(Photo: Getty Images via ShutdownCorner)

• Eli Manning has silenced his critics by winning his second Super Bowl MVP, but Shutdown Corner makes the case that Justin Tuck deserved the award too, based on the pressure he applied on Tom Brady all day, including the 1st quarter safety
• Wes Welker’s dropped pass with just 3:46 left in the game is being singled out as the reason the Patriots lost the game, and based on their reaction yesterday, it’s safe to say some of his teammates probably agree

(via Gifninja.com)

• Gisele Bundchen was also not happy with the Patriots receivers after the game, pointing out that “My husband cannot (bleeping) throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time!”
• Steelers James Harrison and Ryan Clark took a couple shots at the Patriots via Twitter after their loss, with Harrison going so far as to say “Cheaters never win!!!”
• It was quick, so you might have missed it, but M.I.A. apparently flipped America the bird during the halftime show (VIDEO HERE)
• Somebody bet $1,000 that the first score of the game would be a safety.  That person is now $50k richer
• In case it was too noisy at your SB party to watch all the much-hyped commercials, here are all the Super Bowl Ads for your viewing pleasure
• And unless you live in North Platte, Nebraska, you probably didn’t know that Will Ferrell appeared in a SB commercial for Old Milwaukee
• Giants rookie LB Greg Jones proposed to his long-time girlfriend on the field immediately following the game, with confetti still falling around them

Cam Rodgers (Photo: Dan Hicks via Twitter)

In case it slipped your mind (it almost did ours), the NFL’s finest players – minus the Giants and Patriots, of course – have gathered in Honolulu for a week of golf, beach time, goofing off and some half-assed preparation for the 2102 edition of the Pro Bowl.

Everyone knows the Pro Bowl is a joke as far as professional sports all-stars games go, since nobody – including the players – cares about the outcome, and therefore nobody really tries. And ever since they got rid of the NFL Skills Challenge in 2007, there’s even less of a reason for fans to tune into the week-long all-star festivities. I mean, has anyone ever gotten a decent explanation for why they stopped doing skills competitions? Instead of a half-speed football exhibition, wouldn’t it be far more compelling to watch these all-stars compete for the title of NFL’s fastest man, strongest leg, best hands, biggest arm, etc? Does anyone genuinely think there’s any more risk of injury here than with the game itself? Hell, I even tuned into the NHL’s All-Star skills competition yesterday just to check it out, and I don’t watch hockey at all.

But I digress. If you’re so inclined, the game itself starts at 7pm ET tonight, and you can watch all the non-action live online.

In the mean time, here are a few Pro Bowl links that caught our eye this week:

• Our banner pic (above) is Aaron Rodgers rocking his Cam Newton look earlier this week in Hawaii, from NBC’s Dan Hicks’ Twitter. Oh, and these are the shoes Cam is rocking this week
• The Jared Allen Experience gives you some insight into a Pro Bowl practice through the eyes of one of our favorite NFLers. Allen was not only mic’d up, but wearing a helmet cam for the day, and has plenty of fun with his fellow NFC elite while making sure not to work too hard. Best moments: Allen imitating the “Wide Nine” stance of Eagles DE Jason Babin, and jokingly asking Clay Matthews “How’d that Super Bowl run work out for you?” Matthews reply: “Shut up.”
• Nike released their brand new Vapor Jet gloves just in time for the Pro Bowl, and also in time to leak the Panthers new logo
• In an effort to increase the social profile for the game (and in stark contrast to their regular season policy), the NFL will allow players to use Twitter during the Pro Bowl game … but only from computers located in designated areas on each team’s sideline. 
• Speaking of the NFL Skills Challenge, here are Ben Roethlisberger (2005) and Ken O’Brien (1991) competing in the QB Challenge from back in the day. This wasn’t actually a Pro Bowl week event, but was cancelled at the same time as the Pro Bowl Skills Challenge in a sweeping ban of all skills-based competitions by the league back in November of 2007. Yeah … after watching those, I guess it wasn’t that exciting after all. Even with the dramatic music.
• And last but not least, here is the biggest hit in the history of the Pro Bowl: Washington’s Sean Taylor destroying punter Brian Moorman on a fake punt:

VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP

We’re not likely to see any hitting like that tonight.

No-fly zone: CJ2K appears serious about a lengthy holdout. (TitansGab.com)

Chris Johnson’s lengthy contract dispute with the Tennessee Titans took an ugly turn Wednesday when he lashed out at fans urging him to get back to work.

Tweeted Johnson:“Can these fake Titan fans STFU on my timeline I don’t have a regular job so don’t compare me to you and I can care less if uthink I’m greedy”

Earlier Wednesday, Johnson had thanked followers for their concern amid his quest for more money: “I like to thank everyone who have me in their prayers thru my situation, it’s much needed.”

The situation between CJ2K and the team appears to be growing uglier. Players often argue that football contracts mean nothing, seeing as a team can cut you at a moment’s notice. From that angle, Johnson is being no more fickle than the team he plays for, especially after accounting for 4,598 rushing yards and 38 total touchdowns in just three seasons.

Trust seems to be an issue here. The Titans said earlier this month they would get a contract done if Johnson reported to camp. He decided against it, leaving the Titans searching for someone to carry the ball until this mess gets figured out.

Sean Payton sees a future where kickoffs might be kicked out. (Cox Sports TV)

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton spoke with ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio on Tuesday about the future of kickoff returns.

Payton understands that fans — and many players — are miffed about kickoffs moving from the 30 to the 35, effectively reducing chances for big kick returns. He also knows that with the information the league had about  injuries, kickoffs were a central target for change.

“Then you have to be able to take steps, so that 10 years down the road when someone is asking you, ‘Hey at this time, when you knew it was such a dangerous play and you continued on with the kicks from the 30 — and now you have someone who is seriously injured.’”

Payton acknowledged that kickoffs could eventually vanish from the landscape of football.

“Sitting in on John Madden’s coaches committee, and discussing this topic, this is a tough one, in regards to trying to reduce collision speed.  There are a number of things you can do offensively and defensively, but when it comes to kicking that ball and these guys are running down the field (at) a pretty good rate of speed, even if they have a five-yard start as opposed to, last year, the 10-yard start.  I wouldn’t be surprised, Mike, if down the road that’s where it was headed.  Unless we come up with some good answers.  And that’s the trick.”

Payton is clearly not on board with the league removing onside kicks.

PFT did the hard work on this one, so here’s the link to the story.

Still: It interests me. I dig seeing the advances in Madden each year.

Artie Fufkin, C-O-U-R-T-N-E-Y, steverodgers and I logged well over 20,000 hours playing Tecmo Bowl back in the day (early 1990s, before some of you were born), and we couldn’t have dreamed of a game like this back then. From where I sit, Madden NFL 12 is a stunning dream.

Take a look at how far we’ve come (and by “we’ve,” I mean EA Sports):

BROWNS vs. RAVENS

More previews after the jump…

ELI MANNING player reel:

The Patriots enter Gillette Stadium!

Eagles at Falcons raw gameplay

Oh, and little old Tecmo Bowl…

This year's trophy also came with a championship belt (Photo: Getty Images via ChicagoBreakingSports)

The Green Bay Packers are bringing the Lombardi trophy back to Titletown.

As the whole world watched, the Packers hung on to defeat Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV, with Aaron Rodgers throwing 3 TDs and taking home the MVP trophy. Green Bay jumped out to an early 21-3 lead, and for a minute it looked like we might be headed for a blowout. But the Steelers were able to turn the momentum and mount a comeback in the second half to cut the lead to within a score. But down by 6 points with just under 2 minutes to go, Ben Roethlisberger wasn’t able to summon the last-minute heroics needed for a game-winning drive, and the Packers held on for the victory. In the end, the difference in the game came down to turnovers. Pittsburgh committed three turnovers, and Green Bay committed none. Plus, the Packers were able to capitalize on all three of the Steelers turnovers with touchdowns. It’s pretty simple, really: when you spot a team 21 points in the Super Bowl, it’s difficult to win.

Rather than re-hash every angle you’ve probably heard overanalyzed a dozen times by now, we’ll just provide a few links to some of the more interesting side notes to this year’s big game:

• Yes, Christina Aguilera screwed up the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner. Deport her immediately.
• After all of his ploys to add extra attendees for the game (including selling tickets for standing room only party plazas outside the stadium) Jerry Jones missed setting the Super Bowl attendance record by 766
• And thanks to that attempt by Jerrah, 400 ticket buyers, who each paid $800 for newly constructed seats at Cowboys Stadium, were forced to watch the game on TVs in the stadium after the fire marshal deemed their seats unsafe. But the league is hooking each of the displaced fans up with $2,400 cash, NFL merch, tix to SB 46 … oh, and they got to go on the field during the post-game celebration last night.
• Only one record was set during SB XLV: fewest combined rushing attempts by both teams, with 36 (Packers 13, Steelers 23)
• Injured Packer CB Charles Woodson apparently gave an emotional, “Gipper-esque” halftime speech to his teammates, which helped fire them up to take home the championship.

In this episode, Fujita’s benched for Browns center Alex Mack, who claims to be adept at cooking sushi. I think we’ll stick with Mack playing center — where’s he’s been a pile driver all season for Peyton Hillis (the latest recipient of R&R’s Hit of the Week).

Good-old crew-cut Tom seems so far away from us these days. (Source: kissingsuzykolber.com)

Gisele, Gisele. We love you — you’re a contributor here at Read and React — but please return Tom Brady to the National Football League.

Australia’s Deckers Outdoor Corp. announced a deal this week between UGG Australia and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

UGGs are the feminine, fur-lined boots seen on rich women from coast to coast. Women who’ve never so much as held a part-time job. Brady, apparently, is motivated to promote the brand.

The statement read: “Australia announced today that it is partnering with NFL superstar Tom Brady of the New England Patriots to launch its first men’s marketing initiative. The multi-year collaboration between the three-time Super Bowl champion and the brand will include Brady’s casual footwear as well as select outerwear and accessories. UGG Australia will feature Brady in its global multimedia marketing initiative beginning with the fall 2011 collection.”

Let’s hope it doesn’t sway Brady from getting the job done during fall 2011.

Deckers claims: “(Tom) embodies the stylish casual attitude that is at the foundation of every product we make, and is as much a style icon off the field as he is a playmaker on it.”

Stylish-casual-attitude Brady faces the Jets on Monday night.

Post-meltdown: Anderson remains Cardinals' starter. (Source: Kansas City.com)

Tuesday in the National Football League:

¶ Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt told reporters Tuesday that Derek Anderson will remain the starting quarterback, tantrum or no tantrum, according to Darren Urban, who reports for the team’s official website.

¶ Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison was fined $25,000 by the league on Tuesday for his hit on Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. This is Harrison’s fourth fine this season, costing him a total of $125,000.

Harrison had this to say earlier in the week: “I’m not expecting a fine. It’s the exact thing as last week. It was the same exact hit. I hit him (Fitzpatrick) the same way I did the quarterback from Oakland and I got the same flag but I didn’t get a fine. … I’m expecting the same thing on this.”

He should be in a pleasant mood this evening.

BTW — Was Harrison fined for this hit?

¶ The Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall, bothered by a hamstring injury, stated that there is “a chance” he could be ready for the Cleveland Browns this Sunday, according to Ben Volin of The Palm Beach Post.

¶ We’ve always loved the NFL Game Map — take a look at what games will be shown in your area this Sunday — this was more relevant before people sat on their couches watching Sunday Ticket and Red Zone.

¶ ESPN reports that the MRI exam on Vikings running back Adrian Peterson‘s right ankle showed “only a sprain,” according to interim coach Leslie Frazier on Tuesday. “Now it’s just a matter of what he can or can’t do,” Frazier said. “We’ll know a little more (Wednesday) as he tries to put some weight on it and move around. We’re anxious to find out how he comes along.”

Expect Peterson to be a game-time decision this Sunday against Buffalo.

Anderson’s rant was in response to Somers’ questioning about footage from the Monday Night Football broadcast, which showed Anderson laughing with guard Deuce Lutui while the 49ers sailed to victory.

ESPN’s Jon Gruden was critical of Anderson’s loose demeanor, as shown below:

Somers began by asking Anderson about his conversation with Lutui.

“I don’t mean this to be sarcastic or pointed,” he said, “but that went out on Monday night television, and a lot of fans are talking about it right now as a big problem with this team. Can you put into context what was going on at that moment, and what caused you to–”

So what exactly were they smiling about? (Image via CBSNews.com)

Anderson stopped Somers: “What Deuce and I talk about is nobody else’s business.”

“But why was something funny when you’re down 18 points in the fourth quarter?” Somers asked.

“It wasn’t funny. I wasn’t laughing about anything,” Anderson said.

Somers pressed: “But the cameras showed you laughing.”

Anderson again cut Somers off, becoming emotional.

“I’m not laughing about anything … You think this is funny? I take this (expletive) serious. Real serious,” Anderson said. “I put my heart and soul into this (expletive) every single week. I’m just telling you, right now, what I do every single week. Every single week, I put my freaking heart and soul into this. I study my ass off.

“I don’t go out there and laugh. It’s not funny. Nothing’s funny to me. I don’t want to go out there and get embarrassed on Monday Night Football in front of everybody.”

The back and forth continued until Anderson marched out of the room.