Champ Bailey

Thumbs Up To Jets linebacker Bart Scott, who is, in my mind, one of the best interviews in sports. Intelligent, funny, honest, he's the whole package. Asked the other day about the confident attitude that he and head coach Rex Ryan have brought to the Jets, he said, "I think we're no more confident than any other team. I just think the only difference is we tell you [media] guys that and the rest of the people lie to you. " Thumbs Up To Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, whose Monday night performance against his old team, the Packers, more than lived up to the game's hype.

Denver Pro Bowl running back Clinton Portis said a trade to Washington would be "a great opportunity," though he's still not sure the deal will happen. The Redskins and Broncos have agreed in principle to a trade that would send Portis to Washington in exchange for Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey. The Redskins would also throw in a second-round draft pick to get the third-year running back, who rushed for 1,591 yards last season. "I don't know what's going on," Portis said yesterday at a charity event held by Indianapolis running back, and former University of Miami standout, Edgerrin James.

The Denver Broncos are discussing a trade that would send running back Clinton Portis to Washington for cornerback Champ Bailey, a swap of two Pro Bowlers upset with their contracts, a source said yesterday. In giving up Portis for Bailey, Denver also would receive Washington's second-round selection in the April draft, the NFL source told the Associated Press. The deal would make sense because the Redskins went last season without an every-down running back, a must in the offensive system favored by new coach Joe Gibbs.

Terrell Owens' last touchdown with the Eagles came against the Denver Broncos. His next touchdown could well be for those same Broncos. Multiple league sources said last night that Owens and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, were in Denver discussing a potential deal with Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan and owner Pat Bowlen. The Eagles gave Rosenhaus permission to work out a trade for Owens earlier this month, and Shanahan has let it be known that he is interested in the receiver, although Bowlen apparently was not as keen on the idea.

Big-hitting safety John Lynch's crunching collisions are over. Lynch, 37, has decided to retire, officially ending his career with a news conference Monday in Tampa, Fla. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler for Denver and Tampa Bay, finishing with 1,277 tackles, 100 pass breakups and 26 interceptions in 224 regular-season games. He departed Denver on good terms in July after being bumped from his starting role and signed with the Patriots. He was cut 2 weeks later and has been out of football since.

Champ Bailey knocked away the potential tying touchdown pass from Tony Romo to Sam Hurd with 1 second left yesterday and host Denver escaped with a 17-10 win over Dallas. On fourth-and-goal from the 2, Romo dropped back and found Hurd cutting over the middle, but Bailey reached around and swatted the pass away at the last second, giving the Broncos their first 4-0 start since 2003. The Broncos took the lead on Brandon Marshall's 51-yard touchdown catch with 1:46 remaining.

The Washington Redskins made some big moves yesterday, and they're considering making more. In an effort to get under the new $80.6 million salary cap imposed by the league yesterday, the Redskins cut four players including defensive end Bruce Smith, the NFL's career sack leader with 200, and five-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jessie Armstead. Washington is also pondering several trade possibilities for four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey in addition to the much ballyhooed proposal to send him to Denver for Clinton Portis.

On a day other teams were figuring out ways to cut costs to get under the salary cap, the Washington Redskins - as usual - were spending money. The Redskins agreed yesterday to a $50.5 million, 8-year deal with running back Clinton Portis, all but completing the trade that will send four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey and a second-round draft choice to Denver. But that can't become official until tomorrow, the start of the free-agent season. Bailey still was working on a contract with the Broncos, but the sides appeared close.

PITTSBURGH (13-5) at DENVER (14-3) When: Today at 3 p.m. TV: Ch. 3 Prediction: Steelers 24, Broncos 23 Line: Broncos by 3 Over-under: 41 The Broncos are 9-0 this season at home, counting last week?s 27-13 win over New England. Denver is also an NFL-best 12-4-1 against the spread. Pittsburgh is an impressive 8-2 against the spread on the road. In the win over New England, Denver QB Jake Plummer had just an average game (15-of-26 passing for 196 yards, one TD, one interception, 78.5 passer rating)

Regardless of whether Ron Dayne ever outruns his reputation as an underachiever, he'll always be able to look back fondly at Thanksgiving 2005. Filling in for injured Tatum Bell, Dayne rumbled 55 yards on the second play of overtime and Jason Elam followed with a 24-yard field goal to give the Denver Broncos a 24-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys yesterday. Bell was a surprise scratch because of a bruised chest, and Dayne didn't even know he'd be in the lineup until yesterday.

DENVER - Not this time, Tim Tebow. Not with Tom Brady on hand. Brady threw for two touchdowns, ran for another and the New England Patriots shut down Tebow's late-game heroics and clinched a playoff berth with a 41-23 victory over the Broncos yesterday. "It was a really good day for us," Brady said. "Very emotional game. It was really rocking early. We showed some mental toughness. " The Patriots (11-3) won their sixth straight game and another AFC East title by bouncing back from an early 17-6 deficit and an awful first quarter in which they were outgained on the ground, 167 yards to 4. This time, there was no last-minute magic from Tebow, who had guided the Broncos (8-6)

DENVER - Not this time. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots shut down Tim Tebow's late-game heroics and clinched a playoff berth with a 41-23 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday. The Patriots (11-3) won their sixth straight game and another AFC East title by bouncing back from an early, 17-6 deficit and an awful first quarter in which they were outgained on the ground 167 yards to 4. This time, there was no last-minute magic from Tebow, who had guided the Broncos (8-6)

DENVER - Wild wins are becoming routine for Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos, who flail away through most of four quarters before coming through in the clutch. Matt Prater's 51-yard field goal 6 1/2 minutes into overtime gave the Broncos a 13-10 victory over the stunned Chicago Bears yesterday. Prater's 59-yarder with 3 seconds left in regulation tied the score after Tebow led another rally. "If you believe," Tebow said, "then unbelievable things can sometimes be possible.

Thumbs Up To Jets linebacker Bart Scott, who is, in my mind, one of the best interviews in sports. Intelligent, funny, honest, he's the whole package. Asked the other day about the confident attitude that he and head coach Rex Ryan have brought to the Jets, he said, "I think we're no more confident than any other team. I just think the only difference is we tell you [media] guys that and the rest of the people lie to you. " Thumbs Up To Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, whose Monday night performance against his old team, the Packers, more than lived up to the game's hype.

Champ Bailey knocked away the potential tying touchdown pass from Tony Romo to Sam Hurd with 1 second left yesterday and host Denver escaped with a 17-10 win over Dallas. On fourth-and-goal from the 2, Romo dropped back and found Hurd cutting over the middle, but Bailey reached around and swatted the pass away at the last second, giving the Broncos their first 4-0 start since 2003. The Broncos took the lead on Brandon Marshall's 51-yard touchdown catch with 1:46 remaining.

Big-hitting safety John Lynch's crunching collisions are over. Lynch, 37, has decided to retire, officially ending his career with a news conference Monday in Tampa, Fla. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler for Denver and Tampa Bay, finishing with 1,277 tackles, 100 pass breakups and 26 interceptions in 224 regular-season games. He departed Denver on good terms in July after being bumped from his starting role and signed with the Patriots. He was cut 2 weeks later and has been out of football since.

As soon as NFL teams report to training camp, the bad teams promise that things will be better and the good teams say there's always room for improvement. Story lines are anticipated. Then the season begins and what was supposed to happen doesn't. Instead, we have Aaron Rodgers, Matt Cassel, the Cardinals, and a referee "downgraded" after admitting he blew a call that may have cost the Chargers a win. The NFL slogan for this season should be, "You Never Know. " Which brings us to Week 3. Toeing the line The Packers averaged 36 points a game in their first two wins, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers is an unconscious 42 for 60 for 506 yards and four touchdowns.

Terrell Owens' last touchdown with the Eagles came against the Denver Broncos. His next touchdown could well be for those same Broncos. Multiple league sources said last night that Owens and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, were in Denver discussing a potential deal with Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan and owner Pat Bowlen. The Eagles gave Rosenhaus permission to work out a trade for Owens earlier this month, and Shanahan has let it be known that he is interested in the receiver, although Bowlen apparently was not as keen on the idea.

PITTSBURGH (13-5) at DENVER (14-3) When: Today at 3 p.m. TV: Ch. 3 Prediction: Steelers 24, Broncos 23 Line: Broncos by 3 Over-under: 41 The Broncos are 9-0 this season at home, counting last week?s 27-13 win over New England. Denver is also an NFL-best 12-4-1 against the spread. Pittsburgh is an impressive 8-2 against the spread on the road. In the win over New England, Denver QB Jake Plummer had just an average game (15-of-26 passing for 196 yards, one TD, one interception, 78.5 passer rating)

The Denver Broncos celebrated yesterday for the second time in as many days after beating New England, 27-13, Saturday night. That triumph ended the Patriots' quest for their third straight Super Bowl win. The additional joy came after Pittsburgh's 21-18 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. The Steelers' upset ensured that not only will the Broncos be home for the AFC title game on Sunday, but that they won't have to visit the RCA Dome, where they allowed 90 points in playoff losses to the Colts in the last two seasons.