San Diego Chargers 01/07/2008 8:57 AMThe San Diego Union-Tribune reports the Chargers might be making their next step in the playoffs without All-Pro TE Antonio Gates, who sprained his left big toe yesterday. “I won't know until later in the week,” Gates said of his availability for Sunday's game at Indianapolis.Read more
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 01/07/2008 8:54 AMThe Tampa Tribune reportswhile his teammates drove down the field for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, veteran WR Joey Galloway watched from the sideline with a towel over his head. Soon after the Bucs pulled within 10 points with that score, with 3:25 remaining, Galloway walked off the sideline and into the locker room, but not before expressing his disappointment to Bucs coach Jon Gruden. "He's mad because he ... you've got to ask Joey," Gruden said. "I love that guy; he knows that. He's hurt and he wants to play. He's frustrated. You go all this time to get into a game like that and not really be able to perform, a lot of frustration, a lot of emotion."Read more
New York Giants 01/07/2008 8:51 AMThe New York Daily News reports QB Eli Manning is now two years ahead of his big brother by winning his first playoff game in his fourth season. His father? He played 15 years in the NFL and never even made the playoffs. Manning's career ultimately will be judged by whether he wins the Super Bowl, not by beating the Bucs, clearly the worst team in the playoffs, as the Giants did, 24-14, in the wild-card round. But he desperately needed to take the first step Sunday. "I always say this playoff stuff is uncharted waters for me," dad Archie Manning said, standing outside the Giants' locker room. "I've got to believe when you go on the road and win a playoff game, the whole organization and players and coaches ought to feel mighty good."Read more
Pittsburgh Steelers 01/07/2008 8:48 AMThe Post-Gazette reports penalties were kept to a relative few Saturday night, but apparently that's what bothered some Steelers the most -- too few penalties. The Jaguars had six penalties for 40 yards and the Steelers five for 50. LB Larry Foote intimated that a huge hole in the Steelers' defense that QB David Garrard ran through for 32 yards on fourth down to set up Jacksonville's winning field goal came about for reasons other than good blocking. Foote complained to officials on the field and it was the only topic he broached briefly in the locker room before leaving.Read more
