All Sport Live

JaMarcus Russell

ALAMEDA, Calif. - Lane Kiffin had a long list when asked what rookie quarterback JaMarcus Russell needed to improve on after struggling in the first extensive playing time of his NFL career.

"Where do you start?" the Oakland Raiders coach said Monday. "Ball handling in the run game. Footwork in the passing game. Decision making, timing, accuracy. You name it, it was out there on film yesterday. So he’s got a long ways to go."

Russell’s last chance to get there this season will be in Sunday’s finale against San Diego.

Despite committing four turnovers and going just 7-for-23 while playing most of the final three quarters of a 49-11 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Russell will get his first career start this week against the AFC West champion Chargers.

The Raiders (4-11) have brought Russell along slowly after making him the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft. Russell missed all of training camp and the season opener in a contract dispute and had played only five series before getting the bulk of the time against the Jaguars.

Kiffin had expressed concern about playing Russell too soon, talking about how it can be difficult to rebuild a quarterback’s confidence if he struggles early in his career.

That will be the task this week, when Russell will have the benefit of getting all the practice time with the first team.

Kiffin criticized Russell for "extremely poor decision making" in the game. Russell threw three interceptions and lost a fumble, but Kiffin said he was lucky not to have five passes picked.

"I haven’t been around decision making like that before, as far as just throwing the ball up across the field like he did a number of times," Kiffin said. "I’m sure that didn’t help his confidence. Your first time playing an extended amount of time like that, to not have success can’t help."

Russell threw three interceptions in a game just twice in three seasons as LSU’s starting quarterback. But the remarkable physical talents that allowed Russell to make what Kiffin described as "video game" throws in college doesn’t always work against NFL defences.

"That’s definitely part of the learning curve," Kiffin said. "We can talk to him about it all the time, about what not to do and see it in practice. Unfortunately it came out yesterday and he’s got to learn from those mistakes that you can’t do that in this league. You’re not going to get away with it."

Russell had as many turnovers as completions until his final drive in garbage time that ended with his first career touchdown pass, a two-yarder to Zach Miller that cut Jacksonville’s lead to 49-9 with six seconds remaining.

He followed that with a successful two-point conversion pass to Ronald Curry, giving him a positive finish to an otherwise miserable day.

"Things didn’t go too good," Russell said after the game. "I’m proud of the guys to keep fighting and never give up and always go out there and get a drive going."

Kiffin said he also had not heard anything from the league as far as possible discipline for defensive tackle Warren Sapp, who was ejected after receiving three personal fouls late in the first half.

Referee Jerome Boger said after the game that Sapp "bumped" umpire Garth DeFelice during the argument, an action that could lead to a suspension or a fine.

Sapp was unavailable after the game and stayed in Florida to spend the holiday with his family. Kiffin said Sapp assured him that he did not push the official. The Raiders game film did not show the play.

"That was my No. 1 concern for him personally," Kiffin said. "But it was a poor decision on his part. One of our things is protecting the team and when you go out and you get personal fouls you’re not protecting your team, because you’re doing something that is something on your own and isn’t helping us win. It’s hurting us, putting us in a poor position."

Source: Raiders Russell to make first career start

Tony Romo

IRVING, Texas - Brad Johnson, start getting loose. The Dallas Cowboys may finally let you throw a pass.

As Tony Romo’s backup, Johnson has been limited to handoffs and kneel-downs in a few games this season. But with the Cowboys having clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC, there’s little reason for Romo to play every down - or to throw every pass - in the regular-season finale Sunday at Washington.

Coach Wade Phillips refused to put it in those words Monday. Instead, he sternly said the Cowboys would be playing to win because of the "integrity of the game," an important point since the Redskins need a victory to make the playoffs. He added that his players will be motivated by the same factors that motivated them the previous 15 games: Pride, fans, family.

"We always have something to play for," he said.

Yet Phillips acknowledged that players who are hurt may be given the day off - especially Terrell Owens, who is definitely out. He also threw out the tidbit that the last three teams that represented the NFC in the Super Bowl lost their finales, trying to downplay the notion of needing momentum going into the playoffs.

Bottom line: The Cowboys (13-2) will do their best for four quarters, but won’t necessarily have their best players out there the entire time. And with Romo already getting over a bruised thumb on his throwing hand, it only makes sense that Johnson will get his first meaningful action since joining the Cowboys last off-season.

"There’s a lot of considerations and we’ll consider them all," Phillips said. "But we’re still approaching the game to win the game. .. We want to win 14 games. You know, 13 is the most ever for this franchise, which is a storied franchise. So that would be quite an accomplishment. Somebody may play for that. I’ll be coaching for that, I’ll tell you that."

Phillips seemed to have fun being coy about revealing his plans for the finale. Asked when he’ll decide, Phillips smiled and said, "I’d say Sunday, probably 3:15," which just so happens to be when the game kicks off. (It was supposed to be at noon, but the league announced the change Sunday.)

"It’s a matter of me not telling anybody until we decide to tell you," Phillips said.

Owens’ injury provided a good reminder of the need to be cautious in the finale, because one play can change everything.

Trying to gain extra yards after a catch, Owens spun and wound up being tackled awkwardly. An MRI confirmed the original diagnosis of a high ankle sprain. He’s expected to be back in time for Dallas’ playoff opener, Jan. 12 or 13.

"I know he’s going to be in a boot for a while, but we’ll go from there," Phillips said.

While T.O. is leaving the lineup, T.G. - Terry Glenn - is coming back.

Glenn had two pre-season knee operations, but has been practising for several weeks. After nearly being ready to play last weekend against Carolina, Glenn will get to show what he can do against the Redskins.

"It won’t be a full game, but I’d like to get him playing, get him back in the rhythm of it, catch some passes," Phillips said. "If he wants to start, he can start."

Getting in synch with Glenn might be the best reason to let Romo play.

Coaches might also want to see how Romo can do with a game plan that doesn’t feature Owens. The Cowboys moved the ball much less effectively after T.O. went out against the Panthers, mainly because they were being defended differently. It’s also worth noting that while Romo has thrown for a club-record 36 touchdowns, he has only three the last three games.

"I think he is all right," Phillips said.

Cornerback Terence Newman is a candidate to sit out after adding to the list of injuries he’s battled through all season. Center Andre Gurode missed the last game with a knee problem, so he’s another who might not be used.

One last clue to the playing-time puzzle is that Phillips wants to help players hit milestones. That means he’d like Jason Witten to get the six catches he needs to become only the second tight end in NFL history to hit 100, or to get nine and set the single-season record at the position; and he’d like Marion Barber to get the 19 yards he needs to hit 1,000.

Of course, those objectives came with a disclaimer: "As long as that works in with us being able to win."

Source: Cowboys not likely to rely on starters

FORMER Yugoslavia defender Miroslav Djukic has been named Serbia’s coach after sealing a two-year contract with the country’s Football Association (FSS).

Djukic, who steered Serbia’s under-21 side to the European championship final in June, officially takes over on January 1. He will also be in charge of the team that qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

He succeeds Spaniard Javier Clemente, who was sacked earlier this month after failing to qualify for the Euro 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland.

"The FSS executive board made a unanimous decision to appoint Djukic as the national team’s head coach and we have complete faith that he will take Serbia back to winning ways," FSS spokesman Aleksandar Boskovic said.

Djukic, who stepped down at Partizan Belgrade after steering them to the top of the Serbian first division at the winter break, was delighted.

"This is a great honour and we will do everything we can to reach the World Cup 2010 finals in South Africa," he said.

"It will be an uphill task in a very tough group but we have the quality and the determination to take Serbian soccer to where it deserves to be."

Serbia have been drawn in Group 7 with World Cup 2006 finalists France, neighbours Romania, Austria, Lithuania and the Faroe Islands.

Reuters

Source: Djukic named Serbia coach

FORMER England opening batsman Marcus Trescothick admits his dream of returning to Test cricket is being kept in check by his fears about long-term illness.

The Somerset left hander, 32, has not played at the highest level since August 2006 because of a stress-related illness that twice forced him to return home at the start of high-profile overseas tours.

Trescothick made a comeback for his county this year, and appeared to suffer no significant ill-effects, but he will make absolutely sure he is ready to go under the spotlight before he makes himself available to England again.

"I still have aspirations to do it," Trescothick said just days after England lost their latest Test series, in Sri Lanka.

He is, however, realistic about his prospects of a return - and cautious about doing the right thing.

"I understand the older I get and longer I have been away, it will be harder to do it," he said in an radio interview on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"One thing I will not do is I will not sacrifice my health to make it happen again. My life is more important after cricket."

Agence France-Presse

Source: Health before dreams, says Trescothick

If you think you’ve seen it before, indeed you have. For the second year in a row, Tottenham and Arsenal face off in the Carling Cup semifinals, with the winner going up against Chelsea or Everton in February’s final at Wembley. The first leg will be contested at the Emirates Stadium on January 8th, with the second leg being played at White Hart Lane on January 22.

It’ll be the third and fourth times that the sides have faced each other this season, as they’ve already had their two meetings in the Premiership, with Arsenal winning by 3-1 and 2-1 counts.

The two North London rivals met in the semifinals of the Carling Cup last year, and there was very little separating the sides.

While Arsenal fielded mostly second-teamers, Martin Jol’s side featured a lineup full of regulars, but it wouldn’t be enough to see through them to the final, as for the umpteenth time in recent memory, late goals by the Gunners meant doom and gloom for Spurs.

Tottenham were 2-0 up early in the first leg at White Hart Lane, but Julio Baptista, whose own goal made it 2-0, went from goat to savior with a second-half brace.

In the second leg, Arsene Wenger inserted Adebayor, Senderos, and Kolo Toure into the starting lineup, going up against another full-strength Tottenham side. And, after Adebayor’s 77th minute goal, it looked like Arsenal were on through to the final, but Mido’s 85th minute equalizer sent the tie to extra time. In extra time, Arsenal would prevail with a goal from Jeremie Aliadiere and an own goal by Pascal Chimbonda.

Given how closely the two sides usually play, you can expect much of the same this time as well, though the competition certainly has a larger priority to Tottenham than it does to Arsenal, looking at the big picture.

With Tottenham’s likely route to Europe going through the cup competitions (Carling, FA, UEFA), Juande Ramos isn’t taking the Carling Cup lightly, as he’s put out a nearly full-strength lineup in each of Spurs’ first three Carling Cup ties.

With Arsenal’s focus on continue their championship march in the Premiership and making a run in the Champions League, the likes of Fabregas and others might, at best, be on the substitutes’ list for the two legs, at best. As for who‘ll be in Arsene‘s starting XI, he’ll continue to follow the same pattern of trying to get his reserves/youngsters a good run-out, and it’s a good bet to say that the strike partnership will consist of Nicklas Bendtner and Eduardo Da Silva.

Bendtner, who scored the winner in Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham on Saturday, has started all three Carling Cup matches, and found the net in the 2-0 third-round victory over Newcastle. Eduardo has started up front with him in the three ties, and has picked up a brace in the last two matches, including in Wednesday’s 3-2 win at Blackburn, where he produced the winner in the 104th minute.

Even though Arsenal will likely be fielding a team full of subs (very talented subs at that), Tottenham would surely love nothing more than to defeat Arsenal one way or another, given the losing streak that dates back to 1999 and the agonizing way that several of those defeats have taken place.

As usual, Tottenham should have a chance to win it, but whether or not they actually do it will come down to if they can stand firm for the full 180, or longer.

And there’s a good possibility that it will be longer than 180. This is Arsenal’s third straight appearance in the Carling Cup semis, and the last two have come down to extra time, with Wigan prevailing in 2006, and as mentioned above, the Gunners prevailing over Spurs last season.

Arsenal will be looking to make their seventh Carling Cup final, in hopes of winning their third title and first in 15 years, whereas Tottenham will be looking to make their sixth final (three titles - the last being 1998/99, their last trophy).

We know there’ll be at least one London club in the final, but will we have another all-London final? I’ll have my forecast on that possibility in my upcoming preview of the other semifinal, which pits cup-holders Chelsea against Everton.

Related Items from Soccerlens

• Carling Cup predictions: Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle
• Carling Cup 3rd Round Draw (2007/2008)
• Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool & Tottenham lack motivation
• Manchester United and Chelsea season run-in analysis
• Can Tottenham beat Manchester City?

Tags: Arsenal, Tottenham, Arsene Wenger, Carling Cup, Features, Juande Ramos

Subscribe via RSS

Source: Arsenal v Tottenham - 07/08 Carling Cup Semifinal Preview

Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira, known to most as just Pepe, was born in Maceló, Brazil, on the 26th of February 1983. As a defender, he distinguishes himself from his counterparts by his embodiment of both speed and physical prowess – the former attribute he perfected by regularly running the beaches of Brazil as a youngster, whilst his Hulk-like figure he accredits to a forward-thinking and authoritarian father, who forced the young Pepe to perform jumping exercises in the sea with a weight strapped to his leg.

Pepe has also played football at all levels, having left his native Brazil for Portugal, where he was forced to work his way up from the Maritimo reserve squad to the heights of Co Adriaanse’s Championship-winning FC Porto team. Pepe’s form at the Portuguese giants saw him garner the celebrated FC Porto annual award for player of the year, and he has gone on to follow in the footsteps of ex-Porto great Deco by making his debut for the Selecção Portuguesa de Futebol, the first of what will surely amount to an impressive repertoire of caps.

In aerial combat, Pepe reminds one of Nemanja Vidic, although the Portuguese man possesses an even greater leap, at least in defensive situations. Vidic, whom my friends and I regularly greet with cries of “hench” every time he touches the ball, is positively dwarfed by the impressive frame of the Portuguese Punisher. If Baptista is the beast, Pepe is the dinosaurian figure that gobbles up beasts and attackers alike. Meanwhile, the conjunction of speed with a cannon-ball shot even led to Pepe filling spots in the centre of the park and up front, and he soon repaid this faith by scoring the winning goal for Maritimo in a crucial away tie at Braga FC. Although not the most accomplished passer, Pepe offers a good deal of attacking verve, although he is not the most prolific of goalscoring defenders.

When Real Madrid shelled out some 30 million euros to sign the mercurial defender from Porto over the summer, the move was greeted with an array of jeers and sniggers by football experts across the globe. Such mockery was compounded by the revelation on the part of Carlos Queiroz that his recommendation to Messrs Valdano and Pérez to sign a then 20 year-old Pepe for a measly sum of 2 million euros – comparative peanuts – had been rejected off-hand by the Real hierarchy because “defenders did not sell football shirts” (a questionable assertion if reliable, as players such as Roberto Carlos and now Sergio Ramos certainly attract a sizeable number of customers, if not in the same range as the galácticos). Further scorn was heaped upon the club when Bayram Tutumlu, a Turkish agent, suggested that Trabzonspor had been unwilling to pay more than 2 million euros for the defender, and this just twelve months before the eventual move to Madrid.

Nowhere were these guffaws louder, or more perceptible in the capital, than in Barcelona, where Los Merengues’ main rivals had snared Argentinean centre-back Gabi Milito for a far less inflated fee. For FC Barcelona, the capture of Milito represented a hefty success on three fronts: firstly, with club captain Carles Puyol to return from injury betimes, Frank Rijkaard would have three top centre backs at his disposal; secondly, Milito’s huge amount of pace would enable him to form a useful and varied partnership with either Márquez or Puyol; and tercio, Milito’s signing represented a victory over Real Madrid, a collective sticking out of the Catalan tongue at the capital city, and in particular at Ramón Calderón.

Milito, lest we forget, had already been subjected to a veritable soap-opera when Real Madrid had expressed interest in signing the defender. The two clubs having agreed a fee for his services, and the player having successfully negotiated personal terms, Milito was whisked away from Madrid hours before he was due to sign on the dotted line, the Madrid doctors citing the player’s failure of a routine medical for the transfer’s collapse. The player’s representation reacted with a mixture of anger and bemusement, and no trace of the knee injury to which the Madrid doctors had alluded in their report has ever reared its head.

Think of the tension between Man United and Chelsea over Mikel’s signing, and you can have some idea of the ferocity with which Real Madrid and Barcelona compete for players. The completion of Milito’s signature was a hugely symbolic act. It was tantamount to snatching away a school of fresh sole from beneath the jaws of a limbering shark, and giving the shark a slap in the face along the way; and it constituted another step towards payback for the Figo fiasco which has haunted many culés for the last seven campaigns or so.

The ease with which Milito took up his berth at the heart of the Barcelona defence clashed violently with the lumbering performances with which Pepe introduced himself to the Real Madrid fans. Barcelona’s defence looked composed and nonchalant, particularly given the additional cover afforded by Touré Yaya, whilst Real Madrid continued to win whilst offering up a portrait of defensive uncertainty. Written off by many, in what has now become a stereotypical move, it looked again as if mighty Goliath was destined to fall.

However, after the necessary weaning period, including a couple of patently poor performances – the horror show against Sevilla, and the concomitant calls for Pepe to be benched for few months, immediately jump to mind – Pepe has made himself one of the stars of Berndt Schuster’s disciplined, well-organised unit.

The Real Madrid defence has been so mean this season that the stereotype linking only Catalans with avarice has begun to look hackneyed and worn; only Barcelona have conceded fewer goals than Real Madrid this season, and both clubs have thus far accomplished the feat of having conceded goals at a ratio of less than one a game, having let in 13 and 14 goals respectively. Additionally, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Pepe’s stirring performances have brought the best out of former World Player of the Year Fabio Cannavaro, whom Pepe has metaphorically taken by the hand since his arrival, whilst a further bonus comes when one considers that Pepe’s partnership with Cannavaro has allowed the impressive Sergio Ramos to spend more time at right-back, where his marauding runs have paid dividend on many an occasion.

Pepe was truly immense at the Bernabeu against the dangerous Osasuna, snuffing out the slightest hint of danger with decision and skill. And his performance against Barcelona, albeit against the depleted blaugrana forward-line, composed of an exhausted Eto’o who fought tireless and uselessly to free himself from Pepe’s shackles, and a glum, ineffective Ronaldinho, was essentially impeccable. In the battle of David (Gabi Milito) and Goliath (played by Pepe) enacted on Sunday evening at the Camp Nou, there was only one victor. Seldom defeated in the air and patient with his draconian challenges on the ground, Pepe marshalled a backline which was never truly breached, whilst Real Madrid’s penetrative counter-attacks had Milito and Márquez desperately scurrying. Pepe was, without doubt, along with Sergio Ramos, the pick of the bunch.

Moreover, the importance of this stability for the immediate future of the Madrid club cannot be underestimated. Central defence has been a problem position for Real for as long as I can remember, a problem fully exacerbated by the decline of Hierro and the sale of Makelele, who had previously afforded so much protection to the fragile defensive line.

Various incumbents have tried – and failed – to hold down a place in front of Iker Casillas, including the gormless, sluggish Walter Samuel, the unfortunate Ivan Helguera and the disastrous Francisco Pavón. With Pepe as ringleader, Real for the first time in recent years do not look overly vulnerable from crosses and set plays (the defence attack the ball and mark their opposite numbers, rather than shying away from the former as if it were an acid rain attack and fleeing the latter like herpes carriers) and Casillas is at last gaining the spectator time every top keeper from Van der Saar, to Cech, to Buffon has the right to expect.

Related Items from Soccerlens

• Real Madrid sign Pepe and still regret losing Beckham
• God Loves You Pepe…and So Do The Kop!
• Real Madrid’s Guti - Tottenham or Manchester City?
• Reyes the Thorn in Real Madrid’s Paw
• Real Madrid 2-1 Atletico Madrid - Match Report

Tags: Real Madrid, Players, Features

Subscribe via RSS

Source: Pepe: Real Madrid’s New Guardian

Former No. 1 UCLA (11-1) is working its way back up the ESPN/USA Today’s men’s basketball poll thanks mostly to the misfortunes of others.

Poll Positions

The top five teams in the ESPN/USA Today poll:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
For complete AP and ESPN/USA Today polls, click here.

Losses by Georgetown and Texas helped propel the Bruins, who logged wins over Western Illinois and Michigan, from No. 5 to No. 8. UCLA held top billing in the Nov. 26 poll but plummeted all the way to eighth with a loss to the then-No. 8 Longhorns.

Georgetown, which was defeated by No. 2 Memphis on Saturday, fell from No. 4 to No. 8. Texas, meanwhile, slipped from fifth to ninth after being knocked off by then-No. 10 Michigan State.

Washington State, now 11-0, also benefited at the expense of the Hoyas and Longhorns. The Cougars moved up two spots from No. 6 to No. 4, their highest ranking in school history.

The top three teams remain the same, with North Carolina holding steady at the top for the fourth straight week.

The Tar Heels, who improved to 11-0 with defeats of Nicholls State and UC Santa Barbara, received 23 of 31 first-place votes. Unbeatens Memphis (10-0) and Kansas (12-0) round out the top three.

Joining Georgetown and Texas in the second five were Pitt (11-0) at No. 6, Michigan State (11-1) at No. 7 and Duke (10-1) in tenth.

Gonzaga, Oregon and Xavier dropped out of the poll while West Virginia (10-1) made the cut at No. 23, undefeated Mississippi (11-0) climbed into the 24th spot, and Rhode Island (11-1) made its debut at No. 25.

The top 10 teams in The Associated Press poll mirrored the ESPN/USA Today’s rankings.

Source: UCLA back in top 5 in latest ESPN/USA Today poll

Adrian Peterson

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - The first half of Adrian Peterson’s rookie season was like none that ever came before it.

He broke nearly as many records as he did ankles, racking up yards and highlights at a dizzying and dazzling pace.

The No. 7 overall draft pick topped 200 yards rushing twice in a four-game span - the first rookie ever to do that in a single season - and broke Jamal Lewis’s single-game rushing record with 296 yards in a victory over San Diego on Nov. 4.

That historic performance gave him a staggering 1,036 yards in his first eight games, putting him on pace to shatter Eric Dickerson’s rookie record of 1,808 yards and become the first running back to top 2,000 yards since Lewis in 2003.

In the last three weeks, however, opposing defences have said enough is enough.

San Francisco, Chicago and Washington have crowded the line of scrimmage with eight or nine players, refusing to let some 22-year-old kid - even one as physically gifted as Peterson - beat them.

Peterson has averaged just 36 yards a game over the past three, including 27 on nine carries in Sunday night’s devastating loss to the Redskins.

"I can’t remember the last time I saw a seven-man front," Peterson said after the 32-21 loss. "But coming into the game, you know that and you know you have to fight for those yards and eventually something will open up."

It’s been an obvious adjustment by opposing defences in the wake of Peterson’s enormous early success.

"Well, he’s not a secret anymore," Vikings coach Brad Childress said. "We’re going to have do some work in terms of, if they’re going to have an extra guy in there, we’re going to have to do a few different things in terms of running the football and throwing the football.

"It will probably come back to the quarterback, wide receivers and the tight ends being able to beat people and show that you’re going to beat them that way, as opposed to running the ball."

The Redskins dared Minnesota to do just that Sunday night. Defensive mastermind Gregg Williams put four linebackers in the game with four down linemen in the first quarter, and Peterson managed just four yards on five first-half carries.

"That was our whole thing this week, we were going to make them beat us throwing," Redskins cornerback Fred Smoot said. "Our guys up front, they showed up.

"All the credit goes to them. They hit them all. When you stuff them like that and they try to run play-action, it just doesn’t matter."

Young quarterback Tarvaris Jackson had his second straight miserable game. He threw two interceptions - that’s five in the past two weeks - and was unable to find open receivers downfield to force the Redskins to back off the line of scrimmage.

"Yeah, you have to pass out of it," Childress said Monday. "You can do a little bit better job of formation and (getting) people into things. But they were committed."

The Vikings turned over the ball three times in the first half to fall behind 22-0, making it nearly impossible to continue giving the ball to Peterson, who had only four carries in the second half.

"Whenever you become one-dimensional, it is hard to win and it is harder to get the offence going," Jackson said. "But teams have been doing a pretty good job of stopping our line. We used to rush for 200 yards a game, but we have just got to step it up in the passing game."

Peterson has rushed for three, 78 and 27 yards in his last three games and appeared to be pressing at times Sunday night when the big runs weren’t coming.

"I don’t know that he’s frustrated," Childress said. "He just wants to contribute very much in a very bad way."

Minnesota’s struggles in the passing game make it a virtual certainty the Vikings will see a similar game plan next week in Denver.

The Vikings could have clinched a playoff spot with a win over the Redskins, but now they need to win at Denver and have the Redskins to lose at home to a Dallas team that likely will be resting most of its key players, getting set for the postseason.

"Just point blank, we are a team so we just can’t depend on the run game all the time," Jackson said. "We have got to be able to pass the football."

Source: Vikings Peterson’s production slows down

Willie Parker

Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - The Pittsburgh Steelers officially ended the season of running back Willie Parker Monday, placing him on injured reserve after he broke his right fibula in Thursday night’s win in St. Louis.

Parker suffered the injury on Pittsburgh’s second offensive play. On 1st- and-10 at the St. Louis 13-yard-line, Parker took the carry and went right before being hit by Rams linebacker Will Witherspoon for a one-yard loss. Parker’s leg buckled, and he had to be carted from the sideline into the locker room.

Najeh Davenport played well in Parker’s absence, gaining 123 yards on 24 carries with a score as the Steelers improved to 10-5 with a 41-24 win over the Rams. He is expected to be the starter for the rest of the season.

Parker, named to his second straight Pro Bowl last week, led the NFL in rushing yards (1,316), rushing attempts (321) and 100-yard rushing games (8) before his injury. He joined Hall of Famer Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis as the only Steelers to rush for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons.

To fill the vacated roster spot, Pittsburgh re-signed running back Verron Haynes. Haynes was released earlier this year during the Steelers’ final roster cuts of the preseason after spending his first five seasons with Pittsburgh. Drafted in the fifth round (166th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft out of Georgia, Haynes was used primarily as a third-down back and on special teams.

Source: Steelers place Parker on IR, ink Haynes

LaDanian Tomlinson

Visions of their 10th win will be dancing in the heads of the San Diego Chargers on tonight, when Norv Turner’s club hosts the division rival Denver Broncos in a Christmas Eve showdown.

The game can be seen live on TSN and TSN HD at 8pm et/5pm pt.

San Diego has been one of the league’s hottest teams over the past month, winning four straight games, including last Sunday’s 51-14 demolition of the Detroit Lions. The blowout, coupled with a loss by the Broncos to Houston on Thursday night, gave the Chargers their second consecutive AFC West title and also put the Bolts on the inside track for the all-important No. 3 seed in the playoffs.

In the event of a First-Round win, the team with the No. 3 seed would avoid the top-seeded New England Patriots until the AFC Championship round, and would instead play No. 2 Indianapolis in the climate-controlled RCA Dome.

The Chargers enter Monday’s contest a half-game behind Pittsburgh for the third spot in the conference, but would reclaim the No. 3 seed with a win thanks to a superior AFC record to that of the Steelers.

What’s more, San Diego will have swept a home-and-home against Denver for the second straight year, which would mark the franchise’s first back-to-back sweeps of their longtime AFC West cohort since 1967-68.

The Broncos will be trying to avoid that historic indignity, and will also be vying to exact revenge for a 41-3 loss to the Chargers at Invesco Field at Mile High back on Oct. 7.

The loss was Denver’s worst since losing to New Orleans by a 42-0 count in 1988, and was the worst home loss for the franchise since falling 56-10 to the Chiefs in 1966.

The Broncos were eliminated from playoff contention with last week’s 31-13 defeat in Houston, and are one setback away from just their second losing season since Mike Shanahan took over head coaching duties in 1995.

SERIES HISTORY

The Broncos lead the all-time series with San Diego, 52-42-1, but have lost three in a row in the series. As mentioned, the Chargers were 41-3 winners at Invesco Field at Mile High in Week 5, and swept last season’s home-and-home with their AFC West rival. The Bolts destroyed the Broncos by a 48-20 margin at Qualcomm Stadium in Week 14 of last year. Denver, which as noted has not been swept by San Diego in back-to-back seasons since 1967-68, had won 14 of the previous 18 meetings over the Bolts prior to 2006. The Broncos last won in San Diego in 2005.

Shanahan is 19-9 in his career against San Diego, including a 3-0 mark while head coach of Oakland in 1988-89. The Chargers’ Turner is 2-5 against both Shanahan and the Broncos, with two of the losses dating to his tenure with Washington (1994-2000) and three coming while he was with Oakland (2004-05).

WHEN THE BRONCOS HAVE THE BALL

The once-vaunted Denver running game has been a major disappointment this season, with injuries on the offensive line and in the backfield, as well as the off-the-field saga of Travis Henry (680 rushing yards, 4 TD) helping contribute to a sub-standard rank of eighth in NFL rushing offense (124.1 yards per game) with a scant 10 ground touchdowns. Barring a major outburst from Henry or Selvin Young (603 rushing yards, 1 TD, 30 receptions) over the final two games, Denver will not have a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since 2001. The passing game has also been inconsistent, though the connection between quarterback Jay Cutler (3096 passing yards, 18 TD, 12 INT) and wideout Brandon Marshall (86 receptions, 6 TD) has been a strong one all season. Marshall has 21 receptions for 222 yards and two touchdowns in his last two games combined. Tight end Tony Scheffler (40 receptions, 4 TD) has also emerged as a force in the passing game, and will have to help make up for the likely absence of wideout Brandon Stokley (40 receptions, 5 TD), who could miss the rest of the year with a knee problem. The Denver line allowed five sacks of Cutler in Houston last week, and must do a better job in pass protection.

The Broncos will look to avoid the major mistake against San Diego, which is easier said than done when facing a team that leads the NFL in interceptions (27), takeaways (41), and is tied with New England for the league lead in turnover margin (+19). Pro Bowl-bound cornerback Antonio Cromartie (33 tackles) set a franchise record with his NFL-best 10th interception of the year last week, one of five picks the Chargers had off of the Lions’ Jon Kitna. Denver could catch something of a break if linebacker Shawne Merriman (knee) and defensive end Luis Castillo (ankle), both of whom are regarded as highly questionable, are forced to miss another game. San Diego did not have a sack of Kitna last week, though Shaun Phillips (61 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 2 INT), the club’s best pass rusher in the absence of Merriman, did have an interception. The run-stopping corps led by Pro Bowl nose tackle Jamal Williams (39 tackles) and inside linebackers Stephen Cooper (92 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INT) and Matt Wilhelm (82 tackles, 3 INT, 1 sack), was not tested much by a Lions team that ran the football only nine times in Week 15. Cooper and Wilhelm both had INTs in the game, however. The Chargers are 16th in the league against the run (107 yards per game).

WHEN THE CHARGERS HAVE THE BALL

Given the way they ran the football last week, the way Denver has stopped the run this year, and the limitations of injury-hobbled quarterback Philip Rivers, you can expect San Diego to offer the Broncos a heavy dose of LaDainian Tomlinson (1311 rushing yards, 57 receptions, 16 TD) on Monday. Tomlinson, who carried 15 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns before exiting early in the blowout of Detroit, is well within range of becoming the NFL’s first back-to-back rushing champion since Edgerrin James in 1999-2000. Tomlinson’s backup, Michael Turner (263 rushing yards, 1 TD), also left the Lions contest prematurely due to a shoulder injury, and is considered questionable. If he can’t go, the change-of-pace back will again be Darren Sproles (127 rushing yards, 2 TD), who rushed 25 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns in his finest day as a pro last Sunday. Rivers (2828 passing yards, 18 TD, 15 INT) is attempting to play through a sprained knee ligament, and when he drops back will look to top targets Antonio Gates (68 receptions, 9 TD), Chris Chambers (28 receptions, 2 TD), and Vincent Jackson (35 receptions, 3 TD). Chambers had four catches for a team-best 69 yards against the Lions. San Diego is seventh in the league in rushing offense (126.6 yards per game), and 22nd in passing (191.8 yards per game).

Stopping the run has been the Broncos’ Achilles heel all season long, and Denver won’t be long for this contest if they defend the ground game as poorly as they did against San Diego in Week 5. In that game, four Chargers running backs carried for a combined 219 yards on 33 carries (6.6 yards per attempt), including 147 and a touchdown on just 10 totes for Turner. An ever-rotating interior line is likely to include Josh Mallard (9 tackles, 1 sack) and Alvin McKinley (13 tackles, 2 sacks) this week, with linebackers D.J. Williams (121 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT), Nate Webster (80 tackles), and Ian Gold (72 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT) attempting to make plays behind them. The Broncos secondary remains a strength, with cornerbacks Champ Bailey (70 tackles, 3 INT) and Dre’ Bly (41 tackles, 5 INT, 1 sack) along with safeties John Lynch (45 tackles, 1 sack) and Hamza Abdullah (44 tackles) all ranking as capable talents. Bly had the team’s only interception of Texans QB Sage Rosenfels last Thursday. Second-year-end Elvis Dumervil (34 tackles, 11 sacks, 1 INT) has been the club’s only consistent pass rusher this year. The Broncos rank 29th in the NFL against the run (140.2 yards per game), and sixth against the pass (196.2 yards per game).

OVERALL ANALYSIS

The Chargers have won four straight including a 37-point romp last week, and also destroyed the Broncos the first time these teams met this year. Needless to say, San Diego has Denver’s undivided attention. The Broncos might not be playing for the postseason at this point, but it would be unlike a Shanahan-coached team to simply quit with two games to play, or lay down versus an AFC West rival. Inasmuch, you’re likely to see Denver’s "A" game on Monday night. The Chargers are more talented and will get enough of a lift from the home crowd in order to flex their muscles and pull out a late win, but it will be far from easy for San Diego.

Source: Chargers looking for 10th win vs. Broncos