NFL announces 2018 Pro Bowl Legends captains

Pro Football Hall of Famers Derrick Brooks, Warrick Dunn, Jason Taylor and LaDainian Tomlinson will serve as 2018 Pro Bowl Legends captains, the NFL announced Friday. The Pro Bowl will once again feature a match-up between the AFC and NFC, with each conference led by two Legends captains -- one offensive and one defensive.

Tomlinson (offense) and Taylor (defense) will lead the AFC, while Dunn (offense) and Brooks (defense) will lead the NFC. The four Legends Captains, who were collectively selected to 25 Pro Bowls, will serve as mentors for the Pro Bowl players and be present on the sidelines on gameday.

With a new start time of 3:00 PM ET, the Pro Bowl will be televised live on Sunday, January 28 from Orlando's Camping World Stadium on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and simulcast on ABC. Tickets to the game start at $45 and are on sale now at ProBowl.com. Pro Bowl rosters will be revealed on Tuesday, December 19 at 8 PM ET live on NFL Network.

Derrick Brooks: A member of the 2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, Brooks was an 11-time Pro Bowl selection and Super Bowl champion (XXXVII) during his 14-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brooks, the 2000 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, never missed a game in his career and was the NFL's 2002 Defensive Player of the Year. Brooks had a 44-yard interception-return touchdown in Super Bowl XXXVII to help propel the Buccaneers to a 48-21 victory.

Warrick Dunn: A three-time Pro Bowl selection in 12 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons, Dunn was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1997 and named the 2004 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year. Dunn, who has 10,967 career rush yards and 4,339 receiving yards, continues to be active in the community and established Warrick Dunn Charities, including the Home for the Holidays program, which is dedicated to combating poverty, hunger and improving the quality of life for families and children.

Jason Taylor: Taylor, who starred for the Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins and New York Jetsduring his 15 NFL seasons, stands as Miami's all-time leader in sacks and forced fumbles. The 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee was a three-time First Team All-Pro, was selected to six Pro Bowls, and was named the 2006 Defensive Player of the Year. Taylor was named the 2007 Walter Payton Man of the Year, recognizing his work on and off the football field.

LaDainian Tomlinson: A five-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time First Team All-Pro, Tomlinson played for the San Diego Chargers and New York Jets during his 11-year NFL career and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017. Tomlinson was the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 2006, the same year in which he won the league's Walter Payton Man of the Year award. He ranks second in NFL history in rushing touchdowns (145) and sixth in rushing yards (13,684). Tomlinson is the Chargers' all-time leader in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and scrimmage yards.

For the second consecutive year, the NFL will host PRO BOWL WEEK festivities at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World® Resort and across the Orlando area, bringing free experiences and activities to fans as well as an extraordinary number of events focused on commemorating all levels of football -- from youth to high school to the NFL's best. Some of the Pro Bowl Week events will include:

-- Pro Bowl Experience: A free football festival located at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, where fans can participate in immersive exhibits, take photos with the Vince Lombardi Trophy, attend player autograph sessions, and more.

-- Pro Bowl Practices: AFC and NFC team practices -- which are free and open to the public -- will be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, allowing fans to watch their favorite players as they get ready for the game.

-- Pro Bowl Skills Showdown: For the second straight year, this unique competition will test the athletic prowess of the NFL's best players in unique competitions.

Source: nfl.com

The Great NFL Passing Boom Is Over. Hope You Enjoyed It!

In 2011, Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints spearheaded an aerial assault on the NFL’s record books. Brees not only broke Dan Marino’s single-season passing record by 392 yards, he also led a small army of quarterbacks who either approached (Matthew Stafford, Eli Manning) or also surpassed (Tom Brady) the 27-year-old mark.

But that was just the beginning of a six-year offensive explosion that saw repeated leaguewide increases in passes thrown, total yards gained and points scored per game. In 2017, the Saints again boast the league’s most prolific offense¹ — but this time, Brees is leading the charge in the other direction.

The Saints currently rank 18th in pass attempts — after finishing either first or second in eight of Sean Payton’s 11 full seasons as head coach. Brees is on pace for Saints-career lows in per-game pass attempts and yards — and the rest of the NFL is following suit. In one season, leaguewide passing attempts, passing effectiveness, total yardage and scoring rate stats have all reverted to pre-lockout norms. The revolution appears to be over; the question is why.
To understand the factors behind the NFL’s offensive implosion, we have to look at what ignited it in the first place.

Halfway through the 2011 season, Sports Illustrated’s Peter King had a roundtable of experts advance various theories — from the offseason lockout to the weather. Denver Broncos defensive back Champ Bailey hit on something big: a dramatic increase in the use of shotgun formation.

“What I want to know is, did college and pro coaches have some sort of secret meeting or something?” Bailey said. “Seems like there’s not the prejudice against the shotgun there used to be. Basically, what I see when I line up now is no more smashmouth football.”

In 1996, three years before Bailey entered the NFL, pro offenses lined up in shotgun formation on just 7 percent of snaps, according to Football Outsiders. By 2011, that figure had increased to 41 percent. In 2016, Chip Kelly’s San Francisco 49ers set a record, using shotgun on 99 percent of their plays. The leaguewide average for last season, 68 percent, matched the league high from just five years earlier.

In this decade, teams began throwing more and more. In 2010, the leaguewide per-game pass attempt average was 33.7; last season, it was 35.7. Offenses didn’t have a reason not to throw; it was working. In the 2015 season, NFL teams posted 6.41 net yards per attempt, the highest mark in half a century.

Per-game scoring rose from an average of 22.0 points in 2010 to 23.4 points in 2013 — an all-time high — before holding at 22.8 in 2015 and 2016. Total yards per game was already at an all-time high in 2010 (336.0); it rose almost every season afterward until peaking at 352.7 in 2015. The average number of first downs gained per game climbed from 18.9 to a best-ever 20.3 last season.

But this year is different. NFL teams have averaged 22.0 points per game, the fewest since 2010. Same goes for per-game yardage (337.1) and first downs gained (19.4). Per-game pass attempts have also dropped, to 34.2, the lowest since 2011.

Teams are passing less often, and they’re less effective when they pass. As a result, offensive output is down across the board.

As with the explosion, there are plenty of factors that are likely contributing, from the law of diminishing returns to a spate of quarterback injuries. The latter has forced the likes of Jacoby Brissett, Tom Savage and Brett Hundley into headlining roles for their offenses. It also seems that college and pro defensive coaches finally held their own secret meeting; NFL defenses have adjusted how they cover shotgun and spread-style offenses, smothering the short passing game.

Defenses are also getting after the passer much better than last year, sacking quarterbacks on 6.5 percent of dropbacks (up from 5.8 percent); that’s the second-highest sack rate since 2006.

Payton and the Saints set off the passing explosion, but now they’re on the leading edge of the implosion. The Saints used shotgun less frequently in 2016 than all but seven teams. This season, according to ESPN Stats & Information Group, they’ve run fewer plays in shotgun or pistol than all but four teams.

Payton was part of that 2011 roundtable interview, and what he said then still resonates.

Teams always pay close attention to how the Super Bowl champions play, Payton said. That year, the champs were the Aaron Rodgers-powered Green Bay Packers, whom Payton said “threw a lot more than they ran it, played good defense and broke the formula of what wins.” That’s “a good starting point in terms of 2011’s passing spike,” he said.

The team that everyone’s copying right now didn’t win the Super Bowl, but they came close.

The Atlanta Falcons used shotgun less than any other team during their 2016 run to the big game, lining up under center on 60 percent of snaps. The Falcons led the league in scoring, racking up 71 more points than the second-best Saints. They threw the ball just 537 times, seventh-fewest in the NFL, while finishing fifth in rushing yards thanks to a hot tailback tandem of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman.

Payton seemed to follow suit. He bolstered his running game, adding tailbacks Adrian Peterson and Alvin Kamara, as well as free-agent guard Larry Warford. Peterson didn’t work out, but Warford and Kamara did — and now Kamara and Mark Ingram are one of the best running-back tandems of all time and the Saints are No. 1 in offensive yardage.

It’s difficult to imagine the NFL returning to the shotgun-averse state it was in when Bailey entered the league. Giving quarterbacks more time, a better look at the field and more options just has too many inherent advantages.

But teams that can both run and pass the ball well from under center will always be harder to defend, and teams that can’t throw the ball well are no longer putting up big numbers just by throwing it more.

Source: nfl.com

Best NFL football knockout, survivor pool picks for Week 15

If you've made it this far in your NFL survivor pool, you've done something right in an unpredictable season. But now it's getting really tough with just three weeks remaining. It's time to get an edge for the home stretch.

That's why you need to hear what SportsLine expert Mike Tierney has to say. Few people know the NFL like him. A national sportswriter whose work has appeared in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, he has reported from seven Super Bowls. He has his finger on the pulse of the league.

Tierney excels against the spread and straight-up. Last season, he went 166-88-2 in straight-up NFL office pool picks, beating the vast majority of experts on NFLPickWatch.com. And he's 52 games above .500 this season.

With Week 15 quickly approaching, Tierney has studied the matchups and locked in his NFL survivor pool pick. And he's sharing it over at SportsLine.

The Cowboys scored big for Tierney last week -- easily taking care of business against the Giants 30-10, providing a payoff for anybody who was willing to take the plunge with Dallas, even without Ezekiel Elliott.

This week, there are some big favorites, including the Vikings with a huge 11-point spread against a struggling Cincinnati team, the Jaguars, who are 11-point home favorites against Houston, and the Saints, who are favored by a whopping 16 points against the New York Jets.

Tierney advises that you be careful with the Carson Wentz-less Eagles against the Giants. Even though Philly is clearly the superior team, if you've made it this far in your survivor pool, it's risky to trust a backup quarterback on the road to keep you alive.

He's also nervous about Baltimore on the road at Cleveland. The Browns remained competitive against the red-hot Chargers two weeks ago and took Green Bay into overtime last week. They very well may finish the year winless, but they're putting up a fight and Josh Gordon is difficult to cover when he's on.

Tierney has evaluated all the options and has locked in his Week 15 pick. He knows there's an alarming statistic that ultimately leads to this team surviving Week 15. And he's sharing what it is, and who to back, over at SportsLine.

NFL Week 15 Picks

NFL Week 15 Picks: Updated Odds And Expert Predictions Against The Spread

Week 15 of the 2017 NFL season is a special one, as it is the first week of the season to feature four days of professional football. Now that the college football season is over, the league will air a pair of games on Saturday to help make the wait between Thursday and Sunday a bit more bearable. With five national television matchups and sixteen games in total, it’s gong to be one of the most action-packed weekends of the entire campaign.

While Week 15 has plenty to get excited about due to playoff implications and showdowns between powerhouse teams, fans of many franchises are already looking forward to next season. Whether your favorite organization has been eliminated or is a lock for the playoffs, you can still get pumped up for this week’s slate of NFL games by placing a wager down on the action. It’s never fun to lose, however, which is why it’s best to consult with an expert before making your picks.

NFL: A Bad Lip Reading

NFL: A Bad Lip Reading 02

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"THE NFL : A Bad Lip Reading" — A Bad Lip Reading of the NFL

NFL Bad Lip Reading 01

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Carson Wentz's 2017 season is over

Carson Wentz's 2017 season is over, so what's next for the 11-2 Philadelphia Eagles? 

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The New England Patriots head south to visit the Miami Dolphins

The New England Patriots travel south to visit the Miami Dolphins.

You can watch the game on Monday Night 8:30 pm

Just on #NFL on #ESPN------ NEvsMIA

The Jacksonville Jaguars got their ninth win before a full house

The Jacksonville Jaguars got their ninth win before a full house.

It was an epic matchup against the Seahawks that demonstrated the Jags' defining moment capacities. ( by means of the Checkdown)

The BEST Pittsburgh Steelers play from every game this season!

The Best Pittsburgh Steelers play from every game this season!
Now that they're 2017 AFC North Champs....

Pittsburgh Steelers Wr Antonio Brown

11 Catches

213 Yards

Pittsburgh Steelers Wr Antonio Brown went OFF on Sunday Night.-----With Buffalo Wild Wings.

Denver Broncos Established / Founded

Denver Broncos Established / Founded

The Denver Broncos were founded on August 14, 1959 58 years ago, when Minor League Baseball owner Bob Howsam was awarded an American Football League (AFL) charter franchise. The Broncos won the first-ever AFL game over the Boston Patriots 13–10, on September 9, 1960.

Ø  The majority owner of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League==> Pat Bowlen

Ø  First season è 1960 (Play in Sports Authority Field at Mile High Denver, Colorado)

Ø  Headquartered è UC Health Training Center in Dove Valley, Colorado

Ø  Head coach ==> Vance Joseph 

Ø  General Manager of the Denver Broncos è John Elway

Ø  The majority owner of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League è Pat Bowlen

Ø  Arena/Stadium è Sports Authority Field at Mile High

Ø  Division è AFC West

Ø  NFL championshipsè 2016, 1999, 1998

Ø  Mascotsè Thunder, Miles (live horse) è Miles (costume suit)

Ø  League/conference affiliationsè

1.       American Football League (1960–1969)

2.       Western Division (1960–1969)

3.       National Football League (1970–present)

4.       American Football Conference (1970–present)

5.       AFC West (1970–present)

Ø  Team colors èOrange, Navy Blue, White

Ø   Roster ==>

1.       Brock Osweiler (Quarterback)                                      17

2.       Trevor Siemian (Quarterback)                                       13

3.       Von Miller        (Outside linebacker)                              58

• 

NFL TEAMS SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONSHIP 1921 to 2017

NFL TEAMS SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONSHIP 1921 to 2017

From 1920-1931, the NFL champion was determined by a team's win-loss percentage. In 1932, a playoff game was needed to determine the championship. Starting in 1933, the NFL split into two divisions and a championship game was played between the two division winners. The AFL and NFL announced that the two leagues would merge in 1970. The Super Bowl started to determine the world champions. The game featured the champion of each league. Beginning in 1970, the AFL and NFL played as one league with two conferences, the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference. The two conference champions meet in the Super Bowl to determine the champion.

2017 (Super Bowl LI) - New England Patriots

2016 (Super Bowl 50) - Denver Broncos
2015 (Super Bowl XLIX) - New England Patriots
2014 (Super Bowl XLVIII) - Seattle Seahawks
2013 (Super Bowl XLVII) - Baltimore Ravens
2012 (Super Bowl XLVI) - New York Giants
2011 (Super Bowl XLV) - Green Bay Packers
2010 (Super Bowl XLIV) - New Orleans Saints
2009 (Super Bowl XLVIII) - Pittsburgh Steelers
2008 (Super Bowl XLVII) - New York Giants
2007 (Super Bowl XLVI) - Indianapolis Colts
2006 (Super Bowl XLV) - Pittsburgh Steelers
2005 (Super Bowl XXXIX) - New England Patriots
2004 (Super Bowl XXXVIII) - New England Patriots
2003 (Super Bowl XXXVII) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2002 (Super Bowl XXXVI) - New England Patriots
2001 (Super Bowl XXXV) - Baltimore Ravens
2000 (Super Bowl XXXIV) - St. Louis Rams
1999 (Super Bowl XXIII) - Denver Broncos
1998 (Super Bowl XXXII) - Denver Broncos
1997 (Super Bowl XXXI) - Green Bay Packers
1996 (Super Bowl XXX) - Dallas Cowboys
1995 (Super Bowl XXIX) - San Francisco 49ers
1994 (Super Bowl XXVIII) - Dallas Cowboys
1993 (Super Bowl XXVII) - Dallas Cowboys
1992 (Super Bowl XXVI) - Washington Redskins
1991 (Super Bowl XXV) - New York Giants
1990 (Super Bowl XXIV) - San Francisco 49ers
1989 (Super Bowl XXIII) - San Francisco 49ers
1988 (Super Bowl XXII) - Washington Redskins
1987 (Super Bowl XXI) - New York Giants
1986 (Super Bowl XX) - Chicago Bears
1985 (Super Bowl XIX) - San Francisco 49ers
1984 (Super Bowl XVIII) - Los Angeles Raiders
1983 (Super Bowl XVII) - Washington Redskins
1982 (Super Bowl XVI) - San Francisco 49ers
1981 (Super Bowl XV) - Oakland Raiders
1980 (Super Bowl XIV) - Pittsburgh Steelers
1979 (Super Bowl XIII) - Pittsburgh Steelers
1978 (Super Bowl XII) - Dallas Cowboys
1977 (Super Bowl XI) - Oakland Raiders
1976 (Super Bowl X) - Pittsburgh Steelers
1975 (Super Bowl IX) - Pittsburgh Steelers
1974 (Super Bowl VIII) - Miami Dolphins
1973 (Super Bowl VII) - Miami Dolphins
1972 (Super Bowl VI) - Dallas Cowboys
1971 (Super Bowl V) - Baltimore Colts
1970 (Super Bowl IV) - Kansas City Chiefs; (NFL: Minnesota Vikings)
1969 (Super Bowl III) - New York Jets; (NFL: Baltimore Colts)
1968 (Super Bowl II) - Green Bay Packers; (AFL: Oakland Raiders)
1967 (Super Bowl I) - Green Bay Packers; (AFL: Kansas City Chiefs)

1966 - AFL: Buffalo Bills; NFL: Green Bay Packers

1965 - AFL: Buffalo Bills; NFL: Cleveland Browns (NFL)

1964 - AFL: San Diego Chargers; NFL: Chicago Bears (NFL)

1963 - AFL: Dallas Texans; NFL: Green Bay Packers (NFL)

1962 - AFL: Houston Oilers; NFL: Green Bay Packers (NFL)

1961 - AFL: Houston Oilers; NFL: Philadelphia Eagles (NFL)

1960 - Baltimore Colts

1959 - Baltimore Colts

1958 - Detroit Lions

1957 - New York Giants

1956 - Cleveland Browns

1955 - Cleveland Browns

1954 - Detroit Lions

1953 - Detroit Lions

1952 - Los Angeles Rams

1951 - Cleveland Browns

1950 - Philadelphia Eagles

1949 - Philadelphia Eagles

1948 - Chicago Cardinals

1947 - Chicago Bears

1946 - Cleveland Rams

1945 - Green Bay Packers

1944 - Chicago Bears

1943 - Washington Redskins

1942 - Chicago Bears

1941 - Chicago Bears

1940 - Green Bay Packers

1939 - New York Giants

1938 - Washington Redskins

1937 - Green Bay Packers

1936 - Detroit Lions

1935 - New York Giants

1934 - Chicago Bears

1933 - Chicago Bears

1932 - Green Bay Packers

1931 - Green Bay Packers

1930 - Green Bay Packers

1929 - Providence Steam Roller

1928 - New York Giants

1927 - Frankford Yellow Jackets

1926 - Chicago Cardinals

1925 - Cleveland Bulldogs

1924 - Canton Bulldogs

1923 - Canton Bulldogs

1922 - Chicago Staleys

1921 - Akron Pros

NFL Superbowl

NFL Superbowl

The NFL Super Bowl is the annual Championship game of the National Football League (NFL). The game is the Climax to a regular season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year.

• First played: January 15, 1967; 50 years ago
• Trophy       : Vince Lombardi Trophy