Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
PBT: Jeremy Lin wasn't his hot self on Saturday, but he still led the Knicks to victory.
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Golf's dream pairing - Woods and Mickelson - is on the course in the final round at Pebble Beach. Jason Sobel has hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
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Each week John Madden answers readers questions. To ask Coach a question, e-mail him at:
What's been the biggest difference in the Jets this season? Is it Favre or something else?
Matt from Long Island
Madden: No, Matt, I think they are playing good defense, they are running the ball well and maybe Favre is the spark. They thought they were going to be the same old Jets, have a nice year and not win the division and maybe not be a playoff team, and then they get Favre and they think, well jeez, maybe we can make some noise this year. And just after they got Favre, Tom Brady goes down. I think that gave them a whole new hope and a new outlook, and they are playing that way.
Which rookie quarterback has impressed you more, Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco?
Chris from Duluth, Ga.
Madden: They both have impressed me, Chris. Over the years there have been a lot of rookie quarterbacks in the league and usually the biggest problem that they have even if they are going to be great ones in the future is being consistent as rookies and these guys have not shown that inconsistency. They have been pretty consistent and I just marvel that they are able to do it. I don't know right now that I would say I like one better than the other because I just kind of put them both together and say that they are helping their teams and are both on teams that haven't had quarterbacks. Both teams have had a good defense, a good running game, an offensive line and no quarterback. They have not only played well but they have steadied pretty shaky situations.
Are you surprised by Miami's turnaround this season?
Jeff M. from Aventura, Fla.
Madden: Yes I am Jeff. One thing I know is that when Bill Parcells goes some place he knows how to build a team. But you are thinking that it is going to take him 2, 3, or 4 years to get rid of the players he doesn't think can play and get ones in there he thinks can play. I expected that there would be a turnaround and I thought you would see a little bit of it this year and more next and then a little more the year after. I am not surprised that there is a turnaround; I am surprised that the turnaround is this big.
It seems like the Ravens are getting overlooked in the AFC. Do you agree?
Aaron from Maryland
Madden: Aaron, I do agree. They are one of the teams with the rookie quarterback coming in and playing like he has kind of surprised everyone. In the preseason polls and things they weren't picked to be this good. The first half of the season you are kind of looked at as how you were last year, if that makes any sense. Then after the first half of the season you kind of become an identity or identification or personality of this year and that is kind of what they are doing now. I think it is the same thing with Atlanta and Tennessee, that these are teams that people didn't expect to be top teams and you don't think they are and then you don't believe they are until you get to the 10th week of the season and then you say holy cow, look at these teams.
Coach, what's more likely... Detroit winning a game or Tennessee losing one?
Thanks from Harry in Michigan
Madden: Geez, Harry, I would think and I'm not gonna pick who is going to do what, but I would think both Tennessee is going to lose a game and Detroit is going to win a game. To answer the question I would say that Tennessee going undefeated would be the biggest surprise.
Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
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Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
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Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
