(AP Photo/Bob Leverone)

To start things off, let’s be completely honest with ourselves. The NFL never really stops. From the combine to free agency to the draft and so on, we’re always hungry for consuming content about our favorite sport. But, there are points where those glorious Sundays in September seem painfully far away. Like right now.

We’re currently adrift in this sea of nothingness that is pre-free agency. Sure, there are rumors stirring about. After free agency opens next Tuesday there should be a flurry of news to get us excited about football again. Yet, March is one of the longest months without football. First off, there are 31 days. And for the teams not making splashes in free agency, there is not much to get excited about during any of those days. Aside from the over-abundance of “NEW” mock drafts and Tim Tebow trade rumors, it’s a dire time for football fans. So, in honor of the NCAA tournament (and my own state of mind during this time of year) I wanted to devote some cyber ink on ways to pass the time during this period of March Madness. And before I waste anyone’s valuable time rambling any longer, let’s get to it:

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If you didn’t know any better, you’d believe Terrell Suggs doesn’t care for the Patriots. Suggs has called the Patriots “arrogant pricks” in the past and on Thursday, he told Boston radio station WEEI the Patriots don’t “respect anybody,” and he “guarantees the other 31 teams hate the New England Patriots.”

All 31 teams Terrell? Hyperbole much? But when you think about it, Suggs does have a point.

So with the help of the intrepid Alex Gelhar and Adam Rank, we look for 31 reasons why every team hates the New England Patriots.

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AFC:

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1. Buffalo Bills

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The Patriots had a surplus of quarterbacks after the 2001 season, so, of course, the Bills ended up with Drew Bledsoe and not Tom Brady.

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2. Miami Dolphins

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The obvious rivalry aside, to find the true root of the Dolphins’ fans hatred, you have to go back to the 1985 AFC Championship Game. The Patriots took apart the Dolphins in Miami, 31-14. The Patriots would go on to lose in Super Bowl XX to the Chicago Bears. You know, the team the Dolphins beat in the regular season and would have had a good chance of beating again in the rematch.

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3. New York Jets

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Outside of the recent beatings, Bill Belichick was the coach of the Jets, for like a day. And then he ended up with the New England Patriots. I’m not saying the Jets would have ended up with Tom Brady and three Super Bowls but, oh wait, that’s exactly what I’m saying.

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4. Baltimore Ravens

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You know, for a team that just won the Super Bowl, guys like Terrell Suggs sure are talking a lot about a team they beat in the playoffs. Apparently Brady and Co. still has space rented out between Suggs’ ears.

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5. Cincinnati Bengals

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The Bengals have no real reason to hate the Patriots, but much like how your younger siblings like the things you like and hate the things you hate, the Bengals likely hate the Patriots because the big brothers of the AFC North do. If anything, the Bengals might actually like the Patriots. If not for the Patriots, the Bengals would have the universally recognized worst uniform in the NFL. So they have that going for them.

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6. Cleveland Browns

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Belichick coached the Browns and was poised for a big 1995 season (the team started 3-1) until rumors of an impending move surfaced to ruin the team. Now, I’m not trying to say the Browns would have ended up with Tom Brady and three Super Bowl titles, but wait, that’s exactly what I’m saying.

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7. Pittsburgh Steelers

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The Patriots won two AFC Championship Games in Pittsburgh during the Brady-Belichick era. Bledsoe came off the bench to lead the Patriots over the Steelers in the 2001 AFC Championship Game (please don’t bring up the spot, Steelers fan). Brady engineered a blowout in the 2004 AFC Championship Game, with a 41-27 romp at Heinz Field.

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8. Houston Texans

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Somebody convinced the Texans it would be a cool idea to wear letterman’s jackets for a huge showdown in New England on Monday night football in Week 14. And then the Patriots made them look like a freshman squad in a 42-14 beat down. Now those jackets live in infamy in the dark closets of those Texans players or on the shelves of the Sugar Land, Texas Goodwill center.

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9. Indianapolis Colts

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Whenever the debate for best quarterback of the era heats up, Patriots fans will point out Brady has three rings to Manning’s single Super Bowl win. The Colts did exercise a matter of revenge in the 2006 AFC Championship Game, but you still get the sense Indy fans are still smarting from the dismissiveness of the Patriots fans. And judging by the number of Manning jerseys still in Indianapolis, this one isn’t going away any time soon.

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10. Jacksonville Jaguars

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The Jaguars have made the playoffs just twice since the year 2000, and both times they were eliminated by the Patriots. New England got Jacksonville, 28-3, in the 2005 wild card playoffs. The Jags were a little more competitive in the 2007 divisional round, but still lost, 31-20.

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11. Tennessee Titans

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The Titans had a pretty good squad in 2003 but traveled to New England for the playoffs. The Titans hung tough and were tied late into the fourth quarter. But then the Brady magic led the Patriots to a field goal with just over four minutes remaining to give New England a 17-14 lead.

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12. Denver Broncos

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Now the Broncos fans have jumped into the great debate about who is better, Brady or Manning. And while a lot of the Patriots fans will laugh at Manning’s playoff failures, well, the Broncos loss to the Ravens won’t help that argument for Manning. Even though the Broncos lost to the Ravens, the Broncos fans are even more upset with the Patriots and their snickering.

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13. Kansas City Chiefs

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The Patriots sent Scott Pioli, Romeo Crennel and Matt Cassel to the Chiefs. Geeze Patriots, what did the Chiefs ever do to you?  Oh, right. Moving on.

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14. Oakland Raiders

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Really? Do we have to talk about this one? I’ve got one word for you: Tuck Rule. Even more than a decade removed from the infamous “tuck rule” game, the Raiders and their fans are still bitter over it. Which seems totally weird because the Raiders fans are the kind of people who seem to be able to seamlessly let go of the past.

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15. San Diego Chargers

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The Patriots mimicked Shawne Merriman’s dance during the 2006 AFC Divisional Playoffs at the Q. Of course, all Chargers fans remember Marlon McCree fumbling after he intercepted Tom Brady’s pass late in the game which would have sealed the win.

-Adam Rank @adamrank

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NFC

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16. Dallas Cowboys

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Cowboys fans boil with rage every time the Patriots are referred to as a “dynasty,” and they’ll be quick to argue that their iconic 90s team was more of a true dynasty, since their 1994 season ended in the NFC Championship game, while the Patriots failed to even make the playoffs in 2002 after their first Super Bowl victory. And the Cowboys themselves should hate the Patriots for a) beating them three straight times in the Brady era, and b) having a savvier owner in Robert Kraft.

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17. New York Giants

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The Giants really have no reason to hate Tom Brady’s Patriots since they have the distinction of being the only team to beat him in the Super Bowl. And they did it twice. However, legendary Giants head coach Bill Parcells retired from coaching after winning his second Super Bowl with the Giants in 1991. His retirement was short, however, as just two years later he returned to coach the New England Patriots, leading them to a Super Bowl in just three years, while the Giants stumbled through the 90s.

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18. Philadelphia Eagles

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Tom Brady Super Bowl victim #3. Super Bowl XXXIX was the Eagles first Super Bowl appearance in almost a quarter-century, and came after three straight losses in NFC championship games, so expectations were high. Unfortunately, those expectations came crashing down when Tom Brady and the Patriots handed the Eagles their second Super Bowl loss in as many appearances.

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19. Washington Redskins

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The Redskins were on the receiving end of one of Bill Belichick’s classic “I don’t care that we’re up by 80 points, let’s go for it on fourth down” games during the Patriots run to perfection in 2007. With the Patriots already leading 38-0 in the third quarter, on a fourth-and-1 at the Redskins 7-yard line, Belichick opted to have Brady run for the first instead of mercy-kicking a field goal. The Patriots continued to run up the score en route to a 52-7 stomping, the Redskins worst loss since 1961.

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20. New Orleans Saints

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Probably the lone sore spot in the weak Saints-Patriots rivalry is when the Saints traded away a second round pick in 2011 and a first round pick in 2012 to move up and draft Mark Ingram, who has had a lackluster first two seasons in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Patriots picked up Shane Vereen (who scored three touchdowns in the AFC divisional game last season), and the talented pass rusher Chandler Jones. The jury is out for the time being, but the Saints arguably could have used some defensive talent like Jones or Don’t’a Hightower (who the Pats also selected in the first round) from the 2012 draft class instead of the backfield crowding Ingram.

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21. Carolina Panthers

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Tom Brady Super Bowl victim #2. It was Carolina’s first and only Super Bowl appearance. They seemed destined for a shot to win football’s greatest prize in overtime… until John Kasay’s kickoff rolled out of bounds with just over one minute left. That was too much time and too short of a field for Tom Brady, who promptly marched the Patriots down the field so Adam Vinatieri could kick the game winning field goal, effectively ending the Jake Delhomme’s run as a successful quarterback.

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22. Atlanta Falcons

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Back in 1991, the Patriots held the #1 overall pick in the draft, which the Falcons coveted because they wanted to draft then No. 1 prospect Raghib Ismail. The Patriots instead traded it to the Cowboys who failed to stop Ismail from signing with the Toronto Argonauts. Unable to make a deal with Dallas, Atlanta’s dreams of pairing Ismail with Andre Rison to give quarterback Crhsi Miller two top targets was dashed by the stingy Patriots.  Atlanta instead drafted Bruce Pickens and Mike Pritchard in the first round, both of whom were off the team by 1994, while Dallas took future Pro Bowl defensive tackle Russell Maryland number one overall, who helped anchor their defense en route to three Super Bowls in the next four years. The fact that Ismail was never elite in the NFL is irrelevant, Atlanta wanted that pick!

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23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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In the Buccaneers first season as an NFL franchise, they became the first team to go 0-14 in an NFL season. The Patriots were the Buccaneers’ last shot at a victory in week 14, but the Buccaneers were trounced 31-14 on their home turf. Ouch.

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24. Green Bay Packers

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Even though the Packers bested the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI to return the Lombardi trophy to Titletown, when Tom Brady came to Lambeau Field for the first time he had different plans. Brady and the Patriots wiped the floor with the Brett Favre led Packers in Lambeau in 2006, something that was impossible during Favre’s early years in Green Bay. Brady and the Patriots laughed in the face of the “Frozen Tundra,” and left with a resounding 35-0 victory.

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25. Minnesota Vikings

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Call it the Troy Williamson effect. The Vikings traded Randy Moss to the Oakland Raiders for a player (I dare you to tell me who without using Google) and a few picks, which they turned into Troy Williamson in the 2005 draft. Williamson was supposed to be the heir apparent for Moss but washed out of the NFL a few years later. Meanwhile, after suffering through the Oakland Raiders, Moss reemerged as his old dominant self in 2007 when he set the record for receiving touchdowns in a season… with the Patriots. The Vikings reacquired Moss from the Patriots during the 2010 season by trading away a third round pick, but he was never the same and the Vikings were burned, again.

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26. Chicago Bears

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The Bears hatred for the Patriots stems back to the 1985 season, when the Bears handled the Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. Super Bowl shuffles aside, the Bears victory will forever be diminished by the inferiority of their opponent. New England’s “Cinderella” status is a blemish on the Bears one and only Super Bowl win and for that the Bears hate the Patriots. As Adam pointed out above, a rematch with the Dolphins would have been preferable, but the Patriots went and screwed it up.

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27. Detroit Lions

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The Lions always play their hearts out on their traditional Thanksgiving Day game. Despite their pride in representing this time honored tradition, they only own a 33-36-2 record all-time on turkey day, and two of their recent defeats have come at the hands of the Patriots.

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28. San Francisco 49ers

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San Francisco owns an 8-4 record all-time over the Patriots, but their real beef should be with the Patriots for dropping the 2012 AFC Championship Game to the Baltimore Ravens, who eventually beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl. The 49ers were likely hoping for a rematch against the Patriots, whom they’d ran up 41 points against in Foxboro just a few weeks prior behind the legs and arm of Colin Kaepernick.

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29. Arizona Cardinals

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The Cardinals upset the Patriots in week 2 last season, and that was with Kevin Kolb at the helm, so why should they hate the Patriots? They followed that up by losing nine of their next 11 games, and are still currently in the market for a franchise quarterback. The Patriots on the other hand, have that guy named Brady and now it’s rumored the Cardinals could be in line for former Patriots and soon-to-be Chiefs cast off Matt Cassel.  The Cardinals (and Cardinals fans) would probably prefer Brady’s backup Ryan mallet, but the odds of pulling him out from the Pats organization cheaply are less likely than the Cardinals winning the Super Bowl next season. And those odds aren’t good at all.

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30. Seattle Seahawks

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The Seahawks were also a team that upset the Patriots last season, giving us Richard Sherman’s now legendary tweet “U MAD BRO? in the process. The Seahawks, like several other teams, don’t have much reason to hate the Patriots, but they could very soon. Statistician Nate Silver recently predicted a Seahawks-Patriots matchup for Super Bowl XLVIII. Tom Brady’s not mad now, but he probably will be if these teams meet in Brady’s sixth Super Bowl, which could spell disaster for the young, fiery Seahawks defense.

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31. St. Louis Rams

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Tom Brady Super Bowl victim #1. Brady squashed the Rams hopes of becoming a dynasty, and instead, started one of his own. Had Warner beat Tom Brady for his second Super Bowl win in three years, we could be discussing Warner as the one chasing Montana’s Super Bowl win record, and not Brady.

-Alex Gelhar @alexgelhar

The 2013 NFL Scouting Combine (or underwear Olympics as it’s also commonly known) has come to a close. Hundreds of NFL hopefuls descended on Lucas Oil Stadium over the last several days to try to run, jump and lift their way into the hearts of NFL coaches and scouts across the land. But what were the most entertaining stories circling the combine that deserve revisiting? That’s what we’re here for. So sit back, put your feet up, and relive the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine through a more comedic lens.

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Yes, it’s official. We’ve reached that point in the offseason where this constitutes a blog post. With the free agency frenzy simmering down, and the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars hitting ABC last night, we’re using our unlimited amount of cyber-ink to discuss the wildly popular dance show instead of pure football.

Last night, Baltimore Ravens star and Super Bowl XLVII hero Jacoby Jones became the eleventh NFL player to appear on the show. He danced the Cha Cha Cha with his partner Karina Smirnoff and earned a respectable score 20 out of 30 from the judges. We’ll have to stay tuned throughout the season to see how Jacoby fairs compared to the NFL pros that have danced before him.

NFL players have thrice taken the DWTS crown, with former Green Bay Packer Donald Driver winning last season.  In honor of their achievements, let’s take a trip down memory lane and recap the best NFL players on DWTS. To see how all ten of them stacked up, I went to the tape (translation: YouTube, as I’ve never seen a full episode of DWTS in my life).

Here’s my unofficial, yet highly scientific breakdown of the NFL players on DWTS… I’m sure you’re brimming with unbridled anticipation!

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10) Michael Irvin

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(ABC/ADAM LARKEY)

An all-time great wide receiver, Irvin faltered a bit on DWTS. He finished seventh when he appeared on season 9.  If Jones studies the tape, however, he’ll see Irvin did have the right attitude to win, as he was willing to do anything to improve. Seriously, anything.

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Tom Brady restructured his deal on Monday in a move that will give the Patriots some much-needed salary cap relief. A ton of fan enthusiasts have lauded Brady for the move, even calling him a football martyr.

But before we get too crazy with all of this talk, understand Brady does get a lot of guaranteed money for the move. Plus, Brady had a lot of extra “perks” and provisions added to his deal which shows he’s not making out too badly.

NFL.com was able to unearth some of these requests:

• Bill Belichick must wear a tie at least once a year.

• Team must wear Ugg boots on chartered flights.

• I will not get on the charter again if “Blue Bloods” is the in-flight entertainment.

• Fans from Boston are not allowed to make eye contact with me. Just to be on the safe side, nobody named Tommy, Sean or Sully is allowed within 100 feet of my presence.

• At least once a year, everybody must style their hair like their favorite cartoon character. For me, it’s Tin-Tin.

• There must also be at least one “dress like Hannibal Lecter” day, too.

• Gisele gets to pick the team’s next wide receiver.

• I’m given a goat for each year I am with the Patriots.

• Rob Gronkowski must keep his shirt on at all times.

• No matter what, I must make more money than Mark Sanchez at all times.

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With 85^th Academy Awards happening this weekend, some of the best “true” and fictional stories told on the silver screen from last year will be honored with miniature gold statues of a naked man. What an honor! And with the NFL offseason just starting to ramp up at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this weekend, we thought it’d be fun to take advantage of this down time to look into the future and see what remarkable story-lines we could be in line for next season.

Last season featured a number of Hollywood-worthy tales, from the Harbaugh Bowl to the rookie sensations at quarterback to Ray Lewis going out on top and on and on. Below are a few highly speculative storylines for next season that seem utterly ridiculous at first, but are just believable enough where we cannot dismiss them entirely.  Let’s get to it!

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REDemption

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Alex Smith is traded to the Cardinals, who he takes to a sixth seed and a wild card appearance in the NFC. Smith and the Cardinals ride momentum to win three straight road games and reach the Super Bowl. Their most notable victory comes against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game, where Smith receives vindication by beating his former team and the quarterback who literally ran him out of town in the last game to ever be played at Candlestick Park. Now who do the Cardinals face in the Super Bowl? None other than the fiery red headed quarterback Andy Dalton, who finally wins in the playoffs to carry the Bengals to the promised land and earn his own redemption, setting up a classic Super Bowl with two franchises seeking their first victory in the big dance.

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The Second Coming

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Unable to secure a trade for Tim Tebow, the New York Jets release ESPN’s favorite athlete, who clears the waivers and ends up on his couch for the first half of the season. That is until fate strikes across the country in the Bay area, where newly minted starter Tyrelle Pryor for the Oakland Raiders suffers an injury after leading his team to a solid 3-4 start. Having kicked Carson Palmer out the door to clear cap room, the Raiders try to trade for Nick Foles or Kirk Cousins but can’t reach a deal. Desperate for a quarterback, GM Reggie McKenzie calls Tim Tebow, and is able to sign him for next to nothing as Tim just wants a chance. Running the Pistol offense, Tebow and Darren McFadden lead the Raiders to the postseason for the first time in over a decade, where they come face to face with Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. Tebow has just enough magic left in the tanks to stun Manning and co. with a game-winning fourth quarter drive to upset the Broncos and stoking the fire in the debate of whether the Broncos should have stayed with Tebow over acquiring Manning.

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The Odd Couple

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In a bizarre twist of fate, the Seattle Seahawks trade Matt Flynn for Darelle Revis, forming the deepest (and most unnecessary) trio of cornerbacks the league has ever seen. Revis and Richard Sherman are forced to put their Twitter differences aside as they work with Brandon Browner to shut down every passing attack they face. The Seahawks defense from 2012 becomes even more suffocating, and they set new records for points and yards allowed en route to a Super Bowl victory over Tom Brady and the Patriots. This time, however, Revis joins Sherman in trash-talking Brady after the game, and the two complete the most anticipated bro-hug the world has ever seen after hoisting the Lombardi trophy together, no longer enemies, but friends. Cue the awwws.

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O’ Brother Here Art Thou

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Motivated by yet another disappointing postseason, Peyton Manning earns his unprecedented fifth MVP award while leading the Broncos to a perfect 18-0 record and a Super Bowl appearance against the only quarterback to ever defeat an 18-0 team… Peyton’s younger brother Eli Manning. The Harbowl becomes a distant memory as the mainstream media gives up covering anything other than Manning vs. Manning for the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, and the two months following it.

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Look Who’s Elite Now

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With Joe Flacco winning the Super Bowl the same year he declared himself the best quarterback in the league, everyone heads into the 2013 season following suit. Jay Cutler, Tony Romo, Phillip Rivers, Matthew Stafford, and even Mark Sanchez (but everyone mostly laughs at his proclamation) all declare themselves the greatest quarterback alive during the preseason. All of these quarterbacks further the debate by leading their team to the postseason (minus Sanchez), when an unexpected dark horse emerges to take the Lombardi trophy home and earn Super Bowl MVP honors – Matt Schaub! The debate continues as Schaub now has the hardware to back up his claim at elite status, while the rest of the league scrambles for answers. Meanwhile, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers sit in disbelief that they have as many titles as Matt Schuab and Joe Flacco.

Follow Alex on Twitter @AlexGelhar

In honor of the NBA trade deadline, we asked you to give us your blockbuster trades if you were the GM of your favorite NFL team for a day by tweeting #ImtheGM to @nfl on Twitter or commenting on Facebook. By the day’s end you gave us some outstanding and interesting responses. To pay tribute to the awesome (and savvy) fans of the NFL, we’ve highlighted some of the best and boldest GM ideas below:

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@nfl Pats trade Tom Brady to Ravens for Flacco and Rice. #ImTheGM—
Jim Bob (@JBerths) February 21, 2013

Giving up one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time for Flacco and Rice? Unless you’re making this deal after a long happy hour, this one doesn’t make too much sense.

#ImTheGM I have faith in Tony Romo, but honestly?, RGIII to Dallas #Cowboys, ultimate blockbuster deal. @nfl—
Khyle Deen (@KhyleDeen) February 21, 2013

Hmmm… not sure the Redskins fans would be too pleased with this deal, considering Romo threw as many interceptions in two games against the Redskins as RG3 threw all year.

#ImTheGM Trade Percy Harvin for Darelle Revis. Fills a glaring positional need on both teams.—
Jody Wielgosh (@chilwil0) February 21, 2013

This… actually makes a lot of sense. Harvin would love the spotlight of the Big Apple, until he drops a game-winning touchdown and is pummeled by the New York media for weeks after.

Packers need a play making RB.
Deal for Darren McFadden or Fred Jackson
#ImTheGM—
Henry Bruno (@Bruno4USA) February 21, 2013

A dynamic running back would make Aaron Rodgers even better, a scary thought for the rest of the NFL. But wouldn’t you want to keep the coffers stocked to pay Rodgers instead of inheriting one of these running backs’ salaries?

@nfl #ImTheGM for St Louis Rams I want to bring in Dwayne Bowe and resign amendola.—
Mike Moore (@MikeMoore5) February 21, 2013

This #ImtheGM tweet is approved by Sam Bradford!

Nobody!!! Because #ImTheGM of the Seahawks! #LoadedRoster—
Andrew Larkin (@drewlark) February 21, 2013

Well, now let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. Another play-making wide receiver could make DangeRuss even more dangerous on Sundays.

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Facebook

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Why not a younger deep threat like Bowe or Wallace? But I guess you wanted someone with less emotional baggage and gives it his all every play like Randy Moss.

Sandcastle to the 49ers might be more likely than some of the trades suggested here, but kudos for shooting so high!

Harvin would certainly help the Seahawks offense, as long as the constant rain in Seattle doesn’t give him too many migraines.

Let’s not forget Reed used to play for Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano. He would probably relish the chance to lead Chuck’s defense once more.

Alex Smith and Montee Ball could help energize the Jets offense, but who would Smith throw it to? Cordarrelle Patterson in the first might make more sense than Jordan if you’re focused on retooling the offense.

Keep sharing your suggestions with us on Facebook or by using #ImtheGM on Twitter. 

Will you find Andrew Luck?  Perhaps not, but Indianapolis Colts fans will have a chance to check out Lucas Oil Stadium in all its panoramic glory on Google Maps.  Visit the locker room, the Quarterback Suite and even more.  Below is a view of the field:

For more awesome 360 degree images click here

Adam Schein gave his nine proposals to improve the NFL on Tuesday.  Naturally, we later turned the proverbial microphone over to the fans on Twitter to see what they thought would help improve the game we all love so much. Fans tweeted back their thoughts with #ChangeTheGame, and the response was overwhelming. Here are the best and most interesting suggestions from the NFL’s passionate, and vocal fan base.

@nfl @nfl Move NFL Draft to before opening of free agency. Let teams draft best available, then fill roster needs with FAs. #ChangetheGame—
Ryan Terrell (@rpTerrell) February 12, 2013

It seems unlikely, but it’d be interesting to see how a change like this might impact the free agent market. The NFL Players Association might not go for it, however, as it could lessen the demand for the free agent players seeking big contracts.

@nfl PI should be half the distance to the spot of foul. I think it's crazy to always assume a catch and give them the spot. #ChangeTheGame—
Elliot Mortell (@PonyUpPedey) February 12, 2013

Or maybe just have the maximum yardage amount for pass interference be 15 yards as it is in college?

@nfl To challenge a play the coach must arm wrestle Ed Hochuli. #ChangeTheGame—
A. Breitbarth (@Birdkill_r) February 12, 2013

Entertaining, sure, but what happens when Mike Carey is officiating? Or Tony Corrente? They probably wouldn’t stonewall as many challenges as Ed “Hercules” Hochuli.

@nfl NO divisions. Every team should play each other by conference every year (15+1 interconf game) best 6 go to playoffs #ChangeTheGame—
tino gianacopulos (@gianacopulos) February 12, 2013

This could improve the already impressive amount of parity in the NFL, but the downside of losing those exhilarating divisional games at the end of the year is too much for us to get behind this one.

@nfl sensors in the ball for correcting bad placement on first down and scoring plays #ChangetheGame—
Donald Sutherland (@dsutherland6214) February 12, 2013

If the science exists, it would be useful and benefit the game … until Rob Gronkowski ruins all of the sensors with his touchdown spikes.

@nfl Increase field size to assist with player safety. #ChangeTheGame—
Jaz (@The_Thrill) February 12, 2013

This idea has been discussed before, even on this very site. But does the rest of the league really want to give Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers 35 more yards of field to work with? Probably not.

Share the rest of your suggestions by using #ChangeTheGame on Twitter!

Who are the elite quarterbacks in the NFL? It’s the debate that never stops. Every year fans and pundits alike try to add in a new name, or keep one out. While there is no clear definition of what makes a quarterback “elite,” the research gurus here at NFL.com compiled statistics for every current starting quarterback in the NFL to see who rose to the top in several marquee categories.

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Statistics – Did they lead the league this year?

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The Elite:

The Breakdown:

Starting QBs that are in the top 20 Passer Rating: 

Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Cam Newton, Jay Cutler, Andy Dalton, Tony Romo, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Schaub, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Carson Palmer, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Russell Wilson, Sam Bradford, Josh Freeman, Robert Griffin III

And also the top 14 most passing yards: 

Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Tony Romo, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Schaub, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Carson Palmer, Sam Bradford, Josh Freeman

And also the top 10 fewest interceptions: 

Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Cam Newton, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Schaub, Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Carson Palmer, Sam Bradford

And also the top five most touchdown passes:

Matt Ryan, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Eli Manning

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The San Francisco 49ers are heading to their first Super Bowl since 1995 with a 28-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons. We found some Instagram images of the players celebrating their trip to New Orleans.

Instagram: @kylewilliams_10

Instagram: @kingcrab

Instagram: @cullyinthehouse

Instagram: @cullyinthehouse

Instagram: @patricklwillis

Nothing like getting ready for the NFC and AFC Championship games with our exciting trailers. The NFC trailer is above, and you can watch the AFC trailer here.

Now that you’re pumped up and ready for some football, here’s what else we put together to get you ready for Sunday:

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Ask the average fan for their thoughts on the United States Football League and you’ll likely get a shrug and this response, “That ‘He Hate Me’ was kind of cool.”

And then fire up the Kenny Loggins because they just entered the ‘danger zone’ of my blind rage.

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Year after year, when a team loses a big game the fans, and sometimes players, anoint a scapegoat, or more simply a goat, to carry the blame. Last year’s round of championship games feature three such goats that earned the ire of their teams’ fan bases: Kyle Williams, Billy Cundiff, and Lee Evans to be specific. So let’s take a look and see what each of those players are up to as we anxiously await this year’s championship slate while also taking a look ahead at who has the best chance of earning the “goat” title for 2012.

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Ranking the 2011 Goats

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#1 – Kyle Williams

Poor, poor Kyle Williams. Your team makes it to the conference championship and you accidentally touch the football on a punt in the fourth quarter, giving it to the Giants. Oh, and then you fumble again in overtime after your defense stopped Eli Manning not once, but twice, giving him a short field for the game-winning field goal.

Current Status: Still a 49er, but on IR after a torn ACL and the beginning of a bounce-back season.

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The elite eight in the NFL have now been whittled down to four. After a weekend full of remarkable games, the San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, and New England Patriots emerged victorious. But before we can look ahead to championship weekend, we need to look at what was unexpected (and expected) from the divisional playoffs.

Let’s go.

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