Southern Cal lost their head coach Pete Carroll, (in a much more respectable way) to the national football league’s Seattle Seahawks.

Lane Kiffin’s exodus from Tennessee’s program didn’t just agitate the Tennessee Volunteer nation but opened up the same can of worms we haven’t dealt with since the Nick Saban Miami Dolphin debacle.

Are the Lane Kiffin’s, Nick Saban’s, and other coaches who have bolted from their seemingly stable jobs to reach for something “better” in the wrong? Or have they earned the respect to do as they please? Let’s not forget about Brian Kelly, Rich Rodriguez, and the opposite side of the fence, Tony Dungy with the Buccaneers a few years back.

The following playoff games are taking place this upcoming weekend, who do you guys like? (my predictions below)

AFC
Jets @ Chargers 1/17 4:40pm
Ravens @ Colts 1/16 8:15pm

NFC
Cowboys @ Vikings 1/17 1pm
Cardinals @ Saints 1/16 4:30pm

My Predictions:
AFC
Jets 21 Chargers 17
Colts 28 Ravens 20

NFC
Cowboys 28 Vikings 17
Saints 27 Cardinals 10

After turning down chances to return to the NFL in previous offseasons, former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher is primed to get back in the game this time.

Those who know Cowher firmly believe that he plans to coach in 2010, according to two league sources. He is laying the groundwork, making calls to piece together a coaching staff and acting like a man who will be patrolling the sidelines once again next season


Many around the league have expected Cowher’s name to surface in connection to the Carolina job, and it might. But others also believe that a more likely landing spot might be the Panthers’ division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Over the past year, Tampa Bay has undergone more changes than any NFL team. More are coming. At the very least, associate head coach/special teams coach Rich Bisaccia is expected to leave the staff. He’s widely considered to be on his way to join the University of Tennessee coaching staff, but could also get looks as a college head coach.

Defensive line coach Robert Nunn and defensive backs coach Joe Baker were part of the Jim Bates package, and will not return.


Click here to read the full article – By Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com

The moment Garrett Hartley’s foot drove through the ball, the Louisiana Superdome crowd erupted and Saints owner Tom Benson raised his arms in triumph.

The presumption was that these Saints, in this magical season, were going to pull out another win in the clutch.

Not so fast.

Hartley’s 37-yarder hooked to the left, and those who’d allowed themselves to celebrate prematurely were sent home soon after in stunned silence.

Carnell Williams rushed for 129 yards and a score, and Connor Barth kicked a 47-yard field goal in overtime, lifting Tampa Bay to a 20-17 upset on Sunday that, for the time being, prevented New Orleans from securing home field throughout the NFC playoffs.

Even in what will go down as the best regular season in Saints history, a franchise long known more for its stumbles than success found a way to make history with a loss. According to STATS LLC, the result marked the first time a 13-win team lost to a team that came in with only two victories.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

The future of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was unveiled Sunday when rookie quarterback Josh Freeman got his first NFL start against the Green Bay Packers.

And while it is too early to know exactly what the Bucs have invested long-term, the early returns have provided instant dividends.

Freeman generated his first fourth-quarter comeback victory and helped Tampa Bay win its first game of the season Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

Now it is too soon to start molding his bust and making reservations to Canton, or calling him the greatest thing since John Elway.

Still, there was something about the kid’s play that has to make Buc fans hopeful.


Click here to read the full article – By Rick Brown of theledger.com

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