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FILE – In this Jan. 1, 2012 file photo, Oakland Raiders head coach Hue Jackson looks down on the field during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers in Oakland, Calif. A person with knowledge of the situation says the Raiders have fired coach Jackson after one season and a disappointing 8-8 record. ESPN first reported Jackson’s firing. The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012, because the move had not yet been announced ahead of the Raiders’ scheduled 2 p.m. PST news conference to introduce new general manager Reggie McKenzie. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

FILE – In this Jan. 1, 2012 file photo, Oakland Raiders head coach Hue Jackson looks down on the field during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers in Oakland, Calif. A person with knowledge of the situation says the Raiders have fired coach Jackson after one season and a disappointing 8-8 record. ESPN first reported Jackson’s firing. The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012, because the move had not yet been announced ahead of the Raiders’ scheduled 2 p.m. PST news conference to introduce new general manager Reggie McKenzie. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

FILE – In this Dec. 4, 2011 file photo, Oakland Raiders head coach Hue Jackson reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, in Miami , Fla. A person with knowledge of the situation says the Raiders have fired coach Jackson after one season and a disappointing 8-8 record. ESPN first reported Jackson’s firing. The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012, because the move had not yet been announced ahead of the Raiders’ scheduled 2 p.m. PST news conference to introduce new general manager Reggie McKenzie.(AP Photo/Hans Deryk, File)

Reggie McKenzie answers questions during his introduction as the general manager of the Oakland Raiders NFL football team, during a news conference in Alameda, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Reggie McKenzie, right, shakes hands with Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis during his introduction as the team’s new general manager during an NFL football news conference in Alameda, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. The Raiders fired coach Hue Jackson after one season. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) ? Reggie McKenzie made clear on his first day as Raiders general manager that there’s a new regime in Oakland.

Soon after officially signing his contract to be the first general manager since longtime owner Al Davis’ death, McKenzie fired coach Hue Jackson in a bold first move as he looks to give the organization a fresh start.

“There comes a time when change is necessary,” McKenzie said Tuesday. “For the Raiders the time is now. The Raiders organization, with respect and deference for all its tradition and history, is about to embark on a new era.”

The era will begin without Jackson, who was fired after going 8-8 in his first season as head coach. McKenzie wanted to bring in his “own guy” to rebuild the organization.

Finding that coach will be the first major task for McKenzie, who also must bulk up the personnel department and evaluate the roster in what promises to be a busy offseason.

Owner Mark Davis said McKenzie will decide on the new coach and the personnel decisions, with the coach ultimately reporting to the general manager.

That’s a major change from how the organization was run before Davis’ father, Al, died of heart failure on Oct. 8. Al Davis made all the major decisions when he was in charge of the team, with many of those now falling to McKenzie as Mark Davis focuses on finding a new stadium and other off-field issues.

“Change happened on October 8th,” Davis said. “”The one thing I know is what I don’t know. The one thing I did know was I needed to bring the right people in here. … My feeling always has been that if my father wasn’t here we needed someone to run that football side of the building. I needed to find the right person. I truly believe that Reggie McKenzie is the right man for this job.”

McKenzie had spent the past 18 years in the front office of the Green Bay Packers, last serving as director of football operations. He was well-respected for his role in helping to build a Super Bowl championship team with the Packers and also had ties to the Raiders, having played linebacker for four years with the team in the 1980s.

Many of his former teammates were on hand at the news conference introducing him.

“Guys, this is where I came from. I’m back home now. I’m back home,” he said. “As soon as Mark told me ‘We want you for the job’ I couldn’t, you know, I couldn’t stop smiling.”

Davis said he had targeted McKenzie as his desired general manager in the weeks after his father’s death and noted it was awkward when he ran into him at the Raiders’ game in Green Bay last month. About an hour after Oakland’s season ended, Davis had the organization formally request permission from the Packers to interview McKenzie.

They sat down for a six-hour interview last Wednesday, with former Raiders coach John Madden assisting Davis. They quickly finalized the deal and McKenzie signed it Tuesday morning.

He then immediately fired Jackson, marking a rapid fall for the man who was in charge of personnel decisions and coaching after Davis’ death.

Jackson made the trade for quarterback Carson Palmer after starter Jason Campbell broke his collarbone, costing the Raiders a 2012 first-round draft pick and a conditional 2013 second-rounder.

While Palmer showed signs of giving the Raiders a big-time quarterback, he was unable to get Oakland to the playoffs for the first time since 2002, raising questions about how effective that trade was.

After starting the season 7-4, the Raiders lost four of their final five games to mark their ninth straight season without a winning record or a playoff berth. A late-game collapse at home against Detroit on Dec. 18 and a 38-26 loss to San Diego at home in the season finale did in the Raiders and ultimately Jackson.

Jackson joined the Raiders as offensive coordinator in 2010 under head coach Tom Cable and engineered a dramatic improvement as Oakland more than doubled its point total and improved to 8-8. That helped him get the job when Davis decided not to retain Cable.

The offense wasn’t quite as effective with Jackson as head coach, with injuries to star running back Darren McFadden, receiver Jacoby Ford and Campbell played a role in the decline.

But the biggest problems this past season were an inability to curb the team’s propensity for penalties and on the defensive side of the ball. The team committed 163 penalties for 1,358 yards, setting records in both categories, as Jackson was unable to instill the discipline he promised.

The Raiders also had franchise worsts in touchdown passes allowed (31), yards per carry (5.1), yards passing (4,262) and total yards (6,201), while giving up the third-most points (433) in team history.

Oakland joined this season’s Tampa Bay team as two of the four teams to allow at least 30 TD passes and 5.0 yards per carry in a season, a distinction achieved previously by only the 1950 Baltimore Colts and 1952 Dallas Texans. The Raiders also became the sixth team since the 1970 merger to allow at least 2,000 yards rushing and 4,000 yards passing in a season.

The new coach will be Oakland’s seventh in the past 10 seasons, following Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, Art Shell, Lane Kiffin, Cable and Jackson.

____

AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-10-Raiders-Jackson/id-532c61d44b4d449f978291dd222762fa

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Green Bay Packers running back Ryan Grant (25) gets past Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston (50) during the second half of an NFL football game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Green Bay Packers running back Ryan Grant (25) gets past Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston (50) during the second half of an NFL football game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy talks with coaches in the booth during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws under pressure from Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Travis Daniels (34) during the second half of an NFL football game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) ? Mike McCarthy never put a whole lot of stock in a perfect season, except as a means of gaining home-field advantage and setting the Green Bay Packers up for another Super Bowl run.

Well, they still have a chance to earn home-field advantage.

The perfect season? That’s history.

Kyle Orton threw for 299 yards to outduel Aaron Rodgers, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied behind interim coach Romeo Crennel for a shocking 19-14 victory on Sunday that ended the Packers’ 19-game winning streak. It was their first loss since Dec. 19, 2010, at New England.

“I personally always viewed the undefeated season as, really, just gravy,” McCarthy said. “The goal was to get home-field advantage and win the Super Bowl. That’s what we discussed.

“We were fortunate enough to be in the position to possibly achieve the undefeated season,” he added, “but we still have the primary goal in front of us, and that’s to get home-field advantage.”

Green Bay, playing without leading receiver Greg Jennings and top rusher James Starks because of injuries, can wrap up the No. 1 seed in their final two games against Chicago and Detroit. But the Packers no longer have the pressure of becoming the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with a perfect record, or extending the second-longest winning streak in league history.

“I think our goal ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl. The next step is getting that number one seed in the playoffs,” Rodgers said. “We’ve got a home playoff game ? we’ve got a bye secured.”

Rodgers was 17 of 35 for 235 yards and a touchdown, and he also scampered 8 yards for another touchdown with 2:12 left in the game. But the Packers (13-1) were unable to recover the onside kick, and Kansas City picked up a couple of first downs to secure the victory.

“They had a good game plan,” Rodgers said. “You have to give them credit.”

Ryan Succop kicked four field goals for Kansas City (6-8), which had lost five of its last six games and fired coach Todd Haley last Monday. Jackie Battle added a short touchdown plunge with 4:53 left in the game, points that came in handy when Rodgers led one last scoring drive.

“Everybody had marked it off as a win for the Packers, but those guys in the locker room, they’re football players,” Crennel said. “They decided they were not going to lay down, they were not going to give up, so they went out and played a tremendous game.”

Neither team looked all that tremendous in the first half.

Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson was hit twice with offensive pass interference, Rodgers was harassed by the Chiefs’ weak pass rush, and Green Bay wound up making five first downs.

One of them came when Kansas City’s Jeremy Horne ran into Packers punter Tim Masthay, giving them 15 free yards. The Chiefs tried to give Green Bay another gift later on the drive when Mason Crosby missed a 59-yard field goal attempt but Kansas City had 12 men on the field.

With another chance from 54 yards, the normally reliable Crosby still pushed the kick right.

Rodgers finished the half 6 of 17 for 59 yards, with a handful of drops between wide receiver Donald Driver and tight end Jermichael Finley. In fact, things were going so badly for Green Bay that at one point it ran out of the wildcat despite having one of the best quarterbacks in the game.

The Chiefs were still clinging to a 6-0 lead when Rodgers finally hit down field, finding Finley over top the coverage for a 41-yard gain. Three plays later, the Packers’ star quarterback hit Driver in the corner of the end zone for a 7-6 lead with 8:04 left in the third quarter.

Kansas City answered when Orton hit his own tight end, Leonard Pope, for a career-long 38-yard catch. Jon Baldwin added a 17-yard grab to set up Succop’s 46-yard, go-ahead field goal.

The Packers moved into field-goal range on their ensuing drive, but rather than have Crosby attempt a 56-yard kick in the same direction he had already missed, McCarthy elected to go for it on fourth-and-9. Rodgers’ pass fell incomplete and the Chiefs took over.

They needed seven plays to cover 59 yards, but had to settle for another field goal and a 12-7 lead. It was the third time the Chiefs drove inside the 5 and had six total points to show for it.

They got seven on their next trip, though.

With first-and-goal at the 5, Thomas Jones managed to gain a yard and Le’Ron McClain bulled ahead for three more, setting up third down from just outside the goal line. Battle took the carry over the right side and powered into the end zone, giving the woeful Kansas City offense its highest-scoring game since the Chiefs beat San Diego in overtime in late October.

The Packers marched down field in the closing minutes, and Rodgers showed his moxie by scampering around the end for a touchdown that made it 19-14, but that was as close as they got.

Green Bay came into the game averaging nearly 36 points, but was held to its lowest total since beating the Chicago Bears 10-3 in Week 17 last year. The Packers needed to win that game to make the playoffs, and wound up riding the momentum to a Super Bowl victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

All that momentum finally came to an end against the most unlikely of scenarios.

“We set the tone on both sides of the ball,” Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson said. “This is the great thing about football. You can’t always look at the records, because you’ve got grown men out there who are all getting paid. You don’t have to be better on paper.

“If you’re better on that given Sunday, you’ll get the win.”

Notes: Succop has made 21 consecutive field goals. … Palko was inactive for Kansas City. … The Chiefs wound up having the ball for 36:11, while Green Bay had it for 23:49. … Kansas City won despite going 1 for 5 in the red zone. … Packers OL Derek Sherrod broke his leg in the fourth quarter. He was playing in place of Bryan Bulaga, who went down with a knee strain.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-18-Packers-Chiefs/id-932d0b2a4d204713a52224e3f125a60e

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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson (10) catches a pass in front of New York Giants cornerback Corey Webster (23) during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson (10) catches a pass in front of New York Giants cornerback Corey Webster (23) during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz (80) is tackled by Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Joselio Hanson (21) during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Philadelphia Eagles’ LeSean McCoy (25) is tackled by New York Giants free safety Antrel Rolle (26) during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Brent Celek (87) is tackled by New York Giants linebacker Spencer Paysinger (55) and teammate Dave Tollefson (71) during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

New York Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich (58) tackles Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy (25) during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011 in East Rutherford, N.J. Herzlich, a cancer survivor, was not drafted and made the Giants as a free agent. He is starting in the middle for fellow rookie Greg Jones. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) ? The Philadelphia Eagles finally got it right in the fourth quarter, and it’s no surprise they did it against the New York Giants.

Subbing for the injured Michael Vick, Vince Young threw a go-ahead 8-yard touchdown pass to Riley Cooper with 2:45 to play and the undermanned Eagles posted a 17-10 victory over the Giants in what was a must-win game for Andy Reid’s struggling team Sunday night.

The Eagles (4-6) had lost five games in the fourth quarter this season but found the solution this time with an 80-yard, 18-play march over 8:51 that sent the Giants (6-4) to their second straight loss.

Philadelphia converted six third-down plays with DeSean Jackson setting up the first-and-goal with a 10-yard catch to the 10, and Young capping it with his second touchdown pass of the game to a wide-open Cooper, who came in without a catch this season.

Jackson, who was benched for last week’s game for missing a team meeting, finished with six catches for 88 yards. Cooper had five receptions for 75 yards.

The Eagles, of course, made Reid sweat out the final minutes. Eli Manning, who tied it with a 24-yard TD pass to Victor Cruz earlier in the quarter, drove the Giants from their own 10 to the Eagles 21 with the final 47 yards coming on a catch-and-run by Cruz with 1:25 to play.

However, Manning stepped out of the pocket on the next play and was hit from behind by Jason Babin and fumbled. Derek Landi recovered at the 26, sending the Giants to their second straight excruciating loss to the Eagles and second consecutive tough loss overall.

It dropped New York into a tie for first place with Dallas in the NFC East with six games to play and left the Eagles two games behind. The Cowboys beat the Redskins in overtime after Washington missed a game-winning field-goal attempt.

It also marked the second straight year the Eagles rallied late to beat New York at the Meadowlands with last year’s 38-31 decision coming in a game that Philadelphia rallied from 21 points down late.

Young was 23 of 36 for 258 yards and two touchdowns, and LeSean McCoy had 113 yards rushing ? with 60 coming on a game-sealing scamper in the closing moments.

While Young made several big plays to spark the Eagles’ offense, he also threw three interceptions, the most costly being one that Aaron Ross picked off in the end zone on a second and 9 from the New York 16 with Philadelphia ahead 10-3 with 5 minutes left in the third quarter.

New York eventually tied it early in the fourth quarter on a 24-yard TD pass from Manning to Cruz. It was set up two plays earlier when Manning rolled out of the pocket and found Hakeem Nicks for a 47-yard gain on third down to the Eagles 24.

Manning was 18 of 35 for 264 yards, and Cruz had six catches for 128 yards. The Giants’ running game failed to get going, rushing for just 29 yards.

The first half was typical of an Eagles-Giants meeting: chippy, intense, hard-fought and, not surprisingly, ugly.

If there was a surprise, it was that the defenses dominated. The norm was Jackson taunting the Giants in more ways than one, including one that cost the Eagles a 50-yard pass completion.

Jackson set up both of the Eagles’ scores in the first half. He caught a 32-yard pass early in the second quarter to set up a 33-yard field goal by Alex Henery and then brought back excruciating memories from last season with a 51-yard punt return that was a carbon copy of his winning 65-yard punt return on the final play of the Eagles’ 38-31 Meadowlands Miracle, a game Philadelphia rallied from a 21-point deficit in the final seven-plus minutes.

What made the return so eerie was that Jackson fielded Steve Weatherford’s punt at his own 35, circled right and then ran down the sideline in front of the Giants’ bench ? the same thing he did last season. The only difference was Weatherford pushed him out of bounds at the 14; Matt Dodge was the Giants’ punter last season.

It didn’t matter. One play later, Young found former Giants receiver Steve Smith cutting under the zone and he easily outran linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka into the end zone with 1:22 left in the half.

It was enough time for Manning to get the Giants on the board. A 21-yard pass to Cruz on the first play got the ball the 41 and a late 10-catch by running back D.J. Ware on a play in which he suffered a concussion set up Lawrence Tynes’ 48-yard field goal.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-11-21-FBN-Eagles-Giants/id-19cc749efb46435e81961ec707b6530e

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