Donovan McNabb is sorry that he didn’t win you a Super Bowl, Eagle fans.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer:

“The things that I set out to accomplish and bring back to Philadelphia, I wasn’t able to, and I apologize, more than anything, to the people of Philadelphia, not bringing a Super Bowl to ‘em, but it didn’t happen, and I look forward to trying to achieve that goal here in Washington,” McNabb said, the most explicit regret he has expressed.

Asked about his legacy, the Eagles’ all-time leading passer reiterated what he said at his introductory press conference in Washington, five weeks back. He said he hoped he would be remembered as “a guy who provided excitement, who gave them a chance to win every time he stepped out on the field, one that they had trust, knowing that I would do the right things, an most importantly, one that won ballgames.”

Some in Philadelphia feel as though McNabb is a phony. That he gives the appearance of someone who cares, but when push came to shove (especially in the playoffs with everything on the line), his dedication wasn’t there.

The quarterback will always be the most scrutinized. That’s because they make the most money, have the most responsibility and always get the ball first. They essentially have the ability to win and lose games by their play and some Eagle fans will never forgive McNabb for not winning the big one when he was on the doorstep so many times.

But the fact of the matter is that football is, and always will be, a team game. To hold one player responsible (even the quarterback) for wins and losses is asinine. It often takes a full 53-man roster and every member of the coaching staff to win Super Bowls. For whatever reason, the Eagles could never do that with McNabb under center and to think that some fans hold him responsible for the team’s failures over the years is rather humorous.

Whether his apology was sincere or a front, McNabb doesn’t owe Philadelphia anything. Players win and lose as a team.

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Darrelle Revis, whose contract is set to void after 2010, expects the Jets to give him a new deal before the regular season starts. They said they would, and he trusts them.

But if push comes to shove, will he hold out? While recently speaking at the Jets’ Florham Park facility in New Jersey, Revis may have provided insight to that question.

From the New York Post:

“We’ll figure it out when [the start of camp] comes.”

Revis said he “believes [the Jets] at their word.” But he quickly added, “When you go back on your word it’s a problem.”

“We have a bunch of months to get things done,” Revis said. “I trust [Jets management] . . . but I also know this is a business as well.”

Seeing as how the Jets didn’t abide by Leon Washington’s wishes for a new contract last year and then traded the running back to Seattle during the draft last month, Revis has reason to be weary that he may not get a new deal. He also plays for a team that just dumped Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca in order to recoup some of his huge salary. (Although as many Jet fans will note, despite his Pro Bowl appearance Faneca didn’t play well last year.)

That said, Revis is the best cover corner in the NFL, and good defensive backs are hard to come by. If there were one position on the field outside of quarterback that a team would want to splurge on, it would be cornerback because good ones are such a rarity in the league. (Look at the deal the Raiders gave Nnamdi Asomugha in February of last year.)

Chances are that the Jets and Revis will come to a deal before the season starts. But if they don’t, a player’s best bargaining chip is a hold out. It sounds as if Revis wouldn’t hesitate to hold out if the Jets fall back on their word.

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While it hasn’t even been a month since the Patriots released him, it’s becoming clearer by the day that Packers GM Ted Thompson isn’t interested in signing free agent Adalius Thomas. With Green Bay’s apparent need at outside linebacker, one would think that Thompson would have reached out to Thomas (who has lost a step over the years, but is still an effective pass rusher) by now.

But maybe Thompson is right when he says that the left outside linebacker position isn’t a dire need like many people believe it is. Maybe Brad Jones is the answer to replace Aaron Kampman (who signed with the Jaguars earlier this offseason) on a full-time basis.

When Kampman (who wasn’t an ideal fit at OLB in a 3-4 anyway) went down with an injury after Week 11 last year, it was Jones (a 2009 seventh round pick from Colorado) and not former starter Brady Poppinga who was placed into the starting lineup. With a playoff berth on the line, the Packers went with an unproven seventh round pick in Jones over a player with starting experience in Poppinga.

The move was either a testament to Jones’ abilities or a total slap in the face of Poppinga. Considering Thomas hasn’t received a call from Thompson, the former is probably more appropriate. The Packers obviously feel as though Jones is ready to become a full-time starter after he registered 27 tackles and four sacks in limited action last season. And considering Jones played in a 3-4 at Colorado, it’s apparent that his learning curve wasn’t that big when he went from college to the pros. He earned the starting position last season and barring a complete meltdown in training camp, it’s clear that he’ll have the same role in 2010.

If Jones blossoms into a reliable starter, then Thompson should be hailed for not only finding a late round gem, but also resisting the urge to sign Thomas. If Jones fails, then the Packers could be left with a gaping hole at the LOLB position and Thompson will be scrutinized for not addressing the need when he had a chance in the offseason.

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The Titans insist that they don’t have a problem brewing with running back Chris Johnson. He wants more money, but the team doesn’t believe he’ll actually hold out. GM Mike Reinfeldt is even downplaying the issue by noting how Johnson missed much of last year’s offseason voluntary work too, yet still showed up for day one of training camp.

But the cold, hard reality is that the Titans better be ready to dig their heels in, because CJ appears prepared to hold out as long as he can.

After recently speaking with Johnson about the issue, NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp believes that CJ is serious about holding out beyond training camp.

“There’s going to have to be some talking before Chris goes back to Tennessee,” Sapp said. “He’s prepared to take this through training camp.”

The main problem for the Titans, outside of Johnson’s potential holdout of course, is that they’re hamstrung by the league’s “30 percent” rule, which prohibits large raises being given for future base salaries. So if they were to draw up a new deal for Johnson, it would have to be largely bonus-based, which no team wants to do because that money is usually guaranteed.

One of two things will have to happen in order for the Titans and Johnson to settle this problem. Either the Titans are going to have to get creative in coming up with a new contract or Johnson is just going to have to trust that the team will get him a new deal as soon as a new collective bargaining agreement is signed and the “30 percent” rule is lifted. The Titans could roll the dice and hope that Johnson reports to camp without receiving a new contract, but if he doesn’t, they risk losing their most important player for an extended period of time.

Who will blink first?

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Despite Hennepin County District Judge Gary Larson’s ruling that the league failed to abide to state law in notifying Vikings’ defensive tackles Pat Williams and Kevin Williams of their positive drug test, the NFL is not giving in.

According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the NFL is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Larson’s ruling so that the league can suspend the two players four games for violating its anti-drug policy.

The NFL cited the National Labor Relations Act in its filing on Thursday, saying its collective bargaining agreement with the players’ union protects its drug policy from lawsuits in state courts.

The Williamses tested positive in 2008 for a banned diuretic, bumetanide, that was not listed as an ingredient on the label for the weight-loss supplement StarCaps. The diuretic is not a steroid, but the league said it can be used as a masking agent for performance-enhancing drugs and therefore is not allowed.

The players sued to block their suspensions, saying the NFL broke Minnesota labor law in applying its drug policy. The NFL wants the Supreme Court to overturn a federal judge’s decision last year that sent the case to state court.

This is a tricky situation. If the U.S. Supreme Court overrules Larson’s decision, then it looks as if the NFL has more power than state courts. But if the U.S. Supreme Court doesn’t overrule the decision, then maybe more players will look for loopholes when they fail drug tests.

Many feel as though the NFL’s drug policy is extreme, but it’s in place to ensure that players don’t cheat the game. While I would wholeheartedly agree that it’s a bit absurd for the league to force players to notify teams when they’re about to use over-the-counter cough medicine (which is actually on the NFL’s banned list), those rules are in place in effort to keep the playing field as level as possible.

In the end, I don’t think the Williams Wall will ever be suspended. I can’t imagine that the U.S. Supreme Court would side with the NFL, but then again, crazier things have happened.

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Suspended linebacker Brian Cushing claims that while his positive drug test was for the substance hCG, he never injected or ingested it.

So how did it get into his system?

From the Houston Chronicle:

“I was tested in September, and I found out in October I had tested positive,” he said. “I played the rest of the season thinking I had tumors.”

What?

Cushing said he didn’t inject or ingest the hCG that he tested positive for. He said he was unfamiliar with hCG until he tested positive for it, and when he sought advice from doctors, he was told the only way it could have gotten into a system is through injection or by having a tumor.

“I tested positive for such a small amount it can’t be performance enhancing,” Cushing said during a press conference at Reliant Stadium. “I’ve got to get medical help to find out why it happened and to keep it from happening again. I’m not going to change my workout regime or anything I do because I know I haven’t done anything wrong.”

I can’t imagine that this kid played an entire season thinking he had tumors and the Texans didn’t do anything about it. So either he’s lying about how the hCG got in his system or the Texans are the most irresponsible franchise in the history of football.

While you’re chewing on that, here’s an interesting tidbit from AOL Fanhouse.com on Cushing’s potential steroid problem:

One NFL general manager, requesting anonymity, offered this scorching view: “We did our research on him before the draft last year and we concluded he was a chronic steroid user dating back to high school. More than a few people were surprised when he passed the steroid tests at the combine. I think the guy became a pro at masking it, until he was caught. I definitely would have taken my vote back on that award if I had one.”

There may not have been a more privately and publicly rumored steroid user than Cushing before any NFL Draft.

Granted, there was never been proof before this positive test that Cushing was a steroid user. But while I should probably just leave it at that and move on, I must say: If it walks, talks and acts like a duck, the freaking thing is probably a duck.

We’ll see. Maybe more will be uncovered, or maybe this story will die now that he’s made a public statement. But if he is lying, rest assured somebody will find out.

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Cowboys’ receiver Roy Williams is well aware that rookie Dez Bryant wants to get on the field this year. And in order to do so, he’ll have to unseat Williams, who is the incumbent starter at the position opposite Miles Austin in the offense.

“This ain’t my first rodeo,” Williams said. “I got recruited [to Texas] with B.J. [Johnson] and Sloan Thomas, so those are two top-notch guys. I came in and did my thing. I was the third one on the totem pole in that deal, and I came out No. 1. I don’t really see it as a competition thing. I see it as us getting better.

“But I know in the back of my mind and the back of his mind, he wants to play, the only way he’s going to play is to get No. 11 off the field, and that’s going to be tough to do. But it’s going to make us better as a football team.”

In preparation, Williams has been catching 200 balls a week off the JUGS machine according to the Dallas Star-Telegram. He’s also catching 40 or 50 balls from Tony Romo during the week while trying to ensure that he won’t drop as many passes as he did last season.

“It won’t even be half,” said Williams, who had the 12th-most drops in the league last year, according to STATS Inc. “Do you want to take that bet? I won’t even come close. Promise you.”

Williams has the right attitude, but he’ll have his work cut out for him competing against Bryant. While it’s always best to keep expectations somewhat tempered when it comes to rookies, Bryant is just flat out better than Williams. He’s faster, has softer hands and projects to be more of a playmaker. There’s a reason why the Cowboys drafted him and it wasn’t so he could watch Williams (whose contract may have saved him from being released by now) play.

That said, Williams is right in that Bryant makes the Cowboys a better football team. Competition breads success and the addition of Bryant should make Williams more focused and determined to produce.

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While the tone of the interview was more or less positive in nature, Tom Brady questioned the Patriots’ mental toughness last year during a recent interview with WEEI.

From the Boston Globe:

“Coach always used the [phrase] ‘mentally tough’ to us, and I always agree with him. When the going got tough, we didn’t get going. We weren’t a mentally tough team last year.

“I think that’s been a big point of emphasis for Coach this offseason. Hopefully, we’ve found ways to address it.’’

Brady also insinuated that the team lacked leadership.

“All of us, we need to do a better job of leadership,’’ he said. “And I was one of the leaders last year, and obviously I sucked at doing that.

“So I’ve got to do a better job at that, I’ve got to do a better job of playing quarterback. And that’s what I’m prepared to do.

Again, the interview was positive in nature so I don’t want to spin this into a story about how Brady ripped the Patriots. Plus, what he said was true – on a whole, the Pats played flat last year. Their effort against the Ravens in the playoffs was pitiful and it served as a reminder that they’re not the same team as they used to be. Opponents aren’t going to fear them anymore either.

The Pats have gotten by throughout the years thanks to a solid core of veterans and great game plans. But as those veterans have aged, younger players haven’t stepped up to help the team overcome its weaknesses. The Patriots have never had the most talented overall team (save for their 18-1 squad), but you could be rest assured that they would always be prepared and had the mental fortitude to beat you in crunch time. If they’ve lost that, then the Patriots will be in rebuilding mode sooner rather than later.

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After Matt Forte racked up 1,715 total yards and 12 touchdowns his rookie year in 2008, the Bears felt as though they had a star in the making. He drew comparisons to Edgerrin James, given the backs’ similarities in balance, body control and burst.

But then something happened in Forte’s second year. His play dramatically fell off and while some like to chalk it up to a sophomore slump, the issues were deeper than that. The offensive line struggled to open holes for him and somewhere along the way he lost his confidence. He also had his knee scoped after the season, which might suggest that he played hurt too. It wasn’t just one thing that affected his play – it was a culmination of factors that limited him to fewer than 1,000 rushing yards and only four total touchdowns.

Whether Forte is due for a bounce back campaign or not, there will be one significant change this year than there was in 2009. And he goes by the name of Chester Taylor. The Bears didn’t have an answer for a slumping Forte last year, but this season Taylor is ready and willing to take over at the drop of a hat. The former Viking isn’t a one-man wrecking crew, but he has proven to be an effective back over his career and won’t hesitate to seize the moment if Forte struggles.

While suggesting that this is a make or break year for Forte is a bit extreme (after all, he’s only in his third year), he now has competition for touches. And maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe the presence of Taylor will help Forte stay fresh throughout the season and instill some of that confidence that he lost in ’09.

Of course, no matter who runs the ball, the offensive line must do a better jump opening up holes. There’s reason to believe that the Bears’ O-line will be just as bad as it was last year, as GM Jerry Angelo did nothing to address the massive issue in the offseason. The additions of Taylor, defensive end Julius Peppers and safety Chris Harris certainly make this team better, but sliding Frank Omiyale from guard to right tackle doesn’t constitute fixing the offensive line. So it’ll be interesting to see if Forte can build off the success he had in his rookie year, or if the Bears’ running game will once again fall apart at the feet of their offensive line.

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Michael Turner didn’t want to hear about the “Curse of 370” heading into last season, but after ankle injuries limited him to only 871 yards on 178 carries, it appears as though “the Burner” is well aware of the damages a full workload can have on a running back.

And so are the Falcons.

Turner recently admitted that he fell out of shape last offseason, which may have contributed to his slow start. Turner didn’t really resemble the ’08 version of himself until a Week 8 Monday night effort against the Saints in which he rushed for 151 yards on 20 carries with one touchdown. Until that point, Turner didn’t appear to be hitting holes with much authority and even looked slow at times.

But Turner apparently learned a lesson from last offseason, because he reported to a recent Falcons mini-camp in great shape according to several reports. Head coach Mike Smith was even quoted as saying his running back was in “outstanding shape” and was moving “extremely well” in his first day back. That’s great news for Turner, the Falcons and a handful of fantasy owners that were burned (no pun intended) by the running back’s production (or lack thereof) last season.

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