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

Hache Man · Sep 29, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Article Added 9/28/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Article Added 9/28/06)

Falcons face defensive shuffle

posted: Friday, September 29, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers

Atlanta Falcons coach Jim Mora could be faced with a tough decision this week with the possible return of starting MLB Ed Hartwell, who has played in only five games since signing with the Falcons as an unrestricted free agent in 2005. He is listed as questionable this week against the Cardinals after returning to practice for the first time since suffering a preseason knee injury. He is a tough, downhill player who can be very effective between the tackles against the run.

Hartwell

However, the Falcons have been pretty effective at linebacker in his absence, with Keith Brooking in the middle and SLB Michael Boley and WLB Demorrio Williams on the outside. By inserting Hartwell back into the starting lineup, the Falcons would then have to shift Brooking back to the outside at WLB. Although, the key is getting your best players on the field depending on the situation this could affect chemistry among their linebacker corp.

One mitigating factor, though, is that with the problems the Cardinals will present with their three-wide packages, the Falcons will spend a lot of time in their sub defensive packages, meaning Hartwell will not be on the field.
Another development in Atlanta is the health status of DE John Abraham. He has missed practice again this week and is listed as questionable. The Falcons could use Abraham's pass rushing skills this week against an offensive line that has struggled to protect QB Kurt Warner. However, expect the Falcons to be cautious with Abraham this week with their bye coming next week.
Bucs need run-game revival
The bye week couldn't have come at better time for the Buccaneers. With the loss of QB Chris Simms last week, Tampa will turn to rookie sixth-round pick Bruce Gradkowski. However, the key for the Bucs when they return to the field next week will be RB Cadillac Williams.

Williams

Williams and the Buccaneers rushing attack have struggled to generate any yardage on the ground, and with a rookie under center, defenses will now be focused even more on stopping then run. Williams is averaging 2.4 yards per carry and is on pace for only a 500-plus yard season.

A lot of the blame has centered around the offensive line. However, Tampa has been outscored 51-10 in the first halves of its first three games, which has forced coach Jon Gruden to attack through the air more, rather that sticking with his plan of pounding the rock.
Look for Gruden to downsize his gameplan for Gradkowski and put a high emphasis on starting faster on offense against a good Saints run defense. Gradowski will need to manage the game effectively and not make game-changing mistakes that could result in this team having to play from behind again.

Coaching reunion
An interesting sidebar will take place in Charlotte, N.C., when the Saints visit the Panthers this weekend. John Fox and Sean Payton, who worked closely together for three years when both were coordinators for the New York Giants (1999-2001), will square off for the first time as head coaches.
The two have spent a lot of time together over their careers discussing philosophies, game strategies and the highs and lows that an NFL season presents. It will be interesting to watch how these teams attack each other, especially when the Saints have the ball. Fox is a defensive-minded coach, while Payton has made his living on the offensive side of the ball.
One of the great things about working in the NFL is the ties and friendships you make throughout your career that will last you a lifetime. There is nothing like competing against a close friend on a Sunday afternoon. However, we all understand the consequences of losing. Week four predictions in the NFC South: Currently I am 3-5 on the year.
Atlanta 24, Arizona 16
Carolina 28, New Orleans 17

Hache Man · Sep 29, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 9 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 9 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Updated: Sep. 29, 2006
Giants playing blame game

By Gary Horton
Scouts Inc.
Archive




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There is tremendous pressure to win in the NFL and teams are constantly scrutinized in the media -- which leads to more pressure. Even though we are heading into only Week 4, three potentially volatile situations bear watching in the next few days.
Is Tom Brady unhappy?
Brady's body language during Sunday night's loss to Denver indicated he is totally frustrated and out of sync. Right now, the only receivers he seems to have any chemistry with are his tight ends, especially Ben Watson, and that's not going to translate into a vertical passing game or many big plays.
Brady is a cerebral guy who does a great job of reading defenses and making adjustments after the snap, but his wide receivers don't seem to be making the same reads and adjustments, leading to a lot of broken plays.
Brady had great chemistry with WR David Givens, who is now in Tennessee, and WR Deion Branch, who is now in Seattle. These are players the Pats drafted who grew up with Brady in the New England system and gave this offense great balance.
In the salary cap era, tough financial decisions must be made. While it might not have been feasible to have kept both guys, how could the Patriots have let both go and not replaced at least one in free agency? It's hard to question a front office that has done such a good job of keeping this roster competitive, but losing Branch evidently took a lot out of these players.
The only wide receiver who seems to be on the same page as Brady is veteran Troy Brown, but at this stage of his career, he is nothing more than a role player in this offense. Brady's new starting WRs -- Reche Caldwell and Doug Gabriel -- have skills, but neither seems to be in tune with Brady, and both are viewed as inconsistent. Perhaps rookie Chad Jackson has a chance to develop into a good player.
The Patriots probably wish all these players could have another training camp with Brady right now, but since that's not going to happen, Brady probably will have to run an offense that features a strong running game, and a lot of throws to his tight ends.
In fairness to this offense, Brady himself has been inconsistent and has made a lot of uncharacteristic throws in the first three games.
The volatile NY Giants
Last year, running back Tiki Barber caused an uproar when he second-guessed the game plan following the Giants' playoff loss to the Panthers. There was more public second-guessing from a star Giant after Sunday's embarrassing loss at Seattle.
Tight end Jeremy Shockey openly questioned the team's preparation for the Seahawks and the inability of the coaches to make adjustments during the game. The Seahawks played a lot of multi-receiver sets and spread out a Giants secondary that was physically overmatched.
Seattle's offensive line did a great job in pass protection, not allowing a sack and giving Matt Hasselbeck plenty of time to read all of his progressions and find good individual matchups. The quartet of Darrell Jackson, Bobby Engram, Nate Burleson and Deion Branch totaled 18 receptions for 184 yards and four touchdowns.
While it might be easy to throw the coaches under the bus, they are not to blame for the lack of a pass rush, or the numerous mental mistakes. The Giants committed eight penalties on Sunday, including several false starts. The defense was guilty of several broken assignments and blown coverages.
Another factor to consider is that Seattle had not shown a lot of spread formations in the first two weeks. It is tough to expect coaches to prepare for a scheme they haven't seen on film.
Tom Coughlin is an easy target, but this is a roster of veteran players who should be ready to play each week. Everyone should share in the blame and work to fix it during the bye.
Can Jon Gruden circle the wagons in Tampa Bay?
Jon Gruden is renowned for being an offensive perfectionist with very little patience for mistakes. He is tough on his quarterbacks and certainly doesn't spare them from public criticism. With the injury to Chris Simms, he must go with rookie Bruce Gradkowski, who is not ready to play.
Already off to a disappointing 0-3 start, Gruden will find holding this team together is going to be a challenge. The Bucs might scour the waiver wire on a weekly basis for veteran QBs. With Gruden's lack of patience, this position could be a revolving door for the rest of the season.
In addition to the problems at quarterback, the Bucs are dead last in the NFL in rushing. Running back Cadillac Williams is not completely healthy and the offensive line is struggling to open up holes. With opposing defenses not respecting the run game, the play-action package is simply not effective. Defenses are pinning their ears back and teeing off on the QB.
This is a pass offense that attacks defenses with layers, and the quarterback must have the time to read his progressions and attack those layers. As a result of poor protection, there is almost no vertical component to this pass offense (29th in yards per pass), and defensive backs can jump the short to intermediate routes.
The inability of the offense to move the ball consistently (30th in time of possession), forces Tampa's aging defenders to stay on the field far too long. Opposing offenses are trying to run the ball down their throats, and this once-proud defense is dead last in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game. Gruden is a great coach and Bruce Allen is a brilliant general manager. This duo always has managed to overcome bumps in the road in the past, but this situation could be the ultimate test. Allen's biggest challenge in the coming weeks might be to keep Gruden calm as they figure out how to fix this team, but it won't be easy.
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Hache Man · Sep 29, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 9 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 9 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Updated: Sep. 29, 2006
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Bengals not exactly broken up over Thurman ruling

By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Archive




<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>Team officials will never admit it, but when the league extended the four-game substance abuse suspension of Cincinnati second-year middle linebacker Odell Thurman to a full season this week, after his Monday morning arrest for drunken driving, there were definitely more quiet cheers than tears among top Bengals executives and coaches.
In fact, league sources strongly suggested to ESPN.com that Bengals officials appealed to the league, and hard, for an expeditious resolution of Thurman's case.
How come? Well, frankly, the Bengals had written off Thurman for the 2006 season anyway. And quite possibly, for good, although that remains to be seen. They didn't want him around anymore. At least not anymore this year. And since his four-game suspension was scheduled to expire this Sunday night, after the Bengals played host to the New England Patriots, Thurman would have been eligible to return to the Bengals and to the practice field the first thing Monday morning.
Which is the last thing owner Mike Brown and coach Marvin Lewis wanted to happen.
Of all the troubled souls populating the Cincinnati roster, and there are many this year given the spate of off-field woes that have beset the talented but tainted Bengals, Thurman seems to be the one that Lewis most views as a pariah of sorts. Lewis did the former Georgia star a favor in the 2005 draft, rescuing him in the second round after Thurman, who might have been a first-round choice were it not for a series of indiscretions in college, plummeted in the lottery. And Lewis feels that Thurman, who started 15 games as a rookie in 2005, but suffered more mental lapses than Bengals coaches publicly admitted, betrayed him by not staying out of trouble.
Thurman drew the four-game suspension through sheer irresponsibility. He had turned off his cell phone for several days, essentially because of problems with multiple girlfriends, and thus missed a drug test. In the NFL substance abuse policy, failure to appear for a test is the equivalent of a positive test, and Lewis read Thurman the riot act after the incident. Thurman was on a short leash already and his Monday arrest, with teammates Chris Henry and Reggie McNeal in the car with him, snapped the tether.
That the league responded so quickly to the drunken driving incident -- Thurman's four-game suspension grew to a full-season banishment in just two days, a relatively quick turnaround, particularly in a league that so values the concept of due process -- raised a few eyebrows. But the league was well within its rights to act quickly on Thurman, since the Monday incident blatantly violated the conditions of his aftercare plan to which he had agreed. There was nothing untoward, even NFL Players Association watchdogs agree, in the speedy manner in which his case was internally adjudicated.
But don't discount the role of Bengals executives, especially Brown, in nudging the league to act with such alacrity in the matter.
Cincinnati brass truly believes, especially in light of the team's victory at Heinz Field last Sunday, that it has assembled a viable Super Bowl contender. And after a turbulent and embarrassing offseason, the Bengals are now trying to limit the in-season tumult and eliminate as many distractions as possible. All but lost in the news of Thurman's season-long suspension was that the Bengals squirreled rookie defensive end Frostee Rucker, a player with more than his share of off-field issues, onto injured reserve this week. There is the potential for one of Rucker's past cases to get uglier in coming weeks and by placing him on injured reserve, the Bengals create a kind of out-of-sight-out-of-mind fa?ade.
There also might be, in the case of Thurman, an intriguing political dynamic at work here.
It's no secret that the Bengals have not been happy with the manner in which the NFL pushed through the extension to the collective bargaining agreement in March, given the failures of the new deal to adequately address the increasing disparity between the high- and low-revenue franchises. And there is a pretty strong suspicion that Brown, not exactly an owner held in the highest regard in the league's Park Avenue offices despite his tenure and common sense approach, voted for Gregg Levy, and not Roger Goodell, on at least the first few ballots in the August election to choose Paul Tagliabue's successor.
Goodell is a smart guy and, having served as Tagliabue's top lieutenant, is keenly aware of all Brown's grievances. And so Goodell, being a good politician but new to the job, did a little fence-mending during his visit to the Bengals' facility last week. Word is that he welcomed Brown to stay in touch with him, and to reach out to the commissioner when necessary. That's not to suggest Brown contacted Goodell and asked him to fast-track the resolution of the Thurman case. The league and its new commissioner, in truth, did what it had a right to do.
But the Bengals are emerging as a powerhouse franchise, a good, young team that figures to contend for a title for several more seasons. While that might not have played a role in the expeditious handling of the Thurman matter, the NFL is nothing if not expedient and Cincinnati, despite its mostly miserable past, has suddenly become an "in" team, even with Odell Thurman now a guy on the outs.

Around the league

<TABLE class=tableheadFixWidth cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=200 align=right><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD class=whitelink colSpan=2>Chris Henry</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left>

Wide receiver
Cincinnati Bengals

Profile</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow><TD align=middle><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width=190 bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead align=middle><TD align=middle colSpan=5>2006 SEASON STATISTICS</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" align=right><TD width="17%">Rec</TD><TD width="17%">Yds</TD><TD width="17%">TD</TD><TD width="17%">Avg</TD><TD width="17%">Long</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#999999><TD>11</TD><TD>177</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>16.1</TD><TD>43</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
? The suspension of Thurman might not be the last league-imposed sanction, or forced absence, with which the Bengals are forced to deal. Authorities in Florida and in Kenton (Ken.) County are parsing through the reports of Thurman's arrest on Monday and are interested in the presence of wide receiver Chris Henry in the vehicle. There are rumors that Henry was drinking -- Thurman reportedly told police he was driving because his passengers were even more inebriated than him, and witnesses claim to have seen Henry vomit out the window of the car -- and, if that's the case, he could be in trouble with the NFL and legal authorities. Henry might have violated terms of his probation in a Florida gun-related case and could possibly have his bond revoked in the Kentucky case, in which he was charged with supplying liquor to three under-aged women. Arrested four times in a six-month stretch of the offseason, Henry is already under league scrutiny for those incidents and could face a potential suspension. Losing Henry, a terrific playmaker with a huge role in the Bengals' three-wide receiver formations, would be a blow to the potent Cincinnati offense.
? It's pretty fashionable, given the pathetic production of the Oakland Raiders' offense, to bash head coach Art Shell and coordinator Tom Walsh for the team's struggles. And some of the jabs certainly seem to be justifiable. But much of the criticism is rooted in the perception that, because Shell had not been a head coach since Raiders owner Al Davis fired him following the 1994 season, and Walsh has been out of the league since that same year and most recently was operating a bed-and-breakfast, the offensive design is Neanderthal and out of touch with the modern game. At first blush, with the Raiders not having a single completion to a running back in two games, and seemingly continuing to embrace the mad, bombs-away approach of a bygone era, the assessments appear on point. But ESPN.com this week spoke with an NFL insider who has seen the Oakland offensive playbook first-hand, studied it in-depth and who discussed philosophies with Walsh in detail. And that person, who has been much closer to the Oakland situation in recent weeks than any media person ever will be, said the bashing is knee-jerk stuff and off-base.
"It's true that the [pass] progressions read vertical first, that the first read is to look deep, and that they want to take advantage of the speed of their wide receivers," said the insider. "But to suggest it's a playbook that might have come from the '60s, well, that's just [garbage]. It's no different than most offensive designs. The backs are in pass routes. The tight ends are in pass routes. It's pretty complete stuff. There are things in there that would be in a [Jon] Gruden playbook, for instance, or a Denny Green or Al Saunders playbook. To just say it's one-dimensional, with just deep pass plays, no check-downs to the backs, things like that, it just isn't true. Now, whether they have the players or not, that's another story. But the design isn't just something they pulled out of mothballs."
The insider also insisted that Walsh, a stunning choice by Shell as coordinator, given his time away from the game, has paid more attention to the NFL during his 12-year hiatus than critics believe he has. He said Walsh is able to point out subtle changes in defensive styles and in coaching methodologies. "He'll say something like, 'Well, Dick LeBeau (Pittsburgh defensive coordinator) used to run this zone-blitz this way, but he's tweaked it a little.' He's paid attention. I'm not saying they're going to get it done with this [staff], but it's not all their fault, even if the [critics] are having a field day with them right now."
? Even privately, Tampa Bay officials concede they have no idea of the exact play on which quarterback Chris Simms suffered a ruptured spleen, an injury that, despite all the optimistic rhetoric, will sideline the fourth-year veteran for the rest of the season. But there are some suspicions the injury occurred on a fourth-quarter play in which Carolina defensive end Al Wallace jacked up Simms after the quarterback released the ball on a bootleg pass to fullback Mike Alstott, and drove him to the ground. In fact, as part of their weekly report to the league office, the Bucs forwarded video of the Wallace hit. Wallace didn't draw a penalty on the play, but NFL officials are scrutinizing the hit, and he might still be fined. It should be noted that Wallace was arguably the most distraught of the Carolina players when he learned of the severity of Simms' injury.
? Money matters are probably the last thing on the minds of the Bucs, or Simms, or his agent, the powerful Tom Condon, right now. But it's notable, even if the timing isn't particularly exquisite, to point out that the injury to Simms will force the Bucs, and perhaps the young quarterback as well, to think long and hard about how they will handle the future. As a restricted free agent this spring, Simms signed just a one-year contract for $2.1 million, and both sides agreed they would continue to pursue a long-term deal during the season. But there is no more season now for Simms, who will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in the spring, and Tampa Bay officials have only his first three games as the fresh body of evidence on which to evaluate his long-term viability. That's going to make it difficult for the Bucs' brass, or for any other team that might be interested in signing Simms (like the Raiders) to make a truly informed analysis of the market for the 26-year-old quarterback. The surgery to remove Simms' spleen, and the ensuing period of idleness, only complicates the issue. It might be insensitive to refer to Simms, a terrific kid with huge potential, as "damaged goods." But until he demonstrates that he is whole again, that's how some people in the league, maybe even some Tampa Bay officials, will regard him. So do the Bucs, or anyone else, roll the dice and sign Simms to a long-term contract? Or will he be forced to sign another one-year deal, or perhaps a neatly constructed multiyear contract that rewards Simms if he recovers and regains his starter's status, and also protects the Bucs financially if he doesn't? Obviously, the priority is for Simms to get well after a pretty scary incident. But at some point not too far down the road, both the Bucs and Simms are going to be confronted by the reality of his contract situation.
? One of the most important things any head coach must do, but particularly a rookie head coach, is surround himself with solid and like-minded assistants. It certainly appears, with a 3-0 start and emotional upset victory over Atlanta last Monday, that New Orleans coach Sean Payton has done that. Doug Marrone (offense) and Gary Gibbs (defense) have never been coordinators before at the NFL level, but both men have done superb jobs. Payton is ostensibly his own offensive coordinator, of course, and calls the plays. But Marrone, whose primary area of expertise is the offensive line, has worked a small miracle in cobbling together a unit that has played well so far, even with a wholesale offseason overhaul. Want to see how good a job Marrone has done? Watch the play of right tackle Jon Stinchcomb, who didn't start a single game in his first three seasons and who missed the entire 2005 campaign after rupturing a patellar tendon in camp last summer. The performance of Stinchcomb pretty much typifies the play of the five linemen. In the Monday night victory, Gibbs did what more experienced coordinators like Mike Trgovac of Carolina and Tampa Bay guru Monte Kiffin couldn't in the first two games, devising a game plan for controlling Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and for stuffing the "spread option" package Atlanta had used so effectively in overwhelming wins over the Panthers and Bucs.
A lot of people credit Gibbs' college background, and familiarity with option-type offenses, for helping him conjure up a game-plan that Atlanta opponents will be mimicking all season now. Truth be told, it was Gibbs' ability to understand the ways in which the option game is limited at the NFL level that led to the strategies that undid Vick and the potent Falcons' running attack. The Saints did a lot of things well up front, with tackle Brian Young having a great game and ends Charles Grant and Will Smith playing nearly flawless containment against the usually mercurial Vick on the outside. But one key Gibbs used to his advantage was his understanding that, when Vick faked the ball to tailback Warrick Dunn and held it in his belly to try to freeze the linebackers, it all but eliminated the pass as an option. The use of rookie safety Roman Harper in those situations, and the youngster's ability to penetrate and to make sure tackles, was outstanding. A scheme is only as good as the manner in which it is executed by the players, and the New Orleans defenders applied the game plan well on the field. But credit the Saints' staff for coaching a heck of a game. And credit Payton for making excellent choices when he was assembling his staff.
? Through three games, New York Jets rookie left offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson has played well, surrendering only one sack. And that came on a so-called "coverage sack," when the New York receivers were blanketed and quarterback Chad Pennington was forced to hold the ball for an inordinate amount of time. And the former University of Virginia star has been flagged for just two holding penalties. But Ferguson, who so far has weathered matchups against noted pass rushers such as Kyle Vanden Bosch (Tennessee), Aaron Schobel (Buffalo) and Richard Seymour (New England), will be tested big-time in Sunday's game. The fourth overall prospect chosen in this year's draft, Ferguson will draw Indianapolis Colts star Dwight Freeney on Sunday afternoon. As if it weren't a difficult enough matchup, Freeney is certainly overdue for a breakout game. The relentless pass rusher has been shut out so far in three games and, for a guy who averaged 12.8 sacks in his first four NFL seasons, the drought doesn't figure to last much longer. In fact, Freeney has never gone more than three games without at least one quarterback takedown, and such a streak occurred just once previously, in the final three contests of the 2003 season. Freeney never before has started a season by going more than two games without a sack. Of course, the fifth-year veteran has been slowed some by a strained gluteus muscle, but that didn't seem to hamper him much in last Sunday's victory over Jacksonville. By unofficial count, Freeney participated in 51 snaps in that game, much more than Colts coaches felt they could get from him when assessing his injury early in the week.
<TABLE class=tableheadFixWidth cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=200 align=right><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD class=whitelink colSpan=2>T.J. Duckett</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left>

Running back
Washington Redskins

Profile</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow><TD align=middle><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width=190 bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead align=middle><TD align=middle colSpan=5>2006 SEASON STATISTICS</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" align=right><TD width="17%">Attc</TD><TD width="17%">Yds</TD><TD width="17%">TD</TD><TD width="17%">Avg</TD><TD width="17%">Long</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#999999><TD>5</TD><TD>24</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>4.8</TD><TD>15</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
? In the three-team trade in which Washington acquired former Atlanta tailback and first-round draft pick T.J. Duckett, the Redskins surrendered at least a third-round pick in 2007 and a fourth-round choice in 2008. The stakes, based on where the Redskins finish in the standings, actuallycould be a bit higher. But in three contests, Duckett has dressed for only one game. The Washington tailbacks have logged 70 carries and he has accounted for only five of them. Wide receiver Santana Moss has as many carries and fellow wideout Antwaan Randle El has only one fewer. Duckett is eligible for unrestricted free agency next spring and, desperate to get to a franchise where he has an opportunity to contribute, it's all but a given that he is gone. Which means that, unless Duckett suddenly makes an unanticipated ascent up the depth chart, the Redskins, who seem to have absolutely no use for the draft at all, will have squandered two middle-round picks and have nothing to show for it.
? Arizona coach Dennis Green might have sent a fuzzy message this week with his flip-flop on starting quarterbacks. But the Cardinals' boss drove him a pretty clear message to his charges, with the release of backup defensive tackle Langston Moore, that silly mistakes will not be tolerated. Praised only a few weeks ago as one of the club's most improved players, Moore was jettisoned after being flagged for three offsides penalties in the first three games, even though he was playing pretty well as the No. 3 tackle. The Cards signed journeyman tackle Chris Cooper, who has played with three teams in five seasons, to replace Moore on the roster. Warning to Cooper: Don't jump the snap.
The list: There are 11 "hometowns" listed by players on opening day rosters that contributed more than 10 players each to the league for the 2006 season. Here is the list of those 11 cities: Miami (35 players), Houston (29), Detroit (16), Los Angeles (13), New Orleans (13), Atlanta (12), Dallas (12), Jacksonville (12), Fort Lauderdale (11), Tampa (11) and Washington, D.C. (11).
Stat of the week: When Baltimore wideout Derrick Mason had seven receptions for 132 yards in last Sunday's victory over the Cleveland Browns, it marked the sixth straight 100-yard outing in which the 10th-year veteran reached triple digits despite not having a catch of 40 yards. In fact, Mason hasn't had a reception of 40 yards since snagging a 46-yarder on the fourth play of a Nov. 9, 2003 game against Miami, when he was still playing for the Tennessee Titans. That was 42 regular-season games ago and, in that stretch, Mason's longest reception is for 39 yards. Since catching the 46-yarder against the Dolphins, he has 243 receptions for 3,134 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Punts: There might have been nothing stranger during the day-long coverage of Terrell Owens' alleged suicide attempt than the efforts of publicist Kim Etheredge, who came off looking really bad, to explain the incident. But the most curious element of the day: Where was Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who is never far from the cameras in any news-conference setting? ? Credit first-year Minnesota coach Brad Childress for laying down some strident rules and for adhering to them. Childress benched Dwight Smith for the Vikings' season opener after the starting safety was nabbed by Minneapolis police naked in a stairwell. Last week, Childress held Fred Smoot out of the starting lineup and kept him on the bench for the first defensive series because the cornerback was late to a team meeting. ? Wonder why the Detroit Lions continue to be a mess? The Lions signed wide receiver Corey Bradford in the offseason, and gave him a $2 million signing bonus. Three weeks into the season, and despite starting the opening game, Bradford was released. The Lions are on the hook for the $2 million signing bonus and, because Bradford is a vested veteran, for his entire $800,000 salary. Given the state of the automobile industry, the Ford family has plenty of bigger priorities. But at some point, someone in ownership has to question the direction of the Lions, don't they? ? Opponents are throwing at New York Giants cornerback Sam Madison as if he's got a bull's-eye painted on his uniform jersey. New York officials felt they might get a good year or two out of the four-time Pro Bowl performer, signing him after he was released by Miami, but Madison is really struggling right now. ? Denver punter Todd Sauerbrun is eligible to return to the team on Monday following his four-game suspension for a violation of the league's steroid policy. But it will be interesting, given the outstanding performance of the younger (and cheaper) Paul Ernster as the fill-in for Sauerbrun, to see how the Broncos handle the veteran's return. ? Colts quarterback Peyton Manning needs just one more touchdown pass to hit the 250-mark for his career. If he gets it against the Jets on Sunday, it will have come in his 131st appearance. Dan Marino is the only player to reach 250 touchdown passes faster, accomplishing the feat in 128 games. ? After auditioning a half-dozen quarterbacks this week, the Bucs decided to sign none of them. At least for now, Tampa Bay might go with two healthy quarterbacks, rookie starter Bruce Gradkowski and backup Tim Rattay, when it resumes play next Sunday after a bye this week. The Bucs are guardedly confident that Luke McCown, who underwent surgery to repair a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in the spring, will be able to return when he is eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list after the sixth game of the season. The last word: "Right now, I really couldn't care less about China, or anyplace else. Cincinnati, that's the only destination I'm really concerned with right now. That stuff is so far in the future. I don't even know if China will be there a year from now. I don't know if I'll be there a year from now. Right now, all I care about is Cincinnati, and that's plenty." -- New England coach Bill Belichick, whose team visits the Bengals on Sunday, on his sentiments about having the Patriots selected by the league to play a preseason game in Beijing in August 2007.
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Hache Man · Sep 29, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 9 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 9 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Friday, September 29, 2006
Take 2: Packers vs. Eagles

By Scouts, Inc.





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

Green Bay will be bringing the 31st ranked passing defense into Philadelphia to face the top offense in the league when Donovan McNabb lines up under center for the Eagles. McNabb is having an outstanding season. He is completing 61.1 percent of his passes for 960 yards, and seven touchdowns with only one interception.
The Packers' secondary has been shredded, giving up 20 explosive passes already this season. Cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson have done a solid job, but safeties Marquand Manuel and Nick Collins are often out of position in coverage and frequently bite on the run action, only to get beat by the receivers.
? The Eagles are not just impressive through the air, as Philadelphia is averaging 129 yards rushing per game as well. Although the Packers' defense has not played up to expectations, it has been solid stopping the run. To contain the explosive Brian Westbrook, Green Bay will need the same type of effort it displayed in shutting down the dynamic Reggie Bush, holding him to a mere five yards on six carries, while also limiting Deuce McAllister to just 47 yards rushing. The athletic linebacking corps for the Packers will be severely tested against Philadelphia's run game.
? RB Brian Westbrook has been tremendously versatile and extremely productive, averaging 5.8 yards per carry, totaling 256 rushing yards. He also has 15 receptions for 164 yards and five touchdowns in the first three games. Westbrook's dynamic performances will keep Green Bay's defensive coaching staff up late this week.
The Packers' defense may be helped by the fact that Westbrook may be limited in practice this week, as he is hindered by inflammation in his knee. He played in San Francisco on his sore knee, ripping the 49ers for 117 yards and three rushing touchdowns, so expect Westbrook to be ready to go under the bright lights of Monday Night Football.
? Brett Favre has been playing great football again, with 340 passing yards and three touchdowns each of the last two weeks. He will have to continue that type of aerial assault to give the Packers a chance on Monday night. While Donald Driver remains Favre's go-to-guy, rookie Greg Jennings is beginning to show signs of being the explosive receiver this offense needs.
Against the Eagles' fierce pass rush, Favre will need to look more to his tight ends and backs out of the backfield, getting rid of the ball quickly. While Ahman Green has been an effective receiver, missing has been the productivity of reliable William Henderson. To avoid pressure, look for the Green Bay game plan to include moving Favre's launch point with bootlegs and play action passes, and getting the ball to David Martin, Bubba Franks, Donald Lee and Henderson.
? Much has been made of the inexperience of the Packers' offensive line, so the unit deserves credit for not allowing a sack in Detroit. It will take a better effort by the line against this Philadelphia defensive front that has recorded 14 of the Eagles' 16 sacks in the first three games.
The intensity did not drop off after the Eagles lost Pro Bowl defensive end Jevon Kearse for the season in the overtime loss to the New York Giants. In fact, young Trent Cole has been very impressive, recording five sacks and a dozen tackles. The challenge for Packers LOT Chad Clifton will be handling the speed of Cole in protecting Favre's backside.
? A problem that seems to have resurfaced for Packers' running back Ahman Green is ball security. Early in his career, Green's fumbling problems caused him to be traded from Seattle to Green Bay. Green improved and became a Pro Bowl RB. In the opener against the Bears, he proved he had fully recovered from his serious quad surgery with a 110-yard performance against Chicago. But his fumble against New Orleans led to the Saints' winning score and his fumble last week during gave Detroit an opportunity to get back into the game.
Expect Philadelphia's hard-hitting MLB Jeremiah Trotter, as well as safeties Brian Dawkins and Michael Lewis, to test Green, blasting him and working to strip the ball every time he carries. Turnovers are always critical to the outcome of every NFL game, and that is magnified for the Packers when going against a better team on the road.
? On paper, the Packers' defense was expected to be the strength of the team, but they are surrendering too many big plays. The problem is not the scheme, but rather terrible communication.
This is the same defensive system as a year ago, when the Packers finished seventh in the league, but all the new additions are not executing as a result of poor communication. The safeties are often misaligned and not coordinated with the corners, while the young linebackers are misreading plays. The problems are not physical. Look for the explosive Philadelphia offense to expose these breakdowns.
? If Favre is given enough time, he is capable of making plays against a Philadelphia secondary that lists five players on the injury report. Lito Sheppard, Brian Dawkins, Michael Lewis, Rod Hood and Sean Considine all have some ailment. In addition to the nicked up defensive backfield, the Eagles have surrendered over 250 passing yards per game, and have yet to register an interception. Favre who has thrown for 680 yards and six touchdowns, with only one interception in the past two games.

Special Teams
The Eagles' coverage units have been outstanding under John Harbaugh. Normally consistent kicker David Akers has missed a pair of very makeable field goals, while second-year kicker David Rayner has only missed one attempt from beyond 50 yards. Green Bay juiced up its return game, adding Pro Bowl return man Koren Robinson who returned to form last week, averaging 28 yards per kick return. Add to that, the big play ability of punt returner Charles Woodson and the Packers will have opportunities to make plays and win field position battles on special teams.

Matchups
? Green Bay rookie OGs Moll/Colledge vs. Philadelphia DT Mike Patterson
? Green Bay WR Greg Jennings vs. Philadelphia CB Lito Sheppard
? Philadelphia RB Brian Westbrook vs. Green Bay MLB Nick Barnett
? Philadelphia TE L.J. Smith vs. Green Bay SLB Brady Poppinga
? Green Bay RB Ahman Green vs. Philadelphia MLB Jeremiah Trotter

Scouts' Edge
Philadelphia is playing on a level similar to two years ago, when it represented the NFC in the Super Bowl. Donovan McNabb is having fun playing football again and it shows, as he is the leading passer in the NFC. He is surrounded by an excellent supporting cast and Philadelphia is currently the top offense in the NFL. With an Eagles' defensive front that has been putting tremendous pressure on quarterbacks lining up against a Packers' offensive line starting a pair of rookies, Favre may find himself under fire. Green Bay simply is not good enough to go into Philadelphia and pull an upset over a talented and experienced Eagles' team.

Prediction: Eagles 24, Packers 10

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Hache Man · Oct 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

You couldn't draw it up any better

posted: October 1, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Jacksonville 2aguars, Washington Redskins

The office of Al Saunders, Washington's associate head coach/offensive coordinator, isn't really an office. Sure, he has a desk and computer, but it's more of a boardroom, half of the walls covered in dry erase boards, a huge TV screen for viewing film, and large picture windows with the shades drawn so that viewing film is easier. The only hints that it's an office are a few books and a few good luck cards. Other than that, football dominates that room.

Written on those dry erase boards were examples of how difficult Saunders' offense is for not only the quarterbacks but also the offensive line. About 120 plays were written in blue ink; the other 30 or so in red. The plays in blue, Saunders explained on Saturday afternoon, were carryovers from last week's game plan against the Texans. They were passes that he didn't call.

Even though I was interviewing Saunders for an ESPN The Magazine story that has nothing to do with the Redskins-Jaguars, I could tell how excited he was for this game. It would be a good validation game. The Jags have one of the NFL's best defenses, and the Redskins have finally started executing Saunders' offense. Even though he said that Washington "made as many mistakes against the Texans as we did in our first two games," the Redskins cruised to their first win of the season. Saunders knew because of Jacksonville's aggressive defense that Santana Moss would be in position for game-changing plays. The key would be Washington's O-line.
Jacksonville's strength is its front seven, and the Redskins entered Sunday's game with 30 pass protections designed to neutralize the Jaguars. And those protections, along with calling 39 running plays -- Washington technically had 40 rushes but one was a pass-turned-run by Antwaan Randle El - did the job in a 36-30 overtime win. Clinton Portis had 112 yards against a defense that hadn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in 13 straight games.
Saunders called only 30 passes, and Mark Brunell wasn't sacked. The offensive line's continuity came into play on what turned out to be the game's final play. On second-and-13 from the Redskins 32, center Casey Rabach saw Jacksonville in its Nickel defense, a 3-3-5 alignment, and knew the Redskins' Jet Right Turnback protection would work. It's a six-man protection, and Washington shaded it toward the weak side of the formation. Brunell took the snap, saw that every Jaguar was accounted for, and threw deep to Santana Moss, who split two Jacksonville defenders before outrunning everyone the rest of the way for his third touchdown. Just as they drew it up.
Random Stuff from the Redskins-Jags
? On Sunday I saw the best tailback that won't be getting many votes for Offensive Rookie of the Year: Maurice Jones-Drew. I knew a lot about him thanks to a terrific Bruce Feldman story in ESPN The Magazine last year, but seeing him play in person gave me a glimpse as to how dangerous he can be. Last week he had 135 total yards from scrimmage, including 103 on the ground. Washington took away Jacksonville's running game (15 carries for 33 yards), so Jones-Drew had to get the ball in space to be made an impact. He did in the second quarter, when he caught a short pass over the middle and raced for a 51-yard touchdown. If Laurence Maroney weren't chewing up huge amounts of yards for the Pats and Reggie Bush wasn't, you know, Reggie Bush, Jones-Drew would be the rookie back on everyone's mind.
? This is why Portis is Washington's most valuable offensive player: On Moss' first touchdown, Portis started the play in the backfield next to Brunell in the shotgun. He blocked for Brunell, helping him get the ball away, then ran downfield hunting for someone to block. He drilled a Jaguar, fell to the ground, got back up, and raced to catch up with Moss and drilled John Henderson so wickedly that the 6-foot-7, 325-pounder hit the turf. ? Covering a Redskin game is Exhibit A of why media members should never complain about their jobs. When I entered the press box at FedEx field, a staffer gave me a handheld TV. As I was sitting in my press seat, I could literally watch and flip between every NFL game. Then, late in the fourth quarter, the Redskins allowed the press onto the field for the remainder of the game -- a perk the Manginis and Belichicks of the NFL will never allow.

Hache Man · Oct 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Love the late games!

posted: Monday, October 2, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Fantasy NFL

The early games on Sunday were kind of exciting as a fan, but fantasy owners weren't impressed. Julius Jones and Larry Johnson had decent days, but their teams won embarrassing blowouts. The close games offered little on the ground. Drew Brees was the only quarterback who put on a show, the only 1 p.m. ET passer to approach 300 yards, yet alone smash the figure.

So then we look at the late game slate and see the expected Jags-Skins defensive battle, and winless teams in Oakland. There's the mighty Bengals waiting for an opponent seemingly on the way down, and we're left relying on someone like Jon Kitna? How would the fantasy day be salvaged?
The top three fantasy quarterback performances came in late games, and all Kitna, Tom Brady and Charlie Frye combined for was eight more scores, and were top 10. Santana Moss won the day and probably the week with a monster game. Laurence Maroney served notice. Only four late games Sunday, but the two games with 75 and 66 points were tremendous for fantasy. And they were just fun to watch.
Alright, let's get to all of them.

Falcons 32, Cardinals 10: Hope you didn't play Kurt Warner. Can't imagine he gets another chance. Matt Leinart got the call and didn't do any better. Now the fantasy question has to be, what's the impact on the Arizona wide receivers? Well, we have all week to deal with that.
Game fantasy MVP: Michael Vick ran for and threw for 100 yards. But Jerious Norwood, for those lucky enough to have flexed him, broke off a 78-yard score. Honestly, when Warrick Dunn moves on, it won't be a big deal. But six carries, that's why Norwood owners don't know if they can play him, because he doesn't touch the ball enough yet.
LVP: Thanks, Kurt, now grab that clipboard. It's Leinart's turn. Another top 10 quarterback from August bites the dust. And while many of you love Leinart, he'll end up struggling as well. Book it.
Interesting: As good as Vick looked, repeatedly driving the team, he never actually got the team in the end zone. Norwood broke the long one and Warner provided an interception for a score. So you thought the Morten Andersen signing was a joke? Five field goals later (and the team had a sixth), it's clear it's not. Andersen's not a bad fantasy option.
Bills 17, Vikings 12: I called this game correct as well, with each member of the Buffalo big three doing fine, but nothing special. The Vikings should concern fantasy owners a bit, with their lack of offense.
MVP: So Willis McGahee can't put the 150-yard game together with a touchdown effort. So what. He's consistent and under the radar a top 10 back. I'd deal for him.
LVP: Take a look at Chester Taylor and his carries game by game, culminating with today, and it's not a good sign. He started with 31, then it was 24, 20 and Sunday's 10. Yikes. Guess he's no longer a weekly play no brainer.
Interesting: I had to play Brad Johnson in a few leagues, due to bye week issues, and he ended up OK with the yards and one score. But the Vikes' offense has scored one touchdown the last 13 quarters. I won't be playing Johnson next week if I can help it. He's a stopgap for fantasy, and likely, for the Vikings as well.
Cowboys 45, Titans 14: Well, there were two big storylines in this game, as Dallas rolled to a rout (T.O. and Vince). Just wait until Tuesday, after the Eagles play and T.O. starts riling up the Philly phans. And you think you were sick of Terrell Owens this past week?
MVP: Yep, T.O. did just fine, leading the team in receiving yards. And if that finger wasn't broken, maybe he would have caught a touchdown pass (he dropped it). But Terry Glenn is playing far better, and he's the one who hauled in a pair of touchdown passes. And kudos to Julius Jones for a terrific game as well.
LVP: I almost feel bad for Vince Young, being thrown into the fire like this, but you've got to get experience. He'll make some plays, but he's going to be a turnover machine this season.
Interesting: Two things, one of them Mike Vanderjagt, who's not going to be employed by the Tuna all season if he keeps missing 26-yard field goals. The other is, Travis Henry was made an inactive player, which I expect to continue if LenDale White can continue to look promising. Let's see what he does with 20 rushes, OK?
Chiefs 41, 49ers 0: Guess this answers our questions about the 49ers, eh? I like all the talk this week about Michael Robinson, the former Penn State QB who apparently, it was announced, would become the goal-line back. Now how many times did San Fran approach that goal line?
MVP: Some people are probably disappointed that Larry Johnson only rushed for 101 yards. He did score twice! I have to admit, if you had told me he would get 30 carries, I would have expected closer to 200 yards. But numbers are numbers.
LVP: Not a great game for Frank Gore, who began the week as fantasy's No. 2 running back, but won't end it there. But 65 yards isn't nothing. Check out Chester Taylor. But Alex Smith gets the LVP for his 92 yards passing. Um, that was his total. And two picks. I don't want to see him regress, so let's call it a bad day.
Interesting: Nice game if you played the Chiefs defense, not only registering the shutout, but getting the Dante Hall punt return. And for the second straight week, Damon Huard was very accurate. Great stat: first and second-year QBs are 2-18 in their first visit to Arrowhead Stadium.
Colts 31, Jets 28: I watched much of this one, and while I'd like to say I thought the Jets would win, and I rooted for it down the stretch, it was so painfully obvious Peyton Manning would drive the team for a winning score, I even called out "sneak!" before he did it. But how could this game have been this close? Can't blame the Colts' run game, with both backs reaching 75 yards and scoring. Really, it was Peyton who didn't look good, though he did finish with a pair of touchdowns.
MVP: There was little difference between the stats of Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes, but each time Addai breaks even with the veteran, it's a victory for him. Addai ended up with five more carries and caught passes. But stop waiting for him to be the full-time back. It's a timeshare.
LVP: Not much to choose from in a game with 59 points scored. Leon Washington was a popular pickup this week, but he didn't get enough run. How about the Colts' defense, and special teams? Martin Gramatica should be out of work by ... Wednesday.
Interesting: Kevan Barlow is a scoring machine! The guy continues to do little with his carries except score, which I guess is what matters most. In his four games he has scored four touchdowns, but never topped 42 yards! His yards have gone 35, 42, 31 and 35. Good luck against the Jags next week.
Panthers 21, Saints 18: Didn't take long for Carolina to salvage its season. The team is 2-0 with Steve Smith, 0-2 without him. It's not a coincidence. But he's not the game MVP, nor is a Panther. Smith caught 10 passes and still left enough for Keyshawn Johnson to have a decent day.
MVP: Terrific day statistically for Drew Brees and his clear-cut, no doubt about it new fave wide receiver Marques Colston. Brees threw for 349 yards, quite a bit of them on an 86-yarder to Colston, who a lot of people are enjoying as a tight end (he's really a wide receiver). Whatever the case, the Saints are moving the ball through the air when today they didn't do much on the ground.
LVP: OK, so at what point will I stop endorsing Reggie Bush? Probably now as an automatic play, but the kid definitely has skills. Don't trade him for less than value, it's still early. But it's silly to think that four defenses have keyed only on him, and that's why he's struggled rushing. He's got more receiving yards than rushing, and he will be a star. This season.
Interesting: It was a 100-yard game for DeShaun Foster, but I think a bit misleading. Oh, as a Foster owner I'm not complaining, but he broke off a 43-yard touchdown run on his final play to salvage another disappointing performance. He had 62 yards and no scores before that. Remember that when you want to trade for him.
Ravens 16, Chargers 13: Pretty big day for answering questions about certain players, and Philip Rivers really didn't pass the test. He did have a chance to win the game for San Diego in the final minute, though. Maybe he's more of a Ben Roethlisberger type? These are two quality defensive teams fantasy owners should stick with.
MVP: Not too much to like here, with the two quarterbacks barely combining for 300 yards, two of the three touchdown passes going to unowned receivers, and Jamal Lewis regressing. LaDainian Tomlinson did OK, under the circumstances. No Raven had more catches or yards than Todd Heap, so he gets the nod.
LVP: Steve McNair threw two touchdowns, Rivers one. So it has to be Rivers, since he had built up so much momentum. Sure, this is a tough defense, but Rivers still has to topple one.
Interesting: First bad game for Jamal Lewis, who had neatly rushed for between 70 and 86 yards the first three weeks. He's worth sticking with.
Texans 17, Dolphins 15: I predicted this one for the home team, and with David Carr finding Andre Johnson that appears the only way Houston can have success. Of course, is that really the big story of this game from a fantasy angle?
LVP: Let's just start with the Daunte Culpepper story, yet again. Sorry, Culpepper owners, he's just faced Tennessee and Houston and come away with a 1-1 record and little for fantasy. I do think his recovering knee will get stronger as the season goes on, but his next few games are at New England and the Jets. Can't play him there. And while we're at it, should we reassess Ronnie Brown? He was the team's leading receiver, but 49 yards isn't special, and he hasn't scored since Week 1.
MVP: Andre Johnson topped 100 yards for the third time this season, and with 400 yards in four games, well, even non-math majors can figure out that pace.
Interesting: Ron Dayne didn't do much, yet again, but what are the Texans waiting for in giving Samkon Gado significant work? Maybe they're finding that his six carries for nine yards is what he's going to do long term.
Rams 41, Lions 34: Tremendous offensive display, with the Rams scoring five touchdowns, Detroit four. Both quarterbacks moved the ball well. Two Rams receivers topped 100 yards. Each running back was effective. No losers here.
MVP: Marc Bulger should get the nod for his three touchdown passes and 328 yards, but how about that much maligned Kevin Jones? Fantasy owners seem to hate this guy, but he's not playing badly at all, and he scored two more touchdowns Sunday. The next three weeks should be lower scoring games against the Vikings, Bills and Jets, but Jones warrants a play.
LVP: Can't find one. If you keep playing Kevin Curtis, then it should be you. Maybe Roy Williams owners are angry at Mike Furrey for his two touchdowns, while Roy had none, but Roy had a big game nevertheless.
Interesting: The last time Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce each had 100 yards receiving in the same game? It was Week 2 in 2004, a long, long time ago. Also, next Sunday's Lions-Vikings game could get moved to Monday night so as to avoid conflict with a potential Game 5 between the Twins and A's. How does this affect fantasy? Tougher to get a read on questionable players before the Sunday deadline when they have an extra day of prep.
Patriots 38, Bengals 13: Stunning turn of events when it was 6-0 into the second quarter and the announcers kept pointing out how unhappy Tom Brady was. Puh-leeze. Brady wasn't the star of the game, but he kept the team together, as did Reche Caldwell, who somehow got up after that helmet to helmet hit. Pats aren't dead yet. But we're certainly wondering now how the so-called best team in the AFC could get spanked like that at home, aren't we?
MVP: Laurence Maroney will do great things this season regardless of how many carries Corey Dillon gets. The Patriots realize they have a potentially special running back, but Dillon can still play. It's true that Dillon only got his touchdown because the Pats made him get it, repeatedly giving him the ball at the one until he crossed it on fourth down, whereas Maroney might have scored two or three plays earlier. So what. Make 'em both happy, the team is 3-1 now. Maroney rushed for 125 yards and scored twice. Dillon got to show off for the franchise that couldn't have cared less when he was forced to bolt.
LVP: I kept waiting for Carson Palmer to throw a touchdown pass, but he never did. He did move the team and I remain unconcerned about his ride to being one of the top three quarterbacks in fantasy this season. I still do, however, have concerns that Brady will get there.
Interesting: Those who played Chris Henry should have sat him down, since the ESPN football experts told you Sunday morning he was likely to be rendered inactive for his off-field transgressions during the week. Henry would have been a worthy fantasy play. He should be worth it after the bye week, assuming he stays out of trouble.
Browns 24, Raiders 21: How did the Raiders get out to a 21-3 lead in the second quarter and then cough the game away? That's irrelevant for our purposes; what really matters is that a first round pick you figured was a bust had a big game. The Raiders scored an offensive touchdown! Boy, they really do need Aaron Brooks back, don't they?
MVP: Critical game for LaMont Jordan and his owners, and Jordan came through with 128 yards and a score, getting nearly half his yards on one play. Misleading? Maybe a little, since Jordan and his pals did nothing in the second half, but he will be a worthy play at San Francisco next Sunday.
LVP: Andrew Walter would clearly get the nod, somehow finishing with a lame 68 yards, but unless you actually own him, which I'm guessing very few of you do, you don't care. You do, however care about the wide receiver who was formerly a first round pick. Randy Moss scored a touchdown, but that five-yarder was his lone catch. It's sad.
Interesting: How bout some love for the Brownies? Hey, I had Charlie Frye active in one league, and Reuben Droughns (100 yards, but of course, no scores) in another. I think Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow are weekly plays at this point. The Browns just won their first game, but this offense is kind of underrated, no? Could you play Frye at Carolina next week, knowing what Brees did Sunday to the Panthers? Cleveland's got weapons!
Redskins 36, Jaguars 30: I don't see how anyone could have seen this offensive outburst coming, I just don't. Byron Leftwich hadn't played well. Mark Brunell hadn't done anything in a game not involving the Texans defense. Santana Moss just embarrassed a terrific defense for three touchdowns. There's no way he or Clinton Portis should've been sat, but everyone else, they probably were. That means a lot of people had points rotting on their bench.
MVP: For the second straight season, the best fantasy Moss plays on the East coast. Santana Moss only caught four passes, but he scored on three. Portis ran hard again and topped 100 yards, on his way to a 1,500-yard season again, at least. Amazing back and forth game.
LVP: Except for this guy, Fred Taylor, who delivered a brutal statistical game reminiscent of that negative yard day he had last year at Tennessee while he was hurt. The Jags basically abandoned the run in the second half, so Taylor couldn't recover. His backup Maurice Jones-Drew did not pass him on the depth chart, however. He did break a short pass for a long touchdown, but he was stopped running the ball as well.
Interesting: Drew Bledsoe, Ben Roethlisberger and Peyton Manning had combined for two touchdown passes and five interceptions against the mighty Jacksonville defense the first three games. So how does, who the Jags deemed done in 2003, throw for 329 and three scores? Consider it one of those days and be wary of starting most of your Jets next Sunday. OK, that's it for Sunday's early games. We'll cover the Seahawks-Bears and Monday night's battle in another blog.

Hache Man · Oct 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Monday, October 2, 2006
Take 2: Packers vs. Eagles

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>Green Bay at Philadelphia 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 Packers and Eagles. Now they're back with a second look.

Green Bay will be bringing the 31st ranked passing defense into Philadelphia to face the top offense in the league when Donovan McNabb lines up under center for the Eagles. McNabb is having an outstanding season. He is completing 61.1 percent of his passes for 960 yards, and seven touchdowns with only one interception.
The Packers' secondary has been shredded, giving up 20 explosive passes already this season. Cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson have done a solid job, but safeties Marquand Manuel and Nick Collins are often out of position in coverage and frequently bite on the run action, only to get beat by the receivers.
? The Eagles are not just impressive through the air, as Philadelphia is averaging 129 yards rushing per game as well. Although the Packers' defense has not played up to expectations, it has been solid stopping the run. To contain the explosive Brian Westbrook, Green Bay will need the same type of effort it displayed in shutting down the dynamic Reggie Bush, holding him to a mere five yards on six carries, while also limiting Deuce McAllister to just 47 yards rushing. The athletic linebacking corps for the Packers will be severely tested against Philadelphia's run game.
? RB Brian Westbrook has been tremendously versatile and extremely productive, averaging 5.8 yards per carry, totaling 256 rushing yards. He also has 15 receptions for 164 yards and five touchdowns in the first three games. Westbrook's dynamic performances will keep Green Bay's defensive coaching staff up late this week.
The Packers' defense may be helped by the fact that Westbrook may be limited in practice this week, as he is hindered by inflammation in his knee. He played in San Francisco on his sore knee, ripping the 49ers for 117 yards and three rushing touchdowns, so expect Westbrook to be ready to go under the bright lights of Monday Night Football.
? Brett Favre has been playing great football again, with 340 passing yards and three touchdowns each of the last two weeks. He will have to continue that type of aerial assault to give the Packers a chance on Monday night. While Donald Driver remains Favre's go-to-guy, rookie Greg Jennings is beginning to show signs of being the explosive receiver this offense needs.
Against the Eagles' fierce pass rush, Favre will need to look more to his tight ends and backs out of the backfield, getting rid of the ball quickly. While Ahman Green has been an effective receiver, missing has been the productivity of reliable William Henderson. To avoid pressure, look for the Green Bay game plan to include moving Favre's launch point with bootlegs and play action passes, and getting the ball to David Martin, Bubba Franks, Donald Lee and Henderson.
? Much has been made of the inexperience of the Packers' offensive line, so the unit deserves credit for not allowing a sack in Detroit. It will take a better effort by the line against this Philadelphia defensive front that has recorded 14 of the Eagles' 16 sacks in the first three games.
The intensity did not drop off after the Eagles lost Pro Bowl defensive end Jevon Kearse for the season in the overtime loss to the New York Giants. In fact, young Trent Cole has been very impressive, recording five sacks and a dozen tackles. The challenge for Packers LOT Chad Clifton will be handling the speed of Cole in protecting Favre's backside.
? A problem that seems to have resurfaced for Packers' running back Ahman Green is ball security. Early in his career, Green's fumbling problems caused him to be traded from Seattle to Green Bay. Green improved and became a Pro Bowl RB. In the opener against the Bears, he proved he had fully recovered from his serious quad surgery with a 110-yard performance against Chicago. But his fumble against New Orleans led to the Saints' winning score and his fumble last week during gave Detroit an opportunity to get back into the game.
Expect Philadelphia's hard-hitting MLB Jeremiah Trotter, as well as safeties Brian Dawkins and Michael Lewis, to test Green, blasting him and working to strip the ball every time he carries. Turnovers are always critical to the outcome of every NFL game, and that is magnified for the Packers when going against a better team on the road.
? On paper, the Packers' defense was expected to be the strength of the team, but they are surrendering too many big plays. The problem is not the scheme, but rather terrible communication.
This is the same defensive system as a year ago, when the Packers finished seventh in the league, but all the new additions are not executing as a result of poor communication. The safeties are often misaligned and not coordinated with the corners, while the young linebackers are misreading plays. The problems are not physical. Look for the explosive Philadelphia offense to expose these breakdowns.
? If Favre is given enough time, he is capable of making plays against a Philadelphia secondary that lists five players on the injury report. Lito Sheppard, Brian Dawkins, Michael Lewis, Rod Hood and Sean Considine all have some ailment. In addition to the nicked up defensive backfield, the Eagles have surrendered over 250 passing yards per game, and have yet to register an interception. Favre who has thrown for 680 yards and six touchdowns, with only one interception in the past two games.

Special Teams
The Eagles' coverage units have been outstanding under John Harbaugh. Normally consistent kicker David Akers has missed a pair of very makeable field goals, while second-year kicker David Rayner has only missed one attempt from beyond 50 yards. Green Bay juiced up its return game, adding Pro Bowl return man Koren Robinson who returned to form last week, averaging 28 yards per kick return. Add to that, the big play ability of punt returner Charles Woodson and the Packers will have opportunities to make plays and win field position battles on special teams.

Matchups
? Green Bay rookie OGs Moll/Colledge vs. Philadelphia DT Mike Patterson
? Green Bay WR Greg Jennings vs. Philadelphia CB Lito Sheppard
? Philadelphia RB Brian Westbrook vs. Green Bay MLB Nick Barnett
? Philadelphia TE L.J. Smith vs. Green Bay SLB Brady Poppinga
? Green Bay RB Ahman Green vs. Philadelphia MLB Jeremiah Trotter

Scouts' Edge
Philadelphia is playing on a level similar to two years ago, when it represented the NFC in the Super Bowl. Donovan McNabb is having fun playing football again and it shows, as he is the leading passer in the NFC. He is surrounded by an excellent supporting cast and Philadelphia is currently the top offense in the NFL. With an Eagles' defensive front that has been putting tremendous pressure on quarterbacks lining up against a Packers' offensive line starting a pair of rookies, Favre may find himself under fire. Green Bay simply is not good enough to go into Philadelphia and pull an upset over a talented and experienced Eagles' team.

Prediction: Eagles 24, Packers 10
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Real 49ers starting to show

posted: Monday, October 2, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams

Fool's Gold

The [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=sfo"]San Francisco 49ers[/URL] were destroyed by the defense of the [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=kan"]Kansas City Chiefs[/URL] this past weekend. After an impressive start to this season, the 49ers were beginning to show promise behind the leadership of second-year quarterback [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7177"]Alex Smith[/URL]. However, after Sunday's awful display of both the offensive and defensive units, maybe we are now starting to see the real 49ers. Running back [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7241"]Frank Gore[/URL] continues to struggle as he fumbled again against Chiefs. I am sure now many will start to question whether it was a smart move to trade RB Kevin Barlow for fumble prone Gore. [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7106"]Maurice Hicks[/URL] even fumbled and it seemed as though nothing could go right for the 49ers on this day. Get ready 49ers fans, you may begin to see a lot more rookie RB [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7849"]Michael Robinson[/URL] if this offensive output continues to show up on week after week.

Tug-of-war Did anyone see the battle between the [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=det"]Detroit Lions[/URL] and the [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=stl"]St. Louis Rams[/URL]? I must say, I was very surprised to see the Rams put up 41 points after struggling to get out of the gate in preseason. I have felt strong about the direction of the Rams for quite some time now, but if they continue at this pace look for them to make a late season push for a wild card spot. After a poor start, head coach Scott Linehan has opened up the offense a little more than what he was showing early on when he was relying too much on the run to set up to pass. Marc Bulger and [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4654"]Torry Holt[/URL] seem to be on cue once again providing fun and excitement for everyone to watch. I know it's hard for people to look at individual players on defense, but the defensive secondary of the Rams is proving to be one of the top secondaries in the NFL. Safeties [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4294"]Corey Chavous[/URL] and O.J. Atogwe, along with cornerbacks [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5950"]Travis Fisher[/URL] and [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4974"]Fakhir Brown[/URL], have combined for eight interceptions this year giving them a plus 10 turnover differential after four games. And who would have thought, Bulger does not have an interception on the year. Good job Rams

Hache Man · Oct 2, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Losing Haynesworth hurts Titans

posted: Monday, October 2, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Tennessee Titans

I'm sure by now most everybody has seen tapes of the embarrassing fiasco in Nashville, where Albert Haynesworth stomped on the face of Dallas Cowboys center Andre Gurode on Sunday. The league on Monday suspended Haynesworth without pay for five games. This is a good action. The league cannot allow players to act like this and not punish them where it hurts -- in the wallet -- as well as make them miss some time to reflect on their actions.

Haynesworth

I don't think anyone knows what was going through Haynesworth's mind when he stomped on Gurode, but we did see immediate contrition. He apologized right after the game and said there was no excuse for his actions and no place for that kind of stuff in football. Football is, by nature, a violent sport, but when played within the rules it can be relatively safe.

In the "old days," actions like Haynesworth's would have been dealt with by the players themselves. Haynesworth would be a marked man, open to retaliation by offensive linemen all over the league. Fortunately, we now have a forum to deal with this kind of play, and what players seem to understand the best is a stiff hit in the pocketbook.
Haynesworth is not known for dirty play, and this could end up being a one-time incident. Let's hope that's the case and that Haynesworth can come back in five weeks, put this behind him and play good football.
Losing Haynesworth will hurt an already ailing and porous defense. Robaire Smith, the defensive tackle who lines up next to Haynesworth, was cut by the Houston Texans in the preseason, and the backup most likely to replace Haynesworth is either third-year DT Randy Starks or, more likely, rookie Jesse Mahelona. Being the worst team in the NFL against the run at more than 177 yards per game allowed, the Titans can't exactly afford to lose a starter. This will not bode well for the Titans as they prepare for the Indianapolis Colts, who are just starting to find their running attack.

Hache Man · Oct 3, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Bengals' weaknesses exposed

posted: Tuesday, October 3, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens

What we saw this weekend from the AFC North ...

The Bengals have two glaring issues interfering with their Super Bowl dreams. They should be able to cure one over this bye week, but the other is going to be difficult to overcome.

Palmer

First, their pass protection has been abysmal, and quarterback Carson Palmer is taking far too many sacks, which are leading to fumbles. Opponents are blitzing the Bengals heavily, and their pass blockers aren't picking it up.

Much of this could be due to them having to break in a new center while Rich Braham is on the mend. Blitzers are coming through much too freely -- especially against the Steelers -- and this could be attributed to blown line adjustments and wrong protections. Also, LT Levi Jones isn't yet healthy, and it has shown. The bye week will do a lot of good, giving the Bengals extra time to work on continuity on the line and installing schemes to use their running backs and tight ends in pass protection more frequently, as well.
The other problem will be much more difficult to fix. This team simply cannot stop the run and might be even worse in this area than it was last season. They are not gap-sound, and they are over-pursuing and missing a lot of tackles. Once again, some of this is due to injury, as the Bengals lost their top two strong-side linebackers, their starting strong safety and their leading tackler from last season, Odell Thurman.
Caleb Miller has taken over on the strong side, but he isn't close to David Pollack as a run stuffer and is better suited on the weak side, where he can run free and use his athletic ability. The Bengals also overestimated how much of a factor NT Sam Adams would be in clogging the middle of the field. He has been a massive disappointment. While injuries are part of the problem, the bigger one is discipline and mental toughness. This could be a problem all season and could be the downfall of this football team.
Browns break through
The Browns can win a game. Yes, they beat the Raiders, and yes, Oakland is now the leading contender for the top pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. But a win is a win. The Raiders needed this game as much as Cleveland and had two weeks to prepare for it, while the Browns had to travel across the country and managed to win despite fighting some key injuries.
Cleveland finally established a running game, quarterback Charlie Frye made big plays, and the defense managed to get after the quarterback. Cleveland's wealth of young talent is progressing very quickly. Yes, it was the Raiders, but there is renewed reason for optimism in the Dawg Pound.
Ravens continue to impress
Baltimore is better than I have given them credit for. Quarterback Steve McNair has brought a winning attitude that makes the Ravens a very tough team as long as they can stay healthy. I still have my doubts if this team is built for the long haul this season, but pulling out a win in very tight games the past two weeks is a great sign. Baltimore couldn't run the ball Sunday against San Diego, but no one runs the ball against the Chargers. The Ravens also made quite a few crucial mistakes, but San Diego got conservative and couldn't put the Ravens away. But any way you cut it, Baltimore beat an undefeated team, and the Ravens are alone atop the division with a perfect record. McNair has made a 2-2 football team into a 4-0 contender. That's fine work.

Hache Man · Oct 3, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

'Marty Ball' still stifling Chargers

posted: Tuesday, October 3, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: San Diego Chargers

The more things change, the more they stay the same. I can't tell you how many people have told me that "Marty Ball," the conservative offensive approach favored by San Diego head coach Marty Schottenheimer, is back because the Chargers have a young first-year starting quarterback in Philip Rivers.

Schottenheimer

In fact, it doesn't have anything to do with Rivers. This is the same thing Schottenheimer has done everywhere he has coaches, including last season with veteran Drew Brees at the controls.

When you look at a coach's record, you see the wins and losses. In Schottenheimer's case, there should be a third column -- fourth-quarter losses. For this organization and for its fans, that number is way too high.
Last season, when San Diego narrowly missed the playoffs, you could point to two or three games the Chargers could have won but collapsed late and lost.
Schottenheimer simply does not show a killer instinct, and that mentality spreads to the entire football team. In Sunday's loss to the Ravens, there was no reason the Chargers even should have been in position to lose. Rivers came out extremely hot, spreading the ball around and picking apart the Ravens defense. In the first quarter alone he was 8 of 10 for 87 yards and a touchdown.
But then "Marty Ball" kicked in, and Rivers threw only five passes combined in the second and third quarters. At the end of the day he hd thrown only 22 passes. And even that number is a little skewed when you consider that four of his seven fourth-quarter passes came on San Diego's final possession, after the Ravens had taken a 16-13 lead.
It is time for the Chargers to realize that while they do have a great defense, they can't just assume that having a lead in the fourth quarter will guarantee that defense will hold up until the final gun.
You would think this team would have learned its lesson last season. Even though the Chargers are as talented as any team across the board, their inability to close game out is the reason I don't favor them to make much noise in the postseason. If Coach Schottenheimer does not change his ways soon, we might be sitting around in January saying this 2006 Chargers team is the second-best team in NFL history to not make the playoffs. I think we all remember the last team to carry that moniker -- the 2005 Chargers.

Hache Man · Oct 3, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 12 New Article Added 9/29/06)

Saints in it for long haul

posted: Tuesday, October 3, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers

After their disappointing loss to the Panthers on Sunday, how will the Saints bounce back from their first loss of the season?

I have often written that I don't think the Saints are contenders for the NFC South division title. However, after watching the Saints and Panthers Sunday afternoon, you have the love the way this team plays and how head coach Sean Peyton has this team competing. If the Saints can stay healthy, they are going to be in the playoff hunt all season based on QB Drew Brees and his supporting cast on offense. Brees had another big game last Sunday in completing 28-of-38 passes for 349 yards and one touchdown. He was sacked just once and finished with a passer rating of 110.5.

Defensively, the Saints have done a good job in the first three games against the run. However, the Panthers finally got to them as they rushed for 167 yards on the ground on 29 carries. The Panthers had a 5.8 average and a 43-yard scoring run by DeShaun Foster when the Saints needed a critical stop on a third-and-seven play late in the game. Foster finished with 105 yards and a 6.6 average, while rookie DeAngelo Williams added 62 yards and a 7.8 average.

This upcoming month will tell us a lot about the character of this young football team as they start a stretch of three consecutive home games. First on the agenda, they host a disappointing 0-3 Buccaneers team in a game they should win. The Buccaneers enter the game with their backs against the wall and with one of the worst offenses in the NFL, averaging 234.0 yards per game. And, on top of that rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski will make his first NFL start, replacing the injured Chris Simms.

The Panthers are 2-0 since Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith returned to the lineup. Are they back to being a Super Bowl favorite?

The two players who have really benefited from Smith's return are QB Jake Delhomme and RB DeShaun Foster. Delhomme posted a passer rating of 104 Sunday, completing 19-of-29 passes for 169 yards with two touchdown passes, while Foster recorded his first 100-yard game of the season, running for 105 yards on 16 carries.

Panthers head coach John Fox knows all about getting his teams turned around after disappointing starts. The Panthers now face a team they should beat this week in the Cleveland Browns. With the return of Smith, the Panthers have positioned themselves to get back on track as a team to be reckoned with in the NFC. However, their schedule gets extremely difficult as the season progresses and I still have some major concerns about the Panthers offensive line to consider them a Super Bowl favorite at the end of the first quarter of the regular season.

The Atlanta Falcons got back on track this week with their dominating win over the Arizona Cardinals. With the combination of QB Michael Vick, RB Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood, the Falcons rushed for 262 yards. However, their passing game is still a work in progress and hopefully they can figure out their red zone deficiencies during the bye week before they play the New York Giants in Week 6.

Under the radar has been the impressive performance of the Falcons run defense. Even without RDE John Abraham and MLB Ed Hartwell, the Falcons have been very impressive against the run. The Falcons are currently sixth in the league in total defense and are allowing only 70.5 yards per game on the ground. Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell continues to unleash his multiple attacking up field schemes which have caused a lot of problems for the opponents blocking patterns. Not to go unnoticed has been the stellar play of their linebacker core led by MLB Keith Brooking. Also the additions of NT Grady Jackson and SS Lawyer Milloy have made a huge difference in the Falcons front seven on heavy run down tendencies.

Not to be looking ahead, but, the interesting thing about this division is that it could come down to a rematch on Christmas Eve between the Panthers and the Falcons in Atlanta. However, it's along ways a way and there is a lot of football yet to be played in the regular season.

Hache Man · Oct 4, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Wednesday, October 4, 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>Scouting Matchups: Week 5

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 OCTOBER 8, 2006</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Detroit
at
Minnesota
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Lions at Vikings
Both teams are coming off frustrating road losses. Ironically, Brad Childress, a former offensive coordinator with the Eagles, has his team playing very good defense, while Rod Marinelli, a former defensive line coach in Tampa, has seen his defense struggle.

The Minnesota offense has only scored three touchdowns in four games and Detroit's defense has given over 30 points in the last three games. The good news for the Lions is the Vikings have not scored more than 19 points in a game. The Minnesota defense has only allowed only five touchdowns in four games.
? Complete advance scouting report

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Miami
at
New England
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Dolphins at Patriots
This is a huge AFC East contest between a struggling Dolphins team and the new-look Patriots. The early optimism in Miami has been fading quickly due to the poor play of the offensive line and quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Every game has been ugly for the Dolphins this season. The Patriots were impressive last week in Cincinnati. If Miami doesn't improve its offensive output, this could be a lopsided game.
? Complete advance scouting report

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

Tampa Bay
at
New Orleans
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Buccaneers at Saints
New Orleans will continue to spread the field, creating mismatches on the outside. The Buccaneers will counter with their multiple-attacking fronts, while playing physical on the outside in their Cover 2 schemes. In addition, QB Drew Brees will keep the Buccaneers off balance by finding open areas in the short and intermediate passing attack, while the Buccaneers must find creative ways to pressure him.

For the Buccaneers to have success, rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski will need to manage the game effectively and not make critical, game-changing mistakes that result in big plays. Saints defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs will load up against the run and force the Buccaneers' offense to be one-dimensional by attacking through the air.
? Complete advance scouting report

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

Washington
at
NY Giants
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Redskins at Giants
The Redskins are on a two-game winning streak and playing with a lot of confidence. Their offense has found its mojo with a healthy Clinton Portis and Mark Brunell, who is making full use of his weapons.

The Giants are coming off a bye and have started their season poorly. The Giants think they are a Super Bowl team, but someone forgot to tell their opponents. There has been some turmoil with players calling out coaches. We will see if the Giants have fixed their problems during the bye. The Giants need a win at Washington to stay in the race for a playoff spot.
? Complete advance scouting report

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

Cleveland
at
Carolina
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Browns at Panthers
The Panthers will look to build on the momentum of their two-game winning streak against an improving Browns team. Browns defensive coordinator Todd Grantham must find a way to contain Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith with a depleted secondary. In doing so, the Browns will need to play four complete quarters defensively. The Panthers will continue to rely on RB DeShaun Foster to set up the play action pass. WR Braylon Edwards and TE Kellen Winslow have shown big-play ability, but they can be neutralized if Carolina is able to get to QB Charlie Frye.

Cleveland must find a way to protect Frye against a very good Panthers front seven. Defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac will focus on stopping RB Reuben Droughns and turn the Browns offense into a one-dimensional attack.
? Complete advance scouting report

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

Buffalo
at
Chicago
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Bills at Bears
This will be a spirited contest between an emerging AFC team and the class of the NFC. The Bears dismantled the NFC Super Bowl team from a year ago last week, making a statement to the rest of the league that not only do they have an outstanding defense, but an explosive offense to boot. New Buffalo head coach Dick Jauron has the Bills playing hard and winning ugly. Buffalo has been in every game and could easily be 4-0.

It would appear to be a big mismatch in Week 5, but the Bills defeated a team that Chicago was lucky to beat in a late comeback rally. Most games in the NFL are about matchups. If Chicago can keep up this level, it could represent the NFC in the 2007 Super Bowl.
? Complete advance scouting report

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

St. Louis
at
Green Bay
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Rams at Packers
A matchup of two great quarterbacks with St. Louis' Marc Bulger and Green Bay's Brett Favre. Favre is at a crossroad in his career and has been under heavy fire this year with poor performances that have him and the Packers at 1-3. Bulger enters the game without any interceptions through four games and is showing no ill effects from offseason shoulder surgery. The Rams defense has a plus-seven turnover ratio and has shown a new aggressive attitude with much more speed and athletic ability at the defensive back and linebacker positions. Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy badly needs a win to generate some since of hope and promise for a team struggling to gain its identity.
? Complete advance scouting report

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

Tennessee
at
Indianapolis
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Titans at Colts
The Titans are still looking for their first win and are coming off a sound beating by the Cowboys. Tthe Colts are still undefeated after winning a barnburner against the Jets. Coach Jeff Fisher started Vince Young against Dallas in an attempt to spark the Titans' offense, but the rookie did not fare much better than Kerry Collins had in the previous three games.

The Colts found their run game against a rather porous Jets defense and are going to try and continue that trend on Sunday. Between not being able to stop the run and not being able to amount any consistent pass rush, the Titans are going to be hard pressed to keep this game close. The Colts, meanwhile, will be looking at this game as a chance to get all their players healthy.
? Complete advance scouting report

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

Oakland
at
San Francisco
Sun 4:05 PM ET</TD><TD>Raiders at 49ers
The Raiders are running out of teams they have a chance to beat, as they hope to avoid going 0-16. The 49ers present them with another opportunity to get that first victory. After being competitive and seemingly turning the corner, the 49ers were humiliated in Kansas City last week. How will they respond in their return trip home?

This game features two teams that have a long history of disrespect for one another. Oakland owner Al Davis has always despised the team from the other side of the bay and would like for his team's first win to come against their crosstown rivals. Oakland QB Andrew Walter looked nervous in his first NFL start, but the Raiders should hand him the ball again this week and see if he can improve against a 49ers' secondary that is one of the worst in the NFL.
? Complete advance scouting report

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

NY Jets
at
Jacksonville
Sun 4:05 PM ET</TD><TD>Jets at Jaguars
The Jaguars started off hot, beating the Cowboys and Steelers. After those two barnburners they lost a tough game to the Colts and an overtime thriller to the Redskins. The Jets, meanwhile, have two wins but are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Colts. It will be interesting to see how both teams respond to the disappointment of Week 4.

The Jags want to be a strong running team, but were able to rush for only 33 yards (2.2 yards per carry) against the Redskins. They will try and re-establish their power running game against a weak New York run defense.
? Complete advance scouting report

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

Kansas City
at
Arizona
Sun 4:05 PM ET</TD><TD>Chiefs at Cardinals
After obtaining NFC Player of the Week honors in Week 1 when he threw for 301 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, Kurt Warner's poor performances over the past two weeks has cost him his starting job. After their loss on the road against the Atlanta Falcons, there was an official announcement by head coach Dennis Green and his anointment of Matt Leinart as the new starter for the Cardinals.

Leinart was outstanding in his preseason debut and will need to regain his preseason poise to keep the Cardinals close against a Chiefs defense that was stingy last week against the 49ers, holding them to 165 total yards. Running back Larry Johnson is averaging just over 24 carries and 98 yards per game and is on pace for over 1,500 rushing yards in 2006.
? Complete advance scouting report

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

Dallas
at
Philadelphia
Sun 4:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Cowboys at Eagles
This is the first game Terrell Owens has played against his former team, and it is in Philadelphia. The fans should have a nice warm Philly welcome for Owens. With a win, the Eagles would be 4-1 and have a good lead on the rest of the teams in the division.

The Cowboys are playing solid football on both sides of the ball and need a win on the road to stay in the hunt for the division title. This game will be a good test for the Eagles' offense because Dallas' defense has been playing at a high level.
? Complete advance scouting report

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

Pittsburgh
at
San Diego
Sun 8:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Steelers at Chargers
The Super Bowl champions had two weeks to remedy some of what ails them and prepare for this cross-country road trip to San Diego -- the same situation the Chargers had one week ago. Pittsburgh will face a very good team coming off a tough loss in Baltimore, after going ultra-conservative with the lead late in the game. This is the Steelers' third prime-time game out of four.

Because Bill Cowher has been the Steelers' head coach so long, it is somewhat hard to believe that this is a matchup of mentor (Marty Schottenheimer) against apprentice (Cowher). It shows -- these teams have quite a bit in common. They both want to establish a power running game, stop the run on defense with their 3-4 schemes and then attack the quarterback once the offense becomes one-dimensional. It will be very difficult for either offense to get into a rhythm and dictate the tempo of the game.

The Steelers have turned the ball over eight times in three games and will not win this game if that trend continues. This is a very big game for both teams and could have AFC playoff tiebreaker ramifications. Last year, the Steelers beat San Diego 24-22 in a heartbreaker for the home team, which was hosting its first Monday night game since 1996.
? Complete advance scouting report

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD colSpan=2>MONDAY OCTOBER 9, 2006</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Baltimore
at
Denver
Mon 8:30 PM ET</TD><TD>Ravens at Broncos
This game pits two teams that could be meeting again in the playoffs. Denver QB Jake Plummer played much better in his last start, but the Ravens' defense will be the best unit he has seen this season. Ravens QB Steve McNair has led fourth-quarter, game-winning drives the past two weeks. Will this be three in a row?

Tatum Bell has emerged as Denver's feature back and it will be interesting to see how his speed will match up with this Baltimore defense that plays exceptionally well from sideline to sideline. This game also will feature two of the best linebacking units in the NFL.
? Complete advance scouting report
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 4, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Updated: Oct. 4, 2006

Whispers from around the NFL

Pro Football Weekly





<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
? There's a sense in Cincinnati that rookie CB Johnathan Joseph will overtake veteran Tory James at some point during the season. Joseph has played so well that he's becoming harder and harder to keep off the field.
? If up-and-coming Niners RB Frank Gore has a shortcoming aside from his shaky injury history, it's his tendency to get very down on himself after making mistakes. Our sources tell us Gore has been beating himself up something awful because of his recent fumbling problems (four fumbles in the first four games).
<TABLE class=tableheadFixWidth cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=200 align=right><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD class=whitelink colSpan=2>Rex Grossman</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left>

Quarterback
Chicago Bears

Profile</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow><TD align=middle><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width=190 bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead align=middle><TD align=middle colSpan=6>2006 SEASON STATISTICS</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" align=right><TD width="17%">Comp</TD><TD width="17%">Att</TD><TD width="17%">Yds</TD><TD width="17%">Pct</TD><TD width="17%">TD</TD><TD width="17%">Int</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#999999><TD>78</TD><TD>125</TD><TD>1061</TD><TD>62.4</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>3</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
? QB Rex Grossman has made his fair share of risky decisions, notably the Week 3 interception returned for a TD by the Vikings. We hear that offensive coordinator Ron Turner has no intention of tightening the leash on his young gunslinger. In fact, he encourages his signal caller to take chances and claims that even the best QBs make three passes per week that require one to hold one's breath.
? The way we hear it, the Ravens don't know if RB Jamal Lewis will ever boast the same burst he possessed a few years ago, but there is no doubt he can be a solid 20-carry back.
? The Browns have looked for CB help, but they believe Daven Holly is still their top option to fill in if Gary Baxter continues to be bothered by a pectoral injury. The Ravens picked on Holly in Week 3. Also, we're hearing the team is disappointed in the progress of 2005 fourth-round pick Antonio Perkins, who hasn't been able to give the CB depth a boost.
? Texans WR Andre Johnson is off to a strong start, and don't overlook the way the team is using the tight ends, when looking for the reasons for his improved play. The TE position was a nonfactor for much of Dom Capers' tenure in Houston, but head coach Gary Kubiak has re-emphasized the position, and teams can no longer write off the Texans' tight ends as just blockers.
? A source close to the club says to keep an eye on Browns OLB Willie McGinest, who missed the first two games with a calf injury, played in Week 3 but ended right back on the injury report in Week 4.
? The Bengals' offensive line has received criticism in some quarters for its pass protection early in this campaign, but a source close to the club says half of the six sacks allowed by the line in Week 3 at Pittsburgh were a result of QB Carson Palmer holding on to the ball too long.
? Titans coaches have served notice to S Lamont Thompson that he must improve his tackling if he is going to retain a starting position. Vince Fuller isn't nearly the athlete or physical specimen Thompson is, but the coaches love Fuller's gym-rat approach to the game.
? The Titans have switched CB Pacman Jones to the left side of the field in order to get him more playmaking chances. But it also has put Reynaldo Hill, who hasn't played to his fine rookie form yet, on watch. Seventh-round pick Cortland Finnegan has stood out in early nickel duty.
? The Eagles appear to have adjusted well to DE Jevon Kearse's season-ending injury. Darren Howard has taken Kearse's DLE spot, moving Trent Cole into the starting lineup on the right side. The biggest surprise has been top reserve Juqua Thomas, who has played the run well.
? The Giants have shut down WR Sinorice Moss indefinitely following his continued battles with a thigh injury, and no timetable has been set for his return. Though it is too early, the talk that Moss is soft already is starting to float around the club.
? The Giants quietly are excited about the potential of rookie LB Gerris Wilkinson, who will start for the time being for injured Carlos Emmons and might not give that job back if he plays well.
? Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells has put rookie FS Pat Watkins on notice that he won't be block-tackling -- diving at an opponent's legs without using his arms to wrap up -- anymore. Watkins, however, said he was protecting an arm contusion.
<TABLE class=tableheadFixWidth cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=200 align=right><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD class=whitelink colSpan=2>Champ Bailey</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left>

Cornerback
Denver Broncos

Profile</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow><TD align=middle><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width=190 bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead align=middle><TD align=middle colSpan=6>2006 SEASON STATISTICS</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" align=right><TD width="17%">Tot</TD><TD width="17%">Solo</TD><TD width="17%">Ast</TD><TD width="17%">Sack</TD><TD width="17%">FF</TD><TD width="17%">Int</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#999999><TD>18</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
? After he was slowed last season with a hamstring problem in training camp and then added groin and shoulder ailments during the regular season, the Broncos took a much more cautious approach with Pro Bowl CB Champ Bailey this year, giving him more time off in training camp and barely playing him in the preseason. The result has been good health, and opposing quarterbacks have generally been afraid to even test him thus far, which basically shuts down nearly half the field. The Broncos entered their Week 4 bye having surrendered just one touchdown in three games.
? A large part of getting QB Jake Plummer back on track is finding ways to get TEs Stephen Alexander and Tony Scheffler more involved in the offense. The feeling in Denver is that such a skilled duo should be making a greater impact than what we've seen so far.
? The incredible speed that Raiders rookie OLB Thomas Howard showed in training-camp practices hasn't been quite as apparent since the games have begun to carry meaning. Sources say he is doing too much thinking and has yet to be able to just read and react, which slows his playing speed significantly.
? As part of an aborted trade in the preseason, Jets S Derrick Strait had every reason to be unhappy with New York. However, we hear that Strait has had a great attitude since the trade with the Browns fell through, when RB Lee Suggs failed his Jets physical, and that Strait's hard work and positive personality have caught the eye of head coach Eric Mangini, who rewarded Strait with a start vs. Buffalo in Week 3.
? Word is the signing of 270-pound FB James Hodgins could indicate that the Jets are looking for a bruising fullback with more bulk than incumbent B.J. Askew.
? Dolphins NT Manny Wright, who left the team in preseason, is back in his home state of California and attending classes at an undisclosed college. We hear the Dolphins believe this is a positive step for the youngster, though he is a long way from returning to the team.
? Word is the Patriots decided to place injury-prone CB Randall Gay on injured reserve after he injured his hamstring in Week 3 because they didn't trust that he would stay healthy the rest of the season. In the team's eyes, free agent Hank Poteat may be less talented than Gay, but he is more dependable and durable.
? When asked why WR Chad Jackson didn't play in the Patriots' Week 3 loss to the Broncos, head coach Bill Belichick stopped short of saying that Jackson's sore hamstring kept him sidelined, opening up speculation that there may be more to Jackson's inactivity than an injury. We hear there may be maturity issues with the 21-year-old.
? Saints WR Joe Horn said this week that part of the reason for the team's early success is that the whole team is buying into what new head coach Sean Payton is doing. Horn indicated that only a small fraction of the team was on the same page with former head coach Jim Haslett.
? Saints RB Reggie Bush is doing a better job setting up scores as a decoy than finding the end zone himself. Through four games, Bush has not scored a touchdown, but we hear he set up WR Devery Henderson's 11-yard touchdown run against the Falcons in Week 3. Bush handed the ball off to Henderson as part of a double reverse, and he also helped spring RB Deuce McAllister for a long run when QB Drew Brees faked a handoff to Bush on a reverse and handed the ball to McAllister.
? Panthers CB Ken Lucas was relegated to nickel CB duty in Week 4 while rookie CB Richard Marshall assumed his starting spot. Our sources tell us Lucas is battling neck and shoulder ailments, but it was his repeated missed tackles that got Lucas demoted. We hear Lucas was upset with the benching after the game, but he tried to downplay his injuries, saying, "There's no such thing as 100 percent. I think from the time you come out of your mother's womb, there's something wrong with you."
? We hear second-year Falcons WR Roddy White is in danger of sliding down the depth chart. Veteran WR Ashley Lelie started in White's place in Week 3 because the team said White was slowed by sore ribs. But our sources believe White's starting spot is on thin ice because the former first-round pick is not stepping up as the team would have hoped.
? In the Falcons' first three games, they had a field goal blocked in each contest. We hear the Falcons are happy with PK Morten Andersen, so don't expect them to try another kicker, but do look for a shuffling of personnel along the line.
? Our Jaguars sources believe PK Josh Scobee's two missed field goals -- he hit the upright from 24 yards and missed a 49-yarder wide left -- against the Colts can partly be blamed on his lack of playing time in the preseason. Scobee missed much of the preseason with a leg injury, and we hear he may still be trying to shake off the rust.
<TABLE class=tableheadFixWidth cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=200 align=right><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD class=whitelink colSpan=2>Shaun Rogers</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left>

Defensive tackle
Detroit Lions

Profile</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow><TD align=middle><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width=190 bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead align=middle><TD align=middle colSpan=6>2006 SEASON STATISTICS</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" align=right><TD width="17%">Tot</TD><TD width="17%">Solo</TD><TD width="17%">Ast</TD><TD width="17%">Sack</TD><TD width="17%">FF</TD><TD width="17%">Int</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#999999><TD>14</TD><TD>13</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
? After DT Shaun Rogers dominated in Week 1, he's since been largely eliminated by double- and even triple-teams. We hear the rest of the Lions' defense has failed to take advantage. DEs James Hall and Kalimba Edwards are not winning one-on-one battles, and the secondary is not holding coverage long enough for the rush to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
? The Lions are ecstatic to have undrafted rookie WR Shaun Bodiford back from injury, and we hear it would not be a surprise to see the speedy Portland State product eventually replace a disappointing Eddie Drummond in the return game.
? Despite the foot injury to breakout TE Desmond Clark, we're told the Bears wouldn't panic if he were not available. Backup John Gilmore has sure hands, and third-stringer Gabe Reid is an athletic target who can get separation and run after the catch.
? Packers offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski threatened to bench Ahman Green if his fumbling problems continued, but we hear there's little chance of that. Green's slippery mitts typically disappear as the season progresses.
? Brad Childress' culture of accountability reared its head again in Week 3, as starting CB Fred Smoot was benched for the first series against the Bears for showing up late to a team meeting. We're told the issue should not linger.
? Coming into this season, the four players in the Vikings' second-string defensive backfield had combined for only 17 career games. Despite their inexperience -- and the notable game-clincher given up late in Week 3 by nickel CB Ronyell Whitaker -- we hear the team is not concerned about its nickel/dime packages or its depth behind a veteran first string.
? When Cardinals RB Edgerrin James said last week that he thought he was being underutilized, our sources surmised that it wasn't so much that he wanted more carries but rather more receiving opportunities. We hear James would like to catch at least 4-5 passes per game.
? Don't expect any more derogatory comments from Cardinals second-year CB Antrel Rolle, who suggested early last week that his team needed to consider making some personnel changes. We hear Rolle was read the riot act by the Arizona coaching staff and is a good bet to clam up in front of the local media for the foreseeable future.
? Word is that, once Niners OLG Larry Allen's knee heals enough to allow him to return to the starting lineup -- we hear it could still be three weeks away from that happening -- it's a good bet Adam Snyder will take over as the starting right tackle from Kwame Harris, who continues to have his moments but remains prone to too many breakdowns.
? We hear the Rams are really happy with the early contributions they've gotten from waiver pickups Adam Goldberg and Brett Romberg on their offensive line. Goldberg has proved particularly useful with his ability to play both guard and center (he started at left guard in Week 4) and has wasted no time surpassing Todd Steussie as the team's best reserve lineman.
? We hear it could be close to midseason before injured OLG Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack is healthy enough to play again. And by then, our sources tell us they will be very surprised if Womack is able to get his starting job back from second-year man Chris Spencer, who they believe will have firmly established himself as the starting left guard. ? Word is the Seahawks are clearly disappointed with former first-round pick Marcus Tubbs' inability to stay healthy, but that it hasn't become an issue -- and probably never will become one -- because the team has so much depth at defensive tackle.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 4, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Twins could help Vikes, hurt Lions

posted: October 34 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Detroit Lions

Before we talk football, we have to talk baseball. With the Major League Baseball playoffs under way, there may be some effect on the NFL schedule, as well.

The Minnesota Twins managed to overtake the Detroit Tigers to win the AL Central, and that might wind up having a negative affects on the Detroit Lions, as well. The Twins earned home-field advantage with the division title and are facing the Oakland Athletics in the Division Series. Should that series go the full five games, the Teflon-roofed Metrodome would be double-booked on Sunday.
The Minnesota Vikings are scheduled to play host to the Lions with a noon kickoff (local time). As NFL officials evaluated the options with their counterparts from Major League Baseball, several scenarios were presented to the Lions and Vikings.
? First, switch home games, playing this weekend in Detroit and having the Lions return to the Metrodome on Dec. 10. That option was declined by Lions officials, as it would have given Detroit four December road games.
? The current option on the table is to keep the game in Minnesota but move it to Monday night, Oct. 9, with an 8:30 p.m. ET kickoff, if the Twins-A's series looks like it will go to Game 5.
? If the Twins-A's series ends in three or four games, the Lions-Vikings game would remain as scheduled, at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
The real losers in this situation would be the Lions, who have yet to post a victory this season. Taking an NFL team on the road is a major undertaking, especially in today's era of heightened security at airports, hotels and stadiums. Changing that travel schedule on short notice isn't easy. Moreover, the Lions play host to the Buffalo Bills the following Sunday, Oct. 15. Having a short week following a Monday night game affects the preparation and recuperation of a football team and presents a tremendous challenge.
Moving the game to Monday night actually could be a positive for Minnesota, allowing the Vikings another day to heal up and be fresh for a division game. Minnesota has its bye week following the game, so they wouldn't be affected by a short week.
It seems that the surprising Twins' division championship could be a positive for both Minnesota professional teams, while the collapse of the Tigers, who had to settle for a wild-card berth and a matchup with the New York Yankees in the first round, could hurt on the Lions, as well. Advantage, Minnesota!

Hache Man · Oct 4, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Leinart era is here

posted: Wednesday, October 4, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams

Cardinals' fans, you have asked and you shall receive. Matt Leinart is officially your quarterback of the future! That is, until his contract runs out in five years, because if history is an indicator, the Cardinals will not pay him his worth when the time comes.

This new era will not come without the bumps and bruises Leinart will endure as he learns how to be a quarterback at the NFL level. He may have two national championships and a Heisman Trophy to his credit, but all that means nothing now. This is not USC, nor is it the preseason against the Chicago Bears, when he shined so brightly.
Leinart shows good presence in the pocket and leadership in the huddle and that will help to shorten the learning curve he is about to take on. For Leinart to be as successful, the Cardinals must get their running game going in order to help take some of the pressure off the rookie. With former starter Kurt Warner at his side, Leinart should be able to manage the bumps the minor hurdles he will face. Warner has been in this situation twice before, in St. Louis and New York, so he will not be a cancer or hindrance and will only be an asset for Leinart.
For those who think Leinart is going to be the next Ben Roethlisberger, let us not forget that although Rothlisberger is a great quarterback and the youngest to win a Super Bowl, he was surrounded by a solid running game that helped to take pressure off him. The future is bright for Leinart and hopefully he can hang in there while the Cardinals frantically search for offensive line depth and a solid rushing attack. The current plan is to give Edgerrin James more carries, but even though he's averaging just 68 yards per game, James is still on pace to rush for more than 1,000 yards this season. I am sure he will have his breakout game before too long, and I am sure Leinart hopes it is this weekend against the Chiefs.

Hache Man · Oct 4, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Maroney leads impact rookies

posted: October 4, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots

The AFC East has several newcomers playing well and making an impact for their respective teams. Most NFL head coaches don't like to count on their rookie draft choices to make big contributions, especially early in the season, but some nevertheless get thrown into the fire early. Let's take a look at some AFC East rookies that have impacted their teams through Week 4:

? The Miami Dolphins appeared to have had a solid 2006 draft, but thus far all of their rookies have been playing in backup roles or are on injured reserve or the practice squad. No impact players have emerged from their rookie class.

Mangold

? The New York Jets have had a few rookies play well in backup roles and on special teams, but three draft choices have been impact players early in the season. Fourth-round running back Leon Washington has given the Jets a solid change of pace out of the backfield and been a special teams contributor. He had a short reception in the tight victory over the Bills that he impressively turned into a 47-yard play to set up one of the Jets scores. The two first-round offensive linemen -- LOT D'Brickashaw Ferguson and C Nick Mangold -- have started and played well. They have been consistent both as run and pass blockers, helping New York build its offensive attack.

? The Buffalo Bills have played several rookies early in 2006. Sixth-round linebacker Keith Ellison was thrown into the fire early, as Pro Bowl linebacker Takeo Spikes has been banged up. Ellison's steady play on defense and on special teams has helped keep the Bills in every game. Fourth-round free safety Ko Simpson has replaced veteran Troy Vincent due to injury. He has played well in coverage and has made a solid contribution on special teams. First-round safety Donte Whitner has played very well in coverage, as well as in run support. Many feel he is one of the top defensive rookies early in the season.

Maroney

? The New England Patriots have had a few rookies play well in backup roles, but two 2006 draft picks have stepped up big to keep the Pats atop the division. Fifth-round offensive tackle Ryan O'Callaghan has played very well as a starter in place of the injured Nick Kaczur. He has been solid as both a run and pass blocker on the right side. But the No. 1 impact rookie in the AFC East has to be first-round running back Laurence Maroney.

The Patriots offense has been somewhat hampered by the loss of its top two wide receivers, but the ground attack has been impressive, outside of the loss to the Broncos. Maroney had a huge game against the Bengals on the road (125 yards, two touchdowns, 8.3 yards per carry). He leads the Patriots in rushing with 294 yards, three touchdowns and a 4.9 yard average. He also has six receptions out of the backfield and is the team's leading kickoff returner. Rookie draft choices who impact a team the way Maroney has provide a huge boost to the team's confidence and overall expectations. It will be interesting to monitor the continuing progress of all of these young players and to see if any others can emerge as the season unfolds.

Hache Man · Oct 4, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

October 4, 2006 | Print Entry

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said the team's decision to release cornerback Ahmad Carroll was a matter of going in a different direction at cornerback.

What it came down to was the Packers not liking was the direction in which Carroll was running as a coverage guy. Carroll still hasn't shaken the problems that have been with him since his rookie season. He tends to hold receivers too much and draws too many penalties. And he gets beat. Carroll got beat for a touchdown against the Eagles on Monday night and was flagged for two more penalties. He was called for 11 penalties as a rookie and seven in his second season. He's also given up roughly nine touchdown passes in 34 career games.
Green Bay's coaches thought they had the right style for him by being a man-to-man coverage team. The problem is when opponents went to three-receiver sets, Carroll, who played behind Al Harris and Charles Woodson, was the corner teams would pick on. After the Monday night disaster, the team moved on and conceded he was a first-round mistake from the 2004 draft.
Grass has to be greener beyond Lambeau: The Packers are going to list quarterback Brett Favre as probable for Sunday's home game against St. Louis because of the headache and stinger he suffered Monday night. Favre will play against the Rams. The biggest question: Who's left for Favre to throw to? Receiver Donald Driver is going to be listed as questionable because of rib and hip injuries, and receiver Robert Ferguson is doubtful because of a foot injury.
Parcells kicking it around: Bill Parcells is still in a quandary over what to do with his kicking situation. Even though the Cowboys signed Mike Vanderjagt to supposedly end their kicking problems, Vanderjagt continues to struggle. He missed a short field goal Sunday against the Titans and his kickoffs aren't good. Parcells doesn't want to take two kickers on a trip because it causes a shortage of position players. He has to decide how to use Vanderjagt for Sunday's game against the Eagles. Seahawks licking wound at linebacker: There are probably some people in the Seahawks organization not very pleased to see that linebacker Isiah Kacyvenski signed a one-year contract with the Rams. Even though Kacyvenski didn't do a great job when asked to play linebacker in the base defense, he was a good special teams player for Seattle. The Seahawks needed a roster spot Friday for running back Marquis Weeks because of Shaun Alexander's broken foot. Kacyvenski was the player released to make room for Weeks and now he's on the division rival Rams a week before their Oct. 15 showdown in St. Louis

Hache Man · Oct 4, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Glenn shining behind Owens

posted: October 4, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles

When the Cowboys signed Terrell Owens in the offseason people thought he would be the Cowboys 'leading receiver and the go-to-guy for Drew Bledsoe. But after three weeks of the season, it is Terry Glenn who leads the Cowboys in receiving with 229 yards and three touchdown passes. Glenn has benefited from the signing of T.O. because Owens usually draws double coverage from opposing defenses and that makes Bledsoe look to Glenn and tight end Jason Witten. Glenn has been singled up more in coverage this season but that does not make his job any easier. Some teams will double cover a receiver like Owens with their No. 2 corner and a safety. They will then take their best corner and put him on the No. 2 receiver, like Glenn. This gives defenses the best match up. Glenn still has to use his tools, speed, quickness and good route running to get open for Bledsoe to throw him the ball.

With all the hype and controversy surrounding Owens, one aspect of his game that never gets mentioned is the fact that he is a decent blocker for a receiver. There are many receivers in the NFL who only go throuogh the motions when it comes time to go inside and block a safety on a running plays. This past game against the Titans, Owens consistently went inside to block the safety on run plays with his injured hand. He could easily have used the injury as an excuse but he showed his mental toughness by attempting to block someone in support of a teammate.

For the second year in a row, the Eagles are having problems with injuries to key players on both sides of the ball. The secondary is thin with injuries to Lito Sheppard and Roderick Hood and the offense was relatively healthy but now has some question marks going into this week's game against Dallas. Starting running back Brian Westbrook was a late scratch on Monday night and his absence was surely missed as back up Correll Buckhalter fumbled twice in the red zone. Westbrook has been plagued by swelling in his knee and has missed practice time but has always played on game day. Westbrook is a dangerous runner as well as a receiver.

Also nursing injuries are starting wide receivers Donte Stallworth and Reggie Brown both left the game Monday night with injuries. Stallworth reaggravated his hamstring and Brown hurt his shoulder after making a catch on the sideline. The status of all three is unknown at this time but it should be a concern if you are an Eagles fan because these three players account for over 50 percent of the Eagles offensive production. Even if all three can play against Dallas all would not be 100 percent. This could change the complexity of this critical game for both teams

Hache Man · Oct 4, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/3/06)

Updated: Oct. 4, 2006, 12:53 PM ET
LSU poses stern test for Leak

By Steve Muench
Scouts Inc.
Archive




<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
<TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=200 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000">INSIDE THE NFL DRAFT</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width=188>This season, DraftWatch will follow the paths of 15 senior prospects whose names should be called next April. Some project as early first-day picks and some as middle-to-late rounds picks, but all have the potential to move up or down draft boards over the next seven months. In this relatively brief time, these prospects must demonstrate the ability to work on their weaknesses while continuing to exhibit their strengths. In addition, they must deal with potential injuries and off-field incidents, postseason workouts and combine performances and all sorts of things that could affect their draft stock.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Last week, Auburn CB David Irons stepped up in a big way, and his draft stock improved substantially. Houston QB Kevin Kolb, meanwhile, couldn't quite get it done at Miami.
This week, the opportunities belong to Florida QB Chris Leak and Tennessee LOT Arron Sears. Big games and tough individual matchups give them the chance to show scouts they can produce against some of the toughest competition in the nation.
Here's a look at what we've seen so far from these 15 prospects:
QB Chris Leak, Florida
<OFFER>Leak didn't accumulate many passing yards last week, and he lost a fumble that was returned 50 yards for a touchdown, but he continues to show great poise. He threw two second-half touchdown passes and played a big role in Florida coming back from a 10-point second-quarter deficit. In addition, Leak didn't throw any interceptions against an Alabama defense that had recorded eight in its first four games. He also broke a 45-yard run.
Only two teams are giving up fewer yards per game than LSU ,and the Tigers' formidable pass rush complements their talented secondary very well. In other words, this is a pass defense that can make talented quarterbacks look dreadful. In addition, Leak probably will have to shoulder the bulk of the offensive load, because RB DeShawn Wynn sustained a knee injury that could force him to miss this game. Of course the good news for Leak is that facing such a strong defense in another important SEC matchup gives him an excellent opportunity to improve his draft value.
QB Kevin Kolb, Houston
Kolb continues to protect the football, which is important, because his decision-making was a concern heading into the season. He also ran 4 yards for a touchdown against Miami last week, but he didn't throw a touchdown pass, and he was sacked four times. More importantly, Houston lost, so Kolb still needs to show scouts he can be productive and lead his team to wins against upper-echelon defenses.
With Houston hosting a Louisiana-Lafayette team that has had problems defending the pass and that has yet to record an interception, Kolb needs to -- and should -- bounce back with a big game. Though the Ragin' Cajuns' secondary is experienced, it lacks the talent and depth to match up with Houston WRs Donnie Avery, Vincent Marshall, Jeron Harvey and Biren Early. In addition, Kolb should continue to find his tight ends and backs underneath when nothing is available downfield or when the pass rush forces him to get rid of the ball quickly. QB Tyler Palko, Pittsburgh

Andy Lyons/Getty Images
If Tyler Palko stays patient against Syracuse, he could put up big numbers.

Palko did an excellent job of keeping the offense moving against Toledo on Saturday, completing 12 of 15 passes and not turning the ball over. He also threw two touchdown passes, bringing his season total to 14. Only Texas Tech's Graham Harrell has thrown more. That said, the truth is Pittsburgh's ground game and defense led it to the impressive win over Toledo, so Palko didn't improve his draft value that much.
Palko could put up big numbers against Syracuse this week, but he must stay patient, and that could prove difficult for a player with a history of forcing throws into coverage in an effort to make big plays. While the Orange pass defense hasn't been strong in terms of yards allowed per game, it's doing an excellent job of generating turnovers. A big reason for that is the pass rush, and that shouldn't change this week. With Syracuse coming off three consecutive wins, the noise level at the Carrier Dome will make it harder for Palko to adjust the protection and use hard counts to keep the defensive line off balance. In addition, Pittsburgh will continue to show a strong commitment to the ground game. That means Palko isn't likely finish with many passing attempts and could be too eager to make a big play when he does get the chance to throw downfield.
RB Lorenzo Booker, Florida State
Booker had better be well-rested coming off a bye week, because he faces a tough North Carolina State run defense this week. Though the Wolfpack is giving up an average of 153.5 rushing yards per game, it's giving up just 3.5 yards per carry. Booker, who hasn't carried the ball more than 13 times in a game this year, will have a hard time turning the corner because of North Carolina State's speed at outside linebacker. In addition, he will have a tough time finding a seam when he runs inside. MLB Pat Lowery is an effective interior run stuffer who rarely gets caught out of position, and the Wolfpack is deep at defensive tackle. That doesn't bode well for Booker, who must start producing as a runner to atone for a disappointing start to the season in the eyes of NFL scouts.
RB Tyrone Moss, Miami
The hope had been that Moss would break out against Houston last week. Instead, Javarris James rushed for 148 yards, setting a Miami freshmen record, and head coach Larry Coker decided not to play Moss. Moss responded by spending most of the game sitting on the bench with a towel draped over his head. With NFL organizations placing great emphasis on finding character players, Moss' display will raise red flags.
This week, Miami hosts a North Carolina run defense that is allowing an average of five yards per carry, and Moss rushed for 195 yards against the Tar Heels last year. The only problem is that Coker has said James and Charlie Jones are going to get the bulk of the carries going forward. Moss needs to find a way to get out of the doghouse and back into the gameplan by having a strong week of practice and showing a greater commitment to the team. WR Rhema McKnight, Notre Dame

Gregory Shamus/WireImage.com
Rhema McKnight still drops too many passes, but he has improved his route-running.

McKnight has been one of the most productive receivers in the nation. Saturday, he caught a career-high 10 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns against Purdue. Though he continues to drop catchable passes, he has worked on other weaknesses. In fact, running crisper routes and doing a better job of using his frame to shield defenders from the ball has allowed him to make more of an impact in the red zone the past two weeks.
Notre Dame plays host to Stanford this week, and McKnight frequently will line up opposite Brendan Harrison, who has excellent size and won't allow McKnight to push him around. He also has above-average ball skills, which will make QB Brady Quinn a little more hesitant to throw in his direction. However, McKnight has an excellent opportunity to showcase his burst and route-running, because Harrison is a former safety who lacks ideal man-to-man cover skills. It's also worth noting that the Irish have done a good job of getting McKight matched up against safeties and sub-package corners. There's no reason to believe he won't continue to take advantage of these opportunities against a Cardinal secondary that lacks ideal depth.
WR Paul Williams, Fresno State
The poor performance of QB Tim Brandstater has hurt Williams, and scouts will take that into consideration. That said, Williams caught five passes for just 15 yards last week, and he clearly needs to be more productive after the catch, especially since Brandstater is struggling to find the open man.
The good news for Williams is that Fresno State travels to Utah State, where he will line up opposite CBs Drew Pearson and Marquise Charles. Both are substantially leaner than the 210-pound Williams, and that size advantage should allow Williams to get into his routes quickly and shield the defenders from the ball. In addition, the Aggies have had trouble defending the pass, so Brandstater should be more effective.
TE Martrez Milner, Georgia
Milner, who caught just one pass for 12 yards last week, is coming off an average performance, but his draft value didn't drop substantially. He continues to lead his team in receiving yards and is doing an adequate job of creating seams for the backs.
Georgia plays host to Tennessee this week, and Milner could produce some big plays over the middle. While Volunteers safeties Demetrice Morley and Jonathan Hefney have the cover skills to match up with Milner, Morley is vulnerable to play-action, and Hefney is undersized. However, it's worth noting that Georgia QB Joe Tereshinski could return from an ankle injury that forced him to miss the past three games. Tereshinski will be rusty, so it's important that Milner blocks well and takes advantage when he gets the ball thrown to him.
OT Justin Blalock, Texas
Blalock didn't really improve his draft value last week, because scouts expected him to dominate Sam Houston's defensive line, but he certainly didn't hurt himself either. He continues to drive defenders off the ball, and, more importantly, he has been an excellent pass protection.
The Red River Shootout -- Texas vs. Oklahoma -- is one of the most anticipated regular-season games in all of college football, and scouts will be eager to see how Blalock performs against DE C.J. Ah You in such a big game. Ah You has good size for a defensive end, and he'll be able to hold his ground when Blalock doesn't get under his pads. More importantly, Ah You has great lateral mobility, so Blalock must stay balanced and move his feet when Texas drops back to pass.
OT Arron Sears, Tennessee
Sears continues to play like a first-day pick. He didn't allow any sacks at Memphis last week, and he consistently got into position as a run blocker. That said, he can't be considered a first-round pick until he becomes more dominant at the point of attack.
This week against Georgia, Sears faces his toughest challenge thus far. He frequently will line up opposite DE Quentin Moses, who has an explosive first step and the closing speed to get to QB Erik Ainge quickly when Sears seals the edge. Making matters worse for Sears, Ainge will have a hard time using hard counts to keep Moses off balance because of the noise level at Sanford Stadium. Sears must play physically and use his substantial size advantage to wear Moses down.
DE Loren Howard, Arizona State
Howard has yet to play a snap for Arizona State, and the Sun Devils have a bye, so there is little to report here.
DE/OLB LaMarr Woodley, Michigan
Woodley did a good job of extending his arms and locating the ballcarrier last week at Minnesota, but he rarely shed the block in time to make the play. He needs to be more aggressive and physical at the point of attack. The good news for Woodley is he continues to get to the quarterback. While he didn't record a sack last week, he used his quickness and closing speed to hurry some of QB Bryan Cupito's throws.
Michigan plays host to Michigan State this week, and Woodley frequently will line up opposite LOT Mike Gyetvai. Woodley has the burst and athletic ability to dominate this matchup when Michigan State drops back to pass. However, Gyetvai is a powerful drive blocker who plays with a mean streak, so scouts are interested to see how Woodley holds up against the run.
LB Kevin "Boo" McClee, West Virginia
West Virginia travels to Mississippi State this week, and McClee should have a strong game. The bye gave McLee an extra week to study a Mississippi State offense that is averaging just 2.7 yards per carry. It's also important to note that the Mountaineers' ability to shut down the run will force the Bulldogs to move the ball through the air and give McClee an opportunity to show he can hold his own in coverage.
CB David Irons, Auburn
Irons rose to the challenge last week and played a big role in limiting South Carolina WR Sidney Rice to just 48 receiving yards on four catches. Irons got flagged for defensive holding in the first quarter but continued to play physically and effectively disrupted Rice's timing. He also led his team in tackles, clearly improving his draft value.
Auburn plays host to Arkansas this week, and Irons frequently will line up opposite Damian Williams. Williams possesses good speed and is dangerous after the catch, but Irons has the man-to-man cover skills to effectively limit his production. That said, Irons must continue to play physical, because the Razorbacks' offense is run-heavy.
CB Daymeion Hughes, California
Hughes didn't record any picks against Oregon State last week, but he broke up two passes and did an adequate job of helping out in run support. Though he probably didn't improve his worth in the eyes of scouts, he certainly didn't hurt himself. This week, Cal plays host to Oregon, and Hughes will be asked to match up with WRs Brian Paysinger and Jaison Williams. Hughes must play with discipline and keep Paysinger, who has great top-end speed, in front of him. The key to stopping Williams will be physical play, because he is substantially heavier than Hughes, and his timing with QB Dennis Dixon has been excellent.
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Hache Man · Oct 5, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Updated: Oct. 5, 2006, 4:05 PM ET

First-quarter awards

By Eric Allen
ESPN Insider
Archive




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When I played for Jon Gruden in Oakland, he had a great way of making sure his players didn't look too far ahead in the season. He broke the season into four quarters. This was a perfect way to keep our minds on the games immediately ahead of us and not worry about teams in Week 13 when it was Week 2.
That idea is being used by more and more teams in the NFL now, and I've decided to appropriate it for some awards. Every quarter I will take a look at the top team, offensive player, defensive player and disappointment.
Top team

This one is easy. The Chicago Bears have proven to be the cream of the crop in the first quarter of the season. The knock on this team is that they haven't played top-notch competition yet, but the teams they've played they've dominated, culminating in a lopsided win over the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks.
They're doing it with a surprising combination of offense and defense. Everyone knew this defense would be stout coming into the season. They have a great defensive philosophy and execute it extremely well. That's not to take away from the tremendous amount of talent they have on that side of the ball with Tommie Harris, Mike Brown, Brian Urlacher and Ricky Manning Jr., just to name a few of their defensive studs.
What's catching people off guard is the way this offense is playing. QB Rex Grossman has already thrown for 1,061 yards and eight touchdowns and his passer rating is 100.8. Nobody expected this team to be this proficient in the passing game. If anything, the running game was thought to be the only way this team would be able to consistently garner offense, but instead they are doing it through the air.
They have a good set of receivers who understand their roles. Also, they've done a great job of taking shots downfield when defenses are playing to stop the run. That's resulted in some big plays because these receivers have the ability to exploit single coverage.
Top offensive player

Something tells me this award is probably going to go to Steve Smith in the second quarter. He takes over games in ways that I've never seen from a wide receiver. But this quarter's winner is Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
He's played at an extremely high level every game this season, and if not for some defensive setbacks, this team would be undefeated. He's playing without a consistent No. 1 receiver, but you wouldn't know that by looking at his numbers. That's a testament to the way he's spreading the ball around to everyone. He's doing a great job of getting the ball to L.J. Smith in the middle of the field, Brian Westbrook on the edge and Donte' Stallworth and Greg Lewis downfield.
The biggest difference in this season is his level of confidence, which is higher than at any time I've seen him play alongside Terrell Owens. Every time he drops back, he's confident he can make a play either with his legs or his arm, and that's why the Eagles are such a dangerous team offensively. So much of this game is about confidence and believing that you can make a big play, and McNabb believes he's due a big play every time he steps on the field.
Top defensive player

Young players can often start to read their own newspaper clippings and see themselves on the highlights and start to loaf. The first quarter's top defensive player is bucking that trend.
San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman had a great first season with 10 sacks, two forced fumbles and 41 solo tackles in 15 games. But that wasn't enough for "Lights Out," because during the offseason he fired his agent so he wouldn't have any distractions in becoming the best defensive player in the league. Not the best linebacker or best defensive player in the AFC, but the best defensive player in the NFL.
He's come a long way toward accomplishing that goal. Already this season he has four sacks and an interception, but the numbers don't show how many times he's forced a quarterback into a bad throw or intimidated a receiver or running back with a big hit. It's a pleasure watching a guy with this much talent doing everything in his power to embrace it and better himself. Something tells me he's going to be named top defensive player a couple more times before his career is over.
Top disappointment

This is a tough one to have to pick, but it's Miami Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper, hands down. He was deemed the missing piece to the puzzle for the Dolphins, despite missing most of last season with a major knee injury. He still looks to be injured and has looked terrible out there trying to run this offense. Having a porous offensive line doesn't help things much, but Culpepper simply doesn't have the elusiveness that once was the hallmark of his game. It's almost a disservice to expect him to be 100 percent merely a season after his knee injury, but that's what is expected of him and he has to find a way to rise to the challenge. That may involve him sitting with the offensive coordinator and explaining his limitations and finding a way they can work around them. Whatever they can do to turn this situation around needs to be done quickly because this season is starting to slip away.
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Hache Man · Oct 5, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Panthers still team to beat

posted: October 5, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers

D, Atlanta: Why is it that you continually uphold your love affair with the Carolina Panthers? The Falcons manhandled them on opening dayand their defense is easily one of the best in the business. How is it that the Falcons are not the team to beat in the NFC South?

Keith: What's up D? I have some love for every team in the NFC South. I just think when it's all said and done the Panthers will prevail in the division. However, I really do like the Falcons chances in the NFC as a wild card team. The schedule is going to get extremely tough for both teams with the NFC East and AFC North opponents yet to be played. Defensively, the Falcons offseason additions have made a huge impact on this team. With that said, one player you need to watch when the Falcons return to the field next week is SLB Michael Boley. He is a physically and athletically gifted player who has the ability to play both on the line of scrimmage and in the bubble. He is a smart instinctive player who has a very good knack for timing up zone dogs. Another impressive thing about the Falcons "D" is they have given up only one rushing touchdown over four games at that came Devery Henderson's double reserve against the Saints.

Mark, Houston: Hey Keith, love your style, you're up to .500 in your picks. I would love to see the Saints make the playoffs. I didn't think the Panthers looked all that great against the Saints considering they were in a must-win situation.

Keith: Thanks Mark. The Saints have definitely been the most impressive team other than Jets under first-year head coaches this season. Unfortunately, I don't see the Saints as a playoff caliber team just yet. I still have concerns about their defensive personnel especially at corner. QB Drew Brees and the offensive personnel will keep this team in every game. There will be a lot to learn about this team over the weekend as they play a very winnable game at home against the Buccaneers. As for the Panthers, a win is a win in the NFL regardless of how you look on Sundays.

Chuck, Atlanta: Keith, what can the Falcons does to improve the passing game? I don't think they can win consistently as they have with the run.

Keith: Hey Chuck, thanks for the questions. I think a lot of the problems with the Falcons' passing game will improve as we get deeper in the season as the timing and chemistry improves with Vick and his receivers. I do agree that they will need a stronger passing game as their schedule gets tougher and teams will focus even more in their defensive game plans of taking away the spread option attack and the Falcons' running game.

Bruce, North Carolina: Hi Keith, if there is an early candidate for MVP, is has to be Steve Smith. Hard to believe he can have that much of an impact on Carolina's offense. What other player around the league, in your opinion is as valuable to his team as Smith is to the Panthers?

Keith: Hey Bruce, thanks for the questions. Without a doubt Steve Smith is a great football player and easily a top player at his position. He has brought so much more to the Panthers offense simply by the way teams have defended them over the last two weeks. If he can stay healthy and maintain his numbers over the course of the season then he again should be a candidate for MVP honors. Other players that come to mind that are just as valuable as far as impact is Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb, LaDainian Tomlinson and Carson Palmer. I'm sure I left someone out.

Hache Man · Oct 5, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Sounding off on the AFC West

posted: Thursday, October 5, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos

I wrote a blog Tuesday on "Marty Ball," and Chargers fans across the country sounded off. That got me thinking what a great forum this is to hear what you guys, the fans, think. I will throw my opinion out there too, and you guys can agree or tell me I'm nuts. (My wife tells me that all the time, so don't worry, you won't hurt my feelings).

In my time at ESPN, I've had many people tell me Chargers fans are not very passionate. Well, after looking at my mailbag, I beg to differ. Tomorrow, I'll post the comments I received on "Marty Ball" and let Chargers fans across the nation speak their piece. Who knows, maybe he will read this thing and take your advice.
For now, let's check in on some other topics in the AFC West. Feel free to sound off.
Kansas City Chiefs

Huard

OK, Chiefs fans. It's your turn. I have a little scenario I want to throw out there. Over the past two weeks a quarterback has posted solid numbers in leading this team, and his name is not Trent Green. In 2 1/2 games at the helm, Damon Huard has completed 47 of 66 passes (71.2 percent) for 481 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. His passer rating is an outstanding 106.9.

Now, this idea might be moot if the Chiefs lose this week -- or if Green isn't ready to come back next week, a distinct possibility -- but for argument's sake, let's say they beat the Cardinals in Arizona and Huard puts up more excellent numbers. He will have won back-to-back games, but if Green is ready to come back, what should head coach Herm Edwards do?
Kansas City's schedule after Arizona is brutal, with a road game in Pittsburgh before back-to-back home games against San Diego and Seattle.
Personally, I would stick with the hot hand. I love Green and know how much he means to the organization, but it would be tough to go away from a hot quarterback when the schedule is that daunting. What if Green is not fully recovered and struggles? It would be tough to go back to Huard, because he might feel a little slighted. He also might not be as sharp if he's not taking as many practice reps with the first unit during the week.
What do you guys think? I've put my opinion out there, now sound off.
Oakland Raiders

Moss

It pains me to have to write about the Raiders today. I'm only doing it because I have to. I mean, if Randy Moss doesn't care, and if, as he says, nobody else in the organization cares, then am I not just wasting my time even talking about this team?

The most disturbing thing about that entire Moss story? Moss is a team-elected captain. Are you serious? If the players don't like where he is coming from, then I guess they better choose a captain next year that hasn't given up on his team.
And, really, that is what he has done. I don't care if he goes out and scores three touchdowns this week, either. That would only reinforce my point that his talent is essentially a waste.
If there is a player giving less effort than him on a weekly basis, send me the video proof, because I can't find it.
Sound off on that, Oakland fans!
Denver Broncos

Plummer

I know a lot of Denver fans have been down on Jake Plummer this season, and there are a lot of people who want to see rookie QB Jay Cutler. After his performance two weeks ago, however, that talk should be tossed out the window. I don't even want to hear about Cutler until Plummer plays at least three poor games in a row. This blog has now been deemed a "Cutler-free" zone until further notice.

Here is a Jake Plummer stat for you: Through the first three games of last season, Plummer had two touchdown pass and three interceptions. This season through three games he has two touchdown passes and four interceptions.
Last season from weeks 4 through 11, Plummer threw 11 touchdown passes and zero interceptions. I don't know what all that means, but I am going to go with history on this one. Plummer has been a notoriously slow starter in Denver, and I think with a bye week to fine-tune the offense, he will be ready to hit his stride and start playing at a level that can help this team try to get to the Super Bowl. Sound off on that, Denver fans!

Hache Man · Oct 5, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Updated: Oct. 5, 2006, 2:54 PM ET

A look at Haynesworth and Eagles-Cowboys

By Joe Theismann
ESPN Insider
Archive




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There's no question we play in a violent and emotional sport, but you have to be able to control your emotions when you're playing. It's unthinkable to do what Albert Haynesworth did last week against the Cowboys. The Tennessee Titans defensive tackle disrespected the game, the players and himself with his actions and that's why the suspension was so well deserved.
Coach Jeff Fisher's statements after the fact spoke volumes about the him as a man and coach. I'm sure he realizes this is a young team that isn't going to win a lot of games this season and that will be on the bad end of some routes, but frustration can't take over and cause them to do stupid things.
Now we shouldn't get on a high horse and proclaim that something like this has never happened before, though. We shouldn't act as though this is the first time a football player has crossed the line and done something that was reprehensible on the football field. This isn't a game played by gentlemen. Off the field, most football players are nice, guys you could bring home to meet Mom, but on the field they are closer to Genghis Khan than they are to Dudley Do-Right. I remember times when players intentionally stepped on my passing hand while I was on the ground and have seen players try to gouge out eyes at the bottom of piles.
That's just the nature of the game, it's a skirmish every time the ball is hiked. But what separates Haynesworth's actions is that Andre Gurode was on the ground helpless, with no helmet on and we live in the age of scrutiny for professional athletes. This incident is about more than just a kick in the face. It's about players today needing to to understand that cameras catch everything they do. They're under a microscope that is being filmed and that should be the first thing every professional athlete should understand. This isn't the old days when you could get away with something like that and know that it wouldn't be mentioned the next day in the papers.
Now it's going to be replayed over and over again on "SportsCenter," discussed on talk radio ad nauseum and then put to music on YouTube. Eventually it'll be on DVD and No. 1 in someone's Netflix queue.
These guys need to understand that the minute they sign their contract, they are a target for scurrilous friends and family who want their money and a media that is doing its job by reporting what they do. Yes, that is a lot of pressure and responsibility for a young player, but it's also a lot of money they play for every season. I don't want to sound like an old guy, but if you're making that kind of money you need to be on your P's and Q's constantly. It's stupid not to be.
Cowboys-Eagles

Donovan McNabb summed up this week's game and the hoopla surrounding it perfectly when he said that Terrell Owens is just one player and nothing more.
The Eagles have more to worry about then Owens and his return to the City of Brotherly Love. Sure, all the media attention will focus on him but that's because he's become the Dennis Rodman of the NFL. Everything he says and does has a certain shock value and it's designed to get him more attention. Right now all it's doing is hiding the fact that he's become the perfect complement to Terry Glenn in this offense just like Keyshawn Johnson is the perfect complement to Steve Smith in Carolina. He's not the primary receiver in the Cowboys' offense, but I bet most people think he is because of the media attention that is lavished upon him on a weekly basis. Anyway, enough about Owens, let's talk some football. The Eagles are going to have to play much better football this week than they have in the first quarter of the season. They've played like world-beaters in spurts, but have also struggled mightily at times. They have to get big games from the secondary. Brian Dawkins, Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard have to act as though this is a playoff game. This is the second divisional game the Eagles are playing and they blew the first one against the Giants. There is a saying that says make hay while the sun is shining, and that's what the Eagles must do.
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Hache Man · Oct 5, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Updated: Oct. 5, 2006, 10:05 AM ET
Big Ten puts up big numbers on Big Board

By Mel Kiper Jr.
Special to ESPN.com
Archive




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A fairly quiet week on my Top 25 Big Board. The only addition this week is Michigan linebacker David Harris, who continues to show why he is one of the best defensive players in the Big Ten. <OFFER>
The Big Ten conference leads with seven players in the Top 25. One player who has dropped drastically from that conference is quarterback Drew Stanton. Two weeks ago he was No. 4 on the board, but after two sub-par performances against Notre Dame and Illinois, Stanton has dropped out of the Top 20.

1. Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame (6-3?, 225) | previous: Same
Poised, smart and at his best in pressure situations. After a comeback against Michigan State, Quinn had a solid outing against Purdue.

2. Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin (6-6?, 313) | previous: Same
Huge, quick and athletic with a long wingspan.

3. Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson (6-4?, 260) | previous: 4
Flashes dominating ability with his athleticism and quickness.

4. Quentin Moses, DE, Georgia (6-4, 254) | previous: 3
Mature, hard working and explosive off the edge.

5. Levi Brown, OT, Penn St. (6-4?, 325) | previous: 6
Steady and reliable at protecting the quarterback's blind side.

6. Kenny Irons, RB, Auburn (5-10?, 199) | previous: 5
Deceptively strong with great vision and balance. Two TD and 117 yards in hard-fought win over South Carolina.

7. Leon Hall, CB, Michigan (5-11, 193) | previous: 8
Tough customer who also shows very good anticipation and awareness in coverage.

8. Marcus McCauley, CB, Fresno St. (6-0?, 200) | previous: 7
He has the size and speed (4.33 40-yard dash) with outstanding coverage technique.

9. Quinn Pitcock, DT, Ohio St. (6-3, 297) | previous: Same
Run-stuffing dynamo who does a great job of clogging the interior.

10. LaRon Landry, DB, LSU (6-1?, 205) | previous: Same
Four-year starter who has proven to be Mr. Reliable throughout his career.

11. Jeff Samardzija, WR, Notre Dame (6-4?, 215) | previous: 12
Super hands and concentration with outstanding speed-to-size ratio.

12. Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska (6-6, 298) | previous: 14
You just don't see many defensive ends carrying 300 pounds who can move as well as Carriker.

13. Tom Zbikowski, S, Notre Dame (5-11?, 212) | previous: Same
An aggressive ball hawk who brings a swagger to the Irish's defense. A true play-maker who also excels as a punt returner.

14. Brian Leonard, Rutgers, (6-1, 239) | previous: 18
He will presnet the NFL with a tremendous amount of versatility, either as a traditional fullback or he could operate as an H-Back.

15. DeMarcus "Tank" Taylor, DT, NC State (6-2?, 310) | previous: 19
Extremely quick and very powerful. A player on the rise, Taylor was a one-man wrecking crew against Boston College. I'm eager to see him against Florida State.

16. Daymeion Hughes, CB, California (6-0, 187) | previous: 20
Big-play cornerback for the Golden Bears. Finished strong in 2005 and it has carried over to this season. Hughes has five INT in five games.

17. Paul Posluszny, LB, Penn St. (6-1?, 235) | previous: 21
A productive and consistent player who studies and prepares as thoroughly as anybody.

18. Aaron Rouse, S, Virginia Tech (6-4, 218) | previous: 17
Incredible physical specimen with rare computer numbers.
19. David Harris, LB, Michigan (6-2, 240) | previous: unranked

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Michigan's David Harris is a big reason why the Wolverines are 5-0.

Fast, strong and very productive, Harris has been one of the elite defensive players in the Big Ten this season.

20. Patrick Willis, LB, Mississippi (6-2, 235) | previous: 16
Tackling machine with great football sense and diagnostic ability.

21. Ryan Harris, OT, Notre Dame (6-4?, 297) | previous: 15
Light on his feet with a defensive mentality. Harris neutralizes quick outside pass rushers.

22. Drew Stanton, QB, Michigan St. (6-3, 232) | previous:11
Desire to win is unmatched. Stanton brings every intangible you want at the QB position, but has not looked solid in losses to Notre Dame and Ilinois.

23. Kyle Young, C, Fresno State (6-5, 339) | previous: 22
Experienced anchor on the Bulldogs offensive line. Great physical skills and extremely durable. (Young has made 42 straight starts.)

24. Justin Harrell, DT, Tennessee (6-4 ?, 302) | previous: Same
Prior to going down with a season-ending injury (torn biceps), Harrell was performing at the level you would expect from a first-round draft pick.

25. Michael Bush, RB, Louisville (6-2, 250) | previous: Same
He carried a first-round grade before breaking his leg in the first game of the season. If his rehabilitation goes well, Bush will be an intriguing prospect for next April's draft.
Dropped
Buster Davis, LB, Florida State (5-10, 242) | previous: 23
Rock-solid player who is off to a phenomenal start. A shorter version of Ray Lewis.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 5, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Updated: Oct. 5, 2006
NFL teams recognizing Everett's talent

By Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.
Archive




<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
Earl Everett has always possessed an impressive combination of size, speed and athleticism. But despite recording 196 tackles during his first three seasons at Florida, there was concern entering Everett's senior year that he lacked ideal recognition skills.
Through five games this fall, Everett is doing everything in his power to erase those doubts. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound weakside linebacker has been a ballhawk for the Gator defense, as he is diagnosing plays more quickly and taking fewer false steps.
If his strong play continues, Everett could get drafted as high as the second round in a strong class of linebackers that includes Paul Posluszny (Penn State), Patrick Willis (Mississippi), LaMarr Woodley (Michigan) and Rufus Alexander (Oklahoma).

Overrated: Steve Breaston, WR/RS, Michigan
Breaston's production dipped significantly as a junior in 2005, but there was speculation that he was battling through a painful shoulder injury that limited him throughout much of the season. With that in mind, there was hope for Breaston regaining his form as a senior this fall. Unfortunately that has not been the case through five games.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound wideout is not separating from man coverage as frequently as he should and his failure to generate yards after the catch has been puzzling. His production has been solid but unspectacular in the return game, and his average of 9.6 yards per catch this season is glaring.
Making matters worse, Breaston recorded pedestrian 40-yard dash times -- high 4.4's to low 4.5's -- in the spring. At this point, Breaston can be considered nothing more than a second-day prospect.
Sleeper of the week: Travarous Bain, DC, Hampton
Bain began his career at Miami (Fla.) before transferring to Hampton prior to the 2005 season. He earned first-team All-MEAC honors with 13 passes broken up last year and has been impressive so far this fall.
The senior cornerback notched a timely interception that he returned to the Delaware State 1-yard line in Hampton's 29-14 win last Saturday. The interception was his fourth in as many games this season. Bain needs to get bigger and stronger, and his technique needs polishing. However, Bain displays impressive speed (4.44 in the 40) and agility for a 6-foot cornerback. Strong performances during postseason all-star games and workouts could land Bain a spot on Day 1 of next April's draft.

Can't miss individual matchup:
Texas ROT Justin Blalock vs. Oklahoma LDE C.J. Ah You
Adrian Peterson, Malcolm Kelly, Limas Sweed and Jamaal Charles are just a few of the star skill players who will be on display in Saturday's 101st edition of the Red River Rivalry. NFL scouts will be keeping a close eye on the trenches, where Blalock will frequently do battle with Ah You on the perimeter.
Blalock ranks as one of the top-five senior offensive line prospects in next year's draft class. He's a four-year starter with good size, power, balance and technique. The biggest knock on Blalock is his lack of agility, though. In fact, there's speculation regarding his potential to play tackle at the next level. If NFL teams view him only as a guard, Blalock's stock will drop. So Blalock needs to take advantage of the opportunity to showcase his skills against a formidable opponent like Ah You.
Ah You had a breakout season filling in for the injured Larry Birdine at right end in 2005, when he started all 12 games as a first-year JUCO transfer and finished with 45 tackles, including seven sacks. With Birdine returning to the staring lineup the Sooners switched Ah You over to left end and the transition has not gone smoothly. Through four games this season Ah You has only six tackles and zero sacks. He needs to pick up the pace in order to warrant Day 2 consideration in the 2007 NFL draft. Showing up Blalock would be a good start.

2007 NFL draft news and notes:
? Clemson wide receiver Chansi Stuckey, a late first-day draft prospect, broke his foot while making a cut in practice this week. He underwent surgery on Wednesday and is expected to miss up to five weeks. Stuckey had a breakout season with 64 receptions as a junior in 2005. He was off to a fast start this fall with 25 catches for 331 yards and three touchdowns before the injury.

? News out of Tempe has not been good recently, as Arizona State has lost two players -- OT Andrew Carnahan and DE Loren Howard -- to injuries. Carnahan suffered a right knee injury against California (9/23) that will sideline him for the remainder of the season. Carnahan had started 37 games for the Sun Devils, but he did miss three games in 2005 due to a dislocated wrist. He was considered an early Day 2 prospect prior to the injury.
Howard's setback, on the other hand, came during practice leading up to the California game, as he re-aggravated a quadriceps injury that kept him out of the first four games. He reportedly will apply to the NCAA for a sixth season of eligibility. This is yet another setback in roller-coaster of a collegiate career for Howard, who began his career at Northwestern before transferring to Arizona State in 2005. Howard missed time in 2004 with an ankle injury that required surgery and he missed the entire 2005 season with a knee injury that also called for surgery.
? Pittsburgh OG John Simonitis suffered a season-ending ankle injury in last week's 45-3 victory over Toledo. Simonitis entered the season as a fringe late-round pick and most likely will go undrafted following the injury. <TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=430 border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000" colSpan=5>Scouts Inc.'s Top 32</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width="5%">RANK</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width="35%">NAME</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width="10%">POS</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width="10%">CLASS</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width="30%">SCHOOL</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999" width="10%">PREV</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">1.</TD><TD width="35%">Brady Quinn</TD><TD width="10%">QB</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Notre Dame</TD><TD width="10%">1</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">2.</TD><TD width="35%">Joe Thomas</TD><TD width="10%">OT</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Wisconsin</TD><TD width="10%">2</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">3.</TD><TD width="35%">Marcus McCauley</TD><TD width="10%">DC</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Fresno State</TD><TD width="10%">3</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">4.</TD><TD width="35%">Quentin Moses</TD><TD width="10%">DE</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Georgia</TD><TD width="10%">6</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">5.</TD><TD width="35%">Leon Hall</TD><TD width="10%">DC</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Michigan</TD><TD width="10%">4</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">6.</TD><TD width="35%">Kenny Irons</TD><TD width="10%">DC</TD><TD width="10%">RB</TD><TD width="30%">Auburn</TD><TD width="10%">8</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">7.</TD><TD width="35%">Quinn Pitcock</TD><TD width="10%">DT</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Ohio State</TD><TD width="10%">12</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">8.</TD><TD width="35%">Levi Brown</TD><TD width="10%">OT</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Penn State</TD><TD width="10%">5</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">9.</TD><TD width="35%">Gaines Adams</TD><TD width="10%">DE</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Clemson</TD><TD width="10%">11</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">10.</TD><TD width="35%">Paul Posluszny</TD><TD width="10%">LB</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Penn State</TD><TD width="10%">9</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">11.</TD><TD width="35%">Drew Stanton</TD><TD width="10%">QB</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Michigan State</TD><TD width="10%">7</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">12.</TD><TD width="35%">LaRon Landry</TD><TD width="10%">S</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">LSUe</TD><TD width="10%">10</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">13.</TD><TD width="35%">Jeff Samardzija</TD><TD width="10%">WR</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Notre Dame</TD><TD width="10%">14</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">14.</TD><TD width="35%">LaMarr Woodley</TD><TD width="10%">DE</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Michigan</TD><TD width="10%">13</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">15.</TD><TD width="35%">Patrick Willis</TD><TD width="10%">ILB</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Mississippi</TD><TD width="10%">17</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">16.</TD><TD width="35%">Adam Carriker</TD><TD width="10%">DE</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Nebraska</TD><TD width="10%">18</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">17.</TD><TD width="35%">Ryan Harris</TD><TD width="10%">OT</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Notre Dame</TD><TD width="10%">20</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">18.</TD><TD width="35%">Tim Crowder</TD><TD width="10%">DE</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Texas</TD><TD width="10%">22</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">19.</TD><TD width="35%">Brandon Meriweather</TD><TD width="10%">S</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Miami (Fla.)</TD><TD width="10%">15</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">20.</TD><TD width="35%">Justin Blalock</TD><TD width="10%">OT</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Texas</TD><TD width="10%">16</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">21.</TD><TD width="35%">Aaron Rouse</TD><TD width="10%">S</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Virginia Tech</TD><TD width="10%">19</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">22.</TD><TD width="35%">Marcus Thomas</TD><TD width="10%">DT</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Florida</TD><TD width="10%">24</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">23.</TD><TD width="35%">Tom Zbikowski</TD><TD width="10%">S</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Notre Dame</TD><TD width="10%">28</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">24.</TD><TD width="35%">Buster Davis</TD><TD width="10%">ILB</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Florida State</TD><TD width="10%">23</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">25.</TD><TD width="35%">Michael Griffin</TD><TD width="10%">S</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Texas</TD><TD width="10%">26</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">26.</TD><TD width="35%">Earl Everett</TD><TD width="10%">OLB</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Florida</TD><TD width="10%">31</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">27.</TD><TD width="35%">Rufus Alexander</TD><TD width="10%">OLB</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Oklahoma</TD><TD width="10%">27</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">28.</TD><TD width="35%">Aundrae Allison</TD><TD width="10%">WR</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">East Carolina</TD><TD width="10%">32</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">29.</TD><TD width="35%">Amobi Okoye</TD><TD width="10%">DT</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Louisville</TD><TD width="10%">NR</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">30.</TD><TD width="35%">Tank Tyler</TD><TD width="10%">DT</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">N.C. State</TD><TD width="10%">NR</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">31.</TD><TD width="35%">Troy Smith</TD><TD width="10%">QB</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Ohio State</TD><TD width="10%">NR</TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width="5%">32.</TD><TD width="35%">Joe Staley</TD><TD width="10%">OT</TD><TD width="10%">SR</TD><TD width="30%">Central Michigan</TD><TD width="10%">29</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 5, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Updated: Oct. 5, 2006, 9:19 AM ET

Top 5 seniors by position

By Mel Kiper Jr.
Special to ESPN Insider
Archive




<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Quarterbacks[/FONT]
1. Brady Quinn, Notre Dame
2. Drew Stanton, Michigan State
3. Troy Smith, Ohio State
4. Trent Edwards, Stanford
5. Kevin Kolb, Houston

<OFFER>

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Running Backs[/FONT]
1. Kenny Irons, Auburn
2. Michael Bush, Louisville (injured)
3. Tony Hunt, Penn State
4. Selvin Young, Texas
5. Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Fullbacks[/FONT]
1. Brian Leonard, Rutgers
2. LeRon McClain, Alabama
3. Jason Snelling, Virginia
4. Bryson Davis, Mississippi State
5. Obi Oluigbo, Michigan

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Wide Receivers[/FONT]
1. Jeff Samardzija, Notre Dame
2. Aundrae Allison, East Carolina
3. Paul Williams, Fresno State
4. Rhema McKnight, Notre Dame
5. Dwayne Bowe, LSU

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Tight Ends[/FONT]
1. Matt Spaeth, Minnesota
2. Joe Newton, Oregon State
3. Scott Chandler, Iowa
4. Martrez Milner, Georgia
5. Clark Harris, Rutgers

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Offensive Tackles[/FONT]
1. Joe Thomas, Wisconsin
2. Levi Brown, Penn State
3. Ryan Harris, Notre Dame
4. Joe Staley, Central Michigan
5. Doug Free, Northern Illinois

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Offensive Guards[/FONT]
1. Ben Grubbs, Auburn
2. Josh Beekman, Boston College
3. Justin Blalock, Texas
4. Arron Sears, Tennessee
5. Tim Duckworth, Auburn

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Centers[/FONT]
1. Kyle Young, Fresno State
2. Doug Datish, Ohio State
3. Enoka Lucas, Oregon
4. Ryan Kalil, USC
5. Leroy Harris, NC State

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Defensive Ends[/FONT]
1. Gaines Adams, Clemson
2. Quentin Moses, Georgia
3. Adam Carriker, Nebraska
4. Victor Abiamiri, Notre Dame
5. Ray McDonald, Florida

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Defensive Tackles[/FONT]
1. Quinn Pitcock, Ohio State
2. Tank Tyler, NC State
3. Justin Harrell, Tennessee (injured)
4. Marcus Thomas, Florida
5. Amobi Okoye, Louisville

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Inside Linebackers[/FONT]
1. David Harris, Michigan
2. Patrick Willis, Mississippi
3. Buster Davis, Florida State
4. Kelvin Smith, Syracuse
5. Nate Harris, Louisville

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Outside Linebackers[/FONT]
1. Paul Posluszny, Penn State
2. Earl Everett, Florida
3. KaMichael Hall, Georgia Tech
4. Rufus Alexander, Oklahoma
5. Juwan Simpson, Auburn

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Cornerbacks[/FONT]
1. Leon Hall, Michigan
2. Marcus McCauley, Fresno State
3. Daymeion Hughes, Cal
4. Tanard Jackson, Syracuse
5. Fred Bennett, South Carolina

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Safeties[/FONT]
1. LaRon Landry, LSU
2. Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame
3. Aaron Rouse, Virginia Tech
4. Brandon Meriweather, Miami
5. Michael Griffin, Texas

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Place-Kickers[/FONT]
1. Mason Crosby, Colorado
2. Justin Medlock, UCLA
3. Andrew Wellock, Eastern Michigan
4. Brian Wingert, Northern Iowa
5. Mike Barrow, Idaho (injured)

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Punters[/FONT]
1. Kody Bliss, Auburn
2. Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor
3. Adam Podlesh, Maryland
4. Adam Graessle, Pittsburgh
5. Chris Beckman, Tulane

Top 5 Juniors By Position
Asterisk denotes third-year sophomores eligible for the draft.

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Quarterbacks[/FONT]
1. Brian Brohm, Louisville
2. Chad Henne, Michigan
3. John David Booty, USC
4. JaMarcus Russell, LSU
5. Dennis Dixon, Oregon
5a. Erik Ainge, Tennessee

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Running Backs[/FONT]
1. Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma
2. Marshawn Lynch, California
3. Andre Brown, NC State*
4. Antonio Pittman, Ohio State
5. Dwayne Wright, Fresno State
5a. Mike Hart, Michigan

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Fullbacks[/FONT]
1. Owen Schmitt, West Virginia
2. Michael Pitre, UCLA
3. Peyton Hillis, Arkansas
4. Jacob Hester, LSU
5. Justin Valentine, Minnesota

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Wide Receivers[/FONT]
1. Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech
2. Ted Ginn Jr., Ohio State
3. Dwayne Jarrett, USC
4. Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio State
5. Limas Sweed, Texas
5a. Sidney Rice, South Carolina*

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Tight Ends[/FONT]
1. Zach Miller, Arizona State
2. Greg Olsen, Miami
3. Martin Rucker, Missouri
4. Fred Davis, USC
5. Kory Sperry, Colorado State
5a. John Carlson, Notre Dame

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Offensive Tackles[/FONT]
1. Jake Long, Michigan
2. Sam Baker, USC
3. Jared Gaither, Maryland*
4. Barry Richardson, Clemson
5. Kirk Barton, Ohio State
5a. Gosder Cherilus, Boston College

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Offensive Guards[/FONT]
1. Will Arnold, LSU
2. Brandon Rodd, Arizona State
3. Jordan Grimes, Purdue
4. Andrew Crummey, Maryland
5. Shannon Tevaga, UCLA

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Centers[/FONT]
1. Tony Brinkhaus, Minnesota
2. John Sullivan, Notre Dame
3. Samson Satele, Hawaii
4. Doug Legursky, Marshall
5. Adam Spieker, Missouri

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Defensive Ends[/FONT]
1. Charles Johnson, Georgia
2. Jarvis Moss, Florida
3. Lawrence Jackson, USC
4. Tommy Blake, TCU
5. Jamaal Anderson, Arkansas
5a. Kenny Iwebema, Iowa

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Defensive Tackles[/FONT]
1. Glenn Dorsey, LSU
2. Alan Branch, Michigan
3. Marcus Harrison, Arkansas
4. Andre Fluellen, Florida State
5. Frank Okam, Texas
5a. DeMario Pressley, NC State

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Inside Linebackers[/FONT]
1. Jonathan Goff, Vanderbilt
2. Brandon Siler, Florida
3. Vince Hall, Virginia Tech
4. Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina
5. Nelson Coleman, Tulsa
5a. Luke Sanders, LSU

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Outside Linebackers[/FONT]
1. Dan Connor, Penn State
2. Lawrence Timmons, Florida State
3. Ali Highsmith, LSU
4. Keith Rivers, USC
5. Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Cornerbacks[/FONT]
1. Zack Bowman, Nebraska (injured)
2. Eric Wright, UNLV
3. Antoine Cason, Arizona
4. Darrelle Revis, Pittsburgh
5. Dwight Lowery, San Jose State
5a. Jonathan Wilhite, Auburn

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Safeties[/FONT]
1. Reggie Nelson, Florida
2. Thomas DeCoud, California
3. Josh Barrett, Arizona State
4. Nehemiah Warrick, Michigan State
5. Craig Steltz, LSU
5a. Tyrell Johnson, Arkansas State

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Place-Kickers[/FONT]
1. Brandon Coutu, Georgia
2. Sergio Aguayo, UNLV
3. Chris Nendick, Northern Illinois
4. Alexis Serna, Oregon State
5. Art Carmody, Louisville
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Punters[/FONT]
1. Geoff Price, Notre Dame
2. Andrew Larson, California
3. Jared Armstrong, Purdue
4. Ken DeBauche, Wisconsin
5. Todd Flannery, Louisville
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 5, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Bye week came at right time

posted: Thursday, October 5, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh (Week 4) and Cincinnati (Week 5) couldn't have asked for better timing for their bye weeks. Each team had big issues exposed in the season's early going, so getting a chance to work some things out was vital.

Pittsburgh Steelers

After losing to the Bengals in Week 3, the Steelers had two weeks to stew about it. The uncharacteristic crucial mistakes the Steelers made in crunch time to lose a game they easily could have won have not been easy to stomach. Here are some of the issues they were dealing with:

Getting healthy: The Steelers' three most important players -- QB Ben Roethlisberger, WR Hines Ward and SS Troy Polamalu -- all should benefit from the extra week of recovery time. Roethlisberger and Ward needed to work on their timing and to heal their wounds, while Polamalu's shoulder injury should be much less of a hindrance when the Steelers play at San Diego on Sunday night than it was in the previous two games. Polamalu probably will feel pain in the shoulder for the remainder of the season, but his range of motion will improve. He has been playing pretty much with one arm.
The passing game: Roethlisberger and Ward needed to regain their timing and their feel for working together. With Roethlisberger having missed time after his motorcycle accident and then his emergency appendectomy, and Ward having missed time in training camp and preseason with his hamstring, these two really haven't had the opportunity to put in valuable work time.
Another player who should benefit from the bye week is WR Santonio Holmes, the team's first-round draft pick. Holmes has contributed little in his first three professional games, and Pittsburgh needs him to grow up quickly, provide a deep threat and take some of the pressure off Ward.
Develop a second running back: With the exception of the Monday night game in Jacksonville, RB Willie Parker has been outstanding this year, but he isn't built to handle the number of carries he has shouldered to this point. Najeh Davenport was brought in to lessen the load on Parker and add a big, downhill runner to the attack, but he hasn't touched the ball once. Davenport needs to get up to speed with the offense and handle half a dozen carries or so per game. If he isn't the man for the job, Duce Staley needs to be activated and given carries. This situation is a bit precarious.
Special teams: Pittsburgh's special teams have been among the worst in the league this year. The coverage teams have missed tackles and allowed too many big runbacks, and their returners have done very little and haven't made a big play. Worst of all, Ricardo Colclough badly muffed a punt against Cincinnati, which might have cost the Steelers a crucial football game. Colclough will no longer return punts. That responsibility will fall to one of the Steelers' rookie wide receivers, Holmes or Willie Reid. The bye week should help both young players gain more familiarity with what is expected of them at this level.
Pittsburgh has won four of its last five games following a bye week, including last year's Monday night victory at San Diego.
Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are 2-1 but were dominated at home by New England on Sunday and need this bye week to cure two major problems.

Pass Protection: Quarterback Carson Palmer is getting hit -- and getting hit hard -- far too often. Protection has been an extreme strength in recent years, and Palmer has a very talented and experienced group -- offensive line, tight ends and fullbacks -- protecting him. So why are defenses getting to the Bengals' franchise quarterback this year?
LOT Levi Jones missed some time with an ankle injury and has not looked at all like his normal self since coming back from the injury. When right, he keeps Palmer's blind side clean with fine athletic ability and quick, light feet. He hasn't shown those skills since the injury. This week off should do him a lot of good.
Also, the glue of Cincinnati's offensive line, OC Rich Braham, injured his knee, and his ability to make line calls and adjustments has been dearly missed. Palmer has been getting hit cleanly by blitzers who simply have been missed by the blocking scheme. Braham's injury looks like it will linger, but replacement OC Eric Ghiaciuc should use this week off to get in the film room with his coaches and clear up any communication problems.
Run Defense: This has been the Bengals' biggest weakness for some time, and the problem doesn't seem to be getting any better. First, the Bengals allow far too many big cutback runs because they are not disciplined with their assignments and often overpursue, which leaves gaping holes on the backside. MLB Odell Thurman was guilty of this a lot in 2005, but he hasn't played all season due to suspension. The current linebackers have not been much better.
Injuries also have taken their toll on the run defense. The Bengals knew they were going to be without Thurman and moved starting OLB Brian Simmons to the middle, where he will stay for the rest of the year. OLB David Pollack was slated to start on the strong side, but he was lost for the season to injury. Rashad Jeanty now starts on the strong side, but he missed last week's game, as well. Cincinnati also has been without its best run-support safety in Dexter Jackson. Both Jeanty and Jackson should be back to full strength after the bye week.
Another linebacker who should benefit from the extra practice time is rookie Ahmad Brooks, who is dripping with talent and has the skill-set to play any of the three linebacker spots. He could begin to play a bigger role as the season progresses, probably on the strong side.
Lastly, NT Sam Adams was brought in to anchor the middle and force double-teams, which would free the linebackers to make more plays against the run. Well, Adams also has battled injury, hasn't gotten into good enough playing shape to string together many plays in a row and has spent far too much time on the ground when he is in the game. A player of Adams' age and proportions is tough to count on to stay healthy and contribute over a long stretch of time.
The bye week will help the Bengals' run defense, but this will never be a team strength this season. The bye week should also help a few other key players. Although QB Palmer has looked great, the week off certainly will help the continued rehabbing of his left knee. WR Chad Johnson also has taken some brutal hits so far this year, and the time off will be great for healing his bumps and bruises.

Hache Man · Oct 5, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/4/06)

Can the Jags' problems be fixed?

posted: Thursday, October 5, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Jacksonville Jaguars

After starting the season 2-0, Jacksonville suffered losses to the Indianapolis Colts and the Washington Redskins to place themselves two games behind the 4-0 Colts. The loss at Indianapolis, was a heart breaker, with the game going down to the last minute to decide the winner. And that was less than a week after winning a tough, hard fought Monday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The week after the loss at Indianapolis, the Jaguars dropped a tough, overtime game to the Redskins.

Is this reason to panic or to second guess their master plan? I don't think so. First of all, the loss to Indianapolis was an away game and the Jaguars did a pretty good job of keeping one of the most potent offenses to a mere 21 points. The secondary, with the help of a good pass rush, held Peyton Manning to a quarterback rating of 79.9, well below his career and season average. The running game put up good numbers, gaining 191 yards against the Colts, but the passing game suffered. QB Byron Leftwich had a sub-par game even though he completed 57 percent of his passes. Leftwich averaged 6.7 yards per completion while Manning averaged 15.6 yards per completion. Manning suffered no interceptions, while Leftwich was picked off twice.

In the Redskins game, it was the complete opposite. Their running game was nonexistent (32 yards on 16 carries) while Leftwich was 20-for-34 with three touchdowns and one interception, for a quarterback rating of 103.

The defense gave up an uncharacteristic 152 yards rushing and most of the players felt they just made too many mistakes, missed too many tackles and have no one to blame, for the loss but themselves.

It's hard to come back and play on Sunday, after a Monday night game, and very few teams who do are able tp come up with a victory. The Jaguars have suffered their share of injuries, especially on the defensive line and will benefit from a bye week after Sunday's game against the Jets.

While the two losses hurt and the team needs to buckle down, a win on Sunday would leave them 3-2 going into the bye week. As long as they are able to keep Indianapolis in their sights they can feel good in that their next meeting with the Colts will be in Jacksonville.

Hache Man · Oct 5, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 8 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Dolphins' wounds self-inflicted

posted: Thursday, October 5, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Miami Dolphins

All Dolphins coaches, players and fans are looking for answers for their dismal early season. I'm sure every angle of offense, defense and special teams has been studied by every person that has an opinion about this Miami team. Let's look at the glaring lack of offense that has held this team back in four close contests.

One of the main aspects of offense that coaches stress is to be proficient at converting third downs. To do that, a team needs to be in short-yardage situations. Staying out of third-and-long is imperative. After breaking down the four contests of the Dolphins, it is obvious that one of their main weaknesses as an offensive team is self-inflicted.
In Miami's loss to the Texans, the Dolphins had nine meaningful series (not counting kneel-downs or end of the half run-outs). On five of the first seven series, the Dolphins had a penalty or sack that put them in second- or third-and-long, which stalled the offense. Two series resulted in field goals instead of a possible touchdown). The last two drives lasted 11 and nine plays with no penalties or sacks, and those produced a field goal and a touchdown. Miami's third-down conversion rate in that game was 25 percent; Houston's was 56 percent.
In the Dolphins' ugly win over the Titans, Miami had 11 meaningful series. Eight had a penalty or sack that resulted in a stalled drive. The other three produced one touchdown and two field goals. The Dolphins were in second- or third-and-long an awful lot of the time due to self-inflicted mistakes. Miami's third-down conversion rate in that game was 38 percent; Tennessee's was 43 percent.
In the loss to Buffalo, Miami also had 11 meaningful series. Nine of them were short-circuited by either a penalty, a sack (sometimes multiple sacks) or an interception, and one ended in a blocked punt. The Dolphins were in third-and-long virtually the entire game. On Miami's final possession, though, there were no self-inflicted wounds, and the 11-play drive resulted in a touchdown, although it was against a prevent defense. Miami's third-down conversion rate in that game was 40 percent; Buffalo's was 31 percent.
The opening-game loss to the Steelers featured Miami's best offensive showing until the team suffered a meltdown with six minutes left. Miami had 12 meaningful series, and the first nine had only one penalty and one sack and produced 17 points. The last three possessions of the game, though, saw two sacks, two interceptions and one penalty. Pittsburgh returned one of the interceptions for a touchdown that put the game away. Miami's third-down conversion rate in that game was 38 percent; Pittsburgh 's was 47 percent. All aspects of the Dolphins' team need to be improved, but if they can correct the self-inflicted long-yardage situations they put themselves in on offense, they will give themselves a much better chance for positive outcomes.

Hache Man · Oct 6, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 9 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 9 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Friday, October 6, 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>Scouting Matchups: Week 5

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 OCTOBER 8, 2006</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Detroit
at
Minnesota
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Lions at Vikings
Both teams are coming off frustrating road losses. Ironically, Brad Childress, a former offensive coordinator with the Eagles, has his team playing very good defense, while Rod Marinelli, a former defensive line coach in Tampa, has seen his defense struggle.

The Minnesota offense has only scored three touchdowns in four games and Detroit's defense has given over 30 points in the last three games. The good news for the Lions is the Vikings have not scored more than 19 points in a game. The Minnesota defense has only allowed only five touchdowns in four games.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Lions looking for first win

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

Miami
at
New England
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Dolphins at Patriots
This is a huge AFC East contest between a struggling Dolphins team and the new-look Patriots. The early optimism in Miami has been fading quickly due to the poor play of the offensive line and quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Every game has been ugly for the Dolphins this season. The Patriots were impressive last week in Cincinnati. If Miami doesn't improve its offensive output, this could be a lopsided game.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Dolphins to speed things up

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

Tampa Bay
at
New Orleans
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Buccaneers at Saints
New Orleans will continue to spread the field, creating mismatches on the outside. The Buccaneers will counter with their multiple-attacking fronts, while playing physical on the outside in their Cover 2 schemes. In addition, QB Drew Brees will keep the Buccaneers off balance by finding open areas in the short and intermediate passing attack, while the Buccaneers must find creative ways to pressure him.

For the Buccaneers to have success, rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski will need to manage the game effectively and not make critical, game-changing mistakes that result in big plays. Saints defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs will load up against the run and force the Buccaneers' offense to be one-dimensional by attacking through the air.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Gradkowski needs help from run game

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

Washington
at
NY Giants
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Redskins at Giants
The Redskins are on a two-game winning streak and playing with a lot of confidence. Their offense has found its mojo with a healthy Clinton Portis and Mark Brunell, who is making full use of his weapons.

The Giants are coming off a bye and have started their season poorly. The Giants think they are a Super Bowl team, but someone forgot to tell their opponents. There has been some turmoil with players calling out coaches. We will see if the Giants have fixed their problems during the bye. The Giants need a win at Washington to stay in the race for a playoff spot.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Redskins hitting their stride

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

Cleveland
at
Carolina
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Browns at Panthers
The Panthers will look to build on the momentum of their two-game winning streak against an improving Browns team. Browns defensive coordinator Todd Grantham must find a way to contain Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith with a depleted secondary. In doing so, the Browns will need to play four complete quarters defensively. The Panthers will continue to rely on RB DeShaun Foster to set up the play action pass. WR Braylon Edwards and TE Kellen Winslow have shown big-play ability, but they can be neutralized if Carolina is able to get to QB Charlie Frye.

Cleveland must find a way to protect Frye against a very good Panthers front seven. Defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac will focus on stopping RB Reuben Droughns and turn the Browns offense into a one-dimensional attack.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Panthers rounding into form

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

Buffalo
at
Chicago
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Bills at Bears
This will be a spirited contest between an emerging AFC team and the class of the NFC. The Bears dismantled the NFC Super Bowl team from a year ago last week, making a statement to the rest of the league that not only do they have an outstanding defense, but an explosive offense to boot. New Buffalo head coach Dick Jauron has the Bills playing hard and winning ugly. Buffalo has been in every game and could easily be 4-0.

It would appear to be a big mismatch in Week 5, but the Bills defeated a team that Chicago was lucky to beat in a late comeback rally. Most games in the NFL are about matchups. If Chicago can keep up this level, it could represent the NFC in the 2007 Super Bowl.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Pesky Bills won't back down

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

St. Louis
at
Green Bay
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Rams at Packers
A matchup of two great quarterbacks with St. Louis' Marc Bulger and Green Bay's Brett Favre. Favre is at a crossroad in his career and has been under heavy fire this year with poor performances that have him and the Packers at 1-3. Bulger enters the game without any interceptions through four games and is showing no ill effects from offseason shoulder surgery. The Rams defense has a plus-seven turnover ratio and has shown a new aggressive attitude with much more speed and athletic ability at the defensive back and linebacker positions. Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy badly needs a win to generate some sense of hope and promise for a team struggling to gain its identity.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Bulger should have big day

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

Tennessee
at
Indianapolis
Sun 1:00 PM ET</TD><TD>Titans at Colts
The Titans are still looking for their first win and are coming off a sound beating by the Cowboys. Tthe Colts are still undefeated after winning a barnburner against the Jets. Coach Jeff Fisher started Vince Young against Dallas in an attempt to spark the Titans' offense, but the rookie did not fare much better than Kerry Collins had in the previous three games.

The Colts found their run game against a rather porous Jets defense and are going to try and continue that trend on Sunday. Between not being able to stop the run and not being able to amount any consistent pass rush, the Titans are going to be hard pressed to keep this game close. The Colts, meanwhile, will be looking at this game as a chance to get all their players healthy.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Colts focused on the run

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

Oakland
at
San Francisco
Sun 4:05 PM ET</TD><TD>Raiders at 49ers
The Raiders are running out of teams they have a chance to beat, as they hope to avoid going 0-16. The 49ers present them with another opportunity to get that first victory. After being competitive and seemingly turning the corner, the 49ers were humiliated in Kansas City last week. How will they respond in their return trip home?

This game features two teams that have a long history of disrespect for one another. Oakland owner Al Davis has always despised the team from the other side of the bay and would like for his team's first win to come against their crosstown rivals. Oakland QB Andrew Walter looked nervous in his first NFL start, but the Raiders should hand him the ball again this week and see if he can improve against a 49ers' secondary that is one of the worst in the NFL.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: 49ers must restore pride

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

NY Jets
at
Jacksonville
Sun 4:05 PM ET</TD><TD>Jets at Jaguars
The Jaguars started off hot, beating the Cowboys and Steelers. After those two barnburners they lost a tough game to the Colts and an overtime thriller to the Redskins. The Jets, meanwhile, have two wins but are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Colts. It will be interesting to see how both teams respond to the disappointment of Week 4.

The Jags want to be a strong running team, but were able to rush for only 33 yards (2.2 yards per carry) against the Redskins. They will try and re-establish their power running game against a weak New York run defense.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Edge to Jags in close game

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

Kansas City
at
Arizona
Sun 4:05 PM ET</TD><TD>Chiefs at Cardinals
After obtaining NFC Player of the Week honors in Week 1 when he threw for 301 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, Kurt Warner's poor performances over the past two weeks has cost him his starting job. After their loss on the road against the Atlanta Falcons, there was an official announcement by head coach Dennis Green and his anointment of Matt Leinart as the new starter for the Cardinals.

Leinart was outstanding in his preseason debut and will need to regain his preseason poise to keep the Cardinals close against a Chiefs defense that was stingy last week against the 49ers, holding them to 165 total yards. Running back Larry Johnson is averaging just over 24 carries and 98 yards per game and is on pace for over 1,500 rushing yards in 2006.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: James needs big game

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

Dallas
at
Philadelphia
Sun 4:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Cowboys at Eagles
This is the first game Terrell Owens has played against his former team, and it is in Philadelphia. The fans should have a nice warm Philly welcome for Owens. With a win, the Eagles would be 4-1 and have a good lead on the rest of the teams in the division.

The Cowboys are playing solid football on both sides of the ball and need a win on the road to stay in the hunt for the division title. This game will be a good test for the Eagles' offense because Dallas' defense has been playing at a high level.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Cowboys will prevail in T.O.'s return

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

Pittsburgh
at
San Diego
Sun 8:15 PM ET</TD><TD>Steelers at Chargers
The Super Bowl champions had two weeks to remedy some of what ails them and prepare for this cross-country road trip to San Diego -- the same situation the Chargers had one week ago. Pittsburgh will face a very good team coming off a tough loss in Baltimore, after going ultra-conservative with the lead late in the game. This is the Steelers' third prime-time game out of four.

Because Bill Cowher has been the Steelers' head coach so long, it is somewhat hard to believe that this is a matchup of mentor (Marty Schottenheimer) against apprentice (Cowher). It shows -- these teams have quite a bit in common. They both want to establish a power running game, stop the run on defense with their 3-4 schemes and then attack the quarterback once the offense becomes one-dimensional. It will be very difficult for either offense to get into a rhythm and dictate the tempo of the game.

The Steelers have turned the ball over eight times in three games and will not win this game if that trend continues. This is a very big game for both teams and could have AFC playoff tiebreaker ramifications. Last year, the Steelers beat San Diego 24-22 in a heartbreaker for the home team, which was hosting its first Monday night game since 1996.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Rivers will be tested again

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD colSpan=2>MONDAY OCTOBER 9, 2006</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD align=middle>

Baltimore
at
Denver
Mon 8:30 PM ET</TD><TD>Ravens at Broncos
This game pits two teams that could be meeting again in the playoffs. Denver QB Jake Plummer played much better in his last start, but the Ravens' defense will be the best unit he has seen this season. Ravens QB Steve McNair has led fourth-quarter, game-winning drives the past two weeks. Will this be three in a row?

Tatum Bell has emerged as Denver's feature back and it will be interesting to see how his speed will match up with this Baltimore defense that plays exceptionally well from sideline to sideline. This game also will feature two of the best linebacking units in the NFL.
? Complete advance scouting report
? Take 2: Ravens relying on late-game heroics </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 6, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 9 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 9 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

In search of fresh opinions

posted: Friday, October 6, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers

I love to talk about football and enjoy very much interacting with you, the fans, about your favorite NFL teams. When I was working in the NFL, I often found it interesting when a passionate fan would tell me how I should be doing my job or had an opinion about a player's performance or coach he had evaluated. This week I want to get you involved with questions I have about your favorite NFC South teams. So feel free to play coach or scout this week by using my feedback link at the top of the page. I will post your responses sometime next week. Have a great and safe weekend.

Atlanta Falcons

Quarterback Michael Vick is the most exciting player in the NFL at his position. With the spread-option attack, the Falcons have added a whole new dimension for teams to defend on a weekly basis.

But the question still remains: Does Vick have what it takes to get his team to the Super Bowl? What are your thoughts about Vick and his ability to throw the football from the pocket?
What's the No. 1 thing you look for when evaluating quarterbacks?
Do the Falcons have enough firepower to win the NFC South and go deep into the playoffs?
Let me know.
Carolina Panthers

After starting the season with two consecutive losses, the Panthers have gotten back on track and have a chance to get above .500 this week with a very winnable home game against the Cleveland Browns. So, here are some questions to ponder:

Can QB Jake Delhomme get his team back to the Super Bowl and win it?
What makes Steve Smith so special to the success of the Carolina Panthers offense?
Why haven't the Panthers been able to create more pressure with their four-man rush, other than Julius Peppers?
Will the Panthers win the NFC South?
New Orleans Saints

I've heard from Saints fans over the last few weeks who believe this team has what it takes to make the playoffs. I beg to differ, but I'd like to hear your thoughts. If you're one of the believers, tell me why you think this team has what it takes to win the NFC South.

Why has Drew Brees made such a difference to this offense? Is it the system or his ability to process and react in the pocket?
What are your thoughts about the defense? Do the Saints have enough playmakers on that side to keep them in most games?
Winning in the NFL is not an easy task. Can the Saints handle prosperity by beating a 0-3 Buccaneers team at home this weekend?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Simply put, what's wrong with the Buccaneers? Is Jon Gruden's job under the gun if they can't turn it around? Do they have any hopes of turning it around with rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski?

What would you do differently if you were defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin for a day?
Week 5 predictions

New Orleans 20, Tampa Bay 13
Carolina 21, Cleveland 9
What are your thoughts and predictions for this weekend?

Hache Man · Oct 6, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 9 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 9 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Young, Manning on different paths

posted: Friday, October 6, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans

When the Indianapolis Colts play host to the Tennessee Titans this weekend, there undoubtedly will be comparisons between the quarterbacks. Both were high first-round draft picks, Peyton Manning No. 1 overall in 1998 and Vince Young No. 3 overall last spring, and both were thrust into the starting lineup early in their rookie seasons.

But there are more differences than similarities in their situations.
Manning was a four-year letterman and four-year starter at Tennessee. Young was a three-year letterman at Texas who redshirted as a freshman and started for 2? seasons.
While Manning was very successful in college, he failed to win a national championship and was criticized by some for never being able to win the big game. Young, meanwhile, led Texas to a victory over USC in the Rose Bowl last January to win the national title.
When Manning was drafted by Indianapolis, he was able to take part in offseason drills right away, because he already had earned his degree. He pretty much had the Colts' playbook down by the time he reported to training camp that July. Young still had classes to finish and had to wait until the school year was over to participate in offseason drills with the Titans.
Since Young was named the starter in Week 4, the Titans also have had to scale back their playbook, because he still has so much to learn. While offensive coordinator Norm Chow's playbook is relatively easy to absorb, the playbook Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore uses is considered one of the most complex in the business.
Add to all that the fact that Manning came to a team that had an established receiver in Marvin Harrison and a star running back in Marshall Faulk. Young, on the other hand, has David Givens and Drew Bennett, two adequate, journeyman receivers, and no established star at running back.
Both quarterbacks are physically gifted, with size and strong, accurate throwing arms. Manning is considered one of the smartest quarterbacks ever to play the game, which is evident when you watch him direct his team and audible into successful plays at the line of scrimmage. The book is still out on Young, who played in an offense at Texas that made his reads very easy. If the primary receiver wasn't open, Young was to tuck the ball away and use his athleticism to gain positive yards.
This is not to say that Young won't become a very successful quarterback in the NFL. But it might take him a bit longer to develop than some people think. The tools are there, but how far any player takes them is usually up to the individual.
Not many quarterbacks work harder than Manning in the offseason. We must remember that Manning was somewhat less than stellar in his first year in the league. While he threw for 3,739 yards, 26 touchdowns and completed 57 percent of his passes, he also threw 28 interceptions and had a passer rating of 71.2. People tend to forget that there was a lot of discussion as to who was going to be the better quarterback down the road, Peyton Manning or Washington State's Ryan Leaf. Leaf is out of the game and Manning is still putting up huge numbers

Hache Man · Oct 6, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 9 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 9 New Articles Added 10/5/06)

Chargers Nation sounds off

posted: Friday, October 6, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: San Diego Chargers

This week I asked you guys to sound off on a few topics, and you did just that, in a big way. The Chargers fans are up first, and don't look now, but you have another solid defensive team coming in this week in the Pittsburgh Steelers. When the Chargers play good defensive teams, "Marty Ball" is bound to be in an effect.

Let's see if we can stop it by putting your comments out there. Who knows? Maybe Coach Schottenheimer will read my blog today.
William, San Diego, Calif.: Jeremy, next time, could you please make sure Marty reads your blog before playing the game? Maybe send the Bolts an e-mail reminder. I read your blog before the game and hoped beyond hope they actually would let Philip Rivers throw the ball.
Calvin Wagner, Burien, Wash.: I agree with you on the conservative play calls regarding Marty. Some coach to win and some coach too not lose. Marty falls in the latter. This is why he will never get over the playoff hump.
Donnie, Norman, Okla.: I'm a huge Chargers fan, and your article on Marty Ball stifling the Chargers was exactly right. Well done! Let them play, Marty!
Kojo, San Diego (by way of Tucson, Ariz.): All I can say is, I can't agree with you more. Marty Ball makes me sick to my stomach. With all the talent the Chargers posses on both sides of the ball, you would think Marty would finally grow a pair and get that killer instinct. I think Marty Ball might have worked well in the past, but this is a new NFL, and playing not to lose will no doubt get you more losses that wins.
Dave, San Diego, Calif.: I think the city of San Diego agrees completely. Then you see Marty at his post-game press conference and you realize that he's never going to change. Amazing how (some people) can never learn from mistakes.
Mike, Indianapolis, Ind.: Marty Ball is defined as "playing not to lose." It is killing the team and the players who want to play to win.
Jonathan Shrum, San Diego, Calif.: Dude, I agree 100 percent with what you said. The Chargers are a Super Bowl team. Let Rivers throw! We should have blown out the Ravens. Momentum was with us. Man, that loss hurt.
Jason, San Diego: The essence of Marty Ball is to reduce the game to a few plays which make the difference. If you have a bad team, this is the proper approach. You won't be consistently better than the other team. However, when you have a good team, this is the absolute wrong approach. You want the game to be decided on a large number of plays, because if your team is good, you will make those plays more often than not. I do not have a problem with Marty Ball in general, but what angers me and other Chargers fans is that this team shouldn't play that way.
Scott, California: Marty Schottenheimer hasn't learned a thing in years. This team gives him a chance to finally win a Super Bowl. Instead, he's literally running it into the ground. If they lose to Pittsburgh this weekend, he should be fired.
Rick Douthit, Bend Ore.: A fan's letter to Dean Spanos, President, San Diego Chargers.

Dear Mr. Spanos,
I have been a Chargers fan since the day they came to San Diego. I have remained loyal to the team throughout its entire history. That being said, the coaching of the game against the Ravens was the strongest test my loyalty has yet endured. The reason we fans buy tickets, and, in my case, the NFL Sunday Ticket package, is to be entertained. Instead, under Marty Schottenheimer's coaching, we are relegated to watching the same tired running plays over and over. The term Marty Ball is enough to make any football fan sick to their stomach. You and (general manager) A.J. Smith have assembled arguably the best talent in the league. What a total waste of offensive talent! Marty's own players have publicly spoken out against his play calling! How can this possibly help the team? I disagreed with your decision to keep Marty last year, but I still held out hope he might change. That is no longer the case. He has all but come out and admitted we're in store for more Marty Ball. How exciting is that? What I'm asking, as a paying fan, is that you step up and take a more proactive stance in your dealings with Marty. Bring some excitement back to our Chargers!
Yours truly,
Rick Douthit.

In all the responses I received, there was one in defense of Marty Ball. So, Troy from San Diego, this one is dedicated to you.
Troy, San Diego: Jeremy, first off, thanks for giving the Bolts some blog space. However, I cant help but disagree pretty strongly with your "Marty Ball" blog. While I would never disagree that Marty could sure use some more aggressiveness late in games, I cant say he cost us the Ravens game. If I was the coach, I don't know how comfortable I would have been asking Rivers to air it out in the second half. Forget about the pick early on. He just didn't seem to be as comfortable in the second half. Pressure was starting to collapse the pocket, and his throws were a bit off timing. Two tosses to Vincent Jackson in particular could have sealed the deal on this one had Rivers hit his target. It was Philip's first "real" game, and he just showed some nerves in the late going. I certainly don't think that reflects poorly on him. He just needs some time to get fully acclimated to being The Man. How about the flags that pushed us up against our own goal line before [a bad] snap on the punt forced us to give up the safety? Nate Kaeding's missed kick and the botched hold got us too. Then, to top it all off, Antonio Cromartie goes for the pick while Shawne Merriman goes for the highlight hit, and Todd Heap scoots in for the touchdown right between them. If they stop him at the 3 or 4, there is no way Baltimore gets lined up again with more than 30 seconds or so on the clock, and maybe we hold 'em. I've been watching the Chargers a long time, long enough to remember how longs it has been since we had a coach nearly as good as Marty. When you look back at the miscues the team made, I think Marty had his boys in position to win this game for about 58 minutes. While I certainly think Marty does fail to go for the jugular in close games too often, I wouldn't agree that he lacks a "killer instinct," and I truly think the blame for this loss should be distributed across more shoulders than his alone. If everyone plays a little crisper, we're all talking about how Marty has his team at 3-0 instead of how ruinous Marty Ball is. Thanks for the time and for letting me defend 'Ol Schotty a bit.
There were a ton more responses than these, but we couldn't print 'em all. I hope everyone enjoyed seeing their comments and those from all over Chargers Nation. You guys truly are passionate about your Chargers, and I know I will make sure to remind people of that when I talk about Charger Nation. Everyone have a great weekend.

Hache Man · Oct 9, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/9/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/9/06)

Colts comebacks are a good thing

posted: Monday, October 9, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans

Listen, worried Colts fans, you've got it all wrong. You seem nervous that your Colts are 5-0 but could easily be 2-3; that Indy's past three wins were against inferior opponents and largely thanks to Peyton Manning last-minute TD drives; that the Colts' leading rusher ranks 25th in the league and an offense that has blistered through everyone the past three years - at least until it faces the Pats or Steelers in the playoffs - isn't moving the ball like it used to.

Everyone has their theories why. My friend Bob Kravitz, a great columnist for the Indy Star, writes in wake of the Colts' last-minute comeback against the winless Titans that the Colts are on cruise control.
"I believe they're bored," he writes. "That's right. Bored. And frankly, I can't say I blame them. Let's be honest: No matter how hard this team works, no matter how professional they are, no matter how many leaders they have doing and saying the right things, these players know, way deep down, their ultimate legacy will be written in January."
All of that is true - except for the beginning. I don't think they're bored at all. In fact, I think this type of start is just what the Colts need.
Being 5-0 and struggling is in fact a terrific position to be in. We've seen what happens when the Colts tear up the league for 16 weeks and then can't follow through in the playoffs. Before, every Colt was doing his part. Now, they're going to have to improve. They're going to overcome something:
Themselves.
"To be 5-0 and not playing your best football is a good thing as long as you improve," Manning said after yesterday's game. "If you stay the same way and don't improve, it's going to eventually bite you."
Right now, the Colts have the 25th and 26th leading rushers in the NFL. Dominic Rhodes is averaging 3.5 yards a carry and has scored once. Dwight Freeney, for years the league's most unblockable pass rusher, has yet to record a sack. As a team, the Colts have only eight.
What made the Colts so untrustworthy the past few years is that the wins came too easy. You never knew what would happen if they got knocked around, thrown off their game, especially at home. In many ways, the Colts regular seasons the past two years have been easier than those of the eventual Super Bowl champ. It definitely was last year, as the Colts cruised and the Steelers lost three-straight in the middle of the season before rallying for a playoff run that nobody thought they could complete.
Very few Super Bowl teams cruise through the regular season anymore. The days of the '85 Bears or '89 Niners are over. There's a toughness that the best teams acquire from being tested. Last year, Tony Dungy was facing questions about whether or not to rest his starters for all of December. This year, he's facing questions about why Manning has had to rally the Colts to three-straight last-minute, game-saving drives.
Dungy skipped those questions last year. Want to know why? Because, as Kravitz points out, the Colts weren't faced in a two-minute, comeback situation until the Steelers divisional playoff last year. And everyone knows how that ended.
Believe me, Colts fans, it's better to get that stuff out of the way early.
It's the only way we'll know if Indy can win in any situation, at any time.
Random Stuff

Lots of ticked off players after a Sunday filled with blowouts. Among them:
? Laveranues Coles, for being benched for most of the Jets' 41-0 loss to Jacksonville.
"Anytime I'm not on the field, I'm frustrated," he told the New York Daily News. "It's something (the coaches) have to deal with. It's not me ... I have a role to play. I play it. That's it. I'm just a pawn in a chess game. They move me here and there. They ask me to do something, and I do it."
Coles caught three passes for 19 yards.
? Edgerrin James, for getting only four carries for 10 yards in the fourth quarter in the Cardinals' loss to KC.
"We just got away from the run," James told the Arizona Republic. "That's the stupidest thing. You have to be able to finish the game. You got to give us a chance, you know. That's like something new to me. I thought we played to win the game. You sit back and you wait and you say, 'OK, this is when my opportunity will come, this is when we're gong to wear them down and we're go to play to win the game.' But it's like we're doing the opposite." ? Also, Jeff Darlington writes that one of the reasons why Daunte Culpepper didn't play against the Pats was due to a "heated argument" with Nick Saban during practice on Friday. There aren't too many specifics, with players calling it "family business." But it's another hit on Culpepper's rep. Between the Love Boat, his contract demands, and the fact that in his last 11 games he's thrown 8 TDs, 14 INTs, fumbled 8 times, and been sacked 52 times, no star has dropped more in the past two years.

Hache Man · Oct 9, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/6/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/6/06)

McNabb, and everyone else

posted: Monday, October 9, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Fantasy NFL

How low scoring was Week 5 in fantasy football? Well, let's just say there are going to be a lot of close, low scoring games in fantasy football this week. It's possible the Monday night game could provide big numbers, but the Ravens are involved. Really, what are the chances? Can you see Steve McNair throwing for 300 yards? Or Jake Plummer?

How bad was it in comparison to other weeks?
In Week 1, five players had 22 or more points, led by Frank Gore.
In Week 2, 10 players and a defense had 22 or more points, seven of them quarterbacks.
In Week 3, seven players scored 22 or more, with Brian Westbrook getting 35.
And in Week 4, seven players and a defense scored 24 or more, and two of them reached 35.
So that's 29 players in four weeks to reach at least 22 points, and some topped 30. This week? Um, well, there's Donovan McNabb and the Jaguars defense and that's it. McNabb scored 28 fantasy points with his big day against the Cowboys, and the Jags got a shutout. Third place? Um, there's Fred Taylor and another defense, then future Hall of Famers Damon Huard, Robbie Gould and Hank Baskett. I'm not making this up. Win this week 56-52, and that's OK. Last week with all the points I had a team score 122 points, and it lost. It happens.
The win is the important thing, and I think there's some irony in that all week long, all the attention was on Terrell Owens and the Philly fans, how would he be treated, what would T.O. do after he scored, etc. It's nuts. And then we fast forward to the fourth quarter and see Owens yelling at his coaches and teammates, and there's McNabb scoring all the points and getting the win. Just get the win.
Let's go through the games, starting with the big one, since after that there's not a ton of fantasy scoring to discuss.
Eagles 38, Cowboys 24: The big story in fantasy was not Owens or McNabb leading into the game, but whether Brian Westbrook would or would not play. He did play, but didn't look like himself, which isn't surprising. He missed last week, and as soon as the win was secure, there was immediate (and, according to Westbrook himself unsubstantiated) conjecture that Westbrook would have his troublesome knee scoped this week and sit the next three games, then return in Week 10. It makes sense, if it happens. Can Westbrook go on like this all season, not practicing and playing in pain? The Eagles are 4-1, not a safe 4-1, but the way McNabb is playing, maybe it's wise to get Westbrook fixed for December. More on this story to come in the next few days.
MVP: Not only was McNabb the MVP of this game, he's the MVP of the season in the NFL so far. Who else? Sure, the Colts and Bears haven't lost, but you think Peyton Manning or Rex Grossman are more valuable? Manning doesn't have the numbers. Grossman has the best defense. It's McNabb. He entered the week a startling 26 fantasy points ahead of anyone else, and best I can tell with quick math, that lead will now be 39 points over the next guy, Grossman. If you have McNabb, you'd better be 4-1, at least.
LVP: Well, this isn't personal, but for all the pregame talk, Owens caught only three passes, and dropped plenty more. Drew Bledsoe was no prize either with three interceptions, but at least he ran for a score. Nothing to worry about here, as Dallas can clearly move the ball effectively and Bledsoe, 100-yard rusher Julius Jones, a pair of receivers and tight end Jason Witten all have significant fantasy value.
Interesting: Donte' Stallworth was inactive again, but at least fantasy owners had enough of a hint that would happen going in. Who's this Hank Baskett fella? It's a great story, but in reality the Philly wide receiver crew is a shared situation. Baskett caught the 87-yard touchdown, but last week Greg Lewis scored twice and next week there might be another hero. Philly wide receivers are much like New England's, you shouldn't depend on them in fantasy, yet the team wins. I could write yet again that McNabb was a top five fantasy quarterback for years before Owens showed up, but you know this already, right? Right?!?
Chiefs 23, Cardinals 20: Solid effort for newbie Matt Leinart, who completed his first six passes, two for touchdowns, and drove the team to what could have been a game-tying field goal in the final seconds. Can't blame Leinart for this and if you haven't cut Kurt Warner yet, do it this week. He's not getting this job back. Maybe the Redskins end up trading for him, who knows.
MVP: Damon Huard continues to be very effective in not only the short game, but the entire game. This week he had only 12 incompletions and only McNabb threw for more yards. Impressive. I've been saying for more than a week that it wouldn't surprise me if the Chiefs aren't rushing Trent Green back, but everyone in the know tells me that's crazy, that the minute Green is cleared to return, he starts. Huard has played pretty well, hasn't he? Of course the schedule gets tougher the next few weeks, and nobody wants Green to have a setback, but don't ignore Huard on your waiver wire if the reason is because you think he's lose the job any week now. Might not happen.
LVP: Tony Gonzalez owners are angry yet again, as their difference making tight end is making no difference at all. One catch? One stinkin' catch? C'mon, Ernie Conwell and Visanthe Shiancoe had more catches. Who? Exactly. If Huard was bad, which he's clearly not, then he would be leaning more heavily on Gonzalez. But that's not happening. Gonzalez isn't even a guaranteed start any more. Sad.
Interesting: Check out the starting running backs here and it's odd but, Edgerrin James is the one who did OK, and Larry Johnson did not, even though Johnson had more points. Johnson's expectations remain through the roof, but without the offensive line's help, he's just not the same running back. Last week he needed 30 carries to get to 101 yards in a blowout win, and this week he gets 2.3 yards per carry, with none reaching 10 yards. And there's no indication he's hurt. He did break a 78-yard reception and, on a separate play, catch a touchdown. Great. Now he's Reggie Bush? Can't deal him, just gotta wait. And Edge did exactly what we expect, but to reach double digit fantasy points, his owners aren't angry. Odd.
49ers 34, Raiders 20: I'm pleased Alex Smith bounced back with a nice game. No, his yards don't knock you out, but he threw only four incompletions and had three touchdowns, impressive numbers. He didn't over-rely on Antonio Bryant, either. Nice game. He's making strides, and Week 4 looks like a blip. As for the Oakland quarterbacks, do you think Aaron Brooks even wants to come back and play?
MVP: Frank Gore had some impressive numbers in this one. The most impressive? The number zero, for the fumbles. He rushed for 134 yards and caught the ball, and Michael Robinson offered little, including at the goal line.
LVP: What Raiders would you pick here? The quarterbacks? Who, in their right mind, would have used a Raider QB? LaMont Jordan did OK with 71 yards on too few carries. Randy Moss scored again. It's probably Bryant, Robinson and Eric Johnson from the San Fran side.
Interesting: Before you get any ideas about using the 49ers defense in fantasy, since they did have four interceptions Sunday, note that this was the last ranked fantasy defense entering the week, having not picked off any passes and having allowed the most points in the NFL.
Jaguars 41, Jets 0: OK, I was wrong. I don't know why the Jets played right with the Colts through and through, but the Colts handled the Jags, and then the Jets couldn't even score at Jacksonville. And it was ugly. Chad Pennington threw three interceptions. Fred Taylor looked like Jim Brown. How could the Jets have been so competitive, maybe surprisingly so, then done this? Were they Yankees fans?
MVP: Taylor rushed for 111 yards and scored, and similar to the situation in New England, the older guy is going to keep getting the carries. Maurice Jones-Drew scored twice on short runs, but there's room for both guys in fantasy lineups.
LVP: This is the second time this season a dominating defensive effort in a shutout still featured the losing team having a surprise 100-yard rusher. The first time was Week 1 when Ahman Green did it on the Bears. But for Leon Washington to do it, what does that say about Kevan Barlow? And just when so many fantasy owners were convinced that Barlow was worth playing, since he had scored four touchdowns in the first four games. Nobody had more. Now it looks like Barlow, who was really Mr. Negative with four carries for minus one yard and one reception for another minus yard, is bench material for the Jets, and you. Go get Washington.
Interesting: I had Byron Leftwich in a league and while the two touchdowns are nice, man, I needed more than 140 yards. I find irony in Leftwich and Tom Brady each throwing for the same amount of yards and touchdowns. Every so often Leftwich has a big game, like Brady, but more often than not it's just about the victory.
OK, and now to the 1 p.m. ET games.

Bears 40, Bills 7: OK, this one was pretty bad, so why I thought the Bills would make this competitive, I don't know. I thought J.P. Losman had shown improvement this season. The Bills defense had done a good job. But the Bears steamrolled them. It was embarrassing, 40-0 until the final minute. And that just angered those with the Bears D in fantasy. Oooh, that shutout would have been sweet.
MVP: Can someone give this Robbie Gould guy some credit? I checked the fantasy leaderboard after the early games and it was led by the Vikings defense and a kicker, Gould. Ol' Robbie is now 17-for-17 in field goal attempts after nailing four more Sunday. Remember Neil Rackers from last year? Gould's gonna smash those numbers. It's either Gould or the defense for MVP honors; Rex Grossman, who I finally called a weekly play a few days ago, didn't need to do much, but sprinkled two touchdowns in with his 182 yards.
LVP: I didn't expect much more from Willis McGahee, so his 50 yards is no big disappointment (it is nice to see the four receptions). It's gotta be Losman, who had a negative fantasy day until the touchdown pass to Lee Evans. But it's impossible to judge Losman based on the opponent. Who would have played Losman anyway in this one?
Interesting: Thomas Jones owners need not worry than Cedric Benson had more fantasy points; Jones did all the heavy lifting and topped 100 yards rushing for the first time, looking very good. Then the sophomore got the second-half carries and his second touchdown (he also scored in the second quarter). This is still Jones' job. And don't bet against the Bears at home, where they have outscored opponents 111-20.
Rams 23, Packers 20: Finally, it's an intermediate day for Brett Favre, after two very good games with identical stats of 340 yards and three scores, and two miserable efforts against good defenses in which the Packers didn't score a touchdown. Here Favre got 220 yards and a score, perfectly mediocre. It's about time! What did we learn? Nothing. Favre's worth it under the right circumstances, that's about it.
MVP: Rather than pick another kicker, which is the reasonable thing to do (Jeff Wilkins entered the day with more points than Gould, and had 11 points in this one), let's focus on Marc Bulger. He had the same amount of yards as Favre, but a pair of touchdowns. Most people expected more, actually. But kudos to Bulger for still not throwing an interception. Not a one all season. Who would have guessed that?
LVP: Once fantasy owners knew that Ahman Green wasn't going to play, Vernand Morency became the hot replacement. And why not? All he did was rush for 99 yards on Monday night football a week ago. But Morency fumbled on the first drive, and then it became the Noah Herron show, with the third-string back topping 100 yards on the day and earning a first-quarter touchdown. Keep an eye on Green, because if he doesn't play, it sure appears Herron is the option. Morency was started by too many people, and managed 15 yards.
Interesting: Last week Bulger managed to find both of his main wide receivers enough to get Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce over 100 yards receiving. This week he throws his 18 completions to nine different receivers, with nobody topping three, and the only guy topping 40 yards receiving being Tony Fisher. Yuck.
Colts 14, Titans 13: Pathetic. Give credit to Tennessee for not only making this a game, but a game they could have won. Vince Young rushes for an early score and it's 10-0 at the half. A winless team on the road beating the undefeated Colts? Hard to believe. Maybe this defense is better than people thought. Should we reevaluate Daunte Culpepper after the Titans shut him down? Um, no.
MVP: I don't know when the Titans will settle on a starting running back, but it sure looks like Travis Henry is having a better season than Chris Brown, who didn't even dress for the game. Henry ran for 123 yards and looks like a legit flex running back, at worst, if we know he's the starter. Is it me or doesn't it seem like teams are running on the Colts at will? The Jags went wild on them two weeks ago as well.
LVP: It's a disappointing game for just about every Colt to some degree, but at least the top wide receivers scored, and the running backs had some yards. Dominic Rhodes ran for 84 yards, Joseph Addai 62. Other backs did worse. But for Peyton Manning to only get 166 yards, that's far lower than expected. Chalk it up to a bad day or next time your fantasy stars play Tennessee do we have to remember the Titans?
Interesting: You say Vince Young had a big game? Well, there wasn't much doubt he could run. But 68 yards passing doesn't get it done. If it was 168 yards, maybe the Titans would have won. Young is not a good fantasy play, still.
Vikings 26, Lions 17: The final score is certainly misleading, as it was 17-3 Lions into the final quarter, and 17-16 with only a few minutes left. Then Jon Kitna got back to his old tricks sharing the ball and the score got out of hand. The Lions just aren't real good.
MVP: The Vikings defense ended up a nice play, with 20 points in ESPN leagues thanks to Kitna fumbling a ball on his own one and then the late interception return for a score. But Kitna did deliver two touchdowns, so he was worth playing, more so than Brad Johnson was (depending on how you count interceptions).
LVP: Raise your hand if you played Kevin Jones? Ten carries for eight yards? Kitna ran for eight yards on his lone carry! Looks like Jones is firmly back in the fantasy doghouse. In fairness, he did leave with a concussion, but ultimately it's tough to trust him.
Interesting: Even when they were trailing, the Vikings were able to do what they want to do with Chester Taylor, and he finished with 26 carries and a season-high 123 yards. That's ball control. But the passing game has to be more of a threat for times when sure-handed QBs are the opposition.
Patriots 20, Dolphins 10: In reality, the Dolphins didn't fare any better without Daunte Culpepper than they did with him playing poorly. Joey Harrington threw 41 times, which is only two more times than Culpepper did last week. Now what happens to the quarterback situation next game? It's Culpepper, assuming he's healthy. But the Dolphins didn't lose because of Harrington.
MVP: Sticking with the running theme of the fantasy day, few players had outstanding statistical games. The Pats scored two touchdowns, but we can't present Troy Brown or Heath Evans with awards. Tom Brady gets 140 yards? Yawn. We've gotta leave this blank.
LVP: After last week, when he rushed for 125 yards and two scores, most Laurence Maroney owners had him in the lineup. That was a mistake. Hey, I would have played him as well, but Maroney did little, needing an 11-yard run on his final carry just to average more than two yards per carry. Sure, Corey Dillon only rushed for 45 yards, but Maroney was treated like a fantasy superstar this week. Ah, the life of fantasy rookies.
Interesting: Ronnie Brown continues to anger his fantasy owners who made him a first round pick. Just 39 yards? At least he got into the end zone, which is more than the New England backs managed.
Saints 24, Buccaneers 21: What did Reggie Bush do differently in this game? He got the ball thrown his way more times, ultimately ending up with 11 catches. He wasn't a factor rushing the ball. Oh yeah, he broke a punt return for a score to win the game. That's what we expected from Reggie Bush. One play, late in the game resulted in his first pro touchdown, and now fantasy owners are happy. But in reality, it was the same Bush. If you think you can live with that in your lineup, what would have been 80 total yards and no scores until late, keep him active.
MVP: Deuce McAllister is the star of the game statistically with his 123 yards, 57 coming on one play early on, and a 24-yard TD scamper. Still, McAllister only got 15 carries, which is about his average. Can you believe the Saints are 4-1?
LVP: Rookie Marques Colston entered the day with 51 fantasy points, only four behind the leader among wide receivers, Santana Moss. Colston doesn't get any closer with this game, three catches for 38 yards. Really, Drew Brees had a very short passing game, averaging only five yards per completion. Joe Horn wasn't much better.
Interesting: So that Bruce Gradkowski performance wasn't nearly as bad as you thought, was it? Look, the kid was drafted, he obviously has some ability. He's an NFL quarterback. I had to play him in one league, and I did the research, I thought he'd be OK, which he was with 225 yards and two touchdowns. Joey Galloway caught a touchdown early and later a 52-yarder for another 100-yard day. He appears all or nothing, but as I said a week ago, Gradkowski will help his stats. Even Carnell Williams had a big day with 111 rushing yards. How did Tampa lose this game? Oh that's right, on a punt return by some rookie.
Giants 19, Redskins 3: I saw every wobbly Mark Brunell pass in this one, and it was painful. Even my kids started asking who the Redskins backup was. No turnovers in this game by either team, and the Giants held the ball for so much longer, it was methodical, and boring. Just the type of game the Giants needed.
MVP: Again, I don't want to pick a kicker. And Jay Feely could have done more. Eli Manning played smart, accumulating 256 yards and hitting Plaxico Burress on a touchdown pass. No turnovers. Smart. And no quarterback in the early games had within 20 passing yards of Eli.
LVP: Brunell was terrible. But more people played Santana Moss, who had only three receptions for 39 yards. Other than the big Moss game with three scores, he's been, well, Mark Clayton. Not good.
Interesting: Tiki Barber rushed for 123 yards. In Weeks 2 and 3 against the Eagles and Seahawks, he ran for a total of 115 yards. Not that it matters, he's never going to be on a fantasy bench anyway, right? Right?!?
Panthers 20, Browns 12: Yet another game devoid of statistical goodies. One offensive touchdown. That's it. What is there to say about this game? The Browns defense is clearly better than we expected a month ago. But all Charlie Frye could do was get Phil Dawson four field goals.
MVP: Keyshawn Johnson had more yards than Steve Smith, and scored the game's offensive touchdown. That's all it takes. Don't read much into this, Smith was healthy and still remains a top notch fantasy receiver. He did drop three passes, including one in the end zone, however.
LVP: I expected more from the combo of Frye and Braylon Edwards. Kellen Winslow caught eight passes, so he didn't disappoint.
Interesting: DeShaun Foster owners remained cool on playing him, even after last week's 105 yards, which followed up an 82-yard performance. Why fall in love with the guy for fantasy if DeAngelo Williams is just going to overtake him? Well, Williams left early with an ankle injury, and Foster ended up with season highs in carries and yards (106 yards). Foster's looking underrated. More on Tuesday from the Chargers-Steelers game and Monday night.

Hache Man · Oct 9, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/6/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/6/06)

Hits just keep on comin' in Motown

posted: Sunday, October 8, 2006 | Print Entry

The Lions' season went from bad to worse after Detroit blew a two-touchdown lead in a 26-17 loss to the Vikings. On one play early in the game, the Lions lost wide receiver Roy Williams (back) and guard Damien Woody (foot). Both rode off the field together on the same cart, with no early prognosis of how bad their injuries were. Woody's loss killed the line because it was already down two starters -- Rex Tucker and Ross Verba. That's why Kevin Jones had only eight yards on 10 carries. Williams was visiting with his chiropractor after the game. If they lose him, though, the Lions' offense won't have any chance. Despite drafting three wide receivers in the first round of three consecutive drafts, the Lions played most of the game with Az Hakim and Mike Furrey as their receivers. Toward game's end, Jones suffered a minor concussion. Also lost to injury: defensive tackle Shaun Cody, who dislocated a toe and could be out for some time, and linebacker Paris Lenon (neck).

? Mike Williams also seems to be doomed in Detroit. The 2005 first-round draft choice went into the Vikings game and had a screen pass thrown to him. He didn't catch it and was yanked for the remainder of the game. Williams was inactive the first three games, and all but inactive in the past two. He hasn't caught a pass and hasn't been on the field much. Even though the Lions needed a receiver to fill in for the injured Roy Williams, it's obvious they didn't think Mike Williams was the answer.
? Now that the Raiders are off to an 0-4 start and Randy Moss keeps talking about how the players don't care, expect trade interest in wide receiver Jerry Porter to heat up. The trading deadline is a week from Tuesday. If there is a trade -- which is still remote because the Raiders want Porter to pay back $4 million of his signing bonus -- his best chance is to land in the AFC East. The Patriots are sniffing around, but the Dolphins might be the more active team. Wide receiver Marty Booker hurt his right shoulder Sunday against the Patriots and the Dolphins need to upgrade speed at the position. Porter can obviously offer that. Having lost seemingly winnable games against the Browns and 49ers, the Raiders face the possibility of going 0-9; coming up is Denver (twice), Arizona, Pittsburgh and Seattle. It's time for Oakland to start thinking about next season.
? The Bears are off to one of the most dominating starts in years and it should continue. They are 5-0 and have outscored opponents 156-36. Their next three games are against the Cardinals, 49ers and Dolphins, who are a combined 4-11. The amazing part is the running game is just getting started. I still remember at training camp that Rex Grossman said not to forget Thomas Jones even though Lovie Smith wanted to start Cedric Benson. Jones ranks fifth in the NFL rushing (388 yards on 106 carries) and his numbers keep improving each week.
? Remember how everyone was surprised how visiting teams won 11 of 16 games during the opening week? As it turned out, most of the league's worst teams opened the season at home, which explains the weird start. Awaiting the results of the Chargers-Steelers game, home teams won 10 of 12 games Sunday. For the season, the home team has a 41-31 record, meaning the road team is 10-35 over the past four weeks. As it is every season, there is a home-field advantage.

Hache Man · Oct 9, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/6/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/6/06)

Rams silencing critics

posted: Monday, October 9, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: St. Louis Rams

I have been telling you guys since the preseason to look out for the St. Louis Rams. I know some of you have questioned my knowledge and expertise as a scout, but as I look at the Rams' offense this season, they are moving the ball effectively with Steven Jackson at the helm and Marc Bulger has not thrown an interception this year through five games. That is outstanding! Jackson has to be one of the top running backs in the NFL today, if not the most versatile. He has the size, speed and power as a runner. When he gets his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage, he is able to get downhill and punish defenses. Jackson had 118 all-purpose yards Sunday against Green Bay. With hands to catch the ball out of the backfield, it makes it tough for opposing defenses to bring him down just one tackle.

In the preseason many critics were concerned when the Rams were not able to score a touchdown with their first offensive unit, but the stability in consistency of head coach Scott Linehan has shown to be a great asset for this football team. Players are beginning to buy into his system and now sit atop the NFC West with a record of 4-1.

The only thing I see stopping the Rams right now is themselves. St. Louis enters this weekend's matchup against the Seattle Seahawks with the division lead on the line. If the Rams keep playing as they have, it is not out of the question that they could prevail in victory. In my weekly chat sessions, some people were asking as to the validity of the Rams' defense. I am not much of a person for statistical categories to completely justify how good or bad a team is playing, but I must admit, a team that has forced 13 turnovers like the Rams have, tells me this team is doing something right and is working for them. I expect a good game this week in St. Louis.

Hache Man · Oct 9, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/6/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/6/06)

posted: Monday, October 9, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Kansas City Chiefs

Last week I asked Chiefs fans to sound off on the idea of keeping Damon Huard at quarterback even after Trent Green gets healthy, provided Huard continued to play well. The following responses came in before Huard went out and led Kansas City to its second consecutive victory, 23-20 at Arizona. Huard completed 26 of 38 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns. For the season, he is completing 70 percent of his passes, has five touchdown passes and no interceptions and has a 107.4 passer rating.

Huard

Adam Leimer, Mandeville, La.: That is an interesting theory on keeping in Huard if he is leading the Chiefs to victories, but the difference is that Huard has been doing it for two games, Green for five years. As much as I was pleasantly surprised by Huard's play, I will never give up on Green. Green knows himself better than many other players in this league, and I feel he will know when he is ready and will not rush himself into a situation at the expense of the team. Trent has way too much class for that. Another thing is that Huard's completion percentage is a bit skewed due to all the short passes he makes due to the coaching staff wanting to be careful in not putting too much on his plate. Either way, it is a good point you made.

Dane, Kansas City, Mo.: I say stay with the hot hand. Shoot, even in the first game against Cincy, Huard threw for a TD and Green didn't. Plus I think he's a little more mobile in the pocket than Green. There were a few times in the 49ers game that I'm sure Green would have been sacked or thrown the ball away, when Huard made excellent passes for positive yards. Also, I'm sure Green is going to be extra cautious in his first game back, and that's something that could hurt us. I say give it to the man with the hot hand.

Green

Andrew, Kansas City, Mo.: Trent is the glue for the team. Huard would even agree that Trent should start. It's a no-brainer!

Travis, Des Moines, Iowa: Jeremy, I've got to say that I do agree with you about sticking with the hot hand in a worst-case scenario. As much as he would love to be out there, Green took a major hit which resulted in some serious time away from training and from the field. Bringing him back by subjecting him to the Steelers' line of fire (no mean feat while healthy!) is not an option which will benefit Green long-term or the Chiefs' 2006 hopes. That being said, this is Green's offense and his team; things could change at any moment and this entire reply could be nonsense. So who knows? Lastly, I'm excited about Huard's solid play of late. The more repetitions he gets in this offense, the better he'll be -- which means that the QB position in Kansas City could have a lot more long-term stability (between Huard and possibly Brodie Croyle) than we KC fans originally believed.
Jeff Grigsby, Japan: You hit the nail right on the head. Some Chiefs fans might remember when Elvis Grbac got injured and Rich Gannon came in and won something like eight straight games,. Then playoffs rolled around, and they made Elvis the starter again, and I think we all know what happened. It is all about who is hot and just in the rhythm.
Rob, Gardner, Kan.: I think the fact that Huard is getting the job done reduces the sense of urgency for Green to get back quickly. However, when Trent is 100 percent and is able to practice for several weeks, he should be the starter. Peyton Manning is the only quarterback to put up better numbers over the past five seasons. If this were to happen in Indy, no one would be suggesting that Peyton should lose his job.
Jared, Kansas City, Mo.: Huard has not played nearly as well as his numbers indicate. He's done a solid job of not giving the game away, and that's all you can ask from a backup, but let's not confuse that with him having a hot hand. Four out of every five passes Huard has thrown have been too high -- dangerously too high. We've been lucky to catch most of them and have the rest drop harmlessly to the ground, but this is the NFL. It's not going to work that way forever. I'd wager that if Huard continues his current play and starts the Steelers game, Troy Polamalu will have a field day making interceptions and busting some receivers' ribs. The story isn't our QB play, it's our D play. With Tamba Hali and Jared Allen, we actually have a legitimate pass rush. The DT play is still atrocious, but the rest of the defense has really stepped up. Their play in Denver was about as good as it gets.
Adam, Kansas City: Not to disregard the great play of Huard, but Trent Green will unquestionably start when he comes back, because in his last start Huard played a much-maligned 49ers team with a bad defense, and a lot of the scoring came because of opportune scoring position compliments of the defense. This week the Chiefs face what seems to be an equally inferior defense in Arizona and an offense with a quarterback making his first NFL start. So the Chiefs should play well against Arizona, too. As you said, in the coming weeks they'll face far tougher tests against the Steelers, Chargers and Seahawks, and in those games, you'll see what Trent Green's value is to this team and the leadership he provides.
Jordan, Lexington, Mo.: I have to say that Huard has done infinitely better than I expected when Green went down. That being said, you have to realize that [Mike] Solari has done an even better job coming up with game plans to protect Huard and play to his strengths, which should answer a lot of questions about Solari's ability as an offensive coordinator. However, without the defense performing as well as it has, you can only guess what the outcome of the Denver game would have been. If Green is fully healed and isn't showing any rust in practice, you have to go with him. If there is any question at all about his health, stick with Huard and give Solari the full week to make a solid game plan that allows Huard to continue his success.
Dave, Kansas City: Green will be out for a while longer than that; we in KC have heard he is still dizzy and having headaches. Plus are you really suggesting that he be benched? Just look at his numbers over the past five years; he is one of the premier QBs in this league.
Brian Murphy, Bryn Mawr, Pa.: Jeremy, please don't go there. Trent is the Chiefs' quarterback, end of story. Damon is playing well, albeit in a scaled-down offense. Trent is even suggesting plays to help him look good. You're trying to start a controversy. John, Temecula, Calif.: I think the idea of keeping Huard as a starter is absolutely ridiculous. Green has had many statistics in the top five of the NFL for the last five years and is a true leader who knows this system [better] than his own coordinator. And I'm sure if Green was limited to only dinking and dunking all game instead of looking for the long ball, his rating would be phenomenal. I just don't think you leave in Huard over the man with the better arm, knowledge, leadership and trust because he can throw short passes efficiently. Who would you rather have at 1:30 left, down by 6 -- Green or Huard? Enough said.

Hache Man · Oct 9, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/6/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 4 New Articles Added 10/6/06)

Browns still a work in progress

posted: Monday, October 9, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns

A few observations from what we saw this weekend.

Cleveland
Despite missing their three top cornerbacks and being completely overmatched on paper, the Browns played the Panthers tough on the road. Carolina controlled the tempo of the game, but Cleveland deserves credit for playing hard for 60 minutes.

Second-year safety Brodney Pool started the game at cornerback and didn't appear overmatched. He is a smooth athlete with very good size. He could have a bright future in the league and this was another positive sign from a young player on the Browns' roster.

Joshua Cribbs' role is expanding and he has been a very valuable member of this team. Not only is he an excellent returner, but he is also probably the best overall special teams player on the team. This week he also made two catches from his wide receiver position. He is a keeper.

Charlie Frye was responsible for three turnovers, however these growing pains are something the Browns have to live with. His first interception that bounced off Dennis Northcutt certainly wasn't the second-year quarterback's fault. Northcutt needs to catch that pass and because he didn't, he could be falling out of favor. He has done little to distinguish himself when given playing time.

Julius Peppers owned Ryan Tucker along with anyone the Browns tried putting on him. They had no answer for the best defensive end in the game today.

This team only has one win, but there are certainly some things to build on for the Browns. Just don't expect much this season.

Pittsburgh
The Steelers' defense attacked Philip Rivers in the first half and out-schemed the Chargers' blockers. They overloaded the left side and middle of San Diego's line and got clean shots on Rivers. While that is all well and good, the halftime adjustments clearly went the Chargers' way. The pass rush subsided, Rivers stayed upright and picked apart the defense with precision passing.

Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers' offense showed life. The wide receiver play was improved and Roethlisberger threw the football with more authority than in previous games. He looked healthier and stronger. That being said, he made several inexcusable decisions that sent the Steelers to 1-3. He held the ball too long, didn't sense the rush and was hesitant to take off running. He was clearly outplayed by Rivers.

The Steelers' defense was on its heals in the second half. The Chargers had just eight rushing yards in the first half, but came alive in the second. Led by Rivers, who played an outstanding game, San Diego moved the ball with a precise balanced offense that varied their personnel groupings and kept Pittsburgh's defense guessing.

Troy Polamalu is much healthier and was flying around. He played the game at the speed Pittsburgh has become accustomed to and wasn't hesitant to throw his body into the action. Reportedly his shoulder injury will bother him for the rest of the season, but it didn't slow him down against San Diego. However, he did miss a key tackle very late in the game against Michael Turner when he didn't wrap up which makes you wonder.

The Steelers were simply out manned by Chargers NT Jamal Williams. Even though all three were completely dominated, it is hard to crucify center Jeff Hartings or either guard in this instance. Of course they should have done a better job, but there isn't an interior threesome in the league who would have blocked Williams consistently last night.

At 1-3, the Steelers are already in big trouble in this division and will need a lot of help to get back into contention. They face the Chiefs next week at home and have to win that game.

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

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