About Football

Chiefs Cut Larry Johnson

2009-11-10T00:15:10Z

As has been reported by multiple media outlets, the Kansas City Chiefs have cut running back Larry Johnson following recent controversial behavior that had resulted in a one-week suspension.

The two-time Pro Bowler will now have to pass through waivers where another team could claim his prorated $4.55 million base salary and $60,000-plus per-game roster bonus. In the likely event that all other teams pass on his contract, Johnson will be come an unrestricted free agent where he's likely to see some interest from teams in need of a veteran running back. His 2.7 yards per carry average probably isn't going to inspire many clubs to open the vault, however.

For all you fantasy football nuts, the move opens the door for second-year ball carrier Jamaal Charles, who should see his touches increase significantly in Johnson's absence. I wouldn't get too excited, though, considering Kansas City is 24th in the league in rushing yards and has yet to score a touchdown on the ground all year.

Chiefs Cut Larry Johnson originally appeared on About.com Football on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 00:15:10.

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Did You Know...

2009-11-06T02:59:42Z

Herb Adderley was an All Big-Ten offensive star as a running back at Michigan State University before becoming a first round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 1961. As a rookie in the Packers training camp, he competed against future Hall of Fame running backs Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung, but head coach Vince Lombardi decided to try the former Spartan as an emergency replacement for injured starting cornerback Hank Gremminger... and the rest, as they say, is football history! Read more...

Did You Know... originally appeared on About.com Football on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 02:59:42.

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NFL Tiebreaking Procedures

2009-11-05T02:54:12Z

As we prepare to enter the second half of the NFL season and the playoff races start to heat up, NFL tiebreaking procedures are sure to come into question. This reference page provides the list of tiebreakers the NFL now uses for divisional races and Wild Card races as well as for ties between two, three, and more teams. For future reference, this page will be listed in the Football 101 section with other informative pieces such as:

How to Calculate a Quarterback Rating
Common NFL Defensive Formations
Uniform Numbering System
Officials, Referees, and Umpires... What's the Difference?
NFL Scheduling Procedures

NFL Tiebreaking Procedures originally appeared on About.com Football on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 02:54:12.

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Did You Know...

2009-11-01T00:00:11Z

The penalty flag was first used in the NFL in a game between the Green Bay Packers and the Boston Yanks on September 17, 1948. More football firsts...

Did You Know... originally appeared on About.com Football on Sunday, November 1st, 2009 at 00:00:11.

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The History of Grass... Artificial That Is!

2009-10-31T00:29:34Z

Ever wonder where Astroturf came from or how it has evolved over the years? Inventors Guide Mary Bellis looks at the history of phony grass.

The History of Grass... Artificial That Is! originally appeared on About.com Football on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 00:29:34.

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Officials, Referees, and Umpires... What's the Difference?

2009-10-28T20:40:36Z

Football officials... they're the men on the field we all love to hate and complain about. But without these keepers of the rules, a football game could not progress with any sort of structure or sanity.

Officials play a very important role in the game, from keeping things moving along to making sure the athletes don't unnecessarily hurt each other. Officials are responsible for monitoring the game clock and play clock, enforcing the rules of play, and recording all rule infractions.

You often hear them referred to by the general term of referee, but there is actually only one referee on the field during a game. Each official (usually seven in college and NFL games) has his own title and assigned responsibilities. Read more...

And if you've ever wondered what it takes to become an NFL official, we have all the details.

Photo: Eliot J. Schechter / Getty Images

Officials, Referees, and Umpires... What's the Difference? originally appeared on About.com Football on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 20:40:36.

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Zorn in No-Win Situation

2009-10-24T12:50:31Z

If recently emasculated Redskins head coach Jim Zorn has any sense, he'll seriously consider packing his belongings and taking the next flight out of D.C.. The situation in Washington, unfortunately, is looking more and more every day like a disaster just itching to unfold. And Zorn seems to be in a position now that he can't win no matter what he does.

With Zorn being stripped of play-calling duties and replaced in that capacity by a guy who has been out of the game for years and whose last big gig included calling Bingo games, it seems the coach's days are numbered. If the Redskins don't turn things around, Zorn is as good as gone, that's fairly obvious.

But here's the catch. If they do manage to somehow climb back into the playoff hunt, the credit won't go to Zorn. Read more...

Zorn in No-Win Situation originally appeared on About.com Football on Saturday, October 24th, 2009 at 12:50:31.

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Top NFL Draft Prospects for 2010

2009-10-22T22:25:45Z

I know, I know... it's way too early to start talking about the 2010 NFL Draft, and any speculation at this point is subject to huge revision six months from now. Regardless, I've put together a very premature collection of the top 32 draft prospects as I see them right now.

At this point, I have Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy listed as the top prospect overall, assuming he opts to turn pro following the season. Along with McCoy there are a number of underclassmen, as always, in our initial release of the rankings. In fact, they make up half of the top ten.

More often than not a quarterback like McCoys' Sooner teammate Sam Bradford hears his name called first on draft day. At this point, however, any one of a handful of players could be the guy. Check the list...

The individual position rankings are coming soon!

Top NFL Draft Prospects for 2010 originally appeared on About.com Football on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 at 22:25:45.

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What is the Wildcat Offense?

2009-10-18T15:25:19Z

It's no secret the NFL is a league of copycats. If one team finds success with a new wrinkle, you can bet other teams will attempt to duplicate it.

The latest big fad spreading through the league involves the Wildcat offense. Perhaps more appropriately referred to as the Wildcat formation or Wildcat package since no NFL team runs it as their primary offense, the non-traditional attack has caught on with several teams and been very effective in some cases.

So what is the Wildcat offense and what are its advantages?

What is the Wildcat Offense? originally appeared on About.com Football on Sunday, October 18th, 2009 at 15:25:19.

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Bored By Office Pools? Try Something New!

2009-10-13T01:38:41Z

Getting tired of the same old office pools that pop up each year with the opening of the football season? Why not try something different this year like a prognostication pool?

What is a prognostication pool?

It can be a one-time thing or a weekly contest featuring your favorite team, or perhaps pick the top match-up of the week. The idea is to successfully predict the outcome of a series of questions based on the anticipated results of a particular football contest. Questions can be as simple as who will win the game and as obscure as which quarterback will post the highest passer rating. Each question, generally anywhere from 10-20 total, gives the participant the opportunity to register one point each by correctly predicting a certain outcome. The player who makes the most correct predictions is that game's winner, or you can accumulate points over an entire season to determine a champion.

Here's an example of a prognostication pool...

Bored By Office Pools? Try Something New! originally appeared on About.com Football on Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 at 01:38:41.

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