nfl-playoffs Page 15 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

It's Funny Because It's Bigger Than A Normal Helmet
Anything for the playoffs. What concussions? No, seriously, what concussions?...

Panthers Write Own Demise With Huge, Fruitless Drives
The Carolina Panthers weren't a total dud in their first playoff appearance since 2008. Their defense sufficiently contained Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers for the most part. But stalled drives killed them. Carolina burned over 17 minutes of game time on two offensive drives, coming away with just t...

The National Anthem Should Be Played With Instruments More Often
Trumpeter Jesse McGuire performed an outstanding rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before today's 49ers-Panthers game, and really, musicians should be used for the national anthem more often....

Once An Afterthought, LeGarrette Blount Beats The Colts Down
Listed at 250 pounds, LeGarrette Blount is just a pound lighter than the Patriots' starting fullback, James Develin. He's not exactly a scatback. He's more of a supersized bowling ball over which someone had draped a jersey—a "north-south" runner, in scouting parlance, who in last night's 43-22 New ...

Who Is America Rooting For This Weekend?
Below are four maps showing which team in each of this weekend's games has more Facebook fans in every county in America....

The Secret Of The Seahawks' Defense? Fouling, Maybe
The Wall Street Journal has a fascinating look at the dominant Seahawks secondary, which seems to have been able to turn just about everyone into a star. Part of that is the remarkable amount of pressure they bring, but another part—perhaps—is as brilliant as it is simple. Maul receivers, because th...

Future Of NFL Playoffs Could Look Very Different
At a public forum at Manhattan's 92nd Street Y last night, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sounded optimistic that the league's competition committee will soon approve an expansion of the playoffs to 14 teams, with the extra games possibly held on Friday or Monday....

Colin Kaepernick Is Cold-Blooded
Colin Kaepernick forgot to strap on his wristband with his team's plays when he took the field for the second half, forcing the 49ers to burn a timeout. He let cornerback Micah Hyde read his eyes on a pass late in the fourth, and only Hyde's drop kept it from being a backbreaking interception. Cling...

Cool Offsides Penalty Has No Effect On 49ers Win
Joe Buck and Troy Aikman might have underplayed how close the 49ers-Packers game was to giving us extra football. Phil Dawson's game-winning kick went through Davon House's arms before it went through the uprights—though House may have been was offsides—as San Francisco won in Lambeau Field, 23-20....

Actual Photos Of Lambeau Field From Today
Remember when we thought it was really cold at Lambeau Field? Well, it still is cold—four degrees, currently—but that wasn't accurate evidence of how Lambeau Field is a frigid hellscape. Here are some real photos from today, thanks to AP photographers....

Philip Rivers Is Pumped, But How The Hell Did The Chargers Win?
What? Huh? San Diego, a team that eked its way into the playoffs in the final weeks, will take on the Broncos for the third time this season after beating the Bengals 27-10. Philip Rivers must have also talked to Ric Flair before his game....

Andy Dalton Is Just Having A Bad Day
Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton just threw his second pick, and the Chargers have the ball with a 10-point lead nine minutes left in the game. He threw 20 interceptions in the regular season, so these turnovers aren't really an aberration. They're still not helpful, though....

Eagles Fan Spits On Saints Fan Moments After Losing
Saints fan Nick Scelfo was at the Linc to watch his team win on a field goal as time expired. He recorded the moments after the Eagles lost, celebrating while being surrounded by Philly fans. Most of them ignored him, but one fan near him said, "I'm gonna spit in your face," a second before followin...

This Is Not What Lambeau Field Currently Looks Like
Many people on Twitter thought that this is was the frigid state of Lambeau Field today, before the 49ers-Packers game. It is not. This AP photo is from Dec. 22. The Packers also put it on Instagram two weeks ago....

Why The Chiefs Lost
Chiefs players might feel terrible this morning, but they pulled off a rather impressive feat last night. Despite losing Jamaal Charles, inarguably their best offensive player, to a possible concussion six plays into the game, Kansas City's offense still produced 44 points. It's a shame that the Col...

Chiefs-Colts Was The Classic Playoff Game We Get Every Year
It happens nearly every year and we're always surprised, but Chiefs-Colts was another insane NFL playoff game. After a close first quarter, the Chiefs jumped all over the Colts in the second quarter with 21 points and headed into the half—on an Andrew Luck interception—with a 31-10 lead. The Colts c...

Three Of Four NFL Playoff Games Could Be Blacked Out
The NFL maintains the largest live-to-televised enjoyment disparity of any major sport, but that ought to dissipate come the postseason. Yet three playoff games still have thousands of unsold tickets remaining, and broadcasts in those areas could be blacked out this weekend. The deadlines are just h...

Michael Phelps Wouldn't Have Competed In The 2012 Olympics If Not For Ray Lewis
OK, before we go any further, we have to address Michael Phelps's new look. Apparently, Phelps has been hanging out in a lot of coffee shops and going to a lot of Japandroids concerts since the summer Olympics. Or perhaps he's just a really big fan of that crazy guy who used to edit Gawker....

No, San Francisco Police Are Not Investigating Michael Crabtree To Sabotage The 49ers
It would be ludicrous to suggest that the San Francisco police department is scheming to hurt the post-season chances of the its hometown football team, right? Right. And yet, the 49ers are still giving the side-eye to the SFPD for undertaking (and informing the media of) the Michael Crabtree sexual...