2013 Playoffs Super Bowl Preview Football ERA Formula Podcast

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Report: Patriots asked about acquiring Larry Fitzgerald

The Patriots’ search for wide receiver help continued throughout last season.
But they tried to make a sizable splash to address the problem.
According to Tom Curran of CSNNE.com, the Patriots “sent out feelers“ to the Cardinals last year to see if Larry Fitzgerald happened to be available available.
There’s no indication the inquiry was viewed as serious, or progressed very far.
Fitzgerald is 30, and will count $18 million against the salary cap, so it might be worth calling back.
The Patriots got a good year out of Julian Edelman, but the need for a big-time target for Tom Brady remains.
Of course, the Cardinals showed a pulse this year under new coach Bruce Arians, just missing the playoffs at 10-6, so dealing a key part might not be anything they’d consider at all.
At any rate, the fact the speculation had some legs last offseason will make it a topic until the Patriots make a move at the position.

Source: PFT.com
Author: Darin Gantt
AP Photo: Paul Connors

Peyton Manning: “I certainly want to continue to keep playing”

For the first time all Super Bowl week — and surely not the last time — Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning was asked Sunday about his future beyond the upcoming NFL title game against the Seahawks. Manning smiled as he was asked if he had considered whether Super Bowl XLVIII could be the end of the line for him — and whether a victory would be an ideal way to go out on top.
Here was Manning’s response:
“Well, I know there’s a number of players that have walked away as champions, and I’m sure that’s a great feeling for those people. John Elway, Ray Lewis did it last year, Michael Strahan.
“In talking to Ray Lewis and in talking to John Elway, they couldn’t play anymore. That was all they had to give. They truly left it all out there.
“I certainly had a career change two years ago with my injury, with changing teams, and so I truly have been kind of a one-year-at-a-time basis. So I really have no plans beyond this game, had no plans coming into this season beyond this year. I think that’s the healthy way to approach kind of your career at this stage.
“I still enjoy playing football. I feel a little better than I thought I would at this point coming off that surgery. I still enjoy the preparation part of it, the work part of it. Everybody enjoys the games, everybody’s going to be excited to play in a Super Bowl, but I think when you still enjoy the preparation and the work part of it, I think you probably still ought to be doing that.
“I think as soon as I stop enjoying it, if I can’t produce, if I can’t help the team, that’s when I’ll stop playing. If that’s next year, maybe it is. But I certainly want to continue to keep playing.”

Source: PFT.com
Author: Mike Wilkening
Photo: Getty Images

Richard Sherman fined $7,875 for taunting and unsportsmanlike conduct

Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman’s interview immediately after the end of the NFC Championship Game has been a talking point well beyond the usual football outlets this week.
Meanwhile, his actions immediately after the final 49ers offensive play of the game has drawn a fine for the league. The league has confirmed with PFT that Sherman was fined $7,875 for taunting and unsportsmanlike conduct.
Sherman knocked away a pass intended for 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree in the end zone with seconds to play in the fourth quarter and the ball wound up in the hands of Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith. After the play, Sherman left his celebrating teammates, approached Crabtree and drew a flag for taunting.
Sherman, as captured by NFL Films, stuck out his hand and said “helluva game, helluva game” to Crabtree, who responded by shoving Sherman in the facemask. Crabtree was not fined.
The two players reportedly have had disagreements in the past and they’ll get a chance to renew acquaintances at least twice next season.

Source: PFT.com
Author: Josh Alper
Photo: Getty Images

2013 Playoffs Championship Football ERA Formula Podcast

Photo by Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images

2013 Championship Game Football ERA Results

The Football ERA Formula outputs a result that runs on a scale from approximately 5000 points to -5000 with losing teams that are dominated getting pushed into the negative numbers by their victors.  Defensive Elements of the Formula contribute to this negative score in games constituting blowouts.  A few years back, RealFootballAnalysis.com developed a formula that translates the Final Game Results of The Football ERA into Composite Scores that resemble football scores as much as possible.  Here are the Championship Football ERA Game Results and their corresponding Composite Scores:

	Net	Offense	Offense	Offense	Defense	Defense	Defense
	Total	Total	Rushing	Drives	Total	Rushing	Pressure
SF	1549	679	658	21	870	140	730
Sea	612	555	368	187	57	-140	197
Den	1215	910	226	684	305	44	261
NE	-245	14	524	-511	-259	-44	-215

Photo: Matthew Emmons, USA TODAY Sports


2013 Championship Game Football ERA Composite Scores

SF	…	25
Sea	…	21
Den	…	24
NE	…	16

AP Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez via CorbisImages.com

Romeo Crennel finalizes three-year deal with Texans

The anticipated addition of Romeo Crennel to the Texans’ coaching staff is now official.
According to Jason LaCanfora of CBSSports.com, Crennel has agreed to a three-year contract to become the Texans’ defensive coordinator.
He has shared background with new coach Bill O’Brien from their days in New England (though they didn’t work together there), and his addition won’t require them to change much of their existing 3-4 alignment.
Crennel was out of football last year, cashing checks from the Chiefs after being fired after the 2012 season. The 66-year-old assistant will also have a familiar face with him, as former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel is coming on board as linebackers coach.

Source: PFT.com
Author: Darin Gantt
Photo: Kirby Lee, Image of Sport, USA TODAY Sports

Report: Jahvid Best joining Cal’s coaching staff

Former Lions running back Jahvid Best is reportedly giving coaching a shot.
Via CollegeFootballTalk, Best will be joining California’s coaching staff and attending classes at the school in 2014, according to GoldenBearReport.com.
According to GoldenBearReport.com, Best will “likely be used in a student assistant role” on the Cal staff.
Concussions altered the course of Best’s NFL career. He has not played in an NFL game since October 16, 2011, six days after a splendid performance in a win vs. Chicago on “Monday Night Football.” After missing the rest of the 2011 season, Best wasn’t cleared to return in 2012, and the Lions released him in July.
The 24-year-old Best played at Cal from 2007 through 2009 before declaring for the 2010 NFL Draft. He was a first-round pick of the Lions.

Source: PFT.com
Author: Mike Wilkening
Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn, US PRESSWIRE

Percy Harvin will not play Sunday

Percy Harvin will not play in the NFC Championship Game. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll confirmed that Harvin is out on Sunday against the 49ers after suffering a concussion last week against the Saints. The announcement comes as no surprise: Harvin had missed practice all week, and from all indications he wasn’t going to be able to make it through the NFL’s concussion protocol.
“He will not make it through the doctors’ protocol and will not be able to go,” Carroll said. “It’s super disappointing for Percy — he wants to play. You can see it, he played his tail off when he had his chance, it’s just unfortunate circumstances.”
The Seahawks traded first-, third- and seventh-round draft picks to the Vikings to acquire Harvin in March, and they signed him to a six-year, $67 million contract. But Harvin managed to play in just one regular season game and one postseason game, and he came out of both of those games with injuries.
It’s still possible that Harvin could help the Seahawks win the Super Bowl, and Carroll said he expects Harvin to practice next week — which assumes that the Seahawks will have a next week. But this week, Harvin is out.

Source: PFT.com
Author: Michael David Smith
AP Photo, Elaine Thompson

2013 Divisional Football ERA Formula Podcast

Photo: Sam Sharpe, USA TODAY

2013 Divisional Playoff Football ERA Composite Scores

The Football ERA Formula outputs a result that runs on a scale from approximately 5000 points to -5000 with losing teams that are dominated getting pushed into the negative numbers by their victors.  Defensive Elements of the Formula contribute to this negative score in games constituting blowouts.  A few years back, RealFootballAnalysis.com developed a formula that translates the Final Game Results of The Football ERA into Composite Scores that resemble football scores as much as possible.  Here are this week's Composite Scores:


2013 Divisional Playoff Football ERA Composite Scores

NE	…	37
Ind	…	11
Den	…	35
SD	…	8
NO	…	24
Sea	…	20
SF	…	24
Car	…	20

Photo:
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports