POSTED 8:01 p.m. EST, January 8, 2006

PFT TEN-PACK:  THE WILD CARD ROUND

We'll admit that we've taken a little time off with the whole ten-pack thing.  It actually takes a lot of work . . . and we're actually kind of lazy.

But now that all of the games count again, no motivation is required to prompt us to come up with ten takes from the four games played in the past two days.

1.  Shutout Like A Fox.

The last time the Giants played a home game in the Meadowlands, Panthers coach John Fox was New York's defensive coordinator.  On that day, the Giants pasted the Vikings -- 41 to zip -- for a berth in the Super Bowl.

In the five seasons since, the Giants had played only one postseason game, at San Francisco three years ago.

In the Giants' return to the Meadowlands for a playoff contest, Fox was on the opposing sideline.  And the team coached by Fox pitched another shutout, 23 to nil.

So in the Giants' last two playoff games at the Meadowlands, Fox's teams have won by a combined score of 64-0.

And in the last three total playoff games played in Jersey, including the Jets' 2002 win over the Colts, the winning teams have scored a total of 105 points, and the losers haven't cracked the scoreboard.

Back to the Giants, there's a certain karma, we believe, to the fact that the Giants played so poorly in a home playoff game, given that they picked up an extra home game during the regular season as a result of Hurricane Katrina.  There wasn't much talk about the Giants' bonus game near the end of the season, but the fact that the team only had to pack the bags and go on the road seven times during the regular season easily could have made a difference in at least one game, and one game was the difference between winning the division (and getting a home playoff game), and being a wildcard.

2.  Jags Not Ready For The Playoffs.

We're not prepared to suggest that Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio could soon find himself out of work, given that there were rumblings prior to the season that it was playoffs or else for the third-year head coach.  But we wouldn't be shocked to start hearing rumors that the coach of the worst 12-4 team in NFL history is in a little hot water.

And deservedly so.  The Jags looked very bad on Saturday night in New England, and thoroughly unprepared for the realities of playoff football.

It really didn't help the Jags that, since upsetting the Bengals and Steelers on back-to-back weekends in October, they played only one of 10 games against a team worth a crap (the Colts on December 11).  The other nine games came against patsies:  the Rams, Texans, Ravens, Titans, Cardinals, Browns, 49ers, Texans, Titans.

And the Jags went 8-1 in those games, against teams with a combined final record of 39-105.

Also, the outcome of the Jaguars' first playoff game since the 1999 AFC championship should send a loud message to the Colts, who faced two tough games this season against the team from Jacksonville.  On Saturday night, the Patriots manhandled Indy's home-and-home rival; thus, that monkey Peyton Manning shook off of his neck bolts during the regular season could be back in a big way, if the Pats and Colts get together in the postseason.

3.  Taylor Won't Be Suspended For Next Week's Game.

One of the biggest questions in the wake of Redskins safety Sean Taylor's ejection for putting a loogie in the face mask of a guy who knows a thing or two about antisocial behavior, Bucs running back Michael "Bumper Cars" Pittman, is whether the league will suspend Taylor for next week's showdown against the Seahawks.

Though most think it's unlikely that the league would force Taylor out of a divisional playoff game, no one (to our knowledge) has pointed to the best piece of evidence in support of the conclusion that Taylor will play.

In a playoff game against the Lions seven years ago, Redskins offensive lineman Tre' Johnson made contact with an official during a fight.  Johnson was suspended for one game.  But the suspension applied to the first game of the following regular season, not to the next playoff game.

So look for the league to do the same thing here, if the ultimate decision is to suspend Taylor for doing something that plenty of women across the country would love to do to Pittman.

4.  Why Wasn't Taz Ejected, Too?

We'd love to know where the line is as to unsportsmanlike conduct resulting in an ejection.  In the case of Redskins safety Sean Taylor, spitting in the face of an opponent was enough to get him booted.  In the case of Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, who blew a gasket after a play in the second quarter of Sunday's game at Cincy and thrust the ball toward a Bengals player, a flag was thrown onto the field -- but Polamalu was not thrown out of the game.

So why didn't the Tasmanian Devil not get pitched from the game under circumstances arguably similar to those that resulted in the ejection of the Tasmanian Turd? 

Must bodily fluids be involved in the unsportsmanlike conduct? 

And if throwing a punch can get a guy kicked out of a game, why doesn't throwing a football at a guy trigger the same result?

We think the explanation here is that the offending player's general reputation drives the inherently discretionary decision as to whether he get ejected.  Taylor is regarded as a punk and a thug, and Polamalu isn't.

We're not saying that Polamalu wouldn't have been kicked out of the game if he had been caught spitting in the face of a Bengals player.  But we have a feeling that Taylor likewise would have been pitched for throwing a ball at an opponent (or, as the case may be, for pulling a gun on him).

5.  Brokeback Broadcast Booth.

A few weeks back, we poked a little fun at the decision of ABC's Al Michaels to wear a scarf over his suit jacket in the relative warmth and comfort of the broadcast booth.  Specifically, we suggested that, if Michaels is moved to break out that combination in the future, he should merely paint his fingernails pink and write "It's Raining Men" in lipstick on his forehead.

But there was Michaels again on Saturday night, with a scarf draped over his coat-and-tie attire.  And this time he wasn't alone; "partner" John Madden also was wearing over his own jacket a scarf that was roughly the length of an entire roll of toilet paper.

We're not suggesting that either man is, you know, a fruitcake.  But if the Madden Cruiser's a-rockin', we sure as hell don't plan to go a-knockin'.

6.  Berman Has The Steve Young Disease.

We've griped on several occasions this season regarding Steve Young's propensity to use ten-dollar words during ESPN's pregame show, which happens roughly as often as he nuzzles the crotch of Falcons quarterback Michael Vick.

It now appears that Steve's "I'm smarter that everyone" tendencies have rubbed off on some of his partners, specifically including Chris Berman, who uttered the word "neophyte" on Sunday.

So what does "neophyte" mean, Coach Madden?

"I think it's a guy who paints his fingernails pink and writes 'It's Raining Men' on his forehead with lipstick."

Or who wears a scarf over his clothes while indoors.

7.  Pats Got Their Wish.

There were rampant rumors in league circles this week that the Patriots deliberately blew their regular-season finale against the Dolphins so that they would host the Jaguars, not the Steelers, in the first round of the playoffs. 

Conspiracy theorists point to two things -- the decision to allow Doug Flutie to attempt a drop kick for a key extra point and Matt Cassel's overthrown attempt on what would have been a game-tying two-point conversion with no time remaining.

As to Flutie's extra-point try, a miss would have left the Pats down by six points with a little more than six minutes to play, and the field goal that the Fins picked up later in the quarter would have stretched the lead to nine -- too much to be caught with only one score. 

As to Cassel's incompletion, some think he was told to throw the ball away, in order to ensure that the Pats would face an easier opponent in the wild card round.  Obviously, there's no way to prove that, and we're not saying that the speculation is true.  But there are league insiders who definitely believe that that's what occurred.

Given the differences in the performance of the Jaguars and the Steelers over the weekend, we also think it was a smart move, if it is indeed what occurred.

8.  Whisenhunt Earns A Few Interviews.

Even though his predecessor is struggling in Buffalo as the head coach, Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt likely got himself a extra few sit-downs with a well-designed gadget play that put the Steelers up by 11 points late in the third quarter in Cincinnati.  It started with a direct snap to receiver Antwaan Randle El.  The former Indiana quarterback ran to the right and then threw a lateral across the field to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who then fired a touchdown pass to a wide open Cedrick Wilson.

Whisenhunt previously had been mentioned as a possible candidate in Houston, Green Bay, and St. Louis.  Other teams with vacancies now could be interested, given the manner in which the Steelers offense picked apart an otherwise solid Cincy defense.  The continuation of the Steelers' season could hurt Whisenhunt's chances, however, since no assistant coach can be hired until his current team is done.

And with offensive line coach Russ Grimm on the short list in Detroit, there's a chance that two members of the Steelers' offensive staff could be moving on as head coaches in 2006.

9.  Bengals Need to Keep Kitna.

As the Bengals' dream season disintegrated into a full-blown nightmare on Sunday, backup quarterback Jon Kitna got a chance to show that he can still play starting quarterback in the NFL.  With Kitna poised to become a free agent in March, his name could pop up on the list of teams looking for some new blood at the position (however, Kitna's second-half showing was far less impressive than his play in the first two quarters).

But with Carson Palmer out of action for several months with a torn ACL, the Bengals need to have Kitna around to lead the offense through offseason workouts, and to possibly take the reins in training camp and during the preseason, if Palmer isn't ready to go.

And that's where Palmer's relatively cap friendly contract could help the team find a way to pay Kitna.  Still, if Kitna decides that he wants to be "the guy" somewhere else, he'll likely have a chance to do so -- by virtue of the very injury that underscored his importance to the Bengals.

10.  Caliendo Could Use A Salad Or Two.

We love Frank Caliendo's segments on FOX's pregame shows, specifically his impressions.  But the thing that makes his takes on John Madden and Andy Rooney so good is the same thing that makes his imitations of less, um, ample men like Robert DeNiro and George Bush harder to, well, stomach.

Frank, you see, is a large man.  Nothing wrong with that.  But the whole time we were watching him on Sunday as DeNiro, we were distracted by the fact that Caliendo looks nothing like him. 

We know that plenty of guys have made plenty of money -- enabling them to buy plenty of cheeseburgers -- by sporting some extra chrome in the under belly and some extra junk in the trunk.  John Belushi, John Goodman, Chris Farley, Horatio Sanz, etc., were laughing all the way to the deli (and/or the morgue) by virtue of the comedic value of being big.  

But Frank doesn't need to be fat to be funny.  And if he chooses to stay that way, we recommend that he stick to the imitations of guys of similar girth.   

CBS reports that Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer has a torn ACL, and is done for the season.

Palmer will have surgery at some point in the future, and the team says that it hopes he will be ready for training camp.

But being ready for training camp no longer is enough in the NFL.  Much of the offense is installed during the burgeoning offseason program, and Palmer definitely will be behind schedule even if he's available when the teams put the pads on in late July.

Citing sources close to Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, CBS reports that Palmer believes he has two torn knee ligaments, as a result of a hit taken to his left knee on Cincinnati's second play from scrimmage.

An MRI has been conducted to determine the extent of the injury.

Before halftime, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis told Bonnie Bernstein of CBS that the team will need to play without Palmer for the rest of the day.

Bonnie Bernstein of CBS reports that Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer is undergoing an MRI on his left knee at Paul Brown Stadium, and that Palmer's status will be known early in the third quarter.  Doctors will review the MRI at halftime, and make a decision as to whether he can play.

Meanwhile, Bernstein reports that receiver Chris Henry will not be back on Sunday, with a right knee injury suffered on the same play that Palmer went down.

On the heels of a 23-0 loss to the Carolina Panters, some Giants players believe that receiver Plaxico Burress quit on the team during the embarrassing shutout in front of the home crowd.

"He was playing half-assed like a big pussy," we heard from one source.

It's not the first time the locker room sentiment was that Burress, a free-agent pickup from the Steelers, shut it down on the field.  In a loss to the Redskins a couple of weeks back, the thinking was that both Burress and tight end Jeremy Shockey gave up on the team.

BENGALS LOSE TWO ON ONE PLAY

Pinned in their own end of the field on their first possession of the game following a Steelers punt, the Bengals lost two key offensive players on a 66-yard pass from Carson Palmer to Chris Henry.

Specifically, they lost Palmer and Henry -- both with knee injuries.

Palmer suffered a left knee injury when hit after the throw by Steelers defensive lineman Kimo von Oelhoffen, who was noticeably upset to see Palmer writhing in pain on the field.

Henry suffered a right knee injury on the catch and run.  He stayed on the field, but collapsed several plays later.

Henry's return, per CBS' Bonnie Bernstein, is doubtful.  Palmer is being evaluated in the locker room after being taken off the field on a cart.  He was replaced by former starter Jon Kitna, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season and who could have a chance to play his way into a starting job elsewhere if he can get it done in Palmer's absence.

Conventional wisdom throughout the league is that someone will offer receiver Terrell Owens a modest contract that permits him to cash in via incentive payments.

Absent an extension to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, however, it will be impossible for any team to use this device without holding back enough cap room to satisfy the incentives, if they are earned.

Because 2007 will be an uncapped year, all incentives immediately count against the cap when earned, even the so-called "not likely to be earned" incentives, which otherwise would count against the 2007 uncapped year if earned in 2006. 

As a result, any team that signs Owens to an incentive-heavy deal will be required to have on hand the corresponding cap space, even if Owens never meets the threshold for the payment.

Let's assume, for example, that Owens gets $1 million in salary and up to $5 million in not likely to be earned incentives.  In any other year, the team would need only $1 million in cap space in order to do the deal.  Any incentive payments would then count against the following year's cap.

Look for teams, then, to shy away from an incentive-laden deal when talking with T.O., and to instead explore other devices (such as a roster bonus paid on a weekly basis) to protect against a recurrence of Owens' turdish behavior.

CHARGERS TALKED ABOUT FIRING SCHOTTENHEIMER

On December 29, we floated the question of whether Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer might get fired in San Diego, due to the fact that his team missed the playoffs and given an ongoing feud between Marty and G.M. A.J. Smith.

As it turns out, we were onto something. 

Per FOX's Jay Glazer, Smith met with ownership to discuss Marty's status.  Smith wanted to fire Schottenheimer.  In the end, Dean Spanos decided that Marty would stay put.

The meeting came in the wake of a report that Schottenheimer went with his starters in the regular season finale that resulted in a serious shoulder injury for starting quarterback Drew Brees because Marty would have earned a significant bonus in his contract if he had gotten to 10 wins.  If true, it's likely that the strained relationship between Smith and Schottenheimer further deteriorated as the franchise now tries to figure out whether to use the franchise tag again on a guy who, given his injury, would sign the tender right away, guaranteeing himself nearly $10 million in salary for 2006.

And we wonder whether Smith has leaked the news in order to entice Jets G.M. Terry Bradway to come calling regarding Schottenheimer's availability for the job that Herm Edwards recently vacated.  Smith already has stuck it to one New York team in connection with the Eli Manning trade; he'd surely like to try it again by getting draft picks from the Jets for a head coach he'd like to poop-can anyway.

SUNDAY ONE-LINERS

Jason Whitlock of The Kansas City Star has some free advice for new Chiefs coach Herm Edwards (and Edwards likely will have some free advice for Whitlock -- "lay off the bacon and biscuits").

The Saints have contacted Fresno State coach Pat Hill regarding their coaching vacancy (way to aim high, Mr. Benson).

Pats LB Willie McGinest set a playoff record with 4.5 sacks against Jaguars quarterbacks Byron "Fat Albert" Leftwich and David "Dumb Donald" Garrard.

Here's a look at the possible tinkerings as to the Falcons roster in 2006.

Bucs FB Mike Alstott has to decide whether to come back for year 10.

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer says that a December speeding ticket was the trigger of the decision to dump Marcus Vick -- and Beamer claims that he didn't know about the ticket before the Gator Bowl.

The mother of Marcus Vick says that her son "is going to show everybody that he's not the person a lot of people claim he is."  (Hey, at least he hasn't been sued yet for passing herpes to a girlfriend.)

The Bears Lovie Smith is the Coach of the Year.

Judd Zulgad of The Minneapolis Star Tribune looks at the process that resulting in the hiring of new Vikings coach Brad Childress.

Jim Hueber will coach the offensive line in Minnesota, and Pat Morris will coach the defensive line.

Bucs OL Kenyatta Walker thinks that he has "earned" a long-term contract.

The Fins worked out QB Tim Couch on Friday (hey, guys -- the goal is to improve at the position).

John McClain of The Houston Chronicle says that Gary Kubiak is the favorite to become the Texans new head coach.

McClain also says that Mort's report that the Texans plan to draft Reggie Bush is off the mark, because the Texans haven't even started their evaluation of Texas QB Vince Young.

Rams coach Mike Martz says that he's either going to be a head coach or take the year off; Raiders owner Al Davis is interested, but he's concerned about Martz's health issues.

Dick Vermeil isn't interested in a return to St. Louis.

The Indianapolis media is realizing that the Pats won't be an automatic win for the Colts.

Bob Glauber says that this could be Tony Dungy's last year of coaching (which based on some of Glauber's past work could mean that Dungy has another 20 years in him).

Mike Sherman is on the list in New York, but the first interview goes to former Saints coach Jim Haslett.

Former Panthers LB Mark Fields faces DUI and six other criminal charges.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that the Chiefs and coach Herm Edwards have reached a verbal agreement for Edwards to take over the team.

Per Mortensen, Edwards will receive $12 million over four years, for an average annual salary of $3 million.

It's a significant raise for Edwards, who was making roughly $2 million per year to coach the Jets.

BRADWAY WAS IN A TOUGH SPOT

As some league insiders believe that Jets G.M. Terry Bradway's job could be in jeopardy after the Jets saw coach Herm Edwards walk away with only a fourth-round draft choice as compensation, Bradway really didn't have many options other than to let a guy who didn't want to be there leave.

We're told that Edwards desperately wanted out.  Apparently, his wife never warmed up to New York, and did not wish to stay any longer.

And Herm, we're told, was telling everyone (privately) that he wanted out.  Publicly, he said he intended to stay -- likely to finagle a buyout if the team would decide independently to cut him loose after a 4-12 season fueled in large part by the mismanagement of quarterback Chad Pennington's shoulder injury in 2004.

So given that Edwards wanted to leave, the fact that the Jets got anything by way of compensation is a bonus.

Then again, we think that the Chiefs' flirtations with Edwards made it easier for him to decide that he wants out.  Thus, we continue to believe that the league should establish a minimum level of compensation that should be sent from the coach's new team to the coach's old team whenever anything like this happens.

MORT STILL INSISTS TEXANS WILL TAKE BUSH

On Saturday, ESPN's Chris Mortensen said that the Texans will take USC tailback Reggie Bush with the No. 1 pick in the draft.  In response, we explained that it's way to early for the team to make a final decision.

On Sunday, Mort reiterated his report, adding something like "no matter what anyone says," to his claim that the Texans will pluck Bush.

We're not saying there's no way it will happen.  We're only saying that too many other things can happen between now and late April to permit this report to be made in such absolute terms. 

First, the team doesn't have a head coach yet.  We'd like to think the guy they hire will have some say in what might happen, unless he's the kind of sackless milquetoast who won't be able to take the team to the promised land even with Bush on the roster.

Second, what if Bush runs a 4.6 at the Combine or at his private workout?  Or what if he gets hurt, either while working out or while wrestling with a friend near a window?

Or what if Vince Young dramatically improves his speed prior to his own workout?

Or what if some other guy on whom the media isn't presently focusing has a Mike Mamula-type workout that rockets him to the top of the board?

At a minimum, we think that Mort should add to his report the reality that there's now way this thing can be set in stone on January 8, with the draft more than three months away.  Maybe the Texans would indeed take Bush if the draft was today.  But things can -- and do -- change from the end of the season through the day the names are called, sometimes dramatically.

So, Mort -- we love what you do, but we think you're off the mark on this one.

WE LIKE THE GIANTS, BENGALS TODAY

On Saturday, we were convinced that the 'Skins and Patriots would prevail in their respective first-round playoff games.  We're not quire sure why we didn't say so in this here space, and we don't really expect anyone to believe us now.

So let's look at the other two wild card games, even though we're less certain about the Sunday games than we were about the Saturday duo.

First, we think the Giants will knock off the Panthers in the early contest.  Carolina will focus on Tiki Barber, opening up the passing game for Eli Manning, who'll find plenty of open guys.  And despite a banged-up linebacking corps, the Giants defense is strong enough to hold the Panthers offense in check.  New York wins, 21-16.

In the second game, we were convinced a couple of weeks ago that the Steelers would win the looming rubber match in Cincy.  But too many other people think that way too, and we believe that the resulting jolt of disrespect is all that coach Marvin Lewis will need to get his guys ready to knock off the Steelers.

Three point underdog at home to the team they beat a month ago on the road?  Even we could get the 53 guys in the Bengals locker room lathered up with that one.

Then again, the Bengals have only themselves to blame for contributing to the perception that they are vulnerable.  In the wake of beating the Steelers at Heinz Field, the Bengals acted as if they'd secured the division title not for 2005, but for each year of the next decade.  To make matters worse, receiver Chad Johnson boldly predicted a Super Bowl appearance, and 40 points per game the rest of the way.

Since then, the Bengals are 2-2, with a narrow win over the Browns, a 41-point showing against the Lions, and then two straight losses in which they gave up 37 points in each game.

So it's no surprise that the Steelers, who have manhandled the Bears, Vikings, Browns, and Lions since losing to Cincy, is perceived as the favorite.

Still, we now think that it's just enough of a slap to wake up the Bengals and lead them to their first playoff win in 15 years.  Cincinnati wins, 27-20.

A league source tells us that Texas quarterback Vince Young definitely is entering the NFL draft. 

Young also is believed either to have picked an agent or to have narrowed the field of potential representatives.  One name we're hearing in this regard is Marvin Demoff.

Before the Rose Bowl, Young was reportedly leaning toward staying with the Longhorns for his senior season.  But after a performance for the ages, the oversized sidearmer has realized that the time has come to get paid for his efforts.

Young is the first underclassman in the Mack Brown era to leave Texas early.  Last month, one league insider joked to us that Young was unlikely to leave for the NFL, because it would mean that he would have to take a pay cut.

No one in Texas should be upset about Young's decision.  He delivered on a national championship, and he gave them all a set of memories that can never be taken away. 

And the NFL team that should be happiest to hear the news in this regard is the Tennessee Titans, who are now guaranteed to get Young or USC tailback Reggie Bush or USC quarterback Matt Leinart at the third spot in the draft.

SKINS SET "RECORD"

With their first playoff win since 1999, the Redskins established an NFL record for the least total yards in a postseason game by the winning team.

Officially, the 'Skins earned 120 total stripes, including a pathetic 25 net passing yards.

But the defense got it done for the Redskins, who will be a dangerous team moving forward.  After all, the team whose "record" the Redskins broke on Saturday -- the 2000 Baltimore Ravens -- merely went on to win the Super Bowl.

Next, the Redskins go to Seattle.  The Seahawks had a heckuva time with two other NFC East teams, the Cowboys and Giants, at Qwest Field this season.  And one of Seattle's three losses this season came against the Redskins, on October 2 in D.C.

Call us crazy (again), but we like the Redskins to go on the road (again) and to beat the 'Hawks (again).

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that the Houston Texans will select USC running back Reggie Bush with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, even if Texas quarterback Vince Young, a Houston native, gives up his final year of eligibility and enters the NFL draft.

Um, the last time we checked, the draft is in late April.  The calendar currently says early January.  The Combine hasn't been conducted yet.  The individual workouts haven't occurred.

And the Texans don't have a head coach.

So we're to believe that they've already made a final decision as to the No. 1 overall pick?

In our view, the Texans are merely getting out the word that they want Bush in order to eventually smoke out trade partners.  Also, part of the game here might be to get Young to give up some dollars to land in the town where it makes the most sense.  The Texans are, after all, free to negotiate simultaneously with Bush, Leinart, and Young in search of the most cap-friendly deal.

Remember this -- take everything that you hear in the months and weeks prior to the draft with a grain of salt.  Everyone is lying, and it's virtually impossible to know what a team is really going to do with a pick until the pick is used.

Come February, however, the likelihood of the Texans taking Bush will increase if the team exercises its $8 million option on current quarterback David Carr.  Until then, look for the Texans to tell a few tall tales in the hopes of working out their best financial packages possible. 

Okay, the team hasn't said it.  And they never will.  But it's now becoming increasingly obvious that, at the same time guys like G.M. Ted Thompson say all the right things regarding quarterback Brett Favre, the team is sending off vibrations suggesting that the time has come for him to walk away.

Dumping head coach Mike Sherman was the first message, especially since Favre suggested during the season that the presence of Sherman would be a factor in his possible return. 

Also, we reported after coach Steve Mariucci was fired by the Lions that Favre privately had said that he'd like to see his former position coach (from 1992 to 1995) return to the team as the head coach, if Sherman goes.

Favre's agent essentially has confirmed these rumors by openly politicking for Mooch to get the job in Green Bay. 

"I think that would have a huge determination on Brett's decision," Bus Cook told WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee.  "They do enjoy a special relationship."

But Mooch isn't on the list of eight candidates for the job. 

Eight names, and Favre's preferred choice isn't on the list.

Maybe Thompson instead should hang a banner over Main Street that says, "Thanks for the Years of Loyal Service, Brett -- Now Get the Hell Out."

That's the import, folks.  Thompson doesn't want the guy that Brett wants; thus, Thompson doesn't want Brett.

So the real question is whether Brett gets mad enough about the diss to continue his career in another NFL city.  The mere possibility of seeing No. 4 in a different helmet is sacrilege for Cheeseheads, but it's a possibility that they all need to begin pondering.

We'd previously floated the possibility of Brett spending a year with the Saints, as the team returns for 2006 to Louisiana, which is a deep out pattern from his home town of Kiln, Mississippi.  But now let's look at this a bit more realistically.

First, it would have to be a team that needs a starter.  Second, the team would have to be willing to put Brett at the top of the depth chart, and essentially leave him there.

Next, the team would have to be otherwise set with receivers, offensive line, running game, and defense (which leaves out the Saints).  Basically, Favre would have to be the final piece of a puzzle that otherwise is in position to contend for a championship.

As we scan the list of 32 NFL teams, we see only one that potentially meets those criteria.  And it's the team that enjoyed the services of the last great quarterback who didn't win a Super Bowl -- Dan Marino.

Yep.  We think it could work for Favre in Miami.  Sign him to a two-year deal, plug him into the offense, let him do his thing, structure an attack around his strengths.

At a time when Fins fans are thinking big when it comes to getting a new quarterback, we think they should start thinking Brett.  Because, as we see it, Favre is one of the few guys who could give the team a huge boost at the position, possibly enabling the team to play for the championship in its home stadium in 2006, and allowing Favre to ride off into the sunset a winner, not slink away as a tired and beaten old man.

There's growing talk in league circles that, when the dust settles in St. Louis, the head coach of the Rams will be Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis.

Much of this depends, of course, on how deep into the playoffs the Giants advance.  In the new NFL, where there is no down time and decisions regarding the roster and the draft are being made continuously, it's hard to wait for a candidate who might not be available until early February.

Last year, the Browns stayed put for Pats coordinator Romeo Crennel.  But that's the exception to the rule.  In the Rams' case, it remains to be seen whether, if they settle on Lewis, they'll sit still possibly until the Super Bowl to get him.

If Lewis lands in the job, we're told that he'll gut the Rams defense.  The unit has underachieved for years, with some mild improvement during Lovie Smith's tenure as coordinator. 

As Miami offensive coordinator Scott Linehan draws consideration for a head coaching job, it wasn't too long ago that we heard rumors that Fins coach Nick Saban was fed up with his performance, and might fire him after only one year on the job.

But then the Fins won six in a row.  So Linehan had figured it out, right?

Wrong, we hear.  The perception in league circles is that the defense got better because Saban -- a defensive-minded coach -- got more involved in the offensive attack.

Given that Linehan didn't even get an interview for the head coaching position in Minnesota, where he served as the coordinator for three seasons, it makes us wonder whether Linehan really is the next Boy Wonder in NFL coaching circles. 

Early in the 2005 season, when the Vikings were underachieving as usual and Mike Tice's status was in serious question, there were rampant rumors of the Vikes eyeing a Philly two-fer of V.P. of player personnel Tom Heckert and offensive coordinator Brad Childress.

We're now hearing that, even as the Vikings found themselves in the midst of a six-game winning streak, the plan still was that, after the season ended, the Vikes would pursue Heckert and Childress.

A two-game losing streak that knocked the team out of playoff contention made it easier for new owner Zygi Wilf to follow through on the plan to punt the Meathead.  And Wilf wasted no time, letting Tice know that his contract would not be renewed within an hour after the season-ending win over the Bears' JV team.

The prompt pursuit of Heckert was thwarted by a big raise and a promotion to G.M.  But Childress remained fair game, and the Vikings made immediate arrangements to get him into town.

And the difference between firing Tice on Sunday night and Monday morning could have been the difference in getting Childress.  The Packers, for example, waited until Monday morning to part ways with Mike Sherman.  The Packers also wanted to interview Childress, who was thought to be the leading candidate in Green Bay. 

But Childress never got there.  Persuaded to stay put in Minny while Wilf interviewed other people (i.e., complied with the Rooney Rule), Childress didn't interview with the Packers -- and less than four days after the last game was played, Childress was the guy.

(Memo to all NFL owners -- maybe it's time to replace that whole "Black Monday" thing with "Black Late Afternoon/Early Sunday Evening.")

Childress will bring to the team an element of discipline and accountability that it hasn't had since Bud Grant patrolled the sidelines with steely eyes buried in an expressionless face.

"The most important thing to me is that people do the right thing," Childress said on Friday.  "My kids have heard this speech from me several times.  If it is good for you and it is right, do it with great vigor and great enthusiasm.  If it is bad for you, you had better jump away from it like it is hot lava, and you had better head in the other direction. I just expect guys to do the right thing."

Grant, who met with Childress and gave him a thumb's up, also likes what he heard on Friday.

"I think he knows the situation here," Grant said, "and I think he used the right words."

Of course, using the right words sometimes requires using some colorful words.  We're told that Childress uttered what would have been the line of the year, if anyone had known about it at the time, during his testimony in the Terrell Owens arbitration hearing in November.

While being pressed by T.O.'s lawyers on the whos, whats, wheres, and whys regarding the events that culminated in the suspension of Owens, Childress summed it up succinctly.

"The Eagles don't have a lot of patience for assholes."

We have a feeling that the Childress-led Vikings won't, either.  And this dynamic, mixed with the talent on the roster, the cap room on the board, the money in Wilf's pocket, and his commitment to spending it, could help the team finally capture that trophy that Grant had them playing for on four occasions in the 1970s.

VICK TO TURN PRO

Permanently dismissed by the Virginia Tech football program, quarterback Marcus Vick has opted to declare himself eligible for the NFL draft.

Said Vick:  "It's not a big deal.  I'll just move on to the next level, baby."

Thanks for the news flash, baby.  We hope you won't spend all your signing bonus in one place, baby.  Because you're not going to get nearly the same amount of money that your big brother Ron Mexico received five years ago, baby.

Vick's quote -- "I'll just move on to the next level, baby" -- is all the proof that we'd need to conclude that he doesn't get it, and never will.  Sure, someone will burn a draft pick on him because they'll think that they're capable of putting enough polish on a turd to make it shine, and shine this turd might, but only for a brief period of time. 

If a guy can't get through his college career without being suspended for a whole season and then kicked off of the team, how is he going to handle the more significant pressures, demands, and temptations of life in the NFL?

Our guess is that big brother Mike will do something to spare Marcus the embarrassment of being a second-day pick, or of not being drafted at all.  the elder Vick already has Falcons owner Arthur Blank wrapped around his . . . finger.  If Michael says he wants Marcus to be taken with a third-round pick after the team (at Michael's request) trades Matt Schaub, it will happen.

And since Blank already has determined that selling tickets and merchandise with Vick means more than winning games, our guess is that Blank will easily be able to justify a decision that possibly could extend the Vick dynasty in Atlanta deep into the next decade.

CARROLL IS A HYPOCRITE

At a time when USC coach Pete Carroll is trying to figure out which of his guys will leave school early for the NFL draft, we're surprised that he has the time or the inclination to assess the chances of a guy who doesn't play for him.

But that didn't stop Caroll on Friday, when he opined that Texas quarterback Vince Young should give up his final year of eligibility and declare for the April selection meeting.

"Vince Young's stock couldn't go higher," Carroll said.

Gee.  We wonder whether Carroll made that same statement a year ago to his own quarterback with one year left at the time, Matt Leinart.  Like Young, Leinart had just won a national title.  Unlike Young, Leinart also had the Heisman tucked under his arm.

And Leinart clearly would have been the No. 1 overall pick of the 49ers in 2005.  Alex Smith?  Please.  Leinart would have been the guy, no question.

So does anyone think that Carroll told Leinart that it was a no-brainer to leave with his draft stock at its pinnacle?  Hell no.

"I feel we have done all we could to give him all the information, to give him both sides," Carroll said after Leinart announced in 2005 his intention to return for his final year of eligibility, even though the educational component of his time in college was essentially over (but for that ballroom dancing class).

And we now wonder whether Pete will help make up some of the $10 million or more difference in total contract value that Leinart will realize due to the fact that he waited a year.  (Matt, don't hold your breath while doing the tango.)

Heck, if anything, Carroll is making Leinart's financial fate even worse by arguing that Young -- who'd likely be taken before Leinart -- should leave school early.

So on Leinart's behalf -- thanks for nothing, Pete. 

GRAY EVENTUALLY WILL GET THE AX

Although the initial purge of Bills defensive assistants didn't claim defensive coordinator Jerry Gray, we're hearing that the team is waiting to see whether he lands the Texans' coaching job before getting rid of him.

But get rid of him the Bills will.  And it's hardly a surprise.  How can the team poop-can the defensive line coach, the linebackers coach, and the defensive backs coach and then keep the defensive coordinator?

Besides, does anyone really think Gray will get hired as the head coach of the Texans?  We know there are more jobs open than "A" list candidates to fill them, but Gray wouldn't even be on the "D" list in our book.

SATURDAY ONE-LINERS

Technically, the Tuna signed a new two-year deal to replace the final year of his original four-year contract -- he's now signed through 2007; he'll make $5 million a year.

Gary Kubiak sure sounds like he'll eventually be coaching the Texans.

Shaun Alexander is the offensive player of the year (we thought Fred Smoot was a lock for that one).

The Jags are excited for their looming ass-whupping in New England.

Bob Glauber claims to have some inside info as to what went down with the Jets and Herm Edwards, but we're still having a hard time believing anything Glauber writes after his blatant guesswork on the T.O. arbitration ruling.

UCLA RB Maurice Drew is expected to declare himself eligible for the NFL draft.

Rich Cimini of The New York Daily News lists the possible candidates to replace Herm Edwards.

N.C. State LB Stephen Tulloch is leaving school early for the draft.

Vikings coach Brad Childress will get $11 million over five years, with incentives.

Bowling Green QB Omar Jacobs is entering the draft.

Said Bears LB Brian Urlacher after winning the defensive player of the year award:  "All this stuff is great, good, whoop de doo.  But I want that Super Bowl ring.  I feel we have a really good chance to do it this year."

Oregon DT Haloti Ngata is heading to the NFL.

Washington State WR Jason Hill will return for his senior season.

Virginia Tech DB Aaron Rouse is coming back next year, due in large part to the leadership void created by the dismissal of QB Marcus Vick.

Vikings coach Brad Childress says that QB Daunte Culpepper is the starter, period.

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf has abandoned the G.M. structure, but still intends to hire a personnel chief.

Former Minnesota offensive coordinator-offensive line coach Steve Loney is heading to Arizona.

There was talk that the brother of NFL QB Michael Vick would transfer to Georgia Southern; instead, the son of NFL info guy Chris Mortensen is heading to the I-AA school.

Old friends Carson Palmer and the Tasmanian Devil will meet again on Sunday in Cincinnati.

Here's an interesting look at the Redskins' Cooley.

The Eagles have named Marty Mornhinweg the team's offensive coordinator.

The Rams have interviewed Ron Rivera and Scott Linehan.

Despite speculation that he might be looking for greener pastures and/or a rocking chair, Cowboys coach Bill Parcells is staying with the team in 2006.  The Associated Press reports that the Cowboys have signed Parcells through 2007.  

The AP characterizes the move as a "two-year extension," but it really isn't.  It's a one-year extension of the four-year deal signed by Parcells when he was hired in 2003.

And the timing of the move probably was no coincidence.  Based on rumors and reports we've heard and seen, Parcells likely was using talk of retirement to leverage owner Jerry Jones into sweetening the contract offer that had been on the table.  A league source tells us that there was rampant speculation on Friday afternoon in league circles that Parcells would try to return to the Jets, given Herm Edwards' departure.  The thinking wasn't that Parcells genuinely intended to leave, but that he wanted to squeeze Jones into upping the offer.

If so, it worked.  On the same day that the Jets job opened up, Parcells opted to stay put.

We'll bet that he got whatever terms he was looking for, or pretty damn close to it. 

PLENTY OF BLAME IN EDWARDS FIASCO

With former Jets coach Herm Edwards on his way to becoming the next coach of the Kansas Chiefs, we think that every party in this farce deserves to take a big bite of a steaming shiitake sandwich.

For Edwards, it's obvious that his public statements regarding his desire to remain with the Jets were lies.  Look, we know there's no good way to deal with pointed press conference questions regarding whether a guy wants to keep the job he has, but there's got to be a way to handle the question without telling a bald-faced falsehood.

Word got out early in the season that Edwards wanted out of New York.  Who do you think initiated it?  The Jets?  

Edwards knew exactly what he was doing; he poisoned the well in New York so that, when the Chiefs came calling, the Jets would be ready to take anything they could get as compensation for a guy who didn't want to be there.

The Jets come out of this one looking like wimps, accepting a mere fourth-round pick for a guy who wanted out because another team wanted him.  And although the evidence (more on that later) points to a conclusion that the flirtation between the Chiefs and Edwards didn't just begin this week, the Jets most likely will not file tampering charges.

In the real world, this kind of crap is met with lawsuits alleging tortious interference with contractual relations.  Yours truly handled a case like that several years back, and $540,000 later the company that pilfered a doctor who was under contract with another medical practice had learned a valuable lesson.

Although the NFL clubs likely have signed agreements waiving their rights to sue other teams in court for this kind of stuff, there's still a vehicle available to the Jets, if they want to send a message to the Chiefs and any other team who might be inclined in the future to swipe their head coach.  

And it might not be so hard to prove that tampering occurred.  By ordering up phone records and poring over hard drives, the Jets might very well learn that there were plenty of communications between Edwards and Chiefs G.M. Carl Peterson.

On that topic, our bullcrap detector keeps coming back to rumors of a December 16 meeting between Peterson and Edwards in New York, when the Chiefs were in town to face the Giants on Saturday.  Peterson denied meeting with Edwards, claiming that Edwards and the Jets were already in Miami.  But they weren't, as we later learned.

As to the Chiefs, we think that the organization should be ashamed of its tactics when it comes to hiring head coaches.  The 32 NFL teams are business partners, and although they compete on the playing field there are lines that should not be crossed.  But the Chiefs now have filled two straight coaching vacancies by courting guys who were under contract with other organizations.  In 2001, the Chiefs hired Dick Vermeil while Vermeil was still a consultant to the Rams.  Now, the Chiefs have scalped Edwards from the Jets.  

To make matters worse, Peterson and the Chiefs nickel-and-dimed the Jets, confident that the Jets would either cave in or fire Herm, after contributing to the creation of a situation in New York in which Edwards simply couldn't have continued. 

Since the NFL permits head coaches to be traded for draft picks, we think that the league should impose mandatory minimum compensation requirements, in order to prevent the very situation that arose in New York.  

The league also should be willing to launch tampering investigations even without charges being filed by the team that might have been screwed.  In this case, multiple league insiders are convinced that something was going on between the Chiefs and Edwards.  One source told us that, in his opinion, the league should smack the Chiefs with a big fine -- and strip their first-round draft pick.

BILLS PULL TRIGGER ON ASSISTANT COACHES

A day after we reported on rumors that the Bills were cleaning out their defensive coaching staff, the team dumped defensive line coach Tim Krumrie, linebackers coach Don Blackmon, and defensive backs coach Steve Szabo.

Defensive coordinator Jerry Gray has not yet been terminated, but his status is expected to be determined after he interviews this weekend for the head coaching gig in Texas.

Also fired by the Bills was offensive line coach Frank Verducci.

In that same vein, and in the same division, the same source who told us about the coming purge in Buffalo now says that there are rumors that  Dolphins coach Nick Saban will be dumping some members of his defensive staff, too.

SAUNDERS WON'T GET AN OFFER?

As Chiefs offensive coordinator Al Saunders continues to get some play for one of the seven head coaching vacancies, we've heard an excellent observation regarding Saunders' chances from a league source.

"If the Chiefs didn't want him," the source said, "why should anyone else?"

It makes plenty of sense to us.  Saunders has spent five seasons with the team.  Even though promoting Saunders would be a good way to enhance continuity, the Chiefs were never going to hire him to replace Dick Vermeil.

Another possible strike against Saunders, in our opinion, is the possibility that his offensive coordinator would be Terry Shea, who was a complete disaster in his only season with the Bears.  After getting fired in Chicago, Shea returned to the Chiefs and resumed working as the quarterbacks coach.  

Virginia Tech has severed ties with quarterback Marcus Vick, younger brother of Michael Vick a/k/a Ron Mexico a/ka overrated quarterback on an underachieving team with a coaching staff that doesn't know how to use him properly.

University president Charles Steger announced the move on Friday.  His statement is as follows:

Given that talk of a suspension was fueling rumors that Vick might transfer or enter the draft, and in light of the fact that the matter had become a political hot taquito for an institution that gets plenty of its funding from the politicians, Tech opted to take a strong stand.  Indeed, we've heard through sources connected to the political process in Virginia that incoming governor Tim Kaine leaned on Tech to dump Vick, since Kaine feared that Vick's presence might affect the manner in which money is split between Tech and the University of Virginia.

And good for Tech, which risked alienating its most popular alumnus in order to do the right thing.

The straw that broke the burro's back was Vick's "accidental" stomp on the back of the leg of Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumervil in the Gator Bowl on Monday.  It also was reported on Friday that Vick had been arrested in December for speeding and driving on a suspended license.  

Early speculation is that he'll transfer to Georgia Southern, a I-AA school to which he was linked after he was suspended from the Hokies in 2004.  He would not be required to sit out a season, since he is dropping down a level.  The last high-profile football player to make such a move for disciplinary reasons was receiver Randy Moss, who enrolled at then-I-AA Marshall after getting the boot from Bobby Bowden.

But it's unlikely that Vick will be able to rehabilitate himself at the I-AA level, in the eyes of the NFL.  One league source told us on Friday that Vick is a "dumbass just like his brother," and that the off-field problems will make it hard for teams to justify burning a draft pick on him.

Our preference is that he never make it to the NFL.  If he does, here's hoping that he lands on the same team as Elvis Dumervil.

Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reports, and we independently have confirmed, that an agreement was reached Thursday night between the Vikings and new head coach Brad Childress on a five-year contract.

Per Glazer, the deal will be announced Friday morning.

Childress has served as the Eagles' offensive coordinator, and was regarded entering the 2005 season as one of the short-list candidates for a head coaching job in 2006.  He remained in heavy demand during the interview season despite the poor performance of the Eagles in a year filled with injuries and the T.O. fiasco.

At one point, Childress was in the thick of the T.O. mess, given that Owens reportedly had ordered Childress not to talk to Owens not long before Eagles coach Andy Reid had sent T.O. home from training camp for a one-week time out.

Eagles players have praised Childress, with tight end L.J. Smith saying that the Vikings have gotten the "next great coach."

Said tight end Chad Lewis, according to The Minneapolis Star Tribune:  "I have the utmost respect for Coach Childress as a person and as a coach.  I love his approach.  He brings integrity to the game.  He brings expert game preparation and dedication to the team.  And he requires that of you, to own up to your business every week."

SMOOT BLEW CURFEW

One of the guys who might not take kindly to the no-nonsense approach of new Vikings coach Brad Childress is cornerback Fred Smoot.  Apart from his alleged Love Boat antics, which the family nature of this here site prevents us from detailing, Smoot reportedly missed curfew prior to the team's New Year's Day game against the Bears.

To make matters worse, Smoot reportedly pulled the classic "everyone is stupid but me" move, stuffing pillows into his bed to create the appearance that he was sleeping.

As a result, Smoot dressed but didn't play on Sunday against the Bears.  

Moving forward, the Vikes would be wise to cut their losses on the underachieiving cover man who supposedly pushed up all of two reps at the 225 bench during the Combine five years ago (hell, even we could do that).  (Update:  We've been advised by a league source since originally posting this item that Smoot actually got pinned by the bar and never even managed one rep at 225.)  Instead, they should push the money toward cornerback Brian Williams, an underrated, hard-tackling corner who is an unrestricted free agent in March.    

NFL USING DOUBLE STANDARD ON UNDERCLASSMEN

Every year, multiple times per year, the NFL reminds its teams and their officials that commentary regarding college underclassmen is strictly prohibited.  There can be no statements regarding their status, their potential, or their possible placement in the draft, if they were to leave school early.

The purpose, as we understand it, is to enable the NFL to maintain a good relationship with the NCAA and its coaches.  After all, college football provides the NFL with a cost-free, high-profile farm system that, unlike baseball's anonymous minor leagues, has the potential to create guys who are poised to generate all sorts of off-field revenue from the day of the draft and onward, such as Reggie Bush.

Against this background, some league insiders are shocked by the fact that the NFL's captive broadcast channel, The NFL Network, includes commentary regarding guys who have not yet declared themselves eligible for the draft.  Although we missed Thursday night's Total Access, we're told that the show included a discussion regarding Texas quarterback Vince Young, who has one more year of eligibility and who has not declared for the draft, with at least one of the guys saying that he'd go anywhere from No. 1 to No. 3 in the draft.

To the folks who are forbidden from even mentioning the names of guys like Young and Bush, the NFL's double standard is hypocritical at best, downright stupid at worst.  Even though the NFL likely would explain this one away by reminding us all that the network is part of the media, not the league, it's called the freaking NFL Network. 

We can't remember ever seeing any disclaimer during Total Access or any other NFL Network show regarding the fact that the views expressed by the analysts and reporters are not the official views of the National Football League.  For the average viewer (such as Vince Young), it's going to be hard not to conclude that the things said by the paid personalities reflect, to some extent, the official views of the league.

BILLS VIOLATED SPIRIT OF ROONEY RULE

Technically, the NFL's Rooney Rule applies only to head coaching jobs, requiring teams to interview at least one minority candidate for each vacancy.

But although the requirement officially has not been extended to key front-office positions, such as G.M. and team president, the league has strongly encouraged teams to follow the same approach when filling such jobs.

In the case of the Buffalo Bills and their hiring of new G.M. Marv Levy, no other candidates were interviewed.

Before the folks from the Fritz Pollard Alliance cry foul, however, we suggest that they give a call to the Abe Vigoda Foundation.  Because the truth is that far greater discrimination exists in the NFL against men of advanced age than against men of advanced melanin.

Levy had been trying hard a few years back to get consideration for a head coaching vacancy, but his hand-cranked talk box never buzzed.  Tom Moore, offensive coordinator of the Colts, gets little or no consideration for a promotion, likely due to the fact that he's 68.  Chuck Noll left the Steelers at age 59, and has been ignored for 13 years.  Jim Mora, Sr. and Mike Ditka will have plenty of chances to talk about football for money, but no opportunities to get back onto the sidelines.

Sure, not every older coach is ignored.  But men like Bill Parcells and Dick Vermeil and Joe Gibbs transcend age.  For everyone else, there's always someone younger who's going to get considered first.

With that said, 87-year-old Bills owner Ralph Wilson should have interviewed at least one minority candidate.  Instead, he pulled a Matt Millen, focusing on one guy at the exclusion of all others.  Even though that one guy was only seven years younger than the owner, there really was no reason not to expand the search. 

We've confirmed through a league source with knowledge of the situation that the Vikings are negotiating a contract with Eagles offensive coordinator Brad Childress to become the team's new head coach.

The hiring will be made official if a deal can be reached with Childress.  As of 8:30 p.m. EST on Thursday night, an agreement has not been reached.  In fact, we're told that numbers have not yet even been discussed.

Stay tuned.

A league source told us on Thursday afternoon that the Minnesota Vikings will name a new head coach on Friday.  Another league source responded to that revelations by telling us that, if a hire is being made so soon, the guy who'll be hired is Eagles offensive coordinator Brad Childress.

And as of 6:50 p.m. EST, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, citing unnamed sources, is reporting that Childress will indeed be named the team's next head coach on Friday.  Shortly after 7:30 p.m. EST, Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com has reported that a contract still needs to be worked out, but the goal is to announce the move at an 11:00 a.m. press conference on Friday.

In addition to Childress, the Vikings interviewed defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, Chiefs offensive coordinator Al Saunders, and Colts assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell for the position.

The team also was expected to also consider former offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, who left a year ago for a huge raise in Miami.  The decision to not even interview Linehan, who helped quarterback Daunte Culpepper put up stellar numbers in 2004, is surprising.  Many league insiders thought that V.P. Rob Brzezinski would lobby owner Zygi Wilf for Linehan to claim the job that was vacated four days ago when Mike Tice was fired.

Owner Zygi Wilf recently tried to hire Eagles exec Tom Heckert, but Heckert stayed put after getting a raise and a promotion to the position of General Manager.  Wilf is still looking to make a G.M.-level hire, and we wonder whether it's a good idea to hire a head coach without hiring a G.M. first.

Childress takes over a team that will face plenty of uncertainty at the quarterback position.  Starter Daunte Culpepper is recovering from three torn knee ligaments, and might not be ready at the outset of training camp.  Backup Brad Johnson, who went 6-2 as the starter in Culpepper's place, reportedly wants a starting job, and might have asked recently for a trade.

"Brad knows that he can have success as an NFL quarterback for several more years so of course he wouldn't want to be designated as a backup anywhere," said his agent, Phil Williams.  "The circumstances from 2004 [when Johnson was benched in Tampa Bay] that dictated he started the season in 2005 as a backup are unfortunate and yet they are in the past."

But, Phil, your boy Brad had plenty of chances to market himself after the 2004 season, but no one offered him a starting job.  We're not so sure that an unlikely eight-game string of success against generally underwhelming opposition will be enough to persuade a team looking for a starter to look in his direction, even if the Vikings excuse the fact that Johnson accepted the security of a four-year contract last year and a spot on the bench behind Culpepper.

According to The Hampton Roads (Va.) Daily Press, Virginia Tech quarterback will be suspended an undetermined number of games, if he returns to the school in 2006.

Tech coach Frank Beamer will meet with Vick and his mother on Friday.  If he is unwilling to accept the suspension, his only options are to transfer to another school or turn pro.  A transfer to another Division I-A school would require him to sit out an entire season; he could play immediately if he jumps to a Division I-AA institution.  In 2004, Vick was linked to I-AA Georgia Southern after getting into various problems at Tech.

The decision to suspend Vick is the direct result of his conduct during the Gator Bowl on Monday, during which he stomped on the leg of Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumervil while Dumervil was on the ground.

Vick has until January 15 to declare his intent to enter the April draft.

There's a buzz currently making the rounds in league circles that the Bills have terminated their entire defensive coaching staff on Thursday, the same day that Marv Levy returned to the organization as General Manager/Football Operations.

If true, the following guys are suddenly looking for work:  defensive coordinator Jerry Gray, defensive line coach Tim Krumrie, linebackers coach Don Blackmon, defensive assistant Chuck Lester, and defensive backs coach Steve Szabo.

The Bills had a strong defense in 2004.  In 2005, the unit performed less effectively, due primarily to the departure of defensive tackle Pat Williams and a season-ending injury to linebacker Takeo Spikes.

On Wednesday, the Bills fired offensive coordinator Tom Clements, who still is listed on the team's web site as holding that position.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that talks have stalled between the Chiefs and Jets regarding the potential relocation of coach Herman Edwards to K.C.

Per Mort, the Jets wants a fourth-round and a fifth-round pick for Edwards, but the Chiefs are reluctant to send the picks.

The perception around the league, Mortensen says, is that Chiefs G.M. Carl Peterson believes Edwards "is no longer welcomed in New York by Jets owner Woody Johnson, who is reportedly tired over Edwards' status."

One of our league sources that Peterson's stance is "f--king stupid."

"Typical Peterson," the source said, "making sh-t out of nothing."  The source thinks that a four and a five is meaningless consideration to give up in order to get a coach that is under contract with another team.

As to concerns expressed by league sources to Mortensen that Peterson could lose Edwards to someone else if he ultimately is fired by the Jets, our reaction is this -- if someone else really wants Edwards now, all they need to do is come up with a four and a five.  All due respect to Herm and his 4-12 record, but we suspect Woody Johnson's phone has been ringing (except for those prank calls from kids who like to say the words "Woody" and "Johnson" in the same breath). 

Besides, Edwards is unlikely to hit the coaching carousel if fired by the Jets.  Our guess is that he already has terms worked out with the Chiefs, and that he'd make a bee line to Kansas City if/when he is fired by the Jets.

YOUNG STAYING PUT?

Asked by ABC's John Saunders after the Rose Bowl win whether he plans to return for another year with the Texas Longhorns, quarterback Vince Young seemed to suggest that he will be back for 2006. 

We think.

Young's response was something like "We've gotta get better and we'll go wherever we have to go next year."  But he didn't say unequivocally that he'll be back in burnt orange and white come September.

Moments later, ESPN's Lee Corso argued that it's time for Young to head to the NFL, based on an incredible performance in the biggest game of the year. 

We agree.  Young's performance possibly put him in front of USC tailback Reggie Bush as the No. 1 overall pick, if Young comes out now.  And just as USC quarterback Matt Leinart would have been the No. 1 pick a year ago if he'd struck while the iron was white-hot, Young needs to realize that a lot can change in a year.

He's done all he can for his school.  His only new goal in 2006 would be to win the Heisman Trophy.

But that Heisman could cost him at least $10 million, if he indeed would go No. 1 this year and ends up going any lower than that a year from now.

Young also needs to keep in mind the possibility that a new CBA will be negotiated by next April, and that it will rein in the lottery prizes dished out to the first ten picks in the draft.  So even if he's still the No. 1 pick in 2007, there might be less money for the top pick by next year.

Several weeks back, we looked at whether Bush or Leinart would be the first guy off the board.  Some scouts say Bush, others say Leinart.

Based on Wednesday night's performance, Young looks like Bush and Leinart combined, and his clutch play in a huge game could go a long way toward persuading the NFL decision-makers to settle on Young as the first man to be drafted.

One last note.  How about that lame-ass trophy Young got as the outstanding offensive player of the national championship game?  For a minute there, we thought he'd won the team spelling bee.

The Falcons have been compiling quite a list of scapegoats this year for underachieving quarterback Michael Vick.

First, it was Peerless Price.  Then it was Dez White.  Then it was the offensive line.  Now, it's quarterbacks coach Mike Johnson.

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Johnson was advised on Wednesday that his contract will not be renewed.

The team didn't expressly blame Johnson for Vick's poor performance as a passer this year.  Maybe the catalyst for Johnson's dismissal was Matt Schaub's 98.1 passer rating in relief duty.  After all, most second-year guys have passer ratings in the triple digits, don't they?

There really aren't many more folks who can be blamed for Vick's failure to become the kind of passer that he never will be.  And if Jim Mora continues to try to force Vick's square-pegged talent into the round hole of the modified West Coast attack, Mora is the guy who a year from now will be looking for a new job.

EARLY LOOK AT 2006 HOT SEATS

While we're on the topic of the possibility that Jim Mora will be the ex-coach of the Atlanta Falcons a year from now, let's take a quick spin through those currently employed head coaches who will be sitting on a throne of flames come September.

In the AFC East, Buffalo's Mike Mularkey will be on the spot, assuming he still has a job later this month.  Herm Edwards of the Jets will be expected to turn things around in New York, if he doesn't get out of town in the near future for K.C.

In the AFC North, the fires of getting fired already are singeing Brian Billick's butt.

In the AFC South, Titans coach Jeff Fisher could be in trouble with another bad season, and a serious regression by the Jags could enable Paul Vance to pull a John Collins on Jack Del Rio. 

In the AFC West, Marty Schottenheimer needs to get the Chargers back to the playoffs or he could be done. 

In the NFC East, another non-playoff year from the Tuna could lead to a divorce in Big D.

In the NFC South, Mora is the only guy who'll be under the gun.

In the NFC West, Dennis Green of the Cardinals needs to turn it around or else.

Eagles coach Andy Reid likely isn't close to finding himself on the hot seat, absent a horrendous start to the 2006 season.  But it could be time for the team to look at whether it makes sense for Reid to continue to serve multiple roles with the organization.

ESPN's Sal Paolantonio broaches the question of whether Reid should step back from his management job, as his mentor Mike Holmgren did a few years ago in Seattle.  And Paolantonio thinks that it's time for a fresh voice to inject his two cents into a power structure dominated by Reid as to matters of football and President Joe Banner as to matters of money.

As a result of the current organizational chart, "no one is fighting for the players on the field," Paolantonio observes.  "There is a fine line between building a consensus and creating a cabal -- an echo chamber where the tough questions don't get asked because the answers are all the same. (See: Bush White House.)"

Paolantonio supports his belief that someone new needs to enter the fray by reviewing a list of bad management decisions that contributed to a very bad 2005 season -- allowing defensive end Derrick Burgess and defensive tackle Corey Simon to leave in free agency, going with Mike "Big-Necked Alfalfa" McMahon as the backup to Donovan McNabb, and permitting the T.O. situation to develop into a full-blown fiasco because the organization refused either to pay him or to grant his wish for a release.

New G.M. Tom Heckert, as Paolantonio points out, isn't the answer, since Heckert was hired by Reid and is beholden to him.

We generally agree with Paolantonio's reasoning.  The problem is that it's going to be hard for the team to conjure a seat at the table for a new front-office guy who would help reduce Reid's plate and who also would have some say over the composition and handling of the roster. 

With Heckert now the G.M., where would a new guy fit in?

In hindsight, then, it might have been a good thing for the organization if Heckert had left -- not because Heckert needed to go, but because his departure would have created a sufficiently large vacuum that could have been filled by someone with enough authority and autonomy to provide the kind of genuine discourse and debate that enables an emperor to realize that he's riding down the street buck naked on a donkey.

So when the current powers-that-be get together, as planned, for an objective assessment of the direction of the organization, we don't see any way for the guys who'll be in the room to realize the potential value of adding a fresh voice to the mix.

In this specific case, the need for a fresh voice cannot be acknowledged absent the presence of a fresh voice to raise the idea.

As the outcry continues to build regarding Marcus Vick's Riverdance on the back of Elvis Dumervil's ham hock during Monday's Gator Bowl continues to grow, there are rumors that the little brother of Ron Mexico might make like a plantain and split right out of school.

Vick, who has finished only one year as a starter after being suspended for all of the 2004 season, has completed the requisite three years after high school to be eligible for the 2006 draft.  Given growing speculation that Marcus might be facing a multi-game suspension next season as a result of his cheap shot on the Louisville sackmeister, there's talk that Vick could opt to jump to the NFL before he's pushed into a corner by the powers-that-be in Blacksburg.

On Wednesday, Virginia governor-elect Tim Kaine, a Hokie fan, said that Vick's behavior "made my heart sink."  Added Kaine:  "That act reflected very poorly on him and on the institution."  Also on Wednesday, the referee who called the game said that he would have ejected Vick on the spot if he had seen it happen.

On Tuesday, Virginia Tech Athletics Director Jim Weaver said that he "will not condone such acts of unsportsmanlike conduct," and that the university will examine the incident and "deal with it accordingly."  Coach Frank Beamer said Wednesday that a decision will be made in the next few days.

In our view, even more offensive than Vick's behavior was his effort to describe it as "an accidental play, and football is football." 

Bullpoopie.  We saw the incident, which occurred as big brother Mike was calmly telling an NBC reporter how a win by the Hokies might help make up for an underachieving 2005 season for the Falcons.  (Jim Mora probably loved to hear that one.)  If Vick's stunt was an accident, then the Valentine's Day Massacre was a simple misunderstanding between next-door neighbors.

Marcus must make a decision by January 15 as to whether he plans to enter the April draft.  And what he needs to ask himself is whether coming back to Tech next year, in the face of whatever sanctions might be imposed, will allow him to improve his draft stock over what it might be right now.

In our book, Vick is looking like he should be a third-round pick of the Broncos -- and another year of turdish behavior likely won't do anything to change that.

DONAHOE OUT . . . LEVY IN?

As expected, Bills owner Ralph Wilson fired G.M./President Tom Donahoe on Wednesday.  Donahoe had been on the job for five years.

Wilson said that he will appoint himself as club President, and that he plans to be more active than he has been in the past five years.  (For the typical 87-year-old, "more active" means changing the tube socks every other day instead of every third day.)

And as rumored several weeks ago, former Bills coach Marv Levy could be returning to the team he lead to four Super Bowl appearances in a front-office capacity.  Levy tried a couple of years back to lobby for another shot at a head coaching gig, but got no sniffs.

Also gone are pro personnel director John Guy and offensive coordinator Tom Clements.  Assistant G.M. Tom Modrak, who was brought in by Donahoe in May 2001, was retained.  For now, coach Mike Mularkey also still has his job.

Despite initial reports that the new contract signed by Redskins defensive coordinator Gregg Williams prevents him from interviewing for a head coaching job in 2006, other reports suggest that Williams' $8 million, three-year deal does not preclude him from leaving this year, if he so chooses.

Who's right?  Per NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, a provision preventing an assistant coach from interviewing for or accepting a head coaching position is prohibited by league rules.

It's possible that Williams and Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has agreed verbally that Williams won't leave, but how enforceable is that?  Put simply, it isn't.

So if someone wants to, say, double the $2.67 million annual salary that Williams will earn the next three years, Williams is free to accept.

The Associated Press reports that the Chiefs are negotiating with the Jets to acquire the services of head coach Herm Edwards.  Because Edwards is under contract with the Jets, the Chiefs will be required to send draft picks or other compensation to New York in exchange for his services.

It has been rumored for weeks that Edwards will be the Chiefs' primary target if/when Dick Vermeil retires.  Last month, we reported that Peterson secretly met with Edwards in New York, the night before a Saturday game between the Chiefs and the Giants.  Peterson later denied meeting with Edwards, explaining that Edwards was in Miami for a game with the Dolphins.

But we then learned that the Jets left New York on Saturday for the Miami game, meaning that both men were in New York on the night that King Carl says that Prince Edwards wasn't.

There's talk in league circles that, although 49ers linebackers coach Mike Singletary is going to get more than a few interviews for head coaching positions in the coming days and weeks, he's not regarded as being ready to make the jump from position coach to head coach.

The simple reality is that Singletary has been in the coaching business for only three years.  Even in a season with eight vacancies (and counting) and not enough top-shelf candidates, the thinking is that Singletary needs more time before he makes the jump to the top job.

When he does make the move -- and many folks believe it is inevitable that he will -- he's expected to become one of the top coaches in the game.

There also could be, as we see it, a certain dues-paying dynamic at work here.  Singeltary could encounter plenty of quiet resentment if the perception is that he got a job too soon.  And our guess is that Singletary is smart enough to know that he might not want to actually get a head coaching job now, for that very reason.

Besides, there's no shame in being a bridesmaid for a cycle or two before putting on the white dress.  Most head coaches spend at least a couple of years honing their interviewing skills (which include the presentation of detailed plans for building a staff and designing an offense and defense) before a fit is found.

Word out of Green Bay is that the Packers are bringing in Chargers defensive coordinator on Wednesday to interview for Green Bay's vacant head coaching position.

Phillips previously has coached the Broncos and the Bills.  He recently was linked to the Texans job, but we're told that he will not be a candidate for that position.

Phillips has no experience with Packers quarterback Brett Favre, which makes us think that Favre would be more likely to walk if someone like Phillips gets the job.

We also wonder whether and to what extent the Cheeseheads will take to Phillips, a defensive-minded coach who might not bring the kind of sizzle factor to the job that other candidates would.

KOSAR TO CLEVELAND?

There's talk around the league that former Browns President/CEO John Collins might be replaced by former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar.

Kosar was part of one of the ownership groups vying to obtain the rights to the franchise for its return in 1999, and we've heard several rumors over the past few years regarding Kosar's interest in landing a formal role with the team.

But at least one league source with knowledge of the dynamics in the organization tells us that rumors of Kosar's arrival are premature.  No one, we're told, will be hired in the short term to replace Collins.

BRATKOWSKI TO SAINTS?

We're hearing preliminary rumblings connecting Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski to the head coaching job with the Saints.

Saints G.M. Mickey Loomis will look closely at Bratkowski, we're told.  Loomis was the cap guy in Seattle when Bratkowski worked there as the receivers coach.

And familiarity could be all that Loomis has to go on.  He's not a football guy, but a glorified bean counter.  He doesn't know what to look for in a head coach, and there's no manual that he can buy or video he can rent to help him decide between Bratkowski or any other candidate.

Of course, the bigger question is whether Bratkowski or anyone else will be interested in the job.  The potential arrival of Matt Leinart as the new quarterback could be a drawing card for a coach with an offensive background.  However, lingering uncertainty regarding the long-term location and viability of the franchise likely will diminish the attraction.

We're told that Chiefs G.M. Carl Peterson was in Baltimore late Tuesday aftrenoon to interview Ravens offensive coordinator and former Giants coach Jim Fassel for the head coaching position left vacant by the retirement of coach Dick Vermeil.

Still, rumors persist that Peterson will make a hard run at Jets coach Herm Edwards, including potentially putting together a package of picks to pluck him away.

It wouldn't be the first time the Chiefs gave up draft choices in order to land a head coach.  When Vermeil was hired in 2001, the Chiefs ultimately were required to ship a two and a three to the Rams, since Vermeil was still working under a consulting arrangement with St. Louis.

And keep this in mind.  Peterson interviewed Herm Edwards for the job in 1999, when Gunther Cunningham eventually was hired for the position.  Two years later, Edwards became the head coach of the Jets.

Regardless of whether the next coach of the Chiefs is Fassel or Edwards or someone else, it's a safe bet that Peterson will hire a guy with NFL head coaching experience.  The Chiefs are a veteran team, and Peterson is thought to want a guy who will need little care and feeding. 

One last name to keep in mind in this regard is Bill Cowher.  If the Steelers lose at Cincy on Sunday, we wouldn't be shocked to see Peterson ask the Rooneys for permission to speak with Cowher, and we wouldn't be surprised to see the Rooneys eventually allow him to walk away with a couple of mid-level draft picks. 

The big knock on Coach Chin has been his ability to win money games in January (a talent he apparently learned from his mentor, Marty Schottenheimer).  A loss to the Steelers' AFC North rivals could be the last straw in an on-again, off-again debate over whether it's time to make a change -- and the intensely loyal Rooneys would be able to do so without actually having to fire Cowher.

WILLIAMS DEAL SETS BAD PRECEDENT?

One of the more intriguing aspects of the three-year, $8 million contract signed by Redskins defensive coordinator Gregg Williams on Tuesday is his agreement not to interview for any head coaching vacancies in the current hiring cycle.

That term concerns at least one of our readers, who fears that other teams might try to use similar restrictions to keep their assistants from leaving.

And we think that's a legitimate concern.  Because coaches are not unionized, their rights and responsibilities are governed by the dynamics of the free market.  If a coach wants to waive his ability to seek other employment as a head coach as part of his duties under his contract, the coach has the right to do so.  If he doesn't want to give up that right, he can refuse to go to work for the team that is imposing this term.

Of course, this might make it hard for the team to hire assistant coaches who have other options.  But what if a team consciously decides to pay above the market value, as the Redskins and Dolphins have been doing?  If a coach's option is to make $400,000 as an assistant with the Cardinals and $900,000 as an assistant with the 'Skins, would the fact that the Redskins' offer prevents the coach from leaving to accept a head coaching job to make any difference?

At some point, however, we suspect that the league would step in, if more and more teams begin using this device.  If abused, it will limit the pool of potential head coaching candidates, making it less likely that teams interested in hiring a new coach will do so.  Also, such heavy-handed tactics could make assistant coaches more inclined to explore the possibility of exercising their collective bargaining rights.

TURNER OUT IN OAKLAND

With coach Norv Turner fired on Tuesday by the Raiders, the official number of head coaching vacancies has risen to eight.

That's one vacancy for every four teams. 

Turner's termination was not a surprise, given the team's 4-12 record in a season where some (including us) had high expectations for a team that looked to be loaded on offense.

And although there's some talk that Turner will be considered for one of the other open jobs, we can't imagine any team wanting to take a chance on a guy who has failed twice in two tries as a head coach.  Some guys are great with the X's and O's, but they can't have success at the next step on the ladder.

Turner, we believe, is one of them.  He won Super Bowls as the offensive coordinator of the Cowboys, but his record as a head coach is, frankly, mediocre to dismal.  He'll most likely get an opportunity as an offensive coordinator somewhere else in 2006, but not even another Super Bowl ring will get his name back onto the "A" list any time soon, in our view.

As to possible replacements, keep this name in mind:  Steve Mariucci.

As first suggested in this here space on Saturday, Redskins owner Dan Snyder has backed up the Brinks truck into the front yard of defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, and removed him from the market of available head coaches with a three-year deal, worth up to $8 million.

Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reports the deal, which includes a commitment from Williams not to interview for any head-coaching positions this year.  He is free, however, to leave for a head-coaching job in 2007.

In our view, however, the likely result come 2007 is that Joe Gibbs will be at most a year from retirement, and Williams will then strike a deal to succeed him as the head coach of the Redskins.

A league source tells us that the Ravens has parted ways with special teams coordinator Gary Zauner, and that Zauner has been hired by the Cardinals in that same capacity.

Zauner previously worked for Arizona coach Dennis Green in that same capacity, while both were in Minnesota.

The move suggests that perhaps Green won't be trying to force his way out of the final three years of his contract, as widely rumored. 

Tony Grossi of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Browns President/CEO John Collins has resigned.

Grossi says that it's unclear whether Collins will remain with the Lerner organization.

On Friday, news broke that Collins planned to fire G.M. Phil Savage.  Owner Randy Lerner moved swiftly to throw water on the situation after initial fan and media reaction was negative, and Collins finished the day by trying to explain that there was no effort to push Savage out -- even as Collins confirmed several of the various facts that provided the foundation for the reports that Savage was a marked man.

Grossi also reports that G.M. Phil Savage will stay with the team.  In his podcast at Cleveland.com, Grossi also explains that Savage was actually fired at one point on Friday, and that coach Romeo Crennel played a key role in putting the toothpaste back into the tube, possibly by coming close to quitting.

So could it be that Savage threw down the gauntlet on Monday, telling Lerner that he'll quit if Collins stays in his position?  Savage had plenty of leverage after the Brown stuff hit the fan, and we wouldn't be surprised to learn that Savage laid it on the line with Lerner.

And how can anyone blame Savage for it?  He never would have been comfortable on the job with Collins there, given that Collins already has gone behind his back to hire NFL exec Mike Keenan to take over duties falling within Savage's power and authority.  Based on published reports, Collins would have indeed gotten rid of Savage this week, if the whole ruse hadn't been brought to light on Friday.

Even if Collins is still employed by Lerner in a non-Browns capacity when the dust settles, it looks to be the end of Collins' career with the NFL or any of its teams.  We're not saying that the guy isn't capable, but the most important quality for any manager is to know the limits of his or her own skills and abilities.  Collins, like so many others before him, was seduced by the apparent simplicity of the game of football, and he thought he could figure it all out simply because he's smart and he wears nice suits.

It doesn't work that way.  Still, we're convinced that this dynamic will continue to play out, since there always will be someone who thinks that success in any business constitutes qualifications to succeed in the business of pro football.  

(Editor's note:  In lieu of burning one or more of the various couches located at PFT world headquarters, yours truly has opted to keep pounding away into the early morning hours in the wake of the greatest victory in the history of West Virginia University sports.  There's nothing like a hard-fought Sugar Bowl trophy won in the opponent's backyard to help 1.8 million folks who are constantly the brunt of narrow-minded stereotypes and hackneyed jokes feel a lot better about themselves and the state they call home, which hopefully will continue to be one of the best kept secrets in the nation even as the Mountaineer football -- and basketball -- programs continue to ascend.)

MO CLO SAYS HE DIDN'T DO IT

On the same day that his former college team returned to the site of a National Championship three years ago, former Buckeyes running back Maurice Clarett turned himself in on charges of aggravated assault.

His lawyers says that Clarett will plead (drum roll please) not guilty.

Clarett supposedly was poised to sign with an unnamed NFL team on Monday and then be allocated to NFL Europe, where he would have had a second chance to kick-start his pro career.  We don't buy it.  If anyone were truly interested in Clarett, he would have been signed, at a minimum, to a practice squad during the season in order to see whether he can still play after, you know, about 1,000 days off. 

Besides, Clarett did nothing during his cup of coffee (laced with Grey Goose) in Denver to dispel his widespread reputation in league circles as a first-class turd.  The Miami Herald reported earlier this year that Clarett was found drinking alcohol in the team's weight room, and his poorly misguided decision to bypass a signing bonus as a third-round draft pick made it easy for the Broncos to walk away, since there was no cap hit.

As to the pending charges, we don't know whether there's enough evidence to satisfy the demanding standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt (see Simpson, O.J.).  But this incident most likely means, in our view, that Clarett won't get another chance to show that he's not worthy of a career in the National Football Leage.

As this year's Black Monday comes to a close, we've got a variety of tidbits that we didn't have the time to use throughout the day, and that we'd ordinarily milk over the rest of the week.

But things are happening too fast, and this stuff likely will be stale by noon on Tuesday.  If it isn't already.

All information comes from our network of league sources.

*  Bills pro personnel director John Guy is expected to be relieved of his duties before a new G.M. is hired to replace Tom Donahoe.

*  The Chiefs are willing to give up draft picks to get Jets coach Herm Edwards.

*  Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Fassel is on the Chiefs' interview list; he'll meet with the team later in the week.

*  Fassel is emerging as a serious candidate for head-coaching jobs in Oakland and Minnesota.

*  The Chiefs are interested in Redskins defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

*  49ers linebackers coach Mike Singletary will interview with the Lions later in the week for their vacant head coaching job.

*  With Tom Heckert accepting a promotion and a raise to stay with the Eagles, the current candidates for the Vikings' G.M.-level job are in-house employees Scott Studwell and Jeff Robinson, Rick Smith of the Broncos, and Tom Dimitroff of the Patriots.

*  Lions CEO Matt Millen wants to hire Rick Spielman for a front office position, but others will be interviewed before a decision is made.

*  Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis has been linked to promotions with the Chiefs and the Lions.

*  Rich Kotite and Waynes Fontes are on the interview list for none of the current vacancies.

A Monday report from The Associated Press that the Raiders have won a coin flip with the 49ers for the sixth pick in the draft is incorrect, a league source has advised us.

In the media conglomerate's defense (as if it needs one), word is that the report was based on bad info from the league.

A coin flip is necessary because the teams have the same record and because the sole tiebreaker -- the total won-loss percentage of their opponents -- was dead even.

When the eventual flip is conducted, Raiders owner Al Davis plans to apply the "heads I win, tails I'll sue" standard.

After the Bucs acquired Raiders coach Jon Gruden by sending a pack of picks to the pirates of Piedmont, the NFL circulated a memo that supposedly prohibited this practice.

As explained in the January 17, 2003 St. Petersburg Times, the Competition Committee had concluded that the use of draft picks to secure coaches could be undermining the purposes of the draft.

Not long thereafter, then-Bucs G.M. Rich McKay told ESPN.com that the memo was not intended to apply to head coaches.

At a time when there will be plenty of head coaching vacancies and not enough high-end candidates, some teams could be interested in guys who already are gainfully employed with other NFL teams.  Thus, the possibility of using draft picks has come up again, and plenty of our readers wanted to know whether the practice was still permitted.

League spokesman Greg Aiello told us on Monday that draft picks can be used to acquire a head coach or a high-ranking club executive (such as G.M. or the equivalent).  Draft choices cannot be used, per Aiello, to acquire coordinators, position coaches, or executives below the level of president or G.M.

We've got a feeling that this rule will come into play for at least one of the current coaching and/or G.M. vacancies this year, possibly if the Chiefs come after coach Herm Edwards of the Jets.

We interrupt the ongoing coverage of coaches who will have different jobs next season to address coverage of players who could have different jobs next season.

According to ESPN.com, Chargers quarterback Drew Brees has a torn labrum in his shoulder, which will require surgery and a four-month rehabilitation period.  Brees will get a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews before getting the surgery.

The development significantly complicates the team's options with Brees.  An unrestricted free agent a year ago, Brees was slapped with the franchise tag.  Chargers G.M. A.J. Smith hinted during the 2004 season that the objective would be to get some compensation for Brees in trade.  The only problem is that no one was interested.

When discussing on Sunday night the potential fallout of the shoulder injury suffered by Brees in the team's season finale, we argued that the team should slap the franchise tag on Brees again and remove it in June or July, after all other starting jobs are filled for the year.  It would then enable the team to sign Brees to a reasonable contract, with virtually no competition from any other teams.

There's a big flaw in that reasoning, as we've been advised.  Brees undoubtedly would sign the franchise tender promptly upon receiving it, which would give him a guaranteed wage of $9.69 million in 2006 -- a 20 percent raise over his 2005 salary.  Since the deadline for using the tag comes near the end of February, pouncing on $10 million at a time when he is still damaged goods would be a no-brainer.

So the Chargers face a serious dilemma.  If they use the tag and can't trade Brees, they're on the hook to pay nearly $10 million to a guy who won't be at 100 percent until, at the earliest, the offseason program is in full swing.

So the fallback position for the Chargers could be to use the transition tag on Brees.  Like the franchise tag, use of the transition tag still requires a one-year tender in the amount of $9.69 million.  Unlike the franchise tender, the transition tender can be withdrawn even after the player signs it.

The difference comes from the 1998 extension to the CBA, which added specific language to Article XX, Section 2(c) that makes the franchise tender guaranteed if the player accepts.  No similar text was added to the portions of Article XX regarding the transition tag.

The key is that the transition tag gives the Chargers a right of first refusal, which basically is an invitation to another team to conduct the contract negotiations on the Chargers' behalf.  New team works out the deal, and then the Chargers match it.

The ace in the hole, however, for any team that might be interested in getting Brees or in sticking it to the Chargers would be to offer Brees a one-year deal that includes an agreement not to use the franchise tag or transition tag on Brees in the future.  Although such terms are, per Article XX, Section 2(g), not "principal terms" that must be matched as to franchise players, Article XX, Section 2(g) expressly exempts this provision from players carrying the transition tag.

And because the Chargers can (and surely would) withdraw the transition tag later in the offseason, it won't take a $9.69 million salary to get Brees to take a one-year offer.  Under the circumstances, a $5 million salary with another $3 million in incentives tied to playing time could be enough to get Brees to pounce, if the one-year offer deal allows him to become an unrestricted free agent in 2007, which absent an agreement to extend to the current CBA beyond the 2007 season will be an uncapped year.

Our guess (and this really is a guess) is that the Raiders will put something along these lines together, if for no reason other than to mess with G.M. A.J. Smith.  Other arguably possible suitors are the Fins, Chiefs, Jets, Browns, Ravens, Titans, Cowboys, Lions, Packers, Bucs, Saints, Rams, Cardinals.

The number of head coaching vacancies is now at seven, and we're not even 24 hours into the offseason for the 20 non-playoff teams.

Jay Glazer reports that the Saints have fired coach Jim Haslett.

It's actually good news for Haslett, who privately wanted out of a bad situation with the Saints and who feared that he'd be forced to finish out the final year of his contract, in 2006.  He was willing to stay with the Saints only if owner Tom Benson demonstrated a commitment to winning, which would have required a long-term extension for Haslett and his staff, among other things.

Since Benson wouldn't do it, Haslett asked to be fired, we're told.

So Benson has opted to accept potential responsibility for Haslett's 2006 coaching salary.  But Benson's exposure will be reduced by any money that Haslett earns as a head coach elsewhere, and given the number of openings it's a virtual certainty that Haz will hear the words, "You're hired" before too long.

If the Bills dump coach Mike Mularkey, Haslett will go to the top of the list, especially among the fan base.  He also has been mentioned for openings in Houston and St. Louis.  Glazer reports that Haslett will be a candidate with the Jets, if coach Herm Edwards makes tracks to K.C.

A league source tells us that the Buffalo Bills will terminate G.M. Tom Donahoe.

Donahoe's status has been up in the air of late.  A strong turnaround after a bad start in 2004 saved him, but unfulfilled expectations in 2005 have come home to roost, so Donahoe is out after five seasons on the job.

We've yet to hear whether this means that coach Mike Mularkey also will go.  We are firm believers in equal accountability for both coach and G.M., and we also think that the addition of a new G.M. with a holdover head coach never works well, since the G.M. always wants to hire his own guy.

But there's a chance Mularkey will get another year to prove himself, especially since there will be so many other open jobs to fill and not enough high-end coaches available.

Stay tuned.

With six head coaching vacancies already emerging (Detroit, Kansas City, Minnesota, Houston, St. Louis, Green Bay), there likely will be more.  The Raiders are expected to fire Norv Turner before too long, and there's a chance that the Tuna will pack it in in Big D.

But there also are some other cities in which something could go down, as we've speculated in the not-too-distant past.  One team to watch closely is the Arizona Cardinals.

Green said on Sunday that there will be changes to his coaching staff in the offseason, and we hear that he already has dumped offensive line coach Everett Lindsay, defensive line coach Donald Pollard, and special teams coach Kevin O'Dea.

We'd previously heard that offensive coordinator Keith Rowen could be fired as well.

But the "X" factor here is defensive backs coach Richard Solomon, a long-time Green friend and confidant who is not held in the highest regard by some folks around the league.  We're hearing that the front office wants Green to get rid of Solomon, and that Green is resisting.

Coupled with recent reports that Green could be looking for a way out from under the last three years of his deal in order to land a job in a new city during an offseason in which there will be plenty of openings and not enough "A" list talent, it could be that Green is trying to finagle a termination, just as many believe he did in Minnesota four years ago.

Regardless of the motivations, the whole thing is a mess.  Green hired the very guys that he's now firing, so shouldn't Green be at least partially responsible for the fact that they didn't work out?

Green's biggest flaw, as we see it, is that he relies too much on "his guys," regardless of whether concepts such as objective merit justify it.  In addition to assistant coaches who are loyal to Green, he has pushed out decent players in two seasons with the Cards (Pete Kendall, Dexter Jackson) and brought in players who had been with Green in Minnesota.

It's not working.  He was an effective coach in Minnesota, but through two years in Arizona, the franchise seems to be in no better shape than it was before he got there.  

Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reports that the Packers have fired coach Mike Sherman.  The move comes less than a year after Sherman was relieved of his G.M. duties in favor of Ted Thompson.  Now, the guy who became Sherman's boss in 2005 has put a shoe in Mike's butt to start 2006.

Per Glazer, the Packers will interview Eagles offensive coordinator Brad Childress and Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis.  We think that current Green Bay defensive coordinator Jim Bates should also get some consideration, given his management of a talent-challenged defense and his performance as the interim head coach in Miami in 2004.

Sherman was the head coach in Green Bay for six seasons.  He leaves with his two-year extension from 2005 in place, which we always regarded as a face-saving Band-Aid aimed at avoiding the distractions of a lame duck season.  

In the end, it fairly can be said that Sherman the G.M. got Sherman the coach fired, since the holes up and down the roster in 2005 were the result of personnel decisions made and contract negotiations conducted on Sherman's watch.  We'd heard repeatedly that Sherman was not properly delegating duties, either as a G.M. or as a head coach, and it appears that it finally caught up with him.  Our guess is that he'll land with one of his former colleagues, such as Andy Reid or Mike Holmgren. 

The biggest potential consequence of the decision to fire Sherman could be that quarterback Brett Favre views the whole thing as an implicit message that it's time for him to move on.  Although we've heard that the team wants Favre, the info came from the same source who told us that Sherman was safe.

There were rumors several weeks back that Favre wants former Packers quarterbacks coach Steve Mariucci to take over the team.  If Mooch's name doesn't appear quickly on the list of candidates, Brett might interpret that as yet another message that the team is ready to move on without him.

If that's what the team is trying to do, they are playing the situation very effectively.  This way, it'll look like it was Brett's decision to leave, not the team's.

And that should go a long way toward preventing a Cheesehead Rebellion.

Meanwhile, the Packers are now the third team in the NFC North to be looking for a new head coach at the same time.  It's definitely shaping up to be a seller's market, and it'll be interesting to see if any bidding wars break out for the same candidate(s).

Though we've heard that Redskins owner Dan Snyder will do whatever is necessary to keep defensive coordinator Gregg Williams if/when the head coaching offers roll in, some folks think that Snyder won't be required to break the bank in order to make it happen.

As some league insiders believe, Williams could be hurt by the fact that he's not regarded as a "people person."  The players didn't like him during his three-year stint as the head coach in Buffalo, and he doesn't yet have the track record to be embraced within the locker room while at the same time acting like a jerk.

Then again, the same thing could have been said about Bill Belichick when he was hired to coach the Patriots.  And he's had a little bit of success in New England despite those concerns.

Also, Williams' reputation could be significantly enhanced by success in the 2005 playoffs.  The higher the 'Skins climb, the more likely other owners will be to overlook the perception that Williams will have to get to the players in some way other than being a "players' coach."

STEELERS HAMPERED BY EARLY WEEK PARTYING?

There's a theory making the rounds in NFL locker rooms that the Pittsburgh Steelers struggled this year following a 15-1 season because too many of the players spent too much time living it up on Monday nights and Tuesday nights.

We don't know whether there's a connection between what happens on Monday/Tuesday and what happens on Sunday.  But if the players were letting their hair down a bit too much early in the week, that attitude possibly permeated their preparations for at least some of their regular season games.

The best evidence supporting this notion is that, once their backs were pressed squarely against the wall after a three-game losing streak capped with a December 4 loss at home to the Bengals, the Steelers ran the table and snuck into the AFC playoff field as the sixth seed.

They'll get another shot at those Bengals on Sunday, in Cincinnati where the Steelers won earlier in the season -- and in convincing fashion.  With the Bengals limping down the stretch, losing their last two games while allowing 37 points in each, we think that the Steelers will put a premature end to Cincy's return to the postseason after a lengthy hiatus.

CARSON DEAL DUNN'S CLOSING ARGUMENT?

Though no one around the league questions the wisdom of the Bengals' decision to sign quarterback Carson Palmer to a contract extension that allowed the team to eat up remaining cap room from 2005, some league insiders believe that Palmer's agent, David Dunn, got an extra benefit from the precise timing of the agreement.

Dunn is in the running to represent USC quarterback Matt Leinart, who most likely will be the second overall pick in the draft.  And what better way to impress a current Heisman winning Trojan signal caller by landing a $97 million extension for a former Heisman winning Trojan  who has yet to complete two seasons as a starting quarterback?

Dunn's ability to lock Palmer up to a long-term deal so early in his career is even more significant for Leinart, since he's looking at the loss of $10 million or so in total contract value as a result of his decision to stay in "school" for another year.  Leinart undoubtedly would have been the No. 1 pick of the 49ers a year ago, and he most likely won't be the first name off of the board this time around.

Of course, that dynamic will place even more pressure on whoever represents Leinart to land from the two hole a package that comes as close as possible to replacing the money that Leinart would have made if he hadn't stuck around for another season.

Then again, maybe Leinart should merely ask teammate Reggie Bush to make up the difference, since it was Leinart's presence in 2005 that helped propel Bush to the presumptive No. 1 spot on the NFL draft board.

The Associated Press reports that the Houston Texans will fire coach Dom Capers on Monday, but keep G.M. Charley Casserly.

The one-stays, one-goes move had widely been anticipated, but that was before owner Bob McNair unexpectedly hired Dan Reeves to serve as a "consultant" last month.  The arrival of Reeves prompted many folks around the league to conclude that Casserly would be fired, or at a minimum that he would be reassigned to an administrative position.

Capers is the only coach in club history, leading the team to progressively better marks each year until the bottom fell out after an 8-8 season in 2004.  This year, the Texans sank to 2-14, and secured the first overall pick in the draft.

The new head coach, whoever it might be, will have a significant voice in the question of whether the Texans use that pick on USC running back Reggie Bush, or whether they dangle the pick in an effort to finagle a package of picks and/or players.  Though no one around the league questions Bush's raw ability, there are some concerns as to whether he'll be sufficiently durable at the next level.  The answer to that question won't be known until Bush lines up against NFL talent and takes a few NFL hits.

DRAFT ORDER WILL CREATE INTRIGUE

With the Texans at 2-14 and the Saints at 3-13, Houston and New Orleans sit 1-2 atop the draft board. 

After that, a cluster of 4-12 teams were separated by the won-loss percentage of their 2005 opponents.  The lower the won-loss percentage, the higher the spot.

So the Titans are at No. 3, the Jets are at No. 4, the Packers are at No. 5.

A coin flip will determine whether the 49ers or Raiders will pick sixth; the loser will select seventh.

The most obvious (and, in our view, most likely) results is that the Texans take USC tailback Reggie Bush at No. 1 and the Saints select USC quarterback Matt Leinart at No. 2.

But the presence of the Titans, whose offensive coordinator is former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow, at No. 3 could make things interesting.

Apart from a straight trade with either the Texans or the Saints to get either Bush or Leinart, the Titans and the Texans could try to work together in an effort to allow each franchise to get one of them.

How so?  Let's say that the Texans and Titans strike a secret deal to flip flop in round one, with the express understanding that the Titans would draft Leinart at No. 1.  If the franchises can keep the thing under wraps until the moment that the Texans are on the clock, the Saints would then have fifteen minutes to figure out what to do.

And with Deuce McAllister on the roster, the Saints don't need Bush.  But they'll need to have a plan in place with the Jets or the Packers to drop out of No. 2 if Leinart ends up being the first pick.

Such a plan entails plenty of risk for the Texans, who easily could be shut out from getting either guy.  Also, the fact that the Texans and Titans are in the same division could make such an arrangement less likely.

With the Packers and Jets also in the top five, the Texans could simply hold an auction for the top pick, without worrying about whether there's a way to sneak Bush in from the three spot.  The Texans would still be guaranteed a high pick -- plus whatever else they can finagle from the team that decides it's willing to give up plenty (a la Mike Ditka seven years ago for Ricky Williams) to get Bush.  And if part of the price tag is a first-round pick in 2007, the Texans also would need to do some advance prognostication as to the projected value of that pick, based on the expected finish of the team that coughs up its No. 1 for next year.

We also think that the Raiders, who desperately need a quality quarterback, could try to spring to No. 2 on draft day, if Bush is indeed the No. 1 pick.  Much of that depends on who the new coach of the Raiders will be, and on whether a starting quarterback can otherwise be obtained on the open market before the draft.

The only sure thing for now is that there will be plenty of rumors and speculation and innuendo over the next three months as all of the various permutations of the next destination of Bush and Leinart are laid out.

A league source tells us that Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer started quarterback Drew Brees and his other first-stringers on Saturday against the Broncos not because Marty wanted to finish the season with a win in a meaningless game, but because his contract provides for a hefty bonus if he gets 10 wins in 2005.

Per the source, Schottenheimer would have earned "a couple hundred grand" in extra money if the team had finished ten up and six down.  With Saturday's loss, the Chargers finished with nine victories, and Marty got no additional money.

The end result of the decision to go with Brees is a shoulder injury that throws a King Kong-sized monkey wrench into the team's options at the quarterback position.  Though the plan likely was to throw the franchise tag on Brees for the second straight year and then dangle him on the trade market, any potential suitors will be skittish (see Chad Pennington).  Hell, a year ago the Chargers got no offers for Brees, and that was with the former Purdue quarterback coming off of a 12-win breakout season.  This year, the team took a step backwards and Brees is potentially damaged goods.

The other problem is that the Chargers likewise can't trade Rivers and assume that Brees will be able to handle the job in 2006 (see Chad Pennington). 

The best bet for the team at this point might be to slap the tag on Brees until June or July, limiting his ability to sign with another team, remove the tag once all other teams are set at the starting quarterback position, and then negotiate a short-term, high-incentive deal with Brees.

It's an aggressive strategy, to be sure.  But, hey, this is the team that cut off its foot in order to spite its Antonio (Gates), and our guess is that G.M. A.J. Smith will play hardball with anyone, including Brees (and including A.J.'s own grandma).

Moving swiftly after a victory that could have created some local and/or national sentiment to give coach Mike Tice another chance, Vikings owner Zygi Wilf disrupted the celebration of a 34-10 win over the Bears' JV team with news that Tice's contract will not be renewed.

It was a brilliant move, in our view, from an owner who is committed to establishing a top-notch program that wins games and respect around the league.  Tice was nothing more than a leftover from the prior regime, and he was hired by an owner who did everything on the cheap.  Why permit false hope to be generated over the next 15 hours or so following a game that might have prompted a weaker man to say, "Hmmm . . . maybe this guy really isn't mildly retarded"?

Wilf surely plans to pour much more than the $1 million that Tice earned this season into the budget for the head coach's salary in 2006, and the reality is that Tice has done nothing to prove that he's worth the kind of money that Wilf plans to pay.

Hey, if Red McCombs were still the owner then we'd say sign the Meathead up for another three years at $1.2 million per.  McCombs would've gotten his money's worth, and it's not like there would have been a bidding war for Tice's services.

But Wilf wants to take this thing to the next level.  He can only do it with someone better than Tice.

It really is that simple.  Wilf has the Vikings ready for something more than Tice can muster.  Period.  Or maybe we should say, "Exclamation point." 

And the timing of the decision should be regarded as a clear message from Wilf to Vikings fans that things will indeed change.  The bar is being raised.  Right freakin' now.

Some guys, like V.P. Rob Brzezinski, are good enough to stay.  Others, like Tice, aren't.

So what next for Wilf?  Our guess is that he'll keep his cards stapled to his vest and his options wide open.  With the search on for a new G.M.-level exec, we think that a final decision as to a coach shouldn't be made until after the G.M. gig is filled.  If, for example, a Tom Heckert is added to the organization, he'll have his own list of candidates for the coaching job.

It also makes sense to keep an eye on Cleveland.  With G.M. Phil Savage's status still up in the air, it's possible that Wilf will eventually hire Savage, who then would help bring Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz to Minnesota.  The presence of Brzezinski would give the organization a formidable trio in the scouting, salary cap management, and coaching departments.

As to Tice, we're already hearing that he'll likely end up in Arizona with former boss Dennis Green.  He also could land in Baltimore with former Vikings colleague Brian Billick.

There's a very remote chance that Tice will be in the mix for any of the various coaching vacancies.  He might get a courtesy interview somewhere, but he'll be required to spend at least a year or two proving himself again at the assistant level before anyone will ever regard him as a serious candidate to get back to the top of the mountain.

Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reports that Vikings V.P. of football operations Rob Brzezinski signed on Saturday a multi-year deal to remain with the team.

The move should put to rest those rumors linking Brzezinski to a Cleveland front office that could be reconfigured if/when G.M. Phil Savage departs.

And it's pretty clear to us that Brzezinski's far better option over the long haul is to stay in Minny.  Even though the addition of a new head coach and a new G.M.-level executive could make for a few awkward moments at the vending machines in the short term, owner Zygi Wilf is committed (it seems) to making the thing work over the long term, and whoever comes in as G.M. and/or head coach will have to buy in from the outset to the fact that Brzezinski has (and deserves) a seat at the grown-ups' table.

Glaze also reports that Wilf still hasn't made a final decision regarding his head coach, but is leaning toward firing Mike Tice.  Complicating matters, per Glazer, is the fact that Wilf likes Tice.

Hey, Zagnut, there are a lot of people we like, too.  But only a select few of them would ever be entrusted with our children.  That's how you need to look at this one, since your baby right now is a $600 million investment that needs plenty of care and feeding from a coach who, at best, has the morals to not scalp Super Bowl tickets or, at worst, is at least smart enough to get away with it. 

So pull off that Band-Aid, Zyg.  You'll be glad that you did.

SAVAGE, COLLINS PROBLEMS TRACE TO EDWARDS DEAL

A league source tells us that the acrimony between Browns President/CEO John Collins and G.M. Phil Savage originated in connection with the negotiation of the rookie contract signed by receiver Braylon Edwards, the third pick in the draft.

Per the source, Savage and Cleveland cap guy Trip MacCracken made it clear to Collins last July that Edwards would not agree, as part of his deal, to grant to the team a right of first refusal as to the marketing of his name and image.  But Collins, we're told, instructed Savage and MacCracken to work out the financial terms, and that Collins would then insert the marketing language into the deal after an agreement was reached as to the money.

So an agreement was reached, and then Collins tried to slip the language in, assuming (as most superficial marketing types might do) that Edwards and his agents wouldn't have the nerve to walk away from the altar.

But Collins was wrong, creating a very public embarrassment for the organization -- and a rift between Savage and Collins that likely will be permanent, even if owner Randy Lerner successfully forces the two to continue to work together.

Elsewhere regarding the Cleveland clusterfudge, Patrick McManamon of The Akron Beacon Journal reports that the team had indeed decided to fire Savage, and that the move was going to be made on Monday or Tuesday.  But swift and harsh public reaction to reports of the impending move forced Lerner to shove the cork back into the bottle before the genie could escape.

So although the Browns might be griping publicly about the media's role in this one, the truth is that the disclosure of the story helped the Browns avoid what would have been an unprecedented black eye.

And shouldn't a supposed marketing guru like Collins have foreseen the potential public fallout of a decision to fire a G.M. less than a year after hiring him? 

It's further proof, in our view, that Collins simply doesn't get it. 

Need more evidence?  We still can't get over Collins' remarks regarding the fact that Savage spent too much time out of the office during the football season.  So what was Savage doing?  "Working at home" in a muu-muu?

["It's not a muu-muu.  It's a slightly modified bed sheet."]

No.  He was out on the road, staying in crappy hotels and eating crappy food and doing what he does best -- finding future players to help improve his (for now) crappy team.

If Collins really knew how a football operation, um, operates, and if he had any appreciation of Savage's role in the building of the Ravens team that won the Super Bowl five years ago, Collins would know that seeing Savage in the office on a regular basis from September through April would mean that he's not sufficiently involved in the critical process of determining the best players to be added to the team.

In a move that will surprise no one who has been paying any attention at all to the NFL this season, Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil told the team Saturday night that he will retire.

Vermeil's final game could be on January 1 in Kansas City or, in theory, it could come on February 5 in Detroit.  With a win at home against the Bengals and a loss by the Steelers to the Lions, the Chiefs will qualify for the playoffs.

If Vermeil's team loses or if the Steelers win, Vermeil will be done on Sunday.

Although Vermeil seemingly has been a head coach for most of the last three decades, he has spent only 15 seasons in that capacity.  He coached the Eagles from 1976 through 1982, and then took 14 years off before joining the Rams in 1997.  After winning a Super Bowl in 1999, Vermeil abruptly "retired" -- only to join the Chiefs as head coach after sitting out for one season.

He has spent five seasons with the Chiefs, and we're not yet ready to call his most recent "retirement" a permanent "retirement."  Though 69, Vermeil is energetic and vibrant and our guess is that he'll find his way back onto an NFL sideline by the start of the 2007 season.

FAREWELL, MEATHEAD

Technically, the future of Vikings coach Mike Tice won't be announced until Monday, at the earliest.  But does it take a rocket surgeon to figure out that the Meathead's oversized goose is cooked?

Hovering just under .500 through four full years on the job, Tice has been an underachieving coach of an underachieving collection of players in a franchise that has been good but never good enough for most of its 45-year existence.

With a new owner in place and Tice's contract coming to a close, the fact that Tice hasn't gotten an extension yet is all the proof that anyone needs to conclude that Zygi Wilf will get on his tiptoes and tap Tice on the trapezius and invite him to pack his bags and hit the bricks come Monday.

Why wouldn't he?  The on-field product isn't good enough, and the off-field distractions became disastrous this year.  Tice has presided over an atmosphere in which men acted like boys, possibly influenced by Tice's own example of adolescent behavior involving the resale of Super Bowl tickets for some extra walking around money.

There's too much at stake in Minnesota to justify keeping Tice around.  Wilf wants a new stadium and, more importantly, he wants to preside over a winning team.  The talent has been there for most of the last three decades; for whatever reason, however, the guys haven't been able to get it done when it counts the most.  So, in our view, the coaching staffs bear the brunt of the blame -- and it's high time for the franchise to spend the money that it takes to lure a top-tier coach to town. 

Okay, so there really isn't a guy like that available this year.  But there's got to be someone better than Tice.

And here's hoping that Wilf doesn't hire a guy like Tim Lewis or Jim Fassel simply because of Wilf's longtime obsession with the New York Giants.  All past likes and dislikes should be set aside by Wilf when the time comes to hire the guy whose job will be to reverse years of unfulfilled potential. 

MO CLO HEADED TO HOOSE GOW?

Former Broncos running back Maurice Clarett has put a disastrous 2005 in his rear-view mirror by starting 2006 with a bang.  (Allegedly.)

A warrant has been issued for Clarett's arrest on two counts of aggravated robbery.  Clarett allegedly accosted two people behind a Columbus night club with a handgun.  He then got into a white SUV with two other persons and they sped away.

Clarett, as a true freshman, was a key member of Ohio State's national championship team in the 2002 season.  He was suspended for all of the 2003 season and then sued the NFL for early entry into the 2004 draft.  He initially won at the district court level, but an appeals court overturned the ruling. 

The Broncos used a third-round pick on Clarett in April 2005, but he eventually was released amid reports of alcohol use in the weight room, weeks after insisting on a no-bonus, incentive-laden contract.

Even as teams like the Packers gobbled up tailbacks like Toniu Fonoti on a bag of Tootsie Rolls, Mo Clo's phone never rang.

In the wake of this latest development, it's fairly safe to say that it never will.