Bears’ big win in Arizona keeps playoff hopes alive

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Heading into Week 17, the Bears are still in playoff contention.

A 28-13 win over the Cardinals in Arizona on Sunday snapped a three-game losing streak and kept the Bears alive, with a game next week against the Lions in the season finale. The NFC wild card race is still undecided, but after a late-season slide that saw the Bears lose five of their last six, Chicago fans just have to be happy that they’re still in it as the season comes to a close.

It was the Bears’ defense that did most of the work on a day when quarterback Jay Cutler struggled and running back Matt Forte suffered an ankle injury. Chicago got defensive touchdowns from Zack Bowman, who scored on a fumble recovery in the first quarter, and from Charles Tillman, who scored on an interception return in the third quarter. The Bears controlled the game throughout, and the final score looked closer than the game really was, thanks to the Cardinals blocking a Bears field goal attempt and running it back for a touchdown with less than two minutes left.

Of course, you could make the case that this was less a great defensive effort from the Bears than a horrendous offensive effort from the Cardinals. Arizona’s offense has been terrible all season, and on Sunday Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt turned to his fourth quarterback of the year, benching Ryan Lindley for Brian Hoyer.

But whether you want to credit the Bears’ defense or blame the Cardinals’ offense, the result is the same: A one-sided victory for Chicago, and a chance to make the playoffs: If the Bears beat the Lions next week and the Packers beat the Vikings, Chicago is going to the postseason.

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During a wide-ranging and entertaining (except when I was talking) segment of Tuesday’s PFT Live, former Patriots V.P. of player personnel and Chiefs G.M. Scott Pioli reacted to the recent comments from former Dolphins assistant coach Tim Davis regarding former Dolphins head coach and current I’m-not-going-to-be-the-Alabama-coach Alabama coach Nick Saban.

Davis called Saban “the devil,” and Pioli called Davis out on that.

Reminded that Saban said in response that he was “terribly disappointed” by the comments, Pioli agreed.  “I’ve got to be honest, I was terribly disappointed,” Pioli said.  “You know, I know Nick Saban, I’ve worked with Nick Saban for a number of years back in Cleveland.  First of all, I didn’t like it for Nick.  I know Nick is a tremendous coach and he’s a tough worker and he’s a tough boss but I know a lot of people who are tough bosses.

“I’ll say this about Nick, though:  I think he’s tough but he’s fair. He doesn’t ask anything of people that he hasn’t done himself or that he won’t do himself.”

Pioli also pointed out the inconsistency between the subsequent claim from Davis that it all was a joke to the lack of an apology from Davis.  There’s another inconsistency that undermines the comments; Davis worked two years for Saban at Miami, and then later accepted another job with Saban at Alabama.

“[Davis] spends a year out of football, can’t get a job, Nick creates a position at the University of Alabama to help a guy who’s been unemployed he shows his loyalty to the guy, brings him in, creates a position, pays him. This guy made the choice to come work for Nick and now a couple years later, he’s bashing a guy who really helped him,” Pioli said.  “And to me this is something within the industry that I really struggle with, Mike, because I’ve see it happen to Bill Belichick, I’ve seen it happen to Bill Parcells, I just don’t understand the mentality of people who are given opportunities, they seize the opportunity, they get paid, and then some time in
the future they start to air dirty laundry or their hard feelings toward someone. I just don’t understand why people can’t keep their mouths shut and move on.  So, to me, it’s one of these trends in sports that I see, that I just, truly
disappoint me.”

Looking at it that way, it really is disappointing that Davis would fire public shots at Saban, in jest or otherwise.  If Saban was “the devil” or something close to it, Davis knew it based on their time together from 2005 to 2006 — and yet Davis signed up for another tour of duty in 2008.

And if it was all a joke, it was a bad joke from a guy who benefited from Saban’s willingness to hire him not once, but twice.

The ultimate message is fairly simple.  If you have a problem with your current boss, find a new one.  And if you had a problem with a former boss, try not to accept another job offer from him.

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The Titans start their OTAs next week and it looks like they’ll get full participation from quarterback Jake Locker at the sessions.

Locker has spent the offseason recovering from shoulder surgery after suffering multiple dislocations of his left, non-throwing shoulder during the 2012 season and says that he has healed up enough that he expects to have no limitations when he joins his teammates on the field next week. While Locker stopped short of the rave reviews about his physical condition that we’re accustomed to hearing at this time of year, he made it clear that he feels ready for everything the Titans will throw at him.

“I don’t know a whole lot about it as far as if it’s supposed to be better or stronger, but I can tell you it feels better and just the same as it did before I got hurt,” Locker said, via Terry McCormick of Titans Insider. “I haven’t had any problems with it. I haven’t had any moments with it where, I’m like, ‘Aw, man, I can feel that,’ or ‘it slipped a little bit.’ It feels great. It feels normal and I’m excited about that.”

Any growth for the Titans as a team this season will likely require growth from Locker as an individual. It’s helpful, then, that he won’t have anything holding him back physically as he takes on the full leadership role for the team’s offense in his third NFL season.

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Though it wasn’t on the agenda — between rubber-stamping Super Bowl sites and giving each other money — yesterday’s NFL owners meeting also included an apology.

According to Jarrett Bell of USA Today, new Browns owner Jimmy Haslam offered an explanation to his business partners about the recent federal investigation of his trucking business, and told them about steps he was taking to fix the problem.

“I thought it was important,” Haslam said. “We’re partners in the NFL. I wanted to address them face-to-face.”

His fellow owners were apparently touched by the five-minute talk, in which he apologized for any negative attention he brought to the league.

“I know he feels a sense of embarrassment,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. “He said they’re going to do everything they can to get it under control and put it behind them, and that he felt bad for the attention that it brought to the Cleveland franchise and the NFL, and he was going to make it right.”

“He is the new kid in town in terms of NFL ownership,” Giants co-owner Steve Tisch said. “And to sort of deal with an issue like this in the first quarter is impressive.”

The league passed him through a vetting process before he was allowed to buy the Browns, and nothing came up then. And it sounds like his business partners were impressed by his willingness to open up to them, which included an offer for private explanations if anyone needed them.

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Said Bills offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett of his work with rookie QB E.J. Manuel, “Footwork is tied into everything. Everything is within your footwork. It’s a very big learning process. For us, we use our footwork, we use our progression, and we move up in the pocket.”

Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill says he has made significant progress: “Last year at this time my head was spinning. I was just trying to figure out how things worked. I didn’t really know how the day went, how the offseason went, how practices went.”

Patriots QB Tom Brady is getting plenty of work with WR Danny Amendola.

Jets RB Mike Goodson is charged with a gun crime, but his lawyer says he’s confident he’ll be able to show that the gun wasn’t Goodson’s.

Former Ravens and Browns owner Art Modell could get a clearer path to the Hall of Fame.

Bengals WR Mohamed Sanu had his first full-speed practice since recovering from a stress fracture in his foot.

Browns QB Brian Hoyer got $250,000 guaranteed on his new contract.

Steelers S Troy Polamalu is looking trim and fit at OTAs.

Texans QB Case Keenum is pushing T.J. Yates for the No. 2 quarterback job.

Indianapolis wants to host the 2018 Super Bowl.

Said Jaguars DL Brandon Deaderick of adjusting to his new team after being cut by the Patriots, “It’s going well. I’m getting adjusted to the new system they have here. That’s all I’m focusing on. I’ve got to get better every day.”

Titans QB Jake Locker says he has a greater leadership role this season.

Nate Irving will get the first crack at being the Broncos’ starting middle linebacker.

Chiefs GM John Dorsey has been impressed with S Eric Berry.

Fans in Oakland put out the welcome mat for Charles Woodson.

New Chargers LT Max Starks is expected to start, and King Dunlap will likely be the swing tackle behind Starks and rookie D.J. Fluker.

Said Cowboys K Dan Bailey of tornado devastation near his family’s home in Oklahoma, “I can’t do much as far as going up there. I wish I could go up there. But I’m going to see what I can do financially or just anything I can do to help.”

Giants WR Hakeem Nicks is becoming more of a leader.

Eagles S Kenny Phillips says his knee feels fine.

Said Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen of the new rookie salary structure, “I think the new system has simplified everything. I’ve never had a rookie holdout. I’ve never worried about the holding-out part of it. [But] it has simplified everything and I think it’s made [Redskins chief negotiator] Eric Schaffer’s life much, much easier.”

Bears LB Lance Briggs has inherited Brian Urlacher’s leadership role.

Lions WR Calvin Johnson admits he was a little uneasy at first about having a new position coach this season.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy is disappointed not to have CB Sam Shields at OTAs.

The Vikings have waived undrafted OT Mark Jackson.

A contract worth more than $100 million appears to be coming soon for Falcons QB Matt Ryan.

The Panthers’ website offers five things to watch at OTAs.

Saints coach Sean Payton is pleased to have 100 percent participation at OTAs.

Buccaneers DE Adrian Clayborn says a knee injury taught him not to take anything for granted.

A change in defensive philosophy has the Cardinals’ defensive ends feeling excited.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher shares his philosophy on the offseason schedule.

Aldon Smith says he can only do “a little bit” of work with the 49ers after labrum surgery, but he’s watching lots of film.

A year ago he was just a rookie trying to make it, but Seahawks QB Russell Wilson is now the clear leader of the whole team.

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It’s not that Joe Namath thinks Geno Smith’s a bad player.

He just thinks the Jets didn’t need to draft him in the second round.

“No, I don’t think they needed a quarterback,” Namath said, via Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News. “They needed the other positions filled. Possibly offensive line. They got some defensive line. The safeties are still questionable. The outside linebackers are still questionable.”

There are many things about the Jets which could be described that way.

Namath blamed the recent poor play of quarterback Mark Sanchez to “distractions” — which I suppose, by extension, means they just added another. But Namath generally supported the incumbent starter, leaning on his early record as evidence he can play sufficiently well to start somewhere if not in New York.

“I am pulling for him,” Namath said of Sanchez. “I know that he can do better than he’s done. And we saw him lead a team to two AFC championship games, right? I also know what it’s like not to necessarily have the weapons you’d like to have, not to necessarily have the time you’d like to accomplish. . . .

“I know it’s a team game and I know Sanchez is going to play better. I promise you you’ll see a different guy [this year]. I believe you’ll see a different guy. Mark’s not a puppy anymore. He’s gone through some things, growing process. As far as Sanchez goes, even if he’s not with the Jets, he’s going to play as long as he wants to. He’s that good. As long as he wants to, he’s going to be in the NFL.”

Unless Sanchez can put the distractions behind him this year, he’s likely to get a chance to find that new address.

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Plenty of skeptics believe that the league’s intent to alter its calendar, moving the draft from April to May and the Scouting Combine from February to March, arises not from a desire to expand the league’s footprint during the offseason but to lay the foundation for an expansion of the season.

On Tuesday, Commissioner Roger Goodell gave credence to those concerns by once again pointing out that the 18-game regular season remains a possibility.

“[The options] are all on the table,” Goodell said at a press conference that concluded the quarterly ownership meetings in Boston.  “As I have said before, I think the structure of the season is something that we consistently reevaluate.  I have been quite open about [indicating that] we have to address the quality of the preseason.  I hear from fans consistently that they want to make every NFL event more valuable.  They see the preseason as being less valuable to them because they don’t see the best players and the games do not count.  We have to address that, whether we are looking at 18 [regular-season games] and two [preseason games] or 16-and-two and expanded playoffs.  They are all on the table and things we are going to evaluate.”

Nudging the draft and the Scouting Combine deeper into the calendar would help accommodate a Super Bowl played two weeks later, which would in most years put it on President’s Day weekend.  But the shift of the start of free agency from the middle of March to early March would arguably put too much of a pinch on the Super Bowl teams, which will have less time to negotiate with their looming free agents before they hit the market — or before the deadline for using the franchise tag.

Of course, the crowding of the Super Bowl and the start of free agency could be aimed at persuading the NFLPA eventually to say, “You know, we should move the start of free agency to April,” which the NFL reportedly wanted when talk of adjusting the calendar first emerged.

The bigger challenge for the league remains getting the NFLPA eventually to say, “You know, we should just play 18 regular-season games.”  Two years ago, the thinking was that, if/when the league exercised its unilateral ability under the new CBA to shrink the preseason from four to two games, the union would calculate the impact of the lost revenue on the salary cap, compare it to the influx of revenue with the addition of two regular-season games, and not just agree to but insist on a move from 16 to 18.  Since then, it has become harder to reconcile player health and safety with adding two games that count, and it’s hard to imagine the NFLPA accepting 18 games unless the league adopts the idea that every player would be limited to 16 appearances.

For those (like us) who think 18 games would be overkill, it’s encouraging that Goodell mentioned the possibility of 16-and-2 plus expanded playoffs as an alternative.  Expanding the postseason would potentially replace the revenue lost by scrapping half of the preseason.  Sure, it would mean one more game — but only for either four (if the field expands to 14) or eight (if the field grows to 16).

The league may be years away from resolving the issue.  With each passing season, however, it’s harder to tolerate a four-game preseason — especially since Goodell has made it clear in recent years that the quality of those games is unacceptable.

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You hear about players having breakout seasons all the time, but you rarely hear anyone talk about someone having a breakout offseason.

Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant had a breakout season in 2012. After two years of inconsistent performances and injuries, Bryant played in all 16 games for the Cowboys and turned in 92 catches for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns. Those were the kind of numbers that the team hoped to see when they took Bryant in the first round of the 2010 draft and numbers they likely worried about seeing after a chaotic offseason that culminated with an arrest for allegedly hitting his own mother.

Just as things came together for Bryant on the field last season, they seem to have come together for him off of it this year. Bryant’s name has only come up when people are talking about how focused he’s been on football and how much he’s grown up since the start of last season. Bryant took some time Tuesday to talk about his changed approach.

“I found myself,” Bryant said, via ESPNDallas.com. “I’m comfortable with my life. I’m enjoying being in the NFL. I wish it could’ve been a couple years back, but I had to go through a couple of things to figure it out. I think I got it and I’m just more focused on my job and doing what I love to do and that’s playing football.”

After Bryant’s arrest last summer, there was a lot of talk about a set of behavioral guidelines that Bryant had to follow to remain a member of the Cowboys. The Cowboys denied putting them in place, but owner Jerry Jones said Bryant had to change his lifestyle to stay in Dallas. One doesn’t count their chickens before they hatch, so we’ll say only that all those efforts have paid off to this point and produced the best Bryant we’ve seen on and off the field since he entered the NFL.

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At first blush, it looks like an unequivocal commitment.  Like so often when it comes to the Los Angeles leverage game, however, careful inspection of the words suggests that the door is open — even if only a little bit.

Chargers owner Dean Spanos, speaking to Albert Breer of NFL.com at the quarterly ownership meetings in Boston, explained that the Chargers want to remain in San Diego.

“I’ve said this the last 10 years,” Spanos said.  “The Chargers belong in San Diego.  That’s where we want to be.  We’re going to continue to try to get something done in San Diego.”

At some point, however, the Chargers’ wants will give way to their needs.  The combination of San Diego’s unwillingness to help build a new stadium and the looming possibility of one — and possibly two — NFL teams moving in just 90 miles up the road could at some point prompt the Chargers to become at least one of the teams to make the fairly short jaunt.

The Chargers are one of the few teams with the annual ability to abandon their lease via a payment that reduces each year.  Spanos made it clear that, to get something done in San Diego, a payment from the public coffers will be needed.

“It’s very difficult to get public money in the state of California, but in our marketplace, we need a public contribution to get something done,” Spanos said. “Everybody’s aware of it.  We just need to find the right formula that works for everybody, and it has to be fair for everybody.  The politicians know what needs to be done. We just need to get something and make it work.”

Perhaps Spanos feels optimistic because the 49ers have found a way to ditch one of the worst stadiums in the NFL for a swanky new venue that will host Super Bowl L.  Still, at the current rate of governmental action, the Chargers could eventually get that new stadium and host another NFL title game when the it’s time to play Super Bowl C.

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San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh has been involved with the sport of IndyCar Racing ever since his playing days for the Indianapolis Colts in the late 1990′s. Now he gets a chance to play a part in one of motor racing’s greatest spectacles.

According to Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star, Harbaugh will drive the pace car to lead the 33-car field to the green flag Sunday morning for the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500. Harbaugh will be in front of the field in a 2014 Corvette Stingray leading the way to the green flag.

“I know my heart is going to be beating out of my chest,” Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh played for the Indianapolis Colts from 1994-1997. During his time in Indianapolis, Harbaugh became a co-owner of Panther Racing and has been involved with the sport ever since. The team has used Harbaugh’s No. 4 from his playing days with the Colts as the number for their car. J.R. Hildebrand starts 10th Sunday for the team in the No. 4 National Guard car. Panther racing is also providing rides for Oriol Servia (13th) and Townsend Bell (22nd) in the race.

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Jeff King has yet to make it onto the practice field with the team this offseason.

According to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, King has been unable to participate in OTAs after having surgery on his knee this offseason.

The Cardinals are hopeful he can begin practicing again with the team in June. King dealt with a knee injury last season for the Cardinals. He appeared in 12 of 16 games for Arizona and caught 17 passes for 129 yards on the year.

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As we launch into the last of the eight division’s Mt. Rushmore nomination process, we’ll start with the franchise whose best days could be coming up very soon.

As in, this year.

For now, though, you’ll have to draw on the past when coming up with the nominees who’ll eventually be carved down to four figures from the team with the helmet that looks like a funky Jack-o-Lantern.

Possibilities include Ken Anderson, Boomer Esiason, James Brooks, Corey Dillon, Chad Johnson, Cris Collinsworth, Isaac Curtis, Anthony Muñoz (who else remembers Madden pronouncing it without the tilde?), Reggie Williams, and others.

So have at it, with any of the above or others.

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On a day where NFL owners picked two Super Bowl sites and left one out in the cold, the Raiders and Chargers made moves to secure two of the better remaining free agents — moves that could help both clubs avoid getting caught short at positions of need.

The Raiders, who have done well to rework their secondary, brought back safety / cornerback Charles Woodson for another stint. He gives the Raiders a little more playmaking ability and experience on the back end of their defense.

The Chargers, meanwhile, finally added another veteran left tackle, signing Max Starks. Perhaps Starks ends up the starter, or maybe King Dunlap wins the job. The point is, the Chargers have more options now, and that’s not a bad thing.

The same can be said about the Raiders. At the beginning of April, their secondary was not in good shape. Since then, the Raiders have drafted cornerback D.J. Hayden in the first round and signed veteran cornerbacks Mike Jenkins and Tracy Porter. And now, Woodson strengthens their hand at safety.

With Woodson employed, ex-Cardinal Kerry Rhodes and ex-Ram Quintin Mikell are the two most accomplished safeties left on the market. Mikell, for the record, replaces Woodson on PFT’s All-Unemployed Team, which was updated Tuesday night.

Starks’ signing further thins the left tackle market, with ex-Eagle Demetress Bell taking his place on the All-Unemployed squad.

The Chargers had a need, and they made a reasonable attempt at filling it Tuesday. The same can be said for the Raiders.

As summer nears, this is getting tougher and tougher to do around the league.

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Count Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch among the group of players exercising their right to not attend voluntary offseason workouts across the league.

Lynch was the only healthy member of the Seahawks not to be in attendance for the team’s first OTA practice on Monday. Defensive end Chris Clemons and defensive tackle Greg Scruggs were also not on hand but both are recovering from ACL surgeries.

Lynch is instead electing to adhere to his own workout program. He made an appearance by the team’s facility within the past two weeks and head coach Pete Carroll said he’s in great shape.

“He’s working in a very intense program in his area and he’s benefiting from it,” Carroll said.

That being said, Carroll still wishes his Pro Bowl running back would choose to be in the building working out with the rest of the team.

“We miss him and we’d like him to be here. This is a lot of fun and there is a lot of good stuff happening here,” Carroll said. “…We’d love to see everyone here.”

Being fresh for the start of the season ultimately will be the biggest desire for Lynch and Carroll. Lynch has carried the ball 600 times over the last two seasons and takes a beating due to his physical running style. He’s dealt with back issues the last two years as well. If sticking to his own workout plan keeps him on the field in the fall, don’t expect Carroll to be complaining too much about Lynch missing some offseason work with the team.

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When agent Carl Poston told ESPN’s Josina Anderson that cornerback Charles Woodson’s contract with the Raiders had a “max” value of $4.3 million, I had a feeling the base value would be far lower than that.

And it is.

Poston now tells Anderson that the deal has a base value of $1.8 million.

Incentives make up the $2.5 million balance, and it’s unclear unknown what Woodson has to do to earn any, some, or all of that amount.

Incentives are tied to individual or team performance, from playing time to wins to playoffs appearances to qualifying for the AFC title game if Woodson were to hit Tom Brady like Woodson did a dozen years ago, since the Tuck Rule finally has been scuttled.

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Even before the Chargers added long-time Steelers left tackle Max Starks on Tuesday, San Diego’s NFL team had been giving us plenty to talk about after a humdrum offseason.

So we talked about some of it on PFT Live, with Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego.

Acee explains the issues arising from the team’s unusual decision to shield rookie linebacker Manti Te’o from the media, which are unrelated to the question of whether anyone truly wants to continue to ask Te’o about his fake dead girlfriend.  (We don’t, Acee doesn’t, and we don’t know of anyone who does.)

Acee also addresses the impact of linebacker Dwight Freeney, the status of quarterback Philip Rivers, and whatever else came up during however long we spent talking to Acee.