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James Alder

James' Football Blog December 2006 Archive

By James Alder, About.com Guide to Football

Playoffs Set, Raiders Claim Top Draft Slot

Sunday December 31, 2006
Heading into the NFL's final week of the regular season, there were three teams --the New York Jets and Giants as well as the Denver Broncos-- who pretty much ... Read More

Giants Rain on NFC Pretenders' Parade

Sunday December 31, 2006
Sunday's NFC playoff chase took an anti-climatic turn with the New York Giants all but sewing up a wild-card berth with a 34-28 win over the Washington Redskins Saturday night. ... Read More

Cheap Shots

Sunday December 31, 2006
Mike Williams, who has caught all of six passes this season and has just one more career NFL touchdown than Esther Williams, seems to think he's in a position to ... Read More

The Battle for the Other No. 1

Saturday December 30, 2006
The season-long struggle for the top selection in the 2007 NFL Draft has come down to just two teams, the Detroit Lions and the Oakland Raiders. And it's a ... Read More

Game Planning for the Weekend

Friday December 29, 2006
Beginning Friday and running through Monday, we have 15 college bowl games on the schedule. We also have the final week of the NFL regular season and all of ... Read More

Taylor Calls Out Merriman

Wednesday December 27, 2006
Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor is publicly taking issue with all the praise being heaped on San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman for his play this year, despite missing ... Read More

Cowher Appears Done in Pittsburgh

Wednesday December 27, 2006
Bill Cowher, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, isn't saying whether he will return in 2007 to coach the franchise he led to a Super Bowl XL victory less than ... Read More

NFL Power Rankings Updated

Tuesday December 26, 2006
One of the biggest disappointing scenarios of the upcoming NFL playoffs is that perhaps the hottest team in the league won’t be involved. Unless Pluto and the 37th moon of ... Read More

Motor City Bowl Watch

Tuesday December 26, 2006
The Motor City Bowl, on tap for Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., features the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders and the Central Michigan Chippewas. The game will be broadcast on ... Read More

Win and You're In

Sunday December 24, 2006
If you're interested in an update of every playoff possibility, take a look at the extensive list of playoff scenarios and the league's tiebreaking procedures. I don't have the ... Read More

Tank Put On House Arrest

Saturday December 23, 2006
Looks like Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson won't be going home to Arizona for Christmas. In fact, it looks like he won't be going anywhere anytime soon. ... Read More

More Bowl Prospects

Saturday December 23, 2006
With three college bowl games on tap for Saturday, there are several draft prospects we'd like to take a close look at. As far as the games themselves are ... Read More

Las Vegas Bowl Wrap

Friday December 22, 2006
If you caught BYU's 38-8 win over the Oregon Ducks in the Las Vegas Bowl Thursday night, you saw why I'm really high on Cougars' tight end Jonny Harline. ... Read More

Does Merriman Deserve Pro Bowl Honors?

Thursday December 21, 2006
Shawne Merriman is an impact player on defense, there's no doubt about it. And yeah, based on his performance on the field, he's very deserving of Pro Bowl honors. ... Read More

Bowling Vegas Style

Thursday December 21, 2006
Next up on the college bowl schedule is the Las Vegas Bowl, live from (you guessed it)... San Diego. Okay, okay, it's not really played in San Diego. ... Read More

Chargers, Bears Lead Pro Bowl Selections

Wednesday December 20, 2006
The rosters for the 2007 Pro Bowl were announced Tuesday, and it comes as no surprise that the 12-2 Chargers lead all teams with nine players selected. The obvious choice ... Read More

NFL Power Rankings Updated

Tuesday December 19, 2006
When we look back at the 2006 NFL season many years from now, we will probably remember this as the year of anointings… especially in the NFC. First ... Read More

Owens Says Spitting Incident was an Accident

Tuesday December 19, 2006
Despite issuing an apology on the NFL Network Saturday Night for spitting in the face of Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall, Terrell Owens has shifted into complete backtrack mode, and now ... Read More

Huskies and Horned Frogs Kick Off College Bowl Season

Tuesday December 19, 2006
This year's college bowl season gets underway Tuesday evening when the Horned Frogs of TCU face the Huskies of Northern Illinois in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl ... Read More

Cheap Shots

Tuesday December 19, 2006
Thanks to an inability to control his spittle, Terrell Owens now has 35,000 less reasons to live. After spending three top-ten draft picks on the wide receiver position in recent years, ... Read More

Texas Not Big Enough for T.O. and Tuna?

Monday December 18, 2006
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones may have a big decision to make following the current NFL season. In the past, I've suggested that a day could come when Bill ... Read More

"Frustrated" Owens Spits in Opponent's Face

Sunday December 17, 2006
Controversy just won't stop following Terrell Owens... or vice versa. The mercurial wide receiver put together a nice two-touchdown performance as the Cowboys prevailed Saturday night over the Falcons. ... Read More

Tank's Troubles Take Another Twist

Saturday December 16, 2006
This situation with Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson was strange to begin with, but now it borders on the bizarre. Less than two days after Johnson's home was ... Read More

Cheap Shots

Saturday December 16, 2006
Former Cowboys quarterback Quincy Carter was arrested Friday on marijuana possession charges at the home of a woman who called police saying Carter had been "throwing things around." Fortunately, ... Read More

Johnson Will Sit Sunday

Friday December 15, 2006
Per an Associated Press report, defensive tackle Tank Johnson, who was arrested Thursday for possession of a firearm without a valid gun owner's identification card, will sit out Sunday's contest ... Read More

SWAT Team Raids House of Bears' Johnson

Thursday December 14, 2006
Breaking news... not a single member of the Cincinnati Bengals was arrested today. However, the Chicago Bears weren't so lucky. According to the Chicago Tribune, Lake County officials filed ... Read More

Lamar Hunt: 1932-2006

Thursday December 14, 2006
Kansas City Chiefs owner and founder Lamar Hunt, one of the most instrumental figures in the rise of the AFL and merger with the NFL, died Wednesday night of complications ... Read More

Cheap Shots

Wednesday December 13, 2006
Need a good reason to tune out Super Bowl XLI's halftime show. The artist formerly known as the Artist Formerly Known as Prince will be performing. Eight people outside Raymond ... Read More

Colts Hit by Power Outage in Rankings Update

Tuesday December 12, 2006
The San Diego Chargers strengthened their grip on the No. 1 ranking this week as their MVP running back, LaDainian Tomlinson, continues on his historic pace. However, another AFC ... Read More

Grossman Keeps Griese on the Bench

Tuesday December 12, 2006
It seems reports of Rex Grossman's demise have been greatly exaggerated. The recently-embattled quarterback of the Chicago Bears, in danger of losing his starting job, apparently will live to ... Read More

Indy's Run Defense Can Stop One Team: The Colts

Monday December 11, 2006
We all knew the Indianapolis Colts had problems with their run defense, right? After Sunday's 44-17 steamrolling by the Jacksonville Jaguars, there should be little doubt that this defensive ... Read More

What Might Have Been

Sunday December 10, 2006
With the Houston Texans winding down yet another losing season, you can bet their fans are questioning the team's decision to pass on a potential once-in-a-generation offensive superstar with the ... Read More

Who Needs the NFL Network?

Friday December 8, 2006
Still miffed about not being able to watch Thursday night contests because your cable company and the NFL Network can't get their heads out of their rectums? Why bother yourself? If last ... Read More

Hot Topics

Wednesday December 6, 2006
Now I might be just a little biased, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better venue for discussing anything football than our own About Football Forum. ... Read More

Bench Grossman? Not Yet!

Tuesday December 5, 2006
If you ask head coach Lovie Smith, the Chicago Bears have no quarterback controversy. Ask the fans, and it's a different story. After cruising to a gaudy 10-2 ... Read More

Tomlinson Carving Out a Legacy Among the Greats

Monday December 4, 2006
Is there any doubt LaDainian Tomlinson is the best player in the NFL? Yes, a case can be made for Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. But if I'm ... Read More

BCS Debate Becoming a Tradition

Saturday December 2, 2006
It's that time of year again. Temperatures are dropping. Snow is falling. Holiday spirit is in the air. And a BCS controversy, as usual, is brewing. ... Read More

2007 NFL Mock Draft Updated

Friday December 1, 2006
It's early December. Teams are dropping out of the playoff race. And if you're one of the unfortunate fans whose team already has no shot at the postseason, ... Read More

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