10 Winners and Losers From the Past Week in the NFL

As usual, several NFL players, coaches and teams have been in the headlines this week either for positive reasons or for negative publicity. Here’s a look at 10 players or situations that fall into either the winning or losing category for the past week.

The Winners

1. Bruce Arians Has the Best Line of the Week

After multiple attempts by a reporter to try to get Arizona Cardinals’ head coach Bruce Arians to spill the beans and say if the team is interested in running back Adrian Peterson, Arians wasn’t buying. Responding with “That’s Tampering, Dude!” was classic. If only other teams currently tangled in tampering charges could now take a lesson.

2. Rob Gronkowski goes on Epic Spring Break Vacation in Miami

Every time we think Gronk has outdone himself in the fun department, he pulls a fast one like jumping on a yacht. In Miami for the Ultra Music Festival, Gronk took twerking to a whole new level.

3. Brock Osweiler Gets to Play Because Peyton Manning is Old

The Denver Broncos are planning for a heavier dose of backup quarterback Brock Osweiler this year. The reason being is that the team wants to keep its starting quarterback Peyton Manning, who is 39-years-old, healthy and preserved for the entire 2015 season.

How much Osweiler gets to actually touch the football during the regular season remains to be seen. However, with three years of experience amounting to 17 completed passes for 159 yards and one touchdown, why should we be worried?

4. Aaron Rodgers Schools Twitter Crybabies

Green Bay Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers was criticized by a reporter for being down on the court after the University of Wisconsin beat the Arizona Wildcats in the Elite Eight. Furthermore, the reporter had a problem with Rodgers not giving an interview while he took up court space.

Perhaps Rodgers didn’t exactly think it was “his” time to take up the spotlight, so he responded with this.

Questioning an MVP like Rodgers about his credentials to be anywhere, really? Apparently Dennis Dodd got his interview via a Twitter lashing by an extremely sharp-tongued Rodgers who was clearly annoyed by Dodd’s probing.

5. Chip Kelly and his Unusual Support System

Philadelphia Eagles’ head coach Chip Kelly has been behind some of the craziest free agency moves so far this season. Earlier this offseason, he traded running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills and traded quarterback Nick Foles to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for the injury-laden quarterback Sam Bradford. Additionally, Kelly had Tim Tebow out for a visit while letting the team’s No. 1 wide receiver Jeremy Maclin sign with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Meanwhile, Kelly still draws a strong support pool in Maclin himself of all people as well as Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll.

Even the fans support Chip Kelly.

As for everyone who thinks Kelly has completely lost it, they must be in the minority.

The Losers

6. Michael Sam and his Unsuccessful Attempt at the NFL Veteran Combine

Sam, who was originally drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL draft, was released by the team in the final cut last summer. After latching on with the Dallas Cowboys for a bit, Sam was also shown the door in Big D.

Now out of the league altogether, Sam failed to impress teams at the first ever Veteran Combine earlier in March. He clocked several 40-yard dash times that were worse than the 4.91 he registered in his rookie combine.

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Not likely to strike up much interest from potential suitors, Sam would be better off sticking to his Dancing with the Stars gig.

7. Adrian Peterson Seems to be Stuck with the Minnesota Vikings

At the annual NFL owners meetings, head coach Mike Zimmer flat-out said that the team has no plans to trade running back Adrian Peterson. However, Peterson, who currently sits on the NFL Commissioner’s Exempt list, remains hesitant about staying with the Vikings. The Vikings want him, but it’s rather obvious Peterson would rather join another team.

What to do? Jump aboard a camel and rock your 30th birthday.

Hey, at least Peterson has a team who wants him versus being homeless like our next person in the loser category.

8. Ray Rice is Still an Unemployed Free Agent

How many months has Rice been sitting by his phone waiting for a call from a team in need? It has been since his reinstatement back in November that the running back has been “homeless.” Even veterans like Reggie Bush and DeAngelo Williams are getting action.

Apparently Rice carries too much baggage in the domestic violence department, which means that no team wants to be “that team” who decides to put his past actions aside and just give the guy another chance in the NFL. Then again. he’s not of Adrian Peterson’s caliber. Is there really a reason to go out on a limb for him?

9. For a Brief Moment, the New England Patriots 

The Patriots almost lost their star quarterback Tom Brady, who thought it was a brilliant idea to take a terrifying leap off of a Costa Rica cliff into rocky waters. We all know Bill Belichick probably needed a new pair of pants after watching his 37-year-old franchise quarterback play stunt devil on a jump that could have gone terribly bad.

10. Tom Coughlin and his Siri Adventure 

New York Giants’ head coach Tom Coughlin admitted this past week that he does not trust the lady in the GPS. Siri apparently talks too much and Coughlin actually has to consult with his grand children for technical support.

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Shouldn’t Coughlin, with all of his riches and resources, just have a driver anyway? Don’t expect the Giants head man to pull a Joaquin Phoenix and fall in love with the voice of the iPhone.

Photo: USA Today Sports