Chandler Jones, a Union-Endicott graduate and former Syracuse University lineman, was chosen by the New England Patriots with the 21st pick in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night.

The Patriots, who held the 27th pick, moved up by trading with the Cincinnati Bengals for the 21st pick.

Jones, who left Syracuse with a year of eligibility remaining, was a first-team All-Big East selection despite missing five games last year with a knee injury.

He showed well enough at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and at his subsequent Pro Day at SU to move him into the first-round conversation before the draft.

He said recently that getting picked in the first round wasn’t his primary goal.

“To my mom, very important,” he said. “To me, I don’t care. I just want to play football again. I left school thinking I could go as late as the third round. The opportunity to play professional football is great. I just want to go play football; my goal is to be an impact player as a rookie.”

This story will be updated throughout the night. Check back later for more coverage and photos of Jones’ big night.

The New England Patriots are stocking up on wide receivers who have experience in their complex offensive system.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations said yesterday that wide receiver Donté Stallworth has agreed to a one-year contract to return to the Patriots.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter.

The Patriots also reportedly reached agreement last week with Brandon Lloyd, who played for current Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels when he was head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009 and the first 12 games in 2010. The Patriots have not officially announced signing Lloyd.

Meanwhile, Michael Lombardi of NFL.com reported that the Patriots signed veteran offensive lineman Robert Gallery.

The 31-year-old Gallery started 12 games at left guard for the Seahawks last season; prior to that he spent seven years with Oakland.

Gallery, listed at 6-7, 325 pounds, was the second overall pick in the 2004 draft out of Iowa, where he played for former Bill Belichick assistant Kirk Ferentz. When he was drafted, Gallery was a tackle, but has since been kicked inside.

Stallworth spent one season with the Patriots in 2007 when they went 18-0 before losing the Super Bowl to the New York Giants. He had 46 catches during the regular season. He had 17 receptions with Cleveland in 2008, two with Baltimore in 2010 and 22 with Washington last year.

He was suspended for the 2009 season by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league’s personal conduct policy for a DUI vehicular manslaughter charge.

New England also has signed wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts.

All three moves could spell the end of Chad Ochocinco’s career with the team. He signed a two-year contract before last season but struggled trying to learn the offense and finished with 15 catches in 15 regular-season games. The Patriots also have Deion Branch and Wes Welker, but neither is the deep threat they lacked last season.

Welker is a free agent, but was given the franchise tag and would bring compensation to the Patriots if another team signs him.

The Patriots announced yesterday the signing of two free agents: defensive end Trevor Scott from the Oakland Raiders and cornerback Marquice Cole from the New York Jets.

Scott, Oakland’s sixth-round draft choice out of Buffalo in 2008, had 13 1/2 sacks in 58 games, including 16 starts, in four seasons with the Raiders.

Cole, who spent the last three seasons with the Jets, was undrafted coming out of Northwestern in 2007. He signed as a rookie free agent with Oakland, then moved on to Tennessee and New Orleans. In 37 games, including one start, he has two interceptions, including a 35-yard touchdown return.

Jets sign safety Landry

LaRon Landry is bringing his bone-jarring hits to Rex Ryan’s defense.

The free-agent safety signed a one-year deal with the Jets, filling one of New York’s most pressing needs.

With starter Eric Smith the only experienced safety on the roster, the Jets focused on addressing the position in free agency. Landry visited with New York on Sunday, and had a number of other teams interested in him despite finishing last season for Washington on injured reserve with an injured left Achilles tendon.

ESPN reported that the deal was for $4 million.

Panthers add RB Tolbert

The Carolina Panthers have added more depth to their already deep stable of running backs.

The Panthers announced yesterday they’ve signed free agent Mike Tolbert from the San Diego Chargers. Tolbert spent three seasons with Ron Rivera, who was the Chargers defensive coordinator before becoming the Panthers head coach.

“Mike is a very versatile player who can do a lot of different things for us,” Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said in a release. “He plays fullback, catches the ball well out of the backfield, plays running back, and is an outstanding special teams player.”

Tolbert’s agent Joel Turner said his client signed a four-year contract, but would not disclose the financial terms of the deal.

Bengals get Allen, keep Nelson

The Bengals signed free agent cornerback Jason Allen from Houston and agreed to a four-year deal with safety Reggie Nelson, who was one of their unrestricted free agents.

The moves bolster a secondary that was one of their main concerns in the offseason. Top cornerback Leon Hall is recovering from a torn left Achilles tendon.

Allen played in all 18 games for the Texans and their first-round playoff victory over Cincinnati, getting four interceptions overall last season. Nelson started every game for the Bengals last season and led the team with four interceptions.

Browns’ Dawson signs franchise tag

Browns kicker Phil Dawson has signed his one-year tender as the club’s franchise player.

It’s the second straight year the steady Dawson, who has been with the Browns since its 1999 expansion rebirth, has been tagged. General manager Tom Heckert recently said the team would like to sign the 37-year-old Dawson to a long-term contract.

Dawson, who will make $3.8 million next season, is coming off one of his best years. He converted 24 of 29 field goals, making seven beyond 50 yards.

Kosier released by Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys released starting guard Kyle Kosier, a 10-year veteran who spent six seasons in Dallas.

The move wasn’t a big surprise. The Cowboys last week signed a record seven free agents, including offensive guards Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau to multiyear contracts.

Kosier started all 80 games he played in Dallas since arriving from Detroit in 2006. The 33-year-old guard played one season for the Lions after opening his career with three seasons in San Francisco.

Lions re-sign punter Graham

The Detroit Lions re-signed punter Ben Graham to a one-year contract.

Graham was the team’s punter for the final seven games of last season, putting 10 of 28 punts inside the 20-yard line with only three touchbacks. He replaced Robert Malone, who filled in for one game for the injured Ryan Donahue, and had a kick returned for a touchdown by Chicago’s Devin Hester. Graham then signed and punted the rest of the year.

Raiders sign cornerback Spencer

The Oakland Raiders signed cornerback Shawntae Spencer to a one-year deal in their latest move to bolster their depleted secondary.

Spencer was released last week after eight seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and quickly found a new home across the bay with the Raiders.

Spencer is already familiar with Oakland’s new defensive coordinator, Jason Tarver, who was a defensive assistant for most of Spencer’s tenure with the 49ers.

Spencer started 72 games his first seven years for San Francisco, including all 32 in 2009-10. But he lost his job in training camp last year and spent most of his final season with the 49ers as a reserve.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots are stocking up on wide receivers who have experience in their complex offensive system.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations said Monday that wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth has agreed to a one-year contract to return to the Patriots.

The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter.

The Patriots also reportedly reached agreement last week with Brandon Lloyd, who played for current Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels when he was head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009 and the first 12 games in 2010. The Patriots have not officially announced signing Lloyd.

Stallworth spent one season with the Patriots in 2007 when they went 18-0 before losing the Super Bowl to the New York Giants. He had 46 catches during the regular season. He had 17 receptions with Cleveland in 2008, two with Baltimore in 2010 and 22 with Washington last year.

He was suspended for the 2009 season by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league’s personal conduct policy for a DUI vehicular manslaughter charge.

New England also has signed wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts.

All three moves could spell the end of Chad Ochocinco’s career with the team. He signed a two-year contract before last season but struggled trying to learn the offense and finished with 15 catches in 15 regular-season games. The Patriots also have Deion Branch and Wes Welker, but neither is the deep threat they lacked last season.

Welker is a free agent, but was given the franchise tag and would bring compensation to the Patriots if another team signs him.

The Patriots announced Monday the signing of two free agents: defensive end Trevor Scott from the Oakland Raiders and cornerback Marquice Cole from the New York Jets.

Scott, Oakland’s sixth-round draft choice out of Buffalo in 2008, had 13½ sacks in 58 games, including 16 starts, in four seasons with the Raiders.

Cole, who spent the past three seasons with the Jets, was undrafted coming out of Northwestern in 2007. He signed as a rookie free agent with Oakland, then moved on to Tennessee and New Orleans. In 37 games, including one start, he has two interceptions, including a 35-yard touchdown return.

The New England Patriots are stocking up on wide receivers who have experience in their complex offensive system.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations said Monday that wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth has agreed to a one-year contract to return to the Patriots.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter.

The Patriots also reportedly reached agreement last week with Brandon Lloyd, who played for current Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels when he was head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009 and the first 12 games in 2010. The Patriots have not officially announced signing Lloyd.

Stallworth spent one season with the Patriots in 2007 when they went 18-0 before losing the Super Bowl to the New York Giants. He had 46 catches during the regular season. He had 17 receptions with Cleveland in 2008, two with Baltimore in 2010 and 22 with Washington last year.

He was suspended for the 2009 season by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league’s personal conduct policy for a DUI vehicular manslaughter charge.

New England also has signed wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts.

All three moves could spell the end of Chad Ochocinco’s career with the team. He signed a two-year contract before last season but struggled trying to learn the offense and finished with 15 catches in 15 regular-season games. The Patriots also have Deion Branch and Wes Welker, but neither is the deep threat they lacked last season.

Welker is a free agent, but was given the franchise tag and would bring compensation to the Patriots if another team signs him.

The Patriots announced Monday the signing of two free agents: defensive end Trevor Scott from the Oakland Raiders and cornerback Marquice Cole from the New York Jets.

Scott, Oakland’s sixth-round draft choice out of Buffalo in 2008, had 13 1-2 sacks in 58 games, including 16 starts, in four seasons with the Raiders.

Cole, who spent the last three seasons with the Jets, was undrafted coming out of Northwestern in 2007. He signed as a rookie free agent with Oakland, then moved on to Tennessee and New Orleans. In 37 games, including one start, he has two interceptions, including a 35-yard touchdown return.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) The New England Patriots are stocking up on wide receivers who have experience in their complex offensive system.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations said Monday that wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth has agreed to a one-year contract to return to the Patriots.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter.

The Patriots also reportedly reached agreement last week with Brandon Lloyd, who played for current Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels when he was head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009 and the first 12 games in 2010. The Patriots have not officially announced signing Lloyd.

Stallworth spent one season with the Patriots in 2007 when they went 18-0 before losing the Super Bowl to the New York Giants. He had 46 catches during the regular season. He had 17 receptions with Cleveland in 2008, two with Baltimore in 2010 and 22 with Washington last year.

He was suspended for the 2009 season by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league’s personal conduct policy for a DUI vehicular manslaughter charge.

New England also has signed wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts.

All three moves could spell the end of Chad Ochocinco’s career with the team. He signed a two-year contract before last season but struggled trying to learn the offense and finished with 15 catches in 15 regular-season games. The Patriots also have Deion Branch and Wes Welker, but neither is the deep threat they lacked last season.

Welker is a free agent, but was given the franchise tag and would bring compensation to the Patriots if another team signs him.

The Patriots announced Monday the signing of two free agents: defensive end Trevor Scott from the Oakland Raiders and cornerback Marquice Cole from the New York Jets.

Scott, Oakland’s sixth-round draft choice out of Buffalo in 2008, had 13 1-2 sacks in 58 games, including 16 starts, in four seasons with the Raiders.

Cole, who spent the last three seasons with the Jets, was undrafted coming out of Northwestern in 2007. He signed as a rookie free agent with Oakland, then moved on to Tennessee and New Orleans. In 37 games, including one start, he has two interceptions, including a 35-yard touchdown return.

Report an error

The incompletion that could have helped the New England Patriots put away Super Bowl XLVI — and kept Tom Brady’s wife, Gisele, from infamously bashing the quarterback’s wide receivers — “wasn’t a drop,” former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien said.

O’Brien, now the Penn State head coach, told reporters at the Big New England Coaching Clinic that the notorious pass not handled by receiver Wes Welker was no gimme.

“That would have been a tremendous catch, and he should never think twice about that,” O’Brien said. “And it had nothing to do with us losing the game. There were many, many plays before that, where we could have made better coaching decisions, and better plays. That’s just one play of many.”

Evidence from the game supports O’Brien’s notion that the play wasn’t a simple drop, but the idea that “it had nothing to do with us losing the game” is less realistic.

While there were many plays that contributed to the New York Giants’ 21-17 win over the Patriots, the missed opportunity by New England with 4:06 certainly had much to do with the Giants getting a chance to put together their game-winning drive.

New England led 17-15 at the time and faced a second-and-11 from the Giants’ 44. Welker was open downfield and would have put the Patriots in the red zone if he came down with the catch, which would have allowed New England, at the very least, to eat up more of the clock.

Replays have shown, though, the pass was a touch high.

A distraught Welker did not look at the play that way after the game.

“That’s a play I make a thousand times,” Welker said then. “I just didn’t make it.”

The play likely helped spark an infamous post-game scene with Brady’s wife, Gisele, caught on camera responding to hecklers as she made her way through Lucas Oil Stadium.

“My husband cannot (expletive) throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time,” she said on a video captured by gossip site theinsider.com. “I can’t believe they dropped the ball so many times.”

O’Brien focused on the overall accomplishments for Welker, who has made four straight Pro Bowls, and led the NFL with 122 receptions last season.

“I would tell (New England fans) they should be very grateful … to have a player like Wes Welker as a Patriot,” O’Brien said this weekend of Welker, who is expected to get the team’s franchise tag by Monday’s deadline. “He is what Boston is all about, in my opinion. He’s a hard-working guy, he’s a tough guy, he’s an honest guy; nothing was ever given to him.”

With the 2011 regular season complete, it’s time to take an early look at 2012 opponents for each AFC East team. The out-of-conference matchup next season will be the NFC West.

New England Patriots

Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks

New York Jets

Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks

Miami Dolphins

Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks

Away: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

Buffalo Bills

Home: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks

Away: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

Unless you want to be on the next “Remember last year” blog post, it would be wise to withhold predictions. It’s too early for that. Rosters will change dramatically after the draft and free agency. Therefore, what looks like an easy matchup today may not be in September.

AFC EAST
New England Patriots
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
New York Jets
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
Miami Dolphins
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
Buffalo Bills
	   Home: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
	   Away: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
	   Home: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
	   Away: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
Cincinnati Bengals
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Cleveland Browns
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
	   Home: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
	   Away: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
Tennessee Titans
	   Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
	   Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Jacksonville Jaguars
	   Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
	   Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Indianapolis Colts
	   Home: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
	   Away: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
	   Home: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Away: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
San Diego Chargers
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Oakland Raiders
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
Kansas City Chiefs
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   -- -- -- =
NFC EAST
New York Giants
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
Philadelphia Eagles
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
Dallas Cowboys
	   Home: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Away: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
Washington Redskins
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
NFC NORTH
Green Bay Packers
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
Detroit Lions
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
Chicago Bears
	   Home: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
	   Away: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
Minnesota Vikings
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
NFC SOUTH
New Orleans Saints
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
Atlanta Falcons
	   Home: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
	   Away: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
Carolina Panthers
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
NFC WEST
San Francisco 49ers
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, New York Jets
Arizona Cardinals
	   Home: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
	   Away: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, New York Jets
Seattle Seahawks
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, New York Jets
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
St. Louis Rams
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots, New York Jets
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

(Reuters) – Green Bay Packers‘ Aaron Rodgers and New England Patriots‘ Tom Brady were named on Tuesday as the starting quarterbacks for the National Football League (NFL) Pro Bowl.

Rodgers and Brady will square off in Hawaii on January 29 in the NFL‘s All-Star showcase but only if they are not in Indianapolis the following weekend playing in the Super Bowl.

The NFC quarterbacking line-up includes three Super Bowl most valuable players, led by Rodgers, who has guided the reigning Super Bowl champions to a 14-1 record this season.

Rodgers will be backed up by Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints, who claimed the NFL’s single-season passing record on Monday and will be making his sixth All-Star appearance.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning earns his second Pro Bowl selection to match father Archie but will have some work to do to match brother Peyton who has been named to 11 All-Star teams.

Brady will start for the AFC (American Football Conference) for the second consecutive season and will be backed up San Diego Chargers’ Philip Rivers and Pittsburgh Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger.

The Patriots led the AFC with eight Pro Bowl selections while the San Francisco 49ers were tops in the NFC (National Football Conference), also with eight and one better than the Super Bowl champion Packers with seven.

FAVORITE TARGETS

Brady will be joined in Hawaii by two of his favorite targets, Wes Welker, who leads the league in receptions and yards, and Rob Gronkowski, who has already set an NFL record for most touchdowns in a season by a tight-end with 15.

The AFC roster has 13 first-time All-Stars, including Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green, who becomes the first rookie wide receiver to be selected to the Pro Bowl since Anquan Boldin in 2003.

The other starting receivers will be Pittsburgh’s Mike Wallace and Miami Dolphins’ Brandon Marshall.

The AFC backfield will feature first-time starter Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens, backed up by Arian Foster of the Houston Texans and Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

LeSean McCoy, who leads the NFL with 20 touchdowns, will be the NFC’s starting running back and will be joined by San Francisco’s Frank Gore and the Chicago Bears’ injured Matt Forte.

Starting wide receivers will include Arizona Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald, Detroit Lions’ Calvin Johnson, Green Bay’s Greg Jennings and Carolina’s Steve Smith.

Saints’ Jimmy Graham, who leads NFL tight ends with 91 receptions, earned his first Pro Bowl appearance ahead of Atlanta Falcons’ Tony Gonzalez, who celebrates his 12th All-Star selection, the most all-time for a tight-end.

The NFL combines voting by fans, coaches and players to determine its All-Star selections with the consensus vote of each group counting one-third towards the total.

(Writing by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady and the New England Patriots looked lost in a terrible first half. Then they rallied to finish as winners, clinching a playoff bye with a 27-24 win over the Miami Dolphins on Saturday.

The Patriots trailed, 17-0, at halftime then scored on their first five possessions in the second half. The Dolphins helped when Matt Moore lost a fumble at his 38-yard line, then threw an interception that Devin McCourty picked off at the Patriots’ 2.

New England (12-3) won its seventh straight game. After Houston lost to Indianapolis on Thursday night, the Patriots needed a win or a tie to lock up one of the top two spots in the AFC.

Miami (5-10) lost for the third time in eight games after opening at 0-7 and is 1-1 under Todd Bowles, who took over when Tony Sparano was fired.

But the Dolphins seemed headed for a victory and got a break even before the game started when Patriots left tackle Matt Light hurt his ankle in warm-ups and didn’t play. Left guard Logan Mankins took his spot, but he left with a knee injury suffered on New England’s second series.

Their absence showed as the Dolphins kept pressuring Brady. He completed 7 of 19 passes for 87 yards and was sacked three times in the half. But once the third quarter began, Brady and the Patriots looked completely different starting with the very first play, a 22-yard completion to Rob Gronkowski.

Brady completed 20 of 27 passes for 217 yards in the second half, finishing at 27-for-46 for 304 and leading one scoring drive after another — a 45-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski, a 1-yard pass to Deion Branch, a 1-yard sneak by Brady that tied the game, a go-ahead 42-yard field goal by Gostkowski after McCourty’s first interception of the year and another 1-yard sneak by Brady with 2:56 to go.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots emphasize playing well for 60 minutes every game. On Saturday, 30 was enough — barely.

Rallying from their worst half of the season, the Patriots scored on their next five possessions and clinched a playoff bye with a 27-24 win over the Miami Dolphins on Saturday.

“You don’t want to, certainly, make a habit of this,” said Tom Brady, who scored on two 1-yard sneaks and threw for a 1-yard touchdown. “We showed some resiliency.”

New England (12-3) won its seventh straight game. After the Houston Texans lost to the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night, the Patriots needed a win or a tie to lock up one of the top two spots in the AFC.

“It’s good to clinch,” said Deion Branch, who caught the touchdown pass from Brady, “but not by the way we played. It’s not the way you want to do it.”

Miami (5-10) lost for the third time in eight games after opening at 0-7 and is 1-1 under Todd Bowles, who took over when Tony Sparano was fired.

“First half we came out and played our tempo and our ballgame,” Bowles said. “The second half they made us play theirs.”

The AFC East champions trailed 17-0 at halftime but made the necessary adjustments and went to their no-huddle offense more, keeping the Dolphins from making defensive substitutions. And Brady was on target after a first half in which heavy defensive pressure against a makeshift offensive line affected his accuracy. He completed just 7 of 19 passes for 87 yards and was sacked three times in the half.

But in the second half, he completed 20 of 27 passes for 217 yards, finishing at 27 for 46 for 304 yards and leading one scoring drive after another — a 45-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski, the scoring pass to Branch, his own sneak that tied the game, Gostkowski’s 42-yard go-ahead kick after Devin McCourty’s first interception of the year, and the other sneak with 2:56 to go, making it 27-17.

The Dolphins made it closer on Matt Moore’s 15-yard scoring pass to Davone Bess with 1:48 to play. They had three timeouts left, but their hopes faded when Brady hit Wes Welker for a 6-yard gain and a first down.

“We had (Brady’s) number in the first half, but in the second half he came out and made a lot of plays,” Miami linebacker Karlos Dansby said. “He is a coach on the field.”

The Dolphins seemed headed for a victory and got a break even before the game started when Patriots left tackle Matt Light hurt his ankle in warmups and didn’t play. Left guard Logan Mankins took his spot, but he left with a knee injury suffered on New England’s second series.

“There’s always things that are going to go wrong in a football game and things aren’t going to work out the way you want them to all the time,” said Welker, who finished with 12 catches for 138 yards after managing just two for 20 in the first half. “The main thing is just playing a full 60 minutes and never giving in and understanding that one drive and one score (can) get things going.”

The Patriots punted on their first six series of the first half then missed a field goal on the other. The Dolphins struggled in the second half when Moore fumbled the snap at his 38-yard line and Vince Wilfork recovered, starting the drive capped by Branch’s touchdown.

“They committed penalties in the first half,” Dolphins guard Richie Incognito said. “We turned the ball over and committed penalties in the second half. That is never a good recipe.”

Reggie Bush had another outstanding game for Miami with his fourth straight rushing day of at least 100 yards. He finished with 113 on 22 carries one week after gaining a career-high 203 yards.

His latest performance gave him 1,086 yards rushing for the season, the first time in his six years, the first five with the New Orleans Saints, that he passed 1,000.

“It really doesn’t mean anything right now,” he said. “This one’s pretty tough.”

The Dolphins had taken a 3-0 lead on Dan Carpenter’s 47-yard field goal 4:01 into the game and made it 10-0 with 1:15 gone in the second quarter on Moore’s 19-yard pass to Brandon Marshall.

They stretched that to 17-0, the Patriots biggest deficit of the season, on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Moore to Charles Clay. The 89-yard drive was helped by two defensive pass interference penalties on third down.

But the Patriots remained calm in the locker room at intermission.

“There wasn’t a bunch of yelling,” Wilfork said. “We just came in and said we’ve got to play better, we’ve got to make more plays.”

They did. The Dolphins didn’t.

“Our guys fought,” Bowles said, “but we didn’t finish.”

Notes: Welker set a franchise record for one season with 1,518 yards receiving. He broke the mark of 1,493 set by Randy Moss in 2007. … Bush was checked my medical personnel on the sideline late in the game “Something in my leg just didn’t feel right,” he said. “I’m walking. If it was serious, I wouldn’t be walking.” … Moore completed 17 of 33 passes for 294 yards, his highest total as a Dolphin. He threw for more than that with the Carolina Panthers once in 2009 and once in 2010. … The victory was the largest comeback by the Patriots from a second-half deficit since Nov. 10, 2002 when they beat the Chicago Bears 33-30 after trailing 27-6 in the third quarter.

The New England Patriots emphasize playing well for 60 minutes every game. Yesterday, 30 was enough — barely.

Rallying from their worst half of the season, the Patriots scored on their next five possessions and clinched a playoff bye with a 27-24 win over the Miami Dolphins.

“You don’t want to, certainly, make a habit of this,” said Tom Brady, who scored on two 1-yard sneaks and threw for a 1-yard touchdown. “We showed some resiliency.”

New England (12-3) won its seventh straight game. After the Houston Texans lost to the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night, the Patriots needed a win or a tie to lock up one of the top two spots in the AFC.

“It’s good to clinch,” said Deion Branch, who caught the touchdown pass from Brady, “but not by the way we played. It’s not the way you want to do it.”

Miami (5-10) lost for the third time in eight games after opening at 0-7 and is 1-1 under Todd Bowles, who took over when Tony Sparano was fired.

“First half we came out and played our tempo and our ballgame,” Bowles said. “The second half they made us play theirs.”

The AFC East champions trailed 17-0 at halftime but made the necessary adjustments and went to their no-huddle offense more, keeping the Dolphins from making defensive substitutions. And Brady was on target after a first half in which heavy defensive pressure against a makeshift offensive line affected his accuracy. He completed just 7 of 19 passes for 87 yards and was sacked three times in the half.

But in the second half, he completed 20 of 27 passes for 217 yards, finishing at 27 for 46 for 304 yards and leading one scoring drive after another — a 45-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski, the scoring pass to Branch, his own sneak that tied the game, Gostkowski’s 42-yard go-ahead kick after Devin McCourty’s first interception of the year, and the other sneak with 2:56 to go, making it 27-17.

The Dolphins made it closer on Matt Moore’s 15-yard scoring pass to Davone Bess with 1:48 to play. They had three timeouts left, but their hopes faded when Brady hit Wes Welker for a 6-yard gain and a first down.

“We had (Brady’s) number in the first half, but in the second half he came out and made a lot of plays,” Miami linebacker Karlos Dansby said. “He is a coach on the field.”

The Dolphins seemed headed for a victory and got a break even before the game started when Patriots left tackle Matt Light hurt his ankle in warmups and didn’t play.

Left guard Logan Mankins took his spot, but he left with a knee injury suffered on New England’s second series.

“There’s always things that are going to go wrong in a football game and things aren’t going to work out the way you want them to all the time,” said Welker, who finished with 12 catches for 138 yards after managing just two for 20 in the first half. “The main thing is just playing a full 60 minutes and never giving in and understanding that one drive and one score (can) get things going.”

The Patriots punted on their first six series of the first half then missed a field goal on the other.

The Dolphins struggled in the second half when Moore fumbled the snap at his 38-yard line and Vince Wilfork recovered, starting the drive capped by Branch’s touchdown.

“They committed penalties in the first half,” Dolphins guard Richie Incognito said. “We turned the ball over and committed penalties in the second half. That is never a good recipe.”

Reggie Bush had another outstanding game for Miami with his fourth straight rushing day of at least 100 yards. He finished with 113 on 22 carries one week after gaining a career-high 203 yards.

His latest performance gave him 1,086 yards rushing for the season, the first time in his six years, the first five with the New Orleans Saints, that he passed 1,000.

“It really doesn’t mean anything right now,” he said. “This one’s pretty tough.”

The Dolphins had taken a 3-0 lead on Dan Carpenter’s 47-yard field goal 4:01 into the game and made it 10-0 with 1:15 gone in the second quarter on Moore’s 19-yard pass to Brandon Marshall.

They stretched that to 17-0, the Patriots biggest deficit of the season, on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Moore to Charles Clay. The 89-yard drive was helped by two defensive pass interference penalties on third down.

But the Patriots remained calm in the locker room at intermission.

“There wasn’t a bunch of yelling,” Wilfork said. “We just came in and said we’ve got to play better, we’ve got to make more plays.”

They did. The Dolphins didn’t.

“Our guys fought,” Bowles said, “but we didn’t finish.”

*   *   *

Welker set a franchise record for one season with 1,518 yards receiving. He broke the mark of 1,493 set by Randy Moss in 2007. … Bush was checked my medical personnel on the sideline late in the game “Something in my leg just didn’t feel right,” he said. “I’m walking. If it was serious, I wouldn’t be walking.” … Moore completed 17 of 33 passes for 294 yards, his highest total as a Dolphin. He threw for more than that with the Carolina Panthers once in 2009 and once in 2010. … The victory was the largest comeback by the Patriots from a second-half deficit since Nov. 10, 2002, when they beat the Chicago Bears 33-30 after trailing 27-6 in the third quarter.