Monday, May 31, 2010

FOOTBALL!!

Are you bored? Tired of sitting through another dull NFL off season? Wish there was some decent football on to watch? Well today is your lucky day my friends!! While randomly wandering the interweb, I came across the entire 1984 NFC Championship game between the Bears @ 49ers on YouTube! More to the point, the guy has even gone to the extent of removing all the adverts and long cut aways. Result. The link to part 1 is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF27tKhyyrI I found this game interesting for a number of reasons: -- It's football. Nuff said. -- It's the 49ers. Nuff said. -- You get to see the 'West Coast Offense' in action. Playing against Chicago was one of the prime motivations for Walsh to use the 3 step drop extensively. -- Seeing Mike Singletary play. It's not until you watch this game that you realise just how quick he is (was) and how mentally alert he was on the field. Try counting the amount of times you hear his name mentioned as the tackler. At a guess I'd say you'll need more than just your fingers to count. Of particular note was seeing him chase down Dwight Clark, a WR. -- The bizarre circumstance of 49ers kicker Ray Wersching wearing a single bar facemask while everyone else seems to be sporting the complete version. -- Watching Walter Payton in action. He doesn't get to see as much of the ball as I'd thought, but it's still worth watching. A great player. -- The joy of listening to John Madden commentate. Among the true gems were "that's the way Linebackers bump!" (after Singletary flattens Wendell Tyler on his way to make a catch) and "That's the way to get past Bubba Paris, start before the balls snapped...". I also like his insight on how Quarterbacks can get some peace on the sideline by standing next to the kicker "because no one wants to stand with the kicker". I love Madden. -- From a technique stand point, it was odd seeing the receivers again with their hands in the dirt, 3 point stance style. -- More odd was watching Joe Montana chuck balls all over the shop. It's games like this one that raise the questions that are sometimes asked as to whether Montana is up their with the likes of Manning, Brady and Marino as a true passer. But the fact is Montana was a true football player; a runner, a passer, a decision maker and a leader, who helped his team win games. Or in other words, a Quarterback. -- Though the Bears show off Buddy Ryans famous 46 defense, it's actually the 49ers D who are worth watching more. Great examples of hustling to the ball, pursuit and gang tackling. Worth showing to young players. -- The cream of the group has to be Ronnie Lott, as he goes around the field fearlessly hitting anything that moves. He reminds me of some of my favourite modern defenders, such as Troy Polamalu, Ed Reed, Adrian Wilson and Brian Dawkins. -- Oh, and keep an eye out for Freddie Solomon running an option play. It was quite sneaky. Credit should go the guy who posted this video and if you look at his profile he has some others in there as well, all 49ers games if I remember rightly, though I'll be saving watching those for another day. Till next time, tell your friends about me and have a great day everyone.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Mmm... Coffee

So uhm, another day, another inactive schedule of news. Nothing much has happened. The only thing worthy of note is that I've been watching a lot (multiple coffee cups worth) of game cut ups of teams running spread offenses, mainly college sides. "But Chris, you're always so adamant about running the football, what's happened?" I hear you cry (or type). Well, I'm intrigued by the notion that a lot of teams run spread sets in order to reduce the numbers in the box so they can run. From what I've seen, I'm not totally sold on the idea. Compared to an I-formation run game, I think it's definitely important to have a lighter, faster back who can make things happen before the defense has time to react. That's obviously not a catch all statement, more a general rule. The important lesson to remember here is never stop investigating new ideas and possibilities. Do that, and I believe it will stand you in good stead for a long time. Till next time, have a great day everyone.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Whiter than White

-- LenDale White. A Seahawk for one month and now a free agent again. Where did it all go wrong? I like LenDale on the field. He's a solid runner and has a surprising turn of speed for a guy his size. Sources inside the Seahawks organisation have told various reporters that LenDale has lived up to his reputation for being difficult to coach and often being late for meetings. LenDale also faces a possible three game suspension for violations of the NFLs' drug abuse policy. It's a shame really. A good player with a promising future looks set to disappear into mediocrity for the foreseeable future. This is one of the reasons that I was (am) concerned about Dez Bryant. It's one thing to have great talent, but off field issues quickly have a way of consuming players. -- Free agent LT Flozell Adams has been to Denver for a visit. With Ryan Clady out of action for a while, Denver has a big question at the LT spot, a question which could be answered by Adams. Reportedly there are other teams interested as well, though no names have been mentioned yet. -- Patrick Crayton - the reliable stalwart of the Cowboys receiving corps - is looking for a cut. Not just a trade, but to be outright cut from the team. Things are certainly moving at a rapid pace in Craytons' world. It was long ago that he was asking for an open and fair competition for his spot. Now we've jumped to his concession that he will probably be the number 4 guy and that he wants out. Unfortunately the Cowboys aren't budging and believe that Crayton can still be a useful emergency player and possible special teams contributor. Like the situation with LenDale White, I think this is a shame. I really like Crayton, to the extent of believing he could easily be a number 2 on most teams in the NFL. For me, he has the safe hands and solid route running skills of a Wes Welker type. But with Miles Austin, Roy Williams and Dez Bryant seemingly all ahead of him, it's likely Crayton will play sparingly this season. What did make me laugh is the belief that Sam Hurd is ahead of Crayton on the Cowboys depth chart. If that is the case, then there truly is no helping the Cowboys. Anyway, have a great day everyone.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Boredom Watch continues

No more holdouts to report thank god, but "Favre Watch" continues, for reasons as yet unknown to mankind. Until that surgically repaired ankle heals itself, expect no decision from Favre on his future. Then expect no further developments until training camp is in it's final stages. Honestly, I can't stand it. Seriously, screw Favre. He's a great player and his return would really help the Vikings, but I'm not interested in hearing about him during this off season. Rant over. Wait, rant on. When you're finished here, head over to http://brophyfootball.blogspot.com I love Brophy's blog and there is a great post up now that I'd like to draw your attention to. It's a subject very close to my heart, and that is Ball Security. This issue drives me nuts probably more than anything else in football (ok, so the Panthers offensive indecision comes tops, but hey). This issue is one of the reasons I still haven't jumped on the Adrian Peterson bandwagon. Yes Peterson is good, but so is pretty much any Running Back when you give them 300+ carries. What bugs me about Peterson is the way he carries the ball, holding it down away from his body just waiting to get knocked out (hint: that happens a lot). For all his aggressive play, touchdowns and yards, Petersons' fumbles kill his potential "back of backs" title right now. The Vikings loss to the Saints in the NFC Championship game was bad enough for me considering how over rated I think New Orleans are (can't wait for them to sink like a lead balloon this year). The fact that the Vikings handed the game over with their multiple fumbles and other mistakes just made it more cutting, a perfect example of how the Saints have scraped through to Superbowl glory. The fact that it's all so unnecessary is what really bugs me. I hate fumbles caused by players holding the ball away from their body and not taking proper care of the most precious thing on the field. It just infuriates me to a ridiculous level. I can't explain it. It's just one of those pet hates, those things that drive you nuts (it's up their with the sound of people eating with their mouths open. And the Panthers. Hate 'em). Anyway, check out Brophy's blog for a great course in proper ball security. It really is so easy to get right. I think that's why it infuriates me so much. To think that NFL coaches get paid big bucks (kind of) and can't even teach their players simple things like this, while a plethora of very good coaches remain stuck at the lower levels, purely because they don't have the connections with the right people. Grrrrrr! Also, if you're looking for more video than you can possibly ever want in a lifetime, I'm going to share a little secret with you that seems to be a hidden gem of the footballing world; www.gridironsource.com Honestly, if you get bored of watching the game cut ups, training videos etc on there, then there's probably no hope for you. Go do it. Now! Oh and, have a great day everyone. Now go watch film!!!!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

The Math(is) just doesn't add up

Day 3076 in the NFL off season. Ok so that's an exaggeration, but it feels like it. It's not that I expect anything amazing to happen, it's just that sense of depression when you wake up wondering if any fantastic news story has broken over night and find that no, nothing has happened. You come home from work, spin around the web looking for news worthy nuggets of interest and all you get is "xyz player is holding out from VOLUNTARY mini camps in protest at his contract, blah, blah". The latest addition to this list is Robert Mathis, DE of the Colts. It would appear that Mathis is tired of playing second fiddle to Freeny. Of course the best way to fix that is to prove you're actually worth as much as Freeny and at the minute, apology's Robert, you're not. The difference between them isn't perhaps night and day, but it is morning compared to evening, an analogy that made much more sense in my head then it appears to on paper (or even on a digital screen). I just don't get it. Mathis still has two years left on his current deal, a five year, $30 million contract. Yeah. 5 years. $30 million. Two years still left. Come back and see me next year. What makes these holdouts even more annoying is that very rarely is the money spread evenly out across the deal. Sure a back up will get his salary spread fairly thin, but the reality is that guys like Freeny, Mathis and just about every other recognisable name in the NFL get quite a chunk of their money up straight away, the so-called "front loaded contract". So essentially what these players do is take a big wad of cash from the teams - usually over the first two or three years - then when that runs dry and they're back to receiving the base salary they go back to the table looking for another, bigger, front loaded deal. Truth is, football players often make way above what their average annual salary suggests, because they take so much of it early and then come back dipping for more before the deal expires. This is why I don't have sympathy for holdouts. Pay me $100,000 per year to play football for ten years and I'd be pretty damn happy. For $250,000 a year I'd be off the charts happy. But that's enough of my woes, have a great day everyone.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Ice and easy

So 2014 will see a Superbowl in New York. Honestly, I don't get it. I mean I get that it's supposed to be a big deal, but this is football. Football is supposed to be played outside, often in cold weather. That's the whole point. That's one of the reasons the league is played during the time period that it is. Take into account the fact that some teams have to play games in atrocious weather just to get a shot at the playoffs, and why shouldn't their be a Superbowl in New York. Not to mention the size of the media market there. It's all thumbs up from my perspective. The next step for me is a game at Lambeau. That field is just dripping in history and mystique. Considering all the famous names that have passed through Green Bay over the years, it would be fitting I think to see the game for the Vince Lombardi Trophy played in the stadium with which he is most associated. C'mon owners, make it happen. As for the rest of you, have a great day everyone.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The Sherminator

So the Supreme court in all it's wisdom has judged that NFL Franchises, unlike the franchises of say McDonalds, Burger King or Major League Baseball, are not one large entity, but are in fact individual business. Not just any individual businesses though; uncompetitive ones that are in breach of Sherman Anti-trust laws. The case, American Needle vs. NFL, will now be sent back to the Federal district Court in Chicago from whence it came, in order to be dragged on a fresh. Honestly, I don't get it. MLB is exempt, so why not the NFL? MLB earned it's effective exemption from Anti-trust laws in 1922 with the case 'Federal Baseball Club vs. National League'. The case originally went against the league, but both the appeal courts and later the Supreme court found in favour of the League, pointing out that Baseball is essentially just an exhibition put on for the publics' amusement and thus could not be constituted as interstate commerce. A bit like Football then. I understand that a lot of people will be crying because the big corporate bad guys are conspiring to trample on the little guy, but the fact is that the NFL is just as entitled as any other business to sell or license its' intellectual property to whomever it chooses. What you're essentially saying by crying foul at the deal with Reebok is that the NFL should not be allowed to make a deal that is in its' financial interest with another business, and that neither business should be allowed to try and make as much money as they possibly can. The pursuit of happiness is fundamental to the American way, and that's exactly what the shareholders and owners of the businesses are doing. I think it's stupid and I hope the federal district court finds in the NFL's favour so we can get back to focusing on football. Oh wait, it's the off season, there is no football. Boring. As for the whole Orton/Quinn/Tebow thing going on in Denver, something has to give. You can't have all three of those guys competing for a job. It doesn't make sense. You're forking out good cash for no reason. More to the point, let's be honest, why would you bring in Quinn and Tebow if you had absolute faith in Kyle Orton? Orton did well for the Broncos, but it's obvious that he's not their guy, that they don't see him as the long term solution. I say get rid of him and be done with it. But that's just me and my subtle approach. Anyway, have a great day everyone.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Empty backfield (and everything else)

And so ends another boring week in the NFL off season. I really cannot find anything that is worthy of being called news. Not a thing. Nothing. Zero. Zilch. The worst part is, I can't even think of something to talk about in the absence of news. Normally if you're a writer you'll have something stuffed up your sleeve, an emergency topic, but I've already played that hand with the divisional predictions. Ideas anyone? Till I can think of something new, have a great day everyone.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

The Bear Necessities

As promised, today I'm gonna share my opinion on Mike Martz as the Offensive Coordinator of the Chicago Bears, which basically for me boils down to three things. Two of these are pretty important, the other less so. The first thing - the lesser thing - is the relationship between Martz and QB Jay Cutler. Martz openly criticised Cutler last season for his general attitude and demeanour, something which can't have missed Cutlers attention. Now really it shouldn't factor into the equation. Both are professionals and any ego pains should be set aside in order to focus on the team and what needs to be done to help Chicago win games. But you have to think that Cutler will hold a bit of a grudge in the back of his mind over that, possibly straining their relationship at a critical moment. Again, this is probably the lesser of the three arguments. The second is more significant, that being the poor record of Jay Cutler. I appreciate that Martz is being brought in to help Cutler etc, but the fact is that Cutler was looking like Jake Delhomme at times, particularly showing a fondness for red zone picks. The Bears biggest problem was a failure to be able to run the ball effectively and thus make defenses do something other than just make Cutlers life hell. Mike Martz however is very much a pass first coach. He comes from the same lineage as Norv Turner, running what is now called the 'Air Coryell' offense, which can actually stake a claim to being the original offense covered by the term 'West Coast Offense'. The end result can only be that the Bears will continue to do the same things that got them into trouble last year; that is relying on a big armed QB with zero mobility and inconsistent accuracy to finesse the ball in the final 20 yards of the field. It simply didn't work last year and probably wont this year. Of course it doesn't help when you consider my third argument against Martz as the Bears offensive mastermind, namely the lack of true receiving threats. This one is a big issue for me. As I said, Martz and Norv Turner are cut from the same offensive cloth. But the huge variance between their current positions is that Turner has a plethora of top flight talent at his disposal in the receiving department. Martz has Devon Hester, a nickel back and special teams returner who cried so loudly that he was finally allowed to become a wide out (which speaks volumes about the strength of the leadership in Chicago). Hester is anything but a number one receiver and that really doesn't help either Martz or Cutler. Maybe I'm being narrow minded, but I just can't see the positives of this setup. For me this hiring was all about trying to fix the issues with Cutler by bringing in a supposed "Quarterback Guru" instead of actually looking at what was on the table in terms of offensive tools and then trying to find a guy who could make it all click and make Chicagos' offense better. I can speak with some knowledge on this subject as the same thing happened to my beloved 49ers. Both Martz and Turner were brought in at various points, ostensibly as the offensive Coordinator, but really just to try and solve the problem with Alex Smith. Both experiments ended badly. Like the 49ers, what Chicago really needs on offense is someone to come in and make the available tools work most effectively. With San Francisco it's about finding someone who understands how valuable Frank Gore and Vernon Davis are. Fingers crossed that this season Jimmy Raye can make it happen. In Chicago they need someone to sort out that woeful O-line, someone to bring Matt Forte back into the limelight, and someone to have the balls to tell Lovie Smith that Cutler is a big armed beast with little else to commend him as a starting QB. Sadly for Bears fans, Mike Martz isn't that guy. Until next time, have a great day everyone.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

I'm not sure if it was my slight beer gut...

Imagine if you will the two thickest pieces of wood possible, stuck together with stupid glue. Now you have some idea in your mind of what my Sister and her Boyfriend are like. This explains why it has taken two days to move all their stuff from one house to another, when it should have taken just the one. As a result I spent last night sleeping ye olde style on a laminate floor. The only good thing to come out of it was catching the eye of a lovely lady from across the road. I'm not sure if it was my slight beer gut (haha, "slight") or the gradual baldness that caught her eye, but who am I to complain? Right, my future love life aside I need to quickly check around the web to find out what interesting and exciting news I've missed out on. Back in a second..... ....... Surprise, surprise, I've missed bugger all. Must be off-season time in the NFL. Ah that's right, it is. So the Williams brothers have had their suspensions put on hold pending an appeal. Personally I think it's tragic. I understand that Minnesota has it's laws and all that blah, but you simply can't have a league like the NFL where such great pains are taken to establish parity (and for excellent reasons) and yet allow some players to be exempted from some of the leagues rules. I hope the NFL pulls the plug on the Vikings and orders them to move somewhere else (Los Angeles?) as a lesson. Oh and Brett Favre has had surgery on his ankle. I'm shocked. About as shocked as an airline passenger would be to find out the in-flight meal was rubbish. Well, looks like he'll be missing training camp. It's almost like he deliberately put off having surgery for that purpose...... Never. Apparently the Cardinals are actively targeting Marc Bulger. Proof that things are getting desperate in Arizona... And lastly, Jay Cutler and Julius Peppers have been impressing on-lookers at the Bears mini camp. Which is akin to saying that Roger Federer looked impressive while playing in a tournament against under-18s. Who are they competing against? The Bears pass rush was woeful last year and even if Cutler was throwing balls into the turf, his salary alone makes it unlikely that anyone else will line up under center in Chicago, barring injuries (cross your fingers Bears fans). Which brings me to a transition so smooth it would make Frank Sinatra look like George W.Bush (jnr). A reader (hello Kevin) asked what my thoughts are on Mike Martz as the Offensive Coordinator of the Bears. Well Kevin... you'll have to wait till tomorrow I'm afraid. 1) I need sleep. Lot's of sleep in a proper bed, designed for humans. 2) In a news period this thin, it would be criminal not to take advantage of this gift of a topic by giving it a separate post all to itself. So tomorrow I shall tackle Mr. Martz and his season ahead with the Bears. Also, if anyone else would like me to cover a topic of choice or ask a question then fell free to leave a comment and I'll get round to it ASAP. Now watch this drive. Oh and have a great day everyone. P.S. Just to cheer you all up (because naturally I assume you'll be as depressed as me in this football barren period) here is a tune to lift your mood, courtesy of the Black Eyed Peas and YouTube (though neither of them know I'm posting it, I doubt they care): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSD4vsh1zDA&feature=PlayList&p=C0B0B789AA954FBE&playnext_from=PL&index=171

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Must... keep... eyes... open

Ok, so since you last went to bed and then got up and went to work, then came home again.... well in that time I still haven't slept. So tonight, uhm, talk among yourselves. What makes this week even slower (as if the off season wasn't putting people to sleep even more than usual) is that there is a very real chance I wont be able to squeeze in any posts over the next three or four days because my sister in all her wisdom has decided her house is to small and is moving. Now apparently the only able bodied person within a 100 mile radius to help her move is me. Isn't that great. Guess it beats the hell out watching TV presenters talking about Chris Johnson and Andre Johnson "holding out" of voluntary mini camps. Here's a clue and it's in the title. The mini camps are Voluntary. Hence, it's only a hold out if you're still doing it during the mandatory camps. If you're still not back by then, now people can start to be concerned, most of all the guys team mates who will probably be wondering what makes player x so damn special that he feels he doesn't have to come and work out with the team. I have zero tolerance or patience for holdouts. When you're earning $550,000 per year and still have 4 years left on your contract then tough. You signed it, you honour it. Anyway, I'm grumpy because I'm tired. If I keep talking I'll start ripping into things that are best left undisturbed and we'll be here all night talking about this stuff. So all that remains to be said is have great day everyone. I'll be in bed if anyone needs me (hint: you don't).

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

AFC West

So here we go, AFC West. I'm struggling with this division. I think a lot of it it still up in the air. What I am reasonably comfortable with is that Denver are going to prop up the pile this year. They lost Brandon Marshall, but more critically they lost Mike Nolan. For me, the only way is down for Denver. Their QB situation is unresolved, I'm not sure how well their defense is going to cope this year and I really think HC Josh McDaniels is causing more problems than he's solving with his abrasive attitude to man management. Sorry Broncos fans. Next, the Raiders. I don't doubt that the Raiders had one of the best drafts of any team. For them, it was practically a watershed moment in their recent history. If they keep drafting like that, people will look back at 2010 and say "that's when the Raiders got good at drafting". That said, I still see their draft as a project, a move that will take a season or two to truly bear fruit. As for this year, I'm expecting better things out of Jason Campbell and that offense than we've seen previously with JaMarcus Russell, but I still think this year is more of a rebuilding year. 2010 is the season that the Raiders get ready for the big time, not the season they actually hit it. Now, controversy brews. The Chargers. I look at the Chargers draft and I ask myself the question 'what did they actually do?' The answer is nothing. They didn't improve in this draft. I just think they've missed the boat a little here. Yes they still have a great passing offense, but where is the strong backed supplement to the run game? They have Ryan Matthews now, but they still have an O-line that struggles with run blocking. Couple that with a defense that hasn't really been made a whole lot better and I think the Chargers might struggle to win tight games this year. I just think their success last year has been more of a flash in the pan than anything lasting. The Chargers have been widely tipped to go all the way but personally I'm not buying it. What I am buying is the Kansas City Chiefs. They brought in Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel who both have proven track records in the NFL. HC Todd Haley has set the mood in Kansas and then all of that was topped by a superb draft that went largely unnoticed. The trio of Dwayne Bowe, Chris Chambers and Dexter McCluster gives them plenty of talent at the wide out position. Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles make a very good RB pair, who are made even better by the presence of the somewhat under rated OG Jon Asamoah. Tack on Eric Berry and Kendrick Lewis to the back end as safeties and I really think the Chiefs have taken a big step towards improving themselves this off season. They'll probably be seen as just another team chasing the Chargers, but if I was a betting man I'd like the odds for the Chiefs to win in the West. Just for recaps sake, here they are again: 1. Chiefs (winners) 2. Chargers 3. Raiders 4. Broncos --- And so we conclude our predictive journey around the NFL. What next? Uhm, I actually have no idea. I'll get back to you on that one tomorrow. Till then, have a great day everyone.

Monday, May 17, 2010

AFC West

The southern US may be considered a hot bed for NASCAR and College football, but don't disrespect the AFC South this year, as it has a lot to contribute. Ok, so you can disrespect the Jaguars. They have Maurice Jones-Drew, probably one of the best all round running backs in the NFL right now, and I think new DT Tyson Alualu was actually a good pick, but two guys don't make a football team. Rashad Jennings is a capable back up to Jones-Drew, so my approach would be to hammer the ball down peoples throats and play keep away from the other three dangerous offenses in this league. But that's just me. What we all actually know will happen is that the Jaguars will persist in trying to make exciting things happen with David Garrard. And they wont happen. They'll fall flat on their face. Again. Same old Jags. Now I want to talk about the Texans. See the Texans are a perfect example of why such early predictions are difficult. If I'd done these predictions a little earlier in the month, I'd have done so before we found out about the suspension of Brian Cushing which obviously will have an effect on their success this season. Oh no wait, I still would have had the Texans 3rd. 'Cause (sorry grammar hawks) I'm not buying the Texans as division champs. In coaching parlance (or maybe just 'CoachHuey.com coaching parlance') "I'm not drinking the Texans Kool aid". Everyone is comparing them to the 49ers, but there is a huge difference. The 49ers have something called a defense. The Texans don't. What they have is Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans and then 9 other guys trying to fill in the gaps. That is not the recipe for a divisional title. So bring on the Colts. Yep, Manning et al come in at number 2. Why? Well maybe because they're lucky to get this high in the first place. If the NFL ever decides to actually enforce the rules regarding so-called 'pick' or 'rub' plays then the Colts are screwed. When the going gets tough, the Colts go for the 'pick'. Now lets just be sure; screen plays are not picks. I'm talking about plays where the Colts receivers cross one another in opposite directions, doing so in a manner designed - and practically guaranteed - to shake man coverage. After that, all we need is for refs to stop giving the Colts cheap pass interference calls just because Peyton Manning is a poster boy and the NFL loves passing and the Colts would officially no longer be the greatest team in the league like many people believe. I just think the colts are too much of a one trick pony. There thing is speed. Fast, no-huddle offense, taking big chunks out of people. Here's two pieces of advice for teams playing the Colts this year: 1) Back off. I know everyone hates prevent defenses, but against Manning they have a good track record because he doesn't have the patience to keep taking the short stuff. 2) Stop biting on the run!!! The Colts are probably one of the worst teams in the NFL for running the football. Common sense would tell us that play-action by the Colts shouldn't work because nobody respects it. Yet it does work. For some reason teams still persist in giving the Colts rushing attack credit. God knows why. Anyway, down with Manning and all hail the new King of the AFC South; Sir Vince Young. Fact. Without three of their starting four DB's, the Titans D was terrible. Fact. When they got those players back and inserted Vince Young at QB, the Titans were hellaciously good. They finally figured out that Chris Johnson had the skills to carry their team, which he did. With the running threat that Vince poses, the Titans offense has found a groove to match its defense. Though they lost Kyle Vanden Bosch to the Lions, the Titans acquired DE Derrick Morgan in the draft, who I think was only just behind Brandon Graham for quality. I think that end of season run showed the Titans once again what they are capable of. It would have renewed their optimism and reinforced HC Jeff Fishers message to his players about their ability to win. It's not going to be easy and they'll need Chris Johnson on board for it to happen, but I think the Titans have what it takes to topple Indy. So here's the final round up: 1. Titans (winners) 2. Colts 3. Texans 4. Jaguars ------ That just leaves one stop on the tour round the AFC. Trust me (you do, don't you?), if you hated the NFC South prediction and you hated todays, you're NOT going to like the AFC West outlook, because there is another big name about to fall. Till then, have a great day everyone.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Indisposed

Does exactly what it says on the tin. This is a pre-warning that I'm indisposed tonight, so the AFC South will have to wait till tomorrow. I'll give you a clue though. It's not Jacksonville. Have a great day everyone.

AFC East

It's cold, it's wet and it's a tough place to make a living. Must be the AFC East. Nowhere in this division is it colder than in Buffalo (especially when they take a trip across the border into Canada). New Head Coach Chan Gailey has his work cut out for him. No definite QB. No long term solution at LT. No pass rush. No run defense. It's just one big mess up there. I kind of feel sorry for Buffalo fans. After Dick Jauron left, the promise was on the horizon of some major coaching name coming in who was going to put together a dream team and take Buffalo to the promised land. Now it looks like a miracle will be needed just to avoid coming fourth. Bad times in Buffalo. Bad times. Which leaves me in a tricky spot. If Buffalo are going to prop up the division, who comes next? Which team out of the Patriots, Dolphins or Jets will come just 3rd in the division? I think it's the Patriots. Whatever people say about Tom Brady and Randy Moss, the reality is that Wes Welker makes that offense run right now. He plays the slot receiver position better than any other player in the league and with his injury comes big problems for the Patriots when it comes to moving the chains. Tack on a draft that was very good in terms of trading, but perhaps not that great in substance (though you never know with Belichick), and I think the Pats will struggle to find wins this season, especially on the road. They didn't travel well last year, I don't think they will this year. So, Dolphins or Jets? The Dolphins did a great job this off season of collecting some big names. My concern is, how well will those big names transfer onto the field? Is Brandon Marshall the right fit for the Dolphins strong running game? Is Karlos Dansby enough enough to replace Joey Porter and Jason Taylor? It all looks great on paper, but I don't know how well it stands up to the test of time over the season. I still think they have a better season than the Patriots, but it's not enough to push the Jets. Which can only mean that Rex Ryan is sitting pretty with his Jets team in the AFC East. Now given the fact that Ryan is only in his second season as a HC, he's done a pretty darn good job of building a team. He knows his defensive scheme well, knows the players that he needs to execute it and he went out & got them. With the amount of blitzing the Jets do it often leaves their defensive backs in man coverage on the outside, so it was important for them to go and get guys who can regularly handle the demands that will be placed on them. They got Antonio Cromartie in a trade and then drafted Kyle Wilson in the first round when he fell to them. Now the stage is set for a blitz-a-rama this season as Rex Ryan unleashes his entire playbook on the NFL. Couple that with Mark Sanchez in his second year now, Vladimir Ducasse added to the O-line and Shonne Greene taking over the helm at RB, and you have a Jets team that is poised to make a run on the division; on it's way back to the playoffs. Driven by their Head Coach and his strong personality, I think they'll top the lot in the AFC East. So just to clarify: 1. Jets (winners) 2. Dolphins 3. Patriots 4. Bills ----- Tomorrow it's time to pull on a pair of jeans, roll some tobacco up for chewing and get ready to ride on down to the AFC South. Till then, have a great day everyone.

Friday, May 14, 2010

AFC North

Alright, here we go. Time to tackle the AFC North prediction!!! Which is a lot harder than it sounds to be honest. The trouble with the AFC North is that once you remove the Browns from the equation, it's so competitive. The Bengals, Steelers and Ravens are so close to one another that a good draft or a key free agent acquisition can tip the balance of power one way or another. From season to season it is easily the strongest individual division in the NFL. Except - like I said - for the Browns. Ok, so they brought in Mike Holmgren. Wow. They've still got Eric Mangini. But apparently that wasn't bad enough, so they went out and invested in 'The Pick Machine' Jake Delhomme, who should really be sitting on a couch somewhere right now drinking a beer and watching re-runs of the playoff game against the Cardinals from 2008 while drunkenly shouting about how nobody understands him. Instead he's working out with the Browns as their number one guy for the season. With a WR corps that hardly reads like a list of potential pro bowlers, I smell disaster on the horizon. Josh Cribbs is good and D'Qwell Jackson is solid, but that's two players on a roster of 53. It's going to be another long year in Cleveland as Mangini is played as the scapegoat ready for King Holmgren to step in and make things all better with his new QB (McCoy) who will spend most of this year on the sideline being kept back for the Glorious Revolution brought on when Mike finally decides to take up the HC role. Just for clarity's sake - in my personal opinion and nothing more - I think Holmgren is setting Mangini up for the fall so he can step in as the Head Coach. Anyway, potential libel suits aside, lets move on to Pittsburgh (hmm, a potential libel minefield). They're going to miss Roethlisberger big time for those first six games. Now it might be to their benefit in the long run. Without Big Ben they may go back to Steeler football; running the ball and playing great defense. Might. Their cause was certainly helped by the drafting of Maurkice Pouncey. If they do, I think there's a lot of hope and promise. If they don't then I don't think it looks good for the Yellow and Black Attack. They still might edge a wildcard, but I think the division is beyond the reach of the Steelers. Of course, one team looking to ruin the Steelers playoff hopes (again) will be the Bengals. They've done some handy work in the off season. Picking up Antonio Bryant is a damn good upgrade for that offense. It'll help draw coverage from Chad Ochocinco and with the addition in the draft of TE Jermaine Gresham and WR Jordan Shipley, the Bengals passing attack may just be poised to explode onto the NFL once more. A lot of it will be down to QB Carson Palmer. If he can find his rhythm then the Bengals have a great shot at the division, especially with their defense looking better of late, and that's even before we factor in getting Antwan Odom back healthy and getting DE Carlos Dunlap in the draft to help the pass rush. Beware of the Bengals. More importantly though, Respect the Ravens. Because (I know grammar nazis) the Ravens could be on the brink of going back to the Superbowl. See the Ravens were good before. They had a good lineup, but just lacked a few pieces. Then in free agency they got Dante Stallworth and traded for Anquan Boldin. Oh, and then in the draft they went out and grabbed at least three players who can help them win games this year (Ed Dickson, Terrence Cody, Sergio Kindle). The Ravens hit all the right buttons this off season. They were good before, they've only got better. The question is though, how far will Joe Flacco take them. They can mitigate that a little by leaning on Ray Rice, but at some point in 2010 Flacco has to step up and be the guy. He has to take the lead and push his team over the brink into glory and success. And I'm kind of quietly rooting for them this year. At least until they reach the Superbowl and get taken down by a triumphant 49ers team. You heard it here first... So in review here's how I think they'll finish: 1. Ravens (winners) 2. Bengals 3. Steelers 4. Browns ---- Well providing I haven't had my ass sued off by Mike Holmgren I'll be back tomorrow to look at the AFC East. Till then, have a great day everyone.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Zzzzz

Honestly, lack of sleep is killing me right now, but tomorrow is a definite 'go' for looking at the AFC North. As for today, all I can offer is to throw more praise at the Warren Sapp/Jamie Dukes combo on NFL Network, as well as being intrigued at the names that are coming up in relation to Brian Westbrook. The Rams, fair enough, they need all the help they can get. But the Broncos? Is Westbrook really a good fit for that system? Or the Redskins? I know Westbrook and McNabb have the old connection, but the Redskins are pretty set for running backs right now so how many snaps are they really going to give to Westbrook? More to the point, why aren't the Bills or the Browns on the phone saying 'hey, we could use an experienced backup like you!' Anyway, have a great sleep everyone. I meant day.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Great TV

Just a quick one today, giving credit to NFL Network for putting Warren Sapp and Jamie Dukes together again and just letting them talk about football issues. It's always great watching their chemistry and watching them go back and forth on the various issues from the position of two pros that have been there, done it, bought the T-shirt. Excellent stuff. Have a great day everyone.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

NFC West

Today we tackle the NFC West in order to wrap up the NFC side of these early predictions. It starts easy enough. The Rams. Yes they got a new QB. Yes, they got a new LT. But that is just the start for the Rams. There is so much work to be done, so the Rams will probably settle for just a few wins this year. For them it's all about keeping their new investment healthy and finding out what he can and cant do. It's that age old phrase "a rebuilding process". Not sure Rams fans will be too excited by that, but that's football, and more importantly, that's reality. Next then, the Seattle Seahawks. I know, I know, they did have a great draft. But again, they're in transition. New Head Coach, new players. In LenDale White and Leon Washington they've found a massive upgrade at the RB position. They traded to get Whitehurst who they think will be the QB of the future. They got a LT in Russell Okung and a safety in Earl Thomas. The pieces are coming together for the Seahawks. But I emphasise, pieces of a puzzle that has not yet been solved. That's what this year is all about, putting those pieces together, seeing how everything fits, then capitalising on this strong off season with another one next year. Which brings us down to the Cardinals and the 49ers. Starting with the Cardinals. Jeez, I'm not sure about the Cardinals. For me, it's 50/50 whether they top the Seahawks. It's not that I don't trust Leinart but... Ok, I don't trust Leinart. By all accounts, Leinart suffers from the JaMarcus Russell syndrome, that being too much time spent enjoying the fruits of his labor as opposed to actually doing any labor. They still have weapons in Arizona, so the question becomes can Leinart get the ball to those weapons? Can he loft those nice touch passes on fade routes to Larry Fitzgerald? Can he read the coverage and understand when Fitzgerald has been taken away? Can he use all the tools at his disposal effectively? I get the feeling Chris 'Beanie' Wells and Tim Hightower are going to be working very hard this season. Meanwhile, Defense is a different matter all together. There are holes. They've let a lot of good players go and not a huge amount of talent has come back in the other direction. Dan Willams and Joey Porter are a start, but it remains to be see how well the Cardinals will hold up. They've been good against the pass in recent years, but I feel the Cardinals grip on the NFC West slipping this year. Which only leaves one team left to step into the breach. San Francisco. Oh yeah! My boys in Red and Gold are set to make a run on the division crown once more, with Alex Smith leading the way. Now, I know Smith is not Peyton Manning, but he doesn't have to be. The O-line got two big upgrades in the draft which has the double effect of making your run game and pass protection both improve. HC Mike Singeltary has been itching to see this team get into the true smash mouth mould (as have I) and now Christmas has arrived. Gore will be the number one, but the 49ers also picked up Anthony Dixon, who will compete with Glen Coffee for the number 2 spot. Vernon Davis and Alex Smith have an understanding going now and Michael Crabtree will be present for the entire season. Most importantly, the presence of Jimmy Raye means the 49ers will actually have an offensive coordinator serving back to back seasons for a change. The defense will continue to be the awesome unit that took to the field last year. In fact, I have an interesting fact for you about the 49ers defense. I'm sure you've heard over the course of this off season that the 49ers defense badly needed to upgrade it's pass rush etc. Well, just how many sacks do you think the 49ers racked up during the 2009 regular season? Have a guess, and while you're at it, guess where they came amongst all teams for sacks? Bear in mind that every time the 49ers were mentioned around draft time, it was always about pass rush. Got an answer? 44 sacks. Tied for third with the Eagles and Dolphins. This is what I don't get sometimes about TV analysts. "The 49ers need to find some pass rush..." really? Here's me thinking we were one of the top teams in the country when it comes to rushing the passer! Anyway, I could ramble on for hours about the 49ers (and I will, Rob), so lets look at how I think the division will finish. 1. 49ers (Winners) 2. Seahawks (just) 3. Cardinals 4. Rams ---- So, that concludes our whistle stop prediction tour around the NFC. Barring any sudden and very exciting news, it'll be time to check out the AFC next, again starting in the North. Until then, have a great day everyone.

Monday, May 10, 2010

NFC South

The NFC South indeed. First of all, I'm not a superstitious person. I know that no NFC South team has qualified for back to back playoffs since 2002. I know that the team that finished bottom of the division one year usually comes back to win the next year. But none of that shall be allowed to factor in. It's all about the teams. We're going to start with Tampa Bay. Sorry Tampa. They took stride this off season to go in the right direction. The draft picks of Gerald McCoy and Brian Price were a good combination. Up and down their team they made good future picks. But that#s not enough this year. Now don't get me wrong, I think you'll begin to see the fruits of this off season in 2011, but right now their offense just doesn't stack up. Arrelious Benn was a steal in my opinion, but will take a season to get into sync with his young QB. Overall, Tampa may have had the best draft in 2010, but it's a long term plan not a quick patch up job. The Buc's will reap the rewards of this patience in the coming years. I'm going to look at the Panthers next for the simple reason that you never know what you're going to get with Carolina. Without a hint of jest, Carolina are a playoff team. Ok so they went a bit crazy with the whole drafting QBs thing, but it seems Armanti Edwards is going to shift to the receiver position anyway. But the Panthers are still are a playoff team. This is why I hate them so much. They should have been back in the playoffs last year. The year before they should have hammered the upstart Cardinals into the ground instead of rolling over and letting them march to the Superbowl. Now that they've ditched the prime reason for their woes, QB-come-pick-machine Jake Delhomme, the Panthers should be setting their sights firmly on the division crown. Matt Moore can handle the task of game manager while DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart tear teams to pieces on the ground. But they wont will they Carolina? Hmm? Of course not! This is the core reason why I hate the Panthers; because they're a run first team, a ground and pound team, old school football, and yet they persist in lifting up their skirt and trying to whore themselves off to the 'spread offense' crowd. When they run the ball, they run over people. It's that simple. The Panthers are built like a steam roller; designed to slowly flatten the opposition until they become a nice, level surface that you can drive along without even so much as a bump. But last year they insisted on trying to shove Jake Delhomme down peoples throats, with inevitable results. This is becoming a rant now, so lets leave it there. New Orleans now. In the draft, I liked the Charles Brown pick. And that's about it really. Other that, all I've seen is New Orleans bleeding free agents into the market. I think they've definitely got worse in the off season and given their previous state, that's not good. Yeah, here we go again, the "Saint hate". But it's true. The Saints have a crazy good offense. On defense however, outside of maybe Porter, Greer and Vilma, the Saints defense has consistently proven vulnerable, especially against the run. Miami were tearing great chunks out of New Orleans last year, until they inexplicably decided to start throwing the rock all over the place and ended up turning the ball back over to the Saints. Given that two of the Saints opponents this year are great running teams in Atlanta and Carolina, theoretically the Saints should drop 4 games right there. Tack on the fact that they'll have to play the division winners from the various NFC divisions as well (Arizona, Minnesota & Dallas) and I expect New Orleans to struggle in the coming year. Which of course leaves just one team. Atlanta. The Falcons made improvements to their defense this off season, especially the acquisition of Sean Weatherspoon at MLB and Dunta Robinson at CB. They get Michael Turner back in action this year and if Matt Ryan can stay healthy for the whole season then the Falcons are a force to be reckoned with. Divisional winners? Hmm. It's a tough one. For me it's between Carolina and Atlanta. It all depends on how Carolina approaches this season. HC John Fox is in a lame duck year and so it's anyones guess how he goes about making things happen. Will he air it out and hope for a bumper season of yardage out of Moore or will he keep it on the ground and hope to win enough games in a solid manner to get himself a new contract? I'm going to have to back the Falcons. Which, as sure as day is day and night is night, means the Panthers will win it just to spite me. I hate the Panthers again. Here's how I think the division will pan out: 1. Falcons (winners) 2. Panthers (hate 'em) 3. Saints 4. Buccaneers ----- Which mean there's only one division left in our whistle stop tour of the NFC; the NFC Worst. I mean West. Have a great day everyone. P.S. don't forget to spread the word, if only so the Saints fans can descend on me in a large Fleur-De-Lis shaped mass of anger and abuse. And to find out if anyone hates the Panthers as much as me.

Sunday, May 09, 2010

NFC East

Lights. Camera. Action!! It may be on the opposite side of the country to Hollywood, but the fact remains that the NFC East is the 'sexy' division in the NFL right now. The Dallas Cowboys. The Washington Redskins. The Philadelphia Eagles. The New York Giants. Four teams steeped in history and success all crammed into one divisional pie. So we'll start with the Giants. Who are going to finish bottom of the division. I know. But the Giants are one of those odd teams that has talent overflowing at certain positions while other positions look more desolate than the Nevada Desert. They have enough solid receivers now to fill out two offenses. If you need a D-linemen, call the Giants. They've got maybe 6 players who could start on most D-lines around the country. Just don't call the Giants if you're looking for a defensive back or a linebacker. I know the old phrase about defense is that you build from the inside out, but someone needs to tell the Giants that middle linebackers and safeties count towards that as well. Still, it'll be retro seeing the Giants play with a 6 man D-line, because that's about all they can manage with their current personnel. With the Giants down, that leaves a three way battle amongst the other teams in the division. Oh no wait, one of those teams is Dallas. Two way battle then. Dallas are just an anomaly on the NFL landscape. They have enough money to afford the best practice facilities in the league. They can push the Cap limit every year and not worry about the long term impact on their business. They can hire the best coaches, the best trainers, the best private jets, the best doctors and the best scouts. But they cant seem to win games on a consistent basis. Why? I'll tell you why. Their team at the end of last season had all the makings of a Superbowl winner. You just felt that with one more piece it would all come together for them in 2010. Then they went out in the draft and picked up Dez Bryant, despite having three very good legitimate receivers already. On top of that, they dumped Flozell Adams, their only legitimate LT. They strengthened an area that didn't need it and they opened a gaping hole on their QBs blind side. That, ladies and gentlemen, is why the Cowboys will not compete for the division title this year. Teams will blitz the crap out of their left side and Romo will spend half the season picking grass out of his teeth. So we're down to the Eagles and the Redskins. We'll start with the Redskins. Basically, the Redskins are a model of how to go from divisional doormat to divisional contender in one off season. The addition of Shanahan as HC was a good move, but just look at the roster upgrades. Portis has question marks over his production, so they picked up Larry Johnson and Willie Parker, who both bring different skills to the position. They got a new LT in Trent Williams. They brought in Rex Grossman and Donovan McNabb to revitalise the QB position. They get Chris Cooley back from injury this year. They brought in Joey Galloway to give them some height and speed in the receiving corps. Even if Albert Haynesworth doesn't play in their 3-4 defense, they have the other tools to make it work. Their linebacker and defensive back units will probably come into their own this year. More sacks & more tackles for a loss on defense, plus more touchdowns and production on offense. That's how a team gets better. But they don't quite match the Eagles. Kevin Kolb is ready to take over the helm at QB. We don't just know this because he played well when he appeared last year. We know this because for all his faults, HC Andy Reid is good at evaluating talent and pulling the trigger at the right time. He knew that McNabb wasn't going to get it done in Philadelphia. Maybe it was a loss of passion or frustration at the constant criticism. Maybe it was just because McNabb's style of play didn't fit what Andy Reid was trying to do (McNabb has a big arm but lacks accuracy and consistency, two things that are a must in Reids offense). All we know is that he got good value for McNabb while he could and that he wouldn't let Kolb take the reins unless he was sure he could handle it. Then we have Vick, who is looking to show off his talents to potential suitors. He can still throw flat passes and his legitimate threat as a runner makes him very useful in short yardage and goal line situations. They have their O-line sorted, they have their RB position sorted, and their receivers are only going to get better this year. Add in Brandon Graham on defense, who will draw attention from Trent Cole and give teams a double nightmare (teams like the Cowboys), plus a secondary that's been reshuffled to improve it a little, and the Eagles are on course for a splash. At least the division title, maybe the Conference as well. It's a little early to tell. So in review, here's how I think they'll pan out: 1. Eagles (winners) 2. Redskins 3. Cowboys 4. Giants Tomorrow, it's the turn of the NFC South. And I don't think people are gonna like it.... Have a great day everyone.

Saturday, May 08, 2010

NFC North

As promised today I'd like to take a look at the NFC North in a futile attempt to predict who will win the division and how each team will fair. So let's get started straight off by saying that the Chicago Bears will likely finish bottom of the pile. Of all the things the Bears needed to do in the offseason, of all the players they needed to pick up, the O-line was a priority. Did they fix it? Nope. To think Julius Peppers and Chester Taylor are going to solve all of your many problems is ludicrous. In addition, with new offensive coordinator Mike Martz comes a pass happy system that is precisely the thing that got the Bears in trouble last year as everyone forced the Bears and Cutler to do it all through the air. With no real standout receivers (and no, Devon Hester is NOT a true receiver), all Cutler seemed to be able to do was to throw picks. The Bears are a disaster waiting to happen, a title previously held by the Lions. But I feel that Detroit may be about to unleash an almighty roar. Well, a roar of some sorts. Offensively they'll be better this year. Stafford has shown he has the fire and a competitive streak that you look for in a QB. The addition of Nate Burleson takes some pressure off Calvin Johnson to carry the receiving corps. TE is definitely a strong spot for the Lions this season and although I wasn't overly impressed with the move up to get Jahvid Best, that's a minor gripe. The Lions should be more rounded this year, with a resulting increase in production. Defensively they've bolstered the line but Suh and Vanden Bosch are just the start for the Lions, not the finished product. The increased pass rush will take some of the pressure off the back end but the fact remains that the Lions secondary and Linebacker corps look vulnerable. I'm surprised that they didn't take the opportunity in free agency to get Darren Sharper as a temporary upgrade at the FS spot. Former Giants LB Antonio Pierce should really be a target and is still available. He's very familiar with the 4-3 defense and could provide some much needed leadership on that side of the ball. Meanwhile the Vikings could be in the opposite position defensively. They've added depth with guys like Lito Sheppard and Everson Griffen, but centrally they could be up a certain creek without the fabled paddle. A recent ruling on the case involving the Williams' could see the NFLs planned suspension upheld, which would leave an almighty run-vulnerable gap right up the middle of the Vikings D. And as always, we still don't know what will happen with Brett Favre. Will he comeback? If he does, how mobile will he be? Will he still have the base to launch those rocket shots downfield? And if not, who steps up into the breach? Tavaris Jackson? Sage Rosenfels? Can either of these two produce the offensive magic that the Vikings had last season? If they can sort out their QB situation, it can' be doubted that the Vikings have one of the premier all round offenses in the league today. If it wasn't for the sudden fumble jitters they developed in the NFC Championship game, they would have been headed to the Superbowl instead of the Saints. All in all, I'm not confident all the pieces come together this year. Maybe they'll make the wildcard, but it really depends on how some of the other divisions pan out. Which leaves only one team left ready to ascend to the crown of the NFC North; Green Bay. Towards the end of last season Aaron Rodgers was staring to get the hang of the whole "don't hang on to the ball for ten seconds trying to make the perfect play" thing. The drafting of Bryan Bulaga will certainly help to resolve some of the O-line woes in Green Bay and they still have the best overall receiving corps in football, especially when you include TE. The run game might still need some work but then the Packers are a West Coast Offense type team who will throw 60-65% of the time anyway. Defensively this could be the year that the Packers breakout big time. They converted to a 3-4 scheme last year which was bearing fruit towards the end of the season. In the playoffs it all came apart around the edges, but in the draft and the free agent period afterwards the Packers have set about rebuilding their roster to fit the scheme by bringing on 4 new linebackers and two new DE. If they can make all the pieces fit this could be a great chance for the Packers to make a surge for the 'bowl, bearing in mind that their cornerbacks aren't getting younger and their O-line will need more upgrading in the next draft. Division wise, I think it'll end up looking like this: Packers Vikings Lions Bears Give it another year or two and I honestly think that the Lions might actually have a run at jumping the Vikings. ---- So whose next? It's the glamour division of the NFL, the NFC East. Tomorrow maybe. Until then, have a great day everyone.

Friday, May 07, 2010

Time to move on

-- So I was going to talk about the NFC North as the start of a series on how the various divisions might pan out this coming season. The main motivation for this was due to a lack of news. But now I must put that on hold for a day or two, as the Raiders have continued their superb off season by releasing JaMarcus Russell. It's not just the almost $6 million in salary they'll save (they'll still owe him around $3 million), it's the indication that the winds of change are now blowing through the organisation. The Raiders are starting to look like one of those teenagers who holds steadfast to his anti-establishment views all the way through college and his twenties, bemoaning the effect of "corporate America", only to hit his thirties and suddenly mature, understanding that those faceless corporations provide large numbers of jobs for people and promote wealth for the nation as a whole. The Raiders have grown up. They seemed to have realised that physical skills are great for developing talents, but for high round picks you want proven players, guys who have a solid base of work to fall back on. They're starting to understand that winning in the NFL is about building a solid team as opposed to just collecting talent. Coach Tom Cable appears to have been given more of a free reign to get on and coach the team, and the Raiders might just reap the rewards in the coming season or two. As for Russell? His attitude and work ethic has been appalling throughout his career so far, but there is hope. Having had his financial prop pulled suddenly from under him, maybe Russell will sit up and take notice. Let's not forget as well that he's hardly been surrounded by top class talent in Oakland. And, like many others, Russell has been thrust straight into the action from day one with little time to adjust and without a guiding hand of an experienced QB to show him how it's done. We can only hope, for Russells' sake, that he uses this wake up call to good effect. Maybe now he will put his head down and start working. If he wants to get picked up anytime soon, he needs to get his butt on an exercise bike and start peddling as if his career depends on it (because it does). If he can do that and he's prepared to take a huge salary cut (we're talking in the minimum salary region) in order to sit behind an established QB to learn and work hard, then maybe JaMarcus can rescue a career that currently looks set to go down in NFL history as one of the worst draft busts of all time.

Thursday, May 06, 2010

Can I talk you into a blog?

-- Random irritation? That nothing has happened of note yet. Still. -- Random bit of enjoyment. Watching Marshall Faulk and Michael Lombardi on NFL Total Access playing the roles of Chris Johnson and a Titans executive respectively, giving just a brief insight into the kind of arguments that both sides would use in a negotiation. I think this is what NFL Network really excels at, bringing in people who have been there, done that, and giving the fans insights into the things that are a little off the beaten track. Well done to all involved. Well, with news at a minimum I'm going to have to roll out the trusted fall back plan of any good football writer; a bottle of vodka. Did I say that? I meant predicting the divisional winners. We'll do one a day, starting tomorrow with the NFC North. Until then, have a great day everyone.

Wednesday, May 05, 2010

Eating up the opposition

-- Adam 'Pacman' Jones looks set to become a Bengal. While Chad Ochocinco was twittering that it was official, it looks like the actual deal may be close but not quite that close. Jones isn't a bad corner and the Bengals have the luxury of using him as a rotation player or Nickelback thanks to their stellar corner pair of Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph. -- It's emerging today that Terrell Owens is asking for somewhere in the region of $5 million dollars per year to return to the NFL. Good luck with that Terrell. See even though I still rate Owens, he's tall, strong, he runs great routes and he still has good speed, even I wouldn't pay $5 million for him, so what is he expecting from 32 teams who are luke warm about the guy? The reality is his concentration wasn't great last year and drops were an issue, so maybe with all things considered you'd throw him a million, maybe 2? But 5? No way. Have a great day everyone.

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

The end cometh

-- Occasionally something rare happens. The planets align, the moon passes through some astronomical body as a portent of doom, and yes, even the Raiders make good decisions. I'm worried. On draft day they overlooked two speed freaks in favour of a sensible pick in the first round, before indulging in some wheeling and dealing to get extra picks and finally picked up both Bruce Campbell and Jacoby Ford in the 4th round. Then they traded and got Jason Campbell to come in and be their new starting QB. But now the apocalypse is in full swing as it appears the Raiders are even making good coaching decisions on the field as well. I'm talking about Campbell (Bruce) being moved to RG. Campbell is a freak of nature for his size and speed, but it's not really clear how well he understands the LT position, so the Raiders have elected to shift him inside. Which is a great move. A guy with his athletic capability can get help on the inside in pass protection, but is also ideally placed to make trapping blocks and pulling blocks. This is only going to help the Raiders run game more and take more pressure of the QB. I think I can feel the Earth imploding under my feet.... -- Is Michael Vick getting restless? Yes it's that time of year where news is thin and thus QB controversies are manufactured by the media and it appear this year is no different. No, there is no controversy. Kolb will start. But Vick might be hoping that a team in need comes calling this off season as the reality hits him that he'll be playing with the second string team in practice, but might see some game action as a red zone and short yardage specialist. Of course the opportunity to showcase his talents in the pre-season games will help, but Vick is likely staying put for now. Which is a shame. Watching him in games, he looked just as athletic as ever and the few throws he made were almost frozen rope flat. I'd take a gamble on Vick. Especially if I was Buffalo. -- Darren Sharper is back in New Orleans next season. I'm sure Porter and Greer can't wait to have their thunder stolen again. Have a great day everyone.

Monday, May 03, 2010

Borrrrrrred

I hate this time of year. There's no football. None. Nothing but minicamps and OTAs. Now as much fun as it is hearing about how well players did in their drills, that still doesn't fill the hole left in my appetite by the need for a some hard hits and breakaway runs. It's also bloody boring from a news perspective. -- Dez Bryants injured his ankle. Ohhh, hot news. And for your information, no, arena football doesn't count as real football. Although it was fun to see that waitress get buckled by a receiver jumping over the boards the other night. Not for her obviously. Have a great day everyone.

Sunday, May 02, 2010

Rambling about plays

So, question; with all these rookies turning up for mini camps and trying to get their heads around the new terminology, just how big of a playbook is too big? Well to be honest, if we're talking about the NFL then we're looking at 350 pages. Admittedly that includes several pages taken up by diagrams of all the formations, a few more taken up explaining how all the routes should be run, even more soaked up by explaining all the coverages etc, but by and large you are looking at a tremendous number of plays, easily in the order of 70-100 per team. That seems like a lot. Which is because... it is a lot. Most teams will carry something like 25-30 different run plays into a season, along with at least as many drop back passes, some screens (shall we say 15?) and some play action (probably another 15). Obviously exact amounts vary from team to team, but this is a pretty reasonable average. What makes this even more mind numbing is the way playbooks are put together. Take Bill Walsh and the 49ers (not a fifties blues group) for example. Bill was widely regarded as one of the more intellectual and competent of his coaching contemporaries. But to read an old 49ers playbook (specifically the '85 copy) is to delve into the realms of unnecessary and confusing repetition, liberally interspersed with random out of place information. In short, we have a book that desperately needs an editor. Putting all these things together it's no wonder that some rookie QBs struggle mightily to learn the subtle nuances of their new systems. But could it be helped. Is there another way? To go right to the opposite end of the spectrum is to arrive at an offensive theory that is built around a few core plays, ones that you hammer in practice until the team can practically do it by feel with their eyes closed. Of course running an ISO lead play up the middle all day wont work forever and must be supplemented by what are now gradually becoming known as 'constraint plays', leading handily to the title "Constraint theory of offense". The premise is simple. Pick a play that you love to run and that you believe your team can execute pretty well. Now liberally throw in a few plays that look almost identical to the core play at first, but in fact are designed to exploit the defenses over reaction to it. In our ISO lead play example, the defense might counter this (for arbitrary explanation reasons) by bringing the SS down to stand by the MLB, thus helping to stuff the run up the middle. But now there is a glaring weakness in the secondary that can be exploited with a play action play that gets a receiver or two into that gap where the SS should have been standing. Thus, you're able to punish the defense for taking away your favourite play, and will continue to do so until they adjust once more and let you have your play back again. Now in theory this is great. Certainly at the high school level there is little to condemn this approach, especially as it allows you to maximise time spent working a small group of plays to perfection. But at the NFL level, where there is so much film to be watched and so much time that can be spent making adjustments to everything you do, including your adjustments, it now becomes necessary to expand things a little more. But if 100 plays is too many and a handful of plays is too few, where do we draw the line? The obvious answer might be the middle ground, but before we reach it, let's stop off in Lubbock, Texas, to meet footballs resident Blackbeard impersonator. I am of course talking about the now former Texas Tech Red Raiders Head Coach, Mike Leach. Obviously without a copy of his playbook we'll never know for sure, but it's widely believed that Leach only had about 30 or so pass plays in his repertoire. This is worth noting mainly because of the outstanding success that Texas Tech found under Leach, tearing up passing records for fun. The key was a combination of his minimalist (by comparison to peers) playbook and the coaching methods used to teach the reads of these plays to the players. Here then is proof to some degree that a huge playbook isn't always necessary to find success. But given the amount of practice and film time in the NFL and the guaranteed high levels of speed and talent on NFL defenses, can 30-ish plays suffice? I'm gonna throw a number out there. 60. Sixty is around the average number of plays that an NFL team runs in a game, excluding special teams. 60 gives you the scope to run a few plays twice, probably from different formations, or with slight tweaks such as tagging one players route. 60 gives you plenty of scope to include around 20 runs, 20 drop back passes and 20 play-action plays, give or take a few depending on your style (I'd probably want less passes and a few more runs). I think 60 is enough to cover a multitude of situations and to attack a defense in a variety of ways without becoming stagnant. Now you're probably wondering where this is going or what pithy comment I'm going to make to wrap it all up and bring the whole thing home. Unfortunately, I lost track of that about a half hour ago. So I'll finish simply by saying have a great day everyone and I promise to think things through and be more coherent in the future.

Saturday, May 01, 2010

Would you Adam and Eve it?

-- Some guy who is old enough to be mentioned in the bible has apparently got to have surgery on his ankle. Yes, it's Brett Favre, everyones favourite ditherer. It seems to have not struck many people that the reason Favre waits so long to make his mind up is because he hates mini camps. Well to be honest, I couldn't care less about this story, which is more than I can say for anyone who considers themselves to be a part of the football media, as the Internet and television is close to a cataclysmic meltdown with all the Favre talk going around. Proof if ever it was needed, that the period between the draft and the start of season is unequivocally boring as hell. -- So Dez Bryant is still in the news as a large debate erupts about questions asked during his pre-draft visit to the Dolphins, mainly concerning his mother. Now dont get me wrong I've not suddenly turned into a Dez Bryant lover, but this whole media storm about his mother, prostitution and his father apparently being a pimp can at best be labelled "sick" and at worst "a down right f&*%ing disgrace to all journalism". This is the kind of story that comes with a big red button attached to it saying "push to remove all sense of honor and dignity that our reporters and news agency might have," and thus should be left well alone. It has nothing to do with Bryants playing career and so I refuse to even indulge in the very basics of it. There are many media people who should be hanging their heads in shame right now. I would be. -- Warren Sapp. He's back on the NFL Network and the network is the better for it. He's lively, passionate, down to earth and very knowledgeable. Basically a happy, smiley version of Rod Woodson. Cheer up Rod. You and Sapp together form probably one of the best pundit partnerships on telly right now. Right, I've had enough of jabbering about random news lately, so hopefully at some point this weekend I'm going to attack a topic that's very dear to my heart: how much offense is enough? With plenty of rookie QBs heading into to camp and picking up their playbooks for the first time, I feel it's a topic worth treading on, even if it's only briefly. Until then, have a great weekend everyone.