Belichick keeps serving humble pie
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. The New England Patriots thought they were going to play Indianapolis in the Sunday's AFC championship, another chapter in their rivalry with Peyton Manning and the Colts.
They won't admit this, of course. But who else would they have expected but their mortal enemy?
Bill Belichick understood this. He knew that when the San Diego Chargers upset the Colts last Sunday, a letdown was possible. After all, the Patriots handled the Chargers in last year's playoffs and back in September, 38-14.
When you then tack on the outside factors such as Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates being banged up, the Chargers taking a second consecutive long flight to the eastern time zone and the temperature in snow-packed Massachusetts that should be in the teens complacency, even just a little, seemed likely.
So Belichick did what he did best; he walked into the meetings on Monday and ripped his team to shreds, all while building the Chargers up to be some football Goliath without weakness.
Forget the records, the point spread and the hype; according to Belichick this is 1916, the Chargers are Georgia Tech and the Pats are Cumberland.
"He put fear into us by going over everything we did wrong and everything they've done right the last two months," fullback Heath Evans said Wednesday. "He was convincing,"
Belichick's weekly servings of humble pie have become the stuff of legend around here. It's one reason the Patriots are 17-0 and have avoided the overconfidence that has helped derail undefeated seasons for 35 years.
The players have taken it in stride, joking about the inevitable verbal beat downs no matter the margin of victory and occasionally wearing humble pie T-shirts "be humble or be humbled." Enterprising local bakeries have started concocting the stuff.
Yes, every coach does this, but perhaps none have done it as effectively as Belichick. Even his staunchest critics have to admit he is the absolute master. And even by his standards, players noted, Monday's meetings were brutal.
"Bill was just stating the facts and the truth (opposed) to you all telling us how great we are when we've still got work to do," running back Kevin Faulk said.
By the time the players met with the media midweek, you could see their eyes glazed over as they repeated the party line.
Tom Brady, without the assistance of notes, rattled off a litany of impressive statistics about the Chargers' defense that had obviously been pounded into his head.
"They've got (49) turnovers this season, averaging three a game. They've got five in the playoffs, given up 13 points a game in the last eight weeks, and have been undefeated since Thanksgiving," he said, hardly taking a breath. "They've got (20) sacks between (Shawne) Merriman and (Shaun) Phillips and I think 42 sacks as a team, No. 1 in turnover differential"
Belichick had gone so far as to call San Diego the "best team in the AFC" that, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, had "dominated the league" during the second half of the season.
It's not that the Chargers can't win, but "the best team in the AFC" is a little much until proven. It's New England that hasn't lost, after all.
The players bought it, though. If you listened long enough in the Pats' quiet, business-like locker room this week and you'd wonder how they even stand a chance Sunday.
"I hope we play as well as we can," Brady offered.
There wasn't a whisper of trash talk despite the Chargers' emergence as a vocal rival. After last year's playoff victory, some Patriots celebrated by performing Merriman's sack dance, causing Tomlinson to call Belichick "classless." In September, he took another shot at the coach after the spying scandal.
After San Diego's win over Indy, the talk continued as defensive lineman Igor Olshansky claimed the Pats were more afraid of the Chargers than the Chargers of the Pats.
Here by the Atlantic, no one took the bait. The boldest comment came when Belichick admitted he hated hearing the song "The Super Chargers" because, "it means things aren't going good for us."
That's what passes for bulletin board material up here.
There must be a part of Belichick who wanted the Colts, too. He reworked this team last offseason in response the Colts' Super Bowl title. The animosity between he and Tony Dungy not to mention the front offices is real.
But in another way, this was better because he got to spend time on the mental and motivational aspect of his job. His players wouldn't have needed prodding to focus on a Colts club that defeated them a year ago.
Belichick is a coaching lifer, but at this point, you wonder for how much longer. He's already established himself as one of the greatest of all time. He's done the dynasty thing (three Super Bowls in four seasons) during an era when it was thought impossible.
If he can close out a 19-0 perfect season, arguably the greatest in league history, what's left?
Where would Belichick go? He is only 55 and isn't joining one of those pregame shows to wear silly suits and fake laugh. Golf seems a little slow for him. He's at the peak of his ability in the prime of his career.
Besides, unlike some coaches, his satisfaction comes as much in the journey toward victory as victory itself.
"I enjoy the preparation. I enjoy the practice. I enjoy the offseason, team-building, working with the younger players; working with older, experienced players; the game planning, the game decisions, practice – all of the things that go into it."
He forgot to mention humbling his team.
But at this point, after a week of convincing his powerhouse players to think like lowly underdogs, that goes without saying.
Copyright 2008 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
Retired returner Mitchell says Hester doing in the right way
CHICAGO (AP) -- Brian Mitchell is an expert on the art of returning kicks. He did it for 14 seasons in the NFL, setting numerous career records while piling up thousands of total yards with a versatility that went well beyond special teams.
Watching a great returner like Devin Hester may not equal the rush of actually doing it himself, but for Mitchell, there is an appreciation only members of his fraternity can share.
The kick return, be it a punt or kickoff, is one of football's most physical and exciting plays every week. Bone-crushing hits or spectacular runs that feature well-timed blocks, great vision and darting open-field maneuvering are the components.
Hester, at times, has made it look easy.
"I've been following him big-time. He's unbelievable. He's fantastic. He's good, man, darn good," Mitchell said as he described Hester, who this season scored six TDs on punt and kickoff returns, breaking his own record of five set as a rookie in 2006.
Hester, the Chicago Bears' second-year star who was voted an All-Pro this week and will make his second straight Pro Bowl appearance, needs just two kick return scores to tie Mitchell's NFL career record of 13.
"It's inevitable. Many guys who are going to have records broken are upset or agitated. It makes me proud," Mitchell said.
Mitchell, who does radio and TV work in Washington, where he spent 10 of his seasons with the Redskins, said he'd even go to watch Hester play if he was on the verge of tying his record, and congratulate him for doing it.
When it will happen, of course, is hard to predict. Likely next season sometime, even though Hester is now running into what Mitchell said he faced all through his career: the ball being kicked away from him.
"Even my last two years people were trying to directional kick," said Mitchell, who also played three seasons with the Eagles and one with the Giants. He returned to Washington to sign a one-day contract and retire in 2005.
His one bit of advice to Hester is to use some gamesmanship when punters try to angle it away. Study the kickers and counteract their tendencies.
"Move a little bit. Once you learn all that, play with their minds," Mitchell said. "You can make them shank."
Mitchell sees similarities between Hester and himself, at least from the way they approach kick returns.
"I was the same, but he's faster than me. He doesn't do a lot of dancing around. He doesn't lose yardage. He's always going straight ahead."
Mitchell returned nine punts and four kickoffs for TDs during his career. He entered the league in 1990 and didn't score on a kickoff return until 1997. Why? He said he was sometimes too physical, even with the last line of defense.
"I tried to run over the kicker instead of going around him, or I would have had a lot more TDs," Mitchell said.
When he retired in 2005, Mitchell also held NFL records for combined kick return yards (19,013), combined kick returns (1,070), kickoff return yards (14,014), kickoff returns (607), punt return yards (4,999), punt returns (463) and fair catches (231).
Dante Hall and Eric Metcalf, with 12 combined kick return TDs, are one behind Mitchell's record. Metcalf is long since retired and Hall had only one TD runback this season with St. Louis.
Mitchell got his 13 TDs in 223 games over 1,070 total returns. Hester has 11 in just 32 games and 152 total returns. Hester also raced 108 yards with a missed field goal for a TD -- not counted as a return -- and took the opening kickoff of last year's Super Bowl for a score.
But Mitchell was more than a kick returner during his distinguished career. He also had 388 carries for 1,967 yards with 12 TDs as a runner, and caught 255 passes for 2,336 yards with another four TDs.
Hester also branched out this season, joining the Bears' offense as a wide receiver and catching 20 passes for 299 yards, with TD plays of 81 and 55 yards. Hester would love to be a go-to receiver someday, but his explosiveness as a returner is what has made him a star so quickly.
"It's a big thing whenever you get a guy to go out and put 10 or 11 returns in two years, that's a great accomplishment," the soft-spoken Hester said right after the Bears' disappointing 7-9 season ended. He was quick to credit his blockers. "They do all the dirty work, and at the end of the day, it seems like I get all the glory for it."
Mitchell said the responsibilities of being part of the offense could make it more difficult for a returner's energy level. But he doesn't see that as a problem for Hester because of his approach -- again similar to the one he used.
"He's going to give everything he has. When I played on kick returns, punt returns or offense I was going to go full speed. I didn't care," he said. "I sense that in Devin."
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Saints' depth at running back depleted, newcomers shore up post
NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans running game could be in the hands of a rookie and two newcomers when they play their season finale at Chicago on Sunday.
Neither Reggie Bush (torn ligament in his left knee) nor Aaron Stecker (turf toe) practiced Wednesday and it's uncertain if either will be available for the game, a must-win for the Saints, who still have an outside shot at the final NFC wild-card slot.
To advance to the playoffs, the Saints must beat the Bears, then hope Minnesota (8-7) falls at Denver and Washington (8-7) loses to visiting Dallas.
With Bush and Stecker questionable, that leaves an undrafted rookie, Pierre Thomas, and two players signed this week -- Chris Barclay and Artose Pinner -- as the team's only healthy halfbacks.
Deuce McAllister was placed on injured reserve after hurting his knee in the third game of the season, and reserve Jamaal Branch joined him after fracturing his right leg against Philadelphia last week.
The Saints claimed Barclay off waivers from Tennessee and signed Pinner, who spent the first 14 weeks with Atlanta before being released, in case Stecker and/or Bush is unavailable Sunday. Both could be game-time decisions.
"In the meantime, we have to develop and train these other guys," coach Sean Payton said after practice Wednesday about Barclay and Pinner. "I'm optimistic about Aaron, and Pierre has handled this real well. We'll see where Reggie's at and we'll have to make adjustments."
Bush, who has missed the last three games, said he believes he has a better chance of playing this week than last week, even though he wasn't ruled out for the Philadelphia game until pregame warm-ups.
"It's getting better," Bush said of the injury. "You have to look at the risk-reward ratio. It will be a mutual decision by me, the coaching staff and the trainers."
Stecker, who injured his toe during the first half of the Eagles game but returned, was walking very gingerly in the locker room Wednesday.
"It's stiff, and nice and sore," Stecker said. "I've been a good healer in the past. It's a lot better than it was Monday. If it continues to progress like that, I'll think I'll be OK."
Thomas is a native of suburban Chicago who played at the University of Illinois.
"This is a very big shot," said Thomas, who spent Christmas with his family in Chicago. "I've just been blessed throughout my first year. I'm trying to study and learn the game at this level so fast."
So far, Thomas has 30 carries for 146 yards and one touchdown.
"I think he is going to be fine; this is his kind of football game," quarterback Drew Brees said of Thomas. "It's two hours from where he played college football and he's used to (the) conditions and will probably have a lot of people there that will be excited to watch him play."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Orton's latest opportunity with Bears comes under less-than-ideal circumstances
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) -- Kyle Orton has an opportunity and an unenviable task.
He's getting another shot with the Chicago Bears after a two-year wait, but the circumstances are not ideal.
The offensive line that was once impenetrable? There are plenty of holes now.
The running game that used to power the offense? It's gone.
And Orton? He's in a tough spot.
It's not easy to evaluate a quarterback when the line isn't holding its ground and the running game is going nowhere, yet the Bears (5-9) are trying to do just that as the season winds down. The Green Bay Packers (12-2) visit Sunday, and Orton has two more chances to show what he can do after a shaky outing against Minnesota.
"It's harder for the quarterback -- it's harder for our team -- when you're a running team and you haven't been able to run the football," coach Lovie Smith said. "That makes it tougher. And our offense still has to be able to take what teams give (us). If you can't run the ball, you have to be able to gain some ground with the pass, and we haven't been able to do that."
Orton also needs to do more after an uneven showing in Monday's 20-13 loss at Minnesota. He completed 22 of 38 passes for 184 yards but was wild at times.
"There were some situations where they dialed up some pressure and made it tough on us as an offense, and those are plays you've just got to manage," Orton said. "When you haven't been in there, there are a couple plays you wish you had back. You might not think you had enough time in the pocket, and you really did. It's just kind of feeling how much time you've got in the pocket on certain situations."
His low point came near the end of the third quarter, when a swing pass sailed over fullback Jason McKie's head -- a strange call on fourth-and-1 at the Minnesota 35. Orton also had a long pass to the end zone intercepted by Darren Sharper just past the 2-minute warning in the fourth quarter.
"Listen, every game I go into, you guys want to make it turn into a numbers game," he said. "And every game I go into, I want to win the game."
He said the only number that matters to him is this: "2-0." But for the Bears to go 2-0 the rest of the way, they'll have to boost some other numbers.
The offense ranks 25th, and Chicago is averaging a league-low 78.4 yards rushing.
Orton can't simply hand the ball off the way he did when he got thrust into the starting role two years ago. Thomas Jones was traded after last season, Cedric Benson was ineffective before suffering a season-ending left ankle injury late last month, and Adrian Peterson isn't the solution. He ran for just 26 yards against Minnesota.
Orton doesn't have as much protection from the line as he did two years ago. And the Bears can't rely on their defense to bail them out anymore.
The formula Chicago used to win 10 games with Orton in 2005 doesn't apply.
Back then, the Bears had to scale down the offense for the rookie, who passed for more than 150 yards just two times while throwing more interceptions (13) than touchdown passes (nine).
And one of his worst games that year was against Green Bay, when he was 6-of-17 with 68 yards in a Bears victory in early December.
Orton got a second chance this month when Rex Grossman sprained his left knee, and the Bears decided to give him another look rather than go with veteran Brian Griese.
Against the Vikings, offensive coordinator Ron Turner said Orton showed "great poise, great composure in a tough environment. He handled himself very well. He saw the field well."
Packers Pro Bowl cornerback Al Harris said he was impressed.
"I just finished watching tape on him," he said. "He made some good reads. I went back and I got the tape from when he was actually starting. He made some good throws then, also. I think he can be a challenge."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Rhodes heads into matchup with old team unsure of playing time
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) -- When Dominic Rhodes signed as a free agent with the Oakland Raiders in the offseason, one of the first things he noticed was that he would get a chance to play his former team, the Indianapolis Colts, late in the season.
"I believe anyone that leaves a team, they always look and see if they get to play that time, just for the simple fact is it's your friends, and you want to show them that you've still got something," Rhodes said Wednesday. "But I'm definitely excited to be on the same field with some of my old teammates."
Rhodes now must hope that he gets a chance to do more than swap Super Bowl stories with some old friends and actually gets to play an important role in the game.
Rhodes has been inactive the past two weeks and has contributed little this season to Oakland (4-9) as Justin Fargas has emerged as the team's featured running back. He admits to being frustrated by the lack of playing time but says his attitude has improved.
"Being upset and mad didn't put me on the field," he said. "I don't know what's going to happen this week. I hope I do get in there and get an opportunity and get some extended playing time and try to get in a rhythm where I can make plays for this team."
Coach Lane Kiffin said he was looking at playing Rhodes on Sunday as the backup to Fargas. Kiffin said the decision had more to do with how Rhodes has practiced than with giving him a chance to go up against his former team.
"We're not going to play somebody because of where they played before," Kiffin said. "That's not fair to the team. If he plays, it's because we need him to play, he deserves to play and there's something we feel he can help us with."
After starring in the Super Bowl for the Colts last season, Rhodes signed a two-year contract that could be worth up to $7.5 million with the Raiders.
But he got off to a slow start in Oakland because he was suspended for the first four games of the season after pleading guilty in the offseason to reckless driving charges in Indiana.
He played sparingly the next seven games, getting 12 carries for 24 yards. Nine of those carries came in his second game against Kansas City on Oct. 21, meaning he has only three rushes the past seven games.
Rhodes started all 16 regular-season games for Indianapolis in 2006, rushing for 641 yards and five touchdowns. After backing up Edgerrin James his first five years, Rhodes shared the job last season with rookie Joseph Addai. He has 2,274 yards rushing in his career.
He had one of his best performances in the Colts' Super Bowl win over the Chicago Bears, rushing for 113 yards in Indianapolis' 29-17 victory.
Colts coach Tony Dungy said he didn't want to lose Rhodes but that it was necessary because of the constraints of the salary cap.
"We wanted him back," Dungy said. "He was a big, big part of our Super Bowl team and he just got a nice deal that he really couldn't afford to turn down."
Despite the lack of playing time in Oakland, Rhodes doesn't regret his decision to leave one of the league's best teams for one of its worst. While the Colts are on the verge of clinching their fifth straight AFC South title, the Raiders are one defeat away from their fifth straight double-digit loss season.
"I had been there for six years, and I was just like, I want to see something different," Rhodes said. "It was time for me to go. I enjoyed being there while I was there, I enjoy all my teammates, I have love for them, they taught me a lot about football, the coaching staff, they're great. I just thought it was time to go, to move on and try to experience something new."
The Colts have done just fine without Rhodes, as Addai has emerged as one of the top backs in the league. He has rushed for 975 yards, caught 34 passes and his 14 touchdowns are tied with San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson and Dallas' Terrell Owens for second most in the NFL.
Addai said Rhodes was supportive all last season even as the two backs competed for playing time.
"He helped me out a lot, and I think that's probably why I'm in the situation I'm in now," Addai said. "With him being there for a long time, it helped me out when I first got here, making things comfortable for me. That helped me out a lot."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
Chiefs sign G Stallings
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI (TICKER) -- The Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday signed guard Tre Stallings to a three-year contract.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
A 2006 sixth-round pick of the Chiefs, Stallings was inactive for all 16 games during his rookie campaign. The 6-3, 315-pounder was released prior to this season, then signed to the Chiefs practice squad on October 3.
Kansas City also signed quarterback David Greene to the practice squad.
Copyright 2007 PA SportsTicker. All Rights Reserved
NFL youth programs launch careers, teach life lessons
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Growing up, Jared Gaither was talented enough with a basketball to entertain legitimate hopes of earning a college scholarship and playing in the NBA.
Gaither had just finished seventh grade when he began scouting Maryland high schools. During a visit to DeMatha, home of one of the nation's most successful basketball programs, Gaither ran into the school's football coach.
We started talking, and he said he had a camp coming up. I said, 'I'm an athlete. I like sports. I'll give it a try.' And I went out there," Gaither recalled.
It turned out to be a life-changing experience. Gaither embraced football, went on to accept a full scholarship from Maryland and is earning a sizable salary as a first-year offensive tackle with the Baltimore Ravens.
The football camp he attended, free of charge, was the NFL-sponsored Junior Player Development program. Because of the dearth of middle-school football teams around the country, JPD teaches 12-to-14-year-olds the game's fundamentals, as well as life lessons.
"I give the NFL a lot of credit," said former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason, who joined the program as an instructor at its inception in 1998. "A lot of these kids come from broken homes or bad neighborhoods. It gives them the opportunity to do something constructive, something fun. I've seen the program work."
Anthony Perkins was growing up in the nation's capital when he decided to join the local JPD program. He ended up going to DeMatha and played well enough to earn a scholarship to Syracuse, where the 6-foot-5, 275-pound defensive end recently completed his first season.
"My middle school didn't offer football and I was too big to play Boy's Club ball," Perkins said. "It was the springtime, I was twiddling my thumbs with nothing to do, so I decided to give it a try. I would say that if it weren't for that, I wouldn't be in the position I am now."
While at DeMatha, Perkins participated in the NFL's High School Player Development program, an advanced version of JPD that provides teenagers the opportunity to showcase their skills before college coaches and scouts.
The emphasis in both programs is football and fun, but participants are required to bring their report cards so they can receive counseling on NCAA eligibility. At the end of each session, the coaches gather the kids to share character-building instruction on subjects such as time management and self-respect.
"It's like being prepared for a test," Perkins said. "HSPD taught me what to expect as a college football player, and it prepared me for life. It taught me the importance of the SATs, keeping my grades up, doing the right thing -- even how to dress when going to class."
The JPD program doesn't make big kids like Gaither and Perkins spend all their time mired on the line. Because everyone gets a shot at playing every position, Gaither discovered he was a pretty good quarterback and Perkins learned that being a running back was a whole lot of fun.
"A lot of football camps around the country cost $500, and we provide a lot more for free," said Bill McGregor, the DeMatha coach who got Gaither hooked on football.
"As a football coach, you want to give back to the community. That's what we're doing," McGregor said. "I can't tell you how many kids have gone through the program and went on to play high school and college football. I'm proud to be part of it."
This year, the 160 JPD sites attracted 21,175 kids and the 50 HSPD programs lured 10,045 teenagers, according to Jerry Horowitz, NFL Director of JPD/HSPD. The cost to the league is millions of dollars, with no guaranteed return on the investment.
Then again, this isn't a moneymaking proposition.
"You're just trying to reach kids who maybe can't afford a football," Esiason said. "From a community standpoint, you're filling a void in their life."
In a survey of HSPD participants in 2007, 97 percent said they planned to go to college.
Gaither and Cleveland Browns linebacker Leon Williams, a graduate of the HSPD program, are proof that the JPD/HSPD can ultimately provide the league with talent. The NFL hopes the programs will also expand the league's popularity.
"We know if we can engage kids and parents with the beauty of tackle football, then at the end of the day we can capture a lot of our customer fan base," said Ray Anderson, the league's executive vice president of football operations. "It's good business as well as good community service."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.
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