The Top 20 Best Selling NFL Jerseys As Of Today

Just a few hours ago the list of best selling jerseys were released:

1. Tony Romo Cowboys
2.Tom Brady Patriots
3.Brett Favre Packers
4.Peyton Manning Colts
5. Ladainian Tomlinson Chargers
6.Adrian Peterson Vikings
7.Eli Manning Giants
8.Randy Moss Patriots
9.Brian Urlacher Bears
10.Troy Polamalu Steelers
11.Devin Hester Bears
12.Marion Barber Cowboys
13.Reggie Bush Saints
14.Ben Roethlisberger Steelers
15.Terrell Owens Cowboys
16.Jason Witten Cowboys
17.Brady Quinn Browns
18.Sean Taylor Redskins
19.Brian Westbrook Eagles
20.Bob Sanders Colts

See what happens when you win the Super Bowl? Your Jersey jumps to the #7 spot.
Brady Quinn? He hasn't taken a snap in the league yet.

Super Bowl XLII Was The Most Watched Super Bowl In History

The New York Giants' thrilling win over New England was the most-watched Super Bowl ever with 97.5 million viewers, a total that is second only to the "M*A*S*H" finale audience, Nielsen Media Research said Monday.

The AC Nielsen numbers are in, and in terms of viewership, Giants-Patriots was the M*A*S*H finale of Super Bowls. The best of the most-watched matchups:

Most viewers, Super Bowl history

		Millions
XLII (2008)	Giants-Patriots	97.5
XXX (1996)	Cowboys-Steelers	94.08
XLI (2007)	Colts-Bears	93.18
XX (1986)	Bears-Patriots	92.57
XXVII (1993)	Cowboys-Bills	90.99

The game eclipsed the previous Super Bowl record of 94.08 million, set when Dallas defeated Pittsburgh in 1996. The final "M*A*S*H" episode, which drew 106 million viewers in 1983, is the only other show in American broadcast history watched by more people.

Sunday's game had almost all the ingredients Fox could have hoped for: a tight contest with an exciting finish involving a team that was attempting to make history as the NFL's first unbeaten team since 1972.

But the Giants ended New England's bid for perfection, 17-14. Throughout the game, the teams were never separated by more than a touchdown.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who was to appear on David Letterman's "Late Show" on Monday, also won bragging rights over his brother: Last year's win by Peyton Manning's Indianapolis Colts was seen by 93.2 million people, now the third most popular Super Bowl.

Fox, a division of News Corp., charged $2.7 million for 30 seconds of advertising time on the game.

An eye-popping 81 percent of all TV sets on in the Boston area Sunday were tuned in to the game. In New York, the audience share was 67 percent.

The audience peaked between 9:30 and 10 p.m. ET -- the fourth quarter -- with 105.7 million people watching, Nielsen said.

Giants, Patriots Defy Laws, Logic

With the Super Bowl next Sunday also comes the two weeks of intensive media coverage and huge anticipation. The Super Bowl is the ultimate decider of which team has had a successful season. It does not matter how many wins or how many records a team has achieved in a season. All that matters is the Big Game.

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And both Super Bowl contenders know this unsettling fact. Both the New York Giants and New England Patriots know that their seasons mean nothing without a Super Bowl win. This knowledge weighs more heavily on the Patriots, who just finished a stellar 16-0 season with numerous records, accolades, and praises.

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This is a historic Super Bowl. Will the Patriots be the second undefeated team ever to win one? Will the Giants pull off a monumental upset and undo all the accomplishments of Tom Brady and Co.?

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This is a Super Bowl of the defiant. Both teams defied what was thought to be possible. The Giants this season broke records for wins as an away team. New York also made three huge upsets in the postseason, beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Green Bay Packers. The Giants proved that they are more than underdogs and should not be underestimated. The Giants also defied common sense. Instead of resting their starting players like any other team would in their last game of the season against the Patriots, New York used all of their starters. These defiant Giants have proved to be more dangerous than sports analysts originally anticipated.

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And then there's the Patriots. New England defied all reason and modesty by achieving a perfect regular season with numerous touchdown records to boot. Not many people thought that Peyton Manning's old record would be broken by Tom Brady any time soon. New England defied many people's expectations that "Finally, this is the game they're gonna lose".

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With such two defiant teams playing next week, it is impossible and unwise to bet on who will be victorious. New York might defy reason and expectations once again and spoil a perfectly questionable perfect season.

It's About Tynes! The New York Giants Will Represent The NFC In The Super Bowl

First, I would like to begin by saying the Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants have something in common. That is, both of their kickers failed both Mannings. Peyton Manning's kicker, Mike Vanderjagt failed him years ago and now Eli Manning's kicker, Lawrence Tynes, failed him as well. However, unlike Vanderjagt, Tynes was given a second chance and came through on the his second attempt to help send Eli Manning and the Giants to the Super Bowl.

The unbeaten Pats punched their ticket to Arizona earlier in the day. No surprise there. The twist? To win their fourth Super Bowl in seven years, they'll have to deny Eli Manning.

A suddenly matured Manning guided the Giants to their ninth straight road win Sunday, a frostbitten 23-20 overtime victory over the Green Bay Packers for the NFC championship. The Giants grabbed their first NFC championship in seven years, capping a month long surge that reversed a trend of mediocrity built around Manning's inconsistency. He has been a revelation in the playoffs, however, and his calm leadership keyed New York's turnaround.

This game was quite entertaining and dramatic all the way down to the last quarter...and longer. Eli Manning played nearly to perfection, throwing for 254 yards. Though he did not throw a touchdown, he also did not throw any interceptions. Speaking of interceptions, Favre threw two of them and the last interception he threw cost the Packers the game in overtime because it set the Giants up for the game winning field goal. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw both switched off running all over the Packers. Jacobs ran for 67 yards and Bradshaw ran for 63 yards and they both had a touchdown each. On the Packers side, Ryan Grant was shut down with only 29 rushing yards. Finally, Plaxico Burress completely schooled Al Harris with 154 receiving yards.

After Lawrence Tynes missed a 36-yard field goal at the end of regulation following a bad snap, he got a reprieve in overtime following Corey Webster's interception of a struggling Brett Favre. He nailed a 47-yarder, then sprinted directly to the locker room as the rest of his frozen teammates celebrated on the field.

The Giants deserved to win this game, especially after their game winning touchdown was taken away from them towards the end of the fourth quarter because of a questionable holding call.

Now comes Mission Impossible for Manning and the Giants, who will play the unbeaten New England Patriots in two weeks for the NFL title. The Giants came very close to beating the Patriots in the final game of the season, but we all know how that worked out.

IF Tony Dungy Retires, Jim Caldwell Would Be The New Head Coach

And I hope that's a big IF...but its true. Assistant head coach Jim Caldwell would replace Tony Dungy if the Indianapolis Colts coach retires, team owner Jim Irsay said Thursday night.

Irsay hopes Dungy will return and expects to speak to him this weekend, the owner said at a party celebrating an exhibition of the Jack Kerouac "On The Road" manuscript he owns at The New York Public Library.

Irsay said he might be able to make accommodations for Dungy such as allowing him to attend his son's high school football games in Florida on Friday nights. But he has no doubt that Dungy's commitment will be "100 percent" if he continues coaching.

The Colts, the Super Bowl champions last year, were 13-3 in the regular season before falling 28-24 to San Diego last week in their playoff opener.

Caldwell has been an assistant to Dungy the last seven years -- one in Tampa Bay and the last six with the Colts, where he has coached quarterback Peyton Manning. Caldwell filled in for Dungy for one game in 2005 following the death of Dungy's 18-year-old son, James.

Caldwell spent more than 20 years in college football, and his only head coaching experience came at Wake Forest. He spent eight seasons with the Demon Deacons and led them to a bowl game in 1999.

The San Diego Chargers Advance In The Playoffs

First, the Chargers lost LT. Then Philip Rivers. And they still beat the defending champion Colts ... on the road. Are you kidding?

Even without LaDainian Tomlinson and Philip Rivers, the Chargers made sure the Indianapolis Colts won't repeat as Super Bowl champions.

Honestly, as a big Colts fan, I have to admit the Indianapolis Colts didn't deserve to win this game. They played horrible. They played like the playoff Colts I remember from 2 years ago. On offense, Peyton Manning's passes were tipped and intercepted. At times I didn't know what he was thinking when he overthrew passes or tried to fire them in. Oh, and what a wonderful defense! No, seriously, that defense was great! (That's sarcasm). You know what the worst part is? Almost all the calls and penalties favored the Colts. They had plenty of help and still couldn't win.

OR PERHAPS the Colts should have won this game? I don't know, but look at it this way. They technically should have won, but they didn't deserve to win. The main reason why the Colts lost the game was because of 3 red zone possession turnovers...2 of which were freaky, tipped passes that just happened to land in the defender's arms. Those 2 bizarre interceptions (I swear the ball just happened to land in the defender's arms) should have been at the bare minimum 2 field goals instead. So instead of the Colts losing 28-24...they could have won 29-28! By 1 single point the Colts would have won if those bizarre, tipped interceptions never happened. Oh well, that's football.

I still have more. Injuries plagued this team all game and the Chargers just seemed to have done everything right. Even the Chargers' punter played well, pinning the Colts back on their final drive. However, injuries also plagued both teams. Injuries took a toll on both teams in Sunday's AFC divisional playoff game.

San Diego lost LaDainian Tomlinson for much of the day with a bruised left knee. The Chargers also watched Phillip Rivers head to the locker room after hurting his right knee on a short pass that Darren Sproles turned into a 56-yard touchdown on the last play of the third quarter.

Indianapolis lost safety Bob Sanders, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, briefly with a shoulder injury, while running back Joseph Addai sat out a portion of the second half after being shaken up on a 10-yard run.

Rivers jumped to throw the ball to Sproles and landed awkwardly. He was helped onto a training table on the sideline before going to the locker room for evaluation. By the time he jogged back out of the tunnel onto the Chargers sideline, he already had been replaced by Billy Volek.

Tomlinson was injured during a second-quarter run and remained on the sideline through the end of the third quarter, even though the Chargers said his return was probable. Sanders injured his shoulder tackling Turner with 6:14 remaining in the third, but returned the next time the Colts defense took the field.

Tomlinson limped off after being tackled on an 8-yard run that helped set up a second-quarter touchdown. The NFL rushing champion fumbled on the play, but San Diego recovered and Rivers threw a 14-yard TD pass to Vincent Jackson on the next play.

Tight end Antonio Gates, whose status was uncertain because of a dislocated big left toe, played sparingly in the first half. His first reception, a 23-yard catch, came on the same drive Tomlinson was hurt.

Chargers defensive end Luis Castillo also was taken to the locker room for attention after being blocked in the ribs on a first-quarter passing play. He returned after only missing a few plays.

But as LT and Philip Rivers watched, Michael Turner and Billy Volek helped the Chargers reach the AFC title game in New England.

With Billy Volek at quarterback and Michael Turner as the main runner, San Diego went 78 yards on eight plays, with Volek sneaking in from the 1 with 4:50 remaining for the lead. The Chargers' big-play defense then held on downs at its 7, and stopped Indy again in the final moments to preserve their eighth straight win.

The Chargers persevered 28-24 and its a sad day in the NFL, except for Chargers fans. Oh yea, and this may have been Tony Dungy's last game. I hope not.

The Chargers didn't come close against the Patriots in Week 2, falling 38-14. That was the beginning of a slide to 5-5 for San Diego. Perhaps this is a sign of the inevitable. That is, the New England Patriots were meant to win the Super Bowl this year.

And Philip Rivers needs anger management help with the way he was screaming at the Colts fans. Even the commentators said he needs to give that up. Seriously, though. Things like that is what gets you penalized or hated by millions of fans. I can't stand that guy's attitude and his constant angry face. Even when he's smiling he looks angry. He hasn't even accomplished anything yet, except for almost making me hate Tom Brady less. Still, despite that mad face he could be the nicest guy in the world. Anyway, I'm probably just sour the Colts lost.

The Future Of Coach Tony Dungy Is In Speculation

This is bad news for the Colts and Colts fans alike. Can you picture Peyton Manning talking on the sideline to any coach other than coach Dungy? I sure can't.

The good news is Coach Tony Dungy doesn't want to talk about retirement...yet.

Dungy, who has considered leaving football each of the past two years, acknowledged Thursday he would talk with his wife and Indianapolis officials about the future when the Colts' season ends.

Speculation about his potential departure was fueled by a report Thursday in The Tampa Tribune that said his son, Eric, enrolled at Plant High School in Florida. Eric Dungy, who turns 16 Saturday, was a receiver-defensive back at Park Tudor High School in Indianapolis the last two years but reportedly began attending classes at Plant on Tuesday.

Tony Dungy would not confirm the report.

"I'm not going to say anything because it's not really worthy of comment," he said. "I've heard and read a lot and some of it is true, some of it is partially true and some of it isn't true at all. I wouldn't read anything into any of the things you hear and read."

The 52-year-old Dungy signed a three-year contract extension in September 2005, a deal intended to keep him with the Colts through 2009.

But he has considered leaving football before.

He waited one week after the 2005 season to announce he would return when some speculated he might retire to spend more time with his family following the death of his 18-year-old son, James. Last year after leading the Colts to their first Super Bowl title in more than three decades, Dungy again briefly considered retirement.

And he's ready to follow the same decision-making process again this season.

"I'll sit down with my wife and talk it through and then talk to [owner] Jim [Irsay] and [president] Bill [Polian], like I do every year," Dungy said. "And then we'll take a look at it."

Since winning the Super Bowl, Dungy has become more involved in life away from football.

A longtime supporter of charitable groups such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters and All-Pro Dads, Dungy wrote a best-selling memoir, "Quiet Strength", which now has 1 million copies in print. He also was appointed to the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.

Dungy has said in the past he never intended to be a "lifer" in football and that he initially planned to retire by the time he was 50. But when he announced his return as Colts coach in February, Dungy said he still had the passion to keep coaching.

Colts players say they've seen no indication Dungy intended to leave.

"He's not said anything and I certainly hope not," Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday said.

Dungy is 127-65 in 12 seasons as a head coach, finishing his six-year career in Tampa Bay as the franchise's winningest coach. He is the only Colts coach to get double-digit victory totals and earn playoff berths in six straight seasons. He led the Buccaneers to the NFC Championship Game in 1999 and has been to the AFC Championship Game twice with the Colts, following the 2003 and 2006 seasons.

In 2007, the Colts became the first team in league history to win at least 12 games in five consecutive years, and Indy has won five straight AFC South titles. Dungy also has been an assistant coach with Minnesota, Kansas City and Pittsburgh and spent three seasons in the late '70s playing for the Steelers and San Francisco 49ers.

Indy's quest to repeat as Super Bowl champs begins Sunday when the San Diego Chargers visit for a divisional-round game that could mark the final time Indy plays in the RCA Dome. The new Lucas Oil Stadium, a retractable-roof dome, opens next season.

Dungy's assistant head coach, Jim Caldwell, also has become a regular on the interview circuit. He met with the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens about their openings last week and interviewed with the Arizona Cardinals last year.

The Many Faces Of Donovan McNabb

First, Donovan McNabb complained that the reason sports fans and analysts were scrutinizing his poor performance was because he's a black quarterback. Now, he insists that the reason for the Eagles' poor performance is because of the lack of playmakers on the team.

Um, hello? You're not exactly the greatest playmaker either, Donovan McNabb. Ever since your first injured season, its a coin toss whether can remain healthy enough to play every year. Also, you hold onto the ball and fumble too much and you try to force plays that aren't there.

This raises an interesting debate. Its a very fine line between receivers and quarterbacks. Who is to blame when something goes wrong? And don't give me that line its a team sport and everyone is responsible. If mistakes happen too frequently by one player, most teams wouldn't hesitate to get rid of that one player holding them back.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb made his desires known with his blog posting on yardbarker.com.

McNabb

"Now that the season is over and we are concentrating on 2008, I hope we are able to secure some playmakers in all three phases of the game," McNabb wrote in his Monday posting. "Maybe some of those playmakers are already on the roster but have struggled with injuries, myself included, that have held us back a little."

Coach Andy Reid had pointed to the team's numerous injuries as one reason why the Eagles finished 8-8 this season. He also said that players should be careful in addressing personnel situations, because the person in the next locker might not take it the right way.

"I haven't heard Donovan talk about that, so I'm not answering it," Reid said during a wrapup news conference on New Year's Eve. "I know, as players, you have to be careful about saying that, because those are your teammates that are being replaced. Most players don't get into that, who really care about their teammates on the other side."

Nice way to handle it Andy Reid. You don't want to break up the team chemistry or create an imbalance in the locker room.

McNabb didn't mention any names of play-makers and difference-makers he'd like to have on his side, but he did direct attention to a certain undefeated team and how it went about its business.

"You can't argue with how the Patriots went outside their locker room and stocked up on playmakers last year. It certainly helped to have Randy Moss, Donte' Stallworth, Wes Welker and Adalius Thomas making plays for them all year," McNabb said in his blog posting.

"I'm surprised that anyone would have a problem with me, or anyone else in the organization, expressing a desire to bring in more quality players," he added. "We were 8-8. There is room for improvement. This is a competitive sport. It's about putting together the best players, the best team, and giving yourself the best chance to win.

Again, what McNabb just said goes back to my debate. Does the quarterback make the receivers or do the receivers make the quarterback? Nobody knew who Reggie Wayne was until Peyton Manning developed him into a skilled receiver. However, Tom Brady, who already won Super Bowls with average receivers, inherited already gifted receivers this year and it looks like nothing can stop them. Would Donovan McNabb be any better if he had a Randy Moss on his team, or would he continue to get injured, force interceptions, and fumble?

OH WAIT! McNabb already had one of the best receivers in the game on his team. Anyone remember Terrell Owens? And we all know how that worked out.

If, McNabb is unhappy on the Eagles, he would make excellent trade bait. Any team would love to scoop this guy up just because of the name he carries and they would probably trade generously for him.

Tom Brady Wins Offensive Player Of The Year. Big Surprise

Was there any doubt? Just like all those wins, the NFL awards keep rolling in for Tom Brady. The league's Most Valuable Player added The Associated Press 2007 Offensive Player of the Year honors to his collection Tuesday, easily outdistancing his main weapon on the unbeaten New England Patriots, Randy Moss.

If Tom Brady played defense, he'd probably win that award too.

Indeed, of the four players who received votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL, three were Patriots. Brady, of course, led the way, just as he did through the first 16-0 regular season in league history.

"We set out a bunch of goals early in the season," Brady said, "and I think I said the best part about playing quarterback here is I just have to do my job, show up every day and work hard just like everybody else. I think my job description is just a bit different than everybody else's, but there's a lot of satisfaction knowing that I can just come out there and worry about myself and expect that everybody else is going to do their job.

"It's been a fun season. There's no doubt about it."

And it's been a rewarding season for Brady, the first New England player to be chosen MVP and now the first Patriot to win Offensive Player of the Year.

HOWEVER.... History will not be on Tom Brady's side this postseason. Only one quarterback (Joe Montana, 1989 49ers) who has won the AP Offensive Player of the Year award has gone on to capture the Super Bowl title in the same season. All the QBs to take the honor since it's 1973 inception are below.

Player	Team	Year
Tom Brady	Patriots	2007
Peyton Manning	Colts	2004
Brett Favre	Packers	1995
Steve Young	49ers	1992
Warren Moon	Oilers	1990
Joe Montana	49ers	1989
Dan Marino	Dolphins	1984
Joe Theismann	Redskins	1983
Dan Fouts	Chargers	1982
Ken Anderson	Bengals	1981
Bert Jones	Colts	1976
Fran Tarkenton	Vikings	1975
Ken Stabler	Raiders	1974

Then again, the New England Patriots have defied and broken all laws this year, so this stat shouldn't really apply to them.

Indianopolis Colts' Bob Sanders Is The Top Defensive Player Of The Year

In a season where it looked as if the players and coaching staff on the New England Patriots were going to receive every award possible, Bob Sanders' impact on the vastly improved Indianapolis defense, not to mention his impact on opposing ball carriers, earned the Colts safety The Associated Press 2007 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award Monday.

Sanders makes highlight films with his smash-mouth style and knack for always being near the ball. His value as a leader -- the Peyton Manning of the Colts' defense, if you will -- was just as much a factor in Indianapolis having the third-ranked unit in the NFL and allowing just 262 points, a league low.

Yes, these Colts can play dominating defense, and Sanders is the main reason.

"One of the things we talked about when he first got here was how critical this position is in this defense," said coach Tony Dungy, who has nicknamed Sanders "The Eraser."

"Donnie Shell went to five Pro Bowls, and John Lynch went to I don't even know how many Pro Bowls. You get asked to do a lot of things in this defense, and it's rare to find someone who can do those things."

Sanders did enough to earn 31 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL. That was particularly impressive because it was a strong season for individual defensive performances.

Yet next closest in the balloting were Seattle end Patrick Kerney and Tennessee tackle Albert Haynesworth with four votes each.

Sanders was a huge factor in the Colts' surge to the Super Bowl title last year. He missed most of the regular season, got healthy for the playoffs, and suddenly teams couldn't run or pass effectively on Indy.

With Sanders in the lineup for 15 games this season, the Colts were superb defensively on their way to a 13-3 record and the AFC South crown.

Not that Sanders laid back in an attempt to stay healthy.

"[The award] is a goal I set for myself every year and for it to come so fast is something I never expected," Sanders said. "It's exciting, it's an honor and I will cherish this moment forever."

His teammates were celebrating right there next to him.

Indianapolis is typically regarded as an offensive juggernaut, and Sanders is the first Colts player to win the defensive award.

Plus, he did it in a season when the Colts lost their other key defender, Dwight Freeney, for the final seven games with a season-ending foot injury. Freeney was just one of a handful of starters who missed games, but Sanders remained the constant on defense.

Bob Sanders is just the fourth safety to be named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year, which was first awarded in 1971.

Safety	Team
Bob Sanders	2007 Colts
Ed Reed	2004 Ravens
Kenny Easley	1984 Seahawks
Dick Anderson	1973 Dolphins

Include MVP In The List Of Tom Brady's Accomplishments This Year

Was their any doubt? Tom Brady rewrote the NFL record book in 2007 and earned all but one MVP vote.

The New England Patriots' record-setting quarterback drew all but one vote Saturday in romping to The Associated Press 2007 NFL MVP award in the same manner his team romped through its schedule, going 16-0. On the way to the first unbeaten regular season since Miami went 14-0 in 1972, Brady put on a performance for the ages.

"I have always been a huge football fan and will always have great respect for the history of this game," Brady said. "I am grateful to all of the voters for any consideration I was given. It is a tremendous honor and I am sure it is one that my family will one day look back on with great pride."

The eight-year veteran who already has won three Super Bowls helped the Patriots tear through the record books by throwing for 50 touchdowns. He beat Peyton Manning's league mark by one, and also threw 23 of those TD passes to Randy Moss, which lifted the receiver past Jerry Rice's record of 22.

New England scored 589 points, another record, as was the Patriots' 75 touchdowns. Brady led the NFL with a 117.2 passer rating -- no, not another record, but close to Manning's 121.1 in 2004. Only one full-time AFC starter, Jacksonville's David Garrard, had fewer than Brady's eight interceptions. And Brady threw 253 more passes than Garrard.

Brady also was tops with a 68.9 completion percentage, and his 4,806 yards were 383 more than runner-up Drew Brees of New Orleans.

The Indianapolis Colts Are Breaking Records Of Their Own

The Indianapolis Colts are dishing out money left and right and its paying off. There is no doubt that the Colts' offense has been near the top of the list every year since Peyton Manning's mastery of the offensive system. However, a major contribution to what made them get to and win the Super Bowl last year was their lightning-fast defensive players who have taken all the criticism over the years and turned it into improvement. The Colts want to make sure they hold onto there players, even if it means dishing out record breaking offers to keep them. Then again, if a team offered more money, why would you want to sell yourself out and leave a huge franchise like the Colts?

After the 2003 season, quarterback Peyton Manning agreed to what was then a record $99.2 million, seven-year contract that contained a still-record $34.5 million signing bonus.

Before the start of training camp, Dwight Freeney signed a $72 million, six-year deal, making him the league's highest-paid defensive end. The contract included a $30 million signing bonus.

Now, Colts safety Bob Sanders has signed a five-year, $37.5 million contract with Indianapolis that includes $20 million in guaranteed money, according to NFL sources.

Bob Sanders

The contract makes Sanders, 26, the highest-paid safety in the NFL.

The Pro Bowl selection, whose playoff performance sparked the Colts on their run to a Super Bowl victory last season, would have been an unrestricted free agent after this season. Sanders is a strong contender for this year's NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Some Comments on the 2008 Pro Bowl Voting

NFC

-It's very nice to see the public give Favre (possibly) another farewell game after the season is over. I agree with voting him in as QB over Tony Romo, especially this year.

-Terrell Owens and Larry Fitzgerald should bring out the best in Favre, who isn't used to throwing to receivers of this caliber.

-The public really loves the new guy Adrian Peterson. Based on his inconsistency, I wouldn't have picked him over Westbrook, who you can always rely on.

-Did anyone not see Al Harris get burned repeatedly when he played the Cowboys. He's terrible. Good thing Terrell Owens is on his side this game. It doesn't matter though, if not T.O, then Randy Moss will exploit Al Harris.

-Watching Devin Hester return kicks is the only exciting aspect of the Bears. There isn't anybody who can do it better.

AFC

-As a Manning fan, I think he is more of a team player who would do a better job managing his team, the time, and get the overall win. However, the Pro Bowl isn't really about who wins. It's not like baseball where a win determines home field advantage. The Pro Bowl is all about flash and showing off. So in that regard, I can see why Brady would be voted the starter. This year, a Brady pass to Randy Moss is more exciting than a Manning pass to Wayne.

-How can you go wrong with the #1 receiver in the league (Moss) and the #1 receiver (Wayne) on the second best team in the league? You can't possibly lose with Moss. He'll push off the defender every time and never get flagged for it.

-How can you go wrong with the #1 tight end in the league (Anotonio Gates)

-LaDainian Tomlinson is becoming more like the LT of last year more and more and if he keeps this up he'll put Adrian Peterson in his place.

-Ed Reed and Bob Sanders is a good duo at safetys. As is Champ Bailey and Asante Samuel at cornerbacks.

The AFC Pro Bowl Team Unleashed

AFC Offense
Pos.	Name	Team
WR	Randy Moss*	New England
WR	Reggie Wayne*	Indianapolis
WR	Braylon Edwards	Cleveland
WR	T.J. Houshmandzadeh	Cincinnati
OT	Matt Light*	New England
OT	Jason Peters*	Buffalo
OT	Jonathan Ogden	Baltimore
OG	Alan Faneca*	Pittsburgh
OG	Logan Mankins*	New England
OG	Kris Dielman	San Diego
C	Jeff Saturday*	Indianapolis
C	Dan Koppen	New England
TE	Antonio Gates*	San Diego
TE	Tony Gonzalez	Kansas City
QB	Tom Brady*	New England
QB	Peyton Manning	Indianapolis
QB	Ben Roethlisberger	Pittsburgh
RB	LaDainian Tomlinson*	San Diego
RB	Joseph Addai	Indianapolis
RB	Willie Parker	Pittsburgh
FB	Lorenzo Neal*	San Diego

AFC Defense
Pos.	Name	Team
DE	Jared Allen*	Kansas City
DE	Kyle Vanden Bosch*	Tennessee
DE	Jason Taylor	Miami
DT	Albert Haynesworth*	Tennessee
DT	Vince Wilfork*	New England
DT	Jamal Williams	San Diego
OLB	James Harrison*	Pittsburgh
OLB	Mike Vrabel*	New England
OLB	Shawne Merriman	San Diego
ILB	DeMeco Ryans*	Houston
ILB	Ray Lewis	Baltimore
CB	Champ Bailey*	Denver
CB	Asante Samuel*	New England
CB	Antonio Cromartie	San Diego
FS	Ed Reed*	Baltimore
SS	Bob Sanders*	Indianapolis
SS	Troy Polamalu	Pittsburgh

AFC Special Teams
Pos.	Name	Team
Punter	Shane Lechler	Oakland
Kicker	Rob Bironas	Tennessee
Kick returner	Josh Cribbs	Cleveland
Special Teamer	Kassim Osgood	San Diego

* = Starter

Patriots Beat the Colts.... and the Refs

Well if there was any question coming into this weekend as to who the best QB, or the best team in the NFL were, they have now been answered. Now most of us new the answer was Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, but now everyone should know that.

Brady showed exactly why he is the best. In the 2nd half and the 4th quarter, as Peyton Manning struggled (as he usually does under pressure) Brady stepped up and guided his team to victory.

The game was marvelous. It was played at such a high level.... and then there were the referees. Clearly, someone paid them off. Lets start with the beginning shall we? The coin flip goes against the Colts, Patriots won. So what happened? The ref picked up the coin and did the flip again!! Are you kidding me? Then how about the play that set up Joseph Addai's 70 yard TD pass. The Colts were stopped short, clearly short (by about 2 yards). A commercial break happens, and we come back to a 1st and 10 for the Colts! How about the 60 yard pass interference penalty that set up one of the Colts field goal. The offense player (on the Colts) tackled the defender who was in position to make the INT and the defender gets called for pass interference.

It was horrible. Even the other editor of this blog, Michael, who is a die-hard Colts fan thought the refs were clearly in favor of the Colts.

But with that said, the Pats come out on top. They are 9-0 and only 7 games away from perfection. They may go down as the greatest team ever assembled.

All Eyes On Super Bowl 41.5

Passing offense:
Patriots - Clearly the Patriots are superior in this category. Listen to these stats, 73.5 completion percentage, over 300 yards per game, and Tom Brady has 30 TD passes with only 2 INTS.

Colts - The Colts have a great pass offense, but they don't match the Pats: The Patriots have the edge in almost every statistical category. Advantage: Patriots.

Rushing offense:
Patriots - We all know about Brady and Moss, but do we really understand the Pats can also run the ball? They average over 135 yards per game and 4.2 per carry. Those numbers are good and we shouldn't sleep on them.

Colts - With that said about the Pats, the Colts get over 140 yards per game and 4.4 per carry. Both numbers are slightly higher than the Pats. Though not by much, the Colts get the advantage here. Advantage: Colts.

Rushing defense:
Patriots - To pick a winner in this category is very difficult, here is why. The Pats have better statistics against the run only because they typically get out to such a big lead teams need to abandon the running game. There giving up under 88 yards per game rushing. But as I said, teams don't have time to waste by running against them.

Colts - The Colts give up more than 100 yards rushing per game, however they are pretty good in this category as well. With the return of a healthy Bob Sanders, this team can stop the run. That's why they have the edge. Advantage Colts

Passing defense:
Patriots - Again this is a little mis-leading because of the tremendous leads the Pats have had. They have given up 10 TD's and have forced 11 interception. Also, they have recorded 22 sacks. But as I said earlier, they should give up a lot of passing TD's because all teams do is pass against them.

Colts - The Colts have allowed only 5 TD's and have forced 9 interceptions, while recording 12 sacks. However, if they were thrown on as many times as the Pats have been, these numbers would clearly show the Pats dominance. Advantage: Patriots.

Special teams (returns):
Patriots - The Pats are averaging 29.2 yards per kickoff return with 2 touchdowns and 10.1 yards per punt return.

Colts - The Colts are averaging 23.9 yards per kickoff return with no touchdowns and 9.0 yards per punt return. Advantage: Patriots.

Special teams (kickers):
The Colts have Adam Vineteri, enough said. Advantage: Colts.

Coaching
We all know the coaches, but Bill Belichick is the best in the game, maybe ever. Advantage: Patriots

My prediction:
I think the Patriots have too many offense weapons. They are going to run up and down the field, and wait for Peyton to make a mistake. Granted, that may never happen, but the odds of him making a mistake are bigger than Tom Brady making a mistake.

Patriots win 41-35 (and cover the 5 points spread).

Patriots - Colts Matchup

Not only do the Patriots win games, but they punish teams. No other team would go for 4th and 1 when you're already up by 5 touchdowns, but the cocky, arrogant Patriots don't care. They have the tools, the cameras, the signals, the non-trustworthy faces, and any other means to win. However, if there is one team (and only 1 team) that can and has been proven to beat the Patriots, that is the Colts.

If the Colts should lose this weekend, I wouldn't be surprised. After all, the Patriots were so angry from losing to the Colts last year that they went out and got some of the best players. The Patriots need to put up 40 points a game to prove to America they are the best. The Colts don't have to prove anything to America because America already knows they are the best because they won the Super Bowl.

Offensively, both teams can score at will. There is no difference in the passing game. A Brady bomb to Moss or Welker is the same as a Manning bomb to Wayne or Harrison. However, their running games are very different. The Patriots have no running game, making them one-dimensional. The Colts, on the other hand, have the little guy Addai who can squeak through any defense and thus enable the Colts to control the clock. In addition, the Colts defense has improved greatly over the year and it can match up to the Patriots defense which actually lost players.

In the end it will be a great game and I will grant this to both teams: Whichever team wins this game will most likely go undefeated for the rest of the season