Athlon Sports Features
NFL: Free Agency Preview
The craziness of NFL free agency begins Friday. Mike Nahrstedt previews the upcoming open-market period and explains what could happen if a new CBA isn't reached before Friday.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Combine - Defense
Put down your stopwatch and step away from the orange cones, the NFL Scouting Combine is officially over. Check out which defensive players made the most of their job interview in Indianapolis.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Combine - Offense
While the Vancouver Olympics were wrapping up, the NFL Scouting Combine was just getting started. Check out which offensive players made the most of their job interview in Indianapolis.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Lockout Would Cost League Too Much
The NFL, by any calculation, is at the height of its all-time popularity. So it would be a shame if the owners and players managed to screw that up with a 2011 lockout.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Athlon's All-AFC and All-NFC Teams
The Pro Bowl has turned into a joke, but that doesn't mean the league's All-Stars should be discounted. Here's how Pro Bowl lineups would look if it were up to Athlon Sports, plus picks for the major award winners.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Athlon's All-Rookie Team
Some of them were the stars of last April's Draft and others flew under the radar, but all of Athlon's Rookie Team members excelled in their first season in the league.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Greatest Moments in Super Bowl History
We prepare you for Super Sunday with a little history lesson. Our writers have gone list crazy in identifying the best of the best in the 43-game history of the Super Bowl.
[FULL STORY]NFL: End of the year power rankings
The NFL playoffs are set to begin this weekend but first, Mike Nahrstedt wraps up the regular season with the final edition of his Power Rankings column.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Week 17 Preview
It's the final week of the NFL's regular season, and that means there are some huge games on the slate ... and plenty of unimportant ones. Mike Nahrstedt runs through them all in his Week 17 Preview.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Week 16 Power Rankings
The Colts sat their starters and took their first loss of the season, but did Mike Nahrstedt bump them from the top spot of this week's power rankings?
[FULL STORY]NFL: Week 15 Preview
The Bengals play one of their biggest games of the season Sunday at San Diego with very heavy hearts. Mike Nahrstedt looks at that game and the other 14 on the weekend slate in his Week 15 preview.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Week 14 Preview
We have reached the season’s quarter pole, the point at which the big games get bigger and the lesser games start to fall off the map entirely. Mike Nahrstedt looks at them all in his Week 14 NFL Preview.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Week 13 Power Rankings
The Colts and Saints remained undefeated in decidedly different fashions this week but they're both still atop this week's power rankings.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Big names dot free agent coaching market
With big names like Cowher, Gruden, Shanahan and in the free agent coaching pool, the NFL could be in for one of the wildest and most lucrative head coach scrambles in the history of the league this offseason.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Week 12 Power Rankings
What a weekend of football. The Thanksgiving Day games were pretty much snoozers, but Sunday brought a number of come-from-behind wins and Monday showcased the powerful Saints. Mike Nahrstedt sorts through the excitement to bring you his Week 12 NFL power rankings.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Week 12 Preview
The Thanksgiving appetizers are in the bag but there's still plenty of football left to be played in Week 12. Mike Nahrstedt takes a look at the remaining 13 games on the slate.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Week 11 Power Rankings
The AFC North had a breakdown this week as all four teams lost close games. Mike Nahrstedt sorts out the week's results and dishes out the latest edition of his NFL power rankings.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Week 11 Preview
It's a Bruce Springsteen-themed edition of the weekly NFL preview as Mike Nahrstedt takes a look at all 15 NFL games on the weekend slate.
[FULL STORY]Fantasy Updates - PlayerScope
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick has practiced with the first team and it is looking like there is a chance he could get the start in Week 17, but no decision has yet been made....
[FULL STORY]Brian Brohm
NFL.com is reporting that it is "more than likely" that Brohm will start in Week 16 against Atlanta. Both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Trent Edwards have ankle injuries....
[FULL STORY]Trent Edwards
One of Bills interim coach Perry Fewell's first moves was to bench Edwards this week in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fewell said the move isn't necessarily permanent....
[FULL STORY]Joe Klopfenstein
The Bills signed Klopfenstein, who had spent the last three seasons in St. Louis. Klopfenstein, a street free agent, takes the roster spot vacated by TE Derek Fine, who was placed on injured reserve....
[FULL STORY]James Hardy
He has been practicing well lately after tearing his ACL in December and undergoing reconstructive surgery. The Bills have indicated he most likely will be moved to the active roster very soon. With Lee Evans and Terrell Owens as the starters, we expect Hardy will continue to be brought along slowly. The Bills have a bye this week....
[FULL STORY]Shawn Nelson
He did not practice or play last week. If Nelson is unable to play this week, Derek Fine will handle the TE responsibilities. Nelson has been held out of practice this week due to migraine headaches....
[FULL STORY]Marshawn Lynch
Lynch has returned to the Bills following his three-game suspension. He and Fred Jackson, who played well in his absence, are expected to share the RB load, at least for a while....
[FULL STORY]Fred Jackson
Jackson returned to practice Monday. He might not be 100 percent yet, but he should be plenty ready to go when the games count. The Bills will be needing Jackson while Marshawn Lynch is suspended the first three weeks....
[FULL STORY]More Inside Athlon Sports ...
Vacchiano: Patroits are the favorites in '07
A lot of things can change between now and next February. But the events of draft weekend, and some of the events of the two months before, have Ralph Vacchiano convinced that the Pats are the early favorite to win Super Bowl XLII.
Vacchiano: Quinn's value being overlooked
No player in this year’s draft has seen his stock yo-yo more than former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn. Ralph Vacchiano says the "Golden Boy" will be a great pick up for whichever team doesn't out-think themselves.
Vacchiano: NFL must send message to teams
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Pacman Jones and Chris Henry on Tuesday for their off-the-field problems. Ralph Vacchiano applauds the decision but says the league should focus on punishing the teams as well.




