IT'S A THIN LINE

I think we can safely say that NFL players are a rare breed. They play the most violent, physically demanding game (only rivaled by Rugby in my opinion) in the world. They line up each play and run into each other with the velocity of a head on car crash. Although there are some players that I consider “soft” by NFL standards, such as my favorite whipping boy Shaun Alexander and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Bobby Carpenter (he is known as Barbie Carpenter by his teammates because of his aversion to contact), no NFL player should be considered soft in comparison to average people. The physical demands they put on their bodies is one that we can’t even begin to imagine.

National Football League players are often considered to be warriors who bravely go into battle each week. They put their bodies on the line for the love of the game, fame, fortune and fan adulation. Like most football fans, I love to see physical play. We live to see the big hit and hold those who play the game with reckless abandon in the highest regard. Physical players such as Ray Lewis, Brian Dawkins, Roy Williams (he may not be able to cover his bed with a blanket, but he will take your head off), Jared Allen, Terrell Owens, Hines Ward, Bob Sanders, and Marion Barber are all loved because of the sheer force with which they tackle, block, or run the football. They have worked hard to be known as physical players and enjoy having a reputation that strikes fear into the hearts and minds of their opponents. Taking nothing away from the aforementioned players, the MOST FEARED AND HARDEST HITTING PLAYER IN THE NFL IS SHAWNE “LIGHTS OUT” MERRIMAN OF THE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (he earned the nickname because it has been said that when you get hit by him, it is lights out for you). This guy lives for one reason and one reason only, to take off the heads of opposing offensive players on a weekly basis.

I would never question Merriman’s love of the game or his devotion to making his team the best they can be. I know that he has more heart than most players, but his recent decisions have made me wonder if he needs to go to see the wizard to get a brain. Early in training camp Merriman suffered a knee injury. He then had arthroscopic knee surgery to find out the source of the pain and correct it. Apparently the arthroscopic procedure didn’t correct the problem because Merriman has still been experiencing soreness in the knee. Merriman then had the knee checked out again and it was discovered that he has TWO TORN LIGAMENTS in his knee. This injury will require season-ending reconstructive knee surgery in order for it to heal. This is not what Merriman wanted to hear, so he decided to get a second opinion hoping that a second doctor would tell him what he wanted to hear. The next doctor gave the same prognosis as the first. Do you think Merriman decided to go ahead and sacrifice one season for the betterment of his career? Nope, he went to see another doctor. I bet you can’t guess what the third opinion was. DING! DING! DING! you are correct; he was advised by a third doctor to have the surgery. Just to be sure that his hearing is up to par Merriman decided to visit a fourth doctor, to make sure that he heard the other three correctly. Let’s recap; Shawne Merriman injured his knee and visited four different doctors who all told him to have the much needed season ending surgery. It has also been reported that without the surgery, Merriman is one hit to the knee away from suffering a career ending injury. With all that in mind, I bet you think that Merriman is scheduled for knee surgery in the near future. WRONG!!!! he is planning to skip the surgery and play this season with two torn knee ligaments. This is an injury that would keep most of us with office jobs out of work for a while, and he is going to play football through it. I just don’t get it.

No one will ever doubt the fact that Merriman is indeed a warrior, but he must learn that THERE IS A THIN LINE BETWEEN BEING A WARRIOR AND BEING AN IDIOT!!!! The San Diego Chargers are an excellent football team. To be completely honest they will win their division and are legitimate Super Bowl contenders with or without Merriman (although they are clearly better with him). I am sure that Shawne knows this too, which is why I am sure that the fact that he plays on a potential Super Bowl team is strongly affecting his terrible judgment. Even with that in mind he must see the big picture. He is only 24 years old and there is no reason for him to jeopardize the rest of his career to play one season, which he potentially might not be able to finish. What could possibly be his motivation?

For those who are not familiar with Shawne Merriman, I will quickly put into perspective just how good he is. He has played three seasons and is a three-time Pro Bowler. He also has 39.5 sacks during these three seasons (Do you realize how ridiculous this is?) He is arguably THE BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER IN THE NFL. What is really stupid about the situation is the fact that he will be free agent after the 2009 season. You would think that he would want to be 100% healthy going into the ’09 season, when he will in all likelihood sign a contract that would make him the HIGHEST PAID DEFENSIVE PLAYER IN NFL HISTORY (if healthy). His stupidity could possibly cost him a lot of STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!!

What is really disturbing about this whole situation is the fact that the San Diego Chargers have done nothing to talk him out of this stupid decision. They are actually standing behind his decision. That really tells you the type of organization they are. They obviously don’t care about their player’s well being. How could he possibly want to jeopardize his career for a franchise that seems to be more than willing to let him jeopardize his career for them? Note to Shawne: If they are not trying to convince you to do what is best for you long-term, they are not worth you risking you body and your future earning potential for. They are not the only team in the NFL and if they are not willing to pay you what you deserve when you become a free-agent, thirty-one other teams will be more than willing to.

Could someone please tell this idiot that the NFL does not really stand for National Football League and that in reality it stands for NOT FOR LONG. This is a league that does not give guaranteed contracts to its players, and routinely terminates the contracts of players that they no longer feel is worth the money. This should tell you that if you choose to play and are not at your best it is a very good chance that you will be out of the league. If you don’t believe me, ask Terrell Davis. With that in mind, why on earth would you risk your long term health for a chance to be re-injured and discarded with the trash?

We have established that Merriman is clearly not thinking, but where are his advisors and the people that should have his best interest in mind. Why won’t family members tell him that they do not want to see him suffer an injury that could make him a subject of a Real Sports story on devastating football injuries? Does he not have an agent? Not only is his agent paid to look out for his best interest, but he also has a direct financial stake in Merriman’s future. If he plays through the pain and suffers a career-ending injury, his agent can definitely kiss his percentage from the next contract good-bye. Also, where are his teammates? Players often look out for the financial best interests of their teammates and other players in the league. Why hasn’t one of them sat him down and explained to him how incredibly stupid it is for him to play one season injured and sacrifice 12 more down the line.

We must remember that Shawne Merriman is a 24 year old football player. This is all that he knows, and maybe it is the fear of not knowing what to do without football that is driving this idiotic decision. Whatever the case may be, it is time for someone to step in and protect him from himself. The Chargers, or better yet the NFL should step in and force him to do the right thing. The Chargers can end all of this foolishness by simply putting him on IR (he would be out for the season and there would be nothing that he could do about it). However, that does not seem likely. It is now time for the dictator that is Roger Goodell to step up and do what he says he intends to do, which is to do what is best for the game. He wants the NFL to have a positive image in the minds of America. If that is the case step up and protect this kid from himself. If he doesn’t, America might just think that the NFL is a league that doesn’t even consider its players to be people. It would appear that the league sees the players as interchangeable parts running around on the field to entertain and make billionaire owners even more money (which is the truth, but I’m sure Goodell doesn’t want the public thinking that). Is that really the best image for the league? It is very obvious that Goodell has no problems suspending or banning players, I think that it is time for him to step up and protect a player. Even if it means protecting him from himself.


****NOTE****
We are now only 4 days away from kickoff. As T.O likes to say, "Get your popcorn ready." I CAN'T WAIT!!!!


****NON-SPORTS RELATED THOUGHT****
For the past couple of weeks I have been counting down the days to the kickoff of the NFL season. There is also another countdown that I will begin starting this week. With the situation that America is currently in, we are now approaching the most important Presidential Election of my lifetime and possibly the lifetime of many of my readers. I would like for everyone reading this blog (that has not done so already) to REGISTER TO VOTE!!!! After that, I would like for everyone to take it one step further and actually go out and VOTE ON NOVEMBER 4th!!!!

It is totally up to you to decide who to vote for. The important thing is to let your voice be heard and participate in the process to determine who will lead us for the next four years.

We are now 65 days away from choosing the next President of the United States, and I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

PICKING WINNERS

Every preseason, NFL fans and analysts attempt to predict how the upcoming season will unfold. They often base these predictions on such factors as how teams finished up the previous season, what players were added or subtracted from each team, how well each team did in the draft, and who is coaching the teams. These are all ways that people make educated predictions. Then you have those who make decisions based solely on emotions. This is when you hear phrases like, “The rebuilding is finally over and we are ready to make the playoffs” (Lions fans). You also hear, “Our defense is great, all we need is consistent QB play and our defense will carry us to the Super Bowl” (Bears and Ravens fans). Then my personal favorite is the “if” fan. This guy invents a way for his pathetic team to have a chance in the upcoming season. For instance, “If Brodie Croyle plays like Peyton Manning and if Larry Johnson returns to form, and if our defense play up to their potential and be the best unit in the league, the Kansas City Chiefs will be playing in Tampa on February 1st” (Chiefs fans). Let’s be honest we all like to put on our prognosticator hat and predict what will happen in the upcoming season. It’s fun and if you are correct, you feel like a genius. If you’re wrong, who cares because the people who will point out to you that you were wrong, were probably just as wrong or even more wrong than you were. No matter what happens we all tend to look back at the season and find some way to make our initial predictions seem as though they were right.

Each season, I challenge a couple of my friends who are also huge NFL fans to put our picks in writing and review how well we did at the end of the season. In the past we have done pretty well. For instance, during the 2007 NFL draft I boldly predicted that the New England Patriots would have a perfect regular season and win the Super Bowl. Everyone thought that no team would go through a regular season undefeated and questioned my sanity. Although they did eventually lose the Super Bowl, I was very proud of my prediction about the perfect season. I was also correct in boldly stating that former MVP Shaun Alexander would absolutely suck once he got a new lucrative contract from the Seattle Seahawks (He will be watching this season from home just like you and me). Another surprisingly accurate pick occurred when one of my friends boldly picked DeMeco Ryans to win the 2006 Defensive Rookie of the Year and he was correct.

I have decided this season to up the ante. Instead of simply putting my picks for the 2008 season down on paper, I have decided to make them available for the entire world to see. (If you are confident enough to do the same, please post them in the comments section. You don’t have to pick everything, just the categories that you feel comfortable putting your name and reputation on.)

I hope everyone enjoyed the series of posts ranking various NFL positions and units. I had a lot of fun doing it and the feedback and comments I received were awesome. They were all leading up to this moment. My friends and I pick EVERYTHING including team standings and rankings, individual awards and rankings, and we even make a BOLD PREDICTION about the upcoming season.

IT IS NOW TIME TO MAKE MY 2008 NFL PICKS!!!! Sit back, enjoy, and get your comments ready.

****NOTE****
These picks were very difficult to make because they were made according to what I think will happen and not what I hope will happen. I tried very hard not to let emotions or “fandom” interfere with my thinking while making these picks.

MY 2008 NFL PICKS ARE A FOLLOWS….

DIVISIONAL STANDINGS:
NFC SOUTH
1. Saints
2. Buccaneers
3. Panthers
4. Falcons

NFC EAST
1. Cowboys
2. Eagles
3. Redskins
4. Giants

NFC NORTH
1. Vikings
2. Packers
3. Lions
4. Bears

NFC WEST
1. Cardinals
2. Seahawks
3. Rams
4. 49er’s

AFC SOUTH
1. Colts
2. Jaguars
3. Texans
4. Titans

AFC EAST
1. Patriots
2. Bills
3. Jets
4. Dolphins

AFC NORTH
1. Browns
2. Bengals
3. Steelers
4. Ravens

AFC WEST
1. Chargers
2. Raiders
3. Broncos
4. Chiefs


PLAYOFF TEAMS:
NFC
1. Cowboys
2. Saints
3. Vikings
4. Cardinals
5. Eagles
6. Redskins

NFC Championship Game:
Cowboys v/s Vikings


AFC
1. Colts
2. Chargers
3. Patriots
4. Browns
5. Jaguars
6. Texans

AFC Championship Game:
Colts v/s Patriots

Super Bowl:
Colts v/s Cowboys

Super Bowl Champion:
Colts


TEAM RANKINGS:
#1 Offense (Highest Scoring):
Colts

#32 Offense (Lowest Scoring):
Chiefs

#1 Defense (Fewest Points Allowed):
Vikings

#32 Defense (Most Points Allowed):
Rams

Most Special Teams Touchdowns:
Bears

Best Regular Season Record:
Colts

Worst Regular Season Record:
Falcons


INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:
MVP:
Peyton Manning

Offensive Player of the Year:
Peyton Manning

Defensive Player of the Year:
DeMarcus Ware

Offensive Rookie of the Year:
Darren McFadden

Defensive Rookie of the Year:
Curtis Lofton

Coach of the Year:
Brad Childress


INDIVIDUAL LEADERS:
Passing Yards:
Carson Palmer

Passing TD’s:
Peyton Manning

Rushing Yards:
Adrian Peterson

Rushing TD’s:
LaDanien Tomlinson

Receiving Yards:
Chad Johnson

Receiving TD’s:
Randy Moss

Sacks:
DeMarcus Ware

Interceptions:
Antonio Cromartie

Tackles:
Patrick Willis

Defensive TD’s:
Antonio Cromartie

BOLD PREDICTIONS:
1. Marion Barber and Felix Jones of the Dallas Cowboys will both rush for at least 1,000 yards this season.
2. Brett Favre will throw more interceptions than touchdowns.

These picks are just one man’s opinions and predictions about the upcoming NFL season. I know that many of you will disagree with many of my picks. If you do, please comment and let me know. There is only one condition, if you disagree with one of my picks you must tell me who you would pick in their place and why. Also, if you have any questions about why I have picked a certain team or player in a particular place, simply ask me in your comment and I will reply with my reason. I look forward to hearing from you.

****NOTE****
We are now only 11 days away from the season opening kickoff. Get your popcorn ready. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS

The cliché “Defense Wins Championships” is very true in the NFL. If you don’t believe me, take a look back at the SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS OF THE PAST. There have been cases where a dominant defense has carried an awful offense to a Super Bowl Championship (i.e. the 2000 Ravens), but never has a great offense carried an awful defense to a championship. To win a Super Bowl you have to have at least an average defense no matter how good your offense is. Look at the prolific Colts offense during the Peyton Manning era. They had a championship caliber offense for many years, but did not win the championship until their defense began to play lights out in the post-season of their championship season. We all know that Carson Palmer and the Bengals have an offense good enough to get to the Super Bowl, but the defense is holding them back. I am sure that every team in the NFL would love to have the Colts offense and the Chargers defense, but in the salary-cap era, that is just not possible. You must be smart and spend your money wisely. A good franchise will spend the vast majority of their money on one side of the ball and then have a core group joined by interchangeable parts on the other side of the ball.

Whether you consider yourself a defensive team or not, you had better be good enough on that side of the ball to prevent the opponent from scoring more points than your offense can score. There are some dominant defenses in the NFL, then there are some very good ones. A large group of NFL defenses are average, and then there are those who couldn’t stop their car at a red-light.

Below you will find my rankings for all 32 NFL defenses. As I did with the quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receiver/tight end units, I have ranked these defenses on the basis of who I would want to be the defense of my team. I did not study last season’s defensive rankings or this years projected rankings. I simply looked at the personnel and skill set of each unit to decide which team I thought had the best defense. This is the last entry in my series of NFL rankings, so enjoy. BE SURE TO TUNE IN NEXT WEEK, WHEN I WILL BE MAKING MY PICKS (TEAM & INDIVIDUAL) FOR THE UPCOMING NFL SEASON.

Without further ado, my rankings are as follows….

1. San Diego Chargers – This may be the best defense the league has seen since the 2000 Baltimore Ravens (note: I am not saying that they are better than the 2000 Ravens, simply the best since). The reason that I have this defense ranked #1 is because they have truly dominant players at all three levels of the defense. Their defensive line is led by Jamal Williams, who is THE BEST NOSE TACKLE IN THE NFL. He is simply a space-eating immovable object in the middle of the line. He eats up blockers and allows the linebackers to run free to make plays. They also have one of the best 3-4 defensive ends in Luis Castillo. The outside linebacker tandem of Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips is absolutely scary and arguably the best outside linebacker tandem in the NFL. Look for their front seven to hold a lot of team meetings at the quarterback this season. I know for a fact that they cause a lot of sleepless nights for offensive coordinators and quarterbacks. It doesn’t end there. In the secondary they have Antonio Cromartie, who I believe is a top 5 NFL cornerback. Quentin Jammer mans the other corner and he is also a very good player. Their third corner is Paul Oliver. Although he is yet to make a name for himself in the NFL, we must keep in mind that he played Calvin Johnson man-to-man, better than anyone in college football during his time at the University of Georgia. Therefore, I am expecting big things from him. This defensive unit is absolutely frightening and I would hate to have to play against them. They cover the field with athletes that can make big plays at any given time. Having a unit this talented means that any mistake made by the opposing offense is likely to end up being six points for the Chargers.

2. Minnesota Vikings – Over the past couple of seasons, the Minnesota Vikings defense was the best in the league against the run and very average against the pass. This was because they did not have an elite pass-rusher on the roster. Therefore teams would simply not try to run against them and beat them with the pass. That will no longer be an option, thanks in large part to the trade that brought them Jared Allen. Allen is one of the best defensive ends in football, and can be penciled in for double-digit sacks each season. The Vikings have a very good group of linebackers, solid cornerbacks, and very good safeties. Yet none of that will matter because they have the most dominant defensive line in the NFL. When your line is this good, everyone playing them looks that much better. It will be hard for any team to run or pass against them.

3. Indianapolis Colts – This is no longer simply an offensive team. The Colts have a very undersized and lightening quick defense that plays Tony Dungy’s “Tampa Two” perfectly. It took a few years, but Dungy has finally gotten this roster stocked with players with the proper skill sets to play his defense. They are led by arguably the best defensive end in the NFL in Dwight Freeney and Demond “Bob” Sanders THE BEST STRONG SAFETY IN THE NFL (yes, that even includes you Mr. Polamalu). This defense has no weakness and is equally good at stopping the pass and the run. It is also very rare that they give up the big play. What makes this defense great is the fact that they run fast, hit hard, and are always in the right position to make plays.

4. Baltimore Ravens – This defense has been one of the best in the league for a very long time. Just take a second and think about the number of defensive coaches that once coached this group in Baltimore that are now NFL Head Coaches. The list includes Marvin Lewis, Jack Del Rio, Mike Nolan, and Mike Smith. That is absolutely ridiculous because all of these coaches were defensive assistants since the 2000 season and 8 years later they are all Head Coaches. Ray Lewis is definitely the heart and soul of this unit. Although many people feel as though he has lost a step or two (count me in that group), he is still playing a Pro Bowl level. That really puts in perspective how good he was in his prime. Like the Chargers they are also good at all three levels of the defense. They have Haloti Ngata and Trevor Price on the line. The linebacker core includes Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, and Terrell Suggs. They have a great cornerback tandem in Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle. Also in the secondary they have the very underrated Dawan Landry at strong safety playing alongside their best player and THE BEST FREE SAFETY IN THE NFL, Ed Reed. He is the human playmaking machine. The only thing keeping this unit from being ranked #1 is age. Although Lewis, Rolle, and McAlister are all great players, they are also all on the wrong side of 30.

5. Dallas Cowboys – This defense is very similar to the Charger’s defense. They have a stout defensive line led by Marcus Spears and Chris Canty. Behind that line is an absolutely scary group of linebackers which consists of DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis, Bradie James, and the ageless wonder Zach Thomas. In the secondary they have Terrance Newman at one corner who is an elite cornerback. Opposite him, they will have Adam “Don’t call me Pacman” Jones. All of his troubles and off the field issues are well-documented. He totally deserved his “forced vacation” from the NFL. With all of that being said, I think that people forget that he is one heck of a football player. He along with Newman will make up one of the top 5 cornerback tandems in the NFL. To help Adam reach his potential and stay out of trouble, I suggest that Jerry Jones installs “poles” in the locker room of the new billion dollar stadium that he is building. That way he will always know where Adam is during his free time. After reading all of glowing things that I have said about the Cowboy’s defense, you may wonder why I don’t have them ranked even higher (although #5 is very high). They aren’t ranked any higher because Roy Williams is in their defensive backfield. Although Roy may be the hardest hitting safety in the NFL, he leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to his coverage skills. He can be singled out and picked on by opposing offensive coordinators and is really the weakest-link of this defense. I think Randy Cross of Sirius NFL Radio (the best radio on radio) summed up Roy Williams best by saying, “For a safety, he is a heck of a linebacker.”

6. Tennessee Titans – The Titans are another team that can control an entire football game simply on the strength of their defensive line. Kyle Vanden Bosch and Albert Haynesworth are so good that teams will not even be paying attention to the newly re-acquired Javon Kearse. They also have very good linebackers and cornerbacks. Their defense is anchored by Chris Hope, who is a stud of a safety.

7. Green Bay Packers – Now that the Diva has left the building, people are about to realize just how good the rest of the Green Bay Packers are. They have one of the best and most underrated defenses in the NFL. Having Charles Woodson and Al Harris at cornerback are a defensive coordinators dream. When you have two corners that can cover elite receivers man-to-man, the defense is able to use all types of blitz packages to get to the quarterback. Having elite corners also allow the safeties to have a great deal of freedom to simply run around and make plays against the run or the pass. Their defensive line is very good and their group of linebackers led by Nick Barnett, is one of the top 4-3 groups in the league. This is simply a very good defense that people are finally about to notice. Another key player on this defense is strong safety Atari Bigby. Keep an eye on him, he is a very good player that no one has heard of. He is simply a playmaker.

8. Philadelphia Eagles – The only thing better than having two shut-down corners, is having three. The Eagles easily have the best trio of cornerbacks in the league in Asante Samuel, Lito Sheppard, and Sheldon Brown. This is really important because most teams use three wide-receivers regularly, therefore your third cornerback often plays more plays per game than one of your starting linebackers. These three are joined in the secondary by Brian Dawkins, who has been in Philly so long that it feels like he played there with Randall Cunningham. The defensive line and linebackers are also very solid. The Eagles should have a very good defense as they usually do.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars – Some might wonder how I have a defense ranked in the top ten that does not have a lot of household names. Outside of John Henderson and Mike Peterson there aren’t a lot of household names on this defense (and some would argue that even they aren’t household names). Although they lack “star” power, this is the biggest, most physical, hardest hitting defense in the NFL. To use an old sports saying, “This is one group of players that look good getting off of the bus,” meaning that they look physically imposing. Not only do they look it, beat you up and impose their will on you. They play no-nonsense football and simply bully the opposing offense into submission. Also, pay attention to starting free-safety Reggie Nelson. He is a star in the making. Once people notice him, maybe they will pay attention and notice the rest of the defense.

10. Chicago Bears – This is a defensive unit that is simply wasting their prime years playing on a team with a dreadful quarterback situation. Although the best days for this current collection of players is clearly behind them, this is still a very good defense that is capable of winning a Super Bowl if they played with an average offense and simply a competent quarterback.

11. New York Giants – The Giants proved last season that DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS. Their defense played well during the regular season but turned it up a notch during the playoffs and played lights out football. They turned it up another notch during the Super Bowl and applied pressure to Tom Brady like he had never seen before (I don’t think that the Patriots had the signals for that game). You may wonder why I have them ranked so low if they played so well during their playoff run. The answer to that is simple. First of all they were never as good as they were in the playoffs during the regular season and they do not have the type of defensive unit that can sustain that level of play over a 16 game season. They also lost three key players to free-agency or retirement. Gibril Wilson will be hard to replace at strong safety where he played surprisingly well last season. In fact he played so well that the Oakland Raiders decided to give him a six-year $39 million contract that includes $16 million of STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! They must also replace linebacker Kiwika Mitchell. Although he is not a star, he is a solid player who knows how to play football and is very rarely out of position to make the correct play. The retirement of Michael Strahan will also have an effect on this unit. They still have Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck at defensive end, who are both great players. Having Strahan with these two last season gave them the best rotation in the league. They could also put all three on the field together in obvious passing situations. That gave opposing offensive lines nightmares. Two great defensive ends are nice to have, but having three is much better.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – This is where the “Tampa Two” defense earned its name and they still play it just as good as anyone in the league. Although they clearly have some great players that are nearing the end of their career, such as Derrick Brooks and Ronde Barber. They have done an excellent job of always having a good mix of older and younger players on the field together. This creates continuity in the unit because they never are forced to start over with a lot of first time starters. Although they do have great players (i.e. Brooks, Barber, Cato June, Barrett Rudd, Jermaine Phillips, and Chris Hovan), the system here is so good that you can almost plug in 11 average defenders and the defense would still be very good.

13. Seattle Seahawks – This unit has some great players led by Lofa Tatupu, Patrick Kerney, Julian Peterson, and Marcus Trufant. They would be a top ten unit except for the glaring weaknesses that they have in the secondary outside of Trufant. Cornerback Kelly Jennings is a decent player but is not a shut-down corner or a playmaker. Their safeties are also very average. Fortunately for them they have a great defensive line (which is why they are ranked in the top fifteen) that covers up a lot of their deficiencies in the secondary.

14. Washington Redskins – This is a good group as a whole, but they do have some glaring weaknesses. One weakness is their third cornerback, Fred Smoot. He was once a pretty good player, but he simply hasn’t been the same since Chad Johnson made him look like a backup Junior Varsity defensive back during the 2005 season. He has been a scrub ever since that day. Due to the tragic and unfortunate death of Sean Taylor, there has been a gaping hole at free safety. LaRon Landry is a stud at strong safety, but he definitely misses having a Pro Bowler beside him at the other safety position. Their group of linebackers are also less that spectacular outside of the tackling machine, London Fletcher. On the positive side, they did add Jason Taylor to rush the passer which should pay huge dividends and make their already good corners (Shawn Springs and Carlos Rogers) even better.

15. Oakland Raiders – Although this is a dysfunctional organization, they have managed to put together a pretty good defense. I will admit that the defensive line is less than stellar outside of stud defensive end Derrick Burgess, but the secondary will be one of the best in the league. Nnamdi Asomugha and DeAngelo Hall make up a very good cornerback tandem. They are joined in the defensive backfield by Michael Huff and Gibril Wilson. Basically, it will be very difficult to pass against this defense this season. Especially with Derrick Burgess applying pressure up front. Their linebackers are also very good, especially Thomas Howard. Trust me, the Oakland Raiders will be much improved this year and this defense will be a big reason why.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers – I know that I am going to upset a lot of people for ranking the Steelers defense this low (I look forward to your comments), but if I had them any higher I would be basing my opinion of them on their reputation and not on their actual players. The linebackers are very good as they always are in Pittsburgh. They also have Troy Polamalu who IS THE SECOND BEST STRONG SAFETY IN THE NFL. After that is where we begin to see problems. Ike Taylor and Deshea Townsend are average cornerbacks at best and their defensive line simply does not impress me. Trust me having average corners and an average line is not a good combination. It also equals a very average defense, which is why they are ranked 16th.

17. Arizona Cardinals – The strength of this defense lies in their safeties. As a last line of defense they have Adrian Wilson who is the MOST UNDERRATED STRONG SAFETY IN THE NFL and Antrel Rolle at free safety. Also look for rookie cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to make plenty of big plays. Outside of the secondary they are simply a solid unit everywhere else that could turn out to be pretty good if everyone plays to the best of their ability and plays within the system.

18. New England Patriots – Like the Steelers, I am also awaiting comments complaining about how low I have them ranked. Let’s call a spade a spade and all admit that outside of Asante Samuel, they were not very good last season. The offense scored a lot of points, and a lot of times the defense gave up almost as many points. Brady and Moss really helped to keep the attention off of the poor play of the defense. Oh yeah, Asante has left the building. Not only did Asante leave, but Randall Gay also decide to leave for greener pastures. So that leaves them with Fernando Bryant and Ellis Hobbs at cornerback. They are backed up by Jason Webster and Lewis Sanders. That foursome doesn’t even strike fear into the heart of Alex Smith or Rex Grossman. (Don’t be surprised if they try to sign Ty Law after training camp is over, which is when he said that he would sign with a team). To go with their corners they have two senior citizens in Rodney Harrison and newly signed John Lynch at safety. These two should definitely be doing AARP commercials by now. Enough about the secondary, let’s talk about the linebackers. They did draft Jerod Mayo to play one inside linebacker position. He should be a stud. This acquisition also allows them to move Adalius Thomas back to his natural position of outside linebacker. Even with that being said we have to wonder just how much Mike Vrabel and Tedy Buschi have left. The defensive line, however, is still very good. Basically it is age and the pathetic cornerbacks that force me to rank them this low.

19. Houston Texans – They have a young and very good defensive line led by Amobi Okoye and Mario Williams. They also picked up Rosevelt Colvin, who should pay huge dividends. In addition to the young defensive line, they also have DeMeco Ryans at middle linebacker (he has 283 solo and assisted tackles in just 2 NFL seasons). The problem with this unit is the secondary. As a whole it is very average.

20. Buffalo Bills – This is a defense that plays hard and plays well together. The sum of the whole is definitely better than its individual parts. They did acquire Marcus Stroud to play defensive tackle, which should improve this unit. Although they don’t look very good on paper, this is a good unit that will cause a lot of problems this season.

21. San Francisco 49er’s – This unit has talent, but I think that the coaching really holds them back. Head Coach Mike Nolan is supposed to be a defensive guru, but he has proven that he is not. They have a very good secondary with Nate Clements, Walt Harris, and Michael Lewis. Patrick Willis is a tackling machine at middle-linebacker. They also acquired Justin Smith who is an upgrade at defensive end. The bottom line is that this unit does not play up to its talent level, which is never a good thing.

22. New York Jets – This is a good solid defense led by strong safety Kerry Rhodes. They are simply solid everywhere. They have solid corners in Justin Miller and Derrelle Revis and a solid group of linebackers. I am interested to see how big of an impact first-round draft pick Vernon Gholston has, because I view him as a potential bust. I think that he was picked too high for a player who doesn’t seem to give great effort all of the time. He is going to quickly realize that the NFL is not the BIG 10. He will face the SEC type speed that killed Ohio State the previous two BCS Championship games, on a weekly basis. As opposed to the BIG 10 type speed (or lack of speed) that Ohio State dominated. I have a feeling that he will have many “Welcome to the NFL” moments this season. All in all this is a solid defense that should give their offense a chance to win games.

23. St. Louis Rams – The defensive line is definitely the strength of this unit. Hopefully Chris Long aka “Howie’s Kid” can live up to the lofty expectations of being the #2 overall pick (Hopefully, for the Rams sake he turns out to be a better #2 pick than Ronnie Brown). The linebackers are average and the secondary is good. This is not a spectacular defense, but they are solid.

24. New Orleans Saints – It’s a good thing that they have such a prolific offense because this is one under-achieving defensive unit. You would think that a team that has Will Smith, Charles Grant, and Hollis Thomas on the defensive line would be much better. They did draft Sedrick Ellis to fortify the line, which was a very good draft pick. He should be very good in this league for a very long time. Their linebackers outside of Jonathan Vilma are less than average and the secondary is filled with question marks. Mike McKenzie is a good player, but is also a 32 year old corner back coming off a knee injury. Jason David CAN’T PLAY MAN-TO-MAN COVERAGE as Peyton Manning pointed out during last season’s opening game and the rest of the opposing quarterbacks pointed out the rest of the season. They did bring in Randall Gay who must prove that he is as good as he played in the New England system.

25. Denver Broncos – This defense has three great players in Champ Bailey, Dre Bly, and DJ Williams. Everywhere else they are slightly less than average at best. They are not very good at rushing the passer and are the amongst the league worst at stopping the run (they really miss Al Wilson). When you are a team that can’t stop the run, it doesn’t matter how good your corners are because they are spending all game chasing down running backs who have broken through the front seven. Looking at this roster, I am not optimistic that things will be any different this season.

26. Carolina Panthers – Two years ago, I would have never ranked this defense this low. My how have things have changed. My first question to the Panthers defense is, “Will the real Julius Peppers please stand up?” What happened to him last season? HE WAS ABSOLUELTY AWFUL. Can he return to form? Their once dominant pass-rush is non-existent. The linebackers and safeties are very average at best. Although Chris Gamble and Ken Lucas are pretty good corners, the lack of a pass rush leaves them exposed and gives quarterbacks way too much time to find a receiver. No corner can cover forever. If given enough time a receiver will always find a way to get open.

27. Cleveland Browns – This is a unit that is overshadowed by their offense and rightfully so. They are very fortunate to have such a good offense that can win games even when they give up 30 points. They added Shaun Rogers to play nose tackle which should be an upgrade. Their linebackers are solid, but their secondary is among the league’s worst. In order to get Rogers, they had to give up Leigh Bodden who was by far their best defensive back. This is also a potential landing spot for Ty Law once training camp is over. If this unit can play well, look for Cleveland to make a lot of noise.

28. Atlanta Falcons – Don’t expect much from this unit this year. They have a stud linebacker in Michael Boley, and they still have the solid Keith Brooking (I still can’t figure out how this average player is a five-time Pro Bowler). At safety Lawyer Milloy is still a solid player although his best days are clearly behind him. Grady Jackson and the oft-injured John Abraham should make the defensive line pretty decent. This defense is nothing to get excited about, which explains why they are ranked 28th.

29. Kansas City Chiefs – Glenn Dorsey will improve this defense immediately. Too bad there isn’t much else to be excited about. Linebacker Derrick Johnson is also a very good player.

30. Miami Dolphins – This is a team that is lacking in talent, but will play above their talent level. Although they are ranked 30th on this list, don’t expect them to finish the season 30th. They will give maximum effort and never take a play off, although they are talent challenged.

31. Detroit Lions – This defense is simply a work in process. They have two solid pieces in linebacker Ernie Sims and cornerback Leigh Bodden.

32. Cincinnati Bengals – Although THEY ARE THE WORST DEFENSE IN THE NFL, they have a very opportunistic secondary. They always find a way to get interceptions and recover fumbles. However, the secondary is not good enough to overcome the horrible defensive line and the dreadful linebackers. Hopefully Marvin Lewis and Mike Zimmer can coach this unit up becasuse their personnel is not very good. I hope that Carson, Chad, TJ, and company are prepared to score 35 points a game, because they will need to do so to be successful.

I am sure that many of you will disagree with where I have some of these defenses ranked, and I welcome all comments. Also remember, that I did not use any defensive rankings to determine the order of this list. I simply based this list on which team’s defensive unit would I want on my team. If you disagree, please tell me why, but without using last season’s stats or rankings.

****NOTE****
KICKOFF IS GETTING CLOSER, WE ARE NOW ONLY 18 DAYS AWAY!!!!

DON'T GET BEAT DEEP

“DON’T GET BEAT DEEP!” is a phrase that secondary coaches all over the NFL yell out to their players repeatedly. No one ever wants to get beat deep. Especially in the day and age of YouTube, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN News, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN Deportes, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN U, ESPN Left, ESPN Right, ESPN UP, ESPN Down, ESPN Red, ESPN Blue, OK you get the idea, where highlights are running or available for viewing or download 24-hours a day. Basically, getting beat deep automatically makes you a finalist to make a cameo appearance as “The Other Guy” in a Sportscenter Top 10 play. Although it is embarrassing, getting beat deep is a part of life for an NFL defensive back. Due to the fact that NFL receivers are so talented, and NFL quarterbacks are so accurate, every DB is bound to get beat. All that they can do is hope that they make more plays than they give up. There are those who can say that they have gone toe to toe with elite NFL receivers and won more than they lost. These players include Champ Bailey, Ed Reed, Al Harris, and Terrence Newman just to name a few. Then on the other hand, you have those that have been embarrassed more times than not by elite receivers. This list includes the likes of Fred Thomas, Brian Scott, and Roy Williams (of the Dallas Cowboys). I believe a caller on a radio show said it best by saying that, “Roy Williams gets burnt more than a pack of Newports.”

The majority of the big plays that take place in the NFL come as a result of the passing game. As a result of this fact, the game of football has changed dramatically in recent years. One main difference is in offensive formations. Instead of the traditional one or two wide receiver sets, a lot of teams now use three receivers regularly. They even go as far as to use four or five on some occasions. The rules have also changed in an attempt to allow offenses to make more big plays. Defensive backs are not allowed to touch receivers more than 5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, which basically allows receivers to run free. Also, don’t forget about the rules protecting quarterbacks who are basically untouchable in today’s NFL. All of these concessions have been made in order to allow teams to score more points. People love high-flying, high-scoring football. As a wise man once said, “Defense may win championships, but offense is what sells tickets.”

Most people agree that there are a lot of great wide receivers and tight ends playing in the NFL today. That fact is not debatable, but what is debatable is just who are the best wide receivers and tight ends currently in the game. Below you will find my attempt at answering this question. I took a slightly different approach to compiling these rankings than I did when ranking the quarterbacks and running backs. Instead of ranking the individual starters for the 32 NFL teams, I decided to rank the team’s wide receivers and tight ends as a group. I feel that this is the only fair way to consider them, because it is the unit as a whole that gives the quarterback a chance to be a successful passer. The entire unit is also considered when designing game plans and also freeing up each other to make plays.

As with the quarterbacks and running backs, I compiled these rankings without the use of any stats. Using stats would indirectly bring into account such factors as the quality of the quarterback that they play with, the quality of their offensive line, the quality of their running game, and the creativity of their offensive coordinators and/or their head coaches. Considering these factors would prevent me from considering the receivers and tight ends based on talent along. These rankings are not based on the 2007 season or any 2008 projections. I simply asked myself, “If I were starting a team today, who would I want on the receiving end of my quarterback’s passes?”

Without further ado, my rankings are as follows….

1. New England Patriots – Looking at Jabar Gaffney, Wes Welker, and Ben Watson, you might think that I am crazy for having them #1 on this list. Don’t get me wrong, these are all good to very good players but they are not the reason that I have them ranked #1. The reason they are #1 is none other than the most talented receiver to ever play in the NFL, RANDY MOSS. Randy Moss is so good that the Patriots would have still been #1 if the players playing alongside him were Freddie Mitchell, Michael Jenkins, and Zach Miller. Moss is the reason that Jerry Rice played so long. Rice knew that he had to pad his records because if Moss decides that he wants to, he can shatter all of them. You may disagree with who I have ranked numbers two through thirty-two, but number one is not up for discussion. Simply because of RANDY MOSS. He capable of doing things on the football field that no one else has the physical ability to do. Most top receivers can occasionally be stopped by double coverage, but not Moss. As a matter of fact I have seen him routinely beat triple coverage and still make the spectacular catch. HE IS THE BEST, HANDS DOWN!!!!

2. Indianapolis Colts – Taking nothing away from the skills or talent of Peyton Manning, we must all admit that he has been blessed with a dream team of players to catch his passes. He has two legit number one receivers on the outside in Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. In addition to that he has Anthony Gonzalez manning the slot and the match-up nightmare, Dallas Clark at tight end. Honestly, with that group of players Jim Sorgi could play quarterback and win 8 games.

3. Arizona Cardinals – Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin are both two-time Pro Bowl selections and have both had 100 catch seasons. As a matter of fact they have both caught over 100 passes during the same season. They are two stud receivers, which is why they are ranked this high. There is not a team in the NFL that has two cornerbacks that can cover these two receivers man-to-man. I know defensive coordinators lose sleep the week leading up to facing these two on the field.

4. Detroit Lions – Anyone who follows the NFL know that Matt Millen is their version of Isaiah Thomas. He was a great player, but leaves a lot to be desired as a CEO and General Manager. He has made some incredibly bad draft picks during his tenure, with many of them being wide receivers (i.e. Charles Rogers & Mike Williams). I don’t know if it was due to the law of averages or if Millen finally got a clue, but he finally drafted two stud wide receivers in Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson. I just hope Millen surrounds them with enough talent to not let their careers rot away in Detroit. Chances of them winning in Detroit are slim to none because we must remember that this is a franchise that has not won a division title since 1993.

5. Cleveland Browns – If you thought the Cleveland Browns would ever return to being a relevant NFL franchise in your lifetime, I am sure that you are in the minority. Although we never thought that it would happen, The Cleveland Browns are going into the season as a favorite to make the playoffs and possibly win their division. If this is to happen, they are going to need large contributions from three of their best players. These players are Braylon Edwards, Donte Stallworth, and Kellen Winslow. That’s a lot of fire power for Derrick Anderson to have at his disposal, and I trust that he knows what to do with it.

6. Cincinnati Bengals – Not only is Carson Palmer the prototype, but he is also joined by prototypical number one and number two receivers on the Bengals offense. Chad Johnson DEMANDS a double team on every play (and usually beats it). He is definitely one of the best receivers in the league. If you don’t believe me just ask him, I’m sure that he will tell you himself. If you leave him single covered at any time, the result will probably be a touchdown for the Bengals. Due to all of the attention that Chad draws, TJ Houshmandzadeh faces single coverage all game long. He definitely takes advantage of it. If their defense is simply competent this season, look for the Bengals to make some serious noise.

7. Dallas Cowboys – He routinely throws his quarterbacks under the bus. He is totally self-absorbed. He is immature. He feels as though the world revolves around him. He always feels as though the media is out to get him and make him look bad. He is as emotional as a 12 year old girl. He has the emotional maturity of a three year old. These are all phrases that I routinely use to describe Terrell Owens. He is by far one of my least favorite NFL players. As a matter of fact, I hate him almost as much as I hate Kobe Bryant (see earlier blog entitled “I HATE KOBE BRYANT”). Sorry, I forgot one more phrase that I use when describing Terrell Owens. HE IS ONE OF THE BEST RECIEVERS IN THE NFL. As much as I hate him (as does so many other people), I must call a spade a spade, and call him great. He along with tight end, Jason Whitten, gives the Cowboys a top flight passing game. Although Whitten plays tight end, he is definitely their number two receiver. That isn’t a bad thing in this case because Whitten is one of the best tight ends in the game.

8. Green Bay Packers – THE DIVA HAS FINALLY BEEN KICKED OUT OF TOWN, and it won’t affect their passing game or their offense one bit. Don’t get me wrong, I know Aaron Rodgers is no Brett Favre. Favre is definitely a legend, but one look at the Packers roster will tell you that this is a good football team with or without Brett Favre. The defense is very good, the offensive line is very good, they have a good running game, and their weapons in the passing game are definitely a top ten unit in the NFL. Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, and Donald Lee are good enough to make Packer fans forget that #4 is not the ones throwing them the passes. The management of the Green Bay Packers are no idiots. They knew that when they got rid of Favre that they would have to have a team that can compete this year or the fans would have their heads. They have definitely built a team that can succeed without Favre. While watching this season, the fans will realize that it was indeed time to take the “F” off of the Packer helmet and replace it with the “G” that should have been there all along, as stated by a host on Sirius NFL Radio (the best radio on radio).

9. New Orleans Saints – The skill players on this team could potentially be considered flat out frightening. Marcus Colston came out of nowhere to quickly establish himself as a legitimate #1 receiver. Also, look for either Lance Moore, Robert Meachem, or Terrance Copper to emerge as a go to #2 receiver. To complement the receiving core, they also added Jeremy Shockley to play tight end. Hopefully the humbling experience of watching his team win the Super Bowl without him will make him more of a team player. If he is not disruptive to the team-chemistry, watch out for the Saints. They should be dangerous.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers – This is a team that in my eyes does not have a true #1 receiver. Hines Ward is great, but I don’t consider him a true #1. It doesn’t matter, because Santonio Holmes is also very good, and I expect Limas Sweed to be just as good also. Throw Heath Miller into the mix and you get a solid group across the board with very little drop off. Although none of their skill players are great they are all very, very good. That is what makes them a top ten group.

11. Washington Redskins – This is an undersized but talented group. Santana Moss is a speedster with heart to spare. He is not afraid of going across the middle, taking big hits, or making a big play when the game is on the line. Chris Cooley is one of the most underrated tight ends in the NFL. Pay close attention to this guy and you will appreciate just how good he is. Although Antwaan Randle El is very versatile and a great guy to have on your team when running trick plays, he is simply an average receiver in my eyes. Another wild card in the group is rookie Malcolm Kelley. If he transitions well to the NFL game, this group will be even more dangerous. All in all this is a very good group that almost any team would be glad to have (especially those ranked behind them).

12. San Diego Chargers – If this team had a legitimate #1 receiver, they would be ranked in the top ten. They are this high basically on the strength of Antonio Gates alone. Don’t get me wrong, Chris Chambers is a good receiver and Vincent Jackson will turn out to be a very good receiver. All that being said, Mr. Gates is definitely their #1 receiver. Even though he is the best tight end in the game, no team whose tight end is their best receiver can be ranked in my top ten.

13. Carolina Panthers – Although I feel as though Jake Delhomme is done as a quarterback, I would love to have these two receivers on my team (provided we can prevent Smith from beating up his teammates). Steve Smith is a great receiver and Muhsin Muhammad is very dependable. The two of them alone make this a good group. Any contributions that they get from a third receiver or the tight end position will simply be icing on the cake.

14. Houston Texans – ANDRE JOHNSON IS A TOP FIVE NFL WIDE RECIEVER. He is awesome. This group would definitely be ranked higher if they simply had one other player that could consistently complement him, but they don’t. Which is why they are ranked #14.

15. New York Giants – This is a solid group. Plaxico has really emerged as a go-to guy, and Armani Toomer is still dependable even though he is now collecting social security. If the 2008 playoffs are any indication of how good Steve Smith will be, Giants fans should be rejoicing. Although Kevin Boss is better for the chemistry of this team than Jeremy Shockey, he doesn’t scare defenses the way that Shockey does. Although loosing Shockey is probably addition by subtraction for this team, the loss of his talent definitely dropped them quite a few spots on my list. Although, they are not as scary offensively without Shockey, if I was a Giants fan I would be glad that he is gone.

16. St. Louis Rams – This offense used to be “The Greatest Show on Turf,” but it isn’t anymore. As for the receivers and tight ends, Torry Holt is a legit #1 and is a perennial Pro Bowler. Randy McMicheal is also very underrated. Rams fans should expect big things out of him this year.

17. Buffalo Bills – I used to call their wide receiving core “The Smurfs” because they were so small (by NFL standards). That all changed on draft day 2008. The Bills selected the 6’7” James Hardy out of the University of Indiana. If he turns out to be a good receiver, he would be the perfect complement to Lee Evans. Josh Reed and Roscoe Parrish are also good and dependable receivers to have on your team.

18. Kansas City Chiefs – I bet everyone is surprised that I have players from this terrible team ranked this high. Remember, I am not ranking the teams or the offense. I am simply ranking the players. I think that Dwayne Bowe will be one of the best in the game very soon. For those who actually watched a Chiefs game last season (I know there weren’t many, so I won’t hold it against anyone if you never saw Bowe play), you saw what is to come from Mr. Bowe. Just imagine how good this guy would be if he had a slightly below average quarterback instead of the worst quarterback in the NFL. Along with Dwayne Bowe, they also have Tony Gonzalez, who needs no explanation.

19. Seattle Seahawks – I am having a hard time deciding if Deon Branch is actually as good as he looked in New England or if Tom Brady made him look that good. If he is able to return to his Patriots form, he will be a legit #1 receiver. Opposite him, they have Nate Burleson. While in Minnesota, he also looked as if he had the potential to be a great player. Basically, this will be a good tandem if either or both of these players return to the form that got them huge contracts from the Seahawks. Whether or not that can happen, remains to be seen.

20. New York Jets – Well Brett Favre, you have gone from throwing to the 8th best wide receiver/tight end core to the 20th best group. I bet you’re glad that you came out of retirement. On a serious note, the Jets receivers aren’t bad at all. They are only ranked this low because they don’t have anyone who could dress up as a #1 receiver for Halloween anywhere on the roster. They have two average #2’s in Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery and an average #3 in Brad Smith. The main problem is that there is no one to demand a double team to help Coles and Cotchery get free. Bubba Franks is a good tight end and a familiar face to Favre, unfortunately he is currently at the tail end of his career. His best days are long gone.

21. Jacksonville Jaguars – This group is hard to rank because there is so much potential for greatness, but the potential is unfulfilled. There is Jerry Porter, who is a very good receiver and a legitimate #1 target. After that, the picture gets very cloudy. Troy Williamson is slated to be the teams #2 receiver. He is very fast, but he often forgets to catch the ball before showing off his blazing speed. This guy simply has hands of steel, he just can’t catch. He reminds me of Roddy White before the 2007 season. He would have fit in great on the Michael Vick led Falcons team. Then there is Dennis Northcutt as the slot receiver. He is a good player, but will never be considered great. They also have the FIRST ROUND BUST, MATT JONES. It’s funny to me that people say that he has not lived up to expectations, when he was a mediocre college quarterback before being drafted 21st overall in the 2005 NFL draft to play wide receiver simply because he had a good NFL combine. What did they think they were getting, and better yet, who is his agent? His agent has to be brilliant, because he convinced some team to take a converted quarterback that high in the draft just based on one workout without pads on. The fact that Matt Jones has not lived up to expectations may be a moot point, because there is a chance that he may not be on the field for a very long time. It all depends on the legal system. You see, Mr. Jones was caught with an illegal powdery substance this off-season. I guess he was trying to snort all of his problems away. At tight end they have Marcedes Lewis, who is still young but shows flashes of being very good. I will be taking a wait and see approach with this group. The talent is there, but no one knows if they can come through when it counts.

22. Denver Broncos – They have one talented head case (Brandon Marshall), one under-achiever (Keary Colbert), and one dependable guy with very average talent (Brandon Stokely) at wide receiver. That does not make for a scary group to defend. They do however have a talented and dependable tight end in Daniel Graham. All of those factors add up to being the 22nd ranked group.

23. Minnesota Vikings – For Tavaris Jackson’s sake, it is a good thing that they have Adrian Peterson. This group of receivers led by Bernard Berrian will not strike fear into the heart of any secondary that they face. Fortunately they will face single coverage all season because teams will be putting 8 or 9 in the box on virtually every play in an attempt to stop Adrian Peterson. The running game will definitely be their best friend.

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Although Joey Galloway came in the league with Lynn Swann, he is still very good and still has world-class speed. Outside of him, their receivers aren’t very good. They have the very average Ike Hilliard, and the immensely disappointing Michael Clayton. At tight end Alex Smith is certainly better than his namesake in San Francisco.

25. Philadelphia Eagles – This group would be rated higher if I considered Brian Westbrook (the team’s best receiver) as a wide receiver, but he is a running back. As far as receivers and tight ends go, they are simply average across the board. I really wish Donovan had more help, but apparently that is not a priority in Philly. They don’t completely suck, but they don’t scare anyone either.

26. Baltimore Ravens – Derrick Mason was once a very good receiver (about 8 years ago). He is still good, but he shouldn’t be any teams #1 receiver. Mark Clayton has potential to be good and hopefully we will get a better idea of his talents this season. The real reason that they are even ranked this high is tight end Todd Heap. Heap is a stud at tight end and is arguably their best offensive player.

27. San Francisco 49er’s – This is another team that could potentially move up. They have Bryant Johnson who was a pretty good backup to Fitzgerald and Boldin in Arizona. They are also hoping that Issac Bruce can find the fountain of youth. This is a guy who is so old that he played for the Los Angeles Rams (no kidding, he actually did). At tight end they have the ultimate combine wonder in Vernon Davis. The lofty expectations that he is measured against are simply not fair. It is not his fault that the organization was stupid enough to draft him with the 6th overall pick of the 2006 draft. Let’s all have a moment of honesty. Does anyone remember him dominating in college? Did anyone see him play in college and say, boy he looks like a top ten NFL draft pick? Did anyone think that he would be a great NFL player? The answer to all of these questions is NO!!!! The fact of the matter is that he was drafted because of how fast he did some drills wearing shorts and a t-shirt. He hasn’t been a disappointment, he has simply been what his college career told us that he would be. Remember this is the same coaching staff and front office group that drafted ALEX SMITH #1. Hopefully Davis will turn out to be a good player, but he hasn’t shown that potential as of yet.

28. Tennessee Titans – Justin Gage and Justin McCareins are both very average players. Thankfully they have Alge Crumpler at tight end. He is one of the top tight ends in the game and will prove to be Vince Young’s most reliable target.

29. Atlanta Falcons - Roddy White has finally emerged as a good starting wide receiver. He has the speed and skills to be very good, but has to prove that he can beat a double team on a consistent basis. He caught everyone off guard last season, but will get plenty of attention this season. The problem that the Falcons will face is the fact that they do not have anyone to complement White. The rest of their group has either proven that they are terrible or have not yet had the chance to prove that they are terrible.

30. Chicago Bears – Things are so bad in Chicago, that Devin Hester is slated to be a starting wide receiver. I wish Hester all of the luck in the world and I will certainly be rooting for him, but I don’t know if he can be a starter at receiver. At least they have a strong tight end tandem in Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen.

31. Miami Dolphins – THEY NEED HELP IN THE WORST WAY. Ted Ginn Jr. and Ernest Wilford can both become good receivers one day. I just don’t think today will be that day. Don’t look for either to be Pro Bowl receivers any time soon.

32. Oakland Raiders – This group should not be ranked #32 but they are simply because no one knows how Javon Walker will play. When healthy and into the game, Walker is a game breaker and a legit #1 receiver. I honestly don’t know if he will return to form because he has been through an awful lot lately dating back to his days as a Packer. Once you consider the knee injury that he had, the fact that his teammate and good friend died in his arms, and also the robbery and beating that he was a victim of earlier this off-season, it is no wonder that he contemplated retirement and had to be talked into continuing his career. I hope that he is OK as a person and that he has a productive year. Hopefully he will go out and prove that they should not be #32. I will be personally rooting for him. It really all hinges on him because Ronald Curry and Zach Miller don’t scare anyone.

As with my previous rankings, these players were ranked without researching any stats. I simply listed them in the order in which I would want them on my team today. If anyone disagrees with where their favorite player or any other player is ranked, please comment and let me know.

****NOTE****
WE ARE NOW 25 DAYS AWAY FROM KICKOFF. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

FIRST WE’VE GOT TO STOP THE RUN

The title of this entry has to be the most overused “coach-speak” phrase in the history of football. Every time a coach is asked what he has to do to win the upcoming game, the answer is always, “First, we’ve got to stop the run.” Although it is a safe and generic answer to the question, I don’t think that the coaches are always being honest. For instance, when facing the Patriots last year, do you think that any coach went into the game focused on stopping Laurence Maroney and forcing Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker to beat them? Another example would be the Miami Dolphins of last season. If opposing coaches were totally honest, they would say that their first priority in game planning for the Dolphins was to convince their players to stay awake during the game. I also don’t think that any team has ever went into a game against the Colts saying that they are willing to let Peyton Manning have a big day, as long as Joseph Addai is held in check. Although this cliché isn’t always used appropriately, it remains true that a team that can run the ball and stop the run often has a good chance of being successful.

I must admit, compiling these rankings was quite the task. I first struggled with the decision of ranking tandems or projected starters. After several conversations with members of my “inner-circle,” I decided to keep the rankings to projected starters. Then I was faced with the task of actually ranking the players. Ranking the running backs proved to be a much more difficult task than ranking the quarterbacks. Because running backs have proven to be so easy to find at the NFL level, it is rare that a team sticks with one very long if they feel as though he is not effective. Therefore the players on the bottom portion of the list were not very easy to rank. While compiling these rankings, I also discovered that there is a thin line that separates bad, average, and good NFL running backs. This fact made the middle portion difficult to rank. With all of that said, I decided to take a crack at it anyway. I did not rank these players according to their 2007 season or how I think they will do in 2008. I simply asked myself, “If I were starting a team today, who would I want my QB handing the ball off to?”

Without further ado, my rankings are as follows….

1. LaDanian Tomlinson (Chargers) – He is hands down the best in the game right now. He can run past, around, or simply through defenders effortlessly. He also catches the ball extremely well coming out of the backfield and when split out wide. Just to show off, he also throws touchdown passes from time to time. He is a complete back that currently has no equal. He will definitely break Emmitt Smith’s career rushing record if he decides to play long enough and stays healthy (he is less than 8,000 yards away).

2. Adrian Peterson (Vikings) – WOW!!!! that’s all I have to say about him. IF HE STAYS HEALTHY (which is a big if, because he has proven to be injury prone), HE WILL BREAK THE CAREER RUSHING RECORD that Tomlinson sets. The best comparison for him is (don’t get upset when I say this) Jim Brown, which is extremely high praise.

3. Steven Jackson (Rams) – This guy is an absolute beast. I would be afraid to tackle him, as most defenders are. He simply runs through would-be tacklers and then puts on the after-burners. No man that big should be that fast. He is a home-run threat from anywhere on the field.

4. Brian Westbrook (Eagles) – This is Marshall Faulk 2.0 or the player that Saints fans dream that Reggie Bush will become. He is the ultimate weapon. He is equally a good receiver as he is a runner, which is needed because the Eagles receiving corps would be better if it consisted of Pharaoh Goolsby, Northside Marty, and Scott (no offense to my loyal readers). He is good for 2,000 to 2,500 combined rushing and receiving yards each season. He is also a great return man if needed. There aren’t many backs in the history of the NFL who are that versatile. I can only think of two, Marshall Faulk and Gail Sayers.

5. Joseph Addai (Colts) – Having him this high may raise a few eyebrows, but he is really this good. Some may say that he is never the focal point of defenses because of the Colts passing attack. That is true, but he is an integral part of that passing attack and still gains over 1,000 yards on limited carries. He is also a touchdown machine when called upon in the red zone.

6. Darren McFadden (Raiders) – I know that he is just a rookie and has not played an NFL down, but he is already a top ten NFL running back. If you don’t believe me, simply look at Adrian Peterson’s season from a year ago. They are the same player. They both have Jamal Lewis type power with Devin Hester type speed (although they are not quite as fast as Hester). His rookie season will mirror that of Peterson’s, and he will be unstoppable. He is so good that even the inept Oakland Raiders can’t mess up his career.

7. Marion Barber (Cowboys) – He is known as “Marion the Barbarian” for a reason. To quote the one hit wonder rapper – Bone Crusher, “HE AIN’T NEVER SCARED!!!!” This guy runs with reckless abandon. To get an idea of his running style, picture Shaun Alexander and then THINK THE EXACT OPPOSITE. He never runs out of bounds as Alexander often did (by the way that scrub is out of the league now). What I like about him more than anything else is the fact that he makes defenders pay for trying to tackle him. They often feel more pain from the hit than he does. Another cool thing about him is that he does not stiff-arm defenders, instead he simply slaps or punches them in the helmet. That move is more effective than the stiff-arm and way cooler. Because of his reckless running style, it is imperative that he has a quality backup, which he does in Felix Jones. They also have Tarshard Choice in the mix, so the Barbarian can be as reckless as he wants to be.

8. Clinton Portis (Redskins) – Don’t let the loud, flashy, pimp-style clothing fool you. Mr. Portis is a monster. He is one of my favorite personalities (if you haven’t seen the costumes that he wears when meeting with the media, check out the video below) and running backs in the NFL. He is good for between 1,200 and 1,500 hundred yards each season, no matter who he is playing for or how bad or inconsistent their passing game is. He has game breaking speed and has also bulked up. He can run between the tackles or get to the corner. Simply put, he is the truth.



9. Edgerrin James (Cardinals) – Some people forget how good this guy is since he has moved on from Indy to Arizona. Just keep in mind that he has topped 1,000 yards each year in Arizona, behind quite possibly one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. He is the model of consistency. The past two years he has had to break three tackles just to get to the line of scrimmage, but that hasn’t stopped him. He is still one of the top backs in the league.

10. Jamal Lewis (Browns) – Do you want to try to tackle him in the open field? I didn’t think so.

11. Laurence Maroney (Patriots) – He was Marion Barber’s backfield mate in college (at the University of Minnesota) and is almost just as good. He is an excellent runner who fully takes advantage of the fact that defenders are often pre-occupied by Randy Moss and Wes Welker.

12. Michael Turner (Falcons) – I know, I know, he has never been a starter and he is on a terrible team and running behind a terrible offensive line. That may all be true, but he will be one of the few bright spots for the Atlanta Falcons this season. He will be a consistent Pro Bowler soon. He has all of the tools to be great and he learned watching the best (LaDanian Tomlinson). Although the Falcons will be terrible this year, keep an eye on Turner and Jerious Norwood, because they will be one of the best running back tandems in the league, especially after they get some capable offensive linemen.

13. Willie Parker (Steelers) – Great speed, but needs to learn to run better between the tackles to reach his full potential. If he ever figures out, the league had better watch out.

14. Fred Taylor (Jaguars) – If it weren’t for injuries over the course of his career, Taylor would be one of the all-time greats. He is a smart player who makes the game look easy. He simply always knows where the hole is. It is also great that he has a stud backup in the human bowling ball, Maurice Jones-Drew. Taylor is still a very good back, even at this stage of his career.

15. Ryan Grant (Packers) – You saw him during the second half of last season and in the playoffs. Although it took Green Bay a while to give him a shot as a starter, he took full advantage of his opportunity (they just gave him more STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!!). He has also proven that he can run in all types of weather conditions, which is important during the second half of the season, especially in Green Bay.

16. Marshawn Lynch (Bills) – A complete back that is often overlooked because he plays in Buffalo. Watch him closely this year, you will be in for a treat.

17. Deuce McAllister (Saints) – Although he has an injury history, when healthy he is a great power back. I would definitely want him on my team. He is the perfect complement to Reggie Bush. A back like Deuce, allows Reggie Bush to do the many multitude of things that he does. He is a no non-sense back that is a straight-ahead runner and is tough to bring down.

18. Larry Johnson (Chiefs) – Some people think that he should be higher and that he is definitely a top ten and possibly a top five back, but those people are wrong. LJ is not as good as people have told him is. He is simply a compiler. He reminds me of Jamal Anderson (the former “Dirty Bird”), because he simply gets a lot of yards because he gets a lot of carries. Any NFL back can go over 1,500 yards if he carries the ball over 400 times per season. There is just nothing special about his talent, although I will give him credit for his toughness and durability. He simply gets the ball and runs forward until someone tackles him. Then gets up and does it 40 more times each game.

19. Willis McGahee (Ravens) – At one point I thought that I saw flashes of greatness from him. Apparently I was wrong. Although he isn’t what I thought he would be, he is still a good solid back.

20. Rudi Johnson (Bengals) – Although he is good, he should be better. I mean he plays on a team with “The Prototype” at quarterback and “Ocho-Cinco” & “TJ Whosyomomma” at wide receiver. Does anyone go into a game against the Bengals focused on stopping the run? I don’t think so. He should absolutely dominate, but he doesn’t.

21. Frank Gore (49er’s) – It’s funny to me, that he is mentioned as an elite running back by some of the so-called “experts”. I honestly don’t know what they see that I am missing. I must be missing something, because in my eyes he is simply average and nothing more.

22. Thomas Jones (Jets) – He is a solid NFL running back, who is only as good as his line. He is one of those backs that gets three yards on plays that are designed to get three yards and four yards on plays designed to get four yards. He always has been and always will be as good as his offensive line. He is not a game breaker, but is a solid player.

23. Brandon Jacobs (Giants) – He is a poor man’s Jamal Lewis, but not as good. (Shout out to Tiki Barber, I bet you didn’t think that they could do it without you.)

24. Cadillac Williams (Buccaneers) – This guy should be suing John Gruden and the Buccaneers for overuse. When he is healthy, he is an absolute menace in the mold of Clinton Portis. I would have definitely had him higher on this list if I had faith that he could finish a season. The amount of carries that he gets has to violate some type of child-labor laws, and have probably led to his many injuries. Although it is a total coincidence, look who is next in my rankings. It looks like he is still ahead of Ronnie Brown, just like their days at Auburn. I guess some things never change.

25. Ronnie Brown (Dolphins) – Can you believe that this guy was the # 2 PICK IN THE NFL DRAFT? I said it on draft day and I will say it now. THAT WAS A STUPID PICK! It was almost as bad as Alex Smith going #1. He absolutely sucked his first couple of years in the league. He was playing like a sixth round draft pick although he was the second overall pick in the draft. Unfortunately for him, when he finally began to play like an early third round pick last season he got injured. The first couple of games of last season were a total aberration, and no one should expect much from him during the rest of his career. Look for the ever-dependable and always sober Ricky Williams to be the full-time starter by the middle of the season.

26. Kevin Smith (Lions) – All he did in college was gain yards. I don’t expect anything different from him in the NFL. He will share the load with Tatum Bell, which should make for a pretty decent tandem. Also, he won’t get much attention from opposing defenses because of the two amazing receivers that he will be sharing the field with.

27. DeAngelo Williams (Panthers) – The epitome of average. He simply is what is he is. He will be sharing carries with rookie Jonathan Stewart, which will be a good thing for the Panthers and possibly a bad thing for Williams.

28. Julius Jones (Seahawks) – He along with TJ Duckett were signed to replace Shaun Alexander. I am guessing that the Seahawks thought that the two of them would add up to one capable running game. I don’t know what type of math they’re doing, but where I’m from, 1 under-achieving running back + 1 under-achieving running back = 2 under-achieving running backs. Not a capable running game.

29. Matt Forte (Bears) – I really hope that this guy survives the season. Due to the fact that he will have either Dumb or Dumber at quarterback (Rex Grossman or Kyle Orton), defenses will be keying on him all season.

30. LenDale White (Titans) – I simply don’t trust him. He strikes me as the type of person who wants to be a professional athlete simply for the STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! He doesn’t seem to always take the game seriously and is often out of shape. He also doesn’t possess the killer-instinct or fearless attitude that I like to see in a running back.

31. Ahman Green (Texans) – In his day, he was really good, but his day is clearly gone. At this point he is simply collecting checks and that is not the type of back that I want on my team.

32. Selvin Young (Broncos) – He will probably have some success because he is a running back playing in Denver. He is ranked this low simply because I have not seen anything from him in college or in the NFL to rank him any higher. With all of that being said, don’t be surprised if he is the latest of the Denver 1,000 yard rushers. There is a good chance that he can become a good running back, but there is an equally good chance that he could totally suck. I guess we will have to wait and see.

As with my quarterback rankings, these players were ranked without researching any stats. I simply listed them in the order in which I would want them on my team today. If anyone disagrees with where their favorite player or any other player is ranked, please comment and let me know.

****NOTE****
WE ARE NOW 32 DAYS AWAY FROM KICKOFF. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!