The League

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PostSports editors — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:45:31 GMT

Visit washingtonpost.com/nfl for the latest NFL news and analysis.

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This blog is no longer active

PostSports editors — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:45:31 GMT

Visit washingtonpost.com/nfl for the latest NFL news and analysis.

Read full article >>

This blog is no longer active

PostSports editors — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:45:31 GMT

Visit washingtonpost.com/nfl for the latest NFL news and analysis.

Read full article >>

The NFL’s endless autumn

Emil Steiner — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:19:37 GMT

The 2011 NFL season may be over, but it’s hard to tell with all the football coverage out there. From Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck, to Eli’s “elite” status, and free agency, if it weren’t for Linsanity, ESPN could be mistaken for the NFL Network. But why this glut of coverage more than a week after the Super Bowl’s final whistle? It’s easy to say that the NFL and media nurture hype for profit and ratings, but the answer also is in football’s DNA.

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The NFL’s endless autumn

Emil Steiner — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:19:37 GMT

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Five NFL theories on Tom Brady, Tim Tebow and Eli and Peyton Manning

Brian Tarcy — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:11:39 GMT

Now that the Super Bowl is over, do you remember the NFL lockout? Me neither. Instead, I’ve been Tebowing about these five things:

1) When did NFL fame become more about off-field drama than winning?

Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Tim Tebow walk into a bar. That’s a either a joke or a headline, and then there would be a half-hour documentary on three different networks — “The Ballad of Tom Brady and Yoko Bundchen.”

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Both the Giants and Patriots will be back next year

Michael Kun — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:56:09 GMT

Ten thoughts on the New York Giants’ Super Bowl XLVI triumph.

1) Was it just me, or did Sunday’s game feel a little off until the Giants’ fourth quarter touchdown drive? It just didn’t have the feel of a Super Bowl, or at least not the feel of a memorable one. That isn’t to say that the Giants’ game-winning drive wasn’t remarkable, or that anyone should be disappointed by a game that literally came down to the last play, but it just didn’t have the feel of the biggest game of the year.

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Both the Giants and Patriots will be back next year

Michael Kun — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:56:09 GMT

Ten thoughts on the New York Giants’ Super Bowl XLVI triumph.

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Manningham catch, Welker drop altered fate of Giants, Patriots

Sean Moroney — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:34:00 GMT

Two throws with two totally different outcomes in the waning seconds of Super Bowl XLVI helped the New York Giants topple the New England Patriots once again.

On second and 11 with 4:06 remaining in the game, Tom Brady threw a 23-yard pass to Wes Welker, which Welker uncharacteristically dropped. How uncharacteristic? The All-Pro only dropped five passes all year, including the playoffs, none on a throw more than 10 yards downfield.

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Super Bowl Sunday: A lousy day for fans of bad NFL teams

Brian Tarcy — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:04:00 GMT

If you are a fan of a bad NFL team, Super Bowl Sunday is a particularly bleak day on the calendar.

While it is festive in the ways that all national holidays are festive with friends, food and fun, you know that buried deep inside the joy of this great party lurks a football game that does not involve your team.

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Super Bowl 2012 talking points

Aaron Stern — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:42:50 GMT

No doubt you’re getting together with friends to watch the Super Bowl. Here are a few of the interesting subplots and finer points to the Big Game for your cocktail chatter.

10. Can we please start counting Super Bowls with regular numbers? The Roman numeral thing has gotten ridiculous.

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Super Bowl 2012 talking points

Aaron Stern — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:42:50 GMT

No doubt you’re getting together with friends to watch the Super Bowl. Here are a few of the interesting subplots and finer points to the Big Game for your cocktail chatter.

10. Can we please start counting Super Bowls with regular numbers? The Roman numeral thing has gotten ridiculous.

Read full article >>

Super Bowl 2012 talking points

Aaron Stern — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:42:50 GMT

No doubt you’re getting together with friends to watch the Super Bowl. Here are a few of the interesting subplots and finer points to the Big Game for your cocktail chatter.

10. Can we please start counting Super Bowls with regular numbers? The Roman numeral thing has gotten ridiculous.

Read full article >>

Donovan McNabb and the inglorious end of the QB draft class of 1999

Aaron Stern — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:54:03 GMT

Donovan McNabb isn’t playing in this year’s Super Bowl, and there’s a good chance he won’t even be in the NFL next year. Know who else won’t? The entire, once-vaunted quarterback class of 1999.

Five quarterbacks were chosen in the first round that year, and the dreaded ‘Can’t-Miss’ label was given to several of them. Only McNabb — and, Daunte Culpepper, briefly — fulfilled their promise and all five suffered ignominious ends to their careers. Here, in all their infamy and in order that they were drafted, is the story of the 1999 NFL Quarterback Draft Class....

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Donovan McNabb and the inglorious end of the QB draft class of 1999

Aaron Stern — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:54:03 GMT

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Tom Brady must be at his best for Patriots to beat Giants

Anthony Stalter — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:25:57 GMT

Can the Patriots’ offensive line neutralize the Giants’ fierce pass rush? Will Rob Gronkowski be as effective on a bad ankle? Will the Patriots’ young secondary hold its own against the likes of Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz?

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Super Bowl 2012: Fearless predictions for Patriots-Giants

Michael Kun — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:26:56 GMT

Here are 12 fearless predictions for Super Bowl XLVI.

1. Tom Brady will throw for more than 300 yards, including three touchdown passes. After one of them, one of the announcers will inform us that he is married to a supermodel because some of us might have forgotten that despite being reminded repeatedly during the pregame show.

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Super Bowl 2012: Fearless predictions for Patriots-Giants

Michael Kun — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:26:56 GMT

Here are 12 fearless predictions for Super Bowl XLVI.

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Super Bowl 2012: Fearless predictions for Patriots-Giants

Michael Kun — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:26:56 GMT

Here are 12 fearless predictions for Super Bowl XLVI.

Read full article >>

Super Bowl 2012: Welcome to Indy

Dawn Knight — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:37:58 GMT

The Circle City, Nap Town, or just Indy has been used for years by Indianapolis natives, but I like the moniker British writer Simon Veness gave us: The City of Dreams.

Indianapolis and I grew up together. I was thirteen when the infamous Mayflower trucks brought the Colts to Indy in 1984. Indy was growing up, too, as the Hoosier Dome indicated. Every Sunday we Colts faithful put on our blue jerseys and cheered for our team, even when losing was the norm. It would, we understood, be worth the wait, and we were so right. In the decades since then, Market Square Arena gave way to a new field house, and the RCA Dome was replaced by the house that Peyton Manning built, Lucas Oil Stadium. At 40, I am filled with pride at this, my city of dreams, which is now the ultimate host of Super Bowl XLVI.

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Super Bowl 2012: Welcome to Indy

Dawn Knight — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:37:58 GMT

The Circle City, Nap Town, or just Indy has been used for years by Indianapolis natives, but I like the moniker British writer Simon Veness gave us: The City of Dreams.

Read full article >>

Super Bowl 2012: Rob Gronkowski’s ankle draws plenty of attention

Michael Kun — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:43:38 GMT

1) Let me be the last to say that there is absolutely no legitimate reason for a two-week layoff between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. None whatsoever. It’s not as if the NFL needs the additional week to hype the game or to try to encourage more people to watch. They already had us at hello. Barring people who were scheduled to undergo surgery last Sunday, or those who were scheduled to perform such surgery, there is not a single individual who will watch the game this Sunday who wouldn’t have watched it last Sunday.

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Super Bowl 2012: Rob Gronkowski’s ankle draws plenty of attention

Michael Kun — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:43:38 GMT

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Super Bowl 2012: If the Patriots win, are Brady, Belichick the best ever?

Brian Tarcy — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:44:43 GMT

If the New England Patriots win Super Bowl XLVI, is Bill Belichick the greatest NFL coach in history? Is Tom Brady the greatest quarterback?

These are legitimate conversations in New England, where the local bar has an “In Bill we trust” bumper sticker behind the tequila.. If the Patriots win, it will mean they have been to five Super Bowls and won four in 11 years.

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Best QB on championship weekend? Not Tom Brady or Eli Manning, but Joe Flacco

Sean Moroney — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:05:46 GMT

Let’s face it, the NFL playoffs are a crapshoot. We all know that you need a great quarterback to get you to the playoffs on a consistent basis. But when it comes down to wins and losses in January, a quarterback or team simply needs a good dose of good fortune.

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