>>Clausen Out, Cutler To Start For Bears
(Chicago, IL) -- Jay Cutler is back as the Chicago Bears starting quarterback. One week after being benched, Cutler will resume his role under center after Jimmy Clausen suffered a concussion in Sunday's loss to the Lions. Cutler has thrown for over 36-hundred yards with 28 touchdowns, while leading the NFL with 24 turnovers. Clausen went 23-of-39 for 181 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in the defeat. The Bears visit the Vikings on Sunday in the season finale.
>>NFL To Suspend Raiola For One Game
(Detroit, MI) -- The Detroit Lions will be without their starting center when the team battles the Green Bay Packers for the NFC North title on Sunday. The NFL is suspending center Dominic Raiola [[ rye-OH-luh ]] one game without pay for stomping Chicago Bears defensive lineman Ego Ferguson's leg in the Lions win over the weekend. Raiola claims he did not intentionally step on Ferguson's ankle, and apologized to him after the game. This is Raiola's sixth safety-related rules violation since 2010, and he was fined 10-thousand-dollars earlier this year for striking a member of the New England Patriots in November. He is expected to appeal the suspension.
>>Bengals Outlast Broncos To Clinch Playoff Berth
(Cincinnati, OH) -- Dre Kirkpatrick's 30-yard interception return for a touchdown sealed a 37-28 win for the Bengals over the Broncos in Cincinnati. Jeremy Hill rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown for the Bengals, who secured a playoff berth with the victory. Andy Dalton threw for 146 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Cincinnati will face Pittsburgh in a de facto AFC North title game on Sunday. Peyton Manning passed for 311 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions for Denver, which dropped to 11-and-4. Emmanuel Sanders had two touchdown grabs in the loss.
>>Patriots Clinch Top Seed In AFC
(Undated) -- The road to the Super Bowl in the AFC is traveling through Foxboro. The Patriots locked up the number-one spot when the Broncos lost to the Bengals on "Monday Night Football". The Pats sit at 12-and-3 heading into the final week of the regular season when they face the Bills at home. In the AFC Championship Game last season, the Pats lost, 26-16, at Denver. They've been eliminated in the AFC title game the past two seasons. The Broncos currently hold the two-seed, but there are scenarios where they could drop depending on what transpires in Week 17.
>>Report: Jets To Have Casserly As Consultant
(Undated) -- If New York Jets owner Woody Johnson decides to make sweeping changes across the organization he will have some help. ESPN reports former Texans and Redskins general manager Charley Casserly would be hired as a consultant. New York is going to miss the playoffs for a fourth straight season. Head coach Rex Ryan and second-year general manager John Idzik have both come under fire with the Jets sitting at 3-and-12. They wrap up the season on Sunday against the Dolphins in Miami. If the season ended today, they would have the fourth-pick in the NFL Draft.
>>Season Over For Johnny Manziel
(Berea, OH) -- The 2014 NFL season has come to an end for Cleveland Browns rookie signal caller Johnny Manziel [[ man-ZELL ]]. Head coach Mike Pettine [[ PET-in ]] told reporters Johnny "Football" will miss the regular season finale against the Baltimore Ravens with an injured left hamstring. The first-round selection suffered the injury in the Browns' loss to the Panthers on Sunday. Manziel finishes the season with 175 passing yards, zero throwing touchdowns and two interceptions in two losses. He also rushed for 29 yards and his lone NFL TD coming on the ground. Veteran Brian Hoyer will take back his starting role that he was stripped of two weeks ago.
