Love life on the way

XLVIII things to watch throughout the 2013 NFL season - NFL.com

Predicting the 2013 NFL season Will Tom Brady be the MVP? Can the Bengals be stopped? Who will rise in the NFC East? Our analysts look into the future. More ... Each year, it feels like the run-up to the new NFL season grows longer and busier. "Offseason" is really a misnomer -- there is no "off" button when there are months of headline-making player acquisitions, obsessively-covered injuries and recoveries, detailed reviews of snap counts and, this year, a tragic intersection with the law. Finally, in the coming week, the games will seize attention again as the countdown to Super Bowl XLVIII begins. In honor of a Super Bowl that has managed to generate controversy long before we even know who will play in it -- and to delay for a few more column inches the start of the Doppler-radar watch for snow -- here are 48 things that should keep our attention this year: THE STORYLINES WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THROUGH DECEMBER I. The speed. The secrecy. The soundtrack. Chip Kelly's offense with the Philadelphia Eagles has it all, with a dash of Michael Vick thrown in for good measure. Can Kelly's warp-speed approach -- don't look down or you'll miss the next snap -- work in the NFL? And how quickly will other teams try to copy it if it does? II. Manning and Welker: Wes Welker goes from Tom Brady to Peyton Manning, and Manning gets the fearless over-the-middle receiver to complete a stellar Denver Broncos corps. How quickly can their timing develop? III. Brady and Amendola: And Danny Amendola steps into Welker's old spot with the New England Patriots. Everybody has always considered Amendola a Welker clone -- now we'll find out how much he actually resembles Brady's former favorite receiver. How quickly can their timing develop? IV. The Clowney Crusade: You remember the "(Play Really Badly) for Luck" fan campaigns of two years ago? If it becomes clear that defensive superstar Jadeveon Clowney will leave South Carolina after this college football season, you had better believe suffering fans of struggling teams will be crossing their fingers for a race to the bottom of the standings -- so that their team can be at the top of next May's draft. V. Eventually, the New York Jets will pick a quarterback, and he will take the snaps. Think that'll be the end of one of the oddest -- and perhaps most mismanaged -- quarterback competitions in memory? This figures to be a season-long drama, one with overarching implications for the future of coach Rex Ryan and the entire franchise. VI. The first time Adrian Peterson lowers his head to plow a defender backwards as he crosses the goal line to score a game-winning touchdown for the Minnesota Vikings, does he get a flag? The crown-of-helmet rule adopted in the offseason might produce as many arguments as it does penalties. VII. Returned from his season-long suspension, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton is back in Drew Brees' ear, and probably with something to prove. Beware, opposing defensive backs. Debate: Underrated/overrated teams Can AndyReid lead the Chiefs from the cellar to the playoffs? Our analysts predict this season's sleeper squads and duds. More ... Falcons Jerseys cheap VIII. Former Eagles coach Andy Reid will take his Kansas City Chiefs back to Philadelphia. Former Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis goes with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back to New York. Wes Welker will travel back to New England. Peyton Manning journeys with the Denver Broncos back to Indianapolis. None of these visits should be accompanied by the enmity that surrounded Brett Favre's return to Green Bay in Minnesota Vikings purple, but it's worth asking: Can you go home again in the NFL? IX. Defensive coordinators went to school on the read option this offseason, and Robert Griffin III's injuries might serve as a cautionary tale. But colleges continue to churn out the kinds of athletic quarterbacks who can run it. This season might give an indication as to whether this offense is sustainable or, as Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin thinks, merely "the flavor of the day." X. Everybody was spoiled by the instant impact of quarterbacks Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson and RGIII as rookies last season. Sophomore slumps aren't uncommon, but these three might be good enough to avoid going through one. ONE STORY WE'RE STILL HAPPY NOT TO BE HEARING ABOUT XI. Lockouts. Hallelujah! No worrying more about labor lawyers than linebackers. WELCOME TO THE WEATHER CHANNEL XII. Get your Farmers' Almanac, your groundhog and your weather radio, and join the Super Bowl rush by channeling your inner Jim Cantore. THE CURIOSITIES XIII. Video from the locker rooms: The NFL is experimenting with cameras in locker rooms to give in-stadium fans a sense of what goes on inside the inner sanctum. Hint: They're likely to see as many snoozers as stemwinders. XIV. Hip and thigh pads: The NFL insists pads will limit the hip and thigh contusions that bedevil players. The players suspect the equipment will slow them down. Are either -- or both -- right? XV. After Dustin Keller's knee was blown out by a direct hit -- and after defensive players said they now hit low to minimize the risk they will incur a fine for hitting too high -- the league is likely to closely monitor to see if the knee becomes a target point, and to see if a rule that already generates so much anger and confusion from defensive players has to be refined further. XVI. Whither Tim Tebow? If the Patriots release the quarterback, does he get picked up? If the Patriots keep him, do they use him? Is this the end of the NFL line for one of the game's most compelling -- and vexing -- players? XVII. Falsely accused of rape and wrongly imprisoned, Brian Banks finally got a chance to try to make it in the NFL at age 28. Though it doesn't look like that will happen with the Atlanta Falcons, whether he tries again elsewhere or ultimately resumes his non-football life, Banks is a staggering example of resilience. THE GAMES XVIII. Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos, Sept. 5: The Rahim Moore revenge game gives us our first look at the Super Bowl champions post-Ray Lewis/Ed Reed -- and our first look at the Broncos with Welker and without the suspended Von Miller. Schein: SuperBowl XLVIII forecast Adam Schein predicts each conference's rep in New Jersey -- and picks a winner. (Popular opinion Seahawks Jerseys cheap need not apply.) More ... XIX. Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers, Sept. 8: Niners quarterback Colin Kaepernick absolutely shredded the Packers' defense in a divisional playoff game last season. This should provide an early hint as to whether or not teams have caught up to the read option. XX. Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins, Sept. 9: Who runs faster: the Eagles' offense or Robert Griffin III on a rebuilt knee? XXI. New York Jets at New England Patriots, Sept. 12: It doesn't even matter if this game is competitive. This remains one of the league's most ridiculous rivalries. After all, it gave the world the butt-fumble; you cannot look away. XXII. Denver Broncos at New York Giants, Sept. 15: Manning Bowl III. Unless Eli and Peyton meet in the Super Bowl, this could be the last time they play against each other, because of the way the schedule rotates. Peyton is 2-0 against Eli. XXIII. San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks, Sept. 15: Remember when the NFC West stunk? This one could be a preview of the NFC Championship Game. It definitely will be a showcase for two of football's best defenses and scintillating quarterbacks. XXIV. Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers, Oct. 20: The status of the NFL's most bruising rivalry is often a telling indicator of the eventual AFC North champion. XXV. Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts, Oct. 20: Peyton returns to Indianapolis to face Luck. The winners? Colts fans, who will be reminded of how incredibly fortunate they are to have cheered for both. Jaguars Jerseys cheap XXVI. Green Bay Packers at New York Giants, Nov. 17: Think these two teams like being overlooked in the NFC sweepstakes? This game could go a long way toward determining which of these squads will be in prime playoff contention. XXVII. Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants, Nov. 24: The NFC East is one of the toughest divisions to predict; this game almost always determines a playoff spot. XXVIII. Denver Broncos at New England Patriots, Nov. 24: There won't be many more Manning-Brady games. Savor them while they last. XXIX. Indianapolis Colts at Cincinnati Bengals, Dec. 8: Two young, rising teams who are likely to have playoff roles for many years. Can the Bengals' defense slow Luck? XXX. Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers, Dec. 23: A reprise of an instant classic NFC Championship Game. XXXI. Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears, Dec. 29: Of course, this is a classic rivalry, but even if it weren't, don't you want to see what new Bears coach Marc Trestman does with Jay Cutler? XXXII. Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals, Dec. 29: Almost certainly will determine a playoff spot in the AFC's best division. XXXIII. St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks, Dec. 29: The Seahawks are in nearly everyone's postseason predictions, but the Rams are on the rise. Their only divisional loss last year? To the Seahawks. In Seattle. On the final day of the season. Hmm. THE PEOPLE XXXIV. Dr. James Andrews. The famous surgeon's management of RGIII's knee injury and the quarterback's rapid return have made Dr. Andrews nearly as recognizable as Dr. Phil. Raiders Jerseys cheap XXXV. We miss Gronk. Please, come back, Gronk. XXXVI. But in the meantime, rookie free-agent tight end Zach Sudfeld has given the Patriots a nice surprise and a name -- that's Stud-feld to you -- we can work with. XXXVII. The Rams aren't even trying to pretend that they are keeping rookie receiver/returner/whatever-else-he-wants-to-do Tavon Austin under wraps. Please, free Tavon, Jeff Fisher. XXXVIII. When it comes to Chip Kelly, there probably hasn't been a more heralded coaching arrival in the NFL since Jimmy Johnson. No pressure, Chip; you're merely expected to usher in an offensive revolution while winning in Philadelphia, one of the league's pressure cookers. XXXIX. We had never seen anything quite like Cam Newton when he got to the NFL -- fast enough to outrun defenders, big enough to absorb their hits -- but now he is essentially ignored in the conversations about the game's young quarterbacks. He is too talented to be lost, and it will be fascinating to see how new Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula deploys him. Harrison: Picking the All-Pros Elliot Harrison looks into his crystal ball to fill out an All-Pro roster for the season to come -- and some names might surprise. More ... XL. The Saints' defense has taken some big injury blows during their rebuilding process, but they do have a rookie safety, Kenny Vaccaro, who could be the next great don't-take-your-eyes-off-him playmaker. XLI. Maybe you've forgotten how electric Reggie Bush can be when he catches the ball out of the backfield. The Detroit Lions and Matthew Stafford are going to give you a chance to remember in the latest stop in Bush's peripatetic career. XLII. It's superfluous to mention Adrian Peterson, right? You were going to watch him without me reminding you, weren't you? XLIII. Ziggy Ansah could be this year's Jason Pierre-Paul, a raw pass-rushing talent who could energize the Lions' defense. Boy, does that team need it. XLIV. The Miami Dolphins spent a mind-boggling amount of money in free agency, but all the focus will be on receiver Mike Wallace, and the chemistry he develops with Ryan Tannehill. This team needs some pop -- on offense and in terms of fan interest -- and Wallace could be the answer. XLV. Can we just watch J.J. Watt bat passes out of the air all day? XLVI. Mark Davis, the Oakland Raiders owner, might be the most unpredictable boss in the league right now. His team is in the middle of a massive rebuilding effort, but it's almost impossible to divine if Davis will allow Reggie McKenzie to continue to manage it after what many are expecting to be another terrible season. XLVII. Welcome back, Darrelle Revis. The feud with Richard Sherman is fun. The play is even better. XLVIII. Love him or loathe him, Rex Ryan provides compelling theater. He began the season by turning sideways during a press conference. His relationship with Jets general manager John Idzik is a thread that will stretch throughout the season. Follow Judy Battista on Twitter @judybattista. 

Willie Young regrets taunting Tom Brady in Lions' rout - NFL.com

The Detroit Lions illustrated the positives and negatives of a defense playing on edge in Thursday night's 40-9 thumping of the New England Patriots. The most poignant incident from the Lions' out-of-control side occurred when defensive end Willie Young received a personal-foul penalty for taunting Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Young Broncos Jerseys cheap grabbed Brady after an incomplete pass and stuck his finger in his face. Young acknowledged Saturday that his mistake led to his benching by Lions coach Jim Schwartz, but he wouldn't go as far as to reveal what was said during the exchange. "I just can't do things to hurt the team," Young said, per MLive.com Colts Jerseys cheap. "And right now, I'm moving on to Buffalo (in the preseason finale). What I said stays between the lines." Young said he met Brady on the field Browns Jerseys cheap after the game but declined to divulge what he told the quarterback. "Tom Brady, got much respect for him," Young said. "Go ask Brady what I said." Chiefs Jerseys cheap Detroit's defensive front-four will be the keystone to the team's success or failure this season. Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley play with ferocity and can manhandle many of the shaky offensive lines they'll face. However, giving up 15 yards on foolish personal-foul penalties will undercut any positive havoc they create. The Around The League Podcast is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe. 

Will Chip Kelly's new Eagles offense be held up by refs - NFL.com

Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly's up-tempo offense might have a deterrent. Not players unable to run it. Chiefs Jerseys cheap Not opponents able to stop it. But referees slowing it down. Camp coverage on NFL Network Watch "Inside Training Camp" this week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET on NFL Network.» Complete training camp coverage Jaguars Jerseys cheap "We have to make sure teams understand that they don't control the tempo; our officials do," NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino told The Wall Street Journal on Monday. "We're going through our normal ball mechanics. We aren't going to rush (unless) it's in the two-minute drill." Those normal game-slowing mechanics include: changing balls when a play goes out of bounds or on an incomplete pass; the referee who spots the ball positioning himself behind the deepest offensive back before the snap; and allowing the defense to substitute after an offensive substitution. Neither Kelly nor the Eagles commented on the story, but Blandino told the newspaper that the first-year NFL coach didn't show any "overconcern" about these changes when the two met in Philadelphia. The pace question isn't a new concern for teams. In 2010, the Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts took issue with the time it took for the referee to get to his new-at-the-time spot behind the running back. Even last season, teams took issue with how fast Tom Brady and the New England Patriots ran their no-huddle offense. New York Jets linebacker Calvin Pace even defined it as "borderline illegal." It might Buccaneers Jerseys cheap be an issue in the preseason or in Week 1, but players, coaches and teams always adjust. At least one former ref believes Kelly will have to adjust his style. "In the NFL, I don't see him having the juice to persuade crews to work faster," said Mike Pereira, former NFL vice president of officiating and current TV analyst. "In fact, I know he doesn't." The Around The League Podcast is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe Patriots Jerseys cheap. 

Bill Belichick, New England Patriots need to win to move forward - NFL.com

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots veterans report to training camp Thursday, and, as is the case in 31 other NFL locales, the head coach will address his players to kick things off. It's hard to imagine Bill Belichick avoiding the Aaron Hernandez situation in that speech. cheap Ravens Jerseys Most who've been around Belichick, in fact, think he won't. Debate: Belichick on Hernandez BillBelichick addressed the AaronHernandez situation for the first time. Our analysts share their reactions. More ... But after that? It will be over, at least for the team. And then, while the rest of us tell the story of the 2013 Patriots through the same kind of split-screen viewpoint that we saw Wednesday -- with the coach on one half, and his embattled ex-tight end on the other -- every effort will be made by the team to make the vision singular. It can work, too. It did to near historic results in 2007. It can again, provided the Patriots keep winning, as they have over the course of the past dozen seasons. This situation is different, and more serious to be sure, than the Pats' videotaping scandal. But just like that was destined cheap Jets Jerseys to be part of the 2007 Patriots' story, Hernandez's travails forever will be attached to the 2013 Patriots. The only way to make it fade, even a little, is to keep doing what Belichick has generally done, which is win. "He'll address it (Thursday) in the meeting, and that'll be it," said one former Patriot, who was part of the 2007 team that went 18-1. "Then, they'll never hear about it from him again, I'm totally sure about that." That's why Wednesday was so important and, to a lesser degree, Thursday is too. In the past, the Patriots have never made coaches or players available to the larger media crowd in the days leading up to the training camp, preferring to start that interaction on the first day of practice. By doing it the way they are this year -- coach one day, 2012 captains the next day, and the first day on the field the day after that -- the club is drawing a very clear line between the Hernandez affair and football. It won't work completely. It can't, and they know that. Belichick himself said, "I'm not trying to make the story disappear." cheap Panthers Jerseys Camp coverage on NFL Network Watch "Inside Training Camp" this week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET on NFL Network.» Complete training camp coverage Belichick knows the Hernandez cloud will cast a shadow over the whole season, as the case slivers through the legal system. There will be peripheral effects as well. One is that ownership is expected to be more active in clearing rookies and veterans with checkered pasts to be added to the roster. In 2007, the Patriots played with an edge and anger that left little quarter for the questions on how much rule-breaking had to do with the team's success. They weren't just beating teams early that season; they were crushing them. And in that way, while the videotaping scandal was always lurking, it became more about the past than the present. "We all knew that -- winning fixes everything," said former Patriot Heath Evans, now my colleague with the NFL Media group. "And we were borderline arrogant, we knew we were gonna be great. So winning wasn't the thing, it was how good we could be, and that whole thing was never brought up again." If the Patriots fall off in 2013, there will be more questions relating back to Hernandez. Has the character of the team changed? Have the risks they've taken in the draft of late finally come to roost? Can they win without rolling the dice in that way? Is the Patriot Way cheap Chargers Jerseys dead? If they win, the Hernandez situation is still part of their story. But again, it becomes about their past and not their present. "You'll see a common theme in what they say, and that'll be what Bill told them to say," said the ex-Patriot. "And they know, winning is the cure-all." Don't mix it up. It is certainly callous to juxtapose a case that encapsulates five shootings and three deaths against a football season. Belichick's own recognition of that, and his humanity that stretched to a level of embarrassment over the matter, should be proof enough for everybody. "I'm challenged by decisions that affect the team on a daily basis and I'm not perfect on that either but I always try to do what I think is best for the football team," he said Wednesday. "We spent a considerable amount of time evaluating our current players and educating them on not only football, but many other life experiences and off-field subjects. We stress high character and we stress making good decisions. We'll continue to do this and we'll work to do a better job of it as we go forward. "We'll learn from this terrible experience that we've had. We'll become a better team from the lessons that we've learned." By doing what he did Wednesday, Belichick put his team in a better position to move forward. He faced the music, he took responsibility, and defended his players and his program. For now, he's put himself, and his team, in a position where they won't have the Hernandez case thrown in their face more consistently going forward, which is likely what would've happened had he been dismissive as usual. But intelligent as he is, Belichick understands the Hernandez story isn't simply going to go away, despite his deflections of not being able to comment on an ongoing legal investigation, and that it'll follow the Patriots for awhile. And he also knows that just how big a deal it is for the guys who work for him in Foxborough will likely hinge on how they perform. Follow Albert Breer on Twitter @AlbertBreer 

Bilal Powell ahead of Chris Ivory for N.Y. Jets' RB job - NFL.com

Denver Broncos coach John Fox had the line of the day Monday when asked about Ronnie Hillman's place atop the unofficial running back depth chart. "We released a depth chart only because the league makes us," Fox quipped, via The Denver Post. cheap Browns Jerseys Depth chart news carried the day, but it's instructive to keep Fox's comments in mind when analyzing the changes. The most noteworthy depth chart nuggets involve running backs: » With Chris Ivory once again sidelined by a hamstring injury, the New York Jets list Bilal Powell as the No. 1 tailback. Although Powell has impressed with his first-team reps, this figures to be Ivory's job once he's back to full speed. Coach Rex Ryan confirmed Monday that Mike Goodson's return is not imminent. » As if to prove Fox's point, DuJuan Harris is listed as the Green Bay Packers' starter even though he's spent training camp on the active/physically unable to perform list with a knee injury. Although Eddie Lacy is perhaps the best bet to lead this backfield in carries, the rookie currently is fourth on the depth chart despite an impressive effort in Saturday night's scrimmage. » Pierre Thomas tops the New Orleans Saints' depth chart, with Mark Ingram second and Darren Sproles third. There's no reason to believe the roles will cheap Broncos Jerseys be any different this year than they were the past two seasons. More depth chart news: » Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne are listed as quarterback co-starters for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Gabbert received the first shot with the No. 1 offense in Saturday night's scrimmage and is expected to start the first preseason game. Henne would then be expected to cheap Chiefs Jerseys start the second preseason game. » Although Vincent Brown shined in offseason practices, Malcom Floyd retains the San Diego Chargers' starting wide receiver job opposite Danario Alexander -- for now. From the depth chart speculation department: » The Boston Globe views Daniel Fells as the likely No. 1 tight end for the New England Patriots. Undrafted rookie Zach Sudfeld is coming like a freight train, though, practicing almost exclusively with the starters. Former New York Giants tight end Jake Ballard, on the other hand, has struggled so much that he's now in danger of losing his roster cheap Chargers Jerseys spot, Chris Mortensen reported on ESPN's "NFL Insiders." » With Riley Cooper away from the team to seek counseling, athletic undrafted rookie Russell Shepard is running with the Philadelphia Eagles' first-team offense opposite DeSean Jackson. Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia believes Shepard is now in the driver's seat for the No. 2 receiver job after dominating the first week of camp. The Around The League Podcast is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.