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Kellen Winslow put together another solid stat line for Tampa Bay last season with 75 receptions, the fourth time in six seasons he had hit that mark.


Winslow, acquired by the Seattle Seahawks on Monday, would shatter single-season team records for tight ends if he approached those numbers in 2012.

For some reason, however, Winslow's production last season wasn't as efficient. His quarterback, Josh Freeman, threw five times as many interceptions as touchdowns when targeting Winslow. Freeman threw more touchdowns than interceptions when targeting other players.

The charts come from John McTigue of ESPN Stats & Information.



Winslow and Freeman had a strong rapport previously. It's tough to say what went into the disparate touchdown-to-interception ratio last season. The Bucs suffered through a tough season overall.

The fact that Winslow's knee prevents him from practicing extensively could make it tougher for him to develop a rapport with his new quarterbacks in Seattle. But I've heard some players, including New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, say it's tough to develop a real rapport outside game situations. Winslow hasn't missed games in recent seasons.

"What happens in a game when things that you prepared for, all of a sudden you get a different technique or something that maybe that hasn't happened before occurs?" Manning said during Super Bowl week. "Can you tell by their body language, by the stem of their route, exactly what they are going to do? You have to scramble or move in the pocket and the timing is a little off, how are they going to react to those situations?"

TAMPA, Fla. -- You could suggest the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stepped out of character when they signed free-agent tight end Dallas Clark late Monday night.

Before adding Clark, the Bucs had only two players on the roster who were 30 or older. One was 37-year-old cornerback Ronde Barber, but he literally is grandfathered in because he has spent his entire career with the team and is a Tampa Bay icon. The other is defensive tackle Gary Gibson (30). He’s also an exception. Gibson, a career backup, played for coach Greg Schiano at Rutgers, is here for depth and there’s no guarantee of him making the regular-season roster.

Other than them, every other player on the roster has an age that starts with a 2. This is a team that's made it clear it will build primarily through the draft.

Clark spent nine seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, and as recently as the 2009 season was one of the league’s most productive tight ends -- when he had 100 receptions. But Clark suffered a season-ending wrist injury in the middle of the 2010 season. Last season, Clark had an assortment of injuries and was limited to 11 games, in which he produced 34 catches. That led to speculation that Clark’s career might be over.

“I’m not done playing,’’ Clark said Tuesday after his first workout with his new team. “You’re an NFL player. Every day you are proving yourself. The second you stop, you are out the door.’’

Clark said he’s over last season’s injuries and isn’t hampered by anything.

“I believe whole heartedly that he is going to return to his form and play the way he is capable,’’ Schiano said. "That’s what we need. I think he can do everything we are going to ask him to do. And it is really good to have strong veteran presence in that tight end room as well.”

But the thing is, Clark really isn’t all that much different than Barber or Gibson. The Bucs are hoping he’ll be their main pass-catcher at tight end, but they also plan to play Luke Stocker in a lot of situations. Their investment in Clark isn’t all that huge. They signed him to a very simple contract.

It’s a one-year deal. He’s scheduled to make $2.7 million in base salary and only $1 million of that is guaranteed. There was no signing bonus or any incentives. That comes after the Bucs freed up $4.8 million in cap room by trading tight end Kellen Winslow to Seattle.

If Clark bounces back and produces anything similar, the Bucs got a bargain and they’ll be thrilled. If the injuries linger or Clark isn’t the same player he was before, it’s not like the Bucs have made a huge long-term investment in him.

In short, the Bucs entered into a low-risk deal that at least has the potential to bring a lot of rewards. If it doesn’t, there’s really no harm.

In other financial news, the Bucs have given wide receiver Preston Parker a one-year contract extension. Parker still will make the same $540,000 in base salary this year that previously was scheduled. But he received a $50,000 signing bonus and his 2013 salary will rise to $1 million.

The Seattle Seahawks have added two tight ends over the past 10 months with Pro Bowls on their resumes.

Neither move appeared to be a high priority at the time. Both have the potential to make the team better.

Zach Miller, signed in free agency from Oakland as training camps were beginning last summer, has company at the position after Seattle acquired Kellen Winslow from Tampa Bay in a trade Monday night.

Winslow's $4.8 million seemed like the biggest potential obstacle to him joining Seattle. The marriage otherwise seemed to make sense given that Seattle had not moved to replace John Carlson, who signed with Minnesota in free agency. We can now rule out Visanthe Shiancoe, 32, as a free-agent option for Seattle.

Winslow, the sixth player chosen in the 2004 draft, is an upgrade over Carlson from a talent standpoint. Questions about Winslow's knees and attitude have persisted over the years, but Winslow hasn't missed a game over the last three seasons. He hasn't incurred the off-field issues that marked the early portion of his career.

Tampa Bay is starting over under a new coaching staff. Winslow didn't fit into the new program. Seattle is two-plus years into coach Pete Carroll's tenure with the team. The Seahawks have twice gone 7-9. Now, with quarterbacks Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson newly aboard, Seattle is looking to take the next step.

Winslow finished last season with 75 receptions. He has reached at least 75 receptions four times in the last six seasons. No tight end in Seahawks history has approached that total for a season. That was supposed to change with Miller's addition last season, but he mostly made his mark as a blocker.

The Seahawks said they sent a 2013 conditional draft choice to Tampa Bay for Winslow. The team does have ample cap room to absorb the $4.8 million salary, should it remain in place. The conditional choice is a seventh-rounder that can upgrade to a sixth-rounder.

"He is too fast and athletic for linebackers to cover and too big for defensive backs to match up against," the Scouts Inc. report on Winslow reads in part. "He has a wide receiving radius with soft, sure hands that allow him to make tough catches. He is a willing and physical blocker but lacks the size and strength to do much more than get in the way when blocking inside."

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t take long to unload Kellen Winslow, after telling the veteran tight end he was on the market for a trade.

The Bucs announced late Monday night that Winslow had been traded to the Seattle Seahawks for an undisclosed draft pick in 2013 and they quickly turned around and signed veteran Dallas Clark to replace him.

The move came after Winslow broke the news to Sirius XM NFL Radio on Monday morning that coach Greg Schiano had said the Bucs wanted to trade him. Winslow said Schiano expressed unhappiness that he wasn’t taking part in offseason workouts with his teammates.

Although it’s likely they got a late-round pick for Winslow, it’s a victory that the Bucs were able to get anything for a player who probably would have been released if no one offered anything in trade. Schiano is in the process of cleaning up Tampa Bay’s locker room and Winslow follows safety Tanard Jackson, who previously was released, as another player that didn’t fit the team’s new personality.

Clark may be a better fit in the locker room and he and Winslow might be an even exchange on the field at this point in their careers. Winslow had 218 catches for 2,377 yards and five touchdowns in three seasons with the Bucs. Winslow never missed a game in that span, but missed lots of practice time.

Clark may be on the downside of his career, but he may be a better fit in Schiano’s system. Clark spent the past nine seasons with Indianapolis. He started 111 of 114 career games, while catching 427 passes for 4,887 yards and 46 touchdowns.

"Dallas Clark is a consummate pro and proven playmaker," Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik said. "He will be another asset, on and off the field, for our team. In addition to Luke Stocker's continued improvement in his ability as an every-down tight end, we feel we have both talent and depth at the tight end position."

Suzy Kolber on Peyton Manning's first full practice with the Denver Broncos; Tim Hasselbeck picks the most improved defense in the AFC North; and Marcellus Wiley tabs the teams that should pick up Kellen Winslow.

You might want to check out the audio of Tampa Bay tight end Kellen Winslow telling SiriusXM NFL radio that the Buccaneers have told him they’ll try to trade him.

I heard the tail end of the interview in my car earlier Monday, but didn’t hear the strongest stuff until I got the full audio.

Winslow said coach Greg Schiano was “kind of upset" that he wasn’t working out with his teammates in the offseason and wasn’t in Tampa last week, when the Bucs began the on-field portion of their organized team activities.

“You know, look, I’ve been there the last three years and I’ve had a successful career so far," Winslow said. “You just don’t get rid of one of your best players because of that."

Winslow said he had been working out on his own in San Diego and flew back to Tampa on Saturday night. Winslow said he planned to begin working out with his teammates Monday, but Schiano informed him Saturday night that the team wanted to move in a different direction and would attempt to trade him. If a deal can’t be worked out -- and other teams may be hesitant to take on Winslow’s current contract -- it’s safe to assume Winslow will be released.

“That’s just what I was told," Winslow said. “I have nothing bad to say about Coach Schiano. It was just a disagreement on why I’m not there yet."

I get Winslow’s point about not getting rid of a good player for not spending the entire offseason with his teammates. Winslow has been a good player and it’s not unusual for some veterans to skip all or most of the offseason program and show up only for minicamps. Carolina receiver Steve Smith has done that frequently in the past.

But Winslow doesn’t have quite the stature of Smith. And whatever status he had with former coach Raheem Morris disappeared the moment Schiano was hired. Schiano comes from the Bill Belichick school of coaching and he’s trying to set some framework for his team. He’s making it real clear that players will do things his way -- or else they won’t play for the Bucs.

It has been a slow process, but Greg Schiano is obviously cleaning house in Tampa Bay.

Veteran tight end Kellen Winslow told Sirius NFL Radio on Monday morning that he has been told by the Buccaneers that his services no longer are required. Winslow said team officials said they will try to trade him.

That might be difficult now that the rest of the world knows Winslow is on his way out of Tampa Bay. But the Bucs appear more than ready to move on from the tight end that joined them in 2009. Adam Schefter reports the Bucs worked out veteran tight end Dallas Clark last week, and appear to be the favorites to sign him.

Although bothered by a sore knee that forced him to miss a lot of practice time last season, Winslow, 28, appeared in all 16 games and caught 75 passes. But age and Winslow’s knee probably weren’t the main reasons why the Bucs have decided to move on. Winslow said he was told by the team that one reason he won’t be back is because he hasn’t been taking part in voluntary offseason workouts.

That seems to matter a lot to Schiano, and it should. He’s trying to instill order in a team that had none last season. The Bucs previously released safety Tanard Jackson, and team officials said they weren’t happy with how Jackson was approaching the offseason. Schiano came in saying everyone was getting a fresh start. That was true, but, in the cases of Jackson and Winslow, the Bucs have shown there's no room to slip up.

The way the Bucs dealt with Jackson and are dealing with Winslow sends a clear message to the rest of the roster that Schiano is running a tighter ship.

Back in February, I speculated about the possibility of the Bucs moving on without Winslow. They don't necessarily need salary-cap room, but releasing him would instantly free up $4.8 million.

There's little sense in taking the bait when San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh tells a radio program Michael Crabtree "has the best hands I've ever seen on a wide receiver."

Anyone with a strong grasp of NFL history would place Cris Carter, Raymond Berry and Steve Largent on a short list for receivers with the surest hands.

Hall of Famer Ken Houston, speaking for a 2008 piece on all-time great wideouts, stood up for AFL stars Otis Taylor and Lionel Taylor.

"Lionel Taylor, I mean, he would catch a BB," Houston said.

Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson, speaking for the same piece, said Randy Moss, then with New England, had the best hands in the NFL at that time (2008).

"A lot of guys can catch," Thompson said then. "He can catch on any platform, as we say in scouting. He can adjust and catch it over the top of somebody's head, catch it falling down, and it doesn't matter if he is covered."

With Moss now on the 49ers, it is possible Crabtree does not posses the best hands among wide receivers on his own team.

Oops. I wasn't going to take the bait on this one, but now it's too late. Time to regroup.

Bottom line, I suspect Crabtree has impressed Harbaugh this offseason, and Harbaugh would like that to continue for as long as possible. By offering such strong public praise for Crabtree, Harbaugh is setting a standard for Crabtree to meet this season. He realizes Crabtree has the ability to meet that standard, or else he wouldn't make the statement.

We should all recall Harbaugh's calling quarterback Alex Smith "elite" and promoting him for the Pro Bowl last season. Then as now, Harbaugh was standing up for his guy. Smith enjoyed the finest season of his career and even outplayed the truly elite Drew Brees at times during the 49ers' playoff victory over New Orleans. The way Harbaugh backed Smith played a role in that performance, in my view.

Back to Crabtree. He has the ability to rank among the most sure-handed receivers in the game. He has not yet earned that status, but now he has little choice, right?

As the chart shows, Crabtree finished the 2011 season with 12.2 receptions per drop, which ranked 28th in the NFL among players targeted at least 100 times. Larry Fitzgerald led the NFL with 80 receptions and only one drop. Those numbers are according to ESPN Stats & Information, which defines drops as "incomplete passes where the receiver should have caught the pass with ordinary effort."

Crabtree suffered six drops last season by that standard, a few too many for the player with the best hands his head coach has ever seen on a wide receiver.

The first day of rookie minicamp was supposed to represent a new start with running back Trent Richardson and quarterback Brandon Weeden getting on the field for the first time. Instead, the day was marred by the Cleveland Browns' continued run of bad luck.

Head coach Pat Shurmur announced that defensive tackle Phil Taylor would need surgery to repair a torn chest muscle and could miss the upcoming season.

"It was just one of those things that happens," Shurmur said Friday. But why does it always seem to happen to the Browns?

In May 2005, Kellen Winslow's season ended when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in a motorcycle crash. In July 2006, LeCharles Bentley's season was done after he sustained an injury to his left knee on the first team drill of training camp. And middle linebacker D'Qwell Jackson missed 26 games in 2009-10 because of two pectoral muscle injuries.

The latest rough turn of events occurred Thursday when Taylor injured himself. It didn't occur on the field and it wasn't the result of a hit. Taylor tore his left pectoral muscle while doing bench presses in the weight room.

Taylor posted this message on Twitter: "Just a bump in the road. Got [to] work hard and come back -- Strong."

Injuries aren't the only reason why the Browns have lost 117 games since returning to the league 11 seasons ago. The instability in the front office and coaching staff shows Cleveland has struggled to find and develop talent.

It just seems like the Browns are dealing with a setback even before the regular seasons begins. This time, the injury hurts an already weak spot on the Browns team.

Even with a run-stuffer like Taylor, the Browns gave up 147.4 yards on the ground per game last season, which was third-worst in the NFL and last in the AFC. In comparison, the Ravens (92.6 yards rushing allowed), Steelers (99.8) and Bengals (104.7) all ranked in the top 10 in run defense last season.

The likely replacement is rookie sixth-round draft pick Billy Winn. Third-round nose tackle John Hughes could also figure into the competition. The interesting part is Winn and Hughes are roommates.

"We've already started to create that little bond," Winn told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "We're roommates so we've been doing a little chatting and going over the playbook. We'll help each other out and compete against each other and make each other better."

As we get closer to the start of free agency on March 13, we’re going to see some cap casualties around the NFL. Teams have to be under the cap by the start of free agency and that means we’ll see some big names getting released.

We’re going to take a look at possible cap casualties for each NFC South team and we’ll start with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Bucs are in a unique position because they really don’t have to cut anyone to get under the cap. They already are projected to be about $68 million under the cap. They may not release any veterans, but I’m looking at their roster and a list of 2012 cap figures and I see at least two players who might be considered for release due to age and production.

Tight end Kellen Winslow is scheduled to count $4.8 million against the cap, and because his deal was front loaded, the Bucs could clear that whole $4.8 million if they released Winslow. He’ll turn 29 in July and he’s had chronic knee problems. Although Winslow did miss a fair amount of practice time last season, he did appear in all 16 games. He caught 75 passes, but only two of them went for touchdowns and he had some drops. With a new coaching staff coming in, it’s at least possible the Bucs could look to go in a different direction at tight end.

Center Jeff Faine will turn 31 in April. He’s missed at least one game with an injury each of the past three years. He’s scheduled to count $5.925 million against the cap. The Bucs would free up $5.725 million against the cap if they release Faine. They would have flexibility there because Jeremy Zuttah can play center as well as guard.

Stephen Holder raises a very good question that will come into play now that a deal reportedly has been finalized to make Rutgers coach Greg Schiano the new coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- who will be his offensive coordinator?

That, without doubt, will be the most important hire Schiano will make for his staff. He’s a coach with a long defensive background and he needs an offensive coordinator with strong skills to straighten out an offense that wasn’t very good last season, but does have some talent.

The talent starts with quarterback Josh Freeman, who was impressive in 2010, but took a step back in 2011. The new offensive coordinator’s first order of business will be to get Freeman back on track. Same for receiver Mike Williams and running back LeGarrette Blount, who each slumped after strong rookie seasons in 2010.

Tampa Bay has some talent on the offensive line with guard Davin Joseph, center Jeff Faine and left tackle Donald Penn, but could use some other upgrades on the line. The Bucs also have tight end Kellen Winslow, but there are no guarantees he’ll remain in the team’s plans. Winslow also slumped in 2011, has chronic knee problems and is carrying a relatively hefty $4.8 million salary-cap figure for 2012. But the Bucs do have some built in protection if Winslow’s knee problems worsen. Instead of structuring his deal with a hefty base salary, the Bucs included an incentive clause where Winslow is scheduled to receive a bonus of $34,375 for every game he’s active.

ESPN.com is unveiling its "Any Era" team this week which features 20 current players with the toughness to play in any period of NFL history. The team was assembled by votes from 20 Hall of Fame players (here's a full explanation of the project).

Coming in at No. 13 on the Any Era Team is Ravens safety Ed Reed. He isn't a ferocious hitter like Ronnie Lott or Jack Tatum. He just strikes the same amount of fear into opponents. Reed's mental toughness is what will stand the test of time.

He gets into the heads of quarterbacks, baiting them into mistakes. He understands the minds of offensive coordinators, frustrating them by being precisely where they never expect him. ESPN's John Clayton says he thinks of those old ball-hawking defensive backs Dick LeBeau and Paul Krause when he watches Reed.

Here's a full story on why Reed's brain and athleticism would put him among the best safeties in any era. Here are explanations from three Hall of Fame players on why Reed made the cut:

KELLEN WINSLOW: “Ed Reed studies the game and knows what to do in the fourth quarter. That’s mental toughness. Some guys get tired and stop focusing and just think about getting their breath back for the next play. It takes a great deal of mental toughness to perform in the fourth quarter when the game is on the line.”

JERRY RICE: “I picked Ed Reed because of his awareness on the football field and is a ball hawk, but he can also deliver the blow in the secondary.”

JAMES LOFTON: "I think he could play in any era and play at any skill position, too. He could be a great running back. He could play wide receiver. He could play corner. He could play safety. He is phenomenal. The fact that he plays the game a little differently, where most safeties line up at 12 yards and back up, here's a guy who lines up at 25 and comes forward. He's a puzzle. And I say that about his physical ability, but I think his greatest ability is that he's smarter than a lot of other players. A lot smarter. And smarter than a lot of other coaches, too. You watch him and ask, "What the heck is he doing?" His ability to anticipate where the ball is going and where the quarterback wanted to go with the ball ... and then keep the quarterback away from there. Then, he has that ability to burst and make a play."

Reed is the second AFC North player to make the list, but there are more division players to come. The AFC North blog will post every time a division player makes the Any Era Team.

As we mentioned earlier, Tampa Bay’s list of candidates for head coach goes beyond the guys they already have interviewed.

They now reportedly have asked for and received permission to speak with Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski. That comes shortly after a report that they’ve received permission to speak with Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.

The candidates Tampa Bay is known to already have interviewed are Mike Sherman, Brad Childress, Marty Schottenheimer and Jerry Gray.

Chudzinski represents a bit of a departure from the rest of Tampa Bay’s known list. Chudzinski is just 43 and has only been a coordinator for one season. Sherman, Childress and Schottenheimer are former NFL head coaches and all are over 50 years old. Gray is 49 and hasn’t been a head coach, but has plenty of experience as a coordinator.

But it’s logical the Bucs would want to talk to Chudzinski, who interviewed for the Jacksonville job. Chudzinski joined Carolina soon after coach Ron Rivera was hired last year and quickly installed an offense similar to San Diego’s.

With rookie quarterback Cam Newton, the offense quickly became one of the most prolific in the league. Chudzinski previously was tight ends coach in San Diego. He also spent time as an assistant in Cleveland. Before that, Chudzinski was best known as the tight ends coach at the University of Miami, where he worked with Tampa Bay’s Kellen Winslow and Carolina’s Greg Olsen and Jeremy Shockey.

Chudzinski's success with Newton suggests that he could be able to get Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman back on track after a rough 2011 season. That's going to be a priority for whoever ends up with the Bucs.

» NFC Wrap-ups: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Arrow indicates direction team is trending.

Final Power Ranking: 29
Preseason Power Ranking: 12

Biggest surprise: In a season in which almost nothing went right, it at least looked like the Buccaneers got it right with their first-round draft pick. Defensive end Adrian Clayborn was a starter from the beginning and was solid all around. He played the run well and finished with 7.5 sacks. That sack total is more impressive than it sounds when you consider that the Bucs spent most of the season trailing and other teams didn’t have to throw a lot against them. Clayborn and second-round pick Da'Quan Bowers both showed plenty of potential and that bodes well for whoever ends up coaching this team. Clayborn also was able to put together an impressive rookie year despite the fact that defensive tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price both were injured much of the season and there wasn’t a lot of help in the middle. If Clayborn and Bowers continue to develop and McCoy and Price can stay healthy, the Buccaneers have the ingredients for a good defensive line.

Biggest disappointment: The total collapse of this once-promising team was one of the most bizarre things I’ve ever seen. In October, the Bucs beat the Saints. That wasn’t a fluke. The Bucs flat-out were better than the Saints that day. They left the next morning for a game with Chicago in London and they never won again. As the losing streak grew, eventually to 10 games, the games became less competitive even against mediocre teams. Tampa Bay’s youth, a point of pride in 2010, was apparent in 2011. Former coach Raheem Morris was never known as a great disciplinarian or organizer, and the Bucs weren’t even operating like a legitimate NFL team by the end of the season. Quarterback Josh Freeman, running back LeGarrette Blount and receiver Mike Williams all had great years in 2010, but each of them regressed in 2011.

Biggest need: There are many needs for a team that finished 4-12. But if I had to go with just one, I’d say the Bucs need to solidify their backfield situation. Although he’s a good power runner, Blount never could convince the coaching staff that he could catch passes out of the backfield or provide protection for Freeman in the passing game. That made it obvious to defenses that the Bucs were running if Blount was in the game or passing when he wasn’t. Blount also had problems with fumbles, so it’s possible the Bucs could be looking for an all-around feature back to replace him. Even if the new coach wants to keep Blount as the primary runner, the Bucs will have to go out and get a third-down back more dynamic than Earnest Graham or Kregg Lumpkin. It also would help Freeman a lot if the Bucs add a speed receiver because the current crop of receivers struggled to get separation.

Team MVP: There’s not a lot to choose from here, so we’ll go with guard Davin Joseph. Cornerback Ronde Barber and left tackle Donald Penn also got consideration. But I’m going with Joseph because, even in a year when the rest of the league was laughing at the Bucs and fans weren’t voting for them to go to the Pro Bowl, coaches and players from other teams had enough respect for Joseph to put him on the NFC all-star squad. The guy is a pro and one of the few veteran leaders in the locker room.

What about Freeman? In 2010, his first full season as a starter, Freeman looked like the first true franchise quarterback in team history. He kept mistakes to a minimum and seemed to have a knack for pulling off fourth-quarter comebacks. All of that suddenly disappeared this season and Freeman didn’t look like the same quarterback. There’s no doubt he deserves some of the blame. But I think the bigger factor in his regression was his supporting cast. Blount’s deficiencies made the offense predictable, Williams showed he’s not a No. 1 wide receiver and tight end Kellen Winslow had a disappointing year. It also didn’t help that the defense was giving up a ton of points and Freeman almost always was playing from behind. I still believe Freeman is a big-time talent. But it’s going to be up to the new coach and his staff to get Freeman’s career back on a positive track.

Thoughts on the New Orleans Saints' 45-17 victory against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

What it means: The Saints tied the 2009 team for the best record in franchise history at 13-3. They also are in as the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoffs, assuming San Francisco defeats St. Louis, and they’ll play the No. 6 seed, which will be either Detroit or Atlanta. The Panthers finished their season at 6-10 and in third place in the NFC South.

Icing on the cake: Drew Brees added another 389 yards to his record for passing yards in a season. Darren Sproles set a new NFL record for all-purpose yards, and Jimmy Graham passed Kellen Winslow’s record for receiving yards in a season by a tight end.

Statement game: Receiver Marques Colston probably made himself some money Sunday. He had seven catches for 145 yards and two touchdowns. With his contract expiring, Colston provided another reminder of how valuable he is.

What I liked: The Saints looked sharp in their final test before the start of the postseason. You can make a case they’re playing as well as any team in football right now. The Saints have not lost since Oct. 30 at St. Louis.

Can we have a do-over? The Saints have to be kicking themselves for the loss to the Rams and an October loss to the Bucs. Those ended up being two of the worst teams in the NFL. Had the Saints won those games, they could have been 15-1.

What I didn’t like: I’m not sure coach Sean Payton really needed to play his starters into the fourth quarter. San Francisco had a big lead on St. Louis and the Saints were winning easily. That’s two weeks in a row where it can at least be perceived that Payton was running up the score against a division opponent. That could come back to haunt him in the long term. There did not appear to be any serious injuries for the Saints, but we don’t always find out about injuries right away.

The start of something good: Despite the loss, the Panthers had a nice second half of the season. They won four of their final six games and established the fact that they have a big-time offense with quarterback Cam Newton. If coach Ron Rivera patches up his defense in the offseason, the Panthers could be a playoff contender next season.

What’s next: The Saints will host either the Falcons or Lions in the first round of the playoffs. If Detroit wins its game against Green Bay, the Falcons will play the Saints. If Detroit loses and Atlanta wins, the Saints will host the Lions. The time and day of the game is expected to be announced later tonight.