Pack Win Ugly, Beat 'Skins 17-14

Patriots top Bills, Saints crush Panthers, 49ers thump Rams

(NEWSER) - The New England Patriots overcame a 21-point deficit today with 49 unanswered points to rock the Buffalo Bills 49-21, the AP reports. The win earned the Pats home-field advantage and the AFC's top seed. Tom Brady threw for 338 yards and finished with the second-most passing yards in NFL history, 5,235—behind only Drew Brees, who threw for 5,486 this year with the New Orleans Saints. More»

Record-setting win leaves everyone gushing

(NEWSER) - Michael Vick eviscerated the Washington Redskins last night, throwing for 333 yards and four touchdowns, and running for another 80 yards and two more touchdowns, an unprecedented, record-breaking accomplishment. “He’s got my MVP vote,” Washington linebacker London Fletcher told the Washington Post after the game. Is the ex-con really that good? Here’s what people are saying:

• “It was one of the best single performances in league history,” gushes Matt Mosley of ESPN . “When Vick is on his game, I’m not sure there’s a team in the NFC capable of beating the Eagles.”

Local-team upsets match to an 8% upswing in abuse

(NEWSER) - Losses by local NFL teams may trigger episodes of domestic violence among their fans, a new study suggests. Researchers examined domestic violence reports in 1995-2006 and found that upsets of home teams matched up with an 8% bump in incidents of domestic violence. The surge in violence almost doubled when traditional rivals, such the Bears and Packers, squared off. More»

To raise awareness of pit bull plight, group will match tackles with food

(NEWSER) - A Pennsylvania animal shelter has put a price on Michael Vick’s head—sort of. Main Line Animal Rescue ran an ad in the Washington Post promising to donate five bags of dog food to local shelters every time a Redskin sacks Vick during their Oct. 26 game. “We just need to raise public awareness and this is a good way to do that,” the group’s founder tells the Philadelphia Inquirer. More»

72-year-old fan let off the hook for $66K judgment

(NEWSER) - The Washington Redskins have relented and told a court to drop a $66,000 judgment against a grandmother who defaulted on a contract to buy season tickets, the Washington Post reports. Pat Hill, a 72-year-old real-estate agent, couldn't afford to make payments after the housing market crash and is among 125 fans the Redskins have pursued lawsuits against over the last 5 years for failing to honor season ticket contracts. More»