AFC East: Super Bowl 44
- New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said it's wait and see with the left ankle of Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski.
- Miami Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland says he wants a quarterback who can get the team over the hump.
- New St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said he was leaving the New York Jets even before the team collapsed in the final three games.
- New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo will make a stop in Buffalo on Wednesday.
Has Patriots' defense turned the corner?
AP Photo/Elise AmendolaVince Wilfork, right, and the Patriots' defense dominated Saturday's playoff game against Denver.The much-maligned Patriots' defense had the best performance of the playoffs thus far in a 45-10 win against the Denver Broncos. A group that was mostly on its heels during the regular season attacked Denver and quarterback Tim Tebow, allowing just 252 total yards. Whether the one-game performance was a fluke or a sign of things to come is a subject of intense debate.
We will find out Sunday when the Patriots host the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game. When it comes to defense, the Patriots stand out in a group that includes the Ravens, the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants in the conference championships. Baltimore and San Francisco were both top-four defenses. The Giants were injured on defense all season, but are finally healthy and playing like the talented unit most expected.
According to ESPN Stats and Information, New England is trying to become, by far, the worst-rated defense ever to win a Super Bowl. New England was ranked 31st in total defense in the regular season. Only the Green Bay Packers -- who were 15-1 but one-and-done in the playoffs -- were worse. Is this Patriots' defense good enough to win a championship?
"Everyone is real easy to jump on the Patriots' defense and say they're so terrible and they can't win a Super Bowl being this bad. But I don't agree with that," said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. "I don’t think it's great. It's clearly the worst defense still in the playoffs. They allow all these passing yards, but they don't allow that many points, and that's more important."
The Patriots continue to challenge the longstanding theory that "defense wins championships." Three of the past four Super Bowl champions -- Green Bay, New Orleans and Indianapolis -- were led by dynamic offenses. But this season, defense is making a comeback.
The Patriots have the best offense and worst defense remaining in the field. Yet they are the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl.
"Big defenses will stand up in playoff situations. So it's still relevant," NFL analyst Steve Young explained in a conference call this week. "It's just not quite as relevant as the old days, in my mind. It's a big deal, and I think the Giants and 49ers playing each other is interesting, because [they have] two really great defenses. The Patriots will have to be proven wrong, that they can't go the distance in this pass-happy era. ... I think the question is going to be answered on the field. Phenomenal offense against a great defense and we'll see in this era who can pull off championship football.”
The matchup between Baltimore's offense and New England's defense is an intriguing one. Both groups have been the weaker links of their respective teams. With Baltimore's passing game inconsistent, the key to slowing the Ravens will be corralling Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice. In many ways, Rice is to Baltimore what quarterback Tom Brady is to New England. Rice led the Ravens in rushing (1,364) and receptions (76). Patriots head coach Bill Belichick usually attempts to take away an opponent's best weapon and force a team to win with its second and third options. Similar to last week, expect New England to gear up heavily against the run and see if Baltimore can keep up with New England's high-powered offense by passing the football.
But stopping Rice won't be easy. He had six 100-yard rushing games this season, including 204 yards against the Cleveland Browns and 191 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"I'll tell you what, he’s probably one of the toughest guys to bring down in this league because he always keeps those wheels spinning," Patriots Pro Bowl defensive lineman Vince Wilfork said. "He always comes up with big plays for his team, if it’s in the pass game or the running game. When you have a running back like that, you can do anything with him. I think the Ravens do a good job of using him. That’s first on our list; we have to slow him down if we want to be successful as a defense."
If things go as planned for New England, there will be a lot of pressure on Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco to keep up. Flacco's performances in the playoffs have been inconsistent. Last week he completed just 14 of 27 passes for 176 yards in a 20-13 win against the Houston Texans. Flacco also was sacked five times. That also happens to be the same amount of sacks New England registered against Tebow last week. You also cannot ignore the "Brady Factor" when talking about New England's defense. The future Hall of Famer is playing some of the best football of his career, and is coming off a six-touchdown performance against Denver, which tied a playoff record.
New England's high-scoring offense is averaging 40.5 points in the past four games and has complemented the defense well. Despite all of New England's defensive issues, the team is pretty solid in the red zone and is 15th in points allowed (21.4) per game.
"The Patriots are not great [defensively], but they don't need to shut teams out either with Brady and the offense that they have,” Williamson said.
For months many have wondered if the Patriots' struggling defense can step up in the playoffs if the offense cannot light it up against an elite defense. This is probably the week we find out against Baltimore in the AFC Championship Game.
Perhaps no group in the playoffs has more to prove this week than New England's defense, which might or might not be turning the corner.
"It's playoff time," Patriots starting cornerback Kyle Arrington said. "Our records, our stats go out the window this time of year. We're fully committed to play for one another."
Were big AFC East offseason needs filled?
Now that we've gone through offseason workouts, minicamps, training camps and three preseason games, let's take a look at each AFC East need and determine whether it was addressed.
Buffalo Bills
1. Outside linebacker: At the time of Horton's analysis, he didn't know Aaron Schobel would retire. Schobel would have been Buffalo's best pass-rusher in its new 3-4 defense. The Bills signed free agent Reggie Torbor and are hoping a group that also includes Chris Kelsay, Chris Ellis and Aaron Maybin will suffice. Need addressed? No.
2. Left tackle: The Bills chose to stick with Demetrius Bell. The Bills still haven't drafted a tackle earlier than the fifth round since 2002. Of the two they did draft, fifth-rounder Ed Wang is hurt and seventh-rounder Kyle Calloway already has been released. The Bills did sign Oakland Raiders free agent Cornell Green to play right tackle. Need addressed? No.
3. Quarterback: The Bills did next to nothing at quarterback, drafting long-term project Levi Brown in the seventh round and letting Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Brohm shoot it out. Edwards won a not-so-open competition. Need addressed? No.
Jonathan Brownfield/US PresswireThe acquisition of Brandon Marshall filled a huge void in the Dolphins' passing game.1. Wide receiver: Did the Dolphins address this need? Hmmm ... Let's see ... Oh, wait. That's right. They traded for Brandon Marshall, who has recorded triple-digit receptions in three straight seasons. Marshall was one of the most enormous transactions of the offseason. Need addressed? Yes.
2. Free safety: The Dolphins drafted Reshad Jones in the fifth round, but sophomore Chris Clemons has held down the position admirably. It won't be tough to outplay last year's starter, Gibril Wilson. Need addressed? Yes.
3. Nose tackle: The situation actually got worse and worse after Horton formed his analysis. Jason Ferguson was suspended eight games for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. The Dolphins re-signed Ferguson, but then he retired. The Dolphins didn't draft a nose tackle, choosing to convert defensive end Randy Starks instead. Starks is undersized for a traditional 3-4 nose tackle, but Dolphins coach Tony Sparano has claimed Starks' speed has upgraded the position. Need addressed? Yes.
New England Patriots
1. Outside linebacker: Horton wrote "This defense must generate pass-rush pressure from its outside linebackers, but the Pats are devoid of playmakers and have virtually no depth at this position." They've gotten shallower with the release of Adalius Thomas, who started their playoff game. Tully Banta-Cain and Derrick Burgess are back and penciled in as the starters. The Patriots drafted pass-rusher Jermaine Cunningham 53rd overall, but he has been too hurt to get on the practice field. Need addressed? No.
2. Wide receiver: Wes Welker was looking at a potentially long rehab at the time Horton wrote his offseason preview. Randy Moss' age also was a concern. But Welker's recovery has been quick. Moss has looked phenomenal. Emerging youngsters Julian Edelman, Brandon Tate and third-round draft pick Taylor Price should be more than enough. Need addressed? Yes.
3. Defensive end: Little did Horton know how badly the Patriots would need help here. Left end Ty Warren is done for the year because of a hip injury. Right end Jarvis Green split for the Denver Broncos. The Patriots signed free agent Gerard Warren and have moved last year's super reserve, Mike Wright, into the starting lineup. Need addressed? No.
New York Jets
1. Defensive end: Horton's concern was with the age of incumbents Shaun Ellis and Marques Douglas. Ellis is back. Douglas was a free agent who departed for the Dolphins. The Jets didn't draft any defensive linemen and didn't sign any notable free agents there. They did move Vernon Gholston from outside linebacker to defensive end. Need addressed? No.
2. Safety: Compared to the Jets' banner acquisitions, Brodney Pool was a blip. The Cleveland Browns gave up on him because of recurring concussions, but the Jets' medical staff found his problem was related to migraine headaches. He's a multifaceted safety with a nose for the ball, interception four passes in 10 games last year. Need addressed? Yes.
3. Wide receiver: The Jets practically stole Santonio Holmes from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a fifth-round draft choice. Holmes was the MVP of Super Bowl XLIII and was coming off a 1,248-yard season. But character issues, underscored by a four-game suspension to start the season, made him a bargain. Need addressed? Yes.
Speed Dial: What if the Bills won it all?
Today's question, in light of the party that refuses to end in New Orleans, is:
What would happen in Buffalo if the Bills won the Super Bowl?
Former Bills punter and linebacker Paul Maguire:
"If I could get back into the bar business for one day, it would be the day the Bills win the Super Bowl -- and maybe for the week after that. Then I could shut down. Buffalo is a hard-hat town. You give them a reason to celebrate, by God, they're going to celebrate. And they'll show you how.
"You don't ever stop celebrating the Super Bowl. I remember in the 1960s, when we won the AFL championship. I still lived in San Diego, and when I got back to training camp the following summer, they were still celebrating. And that was just the AFL championship. The people in Buffalo, if they ever would have won, my God ... They, above anybody, after being there four times, it would be truly hard to give up and every time you had a drink you'd have one to the Super Bowl champion. I don't think that would ever go away."
Nine-time Pro Bowl guard Ruben Brown, whose rookie season came two years after Buffalo's last Super Bowl appearance:
"Oh, man. The city would shut down for a month. And I'm not joking -- a month. This is the type of place you'd see the repeat of what's going on in New Orleans right now. They're starving. They want it as much as New Orleans wanted it or the people who wanted it for New Orleans. People who root for other teams would want that for Buffalo. The mayor would make a proclamation. All the kids would be out of school. The towns would change the names of the streets to the names of the players.
"The people of Buffalo are hearty people. Not much has gone right for them recently from a financial or economic standpoint. But everyone looks out for each other. It's the type of place that makes you feel like when you walk into your mom's house and smell the food that's on the stove. The only label they put on you is whether you're about family or a hard-working guy. That's all that matters here.
"When I was playing, I met a lot of fans who told me that's all they wanted in life. 'I want to live to see the day when the Bills win the Super Bowl.' Unfortunately, some of them haven't."
Bills Wall of Fame member Steve Tasker, who lost four straight Super Bowls:
"The rapture would run just as deep as in New Orleans. The thing, when you talk about Buffalo or Green Bay or the smaller-market teams that have been around forever, you're talking about every person in that town growing up with that team as their team. It's not the same as cities like New York or Los Angeles. It's you dad's team, your uncle's team, your cousin's team, the teacher's team, the cops, the lawyers, the butcher, baker and candlestick maker. It's a family team."
MPS/US PresswireTom Brady is a two-time Super Bowl MVP -- but he hasn't reached legendary status yet, according to one analyst.Cold, Hard Football Facts kingpin Kerry J. Byrne rolls out all the statistical data from the 20 quarterbacks who've played in more than one Super Bowl and ranks them purely on how they performed on the biggest stage.
Reputation doesn't matter one iota. That's why Jim Plunkett is slotted waaaaaaaaaaay ahead of John Elway.
Byrne breaks them down into four categories -- Legends, Champions, Cling-ons and Gimps -- and backs up the ranking, complete with a spreadsheet that lists all of their stats.
Legends
1. Joe Montana
2. Terry Bradshaw
3. Jim Plunkett
4. Troy Aikman
5. Bart Starr
Champions
6. Tom Brady
7. Brett Favre
8. Roger Staubach
9. Kurt Warner
10. Len Dawson
11. Peyton Manning
Cling-ons
12. Bob Griese
13. Ben Roethlisberger
14. John Elway
15. Joe Theismann
Gimps
16. Jim Kelly
17. Fran Tarkenton
18. John Unitas
19. Earl Morrall
20. Craig Morton
Video: Brady, Manning, Brees getting rich

ESPN's John Clayton looks at the major offseason personnel storylines. Three quarterback icons -- Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees -- are expected to receive mammoth contract extensions. Any could end up being the NFL's highest-paid player.
'07 Patriots a reminder of no guarantees
Or is that cumin?
Anyway, for Indianapolis Colts fans convinced their team will make another compelling run at the title next season, keep in mind the Super Bowl loser hasn't returned to the big game since the 1993 Buffalo Bills. Of course, the Bills returned after a defeat three straight seasons -- and lost again each time.
Even more historically adverse for the Colts is the fact only three Super Bowl losers in the past decade have managed to return to the playoffs the next year. Not even the 18-1 New England Patriots could get back.
A major reason the New Orleans Saints won the championship was because they committed one turnover throughout the postseason, tying an NFL record for teams that played at least three games.
ESPN Stats & Information found six previous teams committed a single giveaway (in three or more postseason games), and all of them won the Super Bowl.
The Patriots did it twice, in 2001 and 2004. The others were the 1998 Denver Broncos, 1995 Dallas Cowboys, 1990 New York Giants and 1976 Oakland Raiders.
Brady still ahead of Manning in QB debate
Getty ImagesColts quarterback Peyton Manning, with a loss in Super Bowl XLIV, is now 9-9 in the postseason while his New England counterpart, Tom Brady, is 14-4.Peyton Manning, meanwhile, evolved this season into the prototypical virtuoso, the symbol of great quarterbacking. Because the Indianapolis Colts removed him from both losses, it could be argued he didn't lose a game all year.
Manning was so sensational and Brady shaky enough at the start (while getting used to his rebuilt knee) and at the end (looking lost without Wes Welker and throwing three interceptions), the debate over the greatest quarterback of this generation -- perhaps of all-time -- had swung decisively in Manning's favor. He was better than Brady.
Until Sunday night.
Manning's legacy was tarnished in Super Bowl XLIV.
Late in the fourth quarter, he threw an interception New Orleans Saints cornerback Tracy Porter returned 74 yards for a backbreaking touchdown, the type of costly mistake Brady has avoided on the big stage. Manning also panicked in the final moments when the Colts had a shot to score and at least try an onside kick.
Manning's postseason record is 9-9, with 28 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. He is 1-1 in Super Bowls.
Brady's postseason record is 14-4, with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He has three Super Bowl rings.
Of course, the Patriots also lost a Super Bowl in which they were favored, failing to achieve perfection in 2007. But it wasn't Brady's fault. The New York Giants pulled off one of the great upsets in NFL history with Brady on the sidelines. He conducted a touchdown drive to give the Patriots a fourth-quarter lead then helplessly watched it disappear.
In the Super Bowl, Brady always rose to the occasion.
Manning failed to deliver Sunday night. The memory of Porter prancing into the end zone will last a long time.
"He had an opportunity to be in a Super Bowl; he doesn't win it," ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck said. "Now, he looks human. He's not going to be able to go undefeated in Super Bowls, and certainly when you compare him to some of the all-time greats he doesn't have as many rings.
"No matter how many records he has or what the stats say or however he plays in the regular season, when you match up his postseason accomplishments against quarterbacks like Tom Brady, Joe Montana, it doesn't stack up."

Dolphins player is surprise Rex Ryan fan
He recently taunted Dolfans by telling them at a MMA event in South Florida the Jets would beat the Dolphins twice next season and brandished his middle finger at a particularly nefarious contingent.
But Ryan has at least one fan in South Florida, and the name might surprise you: Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder, the player who got into a verbal smackdown with Ryan last summer.
"My mom saw Rex on the beach," Crowder told me a couple days before the Super Bowl while hanging out along Radio Row. "Rex gave her a big hug when he found out who she was."
I asked Crowder if he got a chuckle out of Ryan's middle-finger misstep.
"It's hard for me to say this, but I'm honest. I like Rex now," Crowder said. "He's a funny guy. He first became a head coach, [their feud] was one of the first things that happened. I was like 'Who's this guy?' That's when everything kind of manifested.
"Now that I see what kind of guy he is, he seems like a funny guy, a funny coach. I'm starting to lean towards ol' Rex. I might give him a hug when I see him."
AP Photo/Chuck BurtonDefensive end Anthony Hargrove (left) and Malcolm Jenkins celebrate after the Saints recover an onside kick at the start of the third quarter."I'm the one that's over here with my lip puffed out," Wayne said Sunday night in a tent outside Sun Life Stadium. "So apparently it was a good call."
Wayne and the rest of the Indianapolis Colts' offense were left standing on the sideline when the New Orleans Saints pulled off the big gamble.
Experience was supposed to be the difference-maker for the Colts. They'd been on this grand stage before. The Saints had not.
Yet, the Colts were caught unprepared.
The Saints recovered the kick and, six plays later, established themselves as an underdog on paper only. The Saints went on to win 31-17, and leave the Colts wondering about all the plays that got away.
"I didn't see it coming," Colts right tackle Ryan Diem said. "At that point in the game, I didn't expect them to do anything like that. The element of surprise got us."
Indianapolis was eager to get the ball first after halftime.
Peyton Manning directed the Colts' offense with his usual meticulousness in the first quarter. First possession: 11 plays, 53 yards, field goal. Second possession: 11 plays, 96 yards, touchdown.
Then came the second quarter. The Colts short-circuited, experiencing their first lamentable play. On third-and-4 from their 28-yard line, Manning zipped a short pass to Pierre Garcon. The play should have gone for a big gain, but Garcon dropped the ball.
"I seen it late, but I should've made the catch," Garcon said. "It was a great throw by Peyton. It should've been caught.
"It could've made the difference in the game."
Instead, the Colts were forced to punt for the first time. In the second quarter, they ran only six plays -- the second three-and-out series simply running out the clock. They gained 15 yards. They maintained possession for 2:34.
Still, the Colts seemed to be in control. They snuffed Saints running back Pierre Thomas on a fourth-and-goal run play that looked like it would doom Payton to a lifetime of second-guessing in New Orleans.
The double-team tackle by Colts linebackers Gary Brackett and Clint Session was the type of stop that championship teams make.
"The goal-line stand was big," Colts defensive end Raheem Brock said, "but you've got to play the rest of the game."
They led the Saints by four points at the extended Super Bowl intermission, and as Pete Townshend churned windmills on his guitar, the Colts strategized to bust the game open.
"In the locker room, we just talked about getting the ball back and going down and scoring some points and putting them in a hole," Wayne said.
The Saints concocted a plan to chop the Colts off at the knees. Thomas Morstead, who handles their kickoffs, was given the onside green light.
"Thomas came up and told me that we were running 'Ambush,' " field-goal kicker Garrett Hartley said. "To start off the second half of the Super Bowl, nothing like it. It's a gut shot, and it worked out in our favor."
Six plays later, Saints quarterback Drew Brees connected with Thomas on a 16-yard pass to give them a 13-10 lead.
"Every possession felt precious out there," Manning said.
The Colts did recover, mounting a typical 10-play, 76-yard drive to retake the lead on their next series.
But the tone had been set. The Saints were willing to trade shots all night, to get aggressive.
The Colts buckled.
"The Saints got some momentum there at the end of the first half and beginning of the third quarter and kind of kept the momentum from there," Manning said. "I thought we just didn't play well enough at certain times."
Indianapolis was outfoxed and outplayed by a team that hadn't been there, done that.
Video: Recalling the Patriots' united intro
"One of the most exhilarating experiences and NFL player has sometimes is when you hear your name, you hear your college, you hear your position when you run out of that tunnel," Bruschi said. "Multiply that by, like, a thousand and that's the Super Bowl.
"And we decided that we were going to go out as a team and put all of that aside. When we did that, and it was the first time anyone had really done that, I could feel the shock in the stadium."
Check out the video below and look at the awed expressions on the faces of Jon Gruden, Steve Young and Mark Schlereth as Bruschi talks about the decision to enter the Superdome in unity.
"The impact that had," Young said, "not just as a pro, but colleges, little kids ... I'm glad you mentioned that because I remember seeing that and thinking to myself 'That might be the most important moment we've seen in football in the last 20 years.' "
Said Schlereth: "It sent chills up my spine to watch you guys come out as a team."

Ex-Bills lineman Hargrove rallies back

NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert wrote a gripping feature about Hargrove's sobriety and how a revelation allowed Hargrove to pull out of a tailspin and reach the Super Bowl as a significant contributor for the New Orleans Saints.
Hargrove was unemployed when he watched last year's Super Bowl from a South Florida rehab facility.
"When you go through a period like that in treatment, you see so much," Hargrove said. "I saw a lot of different things. I saw death. I saw people just giving up on life.
"So you switch. You turn over. You say to yourself, I don't want to get to that point where I just give up on life, or I just throw in my cards and say 'I'm done with this.' I'm always telling people we can always do stuff with time. It's not over until we see 0:00 on the clock."
The St. Louis Rams drafted Hargrove in the third round in 2004. He became a starter in his second season, recording 6.5 sacks. But Hargrove frequently ran into off-field trouble and eventually was traded to the Bills for a fifth-round draft pick during the 2006 season.
Hargrove was suspended four games in 2007 for multiple violations of the league's substance-abuse policy. Another positive drug test got him suspended for the entire 2008 season.
"I've laid my head at night in a lot of places, in a lot of beds and a lot of cities," Hargrove said. "Sometimes at night, when I look at the sky and just sit in that moment, I realize how wonderful life can be."
Porter: I won't wear Fins jersey again
After a week of allowing himself a modicum of wiggle room in discussing his future with the club, Porter told "NFL GameDay Morning" he has put on a Dolphins uniform again.
"Strapping on that Dolphins jersey, yes, this year was the last time," Porter said.
The Dolphins' season ended five weeks ago, but Porter's blood still is boiling over the way head coach Tony Sparano treated him. Porter was benched for a game and kept on the sideline in favor of younger outside linebackers Cameron Wake and Charlie Anderson.
"If it was a situation where the guys were better than me, then you just have to move on," Porter said. "But if it's not a changing of the guard, they just have to sit and wait their turn. Nobody is that good enough behind me to be stepping on my toes.
"When I was in Pittsburgh, I knew [James] Harrison was getting better. It was a question of 'How can we pay both of these guys because [Harrison] can do what Joey can do?' I understood that. That is not the situation here. It's a big drop off."
Join as for Super Bowl chat at 5:30 p.m.
John Banks/ESPN.comFrom left, ESPN.com bloggers Paul Kuharsky, Pat Yasinskas, Tim Graham, Mike Sando and Kevin Seifert are ready to cover Super Bowl XLIV.You can join all of us in a special NFL National Live chat from 5:30 p.m. until after the confetti has flittered to the Sun Life Stadium grass.
From left to right in the photo above, that's Kuharsky, NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas, me, NFC West blogger Mike Sando and NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert. Also on the chat will be Scouts Inc. analysts Matt Williamson and Jeremy Green.
No AFC East clubs are in the game, of course, but I will be on the prowl for any items pertaining to the four clubs you usually read about here.
To help out my AFC brother, I've been conscripted for Indianapolis Colts coverage. So that's why you'll see a Colts post or two here before the end of the night.
Best player never to win a Super Bowl?
10. Fran Tarkenton
9. Jim Kelly
8. Eric Dickerson
7. Bruce Matthews
6. Dick Butkus
5. Bruce Smith
4. Deacon Jones
3. Merlin Olsen
2. Dan Marino
1. Barry Sanders
A couple things stand out to me about the list. From an AFC East perspective, there are no New York Jets even though they have not won a Super Bowl in 41 years.
There are no receivers on the list either.
New England Patriots receiver Randy Moss, who told me last summer he considered himself the greatest receiver of all-time and probably the best player at any position, hasn't won a Super Bowl. Neither has Buffalo Bills receiver Terrell Owens, who ranks sixth all-time in receptions, third in receiving yards and third in receiving touchdowns.
Who do you think belongs on the list?

The postseason is here. Check out our playoff pages and stay tuned to the NFL Nation blog for all your postseason coverage.
