Stafon Johnson continues another comeback from injury

Stafon Johnson apparently has another comeback in him.

The Tennessean reported Thursday that the Titans running back ran at full speed for the first time since August, when a disastrous spate of injuries ended his rookie season.

Johnson made a third-quarter catch during the Titans' Aug. 14 preseason opener, but Seattle Seahawks defensive back Kam Chancellor hit him high and spun him around, forcing the running back to land on his right leg.

The visual was so gruesome that then-Titans coach Jeff Fisher believed the rookie's shoe simply had come off and was being held on by some loose tape. In fact, Johnson wound up with a dislocated right ankle, broken fibula and high ankle sprain -- and a dream deferred.

This after Johnson's senior season at USC ended in September 2009 after a barbell crushed his neck and larynx, leaving him to learn how to talk again and trying to play his way into the NFL as an undrafted free agent.

It has been a long, lonely road back for Johnson, but his recent progress in workouts during the NFL lockout have him encouraged.

"I feel awesome, and I feel great about the opportunity in front of me," said Johnson, who isn't 100 percent yet but is ahead of schedule in his recovery. "I still have some work to do. But I'm really anxious to get back there and prove what I can do once again. I think I proved myself a little bit last year, and now I am just going to go for it and try and finish out a season."

Johnson, who rushed for 1,552 yards and 19 touchdowns in four years at USC, spent last season working with the Titans' training staff and has since teamed with trainer Travelle Gaines at Athletes' Performance in Los Angeles.

"What this kid has been through, he is so darn tough," Gaines said. "The average person would've probably quit by now, but he is back and he is going to be back and stronger than ever."

The 5-foot-11 Johnson has reduced his weight from 237 pounds to 220, and Gaines said: "He's working his butt off. I don’t know how long the lockout is going to last, but he'll be ready to go for the Titans."

Johnson is under contract with the Titans through 2011, but Fisher's departure after last season clouds the running back's future. Johnson believes he has a supporter in new coach Mike Munchak, who was the Titans' offensive line coach last season.

"Coach Munchak knows what I can do," Johnson said. "I feel like I can get a fair shot, and that is all I want. I just want to show everybody I can be back to the running back that I was before and be a great back in the NFL. I've had some bad luck, but I am motivated and confident. I'll be ready to go."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Jackson caps Eagles' historic comeback with electrifying punt return

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Call it "The Great Escape."

Michael Vick engineered it. DeSean Jackson capped it. And the Philadelphia Eagles have control of the NFC East firmly in their hands because of it.

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Jackson scored on a 65-yard punt return on the last play of the game and the Eagles scored a team-record 28 points in the final 7:28 to stun the New York Giants 38-31 and take over first place in the NFC East.

"By far, this is one of the greatest comebacks of my career, being down by such a huge deficit," Vick said after accentuating his candidacy for the MVP award by throwing for two touchdowns and running for another in the incredible late rally that all but clinched the division for the Eagles (10-4).

"We were able to come back in a short period of time," added Vick, who threw for 242 yards and three touchdowns overall and ran for a game-high 130 yards. "It's outstanding. I give a lot of credit to my teammates. I have to thank God for the opportunity but it was, by far, one of the best."

The win gave the Eagles a sweep of the season series with New York (9-5). They need to either win one of their final two home games (Minnesota or Dallas) or have New York lose one of its two road games (Green Bay or Washington).

For Giants fans it brought back memories of "The Fumble" by Joe Pisarcik, the giveaway that allowed another group of Eagles to steal a late win in 1978 when all New York had to do was take a knee.

The loss left Giants coach Tom Coughlin so angry he threw his notes as Jackson backed into the end zone on his only punt return of game.

"I've never been around anything like this in my life," Coughlin said. "It's about as empty as you get to feel in this business, right there."

Until the rally, Jackson was more worried about making the playoffs.

"I probably don't even realize how big it is," said Jackson, who battled a foot injury all week and told coach Andy Reid only to use him on punt returns if the game was on the line.

Reid gave him the signal -- a whistle -- before the last punt to get on the field. The rest is the final chapter in the great escape.

"This is a special one," Reid said. "It was an exciting one. It was as exciting for you guys. It was a great day to be a Philadelphia writer."

Atlanta clinched a playoff spot with the Giants' loss.

Jackson's winning return came with game seemingly headed for overtime with 14 seconds to play.

Rookie Matt Dodge, who had been instructed to punt the ball out of bounds, got a high snap and hurried to get his kick off. He hit a line drive kick that Jackson bobbled at his 35. Once he regained control, Jackson broke through the initial wave of coverage and sped down the right sideline. It was apparent he was about to score, but instead of simply going into the end zone, he danced along the goal line before going in with zeros showing on the clock.

"I always try to do something out of the ordinary," Jackson said. "I probably would have dove in from the 12-yard line if I could. I knew nobody was going to catch me. I look to do things for excitement. The fans pay for that. I just wanted to bring that out of them."

As Jackson scored, the Eagles jumped on each other in a celebration they never could have expected. They were victimized by Eli Manning's four touchdown passes, including an 8-yarder to Kevin Boss with 8:17 to play for a 31-10 lead.

This loss could cripple the Giants' playoff hopes. They need to win out to clinch a postseason berth and the Packers' game will be crucial, especially because the final playoff spot might come down to head to head with New York and Green Bay.

Vick started the comeback with a 65-yard scoring pass to tight end Brent Celek on which the Eagles caught defensive end Justin Tuck in coverage.

New York fell asleep on the ensuing kickoff and Riley Cooper recovered David Akers' onside kick, a play on which the kicker may have been offside. A 13-yard pass to Jackson and a 35-yard run by Vick set up the quarterback's 4-yard TD run with 5:28 to go, cutting the lead to 31-24.

New York had a chance to run out the clock, getting to a second-and-6 at the Eagles 38. However a procedure penalty forced a punt and the Eagles tied the game with an eight-play, 88-yard drive that featured scrambles of 33 and 22 yards by Vick. He eventually capped the series with a 13-yard pass to Jeremy Maclin with 1:16 to go.

"When you are a part of it as long as I have been, you see a lot of crazy things," Giants' 11-year veteran linebacker Keith Bulluck said. "We had control the whole game, but that is why this game is so great. You have to play for 60 minutes, because in those 60 minutes anything can happen."

It did, and the Eagles made it happen in what has been a sensational season for Vick a little more than a year and a half after being released from federal custody for his part in a dogfighting ring.

The Giants dominated the opening half, outgaining the Eagles' top-ranked offense 222-74. Vick was under constant pressure, sacked twice, hit about a half-dozen other times and limited to six completions for 33 yards and only his fifth interception of the season.

Manning was given time by his line and made the most of it, leading New York on touchdown drives of 71, 73 and 8 yards, the last coming when Maclin lost a fumble late in the half and safety Kenny Phillips returned the ball to the Philadelphia 8 with :09 to go.

Manning found Nicks in the right corner 4 seconds later for a 24-3 halftime lead.

Manningham, limited all week in practice because of a hip flexor, showed up big-time on game day, catching touchdown passes of 35 and 33 yards to open a 14-3 lead.

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Philadelphia's defense set up its first three points. Darryl Tapp tipped a pass and Quintin Mikell intercepted at the Giants 45. An 11-yard scramble by Vick and a personal foul gave the Eagles a first down at the 19. They got a 34-yard field goal by Akers.

Manning made up for the mistake on the next series, capping a 73-yard drive with the 33-yard pass to Manningham, who motored the final 20 yards after Dimitri Patterson slipped.

NOTES: The punt return TD was the fourth of Jackson's career. ... The Eagles have rallied to win four of their last five games, outscoring opponents 79-21 in the fourth quarter of that span. It was the ninth time in NFL history a team trailed by 21 points in the fourth quarter and won the game, and the first by the Eagles. Their 28 fourth-quarter points were the most in team history.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Woodhead keeps contributing as Pats withstand Colts comeback attempt

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- A little guy who came out of nowhere overshadowed the NFL's biggest stars.

Sure, Tom Brady outdueled Peyton Manning in their annual meeting, a 31-28 New England victory over Indianapolis on Sunday. Yet it was Danny Woodhead, a 5-foot-8 running back from Division II Chadron State, who got most of the attention -- if you could find him. The Colts couldn't.

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Woodhead, picked up when the Jets cut him in September, scored on a weaving 36-yard burst, showing power, speed and agility. Seconds after his brilliant third-quarter run, Woodhead made a sensational tackle on the ensuing kick return, drawing as many cheers as he did while scooting into the end zone.

"I do everything to make the play, whether I'm a runner, a receiver or on a kickoff," said Woodhead, who kiddingly asked if he could have a step-stool the next time he was required to speak at a podium. "Maybe (I carry) a little chip, but I'm not too worried what everybody thinks about my size, weight or height. My worry is about doing my job, whatever that might be."

His job is being versatile, something his teammates appreciate.

"He can kind of hide behind the guys, but on the special teams that just shows you what type of football player he is," said Deion Branch, who caught seven passes for 70 yards. "He scores a touchdown, comes back in and makes a play on special teams and we needed it at the time."

New England also needed Brady's pinpoint passing. He was brilliant for the second straight week, coming off a 350-yard, three-touchdown performance against Pittsburgh. Brady had only six incompletions in 25 passes and threw for two TDs as the Patriots built a 17-point lead and held on.

The win kept the Patriots (8-2) tied with the Jets atop the AFC East; they meet in two weeks.

Brady not only beat four-time MVP Manning, the only other quarterback of the last decade in his class, but tied another QB icon for an NFL mark. Brady has won 25 straight regular-season home starts, equaling Brett Favre's record when he was with Green Bay.

Perfectionist that he is, Brady felt the Patriots let it get too close before James Sanders' interception at the New England 6 with 31 seconds remaining clinched the win.

"Any time you play these guys, you've got to play to the end," Brady said. "Certainly in the fourth quarter we had some opportunities to go up three touchdowns on them, a couple of other third downs which we could've converted."

When they didn't, four-time MVP Manning pounced.

"We were in an uptempo mode the last seven minutes," Manning said. "We almost scored three touchdowns. But you're playing against the clock."

Manning blamed himself for the throw that didn't come close to reaching Pierre Garcon before Sanders grabbed it.

"I feel sick about it," he said. "About not extending the game, not executing to give (placekicker Adam) Vinatieri a chance for a field goal. It was a bad throw."

Indy (6-4 and atop the AFC South) had beaten the Patriots in five of the last six matchups. The Colts, who won their first 14 games a year ago en route to the AFC title, are so banged-up -- they were without five key players Sunday -- that considering them a Super Bowl contender right now might be a reach, even with Manning's magic.

Manning finished 38 of 52 for 396 yards, four TDs and three interceptions.

He got the Colts within 31-28 with 4:46 left on an 18-yard pass to Blair White, who earlier in the fourth period caught a 5-yard TD toss. And Manning brought them within range of a stunning win before Sanders' pick.

"I haven't beaten those guys in a while," Sanders said, "and it seems like we always get ahead, get a nice lead and they always come back at the end."

Manning's inaccuracies early on were costly. He misfired high several times, including a throw to White that sailed directly to safety Brandon Meriweather. A 39-yard runback set up the Patriots at the Indy 32 and, four players later, Brady hooked up with Wes Welker over the middle for a 22-yard score.

Unable to apply any pressure on Brady, the Colts' defense then was torn apart on a 15-play, 82-yard drive capped by rookie Aaron Hernandez's 8-yard TD catch.

Then Manning found his touch, despite consecutive brutal drops by Reggie Wayne and Austin Collie. Indy converted three third downs, including some nimbleness by Manning to avoid the pass rush and float a completion to Donald Brown for 25 yards. The TD came to third-string tight end Gijon Robinson -- hardly surprising considering all of the Colts' injuries -- from the 1. Robinson's second catch of the season got him his first career touchdown.

But the Colts' defense again was no match for the precise Brady, who guided a 65-yard drive to BenJarvus Green-Ellis' 5-yard scoring run. New England scored on all three possessions in the first half.

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Not that Manning flinched. He took Indianapolis 85 yards, 77 on passes to Wayne, including a perfect spiral over cornerback Kyle Arrington for an 11-yard touchdown with 4 seconds left in the half, and Indy trailed only 21-14 at the half.

Woodhead's TD and Shayne Graham's 25-yard field goal were just enough in the second half.

Notes: Green-Ellis rushed for 96 yards and Woodhead had 69 in support of Brady. ... The win lifted Bill Belichick into a tie for 11th place in coaching victories with 171, moving ahead of Hall of Famer Paul Brown and equaling Joe Gibbs. ... Manning's 38 completions were his second most in a game, behind only the season-opening loss to Houston when he completed 40 passes.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Freeman completes Bucs' comeback victory

TAMPA, Fla. -- Josh Freeman led another fourth-quarter comeback, throwing a 1-yard touchdown pass to Cadillac Williams with 10 seconds remaining Sunday to give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers an 18-17 victory over the St. Louis Rams.

Connor Barth kicked four field goals for the Bucs (4-2), who trailed 17-3 before battling back to surpass their win total for last season.

Rookie quarterback Sam Bradford threw two short touchdown passes, and Steven Jackson became the Rams' all-time leading rusher before things unraveled for St. Louis (3-4). Jackson finished with 110 yards on 22 carries, hiking his career total to 7,324 yards.

Freeman, who's in his second NFL season, has led fourth-quarter rallies in five of seven career victories.

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