Happ finishes close second in ROY voting

For much of the season, it looked like J.A. Happ would be the National League Rookie of the Year winner. Then, along came Tommy Hanson, who garnered a lot of attention, but wound up on the DL, hurting his chances. Later, Chris Coghlan started to take the spotlight away from Happ and everyone else in the National League.   Full Story

Taking a game off didn't please receiver Anquan Boldin, but coach Ken Whisehunt hopes the rest means he can count on Boldin for an entire game. Boldin has been playing through a high ankle sprain for nearly a month now, and he didn't finish games against the Giants and Panthers.   Full Story

It's amazing how the perception of a team can change 180 degrees in a week. After their victory over the Giants in Week 7, the Cardinals appeared to be on course for another NFC West title. It was their third consecutive victory, their biggest regular-season road win in years, and they were 4-2 with a so-called "easy" schedule ahead.   Full Story

Receiver Anquan Boldin has limped through the past three games after suffering a sprained ankle against the Texans on Oct. 11. Boldin deserved considerable credit for playing through the injury, but it might be time to give him a week off. He hasn't been able to finish the past two games, and the injury likely won't improve much until he gives it some rest.   Full Story

What did we learn about the Chicago Bears after a 30-6 W over Derek Anderson and the pitiful Browns at Soldier Field? Start with these five observations made straight from the press box.   Full Story

In this exclusive audio feature at BearReport.com, listen to what Chicago Bears linebacker Nick Roach had to say in the locker room after a 30-6 win over the Cleveland Browns at Soldier Field.   Full Story

Will Browns coach Eric Mangini lose a wink of sleep wondering if the Chicago Bears start Frank Omiyale or Josh Beekman at left guard? Uh, no, he won't. So why is Lovie Smith being so secretive?   Full Story

The Arizona Cardinals knocked off the New York Giants 24-17 at Giants Stadium on Sunday night and handed Eli Manning his first loss at home this season. The Cardinals improve to 4-2, while the Giants move to 5-2 with their second-straight loss. More importantly, the Cardinals took away the Giants swagger and added a big-time morale booster for themselves.    Full Story

With the 2009 minor league season finally in the books, it is time for us to bestow our awards on the best individual performances for 2009. In the third of our series, we hand out the awards for the top players and pitchers for the Oakland A's short-season affiliates.   Full Story

With the Phillies headed for the post-season, why wait to consider if J.A. Happ will win the Rookie of the Year honors. Follow along as we handicap the top candidates for the top rookie honor.   Full Story

The Chicago Bears arrived at training camp with linebacker probably their deepest position on the roster, but injuries have totally torn the unit apart. Fortunately, young players like Nick Roach have stepped up and are doing the job. Get the Inside Slant from the NFL experts at Scout.com.   Full Story

The Giants started the season with more defensive linemen than they knew what to do with. With the potential absences of both Justin Tuck and Chris Canty Sunday in Tampa Bay, their depth is possibly going to be tested a lot earlier than expected.   Full Story

The San Diego Chargers are off to a fast start in the standings (1-0), but their slow start on Monday against the Oakland Raiders has the team altering its approach for its game versus the Baltimore Ravens. SDBoltReport.com spoke with D-linemen Jamal Williams and Luis Castillo to get their perspectives.   Full Story

The list of former coaches blasting Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler is getting longer. Initially it was Tony Dungy, and now we have Jim Mora and Mike Martz being added to the mix. Nevertheless, players and coaches alike are defending Cutler. Get the Inside Slant from the NFL experts at Scout.com.   Full Story

The Chicago Bears made a move Monday, sending Brian Urlacher to injured reserve and then signing Tim Shaw. What kind of a linebacker is Shaw? Can he be any help to a battered defense? Bear Report consults with Jaguars expert Charlie Bernstein for some Scout.com insider analysis.   Full Story

The Chicago Bears had to cut a few awfully good football players in order to get down to the league limit of 53 on Saturday, but they were able to bring back seven of them Sunday. After passing through the waiver process, the majority of the '09 practice squad has now been established.   Full Story

The Arizona Cardinals face their last preseason test on Thursday against the Denver Broncos. Here are how the preseason battles are shaping up.   Full Story

Matt Leinart launched the Arizona Cardinals into a preseason comeback for the ages against the Green Bay Packers on Friday at home. But the Packers used the Cardinals second onside kick attempt against them, when Ruvell Martin scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 39-yard return with five seconds left on the clock to give the Packers a 44-37 win. The Cardinals move to 0-3 in the preseason.   Full Story

One of the biggest questions for the Cardinals entering this season is whether they can produce a consistent pass rush. They lack an elite rusher on the roster or any guy who could be penciled in for double-digit sacks. If two preseason games mean anything, the Cardinals are going to attempt to get a pass rush from multiple sources using a variety of blitzes.   Full Story

CHICAGO – The Giants got out of their first preseason game with a victory and no injuries, the perfect combination. They weren't as fortunate in last night's 17-3 loss to the Bears at Soldier Field, as reserve defensive tackle Jay Alford had to be carted off the field with what the Giants are hoping is nothing more than a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee.   Full Story

The preseason practices for the Mississippi State football team have been a unique experience. They've practiced on the MSU south farm in front of a few cows while spending their nights in a hotel. Then they begin their regular practices by spending two hours under the lights of the practice fields. At least one player has enjoyed the experience.   Full Story

With a computer science degree from Northwestern and a fastball that tops out in the 70s, professional baseball didn't seem a likely option for former NU walk-on Chris Hayes. But Hayes has used his brains – and perplexing delivery – to overcome his decided lack of brawn, and now he finds himself on the brink of the majors.   Full Story

The undrafted 5-foot-8 running back is turning heads and defying stereotypes during training camp. One of those who are impressed is offensive coordinator Joe Philbin.   Full Story

Mississippi State cornerbacks coach Melvin Smith talks about his freshman cornerback, Johnthan Banks.   Full Story

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is set to become a very rich young man. The market has been set on elite quarterbacks, when the New York Giants came to terms with Eli Manning on a six-year extension reported by the Associated Press to be worth $97.5 million and including $35 million in guaranteed money.   Full Story