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

Hache Man · Nov 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Thursday, November 2, 2006
Take 2: Texans vs. Giants

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=9>Houston at New York Matchups</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>QB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>RB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>WR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>OL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>LB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>ST</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Coach</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Overall</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD align=middle width=62>

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Earlier this week, our scouts filed their advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Texans and Giants. Now they're back with a second look.

? The Giants are going to try to control the clock and the game with their strong run game, while being efficient with their passing game. The Texans, meanwhile, are going to lean on their strong passing game, while being efficient with the run game. If the Giants win the battle on the ground, they will maintain their one-game lead on the Dallas Cowboys. Head coach Tom Coughlin is not going to take this game lightly. Expect New York to come out with a lot of fire and try to make a statement.

Barber

Jacobs

? The Giants have one of the better run games in the NFL with a two-headed attack featuring the electric running style of Tiki Barber with the powerful slashing style of Brandon Jacobs. New York is ranked fourth in the NFL, averaging 146 yards per game on the ground. Barber is gaining 89 of those yards each game, while Jacobs is gaining 32 per game. Jacobs has a better per carry average of 5.1 yards as opposed to 4.6 for Barber. They are both effective catching the ball out of the backfield, although Barber (29 catches) has received the bulk of the passes thrown by Eli Manning.
? Houston is 26th in the NFL in run defense, giving up 135 yards per game on the ground. Middle LB DeMeco Ryans has been a stalwart defender against the run and is leading the team in tackles. The defensive linemen have not done a great job of stopping the run up the middle, but the defensive ends, especially Mario Williams, have started to get into the flow of what defensive coordinator Richard Smith is asking them to do. Williams has picked things up and is currently seventh on the team in tackles while leading the team in sacks.
? The Giants have one of the larger offensive lines in the league, which lends itself wel, to their power-running philosophy. With the likes of tackles Luke Petitgout and Kareem McKenzie, the Giants have the ability to run right at you, or to seal off the corner and break one to the outside. The Giants need get positive yardage on first and second down. Manning's quarterback rating drops dramatically on third down, when the defenses know he has to throw the ball. This will be a huge test for Houston's defensive ends, who have yet to come up against an offensive line this good.
? While most of New York's emphasis will be on the run game, the Giants are more than capable of burning you with their passing attack. Manning has improved vastly since he came into the league. His QB rating of 88.9 is well ahead of last year's rating of 75.9. After seven games he has thrown 14 touchdowns to go with his eight interceptions and has been sacked 15 times. His targets, wide receivers Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress and tight end Jeremy Shockey, are all tall with very good receiving skills. Manning has done a good job of spreading the wealth around with Burress catching 31 balls, Toomer 30 and Shockey 23.
? Houston needs to find some kind of success in the running game to slow down the Giants' daunting pass rush. Defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora have combined to get the ninth-most sacks in the NFL (20), with Strahan getting three and Umenyiora five. If QB David Carr can find any kind of early success throwing the ball it should loosen up the run lanes for running back Wali Lundy. It will be key for guards Chester Pitts and Steve McKinney, along with center Mike Flanagan, to do more than just hold their own against New York nose tackle Barry Cofield and DT Fred Robbins.
? Carr needs to bounce back after a subpar performance in Week 8 against the Tennessee Titans. Carr, while being pressured constantly, had three turnovers with one interception and two fumbles. The Texans need to play close to flawless football to have a chance in New York. For the most part Carr has been very effective throwing the ball. He has flourished under the system head coach Gary Kubiak brought with him from Denver. Through seven games Carr has a quarterback rating of 94.3 with nine touchdowns and five interceptions. However, he's still getting sacked too much (20). ? Carr's favorite target has been Andre Johnson, with 56 catches for 669 yards (both lead the NFL). Wide receiver Eric Moulds (28) and rookie TE Owen Daniels (18) are the No. 2 and No.3 receivers. All three are averaging over 10 yards per catch.

Special Teams
Special teams are pretty close to a toss-up. New Yorks punter Jeff Feagles is averaging 41.5 yards per punt (37 net) and is one of the best at killing the ball inside the 20. Kicker Jay Feely is having a good year with 11 field goals and is 50 percent between the 40-49. Chad Morton is averaging 21.6 yards on kickoff returns and 6.6 yards on pun returns. Houston punter Chad Stanley is averaging 42.4 yards per punt (37 net), while kicker Kris Brown has hit on 8 of 9 attempts with his only miss being between 30-39 yards. Edell Shepherd is handling both the kickoff and punt returns, averaging eight yards on punt returns and 23.2 yards on kickoff returns.

Matchups
? New York RB Tiki Barber vs. Houston MLB DeMeco Ryans
? Houston WR Andre Johnson vs. New York CBs Sam Madison and Corey Webster
? New York LDE Michael Strahan vs. Houston ROT Zach Wiegert
? Houston RDE Mario Williams vs. New York LOT Luke Petitgout
? New York WR Plaxico Burress vs. Houston CB Dunta Robinson

Scouts' Edge
Houston has to find some way to slow down the Giants' run game and establish some kind of running game of its own. If the Giants are able to run the ball against Houston's front seven, they will be able to control the clock as well as throw the ball at unpredictable times, slowing down Houston's pass rush. The Giants want to get into short third-down situations where they can run the ball, as Manning has struggled with his third-down conversions. Coughlin is not going to let the Giants come out flat as he knows they need to maintain their one-game lead over the Cowboys.

Prediction: Giants 30, Texans 14

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Hache Man · Nov 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Thursday, November 2, 2006
Take 2: Saints vs. Buccaneers

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=9>New Orleans at Tampa Bay Matchups</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>QB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>RB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>WR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>OL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>LB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>ST</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Coach</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Overall</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD align=middle width=62>

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Earlier this week, our scouts filed their advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Saints and Buccaneers. Now they're back with a second look.

? Saints head coach Sean Payton will continue to attack with the short, controlled passing attack to set up the running game. QB Drew Brees threw for a career-high 383 yards in the loss last week to the Ravens. However, Brees will need to do a better job in his decision-making against a Buccaneers secondary that is ranked 11th in the league against the pass.
Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin will attack the Saints' running game with his multiple attacking fronts and force the Saints to become a one-dimensional team through the air. Look for Payton to be more committed to the run this week against a Buccaneers front seven that is allowing 146 yards on the ground.
? Both offenses love to spread the field to create mismatches they can attack and exploit on the backend in coverage. They ask their quarterbacks to play mistake-free with high-percentage passes, while managing the game in workable down-and-distance situations. Play selection on first down will be critical as both teams want workable second- and third-down situations. Defensively, both teams like to attack with their front four while hitting up-field gaps to disrupt the blocking patterns.
? Bucs head coach Jon Gruden will look to incorporate more balance this week after allowing quarterback Bruce Gradkowski to attempt 48 passes last week. However, the Buccaneers are going to have to take advantage of the style of defenses they are playing against, since most teams are stacking the box and forcing them to attack through the air with assortment of pressure packages. Look for Gruden to rely on Cadillac Williams this week to set up the pass against a Saints run defense that is allowing 122.1 yards per game.
Saints defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs will look to load up the box by bringing SS Omar Stoutmire up near the line of scrimmage. This also will place a lot of pressure on Gradkowski to change plays at the line of scrimmage that best fit the tendencies of the defense.
? The Saints will need to be disciplined in their rush lanes and not allow Gradkowski to escape and run to daylight. Also, look for Gibbs to dial up a lot of zone pressures and blitz schemes that confuse and pressure the young quarterback. The Buccaneers have struggled over the last few weeks to get into rhythm and adjust to certain pressures schemes that have kept them off balance.
? The Buccaneers can create a lot of problems out on the perimeter with their size and athleticism at the skill positions. Wide receivers Joey Galloway, Michael Clayton and Ike Hilliard, and TE Alex Smith can pose matchup problems for any defense. However, this unit has struggled to adjust the rhythm and timing of Gradkowski. On top of that, the Bucs' receivers have been inconsistent catching the ball with critical drops. Look for this unit to improve this week against a secondary that the Buccaneers can take advantage of down the field. Also, look for Gruden to come out early throwing the ball to get Gradkowski into rhythm before relying on the Buccaneers' ground game.
? Keep an eye on Saints rookie wide receiver Marques Colston. Last week Colston set a Saints rookie record when he finished with 163 receiving yards on six catches. He continues to play at a high level as teams focus in on Joe Horn and Reggie Bush. Colston has positioned himself for possible rookie of year honors. Look for Payton to continue to involve Colston, especially in the red zone, this week. He currently has 577 receiving yards and six touchdown receptions with a 17.5 average per catch.
? When comparing quarterbacks, Brees must do a better job this week in his overall decision making and take what the defense is giving him, while Gradkowski continues to regress since his first NFL start in Week 5. Brees has 162 completions on 252 attempts for 1,892 yards. He has completion percentage of 64.3 with 11 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. He has a quarterback rating of 89.9 and has been sacked eight times. Gradkowski has completed 80 passes on 155 attempts for 672 yards. His completion percentage is 51.6 with four touchdowns and one interception. He currently has a passer rating of 69.1 and has been sacked nine times.

Special Teams
The Saints clearly have the advantage in the kicking game based on their explosive returners and PK John Carney. Carney is ranked fourth in the NFL in kicking with 55 points. He is 13-of-14 on field goals and 16-of-16 on point after kicks, while Buccaneers PK Matt Bryant is currently in the bottom half of league with only 28 points. Saints punter Steve Weatherford has been solid throughout the season, while Tampa Bay's Josh Bidwell continues to struggle to win the field position battles in the kicking game. The Buccaneers will need to do a sound job in the coverage units to contain the Saints' returners. The plus for the Saints last week was the return of Michael Lewis, who averaged 7.0 yards on punt returns and seemed give the struggling kickoff return unit a boost by averaging 22.7 yards on six attempts with a long of 46 yards.

Matchups
? Tampa Bay RDE Simeon Rice vs. New Orleans LT Jammal Brown
? New Orleans RB Deuce McAllister vs. Tampa Bay WLB Derrick Brooks
? Tampa Bay RB Carnell Williams vs. New Orleans SLB Scott Fujita
? New Orleans WR Joe Horn vs. Tampa Bay CB Ronde Barber
? New Orleans CB Mike McKenzie vs. Tampa Bay WR Joey Galloway

Scouts' Edge
This game features two teams heading in opposite directions. The Saints control their own destiny, while the Buccaneers have been placed in position of spoiler within their division. Both teams will rely on the run to set up their short-to-intermediate passing attack, while relying on their quarterbacks to take what the defense is giving them. Look for special teams to play a critical role with field position or an explosive, game-changing play. This game will likely come down to a play in the fourth quarter. However, the Saints will find a way to win and continue to share the lead in the NFC South with the Atlanta Falcons.

Prediction: Saints 21, Buccaneers 17
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Hache Man · Nov 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Thursday, November 2, 2006
Take 2: Cowboys vs. Redskins

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=9>Dallas at Washington Matchups</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>QB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>RB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>WR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>OL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>LB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>ST</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Coach</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Overall</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD align=middle width=62>

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Earlier this week, our scouts filed their advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Cowboys and Redskins. Now they're back with a second look.

? All season, the Cowboys have had trouble protecting the quarterback and have allowed too many unblocked defenders to get easy sacks. Redskins defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has had two weeks to dissect the Cowboys' protection schemes and come up with ways to confuse the Cowboys' offensive line. He will move around his front seven and cover up all the inside gaps to force the Cowboys to change up their protections at the line of scrimmage. This movement as well as the crowd noise could cause miscommunication between Cowboys players, which results in a breakdown of protection schemes.
? If the Redskins bring pressure at Tony Romo, look for the Cowboys to do two things. First they will get Romo in the shotgun on passing situations to give him that extra second or two to get the ball off and beat the pressure. Secondly they will move the pocket to the outside away from pressure by utilizing bootleg and dash-type of pass protections based on down and distance. A sash is a controlled scramble to the outside that moves the pocket to the edge of a defense giving the quarterback extra time to throw and a run-pass option as well.

Portis

? The Redskins need to establish a running game with Clinton Portis to help take some pressure off Mark Brunell. Portis, who did not play in the first Dallas game, has rushed for 414 yards while averaging 4.2 yards per carry. This will be an uphill battle as the Cowboys have the third-best run defense in the NFL. However, as we saw vs. the Giants, it can be exposed if given enough opportunities.
? Just like the Redskins, it will be important for the Cowboys to get their ground game going early. Julius Jones and Marion Barber have been a solid one-two punch for the Cowboys as both are averaging over four yards a carry. It will be important to get positive yards on first and second down to get the Cowboys into third-and-short situations that allow Romo to make quicker throws on shorter routes to beat any type of pressure the Redskins might bring.
? The Redskins have had trouble stopping the run this year, but injuries to Cornelius Griffin, Joe Salave'a, Lemar Marshall and Marcus Washington have been a big reason. Gregg Williams will have to balance calling eight-man fronts and giving help to his corners against Cowboys receivers Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens. ? Look for the Cowboys to play more eight-man fronts this week to stop the run if Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss does not play because of a hamstring injury. This would force the Redskins to start Antwaan Randle El in place of Moss and the Cowboys would feel good about their matchups on the outside and wouldn't hesitate to play safety Roy Williams closer to the line of scrimmage.

Special Teams
Mat McBriar is the second-leading punter in the NFL in net punt average with 40.8 yards with a great hang time of 4.49 seconds. McBriar can change the field position of a game with one punt. He has had 10 punts downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line, which says something about his accuracy and the punt coverage unit of the Cowboys. The Cowboys had the eighth-best kickoff return unit in the NFL, but that was before returner Tyson Thompson was lost for the season with a broken ankle. Abram Elam and Aaron Glenn will return for the Cowboys in place of Thompson. Rock Cartwright is the 10th-best kickoff returner in the NFL with a respectable 24.8-yard return with one touchdown (against Dallas). The Cowboys' kickoff cover unit will try to kick away from Cartwright. Redskins punter Derrick Frost has a net average of 36.2 yards with a hang time of 4.28 seconds.

Matchups
? Cowboys pass protection schemes vs. Redskins pressure packages
? Cowboys WR Terrell Owens vs. Redskins CB Carlos Rogers
? Redskins RB Clinton Portis vs. Cowboys ILBs Bradie James & Akin Ayodele
? Redskins C Casey Rabach vs. Cowboys NT Jason Ferguson
? Redskins QB Mark Brunell vs. Cowboys FS Keith Davis

Scouts' Edge
This will be a hard-hitting NFC East matchup with the Cowboys looking to sweep the Redskins this year. The Cowboys have found new life with Romo, who looked sharp last Sunday night against the Panthers. Romo will continue to improve and provide a spark for the Cowboys. They will need to provide Romo with enough protection to give him the opportunity to find his receivers against the Redskins' pressure package. The Redskins have struggled all season on both sides of the ball and should continue against the Cowboys.

Prediction: Cowboys 24, Redskins 17

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Hache Man · Nov 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Thursday, November 2, 2006
Take 2: Titans vs. Jaguars

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=9>Tennessee at Jacksonville Matchups</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>QB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>RB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>WR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>OL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>LB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>ST</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Coach</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Overall</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD align=middle width=62>
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Earlier this week, our scouts filed their advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Titans and Jaguars. Now they're back with a second look.

? The Titans are coming off a thrilling win at home against the Texans, but it was less than impressive. They were outgained 427 yards to 197 yards. The Titans were able to come away with the victory due to a plus-five in the turnover ratio. Against a rather porous Houston defense, the Titans were able to gain only 87 yards through the air, while gaining 111 on the ground. With Jacksonville having one of the best run defenses in the league, the Titans are going to need a more productive passing game than they showed against Houston.
? Expect the Titans to push the run game against Jacksonville as they don't want quarterback Vince Young to have to carry the team with his arm. They have been spoon feeding him with the passing game, averaging 22 passes a game, since taking over as the starter. Even from the shotgun formation they are just as apt to call a quarterback draw or outside option play as they are to call a pass. In order for the run game to work to any degree of success, the Titans need a big game from Travis Henry, who was held to 29 yards on 15 carries against Houston.

Stroud

? Even though Tennessee's young offensive line as a bright future, it is going to be in for a long day against Jacksonville's front seven. If defensive tackle Marcus Stroud comes back after missing the last two games, he and John Henderson will be all center Kevin Mawae and guards Benji Olson and Jacob Bell can handle.
? The Jaguars are hoping to shut down Tennessee's running game and force Young to throw more than 25 times in this game. The Jaguars have shown flashes of dominance with their run defense, holding the likes of Philadelphia (85), Indianapolis (63), Pittsburgh (26) and Dallas (88) to under 100 total yards on the ground. Not many teams are able to run up the middle against Jacksonville, so they are trying to go to the outside. Defensive ends Bobby McCray, Paul Spicer, Brent Hawkins and Marcellus Wiley need to protect their lanes to force the ball back to the inside where the linebackers can make the play.
? If the Jaguars can put Tennessee into third-and-long on a consistent basis, they will try to disguise their coverages as well as throw some different blitzes at Young. With his limited time in the NFL, Young is still struggling at reading coverages and his coaches are asking him to read just part of the field and look for his first target. If the primary target is not open, expect Young to put the ball away and take off. Young was the leading rusher last week against the Texans with 44 yards on four carries. Young has been able to limit the number of passes forced into coverage up to this point and has only four interceptions to go with his four touchdown passes.

Taylor

? Jacksonville will want to run the ball as much as possible as well. They Jags are a power running team with Fred Taylor being able to pound the ball behind a strong offensive line. Center Brad Meester and guards Vince Manuwai and Chris Naeole average 312 pounds. They are good athletes with a lot of power. For a change of pace the Jaguars insert Maurice Jones-Drew, who has the ability to bounce the ball to the outside and is very elusive in space.
? If they are able to establish a strong running game, the Jaguars can catch teams off guard with one of their tall receivers or talented tight ends. Wide receivers Reggie Williams, Matt Jones and Ernest Wilford provide size mismatches against most teams' corners as they are all well over 6-foot-3 and know how to use their size to their advantage. Jones is coming off an ankle injury and Williams, while starting off hot, has struggled with dropped passes over the past two games. Expect Jacksonville to look for Jones a lot in this game.
? Titans head coach Jeff Fisher has indicated that CB Pacman Jones will be suspended for this game and possibly more for an off-the-field incident. This will hurt Tennessee's pass coverage as Jones is considered its best cover corner and often lines up against the opponent's best wide receiver. With four-year veteran Andre Woolfolk taking over for Jones, expect teams to attack that side of the field. Woolfolk was a first-round pick who has yet to meet those expectations.

Special Teams
Jacksonville has a good kicker in Josh Scobee, who is 11-of-14 for the season, including 7-of-9 from 40-49 yards. Jaguars punter Chris Hanson is averaging over 43 yards per punt (35 net). Jones-Drew handles the kickoff returns and is averaging 25.7 yards per return. Alvin Pearman (11.2 yards per return) and Chad Owens (6.2) handle the punt returns. Tennessee kicker Rob Bironas is perfect inside 50 yards (8-of-8) while missing his only attempt over 50 yards. Punter Craig Hentrich is averaging 42.8 yards per punt (37 net). Bobby Wade handles the Titans' kickoff returns and is averaging 25 yards per return. With Pacman Jones likely to miss this game, expect Wade to handle punt returns as well.

Matchups
? Jacksonville ROT Maurice Williams vs. Tennessee LDE Kyle Vanden Bosch
? Tennessee RB Travis Henry vs. Jacksonville MLB Daryl Smith
? Jacksonville LDE Bobby McCray vs. Tennessee ROT David Stewart
? Tennessee CB Andre Woolfolk vs. Jacksonville WR Matt Jones
? Jacksonville DT John Henderson vs. Tennessee G Jacob Bell and C Kevin Mawae

Scouts' Edge
This game pretty much hinges on Jacksonville's ability to move the chains on the ground. The Jags are a ball-control team that likes to eat up the clock while keeping the ball in the hands of their running backs. They like to maintain ball security while causing turnovers with their aggressive defense. If the Titans are not able to establish the run game, they will be forced to throw more than they'd like to. If Young has to throw the ball over 25-30 times, there will likely be turnovers that hurt the Titans' chances for victory.

Prediction: Jaguars 27, Titans 17

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Hache Man · Nov 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Thursday, November 2, 2006
Take 2: Bengals vs. Ravens

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=9>Cincinnati at Baltimore Matchups</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>QB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>RB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>WR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>OL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>LB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>ST</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Coach</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Overall</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD align=middle width=62>

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Earlier this week, our scouts filed their advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Bengals and Ravens. Now they're back with a second look.

Baltimore's new play calling approach apparently worked last week in a tough environment. The offense was much crisper and did a fine job of keeping the Saints' defense off balance. Baltimore had more spring in its step in and out of the huddle and was much more efficient overall. The Ravens are not as predictable, and vary their formations and personnel groupings more than in the past.
Brian Billick wants to establish the run, protect Steve McNair, take some shots downfield off play action, keep things simple and allow his outstanding defense to win football games for them. It is a good formula for the Ravens' personnel.
? The Ravens defense is tremendous at focing turnovers and getting in the end zone once it gets the ball. It is an elite run defense and defensive coordinator Rex Ryan does a great job of varying the fronts and personnel groupings to confuse offenses, putting his outstanding defensive playmakers in position to utilize their impressive skills.
This defense is still giving up too many big plays in the passing game, but it is a very formidable unit, led by a group of linebackers that doesn't take a backseat to any group in the league. The Saints couldn't keep up with these three last week, as they wreaked havoc all over the field. LOLB Adalius Thomas is an athletic freak who can line up almost anywhere on the field.
? Cincinnati's offense is slowly improving. Carson Palmer still isn't all the way back mentally or physically, but is coming on as his offensive line gradually improves. Because of his extensive rehab, Palmer didn't work with his receivers like he had in other offseasons and during training camp. That timing is now starting to come back slowly, but surely.
Palmer lit up the Ravens last year to the tune of 550 yards and 63 points in two games, and will take shots deep downfield in this game. He has gone four games without throwing an interception and will need to continue to show this type of sound decision making in Baltimore. The Ravens intercepted the usually sound Drew Brees three times last week and are outstanding at creating turnovers.
? Baltimore is going to have a very difficult time covering all three of Cincinnati's top wide receivers. Cincinnati will exploit CB Samari Rolle and the lack of Baltimore's secondary depth, by using a lot of three-receiver sets, which brings Chris Henry into the game against a subpar defender. Also, don't be surprised to see more spread formations and an uptempo, no-huddle attack. Even in base personnel, WR TJ Houshmandzadeh has a clear advantage over Rolle and Palmer will look to him and Henry often.
? Todd Heap continues to play at a very high level and is a difficult matchup for any defense. He runs very well, and has sticky hands. Heap is a sharp route runner who sets up defenders well, and has the athletic ability and body control to go up and make the highlight reel catch. All of these factors make Heap a very dangerous red zone weapon. Heap has scored eight touchdowns in his last 10 games. The Falcons' Alge Crumpler had a big game last week in Cincinnati, and Heap could exceed that production on Sunday.
? The Ravens want to lean on their running game, make plays downfield off play action and rely on their defense to win games. Jamal Lewis gained over 100 yards (109) last week in New Orleans, but don't overlook the fact that he reached those number on a whopping 31 carries.
Lewis is still too hesitant and dances too much behind the line of scrimmage, instead of attacking the defense. He is capable of taking the beating that comes with being a workhorse running back and will surely get a lot of carries with Billick as the play caller, but may never be the force he was a few years back.
? Rudi Johnson had five carries for 32 yards and a touchdown on Cincinnati's first drive last week, but the Bengals drifted away from him, giving him just seven carries the rest of the game. This doesn't play to his strengths as a downhill runner, and a player who gets stronger as the game goes along. In the Bengals' three losses, Johnson is averaging less than 55 yards per game on the ground.
Baltimore's defense allowed a measly 13 yards rushing in the first half in New Orleans last week, turning a potent and balanced Saints' offense into a one-dimensional attack. Deuce McAlister and Reggie Bush combined for a meager 27 yards. Running up the middle at MLB Ray Lewis is the best bet for success, as it will somewhat negate Baltimore's outstanding defensive speed.

Special Teams
These are two of the very better overall special teams units in the NFL. Both teams have very sound and reliable kickers and punters, as well as quality returners and coverage units. Don't expect either team to have a lapse in this third of the game and the quality of play on special teams should be very strong in this contest.

Matchups
? Cincinnati WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh against Baltimore CB Samari Rolle
? Cincinnati QB Carson Palmer against Baltimore LOLB Adalius Thomas
? Cincinnati LT Andrew Whitworth against Baltimore DE Terrell Suggs
? Cincinnati RB Rudi Johnson against Baltimore MLB Ray Lewis
? Baltimore TE Todd Heap against Cincinnati SS Dexter Jackson

Scouts' Edge
The Ravens' offense could be coming out of its shell with Billick now calling the plays. The stadium will be loud and intense in this heated AFC North rivalry, and Cincinnati could have a hard time communicating in the passing game. The Bengals will vary their offense to try to find a chink in Baltimore's vaunted defense. In the passing game, they will go from max protection schemes to spreading the formation, using their no-huddle attack. Both defenses are much better and more opportunistic when they have the lead, so scoring early in this game will be even more important than usual. The Bengals have lost three of their last four, but the Ravens haven't beaten Cincinnati in Baltimore since 2003. Add another year to that streak, as the Bengals find a way to win a very close one on the road.

Prediction: Bengals 20, Ravens 17

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Hache Man · Nov 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Thursday, November 2, 2006
Take 2: Vikings vs. 49ers

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=9>Minnesota at San Francisco Matchups</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>QB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>RB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>WR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>OL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>LB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>ST</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Coach</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Overall</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD align=middle width=62>

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Earlier this week, our scouts filed their advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Vikings and 49ers. Now they're back with a second look.

The offensive line of the 49ers does not match up very well against defensive tackles Pat Williams and Kevin Williams. Pat Williams has outstanding size and will force the 49ers to give him double team blocking in order to create running lanes for running back Frank Gore.
Kevin Williams is a much more explosive and quick player, who will be able to use his speed and get upfield, causing disruption in the backfield of the 49ers. The 49ers will be most productive when running behind the left side of the offensive line, with offensive guard Larry Allen and offensive tackle Jonas Jennings.
? Vikings' defensive end Kenechi Udeze will go up against LT Jonas Jennings and will be productive. Jennings has been struggling with nagging injuries that have set back his effectiveness as a player this season. Udeze is fast and explosive, and will use his pass rush skills to set up Jennings inside and outside, using effective swim and rip moves to get to quarterback Alex Smith. In order to control Udeze, the 49ers will have to use chip help on Smith's backside in order to give Smith enough time to go through this progressions and find his open targets downfield.
? With Pat and Kevin Williams pressuring the pocket inside, look for defensive end Darrion Scott to bring frontside pressure in the face of QB Alex Smith. Scott will be matched up against OT Kwame Harris who has been the weak link to the 49ers' offensive line woes.
Harris does not play with a tough and aggressive tenacity. Harris is often called for holding and false start penalties. Harris does not move his feet effectively, use his arms and hands with any power or punch to create separation from defenders, which often leaves him top heavy and off balance.
? The 49ers' secondary is not very talented, but matches up well against the average receiving corp of the Minnesota Vikings. CB Walt Harris is the savvy veteran who is playing well this year, despite the record of the 49ers. He has good man-to-man coverage skills and will matchup well against veteran WR Travis Taylor.
On the other side of the secondary, CB Shawntae Spencer is a big cornerback who will play physically against the speedy Troy Williamson. Williamson does not have the skill set to effectively outmaneuver a player of Spencer's size. Williamson' biggest asset is deep speed, and the Vikings will look to get him in motion, to get him released in single coverage downfield.
? Tight end Jermaine Wiggins is an outstanding TE who creates mismatches against the 49ers' linebackers. Rookie LB Manny Lawson has not found a true home to harness his abilities as a player, and will struggle when matched up against Wiggins.
Wiggins plays with good leverage in the run game, allowing the Vikings to be productive with RB Chester Taylor. Wiggins is able to widen the line of scrimmage, giving Taylor more time to see the run lane develop and hit it with speed.
? Vikings' quarterback Brad Johnson struggled last week against the pressure of the New England Patriots. The 49ers will study the schemes used by the Patriots that caused Johnson to become rattled and force bad passes. One advantage these San Francisco 49ers have is they are able to interchange their defense from a 3-4 defensive front to a 4-3.
This gives the 49ers options to cause confusion for the offensive line and the blocking schemes, keeping Johnson out of rhythm. Johnson generally makes good decisions and very few mistakes, so the Vikings will look to open up the playbook a little more this week and exploit the weak secondary of the 49ers.
? Head coach Brad Childress likes to use a controlled passing game to sustain drives and keep the ball away from opponents, which should result in good game management by Johnson. This will cause many problems for the 49ers, who may be forced to abandon their game plan.
? The 49ers need continued production from their running game. Offensive guard Larry Allen returned to action last week and was instrumental in helping Gore rush for over 100 yards against the solid defense of the Chicago Bears.
Gore has come on strong this year and is showing to be a vital asset in the running game for the 49ers. Gore must continue to protect the football, as he has done lately, to give the 49ers a chance.
? Minnesota must also remain committed to the run game, getting the ball in the hands of Taylor. Taylor has been an important component to the success of the Vikings and a player who needs to get 25-30 carries per game. The Vikings running attack will go right at the weak defensive line of the San Francisco 49ers.
Look for Minnesota to utilize fullback Tony Richardson to lead block on aggressive LB Derek Smith. Richardson is not only a good blocker, but will also be the check down for Johnson in his progression reads in the passing game. Richardson has excellent hands and is reliable in picking up tough yards in short-yardage situations.

Special Teams
The 49ers have a good kickoff returner in Maurice Hicks, but he must do a better job in securing the football and not giving up on its good field position to score points. Hicks has two kick returns of 40 yards or more and is averaging 24.5 yards per return.
Hicks must continue to generate good field position for the 49ers' offense, which also helps the 49ers' defense.
San Francisco 49ers' place kicker Joe Nedney is 9 of 13 in his field goal attempts this year for a mere 69.2 percent. Nedney, a left-footed kicker, has a natural hook to this kick and sometimes struggles with his accuracy in outdoor conditions. Wind does not contend to be a factor in this weekend's game, so Nedney should be consistent and productive when asked to produce points for the 49ers.
Neither team has outstanding special teams. Minnesota punter Chris Kluwe has been inconsistent. Should this game be a battle of field goals, Ryan Longwell gives Minnesota the edge.
Trying to give their return game a boost, the Vikings have turned to backup RB Mewelde Moore, who returned a touchdown last week against the New England Patriots and is averaging 12.4 yards per return. The Vikings will need continued production in their return game, as they take on a 49ers' coverage unit that has done a poor job tackling.

Matchups
? San Francisco OT Kwame Harris vs. Minnesota DE Darrion Scott
? San Francisco WR Antonio Bryant vs. Minnesota CB Fred Smoot
? San Francisco DT Bryant Young vs. Minnesota OC Matt Birk
? San Francisco CB Walt Harris vs. Minnesota WR Travis Taylor
? San Francisco RB Frank Gore vs. Minnesota DE E.J. Henderson

Scouts' Edge
The Vikings need to come out with a solid performance this week to regain their confidence in QB Brad Johnson, after his horrific performance last week against the Patriots. Johnson will need to have better protection upfront to make good decisions in the passing game. The run game will continue to be aided by the run blocking dominance of OG Steve Hutchinson, and the running ability of RB Chester Taylor.
The San Francisco 49ers are still playing inconsistent football on both sides of the ball. They must now begin to show marked improvement in all areas. The players, fans and front-office are starting to become a bit concerned with the leadership and direction of the 49ers' organization. Head coach Mike Nolan is not on the hot seat just yet. A solid performance at home this week will push the concern back for sometime and breathe new life into a team struggling with its pass rush and secondary play. The offense is the strength of this team and must continue to have solid play from QB Alex Smith in the passing game. The running game hinges on the ability of OG Larry Allen to dominate Vikings' DT Pat Williams, and RB Frank Gore's ability to secure the football. The 49ers cannot afford to turn the ball over. They are not that talented as a group and the Vikings will make them pay for their mistakes.

Prediction: Vikings 27, 49ers 20

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Hache Man · Nov 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Thursday, November 2, 2006
Take 2: Broncos vs. Steelers

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=9>Denver at Pittsburgh Matchups</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>QB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>RB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>WR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>OL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>LB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>ST</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Coach</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Overall</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD align=middle width=62>
EVEN</TD><TD align=middle width=62>

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Earlier this week, our scouts filed their advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Broncos and Steelers. Now they're back with a second look.

? Before last week, the Broncos' defense had been outstanding and simply was not allowing touchdowns. Although it was allowing a good bit of yardage, Denver's defense stiffened up near the goal line and was directly responsible for the Broncos' five victories. As good as this defense has been, remember that the Broncos played a struggling Baltimore offense along with Cleveland and Oakland before Indianapolis last week. They struggled to get pressure last week with their front four and have come back to earth. Is the Broncos' defense as bad as it looked last week? Certainly not, but it's probably not as good as many believed.

Plummer

? Jake Plummer was pretty awful in Denver's first six games, but he had his best game of the season against the Colts. While much of the passing troubles should fall on Plummer, his receiving options deserve at least as much of the blame. Outside of Javon Walker, Denver's receivers have done next to nothing to help Plummer's cause.
Rod Smith's fantastic career is nearing its end and Denver's tight ends -- usually key components -- have offered very little. Tony Scheffler showed promise last week and could be primed for a strong second half of the season. He is a very good fit in this offense and Denver needs him to mature. Plummer has been particularly effective throwing on the move outside the pocket and is very comfortable rolling either direction. Denver will roll Plummer more to help build on the momentum it started last week.
? How did the Steelers lose to the lowly Raiders last week despite outgaining them 360 to 98 in total yards, allowing Oakland to complete just five passes and limiting it to just one first down on 11 third-down opportunities? Over the disappointing season, many are to blame for Pittsburgh's poor start, but last week a large portion of the blame should be placed firmly on Ben Roethlisberger's shoulders. He made some awful decisions and threw four interceptions, which brings his TD/ratio in Pittsburgh's five losses to 4/11.
Defenses are stacking the box with extra defenders, eliminating the Steelers' run threat and forcing Roethlisberger to beat them. Last week was the worst game Roethlisberger has played as a pro, but he was very good against Kansas City and Atlanta. Roethlisberger also had a big game in Denver in the AFC Championship Game last year to end the Broncos' season. Obviously Roethlisberger has faced an awful lot of physical and mental turmoil since winning the Super Bowl, but his performance last week was simply unacceptable.
? As last season went along, the Broncos blitzed their linebackers more and more. This year, defensive coordinator Larry Coyer has simplified the scheme, and instead of relying on confusing offenses, the Broncos are instead playing pretty straight up and allowing their linebackers to use their outstanding speed and athletic ability. There is not a more athletic group of linebackers in the NFL. They get downhill quickly and are fantastic in pursuit. Denver's defensive line has done a fine job of controlling the line of scrimmage and this scheme forces teams to try to sustain long drives.
Offenses must stay very patient -- not something the Steelers have done well this season. This has worked extremely well, but Denver couldn't get consistent pressure on Peyton Manning last week by just bringing its defensive linemen. Expect the Broncos to keep this same plan this week and Pittsburgh has really struggled protecting its quarterback and allowed an anaemic Oakland pass rush to come to life last week.

Ward

? Last week, star CB Champ Bailey drew the assignment of covering future Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison for most of the day, with excellent results. This week, he will often battle Hines Ward, another fine receiver who has 16 catches over the past two games -- but is a much different type of receiver than Harrison. After battling hamstring injuries for the early part of the season, Ward looks fully healed and is playing great. Bailey should be able to handle Ward one on one. It is a true testament to his greatness that he can eliminate a team's top receiving option, regardless of that player's strengths or style of play. He is a defensive MVP candidate without question and throwing in his direction is suicide.
? Manning threw for 345 yards last week, much of it at Darrent Williams, who was toasted repeatedly by Reggie Wayne. Before that game, Williams was having a fine season and is progressing nicely in his young career. Unfortunately for the Steelers and just about every other team in the NFL, they don't have a wide receiver of Wayne's pedigree as their No. 2 guy. Therefore, expect the Steelers to attack nickel CB Domonique Foxworth, who has had a rough second year.
The Steelers' receivers have been far from great, but they have three players in addition to Ward who are not spectacular, but are adequate and have shown signs of improvement. This is particularly true of first-round selection Santonio Holmes, who has the makings of a big play wide out.
? Denver's usual starting left tackle, Matt Lepsis, was lost for the season. His replacement, Erik Pears, made his first start on the last week against Indianapolis. Denver often double teamed star DE Dwight Freeney, but overall, Lepsis wasn't missed as the Broncos had their best offensive output of the season against a subpar Colts defense. The Broncos also rolled Plummer to his right to help Pears in pass protection. This week Pears will face RDE Brent Keisel, a fine young lineman, ROLB Joey Porter, and more than his share of overload blitzes in his direction. Denver may counter with double-tight end sets, even though it prefers to have a FB in game. ? The Broncos' usage of their two running backs will be interesting. Tatum Bell is bothered by a turf toe, but will probably play. With the injury, he doesn't cut or explode as well as before the injury. He is having a very good year and has taken his game up a notch. Mike Bell spelled Tatum last week and abused the Colts' soft interior run defense. He ran with power, didn't stop his feet and was very decisive hitting the hole. It makes sense to favor Mike in this game to allow Tatum more time to rest, particularly if the Steelers are without stalwart NT Casey Hampton, who missed last week's game.

Special Teams
Neither team has been very strong on special teams this year, but Pittsburgh has been simply abysmal. The Steelers have had all kinds of problems with muffed and fumbled punts and their coverage teams are horrendous, which is at least partially due to a rash of injuries to their core special teamers.

Matchups
? Denver WR Javon Walker vs. Pittsburgh CB Ike Taylor
? Denver LT Erik Pears vs. Pittsburgh ROLB Joey Porter
? Denver QB Jake Plummer vs. Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau
? Pittsburgh WR Hines Ward vs. Denver CB Champ Bailey
? Pittsburgh TE Heath Miller vs. Denver SS John Lynch

Scouts' Edge
The crowd at Heinz Field will not be thrilled with how the Steelers' season has regressed after an inexcusable loss in Oakland. The fans will be quick to bash their team if things do not go well quickly. Pittsburgh's playoff chances are almost shot, while Denver is in the middle of a very tight AFC West race and needs this game to keep pace. Denver's defense allowed only two touchdowns this season -- before Indianapolis came to town last week. Pittsburgh is not as bad as its 2-5 record indicates, but the Steelers consistently find a way to self destruct, making them very hard to predict. The Steelers will continue to make too many mistakes and Denver wins this game that it needs badly.

Prediction: Broncos 20, Steelers 17

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Hache Man · Nov 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Thursday, November 2, 2006
Take 2: Browns vs. Chargers

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=9>Cleveland at San Diego Matchups</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>QB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>RB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>WR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>OL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>LB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>DB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>ST</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Coach</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" align=middle width=62>Overall</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD align=middle width=62>

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Earlier this week, our scouts filed their advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Browns and Chargers. Now they're back with a second look.

? Had the Browns known what new offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson was going to bring to the table, they may have made a switch earlier. It is not hard to figure out where Davidson's background lies. He is a former TE coach and was the assistant head coach/offensive line coach before adding offensive coordinator to his resume as well. You need to look no further than RB Reuben Droughns' season-high 33 carries for 125 yards to see where Davidson is coming from. He wants to bring the toughness back to Browns football and he did that last week.
Although the sledding will be a little tougher this week for Droughns and company vs. the Chargers' sixth-ranked run defense, look for the commitment to remain the same. They want to run the ball and a good place to start would be trying to run right at San Diego DE Jacques Cesaire, who will likely be filling in for the injured Igor Olshansky (knee) again this week.

Tomlinson

? Speaking of the run game, the Chargers found theirs in Week 8. LaDainian Tomlinson went over the 100-yard mark for the first time since Week 1. We were curious as to why, so we went to the tape this week. Besides a greater commitment to the run, the play-calling stood out. Even though he is the best in the business, Tomlinson had developed a little bit of a bad habit of shuffling his feet laterally at the line. Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron employed more quick hitting-type runs plays that got Tomlinson to the hole much more quickly. By doing that Tomlinson ran much more downhill, hit the hole harder and was at full speed once he got to the LBs at the second level.
? The Browns do not blitz a lot, but that might have to change this week. San Diego has the sixth-ranked pass offense in the NFL and Philip Rivers is a young QB who just keeps getting better and better. One of Rivers' best traits is that he sees the entire field. For that reason, if the Browns don't get pressure, he will pick their defense to pieces and have another one of those days where he completes 25 passes to seven different receivers. It will be a long day for a beat up secondary if the Browns don't get some defenders in his face.
? The Browns' passing attack also looked much better last week under the watchful eye of Davidson. Despite the offensive line being beat up, the Browns had one of their better games of the season. QB Charlie Frye completed 15 of his 22 attempts. Ten of those completions went to the TEs (seven to Kellen Winslow and three to Steve Hedien). Winslow currently leads all NFL TEs with 40 receptions.
We expect to see much of the same this week as Davison wants Frye to really focus on hitting his two solid TEs. Winslow is an exceptional athlete with the speed to stretch the field. If there is a weakness on the Chargers' defense, it is the coverage abilities of the safeties. Look for Davidson to try to move Winslow around on early downs and get him matched up vs. SS Terrence Kiel, who is much better in run support than coverage.
? OLB Shawne Merriman will start serving his four-game suspension this week. His running mate, OLB Shaun Phillips (6 sacks), missed the game last week vs. St. Louis and is only about 80 percent right now. With Steve Foley on IR, the Chargers may be without their top three OLBs coming into the season.
If the new players who are inserted can't get pressure, it will force defensive coordinator Wade Phillips to blitz a little more then he would like. The Chargers' secondary has been much better this season. However, any changes to the scheme to generate more pressure may put guys in roles they are not comfortable with. ? One matchup you always have to address is any that involves TE Antonio Gates, who is really the center piece of the Chargers' passing attack. Cameron does a great job of moving him around and looking for matchups that he likes. One player on the Browns' defense who is flying under the radar is SS Sean Jones. Jones had two interceptions last week and nearly missed a third. Jones missed his rookie season with a knee injury and struggled to learn the system last year. He has now settled in and is doing an excellent job in route recognition and feel in coverage. Look for him to shadow Gates all over the field in what should be an excellent matchup.

Edwards

? One player who did not benefit form the switch of offensive coordinators was WR Braylon Edwards, who was held to two catches last week. However, Edwards himself has to take some responsibility for his shortcomings. He is still dropping too many balls and is not running good routes on a consistent basis. There has also been some grumblings in the Cleveland area that he is not running his routes at the proper depth at times at it is throwing off the timing of the passing game. Edwards is a big-play receiver with a ton of talent, but if the Browns are going to pull the upset on the road, he must give a great effort this week.

Special Teams
The Browns' kickoff cover unit gave up a 100-yard return last week that changed the momentum of the game. San Diego kickoff return man Michael Turner is a threat to score any time he touches the ball, so the Browns will have to be better this week. San Diego punt returner Eric Parker also almost broke a big one last week. The Chargers' duo of PK Nate Kaeding and PT Mike Scifres is just about as good as it gets. The Chargers have a solid advantage on special teams this week.

Matchups
? Cleveland SS Sean Jones vs. San Diego TE Antonio Gates
? Cleveland C Hank Fraley vs. San Diego NT Jamal Williams
? San Diego CB Quentin Jammer vs. Cleveland WR Braylon Edwards
? Cleveland ROT Kelly Butler vs. San Diego LOLB Shawne Merriman
? San Diego SS Terrence Kiel vs. Cleveland TE Kellen Winslow

Scouts' Edge
Both teams are coming off solid wins. The Chargers could be undermanned on defense, but well expect them to be fine. They still have an explosive offense led by Tomlinson, who will be running vs. the 28th-ranked run defense in the NFL. The Chargers rolled last week at home vs. the Rams and we expect nothing less vs.the Browns.

Prediction: Chargers 30, Browns 16
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Hache Man · Nov 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Thursday, November 2, 2006
<TABLE style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 7px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>

</TD><TD vAlign=top>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Wallace must avoid mistakes

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
These teams are former AFC West rivals and there used to be a lot of bad blood between them. This game should mark the return of Seattle RB Shaun Alexander.

Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck will not return for this game, but his backup Seneca Wallace did some good things the previous week, making some plays with both his feet and his arm. Oakland has not received much positive attention, but their defense is one of the best kept secrets in the NFL, as they have a young, hungry group of players who can attack and force turnovers.

When the Raiders have the ball
Rushing: As disappointing as the Raiders' offense has been this season, they came in to last week ranked 10th in the league in rushing. The running game has not been spectacular, but has served a solid purpose. The ability to churn out some yards on the ground keeps them in decent down-and-distance situations, giving their solid defense a little rest from time to time.
Starter LaMont Jordan has been suffering from some lower back issues and has only carried the ball seven times in the past two games. They have not missed him much though as backup Justin Fargas has been one of the Raiders' biggest offensive surprises. Fargas has been nicked up too this season, but has shown better toughness this year. Fargas is also doing a much better job of learning to run inside and finding those tough hidden yards.
On paper, the Raiders' offensive line looks like it would be at a disadvantage this week, but the Seattle defense has been one of the most underachieving units this season. The defenders are taking too many bad angles to the ball, making poor run fits and missing entirely too many tackles. A key player for the Raiders this week in generating the run game will be OC Jake Grove. His ability to get to the secpmd level and block MLB Lofa Tatupu will go a long way in determining how effective the Raiders' run game will be.

Passing: The Raiders came into last week's game against Pittsburgh with the 31st ranked pass offense. They just can't get anything to click and it all starts up front with poor protection schemes.
When the Raiders do get protection, their receivers run poor routes. When they get protection and receivers runs good routes, QB Andrew Walter makes poor passes. The entire passing offense looks like it is in shambles right now. One thing that could change that is the potential return of Aaron Brooks from his pectoral injury.
Head Coach Art Shell has said that Brooks will get his job back when he is healthy enough to play, but despite the poor passing numbers, Walter has been at the helm for their two wins. If the Raiders are going to steal this win on the road, they will need to get something out of Randy Moss and Jerry Porter.
Porter returned to the lineup last week, but was a non-factor with only one reception. In the past, it would have been a good idea to stay away from Seattle DC Marcus Trufant, but he is getting torched on a regular basis. The Raiders' offense is struggling to move the ball through the air, but Seattle has struggled to get pressure, exposing its secondary as a bit of a fraud.

When the Seahawks have the ball
Rushing: Seattle's run offense has been pretty non existent since the injury to Shaun Alexander. In truth, it was not where it needed to be even with Alexander in the lineup. The big reason has not been the RBs. Without Steve Hutchinson, the offensive line is not getting the job done. Alexander is supposed to return this week and will bringing confidence to the entire offense.
The Raiders have been excellent against the pass this season, but the run defense has been a little more inconsistent. The overall scheme that defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is using has been solid. Every week he comes up with excellent game plans defensively, and most of the mistakes have been mental errors from a young defense that is kind of learning on the go.
The other factor the Raiders will have to account for this week is the legs of QB Seneca Wallace. They won't use a spy early on, but if he makes some plays with his feet, Ryan will have to make an in-game adjustment to account for him. There were some key situations last week where Wallace opted to throw instead of run for the first down and head coach Mike Holmgren will address that with him this week.
Look for Seattle to use some misdirection this week in the run game, in an effort to take advantage of an overpursuing Raiders' defense. The Raiders will definitely commit eight men to the box this week and will play man coverage in the backend, forcing Wallace to beat them with his arm.

Passing: Seneca Wallace made some solid plays with his arm, but also made some throws he would love to have back. Overall, he did enough to give Seattle a chance to win, so the offensive coaches will be encouraged by that.
The biggest thing the coaches need to do is to get him to slow down a little bit and make sure he is seeing the entire field, because he missed a few open targets last week when he failed to come off his primary target. Coming into last week's game, the Raiders' pass defense is the best kept secret in NFL. The Raiders play man coverage and their young corners are getting better and better each week. Nnamdi Asomugha, Fabian Washington and Stanford Routt are playing press man coverage, taking opposing receivers out of the game. They are playing aggressively and attacking upfront. That will be the plan again this week, as they will make Wallace beat them. They will blitz, play man coverage and force Wallace to fit the ball into some tight windows in coverage. If he can't do that, it could be a struggle for Seattle through the air.

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Hache Man · Nov 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 14 New Articles Added 11/1/06

Updated: Nov. 2, 2006, 4:11 PM ET

Hoping for a good game on MNF

By Michele Tafoya
ESPN Insider
Archive



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There is very little I can do to make Oakland at Seattle on "Monday Night Football" sound intriguing. But I'm going to try. After all, I have to watch it from the sidelines without the benefit of a remote to switch away when it gets ugly.
If it gets ugly.
Here's the thing: The Seahawks absolutely must rebound from back-to-back losses to Minnesota and Kansas City if they want to keep their eye on the playoffs. Losing to Oakland would be as bad as if Pittsburgh lost to Oakland.
Oh, yeah. Pittsburgh did lose to Oakland. Last week.
So here's another thing: Can the Raiders beat both Super Bowl XL participants in back-to-back weeks and extend their winning streak to three?
The Raiders will be hard-pressed to win in Seattle if their offense continues at its anemic rate. Oakland has the distinction of having the league-low averages of 234 total yards offense and 123 passing yards per game. Ouch.
But the Seahawks are struggling on defense. They gave up 499 yards Sunday in Kansas City, the most by any Seattle opponent since 2002. And coach Mike Holmgren's squad has allowed more rushing touchdowns (seven) in seven games this year than all of last season (five).
So what can we expect?
Well, maybe we should consider what we can hope for rather than setting expectations...
We should hope that Randy Moss stops dropping passes. When your best receiver can't hang on to the ball, it tends to hurt your offense. Moss leads the Raiders with 26 catches for 371 yards (18th in the AFC) and three touchdowns, but that doesn't put him among the top 30 receivers in the NFL.
This is Randy Moss we're talking about.
We can hope that Jerry Porter, who was suspended for four games Oct. 15 for insubordination, can contribute to the Raiders' offense. He had one catch for 19 yards Sunday in his first game action since the suspension.
We'll hope that Seahawks QB Seneca Wallace, who is replacing the injured Matt Hasselbeck, can show glimpses of his enormous potential. Hall of Fame QB Warren Moon, who played for the Seahawks and now calls their games on local radio, told me Wallace can be extremely good. They need him right now.
And I'm sure Holmgren hopes for better performances from his defense.
All I can hope for is an entertaining game, one that makes us believe the Raiders are on the upswing and the Seahawks are still flying.

While you're watching

Oakland running back Justin Fargas has some interesting claims to fame. His father, Antonio, was Huggy Bear on the '70s show Starsky and Hutch. Justin played at Michigan with Tom Brady. And now, he's putting out a rap album.
You can also catch Fargas on the silver screen soon. He has a cameo appearance in Snoop Dogg's "Hood of Horror," starring, well, Snoop Dogg, as the title suggests.
Ironic, because Snoop played Huggy Bear in the movie version of Starsky and Hutch.
Talk about your six degrees?

Looking back

Going into the Patriots-Vikings game on Monday night, I was certain that a competitive matchup awaited us.
The only real competition on the field was the racing "big heads" of Mike Tirico and Steve Young at halftime.
Tirico tripping over his shoes allowing Young to win the race was the best entertainment of the night.
Well, that and the Patriots' surgical passing game.
Bill Belichick must have figured that since the Vikings had the top run defense in the NFL coming into Monday's game, he would need to throw against them.
And boy did he throw the ball.
Brady went 6-for-6 on New England's first drive of the game, capping off the drive with a 6-yard TD pass to Reche Caldwell for the game's first score.
Brady used 10 different receivers Monday and four different receivers caught a touchdown pass.
No need to run on the Vikings. The passing game was just fine.
So while the Patriots' game plan was perfect, and Brady was nearly perfect, the Vikings were flawed in every phase of the game.
They couldn't stop the pass, save a Darren Sharper interception. They couldn't score, with the exception of Mewelde Moore's punt return for a touchdown. They couldn't protect the passer. Brad Johnson was sacked once, and Brooks Bollinger was the victim of a "sack trick," going three-and-out on three straight sacks.
So what did we learn?
Well, we already knew that Belichick was one of the NFL's master game planners. His team's performance Monday underscored that point.
We already knew Brady was one of the league's best quarterbacks. His ball distribution to a bevy of unknown receivers emphasized just how good Brady is.
We thought the Vikings had a new edition of the Purple People Eaters. We learned they did not. Granted, they sacked Brady three times and forced an interception and three fumbles. But they gave up 430 total yards of offense.
We thought Brad Johnson never made mistakes. We learned that he can have a bad day.
We thought the Vikes could run the ball. They ran for just 45 yards.
Bottom line? The Vikings need a lot of work this week. And their defensive secondary needs to learn to make better adjustments during games.
And we learned that the Patriots are serious Super Bowl contenders yet again. Surprise, surprise.
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Hache Man · Nov 3, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

Friday, November 3, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Romo hoping for encore

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
Tony Romo will be looking to prove his first start at Carolina was not a fluke. Romo looked good and should continue to make improvements over the last half of the season. The Cowboys need a win at Washington to keep pace with the Giants.

The Redskins are in a big hole and do not have much of a chance at the playoffs this year, but can play the part of the spoiler because misery loves company. Will Joe Gibbs take a page out of Bill Parcells' game plan and finally make a change at quarterback from Mark Brunell to Jason Campbell. This should be a hard-hitting NFC East matchup between two division rivals.

When the Cowboys have the ball
Rushing: Behind the legs of Julius Jones and Marion Barber, the Cowboys have the fifth-best rushing attack in the NFL in yards per game. Jones is averaging 88 yards per game, with a solid 4.2 yards per carry average, and Barber is averaging over five yards a carry, with six touchdowns.
The Cowboys like to use a balanced running attack, with the same amount of inside and outside runs. Look for the Cowboys to attack the off tackle area of the Redskins' defense, as it has been the softest spot to run on.
The Cowboys will use more two-back formations, as converted linebacker Oliver Hoyte has done a good job of run blocking to open holes up for Jones and Barber. The Redskins have the 15th best defense against the run, averaging 110.7 yards per game. Their inability to stop the run the past three weeks has hurt this defense.
Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will have to balance stopping the run with protecting his corners this week. Look for Williams to bring strong safety Adam Archuleta to stop the run and get into Romo's face.

Passing: Tony Romo has breathed new life into the Cowboys' offense. His added mobility allows the coaches to get more receivers out in routes, instead of having them stay in and pass protect. It also allows the Cowboys to move the pocket with bootleg passes, getting Romo on the edge of the defense with a run/pass option.
Tight end Jason Witten's role will be increased, as he will not have to stay in and pass block. Look for Romo to work the middle of the field between the numbers against the Redskins. Romo does a nice job of throwing in routes off play action to Owens, Glenn and Witten, and should take advantage if the Redskins take away the outside lanes by playing a two-deep zone.
The Redskins could gamble and play single coverage on the outside lanes, noting the inaccuracy of Romo's throws on fade routes. Most of the balls have been thrown out of bounds in the last game and a half. The Redskins should be at full strength this week in their secondary for the first time this season, giving Gregg Williams more flexibility in his play calling.

When the Redskins have the ball
Rushing: The Redskins will attack the Cowboys' 3-4 defense with misdirection, counter and power plays, by pulling the backside guard to kick out outside linebackers Greg Ellis or Demarcus Ware and run the ball off tackle.
The counter action by the backs will freeze the inside linebackers, allowing the frontside guard to take good angles, opening up running lanes for Portis and Betts. These runs give the offensive lineman good angles on the Cowboys' front three and negate the two- gap defense they play.
The Redskins are averaging 128.4 yards per game, and Clinton Portis is the workhorse in this offense. Portis should be fresh just coming off the bye. The Cowboys' defense held the Redskins to under 100 yards in their first meeting, but gave up more yards per rush than any other opponent this year, including the Giants.

Passing: The Redskins need to find some type of consistency in their passing game to have any chance at winning this game. Mark Brunell is completing 64 percent of his passes, while throwing seven touchdowns. Most of these passes have been in the short to medium range. The Redskins are throwing 86 percent of their passes under 20 yards. Al Saunders' offense is about creating mismatches and he will try to work on cornerbacks Anthony Henry and Terence Newman, trying to get them matched up on Santana Moss. Saunders will work on Cowboys' outside linebackers Demarcus Ware and Greg Ellis, as both have struggled in zone coverage when not given help by corners in a two-deep zone. The Cowboys do not blitz much, but they have been very effective when they do, as opposing quarterbacks are completing 42 percent of their passes with only two touchdowns. Look for defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer to bring some pressure to rattle Brunell.

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Hache Man · Nov 3, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

<TABLE width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>NFL Rumor Central: Extension for Harris?
</TD><TD align=right width="30%">Other Rumors: MLB | NBA | NHL
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and have access to this premium feature.
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<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD colSpan=3>Friday, November 3</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD width=65>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD noWrap align=middle>

Tommie Harris
Bears
</TD><TD>Extension
</TD><TD>Extension for Harris?
<Nov. 3> Look for Bears officials to soon open discussions with Harris, the team's first-round pick in 2004, on a contract extension, writes ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli. Harris is under contract through the 2008 season, but the Bears have been very proactive in securing the services of their top "core" players for the long term. Harris is having a monster season -- his five sacks tie him for the most among defensive tackles -- and he has been absolutely dominating in stretches. At 23, he's got a tremendous career in front of him, and Bears officials want to ensure he spends it in Chicago.

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Hache Man · Nov 3, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

All the games previewed

posted: Friday, November 3, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Fantasy NFL

As a football fan, this should be a terrific weekend for a few reasons. One, it doesn't get too much better than Colts-Patriots, one of those regular season games that can define a season (if there is such a thing) and bring you back to why you love the sport. Two, this is November, it's cold, football weather, and hopefully somewhere it will snow (c'mon, Buffalo, where's the precipitation?) And three, the Eagles are on a bye. As an Eagles fan, this is good news. No last-minute losses this week. No Brian Westbrook limping. No on-the-field vomiting. Phew.

I've heard everyone compare Peyton Manning and Tom Brady all week, analyze which one they'd rather have in real life and why, and it generally comes down to the stats vs. rings argument. In fantasy there's really no argument, because, well, it's stats vs. rings. Peyton consistently gets the stats, and fantasy football is a game based on stats, not Brady winning Super Bowls or Ben Roethlisberger going 13-0 as a rookie. Oh, I know Brady actually had more fantasy points than Peyton in Week 8, but that's one week. Just one.
I maintain that all the fantasy owner can really do is go with his best options, which we aim to help you with, and we all hope for the best. If you happen to make a bold guess this week, like sitting Manning for Bruce Gradkowski, and the Tampa Bay quarterback just happens to toss four touchdown passes while Peyton pulls an Andrew Walter, then good for you. Of course this happens occasionally. The stars don't always come out. That's why we play the game; if we knew what precisely would happen each Sunday, now how much of a game would it be?
Play the percentages, go with your top players, check out matchups (but don't overrate them), and always look to improve your team. And you pray. In the end, someone with Billy Volek might knock you out of the playoffs anyway (nah, I'm not still bitter about that at all) and your season ends without a title. Or you could slip into the playoffs at 7-6 and run the table. Happens in one of my leagues every season.
I get a lot of mail, and among the buzz topics this week:
--I'm crazy for recommending Michael Vick as sell high. (Of course, if he plays poorly this week, nobody will remember that.)
--I'm crazy for putting (insert name here, but generally Tiki Barber or Rudi Johnson) in the Power Rankings. (Of course, if Tiki scores this week, nobody will remember that.)
--I'm crazy for hating on Donovan McNabb and must be biased. Do I not remind you every week which team I root for? (Of course, when McNabb does fail to finish the season No. 1 overall, nobody will remember that.)
--I'm crazy for saying a .500 team can still win a fantasy league. (Trust me, it happens all the time. Last season nearly half of the No. 1 seeds in fantasy didn't make it out of the first round. Someone has to be beating them, and it's generally the hot team. Of course when your .500 team doesn't lose again, you won't remember that.)
--I'm just crazy. (Of course, you may be right, I may be crazy. Apologies to Billy Joel for stealing his line.)
On to the crazy games:
Falcons 24, Lions 20: I'd look silly if I wrote Vick would have a bad game. I think he'll be good again, especially against a team that just doesn't stop the pass well. This game is perfectly suited for Vick and Alge Crumpler. Two weeks still isn't much of a sample size (wow, seven touchdown passes!), no matter how decent the defenses he's faced, but it's clear this is a different Vick, motivated to do this.
For Atlanta: I'll predict two touchdown passes for Vick, and 70 yards rushing. Detroit is just not a very good defense. Be careful about Warrick Dunn, though. He hasn't done much these past two weeks, really, has been average in four of five weeks. Only once has he reached 70 yards rushing. I don't expect a ton of yards here. And Crumpler is it for Atlanta receivers. Now, I don't use Michael Jenkins.
For Detroit: The Lions big three should be able to move the ball. They've done it all season. Jon Kitna is a top 10 fantasy quarterback, Kevin Jones is fifth among running backs, and our strange pals Hector & Victor rank Roy Williams as the top wide receiver this week. Now who would call them crazy? Expect Jones to have a good day, even if half the value is catching the ball. Kitna gets two scores.
Ravens 23, Bengals 21: Going with the home team in this one, because it plays better defense and the road team is in some disarray. Cincy allows points, and the last time the Bengals hit the road, they lost to Tampa Bay. I don't think the Ravens' offense is really any better now that Jim Fassel is gone, but sometimes change just works.
For Baltimore: Steve McNair is going to be a popular play this week, coming off three scores, but I don't expect more than one touchdown. Jamal Lewis should come close to 100 yards against this defense. And, as always, the only Ravens receiver of note is the tight end. Stop wasting your time on Derrick Mason.
For Cincy: The problem with this team's receiver corps is that all three are legit plays, but you don't know which one will do something. I have a league in which I will play Chris Henry, and another I'll leave T.J. Houshmandzadeh in there. Chad Johnson is talented, of course, but could he be the team's third-most talented receiver? If you have any of these guys, don't be afraid to play them because of the potential timeshare, or the opponent. Any of them could be fantasy worthy. I'll go with Henry. He makes the big plays. Rudi Johnson can be productive, leave him in and expect 75 yards, possibly a score. Chris Perry isn't taking his touches away yet. Oh, and play Carson Palmer, but he might get only one touchdown.
Cowboys 31, Redskins 10: Blowout game, with the more talented team romping and continuing to flex its newly found muscles. Is it possible Mark Brunell plays well and keeps his job? I suppose, but it seems like even the team knows this is coming. And don't overrate the team coming off a bye week; the Redskins are still battered.
For Dallas: Play everyone! Tony Romo should get two touchdowns, both his receivers will be involved (yes, even Terry Glenn) and both running backs are legit. Julius Jones gets the yards and possibly a score, and Marion Barber has scored six touchdowns the past six games. Not a fluke.
For Washington: Clinton Portis should be in the lineup for real, so you should play him, but what are the chances he has a big game, especially being banged up? Sit everyone else, including Santana Moss.
Packers 24, Bills 10: I haven't seen this discussed much, and maybe it's a stretch, but when Brett Favre wins this game he'll have a .500 team. And in a messy conference with other wild card teams only a game ahead of that, the Packers could be playoff bound! So what if they're 2-4 in the conference, and haven't beaten a good team, is Buffalo any good?
For Green Bay: Favre has three straight double digit fantasy games, this should be his fourth. He hasn't topped 220 yards since Week 3, but to end up between 180 and 220 yards each week, at least that's something. Look for the Packers to establish the run again, with Ahman Green a worthy play for 75 yards, maybe a score. I'd stick with Donald Driver as a good play, but not Greg Jennings, even though the rookie is likely to be in uniform.
For Buffalo: I'm tired of this team, aren't you? Never play J.P. Losman, use Lee Evans only because if there ever is a touchdown, he should be involved, and as for Willis McGahee, he has averaged eight fantasy points the past three games. I can't predict a good game for him until we see something. Give him 60 yards, that's it.
Giants 24, Texans 6: Another blowout game, with the Giants' defense taking care of matters against an offense that needed Sage Rosenfels to revive it last week.
For New York: I'm going to keep predicting Tiki Barber will score a touchdown until he does. This is the week! Eli Manning hasn't reached 200 yards in any of the past three weeks, and won't in this one either, because the Giants will run, run, run. Eli gets one score, 180 yards. Brandon Jacobs is a decent flex play for his 40 yards and a touchdown. He's done this three straight games.
For Houston: Sorry, don't like anyone. Wali Lundy has become the main running back, but the Giants are shutting offenses down. David Carr? No way. Play Andre Johnson on the theory that if Houston does score, and Carr does get to 200 yards, Johnson plays a big role. And when Carr is bad again, will we see Sage make things interesting? Nope. Do that two weeks in a row and you've got a QB controversy, and there shouldn't be one here.
Chiefs 31, Rams 27: Upset special, with lame-duck QB Damon Huard running out of time to prove that he should remain the starter. You know what? It doesn't matter what he does, Trent Green will get to start based on loyalty. Kansas City has looked a lot better since that Pittsburgh blowout, beating the Chargers and Seahawks. Here comes an unlikely road win.
For Kansas City: Huard hit 300 yards last week, and he might do it again, unless it becomes clear Larry Johnson can do it all himself. Figure Huard gets two touchdowns and Johnson two more, and Eddie Kennison scores in a place he used to play.
For St. Louis: They'll move the ball as well, and there's never a reason to sit Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson or Torry Holt. Each should thrive in this game, with Bulger reaching 300 yards, and the other two threatening to reach 100 yards.
Bears 35, Dolphins 10: Our third blowout, and real predictable. The way Chicago is playing, how can Joey Harrington compete? The only difference from last week, when the Bears put up 41 in the first half vs. San Francisco is, this one's in Florida. So they only get 21 by the half.
For Chicago: Rex Grossman is a solid play with two touchdown passes, Bernard Berrian gets back into the scoring column and both Bears running backs register touchdowns. Thomas Jones, as always, is the smarter play, but Cedric Benson could be a flex contender.
For Miami: Sit 'em all. Even Ronnie Brown, who has topped 70 yards rushing only twice all season, isn't a good play.
Saints 20, Buccaneers 10: I just don't think the Bucs have much to offer, even in a winnable game like this. And I do think the Saints are beatable. Drew Brees gets his numbers each week, but he's lost two of his biggest statistical efforts. It comes down to Bruce Gradkowski, who played well initially, but hasn't the past few weeks.
For New Orleans: Gotta stick with what works, so expect Brees to reach 250 yards and score twice, Deuce McAllister to get 75 yards, and Marques Colston to have a big day. Joe Horn has had two straight big games, but I won't bet on a third. Sit Reggie Bush. If this injury doesn't convince you he's average statistically (so far), what will?
For Tampa Bay: I have Carnell Williams on multiple teams, and I just can't stomach it anymore. He sits, even for the likes of Brandon Jacobs and flex wide receivers like Chris Henry. I mean, his best game is 12 fantasy points. Enough already. BUST! And sit the other Bucs as well. Joey Galloway is no less maddening. Nice work outta Philly losing to this bunch.
Jaguars 14, Titans 7: I'm not buying that Jacksonville is "back" after winning in Philly last week. Jacksonville ran the ball all day against a team that looked beaten and unmotivated early. Tennessee is hardly a great team, but it has won two straight, can potentially control the clock and is decent defensively. This seems like a lively upset possibility, even though the last time the Jags were home, they beat the Jets 41-0. I'll stop short of the upset, but it should be interesting.
For Tennessee: Sometimes you've got to zig when everyone else zags. Travis Henry comes off a brutal game. The game before he ran wild. I see him as a surprise play who gets near 100 yards, maybe he gets the team's score. Hey, we didn't expect it against the Redskins, either. I wouldn't play any other Titans, including Vince Young.
For Jacksonville: I'm not a Byron Leftwich fantasy fan anymore, and I didn't think he should get the start. But really, while David Garrard wins games and will start, his arm isn't a threat. Shut down Fred Taylor and you can beat this team. Give Taylor OK numbers, like 70 yards and a score. Don't use any Jags receivers. The QB doesn't matter, it's a trick.
49ers 16, Vikings 13: Upset special, because Minnesota is just not that good of an offensive team. Chester Taylor will bounce back, assuming the Vikings don't trail again early. Nobody expects the 49ers to win this game. Everyone assumes the Vikings bounce back on short rest and having to travel? Well, I think they're not quite as good as people think.
For San Francisco: Alex Smith has looked dreadful his past two games, but has anyone pointed out those were against the Chargers and Bears? Would I go out of my way to play Smith in fantasy? Probably not, but he should get a touchdown or two. Frank Gore has to meet a tough run defense that New England essentially avoided, but don't assume he ends up with only three rushes, like Corey Dillon. Gore ran well against the Bears, topping 100 yards. I'll give him 75 yards.
For Minnesota: The only Viking I would play, and this has been the theme for a month, is Taylor. He should have a good day, but that doesn't always equal a victory. I would not use Brad Johnson just because of the matchup.
Chargers 34, Browns 9: Yep, there's no Shawne Merriman this week. Doesn't matter. LT is in the house.
For San Diego: Never, ever, ever sit LaDainian Tomlinson. Another big game is coming. Michael Turner I'd sit, but I can see him getting double digit carries. Might be a flex option. Philip Rivers will pile up the yards and get two touchdowns. Win-win for the Chargers. Merriman who?
For Cleveland: Sit 'em all. Reuben Droughns went from 12 carries to 33 last week, which certainly contributed to his best game of the season. But the Chargers should grab an early lead and Charlie Frye will be throwing a lot. And he'll be throwing to the other team.
Steelers 24, Broncos 21: The proud Cowhers still have something left of their season, and while it's unlikely Ben Roethlisberger can lead them back to the playoffs, I think people have been too reactive with him, like a yo-yo after good and bad games. Ben played very well in Weeks 6 and 7. Then he played poorly at Oakland, a team that, surprisingly has played fine defense much of the season. Was it Roethlisberger's concussion that made him throw four picks? Or was it a bad game against an underrated defense? Whatever the case, he gets the win. I can't see Pittsburgh falling to 2-6.
For Pittsburgh: Roethlisberger does enough to win, which means 230 yards and two scores. He's not going to be a popular fantasy play, nor should he be, but he's a better option than his QB opponent, that's for sure. Willie Parker needs to get the tough yards, and I could see 60 yards and a score. Hines Ward is worth playing.
For Denver: Can't choose between the Bells? Sit 'em both. Tatum Bell is battling turf toe, and not a good option. Might he play well? It's possible, but consider that the Steelers have a ton to play for, I doubt it. And Mike Bell has been inconsistent. Sure, that was a huge second half against Indy. Teams run on Indy all the time. Meanwhile, teams try to pass on Pittsburgh (see Vick) and I can't see Jake Plummer doing that. Denver's favored, I think the home team wins.
Patriots 28, Colts 24: Nothing against Peyton Manning, I just trust Bill Belichick more, especially in a home game. He's got a healthy defense, and a fine, young running back ready to explode. This is the week. Manning and Brady make the pregame news, and Laurence Maroney gets Monday's headlines.
For New England: I think both Maroney and Corey Dillon are solid plays, with both a touchdown possibility. The past few weeks Brady has thrown the ball. This week he goes back to 180 yards and a score, and hands off a lot. If Mike Bell can do that in one half of play, then Belichick is going to run the ball, a lot. Don't expect any of Brady's wide receivers to be great plays. If you have to choose one, I still stick with Doug Gabriel.
For Indy: Of course you play Peyton Manning, and he'll accumulate decent enough stats to be worth it in fantasy. So will his receivers. I do think Joseph Addai is a better play than Dominic Rhodes, and Addai worthy of a fantasy start. What a game this should be.
Seahawks 24, Raiders 17: Seneca Wallace vs. Andrew Walter. Just what the TV execs had planned! Wallace isn't a bad quarterback, and the Oakland defense is better than people think. I'll still take the home team, in a messy affair, but don't look for many fantasy options here.
For Seattle: Darrell Jackson has reached every week status, no matter who the QB is. Deion Branch isn't there yet, I wouldn't expect big stats in this one. Wallace could get 200 yards and a score, but he's likely to turn the ball over at least once. As for Maurice Morris, really, haven't you seen enough?
For Oakland: Randy Moss is about the only Raider I'd play. Don't waste your loyalty on LaMont Jordan. In January we'll look at his numbers and collectively say they're brutal, but really, nobody saw it coming. It's Week 9. We see it coming now. OK, have a great weekend and we'll see ya Sunday morning.

Hache Man · Nov 3, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

Updated: Nov. 3, 2006
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

CB ratings: Top shutdown corners

Scouts Inc.





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The cornerback position is one of the most difficult positions in the NFL to play. The cornerback is basically out on an island when in man coverage.
Aligned with a receiver and with no idea what route that receiver is going to run, the cornerback is already at a distinct disadvantage once the ball is snapped. Add in that when the cornerback gets beats, everyone in the stadium knows it. There is no place to hide.
But a great cornerback, a shutdown cornerback, isn't scared. One of the most important things a shutdown corner has is a short memory. But what defines a shutdown corner?
He is a guy that the quarterback is afraid to challenge. When he does, that cornerback makes him pay more often then not. He is cocky, arrogant, confident and relishes the challenge of aligning up against the best in the game on a weekly basis.
Here are the best in the business: <OFFER>

1. Champ Bailey, Denver Broncos
Bailey is in a class of his own when it comes to this cornerback list. He is a player that can take half the field away. You do not want to challenge him and when you do, he will make you pay the price. In terms of quickness, speed, and ball skills, he is unmatched.

2. DeAngelo Hall, Atlanta Falcons
Hall was the clear-cut second selection by the Scouts' group. Hall can be a little inconsistent at times, but it is not due to a lack of ability. Hall tends to gamble a little bit at times. When he guesses right, he will take it to the house, but with that comes occasions where he gets himself out of position.

3. Chris McAlister, Baltimore Ravens
He is the tallest of all the corners on this list and has everything you look for in terms of height (6-foot-1) and size (203 pounds). McAlister is better in man than zone coverage. He is big, physical and does an excellent job of re-routing receivers from press coverage. His long arms allow him to make excellent plays on the ball downfield.

4. Terence Newman, Dallas Cowboys
Newman was perfect last year, not giving up a a touchdown during the entire 2005 season. Newman is a smooth and fluid athlete with excellent transition skills. Once he gets his hips turned, he shows excellent catch-up speed while the ball is in the air. The only real negative is that he can be a little slow to close coming forward from off-coverage.

5. Nathan Vasher, Chicago Bears
He does not have the great height (5 feet, 10 inches) or size (180 pounds), but his feel for the game is just excellent. Vasher is great in terms of reading route concepts and is rarely out of position. Of all the corners on this list, he is the best ball hawk. He has played in 39 regular season games and has 13 interceptions.

6. Ty Law, Kansas City Chiefs
At 32, Law is the ambassador of this group but age has not slowed him down. He had a career-high 11 interceptions last season with the New York Jets. He does not have that top end speed or great size, but he is a wily veteran who knows how to play the game. Law is also the toughest corner on this list and has shown the ability to play through numerous injuries over his career.

7. Ronde Barber Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Not known as a true man-to-man cover corner because of the Cover 2 scheme he plays, but Barber is still one of the best corners in the game. He is a player who has had tremendous longevity. He has never missed a regular-season game since becoming a full-time starter in 1998. He will go down as the best corner to ever play in the Cover 2 scheme. From 1998 to the present, he's had 30 interceptions, five of which were returned for touchdowns.

8. Antoine Winfield, Minnesota Vikings
Now that he is in the Vikings' scheme, we see him play more Cover 2 than man coverage, but Winfield fits the bill as a shutdown corner when in man coverage. Winfield is on the small side, but he plays much bigger. Despite being 5-9, 180 pounds, he is the best hitter and tackler of this group.

9. Ken Lucas, Carolina Panthers
Lucas has solid size for the corner position. He has good overall speed and quickness. Though not an elite athlete, he is a corner with long arms and gets his hands on a lot of balls. He has a solid player opposite of him in Chris Gamble, which means he gets challenged a little more then some of the guys on this list. He has risen to that challenge, however, with 13 interceptions in the past 2 ? seasons.

10. Rashean Mathis, Jacksonville Jaguars
Some might feel Mathis is a surprise on the bottom of the list, but we feel he is one of the least-talked about top corners in the NFL. Mathis has excellent height (6-1) and average size (195 pounds). He is very good from the press position and tough to shake when he gets in the wide receiver's hip pocket. His long arms allow him to get his hands on a lot of balls, as seen by his 16 interceptions in 3 ?seasons.

Best of the rest

11. Patrick Surtain, Kansas City Chiefs.
12. Marcus Trufant, Seattle Seahawks.
13. Leigh Bodden, Cleveland Browns.
14. Ike Taylor, Pittsburgh Steelers.
15. Dunta Robinson, Houston Texans. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Nov 3, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

Rams must control Johnson

posted: Friday, November 3, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: St. Louis Rams

Running back Larry Johnson is again proving his worth as the workhorse the Kansas City Chiefs need him to be. The Chiefs will expect for Johnson to continue his rushing dominance this week against the St. Louis Rams by getting the ball in his hands to help control the clock and the pace of the game.

Johnson is averaging 92 rushing yards and 47 receiving yards per game and in the last two weeks put up 132 and 155 yards, respectively, against the San Diego Chargers and Seattle Seahawks. Both of those defenses rank in the top half of the NFL in rush defense, while the Rams rank in the bottom half, giving up an average of 135 yards per game on the ground.

Glover

Coakley

Johnson is a downhill runner who is at his best when his shoulders are square to the line of scrimmage, so the St. Louis linebackers will have to scrape and fill run lanes quickly to have a chance of controlling the line of scrimmage. Defensive tackle La'Roi Glover will have to make sure he does not over-penetrate and give Johnson backside running lanes to cut through. And with speedy LB Pisa Tinoisamoa questionable, the Rams will need Dexter Coakley to step up and play smart.

Fellow linebacker Will Witherspoon must keep his eyes on Johnson and also have his head on a swivel, looking out for offensive lineman slipping off combo blocks as they stretch the line in their zone blocking scheme. Keeping Johnson from getting square to the line of scrimmage will be key to preventing him from picking up big gains with his size, speed and power. Johnson is going to get his yards, but the Rams' must at least control him by constantly stacking the line of scrimmage.
The keys to stopping Johnson will be to continually play eight men in the box and bring constant pressure on quarterback Damon Huard to limit his effectiveness. The X-factor in stopping Johnson, though, has nothing to do with the Rams' defense but rests with the offense. The Rams will need to open up their offense, get on the scoreboard early and force the Chiefs to play catch-up, which would mean getting away from Johnson and the running game. That is not something they are comfortable doing. The Bengals and Steelers are the only teams this year to hold Johnson under 100 yards both rushing and passing and the Chiefs lost both of those games. The Rams have studied the film and will look to mirror what each of these teams did to keep Johnson under control. This should be a solid, low-scoring affair but still a fun game to watch.

Hache Man · Nov 3, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

Special teams correlates with wins

posted: Friday, November 3, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears

At the halfway mark of the 2006 season let's take a look at the third phase of each NFC North football team and evaluate if the special teams have helped the respective teams or hurt them. And do special teams performance correlate to a teams record? Let's look.

CHICAGO
The explosive Bears offense and dominant defense has both scored a lot of points as well as won most field position battles. Turning the positive field position into points, the Bears kicker Robbie Gould has been a perfect 20-for-20 in field goals as well as hitting all 23 extra points.

Punter Brad Maynard has been equally strong averaging 46.6 yards with great results by the coverage units netting over 40 yards per punt.

While not mirroring perfection, Chicago's return game has been outstanding with explosive punt returner Devin Hester winning a game with a fourth quarter 83-yard return for a score as well as icing another game with an 84-yard return for a touchdown. That explosive threat forces opponents to adjust the special team's game plan giving up field position to avoid giving up game breaking returns.

When a team creates a winning atmosphere and gets on a roll everything goes well and the impressive Chicago special teams play mirrors the overall success of the undefeated Bears.

DETROIT
One bright spot for the Lions during the initial stages of the Marinelli rebuilding phase has been the special teams. Detroit has historically been solid on special teams and this trend continues, but not at a high enough level even though it has blocked several kicks keeping points off the board. Unfortunately, so do the Lions other trends of decent defense and inconsistent offense.

Veteran kicker Jason Hansen has been solid hitting three quarters of his attempts, that is not quite up to his 15 year career standard of over 80 percent. He is always a threat in the perfect kicking confines of Ford Field. Hansen gives Detroit another offensive weapon once the Lions cross the opponent's 40-yard line.

Punter Nick Harris has been solid averaging 44.8 yards per punt yet his coverage teams have not excelled only netting 35.8 yards. This is an area that could improve giving Detroit more help in the battle for field position.

Return man Eddie Drummond has show explosive ability but lacks the consistency that would make a difference for the struggling Detroit. The Lions need one phase of the team to take over and special teams could be that phase in Detroit but it has not translated to wins yet this season.

GREEN BAY
During the rebuilding season going on in Green Bay the kick return game epitomizes the Packers season. Green Bay has been through a number of different kickoff return men losing Koren Robinson to suspension, Robert Ferguson is on injured reserve, Samkon Gado has been traded and Vernand Morency is injured and out this week. At least Noah Herron is available. This inconsistency on an almost weekly try out basis shows signs of a team searching for play makers, giving many opportunities for players to step up.

Green Bay's youth movement is evident with second year kicker David Raynor hitting 78.6 percent of his kicks. That percentage could be seriously affected in November and December by the swirling winds and frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.

At times it seems as if punter Jon Ryan out kicks his coverage averaging 47.1 yards per punt but his coverage teams have been giving up over 12 yards per return. Coverage is an area that Mike Stock must improve upon to help Green Bay become more consistent and win some of the field position battles.

The Packers have looked both terrible and competitive at times just as the special teams play has also shown both. As Green Bay searches for players to contribute and play makers to show up, the numerous changes on the special team's depth charts tend to be a team searching for a personality or identity.

MINNESOTA
The Vikings have been dominant at times as well as showing flashes of poor play. The special teams parallel this inconsistency with both 71 yard returns for touchdowns as well as 9 yard punts. Minnesota's inconsistencies can be exemplified by having field goals blocked and then scoring a touchdown on a fake field goal in the same game.

Ryan Longwell has been solid over his 10 years of kicking outside. Now he will enjoy November, December and January in the kicking friendly confines of the Metrodome and his 81.3 field goal percentage should improve.

A bright spot in the return game is Mewelde Moore who has proven to be explosive as a punt returner with a pair of 71 yard returns for a touchdown in each of the last two years. Moore has also been inconsistent as sandwiched between explosive returns was the punt where he peeked for the gunner and Moore both got blasted and fumbled.

Another display of inconsistency for Minnesota has been punter Chris Kluwe. He has a booming leg and he was working to improve his control and directional punting but in the course of doing so he has been battling the shanks hitting 9 yard punts then getting his punts downed at the 1-yard line.

For the Vikings to improve its consistency as a team, the special teams could lead the way by limiting the big play against themselves and by making the big play in their favor.

NFC North
In looking at the performance of the NFC North teams it is interesting that the play of the special teams is a barometer of the overall success of each team. If it is not a barometer then it could be the cause but either way the special team's results are definitely a contributing factor to success.

Remarkably in each case the special teams play is reflected in each team's record. Chicago is undefeated and its special team's have been impressive. The 4-3 Vikings play games close but make mistakes at critical times to cost themselves and the Minnesota special teams have been up and down like a roller coaster. Green Bay is a confused 3-4 team seeking an identity while the special teams have been a weekly "try out" searching for players to give them consistency. Bringing up the bottom of the division is the, once again, 1-6 rebuilding Lions that normally have outstanding special teams but this year's group have not been able to seriously contribute to a winning cause.

Hache Man · Nov 3, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

Brunell looking over his shoulder

posted: Friday, November 3, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Washington Redskins

Bill Parcells made a quarterback change by replacing Drew Bledsoe with Tony Romo last week and ended a quick quarterback controversy. Romo played well against the Panthers Sunday night and if he continues to play well this week in Washington it could have an effect on the Redskins with their on going offensive struggles.

The Redskins have been looking at the success that switching quarterbacks has had with the Cowboys and other teams in the league and could be inclined to make a change in the near future especially with Jason Campbell getting extra practice time during the bye week with the first team offense. The team has invested a lot in Campbell and has been reluctant to push forward with that investment, but with the season slipping away and having a 2-5 record this might be the right time for a change.

If Joe Gibbs is reluctant to make that change then owner Daniel Snyder might influence or step in and make that change for him. Either way the success of division rival Dallas with changing their quarterbacks has had an effect on the Redskins front office and do not be surprised if they make a change at quarterback in the not to distant future.

From a stats standpoint quarterback Mark Brunell's numbers look pretty good, he is completing 64.1 percent of his passes for 1,465 yards with only three interceptions and has been sacked 11 times, not bad numbers for a starting quarterback. His high completion percentage comes off one game against Houston where he was almost perfect going 24 for 27. But he has only passed the ball for over 200 yards three times this year and has only thrown seven touchdown passes. Most of Brunell's passes have been less than 20 yards because offensive coordinator Al Saunders takes advantage of Brunell's accuracy with short in between the numbers passes that allow his receivers to catch and run. The Redskins are not much of a deep threat passing the ball. Besides, no one has ever won any football games based on stats and the only stat that matters is the won-loss column.

Moss injury a concern
Wide receiver Santana Moss could be out of Sunday's game against the Cowboys with a hamstring injury and has missed practice time all week. Moss is Brunell's favorite target catching 28 passes for 435 yards and would be replaced in the lineup by Antwaan Randle El or David Patten (also has a hamstring injury). Moss will be missed in the lineup if he can't go as he has had some good games against the Cowboys in the past. This could alter the game plan of Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer by influencing him to bring more pressure and play more man to man coverage's then he would with a healthy Moss on the field.

Secondary at full strength
The Redskins secondary will be at full strength this week against the Cowboys with the return of starting corner Carlos Rogers who had surgery on his broken thumb the week before the bye. This would be the first time this season that the secondary is all together and 100 percent healthy (or close to it) and the timing could not have be better for the Redskins with Dallas coming to town. Gregg Williams will be able to use all his weapons in his playbook this week. With starting corners Rogers and Shawn Springs back from injuries there will be no excuses from the Redskins secondary if they get torched again this week as they will be up to full strength.

Hache Man · Nov 3, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 26 New Articles Added 11/2/06

Friday, November 3, 2006
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</TD><TD vAlign=top>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Scouting Matchups: Week 9

By Scouts, Inc.




<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%"><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=162 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" colSpan=2>

</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width=3> </TD><TD width=156>Only Insiders get access to all of Scouts Inc.'s, in-depth NFL coverage, as well as insight from ESPN's stable of football analysts.
? Take the Insider tour
? Become an Insider
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>NFL advance scouts watch games in person, studying everything from personnel packages to play-calling signals, and on film, looking at individual players, as well as a team's various schemes and recent trends. The goal? Provide their coaching staff with the best possible means of preparation during the week of practice. Scouts Inc. does the same thing, compiling the best advance scouting reports available and delivering them to you by Tuesday afternoon on ESPN.com Insider. On Friday, after breaking down more game film, Scouts Inc. files an updated report with a deeper look at each game, spotlighting key individual matchups and trends and predicting the final score.

<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD width=100>Matchup</TD><TD>Scouting</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD colSpan=2>SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2006</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Kansas City
at
St. Louis
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Chiefs at Rams
Intra-state rivalries are always exciting and fun to watch. The Chiefs have been playing very well despite the loss of QB Trent Green in Week 1. This game features two outstanding runners in the Rams' Steven Jackson and the Chiefs' Larry Johnson. Both are very strong runners and have good hands to make catches out of the backfield. Both teams have been pleasant surprises in their respective divisions, as this matchup looks to create a defensive chess match between two very good defenses that have outstanding secondaries.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Chiefs' Johnson has heavy burden

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Houston
at
NY Giants
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Texans at Giants
The Texans will be fighting to get out of the cellar of the AFC South, while the Giants will be fighting to maintain their one-game lead over the Cowboys in the NFC East. Houston suffered a setback in Week 8, losing to the Titans despite outgaining Tennessee 427 yards to 197. Five turnovers turned out to be the Texans' downfall. The Giants, meanwhile, are on a four-game winning streak since losing to the Seahawks in late September.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Giants won't take Texans lightly

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

New Orleans
at
Tampa Bay
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Saints at Buccaneers
Saints head coach Sean Payton must get his team refocused after a disappointing performance against the Ravens last week. QB Drew Brees must find his rhythm in the short, controlled passing attack to set up the running game. Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin will attack the Saints' rushing game and force the Saints into a one-dimensional team through the air.

Bucs head coach Jon Gruden must find a way to jumpstart his offense against a Saints defense that can be exploited. Saints defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs will load up the box against the run and attack QB Bruce Gradkowski with his multiple zone pressure schemes in passing situations. If the Saints are going to make a run at the NFC South title, they must win this game on road.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Special teams loom large

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Dallas
at
Washington
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Cowboys at Redskins
Tony Romo will be looking to prove his first start at Carolina was not a fluke. Romo looked good and should continue to make improvements over the last half of the season. The Cowboys need a win at Washington to keep pace with the Giants.

The Redskins are in a big hole and do not have much of a chance at the playoffs this year, but can play the part of the spoiler because misery loves company. Will Joe Gibbs take a page out of Bill Parcells' game plan and finally make a change at quarterback from Mark Brunell to Jason Campbell. This should be a hard-hitting NFC East matchup between two division rivals.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Skins looking to rattle Romo

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Tennessee
at
Jacksonville
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Titans at Jaguars
The Titans, riding on a two-game winning streak, are hoping to get out of the AFC South cellar that they occupy along with the Houston Texans. At the same time the Jaguars are hoping to get back in the middle of the playoff race as a wild-card team.

Jacksonville re-located its dominating defense against the Eagles in Week 8, holding the NFL's top offense to 227 total yards. Meanwhile, the Titans gave up a lot of yards (427) to the Texans while creating five turnovers to come away with a 28-22 win.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Both teams ready to run

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Cincinnati
at
Baltimore
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Bengals at Ravens
This is the first matchup between the two top teams in the AFC North and obviously will have distinct playoff implications. The Baltimore crowd will be extremely loud and the environment will be nearly playoff-caliber. The Ravens changed their play-caller and looked like a new offense in New Orleans last week as they dominated in a difficult environment. The offense showed balance, confidence and some big-play ability, while the defense was outstanding and created points.

Cincinnati hosted the Falcons in what became a dogfight, but the Bengals just couldn't keep up with Michael Vick. This should be a close-fought grudge match between division rivals. Both teams have been solid overall on special teams and the kicking game could be a determining factor. Don't be surprised to see the fate of the game fall to the foot of one of these excellent kickers. The Bengals need this game to keep pace.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Bengals' defense must step up

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Green Bay
at
Buffalo
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Packers at Bills
The Packers are coming off their second consecutive win. The Bills are trying to find answers after their bye week to what once was a promising early part of the season. These two teams need to make a stand in Week 9 or the season will slip away quickly.

The Packers have found a productive running game and quarterback Brett Favre is taking care of the ball. Both teams are desperate for a victory. Look for Buffalo to play tough at home and with an extra week to prepare.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Favre looks to continue oll

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Miami
at
Chicago
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Dolphins at Bears
The Chicago Bears are an elite NFC team that plays offensive-minded defense, creating turnovers and attempting to score points even on defense. This Bears team is exciting in all phases. They have big-play ability in the return game with the dynamic rookie Devin Hester, big-play ability on defense and big-play ability on offense with an explosive group of playmakers led by Rex Grossman. Chicago is facing a Miami team that still plays excellent defense but has struggled offensively.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Miami offense will struggle

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Atlanta
at
Detroit
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Falcons at Lions
Michael Vick. After starting the season relying on a dominating running attack, Vick has enjoyed two outstanding games in a row throwing the ball, with seven touchdown passes. The Falcons now bring a balanced attack into Ford Field. Detroit returns a little healthier, especially in the offensive line, which has been in shambles all season.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Vick becoming unstoppable

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Minnesota
at
San Francisco
Sun 4:05 PM ET</TD><TD>Vikings at 49ers
The Vikings self-destructed in Week 8 and need to elevate their play this week against a struggling 49ers team. The Vikings are a better team offensively than what they showed on Monday night, and must have better play from quarterback Brad Johnson. The 49ers are a team looking to rebuild, but they have good, young players on offense in quarterback Alex Smith and running back Frank Gore. Smith has vastly improved in his second year while Gore has been getting better week after week.

The Vikings are a well-rounded team and have run the ball well with the additions of guard Steve Hutchinson and running back Chester Taylor. These players need help to give Minnesota's offense balance. This matchup has a lot of offensive firepower and could be a high-scoring affair.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Taylor must get on track

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Denver
at
Pittsburgh
Sun 4:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Broncos at Steelers
This is a rematch of last year's AFC Championship Game and features two of the longest tenured and most successful head coaches in the NFL. Pittsburgh was embarrassed in an ugly game in Oakland last week. Denver is coming off a last-minute loss to the Colts, but its offense finally put up big points. Prior to Week 8, Denver's defense feasted on poor offenses. The Steelers continue to self destruct week after week.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Denver's D looking for redemption

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Cleveland
at
San Diego
Sun 4:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Browns at Chargers
The Chargers bounced back from a disappointing loss and once again proved they are one of the power teams to contend with in the AFC. LaDainian Tomlinson is coming off his best game of the season and faces a Browns defense that has had issues this season stopping the run.

Cleveland won its first game with new offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson taking over the play-calling. Davidson was much more balanced with his play-calling. Because he's also the team's offensive line coach, you could see a greater commitment to run this week.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Cleveland committed to the run

</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Indianapolis
at
New England
Sun 8:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Colts at Patriots
This is a huge contest between two perennial AFC powers. The Colts have proven they can win against top opponents on the road, as they took care of the Denver Broncos last week.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Edge goes to Patriots

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD colSpan=2>MONDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2006</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Oakland
at
Seattle
Mon 8:30 PM ET</TD><TD>Raiders at Seahawks
These teams are former AFC West rivals and there used to be a lot of bad blood between them. This game should mark the return of Seattle RB Shaun Alexander.

Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck will not return for this game, but his backup Seneca Wallace did some good things the previous week, making some plays with both his feet and his arm. Oakland has not received much positive attention, but their defense is one of the best kept secrets in the NFL, as they have a young, hungry group of players who can attack and force turnovers.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Seahawks licking their wounds
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Nov 6, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 7 New Articles Added 11/3/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 7 New Articles Added 11/3/06

Monday, November 6, 2006
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</TD><TD vAlign=top>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Wallace must avoid mistakes

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
These teams are former AFC West rivals and there used to be a lot of bad blood between them. This game should mark the return of Seattle RB Shaun Alexander.

Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck will not return for this game, but his backup Seneca Wallace did some good things the previous week, making some plays with both his feet and his arm. Oakland has not received much positive attention, but their defense is one of the best kept secrets in the NFL, as they have a young, hungry group of players who can attack and force turnovers.

When the Raiders have the ball
Rushing: As disappointing as the Raiders' offense has been this season, they came in to last week ranked 10th in the league in rushing. The running game has not been spectacular, but has served a solid purpose. The ability to churn out some yards on the ground keeps them in decent down-and-distance situations, giving their solid defense a little rest from time to time.
Starter LaMont Jordan has been suffering from some lower back issues and has only carried the ball seven times in the past two games. They have not missed him much though as backup Justin Fargas has been one of the Raiders' biggest offensive surprises. Fargas has been nicked up too this season, but has shown better toughness this year. Fargas is also doing a much better job of learning to run inside and finding those tough hidden yards.
On paper, the Raiders' offensive line looks like it would be at a disadvantage this week, but the Seattle defense has been one of the most underachieving units this season. The defenders are taking too many bad angles to the ball, making poor run fits and missing entirely too many tackles. A key player for the Raiders this week in generating the run game will be OC Jake Grove. His ability to get to the secpmd level and block MLB Lofa Tatupu will go a long way in determining how effective the Raiders' run game will be.

Passing: The Raiders came into last week's game against Pittsburgh with the 31st ranked pass offense. They just can't get anything to click and it all starts up front with poor protection schemes.
When the Raiders do get protection, their receivers run poor routes. When they get protection and receivers runs good routes, QB Andrew Walter makes poor passes. The entire passing offense looks like it is in shambles right now. One thing that could change that is the potential return of Aaron Brooks from his pectoral injury.
Head Coach Art Shell has said that Brooks will get his job back when he is healthy enough to play, but despite the poor passing numbers, Walter has been at the helm for their two wins. If the Raiders are going to steal this win on the road, they will need to get something out of Randy Moss and Jerry Porter.
Porter returned to the lineup last week, but was a non-factor with only one reception. In the past, it would have been a good idea to stay away from Seattle DC Marcus Trufant, but he is getting torched on a regular basis. The Raiders' offense is struggling to move the ball through the air, but Seattle has struggled to get pressure, exposing its secondary as a bit of a fraud.

When the Seahawks have the ball
Rushing: Seattle's run offense has been pretty non existent since the injury to Shaun Alexander. In truth, it was not where it needed to be even with Alexander in the lineup. The big reason has not been the RBs. Without Steve Hutchinson, the offensive line is not getting the job done. Alexander is supposed to return this week and will bringing confidence to the entire offense.
The Raiders have been excellent against the pass this season, but the run defense has been a little more inconsistent. The overall scheme that defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is using has been solid. Every week he comes up with excellent game plans defensively, and most of the mistakes have been mental errors from a young defense that is kind of learning on the go.
The other factor the Raiders will have to account for this week is the legs of QB Seneca Wallace. They won't use a spy early on, but if he makes some plays with his feet, Ryan will have to make an in-game adjustment to account for him. There were some key situations last week where Wallace opted to throw instead of run for the first down and head coach Mike Holmgren will address that with him this week.
Look for Seattle to use some misdirection this week in the run game, in an effort to take advantage of an overpursuing Raiders' defense. The Raiders will definitely commit eight men to the box this week and will play man coverage in the backend, forcing Wallace to beat them with his arm.

Passing: Seneca Wallace made some solid plays with his arm, but also made some throws he would love to have back. Overall, he did enough to give Seattle a chance to win, so the offensive coaches will be encouraged by that.
The biggest thing the coaches need to do is to get him to slow down a little bit and make sure he is seeing the entire field, because he missed a few open targets last week when he failed to come off his primary target. Coming into last week's game, the Raiders' pass defense is the best kept secret in NFL. The Raiders play man coverage and their young corners are getting better and better each week. Nnamdi Asomugha, Fabian Washington and Stanford Routt are playing press man coverage, taking opposing receivers out of the game. They are playing aggressively and attacking upfront. That will be the plan again this week, as they will make Wallace beat them. They will blitz, play man coverage and force Wallace to fit the ball into some tight windows in coverage. If he can't do that, it could be a struggle for Seattle through the air.

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Hache Man · Nov 6, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 7 New Articles Added 11/3/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 7 New Articles Added 11/3/06

McGahee injury could cripple Bills

posted: Sunday, November 5, 2006 | Print Entry

McGahee aching: The Bills aren't saying how badly halfback Willis McGahee is hurt, but it's apparent he suffered a cracked or a badly bruised rib or ribs and could be out a week or two. The fact he had to be taken off the field in a cart is an indication that this isn't just a bruise that could be covered by a flak jacket. Without McGahee, the Bills' offense is in trouble. Josh Reed is banged up. Peerless Price hasn't been much of a factor, so it's hard for J.P. Losman to find open receivers if teams double Lee Evans. In the first eight series against the Packers, the Bills had only 85 yards and four first downs.

Bears get complacent? The Bears may have been read too many of their press clippings during their 7-0 start. Defensive tackle Tommie Harris told Chicago reporters he felt a cocky, complacent attitude in some of the meetings during the week. The Dolphins dominated the Bears. Rex Grossman was pressured into making bad throws. The Bears' defense couldn't handle the running game. Heading into Sunday night's game against the Giants, the Bears don't know if they will have defensive star Brian Urlacher, who suffered a foot injury that could sideline him.

Lots of cash on sidelines: The Jaguars needed a game against a team such as the Titans (2-6), who have struggled on the road and are vulnerable defensively. The Jaguars had roughly $24.3 million of their salary cap on the sideline with injuries if you include the 11 players on injured reserve. With Byron Leftwich as third quarterback and defensive tackle Marcus Stoud out with an ankle injury, that's $11 million of salary cap dollars lost. They also are missing linebacker Mike Peterson and defensive end Reggie Hayward, both of whom are out for the season. It's no wonder the Jaguars have struggled to get to 5-3 at mid-season.

Hurtin' in KC. St. Louis: The Chiefs-Rams game may have been the most physical Sunday. There were injuries aplenty. Chiefs guard Brian Waters suffered a knee injury. Safety Greg Wesley hurt his shoulder. Defensive end Tamba Hali missed more than a half because of a hip injury. The Chiefs don't know the extent of an ankle injury to linebacker Derrick Johnson. "People were going down, and I am proud of the way everyone came through and played,'' Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen said. "The people that stepped in, stepped in and did a great job.'' Rams running back Tony Fisher may have suffered a blown anterior cruciate ligament. Defensive end Leonard Little hurt a knee, but he was able to play. Wide receiver Kevin Curtis suffered a chest injury and had to go to the hospital Sunday night because of the pain.
Tough day for wideouts: It wasn't surprising that it was a bad day for wide receivers in the NFL. Only four -- Roy Williams of the Lions, Devery Henderson and Marques Colston of the Saints and Javon Walker of the Broncos -- had 100-yard receiving days. There were too many top receivers who were inactive. Any Sunday that doesn't have Joe Horn, Plaxico Burress, Santana Moss and David Patten on the inactive list isn't a good start. And Greg Jennings of the Packers played with a bad ankle, which he re-injured. The Bears lost their deep threat when wide receiver Bernard Berrian suffered a rib injury that was so painful he could barely talk after the game.

Hache Man · Nov 6, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 7 New Articles Added 11/3/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 7 New Articles Added 11/3/06

Checking in on Mario Williams

posted: Monday, November 6, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys

I'm sandwiching the weekend with travel for ESPN The Magazine stories, so I was parked on the couch for this week's games. I tuned into the Giants-Texans' game, and decided to track Mario Williams. I've been thinking a lot about him this fall since I did a cover story in the Magazine about the impossible position he's facing this year. His first month was rough, and at one point coach Gary Kubiak singled him out, saying the rookie needed to play better. But as I talked to opposing coaches, many seemed to be really impressed by his talent and thought that if he had one other star on the D-line and wasn't constantly double-teamed he'd be all over the highlight shows every week.

Facing the Giants midway through the year was a good barometer for the No. 1 pick because New York runs and throws well. I charted all of Mario's plays, so remember these figures are unofficial. But what I found was that the Giants targeted and relied on his aggressiveness, didn't fear him as a run-stopper and, most interestingly, spent most of the passing game single-blocking him.
Williams lined up at right end for 18 snaps and left for 35. The Giants ran at him eight times and passed at him five. The Giants toyed with Williams by constantly running bootlegs and counters at his direction. In the first half, Williams was twice caught out of position on bootlegs to Jeremy Shockey, and on Tiki Barber's 16-yard touchdown run, the Giants ran right at Williams, who ended up on his knees.
For a while, the Giants didn't seem to fear Williams at all. Despite surrendering 45 pounds to Williams, Shockey single-blocked him on many plays and did so successfully. On the game-deciding touchdown that made the score 14-10, the Giants bootlegged at Williams, giving Eli Manning plenty of time and Shockey was wide open.
Williams was double teamed on only four passing plays. Sometimes he struggled to get past tackles; other times he didn't. At the end of the first half, he showed the dominating style that made him the top pick. On first-and-15 from the Houston 19, Williams bull-rushed Giants tackle Bob Whitfield, throwing the 318-pounder aside with his right arm, and sacked Manning. On the next play, he moved over a gap and plowed over Whitfield again - like, planting the dude on his butt and hurdling over him - and helped crumble the pocket for DeMeco Ryans to get Manning. Then, from the right side, Williams creamed tackle Luke Petitgout and forced Manning into an incompletion. On the next series Williams again beat Whitfield and forced Manning into an interception, although it was the final play of the half.
I know one game isn't indicative of the season, but there's no doubt Mario has moments where he looks like the most dominant player on the field and others when he isn't even a nuisance for the offense - a reflection of his NC State career, when he was benched for ineffectiveness. Considering the pressure he's under amid the controversy surrounding his selection, pressure that he did nothing to earn, for his sake I hope his overpowering play develops into the norm.
Random T.O. Note
--T.O.'s "Sleeping on the Football" touchdown celebration was terrific. I'm on the fence in general about touchdown celebrations. I don't think they're too excessive but I don't get a lot of entertainment out of them either, even the good ones -- kind of like Super Bowl commercials. But T.O.'s making fun of himself for dozing off in meetings was clever.
Blog readers will recall a few months ago when I detailed how T.O. constantly nods off in meetings. Many, many players do, but Owens being Owens, it takes on a different life when he does. A former teammate of Owens' once told me about a story from the San Fran/Jeff Garcia days. He said that during Garcia and Owens' last season together, the offense held a players-only film session to go over SF's redzone offense. Garcia was running the meeting, holding the clicker, and at one point told Owens how to adjust if an opponent gave a particular defensive look. Garcia paused, waiting for T.O. to respond, and at that point players were biting their lips to keep from cracking up as Owens' face was planted in his hands and he was snoozing at the back of the room. As the story goes, Garcia lost it and started screaming. Owens woke up, realized that everyone was laughing - both at him and at how ticked off Garcia was -- and yelled back at Garcia before storming out.

Hache Man · Nov 6, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 7 New Articles Added 11/3/06

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 7 New Articles Added 11/3/06

Updated: Nov. 6, 20066
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