The quality of football in the Heartland was well represented in Tuesday night's Florida Athletic Coaches Association North-South All-Star Football Classic at Firemen's Field. ...more

December 24, 2009

University of Florida senior Brandon James, the school's all-time leader in returns, has played his last game at a Gator. ...more

December 22, 2009

Peyton Manning threw for 308 yards and four touchdowns, including a 65-yarder to Reggie Wayne to go ahead for good, and the Indianapolis Colts beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 35-31 Thursday night to improve to 14-0 for the first time in franchise history. ...more

December 18, 2009

BEARS ...17 RAMS ...9 The way Jay Cutler started, Chicago looked as though it was headed to a lopsided win. Instead, the Bears had to hang on to get by lowly St. Louis. Cutler faded after a strong start, throwing for 143 yards and a touchdown without an interception, but Chicago will take the win after dropping four straight and six of seven. Cutler was 4-for-7 for 131 yards in the first quarter as the Bears built a 10-0 lead. After that? Chicago went to the run, St. Louis rallied and Bears receiver Devin Hester left the game with a calf injury. Chicago gave up 112 yards rushing to Steven Jackson but kept the Rams out of the end zone for the fourth time this season even though Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs missed the game with a sprained left knee. Chicago's defense did just enough after allowing 537 yards the previous week, with a late interception by Hunter Hillenmeyer helping preserve the win. ...more

December 7, 2009

JAGUARS ...23 TEXANS ...18 David Garrard threw two touchdown passes, Josh Scobee kicked three field goals and Jacksonville stayed in the AFC wild-card hunt with a victory against injury-depleted Houston. It was the Jaguars' fifth straight victory at home and came in front of an announced crowd of 42,079 - the lowest in franchise history. Garrard threw for 238 yards, completing passes to nine different receivers, and enjoyed his first turnover-free game in a month. He had four fumbles and an interception the past three weeks. Two of his four turnover-free games this season have come against the Texans, who have lost four in a row and appear out of the playoffs for the eighth time in as many years. ...more

December 7, 2009

COLTS ...27 TITANS ...17 Indianapolis tied the NFL record for longest winning streak, beating Tennessee for its 21st consecutive regular-season victory. The only other team to win that many in a row: New England from 2006-08. The Colts can break the record next week at home against Denver. The victory also extended the Colts' league mark for most consecutive 12-win seasons to seven and ended the Titans' five-game winning streak. Peyton Manning threw one TD pass, Joseph Addai ran for two scores and the Colts spent the second half protecting the lead. It was the first time in six games Indy didn't need a fourth-quarter comeback to win. Tennessee's Chris Johnson ran 27 times for 113 yards, his seventh straight 100-yard game, but failed to become the first player in league history to top 125 yards rushing in seven straight. ...more

December 7, 2009

CHARGERS ...30 BROWNS ...23 LaDainian Tomlinson scored his 150th career touchdown and passed Hall of Famer Jim Brown for eighth place on the career rushing list as San Diego won its seventh straight and 15th in a row in December. Antonio Gates set a career high with 167 yards receiving for the Chargers, who dragged their cleats early and only led 13-7 at halftime. But Philip Rivers led San Diego on TD drives of 85 and 83 yards in just over nine minutes in the third quarter to open a 27-7 lead. Tomlinson's 4-yard TD run with 5:58 left in the third put the Chargers up by 20, and placed the running back in elite company among NFL greats. Tomlinson reached 150 TDs in 137 games, fastest in league history. The Browns have lost seven straight games. ...more

December 7, 2009

BENGALS ...23 LIONS ...13 Cincinnati running back Cedric Benson returned from a two-game layoff because of an injured hip and tied the team record with his fifth 100-yard game of the season. The Bengals assured themselves of a winning record for only the second time in 19 years. The other one came in 2005, when Cincinnati won the AFC North and lost its opening playoff game to Pittsburgh. After a solid first quarter, the Lions went nowhere and had the game end badly. Rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford aggravated his non-throwing shoulder with 3:37 to go and didn't return, watching the final minutes from the bench. Benson finished with 110 yards on 36 carries, becoming the third different Bengal to run for 100 yards in the past three games. Carson Palmer threw for 220 yards and a TD to Chad Ochocinco. ...more

December 7, 2009

BRONCOS ...44 CHIEFS ...13 Kyle Orton threw two touchdown passes and Denver used a punishing running game to manhandle Kansas City. The Broncos had 245 yards rushing to turn the 99th meeting between AFL originals into a laugher. Correll Buckhalter ran for 113 yards and Knowshon Moreno had two touchdown runs to help Denver stay within reach of San Diego in the AFC West. The Chiefs didn't put up much of a fight on the day they retired Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Thomas' number. Kansas City gave up 17 plays of 10 yards or more and has allowed 40 points in consecutive games for the first time since 1983. Matt Cassel had a 14.6 quarterback rating before being pulled for Brodie Croyle and the Chiefs finished with only 222 total yards. ...more

December 7, 2009

and a chance to keep pressure on Arizona in the NFC West. Olindo Mare kicked a 30-yard field goal as time expired to send Seattle to a victory over inopportune and angry San Francisco. After the 49ers called timeout to try to ice the veteran on a cold day, Mare made his second field goal of the final quarter and extended his team record of 18 consecutive makes for the Seahawks. They also kept alive hopes for a winning season, if not a playoff berth. The Seahawks also severely damaged the postseason hopes of San Francisco. Smith, who had never had a 300-yard passing day in his first 38 NFL games, threw for a career-high 310 yards in the 49ers' new spread offense. Smith completed 27 of 45 throws and had two TD passes. ...more

December 7, 2009