Carolina Panthers plan to stop Calvin Johnson

Anwar S. Richardson - MLive.com

Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson leads the NFL in touchdown receptions with 11 and ranks fourth in receiving yards (885) and receptions (54).

Johnson is also ranked third in Pro Bowl voting.

He seems virtually unstoppable - to everyone but Carolina Panthers cornerback Captain Munnerlyn.

Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer spoke with Munnerlyn about how the Panthers intend to stop Johnson. While Panthers cornerback Chris Gamble will also be matched up against Johnson, Munnerlyn does not seem too worried about the matchup.

Here is what he said:

"I'm not scared of him. He's got some size on me, but it don't matter," said Munnerlyn, 5-8 and 186 pounds. "At the end of the day it's still football."

Munnerlyn said containing Johnson would be a group effort.

"Tall guys have a tendency to have a hard time getting off the press. So I'll get physical with him," Munnerlyn said. "Even though I know he probably thinks he can just throw me around if he wants to. But I'll just get physical with him and knock off the timing with the quarterback. And when he jumps up to go get the ball, he's got to come down with it."

Muhammad Ali once said everybody has the perfect strategy until they get punched in the face. For some reason, it seems like the same theory applies to Munnerlyn in this case. 

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Shonn Greene's x-rays come back negative

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on November 18, 2011, 10:38 AM EST

Getty Images

The Jets’ running game was stagnant withoutShonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinsonon Thursday night, averaging only three yards-per-carry.

They missed Greene’s presence, but it sounds like he will be back for New York’s next game. X-rays on his injured ribs were negative.

“I felt alright, but Joe [McKnight] and Bilal [Powell] were going good,” said Greene after the game via the New York Daily News.

Good is a big overstatement. McKnight had 59 yards on 16 carries. He lost a fumble on special teams and missed a direct snap headed his way. Bilal had 11 yards on seven carries and fumbled the ball.

The Jets want to “ground and pound” but only three teams have gained fewer yards-per-carry this year.

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Report: Vick will not play this weekend

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on November 18, 2011, 11:26 AM EST

Getty Images

We may not get the final, official word until gametime. But Geoff Mosher of the News Journal reports that the Eagles have already determined Michael Vick will not play Sunday night.

Vince Young took all the practice reps with the first team on Thursday and looks slated to start against the Giants.

We thought this game would potentially decide the NFC East.  Instead, it may only decide whether Young gets an opportunity to start next year on some team.

It wasn’t so long ago that Young was the young hotshot running quarterback, ripping off six straight wins while the football populace debated whether he could last.

Okay, that does feel like a long time ago.

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Marshall Faulk grills Tebow in post game interview

Posted by Mike Florio on November 18, 2011, 9:05 AM EST

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Nearly as compelling as the final minutes of Thursday night’s game between the Broncos and Jets was the post-game interview of Denver quarterback Tim Tebow with the NFL Network crew.

Tebow said all the right things, and he projected throughout the nearly 12-minute session the poise and demeanor of a winner.  The full interview is available at NFL.com.

Mixed in with the expected Tebow worship were some tough questions from Marshall Faulk regarding the simple fact that, at times, Tebow isn’t an accurate passer.

Jets can no longer hide Mark Sanchez

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on November 18, 2011, 1:09 AM EST

AP

The headlines from Thursday night’s game will be about Tim Tebow.  They should be about the lack of progress by the Jets offense in year three of the Mark Sanchez era.

The Jets defense is the same as it ever was, a Super Bowl caliber group. It played a sensational game on Thursday night, and any moderately competent offense and quarterback would have easily put the Broncos away before Tebowmania took hold.

Consider: The Broncos started five possessions in Jets territory. They got three points out of those five chances.

Ray Lewis to miss some time with toe injury

Posted by Mike Florio on November 18, 2011, 1:00 AM EST

Reuters

We interrupt the ongoing coverage of the most thrilling 17-13 game in recent memory to look ahead to a fairly significant game that will be played on Sunday.

Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Timesreports that Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis will miss Sunday’s game against the Bengals with a toe injury that has caused him to miss practice on Wednesday and Thursday.

Per the report, Lewis was evaluated by a doctor in South Florida, who confirmed the team’s assessment of the damage.  He could miss additional games.

The 36-year-old future Hall of Famer hasn’t missed a game since December 2007.

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Tebowmania lives, as Broncos defeat Jets

Posted by Mike Florio on November 18, 2011, 12:03 AM EST

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It’s official.  Tebowmania has taken over the league.

Beating the Dolphins, the Raiders, and the Chiefs didn’t really count.  Leading the Broncos from behind with a 95-yard drive against one of the best and proudest defenses in the NFL has taken the legend of Tim Tebow to a new level.

Tim Tebow and his Broncos, after a sluggish night through more than three quarters, put together an Elway-esque effort to steal a victory from the Jets.  The 17-13 win moved the Broncos to 5-5, and dropped the Jets to 5-5.

Facing third and four from the Jets 20, with a growing sense that this one would be settled in overtime, the Jets opted to blitz, Tebow avoided it by rolling left, and he rumbled past the first-down sticks and into the end zone.