Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

PHILADELPHIA — Cold, wind, ice are on deck for the fifth edition of the outdoors Winter Classic, today between the Flyers and Rangers at the Phillies' Citizens Bank Park.

The game's start was pushed back two hours Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 3 (Ch. 8), because of a revised weather forecast. The forecast is partly cloudy and windy with a high temperature of 41 and a 20 percent chance of rain.

Last year's game between the Penguins and Capitals at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field was moved from afternoon to night because of rain. Rain still fell throughout the game, which brought criticism for the playing conditions.

"It's going to feel different to be out there," Rangers and former Lightning center Brad Richards said. "It'll be, look around for a little bit, but you don't want to get clocked, so you can't look too much."

A bigger topic was who would start in goal for the Flyers. Before any news came from coach Peter Laviolette, slumping Ilya Bryzgalov — signed to a nine-year, $51 million contract in June to be the goalie who leads the Flyers to the Stanley Cup — said Sergei Bobrovsky would start, based on what goalie coach Jeff Reese told him.

"I have great news and even better news. Great news, I'm not playing tomorrow night. Good news, we have a chance to win the game tomorrow night," said Bryzgalov, 14-8 with a 3.01 goals-against average and who has allowed five, four and five goals in three of his past four starts..

Laviolette refused to name his starter after he was told what Bryzgalov said. But the Flyers later confirmed it would be Bobrovsky.

Around the league: Panthers wing Krys Barch is being investigated by the league for his ejection for saying a racial slur against the Canadiens on Saturday, the Miami Herald and South Florida Sun Sentinel reported. A linesman heard Barch's exchange with Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban, who is black, the newspapers said. Barch was given a game misconduct. Subban said he didn't hear anything. Barch's agent, Scott Norton, told the Herald his client did say something but it "didn't have any racial undertones, nor was a slur." … Blues defenseman Ian Cole was suspended for three games for a check to the head of Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader on Saturday.

First Period—1, Calgary, Iginla 15 (Jokinen, Glencross), 3:47. 2, Nashville, Klein 2 (Spaling, Tootoo), 12:39. 3, Nashville, Kostitsyn 6 (Fisher, Hornqvist), 15:06. Penalties—Spaling, Nas (tripping), 10:12.

Second Period—4, Nashville, Halischuk 9 (Tootoo, Hillen), 2:27. 5, Nashville, Kostitsyn 7 (Hornqvist, Smithson), 5:59. Penalties—Calgary bench, served by Jackman (too many men), 11:59.

Third Period—6, Calgary, R.Bourque 13 (Stempniak, Comeau), 1:17. 7, Calgary, Morrison 4 (Brodie, Byron), 17:57. 8, Nashville, Kostitsyn 8 (Klein), 19:30 (en). Penalties—Kostopoulos, Cal (interference), 1:56; Byron, Cal (roughing), 4:42; Hornqvist, Nas (high-sticking), 5:13. Shots on Goal—Calgary 9-4-7—20. Nashville 7-15-5—27. Power-play opportunities—Calgary 0 of 2; Nashville 0 of 3. Goalies—Calgary, Kiprusoff 17-13-2 (26 shots-22 saves). Nashville, Rinne 19-10-4 (20-17).

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

Titans' year over

HOUSTON — Matt Hasselbeck threw two touchdowns and Tennessee staved off Houston's rally, stopping a late two-point conversion that would have won it. But the Titans were knocked out of playoff contention when the Broncos lost to Kansas City. Tennessee and Cincinnati were left alone at 9-7 among AFC wild-card contenders. The Bengals beat the Titans 24-17 on Nov. 6.

"We knew that was the situation we were in and we could only do what we could do," Hasselbeck said before the team learned of its playoff fate.

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

MILWAUKEE — It didn't take No. 14 Marquette long to move on from its last loss. About the time it took Darius Johnson-Odom to convert an alley-oop pass for a dunk.

Johnson-Odom matched a season high with 24 points and led the Golden Eagles to an 81-77 victory over Villanova on Sunday.

Reserve forward Davante Gardner had 13 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for the Golden Eagles (12-2), who responded from their worst performance of the season — a 17-point drubbing by Vanderbilt on Thursday — with a solid start to the Big East season.

"Everybody was down on themselves after the loss, just trying to figure out ways for us to get better," Johnson-Odom said. "And that's what we did the next day. We did a lot of drills, a lot of five-on-five drills and a lot of competing.

"We just have to get back to playing hard, and I think we did that" Sunday.

It took 33 seconds to turn things around, with Vander Blue tossing a pass to a cutting Johnson-Odom at the rim and the senior guard, generously listed at 6 feet 2, throwing it down on Marquette's first offensive possession. The Golden Eagles never trailed from there.

"That was a read," Johnson-Odom said. "That usually doesn't happen for me. But Van made a good play, I finished it off. That is what started our run and gave us more energy."

Mouphtaou Yarou had 14 points for Villanova and JayVaughn Pinkston had a career-high 13. The Wildcats, without a scholarship senior, are off to their worst start in coach Jay Wright's 11 seasons and have lost seven of 10 after starting 4-0.

"They're a good team, a real good team," Wright said.

NO. 1 SYRACUSE 87, DEPAUL 68: Kris Joseph had 22 points for the visiting Orange (15-0, 2-0 Big East), which is four wins shy of tying its best start under coach Jim Boeheim in 1999-2000.

NO. 5 UNC 102, MONMOUTH (N.J.) 65: Former Sickles High standout John Henson scored 21 for the Tar Heels (13-2), who had a 55-26 rebounding edge in their 26th straight win at the Smith Center.

NO. 7 DUKE 85, PENN 55: Ryan Kelly had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the host Blue Devils (12-1), who opened with a 20-4 run.

NO. 18 MICHIGAN 61, MINN. 56: Freshman Trey Burke scored a season-high 27 as the host Wolverines (12-2, 2-0 Big Ten) hung on for their seventh straight victory.

CINCINNATI 66, NO. 22 PITT 63: JaQuon Parker scored a career-high 21 for the visiting Bearcats, who won their sixth straight and handed the Panthers (11-4, 0-2 Big East) their third straight loss.

Women

NO. 6 KENTUCKY 59, UF 56: A'dia Mathies had 14 points as the visiting Wildcats (12-2), who had lost two of three, bounced back in the SEC opener for both teams. The Gators (10-4) shot 32.8 percent and committed 23 turnovers.

NO. 7 TENN. 73, AUBURN 52: Meighan Simmons had 20 points for the visiting Vols (9-3, 1-0 SEC), who closed with a 19-6 run to win their 27th in the past 30 meetings with the Tigers.

NO. 17 GEORGIA 67, ARK. 57: Center Jasmine Hassell had 19 points and the host Bulldogs (12-2) made 10 3-pointers in their SEC opener.

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

Colts on the clock

JACKSONVILLE — Peyton Manning insists he hasn't thought much about the NFL draft. Now he might be welcoming Andrew Luck in four months.

A loss to Jacksonville meant Indianapolis locked up the No. 1 pick in April's draft, setting the stage to select the Stanford quarterback.

"Like I said all along, the Colts are going to do what they have to do," Manning said. "The draft is something the personnel department will address. … As far as can I coexist with anybody? I think I can coexist with any player I've ever played with."

The Jaguars gave outgoing owner Wayne Weaver a victory in his final game. Last month, Weaver sold the team to Shahid Khan of Illinois for $770 million.

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck gets the attention, long projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft. But the other quarterback in tonight's Fiesta Bowl, Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden, is no slouch, leading an explosive offense and throwing to Justin Blackmon, a two-time winner of the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's best receiver.

"This is about as good as it gets right here," Weeden said. "I'm pretty sure everybody around the country will be watching."

Agile and accurate with a big right arm, Weeden came seemingly out of nowhere to pile up yards and touchdowns as a junior and continued it this season, putting together one of the most impressive two-year runs in Oklahoma State history.

He forced people across the country to learn how to spell his last name — it ends with "en," not "on" — with his prodigious numbers and throws.

Weeden, 28, a former professional baseball player, is married and doesn't get caught up by trivialities that might slip up younger players.

"He is great. He has put up numbers. He has done it winning," Stanford co-defensive coordinator Derek Mason said. "Any time you can do that, you put yourself in an elite category of quarterbacks. That's what he is."

The Cowboys have a big line, and running backs Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith combined for more than 1,800 yards rushing and 32 touchdowns. Oklahoma State was second nationally in scoring offense at nearly 50 points and third in total offense at 557 yards per game.

Oklahoma State just missed making the national title game, but Weeden said the goal all along was to get to a BCS game.

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

Tennis

Clijsters opens 2012 season with victory

BRISBANE, Australia — Kim Clijsters began preparation for the defense of her Australian Open title with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Simona Halep in the first round of the Brisbane International on Sunday.

"I felt that I was playing aggressively and moving well, so I was pretty satisfied," Clijsters said. She said the abdominal problem that forced her to retire from a number of tournaments last year, including the U.S. Open, had left no lingering problems.

Top seed and Tampa resident Samantha Stosur plays her first-round match today, as does Serena Williams. The Australian Open begins Jan. 16.

Hopman Cup: Fernando Verdasco and Anabel Medina Garrigues beat Lleyton Hewitt and Jarmila Gajdosova in a mixed doubles third-set tiebreaker to give Spain a 2-1 win over Australia in the eight-nation tournament at Perth, Australia. The United States, with Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Mardy Fish, meets top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki and Frederik Nielsen of Denmark today.

Horses

Trainer Pletcher leads top earners

Todd Pletcher was the leading trainer in North American earnings for the second year in a row in 2011, and Ramon Dominguez topped the jockeys' list with more than $20 million in earnings, according to Equibase.

Pletcher saddled 254 winners from 1,016 starts for earnings of nearly $17.2 million. He also was the leading trainer from 2004-07. Dominguez rode 348 winners, including Brethern in the Grade III Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, from 1,424 mounts.

Breeders' Cup Classic winner Drosselmeyer was the leading thoroughbred earner at $2.9 million. Midwest Thoroughbreds, two-time leading owner at Tampa Bay Downs, was the leading North American owner with $6.3 million.

Et cetera

Baseball: Andruw Jones is staying with the Yankees, agreeing to a $2 million, one-year contract that allows him to earn another $1.45 million in performance bonuses. The deal, agreed to Friday, is subject to a physical. The outfielder/DH signed with the Yankees last winter to provide a right-handed bat off the bench. He hit .247 with 13 homers and 33 RBIs in 222 plate appearances. … Reliever Jason Frasor was traded from the White Sox to the Blue Jays, five months after the Blue Jays dealt him to Chicago. Chicago got minor-league right-handers Myles Jaye and Daniel Webb in the latest swap.

Dakar rally: Jorge Martinez Boero, 38, died from head and chest injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash in the first stage at Santa Rosa, Argentina. Details surrounding the Argentinian's death were not clear. Reports said he may have fallen after running off the course and striking an open sewer line. The race begins in Argentina, passes through Chile and finishes in Lima, Peru, on Jan. 15.

Soccer: Manchester City lost its second English Premier League game of the season, 1-0 at Sunderland. At the season's halfway point, City leads on goal difference over Manchester United, owned by the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs. Both teams are 14-2-3 with 45 points.

Times wires

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

Jets' flop finishes with final drama

MIAMI —The Jets will sit out the playoffs, and that's guaranteed.

New York failed to fulfill coach Rex Ryan's pledge to win a Super Bowl, a loss at Miami eliminating them from wild-card contention.

Mark Sanchez had three interceptions and the Jets allowed a Miami franchise-record 21-play, 94-yard drive for the Dolphins' only touchdown. It took 12:29; Ryan said it "seemed like a 21-minute drive … ridiculous.''

The Jets, who reached the AFC title game the past two years, lost their last three this season.

"I'm always going to chase the Super Bowl," Ryan said. "I know I get criticized for it beyond belief, but if you don't, then you're probably a loser, okay? I'm not a loser."

On the Jets' final drive, receiver and captain Santonio Holmes was benched. Running back LaDainian Tomlinson said players were unhappy with his effort, demeanor and body language.

"It's tough for guys to follow a captain that kind of behaves in that manner," Tomlinson said.

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

Raiders squander postseason shot

OAKLAND, Calif. — Oakland was rallying, Denver was losing and the Raiders had the Chargers backed up inside the 1 midway through the fourth quarter.

With the stage set for the Raiders to win the AFC West and end an eight-year playoff drought, Oakland's defense failed again.

Philip Rivers needed just four plays to drive the Chargers the length of the field, with his third touchdown pass the decisive blow in San Diego's win that ended Oakland's playoff hopes.

"If you can't stop a team with everything on the line, you don't deserve to be a playoff team," defensive tackle Richard Seymour said. "We didn't get it done. So this one hurts."

Oakland got the help it needed when Denver lost to Kansas City. But the Raiders tied Denver and San Diego at 8-8. The Broncos won the division based on record vs. common opponents.

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

ORLANDO — For much of three quarters Sunday, the Magic looked awful against the Raptors.

Orlando's offense looked out of sync. Andrea Bargnani scored at will. And Toronto simply played with more energy.

All that changed in the fourth quarter. Trailing by 13 with 9:42 left, the Magic went on a 26-6 run to take control.

After looking for three quarters as if it were suffering from a hangover, the Magic found a way to celebrate New Year's Day, beating the Raptors 102-96.

For perhaps the first time all season, fans brought sustained noise to Amway Center.

An announced sellout crowd of 18,846 rose to its feet when Hedo Turkoglu hit a fadeaway 3-pointer to put Orlando ahead 91-89. And the fans cheered wildly again when Ryan Anderson sank a 3 from the right corner to extend that lead to 94-89.

Anderson led all Magic players with 24 points. J.J. Redick had 21, and Dwight Howard had 19 points and 15 rebounds.

The game seemed lost for Orlando early in the fourth quarter. DeMar DeRozan sank two free throws to give the Raptors an 87-74 lead with 9:42 left that seemed like the final blow.

Orlando's offense looked stagnant early in the game and for portions of the second and third quarters. The Magic missed nine of its first 11 shots and 12 of its first 15.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS: Chris Bosh scored 20 of his 24 in the first half, and the host Heat improved to 5-0 for the first time by rolling past the Bobcats 129-90. Miami guard Dwyane Wade had 22 points and topped 14,000 for his career. … Rajon Rondo had 18 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds to lead the visiting Celtics over the Wizards 94-86, Boston's second straight win after it lost its first three. … Kevin Love had 25 points and 17 rebounds and hit two huge 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to help the host Timberwolves beat the Mavericks 99-82 and end an 18-game skid dating to last season.

AROUND THE LEAGUE: The Kings said center DeMarcus Cousins has demanded a trade and been told to stay away from the team. Coach Paul Westphal released a statement saying that when Cousins "continually, aggressively, lets it be known that he is unwilling/unable to embrace traveling in the same direction as his team, it cannot be ignored indefinitely." … Bulls shooting guard Richard Hamilton was a late scratch with an injured left groin. … Heat forward LeBron James and longtime girlfriend Savannah Brinson, mother of his two sons, announced their engagement.

Magic 102, Raptors 96

TORONTO (96): Butler 0-2 3-3 3, Bargnani 10-21 7-7 28, A.Johnson 3-5 2-2 8, Calderon 6-9 3-3 18, DeRozan 4-12 8-9 17, Magloire 3-3 1-1 7, J.Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, Barbosa 3-8 3-4 9, E.Davis 1-4 0-0 2, Carter 2-5 0-0 4, Alabi 0-0 0-0 0, Forbes 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-70 27-29 96.

ORLANDO (102): Turkoglu 6-14 1-1 15, Anderson 9-16 1-1 24, Howard 7-11 5-9 19, Nelson 4-7 0-0 9, J.Richardson 1-8 2-4 5, G.Davis 3-6 1-2 7, Redick 6-10 6-7 21, Duhon 1-3 0-0 2, Clark 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-75 16-24 102.

Toronto 27 25 29 15— 96

Orlando 18 29 23 32— 102

3-Point Goals—Toronto 5-13 (Calderon 3-4, DeRozan 1-2, Bargnani 1-3, Butler 0-1, Barbosa 0-1, Carter 0-2), Orlando 12-27 (Anderson 5-8, Redick 3-5, Turkoglu 2-5, Nelson 1-2, J.Richardson 1-5, G.Davis 0-1, Duhon 0-1). Fouled Out—Barbosa. Rebounds—Toronto 38 (Bargnani 7), Orlando 48 (Howard 15). Assists—Toronto 23 (Calderon 13), Orlando 20 (Turkoglu 7). Total Fouls—Toronto 27, Orlando 22. Technicals—Orlando defensive three second. A—18,846 (18,500).

Heat 129, Bobcats 90

CHARLOTTE (90): Maggette 0-6 2-2 2, White 10-12 0-0 21, Diaw 2-4 0-0 5, Augustin 1-11 2-2 4, Henderson 4-13 0-0 8, Diop 0-2 0-0 0, Biyombo 2-5 2-6 6, Mullens 1-6 4-4 6, Walker 6-13 3-5 17, Carroll 1-4 0-0 2, Brown 6-11 1-2 14, Higgins 2-5 0-0 5. Totals 35-92 14-21 90.

MIAMI (129): James 6-10 4-6 16, Bosh 9-13 6-6 24, Anthony 3-5 2-2 8, Chalmers 6-7 0-0 16, Wade 9-16 4-4 22, Battier 0-3 0-2 0, Haslem 1-4 4-4 6, Jones 2-4 0-0 6, Cole 6-8 4-5 16, Harris 3-6 2-2 9, Gladness 1-1 0-0 2, Pittman 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 48-80 26-31 129.

Charlotte 15 22 27 26— 90

Miami 33 32 27 37— 129

3-Point Goals—Charlotte 6-18 (Walker 2-4, Higgins 1-1, Diaw 1-1, White 1-1, Brown 1-2, Henderson 0-1, Maggette 0-2, Augustin 0-3, Carroll 0-3), Miami 7-11 (Chalmers 4-4, Jones 2-4, Harris 1-2, Battier 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Charlotte 50 (Brown 7), Miami 51 (Bosh 10). Assists—Charlotte 20 (Augustin 7), Miami 33 (Cole 9). Total Fouls—Charlotte 20, Miami 18. A—20,016 (19,600).

Celtics 94, Wizards 86

BOSTON (94): Pierce 2-8 4-6 9, Garnett 9-17 6-6 24, O'Neal 4-7 0-0 8, Rondo 7-10 4-7 18, Allen 5-10 1-2 13, Bass 4-8 0-0 8, Dooling 2-3 0-2 6, Bradley 1-2 0-0 2, Daniels 1-3 0-0 2, Stiemsma 2-4 0-0 4, Moore 0-1 0-0 0, Johnson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 37-74 15-23 94.

WASHINGTON (86): Lewis 4-12 0-0 8, Blatche 4-7 2-2 10, McGee 6-15 4-5 16, Wall 6-13 7-9 19, Young 7-15 4-4 18, Crawford 1-7 2-2 5, Singleton 0-1 0-0 0, Turiaf 0-0 0-0 0, Booker 3-4 1-1 7, Mason 1-4 0-0 3, Mack 0-0 0-0 0, Seraphin 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-78 20-23 86.

Boston 28 23 22 21— 94

Washington 17 17 26 26— 86

3-Point Goals—Boston 5-12 (Dooling 2-2, Allen 2-5, Pierce 1-4, Bradley 0-1), Washington 2-16 (Crawford 1-4, Mason 1-4, Singleton 0-1, Young 0-3, Lewis 0-4). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Boston 48 (Rondo 11), Washington 46 (McGee 14). Assists—Boston 26 (Rondo 14), Washington 15 (Wall 8). Total Fouls—Boston 20, Washington 21. A—17,458 (20,278).

Cavaliers 98, Nets 82

NEW JERSEY (82): Humphries 1-5 9-11 11, James 3-5 4-6 10, Okur 4-10 0-0 10, D.Williams 6-16 3-4 16, Gaines 5-12 0-2 11, Brooks 0-3 0-0 0, Sha.Williams 1-2 0-0 2, She.Williams 1-3 2-2 4, Morrow 5-13 3-3 15, Stevenson 1-2 0-0 3, Horner 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-71 21-28 82.

CLEVELAND (98): Casspi 3-7 2-2 9, Jamison 10-15 0-0 23, Varejao 1-5 0-0 2, Irving 5-11 0-0 13, Parker 2-7 0-0 4, Gee 4-8 0-0 11, Gibson 6-12 2-2 19, Sessions 2-6 0-0 5, Samuels 1-2 1-1 3, T.Thompson 4-5 1-6 9. Totals 38-78 6-11 98.

New Jersey 27 22 18 15— 82

Cleveland 24 19 30 25— 98

3-Point Goals—New Jersey 7-22 (Okur 2-5, Morrow 2-6, Stevenson 1-2, Gaines 1-3, D.Williams 1-4, James 0-1, Brooks 0-1), Cleveland 16-26 (Gibson 5-7, Jamison 3-3, Irving 3-4, Gee 3-5, Casspi 1-1, Sessions 1-2, Parker 0-4). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—New Jersey 46 (Okur 8), Cleveland 50 (Varejao 11). Assists—New Jersey 16 (D.Williams 5), Cleveland 24 (Sessions 8). Total Fouls—New Jersey 16, Cleveland 26. A—15,084 (20,562).

Wolves 99, Mavericks 82

DALLAS (82): Marion 1-3 6-6 8, Nowitzki 9-20 1-1 21, Haywood 2-3 2-2 6, Kidd 1-5 0-0 3, West 6-9 1-1 13, Terry 4-11 0-0 10, Odom 2-7 1-4 7, Mahinmi 2-3 2-3 6, Carter 1-7 4-4 6, Beaubois 1-3 0-0 2, Cardinal 0-4 0-0 0, S.Williams 0-1 0-0 0, Jones 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-77 17-21 82.

MINNESOTA (99): Beasley 3-10 2-4 8, Love 9-16 2-2 25, Milicic 2-3 3-4 7, Ridnour 5-9 1-1 11, Johnson 1-7 0-0 2, Barea 4-11 0-1 8, Rubio 4-8 4-4 14, Randolph 1-6 2-2 4, Tolliver 5-8 0-0 13, D.Williams 1-3 2-4 4, Ellington 1-4 1-2 3. Totals 36-85 17-24 99.

Dallas 25 16 28 13— 82

Minnesota 25 25 24 25— 99

3-Point Goals—Dallas 7-24 (Nowitzki 2-3, Terry 2-4, Odom 2-4, Kidd 1-5, Beaubois 0-1, Carter 0-1, Marion 0-1, West 0-1, Cardinal 0-4), Minnesota 10-22 (Love 5-6, Tolliver 3-5, Rubio 2-3, Johnson 0-2, Ridnour 0-3, Barea 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Dallas 44 (Marion 6), Minnesota 64 (Love 17). Assists—Dallas 17 (Kidd 5), Minnesota 15 (Rubio 7). Total Fouls—Dallas 22, Minnesota 17. Technicals—Odom, Randolph. A—15,115 (19,356).

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

Win only good bit in Steelers' day

CLEVELAND — They're bruised, limping and not close to being healthy. The Steelers aren't themselves. But they are going to the playoffs.

At this point, that's all that matters.

Isaac Redman replaced injured starting running back Rashard Mendenhall and scored a touchdown and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger managed on his sprained left ankle as Pittsburgh earned its 16th victory in the past 17 games against the Browns.

The Steelers did their part but wound up as the No. 5 seed as a wild card in the AFC as Baltimore won to clinch the North.

"Now is the time to go out and play our best football," said Roethlisberger, 23 of 40 for 221 yards. "If you are a great team, you have to win on the road. We'd like to get it together, starting next week."

Coach Mike Tomlin said Mendenhall, Pittsburgh's leading rusher, would be examined but might have a torn ACL in his right knee.

"You should anticipate that he won't be participating next week," Tomlin said.

On the final play, a Browns pass into the end zone was incomplete.

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

Patriot rally earns AFC's top seed

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady and the Patriots do an outstanding job rallying. They've been getting plenty of practice.

Now that the Patriots have clinched homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs by scoring the final 49 points to beat the Bills, they know it will be much harder to recover from poor starts.

"Every team in the playoffs is good," Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo said. "To be honest, it would be tough to come back against them if we're behind 21-0."

Tough, but not impossible. Not with Brady leading the attack.

He finished with the second-most yards passing in NFL history (but second-most this season behind the Saints' Drew Brees) with 338 Sunday for 5,235 total. The Patriots fell behind early for the third week in a row.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Sunday, January 1, 2012

ATLANTA

The latest beating was over now. It was time for Raheem Morris to go.

Here he was at the end of a season, and the end of another defeat, and probably the end of his job coaching the Bucs. Morris walked slowly toward the middle of the field to shake the hand of another conquering coach, as he has done for 10 straight games now. Another crooked scoreboard could be seen over his shoulder.

At that moment, you could not help but wonder.

Is Morris fired yet?

For most of the afternoon, that was the burning question for those who could not find anything better to do than watch another miserable performance by what will be remembered as one of the Bucs' most miserable teams.

It was 21-0 before the Bucs managed a first down, and you wondered if it was still too late for an interim coach. It was 42-0 before the Bucs scored a point, and you wondered if the Bucs might borrow the Falcons' offensive coordinator to see how he looked on their side.

It could have been 62-0 if Atlanta didn't bench everyone owner Arthur Blank had ever heard of, and you wondered if a lucky fan should have been selected to coach the final quarter for Tampa Bay.

To sum up: Is Morris fired yet?

He has to go, of course. By now, almost everyone who is not named Morris seems to agree with that. The question is no longer if Morris should be replaced, but how soon and by whom. Given the 10th straight loss by the never-say-try Bucs, what other choice is there?

He has to go because of this wretched losing streak, and he has to go because every game felt more lopsided than the week before, and he has to go because none of his players seem to be getting an inch better.

He has to go because his defense gave up more points than any Bucs defense has ever given up, and he has to go because losing margins the past 2 1/2 months were worse even than the winless '76 Bucs, and he has to go because, otherwise, the franchise owes an apology to Leeman Bennett.

He has to go because there is no evidence that next year will be any better. He has to go because someday, the team wants to sell another ticket or two. He has to go because, otherwise, the next thing the Bucs might lose is even more of their faithful in Tampa Bay.

There has never been a better case for firing a coach in Tampa Bay. There has never been this good a September followed by this awful a November and December. Once, Tony Dungy was fired after losing his third straight playoff game. Once, Jon Gruden was fired after losing four games in December that kept his team out of the postseason. With 10 straight losses, you figure the locksmiths must be working on Morris' office door already.

Yes, all of us realize that this failure is bigger than Morris alone. Even if you traded in Morris for a better coach — heck, even if you traded him in for the best coach in the league — this team still would not be a contender. The blueprint has been wrong, and the budget has been low, and the team has been young, and odds have been stacked against Morris.

All of that is true, and if Morris had been 7-9 this season, or if the past 10 games included overtime losses and furious finishes, that might be enough of an argument to bring him back. In a league designed around fourth-quarter football, however, the Bucs have not been close.

Yes, Morris could have used some veterans, but on the other hand, when did Barrett Ruud become Dick Butkus and when did Cadillac Williams turn into Barry Sanders?

Here's the bottom line: how do you build an argument for Morris that isn't against someone else, like the Glazers or general manager Mark Dominik or the players themselves? It comes down to this question: Is this a well-coached team or not?

The answer? Not.

To put it another way, what does it say about the Bucs if Morris isn't replaced? That this is good enough? That the staff that couldn't get a team to play hard this year is the perfect one to do so next year? That the team is weary of paying two coaches at a time? What?

No, it is time for a change, time to let another voice try to stress the urgency of this league to the players. Morris gave this team three years, and it gave him three, but in the end, it did not work. Time to look elsewhere.

Until then, a season without answers has been reduced to a single question.

Is he fired yet?

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

DALLAS — Tom Bradley, who has led Penn State through nearly two months of turmoil created by former assistant Jerry Sandusky's alleged involvement in child sexual abuse, could have his 37-year Penn State career as a player and coach end after today's TicketCity Bowl.

Reports emerged Sunday that Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien is the leading candidate for the full-time job. Bradley, 55, became interim coach Nov. 9 after Joe Paterno was fired.

ESPN reported that O'Brien, 42, had been followed for the past month by the university committee charged with finding the next coach and that the two sides would meet this week during the Patriots' playoff bye.

Meanwhile, USA Today said "only contract details need to be finalized" with the committee.

Acting athletic director Dave Joyner said there is no deal, and O'Brien's agent, Joe Linta, said there has been no contact with Penn State and no negotiations.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick declined comment.

O'Brien, in his fifth year with the Pats, never has been a head coach at any level. On Dec. 11, cameras caught him arguing with QB Tom Brady on the sideline.

A native of Andover, Mass., O'Brien spent 14 seasons as an assistant at Brown, Georgia Tech, Maryland and Duke.

Bradley said he's confident he could find another job but called a search "awkward" because "I've only been at one place."

ucla: Chargers assistant John Pagano is expected to be named defensive coordinator, perhaps today, according to reports.

fallen camera update: A review has determined a camera that fell from an overhead wire during the Insight Bowl was an isolated incident. ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz said that the cause of the crashing camera during Friday's game has been addressed and extra precautions will be taken for the six remaining bowl games.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

TicketCity

Houston (12-1) vs. Penn State (9-3)

When/where: Noon; Dallas

TV: ESPNU. Line: Houston by 7

Notable: Two teams that encountered coaching upheaval try to end on an upbeat note. Tony Levine leads the Cougars for the first time since being promoted to replace Kevin Sumlin. Nittany Lions interim coach Tom Bradley sends a stingy defense against Houston's high-octane offense led by Case Keenum, who holds NCAA career records for passing yardage (18,685), total offense (19,572) and TD passes (152).

Capital One

Nebraska (9-3) vs. South Carolina (10-2)

When/where: 1; Orlando

TV: ESPN. Line: South Carolina by 2½

Notable: Both quarterbacks can run. Gamecocks sophomore Connor Shaw ran for nearly 500 yards and seven TDs in nine games, getting more time after starter Stephen Garcia, a former Jefferson High standout, was dismissed in October. The Cornhuskers' Taylor Martinez has more than 800 rushing yards and nine TDs. … Nebraska is 12-5 against the SEC in bowls. … Both teams are making a fourth straight bowl appearance. South Carolina's last bowl victory was over Houston in the 2006 Liberty Bowl.

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

PASADENA, Calif. — The Rose Bowl is a living archive of football tradition. Every year, teams participate in oceanside pep rallies, Disneyland visits and Hollywood beef-eating extravaganzas before flowered parade floats glide down Colorado Boulevard.

All that history suits No. 9 Wisconsin perfectly. Coach Bret Bielema has built a Midwest powerhouse by largely adhering to traditional styles and schemes, determined to win Rose Bowls with old-fashioned football.

And though No. 6 Oregon usually seems to be visiting from the near future, coach Chip Kelly's Ducks also love the history they see out of their mirrored helmets.

Today's game matches two offenses with disparate strategies for racking up similarly huge numbers on the scoreboard.

"You can't get two teams much more different than these, but that's why I think it's going to be a great game," said Bielema, who has led the Badgers to their first back-to-back Rose Bowls in a dozen years. "We do things a certain way at Wisconsin like we've done them in the past, and Oregon always has something new. People are going to see something special in this matchup."

Bielema was a defensive lineman at Iowa in the 1991 Rose Bowl, which featured the most total points (80) in the game's history. That record could fall quickly today if quarterback Russell Wilson gets the Badgers rolling and Oregon's Darron Thomas can orchestrate his offense's usual success.

"We'll be comfortable from the jump, because we've already played in these types of games before," Thomas said.

Kelly relishes this matchup and this stadium: "I'm a lot more comfortable in the Rose Bowl setting. That's what college football is all about."

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

DENVER — Tim Tebow still can't beat Kyle Orton on the football field.

And Orton still can't top Tebow when it's all said and done.

Tebow, the former Heisman Trophy winner at Florida, has always done things the unorthodox way. Making the playoffs was no different.

He fell short in his latest comeback bid, but his Broncos got into the postseason party anyway when San Diego knocked off Oakland minutes later.

Orton, who lost his starting job with the Broncos to Tebow then was waived this season, got his revenge in leading the Chiefs to a 7-3 win over Denver on Sunday. But the Broncos clinched the AFC West and are headed to the postseason, where they host Pittsburgh next Sunday.

"It's obviously a little bittersweet right now," Tebow said. "We would have loved to have won that game to have a little momentum going into the playoffs. But I think it's still a special thing what we accomplished, to come back and win the AFC West is very special."

After begrudgingly congratulating their former teammate, the Broncos celebrated once the Chargers eliminated the Raiders 38-26. The Broncos finished 8-8, same as the Raiders and Chargers. They won their first division title since 2005 on a tiebreaker, going 6-6 against common opponents while the others went 5-7.

So, Tebow got the last laugh after all.

Orton, meanwhile, likely raised his stock as he prepares to enter free agency. And he might have secured interim coach Romeo Crennel's future.

Orton laid low all last week but he finally confessed afterward that this game had special meaning to him.

"I can't hide that," he said. "But I congratulate those guys. They're in. I congratulate them and I look forward to next year."

The Broncos revamped their offense to fit Tebow's unconventional skill set and surged to the top of their division. They released Orton in the midst of a 7-1 run that included a series of fourth-quarter comebacks that captivated the football world.

This time, the only touchdown came on a 21-yard scamper in the first quarter by Chiefs running back Dexter McCluster, a former star at Largo High.

The Broncos got one last shot when they got the ball at their 16 with just less than a minute left. Tebow time? Not this time.

The Broncos lost two offensive starters in the first half when right guard Chris Kuper broke his left leg and fullback Spencer Larsen hurt a knee.

"Not the way you want to go in," Denver cornerback Champ Bailey said as he saw the Chargers-Raiders game on TV. "But, hey, we've got another shot."

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

Around the league

'FIN TAYLOR RIDES OFF INTO SUNSET

MIAMI — NFL active sacks leader Jason Taylor, playing his final game, was carried off the field on Sunday after the Dolphins beat the Jets.

Taylor, who said Wednesday that he would retire at the end of his 15th season, sent the crowd at Sun Life Stadium into pandemonium when he scooped up a fumble and scored with 2½ minutes left. But a replay review negated the turnover because the ball carrier was down before the fumble. Taylor — who played for the Jets last year before returning to Miami for his third stint with the Dolphins — also played tailback in victory formation as QB Matt Moore twice took a knee to run out the clock at the end.

"It was a good way to end this thing — to beat your No. 1 rivals in your home stadium in your last game," Taylor, 37, said during an emotional postgame news conference. "I can't complain. I'm very, very happy and blessed to be where I am."

Altitude may make Steelers' Clark sit

The Steelers are facing the Broncos in the first round of the playoffs at Denver — and the Rocky Mountain altitude at Mile High Stadium might force S Ryan Clark to sit the game out. In 2007, Clark lost his spleen, his gall bladder and 30 pounds after the combination of a sickle-cell trait and playing football at a high altitude triggered a blood reaction. "We're going to meet with the doctors at some point (today) or Tuesday," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of Clark's situation. "It's a discussion. Last time we went we exercised some precaution." When Pittsburgh returned to Denver for a regular-season game in 2009, Tomlin had Clark sit out.

BILLS: WR Stevie Johnson was benched by coach Chan Gailey after drawing an excessive celebration penalty following a touchdown. Johnson lifted his jersey to reveal a T-shirt that said "Happy New Year!"

JAGUARS: Maurice Jones-Drew broke Fred Taylor's single-season franchise rushing record and clinched his first NFL rushing title. Jones-Drew wound up with 1,606 yards this season; Taylor, a former Florida star, had 1,572 in 2003.

RAIDERS: With eight penalties for 64 yards, the team set league records for penalties (163) and penalty yards (1,358) in a season.

RAMS: ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported that the team will fire both coach Steve Spagnuolo and GM Billy Devaney this week.

REDSKINS: LB Brian Orakpo left with a left shoulder injury. He's scheduled for an MRI exam today.

SAINTS: RB/KR Darren Sproles set a league record for combined yards at 2,969; WR/KR Derrick Mason had 2,690 for Tennessee in 2000.

STEELERS: WR Hines Ward had five catches to become the eighth player to reach 1,000 career receptions. He hit 1,000 on a shovel pass in the fourth quarter.

VIKINGS: DE Jared Allen had 3½ sacks to finish the season with 22, half a sack short of Michael Strahan's record, set in 2001.

Times wires

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

CINCINNATI — Andy Dalton's desperate pass into the end zone fell incomplete in the scrum of players, leaving the Bengals still winless against playoff teams this season.

And yet, also playoff-bound themselves.

The Bengals got a lot of help Sunday, clinching the final AFC wild-card spot despite losing to the Ravens 24-16 in front of a capacity crowd at Paul Brown Stadium. The Ravens clinched the AFC North with a 6-0 mark in the division.

The Bengals got their third playoff spot in 21 years when the Jets and Broncos also lost. Denver's score flashed on the video­board with 36 seconds left in the game, drawing a loud cheer.

"It's kind of weird," said Dalton, who was 22-of-44 for 232 yards with no interceptions or touchdowns. "Obviously we didn't get it done (Sunday), but we still have a chance."

Cincinnati went 0-7 against the other playoff teams this season. Yet the Bengals earned a wild card at 9-7; Tennessee had the same mark but the Bengals are in because of their win over the Titans this season.

The Bengals play Saturday at Houston, which donned caps and shirts in celebration of the AFC South title after beating the Bengals 20-19 on Dec. 11 at Paul Brown Stadium.

Dalton is 3-0 at Houston's Reliant Stadium, where he played two games in high school and one at TCU.

"We've been successful up until this point, and we've got a shot in the playoffs," Dalton said. "We're in it. Now it's what we do with it. I think everybody's got the right attitude."

The Ravens got the AFC's No. 2 seed and a first-round bye followed by a game at home, where they're 8-0 this season. They celebrated with championship shirts and caps in the locker room.

"To be able to win the division on the road to secure a home playoff game — the feeling in that locker room was like no other," said Ravens running back Ray Rice, who led the way with two long touchdown runs.

Rice made the biggest plays on a blustery afternoon that made it tough to throw. He had a career-best 70-yard touchdown run on the fourth play and broke a 51-yard touchdown run on a third-and-1 play with 5:41 to go.

Rice had 191 yards on 24 carries and set a club record with his 15th touchdown of the season.

The Ravens made a division championship and homefield advantage for the playoffs an overriding goal for the season after having to play on the road as a wild card in each of their past three postseason trips.

Times wires
Sunday, January 1, 2012

Raheem Morris, Bucs coach:

"You have to admire the moxie that the guys came out with in the second half. There were significant names such as Elbert Mack who really came out there and was fighting for us. This is not the season we wanted or expected, but we will need to rededicate ourselves and get ready for this offseason. We've learned a lot from adversity, and from that we will bounce back into shape."

Josh Freeman, Bucs QB:

"It's horrible that we started out that way, but when you get in that situation, you just have to keep playing. You can't turn it down, and that was the message from Coach Raheem at halftime."

Davin Joseph, Bucs offensive guard:

"I've been saying the same thing for the last five weeks. If we play better on third down and stop turning the ball over, we will be a better team. Plain and simple."

Geno Hayes, Bucs linebacker:

"It boils down to guys not doing their jobs. … If everyone isn't doing what they're supposed to, it doesn't work. We get paid to do a job. And it hasn't been working."

Quincy Black, Bucs linebacker:

"It's hard to pinpoint where we have a weakness. There are a lot of problems."

Mike Smith, Falcons coach:

"The start was the way we wanted it to go. … We wanted to establish the run; we got that done. We wanted to be able to move the ball passing it, and we were able to do that. We put some pressure on the quarterback, and he threw the ball to us, and we created some turnovers. When you have that formula, and you throw in the way we covered kicks, it's a good combination."

Matt Ryan, Falcons QB, on how important it was to jump on the Bucs right away:

"(Smith) kind of talked about that all week. We want to start fast. … We did that and put up a lot of points early, and that was good."

John Abraham, Falcons defensive end:

"You have to give a lot of credit to the Bucs for competing against us despite being down 42-7 at halftime."

Pat Yasinskas, ESPN NFC South writer:

The Glazers thought they were anointing the next great coach when they replaced Jon Gruden with Morris. The Glazers like Morris, who is a genuinely nice guy. But what the Glazers want to do and what they need to do look like two different things. How can they possibly bring Morris back?

Jeff Schultz, Atlanta Journal Constitution sports blogger:

(The Falcons) didn't beat Tampa Bay on Sunday so much as they dodged exploding parts and avoided hyperventilating from laughing.

Times staff
Sunday, January 1, 2012

It might surprise some to learn which receiver led the Bucs in touchdown receptions this season. It wasn't Mike Williams, Arrelious Benn or even TE Kellen Winslow.

Backup WR Dezmon Briscoe, who caught two touchdowns Sunday, finished the season with a team-high six receiving TDs, giving him something to build on for 2012.

"They always expect me to go out there and make plays and do what I do," said Briscoe, who started for an injured Benn (neck). "That's just a credit to my work ethic and my receivers coach (Eric Yarber) as well. I never want to put bad stuff on film. I always go out there and put in effort on every play."

On a day when the effort of many players could have been questioned, Briscoe caught eight passes for 53 yards, with touchdowns of 2 and 5 yards.

The second-year player out of Kansas continued to work the middle of the field, catching a pass in the back of the end zone for the Bucs' first touchdown. He caught the touchdown after running a quick slant out of the slot position on the offense's left side. His second touchdown was just a quick throw and catch, also in the middle of the field, with Josh Freeman throwing the ball just over the reach of Falcons S James Sanders.

. Bucs QB Josh Freeman was faced with trying to rally from yet another early deficit, trailing 42-0 in the second quarter in what had become the biggest first-half deficit the Bucs had seen this season. Freeman couldn't lead the Bucs out of the hole, and he had another mixed day. He threw for 274 yards and completed 69 percent of his attempts (31-of-45), but he also threw three more interceptions and finished the season with a career-high 22. It's been a season full of frustration but also one filled with lessons. "Obviously it wasn't the season we wanted to have for any of us, but you have to sit back and look at it from a different perspective," he said. "You have to see it one play at a time rather than pressing too hard at times. I tried that road this year a number of times, tried to make plays when the plays weren't there to be made, and it ended up costing us games. I have to sit back and figure out what I can do better to be a better quarterback and be a better leader for this team." At times Sunday, Freeman wasn't the culprit. The third-year QB was under significant pressure much of the day, and one of his interceptions came as a result of more failed execution from his teammates. On a second-quarter attempt to RB Kregg Lumpkin, Freeman threw over the middle where he thought Lumpkin was headed — until Lumpkin was leveled by TE Kellen Winslow, who collided with him. "That's a play that we repeated in practice," a frustrated Freeman said. " … It's all about understanding the game plan and what we have to do. We have to come out and execute. It starts on Monday when we put in the game plan."

The Bucs entered the season optimistic about their offensive line, the team's most veteran unit. But the way the group finished the season, it's reasonable to have questions going forward. Continuing a recent trend, the line struggled in Sunday's game, its troubles compounded by the Falcons' ability to make the line one-dimensional with a sizable lopsided, early deficit. • That, too, had been a trend. • "It would have been nice to finish a little stronger, but I think the situation we were put in — always passing, no balance — those guys were just teeing off on us," C Jeff Faine said. "It's been a tough go. I thought for the amount of passing attempts we had, we did a decent job protecting. Obviously we gave up some sacks (two) and some pressures at the end, but with the position we were put in, we had to throw, and in the position we've been in, it's been tough sledding." • LT Donald Penn agreed, but he predicted improvement. "I've been getting killed for how I played down the stretch, but it's tough when you're passing the whole time and you're going against good defensive ends who know you're passing. It's my job. I love to do it and I have to get better at it. I can sit here and talk about all these young guys, but I'm sitting back this offseason and I have to rethink everything. I'm not happy with the way I ended the season. I have to better myself. When I'm put in that position, I have to handle it."

Quick hits

. Connor Barth's 41-yard field goal was his 26th of the season in 28 attempts, a franchise-best 92.9 success rate, passing Steve Christie (85.2) for best percentage in a single season. He made his final 15 kicks of the season, the longest current streak in the league.

. Rookie S Ahmad Black's fourth-quarter fumble recovery was the first of his career.

. With two TD receptions Sunday, Dezmon Briscoe became the first Buccaneer to have multiple touchdown catches in a single game this season.

. CB Elbert Mack's 40-yard interception return for a touchdown was the team's fourth defensive TD of the season.

. Whether Ronde Barber distinguished himself during 15 seasons is not a subject that is up for debate. The only question now is whether the Buc great plans to come back and play cornerback for Tampa Bay in 2012.

After leaving Sunday's game at halftime because of a right forearm injury, Barber conceded that this might be the end. And, with the Bucs losing another lopsided game and falling to 4-12 on the season, it's not the potential victory tour Barber had dreamed of.

"I want to go out like Michael Strahan," Barber joked, referencing the former Giants defensive end who won the Super Bowl in his final game. "Ideally, that's how you want to do it. Unfortunately, it doesn't ever work out that way, except for him. I don't know if this is the last chapter. Perhaps it is, but maybe not. I'd much rather prefer having something to celebrate instead of something to lament. And this season is definitely not the best to remember."

Barber, 36, reached another landmark Sunday, playing in his 225th game and passing Derrick Brooks for the most in franchise history. It was Barber's 199th consecutive start, the NFL's longest streak among active players.

Even at this stage of his career, it irked Barber to have to sit on the sideline in street clothes during the second half. He had left the game to get treatment for his injury during the first half but returned after a brief absence. Ultimately, coach Raheem Morris had to tell him to sit out.

"In 15 years in the league I've never done that," Barber said of leaving a game because of an injury. "But with the game out of hand and me pretty significantly (injured), it just didn't make any sense. Raheem told me I was done (and let) some of these young guys get some playing time. It's frustrating. I always tell you I hate watching other people do my job."

Will Barber do the job ever again? He already has said Morris' fate will affect his decision. That's something he can't control.

"There's a lot of things that will go into that decision," he said. "I think the best thing to do with 2011 is throw it in the scrap heap with 2009 and see where that takes me. I don't know what's going to weigh in that decision."

. When the Bucs learned that S Tanard Jackson's yearlong substance abuse-related suspension had been lifted by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the news was most encouraging for a defense that had just lost Cody Grimm to a season-ending knee injury. And in Jackson's first game, he recorded an interception of the Saints' Drew Brees that helped Tampa Bay pull off an upset. But Jackson's play admittedly declined precipitously during the second half of the season, and he vowed to be much improved in 2012.

"I can definitely be a different player," Jackson said. "This is a big offseason for me. It's a huge offseason actually. I plan to take this time to better myself and help this team win next season."

Jackson's play Sunday was emblematic of his subpar season. The first quarter provided two vivid examples. On one, Jackson misjudged a deep throw by the Falcons' Matt Ryan that Jackson should have intercepted. He leaped too early and failed to drop deep enough, enabling WR Roddy White to come down with a 23-yard reception that moved the ball into Tampa Bay territory. Later in the quarter, with Jackson providing deep help to CB E.J. Biggers against WR Julio Jones, Jackson leaped to take the ball out of the air, but the rookie Jones outfought him for the ball. Deemed untouched by officials, Jones got up off the turf and outran Biggers to the end zone to complete the 48-yard scoring play.

Jackson battled a hamstring injury for most of the 10 games he played, which might have been a product of being out of football shape after the long suspension. Jackson's contract was extended after that game against the Saints in October, but if he wants to play out the contract, he'll have to improve.

"We're all hurt at this point in the season," he said. "But I was out there, so that's that. But I don't want to talk about what we could have done or what I should have done. It's all over now. It's about using this offseason as motivation to not have this feeling again."