Owens ‘iffy’ for Dallas’ playoff opener
Terrell Owens might not be ready to go when the Dallas Cowboys play their first playoff game.
“Terrell’s still iffy,” Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said after Sunday’s 27-6 loss to the Washington Redskins in the regular-season finale.
Owens (sprained ankle) was hurt in last weekend’s victory over the Carolina Panthers.
“You’re not as good offensively without T.O.,” said quarterback Tony Romo, who was 7 for 16 for 86 yards and an interception in about 2 1/2 quarters of work against Washington.
Patriots-Giants draw record numbers
NFL fans around the country took advantage of the opportunity to see Saturday night’s historic game.
An average of 34.5 million viewers watched the New England Patriots become the first team to go 16-0 in the regular season, the largest audience for an NFL non-playoff game in more than 12 years.
The game received a 24.0 rating and a 40 share in New York and a huge 50.1/75 in Boston.
Levy ready to step down
Marv Levy is preparing to step down as Buffalo Bills general manager, according to numerous reports Sunday.
Citing “multiple” unnamed sources, Buffalo’s WIVB-TV reported the Bills and the 82-year-old Levy reached “a mutual decision” that he would retire after concluding his second year on the job. The station reported an announcement could come as early as this week.
Record proportion of kick returns in ‘07
Devin Hester continues to break NFL kick return records. He’s not the only one.
There have been 25 kickoff returns for touchdowns and a combined 42 kickoff and punt returns for scores around the league this season. Both numbers are NFL records.
The previous league-wide marks were 18 kickoff return touchdowns in 1998 and 39 combined scores in 2002.
Hester, the Chicago Bears’ returner extraordinaire, broke his own NFL record when he returned a punt 64 yards for a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints, his sixth kick return TD of the season.
Also on Sunday, the Houston Texans’ Andre’ Davis had two kickoff returns for TDs against Jacksonville.
Manning, Wayne reach milestones early
Peyton Manning extended his own NFL record for most seasons with 4,000 yards passing in the first quarter against Tennessee.
Manning needed 55 yards to reach the mark for the eighth time in his career, and it didn’t take him long. On Indy’s first possession, Manning was 8 of 9 for 58 yards to top 4,000, then left after the Colts’ second series.
Early in the second quarter two-time Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne became the second player in Colts history with 100 receptions in a season.
Gonzalez passes Sharpe
Kansas City’s Tony Gonzalez broke the NFL record for receptions by a tight end, catching his 816th career pass early in the third quarter against the New York Jets, passing the old mark of 815 set by Shannon Sharpe.
Associated Press