Miami Deals Taylor to Redskins

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»

Stanford quarterback will head to Peyton Manning's old team

(NEWSER) - The Indianapolis Colts stuck to the plan tonight in the NFL draft and made Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck this year's No. 1 pick, reports the Indianapolis Star . ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted that he will get a four-year deal for $22 million. That's relatively modest by NFL standards, but Bleacher Report says it's part of a trend in which "rookies are no longer getting huge contracts." More»

Gregg Williams apologizes; ran systems for Saints, Redskins

(NEWSER) - NFL coach Gregg Williams is known for his tough defenses, and now we know one of his secrets: He paid his players extra if they injured an opposing player. After the league announced today that about 25 members of the New Orleans Saints took part in such a bounty program the last three seasons, Williams fessed up that he was the coach responsible. "I am truly sorry," he said. The program was a "terrible mistake and we knew it was wrong while we were doing it." (The New Orleans Times-Picayune has the league statement here .) 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.”

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»