Redskins interview Meeks, speak to Mora again
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The first round of the Washington Redskins coaching search neared completion Thursday when owner Dan Snyder interviewed Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Ron Meeks and also spoke to Seattle Seahawks defensive backs coach Jim Mora for a second day.
Meeks was to spend Thursday night in a guesthouse owned by Snyder and have a second interview Friday in what has become routine treatment for most of the candidates for the job, according to a person familiar with the selection process. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Redskins haven't publicly stated the names of any candidates.
Mora, the former Atlanta Falcons head coach, spent the night at the guesthouse after a first interview on Wednesday after Snyder sent a plane to bring him from Seattle. Another candidate who has yet to be identified spent last Friday night at the guesthouse in between sessions with Snyder on Friday and Saturday.
Snyder has remained in the Washington area during the entire coaching process, conducting each formal interview at his home in Potomac, Md., after the candidate is flown to Washington on one of his private planes.
Meeks brings to five the number of interviewed candidates, including Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Redskins assistant Gregg Williams. Williams has met with the owner on four occasions, although some sessions have been less formal than others.
Once the second interview with Meeks is completed, the person familiar with the process said Snyder will spend Friday evaluating the candidates. The owner will then decide whether to invite any of the five back for another interview or whether to pursue other names on his list.
One of those names is Indianapolis assistant Jim Caldwell, but Colts owner Jim Irsay said Thursday night Caldwell would replace head coach Tony Dungy if Dungy decides to retire.
The Redskins are seeking a replacement for Joe Gibbs, who resigned last week.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Dolphins GM cites 'urgency' in hiring of David Lee as QBs coach
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) -- New Miami Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland says the team moved quickly to hire David Lee as quarterbacks coach because of the job's importance, even though the head coaching position remains vacant.
Lee is a former Dallas Cowboys assistant.
There was an urgency to find the right person to coach the most important position on the team," Ireland said in a statement. "We didn't want to lose the ability to add someone as talented as David to our staff, so when he became available, we had to move quickly to bring him on board."
The Dolphins on Thursday confirmed the hiring of Lee, first reported earlier this week.
"In order to be successful in this league, it is imperative to get the most out of the quarterback position," Ireland said. "To do that, you not only need the right quarterback, but the right quarterbacks coach.
"It is critical to hire someone who understands the position and can develop players there, and David has the ability to do that."
The Dolphins may tap the Dallas pipeline again for their head coach. Cowboys assistant head coach Tony Sparano is considered the front-runner, but talks are on hold while Dallas prepares for its opening playoff game Sunday against the New York Giants.
Sparano, Lee, Ireland and new Dolphins vice president of football operations Bill Parcells worked together in Dallas. Lee was on Parcells' staff with the Cowboys in 2003-06, then coached quarterbacks at the University of Arkansas last year.
"Bill and I are very familiar with David from our time working together in Dallas, and he is an outstanding coach," Ireland said. "He has a blueprint for success in developing quarterbacks, and is widely recognized for his teaching and coaching acumen."
In Lee's four years with the Cowboys, three quarterbacks threw for 3,000 yards in a season. A fourth, Tony Romo, went from being an undrafted college free agent in 2003 to a starter in 2006.
The Dolphins have tried 12 starters at quarterback since Dan Marino retired following the 1999 season. They used three starters last season -- Trent Green, Cleo Lemon and rookie John Beck -- en route to a 1-15 season.
Coach Cam Cameron was fired Jan. 3 after one season with Miami. Most of his staff was also fired, including quarterbacks coach Terry Shea.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
With Fast Willie out, Davenport now has run of the Steelers
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers can't go onto the waiver wire and replace a running back like Willie Parker. They can't find one on their bench or their practice squad or in an open tryout.
The NFL playoffs are only a week away, and the Steelers don't know what their running game will look like for a probable postseason opener at Heinz Field a week from Saturday or Sunday. They were encouraged by longtime NFL backup Najeh Davenport's 123-yard game last week, but that was against the Rams, not the Jaguars or the Browns.
Where will the reliable yards come from in January? How can they constantly avoid second-and-8s? Will they have a running game in the postseason, or will their offense simply become Ben Roethlisberger throwing left, right and down the middle?
They hope to begin finding out Sunday in Baltimore, though there is no evidence the Ravens (4-11), as much as they dislike the Steelers (10-5), will offer any more resistance than the Rams did in losing 41-24.
Replacing a running back who was leading the NFL with 1,316 yards until he broke his right leg isn't easy, and the Steelers don't have much time to find an alternative.
Davenport's 100-yard game was fine, but it was only his second in 66 NFL career games. Parker had eight 100-yard games in his first 14 starts this season in an offense that is third in the league with 2,122 yards rushing.
"We can't change what we do," Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca said. "I think maybe we can expect Naj to maybe hit the hole a lot quicker (than Parker does). Willie could use his speed to maybe dictate to the defense a little and not necessarily hit the hole right away. Last week, you saw Naj hitting the holes quick."
Davenport, a former University of Miami star who played for Green Bay from 2002-05, isn't worried the offense will go from roughly a 50-50 split between the run and the pass to being pass-heavy.
"Whatever play they call, that's my favorite play," said Davenport, who has averaged only six-plus carries per game during his six-season career.
Davenport -- like many, if not all, NFL backs -- lacks Parker's speed, but the 6-foot-1, 250-pound Davenport said he shouldn't be labeled as a power back despite being bigger than the 5-10, 210-pound Parker.
"People like to think I'm a big bruiser, but when I run by you, you're surprised by it," Davenport said. "We have different running styles. I build my speed up, I'm a big guy and inertia works."
Coach Mike Tomlin isn't saying how much Davenport and the other offensive starters will play Sunday, and it's likely the flow of the game will dictate that. The Steelers must win to retain any chance of being the third seed in the AFC, which is preferable to being the fourth seed because it likely avoids a matchup against New England (15-0) in the first two rounds.
But with Parker and defensive end Aaron Smith (torn biceps) out for the season, left tackle Marvel Smith's back bothering him, safety Troy Polamalu's knee a worry and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger walking on a tender right ankle, the Steelers can't afford one more injury. That could mean a lot of rest for many regulars on Sunday.
Davenport, however, wants as much time as possible with the starting offensive line, given the importance of every play and every carry during the playoffs.
"The more carries you get, the better off you'll be," Davenport said. "You warm up a bit, you get a better feeling for the game."
Max Starks, filling in at left tackle for Smith, said there aren't as many adjustments for the linemen as might be expected with Davenport in and Parker out.
"It's just knowing what type of guy you have in the backfield," Starks said. "Najeh's going to read more and look for the cutback as opposed to Willie, who is either going to take it front side or he's going to try to bounce it outside left to right. It's two different styles, but we still block it the same."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Ditka begins distributing closed fund's assets to former NFL players in need of assistance
CHICAGO (AP) -- Former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka made the first of two moves to dissolve his trust for needy retired players on Thursday by giving $300,000 to a Chicago-based charity.
Ditka announced last week he would dissolve his Hall of Fame Assistance Trust Fund in the wake of a published report the charity had given only a small amount of money to its intended recipients.
Ditka is an outspoken critic of the National Football League and its Players Association's treatment of older and indigent ex-players who suffer from health problems.
USA Today reported in early December that Ditka's fund had collected $1.3 million since forming in 2004, but netted only about $315,000 after expenses and distributed just $57,000 to former players.
Ditka disputed part of the report, saying the trust had actually given out $159,000. Nonetheless, he said he would dissolve the trust and divide its remaining funds between two established charities.
Ditka said he would continue to raise money to support aging players with financial and medical problems.
"By God, you can't turn your back on these guys," Ditka said. "They deserve to live out their life with a little bit of dignity. ... If what we're doing is wrong, and we have these critics in the media who say what we're doing is wrong, then I'm going to keep doing it for the rest of my life."
The gift announced Thursday was to Misericordia, a residential facility for developmentally disabled youth. Ditka said another $300,000 will go to the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, which also helps former professional football players in need.
Ditka said he will also be involved in a golf tournament for Gridiron Greats during Super Bowl week.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Rivers among several Chargers sitting out practice
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- A star cast of San Diego Chargers missed practice Wednesday because of injuries, including quarterback Philip Rivers.
While Rivers didn't take any snaps because of his sprained left knee, he was still involved.
He coached a lot. He's trying to get me straightened out," coach Norv Turner joked.
Did it help?
"No," Turner deadpanned.
Turner said Rivers should be able to practice on Thursday, which would give the Chargers (8-5) a better idea whether he'll be able to play in Sunday's home game against the Detroit Lions.
LaDainian Tomlinson, though, has no doubts.
"Philip will play. I think he'll play," Tomlinson said.
"The way I always look at things, if someone finished the game, pretty much they might be able to play the next game," Tomlinson said. "Philip obviously finished the game last game. I'm not the coach or the trainer, but I think his chances, just talking to him, he'll be able to try to play."
If Rivers can't play, Billy Volek will make the start.
"Billy looked good today," Tomlinson said. "Billy has been in this offense for over a year now, so he knows the offense. So if for some reason Philip can't go, Billy should be able to step in and perform."
Rivers hobbled around Wednesday with his left leg heavily wrapped and a brace on his knee.
Rivers was hurt in San Diego's 23-17 overtime win at Tennessee on Sunday. He limped off the field after taking a blow from defensive end Antwan Odom in the second quarter and was replaced by Volek.
Rivers returned for the start of the second half and played well down the stretch. He threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Gates with 9 seconds left to send the game into overtime, when Tomlinson won it with a 16-yard run.
Rivers wasn't available to the media Wednesday.
Also sitting out were tight end Antonio Gates (back), defensive tackle Jamal Williams (ankle), guard Mike Goff (foot) and linebacker Shawne Merriman, who won't play Sunday because of a sprained left knee.
Turner said Merriman "has kind of surprised everybody. He's up moving around pretty good. It's not been that long. I think he's feeling pretty good. I think it's one of those deals where we have to evaluate it on a week-to-week basis."
Fullback Lorenzo Neal broke his right leg Sunday and will miss the rest of the regular season.
The Chargers can clinch the AFC West for the second straight year if they beat the Lions and the Denver Broncos lose Thursday night at Houston.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
Bears DT Garay injured
LANDOVER, MARYLAND (TICKER) -- Chicago Bears defensive tackle Antonio Garay left Thursday's game against the Washington Redskins in the second quarter with a right knee injury.
Garay was blocked low by Washington offensive tackle Chris Samuels on the third play of the quarter and was taken off the field by a cart. He will not return.
Copyright 2007 PA SportsTicker. All Rights Reserved
Niners RB Frank Gore plays through a new pain after Taylor's death
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- Frank Gore has plenty of reasons to feel battered this season.
The pain in his injured ankle and the hurt from the San Francisco 49ers' disappointing season are small next to the tragedy of his mother's death -- and now the murder of Sean Taylor, his close friend.
Yet the running back returns to work each day with purpose and patience, believing he can persevere through any setback. Gore's faith was rewarded in a remarkable game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday -- and tested again one day later, when Taylor was shot.
"Miami, it's a tough city," said Gore, who knows South Florida's mean streets well. "A lot of people are jealous of guys who've got better stuff than them. I've thought about it when I go back to see my family and my kids. I've got to be careful."
Gore had known Taylor since both played in the Pop Warner leagues in Miami's grittiest neighborhoods. They maintained a friendship through high school and into college, when both chose the University of Miami.
Though Taylor, the Washington Redskins safety who died Tuesday after a shooting at his home in Miami, left school a year earlier than Gore, they still stayed in touch. The 24-year-olds spoke for the last time after Gore's mother, Liz, died in mid-September.
"At the University of Miami, all the boys that come out of there are like brothers," Gore said. "It's like losing my brother. ... It's just tough on me, losing my mom and losing a friend who I played ball with, who I knew from younger days."
The news erased much of Gore's good feeling from his performance in Arizona during the 49ers' 37-31 overtime victory, snapping an eight-game losing streak. The NFC's offensive player of the week rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns, making a 35-yard scoring run in the final seconds of regulation, and finished with a career-best 11 receptions for 98 yards.
The dynamic, multifaceted performance was Gore's first 100-yard rushing game of the season. He had nine such games last year, earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl, but has slumped this season along with the rest of San Francisco's league-worst offense.
Though Gore acknowledges he still thinks about his mother constantly, he doesn't see her death from kidney disease affecting his play. Coach Mike Nolan, who often speaks with Gore by phone after games, knows family tragedy is rarely that simple.
"His mother, that was someone he spoke with at least twice a day," said Nolan, whose father, Dick, died 2 1/2 weeks ago. "I think it's been on his mind a little bit, but more importantly, I think it's just that our entire offense is struggling with some things and the ball's not moving. I think that gets on his shoulders."
Gore set a franchise record with 1,695 yards rushing last season, but has just 655 this year. After missing much of training camp with a broken hand, he has played on a sprained ankle since a loss to the New York Giants last month, an injury that kept him out of one game and nearly sidelined him in Arizona.
But Gore instead had his best game of the season just one week after he looked tentative and indecisive in a loss to the St. Louis Rams, owing both to his injury and a season of hard knocks behind the 49ers' inconsistent offensive line. Even after his outburst against Arizona, he's averaging a career-low 4.1 yards per carry.
Though Nolan thought Gore's day was over at least twice after the running back limped off the field against the Cardinals, Gore repeatedly returned to spark the 49ers. He saved his biggest effort for his final TD run with 1:25 left in regulation, bursting through the defense for a long score on a play that offensive coordinator Jim Hostler expected to go perhaps 5 yards.
Gore's persistence served him well through two major knee injuries in college, and it kept him focused after a rookie season in which he split time with Kevan Barlow before undergoing surgery on both shoulders.
That persistence kept him going through Liz Gore's death, and he plans to use it to finish strong in the 49ers' final five weeks -- even though he'll probably spend Monday in Miami at another funeral.
"He had a high-low this week," Nolan said. "He had a good game, then he loses a friend. ... Frank is one of those guys, he does have some mood in him. If it's not going well, he tries to hang in there, but it's tough."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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