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We are already in week 9 of the NFL season. Week 8 is usually considered the half way point of the NFL season. Since we are right around the halfway mark for the season, it’s a great time to look at a few players who might call it a career after this season. Some of these players could be in the Hall of Fame in a few years. Some could also be tired of just sitting on the bench and are ready to just call it a career.

Honorable Mention: Adam Vinatieri, Phil Dawson, Troy Polamalu, Terence Newman and Dwight Freeney.

We are already in week 9 of the NFL season. Week 8 is usually considered the half way point of the NFL season. Since we are right around the halfway mark for the season, it’s a great time to look at a few players who might call it a career after this season. Some of these players could be in the Hall of Fame in a few years. Some could also be tired of just sitting on the bench and are ready to just call it a career.

Honorable Mention: Adam Vinatieri, Phil Dawson, Troy Polamalu, Terence Newman and Dwight Freeney.

We are already in week 9 of the NFL season. Week 8 is usually considered the half way point of the NFL season. Since we are right around the halfway mark for the season, it’s a great time to look at a few players who might call it a career after this season. Some of these players could be in the Hall of Fame in a few years. Some could also be tired of just sitting on the bench and are ready to just call it a career.

Honorable Mention: Adam Vinatieri, Phil Dawson, Troy Polamalu, Terence Newman and Dwight Freeney.

We are already in week 9 of the NFL season. Week 8 is usually considered the half way point of the NFL season. Since we are right around the halfway mark for the season, it’s a great time to look at a few players who might call it a career after this season. Some of these players could be in the Hall of Fame in a few years. Some could also be tired of just sitting on the bench and are ready to just call it a career.

Honorable Mention: Adam Vinatieri, Phil Dawson, Troy Polamalu, Terence Newman and Dwight Freeney.

By Simon Evans BRIDGETOWN Barbados (Reuters) - Sunil Gulati, the president of the United States Soccer Federation, has given his backing to head coach Juergen Klinsmann after the row over American players returning to MLS. Klinsmann's comments expressing concern over the form of players, such as Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey, who have left European clubs to come back to MLS, brought a sharp rebuke from MLS commissioner Don Garber last week. ...

By Simon Evans BRIDGETOWN Barbados (Reuters) - Sunil Gulati, the president of the United States Soccer Federation, has given his backing to head coach Juergen Klinsmann after the row over American players returning to MLS. Klinsmann's comments expressing concern over the form of players, such as Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey, who have left European clubs to come back to MLS, brought a sharp rebuke from MLS commissioner Don Garber last week. ...

The Miami Dolphins got a bit of good news this week when Dion Jordan returned to the team after being suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The second-year player and defensive end told the media on Tuesday he wants to put his troubles behind him and concentrate on helping his team win football games.

“It feels really good to be back and to get back into the swing of things and be around my teammates and just get back to my normal routine, what I’m used to,” Jordan said. “It’s tough when you’ve got to take time off from your job that you enjoy. It’s rough. It was something I had to do. I took care of my business. I feel blessed and happy to be back and have the opportunity to contribute and be around my guys again.”

Jordan, the Dolphins’ first-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft, finished serving his league suspension after Miami’s 27-14 victory at Soldier Field on Sunday.

With Dolphins players off Monday, this was Jordan’s first practice since the last week of the preseason.

Tuesday was the first time that Jordan had practiced with the team since the last preseason game this season.

Tannehill the Runner (From the Dolphins website)

Ryan Tannehill earned rave reviews for his tremendous passing performance against the Chicago Bears during the Dolphins’ 27-14 victory Sunday at Soldier Field, and deservedly so.

But for the second consecutive week, Tannehill also produced a big play with his running ability, converting a fourth-and-1 situation in the third quarter with a 30-yard run.

To show how impressive — and rare — coming up with that kind of big play in that kind of situation can be, consider the following:

• It was the second-longest gain by a Dolphins player in a fourth-and-1 or fourth-and-2 situation since 1991, trailing only a 39-yard run by Larry Izzo off a fake punt against Green Bay in 2000.

• It was far and away the longest run by a Dolphins quarterback on a fourth-and-1 or fourth-and-2, topping the previous record of 3 yards — yes, 3 — shared by Jay Fiedler in 2003 and Joey Harrington in 2006.

• The previous longest run by a Dolphins quarterback in any fourth-down situation was a 17-yard gain by Bernie Kosar — never known as a nifty runner — on a fourth-and-10 in the fourth quarter of a 42-31 loss against Buffalo in 1994.

Landry moves up depth chart (from the Dolphins website)

Rookie Jarvis Landry has started the last two games at wide receiver, and now the second-round pick from LSU is officially listed as a starter on the depth chart.

Landry led the Dolphins with six receptions for 75 yards in his first NFL start against the Green Bay Packers in Week 6 and followed that by catching four passes for 46 yards in the 27-14 victory against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

The Dolphins depth chart lists three wide receivers on the first-team offense, and Landry has replaced Brandon Gibson alongside Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline.

Head Coach Joe Philbin, who has said many times he has been impressed with Landry’s play speed, said the move was not a reflection on Gibson.

“I like Brandon,” Philbin said. “If I’m not mistaken, before he was injured a year ago, on third down he was one of the best receivers in the National Football League. His conversion rate was outstanding. He’s a smart football player. He’s got good hands. It’s not really necessarily an indictment of Brandon, and Brandon I know is going to contribute here this season. I’m confident he will.”

The Miami Dolphins got a bit of good news this week when Dion Jordan returned to the team after being suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The second-year player and defensive end told the media on Tuesday he wants to put his troubles behind him and concentrate on helping his team win football games.

“It feels really good to be back and to get back into the swing of things and be around my teammates and just get back to my normal routine, what I’m used to,” Jordan said. “It’s tough when you’ve got to take time off from your job that you enjoy. It’s rough. It was something I had to do. I took care of my business. I feel blessed and happy to be back and have the opportunity to contribute and be around my guys again.”

Jordan, the Dolphins’ first-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft, finished serving his league suspension after Miami’s 27-14 victory at Soldier Field on Sunday.

With Dolphins players off Monday, this was Jordan’s first practice since the last week of the preseason.

Tuesday was the first time that Jordan had practiced with the team since the last preseason game this season.

Tannehill the Runner (From the Dolphins website)

Ryan Tannehill earned rave reviews for his tremendous passing performance against the Chicago Bears during the Dolphins’ 27-14 victory Sunday at Soldier Field, and deservedly so.

But for the second consecutive week, Tannehill also produced a big play with his running ability, converting a fourth-and-1 situation in the third quarter with a 30-yard run.

To show how impressive — and rare — coming up with that kind of big play in that kind of situation can be, consider the following:

• It was the second-longest gain by a Dolphins player in a fourth-and-1 or fourth-and-2 situation since 1991, trailing only a 39-yard run by Larry Izzo off a fake punt against Green Bay in 2000.

• It was far and away the longest run by a Dolphins quarterback on a fourth-and-1 or fourth-and-2, topping the previous record of 3 yards — yes, 3 — shared by Jay Fiedler in 2003 and Joey Harrington in 2006.

• The previous longest run by a Dolphins quarterback in any fourth-down situation was a 17-yard gain by Bernie Kosar — never known as a nifty runner — on a fourth-and-10 in the fourth quarter of a 42-31 loss against Buffalo in 1994.

Landry moves up depth chart (from the Dolphins website)

Rookie Jarvis Landry has started the last two games at wide receiver, and now the second-round pick from LSU is officially listed as a starter on the depth chart.

Landry led the Dolphins with six receptions for 75 yards in his first NFL start against the Green Bay Packers in Week 6 and followed that by catching four passes for 46 yards in the 27-14 victory against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

The Dolphins depth chart lists three wide receivers on the first-team offense, and Landry has replaced Brandon Gibson alongside Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline.

Head Coach Joe Philbin, who has said many times he has been impressed with Landry’s play speed, said the move was not a reflection on Gibson.

“I like Brandon,” Philbin said. “If I’m not mistaken, before he was injured a year ago, on third down he was one of the best receivers in the National Football League. His conversion rate was outstanding. He’s a smart football player. He’s got good hands. It’s not really necessarily an indictment of Brandon, and Brandon I know is going to contribute here this season. I’m confident he will.”

2014 is looking mighty dysfunctional just five weeks into the campaign. The New England Patriots have been dominant over the past decade and a half, with 13 straight winning seasons and since 2001, have only missed the division title twice, one of those being 2008 when Tom Brady missed the season to a knee injury.

And the AFC East has been called the weakest division in the NFL, although that may be a bit harsh. But this year has not started well for any of the teams in this division. None of these teams appear poised to make a playoff run, even at this early stage.

The Patriots have displayed none of their usual swagger, and after dropping their opening game to division rival Miami Dolphins, could find themselves fighting for their lives, as well as, dominance in the East.

Interestingly enough, it is the Buffalo Bills who head the division at the moment, also holding the distinction of being the only team to have a positive, points differential so far. They, in turn, have beaten the Dolphins already this year, giving them a leg-up in the tie-breaker scenario. However, the team looks to have a bit of a controversy with the benching of former starter E. J. Manuel in favor of Kyle Orton. How this affects their season going forward remains to be seen. But at least they have come this far with a winning record.

As already stated, a severe lack of consitency exists from the top of this division all the way down. And it is the New York Jets who top the list in this category. They sit firmly at the bottom with only one win to their credit, and week five was particularly disturbing with a benching of their own. Whether or not Michael Vick is the answer, he has the reins now, while Geno Smith's career hangs in the balance. Getting shut-out in San Diego just makes things so much worse for Rex Ryan and the Jets. Is there anything going right there? I think not.

With the Dolphins enjoying a bye week, I won't say much about their position in the division right now. They seem to have the most potential of any of these teams, but still aren't showing anything that could be called consistent to date. How these guys handle the match-ups with inter-conference foes from the NFC North could make or break the division standings just as much as the intra-division games.

Miami will face the Green Bay Packers after this rest in the bye week, while the Patriots have already beaten the Vikings, and don't face another NFC North foe until week eight. The Jets have already lost to three NFC North teams, which may have contributed to their poor start in 2014. But the Bills have beaten both the Bears and the Lions. That could mean a lot in the overall scheme of things.

But a Sunday night match-up with the Cincinatti Bengals seemed just the venue for the Patriots to wake up out of their slumber and also to keep pace with the Bills for first place. On paper, the Patriots would appear to be the superior team, and with this performance against a contender, may well be the favorite to edge their way past the rest of the division as the season progresses.

That is not to say that this team doesn't still have issues, but they do seem to have found the spirit they were lacking in the first four weeks. The defense is still giving up big plays and not applying much pressure up front. And the offensive line has more work ahead to become the cohesive unit that Brady and the runners need.

So, the Patriots win puts them even with the Bills, while Miami trails by a game, and the Jets occupy the basement. It has been anything but pretty. BUt if the Patriot offense keeps clicking like this, and the defense does a reasonable job, the sky is once again the limit for them. Playing a full 60 minutes is the recipe the Patriots have to emphasize and they will cruise to the postseason with ease.

The key every week will be consistency. One game does not a season make. The team that gets on and stays on track will be the team that rises to the top. With QB controversies, the Bills and Jets would seem like the most precarious in their positions. It just might be the Dolphins that pose the biggest challenge to the reining division champs.

2014 is looking mighty dysfunctional just five weeks into the campaign. The New England Patriots have been dominant over the past decade and a half, with 13 straight winning seasons and since 2001, have only missed the division title twice, one of those being 2008 when Tom Brady missed the season to a knee injury.

And the AFC East has been called the weakest division in the NFL, although that may be a bit harsh. But this year has not started well for any of the teams in this division. None of these teams appear poised to make a playoff run, even at this early stage.

The Patriots have displayed none of their usual swagger, and after dropping their opening game to division rival Miami Dolphins, could find themselves fighting for their lives, as well as, dominance in the East.

Interestingly enough, it is the Buffalo Bills who head the division at the moment, also holding the distinction of being the only team to have a positive, points differential so far. They, in turn, have beaten the Dolphins already this year, giving them a leg-up in the tie-breaker scenario. However, the team looks to have a bit of a controversy with the benching of former starter E. J. Manuel in favor of Kyle Orton. How this affects their season going forward remains to be seen. But at least they have come this far with a winning record.

As already stated, a severe lack of consitency exists from the top of this division all the way down. And it is the New York Jets who top the list in this category. They sit firmly at the bottom with only one win to their credit, and week five was particularly disturbing with a benching of their own. Whether or not Michael Vick is the answer, he has the reins now, while Geno Smith's career hangs in the balance. Getting shut-out in San Diego just makes things so much worse for Rex Ryan and the Jets. Is there anything going right there? I think not.

With the Dolphins enjoying a bye week, I won't say much about their position in the division right now. They seem to have the most potential of any of these teams, but still aren't showing anything that could be called consistent to date. How these guys handle the match-ups with inter-conference foes from the NFC North could make or break the division standings just as much as the intra-division games.

Miami will face the Green Bay Packers after this rest in the bye week, while the Patriots have already beaten the Vikings, and don't face another NFC North foe until week eight. The Jets have already lost to three NFC North teams, which may have contributed to their poor start in 2014. But the Bills have beaten both the Bears and the Lions. That could mean a lot in the overall scheme of things.

But a Sunday night match-up with the Cincinatti Bengals seemed just the venue for the Patriots to wake up out of their slumber and also to keep pace with the Bills for first place. On paper, the Patriots would appear to be the superior team, and with this performance against a contender, may well be the favorite to edge their way past the rest of the division as the season progresses.

That is not to say that this team doesn't still have issues, but they do seem to have found the spirit they were lacking in the first four weeks. The defense is still giving up big plays and not applying much pressure up front. And the offensive line has more work ahead to become the cohesive unit that Brady and the runners need.

So, the Patriots win puts them even with the Bills, while Miami trails by a game, and the Jets occupy the basement. It has been anything but pretty. BUt if the Patriot offense keeps clicking like this, and the defense does a reasonable job, the sky is once again the limit for them. Playing a full 60 minutes is the recipe the Patriots have to emphasize and they will cruise to the postseason with ease.

The key every week will be consistency. One game does not a season make. The team that gets on and stays on track will be the team that rises to the top. With QB controversies, the Bills and Jets would seem like the most precarious in their positions. It just might be the Dolphins that pose the biggest challenge to the reining division champs.

2014 is looking mighty dysfunctional just five weeks into the campaign. The New England Patriots have been dominant over the past decade and a half, with 13 straight winning seasons and since 2001, have only missed the division title twice, one of those being 2008 when Tom Brady missed the season to a knee injury.

And the AFC East has been called the weakest division in the NFL, although that may be a bit harsh. But this year has not started well for any of the teams in this division. None of these teams appear poised to make a playoff run, even at this early stage.

The Patriots have displayed none of their usual swagger, and after dropping their opening game to division rival Miami Dolphins, could find themselves fighting for their lives, as well as, dominance in the East.

Interestingly enough, it is the Buffalo Bills who head the division at the moment, also holding the distinction of being the only team to have a positive, points differential so far. They, in turn, have beaten the Dolphins already this year, giving them a leg-up in the tie-breaker scenario. However, the team looks to have a bit of a controversy with the benching of former starter E. J. Manuel in favor of Kyle Orton. How this affects their season going forward remains to be seen. But at least they have come this far with a winning record.

As already stated, a severe lack of consitency exists from the top of this division all the way down. And it is the New York Jets who top the list in this category. They sit firmly at the bottom with only one win to their credit, and week five was particularly disturbing with a benching of their own. Whether or not Michael Vick is the answer, he has the reins now, while Geno Smith's career hangs in the balance. Getting shut-out in San Diego just makes things so much worse for Rex Ryan and the Jets. Is there anything going right there? I think not.

With the Dolphins enjoying a bye week, I won't say much about their position in the division right now. They seem to have the most potential of any of these teams, but still aren't showing anything that could be called consistent to date. How these guys handle the match-ups with inter-conference foes from the NFC North could make or break the division standings just as much as the intra-division games.

Miami will face the Green Bay Packers after this rest in the bye week, while the Patriots have already beaten the Vikings, and don't face another NFC North foe until week eight. The Jets have already lost to three NFC North teams, which may have contributed to their poor start in 2014. But the Bills have beaten both the Bears and the Lions. That could mean a lot in the overall scheme of things.

But a Sunday night match-up with the Cincinatti Bengals seemed just the venue for the Patriots to wake up out of their slumber and also to keep pace with the Bills for first place. On paper, the Patriots would appear to be the superior team, and with this performance against a contender, may well be the favorite to edge their way past the rest of the division as the season progresses.

That is not to say that this team doesn't still have issues, but they do seem to have found the spirit they were lacking in the first four weeks. The defense is still giving up big plays and not applying much pressure up front. And the offensive line has more work ahead to become the cohesive unit that Brady and the runners need.

So, the Patriots win puts them even with the Bills, while Miami trails by a game, and the Jets occupy the basement. It has been anything but pretty. BUt if the Patriot offense keeps clicking like this, and the defense does a reasonable job, the sky is once again the limit for them. Playing a full 60 minutes is the recipe the Patriots have to emphasize and they will cruise to the postseason with ease.

The key every week will be consistency. One game does not a season make. The team that gets on and stays on track will be the team that rises to the top. With QB controversies, the Bills and Jets would seem like the most precarious in their positions. It just might be the Dolphins that pose the biggest challenge to the reining division champs.

2014 is looking mighty dysfunctional just five weeks into the campaign. The New England Patriots have been dominant over the past decade and a half, with 13 straight winning seasons and since 2001, have only missed the division title twice, one of those being 2008 when Tom Brady missed the season to a knee injury.

And the AFC East has been called the weakest division in the NFL, although that may be a bit harsh. But this year has not started well for any of the teams in this division. None of these teams appear poised to make a playoff run, even at this early stage.

The Patriots have displayed none of their usual swagger, and after dropping their opening game to division rival Miami Dolphins, could find themselves fighting for their lives, as well as, dominance in the East.

Interestingly enough, it is the Buffalo Bills who head the division at the moment, also holding the distinction of being the only team to have a positive, points differential so far. They, in turn, have beaten the Dolphins already this year, giving them a leg-up in the tie-breaker scenario. However, the team looks to have a bit of a controversy with the benching of former starter E. J. Manuel in favor of Kyle Orton. How this affects their season going forward remains to be seen. But at least they have come this far with a winning record.

As already stated, a severe lack of consitency exists from the top of this division all the way down. And it is the New York Jets who top the list in this category. They sit firmly at the bottom with only one win to their credit, and week five was particularly disturbing with a benching of their own. Whether or not Michael Vick is the answer, he has the reins now, while Geno Smith's career hangs in the balance. Getting shut-out in San Diego just makes things so much worse for Rex Ryan and the Jets. Is there anything going right there? I think not.

With the Dolphins enjoying a bye week, I won't say much about their position in the division right now. They seem to have the most potential of any of these teams, but still aren't showing anything that could be called consistent to date. How these guys handle the match-ups with inter-conference foes from the NFC North could make or break the division standings just as much as the intra-division games.

Miami will face the Green Bay Packers after this rest in the bye week, while the Patriots have already beaten the Vikings, and don't face another NFC North foe until week eight. The Jets have already lost to three NFC North teams, which may have contributed to their poor start in 2014. But the Bills have beaten both the Bears and the Lions. That could mean a lot in the overall scheme of things.

But a Sunday night match-up with the Cincinatti Bengals seemed just the venue for the Patriots to wake up out of their slumber and also to keep pace with the Bills for first place. On paper, the Patriots would appear to be the superior team, and with this performance against a contender, may well be the favorite to edge their way past the rest of the division as the season progresses.

That is not to say that this team doesn't still have issues, but they do seem to have found the spirit they were lacking in the first four weeks. The defense is still giving up big plays and not applying much pressure up front. And the offensive line has more work ahead to become the cohesive unit that Brady and the runners need.

So, the Patriots win puts them even with the Bills, while Miami trails by a game, and the Jets occupy the basement. It has been anything but pretty. BUt if the Patriot offense keeps clicking like this, and the defense does a reasonable job, the sky is once again the limit for them. Playing a full 60 minutes is the recipe the Patriots have to emphasize and they will cruise to the postseason with ease.

The key every week will be consistency. One game does not a season make. The team that gets on and stays on track will be the team that rises to the top. With QB controversies, the Bills and Jets would seem like the most precarious in their positions. It just might be the Dolphins that pose the biggest challenge to the reining division champs.

This is a new weekly series on our beloved Kansas City Chiefs. I will boil down the current state of affairs for the team using an infographic heavy on the illustration and light on the rambling.

This infographic will be updated on a weekly basis showing the progress or regression of the team, key stats and history, as well as a quick summary on what went right or wrong over the past week.

This is the first time that a summary of the season will be captured in a single page summary for the fans.

The Chiefs' record now stands at 2-2 after throwing down a whooping against New England at Arrowhead on Monday night. This is exactly the kind of performance the team needed to get back to .500 and erase the bad taste in our mouthes that began with the Week 1 debacle losing to the Titans at home. Reid pulled out all the stops in this one, and dare I say it, outcoached the genius on the other sideline. They made Brady look human, and the vaunted #1 D in the NFL looked like a shell of itself that couldn't shut the Chiefs down in any facet of the game.

Now we turn the page to San Francisco as Alex Smith looks to prove a point ot the team that ultimately elected to let him walk. So don't wait any longer and check out the graphic below for some charts and notes and keys that true Chiefs's fans will enjoy!

This is a new weekly series on our beloved Kansas City Chiefs. I will boil down the current state of affairs for the team using an infographic heavy on the illustration and light on the rambling.

This infographic will be updated on a weekly basis showing the progress or regression of the team, key stats and history, as well as a quick summary on what went right or wrong over the past week.

This is the first time that a summary of the season will be captured in a single page summary for the fans.

The Chiefs' record now stands at 2-2 after throwing down a whooping against New England at Arrowhead on Monday night. This is exactly the kind of performance the team needed to get back to .500 and erase the bad taste in our mouthes that began with the Week 1 debacle losing to the Titans at home. Reid pulled out all the stops in this one, and dare I say it, outcoached the genius on the other sideline. They made Brady look human, and the vaunted #1 D in the NFL looked like a shell of itself that couldn't shut the Chiefs down in any facet of the game.

Now we turn the page to San Francisco as Alex Smith looks to prove a point ot the team that ultimately elected to let him walk. So don't wait any longer and check out the graphic below for some charts and notes and keys that true Chiefs's fans will enjoy!

By Joseph Kolb ALBUQUERQUE N.M. (Reuters) - University of New Mexico officials on Wednesday canceled the first match of the women's soccer team's season after a hazing incident that left a teenager in hospital, and they said the UNM athletics department had let down its players. "We failed the young women of our soccer program who did not understand the seriousness of hazing," UNM athletic director Paul Krebs told a news conference in Albuquerque. "These are good women, but they damaged the reputation of the university, the women's soccer program, and themselves." University officials said heavy drinking was involved, but they rejected local media reports that Sunday night's incident involved players being made to strip, or even being sprayed with urine.