Buffalo to retain Jauron as head coach of Bills

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Bills coach Dick Jauron will return next season after team owner Ralph Wilson decided a shake up wasn't necessary despite a third consecutive 7-9 finish that left unhappy fans demanding change.

While acknowledging the fans' dissatisfaction, Wilson said the "team played hard all year long and there are many positives to build on." Low as you can go

After yet another 7-9 season in Buffalo, Dick Jauron's stock in ESPN.com's SportsNation NFL coach approval ratings lies where you might expect it.
Jauron's rating | All coaches

The Bills owner announced he had decided to retain Jauron and the entire coaching staff after meeting with the coach Tuesday at Wilson's home in suburban Detroit.

"I believe that this team, at this time, is better served by continuity in the coaching staff rather than a disruptive overhaul," Wilson said in a three-paragraph statement released by the team.

Wilson warned that he will not be complacent in seeking improvements, saying in his discussions he identified several issues that need to be addressed.

Wilson didn't offer details, but noted his unhappiness with a sputtering offense that was limited to scoring two field goals in its three final home games -- including a 13-0 season-ending loss to New England last weekend and a 16-3 loss to Miami in a Bills home game played at Toronto on Dec. 7.

Despite finishing with the same record as the 2007 team, the Bills showed improvement on both sides of the ball. Graham: Bills Keep Coach

Bills owner Ralph Wilson announced head coach Dick Jauron will be retained. Bills supporters won't need to waste their time bandying names such as Bill Cowher, Marty Schottenheimer and Brian Billick. Fans didn't even get to debate the possibility of Mike Shanahan because his dismissal in Denver hadn't been reported yet, writes Tim Graham. Blog

•Blog network: NFL Nation In quarterback Trent Edwards' first season as starter, the offense scored 10 more touchdowns and gained 4,882 yards -- the most since 2002. On defense, the unit allowed nearly 600 fewer yards than last year and in seven games held opponents to 16 or fewer points.

Bills defensive end and co-captain Chris Kelsay said he is "ecstatic" that Jauron is still the coach.

"I think I can speak on behalf of our entire team that that's what we wanted to see happen," Kelsay said. "To see the team move forward without him, I think would've been a terrible thing, really."

Wilson did not say whether Jauron received a contract extension beyond next season. Jauron had completed his initial three-year contract after this season, and kept his job despite the team losing eight of its final 10 games after a 5-1 start.

The decision to retain Jauron came with input from chief operating officer Russ Brandon and vice president and chief scout Tom Modrak, who will be receiving a larger say in the team's football-related decisions.

Jauron did not immediately return a phone message left for him by The Associated Press.

He becomes the first Bills coach to reach his fourth season since Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Marv Levy retired following the 1997 season.

Wade Phillips lasted three years before he was fired following the 2000 season. Gregg Williams wasn't rehired after three seasons. Mike Mularkey lasted two years before he resigned suddenly during a front-office upheaval following the 2005 season.

Continuity was important to Kelsay, who noted Jauron is his third head coach in six seasons in Buffalo.

"It's like starting from square one again, so we wouldn't have the growth that we've had the last couple of years," Kelsay said. "We can continue on from here and move forward and continue to improve."

Wilson said he is confident the Bills are improving and said he has been encouraged by Edwards' development.

Jauron does have plenty of work to do in turning around a team that has missed the playoffs for nine straight years and faded badly after its hot start. The Bills went 0-6 against their AFC East rivals.

Jauron was the target of heavy criticism for the Bills meltdown, and was particularly faulted for the team's numerous on-field blunders. The Bills earned a reputation for botching scoring opportunities this season, including a blown chance at a field goal before time ran out in the first half against New England.

It was Levy's decision to hire Jauron in his first act as general manager after being lured out of retirement to succeed team president Tom Donahoe, who was fired following the 2005 season. Levy, a Harvard graduate, saw similarities in the Yale-educated Jauron, who earned a second shot at being a head coach after a five-year stint with the Chicago Bears, which ended with his dismissal following the 2003 season.

Levy stepped down following the 2007 season, citing a lack of interest in keeping a front-office job, while also expressing confidence that he had helped steer the Bills in the right direction.

With Chicago, Jauron went 35-46, including a playoff loss, and was the NFL's 2001 coach of the year following a 13-3 finish. He also went 1-4 as an interim coach in Detroit, closing out the 2005 season after Steve Mariucci's dismissal.

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49ers dismiss Martz as offensive coordinator

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Mike Martz, the headstrong coach who took St. Louis to the 2002 Super Bowl, was fired Tuesday after one season as the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator.

San Francisco coach Mike Singletary announced Martz's third firing in less than three calendar years following an afternoon meeting with the veteran offensive mastermind.

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This parting had long been expected, and it wasn't nearly as acrimonious as Martz's last two dismissals in St. Louis and Detroit. Singletary and Martz worked together fairly well for nine games after Singletary's midseason promotion, but the two men clearly have different philosophies of offense.

"I wish him nothing but the best," Martz said of Singletary, adding that the Hall of Fame linebacker will be "an outstanding head coach."

"I am not what he is looking for offensively," Martz said. "I understand that. This is just a part of professional sports."

Martz's dismissal means the 49ers are looking for their seventh offensive coordinator in seven years -- but at least Martz left something on which the new coach can build.

San Francisco's offense was the NFL's lowest-ranked in two of the previous three seasons, but Martz raised the group to competence -- although Singletary's decision to promote quarterback Shaun Hill past J.T. O'Sullivan was a major factor as well.

Singletary, who famously played for the Chicago Bears under Mike Ditka, wants the 49ers to run more of a ground-based, smash-mouth offense instead of Martz's sophisticated passing schemes. San Francisco general manager Scot McCloughan shares Singletary's beliefs, and Martz apparently never developed a relationship with McCloughan during his year in town.

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"After an evaluation period, I felt it was best to go in a different direction," Singletary said. "This was not an easy decision because I appreciate Mike Martz, and I enjoyed working with him. He is a true professional, and I wish him the best in the future. I do recognize the need for a long-term solution on the offensive side of the ball."

The 49ers scored 339 points this season after managing just 219 last year, also racking up nearly 74 more offensive yards per game. San Francisco's 35 turnovers were nearly the same number as last season, and Martz's quarterbacks were sacked 55 times, a frequent flaw in his offenses.

Martz chose O'Sullivan, a veteran backup on his eighth NFL team, as his starting quarterback under head coach Mike Nolan at the start of the season. Singletary benched the turnover-prone O'Sullivan midway through his first game as head coach, and Hill led the 49ers to five wins in their final seven games for a 7-9 finish -- matching their best record since they last made the playoffs after the 2002 season.

Although Martz has a reputation as a pass-happy play-caller, he also got a third consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season out of running back Frank Gore, who praised Martz on Sunday. Isaac Bruce, the longtime Rams receiver who signed with the 49ers in part because of his old coach's presence, had 835 yards receiving, the most by any 49ers receiver since Terrell Owens in 2003.

The 57-year-old Martz coached the Rams from 2000-2005, taking a medical leave after five games in his final season because of heart problems.

He led the Rams to the 2002 Super Bowl after being the offensive coordinator of the St. Louis team that won the 2000 title with the "Greatest Show on Turf."

It featured Kurt Warner at quarterback, Marshall Faulk at running back, and Bruce and Torry Holt in a high-scoring offense that averaged almost 33 points a game in 1999 and 31 points two years later.

Martz was the offensive coordinator of the Lions in 2006-2007, but was fired as the scapegoat for Detroit's late-season collapse last year.

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Big Ben at Steelers' practice, not throwing yet

PITTSBURGH -- Big Ben's headache apparently isn't a big worry to his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates.

Ben Roethlisberger was on the practice field Tuesday, two days after sustaining his third concussion in as many years, but didn't take any snaps or throw any passes. He probably won't until he passes the tests the Steelers require of players who have undergone a concussion.

Roethlisberger

The Steelers won't know until Sunday whether they will play the Colts, Dolphins or Chargers in a divisional playoff game Jan. 11 in Pittsburgh, so coach Mike Tomlin said there's no need to rush Roethlisberger back.

"We have less urgency this time around because we don't play Sunday, quite honestly," Tomlin said Tuesday. "We held him out today because we did that with a lot of veteran players. We will proceed slowly with him because we have that luxury. But we feel comfortable with where he is relative to Sunday and where he's capable of being next week."

The concussion tests compare a player's ability to recall and react before and after a concussion. A player is not cleared to play until his scores return to where they were before he was injured.

"You take it every day until you start meeting your baseline scores," said safety Troy Polamalu, who has had at least seven concussions during his football career.

Roethlisberger was injured Sunday when he was leveled by two Cleveland Browns players simultaneously after releasing a pass, causing him to strike his head on Heinz Field's turf. The hit was similar to that in which he also received a concussion from being dropped by three Atlanta Falcons defenders in 2006.

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Then, with the reigning Super Bowl champions off to a 2-4 start, Roethlisberger rushed back a week later to throw four interceptions -- with two returned for touchdowns -- in a 20-13 loss to Oakland. A week after that, he was intercepted three more times in a 31-20 loss to Denver despite throwing for 433 yards.

Coincidence or not, the only two concussions Roethlisberger is known to have received while with Pittsburgh came that year, easily the worst of his five NFL seasons. The first 2006 concussion occurred in a June motorcycle accident in which he wasn't wearing a helmet.

Roethlisberger's teammates plan to go into their divisional game believing he will be the quarterback who has a 51-20 record as an NFL starter, not the one who had post-concussion problems in 2006.

"It's not a concern. We're not going off what's happened in previous years or anything like that, we're excited about the team we have, we're excited about the position we're in," defensive end Brett Keisel said. "The guy's a winner. He's going to come in and play good ball, I firmly believe that."

Roethlisberger has not talked with reporters since being injured Sunday. He was taken to a hospital during the game and was not in the locker room following the 31-0 victory, and he left the Steelers' facility Tuesday shortly after practice ended.

Tomlin isn't second guessing himself for playing his quarterback, as well as most of his starters, in a meaningless game to keep them sharp and avoid having a three-week layoff before a playoff game. He rested regulars last year before a wild-card playoff loss to Jacksonville.

"We don't have that luxury," Tomlin said. "We don't live in that world. I never second guess the decisions we make. We're thoughtful in the process of coming to those decisions and when we make then, we live with them."

The Steelers practice again Wednesday and Thursday before returning on Monday, and Tomlin isn't ruling out Roethlisberger practicing either of those days.

With so many variables, Tomlin doesn't plan to work on any specifics involving a possible opponent. The Steelers played all the AFC playoff teams this season except for Miami.

"We're familiar with them," Tomlin said. "There will be very few surprises from that standpoint when we find out who we play."

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Quarterback Hill uncertain of future with Niners

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The 49ers secured Mike Singletary's future with a dramatic postgame flourish. A day later, the quarterback just as responsible for San Francisco's late-season turnaround still didn't know what his own future holds.

Shaun Hill left the team's training complex Monday with no idea whether the 49ers (7-9) expect him to return to the starting job after he led the club to five wins in its final seven games. Singletary promoted Hill at midseason, and the veteran backup was among the NFL's most efficient passers during the surge.

"I don't know what to think, I really don't," said Hill, who's 7-3 as a starter over the last two seasons, including 5-0 at Candlestick Park. "You never really know what the perception is, and that's not for me to decide. I feel like I definitely played hard. Sometimes it wasn't as good as I wanted it to be, but I feel like everyone in this league ... has those moments."

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General manager Scot McCloughan was cagey Sunday when asked about Hill, praising his winning percentage as a starter and noting he's under contract for next year.

Even with the uncertainty at their most important position, the 49ers (7-9) were still basking Monday in the excitement of the big finish to their sixth consecutive losing season. Retaining Singletary was an easy choice for president Jed York and McCloughan, who made the call on their inspirational coach earlier in the week.

"He told us, 'This is the last year we're going to go home early, so be ready for that," said running back Frank Gore, who earned his club-record third straight 1,000-yard rushing season Sunday despite a sprained ankle.

Many tougher decisions will come in the next few months, from deciding on an offensive coordinator and a quarterback to navigating the draft and free agency. San Francisco also must decide what to do with Alex Smith, who missed the season on injured reserve.

The 49ers' most prominent free agents are linebacker Takeo Spikes and receiver Bryant Johnson, two veterans who signed one-year deals to prove their worth after failing to get long-term, big-money deals elsewhere. Both played well in San Francisco, but while rookie Josh Morgan's emergence might lead to Johnson's departure, Spikes still fills a need with the Niners -- and he's eager to return.

"It's not like we need a lot," Spikes said. "I feel like this is home, and I feel there is unfinished business."

Spikes has played in Cincinnati, Buffalo and Philadelphia during his career, but he had only positive words about the club he joined in August.

"I would have regrets about leaving this team," he said.

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Watch highlights from the San Francisco 49ers' 27-24 win over the Washington Redskins.

McCloughan has said Smith, the No. 1 pick in 2005, wouldn't be back under the terms of his current contract, but Smith recently said he'd be willing to adjust his deal to stay with the club. It's still far too early to know whether such an adjustment is possible, or whether Smith would be allowed to compete with Hill or another quarterback for the starting job.

Most of those answers won't be known until the 49ers decide what to do about Mike Martz, the coordinator who resuscitated San Francisco's offense this season. Aside from Gore's solid season and Hill's remarkable late-season performances, Isaac Bruce had 835 yards receiving, the most by a San Francisco pass-catcher since Terrell Owens had 1,102 in 2003.

The 49ers scored 339 points this season after managing just 219 last year, also racking up nearly 74 more offensive yards per game. San Francisco had 35 turnovers, nearly the same number as last season, and the quarterbacks were sacked 55 times.

Singletary, Martz and McCloughan all have downplayed any notions of tension between the two coaches, with McCloughan insisting that Martz greatly aided Singletary's transition. Still, Singletary and McCloughan have refused to back Martz's return next year, which probably means San Francisco will have its seventh offensive coordinator in seven seasons.

Martz is a passing-game specialist, and Singletary prefers a lower-key running attack. Martz's agent, who also represents Singletary, would like to see Martz as a candidate for the head coaching job across the Bay in Oakland.

Next season already has begun in the minds of some players who are secure in their spots next season. Linebacker Patrick Willis, who's headed to his second Pro Bowl in a few weeks, went through his usual morning workout before packing up his locker for the winter.

"It's going to be a lot of fun being a part of this organization as we go through 2009," said kicker Joe Nedney, whose field goal as time expired beat the Redskins. "There's going to be a buzz right from the start."

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Steelers' Roethlisberger sustains concussion

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sustained a concussion while being driven into the ground by two Cleveland Browns defenders late in the second quarter of an essentially meaningless game Sunday, but is expected to be ready for the playoffs.

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It will be a decision that is questioned for a long time in Pittsburgh. Against a division rival, should the Steelers still play their starters in a meaningless regular-season finale? Pittsburgh decided to and suffered an injury to its starting quarterback in the process, writes James Walker. Blog

As Roethlisberger delivered a 4-yard pass to tight end Heath Miller over the middle, he was leveled by Willie McGinest at about shoulder level and D'Qwell Jackson at the quarterback's knees. Roethlisberger's head struck the ground hard as McGinest, possibly playing his final NFL game, drove him backward.

Roethlisberger moved his arms and legs and was talking before being placed onto a stretcher and then onto a cart that took him off the field. His helmet was taken apart while he was on the field, a precautionary move so his neck could be stabilized, but hospital tests revealed no additional injuries.

"All tests are negative -- which is a positive," coach Mike Tomlin said. "We are optimistic of where he is going to be [in the playoffs]. The bye is going to be helpful in regards to that."

As he was being driven off the field, Roethlisberger lifted his left arm and raised his thumb to the fans. The gesture drew a loud cheer from a crowd that stayed silent during the nearly 15 minutes Roethlisberger stayed on the turf.

NFL.com Video

Ben Roethlisberger suffered a concussion on a hit from two Browns defenders.

The Steelers players did not huddle in a group or begin saying prayers, as teams often do when they fear a serious injury, because their trainers kept relaying information to them.

"When it starts taking long, you start to get worried and think something's going on, but we got the update from the trainers that he had a concussion," linebacker Larry Foote said.

Running back Willie Parker said, "We were pretty sure he was all right. He was doing all of the things they asked him to do. He didn't have us in doubt or anything."

The Steelers, already locked into the No. 2 spot in the AFC's playoffs, could not improve their playoff position by beating the Browns. But Tomlin wanted Roethlisberger and the other starters to play most or part of the game -- the Steelers went on to win 31-0 -- because they won't play again until Jan. 10 or 11.

"It was a productive effort," Tomlin said.

Before getting hurt, Roethlisberger was 9-of-14 for 110 yards and an interception that came after Pittsburgh had driven to a first down at the Browns 20 late in the first quarter.

Heinz Field has a grass surface, which generally is more forgiving than artificial turf when a player's head strikes the ground.

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Raiders hope to have talk with Giants' Gilbride

The Oakland Raiders are in the process of requesting permission to speak with New York Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride about their vacant head coach position, according to a report from ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.

As the Giants enter their bye week for the opening round of the playoffs, Gilbride is expected to take the opportunity to interview for the job. New York (12-4) is the NFC's top seed and has home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

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However, Raiders sources tell Mortensen that interim head coach Tom Cable has a solid chance of retaining the post.

Cable moved into the role when Raiders owner Al Davis fired Lane Kiffin four games into this season. Cable won two straight games to finish the season and was 4-8 as head coach.

Cable is expected to meet with Davis soon. The owner did not travel with the team to Tampa Bay for the regular-season finale because of a leg injury.

"I want to be the head coach of the Raiders, but it's not in my hands," Cable told reporters after Sunday's game. "But I certainly know I put this team together and got it going in the right direction, and [Sunday's win] proved that."

The Giants promoted Gilbride from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator after the 2006 season. The former offensive coordinator with the Houston Oilers, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh and Buffalo was a head coach for the San Diego Chargers.

Ward gives Giants a pair of 1,000-yard rushers

MINNEAPOLIS -- New York Giants running back Derrick Ward topped 1,000 yards rushing for the season on Sunday against Minnesota Vikings, giving New York only the fourth pair of 1,000-yard backs in league history.

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Derrick Ward & Brandon Jacobs are the 4th pair of teammates in NFL history to each rush for 1,000 yards in a season.

Brandon Jacobs, who was inactive on Sunday, rushed for 1,089 yards this season. Ward entered the game needing 52 yards to join him in the club, and picked that up on a 5-yard rush in the third quarter.

Miami's Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris formed the first running back duo to rush for 1,000 yards each in 1972. Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier did it for Pittsburgh in 1976 and Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack did it for Cleveland in 1985.

Atlanta also had two 1,000-yard rushers in 2006 with running back Warrick Dunn and quarterback Michael Vick.

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Crosby misses attempt at longest FG in history

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Green Bay's Mason Crosby missed an attempt at the longest field goal in NFL history on a free kick to end the first half of Sunday's game with the Lions.

With Green Bay leading 14-7, Packers punt returner Will Blackmon called for a fair catch as time expired at the Green Bay 41. That allowed the team to try the free kick.

The Lions, trying to avoid becoming the first 0-16 team in league history, began leaving the field despite the repeated announcement by referee Ed Hochuli that the half was not over.

After several minutes, the Packers took the kick and Crosby's 69-yard effort from the hold of Matt Flynn bounced just short of the base of the goal post.

The seldom-used rule allows a receiving team the option to put the ball in play by a snap or a free kick with the defense at least 10 yards off the line of scrimmage.

It was the first such kick attempt since Neil Rackers' 68-yard try on Nov. 23 against the Giants. Before that, Tennessee's Rob Bironas missed a 58-yarder on Oct. 9, 2005.

The last successful attempt was by Bears kicker Mac Percival, who hit a winning field goal in the final minute to beat the Packers 13-10 on Nov. 3, 1968.

"I remember it, it was 43 yards to win the game," Packers historian Lee Remmel said. "It was definitely an unusual kick to most people, but not to me."

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Colts' Manning records ninth 4,000-yard season

INDIANAPOLIS -- Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Dallas Clark wasted no time in hitting milestones Sunday against Tennessee.

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Manning extended his own NFL record for 4,000-yard passing seasons to nine, while Harrison moved into second on the NFL's career receptions list and Clark broke the franchise's long-standing single-season record for yards receiving by a tight end.

And they needed only about 23 minutes to complete the trifecta.

Manning entered the game needing 93 yards to hit 4,000, achieving it on a 55-yard touchdown play to Joseph Addai. The two-time league MVP left the game after the opening possession, finishing 7-of-7 for 95 yards with one TD and a perfect 158.3 rating. He has failed to hit 4,000 yards passing in only two of his 11 NFL seasons -- 1998, his rookie year, and 2005, when he threw only 14 passes in the final two games and finished with 3,747 yards.

NFL.com Video

Peyton Manning plays only one series but reaches 4,000 passing yards for the 9th time.

Dan Marino ranks second all-time with six 4,000-yard seasons.

Harrison, the record-setting receiver, achieved another milestone midway through the second quarter. A short pass from Jim Sorgi gave Harrison his seventh reception of the game and 1,102 in his career. It moved him past Cris Carter for second all-time, leaving him behind only Jerry Rice, who holds the league record with 1,549.

Clark also had his moment in the spotlight.

He needed 41 yards to break the record set by Hall of Famer John Mackey in 1966. Clark accomplished that when he turned a short pass into a 23-yard gain on the second play of the second quarter. He left the game with six catches for 59 yards, giving him 848 yards, 19 more than Mackey's previous mark.

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Struggling Cardinals to play starters vs. Seattle

TEMPE, Ariz. -- In a perfect world, playoff-bound Arizona would rest its starters in the meaningless regular-season finale against Seattle on Sunday. [+] Enlarge

Kevin Terrell/Getty Images

Cardinals starters like Kurt Warner, seen here in November, won't be getting Sunday off as the team tries to reclaim momentum for the playoffs.

In the Cardinals' world, the starters will play as the NFC West champions try to pull out of a late-season tailspin. Arizona is groping for answers after dropping four of its last five games, including blowouts against Minnesota and New England in the two weeks after it clinched its first division title in 33 seasons. The lowly Seahawks (4-11) may be just what the Cardinals need to find themselves. "I think the most important thing that we have to do is play well," coach Ken Whisenhunt said after a chilly morning practice Friday. "So that's what we're looking to do." Whisenhunt is the first Arizona coach to ponder a choice between resting his players for the playoffs or trying to keep them sharp despite the risk of injury. The only other time the Arizona Cardinals made the playoffs, in 1998, they slipped in as a wild-card entry on the season's final Sunday. The Cardinals (8-7) are locked into the fourth seed in the NFC playoffs. They'll play host to their first postseason game since 1947, when they nested in Chicago, but the date and opponent aren't known. The game will be either Jan. 3 or 4, and Atlanta, Dallas and Carolina are the possible opponents. At the moment, Whisenhunt is more concerned about his team than its potential playoff opponent. That's why Sunday's game against the Seahawks has taken on added significance. "I think what we've learned from this team is that we need to stay sharp and play well," Whisenhunt said. "So that's what our focus is this week, because we haven't played well the last two weeks because our focus hasn't been where it's needed to be. So in order to get ready for the playoffs, it's important that we play better." Still, Whisenhunt doesn't plan to push it with players nursing injuries. The most notable is receiver Anquan Boldin, who missed the New England game with a shoulder injury and has sat out the last three days of practice. He's listed as questionable. Boldin has 11 touchdown catches, tied with Randy Moss for most among NFL receivers, but he hasn't scored in his last three games. Whisenhunt said he'd like Boldin to play Sunday, even if it's only briefly. "We'll see Sunday," Whisenhunt said. "He's gotten a lot better. We'll work him out and see." Running back J.J. Arrington (knee) and safety Adrian Wilson (toe) are also questionable. Defensive end Travis LaBoy (ankle) and safety Matt Ware (calf) are doubtful. A victory Sunday would give the Cardinals a 9-7 record for only the second time since they moved to Arizona in 1998. They would also finish 6-0 against the NFC West, their first perfect division record. But those encouraging numbers tell only part of the story. The Cardinals are 3-7 outside the woeful NFC West, with their last non-division victory coming Oct. 12 against Dallas, a possible playoff foe. The Cardinals have been outscored 405-393 on the season. The only other teams that have conceded more than 400 points are Detroit (0-15), Kansas City (2-13) and St. Louis (2-13). And Arizona is averaging 71.1 rushing yards per game, last in the NFL. Whisenhunt said he was "embarrassed" by his team's rushing production "because we feel like we're a better team than that." With Kurt Warner throwing to fellow Pro Bowl starters Larry Fitzgerald and Boldin, the Cardinals will live or die in the air. But Whisenhunt would like to see the Cardinals' running game gain a little traction heading into the postseason. "It'd be nice to get into a game where we could have a chance to run it in the fourth quarter, or in the second half, where we're not having to play from behind like we have the last two weeks, even though we weren't making much ground doing that," Whisenhunt said. "That's why I think it's important that we play better this week."

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0-15 Lions on '08 finale: 'It's our Super Bowl'

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Cornerback Travis Fisher said he won't fly back to Detroit from Green Bay if his Detroit Lions somehow manage to find a way to beat the Packers on Sunday.

"If we win, I ain't catching the plane back home," he said with a laugh. "I'll walk back to Detroit."

Chances are, Fisher won't have to worry about making the 482-mile trek. Lions freeze '09 ticket prices The Lions announced Friday that they will freeze ticket prices for next season and reduce prices for about 8 percent of the seats at Ford Field. The reasons? A bad economy and the team's ineptitude on the field, said Bob Raymond, the Lions' vice president of business operations. "The economy being No. 1, but let's face it, the team performance is also a factor in this," Raymond said, according to the Detriot News. "And our fans have made us aware of that. We have to address that: both the economy and the team performance." "We see people struggling right now in this economy. And we obviously want to bring our season-ticket holders back," Raymond said, according to the report. "They've been very loyal to us over the last several years. We need their support now and want to continue to have their support." Details on how much prices will be reduced and which seats will be discounted will be announced at a later date, the team said. -- ESPN.com news services A loss would install the Lions in their very own NFL Hall of Shame as the league's first team to go 0-16 in a season. They're already the first to go 0-15. A win, of course, would be better, allowing Detroit the dubious distinction of becoming the ninth franchise to finish a season 1-15.

The last team to finish the season winless was the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, an expansion franchise that went 0-14.

"It's incredible that a team could go that long in the NFL without winning a game," said Tim Katanski of Ypsilanti, Mich. "I mean, Tampa Bay was an expansion team, so they kind of have an excuse."

The Lions are 1-22 since the middle of last season and haven't won since Dec. 23, 2007, when they beat Kansas City.

It doesn't look good. After all, Green Bay is where this hideous streak began at the end of last season. Since then, the Lions have lost 16 straight and have been outscored 520-260.

If the Lions give up 48 points (as they did in Week 2 against Green Bay) they will break the 1981 Baltimore Colts' NFL record for points allowed in a season (533) -- by a single point.

When they were drafted, rookies Kevin Smith and Gosder Cherilus knew they were headed for a struggling franchise, but they never imagined a season as pitiful as this.

"It's been a nightmare," Smith said. "It's totally embarrassing."

Cherilus agreed.

"It's Week 17, and I don't know what it's like to win an NFL game," he said somberly. "The situation we're in has to be enough to give everything you've got in this last game.

"It's our Super Bowl."

Though the Lions were 10-point underdogs Friday, Fisher liked their chances and sounded surprisingly confident.

"I think we're going to shock a lot of people with a great game. I feel like we're going to win," he said. "Not to take anything away from Green Bay, but we're a great football team. I know the record doesn't show it, but I'm going to say it."

Lions coach Rod Marinelli didn't talk about the possibility of going 0-16 with his players until they lost their first 12 games.

When that happened, he told them to think about the team picture.

I think we're going to shock a lot of people with a great game. I feel like we're going to win. ... Not to take anything away from Green Bay, but we're a great football team. I know the record doesn't show it, but I'm going to say it.

--Lions CB Travis Fisher

"He said, 'This could be the picture they send to the Hall of Fame for the first team that went 0-16,'" defensive tackle Shaun Cody recalled. "It threw me back."

Marinelli went back to the topic earlier this week, hoping to motivate his beleaguered team after it followed up two closely contested games with a 35-point loss at home to New Orleans.

"He said, 'You don't remember who won the Super Bowl 15 years ago because there's a Super Bowl winner every year. You'd remember who went 0-16 because there can be only one team that does that,' " Cody recalled. "Hopefully, we can take advantage of our last chance."

The Lions blew cold air into their practice facility this week, trying to simulate the conditions at Lambeau Field. That seemed to be the only change Marinelli made.

"It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks," Smith said with a sigh. "We've been playing for 15 weeks."

Marinelli might be a head coach for only one more game.

Team owner William Clay Ford has decided the leaders of the front office, Martin Mayhew and Tom Lewand, will be back in some capacity, but he hasn't revealed his plans for the coaching staff.

Marinelli, though, insisted he hasn't spent time pondering his future in Detroit.

"Everything is just Green Bay right now," he said. "If you start worrying about or thinking about [that], it's unfair to your players."

He was pleased with a good final practice of the season. Then again, "that's never been our problem," Marinelli said. "We've just got to take our body of work to the game."

Brian Schefke of Seattle, who grew up in Troy, Mich., and was visiting for the holidays, said he'll be backing the Lions.

"I think celebrating futility, there's nothing fun about it," he said. "I want to see them salvage something out of the season."

M.C. Terra of Detroit, a die-hard fan who named his fourth child after Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, can't wait to watch it on TV.

"I'm going to pretend it's my Super Bowl," he said. "It's like watching a car crash. You want to be there."

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Jets' Mangini not worried about fans' criticism

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Eric Mangini realizes he's not winning many popularity contests these days.

With the New York Jets struggling down the stretch and on the outside of the playoff picture, frustrated fans are flooding sports talk shows and message boards with heavy criticism of the coach.

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New York Jets head coach Eric Mangini said Friday he understands why fans are upset with the team, but isn't worried about his job security.

"It's inherent with what we do," Mangini said Friday. "It's part of what we do. I appreciate that. It's not anything that's a surprise in terms of analysis, discussing the team and all the things related to the team. That's usually how it goes. I appreciate the fans' passion and interests. I get that.

"What I'm trying to do and what we're always trying to do is moving forward and beat the next opponent. That's what we focus on."

The next opponent, the Miami Dolphins, could be the last for Mangini and his staff this season -- or beyond. The Jets (9-6) need to win Sunday and have either New England or Baltimore lose to even get into the postseason.

"If you don't make it to the playoffs, there's nothing successful about that," wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said.

After a wild offseason spending spree, the acquisition of Brett Favre and an impressive 8-3 start, a poor performance Sunday and a second straight season not making the postseason would damage Mangini's chances of returning for a fourth year.

Owner Woody Johnson has not spoken publicly on Mangini's future, but plenty of others have shared their opinions. Even former Pro Bowl defensive lineman Joe Klecko sounded off during a radio interview with New York-based WFAN earlier this week, saying, "I think he's lost them. I don't think he's done a good job with them."

Not so, said safety Kerry Rhodes, who doesn't believe the team is playing to save Mangini's job.

"We don't get that feeling around here that that's even the case," Rhodes said. "We're still behind him and, from what I know, the management is still behind him, so I don't think it's an issue right now. I think it's more of an outside thing."

Mangini, who's 23-25 in his three seasons, including a playoff loss at New England two years ago, said he has managed to insulate himself from the criticism.

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"I don't have that active of a social life," he said with a smile. "It's pretty much here to home. In terms of radio or any of that stuff, the stations I listen to aren't talk radio. Sometimes it's NPR or a little rap on the way home. It's not heavy sports talk."

Mangini said he and general manager Mike Tannenbaum, who share a close working relationship, haven't discussed his future.

"We'll assess things after the season," Mangini said. "We just focus on what's ahead of us. That's what he believes. That's what I believe, and that's what the organization believes in. That wouldn't deviate regardless of any situation."

Mangini's not alone on the hot seat. Defensive coordinator Bob Sutton and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer are also feeling the heat because of the inconsistency and, at times, ineffectiveness of their units.

The Jets' struggles down the stretch -- they've lost three of four since winning on the road at New England and Tennessee -- can be directly traced to perhaps their two most important players: Favre and nose tackle Kris Jenkins.

Favre has just one touchdown and six interceptions in the last four games and cryptically revealed Wednesday that "there could be something" affecting his right shoulder.

The 39-year-old quarterback has missed badly on a number of throws during the last few weeks, underthrowing open receivers and floating passes at times. That led to speculation that Favre's rocket right arm was ailing.

"At this time of year, he has historically been sore," Mangini said, appearing hardly concerned and pointing out that Favre is still making the same types of throws now that he made when he first came to New York in early August.

"If he's hurting, I'd hate to see a healthy shoulder throwing that ball to me," Cotchery said. "Every game, I can't even wear my wedding ring sometimes because my fingers are swollen and all that stuff. He still can zip it."

Jenkins, a dominant godsend at nose tackle through the first half of the season, has shown signs of wearing down while dealing with a balky back and hip and been held out for stretches during games. The once-stout run defense has suddenly looked porous as a result.

How the two play Sunday against the Dolphins and Chad Pennington, the man Favre replaced, could go a long way in determining Mangini's fate, as well as that of the franchise.

"This is the most fun I've had since I've been in the league," Cotchery said. "I hope a lot of guys in here feel the same because I don't want it to end. I still want to be around these guys and continue this thing."

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49ers' Singletary dodges question about Martz

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Mike Singletary was noncommittal Friday when the San Francisco 49ers' interim coach was asked whether offensive coordinator Mike Martz would return to the club with him next season.

Singletary, 4-4 since taking over the 49ers (6-9) from fired coach Mike Nolan on Oct. 20, is widely expected to get the permanent job early next week.

He met with club officials Monday to outline his plans for the future, but it seems unlikely that they include Martz, the former St. Louis head coach who has done fairly solid work in his first season as the 49ers' coordinator. Singletary has been outspoken in his desire for a powerful, run-based offense, which probably runs counter to the pass-happy Martz's strengths.

But Singletary had little to say about Martz's future after the 49ers returned to preparations for the season finale against the Redskins, following a day off for Christmas.

"I just really want to focus on Washington, and everything else will take care of itself," Singletary said when asked if Martz will be fired. "It will happen soon enough."

Singletary acknowledged he had spoken to Martz about the future, but didn't share what they had discussed.

"We've had too much of a distraction from it already this week," Singletary said of the rumors about his return. "(We're) really trying to keep these guys focused. You had Christmas, you had Christmas Eve, you had shopping, you had all of the other things. I want to get these guys back and get them totally focused on Washington."

If Martz departs, the 49ers will have to hire their seventh offensive coordinator in seven seasons. That lack of continuity was among the biggest problems of Nolan's tenure, and the yearly overhaul of the 49ers' offense is among the factors that hampered the growth of quarterback Alex Smith, the top overall pick in 2005.

Martz's sophisticated passing offense has raised San Francisco out of the NFL cellar, where the team was ranked 32nd in two of the past three years. The 49ers' 312 points and 4,619 yards already are the most for the club in the past four seasons, yet they rank in the bottom half of the NFL in most statistical categories.

The offense has improved since Singletary took over and quickly benched quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan in favor of Shaun Hill, who has been among the league's most successful passers since his promotion.

Running back Frank Gore, who has excelled as a rusher and a receiver for Martz, returned to practice in a limited role Friday on his sprained left ankle. Singletary still isn't sure whether his star running back will get the chance to go for another 1,000-yard season against the Redskins.

"I don't want him to reinjure anything trying to get 1,000 yards," Singletary said. "When he's healthy, he'll get more than his share of yards. I just want him to be smart about it, and he looked good today."

Gore has missed the last two games for San Francisco since getting injured shortly after halftime in the Niners' win over the New York Jets on Dec. 7. The injury left Gore 22 yards shy of gaining 1,000 yards for the third straight season, which would be a record among San Francisco running backs.

"I feel better each day, and hopefully by Sunday I'll be ready to go have fun," Gore said. "I'd be upset if I don't get 1,000, but if I can't get it because of an injury, I'd understand. I've got more years."

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Panthers D may be missing two starters Sunday

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Carolina Panthers could be without both starting defensive tackles for Sunday's game at New Orleans, perhaps enticing the pass-happy Saints to run the ball. NFC South blog

ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas writes about all things NFC South in his division blog.

•Blog network: NFL NationDamione Lewis missed practice for a third straight day Friday with a shoulder injury and was listed as doubtful. Maake Kemoeatu practiced on a limited basis and is questionable with a sprained right ankle that kept him out of last week's loss to the New York Giants. If they can't play, Darwin Walker is expected to start at one tackle spot. The other position would be filled either by rookie Nick Hayden or J'Vonne Parker. Hayden was on Carolina's practice squad last week. Parker was signed Tuesday off Atlanta's practice squad. Lewis and Kemoeatu are major factors in Carolina's run defense. With Kemoeatu sidelined last Sunday and Lewis leaving in the fourth quarter, the Giants rushed for 301 yards in a 34-28 overtime win. The Saints, however, are primarily a passing team. Drew Brees needs 402 yards passing Sunday to break Dan Marino's single-season record of 5,084. "They're capable of running the ball. They have a big offensive line," Panthers coach John Fox said. "They might try to run it. If I was watching last week's tape I might, too." The injuries come as the Panthers (11-4) prepare for a critical game. They need to beat the Saints (8-7) to guarantee the No. 2 seed in the NFC, a first-round bye in the playoffs, and a second-round home game. A loss, combined with an Atlanta win over St. Louis, would drop the Panthers to the No. 5 seed and would force them to play at Arizona in the first round next week. Receiver Muhsin Muhammad (foot) and tight end Jeff King (knee) practiced Friday and are listed as probable.

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Bills LT Peters doubtful for Pats with knee injury

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters is doubtful for the Buffalo Bills' game against New England after missing his third straight practice on Friday because of a knee injury.

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•Blog network: NFL NationPeters will likely miss his second straight game Sunday after not playing in Buffalo's win at Denver last week.

Receiver/punt returner Roscoe Parrish is also doubtful after missing practice all week because of a knee injury. Parrish was hurt last Friday in practice and aggravated the injury against the Broncos.

Running back Marshawn Lynch (shoulder) and linebacker Kawika Mitchell (knee) are both questionable. Starting cornerback Jabari Greer will miss his sixth straight game because of a knee injury.

The Patriots (10-5) need to win to preserve their postseason chances, while the Bills (7-8) can finish at .500 for the first time since 2004.

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Weapons, ammo, pants seized at Burress' home

TOTOWA, N.J. -- The bloody pants that Plaxico Burress wore when he accidentally shot himself last month, plus a handgun, a rifle and an assortment of ammunition were seized Tuesday by authorities from the home of the New York Giants receiver.

In addition to a 9-mm handgun, a .30-06-caliber rifle and the ammunition, including a clip for a .45 gun, police also said they recovered the sneakers that Burress wore during the accidental shooting during the three-hour search of the Super Bowl star's Totowa home.

Investigators are trying to determine whether the weapons are registered, so it is unclear whether Burress will face additional charges.

Totowa police chief Robert Coyle said it would is hard to successfully prosecute someone if they have legally registered weapons in one state and stored them in New Jersey.

Burress still faces two felony gun-possession charges following the accidental shooting at a Manhattan nightclub last month.

Benjamin Brafman, the receiver's criminal attorney, said Wednesday morning that he believed that only a registered rifle was taken from the home. He did not know whether Burress would face additional charges.

"We have not had a chance to review this new information," Brafman said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday morning. "When we do, we will have additional comment."

Burress

Burress was not at home during the search by Totowa police, four New York City detectives and a Brafman associate, Coyle said, adding the player's wife was present.

Brafman said his client was out of town but did not elaborate.

The New York Post reported that authorities discovered a suitcase full of money, but Coyle said that was not true.

Burress accidentally shot himself in the right thigh at the Latin Quarter nightclub on Nov. 29 when he fumbled with an unlicensed handgun tucked into the waistband of his sweat pants. He checked himself into New York-Cornell Hospital and later turned himself in to police.

The Giants suspended Burress for the rest of the season and also withheld $1 million owed to him as part of his signing bonus.

Burress is due back in court March 31 and faces up to 3 years in prison on each count.

Burress was also sued last week in Florida's Broward County Circuit Court for rear-ending a woman in May while driving his nearly $140,000 Mercedes-Benz.

According to a document provided by the woman's attorney, his car insurance lapsed three days before the crash. A letter from Allstate says Burress neglected to pay his premiums.

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Morris to replace Kiffin as Bucs D-coordinator

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't look far for a replacement for Monte Kiffin.

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Secondary coach Raheem Morris will take over as defensive coordinator in 2009, ensuring continuity next season with Kiffin leaving the NFL to join his son, Lane, at the University of Tennessee.

If the Bucs (9-6) don't make the playoffs, Sunday will be the 68-year-old Kiffin's last game in Tampa Bay.

"He's been with me a long time and he's had a lot of success here. He's had his hand in a lot of real good things," coach Jon Gruden said, adding he wanted to end speculation about Kiffin's successor and whether the Bucs will continue to run the Tampa 2 scheme.

"I like this defense. I believe in it, and certainly believe in Raheem Morris. I believe he'll be outstanding."

Morris is in his sixth season as a Bucs assistant, second as defensive backs coach. He initially joined Gruden's staff as a defensive quality assistant in 2002, was a defensive assistant in 2003 and assistant defensive backs coach for the next two seasons before spending one year as defensive coordinator at Kansas State.

The Bucs ranked in the top five in total defense each of Morris' first five seasons in Tampa Bay, including No. 1 in 2002, when Tampa Bay won the Super Bowl. They're ranked ninth heading into Sunday's regular-season finale.

While Gruden's phone has been ringing constantly since Kiffin announced plans to join his son at the end of the season, the coach said Morris has everything he was looking for in a replacement.

"I'm a big energy believer. I like guys with juice. I think you have to be a leader. I think you have to be able to motivate and stimulate these guys, relate to them -- veterans, young players," Gruden said.

"He knows the kind of players we're looking for. He knows the routine here in terms of what it takes to play in this system. I've been impressed with him throughout the six, seven years I've been with him. He's had a year coordinating in the Big 12, and I think it's the right thing to do. I think our players will respond to him."

Morris left for Kansas State after Tampa Bay again ranked first in total defense in 2005. Gruden lured him back when the Bucs dropped to 19th in pass defense the following season.

"I'm happy for him," cornerback Phillip Buchanon said. "He's studied under some great coaches like Kiffin and Mike Tomlin, and it's his time now."

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QB Cassel uncertain of his future with Patriots

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Matt Cassel wants to return to the Patriots next season. He just doesn't know if that will happen.

Cassel

The seven-year benchwarmer who finally slipped out of Tom Brady's shadow is unsure what the future holds. He could command a rich contract as a free agent. Or New England could put the franchise tag on its fill-in quarterback, assuring him of a huge pay raise.

Cassel does know this: Forecasts often miss the mark.

"Nobody knows the future," he said Wednesday. "If anybody knew the future, I probably wouldn't be here right now because a lot of people predicted that I wouldn't be here after preseason. So the fact is nobody knows where I'm going to be next year.

"I could definitely be back here. So it's something that we'll have to wait and see."

The Patriots would be more likely to keep Cassel if they're uncertain that Brady will be fully recovered from a season-ending knee injury in time for next season. If they make Cassel their franchise player, he'd be paid the average of the top five quarterback salaries in the league after making $525,000 this season.

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But that would be a lot of money to tie up in two players when only one can play at a time.

Would he like to be back?

"Of course I would," Cassel said. "I love the Patriots. I love this organization. Like I said before, I love the people."

Meanwhile, he's preparing for what could be his last game in a Patriots uniform. If they lose at Buffalo on Sunday, they'll be eliminated from playoff contention. And if they win and finish at 11-5, they'll make the playoffs only if Miami loses to the New York Jets or Baltimore loses to Jacksonville.

If they do advance, they can thank Cassel.

He never got a chance to prove himself at Southern California where he backed up Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart for two years each. It was more of the same after the Patriots drafted him in the seventh round in 2005 -- three years of waiting behind Brady.

Cassel didn't start a single game in those seven seasons.

He performed poorly in exhibition games this year. So when Brady suffered a knee injury in the first quarter of the regular season opener, there was legitimate cause for concern -- among fans.

He proved all of them wrong.

"I think it's great," Cassel said. "When you look back at the situation and you look at the naysayers and all the critics, it's great to overcome those obstacles and let people know that you never know what's going to happen in sports.

"For me, it's just a constant reminder [to] keep going out, working hard, be diligent about what you do, and good things will happen."

He became the fifth player in NFL history to throw for at least 400 yards in back-to-back games. He's thrown seven touchdown passes in his last two. He became the first player since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 to throw for 400 yards and run for 60 in one game, a 34-31 overtime loss to the Jets on Nov. 13.

Since then, the Patriots are 4-1 and Cassel has risen to the 11th spot in the NFL in passer rating.

"It hasn't surprised me. I've always believed in myself and I've surrounded myself with positive-thinking people," he said. "That's why a lot of times I don't watch the sports shows or listen to the radio because of that simple fact, that there's too many critics out there and if you listen to everybody's opinion, I think it works against you."

The man whose opinion counts most believes in him. Coach Bill Belichick said Cassel needed a chance to play.

"I don't think anybody at the beginning of the year thought that, 'Oh, he just can't play," Belichick said. "There was some sentiment around about that outside this building, but I'm sure there wasn't any sense of that from the players or the coaches that worked with him."

Before the Patriots drafted Cassel, then-quarterbacks coach Josh McDaniels spoke to him several times. There was very little tape of him playing to evaluate, but he did get a strong recommendation from USC coach Pete Carroll, who coached the Patriots from 1997 to 1999 before Belichick took over in 2000.

Carroll had pointed out "how competitive he was with Leinart and Carson Palmer," Belichick said. "All that being said, Matt's come a long way in four years and he's come a long way this year with the opportunity to play."

Cassel started slowly but has progressed each week.

"Did I ever foresee starting [15] games a season for the Patriots with Tom Brady here and everything else going on? I definitely would not say that," he said, "but I thought if I got all the reps throughout the course of the year I could steadily improve and win some ballgames."

Now he has a chance for a lucrative contract.

Cassel joked when asked about the eight-year, $180 million deal first baseman Mark Teixeira agreed to with the New York Yankees on Tuesday.

"That's a good deal, I think," he said. "Eight years and 180 and isn't that a guaranteed contract? I'm in the wrong sport here."

After three years on the sidelines, it finally turned out that he was with the right team. At least for this season.

"I don't know what the situation might be," Cassel said, "but the Patriots are home to me right now. That's all I've ever known in my professional career."

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Bills' Lynch, Peters ailing, likely to play Sunday

Starting running back Marshawn Lynch and two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters both missed practice because of injuries, but coach Dick Jauron is optimistic they'll both play in the finale against New England.

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Lynch is nursing a sore shoulder that kept him out of most of the second half of Buffalo's win at Denver last Sunday, while Peters has a knee injury that forced him to miss the Broncos game.

"You never know how the week's going to work out, and there's no way to really tell. But both guys are tough guys and they'll go if they can," Jauron said.

Lynch has accumulated 1,036 yards rushing and eight touchdowns on the ground this season. His backup, Fred Jackson, has added 435 yards rushing, including 43 at Denver when he came in for Lynch.

The pair has also combined for 83 catches.

"We'll see what happens on how Marshawn's shoulder is going to hold up," Jackson said. "You have to be ready if you're called upon. That's how I'm approaching it."

Starting linebacker Kawika Mitchell (knee), receiver Roscoe Parrish (knee), and linebacker Teddy Lehman (groin), also didn't participate in practice, while starting cornerback Jabari Greer (knee) was limited. Greer has missed the last five games.

Sunday's game has significant playoff implications for the Patriots (10-5), who must win to stay in the postseason hunt. The Bills (7-8) will be looking to finish .500 for the first time since going 9-7 in 2004.

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Rams' president resigns; Devaney named GM

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Rams president John Shaw resigned after 29 years with the franchise and Billy Devaney was promoted to general manager Wednesday.

The two moves in a front-office overhaul by a franchise that's been among the NFL's worst the past few seasons followed the resignation Monday of Jay Zygmunt as president of football operations. The Rams are 2-13 heading into Sunday's finale at Atlanta, and are 5-26 the past two seasons.

Shaw, team president since 1994 and de facto president since 1983 when owner Georgia Frontiere also held that title, will be retained as a senior advisor and owner's representative based in Los Angeles. In a telephone interview with The Associated Press, Shaw said he was not forced out, but rather "quite to the contrary."

"This is something I wanted to do," Shaw said. "I just feel like it's time for the organization to make a change."

Devaney, who has 23 years of NFL scouting experience, will be responsible for all player personnel decisions, including the draft, free agent acquisitions, trades and other transactions.

Devaney, who has been acting as GM for most of the past two months, will head the team's coaching search. The list of candidates will include Jim Haslett, who replaced Scott Linehan after an 0-4 start and produced two quick victories, but appears to have no better than an outside shot at being retained, according to ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.

"I am very grateful to Rams ownership for giving me this opportunity to help return the team to an elite position in the National Football League," Devaney said in a statement. "This is an organization that has historically had a winning tradition, and it is our goal to get back to that level."

Devaney is finishing his first season with the Rams after two years with the Atlanta Falcons as senior personnel executive in 2006 and assistant GM in 2007. During his career, Devaney has been associated with teams that went to three Super Bowls and 19 playoff games.

"One of the best things that happened to the Rams during this difficult season was the hiring of Billy Devaney to our front office team," owner and chairman Chip Rosenbloom said in a statement. "We are very fortunate to have someone with Billy's character and intelligence taking control of the football side of this organization."

In his new capacity, Shaw will advise and consult with ownership and represent the club on virtually all league matters, as well as other team affairs, the Rams said.

Shaw, 57, is in his 29th season with the Rams, joining the team as controller and treasurer in 1980. He oversaw the move from Los Angeles to St. Louis in 1995 and helped produce the franchise's first Super Bowl championship after the 1999 season.

Those rank as his two top achievements, along with five 10-plus win seasons in a six-year span from 1984-89 in Los Angeles.

"Obviously, winning a Super Bowl is the biggest thing," Shaw said. "Successfully moving the franchise was an exciting time for all of us, and the reception we got was very edifying for me.

"I've had the good fortune of being surrounded by great owners from the very beginning."

Shaw believes the Rams can be quickly turned around, just as the Falcons (10-5), Dolphins (10-5) and Jets (9-6) have this year. Those three teams had the first, third and sixth pick in April's draft.

"You can't have these jobs without having that belief that you can do it," Shaw said. "And don't forget, we won only four games the year before we won the Super Bowl."

Shaw remained based in Los Angeles long after the franchise cut ties to the West Coast, and without apology, noting he could cite several examples of owners who didn't live in the same town as their franchise.

"If I thought it was important to be in St. Louis more, I would have been there more," Shaw said.

He stepped down after one season under Rosenbloom, who inherited the team along with his sister after Frontiere's death in January.

Rosenbloom said Shaw was "like another son" to his mother and credited those two with fighting the NFL to move the team to St. Louis.

"I would like every fan in St. Louis to know that without John Shaw there is no St. Louis Rams," Rosenbloom said. "He is one of the most important and influential executives in the modern NFL."

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Facing must-win in Philly, Romo misses practice

IRVING, Texas -- Tony Romo missed practice Wednesday, keeping the Cowboys quarterback out of what's usually the biggest day of practice in what's certainly the biggest week of the season.

Luckily for Dallas, the schedule happened to be different this week.

Romo

Coming off a Saturday night game, the Cowboys put in their game plan a day early, "so he missed a day where we were repeating some things," coach Wade Phillips said. In fact, the team didn't even practice in full pads.

"We think he'll be back tomorrow," Phillips said. "Actually, if he comes back tomorrow he'll fit in a regular week's practice."

Romo showed up to work, then was sent home with some medicine to help deal with his flu-like symptoms.

Receiver Terrell Owens said he expects Romo to play Sunday in Philadelphia, a game the Cowboys (9-6) must win to get an NFC wild-card berth into the playoffs.

"I mean, he's not on his dying bed, is he?" Owens said.

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Romo has been limited by a back injury in recent weeks and earlier this season missed three games with a broken pinkie on his throwing hand. He said Tuesday that everyone has bumps and bruises this time of year.

"It's December," Romo said. "Everybody plays with different things. It's part of the game."

Tight end Jason Witten also missed practice Wednesday to ease the strain on his body. He's quite banged up, with a sprained ankle the biggest concern. Phillips noted that Witten played with a broken rib earlier this season, so "you know he's going to go."

Running back Marion Barber went through drills, but likely will remain a game-time decision because of a dislocated right pinkie toe. Safety Ken Hamlin practiced for the first time in three weeks, although he played the last two games anyway.

Phillips said backup quarterbacks Brad Johnson and Brooks Bollinger split Romo's share of snaps.

T.O. said Romo's absence wasn't too big of a deal.

"He was sick. What can you do?" Owens said. "You just go out there and practice. It's not a game, you know?"

The Cowboys are 4-2 since Romo returned from his broken finger, but both losses have come this month, prompting more scrutiny about Romo's problems in December. For his career, he's 5-7 in December and 22-4 in September, October and November.

"There's no reason," Romo said. "This year I think it's pretty easy to indicate that we played against pretty good opponents. Years past, I'm not sure."

The two losses were against Pittsburgh and Baltimore. However, Romo made crucial mistakes in both, throwing a late fourth-quarter interception that was returned for a touchdown against the Steelers, then a high, deep pass against the Ravens shortly before halftime that was intercepted and led to a go-ahead field goal. Romo has taken further heat for downplaying the interception against Baltimore as being like a punt.

"Don't get me wrong. They are never a good thing," he said. "An interception is a bad deal, no matter what time it is or frame or whatever. I think sometimes, against a team like Baltimore, you get into a mode, or you just kind of do stuff off the cuff a little bit. That's what they do well. There's probably 20 different throws where you are just kind off the cuff in that game, which is a really, really high number for a game. ...

"I have to fix it," he continued. "I have to go back and decide why I did that, and make sure the next time I get in that situation I don't. It's part of the game. It's part of the learning process. And I will get better, I promise you that."

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Broncos bring back released RBs Boyd, Haynes

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The reinforcements have arrived in the Denver Broncos' battered backfield: Cory Boyd and Alex Haynes, both of whom were recently cut by the team.

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The Broncos needed them back after losing Selvin Young (back) and P.J. Pope (hamstring) to season-ending injuries Sunday against Buffalo. They are the sixth and seventh tailbacks the Broncos have had to place on injured reserve this season.

Boyd, a seventh-round draft selection by Tampa Bay who was waived by the Buccaneers last summer, was promoted to the Broncos' active roster from their practice squad on Dec. 9, but was deactivated at Carolina and then cut and re-signed to the practice squad. He has yet to carry the ball in the NFL.

Haynes is a second-year player who was with the Broncos from Nov. 4-22 after entering the league as an undrafted free agent with Baltimore from Central Florida in 2005. He has three career rushes, three career receptions and three career special teams tackles while seeing time with the Ravens in 2005 and '08 and the Panthers from 2005-07.

Both are expected to back up Tatum Bell on Sunday when the Broncos play at San Diego with the AFC West title on the line.

The Broncos have also lost Ryan Torain (knee), Michael Pittman (spine), Anthony Alridge (leg), Peyton Hillis (hamstring) and Andre Hall (hand) for the season, leaving them with their eighth, ninth and 10th tailbacks.

"I would have said you're completely nuts if you thought we were going to go through seven or eight running backs," coach Mike Shanahan said this week.

He tried to look on the bright side, though.

"The good thing about it is we've had Cory Boyd, he's been with us. We've had him activated, he's used to our game plan. So it's not like we don't have something with Alex. He's been with us for a couple of weeks, so he knows the system," Shanahan said.

Plus, rookie fullback Spencer Larsen is healthy, so he and backup Andrew Pinnock can be activated against the Chargers, giving the Broncos more options in their rushing game.

"So even though we had a couple of guys go on IR, we still feel that we've got guys that know our system and our terminology so we can still go out there and execute," Shanahan said. "So, that's a plus."

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Crennel still confident of future; Quinn punched

BEREA, Ohio -- Down to perhaps his final days as Cleveland's coach, Romeo Crennel is still fighting for his job.

The Browns are swinging, too -- at each other.

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With his fate to be decided by owner Randy Lerner in the next few weeks, Crennel said Monday he believes he can make his team into winners again. The Browns, who went 10-6 last season, dropped their fifth straight game on Sunday, an embarrassing 14-0 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Cleveland failed to score an offensive touchdown for the fifth straight game, a disturbing drought that now spans more than one month, nearly 21 quarters and 315 minutes of action.

"I think that if given the chance, I can turn it around," said Crennel, 24-39 in Cleveland since 2005. "We won 10 last year, so I feel like we can win 10 again or win more. That's not in my hands, that's not in my control. All I can do is make a case for myself and say that, given the chance, I would be able to get it turned around."

Lerner will evaluate Crennel and general manager Phil Savage once Cleveland's disappointing season -- which unraveled in an ugly succession of injuries, excruciating losses, missed tackles and off-field controversy -- mercifully ends Sunday when the Browns (4-11) visit the rival Pittsburgh Steelers.

And as he began what could be his last week in Cleveland, Crennel had to address a physical altercation that took place last week between quarterback Brady Quinn and defensive end Shaun Smith.

According to WKYC-TV's Jim Donovan, who is also the team's play-by-play radio announcer, Smith punched Quinn in the face following a heated verbal exchange inside the team's weight room. Browns tight end Darnell Dinkins confirmed the fight during a radio interview on WQAL, saying Quinn's face was marked.

Quinn denied the incident occurred, telling ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen via text message: "There's no truth to any of it. [Media] is trying to get a national story since the season is bad."

Quinn is out for the season following surgery on a broken finger. Smith, who has been slowed by a calf injury, did not play in Sunday's game. Crennel said Smith, known as the team's biggest trash talker, was inactive because of a coaches' decision.

Crennel refused to comment directly on the Smith-Quinn flare-up.

"I never talk about family business," Crennel said. "I haven't talked about family business since I've been here. So I'm not going to address it at this point or start talking about it. If it happened, it stays in house."

Crennel said conflicts among teammates are not uncommon, especially in a season as frustrating as the one the Browns are enduring.

"In a family you always have some disagreements and they get handled within the family," Crennel said. "I've got one brother and three sisters. When we were growing up we had altercations. You deal with them and you move on. That doesn't mean I dislike my brother or I dislike my sisters.

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Watch highlights from the Cincinnati Bengals' 14-0 win over the Cleveland Browns.

"That's part of being in a household, everybody trying to establish their turf. But that's part of it. You deal with it and you move on."

That would be the case on most teams. But the Browns seem to have more than their share of unusual incidents with Kellen Winslow's spat with management over his staph infection and Savage's profane e-mail to a fan among the most noteworthy this season.

Now they're dealing with a player smacking the franchise quarterback, another sticky issue for Lerner to review once the season ends.

None of the Browns was available for comment since Crennel gave his players the day off. The only ones who reported were those needing medical treatment, and that's quite a few.

Quarterback Ken Dorsey sustained injured ribs and a mild concussion Sunday, and may have to sit out the season finale. If he can't play, recently signed Bruce Gradkowski will have to start against the Steelers, who will likely rest most of their starters to get ready for the AFC playoffs. Return specialist Joshua Cribbs may also play more quarterback than just in a special package designed to utilize his unique skills.

As for Crennel, he's confident that because of his relationship with Lerner that he'll have an opportunity to outline why he should return for a fifth season. That doesn't mean he will be back, though.

"He's got a lot of different things he's got to consider and look at," Crennel said of Lerner. "He will make that determination in January after the season's over. At that time, when I get the chance to sit down and talk with him, then I can make my case. He's going to have to decide whether I've made a good enough case or whether he wants to stay with me in this job."

Crennel has never used injuries as an excuse, and he's not about to start. He is certain, however, that without them, the Browns would be much better.

"People don't want to hear excuses," he said. "They want to know why you didn't win. If you win, sometimes you can play poorly and win and everybody is OK with it. And when you lose, they want to know why you didn't win and that's the nature of this business and you have to understand that coming in."

Crennel feels despite not getting the Browns into the playoffs that his stay in Cleveland has included some success.

"I think we have made some progress here, but you cannot discount wins and losses and I haven't won enough," he said. "I have said that since Day 1, that I will be judged on the wins and losses. That's what you're judged on as a coach."

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Jaguars find fall guy in personnel chief Harris

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- James "Shack" Harris' first personnel move set the tone for his tenure in Jacksonville. His last two sealed his fate.

Harris resigned as the team's personnel chief Tuesday, taking the fall for a franchise that flopped this season and avoiding what might have been an embarrassing return to Baltimore this weekend.

"With the way we played last year and then coming back this year and having a below-average season, I didn't think it was going to go as far as Shack, but it has," defensive end Paul Spicer said. "It's affected a lot of guys, a lot of lives, a lot of families. A lot of people's lives have been changed."

Coach Jack Del Rio already told strength and conditioning coach Mark Asanovich he would not return for a seventh season, likely the scapegoat for all of Jacksonville's injury problems in 2008. Veteran guards Tutan Reyes and Charles Spencer were waived Monday. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis could be gone, too.

Other changes could come after the season finale.

Harris didn't even make it that far. His departure was somewhat expected, especially considering sub-par performances from high-priced free agents Jerry Porter and Drayton Florence. But many believed it would happen next week.

Harris might have wanted to avoid the trip to Baltimore. The first black quarterback in NFL history to start a season opener, Harris was the Ravens' pro personnel director for six seasons and helped Baltimore win the 2001 Super Bowl. He didn't have nearly as much success in Jacksonville.

His first major move was a failure, like many others. Harris signed aging defensive end Hugh Douglas to a five-year deal that included $5 million guaranteed in 2003. Douglas played one season, finished with 31 tackles and 3 sacks, and was cut the following year.

Harris also talked Del Rio into drafting quarterback Byron Leftwich in the first round a few months later, even though the team had Mark Brunell and David Garrard. Del Rio wanted defensive end Terrell Suggs, but the Jaguars ended up taking Leftwich.

Jacksonville cut Leftwich just days before the 2007 season, parting ways after four frustrating, injury-filled seasons.

Although Harris never had the title of general manager, he got all the blame for failed personnel decisions, even though Del Rio played a role in every roster move.

Other first-round draft picks during Harris' tenure included receivers Reggie Williams and Matt Jones, tight end Marcedes Lewis, safety Reggie Nelson and defensive end Derrick Harvey. The Jaguars had more success with second-round picks -- cornerback Rashean Mathis, linebacker Daryl Smith, fullback Greg Jones and running back Maurice Jones-Drew. But only one of Harris' draft picks -- Mathis in 2006 -- made a Pro Bowl.

"This is a real turnaround business, and really, the blame is placed somewhere," tight end George Wrighster said.

Harris' final strike may have been signing Porter and Florence. The Jaguars (5-10) paid $23 million guaranteed to have those two free agents step into starting roles.

Porter missed all of training camp and the preseason following surgery to repair a torn hamstring. He started six games, but finished the season on injured reserve with a groin injury. He had 11 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown -- nearly $1 million a reception.

Florence, meanwhile, struggled all season in zone coverage and was relegated mostly to playing in nickel and dime situations.

Del Rio was reluctant to address Harris' departure, saying only that he was excited to move forward with his replacement, Gene Smith. Smith previously served as Jacksonville's executive director of college and pro personnel.

Harris, Smith and Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver were not available for comment Tuesday.

"I can't really find the right words to describe Shack leaving," Spicer said. "I'll be just like a lot of guys in this locker room: 'Why would he leave?' Did he quit? Did he resign? Did he get let go?

"They've got a lot they let go around here. Now, Shack's locker is cleaned out. It's unfortunate, but I think Shack's going to bounce back. He's been around this game a long time, has a lot of good friends in this league. It's not about what you do, but who you know. I'm sure he's going to be OK."

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