Jets' Ryan calls Revis 'best player' in league

Sure, Tom Brady is great. So are Peyton Manning and Michael Vick.

But in Rex Ryan's always humble opinion, they pale in comparison to Darrelle Revis.

"Quite honestly," Ryan said Monday, "he's the best player in football."

Revis held Indianapolis' Reggie Wayne to one catch for 1 yard Saturday night in New York's 17-16 playoff victory, a performance that frustrated the Colts receiver and earned unsolicited praise from his coach.

"That tells you how good Darrelle Revis is," Ryan said. "I know he's probably not going to win the Defensive Player of the Year award, but the impact he has is amazing."

Ryan lobbied hard last season for Revis to be selected as the league's top defensive player after a season in which he shut down elite wide receivers week after week. Revis has been at it again this season, but lacks the gaudy numbers some cornerbacks have.

Vick, Eagles head into offseason of uncertainty

Michael Vick turned a season that began with low expectations into one filled with highlights and high hopes.

It ended in bitter disappointment - the same way it usually does for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Vick led the Eagles (10-7) to an NFC East title, but a 21-16 loss to Green Bay in a wild-card game on Sunday spoiled his remarkable comeback story.

So, the first season without Donovan McNabb finished just like the 11 with him. No Super Bowl victory for the Eagles, who haven't won a championship since 1960.

Now the Eagles head into an offseason filled with uncertainty, mainly because of the NFL labor contract. Vick is set to become a free agent, and there are no guarantees he'll be back.

"We'll see," coach Andy Reid said Monday when asked who will be the team's starting quarterback next season.

The Eagles still have Kevin Kolb, who began this season as the starter. An injury to Kolb in Week 1 paved the way for Vick, and he played better than anyone expected.

"We're going to have to wait and see, but I really do hope I am (back)," Vick said. "I enjoyed this season. I enjoyed the group of guys that I played with. I enjoyed the progress and the success that we all made as a young team. I think the sky's the limit."

Former AFL star RB Cookie Gilchrist dies at 75

Cookie Gilchrist's nickname gave the false impression of a man who might easily crumble.

One of the American Football League's first marquee players, Gilchrist died of cancer Monday at the age of 75.

He was a 251-pound bruiser whose ferocious running style drew comparisons to that of the great Jim Brown, and his grit and single-mindedness extended beyond the football field. Gilchrist took stands against racism and wasn't afraid to demand better contracts.

He died early Monday at an assisted living facility near Pittsburgh, nephew Thomas Gilchrist said. He was first diagnosed with throat cancer, and the disease spread to his prostate and colon.

Carlton Chester "Cookie" Gilchrist joined the Bills of the AFL in 1962 and spent three seasons there. He was the league's player of the year in 1962, when he had 1,096 yards rushing and a league-leading 13 touchdowns. In 1964, Gilchrist and quarterback Jack Kemp led the Bills to their first of two straight AFL championships.

Chargers' Rivera moves to front of Panthers' list

Ron Rivera emerged as the leading candidate to be Carolina's next coach on Monday when the San Diego defensive coordinator arrived for a second interview with the Panthers.

Team spokesman Charlie Dayton said Rivera was scheduled to meet with team officials in Charlotte. But Dayton said Rivera had not yet been hired to replace the fired John Fox.

The 49-year-old Rivera becomes the first candidate to be interviewed twice, and the first to speak directly with Panthers owner Jerry Richardson.

Packers-Eagles game earns big TV ratings

The Green Bay Packers' win over the Philadelphia Eagles earned the highest television rating for a wild card game in 12 years.

Fox said Monday it drew a 22.1 rating and 37 share, the best since Packers-49ers during the 1998 season. The 39.3 million viewers Sunday were the most ever for a wild-card game.

The Baltimore Ravens' victory over the Kansas City Chiefs earlier Sunday earned a 17.1/35, the highest-rated AFC wild-card game on CBS since Pittsburgh-Cincinnati in 2006.

Ratings represent the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned into a program. Shares represent the percentage of all homes with TVs in use at the time.