The Tiger Report: 12/07/11

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Vikings say that multiple cities are pursuing them for relocation

Posted by Mike Florio on December 7, 2011, 2:31 PM EST

In October, Vikings V.P. of business affairs and stadium development Lester Bagley told PFT Live that “more than one community” has approached the team regarding a possible move after the team’s Metrodome lease expires in January.

Bagley has now narrowed the universe to Los Angeles and another unidentified city.

The disclosure came during Tuesday’s Senate committee meeting regarding financing options for a Vikings stadium in Minnesota. Bagley wasn’t pressed by Senators to identify the other city. After the hearing, he opted not to elaborate.

See the rest of this story »

League only fines Trent Cole $7,500 for ending Okung's season

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 7, 2011, 1:00 PM EST

Philadelphia defensive end Trent Coleknocked Seattle tackle Russel Okung to the ground on Thursday night with a hit that the Seahawks felt was unnecessary. That hitcaused a pectoral injury that ended Okung’s season, and now Cole has heard from the league office about it.

Cole told Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer that the NFL fined him $7,500.

For Okung, that’s small consolation. His season was ended with what he felt was a cheap shot, and the league obviously agreed that Cole crossed the line or else it wouldn’t have fined Cole anything at all. If you’re going to fine a player for a shot that ended another player’s season, a $7,500 fine doesn’t seem like much.

Ultimately, the NFL chose to fine Cole less than other players have been fined forwearing the wrong color shoes or going too far in touchdown celebrations.

Montee Ball will enter the draft if he can go in the 1st or 2nd round

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 7, 2011, 12:44 PM EST

Wisconsin junior running back Montee Ball said shortly after finding out that he’s a Heisman Trophy finalist that he’ll seek an opinion from the NFL draft advisory board about whether scouts think he’s ready to go pro.

Ball told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that if he’s projected as a first- or second-round pick, he’ll go to the NFL. If he’s told that he’d go in the third round or lower, he’s leaning toward returning to Wisconsin for his senior season.

“Obviously I’d love to hear first round,” Ball said. “I’d love to hear even late second. But third or four I’d most likely stay.”

See the rest of this story »

LaMarr Woodley expected to miss Thursday Night game

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 7, 2011, 9:11 AM EST

The Steelers’ top pass rusher is expected to miss another game.

LaMarr Woodley, who leads the Steelers with nine sacks this season, is extremely doubtful for Thursday night against the Browns, Jason La Canfora of NFL Network reports.

Woodley was named the AFC’s defensive player of the month for October, a month in which he recorded 7.5 sacks. But he suffered a hamstring injury at the end of that month and didn’t play at all in November. He finally got back on the field Sunday against the Bengals, only to aggravate the hamstring in the first quarter.

Now Woodley and the Steelers hope his most recent setback will only cause him to miss one game, and that he can play against the 49ers on December 19.

Stacy Andrews goes to IR with blood clots in his lungs

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on December 7, 2011, 11:06 AM EST

Getty Images

Backup Giants tackle Stacy Andrews‘ season is over after a scary episode involving blood clots in his lungs last week.

Andrews had trouble sleeping and spit up blood for a couple days, but he ignored the symptoms because he thought he just was practicing hard. On Saturday night, the pain became too much at a team meeting.

He was taken to a hospital and diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs. On Wednesday, the Giants placed Andrews on injured reserve and signed for Colts tackle Tony Ugoh.

“I know we’re all tough, but go get checked out. Don’t brush it off like I did,” Andrews warned other players through Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star-Ledger. “This was a lesson for me.”

New York’s non-stop injury issues remain a problem for the team. Safety Kenny Phillips is expected to miss Sunday night’s game in Dallas.

12/7 Wednesday morning one-liners

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 7, 2011, 7:42 AM EST

Says Bills coach Chan Gailey of rookie LB Kelvin Sheppard, “Where he has got to continue to get better at is just understanding the whole concept of [the] defense and becoming a better communicator in there. Taking more charge, which is hard for a rookie, because he doesn’t know. So I think this experience will really help him develop as a player, to become what we hoped he would be when we drafted him.”

Dolphins LB Kevin Burnett credited “a bunch of good blocks” for his 34-yard interception return for a touchdown.

See the rest of this story »

TTR's Week 14 Picks

Current record 117-61 (65.7%)

Last Week 9-7 (ouch, rough week)

Thursday Night

Browns at Steelers - The Steelers are a team that has fought through a lot of injuries and has played some very ugly games this year, but they are still 9-3 on the year. This is a team that has just found a way to hang around long enough to sneak into the post season. This week they will have an opportunity to get this machine firing on all cylinders as they face a struggling Browns team. The Steelers should be able to cruise to a victory on Thursday Night Football as they face a Browns offense that just can't seem to get going. Steelers win 24-6.

Sunday

Bucs at Jags - The Jaguars have a defense that has played pretty well all year, but the

See the rest of this story »

Peyton Hillis expected to play Thursday

Peyton Hillis (hip) expected to play Thursday

Peyton Hillis (hip) is expected to play in Thursday's game against the Steelers.

Coach Pat Shurmur says Hillis will do everything in practice Tuesday. Barring a setback, he will start and carry the load this week, with Montario Hardesty acting as the backup. Still, Hillis is not going to be a strong flex play in fantasy. Over the last five games, the Steelers' defense is giving up just 3.16 yards per carry and has surrendered one rushing touchdown.

Source: Scott Petrak on Twitter

League's finance committee approves Jaguars sale

Posted by Mike Florio on December 7, 2011, 7:14 AM EST

What a difference a year makes.

In 2009, the NFL’s finance committee reportedly had concerns regarding the manner in which Shahid Khan planned to finance a purchase of 60 percent of the St. Louis Rams, at a cost of roughly $450 million. The league never had to actually vote on the transaction because minority owner Stan Kroenke opted to exercise his contractual right to match Khan’s offer for the equity held by the children of the late Georgia Frontiere.

See the rest of this story »