December 30, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Brian Hoyer (6) passes the ball during the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Today, the Cleveland Browns added another quarterback to their depth chart. They have signed quarterback Brian Hoyer. Hoyer was released by the Arizona Cardinals this week. According to SiriusXM Radio’s Adam Caplan, Brian Hoyer signed a two year deal with the Browns.

Everybody remembered when Hoyer came into the league as a member of the New England Patriots back in the 2009 season. In 2009, Hoyer would play in five games and throw for 142 yards. But his first start of his NFL career came last season in Week 17 against the San Francisco 49ers. In that game, the Cardinals would lose 27-13 but Hoyer would play alright. He threw for 225 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

Also Hoyer had a quick stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers in his career. Obviously, Hoyer will not be competing for the number one quarterback spot as that goes to Brandon Weeden. But he will be in competition for the number two quarterback spot with Jason Campbell and Thaddeus Lewis.

Last season Campbell played for the Chicago Bears while Lewis was playing for the Browns. In Week 17, against the Steelers, Lewis threw for 204 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

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Dec 23, 2012, Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) jogs off the field following a 42-13 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Week 16 in the NFL was great as the playoff picture is a lot clearer than the week before and is now in the books. Speaking of books, the NFL history books were subject to several changes.

The AFC playoff picture is set and is pretty much ready to go, with a couple positions left to be determine, and the NFC still have some loose ends to settle, but the light can be seen down the tunnel.

Week 16 resulted to these scenarios as all six playoff spots in the AFC have been clinched.

• The Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts each clinched a playoff berth Sunday. The Bengals defeated the Steelers at Pittsburgh 13-10 and the Colts earned their playoff berth on the road at Kansas City against the Chiefs, 20-13. Both teams earned Wild-Card berths.
• The once-shaky Baltimore Ravens beat the New York Giants 33-14 to clinch the AFC North.
• In the AFC, the Ravens (AFC North), Houston Texans (AFC South), Denver Broncos (AFC West), and the New England (AFC East) have clinched their division.
• On Saturday night, the Atlanta Falcons secured home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with their win against the Detroit Lions, 31-18.
• In the NFC, the Falcons (NFC South) and the Green Bay Packers (NFC North) have clinched their division.
• The Seattle Seahawks secured a playoff spot with their beatdown of the San Francisco 49ers Sunday night, 42-13. The Seahawks and 49ers can still win the NFC West. If the 49ers defeat the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17, their will win the division.
• The Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys remain in contention for the NFC East division title. The Redskins, Giants, Minnesota Vikings, and the Chicago Bears remain in the hunt for a Wild Card berth. However, if the Vikings defeat the Packers in Week 17, they are in.

The 2012 NFL season will forever be marked as the year for the rookie quarterback.

Four rookie quarterbacks – Colts’ Andrew Luck (4,183), Cleveland Browns’ Brandon Weeden (3,385), Redskins’ Robert Griffin III (3,100) and Miami Dolphins’ Ryan Tannehill (3,059) – have already reached 3,000 passing yards this year, the most rookies to reach the mark in a season in NFL history.

“Robert, obviously being the quarterback, he leads them,” said Redskins’ head coach Mike Shanhan. “I think one of the biggest honors that Robert has had is being elected captain at mid point in the season. It doesn’t happen very often, so it kind of gives you an idea of what people think of him and how he handles himself on a day-to-day basis, because that’s not easy to have happen.”

Luck passed for 205 yards and a touchdown in the Colts’ victory Sunday. Luck has 4,183 passing yards and passed the record set by Carolina Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton a year ago of 4,051 yards for the most by a rookie in NFL history.

“That’s something that I didn’t know going into the season we would even come close to, with the number of other rookies that we have,” said Colts’ interim head coach Bruce Arians. “I knew he was capable of it. We’re not a dink and dunk offense. We’re throwing it down the field. If we complete them, we’re going to be up there around 4,000 yards every year like we always have been.”

Luck, who threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne with 4:08 remaining in the fourth quarter, has seven game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime. That is tied for the most by a quarterback in a single season since the 1970 merger.

The last quarterback to accomplish the feat was Peyton Manning in 2009.

Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson could join the rookie 3,000 passing yards club in the final week of the NFL (2,868). Wilson needs 132 yards against the St. Louis Rams.

Wilson threw for 171 yards with a career-high four touchdowns and a 115.3 passer rating Sunday. Wilson’s 25 touchdown passes this season are the second-most among rookie quarterbacks all-time, one shy of Manning’s record 26 in 1998.

Texans’ wide receiver Andre Johnson caught seven passes for 97 yards on Sunday. Johnson, who has 806 career receptions, recorded his 800th catch in his 137th game, reaching the mark in the second-fewest games in NFL history.

Only former Colts’ wide receiver Marvin Harrison amassed 800 catches in fewer games (131).

Lions’ wide receiver Calvin Johnson totaled 225 receiving yards on 11 catches (20.5 average) on Saturday night in a losing effort against the Falcons. With the performance, Johnson accomplished the following feats:

• Set the NFL record for receiving yards in a season with 1,892 (Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, 1,848 in 1995).
• Recorded his 11th 100-yard receiving game in 2012, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin (11 in 1995) for the most in a season.
• Set an NFL record with eight consecutive 100-yard receiving games, surpassing Charley Hennigan (seven consecutive in 1961) and Irvin (seven consecutive in 1995) for the longest such streak in league history.
• Registered his NFL-record fourth consecutive game with 10 or more receptions.

Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning passed for 339 yards with three touchdowns for a 106.6 passer rating in a 34-12 win against the Browns, which helped the AFC West-champion Broncos improve to 12-3 after a slow start.

Dec 23 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) comes out of the pocket to pass in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Sports Authority Field. The Broncos defeated the Browns 34-12. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

“I think we’ve made some strides each week,” said Manning. “I still have to admit that’s it’s not going to be [like] an offense that’s been together for five years. It’s not going to look like that because we haven’t. We’ve only been together for however many weeks, so we’ve tried to improve each week, but a lot of things just take time. We’re trying to do the best we can in this limited amount of time.”

Since entering the NFL in 1998, Manning’s teams have reached 12 regular-season wins in nine different seasons, the most by a starting quarterback in NFL history (Tom Brady currently have six, Brett Favre finished with six and Hall of Famers in John Elway and Jim Kelly had four).

“I know you guys don’t believe me when I say I’m still kind of learning about myself physically and what I can do,” said Manning when asked playing well at this time in his career. “It’s still the truth, and I still have things that are harder than they used to be and things that I continue to have to work on, from a rehab. standpoint to a strength standpoint. And that’s just the way it is, and maybe that’s just the way it’s going to be from here on out for me. I don’t know. I’m going to keep trying.”

New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees passed for 446 yards and three touchdowns in the team’s 34-31 overtime win against the Cowboys at Dallas. Brees has 4,781 passing yards and is the first player in NFL history to record at least 4,500 yards in three consecutive seasons.

Over the past three seasons, Brees has 14,877 passing yards, the most in any three-year span in NFL history.

Patriots’ wide receiver Wes Welker had 10 catches for 88 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots’ 23-16 win against the Jaguars at Jacksonville. Welker has 18 career games with at least 10 catches and passed Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and Andre Johnson (17) for the most such games in NFL history.

Cowboys’ tight end Jason Witten had six catches for 60 yards in the Cowboys’ overtime loss to the Saints. Witten has 103 receptions, the most by a tight end in a single season in NFL history. Falcons’ tight end Tony Gonzalez set the record in 2004 with 102 receptions.

For Week 17, the Playoff scenarios are as followed:

Dec 10, 2012; Foxborough, MA, USA; Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) runs against the New England Patriots during the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ivins-USA TODAY Sports

AFC

Texans (at Indianapolis)

Houston clinches a first-round bye with:

1)      HOU win or tie or

2)      NE loss or tie or

3)      DEN loss

Texans clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

1)      HOU win or

2)      HOU tie + DEN loss or tie or

3)      NE loss or tie + DEN loss

Broncos (vs. Kansas City)

Denver clinches a first-round bye with:

1)      DEN win or tie or

2)      NE loss or tie

Denver clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

1)      DEN win + HOU loss or tie or

2)      DEN tie + HOU loss

Patriots (vs. Miami)

New England clinches a first-round bye with:

1)      NE win + DEN loss or

2)      NE win + HOU loss

New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

1)      NE win + DEN loss + HOU loss
NFC

Dec 23, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley (88) reacts after getting a first down during the game against the Tennessee Titans at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Packers (at Minnesota)

Green Bay clinches a first-round bye with:

1)      GB win or

2)      GB tie + SF loss or tie or

3)      SF loss + SEA loss or tie

49ers (vs. Arizona)

San Francisco clinches NFC West division with:

1)      SF win or tie or

2)      SEA loss or tie

San Francisco clinches a first-round bye with:

1)      SF win + GB loss or tie or

2)      SF tie + GB loss

Seahawks (vs. St. Louis)

Seattle clinches NFC West division with:

1)      SEA win + SF loss

Seattle clinches a first-round bye with:

1)      SEA win + SF loss + GB loss

Redskins (vs. Dallas)

Washington clinches NFC East division with:

1)      WAS win or tie

Washington clinches a playoff spot with:

1)      CHI loss + MIN loss

Cowboys (at Washington)

Dallas clinches NFC East division with:

1)      DAL win

Giants (vs. Philadelphia)

New York clinches a playoff spot with:

1)      NYG win + DAL loss or tie + CHI loss + MIN loss

Vikings (vs. Green Bay)

Minnesota clinches a playoff spot with:

1)      MIN win or

2)      MIN tie + CHI loss or tie or 

3)      DAL loss or tie + NYG loss or tie + CHI loss

Bears (at Detroit)

Chicago clinches a playoff spot with:

1)      CHI win + MIN loss or tie or

2)      CHI tie + MIN loss

Nov 18 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) waves to the crowd as he leaves the field following the win over the San Diego Chargers at Sports Authority Field.The Broncos defeated the Chargers 30-23. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

At one point when the Baltimore Ravens had to play against the Indianapolis Colts, the fans of Charm City were excited to have the opportunity to pound the team that left their proud city. However, the Colts had quarterback Peyton Manning and he has tormented the Ravens for the past few years.

Over time, the thrill of going up against Manning was not very thrilling as he posted an 8-2 record against the Ravens. So, when Manning was expected to left the Colts to sign with another team, there was probably a sigh of relief knowing that the Ravens would not have to face number 18 no time soon. Until, the 2012 NFL schedule surfaced and the Broncos were on the Ravens’ calendar – then Manning signed with Denver.

The Ravens’ playoffs situation does not look good right now after losing two consecutive games, with three contests left against playoff caliber teams. Apparently, Manning’s timing of playing against the Ravens is critical, especially since he could easily be labeled as – the Raven Killer.

“The Baltimore folks asked me about that as well,” said Manning when asked about his history against the Ravens. “Those were different teams, different players. I can’t speak to the past. I really can’t speak to what’s happened here, the history of Denver in Baltimore. All I know is we’re going on the road playing an excellent team. They’re extremely tough to play at home. They’ve had some injuries like all teams do, but I know they have that ‘next man up’ mentality.

“Defensively, they create a lot of turnovers, and they’re extremely tough to score touchdowns against once you get in the red zone,” he continued. “They hold a lot of teams to field goals, if not turnovers. That’s our challenge this week, is trying to win against that.”

In the face of the big bad Ravens (9-4), a team that intimidated many players and opponents in previous years, Manning simply picked Baltimore’s defense apart with no fear – against units that had younger leaders in linebacker Ray Lewis, safety Ed Reed and the better core of defenders who supported them.

Sunday when the Broncos (10-3) ventures to Baltimore, a franchise that is 0-5 against the Ravens, Manning will face a Ravens’ squad who will not have the services of their spiritual leader in Lewis, who will not be activated to play after having surgery on his right triceps which placed him on the injured reserve-designated to return list in October, and a banged up Reed who playing with a bum shoulder.

Nevertheless, Manning praises and respects the leadership of Lewis and Reed.

“I think Ray, like I said, his intensity and his passion, it’s real,” said Manning. “I’ve always kind of kidded, Ray is just as intense and passionate in the fourth quarter of the fourth preseason game as he is in the first quarter of a playoff game. It’s real. That’s pretty special and that’s pretty unique. Some guys can turn it on in the big games. He always has it on. Every time I’ve played against him, which has been a bunch, I have great respect for the way he prepares for the game mentally.

“But his intensity and passion and spirit over there, it’s real and it’s contagious for his teammates, which is a great quality,” he continued. “It’s very difficult. He’s a tremendous player whose intensity, whose passion has not changed one bit since 1998, the first year I played against him, which is pretty impressive for a guy in his 17th year.

“Ed Reed is, in my opinion, the best safety in the NFL,” he added. “Has been this past decade. You really kind of can go on and on. Tremendous ball skills, tremendous range, tremendous athlete based on what he does with the ball once he gets it in his hands. [He’s] one of the smarter defensive players I’ve ever played against.”

Other than not having all their leaders healthy and ready to play, the Ravens will be vulnerable to Manning’s passing attack because he has more talented weapons and Baltimore’s defense lacks consistent discipline, especially in the secondary. Without a healthy linebacker in Terrell Suggs, the Ravens had issues with putting consistent pressure on quarterbacks all season.

Number 18 also has a defense that can compete against the Ravens’ offense.

It is safe to say that Manning will have a 9-2 record against the Ravens by Sunday evening.

Barry Barnes is the founder of LockerReport.com and you can follow him @2BSports

November 18, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Byron Leftwich (4) runs past Baltimore Ravens strong safety Bernard Pollard (31) to score a thirty-one yard touchdown run during the first quarter at Heinz Field. The Baltimore Ravens won 13-10. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

The fourth quarter of the NFL season is finally here. The playoffs, technically, begins in January, but for many squads, the postseason starts now.

“This is when you need to be playing your best ball heading into the cold weather and the playoff atmospheres that we’re about to embark on,” said New York Giants’ defensive end Justin Tuck Monday after practice, who team normally performs well at this time of the season. “This is when you want to be playing your best, so that’s very important. A lot of times we see teams start hot and end on a cold note.

“We’ve been more of the variety of start hot, get cold and then heat up again,” he continued. “So hopefully we can end this season playing our best ball and heading into the playoffs playing our best ball. That’s where you want to be.”

As the NFL move into Week 13, there are 26 teams either in or within two games of a playoff spot.

“Our goal is to keep winning and get to the big one,” said Denver Broncos’ wide receiver DeMaryius Thomas. “We’re going to take every game one at a time, take it week by week and just keep going. We’re going to try to keep winning.”

For the most part, the legitimate contenders are in place and they now must position themselves to better their chances to get to New Orleans for Super Bowl XLVII.

Five teams – The Atlanta Falcons (NFC South), Baltimore Ravens (AFC North), Denver Broncos (AFC West), Houston Texans and the New England Patriots (AFC East) – can clinch a playoff berth this week.

However, there’s still a month to go, which means there is a ton of football left to be played.

“It’s all right there in front of us,” said New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees, who faces an elimination game each week with a 5-6 record. “I firmly believe that if we take care of our business and worry about ourselves, things will happen in a way we envision and we’re going to have a chance to get into the playoffs. We understand the sense of urgency and the small margin for error at this point.”

As the NFL enters Week 13, there are 19 teams either in or within one game of a playoff spot, including 11 in the NFC.

Among the teams seeking to strengthen their position in the AFC playoff race are the Indianapolis Colts (7-4), who have already made a five-win improvement from their 2-14 record last season.

The Colts are looking to reach the postseason for the 10th time in the past 11 seasons. They will have to travel to Detroit to face the Lions’ team who will be looked to pound an opponent after losing a close contest to the Texans last Thursday.

“It’s December, but the process is still the same,” said Colts’ interim head coach and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. “Stay with it one play at a time, one day at a time and don’t get caught up in all that. The team philosophy is that we just keep winning. Just stay within the moment.”

New Orleans and Atlanta kicked off Week 13 with great drama, but the Falcons held off the Saints (and picked off quarterback Drew Brees five times. Brees’ five interceptions was a career-high for a single game as he pressed to get his team a win.

“It’s the first time it has ever happened to me and is extremely disappointing,” said Brees. “I pride myself on being a great decision maker and the guy that is going to help us win the game and not be a detriment and turn the ball over like that.

“A couple of critical mistakes today that ended up costing us the game and I’m okay saying that because I have to hold myself accountable,” said added. “I’ve made some critical mistakes in the last few weeks and they have cost us dearly. I felt like our team really played their butt off in all phases. Were there mistakes made yes, but we played well enough to win.”

The Falcons ended Brees’ 54 game streak of completing a touchdown pass and their four game losing streak against the Saints. The Saints (5-7) can not win their division, but they still have a slim chance to make the playoffs, with a lot of help.

The Falcons (11-1) can have the NFC South wrapped up this weekend with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost.

Clearly, the Falcons are happy to exercise some demons by defeating the Saints, but the playoffs are not on their minds, just the Carolina Panthers in 10 days.

“We still have four regular season games to go and we try and take them one game at a time,” said Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan. “We’re going to try and enjoy these couple of days off. After that we’re going to get back to work. We have Carolina in 10 days or so and we’re going to need to get ready for that. We try not to think that far ahead. One of the things I’ve learned in my five years is that if you’re worrying about what you’re going to do in January in September, October, November, December, you’re wasting your time.

“I’ve tried to keep that week to week focus but at the same time we’ve had some sour tastes in our mouths at the end of the last couple of seasons, so hopefully we’ll have an opportunity to change that.”

Upset Alert!!!

The Minnesota Vikings (6-5) are on that pretenders list as a team that would to shock the football universe and make it to the playoffs. Minnesota started off hot this season as winners of three out of their first four contests and led their division, until they chilled out. Nevertheless, the Vikings are good for at least one more shocker and the Green Bay Packers (7-4) maybe that squad for the pickings.

Both the Vikings and the Packers are coming off loses. However, the Vikings are looking to stop the bleeding of missing the playoffs for the third straight year. The Vikings are balanced and the Packers are a little banged up, especially without having their pass-rushing monster in linebacker Clay Matthews in the lineup (although there is no word yet about his participation for Week 13).

If the Vikings can find a way to keep Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his offense off the field for all long period of time, which they can with running back Adrian Peterson carrying the load, the Vikings could get their second road victory of the year Sunday.

Games to Watch

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) at Baltimore Ravens (9-2)

Google Images

The biggest, baddest rivalry of all sports – Take Two. The Steelers will take on their favorite, most hated opponent, the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore Sunday. The Ravens will be without their defensive captain, linebacker Ray Lewis. However, Lewis has not been the thorn in the Black and Yellow’s side in recent years. That honor goes to defensive end Terrell Suggs.

Suggs has haunted and tormented the Steelers, especially quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Well, Big Ben is not expected to play Sunday due to his shoulder injury, in which he could perform with if he could endure the pain. Apparently, the man Suggs will be chasing around is 38-year old quarterback Charlie Batch, who had a rusty outing against the Cleveland Browns last Sunday.

This game will be tight because both of the teams’ defenses will keep them in it. It just boils down to which offense will make the big play when they need it.

Seattle Seahawks (6-5) at Chicago Bears (8-3)

Google Images

Two beastly teams in the thick of things for this season’s playoff chase will meet at Soldier Field. The Bears lead the NFC North, while the Seahawks are battling for a Wild Card spot.

Thanks to the New York Giants’ victory over the Green Bay last Sunday, The Bears have a one game lead in their division over the Packers.

Seahawks’ rookie quarterback Russell Wilson has guided Seattle to six wins and has led the NFL with a 128.6 passer rating in November. Wilson posted a passer rating of at least 125 in all three November starts and he is the first rookie in NFL history to register a 125-plus rating in three consecutive games.

“We’ve got a huge game in front of us,” said Wilson about the Bears. “That’s our only focus. That’s got to be a narrow focus. We’ve just got to keep battling.”

Seahawks’ cornerbacks Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman may miss out on the contest as they face a four-game suspension for violating the league’s policy for steroids and related substances.

“To allow our focus to remain on football, during the appeal process we will refrain from any further public comments regarding this situation,” said the players in a release statement from the Seahawks’ press release Wednesday. “Thank you for your consideration on this matter.”

Chicago improved to 8-3 with a dominating 28-10 performance over the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday. Running back Michael Bush rushed for two touchdowns and the defense recorded its league-leading 20th interception. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall, in his first year with the Bears, became the fifth player in NFL history with a 1,000-yard receiving season with three different teams (Bears, Broncos, and the Miami Dolphins).

“We are where we want to be,” said Bears’ head coach Lovie Smith. “Back on the winning track and we feel good.”

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5) at Denver Broncos (8-3)

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The Broncos (8-3) can clinch the AFC West on Sunday with a win, while the Buccaneers remain in the middle of the NFC playoff hunt. Denver has won six consecutive games – the longest active streak in the NFL – and the Bucs has won four of its past five.

Since Week 6, the Buccaneers have led the NFC with 228 points (32.6 per game). During that period, quarterback Josh Freeman has 16 touchdowns, three interceptions with a 104.1 passer rating and rookie running back Doug Martin has 1,082 scrimmage yards (154.6 per game) and nine total touchdowns.

The outstanding play of Martin has helped the Buccaneers during their midseason push towards the playoffs.

“Being a rookie, I haven’t seen a whole lot of him,” said Broncos’ head coach John Fox Wednesday. “On a short look, you turn on that Raider tape, and he’s efficient. He’s got good power, even in tight spots. He can take you the distance when he gets into the secondary, so he’s definitely on our radar.”

The Broncos has won six in a row, outscoring opponents 183-107 during period. Quarterback Peyton Manning has led the Broncos to average 30.5 points an outing during their winning streak. Last week, Manning passed for 285 yards and two touchdowns to record his 149th career win, passing Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway (148) for the second-most in NFL history.

“I think you can build off of each game and certainly when you win, I think it does help,” said Manning. “I think you have better practices but you still want to try to improve and the coaches challenge us to improve and I think we have the right kind of players that challenge each other to improve and get better. You’re always trying to play that perfect game. Whether you can or you can’t, but you still strive for that. We still feel like we can improve as a team and we need to improve.”

New York Giants (7-4) at Washington Redskins (5-6)

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The Giants leads the NFC East by two slim games over the Cowboys (5-6) and the Washington Redskins (5-6), but the burgundy and gold can close the gap when they host New York on Monday night.

In Week 7, the Giants edged out the Redskins 27-23. In that game, Giants’ wide receiver Victor Cruz caught the game-winning 77-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Eli Manning with1:13 remaining in the game. The score marked the longest game-winning touchdown in the final two minutes of a game in franchise history.

“Washington is a great team and in this division, everybody plays each other tight, so we’ve got to go out there and prepare well and take advantage of the opportunities when they come,” said Giants’ wide receiver Hakeem Nicks.

The Redskins have won two in a row – both against NFC East opponents – and have been led by rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III. The second overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft has thrown eight touchdowns in the past two games and is the only rookie in NFL history with back-to-back games with four passing touchdowns.

“Well, [they are the] Super Bowl Champs, very talented football team,” said Redskins’ head coach Mike Shanahan. “At the end of the day, we lost the football game. We had four turnovers and we have to find a way to win, especially when you play well. So hopefully we can step up and do what we are capable doing on Monday night and find a way to finish the game.”

In the team’s past two games, Griffin has completed 34 of 43 passes (79.1 percent) for 511 yards with eight touchdowns and one interception for a 146.1 passer rating.

“It has been pretty consistent all year if you take a look at the stats,” said Shanahan. “You have to find a way to close those games. You have to find a way to win those games and that is what we have been able to do the last couple of weeks. We weren’t able to do that in a few very close games before and bottom line is we have to find a way to win.”

Barry Barnes Founder of LockerReport.com

Nov 25, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns middle linebacker D’Qwell jackson earns Player of the Week honors after his performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 12. Photo Credit: US PRESSWIRE

The NFL announced Wednesday that Cleveland Browns’ linebacker D’Qwell Jackson has been named AFC Defensive Player for Week 12.

Jackson registered a team-high nine tackles and helped caused two turnovers as he forced a fumble and recovered another during the team’s 20-14 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland last Sunday.

“(What was) Most important was getting a win against a rival and for the city of Cleveland. They deserved it. I know it has been a rocky year for everybody,” Jackson said. To get a win makes it a little bit better, but it was great for the community and great for the young guys in this locker room to get a win against a rival like Pittsburgh.”

Jackson and the Browns’ defense handcuffed the Steelers to 242 total yards, including just 49 yards on the ground. This outstanding performance marked the Browns’ lowest rushing yards allowed since 2003. In total, the Browns defense forced eight turnovers, which were the most by an NFL team since 2001 and the most by the Browns since 1989.

This is the first AFC Defensive Player of the Week award for Jackson. He is the first Brown to win AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors since linebacker David Bowens in Week 7 of the 2010 season.

In 2011, Jackson was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for September. While he has received some personal awards, Jackson says  that winning as a team is more important.

“That’s something you think about after the season, but I’m not about personal accolades. It’s great, don’t get me wrong. I put a lot of pride into what I do and I’m passionate about what I do. I love what I do and I love playing here in the city of Cleveland. It’s all about everyone in this locker room and the coaches. It’s a little bit better when you win games and as you guys know, there have been some rocky years at times. We had a great week last week hopefully we can carry it over to Oakland, get another win and start a streak here.”

Barry Barnes is the founder of LockerReport.com and you can follow him @2BSports

Dec 04, 2011; Landover, MD, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Plaxico Burress (17) along the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. the Jets defeated the Redskins 34-19. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

The Pittsburgh Steelers welcomed back a familiar face to club Tuesday by signing free agent receiver Plaxico Burress to a one-year deal. Burress spent his first five seasons in the NFL with the Steelers after being drafted by the club with the eighth overall pick in 2000.

Free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer also inked a one-year deal with the Steelers. According to the team’s press release, financial terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Burress became a free agent in 2005 and signed with the New York Giants and played a huge role in the team’s championship season in 2007 when they lifted the Lombardi Trophy.

Due to a gun incident, in which the 6-5, 232-pound wide receiver shot himself in the leg in a New York city nightclub (a city where firearms are not permitted), Burress was arrested and later sent to prison for two years from 2009 to 2010.

Burress was given an opportunity to play the game he loves and he spent the 2011 season with the New York Jets after being out of football. Last season, Burress played in all 16 games (13 starts) for the Jets and recorded 45 receptions for 612 yards and eight touchdowns.

During Burress’ career, he has 550 receptions for 8,457 yards and 63 touchdowns. Burress started all 12 postseason games during his career and registered 46 receptions for 688 yards and six touchdowns.

The Michigan State standout’s biggest asset is his ability to catch passes in the redzone area. This dimension will help make the Steelers (7-4) a dangerous threat when they are in scoring position.

Burress will wear No. 80.

Hoyer was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Michigan State in 2009. After playing in 13 games for the Patriots in three seasons, Hoyer was released in August.

To make room on the roster for Burress and Hoyer, the Steelers released running back Baron Batch and linebacker Marshall McFadden.

Barry Barnes is the founder of LockerReport.com. You can follow Barry @2BSports

September 27, 2012;Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) throws a pass during the game against the Cleveland Browns at M

The first month of the 2012-13 NFL season has gone by and we are handing out first quarter grades to the teams around the NFL. How has your team performed through the first four weeks?

Baltimore Ravens

Record: 3-1

Outside of stumbling in week two against the Philadelphia Eagles — a game that the Ravens really should have one — Baltimore has put together a solid first month of the season. They have put up some outstanding offensive numbers during the first month as they have handed the offense over to Joe Flacco. The Ravens are the second-ranked offense in terms of yards per game and they have the league’s fifth-ranked passing attack.

As always with Baltimore, their defense is holding up their end of the bargain as well.

If the team can continue to put on performances like they have during the first four weeks, they will be right in the Super Bowl mix which is where everyone had expected to see them all alond.

Grade: B+

Cincinnati Bengals

Record: 3-1

The Bengals are a team that everyone imagined would fight for the AFC North title this season after making the playoffs the previous year. If the first month is any indication, Bengals fans still have a lot to be excited about. The offense has received a surprising spark from wide receiver Andrew Hawkins and AJ Green has been a beast as expected. Cincinnati is sitting pretty after the first quarter of the season and they have shown no reason to believe they will take a step back.

Grade: B+

Pittsburgh Steelers

Record: 1-2

It is not the start that Pittsburgh and Steeler Nation had anticipated. The team started off the season with a loss to Peyton Manning and the Broncos — the same team that ended their 2011 campaign — and dropped a week 3 contest against another AFC West opponent, the Oakland Raiders. Pittsburgh’s only win has come against the lowly Jets.

A big reason for their early struggles is the lack of running game and their offense becoming one-dimensional as a result. The Steelers average 65 yards per game on the ground which is ranked 30th in the league. Luckily for the Steelers, starting running back Rashard Mendenhall will be coming back this week and should give them the spark they need.

On defense, the team just looks old and slow. They have also been decimated by injury and will see Troy Polamalu and James Harrison return in week five, as well.

Grade: D

Cleveland Browns

Record: 0-4

Oh, the Browns. The team ranks in the lower half of the league in nearly every offensive category and has been painful to watch through the first month. The only real bright spot on the team — which I don’t agree with but many seem to believe — is some promise and potential from rookie signal-caller Brandon Weeden. That’d be nice and all but Weeden is already older than Aaron Rodgers. He needs to be good now or he will never amount to much of a NFL quarterback.

It’s going to be a long season for the Browns who will be in the mix for the first-overall pick.

Grade: D-

December 4, 2011; Cleveland, OH , USA; Cleveland Browns tight end Benjamin Watson (82) hurdles over Baltimore Ravens free safety Ed Reed (20) after making a catch during the third quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric P. Mull-US PRESSWIRE

Ben Watson comes back from injury on the roster bubble, due to the sudden emergence of young tight end Jordan Cameron. Watson, who was out with an undisclosed injury, is making $2.8 million and his roster spot is surprisingly not guaranteed.

While I doubt that he will be cut, stranger things have happened. Cameron has looked great, while Watson is a 31-year-old TE coming off of an injury and is making a significant amount of money. Still, he is just two years removed from 68 catches.

Another young tight end in Evan Moore is also pushing Watson, but he is the most productive tight end on the team and was stated to be the starting TE in early August. He still is the starter, in my eyes, but that hasn’t stopped the speculation. It’s good to see him practicing again, and some more strong performances from the veteran would go a long way in dispelling the claims that he will be cut from the team. Cameron isn’t proven enough.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.

Jan 7, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) huddles with teammates Bernard Scott (28), Andre Smith (71) and Mike McGlynn (66) during the AFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. The Texans defeated the Bengals 31-10. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

This is You Heard It Here First – where thinking outside the box and predicting the future is a social pastime.

We’ve heard a lot this offeseason about the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens being in a rebuilding phase. We’ve also heard a lot about the improvements being made by the Cleveland Browns. What we haven’t heard much about is the team I believe is poised to make a jump to being a perennial playoff team – the Cincinnati Bengals.

When I look at this team I see a franchise that has been liberated from their past. Look at some of the names that are gone from this team in the since the beginning of the 2010 season – Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, Carson Palmer, Cedric Benson, Nate Livings, Dhani Jones, Keith Rivers, Chris Crocker, Roy Williams. Among that list of just a few that have moved on we see a bunch of players who while productive in the past had been dragging this team down and it is obvious that team management is actively seeking to promote youth.

While the Steelers and Ravens have been getting rid of veteran players there is a major difference – those two teams have been waiting to do so and are just at the beginning of the process. Both of those teams will need a year and maybe longer to rebuild into the powerhouses they once were and as we have seen from other teams around the league it can take many many years for this to happen as shown by the once proud Buffalo Bills and the only recently rejuvenated Green Bay Packers.

Unlike their AFC North competition, the Cincinnati Bengals are at the point where their rebuilding is almost complete. Team owners have been patient in allowing the coaching staff led by Marvin Lewis to do the job of fixing the team and looking at the current roster it appears that patience will soon be rewarded.

On offense this team looks very balanced with capable but not necessarily spectacular players all over the park. 2011 draft picks quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green have quickly built a very good chemistry and impressed in their rookie campaigns so as they develop further we can expect that partnership to only become stronger and more productive. The team has more talented youth in the passing game in 2010 draft picks tight end Jermaine Gresham and slot receiver Jordan Shipley and also the most recent addition wide receiver Mohammed Sanu from Rutgers who looks to be the team’s possession receiver.

The running back position looks very encouraging also with young free agent Benjarvus Green-Ellis brought in to replace Benson and some very solid depth behind him in Brian Leonard, Bernard Scott and rookie Dan Herron. Then there is the offensive line that while filled with players that are relatively unknown to casual fans are rock solid in their jobs led by center Kyle Cook who is quietly establishing himself as one of the best centers in the NFL.

On defense, the Bengals appear to be filled with young talent that are emerging as defensive stars of the future. This is one of those defenses that is filled with role-players who won’t stun you with their above average play but rather will knit together as a unit to support their offense and get the job done. Rey Maualuga leads the defense at MLB and although there are questions as to whether he is suited to that role or should be moved back to the outside it has to be said that his production has been very good. The defensive line has been given an influx of youth in recent years with players like Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins and the Bengals reaffirmed that stance by drafting two very solid defensive tackles this year in Devon Still and Brandon Thompson.

In the secondary there is still some veteran experience here with Nate Clements still around but this isn’t likely to last long as the team drafted the highly talented Dre Kirkpatrick who is expected to take the job sooner rather than later and will hopefully learn from Clements along the way. The team will also have the uber-talented Leon Hall making a welcome return after his season-ending injury last year that had a severe impact on the team’s pass defense as Hall was the lynchpin of the secondary. I fully expect this unit to perform a lot better than the numbers they had in 2011.

When you look at both sides of the ball the Cincinnati Bengals are a team on the up and up with plenty of youth and most importantly plenty of talented depth. Their schedule looks pretty good too as they open the season with the Ravens, Browns, Redskins, Jaguars, Dolphins, Browns again and finally the Steelers before a well placed week 8 bye. The second half is a bit tougher as they face the rest of the NFC East and have return matches against the Ravens and Steelers but they also get the entire AFC West so there’s a possibility the Bengals could start with 6 or 7 wins before the bye and then finish with at least 6 more. So yeah – I’ve got a strong feeling this is a 12 win team.

All in all this is a team I like a lot and I’m expecting them to easily win the AFC North with at least 12 wins. When it happens I won’t be surprised and now neither will you because You Heard It Here First.

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The Ravens chose to trade out of the first round having had the lowly 29th pick. They managed to obtain an extra 4th round pick while trading down seven spots. However, there were some quality players available at 29 including Courtney Upshaw which lowers their grade a little.

Apr 26, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Dre Kirkpatrick (Alabama) reacts after being introduced as the number seventeen overall pick to the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

Cincinnati Bengals – D

The Bengals came into the draft in prime position with their two first round picks. With the first they chose to take the upside of Dre Kirkpatrick and this pick was reasonable but they could have let him drop. When it came to 21, they chose to trade down to 27 and picked up a late third. What really drags their grade down is choosing Kevin Zeitler with the 27th pick. Zeitler has numerous question marks with his athleticism being most noteworthy at all. Cordy Glenn and Peter Konz were both still available and are much better prospects so overall the Bengals get a bad grade despite having two picks.

Cleveland Browns – B+

The Browns did what they had to do in trading up to the 3rd overall pick to get star running back Trent Richardson who was the safest player they could have gotten this draft. It could be said they should have given away three picks to do so but when you consider both St Louis and Tampa bay were threatening to trade up the trade was well done. They also had a pick at 22 and chose to reach for quarterback Brandon Weeden. However, the Browns were apparently strong in their conviction that Weeden was the guy they wanted and chose to take him at 22 as they were convinced he would be gone when they picked again at 37. However, it has been revealed the Browns really wanted Kendall Wright and were miffed that he went before they picked at 22 and this admission brings down their draft grade for me.

Pittsburgh Steelers – A+

Pittsburgh got my favorite pick of the night and likely my favorite pick of the whole draft. The Steelers have been desperate for offensive line help and were able to just sit and watch as the draft came to them. David DeCastro is easily the best guard prospect in many many years and is practically guaranteed to be a multiple time Pro Bowler (if the Pro Bowl exists in the future). For taking the best player they could have hoped for and for sheer luck the Steelers get a top grade.

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