Titan Kicker Calls It Quits

Kicker Gary Anderson retired Sunday, a day after his 22nd season ended in the Tennessee Titans’ 17-14 divisional playoff loss at New England.

“That’s a great group of guys here, both coaches and players, that made it a lot of fun for me and my boys,” Anderson said.

“I’m really pleased that I came and played for the Titans.”

Anderson, at 44 the NFL’s oldest player, left a trout stream in Colorado in September to sign with Tennessee for one last chance at the Super Bowl.

The NFL’s career scoring leader -- in the regular season and the postseason -- had just two extra points in his final game. His only field-goal try, a 31-yarder, was blocked by Richard Seymour.

“It was unfortunate. I was hoping to get another chance late in the game last night, maybe put it into overtime,” Anderson said.

“But that never happened.”

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The Oakland Raiders will interview Dallas Cowboy assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach Sean Payton for their head coaching vacancy.

Team spokesman Artie Gigantino said Payton would interview late Sunday or today, depending on his flight. The Raiders fired Bill Callahan after a 4-12 season.

Payton will be the third candidate to speak face-to-face with owner Al Davis.

The Raiders interviewed Dennis Green before he took the job with the Arizona Cardinals. They also spoke to San Francisco 49er offensive coordinator Greg Knapp last week.

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The St. Louis Rams face an off-season filled with questions and doubt -- all created by their double-overtime playoff loss to the Carolina Panthers on Saturday.

Coach Mike Martz was steadfast in his support of Marc Bulger over struggling two-time most valuable player Kurt Warner until a few days before the Rams’ 29-23 loss.

Then he changed, saying that he would do anything to win, including benching Bulger.

Bulger was intercepted three times in his first playoff game.

Martz appeared to have lost a bit of confidence in him in the final minute of regulation, electing to play for a tie instead of going for a win with a first down at the Panther 15, with 39 seconds to play and one timeout remaining.

“We had plenty of opportunities to make plays,” Martz said. “You can go back and look at this whole game. You have to execute if you’re going to be a championship team.”

Martz, who’s never been a safety-first guy, got two opportunities to talk his way out of his conservative decision at the end of regulation.

“I knew the field goal would be good,” he said.

“To me, that’s the right thing to do at that point in the game. To come back like we had to get in that position, I just felt like the risk wasn’t necessary.”