Christmas is always a tough time for those suffering from depression and/or mental illness. Here police meet up and plan an intervention before driving 3 blocks to a home where a man is holed up and threatening suicide. Christmas is also a very tough time for police officers. Believe it or not, there is such a thing as "suicide by cop", wherein, people so desperate to die, often put themselves in a position that the police are forced to take their lives, and that is actually how the suicidal person wanted to die, at the hands of the cop, because that person could not do it to themselves, they wanted the cop to do it for them, so they put a gun to their head, then turn the gun on the cop, forcing the cop to pull the trigger of his/her gun, to save his/her own life, but in doing so, killing the suicidal person. Suicidal individuals even lead cops on high speed chases, hoping they will die in high speed pursuits, but that puts so many lives in danger, not just the suicidal person. There has been significant training in this, now cops use alternative methods when dealing with suicidal individuals, in the hopes that the suicide can be prevented altogether. No cop ever wants to use deadly force on a troubled individual, ever.

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Interestingly enough, in a Pro Bowl that glorifies players and selects certain NFL talents to play in a game of elites, there are those players that are still considered unsung heroes playing in this game.

The 2012 Pro Bowl features several players that are underrated in spite of receiving Pro Bowl honors this season.

Broncos CB Champ Bailey is one of these top-notch talents that is still overlooked, as he was able to anchor arguably the best defense in football and was a key component to a first-round playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Here are the most underrated talents playing in the 2012 Pro Bowl in Honolulu. 

Champ Bailey, CB, Denver Broncos

Champ Bailey may have had under 40 tackles and just two interceptions on the season, marks which would make it seem Bailey had a falling-off year production-wise with the Broncos.

It hasn’t been the numbers that have made Bailey impressive this season. Bailey has been a special player in the secondary for a Broncos team that is arguably at the top of the league.

With a Tim Tebow type of offense that requires lockdown defensive efforts, Bailey and company were able to prevail and helped take down the Steelers in the NFL playoffs. It was his tipped passes and lockdown coverage that made the difference for this team throughout the season.

Jimmy Graham, TE, New Orleans Saints

It may surprise many that Graham makes this list, yet it was the record-setting accomplishments of New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski that was the reason.

Despite not matching the numbers that Gronkowski put up on the season, it was Graham that posted an impressive 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season — marks better than most receivers in the NFL.

Graham will be a tight end to be reckoned with for several years to come, as him and Gronkowski will continue to put up record-breaking numbers every season..

Gronk is good. But we mustn’t forget Graham.

Vonta Leach, FB, Baltimore Ravens

Ray Rice is arguably the most dynamic, elusive running back the league has to offer. Yet it’s the play of FB Vonta Leach that makes Rice’s numbers stand out.

Rice put up career-high numbers in both yards and TDs, 1,364 yards and 12 TDs, as Leach was able to create holes and help lead block effectively for the smaller back.

Leach gets into the Pro Bowl in deserving fashion, helping Rice to put up numbers as solid as any RB this season.

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The Pro Bowl is usually a pretty boring day, but this year a pair of electrifying young rookie quarterbacks (Cam Newton, Andy Dalton) could bring a flash of interest to the game.

I’ll admit it to you right now: I’ve come full circle on Cam Newton. Around this time last year, I made a vicious point to constantly remind all of my Facebook friends that their Heisman Trophy winner, Cam Newton, stole laptops. I continued to dub him “Scam” because of the potential recruiting violation that he offed to his father, and I was offended by his blatant academic dishonesty. Or maybe I was just a bitter Oregon fan who wanted to a BCS National Championship. Sometimes you can’t have it all.

When Cam got the first overall pick in the draft (and a starting job in the NFL), it was no longer about what he did in college.

Instead, his NFL career could be judged by what Newton contributed to his team, the Carolina Panthers. This season, Newton came out soaring. He led the Panthers to a 6-10 finish, an impressive turnaround for a team that finished last in the league just one season ago, and Newton himself put up impressive numbers, helping to win four his final six starts of the season.

Newton threw for over 4,000-plus yards in his rookie season and added 21 touchdowns (and only 17 INTs) to his total.

His completion percent of 60 percent helped solidify his passer rating at 84.5, which is a solid addition to a successful rookie season. With long passes and a tendency to scramble outside of the pocket, he could help change the slow-paced nature of the Pro Bowl to one with more intensity and fervor.

Newton averaged 236.9 yards per game, which included one pass of over 90 yards for a touchdown.

In his best game, his second-to-last game of the season, he recorded three touchdowns, no interceptions and a completion percentage of over 70 percent. His progress was evident as the season went on, as his second game of the season featured only one touchdown to three interceptions and a completion percentage of around 60 percent.

Newton proved that from one successful college season, he was able to extract the right amount of value for a No. 1 overall pick and now has a Pro Bowl appearance to show for it. Now I find myself actually rooting for Newton, operating under the assumption that his success is genuinely a good thing for a league lacking stars.

Over in the AFC, we can look at another rookie with a totally different story behind him.

Andy Dalton was also an early-round pick (and probably would have been picked way earlier if he didn’t have red hair and looked more like a QB) but faced very little hype coming into the season.

Dalton was picked behind Newton, but was also behind Jake Locker (eighth overall), Blaine Gabbert (10th overall) and Christian Ponder (12th overall). Dalton went with the third pick in the second round, and was not even the highest drafted offensive player on his own team.

While Cam Newton received the hype of a national championship victory, Dalton was second rate in the shadows after his Rose Bowl victory. His victory, however, was utterly impressive considering how few fans were there and how narrow of an edge TCU had over Wisconsin in the 21-19 thriller.

At TCU, Dalton had much success in his junior and senior years (23 touchdowns, 27 touchdowns) and won the offensive MVP for the Rose Bowl.

When he showed that same success in the NFL, many were surprised. His completion percentage (58.1 percent) was comparable to what he did in his four years in college (61.7 percent) and his passer rating of 80.4 is certainly impressive for a rookie.

Dalton outdueled former Bengals QB Carson Palmer, won the starting position and had such a strong showing that the Bengals traded away Palmer for two first-round picks.

This means that Dalton, by his own success, also helped secure two future prospects simply by playing well. In October, Dalton won the Offensive Rookie of the Month and led the Bengals to a 4-0 start after 909 yards in the air and six offensive touchdowns.

Throwing to fellow rookie A.J. Green, Dalton led the Bengals to a 9-7 finish that ensured them a playoffs spot over the Jets, Titans, Raiders and Chargers.

His 3,398 yards helped him, too. He and Cam Newton are now the first pair of rookie QBs to make the Pro Bowl in the same year.

When Dalton completes his first pass to A.J. Green, and you know he will be looking for his Bengals teammate, that alone can bring some excitement to a game that has been lackluster for the past few years.

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The Pro Bowl is just around the corner and, if history is any indicator, it will be quite the offensive affair.  Epic defensive struggles rarely take place in Aloha Stadium—instead, the offenses for both teams are usually left to run wild and free.  For this reason, the following list has been compiled with a deliberate and unapologetic offensive bias.  

Aloha and enjoy!    

7. Sebastian Janikowski

Putting a kicker on a “Players We’re Most Excited to See” list may seem like an odd decision, but Janikowski is not your average kicker.  The FSU alum weighs in at a hefty 250 pounds, most of which seems to be located in his stomach.  This makes him quite a sight to see in a close-fitting football uniform.  While he may or may not be a slouch off the field, he makes the most of his time spent between the white lines.  In 2010 he led the league with 33 field goals, but failed to make the AFC Pro Bowl squad (most likely because he only hit 80 percent of his tries).  This season, he hit 31 of his 35 attempts and was offered a spot on the AFC roster.

There’s little doubt that Janikowski has the strongest leg in the league.  That common belief was strengthened when he drilled an NFL record 63-yarder earlier this season.  If Gary Kubiak is put in a position to allow Janikowski to tie or break his own record (even though it won’t technically count), we, as NFL fans, can only hope that he’ll jog Janikowski onto the field, jiggling belly and all.    

6. Mike Wallace

Mike Wallace is arguably the AFC’s biggest deep threat.  With teammate Ben Roethlisberger lining up under center to start the game, don’t be surprised if Wallace tries to burn one deep early in the contest.  During the regular season, Wallace caught eight touchdowns from Roethlisberger, the longest a 95-yard bomb against the Cardinals in week seven.  

Another factor that sways in Wallace’s favor is the absence of corner back Carlos Rogers.  Wallace will likely be lined up against Seattle’s Brandon Browner, who should give him a lot less trouble than the aforementioned Rogers.

5. Andy Dalton

The Bengals were one of the biggest surprises of the 2011 season, and Andy Dalton’s steady quarterback play was one of the main reasons for the team’s dramatic turnaround.  Cincinnati was dismal in 2010, finishing the season in the AFC North cellar with a 4-12 record.  But they unexpectedly stormed out of the gate in 2011, winning six of their first eight games.  They cooled off a bit in the second half of the season, but still locked up nine wins and a trip to the playoffs.  Dalton, a rookie out of Texas Christian, made the oft-maligned Carson Palmer a distant memory for most Bengals fans, throwing for 3,398 yards (fourth most by a rookie) and 20 touchdowns while leading the Bengals to their first playoff appearance since 2006.   

Dalton’s somewhat unexpected trip to Honolulu puts him among elite company—he is only the fourth rookie quarterback since 1970 to be named to the Pro Bowl.  The other three are Dan Marino, Vince Young and, of course, Cam Newton.

 Like Newton, Dalton will likely have a chance to toss the rock to a trusted receiver—teammate and fellow rookie A.J. Green.  In fact, if Dalton completes a pass to Green, it will be the first pass connection between two rookies from the same regular season squad in Pro Bowl history.

4.. Cam Newton

With Eli Manning heading to Indianapolis next week to take on the Patriots, Cam Newton has secured a spot on the NFC Pro Bowl roster.  Some fans are surprised by the decision to select Newton over Lions’ quarterback Matthew Stafford (who threw for 5,000+ yards this season, one of only four quarterbacks in NFL history to accomplish the feat), and while it is unfair that Stafford was overlooked, there is little doubt that Newton is indeed worthy of a Pro Bowl selection.  

The 6’5, 250 pound signal-caller is coming off one of the most successful rookie seasons in NFL history.  He finished the campaign with 4,051 passing yards, a new high-water mark for rookie quarterbacks (312 more than the previous record set by Peyton Manning in 1998).  He also rushed for 14 scores, a new single season record for quarterbacks.

Newton enters tonight’s game third on the depth chart but should get plenty of playing time.  Look for Cam-Cam to make some big plays with his feet (because linebackers are notoriously lax in the Pro Bowl) and through the air (because he should get some opportunities to hook up with teammate Steve Smith.)

3. Ray Lewis

While Ray Lewis has confirmed that he will be returning to the Ravens next season, it’s no secret that his days in the NFL are nearing an end.  The 15-year veteran out of Miami is approaching his 37th birthday, and some skeptics are worried that his unique skills are beginning to deteriorate.  Some have cited his occasional difficulties with covering athletic tight ends as evidence of his decline.  Others wonder how long his aging body will be able to hold up against a constant barrage of 230-pound fullbacks

There is a very real possibility that tonight’s game will be the last Pro Bowl for this legend of the gridiron.  Off-field incidents aside, Ray Lewis will be remembered as one of the greatest linebackers to ever play the game—a deeply passionate player whose name deserves to be uttered in the same sentence as Butkus, Lambert, and Taylor.  There is no guarantee that Lewis will make it through next season—injuries can happen at anytime, and an ailment this late in his career could send him into retirement.  So watching him strap on the pads tonight, even if it is just for a glorified exhibition, should not be taken for granted by any serious NFL fan.

2. Drew Brees

The 2011 season will go down as the year of the quarterback, and no one (except maybe Aaron Rodgers) performed at a higher level than Drew Brees.  He led the league in passing touchdowns (46), completions (468), completion percentage (71 percent), and set an NFL record by throwing for 5,476 yards—yet he will begin the game on the bench, behind the Discount Double Check guy.  But Brees is a kind-hearted, easy-going kind of fellow, so don’t expect him to take much offense to this.  After all, it is the Pro Bowl, so he should see some playing time before the end of the first half anyway.  When he does make it onto the field, look for him to go to Jimmy Graham early and often, just like he did all season long. 

1. Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers’ 2011 campaign was, plain and simple, one of the greatest seasons for a quarterback in NFL history.  Let’s take a brief look at Mr. Rodgers’ incredible accomplishments:

- 122.5 passer rating (an NFL record)

- 45 TD passes (5th best single season mark), 6 INTs

- 4,693 passing yards

- Finished with a passer rating of 100+ in 14/16 regular season games.

- 5 games with at least 4 TD passes.

- 7 games with at least 300 passing yards.

-  Multiple TD passes in all but one regular season game.

On top of his individual accomplishments, Rodgers also led the Packers to a 13-0 start and a 15-1 regular season record.  He also contributed one of the most memorable commercials of the season and is a photobombing enthusiast.

In tonight’s Pro Bowl, Rodgers will have the chance to throw to his long time teammate Greg Jennings.  If we’re lucky, the dynamic duo will have multiple opportunities to stretch the field and complete some long pass plays.

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With the 2012 NFL Pro Bowl just a day away, we can now reflect on the rosters for this season.

Granted, there will be some players missing as the New York Giants and the New England Patriots will be playing in Super Bowl XLVI, but there’s still a very talented group of players for the AFC and NFC teams.

With that being said, not all of the players are deserving and should not have been selected to the Pro Bowl team this season.

In that spirit, here are the five most undeserving players on the 2012 Pro Bowl roster. 

Clay Matthews

50 tackles and six sacks—Does that sound that impressive to you? I sure as hell hope not.

Clay Matthews only was selected to the Pro Bowl simply because of his name—or quite possibly his hair. 

The selection of Matthews was just a case of a popularity contest as he had a rather mediocre season with the NFL’s worst defense in the Green Bay Packers. 

Antonio Gates

Why was Antonio Gates selected to the Pro Bowl?

Sure, he had 64 receptions for 778 yards and seven touchdowns in just 13 games—but is that very impressive? I don’t think so.

Gates is very undeserving as he was hurt for some of the season and simply did not put up the elite stats that we’re used to when it comes to him.  

Greg Jennings

Greg Jennings may have only played in 13 games but 67 receptions for 949 yards and nine touchdowns does not impress me.

I understand that nine touchdowns is a lot for just 13 games but 67 receptions is far from impressive.

Jennings was only named to the Pro Bowl simply because he played for the NFL’s hottest team in the regular season, the reigning Super Bowl champions Green Bay Packers. 

Philip Rivers

Philip Rivers did not have a Pro Bowl caliber season whatsoever—he hurt his team in so many ways in 2011.

Rivers may have thrown for 27 touchdowns but was picked off 20 times while posting an 88.7 quarterback rating. 

In a season where we all believed that Rivers would take the San Diego Chargers to another level and leap into the elite quarterback category, he failed and underachieved tremendously. 

Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis may be one of the greatest linebackers of our time and is probably the best leader and motivator in the NFL today but he is no longer a Pro Bowl type linebacker. 

I realize that Lewis played in only 12 games this season and still recorded 95 tackles and two sacks but there are other guys out there that deserved it much more than he did—like Cleveland Browns D’Qwell Jackson and Indianapolis Colts Pat Angerer. 

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A look back at No. 2 Alabama’s football games this season. The Crimson Tide will play No. 1 LSU on Monday night in the BCS championship game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

No. 2 Alabama 48 vs. Kent State 7 (9/3/11)

The endless summer finally ended for Alabama with a throttling of Nick Saban’s alma mater in the Crimson Tides’ season opener.

Alabama wore ribbon stickers in remembrance of 50 people killed in a Tuscaloosa tornado April 27.

Alabama turned the ball over five times, but that didn’t help Kent State, who finished with minus-nine yards rushing for the game.

The Alabama running backs did most of the work, with Heisman finalist Trent Richardson scoring three times. Eddie Lacy and Jaston Fowler scored a touchdown each.

Sophomore quarterback AJ McCarron won the starting battle against freshman Phillip Sims after completing 14-of-23 passes for 226 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Sims completed 7-of-14 passes for 73 yards and two interceptions.

With Alabama leading 24-0 at the 9:13 mark of the third quarter, Kent State finally got on the board after a three-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Spencer Keith to tight end Justin Thompson. The Golden Flashes wouldn’t score again.

No. 3 Alabama 27 at No. 20 Penn State 11 (9/10/11)

Alabama’s first test of the season didn’t poise a problem for the Crimson Tide, who used a fake punt to take a first-quarter lead it would not relinquish.

With Penn State leading 7-0 late in the first quarter, Alabama tight Brad Smelley received the snap and rushed for a yard on fourth down. Smelley converted a first down to keep a drive alive, leading to an AJ McCarron touchdown pass to tie the game 7-7.

The Crimson Tide ripped the Nitanny Lions for a total of 31 unanswered points before Penn State stopped the bleeding late in the fourth quarter. Silas Redd scored from one-yard out with 1:53 left in the game after Alabama had built a sizeabe lead.

No. 2 Alabama 41 vs. North Texas 0 (9/17/11)

Alabama got its first shut out of the season thanks to running backs Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy, who combined for five touchdowns on the day.

Richardson reached the end zone three times on runs of four yards, 58 yars and 71 yards. Lacy punched in touchdowns from 43 and 67 yards. Together, the duo set a school record by rushing for more than 160 yards each.

North Texas knocked on the door of the end zone in the final minutes, but a fourth-down pass by quarterback Andrew McNulty from the three-yard line was incomplete.

The Mean Green converted just five-of-17 rushing yards and finished with 169 total yards compared to Alabama’s 586.

No. 2 Alabama 38 vs. No. 12 Arkansas 14 (9/24/11)

Alabama won its 20th straight Southeastern Conference season opener by holding an Arkansas offense previously averaging 517 yards a game to just 226 yards.

The Crimson Tide handed Arkansas its first loss of the season, scoring with seven different players. Michael Williams, Dennis Johnson, DeQuan Menzie, Marquis Maze, Trent Richardson, Eddie Lacy and Jeremy Shelly all put points on the board for Alabama.

Arkansas rushed for only 17 yards compared to Alabama’s 197, most of it coming from junior Trent Richardson, who rushed for 126.

Trailing 31-14 in the third quarter, Arkansas took advantage of an unnecessary roughness penalty on Alabama linebacker Don’t’a Hightower to drive to the Crimson Tide 44-yard line. But running back Dennis Johnson moved backward on fourth-and-one, turning the ball over on downs.

Alabama running back Eddie Lacy scored on a four-yard run on the next series, sealing the 38-14 win.

Alabama 38 vs. No. 12 Florida 10 (10/1/11)

Running back Trent Richardson rushed for a career-high (at the time) 181 yards and two touchdowns to pace Alabama in its second-straight SEC win of the season.

Alabama used a second-quarter surge to take the lead against Florida after trading scores with the Gators in the first quarter.

Florida got on the board first with a 65-yard pass from John Brantley to Andrew Debose. The two teams traded field goals before tying the game 10-10 after a five-yard touchdown run by Richardson.

It wasn’t a pretty night for Brantley, who threw an interception returned 45 yards for a touchdown by Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw. Brantley later injured his knee on a sack before halftime and was replaced by freshman quarterback Jeff Driskel.

Florida completed only two first downs in the second half without Brantley and wouldn’t threaten again, as Alabama added touchdown runs by Richardson and Eddie Lacy in the fourth quarter.

Alabama 34 vs. Vanderbilt 0 (10/15/11)

A slow start for Alabama didn’t matter as the Commodores failed to capitalize on four trips to the Crimson Tide side of the field in the first half.

Vanderbilt missed two early field goals and lost starting quarterback Larry Smith to a back injury before halftime. He was replaced by Jordan Rodgers, who completed 11-of-18 attempts for 104 yards and two interceptions.

Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron threw two touchdown passes to give the Crimson Tide a 14-0 lead going into the locker room. He added two more in the third and fourth quarter to finish 23-of-30 for 237 yards and four touchdowns on the day.

Vanderbilt’s defense couldn’t stop the Tide’s surge in the second half and Alabama scored three straight times. The Crimson Tide recorded its second shutout of the season for the first time since 2008 with the win.

Alabama 52 at Ole Miss 7 (10/15/11)

Ole Miss struck first with a one-yard Jeff Scott run with 12:38 left in the first quarter.

But that would be the only scoring the Rebels did all night.

Alabama running back Trent Richardson continued to add to his stat line, rushing for 183 yards and four touchdowns in a rout of Mississippi.

The going was slow early for Alabama, who held only a 17-7 lead at halftime after two runs by Richardson and a 24-yard field goal by Jeremy Shelley.

But two more runs by Richardson early in the third quarter put Alabama up by a sizeable score of 31-7 as the Crimson Tide found its rhythm. Alabama forced two turnovers, sacked Ole Miss quarterback Randall Mackey five times, and executed a goal line stand in the second half to damper the Rebels’ hopes of an upset. Ole Miss rushed for only 28 yards in the blowout.

Alabama 37 vs. Tennessee 6 (10/22/11)

The Alabama crowd was already shouting chants of “LSU” before the game was over.

Perhaps thinking ahead to the showdown already, Alabama was deadlocked with Tennessee 6-6 at halftime. Neither team scored a touchdown in the first half, putting points on the board off the legs of their kickers.

Tennessee scored first with 3:58 left in the first half after a 40-yard Michael Palardy field goal. Alabama responded with two start field goals by Jeremy Shelly before Palardy tied the game up again.

The tie didn’t last long, as 31 straight unanswered points by Alabama and a 280-41 yard difference in the second half put the game away for the Crimson Tide.

Alabama racked up 437 yards of offense compared to Tennessee’s 155, and converted 19 first downs to the Volunteers’ six.

Alabama running back Trent Richardson scored two touchdowns and ran for 77 yards, ending a six-game streak of 100-yard rushing games.

No. 2 Alabama 6 vs No. 1 LSU 9 (11/5/11)

The “Game of the Century” proved to be worth its hype as the Tigers and the Crimson Tide slugged it out in a defensive battle. Miles didn’t pull out any tricks this time, instead relying on the leg of junior kicker Drew Alleman, whose 25-yard field goal sent LSU home the winner in overtime.

Alabama missed field goals of 44 and 50 yards in the first quarter and had a 49-yard field goal blocked in the second. A five-yard penalty and a sack of quarterback AJ McCarron drove Alabama back 10 yards in overtime, before the Crimson Tide missed a final field goal—a 52-yarder. A 15-yard run by Ford during LSU’s overtime possession set up the winning kick for the Tigers.

Alabama drove to the LSU 28-yard line at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but LSU sophomore safety Eric Reid leapt into the air to rip away a halfback pass thrown by wide receiver Marquis Maze. Reid and tight end Michael Williams grappled for the ball at the goal line and Reid ripped the ball away in the air. LSU moved forward only eight yards on the following possession, but a 73-yard punt by Wing flipped the field for the Tigers. Neither team could get past midfield during the next three possessions and the game went to overtime.

Alabama 24 at Mississippi State 7 (11/12/11)

Alabama’s field goal woes didn’t end after missing four in a loss to LSU.

Alabama missed two field goals in the first half and scored only one touchdown in the first half in a slow start for the Crimson Tide. Mississippi State drove to the four-yard line late in the first half after Cameron Lawrence intercepted a pass by AJ McCarron. But the following three plays lost yardage, leading to a missed foal goal to end the drive.

The Bulldogs refused to be shaken loose until the fourth quarter, when a two-yard run by running back Trent Richardson gave the Tide a 17-0 lead.

Mississippi State responded with a 12-yard pass from Tyler Russell to Chris Smith to cut the lead to 10. The Bulldogs couldn’t get into the end zone again, and Alabama running back Eddie Lacy put the game out of reach with a 32-yard touchdown run.

Mississippi State finished with just 12 rushing yards for the game.

No. 3 Alabama 45 vs. Georgia Southern 21 (11/19/11)

Two second-quarter touchdowns gave Georgia Southern a fighting chance, but the Eagles couldn’t keep pace with Alabama as the two teams traded touchdowns.

Georgia Southern burned the Crimson Tide for 341 total yards and 21 points on Senior Day at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The Eagles scored on a Dominique Swope 82-yard run, a 39-yard pass from quarterback Jaybo Shaw to Johnathan Bryant, and a 95 yard kickoff return by Laron Scott.

Alabama got the early jump with a 32-yard field goal by Jeremy Shelly and a 55-yard return by cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick on a blocked field goal.

Junior running back Trent Richardson also scored three times, once on a pass from quarterback AJ McCarron, to go along with 175 rushing yards.

Alabama 42 at Auburn 14 (11/26/11)

There would be no repeat of last season’s Iron Bowl this time.

Auburn came back from a 24-point deficit last year to defeat Alabama 28-27 and eventually win the BCS National Championship Game. This time, the Crimson Tide grabbed the lead early and kept it.

A fumble recovery in the end zone was the only bright spot for Auburn, who quickly found itself in a 14-0 deficit after two AJ McCarron passes in the first quarter.

McCarrron threw a total of three touchdowns and running back Trent Richardson rushed for 203 yards to pace the Tide, who built up a 24-7 halftime lead.

Auburn got as close as 35-14 after an 83-yard kickoff return by Onterio McCalebb in the beginning of the third quarter. But Alabama responded with 18 straight points to close out the game.

NEW YORK (AP)—St. John’s is finally healthy and starting to play like the team that was ranked in the preseason Top 25.

Eugeneia McPherson scored 16 points and Nadirah McKenith had 15 to help St. John’s upset No. 14 Louisville 72-64 on Sunday. Shenneika Smith added 11 points for the Red Storm (10-6, 2-1 Big East), who have won nine straight at home.

“It’s very nice to have a lot more options out there,” McPherson said. “All the pieces of the puzzle are together now and it makes it easier for each one of us.”

Senior Da’Shena Stevens is still working her way back from an offseason injury to her left knee that forced her to miss the first 10 games of the season. Just when the Red Storm got her back, McKenith went down with a right knee injury. The junior point guard missed three games.

Now they are both back and that has meant three straight wins and a renewed confidence.

“We talked about when we got them back, it’s a new year—new season,” St. John’s coach Kim Barnes Arico said. “We know we’re in a little bit of a hole, but hopefully we can impress the NCAA committee and win basketball games.”

The game was a homecoming for Louisville freshman Bria Smith, who starred down the road at perennial power Christ the King H.S. She scored the Cardinals’ first seven points and finished with 17 before fouling out with 4:39 left.

“It felt good playing back in New York,” Bria Smith said. “My family and everyone was here, it just didn’t turn out the way I would have liked it to (getting a win).”

Becky Burke scored 19 points to lead Louisville (13-3, 2-1), which had won its last six games.

Trailing 37-34 after Burke’s 3-pointer, St. John’s scored 14 of the next 20 points to take a 48-43 lead with 9:10 left. Stevens had five points during the run, including the final two free throws. Louisville could only get within three points the rest of the game.

Neither team had more than a five-point lead for the first 30 minutes.

After St. John’s took a 48-43 lead, Louisville crept back within three, the Red Storm scored seven straight points, including a 3-pointer by Smith to seal the win.

Shoni Schimmel, Louisville’s leading scorer, had a rough day from the field, scoring just eight points on 4-of-18 shooting.

“St. John’s did a real nice job on her,” Louisville coach Jeff Walz said. “She missed some shots in the lane and she’s normally going to knock those down.”

Like St. John’s, Louisville has its own injury issues. Junior Tia Gibbs was lost in the season opener to a shoulder injury and senior Monique Reid’s season ended just eight games in after hurting her left knee.

Even without them the Cardinals have put together a strong start to the season. Walz’s team has already played 10 road games this season.

“It feels like we’ve traveled a third of the way around the world,” Walz said. “We traveled 8,000 miles. I put together the schedule with the thought that we’d have Tia and Monique. Our schedule’s been tough.”

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Detroit Lions hardly looked like a playoff neophyte.

Matthew Stafford threw two touchdown passes, New Orleans was slowed by pair of uncharacteristic fumbles, and Detroit built a surprising 14-10 lead over the Saints at a raucous Superdome on Saturday night.

Stafford went to Will Heller for a 10-yard touchdown on Detroit’s opening possession, then connected with Calvin Johnson on a 13-yard score, sending the Lions to the locker room with a lead in their first postseason appearance since 1999.

Record-setting Saints quarterback Drew Brees was 17 of 21 for 174 yards, and Darren Sproles tied the score 7-7 early in the second quarter with a 2-yard touchdown run. But New Orleans’ high-powered offense, which lost an NFL-low five fumbles during the regular season, coughed it up twice in the opening half.

Marques Colston was stripped of the ball at the Detroit 13 on the Saints’ first possession, and Brees later had the ball knocked away just before his right arm went forward trying to get off a pass. The Lions failed to move after either of the turnovers, but at least they avoided the full wrath of a Saints’ offense that averaged 34.2 points a game.

Stafford was 14 of 22 for 180 yards by halftime, with Johnson hauling in five of those passes for 74 yards.

Detroit’s dynamic duo quickly silenced the crowd with a 22-yard completion on the second snap of the game. Then, on third-and-7 from the Saints 48, the quarterback made the first of four straight completions for double-digit yardage, connecting with Titus Young for 15 yards with the fans roaring again and the Saints blitzing. That was followed by an 11-yard completion to Young, a 12-yarder to Johnson and the scoring pass to the tight end, who sneaked off the line in the middle of the field and wasn’t covered. Heller hauled in the pass at the 4 and got to the end zone before the defense could close in.

On the drive, Stafford completed all but one of his six throws for 70 yards.

New Orleans looked just as unstoppable on its opening possession. Brees immediately went to Devery Henderson for a 23-yard pass, Sproles broke off a 14-yard run and the Saints were at the Lions 31. Brees hooked up with Colston on a 13-yard pass, but the receiver was stripped of the ball by Stephen Tulloch. Justin Durant fell on it at the Detroit 18 to stifle the drive.

After a Lions punt, Pierre Thomas broke off a 31-yard run and Sproles took it around left end for the tying touchdown on third-and-1 at the Detroit 2.

Back came Detroit, reclaiming the lead with an 87-yard drive that started and ended with the familiar Stafford-to-Johnson combination. From his 13, Stafford connected with his favorite receiver for an 18-yard gain. After a 21-yard throw to Nate Burleson moved the Lions deep into New Orleans territory, Johnson slipped past Malcolm Jenkins and hauled in the scoring pass in the left corner of the end zone.

Brees had the ball slapped away by Willie Young just before his arm went forward, and Durant scooped it up at the Detroit 38 for his second recovery of the game. But the Saints caught a break — an inadvertent whistle halted the play, costing Durant a chance to take off with the ball and a clear path to the end zone.

New Orleans drove for John Kasay’s 24-yard field goal on the final play of the half, after a 12-yard pass to Colston that was initially ruled a touchdown was overturned after a video review. The receiver tried to control the ball with his right hand after a leaping grab, but the replay showed it hit the turf.

The Saints went unbeaten at home during the regular season for the first time in their 45-year history and romped into the playoffs on an eight-game winning streak, having matched their franchise-best regular-season record (13-3) from their 2009 Super Bowl campaign.

Brees passed for 5,476 yards and completed more than 71 percent of his throws as New Orleans set an NFL mark for total offensive yards with 7,474.

Detroit won 10 games and made the playoffs just three seasons after a historic 0-16 campaign. The Lions were led by Stafford, who became only the fourth quarterback in NFL history to eclipse 5,000 yards passing in a single season, and receiver Johnson, the league leader with 1,681 yards receiving. The towering receiver also led the NFC with 16 TD catches.

Just as the Saints were an inspiration to hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, the Lions have boosted morale in Michigan, a state synonymous with economic hardship.

The Lions, seeking their first playoff victory since 1991, were a 10-point underdog but gave New Orleans one of its tougher games this season, losing 31-17 on Dec. 4. The outcome might have been closer if not for a slew of penalties that cost the Lions more than 100 yards; they also played without ferocious defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, safety Louis Delmas and cornerback Chris Houston, all back for the playoffs.

The LSU band got a big cheer when it played at halftime, two nights before the top-ranked Tigers and No. 2 Alabama face off in the BCS championship game on the same field.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Explosive returner Joe Adams had one last big highlight to help No. 7 Arkansas end a record-tying season in tall Cotton.

All-SEC quarterback Tyler Wilson was well short of the record passing performance he had earlier this season at Cowboys Stadium, but did throw two touchdown passes after Adams’ fourth punt return for a TD and the Razorbacks beat No. 11 Kansas State 29-16 in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night.

The Razorbacks (11-2) matched a school record with their 11th victory. Their only losses were to No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama, their SEC West rivals who will play for the BCS national championship Monday night.

“Joe Adams has made big plays for us all year long,” Wilson said. “We were struggling offensively until he sparked us. Great players make big plays, and he definitely got his.”

Adams’ 51-yard return early in the second quarter gave the Razorbacks a 10-0 lead before they even gained a first down. It was the first punt return for a touchdown in the Cotton Bowl in 51 years.

“It was another one of those where you just go, Wow!” coach Bobby Petrino said. “You could see when he made the catch he had in mind what he was going to do. We got some good blocks. … Joe showed great acceleration, made another spectacular play for us.”

Adams matched the SEC single-season record with his four punt return TDs. The senior receiver, who had five catches for only 22 yards Friday, was the only FBS player this season with multiple punt returns for TDs, along with rushing and receiving scores.

After fielding the ball near midfield, Adams took a few steps back before squirting through a gap past several defenders. He got all the way to the opposite sideline and got his path cleared by one last block from Javontee Herndon downfield.

“It obviously made a major difference,” Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said. “We knew he’s a talented player. We knew that he could make you miss him. …. The players were probably tired of me talking about being able to contain Joe Adams and not let him bounce the ball outside. Sure enough he bounced it outside.”

The last punt return for a touchdown in the Cotton Bowl also was by a Razorback, when Lance Alworth had a 49-yard return in a 7-6 loss to Duke in the 1961 game.

The only other 11-win seasons for the Razorbacks were by the Lou Holtz-coached team in 1977 and coach Frank Broyles‘ only undefeated season at Arkansas in 1964. They won 10 games last season with a Sugar Bowl appearance.

“To get this program consistently in the top 10, in BCS bowl games, great bowl games like the Cotton Bowl, hopefully in the top five in the country with 11 wins, it means so much to me personally, and to this group of seniors,” defensive end Jake Bequette said. “It’s just been such a fun ride.”

A member of that 1964 team that won the Cotton Bowl over Nebraska was Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys owner who attended the game in his $1.2 billion stadium that opened in 2009. He was part of a loud crowd of 80,956.

Kansas State also was trying to match its school record with 11 victories, but still finished a surprising season in Snyder’s second Wildcats turnaround. K-State won 11 games six times during a seven-year span in Snyder’s first tenure before his three-year retirement, and almost reached that mark again in his third season back.

Wildcats quarterback Collin Klein tied the Big 12 record with his 27th rushing touchdown this season and matched the FBS record for quarterbacks.

After being held to 15 yards on 12 carries in the first half, Klein finished the opening drive of the third quarter with a 6-yard TD run that got the Wildcats to 19-16. That came after Klein had a 15-yard run on the previous play.

That matched the Big 12 record for rushing touchdowns held by 1998 Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams of Texas. The only other FBS quarterback with 27 rushing touchdowns in a season was Ricky Dobbs for Navy in 2009.

Klein finished with 42 yards on 24 carries, while completing 16 of 30 passes for 173 yards.

The Razorbacks played their second game at Cowboys Stadium this season, three months after they overcame an 18-point halftime deficit to beat Big 12 team and future SEC foe Texas A&M 42-38.

In the return trip, Arkansas led the Big 12 opponent at halftime and had mostly throttled Klein and the Kansas State offense. It was the first game for new Razorbacks defensive coordinator Paul Haynes, who was hired in December after Willy Robinson resigned.

Wilson, who threw for a school-record 510 yards in that Oct. 1 game at Cowboys Stadium, was 20 of 31 for 216 yards against Kansas State. Jarius Wright, who had 13 catches for a record 287 yards against the Aggies, and three catches for 88 yards and a 45-yard TD in the Cotton Bowl.

The Cotton Bowl was the only non-BCS game with both teams in the top 15 of the Bowl Championship Series standings — Arkansas came in sixth, Kansas State eighth. It also is the only bowl featuring the SEC vs. the Big 12, the top two conferences in the BCS computer rankings.

The Razorbacks didn’t even get a first down until 12½ minutes left in the first half when Dennis Johnson opened a drive with a 28-yard run. That drive ended with the second of Zach Hocker‘s three field goals, a 22-yarder.

Arkansas led 19-0 when Wilson threw a 45-yard TD pass to Jarius Wright with 4 minutes left in the first half.

Kansas State, which has lost its last four bowl games since beating Arizona State in the 2002 Holiday Bowl, blocked the extra point and Nigel Malone returned it for two points.

It was 19-9 at halftime after Klein threw a 3-yard TD pass to Andrew McDonald with 26 seconds left in the first half. That score was set up after Wilson was sacked by Adam Davis and fumbled at the Razorbacks 13.

Wildcats defensive end Meshak Williams was injured at the end of the first half, when he made helmet-to-helmet contact with Emmanuel Lamur when both were trying to tackle Wilson, who put his head down to avoid the hit.

Williams remained down on the field for several minutes being tended to by medical personnel and then placed on a stretcher. He gave a thumbs-up signal when being placed on a cart, then when he was being driving off the field extended his right arm high and flashed a Wildcat sign.

Kansas State officials said after the game that Williams had already been released from the hospital and was going back to the hotel to join the team. They said he was moving all extremities and doing OK.

Arkansas led 3-0 after Bequette sacked Klein and forced a fumble, setting up Hocker’s 26-yard field goal.

Tenarius Wright, the Razorbacks’ other defensive end, jumped over a pile to recover the loose ball at the Kansas State 13.

Klein’s fumble came on a second-and-33 play after a sequence that started with his 20-yard run to inside Arkansas territory being wiped out by an illegal shift penalty. He was sacked on the next play before a holding call and a false start pushed the ball all the way back to the 20.

“We got off to an awfully bad start and really couldn’t overcome the damage that we did,” Snyder said. “And most of it was pretty obvious.”

The Cotton Bowl is sponsored by AT&T.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Explosive returner Joe Adams had one last big highlight to help No. 7 Arkansas end a record-tying season in tall Cotton.

All-SEC quarterback Tyler Wilson was well short of the record passing performance he had earlier this season at Cowboys Stadium, but did throw two touchdown passes after Adams’ fourth punt return for a TD and the Razorbacks beat No. 11 Kansas State 29-16 in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night.

The Razorbacks (11-2) matched a school record with their 11th victory. Their only losses were to No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama, their SEC West rivals who will play for the BCS national championship Monday night.

“Joe Adams has made big plays for us all year long,” Wilson said. “We were struggling offensively until he sparked us. Great players make big plays, and he definitely got his.”

Adams’ 51-yard return early in the second quarter gave the Razorbacks a 10-0 lead before they even gained a first down. It was the first punt return for a touchdown in the Cotton Bowl in 51 years.

“It was another one of those where you just go, Wow!” coach Bobby Petrino said. “You could see when he made the catch he had in mind what he was going to do. We got some good blocks. … Joe showed great acceleration, made another spectacular play for us.”

Adams matched the SEC single-season record with his four punt return TDs. The senior receiver, who had five catches for only 22 yards Friday, was the only FBS player this season with multiple punt returns for TDs, along with rushing and receiving scores.

After fielding the ball near midfield, Adams took a few steps back before squirting through a gap past several defenders. He got all the way to the opposite sideline and got his path cleared by one last block from Javontee Herndon downfield.

“It obviously made a major difference,” Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said. “We knew he’s a talented player. We knew that he could make you miss him. …. The players were probably tired of me talking about being able to contain Joe Adams and not let him bounce the ball outside. Sure enough he bounced it outside.”

The last punt return for a touchdown in the Cotton Bowl also was by a Razorback, when Lance Alworth had a 49-yard return in a 7-6 loss to Duke in the 1961 game.

The only other 11-win seasons for the Razorbacks were by the Lou Holtz-coached team in 1977 and coach Frank Broyles’ only undefeated season at Arkansas in 1964. They won 10 games last season with a Sugar Bowl appearance.

“To get this program consistently in the top 10, in BCS bowl games, great bowl games like the Cotton Bowl, hopefully in the top five in the country with 11 wins, it means so much to me personally, and to this group of seniors,” defensive end Jake Bequette said. “It’s just been such a fun ride.”

A member of that 1964 team that won the Cotton Bowl over Nebraska was Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys owner who attended the game in his $1.2 billion stadium that opened in 2009. He was part of a loud crowd of 80,956.

Kansas State also was trying to match its school record with 11 victories, but still finished a surprising season in Snyder’s second Wildcats turnaround. K-State won 11 games six times during a seven-year span in Snyder’s first tenure before his three-year retirement, and almost reached that mark again in his third season back.

Wildcats quarterback Collin Klein tied the Big 12 record with his 27th rushing touchdown this season and matched the FBS record for quarterbacks.

After being held to 15 yards on 12 carries in the first half, Klein finished the opening drive of the third quarter with a 6-yard TD run that got the Wildcats to 19-16. That came after Klein had a 15-yard run on the previous play.

That matched the Big 12 record for rushing touchdowns held by 1998 Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams of Texas. The only other FBS quarterback with 27 rushing touchdowns in a season was Ricky Dobbs for Navy in 2009.

Klein finished with 42 yards on 24 carries, while completing 16 of 30 passes for 173 yards.

The Razorbacks played their second game at Cowboys Stadium this season, three months after they overcame an 18-point halftime deficit to beat Big 12 team and future SEC foe Texas A&M 42-38.

In the return trip, Arkansas led the Big 12 opponent at halftime and had mostly throttled Klein and the Kansas State offense. It was the first game for new Razorbacks defensive coordinator Paul Haynes, who was hired in December after Willy Robinson resigned.

Wilson, who threw for a school-record 510 yards in that Oct. 1 game at Cowboys Stadium, was 20 of 31 for 216 yards against Kansas State. Jarius Wright, who had 13 catches for a record 287 yards against the Aggies, and three catches for 88 yards and a 45-yard TD in the Cotton Bowl.

The Cotton Bowl was the only non-BCS game with both teams in the top 15 of the Bowl Championship Series standings – Arkansas came in sixth, Kansas State eighth. It also is the only bowl featuring the SEC vs. the Big 12, the top two conferences in the BCS computer rankings.

The Razorbacks didn’t even get a first down until 12 1/2 minutes left in the first half when Dennis Johnson opened a drive with a 28-yard run. That drive ended with the second of Zach Hocker’s three field goals, a 22-yarder.

Arkansas led 19-0 when Wilson threw a 45-yard TD pass to Jarius Wright with 4 minutes left in the first half.

Kansas State, which has lost its last four bowl games since beating Arizona State in the 2002 Holiday Bowl, blocked the extra point and Nigel Malone returned it for two points.

It was 19-9 at halftime after Klein threw a 3-yard TD pass to Andrew McDonald with 26 seconds left in the first half. That score was set up after Wilson was sacked by Adam Davis and fumbled at the Razorbacks 13.

Wildcats defensive end Meshak Williams was injured at the end of the first half, when he made helmet-to-helmet contact with Emmanuel Lamur when both were trying to tackle Wilson, who put his head down to avoid the hit.

Williams remained down on the field for several minutes being tended to by medical personnel and then placed on a stretcher. He gave a thumbs-up signal when being placed on a cart, then when he was being driving off the field extended his right arm high and flashed a Wildcat sign.

Kansas State officials said after the game that Williams had already been released from the hospital and was going back to the hotel to join the team. They said he was moving all extremities and doing OK.

Arkansas led 3-0 after Bequette sacked Klein and forced a fumble, setting up Hocker’s 26-yard field goal.

Tenarius Wright, the Razorbacks’ other defensive end, jumped over a pile to recover the loose ball at the Kansas State 13.

Klein’s fumble came on a second-and-33 play after a sequence that started with his 20-yard run to inside Arkansas territory being wiped out by an illegal shift penalty. He was sacked on the next play before a holding call and a false start pushed the ball all the way back to the 20.

“We got off to an awfully bad start and really couldn’t overcome the damage that we did,” Snyder said. “And most of it was pretty obvious.”

The Cotton Bowl is sponsored by AT&T.

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