(Home games in CAPS)

PRESEASON
Fri. Aug. 10 NEW ENGLAND 7:30 WFLA (NBC)
Sat. Aug. 18 at Jacksonville 7:30 WFLA (NBC)
Sat. Aug. 25 at Miami 7:30 WFLA (NBC)
Thurs. Aug. 30 HOUSTON 8:00 WFLA (NBC)

REGULAR SEASON
Sun. Sept. 9 at Seattle 4:15 FOX
Sun. Sept. 16 NEW ORLEANS 1:00 FOX
Sun. Sept. 23 ST. LOUIS 1:00 FOX
Sun. Sept. 30 at Carolina 4:05 p.m. FOX
Sun. Oct. 7 at Indianapolis 4:05 p.m. FOX
Sun. Oct. 14 TENNESSEE 1:00 CBS
Sun. Oct. 21 at Detroit 1:00 FOX
Sun. Oct. 28 JACKSONVILLE 4:05 CBS
Sun. Nov. 4 ARIZONA 1:00 FOX
Sun. Nov. 11 Bye Week
Sun. Nov. 18 at Atlanta 1:00 FOX
Sun. Nov. 25 WASHINGTON 1:00 FOX
Sun. Dec. 2 at New Orleans 1:00 FOX
Sun. Dec. 9 at Houston 1:00 FOX
Sun. Dec. 16 ATLANTA 1:00 FOX
Sun. Dec. 23 at San Francisco 8:15 NBC (National TV)
Sun. Dec. 30 CAROLINA 1:00 FOX

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Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson is more than a month into his 120-day stay in the Cook County Jail for violating probation on a weapons charge, and Chicago head coach Lovie Smith continues to strongly defend Johnson, describing him as an example of “what can happen to a good guy.” Smith definitely doesn’t want to see Johnson suspended for eight games or an entire season.  

Sean Farnham on FOX Sports Radio asked me an interesting question on Monday. Was the NFL pulling out of its preseason game in China because the league realizes that it can’t make the strides in Asia and Europe like the NBA has? That football is strictly an American game?

Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas has told the NFL that he plans to go fishing with his father on Draft Day and won't be coming to the festivities in New York City. Thomas, a former tight end in high school, made himself into the draft's best left tackle.

Oakland coach Lane Kiffin said he tried to recruit Thomas to play at USC, but that Thomas was a country boy who liked to fish and wanted to stay home. When speaking with Thomas at the combine, Kiffin reminded him of his background.

We have bounced around a lot of scenarios for the Raiders, but what if Al Davis simply picks LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell and leaves Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson on the board for the Lions. Detroit really can't trade that pick with Cleveland, Tampa Bay or Arizona. None of those teams would be willing to give up anything extra for Johnson, knowing full well that Millen will never draft another receiver that high in the draft.

At Tuesday morning’s AFC coaches’ breakfast at the lush Arizona Biltmore, it was standing room only around 31-year-old Lane Kiffin’s table. The Raiders’ fifth different head coach since 2001 handled the nationwide reporters pretty well. He never got flustered, and even admitted that he snuck into the Raiders’ Alameda facility for his final interview with owner Al Davis “through a back door, so no one would see me. Kind of like the CIA.”

There is no question right now that LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell and Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson figure to be the first players taken in next month's NFL draft.

Russell has shed at least 12 pounds from his NFL Combine weight of 265 pounds while Johnson has been the most physically impressive athlete both in Indianapolis and at his individual workout a week ago.

I am sure that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is tempted to suspend Pacman Jones for the entire 2007 season and make an example out of him. Pacman has always thought of himself as the next Deion Sanders, however, devoid of any good sense.

Looking to shore up their running back situation, the Raiders had a mild interest in both Travis Henry (signed with Denver) and Ahman Green (signed with Houston) and never got either player to visit.

Henry is a risky proposition because he’s in the NFL drug program and his next positive test would warrant a year-long suspension. Henry is a solid runner and he could become the first back ever to rush for over 1,200 yards with three different teams: Buffalo, Tennesee and now Denver.

The Bears are receiving plenty of positive remarks for their recent four-year extension ($5 million average) and raising head coach Lovie Smith’s salary this season from $1.45 to $3.5 million. For Smith, it is a well-deserved raise.

However, Smith’s new deal probably will pale in comparison to other elite NFL head coaches, especially if someone like Bill Cowher returns to the sidelines in 2008 for $8-10 million a season.