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Obviously this is SUPER BOWL WEEK, so you know that this post will be about the big game and my prediction. That being said, there is something that occurred earlier this week that deserves my attention. O.K everyone, let’s all bow our heads and have a moment of silence for Kendrick Perkins’ pride, ego, and twitter account (this event actually led to him deleting his twitter account).
If you happened to be living under a rock this week, or just happen to miss one of the best in-game dunks of my lifetime, please view the clip below.
Little kids view their fathers as super heroes that know everything and are capable of anything. Sadly, Perkins' kids have found out the hard way that their dad is not capable of stopping a Blake Griffin dunk. As a matter of fact, they may someday question his intelligence for even trying. That being said, I hope he gets royalties from the sale of all of the posters that he is now featured on.
Now to the Super Bowl….
To be perfectly honest, I’m not overly enthused about this match-up. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against either of these teams (I’m lying, I actually hate Bill Belichick), but there are matchups that I would have much rather saw in this game. That being said, this is the NFL where you actually play your way into the championship game, unlike that idiotic college system, and these are the two teams that have earned the right to play for the championship. For the record, my pre-season Super Bowl matchup was Packers-Ravens, so I guess you can say that I’m a little bitter that both have been eliminated.
Personal bias aside, I’m a die-hard NFL fan that does not have a favorite team. I will watch any and every NFL game that I have access to as long as it doesn’t feature a quarterback matchup of Mark Sanchez vs. Tim Tebow (programming note to the NFL, NEVER PUT THAT MATCHUP ON NATIONAL TV AGAIN!). Also, I consider Super Bowl Sunday to be the greatest day in sports, so I will definitely be tuned in and enjoying the game, even though it is not my preferred matchup.
It is obvious by my earlier statement that my heart will be pulling for the Giants for no other reason, but to spite the evil genius that they call Belichick. However, as you all know I am an objective football fan who views and analyzes games with my head and not my heart. Therefore my official prediction will be made with my head.
My prediction for Super Bowl whatever the hell roman numeral that we are now up to is as follows….
Giants vs. Patriots
On one side of this match-up we have one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history being coached by one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. On the other side we have the little brother of one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history leading a team that is coached by one of the most underrated coaches in NFL history. These are the two matchups that will get all of the attention leading into the game. However, I do not think that this game will be decided by these two matchups. Although both of these teams have played well enough up to this point to make it to the Super Bowl, they are both far from perfect. Both of these teams have glaring weaknesses, and this game will be won by the team that does the best job hiding their weaknesses while exploiting those of their opponent.
The Patriots come into this game boasting the worst secondary in Super Bowl history. This season they have allowed a ridiculous 79 pass plays that were over 20 yards long. That is more than double the amount allowed by the league’s best pass defense (Pittsburgh Steelers). Things have gotten so bad in the Patriots’ defensive backfield that wide receiver Julian Edelman is now playing defensive back. The Patriots’ offensive line is also nothing to write home about. Tom Brady gets sacked on average about two times per game, but he has also spent a lot of time picking himself up off the turf this season after being rocked by opposing defensive players who got to him a split-second to late, but still managed to give him a little “love tap” just to let him know that they were thinking about him. Brady’s quick release, and in-depth knowledge of the offense allowed him and his arsenal of weapons (led by Welker, Hernandez, and Gronkowski) to put up monster numbers and save their defense’s a$$ by simply outscoring their opponents.
Like the Patriots, the Giants offensive line is also less than spectacular. This has meant that Eli Manning has had to be extremely tough and elusive en-route to his second Super Bowl appearance. Fortunately for the Giants, their phenomenal receiving core boasts players that have the ability to catch a short pass and take it to the crib. This is important because Manning rarely gets the time needed to complete long passes. The other weakness that the Giants will try to cover up is at the linebacker position. They simply aren’t very good there. They have two solid players in Michael Boley and Mathias Kiwanuka, but the other players or either young, slow, or some combination of the two.
In order to take advantage of the New England’s weaknesses the Giants will apply pressure on Brady at every snap of the football. The beautiful thing about the Giants defense is that they have the personnel on the defensive line to do this without blitzing. New York is deep enough on the defensive line with Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Dave Tollesfson, Rocky Bernard, and Chris Canty to rotate fresh and capable bodies all game long to go at the Patriots’ offensive line. On the other side of the ball, the Giants will keep at least three wide receivers on the field at all times to ensure that Edelman is on the field and forced to try to cover one of their great receivers in space. I fully expect the Giants to design their plays in such a way that Edelman is forced to cover Victor Cruz. If their schemes are successful and Edelman is forced to guard Cruz, I fully expect Cruz to be dancing all the way to Disney World as the Super Bowl MVP.
Unfortunately for the Patriots, they really don’t have the personnel to exploit the Giants’ offensive line and put a lot of pressure Eli Manning. However, they do have the tight ends and slot receivers to really put the Giants’ linebackers in some difficult predicaments. New England’s passing game is based on principles that are drastically different from what is usually seen in the NFL. Brady starts inside with his progressions and works his way outside, while most other teams read from outside in. This means that the most dangerous weapons in their offense are the tight ends and slot receivers. This means that extra pressure will be on the Giants linebackers and safeties to cover these inside receivers.
Looking at these two teams objectively, I really don’t understand how the Patriots are favored in this game. Brady and Belichick may have resume’s that will someday lead to them becoming immortalized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but they simply do not have the better team entering this game. I am looking forward to seeing the Cruz, Nicks, and Manningham run wild through what passes as a secondary in the Boston metropolitan area. I am also having a hard time imagining how the Patriots plan to block the goons that play on the New York defensive line. Much like four years ago, Brady will be beat and battered all over the field by the Giants hard-hitting defense. The wild card here is Eli Manning. Although he has played extremely well this season, particularly in the playoffs, he still has a little bit of Tony Romo in him. The Giants coaches must constantly remind him to not do something stupid like throw a pass with his left hand, or run for a first down without protecting the ball. You know the basic stuff that he has a tendency to forget from time to time.
Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots best player not named Brady is entering the game with a severe high ankle sprain. I am sure that he will try his best to tough it out and start this game. I am equally sure that he will be largely ineffective and will not finish the game. This season Gronkowski had over 1,300 receiving yards and scored 18 touchdowns. These numbers officially qualify him as a problem for any defense. If he were 100% healthy, I would sort of understand why New England is entering this game as the favorite. He is simply unguardable. However, he has an injury that affects his ability to push-off, run, move laterally, and jump. Last I checked NFL tight-ends are usually required to do these things to be successful.
Honestly, if Gronkowski was playing, I would pick the Giants to win an extremely close game. He is that much of a difference maker. Since he is not playing, I think that this will be at least a seven point game. The Giants are going to simply overwhelm the Patriots. As they say in boxing, styles make fights. Unfortunately for the Patriots, the Giants play a style that is simply not a good matchup for them. Look for this game to be decided in the trenches, where the Giants pass rush will simply overwhelm the Pats’ offensive line.
Prediction: Giants 31 – Patriots 24
And now for my Baller & Scrub of the Week….
BALLER – Terrell Suggs: BSHU (Ball So Hard University) STAND UP! The one and only graduate of the now famous on-line university has made it big. Terrell Suggs was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. This is a well deserved honor. His 14 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 7 forced fumbles are a big reason that the Baltimore Ravens were able to reach the AFC Championship Game. (An inconsistent group of receivers and a bad kicker are the reason that they lost the AFC Championship Game, but that’s not the point right now.) This is Terrell’s moment, and he deserves it. Going into next season, the Baltimore defense will feature three players that have been the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year (Ray Lewis & Ed Reed are the others). They will all have to play at that level to make what will surely be Baltimore’s last stand a successful one. In a great show of humility, Suggs went back to his roots and thanked those who are responsible for him being here, literally. He actually thanked his parents during his acceptance speech for “going through with it.” You gotta love that! I’m sure the biology and sex education teachers at BSHU are also proud, because he did actually learn where babies come from.
SCRUB – Bill Belichick: Full disclosure: As I stated earlier, I HATE BILL BELICHICK! No seriously, I really hate Bill Belichick. To put it in perspective, I am a bigger Kobe Bryant fan than I am a Bill Belichick fan, and you know how much I hate Kobe Bryant. Alright, alright, that’s a bit too far. Actually, there is no one I hate more than Kobe Bryant. Although I hate Belichick, I do realize that he is one hell of a football coach that has few peers in his profession. He is leading the Patriots to a fifth Super Bowl appearance in the last ten years. That is a remarkable accomplishment that should be celebrated. My issue with Belichick has nothing to do with football. My issue is with the manner in which he does his job.
The NFL is a cold and heartless business, but no one is colder or more heartless than the hooded genius in New England. In addition to his success, Belichick has also been found to be a cheater. He simply doesn’t play by the rules. He spent several years secretly recording his opponent’s defensive signals, which gave him an edge when calling offensive plays. I will never forget when Brian Westbrook said after the Eagles lost to the Patriots in the Super Bowl that he felt like New England knew what play they were running all game long. Westbrook later found out that they actually did know the plays. That had to be disheartening to know that you were cheated out of winning the ultimate prize in your profession.
My next issue with Belichick is his treatment of players. Although NFL players are essentially cattle in the eyes of their organizations and the league as a whole, they are still cattle that should be respected. In the past Bill Belichick has cut a player during the week of the first game of the season (Lawyer Milloy), and released a player when a roster bonus was due, only to re-sign him at a lower rate shortly after the deadline for the bonus (Troy Brown). Both were despicable acts, but they simply don’t compare to the stunt that he pulled on Saturday (THE DAY BEFORE THE SUPER BOWL!) This heartless goon, CUT WIDE RECIEVER TIQUAN UNDERWOOD! Now many of you are wondering who Tiquan Underwood is. He was by no means an impact player for the Pats this season. He is a special teams player and back up wide receiver, but that is not the point. As far as we know, Underwood didn’t break any type of team rule, have a Eugene Robinson experience, or miss curfew. Belichick simply decided that his services would not be needed on Sunday.
I have no problem with Belichick deciding that Underwood will not be playing in the game. If he had simply deactivated him, I would have understood. I also wouldn’t have a problem if the Patriots had decided to release him BEFORE THE TEAM MADE THE TRIP TO INDIANAPOLIS! However, to essentially kick him off the team after he has come to Indy, and gone through a week of practices and team meetings is simply heartless and ruthless. Simply put, you just don’t treat people like that. It has been two weeks since the Patriots last game. Why on Earth could they not release him during the off week? This guy has probably purchased game tickets and flown his family and friends to Indy to see him play in the biggest game of his life. Now thanks to this a$$h@!e, he will probably be watching the game with them in a bar somewhere with a hoodie on so no one will notice him by his signature haircut (he has a high-top fade with the Patriots logo cut into the back of it). He will probably drink so much that he will be doing the Captain Morgan pose by the end of the night. That is if he watches the game at all.
Follow me on twitter @scashhomey
Showing posts with label indianapolis colts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label indianapolis colts. Show all posts
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Saturday, January 8, 2011
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (WEEK 1)
Those who know me know that my favorite sport is professional football (NFL, not UFL), and that my favorite time of year is when the playoffs begin. Well boys and girls, the playoffs begin later today, so consider me a HAPPY MAN! We are officially 29 days away from the Super Bowl, and judging by most of the playoff teams, we should get a good one this year (except if somehow there is a Chiefs vs. Seahawks matchup). That being said, the twelve remaining teams have a long journey to navigate if they expect to be playing in the castle that Jerry built in 29 days. That journey begins today, and I will do my best to guide you there, beginning with my PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (WEEK 1 EDITION).
If you aren’t scared, feel free to add yours in the comment section below this entry.
Girlfriend/Wife Special (Saints at Seahawks) – Ladies, if you want to spend time with your boyfriend/husband on Saturday, feel free to occupy their time until 8pm. That is when the playoffs officially begin. Although they may try to tell you (as I will my wife) that the 4:30 pm game is important also. If they do, feel free to call them a liar. I know that Seattle is one of the toughest places to play a road game in the NFL, but this might be the most lopsided playoff game in recent memory. I am giving the Seahawks NO CHANCE in this game, and it won’t even be close. As a matter of fact, I think the Saints went up by a touchdown as soon as their plane touched down in Seattle.
My Prediction: Saints 31 – Seahawks 10
Front Row vs. Back Row (Jets at Colts) – This matchup reminds me of high school. We will get a chance to see a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game, when the kids who always sat in the front of the classroom (Colts led by Peyton Manning) will face off against the dumb loudmouth disruptive kids that sat in the back of the class (Jets led by Rex Ryan). That being said, it should be a highly entertaining and well played game. This game will be a true test of wills between the Colts (peaking at the right time) offense and the Jets (not as good as they think they are) defense. This one will be close and a lot of fun, so fellas, put your foot down and make sure that your lady knows that 8pm Saturday night is football time. If you end up watching The Notebook instead of this game, scan you man card into your computer and email it to me at the address shown at the top of this page.
My Prediction: Colts 24 – Jets 20
Thunder vs. Lightning (Ravens at Chiefs) – What happens when the league’s best rush offense plays host to the league’s fifth-best run defense in a playoff game? I don’t know thE answer to that question right now, but I will know after the 1pm game on Sunday. This game will be strength versus strength, because the Ravens’ hard hitting defense (thunder) simply don’t let you run the ball, while Kansas City’s offense (lightning) lives by the running game. As I see it, the only way to beat the Ravens is to exploit their below average corners in the passing game (but throw at your own risk because Reed is back behind those weak corners). However, I doubt that Kansas City’s 30th ranked passing game will be able to accomplish this feat. Although Kansas City is another ridiculously difficult place to play on the road, I think that the Ravens’ been here before attitude and road warrior mentality (they are 6 – 3 on the road in the playoffs since 2000) will overpower the young, inexperienced Chiefs who will be playing their first playoff game since 2006.
My Prediction: Ravens 21 – Chiefs 10
WHY DID THEY HAVE TO PLAY IN THE FIRST ROUND?! (Packers at Eagles) – Whether my prediction for this game is right or wrong, I feel as though the winner of this game will be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. That being said, I must admit that this is the hardest game of the weekend to pick (and the reason that I am writing this blog entry so darn late). As a matter of fact, I came extremely close to not picking this game, and just saying that it was too difficult to choose a winner. For those reading this who know me personally, you know that is simply not my style. To pick this game, I had to look beyond the superficial Vick vs. Rodgers talk, and really dive into the match-ups. This is where I discovered my pick to win this game. While both teams will certainly light up the scoreboard, because there will be big play threats all over the field in Vick, Jackson, Maclin, and McCoy for the Eagles and Rodgers, Jennings, and Driver for the Packers, the difference in this game lies on the defensive side of the football. Although, the Eagles defense is a pretty good unit and has played extremely well at times this season, in my opinion the Packers defense is much better. Although Vick has proven time and time again that he can be unstoppable, the Packers defense has as good a chance as any to prevent him from scoring on every possession. He definitely won’t look like he did against Washington in that video game played earlier this season. The bottom line is that the offensive skill players in the game are ridiculous and the quarterbacks are two of the best in the business. However, I like Aaron Rodgers against the Eagles defense slightly better than I like Vick against the likes of Clay Mathews, Charles Woodson, and Nick Collins. Don’t miss this one, it will be a shootout. If you are a fan of Big 10 football and enjoy watching three yards and a cloud of dust, this is not the game for you.
My Prediction: Packers 38 – Eagles 35
Tune in next week for PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (WEEK 2)….
If you aren’t scared, feel free to add yours in the comment section below this entry.
Girlfriend/Wife Special (Saints at Seahawks) – Ladies, if you want to spend time with your boyfriend/husband on Saturday, feel free to occupy their time until 8pm. That is when the playoffs officially begin. Although they may try to tell you (as I will my wife) that the 4:30 pm game is important also. If they do, feel free to call them a liar. I know that Seattle is one of the toughest places to play a road game in the NFL, but this might be the most lopsided playoff game in recent memory. I am giving the Seahawks NO CHANCE in this game, and it won’t even be close. As a matter of fact, I think the Saints went up by a touchdown as soon as their plane touched down in Seattle.
My Prediction: Saints 31 – Seahawks 10
Front Row vs. Back Row (Jets at Colts) – This matchup reminds me of high school. We will get a chance to see a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game, when the kids who always sat in the front of the classroom (Colts led by Peyton Manning) will face off against the dumb loudmouth disruptive kids that sat in the back of the class (Jets led by Rex Ryan). That being said, it should be a highly entertaining and well played game. This game will be a true test of wills between the Colts (peaking at the right time) offense and the Jets (not as good as they think they are) defense. This one will be close and a lot of fun, so fellas, put your foot down and make sure that your lady knows that 8pm Saturday night is football time. If you end up watching The Notebook instead of this game, scan you man card into your computer and email it to me at the address shown at the top of this page.
My Prediction: Colts 24 – Jets 20
Thunder vs. Lightning (Ravens at Chiefs) – What happens when the league’s best rush offense plays host to the league’s fifth-best run defense in a playoff game? I don’t know thE answer to that question right now, but I will know after the 1pm game on Sunday. This game will be strength versus strength, because the Ravens’ hard hitting defense (thunder) simply don’t let you run the ball, while Kansas City’s offense (lightning) lives by the running game. As I see it, the only way to beat the Ravens is to exploit their below average corners in the passing game (but throw at your own risk because Reed is back behind those weak corners). However, I doubt that Kansas City’s 30th ranked passing game will be able to accomplish this feat. Although Kansas City is another ridiculously difficult place to play on the road, I think that the Ravens’ been here before attitude and road warrior mentality (they are 6 – 3 on the road in the playoffs since 2000) will overpower the young, inexperienced Chiefs who will be playing their first playoff game since 2006.
My Prediction: Ravens 21 – Chiefs 10
WHY DID THEY HAVE TO PLAY IN THE FIRST ROUND?! (Packers at Eagles) – Whether my prediction for this game is right or wrong, I feel as though the winner of this game will be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. That being said, I must admit that this is the hardest game of the weekend to pick (and the reason that I am writing this blog entry so darn late). As a matter of fact, I came extremely close to not picking this game, and just saying that it was too difficult to choose a winner. For those reading this who know me personally, you know that is simply not my style. To pick this game, I had to look beyond the superficial Vick vs. Rodgers talk, and really dive into the match-ups. This is where I discovered my pick to win this game. While both teams will certainly light up the scoreboard, because there will be big play threats all over the field in Vick, Jackson, Maclin, and McCoy for the Eagles and Rodgers, Jennings, and Driver for the Packers, the difference in this game lies on the defensive side of the football. Although, the Eagles defense is a pretty good unit and has played extremely well at times this season, in my opinion the Packers defense is much better. Although Vick has proven time and time again that he can be unstoppable, the Packers defense has as good a chance as any to prevent him from scoring on every possession. He definitely won’t look like he did against Washington in that video game played earlier this season. The bottom line is that the offensive skill players in the game are ridiculous and the quarterbacks are two of the best in the business. However, I like Aaron Rodgers against the Eagles defense slightly better than I like Vick against the likes of Clay Mathews, Charles Woodson, and Nick Collins. Don’t miss this one, it will be a shootout. If you are a fan of Big 10 football and enjoy watching three yards and a cloud of dust, this is not the game for you.
My Prediction: Packers 38 – Eagles 35
Tune in next week for PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (WEEK 2)….
Sunday, November 8, 2009
WHAT? HE MISSED!
Kickers, Kickers, Kickers. There is one thing that I have always noticed about kickers on a football team. From the outside looking in, it really doesn’t appear that they are actually a part of the team. This is at all levels of football. The kickers, punters, and the long snapper (if he doesn’t also play another position) usually camp out during the game in their own little world that usually exists at the back of the sideline near the 30 or 35 yard line. Why is it that way? I really don’t know. Do the other players on the team not respect them? Do the other players on the team simply dislike them? Is there some rule in the football rulebook that specifies where kickers must stand on the sideline and how far they must be from the nearest teammate? Are players scared that if they stand too close to a kicker that their kids will grow up and become kickers? Someone please answer this question for me.
I am a daily listener to NFL radio (I was actually on air last Saturday, which was AWESOME!!!! because it is so hard to get through). One of the things that I like about NFL radio is that players and coaches tend to be very candid during interviews. I guess they let their guard down and say what is really on their mind because there are no cameras in their face. Usually television interviews with athletes go as Andre 3000 describes a bad rap battle in TWO DOPE BOYS IN A CADILLAC, they simply “spit (or in this case talk) and stumble of clichés” without really saying anything. However, on the radio they tend to be more likely to talk as if they are hanging out with friends at a bar while shooting pool and enjoying the beverage of their choice. It is very rare that any player interviewed on the radio speaks glowingly of their kicker (with the rare exception being Colts clutch kicker Adam Vinatieri). As a matter of fact when anything relating to a kicker comes up, I have hear many players simply laugh and say that they don’t pay the kicker any attention and that he should just stay out of everyone else’s way. A lot of them won’t even comment on anything kicker related.
Without a doubt, kickers have the most and least job security of any position in the NFL. A great kicker can kick FOREVER!!!! Five of the seven oldest players in NFL history were kickers (this includes George Blanda who was also a quarterback, but was a kicker for the final nine years of his 26 year career). For a less than spectacular kicker, your job is basically week-to-week. There have been several instances where a kicker has been cut following a bad game or they show up at practice Wednesday and there is a new guy there that you must compete with to keep your job.
Over my 28 years on this earth, I have seen more football than you can ever imagine. I have witnessed my fair share of blowouts as well as close games. Most of the close games that I have witnessed have come in the NFL, where the average margin of victory is less than a touchdown. The outcome of these close games sometimes rest on the mismatched shoe foot of a kicker. This fact makes me wonder, “Can a kicker lose a football game?”
I have heard several answers to this question. There is the school of thought that says that you can’t place the blame solely on a kicker for losing a football game, when the rest of the team could have done better during the rest of the game. Some NFL players take this perspective after a kicker has missed a potentially game winning kick. They try to deflect the blame from the player whose name they probably don’t even know, and place it on the entire team. I feel that is the admirable thing to do, because the last thing that you want is a kicker with confidence issues. I have also heard people say that kickers can’t lose a football game because they feel as though no kick is automatic. These people feel like it is up to the other players on the football team to play well enough to win the game, and that anything the kicker does (besides extra points) are a bonus. I even had one person tell me that not only can kickers lose the game, but he went so far as to wonder how the game of football would be without kickers altogether. While that may appear to be a ridiculous thought on the surface, after further discussion, I realized that he might be on to something (more on that thought to come in a later entry).
As most of you know I watch a great deal of NFL, NBA, and College Basketball games. I also watch some college football, but Saturday afternoons are usually reserved for homework and around the house activities. I say this because watching each of these sports has helped me to realize one of the biggest differences between the college and professional versions of basketball and football. College basketball is full of bad free throw shooting. I know that there are some terrible free throw shooters in the NBA (mostly power forwards & centers), but as a whole the free throw shooting is pretty good. In college basketball on the other hand, most players are pretty bad, especially in clutch situations. As far as college football goes, the field goal kicking leaves a lot to be desired. Except for the one or two kickers a year that eventually make the NFL, any field goal of 35 yards is an adventure. I am not surprised because there are close to 120 Division I (or whatever they call division 1 nowadays) football teams, plus countless others at other levels. With that many teams, you can’t expect all of them to have great kickers.
The NFL on the other hand is different. There are only 32 teams. While most teams carry 3 quarterbacks, 5 running backs/fullbacks, 6 wide receivers, and countless others at each position, THEY ONLY CARRY ONE PLACE KICKER! I specifically said “place kicker” because many place kickers in the NFL only have one job. That job is to kick field goals. A great deal of them, DON’T EVEN KICK OFF! They have a “kickoff specialist” to handle that. This means that there are only 32 people on the entire planet who are employed by NFL teams to kick field goals. Since this is such a small number, you would think that these are without a doubt the best in the world at this craft. With that being said, I feel as though A KICKER CAN MOST DEFINITELY LOSE A FOOTBALL GAME!
For an NFL kicker there are some kicks that should simply be automatic if there is a good snap, the ball is cleanly placed down with the laces turned out, and the offensive line does not let anyone through. While I acknowledge that some things are simply out of the kickers control, if the aforementioned events go without a hitch, ALL NFL KICKERS SHOULD MAKE EVERY EXTRA POINT THEY ATTEMPT! If the game is being played outdoors where mother nature can cause other variables to come into play, an NFL kicker SHOULD MAKE EVERY FIELD GOAL INSIDE OF FORTY YARDS! This means that if the offense gets the ball to the 22 yard line, there is no excuse for a missed kick (for those that don’t know, the actual distance of a field goal is 17 yards longer than the spot from which the ball is snapped, because the ball is kicked seven yards from where it is snapped and the goalposts are located 10 yards past the goal line). Inside of a dome where it never rains, the field is never muddy, there is no wind, the sun never causes any type of glare or shadows, and it is always a comfortable 72 degrees, an NFL kicker SHOULD MAKE ALL KICKS INSIDE OF 50 YARDS! This means that the offense is responsible for getting the ball to the opponent’s 32 yard line (which would be a 49 yard field goal for all of you non-math majors). While I know that no one is perfect and that every kicker will miss some kicks in their careers, they must be held responsible if the snap, hold, and blocking is good and they miss any extra point, or any kick inside of 40 yards outdoors or inside of 50 yards outdoors. While many NFL kickers can make 50+ yard field goals, no team should reasonably expect their kickers to make kicks from this distance. If a kicker happens to make a 50+ yard kick, the team should be elated and consider those points as a nice bonus, because it is totally unrealistic to expect your kicker to regularly make a kick from that distance.
I have absolutely no tolerance for kickers who let their team down by missing what should be makeable field goals. Most of them have one job on the football team and get paid a minimum of $310,000 per season, with some earning several million dollars per season. While it isn’t quarterback money, but it is certainly a nice living to DO ONE THING! In fact, I wonder if kickers even get a playbook like the rest of the team, or do they simply get a 3x5 index card that says, “Kick the ball between the uprights”? Really, they don’t have any plays. There is the occasional fake field goal, but even on that play the kicker simply goes through his normal kicking motion making it look as realistic as possible.
The only thing that place kickers ever do is kick the football. They do regular conditioning, weight training (at least on their lower body), and stretching. Other than that, they simply kick. Every NFL team has a special teams segment in practice where all of their special teams units practice their blocking and kick coverage. This is also when kickers get a chance to work on their kicking. Not only can they practice during the special teams segment of practice, but I don’t see why they can’t continue practicing their kicking during the nine-on-seven (run game practice) and seven-on-seven (pass game practice) segments of practice because most, if not all NFL teams have multiple fields at their practice facilities. They obviously aren’t needed during these segments, so they could get more reps on a separate field. They also have their very own kicking net on the sidelines that they can use to ensure that their steps are correct and that they make good contact with the ball. NFL teams certainly have enough resources to enable kickers to work on their craft as much as they would like to.
In no way, shape, or form am I diminishing the skill that it takes to be an NFL kicker. It is an extremely difficult job that only 32 people in the entire world have. But what I am doing is not letting them off the hook for missing field goals that professionals should make. Just like quarterbacks get blamed for missing wide open receivers (or in the case of Jason Campbell, refusing to throw to wide open receivers that are more than 15 yards away from you), and running backs get blamed for loosing fumbles, and Keith Brooking gets blamed for missing tackle opportunities in front of the first down marker, kickers should be blamed when they mess up as well.
I have arrived at several NFL games early enough to see the kickers warm up (which usually happens before the rest of the team warms up). These kickers can routinely make 70+ yard field goals in warm-ups, which show just how strong and accurate their legs are. Yes, I know that warm-up conditions are totally pressure free unlike the real games. But at least we know what they are capable of. To be a good NFL kicker, you must have nerves of steel (especially on the road) and be able to concentrate on the task at hand. While this is pressure, it is no different than what a quarterback must do when throwing a pass with 250 – 300 pound defenders diving at you to take your head off. It is also no different from what wide receivers must deal with while going over the middle to catch a pass that was thrown a tad bit high. It is also no different than the pressure that any Green Bay Packer tackle was under when facing Jared Allen this season (can you believe he had 7.5 sacks against the Packers in two games this season). Bottom line is that everyone on the football field is under intense pressure during the game (except for maybe the kickoff specialist, which is by the way the best job in all of sports). The ability to not only handle, but also thrive under that pressure is why they are in the NFL. Whether or not these players thrive under the pressure or succumb to it will ultimately decide the fate of their team, and KICKERS OR NO DIFFERENT!
ON A TOTALLY UNRELATED NOTE: I have had the misfortune of seeing the Washington Redskins play a few times this year. Am I the only one that notices that Jason Campbell looks as if he is expecting to get sacked each time he drops back to pass? Pay attention to him the next time you see the Redskins play or highlights of him getting sacked on SportScenter. It looks as though he takes the snap; looks for his first read (who is either covered or too far for him to get the ball to him) and then immediately balls up into the tornado drill position that you had to do in elementary school and waits to get hit. I’m not making this up. Check it out.
AND NOW FOR MY BALLER AND SCRUB OF THE WEEK:
BALLER: Jamal Crawford (Atlanta Hawks) – My Atlanta Hawks are off to a 5 – 2 start. It has definitely been a total team effort. Josh Smith and Al Horford are playing out of their minds. Joe Johnson is being the regular season Joe Johnson that we all know and love (the post-season Joe Johnson is an entirely different issue). Marvin Williams is still making me wonder why we drafted him over Chris Paul and Deron Williams (my therapist is helping me to get over my hang up on that issue). But the engine that is currently making the Hawks go is sixth-man extraordinaire, Jamal Crawford. He is averaging 18 points per game off the bench and is given the Hawks the secondary scorer that they thought they drafted in Marvin Williams (sorry, I am really working on this). If he keeps up this pace, my Hawks will be hard to beat and will certainly get a crack at Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals.
This week I couldn’t decide between two candidates for Scrub of the Week, so I decided to honor them both.
SCRUB: The NFL’s Southeast Division (better known as the SEC) Officials – Although I don’t watch nearly as much college football as I do NFL football, I do occasionally enjoy a good college football game. One game that I am definitely looking forward to is the SEC Championship Game. I would love to see a rematch of last year’s game and see Alabama play Florida. Obviously the SEC feels the same way that I do, because their officials have made terrible calls or no-calls for both Florida and Alabama this season. Just yesterday, they disallowed an interception of Alabama by LSU by saying that the LSU player never got his foot down inbounds after catching the ball. While watching the game live, I definitely saw that he indeed did get the required one foot down in bounds. Then CBS showed countless replays from several angles, that all showed that his foot was down. The most daunting evidence that was ignored by the officials was the divot left in the grass by the LSU player when HIS FOOT CAME DOWN INBOUNDS! In the same game, the officials missed an obvious facemask (hands to the face penalty) by an Alabama defensive lineman that grabbed a LSU offensive lineman’s facemask and used it to drive him back so that he could get to the quarterback. I don’t know how they missed that one, the kid’s head snapped back. I’m not saying that the outcome of the game would have been any different had the correct call been made in these situations, but it would have been nice to let the players and coaches on the field decide. The officials in this game definitely had a HUGE affect on the outcome. It really shouldn’t be that way.
We all know that Tim Tebow (I can’t wait until he gets exposed in the NFL) is the chosen one and that his ticket to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game was punched when Spring Practice started, but now the SEC is even hand picking his opponent. This is ridiculous. The NCAA has to take a look at the poor quality of SEC officiating and their obvious biases, and step in and do something. The SEC obviously has an agenda and has empowered their officials with the ability to ensure that their agenda comes to fruition.
SCRUB: Elizabeth Lambert (New Mexico Women’s Soccer Team) – I know the last names are slightly different, but I wonder if she is related to Bill Laimbeer.
Check out the video.
I am a daily listener to NFL radio (I was actually on air last Saturday, which was AWESOME!!!! because it is so hard to get through). One of the things that I like about NFL radio is that players and coaches tend to be very candid during interviews. I guess they let their guard down and say what is really on their mind because there are no cameras in their face. Usually television interviews with athletes go as Andre 3000 describes a bad rap battle in TWO DOPE BOYS IN A CADILLAC, they simply “spit (or in this case talk) and stumble of clichés” without really saying anything. However, on the radio they tend to be more likely to talk as if they are hanging out with friends at a bar while shooting pool and enjoying the beverage of their choice. It is very rare that any player interviewed on the radio speaks glowingly of their kicker (with the rare exception being Colts clutch kicker Adam Vinatieri). As a matter of fact when anything relating to a kicker comes up, I have hear many players simply laugh and say that they don’t pay the kicker any attention and that he should just stay out of everyone else’s way. A lot of them won’t even comment on anything kicker related.
Without a doubt, kickers have the most and least job security of any position in the NFL. A great kicker can kick FOREVER!!!! Five of the seven oldest players in NFL history were kickers (this includes George Blanda who was also a quarterback, but was a kicker for the final nine years of his 26 year career). For a less than spectacular kicker, your job is basically week-to-week. There have been several instances where a kicker has been cut following a bad game or they show up at practice Wednesday and there is a new guy there that you must compete with to keep your job.
Over my 28 years on this earth, I have seen more football than you can ever imagine. I have witnessed my fair share of blowouts as well as close games. Most of the close games that I have witnessed have come in the NFL, where the average margin of victory is less than a touchdown. The outcome of these close games sometimes rest on the mismatched shoe foot of a kicker. This fact makes me wonder, “Can a kicker lose a football game?”
I have heard several answers to this question. There is the school of thought that says that you can’t place the blame solely on a kicker for losing a football game, when the rest of the team could have done better during the rest of the game. Some NFL players take this perspective after a kicker has missed a potentially game winning kick. They try to deflect the blame from the player whose name they probably don’t even know, and place it on the entire team. I feel that is the admirable thing to do, because the last thing that you want is a kicker with confidence issues. I have also heard people say that kickers can’t lose a football game because they feel as though no kick is automatic. These people feel like it is up to the other players on the football team to play well enough to win the game, and that anything the kicker does (besides extra points) are a bonus. I even had one person tell me that not only can kickers lose the game, but he went so far as to wonder how the game of football would be without kickers altogether. While that may appear to be a ridiculous thought on the surface, after further discussion, I realized that he might be on to something (more on that thought to come in a later entry).
As most of you know I watch a great deal of NFL, NBA, and College Basketball games. I also watch some college football, but Saturday afternoons are usually reserved for homework and around the house activities. I say this because watching each of these sports has helped me to realize one of the biggest differences between the college and professional versions of basketball and football. College basketball is full of bad free throw shooting. I know that there are some terrible free throw shooters in the NBA (mostly power forwards & centers), but as a whole the free throw shooting is pretty good. In college basketball on the other hand, most players are pretty bad, especially in clutch situations. As far as college football goes, the field goal kicking leaves a lot to be desired. Except for the one or two kickers a year that eventually make the NFL, any field goal of 35 yards is an adventure. I am not surprised because there are close to 120 Division I (or whatever they call division 1 nowadays) football teams, plus countless others at other levels. With that many teams, you can’t expect all of them to have great kickers.
The NFL on the other hand is different. There are only 32 teams. While most teams carry 3 quarterbacks, 5 running backs/fullbacks, 6 wide receivers, and countless others at each position, THEY ONLY CARRY ONE PLACE KICKER! I specifically said “place kicker” because many place kickers in the NFL only have one job. That job is to kick field goals. A great deal of them, DON’T EVEN KICK OFF! They have a “kickoff specialist” to handle that. This means that there are only 32 people on the entire planet who are employed by NFL teams to kick field goals. Since this is such a small number, you would think that these are without a doubt the best in the world at this craft. With that being said, I feel as though A KICKER CAN MOST DEFINITELY LOSE A FOOTBALL GAME!
For an NFL kicker there are some kicks that should simply be automatic if there is a good snap, the ball is cleanly placed down with the laces turned out, and the offensive line does not let anyone through. While I acknowledge that some things are simply out of the kickers control, if the aforementioned events go without a hitch, ALL NFL KICKERS SHOULD MAKE EVERY EXTRA POINT THEY ATTEMPT! If the game is being played outdoors where mother nature can cause other variables to come into play, an NFL kicker SHOULD MAKE EVERY FIELD GOAL INSIDE OF FORTY YARDS! This means that if the offense gets the ball to the 22 yard line, there is no excuse for a missed kick (for those that don’t know, the actual distance of a field goal is 17 yards longer than the spot from which the ball is snapped, because the ball is kicked seven yards from where it is snapped and the goalposts are located 10 yards past the goal line). Inside of a dome where it never rains, the field is never muddy, there is no wind, the sun never causes any type of glare or shadows, and it is always a comfortable 72 degrees, an NFL kicker SHOULD MAKE ALL KICKS INSIDE OF 50 YARDS! This means that the offense is responsible for getting the ball to the opponent’s 32 yard line (which would be a 49 yard field goal for all of you non-math majors). While I know that no one is perfect and that every kicker will miss some kicks in their careers, they must be held responsible if the snap, hold, and blocking is good and they miss any extra point, or any kick inside of 40 yards outdoors or inside of 50 yards outdoors. While many NFL kickers can make 50+ yard field goals, no team should reasonably expect their kickers to make kicks from this distance. If a kicker happens to make a 50+ yard kick, the team should be elated and consider those points as a nice bonus, because it is totally unrealistic to expect your kicker to regularly make a kick from that distance.
I have absolutely no tolerance for kickers who let their team down by missing what should be makeable field goals. Most of them have one job on the football team and get paid a minimum of $310,000 per season, with some earning several million dollars per season. While it isn’t quarterback money, but it is certainly a nice living to DO ONE THING! In fact, I wonder if kickers even get a playbook like the rest of the team, or do they simply get a 3x5 index card that says, “Kick the ball between the uprights”? Really, they don’t have any plays. There is the occasional fake field goal, but even on that play the kicker simply goes through his normal kicking motion making it look as realistic as possible.
The only thing that place kickers ever do is kick the football. They do regular conditioning, weight training (at least on their lower body), and stretching. Other than that, they simply kick. Every NFL team has a special teams segment in practice where all of their special teams units practice their blocking and kick coverage. This is also when kickers get a chance to work on their kicking. Not only can they practice during the special teams segment of practice, but I don’t see why they can’t continue practicing their kicking during the nine-on-seven (run game practice) and seven-on-seven (pass game practice) segments of practice because most, if not all NFL teams have multiple fields at their practice facilities. They obviously aren’t needed during these segments, so they could get more reps on a separate field. They also have their very own kicking net on the sidelines that they can use to ensure that their steps are correct and that they make good contact with the ball. NFL teams certainly have enough resources to enable kickers to work on their craft as much as they would like to.
In no way, shape, or form am I diminishing the skill that it takes to be an NFL kicker. It is an extremely difficult job that only 32 people in the entire world have. But what I am doing is not letting them off the hook for missing field goals that professionals should make. Just like quarterbacks get blamed for missing wide open receivers (or in the case of Jason Campbell, refusing to throw to wide open receivers that are more than 15 yards away from you), and running backs get blamed for loosing fumbles, and Keith Brooking gets blamed for missing tackle opportunities in front of the first down marker, kickers should be blamed when they mess up as well.
I have arrived at several NFL games early enough to see the kickers warm up (which usually happens before the rest of the team warms up). These kickers can routinely make 70+ yard field goals in warm-ups, which show just how strong and accurate their legs are. Yes, I know that warm-up conditions are totally pressure free unlike the real games. But at least we know what they are capable of. To be a good NFL kicker, you must have nerves of steel (especially on the road) and be able to concentrate on the task at hand. While this is pressure, it is no different than what a quarterback must do when throwing a pass with 250 – 300 pound defenders diving at you to take your head off. It is also no different from what wide receivers must deal with while going over the middle to catch a pass that was thrown a tad bit high. It is also no different than the pressure that any Green Bay Packer tackle was under when facing Jared Allen this season (can you believe he had 7.5 sacks against the Packers in two games this season). Bottom line is that everyone on the football field is under intense pressure during the game (except for maybe the kickoff specialist, which is by the way the best job in all of sports). The ability to not only handle, but also thrive under that pressure is why they are in the NFL. Whether or not these players thrive under the pressure or succumb to it will ultimately decide the fate of their team, and KICKERS OR NO DIFFERENT!
ON A TOTALLY UNRELATED NOTE: I have had the misfortune of seeing the Washington Redskins play a few times this year. Am I the only one that notices that Jason Campbell looks as if he is expecting to get sacked each time he drops back to pass? Pay attention to him the next time you see the Redskins play or highlights of him getting sacked on SportScenter. It looks as though he takes the snap; looks for his first read (who is either covered or too far for him to get the ball to him) and then immediately balls up into the tornado drill position that you had to do in elementary school and waits to get hit. I’m not making this up. Check it out.
AND NOW FOR MY BALLER AND SCRUB OF THE WEEK:
BALLER: Jamal Crawford (Atlanta Hawks) – My Atlanta Hawks are off to a 5 – 2 start. It has definitely been a total team effort. Josh Smith and Al Horford are playing out of their minds. Joe Johnson is being the regular season Joe Johnson that we all know and love (the post-season Joe Johnson is an entirely different issue). Marvin Williams is still making me wonder why we drafted him over Chris Paul and Deron Williams (my therapist is helping me to get over my hang up on that issue). But the engine that is currently making the Hawks go is sixth-man extraordinaire, Jamal Crawford. He is averaging 18 points per game off the bench and is given the Hawks the secondary scorer that they thought they drafted in Marvin Williams (sorry, I am really working on this). If he keeps up this pace, my Hawks will be hard to beat and will certainly get a crack at Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals.
This week I couldn’t decide between two candidates for Scrub of the Week, so I decided to honor them both.
SCRUB: The NFL’s Southeast Division (better known as the SEC) Officials – Although I don’t watch nearly as much college football as I do NFL football, I do occasionally enjoy a good college football game. One game that I am definitely looking forward to is the SEC Championship Game. I would love to see a rematch of last year’s game and see Alabama play Florida. Obviously the SEC feels the same way that I do, because their officials have made terrible calls or no-calls for both Florida and Alabama this season. Just yesterday, they disallowed an interception of Alabama by LSU by saying that the LSU player never got his foot down inbounds after catching the ball. While watching the game live, I definitely saw that he indeed did get the required one foot down in bounds. Then CBS showed countless replays from several angles, that all showed that his foot was down. The most daunting evidence that was ignored by the officials was the divot left in the grass by the LSU player when HIS FOOT CAME DOWN INBOUNDS! In the same game, the officials missed an obvious facemask (hands to the face penalty) by an Alabama defensive lineman that grabbed a LSU offensive lineman’s facemask and used it to drive him back so that he could get to the quarterback. I don’t know how they missed that one, the kid’s head snapped back. I’m not saying that the outcome of the game would have been any different had the correct call been made in these situations, but it would have been nice to let the players and coaches on the field decide. The officials in this game definitely had a HUGE affect on the outcome. It really shouldn’t be that way.
We all know that Tim Tebow (I can’t wait until he gets exposed in the NFL) is the chosen one and that his ticket to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game was punched when Spring Practice started, but now the SEC is even hand picking his opponent. This is ridiculous. The NCAA has to take a look at the poor quality of SEC officiating and their obvious biases, and step in and do something. The SEC obviously has an agenda and has empowered their officials with the ability to ensure that their agenda comes to fruition.
SCRUB: Elizabeth Lambert (New Mexico Women’s Soccer Team) – I know the last names are slightly different, but I wonder if she is related to Bill Laimbeer.
Check out the video.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
SAN DIEGO WE MAY HAVE A PROBLEM!
I would like to start by thanking the National Football League for a very exciting weekend of football. The NFL postseason is the best in all of sports. It’s better than the NBA (too many teams make the playoffs), College Football (the bowl system is stupid and absolutely sucks), Major League Baseball (just plain boring), and the National Hockey League (does that league still exist?). The only sport whose postseason comes close to the excitement of the NFL’s is college basketball. Although March Madness is awesome, I still think that the NFL system is the best. That may simply be because I like the NFL better than I like college basketball.
While watching the Chargers and the Colts playoff game last night (an excellent football game by the way), I couldn’t help but notice how Darren Sproles completely took over the game and beat the Colts virtually single-handedly. He had 328 all-purpose yards (total rushing, recieving, and return yards). This made me wonder how AJ Smith (the Chargers General Manager) is going to handle the running back situation next season. This will have to be addressed because Darren Sproles is in a contract year, which means that he will be a free-agent when their playoff run ends. The knock on Sproles has always been that he is too small to be a feature back in the NFL. He made the league as a kick-returner, and has proven that he is so much more. Although, we don’t know if his diminutive frame (he is listed at 5’6” & 181 lbs.) can hold up for a full sixteen games schedule of 20 carries per game, he showed us last night that he is tough enough to be a feature back in spots when called upon and possibly a starter in a two back system.
This poses and interesting dilemma for the Chargers, who brilliantly drafted him in the fourth round on the 2005 NFL draft (you remember that stellar draft, THE GREAT Alex Smith was the 1st overall pick). He made a little over $1.1 million this season and will definitely be getting a raise this off-season. The Chargers on the other hand are reliving the Michael Turner situation of a year ago. Turner was a great backup to LaDanian Tomlinson for four seasons. Once he became a free-agent, the Chargers had no choice but to let him go because it didn’t make any sense for them to pay a backup running back starting running back money, especially when he is playing behind the great LaDanian Tomlinson. It seemed to be an easy decision in the case of Turner. However, the Sproles decision will be a much tougher one to make. For starters, he is a GREAT return man on special teams. He is also a GREAT third down back. On top of all of that, he has also proven to be a good every down running back. Not to mention the unmentionable question that is in the back of the mind of the members of the Chargers front office as well as all Charger fans. That question is, HOW MUCH DOES LADANIEN TOMLINSON HAVE LEFT IN THE TANK?
I am in no way questioning Tomlinson’s ability because he still had over 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, but I am questioning his durability. For the second straight year, Tomlinson has been essentially ineffective in a playoff game due to injury. This basically shows that the wear and tear that he endures year in and year out takes a toll on his body. Come playoff time, he just doesn’t have anything left. The point of this entry is not to question Tomlinson’s toughness, because he is very tough. He has taken a pounding in his eight year career (over 2,600 regular season carries) and is arguably the best back in the league during that time and is in the conversation when discussing the best running backs ever. We must remember that he is fast approaching the “magical” running back age of 30. All football fans know, that once a running back turns 30 years old his career usually begins to take a nose-dive. Although there are some exceptions, Tomlinson is appearing to be the rule and not one of the rare exceptions.
I don’t know how much longer Tomlinson plans to play, but it seems as though it is time for the Chargers to implement a full-time two-back system. This will keep Tomlinson fresh for the playoffs. Tomlinson has been a workhorse his entire career and probably wouldn’t be thrilled with the prospect of splitting carries, but he must realize that it is best for him long-term and will allow him to actually be on the field when the games really count. If the Chargers elect to go in this direction, only one question remains. Is Darren Sproles the 2 in a potential Tomlinson-Sproles 1-2 punch? I’m sure they would love for him to be, but his play (especially Saturday night) has all but assured that they will have to over-pay to keep him because he will have plenty of suitors.
There are those who believe that it is possible for Tomlinson to join the long list of running backs who have retired earlier than expected. I have no idea if there is any truth to that, but if there is, the Chargers better make sure they have a suitable replacement. There is a chance that Sproles could be that guy or at least a part of the tandem that is that guy. If they think that he is, they will have to pay dearly.
To sum it all up, Sproles just made himself a lot of STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! on Saturday night.
****ON A TOTALLY DIFFERENT NOTE****
I would like to say CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ATLANTA FALCONS AND THE MIAMI DOLPHINS and the fans of those teams. What they did this season was truly remarkable. There isn't a person on this planet that thought they would have a combined total of 11 wins this season, and they EACH MANAGED TO WIN 11 GAMES!!!! I know that there are no moral victories in the NFL, but each of these teams had seasons to be proud of and that will be remembered for a long time.
To the fans of those teams, DON'T HANG YOUR HEADS BECAUSE OF THE PLAYOFF LOSS. It was a great season. Enjoy it and look forward to next year. YOU GOTTA LOVE THE NFL!!!!
While watching the Chargers and the Colts playoff game last night (an excellent football game by the way), I couldn’t help but notice how Darren Sproles completely took over the game and beat the Colts virtually single-handedly. He had 328 all-purpose yards (total rushing, recieving, and return yards). This made me wonder how AJ Smith (the Chargers General Manager) is going to handle the running back situation next season. This will have to be addressed because Darren Sproles is in a contract year, which means that he will be a free-agent when their playoff run ends. The knock on Sproles has always been that he is too small to be a feature back in the NFL. He made the league as a kick-returner, and has proven that he is so much more. Although, we don’t know if his diminutive frame (he is listed at 5’6” & 181 lbs.) can hold up for a full sixteen games schedule of 20 carries per game, he showed us last night that he is tough enough to be a feature back in spots when called upon and possibly a starter in a two back system.
This poses and interesting dilemma for the Chargers, who brilliantly drafted him in the fourth round on the 2005 NFL draft (you remember that stellar draft, THE GREAT Alex Smith was the 1st overall pick). He made a little over $1.1 million this season and will definitely be getting a raise this off-season. The Chargers on the other hand are reliving the Michael Turner situation of a year ago. Turner was a great backup to LaDanian Tomlinson for four seasons. Once he became a free-agent, the Chargers had no choice but to let him go because it didn’t make any sense for them to pay a backup running back starting running back money, especially when he is playing behind the great LaDanian Tomlinson. It seemed to be an easy decision in the case of Turner. However, the Sproles decision will be a much tougher one to make. For starters, he is a GREAT return man on special teams. He is also a GREAT third down back. On top of all of that, he has also proven to be a good every down running back. Not to mention the unmentionable question that is in the back of the mind of the members of the Chargers front office as well as all Charger fans. That question is, HOW MUCH DOES LADANIEN TOMLINSON HAVE LEFT IN THE TANK?
I am in no way questioning Tomlinson’s ability because he still had over 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, but I am questioning his durability. For the second straight year, Tomlinson has been essentially ineffective in a playoff game due to injury. This basically shows that the wear and tear that he endures year in and year out takes a toll on his body. Come playoff time, he just doesn’t have anything left. The point of this entry is not to question Tomlinson’s toughness, because he is very tough. He has taken a pounding in his eight year career (over 2,600 regular season carries) and is arguably the best back in the league during that time and is in the conversation when discussing the best running backs ever. We must remember that he is fast approaching the “magical” running back age of 30. All football fans know, that once a running back turns 30 years old his career usually begins to take a nose-dive. Although there are some exceptions, Tomlinson is appearing to be the rule and not one of the rare exceptions.
I don’t know how much longer Tomlinson plans to play, but it seems as though it is time for the Chargers to implement a full-time two-back system. This will keep Tomlinson fresh for the playoffs. Tomlinson has been a workhorse his entire career and probably wouldn’t be thrilled with the prospect of splitting carries, but he must realize that it is best for him long-term and will allow him to actually be on the field when the games really count. If the Chargers elect to go in this direction, only one question remains. Is Darren Sproles the 2 in a potential Tomlinson-Sproles 1-2 punch? I’m sure they would love for him to be, but his play (especially Saturday night) has all but assured that they will have to over-pay to keep him because he will have plenty of suitors.
There are those who believe that it is possible for Tomlinson to join the long list of running backs who have retired earlier than expected. I have no idea if there is any truth to that, but if there is, the Chargers better make sure they have a suitable replacement. There is a chance that Sproles could be that guy or at least a part of the tandem that is that guy. If they think that he is, they will have to pay dearly.
To sum it all up, Sproles just made himself a lot of STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! on Saturday night.
****ON A TOTALLY DIFFERENT NOTE****
I would like to say CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ATLANTA FALCONS AND THE MIAMI DOLPHINS and the fans of those teams. What they did this season was truly remarkable. There isn't a person on this planet that thought they would have a combined total of 11 wins this season, and they EACH MANAGED TO WIN 11 GAMES!!!! I know that there are no moral victories in the NFL, but each of these teams had seasons to be proud of and that will be remembered for a long time.
To the fans of those teams, DON'T HANG YOUR HEADS BECAUSE OF THE PLAYOFF LOSS. It was a great season. Enjoy it and look forward to next year. YOU GOTTA LOVE THE NFL!!!!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
THE EXPERIENCE OR THE GAME?
FOOTBALL SEASON IS IN FULL SWING!!!! This is by far my favorite time of year because I am such a big football fan. The perfect fall sports weekend for me would consist of watching one or two college football games on Saturday followed by watching every possible NFL game that I can all day on Sunday and then on Monday night. Although I like college football quite a bit, I definitely prefer the NFL.
I know and have met a lot of people who are huge football fans. Some of them are college and professional fans, but the majority of them prefer one or the other. Although there are some exceptions, the majority of the die-hard college football fans that I have met do not like the NFL at all. While on the other hand, most of the NFL fans that I know (including myself) like college football also but simply likes the NFL better. Although they are both share the name football, these are definitely two very different games. With that being said, I will evaluate what I feel are the differences between the two games. Hopefully this will explain why each game attracts the type of fan that it does.
GAME DAY ATMOSPHERE
The differences in the atmosphere at an NFL game can’t be compared to that of a college game. The atmosphere for a big game between two major college football teams is among the best in sports. If you don’t believe me, tune-in next Saturday night for the game between USC and Ohio State. The stadium will be electric and you will be able to feel the excitement through your television screen, especially if you are watching in High Definition. By far the coolest thing to witness in all of football (especially in High Definition) is the “White Out” by Penn State fans when they play a big home game at night. College tailgating is also much better than tailgating at NFL games. The main reason for this fact is that most college games are played on Saturday, and most people don’t work on Sunday, so they can get as drunk as their body will allow. On the other hand NFL tailgaters have to be careful because they have to be able to make it home and get ready for work the following day.
The main difference between professional and college crowds is “THE STUDENT SECTION.” This section is filled with drunk college kids who are at the game simply to continue the party from tailgating that morning and getting ready for an after party that night. More often than not these students know very little about football, but go to the games because it is the thing to do on campus and they are a lot of fun. The rest of the stadium is filled with alumni, locals, and fans of the other team who are all dressed up and ready to yell and scream in support of their team for 3 ½ hours. At the schools that have top tier college football programs, each game day is an event, and it is just an amazing experience. Especially when ESPN’s College Gameday broadcasts live from their campus.
In contrast, NFL tickets have gotten so expensive that the average fan can’t afford to go to the games. It’s getting to the point that NFL stadiums will soon have more luxury suites than regular seats. The seats in the lower sections of the stadiums are beginning to look more and more like corporate shareholders meetings and less like football games. However, the average fan can still afford the upper level tickets (just barely) in NFL stadiums. That really takes away from the atmosphere of the game, when the majority of the die-hard fans are sitting so far from the field, strictly due to the economics of the game. I think it is funny that the NFL stadiums that have the best “atmosphere” like Kansas City and Denver are thought to be so great because they have a college-like atmosphere.
RIVALRIES
In my opinion, this is by far where college football has the advantage over the NFL. There are some great rivalries in the NFL, such as Colts – Patriots, Giants – Cowboys, Chiefs – Broncos, and Packers – Bears just to name a few. Although they are usually very good games that cause a lot of excitement, they can’t hold a candle to the traditional college rivalries. Think about Michigan – Ohio State, Georgia – Florida, Auburn – Alabama, Florida State – Miami, Texas – Oklahoma, and USC – Notre Dame. No matter the state of the programs or the records of each team going into these games, when they meet you can throw out the records. These games excite their fan bases more so than any game does for NFL fans.
STYLES OF PLAY
The college game offers a variety of styles of play, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. There are teams that run the “Spread Offense,” the “Option,” the “Pro-style Offense,” the “Triple Option,” the “West Coast Offense,” the “Shot-Gun Offense,” and a variety of other styles or systems. It makes for some very interesting games. The phase, “Styles make fights,” which is often used in boxing also applies to college football games.
On the other hand, in the NFL everyone basically runs a form of the “West Coast Offense,” a heavy “Shot-Gun Offense,” or the traditional “Pro-style Offense.”
UNIFORMS
As a whole college football teams have much cooler uniforms than NFL teams. Don’t get me wrong there are some really cool uniforms in the NFL, such as the Falcons, the Chargers (powder blue throwbacks), the Denver Broncos, and the Arizona Cardinals, just to name a few. However, Nike really works hard to keep the college teams looking good. The University of Oregon has so many different uniforms that they never have to wear the same combination twice during a season. I have noticed that the new NFL uniforms are starting to look more and more like the college uniforms.
Jersey numbers are also much cooler in college football. The NFL has absolutely ridiculous rules that dictate the jersey numbers that a player can choose according to their position. That rule is about as stupid as the NBA age-limit. Who cares what a uniform number a player chooses. Personally I like to see defensive ends and linebackers wearing single digit numbers. I think it looks really cool. The NFL even fines players for not wearing particular socks or having a tinted helmet visor. They have to have something better to worry about than Clinton Portis’ choice of socks.
POST SEASON
The worst thing about major college football is the fact that they have this stupid Bowl System instead of a playoff system. In college football voters and computer calculations decide who gets to play for the championship. That is the stupidest thing in sports. This is a flawed system on so many levels. By not letting things be decided on the field, you open the door for constant whining by fans, players, and especially coaches. It was an absolute embarrassment for the sport when Auburn was left out of the National Championship game following the 2004 season. They were passed over for Oklahoma, who was beat like Rodney King by the USC Trojans. It is a shame that although all three teams were undefeated, Auburn was passed over because they started the season ranked lower.
I almost forgot, you can’t get rid of the bowl system and implement a playoff system. If you do that, we will no longer have the GMAC Bowl, the Music City Bowl, the Smurf-Turf Bowl, or the all-important Emerald Nut Bowl. What on Earth would we do without all of these games between six and seven win teams?
The NFL on the other hand has the best playoff format in all of sports. It is very simple. If you win your division, you are in the playoffs. There are also two wild-card spots per conference, which gives teams that can’t win the division something to continue to play hard for.
COACHING
Do I really need to go into any detail here? I will simply make one statement. THE VAST MAJORITY OF COLLEGE HEAD COACHES (EVEN THE “GENIUSES”) CAN’T CUT IT IN THE NFL. If you don’t believe me, think about Steve Spurrier, Nick Saban, Bobby Petrino, Butch Davis, and Lou Holtz just to name a few. NFL coaches are simply more knowledgeable about the game and work harder to be successful.
TALENT
The talent gap between major college football and the NFL is ridiculously wide, as it should be. The fact that there are approximately 120 Division 1 college football teams with 85 scholarship players each compared to 32 NFL teams with 53 player each should explain the talent gap. Over the years there have been many college football players that people thought were great that just couldn’t cut it in the NFL. I am sure that you remember the stellar NFL careers of Jason White, Eric Crouch, Chris Weinke, Danny Wuerffel, Andre Ware, and the GREAT GINO TORRETTA. Oh, you don’t? Me either, and all of these players won the Heisman Trophy, which allegedly makes them the best player in college football.
The size and speed combination of NFL players is absolutely ridiculous. There are defensive ends in the NFL that are fast enough to catch such speedsters as Reggie Bush and Michael Vick from behind (given the proper angle). There are wide receivers in the NFL that are big enough to be defensive ends in the college game.
The talent is also more evenly distributed in the NFL than in the college game. Colleges build their teams through recruiting. This basically means that it is possible for a couple of teams to amass all of the talent and leave the programs with less money to pay their players with the scraps. This talent gap means that there will be a lot of 65 – 14 games over the course of the season. These types of games even take place within the same conference. Watch the USC v/s Arizona game. The average margin of victory in Division 1 college football is close to 20 points per game, as opposed to an NFL of slightly more than three points. Due to the fact that the talent is so close among NFL teams, any team can win on ANY GIVEN SUNDAY!!!!
Although we all have NFL players that we think are terrible (think Brodie Croyle, Fred Smoot, Fred Thomas, Alex Smith, Rex Grossman), we must remember that everyone in the NFL is a good football player. The things that they can do on the football field are simply amazing.
QUALITY OF THE GAME
The quality of play in the NFL is so much better than that of the college game, that they really shouldn’t both be called football. This is of course due to several of the factors that were mentioned earlier. First of all, the quality of the coaching In the NFL is so much better than that of the college game. The NFL game is usually a more crisply played game with fewer penalties, which can be attributed to the fact that the players are professionals. The routes are very precise, the hits are much harder, the backs hit the hole much quicker, the blocks are more devastating, the plays are more intricate, and the game is so detailed. When it comes to precision and execution, the NFL is head and shoulders above college football. For instance, a receiver in college football is considered open when he has three yards on a defender. On the other hand, an NFL receiver is considered open when he has one step on the defender. The NFL quarterback then has to be able to get the ball to that receiver, while keeping it away from the defender.
THE STUPIDEST THING ABOUT COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Although this entry is about comparing college football to the NFL, I must get off the subject for a second and rant about what I believe is the stupidest thing about college football. I don’t understand PRESEASON RANKINGS!!!! How in the world can you rank teams before you see them play? Two things have happened this week that don’t make any sense to me. First East Carolina started the season unranked. Apparently this was a mistake because they have proven to be better than Virginia Tech (ranked 17th at the time) and West Virginia (ranked 8th at the time). After these two victories the Pirates have finally proven worthy of being ranked, they are 14th in this week’s poll. How do you explain this? The other thing that leaves me puzzled is that fact that Georgia started the season ranked number one and won their first game rather convincingly, yet they were jumped in the polls by USC. Basically the same people who thought they were the best team before the season, punished them a week later for winning like they should. Now I am by no means a Georgia fan, but this is ridiculous. I know that all college sports have pre-season rankings, but they are especially stupid in football because more often than not you final poll position is affected by your starting poll position. Remember there is no playoff system, so it will not be decided on the field. Also, remember that the voters do not always watch the games. They simply read box scores or watch SportsCenter. What a way to decide who is better!
THE EXPERIENCE OR THE GAME
As I stated earlier, the college and NFL games are very different and everyone is entitled to have their preferences. These are the two most popular sports in America (NFL is #1 followed by College Football at #2), so we know that a lot of people really enjoy both of them. Personally I like college football, but I absolutely LOVE THE NFL. Based on my observations of football fans that I have come across, I feel as though college football fans are usually people who love the experience of the game, while NFL fans are people who love football!
Which do you prefer, THE EXPERIENCE OR THE GAME?
****NOTE (on a totally different subject)****
I found it rather amusing that Daunte Culpepper retired from the NFL. I wasn't aware that you can retire from a league when you are not currently in the league (he was not on a roster). If the knee injury suffered by Tom Brady is serious and he is out for the season or an extended portion of this season and the Patriots call Daunte Culpepper, do you really think that he is going to tell them, NO THANKS, I'M RETIRED? I don't think so, which means that he is not retired, he is simply not on a team.
****COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY****
WE ARE NOW 58 DAYS AWAY FROM ELECTION DAY!!!! ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE? IF NOT DO SO TODAY!!!! STAND UP AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!!
I know and have met a lot of people who are huge football fans. Some of them are college and professional fans, but the majority of them prefer one or the other. Although there are some exceptions, the majority of the die-hard college football fans that I have met do not like the NFL at all. While on the other hand, most of the NFL fans that I know (including myself) like college football also but simply likes the NFL better. Although they are both share the name football, these are definitely two very different games. With that being said, I will evaluate what I feel are the differences between the two games. Hopefully this will explain why each game attracts the type of fan that it does.
GAME DAY ATMOSPHERE
The differences in the atmosphere at an NFL game can’t be compared to that of a college game. The atmosphere for a big game between two major college football teams is among the best in sports. If you don’t believe me, tune-in next Saturday night for the game between USC and Ohio State. The stadium will be electric and you will be able to feel the excitement through your television screen, especially if you are watching in High Definition. By far the coolest thing to witness in all of football (especially in High Definition) is the “White Out” by Penn State fans when they play a big home game at night. College tailgating is also much better than tailgating at NFL games. The main reason for this fact is that most college games are played on Saturday, and most people don’t work on Sunday, so they can get as drunk as their body will allow. On the other hand NFL tailgaters have to be careful because they have to be able to make it home and get ready for work the following day.
The main difference between professional and college crowds is “THE STUDENT SECTION.” This section is filled with drunk college kids who are at the game simply to continue the party from tailgating that morning and getting ready for an after party that night. More often than not these students know very little about football, but go to the games because it is the thing to do on campus and they are a lot of fun. The rest of the stadium is filled with alumni, locals, and fans of the other team who are all dressed up and ready to yell and scream in support of their team for 3 ½ hours. At the schools that have top tier college football programs, each game day is an event, and it is just an amazing experience. Especially when ESPN’s College Gameday broadcasts live from their campus.
In contrast, NFL tickets have gotten so expensive that the average fan can’t afford to go to the games. It’s getting to the point that NFL stadiums will soon have more luxury suites than regular seats. The seats in the lower sections of the stadiums are beginning to look more and more like corporate shareholders meetings and less like football games. However, the average fan can still afford the upper level tickets (just barely) in NFL stadiums. That really takes away from the atmosphere of the game, when the majority of the die-hard fans are sitting so far from the field, strictly due to the economics of the game. I think it is funny that the NFL stadiums that have the best “atmosphere” like Kansas City and Denver are thought to be so great because they have a college-like atmosphere.
RIVALRIES
In my opinion, this is by far where college football has the advantage over the NFL. There are some great rivalries in the NFL, such as Colts – Patriots, Giants – Cowboys, Chiefs – Broncos, and Packers – Bears just to name a few. Although they are usually very good games that cause a lot of excitement, they can’t hold a candle to the traditional college rivalries. Think about Michigan – Ohio State, Georgia – Florida, Auburn – Alabama, Florida State – Miami, Texas – Oklahoma, and USC – Notre Dame. No matter the state of the programs or the records of each team going into these games, when they meet you can throw out the records. These games excite their fan bases more so than any game does for NFL fans.
STYLES OF PLAY
The college game offers a variety of styles of play, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. There are teams that run the “Spread Offense,” the “Option,” the “Pro-style Offense,” the “Triple Option,” the “West Coast Offense,” the “Shot-Gun Offense,” and a variety of other styles or systems. It makes for some very interesting games. The phase, “Styles make fights,” which is often used in boxing also applies to college football games.
On the other hand, in the NFL everyone basically runs a form of the “West Coast Offense,” a heavy “Shot-Gun Offense,” or the traditional “Pro-style Offense.”
UNIFORMS
As a whole college football teams have much cooler uniforms than NFL teams. Don’t get me wrong there are some really cool uniforms in the NFL, such as the Falcons, the Chargers (powder blue throwbacks), the Denver Broncos, and the Arizona Cardinals, just to name a few. However, Nike really works hard to keep the college teams looking good. The University of Oregon has so many different uniforms that they never have to wear the same combination twice during a season. I have noticed that the new NFL uniforms are starting to look more and more like the college uniforms.
Jersey numbers are also much cooler in college football. The NFL has absolutely ridiculous rules that dictate the jersey numbers that a player can choose according to their position. That rule is about as stupid as the NBA age-limit. Who cares what a uniform number a player chooses. Personally I like to see defensive ends and linebackers wearing single digit numbers. I think it looks really cool. The NFL even fines players for not wearing particular socks or having a tinted helmet visor. They have to have something better to worry about than Clinton Portis’ choice of socks.
POST SEASON
The worst thing about major college football is the fact that they have this stupid Bowl System instead of a playoff system. In college football voters and computer calculations decide who gets to play for the championship. That is the stupidest thing in sports. This is a flawed system on so many levels. By not letting things be decided on the field, you open the door for constant whining by fans, players, and especially coaches. It was an absolute embarrassment for the sport when Auburn was left out of the National Championship game following the 2004 season. They were passed over for Oklahoma, who was beat like Rodney King by the USC Trojans. It is a shame that although all three teams were undefeated, Auburn was passed over because they started the season ranked lower.
I almost forgot, you can’t get rid of the bowl system and implement a playoff system. If you do that, we will no longer have the GMAC Bowl, the Music City Bowl, the Smurf-Turf Bowl, or the all-important Emerald Nut Bowl. What on Earth would we do without all of these games between six and seven win teams?
The NFL on the other hand has the best playoff format in all of sports. It is very simple. If you win your division, you are in the playoffs. There are also two wild-card spots per conference, which gives teams that can’t win the division something to continue to play hard for.
COACHING
Do I really need to go into any detail here? I will simply make one statement. THE VAST MAJORITY OF COLLEGE HEAD COACHES (EVEN THE “GENIUSES”) CAN’T CUT IT IN THE NFL. If you don’t believe me, think about Steve Spurrier, Nick Saban, Bobby Petrino, Butch Davis, and Lou Holtz just to name a few. NFL coaches are simply more knowledgeable about the game and work harder to be successful.
TALENT
The talent gap between major college football and the NFL is ridiculously wide, as it should be. The fact that there are approximately 120 Division 1 college football teams with 85 scholarship players each compared to 32 NFL teams with 53 player each should explain the talent gap. Over the years there have been many college football players that people thought were great that just couldn’t cut it in the NFL. I am sure that you remember the stellar NFL careers of Jason White, Eric Crouch, Chris Weinke, Danny Wuerffel, Andre Ware, and the GREAT GINO TORRETTA. Oh, you don’t? Me either, and all of these players won the Heisman Trophy, which allegedly makes them the best player in college football.
The size and speed combination of NFL players is absolutely ridiculous. There are defensive ends in the NFL that are fast enough to catch such speedsters as Reggie Bush and Michael Vick from behind (given the proper angle). There are wide receivers in the NFL that are big enough to be defensive ends in the college game.
The talent is also more evenly distributed in the NFL than in the college game. Colleges build their teams through recruiting. This basically means that it is possible for a couple of teams to amass all of the talent and leave the programs with less money to pay their players with the scraps. This talent gap means that there will be a lot of 65 – 14 games over the course of the season. These types of games even take place within the same conference. Watch the USC v/s Arizona game. The average margin of victory in Division 1 college football is close to 20 points per game, as opposed to an NFL of slightly more than three points. Due to the fact that the talent is so close among NFL teams, any team can win on ANY GIVEN SUNDAY!!!!
Although we all have NFL players that we think are terrible (think Brodie Croyle, Fred Smoot, Fred Thomas, Alex Smith, Rex Grossman), we must remember that everyone in the NFL is a good football player. The things that they can do on the football field are simply amazing.
QUALITY OF THE GAME
The quality of play in the NFL is so much better than that of the college game, that they really shouldn’t both be called football. This is of course due to several of the factors that were mentioned earlier. First of all, the quality of the coaching In the NFL is so much better than that of the college game. The NFL game is usually a more crisply played game with fewer penalties, which can be attributed to the fact that the players are professionals. The routes are very precise, the hits are much harder, the backs hit the hole much quicker, the blocks are more devastating, the plays are more intricate, and the game is so detailed. When it comes to precision and execution, the NFL is head and shoulders above college football. For instance, a receiver in college football is considered open when he has three yards on a defender. On the other hand, an NFL receiver is considered open when he has one step on the defender. The NFL quarterback then has to be able to get the ball to that receiver, while keeping it away from the defender.
THE STUPIDEST THING ABOUT COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Although this entry is about comparing college football to the NFL, I must get off the subject for a second and rant about what I believe is the stupidest thing about college football. I don’t understand PRESEASON RANKINGS!!!! How in the world can you rank teams before you see them play? Two things have happened this week that don’t make any sense to me. First East Carolina started the season unranked. Apparently this was a mistake because they have proven to be better than Virginia Tech (ranked 17th at the time) and West Virginia (ranked 8th at the time). After these two victories the Pirates have finally proven worthy of being ranked, they are 14th in this week’s poll. How do you explain this? The other thing that leaves me puzzled is that fact that Georgia started the season ranked number one and won their first game rather convincingly, yet they were jumped in the polls by USC. Basically the same people who thought they were the best team before the season, punished them a week later for winning like they should. Now I am by no means a Georgia fan, but this is ridiculous. I know that all college sports have pre-season rankings, but they are especially stupid in football because more often than not you final poll position is affected by your starting poll position. Remember there is no playoff system, so it will not be decided on the field. Also, remember that the voters do not always watch the games. They simply read box scores or watch SportsCenter. What a way to decide who is better!
THE EXPERIENCE OR THE GAME
As I stated earlier, the college and NFL games are very different and everyone is entitled to have their preferences. These are the two most popular sports in America (NFL is #1 followed by College Football at #2), so we know that a lot of people really enjoy both of them. Personally I like college football, but I absolutely LOVE THE NFL. Based on my observations of football fans that I have come across, I feel as though college football fans are usually people who love the experience of the game, while NFL fans are people who love football!
Which do you prefer, THE EXPERIENCE OR THE GAME?
****NOTE (on a totally different subject)****
I found it rather amusing that Daunte Culpepper retired from the NFL. I wasn't aware that you can retire from a league when you are not currently in the league (he was not on a roster). If the knee injury suffered by Tom Brady is serious and he is out for the season or an extended portion of this season and the Patriots call Daunte Culpepper, do you really think that he is going to tell them, NO THANKS, I'M RETIRED? I don't think so, which means that he is not retired, he is simply not on a team.
****COUNTDOWN TO ELECTION DAY****
WE ARE NOW 58 DAYS AWAY FROM ELECTION DAY!!!! ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE? IF NOT DO SO TODAY!!!! STAND UP AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
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!!!!
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!!!!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
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!!!!
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!!!!
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