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. Let’s take a look at the 2011 goats, and who might steal their crown in 2012.

The elite eight in the NFL have now been whittled down to four. But before we can look ahead to championship weekend, we need to look at what was unexpected (and expected) from the divisional playoffs.

With the start of the 2012 season, NFL history — on both sides of the ball — is in the making. Watch how players and teams etched their way into record books in Week 1. Ed Reed Move over, Rod Woodson. Ed Reed is now the all-time leader in interception return yards with 1,497. ————————————————————————————————————————————– Peyton Manning In his return to the NFL, the Broncos quarterback threw his 400th and 401st touchdown passes. Manning is now third on the Passing TD Leaders list behind Brett Farve (#1) and Dan Marino (#2). ————————————————————————————————————————————– New England Patriots With a 34-13 defeat of the Tennessee Titans, the New England Patriots have won their last 9 season opening games, the longest current winning streak in the NFL. […]

49ers punter Andy Lee put it best when he said, “There must be something in the water” in the Bay Area. That’s the only explanation as to why, for likely the first time ever, the kicking units for the NFC and AFC each come from two teams from one area: 49ers and Raiders.

One of the John Madden‘s credos was to never take points off the board. But 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh did just, and it had a big impact on fantasy football owners’ seasons.

The good folks on the NFL Network research desk have sent out the statistical notes from the Packers’ 21-16 win over the Eagles on Sunday.

Michael Vick and the Eagles had no comeback magic this time around.

December is a stressful month for all NFL players, but it can be especially tough on kickers, who can determine a team’s playoff fate with one field-goal attempt. But that doesn’t mean they can’t get into the holiday spirit, so we asked some NFL kickers to share with us their favorite Christmas tunes. Philadelphia Eagles kicker David Akers went the traditional route with Oh Holy Night.

The players family barbecue on Friday was a great times that reminds you the Pro Bowl is about more than the players and actual game.

The students at St. Thomas Aquinas High School received a cool treat on Wednesday when Pro Bowl practices began on campus.

Here’s a look at the 2009 NFL.com All-Fantasy team, a list headlined by Titans RB Chris Johnson.

Making adjustments and last-minute decisions are a big part of having a successful fantasy football draft, according to Michael Fabiano.