Chris Johnson

CHRIS JOHNSON has agreed to a contract extension with the Tennessee Titans worth $56 million over 6 years, ending the three-time Pro Bowl running back's holdout. "He'll sign tomorrow and take his physical and be ready to start practicing," Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt said last night before Tennessee played New Orleans in a final preseason game. "It was a tough negotiation, but both sides gave some and we got it done. " Johnson tweeted Wednesday night that he had dinner in Orlando, Fla., with his agent Joel Segal "talking business" on the 34th day of his holdout.

Chris Johnson's agent says the running back and the Tennessee Titans have agreed on a revised deal that will ensure he reports with the rest of the team for training camp. Agent Joel Segal would not say how much of a raise Johnson is getting, but did say the running back will get a pay increase. Johnson will reportedly earn $2.5 million this season under the revised deal. It's not the minimum $30 million in guaranteed money he had been saying he wanted after becoming just the sixth back to run for at least 2,000 yards.

NASHVILLE - It used to be that Ernie Sims would be all smiles about the wood he laid on Chris Johnson. He'd consider his job well-done, his hard-hitting reputation burnished. That was last week. Yesterday, Sims flew in from his linebacker spot and crushed Johnson near the Titans' sideline. It was late in the first quarter. It was the signature hit in the Eagles' effort to limit Johnson, the league's No. 2 rusher. The effort worked. Johnson managed 66 yards on 22 carries. The hit might cost Sims dearly.

Chris Johnson attends classes at Penn's Wharton School. He's a management major. Very genteel. Very white-collar. But when classes are over, he transforms himself into a snarling, head- butting, sumo-wrestling nose tackle for the Quakers' football team. At 5-foot-11 and 245 pounds, Johnson has the perfect build for a nose tackle. He endures upwards of 70 to 80 collisions per game with the center or guards trying to double-team him, or with the fullbacks leading their runners up the middle.

Passing yards: Kyle Orton, Broncos, 476 Pass attempts: Kyle Orton, Broncos, 57 Pass completions: Kyle Orton, Broncos, 37 Receiving yards: Austin Collie, Colts, 171 Receiving TDs: Anquan Boldin, Ravens, 3 Receptions: Austin Collie, Colts and Jabar Gaffney, Broncos, 12 Rushing yards: Adrian Peterson, Vikings, 160 Carries: Chris Johnson, Titans, 32 Longest field goal: Sebastian Janikowski, 54...

Chris Johnson shot a 5-under-par 67 yesterday to take a 2-stroke lead after the first round of the du Maurier Classic, in Woodbridge, Ontario. The tournament is the last of the LPGA's four Grand Slam events. "It started as one of those days when nothing was predictable when we teed off," said Johnson, who took last week off after the women's U.S. Open championship. "I wasn't sure if I'd had enough rest. But when I went out and birdied the first two holes, I felt just great. " Johnson's round included a four-foot eagle putt on the 450-yard, par-5 4th hole to go along with five birdies and two bogeys.

LES BOWEN The Titans have won their last 11 games against the NFC. Tennessee and Indianapolis, the Birds' next two opponents, are the only teams in the NFL Andy Reid never have beaten. But the Eagles and Titans haven't played since a 31-13 Titans win at the Linc on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2006. That game was memorable because of the ACL tear Donovan McNabb suffered. Anyhow, I guessed completely wrong about the then-4-1 Falcons last week. Turned out they were a one-dimensional power running team that couldn't pressure the quarterback.

  Line: Titans by 3 The skinny: The Eagles will visit the Titans on Sunday. Tennessee's Jeff Fisher and Jacksonville's Jack Del Rio, two former Southern Cal guys, have similar teams. Both have star running backs, unheralded receivers, mobile quarterbacks who have dealt with adversity, and once-stout defenses trying to get back to form. The Jaguars (3-2) and Titans (3-2) will play for a share of the AFC South lead, and the loser could be left chasing everyone else.

John Mahaffey, J. C. Snead, Jim Thorpe and Steve Pate each shot 6-under-par 65s yesterday, and the group of veterans held a 1-stroke lead after the first round of the Bank of Boston Classic. Brad Faxon and Don Pooley were at 66 as the touring pros went on a par- breaking spree over the 7,110-yard Pleasant Valley Country Club course. Of the 156 starters, 67 broke par and 21 others matched it. Defending champion Mark Calcavecchia, who won the British Open and is tuning up for next week's Ryder Cup matches in England, shot a 67 and was in a group of 10 players 2 shots behind the leaders.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Rob Bironas kicked his fourth field goal, a 40-yarder as time expired, and the Tennessee Titans beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 26-23, on Thursday night to snap a two-game skid. Pittsburgh (2-3) lost its third straight road game this season and for the fifth time in six games dating to last season despite Ben Roethlisberger throwing for 363 yards and becoming the Steelers' career passing leader. Roethlisberger came the game needing 286 yards to tie Terry Bradshaw's 27,989 yards passing.

NASHVILLE - Chris Johnson went 94 yards for the longest touchdown run in the NFL since 2006 as the Tennessee Titans beat the Jets, 14-10, on Monday night to eliminate New York from playoff contention. Jake Locker's first touchdown run of the season put Tennessee (5-9) ahead late in the third quarter. The Titans intercepted four passes by a struggling Mark Sanchez to snap a three-game skid. The Jets (6-8) needed to win their final three games and get help elsewhere to earn an AFC playoff spot.

Jets at Titans 8:30 p.m., ESPN Line: Titans by 11/2 The skinny: The Jets have turned to the running game over the last month to help limit turnovers and have kept their slim playoff hopes alive. Tennessee is allowing 129.4 yards rushing per game, 27th in the league, and couldn't get off the field last week vs. the Colts to get the ball back for the offense. The Jets (6-7) are a game out of the AFC's sixth and final playoff seed and finish against three teams with losing records starting with the Titans (4-9)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Chicago Bears linebacker great Dick Butkus, who wore No. 51, would have been proud of this one. Charles Tillman forced four fumbles. Brian Urlacher scored on a 46-yard interception return. Plus, Chicago turned a blocked punt into a touchdown. Jay Cutler threw three TD passes to Brandon Marshall just for good measure and the Bears put up their highest point total since 1980, routing the Tennessee Titans, 51-20, on Sunday for their sixth straight win. The Bears definitely responded to coach Lovie Smith's challenge to score early.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Rob Bironas kicked his fourth field goal, a 40-yarder as time expired, and the Tennessee Titans beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 26-23, on Thursday night to snap a two-game skid. Pittsburgh (2-3) lost its third straight road game this season and for the fifth time in six games dating to last season despite Ben Roethlisberger throwing for 363 yards and becoming the Steelers' career passing leader. Roethlisberger came the game needing 286 yards to tie Terry Bradshaw's 27,989 yards passing.

RUNNING BACKS   1. Arian Foster, Texans All he has to do is stay healthy, and the multitalented tailback will vie for fantasy MVP status. When he's on, there's nobody like him.   2. LeSean McCoy, Eagles Just as deadly as a receiver as he is as a runner, Shady is the most important cog in the Eagles' offense. With Michael Vick vowing to take fewer chances this year to spare his body, McCoy should get even more red-zone looks.   3. Ray Rice, Ravens It's easy to overlook the role he plays in the Ravens' passing attack because Rice is such a strong rusher.

IT'S NO SECRET that the Phillies could use a little help at the plate and on the mound. On Friday night, Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton and Greg Luzinski will be at the ballpark. So will Larry Bowa, Dick Allen, Tony Taylor, Bob Boone, Juan Samuel, Darren Daulton, John Kruk and Garry Maddox. But don't get your hopes up. They won't be there to add pop to the lineup. Rather, they'll be present to welcome former catcher Mike Lieberthal into their inner circle as members of the Phillies Wall of Fame.

CHRIS JOHNSON had been waiting all season to hit his first home run. After finally knocking one out of the park in his first at-bat Wednesday, there was almost no wait for No. 2. Johnson had a pair of homers in consecutive at-bats among his four hits and drove in a career-high six runs to back up another solid outing by Wandy Rodriguez, and the Houston Astros beat the New York Mets, 8-1, to complete a three-game sweep. "It was a special day," Johnson said. "This is probably my best day in the major leagues.

LeSean McCoy wants the truth. He yearns for it. In this age of the modern-day athlete when superstars - or would-be superstars - surround themselves only with yes men, McCoy wants nothing more than an honest answer in his quest for greatness. So when the topic is "Who are the best running backs in the NFL?" - as it often is - the Eagles running back wants it straight. It's not really an ego thing, although there's a tinge of that. McCoy knows he's good, real good.

Hopefully this isn't your championship weekend, and you're just playing for fun. But since all bets are off in Week 17, some obvious choices are suddenly not so obvious. Here are my picks to roll, and get rolled, in the final week of the season.   Watch 'em roll Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Bills at Patriots. He torched the Patriots for 369 yards and two TDs when these teams met way back in Week 3. Though Fitzpatrick has been mediocre most of December, he has a great chance to finish on a high note as he faces the worst pass defense in the league.