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Football may be one of America’s most treasured sports, but this traditional pastime is getting a high-tech makeover that is moving the game from the gridiron to the Internet and even video game consoles.

Some coaches are using simulators modeled after the popular football video game “Madden” to teach players.

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For many college and pro coaches, technology is a necessary tool to connect with players in the digital age. Some coaches acknowledge that there can be a digital divide between player and coach, and say that it has become increasingly important to engage their players online.

Kevin Morris, the offensive coordinator of the University of Massachusetts football team, has recently started using OnePlaybook, an interactive online playbook that helps coaches manage teams and communicate with their players. Morris says the program, which allows him to upload opponent video and other coaching materials to a secure Web site, has encouraged his players to plug in and spend more time reviewing plays before game day.

“What it allows us to do in this day of the instant access is get our kids to get online and watch video of the opponents from their rooms,” Morris said. “They’re all online these days. They have Internet on their phones. It’s ridiculous. Now they can just sit in their rooms and click to view game material … and they are better prepared for Saturday.”

Brian Manning, the creator of OnePlaybook, says the program offers coaches another teaching tool.

“[The Internet is] a medium that players are really used to. They get information that way all the time, so it makes sense for coaches to leverage that,” Manning said. “People learn a lot of different ways. Putting coaching material online is another way for players to learn.”

XOS Technologies, one of the leading providers of sports technology to professional and college teams, not only hopes to leverage the Internet, but is also trying to teach players through another medium they may be familiar with — video games.

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Paul David grew up in Massillon, Ohio, admiring Paul Brown – then the coach of the Massillon Tigers’ high school football program.

Brown eventually moved on to become an NFL Hall of Fame coach. David watched as Brown befriended his older brothers, Tofic and Johnny, and he later took Brown’s history class at the high school.

“My dad thought the world of Paul Brown, as a person and a professional,” said Jeff David, Paul’s son who played and later coached at Massillon. “My dad and coach Brown kept this wonderful relationship out of mutual respect for each other. Coach Brown knew the very humble beginnings my dad had and the struggles the family shared. My dad and coach Brown were very fond of each other. It was a wonderful, beautiful relationship built on a mutual respect and a shared commonality of how you lead your life and what drives decisions in your life.”

Paul Brown . then the founder and owner of the Cincinnati Bengals . died in 1991, and Paul David passed away 11 years later. But Jeff David, in the town in which Paul Brown is still revered, is determined to keep the relationship between his father and Brown in the community’s conscience.

That’s one of the reasons why his foundation established the “DREAM project” and embarked on building the first indoor practice facility for a high school team in the state. It’s right next door to Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, where Massillon plays its home games before thousands of fans. As the first step in the DREAM project, the $3 million Paul L. David Athletic Training Center was erected.

Most important to Jeff David, it keeps alive the memory of how his father . not to mention Brown . lived his life.

“It was pretty simple,” he said. “How do we memorialize everything that was important to my dad . family, Massillon, athletics? We announced and forged this dream initiative, developing resources for education and athletics in Massillon. It was to provide career opportunities for the students of Massillon with the unique curriculum embedded in the DREAM project. With the indoor facility, you see a beautiful building, but what most people don’t know or understand is what’s embedded in the DREAM project.

“The building gets the most attention. You can see it, touch it, feel it, experience it. We are very proud of the bricks and the mortar. But if you think it’s just about football, then you don’t know the essence of the DREAM project. The initiative was to incorporate things that were so very important to my dad growing up.”

The 80,000-square-foot building, which is 20,000 square feet larger than the Cleveland Browns’ indoor facility, doesn’t simply benefit the football team.

Most other prep sports at Massillon . whether it’s the golf team or baseball team hitting into the intricate net system, the softball squad staying warm in the middle of winter, the band fine-tuning its performance or the participants in the youth flag football league playing . take advantage of the enormous building.

In fact, the entire football-crazy community seemingly is receiving its benefits. One reason is because the entire $6 million DREAM project (the next phase includes an 18,000-square-foot sports medicine building) is privately funded through the Paul & Carol David Foundation, which last year awarded 80 scholarships valued at $5,500 each to Massillon students in need.

“To have a facility like that . we’ve been in there since the middle of July, and every time I go in there, I shake my head,” said Massillon athletic director Tim Ridgley, who played on Massillon’s last state title team in 1970. “The constant in this whole program is the community support. That has never wavered to a large degree for the past 60, 70, 80 years. It’s hard to explain to people unless you’ve seen it and experienced it.”

Massillon also is used to walking on the cutting edge of football technology. That began with Brown in the 1930s and continued with the artificial turf that was laid on the field in the 1980s. Now, it persists with the indoor facility.

“Massillon High School is ahead of us,” Bengals owner Mike Brown, the oldest son of Paul Brown, told the Cleveland Plain Dealer when asked about the indoor facility. “We don’t have one.”

Paul Brown, though, is never far from the community’s collective thought in Massillon. Before every contest, when the football team takes its Tigers Pride walk, the pregame stroll ends at the Paul Brown statute. The team then says a prayer and heads into the locker room.

Thanks in part to the David family, Brown’s former program continues to thrive.

“When you take a look at the rich tradition of head coaches we’ve had here, the guy that was the trendsetter was Paul Brown,” Ridgley said. “You look at the stories and the writings of him and the things he did with this football program that were the first time anybody had ever done anything like that. This kind of fits in with the whole thing.”

CINCINNATI (AP).Given the way Donovan McNabb played, the Philadelphia Eagles were lucky to get the tie.

McNabb fumbled and threw three interceptions in regulation, and nearly had another pass picked off in overtime Sunday as the Eagles and Bengals played to a 13-13 tie, the NFL.s first in six years.

Cincinnati.s Shayne Graham missed a 47-yard field goal with 7 seconds left in overtime, falling to the ground as the ball sailed a few inches wide to the right. It was a fitting way to end a game played like the very definition of a tie. Despite all the shanked punts and trick plays, this one went nowhere.

It was the first tied game in the NFL since Nov. 10, 2002, when the Falcons and Steelers finished 34-34 with Michael Vick and Tommy Maddox matching each other pass for pass. In this one, the teams matched each other gaffe for gaffe.

The Eagles (5-4-1) have yet to win a close game this season, going 0-4 with a tie in games decided by less than a touchdown. McNabb had a big hand in this one, matching his career high with three interceptions and setting up 10 of Cincinnati.s points.

He nearly had another, but Johnathan Joseph dropped a potential interception near midfield in overtime. Each team had three chances in the extra 15-minute quarter, but only the Bengals (1-8-1) got close enough to try a field goal.

Considering what went on the previous three hours, no one was surprised when Graham, 6-for-6 this season from 40-49 yards away, sliced it just outside the right upright for the second tie in franchise history. The Bengals played Houston to a 31-31 tie in 1969, their second season.

Philadelphia hadn.t finished with a tie since a 10-10 game against Baltimore in 1997. The Eagles. defense had eight sacks and compensated for McNabb.s fumble by pulling off a goal-line stand from the 1 in the first quarter. The game soon settled in that pattern.a blitzing defense trying to erase the offense.s mishaps.

It ended up in a draw.

McNabb, who had only five interceptions coming in, went 28-of-58 for 339 yards. He repeatedly missed open receivers in an offense that has come to rely on him almost entirely because it lacks a running game. Brian Westbrook managed only 60 yards, his third straight sub-par game.

Ryan Fitzpatrick went 29-of-44 for 261 yards with a touchdown set up by McNabb.s first interception. He was under heavy pressure all game, forcing the Bengals to punt 11 times, tying their team record.

After Philadelphia.s David Akers tied it at 13 with 5:18 to go in regulation, neither team could put together a drive until the Bengals. final one, set up by Sav Rocca.s third shanked punt of the game to Cincinnati.s 41. Sheldon Brown.s roughing-the-passer penalty gave the Bengals another huge break and set up Graham.s final kick.

Not even the breaks could break the tie.

RENTON, Wash. (AP).Finally, Matt Hasselbeck and Deion Branch are facing a challenge the Seahawks are thrilled to be dealing with: rust.

Seattle.s three-time Pro Bowl passer and former Super Bowl MVP receiver worked with the first-team offense for the entire practice Friday. So each is ready to start for the first time in six weeks Sunday against first-place Arizona.

They.re back for what coach Mike Holmgren says is a must-win game to save Seattle.s season. The four-time defending division champions are 2-7 and trail the Cardinals by four games in the NFC West with seven games remaining.

.We can label it. It.s about time we label one,. Holmgren said, laughing. .I.ve always said that, until mathematically you can.t do it anymore, you have hope. So, we.re getting to that point right now. This is a must-win game..

Hasselbeck.s return from a nerve problem in his right leg caused by a bulging disk in his back is a huge boost to a passing offense ranked 31st in the league.

.I think he.s had a wonderful week. He.s clearly excited about being back,. Holmgren said. .He had a little spring in his step. He threw the ball well. I think everyone enjoyed the fact that he was back practicing again..

Hasselbeck didn.t even do that from Oct. 4 until Nov. 7 while twice visiting a back surgeon in Los Angeles and doggedly following a rehabilitation plan to strengthen the core muscles in his back. Wednesday was the first day he ran the first-team offense in more than five weeks. Sunday will be his first game since he felt his back stiffen and he hyperextended his weakened right knee during a loss at the New York Giants on Oct. 5.

Quarterback coach Bill Lazor thinks Hasselbeck may show some rust against an active, tricky Cardinals defense.

.Matt has been in the offense a long time with coach Holmgren calling the plays, so if anyone can do it, he can,. Lazor said of Seattle.s starter since 2002. .I would hope he could hit the ground running, but we.ll see..

Hasselbeck had said Wednesday he still needed to be cleared by a team physician before he could play. When asked Friday if Hasselbeck still needed to be cleared, Holmgren sounded like someone who has spent three months constantly being disappointed at not getting back injured starters when he expected.

.Well, I.ve got my fingers crossed, but no, he.s playing.unless all of a sudden he can.t get out of bed in the morning,. the coach said.

Branch will try to play his first full game since January following reconstructive knee surgery and a bruised heel. He will start with Bobby Engram and, when Seattle goes to three wide receivers, Koren Robinson. So the Seahawks will finally have the receivers they.ve been wanting to use together since mid-September.

Branch may not be in shape to play the entire game, and Seattle has promoted opening-game starter Courtney Taylor from the practice squad this week to spell him. Branch said his conditioning is not as good as it was back on Oct. 5 when, he said, .I was in better shape than anyone in this whole locker room.. That was from months of workouts he likened to that of a long-distance runner to strengthen his knee.

Then he lasted only two quarters before bruising his heel while running a route against the Giants.

Holmgren said fullback Leonard Weaver, listed as questionable, will be a game-time decision. He has bruised ribs. If Weaver can.t play, rookie Owen Schmitt will start.

In Tuesday’s post about the race for Shutdown Corner MVP, I had Kurt Warner at the top of the list, and made no mention of Kerry Collins. In fact, the thought of Kerry Collins on such a list never even crossed my mind.

Should it have? There are those who believe it should. Jimmy Traina of SI’s Hot Clicks has welded himself onto the Kerry Collins for MVP bandwagon, and Tirico Suave makes a case for Collins, too (some naughty language in there), including a dandy campaign video.

Hot Clicks says you’ve got to factor in what each quarterback has to work with, and Collins has Justin Gage, Brandon Jones and Justin McCareins, while Warner has Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston.

The biggest factor is what each team is asking of their quarterback. Kerry Collins is a bit player in the Titans offense, right? The stars of that show are LenDale White and Chris Johnson. They pound the football. Johnson and White are Anton Chigurgh and Llewelyn Moss. Kerry Collins is Moss’s mother-in-law.

And that’s fine. He can absolutely nail the role of Moss’s mother-in-law. But, you know, let’s be honest … there are about 80 other old women in Hollywood who could play that role. But there aren’t a lot of Anton Chigurghs out there.

Whereas everything in Arizona relies on Kurt Warner. You can have great receivers, but if you don’t have a quarterback who can get the ball to them, you don’t have anything. The guy’s got a shocking 70.6% completion percentage. and a 19-to-6 TD-to-interception ratio. That’s not an accident. Larry Fitzgerald isn’t making Warner’s passes hit him in the chest. Anquan Boldin isn’t making the reads for him and keeping defenders from touching the ball.

One guy is being asked to run the show, and one is not. And if you’re not asked to run the show, then you can’t be the show’s MVP. Sorry. That’s how it works.

Jevon Kearse’s teammate might think his team won’t finish the year undefeated, but The Freak isn’t shy about advertising his team’s current, umblemished 9-0 mark. After the Titans earned a decisive first down against the Bears, thus sealing a 21-14 victory today at Soldier Field, Kearse made a hyphen out of some masking tape to provide a numerical reminder of the Titan’s record.

Sadly, the Lions have nobody wearing the number 09.

The Oakland Raiders. decision to waive DeAngelo Hall just eight games after signing him to a $70 million contract brought surprised reactions from his teammates who now wonder even more about the future of the franchise.

.I.ve never been in a situation where you cut one of the best players,. said safety Gibril Wilson, another of the team.s offseason acquisitions. .That.s strange to me. It.s almost like we.re throwing in the towel..

The Raiders waived Hall on Wednesday, bringing a disappointing end to a short tenure in Oakland. The Raiders sent a second-round draft pick in 2008 and a fifth-rounder next season to Atlanta in March to acquire Hall, who immediately was given a seven-year contract.

Hall was supposed to form one of the top cornerback duos in the league with Nnamdi Asomugha, but struggled from the start of the season as he adjusted to the Raiders. man-to-man defense.

Hall had shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, but was let go anyway following a 24-0 loss to the Falcons that dropped Oakland to 2-6 on the season.

.I.m obviously disappointed,. Asomugha said. .I don.t agree with what happened. I don.t agree with what.s going on. But I am just a player so I can.t speak on it. I don.t make the decisions. All I can do is play but I don.t agree with what happened at all..

The move to cut Hall follows other changes made by coach Tom Cable since taking over from Lane Kiffin on an interim basis after four games. Michael Huff, the No. 7 overall pick in 2006, lost his starting safety job and is now a third-stringer. Ronald Curry, the team.s leading receiver the past two years, has been relegated to special teams play.

Asomugha said the recent moves have led to some players being tentative on the field, afraid that they could be next to lose their starting job or spot on the team.

.There.s been some things that have been going on, some shakeups, that I haven.t agreed with,. Asomugha said. .Like I said, I.m not allowed to speak on it because we.re just supposed to shut up and play. But you ask me if I agree with it? I don.t agree with it..

Just a week ago, interim coach Cable said that Hall was back to resembling the player he was in Atlanta, when he made it to two Pro Bowls. But in his last game, he was beaten for a 37-yard touchdown pass to Michael Jenkins on the opening drive of a 24-0 loss to his former Falcons team.

After a meeting with Cable, owner Al Davis and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan on Tuesday, the decision was made to get rid of Hall.

.When you look at the consistency and the play and those sorts of things, it was just the decision we felt was right for this football team,. Cable said. .We did not want to stay where we.re at. Felt like that was very important that we don.t do that, that we move forward and that was the decision that was made..

Chris Johnson, who had mostly been the fourth cornerback this season, has moved ahead of Stanford Routt and will start on Sunday against Carolina. Routt will remain the nickel cornerback.

Cable said he hopes the move sends the message that no one.s job is safe, but he went out of his way to say that receiver Javon Walker won.t be the next high-priced acquisition to go. Walker, who signed a $55 million contract in the offseason, has only 13 catches at the midpoint of the season.

.Javon has really brought his game to a whole new level the last few weeks, whether it.s on the practice field or in the games,. Cable said. .Javon Walker is in no way not going to be a part of this football team. I don.t know about all the money stuff, or high priced, or this or that. I just know what I.m trying to do to make this team better..

With most teams choosing to avoid throwing Asomugha on the other side of the field, Hall became a frequent target of opposing offenses, starting with a poor performance against Denver in the opening week.

In his eight games in Oakland, Hall was beaten 40 times for 552 yards on 66 passes thrown his way, according to data compiled by STATS LLC. He gave up more yards than any defender this season and was tied for third worst in catches allowed.

.When you.re losing there.s a lot of finger pointing,. Asomugha said. .I don.t think he.s the one scapegoat. There.s fingers pointed everywhere. I don.t think it.s just him. He was kind of singled out in regards of let.s cut someone..

Hall said earlier this season it took him time to get used to Oakland.s man-to-man style of defense after being able to freelance frequently while playing zone with the Falcons. He had 17 interceptions in his four seasons in Atlanta, making the Pro Bowl in 2005 and .06. He had three interceptions this year, but frequently got beaten on big plays.

Hall got about $8 million of his contract for playing in eight games. But by releasing him now, the Raiders can use some of the money they planned to give Hall to try to keep Asomugha.

Oakland placed the franchise tag on Asomugha this year and would like to sign him to a long-term deal in the offseason. Asomugha would not comment on questions about whether this latest move would reduce his desire to want to return to Oakland.

In other moves, the Raiders placed safety Tyvon Branch (shoulder) and linebacker Robert Thomas (hamstring) on injured reserve with season-ending injuries. The Raiders signed defensive tackle William Joseph and defensive back Michael Waddell, who were both released in training camp. Linebacker Marquis Cooper was also signed.

Playoff contenders interested in Hall

LANDOVER, Md..Five things we learned watching the Steelers defeat the Redskins 23-6:

1. Big Ben is banged up

A right shoulder injury to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger marred the Steelers. victory. Roethlisberger was hit by Anthony Montgomery after throwing a pass late in the second quarter, and Roethlisberger immediately began to shake his right arm. He headed to the locker room just before halftime, and Byron Leftwich played the entire second half. Roethlisberger watched the second half from the sideline, wearing a baseball cap, and keeping his right arm close to his side.

There was no immediate word about the severity of Roethlisberger.s injury, but the Steelers have a short week to prepare for Sunday.s home game against the Colts. The Steelers will lose sleep until they find out more about Roethlisberger.s status.

2. Leftwich in a pinch

Byron Leftwich.s superb second-half performance (7 for 10, 129 yards) magnified the importance of having a quality backup quarterback. Leftwich was far more effective Monday than Roethlisberger (5 for 17, 50 yards, one interception), leading the Steelers to two touchdown drives that put them in command. On his first pass of the game, Leftwich connected with Nate Washington for a 50-yard strike. So much for needing time to warm up. Then Leftwich hit Mewelde Moore on a key third-down pass to set up Willie Parker.s one-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Leftwich lifted his team, letting everyone know they would be fine without Roethlisberger.

When a starting quarterback goes down, it can send shockwaves through an entire team. Look no further than the Cowboys for proof of that. However, Leftwich delivered in the clutch, helping his team to a key victory. And in the process, Leftwich gave a nice audition for teams who may need a starting quarterback next season.

3. J.C. is no MVP

Jason Campbell is having a nice season. He is becoming a solid NFL quarterback. But he is not a league MVP. Campbell (24 for 43, 206 yards, two interceptions) had one of his worst performances of the season, and he finally threw his first interception of the season when his third-quarter pass was tipped into air by running back Clinton Portis into the arms of Steelers defensive back Deshea Townsend. Campbell had thrown 271 consecutive passes without an interception, a franchise record.

While Campbell has mastered the art of avoiding the big mistake, he has not mastered the art of carrying his team to victory. The Redskins needed some big plays from Campbell to beat the Steelers, and he did not deliver. With the Steelers clamping down on Portis (13 carries, 51 yards), Campbell did not carry the offense when he had to. For him, that is the next step in his development as a quarterback.

4. Blitzburgh is back

The Steelers didn.t sack Eli Manning in their loss to the Giants. But the Steelers. defense turned nasty again against the Redskins, sacking Campbell seven times. Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley had a sensational third-quarter sack, leaping over a blocker, then body-slamming Campbell to the turf. The Steelers. 3-4 defense, choreographed by defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, is difficult to handle because the Steelers disguise their blitzes so well. This was the kind of defensive performance the Steelers are used to, the kind that has carried them to first place in the AFC North.

5. The division races are interesting

Speaking of the AFC North, it is shaping up as a two-team race between the Steelers (6-2) and the surprising Ravens (5-3), with the Browns (3-5) in deep trouble, and the Bengals (1-8) out of the picture. You could almost feel the Browns. disappointment as they watched the Steelers pull out another tough victory on the road. No wonder Cleveland is turning to Brady Quinn at quarterback. Time is running out on the Browns, and the Steelers remain the team to beat in the division. Meanwhile, the Giants (7-1) are clearly the team to beat in the NFC East, with the Redskins (6-3), Eagles (5-3), and Cowboys (5-4) giving chase in football.s toughest division.