NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 7 New Articles Added 11/6/06

[Hache Man]

Updated: Aug. 8, 2006
Chiefs' D has improved confidence, chemistry



By Michael Smith
ESPN.com
Archive

RIVER FALLS, Wis. -- Friday evening, somewhere between 6:30 and 8:30, during the Chiefs-Vikings scrimmage in Mankato, Minn., Gunther Cunningham says he finally saw the proverbial light come on for Kansas City's defense. Inside Chiefs camp Can Larry Johnson be even better in 2006? How does the offensive line look without Willie Roaf? Those are just two of the things Michael Smith touches on in his observations from Chiefs camp. • Inside Chiefs camp "I saw something different in the players' eyes for the first time since I've been back," says Cunningham, entering his third season as Chiefs defensive coordinator. "A confidence, a growth, that intangible thing that you as a coordinator see more than anyone else. I hope what I saw was the making of a real, solid, defensive football team." K.C.'s D has been seen as soft for several years, having not cracked the league's top 20 in least yards allowed the past five seasons. Meanwhile, the Chiefs' offense has finished in the top five five years in a row, including first the past two seasons. That imbalance resulted in just one playoff game in Dick Vermeil's five-year tenure. With an aging offense that already has seen both offensive tackles retire this offseason, the Chiefs' defense will need to pull its weight if Kansas City is to pull off its first Super Bowl run in more than three decades. Most of the pieces are indeed in place for the Chiefs' defense to experience the kind of transformation Indianapolis' did last year. Cunningham was the defense's major offseason acquisition in 2004. He helped it finish 31st, down from 29th the year before, more proof that schemes tend to be more effective when they feature good players. In '05, Kansas City imported via free agency linebacker Kendrell Bell and safety Sammy Knight, traded for Dolphins cornerback Patrick Surtain and drafted linebacker Derrick Johnson in the first round. But it didn't come together overnight, and the Chiefs came in 25th (seventh against the run). This year, the Chiefs went defense again in the first round, selecting defensive end Tamba Hali. They also acquired another corner from the AFC East, former Patriot and Jet Ty Law. Yet perhaps the most important addition to the defense was again not a player but a coach: head coach Herman Edwards. The Chiefs are using Edwards' version of the "Tampa 2" scheme as their base defense. Kansas City should be able to generate pressure off the edges with Hali and Jared Allen. The big question up front is: Who are the big guys in the middle going to be? First-round disappointment Ryan Sims and free agent pickup Ron Edwards are running with the first teamers for the moment. Barry Taylor/WireImage.com Herman Edwards plans to help his defense by using sound play selection on offense. Edwards says this corps of linebackers is the fastest he's coached. Johnson could have a big year, having gained experience by starting every game as a rookie. Cunningham says Johnson has become a better blitzer and possesses a better understanding of coverages. The secondary has a chance to be special, with Knight and Greg Wesley (Chiefs people say he's having a really good camp) joining the tandem of Pro Bowl corners. From the "Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks" Dept.: Edwards wants Law (who played at 218 pounds last year but is down to 205) and Madison to use what's called "hard hands" and be even more physical with the outside receivers in this Cover 2 defense than they've been in their careers, whereas before they'd "soft jam," read and run with the receivers. As a unit, the Chiefs are going to run to the ball better than they have and play better team defense, a hallmark of the Tampa 2 scheme. One of the lasting images of last season was the Giants' Tiki Barber breaking tackle after tackle on his way to gaining 220 yards rushing against K.C. If the Chiefs play the Tampa 2 properly, that kind of thing shouldn't happen again. There shouldn't be as many one-on-one tackling situations because everyone is taught to fly to the football and how to tackle based on where their help is. The idea is to have the players do less reading and reacting and more attacking. Kansas City will mix up its coverages, sure, and the Chiefs will pull out some exotic blitzes every now and again, but for the most part they're going to keep it simple and be fundamentally sound. "We've got to be better on execution," Edwards says. "Use our talent and let our talent run to the ball." Much the same way the offense has been in place, the Chiefs' communication on D also should be better after two seasons under Cunningham. Fantasy take Before Antonio Gates came along, there was no better tight end in fantasy than Tony Gonzalez. Now Gonzalez is coming off a season with only two touchdown catches, and fantasy owners aren't sure he'll ever bounce back. Gonzalez remains a threat to lead the position in catches, and we should expect his touchdowns to increase a bit. He's no Gates, but being second best at this position is still pretty good. -- Eric Karabell • Play ESPN fantasy football! • Check out ESPN's draft kit "People think you can just put a unit together and play ball, but the best defenses, if you look throughout the league, have been together for two, three years," Knight says. This is easily the most talent on defense the Chiefs have had in several years. When Cunningham returned, he points out, the Chiefs had three starters who were first-day picks. Kansas City has sent one defensive player (free safety Jerome Woods in 2003) to the Pro Bowl this decade. But to be fair, the defense has had help being bad. Besides changing the scheme on defense, Edwards is in the process of changing the mind-set on offense. Don't worry. Kansas City's high-powered offense, now under the direction of former O-line coach Mike Solari, isn't going to bring back "Marty (as in, Schottenheimer) Ball." Edwards says he doesn't want to be conservative. But to make the playoffs, he says, the offense must play smarter. He's spent a lot of time so far talking to the team about playing together, something team staff members say was, frankly, missing under Vermeil. Kansas City wasn't just imbalanced in the rankings but also in its approach. Vermeil was such an offensive-minded coach, practice time was even skewed toward that side of the ball. The defense often was reduced to scout team status. On game days, the offense, because it was so aggressive, would often put the defense in difficult situations. The Chiefs continued throwing even when they had big leads. That stops the clock unnecessarily and gives opponents extra possessions. Kansas City's habit of keeping its foot on the gas, so to speak, probably was a combination of not having faith in the defense's ability to protect a lead and a love affair with statistics. Here's the key number in Edwards' mind: While true the Chiefs have won their last 18 games at Arrowhead Stadium, they're 3-9 on the road in December/January since 2001. "I know one thing," says Edwards, who guided the Jets to three playoff appearances, "the way you control the game on the road is to play good defense and run the ball on offense. It takes the crowd out of the game. You don't win on the road, you're not going to be a consistent playoff team." The challenge facing Edwards is a lot like the circumstances his friend Tony Dungy encountered when he took over the Colts. Dungy had to rebuild the defense there, but in the meantime he adapted to the personnel he had on offense. He didn't start playing "Buc Ball" again, nor will Edwards, he says. But when Kansas City gets in a position where it can control the clock or even run out the clock, that's what the Chiefs will do (emphasis on run). "People say I'm going to be conservative," Edwards said. "Well, I've never been involved with an offense like this. I'm not going to be 'Conservative Joe' and blow up a good offense. I'm not going to shut it down. I still want to be exciting. But we have to play together." Cunningham, the former Chiefs head coach, has seen some dark days for Kansas City's defense. Now he sees it all coming together. Might the watershed for the Chiefs' defense have occurred in an otherwise mostly meaningless training camp scrimmage? "For the first time," Cunningham says, "I don't see the Kansas City Chiefs' defense as whipping boys."

[Hache Man]

Updated: Aug. 8, 2006
Chiefs' D has improved confidence, chemistry



By Michael Smith
ESPN.com
Archive

RIVER FALLS, Wis. -- Friday evening, somewhere between 6:30 and 8:30, during the Chiefs-Vikings scrimmage in Mankato, Minn., Gunther Cunningham says he finally saw the proverbial light come on for Kansas City's defense. Inside Chiefs camp Can Larry Johnson be even better in 2006? How does the offensive line look without Willie Roaf? Those are just two of the things Michael Smith touches on in his observations from Chiefs camp. • Inside Chiefs camp "I saw something different in the players' eyes for the first time since I've been back," says Cunningham, entering his third season as Chiefs defensive coordinator. "A confidence, a growth, that intangible thing that you as a coordinator see more than anyone else. I hope what I saw was the making of a real, solid, defensive football team." K.C.'s D has been seen as soft for several years, having not cracked the league's top 20 in least yards allowed the past five seasons. Meanwhile, the Chiefs' offense has finished in the top five five years in a row, including first the past two seasons. That imbalance resulted in just one playoff game in Dick Vermeil's five-year tenure. With an aging offense that already has seen both offensive tackles retire this offseason, the Chiefs' defense will need to pull its weight if Kansas City is to pull off its first Super Bowl run in more than three decades. Most of the pieces are indeed in place for the Chiefs' defense to experience the kind of transformation Indianapolis' did last year. Cunningham was the defense's major offseason acquisition in 2004. He helped it finish 31st, down from 29th the year before, more proof that schemes tend to be more effective when they feature good players. In '05, Kansas City imported via free agency linebacker Kendrell Bell and safety Sammy Knight, traded for Dolphins cornerback Patrick Surtain and drafted linebacker Derrick Johnson in the first round. But it didn't come together overnight, and the Chiefs came in 25th (seventh against the run). This year, the Chiefs went defense again in the first round, selecting defensive end Tamba Hali. They also acquired another corner from the AFC East, former Patriot and Jet Ty Law. Yet perhaps the most important addition to the defense was again not a player but a coach: head coach Herman Edwards. The Chiefs are using Edwards' version of the "Tampa 2" scheme as their base defense. Kansas City should be able to generate pressure off the edges with Hali and Jared Allen. The big question up front is: Who are the big guys in the middle going to be? First-round disappointment Ryan Sims and free agent pickup Ron Edwards are running with the first teamers for the moment. Barry Taylor/WireImage.com Herman Edwards plans to help his defense by using sound play selection on offense. Edwards says this corps of linebackers is the fastest he's coached. Johnson could have a big year, having gained experience by starting every game as a rookie. Cunningham says Johnson has become a better blitzer and possesses a better understanding of coverages. The secondary has a chance to be special, with Knight and Greg Wesley (Chiefs people say he's having a really good camp) joining the tandem of Pro Bowl corners. From the "Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks" Dept.: Edwards wants Law (who played at 218 pounds last year but is down to 205) and Madison to use what's called "hard hands" and be even more physical with the outside receivers in this Cover 2 defense than they've been in their careers, whereas before they'd "soft jam," read and run with the receivers. As a unit, the Chiefs are going to run to the ball better than they have and play better team defense, a hallmark of the Tampa 2 scheme. One of the lasting images of last season was the Giants' Tiki Barber breaking tackle after tackle on his way to gaining 220 yards rushing against K.C. If the Chiefs play the Tampa 2 properly, that kind of thing shouldn't happen again. There shouldn't be as many one-on-one tackling situations because everyone is taught to fly to the football and how to tackle based on where their help is. The idea is to have the players do less reading and reacting and more attacking. Kansas City will mix up its coverages, sure, and the Chiefs will pull out some exotic blitzes every now and again, but for the most part they're going to keep it simple and be fundamentally sound. "We've got to be better on execution," Edwards says. "Use our talent and let our talent run to the ball." Much the same way the offense has been in place, the Chiefs' communication on D also should be better after two seasons under Cunningham. Fantasy take Before Antonio Gates came along, there was no better tight end in fantasy than Tony Gonzalez. Now Gonzalez is coming off a season with only two touchdown catches, and fantasy owners aren't sure he'll ever bounce back. Gonzalez remains a threat to lead the position in catches, and we should expect his touchdowns to increase a bit. He's no Gates, but being second best at this position is still pretty good. -- Eric Karabell • Play ESPN fantasy football! • Check out ESPN's draft kit "People think you can just put a unit together and play ball, but the best defenses, if you look throughout the league, have been together for two, three years," Knight says. This is easily the most talent on defense the Chiefs have had in several years. When Cunningham returned, he points out, the Chiefs had three starters who were first-day picks. Kansas City has sent one defensive player (free safety Jerome Woods in 2003) to the Pro Bowl this decade. But to be fair, the defense has had help being bad. Besides changing the scheme on defense, Edwards is in the process of changing the mind-set on offense. Don't worry. Kansas City's high-powered offense, now under the direction of former O-line coach Mike Solari, isn't going to bring back "Marty (as in, Schottenheimer) Ball." Edwards says he doesn't want to be conservative. But to make the playoffs, he says, the offense must play smarter. He's spent a lot of time so far talking to the team about playing together, something team staff members say was, frankly, missing under Vermeil. Kansas City wasn't just imbalanced in the rankings but also in its approach. Vermeil was such an offensive-minded coach, practice time was even skewed toward that side of the ball. The defense often was reduced to scout team status. On game days, the offense, because it was so aggressive, would often put the defense in difficult situations. The Chiefs continued throwing even when they had big leads. That stops the clock unnecessarily and gives opponents extra possessions. Kansas City's habit of keeping its foot on the gas, so to speak, probably was a combination of not having faith in the defense's ability to protect a lead and a love affair with statistics. Here's the key number in Edwards' mind: While true the Chiefs have won their last 18 games at Arrowhead Stadium, they're 3-9 on the road in December/January since 2001. "I know one thing," says Edwards, who guided the Jets to three playoff appearances, "the way you control the game on the road is to play good defense and run the ball on offense. It takes the crowd out of the game. You don't win on the road, you're not going to be a consistent playoff team." The challenge facing Edwards is a lot like the circumstances his friend Tony Dungy encountered when he took over the Colts. Dungy had to rebuild the defense there, but in the meantime he adapted to the personnel he had on offense. He didn't start playing "Buc Ball" again, nor will Edwards, he says. But when Kansas City gets in a position where it can control the clock or even run out the clock, that's what the Chiefs will do (emphasis on run). "People say I'm going to be conservative," Edwards said. "Well, I've never been involved with an offense like this. I'm not going to be 'Conservative Joe' and blow up a good offense. I'm not going to shut it down. I still want to be exciting. But we have to play together." Cunningham, the former Chiefs head coach, has seen some dark days for Kansas City's defense. Now he sees it all coming together. Might the watershed for the Chiefs' defense have occurred in an otherwise mostly meaningless training camp scrimmage? "For the first time," Cunningham says, "I don't see the Kansas City Chiefs' defense as whipping boys."

[Hache Man]

Updated: Aug. 8, 2006
Robinson's career alive and well




By John Clayton
ESPN.com
Archive

MANKATO, Minn. -- Here are five observations on the Minnesota Vikings, based on camp practices of Aug. 6: 1. The most amazing story in camp is wide receiver Koren Robinson. A year ago at this time, Robinson was in an alcohol rehab center in South Carolina. Now, he's the Vikings' No. 1 receiver after making a comeback that earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl as a returner. "Everything is good in my life right now," Robinson said. "Actually, a year ago, I thought my career was over. I thought I burned all my bridges and I thought I was done." Robinson passed his first test by staying sober last season and doing everything his coaches asked. Gradually, as the season progressed, Robinson started to rise up the charts in the receiving rotation. It convinced the organization to bring him back and give him a two-year contract. Robinson has No. 1 receiving ability. A big receiver, Robinson is also elusive and powerful enough to be a Pro Bowl returner. New Vikings head coach Brad Childress called Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren to see if it would be worth investing in Robinson. Holmgren told Childress it would be great to see the Vikings attempt to salvage Robinson's career. Even though Robinson drove Holmgren crazy by showing up late or missing team meetings along with drinking during the day, Holmgren likes Robinson as a person and a player. Robinson should be able to catch 70-80 passes and is working hard to get back to that level. 2. One of Childress' early strengths seems to be recognizing what he has in talent and adjusting his schemes to fit that talent. The Vikings traded away Randy Moss a year ago, and used the No. 7 pick they acquired in the first round for Moss to draft Troy Williamson. Williamson is fast and has deep speed. Still, he struggled as a rookie, catching only 24 passes and averaging only 15.5 yards a catch. Troy Williamson Wide Receiver Minnesota Vikings Profile 2005 SEASON STATISTICS Rec Yds TD Avg Long 24 372 2 15.5 56 Childress watched Williamson and decided to use him on deep routes but feature him a little bit more on short, quick routes to take advantage of his run-after-catch ability. "He is very good in and out of breaks catching the football," Childress said. Whatever Childress saw in Williamson this spring convinced him to move him into the starting lineup, which is a little bit of a surprise. Williamson missed a lot of the offseason with a hip injury. The hip is fine and so is his speed. The Vikings have an interesting combination with Robinson and Williamson. Robinson has the power and strength to catch the ball over the middle. Williamson can stretch the field and turn short plays into big ones. There is plenty of depth at the position with Marcus Robinson, Travis Taylor and former Eagle Billy McMullen. 3. Some interesting things are happening at linebacker. First-round choice Chad Greenway is already running with the first team. He's playing the weakside position in the Cover 2 scheme, which should allow him to get at least five interceptions and five sacks. The Vikings spent $4 million a year on Ben Leber, who will start on the outside. The surprise is in the middle. Napoleon Harris, who came over from Oakland in the Moss trade, is the starter. Harris is reunited with his former Raiders linebackers coach, Fred Pagac. That's helped him. Those are the only surprises. E.J. Henderson, who was drafted to be a middle linebacker, is backing up on the outside, while Dontarrious Thomas is backing up in the middle. Thomas was drafted to be an outside linebacker. The Vikings' linebacking corps is loaded with good athletes. 4. The key to the season could be whether Chester Taylor can be the every-down running back. Backing up Jamal Lewis in Baltimore, Taylor has had only 373 career carries in five years and never more than 160 carries in a season. He's not an explosive back. Taylor prides himself on doing everything well. He's averaged 4.3 yards a carry during his career, but he thinks he will make a major mark as a pass catcher out of the backfield. "I can catch the ball as well as anybody," Taylor said. "I think me going against a linebacker is a good match. I don't think a linebacker can guard me." In many ways, Taylor's signing could be compared to LaMont Jordan, who received $5.5 million a year to go from being a Jets backup to a Raiders starter. Jordan didn't wow anyone in his first year with the Raiders. He caught 70 passes but averaged only 3.6 yards a carry, barely getting over 1,000 yards. Taylor wouldn't mind getting 70 catches and believes that's a modest projection. He wants to do better than Jordan on the rushing yard average. 5. Childress is putting all of his faith and the entire season in the hands of Brad Johnson. Even though Mike McMahon is an athletic quarterback who can electrify things with his feet, he hasn't proved he can win many games in the league. Second-round choice Tarvaris Jackson has all the things you look for in a quarterback -- good size, strong arm, good mobility -- but he's raw. Jackson doesn't seem to panic when things go wacky on the field, but he looks more like a quarterback of the future. Johnson has to go down as one of the better free agent signings in 2005. He was brought in to back up Daunte Culpepper, and that made Johnson perhaps the league's best backup quarterback. After Culpepper blew out his knee, Johnson came off the bench and won seven of nine starts. Johnson is bright and has been in just about every system imaginable. His biggest challenge is learning Childress' play-calling language, which is one of the wordiest in the league. But he'll conquer that. Johnson turns 38 in September. He's the oldest starting quarterback in the league. At $1.2 million, he's the lowest-paid among the veteran starters. The Vikings will sink or swim on his health.

[Hache Man]

Updated: Aug. 8, 2006
Robinson's career alive and well




By John Clayton
ESPN.com
Archive

MANKATO, Minn. -- Here are five observations on the Minnesota Vikings, based on camp practices of Aug. 6: 1. The most amazing story in camp is wide receiver Koren Robinson. A year ago at this time, Robinson was in an alcohol rehab center in South Carolina. Now, he's the Vikings' No. 1 receiver after making a comeback that earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl as a returner. "Everything is good in my life right now," Robinson said. "Actually, a year ago, I thought my career was over. I thought I burned all my bridges and I thought I was done." Robinson passed his first test by staying sober last season and doing everything his coaches asked. Gradually, as the season progressed, Robinson started to rise up the charts in the receiving rotation. It convinced the organization to bring him back and give him a two-year contract. Robinson has No. 1 receiving ability. A big receiver, Robinson is also elusive and powerful enough to be a Pro Bowl returner. New Vikings head coach Brad Childress called Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren to see if it would be worth investing in Robinson. Holmgren told Childress it would be great to see the Vikings attempt to salvage Robinson's career. Even though Robinson drove Holmgren crazy by showing up late or missing team meetings along with drinking during the day, Holmgren likes Robinson as a person and a player. Robinson should be able to catch 70-80 passes and is working hard to get back to that level. 2. One of Childress' early strengths seems to be recognizing what he has in talent and adjusting his schemes to fit that talent. The Vikings traded away Randy Moss a year ago, and used the No. 7 pick they acquired in the first round for Moss to draft Troy Williamson. Williamson is fast and has deep speed. Still, he struggled as a rookie, catching only 24 passes and averaging only 15.5 yards a catch. Troy Williamson Wide Receiver Minnesota Vikings Profile 2005 SEASON STATISTICS Rec Yds TD Avg Long 24 372 2 15.5 56 Childress watched Williamson and decided to use him on deep routes but feature him a little bit more on short, quick routes to take advantage of his run-after-catch ability. "He is very good in and out of breaks catching the football," Childress said. Whatever Childress saw in Williamson this spring convinced him to move him into the starting lineup, which is a little bit of a surprise. Williamson missed a lot of the offseason with a hip injury. The hip is fine and so is his speed. The Vikings have an interesting combination with Robinson and Williamson. Robinson has the power and strength to catch the ball over the middle. Williamson can stretch the field and turn short plays into big ones. There is plenty of depth at the position with Marcus Robinson, Travis Taylor and former Eagle Billy McMullen. 3. Some interesting things are happening at linebacker. First-round choice Chad Greenway is already running with the first team. He's playing the weakside position in the Cover 2 scheme, which should allow him to get at least five interceptions and five sacks. The Vikings spent $4 million a year on Ben Leber, who will start on the outside. The surprise is in the middle. Napoleon Harris, who came over from Oakland in the Moss trade, is the starter. Harris is reunited with his former Raiders linebackers coach, Fred Pagac. That's helped him. Those are the only surprises. E.J. Henderson, who was drafted to be a middle linebacker, is backing up on the outside, while Dontarrious Thomas is backing up in the middle. Thomas was drafted to be an outside linebacker. The Vikings' linebacking corps is loaded with good athletes. 4. The key to the season could be whether Chester Taylor can be the every-down running back. Backing up Jamal Lewis in Baltimore, Taylor has had only 373 career carries in five years and never more than 160 carries in a season. He's not an explosive back. Taylor prides himself on doing everything well. He's averaged 4.3 yards a carry during his career, but he thinks he will make a major mark as a pass catcher out of the backfield. "I can catch the ball as well as anybody," Taylor said. "I think me going against a linebacker is a good match. I don't think a linebacker can guard me." In many ways, Taylor's signing could be compared to LaMont Jordan, who received $5.5 million a year to go from being a Jets backup to a Raiders starter. Jordan didn't wow anyone in his first year with the Raiders. He caught 70 passes but averaged only 3.6 yards a carry, barely getting over 1,000 yards. Taylor wouldn't mind getting 70 catches and believes that's a modest projection. He wants to do better than Jordan on the rushing yard average. 5. Childress is putting all of his faith and the entire season in the hands of Brad Johnson. Even though Mike McMahon is an athletic quarterback who can electrify things with his feet, he hasn't proved he can win many games in the league. Second-round choice Tarvaris Jackson has all the things you look for in a quarterback -- good size, strong arm, good mobility -- but he's raw. Jackson doesn't seem to panic when things go wacky on the field, but he looks more like a quarterback of the future. Johnson has to go down as one of the better free agent signings in 2005. He was brought in to back up Daunte Culpepper, and that made Johnson perhaps the league's best backup quarterback. After Culpepper blew out his knee, Johnson came off the bench and won seven of nine starts. Johnson is bright and has been in just about every system imaginable. His biggest challenge is learning Childress' play-calling language, which is one of the wordiest in the league. But he'll conquer that. Johnson turns 38 in September. He's the oldest starting quarterback in the league. At $1.2 million, he's the lowest-paid among the veteran starters. The Vikings will sink or swim on his health.

[Hache Man]

Updated: Aug. 8, 2006
New coordinator Tomlin has sizable task




By Gary Horton
Scouts Inc.
Archive

The hottest defense in the NFL today is the Cover 2. Although we think of the Cover 2 as being developed in Tampa Bay by defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, you could argue that its roots actually started years ago in Minnesota under famed defensive coordinator Floyd Peters, whom Kiffin worked under. Now, we have 34-year-old Mike Tomlin coming from Tampa Bay to install his version of the Cover 2, and the success of this defensive scheme is central to the Vikings' success in 2006. Although Tomlin has never been a coordinator and is young (he was a college teammate of Vikings safety Darren Sharper at William & Mary), the players seem to like the scheme and have taken to Tomlin's enthusiastic style of coaching. The basic concept of the Cover 2 is to rush four and drop seven into coverage and pressure opposing quarterbacks without having to blitz a lot. With a mediocre pass rush in 2005 that produced 34 sacks, the Vikings were very inconsistent in pass defense and had a lot of coverage breakdowns. They were 21st in the NFL in overall pass defense. The Cover 2 is designed to play a lot of safe zones, which help prevent big offensive plays, but it requires a specific type of personnel. The Vikings are solid along the defensive line, with excellent depth and a combination of size and power inside. The secondary also should be solid, especially with cornerback Antoine Winfield and Sharper leading the way. That leaves us with this defense's biggest question and the position that needs the most preseason work -- linebacker. This unit is going through a makeover and is a total work in progress, with potentially three new starters in 2006. Most of the nervousness among the coaching staff revolves around the middle linebacker position. There are at least three candidates for the position right now, which means there is no consistent starter. Last year's starter at weakside outside linebacker, E.J. Henderson, likely will move back inside, where he has played before. (The move makes a lot of sense because Minnesota drafted Chad Greenway, who's projected as a starter at weakside OLB.) The other two candidates at middle linebacker are veterans Napoleon Harris and Dontarrious Thomas, but both have holes in their game. Thomas got a lot of snaps at MLB in minicamp, but as athletic as he is, he never has shown natural instincts and the ability to take over the middle, and he still struggles in coverage. Harris has been a major disappointment since being traded from Oakland and just doesn't make enough plays when things come at him too fast. He might wind up as a pass-rush specialist off the edge in some nickel schemes if he struggles in the preseason. Henderson is the odds-on favorite to be the starter because he has a lot of experience inside and moved out to the weak side in 2005 only because of the arrival of Sam Cowart at MLB. Henderson has good run instincts and can physically hold up inside better than the other guys, but he is another player who struggles in coverage. Also, when Henderson did start at MLB in 2004, he seemed overwhelmed when he had to make all the calls and be the defensive leader. Ben Leber, a veteran free-agent acquisition from San Diego, should start at strongside outside linebacker. The coaching staff loves Leber and Greenway on the edge, and both fit the Cover 2 scheme perfectly because they have range, can cover and have good instincts. However, if every option falls apart at MLB, Leber has the versatility to move inside, which probably would force Henderson to move out to the strong side -- but that is not what the Vikings want and is simply too much change. This defense relies on linebackers who have speed, range, instincts and the ability to drop into coverage. However, with the exception of Greenway and Leber, this group is really lacking in cover skills. There is enough athleticism here to get the job done, but the lack of instincts and playmakers makes the preseason a very important time for this unit. The 2006 Vikings defense has a chance to be improved dramatically, but it will be only as good as the linebackers.

[Hache Man]

Updated: Aug. 8, 2006
New coordinator Tomlin has sizable task




By Gary Horton
Scouts Inc.
Archive

The hottest defense in the NFL today is the Cover 2. Although we think of the Cover 2 as being developed in Tampa Bay by defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, you could argue that its roots actually started years ago in Minnesota under famed defensive coordinator Floyd Peters, whom Kiffin worked under. Now, we have 34-year-old Mike Tomlin coming from Tampa Bay to install his version of the Cover 2, and the success of this defensive scheme is central to the Vikings' success in 2006. Although Tomlin has never been a coordinator and is young (he was a college teammate of Vikings safety Darren Sharper at William & Mary), the players seem to like the scheme and have taken to Tomlin's enthusiastic style of coaching. The basic concept of the Cover 2 is to rush four and drop seven into coverage and pressure opposing quarterbacks without having to blitz a lot. With a mediocre pass rush in 2005 that produced 34 sacks, the Vikings were very inconsistent in pass defense and had a lot of coverage breakdowns. They were 21st in the NFL in overall pass defense. The Cover 2 is designed to play a lot of safe zones, which help prevent big offensive plays, but it requires a specific type of personnel. The Vikings are solid along the defensive line, with excellent depth and a combination of size and power inside. The secondary also should be solid, especially with cornerback Antoine Winfield and Sharper leading the way. That leaves us with this defense's biggest question and the position that needs the most preseason work -- linebacker. This unit is going through a makeover and is a total work in progress, with potentially three new starters in 2006. Most of the nervousness among the coaching staff revolves around the middle linebacker position. There are at least three candidates for the position right now, which means there is no consistent starter. Last year's starter at weakside outside linebacker, E.J. Henderson, likely will move back inside, where he has played before. (The move makes a lot of sense because Minnesota drafted Chad Greenway, who's projected as a starter at weakside OLB.) The other two candidates at middle linebacker are veterans Napoleon Harris and Dontarrious Thomas, but both have holes in their game. Thomas got a lot of snaps at MLB in minicamp, but as athletic as he is, he never has shown natural instincts and the ability to take over the middle, and he still struggles in coverage. Harris has been a major disappointment since being traded from Oakland and just doesn't make enough plays when things come at him too fast. He might wind up as a pass-rush specialist off the edge in some nickel schemes if he struggles in the preseason. Henderson is the odds-on favorite to be the starter because he has a lot of experience inside and moved out to the weak side in 2005 only because of the arrival of Sam Cowart at MLB. Henderson has good run instincts and can physically hold up inside better than the other guys, but he is another player who struggles in coverage. Also, when Henderson did start at MLB in 2004, he seemed overwhelmed when he had to make all the calls and be the defensive leader. Ben Leber, a veteran free-agent acquisition from San Diego, should start at strongside outside linebacker. The coaching staff loves Leber and Greenway on the edge, and both fit the Cover 2 scheme perfectly because they have range, can cover and have good instincts. However, if every option falls apart at MLB, Leber has the versatility to move inside, which probably would force Henderson to move out to the strong side -- but that is not what the Vikings want and is simply too much change. This defense relies on linebackers who have speed, range, instincts and the ability to drop into coverage. However, with the exception of Greenway and Leber, this group is really lacking in cover skills. There is enough athleticism here to get the job done, but the lack of instincts and playmakers makes the preseason a very important time for this unit. The 2006 Vikings defense has a chance to be improved dramatically, but it will be only as good as the linebackers.

[Hache Man]

Updated: Aug. 8, 2006
Johnson determined to live up to the hype




By Michael Smith
ESPN.com
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RIVER FALLS, Wis. -- Here are five observations about the Chiefs based on their Aug. 4 scrimmage against the Vikings: 1. All the magazine covers, the fantasy football ads, the 2,000-yard talk, the MVP predictions -- budding star Larry Johnson has to feel like there's a big bull's-eye on his back, right? Actually, it's just the opposite. He's out to inflict more punishment on those who dare tackle him. Larry Johnson Running back Kansas City Chiefs Profile 2005 SEASON STATISTICS Att Yds Avg Long TD 336 1750 5.2 49 20 "Everybody is going to be gunning for me. It's like a trophy for some people to see if they can keep me under 100 yards," he says. Realizing there are doubts about his ability to compete at last year's level over a full season, Johnson committed himself this offseason like never before. He took the offseason more seriously because for the first time, he's going into the season as The Guy. Rather than retreat to a fancy desert training facility, Johnson spent three hours a day at the Chiefs complex with one of the team's trainers. Get this: He says he feels faster and stronger. "My goal is to stay consistent," he says. "Be put in that elite category of those elite backs and do it over 16 games." Head coach Herman Edwards is already doing his part to make that happen by managing Johnson's practice schedule, including holding him out of the Vikings scrimmage. The addition of a quality backup in Michael Bennett will allow the Chiefs to rest Johnson at the end of wins that are in the bag rather than keep him on the field as they did last year. Johnson has worked to break his habit of always carrying the ball in his right hand. He's also tried to improve his technique in pass protection. Even with the turnover at the tackle spots, don't expect a disappointing follow-up season. 2. The Chiefs have issues at the tackle spots, both at offensive left and right tackle and at the defensive tackle spots. Right tackle John Welbourn, according to a league source, retired earlier this offseason rather than face a six-game suspension for violating the league's steroid policy. Future Hall of Fame left tackle Willie Roaf abruptly retired before camp; the Chiefs are still holding out hope that he will eventually change his mind. Former All-Pro Kyle Turley, who's been out the past two seasons battling back problems, was supposed to compete for the starting right tackle spot. Now it looks like he'll start at left tackle. The good news is he's an athletic veteran who knows what it takes to get the job done. He's not Roaf (who is?) but that spot shouldn't be a weakness. Turley seems to be in great shape, although at his current weight of 270 pounds, he looks more like a tight end than a left tackle. He needs to get up to about 280, 285. He'll probably never get back to his listed weight of 300. Right tackle is a little shakier. Third-year man Kevin Sampson and Jordan Black, who started 10 games (six at left in place of Roaf, four at right) are battling for the position. Regardless of who wins the right tackle job, the key is keeping veteran guards