Texans

Well…they did it. We all expected it and they did it. The San Diego Chargers released 30-year-old running back LaDainian Tomlinson last Tuesday.

The man who kept the electricity in the Chargers offense for the past eight years will be looking for a new home over the course of the next few weeks but he shouldn’t have to look too hard. There are a plethora of teams that should be willing to glance in L.T.’s direction for next season.

Last week the Huston Texans surprised a few folks in granting head coach Gary Kubiak a two-year extension on his contract. Kubiak, who has an overall record of 31-33 in his four years in Houston, was rumored late in the season as a man who will be looking for work.

Now he will have two more years to prove that one of the few organizations that have yet to reach a Super Bowl is enlightened to how Kubiak has righted their ship.

The Houston Texans with a 9-7 record this season almost made the NFL postseason and in a way to reward their head coach Gary Kubiak, owner Bob McNair and the organization have given the coach a contract extension.

The Texans announced Wednesday that the coach has signed a contract extension that runs through the 2012 season. With Kubiak leading the Texans to their first winning season and record in franchise history, there really is no need for the organization to let go of a successful and a possibility of building on what they had this year.

NFL players have gone after the aid of congress to prevent the NFL owners from inflicting a lockout after next season. The players are hoping lawmakers in Washington D.C. can help overturn a possible victory in the Supreme Court antitrust case which would affect free agency amongst other things like ticket prices.

“We want Congress to know that management is pushing us toward a lockout,” said Tennessee Titans center Kevin Mawae who is also the union president and part of the 30 current and former players who were on Capitol Hill to discuss the issue.

After revealing his surprise that he or any one on his team did not make the pro bowl, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has been named to the Pro Bowl.

He will be an alternate player though.

The Bengals receiver was selected on Friday as an alternate on the AFC roster after it was quite obvious that New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker, who tore the MCL and ACL in his left knee, would not be able to participate in the event.

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was name the offensive player of the week in the NFL for his magnificent comeback performance in the Lions 38-37 home win over the Cleveland Browns.

It was a game between two teams that only had one win each so far this season, so nobody really cared to watch, but it turned out to be probably the best game of the week.

But on Sunday, Stafford who threw five touchdown passes was the key factor in the Lions turning the game around and making it arguably one of the most interesting games of this NFL season.

Everyone mentioned that he could not play quarterback in the NFL that he could not do the work and play as a pocket passer; this was while he was in college, but Vince Young once again proved everyone wrong with his performance for the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night against the Houston Texans.

It seems the quarterback scenario that occurred in Tennessee last season, is happening this year in Oakland. The Raiders decided to bench their No.1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell for backup Bruce Gradkowski for the Sunday game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

It proved to be the right move as Gradkowski, with a little help from the Bengals, pulled off a 20-17 win for the Raiders at home.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Indianapolis Colts safety Bob Sanders will have season-ending surgery to repair a torn biceps tendon.

The news that Sanders will miss the rest of the season is only the latest of bad news to hit the Colts. On Wednesday, starting cornerback Marlin Jackson tore his anterior cruciate ligament in practice and already has been placed on the season-ending injured reserve list.

According to a team source, Jackson tore his ACL on the final play of practice and is expected to have surgery next week.

The major reason why the Cincinnati Bengals are leading the AFC North, which includes being tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is simply because of the performance of their wide receiver Chad Ochocinco.

Maybe a change in last name helps, but Ochocinco’s performance in the Bengals 45-10 win in their last game against the Chicago Bears with 10 receptions for 118 yards and with two touchdowns was just a sign of what he capable of doing when fit, no issues with his quarterback and the team looks in sync.