Wilfork will give Hartwig another huge test

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1 Wilfork will give Hartwig another huge test Page 1 of 2 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL Wilfork will give Hartwig another huge test Friday, November 28, 2008 By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette For his 30th birthday, Justin Hartwig and the rest of the offensive linemen were treated to a weekend in Chicago by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Now it is up to them to return the favor and present Roethlisberger with a similarly generous gift: Control the three-man line of the New England Patriots. The task will not involve the same amount of fun and relaxation as last weekend. But it most definitely will go a long way toward the Steelers ending a four-game losing streak in Foxborough, Mass., and maintaining their one-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. And that could prove to come with a higher price tag than the bill Roethlisberger footed for his linemen. "They have a real physical defensive line and they got first-rounders across the board, and then their game plan is always a tough one," said guard Darnell Stapleton. "Their game plan seems like it's the never the same from the week before. You have to be ready for everything when playing those guys." This will be the first time Stapleton, an undrafted free agent in 2007, will face the Patriots. Same with left guard Chris Kemoeatu. And it will be the first time Hartwig, a seventh-year center, will face them with the Steelers. They compose the interior of the offensive line, the area that will be largely responsible for handling the Patriots' three-man front -- defensive ends Richard Seymour and Ty Warren and 325-pound nose tackle Vince Wilfork, all former No. 1 picks. "Those No. 1 picks up front are horses," offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said. Everything the Patriots do appears to revolve around the ability of the defensive linemen to stuff the run and pressure the quarterback. Complicating matters is the number of different defensive looks presented by coach Bill Belichick, the master of disguise. "That's one of the biggest strengths of their defense," Hartwig said. "They run a lot of different fronts; they do a lot of things to try and confuse the offense, and they throw in new wrinkles every week. They'll throw you something you've never seen. "We really have to be prepared for everything. At this point of the season, at some point in time, we've had just about every different defense thrown at us. But the thing with the Patriots, they do just about everything. It will be a challenge to figure out what they're doing." And, just as he seems to be entrusted to do nearly every week, Hartwig has the chore of containing the nose tackle, in this

2 Wilfork will give Hartwig another huge test Page 2 of 2 case Wilfork, a Casey Hampton-type whom Hartwig said is equally hard to move. Since coming to the Steelers in free agency from the NFC Carolina Panthers, Hartwig has had a steady diet of mammoth nose tackles in the AFC -- Baltimore's Haloti Ngata, Cleveland's Shaun Rogers and San Diego's Jamal Williams, to name a few. He gets another in Wilfork, the anchor of a Patriots run defense that allows yards per game, 13th in the NFL. "He's kind of similar to Shaun Rogers in that he has a real massive body and he's real explosive and powerful," Hartwig said. "He's probably bigger than Jamal Williams, but he's cut out of the same mold of all those other guys. He's able to take centers and physically dominate them at times. If I take a wrong snap or I get leaning one way, he could do some damage." One of the obscured aspects of the Steelers' loss to the Patriots last year was that the Steelers rushed for 181 yards by Willie Parker. He is expected to play in the 4:15 p.m. game Sunday despite inflammation in his left knee -- the same knee that was sprained and caused him to miss four games earlier this season. Parker practiced yesterday for the first time this week. If he can't play, Parker will be replaced by Mewelde Moore, who has started four games and is second on the team with 432 yards rushing on 109 attempts. Moore leads the team with six touchdowns, including five rushing. Moore faced the Patriots just once when he was with the Minnesota Vikings and produced two big plays in a 71-yard punt return for touchdown and a 50-yard catch. "They give you all kind of looks and they got the personnel to do it," Moore said. "That's one of things the mastermind over there, Belichick, was thinking about when putting the defense together. He was thinking about making sure he can give you an array of different looks that you have to prepare for." Also, the Patriots have had problems sacking the quarterback (21 sacks) because of the loss of outside linebacker Adalius Thomas (broken forearm) and a nagging shoulder injury to former Steelers outside linebacker Mike Vrabel -- two of the top five sackers among active NFL linebackers. Seymour leads the team with seven sacks and 13 quarterback hurries. That has caused problems for the secondary, which lost Pro Bowl safety Rodney Harrison (thigh) to a season-ending injury and has had to rotate several cornerbacks, the latest being former Bengal Deltha O'Neal. The Patriots rank 18th in the NFL in pass defense, allowing an average of yards per game and giving up an AFC-high 19 touchdowns. "I think they're capable of [confusing an offense]," said tight end Heath Miller. "But you can get caught up in a variety of different looks they give you and not worry about the things they do the other 80 percent of the time." Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com. First published on November 28, 2008 at 12:00 am Tallahassee Criminal Law Local criminal defense attorney Initial consultation is free. Buy Steelers Jersey Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey On Sale. Home & Away. Only $16.99.

3 Steelers Notebook: Polamalu, Clark glad they will face Patriots Page 1 of 1 SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL Steelers Notebook: Polamalu, Clark glad they will face Patriots Friday, November 28, 2008 By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark will get to do more than go out to dinner and stand on the sidelines when they go to New England this weekend. At least this time they will get to play against the Patriots, something they did not get to do last year because of injuries. "For a while, he and I were going on road trips and just going out to restaurants in different cities because we weren't playing," said Polamalu, a four-time Pro Bowl strong safety. "Now, we're going there on more of a business trip. We're excited to play this game because we were involved with a lot of the fans going to restaurants last year. That's what is unique about this trip." The return to health of Polamalu, who missed five games last year with various injuries, is one of the reasons the Steelers are ranked No. 1 in total defense, pass defense and rush defense. He is tied for the NFL lead with five interceptions and is fourth on the team with 57 tackles. Clark's absence -- he missed the final 10 games because of a spleen injury -- was especially felt last year in New England because it was his replacement, Anthony Smith, who was beaten for two long touchdowns by Randy Moss and Jabar Gaffney. "He means a lot to this team, especially for what he's overcome," Polamalu said of Clark. "He brought the whole defense closer together." Davenport is re-signed Even though the team is cautiously optimistic running back Willie Parker will play against the Patriots, they have re-signed running back Najeh Davenport -- the second time he has been re-signed this season after being released in June. Davenport was added to the roster Oct. 1 after Parker was injured. He played four games with the Steelers before being released Nov. 8. To make room for Davenport on the 53-man roster, the Steelers released cornerback Roy Lewis, who played in one game after spending the first nine weeks on the practice squad. A passing familiarity Patriots defensive coordinator Dean Pees does not have to worry about devising schemes to block linebacker James Harrison, who is second in the AFC with 12 sacks. But he knows all about devising schemes for him. Pees was the head coach at Kent State when Harrison was an all-conference linebacker with the Golden Flashes from "I haven't talked to him in a while, but I still talk to him after games when we play them," Harrison said. "I don't even remember what type of defense we ran in college; that was seven or eight years ago. I think we ran like a split defense that was like a 4-3 and a 3-4. It would just depend if you were a down lineman, you put your hand down, and if you would rush you stood up. I played the same side, except for like the nickel defense, kind of like here. Nothing really too different." Fuzzy reunions, though, are not Harrison's style. "I look forward to any situation where I get to play football," Harrison said. "It doesn't matter who is on the other side." First published on November 28, 2008 at 12:00 am Coffee Exposed A shocking secret coffee co's don't want you to know Mom Exits Rat Race At 46 Takes Control Of Her Life & Money Find Out How

4 Adversity making Clark stronger - Tribune-Review Page 1 of 3 Adversity making Clark stronger By Scott Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Friday, November 28, 2008 Thanksgiving dinner at Ryan Clark's house didn't just serve as a celebration. It also marked how far the Steelers' free safety has come in the past year. Clark enjoyed a full meal with his family after forcing down small portions of turkey and mashed potatoes in 2007 because of an illness that ultimately cost him his spleen and gall bladder. Fully healthy after a harrowing ordeal that cast doubt on his playing career, Clark has his sights set on feasting on a New England offense that did the same to the proud Steelers' defense a year ago. Tom Brady carved up the Steelers' secondary for 399 passing yards and four touchdowns, but he won't play Sunday after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the first week of the season. Perhaps more significant than who is out for the rematch of contending teams -- Brady's replacement, Matt Cassel, has emerged as one of the NFL's biggest surprises in his absence -- is who will play in Sunday's 4:15 p.m. game. That would be Clark and starting strong safety Troy Polamalu, each of whom made the trip to New England this past December but were reduced to spectators in the Steelers' loss. "It made us miserable to watch our guys out there and go through what they had to go through and to take the ridicule before," Clark said. Clark's replacement at free safety, Anthony Smith, made an ill-fated guarantee that the Steelers would beat the unbeaten Patriots. New England went after Smith and beat him on two long pass plays. Clark will try to do what Smith did not last season and keep the Patriots' wide receivers, six-time Pro Bowler Randy Moss in particular, from getting behind him. "I think if we stop (big plays)," Clark said, "we're going to have a good chance to win." Not that Clark figures to lose much sleep while pondering his responsibilities as the Steelers' last line of defense.

5 Adversity making Clark stronger - Tribune-Review Page 2 of 3 If the last year has taught him anything, it is perspective. Clark missed the last 10 games of the 2007 season after the high altitude in Denver triggered his sickle-cell trait. That led to two separate operations and Clark spending more time in the hospital than at the Steelers' South Side facility. Back and better than ever Steelers free safety Ryan Clark has overcome a lot in the last year and is on his way to the best season of his career. Here is a look at what Clark, who made the NFL as an undrafted free agent, has done through the years. Year Team G Tackles Int Passes defended 2002 Giants Giants Redskins Redskins Steelers Steelers Steelers Note: Clark has also been credited with 2[1/2] sacks during his career Clark also lost his close friend and former teammate Sean Taylor a year ago yesterday when the Redskins' safety was fatally shot during a botched burglary of his home, and his parents' house in New Orleans burned down in August after a storm caused electrical wires to fall on it (no one was hurt). What Clark endured has only made him stronger if this season is any indication. The 5-foot-11, 205-pounder is second on the team with 78 tackles, and he has provided a stabilizing force at free safety for the Steelers. "Ryan is having a heck of a season for us," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "The added bonus is that he does a nice job of communicating with others and making sure that people are on the same page, exhibiting leadership qualities that you desire from a guy who stands in the middle of the field." Clark has been, perhaps, the most unsung player on a unit that is No. 1 in the NFL in rush defense, pass defense and total defense. "He's one of those guys that don't get much recognition," Steelers inside linebacker Larry Foote said, "but pop that film in on Mondays, and he's all over the place making tons of plays." The Steelers will need him to make plays Sunday -- as well as prevent big ones by the defending AFC champion Patriots.

6 Adversity making Clark stronger - Tribune-Review Page 3 of 3 "It's an important game for us. They've been the benchmark for the AFC the last few years," Clark said of the Patriots, who have beaten the Steelers six out of the last seven times the teams have played. "Offensively, they put up a lot of yards the last two games (1,041) and if we want to be the No. 1 defense, we want that claim at the end of the year, we have to hold them down." Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2008 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com

7 .: Print Version :. Page 1 of 1 Print Page FRIDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2008 :: Last modified: Friday, November 28, :11 AM EST Davenport back with Steelers By Mike Bires Times Sports Staff PITTSBURGH Back again. To provide depth at the running back position, the Steelers re-signed Najeh Davenport. Davenport, who played with the Steelers in , was on the Steelers roster for four weeks earlier this year after Parker and rookie Rashard Mendenhall (broken shoulder) were hurt. But he was cut three weeks ago. To make room on the 53-man roster, the Steelers cut rookie cornerback Roy Lewis. After spending the first 10 weeks of the season on the practice squad, Lewis was promoted to the active roster two weeks ago. He will likely be re-signed to the practice squad.

8 .: Print Version :. Page 1 of 2 Print Page FRIDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2008 :: Last modified: Friday, November 28, :11 AM EST Notebook: Willie or won't he? Mike Bires Times Sports Staff PITTSBURGH Willie Parker won t say if he s going to play Sunday, but at least he s back at practice. I m taking it day to day, the Steelers running back said after participating in Thursday s workout. I was just running around today, seeing how it feels. Parker skipped practice Wednesday due to a swollen knee. After missing four games this year with a sprained knee, he aggravated the injury in a Nov. 20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Today when he announces his injury report for Sunday s game against the New England Patriots, coach Mike Tomlin must officially list Parker as out, doubtful, questionable or probable. When pressed on his chances of playing, Parker said, Talk to Coach. Parker was told that Pats coach Bill Belichick expects him to play. I meant Tomlin, not Belichick, Parker said. Tomlin chose not to speak to the media after Thursday s practice. We certainly expect Parker to be there, Belichick said. I m sure that as big of a competitor as he is, if there is a chance that he can play, he will be there. If Parker doesn t play, Mewelde Moore will start. PICK FOR HOKEBackup nose tackle Chris Hoke produced one of the strangest plays at a Steelers practice all season by dropping back into coverage and intercepting a pass. Among the many unusual schemes devised by defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is one that calls for a nose tackle to fake a pass rush, then to drop back into coverage as a linebacker would. When Hoke did that Thursday, he was able to pick off a pass thrown by scout team quarterback Byron Leftwich. After making the interception, Hoke rambled down the sideline, much to the delight of teammates who cheered as the burly defensive lineman ran with the football in his hands. It was awesome. My first interception of any kind ever, Hoke said. Like I was telling the guys, I just wish it could happen in a game. That would be unbelievable. SETTING UP THE RUNIt s often said teams must run the ball effectively to be able to throw the ball

9 .: Print Version :. Page 2 of 2 with success. Iit seems the Patriots do just the opposite. In the last two weeks, Matt Cassel became only the fifth quarterback in NFL history to throw for 400 yards in two straight games. If you look at the stats, you ll see that the Patriots rank 10th in the league in passing offense, LeBeau said. But they rank seventh in rushing offense. Because of the success Cassel has had and because of receivers like (Randy) Moss and (Wes) Welker, a lot of people might perceive the Patriots as a passing team. They do throw the ball well, but they also run it very well. The Pats run the ball by committee. Kevin Faulk, Sammy Morris and BenJarvus Green-Ellis have rushed for 372, 356 and 272 yards, respectively.

10 No safety concerns this time Page 1 of 2 No safety concerns this time By F. Dale Lolley, Staff writer dlolley@observer-reporter.com PITTSBURGH - When the Steelers played at New England last season, safeties Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark went out to dinner the night before the game. They attended church services together the next morning. It was, as Clark noted, one of the best times the two friends have had together. And then Pittsburgh's starting safeties watched helplessly from the sideline as New England quarterback Tom Brady threw for 399 yards with four touchdown passes as the Patriots dismantled the Steelers, "We were confident last year against them," said Polamalu, who along with Clark missed last season's game at New England with an injury. "Obviously, they beat us up pretty good. But this year's a different story. They're a different team; we're a different team." While Polamalu and Clark will be in the lineup for the Steelers (8-3) when they play the Patriots (7-4) Sunday at Gillette Stadium, Brady will not. Brady, last year's NFL MVP, suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first game this season. Anthony Smith and Tyrone Carter started at safety against the Patriots last year. Smith drew the ire of New England by guaranteeing that Pittsburgh would win the game. But, as New England head coach Bill Belichick admitted after the game, "the safety play at that position was pretty inviting." It might not be quite so inviting this time. Polamalu, a four-time Pro Bowl player, is having perhaps his best season and has already matched his career-high with five interceptions, which is tied for the most in the NFL. Clark, meanwhile, is second on the team with 78 tackles. It's been a big season for Clark, who missed 11 games last year after having his spleen and gall bladder removed. "Ryan means a lot to this football team, especially for what he's overcome," Polamalu said. "He's brought the whole defense together." Clark and Polamalu will be the last line of defense against New England's offense that features Pro Bowl receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Moss, the deep threat, has eight touchdown catches. Welker, who usually works from the slot, has the elusiveness to turn a five-yard catch into a 30-yarder. Which will the Steelers be more concerned with?

11 No safety concerns this time Page 2 of 2 "Whichever one you can hit the hardest," Clark said. "I don't really care, to be honest with you. You just do your job. The biggest thing with us this year is everyone's been doing their job. If it's my responsibility on that play to stop Randy Moss deep, I can't worry about what (Welker) is doing, and vice versa. "The one thing about our defense is you have to worry as much about what we're going to do as what you're trying to do. You have to keep LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison off your quarterback. So a lot of these things you have time to do against other teams, I think we don't allow those." The Steelers' secondary could benefit from the return of cornerbacks Deshea Townsend and Bryant McFadden. Townsend practiced for the second consecutive day Thursday after missing the last three games with a hamstring injury. McFadden has missed five games with a broken right forearm but could be cleared to play Sunday. Odds and end zones The Steelers re-signed running back Najeh Davenport and released cornerback Roy Lewis. Davenport was signed Oct. 1, played in four games and released Nov Polamalu, New England quarterback Matt Cassel and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer were roommates in college at Southern California.... Running back Willie Parker (knee) practiced Thursday. Defensive end Brett Keisel (knee), offensive tackle Marvel Smith (back), linebacker Larry Foote (personal) and cornerback Anthony Madison (personal) did not practice. Copyright Observer Publishing Co.

12 The Herald Standard - Sports - - Rough schedule looms for Steelers Page 1 of 2 Rough schedule looms for Steelers PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Pittsburgh Steelers can't escape their schedule. They've known since it was released last spring that it might be the NFL's toughest, and they didn't complain then. Their closing stretch is about as difficult as it can get, but they realize that whining or grumbling won't get them through it. What will help? Playing better than they did as the season wound down last year. Advertisement The Steelers (8-3) own a one-game lead over Baltimore (7-4) in the AFC North as they begin a month's worth of games against division-leading or contending teams: the Patriots (7-4) on Sunday, followed by the Cowboys (7-4), Ravens and Titans (10-1). The four are a combined 31-13, and only the Dallas game is in Pittsburgh. Their only losing record opponent remaining is Cleveland (4-7) during the season's final weekend. As of now, the Steelers will play only three sub-.500 teams during their final 10 games: Cleveland, San Diego (4-7) and Cincinnati (1-9-1). They've already played the Giants (10-1), Colts (7-4) and Redskins (7-4), plus the Ravens in the first of their two games. "The stretch of games we've got, they're all going to be playoff atmosphere games," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "Every team we play has the opportunity to make the playoffs this year and you might end up seeing those teams again." For comparison's sake, the contending Colts' next four opponents are a combined and include what may be the NFL's two worst teams in the Lions (0-11) and Bengals. That's important from the Steelers' perspective because the Colts trail them by a game in the overall AFC standings, but own a tiebreaker after winning in Pittsburgh on Nov. 9. "Now you're getting down to it, teams are starting to separate, you're starting to get a clear picture of who's going to make the playoffs and who isn't," defensive end Aaron Smith said. "We've got a chance to get there ourselves so, if you're not excited, there's something wrong with you." Evaluating the schedule in April can be misleading because teams that were good a year ago sometimes don't match those seasons; the Chargers (11-5 in 2007) and Browns (10-6 a year ago) are prime examples. But there were so many traditionally strong teams on their schedule, the Steelers knew all of them wouldn't be down in the same season. Also, they're opposing the NFC East at a time when all four teams are competitive; the Eagles (5-5-1), currently last in the division, beat them The Steelers made the playoffs a year ago but didn't coast into them, losing three of their final four regular season games. Those losses cost them a first-round bye and forced them to play a wild-card game they lost at home to Jacksonville Injuries hurt the Steelers then and could be a factor again, with running back Willie Parker (knee) hurting, left tackle Marvel Smith (back) sidelined indefinitely and defensive end Brett Keisel (knee) likely out the next three weeks. "Hopefully we can be a team on the rise," tight end Heath Miller said. "I felt like last year we really weren't playing our best ball this time of the year. You want to try to be a team that gets on a run in December into the playoffs." Last season, the Steelers were 9-3 before losing to the Patriots in a game remembered for safety Anthony Smith's guarantee of a Pittsburgh victory. That loss triggered a slide in which Jacksonville became the first team to win twice in a season in Pittsburgh - in December during the regular season, then again in January - and the Steelers lost four of their final five overall. "It's going to be big this week, but it is every week," safety Ryan Clark said of playing at New England. "I think more is being made of it this week because this is the week it all started last year. But that's last year." Copyright Associated Press 2008

13 The Herald Standard - Sports - - Rough schedule looms for Steelers Page 2 of 2 The Herald Standard 2008

14 ESPN.com - Steelers re-sign RB Davenport, release rookie corner Lewis Page 1 of 1 ESPN.com: NFL [Print without images] Thursday, November 27, 2008 Steelers re-sign RB Davenport, release rookie corner Lewis Associated Press PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers re-signed running back Najeh Davenport and released rookie cornerback Roy Lewis on Thursday. Davenport spent the 2006 and 2007 seasons with Pittsburgh but was released in June. He was re-signed in October after Willie Parker injured a knee, first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall was lost for the season with a shoulder injury and fullback Carey Davis sprained an ankle. He was released again Nov. 8. In two-plus seasons with Pittsburgh, Davenport ran for 768 yards, seven touchdowns and a 4.3 yards per carry average. He also had three touchdowns on pass receptions. ESPN.com: Help PR Media Kit Sales Media Kit Report a Bug Corrections Contact Us Site Map ESPN Shop Jobs at ESPN Supplier Information 2008 ESPN Internet Ventures. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information/Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to you. All rights reserved.

15 Patriots' Wilfork at top of his game - The Boston Globe Page 1 of 2 THIS STORY HAS BEEN FORMATTED FOR EASY PRINTING He's one of the best Wilfork has nose for his position By Christopher L. Gasper, Globe Staff November 28, 2008 FOXBOROUGH - Among the many things the Patriots had to be thankful for yesterday as they took a brief timeout to celebrate Thanksgiving, nose tackle Vince Wilfork should be near the top of their list. On a defense that has lost safety Rodney Harrison and linebacker Adalius Thomas, the 6-foot-2-inch, 325- pound Wilfork has been among the team's most reliable and redoubtable players. Despite playing a position that calls for him to face persistent double teams, Wilfork is fourth on the team in tackles with 56, according to coaches' calculations. While the gregarious fifth-year lineman has done his usual job taking on offensive linemen, he also has taken on an increased leadership role as a defensive captain. Wilfork has a $1.4 million base salary this season, but his contract expires at the conclusion of the 2009 season. The Patriots have a lot of big-name players whose contracts are up after 2009, including defensive end Richard Seymour, left guard Logan Mankins, and linebackers Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel, but arguably nobody would leave a bigger hole - both literally and figuratively - than Wilfork. Nose tackle is a key component of the 3-4 scheme because the player has to be able to occu py and fight off the center and a guard on any given play. All playoff-contending AFC teams that play the 3-4, including the Patriots' opponent Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers, have good nose tackles. The Steelers, who have the NFL's top-rated defense, rely on 6-1, 325-pound Casey Hampton, who has made three straight Pro Bowls and four overall. The New York Jets are greatly improved because of Kris Jenkins. The Baltimore Ravens, who lost nose tackle Kelly Gregg for the season with a left knee injury, have used the gifted Haloti Ngata, a 2006 first-round pick, at the nose. "They are getting increasingly tough to find," said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. "That's why most of the people that have got a good one, they've found them in the first round of drafts." Nowhere was Wilfork's importance more apparent than last week against the Dolphins, as he helped the Patriots hold Miami to 62 rushing yards on 19 carries. Dolphins center Samson Satele, who has faced Jenkins, San Diego Chargers Pro Bowl nose tackle Jamal Williams, and Ngata, said Wilfork rates right at the top. "On top, yeah, on top," said Satele, who gave the obligatory nod to teammate Jason Ferguson, a favorite of Dolphins head football honcho Bill Parcells, who had Ferguson with the Jets and Dallas Cowboys. "I would put J-Ferg on top first; he is the one that has made me better this year. But then Vince. The guys in our [division] are the best: Kris Jenkins and [Buffalo Bills defensive tackle] Marcus Stroud and all them." Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan said it takes an unusual physical specimen to play nose tackle. You can't just be a clumsy giant. You have to be a juggernaut with balance. "It's not just a big guy you put in there," said Ryan. "He has to control his body and somebody else's body. He has to make plays on both sides of the center, both 'A' gaps. The other thing is he's got to be smart, be able to

16 Patriots' Wilfork at top of his game - The Boston Globe Page 2 of 2 read blocking patterns." Satele said that is one thing that separates Wilfork. "He's just smart," said Satele. "He knows when to fire out and when not to. He has been in the league for quite a while, so he knows some of the little tips. If the guard looks at him, he knows that he is coming his way. He is a low-center-of-gravity guy; you can't move him. I mean, you can, but you have to get lower than him." Ryan said the best nose tackles get double-teamed and do not yield, then come off the block and make tackles or push the pocket in the passing game. Ryan called Wilfork a good nose tackle, but favors his nose tackle, Gregg, as the best in the game when healthy. Ryan said the best true two-gap nose tackle he has seen was 365-pound Ted Washington, who played for the Patriots in "At one time it was ridiculous how good he was," said Ryan. "Most of the good ones stay square," said Ryan. "I think when Vince makes a mistake, it's because he turns his shoulder." The Patriots replaced Washington in 2004 by using a first-round pick on Wilfork, who has made a remarkable transition from a penetrating 4-3 defensive tackle at the University of Miami to an immutable 3-4 nose man in New England. If a nose tackle the caliber of Wilfork, who will be 28 at the end of the 2009 season, reaches free agency, he will be in high demand. "He's a good one. There will be a lot of takers out there if he's a free agent," said Ryan. "Everybody needs them; 3-4 nose tackles are hard to find. That's why Parcells always brings Jason Ferguson with him. And if you can two-gap, you can play in any system, too. I'd love to have [Wilfork], no question. No doubt, they're going to have to pay him." Christopher L. Gasper can be reached at cgasper@globe.com. Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company

17 Patriots try to tighten red-zone defense - The Boston Globe Page 1 of 2 THIS STORY HAS BEEN FORMATTED FOR EASY PRINTING PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK They have to get in the zone Struggling defense has score to settle By Christopher L. Gasper, Globe Staff November 28, 2008 FOXBOROUGH - The Patriots have had no problem finding the end zone the last two games, but they have had a tougher time keeping opponents out of it. The Miami Dolphins, who scored 28 points last Sunday, and the New York Jets, who scored 34, had success against the Patriots in the red zone. Miami scored touchdowns on all four of its red-zone possessions and the Jets scored touchdowns on three of their five, the last of which ended in the game-winning field goal in overtime. The Patriots are 31st (second to last) in red-zone defense in the NFL, allowing 22 touchdowns in 33 series. That's not good news for New England, considering Sunday's opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers, has one of the best red-zone offenses in the NFL. Pittsburgh ranks fifth in red-zone touchdown conversion percentage, scoring 20 touchdowns in 31 opportunities (64.5 percent.) One way to keep teams out of the red zone is to stop them before they get there. But the Patriots are tied for 27th in third-down defense, allowing teams to convert 44 percent of the time. The last two weeks, the percentage has been higher (54 percent). Nose tackle Vince Wilfork said the Patriots have to do a better job of playing situational defense against Pittsburgh. "They have a lot of weapons, and I think it's going to come down to stopping the run for one and playing good situational football. That includes third down, turnovers, red area, all those situations," he said. "If we play good in those situations, trust me, we will be in the ballgame. "When those situations arise, we have to be ready to capitalize on them. We spend a lot of time on them. We know what to do. We just have to execute." Some have said the injury-depleted Patriots defense might not be capable of keeping teams out of the end zone. Wilfork said such conjecture doesn't faze him or his teammates. "That's something we don't even pay attention to," he said. "You're going to always have people saying what you can do and what you can't do. The only people who can do anything about it is us on Sunday, going out and proving them wrong. Either we're going to prove them wrong or we're going to prove them right. So, we'll see." Seymour hurting The Patriots practiced on Thanksgiving, but did so without defensive end Richard Seymour, who missed his second straight day because of a knee injury. If Seymour is unable to play, it would be a huge blow since he leads the team in sacks with seven. Both of the Patriots starting defensive ends are banged up. Ty Warren had limited participation in practice for the second straight day, hampered by a groin injury. Warren was one of four Patriots who had limited participation in practice for the second straight day, joined by

18 Patriots try to tighten red-zone defense - The Boston Globe Page 2 of 2 linebacker Tedy Bruschi (knee), cornerback Ellis Hobbs (shoulder), and running back LaMont Jordan, who has missed the last seven games because of a right calf injury. Wide receiver Kelley Washington (thigh) also missed his second straight day. For Pittsburgh, running back Willie Parker, who has been dealing with inflammation in his left knee, fully participated in practice after not practicing Wednesday. However, left tackle Marvel Smith (back) sat out for the second straight day. Sack attack? Patriots outside linebacker Mike Vrabel might be ready to go on a sack run. Vrabel recorded a sack last Sunday, his first since the season opener against Kansas City, when he collected two. "You know what, I think that they're going to come. We just have to keep playing hard, all of us," said Vrabel, who had a career-high 12 1/2 sacks last season. "When everybody does their job, good things happen. When guys in the back are covering and the big guys in the middle are pushing the pocket like they did [last Sunday], it was good for us. Now, we have to move on." Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said Wednesday that Vrabel does so many other things in the Patriots' defense that he doesn't have to get sacks to have an impact. "He's a very heady player; he's very smart," said Roethlisberger. "He knows how to stop the run; he knows how to cover in coverage; he knows how to rush the passer. He's a Pro Bowl-caliber guy. Numbers are numbers. It's not about that, and I'm sure he'll tell you the same thing." Quarterback keeper After back-to-back 400-yard passing performances, some Patriots fans are clamoring for the team to keep Matt Cassel over Tom Brady. Roethlisberger said he has loved watching Cassel prove the doubters wrong, but that fans and media shouldn't lose sight of just how good Brady is. "I'll tell you what, I'm not going to take anything away from [Cassel]. I think he's a phenomenal quarterback, and back-to-back 400-yard games, that's awesome. Nothing against Matt Cassel, but I don't think Tom is really worried about his job. I mean, it's Tom Brady. But [Cassel is] doing an awesome job." Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company

19 N.F.L. Roundup - Romo Helps Cowboys Win Third in a Row With Ease - NYTimes.com Page 1 of 2 November 28, 2008 N.F.L. ROUNDUP Romo Helps the Cowboys Win Their Third in a Row With Ease By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Tony Romo may not want to take the splint off his passing hand the way he and the Dallas Cowboys are playing. Romo crisply guided Dallas to touchdowns on its first three drives and points on the first four, then turned the early surge into a 34-9 victory over the visiting Seattle Seahawks on Thursday. The Cowboys won their third straight game, matching their best streak of the season, all coming since Romo returned from a broken right pinkie. Dallas is 8-4 and back near the top of the National Football Conference playoff race. Now comes the hard part staying there. The Cowboys next three games are against Pittsburgh, the Giants and Baltimore. That stretch will be even tougher if they are without linebacker DeMarcus Ware and running back Marion Barber, who both left with injuries in the third quarter. It will be a challenge to get into the playoffs, but we feel very confident in our ability to win football games, Romo said. I like our chances. The Seahawks lost their fifth straight game and fell to It matches the most losses Coach Mike Holmgren, who is leaving after the season, has had in his 17 years in the N.F.L. Seattle was within a touchdown of winning its last three games, but this one was never close after the former Dallas running back Julius Jones fumbled on the Seahawks first possession. The Cowboys wound up driving for a touchdown that made the score 14-0 on the way to a 24-3 lead midway through the second quarter. Seattle s Matt Hasselbeck was sacked seven times, the most by Dallas since it had nine on Nov. 9, Ware had three, giving him an N.F.L.-best 15 this season. Romo finished 22 of 33 for 331 yards and 3 touchdown passes. He threw one interception. Tight end Jason Witten caught nine passes for 115 yards and a touchdown, and Terrell Owens had five catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. DAVENPORT REJOINS STEELERS The Steelers re-signed running back Najeh Davenport and released the rookie cornerback Roy Lewis on Thursday. Davenport spent the 2006 and 2007 seasons with Pittsburgh but was released in June. He was re-signed in October after Willie Parker injured a knee, the first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall was lost for the season with a shoulder injury and fullback Carey Davis sprained an ankle. He was released again Nov. 8.

20 N.F.L. Roundup - Romo Helps Cowboys Win Third in a Row With Ease - NYTimes.com Page 2 of 2 In two-plus seasons with Pittsburgh, Davenport ran for 768 yards, 7 touchdowns and a 4.3 yards per carry average. He also had three touchdowns on pass receptions. BILLS FANS WANT IT COLD Two Buffalo Bills season-ticket holders are circulating a petition to get the retractable roof at Toronto s Rogers Centre opened for the Bills home game against the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 7. We re just trying to make a difference, said Andrew Petrinec, who, with his fellow season-ticket holder Al Keohane, has gathered about 1,000 signatures on the Internet and in person. The Dolphins have struggled in normally cold Orchard Park, N.Y., after Dec. 1, going 2-7, including two playoff losses. The petition will not pry open the roof, however, because it is locked in place after baseball s Blue Jays end their season. Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company Privacy Policy Search Corrections RSS First Look Help Contact Us Work for Us Site Map

21 Soaring Giants, surprising Jets fuel idea of all-n.y. Super Bowl - USATODAY.com Page 1 of 3 Powered by Soaring Giants, surprising Jets fuel idea of all-n.y. Super Bowl By Tom Pedulla, USA TODAY Advertisement EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. NFL history is replete with teams that reached the highest high by winning the Super Bowl only to tumble down the mountain in their bids to repeat. Recently, the 2002 New England Patriots, 2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers suffered the ignominy of failing to qualify for the playoffs the season after they won the Lombardi Trophy. The New York Giants, who pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in sports history when they beat the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII but have failed to reach the playoffs after each of the franchise's three previous Super Bowl appearances, are doing more than avoiding that post-title malaise. They are taking their game to a level exceeding all expectations. "I'm not surprised by anything we do," running back Brandon Jacobs says. "You might see one of us fly one day, you never know." JETS: New York's 'other' first-place team gaining confidence GIANTS' KEYS: How the champs can stay on top Actually, New York is most dangerous when it stays on solid ground. The Giants lead the NFL with yards a game on the ground, paving the way for the game's most potent scoring offense (29.9 points a game). Despite the retirement of defensive end Michael Strahan and a knee injury to Osi Umenyiora that sidelined the star end for the season, New York remains among the elite defensively, ranking fifth in yards (275.4) and points allowed (18.1). The bottom line has the football world buzzing: The Giants' 10-1 mark is tied for best in the league. POWER RANKINGS: Giants back firmly atop the ratings WEEK 13 PICKS: It's not unanimous for G-Men's trip to Washington "I really believe they are playing great football," Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis says. New York made a statement heard 'round the league when it trampled Lewis' usually stout crew for 207 rushing yards Nov. 16, its third successive 200-yard effort and fifth this season. So many skeptics who viewed the Giants as one-year wonders were converted into believers that the team has been forced to tweak its season-opening us-against-the-world theme. "It's still us against the world," center Shaun O'Hara says. "There are just not as many people on the world side." Says linebacker Antonio Pierce: "We're getting our respect now, but I don't want the title of being the best team in November. We want it in January and February." It may be only a matter of time. New York appears to have much more going for it than the club that finished the 2007 regular season with a 10-6 record and reached the playoffs with a wild-card berth.

22 Soaring Giants, surprising Jets fuel idea of all-n.y. Super Bowl - USATODAY.com Page 2 of 3 Quarterback Eli Manning, who performed almost flawlessly during the playoff run and emerged as Super Bowl MVP, grew immeasurably from that experience. He no longer resembles the unsure, turnover-prone QB who closed the 2007 regular season with a 73.9 passer rating and a league-worst 20 interceptions. He's completing 62% of his passes this season with 18 touchdown passes and seven interceptions; that adds up to a career-best 91.6 rating. "Experience, success, talent, it's all come together," former Giants quarterback Phil Simms, now a CBS analyst, says of Manning. The Giants' emergence as a superpower is a testament to Manning's perseverance and to the convictions of fifth-year head coach Tom Coughlin. There were widespread calls for his dismissal at the end of the 2006 season after an auspicious 6-2 start was followed by a secondhalf collapse that resulted in 8-8 mediocrity and a first-round playoff loss. "We went through a season that was very high schoolish and dramatic as far as he-said, she-said stuff," Pierce said. "It started as a little brush fire, and then it was a wildfire, and we had no water to put it out." The first step toward a much healthier direction came when Coughlin met with ownership. "We felt something was a bit off and he needed to make some changes," co-owner John Mara says. Those changes included the hiring of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and the establishment of a leadership council to facilitate coachplayer communications. Before that, local tabloids were rife with complaints from players about an unbending coach and his onerous rules. Coughlin, 62, demonstrated he was able to stick to his principles while showing players there was a caring man beneath the image of the dictatorial coach. "He hasn't gotten softer," Pierce says. "He still has all his rules. None of that changed, except he let guys on the team know who he is and what he's really about." Players can see Coughlin's demand for discipline is reflected in how well they are playing. And while other champions might have become complacent, the Giants have only grown hungrier, and their game has never been sharper. "This team is itching for more," Pierce says. "We want more for ourselves, for our team and our city." KEYS TO THE GIANTS' CONTINUED SUCCESS Don't believe the hype: As scathing as the New York media can be in their criticism, it is just as quick to jump on a bandwagon. Wherever the Giants go now, they hear about how great they are, about how their Super Bowl tickets are all but punched. It's never that easy. Manning must limit mistakes: Quarterback Eli Manning was nearly flawless in leading his team on its magical playoff run despite throwing 20 interceptions in the 2007 regular season. It bears noting that three Manning interceptions, one of which Eric Wright returned 94 yards for a turn-out-the-lights touchdown, contributed greatly to the Giants' lone defeat, a setback at the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 13. Big days for Burress: Manning and wide receiver Plaxico Burress form one of the NFL's most dynamic combinations when Burress is healthy (his hamstring is presently an issue) and on the same page as the rest of the team. That isn't always the case. Burress was suspended for one game for missing a team function and sat out the first quarter of a game at the Pittsburgh Steelers because he skipped a scheduled treatment for an injury. He was a huge part of the Giants' success last season and must be again. Run, Brandon, run: Brandon Jacobs, the 6-4, 264-pound battering ram, creates opportunities for running mates Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw by wearing down opponents. With winter's chill preparing to set in, Jacobs becomes more important than ever. Take, not give: The Giants were guilty of one turnover when they swept through the 2007 playoffs on their way to the championship. They are plus nine now in a category that coach Tom Coughlin views as the most critical of all. Keep bringing the heat: New York had an NFL-high 53 sacks in Though the pass rush may not be quite as ferocious with the retirement of Michael Strahan and season-ending injury to Osi Umenyiora, the Giants are among the league leaders with 32 sacks. Such pressure must continue. Find this article at: Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article.

23 Soaring Giants, surprising Jets fuel idea of all-n.y. Super Bowl - USATODAY.com Page 3 of 3 Copyright 2008 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

24 Cowboys pick Seahawks clean in dominating win November 27, :44 PM Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley Mark J. Rebilas/US Presswire Dallas linebacker DeMarcus Ware celebrates after sacking Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck in the third quarter of a 34-9 Cowboys win. The Cowboys finally ran out of NFC West teams to play Thursday. After dropping games to the Rams and Cardinals last month, they said goodbye to a season-saving November with a 34-9 whipping of an overmatched Seattle team. With touchdowns on their first three possessions, the Cowboys quickly put the Seahawks (2-10) out of their misery and kept pace with several teams in the hunt for a wild-card playoff spot. With an 8-4 record, America's preseason champs are starting to bear a passing resemblance to a solid team. They can now sit back this weekend and root for the Giants (10-1) to beat the Redskins (7-4). The Cowboys will have 10 days to prepare for a road trip to Pittsburgh, where they'll encounter the best overall defense in football. On Sunday, though, they encountered a team simply trying to finish the season. In addition to the fast start -- the first time since Oct. 9, 1994, the Cowboys began a game with three consecutive touchdowns -- the Cowboys relied on a swarming pass rush.