Raiders

According to ESPN.com, Sebastian Janikowski and the Oakland Raiders have agreed to a four-year, $16 million deal on Tuesday which will be the richest contract for a kicker in NFL history.

Janikowski was eligible to be an unrestricted free agent if the Raiders did not place a franchise tag on him by February 25 or sign him to a contract. Oakland decided to lock Janikowski up with the same contract their All Pro punter Shane Lechler received last year so he can stay out of free agency.

Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell needs help so the organization has solicited the help of Hue Jackson as they have hired him as their new offensive coordinator. The hope is Jackson can turn Russell’s career around like he developed Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

With the addition of Jackson, head coach Tom Cable will relinquish the play-calling duties to the new hire now that the team has a legitimate offensive coordinator.

Lane Kiffin has returned to coach USC, his roots, after his unsuccessful NFL stint with the Oakland Raiders and one year in the college ranks as the head coach of Tennessee.


Kiffin, who was once the offensive coordinator with the Trojans replaces his former boss Pete Carroll who just took the head coaching job in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks.


Kiffin leaves Tennessee a team that faces at least two more NCAA violations (ongoing inquiry) into infractions like the possible misuse of recruiting and impermissible visits.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a feeling they can make the post season with their current form, but the status of their safety and leader on defense Troy Polamalu is uncertain as they prepare for their last game of the regular season on the road against the Miami Dolphins.

Coach Tom Cable has announced during a conference call that Charlie Frye will be the starting quarterback, ahead of JaMarcus Russell, when the Oakland Raiders visit the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Does this mean the end to the Russell era in Oakland?

With the injury to starter Bruce Gradkowski who injured both knees in their game against the Washington Redskins, Cable feels Frye would be the best option for the team against a strong divisional rival, the Broncos. Frye agrees with his coach.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are quickly running out of games to turn their season around and they might also be without their most key player on defense, safety Troy Polamalu for the rest of the season.

Polamalu has been nursing a left knee injury that was initially listed as game-by-game, but it seems the knee is not healing fast enough for the perennial Pro Bowler to get back on the field and help his team on defense.

Though Polamalu hopes to still play this season, there are serious doubts and he also affirmed that there no date set for his return.

The Buffalo Bills are currently without a head coach after firing Dick Jauron and the perfect man for the job is former Bills player and current coach of the year in the UFL, Jim Haslett.

This year, Haslett joined the new United Football League, a debutant football league, in October and led the Florida Tuskers to a 6-0 record in their first season. Though Haslett’s team was upset in the UFL Championship game, the first of its kind, by the Las Vegas Locomotives 20-17 in overtime, his knowledge of the Bills and experience coaching in the NFL would be a great addition to the 3-6 Bills.

Just past the midway point into the season and the NFC East has turned into one of the most erratic divisions in a long time. The New York Giants started off with a 5-0 record and were on top of the football world. Everyone had all but penciled them into the Super Bowl, and then next thing you know they drop four in a row.

It seems the quarterback scenario that occurred in Tennessee last season, is happening this year in Oakland. The Raiders decided to bench their No.1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell for backup Bruce Gradkowski for the Sunday game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

It proved to be the right move as Gradkowski, with a little help from the Bengals, pulled off a 20-17 win for the Raiders at home.