Chargers add Everette Brown to play outside linebacker

Posted by Mike Florio on November 1, 2011, 8:17 PM EDT

AP

The Panthers cut defensive end Everette Brown earlier this year, two seasons after giving up a first-round pick in 2010 for the ability to acquire him in round two of the 2009 draft.  Brown has since had several workouts, but he hasn’t been able to find a home.

He’s found one now.

The Chargers have announced that Brown has been signed to the team.  To create a roster spot, the Chargers waived defensive end Ogemdi Nwagbuo.

The announcement characterizes Brown as a linebacker, which makes sense given that the Chargers play a 3-4 defense.  In Carolina, the Panthers have used a 4-3.

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Raiders sign TJ Houshmandzadeh

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on November 1, 2011, 6:11 PM EDT

AP

Perhaps Carson Palmer is the one running the Raiders now.

Oakland announced the signing of Palmer’s old buddy T.J. Houshmandzadeh on Tuesday.  It’s a move that would have never happened if Al Davis was still around.

Sure, Davis liked signing aging veterans.  He also liked speed, speed, and more speed at wide receiver. And he didn’t like taking away playing time from promising Raiders draft picks.

Housh knows Palmer well and should pick up Hue Jackson’s offense in short order.  But there was little evidence last year in Baltimore that Houshmandzadeh was still a quality pro.

The Raiders will presumably use Housh as a slot receiver, with either Jacoby Ford, Darrius Heyward-Bey, or Denarious Moore coming off the field.

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Vikings stadium push suffers setback

Posted by Mike Florio on November 1, 2011, 4:52 PM EDT

AP

When Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton said he’d call a special legislative session in November to tackle once and for all the issue of a new stadium for the Vikings, many interpreted the move as a sign that a stadium would indeed be constructed.  Now, Dayton and various leaders of the Minnesota legislature have thrown a major roadblock in the path of that outcome.

According to multiple media reports, Dayton and two key members of the legislative leadership (Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and House Speaker Kurt Zellers) concluded last Friday that the Legislature as a whole does not support a plan that would exempt Ramsey County or Minneapolis from a public referendum on a sales tax.  The absence of such an exemption not only puts the $350 million local contribution for the stadium effort on track to fail, but it also delays the finalization of the plan until November 2012, the earliest date on which a public vote could occur.

Vikings weighing their options with Chris Cook

Brad Biggs - National Football Post

The Minnesota Vikings are considering their options when it comes to cornerback Chris Cook, who was suspended without pay last week after being arrested and charged with felony domestic abuse.

The situation the Vikings face is that Cook can only be suspended for four games by the team, per the collective bargaining agreement.

“We're actually going to sit down and discuss that this afternoon," Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said Monday. “Just see what direction we're going to be heading in. A lot of it has to do with what the league says. But we have a lot to talk about.”

Could the Vikings, who have had well-publicized off-field issues in the recent past, decide to somply cut Cook?

“We got a lot of things to talk about,” Frazier said. “A lot of things to talk about going forward."

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PFT's Power Rankings: Week 8

Posted by Mike Florio on November 1, 2011, 1:58 PM EDT

AP

1.  Packers (No. 1; 7-0):  The only way the Packers don’t win is if they don’t play.

2.  49ers (No. 3; 6-1):  What is this, 1989?

3.  Steelers (No. 5; 6-2):  What is this, 2010?

4.  Patriots (No. 2; 5-2):  Tom Brady’s ownership of the Steelers apparently was financed by one of those sub-prime mortgages.

5.  Lions (No. 9; 6-2):  A week after the Lions supposedly called for a cart for Matt Ryan, they nearly had to scream for a body bag for Tebow.

6.  Giants (No. 6; 5-2):  To stay in the top ten, they’ll need to beat bad teams by more than three points.

7.  Ravens (No. 7; 5-2):  To stay in the top ten, they’ll need to beat bad teams by more than three points.

8.  Bengals (No. 8; 5-2):  Maybe no one has told Andy Dalton and A.J. Greenthat they’re rookies.

9.  Saints (No. 4; 5-3):  If Sean Payton hadn’t signed an extension, his leverage would be shooting through the roof right now, given that no one on the sidelines could get the Saints turned around.

10.  Bills (No. 13; 5-2):  The Bills are finally getting comfortable in their home away from home.

11.  Raiders (No. 11; 4-3):  If Broncos vs. Lions was billed as a battle of good vs. evil, what’s Broncos vs. Raiders?

12.  Texans (No. 12; 5-3):  It’s officially a one-team race in the AFC South.  And it could be one-and-out for the Texans in January.

13.  Bears (No. 14; 4-3):  Matt Forte is still waiting for the phone and/or cash register to ring.

14.  Buccaneers (No. 15; 4-3):  Saints and Panthers losing makes for a great bye week in Tampa.

15.  Falcons (No. 16; 4-3):  Saints and Panthers losing makes for a great bye week in Atlanta.

16.  Chiefs (No. 20; 4-3):  Brandon Flowers told PFT Live last week that the Chiefs are the team to beat in the AFC West.  The Chargers couldn’t.

17.  Jets (No. 17; 4-3):  The last guy who should be cracking jokes about Rex Ryan’s gut is the guy who wanted to gnaw on Suzy Kolber’s face.

18. Chargers (No. 10; 4-3):  If Philip Rivers ever gets a chance to lift the Lombardi, there’s now a good chance he’ll drop it.

19.  Eagles (No. 21; 3-4):  Someone finally woke up the Dream Team.

20.  Cowboys (No. 18; 3-4):  The Rob Ryan head-coaching express continues to be a slow train to nowhere.

21. Vikings (No. 28; 2-6):  And Donovan McNabb still thinks he should still be the starter.

22.  Panthers (No. 19; 2-6):  It’s only a matter of time before this team is ruling the NFC South.

23.  Titans (No. 23; 4-3):  If Chris Johnson could rediscover his explosiveness, the Titans could make a run at a playoff spot.

24.  Redskins (No. 22; 3-4):  That loss to the Bills is a harsh reminder of the state of the franchise 20 years after beating the Bills in a slightly bigger game.

25.  Browns (No. 24; 3-4):  Is Peyton Hillis a one-hit wonder?  His fan club is now known as Peyton’s Midnight Runners.

26.  Rams (No. 31; 1-6):  The team’s passion and enthusiasm in Week Eight makes us wonder where it was the rest of the season.

27.  Broncos (No. 25; 2-5):  A week after “Tebowing” took the league by storm, “Teblowing” now refer to throwing passes so far over a receiver’s head that it looks like the ball was caught in a sudden gust of wind.

28.  Jaguars (No. 26; 2-6):  It was fun to be a contender in the AFC South.  For five days.

29.  Seahawks (No. 27; 2-5):  Pete Carroll still has a shot at landing Jim Harbaugh’s protege.

30.  Cardinals (No. 29; 1-6):  If he can’t play this weekend, Kevin Kolb (foot) probably doesn’t have to worry about John Skelton doing to Kolb what Mike Vick did last year.

31.  Colts (No. 30; 0-8):  Andrew Luck is the perfect quarterback for a team with a horseshoe on its helmet.

32. Dolphins (No. 32; 0-7):  Owner Stephen Ross recently pointed out that at least one other set of power rankings has the Dolphins at No. 25.  But that apparently is a ranking of college teams.

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Seattle cornerback: A.J. Green is nothing special

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on November 1, 2011, 12:58 PM EDT

Getty Images

Bengals rookie A.J. Green caught a long touchdown against the Seahawks, but Seattle rookie fifth-round pick Richard Shermandid not come away impressed.

“I would say he’s probably one of the most overrated receivers out there,” Sherman said on 950 AM in Seattle via the Seattle Times. “He wasn’t anything special. Dalton was a good quarterback. He makes good decisions, but A.J. Green is just a lot of noise talking and bad routes.”

Sherman actually did a nice job on Green, who caught his score against another defender.  Sherman had one pick and Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor got an interception on a play where Sherman blanked Green.

We’re not sure what Green said to Sherman to annoy him, but the numbers don’t back up Sherman’s claims that Green is overrated. Green has 516 yards and five scores in only seven games playing on a so-so passing game.

Meanwhile, it seems like Seattle may have found a solution to their extremely thin secondary. It’s a good sign Sherman is confident enough to trash talk like this after only one NFL start.

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Nick Hardwick: That was our first botched snap

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on November 1, 2011, 11:45 AM EDT

Getty Images

Chargers center Nick Hardwick has been snapping the ball to Philip Rivers for a long time.

“Six years, and we haven’t had one on the ground from underneath,” Hardwick told theSan Diego Union-Tribune.

Rivers’ fumble heard around the AFC West was a fluke.  There’s not a lot of meaning to be gained by dissecting it.  Rivers was in a state of shock after dropping the ball and the game.

“I dropped it,” Rivers seemed to whisper. “I dropped it.”

This play may have been an anomaly but San Diego can’t seem to win the turnover battle. They were -6 last year. They are -5 this year. Only four teams have more giveaways in 2011.

The loss to the Chiefs feels like a turning point in this Chargers season.  They may have to play catchup in the division again.

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Jermichael Finley has a great attitude

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on November 1, 2011, 10:48 AM EDT

Getty Images

Packers tight end Jermichael Finley is hoping to get a contract extension by the end of this season.

If that doesn’t happen, Finley is cool with the Packers placing the franchise tag on him next February.

“If they do that, I’m down with that,” Finley told Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “I ain’t going to be [ticked] off. I just love the game, and I was just blessed to be making money. I’m just taking it all in.”

Finley is saying all the right things in his contract year. More importantly, he’s stayed healthy after missing most of last season following knee surgery.

“You can’t ask for a better city just because there’s nothing to do, for one thing,” Finley said. “I’m going to be real with you, there’s less trouble you can get into. It’s first class in everything they do — contracts, around the building — everything’s first class.”

His numbers (25 catches, 334 yards, four touchdowns) aren’t quite as big as expected, but that’s largely because the Packers have so many other weapons. It’s also possible Finley hasn’t completely regained his pre-surgery explosiveness.

The team has already signed guard Josh Sitton and wideout Jordy Nelson long-term this season. Finley’s deal always figured to be more complicated.

Retaining Finley at a big salary for 2012 via the franchise tag makes a lot of sense for the Packers, especially since Finley doesn’t have a problem with it.

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Details emerge about Julian Edelmen's arrest

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on November 1, 2011, 10:24 AM EDT

Getty Images

We told you earlier about the Tuesday morning arrest of Patriots wideout Julian Edelman.

Brian R. Ballou and John R. Ellemen of the Boston Globehave uncovered more details about why the team’s reserve receiver was arrested for indecent assault after an incident in a Boston nightclub.

Edelman is accused in the police report of groping a woman below the waist.  A man who was with the woman said Edelman bumped into the woman on the dance floor.

“He saw the victim’s face change into an expression of shock,’’ police said in the report.

The man then confronted Edelman and eventually all three of them were kicked out of the club.  Edelman denied groping the woman but was arrested for indecent assault and battery and later released.

There is never a good time for something like this to happen, but Edelman has to be particularly worried about his job security. His role was waning of late; Edelman was a healthy scratch against the Steelers Sunday.

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John Fox is sticking with Tim Tebow for Week 9

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Tim Tebow wasn't sacked Monday.

One day after giving his embattled young quarterback a less-than-ringing endorsement following a humiliating 45-10 loss at home to the Lions, Broncos coach John Fox said he's sticking with Tebow.

"For this week, yes," Fox said.

More From ESPN.com

There's no way to sugarcoat this. It's time for the Broncos to think about the post-Tebow future, writes Bill Williamson. Blog

• FBO: Tebow looks confused 

Tebow said he doesn't feel as though he's on a week-to-week basis but that he's not one to fret about the future anyway.

"It's just take it one day at a time, consistently trying to get better and not focusing too far in the future," Tebow told The Associated Press. "Today's the day I've got to improve and that's kind of the focus."

By not committing to him beyond Sunday's game at Oakland, Fox made it clear that Tebow has to quickly improve as a pocket passer to retain his starting status in Denver.

"I think at the end of the day, we've got to see if he can improve and get better in the passing game," Fox said.

Since supplanting Kyle Orton at halftime against San Diego on Oct. 9, Tebow has completed 46 percent of his passes (35 for 76) and been sacked 13 times.

Jonathan Baldwin makes a big impact on Chiefs offense

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on November 1, 2011, 9:22 AM EDT

Reuters

We were so busy focusing on the The Phumble late last night that we didn’t get to everything else we learned from the most thrilling Monday Night game of the year:

1. It took Jonathan Baldwin a while to play this year, but it was worth the wait. The rookie first-round pick’s home debut was sensational, with five catches for 82 yards, including a leaping 39-yard score.

Baldwin couldn’t come up with another two grabs, but he displayed athleticism and big play ability. He changes the Chiefs offense. They have another physical threat opposite Dwayne Bowe. Perhaps they can move Steve Breaston to the slot.

The Chiefs started the year as a very limited offense, but they are starting to find answers.

Joe Namath makes a fat joke about Rex Ryan

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 1, 2011, 8:56 AM EDT

AP

Joe Namath has made it clear he has no intention of ceasing his criticism of his former team, and now he’s taking cheap shots at Jets coach Rex Ryan’s weight.

After Ryan was spotted wearing a Namath jersey, Namath went on the radio and said he questioned how Ryan could pull the jersey over his ample gut.

“I’m just stunned that the jersey with No. 12 comes in that size,” Namath said, via ESPN.com.

Namath has been extremely critical of the Jets this year. At the start of the season he said he didn’t think Plaxico Burress would make it through the year. He later said Ryan had the team thinking they were better than they were. And as the season has gone on, Namath has ripped the Jets again and againand again.

Ryan has been admirably restrained in his responses to Namath’s constant criticism.

“Shoot, hey it doesn’t matter,” Ryan said. “I’m still a huge Joe Namath fan.”

The “huge” part is the one thing Ryan has said this year that Namath would agree with.

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Ryan Matthews leaves game with groin injury

Ryan Mathews leaves game with groin injury

Ryan Mathews left Monday's game with a groin injury during the fourth quarter, finishing with 13 carries for 57 yards on the ground and 55 yards on six catches through the air.

He didn't score and fumbled twice, showing less explosion than he has in the past. Mathews has a ton of potential and if his injury isn't serious he's still poised to be a RB1 going forward, but his durability is a big question mark. The Chargers have a short week heading into a home matchup with the Packers, who give up the seventh-least fantasy points to running backs.

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James Harrison expects to miss another week

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on October 31, 2011, 5:29 PM EDT

AP

The Steelers could lose one of their bookend linebackers for Sunday Night’s game against the Ravens, but they also sound likely get one Pro Bowl linebacker back.

James Harrison should return to the lineup, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  He fractured his orbital bone and missed four games.

UPDATE: Harrison later wrote on Twitter that he would only be able to practice this week, not play. This is in contrast to quotes from his agent that said Harrison would play.  Perhaps the Steelers are just trying create confusion. Either way, Harrison says he won’t play.

Lamarr Woodley’s status is up  in the air after hurting his hamstring Sunday. Mike Florio reports Woodley is “week-to-week” with his injury. (Also week-to-week: Florio’s inability to win a round of PFT Picks.)

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Raiders could sign Houshmandzadeh

Posted by Mike Florio on October 31, 2011, 8:18 PM EDT

Reuters

Last week, Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer explained that former Bengals teammate Terrell Owens won’t be joining Palmer’s new team because the Raiders simply don’t have any openings at receiver.

“The problem is that for him to get herethere’s not anybody that we could let go,” Palmer said, “we have a stable of young horses that can run and guys that can just move, very young, very inexperienced but tons of potential and it’s tough to give up a young guy with a lot of potential for a guy that’s got a lot of history in the league that’s in his late 30s, so I can’t see him coming here but I had a good time playing with him and he’s an explosive player himself.”

That same reasoning apparently doesn’t apply to a guy in his mid-30s.

Adam Schefter reports that Palmer wants the Raiders to sign receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, another former Bengals teammate.  The Raiders reportedly have worked out Houshmandzadeh, 34, and the team reportedly will give him a physical on Tuesday.

Houshmandzadeh, who spent six years with Palmer in Cincinnati, has gotten several workouts but no contract offers this year.  Per Schefter, coach Hue Jackson had an interest in giving Houshmandzadeh a workout prior to the regular season.  It’s unknown why the workout didn’t happen.

It’s also unknown why Palmer would want Houshmandazdeh and not Owens.  But the fact that the quarterback who most recently played with T.O. doesn’t want him doesn’t bode well for Owens’ prospects.

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"The Phumble" alters the landscape in the AFC West

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on November 1, 2011, 1:18 AM EDT

AP

Philip Rivers stood on the sideline watching the Chiefs’ final drive Monday night, just starting to fully realize that this was a game, a mistake he would never forget.

“Worst day ever,” Rivers mouthed to no one in particular.

That was before Rivers watched Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop split the uprights in overtime to complete a wild 23-20 overtime victory that changed the entire complexion of the AFC West.

Just minutes before Rivers said those words, it looked like he would be celebrating a terrific fourth quarter comeback. San Diego, led by running back Curtis Brinkley of all people, was in position to run the clock out before attempting a short field goal to win the game.  And then Rivers fumbled a snap with under a minute remaining.

This was the Miracle at Arrowhead.  (Seriously, we need a nickname for this play. We’re rolling with “The Phumble” for now. Leave your ideas in the comments.)