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: 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]Vikings' free fall continues with loss to Bears
Jay Cutler threw a perfect 39-yard touchdown pass to Devin Aromashodu nearly six minutes into overtime, and the Chicago Bears responded after blowing a 17-point lead by beating the Minnesota Vikings, 36-30.
[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: Week 13 Preview
The Titans seem to be a team of destiny, but they will face their stiffest challenge yet against undefeated Indianapolis this week. Mike Nahrstedt looks at that and the other 14 games on the Week 13 NFL slate.
[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 Sunday Takeaway
This week's Sunday Takeaway has an eye on Vince Young's second comeback win against Matt Leinart, LT's twilight years in San Diego, the Bengals sweeping the AFC North and more.
[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]Fantasy Updates - PlayerScope
Johnny Knox
Knox was carted off the field during the Bears' Week 16 game with an ankle injury. He could not put weight on the ankle and we expect he will not be available for the team's final game....
[FULL STORY]Devin Hester
He was inactive for the Bears' Week 16 game (ankle). Devin Aromashodu has done quite well in place of Hester, who has returned to practice on a limited basis....
[FULL STORY]Desmond Clark
He returned to practice Wednesday on a limited basis and participated fully on Thursday. Greg Olsen still the no. 1 TE here....
[FULL STORY]Kevin Jones
Jones, who had been the likely backup to Matt Forte in Chicago, tore an ankle ligament and will miss the 2009 season....
[FULL STORY]Jay Cutler
You have to admire Cutler's ability to handle a hateful crowd. He went 15-of-21 for 144 yards and a touchdown while leading Chicago to a win at Denver in preseason action Sunday night. It was Cutler's first game in Denver since forcing a trade to the Bears in April....
[FULL STORY]Matt Forte
Forte looked strong against the Giants on Saturday after after sitting out the Bears' preseason opener. He had nine carries for 58 yards, including a 32-yard TD run....
[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.




