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

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Wick's Picks: Week 6

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Anthony Marshall, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFC All-Stars, NFC NFC, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins

This week's rant is about some of the reaction to Cory Lidle's tragic death. It has to do with those who dropped the "athletes think they're invincible" card in trying to explain how Lidle could crash his plane into a skyrise. Comparing Lidle - a licensed pilot who was flying with an instructor - to guys like Kellen Winslow, Jason Williams and Ben Roethlisberger, as many commentators sadly have, is just insane, not to mention disrespectful to Lidle's life.

Two years ago, I hopped into a plane owned by Falcons DE Patrick Kerney, a good guy, a responsible pilot, and not a guy who thinks he's invincible by any means. I wasn't scared flying with Kerney, either. He knew what he was doing. He was extremely careful. And he, like Lidle, had an instructor with him.
People need to breathe deeply and think before they spin off into how millionaires need million-dollar hobbies and athletes aren't worried about safety. Sure, that's true for some guys, but for most it's a lazy stereotype to overcome.
There's no doubt that the questions surrounding Lidle's death need answering, but let's not label all athletes irresponsible and reckless until we know the answers. Let's not lump Lidle into a group of guys he doesn't belong with. He deserves better.
Onto Wick's Picks, Week 6 edition. A 12-2 record last week raises my season-long mark to 52-22.
Bills 20, Lions 16: The Bills need a rebound win. Fortunately, the Lions are the league's rebound.
Panthers 21, Ravens 19: Might be worth giving Kyle Boller another crack at the starting job, Mr. Billick. By the way, I just finished Next Man Up, John Feinstein's book on the 2004 Ravens season. Terrific read, even if it's taken me a while to get to it.
Bengals 30, Bucs 20: I'm normally a huge fan of the creativity of the Bucs' website cartoons. But I can't imagine this week's cartoon - in which Carson Palmer plays a gameshow-type contest in which numerous Bucs players injure him - was the wise message to send to a guy who is coming off an embarrassing loss and a bye.
Cowboys 24, Texans 10: Wow, T.O. came this close to throwing Drew Bledsoe under the bus when he said that of the 13 balls thrown his way not many were catchable. I was very disappointed. We were so very close to the T.O. blowup we've been waiting for. So close.
Falcons 27, Giants 20: By allowing only three points the past two times Washington has visited, the Giants clearly own the Redskins. But I'm not ready to declare NY's defense "back." And I don't think it'll get any closer facing a dangerous Falcons team coming off a bye.
Eagles 23, Saints 14: Reggie Bush, watch how hard it is to release out of the backfield when Jim Johnson is throwing blitzes every which way.
Rams 33, Seahawks 20: If you could hire a Harvard grad who has just spent six years with your chief division rival, you'd sign him, right? The Rams did. Smartly. LB Isaiah Kacyvenski helps the Rams to a big win.
Redskins 24, Titans 12: Do the Giants just own the Redskins, or is this offense maddeningly inconsistent?
Chiefs 19, Steelers 9: Maybe I should be pitching Damon Huard to my ESPN The Magazine editors as this year's NEXT coverguy.
Jets 20, Dolphins 17: Nick Saban walks off the field thinking, "I lost to a guy who was 22 and an administrative assistant on our staff in Cleveland while I was the defensive coordinator??
Chargers 23, Niners 21: If I'm a Chargers fan, I'm still concerned on the reliability of my offense. Take away LT's season-long 58-yard run, and he's averaging 3.1 a carry.
Broncos 38, Raiders 20: If the Bears, say, didn't exist, folks would be talking about how Denver's defense is the best in the NFL. Bears 29, Cardinals 17: But, sadly for Arizona, the Bears do exist

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Wick's Picks: Week 6

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Anthony Marshall, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFC All-Stars, NFC NFC, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins

This week's rant is about some of the reaction to Cory Lidle's tragic death. It has to do with those who dropped the "athletes think they're invincible" card in trying to explain how Lidle could crash his plane into a skyrise. Comparing Lidle - a licensed pilot who was flying with an instructor - to guys like Kellen Winslow, Jason Williams and Ben Roethlisberger, as many commentators sadly have, is just insane, not to mention disrespectful to Lidle's life.

Two years ago, I hopped into a plane owned by Falcons DE Patrick Kerney, a good guy, a responsible pilot, and not a guy who thinks he's invincible by any means. I wasn't scared flying with Kerney, either. He knew what he was doing. He was extremely careful. And he, like Lidle, had an instructor with him.
People need to breathe deeply and think before they spin off into how millionaires need million-dollar hobbies and athletes aren't worried about safety. Sure, that's true for some guys, but for most it's a lazy stereotype to overcome.
There's no doubt that the questions surrounding Lidle's death need answering, but let's not label all athletes irresponsible and reckless until we know the answers. Let's not lump Lidle into a group of guys he doesn't belong with. He deserves better.
Onto Wick's Picks, Week 6 edition. A 12-2 record last week raises my season-long mark to 52-22.
Bills 20, Lions 16: The Bills need a rebound win. Fortunately, the Lions are the league's rebound.
Panthers 21, Ravens 19: Might be worth giving Kyle Boller another crack at the starting job, Mr. Billick. By the way, I just finished Next Man Up, John Feinstein's book on the 2004 Ravens season. Terrific read, even if it's taken me a while to get to it.
Bengals 30, Bucs 20: I'm normally a huge fan of the creativity of the Bucs' website cartoons. But I can't imagine this week's cartoon - in which Carson Palmer plays a gameshow-type contest in which numerous Bucs players injure him - was the wise message to send to a guy who is coming off an embarrassing loss and a bye.
Cowboys 24, Texans 10: Wow, T.O. came this close to throwing Drew Bledsoe under the bus when he said that of the 13 balls thrown his way not many were catchable. I was very disappointed. We were so very close to the T.O. blowup we've been waiting for. So close.
Falcons 27, Giants 20: By allowing only three points the past two times Washington has visited, the Giants clearly own the Redskins. But I'm not ready to declare NY's defense "back." And I don't think it'll get any closer facing a dangerous Falcons team coming off a bye.
Eagles 23, Saints 14: Reggie Bush, watch how hard it is to release out of the backfield when Jim Johnson is throwing blitzes every which way.
Rams 33, Seahawks 20: If you could hire a Harvard grad who has just spent six years with your chief division rival, you'd sign him, right? The Rams did. Smartly. LB Isaiah Kacyvenski helps the Rams to a big win.
Redskins 24, Titans 12: Do the Giants just own the Redskins, or is this offense maddeningly inconsistent?
Chiefs 19, Steelers 9: Maybe I should be pitching Damon Huard to my ESPN The Magazine editors as this year's NEXT coverguy.
Jets 20, Dolphins 17: Nick Saban walks off the field thinking, "I lost to a guy who was 22 and an administrative assistant on our staff in Cleveland while I was the defensive coordinator??
Chargers 23, Niners 21: If I'm a Chargers fan, I'm still concerned on the reliability of my offense. Take away LT's season-long 58-yard run, and he's averaging 3.1 a carry.
Broncos 38, Raiders 20: If the Bears, say, didn't exist, folks would be talking about how Denver's defense is the best in the NFL. Bears 29, Cardinals 17: But, sadly for Arizona, the Bears do exist

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Updated: Oct. 13, 2006, 3:03 PM ET
Leinart will be under fire

By Gary Horton
Scouts Inc.
Archive




<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
After watching a lot of film on both the Bears and Cardinals and talking to coaches and scouts, here are some key things to watch in their Monday night game (ESPN 8:30 p.m. ET).
Chicago Bears

The Bears are generating a great pass rush without a lot of blitzing. By only rushing four, they have the luxury of dropping seven defenders into coverage, and they can play any coverage scheme they want.
They also have a great defensive line rotation, which keeps everyone fresh. They have dominated the offensive lines they have faced and Arizona's line should be easy pickings. When Matt Leinart sees seven defenders in coverage, he will be forced to look at other options in the passing game, rather than his primary target.
? The more you watch the Chicago secondary, the more you appreciate its versatility. While the Bears use a base Cover 2 defense, they can play those zone schemes to perfection. They also can play aggressive man-to-man techniques.
Starting DCs Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman are solid cover guys, but the wild card is No.3 DC Ricky Manning Jr. He can line up against slot receivers or cover on the perimeter, and he is an excellent matchup corner against the No.3 receiver on any offense the Bears will face. He has good ball skills and excellent instincts, and very few defenses have three quality corners.
? A big key to the success of the Bears has been the outstanding play of their special teams. Their cover teams are among the best in the NFL and do a great job of establishing positive field position.
KOR Rashied Davis and PR Devin Hester are capable of making plays, and the kicking game is rock solid. PK Robbie Gould is a perfect 17-for-17 on field goals and punter Brad Maynard is one of the best, with a 44.7 gross average and eight punts inside the opponent's 20. Excellent drafts have produced a lot of young backup players who excel on special teams.
? After watching a lot of film on the Bears' defense, it is amazing how simple they are, while trying to convince opposing offenses they are very complex. They will put as many as eight defenders in the box before the snap, and the QB doesn't really know who is attacking and who is dropping into coverage.
On the snap of the ball, they usually only rush four, but they love to utilize a lot of twists, stunts and loops with their quick defensive line, giving opposing offensive lines fits.
? Look for the Bears to run the ball a lot early to set up play action opportunities. They now have a two-headed monster at running back with Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson, and they will face a Cardinals' run defense in the bottom third of the NFL.
If the Bears run well early, it will force SS Adrian Wilson into the box for run support, leading to excellent matchups on the perimeter against two corners who will have only one safety to help over the top. Nobody is throwing the deep ball better right now than Rex Grossman, and he will get his shots in this game.
? While WR Bernard Berrian is considered a vertical threat, he is turning into a complete receiver. He has become a workout warrior in the weight room and has added almost 15 pounds of muscle. He is now better at coming over the middle and catching the ball in traffic, and with his speed, slants and quick crossing routes will lead to a lot of YAC (yards after catch)
? The Bears are second in the NFL in time of possession. This keeps their great defense fresh. The Bears already have a strong defensive line rotation and if this group is well rested, it might post some huge sack numbers as the season progresses.
? The Bears are the soundest team in the NFL. They have only two fumbles and three interceptions in five games. They make opposing offenses work for everything they get, forcing them to drive the entire length of the field.
? The Bears have added some variety to their running game, with a package that includes some misdirection plays, including some counters. It should work well against an active but undersized Arizona defensive line that can get caught overpursuing. The Chicago offensive line does a nice job of sealing off cutback run lanes.
? The Bears have to be aware of where Arizona's Wilson lines up at all times. He is an excellent run defender and the Cardinals love to play him in the box, putting him in position to be an effective blitzer. If the Bears read blitz, Grossman can change the the protection, keeping RB Jones, who is an underrated pass blocker, in to block.
Arizona Cardinals

? RB Edgerrin James is spending extra practice time working with rookie QB Matt Leinhart on play-action fakes. Leinart is a good ball handler, but James worked at Indianapolis with the best play action QB of all-time in Peyton Manning. The problem is that without a run game, no defense respects the play-action package.
? The Cardinals must figure out a way to block DT Tommie Harris and not allow him a lot of inside penetration. Offenses are so concerned with getting to MLB Brian Urlacher with second-level blocks, they wind up single blocking Harris. The Cardinals would be wise this week to utilize double teams with either one of their OGs and OC Alex Stepanovich. Once they have neutralized Harris, one of the two blockers (probably Stepanovich) can try to chip on Urlacher.
? A big question Arizona has this week is how it is going to utilize James. Running the ball successfully against this Bears' front won't be easy. He could have success as an outlet receiver on dump offs and screens, and really be a security blanket for Leinart. Unfortunately, the pass protection might be so bad the Cardinals will be forced to keep him in to block in blitz pickup, turning a potential offensive difference maker into nothing more than a pass blocker.
? A big concern for the Cardinals is how well their defensive line will hold up. Their defensive tackles, Darnell Dockett and Kendrick Clancy, are adequate versus the run, but their defensive ends, Bertrand Berry and Chike Okeafor, are better pass rushers than run defenders. This is a unit with little depth and not much of a rotation. Look for the Bears to run a little wider than usual, not only negating the athleticism of the DEs, but also wearing them down.
? How bad is the pass protection for the Cardinals? Their QBs have been sacked 17 times in five games. Leinart was sacked four times last week. If you are going to play QB in the desert, you better be a tough guy.
? FS Robert Griffith has a lot of pressure on him against the Bears' improving passing game. With SS Adrian Wilson likely to play a lot in the box and be utilized as a blitzer, Griffith will be the only single safety covering the deep middle of the field, but he can only help one defensive corner at a time over the top.
Berrian has become an excellent deep threat and Grossman looks to him for big plays. Griffith will have to be aware of him, especially off play-action fakes, because right now Berrian is a tough matchup for any corner. This week, Antrel Rolle will do his best to prevent him from getting clean releases.
? Because the Arizona run game is almost non-existent, the Bears can take some liberties with their defensive schemes this week. Right now, the Cardinals have much more confidence in their passing game and the Bears will try to take that away. They will start with their Cover 2 shell, but the safeties can widen to the perimeter and help the corners over the top, eliminating deep routes and allowing the corners to be very aggressive.
Urlacher is the best in the NFL at his position in pass defense, and as the Cover 2 requires, he will patrol the deep middle of the field to free up the safeties. With a terrific pass rush and seven defenders in coverage, this is not an easy defense for Leinart to be looking at in passing situations.
? The Cardinals like to play a cover 2 scheme. They have big corners and safeties, which is excellent against the run and allows them to play a physical style of pass defense, but there is concern about Wilson in coverage. The Bears will try to find Wilson in passing situations, but Arizona might counter by bringing him into the box on the snap and rolling to a Cover 1 or man free scheme. This secondary does not match up well versus the Bears' playmakers.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Updated: Oct. 13, 2006, 3:03 PM ET
Leinart will be under fire

By Gary Horton
Scouts Inc.
Archive




<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
After watching a lot of film on both the Bears and Cardinals and talking to coaches and scouts, here are some key things to watch in their Monday night game (ESPN 8:30 p.m. ET).
Chicago Bears

The Bears are generating a great pass rush without a lot of blitzing. By only rushing four, they have the luxury of dropping seven defenders into coverage, and they can play any coverage scheme they want.
They also have a great defensive line rotation, which keeps everyone fresh. They have dominated the offensive lines they have faced and Arizona's line should be easy pickings. When Matt Leinart sees seven defenders in coverage, he will be forced to look at other options in the passing game, rather than his primary target.
? The more you watch the Chicago secondary, the more you appreciate its versatility. While the Bears use a base Cover 2 defense, they can play those zone schemes to perfection. They also can play aggressive man-to-man techniques.
Starting DCs Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman are solid cover guys, but the wild card is No.3 DC Ricky Manning Jr. He can line up against slot receivers or cover on the perimeter, and he is an excellent matchup corner against the No.3 receiver on any offense the Bears will face. He has good ball skills and excellent instincts, and very few defenses have three quality corners.
? A big key to the success of the Bears has been the outstanding play of their special teams. Their cover teams are among the best in the NFL and do a great job of establishing positive field position.
KOR Rashied Davis and PR Devin Hester are capable of making plays, and the kicking game is rock solid. PK Robbie Gould is a perfect 17-for-17 on field goals and punter Brad Maynard is one of the best, with a 44.7 gross average and eight punts inside the opponent's 20. Excellent drafts have produced a lot of young backup players who excel on special teams.
? After watching a lot of film on the Bears' defense, it is amazing how simple they are, while trying to convince opposing offenses they are very complex. They will put as many as eight defenders in the box before the snap, and the QB doesn't really know who is attacking and who is dropping into coverage.
On the snap of the ball, they usually only rush four, but they love to utilize a lot of twists, stunts and loops with their quick defensive line, giving opposing offensive lines fits.
? Look for the Bears to run the ball a lot early to set up play action opportunities. They now have a two-headed monster at running back with Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson, and they will face a Cardinals' run defense in the bottom third of the NFL.
If the Bears run well early, it will force SS Adrian Wilson into the box for run support, leading to excellent matchups on the perimeter against two corners who will have only one safety to help over the top. Nobody is throwing the deep ball better right now than Rex Grossman, and he will get his shots in this game.
? While WR Bernard Berrian is considered a vertical threat, he is turning into a complete receiver. He has become a workout warrior in the weight room and has added almost 15 pounds of muscle. He is now better at coming over the middle and catching the ball in traffic, and with his speed, slants and quick crossing routes will lead to a lot of YAC (yards after catch)
? The Bears are second in the NFL in time of possession. This keeps their great defense fresh. The Bears already have a strong defensive line rotation and if this group is well rested, it might post some huge sack numbers as the season progresses.
? The Bears are the soundest team in the NFL. They have only two fumbles and three interceptions in five games. They make opposing offenses work for everything they get, forcing them to drive the entire length of the field.
? The Bears have added some variety to their running game, with a package that includes some misdirection plays, including some counters. It should work well against an active but undersized Arizona defensive line that can get caught overpursuing. The Chicago offensive line does a nice job of sealing off cutback run lanes.
? The Bears have to be aware of where Arizona's Wilson lines up at all times. He is an excellent run defender and the Cardinals love to play him in the box, putting him in position to be an effective blitzer. If the Bears read blitz, Grossman can change the the protection, keeping RB Jones, who is an underrated pass blocker, in to block.
Arizona Cardinals

? RB Edgerrin James is spending extra practice time working with rookie QB Matt Leinhart on play-action fakes. Leinart is a good ball handler, but James worked at Indianapolis with the best play action QB of all-time in Peyton Manning. The problem is that without a run game, no defense respects the play-action package.
? The Cardinals must figure out a way to block DT Tommie Harris and not allow him a lot of inside penetration. Offenses are so concerned with getting to MLB Brian Urlacher with second-level blocks, they wind up single blocking Harris. The Cardinals would be wise this week to utilize double teams with either one of their OGs and OC Alex Stepanovich. Once they have neutralized Harris, one of the two blockers (probably Stepanovich) can try to chip on Urlacher.
? A big question Arizona has this week is how it is going to utilize James. Running the ball successfully against this Bears' front won't be easy. He could have success as an outlet receiver on dump offs and screens, and really be a security blanket for Leinart. Unfortunately, the pass protection might be so bad the Cardinals will be forced to keep him in to block in blitz pickup, turning a potential offensive difference maker into nothing more than a pass blocker.
? A big concern for the Cardinals is how well their defensive line will hold up. Their defensive tackles, Darnell Dockett and Kendrick Clancy, are adequate versus the run, but their defensive ends, Bertrand Berry and Chike Okeafor, are better pass rushers than run defenders. This is a unit with little depth and not much of a rotation. Look for the Bears to run a little wider than usual, not only negating the athleticism of the DEs, but also wearing them down.
? How bad is the pass protection for the Cardinals? Their QBs have been sacked 17 times in five games. Leinart was sacked four times last week. If you are going to play QB in the desert, you better be a tough guy.
? FS Robert Griffith has a lot of pressure on him against the Bears' improving passing game. With SS Adrian Wilson likely to play a lot in the box and be utilized as a blitzer, Griffith will be the only single safety covering the deep middle of the field, but he can only help one defensive corner at a time over the top.
Berrian has become an excellent deep threat and Grossman looks to him for big plays. Griffith will have to be aware of him, especially off play-action fakes, because right now Berrian is a tough matchup for any corner. This week, Antrel Rolle will do his best to prevent him from getting clean releases.
? Because the Arizona run game is almost non-existent, the Bears can take some liberties with their defensive schemes this week. Right now, the Cardinals have much more confidence in their passing game and the Bears will try to take that away. They will start with their Cover 2 shell, but the safeties can widen to the perimeter and help the corners over the top, eliminating deep routes and allowing the corners to be very aggressive.
Urlacher is the best in the NFL at his position in pass defense, and as the Cover 2 requires, he will patrol the deep middle of the field to free up the safeties. With a terrific pass rush and seven defenders in coverage, this is not an easy defense for Leinart to be looking at in passing situations.
? The Cardinals like to play a cover 2 scheme. They have big corners and safeties, which is excellent against the run and allows them to play a physical style of pass defense, but there is concern about Wilson in coverage. The Bears will try to find Wilson in passing situations, but Arizona might counter by bringing him into the box on the snap and rolling to a Cover 1 or man free scheme. This secondary does not match up well versus the Bears' playmakers.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Friday, October 13, 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>Bears look to keep rolling

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
The Bears take their act to the Valley of the Sun, as Arizona fans get a chance to watch an elite team play football. Chicago is the most complete team in the NFL. Arizona quarterback Matt Leinart was very solid in his first start, tossing a pair of touchdown passes, and showing leadership and grit in running a two-minute drill to get in position to tie the game. Arizona has found ways to lose close games, but the promising rookie quarterback looks to have a bright future working with Arizona's bevy of offensive weapons, which should make Dennis Green smile.

When the Bears have the ball
Rushing: Thomas Jones gained an impressive five yards per carry on his way to a 109-yard day, while Cedric Benson added another 48 yards on 14 carries, including a pair of touchdowns. Chicago's running game was especially impressive, considering the Bills' defense had completely shut down the Vikings running game a week earlier. Chicago is extremely dangerous when its run game is going.
Arizona had not been stout all season, ranking 27th in the NFL against the run, but it did hold Larry Johnson and Kansas City's rushing attack to only 39 total yards this week. Arizona will need a tremendous defensive effort to contain the Bears' one-two punch in the run game. While it is dangerous to bring an extra defender down to play the run, the Cardinals must make Chicago one dimensional to have a chance at slowing down this potent Bears' offense.

Passing: Rex Grossman was very effective throwing the ball once again, connecting with Bernard Berrian for a 62-yard score, as well as another shorter touchdown pass. That combination has been lethal for the Bears, but Grossman has done an excellent job of utilizing all of his receivers each week. The Cardinals are forced to defend the vertical speed of Berrian and rookie Rasheed Davis, as well as the consistency of veteran Muhsin Muhammad and tight end Desmond Clark.
Arizona will work to make the Bears one dimensional, but the Cardinals are also very suspect defending the pass, ranking 25th in the league and yielding 231 yards per game. Look for the Cardinals to bring zone coverage dogs and blitzes for additional pressure, without getting locked into man coverage to avoid poor coverage matchups giving up big plays in the pass game.

When the Cardinals have the ball
Rushing: Many observers are disappointed in Edgerrin James' production since his arrival in Arizona, but the problem is the horrible performance of the Cardinals' offensive line. As huge as this line is, it is extremely ineffective at maintaining blocks in the run game, regularly getting beat at the point of attack by quicker, more athletic defenders. The unit will face a tremendous challenge this week, going up against a dominant defensive front seven of the Bears. Arizona's linemen will struggle against the quickness of DT Tommie Harris and the high motor of NG Ian Scott or Tank Johnson, and they have no chance of stopping the speedy and athletic Bears' linebackers -- Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. If James can get past the line of scrimmage, the Cardinals' big receivers do an excellent job of downfield blocking.

Passing: The first quarter of quarterback Matt Leinart's initial NFL start was very impressive. Leinart led the Cardinals on nice drives, throwing a pair of touchdowns and looking in control until crunch time. Leinart forced a pass late against a veteran corner, throwing an interception. After losing the lead in the fourth quarter, Leinart showed maturity in the two-minute drill, driving his team in position to attempt a field goal to tie the game. This week, the rookie will face an outstanding Bears' defense that will bring constant pressure and disguise coverages to test Leinart. Look for Chicago to bring a barrage of aggressive blitzes for pressure, as well as various drops in coverage, looking to snare passes with the ball hawking linebackers and secondary. The Cardinals' offensive line has struggled in protection each week and will have to battle on every play against the Bears' athletic front four. Arizona will have to move Leinart around, changing his launch points and utilizing play action, bootleg and waggle passes to keep Chicago guessing.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Friday, October 13, 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>Bears look to keep rolling

By Scouts, Inc.





<TABLE class=text11 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 width=552 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="100%">Why To Watch
The Bears take their act to the Valley of the Sun, as Arizona fans get a chance to watch an elite team play football. Chicago is the most complete team in the NFL. Arizona quarterback Matt Leinart was very solid in his first start, tossing a pair of touchdown passes, and showing leadership and grit in running a two-minute drill to get in position to tie the game. Arizona has found ways to lose close games, but the promising rookie quarterback looks to have a bright future working with Arizona's bevy of offensive weapons, which should make Dennis Green smile.

When the Bears have the ball
Rushing: Thomas Jones gained an impressive five yards per carry on his way to a 109-yard day, while Cedric Benson added another 48 yards on 14 carries, including a pair of touchdowns. Chicago's running game was especially impressive, considering the Bills' defense had completely shut down the Vikings running game a week earlier. Chicago is extremely dangerous when its run game is going.
Arizona had not been stout all season, ranking 27th in the NFL against the run, but it did hold Larry Johnson and Kansas City's rushing attack to only 39 total yards this week. Arizona will need a tremendous defensive effort to contain the Bears' one-two punch in the run game. While it is dangerous to bring an extra defender down to play the run, the Cardinals must make Chicago one dimensional to have a chance at slowing down this potent Bears' offense.

Passing: Rex Grossman was very effective throwing the ball once again, connecting with Bernard Berrian for a 62-yard score, as well as another shorter touchdown pass. That combination has been lethal for the Bears, but Grossman has done an excellent job of utilizing all of his receivers each week. The Cardinals are forced to defend the vertical speed of Berrian and rookie Rasheed Davis, as well as the consistency of veteran Muhsin Muhammad and tight end Desmond Clark.
Arizona will work to make the Bears one dimensional, but the Cardinals are also very suspect defending the pass, ranking 25th in the league and yielding 231 yards per game. Look for the Cardinals to bring zone coverage dogs and blitzes for additional pressure, without getting locked into man coverage to avoid poor coverage matchups giving up big plays in the pass game.

When the Cardinals have the ball
Rushing: Many observers are disappointed in Edgerrin James' production since his arrival in Arizona, but the problem is the horrible performance of the Cardinals' offensive line. As huge as this line is, it is extremely ineffective at maintaining blocks in the run game, regularly getting beat at the point of attack by quicker, more athletic defenders. The unit will face a tremendous challenge this week, going up against a dominant defensive front seven of the Bears. Arizona's linemen will struggle against the quickness of DT Tommie Harris and the high motor of NG Ian Scott or Tank Johnson, and they have no chance of stopping the speedy and athletic Bears' linebackers -- Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. If James can get past the line of scrimmage, the Cardinals' big receivers do an excellent job of downfield blocking.

Passing: The first quarter of quarterback Matt Leinart's initial NFL start was very impressive. Leinart led the Cardinals on nice drives, throwing a pair of touchdowns and looking in control until crunch time. Leinart forced a pass late against a veteran corner, throwing an interception. After losing the lead in the fourth quarter, Leinart showed maturity in the two-minute drill, driving his team in position to attempt a field goal to tie the game. This week, the rookie will face an outstanding Bears' defense that will bring constant pressure and disguise coverages to test Leinart. Look for Chicago to bring a barrage of aggressive blitzes for pressure, as well as various drops in coverage, looking to snare passes with the ball hawking linebackers and secondary. The Cardinals' offensive line has struggled in protection each week and will have to battle on every play against the Bears' athletic front four. Arizona will have to move Leinart around, changing his launch points and utilizing play action, bootleg and waggle passes to keep Chicago guessing.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Friday, October 13, 2006
Take 2: Bears vs. Cardinals

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>Chicago at Arizona 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>

</TD><TD align=middle width=62>

</TD><TD align=middle width=62>
EVEN</TD><TD align=middle width=62>

</TD><TD align=middle width=62>

</TD><TD align=middle width=62>
EVEN</TD><TD align=middle width=62>
EVEN</TD><TD align=middle width=62>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

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

This dominant Chicago defense starts upfront with its athletic defensive line. The Bears' front will create matchup problems across the board against Arizona's offensive line. Big Leonard Davis cannot handle the athleticism of Alex Brown or the quickness of rookie Mark Anderson.
Protecting the left-handed Leinart's backside is ROT Oliver Ross, who will face the challenge of either Adewale Ogunleye or Israel Idonije. Tommie Harris, Tank Johnson and the return of Ian Scott will cause plenty of problems inside. This Arizona offensive line has struggled to protect the quarterback, giving up 17 sacks, and on Monday night will face possibly the best defensive front in football.
? The defensive front's ability to supply pressure without having to bring the linebackers will pose some serious coverage problems for Leinart. Arizona will be without exceptional wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald due to a hamstring injury, which could hamstring the Cardinals' passing attack.
Expect Arizona to throw quick three-step passes and quick receiver screens to get the ball on the perimeter quickly, taking the pressure off Leinart. Chicago will be able to disguise various zone coverages, attempting to confuse the quarterback while keeping the talented Cardinals' receivers in front of the ball hawking secondary and linebackers. This group of Chicago defenders has the speed and experience to give Leinart tough reads, forcing him to either hold the ball or throw into tight coverage, creating turnovers.
? Arizona had high hopes of a balanced offense when they signed Pro Bowl running back Edgerrin James. So far, the offensive line performance has limited James' production and the Cardinals' rushing offense is next to last in the NFL averaging a paltry 70 yards per game.
If they want to have a chance, the Cardinals must call downhill runs straight at Chicago, using they're size advantage and minimizing the superior speed and athleticism of the Bears' defensive front seven. Expect to see the aggressive Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs smothering James, getting to the ball carrier before Cardinals' blockers can get to the linebackers.
? It is not shocking to anyone that Chicago is fielding a dominant defense, but the balanced and explosive offense sure has been a bit of a surprise. Young, untested Rex Grossman was the man that Lovie Smith and general manager Jerry Angelo wanted to lead this team, yet as insurance they signed proven veteran quarterback Brian Griese in the offseason.
After five consecutive weeks of outstanding performances and leadership, everyone in Chicago is pleased with Grossman at quarterback. Grossman has tossed 10 touchdowns compared to only three interceptions. He has completed 61 percent of his passes for 1,243 yards, and a quarterback rating of 100.8.
? Chicago has reversed its offensive attack, now ranking as one of the top passing teams in the NFL, averaging 247 yards per game, while gaining 109.4 yards rushing per game. This combination has produced the highest scoring offense in the NFL after five games, putting up an average of 31.2 points per game. Stopping this balanced offense is quite a tall order for a Cardinals' defense ranked 25th in the league in points allowed per game.
Arizona will avoid single coverage matchups against the explosive Bernard Berrian, keeping safety help over the top. To create pressure and keep Grossman from getting into a rhythm, Arizona will send linebackers in a zone blitz scheme, keeping zone coverage behind the various combinations of defenders rushing the passer.
? The offensive talent is not limited to receivers Muhsin Muhammad, Berrian and tight end Desmond Clark, but also includes a pair of talented running backs in Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson. Benson saw some extended action and responded by scoring two touchdowns and gaining 48 rushing yards, while Jones gained 110 yards. This is a formidable one-two punch in the run game to keep defenses honest and make the play action passing game even more dangerous.
Three of Arizona's top four tacklers are secondary players, which is generally not good, especially defending the run. The key for the Cardinals will be movement upfront, so look for the defensive line to stunt, getting on the edge of the Bears' offensive linemen and penetrating the line of scrimmage, while allowing the linebackers free access to make tackles.

Special Teams
Arizona usually fields excellent coverage teams, but that has not necessarily been the case this season. The Cardinals have given up over 12 yards per punt return, as well as almost 24 yards per kick return. Punter Scott Player is only netting 32 yards on his punts.
The Cardinals' special teams must do a better job in coverage to win the field position battle against the Bears' explosive return men. Kicker Neil Rackers has the leg to make long field goals, getting Arizona much needed points against the high scoring Chicago team. Bears' kicker Robbie Gould has been perfect this season, making 17 field goals and 15 extra points, while punter Brad Maynard has dropped eight punts inside the opponents' 20. Chicago also has two excellent weapons in Devin Hester, who had an 84-yard punt return for a touchdown at Lambeau Field, and Rashied Davis, who took a kick off back during the preseason, showing his dangerous return skills. The Bears' coverage teams must beware of Arizona's little Troy Walters, who has the quickness and change of direction ability to be dangerous on punt returns, and J.J. Arrington, who runs hard returning kick offs. A special teams score would be the kind of boost that could give the Cardinals momentum.

Matchups
? Chicago MLB Brian Urlacher vs. Arizona RB Edgerrin James
? Chicago DT Tommie Harris vs. Arizona OGs Reggie Wells and Milford Brown
? Arizona CB Eric Green vs. Chicago WR Bernard Berrian
? Arizona SS Adrian Wilson vs. Chicago TE Desmond Clark
? Chicago DEs Alex Brown and Mark Anderson vs. Arizona LOT Leonard Davis

Scouts' Edge
Chicago rolls into Arizona playing outstanding football in all phases of the game to face a Cardinals' team that has somewhat self destructed late in several games. On paper, this Bears' team should dominate Arizona, as the Cardinals have lost an excellent receiver, has a terrible offensive line and is starting a rookie quarterback. The undefeated Bears will remain that way, upping their record to 6-0.

Prediction: Bears 27, Cardinals 13

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Friday, October 13, 2006
Take 2: Bears vs. Cardinals

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>Chicago at Arizona 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>

</TD><TD align=middle width=62>

</TD><TD align=middle width=62>
EVEN</TD><TD align=middle width=62>

</TD><TD align=middle width=62>

</TD><TD align=middle width=62>
EVEN</TD><TD align=middle width=62>
EVEN</TD><TD align=middle width=62>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

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

This dominant Chicago defense starts upfront with its athletic defensive line. The Bears' front will create matchup problems across the board against Arizona's offensive line. Big Leonard Davis cannot handle the athleticism of Alex Brown or the quickness of rookie Mark Anderson.
Protecting the left-handed Leinart's backside is ROT Oliver Ross, who will face the challenge of either Adewale Ogunleye or Israel Idonije. Tommie Harris, Tank Johnson and the return of Ian Scott will cause plenty of problems inside. This Arizona offensive line has struggled to protect the quarterback, giving up 17 sacks, and on Monday night will face possibly the best defensive front in football.
? The defensive front's ability to supply pressure without having to bring the linebackers will pose some serious coverage problems for Leinart. Arizona will be without exceptional wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald due to a hamstring injury, which could hamstring the Cardinals' passing attack.
Expect Arizona to throw quick three-step passes and quick receiver screens to get the ball on the perimeter quickly, taking the pressure off Leinart. Chicago will be able to disguise various zone coverages, attempting to confuse the quarterback while keeping the talented Cardinals' receivers in front of the ball hawking secondary and linebackers. This group of Chicago defenders has the speed and experience to give Leinart tough reads, forcing him to either hold the ball or throw into tight coverage, creating turnovers.
? Arizona had high hopes of a balanced offense when they signed Pro Bowl running back Edgerrin James. So far, the offensive line performance has limited James' production and the Cardinals' rushing offense is next to last in the NFL averaging a paltry 70 yards per game.
If they want to have a chance, the Cardinals must call downhill runs straight at Chicago, using they're size advantage and minimizing the superior speed and athleticism of the Bears' defensive front seven. Expect to see the aggressive Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs smothering James, getting to the ball carrier before Cardinals' blockers can get to the linebackers.
? It is not shocking to anyone that Chicago is fielding a dominant defense, but the balanced and explosive offense sure has been a bit of a surprise. Young, untested Rex Grossman was the man that Lovie Smith and general manager Jerry Angelo wanted to lead this team, yet as insurance they signed proven veteran quarterback Brian Griese in the offseason.
After five consecutive weeks of outstanding performances and leadership, everyone in Chicago is pleased with Grossman at quarterback. Grossman has tossed 10 touchdowns compared to only three interceptions. He has completed 61 percent of his passes for 1,243 yards, and a quarterback rating of 100.8.
? Chicago has reversed its offensive attack, now ranking as one of the top passing teams in the NFL, averaging 247 yards per game, while gaining 109.4 yards rushing per game. This combination has produced the highest scoring offense in the NFL after five games, putting up an average of 31.2 points per game. Stopping this balanced offense is quite a tall order for a Cardinals' defense ranked 25th in the league in points allowed per game.
Arizona will avoid single coverage matchups against the explosive Bernard Berrian, keeping safety help over the top. To create pressure and keep Grossman from getting into a rhythm, Arizona will send linebackers in a zone blitz scheme, keeping zone coverage behind the various combinations of defenders rushing the passer.
? The offensive talent is not limited to receivers Muhsin Muhammad, Berrian and tight end Desmond Clark, but also includes a pair of talented running backs in Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson. Benson saw some extended action and responded by scoring two touchdowns and gaining 48 rushing yards, while Jones gained 110 yards. This is a formidable one-two punch in the run game to keep defenses honest and make the play action passing game even more dangerous.
Three of Arizona's top four tacklers are secondary players, which is generally not good, especially defending the run. The key for the Cardinals will be movement upfront, so look for the defensive line to stunt, getting on the edge of the Bears' offensive linemen and penetrating the line of scrimmage, while allowing the linebackers free access to make tackles.

Special Teams
Arizona usually fields excellent coverage teams, but that has not necessarily been the case this season. The Cardinals have given up over 12 yards per punt return, as well as almost 24 yards per kick return. Punter Scott Player is only netting 32 yards on his punts.
The Cardinals' special teams must do a better job in coverage to win the field position battle against the Bears' explosive return men. Kicker Neil Rackers has the leg to make long field goals, getting Arizona much needed points against the high scoring Chicago team. Bears' kicker Robbie Gould has been perfect this season, making 17 field goals and 15 extra points, while punter Brad Maynard has dropped eight punts inside the opponents' 20. Chicago also has two excellent weapons in Devin Hester, who had an 84-yard punt return for a touchdown at Lambeau Field, and Rashied Davis, who took a kick off back during the preseason, showing his dangerous return skills. The Bears' coverage teams must beware of Arizona's little Troy Walters, who has the quickness and change of direction ability to be dangerous on punt returns, and J.J. Arrington, who runs hard returning kick offs. A special teams score would be the kind of boost that could give the Cardinals momentum.

Matchups
? Chicago MLB Brian Urlacher vs. Arizona RB Edgerrin James
? Chicago DT Tommie Harris vs. Arizona OGs Reggie Wells and Milford Brown
? Arizona CB Eric Green vs. Chicago WR Bernard Berrian
? Arizona SS Adrian Wilson vs. Chicago TE Desmond Clark
? Chicago DEs Alex Brown and Mark Anderson vs. Arizona LOT Leonard Davis

Scouts' Edge
Chicago rolls into Arizona playing outstanding football in all phases of the game to face a Cardinals' team that has somewhat self destructed late in several games. On paper, this Bears' team should dominate Arizona, as the Cardinals have lost an excellent receiver, has a terrible offensive line and is starting a rookie quarterback. The undefeated Bears will remain that way, upping their record to 6-0.

Prediction: Bears 27, Cardinals 13

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Trade rumblings in Oakland

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers

In talking with a source within the Raiders organization, they are trying to move WR Joey Porter prior to the October 17th trade deadline. The biggest obstacle? There has been little to no interest. That might pick up depending on what happens in the games this weekend, but the last call they received was from the Detroit Lions and that was about three weeks ago.

In the case of WR Randy Moss, the Raiders are not actively shopping him. They will however, listen to offers. To this point however, there have been none.
I think the Raiders need to try to unload both of these players. Porter is just taking up space at this point. Head coach Art Shell seems no closer to playing him, so at this point he is just dead weight on a bad football team.
In the case of Moss, I would move him, too. Though he does dress on a weekly basis, he is having little to no impact. Some of that is out of his control. What is under his control is the ability to give a good effort and act like he wants to be on the field. When you put the tape on, you do not see that. There is a lack of effort with his route running. There is a lack of effort to try to get open and there is a lack of effort in trying to make plays on the football.
The Raiders are not a good team. Whether Moss plays or not, this is still a 2-win football team on its best day. It is time to clean house and give more opportunities to guys like Ronald Curry and Johnnie Morant who actually want to put their Raider uniform on each week.
Curry and Morant are just two examples of players that actually care. Despite the fact that they can't get their offense going, the defense shows up and gives 100 percent every week. So if Moss and Porter don't want to be there, then it is time to say good riddance. They could just as easily lose with other players. Nobody wants to lose every week but in the case of the Raiders, it would be much better to lose with players that are putting their best foot forward.

Chargers 2-back sets tough to prepare for
The Chargers are using more sets that involve both LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Turner at the same time. Expect to see more of the same this week as head coach Marty Schottenheimer wants to get his five best skill players on the field at the same time.
Last week on more than one occasion we saw Tomlinson lined up as a receiver with Turner aligned at RB. In both instances it really spread out the defense and created some nice inside running room for Turner.
Tomlinson is such a threat in the passing game; it forces a team to bring that OLB wide into the slot. If he is flanked wide it forces a defense to commit a safety out there to cover him.
All of these looks force someone out of the box and that really opens up the inside run game or in passing situations the middle of the field for TE Antonio Gates. We can expect to see even more of this two-headed monster vs. the 49ers this week.

Chief's vertical passing game will be key this week
Look for offensive Coordinator Mike Solari to come out and test the Pittsburgh secondary down the field early this week. Even if they can't connect it will serve a great purpose.
When facing Pittsburgh you know you are going to get a lot of Cover 3. In that scheme, SS Troy Polamalu will be in the box with FS Ryan Clark playing the deep middle.Stretching the field vertically will force Clark to start cheating over towards the sidelines. This should open up the middle of the field. TE Tony Gonzalez had one catch last week in Arizona. They still won, but you can't beat good teams on the road with limited production from your best players. If Kansas City is going to steal this game on the road, he has to be more of a factor. The best way to do that will be by creating opportunities in the middle of the field. An early vertical attack should accomplish that goal.

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Trade rumblings in Oakland

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers

In talking with a source within the Raiders organization, they are trying to move WR Joey Porter prior to the October 17th trade deadline. The biggest obstacle? There has been little to no interest. That might pick up depending on what happens in the games this weekend, but the last call they received was from the Detroit Lions and that was about three weeks ago.

In the case of WR Randy Moss, the Raiders are not actively shopping him. They will however, listen to offers. To this point however, there have been none.
I think the Raiders need to try to unload both of these players. Porter is just taking up space at this point. Head coach Art Shell seems no closer to playing him, so at this point he is just dead weight on a bad football team.
In the case of Moss, I would move him, too. Though he does dress on a weekly basis, he is having little to no impact. Some of that is out of his control. What is under his control is the ability to give a good effort and act like he wants to be on the field. When you put the tape on, you do not see that. There is a lack of effort with his route running. There is a lack of effort to try to get open and there is a lack of effort in trying to make plays on the football.
The Raiders are not a good team. Whether Moss plays or not, this is still a 2-win football team on its best day. It is time to clean house and give more opportunities to guys like Ronald Curry and Johnnie Morant who actually want to put their Raider uniform on each week.
Curry and Morant are just two examples of players that actually care. Despite the fact that they can't get their offense going, the defense shows up and gives 100 percent every week. So if Moss and Porter don't want to be there, then it is time to say good riddance. They could just as easily lose with other players. Nobody wants to lose every week but in the case of the Raiders, it would be much better to lose with players that are putting their best foot forward.

Chargers 2-back sets tough to prepare for
The Chargers are using more sets that involve both LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Turner at the same time. Expect to see more of the same this week as head coach Marty Schottenheimer wants to get his five best skill players on the field at the same time.
Last week on more than one occasion we saw Tomlinson lined up as a receiver with Turner aligned at RB. In both instances it really spread out the defense and created some nice inside running room for Turner.
Tomlinson is such a threat in the passing game; it forces a team to bring that OLB wide into the slot. If he is flanked wide it forces a defense to commit a safety out there to cover him.
All of these looks force someone out of the box and that really opens up the inside run game or in passing situations the middle of the field for TE Antonio Gates. We can expect to see even more of this two-headed monster vs. the 49ers this week.

Chief's vertical passing game will be key this week
Look for offensive Coordinator Mike Solari to come out and test the Pittsburgh secondary down the field early this week. Even if they can't connect it will serve a great purpose.
When facing Pittsburgh you know you are going to get a lot of Cover 3. In that scheme, SS Troy Polamalu will be in the box with FS Ryan Clark playing the deep middle.Stretching the field vertically will force Clark to start cheating over towards the sidelines. This should open up the middle of the field. TE Tony Gonzalez had one catch last week in Arizona. They still won, but you can't beat good teams on the road with limited production from your best players. If Kansas City is going to steal this game on the road, he has to be more of a factor. The best way to do that will be by creating opportunities in the middle of the field. An early vertical attack should accomplish that goal.

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Jets struggling to pressure QBs

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets

Pressuring the opposing quarterback is one of the most important parts of a football game. The quarterback sack is right up there with interceptions in terms of changing momentum. Many quarterbacks are great in the pocket when not forced to improvise and make throws off balance or in an unconventional way. Taken out of that comfort zone, though, not many quarterbacks can thrive.

When teams are unable to pressure the opponent's passer, it makes things tough on the defensive coverage. The more a team has to bring linebackers or defensive backs to pressure the quarterback, the greater the chance that team will get burned with a big play. Most defensive philosophies try to force the opposing offense to make precise plays and work a long field to score. But when the field and clock shrink, many coordinators feel the need to take calculated chances. If a team can sack the quarterback using only its base defensive scheme, it is most advantageous to the overall success of the defense.
Let's take a look at the AFC East teams and where their pressure comes from:
? The New York Jets have the fewest sacks through Week 5, with nine, and they are spread equally, with three each by the defensive line, linebackers and secondary. It is not a good sign when more than half of a team's sacks come from positions other than the defensive line. That usually means the team is having to gamble some, bringing defensive backs or linebackers to get pressure.
? The New England Patriots have the second-fewest sacks with 12. The good news is that 10 of the sacks have come from their defensive front and the other two split between linebackers Mike Vrabel, Rosevelt Colvin and Tully Banta-Cain. New England tends not to gamble to pressure opposing quarterbacks, and getting pressure without having to blitz gives defensive coordinator Dean Pees more options to double receivers or disguise coverages.
? The Miami Dolphins have 13 sacks, with nine of them coming from the defensive line and the other four from the linebacker and secondary. Miami defensive coordinator Dom Capers shows a good mix of base fronts, zone blitzes and all-out blitzes. Capers is not afraid to gamble some to pressure the quarterback, with many of Miami's blitzes coming when an opponent crosses the 50-yard line into Dolphins territory. ? The Buffalo Bills lead the division through Week 5 with 14 quarterback sacks. The defensive line has eight big plays, and the remaining six are listed under team, secondary and linebacker. Head coach Dick Jaurons' background is mostly on defense, and he and defensive coordinator Perry Fewell have a calculated game plane involving pressure from several different areas depending on field position and down-and-distance.

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Jets struggling to pressure QBs

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets

Pressuring the opposing quarterback is one of the most important parts of a football game. The quarterback sack is right up there with interceptions in terms of changing momentum. Many quarterbacks are great in the pocket when not forced to improvise and make throws off balance or in an unconventional way. Taken out of that comfort zone, though, not many quarterbacks can thrive.

When teams are unable to pressure the opponent's passer, it makes things tough on the defensive coverage. The more a team has to bring linebackers or defensive backs to pressure the quarterback, the greater the chance that team will get burned with a big play. Most defensive philosophies try to force the opposing offense to make precise plays and work a long field to score. But when the field and clock shrink, many coordinators feel the need to take calculated chances. If a team can sack the quarterback using only its base defensive scheme, it is most advantageous to the overall success of the defense.
Let's take a look at the AFC East teams and where their pressure comes from:
? The New York Jets have the fewest sacks through Week 5, with nine, and they are spread equally, with three each by the defensive line, linebackers and secondary. It is not a good sign when more than half of a team's sacks come from positions other than the defensive line. That usually means the team is having to gamble some, bringing defensive backs or linebackers to get pressure.
? The New England Patriots have the second-fewest sacks with 12. The good news is that 10 of the sacks have come from their defensive front and the other two split between linebackers Mike Vrabel, Rosevelt Colvin and Tully Banta-Cain. New England tends not to gamble to pressure opposing quarterbacks, and getting pressure without having to blitz gives defensive coordinator Dean Pees more options to double receivers or disguise coverages.
? The Miami Dolphins have 13 sacks, with nine of them coming from the defensive line and the other four from the linebacker and secondary. Miami defensive coordinator Dom Capers shows a good mix of base fronts, zone blitzes and all-out blitzes. Capers is not afraid to gamble some to pressure the quarterback, with many of Miami's blitzes coming when an opponent crosses the 50-yard line into Dolphins territory. ? The Buffalo Bills lead the division through Week 5 with 14 quarterback sacks. The defensive line has eight big plays, and the remaining six are listed under team, secondary and linebacker. Head coach Dick Jaurons' background is mostly on defense, and he and defensive coordinator Perry Fewell have a calculated game plane involving pressure from several different areas depending on field position and down-and-distance.

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Intriguing matchups in Week 6

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons

We will learn a lot about the NFC South this weekend. Let's take a closer look at four matchups that could determine the outcomes:

Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints

The Saints have been without a doubt the surprise team in the NFL. If there ever was an opportunity to silence the doubters (including me) and really establish themselves as a playoff contender, this would be it. They need to beat the Eagles, but they really will be tested against the No. 1 offense in the NFL. QB Donovan McNabb is hitting on all cylinders and must be licking his chops as he prepares for a Saints defense that has been exposed over the last few weeks.

Drew Brees

The interesting matchup revolves around New Orleans QB Drew Brees and Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. The Eagles love to bring different pressure packages, while the Saints thrive on exploiting individual matchups by design. How Brees protects the ball and handles the Eagles' pressure packages could determine whether the Saints improve to 5-1 on Sunday afternoon.

Carolina Panthers at Baltimore Ravens

How will one of the leagues most explosive playmakers in Steve Smith match up against the Ravens defense that is ranked No. 2 in the NFL? Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan is one of the best young coordinators in the NFL. He presents a lot of problems for offenses by using multiple fronts and pressure packages.

Reed

The Panthers have yet to face a secondary as good as Baltimore's, which has FS Ed Reed in the middle and two outstanding corners in Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle on the perimeter to match up with WRs Smith and Keyshawn Johnson. Look for the Ravens to use Reed as a robber or spy in coverage, showing straight zone coverage but ready to jump Smith's routes. An inside-out bracket on Smith, with either McAlister or Rolle on the outside, could take Smith out of the intermediate and deep areas of the passing game.

The Ravens also will rely on a lot of single safety looks that allow both McAlister and Rolle to be physical on the outside from a press position, which allows Reed to react off QB Jake Delhomme. Look for Ryan to really pressure Delhomme in heavy passing situations to disrupt the flow and timing of the Panthers' passing game.
New York Giants at Atlanta Falcons

Michael Vick

This game features two quarterbacks with completely different styles. The Giants' Eli Manning is a prototypical pocket passer, while the Falcons' Michael Vick is anything but. In fact, Vick leads all quarterbacks in the NFL in rushing with 333 yards.

Vick puts a lot of pressure on defenses with his unbelievable athleticism in open space, and with his arm strength. Manning is a young, developing quarterback with a tremendous upside who is best suited to attacking defenses off play-action. Both quarterbacks have a strong supporting cast, but the Giants have the more experienced skill players, and that goes along way in developing young quarterbacks.
Cincinnati Bengals at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Gradkowski

The interesting storyline in this game will be the progress rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski makes after last week's impressive performance against the Saints. The Bengals have an aggressive defense that will show multiple fronts, unique blitz packages and do a good job of disguising coverages on the back end. Pressure and confusing coverages often result in game-changing turnovers.

Gradkowski will need to be patient and take what the defense gives him. Look for Bucs head coach Jon Gruden to continue to rely on RB Cadillac Williamsagainst a run defense that is ranked 27th in the league (allowing 144 yards per game) to take pressure off his young signal caller. Also, the Buccaneers will utilize some no-huddle offense to try and keep the Bengals off balance. Week 6 NFC South predictions:
? Philadelphia 31, New Orleans 24
? Cincinnati 28, Tampa Bay 20
? Carolina 17, Baltimore 14
? Atlanta 26, New York Giants 21

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Intriguing matchups in Week 6

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons

We will learn a lot about the NFC South this weekend. Let's take a closer look at four matchups that could determine the outcomes:

Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints

The Saints have been without a doubt the surprise team in the NFL. If there ever was an opportunity to silence the doubters (including me) and really establish themselves as a playoff contender, this would be it. They need to beat the Eagles, but they really will be tested against the No. 1 offense in the NFL. QB Donovan McNabb is hitting on all cylinders and must be licking his chops as he prepares for a Saints defense that has been exposed over the last few weeks.

Drew Brees

The interesting matchup revolves around New Orleans QB Drew Brees and Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. The Eagles love to bring different pressure packages, while the Saints thrive on exploiting individual matchups by design. How Brees protects the ball and handles the Eagles' pressure packages could determine whether the Saints improve to 5-1 on Sunday afternoon.

Carolina Panthers at Baltimore Ravens

How will one of the leagues most explosive playmakers in Steve Smith match up against the Ravens defense that is ranked No. 2 in the NFL? Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan is one of the best young coordinators in the NFL. He presents a lot of problems for offenses by using multiple fronts and pressure packages.

Reed

The Panthers have yet to face a secondary as good as Baltimore's, which has FS Ed Reed in the middle and two outstanding corners in Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle on the perimeter to match up with WRs Smith and Keyshawn Johnson. Look for the Ravens to use Reed as a robber or spy in coverage, showing straight zone coverage but ready to jump Smith's routes. An inside-out bracket on Smith, with either McAlister or Rolle on the outside, could take Smith out of the intermediate and deep areas of the passing game.

The Ravens also will rely on a lot of single safety looks that allow both McAlister and Rolle to be physical on the outside from a press position, which allows Reed to react off QB Jake Delhomme. Look for Ryan to really pressure Delhomme in heavy passing situations to disrupt the flow and timing of the Panthers' passing game.
New York Giants at Atlanta Falcons

Michael Vick

This game features two quarterbacks with completely different styles. The Giants' Eli Manning is a prototypical pocket passer, while the Falcons' Michael Vick is anything but. In fact, Vick leads all quarterbacks in the NFL in rushing with 333 yards.

Vick puts a lot of pressure on defenses with his unbelievable athleticism in open space, and with his arm strength. Manning is a young, developing quarterback with a tremendous upside who is best suited to attacking defenses off play-action. Both quarterbacks have a strong supporting cast, but the Giants have the more experienced skill players, and that goes along way in developing young quarterbacks.
Cincinnati Bengals at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Gradkowski

The interesting storyline in this game will be the progress rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski makes after last week's impressive performance against the Saints. The Bengals have an aggressive defense that will show multiple fronts, unique blitz packages and do a good job of disguising coverages on the back end. Pressure and confusing coverages often result in game-changing turnovers.

Gradkowski will need to be patient and take what the defense gives him. Look for Bucs head coach Jon Gruden to continue to rely on RB Cadillac Williamsagainst a run defense that is ranked 27th in the league (allowing 144 yards per game) to take pressure off his young signal caller. Also, the Buccaneers will utilize some no-huddle offense to try and keep the Bengals off balance. Week 6 NFC South predictions:
? Philadelphia 31, New Orleans 24
? Cincinnati 28, Tampa Bay 20
? Carolina 17, Baltimore 14
? Atlanta 26, New York Giants 21

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Having depth is key to success

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers

As the season enters Week 6, this is the time of year where depth can carry teams through the hard times. Teams can either win games they were supposed to win or lose games they were supposed to win. Depth is one of the most important parts of developing a winning franchise. Good depth on a football team will help sustain solid levels of play and keep teams balanced through injury plagued times.

Take a look at the average age of each NFC West team and a strong argument can be made that depth is the reason for the success or failure of each team so far this season. The average age of the San Francisco 49ers is 26.5-years-old, the Arizona Cardinals, 26.6, the Seattle Seahawks, 27.2 and with and average age of 27.6 , the St. Louis Rams are the division's oldest team. Now, look at the winning percentages of each team through five games of play and you will see the younger teams have the worst win-loss records in the division. Many people tend to overlook this important factor when trying to develop a winning franchise. Because of the age and experience factor, the Rams are off to a strong start to this season.

As I said, solid depth will help carry teams over the hump. Teams such as the Cardinals and 49ers, who are young at a lot of their positions, will seem to continually struggle. Conversely, the Rams and Seahawks both have taken the recipe of depth to heart and should continue to battle for the NFC West title.

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Having depth is key to success

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers

As the season enters Week 6, this is the time of year where depth can carry teams through the hard times. Teams can either win games they were supposed to win or lose games they were supposed to win. Depth is one of the most important parts of developing a winning franchise. Good depth on a football team will help sustain solid levels of play and keep teams balanced through injury plagued times.

Take a look at the average age of each NFC West team and a strong argument can be made that depth is the reason for the success or failure of each team so far this season. The average age of the San Francisco 49ers is 26.5-years-old, the Arizona Cardinals, 26.6, the Seattle Seahawks, 27.2 and with and average age of 27.6 , the St. Louis Rams are the division's oldest team. Now, look at the winning percentages of each team through five games of play and you will see the younger teams have the worst win-loss records in the division. Many people tend to overlook this important factor when trying to develop a winning franchise. Because of the age and experience factor, the Rams are off to a strong start to this season.

As I said, solid depth will help carry teams over the hump. Teams such as the Cardinals and 49ers, who are young at a lot of their positions, will seem to continually struggle. Conversely, the Rams and Seahawks both have taken the recipe of depth to heart and should continue to battle for the NFC West title.

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Owens need help

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles

I hate doing it but I need to talk about [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=3664"]Terrell Owens[/URL]. Another person asked me what the Cowboys can do to get the double coverage off Owens. When teams double cover a receiver, they usually do it with a corner and a safety, with the corner taking away any low routes and the safety protecting the corner deep.

Defensives can do this out of a three deep or a two deep look, either with man or zone. The one draw back is the defense has to take a safety out of run support to get good coverage on the intended target.
The Cowboys need [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6802"]Julius Jones[/URL] or Marion Barber to provide some explosive runs. It is not enough to run the ball for over a hundred yards, it is about scoring rushing touchdowns. The defense is giving up the run to stop the pass. Being explosive running the ball will get a defensive coordinator to give up the double coverage to stop the run.
Dallas must also move Owens around, getting creative with its formations by putting him in the slot with a back or tight end outside of him. Against zone coverage, Owens would be covered by a linebacker, a matchup he should win. In man coverage, a linebacker or safety would be on an island outside, with little help against a back or tight end. Either situation favors the Cowboys.
Another formation that is good against man or zone coverage is a bunch look that puts three receivers close together near the offensive tackle. These tight formations force teams to make an adjustment so they don't get picked off in man coverage, and they also flood zone coverages by getting three receivers into a single zone covered by a linebacker or DB. If a team is man blitzing like the Eagles were last Sunday, the Cowboys could have forced them to check out of it, or risk getting picked.
The other receivers on the Cowboys' roster have to step up their level of play and take some of the pressure off Glenn and Owens, who are both seeing a lot of double coverage. Tight end [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6405"]Jason Witten[/URL] needs to get more involved in the pass offense. The same goes for running backs Jones and Barber. [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=2359"]Drew Bledsoe[/URL] has only thrown to his backs on 22 of his 129 pass attempts. Either Jones or Barber are poor route runners, or the Cowboys do not include their backs in the passing game.

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Owens need help

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles

I hate doing it but I need to talk about [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=3664"]Terrell Owens[/URL]. Another person asked me what the Cowboys can do to get the double coverage off Owens. When teams double cover a receiver, they usually do it with a corner and a safety, with the corner taking away any low routes and the safety protecting the corner deep.

Defensives can do this out of a three deep or a two deep look, either with man or zone. The one draw back is the defense has to take a safety out of run support to get good coverage on the intended target.
The Cowboys need [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6802"]Julius Jones[/URL] or Marion Barber to provide some explosive runs. It is not enough to run the ball for over a hundred yards, it is about scoring rushing touchdowns. The defense is giving up the run to stop the pass. Being explosive running the ball will get a defensive coordinator to give up the double coverage to stop the run.
Dallas must also move Owens around, getting creative with its formations by putting him in the slot with a back or tight end outside of him. Against zone coverage, Owens would be covered by a linebacker, a matchup he should win. In man coverage, a linebacker or safety would be on an island outside, with little help against a back or tight end. Either situation favors the Cowboys.
Another formation that is good against man or zone coverage is a bunch look that puts three receivers close together near the offensive tackle. These tight formations force teams to make an adjustment so they don't get picked off in man coverage, and they also flood zone coverages by getting three receivers into a single zone covered by a linebacker or DB. If a team is man blitzing like the Eagles were last Sunday, the Cowboys could have forced them to check out of it, or risk getting picked.
The other receivers on the Cowboys' roster have to step up their level of play and take some of the pressure off Glenn and Owens, who are both seeing a lot of double coverage. Tight end [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6405"]Jason Witten[/URL] needs to get more involved in the pass offense. The same goes for running backs Jones and Barber. [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=2359"]Drew Bledsoe[/URL] has only thrown to his backs on 22 of his 129 pass attempts. Either Jones or Barber are poor route runners, or the Cowboys do not include their backs in the passing game.

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Bye-week check-up for Pack, Vikes

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

With two of the NFC North teams on bye weeks this Sunday, let's take a look at each team and the performance of each unit.

Green Bay Packers

Quarterback: Brett Favre still has the juice. In the opener, Favre looked impatient, making poor decisions and throwing bad passes like last season. Since then, he has been very patient in leading a very young offensive group and putting up good yardage, but his completion percentage must improve to keep his offense on the field.

Green

Running back: Noah Herron stepped in last week and proved he is more than just a third-down running back. Ahman Green has reverted to his fumbling ways and struggles to be healthy. It might be time to move on and play the younger, less-expereinced Vernand Morency and Herron.

Tight ends: Bubba Franks has 11 catches but also some drops and has disappeared in the red zone, where he earned his Pro Bowl votes with a lot of 1-yard touchdown catches. Donald Lee provides some big-play ability but is not yet dependable. With his inexperienced line, Favre needs more production the tight ends.
Offensive line: The offensive line epitomizes a youth movement. Three different rookies have started at guard, with a relatively inexperienced center and a pair of veterans playing tackle. This unit is learning a new zone run-game scheme and has given up only seven sacks. A work in progress, but this unit is showing flashes.

Kampman

Defensive line: High-motor defensive end Aaron Kampman has been the bright spot on a struggling line. Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila has shown up, but only in flashes and needs to be more consistent as well as much better against the run. Inside, the tackles need to be stouter against the run and get better interior push on the pass rush.

Linebackers: A very athletic group led by Nick Barnett has been active, and rookie A.J. Hawk is improving weekly. The liability of this unit has been Brady Poppinga in pass coverage. Good tight ends and running backs have matched up against and taken advantage of Poppinga.
Defensive backs: Toast. Ranking 31st in pass defense, this unit is generously giving up 378 yards per game through the air. The secondary has been terribly inconsistent and regular gives up explosive plays. The safeties are constantly out of position, and good play-action by opposing quarterbacks finds them dropping down and giving up deep plays. The nickel position was playing so poorly that the Packers cut former first-round pick Ahmad Carroll after his penalties and getting burnt lost another game.
Specialists: Punter Jon Ryan has been good but needs more punts downed inside the 20. The coverage teams must improve to help win the field-position battle and not lose games. Don't forget the 84-yard touchdown return the punt coverage team gave up to Devin Hester of the Bears in Week 1. Kicker David Raynor needs to be better on the long-distance field goals, as Green Bay needs to convert every scoring opportunity to have a chance to win. The kickoff return unit is average, gaining only 20 yards per return, while Charles Woodson has been very good, getting 13 yards per return. He does take some chances, having only fair caught one punt.
Minnesota Vikings

Quarterback: Brad Johnson is a winner with a fantastic track record on several teams, running different styles of offense. In this version of the West Coast offense, head coach Brad Childress should give Johnson more freedom to change plays and audible as the quarterback gets a feel for the flow of the game, keeping the Vikings out of bad plays.

Taylor

Running back: Chester Taylor has done everything asked of him and then some. He is not flashy, but he is a workhorse with the durability to handle 30-plus carries a game while getting stronger as the game goes on. Several of his explosive runs have been to close out games after wearing down opponents. Mewelde Moore is an elusive third-down back with excellent receiving skills and the ability to make defenders miss.

Tight ends: Jimmy Kleinsasser is a dominating point-of-attack blocker but only an average receiver. Jermaine Wiggins has improved as a blocker and is an outstanding receiver who is clutch in moving the chains. Look for Wiggins to be utilized much more in the pass game after the bye week.
Offensive line: Much has been said about this line with the offseason addition of powerful left guard Steve Hutchinson and veteran Artis Hicks and the healthy return of All-Pro center Matt Birk. This group should dominate but has been hurt by untimely penalties, especially by young right tackle Marcus Johnson. The line has improved its continuity, though, as last week the Vikings gave up no sacks and rushed the ball for 135 yards.

P.Williams

K.Williams

Defensive line: Right now the duo of huge NG Pat Williams and All-Pro Kevin Williams are my vote for the best interior tandem in the NFL. Big Pat Williams' penetrating quickness forces double teams, allowing Kevin Williams to wreak havoc. He has racked up 32 tackles, 3 sacks, 6 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hurries. The young defensive end position has played well, rotating Kenechi Udeze, Darrion Scott and rookie Ray Edwards.

Linebackers: Behind a dominant defensive line, this athletic group has excelled. Defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin's version of the Tampa Cover 2 scheme is very aggressive, utilizing the speed of Napoleon Harris and E.J. Henderson both to pressure the quarterback and drop into coverage. Strong-side linebacker Ben Leber is a good matchup against tight ends in the pass game.
Defensive backs: Antoine Winfield is the best tackling corner in the league, and Fred Smoot has matured enough to play both zone and man coverage. Ball-hawking veteran safeties Darren Sharper and Dwight Smith keep everything in front of them and fill with force against the run. However, the secondary depth gets very young after the starting unit. Specialists: Ryan Longwell has been solid, even throwing a touchdown pass on a fake field goal. Second-year punter Chris Kluwe is coming off of serious knee surgery and has been terribly inconsistent, even horrific at times, including a 9-yard punt the contributed to his NFL-worst worst average. The return units have been spotty, with RB Moore flashing his explosive ability then making a critical mistake by fumbling. The special teams must improve and win the field-position battle with an offense that struggles to score touchdowns.

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Bye-week check-up for Pack, Vikes

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

With two of the NFC North teams on bye weeks this Sunday, let's take a look at each team and the performance of each unit.

Green Bay Packers

Quarterback: Brett Favre still has the juice. In the opener, Favre looked impatient, making poor decisions and throwing bad passes like last season. Since then, he has been very patient in leading a very young offensive group and putting up good yardage, but his completion percentage must improve to keep his offense on the field.

Green

Running back: Noah Herron stepped in last week and proved he is more than just a third-down running back. Ahman Green has reverted to his fumbling ways and struggles to be healthy. It might be time to move on and play the younger, less-expereinced Vernand Morency and Herron.

Tight ends: Bubba Franks has 11 catches but also some drops and has disappeared in the red zone, where he earned his Pro Bowl votes with a lot of 1-yard touchdown catches. Donald Lee provides some big-play ability but is not yet dependable. With his inexperienced line, Favre needs more production the tight ends.
Offensive line: The offensive line epitomizes a youth movement. Three different rookies have started at guard, with a relatively inexperienced center and a pair of veterans playing tackle. This unit is learning a new zone run-game scheme and has given up only seven sacks. A work in progress, but this unit is showing flashes.

Kampman

Defensive line: High-motor defensive end Aaron Kampman has been the bright spot on a struggling line. Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila has shown up, but only in flashes and needs to be more consistent as well as much better against the run. Inside, the tackles need to be stouter against the run and get better interior push on the pass rush.

Linebackers: A very athletic group led by Nick Barnett has been active, and rookie A.J. Hawk is improving weekly. The liability of this unit has been Brady Poppinga in pass coverage. Good tight ends and running backs have matched up against and taken advantage of Poppinga.
Defensive backs: Toast. Ranking 31st in pass defense, this unit is generously giving up 378 yards per game through the air. The secondary has been terribly inconsistent and regular gives up explosive plays. The safeties are constantly out of position, and good play-action by opposing quarterbacks finds them dropping down and giving up deep plays. The nickel position was playing so poorly that the Packers cut former first-round pick Ahmad Carroll after his penalties and getting burnt lost another game.
Specialists: Punter Jon Ryan has been good but needs more punts downed inside the 20. The coverage teams must improve to help win the field-position battle and not lose games. Don't forget the 84-yard touchdown return the punt coverage team gave up to Devin Hester of the Bears in Week 1. Kicker David Raynor needs to be better on the long-distance field goals, as Green Bay needs to convert every scoring opportunity to have a chance to win. The kickoff return unit is average, gaining only 20 yards per return, while Charles Woodson has been very good, getting 13 yards per return. He does take some chances, having only fair caught one punt.
Minnesota Vikings

Quarterback: Brad Johnson is a winner with a fantastic track record on several teams, running different styles of offense. In this version of the West Coast offense, head coach Brad Childress should give Johnson more freedom to change plays and audible as the quarterback gets a feel for the flow of the game, keeping the Vikings out of bad plays.

Taylor

Running back: Chester Taylor has done everything asked of him and then some. He is not flashy, but he is a workhorse with the durability to handle 30-plus carries a game while getting stronger as the game goes on. Several of his explosive runs have been to close out games after wearing down opponents. Mewelde Moore is an elusive third-down back with excellent receiving skills and the ability to make defenders miss.

Tight ends: Jimmy Kleinsasser is a dominating point-of-attack blocker but only an average receiver. Jermaine Wiggins has improved as a blocker and is an outstanding receiver who is clutch in moving the chains. Look for Wiggins to be utilized much more in the pass game after the bye week.
Offensive line: Much has been said about this line with the offseason addition of powerful left guard Steve Hutchinson and veteran Artis Hicks and the healthy return of All-Pro center Matt Birk. This group should dominate but has been hurt by untimely penalties, especially by young right tackle Marcus Johnson. The line has improved its continuity, though, as last week the Vikings gave up no sacks and rushed the ball for 135 yards.

P.Williams

K.Williams

Defensive line: Right now the duo of huge NG Pat Williams and All-Pro Kevin Williams are my vote for the best interior tandem in the NFL. Big Pat Williams' penetrating quickness forces double teams, allowing Kevin Williams to wreak havoc. He has racked up 32 tackles, 3 sacks, 6 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hurries. The young defensive end position has played well, rotating Kenechi Udeze, Darrion Scott and rookie Ray Edwards.

Linebackers: Behind a dominant defensive line, this athletic group has excelled. Defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin's version of the Tampa Cover 2 scheme is very aggressive, utilizing the speed of Napoleon Harris and E.J. Henderson both to pressure the quarterback and drop into coverage. Strong-side linebacker Ben Leber is a good matchup against tight ends in the pass game.
Defensive backs: Antoine Winfield is the best tackling corner in the league, and Fred Smoot has matured enough to play both zone and man coverage. Ball-hawking veteran safeties Darren Sharper and Dwight Smith keep everything in front of them and fill with force against the run. However, the secondary depth gets very young after the starting unit. Specialists: Ryan Longwell has been solid, even throwing a touchdown pass on a fake field goal. Second-year punter Chris Kluwe is coming off of serious knee surgery and has been terribly inconsistent, even horrific at times, including a 9-yard punt the contributed to his NFL-worst worst average. The return units have been spotty, with RB Moore flashing his explosive ability then making a critical mistake by fumbling. The special teams must improve and win the field-position battle with an offense that struggles to score touchdowns.

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Manning starting slow, Llyod not starting at all

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles

Washington Redskins

I was asked by someone recently about the lack of production from Redskins' wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. First of all, there is only one football to go around and the Redskins have a lot of hungry mouths to feed.
Offensive coordinator Al Saunders has a pecking order in terms of distributing the ball -- Clinton Portis, Santan Moss, Chris Cooley, Antwaan Randle El and Lloyd. Another factor could be that Lloyd has not been coming up with the balls thrown at him.
Lloyd has only caught six of the 16 passes thrown his way this season. By comparison, Randle El has caught 16 of the 19 passes thrown his way.
New York Giants

Giants quarterback Eli Manning is the talk of the NFL right now. His completion percentage is up and he has matured as a quarterback. Manning has been playing well, and has impressed me with his ability to stand in the pocket and take a hit. He has also been more consistent with his throws.
However, one thing not talked about is the fact that Manning has started games poorly, contributing to the Giants falling behind early in games. In the first quarter, Manning has completed 12 of 23 passing attempts (52.2 percent), way below his average of 67.1 percent. Manning has only thrown one touchdown pass compared to two interceptions, posting a QB rating of 49.7 in the first quarter of each of his games. Brunell is completing 69.2 percent of his passes, with a QB rating of 97.4 in the first quarter. The Giants need to run the ball more and give Manning some quick, medium range throws to get him in a rhythm early in games.

Hache Man · Oct 13, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 6 New Articles Added 10/12/06)

Manning starting slow, Llyod not starting at all

posted: Friday, October 13, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles

Washington Redskins

I was asked by someone recently about the lack of production from Redskins' wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. First of all, there is only one football to go around and the Redskins have a lot of hungry mouths to feed.
Offensive coordinator Al Saunders has a pecking order in terms of distributing the ball -- Clinton Portis, Santan Moss, Chris Cooley, Antwaan Randle El and Lloyd. Another factor could be that Lloyd has not been coming up with the balls thrown at him.
Lloyd has only caught six of the 16 passes thrown his way this season. By comparison, Randle El has caught 16 of the 19 passes thrown his way.
New York Giants

Giants quarterback Eli Manning is the talk of the NFL right now. His completion percentage is up and he has matured as a quarterback. Manning has been playing well, and has impressed me with his ability to stand in the pocket and take a hit. He has also been more consistent with his throws.
However, one thing not talked about is the fact that Manning has started games poorly, contributing to the Giants falling behind early in games. In the first quarter, Manning has completed 12 of 23 passing attempts (52.2 percent), way below his average of 67.1 percent. Manning has only thrown one touchdown pass compared to two interceptions, posting a QB rating of 49.7 in the first quarter of each of his games. Brunell is completing 69.2 percent of his passes, with a QB rating of 97.4 in the first quarter. The Giants need to run the ball more and give Manning some quick, medium range throws to get him in a rhythm early in games.

Hache Man · Oct 14, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Articles Added 10/13/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Articles Added 10/13/06)

Updated: Oct. 14, 2006
Gradkowski showing promise

By Gary Horton
Scouts Inc.
Archive




<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
Three rookie quarterbacks started in Week 5, and each showed positive signs for the future. In all three cases, the young QB was expected to sit and learn this season, but poor play from the starter led to him being thrown into the fire.
Does a rookie QB benefit by playing early and taking his knocks, or is it best to learn by holding a clipboard and playing behind an experienced veteran? There is no definitive answer, but very few young QBs have immediate success.
First of all, they are usually on bad teams with few playmakers. Secondly, the game is so much faster and more complex than they are used to on the college level, they struggle with the mental aspects. I don't think a player learns a lot by watching on the sidelines. The only way to get used to the speed of the game is by actually playing.
However, I will admit that some talented young QBs thrown into the action too early have never been the same. Three teams appear willing to take that risk this season. Let's look at Vince Young (Tennessee), Matt Leinart (Arizona) and Bruce Gradkowski (Tampa Bay).
Vince Young -- Tennessee Titans
Young is probably the least ready of all the rookie QBs, yet he was the first one to start. The scary thing is there is no backup plan in Tennessee if he struggles. You cannot question his physical skills and athleticism, but the transition from his run-oriented college offense at Texas to a complex NFL offense at Tennessee is huge. Right now, his best plays are being made with his feet.
The option/read scheme he ran in college has been incorporated into the Titans' offense. Young's ability to read the defensive end and either hand the ball off, if the DE rushes wide, or keep the ball and run, if the DE crashes, not only led to a Young rushing TD last week, but also gave a big boost to a struggling Tennessee run game. This play is so successful that Michael Vick has copied it in Atlanta.
Young is most dangerous in the passing game when he is on the move, and he can be effective when the play starts to break down and he can just play catch with his receivers. However, when he stays in the pocket and tries to be a dropback QB, he is not the same threat. His biggest problem right now is that he locks on to his primary receiver, and he has no concept of looking a safety off or reading his progressions.
As a result, defenders will read his eyes to get to the ball and Young will try to force too many throws into double and triple coverage. While he has the ability to throw a nice deep ball, Young's coaches have made this a simple passing attack with dump-offs to backs, screen passes and easy throws.
Only three of his passes last week at Indianapolis went to WRs, and as a result, defenses don't respect the Titans' vertical passing game and are simply squeezing Young, attacking the running game and short passing game. He will continue to be an erratic QB, with some big plays and some big mistakes.
He is still learning to take the snap from center after a college career in which he played primarily out of the shotgun, and his ability to process information before the snap and make good decisions is a work in progress. It will be a long time before we can put a definitive grade on this report card.
Matt Leinart -- Arizona Cardinals
In his first start last week, a loss to St. Louis, Leinart played well enough to give Arizona fans hope for the future. In his first five passing attempts, he threw two touchdowns, and his touch and accuracy were outstanding.
He has an excellent grasp of this offense for a young player. Unlike most situations when a rookie QB is starting, head coach Dennis Green has given Leinart his full game plan, not taking anything out of the playbook or dumming down the offense. In fact, Green can actually expand some of the things the Cardinals want to do offensively, because of Leinart's mobility. Green could not do that with the much less mobile Kurt Warner at the helm.
While we don't think of Leinart as a running QB, he has a knack for moving around in the pocket, not only to buy time while his receivers get open, but also to find better passing lanes as the pocket collapses. When you play behind an offensive line that can't pass protect, and when you have big, physical receivers who need time to separate, those movement skills become a precious commodity.
You also have to like the way he is able to audibilize at the line of scrimmage. His first TD in Week 5 came on an audible, where he read the blitz with eight defenders in the box and knew he had single man-to-man coverage on the perimeter. Leinart also did a good job of running the two-minute drill, and his poise and confidence is really a positive factor.
However, Leinart may be in for some rough days. He has no running game, is playing behind the worst offensive line in the NFL, and will be without WR Larry Fitzgerald indefinitely because of a hamstring injury. That does not bode well when you are getting ready to face the Chicago Bears' dominating defense on "Monday Night Football."
Leinart is the real deal, and is ready mentally to play and be productive. However, he took a lot of hits from Kansas City and his toughness will really be put to the test until the Cardinals upgrade their offensive line, which will hopefully lead to better pass protection and an improved running game.
Bruce Gradkowski -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
He is the least-known of the rookie QBs, but he may have played the best on Sunday in his first start, a losing effort against New Orleans. As a sixth-round draft pick from Toledo, he was expected to sit for a long time behind Chris Simms, but an injury to Simms changed all of that. For the rest of the 2006 season, this is Gradkowski's team.
Jon Gruden is tough on his QBs because he demands perfection, but he seems to be legitimately excited about developing this young guy. Gruden's offense forces quarterbacks to read defenses in layers, and it takes a guy who can process information quickly and read his progressions. Gradkowski is doing a good job of that.
Gruden also uses a lot of personnel groupings to confuse defenses. His young QB was able to adjust to those groupings and even made some quality audibles. He ran the no-huddle offense on occasion, and did a good job of getting the ball to his best playmaker, WR Joey Galloway. Gradkowski moves very well in the pocket and seems to have a natural feel for the rush. He is not afraid to hang in there and take a hit, while waiting for his receivers to separate and get open. His most impressive quality may be his command in the huddle. He is very calm, and it seems to be rubbing off on his teammates. Gruden falls in and out of love with QBs, but Gradkowski has a lot of skills his head coach likes, and this could turn into a long-term relationship.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 14, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Articles Added 10/13/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Articles Added 10/13/06)

Updated: Oct. 14, 2006
Gradkowski showing promise

By Gary Horton
Scouts Inc.
Archive




<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
Three rookie quarterbacks started in Week 5, and each showed positive signs for the future. In all three cases, the young QB was expected to sit and learn this season, but poor play from the starter led to him being thrown into the fire.
Does a rookie QB benefit by playing early and taking his knocks, or is it best to learn by holding a clipboard and playing behind an experienced veteran? There is no definitive answer, but very few young QBs have immediate success.
First of all, they are usually on bad teams with few playmakers. Secondly, the game is so much faster and more complex than they are used to on the college level, they struggle with the mental aspects. I don't think a player learns a lot by watching on the sidelines. The only way to get used to the speed of the game is by actually playing.
However, I will admit that some talented young QBs thrown into the action too early have never been the same. Three teams appear willing to take that risk this season. Let's look at Vince Young (Tennessee), Matt Leinart (Arizona) and Bruce Gradkowski (Tampa Bay).
Vince Young -- Tennessee Titans
Young is probably the least ready of all the rookie QBs, yet he was the first one to start. The scary thing is there is no backup plan in Tennessee if he struggles. You cannot question his physical skills and athleticism, but the transition from his run-oriented college offense at Texas to a complex NFL offense at Tennessee is huge. Right now, his best plays are being made with his feet.
The option/read scheme he ran in college has been incorporated into the Titans' offense. Young's ability to read the defensive end and either hand the ball off, if the DE rushes wide, or keep the ball and run, if the DE crashes, not only led to a Young rushing TD last week, but also gave a big boost to a struggling Tennessee run game. This play is so successful that Michael Vick has copied it in Atlanta.
Young is most dangerous in the passing game when he is on the move, and he can be effective when the play starts to break down and he can just play catch with his receivers. However, when he stays in the pocket and tries to be a dropback QB, he is not the same threat. His biggest problem right now is that he locks on to his primary receiver, and he has no concept of looking a safety off or reading his progressions.
As a result, defenders will read his eyes to get to the ball and Young will try to force too many throws into double and triple coverage. While he has the ability to throw a nice deep ball, Young's coaches have made this a simple passing attack with dump-offs to backs, screen passes and easy throws.
Only three of his passes last week at Indianapolis went to WRs, and as a result, defenses don't respect the Titans' vertical passing game and are simply squeezing Young, attacking the running game and short passing game. He will continue to be an erratic QB, with some big plays and some big mistakes.
He is still learning to take the snap from center after a college career in which he played primarily out of the shotgun, and his ability to process information before the snap and make good decisions is a work in progress. It will be a long time before we can put a definitive grade on this report card.
Matt Leinart -- Arizona Cardinals
In his first start last week, a loss to St. Louis, Leinart played well enough to give Arizona fans hope for the future. In his first five passing attempts, he threw two touchdowns, and his touch and accuracy were outstanding.
He has an excellent grasp of this offense for a young player. Unlike most situations when a rookie QB is starting, head coach Dennis Green has given Leinart his full game plan, not taking anything out of the playbook or dumming down the offense. In fact, Green can actually expand some of the things the Cardinals want to do offensively, because of Leinart's mobility. Green could not do that with the much less mobile Kurt Warner at the helm.
While we don't think of Leinart as a running QB, he has a knack for moving around in the pocket, not only to buy time while his receivers get open, but also to find better passing lanes as the pocket collapses. When you play behind an offensive line that can't pass protect, and when you have big, physical receivers who need time to separate, those movement skills become a precious commodity.
You also have to like the way he is able to audibilize at the line of scrimmage. His first TD in Week 5 came on an audible, where he read the blitz with eight defenders in the box and knew he had single man-to-man coverage on the perimeter. Leinart also did a good job of running the two-minute drill, and his poise and confidence is really a positive factor.
However, Leinart may be in for some rough days. He has no running game, is playing behind the worst offensive line in the NFL, and will be without WR Larry Fitzgerald indefinitely because of a hamstring injury. That does not bode well when you are getting ready to face the Chicago Bears' dominating defense on "Monday Night Football."
Leinart is the real deal, and is ready mentally to play and be productive. However, he took a lot of hits from Kansas City and his toughness will really be put to the test until the Cardinals upgrade their offensive line, which will hopefully lead to better pass protection and an improved running game.
Bruce Gradkowski -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
He is the least-known of the rookie QBs, but he may have played the best on Sunday in his first start, a losing effort against New Orleans. As a sixth-round draft pick from Toledo, he was expected to sit for a long time behind Chris Simms, but an injury to Simms changed all of that. For the rest of the 2006 season, this is Gradkowski's team.
Jon Gruden is tough on his QBs because he demands perfection, but he seems to be legitimately excited about developing this young guy. Gruden's offense forces quarterbacks to read defenses in layers, and it takes a guy who can process information quickly and read his progressions. Gradkowski is doing a good job of that.
Gruden also uses a lot of personnel groupings to confuse defenses. His young QB was able to adjust to those groupings and even made some quality audibles. He ran the no-huddle offense on occasion, and did a good job of getting the ball to his best playmaker, WR Joey Galloway. Gradkowski moves very well in the pocket and seems to have a natural feel for the rush. He is not afraid to hang in there and take a hit, while waiting for his receivers to separate and get open. His most impressive quality may be his command in the huddle. He is very calm, and it seems to be rubbing off on his teammates. Gruden falls in and out of love with QBs, but Gradkowski has a lot of skills his head coach likes, and this could turn into a long-term relationship.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 14, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Articles Added 10/13/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Articles Added 10/13/06)

Updated: Oct. 14, 2006, 5:40 PM ET

New wave of quarterbacks

By Joe Theismann
ESPN Insider
Archive




<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
Two weeks ago "Monday Night Football" covered the Green Bay Packers playing the Philadelphia Eagles and as is always the case with the Packers, the bulk of the coverage pertained to Brett Favre and his seeming impending retirement. That got me to thinking about the next wave of signal callers and how those young guys are doing and if I should be worried about whose hands my position will be led by. After watching guys like Favre, Dan Marino, John Elway, and Steve Young give way to great players like Donovan McNabb and Peyton Manning, I wonder about who is behind Manning and McNabb if they should falter. Will it be a series of just game managers or will it be a crew of gunslingers who challenge the records that Favre and Marino have set?
So let's take a look at that next generation of guys who've only been in the league for a couple seasons and just are getting their feet wet this season. It's a group that will be very good and will definitely win some hardware.
Philip Rivers: I spoke with some of the Baltimore Ravens defensive players after they played against Rivers and they were quite impressed by his mobility. Quarterback mobility has become a large part of today's game and he has enough to be dangerous. He knows how to move around in the pocket to buy himself time and he isn't afraid to take off downfield to get positive yardage instead of just throwing the ball away as some quarterbacks are prone to do.
The young San Diego Chargers quarterback obviously was learning while sitting behind Drew Brees last season because he seems very confident out on the field and is making excellent decisions. Marty Schottenheimer hasn't let him take full control of the offense just yet and is instead feeding him new stuff slowly. He's doing a great job taking what he's learned and bringing out on the field every game. He's definitely a gamer.
Vince Young: I'm rooting for this guy to succeed because so many people complained he wasn't a prototypical thrower when he came out of the University of Texas. If I remember correctly, there were even skits about how he threw like the Uncle Rico character from the movie "Napoleon Dunamite." What is ignored in all the hoopla about his throwing motion is that this kid is a heck of a talent. He oozes leadership and has done a good job segueing into the starter role for the Tennessee Titans after watching the franchise play musical quarterbacks during the offseason.
Alex Smith: Here's a kid who had never played with his back to the line of scrimmage before his pro career started and now he's out there winging the ball like he's been doing it his entire life. It's an extremely difficult transition from college to the pros for a quarterback and it's much more difficult when you have to learn something so integral to playing the position in the pros. The young San Francisco 49ers' starter adapted extremely well, though, and it's been fun watching him grow from week to week.
Matt Leinart: Coming into the season, the biggest issue people had with Leinart was with his perceived lack of arm strength. He dispelled that misconception quickly and easily in his debut. The Arizona Cardinals rookie has the arm to make pretty much any throw. That arm strength, coupled with his strong grasp of the offense, could make Leinart the favorite to be the guy who takes off first out of this group. He played the role of the good soldier during the preseason and early in the season as he sat on the bench, but he was soaking up everything he could and it shows. He understands the schemes that he's supposed to execute and what the defense is throwing at him every game. For a guy that young to come in and pick up these concepts so quickly is amazing. Rex Grossman: My favorite part of his game is the amount of confidence he has in himself. It's borderline cockiness and I love it! You don't see this type of confidence out of such a young guy especially one who has suffered through the injuries that Grossman has, but this kid believes he's the leader of this offense. He knows that he's giving the Chicago Bears the big-play ability they've sorely needed the past few seasons to go with their excellent defense.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 14, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Articles Added 10/13/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Articles Added 10/13/06)

Updated: Oct. 14, 2006, 5:40 PM ET

New wave of quarterbacks

By Joe Theismann
ESPN Insider
Archive




<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
Two weeks ago "Monday Night Football" covered the Green Bay Packers playing the Philadelphia Eagles and as is always the case with the Packers, the bulk of the coverage pertained to Brett Favre and his seeming impending retirement. That got me to thinking about the next wave of signal callers and how those young guys are doing and if I should be worried about whose hands my position will be led by. After watching guys like Favre, Dan Marino, John Elway, and Steve Young give way to great players like Donovan McNabb and Peyton Manning, I wonder about who is behind Manning and McNabb if they should falter. Will it be a series of just game managers or will it be a crew of gunslingers who challenge the records that Favre and Marino have set?
So let's take a look at that next generation of guys who've only been in the league for a couple seasons and just are getting their feet wet this season. It's a group that will be very good and will definitely win some hardware.
Philip Rivers: I spoke with some of the Baltimore Ravens defensive players after they played against Rivers and they were quite impressed by his mobility. Quarterback mobility has become a large part of today's game and he has enough to be dangerous. He knows how to move around in the pocket to buy himself time and he isn't afraid to take off downfield to get positive yardage instead of just throwing the ball away as some quarterbacks are prone to do.
The young San Diego Chargers quarterback obviously was learning while sitting behind Drew Brees last season because he seems very confident out on the field and is making excellent decisions. Marty Schottenheimer hasn't let him take full control of the offense just yet and is instead feeding him new stuff slowly. He's doing a great job taking what he's learned and bringing out on the field every game. He's definitely a gamer.
Vince Young: I'm rooting for this guy to succeed because so many people complained he wasn't a prototypical thrower when he came out of the University of Texas. If I remember correctly, there were even skits about how he threw like the Uncle Rico character from the movie "Napoleon Dunamite." What is ignored in all the hoopla about his throwing motion is that this kid is a heck of a talent. He oozes leadership and has done a good job segueing into the starter role for the Tennessee Titans after watching the franchise play musical quarterbacks during the offseason.
Alex Smith: Here's a kid who had never played with his back to the line of scrimmage before his pro career started and now he's out there winging the ball like he's been doing it his entire life. It's an extremely difficult transition from college to the pros for a quarterback and it's much more difficult when you have to learn something so integral to playing the position in the pros. The young San Francisco 49ers' starter adapted extremely well, though, and it's been fun watching him grow from week to week.
Matt Leinart: Coming into the season, the biggest issue people had with Leinart was with his perceived lack of arm strength. He dispelled that misconception quickly and easily in his debut. The Arizona Cardinals rookie has the arm to make pretty much any throw. That arm strength, coupled with his strong grasp of the offense, could make Leinart the favorite to be the guy who takes off first out of this group. He played the role of the good soldier during the preseason and early in the season as he sat on the bench, but he was soaking up everything he could and it shows. He understands the schemes that he's supposed to execute and what the defense is throwing at him every game. For a guy that young to come in and pick up these concepts so quickly is amazing. Rex Grossman: My favorite part of his game is the amount of confidence he has in himself. It's borderline cockiness and I love it! You don't see this type of confidence out of such a young guy especially one who has suffered through the injuries that Grossman has, but this kid believes he's the leader of this offense. He knows that he's giving the Chicago Bears the big-play ability they've sorely needed the past few seasons to go with their excellent defense.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 14, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Articles Added 10/13/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Articles Added 10/13/06)

<TABLE width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>NFL Rumor Central: Peterson plotting comeback
</TD><TD align=right width="30%">Other Rumors: MLB | NBA | NHL
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>You are signed into Insider

and have access to this premium feature.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD colSpan=3>Saturday, October 14</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD width=65>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD noWrap align=middle>

Will Peterson
Giants
</TD><TD>Comeback?
</TD><TD>Peterson plotting comeback
<Oct. 14> Peterson, released by the N.Y. Giants before this season because of serious back problems, was cleared by specialists in late September to return to the football field and will begin auditioning for teams in a few weeks, according to ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli. The former Giants cornerback has not played in a game in 13 months.
More than a dozen franchises have been in touch with agent Ron Slavin to inquire about the cornerback's status, but come November, Slavin told ESPN.com this week, only teams in playoff contention need call.
"If he is going to play half a season, Will wants to get to a winning situation, one where he has a real shot to contribute to a franchise's success and to re-establish himself," Slavin said. "Those are pretty much the ground rules. Hopefully, he can get back [on a one-year contract], show people he can play again, and then make some realy money in free agency [next spring]."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD width=65>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD noWrap align=middle>

Leonard Davis
Cardinals
</TD><TD> </TD><TD>Cards dangling Davis?
<Oct. 14> Perhaps the most interesting name being kicked around in the rumor mill as the trade deadline nears is that of Davis, writes ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli. Davis is in the final season of his original rookie contract, earning $9 million-plus this year, and the Cardinals apparently feel there is no way they can retain him. And, make no mistake, the Cardinals have not only fielded inquiries about Davis, but have made a few calls of their own to gauge potential suitors. Problem is, any team interested in acquiring Davis, who started mostly at right guard before he was switched to left tackle by coach Denny Green in 2004, will want him to sign an extension before completing a trade. And, to this point, the Cardinals haven't given his agents permission to talk to anyone. Second, Arizona really doesn't have an adequate replacement on its roster.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD width=65>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD noWrap align=middle>

Jerametrius Butler
Rams
</TD><TD> </TD><TD>Butler on the block?
<Oct. 14> Until a spate of injuries hit the Rams' secondary, Butler appeared to be a viable trade option, writes ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli. Butler wouldn't mind moving on, particularly if it meant a chance to start. But unless the Rams convince themselves their starters are healthy, and that they have ample depth, they probably won't deal the sixth-year cornerback, who at 27 should still have some good years in front of him. Besides falling behind Travis Fisher and Fakhir Brown on the depth chart, Butler has been playing behind first-round draft choice Tye Hill and second-year veteran Ron Bartell.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 14, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Articles Added 10/13/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 13 New Articles Added 10/13/06)

<TABLE width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>NFL Rumor Central: Peterson plotting comeback
</TD><TD align=right width="30%">Other Rumors: MLB | NBA | NHL
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>You are signed into Insider

and have access to this premium feature.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD colSpan=3>Saturday, October 14</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD width=65>WHO</TD><TD>WHAT</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD noWrap align=middle>

Will Peterson
Giants
</TD><TD>Comeback?
</TD><TD>Peterson plotting comeback
<Oct. 14> Peterson, released by the N.Y. Giants before this season because of serious back problems, was cleared by specialists in late September to return to the football field and will begin auditioning for teams in a few weeks, according to ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli. The former Giants cornerback has not played in a game in 13 months.
More than a dozen franchises have been in touch with agent Ron Slavin to inquire about the cornerback's status, but come November, Slavin told ESPN.com this week, only teams in playoff contention need call.
"If he is going to play half a season, Will wants to get to a winning situation, one where he has a real shot to contribute to a franchise's success and to re-establish himself," Slavin said. "Those are pretty much the ground rules. Hopefully, he can get back [on a one-year contract], show people he can play again, and then make some realy money in free agency [next spring]."

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD width=65>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD noWrap align=middle>

Leonard Davis
Cardinals
</TD><TD> </TD><TD>Cards dangling Davis?
<Oct. 14> Perhaps the most interesting name being kicked around in the rumor mill as the trade deadline nears is that of Davis, writes ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli. Davis is in the final season of his original rookie contract, earning $9 million-plus this year, and the Cardinals apparently feel there is no way they can retain him. And, make no mistake, the Cardinals have not only fielded inquiries about Davis, but have made a few calls of their own to gauge potential suitors. Problem is, any team interested in acquiring Davis, who started mostly at right guard before he was switched to left tackle by coach Denny Green in 2004, will want him to sign an extension before completing a trade. And, to this point, the Cardinals haven't given his agents permission to talk to anyone. Second, Arizona really doesn't have an adequate replacement on its roster.

</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD width=65>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD noWrap align=middle>

Jerametrius Butler
Rams
</TD><TD> </TD><TD>Butler on the block?
<Oct. 14> Until a spate of injuries hit the Rams' secondary, Butler appeared to be a viable trade option, writes ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli. Butler wouldn't mind moving on, particularly if it meant a chance to start. But unless the Rams convince themselves their starters are healthy, and that they have ample depth, they probably won't deal the sixth-year cornerback, who at 27 should still have some good years in front of him. Besides falling behind Travis Fisher and Fakhir Brown on the depth chart, Butler has been playing behind first-round draft choice Tye Hill and second-year veteran Ron Bartell.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 16, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

<TABLE width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>NFL Rumor Central: Niners eyeing Vincent
</TD><TD align=right width="30%">Other Rumors: MLB | NBA | NHL
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>You are signed into Insider

and have access to this premium feature.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD colSpan=3>Monday, October 16</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD width=65>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD noWrap align=middle>

Troy Vincent
Bills
</TD><TD>49ers?
</TD><TD>Niners eyeing Vincent
<Oct. 16> Look for the Niners to go after Vincent in an attempt to bolster their undermanned secondary, according to Pro Football Weekly. Vincent, recently released by Buffalo, spent the majority of his career as a cornerback but was moved to safety after joining the Bills in 2004. With several teams expected to make a run at Vincent, the 49ers plan to offer the four-time Pro Bowler plenty of playing time as a selling point.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 16, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

<TABLE width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>NFL Rumor Central: Niners eyeing Vincent
</TD><TD align=right width="30%">Other Rumors: MLB | NBA | NHL
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>You are signed into Insider

and have access to this premium feature.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD colSpan=3>Monday, October 16</TD></TR><TR class=colhead><TD width=65>WHO</TD><TD>INTERESTED</TD><TD>THE SKINNY</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD noWrap align=middle>

Troy Vincent
Bills
</TD><TD>49ers?
</TD><TD>Niners eyeing Vincent
<Oct. 16> Look for the Niners to go after Vincent in an attempt to bolster their undermanned secondary, according to Pro Football Weekly. Vincent, recently released by Buffalo, spent the majority of his career as a cornerback but was moved to safety after joining the Bills in 2004. With several teams expected to make a run at Vincent, the 49ers plan to offer the four-time Pro Bowler plenty of playing time as a selling point.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 16, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Young gets Titans on right track

posted: Monday, October 16, 2006 | Print Entry

Titans quarterback Vince Young suffered only a minor ankle injury Sunday. With a bye week ahead, Young should be fine for the Oct. 29 start against Houston. For the Titans (1-5), it was huge for Young to win before the bye. The Titans' opening schedule was tough (Chargers, Cowboys, Colts and Redskins), but the 25-22 victory over Washington gives them hope. Young passed for 161 yards and showed great leadership. The running attack was led by Travis Henry's 178 yards. Unfortunately for Tennessee, the schedule doesn't get much easier after the bye. The Titans have a good chance of beating the Texans at home, but they have Jacksonville, Baltimore, Philadelphia, the Giants and the Colts before they play the Texans again. If Young can finish the season with five or six wins, it would be a big boost for the franchise.

? Vikings guard Steve Hutchinson's first return to Seattle next Sunday became more interesting because of some of the things that happened during the Seahawks' 30-28 victory over the Rams. First, Chris Spencer, his replacement at left guard, struggled. He had a false start and his holding penalty wiped out a 32-yard touchdown run by fullback Mack Strong. Spencer also struggled with his blocking. Former Vikings receiver Nate Burleson, who signed a $49 million poison pill-laden contract to get out of Minnesota, started, but his role continues to diminish. Deion Branch had two touchdown catches and is established as the team's No. 2 receiver. D.J. Hackett, who wouldn't have played were it not for Bobby Engram's thyroid condition, made big catches down the stretch. Burleson didn't have a catch against the Rams.
? Jerry Porter's four-game team suspension by the Raiders may actually hurt his chances of being traded. A team that was interested probabyl won't be any longer because of news that Porter acted up in practice and was suspended by coach Art Shell for conduct detrimental to the team. Al Davis wants Porter to pay back a portion of his signing bonus in order to be traded. It's going to be hard for something to happen by Tuesday, the trading deadline. Ditto for Randy Moss.
? Don't expect a quarterback change right away in Washington, but one might not be too far down the line. Mark Brunell completed 16 of 30 passes for 180 yards against the Titans and isn't lighting up the offense. He also has suffered leg injuries, and once Brunell's legs go, you can expect his performance level to drop. Brunell had a toenail ripped off toward the end of the first half, and both feet were bothering him toward the end of the game. Joe Gibbs said he's not going to get involved with the play-calling, but he is going to try to find ways to help the offense. ? Good thing Bucs wide receiver Michael Clayton isn't superstitious. He celebrated his 24th birthday on Friday the 13th. That's pretty dangerous for a player who caught 80 passes for 1,193 yards and seven TDs as a rookie in 2004, but hadn't found the end zone in 19 games. Knee problems bothered him throughout the 2005 season. But Clayton's wife sent him a note before Sunday's game against Cincinnati that said she had good thoughts about his chances. Clayton said he had good thoughts, too. The Bucs' receiver caught six passes for 55 yards and the winning touchdown in the final minutes. For a player who celebrated a birthday on the worst possible day for luck, Clayton's fortunes might be turning more positive.

Hache Man · Oct 16, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Young gets Titans on right track

posted: Monday, October 16, 2006 | Print Entry

Titans quarterback Vince Young suffered only a minor ankle injury Sunday. With a bye week ahead, Young should be fine for the Oct. 29 start against Houston. For the Titans (1-5), it was huge for Young to win before the bye. The Titans' opening schedule was tough (Chargers, Cowboys, Colts and Redskins), but the 25-22 victory over Washington gives them hope. Young passed for 161 yards and showed great leadership. The running attack was led by Travis Henry's 178 yards. Unfortunately for Tennessee, the schedule doesn't get much easier after the bye. The Titans have a good chance of beating the Texans at home, but they have Jacksonville, Baltimore, Philadelphia, the Giants and the Colts before they play the Texans again. If Young can finish the season with five or six wins, it would be a big boost for the franchise.

? Vikings guard Steve Hutchinson's first return to Seattle next Sunday became more interesting because of some of the things that happened during the Seahawks' 30-28 victory over the Rams. First, Chris Spencer, his replacement at left guard, struggled. He had a false start and his holding penalty wiped out a 32-yard touchdown run by fullback Mack Strong. Spencer also struggled with his blocking. Former Vikings receiver Nate Burleson, who signed a $49 million poison pill-laden contract to get out of Minnesota, started, but his role continues to diminish. Deion Branch had two touchdown catches and is established as the team's No. 2 receiver. D.J. Hackett, who wouldn't have played were it not for Bobby Engram's thyroid condition, made big catches down the stretch. Burleson didn't have a catch against the Rams.
? Jerry Porter's four-game team suspension by the Raiders may actually hurt his chances of being traded. A team that was interested probabyl won't be any longer because of news that Porter acted up in practice and was suspended by coach Art Shell for conduct detrimental to the team. Al Davis wants Porter to pay back a portion of his signing bonus in order to be traded. It's going to be hard for something to happen by Tuesday, the trading deadline. Ditto for Randy Moss.
? Don't expect a quarterback change right away in Washington, but one might not be too far down the line. Mark Brunell completed 16 of 30 passes for 180 yards against the Titans and isn't lighting up the offense. He also has suffered leg injuries, and once Brunell's legs go, you can expect his performance level to drop. Brunell had a toenail ripped off toward the end of the first half, and both feet were bothering him toward the end of the game. Joe Gibbs said he's not going to get involved with the play-calling, but he is going to try to find ways to help the offense. ? Good thing Bucs wide receiver Michael Clayton isn't superstitious. He celebrated his 24th birthday on Friday the 13th. That's pretty dangerous for a player who caught 80 passes for 1,193 yards and seven TDs as a rookie in 2004, but hadn't found the end zone in 19 games. Knee problems bothered him throughout the 2005 season. But Clayton's wife sent him a note before Sunday's game against Cincinnati that said she had good thoughts about his chances. Clayton said he had good thoughts, too. The Bucs' receiver caught six passes for 55 yards and the winning touchdown in the final minutes. For a player who celebrated a birthday on the worst possible day for luck, Clayton's fortunes might be turning more positive.

Hache Man · Oct 16, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Leinart will be under fire

By Gary Horton
Scouts Inc.
Archive




<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
After watching a lot of film on both the Bears and Cardinals and talking to coaches and scouts, here are some key things to watch in their Monday night game (ESPN 8:30 p.m. ET).
Chicago Bears

The Bears are generating a great pass rush without a lot of blitzing. By only rushing four, they have the luxury of dropping seven defenders into coverage, and they can play any coverage scheme they want.
They also have a great defensive line rotation, which keeps everyone fresh. They have dominated the offensive lines they have faced and Arizona's line should be easy pickings. When Matt Leinart sees seven defenders in coverage, he will be forced to look at other options in the passing game, rather than his primary target.
? The more you watch the Chicago secondary, the more you appreciate its versatility. While the Bears use a base Cover 2 defense, they can play those zone schemes to perfection. They also can play aggressive man-to-man techniques.
Starting DCs Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman are solid cover guys, but the wild card is No.3 DC Ricky Manning Jr. He can line up against slot receivers or cover on the perimeter, and he is an excellent matchup corner against the No.3 receiver on any offense the Bears will face. He has good ball skills and excellent instincts, and very few defenses have three quality corners.
? A big key to the success of the Bears has been the outstanding play of their special teams. Their cover teams are among the best in the NFL and do a great job of establishing positive field position.
KOR Rashied Davis and PR Devin Hester are capable of making plays, and the kicking game is rock solid. PK Robbie Gould is a perfect 17-for-17 on field goals and punter Brad Maynard is one of the best, with a 44.7 gross average and eight punts inside the opponent's 20. Excellent drafts have produced a lot of young backup players who excel on special teams.
? After watching a lot of film on the Bears' defense, it is amazing how simple they are, while trying to convince opposing offenses they are very complex. They will put as many as eight defenders in the box before the snap, and the QB doesn't really know who is attacking and who is dropping into coverage.
On the snap of the ball, they usually only rush four, but they love to utilize a lot of twists, stunts and loops with their quick defensive line, giving opposing offensive lines fits.
? Look for the Bears to run the ball a lot early to set up play action opportunities. They now have a two-headed monster at running back with Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson, and they will face a Cardinals' run defense in the bottom third of the NFL.
If the Bears run well early, it will force SS Adrian Wilson into the box for run support, leading to excellent matchups on the perimeter against two corners who will have only one safety to help over the top. Nobody is throwing the deep ball better right now than Rex Grossman, and he will get his shots in this game.
? While WR Bernard Berrian is considered a vertical threat, he is turning into a complete receiver. He has become a workout warrior in the weight room and has added almost 15 pounds of muscle. He is now better at coming over the middle and catching the ball in traffic, and with his speed, slants and quick crossing routes will lead to a lot of YAC (yards after catch)
? The Bears are second in the NFL in time of possession. This keeps their great defense fresh. The Bears already have a strong defensive line rotation and if this group is well rested, it might post some huge sack numbers as the season progresses.
? The Bears are the soundest team in the NFL. They have only two fumbles and three interceptions in five games. They make opposing offenses work for everything they get, forcing them to drive the entire length of the field.
? The Bears have added some variety to their running game, with a package that includes some misdirection plays, including some counters. It should work well against an active but undersized Arizona defensive line that can get caught overpursuing. The Chicago offensive line does a nice job of sealing off cutback run lanes.
? The Bears have to be aware of where Arizona's Wilson lines up at all times. He is an excellent run defender and the Cardinals love to play him in the box, putting him in position to be an effective blitzer. If the Bears read blitz, Grossman can change the the protection, keeping RB Jones, who is an underrated pass blocker, in to block.
Arizona Cardinals

? RB Edgerrin James is spending extra practice time working with rookie QB Matt Leinhart on play-action fakes. Leinart is a good ball handler, but James worked at Indianapolis with the best play action QB of all-time in Peyton Manning. The problem is that without a run game, no defense respects the play-action package.
? The Cardinals must figure out a way to block DT Tommie Harris and not allow him a lot of inside penetration. Offenses are so concerned with getting to MLB Brian Urlacher with second-level blocks, they wind up single blocking Harris. The Cardinals would be wise this week to utilize double teams with either one of their OGs and OC Alex Stepanovich. Once they have neutralized Harris, one of the two blockers (probably Stepanovich) can try to chip on Urlacher.
? A big question Arizona has this week is how it is going to utilize James. Running the ball successfully against this Bears' front won't be easy. He could have success as an outlet receiver on dump offs and screens, and really be a security blanket for Leinart. Unfortunately, the pass protection might be so bad the Cardinals will be forced to keep him in to block in blitz pickup, turning a potential offensive difference maker into nothing more than a pass blocker.
? A big concern for the Cardinals is how well their defensive line will hold up. Their defensive tackles, Darnell Dockett and Kendrick Clancy, are adequate versus the run, but their defensive ends, Bertrand Berry and Chike Okeafor, are better pass rushers than run defenders. This is a unit with little depth and not much of a rotation. Look for the Bears to run a little wider than usual, not only negating the athleticism of the DEs, but also wearing them down.
? How bad is the pass protection for the Cardinals? Their QBs have been sacked 17 times in five games. Leinart was sacked four times last week. If you are going to play QB in the desert, you better be a tough guy.
? FS Robert Griffith has a lot of pressure on him against the Bears' improving passing game. With SS Adrian Wilson likely to play a lot in the box and be utilized as a blitzer, Griffith will be the only single safety covering the deep middle of the field, but he can only help one defensive corner at a time over the top.
Berrian has become an excellent deep threat and Grossman looks to him for big plays. Griffith will have to be aware of him, especially off play-action fakes, because right now Berrian is a tough matchup for any corner. This week, Antrel Rolle will do his best to prevent him from getting clean releases.
? Because the Arizona run game is almost non-existent, the Bears can take some liberties with their defensive schemes this week. Right now, the Cardinals have much more confidence in their passing game and the Bears will try to take that away. They will start with their Cover 2 shell, but the safeties can widen to the perimeter and help the corners over the top, eliminating deep routes and allowing the corners to be very aggressive.
Urlacher is the best in the NFL at his position in pass defense, and as the Cover 2 requires, he will patrol the deep middle of the field to free up the safeties. With a terrific pass rush and seven defenders in coverage, this is not an easy defense for Leinart to be looking at in passing situations.
? The Cardinals like to play a cover 2 scheme. They have big corners and safeties, which is excellent against the run and allows them to play a physical style of pass defense, but there is concern about Wilson in coverage. The Bears will try to find Wilson in passing situations, but Arizona might counter by bringing him into the box on the snap and rolling to a Cover 1 or man free scheme. This secondary does not match up well versus the Bears' playmakers.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 16, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Leinart will be under fire

By Gary Horton
Scouts Inc.
Archive




<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>
After watching a lot of film on both the Bears and Cardinals and talking to coaches and scouts, here are some key things to watch in their Monday night game (ESPN 8:30 p.m. ET).
Chicago Bears

The Bears are generating a great pass rush without a lot of blitzing. By only rushing four, they have the luxury of dropping seven defenders into coverage, and they can play any coverage scheme they want.
They also have a great defensive line rotation, which keeps everyone fresh. They have dominated the offensive lines they have faced and Arizona's line should be easy pickings. When Matt Leinart sees seven defenders in coverage, he will be forced to look at other options in the passing game, rather than his primary target.
? The more you watch the Chicago secondary, the more you appreciate its versatility. While the Bears use a base Cover 2 defense, they can play those zone schemes to perfection. They also can play aggressive man-to-man techniques.
Starting DCs Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman are solid cover guys, but the wild card is No.3 DC Ricky Manning Jr. He can line up against slot receivers or cover on the perimeter, and he is an excellent matchup corner against the No.3 receiver on any offense the Bears will face. He has good ball skills and excellent instincts, and very few defenses have three quality corners.
? A big key to the success of the Bears has been the outstanding play of their special teams. Their cover teams are among the best in the NFL and do a great job of establishing positive field position.
KOR Rashied Davis and PR Devin Hester are capable of making plays, and the kicking game is rock solid. PK Robbie Gould is a perfect 17-for-17 on field goals and punter Brad Maynard is one of the best, with a 44.7 gross average and eight punts inside the opponent's 20. Excellent drafts have produced a lot of young backup players who excel on special teams.
? After watching a lot of film on the Bears' defense, it is amazing how simple they are, while trying to convince opposing offenses they are very complex. They will put as many as eight defenders in the box before the snap, and the QB doesn't really know who is attacking and who is dropping into coverage.
On the snap of the ball, they usually only rush four, but they love to utilize a lot of twists, stunts and loops with their quick defensive line, giving opposing offensive lines fits.
? Look for the Bears to run the ball a lot early to set up play action opportunities. They now have a two-headed monster at running back with Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson, and they will face a Cardinals' run defense in the bottom third of the NFL.
If the Bears run well early, it will force SS Adrian Wilson into the box for run support, leading to excellent matchups on the perimeter against two corners who will have only one safety to help over the top. Nobody is throwing the deep ball better right now than Rex Grossman, and he will get his shots in this game.
? While WR Bernard Berrian is considered a vertical threat, he is turning into a complete receiver. He has become a workout warrior in the weight room and has added almost 15 pounds of muscle. He is now better at coming over the middle and catching the ball in traffic, and with his speed, slants and quick crossing routes will lead to a lot of YAC (yards after catch)
? The Bears are second in the NFL in time of possession. This keeps their great defense fresh. The Bears already have a strong defensive line rotation and if this group is well rested, it might post some huge sack numbers as the season progresses.
? The Bears are the soundest team in the NFL. They have only two fumbles and three interceptions in five games. They make opposing offenses work for everything they get, forcing them to drive the entire length of the field.
? The Bears have added some variety to their running game, with a package that includes some misdirection plays, including some counters. It should work well against an active but undersized Arizona defensive line that can get caught overpursuing. The Chicago offensive line does a nice job of sealing off cutback run lanes.
? The Bears have to be aware of where Arizona's Wilson lines up at all times. He is an excellent run defender and the Cardinals love to play him in the box, putting him in position to be an effective blitzer. If the Bears read blitz, Grossman can change the the protection, keeping RB Jones, who is an underrated pass blocker, in to block.
Arizona Cardinals

? RB Edgerrin James is spending extra practice time working with rookie QB Matt Leinhart on play-action fakes. Leinart is a good ball handler, but James worked at Indianapolis with the best play action QB of all-time in Peyton Manning. The problem is that without a run game, no defense respects the play-action package.
? The Cardinals must figure out a way to block DT Tommie Harris and not allow him a lot of inside penetration. Offenses are so concerned with getting to MLB Brian Urlacher with second-level blocks, they wind up single blocking Harris. The Cardinals would be wise this week to utilize double teams with either one of their OGs and OC Alex Stepanovich. Once they have neutralized Harris, one of the two blockers (probably Stepanovich) can try to chip on Urlacher.
? A big question Arizona has this week is how it is going to utilize James. Running the ball successfully against this Bears' front won't be easy. He could have success as an outlet receiver on dump offs and screens, and really be a security blanket for Leinart. Unfortunately, the pass protection might be so bad the Cardinals will be forced to keep him in to block in blitz pickup, turning a potential offensive difference maker into nothing more than a pass blocker.
? A big concern for the Cardinals is how well their defensive line will hold up. Their defensive tackles, Darnell Dockett and Kendrick Clancy, are adequate versus the run, but their defensive ends, Bertrand Berry and Chike Okeafor, are better pass rushers than run defenders. This is a unit with little depth and not much of a rotation. Look for the Bears to run a little wider than usual, not only negating the athleticism of the DEs, but also wearing them down.
? How bad is the pass protection for the Cardinals? Their QBs have been sacked 17 times in five games. Leinart was sacked four times last week. If you are going to play QB in the desert, you better be a tough guy.
? FS Robert Griffith has a lot of pressure on him against the Bears' improving passing game. With SS Adrian Wilson likely to play a lot in the box and be utilized as a blitzer, Griffith will be the only single safety covering the deep middle of the field, but he can only help one defensive corner at a time over the top.
Berrian has become an excellent deep threat and Grossman looks to him for big plays. Griffith will have to be aware of him, especially off play-action fakes, because right now Berrian is a tough matchup for any corner. This week, Antrel Rolle will do his best to prevent him from getting clean releases.
? Because the Arizona run game is almost non-existent, the Bears can take some liberties with their defensive schemes this week. Right now, the Cardinals have much more confidence in their passing game and the Bears will try to take that away. They will start with their Cover 2 shell, but the safeties can widen to the perimeter and help the corners over the top, eliminating deep routes and allowing the corners to be very aggressive.
Urlacher is the best in the NFL at his position in pass defense, and as the Cover 2 requires, he will patrol the deep middle of the field to free up the safeties. With a terrific pass rush and seven defenders in coverage, this is not an easy defense for Leinart to be looking at in passing situations.
? The Cardinals like to play a cover 2 scheme. They have big corners and safeties, which is excellent against the run and allows them to play a physical style of pass defense, but there is concern about Wilson in coverage. The Bears will try to find Wilson in passing situations, but Arizona might counter by bringing him into the box on the snap and rolling to a Cover 1 or man free scheme. This secondary does not match up well versus the Bears' playmakers.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hache Man · Oct 16, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Broncos offense stuck in neutral

posted: Monday, October 16, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders

In watching the Denver Broncos' dismal offense Sunday night, it occurred to me that this is pretty much going to be the norm for the rest of the season. Sunday was a perfect opportunity for them to get their lackluster offense on track, and they could not do it.

Plummer

The Raiders defense has continued to play hard, but it also plays all man-coverage. For a quarterback, it gets no easier than that -- facing a defense that does not get pressure on the QB and with your receivers locked up in man-coverage. No extra reads need to be made, and there are no real surprises, so to see Jake Plummer and the pass offense once again sputter was very disappointing.

Plummer looks like a shell of the quarterback he was last season. He is hesitant and looks like he has very little confidence in his ability to make plays. He appears to be playing scared right now. Perhaps having rookie QB Jay Cutler behind him is to much for him to handle. While I'm not suggesting a quarterback change, Plummer is very tough to watch right now. Plummer wins, so for now that is the best Denver fans can hope for.

Smith

Even though Plummer should shoulder a lot of the blame, there are a few other things hindering the offense, as well. First and foremost, veteran WR Rod Smith, at age 36, has hit the wall. It is not that Plummer can't get him the ball; it is that Smith can't get open any more. Oakland's young corners pretty much smothered him Sunday night.

Second, the tight end has disappeared from the offense. Denver's West Coast offense relies on production from the tight end position. Stephen Alexander and Tony Scheffler have combined for just seven receptions for 72 yards and no touchdowns. The tight end always has been a staple of this offense, and the lack of production to this point is alarming.
So, while Plummer has not been great, there is plenty of blame to go around on the offensive side of the ball for Denver. This team is good enough on defense to win a lot of games this season. However, it will be tough to beat the best teams in either the AFC or NFC if the offense does not hit its stride soon.

Hache Man · Oct 16, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Broncos offense stuck in neutral

posted: Monday, October 16, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders

In watching the Denver Broncos' dismal offense Sunday night, it occurred to me that this is pretty much going to be the norm for the rest of the season. Sunday was a perfect opportunity for them to get their lackluster offense on track, and they could not do it.

Plummer

The Raiders defense has continued to play hard, but it also plays all man-coverage. For a quarterback, it gets no easier than that -- facing a defense that does not get pressure on the QB and with your receivers locked up in man-coverage. No extra reads need to be made, and there are no real surprises, so to see Jake Plummer and the pass offense once again sputter was very disappointing.

Plummer looks like a shell of the quarterback he was last season. He is hesitant and looks like he has very little confidence in his ability to make plays. He appears to be playing scared right now. Perhaps having rookie QB Jay Cutler behind him is to much for him to handle. While I'm not suggesting a quarterback change, Plummer is very tough to watch right now. Plummer wins, so for now that is the best Denver fans can hope for.

Smith

Even though Plummer should shoulder a lot of the blame, there are a few other things hindering the offense, as well. First and foremost, veteran WR Rod Smith, at age 36, has hit the wall. It is not that Plummer can't get him the ball; it is that Smith can't get open any more. Oakland's young corners pretty much smothered him Sunday night.

Second, the tight end has disappeared from the offense. Denver's West Coast offense relies on production from the tight end position. Stephen Alexander and Tony Scheffler have combined for just seven receptions for 72 yards and no touchdowns. The tight end always has been a staple of this offense, and the lack of production to this point is alarming.
So, while Plummer has not been great, there is plenty of blame to go around on the offensive side of the ball for Denver. This team is good enough on defense to win a lot of games this season. However, it will be tough to beat the best teams in either the AFC or NFC if the offense does not hit its stride soon.

Hache Man · Oct 16, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Rams headed in right direction

posted: Monday, October 16, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: St. Louis Rams

The Rams now sit in second place in the NFC West after coming up just a bit short in a disappointing loss to the Seahawks on Sunday. But is this enough to discredit the turnaround they have made thus far? In recent weeks I have informed many readers that the Rams are playing very good football, even though many critics and experts questioned the winning records of their opponents. Not sure if anyone saw Marc Bulger's brief interview on NFL countdown on Sunday, but to the surprise of a few people, he said the old regime of the Rams, under Mike Martz, was not concerned about the turnover ratio. Bulger even admitted in the interview that he would often just heave the ball downfield if he saw man coverage without really seeing if the player was open or not. Through my time of scouting the Rams in past years, I was not surprised at the comments of Bulger. It looked as the Rams played that way and I do know that, under Martz's philosophy, it was worth the risk to throw the ball deep and risk the interception. Martz saw the deep ball as being just as good as a punt, and if there was a pass interference call or a play that went for a touchdown, that was just as valuable.

Nonetheless, even with this loss against the Seahawks, the Rams are still gaining favor with me. I have been impressed with their play all season long, but did not think that they matched up well on paper against the Seahawks and was not shocked that they lost. They got hit in their Achilles' heel and turned the ball over, which is something a rebuilding team can't afford to do if they want to win close games. I still have the Rams challenging for a wild card spot, but they must get back to protecting the ball which will help them win the close games. Their Rams' defense is still playing well, and their aggressive style will start to become the team's identity.

Hache Man · Oct 16, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Rams headed in right direction

posted: Monday, October 16, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: St. Louis Rams

The Rams now sit in second place in the NFC West after coming up just a bit short in a disappointing loss to the Seahawks on Sunday. But is this enough to discredit the turnaround they have made thus far? In recent weeks I have informed many readers that the Rams are playing very good football, even though many critics and experts questioned the winning records of their opponents. Not sure if anyone saw Marc Bulger's brief interview on NFL countdown on Sunday, but to the surprise of a few people, he said the old regime of the Rams, under Mike Martz, was not concerned about the turnover ratio. Bulger even admitted in the interview that he would often just heave the ball downfield if he saw man coverage without really seeing if the player was open or not. Through my time of scouting the Rams in past years, I was not surprised at the comments of Bulger. It looked as the Rams played that way and I do know that, under Martz's philosophy, it was worth the risk to throw the ball deep and risk the interception. Martz saw the deep ball as being just as good as a punt, and if there was a pass interference call or a play that went for a touchdown, that was just as valuable.

Nonetheless, even with this loss against the Seahawks, the Rams are still gaining favor with me. I have been impressed with their play all season long, but did not think that they matched up well on paper against the Seahawks and was not shocked that they lost. They got hit in their Achilles' heel and turned the ball over, which is something a rebuilding team can't afford to do if they want to win close games. I still have the Rams challenging for a wild card spot, but they must get back to protecting the ball which will help them win the close games. Their Rams' defense is still playing well, and their aggressive style will start to become the team's identity.

Hache Man · Oct 16, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Titans enter bye on high note

posted: Monday, October 16, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Tennessee Titans

As the Tennessee Titans enter their bye week, they can feel good about themselves for the first time all season. They defeated the Washington Redskins 25-22 for their first win of the season and did so with reasonable hope for the future.

The Titans ran the ball 41 times for a total of 194 yards, easily their best running total for the season. Running back Travis Henry finished with 178 yards on 32 carries. Averaging 4.7 yards per carry as a team allows the Titans to throw the ball when they want, rather than allowing which down it is to determine when they are going to pass. When a defense has to respect the run game, it forces them into single coverage and opens up favorable matchups in the perimeter passing game.

Titans quarterback Vince Young was given time to view the field and throw the ball and as a result, he did great job of maintaining ball security and had no interceptions. For the first time this season he looked poised in the pocket and in control. He spread the ball around to seven receivers, not allowing the Redskins' defense to key on any specific target. Young was also able to throw the ball downfield as four wide receivers caught passes of 20 yards or more. The ability to throw downfield with any success forces teams to loosen up their coverages.

While most teams like to give their players a few days off during the bye week, expect the Titans to keep Young in town to increase the size of his playbook. In order to continue this kind of success, they need to allow the rookie to use more of the throwing package to keep defenses off stride. While it is too early to say that we may be witnessing the emergence of a star quarterback, at least the signs are encouraging. But even more encouraging could be the hope of a running game that has been dormant for the first five games.

Hache Man · Oct 16, 2006

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Re: 2NFL - ESPN Insider Writeups, etc. 3 New Articles Added 10/14/06)

Titans enter bye on high note

posted: Monday, October 16, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Tennessee Titans

As the Tennessee Titans enter their bye week, they can feel good about themselves for the first time all season. They defeated the Washington Redskins 25-22 for their first win of the season and did so with reasonable hope for the future.

The Titans ran the ball 41 times for a total of 194 yards, easily their best running total for the season. Running back Travis Henry finished with 178 yards on 32 carries. Averaging 4.7 yards per carry as a team allows the Titans to throw the ball when they want, rather than allowing which down it is to determine when they are going to pass. When a defense has to respect the run game, it forces them into single coverage and opens up favorable matchups in the perimeter passing game.

Titans quarterback Vince Young was given time to view the field and throw the ball and as a result, he did great job of maintaining ball security and had no interceptions. For the first time this season he looked poised in the pocket and in control. He spread the ball around to seven receivers, not allowing the Redskins' defense to key on any specific target. Young was also able to throw the ball downfield as four wide receivers caught passes of 20 yards or more. The ability to throw downfield with any success forces teams to loosen up their coverages.

While most teams like to give their players a few days off during the bye week, expect the Titans to keep Young in town to increase the size of his playbook. In order to continue this kind of success, they need to allow the rookie to use more of the throwing package to keep defenses off stride. While it is too early to say that we may be witnessing the emergence of a star quarterback, at least the signs are encouraging. But even more encouraging could be the hope of a running game that has been dormant for the first five games.

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

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"

"Seven Days Without Gambling Makes One Weak"