It seems that the blame for the Pats defensive letdown was enough for defensive coordinator Dean Pees to leave his post. The team announced just four days after the playoff loss to the Ravens that Pees is leaving after four seasons as the defensive coordinator.

Pees said he told team owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick that he would not seek a new contract after his current one expires at the end of January. “I enjoyed my time in New England, but feel this is the right time to pursue other opportunities,” Pees said in a statement issued by the club on Thursday.

Arizona Cardinals wait for game day decision on injury status for wide receiver Anquan Boldin, along with inside linebacker Gerald Hayes.  Neither player participated in Thursday’s practice.

“Everything is the same, nothing has really changed,” Boldin stated.

Boldin had been unable to practiced in two weeks since suffering left ankle and knee injuries in the regular-season finale against Green Bay.

“It’s better than it was a couple days ago, though, so I’m optimistic.”

Hayes injured his right ankle on the first play of the playoff game, but managed to continue playing on it.

Chris Johnson Tennessee Titans running back was named National Football League’s 2009 Offensive Player of the Year. He is the sixth player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.

Johnson received 38 1/2 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Saints quarterback Drew Brees came in second with 9 votes.

Johnson, 24, rushed for a franchise-record 2,006 yards to join Eric Dickerson, Jamal Lewis, Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis and O.J. Simpson as the only NFL running backs to reach the 2,000-yard mark in a single season.

FOXBOROUGH, MASS.—Less than an hour after defeating Tom Brady, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed already were focused on Peyton Manning.

“I know 18 is coming,” Reed said. “He’s got to know I am watching him, and I know he knows.”

“We know it’s probably the best quarterback of the last 20 years,” Lewis said.

The Ravens have another date with a great quarterback, thanks to Sunday’s convincing 33-14 playoff victory over the Patriots. When they visit the Colts next Saturday night, the Ravens will try to do to Manning what they did to Brady.
Disguise blitzes to perfection. Hit him at every opportunity. Force turnovers.

With the recent contract of Devin Hester getting top dollar, is not paying Josh Cribbs top dollar smart? I believe so, I think Cribbs needs to get paid more money then what he is currently. Cribbs is a Return man but also did help the offense this year move the football the last part of the season.

For the New York Jets, they felt that they were being overlooked heading into the 2009 NFL Playoffs. Saturday afternoon in Cincinnati, they put the other four AFC teams left on notice. Led by a great outing by rookie QB Mark Sanchez and a defense that held Carson Palmer in check, the Jets will move on to round two after a 24-14 win.

Charlie Weis signed on with the Kansas City Chiefs as offensive coordinator.  He’s come back to the NFL just about a month after being fired from Notre Dame.

Although Weis only had a so-so  run with Notre Dame, his NFL record speaks for itself assisting in three Super Bowl victories with the New England Patriots.

Chiefs head coach Todd Haley used to take orders from Weis thirteen years ago, but now the tides have turned as Haley is the one who hired Weis.

Utah Jazz win against the Memphis Grizzlies  who lacked steam 117-94.

Nothing could have foreshadowed this kind of night for the Jazz, who came into Wednesday mired in the gloom from a three-game losing streak and left to play the Memphis Grizzlies without Deron Williams.

With chief executive Greg Miller going on FSN Utah before the game to address the team’s recent swoon, the Jazz responded with a feel-good 117-94 victory over the Grizzlies, which Williams sat out with an injured right wrist.

Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis skeptical about the legitimacy of Brady’s injury reports.  He speaks out  during the opponent’s conference call.

The last time these teams played, Baltimore players thought officials were far too quick to throw flags that kept the pass-rush heat off Tom Brady. In a conference call this week, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis sounded wary about reports of Brady’s broken ribs and broken index finger on his throwing hand.

Tom Brady was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year on Wednesday. The Pats QB received 19 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL, beating Tampa Bay running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, who got 14.

The three-time Super Bowl winner and a finalist for AP Player of the Decade, Brady led New England to a 10-6 record and the AFC East title this season. He threw for 4,398 yards and 28 touchdowns. The season came just a year after the QB came back from a left knee injury that sidelined him for all but the first quarter of the 2008 opener.