University of Tennessee Athletics
Six VFLs Vying For NFL Conference Championships
January 21, 2016 | Football
(AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Six VFLs are on teams that will compete in the AFC and NFC championship games this Sunday. For the 24th time in 25 years, a former Vol will play in the Super Bowl.
NFL Playoffs
Wild Card Weekend
- Jan. 9: Kansas City 30, Houston 0
- Jan. 9: Pittsburgh 18, Cincinnati 16
- Jan. 10: Seattle 10, Minnesota 9
- Jan. 10: Green Bay 35, Washington 18
Divisional Playoffs
- Jan. 16: New England 27, Kansas City 20
- Jan. 16: Arizona 26, Green Bay 20
- Jan. 17: Carolina 31, Seattle 24
- Jan. 17: Denver 23, Pittsburgh 16
Conference Championships
- Jan. 24: AFC Championship, 3:05 p.m. ET, CBS
- Jan. 24: NFC Championship, 6:40 p.m. ET, FOX
Super Bowl 50
Feb. 7: AFC Champ vs. NFC Champ, 6:30 p.m. ET, CBSVFL in AFC/NFC Championships
AFC
Justin Coleman, New England Patriots
Britton Colquitt, Denver Broncos
Malik Jackson, Denver Broncos
Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots
NFC
Chris Scott, Carolina Panthers
The NFL playoffs started with 15 VFLs in the postseason. After Wild Card Weekend and the Divisional Round, that number is down to six. Denver Broncos Britton Colquitt, Malik Jackson and Peyton Manning host the New England Patriots and fellow-VFLs Justin Coleman and Jerod Mayo in the AFC Championship on Jan. 24 at 3:05 p.m. ET on CBS. Carolina's Chris Scott is the lone VFL in the NFC Championship as the Panthers host the Arizona Cardinals at 6:40 p.m. ET on FOX.
Manning (2006 Indianapolis Colts, 2009 Indianapolis Colts, 2013 Denver Broncos), Mayo (2011 New England Patriots, 2014 New England Patriots), Colquitt (2013 Denver Broncos) and Jackson (2013 Denver Broncos) have all reached the Super Bowl. Manning (2006 Indianapolis Colts) and Mayo (2014 New England Patriots) have been on Super Bowl champion teams.
Super Bowl 50 is Feb. 7, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The game will feature a 6:30 p.m. kickoff on CBS.
Last year, Mayo's Patriots defeated Tony McDaniel's (now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) Seattle Seahawks, 28-24, in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
Here is an update on the VFLs on teams in this week's conference championship games.
Justin Coleman
CB, 1st Year
#22 Justin Coleman | New England Patriots
Playoffs
Justin Coleman had a strong performance in his first NFL playoff game last week. In the Patriots' 27-20 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, Coleman tallied three tackles and one pass deflection. New England contained the Chiefs' passing attack to short and mid-range throws to earn a 12th trip to the AFC Championship. The Patriots are 8-3 all-time in AFC Championship games, having most recently won last season en route to a Super Bowl title.
Regular Season
Coleman has played in 10 games for the New England Patriots this season, making 21 tackles with five pass deflections.
Coleman made his NFL debut on Sept. 27, making three tackles in the Pats' 51-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He started two games for the defending Super Bowl Champions with his first career start against the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 29. The Patriots won 36-7 and Coleman registered a career-high five tackles and had one pass deflection. He started the next week in a 27-10 win over Washington, posting three tackles and two pass deflections.
Coleman had a well-traveled summer as a rookie free agent. In May, he signed with the Minnesota Vikings and competed for a roster spot in training camp and the preseason. After being cut by the Vikings on Aug. 30, he signed with the Patriots' practice squad on Sept. 4 but was released the next day. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks' practice squad on Sept. 6 before New England signed him to their active roster on Sept. 9.
2015 REGULAR SEASON: 10 GP, 2 GS, 21 tackles, 17 solo, 5 pass def
Britton Colquitt
P, 7th Year
#4 Britton Colquitt | Denver Broncos
Playoffs
Britton Colquitt punted six times for a 40.3-yard average in Denver's 23-16 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional Round. He played a key role in the battle for field position, pinning the Steelers inside the 20 three times. His longest punt of the day was 57 yards. Colquitt is in his second AFC Championship Game. In the 2013 conference title game, he punted just once for 48 yards.
Regular Season
In his sixth year as the Denver Broncos' punter, Colquitt punted 84 times for 3,663 yards (43.6 average) and 3,336 net yards (39.7 net average). He pinned opponents inside their own 20-yard line 22 times.
Colquitt produced quality punts time and again and ranked 12th in the league in opposing return average at just 6.9 yards per return.
His longest punt of the year was a 62-yarder in Denver's 19-13 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the season opener on Sept. 13. Colquitt had three games (Sept. 27 at Detroit, Nov. 22 at Chicago, Dec. 28 vs. Cincinnati) with three punts inside the 20.
In 96 career games, Colquitt has a 45.2-yard career punting average with a 39.2-yard net average and 149 punts inside the 20.
2015 REGULAR SEASON: 16 GP, 84 punts, 43.6 avg, 39.7 net avg, 22 punts inside 20
Malik Jackson
DE, 4th Year
#97 Malik Jackson | Denver Broncos
Playoffs
Malik Jackson started and made two tackles in the Broncos' 23-16 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. He played a big role in limiting the Steelers to just 85 rushing yards. Denver's defensive line combined for three sacks on Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the win.
Regular Season
Jackson has been a key anchor on the Denver Broncos' defensive line in his first season as a full-time starter (started all 16 games). He had a career-high 45 tackles (34 solo) and led all Broncos defensive linemen with seven passes defended. Jackson also tallied five sacks, two fumbles recovered and one safety.
Denver led the NFL in total defense (283.1 yards allowed per game) and boasted the league's best pass defense (199.6 yards) and third-best run defense (83.6 yards). Jackson's five sacks also contributed to the Broncos' league-leading 52.0 sacks.
Jackson is making his fourth-straight trip to the NFL playoffs as a member of the AFC West Champion Broncos. He was also on the 2013 Denver squad that lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl.
In his four-year NFL career, Jackson has played in 62 games with 134 tackles (100 solo), 14.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumbles recovered and 15 passes defended.
2015 REGULAR SEASON: 16 GP, 16 GS, 45 tackles, 34 solo, 5.0 sacks, 7 pass def, 2 fumbles recovered, 1 safety
Peyton Manning
QB, 18th Year
#18 Peyton Manning | Denver Broncos
Playoffs
Peyton Manning went 21-for-37 for 222 yards in Denver's 23-16 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. He directed five drives that resulted in field goals by Brandon McManus and directed a 13-play, 65-yard fourth quarter drive that set up a one-yard touchdown run by C.J. Anderson. Manning completed a pass to Demaryius Thomas for the two-point conversion after Anderson's touchdown to give the Broncos a 20-13 advantage in the fourth quarter.
Regular Season
Manning started the Denver Broncos' first nine games of the season, leading the team to a 7-2 mark.
After suffering a plantar fascia tear, he sat out the next six games while recovering from the injury before returning in Denver's regular-season finale against San Diego on Jan. 3. Manning entered the game with the Broncos down 13-7 in the third quarter and directed the team on four scoring drives en route to a 27-20 win that gave Denver the No. 1 AFC seed and home-field advantage in the playoffs.
On Nov. 15, Manning became the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards on his first completion in the Denver Broncos' 29-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Manning hit Ronnie Hillman on a 4-yard pass to move past Brett Favre (71,838) for most career passing yards. He currently sits at 71,940 yards.
Manning also passed the 6,000 passes completed mark. He has 6,125 in his career, making him and Favre (6,300) the only two quarterbacks in NFL history to connect on 6,000 passes.
Manning, a five-time NFL MVP (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013), makes his 15th trip to the postseason in his incredible pro career. He has played in three Super Bowls and won Super Bowl XLI against the Chicago Bears, earning Super Bowl MVP honors.
Over 18 seasons, Manning has completed 6,125 of 9,380 passes (65.3 percent) for NFL records of 71,940 yards and 539 touchdowns.
2015 REGULAR SEASON: 10 GP, 9 GS, 2,249 passing yards, 9 TDs, 17 INTs, 198 comp, 331 att, 59.8 comp pct
Jerod Mayo
MLB, 8th Year
#51 Jerod Mayo | New England Patriots
Playoffs
The New England Patriots have placed veteran linebacker Jerod Mayo on injured reserve after he suffered a shoulder injury in the team's 27-20 Divisional Round win over the Kansas City Chiefs. He played the win over the Chiefs, suffering the injury in the third quarter. The Patriots have made the AFC Championship game five times (2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16) in Mayo's career.
Regular Season
Mayo played in all 16 games of the season, his eighth with the New England Patriots, making eight starts. He tallied 47 tackles (35 solo), one sack and one pass defended.
Mayo's strong play and veteran leadership anchored another solid year for the Patriots' defense. New England ranked ninth in total defense (339.4 yards allowed per game), ninth in rushing defense (98.8 yards) and 10th in scoring defense (19.7 points).
New England started the season 10-0 and the Pats' defense held opponents to under 20 points seven times.
Mayo's best game was an eight-tackle performance in New England's 27-6 win at Houston on Dec. 13. He finished the year in strong fashion, racking up 21 tackles in the final four games.
In the offseason, Mayo battled back from a torn patella tendon that limited him to six games in 2014.
Over eight years in the NFL, the two-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl XLIX champion has played in 103 games with 93 starts, 803 tackles (537 solo), 11.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 19 passes defended, 8 fumbles forced and 7 fumbles recovered.
2015 REGULAR SEASON: 16 GP, 8 GS, 47 tackles, 35 solo, 1.0 sack, 1 pass def
Chris Scott
OG, 6th Year
#79 Chris Scott | Carolina Panthers
Playoffs
Scott played in Carolina's 31-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Round last week. The Panthers gained 144 rushing yards in the win with Jonathan Stewart rumbling to 106 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. The Carolina offensive line gave up just one sack to the Seahawks defense.
Regular Season
Scott played in a career-high 13 regular-season games in 2015 as a member of the Carolina Panthers' superb offensive line.
The Panthers ranked 11th in the league in total offense (366.9 yards per game) and Carolina featured the NFL's No. 2 rushing attack at 142.6 yards per game. The team also tied for 11th in fewest sacks allowed at 33.
The Panthers own the league's best record at 15-1 and have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs as the NFC's No. 1 seed.
Scott is making his fifth trip to the NFL playoffs and third-straight with the Panthers. He was previously on the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2010 Super Bowl team and their 2011 playoff team.
Scott has played in 33 games and made eight starts in his six-year NFL career.
2015 REGULAR SEASON: 13 GP
