Black Monday for NFL coaches

Black Monday has arrived, and it has brought a lot of change and bad news for many coaches and general managers around the NFL. We'll have all the big moves covered on around the league, and this page will be a one-stop shop for links to all the latest news.

Firings:  Here's what we right know

Buffalo Bills: Coach Chan Gailey was let go after three seasons that went nowhere in Buffalo. The defense and quarterback play never improved. It's unclear if general manager Buddy Nix will remain.

Chicago Bears: In the first mild surprise of the day, coach Lovie Smith was fired after three playoff appearances in nine years, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported. General manager Phil Emery took the job last year and will hire his own man.

Cleveland Browns: The team announced Monday morning that coach Pat Shurmur and GM Tom Heckert are both out. They never had much of a chance once new owner Jimmy Haslam bought the team.

Kansas City Chiefs: Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt announced the team has parted ways with coach Romeo Crennel. The team said it has not made a final decision about GM Scott Pioli's status. NFL.com's Steve Wyche reported Sunday that the Chiefs are expected to retain Pioli despite a disastrous season.

Philadelphia Eagles: Owner Jeffrey Lurie confirmed Monday morning that coach Andy Reid is out after 14 seasons in Philadelphia. The Eagles won't waste any time starting a coaching search.
Arizona Cardinals: Ken Whisenhunt after six seasons is out, that included the long-suffering franchise's only Super Bowl appearance. The team also ousted general manager Rod Graves, who had been with the franchise for 16 years. He'd been general manager since 2007.
San Diego Chargers: President Dean Spanos finally ran out of wiggle room. Coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith had to go. Spanos fired Turner and Smith on Monday after a season of stunning come-from-ahead losses left the Chargers out of the playoffs for the third straight season, not to mention the fan anger that was turning to apathy and leaving thousands of unsold seats at many home games.

New York Jets: Mike Tannenbaum pulled out a letter as he stood in front of the New York Jets players for one last time. It was a farewell address to the group of men he signed, traded for and drafted over the last seven years as the team's general manager. He choked back tears as he read it, and received a round of applause when he was done. ''It was really heartfelt,'' defensive end Mike DeVito said Monday. ''I know Mike, and he'll bounce back.'' The Jets fired Tannenbaum after a dismal 6-10 season, but owner Woody Johnson announced that Rex Ryan will be back for a fifth season as the team's coach.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - DECEMBER 31ST

1914 - Colonel Jacob Ruppert and Cap Huston purchase NY Yankees for $460,000.

1950 - Jockeys Willie Shoemaker and Joe Culmone set record of 388 wins in a year.

1958 - Willie Shoemaker is first jockey to win national riding championship four times.

1962 - American Basketball League announces suspension of operation.
1963 - Chicago Bears win the NFL Championship.

1967 - First NBA game at Great Western Forum, LA Lakers beat Houston 147-118.
1967 - Green Bay Packers beat the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 in the NFL championship game (-13°F).
1974 - NY Yankees sign Jim "Catfish" Hunter to 5 years for record $3.75 million.

1980 - NY Islanders greatest shutout margin (9-0) vs Chicago Blackhawks.

1989 - Jockey Kent Desormeaux sets record with 598 wins in a year.

WILDCARD ROUND - JANUARY 5TH & 6TH, 2013

CINCINNATI BENGALS

(10-6) 6TH SEED

 VS. 

HOUSTON TEXANS

(12-4) 3RD SEED

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

(11-5) 5TH SEED

 VS. 

BALTIMORE RAVENS

(10-6) 4TH SEED

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

(10-6) 6TH SEED

 VS. 

GREEN BAY PACKERS

(11-5) 3RD SEED

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

(11-5) 5TH SEED

 VS. 

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

(10-6) 4TH SEED

Bears edge Lions but lose to Vikings for final playoff spot

When the Bears stormed to a 7-1 start this year, they never dreamed that they'd be watching the playoffs from home. But that's exactly where they'll be after a deflating final day of the season. Needing a win over the Lions Sunday coupled with a Vikings loss to the Packers later in the day to earn a wildcard berth, the Bears stayed alive for a few hours by beating Detroit 26-24 but were eliminated from playoff contention when Minnesota edged Green Bay 37-34. The Bears were on their team buses en route to Halas Hall after landing at O'Hare Airport when Blair Walsh's 29-yard field goal sailed through the uprights with no time remaining to send Minnesota into the playoffs as the sixth seed in the NFC. By losing to the Vikings, the Packers gave the Bears and their fans another reason to loathe them. But even though the Bears finished a respectable 10-6, they know they have no one to blame but themselves, especially after losing to Minnesota at the Metrodome Dec. 9. In their win Sunday, the Bears won the turnover battle 4-0 and cruised to a 20-3 lead late in the first half. But they had to sweat out a 26-24 nail-biter in part because their offense was forced to settle for three field goals after starting drives at the Detroit 24, 23 and 13 following takeaways. "There are a lot of statistics, but one that means the most is turnover ratio," said coach Lovie Smith. "We were plus-four today and we needed all of those. On the other side of the football, with those takeaways you want to get points on the board. You need to get touchdowns and we weren't happy about getting field goals, but every point mattered right up until the end." The defense generated three of the Bears' four takeaways but let the Lions back in the game by allowing three 80-yard touchdown drives, all culminating in Matthew Stafford TD passes. After spotting the Lions a 3-0 lead on Jason Hanson's 44-yard field goal midway through the first quarter, the Bears scored 10 points in a 1:34 span late in the period to take a 10-3 lead. Earl Bennett turned a short swing pass into a 60-yard touchdown, racing down the left sideline after picking up a great block by Brandon Marshall, who sealed off cornerback Ron Bartell. Joe Anderson followed by forcing a Joique Bell fumble on the ensuing kickoff that was recovered by Eric Weems at the Detroit 24, setting up Olindo Mare's 33-yard field goal. The Bears defense then got into the act, generating two takeaways in a 1:23 span late in the second quarter. First, Israel Idonije swatted the ball out of Stafford's hands and Julius Peppers returned the fumble six yards to the Detroit 10. The offense converted the turnover into Matt Forte's one-yard touchdown run, enabling the Bears to extend their lead to 17-3 with 3:26 left in the second quarter. Playing on a sore ankle, Forte rushed for 103 yards on 24 carries. The defense then got the ball back two plays later when Stafford's overthrown pass intended for Tony Scheffler was intercepted by Tim Jennings, who returned it 31 yards to the Detroit 23. After picking up only one yard on three plays, the Bears settled for Mare's 40-yard field goal, widening the margin to 20-3 with 1:49 remaining in the half. But Stafford responded by capping back-to-back 80-yard drives with touchdown passes of 25 yards to Kris Durham down the left sideline with :12 left in the half and 10 yards to Will Heller midway through the third quarter as the Lions cut the deficit to 20-17. Detroit provided another gift late in the third quarter when Mikel Leshoure failed to grasp a handoff from Stafford and Major Wright recovered the fumble at the Detroit 13. But the Bears offense once again failed to get into the end zone, and Mare's 28-yard field goal made it 23-17 late in the third quarter. The Bears had first-and-goal at the Detroit 4 on their next possession, but were forced to settle for Mare's 20-yard field goal, making it 26-17 early in the fourth quarter. Stafford responded by capping a nine-play, 80-yard drive with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Brian Robiskie, drawing the Lions to within 26-24 with 6:55 to play. Cutler completed 18 of 31 passes for 257 yards with one touchdown and a 95.8 passer rating. But his biggest play may have been a 19-yard scramble to the Detroit 34 on third-and-three with just over three minutes left in the game that helped the Bears run out the clock. "That was a huge run, and he's capable of that," Smith said. "He's a great athlete. He can beat you with his legs. You normally have to play man in that situation and if you break a lot of times there's room for a big run in that situation, and that might have been the biggest play of the game."

Andy Reid is out after 14 years coaching the Eagles

Andy Reid is out after 14 years coaching the Philadelphia Eagles, three people familiar with the decision told The Associated Press following Sunday's 42-7 season-ending loss to the New York Giants. Reid is scheduled to meet with owner Jeffrey Lurie on Monday to discuss his future and an official announcement will come afterward, according to one person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because a final agreement hasn't been reached. That person says there's a chance Reid might remain with the team in some capacity. Reid is due to make $6 million in 2013 in the final year of his contract. He said he wants to coach next year, but it's possible Lurie could persuade him to take a season off and perhaps help out in the front office in an ''advisory'' role. Eagles spokesman Derek Boyko denied several reports that Lurie has already fired Reid, saying it's ''absolutely, 100 percent'' untrue. The Eagles (4-12) finished their worst season under Reid by losing 11 of their last 12 games. They missed the playoffs two straight years for the first time under Reid. After the ugly loss to the Giants (9-7), Reid sounded like a man who knew he was going to lose his job. ''We weren't very good,'' Reid said. ''That's my responsibility and I take complete blame for it.'' Asked if he wants to return in 2013, Reid said: ''I'm all in.'' Lurie said after the Eagles went 8-8 in 2011 that he considered firing Reid. He gave him another chance, but said before this season that 8-8 would be ''unacceptable.'' ''I go in eyes wide open,'' Reid said of his meeting with Lurie. ''Either way, I understand. Whatever he chooses will be the right thing. He always does things for the best interests of the Eagles.'' Reid won more games (140) than any coach in franchise history. He led the Eagles to nine playoff appearances, six division titles, five NFC championship games and one Super Bowl loss. But he couldn't win the big one and that's how he's measured in a city that hasn't celebrated an NFL title since 1960. The Eagles haven't won a playoff game since 2008 and took significant steps backward the last two years. They entered both seasons with high expectations only to fail miserably. ''We had quite a run,'' offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said. Players said they expect changes, but continued to support Reid. ''He's a great man and I love him to death,'' said quarterback Michael Vick, who could've played his last game with the Eagles. ''I wish I could've done more. A lot of players wish they could've done more. Coaches can't play the games.'' The Eagles talked all week about wanting to win one for Reid. Instead, they suffered another embarrassing loss to cap a dismal season. ''We came, we stunk it up and we lost. It was terrible. No heart,'' defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins said.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - DECEMBER 30TH

1907 - Abraham Mills' commission declares Abner Doubleday invented baseball.

1926 - Chicago Tribune reports the Detroit Tigers threw a 4-game series to the White Sox in 1917 to help Chicago win the pennant however it is never substaniated.

1947 - 36th Davis Cup: USA beats Australia in New York (4-1).
1954 - First use of 24-sec shot clock in pro basketball (Rochester vs Boston).
1956 - NY Giants beat the Chicago Bears 47-7 in the NFL Championship game.
1962 - Green Bay Packers beats the NY Giants 16-7 in the NFL Championship game.
1971 - Long Island NHL franchise purchased, to become the NY Islanders.
1973 - Miami Dolphins beat the Oakland Raiders 27-10 in the AFC Championship game.
1973 - Minnesota Vikings beat the Dallas Cowboys 27-10 in the NFC championship game.
1981 - Wayne Gretzky sets NHL record of 50 goals by the 39th game of the season.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - DECEMBER 29TH

1933 - Yankees refuses to release Babe Ruth so he can manage the Cincinnati Reds.

1940 - NFL Pro Bowl: Chicago Bears beats the NFL All-Stars 28-14.
1957 - Detroit Lions beat the Cleveland Browns 50-14 in the NFL Championship game.
1958 - Baltimore Colts beat the NY Giants 23-17 in the NFL Championship game.

1965 - CBS purchases the NFL TV rights for 1966-68 at $18.8 million per year.
1968 - Baltimore Colts beat the Cleveland Browns 34-0 in the NFL Championship game.
1968 - NY Jets beat the Oakland Raiders 27-23 in the AFL championship game.
1969 - NY Times reports Curt Flood will sue baseball and challenge the reserve clause.

1979 - Soviet Red Army edges the NY Islanders 3-2 at the Nassau Coliseum.

1989 - Wayne Gretzky & Martina Navratilova are named athletes of the decade by AP.

Justin Morneau to start '13 'at full blast'

Minnesota Twins slugger Justin Morneau made it through the 2012 season and he did OK at the plate, batting .267/.333/.440 with 19 home runs in 570 plate appearances. Not bad, considering the string of injuries — including a career-threatening concussion in 2010 — that had dogged him in previous seasons. But now, for the first time in what seems like forever, Morneau is working out ahead of spring training at full blast. Good for him. He's a sharp guy. In an interview with 1500 ESPN's Phil Mackey of the Twin Cities on Thursday, Morneau's comments were about 180 degrees in tone from those made heading into spring training 2012: "... Everything this winter has been totally different -- no restrictions with the concussion stuff. I've been able to do everything I've wanted to do, and it's been a good feeling. I'm starting to get excited for the season, instead of feeling like I'm starting behind the 8-ball." Morneau's words Thursday are a far cry from the ominous message he sent at the start of spring training, when the 31-year-old seemed somewhat resigned to a dim fate. "I don't know if I'll be at full 100 percent go, but I'm going to go out there and participant in everything," Morneau said on Feb. 24. "I'll take it day by day. I don't know how I'll feel tomorrow or a week from now but right now I feel good. I'll just go from here. There's not much else I can say." The Twins have made some keen moves in the offseason that should aid their future, but Morneau's progress helps their present for sure. Morneau had been among the top sluggers in the league, and was having his best season in '10 until he got kicked in the head running the bases and had his world tipped upside down. But at 31, Morneau is still plenty young enough to team with Joe Mauer to give the Twinkies a formidable power duo in the middle of their lineup. And the timing is good for Morneau too. He gets to play in the World Baseball Classic for Team Canada during spring training without any worries, and he's a major league free agent at the end of the season. In the meantime, his resurgence could help the Twins continue to rebuild with trades — if they decide to move him. But one move at a time. Having a healthy Justin Morneau back is just good news, period.

Nevada coach Chris Ault retires after 28 years

Chris Ault raised Nevada football. After 28 years as coach, he felt he had taken the Wolf Pack as far as he could. Ault announced Friday he was stepping down, leaving as the winningest coach in school history, already a Hall of Famer, and having changed the way teams play offense nationwide. Under Ault, the Wolf Pack went from Division II to I-AA to I-A, winning at every level with some of the most prolific and innovative offenses in the country. The 66-year-old won 10 conference championships and took the Wolf Pack to the postseason 16 times, including 10 bowl games in 12 FBS seasons. He finished with a record of 233-109-1. ''It's with great humility and mixed emotions I've decided it's time for me to step down and move on,'' a tearful Ault said at a news conference. ''Wolf Pack football firmly established a blueprint for success that can be sustained.'' Perhaps his most famous contribution came late in his career, when he invented the Pistol offense in 2005, a scheme now employed by hundreds of teams at every level of football. The Pistol formation has the quarterback in a short shot-gun formation with a running back lined up directly behind him. ''I'm proud that our offense has broadened the landscape of football. That's exciting,'' Ault said. ''It's here to stay, unlike the wishbone (offense).'' He said he reached the decision to step down after consulting with his wife, Kathy, and Nevada President Marc Johnson. He informed his staff and players of the decision Friday morning. Ault first broached the subject after Arizona rallied to defeat Nevada, 49-48, in the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 15. The loss dropped Ault's bowl record to 2-8 and Nevada's season record to 7-6, including losses in five of its final six games. With most of the Wolf Pack's offensive starters and entire defensive front returning next season, Ault said, the timing was right to turn the program over to a new coach. ''I have focused on leaving the program in the best shape.'' he said. ''I'm sure it'll be a sought-after position.'' While he has no plans to return as coach or athletic director at Nevada, he didn't rule out coaching elsewhere. Nevada athletic director Cary Groth is also retiring after this school year. Ault agreed to a two-year contract extension last February that would have brought his salary to $535,000 by 2015. That's about half the average salary in the Mountain West Conference where he coached this season. The overall budget of Nevada's football program also is far less than other major football programs, and ranks near the bottom of the Mountain West, Groth said. Asked whether the limited revenue and loss of coaches were factors in his decision, Ault replied. ''All of that plays into the decision ... I want to be a Top 25 program and we have that opportunity, but there are so many intangibles that I had to deal with.'' Ault was the only active Division I coach in the College Football Hall of Fame. This season, he passed Bear Bryant for most wins by a coach at his alma mater. His 40-year career with Nevada began when he played quarterback for the Wolf Pack from 1965-67. He became coach there in 1976 at the age of 29, then the youngest college coach in the nation. His best season was in 2010 when he led his team to a 13-1 record and a win against Boston College in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. The Wolf Pack, with Colin Kaepernick at quarterback, was ranked No. 13 after upsetting Boise State to win a Western Athletic Conference championship. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., issued a statement hailing Ault as ''one of the greatest coaches in college football history.'' ''Year after year there may have been more highly recruited players in the NCAA, but Coach Ault created a team and taught his players to work together,'' Reid said. ''This philosophy brought the program great success.'' Groth, said she never ''worked with a finer man'' than Ault and would welcome his advice on his successor. Johnson called Ault's decision ''bittersweet.'' He said he was ''really surprised'' when Ault told him that he was retiring and he gave him more time to consider the decision. Ault not only achieved success on the field, but off the field with a high graduation rate for his players and no NCCA problems, Johnson said. Johnson said he and Groth would work together to find a new coach. A national search firm will be hired to come up with candidates, he said, and the Board of Regents will take final action. ''We want to be competitive, but Nevada isn't in the money game,'' Johnson said. ''We're not a million-dollar-plus place for a coach.''

Saints, Payton, agree to terms on new deal

The New Orleans Saints and suspended coach Sean Payton will indeed be together again next season as the bounty scandal fades into history and the bid to win a second Super Bowl resumes. Payton has agreed in principle to a multiyear contract extension, according to two people familiar with the deal. The people told The Associated Press about the deal Friday night on condition of anonymity because it hasn't been signed and final details regarding the length of the contract and financial compensation are still being worked out. ''Very happy it is official,'' Brees said in an email to the AP. ''Never had any doubts.'' Payton was due to begin his seventh season as the Saints' head coach in 2012 before being suspended for the whole season by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in connection with the NFL's bounty investigation. Payton signed an extension in 2011 that would have kept him in New Orleans through 2015, but Goodell objected to certain language in that deal, leaving Payton's future uncertain until the deal was reached Friday. The language in question in the previous extension gave Payton the right to opt out early if general manager Mickey Loomis left the club for any reason. The new agreement, which was first reported by Fox Sports, also must be approved by the NFL. Payton is the only coach in Saints history to win a Super Bowl, a title earned at the end of the 2009 season. But his legacy was tarnished by the NFL's bounty probe, as Goodell ruled that Payton failed to exert proper institutional control over a cash-for-hits bounty program run by former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams from 2009-2011. Although the Saints objected to the characterization of what coaches and players have said was nothing more than a performance pool for big plays, Goodell suspended Payton for the entire season. The commissioner also suspended Loomis for half of the season and assistant head coach Joe Vitt for six games. Payton is 62-34 as in regular-season games as Saints head coach and 5-3 in the postseason. During the three seasons before his suspension, the Saints won 41 regular-season and playoff games combined, more than any other team in the NFL. Payton has primarily handled the offense in New Orleans, teaming up with Brees to break numerous NFL and club records. The single-season NFL records set by the Saints in 2011 included yards passing by a team (5,505) and a quarterback (5,476). The Saints also set a record for total offensive yards with 7,474. Although speculation ran rampant that Payton could essentially become a free agent after this season and end up elsewhere, Brees repeatedly said he would be ''shocked'' if Payton ended up anywhere but New Orleans next season. Brees is under contract with the Saints through the 2016 season, and Payton was the driving force in the Saints' effort to acquire Brees as a free agent in 2006. Without Payton on the sideline this season, the Saints missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Brees remained prolific, but his 18 interceptions also tied for a league high heading into the final weekend of the season. The Saints headed into Sunday's season finale against Carolina at 7-8, hoping to avoid their first losing season since they went 7-9 in 2007. Payton is expected to return to the Saints immediately after the Super Bowl on Feb. 3, unless Goodell allows him to return earlier. When Payton reports back to work, it will offically close the book on the bounty saga that has overshadowed the Saints' organization since the NFL first announced on March 2 that it found the Saints ran a program that paid improper cash bonuses for hits that injured opponents. In addition to the suspensions of Payton, Loomis and Vitt, the Saints also were docked second-round draft choices in 2012 and 2013, though Goodell has said he could potentially restores the Saints' 2013 second-round choice and dock the team a later-round pick. Meanwhile, four current or former Saints were initially given suspensions of varying lengths. Two current Saints defensive captains, linebacker Jon Vilma and defensive end Will Smith, were among those suspended. Vilma was banned for the whole season and Smith for four games, but the players successfully challenged their punishment with the help of the NFL Players Association and never served a game. Former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who was appointed by Goodell to oversee the players' appeals, ruled that the NFL probe was accurate in its findings that the Saints ran and improper program and attempted to cover it up, but that the evidence was not strong enough to warrant unprecedented suspensions for players who had been only fined for similar behavior in the past.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - DECEMBER 28TH

1887 - Sir John Layton Jarvis, first British race horse trainer is knighted.
1905 - Intercollegiate Athletic Association of US is founded, five year later becoming the NCAA.

1947 - Chicago Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Eagles 28-21 in the NFL Championship game.
1952 - Detroit Lions beat the Cleveland Browns 17-7 in the NFL Championship game.

1958 - What might be called the greatest NFL game, Baltimore Colts beat the NY Giants 23-17.

1975 - Red Army beats the NY Rangers 7-3 at Madison Square Garden.

1978 - Mike Bossy captures the 30th hat trick in NY Islander history.

1986 - Pat Davis, ranked 412th among world tennis competitors wins the Davis Cup.

1993 - John Maclean passes Kirk Muller as the all-time NJ Devils scorer with 521 points.

2008 - The Detroit Lions finish the season 0-16 with a 31-21 lost to the Green Bay Packers. The first time in National Football League history that a team goes winless in a 16-game season.

Hideki Matsui retires from baseball

Free agent slugger Hideki Matsui retired Thursday from professional baseball, saying he is no longer able to perform at the level that made him a star in two countries. The 2009 World Series MVP with the New York Yankees and a three-time Central League MVP with the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants struggled in a brief stint with the Tampa Bay Rays last season and recently made up his mind to call it a career after 20 years - the first 10 in Japan. Despite choosing to make the announcement in New York because the city was special to him, the nearly hour-long news conference was conducted only in Japanese and was broadcast live to his home country, where it was 7 a.m. Friday. A Japanese reporter translated portions of the event for the four American baseball writers in attendance. Before he left for New York in 2003, Matsui told his fans in Japan that he would give his life to playing in the major leagues, give whatever he had, the reporter said. ''Today is the day he put a period to that.'' In front of more than 15 cameras and dozens of Japanese reporters, many of whom detailed every aspect of his career in the United States, the outfielder/designated hitter gave a 12-minute speech before answering questions for about 40 minutes more, betraying little emotion except for that sly smile he flashed during his playing days. Nicknamed Godzilla, Matsui was already perhaps the most popular player of his generation in Japan when he signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Yankees. While Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki appeared to shy away from the attention, Matsui walked right into the spotlight and embraced the scrutiny. Playing for the Yankees was, ''one of the best things that happened to him in his life,'' the Japanese reporter quoted Matsui as saying. No. 55 was a monster for New York, too. Always cool under pressure, Matsui hit a grand slam in his first game at Yankee Stadium and matched a World Series record with six RBIs in his pinstripe finale seven years later - during the clinching Game 6 of the 2009 Series. ''I've had a lot of teammates over the years with the Yankees, but I will always consider Hideki one of my favorites,'' Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said. ''Despite being shadowed by a large group of reporters, having the pressures of performing for his fans both in New York and Japan and becoming acclimated to the bright lights of New York City, he always remained focused and committed to his job and to those of us he shared the clubhouse with. I have a lot of respect for Hideki.'' In his career with New York, Matsui made two All-Star teams and hit .292 with 140 doubles and 597 RBIs. He played in his first 518 major league games after playing in 1,250 straight games in Japan. In his first remarks after breaking his wrist and ending that streak in 2006, he apologized for getting hurt. Matsui returned four months later and went 4 for 4. Matsui was known for being stoic but he also had a sense of humor, and he got a good laugh Thursday, telling the crowd that he doesn't like to use the word ''retirement'' because he will play pick-up baseball. Still, Matsui ruled out competing this year in the World Baseball Classic or joining a team in Japan again. ''He was not confident he'd be able to play at the level he played at 10 years ago,'' the reporter said. In fact, Matsui still has not decided on what to do next. Matsui hit 21 homers for the Los Angeles Angels in 2010 after New York didn't offer him a new contract, but his numbers fell off considerably after that. He slumped to .147 (14 for 95) with the Rays in 37 games before being released. Overall, Matsui batted .282 with 175 homers and 760 RBIs for the Yankees, Angels, Oakland Athletics and Rays. In Japan he had a .304 career average with 332 homers and 889 RBIs in 1,268 games. ''Hideki Matsui, in many ways, embodied what this organization stands for. He was dedicated to his craft, embraced his responsibilities to his team and fans, and elevated his play when he was needed the most,'' Yankees general managing partner Hal Steinbrenner said. ''He did all these things with a humility that was distinctly his own, which is why he was such a big part of our success and why he will always be a cherished member of the Yankees family.'' Matsui said he first started thinking about the Yankees when he became a professional and his manager with the Giants told him to aspire to be a player like former New York center fielder Joe DiMaggio. Then in 1999 - three years from free agency - Matsui went to Yankee Stadium to watch a game and was ''astonished'' at the level of play. He thought to himself that he would ''like to become a player that would be capable of playing at Yankee Stadium,'' the reporter translated. Matsui arrived in New York after a season in which he hit 50 homers for the most well-known team in Japan, and fit right in. ''Hideki came to the Yankees as a superstar and immediately became a team favorite. Not only for his talent but for the unselfishness he brought to the game every day,'' said MLB executive vice president for baseball operations Joe Torre, who was Matsui's manager for his first five seasons in New York. ''Hideki Matsui is a winner and I was proud to be his manager.''

Carlesimo takes over for Avery Johnson in Brooklyn

Coach of the month in November, out of a job by New Year's. The Brooklyn Nets have elevated expectations this season, and a .500 record wasn't good enough. Coach Avery Johnson was fired Thursday, his team having lost 10 of 13 games after a strong start to its first season in Brooklyn. ''We don't have the same fire now than we did when we were 11-4,'' general manager Billy King said at a news conference in East Rutherford, N.J. ''I tried to talk to Avery about it and we just can't figure it out. The same pattern kept on happening.'' Assistant P.J. Carlesimo will coach the Nets on an interim basis, starting Friday night with a home game against Charlotte. King said the Nets might reach out to other candidates, but for now the job was Carlesimo's. The GM wouldn't comment on a report that the team planned to get in touch with former Lakers coach Phil Jackson. King said the decision to dismiss Johnson was made by ownership after a phone discussion Thursday morning. Owner Mikhail Prokhorov had expressed faith in Johnson before the season. ''With the direction we were going we felt we had to make a change,'' King said. Johnson was in the final year of a three-year, $12 million contract. ''It's a really disappointing day for me and my family. It's my wife's birthday. It's not a great birthday gift,'' Johnson said. ''I didn't see this coming. But this is ownership's decision. It's part of the business. Fair or unfair, it's time for a new voice and hopefully they'll get back on track.'' The Nets have fallen well behind the first-place New York Knicks, the team they so badly want to compete with in their new home. But after beating the Knicks in their first meeting Nov. 26, probably the high point of Johnson's tenure, the Nets went 5-10 and frustrations have been mounting. ''Our goal is to get to the conference finals,'' King said. ''We started out good and then we stumbled. We have to get back to playing winning basketball. It's the entire team. It's not like golf, where Tiger Woods can blame the caddie. It takes five guys on the court and they're all struggling. We have to figure out the ways to get back to winning. I don't know what happened. I'm not sure. But unfortunately, it did happen.'' The Nets were embarrassed by Boston on national TV on Christmas, then were routed by Milwaukee 108-93 on Wednesday night for their fifth loss in six games. Star guard Deron Williams recently complained about Johnson's offense, and Nets CEO Brett Yormark took to Twitter after the loss to Celtics to voice his displeasure with the performance. King said the change was not made because Williams was unhappy, and he added the point guard himself has to play better. Johnson also stood by Williams. ''From Day One, I always had a really good relationship with him. I don't think it's fair for anyone to hang this on Deron,'' Johnson said. ''We were just going through a bad streak, a bad spell. It's not time for me to be down on one player. That would be the easy way.'' Brooklyn started the season 11-4, winning five in a row to end November, when Johnson was Eastern Conference coach of the month. But he couldn't do anything to stop this slump, one the Nets never anticipated after a $350 million summer spending spree they believed would take them toward the top of their conference. Johnson has been the Nets' coach for a little more than two seasons. He went 60-116 with the Nets, who moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn to start the season. Johnson coached the Dallas Mavericks to a spot in the NBA Finals in 2006. ''You don't always get a fair shake as a coach,'' Johnson said. ''I'm not the owner. If I were the owner, I wouldn't have fired myself today. But life is not always necessary fair. It's a business and in this business, the coach always gets blamed.'' This is the NBA's second coaching change this season following the dismissal of Mike Brown by the Los Angeles Lakers. Johnson arrived in New Jersey with a 194-70 record, a .735 winning percentage that was the highest in NBA history, but had little chance of success in his first two seasons while the Nets focused all their planning on the move to Brooklyn. They looked to make a splash this summer when they re-signed Williams and fellow starters Gerald Wallace, Brook Lopez and Kris Humphries, traded for Atlanta All-Star Joe Johnson, and added veteran depth with players such as Reggie Evans, C.J. Watson and Andray Blatche. Johnson didn't have a contract beyond this season but seemed to have the confidence of Prokhorov, the Russian billionaire who before the season said he had faith in ''the Avery defense system.'' Some thought the Nets would finish as high as second in the East behind defending champion Miami, and the predictions seemed warranted when the Nets started quickly amid much fanfare. But all the good publicity faded in recent weeks once the losing started. Williams, who has struggled this season, stirred the waters when he expressed his preference for the offense he ran under Jerry Sloan in Utah before a loss to the Jazz. Williams and Johnson, nicknamed ''Brooklyn's Backcourt'' and expected to be one of the best in the NBA, have shot poorly and rarely meshed. The Nets were embarrassed near the end of their 93-76 loss to Boston, when fans exited early amid a chant of ''Let's go Celtics!'' ''Nets fans deserved better,'' Yormark tweeted after the game. ''The entire organization needs to work harder to find a solution. We will get there.'' Not under Johnson, though. The Nets should be able to entice a big-name coach with Prokhorov's billions and the chance to play in a major market at Barclays Center, the $1 billion arena that has drawn praise in the city and from visiting teams. Carlesimo has previous NBA head coaching experience in Portland, Golden State and Seattle/Oklahoma City. He has a career coaching record of 204-296 in the regular season and 3-9 in the playoffs. ''Right now, P.J. is our coach and I told him to coach the team like he'll be here for the next 10 years,'' King said.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - DECEMBER 27TH

1897 - Stanley Cup: Montreal Victorias beat the Ottawa Capitals, 15-2.

1937 - German immigration officials with no explanation bar Juan Carlos Zabala of Argentina, the 1932 Olympic marathon champion, from entering Germany.
1953 - Detroit Lions beat the Cleveland Browns17-16 in the NFL Championship game.

1956 - Bill Sharman, of the Boston Celtics, ends his NBA free throw streak of 55 games.
1959 - Baltimore Colts beat NY Giants 31-16 in the NFL Championship game.
1964 - Cleveland Browns beat the Baltimore Colts 27-0 in the NFL Championship game.

1980 - Calvin Murphy, of the Houston Rockets, begins longest NBA free throw streak of 78.

1981 - Edmonton Oiler Wayne Gretzky becomes fastest NHLer to get 100 pts (38th game).

1987 - Steve Largent sets all-time NFL record for career catches when he catches his 752nd pass.

1991 - Cincinnati Bengals hire Dave Shula as the youngest NFL coach (32).

Five Bears will travel to Hawaii in January

It's difficult to argue that there's a better cornerback tandem in the NFL than Tim Jennings and Charles Tillman after the two ball hawks were among five Bears players voted to the Pro Bowl. Also representing the Bears on the NFC squad will be receiver Brandon Marshall, defensive end Julius Peppers, and defensive tackle Henry Melton, who like Jennings will be making his first trip. All five Bears were selected to start the Pro Bowl, which will be played Jan. 27 in Hawaii. Despite missing two games with a shoulder injury, Jennings leads the NFL with a career-high eight interceptions, one of which he returned 25 yards for his first pro touchdown to spark a late rally in a thrilling 23-22 win Oct. 28 over the Carolina Panthers. Jennings leads the Bears with 15 pass breakups and his three multi-interception games are a franchise record. He is only the fifth Bears cornerback to be selected to the Pro Bowl, following Allan Ellis (1977), Donnell Woolford (1993), Nathan Vasher (2005) and Tillman (2011-12). "I'm excited," Jennings said. "Words can't express how I feel right now. This is a good moment. The season hasn't gone as well as I expected or wanted it to, but it's not over yet for the team goals. We've still got goals ahead of us. "But this puts me in a good place right now as an individual. I just had the individual goal of the whole work I put into it and for the season not to go to where I would like it to this just kind of makes me feel a little bit better." Tillman is the first cornerback to be selected to back-to-back Pro Bowls in Bears history and the team's first defensive back since safety Mark Carrier in 1990-91. Tillman leads the NFL with a career-high 10 forced fumbles this season, increasing his career total to 39, the most by any NFL player since he entered the league in 2003. Tillman has also returned all three of his interceptions for touchdowns this season, setting all-time Bears records for defensive TDs with nine and interceptions by a cornerback with 33, the third most overall in franchise history behind safeties Gary Fencik (38) and Richie Petitbon (37). "We have a big play board and Charles has had the record for the last nine years or so," said coach Lovie Smith. "He set the pace with 13, and we have a formula that we use to be able to get that 13 number. He's at 21 already with a game to go in the season, just big play after big play. "I couldn't tell you how valuable he is to our team and what he's done. I keep hearing about how old he is, over-the-hill gang and all of that, but he's had another career year." Jennings is elated about going to the Pro Bowl with Tillman, who was selected NFC defensive player of the month for October after Jennings had won the award for September. "That's one of the special moments that Charles and I can go over there and be teammates, starting corners," Jennings said. "He's done a lot for me while I was here. His work ethic that I see him putting into it, I just kind of take all of that because I don't want to let any of these guys down, there future Hall of Famer guys like Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, and Charles Tillman." Acquired in a blockbuster trade in March, Marshall has set Bears single-season receiving records with a career-high 113 receptions and 1,466 yards, ranking second in the NFL in both categories. Marshall has also established a career high with 11 touchdown catches, and his seven 100-yard games are tied for the most in franchise history. Voted to his fourth career Pro Bowl, Marshall is only the second Bears receiver to be selected to the all-star game since Dick Gordon in 1971, joining Marty Booker in 2002. Peppers was voted to the eighth Pro Bowl of his 11-year NFL career, including his third in as many seasons with the Bears. With three sacks in last Sunday's 28-13 win in Arizona, Peppers increased his season total to a team-high 11.5. In the process he became the first Bears player to reach double digits in sacks in back-to-back years since Rosevelt Colvin in 2001-02. A converted college running back, Melton joined the Bears in 2009 as a defensive end before being moved to defensive tackle in 2010 after spending his entire rookie season on injured reserve. Melton ranks second in the NFL among defensive tackles this season with six sacks. It's been a long journey from playing running back and defensive end, and now being a Pro Bowl defensive tackle, it's an amazing feeling," Melton said. "There are a lot of people who had a hand in helping me, and I just appreciate it."

Peyton Manning, Peterson make Pro Bowl

Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson want to cap their sensational comebacks with Super Bowl appearances. For now, they can be proud of Pro Bowl spots. So can Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, one of two rookies chosen Wednesday for the Jan. 27 NFL all-star game. Manning missed all of the 2011 season with neck and back problems that required several operations. He then signed with Denver as a free agent and has led the Broncos on a 10-game winning streak to take the AFC West. ''I know there's great players out there in the NFL, but there's some great players on this team this year that deserve to go,'' said Manning, whose 12th Pro Bowl is a record for quarterbacks. He ranks fourth in league passing this year, has thrown 34 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Four other Broncos made the AFC roster: DE Elvis Dumervil, linebacker Von Miller, CB Champ Bailey and tackle Ryan Clady. Bailey's 12th appearance is a record for defensive backs. ''My goal has always been to go out and help the team win and play at a high level,'' Manning added. ''Anything that comes along with that, like being honored as a Pro Bowl selection, is very humbling.'' Minnesota's Peterson tore up his left knee on Christmas Eve last year, underwent major surgery, then was back for the season opener. He's gone from uncertain to unstoppable, running away with the rushing title with a career-high 1,898 yards and lifting the Vikings toward an NFC wild card. ''Coming into the season after going through the rehab process, I just told myself that I wanted to lead my team to a championship and make sure that I contribute and do my part,'' Peterson said. ''I've been doing it.'' Griffin is one of three rookie QBs who had superb debut seasons, along with Andrew Luck of Indianapolis and Russell Wilson of Seattle. Luck and Wilson weren't voted to the Pro Bowl by players, coaches and fans, although their teams are in the playoffs; Griffin can get to the postseason if Washington beats Dallas on Sunday. ''You can't play down those kind of things,'' Griffin said. ''I've always said my whole football career that you don't play for awards. They just come. You don't say you're going to win the Heisman. You don't say you're going to win MVP. You go out and you prove it on the field, and if everyone feels that way then they'll give you that award.'' San Francisco had the most players selected, nine, including six from its second-ranked defense. Houston was next with eight, six on offense. Kansas City, despite its 2-13 record that is tied with Jacksonville for worst in the league, had five Pro Bowlers, including RB Jamaal Charles, who like Peterson is coming back from a torn ACL. One other rookie, Minnesota kicker Blair Walsh, was chosen. Walsh has nine field goals of at least 50 yards, an NFL mark. The AFC kicker is at the other end of the spectrum: Cleveland's Phil Dawson earned his first selection in his 14th NFL season. ''I deliberately tried not to know,'' Dawson said. ''We wanted to watch the show with my kids. I had a really good idea what was going on, but it was a pretty priceless moment when we saw the name flash up on the screen. My kids went nuts 'cause my wife went nuts. That makes these 15 years of waiting worth it.'' Another record setter will be heading to Honolulu: Detroit WR Calvin Johnson. Johnson broke Jerry Rice's single-season yards receiving record and has 1,892 yards with a game left. Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez set the record for Pro Bowls at his position by being chosen for the 13th time. The league's top two sackmasters, DEs Aldon Smith of San Francisco and J.J. Watt of Houston, were first-time selections. Watt has 20 1-2 sacks, one ahead of Smith; the NFL record is 22 1-2. Other newcomers, along with Griffin, Walsh and Dawson, were AFC players tackle Duane Brown and guard Wade Smith of Houston; safety LaRon Landry of the Jets; kick returner Jacoby Jones of Baltimore; and punter Dustin Colquitt of Kansas City. For the NFC, first-timers were Giants WR Victor Cruz; Atlanta WR Julio Jones; Seattle tackle Russell Okung and center Max Unger; San Francisco guard Mike Iupati, linebacker NaVorro Bowman and safety Donte Whitner; Chicago cornerback Tim Jennings and defensive tackle Henry Melton; Washington tackle Trent Williams and special teamer Lorenzo Alexander; Minnesota fullback Jerome Felton; Tampa Bay DT Gerald McCoy; and New Orleans punter Thomas Morstead. Eight teams had no Pro Bowl players: Carolina, Philadelphia and St. Louis in the NFC, Tennessee, Buffalo, Jacksonville, San Diego and Oakland in the AFC.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - DECEMBER 26TH

1908 - Jack Johnson TKOs Tommy Burns in 14 rounds for Heavyweight boxing title, becomes the first black heavyweight champion.
1917 - First NHL defensemen to score a goal: Toronto Maple Leaf Harry Cameron.

1919 - NY Yankees & Boston Red Sox reach an agreement on transfer of rights for Babe Ruth.
1925 - NHL record 141 shots as NY Americans (73) beat Pittsburgh Pirates (68) 3-1.

1934 - Yomiuri Giants, Japan's first professional baseball team is formed.

1943 - Chicago Bears win NFL Championship.

1950 - Gillette & Mutual buy All Star & World Series rights ($6M for 6 years).

1968 - Boston Bruin Ted Green sets NHL penalty record of 3 minors, 2 majors & 2 game misconducts in a game against the NY Rangers in NY's Madison Square Garden.

1986 - Doug Jarvis, 31, sets NHL record of 916 consecutive games.

1991 - Chuck Knolls retires as NFL coach after 23 years.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - DECEMBER 25TH

1855 - James Galvin, a pitcher who shut-out every opposing team in 1884 was born on this day.

1878 - Louis Chevrolet, Swiss born race car driver, who died in 1941 was born on this day.

1862 - 40,000 watch Union army men play baseball at Hilton Head, SC.

1881 - Joseph McCarthy, famous NY Yankees manager, was born on this day.
1888 - First indoor baseball game played at fairgrounds in Philadelphia.

1927 - Nellie Fox, White Sox infielder and AL MVP in 1959 was born on this day.

1946 - Larry Csonka, one on the key members of the undefeated 1972 NFL Miami Dolphins, was born on this day.

1950 - Cleveland Browns beat LA Rams 30-28 in NFL Championship game.

1971 - Longest NFL game (82m40s) as the Dolphins beat the Chiefs 27-24.

1984 - NBA's Bernard King scores 60 points.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - DECEMBER 24TH

1889 - Daniel Stover & William Hance patent a bicycle with back pedal brake.
1894 - Soccer team Achilles '94 forms in Axes.

1940 - Paul Tagliabue, former NFL commissioner, was born on the day.

1950 - Cleveland Browns win NFL Championship, beat LA 30-28.
1961 - Houston Oilers beat San Diego Chargers 10-3 in AFL championship game.
1974 - Cardinals' Lou Brock is named Sportsman of the Year.

1982 - Chaminade, with a student body of only 850 students, beats #1 ranked Virginia 77-72 in a Honolulu holiday basketball classic.
1990 - Expos trade Tim Raines to the White Sox for Ivan Calderon & Barry Jones.

2000 - John Cooper, English race car designer, born in 1923, passes away.
2000 - The Texas 7 hold up a sports store in Irving, Texas. Police officer Aubrey Hawkins is shot during the robbery.

Bengals, Colts clinch playoffs; Ravens are AFC North champions

CINCINNATI - A.J. Green doesn't really care about the Cincinnati Bengals' woeful past. The wide receiver wasn't part of it and hasn't really taken the time to study it. The Bengals were bad. End of story. And now they're good. Beginning of story. Andy Dalton hit Green for a 21-yard pass in the final minutes to set up Josh Brown's 43-yard field goal with 4 seconds left to lift the Bengals to a 13-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Cincinnati (9-6) clinched a second straight playoff berth after beating the Steelers (7-8) for the first time since 2009. Pittsburgh (7-8) was eliminated from postseason contention. The only other time the Bengals made the playoffs in consecutive seasons came in 1981-82, six years before Green was born. ''This has been our goal coming in at the beginning of the season,'' Green said. ''A lot of people talked about we hadn't been in in back to back seasons in 30 years. I don't worry about that stuff. I've been here two years and we made the playoffs all two years. That's all we can control.'' Shredding the label as erratic - and sometimes comical - losers one improbable victory at a time, the Bengals, their precocious duo of Green and Dalton and their quickly improving defense have Cincinnati in uncharted territory. The Bengals have been around since 1968. This is the first time they'll make the postseason in two straight non-strike years. ''I know they just think that there's some complex; there's no complex, you've just got to come play and win,'' coach Marvin Lewis said. ''This group in there has very little history of anything.'' Maybe that's why Bengals aren't doomed to repeat it. Brown missed a 56-yarder earlier in the fourth quarter, but earned a second chance when Reggie Nelson picked off Ben Roethlisberger and returned it to the Pittsburgh 46 with 14 seconds remaining. Dalton found Green down the right sideline on the next play, setting up Brown's winner. ''I've had some pretty big kicks, but that was a long time ago,'' said Brown, who is filling in for injured starter Mike Nugent. ''When you have a chance for the playoffs there's nothing bigger. It's a big deal. Dalton completed 24 of 41 for 278 yards and two interceptions for the Bengals, which snapped a five-game losing streak to Pittsburgh. Green caught 10 passes for 116 yards and Cincinnati's defense next let the Steelers get comfortable. Roethlisberger completed 14 of 28 passes for 220 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Leon Hall returned the first pick 17 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and Nelson stepped in front of an overthrown Roethlisberger pass in the fourth. The Steelers needed to win their final two games to make the playoffs. Instead, the team that was 6-3 in early November will spend January at home after falling for the fifth time in its last six games.

INDIANAPOLIS - The expectations placed upon Andrew Luck almost seemed unfair. Being the heir to Peyton Manning in Indianapolis is heady stuff for a rookie taking the reins of a franchise that won two games last season. Now, after guiding the Colts back to the playoffs - and breaking Cam Newton's single-season passing record for a first-year player - it's safe to say Luck exceeded just about all of them. Luck threw for 205 yards Sunday, and his 7-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne on third-and-goal late in the fourth quarter gave the Colts a 20-13 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. That put them into the playoffs without worrying about anybody else. ''Would we have done it without him?'' Colts interim coach Bruce Arians asked. ''No.'' Luck broke Newton's record of 4,051 yards passing in the second quarter. But it was extending his own rookie record for fourth-quarter comebacks to seven was more important. The Chiefs had rallied behind Jamaal Charles' 226 yards rushing to tie the game 13-13 heading into the fourth quarter. The Colts' defense stuffed quarterback Brady Quinn on fourth-and-inches to give Luck a chance. That's all he needed. After a miserable stretch in which he connected on 1 of 13 passes, the fabulous freshman calmly led Indianapolis (10-5) downfield. He completed a key pass to T.Y. Hilton on third down and made two nice throws to Wayne before hitting the veteran in the back of the end zone. ''We had so many opportunities all game, especially on third down, that we squandered,'' Wayne said. ''We wanted to get that done. That was the opportune time to do it.'' Darius Butler returned an interception 32 yards for the Colts' other touchdown, helping them join the 2008 Miami Dolphins as the only teams to win at least 10 games after losing 14 or more the previous season. Most of those wins have come under Arians, who has filled in admirably while Chuck Pagano underwent treatment for leukemia. Pagano is expected to rejoin the Colts this week. ''Mission accomplished. That's all I can say,'' Arians said. ''Without getting emotional again, knowing that (Pagano) is going to be back Monday, the work week shouldn't be as stressful.'' Charles' big day included an 86-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second half. It was his second 200-yard game of the season, and came one week after he managed 10 yards on nine carries against Oakland. ''It was fun today, competing out there and doing it while we were trying to come back,'' Charles said. ''It was fun going out there and putting out a performance like that.'' Charles joined the Titans' Chris Johnson and former Lions great Barry Sanders as the only players with three runs of 80 or more yards in a season. His third career 200-yard game also set a franchise record, which he had shared with Larry Johnson. Peyton Hillis added 101 yards on the ground for the Chiefs (2-13), who had 352 yards rushing in a losing effort - the first time that's happened in NFL history.

BALTIMORE - A celebration four weeks in the making featured laughs and hugs, a surprise appearance by team owner Steve Bisciotti and the distribution of hats announcing the Baltimore Ravens' stature as AFC North champions. Joe Flacco threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns, and the Ravens defeated the New York Giants 33-14 Sunday to end a three-game losing streak to secure their second straight division crown. ''It feels good,'' wide receiver Torrey Smith said in the upbeat locker room. ''I'm just glad we finally got it done.'' The Ravens (10-5) led 24-7 at halftime and cruised behind a short-handed defense that harassed quarterback Eli Manning and limited New York to 186 yards. Playing its second game with Jim Caldwell as offensive coordinator, Baltimore scored touchdowns on its first two possessions and amassed a season-high 533 yards - 289 in the first half alone. ''It's about execution, man. It's a simple word, but it's a very tough task to do,'' said running back Ray Rice, who ran for 107 yards and caught six passes for 51 yards and a touchdown. ''This was a championship game for us.'' After ending their longest losing streak since 2009, the Ravens are assured a home playoff game on the first weekend of January. ''We know what's at stake. We want the AFC championship and it starts tonight,'' safety James Ihedigbo said. ''We're not looking at regular season. Playoffs started for us and we're going to keep on playing.'' The defeat eliminated the defending Super Bowl champion Giants (8-7) from contention in the NFC East and severely damaged their chances of qualifying for the playoffs. New York has lost five of seven and was coming off a 34-0 defeat at Atlanta. In this one, Manning went 14 for 28 for 150 yards and was sacked three times. ''Obviously, we have a bad formula going on right here,'' coach Tom Coughlin said. ''We're having trouble stopping people and our offense doesn't hold the ball at all to give the defense a chance to catch their breath. We've had two games in a row, pretty much the exact same scenario.'' Flacco, meanwhile, rebounded from a stretch in which he committed two turnovers in each of Baltimore's three straight defeats. He completed 25 of 36 passes, ran for a score and did not throw an interception or lose a fumble. He repeatedly picked on cornerback Corey Webster, who simply couldn't contain Smith or Anquan Boldin. Smith caught five passes for 88 yards and a touchdown, and Boldin finished with seven receptions for 93 yards. Backup Bernard Pierce gained 123 yards as part of a running attack that generated 224 yards.

Falcons top Lions for home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs

Matt Ryan got what he wanted. Calvin Johnson was forced to settle for what he could get. Ryan matched a career high with four touchdown passes, two to Roddy White, to help the Atlanta Falcons beat the Detroit Lions 31-18 Saturday night and earn home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. ''It's great,'' Ryan said. ''Our confidence is high and our experience - good and bad - has helped us. The key is to keep the  ocus where it's been.'' In yet another loss, Johnson had a record-breaking night. Johnson broke Jerry Rice's NFL single-season yards receiving mark of 1,848. After making the record-breaking catch in the fourth quarter, Johnson jogged over to the sideline and handed the football to his father. ''That was a very special moment,'' he said. Johnson also became the only player with 100 yards receiving in eight straight games and the first with 10 receptions in four games in a row in league history. He had 11 receptions for 225 yards, giving him 1,892 this season. ''I've been an NFL fan my whole life, dating back to watching Johnny Unitas and Raymond Berry as a kid, and I've coached in this league for 19 years,'' Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said. ''I've seen a lot of Hall of Famers, but I've never seen a better player than Calvin Johnson. ''He just broke a record set by Jerry Rice, who is arguably the best player in this history of this league.'' The Falcons (13-2) pulled away with Ryan's fourth TD pass to wide-open tight end Michael Palmer in the fourth quarter and Matt Bryant's 20-yard field goal with 3:05 left that gave them a 15-point lead. Ryan was 25 of 32 for 279 yards without a turnover. The Falcons hope playing at home, potentially throughout the conference playoffs, helps them more than it did after the 2010 and 1980 seasons. The Falcons failed to win a game in either postseason, getting routed by Green Bay two years ago and blowing a double-digit, fourth-quarter lead to Dallas three decades ago. Atlanta advanced to its only Super Bowl with a win at Minnesota after winning a franchise-record 14 games during the 1998 season. The Falcons won't have much incentive to match that mark next week at home against Tampa Bay, when they'll have nothing to gain and something to lose if a key player or more gets hurt. Detroit (4-11) has been relegated to playing for pride this month and that hasn't been going very well. The Lions, whose seven-game losing streak is the longest skid in the league, haven't struggled this much since the laughingstock of a franchise became the league's first to go 0-16 in 2008. The Falcons led 21-3 at halftime before letting the Lions pull within five points early in the fourth quarter. Ryan dashed Detroit's comeback hopes. Facing intense pressure, he converted a third down in Atlanta territory with a pass to White, picked on rookie cornerback Jonte Green by throwing to Jones to pick up more first downs and found Tony Gonzalez open to convert another third down to set up his fourth TD pass. ''We didn't play well in the third quarter,'' Atlanta coach Mike Smith said. ''Matt made some big throws on that drive.'' Stafford was clearly trying to get the ball to Johnson on the next drive and cornerback Asante Samuel figured that out, stepping in front of the receiver for an interception to set up Bryant's field goal. Atlanta running back Michael Turner was tackled in the end zone, after Detroit turned the ball over on downs, to give the Lions two meaningless points. Ryan went deep to White for the first score, connecting with him on a 44-yard TD strike with 5:50 left in the first quarter. Ryan threw a short pass to him early in the second quarter and the standout receiver did the rest on a 39-yard sprint down the sideline. Ryan put his third TD pass where only Julio Jones could catch it a corner of the end zone, and he did on a 16-yard reception that put Atlanta up 21-3. Detroit didn't give up, a game after being accused of doing just that in a 38-10 loss at Arizona. Jason Hanson kicked a second field goal late in the first half to make it 21-6. After Atlanta opened the second half with a three-and-out drive, Mikel Leshoure scored on a 1-yard run midway through the third quarter to pull the Lions with eight points. Hanson's third field goal made it 21-16. Stafford finished 37 of 56 for 443 yards with an interception and the Lions say he set an NFL record for the most yards passing in a game without throwing a TD pass. Detroit dug a big hole because the Falcons scored two TDs off turnovers in the first half. Defensive end Kroy Biermann forced running Leshoure to fumble, giving the Falcons the ball at their 31 and they took advantage. Ryan's perfectly lofted pass to White's fingertips converted a third-and-1 in a big way, putting the Falcons ahead. The Lions responded with another drive into Atlanta territory, but stalled and had to settle for Hanson's 34-yard field goal in the final minute of the opening quarter to pull within four points. Atlanta earned a double-digit lead on the ensuing drive. Ryan threw a screen pass to his left to White, who got a great block from tight end Gonzalez, and the receiver raced untouched for a score that put the Falcons ahead 14-3. White finished with eight receptions for 153 yards and two TDs. Jones had seven receptions for 71 yards and a score. Ryan completed his first 12 attempts and, after his first incomplete pass, he converted a third-and-10 with an 11-yard toss to Jacquizz Rodgers. Two plays later, Ryan matched a season high with a third TD pass on the connection with Jones. Prior to the game, Ryan hadn't started a game with more than 10 consecutive completions, according to STATS LLC. He started 10 for 10 last month against Tampa Bay. Johnson had three receptions for 70 yards in the first quarter, breaking Herman Moore's single-season franchise record for yards receiving. By halftime, Johnson had 117 yards receiving. He had 100 yards receiving for an eighth straight game, breaking a record set by Charley Hennigan in 1961 and matched by Michael Irvin in 1995. It was Johnson's 11th game with 100 yards receiving this season, tying Irvin's NFL mark. ''Calvin is one of the best players in the game and I think everybody is a big fan of his,'' Ryan said. ''He's one of the most genuinely nice people you could meet.'' Stafford connected with Johnson on a short crossing route and the receiver did the rest, outrunning Falcons on a 49-yard gain. Fittingly, the Lions turned the ball over on the next snap in the latest lowlight in a season full of them. The Lions, Falcons and fans at Ford Field in Detroit honored the victims of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School before the game. Players had memorial decals on their helmets that read ''S.H.E.S.'' in white on a black background, and Detroit's coaches wore pins with a similar design. There was also a moment of silence before the national anthem while the names and ages of each victim were shown on the videoboards. Twenty children and six adults were killed in the Dec. 14 shooting in Newtown, Conn. Adam Lanza killed his mother, shot students and staff, then killed himself.