By Gayle Saunders
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According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Baltimore Ravens Ricky Williams is expected to retire,

On the 2011 season Williams added 444 yards and two touchdowns while backing up Ray Rice in Baltimore. Williams rushed for 10,009 yards and 66 touchdowns, to go along with 342 yards receiving and eight touchdowns catches through the air.

In 2002 Ricky Williams led the league in rushing yards in 2002 with a monster 1,853 yards. In 2004 the former All Pro suddenly retired as a result of drug issues. However in 2009, he made his comeback and rushed for 1,121 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Dolphins.

Ricky Williams also set an NCAA record for career rushing yards with 6,279 and brought home a Heisman trophy in 1998.

By Gayle Saunders
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Some might have thought the Raven’s loss to the Patriots could have meant the end of Ray Lewis’ brilliant career, however the veteran middle linebacker says he will return for another season.

“Is this my last time as a Raven?” Lewis said. “Absolutely not.”

On paper, Ray Lewis turns 37 in May of this year. During the season, Ray Lewis finally looked human, missing four games dealing with turf toe. If all goes as plan Lewis will be entering his 17th season in the NFL. Let me remind you folks, that all of those years have been with the Ravens. Lewis has been the face of the franchise in Baltimore and from what it looks like, he will remain the driving heart and soul of next years unit.

The savvy veteran still shows the capability as a leader off the field and on the field, as he led the Ravens with 12 tackles against the Patriots. Mid thirties or not, Ray Lewis still has the fire in him to help lead the Ravens towards the future.

“For us to be here now, I’m hungry again and I’m thirsty again,” Lewis said. “Every time you go through something like this, it has to drive you. I truly believe that’s the only thing that makes people great. It’s not the ones who always winning that people remember. It’s the ones who go through tough times.”

Each week Barry Bach gives you his challenge, to Beat the Barrius!! Those with the most games right will win an actual Championship Belt! Can you pick NFL games better then him? Then give it a shot!! The contest will last until the Superbowl!

BEAT THE BARRIUS! Championship Round
	MATCHUPS	DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BEAT THE BARRIUS?
	Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots	*Grabs a flower* Flacco, Brady, Flacco, Brady, Flacco, Brady, Flacco, Brady……BRADY! Pats over Ravens.
	New York Giants @ San Francisco 49ers	The 49ers beat Drew Brees and the Saints last week…..and the Giants beat Aaron Rogers and the Pack….So…..both teams can beat great qb’s…Now Eli sqaures off against Alex Smith……….San Francisco’s oline is a bit inexperienced…..but I think the 49ers find a way to squeek past the GMEN….49ers over Giants
	BALLERS	BEAT THE BARRIUS Standings	WIN TOTAL
	BARRIUS aka Barry Bach	Week 14 – 11 Games Week 15 -8 Games Week 16 -10 Games Week 17 -10 Games Wildcard Weekend Divisional Round – 1 Game	43
	KEVIN BAILEY	Week 14 – 10 Games Week 15 -10 Games Week 16 -13 Games Week 17 -11 Games Wildcard Weekend -4 Games Divisional Round – 2 Games	50
	Brandon Barger	Week 14 – 12 Games Week 15 -8 Games Week 16 -13 Games Week 17 -10 Games Wildcard Weekend	43
	Eric Clark	Week 14 – 12 Games Week 15 -10 Games Week 16 -13 Games Week 17 -14 Games Wildcard Weekend -2 games Divisional Round	53 (leader)
	Todd Harding	Week 14 – 11 Games Week 15 -9 Week 16 -13 Games Week 17 -10 Games Wildcard Weekend -2 Games Divisional Round – 2 Games	47
	Jazzy	Week 14 – 9 Games Week 15 -N/A Week 16 12 Games Week 17 -N/A	21
	Jeremiah	Week 14 – 11 Games Week 15 -10 Games Week 16 N/A Week 17 -N/A	21
	Josh Howard	Week 14 – 10 Games Week 15 -6 Games Week 16 N/A Week 17 -N/A	16
	Marty Martinez	Week 14 – 12 Games Week 15 -8 Games Week 16 -12 Games Week 17 -N/A	30
	Steve O’Reilly	Week 14 – 11 Games Week 15 -8 Games Week 16 -12 Games Week 17 -14 Wildcard Weekend -3 Games Divisional Round -2 games	50
	Paul	Week 14 – 13 Games Week 15 -7 Games Week 16 -6 Games Week 17 -	26
	Chad Smith	Week 14 -N/A Week 15 -9 Games Week 16 12 Games Week 17 -10 Wildcard Weekend – 2 Games Divisional Round – 4 Games	37
	Gayle Saunders	Week 14 – 12 Games Week 15 -9 Games Week 16-12 Games Week 17 -12 Games Wildcard Weekend -3 Games Divisional Round -2 Games	50
	Moe Hindi	Week 14 – N/A Week 15 – 7 Games Week 16 – 13 Games Week 17 14 Games Wildcard Weekend -3 Games Divisional Round -3 Games	40
	Jeff Tucker	Wildcard Weekend – Games Divisional Round -2 Games	5

The Skinny Post Crew breaks down the Championship Round of the NFL Playoffs and much more!!

By Jeremy Schloss

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1. 2011 was certainly the year of the Tight Ends, beginning and ending w/ the freaks of nature known as Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski. All the while we all forgot about the original freak of nature TE, Vernon Davis. Had Davis had Brady and Brees throwing to him all these years, we might be talking about his Canton prospects by now. Vernon was just uncover-able this weekend and the main guy I’d be scared off if I’m the Giants coming into town. Suddenly the Niner offense doesn’t look so average with Davis leading the charge. Just who on the Giants is going to cover him again???

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2. During the season, the prolific Packers offense were 6th in dropped passes, which is pretty remarkable considering the stats Rodgers still managed to put up. Against the Giants, the Packers were evidently trying to make it 1st in the league. They dropped more passes than AT&T drops calls. The Packers also found a way to fumble 3 times. It was like the entire offense thought the football had cooties. The Giant defense can take all the credit they want, but Green Bay did themselves no favors moving the ball. On top of that, we saw Rodgers actually miss a few wide open receivers during the game which almost never happens. The NY defense has certainly been better as of late, but to think they are elite again would be giving the Packer offense too much credit. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

3. How did we not see the Denver Massacre coming? I tried to warn everyone last week that Belichick vs. Tebow was not a good match up for the young QB. Few coaches know how to exploit situations and circumstances better than ole’ Bill. All in all its hard to argue it wasn’t a successful 1st season for the Gator product though. Of course only Tebow can dominate the headlines days later after a blowout loss, with Elway giving him a vote of confidence and tabbing him the starter next season. Of course we have no idea what will happen in the draft, free agency, mini camps, ya know stuff like that. It’s amazing that a quarterback so decisive while playing the position, as good as anyone ever has, is so flip floppy with his opinion on his current QB. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Can’t say I’m surprised Jim Caldwell was fired. There was no indication he had any idea what he was doing. Peyton Manning is essentially the only player coach in the game today. I know basketball players used to do this, but pending a more diligent persons research, I don’t think it’s ever been done in the NFL. If the Colts are intent on keeping Peyton, I’d just hire some coordinators and save money on a coach. For all important decisions, which btw, half the coaches in the league screw up anyway, I’d still defer to Peyton. Any kind of clock management, time outs, or 4th down decisions I’d trust his judgment anyway over most coaches. (I’m talking to you Andy Reid and Norv Turner)

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5. For a 5th round pick out of UNC, my hats off to TJ Yates this season. It was impressive how far he helped take them. Hard not to think that if Schaub were healthy, this Texans team would have been the most complete in the AFC, perhaps even the NFL. Every other team was dominating on one side of the ball, but not both. After watching Yates play against a pretty dam good Ravens Defense on the road, I will say I have one small critique for him. He can’t be afraid to run for the first down. Teach him to slide so he doesn’t get hit, which he seemed absolutely terrified about, and I guarantee he picks up at least 2-3 more first downs in that Ravens game. He threw a number of passes into double and triple coverage when all he had to do was pull a Rodgers and scamper a few yards past the imaginary yellow line. (how did we ever watch football w/ out that line I might add…) Ray Lewis can’t still be that fast can he? Yates does that and its a different ball game. As far as the Ravens go, the fact that it came down to the last drive against a rookie 5th rounder QB at home, is rather unnerving. What are you going to do up in Gillette against what looks like a pissed off Tom Brady and his two unique weapons who play the TE position? ____________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Did Alex Smith just become a legit NFL quarterback with that performance against the Saints? He seemed completely in control on his offense. The 49’ers are supposed to beat you with their defense and run game. The defense did their best but still gave up 30 points. Gore had a nice day but only carried 13 times (half his yardage was on one big run none the less). Of all the ways the Saints thought they would loose that game, I’m sure Alex Smith torching them was last on the list. Still, going up against the Giants this week, I really wish they had a 2nd wide receiving threat. The Braylon Edwards experiment didn’t work, Josh Morgan got hurt, and Ted Ginn always looks like he is drinking Ted “Gin” when he is on the field. If San Fran loses this game, they need to look long and hard for a receiver to compliment Crabtree in the draft. Bleacher report has them selecting Gamecock receiver Ashlon Jeffery with their pick. If he lasts that long, the 49’ers brass will be so elated they might have to be revived. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Interesting match up no one is talking about. Bernard Pollard comes back to Foxboro! For those with short memories, Pollard is the safety that drilled Brady and tore his ACL a few years ago. And while Matt Cassel has probably showered him with gifts due to the millions he made off of him, I’m sure neither Tom, nor the Pats fans, nor probably the Chiefs fans as they are now stuck with Cassel as their QB, have forgiven him. You can’t tell me all of Gillette stadium will not be holding their collective breath if Pollard comes barreling in on a blitz. And to screw with the Pats, if I’m coach Harbaugh, I call this safety blitz on the first play of the game. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

8. I don’t care for the 2 Sunday games format for the conference championships. Why not split it up? Starting the game at 3 and having one right after means my whole Sunday is shot. (I know not everyone gets up past noon like me, but I get two days to sleep in a week and I take full advantage of that) I’d rather have something to look forward too on both days. And that 3 o’ clock time really kills a day. Make it either 1 or a night game. I thought this league caters to the lazy Sunday crowd? ____________________________________________________________________________________________

9. I hate that I keep picking the Giants to upset teams and they keep doing it. This week I will try and break my reverse jinx and pick no upsets in the conference championships. Pats are just two difficult to cover with Gronk and Aaron Hernandez (who runs the ball now btw… and is good at it!). Brady looks locked in and I just don’t think Joe Flacco has enough juice to out shoot the Pats. As for the NFC, the Giants are just riding way to high right now. This is the usual time where they let their fans down. The Niners defense is a thousand times better than the Atlanta and Green Bay ones that Eli has seen. Half of Manning’s yards this post season, and all season really, has been Cruz and Nicks making defenders miss and running for a ton of yardage after the catch. The Niners are not a defense that misses many tackles. Alex Smith’s confidence is at an all time high and if the Niners O-line can hold up, he will be able to find his targets down the field. The Giants will also be hard pressed to find running room against one of the top run defense of the past decade, and we all know how a lack of running game negatively affects this offense. (this is all me trying to talk myself into a Giants loss…It’s barley working….)

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10. Really cool potential Super Bowl match-ups here. 2 potential rematches if the Giants win as they would get to face either a Ravens team that beat them back in 2001 led by Trent Dilfer, who will forever be the thorn in the argument for needing an elite QB to win championships, or a re-match with Pats after the most memorable Super Bowl of this millennium. Of course it never hurts the ratings when the two of the biggest markets play each other. While Niners/Ravens would be an epic defensive battle and from a football purist standpoint, perhaps their ideal game, ratings wise and casual fan wise, not exactly drawing in those fans who watch one game a year. If you think girls will tune in to watch Flacco (and his uni-brow) vs. Smith your crazy. Meanwhile Eli vs. Brady has all the makings of an US Weekly cover story. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

The Extra Point: I heard my boss say Happy New Year on a conference call today. Its January 17th, time to end this form of greeting and small talk. Not sure anyone has ever come up with an official cut off date. It’s odd because no other holiday really has this affect. No one ever wished me a happy Thanksgiving in December. Or a Merry Christmas in January. I’m proposing a 2 week limit on the Happy New Year phrase. Anyone who breaks this new rule should be ignored and mocked immediately…or basically exactly how we all treated Caleb Haine all season.

By Gayle Saunders
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The long time NFL vet Derrick Mason, stepped away from the game on Monday. He leaves as the all-time leading receiver for the Ravens.

Masons 15th season didn’t go as expected, as he was cut by the Ravens, traded by the Jets, and then released by the Texans all in the same year.

“I’m done,” Mason told Scout.com. “I won’t be playing football. I leave it healthy and able to run and walk and not take a half-hour or 45 minutes to get out of bed. Me leaving now, even though it didn’t happen the way I wanted it to happen, I had a good run.”

In Mason’s career, the 38 year old went to two Pro Bowls, and had 943 receptions which is 11th all-time. Mason had 453 receptions with the Titans where he started his career (1997-2004). In Baltimore he caught 471 passes from 2005-2010.

Mason leaves the game with no regrets, as he always left everything on the field. The savvy veteran plans to pursue a career in broadcasting.

Well, we are down to the Elite 8 in the NFL and it’s nothing but the cream of the crop for the rest of the way! How do you rank the remaining playoff teams? The NFC is looking lean and mean right now with the performances of the Saints and Giants, the AFC has still yet to see their two big boys play while the feel good stories look like they might be at the end of their journey. So how do they stack up 1-8 in their odds to win it all, here is how we see it!

It’s also important to note that the difference between these teams now is so fractional that to say one team doesn’t have a chance is foolish. Any given Sunday you can can get it!

1. Green Bay Packers – they are the team to beat right now but they better be very careful this weekend. The Giants Front are “world-beaters” and for those that aren’t familiar with the term, a world beater is someone or a group of people that when they are on their game can not be beaten. Aaron Rodgers is definitely a world beater too and the key to getting the Packers into a rhythm vs this great Front 4 of NY.

2. Baltimore Ravens – We haven’t seen what they bring in this postseason yet but the Ravens should be ready at home were they are unbeaten. 8-0 in the regular season means T.J. Yates has to play the game of his young life. Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Ed Reed await and they should be AFC Championship bound! This teams hopes begins and ends with Ray Rice however, if he gets churning and burning they are very tough to beat!

3. New England Patriots – They have Tom Brady, they have the weapons and likely won’t have much trouble with the Broncos this weekend however they do have concerns on Defense. Giving up an average 411.1 yards per game in the Regular Season the Patriots need to shore that up. If they have a bad day Offensively they could be in trouble. Brady at home is very tough to beat but in their last two home playoff games the Patriots lost to the Jets and Ravens.

4. New Orleans Saints - It’s just too hard to ignore the Offense! Many people will probably bark down my throat saying they should be ranked higher and I agree there is an argument there with all of the great things that Drew Brees is doing. However I still have reservations about their defense. They have no pass rush and that secondary isn’t good enough to run with wideouts very long.

5. New York Giants – say what you want but that Defensive showing vs the Falcons was dominating. When the other team doesn’t score, you don’t lose. The Giants were dominating. Can they do it in Lambeau vs the Champs? That remains to be seen but they are riding high on confidence and with that performance you can’t help but notice a complete team that can compete for a Super Bowl. They are good!

6. San Francisco 49ers – The Defense is definitely the catalyst for this Niners teams, they are team that is built to win the trenches. The Offense likes to impose their will and mash the football right their opponent. Frank Gore and Patrick Willis each are the main man that each unit runs through. Their postseason success however really hinges on Alex Smith and he will get a test this weekend.

7. Houston Texans – It’s just a shame this team wasn’t 100% on both sides of the ball. Without Matt Schaub and Mario Williams you really never know how good they could have been. T.J. Yates will learn first hand this weekend what the NFL playoffs vs an elite Defense means. On the road vs the Ravens could be the end of what was a truly great season. Hats off to Gary Kubiak and Wade Phillips for turning that ship around fast and getting their first Franchise playoff win!

8. Denver Broncos – As much as the Tim Tebow story feels good and it does especially after what happened vs the #1 ranked Defense, the task ahead might be a little too daunting. Tom Brady at home coming off a nice rest could spell trouble however Tim Tebow is a gamer! The Broncos proved they can throw the football which obviously changes the game plan for the Patriots. They have to play mistake free football in order to move on in the tournament.

By Gayle Saunders
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Ray Lewis destroys Dustin Keller on this mega hit! This is exactly the defintion of old man strength if you look it up in the dictionary. Big ups to Ray Lewis for playing a fine career and a shout to his banged up toes! Get well soon buddy!