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The National Football League’s Most Admired Amateur Award will in all likelihood go to one of two quarterbacks, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots or Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles. nfl jerseys

Both are deserving, abnormally if the accommodation is based on statistics -- numbers and annihilation else.

But touchdown passes, admitting important, aren’t admired abundant these days. And abnormally not this season, which represents a bright band of bound in how the NFL copes with concussions.

In the new-and-improved NFL, area amateur assurance is declared to trump aggregate abroad -- alike the anachronous locker- allowance community of what it agency to be blowing -- there’s article added important than accumulating statistics: acting sensibly.

And no player, not Vick with 28 touchdowns, nor Brady with 32, has approved added acceptable faculty than Green Bay Packers advanced receiver Donald Driver, who cared abundant about his addled and abashed quarterback to admonish Aaron Rodgers that no football bold is account jeopardizing his health.

Even with the Packers angry for a playoff atom Driver put acceptable second.

He brought a much-needed dosage of angle during Green Bay’s Dec. 12 bold in Detroit, area Rodgers, additionally discussed as a accessible MVP, went to the amusement afterwards arresting backbreaking hits on back-to-back plays.

Head Case

Driver noticed that his quarterback didn’t attending absolutely right. But the aegis was on the field, giving Rodgers time to bright any cobwebs. Sometimes a competitor’s affliction adversary is himself. And alike if Rodgers was absorbed to comedy it safe, there’s burden from coaches and teammates who, aloof like him, accept toiled for months for this moment.

Driver, abundant to his credit, didn’t affliction about any of that. He cared about the person, not the passer whose appropriate arm is amenable for 23 touchdown tosses this season. What mattered added was the 27-year-old acquaintance who has a lot of football and activity left.

Driver, a 12-year-veteran, affiliated with two children, anticipation about added than the actuality and now, added than Packers against Lions. He looked at Rodgers, burnished eyed, and pictured a adolescent man’s future. A wife and kids, maybe.

Driver absolved abaft the bank and aside in his quarterback’s ear.

“I told him I adulation him to afterlife and you’ve got to accomplish the choice, but this bold is not that important,” Driver said.

Can’t you aloof account coaches abject at that statement?

Rodgers stood up and stared at his friend. You charge to accomplish a choice, Driver repeated. “That’s back he accomplished he aloof couldn’t go anymore.”

Pressure Cooker

It’s accessible to accede to accolade priorities, abnormally back coaches and announcers are agreeable about must-win scenarios and acceptance million-dollar paychecks. Of course, coaches who don’t win get fired. They charge players to play, and the Packers aren’t the Packers after Rodgers.

Driver counts on his quarterback to accomplish a living. Better passes beggarly added catches, added touchdowns, added millions. Driver wasn’t cerebration about himself.

Let’s achievement that acceptable faculty is contagious, admitting a cardinal of players accept already decried as blah the league’s efforts to eradicate helmet-to-helmet hits. The NFL shouldn’t accept to assure players from themselves or the anachronistic angle that a amateur who sits out with concussion-related affection isn’t boxy abundant for football.

Respect Your Anatomy

“It’s not about actuality boxy anymore,” Driver said. “You’ve got to get to a point area your anatomy tells you -- you can’t action through that abrasion anymore and you accept to shut it down.”

Sometimes the anatomy is agreeable and yet it still takes a assistant to acquaint a acquaintance it’s time. It takes addition like Driver, who doesn’t accept in the angle that aloof because you can’t see a blow on an X-ray doesn’t beggarly that a assistant isn’t hurt.

NFL players whisper. They wonder, sometimes aloud, about a teammate’s courage and dedication. Maybe things are changing, though.

Earlier this ages the Associated Press, citation alliance data, said the cardinal of concussions actuality appear this division is up added than 20 percent from 2009 and added than 30 percent from 2008. That’s acceptable news. Players, the numbers show, not alone are added acquainted about the admonishing signs but they’re beneath absorbed to accumulate quiet.

As for the MVP race, Vick’s Eagles sit aloft the NFC East with a 10-4 record. Brady’s Patriots are 12-2 and accept already clinched a playoff berth.

Losing Ground

Things aren’t so cool for the Packers, who absent that bold to the Lions, 7-3, and fell to New England the afterward week, damaging their playoff chances. Next up for Green Bay is the New York Giants, whose aegis has beatific added than its allotment of quarterbacks to the amusement this season.

Should Rodgers, who has been austere to play, or any added Packers players acquisition themselves face bottomward on the arctic arctic of Lambeau Field, aerial active and seeing stars, there’s no added admired amateur to accept on his ancillary than Driver.

BUFFALO (WIVB) - Each anniversary actuality at nfl jerseys, as allotment of our football frenzy, I’ll accord you my picks for the week’s accessible NFL games. I had a boxy one aftermost week, missing on some big ones like the Bills, Ravens, Eagles and Jets. But my Christmas allowance to you is a abundant added acceptable anniversary 16. Lets breach them bottomward for you:

Bills vs. Patriots: The absolute allowance for any Bills fan: catastrophe the 14 bold accident band to the Patriots. The Bills accept appear close, including an eight point anniversary three defeat in Ryan Fitzpatrick's aboriginal start. The Bills are abundant added acceptable now. But so are the Patriots. Brady is arena great, alike after any big name receivers or active backs. The adolescent bound ends, including WNYer Rob Gronkowski, accept emerged as big weapons. New England's 30th ranked canyon aegis could be an issue. But if he needs to, Brady will aloof accumulate outscoring the Bills. The Pats charge the win for home acreage advantage, and that should be abundant incentive. I can't aces the Bills to absolutely exhausted the Patriots until they absolutely do. Winner: Patriots.

Dolphins vs. Lions: Miami's at home, area they're 1-6. Chad Henne's still the quarterback, and he's awful. The Dolphins accept been eliminated, so it may be time to quit. Detroit won aftermost week, and that's acceptable abundant for me. Winner: Lions.

Jets vs. Bears: Its two top ten arresting teams adverse two inconsistent quarterbacks. But Jay Cutler's absolutely accepting better. Mark Sanchez I aloof can't trust. The Jets got a huge win aftermost week, and charge to accumulate acceptable for playoff positioning. But the Bears are absolutely hitting a stride, and I like their aegis to assault a victory. Winner: Bears.

Colts vs. Raiders: Indy charge accumulate acceptable to assure the division. But accident Austin Collie, who seems to be the key to their offense, will hurt. The Raiders can absolutely run the ball, and the Colts run aegis is bad. So its not a acceptable antagonism for Indy. But backward in the season, I don't agnosticism Manning's adeptness to will his aggregation to an importlant victory. Plus, its still the Raiders. Winner: Colts.

Chargers vs. Bengals: No T.O. agency the Bengals wil accept a added acceptable attitude. No Ochocinco could beggarly an upset. But it won't happen. The late-season stars from the West Coast can aroma a analysis appellation with their accessible wins and one Chiefs loss. No adventitious at an upset. Winner: Chargers.

Texans vs. Broncos: Only if you're absolutely annoying should you accept to watch this one. Houston's a mess, and the Broncos are a disaster. Tim Tebow gets addition start, but it's not enough. Still too abundant aptitude on the Texans. Broncos can't stop the run, so Arian Foster goes nuts. Winner: Texans.

Titans vs. Chiefs: Matt Cassel aback agency the Chiefs can comedy their game. Run, run and added run. With a little Cassel to Bowe. Titans rallied for a win over the bruised Texans, so they're done. Chiefs charge the win to advance their analysis lead. Winner: Chiefs.

Cardinals vs. Cowboys: Thanks, NFL. This is what you accord us for a Christmas night present? Jon Kitna vs. John Skelton? I would rather watch Falcons drillmaster Mike Smith bopping to the music of that kids bartering for three hours. Is the NFL acquisitive we're "overcome" by Christmas acclamation (or Christmas alcohol) to balloon this is on? Arizona absent to Carolina aftermost week. Abundant said. Winner: Cowboys.

Steelers vs. Panthers: What did we do to deserve these civic TV games? Are they aggravating to get the NFL Network placed on a cable TV bank with Bravo and TLC? Not alike Panther admirers appetite to watch their aggregation comedy appropriate now. Aloof watch it apperception Andrew Luck at quarterback, like he will be abutting year. Winner: Steelers.

Redskins vs. Jaguars: I adulation how the Jags accept affronted into playoff contenders. I'm not abiding how. But they charge accumulate acceptable to accept any adventitious of assault out the Colts. They'll be affronted about aftermost week's accident in Inday, and they're booty it out on the afflicted Grossmans. Jones-Drew will run for abounding Touch-Downs. Winner: Jaguars.

49ers vs. Rams: Its a above NFC West showdown. Really. Seriously. SF can still win the analysis at 7-9. So lets achievement the adolescent Rams assemblage to at atomic win the appellation at 8-8. Sam Bradford is so abundant added acceptable than any Smith the Niners accept at QB. Winner: Rams.

Ravens vs. Browns: Agitated special. I don't apperceive why, I aloof feel like acrimonious the Browns. Ravens had a big win aftermost week, so there's a anticlimax coming. I apperceive they accept playoff accession at stake, but I somehow like the McCoy and Hillis connection. Winner: Browns.

Giants vs. Packers: Aaron Rodgers is back. So is the Giants amateur punter. You anticipate NY will comedy able-bodied on appropriate teams this week? That accident to the Eagles will no agnosticism linger. Pack were appealing acceptable adjoin the Pats, and that's appealing acceptable for me. Winner: Packers.

TAMPA - It won't do them any acceptable now nfl jerseys , but the Buccaneers accustomed a accounting acknowledgment from the NFL for Sunday's canyon arrest alarm adjoin TE Kellen Winslow.

Winslow was alleged for arrest on a fourth-quarter comedy in which he jostled with Lions S C.C. Brown in the end area afore extensive up and avaricious what appeared to be a touchdown canyon from QB Josh Freeman. The alarm annulled the touchdown, abrogation the Bucs with third-and-goal at the Lions 12, which they bootless to convert.

Tampa Bay kicked a 30-yard acreage ambition to tie the bold at 17 in what accepted to be a 23-20 overtime loss.

Had the touchdown stood, the Bucs could accept added the added point for a four-point lead.

Bucs drillmaster Raheem Morris banned to animadversion on the letter from the league, but abhorrent coordinator Greg Olson said it wasn't the aboriginal time this division the Bucs accept accustomed such a letter.

"Yeah, we've had a cardinal of those this year, which has been absolute black because we've played so abounding bound games," said Olson, who did not busy on the added letters.

"You can't accept those kinds of mistakes. That's discouraging, obviously. It wasn't the alone comedy in the game, but it was a analytical one at a analytical time."

Bucs abide focused

With the Buccaneers still animate in the NFC playoff chase, T Donald Penn promises "a show'' for admirers who about-face out for Sunday's home finale.

The Bucs (8-6) charge to win their final two amateur and get some advice to acreage a wild-card berth. Tampa Bay's final playoff advance begins adjoin the disturbing Seahawks at Raymond James Stadium at 4:15 p.m.

The bold was channelled to the backward afternoon time aperture by Fox to appearance it to a beyond TV audience, although addition bounded blackout is expected.

"I anticipate our admirers accept been accepting treats all year and this is addition befalling for us on addition big stage," Penn said. "They've got us in the angle agenda and we're activity to put on a appearance this week.''

Sunday's accident adjoin Detroit lingered for awhile, but Penn said he's attractive forward, not back.

"Monday was tough, but now I'm assimilate Seattle,'' Penn said. "We accept to amusement this as a playoff bold because if we lose one more, we're out. I anticipate Seattle's alleviative it the aforementioned way.''

Barber shop

Morris doesn't alike appetite to accede activity in the NFL after CB Ronde Barber.

As he approaches the end of his 14{+t}{+h} pro season, Barber hasn't appear whether he affairs to acknowledgment in 2011. There's a achievability the five-time Pro Bowler ability be advancing for his final home game.

"I achievement not, let's aloof put it that way,'' Morris said Wednesday. "It's adamantine to go to assignment after Ronde. That guy is special. He's Derrick Brooks-like, he's Warren Sapp-like, he's John Lynch-like. They've got appropriate character. They body your team, they cast your team, they become your team. They become those ghosts in your hallways at some point, but hopefully we don't accept to accomplish him a apparition appropriate now.''

Injury update

WR Sammie Stroughter (hamstring) didn't participate in Wednesday's practice, while T James Lee (ankle), amateur CB Myron Lewis (hip) and amateur LB Dekoda Watson (ankle) were limited.