2007 NFL season 4040359 225057967 2008-07-11T18:04:30Z 72.201.248.48 Replace with SVG version {{Infobox NFL | year = 2007 | NFLchampion = [[New York Giants]] | regular_season = [[September 6]] [[2007]] - [[December 30]] [[2007]] | playoffs_start = [[January 5]] [[2008]] | AFCchampion = [[New England Patriots]] | NFCchampion = [[New York Giants]] | sb_name = XLII | sb_date = [[February 3]] [[2008]] | sb_site = [[University of Phoenix Stadium]], [[Glendale, Arizona]] | pb_date = [[February 10]] [[2008]] }} The '''2007 [[season (sports)|season]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL)''' was the 88th season played by the major professional [[American football]] league in the [[United States]]. Regular-season play was held from [[September 6]] to [[December 30]]. The [[New England Patriots]] became the first team to complete the regular season undefeated since the league expanded to a 16-game regular season in [[1978 NFL season|1978]]. However, four weeks after the [[NFL Playoffs, 2007-08|playoffs]] began on [[January 5]] [[2008]], the Patriots were upset by the [[New York Giants]] in [[Super Bowl XLII]], the league championship game at [[University of Phoenix Stadium]] in [[Glendale, Arizona]] on [[February 3]], 17-14. ==Schedule== On [[March 26]], [[2007]], the league announced the aforementioned opening Saints-Colts Kickoff Game on September 6 that would be telecast on [[NBC]]. Pre-game activities featured Indiana native [[John Mellencamp]], [[Faith Hill]], and [[Kelly Clarkson]]. The entertainment portion of events started 30 minutes earlier than the scheduled start time of the game, leading up to the unveiling of the Colts' [[Super Bowl XLI]] championship banner. The opening events were simulcast on [[NFL Network]]. The [[Dallas Cowboys]] hosted the [[New York Giants]] in the first Sunday night game [[September 9]] at 8:15 p.m. US EDT. [[Monday Night Football]] on [[ESPN]] kicked off with a doubleheader on [[September 10]] with the [[Cincinnati Bengals]] hosting the [[Baltimore Ravens]] at 7:00 p.m. US EDT, and the [[San Francisco 49ers]] hosting the [[Arizona Cardinals]] at 10:15 p.m. US EDT. The 49ers paid tribute to three-time [[Super Bowl]] winning head coach [[Bill Walsh (American football coach)|Bill Walsh]], who died July 30, in that game. For the second year in a row, three games were also held on the United States' [[Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving Day]] ([[November 22]]). In addition to the [[Thanksgiving Classic|traditional games]] hosted by the [[Detroit Lions]] and Cowboys (with those teams respectively playing the [[Green Bay Packers]] and the [[New York Jets]], with the Packers-Lions game starting at 12:30 p.m. US EST and the Jets-Cowboys game kicking off at 4:15 p.m. US EST respectively), the Colts faced the [[Atlanta Falcons]] in the [[Georgia Dome]], with kickoff at 8:15 p.m. US EST. Based on the [[Regular Season (NFL)#Formula|NFL's scheduling formula]], the intraconference and interconference matchups for 2007 were:<ref name="matchups">{{cite book | title=2006 NFL Record and Fact Book | id=ISBN 1-933405-32-5 | pages=16}}</ref> <div style="float:left; width:48%;"> '''Intraconference'''<br> *[[AFC East]] vs. [[AFC North]] *[[AFC West]] vs. [[AFC South]] *[[NFC East]] vs. [[NFC North]] *[[NFC West]] vs. [[NFC South]] </div><div style="float:right; width:48%;"> '''Interconference'''<br> *[[AFC East]] vs. [[NFC East]] *[[AFC North]] vs. [[NFC West]] *[[AFC South]] vs. [[NFC South]] *[[AFC West]] vs. [[NFC North]] </div> <br clear="all" /> ===Hall of Fame Game=== The [[Pro Football Hall of Fame Game|Hall of Fame Game]] was played in [[Canton, Ohio]] on Sunday [[August 5]] [[2007]], with the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] defeating the [[New Orleans Saints|Saints]] by a score of 20-7;<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07218/807333-66.stm | title=Steelers start strong in 20-7 victory | publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | date=2007-08-06 | accessdate=2008-01-28}}</ref> the game was televised by the NFL Network, replacing NBC, who had been previously scheduled to broadcast the [[China Bowl]] exhibition game from [[Beijing, China]]. However, the league postponed that game until 2009. ===Flex scheduling=== The NFL entered its second year of flexible scheduling in the final weeks of the season. In each of the Sunday night contests from Weeks 11 through 17, NBC has the option of switching its Sunday night matchup for a more favorable contest, up to 12 days before the game's start.<ref> The flexible-scheduling policy also allows a shorter time window for changing Week 17 games prior to the game.</ref> In addition to an extra week of flexible scheduling (because of the conflict with scheduling Christmas Eve the previous season, which NBC did not do (instead opting to air a game on Christmas Day)), the NFL slightly changed its flex-schedule procedure. In 2006, the league did not reveal its predetermined Sunday night game; the reason given by the league was to avoid embarrassing the teams switched out for a more compelling game.<ref name="flex2006">{{cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2006-04-05-nfl-scheduling_x.htm | title=Process of game-time decisions will eliminate TV duds, create chaos | publisher=USA Today | author= Hiestand, Michael | date=2006-04-05 | accessdate=2007-04-11}}</ref> In 2007, the league announced all predetermined matchups, with a footnote on the games subject to flex scheduling.<ref name="primesked">{{cite web |url=http://www.nfl.com/schedules/tv/primetime |title=2007 prime-time schedule |publisher=NFL |date=2007-04-11 |accessdate=2007-04-11 }} </ref> Also, the network that carries the "doubleheader" week game (either CBS or FOX) will be able to switch one game per week into the 4:15 PM (US ET) time slot, except in the final week, when NBC will select one game for the 8:15 PM slot, and both CBS and FOX will have doubleheader games on December 30th. The first flex game was the New England Patriots visiting the [[Buffalo Bills]] on [[November 18]]. The next flexing came when it was announced that the [[December 23]] Washington Redskins-[[Minnesota Vikings]] game was moved to 8:15 PM on NBC, replacing the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]-San Francisco 49ers contest, which was moved to 4:05 PM to be aired on FOX. It was announced on December 23rd the [[Tennessee Titans]]-Indianapolis Colts game, originally scheduled for a 1 PM kickoff on CBS, would be the [[December 30]]th "flex game" and airing at 8:15 PM on NBC, replacing the [[Kansas City Chiefs]]-[[New York Jets]] game, which was moved to 4:15 PM on CBS, along with the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]-[[Baltimore Ravens]] contest. Additionally, the Dallas Cowboys-Washington Redskins game was switched on FOX from 1 PM kickoff to 4:15 PM. ===Going global=== In October 2006, NFL club owners approved a plan to stage up to two international regular season games per season beginning in 2007 and continuing through at least [[2011]].<ref name="internationalPlan">{{cite news | url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9752443 | title=Resolution approved for international games | publisher=[http://www.nfl.com/ NFL.com] | date=2006-10-24 | accessdate=2007-01-11}}</ref> On [[February 2]] [[2007]], the league announced that the Week Eight contest between the [[New York Giants]] and the [[Miami Dolphins]] would be played at [[Wembley Stadium]] in [[London]] on [[October 28]] at 5 p.m. [[UTC]], which is 1 p.m. [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EDT]])<ref name="LondontoHost">{{cite news | url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9971024 | title=London to host 2007 regular-season game | publisher=[http://www.nfl.com/ NFL.com] | date=2007-01-16 | accessdate=2007-02-10}}</ref><ref> {{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2751440 |title=Dolphins will host Giants in a game in London |publisher=ESPN.com |date=2007-02-01 |accessdate=2007-02-02 }} </ref> As the Giants were the away-team designate from the [[National Football Conference|NFC]], Fox broadcast the game in the USA according to league broadcast contract rules.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.giants.com/news/eisen/story.asp?story_id=24334 | title=Giants to Face Dolphins in London | author=Eisen, Michael | publisher=Giants.com | date=[[2007-02-02]] | accessdate=2007-09-11}}</ref> The league was scheduled to hold a preseason game <!---The NFL does not take kindly to the words "exhibition game".---> called the [[China Bowl]] on [[August 8]] [[2007]] between the [[New England Patriots]] and the [[Seattle Seahawks]] at [[Workers Stadium]] in Beijing, China. However, with all efforts being put into the London regular season game, plans have been postponed until 2009 as Beijing will host the [[2008 Summer Olympics]]. ==Final regular season standings== {| class="wikitable" | align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"|<small>'''Qualified for playoffs'''</small> |} '''''Clinched playoff seeds are marked in parentheses''''' ''W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against'' <div style="float:left; width:48%;"> {| class="wikitable" cellpadding="3" border="1" |- bgcolor="#FFCCCC" | colspan="8" align="center" | '''AFC East''' |- bgcolor="#efefef" !Team!!W!!L!!T!!PCT!!PF!!PA!!&nbsp; |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |align="left"| (1) [[New England Patriots]] |16||0||0||1.000||589||274 |<small>''[[2007 New England Patriots season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[Buffalo Bills]] |7||9||0||.438||252||354 |<small>''[[2007 Buffalo Bills season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[New York Jets]] |4||12||0||.250||268||355 |<small>''[[2007 New York Jets season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[Miami Dolphins]] |1||15||0||.063||267||437 |<small>''[[2007 Miami Dolphins season|Details]]''</small> |- bgcolor="#FFCCCC" | colspan="8" align="center" | '''AFC North''' |- bgcolor="#efefef" !Team!!W!!L!!T!!PCT!!PF!!PA!!&nbsp; |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |align="left"| (4) [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] {{ref label|AFCNorth1|a|a}} |10||6||0||.625||393||269 |<small>''[[2007 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left" | [[Cleveland Browns]] |10||6||0||.625||402||382 |<small>''[[2007 Cleveland Browns season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[Cincinnati Bengals]] |7||9||0||.438||380||385 |<small>''[[2007 Cincinnati Bengals season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[Baltimore Ravens]] |5||11||0||.313||275||384 |<small>''[[2007 Baltimore Ravens season|Details]]''</small> |- bgcolor="#FFCCCC" | colspan="8" align="center" | '''AFC South''' |- bgcolor="#efefef" !Team!!W!!L!!T!!PCT!!PF!!PA!!&nbsp; |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |align="left"| (2) [[Indianapolis Colts]] |13||3||0||.813||450||262 |<small>''[[2007 Indianapolis Colts season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |align="left"| (5) [[Jacksonville Jaguars]] |11||5||0||.688||411||304 |<small>''[[2007 Jacksonville Jaguars season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |align="left"| (6) [[Tennessee Titans]] {{ref label|AFCSeed6|e|e}} |10||6||0||.625||301||297 |<small>''[[2007 Tennessee Titans season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left" | [[Houston Texans]] |8||8||0||.500||379||384 |<small>''[[2007 Houston Texans season|Details]]''</small> |- bgcolor="#FFCCCC" | colspan="8" align="center" | '''AFC West''' |- bgcolor="#efefef" !Team!!W!!L!!T!!PCT!!PF!!PA!!&nbsp; |- align="center" |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |align="left"| (3) [[San Diego Chargers]] |11||5||0||.688||412||284 |<small>''[[2007 San Diego Chargers season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left" | [[Denver Broncos]] |7||9||0||.438||320||409 |<small>''[[2007 Denver Broncos season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[Kansas City Chiefs]] {{ref label|AFCWest3|d|d}} |4||12||0||.250||226||335 |<small>''[[2007 Kansas City Chiefs season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[Oakland Raiders]] |4||12||0||.250||283||398 |<small>''[[2007 Oakland Raiders season|Details]]''</small> |} </div><div style="float:right; width:48%;"> {| class="wikitable" cellpadding="3" border="1" |- bgcolor="#D0E7FF" | colspan="8" align="center" | '''NFC East''' |- bgcolor="#efefef" !Team!!W!!L!!T!!PCT!!PF!!PA!!&nbsp; |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |align="left"| (1) [[Dallas Cowboys]] |13||3||0||.813||455||325 |<small>''[[2007 Dallas Cowboys season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |align="left"| (5) [[New York Giants]] |10||6||0||.625||373||351 |<small>''[[2007 New York Giants season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |align="left"| (6) [[Washington Redskins]] |9||7||0||.563||334||310 |<small>''[[2007 Washington Redskins season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[Philadelphia Eagles]] |8||8||0||.500||336||300 |<small>''[[2007 Philadelphia Eagles season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center"|- align="center" |- bgcolor="#D0E7FF" | colspan="8" align="center" | '''NFC North''' |- bgcolor="#efefef" !Team!!W!!L!!T!!PCT!!PF!!PA!!&nbsp; |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |align="left"| (2) [[Green Bay Packers]] |13||3||0||.813||435||291 |<small>''[[2007 Green Bay Packers season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" bgcolor= |align="left"| [[Minnesota Vikings]] |8||8||0||.500||365||311 |<small>''[[2007 Minnesota Vikings season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[Detroit Lions]] {{ref label|NFCNorth3|b|b}} |7||9||0||.438||346||444 |<small>''[[2007 Detroit Lions season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[Chicago Bears]] |7||9||0||.438||334||348 |<small>''[[2007 Chicago Bears season|Details]]''</small> |- bgcolor="#D0E7FF" | colspan="8" align="center" | '''NFC South''' |- bgcolor="#efefef" !Team!!W!!L!!T!!PCT!!PF!!PA!!&nbsp; |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |align="left"| (4) [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] |9||7||0||.563||334||270 |<small>''[[2007 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[Carolina Panthers]] {{ref label|NFCSouth2|c|c}} |7||9||0||.438||267||347 |<small>''[[2007 Carolina Panthers season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[New Orleans Saints]] |7||9||0||.438||379||388 |<small>''[[2007 New Orleans Saints season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[Atlanta Falcons]] |4||12||0||.250||259||414 |<small>''[[2007 Atlanta Falcons season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |- bgcolor="#D0E7FF" | colspan="8" align="center" | '''NFC West''' |- bgcolor="#efefef" !Team!!W!!L!!T!!PCT!!PF!!PA!!&nbsp; |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" |align="left"| (3) [[Seattle Seahawks]] |10||6||0||.625||393||291 |<small>''[[2007 Seattle Seahawks season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[Arizona Cardinals]] |8||8||0||.500||404||399 |<small>''[[2007 Arizona Cardinals season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[San Francisco 49ers]] |5||11||0||.313||219||364 |<small>''[[2007 San Francisco 49ers season|Details]]''</small> |- align="center" |align="left"| [[St. Louis Rams]] |3||13||0||.188||263||438 |<small>''[[2007 St. Louis Rams season|Details]]''</small> |} </div><br clear="all"/> ;Tiebreakers *{{note label|AFCNorth1|a|a}} Pittsburgh finished in first place in the AFC North over Cleveland based on a head-to-head sweep. *{{note label|NFCNorth3|b|b}} Detroit finished in third place in the NFC North over Chicago based on a head-to-head sweep over Chicago. *{{note label|NFCSouth2|c|c}} Carolina finished in second place in the NFC South over New Orleans based on a better conference record (7-5 to New Orleans' 6-6).<!--They split season series, both 3-3 within the division, and both 7-7 against common opponents--> *{{note label|AFCWest3|d|d}} Kansas City finished in third place in the AFC West over Oakland based on a better record against common opponents. (3-11 to Oakland's 2-12).<!--They split season series and were both 2-4 in the division--> *{{note label|AFCSeed6|e|e}} Tennessee clinched the AFC #6 seed over Cleveland based on a better record against common opponents. (4-1 to Cleveland's 3-2). <!-- Common opponents were Cincinnati, Houston, N. Y. Jets, and Oakland --> ==Playoffs== {{main|NFL playoffs, 2007-08}} {{NFL seeds 2002- | AFC 1 = New England Patriots | AFC 1 div = East | AFC 2 = Indianapolis Colts | AFC 2 div = South | AFC 3 = San Diego Chargers | AFC 3 div = West | AFC 4 = Pittsburgh Steelers | AFC 4 div = North | AFC 5 = Jacksonville Jaguars | AFC 6 = Tennessee Titans | NFC 1 = Dallas Cowboys | NFC 1 div = East | NFC 2 = Green Bay Packers | NFC 2 div = North | NFC 3 = Seattle Seahawks | NFC 3 div = West | NFC 4 = Tampa Bay Buccaneers | NFC 4 div = South | NFC 5 = New York Giants | NFC 6 = Washington Redskins }} ===AFC=== *Wild-Card playoffs **January 5: '''Jaguars 31, Steelers 29''' **January 6: '''Chargers 17, Titans 6''' *Divisional playoffs **January 12: '''Patriots 31, Jaguars 20''' **January 13: '''Chargers 28, Colts 24''' *AFC Championship **January 20: '''Patriots 21, Chargers 12''' ===NFC=== *Wild-Card playoffs **January 5: '''Seahawks 35, Redskins 14''' **January 6: '''Giants 24, Buccaneers 14''' *Divisional playoffs **January 12: '''Packers 42, Seahawks 20''' **January 13: '''Giants 21, Cowboys 17''' *NFC Championship **January 20: '''Giants 23, Packers 20 (overtime)''' ===Super Bowl XLII=== {{main|Super Bowl XLII}} *[[February 3]] in [[Glendale, Arizona]]: '''Giants 17, Patriots 14''' ===2008 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl All-Star Game=== *[[February 10]] at [[Aloha Stadium]], [[Aiea, Hawaii|{{okina}}Aiea, Hawai{{okina}}i]]: '''[[2008 Pro Bowl|NFC 42, AFC 30]]''' ==Rule changes== The following rule changes were passed at the league's annual owners meeting in [[Phoenix, Arizona]] during the week of [[March 25]]-[[March 28|28]]: * The [[instant replay]] system, used since the [[1999 NFL season|1999 season]], was finally made a permanent officiating tool.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10091752 | title=Owners vote to make replay permanent | publisher=NFL.com | date=2007-03-27 | accessdate=2007-03-28}}</ref> Previously, it was renewed on a biennial basis. *The system has also been upgraded to use [[High-definition television|high-definition technology]]. However, the systems at [[Texas Stadium]] (Dallas Cowboys), RCA Dome (Indianapolis Colts), and [[Giants Stadium]] (New York Giants and Jets) will not receive the HDTV updates since those stadiums will be replaced over the next few years.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/03/27/bc.fbn.nflmeetings.ap/index.html | title=Replay now permanent in NFL | publisher=SI.com | date=2007-03-27 | accessdate=2007-03-28}}</ref> One reason that the technology was improved was that fans with high-definition televisions at home were having better views on replays than the officials and according to Dean Blandino, the NFL's instant replay director "that could have bit us in the rear if we continued [with the old system]." In addition, the amount of time allotted for the referee to review a play was reduced from 90 seconds to one minute.<ref name="newrules328">{{cite news | url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10093969 | title=Henry to meet with Goodell; new rules passed | publisher=NFL.com | date=2007-03-28 | accessdate=2007-03-28}}</ref> * After a play is over, players who spike the ball in the field of play, other than in the [[end zone]], will receive a 5-yard [[delay of game]] penalty.<ref name="newrules328"/> * Forward passes that unintentionally hit an offensive lineman before an eligible receiver will no longer be an illegal touching penalty, but deliberate actions are still penalized.<ref name="newrules328"/> * Roughing-the-passer penalties will not be called on a defender engaged with a quarterback who simply extends his arms and shoves the passer to the ground.<ref name="newrules328"/> * During situations where crowd noise becomes a problem (when it becomes too loud that it prevents the offensive team from hearing its signals), the offense can no longer ask the referee to reset the play clock.<ref name="newrules328"/> * It is necessary to have the ball touch the pylon or break the plane above the pylon to count as a touchdown. Previously, a player just had to have some portion of his body over the goal line or pylon to count a touchdown<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.houstontexans.com/news/Story.asp?story_id=3456 | title=Rule changes for 2007 NFL season | publisher=HoustonTexans.com | date=2007-08-03 | accessdate=2007-08-22}}</ref> * A completed catch is now when a receiver gets two feet down and has control of the ball. Previously, a receiver had to make "a football move" in addition to having control of the ball for a reception.<ref name=Hochuli>{{cite news |title=Notebook: Officials outline rule changes |url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2007/08/Notebook_Officials_outline_rules_changes_for_2007.aspx |last=Moore |first=J. Michael |publisher=[[Atlanta Falcons]] |date=[[2007-08-03]] |accessdate=2007-11-24}}</ref> * Players will be subject to a fine from the league for playing with an unbuckled chin strap. Officials will not penalize for chin strap violations during a game.<ref name=Hochuli /> ==Television== {{more|NFL on television}} The 2007 season marked the second year of the current television contracts with NBC, CBS, Fox, ESPN, and the NFL Network. The pre-game shows made some changes, with former Steelers coach [[Bill Cowher]] joining host [[James Brown (TV personality)|James Brown]], [[Boomer Esaison]], [[Shannon Sharpe]] and [[Dan Marino]] on CBS's ''[[The NFL Today]]''. On FOX, after one season on the road, ''[[FOX NFL Sunday]]'' returned to Los Angeles as [[Curt Menefee]] took over as full-time host. [[Chris Rose]], who had been doing in in-game updates of other NFL games, was reverted to a part-time play-by-play role. The biggest changes were at NBC and ESPN. [[Michael Irvin]]'s contract with ESPN was not renewed, and former coach [[Bill Parcells]] returned to the network after four years as Cowboys head coach. Parcells left before the season ended to become the [[Miami Dolphins]] VP of Player Personnel. Another pair of former Cowboys, [[Emmitt Smith]] and [[Keyshawn Johnson]] also provided roles in the studio for ''[[Sunday NFL Countdown]]'' and ''[[Monday Night Countdown]]''. At ''Monday Night Football'', [[Joe Theismann]] was dropped (and would later resign from the network) after seventeen years in the booth between the Sunday and Monday Night packages, and former [[Philadelphia Eagles]] quarterback and current [[Philadelphia Soul]] ([[Arena Football League|AFL]]) president [[Ron Jaworski]] took his place alongside [[Mike Tirico]] and [[Tony Kornheiser]]. Part of the reason that Jaworski replaced Theismann was because of his chemistry with Kornheiser on ''[[Pardon The Interruption]]'', where Jaworski was a frequent guest during the football season. NBC's ''[[Football Night in America]]'' also made two changes. [[MSNBC]] ''[[Countdown with Keith Olbermann|Countdown]]'' anchor [[Keith Olbermann]] joined [[Bob Costas]] and [[Cris Collinsworth]] as another co-host, while [[Sterling Sharpe]] exited as a studio analyst, and former [[New York Giants]] running back [[Tiki Barber]] replaced him. In another change, [[Faith Hill]] took over singing "Waiting All Day For Sunday Night" for [[Pink (singer)|Pink]]. In the second year of the NFL Network's "''[[Run to the Playoffs]]''", [[Marshall Faulk]] and [[Deion Sanders]] replaced [[Dick Vermeil]] for two games when Collinsworth was unavailable. An unforced change saw [[Bryant Gumbel]] miss the Broncos-Texans game December 13 due to a sore throat and NBC announcer [[Tom Hammond]] step into Gumbel's play by play role in what turned out to be more or less a preview of one of NBC's Wild Card Game announcing teams. ===Controversy surrounding NFL Network coverage=== {{see also|NFL Network#Distribution controversy}} ''and [[2007 New England Patriots-New York Giants game]]'' The dispute between the NFL Network and various cable companies involving the distribution of the cable channel continued throughout the season, getting the attention of government officials when the NFL Network was scheduled to televise two high-profile regular season games: the Packers-Cowboys game on [[November 29]] and the Patriots-Giants game on [[December 29]]. In the case of the Packers-Cowboys game, the lack of carriage was so limited that even [[Governor of Wisconsin]] [[Jim Doyle]] went to his brother's house to watch the game on satellite (which is where the majority of the viewers watch the network). The contest drew a network record 10.1 million viewers, a high-water mark at that time. Some politicians urged the league to seek a resolution to conflict. In December, [[Massachusetts]] [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[John Kerry]] wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner [[Roger Goodell]] asking for the league to settle their differences in time for the Patriots-Giants game. Because the game, as it turned out, would be the Patriots' attempt to seal the record that would make them the first undefeated team in 35 years, Kerry urged for a solution to be decided upon in time so that Americans can witness "an historic event."<ref>Reiss, Mike. [http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2007/12/kerry_presses_t.html Kerry presses on NFL Network] ''The Boston Globe'', 6 December 2007.</ref> Also, [[Pennsylvania]] Senator [[Arlen Specter]] threatened to introduce legislation to eliminate the league's freedom from [[antitrust laws]].<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/07/AR2006120701608.html Specter Wants to Revisit NFL's Antitrust Status] ''Washington Post'', 8 December 2007.</ref> On [[December 26]], the NFL announced that, despite initial plans to broadcast the game only on the NFL Network, the game would be presented in a three-network simulcast with both CBS and NBC, the first time an NFL game would be broadcast on three networks, and the first simulcast of any pro football game since [[Super Bowl I]].<ref>[http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80579400&template=with-video&confirm=true Patriots' historic game to be available to all of America, after all] NFL.com, Accessed 26 December 2007.</ref> Nielsen ratings saw CBS with 15.7 million viewers, NBC with 13.2 million viewers and NFL Network with 4.5 million viewers for the game. In addition, local stations in [[New York City]] ([[WWOR-TV]] in nearby [[Secaucus, New Jersey]]), [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]] ([[WCVB-TV]]), and [[Manchester, New Hampshire]] ([[WMUR-TV]]), all previously signed on to carry the game in the teams' home markets, added 1.2 million viewers, making it the most watched TV show since the [[79th Annual Academy Awards|2007 Oscars]] and the most watched regular season NFL telecast in twelve years. ==Coaching changes== The following teams hired new head coaches prior to the start of the 2007 season: {| class="wikitable" |- ! Team ! 2007 Coach ! Former Coach ! Reason for leaving ! Story/Accomplishments |- | [[Atlanta Falcons]] | [[Bobby Petrino]], former head coach, [[Louisville Cardinals football|University of Louisville]] (Resigned after going 3-10 to take job at [[Arkansas Razorbacks|University of Arkansas]]; [[Emmitt Thomas]] took over and went 1-2 as interim coach.) | [[Jim L. Mora|Jim Mora]] | Fired | Hired in [[2004 NFL season|2004]] and subsequently led the Falcons to the [[NFC Championship Game]]. However, Atlanta went 8-8 in [[2005 NFL season|2005]] before going 7-9 in [[2006 NFL season|2006]], losing the last final three games. |- | [[Arizona Cardinals]] | [[Ken Whisenhunt]], former offensive coordinator, [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] | [[Dennis Green]] | Fired | Hired in [[2004 NFL season|2004]]. However, the Cardinals suffered three consecutive losing seasons under him, including a loss to the [[Chicago Bears]] after blowing a 20-point lead that prompted Green to throw an infamous tirade during the post-game media conference saying, "They are who we thought they were, and we let em' off the hook!" |- | [[Dallas Cowboys]] | [[Wade Phillips]], former defensive coordinator, [[San Diego Chargers]] | [[Bill Parcells]] | Retired | Hired in [[2003 NFL season|2003]]. Led the Cowboys to the playoffs in two of his four seasons as Dallas head coach, but never won a postseason game. |- | [[Miami Dolphins]] | [[Cam Cameron]], former offensive coordinator, [[San Diego Chargers]] | [[Nick Saban]] | Resigned to coach the [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|University of Alabama]] | Hired in [[2005 NFL season|2005]] and finished the year 9-7, narrowly missing the playoffs. Went 6-10 in 2006, first losing record as a head coach. |- | [[Oakland Raiders]] | [[Lane Kiffin]], former offensive coordinator, [[USC Trojans football|Southern California]] | [[Art Shell]] | Fired | Re-hired in 2006 after having previously served as Raiders head coach, 1989–94. However in his first and only season back, the team finished with its worst record, 2-14, since 1963. |- | [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] | [[Mike Tomlin]], former defensive coordinator, [[Minnesota Vikings]] | [[Bill Cowher]] | Retired | Hired in [[1992 NFL season|1992]] and led the Steelers to an appearance in [[Super Bowl XXX]] and a victory in [[Super Bowl XL]]. |- | [[San Diego Chargers]] | [[Norv Turner]], former offensive coordinator, [[San Francisco 49ers]] | [[Marty Schottenheimer]] | Fired | Hired in [[2002 NFL season|2002]]. Led the Chargers to two playoff appearances, but a strained relationship with general manager A.J. Smith led to his ousting. |} ==Milestones== The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the regular season: {| class="wikitable" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" !Record !Player/Team !Date/Opponent !Previous Record Holder<ref>{{cite book | title=2007 NFL Record and Fact Book | date=2007 | publisher=NFL | ISBN=193382185X | chapter=Records}}</ref> |- | '''Longest Kickoff Return''' | [[Ellis Hobbs]], [[2007 New England Patriots season|New England]] (108 yards){{ref label|hobbs|a|a}} | [[September 9]], at [[2007 New York Jets season|N.Y. Jets]] | Tied by 3 players (106) |- | '''Most Regular-Season Wins by a Quarterback, Career''' |[[Brett Favre]], [[2007 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay]] (160) | [[September 16]], at [[2007 New York Giants season|N.Y. Giants]] | [[John Elway]], 1983-1998 (148) |- | '''Most Touchdown Passes, Career''' | Brett Favre, Green Bay (442) | [[September 30]], at [[2007 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota]] | [[Dan Marino]], 1983-1999 (420) |- | '''Most Pass Attempts, Career''' | Brett Favre, Green Bay (8,758) | September 30, at Minnesota | Dan Marino, 1983-1999<br/>(8,358) |- | '''Most Points Scored by a Team, Fourth Quarter''' | [[2007 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]] (34) | September 30, vs. [[2007 Chicago Bears season|Chicago]] | Tied by 3 teams (31) |- | '''Most Touchdown Catches by a Tight End, Career''' | [[Tony Gonzalez (football player)|Tony Gonzalez]], [[2007 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City]] (66) | [[October 14]], vs. [[2007 Cincinnati Bengals season|Cincinnati]] | [[Shannon Sharpe]], 1990-2003 (62) |- | '''Most Passes Had Intercepted, Career''' | Brett Favre, Green Bay (288) | October 14, vs. [[2007 Washington Redskins season|Washington]] | [[George Blanda]], 1949-1975 (277) |- | '''Most Field Goals, Game''' | [[Rob Bironas]], [[2007 Tennessee Titans season|Tennessee]] (8) | [[October 21]], at [[2007 Houston Texans season|Houston]] | Tied by 4 players (7) |- |'''Most Consecutive Seasons in One Stadium''' | [[Lambeau Field]],<br/>Green Bay Packers | 2007 marks 51st season. | [[Wrigley Field]], Chicago Bears (50 years, 1921-1970) |- |'''Longest Return of a Missed Field Goal/<br/>Longest Play in NFL History''' | [[Antonio Cromartie]], [[2007 San Diego Chargers season|San Diego]] (109 yards)<ref>{{web cite| url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d803decef&template=without-video&confirm=true |title=San Diego's Cromartie sets NFL record with 109-yard FG return |publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> | [[November 4]], at Minnesota | Tied by 2 players (108 yards) /<br/>Tied by 3 players (108 yards){{ref label|hobbs|a|a}} |- |'''Most Rushing Yards, Game''' | [[Adrian L. Peterson|Adrian Peterson]], Minnesota (296) <ref>{{web cite |url=http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2007_New_England_Patriots_season&action=history&limit=100 |title=Peterson's record day leads Vikings past Chargers |publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> | November 4, vs. San Diego | [[Jamal Lewis]], 2003 (295) |- | '''Most Consecutive Games with Three Touchdown Passes''' | [[Tom Brady]], New England (10 games)<ref>{{web cite| url=http://www.projo.com/patriots/content/projo_20071105_squib.1dbafffb5.html |title=Patriots: Tom's got you, Babe |publisher=Providence Journal Online}}</ref> | [[November 4]], at [[2007 Indianapolis Colts season|Indianapolis]] | [[Peyton Manning]] (8 games) |- | '''Most Games with Three Touchdown Passes, Career''' | Brett Favre, Green Bay (63) | [[November 22]], at Detroit | Dan Marino, 1983-1999 (62) |- |'''Most Yards Passing, Career''' |Brett Favre, Green Bay (61,655) |[[December 16]], at [[2007 St. Louis Rams season|St. Louis]] |Dan Marino, 1983-1999 (61,361) |- | '''Consecutive 12+ win seasons''' | 2003-present Indianapolis (5)<ref>{{web cite| url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=271216013 |title=Colts clip Raiders for fifth straight AFC South title |ESPN.com}}</ref> | December 16, at [[2007 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland]] | 1992-1995 [[Dallas Cowboys|Dallas]] (4) |- | '''Most Touchdowns Scored, Season''' | New England Patriots (75) | [[December 23]], vs. [[2007 Miami Dolphins season|Miami]] | [[Miami Dolphins]], 1984 (69) |- | '''Most Points After Touchdown Kicked, Season'''/<br>'''Most Point After Touchdown Attempts, Season''' | [[Stephen Gostkowski]], New England (74/74) | December 16, vs. N.Y. Jets/<br />December 23, vs. Miami | [[Uwe von Schamann]], 1984 (66 PATs) /<br />Uwe von Schamann, 1984 (70 attempts) |- |'''Most Points, Season''' | New England Patriots (589) | [[December 29]], at N.Y. Giants |[[Minnesota Vikings|Minnesota]], 1998 (556) |- |'''Most Touchdown Passes, Season''' | [[Tom Brady]], New England (50) | December 29, at N.Y. Giants | Peyton Manning, [[Indianapolis Colts|Indianapolis]], 2004 (49) |- |'''Most Receiving Touchdowns, Season''' | [[Randy Moss]], New England (23) | December 29, at N.Y. Giants | [[Jerry Rice]], [[San Francisco 49ers|San Francisco]], 1987 (22) |- | '''Most Points After Touchdown, No Misses, Season''' | Stephen Gostkowski, New England (74/74) | December 29, at N.Y. Giants | [[Jeff Wilkins]], [[St. Louis Rams|St. Louis]], 1999 (64/64) |- |'''Most Games Won, Season''' | New England (16) | December 29, at N.Y. Giants | Tied by 4 teams (15) |- |'''Most Consecutive Games Won, Start of Season/<br>Most Consecutive Games Without Defeat, Start of Season''' | New England (16) | December 29, at N.Y. Giants | Miami, 1972 (14) |- |'''Most Consecutive Games Won, End of Season/<br>Most Consecutive Games Without Defeat, End of Season''' | New England (16) | December 29, at N.Y. Giants | Tied by 2 teams (14)<!--1972 Miami and 2004 Pittsburgh--> |- |'''Most Consecutive Regular Season Games Won''' | New England, 2006-07 (19) | December 29, at N.Y. Giants | New England, 2003-04 (18) |- |'''Most Kick Returns for a Touchdown, Season''' | [[Devin Hester]], Chicago (6: 4 punts and 2 kickoffs)<ref>[http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3173810 ESPN - Hester scores on sixth kick return in 2007 to break own record - NFL<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> | [[December 30]], vs. [[2007 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans]] | Devin Hester, 2006 (5: 3 punts and 2 kickoffs) |- |'''Most Passes Completed, Season''' | [[Drew Brees]], New Orleans (443) | December 30, at Chicago | [[Rich Gannon]], Oakland, 2002 (418) |- |'''Most Receptions by a Tight End, Career''' | Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City (816) | December 30, at N.Y. Jets | Shannon Sharpe, 1990-2003 (815) |} :{{note label|hobbs|a|a}} Hobbs' kickoff return was also, at the time, tied for the longest play in NFL history until Cromartie broke the record. ==Regular season statistical leaders== {| class="wikitable" |- ! colspan=2 | Team |- |'''Points scored'''|| New England Patriots (589) |- |'''Total yards gained'''|| New England Patriots (6,580) |- |'''Yards rushing'''|| Minnesota Vikings (2,634) |- |'''Yards passing'''|| New England Patriots (4,731) |- |'''Fewest points allowed'''|| Indianapolis Colts (262) |- |'''Fewest total yards allowed'''|| Pittsburgh Steelers (4,262) |- |'''Fewest rushing yards allowed'''|| Minnesota Vikings (1,185) |- |'''Fewest passing yards allowed'''|| Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2,728) |- ! colspan=2 | Individual |- |'''Scoring'''|| [[Mason Crosby]], Green Bay (141 points) |- |'''Touchdowns'''|| Randy Moss, New England (23 TDs) |- |'''Most field goals made'''|| Rob Bironas, Tennessee (35 FGs) |- |'''Rushing'''|| [[LaDainian Tomlinson]], San Diego (1,474 yards) |- |'''Passer rating'''|| Tom Brady, New England (117.2 rating) |- |'''Passing touchdowns'''|| Tom Brady, New England (50 TDs) |- |'''Passing yards'''|| Tom Brady, New England (4,806 yards) |- |'''Pass receptions'''|| [[T. J. Houshmandzadeh]], Cincinnati and [[Wes Welker]], New England (112 catches) |- |'''Pass receiving yards'''|| [[Reggie Wayne]], Indianapolis (1,510 yards) |- |'''Punt returns'''|| Devin Hester, Chicago (42 for 651 yards, 15.5 average yards) |- |'''Kickoff returns'''|| [[Josh Cribbs]], Cleveland (59 for 1,809 yards, 30.7 average yards) |- |'''Interceptions'''|| Antonio Cromartie, San Diego (10) |- |'''Punting'''|| [[Shane Lechler]], Oakland (73 for 3,585 yards, 49.1 average yards) |- |'''Sacks'''|| [[Jared Allen]], Kansas City (15.5) |} ==Awards== {| cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" |'''[[National Football League Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]]'''|| Tom Brady, New England Patriots<ref>[http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3182557 Brady wins MVP Award ESPN.com]</ref> |- |'''[[NFL Coach of the Year Award|Coach of the Year]]'''|| [[Bill Belichick]], New England Patriots <ref name= nfl>[http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d805b47b4&template=without-video&confirm=true Perfect season lifts Belichick to second AP Coach of Year honor<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |- |'''[[NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award|Offensive Player of the Year]]'''|| Tom Brady, New England Patriots<ref>[http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/nfl/01/08/bc.fbn.nfloffensiveplay.ap/index.html Brady wins Offensive Player of the Year Award SI.com]</ref> |- |'''[[NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award|Defensive Player of the Year]]'''|| [[Bob Sanders]], Safety, Indianapolis Colts<ref>[http://www.nfl.com/news/story;jsessionid=7CF4F2961CE0EA75173F34E8CE80162A?id=09000d5d805cea17&template=with-video&confirm=true Colts Sanders wins NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award NFL.com]</ref> |- |'''[[NFL Rookie of the Year Award|Offensive Rookie of the Year]]'''|| Adrian Peterson, Running back, Minnesota Vikings <ref name= google>[http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5ip8OXJPZOvk5wQG6r-rKSD9R_tuA]{{Dead link|date=March 2008}}</ref> |- |'''[[NFL Rookie of the Year Award|Defensive Rookie of the Year]]'''|| [[Patrick Willis]], Linebacker, San Francisco 49ers <ref name= msn>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22505325/ 49ers’ Willis named AP’s top defensive rookie - NFL - MSNBC.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |- |'''[[NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award|NFL Comeback Player of the Year]]'''|| Greg Ellis, Dallas Cowboys<ref>[http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/football/cowboys/stories/011308dnspoelliscomeback.86b60e.html Ellis named Comeback Player]</ref> |- |'''[[Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award]]'''|| Eli Manning, New York Giants |} ---- ;[[Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team|All-Pro Team]] <div style="float:left; width:48%;"> {| class="wikitable" cellpadding="3" border="1" style="font-size: 90%;" !colspan="2"|Offense |- |[[Quarterback]]||[[Tom Brady]], New England |- |[[Running back]]||[[LaDainian Tomlinson]], San Diego<br>[[Brian Westbrook]], Philadelphia |- |[[Fullback (American football)|Fullback]]||[[Lorenzo Neal]], San Diego |- |[[Wide receiver]]||[[Randy Moss]], New England<br>[[Terrell Owens]], Dallas |- |[[Tight end]]||[[Jason Witten]], Dallas |- |[[Offensive tackle]]||[[Matt Light]], New England<br>[[Walter Jones (American football)|Walter Jones]], Seattle |- |[[Guard (American football)|Offensive guard]]||[[Steve Hutchinson (American football)|Steve Hutchinson]], Minnesota<br>[[Alan Faneca]], Pittsburgh |- |[[Center (American football)|Center]]||[[Jeff Saturday]], Indianapolis |} </div><div style="float:right; width:48%;"> {| class="wikitable" cellpadding="3" border="1" style="font-size: 90%;" !colspan="2"|Defense |- |[[Defensive end]]||[[Patrick Kerney]], Seattle<br>[[Jared Allen]], Kansas City |- |[[Defensive tackle]]||[[Albert Haynesworth]], Tennessee<br>[[Kevin Williams (professional football player)|Kevin Williams]], Minnesota |- |[[Linebacker|Outside linebacker]]||[[Mike Vrabel]], New England<br>[[DeMarcus Ware]], Dallas |- |[[Linebacker|Inside linebacker]]||[[Lofa Tatupu]], Seattle<br>[[Patrick Willis]], San Francisco |- |[[Cornerback]]||[[Asante Samuel]], New England<br>[[Antonio Cromartie]], San Diego |- |[[Defensive back|Safety]]||[[Bob Sanders]], Indianapolis<br>[[Ed Reed]], Baltimore |} </div> <br clear="all"/><center> {| class="wikitable" cellpadding="3" border="1" style="font-size: 90%;" !colspan="6"|Special teams |- |[[Placekicker|Kicker]]||[[Rob Bironas]], Tennessee |- |[[Punter (football position)|Punter]]||[[Andy Lee (American football)|Andy Lee]], San Francisco |- |[[Kick returner]]||[[Devin Hester]], Chicago |} </center> ==Events== ===Player conduct off the field=== {{details|National Football League player conduct controversy}} The [[NFL Players Association|NFLPA]], led by their president [[Gene Upshaw]] and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell are going to be working with player conduct in the form of suspensions for off the field conduct in light of the more than fifty arrests by local law enforcement since the start of the [[2006 NFL season|2006 season]]. The hardest hit so far came on [[April 10]] when [[Pacman Jones|Adam "Pacman" Jones]] of the [[Tennessee Titans]] was suspended for the entire season for his five arrests, the most blatant while in [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]] for the [[2007 NBA All-Star Game|NBA All-Star Weekend]] in February where he caused a riot/shooting in a strip club. That same day, [[Chris Henry (wide receiver)|Chris Henry]] of the [[Cincinnati Bengals]] was suspended for the first eight games of the season for his run-ins with the legal system. The other big name that has been caught in the web of controversy was Falcons' quarterback [[Michael Vick]]. Vick was charged on [[July 24]] with [[Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigation|dogfighting and animal abuse]], and has been suspended indefinitely following a guilty plea in the case, on which he was sentenced to 23 months in prison (retroactive to November) and three years probation on [[December 10]]. <ref>{{web cite| url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d801c1644&template=with-video&confirm=true |title=Vick suspended indefinitely after filing plea |date=2007-08-27}}</ref> ===Death of Marquise Hill=== On the evening of [[May 27]], [[2007]], [[Marquise Hill]], a defensive end for the [[New England Patriots]] and a friend fell off a [[jet ski]] in [[Lake Pontchartrain]], north of [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=1004553 | title =Hero told friend: ‘Be calm, Don’t panic’ | date=2007-06-03 | publisher=Boston Herald}}</ref> The two were wearing neither [[personal flotation device|personal flotation]] nor [[tracking device]]s. The friend was rescued and sent to [[Tulane University|Tulane]] Medical Center, but Hill did not survive; his body was found the next day.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/wwl052807tplsu.1aa969dc.html | title =Body of ex-LSU star found in Lake Pontchartrain | date=4:06 PM ET, [[May 28]] [[2007]] | publisher=WWLTV.com}}</ref> The Patriots honored Hill, the first Patriots player to die while still a member of the team,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/05/29/tragic_history/ | title =Tragic history | date=2007-05-29 | publisher=Boston.com}}</ref> by wearing black circular decals on their helmets with Hill's number, 91. ===Death of Sean Taylor=== Fourth-year player [[Sean Taylor]], a [[defensive back]] for the Redskins, was shot in his home near [[Miami, Florida]] on [[November 26]]. Armed with a machete, Taylor confronted robbers — Eric Rivera, the 17-year-old gunman, 18-year-old Charles Wadlow, and 20-year-olds Jason Mitchell and Venjah Hunte — who were breaking into his home. Rivera fired two shots from his 9&nbsp;mm gun, one missing and the other hitting Taylor's leg, going from his right groin to his his left according to an autopsy obtained by [[Associated Press]]. He died from his injuries the next day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story;jsessionid=9EF67272BEB9224E883F00665CB0D53A?id=09000d5d804946ac&template=with-video&confirm=true|title=Redskins safety Taylor dies day after being shot|date=2007-11-27|accessdate=2007-11-27|work=The Associated Press|publisher=The Associated Press}}</ref> For the remainder of the season, the Redskins honored him with a black patch on their right shoulder of the player uniform jerseys, while all 32 teams honored Taylor by applying a decal with his playing number (21) on the left back side of their helmets. Taylor's memory was honored in all games during Week 13 and all three Redskins representatives in the [[2008 Pro Bowl|Pro Bowl]] wore number 21 in his honor. All four men involved are being held without bail pending a trial. ===Spygate=== {{main|Spygate}} During the Patriots season opening game at The Meadowlands against the Jets, a Patriots camera staffer was ejected from the Patriots sideline and was accused of videotaping the Jets' defensive coaches relaying signals. The end result was that the team was fined $250,000, head coach [[Bill Belicheck]] was docked $500,000 (the maximum fine that could be imposed) and also stripped of their first round selection of the [[2008 NFL Draft]]. If the Pats had failed to make the playoffs, the penalty would have been their second and third round picks. The team was allowed to keep their other first-round pick acquired from the [[San Francisco 49ers]] during the previous year's selection meeting. ===Other events=== [[Image:National Football League 2008.svg|thumb|left|150px|The NFL's updated shield icon, going into effect starting with the 2008 NFL Draft.]] * This was the final season the classic NFL Shield logo, which had not changed since 1980, was used. An updated version first seen on [[August 31]] in [[USA Today]] will be put into use starting with the [[2008 NFL Draft]] in April. The new logo design features eight stars (one for each division) instead of the current 25 stars, the football now resembles that on the top of the [[Vince Lombardi Trophy]], given to the [[Super Bowl]] champion and the lettering and point has been updated and modified to that of the league's current typeface for other logos. * The 2007 season was the last in the RCA Dome for the Indianapolis Colts, who moved there from [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]] in [[1984 NFL season|1984]]. The franchise will move to the new [[Lucas Oil Stadium]] in time for the 2008 season, located literally down the street. The dome will be demolished, and an extension to the [[Indiana Convention Center]] will replace the stadium. * The Redskins celebrated their 75th anniversary (actually their 76th season) season as the franchise was founded in [[1932 in sports|1932]] as the Boston Braves, and wore [[Vince Lombardi]]-styled uniforms against the New York Giants on [[September 23]]. The Philadelphia Eagles and their cross-state rival Pittsburgh Steelers also celebrated their respective 75th seasons, having been founded in [[1933 in sports|1933]]. The Eagles wore replicas of their inaugural season uniforms against the [[Detroit Lions]] on September 23, while the Steelers wore 1960 uniforms against the [[Buffalo Bills]] on [[September 16]] and did so again when the [[Baltimore Ravens]] visited on [[November 5]]. *Throwback uniforms were not just limited to team anniversary celebrations. The Cleveland Browns wore their 1957 throwbacks in a 27-17 win against the Houston Texans on [[November 25]], the [[Minnesota Vikings]] wore 1970's uniforms against the Packers on [[September 30]], while the Jets honored their historic predecessors on [[October 14]] against the Eagles and in a rare instance, wore them in a road game at Miami [[December 2]] by wearing the New York Titans' 1960 through 1962 uniforms. The team did not become the Jets until 1963. The Cowboys wore their 1960 uniforms on November 29th against the Packers, and the Bills wore their 1960's throwbacks at home against Dallas [[October 7]] and against Miami [[December 9]]. *San Francisco 49ers coach [[Mike Nolan]] and Jaguars coach [[Jack Del Rio]] both wore a suit on the sidelines for all of the team's home games to honor Nolan's father, former 49ers and Saints coach [[Dick Nolan]]. In 2006, both coaches were allowed to wear a suit on the sidelines for a maximum of two home games. Del Rio did not wear a suit in the September 16th game against the Falcons due to the extreme heat in Jacksonville that day. Nolan wore a suit at the Meadowlands against the Giants on October 21st. <!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:LH-Patch577w.png|right|thumb|150px|The commemorative (and later) permanent patch the Chiefs wore to honor their late founder, Lamar Hunt.]] --> * The 49ers also honored the late Bill Walsh, coach of their wins in [[Super Bowl XVI|Super Bowls XVI]], [[Super Bowl XIX|XIX]], and [[Super Bowl XXIII|XXIII]] by wearing throwback uniforms from the 1980s in their opener on September 10th against the Arizona Cardinals. Mike Nolan had been considering wearing the 1980s uniforms for the entire season to honor Walsh's memory. The retro uniforms were worn again on November 18th against the Seahawks. In addition, all season long, the team wore a black football-shaped decal on their helmets with the initials "BW" in white. * The Kansas City Chiefs honored their late former owner and team founder [[Lamar Hunt]] by wearing special [[American Football League]] logo patches on their jerseys with the letters "LH" emblazoned inside the logo's football. Originally meant to be a one-season tribute, the Chiefs announced that as of the [[2008 NFL season]], the patch will be a permanent fixture on the jerseys. * Teams that have permanent captains are allowed (on a team-by-team basis) to wear a "C" patch (similar to those in [[ice hockey]]) on their right shoulder. The patch is in team colors with four stars under the "C". A gold star is placed on a bar below the "C" signaling how many years (with a maximum of four years) that player has been captain. * The ESPN Monday Night Football game between the unbeaten New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens on [[December 3]] drew the highest basic cable rating in history, with over 17.5 million viewers, beating the premiere of [[Disney Channel]]'s ''[[High School Musical 2]]'', which set the previous record on [[August 17]]. The previous high water mark was a ''MNF'' telecast between the [[New York Giants]] and the [[Dallas Cowboys]] on [[October 23]] [[2006]], drawing over 16 million viewers. ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==See also== *[[2007 NFL Draft]] *[[Super Bowl XLII]] {{2007 NFL season by team}} {{NFL seasons}} [[Category:National Football League seasons| 2007]] [[Category:2007 National Football League season|*]] [[Category:2007 in American football|National Football League]] [[de:National Football League 2007]] [[es:Anexo:Temporada 2007 de la National Football League]] [[fr:Saison NFL 2007]] [[hu:2007-es NFL szezon]] [[ru:НФЛ в сезоне 2007]] [[zh:2007年NFL球季]]