Flynning High

Flynn will now be able to spread his
wings in Seattle.

Strike two for the Miami Dolphins.

Already having been turned down by Peyton Manning, Miami lost out on the Matt Flynn sweepstakes Sunday, watching him sign a three-year, $26 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks.

It has been reported the deal is made up of $10 million guaranteed.

Flynn's decision to sign with Seattle does come as a surprise considering his connection to the Dolphins newly hired head coach. In January, Joe Philbin was named the tenth head coach in franchise history after nearly a decade long stay at Lambeau Field, including the last five as the team's offensive coordinator.

The 26-year-old quarterback was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2008, serving as Aaron Rodgers' backup and studying under Philbin since.

However, it appears his tie to Seattle's general manager John Schneider goes deeper than his relationship with Philbin. Schneider was a member of the Green Bay front office when Flynn was drafted out of Louisiana State University.

Schneider left the Packers to become the Seahawks GM prior to the start of the 2010 season and now taking Flynn with him. It just took him two years.

Flynn caught the eyes of many on two different occasions.

With Rodgers recovering from a concussion, Flynn nearly lead Green Bay to an improbable victory over the New England Patriots on Dec. 19, 2010. Flynn completed 24-of-37 passes, throwing for 251, three touchdowns and an interception. He came within five points of ending the Patriots', at the time, impressive 15-game regular season home winning streak -- a streak that was snapped at 20 this past season by the New York Giants on Nov. 6.

In Week 17 this year, with the No. 1 seed in the NFC all wrapped up, head coach Mike McCarthy decided to rest Rodgers for the postseason and give Flynn only his second career NFL start and last as a Packer.

Facing the Detroit Lions, Flynn battled Matthew Stafford in a high-scoring affair that each of them throw five touchdowns. In fact, Flynn threw a career-high six, broke Lynn Dickey's single-game franchise record with 480 passing yards and more importantly won the game, 45-41.

Stafford's 520 yards made him only the fourth quarterback in history to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a single season, finishing with 5,038.

Flynn will now battle six-year veteran Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job.

Jackson spent his first five seasons as a Minnesota Viking, constantly fighting for playing time before signing a two-year deal with Seattle prior to the start of last season.

Since it was Jackson's first year as a full-time starter, he set career highs in numerous offensive categories, including interceptions (13), touchdowns (14), games (15), yards per game (206.1), completions (271), attempts (450) and yards (3,091).

He also looked to shed his label as a runner and make himself a passer.

In 2007, at the time, Jackson played in a career-high 12 games and carried the ball 54 times for 260 yards and three scores compared to this season when he ran the ball just 40 times.

These two guys are ready to compete.

Hasselbeck led Seattle to some-
where they had never been.

If Flynn becomes the franchise's next successful quarterback, he won't be the first coming from Green Bay as a backup.

Matt Hasselbeck, who spent this past season as manning the huddle for the Tennessee Titans, was Brett Favre's backup for the first two years of his career before being traded to the Seahawks in 2001. Hasselbeck spent a decade in Seattle, including leading the franchise to their first Super Bowl appearance in which they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-10.

The Seahawks are hoping for more of the same and now Flynning high.

Grab-kowski

Gronkowski has enjoyed the best season by a
tight end in NFL history.

In what has been a record-breaking season for New England Patriots' tight end Rob Gronkowski, the 6-foot-6 second-year player can add to his already impressive resume.

Less than an hour after New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, who is also in his second year in the NFL, broke Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow's 1980 single-season mark of 1,290 receiving yards for a tight end and increasing his total to 1,310, Gronkowski answered the bell.

With 1:30 remaining in the Patriots' final game of the regular season and it well in hand, Bill Belichick and Co. decided against taking a knee and give the 22-year-old a chance at history. Gronkowski was on the receiving end of a 22-yard pass play from second-string quarterback Brian Hoyer, pushing the former Arizona Wildcat's total to 1,327 on the year, ending Graham's brief reign at the top.

Gronkowski finished the game with 8 catches, two of those coming in the end zone and 108 yards. As for Graham, he also caught 8 passes, but just fell short of the century mark with 97 yards receiving.

Earlier this season, Gronkowski broke the NFL record for most receiving touchdowns in a single-season by a tight end. He finishes this season with 17 receiving touchdowns and 18 total TDs. The mark had been previously held by San Diego's Antonio Gates, who caught 13 TD passes in 2004, and was later tied by San Francisco's Vernon Davis in 2009.

It was just a week ago that Gronkowski surpassed Ben Coates (1,174) for the most yards by tight end in the franchise's history. Coates set his mark back in 1994 with Bill Parcells at the helm and Drew Bledsoe under center.

Gronkowski is only the seventh tight end in history to surpass 1,200 yards in a season and now has 27 TDs in 33 career games, including the postseason. He caught 21 TDs in his first 27 games in the NFL. That is the fewest games ever needed by tight end to reach that mark.

It's not the first time a receiver has flourished under the dynamic duo of Belichick and Tom Brady.

Recently retired wideout Randy Moss caught a record 23 TD passes in his first season (2007) with the Pats, while Brady threw for a NFL record 50 TDs that same season.

Speaking of Brady, just a week after Saints quarterback Drew Brees broke Hall of Famer Dan Marino's  27-year single-season passing yardage record, Brady followed suit. Needing just 188 yards entering Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills to accumulate the second most passing yards in NFL history, Brady passed for 338, bringing his total to 5,235.

At the time, Brady became only the third quarterback in league history to pass for over 5,000 yards in a single season.

Detriot's Matthew Stafford also decided to crash the party, becoming the fourth in history to join the elusive club, passing for 520 yards in his team's 45-41 loss to the Green Bay Packers and finishing the year with 5,038. Marino and Brees are obviously the other two, but Brees is the only quarterback to do so twice. In 2008, the future Super Bowl MVP also tossed for 5,000 yards, passing for 5,069.

As for the team, New England turned the tables on Buffalo and overcame a 21-point first half deficit, scoring 49 unanswered points. It was in Week 3 that the Patriots held a 21-0 lead only to have the Bills come all the way back and hand them there first loss of the season, 34-31.

The win captures the No. 1 seed in the AFC for New England and home-field advantage throughout the postseason, ensuring the road to Super Bowl XLVI goes through Foxobrough.

The Comeback Kids

Johnson, left and Stafford, right stormed back
in the second half Sunday.

After a thrilling second half performance, that saw them overcome a 20-0 halftime deficit, last week at Minnesota, the Detroit Lions did much of the same Sunday in Dallas. Detroit found themselves down 17-0 in the second quarter and 20-3 at the break against America's Dallas Cowboys.

Tony Romo, who was fresh off back-to-back second half comebacks on his own, look good early, utilizing an effective running game with Felix Jones and hooking up with the second-year receiver Dez Bryant for two first half touchdowns.

But it was the contributions of wide-out Laurent Robinson, filling in for the injured Miles Austin, that got Romo in a rhythm early.

Robinson finished the game with 116 yards catching 7 of the 10 balls thrown his way.

The Cowboys opened the third quarter with a 6-play 46-yard drive that resulted in a 1-yard touchdown pass from Romo to tight end Jason Witten, increasing their lead 27-3. The Lions perfect start was in serious jeopardy with their defense reeling.

Rob Ryan's defense forced a Detroit punt, putting Romo and Co. back on the turf, looking for more. Instead former Cowboy cast-off Bobby Carpenter intercepted the Dallas signal caller and took it to the house for the Lions' first touchdown. The very next possession, Romo threw his second pick-6 in less than five minutes, this time courtesy of cornerback Chris Houston.

Rookie kicker Dan Bailey would add his third field goal of the game for Dallas, making the lead 30-17, but Detroit roared back outscoring the Cowboys 17-0 in the fourth quarter, showcased by two Calvin Johnson touchdown receptions from quarterback Matthew Stafford, completing yet another second half, double-digit comeback, 34-30.

Although the Lions' defense was shaky at the start, they were the key to success late without any many contributions from their Pro Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

The Cowboys offensive line held Suh in check, having him record 3 tackles and only one of those going for a loss. It was the inconsistent play of Romo, who threw 3 second half interceptions, that handed Dallas their first home loss of the season and second overall.

Romo finished the game 34 for 47, 331 yards, 3 TD and 3 INT.

Despite being pressured most of the game,
Romo was able to protect his fractured ribs
only being hit twice and sacked once.

The Cowboys final seven possessions of the game consisted of three interceptions, two of those coming on the first play of the drive, a field goal, two punts, and a turnover on downs. Compare that to their first seven possessions when they turned five of them into scoring drives.

The loss drops the Cowboys 2-2 on the young season, good enough for third-place in the highly contested NFC East, behind the first-place Washington Redskins and New York Giants.

For the Lions, they are now 4-0 for the first time since 1980 and find themselves tied atop the NFC North with the defending Super Bowl champion, Green Bay Packers. What's most impressive about Detroit's perfect start is three of their four wins have come on the road. They will start a three-game home stand in the Motor City next week, welcoming in the division-rival Chicago Bears.

If Stafford, who went to the same high school as the last quarterback, Bobby Layne, to bring a championship to Detroit, can stay healthy, the Lions look prime to make their first playoff appearance since 1999.

Veteran offensive tackle Jeff Backus, who has played his entire 11-year career in Detroit, called last weeks 26-23 OT victory over the Vikings the greatest game of his career. That might have been true considering he hadn't won in the Metrodome in his last thirteen trips.

He might want to rethink that, now.