Charles Tillman said he expect the veteran referees to hit the ground running.

Philip Rivers, Matt Birk and Charles Tillman do good not only on the field but off of it, sealing their places as finalists for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

In a league filled with stars, where every team has its marquee guys, it is the unheralded players that can truly make the difference in how teams fare year to year. In our 2010 film study, we have identified 22 players who stand out on tape but may not be the first names that come to mind when you think of their respective positions.

With honorable mention shout outs to Jay Cutler, Charles Tillman and James Harrison, here’s a list of most valuable players (and coaches) from the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

The NFL Network research team sent out the final numbers on the Bears’ 35-24 win over the Seahawks.

A few nuggets at halftime of the Seahwawks-Bears divisional game at Soldier Field.

During the course of my filmwork each week for “Playbook,” many unheralded players jump off the film with their performances.

The Bears expect to have CB Charles Tillman (concussion) and DT Tommie Harris (knee) for Sunday’s game against the Rams, according to a team source.

Teams have released their practice participation reports for Thursday. Here’s a look at what’s happening with some of the notable players.

Browns NT Shaun Rogers, Eagles WR DeSean Jackson and Falcons QB Matt Ryan were among the players who sustained injuries in Week 12.

The 49ers will need Frank Gore to be prepared for a heavy work load on Thursday night against the Bears, as backup RB Glen Coffee (concussion) has been officially ruled out.

With all of the Week 9 action in the books, here’s a look at some of Sunday’s notable injuries we’re tracking.

Rookie defensive tackle B.J. Raji is listed as questionable on the Packers’ injury report for Sunday’s season opener vs. the division rival Chicago Bears.

The Bears cut veteran CB Rod Hood, who had signed with the team earlier this week, and 15 other players to finalize their 53-man roster.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Bears CB Charles Tillman will be out indefinitely because of a back injury.