nfl roundup \ News and notes

Los Angeles: The company behind a plan to lure the NFL back to Los Angeles says the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills are the first teams it will try to relocate. Majestic Realty Co. managing partner John Semcken said Tuesday the teams are among at least seven franchises the company is considering for a new stadium just east of Los Angeles. Semcken says the Jaguars and the Bills are at the top of the list because they play in small markets that tamp down their earning potential and because they have little hope of finding larger venues in their home regions. Semcken says Majestic won’t approach the San Francisco 49ers, San Diego Chargers or Minnesota Vikings as long as they are seeking stadium plans of their own.

Bengals: Receiver Chad Ochocinco worked out on Tuesday even though he hadn’t fully recovered from a sore knee, getting ready for a playoff rematch against the Jets team that held him without a catch. Ochocinco landed hard on his left knee when he slipped during pregame warmups on Sunday. He limped off the field but started the game, which the Jets won 37-0. He watched the second half from the sideline to protect the knee. New York held him without a catch, ending his streak of 120 games with a reception.

Texans: From the first practice in training camp until the last game, Brian Cushing was a tackling machine for the Houston Texans. That’s exactly what the team sought when it chose the linebacker from Southern Cal 15th overall in the draft last April. What the Texans also got is The Associated Press 2009 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Cushing was a runaway winner in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league. Cushing received 39 votes Tuesday, easily beating Buffalo safety Jairus Byrd, who had six, and became the second Texans linebacker in four seasons to win the award. DeMeco Ryans took it in 2006. “I’m just a much smarter football player,” Cushing said. “I’m much more advanced than I was this time last year and it was just a good way to start out a career. I’m happy about how everything turned out this year. Of course the playoffs would have been nice, but now we know what we have to do for next season.” This season, Cushing had 133 tackles, 86 of them primary, according to the Texans, who went 9-7, their first winning record. Cushing’s best game might have been his nine solo tackles, one sack and an interception in a victory over Miami on Dec. 27.

Bears: Chicago is bringing head coach Lovie Smith back for a seventh season. But he’s done calling the defensive plays. The team also fired offensive coordinator Ron Turner and five other coaches on that side of the ball Tuesday after going 7-9 with Jay Cutler at quarterback and missing the playoffs for the third straight year following a Super Bowl run. “This has been a frustrating season to say the least. We’ve had inconsistent play on both sides of the ball,” team president and CEO Ted Phillips said. “Personally, it’s been the most frustrating year since I’ve been here.”

Redskins: While Washington awaited official word about its future, perhaps with Mike Shanahan as coach, Clinton Portis went about rehashing the past — including his thoughts on quarterback Jason Campbell’s leadership skills. Shanahan arrived in the area Monday, flying across the country on owner Dan Snyder’s plane only hours after the Redskins fired Jim Zorn following a 4-12 season. Shanahan’s agent and the Redskins were working on a contract Tuesday. There was plenty said by Portis during his weekly appearance on a local radio station, however, including about what it’s like to play for Shanahan — something the running back did for two seasons with the Denver Broncos. Portis described the coach as “the perfect guy for the job” and a “straight shooter.” “If you’re doing the stuff you’re supposed to be doing, you’re fine with him,” Portis told the radio station. “If you’re not, no matter how much you’re getting paid, he’s going to get you up out of there.”

Seahawks: Last month the Seahawks were negotiating with Mike Holmgren about making him the team’s president. This week, the Seahawks might be competing with Holmgren in the pursuit of a general manager. Tom Heckert, GM of the Philadelphia Eagles who has been given permission to speak with the Browns, is also identified as one of four finalists for the Seahawks top football post. The other three Seahawks finalists were identified as Eric DeCosta, a Baltimore executive, Steve Keim of Arizona and John Schneider, the Packers director of football operations.

Cowboys: Dallas owner Jerry Jones says “his confidence was shaken” at the end of last season after his team failed to make the playoffs. While speaking to reporters in advance of the Cowboys’ first playoff game in the their new showplace stadium, Jones briefly got emotional Tuesday night when he mentioned the disappointment he felt a year ago after Dallas’ 44-6 season-ending loss in Philadelphia that kept them out of the playoffs. He needed a moment to gather himself before he kept talking. Jones also says he never imagined when the Cowboys last won a playoff game during the 1996 season that he’d still be waiting for another postseason victory. And he wouldn’t have dreamed of having the turnover in coaches he has, or the difficulty in finding a quarterback.

Associated Press