do you remember the scene in Fire in the Sky when Travis gets back from the alien abduction and he’s by a phone booth, crouched naked in the rain, and when his friends almost touch him he unleashes a haunting, high-pitched scream of panicked terror? That’s either Henne under pressure or me watching the games – you choose, either works.

Do you realize it was eleven years ago that The Mustache imported his loathsome, repellent Run-Punt-Fold system that turned even the occasional 10-9 win into insipid, entertainment-neutral slop? That ultra-conservative, faux-macho style is a punishment to fans, vendors, cameramen and anyone else subjected to it, but now it’s practically ingrained, part of Dolphins DNA, a requisite to coach here. I support neither the method nor the results.

So what is The Dolphins? Who do we root for year after year? Is it the players, the clumsy keepers of the brand, the genteel uniforms, or just the city? I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s mostly the city for me, although sometimes I really like some of the players. My Dolphins habit has taught me patience. It has helped me existentially, giving me the self-awareness boost you get when you realize you are delusional for maintaining irrational perpetual hope in something broken. You know better, you do it anyway, but at least you know you know better. It’s a step.

For every Keith Byars sideline run through the Dallas snow with my whole family, even abuela, yelling deliriously at the TV, there have been dozens of wasted Sundays. With the epic gift of Marino came the sad reality that he retired ring-less and made the “best QB ever” argument on his behalf noble, but futile. That catchy song and schoolteacher’s appeal to my burgeoning civic pride doomed me. The situation is hopeless by all rational measure. It would be ridiculous to get sucked in again when there are no signs of a renaissance. I am a Dolphins fan and I hate the Dolphins. Unless… unless we get Cam Newton or Ryan Mallett. What this team needs is a quarterback, and then we’ll be contenders, maybe even #1.

So we now know the 12 teams that are left standing in the NFL as the postseason is set to begin this Sunday. While most people are picking the New England Patriots to win it all, we’ll make some more off-the-wall picks. Using the odds from the Super Bowl props at BetUS here are five non-favored teams that are realistic choices, but would drop a lot of jaws if they played at Super Bowl XLV:

1. Kansas City Chiefs

When the Patriots came out of nowhere to win their first Super Bowl, nobody believed in them. Is that where the Chiefs are at right now? Quarterback Matt Cassel has a case for MVP this season and with the league’s No. 1 rushing offense, a sneaky-good defense and a home game in round one, the Chiefs are just under-the-radar enough to surprise anybody and everybody.

2. Chicago Bears

Of all of the NFC teams not-named the Seattle Seahawks, the Chicago Bears appear to be the team that is doubted the most. But when you take a look at two key factors, maybe they should be favored.

Heading into the postseason, the Bears are virtually the only team that is completely healthy – believe it or not. That’s an incredible feat after 17 weeks of action.

On top of that, we know that defense wins championship and the Bears unit is one of the best in the NFL. They won’t be getting blown out in any playoff game and they should be in each game. With a bye, a home game, a healthy team and a good defense, they could be one of the two XLV finalists.

3. New York Jets

Next to the Seahawks, the Jets have the longest odds to win the Super Bowl but maybe bettors should take a closer look.

The Jets came into the playoffs last season unexpected to do much. Even so, they made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game and nearly won it.

They head to the playoffs winning two of their last three games and they should have some momentum after a 38-7 romp in Week 17. Don’t be surprised if they make another run just like they did last year.

Months after losing its Major League Baseball, and only weeks after settling a lawsuit by MLB for allegedly illegally using its trademarks anyway, news has broken that the National Football League will not renew Upper Deck’s licensing agreement.

This means no more (official) baseball or football cards from UD.

Upper Deck released the following statement:

"Over the past year, Upper Deck has attempted to negotiate a new licensing deal with NFL Properties. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were not able to reach agreeable terms, and therefore will not be issuing any NFL Properties-licensed trading cards for the 2010 season. Upper Deck will continue to focus on its exclusive license agreement with the Collegiate Licensing Company and co-exclusive agreements with NHL Enterprises and the NHL Players’ Association, as well as its multiple entertainment licenses.”

When you think Super Bowl, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Football, commercials, cheerleaders and beer, probably. Maybe Janet Jackson. But did you ever wonder how much it would take to ensure that all 76,500 fans that walk into Sun Life Stadium on Sunday, walk out safely?

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) have unleashed their best four-legged agents to guard against explosive threats at this year’s Bowl. The top K-9 units from around the country have been shipped down to Miami, along with local, state and federal law enforcement, to make sure the fans, players and staff can enjoy the game in safety.

Trained dogs from Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Colorado, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia and Florida are all helping to make sure Sun Life is free of explosive devices and other threats that could endanger any fan, staff or athlete during the big game on Sunday.

Blast’s On the Record Sports blog reports that Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry has died of injuries suffered when he fell out of a pickup truck.

With the 9th pick in the NFL draft, the Green Packers have selected Boston College’s B.J. Raji, a defensive tackle.

The move comes as the Packers look to switch to a 3-4 defense next year. Raji’s strength, size and speed could make him a vital piece of the puzzle going forward.

That’s the only local pick in the top 10 so far.

As expected, the Lions took Georgia QB Matthew Stafford #1. Another big pick is Darrius Heyward-Bey going to the Raiders at #7, adding a big time wide receiver to the corps of young offensive potential in Oakland.

Stick with http://blastmagazine.com for more sports coverage!

The Buffalo Bills have signed former Cowboy, Eagle and 49er WR Terrell Owens to a one-year $6.5 million deal. Owens was released last week by the Dallas Cowboys and many teams publicly said that they had no interest in adding the problematic wideout.

If T.O. couldn’t get along with Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo, let’s see how he acts when Trent Edwards skips numerous passes to him and the losses mount up.

Us Magazine is reporting that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bundchen have said “I do.”

Bundchen and Brady, according to the celebrity magazine, got married Thursday in a Catholic wedding mass in Los Angeles.

The bride, 28, donned a form-fitting ivory lace strapless gown with a trumpet skirt, scalloped edges, long train and a floor-length veil with attached handmade satin roses and attached satin headband, all by Dolce & Gabbana. Her three dogs also wore matching Dolce & Gabbana floral lace collars.

Us said the ceremony began ad dusk and was “very small and intimate,” according to a source.

Immediate family was there but so were Tom’s ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan and their son.

Bundchen, 28, with Brady, 31 since 2006. She had previously been linked to Leonardo DiCaprio.

Bundchen is a Brazilian-born supermodel who grew to American fame for her Victoria’s Secret ads.

Indianapolis Colts GM Bill Polian announced today that the Colts have released WR Marvin Harrison.

“We today have released Marvin Harrison because of salary cap considerations,” Polian said.

“Marvin let us know his preference was to be released. Both Jim Irsay and I felt very strongly that after Marvin’s long and dedicated service to the Colts, we would, in this painful circumstance, be guided by Marvin’s wishes.

“This is a sad day for the Colts. Marvin Harrison, in addition to being a certain Hall of Famer, has been a good friend, model professional and a loyal and dedicated teammate. His record-setting achievements brought about by immense talent, work ethic and dignified professional demeanor have thrilled Colts fans for a generation. Marvin today takes his place alongside Raymond Berry, forming the greatest receiving tandem in Colts history. He will, in due time, join Raymond in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and take his rightful place with the greatest players in the history of the game.

“On behalf of his legion of fans in Indianapolis and his many friends and admirers in the Colts organization, Jim Irsay and I sincerely thank Marvin for all he has done for us. We wish him every blessing and success in the future.”

“When Marvin’s playing career comes to an end, we look forward to bringing him “Home” to Indianapolis, installing him in the Ring of Honor and joining all his fans in thanking him and celebrating his remarkable career.

“Godspeed Marvin, we will miss you.”

Northeastern University football player Brian Mandeville received devastating news on Friday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis during routine physical examinations. The star tight end, who missed a third of his senior season with knee injuries and even survived a brain tumor while in college, was told by Combine doctors that he has a heart ailment, effectively ending his football career.

Mandewille was diagnosed with an abnormal heart valve, which is not considered life-threatening, but the problem could become dangerous under the strenuous training regimens of the NFL.

“I told him his health and well-being is what’s important” Northeastern coach Rocky Hager told the Boston Herald. “I don’t know if that means he’ll continue in a career in sports, but then everybody’s career in sports eventually comes to an end. But I think he’s so well grounded and his parents have done a great job raising him and he always has the right attitude.”

Mandeville caught 63 passes for 863 yards and seven touchdowns in 33 games, worthy of earning first-team All-New England honors. Northeastern’s I-AA football program went 2-10 last year and hasn’t had a winning season since 2003.

Brett Favre has informed the Jets that he plans to retire for the second straight year.

This would be huge news if he hadn’t already gone through his long, dramatic “retirement” last year. And even if he is serious this time, it seems as though the general public is ready for him to go away. At this point, the whole New York Jets experiment is nothing more than the answer to a trivia question. The Jets, however, seem to think it was worth it.

“I had a great conversation with Brett this morning” owner Woody Johnson said in a statement. “Considering that he came from a totally different environment and joined our team during training camp, his performance last season was extraordinary. As I spoke with people throughout the organization, they all told me how much they enjoyed working with him. Brett Favre is a Hall-of-Fame player, but he is also a Hall-of-Fame person. Brett, Deanna and his family will always be a part of the Jets family.”

After spending some $140 million on free agents, the Jets ended the season poorly on their way to a 9-7 record, which was surely not good enough to make the playoffs in the ultra-competitive AFC. Favre contributed his fair share to the disappointing season as he led the NFL in interceptions (again) with 22. And his 79.3 passer rating over the second half of the season was a big reason that head coach Eric Mangini got fired.

Favre should have just done the right thing last season and stayed retired. Instead, he cost people their jobs in NY and divided a locker room. It’s time for Brett to go away. He is overrated. For all the talk of how he is a non-mortal, he only won one Super Bowl, which puts him in elite company along with Trent Dilfer, Brad Johnson and Mark Rypien.

Please, Brett, I hope you are serious this time. Stay retired and stop destroying teams and reputations.

Arizona Cardinals stud wide receiver Anquan Boldin is still not happy with the relationship, or non-relationship, he has with his employer.

If you remember back in August, 2008, Q (what his teammates like to call him and a letter worth 10 points in the board game Scrabble) had this to say to the NFL Network:

“At this point we have no relationship, and I don’t see that changing. It’s just gotten to a point where I think lines were crossed. If you ask me, coaches should be coaches, management should be management, and I don’t think those lines should be crossed. But when you cross those lines, you put yourself in position for things like this to happen.”

Even with obvious frustration and bitterness towards the Cardinals organization, Boldin finished with 89 catches for 1,038 yards, including a career-high 11 touchdowns. And after a devastating hit that required titanium plates and 40 titanium screws to help repair facial injuries, Q was back on the field after only missing two games. An organization should learn how to respect a player like this. Despite them making it to the Super Bowl this year, they still are the Arizona Cardinals.

After doing his best to not create any controversy during the regular season and playoffs, minus the altercation with his offensive coordinator during the Eagles game, Anquan is expressing his discontent again, this time to USA Today after Thursday’s NFC practice for the Pro Bowl:

“I don’t think the relationship can be repaired with the organization. It takes more than, ‘Well, we did you wrong and we’ll pay you this.’ It’s not about the money. It was always about the principle. Guys being true to their word. I guess I was expected to uphold my end of the bargain, and it wasn’t reciprocated…..We’ve been talking to them for two years, and they still haven’t made anything happen.”

Anquan has two years left on his contract that some people say he should honor, plus one more if Arizona decides to franchise him. If this played out, Boldin would be 31 years young old before he could negotiate a new deal and get himself out of the desert.

None of us know exactly what happened between Boldin and the coaches/management, but something did and he obviously is not happy about it. That, plus the almost-career-ending hit Boldin took during the Jets game gives him all the right in the world to do his best in getting paid now.

The NFL is a business. NFL teams don’t have to honor contracts, yet people feel the NFL players should. I’m not one of them. Anquan has been an amazing player during his six-year career. He’s shown tremendous work ethic, on and off the field. If the Arizona Cardinals don’t feel like paying him, I’m sure there are plenty of NFL teams that will.

I have no problem with Boldin expressing how he feels and saying the things he says. Ultimately, he has to look out for himself, like anyone else would in any other career. Hopefully, Anquan will get his wish and be able to put on a different uniform on at the start of the 2009 season.

The New England Patriots have surprised no one by slapping the franchise tag on free-agent-to-be Matt Cassel.

If the Patriots choose to keep him, they will be charged $14.65 million, as the franchise tag grants a player the average of the top five salaries in the NFL at his position.

Depending on the rehab schedule of Tom Brady, the Pats could also opt to trade Cassel and not have some $29 million committed to one position on the team.

Cassel completed 63.4% of his passes and threw for 3,693 yards and 21 touchdowns with 11 picks while leading the team to 11 wins.

That it’s better to be pissed off, than pissed on. According to a gossip column in the NY Daily News, Patriots QB Matt Cassel was in the bathroom at ESPN’s Tampa Bay Super Bowl Bash Friday night, when a drunken patron tried to cut in front of him.

A source told the Daily News that “Matt told him to wait his turn and headed into the urinals.”

So then the guy barges in and proceeds to urinate all over Cassel’s leg. The drunk was tossed and Matt then returned to the party with pee on his leg.

Unreal.

The Steelers just knocked off the Cardinals 27-23 in what was one of the best Super Bowls ever. Santonio Holmes, aka Santonio Swann, was huge as he nabbed a Big Ben pass to get the Steelers inside the five-yard line with under a minute to go. Santonio Swann, the game’s MVP, then hauled in a brilliant pass in the corner of the end zone to give Pittsburgh the lead with about :35 seconds to go. He is the third Steelers wide receiver to win Super Bowl MVP.

Phenomenal, phenomenal game.

If you are trying to get a hold of Guilfoil, don’t bother. He just dialed 866-NFL-5959 to buy his eco-friendly Super Bowl hat and t-shirt. So he’ll be busy for a while.

Lynn Swann was the MVP of Super Bowl X, and Hines Ward took the award in 2005′s Super Bowl XL.

Mr. Holmes didn’t put up huge numbers during the season, but had a big day when it counted. Hence, Santonio Swann.

Everyone’s favorite team wrecker is getting his own reality show on VH1, the network announced today.

T.O.’s best friends and publicists, Monique Jackson and Kita Williams, will help Terrell try to get his crap together. They will act as “matchmakers and therapists” for him.

Would anyone want that job? Didn’t think so. And you can call this show stupid all you like, you know we’ll all be watching.

Think back to the last time you heard the name “Pacman” in a headline and it was associated with something positive. Maybe during the April 2005 NFL Draft? Probably.

Well, this time, Pacman Jones is being sued by his former agent/attorney Manny Arora, who claims that Pacman owes him some $10,000 in lawyer’s fees. Apparently, the Altanta-based attorney represented Jones or his family in 18 separate cases, which makes you wonder how the fees are only in the $10k range.

The Cowboys recently released Pacman after ESPN drudged up an old story that was already discussed a long time ago because that’s the type of news agency they are.

The suit lists Deborah Jones, James Jones, Lewis Kueffor and Fleming Daniels as the defendants that Arora assisted. The charges range from speeding to kidnapping and simple battery. Oh, and that’s right, Daniels actually was charged with murder. And you thought Pacman was the big a-hole? Sounds like he’s the choir boy in his family.

Pacman has been arrested six times and has been involved in a dozen incidents with the cops since the Titans drafted him in 2005.

The Baltimore Ravens have updated RB Willis McGahee’s status after he was knocked senseless and carried off the field on a stretcher Sunday night in the Ravens’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship game. Steelers’ safety Ryan Clark was the one who laid the wood.

“McGahee was released from Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh early this morning and returned immediately to Baltimore” said Kevin Byrne, the Ravens’ senior V.P. of public and community relations. “He is resting at his home today. It is expected that Willis will have a complete recovery from the head and neck injuries he suffered last night.”

It was reported last night that he had a concussion and would end up being fine. That seems to be the case.

With the emergence of LaRon McClain and Ray Rice, it’s unlikely that McGahee will be back with the Ravens next season.

Multiple sources have told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen that former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan will become the next head coach of the New York Jets.

The sources told Mort that he signed a four-year deal and that an announcement will come later on Monday. Ryan will be introduced at a press conference on Wednesday, according to the sources.

Apparently, Ryan’s deal is almost identical to the four-year $11.5 million deal that Steve Spagnuolo signed in St. Louis last week.

Ryan is the son of former Eagles and Cardinals head coach Buddy Ryan. He has a brother Rob who also coaches in the NFL.

Apparently, Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer doesn’t like ending a season with four straight losses and blowing a 9-3 record to miss the playoffs. I know this because head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen paid with their heads.

That’s right, the Bucs have fired Gruden and Allen and will not look to rebuild their front office.

Gruden was 57-55 during his tenure with the Bucs, but he did win a Super Bowl. Granted, it was with Tony Dungy’s defense, but he won nonetheless.

ESPN is reporting that Amani Toomer is done in New York.

Toomer, who turns 35 this year, has been with the Giants for 13 seasons. He began the season second on the Giants’ all-time list with 10,344 all-purpose yards.

He is also the Giants’ record holder for receptions, receiving yards, touchdown catches and 100+ yard receiving games.

His contract is up this year, and ESPN says that’s the end for Amani.

The return of Ladainian Tomlinson to the San Diego Chargers is not looking good. L.T. got hurt again this year and missed the team’s divisional playoff at Pittsburgh, while backup Darren Sproles continued to prove that he’s one nasty back. The Chargers don’t want to make the same mistake they made by retaining L.T. and letting Michael Turner go, so now the trade rumors are flying.

“I think it’s ridiculous to be talking about trade and me not being here, that’s just my personal opinion” Tomlinson told Jim Trotter of SI.com. “I know every team has a right to make trades and all this stuff, but I just think it’s ridiculous to be talking about this, to have this stuff in the media when this could be handled behind closed doors and in a professional way. Now I have people calling me, talking about this all the time; this has become a big story and I don’t want this.”

Tomlinson is set to make $6.275 million next year and $24 million over the next three years. For an aging tailback that has been run into the ground since his rookie year in 2001? Yeah, I don’t think so. And it doesn’t seem that General Manager A.J. Smith thinks so either.

“L.T. will be discussed in great length on a number of issues by this organization based on [the three years he has remaining on his contract]“ G.M. A.J. Smith told SI. “Now that may be shocking to you or it may be shocking to L.T. or anyone else out there, and if it is I don’t know what to tell you; but as the general manager of the football team, the recommendations I’m going to make to Dean Spanos, like I’ve done all these years, I think it’s valid to discuss a football player like L.T. and [what has happened] the last couple of years, looking ahead to a contract that has three years remaining on it.”

That doesn’t sound good.

“All of that may be stunning to people, but as the GM here — where I told you I would pass his name a few years ago — it will be discussed heavily,” he continued. “I think it’s valid; I don’t think it’s ridiculous. I think it’s important at this point in time, as unreasonable as that may sound to many people or to you, I think it’s a sound football decision.”

That sounds less good. He’s hardly speaking like a guy who can’t wait to have L.T. return to the fold.

But, what do the Chargers plan to do, cut him? It’s possible. Given the money that he is set to earn, who would give up anything worth a damn in a trade? He’s been plagued by injuries the past two years and when it’s a running backs time, it’s his time. It goes pretty quickly.

However, according to several GM’s, who spoke to SI on condition of anonymity, there would actually be some market for him, although none could imagine giving up a first-day pick.

“You could see from those final two games that he played in when he was healthy that he still has juice,” said one GM. “But running backs who have had as many touches as him tend to drop off quickly after 30, and he’s had problems with injuries.”

Regardless, it seems like L.T.’s time in San Diego is over.

Coedmagazine.com has a list of 10 professional athletes who are on Twitter. I’ve listed them here and you can click on their names to follow them:

-Giants QB Eli Manning (does he slur and lisp when he Tweets?)

-Snowboarder Shaun White

-NY Jets safety Kerry Rhodes

-Skateboarder Mike Vallely (who? Ok, if you say so)

-Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O’Neal

-Golfer Natalie Gulbis (mmmmmm…I’m not into celebs, but I’d follow her wherever. She’s got huuuge Tweets)

-Former 49er WR Jerry Rice

-Overexposed Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps

-Tennis player Andy Murray

-Bicyclist Lance Armstrong

Jay Glazer of Foxsports.com reports that Tony Dungy will retire from coaching. Sources have told Glazer that Dungy is making the rounds at the Colts complex and saying his good-byes.

Dungy is holding a 5 P.M. press conference today, where he is expected to make his official announcement.

Dungy finishes his head coaching career with a 92-33 record and a Super Bowl victory. He also made the playoffs in each of his seven seasons as coach of the Colts.

The Butkus Award has been given annually to the best college linebacker since 1985. Now, they have expanded it to include NFL and high school. The first NFL winner is Cowboys OLB DeMarcus Ware. He led the league with 20 sacks and six forced fumbles.

“It’s a great thing to be the first of anything, especially to be nominated for something like the Butkus Award,” said Ware, who was named to the NFL’s All-Pro team for the third straight year. “To be known as the most well-rounded linebacker, you have to able to drop into coverage, rush the passer but also to be able to stop the run when it comes at you.”

To win the Butkus Award, you have to be a complete player.

“The criteria is a three-down player who’s not taken out and not a specialty player, like a lot of them are,” Butkus said. “I’m very happy with the choice. He’s an impact player. He goes after it. That’s what I like.”

The Associated Press has announced the results of the NFL All-Pro voting. This isn’t Pro Bowl voting, this is the best in the entire league.

OFFENSE

Quarterback
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis, 28; Drew Brees, New Orleans, 10; Philip Rivers, San Diego, 9; Chad Pennington, Miami, 2; Kurt Warner, Arizona, 1.

y-Running Backs
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota, 45; Michael Turner, Atlanta, 40; DeAngelo Williams, Carolina, 13; Clinton Portis, Washington, 1.

Fullback
Le’Ron McClain, Baltimore, 38; Madison Hedgecock, NY Giants, 5; Mike Sellers, Washington, 4; Tony Richardson, NY Jets, 2; Ovie Mughelli, Atlanta, 1.

Tight End
Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City, 33; Jason Witten, Dallas, 14; Dallas Clark, Indianapolis, 2; Antonio Gates, San Diego, 1.

Wide Receivers
Andre Johnson, Houston, 45; Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona, 21; Steve Smith, Carolina, 16; Wes Welker, New England, 6; Anquan Boldin, Arizona, 5; Roddy White, Atlanta, 4; Brandon Marshall, Denver, 1; Randy Moss, New England, 1; Calvin Johnson, Detroit, 1.

Tackles
Jordan Gross, Carolina, 34; Michael Roos, Tennessee, 32; Ryan Clady, Denver, 14; David Stewart, Tennessee, 3; Walter Jones, Seattle, 3; Jason Peters, Buffalo, 3; David Diehl, NY Giants, 3; Joe Thomas, Cleveland, 3; Chris Samuels, Washington, 2; Jon Runyan, Philadelphia, 1; Levi Brown, Arizona, 1; Ryan Harris, Denver, 1.

Guards
Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota, 40; Chris Snee, NY Giants, 32; Kris Dielman, San Diego, 10; Alan Faneca, NY Jets, 7; Logan Mankins, New England, 4; Leonard Davis, Dallas, 2; Travelle Wharton, Carolina, 2; Harvey Dahl, Atlanta, 1; Ben Grubbs, Baltimore, 1; Justin Smiley, Miami, 1.

Center
Kevin Mawae, Tennessee, 25; Shaun O’Hara, NY Giants, 18; Nick Mangold, NY Jets, 3; Jeff Saturday, Indianapolis, 2; Casey Wiegmann, Denver, 1; Todd McClure, Atlanta, 1.

Placekicker
Stephen Gostkowski, New England, 28; John Carney, NY Giants, 13; Rob Bironas, Tennessee, 3; Jason Hanson, Detroit, 3; Phil Dawson, Cleveland, 2; Jason Elam, Atlanta, 1.

Kick Returner
Leon Washington, NY Jets, 19; Clifton Smith, Tampa Bay, 16; Leodis McKelvin, Buffalo, 4; Josh Cribbs, Cleveland, 4; Darren Sproles, San Diego, 2‚½; Johnnie Lee Higgins, Oakland, 1‚½; Roscoe Parrish, Buffalo, 1; Justin Miller, Oakland, 1; Reggie Bush, New Orleans, 1.

DEFENSE

Ends
Justin Tuck, NY Giants, 26; Jared Allen, Minnesota, 21; Julius Peppers, Carolina, 20; John Abraham, Atlanta, 17; Mario Williams, Houston, 8; Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis, 4; Aaron Smith, Pittsburgh, 2; DeMarcus Ware, Dallas, 1; Trent Cole, Philadelphia, 1.

Tackles
Albert Haynesworth, Tennessee, 49; Kevin Williams, Minnesota, 25; Kris Jenkins, NY Jets, 11; Haloti Ngata, Baltimore, 6; Jay Ratliff, Dallas, 3; Casey Hampton, Pittsburgh, 2; Shaun Rogers, Cleveland, 2; Pat Williams, Minnesota, 1; Fred Robbins, NY Giants, 1.

Outside Linebackers
DaMarcus Ware, Dallas, 45; James Harrison, Pittsburgh, 38; Joey Porter, Miami, 13; Terrell Suggs, Baltimore, 2; LaMarr Woodley, Pittsburgh 1; Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay, 1.

y-Inside Linebacker
Ray Lewis, Baltimore, 39; Jon Beason, Carolina, 18; Patrick Willis, San Francisco, 17; James Farrior, Pittsburgh, 12; London Fletcher, Washington, 8; Barrett Ruud, Tampa Bay, 1; James Harrison, Pittsburgh, 1; Stewart Bradley, Philadelphia, 1; Bart Scott, Baltimore, 1; Jerod Mayo, New England, 1.

Cornerbacks
Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland, 32; Cortland Finnegan, Tennessee, 31; Charles Woodson, Green Bay, 17; Antoine Winfield, Minnesota, 10; Asante Samuel, New England, 3; Darrelle Revis, NY Jets, 2; Champ Bailey, Denver, 1; Ronde Barber, Tampa Bay, 1; Corey Webster, NY Giants 1; Will Allen, Miami, 1; Terence Newman, Dallas, 1.

Safeties
Ed Reed, Baltimore, 50; Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh, 46; Adrian Wilson, Arizona, 2; Quintin Mikell, Philadelphia, 1; Nick Collins, Green Bay, 1.

Punter
Shane Lechler, Oakland, 25; Donnie Jones, St. Louis, 10; Jeff Feagles, NY Giants, 6; Sam Koch, Baltimore, 5; Mike Scifres, San Diego, 3; Brad Maynard, Chicago, 1.

Not that anyone ever really thought he was a murderer, but his name certainly came up in an investigation. A Woburn, Mass. man admitted in court that he made up his testimony regarding the 1993 murder of Dr. Linda Goudey, who was found strangled in her car back in October of that year.

Richard Chambers, 45, plead guilty on Thursday to charges of misleading police and perjury, when he told investigators that the last person he saw with the doctor was a man that looked like then NFL QB Boomer Esiason.

The case is still unsolved, but Dr. Timothy Stryker was found liable in civil court in 2006 and ordered to pay $15 million to Goudey’s family.

Boomer Esiason can finally relax.

This was one of Guilfoil’s day job stories.

The Dallas Cowboys have announced that they will release Pacman Jones. The move will be made official on February 9th, the first day when teams can make waiver requests.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones even assigned him his own security guards to follow him around to make sure he didn’t get in any trouble. Didn’t happen. He still got into a fight with a security guard in a hotel bathroom and was suspended four games for the incident. Surely, Jones doesn’t believe he can keep his nose clean for an entire offseason and doesn’t want to deal with the headaches.

As it is now, Jones has enough headaches on the roster.

UPDATE: Well isn’t this something?

A team source told Ed Werder that Pacman was released after the team learned that Pacman was involved in a second shooting in 2007. In an upcoming “Outside the Lines” segment, three Atlanta men allege that Jones arranged for someone to shoot at them just three months after he was suspended for a year by the NFL.

“He was surprised, and I think he was obviously somewhat hurt,” said Worrick Robinson, Jones’ agent. “At the same time, he understands the business behind what is happening here.”

“Outside the Lines” was told by an informant that Jones ordered the shooting following a dispute with one of the men. Authorities say the case is open, but they are not actively investigating the matter. Whatever that means.

It’s tough to think at this point that Jones won’t get a lifetime ban from the NFL.

WEEI’s Michael Holley reports that former Jets head coach Eric Mangini will be named head coach of the Cleveland Browns by the end of the week. Holley also says that Patriots VP of Personnel Scott Pioli will likely not follow Mangini to Cleveland, instead opting for the Kansas City job or staying in New England.

Mangini was shown the door in New York after his Jets stumbled from an 8-3 record to a 9-7 finish and missed the playoffs. It’s a stunning move considering Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum still has a job. It was Tannenbaum who traded for Brett Favre and spent all that money on Calvin Pace, Alan Faneca, Damien Woody and Kris Jenkins, while trading away Jonathan Vilma and Jon Abraham. Yeah, that’s Mangini’s fault.

Just like they said they would, Boston College has fired head football coach Jeff Jagodzinski, whose name is roughly as fun to type as that of a certain Illinois governor.

B.C. warned Jagodzinski that if he interviewed for the head coaching vacancy of the N.Y. Jets that they would fire him. Apparently, they weren’t kidding.

“Jeff and I were really divided on the future of this program,” said B.C.’s athletic director Gene DeFilippo. “I just thought I hired a coach that I thought was going to be here a long time and I thought Jeff was that guy. I am looking for someone who can give a commitment of at least four or five years, for the length of the contract.”

He said that there will be an interim coach assigned until he can find a long-term replacement.

Fox 29 News in Philadelphia reports that Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham will hold a press conference on Tuesday at 11 A.M. and is expected to disclose the results of the investigation of an April North Philly shooting. The shooting occurred in the Brewerytown section of Philadelphia where one person was shot by someone else…with a gun owned by Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison.

Harrison is a Philly native and owns several businesses in the area, including the car wash where the gun was eventually recovered. We should know on Tuesday afternoon the extent to which Harrison was involved. If he was involved in the shooting as he was in the Colts offense this year, he should be cleared of all wrong doing.

UPDATE: Abraham announced that there is not sufficient evidence to prosecute Harrison.

Peyton Manning has won his third NFL MVP award, becoming just the second player (Brett Favre) in NFL history to do so.

“I know it’s an individual award, but … truly, in my opinion, a team award,” said Manning, who won the award mainly because no one else was having a truly dominant season.

“It’s been the most rewarding regular season that I’ve been a part of in my 11 years, and I have to believe a lot of the other players and even coaches might feel the same way,” Manning continued.

Manning got off to a slow start to the 2008 season after having two offseason surgeries on a bursa sac in his left knee. His Colts started 3-4, but he’s had them rolling ever since, winning nine straight.

Despite the sluggish start, he still extended his NFL record of 4,000-yard seasons to nine and finished with 27 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and a 95.0 passer rating.

“It’s just been different,” Manning said. “It’s been an entirely different season. I think the one thing that’s been inaccurate is that the seasons we were starting out 13-0, 8-0, 7-0, that it was easy. So all of a sudden this year we are 3-4 and now things are hard. Believe me, it’s never easy to win a game. I’ve never taken for granted winning a football game.”

Miami Dolphins QB Chad Pennington has won the Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year award for 2008. It’s the second time he’s claimed the award, when he nabbed it with the Jets in 2006.

Pennington revived a 1-15 Dolphins team and took them to the playoffs with an 11-5 record this season.

“I think in my experience over the last nine years is that when you’re winning, you feel appreciated; when you’re losing, it gets a little tough,” he said. “That’s just part of winning and losing, especially in this league because the stakes are high, a lot of eyes watching you, both individually and as a team.

“I don’t think the appreciation level ever changes, you just have to understand that there’s always going to be highs and lows. And it’s always to the extreme because the middle of the road doesn’t sail and it’s not exciting. The extremes, that’s what’s exciting, and that’s what everybody leans on.”

It’s not tough to imagine that no one was happier to see Pennington come to the Dolphins than first-year head coach Tony Sparano.

“He’s vital to this team, he really is,” Sparano said. “With Chad coming in here and doing what he’s done right now and bringing a bunch of people together, these young players, what he’s brought to them from a leadership standpoint.”

In the award’s 11 seasons, Pennington is the only player to win it twice.

In a landslide win of 49 out of 50 votes, New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo has won the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year. Mayo led a linebacker group that struggled at times with 137 tackles and proved the Pats were smart for grabbing him at #10 in this past April’s Draft.

“Jerod’s done a lot for us,” coach Bill Belichick said. “We’ve asked a lot of him and from Day 1 he’s really been a well-prepared, very mature player who can do a lot of things: play the running game, play in the passing game, blitz, helps us in the kicking game.

“He’s smart, makes a lot of defensive adjustments and calls for us there. He runs well. He’s tough. He’s a good all-around football player, very mature, very professional. For a rookie, he’s probably as professional as anybody I’ve coached.”

A starter all season, Mayo is the sixth-straight linebacker to win the award.

“Jerod’s taken his leadership up,” linebacker Mike Vrabel said. “I think he came in as a rookie and obviously learned the playbook and learned everything in and out and physically can go out there and make any play that we needed him to.”

I wonder if the Jets are still excited they got Vernon Gholston at #6.

Arizona Cardinals (+2.5) over Atlanta Falcons

Yes, Arizona has a horrific defense and they lost four out of their last six games. They look terrible and Kurt Warner is fifty-six years old. There’s probably ten teams in the NFC that are better than them. They only beat one other NFC team that was not in their division. Guess who? Yes, the Dallas Cowboys. Remember that blocked punt on October 12th? Of course, we all do. We all love watching Dallas implode. But this isn’t about Dallas. This is about Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons’ defense traveling to Arizona to play the Cardinals. This game is all about who can stop who and as horrific as the Cardinals defense is, Atlanta’s is not that much better. The Cardinals are in the middle of the pack at stopping the run and if they can keep Michael Turner in check, which is something many NFL teams have had a tough time doing, then they will win the game. I see this Arizona Cardinals offense running on all cylinders Saturday afternoon. Look for Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald to hook up many times, and not in a gay way, but in a watch-how-many-touchdowns-we-can-score kinda way. Final score Arizona 31 Atlanta 24 (for the record, they will get destroyed next round, completely destroyed).

Indianapolis Colts (-1) over San Diego Chargers

Revenge game. Peyton Manning is the MVP of the NFL. San Diego is not a good football team. They aren’t. They play in a horrible division and they aren’t ‘coming on strong.’ Look who they played in their last four games. The Oakland Raiders who suck. The Kansas City Chiefs who suck. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers who suck. And the Denver Broncos who suck. Their previous three games before that were against playoff teams (Steelers, Colts, and Falcons) and they lost all three of those games. I love the Colts in this game. I truly believe they are the best team in the NFL right now with the best player (Peyton Manning). I will be completely dumbfounded if the Chargers win this game. Final Score Indianapolis 30 San Diego 20

Baltimore Ravens (-3) over Miami Dolphins

I was up the street last night grabbing dinner when my buddy asked me ‘who plays quarterback for that purple team?’ I said, ‘Tarvaris Jackson?’ He said, ‘no.’ I said ‘Joe Flacco?’ and that turned out to be the correct answer. The fat guy with no chin sitting next to my buddy said, ‘he was my neighbor.’ For the sake of not butchering anymore punctuation I will continue this story without any ‘he said, she said’ crap. The fat guy with no chin (let’s just call him Fat No Chin, FNC for short) grew up with him during the summers in Ocean City, New Jersey. FNC told me he threw a wicked long ball on the beach. So right now I picture Joe Flacco tearing up the scene in Miami Beach throwing wicked long balls which will carryover till Sunday in a very nice rookie, playoff victory. Oh, and Ed Reed might have something to say about this game, too. Speaking of Ed Reed, would you rather have him or Troy Polamalu? Food for thought. Final Score Baltimore 20 Miami 17

Philadelphia Eagles (-3) over Minnesota Vikings

There’s around 15,000 seats still available for this game and it’s subject to blackout in the Minneapolis area. How pathetic is that? Do you know what else is pathetic? Tarvaris Jackson. This is me breaking down this game. What the Eagles really need to do is establish the run and…..the Vikings quarterback is Tarvaris Jackson. If the Eagles can stop the run…..the Vikings quarterback is Tarvaris Jackson. The Eagles need to win the battle of field position…..the Vikings quarterback is Tarvaris Jackson. In conclusion, if the Eagles defense can put pressure on Tarvaris Jackson…..the Vikings quarterback is Tarvaris Jackson. You get my point? Final Score Philadelphia 34 Minnesota 17