Aaron Rodgers

  In an interview with Times NFL writer Sam Farmer last week, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton talks about the New Orleans Saints' bounty program. Farmer caught up with Newton while the QB was on a break from shooting a Gatorade commercial at the Rose Bowl last week. You can watch the video interview above. The NFL punished the Saints on Wednesday after an investigation revealed that Newton was one of four quarterbacks specifically targeted.

Bizarre: What we've seen in the NFL over the last few days, with Peyton Manning zigzagging around the country on his first recruiting trip since high school. Bazaar: What we're about to see in the NFL, with free agency kicking off at 1 p.m. PDT Tuesday and some of the league's more intriguing talent up for grabs. You want a dominant defensive end? Mario Williams is on the market. The former No. 1 overall pick reached the Pro Bowl seven times with the Houston Texans but missed 11 games last season because of a torn chest muscle.

The San Francisco 49ers suddenly have an offense. The New York Giants suddenly have a defense. And the two quarterbacks whom nobody could hang with, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, now have all off-season to hang with each other, because the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints are out of the playoffs. In San Francisco, 49ers faithful are sounding like Saints fans, still wondering, "Whodat dat threw dat?" That was Alex Smith, the quarterback nearly cast aside by the organization, who Saturday threw one of the greatest touchdown passes in franchise history — a 14-yard strike to Vernon Davis with nine seconds left to upset New Orleans, 36-32.

Tim Tebow, Alex Smith, Tom Coughlin, Gary Kubiak. All are two wins away from the Super Bowl. Imagine that, two quarterbacks and two coaches who will participate in four divisional playoff games next weekend, four guys who many predicted would have been benched or fired by now. From the brink of extinction to the edge of glory. Tebow led the Denver Broncos to a stunning 29-23 overtime upset of Pittsburgh on Sunday, setting up a second-round game Saturday at New England, where Josh McDaniels is an assistant on offense.

Tom Brady is one of eight Patriots and Patrick Willis one of eight 49ers to make the Pro Bowl, the most on each roster. Defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay (14-1), led by starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers , and Baltimore (11-4), led by veteran linebacker Ray Lewis , have seven apiece for the Jan. 29 game in Honolulu, the NFL announced Tuesday. Brady is one of seven starters from New England (12-3). The others are receiver Wes Welker , tight end Rob Gronkowski , defensive tackle Vince Wilfork , defensive end Andre Carter , and guards Brian Waters and Logan Mankins all are starters for the AFC from the Patriots.

Randall Cobb made a huge contribution in his NFL debut, and it looks as if the Green Bay rookie will have a chance to end his first regular season the same way. Cobb, who scored touchdowns on a reception and a 108-yard kickoff return in the opener against New Orleans, is now being called on to step in for injured Pro Bowl receiver Greg Jennings. The Packers play host to Chicago on Sunday night. Replacing Jennings (sprained knee) will be a group effort, and the Packers are optimistic they can have him back for the playoffs.

They are the six shooters of the NFL, the half-dozen hot-handed quarterbacks who have already thrown for more than 4,000 yards this season. They are from all over the country — New Orleans' Drew Brees, New England's Tom Brady, the New York Giants' Eli Manning, Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers, Detroit's Matthew Stafford, and San Diego's Philip Rivers — and they're throwing the football all over the map. With two games to go, their numbers could shoot...

The Dallas Cowboys might call themselves "America's Team," but the Green Bay Packers are the NFL franchise deserving of that title. So says Public Policy Polling, which recently determined that twice as many fans in the nation chose the Packers as their favorite team, from a list of nine. The group surveyed 700 American voters from Dec. 16-18, and 22% of those polled said the Packers are their favorite team; followed by 11% for the Cowboys; 8% each for the Chicago Bears, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers; 7% for the New Orleans Saints; 6% for the New England Patriots; 4% for the Washington Redskins; and 2% for the New York Jets.

Reporting From Englewood, Colo. -- This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Denver Broncos. Instead, it's a redefining year. As the weeks go by and the victories stockpile, the Broncos are reshaping what they and others expect from a quarterback. Tim Tebow's against-the-grain style of running so much and throwing so little — all while pushing defenses to their breaking point — is changing how people think about a league dominated by William Tell wingers like Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Drew Brees.

Aaron Rodgers' uniform number says it best — 12. And zero. The Green Bay Packers quarterback stared down fellow gunslinger Eli Manning of the New York Giants on Sunday, directing a 55-second, four-completion series of 68 yards to set up kicker Mason Crosby for a game-winning 30-yard field goal as time expired. Green Bay 38, New York 35. Rodgers threw for 369 yards and four touchdowns to push the Packers to an automatic playoff berth and their 18th consecutive victory dating to last season.