Volek makes good during his moment
You didn't need to play and coach football for more than four decades, as John Volek has, to know what it meant when quarterback Philip Rivers hobbled off the field Sunday.
The San Diego Chargers' upset bid of the Indianapolis Colts would fall on the shoulders of their backup, Billy Volek, who while virtually unknown to the rest of America, immediately sent an entire family in Carmichael, Calif., crowding around a television set to watch an opportunity decades in the making.
Billy, overlooked and underappreciated his entire football career, finally was going to get his chance on one of the grandest stages imaginable, late in a playoff game against the defending Super Bowl champions.
"As a parent you sit there and say, 'Yeah, yeah, show 'em what you're made of,' " John Volek said Monday.
We have football families in this country and often the focus is on the famous ones, such as the Mannings where success seems to come and come and come.
There's nothing wrong with that, but far more common are groups such as the Voleks, led by a lifer of a mostly junior college coach and starring a scrap-for-every-opportunity son. They're the people looking for just one shot at glory, willing to work and wait even against the longest of odds.
In 1968, after a small-college playing career, John Volek became a coach. He's worked the backwoods of football, from an assistant at UC Riverside, to head coach at Santa Cruz (Calif.) High School and then on to Walla Walla (Wash.) Community College, Fresno (Calif.) City College and finally to I-AA Sacramento State. He won lots of games but never got his one moment in the big time.
His son played at Clovis West (Fresno) High, Fresno State and then six seasons as a backup with Tennessee and two more at San Diego and, truth be told, no one knew if he would get his chance either.
Then Rivers went down in this wild playoff game, Indy went up 24-21, and with the Colts' home dome about to blow its roof off, San Diego's only hope in the fourth quarter was to turn to Volek to help save them.
The family had been waiting for decades for this call to come; practice after practice, game after game, for this moment in the national football spotlight.
And man, did Billy ever deliver.
Starting at the Chargers' 22-yard line, he threw 15 yards to the right, 6 to the left, then 27 more to the left. The drive included a penalty on the Colts and some tough runs by Michael Turner and, of course, no mistakes by Volek.
Suddenly, the Chargers were at the 1, and coach Norv Turner called for the quarterback sneak Volek up the middle for what would stand up as the game-winning touchdown.
"When Norv let him do his thing, I knew he'd do it," John Volek said. "I've seen it when he was in fifth grade, running the wishbone, going 39-1 in high school, winning the WAC title at Fresno (while throwing 30 touchdowns and just three interceptions).
"The kid's a winner."
Today John Volek, 60, is the athletic director at Sierra College, a junior college in Rocklin, Calif., still far from the glamour spots of his business.
He doesn't mind; he still is intricately involved in the game. Forever, he has been mostly a football teacher, content with showing kids how to play the game the right way, doing more with the less talented, enjoying the spirit of camaraderie and competition unique to the sport.
While at the high end of the game, "teaching values" often is empty talk, it still is real at John Volek's level.
In football, like any business, it often is timing and luck that separates career paths; pointing one coach to the Pac-10 or the NFL and another to the junior college ranks. And like any business, it often is timing and luck that give some players a shot.
On the field, Billy Volek has done nearly everything imaginable as a backup. In an odd statistical quirk, he threw for more yards (2,789) in his first 10 starts than any quarterback since 1970. If those 10 starts had been in a row, not spread out over the years, he'd have a shoe deal.
Once for the Titans, filling in for another injury, he had consecutive 400-yard passing games. But every time he was about to assume the starting spot, plans changed, coordinators moved on, Vince Young got drafted.
Even now, after the great comeback drive in the great playoff upset, Volek will return to the sideline if Rivers (listed as questionable) is healthy enough to play against the New England Patriots in Sunday's AFC championship game.
His dad says Billy probably benefited from all those years around the game, understanding that winning not fame or stats is what matters.
"He grew up playing on blocking bags, been on the sidelines of games at four years old, riding on the bus on the laps of 300-pound lineman, hearing the fight song sung in locker rooms after victories," said the proud father. "All three of my kids are successful because they understand what it takes to win."
So there was no doubt around that California television set Sunday; they knew what the nation soon would learn. There was no question that Billy would be prepared, that he had studied the game plan as if he were a starter, gotten mentally and physically ready, just in case.
There were no worries that he would deliver in the biggest moment of his career; for that matter, the biggest moment of his entire family's football career.
"He called me after and said, 'Hey dad, I got the game ball.' "
In hindsight, the Colts never really stood a chance.
Copyright 2008 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
Nelson, Jaguars hope to slow down Patriots passing attack
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Jaguars rookie safety Reggie Nelson grew up watching Randy Moss, idolizing his speed, athleticism and play-making ability.
Nelson even imagined how he would fare against the six-time Pro Bowl receiver.
He'll find out Saturday night, when undefeated New England hosts Jacksonville in an AFC divisional playoff game.
"I can't get caught up in his fame, thinking 'This is Randy Moss over here,"' Nelson said. "I look at him as just another player."
The Jaguars believe Nelson, fellow safety Sammy Knight and cornerbacks Rashean Mathis, Brian Williams and Terry Cousin have the toughest matchup of the game: defending Moss, Wes Welker, Donte Stallworth and Jabar Gaffney.
It could be the key to determining who advances to the AFC championship game.
"We have to hold up on the back end," Mathis said. "This is the type of challenge that we, as defensive backs, live for. We're definitely going to earn our paychecks this week."
Jacksonville's secondary struggled early in the season, giving up way too many big plays and costing the team games against Indianapolis and New Orleans.
Nelson was the main victim, getting beat on double moves or burned by experienced quarterbacks who could get him to bite on underneath routes. He's played much better down the stretch, and -- not coincidentally -- so has the defense.
The Jaguars allowed 127 yards passing a game over the final four weeks of the regular season. They looked like they would have similar success against Pittsburgh in the first round of the playoffs last week.
Mathis intercepted two passes from Ben Roethlisberger in the second quarter, returning one for a touchdown. But Roethlisberger found a rhythm in the second half and finished with 337 yards passing and three touchdowns, helping the Steelers overcome an 18-point deficit before losing 31-29.
The Jaguars expect the Patriots to attack them the same way, much like Peyton Manning (twice) and Drew Brees did earlier in the season.
"If they want to pick on me, it's up to them to see what it's like," Nelson said. "I'm up for the challenge. If they want to do that, they can throw my way."
Jacksonville gave up 49 pass plays of 20 yards or longer this season, ranking 25th in the league.
The defense gave up three more against the Steelers. But the players were quick to point out that one came on a pass that tipped off Heath Miller's hands and another was the result of two missed tackles.
"We had a few breakdowns last week, but nothing that should cause us to be concerned," Mathis said. "We believe in our scheme, trust each other and expect to get it done."
Easier said than done.
Moss caught 98 passes for 1,493 yards and an NFL-record 23 touchdowns. Welker had a franchise-record 112 receptions for 1,175 yards and eight scores.
Throw in Stallworth (46 catches for 697 yards and three TDs) and Gaffney (36 receptions for 449 yards and five scores) and New England's four big-play receivers had more catches than Jacksonville's entire team combined in 2007.
"You don't get 50 touchdowns by running it," Cousin said. "They're going to throw the ball."
And that could mean big plays for the Patriots, who led the league with 57 pass plays of 20 yards or longer and were second with 15 pass plays of at least 40 yards.
Quarterback Tom Brady, as expected, downplayed the matchup.
"I think this is the best defense we have faced all season," Brady said. "They do a lot of things well and they have a very disciplined scheme. We really have our work cut out for us."
Nelson feels the same way, knowing this could be his toughest challenge of the season.
"I'm progressing," he said. "The speed has picked up a lot in the playoffs and I'm expecting this round to be even faster for me. I've just got to come out and don't try to do too much."
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Motivated? For Ravens? Playoff-assured Steelers say no problem
PITTSBURGH -- Najeh Davenport, unexpectedly the Steelers' top running back with the playoffs only a week away, looked up in surprise when asked about resting Sunday in Baltimore.
To the Steelers (10-5), no game against the Ravens (4-11) is inconsequential, even if Pittsburgh can claim nothing more by winning than a higher seeding in the AFC playoffs that begin Jan. 5.
"I was under the impression I was playing the whole game," Davenport said Wednesday, after the Steelers practiced for the first time in a week. "That's something new to me."
Wide receiver Hines Ward and defensive end Brett Keisel also said they're going into this game as if it were like any other -- even if it isn't, not with Pittsburgh already assured a division title and at least one home playoff game.
"I think we're going to play," Keisel said. "From everything I've heard, we're going to play and try to win the game and finish out the season right."
To the Steelers, that means going into the playoffs with some momentum after dropping two of their last three. They also want to end their long losing streak in Baltimore -- they've lost four in a row there -- and sweep all six games against AFC North rivals.
There's more to play for, too: Should the Steelers win and the Raiders (4-11) upset the Chargers (10-5), Pittsburgh -- and not San Diego -- would be No. 3 rather than No. 4 in the AFC playoffs.
That could prove significant because the fourth-seeded team must play streaking Jacksonville (11-4) next weekend, with the winner likely facing New England (15-0) in the divisional round.
The third-seeded team will play Cleveland (9-6) or Tennessee (9-6) next weekend and, more than likely, Indianapolis (13-2) the weekend after.
"It's a single-elimination tournament and we've got to come into this thing rolling and that's why we're approaching this week the way we are," Keisel said.
That approach is to treat the game, at least publicly, like any game. Coach Mike Tomlin, however, is dropping hints some of his less-than-healthy regulars might get some time off, including quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (sprained ankle) and safety Troy Polamalu (knee).
It seems unlikely Tomlin will sit down a majority of his starters, not with the Steelers already without two key injured regulars the rest of the way in running back Willie Parker (broken leg) and defensive end Aaron Smith (torn biceps).
The Steelers haven't played since beating St. Louis 41-24 on Dec. 20, so any player sitting out Sunday would be idle for more than two weeks going into the playoffs. With the way New England, Indianapolis and Jacksonville are playing, that might not be the ideal approach.
"He (Tomlin) knows what's best for the team," Ward said.
The Steelers haven't had an easier game all season than their 37-7 rout of Baltimore on Nov. 5, when Roethlisberger threw five touchdown passes before halftime. Afterward, Ravens wide receiver Bart Scott said he "threatened" Ward and, when he saw him again Sunday, planned to "threaten him" again.
Scott laughed that off Wednesday, saying, "I was just upset with Hines at the time. Once I looked back and analyzed it, I said, `Hey, I love him.' "
A feeling not shared by many Ravens and Steelers, especially given the one-sided scores in their recent games. Last season, the Ravens won 27-0 in Baltimore and 31-7 in Pittsburgh, a game that ended up putting the Steelers out of the playoffs.
"It (this game) matters to us," Roethlisberger said. "It's Baltimore."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Redskins' 3-way player Lorenzo Alexander is 'One-man Gang'
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Twenty-two players headed toward the sidelines when the Washington Redskins stopped the New York Giants on fourth down at the end of a long, no-huddle drive late in the fourth quarter.
One of them made a U-turn.
Lorenzo Alexander had more work to do. The offensive coaches called for the "Jeep" formation, which meant he was needed as an extra offensive lineman.
"I had to go right back in on 'Jeep' because we were trying to run the clock out," Alexander said. "So I did, like, 15, 16 plays in a row. I was a little winded."
It was a novelty born of desperation when Alexander became a three-way player earlier this season. Have a guy play offense, defense and special teams as a stopgap measure because of injuries? Sure. Nice story.
Ten weeks later, he's still doing it. And his role keeps growing. In the 22-10 victory over the Giants, he lined up as a fullback, guard, tight end, defensive lineman and was also on the field for kickoff returns and all field-goal and extra-point attempts. He's even started going into motion and running pass patterns -- a 300-pounder looking to get open in the flat.
Alexander won two team awards for the New York game: one for offense and one for special teams. The defensive backs call him "One-man Gang." He is among several young players the injury-riddled Redskins (7-7) will rely on as they try to preserve their playoff chances Sunday at Minnesota (8-6).
Alexander is "a guy who comes out of nowhere," coach Joe Gibbs said. "You're sitting here last year going 'undersized defensive lineman.' Now he's one of our most valuable players."
At the start of the season, Alexander was happy simply to be drawing an NFL paycheck. Undrafted out of California -- with a degree in legal studies -- he failed to make Carolina's roster out of training camp last season and spent most of 2006 on the Redskins practice squad. Coaches realized he could play either side of the ball, but they decided to put him with the defense for this year's camp. He earned some preseason notoriety when got a bloody gash from making a no-helmet tackle on Tennessee quarterback Tim Rattay, earning the nickname "Scarface."
But when three offensive linemen were hurt in a loss to Green Bay on Oct. 14, Alexander started taking snaps with the offense. His first three-way game was the following week against Arizona, and he's been Mr. Everything ever since.
"The first couple of weeks my head was kind of wondering" what he had gotten himself into, Alexander said. "But the more weeks that have passed, the more comfortable I am with picking up linebackers and understanding everything."
Alexander goes to meetings with the offense, then checks with coaches and teammates to find out what he missed in the defensive meetings. He compared offense and defense to "apples and oranges," but keeping up with all the homework, knowing he'll get a chance to play, sure beats sitting on the bench.
"The more you can do, the longer you last," assistant coach Al Saunders said. "He's a great example of an athlete who really is so versatile and that has a lot of ability. When he's finally able to settle in on one position, I think he'll be an outstanding football player."
Gibbs agreed that Alexander is an inevitable starter, although no one is willing to say where. The offensive and defensive coaches might need a tug-of-war in the offseason to see who gets him, but he likes the role he has now.
"Why not be able to play both?" he said. "That keeps my worth around here real high."
Alexander is in the first year of a three-year contract that pays the NFL minimum salary, so he'll have to wait a while before he can cash in on his all-purpose talents.
That gives him time, however, to add to his repertoire. Might he catch a pass soon?
"They're getting more creative each week," he said. "I'm pretty sure that's somewhere in the future. ... I'm enjoying it because I'm a little guy at heart."
Asked if he has good hands, Alexander noted that he played fullback, tight end and linebacker in high school.
"They're good," he said. "I can catch. So don't let that fool you."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Bills' Fairchild maintains business as usual after taking CSU job
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -- Steve Fairchild watched the Bills practice Wednesday while offering no hint he had just been hired to take over as coach at Colorado State.
Bills players didn't find out until coach Dick Jauron announced the news in the final team huddle. Before anyone could congratulate him, Fairchild was already making his way to his office as quickly as he does after most every practice.
Fairchild takes over for his former mentor Sonny Lubick, who was let go last month. As part of the deal, Fairchild's first priority remains the Bills (7-6), who are in playoff contention and preparing for a crucial showdown at Cleveland (8-5) on Sunday.
Fairchild made that clear in a statement released by the Bills.
"We have an important game this weekend with the Cleveland Browns that requires all of my concentration," said Fairchild, who wasn't made available for interviews. "And I do appreciate CSU and the Bills for allowing me to finish out my responsibilities here in Buffalo prior to assuming my new role."
Jauron said he doesn't expect Fairchild's schedule to change dramatically in the double role. Fairchild won't likely travel for his new job until the season is over, but the Bills will allow him to recruit on the phone, gather his new staff and deal with Colorado State officials.
Jauron will wait until the end of the season before considering candidates to replace Fairchild, who is completing his second year with the team.
All that matters to rookie quarterback Trent Edwards is having Fairchild calling plays Sunday.
"I'm very happy for him," said Edwards, who will make his third consecutive start and seventh of the year. "I'm still planning on him being there, and I'm definitely going to be there, as well."
The Bills' offense can't afford any distractions to keep pace with a potent Browns attack ranked seventh in scoring. Cleveland has scored 21 or more points 11 times this season, as compared with Buffalo's popgun attack which has done that only three times, including a 38-17 win over Miami last weekend.
The inconsistencies are blamed primarily on the unsettled state at quarterback. Incumbent J.P. Losman struggled to start the season and has now been benched twice in favor of Edwards, who is considered the team's long-term starter.
Fairchild had also been criticized for being too conservative with his play-calling to start this year.
The Bills have been better of late. They're starting to find chemistry behind Edwards, who threw four touchdowns against the Dolphins, and a two-pronged running attack made up of rookie starter Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson.
Receiver Lee Evans was pleased to learn of Fairchild's new job.
"It's obviously a big step for him in his career," Evans said. "But right now, we've got to think about this game. You've kind of got to put it on the back-burner."
Evans' big concern is what happens this offseason, and how the offense might change under yet a new coordinator, the Bills' third in four years.
"It's tough. But right now it's part of the way this league is," Evans said.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
Ravens QB McNair undergoes surgery
OWINGS MILLS, MARYLAND (TICKER) -- Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair underwent successful surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff on Wednesday.
McNair, 34, suffered the injury three weeks ago and was placed on season-ending injured reserve Monday.
"(The surgery) was needed," Ravens coach Brian Billick told the Baltimore Sun on Thursday. "The prognosis is good that it should be fully healed over a six- to eight-week period."
During a conference call with the Indianapolis media Wednesday, Billick did not speculate about McNair's future with the Ravens but added that he didn't think the 13-year veteran's career was over.
"I think he can come back next year," Billick said. "That's Steve's choice, where he is in his career and what he wants to do going forward. ... He's dealt with injuries before, certainly, and this is not one that has a long prognosis for rehab."
Also limited by groin and back injuries this season, McNair appeared in six games for the Ravens (4-8), throwing four interceptions and losing seven fumbles while tossing a career-worst two touchdown passes.
Copyright 2007 PA SportsTicker. All Rights Reserved
Dallas 37, Green Bay 27
IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Tony Romo took a knee, sealing a playoff-clinching, record-setting victory over the team he grew up rooting for and the quarterback he's obviously patterned himself after. So when it was time for hugs and handshakes, the kid from Wisconsin went looking for Brett Favre.
He had to settle for Aaron Rodgers.
Favre was already in the locker room getting treated for a banged-up right elbow and a separated left shoulder. Besides, the graying icon already had seen enough from Romo and the Dallas Cowboys.
For all his denials about Favre's influence on him, Romo sure played a lot like a young No. 4 Thursday night -- full of moxie and joy, but needing a bit of a high-wire act to send the Cowboys past the Green Bay Packers 37-27 and into the lead for home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.
"When I got out to the field, (I realized) it was pretty neat, the atmosphere," Romo said. "I looked around and was like, `This is why you want to play sports.' You want to play in games like this. Your competitive juices get flowing and you want to prove what kind of player you are."
Romo led Dallas to two field goals, then three touchdowns on his first five drives. He finished with four TD passes, giving the Cowboys (11-1) their sixth straight win and guaranteeing a spot in the playoffs.
They also have a leg up on avoiding a trip to Lambeau Field should these teams meet again in the NFC championship.
"We've got ourselves in the driver's seat," Dallas' Terrell Owens said. "Now we've got to stay there."
The Packers (10-2) ended a six-game winning streak and are now essentially two games behind Dallas in the chase for the conference's top spot with only four games left.
The bigger concern is Favre's health.
Favre was hurt on a hit by cornerback Nate Jones in the second quarter. His run of 249 consecutive starts -- a record that's about six seasons longer than the next-best by a quarterback -- might be in jeopardy, although he has 10 days to heal before the Packers play again, Dec. 9 at home against Oakland.
"I had a similar injury last year," Favre said. "I lost feeling in my fingers and I still have some tingling. But I think I'll be fine."
Rodgers, who spent the week pretending he was Romo in Green Bay practices, provided the kind of rally Favre usually specializes in, even throwing the first touchdown pass of his three-year career. But he's no Brett Favre, so this comeback came up short.
Romo was 19-of-30 for 309 yards. He's up to 33 TD passes, smashing the club season record. He tied another club mark by throwing a touchdown in his 16th straight game.
Owens caught seven passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. He tied a team record with his 14th TD catch of the season and tied another mark with a TD catch in seven straight games. Patrick Crayton caught two of the touchdowns and Anthony Fasano the other.
Dallas also extended the best start in franchise history. With four games left, the Cowboys already have their most wins in a season since going 12-4 in 1995, their last Super Bowl season, and they're two wins from matching the franchise record.
"It's pretty amazing to break any record with all the glory this team has had," first-year coach Wade Phillips said.
The Packers are still in great shape for at least the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye because their next three opponents have losing records. And the idea of starting Rodgers next week may no longer be as dreadful to fans who have wondered if he was a wasted draft pick. In the most extended action of his career, he was 18-of-26 for 201 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers.
"I thought he played great," Favre said. "He gave us a chance to win."
Favre was 5-of-14 for 56 yards with two interceptions, one that looked like a punt and another on the play he was injured. At least two other heaves could have been picked off. The Packers' only touchdown during his action came on a 62-yard run by Ryan Grant.
It's a shame most of the country missed seeing this game because it sure was worthy of a bigger audience than the NFL Network can provide.
There were historic teams and star players, dramatic plays and bizarre ones -- like T.O. juggling a potential back-breaking touchdown, letting it turn into an interception that could have let Green Bay take the lead. And, of course, there was the Romo-Favre storyline, which got rolling when they smiled and laughed through a chat on the field about 1 1/2 hours before kickoff.
What did they say?
"Exchanging recipes and stuff," Romo said. "Guy talk. I don't know. We just talked about hunting or something. I told him NFL Network was going to have a heart attack if I didn't come over and say hi. They were running out of film waiting for it."
Even the pregame coin toss was cool as Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman were honorary captains, joining Cowboys players dressed in throwback uniforms that ironically hark back to the days when Vince Lombardi and the Packers dominated Tom Landry's early Dallas teams.
Green Bay got a field goal on its first drive, but wouldn't lead again. The Cowboys were up 6-3, then turned it into 27-10 in the span of just eight offensive snaps.
Then Favre left and Dallas' intensity went, too. The lead frittered to 27-24 and after Al Harris caught the interception caused by Owens, the Packers were driving for a go-ahead touchdown. But Green Bay's bid ended quickly, then Romo drove right back for a touchdown that made it 34-24.
Rodgers got a field goal, then the Packers needed a stop from their defense. But with Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila and cornerback Charles Woodson inactive with injuries, they couldn't do it. Dallas got a clock-draining drive and field goal for a 10-point lead with 1:03 left -- and with Favre nowhere in sight, having already headed to the locker room before the 2-minute warning.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.
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