NFL Player News

Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith played well down the stretch, accounting for seven touchdowns against two turnovers in the final four games. The difference was that New York increasingly used the shotgun.

"We found what worked for us and stayed the course with it," running back Chris Ivory told The Star-Ledger. 

Smith worked almost exclusively out of the shotgun in college. In Week 16 against the Browns, with Smith in the shotgun, the Jets produced four scoring drives of at least 79 yards for the first time in 40 years.

Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, who committed three turnovers Sunday in losing his third career playoff game, said he got a vote of confidence from coach Marvin Lewis. "He said I'm the guy that he believes in," Dalton said. "He believes that I can get us over the next hump. It's good to hear from a coach and it's what I wanted to hear."

Dalton has one year left on his four-year rookie deal. 

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers took a while to get going in Sunday's playoff loss to the 49ers. He went 0-for-2 with two sacks in a first quarter that saw Green Bay generate 6 total yards.

Rodgers heated up and finished 17 of 26 for 177 yards and a touchdown, a 5-yard strike to Jordy Nelson in the second quarter. The 177 yards were Rodgers' fewest in a game he finished this season, and the 17 completions tied a season low.

Rodgers was under heavy pressure much of the night, but he had his moments. On 4th-and-2 in the fourth quarter, he escaped a sack and hit Randall Cobb for 26 yards. Overall, though, it was a quiet end to Rodgers' season.

Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton had a tough time down the stretch against the Chargers.

Dalton completed 29 of 51 passes, for 334 yards and one touchdown. Dalton got off to a slow start to begin the game, but rebounded in the second half to throw a touchdown. He struggled starting in the third quarter. On the team's second drive during the quarter, Dalton fumbled away the possession. On the following two Bengal drives, Dalton threw interceptions. The Bengals mustered just 10 points.

The Chargers have made DT Sean Lissemore, WR Lavelle Hawkins, CB Marcus Cromartie ,OG Stephen Schilling, QB Brad Sorensen, SS Brandon Taylor and OT Kenny Wiggins inactive against the Bengals.

Lissemore was listed as questionable on the injury report due to a shoulder injury. The other six players are healthy scratches.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford sat in on the team's interview with Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell.

After the season ended, Stafford admitted he would like to have a say in the team's coaching search, but wasn't sure that would happen. Caldwell had reportedly seen every throw Stafford had in the 2013 season, and was able to tell him what he liked and disliked about each play. He had specific drills in mind to correct those issues. After the interview, Caldwell said it was "the best professional interview [he's] ever been on."

The Eagles have ruled quarterback Matt Barkley, wide receiver Damaris Johnson, cornerback Curtis Marsh, safety Keelan Johnson, running back Matthew Tucker, offensive lineman Julian Vandervelde, and tackle Dennis Kelly inactive for Saturday's Wild Card playoff game against the Saints.

The temperature for Sunday's playoff game in Green Bay could plunge as low as 15 degrees below zero. While Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said his preparation would be to "eat a lot of chicken soup," 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sounded less enthusiastic, reports ProFootballTalk.com.

"I don't think my dream was to play in freezing weather," Kaepernick said.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and receiver Randall Cobb are not on this week's injury report. "They look great, feel great," coach Mike McCarthy said. "I have no worries about those two."

Rodgers returned from a broken collarbone and Cobb from a broken leg to play Week 17 at Chicago. They'll face the 49ers in a playoff game Sunday.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was confident his collarbone wouldn't be an issue Week 17, especially after he fell on his back shoveling snow in a recent storm, reports the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

"Ever since I tried to shovel my driveway and actually slipped on some ice, I had a pretty good feeling I was going to be able to fall - and not have some major issues," Rodgers said on his radio show Tuesday. "Thankfully nobody in the neighborhood was out there watching or videoing me, because that would have been great YouTube material there.

"I felt good about it, I wanted to take that first hit, that first hit was actually very painful, the late one, but not in my collarbone area."

Rodgers said his calves were still sore Tuesday after he cramped up during the win in Chicago. But his collarbone was not bothering him, the report said.