MORE FROM David Steele

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Best receivers missing. Shoddy kick returners. No-name offensive weapons. Tom Brady can still take down a contender and keep the Patriots on track.

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An NFC title game pitting the young Cowboys against the "Legion of Boom" would have been nice. Without Earl Thomas, that won't end well for Seattle.

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Another year of mediocrity with the Rams hasn't put Jeff Fisher on the hot seat, and somehow neither have the foolish distractions this week.

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Rome wasn't built in a day, and the Browns are a bigger ruin than that. Hue Jackson and Sashi Brown never misled anyone about the rebuild in store.

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Bruce Arians pointed at his Cardinals players' "selfishness,'' but ignored the fingers pointing back at him. He'll get away with it if they start winning again.

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The Patriots barely squeezed by the Jets without Rob Gronkowski, but his health is their Achilles' heel when they face real Super Bowl contenders.

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There's no one reason the bottom fell out of the Bengals' season, but their latest frustrating loss all but signals an end to their playoff streak.

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Brock Osweiler engineered another Texans offensive debacle, but Bill O'Brien's the one who handed him the job. He's struck out on a QB three straight years.

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Kirk Cousins was at his best against Green Bay. Earlier this season against his Thanksgiving opponent, the Cowboys, he played his worst.

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The Colts have won two straight, are back at .500, and Andrew Luck is the big reason. In a so-so division, he's the X-factor, and he's playing like it.

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That fleecing of Washington in 2012 was supposed to set the Rams up long-term. Five seasons later, they're still the Rams, with another new QB.

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The Packers got away with a lot on their playoff run last year. This year, their flaws are too much to overcome, even when Aaron Rodgers is hot.

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The Cardinals still looked unconvincing even while winning, barely over the awful 49ers. They're a shadow of the team that reach the NFC title game.

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The Steelers looked like world-beaters in Week 1, but now they've lost four in a row. Even in a weak division, their season is slipping away.

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Dan Carpenter's wife knew what she was tweeting about Richard Sherman, and so does anyone else who knows the history of this country.

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Shutting down Antonio Brown goes a long way toward beating the Steelers, and the Ravens figured out how. But the Steelers helped them do it.

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You can admit it: that mess at the end of the first half of Bills-Seahawks was the last straw. Why should fans waste time on a sport that gets calls wrong this bad this often?

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Who's better in the NFL at what Steve Smith does, at 37, running routes, running his mouth and raising the temperature every time he plays?

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The Steelers say they don't regret playing Ben Roethlisberger against the Ravens, but they got nothing out of it now and could feel more pain later.

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Mike Wallace hit his former team like a bolt of lightning, going 95 yards with a Joe Flacco pass to put the Ravens up on the Steelers early.

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The repercussions of Teddy Bridgewater's season-ending injury keep coming in Minnesota, turning its season desperate at the midway point.

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Williams' drug-related suspension kills this team on the field. But it also left the fans feeling betrayed after he'd made up for the last ban.

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So far, Brock Osweiler has not lived up to his contract or the Texans' faith in him. Meanwhile, the Panthers blew it by not paying someone. These are among the observations at the NFL's halfway point.

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Yes, you can still talk about Matt Ryan as an MVP candidate. That's how big that comeback win over the Packers and Aaron Rodgers was.

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Adam Silver and Michele Roberts' joint TV appearance should give Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith their cue. Do they hear it?

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The Browns should feel left out in Cleveland's sports euphoria today, but as bleak as things are now, there actually are a few silver linings.

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After beating the Panthers and Broncos, the Falcons looked so inviting. Not any more, especially after making such a mess against the Chargers.

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The Titans jumped ahead of the Colts on Sunday when Marcus Mariota hit one of his favorite receivers for a score ... tackle Taylor Lewan.

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Colin Kaepernick's choice of hairdo sends a message, just as his kneeling does. Those who oppose him react predictably every time.

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The newly released police documents should destroy Josh Brown's career the way the elevator video ruined Ray Rice's. The Giants and the NFL blew it again.

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If Mark Davis really plans to move the Raiders to Las Vegas in two years, the fans he's abandoning in Oakland have every right to abandon him.

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Concussions can affect vision greatly, so Washington's Su'a Cravens does need glasses, says an eye expert. The good news is that it's probably not permanent.

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Team executives did everything they could to undermine Colin Kaepernick and his former coach. Now, Kaepernick is on the rise while the team keeps sinking.

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The Panthers couldn't force a turnover or stop the Bucs when they needed to Monday night, the latest signs that their vaunted defense is missing a beat.

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Joe Flacco has changed offensive coordinators a lot for a quarterback this good and this valuable. Some stability there could take him a long way.

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Paxton Lynch did his best when pressed into service. But no matter who the quarterback, the Broncos' offense has to get a lot better.

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When the notorious Donald Trump tape went public, FS1's NRA ad during the NLDS suddenly made them all look like strange bedfellows, or worse.

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It's still a small miracle that the league that counts pelvic thrusts on celebrating players keeps its distance as players protest injustice before games.

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If you waited until players started kneeling before you stopped watching the NFL, you're awfully forgiving of every other problem the league has had.

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The longer Derek Carr plays with Michael Crabtree, the stronger their connection gets. It peaked against the Ravens Sunday.

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Keep laughing at the Browns for passing on Carson Wentz. You'd be crying for him over the beating he would take had he landed in Cleveland.

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The Giants got a gift from the continued mess that is the catch rule, when an Eli Manning interception was ruled and confirmed as an incompletion.

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Somehow, after losing Bashaud Breeland and DeAngelo Hall, Washington stayed close to the Giants, then blew a chance to score before halftime.

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The Panthers and owner Jerry Richardson have more power in Charlotte than Cam Newton. Call them all out when talking about the latest shooting by police.

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More players are joining Colin Kaepernick by raising fists, not kneeling. Tommie Smith did the same in 1968 and sees the more direct message it sends.

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The Trent Dilfers, Drew Breeses and Kate Uptons of the world had lots to say about Colin Kaepernick before another police shooting surfaced. Now, not so much.

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The Vikings' season isn't over if Adrian Peterson misses a lot of time. But everybody, including Sam Bradford, is much better off with him.

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It's Week 3, they play Odell Beckham Jr. and the Giants, and Washington needs to figure out how to use Josh Norman, now, before it's too late.

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Alfred Morris scoring the game-winning touchdown for the Cowboys in FedEx Field was an extra twist of the knife for fans wishing he had stayed.

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Dak Prescott is still keeping Tony Romo's seat warm, Jerry Jones reminded everybody Sunday, after saying a pre-game exam on his back went well.

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Washington can blame a lot of players for being 0-2, but Kirk Cousins is the one being paid like a franchise quarterback, and falling far short of it.

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The Cowboys, including Jerry Jones, were hoping Dak Prescott could step up to the challenge. He did, in his first road start against a division rival.

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An onside kick right after taking the lead, in the third quarter? Jason Garrett goes for the element of surprise and fails — then gets lucky.

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Is there a traitor loose in the nation's capital? The Wizards' John Wall dared wear Cowboys' gear in Washington's stadium with the rivals in town.

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It's only Week 2, and officials are under the gun to maintain order. Officiating boss Dean Blandino laid down the law for Sunday's game in Pittsburgh.

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Antonio Brown played against Washington without a lot of his usual help, and he destroyed them anyway. Until further notice, he's the league's MVP.

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Arian Foster and three teammates knelt, and the Chiefs' Marcus Peters raised his fist. The Chiefs and Seahawks players sent collective messages as well.

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A great player getting the money he's due and finishing his career where he wants to? It's not as common as you think. Drew Brees may get it all.

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Two more trades put Chip Kelly further in the Eagles' rearview mirror, yet by starting a rookie quarterback, they're riding into the future in an Andy Reid model.

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The former Colts and Bengals tight end wrote his post-career book for his family, but fans also learn plenty about the true toll football takes.

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Two promising picks from two years ago, Bishop Sankey and Aaron Murray, are out as the final roster cuts begin. The deadline is Saturday.

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Cam Newton talked about the Colin Kaepernick situation, but he might as well have stayed silent. The stage proved to be too big for him.

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The NFL keeps scheduling four (or five) preseason games a year, yet star players get onto the field less and less. Once again, what's the point?

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The ring was Muhammad Ali's stage, and he used it to tell the people of the world they could be whoever they wanted to be.

Video: Referee howler throws the NFL into chaos

So you think NRL refs make bad calls at key moments?

Is Hayne walking into a disaster at the 49ers?

First, it was Jim Harbaugh. Now, it's Aldon Smith. In between, the 49ers saw their exit door get too much of a workout for one offseason.

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A handful of teams, led by the Cowboys, were mentioned as possible destinations for Adrian Peterson if he and the Vikings split. Now, more than ever, it looks like they'll have to live without him.

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Wes Welker says he'll play "until the wheels fall off,'' but teams don't seem eager to give him that chance. The ex-Patriot and Bronco leads the list of big-name veterans who are still unsigned.

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Taylor is the early leader for the quarterback job, and EJ Manuel is trailing.

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Even if you don't care for longer extra-point kicks, who doesn't like more chances for somebody, anybody, to go the length of the field for a score? Making missed conversions a live ball is a genius move.

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Justin Smith's retirement became official Monday, as the 49ers lose another piece from a defense that anchored a Super Bowl team just three years ago.

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The Bountygate and Adrian Peterson cases wound up in court, so it's not premature to rule out lawsuits for Tom Brady, Robert Kraft and the Patriots.

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Aaron Hernandez eluded charges for allegedly shooting a friend in Florida, until this week. Police have tied that shooting to the double-murder for which he's awaiting trial.

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Don't be surprised if Tom Brady's appeal focuses as much on the Wells Report as on Ted Wells himself, with questions about potential bias getting raised again.

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The Bills and Dolphins have upgraded, and the Jets are starting over. But they all have enough flaws to keep them at arm's lengths from the Patriots in the AFC East, even without Tom Brady.

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The Patriots went with an oddity in two categories in the fifth round: Joe Cardona, who plays a position hardly ever filled in the draft, from Navy, which rarely sends players to the NFL.

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Baylor's Bryce Petty went later in the draft than most expected, but where he landed, with the Jets, makes for a potential circus as Geno Smith fights for his job.

DGB to Tennessee

The most-talented, yet most-troubled, wideout in the draft, Dorial Green-Beckham slid into the second round to the Titans, who will have Marcus Mariota to throw to him.

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The Orioles manager didn't shy away from a question about the help Baltimore needs in the wake of the unrest, even though he admitted he'd never faced what many residents have.

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The Orioles' game at Camden Yards sounded and felt like no other game in major league history, and the reasons were not lost on the players.

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On the most unusual day for fans in baseball history, some of the Orioles faithful found a way to support their team. Otherwise, Camden Yards was a quiet oasis in volatile Baltimore.

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Adam Jones and Buck Showalter had a game to play, in front of an empty Camden Yards, but their minds were on the serious troubles Baltimore is facing after this week's riots.

Still on the market

The draft is approaching and the best free agents are long gone. A few recognizable names are still out there, though, like Wes Welker, Michael Vick and Dwight Freeney.

Playoff path

Why is Bill Belichick smiling? The coach of the Super Bowl champion team is on Easy Street in 2015.

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Tim Tebow may have been out of the NFL last season, but a case can still be made that he was better with a microphone in his hand than these five who actually played meaningful games.

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The NFL didn't turn Aaron Hernandez into a convicted murderer, but they're now handcuffed to him and his crimes because they missed or ignored all the signs.

Thomas makes history

Sarah Thomas, who will break the NFL's officiating gender barrier this season, plans to try to blend in and be judged on her performance.

Hernandez trial

The prosecution has rested in the Aaron Hernandez trial, and the defense is likely to call just one witness. That makes sense based on the case already built for them.

Buyer beware

The pickings are starting to get slim on the NFL free agent market. The names left are familiar but come with the usual caveat: buyer beware.

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After keeping together an organization that survived and thrived throughout a dizzying wave of injuries, Cardinals general manager Steve Keim received the Sporting News award in front of the peers who voted him in.

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The NFL's new medical-spotter policy will always be tied to the hit on the Pats receiver in Super Bowl XLIX. Two ex-players, one an NFL exec and the other an advocate for brain health, know too well how overdue the rule is.

'What took so long?'

The 72-hour sellout rule for NFL TV blackouts came about because Robin Ficker went to the Supreme Court over a 1972 playoff game. Ficker sees the one-year blackout moratorium as a win for the people.

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All but one NFL team backed away from Greg Hardy in the wake of his domestic violence issues. Only the Buccaneers admitted why.

Singing his praises

All of Tim Tebow's personal quarterback coaches have had one thing in common.

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Market slim for Peterson

The Cowboys were presumed to be the favorite to get the Vikings' Adrian Peterson, but now he may be running out of options.

Taking their shot

Yale's Charles Cook and Newberry's Sharon Irwin are two of the overlooked longshots showcasing themselves at this year's NFL regional combines.

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Kelly's record

Chip Kelly gets the benefit of the doubt for his tearing-down and rebuilding of the Eagles. Results had better be close behind.

Hernandez trial

Aaron Hernandez allegedly shot a former friend in the face back in 2013, yet has never been charged with it, and a lawsuit over it drags on.

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2014 franchise tag review

Only six players were given franchise or transition tags last offseason, and three later signed extensions. One who didn't, Greg Hardy, is instead seeing his Panthers career come to an ugly end.

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Richardson-Colts messy divorce

The Colts could still steer clear of embarrassment when it splits with Trent Richardson, but reports about why he missed a playoff game made their move to unload his salary more complicated.

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40 or bust?

Is the 40-yard dash overrated? Not exactly, say NFL talent evaluators. But the hype is again exceeding its true place in the scouting process.

Doctor's orders

Dr. Elizabeth Nabel's selection as the NFL's chief medical advisor has raised questions about why the league didn't pick a concussion specialist, and whether it's walking into another conflict-of-interest controversy.

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Imagine the Showtime Lakers with Magic, Kareem and Jamaal Wilkes, coached not by Paul Westhead ... but by Jerry Tarkanian. It almost happened, says a best-seller from last year about the Lakers' glory days.

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Seahawks' slow decline

The Seahawks were on the other side of a big collapse two weeks ago. This time, they were the goats, coming undone long before the fateful play call.

David Steele's pick

David Steele's pick

The Seahawks-Patriots clash in Super Bowl XLIX will go down to the wire. The difference: Russell Wilson.

Major protests planned

Supporters of a name change for Washington's NFL team are turning up the heat in Arizona, site of the Super Bowl.

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San Diego is universally beloved as a city that's perfect to host a Super Bowl, but it hasn't even bid on one since 2003. That could soon change.

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The Hall of Fame quarterback didn't notice much difference when he tested footballs with varied inflation levels. He said he wants to believe the Patriots' coach and quarterback, but wonders who was responsible if they weren't.

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Joe Theismann, Washington's Super Bowl-winning quarterback from the '80s, decided that throwing was believing, and he believes deflated balls make no difference.

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The Cardinals' Bruce Arians might not be Sporting News' Coach of the Year without a defensive coordinator as resourceful and creative as Todd Bowles.

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Doing it for Sean

The Seahawks safety decided a long time ago that he wanted to be like the late Sean Taylor, who broke the mold at the position.

Doing it for Sean

The Seahawks safety decided a long time ago that he wanted to be like the late Sean Taylor, who broke the mold at the position.

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Patriots win 'arms race'

The Patriots and Broncos reloaded last offseason in a free-agent battle for AFC supremacy. The crown was awarded prematurely to the Broncos, who went bust in playoffs.

Patriots win 'arms race'

The Patriots and Broncos reloaded last offseason in a free-agent battle for AFC supremacy. The crown was awarded prematurely to the Broncos, who went bust in playoffs.

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49ers choose Tomsula

The 49ers' new head coach is young, just 46, but he has paid his dues in the NFL and in the sport, including a successful stint in Europe. Now he has to follow in the footsteps of Jim Harbaugh.

49ers choose Tomsula

The 49ers' new head coach is young, just 46, but he has paid his dues in the NFL and in the sport, including a successful stint in Europe. Now he has to follow in the footsteps of Jim Harbaugh.

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Jones' gigantic task

Everything that Jerry Jones has done as GM to re-make the mediocre Cowboys could be unraveled if he doesn't re-sign his head coach, top assistants and stars Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray.

Jones' gigantic task

Everything that Jerry Jones has done as GM to re-make the mediocre Cowboys could be unraveled if he doesn't re-sign his head coach, top assistants and stars Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray.

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Hernandz trial

Recent crimes by NFL players will be problematic.

Hernandz trial

Recent crimes by NFL players will be problematic.

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Believe Mueller report at your own risk

The Mueller report clears the NFL on the Ray Rice video it may or may not have seen. But knowing about the initial impartiality questions and limited powers, should anyone trust it?

Believe Mueller report at your own risk

The Mueller report clears the NFL on the Ray Rice video it may or may not have seen. But knowing about the initial impartiality questions and limited powers, should anyone trust it?

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NFL minority hiring record

Instead of changing the Rooney Rule after the minority hiring shutout prior to the 2013 season, the NFL gave it support by putting together an advisory committee to recommend a diverse pool.

NFL minority hiring record

Instead of changing the Rooney Rule after the minority hiring shutout prior to the 2013 season, the NFL gave it support by putting together an advisory committee to recommend a diverse pool.

Peterson lawsuit

Adrian Peterson's suit against the NFL is moving through the federal court system and will be heard by Judge David Doty on Feb. 6.

Peterson lawsuit

Adrian Peterson's suit against the NFL is moving through the federal court system and will be heard by Judge David Doty on Feb. 6.

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Nothing about Sunday’s AFC wild-card game in Indianapolis resembled a 16-point domination (except the final score). Rarely does a team sound as relieved about a 26-10 win at home as the Colts did about shaking off the Bengals, a team they had beaten mercilessly, 27-0, on the same field in October.

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Colts survive, advance

If Andrew Luck hadn't performed magic on a game-breaking touchdown pass in the second half, the Colts and Bengals might still be playing their AFC wild-card game.

Colts survive, advance

If Andrew Luck hadn't performed magic on a game-breaking touchdown pass in the second half, the Colts and Bengals might still be playing their AFC wild-card game.

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AFC playoffs

Flacco's Ravens go into Heinz Field and transform for the playoffs.

AFC playoffs

Flacco's Ravens go into Heinz Field and transform for the playoffs.

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Trippi

Charley Trippi follows the team, roots for it, and hopes to see it play in the Super Bowl at home.

Trippi

Charley Trippi follows the team, roots for it, and hopes to see it play in the Super Bowl at home.

Wild card to Super Bowl

You don't need a bye to clear a path to the Super Bowl. Half of the last 12 champs came out of wild-card weekend. They did it with quarterback excellence, defense, toughness ... and a lot of luck.

Wild card to Super Bowl

You don't need a bye to clear a path to the Super Bowl. Half of the last 12 champs came out of wild-card weekend. They did it with quarterback excellence, defense, toughness ... and a lot of luck.

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The Cowboys' chances for a deep playoff run took a hit when Ndamukong Suh's suspension was overturned. But Tony Romo and Co. are still up to the challenge.

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The Cowboys' chances for a deep playoff run took a hit when Ndamukong Suh's suspension was overturned. But Tony Romo and Co. are still up to the challenge.

Ranking job openings

What is the most attractive of the open positions? The 49ers look pretty good, although Jed York and Trent Baalke had better hope that the ugliness of Jim Harbaugh's departure doesn't taint their search.

Ranking job openings

What is the most attractive of the open positions? The 49ers look pretty good, although Jed York and Trent Baalke had better hope that the ugliness of Jim Harbaugh's departure doesn't taint their search.

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The 49ers wasted no time in officially parting ways with Jim Harbaugh Sunday night, after four seasons that included a Super Bowl and three NFC championship game trips.

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The 49ers wasted no time in officially parting ways with Jim Harbaugh Sunday night, after four seasons that included a Super Bowl and three NFC championship game trips.

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A five-game losing streak and star players acting immature equals a sloppy finish to the Browns' season. Owner Jimmy Haslam says he won't tear things up and start all over again. But should anyone believe him?