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Media, Sports and News

Oregon spring wrap

Ted Miller

Miller has been covering college football since 1997, starting with Auburn and then heading West to Washington and the Pac-12. His columns for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer won first place in the 2007 APSE Best Writing contest. The Atlanta native and University of Richmond graduate presently lives with his wife in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Kevin Gemmell

Gemmell covered San Diego State and the Mountain West Conference for three years before joining ESPN.com. As a Santa Clara graduate, his hope is that the Broncos will one day re-institute football. Until then, he lives vicariously through his readers. Gemmell lives in California with his wife and son.

What Will Be the Outcome of Sunday’s Patriots-Ravens AFC Championship Game? – New England Patriots – NESN.com

In many ways, Sunday's AFC Championship showdown between the Patriots and Ravens is the ultimate culture clash.

The Ravens are a physical, defensive-minded team that has a history of stirring things up off the field with some trash talk. The Patriots, meanwhile, have relied on their offense to get to where they are, and are generally a more reserved team.

No matter how you slice it, though, things are sure to be interesting at Gillette Stadium on Sunday. The Pats head into the battle as seven-point favorites.

In the ultimate offense versus defense battle, Tom Brady and Co. will look to continue its torrid pace. The Pats are just one win away from heading to their fifth Super Bowl in 11 years, but in order to make reservations for the big game in Indianapolis, they'll have to overcome their toughest challenge yet.

The Ravens were fourth overall in term's of pass defense during the regular season, and second in the league in run defense. The Pats' offense is going to have its hands full when it comes to trying to drive down the field at the same clip the unit has all season.

Baltimore is stacked with playmakers on defense, including Ray Lewis, Haloti Ngata, Terrell Suggs and Ed Reed. Brady will truly have to be on top of his game to ensure New England doesn't give Baltimore any free points.

The Patriots' defense is much less impressive, but it showed last week that it can get stingy at times, as the unit held Tim Tebow and the Broncos in check for all four quarters.

Perhaps the biggest X factor in this game, though, is Joe Flacco. We'll get to see whether the Ravens quarterback can elevate his game enough to propel his team into the big game.

With so many storylines, and so many angles to analyze, it's tough to predict this one. But hey, why not give it a shot?

Twitter follower gets free ticket – Tampa Bay Times

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Victor Gonzalez, a college student from Fort White, attended Saturday’s Broncos-Patriots division playoff game courtesy of Chad Ochocinco.

Gonzalez is a follower — one of about 3 mil­lion — of the Patriots receiver on Twitter.com. He had spent two years trying to elicit a response from Ochocinco online.

He reached his breaking point Jan. 8, FoxSports.com said.

“Been tweeting you for two years and have not ever gotten a response,” Gonzalez wrote.

Finally, Ochocinco responded: “My bad. Want to come to the game saturday?”

Gonzalez responded: “I would love to but i live in FLA. can you fly me out?”

Not a problem for Ochocinco, who promised to transport Gonzalez from his home about 37 miles northwest of Gainesville and put him up in a hotel.

“Bundle up young Jedi for it is cold here,” Ochocinco said on Twitter on Friday.

Gonzalez arrived Friday. Ochocinco took him out for dinner, then shopping for Patriots merchandise. Friday night, Gonzalez posted a photo of himself with Ochocinco and wrote on Twitter, “Living a dream!”

Safety woes: Denver S Brian Dawkins, a four-time All-Pro, sat. Dawkins, 38, has had a neck injury throughout the season and did not play in last week’s wild-card win or the regular-season finale. During the game, the Broncos lost safeties Quinton Carter and David Bruton. Carter, whose interception set up Denver’s only touchdown, hurt his neck during the second quarter. Bruton sustained a concussion during the third.

Hernandez leaves: TE Aaron Hernandez, whose 43-yard run helped set up the Patriots’ first touchdown, left in the fourth quarter with a head injury. The status of the former Gator was unknown.

Staying behind: Broncos LS Lonie Paxton did not travel to New England because of complications with his wife’s pregnancy with twins, his agent said. Previously, the team had said only that Paxton would miss the game because of a family emergency.

Obituary: Ex-Broncos owner Edgar Kaiser died Wednesday, his foundation said. He was 69. The cause of death was not disclosed. Mr. Kaiser bought the team in 1981 and owned it when it obtained QB John Elway from the Colts. He sold it to the current owner, Pat Bowlen, in 1984. In 2004, Mr. Kaiser lost a court battle over the right to buy back a stake in the team. “On behalf of the Denver Broncos, I extend our sincere condolences to the family of Edgar Kaiser,” Bowlen said in a statement. “I have enormous appreciation for the opportunity Edgar gave me to become owner of this great franchise in 1984.”

Inside the Panthers: Trent Dilfer ranks Broncos’ Tim Tebow among NFL’s passers: 80th out of 80

« Panthers let secondary coach Ron Meeks go | Main| Report: Charlotte native Steve Wilks to coach Panthers DBs »

Trent Dilfer ranks Broncos’ Tim Tebow among NFL’s passers: 80th out of 80

   Former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer spoke at the Hood Hargett Breakfast Club in Charlotte Friday, and he was complimentary of Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, who he said would "change the game" in the NFL with his skills and work ethic.

      He was not as kind in discussing Denver quarterback Tim Tebow, who has the Broncos in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs against the New England Patriots Saturday night despite a passing form that is the league’s worst. Dilfer said if there are 80 quarterbacks in the NFL, the 79th is “exponentially better” than Tebow as a passer.

     Dilfer, who said he has tremendous respect for Tebow, said the Broncos’ read-option package has allowed Denver to overcome Tebow’s flaws. With defenses first watching for a handoff to the running back or a Tebow keep, Dilfer said the Broncos’ receivers are often wide open when Tebow pulls back for a play-action pass.

Posted by Observer Sports on January 13, 2012 at 06:28 PM | Permalink

I wonder where Dilfer would have ranked himself during his playing days.

Posted by: pantherpundit | Jan 13, 2012 6:56:22 PM

Says the guy who made a living handing the ball off.

Posted by: DS | Jan 13, 2012 7:00:55 PM

Says the guy who made a living handing the ball off.

Posted by: DS | Jan 13, 2012 7:00:56 PM

Bad career move Trent. ESPN will take these comments mainstream and the Tebowmaniacs will falsely label you as a hater because of his faith…and somehow slander Cam Newton in the same breath.

Posted by: lpdog32 | Jan 13, 2012 7:16:37 PM

Remind me again, how good a QB was Trent Dilfer… for some reason, I can't even remember who he played for… assuming he played.

Posted by: John – Harrisburg, NC | Jan 13, 2012 7:29:30 PM

Actually, Tebow ranks 81st out of 80 in passing.

Posted by: Bill Duke | Jan 13, 2012 7:34:44 PM

He can slam Tebow all he likes, but he and the Broncos are in the playoffs which makes me happy!

Posted by: Demisfit2000 | Jan 13, 2012 7:35:37 PM

Hey John-Harrisburg, Dilfer was only a Super Bowl winning QB so I guess he did play. How many super bowl rings do you have there Johnny boy?

Posted by: Bill Duke | Jan 13, 2012 7:37:04 PM

Let's see… 5 teams in 14 years (1 of which he never played)… 113 TDs and 129 INTs, He lost 35 of 82 fumbles, averaged less than 1,500 yds passing per year and had a 70.2 career rating. He started more than 8 games in only 6 of his 14 seasons.

To top it off, Tebow has more rushing TDs in each of his two seasons (6), than the 5 career total for Dilfer!

There is plenty of room to question Tebow, but NOT from a forgettable QB like Trent Dilfer!

Posted by: John – Harrisburg, NC | Jan 13, 2012 7:43:06 PM

I thought he played for the Bucs and the Ravens. Never an offensive threat. There "D" was the key to their wins. I don't believe that Tebow has the best mechanics but that TD pass in OT was right on the money and in stride. He wins games Dilfer. Your defense won the games for you when your butt was on the bench. I would rate Timmy exponentially better than you. Dilfer…I don't believe you ever made it to 3,000 yds a single year,and your biggest rushing season was 144 yds. Tebow had 660 yds rushing.

Posted by: Steve Gilmore | Jan 13, 2012 7:43:47 PM

Dilfer is undoubtably the worst qb ever to win a super bowl.

Posted by: Boo hour | Jan 13, 2012 7:54:25 PM

Trent Dilfer career:Completion Percentage 55.5TD-INT 113-129QB Rating 70.2Rushing Yards 853Rushing TDs 5

Tim Tebow career:Completion percentage 47.3TD–INT 17-9QB Rating 75.1Rushing Yards 871Rushing TDs 12 Hmmmmm, where would that rank Dilfer?

Oh, and that Super Bowl ring? Dilfer's stats:12/25 for 153 yards 1 TD 0 INT

Posted by: Cat93 | Jan 13, 2012 7:56:58 PM

Just pulled down both of their stats for their respective first two seasons. Tebow has the better record on 11 of 18 measures!

Dilfer's biggest passing year was season 3 at 2,859 and he only exceeded 100 yds rushing in 4 seasons.

Dilfer only started all 16 games in 4 of his 6 years with Tampa. He started only 10 games in his final year in Tampa and never started more than 8 games for the rest of his career except for one year with the hapless Browns. What more needs to be said?

Posted by: John – Harrisburg, NC | Jan 13, 2012 8:03:17 PM

113 td's from dilfer. 129 interceptions. nuff said. he is also one of the WORST announcers out there. what a tool.

Posted by: john holmes | Jan 13, 2012 8:07:30 PM

Go Cam. Go Tebow. As for Dilfer, I recall that during the year the Ravens won the SB, he wasn't even the starter for half the year and that the Ravens actually went five straight games without scoring a touchdown. They're the only SuperBowl champs to ever do that. That tells you how great the D was and how horrible the offense (with Dilfer leading it half the time)was.

Posted by: pantherd | Jan 13, 2012 8:15:58 PM

Don't you love when people in glass houses start throwing rocks? :)

Posted by: John – Harrisburg, NC | Jan 13, 2012 8:18:10 PM

lol, Trent Dilfer. Even if I were into football when he played, I would've never rooted for that tool. Tim Tebow is the man! Can't wait to see him tear up those Patriots and see John Fox get his revenge for that 2003 Super Bowl

Posted by: el | Jan 13, 2012 8:42:50 PM

Dilfer sucked back then and Dilfer sucks now. Tebow has rifled more rockets in the last 6 games that Dilfer did in is whole career. Sure he has flaws, but he improves every game and has a winners determination.Keep your pie-hole shut Dilfer. Your wrong again.

Posted by: Dave | Jan 13, 2012 9:02:42 PM

Dilfer rides the Ravens' coattails to one Super Bowl and spends the majority of his career handing out overrated balloon juice on cable TV. Figures. Maybe he needs to take a quick poll as to how many of those "80 quarterbacks" are currently in the playoffs and how many are home watching TV. Tool.

Posted by: Nathan | Jan 13, 2012 10:11:37 PM

Dilfer is an idiot. ESPN keeps him on air just to stir the pot. Tebow isn't the best quarterback, nor is he the worst.

Posted by: Johnny Unitis | Jan 13, 2012 10:20:50 PM

Are the Sports networks that desperate? Tebow is not bad, nor that particularly good.

So why get so worked up about him?…oh, that's right…RATINGS.

Posted by: ycrucifyhim | Jan 13, 2012 10:26:08 PM

I'll take Tebow over Clausen.

Posted by: Ben | Jan 13, 2012 10:32:33 PM

When did insulting Tebow become journalism! ESPN has nothing worth reporting! Let's talk bad about Tebow to get people to watch! I'd rather watch the women in short skirts who are sports experts!? Howard Cosell is burning in hell covering the Curling champiomships and we get Trent Dilfer!

Posted by: joe cool | Jan 13, 2012 11:17:56 PM

Hmmmmm, let's see. Dilfer would rank . . . . #99 out of 80. What a joke he was as a QB! An even bigger joke, if that's possible, as an "ESPN commentator!!!!"

Posted by: dbigcat | Jan 13, 2012 11:18:19 PM

That's what I love about the media. He covered Trent's almost one hour speech in a paragraph. I attended the same breakfast… Having never heard Trent except on ESPN, I found him an excellent speaker, funny and extremely knowledgable about football. He gave a great look behind the curtain of the NFL and was very humble when talking about himself as a QB. He picked on himself as a QB many times in his speech. He said he felt like he himself wasted a lot of his career not working as hard as he could especially in taking care of his body. On the Tim Tebow topic, to comment on 80th best passer was quoted slightly out of context. He said it but more in line with Tebow as a thrower from a pure thrower, mechanics, etc, etc. He spoke about how the read option helped Tebow be successful. He was very complimentary of Tebow being successful using his skill set. I'm not a Trent Dilfer fan one way or the other but the article is slightly misleading.

Posted by: Tom | Jan 13, 2012 11:32:50 PM

Tebow’s 80-yard magical TD pass in OT upends Steelers 29-23 in playoffs

A rejuvenated Tebow connected with Demaryius Thomas on an electrifying 80-yard touchdown pass on the first play of overtime and the Broncos defeated the stunned Pittsburgh Steelers 29-23 in the AFC wild-card game on Sunday.

Wild doesn’t begin to describe it. The play took 11 seconds and was the quickest ending to an overtime in NFL history. It was also the longest overtime touchdown in playoff history.

Thomas hauled in a high play-action pass at the Denver 38, stiff-armed Ike Taylor and then outraced backup safety Ryan Mundy to the end zone.

“I was just saying, ‘Man trust your speed. Trust your speed. Don’t cut back. Don’t cut back.’ And he kept it straight. He outran the guy,” said Willis McGahee, whose fourth-quarter fumble helped Pittsburgh tie it.

“I was like, ‘Oh my God, is he still running?’ Please just go. Please. Please.”

Tebow, who had done next to nothing in the second half after a 20-point explosion in the second quarter, looked as startled as everyone else. He chased down Thomas and knelt on one knee — Tebowing as it’s known — in the end zone while the crowd was going crazy. Then he pounded a fist in triumph and took a victory lap.

“When I saw him scoring, first of all, I just thought, ‘Thank you, Lord,’” Tebow said. “Then, I was running pretty fast, chasing him — like I can catch up to D.T! Then I just jumped into the stands, first time I’ve done that. That was fun. Then, got on a knee and thanked the Lord again and tried to celebrate with my teammates and the fans.”

Behind Tebow’s season-high 316 yards passing, the Broncos (9-8) are heading to New England for a second-round game against the top-seeded Patriots (13-3) on Saturday night.

The Patriots walloped the Broncos 41-23 last month, sending Tebow into a funk that included seven turnovers and a 40 percent completion clip — and prompting Elway to implore him to “pull the trigger” in the playoffs.

And unlike Elway, who lost his first postseason start — to the Steelers at home in 1984 — Tebow is 1-0 in the playoffs.

“We’re just a fighting team. A lot of resilience,” cornerback Champ Bailey said. “In any adverse situation, we’ll find a way to get out of it. Everybody says we backed into the playoffs, we’re in. We did something right along the way. We’re in it. We won a game. Now, we’ve got to go try to win another one.”

The Steelers (12-5) lost despite Ben Roethlisberger rallying injury-depleted Pittsburgh from a two-touchdown halftime deficit with 10 points in the final 10 minutes.

Pittsburgh called tails for the overtime coin toss, and it came up heads.

Tebow, who engineered five fourth-quarter comebacks and three OT wins in the regular season, wasted no time finding Thomas over the middle with just his second pass on first down all night — and his first completion.

Thomas also had receptions of 51 and 58 yards to set up second-quarter touchdowns after Tebow lost his top target, Eric Decker, to a seriously injured left knee, in the first half.

Maher creates firestorm with profane tweet about Tebow

LOS ANGELES — Comedian Bill Maher drew the ire of Tim Tebow fans and Christians over the weekend after a profane tweet reveling in the Broncos’ blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills.

“Wow, Jesus just f—–d #TimTebow bad! And on Xmas Eve! Somewhere … Satan is tebowing, saying to Hitler “Hey, Buffalo’s killing them,” Maher tweeted.

Tebow, whose team suffered its second straight loss after a six-game winning streak, did not respond to Maher’s tweet.

After the disappointing 40-14 road loss, Tebow tweeted, “Tough game today but what’s most important is being able to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas everyone GB2.”

GB2 is a phrase Tebow has made popular that means “God Bless + Go Broncos,” according to his official website.

The tweet prompted some to call for a boycott of Maher’s HBO show “Real Time with Bill Maher.”

Maher, an atheist, made a 2008 documentary called “Religulous” that mocked organized religion, and he routinely jokes about religion on his show.

Maher has not commented on the criticism.

NFL matchups, Week 13

BENGALS (7-4) at STEELERS (8-3), 11 a.m.

Come for the division rivalry and the hard hits; stay for the wire fu. Cincinnati receiver Jerome Simpson paid homage to Hong Kong cinema last week when a Browns defender brushed against him after a play. Simpson flew backward about 5 yards, and the theatrics had the desired effect: The defender was penalized for unnecessary roughness. The move was so amazing that Simpson’s Wikipedia page was updated with an “Acting Career” category, and the Wachowski brothers are developing a Bengals highlight project.

Pittsburgh’s defense gets LaMarr Woodley and Troy Polamalu back, and the Bengals must do whatever it takes to prove they can win at least once against the AFC North superpowers, even if it means using the Steelers’ hard-hitting reputation against them. Do not be surprised if this game descends into a production of Crouching Bengal, Hidden Steeler.

BRONCOS (6-5) at VIKINGS (2-9), 11 a.m.

Minnesota was facing a television blackout: 3,000 tickets remained for this game, despite a visit from the football equivalent of Justin Bieber. The Vikings are trying to float a stadium referendum, but if fans will not pay to see Tim Tebow, what hope do they have of selling them on Christian Ponder? The team bought the tickets, and the 3,000 fans who received them will be asked to try out as long snappers so Jared Allen can stop doing it or form a human chain to try to stop Von Miller.

CHIEFS (4-7) at BEARS (7-4), 11 a.m.

nfl standings & summaries

New England1030.769396274

N.Y. Jets850.615327270

Houston1030.769330208

Tennessee760.538266251

Jacksonville490.308193252

Indianapolis0130.000184382

Baltimore1030.769320202

Pittsburgh1030.769282198

Cincinnati760.538285270

Cleveland490.308178254

San Diego670.462324299

Kansas City580.385173305

N.Y. Giants760.538324359

Philadelphia580.385297292

Washington490.308229290

x-New Orleans1030.769415286

Carolina490.308313355

Tampa Bay490.308232370

y-Green Bay13001.000466278

Minnesota2110.154274364

y-San Francisco1030.769307182

St. Louis2100.167140296

x-clinched playoff spot

Pittsburgh 14, Cleveland 3

New Orleans 22, Tennessee 17

Baltimore 24, Indianapolis 10

N.Y. Jets 37, Kansas City 10

Detroit 34, Minnesota 28

Houston 20, Cincinnati 19

Jacksonville 41, Tampa Bay 14

Atlanta 31, Carolina 23

Philadelphia 26, Miami 10

New England 34, Washington 27

Arizona 21, San Francisco 19

Denver 13, Chicago 10, OT

San Diego 37, Buffalo 10

Green Bay 46, Oakland 16

N.Y. Giants 37, Dallas 34

St. Louis at Seattle, 8:30 p.m.

Jacksonville at Atlanta, 8:20 p.m.

Dallas at Tampa Bay, 8:20 p.m.

New Orleans at Minnesota, 1 p.m.

Seattle at Chicago, 1 p.m.

Cincinnati at St. Louis, 1 p.m.

Carolina at Houston, 1 p.m.

Green Bay at Kansas City, 1 p.m.

Tennessee at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.

Miami at Buffalo, 1 p.m.

Washington at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.

Detroit at Oakland, 4:05 p.m.

New England at Denver, 4:15 p.m.

Cleveland at Arizona, 4:15 p.m.

N.Y. Jets at Philadelphia, 4:15 p.m.

Baltimore at San Diego, 8:20 p.m.

Pittsburgh at San Francisco, 8:30 p.m.

TEXANS 20, BENGALS 19

Hou—FG Rackers 46, 9:51.

Cin—FG Nugent 22, 4:54.

Cin—FG Nugent 47, 2:30.

Cin—Simpson 17 pass from Dalton (Nugent kick), 3:02.

Cin—FG Nugent 49, :06.

Hou—Dreessen 6 pass from Yates (Rackers kick), 12:27.

Cin—FG Nugent 28, 2:07.

Hou—FG Rackers 33, 5:31.

Hou—Walter 6 pass from Yates (Rackers kick), :02.

Total Net Yards412285

Rushes-yards28-14429-101

Kickoff Returns5-593-47

Interceptions Ret.0-01-23

Comp-Att-Int26-44-116-28-0

Sacked-Yards Lost5-321-5

Penalties-Yards5-503-27

Time of Possession31:4428:16

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Houston, Tate 8-67, Foster 15-41, Yates 5-36. Cincinnati, Benson 21-91, Scott 6-4, Hawkins 1-4, Dalton 1-2.

PASSING—Houston, Yates 26-44-1-300. Cincinnati, Dalton 16-28-0-189.

RECEIVING—Houston, Daniels 7-100, Walter 6-76, Foster 4-33, Jones 3-39, Tate 3-30, Dreessen 3-22. Cincinnati, Green 5-59, Gresham 3-45, Simpson 2-38, Scott 2-15, Caldwell 2-10, Hawkins 1-22, Benson 1-0.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—Houston, Rackers 47 (WR).

Indianapolis0307 — 10

Baltimore10770 — 24

Bal—T.Smith 8 pass from Flacco (Cundiff kick), 10:09.

Bal—FG Cundiff 36, 1:20.

Bal—Rice 6 run (Cundiff kick), 10:07.

Ind—FG Vinatieri 22, 3:06.

Bal—Pitta 7 pass from Flacco (Cundiff kick), 3:41.

Ind—Tamme 13 pass from Orlovsky (Vinatieri kick), :00.

Total Net Yards167358

Rushes-yards16-5037-146

Kickoff Returns4-1201-30

Interceptions Ret.1-01-0

Comp-Att-Int17-37-123-31-1

Sacked-Yards Lost4-192-15

Penalties-Yards3-155-40

Time of Possession23:5236:08

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Indianapolis, D.Brown 9-28, Addai 2-16, Carter 5-6. Baltimore, Rice 26-103, T.Smith 1-16, Leach 3-14, R.Williams 7-13.

PASSING—Indianapolis, Orlovsky 17-37-1-136. Baltimore, Flacco 23-31-1-227.

RECEIVING—Indianapolis, Garcon 5-46, Wayne 4-41, Collie 4-25, Tamme 1-13, Clark 1-12, Hill 1-5, D.Brown 1-(minus 6). Baltimore, Rice 6-46, Boldin 5-57, T.Smith 5-48, Pitta 3-29, Dickson 2-19, Evans 1-21, Leach 1-7.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

Patriots 34, Redskins 27

New England146140—34

Washington101070—27

NE—Wilfork fumble recovery in end zone (Gostkowski kick), 12:06.

Was—FG Gano 24, 6:42.

NE—Gronkowski 11 pass from Brady (Gostkowski kick), 5:49.

Was—Gaffney 9 pass from Grossman (Gano kick), 1:20.

Was—Moss 49 pass from Banks (Gano kick), 14:49.

NE—FG Gostkowski 23, 8:54.

Was—FG Gano 25, 2:13.

NE—FG Gostkowski 24, :00.

NE—Gronkowski 37 pass from Brady (Gostkowski kick), 12:05.

Was—Anderson 6 pass from Grossman (Gano kick), 6:58.

NE—Welker 24 pass from Brady (Gostkowski kick), 4:26.

Total Net Yards431463

Rushes-yards20-7934-170

Kickoff Returns2-396-117

Interceptions Ret.1-21-0

Comp-Att-Int22-37-120-33-1

Sacked-Yards Lost1-52-8

Penalties-Yards4-478-73

Time of Possession23:5136:09

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—New England, Woodhead 8-41, Green-Ellis 5-19, Faulk 3-11, Brady 4-8. Washington, Helu 27-126, Royster 6-44, Grossman 1-0.

PASSING—New England, Brady 22-37-1-357. Washington, Grossman 19-32-1-252, Banks 1-1-0-49.

RECEIVING—New England, Welker 7-86, Gronkowski 6-160, Hernandez 5-84, Ochocinco 1-15, Underwood 1-7, Woodhead 1-4, Faulk 1-1. Washington, Gaffney 6-92, Stallworth 4-96, Moss 3-81, Anderson 2-12, Helu 2-6, Royster 2-6, Young 1-8.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

NYJ—Sanchez 1 run (Folk kick), 8:40.

KC—FG Succop 53, 4:36.

NYJ—Holmes 4 pass from Sanchez (Folk kick), 10:02.

NYJ—Greene 7 run (Folk kick), 3:56.

NYJ—Tomlinson 19 pass from Sanchez (Folk kick), 1:15.

NYJ—Sanchez 3 run (Folk kick), 4:06.

KC—Urban 24 pass from Palko (Succop kick), 12:58.

NYJ—Pouha safety, 3:37.

Total Net Yards221314

Rushes-yards21-6542-159

Kickoff Returns6-1203-65

Interceptions Ret.0-01-0

Comp-Att-Int16-32-113-21-0

Sacked-Yards Lost5-393-26

Penalties-Yards11-1284-22

Time of Possession22:1837:42

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Kansas City, Battle 10-33, Jones 5-12, Palko 1-12, Urban 1-7, McCluster 4-1. N.Y. Jets, Greene 24-129, Tomlinson 9-14, Powell 6-10, Sanchez 2-4, Kerley 1-2.

PASSING—Kansas City, Palko 16-32-1-195. N.Y. Jets, Sanchez 13-21-0-181.

RECEIVING—Kansas City, Bowe 6-69, Breaston 4-44, Baldwin 2-28, Urban 2-28, Battle 2-26. N.Y. Jets, Keller 4-34, Greene 3-58, Tomlinson 2-50, Holmes 2-12, Baker 1-17, P.Turner 1-10.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

CHARGERS 37, BILLS 10

SD—Gates 9 pass from Rivers (Novak kick), 7:52.

SD—Tolbert 1 run (kick blocked), 14:16.

SD—FG Novak 47, 6:41.

Buf—FG Rayner 37, 11:43.

Buf—Scott fumble recovery in end zone (Rayner kick), 10:11.

SD—Gates 2 pass from Rivers (Novak kick), 4:11.

SD—Gregory 26 interception return (Novak kick), 4:02.

SD—Crayton 26 pass from Rivers (Novak kick), 9:01.

Total Net Yards281366

Rushes-yards20-9632-150

Kickoff Returns4-962-42

Interceptions Ret.0-03-73

Comp-Att-Int15-37-324-33-0

Sacked-Yards Lost1-102-24

Penalties-Yards1-55-50

Time of Possession24:2735:33

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Buffalo, Spiller 12-46, Fitzpatrick 5-26, Choice 1-12, Thigpen 1-8, J.White 1-4. San Diego, Mathews 20-114, Tolbert 6-21, Weddle 1-10, Hester 3-7, Volek 2-(minus 2).

PASSING—Buffalo, Fitzpatrick 13-34-2-176, Thigpen 2-3-1-19. San Diego, Rivers 24-33-0-240.

RECEIVING—Buffalo, St.Johnson 4-116, Spiller 3-10, Hagan 2-28, Nelson 2-20, Caussin 2-19, Choice 1-2, L.Smith 1-0. San Diego, Gates 7-68, Mathews 6-34, Jackson 5-55, Crayton 3-37, Floyd 2-29, McMichael 1-17.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—Buffalo, Rayner 53 (WR).

EAGLES 26, DOLPHINS 10

Philadelphia02402—26

Mia—Marshall 16 pass from Mat.Moore (Carpenter kick), 9:47.

Phi—McCoy 2 run (Henery kick), 13:34.

Phi—McCoy 1 run (Henery kick), 11:56.

Phi—FG Henery 40, 8:49.

Phi—D.Jackson 34 pass from Vick (Henery kick), 4:43.

Mia—FG Carpenter 22, 4:52.

Phi—Hunt safety, 9:02.

Total Net Yards239204

Rushes-yards32-5126-109

Kickoff Returns1-71-27

Interceptions Ret.1-351-7

Comp-Att-Int15-30-117-29-1

Sacked-Yards Lost4-209-60

Penalties-Yards7-697-81

Time of Possession31:2128:39

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Philadelphia, McCoy 27-38, Vick 2-9, Brown 3-4. Miami, Bush 14-103, Thomas 7-4, Losman 2-1, Mat.Moore 1-1, Hilliard 2-0.

PASSING—Philadelphia, Vick 15-30-1-208. Miami, Mat.Moore 11-19-1-95, Losman 6-10-0-60.

RECEIVING—Philadelphia, D.Jackson 4-59, Celek 4-39, McCoy 3-33, Avant 2-35, Cooper 1-29, Maclin 1-13. Miami, Bush 5-27, Marshall 4-27, Fasano 3-56, Bess 2-12, Thomas 2-9, Hartline 1-24.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—Miami, Carpenter 55 (WL).

New Orleans33313—22

NO—FG Kasay 25, 9:54.

Ten—FG Bironas 43, 6:37.

NO—FG Kasay 29, :15.

NO—FG Kasay 22, 3:51.

Ten—Locker 6 run (Bironas kick), 2:19.

NO—Colston 35 pass from Brees (Kasay kick), 12:39.

NO—Colston 28 pass from Brees (run failed), 7:01.

Ten—Washington 40 pass from Locker (Bironas kick), 5:58.

Total Net Yards437373

Rushes-yards26-11417-59

Kickoff Returns2-425-121

Interceptions Ret.0-00-0

Comp-Att-Int36-47-018-36-0

Sacked-Yards Lost2-142-12

Penalties-Yards11-958-54

Time of Possession37:3322:27

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—New Orleans, Ivory 13-53, Sproles 5-33, P.Thomas 6-22, Brees 2-6. Tennessee, Locker 6-36, Johnson 11-23.

PASSING—New Orleans, Brees 36-47-0-337. Tennessee, Locker 13-29-0-282, Hasselbeck 5-7-0-44.

RECEIVING—New Orleans, Colston 7-105, Sproles 7-58, P.Thomas 6-35, Graham 5-55, Moore 4-20, Henderson 3-36, Collins 2-4, Meachem 1-15, Gilmore 1-9. Tennessee, Washington 6-130, Johnson 5-43, L.Hawkins 3-49, Williams 2-62, Stevens 1-31, Ringer 1-11.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

BRONCOS 13, BEARS 10 (OT)

Chi—Barber 9 run (Gould kick), 5:19.

Chi—FG Gould 57, 14:55.

Den—D.Thomas 10 pass from Tebow (Prater kick), 2:08.

Den—FG Prater 59, :03.

Den—FG Prater 51, 8:34.

Total Net Yards245345

Rushes-yards38-15934-124

Kickoff Returns1-250-0

Interceptions Ret.1-00-0

Comp-Att-Int12-19-021-40-1

Sacked-Yards Lost4-295-15

Penalties-Yards8-694-28

Time of Possession31:4734:39

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Chicago, Barber 27-108, Bell 9-40, Hanie 2-11. Denver, Tebow 12-49, McGahee 17-34, J.Johnson 2-18, Ball 1-13, Larsen 1-5, D.Thomas 1-5.

PASSING—Chicago, Hanie 12-19-0-115. Denver, Tebow 21-40-1-236.

RECEIVING—Chicago, Bell 5-24, Knox 3-37, Barber 2-32, R.Williams 2-22. Denver, D.Thomas 7-78, Willis 4-75, Ball 4-37, Decker 3-33, J.Johnson 2-11, McGahee 1-2.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—Denver, Prater 28 (BK).

PACKERS 46, RAIDERS 16

Green Bay1417123—46

GB—Grant 47 run (Crosby kick), 11:57.

GB—Taylor 4 pass from Rodgers (Crosby kick), 4:10.

GB—FG Crosby 34, 13:07.

GB—Nelson 37 pass from Rodgers (Crosby kick), 9:14.

GB—Grant 6 run (Crosby kick), 7:06.

GB—FG Crosby 38, 12:41.

Oak—Bush 2 run (Janikowski kick), 8:15.

GB—FG Crosby 49, 3:31.

GB—Walden 5 fumble return (kick blocked), 2:48.

GB—FG Crosby 33, 14:21.

Oak—McClain safety, 11:01.

Oak—Boss 5 pass from Palmer (Janikowski kick), 4:43.

Total Net Yards355391

Rushes-yards29-11724-136

Kickoff Returns4-412-67

Interceptions Ret.1-04-18

Comp-Att-Int24-43-417-32-1

Sacked-Yards Lost1-74-26

Penalties-Yards11-895-35

Time of Possession31:2028:40

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Oakland, Bush 23-78, Palmer 2-12, Reece 2-12, Murphy 1-10, Cartwright 1-5. Green Bay, Grant 10-85, Kuhn 10-46, Saine 1-7, Flynn 3-(minus 2).

PASSING—Oakland, Palmer 24-42-4-245, Lechler 0-1-0-0. Green Bay, Rodgers 17-30-1-281, Flynn 0-2-0-0.

RECEIVING—Oakland, Heyward-Bey 5-78, Boss 5-43, Murphy 4-70, Reece 4-5, Bush 3-19, Cartwright 2-16, Schilens 1-14. Green Bay, Driver 4-75, Nelson 3-81, Cobb 2-45, J.Jones 2-29, G.Jennings 2-20, Saine 2-14, Grant 1-13, Taylor 1-4.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

Det—Tulloch fumble recovery in end zone (Hanson kick), 12:56.

Det—T.Young 57 pass from Stafford (Hanson kick), 9:45.

Det—Pettigrew 12 pass from Stafford (Hanson kick), 5:54.

Min—Shiancoe 7 pass from Ponder (Longwell kick), 1:51.

Det—A.Smith 30 interception return (Hanson kick), 12:33.

Min—Harvin 6 pass from Ponder (Longwell kick), 7:36.

Det—FG Hanson 30, 1:05.

Min—Webb 65 run (Longwell kick), 4:21.

Det—FG Hanson 26, 12:17.

Min—Gerhart 2 pass from Webb (Longwell kick), 7:54.

Total Net Yards425280

Rushes-yards35-26921-72

Kickoff Returns2-635-119

Interceptions Ret.0-03-49

Comp-Att-Int23-44-320-29-0

Sacked-Yards Lost4-435-19

Penalties-Yards5-3710-76

Time of Possession28:4631:14

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Minnesota, Webb 7-109, Gerhart 19-90, Harvin 4-40, Booker 3-17, Ponder 2-13. Detroit, K.Williams 12-43, Morris 4-13, Johnson 1-11, Stafford 2-4, Burleson 1-1, Brown 1-0.

PASSING—Minnesota, Ponder 11-21-3-115, Webb 12-23-0-84. Detroit, Stafford 20-29-0-227.

RECEIVING—Minnesota, Harvin 10-69, Aromashodu 4-47, Shiancoe 3-33, Gerhart 3-19, Camarillo 2-31, Rudolph 1-0. Detroit, Pettigrew 6-57, T.Young 4-87, Johnson 3-29, Burleson 3-25, K.Williams 2-17, Brown 1-9, Morris 1-3.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

JAGUARS 41, BUCCANEERS 14

Jacksonville028013—41

TB—Blount 1 run (Barth kick), 9:24.

TB—Freeman 13 run (Barth kick), 14:09.

Jac—Cloherty fumble recovery in end zone (Scobee kick), 7:36.

Jac—Jones-Drew 1 run (Scobee kick), 2:05.

Jac—Collins fumble recovery in end zone (Scobee kick), 1:53.

Jac—Jones-Drew 5 pass from Gabbert (Scobee kick), :04.

Jac—Jones-Drew 5 pass from Gabbert (Scobee kick), 10:22.

Jac—Jones-Drew 1 run (run failed), 2:31.

Total Net Yards280325

Rushes-yards24-11033-116

Punt Returns4-(-2)1-5

Kickoff Returns1-01-19

Interceptions Ret.2-123-14

Comp-Att-Int17-32-319-33-2

Sacked-Yards Lost3-141-8

Penalties-Yards12-978-80

Time of Possession27:1132:49

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Tampa Bay, Blount 18-74, Freeman 4-26, Madu 1-6, Lumpkin 1-4. Jacksonville, Jones-Drew 27-85, D.Harris 1-24, Bolen 1-10, Gabbert 4-(minus 3).

PASSING—Tampa Bay, Freeman 16-30-2-181, J.Johnson 1-2-1-3. Jacksonville, Gabbert 19-33-2-217.

RECEIVING—Tampa Bay, Parker 3-35, Williams 3-35, Briscoe 3-20, Winslow 2-38, Lumpkin 2-18, Lorig 1-22, Benn 1-7, Blount 1-6, Madu 1-3. Jacksonville, Jones-Drew 6-51, Dillard 5-45, Osgood 3-23, Lewis 2-77, West 2-19, Thomas 1-2.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

FALCONS 31, PANTHERS 23

Atl—White 5 pass from Ryan (Bryant kick), 5:29.

Car—Shockey 6 pass from Newton (Mare kick), :03.

Car—Applewhite safety, 7:12.

Car—D.Williams 74 run (Mare kick), 6:51.

Car—Olsen 44 pass from Newton (Mare kick), 3:03.

Atl—FG Bryant 30, 10:55.

Atl—Rodgers 31 pass from Ryan (Bryant kick), 8:55.

Atl—Jones 17 pass from Ryan (Bryant kick), 12:42.

Atl—Jones 75 pass from Ryan (Bryant kick), 4:17.

Total Net Yards394416

Rushes-yards28-8623-157

Kickoff Returns1-235-89

Interceptions Ret.2-330-0

Comp-Att-Int22-38-019-39-2

Sacked-Yards Lost3-122-17

Penalties-Yards5-505-50

Time of Possession30:4329:17

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Atlanta, Turner 21-76, Snelling 3-6, Rodgers 1-4, Ryan 3-0. Carolina, D.Williams 7-87, Newton 7-36, Stewart 8-29, A.Edwards 1-5.

PASSING—Atlanta, Ryan 22-38-0-320. Carolina, Newton 19-39-2-276.

RECEIVING—Atlanta, White 7-84, Gonzalez 7-82, Jones 3-104, Rodgers 2-39, Douglas 2-12, Snelling 1-(minus 1). Carolina, Smith 6-125, Stewart 4-27, Olsen 2-53, Naanee 2-29, LaFell 2-28, Shockey 2-10, D.Williams 1-4.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—Atlanta, Bryant 46 (WL). Carolina, Mare 36 (WL).CARDINALS 21, 49ers 19

San Francisco3970—19

SF—FG Akers 46, 4:39.

SF—FG Akers 22, 14:02.

Ari—Doucet 60 pass from Skelton (Feely kick), 7:10.

SF—FG Akers 27, 1:58.

SF—FG Akers 22, :00.

SF—Gore 37 run (Akers kick), 12:24.

Ari—Fitzgerald 46 pass from Skelton (Feely kick), 9:04.

Ari—Roberts 3 pass from Skelton (Feely kick), 11:50.

Total Net Yards233325

Rushes-yards21-9023-55

Kickoff Returns4-1000-0

Interceptions Ret.2-160-0

Comp-Att-Int18-37-020-29-2

Sacked-Yards Lost5-322-14

Penalties-Yards5-354-45

Time of Possession30:5629:04

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—San Francisco, Gore 10-72, Hunter 8-20, K.Williams 1-7, Ale.Smith 1-(minus 3), Walker 1-(minus 6). Arizona, Wells 15-27, Skelton 6-25, Stephens-Howling 2-3.

PASSING—San Francisco, Ale.Smith 18-37-0-175. Arizona, Skelton 19-28-2-282, Kolb 1-1-0-2.

RECEIVING—San Francisco, Crabtree 7-63, K.Williams 4-42, Hunter 2-19, Ginn Jr. 2-14, Miller 2-5, V.Davis 1-32. Arizona, Fitzgerald 7-149, Doucet 3-73, King 3-16, Stephens-Howling 2-22, Taylor 2-13, Roberts 2-8, Wells 1-3.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—San Francisco, Akers 50 (WR).

Bills use all-around effort to end skid

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Despite his team’s long losing streak, Bills safety George Wilson had a good feeling about ending the skid against Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos.

Jairus Byrd and Spencer Johnson returned Tebow interceptions for touchdowns on consecutive plays from scrimmage in the fourth quarter to seal Buffalo’s 40-14 rout of the Broncos on Saturday. The Bills snapped a seven-game slide and stalled the Broncos in their bid to secure their first playoff berth since 2005.

Tebow finished with a career-worst four interceptions as the Broncos (8-7) lost their second in a row and fell into a tie with Oakland for first place in the AFC West. The Broncos close the season at home against Kansas City next week, while Oakland hosts San Diego.

The Bills, meanwhile, will close out their 12th consecutive season without a postseason berth next week at New England.

“We’ve been well overdue for a big game as a team,” Wilson said. “To come out with the offense, defense, and special teams all hitting on all cylinders, it’s a great feeling to have.”

C.J. Spiller scored on a 4-yard run and Leodis McKelvin busted an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown to help the Bills to their first win since blowing out Washington at the end of October in Toronto, a victory that made them 5-2.

“Guys came out and played hard,” said Spiller, who surpassed the 100-yard mark for the first time in his two-year career by gaining 111 yards on 16 carries. “That was the team that was 5-2 that performed out there.”

Byrd scored on a 37-yard return with 8:03 left and Johnson had a 17-yarder just 18 seconds later as Buffalo (6-9) won its home finale.

Dave Rayner shook off two missed field-goal attempts — and a booing crowd — to hit his final four, all from within 29 yards.

The Bills held the Broncos to 293 yards.

“I thought our guys played extremely well,” Buffalo coach Chan Gailey said. “I thought we kept the pressure on the run game the whole game. It was a great job of planning and playing by our defense.”

The Bills set a single-season franchise record with five interceptions returned for touchdowns.

“When we had opportunities to get our hands on the ball, we took advantage of them and pulled down interceptions,” Wilson said.

Tebow finished 13 of 30 for 185 yards with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Fells. He added 34 yards rushing, and scored on a 1-yard plunge.

“My confidence is just fine,” Tebow said. “I have to do a better job of not giving them opportunities. I tried to make something happen, and I tried to force it.”

While Tebow was struggling, his Bills counterpart, Ryan Fitzpatrick enjoyed his most efficient game in two months by going 15 of 27 for 196 yards with no interceptions. Fitzpatrick took plenty of heat during the seven-game skid, in which he threw eight touchdown passes versus 12 interceptions.

“I think the losses that piled up motivated us,” Fitzpatrick said. “It was fun to be on the sidelines to see the guys jumping around. (The defense) smelled blood out there in the water, and they were going after that.”

Tebow had generated a national buzz for his ability to produce in the clutch. Entering the game with two interceptions all season, he was picked off four times in the second half as his record dropped to 7-3 since taking over the starting job.

“We did a good job of keeping (Tebow) in the pocket and making him throw from the pocket,” Johnson said. “Everybody did a great job of being disciplined in that area.”

Buffalo will attempt to sweep the season series from the Patriots in the regular-season finale. The Bills defeated New England 34-31 in Week 3.

“There’s a lot of good football left to be played with the guys in the locker room,” Kelsay said.

NOTES: After McKelvin scored, Denver’s Eddie Royal returned the ensuing kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown, but it was negated by a block in the back penalty against Dante Rosario. … Broncos RB Willis McGahee had 64 yards rushing to give him 1,054 this season. He became the second NFL player to reach 1,000 yards rushing with three teams. He previously did it with Buffalo and Baltimore. Ricky Watters rushed for 1,000 yards with San Francisco, Philadelphia and Seattle. … The Bills finished 5-3 at home (including a win over Washington at Toronto), matching their best record since going 5-3 in 2004.

Denver Broncos vs. Buffalo Bills: 5 Halftime Adjustments Broncos Must Make

The Denver Broncos have undergone the biggest turnaround of any team in the NFL. With a 1-4 record to start the season, it looked like the Broncos’ playoff hopes were nonexistent.

After reeling off seven wins in the last nine games, Denver finds itself atop the AFC West and in control of its playoff destiny.

Today, the Broncos face a struggling Buffalo Bills team that is looking for its first win after seven straight losses. The Bills have home-field advantage, but the Broncos have all the momentum.

Here are five halftime adjustments that can help propel the Broncos and Tim Tebow to their eighth win in 10 games.

1. Stop Steve Johnson

This is easier said than done, and you can believe that Champ Bailey knows how hard it is to shut Steve Johnson down. Johnson might have a nagging injury, but he has played well with injuries all season long. 

In Week 13, Johnson had 75 yards and a touchdown against a cornerback that many think is the best in the NFL, Darrelle Revis.

If the Broncos want to slow down the Bills game plan, they need to keep Bailey in tight coverage against Johnson and throw in safety help every once in awhile. As long as Johnson is in single coverage, Ryan Fitzpatrick will throw him the ball.

When Fitzpatrick sees Bailey getting safety help then he will have to avoid Johnson and throw to a depleted receiving core.

2. Keep an Eye on C.J. Spiller

C.J. Spiller had his best game of the season last week against the the Miami Dolphins, and he has started out playing well against the Broncos, too.

Spiller’s speed makes him extremely dangerous running out of the backfield, but he is also a receiving threat.

The Denver linebackers need to keep close tabs on Spiller for the rest of the game. It takes just one play for Spiller to take it to the house.

3. Watch Scott Chandler in the Red Zone

So far, Scott Chandler hasn’t been much of a concern.

He isn’t much of a threat until the Bills enter the red zone and when the Bills got inside the 20-yard line, Chandler wasn’t targeted.

Normally, Chandler has been Fitzpatrick’s go-to guy in the red zone (along with Johnson), so when the Bills are nearing the end zone again, the Broncos should key in Chandler.

4.  Release the Beast

Von Miller has the ninth-most sacks in the NFL this season (tied with Connor Barwin). On the other hand, the Bills have allowed an NFL-low 20 sacks on the season (tied with the Tennessee Titans).

Miller has the ability to give Fitzpatrick fits, and so far, Fitzpatrick has had too much time in the pocket.

Dennis Allen should start sending Miller at Fitzpatrick after halftime.

5. Let Tim Tebow Run the Ball

The Broncos have given the Bills a mix of running plays, but Tim Tebow hasn’t challenged the Bills defense enough (on the ground or through the air). Most of the carries have gone to Lance Ball and Willis McGahee.

When Tebow has thrown the ball, he has constantly been under pressure.

If the Broncos want to keep Tebow’s option runs to a minimum, they should keep giving the rock to McGahee and Ball. But if Tebow keeps feeling pressure off the edge, he should take off running and punish the Bills. 

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