Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Eleven shots separated Phil and Tiger Sunday at Pebble Beach as Lefty secured his 40th Tour win. Jason Sobel had hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
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If you believe the hype, you may predict the Titans will defeat the Ravens Saturday by a score of 9-7. Your logic: A Keith Bulluck fumble return for a touchdown and an Albert Haynesworth safety will overcome an Ed Reed interception return for a touchdown.
Yes, these teams are highlighted by dominating defenses. But there is more to them than that.
If you are interested in seeing an aerial display you will not find it in Nashville. You may find it in Carolina, where the Cardinals will play, or even in Pittsburgh, where the Chargers will visit. But not in Nashville.
During the regular season, the Titans ranked 27th in the NFL in passing and the Ravens ranked 28th. But really, it was by design. Neither team ever tried to lead the league in passing.
Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger said he is satisfied with the team’s offensive balance — or shall we say imbalance? — because the Titans are winning. “Obviously, I’d like to have more success throwing it than we have,” he said in a break from game planning this week. “I’d probably like some more bigger plays, but we’re winning and it doesn’t matter how. It’s been ugly some weeks, but they have found a way to do it.
The formulas to win for both teams were to complement their great defenses by running the ball and minimizing turnovers. So the Ravens had the fourth best running game in football and the Titans had the seventh best.
Both did it with more than one back, as the Titans found a wonderful mix between Chris Johnson and LenDale White. Johnson had the edge in carries 251 to 200. White had the edge in touchdowns 15-9.
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The Ravens also split up the work between Le’Ron McClain, Willis McGahee and Ray Rice, but as the season has gone on McClain has emerged as their go-to back. No one would have thought this 6-0, 260 pound blocking specialist would have developed into Brandon Jacobs light. No one, that is, except Cam Cameron.
“I haven’t seen anything he’s done this year that we didn’t think he could have done in the offseason,” said the Ravens offensive coordinator, who had his eye on McClain back when he was the head coach of the Dolphins. “He was always on my radar. I thought he could catch and run the ball a little bit.”
Even though neither offense has created many sparks, both of their offensive coordinators have been praised for doing outstanding jobs, and rightfully so.
The last time the Titans had more than 10 wins in a season was 2003. The offensive coordinator on that team was Heimerdinger. He left the following year for the Jets and then the Broncos, apparently taking a piece of the Titans with him.
“He’s made a big difference with his play calling, his choice of plays, and also his demeanor,” Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt said. “The expectation level is up on offense. You can see it in practice and in games. The offense is just more efficient. He’s done a heck of a job.”
Both coordinators had to make adjustments on the fly because the quarterbacks they thought would be their starters ended up on the bench.
And Heimerdinger has played to Collins’ strengths in his game plans and play calls. “Kerry makes real good decisions and protects the ball,” Heimerdinger says. “He knows where his three and four [reads] are. He knows which side of the field to work.”
In Baltimore, rookie Joe Flacco became the starter only after injury to Kyle Boller and illness to Troy Smith. But he has performed exceptionally well for a rookie, operating with consistent poise. Last week, he became the first rookie ever to win his debut playoff game on the road.
So while it’s true the Titans-Ravens game should be dominated by defenses, each has an offense that is capable of stealing the show.
Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
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Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
After leading by 18 points in the first half, the Los Angeles Lakers were staring at a four-point deficit with less than two minutes to play.
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
