Cowboys @ Jets
We might as well get this one done first, because it has been one of the major talking points since Sunday night. Basically the Cowboys looked like they had it all sewn up at one point, and then they shit the bed in epic fashion. I mean it was, for me at least, painful to watch.I don't even like the Cowboys and I felt sorry for them. It was embarrassing at times.
Watching them line up, watching Romo dicking about at the Line Of Scrimmage, and all the time you're watching the play clock slowly wind down and then sure enough, another delay of game penalty. Oh wait, now it's twelve men in the huddle. And now Romo isn't paying attention when the balls snapped etc. It was laughable in a way. The Cowboys committed 7 penalties for 40 yards, the Jets 0-0.
Both quarterbacks looked terrible as well. Romo did his usual trick of standing around staring at open receivers, before scrambling as the pressure closed in and somehow finding a way to mend broken plays, which then leads to the inevitable "oh he's so great at improvising" lines, while ignoring the fact that his own basic lack of awareness is what put him in that position in the first place. Then he threw a terrible pass completely behind to an injured Dez Bryant, who became more of a hindrance than a help later on, which was picked off by Darrelle Revis and prompted a new wave of "Da Revis Island" bullshit.
I also found it quite amusing that Romo looked like he was blaming Bryant afterwards, which is what you like to see in a quarterback. Very Peyton Manning of you Tony, except without all the yards, touchdowns and the Super Bowl ring.
Mark Sanchez did little better. The Jets won the game in spite of their quarterback, not because of him. Another stupid pick in the bag, which further emphasises the good/bad dichotomy that is Mark Sanchez. One minute he's throwing superb back shoulder passes, the next he's driving balls into the hands of the linebackers. He must be the single most annoying person to coach in the NFL right now. How he ended the game with 335 yards I'll never know.
Credit where it's due... LaDanian Tomlinson had a great game. Even if you don't like him still as a runner, his ability to come out of the backfield as a receiver and still make plays against linebackers is unquestionable.
On defense, both the Ryan brothers took the leashes off their defenses and let it rip. Except unlike the Saints, both teams have some very capable pass rushers. DeMarcus Ware of the Cowboys had 2 sacks and another hit. Overall the Cowboys had four sacks and two additional hits. Linebacker Sean Lee also excelled, capping his 12 tackle display with an interception.
The Jets were led in tackles by Bart Scott with 8, as well as having a sack and another tackle for loss. Scott was playing havoc with the Cowboys disjointed O-line and the Jets ended the game collectively with four sacks.
Panthers @ Cardinals
This game had to come second and it's all about two words; Cam Newton. But here's a few more words for you; how come all of a sudden everyone thinks Newton has proven his critics wrong? I don't get it. All across the Internet and the TV, from the NFL Network to ESPN, pundits and fans alike seem to be agreed that Cam has shaken off all the criticism he received pre-draft and is now on pace for a Hall of Fame career.
I say hold the fuck up a second.
Interesting fact for you - yes Peyton Manning once threw for 400+ yards in a game during his rookie season, but so did Matt Leinart. Yes, that Matt Leinart. The Matt Leinart who is universally hailed as a bust and a waste of a good roster space.
People also seem to be over looking the fact that Newton was playing the Cardinals, a team with a terrible pass defense who put an exclamation point on that assessment by blowing coverages against the Panthers like it was going out of fashion. People also seem to be missing the fact that Newton was consistently under throwing receivers. On the long bomb to Steve Smith, Smith had to stop and wait for the ball to come to him, despite being wide open on a blown coverage, a trait that Newton demonstrated repeatedly in college.
And people also seem to be ignoring the fact that despite throwing for 400 yards, he produced just three touchdowns, one on the ground and two through the air. Contrast with Monday nights performance by Tom Brady, which not only produced 500+ yards but also 38 points. And then there's the two interceptions, one of which was scratched off due to a penalty.
All in all, throwing for over 400 yards is good and should definitely make people go "hmm, not bad for a first start". But to claim that this one performance proves all the "haters" wrong is bullshit. Those haters might ask what happened on the other 13 passes among the 37 that Newton threw. Or would just quietly suggest that people hold on for a minute before stamping the word "hit" all over his file, and instead wait and see what happens against Green Bay next week.
Yes, Green Bay is coming to visit the Bank of America stadium, complete with a vastly better pass rush and a much better secondary. If Newton can pull another 400+ yard performance out of the bag then maybe I might stop for a second and at least give him another look. Until then I'm sticking by my pre-draft assessment; failure.
Steelers @ Ravens
Well thank you Pittsburgh for absolutely taking a dump on what I said in my predictions. Far from the Steelers pulling away in this one it was the other way around, as the Steelers contrived to do everything possible to make a hash of this game.
Seven turnovers; 3 interceptions and four fumbles. It's practically impossible to win a game like that and once again the root cause of the problem was the Steelers O-line. They were terrible, Doug Legursky in particular. It was just a complete mess. I guess the problem is we're used to seeing Roethlisberger cover up those mistakes with great improvisational play. Well not this week we didn't.
Now that still doesn't mean I'm ready to bow at the feet of Joe Flacco and put him up there as an elite QB. He still ended the game 17/29, albeit for 224 yards and 3 touchdowns. That's good. Against the Steelers that's all the more impressive. But it still represents a pass completion percentage that only just nudged over 50%. The true story of this game was the Ravens D.
Let me throw some numbers in your direction. Five sacks, including three alone by Terrell Suggs. Four tackles for loss. Four forced fumbles, including two for Suggs. Three interceptions, including two for Ed Reed. Another seven passes defended, including two for Reed. That was the story of this game. The Ravens defense came up big and they hammered the Steelers hard. That's what won the game... and cost me a pick.
Falcons @ Bears
Ugh, Jay Cutler gets another pass. 22/32 for 312 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Not bad for a change. Better than normal, let's put it that way. And only four sacks given up. I see the Bears have tried to mitigate the problem with both their quarterback and their O-line by leaning much more heavily on screen passes.
The performance of the Falcons though is what caught my eye. 4-13 on third down? (Compared to the Bears 6-16). 2 fumbles and an interception? Matt Ryan 31/47 for 319 yards and no touchdowns? I mean seriously, 47 passes? I know they were behind but it was only 3-16 at the half. Why then just ten measly carries for your best player in Michael Turner? (who picked up 100 yards on those ten carries, hence why he's your best player).
It's almost comedic. I'd laugh if it wasn't for the fact that it cost me what I thought was a sure fire pick. Credit where it's due though, and that's to Henry Melton of the Bears. A fourth round pick in 2009, Melton was credited with 2 sacks and another 5 QB hits in this game, which is impressive any way you chose to look at it.
Bengals @ Browns
God this was hideous, in more ways than one. Colt McCoy was 19/40. 19 of 40? That's less than half, which is well below the standard that McCoy had set for himself during his rookie season. Then there was the debacle with the Browns defense not getting lined up in time and giving the Bengals basically a free touchdown play to take the lead. It really did look shambolic at times.
Bit of props for Andy Dalton who defied his pre-season form by going 10/15 for 81 yards and a touchdown. Still a little too much of the "dink and dunk" element to his game for my liking, but at least it was a more solid show until he got injured. Then enter Bruce Gradkowski! 5/12 (blurgh) for 92 yards and a touchdown (the one where the Browns didn't line up). The futures bright, the futures orange... and black.
And possibly a little blue as the Bengals bruising running game made its mark. Cedric Benson carried 25 times for 121 yards and a touchdown. Peyton Hillis of the Browns managed just 57 yards off his 17 carries, which will no doubt spark rumblings about the "Madden Curse", one of the most annoying pieces of misguided fandom in the the entire NFL (hint; the main criteria to get on the cover of Madden is to have an exceptional season. The definition of exceptional being; Unusual, not typical. Which explains why players typically don't have back to back Madden worthy seasons).
The Bengals D also deserves a shout. Beyond the interception for Michael Johnson was another nine passes defended.
Colts @ Texans
This was going to come up eventually. I suspected, just like everybody else, that the Colts would suck minus Peyton Manning. But I'll be honest, I didn't realise it was going to be this bad. I mean even the defense stunk it up. By halftime the score was 34-0. What the hell happened?
Well two fumbles didn't help the cause, though in all fairness the Colts D came up with two interceptions to balance that. Maybe the Colts 1/9 performance on third downs had something to do with it? Or the three sacks and four additional QB hits that the Texans D chalked up? Maybe it was the Texans running game, which saw Ben Tate carry 24 times for 116 yards and a touchdown, as well as the 11 carries for 39 yards by Derek Ward.
Perhaps it was Kerry Collins himself, who went 16/31 passing for 197 yards and just the one touchdown. Which explains why I hate passer ratings so much, because he came away with an 82.3 rating for his performance. That's not great, but it just sounds like it was ok, when it really wasn't.
The Colts have some serious thinking to do about their future. The Texans need to keep their concentration for next week.
Bills @ Chiefs
If any of you live in the Kansas area, I ask only this of you; if you ever see Todd Haley in the street, please punch him in the fucking head. What is wrong with this man? Why is he so obsessed with Matt Cassel? Why will he not just accept the fact that it was Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin that made him famous, it was them that made his pass offense work, and that now he should be rolling with his hot hand which is Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones?
Charles carried ten times for 56 yards. That's a 5.6 yard per carry average. Even Dexter McCluster, a running back in college, was given four carries which he took for 42 yards. That's two explosive players that the Chiefs have there and in the past their running games has proven to be exceptional... when they stick with it. But that's half the problem with Todd Haley, the man has no damn patience.
And of course, the Bills were just better. Ryan Fitzpatrick was 17/25 for 208 yards and four touchdowns. Fred Jackson carried 20 times for 112 yards. Three Bills receivers had over 60 yards each. The defense produced 9 tackles for loss. This was a great win for the Bills and a terrible day for the Chiefs. Kansas lost promising safety Eric Berry to injury and just generally stunk it up. It remains to be seen where they go from here.
Eagles @ Rams
It all looked so promising for the Rams. Early on they watched Steven Jackson bust out a 47 yard run and it looked for a moment that the Eagles linebackers would be their down fall. Alas, Jackson was injured, and the rout was coming. The Rams were a miserable 2/12 on third downs and then to cap it all off they lost Sam Bradford to injury as well.
Bradford managed just 17/30 for 188 yards before departing. Still, at least he wasn't as bad as Mike Vick. 14/32 for 187 yards and 2 touchdowns. The two touchdowns are good, the 14 of 32 much less so. I mean that is just chronic and it has people in Philadelphia shifting around nervously in their seats, despite the win. In fairness Vick did carry the ball ten times for 98 yards (longest run was 19) to make up for it to a degree.
Now those who felt the agitation will be helped little by seeing Nnamdi Asomugha's first run about in an Eagles jersey. He was thrown at twice and gave up a pass interference call and a 31 yard pass, which is another tick in the box for my theory about supposed "shutdown corners" being a little over rated.
Someone who's not right now is LeSean McCoy, who had another fine game, carrying 15 times for 122 yards and a touchdown. Which emphasises the sad thing about the Eagles offense; despite Andy Reid's reluctance to run the ball, the Eagles are actually really good at it! DeSean Jackson also had an ok game. He had 6 catches for 102 yards and a touchdown, but I should point out that he was targeted 12 times.
The Eagles pass rush probably had the most fun though. They notched five sacks between them, including two for new signing Jason Babin, and ended the game with a further six collective QB hits and seven tackles for loss. The Rams D did ok too, with 7 tackles for loss, 3 sacks and another 8 QB hits.
Lions @ Buccaneers
Frankly I'm a little surprised that the Lions managed to pull this one out of the bag. They gave up a pick 6 early on, ended 2-11 on third downs and had four fumbles. But they persevered and were rewarded, with Matthew Stafford throwing 24/33 for 305 yards and 3 touchdowns, plus that interception.
Josh Freeman didn't look quite as sharp. Against a not so brilliant Lions secondary he put up 28/43 for 259 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The ground game was terrible. Freeman was the leading rusher and between four different ball carriers the Buccaneers had just 16 carries for 56 yards, despite it still being a once score game going into half time.
The respective defenses had their moments. The Lions managed to rack up two sacks and seven passes defended, the Buccaneers had 6 tackles for loss. It's precisely the start the Lions were looking for, but it might be back to the drawing board for the Buccaneers.
Titans @ Jaguars
Well, the Luke McCown era has officially begun in Jacksonville and it started with 17/24 for 175 yards. Not exactly pro bowl numbers (that being the amount of times a player is featured on Deion Sanders's prime time segment, what with the pro bowl being a fair and balanced selection process and all. And now I'm just ranting) but a good start.
Matt Hasselbeck tried, by gawd he did! Well 21/34 is ok ish, must do better territory. He ended with 263 yards,2 touchdowns and a pick. The surprise of the day though was running back Chris Johnson, fresh off his holdout, who carried 9 times for a measly 24 yards. What's that Tennessee? You're regretting paying him all that money? Worried that his huge seasons might be behind him? Still haven't learnt that probably 50-60% of a running backs yards are down entirely to the offensive line? Ooops! Maurice Jones-Drew had a better day for the Jaguars, with 24 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown.
Receiver Kenny Britt had a pretty good day for the Titans, with 5 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns, but off 10 targets. Neither defense had a great day, apart from perhaps Jaguars defensive end Jeremy Mincey who had 3 QB hits. If he can just take that a step further then the Jaguars could really use some sacks.
Vikings @ Chargers
This was a game notable perhaps for some of the weird ass interceptions, such as Jared Allen getting a pick and Shaun Phillips blocking a screen pass, which went up and then back down into his arms. I guess it was also notable for the Chargers special teams, that gave up yet another touchdown when Percy Harvin returned the opening kick off 103 yards, they lost kicker Nate Keading to injury and even had their punter Matt Scifres kick a 40 yard field goal (it was actually a really good kick. I'm not sure if he had the wind at his back but that thing still had a lot of leg in it when it hit the net).
During regular play now and Donovan McNabb debuted with 7/15 for a paltry 39 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. The Vikings are gonna need something a lot more impressive than that if they hope to stand any chance in a much more competitive NFC North this season. Adrian Peterson still looked pretty good, carrying 16 times for 98 yards, but ultimately the Vikings scored just the one offensive touchdown.
The Chargers were in so-so form offensively. Phillip Rivers was 33/48 with 335 yards and two touchdowns, but also two interceptions and some other miscues. The star of the show was, for once, a fullback; Mike Tolbert had one rushing and two receiving touchdowns.
Seahawks @ 49ers
Part of me is delighted with the result - the part that bleeds red and gold. The rest of me is a) gutted at another lost pick and b) worried very much with the manner in which we won against a team that isn't very good.
Third down efficiency for the 49ers? 1-12. One. Of twelve. Four field goals, two long special teams returns for touchdowns and a run in by Alex Smith. That's hardly confidence inspiring stuff right there. Although that's precisely what Ted Ginn jr. was brought in to do, it would be nice if we could use that speed for some deep passing. In all fairness, Alex Smith had an ok game, ending 15/20 for 124 yards. The running game however looked a little stifled, with Gore carrying 22 times for just 59 yards, including a 16 yard run.
At least we're not the Seahawks though. Tavaris Jackson was just 21/37 for 197 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Jackson also had three fumbles and running back Marshawn Lynch never really got going on the ground. The sole bright spot was the Seahawks defense which was ok, and recorded 8 tackles for loss, including two for safety Kam Chancellor (on last years rookie watch list) and two for Earl Thomas. The 49ers D had 5 sacks (including two for defensive end Justin Smith, who still gets no credit) as well as nine tackles for loss and seven defended passes.
Giants @ Redskins
You have to love the Giants, as they continue in their quest to give Tom Coughlin either a heart attack or stomach ulcers. Whether it's giving up fumbles, sacks, or simply having their field goals blocked, the Giants excel at making the hard working and talented Coughlin irate. Not least among the culprits is Eli Manning.
18/32 for 268 yards and one interception. He was sacked four times, hit another four and even chucked in a fumble for good measure. The Giants were 1-10 on third downs and their offensive line looked horrible. Ahmad Bradshaw managed a mere 13 carries for 44 yards and a touchdown. At least Manning himself was able to dive over the line for a score.
On the other side, Rex Grossman was 21/34 for 305 yards and 2 touchdowns and actually looked a bit better, although you can see there is still a long way to go for Washington. Tim Hightower didn't quite find the form he did in pre-season failing to climb over 3 yards per carry.
At least the Giants defense pitched in with four sacks, including two for Jason Pierre-Paul who continues to impress. The Redskins were lead in sacks by rookie tackle Chris Neild. Rookie outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan had the interception.
Patriots @ Dolphins
The penultimate game sees New England man handling Miami. Well I say that, but that's really only how it looked on paper. Going in to the fourth quarter it was 28-17 and had Miami managed to punch in an opportunity on the 1 yard line instead of having to kick a 20 yard field goal then it would have been 28-21.
There is no denying though that Tom terrific was... terrific. Kind of. 32/48 for 517 yards, 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. Wes Welker helped a lot with a 99 yard catch and run, which effectively was 15 yards of air and 84 yards of Welker running for dear life. Welker ended the night with 160 yards and two touchdowns, Aaron Hernandez had 103 yards, Deion Branch had 93 and Rob Gronkowski turned in 86.
Which gave Chad Henne all the more reason to be gutted. He ended 30/49 for 416 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Brandon Marshall had 7 catches (13 targets) for 139 yards, Davone Bess had 92 yards and Anthony Fasano another 82 yards. Reggie Bush wasn't quite as electric on the ground this time, with 38 yards off 11 carries.
It was an impressive display still by the Pats. Brady looked calm, poised and for the most part accurate. He read the field well and his ball placement was first class. Behind a strong O-line, New England is going to be tough to beat this year. Miami may yet surprise us still.
Raiders @ Broncos
Lastly, thankfully (do you have any idea how long this shit takes to write? If so, click the facebook or Google like button at the end. And if you don't, shame on you. Also click the button), it's the Raiders and the Broncos and the fans in Mile High have already begun the Tebow chants, which I'm not really sure is fair. Now coming from a confirmed Tebowliever, that might sound odd.
The simple fact is though Orton is still a good quarterback and its only been one game. He was 24/46 which admittedly is a bit sketchy, but his 304 yards were nearly three times as many as his opponent Jason Campbell (13/22 for 105 yards, 1 touchdown). Orton also threw a TD... and a pick.
Truth is, the Broncos simply couldn't compete with the Raiders running attack, as Darren McFadden gashed the Broncos for 150 yards off 22 carries. The four fumbles by the Broncos didn't help either. Nor did the Broncos O-line allowing the Raiders to clock up 5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss and 6 quarterback hits.
It was just a mess for the Broncos in so many ways. But then what more do you expect from John Fox?
So that's your recap done for the week one, which is now officially in the books. Pick wise I am 7-9 after week one, thanks in large part to the Steelers O-line, the Falcons offensive coaches, Tony "Pass me some water, I think I'm choking" Romo and the patron saint of stubborn, misguided arse holes - Todd Haley. Oh, and I still hate John Fox.
Now then, teams get that joyful experience of going back to their facilities and trying to work out either where it all went wrong or where it might go wrong in the future. The players are either patting each other on the back or crying into their beers.
And while they do that, I'll be back tomorrow to look at a few things that have caught my eye over the last week. Before that though I want to leave you with some Jerry Springer style final thoughts on week one.
-- The fad for childish, ridiculous dances in the endzone (what Bill Walsh often referred to as "Histrionics") seems to continue this year. I have to say, at the risk of sounding like a boring old fart, that I find the dances to be unsportsmanlike and very much a sign of arrogant show boating. Now stuff like the Lambeau leap I can live with, along with players celebrating with their team mates, high fives and all that. It's just the stupid fucking dances that I hate and I wish the league would put a stop to it. If the cameras weren't there in the end zone, nor would the dances be.
-- Proper tackling hasn't been a wide feature in the NFL for years now, but it seems the lay off has done the players no good. I'll couple this with a point I was going to make seperately about injuries and ask the question; is it really wise that the new CBA includes restrictions on the amount of off season training and the amount of padded practices? I get the feeling it could have the reverse effect that what was intended, with players actually getting injured more frequently, not less. Of course I doubt the NFL gives a shit because bad tackling equals more big runs and more points. Will we ever get a commissioner who appreciates good defense? (hint; no).
-- The four and five receiver sets are here to stay. Teams have been lining up in wide, "spread" formations and airing the ball out big time this first week. If this is the course of things to come then Dan Marinos 'passing yards in a season' record wont be safe and might even be done by week 14, with an outside chance that more than one person might break it. Unless of course someone can crack the code on defense, in which case the NFL, for all its faults, does at least learn quickly.
-- Some of the officitating has, for the want of a better word, been shit. Of particular note is the emphasis still on punishing defenders for daring to try and make plays on the ball in the air, despite having an equal right to, as well as more stupid calls about hits on 'defenseless' receivers. I've noticed that some defensive players seem to be playing much more tentatively as a result of the new rules, which is only bad for the game.
-- For some reason I noticed there was a lot of slipping about this week. Whether teams are using new cleats (or sneakers for the indoor "turf" *rolls eyes*) I dunno, but there definitely seems to be a lot more people slipping and sliding about. Will have to keep an eye on this.
So anyway, I must be off to the land of sleep and honey. Thanks for stopping by. If you could hit up the facebook button or the google like button at the bottom that would be awesome. If you have friends who are into football, drop them an e-mail or something. Every reader helps out the blog and helps me to keep going.
Cheers.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
NFL.com Video; The Good, The Bad, The Pure Shite,
I'm going to leave the recap till tomorrow, not least because I'm busy watching the Raiders/Broncos.
Just before I go back to the game though, an issue that's come to light over the weekend is that Direct TV's Sunday Ticket service has apparently been bombing out, crashing, and in many cases simply not letting people access the afternoon games.
A lot of people have rightly called the service out and said that it's a mess, and that if the NFL wants to avoid losing customers then the league needs to take action to get it fixed. People may love football, but they don't love it enough to throw money away on the off chance that they might get a glimpse of a few plays in between service crashes.
But I believe the NFL has a much more pressing need and that's to sort out their damn website.
NFL.com is supposed to be the great white hope of the NFL. If they can get enough people to watch games live through NFL Game Pass, and with the future of TV globally shifting more and more towards on demand, Internet streamed services, then the league could one day cut the middle man out of the equation (the TV networks) and go straight to the advertisers themselves.
Before that can happen though, they need to fix the sack of shit that they otherwise refer to as their video service. I mean it is not just bad, it is chronic. Chronic.
Oh they're more than happy to stuff 30 second adverts down your throat every two minutes, but the actual videos themselves (you know, the things people log on to watch) take ages to load, they constantly glitch out, cutting off half way and then skipping back while the picture freezes etc. And for Gods sake will someone at NFL.com please turn off the auto play function. When, when in the history of Internet video, has anyone ever actually enjoyed having an auto play function that shoves videos down your throat?
The whole fucking point of online video is convenience, but right now NFL.com's video section is about as convenient as throwing a lap top down a well and trying to watch the videos from the top using a telescope. Even their statistics service is shit. If you want statistics, go to ESPN. You get much more data, you get it in a much more sensible layout and you dont have to keep switching the sound off your computer because yet another advert is being thrown at you.
They don't even do the highlights with radio calls on NFL.com anymore. People used to love that, but 'no', says the NFL, 'fuck you and what you guys actually want!'. Now we have to listen to more of Deion Sanders kissing the butts of his favourite players. Well you might do, I turn the sound off.
What's worse for the NFL is that as part of their new deal for Monday Night Football, ESPN also managed to get access to more highlights for their website. That was the one leverage tool that the NFL had in its pocket, the one thing that was unique about its site which could pull people in. With that thrown away, and depending on the quality of ESPN's service, there really wont be any need to go to NFL.com anymore, except if you have the game pass service.
It's just inexcusable and frankly a little pathetic. For a company of that size, with billion dollar revenues, to have such a cheap, shitty video service. There are literally hundreds of companies out there that provide online video services, and they all do it better than the NFL. There are freakin' (why I have stopped swearing?) fucking amateur movie critics who film their reviews in their living rooms and use services like Vimeo or Daily Motion to host their video content, and even they manage a better service.
It's just a joke and another classic 'fuck you' to the fans, love from the NFL. Get a clue NFL.
Just before I go back to the game though, an issue that's come to light over the weekend is that Direct TV's Sunday Ticket service has apparently been bombing out, crashing, and in many cases simply not letting people access the afternoon games.
A lot of people have rightly called the service out and said that it's a mess, and that if the NFL wants to avoid losing customers then the league needs to take action to get it fixed. People may love football, but they don't love it enough to throw money away on the off chance that they might get a glimpse of a few plays in between service crashes.
But I believe the NFL has a much more pressing need and that's to sort out their damn website.
NFL.com is supposed to be the great white hope of the NFL. If they can get enough people to watch games live through NFL Game Pass, and with the future of TV globally shifting more and more towards on demand, Internet streamed services, then the league could one day cut the middle man out of the equation (the TV networks) and go straight to the advertisers themselves.
Before that can happen though, they need to fix the sack of shit that they otherwise refer to as their video service. I mean it is not just bad, it is chronic. Chronic.
Oh they're more than happy to stuff 30 second adverts down your throat every two minutes, but the actual videos themselves (you know, the things people log on to watch) take ages to load, they constantly glitch out, cutting off half way and then skipping back while the picture freezes etc. And for Gods sake will someone at NFL.com please turn off the auto play function. When, when in the history of Internet video, has anyone ever actually enjoyed having an auto play function that shoves videos down your throat?
The whole fucking point of online video is convenience, but right now NFL.com's video section is about as convenient as throwing a lap top down a well and trying to watch the videos from the top using a telescope. Even their statistics service is shit. If you want statistics, go to ESPN. You get much more data, you get it in a much more sensible layout and you dont have to keep switching the sound off your computer because yet another advert is being thrown at you.
They don't even do the highlights with radio calls on NFL.com anymore. People used to love that, but 'no', says the NFL, 'fuck you and what you guys actually want!'. Now we have to listen to more of Deion Sanders kissing the butts of his favourite players. Well you might do, I turn the sound off.
What's worse for the NFL is that as part of their new deal for Monday Night Football, ESPN also managed to get access to more highlights for their website. That was the one leverage tool that the NFL had in its pocket, the one thing that was unique about its site which could pull people in. With that thrown away, and depending on the quality of ESPN's service, there really wont be any need to go to NFL.com anymore, except if you have the game pass service.
It's just inexcusable and frankly a little pathetic. For a company of that size, with billion dollar revenues, to have such a cheap, shitty video service. There are literally hundreds of companies out there that provide online video services, and they all do it better than the NFL. There are freakin' (why I have stopped swearing?) fucking amateur movie critics who film their reviews in their living rooms and use services like Vimeo or Daily Motion to host their video content, and even they manage a better service.
It's just a joke and another classic 'fuck you' to the fans, love from the NFL. Get a clue NFL.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
2011 Season, week one picks (Sunday-Monday)
Right then. It's that time that anyone who writes about the NFL dreads. It's time to stick my neck on the line for another week and make some picks. Having got the Packers over Saints I'm already at a 1-0 start, which is good. My goal for the weekend is to get over 60%. And I might as well chuck in the Monday picks with the Sunday picks. So we'll start with.....
Steelers @ Ravens; We had to start here really. The Steelers and Ravens has become one of the premier rivalries in the NFL right now. And recent history has seen the Steelers run rough shod over the Ravens in win-loss terms. Is this the year for the Ravens to claw back some ground.
No!
Is the simple answer. I look at the respective squads and I see the Steelers having more depth and more overall talent. It's still likely to be a relatively close game, in the sense that it wont be a blow out, but I think the Steelers will open a little more of lead in this one than we're used to seeing, maybe as much as two scores. They were in the Super Bowl for a reason last year and even now their current squad looks a little more settled than last year.
Their receiving corps is faster and more experienced. Their offensive line is slightly stronger and likely more cohesive. Their defense is much stronger up front, has a better pass rush and a better secondary. But most importantly is the man in the gun; Ben Roethlisberger is superior in just about every way to Joe Flacco. In a hard fought contest, that can make a huge difference. So I'm saying Steelers win.
Falcons @ Bears; I didn't even have to stop and think about this one. I'm taking the Falcons 10 times out of 10 against the Bears. Look, the Bears offensive line needs a radical overhaul and this game may just be the latest resounding example of why that is. On the Falcons D-line you have guys like John Abraham, Kroy Biermann, Ray Edwards, Cory Peters and rookie Cliff Matthews. That D-line is going to tear the Bears offensive line to shreds.
And when that happens... well, it negates the fact that Jay Cutler has a big time arm and that some of his receivers are better than people give them credit for. Couple that with a Falcons running game that can - once a lead has been established - control the ball and the clock, forcing the Bears to throw it a whole bunch playing catch up, and you have a recipe for a miserable afternoon in Chicago, followed by some strong drinking in the evening. Falcons win.
Bengals @ Browns; I had a real hard time picking this one. I think the Bengals and the Browns have surprisingly good elements to their teams, especially on offense. I think the Bengals have some really good, really under rated receivers, I love their tight end pairing of Jermaine Gresham and rookie Colin Cochart, and I think they have an excellent backfield, with Cedric Benson, Cedric Peerman and Bernard Scott all really unappreciated around the league for their skills.
I just can't buy their quarterbacks or their defense. Bruce Gradkowski is a pretty good back up, but is he good enough to beat Colt McCoy? Andy Dalton certainly isn't. And then on defense I have a lot of respect for the front portion of the Bengals D, with guys like Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap as young, enthusiastic players up front, and some solid linebackers as well. But that secondary? Remove Leon Hall and it's not looking good.
For the Browns I think all around they're just a bit better. I love Colt McCoy, that's why he was on last years rookie watchlist, and I think they have plenty of offensive weapons for him to play with. Most importantly though is the D, where I think rookie Jabaal Sheard was a great addition to the pass rush, I think the linebacking corps is going to be solid this year, and I love the addition of rookie corners Buster Skrine and James Dockery.
Unless you're a Browns fan you probably wont have heard much about Dockery, but I say keep your eyes and ears peeled if he gets the chance to play. And on that note, I say Browns win.
Colts @ Texans; Simply put, without Peyton Manning this thing is over before it has even begun. The Texans have a really good offense, just as they've had for many seasons now. And this season they've taken a great stride forward in fixing that defense. The additions of rookies like the excellent J.J. Watt and Brooks Reed to the defensive line and linebacking corps respectively will make a difference, along with new coordinator Wade Philips. The Colts will watch, in wonder, suddenly realising that they should have drafted a true replacement for Peyton Manning about three years ago. Texans win.
Titans @ Jaguars; There has been much said about the fact that David Garrard was cut by the Jaguars. I would suggest that a lot of people are getting their knickers in a twist for no reason. The Jaguars gave Garrard every opportunity to succeed, or to even just show something, anything that could be called a repayment of their faith in him. They got nothing.
So now the post David Garrard era begins and maybe it will enliven the Jags? It's expected Luke McCown will start and for the sake of Jaguars fans I hope that's right, because you're not going to like the Blaine Gabbert era. Then again you might not like the McCown era much either. See the thing is, I look up and down that roster and I see names that catch my eye.
I like McCown at quarterback. Love Maurice Jones-Drew at running back. Like Marcedes Lewis at tight end. Like Kasim Osgood at receiver. Like Eugene Monroe at offensive tackle. Love Tyson Alualu.... at defensive end, not defensive tackle. Love Paul Posluszny at linebacker. Love rookie safety Chris Prosinski.
But then I look at the rest of the roster and I have to cover my mouth and fight off the urge to vomit. Because the rest of that team is hideous. Just, abjectly horrid. It's like a whose who of "who the hell are you?". And that's where the Jaguars fall down. They have some great players, they have some good players, and then they have just empty spaces, names penciled into the roster awaiting replacement at the first available opportunity.
The Titans meanwhile are a difficult team to judge. They have some very, very talented veterans and some good young players. Their mix of defensive line, linebackers and secondary is often grossly under rated. Their receiving corps has some real play makers in it. The problem is at the quarterback position.
Matt Hasselbeck is a veteran, but he's also been basically a one system guy, accustomed to playing in a much quicker, shorter ranged passing offense (I'm loathed to say "West Coast Offense"). Will he be able to squeeze the most out of his receivers? Will he take advantage of the play-action possibilities generated by Chris Johnson? Have I spent way too much time on this one game? Titans win.
Bills @ Chiefs; Now this, this is a tough game to call. I say that because you and I both know that the Chiefs are a running team. That is where their bread is buttered. Everyone knows it. Everyone knows how dangerous Thomas Jones, Jamaal Charles, and now Le'Ron McClain can be. Everyone except the one man who matters, which is Head Coach Todd Haley.
That's why I'm undecided. Because if it wasn't for that then I would take the Chiefs right now. They have some great defensive players and they run the ball really well. But give the ball to Matt Cassel and try and make him chuck that thing 35 times a game, against a much improved Bills defense? I'm not happy with that.
And the Bills have improved. Rookie defensive tackle Marcel Dareus has been a great pick up. Shawne Merriman is looking a bit more like his old self. I think rookie linebacker Chris White has some speed to get after the quarterback. And I think Nick Barnett was a nice addition up the middle of that defense. The secondary is good too. We all know about Jarius Byrd and Drayton Florence, but also keep an eye out for rookie corner Aaron Williams.
The trouble is the Bills offense. I think losing Lee Evans was big for the Bills, as they don't really have anyone who stands out as a natural replacement for him. Their running game is still having problems getting going, especially C.J. Spiller who has so much potential, but just isn't finding a way to make it work in the NFL right now. In fact, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is about the only thing about that Bills offense that I have a decent amount of faith in. And that's why I'm taking Kansas. Chiefs win.
Eagles @ Rams; The Dream Team gets its first real test. And although I'm not sold on the whole Dream Team moniker, I still think the Eagles are a good team. The only real issues they have is on the offensive line and the linebacking corps. But with the D-line much improved, including the presence of Cullen Jenkins up the middle, the linebacking problem shouldn't be such a huge issue. The offensive line will.
There are some good players on that line, although I think rookie Danny Watkins is wasted as a guard (he played tackle in college). However that line is not up to the same standard as the rest of the offense and will likely get exposed against a capable pass rush. Luckily for the Eagles though, the Rams don't really have that.
The Rams D-line isn't terrible. They're just not very good. And that really throws much of the hope out of the window for St. Louis. Quarterback Sam Bradford is pretty good and he has some talented receivers at his disposal, but he's still young and against this defense I think he might struggle.
It all depends on how well Eagles defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, who was a line coach up until last year, can cope with putting together all the talent available to him and whether he can make those guys work as a unit. I think they have enough in the tank for week 1. Eagles win.
Lions @ Buccaneers; This is quite an interesting battle because right here we have two teams that are highly touted to have resurgent years, perhaps finally breaking into the playoffs again. Now one of these teams I can kind of buy, the other I can't. The can't, is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Number one, I think Josh Freemans success is being over stated to a degree. Two, the interior of that offensive line is still a little on the suspect side. Three, the Buccaneers still have no discernible pass rush, despite the efforts made in the last two drafts to fix that. Four, the secondary needs some work still.
Compare and contrast to the Lions. One, if Matthew Stafford can be kept healthy then he finally seems to be clicking with his receivers. Two, ok, their interior O-line isn't much better. Three, the Lions pass rush has probably never been better than it is now. Four, ok, their secondary sucks as well.
That's evens on two counts and the Lions leading on another two. On that note then, Lions win.
Panthers @ Cardinals; Oh god. There's always one clash, one battle of such epic proportions that you have no idea who will win it. In this case it's the bad sort of epic battle, as in two teams that will live on in our memory for the next decade or so, due to nothing more than their sheer ineptitude.
I honestly don't know where to go with this one. Both teams have pretty good offenses and both teams have, to varying degrees across positions, terrible defenses. Part of me then looks to the quarterbacks and says "Newton is worse than Kolb" and will probably hurt his team more. But then part of me thinks "Head Coach Ron Rivera is not John Fox, he's seen the success a good running game can bring, he won't try and put it all on Newton."
But then another part of me remembers "this is the Panthers we're talking about. And I hate the Panthers. and they always go out of their way to ruin my picks". I should point out at this juncture that I just made that noise that people make when they breath out deliberately in such a way as to puff out their cheeks in the process.
Or as it's otherwise known, that noise you make when you don't have a damn clue which decision to make. On balance, and at the risk of feeling the Panthers pick wrath, I'm going to take the Cardinals. I just think the mixture of Kevin Kolb, with a slightly better receiving corps and a marginally better defense, key among which will be safety Adrian Wilson, will be enough. Cardinals win.
Vikings @ Chargers; I like a lot of things about the Vikings. I also like a lot of things about the Chargers. So which is better? That of course is the million dollar question, or at least it would be if you were a gambling addict with deep pockets. For me it's a mere matter of pride and smugness at picking the right team.
On the one hand we have the Vikings, who will be lead by Donovan McNabb, with Adrian Peterson in support, with receivers like Percy Harvin and Michael Jenkins to throw to, along with tight ends like Visanthe Shiancoe and Jim Kleinsasser, and with a strong defense in tow. That's a handy combination.
On the other hand, I look at the Chargers and see Phillip Rivers, with Ryan Matthews and/or Mike Tolbert in support, with receivers like Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd to throw to, along with tight ends like Antonio Gates and Kory Sperry, and with a strong defense in tow. That's a handy combination.
I'm making that noise again.
On balance I think the Chargers have it. Rivers in the pre-season looked really good, really precise, and Ryan Matthews looked rejuvinated somewhat as he ripped through the 49ers defense (hkjsdlfgsg bastar...fuc..mother...grr). I think the Chargers receiving corps is a little deeper and its defense is just a little stronger, especially in the secondary. So I'm going with a Chargers win.
Seahawks @ 49ers; As a 49ers fan, it saddens me to look at my team. Luckily the Seahawks aren't much better. So at least for one week I can be sort of optimistic. I say sort of because then I look at the 49ers again and I realise that the difference between them wouldn't accommodate one of my hand roll cigarette papers.
If they were great teams then that would be a testament to them both. But they're not. Not by a long way. The 49ers are relying on Alex Smith to guide the ship. Number two to Smith is Colin "no please kid, don't throw the ball over ther... oh another pick, nice work," Kaepernick. I have never wanted two quarterbacks to suffer simultaneous muscle pulls more than I do right now. Bring on Scott Tolzein.
The critical thing for me though is looking at the 49ers O-line. How, how in the name of God did Mike Person make the active roster? Especially when undrafted center Chase Beeler didn't. It sucks, which is a word that could be used to just generically describe the 49ers O-line right now. There is hope in Joe Staley at left tackle and there's Mike Iupati at left guard. I'd like to see rookie Daniel Kilgore slotted in at right tackle, but I fear that's too much to hope for. In case you hadn't noticed I'm not a huge fan of Anthony Davis.
This is an O-line that right now is not built for winning championships, or indeed anything. Couple that with the dubious decision to shift defensive end Isaac Sopoaga over to nose tackle and I fear the mighty 49ers (stop laughing) are in trouble. It all depends on the Seahawks.
They're by no means a juggernaut waiting to swat their prey to one side. But I do think that as bad as Tavaris Jackson is, he's better than Alex Smith, and he has some slightly more dangerous weapons at receiver in Sidney Rice and Mike Williams. I also think that the running back committee of Marshawn Lynch, Leon Washington and Justin Forsett can do some damage to this 49ers defense.
If the Seahawks can lean on the run, find ways to get the ball downfield to Rice and Williams, maybe use tight end Zach Miller as a safety valve over the middle, and possibly get the ball to Leon Washington in space on some screen passes or just swing routes out of the backfield, then I think the Seahawks walk it. Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), I hope I'm wrong about this. Seahawks win.
Giants @ Redskins; I think, personally, that the Redskins have improved somewhat in recent times. Through the pre-season, their running game looked strong and the defense flashed its potential. Things are definitely starting to look up in Washington. But I'm still not buying them in this game.
I like the Giants for this one and a big part of that is the defense. From the line - with guys like Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyiora, Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard and Linval Joseph - to the linebacking corps with guys like rookies Mark Herzlich and Greg Jones, supporting veterans like Mathias Kiwanuka and Jonathan Goff - all the way to the secondary with guys like Corey Webster, Antrel Rolle, and promising rookie safety Tyler Sash - that defense has the edge.
I think the Giants have the pass rush to get after Rex Grossman, the ability to win the battle in the trenches with regards to the running game, and a slightly stronger coverage unit on the back end. On offense, I'm not a huge Eli Manning fan, but I would take Manning over Grossman. I also think the Giants would just nudge the win in terms of running backs, with Ahmad Bradshaw and Da'Rel Scott in particular as highlights.
Providing Brandon Jacobs doesn't pick a fight with everyone in the stadium and the Giants can avoid adding another twenty fumbles to their tally this season, I see a Giants win on the horizon.
Cowboys @ Jets; Santonio Holmes... I want you to think about that for a second and consider its meaning.
.... done? Ok, if you haven't figured it out yet, I'll let you in on the secret; Holmes may be one of the best receivers in the NFL right now. More significantly though, he's the only decent receiver the Jets have right now.
I do not, not, consider Plaxico Burress or Derrick Mason to be players that will give teams nightmares. I think the Cowboys are good enough not to have to worry about them, with enough depth and quality in its secondary to cope.
And like with Eli Manning, I'm not a huge fan of Tony Romo, but I still think he's better than Mark Sanchez. The Jets defense will give him some nightmares at times, but I do think the Jets pass rush is missing some of the bite that it had last season. I don't the Jets offense is up to much either. Cowboys win.
Patriots @ Dolphins; The first of the two Monday night games sees New England start its 2011 campaign against a Dolphins side that has under gone some changes in the off season, welcoming in Reggie Bush at running back, Dante Rosario at tight end and... man, this is basically the same team that sucked it up last year?
In that case, I'm going with New England. The Patriots have some injury issues this week, but luckily they've got quite a deep squad to draw from. That for me is the killer. Quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end, offensive line, D-line, linebacker, secondary, in every area the Patriots don't just look better than their opponents, they completely out match them. Patriots win.
Raiders @ Broncos; As much as I hate new Broncos Head Coach John Fox, there just is no excuse for taking the Raiders in this game. Their running game might be ok, but I'm not sold on quarterback Jason Campbell. Some of the Raiders receivers have talent, but with Campbell throwing to them I think they're going to struggle to tap that potential.
The Broncos meanwhile have the opposite problem. Their rushing attack is nothing more than an after thought and has been now for many years. Their passing attack however is somewhat under rated in the main stream circles. Kyle Orton is a good quarterback and his receivers have a good mix of speed, hands and route technique.
Perhaps critically for the Broncos, they've beefed up their defense. Von Miller has been playing really well in the pre-season, demonstrating a responsiveness to coaching in training camp in order to refine his pass rushing technique to something much more appropriate for this level. Given the extra pressure that's being created up front, that just generates more opportunities for guys like corners Champ Bailey and Andre Goodman.
On that note, I'm saying Broncos win.
So there you have. All the weekends games in the bag. I'll be back possibly Sunday Night, more likely Monday or Tuesday night to find out how I got on pick wise and to share my thoughts on all the games. I also have a few interesting things planned for next week, including why I think the owners were so keen to sign the new CBA, a word about Plaxico Burress, and the return of 'Lombardi Watch', where I pick holes like an asshole in articles written by Michael Lombardi.
So enjoy your football this weekend. I know it's a hugely significant weekend for all, but in particular for the people of New York, what with it being the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. On that note I wish you all well and I can assure you that even here in the UK we'll be thinking of the families who lost loved ones during the events of that day, not least because many UK citizens were also among the victims.
May we never see such a day again.
Steelers @ Ravens; We had to start here really. The Steelers and Ravens has become one of the premier rivalries in the NFL right now. And recent history has seen the Steelers run rough shod over the Ravens in win-loss terms. Is this the year for the Ravens to claw back some ground.
No!
Is the simple answer. I look at the respective squads and I see the Steelers having more depth and more overall talent. It's still likely to be a relatively close game, in the sense that it wont be a blow out, but I think the Steelers will open a little more of lead in this one than we're used to seeing, maybe as much as two scores. They were in the Super Bowl for a reason last year and even now their current squad looks a little more settled than last year.
Their receiving corps is faster and more experienced. Their offensive line is slightly stronger and likely more cohesive. Their defense is much stronger up front, has a better pass rush and a better secondary. But most importantly is the man in the gun; Ben Roethlisberger is superior in just about every way to Joe Flacco. In a hard fought contest, that can make a huge difference. So I'm saying Steelers win.
Falcons @ Bears; I didn't even have to stop and think about this one. I'm taking the Falcons 10 times out of 10 against the Bears. Look, the Bears offensive line needs a radical overhaul and this game may just be the latest resounding example of why that is. On the Falcons D-line you have guys like John Abraham, Kroy Biermann, Ray Edwards, Cory Peters and rookie Cliff Matthews. That D-line is going to tear the Bears offensive line to shreds.
And when that happens... well, it negates the fact that Jay Cutler has a big time arm and that some of his receivers are better than people give them credit for. Couple that with a Falcons running game that can - once a lead has been established - control the ball and the clock, forcing the Bears to throw it a whole bunch playing catch up, and you have a recipe for a miserable afternoon in Chicago, followed by some strong drinking in the evening. Falcons win.
Bengals @ Browns; I had a real hard time picking this one. I think the Bengals and the Browns have surprisingly good elements to their teams, especially on offense. I think the Bengals have some really good, really under rated receivers, I love their tight end pairing of Jermaine Gresham and rookie Colin Cochart, and I think they have an excellent backfield, with Cedric Benson, Cedric Peerman and Bernard Scott all really unappreciated around the league for their skills.
I just can't buy their quarterbacks or their defense. Bruce Gradkowski is a pretty good back up, but is he good enough to beat Colt McCoy? Andy Dalton certainly isn't. And then on defense I have a lot of respect for the front portion of the Bengals D, with guys like Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap as young, enthusiastic players up front, and some solid linebackers as well. But that secondary? Remove Leon Hall and it's not looking good.
For the Browns I think all around they're just a bit better. I love Colt McCoy, that's why he was on last years rookie watchlist, and I think they have plenty of offensive weapons for him to play with. Most importantly though is the D, where I think rookie Jabaal Sheard was a great addition to the pass rush, I think the linebacking corps is going to be solid this year, and I love the addition of rookie corners Buster Skrine and James Dockery.
Unless you're a Browns fan you probably wont have heard much about Dockery, but I say keep your eyes and ears peeled if he gets the chance to play. And on that note, I say Browns win.
Colts @ Texans; Simply put, without Peyton Manning this thing is over before it has even begun. The Texans have a really good offense, just as they've had for many seasons now. And this season they've taken a great stride forward in fixing that defense. The additions of rookies like the excellent J.J. Watt and Brooks Reed to the defensive line and linebacking corps respectively will make a difference, along with new coordinator Wade Philips. The Colts will watch, in wonder, suddenly realising that they should have drafted a true replacement for Peyton Manning about three years ago. Texans win.
Titans @ Jaguars; There has been much said about the fact that David Garrard was cut by the Jaguars. I would suggest that a lot of people are getting their knickers in a twist for no reason. The Jaguars gave Garrard every opportunity to succeed, or to even just show something, anything that could be called a repayment of their faith in him. They got nothing.
So now the post David Garrard era begins and maybe it will enliven the Jags? It's expected Luke McCown will start and for the sake of Jaguars fans I hope that's right, because you're not going to like the Blaine Gabbert era. Then again you might not like the McCown era much either. See the thing is, I look up and down that roster and I see names that catch my eye.
I like McCown at quarterback. Love Maurice Jones-Drew at running back. Like Marcedes Lewis at tight end. Like Kasim Osgood at receiver. Like Eugene Monroe at offensive tackle. Love Tyson Alualu.... at defensive end, not defensive tackle. Love Paul Posluszny at linebacker. Love rookie safety Chris Prosinski.
But then I look at the rest of the roster and I have to cover my mouth and fight off the urge to vomit. Because the rest of that team is hideous. Just, abjectly horrid. It's like a whose who of "who the hell are you?". And that's where the Jaguars fall down. They have some great players, they have some good players, and then they have just empty spaces, names penciled into the roster awaiting replacement at the first available opportunity.
The Titans meanwhile are a difficult team to judge. They have some very, very talented veterans and some good young players. Their mix of defensive line, linebackers and secondary is often grossly under rated. Their receiving corps has some real play makers in it. The problem is at the quarterback position.
Matt Hasselbeck is a veteran, but he's also been basically a one system guy, accustomed to playing in a much quicker, shorter ranged passing offense (I'm loathed to say "West Coast Offense"). Will he be able to squeeze the most out of his receivers? Will he take advantage of the play-action possibilities generated by Chris Johnson? Have I spent way too much time on this one game? Titans win.
Bills @ Chiefs; Now this, this is a tough game to call. I say that because you and I both know that the Chiefs are a running team. That is where their bread is buttered. Everyone knows it. Everyone knows how dangerous Thomas Jones, Jamaal Charles, and now Le'Ron McClain can be. Everyone except the one man who matters, which is Head Coach Todd Haley.
That's why I'm undecided. Because if it wasn't for that then I would take the Chiefs right now. They have some great defensive players and they run the ball really well. But give the ball to Matt Cassel and try and make him chuck that thing 35 times a game, against a much improved Bills defense? I'm not happy with that.
And the Bills have improved. Rookie defensive tackle Marcel Dareus has been a great pick up. Shawne Merriman is looking a bit more like his old self. I think rookie linebacker Chris White has some speed to get after the quarterback. And I think Nick Barnett was a nice addition up the middle of that defense. The secondary is good too. We all know about Jarius Byrd and Drayton Florence, but also keep an eye out for rookie corner Aaron Williams.
The trouble is the Bills offense. I think losing Lee Evans was big for the Bills, as they don't really have anyone who stands out as a natural replacement for him. Their running game is still having problems getting going, especially C.J. Spiller who has so much potential, but just isn't finding a way to make it work in the NFL right now. In fact, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is about the only thing about that Bills offense that I have a decent amount of faith in. And that's why I'm taking Kansas. Chiefs win.
Eagles @ Rams; The Dream Team gets its first real test. And although I'm not sold on the whole Dream Team moniker, I still think the Eagles are a good team. The only real issues they have is on the offensive line and the linebacking corps. But with the D-line much improved, including the presence of Cullen Jenkins up the middle, the linebacking problem shouldn't be such a huge issue. The offensive line will.
There are some good players on that line, although I think rookie Danny Watkins is wasted as a guard (he played tackle in college). However that line is not up to the same standard as the rest of the offense and will likely get exposed against a capable pass rush. Luckily for the Eagles though, the Rams don't really have that.
The Rams D-line isn't terrible. They're just not very good. And that really throws much of the hope out of the window for St. Louis. Quarterback Sam Bradford is pretty good and he has some talented receivers at his disposal, but he's still young and against this defense I think he might struggle.
It all depends on how well Eagles defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, who was a line coach up until last year, can cope with putting together all the talent available to him and whether he can make those guys work as a unit. I think they have enough in the tank for week 1. Eagles win.
Lions @ Buccaneers; This is quite an interesting battle because right here we have two teams that are highly touted to have resurgent years, perhaps finally breaking into the playoffs again. Now one of these teams I can kind of buy, the other I can't. The can't, is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Number one, I think Josh Freemans success is being over stated to a degree. Two, the interior of that offensive line is still a little on the suspect side. Three, the Buccaneers still have no discernible pass rush, despite the efforts made in the last two drafts to fix that. Four, the secondary needs some work still.
Compare and contrast to the Lions. One, if Matthew Stafford can be kept healthy then he finally seems to be clicking with his receivers. Two, ok, their interior O-line isn't much better. Three, the Lions pass rush has probably never been better than it is now. Four, ok, their secondary sucks as well.
That's evens on two counts and the Lions leading on another two. On that note then, Lions win.
Panthers @ Cardinals; Oh god. There's always one clash, one battle of such epic proportions that you have no idea who will win it. In this case it's the bad sort of epic battle, as in two teams that will live on in our memory for the next decade or so, due to nothing more than their sheer ineptitude.
I honestly don't know where to go with this one. Both teams have pretty good offenses and both teams have, to varying degrees across positions, terrible defenses. Part of me then looks to the quarterbacks and says "Newton is worse than Kolb" and will probably hurt his team more. But then part of me thinks "Head Coach Ron Rivera is not John Fox, he's seen the success a good running game can bring, he won't try and put it all on Newton."
But then another part of me remembers "this is the Panthers we're talking about. And I hate the Panthers. and they always go out of their way to ruin my picks". I should point out at this juncture that I just made that noise that people make when they breath out deliberately in such a way as to puff out their cheeks in the process.
Or as it's otherwise known, that noise you make when you don't have a damn clue which decision to make. On balance, and at the risk of feeling the Panthers pick wrath, I'm going to take the Cardinals. I just think the mixture of Kevin Kolb, with a slightly better receiving corps and a marginally better defense, key among which will be safety Adrian Wilson, will be enough. Cardinals win.
Vikings @ Chargers; I like a lot of things about the Vikings. I also like a lot of things about the Chargers. So which is better? That of course is the million dollar question, or at least it would be if you were a gambling addict with deep pockets. For me it's a mere matter of pride and smugness at picking the right team.
On the one hand we have the Vikings, who will be lead by Donovan McNabb, with Adrian Peterson in support, with receivers like Percy Harvin and Michael Jenkins to throw to, along with tight ends like Visanthe Shiancoe and Jim Kleinsasser, and with a strong defense in tow. That's a handy combination.
On the other hand, I look at the Chargers and see Phillip Rivers, with Ryan Matthews and/or Mike Tolbert in support, with receivers like Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd to throw to, along with tight ends like Antonio Gates and Kory Sperry, and with a strong defense in tow. That's a handy combination.
I'm making that noise again.
On balance I think the Chargers have it. Rivers in the pre-season looked really good, really precise, and Ryan Matthews looked rejuvinated somewhat as he ripped through the 49ers defense (hkjsdlfgsg bastar...fuc..mother...grr). I think the Chargers receiving corps is a little deeper and its defense is just a little stronger, especially in the secondary. So I'm going with a Chargers win.
Seahawks @ 49ers; As a 49ers fan, it saddens me to look at my team. Luckily the Seahawks aren't much better. So at least for one week I can be sort of optimistic. I say sort of because then I look at the 49ers again and I realise that the difference between them wouldn't accommodate one of my hand roll cigarette papers.
If they were great teams then that would be a testament to them both. But they're not. Not by a long way. The 49ers are relying on Alex Smith to guide the ship. Number two to Smith is Colin "no please kid, don't throw the ball over ther... oh another pick, nice work," Kaepernick. I have never wanted two quarterbacks to suffer simultaneous muscle pulls more than I do right now. Bring on Scott Tolzein.
The critical thing for me though is looking at the 49ers O-line. How, how in the name of God did Mike Person make the active roster? Especially when undrafted center Chase Beeler didn't. It sucks, which is a word that could be used to just generically describe the 49ers O-line right now. There is hope in Joe Staley at left tackle and there's Mike Iupati at left guard. I'd like to see rookie Daniel Kilgore slotted in at right tackle, but I fear that's too much to hope for. In case you hadn't noticed I'm not a huge fan of Anthony Davis.
This is an O-line that right now is not built for winning championships, or indeed anything. Couple that with the dubious decision to shift defensive end Isaac Sopoaga over to nose tackle and I fear the mighty 49ers (stop laughing) are in trouble. It all depends on the Seahawks.
They're by no means a juggernaut waiting to swat their prey to one side. But I do think that as bad as Tavaris Jackson is, he's better than Alex Smith, and he has some slightly more dangerous weapons at receiver in Sidney Rice and Mike Williams. I also think that the running back committee of Marshawn Lynch, Leon Washington and Justin Forsett can do some damage to this 49ers defense.
If the Seahawks can lean on the run, find ways to get the ball downfield to Rice and Williams, maybe use tight end Zach Miller as a safety valve over the middle, and possibly get the ball to Leon Washington in space on some screen passes or just swing routes out of the backfield, then I think the Seahawks walk it. Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), I hope I'm wrong about this. Seahawks win.
Giants @ Redskins; I think, personally, that the Redskins have improved somewhat in recent times. Through the pre-season, their running game looked strong and the defense flashed its potential. Things are definitely starting to look up in Washington. But I'm still not buying them in this game.
I like the Giants for this one and a big part of that is the defense. From the line - with guys like Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyiora, Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard and Linval Joseph - to the linebacking corps with guys like rookies Mark Herzlich and Greg Jones, supporting veterans like Mathias Kiwanuka and Jonathan Goff - all the way to the secondary with guys like Corey Webster, Antrel Rolle, and promising rookie safety Tyler Sash - that defense has the edge.
I think the Giants have the pass rush to get after Rex Grossman, the ability to win the battle in the trenches with regards to the running game, and a slightly stronger coverage unit on the back end. On offense, I'm not a huge Eli Manning fan, but I would take Manning over Grossman. I also think the Giants would just nudge the win in terms of running backs, with Ahmad Bradshaw and Da'Rel Scott in particular as highlights.
Providing Brandon Jacobs doesn't pick a fight with everyone in the stadium and the Giants can avoid adding another twenty fumbles to their tally this season, I see a Giants win on the horizon.
Cowboys @ Jets; Santonio Holmes... I want you to think about that for a second and consider its meaning.
.... done? Ok, if you haven't figured it out yet, I'll let you in on the secret; Holmes may be one of the best receivers in the NFL right now. More significantly though, he's the only decent receiver the Jets have right now.
I do not, not, consider Plaxico Burress or Derrick Mason to be players that will give teams nightmares. I think the Cowboys are good enough not to have to worry about them, with enough depth and quality in its secondary to cope.
And like with Eli Manning, I'm not a huge fan of Tony Romo, but I still think he's better than Mark Sanchez. The Jets defense will give him some nightmares at times, but I do think the Jets pass rush is missing some of the bite that it had last season. I don't the Jets offense is up to much either. Cowboys win.
Patriots @ Dolphins; The first of the two Monday night games sees New England start its 2011 campaign against a Dolphins side that has under gone some changes in the off season, welcoming in Reggie Bush at running back, Dante Rosario at tight end and... man, this is basically the same team that sucked it up last year?
In that case, I'm going with New England. The Patriots have some injury issues this week, but luckily they've got quite a deep squad to draw from. That for me is the killer. Quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end, offensive line, D-line, linebacker, secondary, in every area the Patriots don't just look better than their opponents, they completely out match them. Patriots win.
Raiders @ Broncos; As much as I hate new Broncos Head Coach John Fox, there just is no excuse for taking the Raiders in this game. Their running game might be ok, but I'm not sold on quarterback Jason Campbell. Some of the Raiders receivers have talent, but with Campbell throwing to them I think they're going to struggle to tap that potential.
The Broncos meanwhile have the opposite problem. Their rushing attack is nothing more than an after thought and has been now for many years. Their passing attack however is somewhat under rated in the main stream circles. Kyle Orton is a good quarterback and his receivers have a good mix of speed, hands and route technique.
Perhaps critically for the Broncos, they've beefed up their defense. Von Miller has been playing really well in the pre-season, demonstrating a responsiveness to coaching in training camp in order to refine his pass rushing technique to something much more appropriate for this level. Given the extra pressure that's being created up front, that just generates more opportunities for guys like corners Champ Bailey and Andre Goodman.
On that note, I'm saying Broncos win.
So there you have. All the weekends games in the bag. I'll be back possibly Sunday Night, more likely Monday or Tuesday night to find out how I got on pick wise and to share my thoughts on all the games. I also have a few interesting things planned for next week, including why I think the owners were so keen to sign the new CBA, a word about Plaxico Burress, and the return of 'Lombardi Watch', where I pick holes like an asshole in articles written by Michael Lombardi.
So enjoy your football this weekend. I know it's a hugely significant weekend for all, but in particular for the people of New York, what with it being the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. On that note I wish you all well and I can assure you that even here in the UK we'll be thinking of the families who lost loved ones during the events of that day, not least because many UK citizens were also among the victims.
May we never see such a day again.
Friday, September 09, 2011
2011 Season Week One; Thursday Night Football
New Orleans Saints 34 @ Green Bay Packers 42
Well, we knew it was going to be a shootout, but wow. Just wow. 42 to 34, with the Saints having a shot wit no time on the clock from the 1 yard line to make it 42-40 and the possibility of a two point conversion to send an amazing game into overtime. But they blew it.
Mark Ingram stuffed, Lambeau Field goes nuts, Saints Coach Sean Peyton looks angry and Commissioner Roger Goodell rubs his hands with glee as the perceived value and entertainment of football shoots up over night.
It would be negligent however to not break down some of the interesting points in this game. For those expecting College style scorelines in every match up this season, don't be fooled. We did see a lot of 3, 4 and 5 receiver sets, which some other teams will also use this year, but what we also saw was some shoddy tackling.
This may or may not be related to the new rules regarding hitting certain players, the volley of fines that we saw last year, and the new rules on how much practice in pads that teams can now do. It may just be related to poor coaching or even just poor play. It may be related to that god forsaken carpet that the Saints like to refer to as "turf" (no it's not, it's a carpet).
Regardless, some of the tackling was terrible. Randall Cobb returned a kick off 108 yards (tying the record for the longest kick off return), but as much as I love Cobb and have said many times that I think he's going to be a great receiver for the Packers, there were more than enough chances for people to get a tackle in.
The same with Darren Sproles's 72 yard punt return. It wasn't so much tackling in this case as people just hesistant to make contact, hesistant to do anything that might draw a flag or a fine. Honestly I worry about football. The culmination of various rule changes and developments is starting to take the sting out of defensive players.
Still, credit where credit is due, both teams let rip with their offenses in search of points and they found plenty of those. Drew Brees ended the game 32/49 for 419 yards and 3 touchdowns. To lose after that kind of performance has to put a serious downer on your week.
He hit a multitude of receivers, with six different guys catching over four passes each; Devery Henderson - 6/9 for 100 yards and a TD, Marques Colston - 6/9 for 81 yards, Darren Sproles - 7/9 for 75 yards, Robert Meachem - 5/8 for 70 yards and a TD, Jimmy Graham - 4/7 for 56 yards and a TD, Pierre Thomas - 4/5 for 37 yards.
Normally those kind of numbers would designate the fact that the Saints had just rolled their opponents over in easy fashion and walked off with the game before the second half had even begun. But here it was merely indicative of the Saints trying to keep up with Green Bay.
21-7 going into the second quarter. That's how explosively the Packers began. And they never really stopped. Aaron Rodgers ended the game 27/35 for 312 yards and 3 TD's. Add on two more touchdowns from backs John Kuhn and James Starks, plus that Cobb kickoff return for a touchdown and you have your ball game.
Yet despite the relatively secondary role that the running game had in this contest, the touchdowns by Starks and Kuhn actually tell us a lot about what went wrong for New Orleans. Compare the red zone efficiency of both teams for a second; The Packers were 4/4, the Saints 1/5. As we've seen from their impressive numbers, the Saints had little trouble pushing the ball down field, they just couldn't finish off some of those drives.
The respective offensive lines had much to do with this, as I outlined yesterday. The Saints defense struggled to generate much pressure and finished the game with 2 sacks and 2 additional QB hits. The Packers had 3 sacks, two more hits from Clay Matthews, and often appeared to be swarming in on Brees at the last second.
The difference was subtle, but it was there. Coupled with the superior performance of the Packers rushing attack, the Green Bay offensive line definitely won that particular battle.
But a little bit of me still thinks that this game might be the exception in terms of scorelines, not the rule. I felt both teams laid back somewhat in terms of their pass rush, something that I don't think they'll a) do again themselves, or b) see other teams try on them. I can't see the Steelers, or the Ravens, or the Jets playing their defense as conservatively as both teams did here.
There is still no definitive answer as to how you beat a "Spread Offense". Part of the reason is because the term spread offense is used to cover lots of different offenses that are in fact fundamentally different, they just happen to use wide open offensive formations.
But I think one thing we are starting to learn is that sitting back and playing soft coverage is not the answer. This game should stand as a testament to that. As should the success of guys like Rex Ryan against various teams.
Expect to see the pressure get ridiculously dialed up all across the country from now on, as defensive coordinators try to test the opposing quarterbacks mettle - and his offensive line - rather than sitting back and waiting to die by a thousand cuts.
The Saints had a go at it in this game, but they left their corners badly exposed in off coverage and - lacking any natural pass rushers - struggled to get home quick enough. When the Packers tried it they had much more success, although still occasionally found their coverage a little soft.
There's something for you to keep an eye out for this weekend.
Which reminds me, I must pick the winners! But that will be for another day, either Friday or Saturday night, depending on how my schedule pans out. I'm also planning to pick up the "Lombardi Watch" once more, by disectting a recent article from NFL Network analyst Michael Lombardi.
Until then, enjoy your day and your Friday night.
Well, we knew it was going to be a shootout, but wow. Just wow. 42 to 34, with the Saints having a shot wit no time on the clock from the 1 yard line to make it 42-40 and the possibility of a two point conversion to send an amazing game into overtime. But they blew it.
Mark Ingram stuffed, Lambeau Field goes nuts, Saints Coach Sean Peyton looks angry and Commissioner Roger Goodell rubs his hands with glee as the perceived value and entertainment of football shoots up over night.
It would be negligent however to not break down some of the interesting points in this game. For those expecting College style scorelines in every match up this season, don't be fooled. We did see a lot of 3, 4 and 5 receiver sets, which some other teams will also use this year, but what we also saw was some shoddy tackling.
This may or may not be related to the new rules regarding hitting certain players, the volley of fines that we saw last year, and the new rules on how much practice in pads that teams can now do. It may just be related to poor coaching or even just poor play. It may be related to that god forsaken carpet that the Saints like to refer to as "turf" (no it's not, it's a carpet).
Regardless, some of the tackling was terrible. Randall Cobb returned a kick off 108 yards (tying the record for the longest kick off return), but as much as I love Cobb and have said many times that I think he's going to be a great receiver for the Packers, there were more than enough chances for people to get a tackle in.
The same with Darren Sproles's 72 yard punt return. It wasn't so much tackling in this case as people just hesistant to make contact, hesistant to do anything that might draw a flag or a fine. Honestly I worry about football. The culmination of various rule changes and developments is starting to take the sting out of defensive players.
Still, credit where credit is due, both teams let rip with their offenses in search of points and they found plenty of those. Drew Brees ended the game 32/49 for 419 yards and 3 touchdowns. To lose after that kind of performance has to put a serious downer on your week.
He hit a multitude of receivers, with six different guys catching over four passes each; Devery Henderson - 6/9 for 100 yards and a TD, Marques Colston - 6/9 for 81 yards, Darren Sproles - 7/9 for 75 yards, Robert Meachem - 5/8 for 70 yards and a TD, Jimmy Graham - 4/7 for 56 yards and a TD, Pierre Thomas - 4/5 for 37 yards.
Normally those kind of numbers would designate the fact that the Saints had just rolled their opponents over in easy fashion and walked off with the game before the second half had even begun. But here it was merely indicative of the Saints trying to keep up with Green Bay.
21-7 going into the second quarter. That's how explosively the Packers began. And they never really stopped. Aaron Rodgers ended the game 27/35 for 312 yards and 3 TD's. Add on two more touchdowns from backs John Kuhn and James Starks, plus that Cobb kickoff return for a touchdown and you have your ball game.
Yet despite the relatively secondary role that the running game had in this contest, the touchdowns by Starks and Kuhn actually tell us a lot about what went wrong for New Orleans. Compare the red zone efficiency of both teams for a second; The Packers were 4/4, the Saints 1/5. As we've seen from their impressive numbers, the Saints had little trouble pushing the ball down field, they just couldn't finish off some of those drives.
The respective offensive lines had much to do with this, as I outlined yesterday. The Saints defense struggled to generate much pressure and finished the game with 2 sacks and 2 additional QB hits. The Packers had 3 sacks, two more hits from Clay Matthews, and often appeared to be swarming in on Brees at the last second.
The difference was subtle, but it was there. Coupled with the superior performance of the Packers rushing attack, the Green Bay offensive line definitely won that particular battle.
But a little bit of me still thinks that this game might be the exception in terms of scorelines, not the rule. I felt both teams laid back somewhat in terms of their pass rush, something that I don't think they'll a) do again themselves, or b) see other teams try on them. I can't see the Steelers, or the Ravens, or the Jets playing their defense as conservatively as both teams did here.
There is still no definitive answer as to how you beat a "Spread Offense". Part of the reason is because the term spread offense is used to cover lots of different offenses that are in fact fundamentally different, they just happen to use wide open offensive formations.
But I think one thing we are starting to learn is that sitting back and playing soft coverage is not the answer. This game should stand as a testament to that. As should the success of guys like Rex Ryan against various teams.
Expect to see the pressure get ridiculously dialed up all across the country from now on, as defensive coordinators try to test the opposing quarterbacks mettle - and his offensive line - rather than sitting back and waiting to die by a thousand cuts.
The Saints had a go at it in this game, but they left their corners badly exposed in off coverage and - lacking any natural pass rushers - struggled to get home quick enough. When the Packers tried it they had much more success, although still occasionally found their coverage a little soft.
There's something for you to keep an eye out for this weekend.
Which reminds me, I must pick the winners! But that will be for another day, either Friday or Saturday night, depending on how my schedule pans out. I'm also planning to pick up the "Lombardi Watch" once more, by disectting a recent article from NFL Network analyst Michael Lombardi.
Until then, enjoy your day and your Friday night.
Thursday, September 08, 2011
2011 Season Week One: New Orleans Saints @ Green Bay Packers
Less than 24 hours.
That's how long we now have to wait till the start of the 2011 NFL season. And against my better judgement I'm going to dip a toe into the water and make a pick for the starting clash.
New Orleans Saints @ Green Bay Packers
For the second year in a row the Saints get to kick off the season, this time facing down the Green Bay Packers. Back at the start of the 2010 season the Saints met the Vikings as the defending Super Bowl Champions. Now it's the Packers who hold that honour.
And I'll just cut straight to it, I think the Packers have this.
Last season the Saints just didn't look the same as their Super Bowl winning year. The Defense was still good, but if anything the offense seemed to tail off a little compared to the ease that it displayed in shredding people during the '09 season. At times the performance of the starters during this pre-season have not been much better.
The key for me is the Saints O-line, as well as the loss of tight end Jeremy Shockey. I know the Saints have second year player Jimmy Graham who they feel really good about, but I'm just not sure he offers them what Shockey did in '09, or that teams respect him as much.
Looking at the Saints roster, I think they've sold their offensive line short in favour of running backs. They have Darren Sproles, Joique Bell, Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram, plus two more fullbacks, which kind of makes you wonder why given that the Saints aren't exactly heavy runners of the ball early on in games.
I just think that the O-line lacks depth and immediate quality. Bushrod is good and I think Charles Brown will develop in time, but for 2011 I just don't think Drew Brees is going to enjoy the time that he is normally afforded in the pocket. The hope for Saints fans will be the fact that Brees is still very good when it comes to timing and getting the ball out of his hands.
That won't be easy against the Packers though. Their pass rush is pretty well known now for its fearsome nature and by the looks of it they plan on keeping it that way, carrying 6 outside rushing backers into the season! Couple that with a very good secondary and the Packers are probably one of the best equipped teams to handle a pass heavy attack like that of the Saints.
Couple that with an explosive offense and you have your magic. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks in the league right now and he eased through the pre-season, appearing to have picked up with his receivers precisely where he left off in the Super Bowl.
This means we're set up for a shoot out, with both teams looking to stretch out an early lead, force the other team to come back with the passing game, at which point they can let loose their pass rush. And despite all the big name linebackers, defensive linemen, receivers, quarterbacks etc, I think it's the big guys up front on offense who will decide this.
I think the Packers O-line will cope better than the Saints. The Saints pass rush isn't as naturally strong and that will force coordinator Greg Williams to dip deeper into his playbook as a result, which creates opportunities for mistakes and miscommunications that a guy like Aaron Rodgers can exploit. I think the Packers get ahead and stay there. Packers win.
Right, I'll be back after the game with a recap of sorts and then at some point before Sunday I need to make picks for all the weekends games. I'll see you then.
That's how long we now have to wait till the start of the 2011 NFL season. And against my better judgement I'm going to dip a toe into the water and make a pick for the starting clash.
New Orleans Saints @ Green Bay Packers
For the second year in a row the Saints get to kick off the season, this time facing down the Green Bay Packers. Back at the start of the 2010 season the Saints met the Vikings as the defending Super Bowl Champions. Now it's the Packers who hold that honour.
And I'll just cut straight to it, I think the Packers have this.
Last season the Saints just didn't look the same as their Super Bowl winning year. The Defense was still good, but if anything the offense seemed to tail off a little compared to the ease that it displayed in shredding people during the '09 season. At times the performance of the starters during this pre-season have not been much better.
The key for me is the Saints O-line, as well as the loss of tight end Jeremy Shockey. I know the Saints have second year player Jimmy Graham who they feel really good about, but I'm just not sure he offers them what Shockey did in '09, or that teams respect him as much.
Looking at the Saints roster, I think they've sold their offensive line short in favour of running backs. They have Darren Sproles, Joique Bell, Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram, plus two more fullbacks, which kind of makes you wonder why given that the Saints aren't exactly heavy runners of the ball early on in games.
I just think that the O-line lacks depth and immediate quality. Bushrod is good and I think Charles Brown will develop in time, but for 2011 I just don't think Drew Brees is going to enjoy the time that he is normally afforded in the pocket. The hope for Saints fans will be the fact that Brees is still very good when it comes to timing and getting the ball out of his hands.
That won't be easy against the Packers though. Their pass rush is pretty well known now for its fearsome nature and by the looks of it they plan on keeping it that way, carrying 6 outside rushing backers into the season! Couple that with a very good secondary and the Packers are probably one of the best equipped teams to handle a pass heavy attack like that of the Saints.
Couple that with an explosive offense and you have your magic. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks in the league right now and he eased through the pre-season, appearing to have picked up with his receivers precisely where he left off in the Super Bowl.
This means we're set up for a shoot out, with both teams looking to stretch out an early lead, force the other team to come back with the passing game, at which point they can let loose their pass rush. And despite all the big name linebackers, defensive linemen, receivers, quarterbacks etc, I think it's the big guys up front on offense who will decide this.
I think the Packers O-line will cope better than the Saints. The Saints pass rush isn't as naturally strong and that will force coordinator Greg Williams to dip deeper into his playbook as a result, which creates opportunities for mistakes and miscommunications that a guy like Aaron Rodgers can exploit. I think the Packers get ahead and stay there. Packers win.
Right, I'll be back after the game with a recap of sorts and then at some point before Sunday I need to make picks for all the weekends games. I'll see you then.
Monday, September 05, 2011
2011 Pre-season Week 4
Right, time to round up week 4 of the Pre-season. And we shall start with;
Lions @ Bills; Mostly a yawn fest. Lions running back Jerome Harrison did well, carrying 7 times for 72 yards. Mainly this was about the defense though, with the Lions putting another 5 sacks and 9 tackles for loss on their pre-season tally. The Bills has no sacks but 11 tackles for loss! A key player was linebacker Antonio Coleman who had four of those tackles for loss alone.
I noticed though that in NFL.com's highlight package, the only tackle for loss highlighted was that of Shawne Merriman, who had just the one. Coleman's achievements went unnoticed, presumably because he's not a big enough name to make it on TV. I fucking hate that. And people wonder why I hate the the NFL networks coverage and things like the Pro Bowl? 'Cos it stinks. (p.s. NFL.com, I deliberately turn the sound off and change tabs when your freakin' 30 second adverts come on, just as a point of principal). (p.s. Your video setup still sucks, probably even worse now since you made the recent changes. Get a clue).
The appropriately named Bills cornerback, Reggie Corner, also did well with 3 passes defended.
Colts @ Bengals; Blurgh boring. For me the two highlights were both on the Bengals side of the ball. Quarterback Bruce Gradkowski had a much more efficient game, throwing 14/17 for 90 yards, and the running of backs Cedric Peerman and Brian Leonard also caught the eye, combining for 21 carries, 93 tough, tough yards and a touchdown.
Ravens @ Falcons; They say God loves a trier. In that case he loves Hunter Cantwell because the guy is trying to make the Ravens nuts. 13/28 for 111 yards and an interception. Not that Falcons quarterback Josh Wilson did much better for his side, throwing 16/33 for 146 yards and 2 interceptions. At least Antone Smith gave the Falcons something to cheer about, rushing 11 times for 114 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, Ravens linebacker Josh Bynes got himself two sacks. For the Falcons, Kroy Biermann used his time productively to produce a sack and two further QB hits. Ever hear anyone talking about him? Of course not. I think he needs to change his name to something that sounds more cool and starting sucking up to Deion Sanders so he can go "Primetime". Fuck.
Cowboys @ Dolphins; You have to love poor Cowboys quarterback Stephen McGee. You throw 21/25, for 233 yards and you're sole reward for that is an interception. The footballing gods hate you Stephen. They seemed pleased with Dolphins quarterback Matt Moore though, who went 9/11 for 142 yards and a touchdown. On defense just a quick shout to Dolphins corner Will Allen, who broke up a pass in the end zone that was subsequently picked off. His reward? Getting cut. Because the Dolphins are over flowing with talent in the secondary...
Giants @ Patriots; Note to David Carr, this is why the 49ers let you go - 13/21 for 116 yards and an interception. For the Patriots, rookie QB Ryan Mallett had his chance to shine - 6/16, 57 yards. Nice. Way to shine. Giants running back Da'Rel Scott looked ok. 12 carries for 114 yards and a TD (longest run; 65 yards), plus a trick punt that he also took for a TD. That seems to be the deal with Scott, it's either boom big play or boom getting tackled for a yard.
Congratulations are in order though to Patriots receivers Brandon Tate (who was cut) and Tiquan Underwood. Tate managed to catch precisely zero of the four passes thrown his way, while Underwood managed four.... of nine. Also just general congratulations to the Giants who managed to add another 3 fumbles to their pre-season tally. I think they're up to something like seventy now in four games. For a team that supposedly fixed Tiki Barbers fumbling ways, they sure know how to not teach ball security.
At least the Giants defense was a little more productive - 8 sacks and 9 tackles for loss. That's pretty good going. The obvious standout was rookie linebacker Jacquian Williams. Having bigged him up prior to the season I was delighted to see him turn in 3 sacks. Also in the above quoted article I pushed rookie safety Tyler Sash, who also paid off the praise with 2 sacks, as did linebacker Greg Jones. So thank you to all of those players for making me look good, even though I bet future lottery winnings right now they have no clue who I am (I like the "right now", as if tomorrow they're gonna read this and e-mail me to say "hi, thanks for the support!") (keepingthechainsmoving@live.co.uk please keep the e-mails down to just mildly abusive).
Eagles @ Jets; Highlight of the game? I dunno, it's a toss up between the Jets only picking up 8 first downs and Jets quarterback Drew Willy sacking himself. I think on balance Willy wins it. Especially after throwing 9/17 for 109 yards and a TD. On the Eagles side, Vince Young looked impressive on his way to 15/23 for 193 yards and a TD. Well at least he did until he got injured. Mike Kafka also looked ok, 7/11, 76 yards, an interception and a major hit that took him out.
On the ground for the Eagles, rookie Dion Lewis had 15 carries for 62 yards and a TD. On defense for the Eagles rookie linebacker Brian Rolle impressed as a pass rusher, with 1.5 sacks to his credit. For the Jets, they took a shot on young linebacker Aaron Maybin, previously of the Bills. He rewarded them for their faith with 1.5 sacks to his name. They rewarded him for his efforts... but cutting him yesterday.
Buccaneers @ Redskins; The Buccaneers everybody! Quarterback Rudy Carpenter was 9/18 for 211 yards and a TD. Jonathan Crompton was 12/22 for 149 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. Still, they looked impressive compared to their Redskins counterparts, the leader of which was John Beck - 10/21 for 108 yards and an interception.
Redskins running back Ryan Torain had a decent outing, with 17 carries for 73 yards. Receiving wise, Dante Stallworth impressed everyone with 5 catches for 80 yards and a TD. I don't think receiver Niles Paul did though - converting 7 targets into 3 catches, or Terrence Austin who caught just one of five passes. On the Buccaneers side, rookie Tight End Daniel Hardy helped himself get cut by dropping all three targets, but I think that's still harsh given his reasonable production for the team in the pre-season.
On defense, my little Buccaneers diamond in corner Anthony Gaitor came up with two tackles for loss and two passes defended. Elbert Mack and Devon Holland also shone a little, with an interception and 3 passes defended between them. Brandyn Thompson had 3 defended passes for the Redskins, and as a unit they had 5 sacks and a further 3 hits on the Buccaneers QB's.
Rams @ Jaguars; I was surprised to see Sam Bradford in the game. Still, he was there and he went 7/11 for 133 yards and a touchdown. Young quarterback Thaddeus Lewis also got his shot, throwing a relatively impressive 12/15 for 164 yards. It would be a shame for the Rams if they tried to sneak him through waivers and he got picked up. Of course surely they wouldn't try that with someone who has had obviously quite a good presea.... oh they tried it. And the Browns said thank you very much St. Louis.
The Jaguars passing game... well it stunk, so that's about normal. The great Blaine Gabbert saw some good playing time, throwing 9/18 for 132 yards. David Garrard was 1/5 for 11 yards and Luke McCown was 4/9 for 47 yards and a TD.
Both teams running games were pretty lacklustre. Deji Karim of the Jaguars was a sole bright spot with 8 carries for 58 yards. Receiving for the Rams saw rookie tight end Lance Kendricks catch 3 passes for 73 yards and a TD. I had higher hopes for Greg Salas, who caught just 2 of 5 passes for 23 yards. For the Jaguars, Jamar Newsome had 4 catches for 83 yards. But the wooden spoon goes to Dontrelle Inman of the Jaguars, who caught just 1 of 5 passes.
Both defenses were pretty quiet, with the exception of Jaguars defensive tackle Nate Collins who recorded 2 sacks, a further two tackles for loss and another QB hit. Not a bad days work I think.
Browns @ Bears; Jarrett Brown had another ok game at QB for the Browns - 10/15 for 92 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception. For the Bears, Caleb Haine was 7/10 for 83 yards and a TD, while rookie Nathan Enderle continues to make me look like a dick for backing him, throwing 6/13 for 67 yards. On the ground it was Bears running back Robert Hughes who made the biggest impression, with 16 carries for 69 yards and 2 touchdowns.
On defense, Browns linebacker Auston English came up good with two sacks, as did tackle Scott Paxson. Bears defensive end Nick Reed was his sides standout, with a sack, another tackle for loss and two passes defended. For an end that's pretty good.
Chiefs @ Packers; First off, I was surprised to see both Aaron Rodgers and Matt Cassel in this game. I have to say, I'm not sure I'd want to risk my starting quarterback like a number of teams have, just to play one series in the final pre-season game! Cassel actually did well, 15/17 for 129 yards and a TD. Tyler Palko less so, with 18/29 for 163 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT's. Still, that was a hell of a lot better than the Packers. Back up Matt Flynn was 2/10 for 12 yards and a pick. Graham Harrell was the leader with 3/5 for 21 yards. Yep, it was that bad.
On the ground it was just as bad. The only real notable was Packers running back Ryan Grant who had 4 carries for 31 yards. Receiving wise, all eyes were on Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe, another player who I don't understand playing for as long as he did. He finished with 8 catches for 85 yards, a touchdown and a fortuitous fumble that went out of bounds. Rookie Tori Gurley caught 2 of 5 for the Packers, making 12 yards. Overall the Chiefs had four fumbles to the Packers five.
On defense there were no real standouts, except maybe Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher with two tackles for loss and Packers linebacker Vic So'oto who had 1.5 sacks and returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown.
Texans @ Vikings; I think Texans Head Coach Gary Kubiak is sitting in an office somewhere, pouring himself a strong drink and hoping beyond hope that this game is not a symptom of the season ahead. 28-0. That's a butt whopping.
Quarterback T.J. Yates managed just 6/13 for 77 yards and an interception. Matt Leinart fared better (which is a bad omen if your name is T.J. Yates) - 13/16 for 145 yards. For the Vikings the highlight was undoubtedly Christian Ponder. It's time then quickly for a bit more self-congratulation. My number one overall quarterback came up smelling of roses in this game. He was 10/16 for 83 yards and a touchdown, but most impressive was his running. He was feeling the pressure coming almost like an experienced quarterback and scrambled 8 times for another 61 yards.
On the ground it was still all about Minnesota. Other than Ponders running, two backs came of note. One was Alexander Robinson who carried 7 times for 48 yards and a TD. The other was Caleb King, whose 19 carries for 62 yards and 2 touchdowns got him cut. That's the NFL for you. Receiving wise for the Vikings, rookie tight end Kyle Rudolph stood out, if only because we were told how great he'd be and yet he caught 2 of 5 for 12 yards and a touchdown. For the Texans the highlight was second year tight end Garrett Graham, who caught 6 of 8 for 71 yards.
On defense the Vikings came up trumps again with three sacks, including two for defensive end Adrian Awasom. Rookie Brandon Burton also had a nice pick.
Titans @ Saints; Another highly touted young quarterback in this game, this time it's Jake Locker. And this time he actually looked pretty good as the Titans Brees'ed past the Saints (see Saints fans, that's what you get for being mouthy dicks). Locker was 15/17 for 132 yards and a TD through the air, but also scrambled 3 times for 39 yards and a touchdown, which sadly for the Titans was a team leading yardage.
The Saints let second year quarterback Sean Canfield (on last years rookie watch list) run the show for them, and he produced 29/39 for 249 yards, 1 TD and 2 interceptions, though one was just a bobble by the receiver. He was also sacked in the end zone for a safety by an unblocked Karl Klug. Joique Bell did provide some relief on the ground with 16 carries for 80 yards.
Receiving wise there was nothing special so we'll move to defense where Titans defensive tackle Karl Klug had his sack for a safety, plus one more, while the Saints D was largely absent as demonstrated by the 32 points the Titans put up. Special teams coverage was also a big issue at times for the Saints.
Steelers @ Panthers; It's the Steelers last pre-season game which means we get another look at Dennis Dixon. Oh god look away! 11/22 for 157 yards and a TD. For the Panthers, Cam Newton got on the field, going 3/5 for 25 yards and a TD. Jimmy Clausen was 7/17 for 87 yards and an interception. Derek Anderson was 11/19 for 192 yards and a TD.
On the ground second year Steelers back Jonathan Dwyer had 13 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers had nothing that special. In receiving the Steelers were lead by Emmanuel Sanders with 4 catches for 60 yards, with Wes Lyons rolling in second with 1 catch out of 4, for 38 yards. The Panthers meanwhile had some pretty epic drop rates. Leading receiver Wallace Wright caught just 3 of 7 for 51 yards, Armanti Edwards was 3 of 8 for 29 yards, and tight end Ben Hartsock caught 2 of 6 for 21 yards.
Defensively the Steelers came out with 4 sacks but not really any true standouts. Linebacker Morrty Ivy had 9 tackles, a sack and a pass defended, while Cortez Allen managed to knock down 3 passes. For the Panthers just the one sack and an overall pretty forgettable defensive performance.
Broncos @ Cardinals; This was Brady Quinn's chance to put to sleep all the talk about who should be the Broncos back up. Instead he left the door wide open with a 4/12 performance, for just 26 yards and an interception. Enter then Tim Tebow, and as supporters of the man like me rubbed her hands in glee, many around the country who have been ragging on Tebow for ages now bit their nails nervously. 7/11, 116 yards and a touchdown, including a 43 yard sling with the pocket collapsing around him. So what was that about Tebow not being able to throw?
For the Cardinals it was war between Brodie Croyle and Richard Bartel. Croyle was 10/16 for 104 yards, Bartel looked excellent though with 12/16 for 216 yards, 2 touchdowns and one interception. On the ground for Arizona the sole notable performance was William Powell , but only because he carried the ball 29 times yet managed just 60 yards.
There were some better receiving performances. Eron Riley of the Broncos had 3 catches for 144 yards and a touchdown, including the 43 yard TD pass from Tebow, as well as the sole short pass from Adam Weber, which Riley then took down the field with his legs for an 89 yard completion. Chansi Stuckey lead the Cardinals receivers with four catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively the Broncos achieved the truly impressive feat of racking up 11 tackles for loss without actually getting any sacks (they had two QB hits)? The Cardinals D combined for four sacks.
49ers @ Chargers; See, this is why you don't risk a decent young player on waivers. The Chargers watched their rookie quarterback Scott Tolzein go 16/23 against the 49ers, for 226 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. Then they cut him and the 49ers said, "that kid was pretty good, thanks very much!". Which I'm not complaining about because I'm a 49ers fan and I think it's one of the better moves that have been made by the 49ers.
The 49ers were determined not to be outdone for risky moves though, putting starting quarterback (I think) Alex Smith out onto the field. Smith was 8/10 for 45 yards. And he wasn't even the worse 49ers quarterback. That honour is reserved for Colin Kaepernick - 3/7 for 36 yards and 2 interceptions. That's a 19.6 QB rating. Nice one. What a pick!
Quarterback Josh McCown also got a shot at the field, throwing 4/4 for 51 yards. He then got cut on Saturday. I wish the 49ers would just admit that Kaepernick was a bad pick, cut their losses (and him), and if nobody does us the favour of picking him up then maybe put him on the practice squad? Please God, before he kills the team in a real game. That's Alex Smith's job...
On the ground, Chargers first round pick from 2010 (and on my rookie watch list from last year) Ryan Matthews carried 5 times for 78 yards and a TD, including a 56 yard run that he could have basically walked in, so wide open was the 49ers defense on that occasion. For the 49ers, Anthony "The Golden Mule" Dixon carried 13 times for 45 yards and 2 touchdowns, while rookie Kendall Hunter lead the team with 11 carries for 57 yards. The only real receiver of note was the Chargers Laurent Robinson, who had 6 catches for 120 yards. He was cut Saturday along with Tolzein.
Defensively for the 49ers Aldon Smith led the way. 7 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and another QB hit. That's pretty much the way to inspire the rest of your defense and thank your boss for taking you number one overall. As a group the 49ers had 6 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 4 passes defended and 7 QB hits. Individually the Chargers didn't have any stand outs, but they managed as a team to notch up a sack, 3 tackles for loss and 6 passes defended. That's not too shabby. It's not great either, but this is pre-season week 4.
Raiders @ Seahawks; And lastly... ah Jesus. Raiders and Seahawks. No Terrelle Pryor for the Raiders (he's only banned from regular season games), but there was Kyle Boller, 9/19 for 101 yards. There was Jason Campbell, 8/11 for 76 yards and looking a little sharper. And there was Trent Edwards, 3/4 for 18 yards and cut in favour of Pryor. Ha!
The Seahawks also decided to risk their starting QB, with Tavaris Jackson taking the field and throwing 5/7 for 88 yards and a red zone interception. Charlie Whitehurst came on next and was 9/15 for 140 yards. Then finally Josh Portis to round things off with 3/6 for 42 yards.
On the ground there was really nothing special to note. Receiving wise for the Raiders there was still nothing much of note, except perhaps Derek Hagan going 2 of 5 for 29 yards. The story of the game though was Seahawks receiver Golden Tate, who caught 5 of 7 for 79 yards in a much more impressive display than we've been used to seeing out of the highly touted second year receiver.
Defense was also a bit dreary for both teams, though Seahawks defensive tackle David Howard had 1.5 sacks and defensive end Maurice Fountain had 2 tackles for loss. Yes, those were the defensive highlights.
So that's your entire round up for the pre-season. Thursday sees the start of week one with the Saints travelling to the Packers and for that I shall be posting Wednesday to make my pick, even though I said I was going to stop doing picks. Ah what the hell! What's the worst that can happen, other than the Texans, the Panthers, and John Fox fucking me over on a weekly basis. And the Chiefs. And the Giants sometimes. And the Ravens. And...
You know what I'd rather not think about it. Have a good week and barring any major developments I'll see you on Wednesday.
Lions @ Bills; Mostly a yawn fest. Lions running back Jerome Harrison did well, carrying 7 times for 72 yards. Mainly this was about the defense though, with the Lions putting another 5 sacks and 9 tackles for loss on their pre-season tally. The Bills has no sacks but 11 tackles for loss! A key player was linebacker Antonio Coleman who had four of those tackles for loss alone.
I noticed though that in NFL.com's highlight package, the only tackle for loss highlighted was that of Shawne Merriman, who had just the one. Coleman's achievements went unnoticed, presumably because he's not a big enough name to make it on TV. I fucking hate that. And people wonder why I hate the the NFL networks coverage and things like the Pro Bowl? 'Cos it stinks. (p.s. NFL.com, I deliberately turn the sound off and change tabs when your freakin' 30 second adverts come on, just as a point of principal). (p.s. Your video setup still sucks, probably even worse now since you made the recent changes. Get a clue).
The appropriately named Bills cornerback, Reggie Corner, also did well with 3 passes defended.
Colts @ Bengals; Blurgh boring. For me the two highlights were both on the Bengals side of the ball. Quarterback Bruce Gradkowski had a much more efficient game, throwing 14/17 for 90 yards, and the running of backs Cedric Peerman and Brian Leonard also caught the eye, combining for 21 carries, 93 tough, tough yards and a touchdown.
Ravens @ Falcons; They say God loves a trier. In that case he loves Hunter Cantwell because the guy is trying to make the Ravens nuts. 13/28 for 111 yards and an interception. Not that Falcons quarterback Josh Wilson did much better for his side, throwing 16/33 for 146 yards and 2 interceptions. At least Antone Smith gave the Falcons something to cheer about, rushing 11 times for 114 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, Ravens linebacker Josh Bynes got himself two sacks. For the Falcons, Kroy Biermann used his time productively to produce a sack and two further QB hits. Ever hear anyone talking about him? Of course not. I think he needs to change his name to something that sounds more cool and starting sucking up to Deion Sanders so he can go "Primetime". Fuck.
Cowboys @ Dolphins; You have to love poor Cowboys quarterback Stephen McGee. You throw 21/25, for 233 yards and you're sole reward for that is an interception. The footballing gods hate you Stephen. They seemed pleased with Dolphins quarterback Matt Moore though, who went 9/11 for 142 yards and a touchdown. On defense just a quick shout to Dolphins corner Will Allen, who broke up a pass in the end zone that was subsequently picked off. His reward? Getting cut. Because the Dolphins are over flowing with talent in the secondary...
Giants @ Patriots; Note to David Carr, this is why the 49ers let you go - 13/21 for 116 yards and an interception. For the Patriots, rookie QB Ryan Mallett had his chance to shine - 6/16, 57 yards. Nice. Way to shine. Giants running back Da'Rel Scott looked ok. 12 carries for 114 yards and a TD (longest run; 65 yards), plus a trick punt that he also took for a TD. That seems to be the deal with Scott, it's either boom big play or boom getting tackled for a yard.
Congratulations are in order though to Patriots receivers Brandon Tate (who was cut) and Tiquan Underwood. Tate managed to catch precisely zero of the four passes thrown his way, while Underwood managed four.... of nine. Also just general congratulations to the Giants who managed to add another 3 fumbles to their pre-season tally. I think they're up to something like seventy now in four games. For a team that supposedly fixed Tiki Barbers fumbling ways, they sure know how to not teach ball security.
At least the Giants defense was a little more productive - 8 sacks and 9 tackles for loss. That's pretty good going. The obvious standout was rookie linebacker Jacquian Williams. Having bigged him up prior to the season I was delighted to see him turn in 3 sacks. Also in the above quoted article I pushed rookie safety Tyler Sash, who also paid off the praise with 2 sacks, as did linebacker Greg Jones. So thank you to all of those players for making me look good, even though I bet future lottery winnings right now they have no clue who I am (I like the "right now", as if tomorrow they're gonna read this and e-mail me to say "hi, thanks for the support!") (keepingthechainsmoving@live.co.uk please keep the e-mails down to just mildly abusive).
Eagles @ Jets; Highlight of the game? I dunno, it's a toss up between the Jets only picking up 8 first downs and Jets quarterback Drew Willy sacking himself. I think on balance Willy wins it. Especially after throwing 9/17 for 109 yards and a TD. On the Eagles side, Vince Young looked impressive on his way to 15/23 for 193 yards and a TD. Well at least he did until he got injured. Mike Kafka also looked ok, 7/11, 76 yards, an interception and a major hit that took him out.
On the ground for the Eagles, rookie Dion Lewis had 15 carries for 62 yards and a TD. On defense for the Eagles rookie linebacker Brian Rolle impressed as a pass rusher, with 1.5 sacks to his credit. For the Jets, they took a shot on young linebacker Aaron Maybin, previously of the Bills. He rewarded them for their faith with 1.5 sacks to his name. They rewarded him for his efforts... but cutting him yesterday.
Buccaneers @ Redskins; The Buccaneers everybody! Quarterback Rudy Carpenter was 9/18 for 211 yards and a TD. Jonathan Crompton was 12/22 for 149 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. Still, they looked impressive compared to their Redskins counterparts, the leader of which was John Beck - 10/21 for 108 yards and an interception.
Redskins running back Ryan Torain had a decent outing, with 17 carries for 73 yards. Receiving wise, Dante Stallworth impressed everyone with 5 catches for 80 yards and a TD. I don't think receiver Niles Paul did though - converting 7 targets into 3 catches, or Terrence Austin who caught just one of five passes. On the Buccaneers side, rookie Tight End Daniel Hardy helped himself get cut by dropping all three targets, but I think that's still harsh given his reasonable production for the team in the pre-season.
On defense, my little Buccaneers diamond in corner Anthony Gaitor came up with two tackles for loss and two passes defended. Elbert Mack and Devon Holland also shone a little, with an interception and 3 passes defended between them. Brandyn Thompson had 3 defended passes for the Redskins, and as a unit they had 5 sacks and a further 3 hits on the Buccaneers QB's.
Rams @ Jaguars; I was surprised to see Sam Bradford in the game. Still, he was there and he went 7/11 for 133 yards and a touchdown. Young quarterback Thaddeus Lewis also got his shot, throwing a relatively impressive 12/15 for 164 yards. It would be a shame for the Rams if they tried to sneak him through waivers and he got picked up. Of course surely they wouldn't try that with someone who has had obviously quite a good presea.... oh they tried it. And the Browns said thank you very much St. Louis.
The Jaguars passing game... well it stunk, so that's about normal. The great Blaine Gabbert saw some good playing time, throwing 9/18 for 132 yards. David Garrard was 1/5 for 11 yards and Luke McCown was 4/9 for 47 yards and a TD.
Both teams running games were pretty lacklustre. Deji Karim of the Jaguars was a sole bright spot with 8 carries for 58 yards. Receiving for the Rams saw rookie tight end Lance Kendricks catch 3 passes for 73 yards and a TD. I had higher hopes for Greg Salas, who caught just 2 of 5 passes for 23 yards. For the Jaguars, Jamar Newsome had 4 catches for 83 yards. But the wooden spoon goes to Dontrelle Inman of the Jaguars, who caught just 1 of 5 passes.
Both defenses were pretty quiet, with the exception of Jaguars defensive tackle Nate Collins who recorded 2 sacks, a further two tackles for loss and another QB hit. Not a bad days work I think.
Browns @ Bears; Jarrett Brown had another ok game at QB for the Browns - 10/15 for 92 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception. For the Bears, Caleb Haine was 7/10 for 83 yards and a TD, while rookie Nathan Enderle continues to make me look like a dick for backing him, throwing 6/13 for 67 yards. On the ground it was Bears running back Robert Hughes who made the biggest impression, with 16 carries for 69 yards and 2 touchdowns.
On defense, Browns linebacker Auston English came up good with two sacks, as did tackle Scott Paxson. Bears defensive end Nick Reed was his sides standout, with a sack, another tackle for loss and two passes defended. For an end that's pretty good.
Chiefs @ Packers; First off, I was surprised to see both Aaron Rodgers and Matt Cassel in this game. I have to say, I'm not sure I'd want to risk my starting quarterback like a number of teams have, just to play one series in the final pre-season game! Cassel actually did well, 15/17 for 129 yards and a TD. Tyler Palko less so, with 18/29 for 163 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT's. Still, that was a hell of a lot better than the Packers. Back up Matt Flynn was 2/10 for 12 yards and a pick. Graham Harrell was the leader with 3/5 for 21 yards. Yep, it was that bad.
On the ground it was just as bad. The only real notable was Packers running back Ryan Grant who had 4 carries for 31 yards. Receiving wise, all eyes were on Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe, another player who I don't understand playing for as long as he did. He finished with 8 catches for 85 yards, a touchdown and a fortuitous fumble that went out of bounds. Rookie Tori Gurley caught 2 of 5 for the Packers, making 12 yards. Overall the Chiefs had four fumbles to the Packers five.
On defense there were no real standouts, except maybe Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher with two tackles for loss and Packers linebacker Vic So'oto who had 1.5 sacks and returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown.
Texans @ Vikings; I think Texans Head Coach Gary Kubiak is sitting in an office somewhere, pouring himself a strong drink and hoping beyond hope that this game is not a symptom of the season ahead. 28-0. That's a butt whopping.
Quarterback T.J. Yates managed just 6/13 for 77 yards and an interception. Matt Leinart fared better (which is a bad omen if your name is T.J. Yates) - 13/16 for 145 yards. For the Vikings the highlight was undoubtedly Christian Ponder. It's time then quickly for a bit more self-congratulation. My number one overall quarterback came up smelling of roses in this game. He was 10/16 for 83 yards and a touchdown, but most impressive was his running. He was feeling the pressure coming almost like an experienced quarterback and scrambled 8 times for another 61 yards.
On the ground it was still all about Minnesota. Other than Ponders running, two backs came of note. One was Alexander Robinson who carried 7 times for 48 yards and a TD. The other was Caleb King, whose 19 carries for 62 yards and 2 touchdowns got him cut. That's the NFL for you. Receiving wise for the Vikings, rookie tight end Kyle Rudolph stood out, if only because we were told how great he'd be and yet he caught 2 of 5 for 12 yards and a touchdown. For the Texans the highlight was second year tight end Garrett Graham, who caught 6 of 8 for 71 yards.
On defense the Vikings came up trumps again with three sacks, including two for defensive end Adrian Awasom. Rookie Brandon Burton also had a nice pick.
Titans @ Saints; Another highly touted young quarterback in this game, this time it's Jake Locker. And this time he actually looked pretty good as the Titans Brees'ed past the Saints (see Saints fans, that's what you get for being mouthy dicks). Locker was 15/17 for 132 yards and a TD through the air, but also scrambled 3 times for 39 yards and a touchdown, which sadly for the Titans was a team leading yardage.
The Saints let second year quarterback Sean Canfield (on last years rookie watch list) run the show for them, and he produced 29/39 for 249 yards, 1 TD and 2 interceptions, though one was just a bobble by the receiver. He was also sacked in the end zone for a safety by an unblocked Karl Klug. Joique Bell did provide some relief on the ground with 16 carries for 80 yards.
Receiving wise there was nothing special so we'll move to defense where Titans defensive tackle Karl Klug had his sack for a safety, plus one more, while the Saints D was largely absent as demonstrated by the 32 points the Titans put up. Special teams coverage was also a big issue at times for the Saints.
Steelers @ Panthers; It's the Steelers last pre-season game which means we get another look at Dennis Dixon. Oh god look away! 11/22 for 157 yards and a TD. For the Panthers, Cam Newton got on the field, going 3/5 for 25 yards and a TD. Jimmy Clausen was 7/17 for 87 yards and an interception. Derek Anderson was 11/19 for 192 yards and a TD.
On the ground second year Steelers back Jonathan Dwyer had 13 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers had nothing that special. In receiving the Steelers were lead by Emmanuel Sanders with 4 catches for 60 yards, with Wes Lyons rolling in second with 1 catch out of 4, for 38 yards. The Panthers meanwhile had some pretty epic drop rates. Leading receiver Wallace Wright caught just 3 of 7 for 51 yards, Armanti Edwards was 3 of 8 for 29 yards, and tight end Ben Hartsock caught 2 of 6 for 21 yards.
Defensively the Steelers came out with 4 sacks but not really any true standouts. Linebacker Morrty Ivy had 9 tackles, a sack and a pass defended, while Cortez Allen managed to knock down 3 passes. For the Panthers just the one sack and an overall pretty forgettable defensive performance.
Broncos @ Cardinals; This was Brady Quinn's chance to put to sleep all the talk about who should be the Broncos back up. Instead he left the door wide open with a 4/12 performance, for just 26 yards and an interception. Enter then Tim Tebow, and as supporters of the man like me rubbed her hands in glee, many around the country who have been ragging on Tebow for ages now bit their nails nervously. 7/11, 116 yards and a touchdown, including a 43 yard sling with the pocket collapsing around him. So what was that about Tebow not being able to throw?
For the Cardinals it was war between Brodie Croyle and Richard Bartel. Croyle was 10/16 for 104 yards, Bartel looked excellent though with 12/16 for 216 yards, 2 touchdowns and one interception. On the ground for Arizona the sole notable performance was William Powell , but only because he carried the ball 29 times yet managed just 60 yards.
There were some better receiving performances. Eron Riley of the Broncos had 3 catches for 144 yards and a touchdown, including the 43 yard TD pass from Tebow, as well as the sole short pass from Adam Weber, which Riley then took down the field with his legs for an 89 yard completion. Chansi Stuckey lead the Cardinals receivers with four catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively the Broncos achieved the truly impressive feat of racking up 11 tackles for loss without actually getting any sacks (they had two QB hits)? The Cardinals D combined for four sacks.
49ers @ Chargers; See, this is why you don't risk a decent young player on waivers. The Chargers watched their rookie quarterback Scott Tolzein go 16/23 against the 49ers, for 226 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. Then they cut him and the 49ers said, "that kid was pretty good, thanks very much!". Which I'm not complaining about because I'm a 49ers fan and I think it's one of the better moves that have been made by the 49ers.
The 49ers were determined not to be outdone for risky moves though, putting starting quarterback (I think) Alex Smith out onto the field. Smith was 8/10 for 45 yards. And he wasn't even the worse 49ers quarterback. That honour is reserved for Colin Kaepernick - 3/7 for 36 yards and 2 interceptions. That's a 19.6 QB rating. Nice one. What a pick!
Quarterback Josh McCown also got a shot at the field, throwing 4/4 for 51 yards. He then got cut on Saturday. I wish the 49ers would just admit that Kaepernick was a bad pick, cut their losses (and him), and if nobody does us the favour of picking him up then maybe put him on the practice squad? Please God, before he kills the team in a real game. That's Alex Smith's job...
On the ground, Chargers first round pick from 2010 (and on my rookie watch list from last year) Ryan Matthews carried 5 times for 78 yards and a TD, including a 56 yard run that he could have basically walked in, so wide open was the 49ers defense on that occasion. For the 49ers, Anthony "The Golden Mule" Dixon carried 13 times for 45 yards and 2 touchdowns, while rookie Kendall Hunter lead the team with 11 carries for 57 yards. The only real receiver of note was the Chargers Laurent Robinson, who had 6 catches for 120 yards. He was cut Saturday along with Tolzein.
Defensively for the 49ers Aldon Smith led the way. 7 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and another QB hit. That's pretty much the way to inspire the rest of your defense and thank your boss for taking you number one overall. As a group the 49ers had 6 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 4 passes defended and 7 QB hits. Individually the Chargers didn't have any stand outs, but they managed as a team to notch up a sack, 3 tackles for loss and 6 passes defended. That's not too shabby. It's not great either, but this is pre-season week 4.
Raiders @ Seahawks; And lastly... ah Jesus. Raiders and Seahawks. No Terrelle Pryor for the Raiders (he's only banned from regular season games), but there was Kyle Boller, 9/19 for 101 yards. There was Jason Campbell, 8/11 for 76 yards and looking a little sharper. And there was Trent Edwards, 3/4 for 18 yards and cut in favour of Pryor. Ha!
The Seahawks also decided to risk their starting QB, with Tavaris Jackson taking the field and throwing 5/7 for 88 yards and a red zone interception. Charlie Whitehurst came on next and was 9/15 for 140 yards. Then finally Josh Portis to round things off with 3/6 for 42 yards.
On the ground there was really nothing special to note. Receiving wise for the Raiders there was still nothing much of note, except perhaps Derek Hagan going 2 of 5 for 29 yards. The story of the game though was Seahawks receiver Golden Tate, who caught 5 of 7 for 79 yards in a much more impressive display than we've been used to seeing out of the highly touted second year receiver.
Defense was also a bit dreary for both teams, though Seahawks defensive tackle David Howard had 1.5 sacks and defensive end Maurice Fountain had 2 tackles for loss. Yes, those were the defensive highlights.
So that's your entire round up for the pre-season. Thursday sees the start of week one with the Saints travelling to the Packers and for that I shall be posting Wednesday to make my pick, even though I said I was going to stop doing picks. Ah what the hell! What's the worst that can happen, other than the Texans, the Panthers, and John Fox fucking me over on a weekly basis. And the Chiefs. And the Giants sometimes. And the Ravens. And...
You know what I'd rather not think about it. Have a good week and barring any major developments I'll see you on Wednesday.
Sunday, September 04, 2011
2011 Roster Cuts
So week 4 of the pre-season is done and now we are but moments (re: days) away from the start of the season proper. It's September my friends and that means the joys of football are back. This, this is why I love this time of year. I love the sight of trees shedding their leaves. I love the more moderate temperatures (I hate sunshine). And I love the fact that I can sit down and watch real football games once more!!
But although I'm about a third of the way through recapping the week 4 pre-season action, I want to take a pause and address the issue of the roster cuts. The full list of cuts can be found here.
I accept that many readers will already know the complete ins and outs of what is taking place, but I've decided to do something approximating closely to an "idiot's guide to roster cuts", just for the benefit of those not fully aware of all the implications and the terminology being chucked around on TV, in the newspapers and online. So here we go.
Basically every team went into training camp with a roster somewhere in the 70-80 player region, far more than they would ever be able to take into the regular season. These players are a mixture of:
-- The 53 man roster from last year, except those players who left as free agents or were traded,
-- Players who last season were placed on injured reserve, except those players who left as free agents/trades,
-- The eight players from last years practice squad, except those players who left as free agents,
-- The players brought in by the team as free agents,
-- The players selected by the team in the most recent draft,
-- Undrafted rookies, some of whom were on the bubble to get drafted and were just unlucky (like Mark Herzlich) as well as pure long shot players, often from smaller colleges or players from big colleges who saw little playing time but flashed some signs of potential,
These large training camp rosters must be carved down to just 53 players by the agreed deadline prior to the first week of games. In this seasons case, the deadline by which final rosters must have been submitted to the league was 6pm Eastern Time on Saturday, September 3rd. That deadline has obviously now passed and all teams appear to have made it on time.
But it's not just as simple as releasing a bunch of guys and sticking with your final 53. The process still has some intrigue to it.
-- Players who would otherwise qualify for unrestricted free agency (four or more 'Accrued seasons') become unrestricted free agents, free to sign with whomever they choose,
-- Players not eligible to become unrestricted free agents are entered into the waivers system. For the next 24 hours every team in the NFL has the opportunity to sign that player to their active roster (claim from waivers). The claims are prioritised by win-loss record from the year before, so if the Carolina Panthers make a claim on any player then they are guaranteed to eventually be awarded that player.
-- Any players that make it through waivers are now free to sign with any team, and can either be signed to the active roster or to the practice squad, providing they are eligible (less than 3 seasons already on a practice squad, have never been placed on injured reserve, have no accrued seasons - or if they have one then they must have spent less than nine games of that season on the active roster),
This creates a pool of new free agents, along with players who were already free agents through training camp (having not signed with anyone since March 1st). Over the course of the next few days, and even weeks, some of these players will still find homes on NFL rosters.
This is because the 53 man rosters that teams have settled on are by no means set in stone. Each teams roster by this point consists of four groups of players:
-- Key players the team wishes to keep by choice,
-- Players the team has to keep through necessity (to complete the starting line up and/or certain back ups),
-- Young players the team sees promise in and would like to develop,
-- Those other players that were needed to complete the 53 man roster,
In particular it is groups two and four above who are vulnerable. People in group four are easily replaced. They have jobs only because the team has found nobody better to replace them yet. That can change very quickly with waiver claims and the signing of free agents. Players in group two may also yet be proved expendable. A player who was kept only because he was the best player left to fill a certain role can be shunted out of his starting spot by a good free agent pick up. Normally he would become a back up, but the signing of additional free agents at his position may well be his undoing. This is naturally much more common on much weaker teams.
Then finally each team has eight practice squad slots that it can offer to eligible players. Many teams cut young players who they still intend to develop, hoping to slip them through waivers unclaimed and then sign them to their practice squad. Of course this runs the risk of giving away a potentially very talented young player, but the needs of the active roster come first.
Already there are lots of names out and about that have caught the eye. Many of these are rookies like Mark LeGree, cut from the Seahawks, who I think will go on to do well somewhere. I could list all those types of players but it would be a long list of people you probably would only read about if you came here. But there are also some big names/more surprising rookies that have been cut and we'll focus on them
Safety Brandon Merriweather being cut from the Patriots is a big one. Two pro bowls in a row are what catches the eye about Merriweather, however bad the voting can sometimes be for the pro bowl. Merriweather however has had a lot of troubles, including two shooting incidents in two years (in both cases he was cleared of any wrong doing) as well as two incidents in less than twelve months relating to illegal hits with the head during games. I suspect the Patriots lack of tolerance for problems under Bill Belichick has motivated the move, but even then it's still surprising given the lack of strength in depth in that defensive backfield.
Another Brandon released from the Patriots was receiver Brandon Tate. The likely cause is that Tate was really more of a returns specialist and with the new kick off rules, it makes him something of a luxury player. But I dunno. I kinda like Tate as a receiver and hope he finds a home.
Defensive Tackle Tommie Smith being released from the Colts was a bit of an odd moment given how suspect their interior D-line can be, but for the most head scratching decision by the Colts was keeping Curtis Painter but releasing Dan Orlovsky? What? Painter is terrible!!
My own 49ers have pulled a similar trick, releasing quarterback Josh McCown who had a solid pre-season game this week and is probably better able to play week 1 as a back up than Colin Kaepernick. But the reason I bring this up is not because of the 49ers being my team, but because it seems a lot of teams this year are going with just two quarterbacks on their roster, which to me seems very odd. There must be something in the CBA that everyone outside of the teams is missing.
Running back Chester Taylor was an odd casualty of the Bears. It's not like the Bears running game is flush with starting caliber running backs and Taylor has the advantage of being a versatile, every down back. He's know Matt Forte, but he's ok. My guess is that the size of his ridiculous free agent contract from last year (for a player of his level at least) is what cost him.
The Cowboys cutting Fullback Chris Gronkowski doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. I thought He was doing pretty well down in Dallas, running, blocking and catching, but apparently not so.
The Broncos cutting corner Perrish Cox is a little surprising. He's done really well so far but off field legal troubles could hurt him. It's expected that he'll remain a free agent for a while and then when the status of that issue is resolved someone will pick him up.
The Texans released running back Chris Ogbonnaya, who turned a few heads in pre-season and I'm tentatively expecting him not to make it through waivers.
The Raiders, God bless them, cut quarterback Trent Edwards. That means Kyle Boller gets the back up job and Terrelle Pryor is the apprentice. Nice going Al. Raiders fans, in a way I feel for you. Then I remember you're Raiders fans. Mwwhahahaha (I shouldn't laugh, looking at it now I think the Raiders will finish better than us). The release of corner Lito Sheppard was also somewhat surprising, given the parlous state of the Raiders now Asomugha-less secondary.
The Eagles let go of defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove. Personally I look at him, look at the rest of the Eagles D-tackle roster outside of Cullen Jenkins and then say "what?". But there you go. Hargrove has spent a lot of time in a 3-4 defense and may just have had difficulty adapting to the Eagles 4-3 as well as Jenkins presumably has.
Now the Chargers? Man I don't get some of these releases. Seyi Ajirotutu looked to be a pretty promising young player for the Chargers. If he doesn't get claimed by somebody off waivers then I'm calling bullshit, because there's no way that every single one of the 32 teams in the NFL has kept better receivers that Ajirotutu. I was also surprised to see rookie QB Scott Tolzein cut, I thought he'd done really well for the Chargers in pre-season.
The Rams cutting Donnie Avery was a little odd. He missed the whole of last season with an injury, but otherwise was a good receiver on a team that needs good receivers!
The Buccaneers for me are one of the most surprising. QB Rudy Carpenter, cut. Safety Ahmad Black, cut. Tight end Daniel Hardy, cut. I mean seriously? Daniel Hardy cut? He's been one of the leading receivers for the Buc's in the pre-season so I really don't get that.
The Titans cut running back Stafon Johnson. I don't think they'll be seeing him again. Like LaGarrette Blount last year I think Johnson has shown enough talent to warrant someone with a dire running back situation taking a chance on him.
So that's your lot. Like I said earlier, the flow of players on and off teams rosters over the next few days is destined to be a little hectic at times, but I'll try and point out the ones that caught my eye as we go. I'll also be looking to get that pre-season week 4 review up in the next 24 hours.
Enjoy your lazy Sunday.
But although I'm about a third of the way through recapping the week 4 pre-season action, I want to take a pause and address the issue of the roster cuts. The full list of cuts can be found here.
I accept that many readers will already know the complete ins and outs of what is taking place, but I've decided to do something approximating closely to an "idiot's guide to roster cuts", just for the benefit of those not fully aware of all the implications and the terminology being chucked around on TV, in the newspapers and online. So here we go.
Basically every team went into training camp with a roster somewhere in the 70-80 player region, far more than they would ever be able to take into the regular season. These players are a mixture of:
-- The 53 man roster from last year, except those players who left as free agents or were traded,
-- Players who last season were placed on injured reserve, except those players who left as free agents/trades,
-- The eight players from last years practice squad, except those players who left as free agents,
-- The players brought in by the team as free agents,
-- The players selected by the team in the most recent draft,
-- Undrafted rookies, some of whom were on the bubble to get drafted and were just unlucky (like Mark Herzlich) as well as pure long shot players, often from smaller colleges or players from big colleges who saw little playing time but flashed some signs of potential,
These large training camp rosters must be carved down to just 53 players by the agreed deadline prior to the first week of games. In this seasons case, the deadline by which final rosters must have been submitted to the league was 6pm Eastern Time on Saturday, September 3rd. That deadline has obviously now passed and all teams appear to have made it on time.
But it's not just as simple as releasing a bunch of guys and sticking with your final 53. The process still has some intrigue to it.
-- Players who would otherwise qualify for unrestricted free agency (four or more 'Accrued seasons') become unrestricted free agents, free to sign with whomever they choose,
-- Players not eligible to become unrestricted free agents are entered into the waivers system. For the next 24 hours every team in the NFL has the opportunity to sign that player to their active roster (claim from waivers). The claims are prioritised by win-loss record from the year before, so if the Carolina Panthers make a claim on any player then they are guaranteed to eventually be awarded that player.
-- Any players that make it through waivers are now free to sign with any team, and can either be signed to the active roster or to the practice squad, providing they are eligible (less than 3 seasons already on a practice squad, have never been placed on injured reserve, have no accrued seasons - or if they have one then they must have spent less than nine games of that season on the active roster),
This creates a pool of new free agents, along with players who were already free agents through training camp (having not signed with anyone since March 1st). Over the course of the next few days, and even weeks, some of these players will still find homes on NFL rosters.
This is because the 53 man rosters that teams have settled on are by no means set in stone. Each teams roster by this point consists of four groups of players:
-- Key players the team wishes to keep by choice,
-- Players the team has to keep through necessity (to complete the starting line up and/or certain back ups),
-- Young players the team sees promise in and would like to develop,
-- Those other players that were needed to complete the 53 man roster,
In particular it is groups two and four above who are vulnerable. People in group four are easily replaced. They have jobs only because the team has found nobody better to replace them yet. That can change very quickly with waiver claims and the signing of free agents. Players in group two may also yet be proved expendable. A player who was kept only because he was the best player left to fill a certain role can be shunted out of his starting spot by a good free agent pick up. Normally he would become a back up, but the signing of additional free agents at his position may well be his undoing. This is naturally much more common on much weaker teams.
Then finally each team has eight practice squad slots that it can offer to eligible players. Many teams cut young players who they still intend to develop, hoping to slip them through waivers unclaimed and then sign them to their practice squad. Of course this runs the risk of giving away a potentially very talented young player, but the needs of the active roster come first.
Already there are lots of names out and about that have caught the eye. Many of these are rookies like Mark LeGree, cut from the Seahawks, who I think will go on to do well somewhere. I could list all those types of players but it would be a long list of people you probably would only read about if you came here. But there are also some big names/more surprising rookies that have been cut and we'll focus on them
Safety Brandon Merriweather being cut from the Patriots is a big one. Two pro bowls in a row are what catches the eye about Merriweather, however bad the voting can sometimes be for the pro bowl. Merriweather however has had a lot of troubles, including two shooting incidents in two years (in both cases he was cleared of any wrong doing) as well as two incidents in less than twelve months relating to illegal hits with the head during games. I suspect the Patriots lack of tolerance for problems under Bill Belichick has motivated the move, but even then it's still surprising given the lack of strength in depth in that defensive backfield.
Another Brandon released from the Patriots was receiver Brandon Tate. The likely cause is that Tate was really more of a returns specialist and with the new kick off rules, it makes him something of a luxury player. But I dunno. I kinda like Tate as a receiver and hope he finds a home.
Defensive Tackle Tommie Smith being released from the Colts was a bit of an odd moment given how suspect their interior D-line can be, but for the most head scratching decision by the Colts was keeping Curtis Painter but releasing Dan Orlovsky? What? Painter is terrible!!
My own 49ers have pulled a similar trick, releasing quarterback Josh McCown who had a solid pre-season game this week and is probably better able to play week 1 as a back up than Colin Kaepernick. But the reason I bring this up is not because of the 49ers being my team, but because it seems a lot of teams this year are going with just two quarterbacks on their roster, which to me seems very odd. There must be something in the CBA that everyone outside of the teams is missing.
Running back Chester Taylor was an odd casualty of the Bears. It's not like the Bears running game is flush with starting caliber running backs and Taylor has the advantage of being a versatile, every down back. He's know Matt Forte, but he's ok. My guess is that the size of his ridiculous free agent contract from last year (for a player of his level at least) is what cost him.
The Cowboys cutting Fullback Chris Gronkowski doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. I thought He was doing pretty well down in Dallas, running, blocking and catching, but apparently not so.
The Broncos cutting corner Perrish Cox is a little surprising. He's done really well so far but off field legal troubles could hurt him. It's expected that he'll remain a free agent for a while and then when the status of that issue is resolved someone will pick him up.
The Texans released running back Chris Ogbonnaya, who turned a few heads in pre-season and I'm tentatively expecting him not to make it through waivers.
The Raiders, God bless them, cut quarterback Trent Edwards. That means Kyle Boller gets the back up job and Terrelle Pryor is the apprentice. Nice going Al. Raiders fans, in a way I feel for you. Then I remember you're Raiders fans. Mwwhahahaha (I shouldn't laugh, looking at it now I think the Raiders will finish better than us). The release of corner Lito Sheppard was also somewhat surprising, given the parlous state of the Raiders now Asomugha-less secondary.
The Eagles let go of defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove. Personally I look at him, look at the rest of the Eagles D-tackle roster outside of Cullen Jenkins and then say "what?". But there you go. Hargrove has spent a lot of time in a 3-4 defense and may just have had difficulty adapting to the Eagles 4-3 as well as Jenkins presumably has.
Now the Chargers? Man I don't get some of these releases. Seyi Ajirotutu looked to be a pretty promising young player for the Chargers. If he doesn't get claimed by somebody off waivers then I'm calling bullshit, because there's no way that every single one of the 32 teams in the NFL has kept better receivers that Ajirotutu. I was also surprised to see rookie QB Scott Tolzein cut, I thought he'd done really well for the Chargers in pre-season.
The Rams cutting Donnie Avery was a little odd. He missed the whole of last season with an injury, but otherwise was a good receiver on a team that needs good receivers!
The Buccaneers for me are one of the most surprising. QB Rudy Carpenter, cut. Safety Ahmad Black, cut. Tight end Daniel Hardy, cut. I mean seriously? Daniel Hardy cut? He's been one of the leading receivers for the Buc's in the pre-season so I really don't get that.
The Titans cut running back Stafon Johnson. I don't think they'll be seeing him again. Like LaGarrette Blount last year I think Johnson has shown enough talent to warrant someone with a dire running back situation taking a chance on him.
So that's your lot. Like I said earlier, the flow of players on and off teams rosters over the next few days is destined to be a little hectic at times, but I'll try and point out the ones that caught my eye as we go. I'll also be looking to get that pre-season week 4 review up in the next 24 hours.
Enjoy your lazy Sunday.
Thursday, September 01, 2011
A word on Terrelle Pryor and the Wonderlic
First of all we need to establish the fact that I believe Terrelle Pryor will be a terrible quarterback in the NFL. This post is not about that. I'm not trying to support him.
Basically Pryor took the wonderlic test, just like all incoming players, and apparently scored a 7. Which basically means that as far as the testers are concerned, Pryor is illiterate. That score has since been revised to 21, apparently after a re-take.
Now just for fun I though "hey, you know what, I'm always bitching about the NFL scouts and their retarded tests, lets have a crack at this wonderlic thing". I'm now even more convinced that every scout in the NFL should be fired with immediate effect. The cause? Absolute stupidity.
Now I scored a 20, which is about average apparently. Part of the reason for this is because I ran out of time with a few questions still unanswered. But a big part of it was due to the maths questions. Maths isn't really my strong point.
But if there is one thing I can tell you having taken the test, it's that none of it, not a single damn question, has any recognisable application to the football field. None.
Football is not a maths test, nor is it a language test. A reasonable degree of English comprehension is obviously required, but that doesn't seem to be what Wonderlic is testing. The questions are about as far removed from anything that a player would encounter on or off a football as you could possibly imagine.
Who gives a fuck what number 70 is 35% of?
Who gives a shit if a rocket takes off carrying 10,000 pounds of fuel and travels for 15 minutes, yadda, yadda?
Anyone, anyone, in their right mind who thinks this test will communicate anything of value to them about a football player needs to be taken as far away from the football business as money and modes of transportation will allow.
All that test told me is that my ability to do calculations in my head sucks. But then I already knew that. And that's probably the biggest beef I have with the test. One deficiency like that and you're screwed, because about one third of the questions seem to be maths related.
Now if I was recruiting accountants or NASA scientists or engineers, then I could see the point. Then it would make sense to me. But football players? As I see it right now I think people (read scouts and the press) are just using this as a reason to lay unnecessary shit on Pryors doorstep or to cover their butts about being non-committal with their evaluations ("Well, I did warn you about his wonderlic score..." etc).
I think Pryor will suck in the NFL. I didn't need a ridiculous wonderlic test to tell me that. It just blows my mind that people get paid big money for crap like that. Ah well, back to the coffee...
Basically Pryor took the wonderlic test, just like all incoming players, and apparently scored a 7. Which basically means that as far as the testers are concerned, Pryor is illiterate. That score has since been revised to 21, apparently after a re-take.
Now just for fun I though "hey, you know what, I'm always bitching about the NFL scouts and their retarded tests, lets have a crack at this wonderlic thing". I'm now even more convinced that every scout in the NFL should be fired with immediate effect. The cause? Absolute stupidity.
Now I scored a 20, which is about average apparently. Part of the reason for this is because I ran out of time with a few questions still unanswered. But a big part of it was due to the maths questions. Maths isn't really my strong point.
But if there is one thing I can tell you having taken the test, it's that none of it, not a single damn question, has any recognisable application to the football field. None.
Football is not a maths test, nor is it a language test. A reasonable degree of English comprehension is obviously required, but that doesn't seem to be what Wonderlic is testing. The questions are about as far removed from anything that a player would encounter on or off a football as you could possibly imagine.
Who gives a fuck what number 70 is 35% of?
Who gives a shit if a rocket takes off carrying 10,000 pounds of fuel and travels for 15 minutes, yadda, yadda?
Anyone, anyone, in their right mind who thinks this test will communicate anything of value to them about a football player needs to be taken as far away from the football business as money and modes of transportation will allow.
All that test told me is that my ability to do calculations in my head sucks. But then I already knew that. And that's probably the biggest beef I have with the test. One deficiency like that and you're screwed, because about one third of the questions seem to be maths related.
Now if I was recruiting accountants or NASA scientists or engineers, then I could see the point. Then it would make sense to me. But football players? As I see it right now I think people (read scouts and the press) are just using this as a reason to lay unnecessary shit on Pryors doorstep or to cover their butts about being non-committal with their evaluations ("Well, I did warn you about his wonderlic score..." etc).
I think Pryor will suck in the NFL. I didn't need a ridiculous wonderlic test to tell me that. It just blows my mind that people get paid big money for crap like that. Ah well, back to the coffee...
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
2011 Pre-season week 3 (Part 2)
Right, finally time to put all my thoughts together on the weekends pre-season action. First...
Bills @ Jags; Man does Ryan Fitzpatrick look in the groove right now! 11/12 for 165 yards and 2 touchdowns. Back up Tyler Thigpen has a long way to go though, throwing 12/28 for 101 yards, a TD and 2 INT's, one of which was just plain horrible. In general the Bills offense looked good and has done now all throughout the pre-season. I'm not sure if I'm ready to jump on the growing "Bills in the 'Bowl" bandwagon just yet though. The defense still gave up 32 points, to David Garrard and Blaine Gabbert no less.
Talking of which, Gabbert threw his first TD! I'm sure the TV pundits had a great time slapping each other on the back over that one, despite Gabbert finishing 6/13 for 52 yards and also throwing a pick. Garrard wasn't a whole lot better (11/21 for 106 yards). He did manage to put on a great escape, evading three tacklers and then running four yards into the end zone. But while the crowd and the announcers were going crazy with delight, the old instinctive coaching part of me was saying "look at that ball security, it's terrible!". And it was. The only miracle on that play was that the ball wasn't stripped.
Falcons @ Steelers; Fact - Matt Ryan looks like a pro, with clean footwork and a great throwing motion. Fact - he doesn't always play like one. Fact - Throwing the ball 42 times often leads to interceptions, just through sheer numbers. Fact - This style is getting tired now.
So, Matt Ryan. 22/42, 220 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. 22 passes produced just (he says) 220 yards? That's still 10 yards per completion, but factor in the misses and that total drops to just a little over 5 yards per pass. That's not very Matt Ryan-esque, at least not on one of his good days. Conversely Ben Roethlisberger was having a great time (not involving alcohol, motorcycles, hotel rooms or bathrooms for once), going 11/16 for 214 yards and 2 TD's.
The Falcons D wasn't having such a great time. Against an offensive line that has a hard won reputation for being shaky as hell in pass protection, the Falcons defense was only able to produce 2 sacks. Still, that was one more than the Steelers. They made up some ground however with two picks.
The story for me though was centered around two young receivers, one on each side. The first was third year Falcons receiver Harry Douglas, who had a relatively quiet game for a change (3 catches for 31 yards), but hustled back hard after a Kevin Kolb interception to make the tackle on Lawrence Timmons. Kid looks good and could be the perfect foil for Roddy White (8 catches, 101 yards and a TD).
On the Steelers side I'm looking at 2nd year receiver Antonio Brown (4 catches, 137 yards, 2 TDs). We saw last year that the kid has some talent and against the Falcons he looked like he had speed to burn. He played in 9 games last year with no starts. Expect an appearance game one this year, along with a big season ahead.
Dolphins @ Buccaneers; Chad Henne looking... good? What? 10/13 for 175 yards and a TD. Not bad. Certainly an improvement over the struggling pre-season performances we've seen prior to this. A Big part of that success was WR Brandon Marshall, who caught 2 passes (actually three, but he fumbled one) for 90 yards and a TD. Marshall looked strong, driven, and very much back to his best. If he can keep that up for another 16 games the Dolphins might be in with a shout. Well, of not finishing last in the AFC East maybe.
Josh Freeman had a more so-so game for the Buc's. 12/23 for 149 yards. But it's Rudy Carpenter kicking butt this pre-season (did I really just write that?) with 5/8 for 59 yards and a TD! The receiving corps isn't helping much though. Some nice play from rookie tight ends Daniel Hardy and Nathan Overbay, plus a long catch and run by running back LaGarrette Blount, but that's about it.
Luckily for the Buc's that defense is finally starting to live up to some of its potential - 5 sacks between them, including one each for rookies Da'Quan Bowers and George Johnson, and one for 2nd year linebacker Dekoda Watson who was on last years watch list (a 7th round pick no less).
Patriots @ Lions; The story de jour coming out of this game was the deal with Lions Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh throwing a punch at Patriots guard Logan Mankins. At the minute a lot of the big media outlets appear to be trying to string together a narrative that Suh is a dirty player etc, but I'm not really buying it.
The "throw" he was fined for the other week was pathetic and perhaps had that been any other player then nobody would have batted an eye lid. The punch in this game was for good reason (sort of), because Mankins was pulling Suh's team mate to the ground by the facemask. In fact Mankins was flagged for this very reason.
But this is what you have to love, is people taking incidents like that Suh punch completely out of context. He didn't just throw a punch at Mankins for no reason; Mankins was doing something that is widely recognised as a potential source of serious injury, hence why grabbing the face mask is considered a major penalty. But there you go.
Moving on, there was actually a proper game of football played and the Lions won it handily. Matthew Stafford was calm and precise with 12/14 for 200 yards and 2 TD's. If he can actually stay healthy this year then he looks like he's finally got a handle on that offense. Tom Brady on the opposite side looked a little rougher, with 12/22 for 145 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He also took his fair share of licks as the Lions pass rush started hitting home. Cliff Avril had two sacks and the pressure was certainly there on Brady.
Rookie Ryan Mallett had a better game in some ways finishing 9/14, but for only 65 yards. The Patriots rushing attack was also flat for the most part. Their defense did have some bright spots, notably 3rd year corner Kyle Arrington who had an interception and a sack.
Cowboys @ Vikings; It must be satisfying for the Cowboys every time they beat Donovan McNabb these days. Not least because the Cowboys aren't always that accustomed to winning. Tony Romo looked better than normal, with 15/20 for 141 yards. But it was still defense and special teams that did most of the work for the Cowboys, including three sacks and an interception, plus a blocked field goal attempt that was returned for a TD.
McNabb wasn't bad I guess. 12/18 for 164 yards, a TD and an INT, but you still get that "boom or bust" feeling out of McNabb, like he's either going to haul in a fat catch of yards - or just a few tiny minnows. Under study Joe Webb was perhaps more of the sparkler, with 4/7 for 81 yards, plus 2 scrambles for 46 yards and a TD. Rookie Christian Ponder looked surprisingly shit, with just 3/8 for 60 yards.
Adrian Peterson also saw some significant action, running for 81 yards on 14 carries, and generally looked healthy. On defense for the Vikings their were sacks for rookie linemen Christian Ballard and Cedric McKinley
Texans @ 49ers; Do I really have to cover this? Really? Are you sure? Oh c'mon!! Fuck.
So yeah, the 49ers got beaten, pounded, destroyed. It started so brightly. Matt Schaub dropped back to throw his first pass of the game, but instead of hitting the screen he gifted the ball to Ahmad Brooks who ran it back for six. At precisely this point the wheels dropped off and the 49ers dreams went careening over a cliff into the dark abyss below... shut up. This is my team, my blog, and I'll have a sulk about the 49ers shit forthcoming season if I choose to!
So yeah, the Texans. They were good I suppose. Schaub was 16/24 for 180 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. Jesus even Matt Leinart was 7/10 for 69 yards. Running back Arian Foster managed just 8 carries for 38 yards before he got up off the turf cursing and nursing (see what I did there?) his hamstring. The Texans D had 3 sacks and two interceptions.
As for the '9ers? Well first of all, how fucking lazy do you have to be to shorten "the 49ers" down to "the '9ers"? You're telling me that pronouncing the word "forty" is really that much of a hassle? Anyway, we sucked. It's that simple. Alex Smith was 2/6 for 17 yards and one of the two interceptions. Colin Kaepernick produced the other one on his way to finishing 6/16 for 52 yards.
It was a bad/boring day for the 49ers receivers as well, as not a single one of them caught more than one pass. I'm not even joking now. 8 receivers, each of whom caught one pass, with the tie for the most yards being between tight end Delanie Walker and receiver Kyle Williams - with 15 each! Wanna be careful there San Francisco, we don't want you attracting unwelcome attention as a perceived threat from the big teams now do we?
Much of the blame for the above stems from an offensive line that makes the Bears look almost good. There are some good players, but there are also some fu..freaking awful players too. Literally Mike Person bad. I need coffee.
I hate the Texans.
Bears @ Titans; Speaking of the Bears terrible O-line, look who it is! Having run for his life at times, Jay Cutler finished 13/21 for 170 yards and an interception. Back up Caleb Haine did little better, ending 9/18 for 107 yards and a pick. A bright spot of sorts was running back Matt Forte who carried 17 times for 74 yards and a TD, and receiver Earl Bennett with 6 catches for 89 yards.
The day belonged to the Titans though. Sort of. Matt Hasselbeck was 12/22 for 135 yards, but at least looked a lot quicker with his drops, reads and getting the ball out of his hands, all good signs that he's starting to get more comfortable in the Titans offense. Jake Lockers spell produced all of 2/4 for 13 yards. The Titans running game was still a little anaemic without Chris Johnson, but oddly did just enough to help the team. This time at least. Receiver Nate Washington had 4 catches for 66 yards.
The Titans D threw up a sack and two interceptions, but the hero of the day had to be rookie Titans punter Chad Cunningham. Imagine the situation; it's 4th down and 3. Your a punter and a rookie no less, who doesn't even know if they'll make it to the final roster. The ball is snapped, you catch it and do your thing. Except here comes the pressure up the middle, someone has got an arm free and your punt is blocked. Disaster!
So naturally you do the only thing that a rookie punter who is desperate to make that 53 man roster can do - you run after that thing, pick it up on the bounce, and then run it down the sideline, outflanking most of the Bears return team, before cutting back inside bravely and diving home for the first down! We'll leave out the part where you get hit before reaching the ground and promptly fumble the ball out of bounds. Because it doesn't matter! Chad Cunningham, you sir are a hero!
Seahawks @ Broncos; They've done it! The Seahawks finally have an offensive touchdown this season! Tavaris Jackson floating the ball to the back of the end zone for tight end Dominique Byrd. But that's about where the Seahawks success ended, at least on offense. Jackson finished 13/22 for 93 yards. That's right, 22 passes that snagged a whole 93 yards. And that's before we start counting sacks.
Of which the Broncos D had 5, having been revitalised somewhat since John Fox arrived (as hard as that may be to believe). Two went to rookie Von Miller, who is beginning to look like he's every bit worthy of that second overall pick. "But Chris, didn't you say he'd be terrible?" I hear you cry. "No," says I, "...alright sort of. What I said - if you actually read the post on linebackers for the 2011 draft - was that his physical talents were pretty evident, but his technique was terrible. Which it truly was. But if he could be coached out of it then he might shine. Which he has. And now he is," which I'm going to class as a draw. Sorry, 'tie'.
The Seahawks defense wasn't to be outdone, except for the fact that they were, recording four sacks between them including two for rookie defensive end Lazarius Levingston.
On offense for the Broncos it was the Kyle Orton show again, with Orton throwing 16/23 for 1 TD and 1 INT. Then it was the Tebow show! Which... lead to a sack-fumble. And then another fumble. Still, he made some nice throws, finished 6/11 for 93 yards and lead two scoring drives to win the game. So there!
Chargers @ Cardinals; Life can be cruel sometimes. Like making the Cardinals third stringers think they had the win, only to have it snatched away. I like it when life is cruel to the Cardinals. It just seems right somehow. Kevin Kolb was 11/20 for 205 yards and a TD, including hooking up with Larry Fitzgerald for an 80 yards score. And man, Fitzgerald has just signed a big new deal and in this game he showed why. Just pure, raw, talent. Just a great individual player. Back up QB Richard Bartel also had his moment in the spotlight with 8/10 for 76 yards and a TD..
Standing opposite them was Phillip Rivers who finished 18/28 for 198 yards, 2 touchdowns and a pick. In fact not just a pick, but a pick six, as Cardinals 1st round rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson finally managed to do something. The only down side was the high stepping through the end zone, which just smells like all kinds of diva. Chargers back up Billy Volek smoothed it all over though, going 9/17 for 123 yards and a TD to win the game.
Saints @ Raiders; When Chase Daniel is out throwing your starting quarterback, something is amiss. I like Chase Daniel, I think he's a great back up, and frankly given the choice of Alex Smith or Chase Daniel I'd take Daniel. But Drew Brees, 15/23 for 189 yards, while Daniel was 9/18 for 191 yards and 2 touchdowns. Something about that just looks wrong.
Oh wait I've spotted it! It's the Raiders defense giving up nearly 400 yards through the air. Plus over 100 yards on the ground. Throw in 3 sacks for the Saints defense, including two for rookie defensive tackle Swanson Miller (who?) and you have a 40-20 rout on your hands.
The only real consolation for the Raiders were that their back up quarterbacks didn't throw any interceptions to compound the problem, as well as the running of rookie back Taiwan Jones, who looked quick and read his blocks well to scamper home with 13 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown. If the Raiders can keep him, Darren McFadden and Michael Bush healthy all year then they have the makings of a good run game.
Jets @ Giants; And finally we have the traditional pre-season showdown between the New York rivals, delayed till Monday due to Hurricane Irene. Now while the storm may have passed by this point, you can always expect a storm on the field, which is exactly what we got, with Brandon Jacobs trading words with the Jets defense, then eventually trading punches with Jets rookie defensive tackle Muhammed Wilkerson.
I'm not sure which makes me laugh the most - the fact that Jacobs got into trouble again and was ejected from the game, or the fact that players persist in throwing punches at each other, despite the fact they're both wearing helmets!! Ah well, stupid is as stupid does.
Talking of which, Eli Manning; 15/30 for 200 yards and 2 interceptions. Nice going kid, you keep slugging it out. Mind you, Mark Sanchez wasn't exactly blazing on the opposite side, finishing 8/16 for 64 yards and a TD.
The Jets D produced two sacks, one for rookie linebacker Nick Bellore who really impressed me at the combine (but I saw no film of pre-draft) and one for second year corner and first round pick Kyle Wilson who was on last years watch list. About damn time he did something useful. The Jets also had two interceptions, one for the old hand Jim Leonhard and one for linebacker David Harris.
The Giants D produced... a forced fumble by rookie safety David Sims. And yeah, that was the highlight. To be fair, they kept the Jets offense down to 17 points. I also have to tip my hat to rookie receiver Jerrel Jernigan who was returning punts for the Giants. Congratulations sir, I don't think I've never known someone to fumble the ball four times in one game. What is it with the Giants and fumbles?
Anyway, that's your week 3 round up done and dusted, which means we only have one more week of the pre-season and then ahhhhhh, real football.
But before I go I just want to touch on this week 4. A lot of people hate the pre-season and I get that. Maybe it's the aspect of looking at it from a coaching angle that interests me but I actually find week 4 the most interesting, because this is when the rookies and back ups are really competing. And I mean competing, for jobs. No gentleman's agreements. As far as pre-season goes, this is just about as intense as it gets.
Which leads me to wonder; why doesn't the NFL tap this resource more often? This league and the media frenzy that covers it is all about narratives, about weaving stories around a teams season and using the games to tell fans interesting tales about individual players or plucky underdogs. So instead of joking about the final pre-season games, why isn't the NFL making a big deal out of what is at stake.
Because there is a lot at stake.
Starting jobs for some. Back up jobs for others. Whole careers for others. By this time next week each team will be down to a roster of just 53 men heading into the season. That means some people are about to lose their job security and end up on the practice squad. Some people are about to outright lose their jobs and disappear from the NFL all together. In fact today is now Wednesday, which means teams have already begun the mandatory process of shaving down their rosters.
This - from my perspective - is serious business. One minute you're getting paid to do something you love and your full dream job is within touching distance. The next? Gone. Taken away from you without you having a real say in the matter. I just don't understand why the NFL and the networks don't hit this kind of thing up more?
I'm also really interested to see how some of the younger players get on. I'm assuming for the Broncos we'll see Tebow vs Quinn (round 3), we should get a good Blaine Gabbert vs Luke McCown fight in Jacksonville (McCown wins by utter, complete knockout). There's Christian Ponder in Minnesota. Jake Locker in Tennessee. Ryan Mallett could get a full game for New England. Two I'm really interested in are Ricky Stanzi leading the Chiefs, and Nathan Enderle leading the Bears. And that's just the quarterbacks.
There are lots of exciting young players who should get to show off their stuff in a few days time (all the games are being played on Thursday with the exception of Raiders @ Seahawks which is on Friday), along with all the desperate fringe kids and back ups fighting for jobs.
That to me makes pre-season week 4 almost as exciting as week one of the regular season. But then I'm sad like that. I'll see you guys again maybe Saturday, maybe Sunday, depending on when I have the time to recap all that action and then pick out the best of the roster cut cast offs.
Till then, enjoy the rest of your week.
Bills @ Jags; Man does Ryan Fitzpatrick look in the groove right now! 11/12 for 165 yards and 2 touchdowns. Back up Tyler Thigpen has a long way to go though, throwing 12/28 for 101 yards, a TD and 2 INT's, one of which was just plain horrible. In general the Bills offense looked good and has done now all throughout the pre-season. I'm not sure if I'm ready to jump on the growing "Bills in the 'Bowl" bandwagon just yet though. The defense still gave up 32 points, to David Garrard and Blaine Gabbert no less.
Talking of which, Gabbert threw his first TD! I'm sure the TV pundits had a great time slapping each other on the back over that one, despite Gabbert finishing 6/13 for 52 yards and also throwing a pick. Garrard wasn't a whole lot better (11/21 for 106 yards). He did manage to put on a great escape, evading three tacklers and then running four yards into the end zone. But while the crowd and the announcers were going crazy with delight, the old instinctive coaching part of me was saying "look at that ball security, it's terrible!". And it was. The only miracle on that play was that the ball wasn't stripped.
Falcons @ Steelers; Fact - Matt Ryan looks like a pro, with clean footwork and a great throwing motion. Fact - he doesn't always play like one. Fact - Throwing the ball 42 times often leads to interceptions, just through sheer numbers. Fact - This style is getting tired now.
So, Matt Ryan. 22/42, 220 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. 22 passes produced just (he says) 220 yards? That's still 10 yards per completion, but factor in the misses and that total drops to just a little over 5 yards per pass. That's not very Matt Ryan-esque, at least not on one of his good days. Conversely Ben Roethlisberger was having a great time (not involving alcohol, motorcycles, hotel rooms or bathrooms for once), going 11/16 for 214 yards and 2 TD's.
The Falcons D wasn't having such a great time. Against an offensive line that has a hard won reputation for being shaky as hell in pass protection, the Falcons defense was only able to produce 2 sacks. Still, that was one more than the Steelers. They made up some ground however with two picks.
The story for me though was centered around two young receivers, one on each side. The first was third year Falcons receiver Harry Douglas, who had a relatively quiet game for a change (3 catches for 31 yards), but hustled back hard after a Kevin Kolb interception to make the tackle on Lawrence Timmons. Kid looks good and could be the perfect foil for Roddy White (8 catches, 101 yards and a TD).
On the Steelers side I'm looking at 2nd year receiver Antonio Brown (4 catches, 137 yards, 2 TDs). We saw last year that the kid has some talent and against the Falcons he looked like he had speed to burn. He played in 9 games last year with no starts. Expect an appearance game one this year, along with a big season ahead.
Dolphins @ Buccaneers; Chad Henne looking... good? What? 10/13 for 175 yards and a TD. Not bad. Certainly an improvement over the struggling pre-season performances we've seen prior to this. A Big part of that success was WR Brandon Marshall, who caught 2 passes (actually three, but he fumbled one) for 90 yards and a TD. Marshall looked strong, driven, and very much back to his best. If he can keep that up for another 16 games the Dolphins might be in with a shout. Well, of not finishing last in the AFC East maybe.
Josh Freeman had a more so-so game for the Buc's. 12/23 for 149 yards. But it's Rudy Carpenter kicking butt this pre-season (did I really just write that?) with 5/8 for 59 yards and a TD! The receiving corps isn't helping much though. Some nice play from rookie tight ends Daniel Hardy and Nathan Overbay, plus a long catch and run by running back LaGarrette Blount, but that's about it.
Luckily for the Buc's that defense is finally starting to live up to some of its potential - 5 sacks between them, including one each for rookies Da'Quan Bowers and George Johnson, and one for 2nd year linebacker Dekoda Watson who was on last years watch list (a 7th round pick no less).
Patriots @ Lions; The story de jour coming out of this game was the deal with Lions Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh throwing a punch at Patriots guard Logan Mankins. At the minute a lot of the big media outlets appear to be trying to string together a narrative that Suh is a dirty player etc, but I'm not really buying it.
The "throw" he was fined for the other week was pathetic and perhaps had that been any other player then nobody would have batted an eye lid. The punch in this game was for good reason (sort of), because Mankins was pulling Suh's team mate to the ground by the facemask. In fact Mankins was flagged for this very reason.
But this is what you have to love, is people taking incidents like that Suh punch completely out of context. He didn't just throw a punch at Mankins for no reason; Mankins was doing something that is widely recognised as a potential source of serious injury, hence why grabbing the face mask is considered a major penalty. But there you go.
Moving on, there was actually a proper game of football played and the Lions won it handily. Matthew Stafford was calm and precise with 12/14 for 200 yards and 2 TD's. If he can actually stay healthy this year then he looks like he's finally got a handle on that offense. Tom Brady on the opposite side looked a little rougher, with 12/22 for 145 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He also took his fair share of licks as the Lions pass rush started hitting home. Cliff Avril had two sacks and the pressure was certainly there on Brady.
Rookie Ryan Mallett had a better game in some ways finishing 9/14, but for only 65 yards. The Patriots rushing attack was also flat for the most part. Their defense did have some bright spots, notably 3rd year corner Kyle Arrington who had an interception and a sack.
Cowboys @ Vikings; It must be satisfying for the Cowboys every time they beat Donovan McNabb these days. Not least because the Cowboys aren't always that accustomed to winning. Tony Romo looked better than normal, with 15/20 for 141 yards. But it was still defense and special teams that did most of the work for the Cowboys, including three sacks and an interception, plus a blocked field goal attempt that was returned for a TD.
McNabb wasn't bad I guess. 12/18 for 164 yards, a TD and an INT, but you still get that "boom or bust" feeling out of McNabb, like he's either going to haul in a fat catch of yards - or just a few tiny minnows. Under study Joe Webb was perhaps more of the sparkler, with 4/7 for 81 yards, plus 2 scrambles for 46 yards and a TD. Rookie Christian Ponder looked surprisingly shit, with just 3/8 for 60 yards.
Adrian Peterson also saw some significant action, running for 81 yards on 14 carries, and generally looked healthy. On defense for the Vikings their were sacks for rookie linemen Christian Ballard and Cedric McKinley
Texans @ 49ers; Do I really have to cover this? Really? Are you sure? Oh c'mon!! Fuck.
So yeah, the 49ers got beaten, pounded, destroyed. It started so brightly. Matt Schaub dropped back to throw his first pass of the game, but instead of hitting the screen he gifted the ball to Ahmad Brooks who ran it back for six. At precisely this point the wheels dropped off and the 49ers dreams went careening over a cliff into the dark abyss below... shut up. This is my team, my blog, and I'll have a sulk about the 49ers shit forthcoming season if I choose to!
So yeah, the Texans. They were good I suppose. Schaub was 16/24 for 180 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. Jesus even Matt Leinart was 7/10 for 69 yards. Running back Arian Foster managed just 8 carries for 38 yards before he got up off the turf cursing and nursing (see what I did there?) his hamstring. The Texans D had 3 sacks and two interceptions.
As for the '9ers? Well first of all, how fucking lazy do you have to be to shorten "the 49ers" down to "the '9ers"? You're telling me that pronouncing the word "forty" is really that much of a hassle? Anyway, we sucked. It's that simple. Alex Smith was 2/6 for 17 yards and one of the two interceptions. Colin Kaepernick produced the other one on his way to finishing 6/16 for 52 yards.
It was a bad/boring day for the 49ers receivers as well, as not a single one of them caught more than one pass. I'm not even joking now. 8 receivers, each of whom caught one pass, with the tie for the most yards being between tight end Delanie Walker and receiver Kyle Williams - with 15 each! Wanna be careful there San Francisco, we don't want you attracting unwelcome attention as a perceived threat from the big teams now do we?
Much of the blame for the above stems from an offensive line that makes the Bears look almost good. There are some good players, but there are also some fu..freaking awful players too. Literally Mike Person bad. I need coffee.
I hate the Texans.
Bears @ Titans; Speaking of the Bears terrible O-line, look who it is! Having run for his life at times, Jay Cutler finished 13/21 for 170 yards and an interception. Back up Caleb Haine did little better, ending 9/18 for 107 yards and a pick. A bright spot of sorts was running back Matt Forte who carried 17 times for 74 yards and a TD, and receiver Earl Bennett with 6 catches for 89 yards.
The day belonged to the Titans though. Sort of. Matt Hasselbeck was 12/22 for 135 yards, but at least looked a lot quicker with his drops, reads and getting the ball out of his hands, all good signs that he's starting to get more comfortable in the Titans offense. Jake Lockers spell produced all of 2/4 for 13 yards. The Titans running game was still a little anaemic without Chris Johnson, but oddly did just enough to help the team. This time at least. Receiver Nate Washington had 4 catches for 66 yards.
The Titans D threw up a sack and two interceptions, but the hero of the day had to be rookie Titans punter Chad Cunningham. Imagine the situation; it's 4th down and 3. Your a punter and a rookie no less, who doesn't even know if they'll make it to the final roster. The ball is snapped, you catch it and do your thing. Except here comes the pressure up the middle, someone has got an arm free and your punt is blocked. Disaster!
So naturally you do the only thing that a rookie punter who is desperate to make that 53 man roster can do - you run after that thing, pick it up on the bounce, and then run it down the sideline, outflanking most of the Bears return team, before cutting back inside bravely and diving home for the first down! We'll leave out the part where you get hit before reaching the ground and promptly fumble the ball out of bounds. Because it doesn't matter! Chad Cunningham, you sir are a hero!
Seahawks @ Broncos; They've done it! The Seahawks finally have an offensive touchdown this season! Tavaris Jackson floating the ball to the back of the end zone for tight end Dominique Byrd. But that's about where the Seahawks success ended, at least on offense. Jackson finished 13/22 for 93 yards. That's right, 22 passes that snagged a whole 93 yards. And that's before we start counting sacks.
Of which the Broncos D had 5, having been revitalised somewhat since John Fox arrived (as hard as that may be to believe). Two went to rookie Von Miller, who is beginning to look like he's every bit worthy of that second overall pick. "But Chris, didn't you say he'd be terrible?" I hear you cry. "No," says I, "...alright sort of. What I said - if you actually read the post on linebackers for the 2011 draft - was that his physical talents were pretty evident, but his technique was terrible. Which it truly was. But if he could be coached out of it then he might shine. Which he has. And now he is," which I'm going to class as a draw. Sorry, 'tie'.
The Seahawks defense wasn't to be outdone, except for the fact that they were, recording four sacks between them including two for rookie defensive end Lazarius Levingston.
On offense for the Broncos it was the Kyle Orton show again, with Orton throwing 16/23 for 1 TD and 1 INT. Then it was the Tebow show! Which... lead to a sack-fumble. And then another fumble. Still, he made some nice throws, finished 6/11 for 93 yards and lead two scoring drives to win the game. So there!
Chargers @ Cardinals; Life can be cruel sometimes. Like making the Cardinals third stringers think they had the win, only to have it snatched away. I like it when life is cruel to the Cardinals. It just seems right somehow. Kevin Kolb was 11/20 for 205 yards and a TD, including hooking up with Larry Fitzgerald for an 80 yards score. And man, Fitzgerald has just signed a big new deal and in this game he showed why. Just pure, raw, talent. Just a great individual player. Back up QB Richard Bartel also had his moment in the spotlight with 8/10 for 76 yards and a TD..
Standing opposite them was Phillip Rivers who finished 18/28 for 198 yards, 2 touchdowns and a pick. In fact not just a pick, but a pick six, as Cardinals 1st round rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson finally managed to do something. The only down side was the high stepping through the end zone, which just smells like all kinds of diva. Chargers back up Billy Volek smoothed it all over though, going 9/17 for 123 yards and a TD to win the game.
Saints @ Raiders; When Chase Daniel is out throwing your starting quarterback, something is amiss. I like Chase Daniel, I think he's a great back up, and frankly given the choice of Alex Smith or Chase Daniel I'd take Daniel. But Drew Brees, 15/23 for 189 yards, while Daniel was 9/18 for 191 yards and 2 touchdowns. Something about that just looks wrong.
Oh wait I've spotted it! It's the Raiders defense giving up nearly 400 yards through the air. Plus over 100 yards on the ground. Throw in 3 sacks for the Saints defense, including two for rookie defensive tackle Swanson Miller (who?) and you have a 40-20 rout on your hands.
The only real consolation for the Raiders were that their back up quarterbacks didn't throw any interceptions to compound the problem, as well as the running of rookie back Taiwan Jones, who looked quick and read his blocks well to scamper home with 13 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown. If the Raiders can keep him, Darren McFadden and Michael Bush healthy all year then they have the makings of a good run game.
Jets @ Giants; And finally we have the traditional pre-season showdown between the New York rivals, delayed till Monday due to Hurricane Irene. Now while the storm may have passed by this point, you can always expect a storm on the field, which is exactly what we got, with Brandon Jacobs trading words with the Jets defense, then eventually trading punches with Jets rookie defensive tackle Muhammed Wilkerson.
I'm not sure which makes me laugh the most - the fact that Jacobs got into trouble again and was ejected from the game, or the fact that players persist in throwing punches at each other, despite the fact they're both wearing helmets!! Ah well, stupid is as stupid does.
Talking of which, Eli Manning; 15/30 for 200 yards and 2 interceptions. Nice going kid, you keep slugging it out. Mind you, Mark Sanchez wasn't exactly blazing on the opposite side, finishing 8/16 for 64 yards and a TD.
The Jets D produced two sacks, one for rookie linebacker Nick Bellore who really impressed me at the combine (but I saw no film of pre-draft) and one for second year corner and first round pick Kyle Wilson who was on last years watch list. About damn time he did something useful. The Jets also had two interceptions, one for the old hand Jim Leonhard and one for linebacker David Harris.
The Giants D produced... a forced fumble by rookie safety David Sims. And yeah, that was the highlight. To be fair, they kept the Jets offense down to 17 points. I also have to tip my hat to rookie receiver Jerrel Jernigan who was returning punts for the Giants. Congratulations sir, I don't think I've never known someone to fumble the ball four times in one game. What is it with the Giants and fumbles?
Anyway, that's your week 3 round up done and dusted, which means we only have one more week of the pre-season and then ahhhhhh, real football.
But before I go I just want to touch on this week 4. A lot of people hate the pre-season and I get that. Maybe it's the aspect of looking at it from a coaching angle that interests me but I actually find week 4 the most interesting, because this is when the rookies and back ups are really competing. And I mean competing, for jobs. No gentleman's agreements. As far as pre-season goes, this is just about as intense as it gets.
Which leads me to wonder; why doesn't the NFL tap this resource more often? This league and the media frenzy that covers it is all about narratives, about weaving stories around a teams season and using the games to tell fans interesting tales about individual players or plucky underdogs. So instead of joking about the final pre-season games, why isn't the NFL making a big deal out of what is at stake.
Because there is a lot at stake.
Starting jobs for some. Back up jobs for others. Whole careers for others. By this time next week each team will be down to a roster of just 53 men heading into the season. That means some people are about to lose their job security and end up on the practice squad. Some people are about to outright lose their jobs and disappear from the NFL all together. In fact today is now Wednesday, which means teams have already begun the mandatory process of shaving down their rosters.
This - from my perspective - is serious business. One minute you're getting paid to do something you love and your full dream job is within touching distance. The next? Gone. Taken away from you without you having a real say in the matter. I just don't understand why the NFL and the networks don't hit this kind of thing up more?
I'm also really interested to see how some of the younger players get on. I'm assuming for the Broncos we'll see Tebow vs Quinn (round 3), we should get a good Blaine Gabbert vs Luke McCown fight in Jacksonville (McCown wins by utter, complete knockout). There's Christian Ponder in Minnesota. Jake Locker in Tennessee. Ryan Mallett could get a full game for New England. Two I'm really interested in are Ricky Stanzi leading the Chiefs, and Nathan Enderle leading the Bears. And that's just the quarterbacks.
There are lots of exciting young players who should get to show off their stuff in a few days time (all the games are being played on Thursday with the exception of Raiders @ Seahawks which is on Friday), along with all the desperate fringe kids and back ups fighting for jobs.
That to me makes pre-season week 4 almost as exciting as week one of the regular season. But then I'm sad like that. I'll see you guys again maybe Saturday, maybe Sunday, depending on when I have the time to recap all that action and then pick out the best of the roster cut cast offs.
Till then, enjoy the rest of your week.
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