Packers equipped to handle top WRs
That edge was locked into place 21 months ago, when the Packers general manager made the 2006 free agent move that left other NFL franchises staggering in disbelief, if not doubled in laughter. The signing of Woodson to a contract that could reportedly pay him as much as $52 million including $18 million up front stunned some league insiders, both in length (seven years), and up-front commitment ($10.5 million paid out in the first year).
Thompson had given elite cornerback money to a player whose free agent dossier labeled him a falling star on the verge of burning out.
"Frankly, (the signing) looked a little desperate," said an AFC general manager who was very familiar with Woodson's body of work with the Oakland Raiders. "In that stage in free agency (Woodson was signed in late April), he was looking like a one-year (contract) type. He was one of those (players) who had something to prove before giving him the money he wanted. But (the Packers) thought differently."
With Harris already in the fold, the gray matter inside Thompson's head flickered with visions of an upper-tier tandem of veteran cornerbacks two players who had stood their ground against guys like Moss, and also played their best in big games. In Harris and Woodson, Thompson saw players who could cope with the rigors of man coverage, and allow Green Bay's defense to maximize flexibility at nine other positions.
At the time, the Packers were steadily playing the nursemaid to the cornerback spot opposite Harris. They traded the disgruntled Mike McKenzie to the New Orleans Saints during the 2004 season and their first-round pick that April, corner Ahmad Carroll, failed miserably.
In Thompson's mind, having a quality cornerback across from Harris would allow the defense to play a more aggressive style without worrying about blown coverage.
"In the games that we watched where (Woodson) was playing, he was still a very, very good player," Thompson said. "He has a real knack for the game. He's one of the more instinctive players I've ever been around. He and Al are a little bit different styles, but I think they complement each other well."
Well enough that opponents have ranked the tandem as one of the NFL's best, if not the toughest 1-2 pairing in the league this season. Some were even shocked when only Harris was named to the NFC's Pro Bowl roster, despite Woodson having one of the best seasons of his career: 63 tackles, nine passes defended, four interceptions and two defensive touchdowns. Those digits were down from last year's eight interceptions and 20 defended passes largely because teams stopped going to Woodson's side of the field this year.
"I think the world of Ahmad (Carroll), but I didn't get a lot of opportunities at the ball before Charles got here because teams kept going to his side," Harris said. "With Wood here, I get some opportunities now, which I really appreciate. My opportunities come from him playing well."
And while the statistics backing up Green Bay's pass defense haven't been eye-popping they are ranked 12th in the league in passing yardage allowed they look more impressive the deeper you go. Despite playing in games where opponents have often been forced into a passing mode to keep up with the Packers' offense, Green Bay allowed the eighth fewest completions (18.4 per game) and second-lowest completion percentage (55.2 percent). And those numbers would likely have been a bit better had Woodson not missed Green Bay's game against Dallas, when Tony Romo passed for 309 yards and 4 touchdowns.
"Woodson not being there definitely made a difference," Cowboys wideout Patrick Crayton said this week. "It was noticeable. The Packers still did a lot of what they like to do, play man coverage and press at the line and all that. But the guys that filled in for Woodson, we were able to get by them every once in a while.
"When those two guys are healthy, I think you're talking about, at the very least, one of the top three cornerback combinations in the league. When you look at corners, you rate them on playmaking ability and whether you have to game-plan for those guys. And you spend a lot of time game-planning for those guys. You have to be careful with them. They do things sometimes to bait you into throwing the ball, bait you into thinking a guy is open when they aren't."
The Seahawks have spent ample time in their offensive meetings prepping for those traits breaking down the subtle nuances of both players. What they see is a pair of cornerbacks who get similar results in different way. Harris is more physical at the line, beating up wideouts in the first five yards of a play to disrupt their route, then using his feet to recover during a play. Meanwhile, Woodson still shows enough athleticism to bait quarterbacks, shadowing wide receivers with just enough distance that he can close on a ball in coverage.
"On film, you see good-sized corners who utilize their arm length and speed to neutralize receivers," Seahawks wideout Nate Burleson said. "They've faced some talent this year, but they do a good job of keeping guys in front of them and not giving up big plays. We'll have to nickel and dime them and hope for a chance to take a big shot. You're not going to go into that game thinking 'Oh, I'm going to put up 400 yards on these guys.'"
That's precisely the type of opposing film room evaluation that has to make Thompson and the Packers smile. Two wins away from a Super Bowl berth, and three from another world championship, they have a pair of players who don't fear names like Moss, Owens and Wayne.
"Those guys are good, but Al and I, we're good, too," Woodson snapped. "Last time I checked, none of those receivers could fly. They run routes, we run with them. Their feet are all on the ground, just like ours."
Copyright 2008 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
Jerry Reese's first rookie class making contributions for Giants
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Steve Smith started laughing when asked what it was like being a rookie on the New York Giants.
All the second-round draft pick from Southern California could think about on Wednesday was his toes. They were blue, courtesy of a little dye put in his shoes by Plaxico Burress a couple of days ago.
Even with the NFC semifinal against the Dallas Cowboys on tap Sunday, the life of rookie doesn't change until the season ends.
Tackle Adam Koets, a sixth-round draft pick who played for the first time last week, still has to buy pizza for the linemen on Fridays, bring breakfast sandwiches on Saturday and decorate the linemen's room for each holiday.
Halfback Ahmad Bradshaw is still making the Popeye's runs for his fellow running backs.
Linebacker Zac DeOssie is also bringing breakfast sandwiches on Saturday.
If there has been one change over the course of the season for the Giants rookies, it's on the field.
New general manager Jerry Reese's first class of draftees is contributing as the Giants (11-5) prepare to play the Cowboys (13-3) for the third time this season.
First-round choice Aaron Ross has started at cornerback almost every game since the third week of the season. Smith is making catches after missing 11 weeks with shoulder and hamstring injuries.
Jay Alford, the third-round pick, has worked his way into the defensive line rotation besides his field goal and extra point snapping.
DeOssie is the long snapper. Kevin Boss, the fifth-round pick, has replaced the injured Jeremy Shockey as the starting tight end. Koets got his first action on special teams in the playoff win over Tampa Bay last weekend, while Bradshaw and safety Michael Johnson, both seventh-round picks, have played more than anyone expected.
"It's a terrific feeling," Smith said. "We all came in with high expectations. It's just a great motivation factor when you see all the rookies making plays."
The rookies who may make the biggest impact against the Cowboys on Sunday are Ross, a former Texas Longhorn, and Bradshaw, the surprise from Marshall.
Ross will start at left cornerback. He will have the job of limiting a group that includes Terrell Owens, Patrick Crayton and Terry Glenn.
Bradshaw could be the biggest surprise. A kickoff returner most of the season, he got his first extensive action against Buffalo on Dec. 23 and rushed for 151 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.
After sitting out the season finale against New England with a calf injury, Bradshaw gave the Giants an outside rushing threat with 66 yards rushing on 17 carries against the Buccaneers.
"It's something I have been waiting on, just to get on the field," said Bradshaw, whose style is different than the pounding of big Brandon Jacobs.
"When Brandon is in there, all I do is scout the defense and see how they're playing different runs," Bradshaw said. "All I can do is get smarter with Brandon in there."
Boss is another rookie who might have a big role against Dallas. He moved into the starting lineup on Dec. 23 after Shockey broke his leg the previous week. His blocking helped the running game collect 291 yards against Buffalo that day. He added four catches for 50 yards and a TD against New England the following week and had two catches for 14 yards in his first playoff game last weekend.
"He has a good feel for where he needs to be and what is going on," quarterback Eli Manning said. "He is a big target at 6-foot-7, so he has done a good job and he has really learned a bunch the last few weeks."
Manning and Shockey combined for 12 receptions against the Cowboys here on Nov. 11, so Boss has big shoes to fill.
"Maybe when the season is over I'll look back and it will all sink in," Boss said. "Now I'm just along for the ride and having fun."
DeOssie is loving it. The son of a former Giants player and a former ball boy for the Patriots, he knew what to expect as a rookie -- singing college fight songs, carrying the veterans' equipment off the field and the unending go-fer runs. Getting this far in the playoffs and making a contribution has made the season seem even better.
"We have been together since the draft," DeOssie said. "We've stuck together. We all know what we are going through. It's great to see my teammates, my class, out there now making plays."
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
QB Brodie Croyle's tendency to get hurt raising concerns in KC
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A bruised right hand may stop Brodie Croyle from playing against the New York Jets on Sunday, and concern is growing that Kansas City's strong-armed young quarterback might be too frail for the NFL.
Croyle was listed as questionable after taking limited snaps in practice Wednesday. Veteran Damon Huard could start as the Chiefs (4-11) try to halt an eight-game losing streak in their season finale at Giants Stadium.
"He's a lot better than he was," coach Herm Edwards said. "He threw the ball a little bit. But he was limited. We'll see where he's at tomorrow."
Finding out if Croyle was the quarterback the team could start building around was one of Kansas City's goals this season. But he didn't play well enough in the preseason to beat out Huard. When he did become the starter after Huard was knocked woozy, he missed time with a deep bruise in his back.
It was a reputation for being injury prone that caused Croyle to drop to the third round of the 2006 draft. Now, although he has a strong arm and a quick release, his tendency to get hurt is causing the Chiefs to have second thoughts.
Will Kansas City use its first-round pick next April on a quarterback?
"That's something that's going to be decided in the offseason, when the draft's coming up," Edwards said. "Right now ... we feel like he could be a good quarterback for us. We drafted him. We want to develop him. He's still in that mode of being developed.
"His whole thing will be: Is he available? Your quarterback has to be available."
In eight games, including five starts during the Chiefs' ongoing skid, Croyle has hit 107 of 181 passes for 1,032 yards with five touchdowns and six interceptions, a rating of 70.5. Croyle has started five games and was 9-for-12 for 69 yards in Detroit last week, when he bruised his hand trying to stop a defender from running an interception in for a touchdown.
"He's gotten better," Edwards said. "He's done some things better, but he still has a long ways to go. You anticipate when you put a young quarterback in there that they're going to throw interceptions. They all do that."
At Alabama, Croyle was frequently injured, but still threw for 6,382 yards with 41 touchdowns and 22 interceptions for a 128.4 rating.
Evaluating his performance is also difficult because the offense overall has been so woeful. Larry Johnson, Kansas City's star running back, missed the entire second half of the season with a foot injury.
"We've got to build people around him, too," Edwards said. "We lost our running back. It's not an excuse. But when you get behind and have to throw the ball, it puts a lot of pressure on the quarterback, and that puts the quarterback in a bad light, too. There's a lot of things we've got to do to improve this football team."
Croyle was not the only starter hampered by injuries as the Chiefs prepared to put an end to their worst season in 20 years. Also limited in practice were left tackle Damion McIntosh, linebackers Donnie Edwards and Napoleon Harris, and wide receiver Eddie Kennison.
Kansas City added quarterback Jeff Otis to its practice squad on Wednesday and may promote quarterback David Green from the practice squad if Croyle is not able to play. Green was excused from practice to attend his grandmother's funeral.
Otis entered the NFL as a rookie free agent in 2006 with Arizona and was released before the start of that season. He led the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europa to a World Bowl title in 2006 and attended training camp with Oakland in 2007. His father, Jim Otis, was a running back for Kansas City in 1971 and '72.
The Chiefs also said they had placed Johnson and cornerback Tyron Brackenridge on injured reserve and agreed to a three-year contract with tackle Travis Leffew and a one-year contract with linebacker Mickey Pimentel.
Pimentel, who originally joined Kansas City as a member of the practice squad on Dec. 12, was added to the 53-man roster.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Bengals WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh emerges from Chad Johnson's shadow, makes Pro Bowl
CINCINNATI (AP) -- T.J. Houshmandzadeh was ready for interviews. The semicircle of cameras and reporters closed around. A Cincinnati Bengals employee turned down the locker room sound system a few notches as a courtesy.
That got Chad Johnson's attention.
Hey, I want to listen to my music while I dress," Johnson said, trying his best to act put out. "T.J. can take his interview outside."
The two receivers dress side-by-side and have been friends since college, so the act was just that -- a chance to needle. It also was unintentionally revealing.
In his seventh season, the receiver with the name that's a mouthful has become a handful to guard. He leads the NFL in catches and has already set a club record with 101. He made the Pro Bowl this week for the first time.
The seventh-round draft pick has become much more than Johnson's sidekick. A lot more than the locker room music revolves around him these days, even if he's reluctant to acknowledge it.
"I don't look at it like that," said Houshmandzadeh, who was Johnson's teammate at Oregon State. "I think that's media talk. It has nothing to do with stepping out of Chad's shadow.
"Chad knows what I can do, and I know what he can do on the field. Actually, I think being on the same team with Chad has benefited me. Chad works so hard in the offseason. He pushes me, and I push him. He wants to be better than me. I want to be better than him."
In some ways, he is.
Houshmandzadeh has become Carson Palmer's most trusted target. Palmer, who was MVP of the last Pro Bowl, has so much faith in Houshmandzadeh's ability to run routes properly and hang onto the ball after taking a hit that he goes to him most often.
Part of it is that the speedy Johnson gets covered by the other team's best defenders, who are wary because he can run past them. Part of it is that Houshmandzadeh is so good in his role as a possession receiver.
"As big of a role as he plays in this offense and has over the last three or four years, you can't ask him to do much more than he's done and make the plays that he's made," Palmer said.
Houshmandzadeh leads the team with 11 touchdowns. He had at least one touchdown catch in each of the first eight games, the longest such streak by a Bengals player in one season.
The 204th overall pick in the 2001 draft, Houshmandzadeh did very little in his first three years that would make anyone think he was capable of such things. He hurt his heel as a rookie, hurt his groin in his second season, then missed most of the third due to a hamstring injury.
When Marvin Lewis arrived as head coach before the 2003 season, one of his most memorable moments was meeting his two receivers.
"The guy with the pony tail?" Lewis said, remembering his first impression.
Lewis liked him enough to keep him around after the injury-shortened '03 season. Since then, he had made a much more lasting second impression.
"He brings a lot of fire, grit and attitude to the football team," Lewis said. "He works his tail off every day he can. That's what I like about him. Sometimes we've got to control the rage a little bit, but you know he's got it in him. He's going to fight them to the end."
Johnson thrives on touchdown celebrations and his look-at-me antics. Houshmandzadeh doesn't need to call attention to himself. Both have a penchant for letting their emotions get the best of them.
Johnson will complain to Palmer and the coaches when he doesn't get enough passes thrown his way. Houshmandzadeh will lose his composure when he thinks the referees aren't calling penalties on defensive backs.
One of his worst games this season came when he lost his cool. Houshmandzadeh had only five catches for 42 yards in a 24-10 loss in Pittsburgh last month that essentially scuttled the Bengals' hopes of a turnaround.
Houshmandzadeh considers it his worst game of the season.
"A lot of times, I get on the referees," he said. "I think I was just worried about not getting a call too much, even though I was being held on every play and they never called it. Once they didn't call it after the first few times, I should have just left it alone. But I just didn't play well."
Cincinnati's 5-9 record took a lot of the joy out of his selection for his first Pro Bowl this week.
"It's kind of bittersweet," he said. "Almost like you're in high school and you're playing in a tournament and you're playing a consolation game. That's what it kind of feels like a little bit."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Out since training camp, Cowboys WR Terry Glenn returns to practice
IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Cowboys receiver Terry Glenn went through some drills at practice for the first time all season Wednesday, a good indication the already dominant Dallas offense could have another weapon by the playoffs.
Glenn, out because of two knee operations, is not expected to play Sunday against the Eagles. He's more likely to make his season debut the following Saturday at Carolina or in the regular-season finale at Washington. If the Cowboys get a first-round bye, Glenn would have four weeks of practice before the first playoff game.
Coach Wade Phillips said he'd like to see Glenn be able to tolerate several practices in a row before using him in a game.
"It's a slow progression, certainly, but we want to be careful," Phillips said. "He didn't seem to be limping on his leg at all, so there were some positive signs from him being out there. He looked very quick. That was a good thing. ... (After practice) he was still smiling. That's my doctoring right there. If they're smiling, they're getting better."
Cornerback Terence Newman missed team drills Wednesday because of a sprained big toe on his right foot and a slight knee injury. They're new injuries, sustained this past Sunday, and not related to previous problems with his knee and heel.
He might be able to practice tomorrow so I'm not too discouraged," Phillips said. "But it may be a similar situation to what we've had all year, where he comes in as a sub guy instead of a starter."
Glenn was supposed to be Tony Romo's deep threat until he had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee during training camp. He was hurt again in his first practice back, leading to a second arthroscopic procedure in September. It wasn't a typical scope, though, which is why he's been so slow to return. At the time, he also was considering season-ending microfracture surgery.
Dallas has kept Glenn on the roster all season exactly for this scenario -- a return just in time for the playoffs.
"Terry is an anomaly, he's a guy that really can't be covered one-on-one," Romo said. "We're going to see to what extent he comes back, obviously. If it's the old Terry Glenn, this guy is unbelievable. ... I like our offense a lot right now, obviously. With him coming back, I think that we add another dimension that helps us be even more explosive."
Glenn's return to practice had been expected for several days. He's been working out at team headquarters in recent weeks, and on Friday he ran routes and caught passes.
This time, he came out wearing a red Ohio State hat, a blue Cowboys sweatshirt and with his right leg tightly wrapped. He limbered up with teammates, then spoke with assistant trainer Britt Brown as individual drills began. Glenn then went to the end of the line as fellow receivers caught passes being lobbed by a coach. The next session required cuts off the line and he made them smoothly, with flashes of his great speed.
The Cowboys already have clinched the division title and can wrap up a first-round bye with a win Sunday at home against the Eagles. If Dallas wins and Green Bay loses at St. Louis, the Cowboys also would clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.
Glenn caught 70 passes for 1,047 yards and six touchdowns last season, with his best days coming after Romo replaced Drew Bledsoe. So when Glenn went down in the preseason, it was expected to slow the Dallas offense.
The Cowboys have done just fine without him, though, leading the NFC in scoring and yards, and on pace to set club records in both categories. Still, they're eager to have him back.
"It'll be another guy for defensive teams to contend with," fellow receiver Terrell Owens said. "Everyone knows the impact Terry Glenn (can have) and once he gets out there and gets his feet underneath him, I'm sure he'll be back to his old self."
Although he's 33 and in his 12th season, Glenn -- when healthy -- is among the fastest players on the roster and perhaps Dallas' most well-rounded receiver.
Even at less than full strength he could hurt defenses that pay too much attention to Owens and Jason Witten. Of course, any extra attention paid to him would open things up for Owens and Witten.
Patrick Crayton has done a nice job filling in for Glenn as the No. 2 receiver and could keep that spot, with Glenn being the third receiver. Or perhaps they'll share both jobs. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett probably won't mind having to solve that problem.
"Terry's a phenomenal talent," Romo said. "Anything that he does, even if it's 80 percent of what he was before, he's still going to give you something good."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
Browns place LB Griffin on IR
BEREA, OHIO (TICKER) -- The Cleveland Browns on Wednesday placed linebacker Kris Griffin on injured reserve.
The 6-3, 245-pound Griffin suffered a right knee injury during the opening kickoff of Sunday's 27-21 loss at Arizona.
In 12 games this season, Griffin was a key member of the special teams unit, placing fourth on the club with 14 special teams tackles.
To replace Griffin, the Browns signed linebacker Colby Bockwoldt.
The 6-2, 245-pound Bockwoldt has played in 48 career games, including 24 starts with the New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans. He started 16 games with the Saints in 2005 and had a career-high 93 tackles.
Last season with Tennessee, Bockwoldt led the club with 20 special teams tackles.
Copyright 2007 PA SportsTicker. All Rights Reserved
Redskins teammate Clinton Portis mourns friend Sean Taylor: 'I stay out of the locker room'
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Sean Taylor's locker has been sealed in Plexiglas. The contents haven't been disturbed, and the stool with his name on it still sits in front.
Clinton Portis can't bear to look at it.
"I stay out of the locker room," Portis said. "My locker is next to his. A lot of guys will be over to the locker and looking up and seeing the picture of Sean. Seeing that locker cased up, seeing that seat sit right there, it's like an emptiness. It's a shock that you can't look up and see him, and won't look up and see him again."
Portis and receiver Santana Moss, the two Redskins players closest to Taylor, and the coach who thought of him as a son spoke publicly Thursday for the first time since the 24-year-old safety was shot to death.
Even as the team inched closer to normalcy with a practice that was livelier than the day before and questions from reporters that actually dealt with football, the comments from Portis, Moss and assistant coach Gregg Williams reinforced how much grieving remains.
The best way I know how to handle this situation is the way Sean would have handled it," said Moss, who, like Taylor and Portis, attended the University of Miami. "He would have mourned for the moment that we had to mourn, but he would have went out there and laced them up, and played like no other."
The investigation into Taylor's death continued Thursday in Miami, where police have said they suspect Taylor was the victim of a random burglary when he was shot at his home early Monday. Taylor died the next day.
Police also are investigating a possible connection to a Nov. 17 break-in at Taylor's home, but Taylor was such a private man that neither Moss nor Portis knew anything about the first incident.
"That's the type of guy Sean was," Moss said. "You'd never know what was going on with him, good or bad."
Both said it was worth paying attention to Arizona Cardinals cornerback Antrel Rolle, who said Wednesday that he didn't believe Taylor's killing was a random event. Rolle said Taylor had many enemies on the streets of Miami and that "they've been targeting him for three years now."
"Antrel grew up with Sean, he knows the neighborhood, he knows the people," Portis said. "He'll hear more conversations than you would hear or I would hear. They're still from the same part of town. Maybe he knew something we didn't know. It doesn't matter if people were targeting him or not, but at the same time we need to find who did it."
Portis said he considered wearing Taylor's No. 21 jersey in Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills but decided against it.
"Time after time I always told you all that he was the best player I've ever seen," Portis said. "For me to put that jersey on, I can't live up to those expectations. I can't be Sean Taylor, so I wouldn't even try."
A public viewing for Taylor is scheduled Sunday in Miami, and the entire Redskins organization plans to fly to Florida to attend the funeral Monday, three days before a game against the Chicago Bears.
In Washington, D.C., some fans brought a "Walking Book of Condolences" to one of the city's poorest neighborhoods to give fans who couldn't get to Redskins Park a chance to express their condolences.
Willie Mae Cobb, 63, was among those who showed up at the Anacostia Metro station. She brought a poem that she had pasted on red cardboard along with newspaper photos of Taylor.
"I really enjoyed his playing, and my heart goes out especially to his baby girl and his girlfriend," Cobb said. "Even though he went through troubles, he came around and all that was behind him," she added.
At Redskins Park, Williams and Moss also shared emotional anecdotes about Taylor. Williams, who often has spoken of the "tough love" he gave Taylor over the years, was often seen getting in Taylor's face on the sidelines.
"He could see me losing it a little," Williams said. "And he would look at me and smile and say, 'Hey, coach that play is over, get on to the next one.' He would immediately put me into 'I have a job to do.' We had a synergy back and forth in those difficult times, but we built that trust and love for each other."
Williams said memories of Taylor have helped him focus on football this week.
"When I got the phone call and was grieving strongly, I felt a presence," he said. "And the presence I felt was 'Coach, that play's over, get onto the next. I'm watching you.' I got a job to do. Get on to the next. He's watching me."
Moss said Taylor had a "different kind of glow" about him last week, particularly on Thanksgiving Day. The usually introverted Taylor went out of his way to wish coaches and teammates a happy holiday and was talking about his 18-month-old daughter.
Moss wondered if Taylor's mood foreshadowed what was about to happen, that Taylor was meant to leave his teammates on an upbeat note.
"It was unusual for Sean," Moss said. "I mean, he was in high spirits. It was almost like when it happened, I thought back on those couple of days. And it was something, like, it was a message right then and there that we didn't see at the time. You never know."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.
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