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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?
LIVE VIDEO: NBCSports.com shows Washington-New York, with alternate camera angles, HD views and more.
PBT: Jeremy Lin wasn't his hot self on Saturday, but he still led the Knicks to victory.
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.
Golf's dream pairing - Woods and Mickelson - is on the course in the final round at Pebble Beach. Jason Sobel has 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.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
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.
Bears TE Matt Spaeth's roster spot is in question this offseason.
A blocking specialist likely brought in at former OC Mike Martz's behest, Spaeth no longer fits the offense. His $1.875 million salary can be used to re-sign Kellen Davis or make a push for a free agent such as Martellus Bennett.
Citing multiple sources, ESPN Chicago reports Johnny Knox's December recovery from surgery to stabilize his vertebra could extend beyond six months.
Knox is in a restrictive back brace until mid-March. He will then embark on an extensive rehab program, leaving his status for training camp in doubt. Although the Bears are confident that Knox will play again, they have to proceed as though he may not be a significant factor early in 2012.
Bears hired Jeremy Bates as quarterbacks coach.
Bates will likely serve as the Bears' passing-game coordinator under run-minded OC Mike Tice, though he didn't get that official title. Bates served as Jay Cutler's QBs coach during his final year in Denver. Out of work in 2011, Bates also spent time as the Bucs and Jets' QBs coach before an unsuccessful one-year stint as the Seahawks' offensive coordinator in 2010.
The Chiefs reportedly denied the Bears' request to interview QBs coach Jim Zorn for their passing game coordinator/QBs coach position.
The Bears have tried and failed to land Zorn, Jaguars QBs coach Greg Olson, Titans QBs coach Dowell Loggains, and Falcons OC Dirk Koetter. They now have their sights set on former Bucs QBs coach Alex Van Pelt. Zorn could end up competing with Brian Daboll, formerly of the Dolphins, for Chiefs play-calling duties.
New Bears GM Phil Emery expressed confidence and support in coach Lovie Smith at Emery's introductory press conference Monday.
"I have full control [of the roster]," Emery said, "but that's not where my head is. My head is at working with coach Smith toward developing consistent championships." The Chicago Sun Times points out that Emery "had no choice" but to accept Smith as his head coach this year. As these GM-hired-after-coach situations go, however, there will be no guarantees for Smith beyond 2012.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell does not expect kickoffs to be moved back to the 30-yard line in 2012.
"We will evaluate again this offseason," Goodell said. "But I don't think we're moving it back." There were touchbacks on 43.5 percent of kickoffs in 2011, up dramatically from 16.4 percent in 2010. Unless further study reveals there was no discernible reduction in return injuries this season, kickoffs are likely at the 35-yard line for good.
Free agent Matt Forte wants to "remain in Chicago and remain a Bear."
Forte also reiterated to a local radio program that he's fine with the franchise tag as long as it's a good faith gesture toward negotiating a long-term contract. "But if it's just to hold me another year and just, 'Let's throw some money at him right now to keep him quiet,' that's not going to solve anything," explained Forte.
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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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.