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Tag: nfc north

  • Chicago Bears Sign Jared Allen With 4-Year Contract

    One of the best remaining free agents in the NFL on the defensive side of the ball has finally found a new home. The Chicago Bears just agreed to terms with Jared Allen, who has been a big star for the Vikings over the past 6 seasons.

    Jared Allen is a defensive end, and has been with the Minnesota Vikings since 2008. Prior to joining the Chicago Bears, he has been to the Pro Bowl 4 of the past 6 years, and has a total of 128.5 career sacks, which places him at 12th in the history of the NFL.

    The deal could be worth up to $32 million, which would include $15.5 million in guaranteed money, and could void after three years, and $24 million. Allen should be a valuable asset for the Bears after getting in on 93 percent of the Vikings’ snaps from 2008 to 2013.

    The Chicago Bears had one of the best defenses in the league several years ago with Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, but in the past few years, they have struggled greatly. They were kept out of the playoffs last year after Jay Cutler was injured for most of the season, and they were poor on the offensive end as well.

    Prior to the signing Allen, the Chicago Bears had released veteran Julius Peppers in order to make room for others, and bring in new talent. Peppers has since signed with their rivals, the Green Bay Packers.

    Since the Vikings and Bears are in the same division, the NFC North, Jared Allen will be able to continue to pursue the quarterbacks that he has already become familiar with, and the Bears also play with a similar defensive style that he is used to. It was previously rumored around the time of the trade deadline that Allen could have been traded, and several teams had shown interest.

    Allen should be a nice addition to the Chicago Bears, and coach Mark Trestman showed his excitement to introduce him to the program when saying “We know what his abilities bring to the table. We believe he’s going to come in hungry and excited to be part of our football team, and we believe he’ll fit right in.”

    The Chicago Bears should see a great improvement with their defense after signing Jared Allen. He needs only 4.5 sacks to move into sole possession of 10th place on the career list, and he could climb as high as fifth next season, and pass Michael Strahan, since all he has to do is record 13.5 sacks.

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  • Julius Peppers Released From Chicago Bears In Salary Cap Move

    The veteran defensive player Julius Peppers has been released from the roster of the Chicago Bears. As teams start to make way for their new free agents, as the Bears did, some teams will unfortunately be forced to get rid of their veterans.

    Julius Peppers has been in the league for several seasons, and has enjoyed success with the Bears for the past four seasons, but his performance did decline in 2013, and the Bears also struggled for a number of other reasons.

    He has been a great defensive end during his time in the league, but is having to part ways with his team because they are looking for younger talent. The Chicago Bears had just signed free agent defensive end Lamarr Houston, free agent safety Ryan Mundy and incumbent middle linebacker D.J. Williams.

    Despite releasing the veteran for salary cap space, he will surely be missed. Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emery spoke highly of the defensive end when saying “He was a leader on our defense starting every game since coming to Chicago. His accomplishments over his NFL career place him among the best defensive ends over the past 20 years. The Chicagoland community has benefited greatly from his quiet generosity. We wish him the best.”

    The move to get several new guys has cost them their veteran, but as teams continue to look for younger players that will be able to last longer in the league, it may not be such a bad thing for them. When terminating Julius Peppers’ contract, the Bears were able to save $9.4 million against the 2014 salary cap.

    His contract termination does not come as a surprise to most people as he had a $13.9 million salary, and $20 million cap number. He was eve included in a list of the 24 NFC players who were likely to be cut during the free agency period.

    While the Bears have collected a handful of defensive free agents, they will still need to look for some offense somewhere since they struggled greatly last year, and were not able to make the playoffs, despite an incredibly weak season for the NFC North.

    When Julius Peppers joined the Chicago Bears in 2010, he was given the largest contract that a defensive end had ever received. At 34 years old, Peppers may begin to think about retirement soon, and while he used to be a huge NFL star, he only had 7 sacks in 2013.

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  • Mike Zimmer Hired As Coach Of Minnesota Vikings

    The NFL teams that struggled over the 2013 season continue to search for new coaches, and the Minnesota Vikings have already found someone to lead their team in 2014.

    The Vikings struggled throughout the past season, and finished in last place in the NFC North, with a record of 5-10-1.

    Whether they will be able to improve at all in 2014 is unclear, but they could be on the right track after hiring Mike Zimmer as their new head coach.

    It can be hard for any team to start the rebuilding stage, and the Minnesota Vikings are certainly in need of rebuilding with Adrian Peterson being virtually their only strength on offense.

    Another team in the NFC North, the Detroit Lions, also hired a new coach yesterday with Jim Caldwell, who was currently serving as the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.

    Unlike the Vikings, the Lions have several talented players, but were unable to work with the current staff, and as a result, Jim Schwartz was fired after being put on the hot seat.

    In other NFL coaching news, Ken Whisenhunt was also hired as the coach of the Tennessee Titans yesterday, preventing the Lions from continuing to pursue him, and hire Caldwell instead.

    If anyone is able to turn around the Vikings franchise, and get them to be a powerhouse in the NFC again, then Mike Zimmer might be the guy to do it. He is a longtime defensive coordinator for the Cinncinatti Bengals, and is also one of the more respected assistants in the NFL.

    Zimmer will replace Leslie Frazier, who led the Vikings to another disappointing season, and what the Vikings truly need is a franchise quarterback who is able to lead them. Frazier was fired along with Jim Schwartz and a handful of other coaches during the black Monday firings.

    Mike Zimmer is also the son of Bill Zimmer, a former defensive assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs. Before joining the Bengals, he had led the defense of the Dallas Cowboys from 2000 through 2006 after spending 1994 through 1999 as the team’s defensive backs coach.

    As coach of the Minnesota Vikings, Mike Zimmer will be forced to rebuild the team on both sides of the ball, and work to recruit a quarterback that the team can trust in a division, and league that is continually relying on the quarterback to control the team.

    Coming in as a defensive coordinator, he will also need to improve the defense of the Vikings, after being the defense that gave up more points than other team in the NFL last season.

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  • Detroit Lions Name Jim Caldwell As New Head Coach

    After an intense quest for a new coach in Detroit, the Detroit Lions have found their replacement for Jim Schwartz with Jim Caldwell. Caldwell has most recently been serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens.

    The Lions came into the 2013 season with high hopes, and did well for much of the season, but their season came crumbling down as the fans in Detroit have become used to experiencing. The Lions started the season 6-3, and somehow fell to 7-9 by the end of the season.

    Detroit has been in a slump for a long time, and while Jim Schwartz helped them improve some over the past few years, they have not been able to advance in the playoffs.

    With the stars on their team, they may have what it takes to become one of the top teams in the league, and it could be something that could be achievable in the 2014 season with Jim Caldwell as their new coach.

    Jim Schwartz was fired along with several other coaches during the black Monday firings, but weeks before that, he was already in the hot seat after losing several games following an impressive start.

    Love Smith was considered, but he was hired as the coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers soon after that, and after becoming the top candidate for the coaching job in Detroit, Ken Whisenhunt decided to take the job as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans.

    William Clay Ford, the owner and chairman of the Detroit Lions, said of the decision to hire Jim Caldwell, “We believe Jim is the right man to lead our team and deliver a championship to our fans.”

    As recently as earlier today, the Detroit Lions were still in the hunt for a new coach.

    There were all sorts of possibilities, and they had already interviewed a handful of options, but they ended up going with Jim Caldwell, who was actually the first person that their staff interviewed first.

    The Detroit Lions fell to third place in the NFC North by the end of the 2013 season, and with a new coach, they will look to improve that in 2014. With the appointment of Jim Caldwell, they are hiring a coach who achieved a record of 26-22 in three seasons after replacing Tony Dungy in Indianapolis.

    In addition to Jim Caldwell, former Texans coach Gary Kubiak, former Titans coach Mike Munchak and former Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt all. interviewed for the position.

    Does Jim Caldwell have what it takes to finally lead to the Detroit Lions to become champions of the NFC North, and earn a trip to the playoffs?

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  • Carlin Isles, Fastest Man In Rugby, Signs With Detroit Lions

    After a horribly disappointing season in 2013, the Detroit Lions are already attempting to rework their roster. In a recent move, the Lions have signed Carlin Isles, who is being hailed as the “fastest man in rugby,” and played the wing position for Team USA Rugby.

    Isles has been signed to the practice squad, and with the hopes of making the playoffs out of the question, the Lions are already looking forward to 2014.

    The Lions should have been able to make the playoffs, and led the NFC North for much of the season, but after losing 4 of their last 5 games, their season completely flipped around.

    The Detroit Lions have already been looking forward to 2014, and while Carlin Isles is not the only one, the team has been hosting workouts for several players over the past week.

    In a year that had both Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers injured for much of the season, the Lions were expected to win the division, and even started the season 6-3.

    After falling to 7-8 on the year, Jim Schwartz is currently in the hot seat, and is unlikely to return as the head coach of the Lions next year.

    It was reported that Carlin Isles worked out with the team on Monday, and ran a 4.22-second 40-yard dash. He has previously played football for Ashland University in Ohio, but has never played in the NFL before.

    Although Jim Schwartz may not be sticking with the team much longer anyway, he was the one who was in charge of signing Carlin Isles, and the coach spoke on the unconventional signing when saying “An athlete’s an athlete. There’s skills that you can develop, and if you see something you like then you can work with him.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfb8a1GFrxc

    As fans of the Lions know, this is certainly not the first time that the team has taken an unconventional route to adding players to their roster. Just in the past year, they have tried out a German Football League wide receiver, and there was Harvard Rugland, a kicker who became a Youtube sensation for his kicking skills.

    Carlin Isles was signed to the team’s practice squad on Thursday, and while his position is unknown, with his speed, he would likely be a punt and kick returner.

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  • Jim Schwartz May Lose His Job After An Awful Season For The Detroit Lions

    Well, the post-season for the Detroit Lions is officially out of the picture after their embarrassing overtime loss to the New York Giants.

    Jim Schwartz has had his ups and downs as a coach, and the Lions have experienced the definition of an up and down season, bringing his future in the city of Detroit into question.

    Whether Jim Schwartz has lost his job as the Lions’ head coach will be determined in the coming weeks, but as a team that was set to win the division with a commanding lead earlier in the season, they have now been knocked out of the playoffs.

    In an almost impossible scenario, the Lions went from 6-3 to 7-8, making fans of the Detroit Lions wonder what could have possibly happened in the second half of the season. Then again, most Lions fans have become used to failure, after experiencing all their defeats of the past.

    Speaking on his possible departure, and the future of the Detroit Lions, Jim Scwartz said “Speculation is not my business.My business is coaching the team and trying to keep it focused. That’s job enough without worrying about all the other stuff.”

    They lost an ugly game to the Eagles in Philadelphia, during a major snowstorm, in a game that also saw running back LeSean McCoy set the rushing record for most yards in a game as a player for the Eagles, which escalated their downward spiral.

    The Lions were able to hit the final nail on the coffin when Jim Schwartz’s team was unable to defeat the Giants, a team that had struggled all season long, and had no reason to win the game, other than to embarrass the Lions even further.

    With the Bears and Packers playing without their starting quarterbacks and struggling for most of the season, it gave the Lions the opportunity to take control of a struggling NFC North division, but the Lions simply continued to beat themselves on every occasion they got.

    Matthew Stafford has thrown interceptions at all the wrong times throughout the season, including two last night, and one that helped the Giants get back in the game. After the game was sent to overtime, the Lions managed to lose on a long field goal for the second week in a row.

    With a record of 7-8, Jim Schwartz and the Detroit Lions have no chance of making the playoffs, even during a year with all sorts of possible playoff scenarios, and only two teams that have clinched a spot after week 16.

    With an unknown future going into the post-season, Jim Schwartz and the Lions have some serious decisions to make during the off-season. Should the Lions fire Jim Schwartz? Who should replace him?

    Earlier in the year, the Lions were considered one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL, and now they will not be in the playoffs.

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  • Bears-Eagles Game: Eagles Win Big, Take Control Of NFC East

    On Sunday night, a potentially exciting game between the Chicago Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles occurred, leaving the Bears embarrassed once again. Despite the outcome of the game, both teams remain at the top of their respective divisions.

    While still at the top of the division, the Bears will play against the Packers in week 17 determining which of the two teams will claim the NFC North, and head to the playoffs.

    The NFC East features a similar situation in which the Eagles and Cowboys will battle it out for top place in the division, and a spot in the playoffs.

    There are all sorts of NFL playoff scenarios that are being talked about, and many of them concern the NFC, as only two of the NFC teams have clinched a spot in the playoffs so far, which are the Seahawks and the Panthers.

    The Seahawks have been the one dominant team throughout the season and clinched a couple of weeks ago, while the Panthers clinched yesterday with a big win against the Saints.

    In an important statement from the Philadelphia Eagles, who have had an up-and-down season, they destroyed the Chicago Bears with a final score of 54-11. While the Eagles would have been playing their final game to decide the division no matter how the game ended, rookie coach Chip Kelly decided to play his starters anyway, and make an example of the Bears.

    The Bears offense was not able to get going at all during the game, and was in part due to the fact that Jay Cutler was not getting any protection, and the opposing defense recorded a season-high number of sacks on the quarterback, a total of 5. He was harassed by the Eagles’ defense throughout the game, and as a result, the Bears only scored one touchdown in the game, a 6-yard pass on the last play of the third quarter.

    After the Cowboys rallied to beat the Redskins earlier in the day, the Eagles knew that they were only playing for a No.3 seed, but that didn’t stop them from dominating the game, which they did from the start. Chip Kelly has brought his team to play, and that is just what they did.

    After the game, the coach said “We’re from Philadelphia and we fight. If there’s a game on, we’re playing.”

    The Eagles led the Bears 21-0 at the end of the first quarter, and LeSean McCoy added to his already impressive stats on the season by running for two touchdowns, and 133 yards in the game. Just weeks ago, he set the rushing record for an Eagles running back in a game against the Detroit Lions.

    In a wild upcoming week 17, the playoffs will finally be set, with important games between the Bears and Packers, and Eagles and Cowboys.

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  • Green Bay Packers Are Without Aaron Rodgers Again

    For a Green Bay Packers team that has been struggling since his departure several weeks ago, the news that Aaron Rodgers will be out of the lineup in this week’s game is not good for the Packers, and their fans.

    As they are still attempting to make the playoffs, the inclusion of Aaron Rodgers in the lineup would certainly help, but without him, they will be hoping for a miracle in order to make the playoffs.

    This Sunday, they will play against a Steelers team in a similar situation, although with the Packers playing in the NFC North, they have an easier time of making the playoffs than the Steelers, who trail both the Bengals and the Ravens.

    The Green Bay Packers currently have a record of 7-6-1, and have struggled greatly since the loss of their star quarterback. Aaron Rodgers, being one of the best quarterbacks to play football, was surely going to be missed on the team, but they had no idea how much.

    There has been plenty of speculation about the return of Aaron Rodgers recently, and he is continually not being cleared to play.

    The latest report came from coach Mike McCarthy when he said “As an organization we do not feel like we are ready for him to play. He’s not medically cleared, that’s still the case today. As an organization, we don’t think this is the right time for him to play.”

    After going down during a Monday Night Football game against the Chicago Bears on November 4th, Rodgers has not returned to the field, and they were not able to win a game during the month of November. They finally got their second win since his departure during a late comeback in their last game, with some help from Tony Romo’s interceptions, beating the Cowboys.

    They have won their last two games, and in the remaining games of the season, they will play the Steelers and their division rivals, the Chicago Bears. The Bears currently lead the NFC North with a record of 8-6. The Lions led the division for much of the season, but after recent losses, they no longer control their own destiny, and may not make the playoffs.

    After the Packers lost Aaaron Rodgers to injury, the Packers tried out a few different quarterbacks including Seneca Wallace and Scott Tolzien, but finally turned to someone they were familiar with, and re-signed Matt Flynn, who has started ever since.

    With two remaining games, Matt Flynn and the Green Bay Packers will have to step up their game if they hope to continue playing in January.

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  • Detroit Lions Lose Again, Possibly Out Of The Playoffs

    As any fan of the NFL knows, the Detroit Lions have struggled a lot as a team. They seem to have finally rebounded, and are continuing to improve with the help of their star players, but it does not seem to be enough to help them.

    The Lions were in charge of the NFC North earlier in this season, and if there was ever a year for them to win the division it would be this year.

    The rest of the division has been disappointing all year, and while the Vikings have been out of the mix for much of the season, the Bears have been without Jay Cutler, and the Packers have been without Aaron Rodgers.

    The Detroit Lions will often have control of a game, and then seem to find a way to turn the ball over multiple times, and let their opponents back in the game.

    The team that embarrassed the Lions most recently was the Baltimore Ravens, who defeated them last night on the big stage during a huge game of Monday Night Football for both teams.

    Last week, they fell victim to the Eagles, who somehow found a way to score 34 points and win even during a huge snowstorm.

    Matthew Stafford, who threw two interceptions on 3rd and short, and a total of 3 in the game, admitted the obvious when saying “I didn’t play my best game by any means.”

    Both teams needed the win in order to remain active in the hunt for the playoffs, although the Lions have been slipping in the rankings more than anyone recently.

    The Lions had a record of 6-3 going into games against the Bucaneers and Steelers, which were two of the worst teams at the time, and lost both games. They have also lost four of their last five games since having the 5-3 record, and are now 7-7, with their hopes of making the playoffs falling apart, and no longer have the opportunity to control their own destiny.

    The Detroit Lions are led by two of the top players in the league in Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson, but for whatever reason, they simply are not able to win on the big stage, and when the pressure is mounting. T

    They had a chance to prove themselves last night against the Ravens, and while their defense came up big, not allowing any touchdowns, the Ravens capitalized with their kicker, using six field goals to win the game 18-15.

    In their last two remaining games of the season, the Lions play the Giants and the Vikings. These should be easy games to win if they play like they did against some teams, but while they no longer control their own destiny, they need the Bears and Packers to lose as well.

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  • Reggie Bush Expects To Play On Monday Night

    Reggie Bush missed out on Detroit’s last game in Philadelphia but expects to play in their big game on Monday night. This will be the first time that the Lions have played in a Monday Night Football game, and Bush does not want to miss the opportunity to play.

    He is one of the older running backs in the league, and has experienced injuries before, but Reggie Bush still remains a very tough runner in the NFL. He sat out during the Lions’ previous game with an injury that he had suffered before the game started.

    In the game that Bush sat out, the Lions faced the Eagles in the middle of a Philadelphia snowstorm that somehow found the Eagles taking command of the game and winning with a final score of 34-20.

    While it was originally reported that Bush had injured himself while slipping on the snow, he later denied that claim. He said that he was already fighting a calf injury and simply aggravated the pulled muscle while jogging before the game.

    On Wednesday the running back stated that he simply wasn’t healthy enough to play, and did not want to chance it when saying “I didn’t fall. It was definitely icy out there. There was definitely a lot of snow, but I didn’t fall on the ground or anything like that. I was just out there jogging. I wasn’t even really going hard. I was just jogging, and it just grabbed on me.”

    Watching from the sideline was hard on Reggie Bush, and he is determined to make it back to the field on Monday, in an important game against the Baltimore Ravens, as both teams battle to stay alive for the playoffs. He has never missed a game for a pulled muscle before, and looks forward to getting back on the field.

    He explained his frustration in last week’s game further when saying “What was at stake, playing on the road and just being out there with my teammates. It’s always hard being on the sidelines, being a spectator. I hate it, so I look forward to getting back this week.”

    The Lions have a big game while also playing in front of a national audeince on Monday night, and it will certainly help to have Reggie Bush back on the field. The Lions still remain in first place in the NFC North, but need to show up with better performances in the final three weeks of the season if they expect to stay there.

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  • Aaron Rodgers Has Not Been Ruled Out, But Return Is Unlikely

    Aaron Rodgers has certainly been missed by the Green Bay Packers since his collarbone injury that he suffered on November 4th against the Chicago Bears. Seneca Wallace finished the game, and two other quarterbacks have had the opportunity to start in his place, while Matt Flynn has become the current starter.

    Rodgers has not been cleared to play in Sunday’s game yet, but the possibility of him being able to play has not been ruled out yet. In the 5 games that Aaron Rodgers has been out, the Packers have lost four games, and tied once.

    While Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks in the sport, fans probably did not expect such a downward skid after his injury. Matt Flynn, who took over for Rodgers the last time that he got injured was tossed around the league since then, and was just recently signed by the Packers in order to fix the problem at the quarterback position.

    He went down early in their game against the Bears, a game that they would later lose. It was originally reported that the star quarterback would be out 3-6 weeks, and as this weekend marks the 6 week mark, it comes time for coach Mike McCarthy and Packers to reevaluate the situation.

    Aaron Rodgers’ fate in the remaining games of season is uncertain at this point, and with the way the team has played without him, it is unlikely that they will be able to make the playoffs. With any injury, it is better to play it safe and not come back too soon, which Rodgers understands, and he does not want to chance anything.

    He will have a limited participant in practice on Wednesday with Matt Flynn as the starter. In Sunday’s game, the Packers will play the Atlanta Falcons, a team that has had a lot of trouble winning this season.

    Over the weekend, a source told NFL Media Insider Ian Rappaport that Aaron Rodgers would be “lucky” to play on Sunday, and recent comments from Mike McCarthy have done nothing to change that.

    Upon seeing the x-rays, Rodgers said “We’re now four weeks and one day from my fracture. I’ve made a lot of progress. A lot of it is just the bone healing. Bone takes three to six weeks to heal. We all hoped we’d be on the short end of that. … I desperately want to be out there, but it has to look good.”

    As one of the top players in the league, the Packers have missed Aaron Rodgers greatly, and would love to see him return to the field. However, if he is not cleared medically, then bringing him back on the field may not be the smart decision in this case. Coming off of a blowout loss against the Lions, the Packers have a record of 5-6-1, and since Rodgers left the field, they are 0-4-1, proving that they are unable to play without him. They are currently in third place in the NFC North.

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  • Jerome Simpson DUI-Arrested On DUI Charges

    Jerome Simpson, a wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, was arrested on Saturday morning. He was suspected of driving while under the influence, just a day after the Vikings defeated the Washington Redskins on Thursday night football. He was arrested in Minnesota, in Hennepin County.

    Simpson performed sobriety tests, and shortly after, he was arrested for DWI. He is currently being held without bail, and was received by the jail at 5:39 a.m. The arrest report, which was obtained by CBS Sports, shows that he was in a dodge charger that was stalled on the side of the road.

    He exited his vehicle after the trooper showed up, and the trooper observed signs of intoxication, which included watery eyes and slurred speech. He could remain in jail until Tuesday, however his spokesman said that he could see a judge, and help his case of getting out early. He has posted a $12,000 bond, but continues to remain in custody.

    The Vikings are currently in last place in the NFC North, with a record of 2-7, after their win on Thursday. Meanwhile, the other three teams continued to battle it out, and after today’s win in Chicago, the Detroit Lions are at the top of the division.

    Despite the disappointing record for the Minnesota Vikings, Jerome Simpson is the leader of the team, and leads in receiving yards with 491. He is on his second one-year contract with the team, after spending three years with the Bengals.

    The NFL star previously spent 15 days in jail for a felony drug conviction tied to a marijuana shipment to his home. For that offense, he was also suspended for three games by the NFL.

    In relation to Jerome Simpson’s DUI charge, the Vikings are continuing to gather more information, and have refused to make a comment at this time.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQkK_521-Qc

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  • Adrian Peterson Impresses Fans, Still Loses To Lions

    Adrian Peterson, the Minnesota Viking running back, picked up right where he left off in the 2012 season. Last year, Peterson won the MVP trophy after rushing for over 2,000 yards on 348 attempts. Peterson is a graduate of Oklahoma and has been in the league for seven years. For much of last season especially, Peterson accounted for much of the Vikings’ offense, and they have struggled against their opponents on a number of occasions.

    The Vikings are in the NFC North along with the Packers, Bears and Lions and today marked their first regular season game of the year. They match-up against the Detroit Lions. The Vikings lost the game with a final score of 34-24.

    The Lions have had a number of troubles in recent years as well, but seem to be getting their groove back with the help of their star receiver, Calvin Johnson. In Peterson’s season debut against the Lions, he rushed 18 times for 93 yards and 2 touchdowns. He later received a touchdown through the air, which was their final score, coming in the third quarter. He clearly started the game off on a positive note when he took his first run of the game for 78 yards and scored a touchdown, according to SB Nation. Just like last season, quarterback Christian Ponder struggled in week 1 and if that continues, the Vikings will be forced to rely on Peterson for much of their offense again.

    The 78 yard rush put Peterson just six yards away from his week 1 total in 2012. He is also off to a much more powerful start this year, since it took him until week 3 to reach 100 yards in a single game, coming only 7 yards shy of that mark during this performance.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxMm_M1b4WY

    Peterson looks to lead the league in rushing once again and has said that his goal is to get 2,500 rushing yards this year, according to the LA Times. In last year’s MVP winning season, he was just nine yards short of setting the NFL single-season rushing record. If he is determined to hit the mark of 2,500 rushing yards, then he needs to rush for about 160.5 yards per game in the remaining games in the season. Although, to break the single-season rushing record held by Eric Dickerson, he only needs to average 134.2 yards per game.

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