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WATCH: Brandon Marshall with his version of the Buttfumble

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Maybe the uniforms are cursed.

From the franchise that gave you The Buttfumble, we give you the clubhouse leader for the worst play of the NFL season by Jets receiver Brandon Marshall, who, while being tackled, tried to lateral the ball through Eagles defender Connor Barwin and to one of his teammates.

Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men.

That’s. So. Jets.

New York started the season with back-to-back wins. Its defense looked frisky, and Ryan Fitzpatrick was more than enough to win. Still, water always finds its level.

The NFL season has yet to hit the one-quarter mark, but it will be hard for anybody to top Marshall’s Boner.


WATCH: Russell Wilson won’t let you tackle him like that

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Russell Wilson is simply amazing.

One play before he hit Doug Baldwin to open scoring in the second quarter, the Seahawks quarterback frustrated the Lions’ defense with a completion that has to be seen to be believed.

On a third-and-12 play in the second quarter, he ducked a tackle attempt by Jason Jones, then fooled Ziggy Ansah. He finally was wrecked at the end, but not before he floated a perfect pass to Jermaine Kearse, who was freed up for a gain of 34 yards. It’s an unreal effort by Wilson.

The next play, the Seahawks had six points on Wilson’s more conventional treatment from the pocket.

‘Sherman’s Warriors’ chronicles coach’s new challenge

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Mike Sherman coached legends like Brett Favre in an expansive career that took him to pro stops like Green Bay, Seattle and Miami. He coached future stars Von Miller and Ryan Tannehill during his four seasons at Texas A&M. But he has a much different challenge now.

Sherman is embarking on his first season as the head coach of the Nauset Warriors, a high school football team on Cape Cod. NBC will chronicle the ups and downs of his first season in a six-episode, digital-exclusive series called “Sherman’s Warriors.” The show is the first digital-exclusive series launched by NBC Sports.

Sherman has experience turning teams around, but it’s a long way from the NFL to Cape Cod. The Warriors, perennial also-rans, present their own challenges and pitfalls as Sherman adjusts to a new group of players, and his charges learn to play the game from a coach who’s unlike anyone they’ve ever had before. And, of course, Sherman’s reputation precedes him and the team into every game, as competitors size themselves up against the small high school team with a professional coach.

The series, which will premiere after this week’s Sunday Night Football game between the Patriots and Colts, will be unveiled on Sundays. Each episode will run 6-8 minutes and will also include a short behind-the-scenes clip that gives viewers increased access to players and characters around the Warriors.  Catch the show in the new NBCSports.com video experience, as well as partner platforms like Yahoo! and Comcast/XFINITY’s Watchable section.

NFL Week 7 odds: Vikings, Colts among sportsbook favorites

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The Minnesota Vikings will be looking to end a five-game losing streak on the road when they visit the Detroit Lions on Sunday as 3-point betting favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.

The Vikings held off a late charge by the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend to record a 16-13 win, improving their straight up record to 3-2 while extending their winning streak against the spread to four games.

Minnesota now enters Sunday afternoon’s Vikings vs. Lions betting matchup at Ford Field with 12 ATS wins in their last 15 outings. However, SU road wins have been hard to come by for the Vikings, who are dismal 4-20-1 SU in their last 25 such games.

The Lions are coming off their first win of the season, a 37-34 shootout victory over the Chicago Bears which ended the team’s seven-game SU losing skid.

Detroit has also produced brutal results at the sportsbooks, going 5-12 ATS in their past 17, but have enjoyed success in recent visits by the Vikings, going 4-1 SU in their last five – but just 2-3 ATS.

The Indianapolis Colts will look to rebound from yet another loss to New England when they entertain the New Orleans Saints as 5-point chalk this weekend. The Colts were upended 34-27 by the Patriots on Sunday, dropping to 3-3 SU but still clinging to a one-game lead atop the AFC South standings.

Despite their early-season struggles the Colts have paid off as underdogs in each of their last two games, ending an 0-5 ATS slide.

The 2-4 Saints will be coming off a 10-day rest when they take on the Colts, following their 31-21 win over the previously undefeated Atlanta Falcons last Thursday night. New Orleans is now 3-1 ATS in their last four games according to the OddsShark NFL Database, but are in desperate need of a SU win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

The 5-0 Carolina Panthers remained atop the NFC South with their stunning 27-23 win over the Seattle Seahawks last week, but face a tough challenge when they meet the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night as 3-point home chalk.

The Panthers are now 10-1 SU in their past 11 games, and undefeated ATS in their last seven, while the 3-3 Eagles have bounced back from a sluggish start with lopsided wins over the Saints and New York Giants.

In other NFL Week 7 betting action, the Giants are pegged as early 4-point favorites over the Dallas Cowboys, while the Falcons are 3.5-point chalk against the Tennessee Titans, and the Patriots are favored by 9 points over the New York Jets.

Aaron Rodgers, Chris Paul star in epic trick shot video

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Who doesn’t love a good trick shot video?

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul teamed with friends of the program Dude Perfect to craft one of the best trick-shot videos of the year.

There’s the requisite footballs going through hoops, basketballs shot from the stands and, of course, what looks like a nuclear pogo stick. Oh, and plenty of indiscriminate yelling. Both were appearing for charity, or something. Anyway, TRICK SHOTS!

This video is great, but is it as good as the video Dude Perfect made for us last year with New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham before the Super Bowl? You be the judge.

Peyton Manning strongly denies report he used HGH in 2011

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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Peyton Manning strongly denied a report set to air on Al Jazeera that contends the Denver Broncos quarterback received human growth hormone through his wife during his recovery from neck fusion surgeries in 2011 in Indianapolis.

In a statement Saturday night, Manning said: “The allegation that I would do something like that is complete garbage and is totally made up. It never happened. Never.”

He added, “I really can’t believe somebody would put something like this on the air. Whoever said this is making stuff up.”

The allegations surfaced in an Al Jazeera undercover probe into doping in global sports that is set to air Sunday and was shared in advance with the Huffington Post.

The report claims Manning received HGH from an Indianapolis anti-aging clinic in 2011 while he was still with the Colts. It said the drug, which was banned by the NFL in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, was delivered to his wife, Ashley, so that the quarterback’s name was never attached to the shipments.

Liam Collins, a British hurdler, went undercover and spoke with Charlie Sly, an Austin, Texas-based pharmacist who worked at the Guyer Institute, the Indiana-based anti-aging clinic in 2011. Sly allegedly names Manning and other high profile athletes as having received HGH from the clinic.

However, Sly backtracks in a subsequent statement to Al Jazeera, saying Collins secretly recorded his conversations without his knowledge or consent.

“The statements on any recordings or communications that Al Jazeera plans to air are absolutely false and incorrect,” Sly said. “To be clear, I am recanting any such statements and there is no truth to any statement of mine that Al Jazeera plans to air. Under no circumstances should any of those recordings, statements or communications be aired.”

The NFL and players union added human growth hormone testing to the collective bargaining agreement signed in 2011 but the side didn’t agree to testing terms until 2014. Nobody has tested positive, which would trigger a four-game suspension.

Manning, who joined the Broncos in 2012, has been sidelined since Nov. 15 by a left foot injury. Brock Osweiler makes his sixth consecutive start in Manning’s place Monday night when the Broncos (10-4) host the Bengals (11-3).

 

Panthers to meet Cardinals in NFC championship game

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers will host the NFC championship game for the first time after knocking out the two-time conference champion Seattle Seahawks 31-24 on Sunday.

The top-seeded Panthers (16-1) will host the Arizona Cardinals next Sunday for a spot in the Super Bowl. The Cardinals (14-3) beat the Green Bay Packers 26-20 in overtime on Saturday night.

Newton threw a touchdown pass, Luke Kuechly scored on an interception return and the Panthers raced to a 31-0 halftime lead before holding off a second-half surge by the Seahawks.

It is Carolina’s fourth appearance in the NFC title game and first since 2005.

The Panthers and Cardinals have not played this season.

This will be the third time since 2008 the Cardinals have visited the Panthers in a playoff game. In 2008, the Cardinals upset the No. 2-seeded Panthers 33-13 in the divisional playoffs en route to their only Super Bowl appearance.

The Panthers defeated the Cardinals at home 27-16 in the wild card round last season.

AP NFL websites: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL

Bills owner credits Kathryn Smith for earning her promotion

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills co-owner Kim Pegula congratulated Kathryn Smith for becoming the NFL’s first full-time female assistant coach by saying she earned the promotion.

“Kathryn has been a part of Rex (Ryan’s) staff for the past seven years and has proven that she does excellent work,” Pegula said in a statement released to The Associated Press on Thursday. “While we understand the significance of this announcement, it’s important to understand that Kathryn earned this position because she has shown she is qualified, dedicated and puts in the work needed for this role.”

Pegula issued the statement a day after the Bills broke the league’s gender barrier by promoting Smith to be their special teams quality control coach.

“The Bills organization is proud of Kathryn and her promotion,” Pegula added. “We look forward to the contributions she will make to our organization in her new role.”

The move has generated a tremendous amount of buzz and attention.

Chelsea Clinton took notice by posting a note on her Twitter account. The daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton wrote “(hash)NoCeilings” in posting a link to a story about Smith’s promotion.

Smith’s appointment comes after Jen Welter served a six-week training camp internship last summer coaching inside linebackers for the Arizona Cardinals.

Smith is well-known within the Bills staff after spending this season as an administrative assistant for the team’s assistant coaches. She spent the past seven years working alongside Ryan.

She was the New York Jets player personnel assistant when Ryan took over as coach in 2009. Smith then served as Ryan’s assistant in 2014, his final year in New York before he was fired and then hired by the Bills.

“She certainly deserves this promotion based on her knowledge and strong commitment, just to name a couple of her outstanding qualities,” Ryan said in a statement released by the team. “She has proven that she’s ready for the next step.”

The 30-year-old Smith grew up outside of Syracuse, New York, and was a three-sport athlete at Christian Brothers Academy, where she was on the swimming, bowling and field hockey teams. She also spent time assisting her father Robert in serving as the school football team’s statistician.

Smith then attended St. John’s University, where she studied sports management and also worked as a men’s basketball team manager.

While at St. John’s, she landed internships with the New York Jets, first in a game-day/special events position and then a role in college scouting.

Online: AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL


Carolina Panthers DE Allen, RB Stewart return to practice

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart returned to practice along with defensive end Jared Allen, who was diagnosed earlier this week with a broken bone in his foot.

Coach Ron Rivera said both players participated on a limited basis on Thursday.

Rivera said earlier in the week the 33-year-old Allen was “doubtful” for Sunday’s NFC championship game against the Arizona Cardinals but said he may be elevated to questionable depending on how he feels Friday.

Stewart ran for 106 yards and two touchdowns in Carolina’s 31-24 win against the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday after missing the final three regular season games with a foot injury. Rivera held Stewart out of practice Wednesday as a precautionary measure.

Everyone else practiced in full practice for the Panthers.

Online:

AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

Patriots LB Darius Fleming rescues woman after car accident

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots linebacker Darius Fleming didn’t hesitate when he saw a woman trapped in a smoking car: He kicked out the window, enabling her to escape.

But Fleming cut his right leg in the process, and he soon began to worry about how coach Bill Belichick would react.

“The first concern was, like, `Man, Bill’s going to be pissed about my leg,”‘ Fleming said in the Patriots locker room on Wednesday after word of his rescue filtered out. “I explained the story to him and he said, `That was pretty cool. I’m glad you were able to help her.”‘

Fleming, 26, said he was on his way home from practice on Thursday when a truck up ahead slowed down to turn, causing a three-car collision behind it. The former Notre Dame and San Francisco 49er linebacker was behind the third car and pulled over to see if he could help.

What he saw was a woman unable to open her doors or windows as her car began to fill with smoke.

“I saw her panic on her face,” Fleming told reporters.

The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Chicagoan needed a few kicks to break the passenger side window, cutting his right leg on the glass as he pulled it back out of the car. The woman climbed out safely.

“My adrenaline was going up and I wasn’t thinking much about it. I was just thinking about whether she was safe,” Fleming said. “Once I got her out of the car, she said `Thank you,’ I said `You’re welcome,’ and I saw my leg and I got out of there.”

Fleming, a fifth-round draft pick in 2012, needed 22 stitches to close the gash. He played with the injury Saturday in New England’s 27-20 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, filling in when starters Jamie Collins and Jerod Mayo were injured.

“I was more worried about just getting out there and playing. I’m glad it didn’t affect my play much,” Fleming said. “The worst thing that could happen is that I would tear them (stitches) open and get re-stitched. It wasn’t like it was a life-threatening injury or anything like that.”

Patriots safety Devin McCourty said on Wednesday that Fleming tried to keep it quiet. “But once the guys on the team got ahold of it, we forced him to give a speech and everything,” McCourty said, calling it “the hero’s speech.”

Roadside heroism is becoming a bit of a playoff tradition for the Patriots.

Last year, defensive lineman Vince Wilfork pulled a woman from a car that had flipped on its side after New England won the AFC championship game.

“We’ve got great guys around here, no matter the time – playoffs, regular season – we’re always out in the community trying to save people,” McCourty said with a laugh.

Like Wilfork before him, Fleming said he didn’t think he did anything special.

“It represents his character,” linebacker Rob Ninkovich said. “He’s a great person. … It’s definitely somebody that you want in a situation like that, to kick in windows and taking stitches.”

AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

Brady, Patriots fall 20-18 to Broncos in AFC title game

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DENVER — Tom Brady isn’t perfect. Stephen Gostkowski? He almost always is.

While Brady made the best out of a less-than-ideal day, the single mistake Gostkowski made – missing his first extra point in nine years – played a big role in New England missing out on a trip to the Super Bowl.

The Patriots’ reign as the NFL champions ended with a 20-18 loss to Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game Sunday.

“At the end, we just couldn’t make enough plays,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “Disappointing, disappointing result. There’s such a fine line today between winning and losing.”

The NFL wanted to spice things up by moving the extra point back this season. They certainly did at that.

With a chance to tie the game early, Gostkowski sent his extra point fluttering off to the right. This from a kicker who made an NFL-record 523 consecutive PATs. It put Brady and the offense in chase mode the rest of the way.

“I just feel terrible,” Gostkowski said. “All day, these guys put their bodies and lives on the line, and for me to come out here and miss a kick, it’s a nightmare scenario. I can’t even explain how I feel right now. It’s just a complete shock and I let a lot of people down.”

Not that his teammates were blaming the right foot of Gostkowski in a game where the Patriots (13-5) turned the ball over twice on interceptions and two more times on downs.

“You definitely shouldn’t put the heat on him. It’s a team game,” tight end Rob Gronkowski said. “You can’t put it on the hands of Steph. There’s no way.”

This was also far from Brady’s best performance. He was constantly hounded by Denver’s top-ranked defense, especially Von Miller as the linebacker finished with an interception and 2 1/2 sacks. Brady was 27 of 56 for 310 yards and two interceptions.

He led the Patriots on a TD drive in the waning seconds, hitting Gronkowski for a 4-yard score on fourth down. Pulling within two points at 20-18 and 12 seconds left, the Patriots went for the 2-point conversion.

Aqib Talib stepped in front of Brady’s pass and deflected it toward the sky. Bradley Roby made the pick.

The Broncos (14-4) recovered the onside kick and, after a knee by Manning, the celebration began. Manning is now 3-1 against Brady when it has counted the most – with a spot in the Super Bowl on the line.

“I’m sure everyone can look at different plays throughout the game when it’s that close and say, `Man I wish I had made that play,”‘ Brady said. “But I’m proud of the way we fought and we certainly fought to the end.”

A big game decided near the goal line? The Patriots have certainly been in that situation before. They won the Super Bowl a season ago with an interception at the goal line in the final seconds against Seattle.

This time, they lost a chance at a return by throwing a pick at the goal line.

“You’ve just got to go out there and make more plays,” Gronkowski said.

Manning gave Brady a hearty handshake before No. 12 left the field. This town has been a house of horrors for Brady, who’s now 2-7 in the Mile High City.

“We just didn’t play well enough. You know, you get to the AFC championship and you get down, you’ve got to play well,” Patriots safety Devin McCourty. “You’ve got to play, really your best football of the year. Today, we just fell short. A couple of plays here and there where they made better plays really were the deciding factors of the game.”

The Patriots had several promising drives in the fourth quarter end when they gave up the ball on downs. The Patriots drove to the Denver 16, only to be stopped on a fourth-and-1 when Julian Edelman was tackled short of the first line after catching a floating pass.

Later, the Patriots faced fourth-and-6 at the Denver 14, but Brady missed Gronkowski over the middle.

Asked why he eschewed field goals, Belichick simply said: “‘Cause of the scoring situation in the game.”

“There were a lot of plays in the game, a lot of big plays,” Belichick added. “We had a chance at the end.”

AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL

Win over Patriots was worth $2 million to Manning

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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) Peyton Manning earned back half of the $4 million pay cut he accepted last winter by leading the Denver Broncos back to the Super Bowl.

He can recoup the rest with a win over Carolina in two weeks.

Manning agreed to GM John Elway’s request that he reduce his 2015 salary to $15 million. But he did so with the caveat that he could earn back every penny by getting to and winning Super Bowl 50.

Each member of the Broncos earned $46,000 Sunday when they beat New England 20-18.

The Super Bowl winners each get $102,000 and the losing team’s individual share is $51,000.

A windfall for some players, pocket change for others.

Manning earned $882,352 each week during the regular season.

 

Cardinals’ 7 turnovers lead to loss in NFC title game

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Carson Palmer couldn’t hold onto the football against a relentless defense, causing one of the NFL’s best offenses to sputter.

And his defense couldn’t come up with the hard-hitting stops needed to salvage any momentum.

The Arizona Cardinals picked a terrible time – on the road in the NFC championship game, no less – to have a mistake-filled performance.

Palmer had six of the Cardinals’ seven turnovers while the defense had a couple of key missed tackles that led to big plays in the Carolina Panthers’ 49-15 win on Sunday night, sending the Panthers to their second Super Bowl while ending what had been the Cardinals’ winningest season with a thud.

Palmer threw four interceptions and was stripped for a pair of fumbles, while All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson fumbled a punt return in the first half. And many of those miscues helped Carolina roll to a 24-7 halftime lead with an outcome that was – shockingly – never in doubt.

Arizona’s 13 regular-season wins allowed them to dethrone the two-time NFC champion Seattle Seahawks as NFC West champions, and the Cardinals were in contention for home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs until losing at home in a blowout to the Seahawks in the regular-season finale.

Still, they entered the playoffs as maybe the most complete team in the league. They had the league’s No. 2 scoring offense (30.6 points) and top total offense (408.3 yards), while the defense ranked in the top 10 in both scoring (19.6) and total defense (321.7).

That group never showed up in Charlotte.

Palmer was inconsistent in earning his first career playoff win in last week’s overtime thriller against Green Bay in the divisional round. He struggled throughout on Sunday night, constantly shuffling against the oncoming rush and never looking comfortable.

He finished 23 for 40 for 235 yards with one touchdown, throwing a late pick-6 to Luke Kuechly followed by another interception as the game turned into a rout.

Meanwhile, Arizona’s defense allowed several big plays. It started early when cornerback Justin Bethel missed a chance to bring down Ted Ginn Jr. near the line of scrimmage, and Ginn weaved his way across the field for a 22-yard touchdown for Carolina’s first score in the opening quarter.

It was the start of what turned out to be a horrific game, with Arizona giving up more points than it had all season.

Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap and the AP’s NFL site at http://pro32.ap.org

Newton, Panthers rout Cardinals, 49-15 for NFC title

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Cam Newton threw for two touchdowns and ran for two others, and Carolina’s big-play defense stifled Arizona’s top-ranked offense in a 49-15 romp Sunday for the NFC championship.

The NFL’s new top man at quarterback – Newton is an All-Pro this season – will lead the Panthers against five-time MVP Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl in two weeks.

It will be the first Super Bowl for Newton and the second trip to the big game for the Panthers (17-1), who lost to New England 12 years ago. Denver, of course, has made a habit of going to Super Bowls, reaching it for a record-tying eighth time.

Carolina’s D was destructive. It forced six turnovers by Carson Palmer – special teams got one – as the Cardinals (13-4) allowed their most points this season.

AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

Super Bowl 50 Preview: Time, date, location for Panthers vs. Broncos

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Peyton Manning is the only five-time MVP in NFL history, one of the faces of the league and, at 39, the oldest starting quarterback to lead a team to the Super Bowl.

Slowed by age and injury, he is no longer the record-breaking passer he once was. Most folks figure Manning’s fourth Super Sunday appearance will be his last game as a pro.

Cam Newton is at the opposite end of his career, just 26, making his debut in the big game. He also is expected to earn MVP honors for the first time, part of a new breed of dual-threat QBs as good at running as they are at throwing.

Super Bowl 50, which will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Feb. 7, will start at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

For the next two weeks, until Manning’s AFC champion Denver Broncos (14-4) play Newton’s NFC champion Carolina Panthers (17-1) for the Lombardi Trophy, most of the focus will be on the two quarterbacks who were No. 1 overall draft picks 13 years apart.

“Oh, wow,” said Newton, whose Panthers opened as 4-point favorites with most bookmakers. “Playing `The Sheriff.”‘

That is a reference to Manning, who is 1-2 in past Super Bowls. He won a championship with the Indianapolis Colts in 2007, lost with the Colts in 2010, and lost again with the Broncos in 2014.

But this is a different version of Manning.

Yes, he’s still as good as anyone at diagnosing defenses and changing things up – or appearing to, anyway – at the line of scrimmage.

Yes, he’s still out there yelling “Omaha!”

“He most certainly is a Hall of Famer,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said.

But Manning is not quite as capable as he was, once upon a time, when it comes to putting the football exactly where he wants it, especially on deep routes.

This has hardly been a record-setting season for Manning – or, until now, one worth remembering. Overall, the bad far outweighed the good, including one game with a passer rating of 0.0, 17 interceptions to only nine touchdown passes in the regular season, being sidelined for six weeks with a series of injuries, getting relegated to backup duty in the NFL for the first time, and vehemently denying a report linking Manning’s wife to the banned drug HGH.

“My role has been different and my contributions are different,” Manning said. “But I’m fortunate and grateful that I have the opportunity to contribute still, in some way. And it’s a great honor to be going back to the Super Bowl.”

Here are some of the other story lines for the 50th Super Bowl, which will be Denver’s record-tying eighth and Carolina’s second:

SUPERMAN: Newton threw for 335 yards and two TDs, and he ran for 47 yards and a pair of scores, leading Carolina past the Arizona Cardinals 49-15 in the NFC title game Sunday night. It was the type of dynamic performance he put in all season, the sort of promise he showed while winning a Heisman Trophy in college at Auburn. “I keep saying it: We’re not finished. We’re not finished,” Newton said.

MILLER TIME: Broncos linebacker Von Miller was terrific Sunday, getting 2 1/2 sacks and an interception in a 20-18 victory over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the AFC title game. “I wanted to do it for Peyton,” said Miller, who was injured and missed Denver’s loss to Seattle in the 2014 Super Bowl.

DOMINANT DEFENSES: Both of these teams excel at defense. The Broncos led the NFL with 52 sacks and allowed a league-low 283.1 yards per game, then made life difficult as can be for Brady on Sunday, knocking him to the ground over and over. No one forced more turnovers than the Panthers, and only five clubs gave up fewer points (the Broncos were one, naturally). Against Arizona, Carolina produced seven takeaways.

CAROLINA’S STARTS: If the Panthers are able to get off to the sort of start they’ve made commonplace lately, they might not even give the Broncos a chance to make a game of it. In their two games this postseason, Carolina outscored its opponents 55-7 in the first half. That includes leads of 17-0 after one quarter and 24-7 after two against Arizona. “We wanted to start fast,” Newton said. “We wanted to keep the pressure on.”

INJURIES: Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis said he broke his right forearm against Arizona – “I knew something was wrong,” he said – but sounded like someone who plans to play in the Super Bowl. The Broncos, meanwhile, lost both of their starting safeties – T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart – to injuries during Sunday’s game.

Information from NBCSports.com News Services was used in this report.


Police recommend charges against Seattle FB Derrick Coleman

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BELLEVUE, Wash. — Police recommended felony charges of vehicular assault and hit-and-run against Seattle Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman on Monday for an October car crash after which he acknowledged smoking synthetic marijuana.

The King County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed having received the charging recommendations from the Bellevue Police Department after completion of the investigation. There was no timeline given on when the prosecutor’s office may reach a charging decision.

According to the police report, Coleman told police he had smoked “Spice” – lumped in as synthetic marijuana – about an hour before the crash. Coleman’s truck was traveling at 60 mph in a 35 mph zone and hit a Honda Civic.

Coleman’s foot remained on the accelerator for several seconds after the initial impact with the Civic, driving it 260 feet down the road until it was pushed off the roadway, up a hill and flipped over, according to the police report. The driver of the Civic suffered a broken collarbone and a head injury.

Synthetic marijuana is not actually marijuana, but typically consists of designer drugs – sometimes similar to amphetamines – sprayed onto plant matter, then smoked.

Police said they discovered a lighter, a glass spoon pipe with tarry residue, one open bag of “synthetic cannabinoid” and three unopened bags of “synthetic cannabinoid” in Coleman’s truck after the crash. Police said Coleman showed signs of being impaired during field sobriety tests, but blood tests taken several hours after the crash did not show the drug Coleman acknowledged taking.

Coleman’s attorney, Steve Hayne, said Monday that video he took of Coleman at the jail following the crash showed he was lucid and did not appear impaired. Hayne said the 101-page report released by Bellevue Police was intended to make Coleman look bad, calling it a “manifesto.”

“Why are they putting all of this stuff in (the report) that is irrelevant and prejudicial?” Hayne said.

Prior to the crash, traffic cameras in the area twice captured Coleman driving out of his lane. Witnesses described Coleman as “aggravated” and “incoherent” following the accident and said he fled barefoot despite being told to stay, according to the report. Police discovered Coleman a short distance from the crash and described him as clam and cooperative.

Coleman just completed his fourth season with the Seahawks and is a restricted free agent this offseason. He was on the practice squad in 2012 before making the 53-man roster in 2013. Coleman missed 11 games and the playoffs last season because of a broken foot.

Coleman is legally deaf and his football success has made him an inspirational figure. He has been featured in TV commercials and wrote a book that was released last year.

AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL

Former NFL star Vince Young arrested for drunken driving

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AUSTIN, Texas — Police say former NFL quarterback Vince Young has been arrested on charges of drunken driving in Austin, Texas.

Travis County jail records show that the 32-young former Texas star was booked shortly after midnight Monday on a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated. His bond was set at $2,000.

Austin police spokesman Ivan Ramos said Young was stopped late Sunday north of downtown alongside Interstate 35. He did not immediately have more information.

Young played six seasons in the NFL after a brilliant career at Texas, leading the Longhorns to a national title in 2005. He now works for the University of Texas promoting diversity and community engagement.

University spokesman Gary Susswein said the school had no immediate comment.

Cam Newton: I’m an African American QB that may scare people

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Panthers quarterback Cam Newton suggested for the first time Wednesday that race may play a factor in why he’s become a lightning rod for public criticism.

“I’m an African-American quarterback that may scare a lot of people because they haven’t seen nothing that they can compare me to,” said the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Newton.

The No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL draft out of Auburn, Newton has his share of detractors who either don’t like how he plays, his celebrations or his abundance of self-confidence.

Newton, a leading league MVP candidate who is putting up record-breaking numbers, said he learned a long time ago that he can’t please everyone, and needs to be true to his personality.

“People are going to judge, and have opinions on things I don’t have control over,” Newton said.

The stout and speedy Newton is beating teams with his arm and his legs, throwing for 35 touchdowns and running for 10 this season. He has helped lead the Panthers (17-1) to their first Super Bowl since 2003. Carolina plays the AFC champion Denver Broncos on Feb. 7 in Santa Clara, California.

Newton acknowledged being leery of talking about how others may perceive him.

“I think it’s a trick question,” Newton said. “If I answer it truthfully it’s going to be `Aw, he’s this or that.’ But I will say it anyway.

“I don’t think people have seen what I am or what I’m trying to do.”

Newton said he hasn’t change, and has previously responded to his critics.

“I said that prior to me being in this situation,” Newton said of being understood. “But when I said it then it was like, `Oh he is immature,’ or, `Oh he’s young and this that and the third.’ I felt a certain type of way then and I feel a certain type of way now – nothing has pretty much changed. They talk about maturity. They talk about skillset. … The only thing that has changed (about me) is that we’re winning now.”

Panthers coach Ron Rivera doesn’t believe Newton should have to fight perceptions about race.

“I think he has always strived to have that separation,” Rivera said. “I don’t think he wants to be known as an African-American quarterback; he wants to be known as a quarterback. I think that is what drives him, to be able to transcend those boundaries, which I think is great.”

Rivera, who is Hispanic, said he has battled that notion to some degree himself.

“It really should be about your merits more than anything else,” Rivera said. “More about what you have accomplished, what you have done. I think that is how we should judge people.”

Rivera said some people may simply not like Newton because of his personality.

The All-Pro quarterback plays the game with open enthusiasm, pointing his arms forward after running for a first down, doing the “dab” in the end zone and pretending to rip open his shirt like Superman. He gets his teammates to pose for pictures on the sideline near the end of games when the outcome is no longer in doubt.

None of that bothers Rivera, who said Newton needs to remain true to himself.

“I think some people believe you should be stoic when you play this game,” Rivera said. “But a lot of people disagree and think you should have fun. This is a kid’s game. I know there is a lot of money involved, but at the end of the day it’s about entertainment. If you aren’t enjoying yourself, don’t play the game -it’s that simple.”

Broncos accustomed to pulling out wins in tight situations

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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — As confetti cannons showered the Denver Broncos with a blizzard of orange and blue, Methodist minister Don Bird of Aurora, Colorado, expressed the feelings of so many sweat-drenched, fingernail-nibbling fans.

“I am convinced that Broncos fans are the most well-conditioned fans in the NFL,” Bird wrote on Facebook after Peyton Manning bested Tom Brady in the AFC championship. “Our hearts got a workout with every game but one this season. Who needs the gym?”

The Broncos (14-4) are heading to Super Bowl 50 on the strength of a dizzying defense and opportunistic offense that led Denver to an NFL-record 11 wins by seven points or less, including Sunday’s 20-18 classic against the New England Patriots.

“We never waiver on our faith,” linebacker Brandon Marshall said after Denver denied Brady’s 2-point attempt to tie it with 12 seconds remaining. “We stay strong. We believe. Everybody plays hard. We play fast. We play physical. Four quarters.

“What blowout did we have this year? Maybe the Packers game, that’s it. So, we are used to playing in close games. That’s what we do. We’re used to playing in games that come down to the wire. And we prevail.”

The Broncos’ only breather all season came when Green Bay brought a 6-0 record to Denver in November and left with a 29-10 defeat, the worst outing of Aaron Rodgers‘ brilliant career.

Denver is 11-3 in games decided by seven points or less, and a 12-point win at Detroit was close until David Bruton Jr.’s interception led to a last-minute TD.

The Broncos’ best hope to bring home another Lombardi Trophy to go with the two GM John Elway won during his Hall of Fame playing career might very well be to keep it close against Carolina in Super Bowl 50.

“That kind of has become a theme for us,” coach Gary Kubiak said after Denver’s 23-17 win over Pittsburgh in the divisional round, “to grind and work and just keep ourselves in position to be successful.”

The Broncos just don’t get tight when the games get that way.

Denver’s wins have come by an average of just 6.92 points. Carolina’s average margin of victory is nearly twice that – 13.41 points.

In the 2012 season, the Broncos rolled into the playoffs on an 11-game winning streak in which their average margin of victory was 16.45 points. They promptly lost in double-overtime to Baltimore 38-35 in what was their first close game in three months.

They piled up a record 606 points in 2013 and got shellacked by Seattle in the Super Bowl.

Elway would rather bring the league’s No. 1 defense to the Super Bowl like he’s doing this year than the NFL’s No. 1 offense like he did two years ago.

After that last landslide, Elway signed free agents DeMarcus Ware, T.J. Ward and Aqib Talib. The last two drafts, he also selected defenders who slipped down the board in first-round picks Bradley Roby and Shane Ray.

He replaced John Fox with Kubiak, who brought more balance to the offense with a greater emphasis on the ground game as Manning’s passing skills began to diminish at age 39.

The Broncos benefited from the offensive balance, defensive dominance and abundance of tight games.

“I think it helps playing a lot of close games during the course of the season, starting with the very first one against Baltimore,” Manning said. “That was a dog fight, grinder and went down to the last drive. If you can be in a lot of those games and win those games, it certainly gives you confidence and, hey, it’s playoff football.”

When Elway switched coaches last year, he said he wanted to build a team that would go down “kicking and screaming,” after Fox’s teams lost their last game by a cumulative 150-66.

That toughness has been on display all season as they made a habit of winning close games.

“I mean, defense wins championships,” cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said. “We’ve had so many games that we’ve had to win in the fourth quarter or 2-point conversion or things like that all season.”

Denver’s model is no longer lighting up scoreboards but grinding it out, hanging around and making big plays at the end.

“The mindset to me is that you know we play for 60 minutes – even though we haven’t consistently played well for 60 minutes – you know our mindset has been there,” Elway said. “And that’s why this team is a tougher team because it’s a mentally tough one.”

This time, it’s Cam Newton and the Panthers bringing the high-octane offense to the Super Bowl and the Broncos sporting the star-studded secondary and ferocious front-seven.

They also bring a bravado borne from having played so many close games.

“Guys really don’t panic,” Harris said. “We’ve been in these situations all season. It’s really prepared us for this time. I think in the past we’ve had a lot of blowouts, we were beating teams by a lot of points and we didn’t ever get in those situations like this. But we’ve been in these situations all year, so it’s normal for us now.

“It doesn’t faze us with the game on the line.”

AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton

Redskins GM says he’d like to sign Cousins to long-term deal

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MOBILE, Ala. (AP) Washington Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan says he would prefer to sign quarterback Kirk Cousins to a long-term deal and noted that the team has more than a month to release Robert Griffin III without his contract counting against the salary cap.

McCloughan met with reporters at the Senior Bowl on Wednesday.

While Washington is expected to cut Griffin, who lost the starting QB job to Cousins late in the preseason, McCloughan said he “certainly” could see a scenario where the 2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year could remain with the team.

McCloughan said the Redskins want to keep Cousins, who can leave via free agency.

The GM called using a franchise tag on Cousins “an option” but said “you’d rather get a long-term deal done.”

Online:

AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL

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