Athlon Sports Features
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]Rams get Draft's first pick with loss to 49ers
The 49ers finished their season with an even 8-8 mark, but their victory over the Rams Sunday was more important because it gave St. Louis the first pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.
[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: Bubble teams vying for playoff spots
Nine of the NFL playoff spots are pretty much set. That leaves only three spots realistically open for a big group of bubble teams. Ralph Vacchiano takes a quick look at those teams and their chances for extending their season beyond Week 17.
[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: 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]NFL: Week 10 Power Rankings
Neither New Orleans nor Indianapolis is invincible. But neither has been bested, which is why two teams that might yet prove to be superior — Minnesota and Cincinnati — remain behind them in the NFL Power Rankings.
[FULL STORY]NFL: Midseason awards
There’s still a long way to go in the NFL season and a lot can happen in a span of eight weeks. But if the season were to end right now, there'd be awards to hand out. Ralph Vacchiano does the honors.
[FULL STORY]Fantasy Updates - PlayerScope
Shane Andrus
With Ricky Schmitt (groin) ailing, the 49ers signed Andrus to kick in their season finale....
[FULL STORY]Joe Nedney
Nedney has been ruled out for the final game of the season. Ricky Schmitt will be kicking for the 49ers again this week....
[FULL STORY]Isaac Bruce
Bruce has sat out the last five games (ankle. He is talking retirement after the season. There is a possibility he will see playing time in this his possible last game....
[FULL STORY]Glen Coffee
He suffered a hamstring strain in Week 15 and sat out last week. Coach Mike Singletary said Coffee is questionable for Week 17, but he did return to practice on Wednesday....
[FULL STORY]Shaun Hill
Coach Mike Singletary said Monday that Alex Smith will become the team's starter when the 49ers play at Indianapolis in Week 8. That pushes former starter Hill to the backup role. Hill had struggled in his last two starts, both San Francisco losses. Smith threw three TD passes after coming on in relief of Hill on Sunday against Houston....
[FULL STORY]Frank Gore
Gore looks fully recovered from his ankle injury. He has practiced fully all week and should start Sunday against Houston....
[FULL STORY]Michael Crabtree
The Niners have announced that Crabtree will start this week against Houston. He'll replace Josh Morgan....
[FULL STORY]Brandon Jones
Jones put a jersey on this week and began practicing. There's no word on whether Jones would actually play in Sunday's game, but it's clear Jones is ahead of schedule on his rehabilitation....
[FULL STORY]Alex D. Smith
Coach Mike Singletary has announced that Shaun Hill, not Smith, will be the 49ers' starting quarterback this season....
[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.
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