Carl Poston, the agent for Woodson, first told NFL.com that the club would be releasing his client.

“They’re getting ready to release him. It’s part of the business,” Poston said. “I just talked to him. He sounds like he has a lot of football left. He’d like to play for a contender, win another Super Bowl.”

Woodson was set to make $9 million in 2013 and would count for $10 million against the Packers’ salary cap.

Woodson, who signed a five-year deal before the 2010 season that was worth as much as $55 million, missed nine games last season because of a broken right collarbone and played in two playoff games for the Packers. He moved from cornerback to safety last season because of diminishing cover skills.

“We had a good run,” Woodson wrote to ESPNWisconsin.com in a text message.

Woodson was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 and the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1998. He spent the first eight years of his career with the Oakland Raiders, who drafted him out of Michigan with the No. 4 overall pick.

He’s the only player in NFL history with touchdowns off interceptions in six straight seasons, a feat he pulled off each year from 2006 to 2011, and leads the league with nine touchdowns off interceptions since 2006.

Woodson was productive for the Packers, but they have some tough decisions to make this offseason to manage the salary cap. Woodson had a year left on his lucrative deal and linebacker A.J. Hawk is under contract next year for a team that probably wants to give long-term deals to receiver James Jones, linebacker Clay Matthews and defensive tackle B.J. Raji because each of the relatively young standouts could potentially be free agents following next season.

Despite his age and recent injury, Woodson will likely be an in-demand free agent. He was injured last October, bounced back in time to defend two passes in the playoffs.

“Charles has been a stud in this league for 15 years, so whenever he’s on the field with us, he’s always a huge threat,” Hawk said in January. “Not only is he a threat to make huge plays throughout the game, but quarterbacks, I think they know where he’s at every single play. He seems to know what receivers are running before they do. And I think he has an intimidation factor as well.”

Woodson had a career-high nine interceptions in 2009 and picked off seven passes in 2011 and made one interception in seven games during last year’s injury-shortened season.

The 1997 Heisman Trophy winner led Michigan to the 1997 national championship and has donated more than $2 million to the University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital, where he supports pediatric clinical research. With the Packers, he was a leader as one of the best players on the team and as a mentor to younger players.

“He’s like a big brother to all of us,” former Green Bay safety Nick Collins once said.

The post Charles Woodson to be released appeared first on IdealCapper.

Baltimore at New England
When: 6:30 PM ET, Sunday, January 20, 2013
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, CBS.
Line: Patriots -9, O/U 51.5
Prediction: Patriots 27, Ravens 24

Oddsmakers currently have the Patriots listed as 7½-point favorites versus the Ravens, while the game’s total is sitting at 51.

Quarterback Joe Flacco raised more than a few eyebrows when he said earlier in the season that not only does he consider himself a top-five quarterback, but he feels he’s “the best.” No one’s laughing now. Flacco has been sensational in the two playoff victories, throwing for 613 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions. He also saved Baltimore’s season last week by connecting with Jacoby Jones on a 70-yard scoring strike with 31 seconds left to send the game into overtime. Flacco’s the only QB in league history to reach the playoffs in each of his first five seasons and has torched the Patriots for 973 yards with seven TDs vs. two interceptions in the last three games. Ray Rice rushed for 131 yards and a score last week and speedster Torrey Smith had TD receptions of 59 and 32 yards. He burned the Patriots for a pair of scoring passes earlier this season. Lewis has 32 tackles in the playoff games after returning from a 10-game injury absence, but this is not a typical Ravens defense. Last week’s game marked the highest point total ever allowed by Baltimore in the postseason.

In their last action, Baltimore was a 38-35 winner on the road against the Broncos. They covered the 9-point spread as underdogs, while the combined score (73) was profitable news for OVER bettors.

Baltimore: 10-6 SU, 6-9-1 ATS
When playing in January are 7-3
When playing on turf are 7-3
After outgaining opponent are 6-4
When playing outside the division are 7-3
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Baltimore’s last 7 games when playing on the road against New England
Baltimore is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games
Baltimore is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Baltimore’s last 6 games on the road

New England amassed a league-high 557 points during the regular season and had its sixth 40-point game last week. Gronkowski re-injured his broken forearm early in last week’s victory, depriving Brady of a target that has accounted for 38 touchdowns in his first 43 NFL games. Still, Brady threw for 344 yards and three touchdowns to surpass Joe Montana for the most career postseason victories with 17. Brady had 335 yards and a scoring pass in Week 3, but he’s had his struggles against the Ravens. He was intercepted twice in last season’s AFC title game and failed to throw a TD pass for the first time in 36 games. New England unveiled another weapon on offense last week in running back Shane Vereen, who caught a pair of scoring passes and rushed for another TD while registering 124 total yards. TE Aaron Hernandez did not play in the early-season matchup and will provide a matchup issue for Baltimore’s aging linebacking corps. The midseason acquisition of cornerback Aqib Talib has helped solidify an improving defense that limited five of the final six regular-season opponents to under 20 points.

New England won its last outing, a 41-28 result against the Texans on January 13. The Patriots covered in that game as a 9.5-point favorite, while the 69 combined points took the game OVER the total.

New England: 12-4 SU, 9-6-1 ATS
New England most recently:
When playing in January are 7-3
When playing on turf are 8-2
After outgaining opponent are 7-3
When playing outside the division are 6-4
New England is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games
New England is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 7 of New England’s last 8 games at home
New England is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Baltimore

The post Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots Free Betting Pick & Matchup appeared first on IdealCapper.

The 26-year-old had 11 goals and 38 assists in 82 games with the Canucks last season.

Edler has spent his entire career with Vancouver after being drafted 91st overall in the 2004 draft.

He was set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer.

Edler has 43 goals, 141 assists and 200 penalty minutes in 386 career NHL games since making his debut in the 2006-07 season.

Edler has also been effective for Vancouver in the postseason, with seven goals and 20 assists in 55 playoff games.

The Canucks open the lockout-shortened season Saturday night at home against the Anaheim Ducks.

The post Alex Edler, Canucks agree to deal appeared first on IdealCapper.

While driving to the airport Wednesday morning, his thoughts centered around the end of the NHL lockout and what he might be able to do to bolster the team before the shortened season began.

Then his dream job of Maple Leafs general manager was taken away with one phone call and a quick meeting with boss Tom Anselmi.

“There’s sometimes when you get fired and you see the vultures circling and you understand it’s coming,” Burke said Saturday at a farewell news conference. “You’re not sure when you’re going to drop dead in the desert, but it’s coming and you can see the vultures.

“This one here was like a two-by-four upside the head to me.”

Burke was gracious in describing his exit as team president and general manager, showing few signs of bitterness while fielding some tough questions.

However, he acknowledged that reality had yet to truly set in. That won’t come until the colorful 57-year-old Burke has more time to think back on a roller-coaster, four-year tenure that included just as many playoff games at Air Canada Centre — none — as had been played during the four years before he was hired.

“We didn’t win,” Burke said. “Obviously, your job as the GM is to bring in players that win. We didn’t win.”

Beyond that, it still isn’t clear why the decision to replace Burke with Dave Nonis was made just 10 days before the new season is expected to begin. Burke said he hadn’t received a “satisfactory” answer to that question.

Rumors have swirled since the firing that Burke failed to impress the team’s new ownership group, in which Bell and Rogers control four of six seats with the organization’s board of governors. Burke came exactly as advertised when he was hired by the Leafs in November 2008 — brash, confident, passionate and occasionally confrontational.

One of the first lessons he learned on the job was not to wear his expensive cuff-links on game nights. More than a few pairs met an untimely ending when he responded to a boneheaded play on the ice by smashing his fists against a table in the press box.

That image might not have fit in well with a board that got more corporate and buttoned-down with the addition of Bell and Rogers executives in August.

“I can stand here and say it’s my personality, they didn’t like my personality, but those all become pretexts and excuses later,” Burke said. “If you’ve won enough games, you can be as obnoxious as you want to be.”

The Leafs went 128-135-42 during his reign and finished a disappointing 13th in the Eastern Conference last season. Despite it being a constant talking point around the team, his biggest failings were an inability to stabilize the goaltending situation or acquire a true No. 1 center.

Toronto last qualified for the playoffs in 2004 — the longest current drought in the NHL.

Burke will remain with the Leafs in the role of senior adviser to the board for the time being. But he made it clear he wasn’t comfortable simply riding out the final 22 months of his contract, and that he would relish the opportunity to run another NHL team.

“Tomorrow, if I can,” Burke said. “I don’t think I’m done from a hockey perspective. I am definitely in the job market, no question.”

If a general manager job doesn’t materialize, he could be a good candidate to end up with a role in the league office.

Despite the fact the Leafs failed to qualify for the playoffs with Burke at the helm, there have been some encouraging signs that better days might be ahead for the organization. The Toronto Marlies are fresh off an appearance in the Calder Cup final and currently have the best record in the American Hockey League’s Western Conference.

Burke also expressed pride in being able to use his position to help out with so many charitable initiatives — something that he was honored for Saturday evening for his support of Canadian troops.

But his dream of winning another Stanley Cup title never came close to materializing in Toronto.

“I did not accomplish what I set out to accomplish here,” Burke said. “That’s clear. Absolutely clear.”

On the day he said goodbye to the Maple Leafs — at least as the team’s public face — he had no interest in looking back on what might have been. The team has lived by the motto “no excuses, no complaints” and Burke made it clear he didn’t have any of either.

Truth be told, he probably wouldn’t change a thing.

“The people that hired me hired Brian Burke,” he said. “Maybe the new guys don’t like that brand, maybe they want someone who is a little more conventional. They’re entitled to that, that’s fine.

“I’m not changing. I’m not going to change how I do things. That’s not possible.”

Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

The post Brian Burke: Firing was a surprise appeared first on IdealCapper.

Those not playing may want to sit on the heated benches — or next to the electric heaters — because the game-time temperature when the Broncos host the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC divisional playoffs is expected to be 17 degrees, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Kalina.

In other words, “bundle up,” Kalina said.

The coldest postseason contest at Mile High was 18 degrees for the 1977 AFC Championship Game, when Denver beat Oakland 20-17.

The chilliest home game ever in Denver? That would be 9 degrees against San Diego on Dec 10, 1972.

Being such a meticulous planner, Manning left nothing to chance in the weeks leading up this game. To prepare for the possibility of wintry weather, the four-time NFL MVP wore an orange-and-gray glove on his throwing hand the last two games. Manning has been quite effective, too, with the glove — his completion percentage has been almost 6 points better and his passer rating almost 20 points higher than without it.

The stickiness of the glove also helps Manning better grip the football, especially these days after the multiple neck surgeries he underwent during his season out of football.

“I certainly don’t think I would have had to wear the glove had I not been injured last year,” Manning said. “It’s part of my injury, some things that I’ve had to adjust. I’m in a different body. Some things are different for me, so that’s the reason for that as much as anything.”

The cool weather certainly hasn’t been friendly to Manning, who’s 0-3 in playoff games in which the temperature at kickoff is less than 40 degrees.

And this game will certainly be well south of that number.

“It’s going to be very cold,” Kalina said. “There may even be a few flakes, but it shouldn’t affect the game. Just really cold.”

This isn’t even close to the coldest game in NFL history, though. That distinction belongs to “The Ice Bowl” on Dec. 31, 1967, when the temperature at Lambeau Field reached minus-13 (with a minus-48 wind chill) in a contest between Green Bay and Dallas.

All week, Broncos players boasted about wearing short-sleeves despite the cool conditions. It was simply a matter of convincing the mind it really wasn’t all the frigid.

“Once you get out there, you’re on the field, you’re just fine,” Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas said earlier this week. “But if you’re just sitting around, that’s when it gets to you. As long as you’re out there on the field and warm, you’re good.”

The field should be in solid shape, though, with more than 20 miles of water-heated tubing under the field to keep it from freezing.

The post Record cold expected in Denver appeared first on IdealCapper.

The length of the deal is five years, sources told the Associated Press. A news conference to introduce Reid is scheduled for Monday.

The deal reportedly will give the longtime Eagles coach broad authority over football decisions. His deal came hours after the Chiefs announced they had parted with general manager Scott Pioli after four tumultuous seasons.

The Chiefs held a meeting with the coaching staff on Friday morning, presumably to talk about Kansas City’s job search and ongoing talks with Reid, according to sources.

Reid spent 1999-2012 as Philadelphia’s coach, leading the Eagles to the playoffs nine times during that period. He won 130 regular-season games and 10 playoff games. The Chiefs, meanwhile, had 98 wins, three postseason appearances and no postseason wins under five different head coaches, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

“I’m definitely excited. You don’t accidentally win 100 games over 10 years in this league. Obviously, the guy knows how to coach and win. It’s definitely something we need,” Chiefs offensive lineman Eric Winston said on “SVP & Russillo” on ESPN Radio.

Reid will inherit a team that went 2-14, matching the worst record in franchise history. But he’ll also have the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, and with five players voted to the Pro Bowl, Kansas City has building blocks in place to make a quick turnaround.

Reid has experience turning around franchises, too.

He took over a team in Philadelphia that was just 3-13, but two years later went 11-5 and finished second in the NFC East. That began a stretch of five straight years in which Reid won at least 11 games and included a trip to the Super Bowl after the 2004 season.

“Congratulations to Clark Hunt and the Kansas City Chiefs for hiring a good man and a good coach,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said Friday night. “We wish Andy, (wife) Tammy and their entire family all the best in their new home.”

The fresh start afforded by the Chiefs should be welcomed by Reid.

Despite a 130-93-1 record and the most wins in Eagles history, he was just 12-20 in the past two seasons. Reid also dealt with personal tragedy when his oldest son, Garrett, died during training camp after a long battle with drug addiction.

Reid will have more authority in Kansas City than any previous coach. While he will have authority in personnel decisions, it’s expected that he will pursue longtime Packers personnel man John Dorsey to work with him as general manager.

“Congrats Big Red on taking your talents to KC. Big Red fans get ready to cheer on your new boss and new team from 2013 and on. Good Luck,” tweeted former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Pioli, 47, joined the Chiefs in 2009 after nine seasons with the Patriots, where he helped to build New England’s dynasty. But he failed to turn around the Chiefs, who were 23-39 in his four seasons, including a woeful 2012 campaign under Romeo Crennel, who was hired to replace Todd Haley during the 2011 season. Crennel was fired Monday.

“I would like to thank Norma, Clark and the Hunt family for the opportunity that they gave me four years ago,” Pioli said. “I’d also like to thank the players, coaches, scouts and countless other employees, throughout the organization and at Arrowhead Stadium that have worked so hard during my time here. I would also like to genuinely thank Chiefs fans.

“The bottom line is that I did not accomplish all of what I set out to do. To the Hunt family — to the great fans of the Kansas City Chiefs — to the players, all employees and alumni, I truly apologize for not getting the job done.”

The Chiefs’ season was marred by a tragic murder-suicide — linebacker Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, and then took his own life in the parking lot of Arrowhead Stadium after thanking Pioli and former coach Romeo Crennel for everything they had done for him.

One of Pioli’s first significant moves in 2009 was trading for quarterback Matt Cassel, who’d been impressive as a fill-in for injured Patriots starter Tom Brady. Pioli proceeded to sign Cassel to a six-year, $63 million deal. Cassel didn’t live up to his contract in Kansas City, however, and lost his starting job to Brady Quinn in 2012.

“After several productive conversations, we made the difficult decision to part ways with Scott Pioli and allow him to pursue other opportunities,” Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said in a statement. “Scott has been an invaluable member of the Chiefs family since joining us in 2009, and we sincerely appreciate his tremendous contributions over the last four years.

“I know that this was a difficult decision for Scott as well. He has a great deal of appreciation for the history of this franchise, for our players, coaches and employees, and especially our great fans.”

The Chiefs haven’t won a playoff game since 1993. This season was Kansas City’s fifth losing season in six years.

The post Andy Reid is new Chiefs coach appeared first on IdealCapper.