NFL-Brady finds right formula in setting playoffs record

Jan 13 (Reuters) - Tom Brady has won more playoff games than any other National Football League quarterback but few of those postseason victories will have tested the New England signal caller's ability to adapt than Sunday's win over the Houston Texans.
Patriots running back Danny Woodhead went out early with a thumb injury and stand-out tight end Rob Gronkowski re-broke his left forearm when he hit the ground trying to make a catch in the first quarter.
Brady, pulling the strings of the NFL's most potent offense, struggled in the first two drives before figuring out how to unlock the Texans' defense and leading New England to a 41-28 victory that put the Patriots one win away from the Super Bowl.
It was the 17th career playoff victory for Brady, moving him past boyhood idol Joe Montana to the top of the all-time list.
Brady said the game plan included a lot of options for Woodhead and Gronkowski, who was playing just his second game since previously breaking his forearm.
"We run the first series of the game and all those plans change," Brady told reporters. "I think there was a little bit of, 'What are we going to do now, how are we going to adjust?'"
It did not take long for Brady to figure it out and he found plenty of work for second-year running back Shane Vereen.
Vereen scored on a one-yard run in the first quarter, got into the end zone untouched after a swing pass from eight yards out in the second, and made a dazzling over the shoulder catch for a 33-yard touchdown to put the Patriots out of sight.
"We seemed to settle in there midway through the first quarter and put together a pretty good game," said Brady, who has won three Super Bowl rings and been runner-up twice more.
"Obviously it's a bummer to lose anybody but someone of Rob's importance or Danny's importance, we need guys to step in and fill the void."
Patriots coach Bill Belichick singled out back-up tight end Michael Hoomanawanui and Vereen for praise.
"Hooman and Shane stepped up and did a great job for us," the coach said. "Shane obviously made a lot of big plays.
"These kind of games you never really know when the dial spins, where it's going to end up, who it's going to end up on, and those guys were prepared and offensively we were able to move the ball put up some points."
Belichick said Brady had a lot to do with the seamless transition.
"We all follow him. We all respect him. He led the team today, along with a lot of other guys, but he certainly did his part, as he's done many times before," said Belichick.
"No quarterback I'd rather have than Tom Brady."
Belichick said Brady's understanding of defenses is the key.
"We used some different formations, tried to move guys around and as Tom usually does he finds the best match-ups depending on the route and the coverage and does a great job getting the ball to the guys that have a great opportunity to win on those routes," he said.
Brady threw three touchdown passes, completing 25-of-40 passes for 344 yards with no interceptions.
The Patriots host the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday with the AFC title and a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

Read More..

Brady finds right formula in setting playoffs record

(Reuters) - Tom Brady has won more playoff games than any other National Football League quarterback but few of those postseason victories will have tested the New England signal caller's ability to adapt than Sunday's win over the Houston Texans.
Patriots running back Danny Woodhead went out early with a thumb injury and stand-out tight end Rob Gronkowski re-broke his left forearm when he hit the ground trying to make a catch in the first quarter.
Brady, pulling the strings of the NFL's most potent offense, struggled in the first two drives before figuring out how to unlock the Texans' defense and leading New England to a 41-28 victory that put the Patriots one win away from the Super Bowl.
It was the 17th career playoff victory for Brady, moving him past boyhood idol Joe Montana to the top of the all-time list.
Brady said the game plan included a lot of options for Woodhead and Gronkowski, who was playing just his second game since previously breaking his forearm.
"We run the first series of the game and all those plans change," Brady told reporters. "I think there was a little bit of, 'What are we going to do now, how are we going to adjust?'"
It did not take long for Brady to figure it out and he found plenty of work for second-year running back Shane Vereen.
Vereen scored on a one-yard run in the first quarter, got into the end zone untouched after a swing pass from eight yards out in the second, and made a dazzling over the shoulder catch for a 33-yard touchdown to put the Patriots out of sight.
"We seemed to settle in there midway through the first quarter and put together a pretty good game," said Brady, who has won three Super Bowl rings and been runner-up twice more.
"Obviously it's a bummer to lose anybody but someone of Rob's importance or Danny's importance, we need guys to step in and fill the void."
Patriots coach Bill Belichick singled out back-up tight end Michael Hoomanawanui and Vereen for praise.
"Hooman and Shane stepped up and did a great job for us," the coach said. "Shane obviously made a lot of big plays.
"These kind of games you never really know when the dial spins, where it's going to end up, who it's going to end up on, and those guys were prepared and offensively we were able to move the ball put up some points."
Belichick said Brady had a lot to do with the seamless transition.
"We all follow him. We all respect him. He led the team today, along with a lot of other guys, but he certainly did his part, as he's done many times before," said Belichick.
"No quarterback I'd rather have than Tom Brady."
Belichick said Brady's understanding of defenses is the key.
"We used some different formations, tried to move guys around and as Tom usually does he finds the best match-ups depending on the route and the coverage and does a great job getting the ball to the guys that have a great opportunity to win on those routes," he said.
Brady threw three touchdown passes, completing 25-of-40 passes for 344 yards with no interceptions.
The Patriots host the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday with the AFC title and a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

Read More..

AP Source: Eagles interviewed Brian Billick

during a news conference in Owings Mills, Md. The Philadelphia Eagles have interviewed …more
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles have interviewed former Ravens coach and current Fox analyst Brian Billick for their coaching vacancy, a person familiar with the meeting told The Associated Press on Sunday.
Billick, who led Baltimore to a Super Bowl title in the 2000 season, met with the Eagles last Monday, according to the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss it.
The Eagles are known to have interviewed eight other candidates, including three high-profile college coaches who decided to stay at their schools. They were Notre Dame's Brian Kelly, Oregon's Chip Kelly and Penn State's Bill O'Brien.
Philadelphia fired Andy Reid on Dec. 31, a day after finishing 4-12 in his 14th season.
Billick hasn't coached since 2007. He was 80-64 in nine seasons with the Ravens, leading them to two division titles and a 5-3 record in four playoff appearances.
CSNPhilly.com first reported Billick's interview.
The 58-year-old Billick began his NFL coaching career in Minnesota as a tight ends coach in 1992. After two seasons, he was promoted to offensive coordinator and helped the Vikings set a then-record 556 points in 1998.
Billick became the second coach in Ravens history in 1999 and guided them to a Super Bowl victory over the New York Giants in his second season.
Known for having a dynamic offense in Minnesota, Billick never come close to matching it in Baltimore. His offense never ranked higher than 14th in total yards and cracked the top 10 in points just once.
Of course, talent had a part in that. The Vikings had Randall Cunningham and Daunte Culpepper as their quarterbacks, along with star wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and running back Robert Smith.
Billick's Ravens were built on strong defenses led by Ray Lewis and Co. They finished in the top six in total yards in eight of Billick's nine seasons.
Billick assembled quite a coaching staff in Baltimore. Six of his assistants became head coaches, including Mike Smith (Atlanta), Marvin Lewis (Cincinnati), Rex Ryan (New York Jets), Mike Singletary (San Francisco), Mike Nolan (San Francisco) and Jack Del Rio (Jacksonville).
The Eagles have an interview scheduled with Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden on Monday and are expected to interview Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians this week.
They met with Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley on Saturday, according to two people familiar with the meeting. Seattle lost to Atlanta on Sunday, so the Eagles are free to hire Bradley if he's their choice.
Owner Jeffrey Lurie, general manager Howie Roseman and president Don Smolenski interviewed former Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith on Thursday. They previously met with Atlanta assistants Nolan and Keith Armstrong and Denver offensive coordinator Mike McCoy.

Read More..

Browns name Rob Chudzinski new coach

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Browns hauled their coaching search to Arizona and back. They talked to high-profile college coaches, NFL assistants and a fired pro coach who took a team to a Super Bowl.
None of them was hired.
Instead, Rob Chudzinski became their pick.
With no experience as a head coach at any level, Chudzinski was hired Thursday night by the Cleveland Browns, the team he cheered for as a kid. This is Chudzinski's third stint with the team, but this time around he's the guy in charge.
Chudzinski, who spent the past two seasons calling plays as Carolina's offensive coordinator, is the Browns' sixth full-time coach since 1999 and 14th in team history.
Just as it appeared the Browns might be going in another direction, the team selected the 44-year-old Chudzinski to revive a team that has made the playoffs just once in the past 14 years.
Chudzinski will be introduced Friday at an 11 a.m. news conference, where owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner likely will be asked how they selected Banner after speaking to at least seven other candidates and flirting with Chip Kelly before he returned to Oregon.
"Chud," as he's known to players and friends, Chudzinski worked as the Browns' tight ends coach in 2004 and was their offensive coordinator in 2007, when the team won 10 games — their most since an expansion rebirth in 1999.
A lifelong Browns fan who grew up in Toledo, Ohio, Chudzinski replaces Pat Shurmur, another first-time coach when he was hired, who was fired on Dec. 31 after a 5-11 season. For the past two years, Chudzinski has worked with talented Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and resuscitated Carolina's offense, which was one of the league's worst before he arrived.
When Haslam and Banner embarked on their coaching search as 2013 began, the pair vowed they would wait as long as necessary to find "the right coach" for Cleveland. They promised to give their new coach final say over the roster and planned to pair him with an executive to help pick players.
Chudzinski wasn't seen by many as an option.
And then he became the choice.
Chudzinski interviewed with the team on Wednesday, when the club also visited with Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Chudzinski appeared to be a long shot for the job, not because he wasn't qualified, but because it was thought Haslam wanted to make a big splash with his first coaching hire.
However, Chudzinski wowed Haslam and Banner during his meeting and the team decided it was time to end its search in its second week.
It's not yet known whom Chudzinski will bring in as coordinators. There are reports he may hire former San Diego coach Norv Turner to run his offense. Chudzinski worked for Turner with the Chargers.
In his first season in Carolina, Chudzinski turned Newton, the No. 1 overall draft pick, loose and the Panthers set club records for total yards (6,237) and first downs (345). Carolina also scored 48 touchdowns after getting just 17 in the season before Chudzinski arrived. The Panthers jumped from last in the league in total yardage to seventh, the biggest improvement since 1999.
Following the season, Chudzinski interviewed for head coaching jobs with St. Louis, Jacksonville and Tampa Bay before returning to Carolina.
In getting the Browns' job, Chudzinski was picked over Zimmer, Montreal Alouettes coach Marc Trestman, fired Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt and Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton. Whisenhunt was in Cleveland for a second interview on Thursday, and appeared to be the front-runner. The Browns also were expected to interview Indianapolis offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.
Newton continued to develop in his second season with Chudzinski, and the QB's development may have helped his case since the Browns are hoping Brandon Weeden will improve this year after his uneven rookie season.
After his first stint on Cleveland's staff, Chudzinski spent two seasons as San Diego's tight ends coach, working with perennial Pro Bowl standout Antonio Gates.
Taking over the Browns' offense in 2007, Chudzinski helped the Browns go 10-6. They barely missed the playoffs, but four players, including quarterback Derek Anderson, made the Pro Bowl. However, in 2008, the Browns struggled on offense and a six-game losing streak led to a 4-12 finish and Romeo Crennel's firing.
Chudzinski's hiring may not be popular with Cleveland fans, many of whom at fantasies about Nick Saban or Jon Gruden or Kelly brining his supersonic offense to the NFL.
But his selection is in keeping with at least one of Banner's past moves. When he was in Philadelphia's front office, Banner went outside the box and hired Green Bay assistant Andy Reid, a relative unknown who spent 14 seasons with the Eagles.
Now that they've got their coach, the Browns can focus on finding a GM to replace Tom Heckert, fired after three seasons.

Read More..

Swiss lab chief disputes USADA claim on Armstrong

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The head of Switzerland's anti-doping laboratory described as "nonsense" claims by U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart that he helped Lance Armstrong avoid being caught for doping.
Lab director Martial Saugy called a news conference Friday to answer accusations by Tygart that he provided Armstrong with information on how to avoid detection for use of the blood-boosting drug EPO.
Tygart told the U.S. television program "60 Minutes Sports" on Wednesday that Saugy acknowledged to him that he gave Armstrong and his team manager, Johan Bruyneel, "the keys to beating EPO tests" before the 2002 Tour de France.
"The answer is clear: It's 'No,'" Saugy said Friday, adding he was "surprised" by the claim. "I would like to ask him (Tygart), really personally, why did he say that, because personally it was not the case."
Saugy suggested that Tygart had "deficiencies" in his recollection of their discussion in Moscow in 2010 soon after U.S. federal investigators opened a probe into Armstrong and doping in cycling.
"I don't really understand the interpretation on that part of the discussion," Saugy later told The Associated Press in an interview. "For me, it is a nonsense."
In the TV program, Tygart said he asked Saugy: "Did you give Lance Armstrong and Johan Bruyneel the keys to beating EPO tests?"
"And he nodded to say 'Yes,'" Tygart said. "He explained to them, just the two of them. As far as I know, it's unprecedented. It's completely wrong to meet an athlete with a suspect result and explain to him how the test works."
Saugy acknowledged his respect for Tygart, with whom he worked on a previous case involving Armstrong's former teammate Tyler Hamilton. Tygart's determination to build a case against Armstrong for using EPO and other performance-enhancing drugs was crucial after the federal case was dropped early last year.
Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from the sport for life after USADA released a report last year detailing widespread doping by the American rider and his teams.
"Travis Tygart is a key person in the fight against doping," Saugy said. "He knows the rules. He knows we must be transparent in order to respect the right of the defense. We need also to respect all the other athletes."
Saugy said he followed the International Cycling Union's request to meet with Armstrong in Luxembourg before the 2002 Tour started.
The Swiss official denied suggestions he had made an error or was naive in meeting the rider to discuss anti-doping strategy — a decision now being criticized by Tygart and World Anti-Doping Agency officials as a clear conflict of interest.
"I have absolutely no regret. I would repeat it," Saugy told the AP, explaining that Armstrong and other riders at that time had a right to information about false positive results in the relatively new EPO test. "They wanted to know what is the basis of the fight against doping."
He denied that meeting Armstrong was connected to the Texan's sample with suspicious levels of EPO taken at the 2001 Tour of Switzerland.
"For us, it was a closed affair," said Saugy, insisting that the EPO test was the sole reason. "No. 1 in the peloton is very influential, so we need to meet him to explain that we are not doing a bad job."
The UCI has said other riders and teams were given the same information from Saugy's lab in 2002 that Armstrong and Bruyneel received.
"This was clearly part of my job," Saugy said. "I do not interpret or understand the way I was producing this information as a key to escape from doping controls."
Saugy dismissed a suggestion that the dispute hinted at a rift with Tygart over how his lab, which manages the UCI's biological passport program, worked with USADA on the Armstrong case.
"I don't know what is behind it," Saugy told the AP. "Of course, (there) was some discussion between USADA and our laboratory because we were one of the laboratories working for UCI analyzing some of the samples, but no real difficulty."
Armstrong will give his first television interview since the sanctions were imposed when he speaks with Oprah Winfrey on Thursday.

Read More..

Browns introduce Rob Chudzinski as new coach

CLEVELAND (AP) — Rob Chudzinski is back for his third tour with the Cleveland Browns, and this time he's calling the shots.
Chudzinski, who spent the past two seasons as Carolina's offensive coordinator, was introduced as the club's sixth fulltime coach on Friday. He'll inherit a young roster he'll try to develop into a contender with the Browns, who have lost at least 11 games in each of the past five seasons.
The 44-year-old previously worked as an assistant with the Browns, most recently as offensive coordinator in 2008. Chudzinski has no previous head coaching experience, but he's familiar with the Browns and their history. He rooted for the Browns while growing up in Toledo, Ohio.
"I would not miss the chance for the world." Chudzinski said. "We're going to win here.

Read More..