The Skins are 3-1 over the last 4 games and head to Detroit to face the Lions before their bye week. I am actually more concerned about this game than the Pears game. The Lions are 1-5 but they are favored. This shouldn't come as a big surprise as the Lions have had to play tough teams and have just come up short in many of the games (Giants, Eagles, Packers, Pears) and they completely demolished the Rams.
Stafford is back and apparently he is looking very sharp so this certainly will not be an easy game. Here are the keys:
1. Get to Stafford. He has been out since week 1 and although he has been practicing the last couple of weeks, practice is different than games. The Skins need to get to him and get him unbalanced. We need to force him to make mistakes (fumbles and/or INTs). Osakpo needs to continue his onslaught and would love to see Haynesworth play the way he played against Philly and the Pears. Haynesworth does seem more committed but still seems unsure of fitting in the 3-4. He said this week he still wants to be the best ever but said that he is not good in the 3-4. He just needs to buy in and continue to play the way he has been and all will be good.
2. Ride the Love Torain. Torain has been running hard and the O line loves run blocking. Torain has had success the last couple of weeks and that needs to continue against Detroit.
3. McNabb refocused. McNabb has good spurts but he has yet to put together a full game together. Need to get those short to medium range passes going and then continue to take 2 or 3 shots deep down field. I like McNabb from a confidence and leadership perspective but we need for him to be more consistent.
4. Don't fumble Banks! I like Banks as he gives us some big play capability but my butt cheeks clench and I tense up every time he touches the ball as it always looks like a fumble is imminent. Would love to see him break one but would hate to see him fumble one away.
5. Gano. We'll be playing indoors and if it comes down to a FG, we really need to see Gano get more consistent. He started out the year very good but the last few weeks anything longer than 40 yards seems iffy. Weather will not be a factor in Detroit so I need to see him make everything 45 yards and in.
6. Stop Suh and VandenBosch. Those are two premier pass rushers and our line has held up pretty well over the last few weeks. We need to make sure that we keep these guys checked to allow for McNabb to have time to make plays.
7. Just win baby! I really don't know too much about the Lions. They have been terrible for the last decade but they are not the Lions of old. This is a good, young team that is on the rise and they are a few bounces away from having a good record. They cannot be treated like the Lions of yesteryear and we need to go in there and take care of business. Being 5-3 going into the bye is a whole lot better than being 4-4. We also need to take our revenge from last year's loss in Detroit so we should have incentive to go out and win this game. A win and going 5-3 heading into the bye and we might start to get a whiff of the playoffs.
I expect another good game. Again, this will be a tougher game than many people expect. We cannot just look at the teams records. In the end, the Skins will do enough to win this game 27-16.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
This is the way we wish we could remember Favre
This one is for you, JSR. This is the way we wish we could remember Favre. This is when I was a fan. This is when pretty much all football fans were a fan of Favre.
Again, it is sad because as a result of his actions the last couple of years (and he was free to act the way that he did), he forever tarnished his legacy. He will never be loved the way he would have been if he had just stayed retired when he made his orginial announcement.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Gretzky's return to Edmonton
Back in 1988, Wayne Gretzky who was by far and away the greatest hockey player in the game and who had just led Edmonton to its 4th Stanley Cup and who was in the prime of his career was traded to the L.A. Kings. He was traded because the owner was having financial difficulties in his other business ventures and along with players and picks that were swapped the Pocklington (Edmonton's owner) also received $15M in cash. Gretzky did not want to leave Edmonton. However, the owner was intent on trading him.
On his first appearance in Edmonton after the trade—a game that was nationally televised in Canada—he received a four-minute standing ovation. The arena was sold out, and the attendance of 17,503 was the Oilers' biggest crowd ever to that date. Large cheers erupted for his first shift, his first touch of the puck, and his two assists. After the game, Gretzky took the opportunity to confirm his patriotism: "I'm still proud to be a Canadian. I didn't desert my country. I moved because I was traded and that's where my job is. But I'm Canadian to the core. I hope Canadians understand that." He wasn't booed because the Oiler fans "cared." He wasn't booed because it is human nature to show no appreciation for teams/players that pose a threat. He was loudly applauded and appreciated because they recognized that he wanted to be an Oiler but his owner/organization kicked him out. He didn't hold the organization hostage or flutter in the wind whether he wanted to stay or go.
According to JSR and Deepie, the fans should have booed Gretzky because they cared or that it's human nature to boo someone that is a threat to their team. It's Again, Gretzky was overwhelmingly applauded. He wanted to stay an Oiler. It was not his choice to leave and the fans recognized that and applauded him as they should have. It was not disingenuine. It was not unofficially orchestrated. It is what fans do. Again, the difference with the Favre situation should be very clear. The GB fans harbor a lot of resentment and bitterness as their hero deserted them. He was not pushed out.
The same will be true when LeBron returns to Cleveland this year. Cleveland fans feel that he deserted them and is a traitor. Cleveland wasn't looking to trade him. They would have given him max amount of money. They tried to build a winner around him (bringing in Shaq, trading for Antawn Jamison at the trading deadline). Cleveland had the best record in the NBA last year so it wasn't like the organization wasn't trying to help him. However, he chose to take less money and go elsewhere and then chose to hold a spectacle when he announced his "decision." Immediately, Cleveland fans were seen burning his jerseys. They pulled down his "We are all witnesses" monument from downtown. Fans were bitter and angry.
Again, it is clear why fans react the way they do. If Favre was truly loved in GB, they wouldn't treat him the way that they do. They would not have booed him after Minnesota's Sunday Night loss where he was battered, injured, and disappointed. If they truly didn't have any hard feelings, they would have cheered him. So the point that they boo because they care or that it is human nature to show no appreciation for teams/players that pose a threat doesn't make sense.
On his first appearance in Edmonton after the trade—a game that was nationally televised in Canada—he received a four-minute standing ovation. The arena was sold out, and the attendance of 17,503 was the Oilers' biggest crowd ever to that date. Large cheers erupted for his first shift, his first touch of the puck, and his two assists. After the game, Gretzky took the opportunity to confirm his patriotism: "I'm still proud to be a Canadian. I didn't desert my country. I moved because I was traded and that's where my job is. But I'm Canadian to the core. I hope Canadians understand that." He wasn't booed because the Oiler fans "cared." He wasn't booed because it is human nature to show no appreciation for teams/players that pose a threat. He was loudly applauded and appreciated because they recognized that he wanted to be an Oiler but his owner/organization kicked him out. He didn't hold the organization hostage or flutter in the wind whether he wanted to stay or go.
According to JSR and Deepie, the fans should have booed Gretzky because they cared or that it's human nature to boo someone that is a threat to their team. It's Again, Gretzky was overwhelmingly applauded. He wanted to stay an Oiler. It was not his choice to leave and the fans recognized that and applauded him as they should have. It was not disingenuine. It was not unofficially orchestrated. It is what fans do. Again, the difference with the Favre situation should be very clear. The GB fans harbor a lot of resentment and bitterness as their hero deserted them. He was not pushed out.
The same will be true when LeBron returns to Cleveland this year. Cleveland fans feel that he deserted them and is a traitor. Cleveland wasn't looking to trade him. They would have given him max amount of money. They tried to build a winner around him (bringing in Shaq, trading for Antawn Jamison at the trading deadline). Cleveland had the best record in the NBA last year so it wasn't like the organization wasn't trying to help him. However, he chose to take less money and go elsewhere and then chose to hold a spectacle when he announced his "decision." Immediately, Cleveland fans were seen burning his jerseys. They pulled down his "We are all witnesses" monument from downtown. Fans were bitter and angry.
Again, it is clear why fans react the way they do. If Favre was truly loved in GB, they wouldn't treat him the way that they do. They would not have booed him after Minnesota's Sunday Night loss where he was battered, injured, and disappointed. If they truly didn't have any hard feelings, they would have cheered him. So the point that they boo because they care or that it is human nature to show no appreciation for teams/players that pose a threat doesn't make sense.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Favre's 2009 reception in GB and McNabb's 2010 reception in Philly
JSR, the difference seems obvious but if you see/hear something different, please explain to me.
The balance of the NFC
I have been saying or the last three weeks that I cannot remember a time when the NFC looked so mediocre and so wide open. You look at the teams with the better records and many teams are not who you expect to see up there. HOTlanta and NY Giants are leading the conference with 5-2 records but after that you have Tampa Bay and Seattle at 4-2 and then the Redskins, Bears, Saints, Iggles at 4-3. Bottom line, is that the NFC right now is open for the taking and many teams have an opportunity to steal it (including my beloved Redskins).
That said, if I had to make a call as to the best team in the NFC right now, I would have to say the Giants. After starting out 1-2 and getting yearly criticism about how the team is falling apart, they have won 4 straight. I have never thought much of Eli Manning but he is putting up good numbers. Like his brother, he has been the beneficiary of being in the same system for his entire career. He understands the system well and there are times when he just picks apart the defense as well as anybody. The Giants have a solid front four on defense and they seem to be playing with a lot of confidence and fun right now.
Still, the conference seems wide open and things can change from week to week.
That said, if I had to make a call as to the best team in the NFC right now, I would have to say the Giants. After starting out 1-2 and getting yearly criticism about how the team is falling apart, they have won 4 straight. I have never thought much of Eli Manning but he is putting up good numbers. Like his brother, he has been the beneficiary of being in the same system for his entire career. He understands the system well and there are times when he just picks apart the defense as well as anybody. The Giants have a solid front four on defense and they seem to be playing with a lot of confidence and fun right now.
Still, the conference seems wide open and things can change from week to week.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Time to go home, Favre
He sucks. Sure, he almost pulled it out in the end but he didn't and he had a pretty poor game throwing 3 INTs (one for a pick six and the other leading to GB TD). Favre's three picks came in a span of seven of his 29 passes, and led directly to 14 Packers points. What's worse is that Childress is openly criticizing the QB and their already tense relationship is certainly taking another hit. In talking about Favre's INTs, Childress stated, "Yeah, the one to Bishop,'' he said. "I'd have to look at that, cause I'd like to know where we're going with the football, because I believe the play was designed to go to the other side and I think Percy's (Harvin) standing there in big air. So not sure why we're looking at the left-hand side.''
What's annoying is that Favre wants to always portray himself as the warrior. He makes a bad play and then is seen limping and just seems like he is looking for sympathy or for the crowd to just think "Wow! Look at this courageous legend." He reminds me of the spoiled kid in the neighborhood who wants to play QB but sucks and then whenever he makes a bad play will cover it up with an excuse. I'm sure the ankle got tweaked but what was silly was that when he would run a play, he was fine. It was only in between plays when he was really limping. Again, if you are having such a difficult time walking, how can you run a play and look fine? Or if it is hurting you as badly as it seems, wouldn't you consider coming out and letting someone healthy play because it just might give your TEAM a better shot at winning?
This whole season has been a debacle for Favre so far. He hasn't played well. The team is struggling. His return to GB was a bad showing and the crowd that loved him for so many years booed him loudly at the beginning and end of the game. On top of that, the day started with more reporting about the Favre/Jenn Sterger story with Favre admitting he left Sterger messages. No doubt Favre is questioning why he let those three Vikings buddies convince him to leave the family farm in southern Mississippi two months ago. For this? For 2-4? For an embarrassing game on the Lambeau sod in what is quite likely his last trip there?
I have said before that I used to be a Favre fan; however, it's pretty sad to see what has become of him. Again, he went from being one of the most celebrated and beloved players in NFL history to a guy that is polarizing and divisive and a guy that has lost most of the love from the proud fans of GB. A guy that looks 61 instead of 41 out there trying to play and recapture some of his youthful glory. A guy that has been exposed for infidelities and admissions of guilt. Go home, Brett and try and work on your family.
SKINS BEAT THE PEARS!!!
It was ugly but the Skins pull out a great win on the road and beat the Pears 17-14. It was basically the D. Hall show as the guy comes up with 4 (YES, 4!) INTs! Here are my general thoughts on the game as always in no particular order:
1. D. Hall, D. Hall, and more D. Hall. Clearly, he will be the NFC Defensive Player of the Week tying a game record of 4 INTs in the game including a huge 94 yard pick six. Not taking much away from D. Hall but Jeff Cutler seemed like his favorite receiver was D. Hall as a few of these seemed to go right to him. The TD was a floater where pressure was coming and Cutler just laid it out there. The one to Hester, Hester just didn't come back for the ball. The one deep in Pear territory on a slant to Johnny Knoxville, Hall had great position on and it was just a bad throw. The deeper ball towards the end of the game was right to Hall. He was basically the story of the game.
2. Missed opportunities. The Skins controlled the game for most of the first half. Our defense manhandled Cutler and the Pear offense and I think held them to like 40 yards of total offense in the half. We consistently had a great field position which has been rare to come by this year but we did not do anything with it. A few dropped balls and other missed opportunities kept us from opening the game up. The scary thing was the Pear defense came up big with a tipped ball on McNabb that was intercepted and returned for a TD so the game was close throughout the half and then the Pears got a good drive scoring a TD shortly before the half and despite their offensive struggles, the Pears went into halftime with the lead and the ball to start the second half. The Skins really needed to take advantage of the great field position and have to learn to put teams away early.
3. Good special teams. While I didn't like Hunter the Punter losing a lot of yardage by kicking out of bounds too early in his punts. It was still the right move to keep it out of Hester's hands. As I mentioned last week, the one thing I ABSOLUTELY could not tolerate is if Hester beat us so great job keeping it away from him. Gano is a concern. I felt earlier in the year we were pretty settled at the kicker position but I am starting to feel a bit worried with him back there. Seems like anything 40+ is a crap shoot with this guy. Also, worried with his recent struggles and being a young guy his confidence is taking a hit.
4. Strong running game. Torain is not easy to bring down. Typically, one guy and one hit will not bring the guy down. He is a strong power runner and although he had a couple of fumbles which could have really hurt us, he did a good job of closing out the game getting a couple of first downs to ice the game for us. He ended up with like 125 yards on 22 carries. Nice work.
5. Good O line play. I can't remember hearing Peppers or Urlacher's names all game. Those guys were pretty much non factors. I have seen two other Pear games this year (Giants and Packers) and Peppers was a major disrupter on the defense but again, he was pretty much non existent out there so great job O line and particular Trent Williams who seems to relish the challenges of going up against the best week in week out.
6. Strong defensive play. Osakpo got to Cutler twice and Haynesworth had a big game. Haynesworth seems to be coming around a bit. The team really seems to be rallying behind the guy and hopefully this is more of what we will see. He had a good game against Philly and even a better game against the Pears. His sack where he bowled over Williams like a rag doll and pushed him right into Cutler was almost enough to warrant that salary. Clearly, when this guy plays, he is still one of the top DL in the game.
7. Pears are who we thought they were. Not taking anything away from the Redskins but the Pears, who started out 3-0, really aren't that great. After their strong start, they have been 1-3 and taken back to back losses at home. Their offense is bad as it seems like they have no identity and just seem out of sync. They almost look like they are still trying to figure things out that should have been figured out in the offseason/preseason. Jeff Cutler looks bad and continues to make bad throws and you have to wonder how much of it is him just trying to be a hero and make bigger play as opposed to checking down and taking what is given to him or him getting tired of getting hit all the time and it's now affecting his play. The O line is not very good. The receivers are mediocre at best as they don't run the best routes and they had a few dropped balls. Martz's offense does not seem to be clicking. Forte is not getting any running yardage and doesn't seem to get the ball enough to find a rhythm. Chester Taylor has been grossly misutilized as they brought him in, paid him a boat load of money, but are barely even playing the guy. When he did get in there, he seemed to provide a spark as he looked quicker but then they pulled him out and I didn't see much more of the guy. Clearly, that offense is in need of work as it is clear even to the Pear crowd (by their booing) that it just is not working.
In the end, the Skins pulled out the victory and we now find ourselves at 4-3 and with the Eagles loss yesterday and if the Giants lose to the Assboyz tonight, we find ourselves tied again a top the NFC East. Going into Week 8, I don't think many people would have figured us to be 4-3 and in the thick of things so I'll take it.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Redskins vs. Bears
This is what we have been waiting for friends. This is like a mini Super Bowl. It's Robs Pears vs. our Redskins. It's going to be a loo loo. It's an important game for both teams as both are fighting for their division. The Bears are coming off of an embarrassing home loss to the Seahawks and the Redskins are coming off of a tough loss to Indy.
Here are the keys to the game:
1. Sack Cutler. The Pears O line is horrendous. They are starting a guy who was actually cut from the Redskins (Edwin Williams). They have been mixing and matching their O line all year and they have given up like 15 sacks in Cutler's last two games. Orakpo needs to have a field day. Haynesworth should get back in the fray and should get pressure as well. Send Landry in for the occasional blitz to knock Cutler's ass out (yeah, I said knock his ass out). If we can hit/sack Cutler a few times and get consistent pressure on him, we will get turnovers.
2. Get our running game going. The Pears have a decent defense but Torain runs very hard and does not go down often with one guy getting one hit. We need for Torain to keep plugging away and get those hard yards.
3. O line and backs need to pick up the blitz. Urlacher and Briggs consistently line up in the A gap and we need to watch out for these guys. They don't often blitz but if they do, we need to be ready for them. Also, watch out for Tillman on a CB blitz.
4. Play within the Tampa 2 defense. That defense is meant to keep everything in front of them. We should stick with shorter passes. Look for those crossing patterns and utilize Cooley and Davis.
5. McNabb's homecoming. McNabb should play within himself and not get caught up in the moment. Stick to the game plan. He's a veteran that has been in pretty much every situation imaginable so I don't worry too much about this.
6. Take the crowd out. The Pears are in a dangerous spot with their fans as they have lost 2 of their last 3 games. The offense is a mess and Martz has taken a lot of heat recently for the playcalling and particularly the lack of running. I am assuming Forte will get more carries this week and we have to make sure we stop him. If the offense struggles, the crowd could start to turn on the Pears and that would be ideal.
7. DO NOT LET DEVIN HESTER BEAT US. The one thing I absolutely could not tolerate is if Hester beats us. He is the most dangerous punt return man in the game so we have to be very careful with him. We have had excellent special teams on kick and punt return coverages so I feel pretty good about this but still I am sure other teams have been pretty confident about their coverage abilities but Hester is dangerous every time he touches the ball so we need to be very cautious with him.
In the end, I feel good about our chances. I think the Skins are the better team and we will get to Cutler a few times and he isn't the best at reading defenses and he is Jeff George like in that he wants to make the deeper throw even if it means throwing into double coverage and he's trying to thread the needle. Offensively, I think we will be very comfortable taking what the defense gives us. The main thing will be not settling for field goals in the red zone. We need to punch a few in which I think we will do. In the end, the Skins will win this one 24-13.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Here are the keys to the game:
1. Sack Cutler. The Pears O line is horrendous. They are starting a guy who was actually cut from the Redskins (Edwin Williams). They have been mixing and matching their O line all year and they have given up like 15 sacks in Cutler's last two games. Orakpo needs to have a field day. Haynesworth should get back in the fray and should get pressure as well. Send Landry in for the occasional blitz to knock Cutler's ass out (yeah, I said knock his ass out). If we can hit/sack Cutler a few times and get consistent pressure on him, we will get turnovers.
2. Get our running game going. The Pears have a decent defense but Torain runs very hard and does not go down often with one guy getting one hit. We need for Torain to keep plugging away and get those hard yards.
3. O line and backs need to pick up the blitz. Urlacher and Briggs consistently line up in the A gap and we need to watch out for these guys. They don't often blitz but if they do, we need to be ready for them. Also, watch out for Tillman on a CB blitz.
4. Play within the Tampa 2 defense. That defense is meant to keep everything in front of them. We should stick with shorter passes. Look for those crossing patterns and utilize Cooley and Davis.
5. McNabb's homecoming. McNabb should play within himself and not get caught up in the moment. Stick to the game plan. He's a veteran that has been in pretty much every situation imaginable so I don't worry too much about this.
6. Take the crowd out. The Pears are in a dangerous spot with their fans as they have lost 2 of their last 3 games. The offense is a mess and Martz has taken a lot of heat recently for the playcalling and particularly the lack of running. I am assuming Forte will get more carries this week and we have to make sure we stop him. If the offense struggles, the crowd could start to turn on the Pears and that would be ideal.
7. DO NOT LET DEVIN HESTER BEAT US. The one thing I absolutely could not tolerate is if Hester beats us. He is the most dangerous punt return man in the game so we have to be very careful with him. We have had excellent special teams on kick and punt return coverages so I feel pretty good about this but still I am sure other teams have been pretty confident about their coverage abilities but Hester is dangerous every time he touches the ball so we need to be very cautious with him.
In the end, I feel good about our chances. I think the Skins are the better team and we will get to Cutler a few times and he isn't the best at reading defenses and he is Jeff George like in that he wants to make the deeper throw even if it means throwing into double coverage and he's trying to thread the needle. Offensively, I think we will be very comfortable taking what the defense gives us. The main thing will be not settling for field goals in the red zone. We need to punch a few in which I think we will do. In the end, the Skins will win this one 24-13.
HAIL SKINS!!!
NFL cracking down on helmet to helmet hits
The NFL imposed huge fines on three players -- the Pittsburgh Steelers' James Harrison, Atlanta Falcons' Dunta Robinson and New England Patriots' Brandon Meriweather -- for illegal hits last weekend. It warned that, starting with this week's games, violent conduct will be cause for suspension.
Arizona Cardinals linebacker Joey Porter was clearly perplexed by the decision. "There's no more hitting hard. That's what our game is about. It's a gladiator sport," Porter said. "I mean, the whole excitement of people getting hit hard, big plays happening, stuff like that. Just watch -- the game is going to change," he said.
Violence has always been a part of the NFL, bringing soaring TV ratings and strong attendance -- along with the allure that accompanied tackles by Chuck Bednarik, Fred "The Hammer" Williamson and Jack "The Assassin" Tatum.
The question is how much to allow.
"Physical, tough football is what people are attracted to," said Ray Anderson, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations. "Violent, unnecessary hits that put people at risk, not just for the careers but lives ... we're not subscribing to the notion fans want that."
Commissioner Roger Goodell told the teams that "further action is required to emphasize the importance of teaching safe and controlled techniques and of playing within the rules. It is incumbent on all of us to support the rules we have in place to protect players," he said.
But some players think the league is asking for something much more difficult: complete changes in playing style -- changes that fans don't want to see.
Not surprisingly, defensive players are most critical.
"What they're trying to say -- 'We're protecting the integrity' -- no, you're not," Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman said. "It's ruining the integrity. It's not even football anymore. We should just go out there and play two-hand touch Sunday if we can't make contact."
Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder said the only way of preventing helmet-to-helmet hits is to eliminate the helmet. "If I get a chance to knock somebody out, I'm going to knock them out and take what they give me," Crowder said. "They give me a helmet, I'm going to use it."
The players are questioning how they are supposed to adhere to the heightened emphasis on avoiding dangerous hits when it goes against everything they've been taught since they first stepped on the field as kids.
"Guys have to be coached differently because we've been coached a certain way our whole lives," said Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, a member of the executive committee of the players' union. "I think people out there would be shocked at the things players hear in their meetings with their coaches and the things they are supposed to do, the way they are taught to hit people."
Many players also wanted stronger discipline for flagrant fouls to be part of their negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, not something unilaterally imposed six weeks into the season.
"We want to protect the players, absolutely," Fujita said. "But we need to have a longer conversation about it, and if you're going to impose sweeping changes like that and talk about suspending players, that's something that you have to address in the offseason."
Urlacher was critical of the changes as well saying that they should change the league name to the NFFL - National Flag Football League.
I personally don't like the changes either. Football is a violent sport. It is the nature of the game. I agree with James Harrison that many defensive players want to hurt their opponents but they do not want to injure them. That is what makes them who they are. It may be hard for some people to understand this mentality but it makes perfect sense. They want guys to feel pain when they get hit by them but they do not want them to suffer injuries.
One problem is guys are getting bigger, stronger, and faster. The physical makeup of players has changed dramatically over the years and as a result, there will be bigger hits.
I agree that the helmet should not be used as a weapon or players should lead with their helmets. Doing so jeopardizes the health of not only the guy being tackled but the tackler himself. However, I have to believe in most cases guys are not trying to lead with their helmets. The game is moving so fast and guys are flying around out there trying to make plays and if helmets hit each other, to me, that is part of the game and unfortunately guys make get hurt. Again, that is the nature of the game and I think most players understand those inherent risks of playing this game. The one exception I have to helmet to helmet hits is on QBs. Many times QBs are stationary objects OR they are trying to move away from defenders so if a defender comes in and is leading with the helmet and hits the QB in the helmet that to me is more blatant and obvious the player went in with bad intentions.
No question last week was a week in which there were an exceptional number of very hard hits. We'll see what happens this week. My guess is guys are going to continue to play the way they have always played.
Arizona Cardinals linebacker Joey Porter was clearly perplexed by the decision. "There's no more hitting hard. That's what our game is about. It's a gladiator sport," Porter said. "I mean, the whole excitement of people getting hit hard, big plays happening, stuff like that. Just watch -- the game is going to change," he said.
Violence has always been a part of the NFL, bringing soaring TV ratings and strong attendance -- along with the allure that accompanied tackles by Chuck Bednarik, Fred "The Hammer" Williamson and Jack "The Assassin" Tatum.
The question is how much to allow.
"Physical, tough football is what people are attracted to," said Ray Anderson, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations. "Violent, unnecessary hits that put people at risk, not just for the careers but lives ... we're not subscribing to the notion fans want that."
Commissioner Roger Goodell told the teams that "further action is required to emphasize the importance of teaching safe and controlled techniques and of playing within the rules. It is incumbent on all of us to support the rules we have in place to protect players," he said.
But some players think the league is asking for something much more difficult: complete changes in playing style -- changes that fans don't want to see.
Not surprisingly, defensive players are most critical.
"What they're trying to say -- 'We're protecting the integrity' -- no, you're not," Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman said. "It's ruining the integrity. It's not even football anymore. We should just go out there and play two-hand touch Sunday if we can't make contact."
Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder said the only way of preventing helmet-to-helmet hits is to eliminate the helmet. "If I get a chance to knock somebody out, I'm going to knock them out and take what they give me," Crowder said. "They give me a helmet, I'm going to use it."
The players are questioning how they are supposed to adhere to the heightened emphasis on avoiding dangerous hits when it goes against everything they've been taught since they first stepped on the field as kids.
"Guys have to be coached differently because we've been coached a certain way our whole lives," said Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, a member of the executive committee of the players' union. "I think people out there would be shocked at the things players hear in their meetings with their coaches and the things they are supposed to do, the way they are taught to hit people."
Many players also wanted stronger discipline for flagrant fouls to be part of their negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, not something unilaterally imposed six weeks into the season.
"We want to protect the players, absolutely," Fujita said. "But we need to have a longer conversation about it, and if you're going to impose sweeping changes like that and talk about suspending players, that's something that you have to address in the offseason."
Urlacher was critical of the changes as well saying that they should change the league name to the NFFL - National Flag Football League.
I personally don't like the changes either. Football is a violent sport. It is the nature of the game. I agree with James Harrison that many defensive players want to hurt their opponents but they do not want to injure them. That is what makes them who they are. It may be hard for some people to understand this mentality but it makes perfect sense. They want guys to feel pain when they get hit by them but they do not want them to suffer injuries.
One problem is guys are getting bigger, stronger, and faster. The physical makeup of players has changed dramatically over the years and as a result, there will be bigger hits.
I agree that the helmet should not be used as a weapon or players should lead with their helmets. Doing so jeopardizes the health of not only the guy being tackled but the tackler himself. However, I have to believe in most cases guys are not trying to lead with their helmets. The game is moving so fast and guys are flying around out there trying to make plays and if helmets hit each other, to me, that is part of the game and unfortunately guys make get hurt. Again, that is the nature of the game and I think most players understand those inherent risks of playing this game. The one exception I have to helmet to helmet hits is on QBs. Many times QBs are stationary objects OR they are trying to move away from defenders so if a defender comes in and is leading with the helmet and hits the QB in the helmet that to me is more blatant and obvious the player went in with bad intentions.
No question last week was a week in which there were an exceptional number of very hard hits. We'll see what happens this week. My guess is guys are going to continue to play the way they have always played.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Seau drives over a cliff
Police say former NFL star linebacker Junior Seau told investigators he fell asleep before driving off a seaside cliff in the San Diego area.
Police Lt. Kelly Cain told the North County Times newspaper that the lack of skid marks leading up to where Seau plunged off the cliff in his white Cadillac SUV was consistent with the idea that he fell asleep.
Seau's SUV landed close to the beach in Carlsbad on Monday morning, hours after the former All-Pro was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence.
Seau was hospitalized but escaped major injury.
Seau was arrested on a charge of felony spousal assault with injury, Oceanside police reported in a statement. He was booked into the San Diego County Jail in Vista early Monday morning and posted bail after 3 a.m. PT and was released, the watch commander told ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Carlsbad police later responded to a 911 call of a single vehicle off the road and dispatched police and fire personnel. Cain said that Seau's SUV was found on the beach about 100 feet below the roadside. Cain said it wasn't a sheer cliff but was a significant, rough slope.
Poor deluded Junior. Now that he doesn't have football and has to spend every day with a 25 year old, he's probably annoyed at how immature she is and she is probably tired of his old man stink.
Police Lt. Kelly Cain told the North County Times newspaper that the lack of skid marks leading up to where Seau plunged off the cliff in his white Cadillac SUV was consistent with the idea that he fell asleep.
Seau's SUV landed close to the beach in Carlsbad on Monday morning, hours after the former All-Pro was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence.
Seau was hospitalized but escaped major injury.
Seau was arrested on a charge of felony spousal assault with injury, Oceanside police reported in a statement. He was booked into the San Diego County Jail in Vista early Monday morning and posted bail after 3 a.m. PT and was released, the watch commander told ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Carlsbad police later responded to a 911 call of a single vehicle off the road and dispatched police and fire personnel. Cain said that Seau's SUV was found on the beach about 100 feet below the roadside. Cain said it wasn't a sheer cliff but was a significant, rough slope.
Poor deluded Junior. Now that he doesn't have football and has to spend every day with a 25 year old, he's probably annoyed at how immature she is and she is probably tired of his old man stink.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Skins fall short
Decent game yesterday but unfortunately came out on the short end of the stick this week. Here are my general thoughts/comments:
1. Squandered opportunities. I am thinking less and less of Kareem Moore. He takes poor angles when tackling and has missed a few INTs that he could have gotten. Last night, he had one right in his hands/chest that he dropped and another one that would have been much tougher but could have been made. If he makes the first one, it kills that drive. Indy ended up scoring a TD on that drive. If he makes the second one, it would have saved a FG. That's 10 points we could have prevented.
2. Run the ball. Torain was effective running the ball although there were a few times he didn't hit the right hole but all in all he did a decent job. The Indy defense is bad at the run game and I just felt that we didn't run as much as we should have.
3. Defense could not keep up with Manning's pace. Manning would run a play and then immediately get his team to the line and run the next play. He did a great job of keeping our defense out of sync and also snapping the ball quickly before the crowd could get loud enough to be a factor. It was the mark of a true veteran that understands the game better than almost every other QB.
4. Haynesworth/Dockery: Not sure what is going on with these two. I like Shanny and there is a tremendous difference b/t this year's team compared to last year's team and Shanny deserves much of that credit. However, I am a little confused as to why Haynesworth and/or Dock are not playing. Haynesworth wanted to play and we could have used his emotion of losing his brother in last night's game. We also could have used his abilities to get a push up the middle but he was made inactive. The reason was that Shanny said that the game plan was already in place before Haynesworth returned to practice on Thursday. Okay. It's not like we totally revamp the defense in one week. There is no question Haynesworth could have played if the coaches wanted him to. We certainly could've used him. Also, Dock. He was made inactive. What is that about? I am not a big fan of Lichtensteiger (although I like to yell his name in a German accent). Dock has started like 112 games. The guy knows what he is doing. Sure, he may not be as athletic as Lichtensteiger but I have to believe he is the better overall blocker and to make him inactive? Again, what is that about?
5. Clock management. On our last TD drive, I was a little confused as to why we didn't show more urgency. In the end, it was fine because we scored with 2:45 left and had all of our timeouts and the 2 minute warning but still seemed like we should have been in a hurry up.
6. Special teams were good. The coverages are excellent. Banks looks like Devin Hester lite. The guy looks like he is going to break one any time he touches it. I will say that I didn't like his effort on the deep ball thrown to him. Seems like he could have made a better effort to go after that ball and possibly make a play. Hunter the Punter is a tremendous improvement over Bidwell. Gano is falling out of favor with me. Bad game from him last night. He missed the 48 yd FG. Sure, it was a longer FG but he has missed a couple other long ones and while I don't expect him to make all of those, I would like to see a better percentage of makes from that range. Also, his kickoffs weren't as deep as they have been. He needs to start stepping up.
7. Defense was okay. Again, gave up a ton of yards but only gave up 7 points in the second half. We also knocked out a key player with another big hit. Seems like every week, we knock someone from the opposition out. Osakpo made a big play in stripping the ball from Manning for a turnover but in general we needed more pressure (again, points back to the need for Haynesworth). We blitzed a little more in the second half but Manning is too good in reading defenses and is able to release the ball quickly. We also need to hang on to those INT possibilities. Those are difference making plays and we let them literally slip through our fingers.
All in all, a decent game. We hung tough and we certainly don't seem like the pushover we have been in recent years. Unfortunately, both the Eagles and Giants won so we find ourselves one game behind those teams in the East but still to be 3-3 at this point in the season, I'll take it.
HAIL SKINS!!!
1. Squandered opportunities. I am thinking less and less of Kareem Moore. He takes poor angles when tackling and has missed a few INTs that he could have gotten. Last night, he had one right in his hands/chest that he dropped and another one that would have been much tougher but could have been made. If he makes the first one, it kills that drive. Indy ended up scoring a TD on that drive. If he makes the second one, it would have saved a FG. That's 10 points we could have prevented.
2. Run the ball. Torain was effective running the ball although there were a few times he didn't hit the right hole but all in all he did a decent job. The Indy defense is bad at the run game and I just felt that we didn't run as much as we should have.
3. Defense could not keep up with Manning's pace. Manning would run a play and then immediately get his team to the line and run the next play. He did a great job of keeping our defense out of sync and also snapping the ball quickly before the crowd could get loud enough to be a factor. It was the mark of a true veteran that understands the game better than almost every other QB.
4. Haynesworth/Dockery: Not sure what is going on with these two. I like Shanny and there is a tremendous difference b/t this year's team compared to last year's team and Shanny deserves much of that credit. However, I am a little confused as to why Haynesworth and/or Dock are not playing. Haynesworth wanted to play and we could have used his emotion of losing his brother in last night's game. We also could have used his abilities to get a push up the middle but he was made inactive. The reason was that Shanny said that the game plan was already in place before Haynesworth returned to practice on Thursday. Okay. It's not like we totally revamp the defense in one week. There is no question Haynesworth could have played if the coaches wanted him to. We certainly could've used him. Also, Dock. He was made inactive. What is that about? I am not a big fan of Lichtensteiger (although I like to yell his name in a German accent). Dock has started like 112 games. The guy knows what he is doing. Sure, he may not be as athletic as Lichtensteiger but I have to believe he is the better overall blocker and to make him inactive? Again, what is that about?
5. Clock management. On our last TD drive, I was a little confused as to why we didn't show more urgency. In the end, it was fine because we scored with 2:45 left and had all of our timeouts and the 2 minute warning but still seemed like we should have been in a hurry up.
6. Special teams were good. The coverages are excellent. Banks looks like Devin Hester lite. The guy looks like he is going to break one any time he touches it. I will say that I didn't like his effort on the deep ball thrown to him. Seems like he could have made a better effort to go after that ball and possibly make a play. Hunter the Punter is a tremendous improvement over Bidwell. Gano is falling out of favor with me. Bad game from him last night. He missed the 48 yd FG. Sure, it was a longer FG but he has missed a couple other long ones and while I don't expect him to make all of those, I would like to see a better percentage of makes from that range. Also, his kickoffs weren't as deep as they have been. He needs to start stepping up.
7. Defense was okay. Again, gave up a ton of yards but only gave up 7 points in the second half. We also knocked out a key player with another big hit. Seems like every week, we knock someone from the opposition out. Osakpo made a big play in stripping the ball from Manning for a turnover but in general we needed more pressure (again, points back to the need for Haynesworth). We blitzed a little more in the second half but Manning is too good in reading defenses and is able to release the ball quickly. We also need to hang on to those INT possibilities. Those are difference making plays and we let them literally slip through our fingers.
All in all, a decent game. We hung tough and we certainly don't seem like the pushover we have been in recent years. Unfortunately, both the Eagles and Giants won so we find ourselves one game behind those teams in the East but still to be 3-3 at this point in the season, I'll take it.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Friday, October 15, 2010
Redskins/Indy prediction
At the beginning of the season, this looked like it might be a pretty easy Indy win. However, it's shaping up to be a pretty tough game for both teams. It's the kind of game that if the Skins win in prime time on a national stage, they will legitimize themselves as a true playoff contender. Keys to the game are as follows:
1. Skins need pressure on Manning. The Indy O line is decent but not great; however, Manning is the best/smartest QB in the league with good talent at his skill positions. He is like an O coordinator on the field and is able to read defenses and make the necessary adjustments at the line better than anyone I have seen. He will do his best to pick apart the Redskin defense. On the Redskin side, we have done a good job of limiting points against two tough passing offenses the last two weeks and we need to step up and do the same this week. I want to see more of a 4-3 and allow Haynesworth, Orakpo, and Carter to rush the QB with an occasional blitz from Landry. Then play more nickel so we don't give up big plays. Also, allow the CBs to be physical like they were last week. Mix in the blitz to keep Manning off balance but essentially maintain the same basic strategy as the last couple of weeks. The key though will be pressure because Manning will be able to find the gaps in the zone if he has time.
2. Torain. He has an opportunity to really step up against this poor rushing defense. This is the week we need to get the running game going. The running game will be the Skins best defense as we need to keep Manning and the Indy offense off the field. This is how Houston was so successful against Indy. We need to grind it out and keep longer sustained drives together. Torain will be key.
3. Short passing game. Again, we need longer drives and we can do this with shorter passes to keep drives alive. We had a good game plan last week and we should use essentially the same plan as we had last week. Would like to see the quick hitters to Cooley and Davis in the flat and then crossing patterns to Moss. Still, like to see a couple of shots downfield as well.
4. Homefield advantage. The home crowds have been great for the Skins so hopefully that continues this week. The crowd definitely had an impact in the Dallas and GB games so we will be counting on Deepie to get the crowd in a frenzy. If we lose, I will put the blame solely on him.
5. Special Teams. Banks has been close to breaking one and Sunday is a great time to see one of those.
I think it will be a pretty good game but I feel that Indy is the better team right now. The Skins will put up a good fight but Manning will pick apart the defense on the way to a 20-17 win.
1. Skins need pressure on Manning. The Indy O line is decent but not great; however, Manning is the best/smartest QB in the league with good talent at his skill positions. He is like an O coordinator on the field and is able to read defenses and make the necessary adjustments at the line better than anyone I have seen. He will do his best to pick apart the Redskin defense. On the Redskin side, we have done a good job of limiting points against two tough passing offenses the last two weeks and we need to step up and do the same this week. I want to see more of a 4-3 and allow Haynesworth, Orakpo, and Carter to rush the QB with an occasional blitz from Landry. Then play more nickel so we don't give up big plays. Also, allow the CBs to be physical like they were last week. Mix in the blitz to keep Manning off balance but essentially maintain the same basic strategy as the last couple of weeks. The key though will be pressure because Manning will be able to find the gaps in the zone if he has time.
2. Torain. He has an opportunity to really step up against this poor rushing defense. This is the week we need to get the running game going. The running game will be the Skins best defense as we need to keep Manning and the Indy offense off the field. This is how Houston was so successful against Indy. We need to grind it out and keep longer sustained drives together. Torain will be key.
3. Short passing game. Again, we need longer drives and we can do this with shorter passes to keep drives alive. We had a good game plan last week and we should use essentially the same plan as we had last week. Would like to see the quick hitters to Cooley and Davis in the flat and then crossing patterns to Moss. Still, like to see a couple of shots downfield as well.
4. Homefield advantage. The home crowds have been great for the Skins so hopefully that continues this week. The crowd definitely had an impact in the Dallas and GB games so we will be counting on Deepie to get the crowd in a frenzy. If we lose, I will put the blame solely on him.
5. Special Teams. Banks has been close to breaking one and Sunday is a great time to see one of those.
I think it will be a pretty good game but I feel that Indy is the better team right now. The Skins will put up a good fight but Manning will pick apart the defense on the way to a 20-17 win.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
New Karate Kid
I watched the new Karate Kid movie this past week. It was decent. It followed the original fairly closely. However, in the end, I have to say I enjoyed the original more.
What I liked about the new one is that the production was obviously better given the resources and the amount of money given to the newer version. The karate sequences were obviously much better and frankly a little surprising given how young the actors were. Jaden Smith did a pretty good job of acting and it was a little funny because it very much seemed like a young version of Will Smith.
What I felt it lacked was real character development. I felt the original did a better job overall in each of the main characters development. I also felt that the relationship Daniel had with Myagi was developed better and a little more natural than the one Dre had with Mr. Han. Again, the characters of the Kobra Kai and Ally and how they were woven together with Daniel were better and more natural than those characters in the new movie.
Still, all in all, an entertaining movie. Watched it with my son and he seemed to enjoy it and understood some of the lessons that come from it.
What I liked about the new one is that the production was obviously better given the resources and the amount of money given to the newer version. The karate sequences were obviously much better and frankly a little surprising given how young the actors were. Jaden Smith did a pretty good job of acting and it was a little funny because it very much seemed like a young version of Will Smith.
What I felt it lacked was real character development. I felt the original did a better job overall in each of the main characters development. I also felt that the relationship Daniel had with Myagi was developed better and a little more natural than the one Dre had with Mr. Han. Again, the characters of the Kobra Kai and Ally and how they were woven together with Daniel were better and more natural than those characters in the new movie.
Still, all in all, an entertaining movie. Watched it with my son and he seemed to enjoy it and understood some of the lessons that come from it.
Interesting
I was talking to my oldest son yesterday and we were talking about the color of people's skin. He said that he liked the color of his skin because it was the same as most people's skin. It was interesting in that being a minority, he still felt that the color of his skin was more common. Having grown up here that very much wasn't the case when I was young so it's interesting how things have changed and how there is much more diversity in the area. It is also interesting in that that is one of the reasons why he is comfortable with the color of his skin. Just found the conversation interesting with the little guy.
Caps off to a 3-1 start
It's great that hockey is back but as I mentioned in my earlier post about the Caps, the regular season is largely irrelevant. We all know the Caps are going to win the Southeast Division (barring injuries to their key players). They will be one of the best teams in hockey and they will have a high seed going into the playoffs. The real test is what they do once they get to the playoffs. This is a team that is built to win now. Their core players (Ovie, Semin, Backstrom, Green) are all young but they are all vets and the time is now. This is a team that should be thinking about how many championships they will win and building a dynasty so another early exit this year would be devastating.
I have watched at least parts of every game so far and a couple of thoughts on the season:
1. Offense is going to be fine. Just as last year, we will not have a problem scoring goals.
2. Penalty kill seems much improved right now. This was an issue last year and something that was stressed in the offseason and so far so good.
3. Neuvy has been very good. Varly is supposed to be the number one but he tweaked a groin and should be joining soon so in the meantime Neuvirth has gotten the nod and he has been excellent. He kept the game close in the season opener loss. He had some great saves last night against the Isles. He really hasn't had a poor game so far so first it's comforting to know we have two solid goalies but second, if Neuvy continues this play, maybe he challenges for the number one spot.
4. D.J. King - love this guy. He was brought in specifically to be the enforcer. Losting Brashear last year hurt. I don't think we can really understand how much his loss hurt us and we didn't have anyone that fit his bill. Now we have King and this guy is a beast. In his first shift of his first game last night, he gets into a fight. That's exactly what we need. We need an enforcer. Someone that provides toughness and grittiness and he knows his role. He was actually on the Junkies this morning and it's funny just listening to him as he is totally serious but he knows why he is on the team. The Junkies were asking him about fighting and if he would get into it with certain players including Beaugard from NY Rangers who is a 6'8", 280 lbs monster and King said, "Probably." He said it in all seriousness and said that they had mixed it up several times before so it is likely. It's funny because most players prepare for a game thinking about scoring or good defense or that part of the game. King goes into games thinking he is going to fight. Takes a special guy to be in that role and it's just funny that that is what he does. Still, I am glad he is on the team because that role was missing last year and was very much needed.
5. Power play needs to step up. I am confident it will. In fact, we got a PP goal last night but want to see this pick up soon.
6. Need other players to chip in on offense. We can't rely on the usual suspects (Ovie, Semin, Backstrom). We need guys like Fehr, Fleischmann, Johannson, Knuble to get theirs. Fehr already has a couple of goals and I think Knuble and Fleischmann have one each but these guys have to not rely on the superstars and create opportunities themselves.
7. Guys need to continue to play hard. As I mentioned earlier, the season is largely irrelevant and we need to see what we do in the playoffs. I think the players kind of feel the same way as there have been times during the games there are signs where guys seem a little lackadaisical and it seems like there is some impatience/annoyance to have to go through the formality of the season. I may be way off on this and it may just be my own feelings of lets just get through the season but guys need to stay focused. Everyone is playing with a chip on their shoulder as to how the season ended in such a disappointing fashion and maybe once the playoffs come around, there will be an extra sense of urgency and focus among the team. I expect that but I don't want to lose the hunger during the season. We need to be the dominant team we should expect to be.
We'll see how the season goes but so far so good.
LETS GO CAPS!!!
I have watched at least parts of every game so far and a couple of thoughts on the season:
1. Offense is going to be fine. Just as last year, we will not have a problem scoring goals.
2. Penalty kill seems much improved right now. This was an issue last year and something that was stressed in the offseason and so far so good.
3. Neuvy has been very good. Varly is supposed to be the number one but he tweaked a groin and should be joining soon so in the meantime Neuvirth has gotten the nod and he has been excellent. He kept the game close in the season opener loss. He had some great saves last night against the Isles. He really hasn't had a poor game so far so first it's comforting to know we have two solid goalies but second, if Neuvy continues this play, maybe he challenges for the number one spot.
4. D.J. King - love this guy. He was brought in specifically to be the enforcer. Losting Brashear last year hurt. I don't think we can really understand how much his loss hurt us and we didn't have anyone that fit his bill. Now we have King and this guy is a beast. In his first shift of his first game last night, he gets into a fight. That's exactly what we need. We need an enforcer. Someone that provides toughness and grittiness and he knows his role. He was actually on the Junkies this morning and it's funny just listening to him as he is totally serious but he knows why he is on the team. The Junkies were asking him about fighting and if he would get into it with certain players including Beaugard from NY Rangers who is a 6'8", 280 lbs monster and King said, "Probably." He said it in all seriousness and said that they had mixed it up several times before so it is likely. It's funny because most players prepare for a game thinking about scoring or good defense or that part of the game. King goes into games thinking he is going to fight. Takes a special guy to be in that role and it's just funny that that is what he does. Still, I am glad he is on the team because that role was missing last year and was very much needed.
5. Power play needs to step up. I am confident it will. In fact, we got a PP goal last night but want to see this pick up soon.
6. Need other players to chip in on offense. We can't rely on the usual suspects (Ovie, Semin, Backstrom). We need guys like Fehr, Fleischmann, Johannson, Knuble to get theirs. Fehr already has a couple of goals and I think Knuble and Fleischmann have one each but these guys have to not rely on the superstars and create opportunities themselves.
7. Guys need to continue to play hard. As I mentioned earlier, the season is largely irrelevant and we need to see what we do in the playoffs. I think the players kind of feel the same way as there have been times during the games there are signs where guys seem a little lackadaisical and it seems like there is some impatience/annoyance to have to go through the formality of the season. I may be way off on this and it may just be my own feelings of lets just get through the season but guys need to stay focused. Everyone is playing with a chip on their shoulder as to how the season ended in such a disappointing fashion and maybe once the playoffs come around, there will be an extra sense of urgency and focus among the team. I expect that but I don't want to lose the hunger during the season. We need to be the dominant team we should expect to be.
We'll see how the season goes but so far so good.
LETS GO CAPS!!!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
NFL expects to review catch rule
The NFL expects to review the catch rule that cost Lions receiver Calvin Johnson a potential winning touchdown in a season-opening loss to Chicago.
The play was ruled a no-catch. After Johnson went to the turf with possession, he placed the ball on the ground as he ran to celebrate. It's been one of the season's most discussed -- and dissed -- calls.
"The going-to-the-ground rule definitely will be discussed," NFL competition committee co-chairman Rich McKay said Tuesday at the league's fall meetings. "It's been discussed the last couple of years. It's a difficult rule. It was made for on-field officials, not as much for people watching on TV."
"There's a definite conflict," he added. "We have to go back and look if we extended it too far."
Clearly, the vast majority of fans did not like this rule and it's good that the NFL is taking note and taking action in reviewing the rule.
The play was ruled a no-catch. After Johnson went to the turf with possession, he placed the ball on the ground as he ran to celebrate. It's been one of the season's most discussed -- and dissed -- calls.
"The going-to-the-ground rule definitely will be discussed," NFL competition committee co-chairman Rich McKay said Tuesday at the league's fall meetings. "It's been discussed the last couple of years. It's a difficult rule. It was made for on-field officials, not as much for people watching on TV."
"There's a definite conflict," he added. "We have to go back and look if we extended it too far."
Clearly, the vast majority of fans did not like this rule and it's good that the NFL is taking note and taking action in reviewing the rule.
Now this is helmet to helmet
This is from last year's GB/AZ playoff game in OT. This is a clear helmet to helmet hit as the AZ defender came full force, head down right into Rodger's head. It's a terrible no call. This one is obvious and blatant.
To Robs point that the NFL does not want Fox to create controversy by replaying it or talking about it and if they did they could lose their rights to broadcasting games, that's ridiculous. Fox showed three replays (two of which were directly meant to show the helmet to helmet hit on Rodgers) and Aikman says that, "Bertrand Berry could have called him there for helmet to helmet on Aaron Rodgers. He led with the crown of his head but they missed that one."
Robs is chasing another phantom with that claim.
What happened Brett?
The guy should have never come back. Favre was dreadful in the first half. He spent much of this storm-delayed game as a rain-soaked mess, fumbling the ball all over the field and chasing after it the way an octogenarian shoos a pigeon in the park. Minnesota got nothing going on offense and I think Favre had like 31 yards of passing in the first half.
To his credit, he looked pretty decent in the second half connecting on TDs to Moss and two to Harvin but on that two-point try, Favre missed an open receiver in the corner and was picked off in the end zone, a critical turn of events. Reports are that at halftime, Jenn Sterger texted him saying that she would like to meet him at the hotel after the game. This may be just what he needed to get energized in that second half.
Just as Favre and the Vikings climbed back into the game and he had an opportunity with a couple minutes left to drive his team down for a game winning FG, Brett threw a bad INT for a TD effectively ending the game. This kind of sounds familiar doesn't it? Kind of like the same bad interception that cost the Packers the NFC title game three years ago, or the same bad interception that cost the Vikings the NFC title game last winter. The worst part is that after the INT, Sterger texted Brett and said she couldn't make it...OUCH!!!
Lets face it. Brett isn't the same carefree country boy in the Wrangler jeans ads. Favre no longer looks like a guy who could aw-shucks his way through just about anything. The guy has already matched his interception total from last season (seven), and his team looks headed for a 7-9 or an 8-8 season. Beyond the losing record and Favre's battered physical state, the quarterback now faces a possible suspension and, worse yet, a most humiliating end to his Ripken-esque streak of consecutive starts.
He just looks like a man from Mississippi who made a mistake. A man who should have kept the door closed on those recruiters from the north, and sat this last season out.
Please note that I borrowed much of this post from ESPN's site.
Monday, October 11, 2010
SKINS WIN!!!
HUGE win yesterday over the Packers (a team many predicted would be in the Super Bowl). It was ugly in the first half but somehow the Skins managed to stay in it and in the end they were able to pull out the victory. Here are a few thoughts on the game:
1. Great way to start the game with a turnover but squandered it away with a terrible offensive series capped with a botched snap in shotgun that put us out of FG range. That hurt.
2. Hunter the Punter was a welcome addition although I think he needs to practice his FG holding duties and Gano needs to get comfortable with him holding the FG snaps. Gano missed one and looked to have his timing off on the game tying FG. That needs to be ironed out.
3. McNabb was good but he missed a number of throws. On our second offensive drive, he rolled out left (it was a great play action fake) and had a wide open Armstrong streaking down the left sideline and he overthrew him badly. He also missed an open Cooley on a third and short situation in the first half. He seemed to have a number of passes in the dirt on too high or just plain off the mark. Still, he did have a number of quality throws and I shouldn't complain much given that he threw for 300+ yards.
4. Our defense was pretty terrible in the first half giving up 200 yards alone in the first quarter. However, we did not allow many points. We had a tremendous goal line stand that was capped with Mr. Everything Lorenzo Alexander not biting on play action and staying with the receiver and knocking down the 4th down pass. It was pretty startling to see the score only 10-3 at halftime. It felt like we were getting blown out. However, for most sports fans, we have seen that story line play out all too often where one team appears to be dominating but for whatever reason they aren't able to pull away and then all of a sudden the other team will get a quick score and next thing you know, you have a close ball game.
In the second half, the defense was MUCH better. Much more aggressive and stingy and really giving Rodgers problems. Special kudos to Osakpo and Landry for their play.
5. Still need to get the running game going and would still like to see more of a commitment to it. We seem to get away from the run too quickly and I don't like that. Torain isn't the most gifted runner but he is pretty fierce and powerful and seems to fight hard for extra yardage. I like that.
6. There were a number of pass interference calls and non calls. Can think of at least three non calls (one against Moss and I think there were two against Cooley). They could have certainly had more of an impact on the game but thankfully we still came away with the victory.
7. Brandon Banks looks like the mini Devin Hester out there. The guy is 150 lbs. soaking wet but has tremendous speed and quickness. He is a thousand times better than ARE who used to just dance around before dropping in the fetal position before ever getting touched.
8. What has happened to Chris Horton? The guy went from being a diamond in the rough we found to now we understand why he was available in the 7th round. He had a great rookie campaign and got the nickname The Predator and his jerseys were being pushed out and now he seems like a liability. He had an unnecessary block in the back on a long Banks punt return. Instead of having field position in Packer territory, we got pinned back into our territory. The worst part about it, again, was that it was unnecessary and the block really wasn't needed.
9. Is there any doubt that Clay Matthews should be a strong candidate for NFL defensive player of the year? This guy is a beast and it was clear they were a different team once he hurt his hamstring. Thank goodness for us because even if he wasn't making plays, it seemed like he got into our offensive players heads and was disrupting what we were trying to do.
10. Kory Lichtensteiger is not impressing me. I know he is a Shanny guy but he seems to not be smart enough to recognize his assignments. On multiple occasions, he misread his assignment and missed his block allowing for easy penetration by the guy he was supposed to block. The thing is we have Dockery available to play. Dock is big and may not be as athletic but I don't care how athletic Lichtensteiger is, it don't make any difference if you miss your assignments.
11. Finally, the crowd made a difference. I can't remember when I have consisently heard the home crowd so loud. There is no question they are making it difficult for the opposing team and that's huge.
In the end, a great victory. I hoped to at least split the games against GB and Indy so I like the position we're in right now. The best part is that we seem to be learning how to win which is huge. Over the last few years, we might stay in a game but you knew that in the end we would find a way to blow it. It's refreshing that we have pulled out some close games.
The other interesting thing is that after 5 weeks, it's still very unclear who the stronger teams are in the NFC. With the Packers going down and the Saints losing to the Cardinals, there really isn't a clear cut favorite. Trent Dilfer yesterday summed it up pretty well yesterday when he said that he can't remember when the NFC looked so painfully mediocre. What it leads you to believe is that all the playoff spots right now are wide open. The Skins find themselves in a three way tie for first in the East. Bottom line, I'm just happy with the win yesterday and hopefully we can keep this thing going.
HAIL SKINS!!!
1. Great way to start the game with a turnover but squandered it away with a terrible offensive series capped with a botched snap in shotgun that put us out of FG range. That hurt.
2. Hunter the Punter was a welcome addition although I think he needs to practice his FG holding duties and Gano needs to get comfortable with him holding the FG snaps. Gano missed one and looked to have his timing off on the game tying FG. That needs to be ironed out.
3. McNabb was good but he missed a number of throws. On our second offensive drive, he rolled out left (it was a great play action fake) and had a wide open Armstrong streaking down the left sideline and he overthrew him badly. He also missed an open Cooley on a third and short situation in the first half. He seemed to have a number of passes in the dirt on too high or just plain off the mark. Still, he did have a number of quality throws and I shouldn't complain much given that he threw for 300+ yards.
4. Our defense was pretty terrible in the first half giving up 200 yards alone in the first quarter. However, we did not allow many points. We had a tremendous goal line stand that was capped with Mr. Everything Lorenzo Alexander not biting on play action and staying with the receiver and knocking down the 4th down pass. It was pretty startling to see the score only 10-3 at halftime. It felt like we were getting blown out. However, for most sports fans, we have seen that story line play out all too often where one team appears to be dominating but for whatever reason they aren't able to pull away and then all of a sudden the other team will get a quick score and next thing you know, you have a close ball game.
In the second half, the defense was MUCH better. Much more aggressive and stingy and really giving Rodgers problems. Special kudos to Osakpo and Landry for their play.
5. Still need to get the running game going and would still like to see more of a commitment to it. We seem to get away from the run too quickly and I don't like that. Torain isn't the most gifted runner but he is pretty fierce and powerful and seems to fight hard for extra yardage. I like that.
6. There were a number of pass interference calls and non calls. Can think of at least three non calls (one against Moss and I think there were two against Cooley). They could have certainly had more of an impact on the game but thankfully we still came away with the victory.
7. Brandon Banks looks like the mini Devin Hester out there. The guy is 150 lbs. soaking wet but has tremendous speed and quickness. He is a thousand times better than ARE who used to just dance around before dropping in the fetal position before ever getting touched.
8. What has happened to Chris Horton? The guy went from being a diamond in the rough we found to now we understand why he was available in the 7th round. He had a great rookie campaign and got the nickname The Predator and his jerseys were being pushed out and now he seems like a liability. He had an unnecessary block in the back on a long Banks punt return. Instead of having field position in Packer territory, we got pinned back into our territory. The worst part about it, again, was that it was unnecessary and the block really wasn't needed.
9. Is there any doubt that Clay Matthews should be a strong candidate for NFL defensive player of the year? This guy is a beast and it was clear they were a different team once he hurt his hamstring. Thank goodness for us because even if he wasn't making plays, it seemed like he got into our offensive players heads and was disrupting what we were trying to do.
10. Kory Lichtensteiger is not impressing me. I know he is a Shanny guy but he seems to not be smart enough to recognize his assignments. On multiple occasions, he misread his assignment and missed his block allowing for easy penetration by the guy he was supposed to block. The thing is we have Dockery available to play. Dock is big and may not be as athletic but I don't care how athletic Lichtensteiger is, it don't make any difference if you miss your assignments.
11. Finally, the crowd made a difference. I can't remember when I have consisently heard the home crowd so loud. There is no question they are making it difficult for the opposing team and that's huge.
In the end, a great victory. I hoped to at least split the games against GB and Indy so I like the position we're in right now. The best part is that we seem to be learning how to win which is huge. Over the last few years, we might stay in a game but you knew that in the end we would find a way to blow it. It's refreshing that we have pulled out some close games.
The other interesting thing is that after 5 weeks, it's still very unclear who the stronger teams are in the NFC. With the Packers going down and the Saints losing to the Cardinals, there really isn't a clear cut favorite. Trent Dilfer yesterday summed it up pretty well yesterday when he said that he can't remember when the NFC looked so painfully mediocre. What it leads you to believe is that all the playoff spots right now are wide open. The Skins find themselves in a three way tie for first in the East. Bottom line, I'm just happy with the win yesterday and hopefully we can keep this thing going.
HAIL SKINS!!!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Brett, what have you done?
The NFL says it is reviewing allegations involving Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, who the website Deadspin says sent racy messages and photos to a woman who worked for the team while he played for the Jets.
League spokesman Greg Aiello said Friday, "We are reviewing the matter," when asked about reports that Favre sent voice mails and photos to Jenn Sterger, who did game-day work for the Jets.
The Vikings and Jets play Monday night in New York (ESPN, 8:30 p.m. ET).
Deadspin reported Thursday that voice mails and photos were sent by "someone she was led to believe was Brett Favre." It said the person contacted Sterger on MySpace.
"Send me a text. Love to see you tonight," one voicemail said.
The voice mails and photos have not been independently confirmed as coming from Favre. Sterger did not lodge a public complaint and did not comment for Deadspin on the story.
In an e-mail to The Associated Press, A.J. Daulerio, Deadspin's editor in chief, declined to reveal the source of the material. He did say the source of the photos contacted him and that Deadspin paid "more than we ever have" for them.
"I was certain about the accuracy of her story, the evidence was presented substantiating that," he said, "and then as things began to unfold, it appeared more and more likely that this happened. Plus, there will be more."
Later Friday, Deadspin reported that Favre also pursued two female massage therapists who worked part-time for the team, according to one of the women. Deadspin did not identify the women, but a Jets spokesman said the team has contact information for the two women and was giving that information to the league. The Jets spokesman requested anonymity because the NFL investigation is ongoing.
The women were two of 17 massage therapists the Jets used during what they called two intensive recovery days in training camp in 2008.
According to Deadspin, one woman exchanged phone numbers with Favre, and the other woman told the website that the quarterback sent "nasty" text messages and invited both women to his hotel room.
Asked about the report Thursday, Favre said: "I'm not getting into that. I've got my hands full with the Jets and am trying to get some timing down with our guys, so that's all I'm going to discuss."
A Jets spokesperson said: "We are working closely with the league in their review of this matter."
Friday, October 8, 2010
CAPS season starts tonight
It's been a VERY long offseason for the Caps. Having come off a season with such high expectations and then winning the Presidents' Cup as the top points team in the league only to be ousted in the first round of the playoffs against the Canadiens, there should be a chip on every Cap player going into the season. Hopefully we learned from last year and are better for it.
It's interesting because the Southeast division is still pretty weak outside of the Caps so going through the regular season is almost a formality. There is no question we will get to the playoffs. The only question is what seed but the real question is what will be do once we get to the playoffs. The Caps are still a pretty young team but they have guys that have been part of the team and played together for a few years now. This is the year to make that run.
Here are a couple of keys to the season:
1. Goaltending. Theodore is gone so the Caps will be going with Varly and Neuvirth. Both are very talented but both are young so there is no real veteran presence. The Caps did bring in Danny Sabourin from Boston but I am comfortable with Varly and Neuvirth. As mentioned, they are young but they are talented and they have been with the Caps for a few years so they know the ropes. Also, Neuvirth has won multiple championships with the Hershey Bears so he has been part of a championship team. Also, it is a young team so these guys fit in pretty well. It would be different if the team was made up of older vets but they fit in perfectly with this group.
2. Ovie. He is going to get his no question. He seems to have really stepped up as captain and you have to love his passion for the game. He seems equally happy with his teammate scoring as he is with his own goal. Look forward to seeing Ovie capture his third league MVP trophy this year.
3. D.J. King. Much needed acquisition. He will bring a toughness the Caps were lacking last year. Two years ago we had Brashear but he signed with the Rangers last year and we didn't have that tough guy that we needed last year. Bradley tried to fit the role but he isn't really cut out for that so look for D.J. King this year to get in plenty of scrums.
4. Second tier guys. Guys like Fehr and Fleischmann had solid years last year but they need to step up their games and not rely on Ovie, Backstrom, and Semin to be the only scorers. Look for one or both of these guys to have a bigger impact this year.
5. Semin. This guy needs to step up. He had a good regular season but, as always, disappeared in the playoffs. He needs to shake off his performance at the end of the season last year and play with an attitude as opposed to pressing. He is a real talent and needs to show it.
6. John Carlson. This first rounder showed a taste of what he is capable of towards the end of last year but it's time for him to take that next step. He could be a Mike Green type. Maybe not as skilled skating with the puck but certainly a threat on the blue line.
7. Coaching. These players are comfortable playing for Boudreau and really seem to respond to him. However, he is in the very fortunate position of having one of the most talented and young teams in the league so the expectation has to be winning the Cup. We bowed out early last season and another season like that cannot be tolerated. Again, the expectation has to be the Finals and anything short, it may be time for change because this team is too good now and we can't allow the window to close.
It's been a long offseason for players and fans alike and it's great to get the season back underway. Tonight it's the Thrashers and it would be great to get started off on the right foot with a dominating win.
LET'S GO CAPS!!!
It's interesting because the Southeast division is still pretty weak outside of the Caps so going through the regular season is almost a formality. There is no question we will get to the playoffs. The only question is what seed but the real question is what will be do once we get to the playoffs. The Caps are still a pretty young team but they have guys that have been part of the team and played together for a few years now. This is the year to make that run.
Here are a couple of keys to the season:
1. Goaltending. Theodore is gone so the Caps will be going with Varly and Neuvirth. Both are very talented but both are young so there is no real veteran presence. The Caps did bring in Danny Sabourin from Boston but I am comfortable with Varly and Neuvirth. As mentioned, they are young but they are talented and they have been with the Caps for a few years so they know the ropes. Also, Neuvirth has won multiple championships with the Hershey Bears so he has been part of a championship team. Also, it is a young team so these guys fit in pretty well. It would be different if the team was made up of older vets but they fit in perfectly with this group.
2. Ovie. He is going to get his no question. He seems to have really stepped up as captain and you have to love his passion for the game. He seems equally happy with his teammate scoring as he is with his own goal. Look forward to seeing Ovie capture his third league MVP trophy this year.
3. D.J. King. Much needed acquisition. He will bring a toughness the Caps were lacking last year. Two years ago we had Brashear but he signed with the Rangers last year and we didn't have that tough guy that we needed last year. Bradley tried to fit the role but he isn't really cut out for that so look for D.J. King this year to get in plenty of scrums.
4. Second tier guys. Guys like Fehr and Fleischmann had solid years last year but they need to step up their games and not rely on Ovie, Backstrom, and Semin to be the only scorers. Look for one or both of these guys to have a bigger impact this year.
5. Semin. This guy needs to step up. He had a good regular season but, as always, disappeared in the playoffs. He needs to shake off his performance at the end of the season last year and play with an attitude as opposed to pressing. He is a real talent and needs to show it.
6. John Carlson. This first rounder showed a taste of what he is capable of towards the end of last year but it's time for him to take that next step. He could be a Mike Green type. Maybe not as skilled skating with the puck but certainly a threat on the blue line.
7. Coaching. These players are comfortable playing for Boudreau and really seem to respond to him. However, he is in the very fortunate position of having one of the most talented and young teams in the league so the expectation has to be winning the Cup. We bowed out early last season and another season like that cannot be tolerated. Again, the expectation has to be the Finals and anything short, it may be time for change because this team is too good now and we can't allow the window to close.
It's been a long offseason for players and fans alike and it's great to get the season back underway. Tonight it's the Thrashers and it would be great to get started off on the right foot with a dominating win.
LET'S GO CAPS!!!
Redskins/GB prediction
Good, tough game for both teams. I actually think it is more important for the Packers as they are considered a Super Bowl caliber team whereas the Skins are still a work in progress. I expect a decent game. GB has suffered a few injuries to key players (Ryan Grant, Nick Barnett) but they largely rely on the passing game so it should be fun to watch.
I like Rodgers a lot. I really like the way he has handled himself taking over the QB position from Favre and I think he has immense talent and understands his offense and has a good ability to read defense. No question he is a very dangerous QB. Meanwhile, the Skins have had difficulty stopping the passing game this year so the Packers pose a tough challenge for our defense. Keys to the game are as follows:
1. Skins need pressure on Rodgers. The GB O line is not the best but Rodgers is a savvy QB with good talent at his skill positions so I would like to see something similar last week from our defense. Maybe play more of a 4-3 and allow Haynesworth, Orakpo, and Carter to rush the QB with an occasional blitz from Landry. Then play more nickel so we don't give up big plays. Also, allow the CBs to be physical like they were last week.
2. Torain. He has an opportunity to step up with CP hurt. The running game was rejuvenated last week and the Skins best defense will be keeping GB's offense off the field. We can do so by grinding it out and keeping longer sustained drives together. Torain will be key.
3. Short passing game. Again, we need longer drives and we can do this with shorter passes to keep drives alive. We had a good game plan last week and we should use essentially the same plan but not be quite as conservative as we were last week. Would like to see the quick hitters to Cooley and Davis in the flat and then crossing patterns to Moss. Still, like to see a couple of shots downfield as well.
4. Homefield advantage. The home crowds have been pretty good for the Skins so hopefully that continues this week. The crowd definitely had an impact in the Dallas game so we will be counting on Deepie and Scott to get the crowd in a frenzy. If we lose, I will put the blame solely on you two.
5. Special Teams. Thomas and Banks have been close to breaking one and Sunday is a great time to see one of those. Also, the Skins signed Hunter the Punter so that will be a HUGE upgrade over Bidwell.
I think it will be a pretty good game but I feel the Packers are the better team right now. The Skins will put up a good fight but Rodgers will pick apart the defense on the way to a 27-17 win.
I like Rodgers a lot. I really like the way he has handled himself taking over the QB position from Favre and I think he has immense talent and understands his offense and has a good ability to read defense. No question he is a very dangerous QB. Meanwhile, the Skins have had difficulty stopping the passing game this year so the Packers pose a tough challenge for our defense. Keys to the game are as follows:
1. Skins need pressure on Rodgers. The GB O line is not the best but Rodgers is a savvy QB with good talent at his skill positions so I would like to see something similar last week from our defense. Maybe play more of a 4-3 and allow Haynesworth, Orakpo, and Carter to rush the QB with an occasional blitz from Landry. Then play more nickel so we don't give up big plays. Also, allow the CBs to be physical like they were last week.
2. Torain. He has an opportunity to step up with CP hurt. The running game was rejuvenated last week and the Skins best defense will be keeping GB's offense off the field. We can do so by grinding it out and keeping longer sustained drives together. Torain will be key.
3. Short passing game. Again, we need longer drives and we can do this with shorter passes to keep drives alive. We had a good game plan last week and we should use essentially the same plan but not be quite as conservative as we were last week. Would like to see the quick hitters to Cooley and Davis in the flat and then crossing patterns to Moss. Still, like to see a couple of shots downfield as well.
4. Homefield advantage. The home crowds have been pretty good for the Skins so hopefully that continues this week. The crowd definitely had an impact in the Dallas game so we will be counting on Deepie and Scott to get the crowd in a frenzy. If we lose, I will put the blame solely on you two.
5. Special Teams. Thomas and Banks have been close to breaking one and Sunday is a great time to see one of those. Also, the Skins signed Hunter the Punter so that will be a HUGE upgrade over Bidwell.
I think it will be a pretty good game but I feel the Packers are the better team right now. The Skins will put up a good fight but Rodgers will pick apart the defense on the way to a 27-17 win.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Childress and Favre at it again?
Though unlikely to broker peace between Brad Childress and Brett Favre, Randy Moss may help the Vikings win a few games. Locker-room sources say the frost between Childress and Favre is palpable right now, a bad situation obviously exacerbated by the Vikings' disappointing 1-2 start. ... [Said one Vikings player]: "I think it's all or nothing. It's either the missing piece and we go all the way, or Moss takes on Chilly and this thing blows up by the end of October. There's no C grade on this one. It'll either be an A or an F."
Get your popcorn ready, the show starts Monday night on Broadway.
Get your popcorn ready, the show starts Monday night on Broadway.
Portis out
CP is out for 4-6 weeks with a groin injury. It really opens the door for Ryan Torain. Interesting how quickly things can change for someone. The Skins had CP, LJ, and Willie Parker in camp but Torain always seemed to produce. However, Torain was sent to the practice squad to start the season. Now, LJ has been cut, CP is injured, and Torain finds himself in the starting role.
He has run hard since he has been given the opportunity. Sometimes a young guy is hungry and wants to make the most of his opportunity. Hopefully Torain has that attitude.
The flip side is CP who is getting up there in RB years and missed much of last year with the concussion and is now out for several weeks with the groin injury. Could we be seeing the end of the CP era?
He has run hard since he has been given the opportunity. Sometimes a young guy is hungry and wants to make the most of his opportunity. Hopefully Torain has that attitude.
The flip side is CP who is getting up there in RB years and missed much of last year with the concussion and is now out for several weeks with the groin injury. Could we be seeing the end of the CP era?
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Randy Moss to the Viqueens
The Vikings and the Patriots have agreed to a blockbuster trade that will send the Pro Bowl wide receiver back to Minnesota for the Vikings' 2011 third-round pick on Wednesday, an NFL source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Moss is on the downside of his career but is still one of the better deep threats in the game and should work pretty well with Brett Favre. The Viqueens need to do something to jump start their season as they are built to win now and are jumping in head first. If this doesn't get things going, you can bet there will be major changes with the 'Queens this offseason.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
The NFC after week 4
It's interesting because after week 4 in the NFL there does not seem to be any clear cut favorites in the NFC. It seems like any team can beat any other team on any given day in the NFC. Here is a look at some of the teams that were considered stronger at one point this season.
Bears: They won once this season when an opposing player had a potential game-winning touchdown taken off the scoreboard with 25 seconds left to play. They won another game when their opponents lost a touchdown and two turnovers as part of an 18-penalty mess. There are no asterisks on NFL records, and the Bears are 3-1. But did you watch Sunday night's game and think it was just a bad matchup? Or were the Bears exposed?
Packers: Dominated the Bears but couldn't pull away and ended up having a very sloppy game in terms of penalties. Then squeezed by the Lions this past week.
Saints: Squeezed by the 0-4 9ers on MNF a couple of weeks ago. Lost to Hotlanta in OT last week. Could have very easily lost to Carolina this week at home who had their rookie QB (Clausen) starting.
Giants: Got beaten up bad against the Colts and Titans. ESPN's John Clayton stated, "With all the penalties and turnovers, the Giants appear to be a team in disarray." Came back strong defensively against the Bears and may have saved their season.
Cowboys: Started out 0-2 but had a big win over Houston that may have turned their season around.
Iggles: Looked much better with Vick at the helm who almost led them to a comeback victory over the Pack. Then got them two good wins before suffering an injury early in a loss to the Redskins. Looks like he will return soon which is probably a good thing for that team.
Bottom line, it doesn't look like there is a clear cut favorite in the NFC and right now it appears the divisions and the conference are up in the air for any team to take. As the season goes on, we'll see if teams step up or step down but it's exciting for teams like the Redskins and Rams and others who find themselves in the thick of things with possibilities to make pushes in the coming weeks.
I LOVE THE NFL!!!
Bears: They won once this season when an opposing player had a potential game-winning touchdown taken off the scoreboard with 25 seconds left to play. They won another game when their opponents lost a touchdown and two turnovers as part of an 18-penalty mess. There are no asterisks on NFL records, and the Bears are 3-1. But did you watch Sunday night's game and think it was just a bad matchup? Or were the Bears exposed?
Packers: Dominated the Bears but couldn't pull away and ended up having a very sloppy game in terms of penalties. Then squeezed by the Lions this past week.
Saints: Squeezed by the 0-4 9ers on MNF a couple of weeks ago. Lost to Hotlanta in OT last week. Could have very easily lost to Carolina this week at home who had their rookie QB (Clausen) starting.
Giants: Got beaten up bad against the Colts and Titans. ESPN's John Clayton stated, "With all the penalties and turnovers, the Giants appear to be a team in disarray." Came back strong defensively against the Bears and may have saved their season.
Cowboys: Started out 0-2 but had a big win over Houston that may have turned their season around.
Iggles: Looked much better with Vick at the helm who almost led them to a comeback victory over the Pack. Then got them two good wins before suffering an injury early in a loss to the Redskins. Looks like he will return soon which is probably a good thing for that team.
Bottom line, it doesn't look like there is a clear cut favorite in the NFC and right now it appears the divisions and the conference are up in the air for any team to take. As the season goes on, we'll see if teams step up or step down but it's exciting for teams like the Redskins and Rams and others who find themselves in the thick of things with possibilities to make pushes in the coming weeks.
I LOVE THE NFL!!!
FCS Rankings
After a tough loss on a last second FG against #5 Delaware, JMU falls 4 spots to #7 in the country. Meanwhile, Delaware climbs to #2.
Congrats to W&M for beating previous #1 and reigning national champions Villanova. W&M climbs 3 spots to #4 while Villanova falls to #6.
Again, each week is a difficult game for CAA teams as the conference is so difficult.
Congrats to W&M for beating previous #1 and reigning national champions Villanova. W&M climbs 3 spots to #4 while Villanova falls to #6.
Again, each week is a difficult game for CAA teams as the conference is so difficult.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Kyle Orton vs. Jeff Cutler
From Peter King:
I think it's entirely possible Kyle Orton's better than Jay Cutler.
I realize it might be an unfair day to make the comparison that Kyle Orton's better than Jay Cutler, but I'm not pitting the quarterbacks against each other on the basis of Orton's terrific road performance at Tennessee and on Cutler's feeble and concussed one in New Jersey Sunday night. This is about a body of work -- granted, not a deep body of work, but a 20-game stretch.
In the NFL, a 20-game sample is enough to make a valid comparison. And on the basis of 20 games, it's hard to argue that Chicago got the better of the Jay Cutler-for-Kyle Orton deal. Forget the ancillary parts of the deal; Denver has not drafted well, and I'm not doing this item to get into the value of the two first-round picks and the third-rounder (which turned into Mike Wallace for the Steelers) acquired by Denver in the deal. Denver didn't do a good job with those picks, but I'm just talking Cutler for Orton. And after Orton's 341-yard performance in the 26-20 win over the Titans, I thought it would be a good chance to take a 20-game look at the two passers. I was surprised by what I found.
QB W-L Pct. Yards TD-Int Yards per att. Rating
Orton 10-9 .634 5,221 27-15 7.29 89.1
Cutler 10-10 .615 4,578 33-29 6.97 80.7
Through the first four weeks of the 2010 season, Orton's 1,419 passing yards leads the NFL; Cutler is 507 yards behind him.
As I remember the April 2009 trade, I'll never forget Denver coach Josh McDaniels telling me he wished Cutler just gave him, and his offense, a chance. "He'd have loved it,'' McDaniels said. "I think any quarterback would love it.''
Cutler got the change of scenery he wanted, but he struggled under offensive coordinator Ron Turner last year, and he's being plagued by terrible protection issues under new coordinator Mike Martz this year; he was sacked nine times and suffered a concussion Sunday night against the Giants.
How long will Cutler have Martz to work with? Who knows? Martz doesn't stay in one coordinator's job very long -- two years in Detroit, one in San Francisco and one now in Chicago. Then again, if the Broncos continue to flame out, Denver owner Pat Bowlen could make a change at head coach, but he's likely to give McDaniels at least one more year.
Quarterbacks under McDaniels have to be smart because McDaniels gives them so much latitude to change plays, both in the meeting rooms and on the field. Orton's very quiet, but I've witnessed him (last May) in meetings changing little things to make it easier to recall and call plays.
You'll remember, this was supposed to be a lopsided deal favoring the Bears. It's not every day you have the chance to get a franchise quarterback in his prime, still young enough to give you six or seven seasons. It's still very early, and we don't know if Orton can keep it up. He's going to have Tim Tebow breathing down his neck in a few months, I'd guess. But he's outplaying Cutler right now. When a quarterback is more accurate and has the better average per pass attempt, that means he's moving the chains and getting the ball downfield. Right now, Orton's better at both.
I think it's entirely possible Kyle Orton's better than Jay Cutler.
I realize it might be an unfair day to make the comparison that Kyle Orton's better than Jay Cutler, but I'm not pitting the quarterbacks against each other on the basis of Orton's terrific road performance at Tennessee and on Cutler's feeble and concussed one in New Jersey Sunday night. This is about a body of work -- granted, not a deep body of work, but a 20-game stretch.
In the NFL, a 20-game sample is enough to make a valid comparison. And on the basis of 20 games, it's hard to argue that Chicago got the better of the Jay Cutler-for-Kyle Orton deal. Forget the ancillary parts of the deal; Denver has not drafted well, and I'm not doing this item to get into the value of the two first-round picks and the third-rounder (which turned into Mike Wallace for the Steelers) acquired by Denver in the deal. Denver didn't do a good job with those picks, but I'm just talking Cutler for Orton. And after Orton's 341-yard performance in the 26-20 win over the Titans, I thought it would be a good chance to take a 20-game look at the two passers. I was surprised by what I found.
QB W-L Pct. Yards TD-Int Yards per att. Rating
Orton 10-9 .634 5,221 27-15 7.29 89.1
Cutler 10-10 .615 4,578 33-29 6.97 80.7
Through the first four weeks of the 2010 season, Orton's 1,419 passing yards leads the NFL; Cutler is 507 yards behind him.
As I remember the April 2009 trade, I'll never forget Denver coach Josh McDaniels telling me he wished Cutler just gave him, and his offense, a chance. "He'd have loved it,'' McDaniels said. "I think any quarterback would love it.''
Cutler got the change of scenery he wanted, but he struggled under offensive coordinator Ron Turner last year, and he's being plagued by terrible protection issues under new coordinator Mike Martz this year; he was sacked nine times and suffered a concussion Sunday night against the Giants.
How long will Cutler have Martz to work with? Who knows? Martz doesn't stay in one coordinator's job very long -- two years in Detroit, one in San Francisco and one now in Chicago. Then again, if the Broncos continue to flame out, Denver owner Pat Bowlen could make a change at head coach, but he's likely to give McDaniels at least one more year.
Quarterbacks under McDaniels have to be smart because McDaniels gives them so much latitude to change plays, both in the meeting rooms and on the field. Orton's very quiet, but I've witnessed him (last May) in meetings changing little things to make it easier to recall and call plays.
You'll remember, this was supposed to be a lopsided deal favoring the Bears. It's not every day you have the chance to get a franchise quarterback in his prime, still young enough to give you six or seven seasons. It's still very early, and we don't know if Orton can keep it up. He's going to have Tim Tebow breathing down his neck in a few months, I'd guess. But he's outplaying Cutler right now. When a quarterback is more accurate and has the better average per pass attempt, that means he's moving the chains and getting the ball downfield. Right now, Orton's better at both.
McNabb wins in homecoming!
Great win yesterday. Great for a variety of reasons the biggest of which is that the Redskins snap their two game losing streak and pull out a good divisional win on the road. Almost as good was that Donovan McNabb was able to come back to Philly and beat his former team. I think most of the NFL viewing community was pulling for him in this game.
Major points of the game:
1. Loved that the Skins committed to the running game. Both Portis and Torain had nice games running the ball. They were both physical and Portis was pretty elusive making good cut backs time and again. Interesting in that Portis' first run he seemed to make a point to hit someone as he was going towards the sideline to disprove what people had been saying all week about his reluctance for contact. Also, great TD run by Torain. The guy gave a tremendous shot to the Philly DB who bounced off him allowing Torain a clear path to the end zone. Give credit to the O line for the strong running game as well.
2. Good defensive strategy. Our CBs were physical with their talented WRs and jammed them at the line. Also, looked like we were running more of a 4-3 look. Vick was held in check for the most part while he was in there and Kolb didn't do anything but dunk and dink while he was in there. As much as I like Carter, it was the right call to put Lorenzo Alexander in his spot, at least until Vick was injured and Kolb was in there and then I liked Carter going in there as a pass rushing DE. I thought Haynesworth had a decent game. He got good pressure a number of times and was held at least twice. Pretty disruptive and that's what we need from him. Orakpo was good in pass rush. He would have several sacks this year if not for all the holding calls against him.
3. I like Brandon Banks as the punt returner although he still scares me when he catches the ball and as he carries it. He is so small and seems like the ball can be stripped from him easily. Still, he gave us great field position on our first drive and he definitely has an upside.
4. Bring back Durant Brooks. Josh Bidwell sucks! Don't know if he is still hurt or what but he has pretty much been a liability for us this season. Seems like we can find a punter fairly easily and we should be doing that.
5. Can Carlos Rogers catch? This guy has the worst hands I have ever seen. He could have ended the game with an INT that was right in his hands but he dropped yet another potential INT. He is having a very good year but he could be having a Pro Bowl year if he could actually catch some of these balls.
6. Stephon Heyer did an admirable job at LT facing Trent Cole. However, he had a few penalties in the game and a very damaging false start penalty late in the game on a 2nd and 3. We had two plays to get 3 yards and that would have iced the game but instead it made it 2nd and 8 and we couldn't get the first down and were forced to punt giving the Eagles and opportunity to score at the end of the game. Hopefully Williams is back next week.
7. Offensive playcalling was a bit of an issue. As mentioned, I loved the commitment to the ground game but we seemed to neglect the passing game. It seemed fairly windy yesterday so I can understand the difficulty in throwing the deep ball. However, the first few games, McNabb and the Redskins seemed to excel at that mid range crossing pattern over the middle to Moss and we didn't take a single shot like that. McNabb only completed 8 passes so I would have just liked to have seen a little better balance b/t rush and pass.
Bottom line, the Skins beat a tough divisional rival on the road and find themselves at the top of the NFC East. The division is WIDE open and it's apparent any one of these teams are capable of winning it. It's a tough couple of weeks coming up with Green Bay at home next week and then Indy on the road the following week. This win resurrects and rejuvenates the team. We just have to continue to get better. In the end, I'm glad McNabb got this win. I know he was saying all week that this was just another game but there is no question this game had more meaning to him and he wanted it. I saw in the postgame him in the locker room. He was given the game ball and did say that everyone makes mistakes and the Eagles made a mistake with him last year. He was a little emotional and I'm glad he was able to come back and stick it to them.
HAIL SKINS!!!!
Major points of the game:
1. Loved that the Skins committed to the running game. Both Portis and Torain had nice games running the ball. They were both physical and Portis was pretty elusive making good cut backs time and again. Interesting in that Portis' first run he seemed to make a point to hit someone as he was going towards the sideline to disprove what people had been saying all week about his reluctance for contact. Also, great TD run by Torain. The guy gave a tremendous shot to the Philly DB who bounced off him allowing Torain a clear path to the end zone. Give credit to the O line for the strong running game as well.
2. Good defensive strategy. Our CBs were physical with their talented WRs and jammed them at the line. Also, looked like we were running more of a 4-3 look. Vick was held in check for the most part while he was in there and Kolb didn't do anything but dunk and dink while he was in there. As much as I like Carter, it was the right call to put Lorenzo Alexander in his spot, at least until Vick was injured and Kolb was in there and then I liked Carter going in there as a pass rushing DE. I thought Haynesworth had a decent game. He got good pressure a number of times and was held at least twice. Pretty disruptive and that's what we need from him. Orakpo was good in pass rush. He would have several sacks this year if not for all the holding calls against him.
3. I like Brandon Banks as the punt returner although he still scares me when he catches the ball and as he carries it. He is so small and seems like the ball can be stripped from him easily. Still, he gave us great field position on our first drive and he definitely has an upside.
4. Bring back Durant Brooks. Josh Bidwell sucks! Don't know if he is still hurt or what but he has pretty much been a liability for us this season. Seems like we can find a punter fairly easily and we should be doing that.
5. Can Carlos Rogers catch? This guy has the worst hands I have ever seen. He could have ended the game with an INT that was right in his hands but he dropped yet another potential INT. He is having a very good year but he could be having a Pro Bowl year if he could actually catch some of these balls.
6. Stephon Heyer did an admirable job at LT facing Trent Cole. However, he had a few penalties in the game and a very damaging false start penalty late in the game on a 2nd and 3. We had two plays to get 3 yards and that would have iced the game but instead it made it 2nd and 8 and we couldn't get the first down and were forced to punt giving the Eagles and opportunity to score at the end of the game. Hopefully Williams is back next week.
7. Offensive playcalling was a bit of an issue. As mentioned, I loved the commitment to the ground game but we seemed to neglect the passing game. It seemed fairly windy yesterday so I can understand the difficulty in throwing the deep ball. However, the first few games, McNabb and the Redskins seemed to excel at that mid range crossing pattern over the middle to Moss and we didn't take a single shot like that. McNabb only completed 8 passes so I would have just liked to have seen a little better balance b/t rush and pass.
Bottom line, the Skins beat a tough divisional rival on the road and find themselves at the top of the NFC East. The division is WIDE open and it's apparent any one of these teams are capable of winning it. It's a tough couple of weeks coming up with Green Bay at home next week and then Indy on the road the following week. This win resurrects and rejuvenates the team. We just have to continue to get better. In the end, I'm glad McNabb got this win. I know he was saying all week that this was just another game but there is no question this game had more meaning to him and he wanted it. I saw in the postgame him in the locker room. He was given the game ball and did say that everyone makes mistakes and the Eagles made a mistake with him last year. He was a little emotional and I'm glad he was able to come back and stick it to them.
HAIL SKINS!!!!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Redskin prediction this week
Obviously a key game on Sunday in many ways. It's a divisional game. The Skins are coming off of two tough losses. McNabb is going back to Philly. It's the Eagles.
That said, I'm looking forward to the game. Starting with the type of reception McNabb gets to the actual game, it should be fun. McNabb's return to Philly has been talked about locally and nationally all week and I have to think given all the news, the Philly fans will largely give him a warm reception. There will be some boo birds but I think by and large they will understand what he did and meant for the Eagle organization and the city and they will cheer for him. However, once the game starts, McNabb will just be the opposing team's QB.
Regarding the game, it's a tall order for the Skins to win this game. The Skins are reeling and there are obvious issues that have come to light about this team. Also, Michael Vick is playing some of the best football of his career right now and the Eagles are looking like a very tough team to beat. Here are my general predictions:
1. Vick will be good but not as good as he has been in the last couple of weeks. The Skins will get to him. We'll get pressure but the key will be to keep in inside the pocket and I'm more concerned about his feet than his arm. If we can keep him from escaping, I think defensively we will be in pretty good shape. Will be curious if we put a man to shadow him throughout the game. I imagine if we did that, it would be Landry on him. We'll see what Haslett draws up.
2. Hopefully Trent Williams is back; however, I think the Eagles will bring pressure as well. We struggled when the Rams did that so hopefully we have a TE or RB to help pick up the pressure. We need some short pass routes and have to show some commitment to the running game. Five carries all of the second half last week is not going to cut it. Also, we need a secondary WR to step up. I still would love to see Devin Thomas out there. Since our secondary WRs have been pretty much non existent the last couple of weeks, putting Thomas out there can't hurt.
3. Special teams have to improve. We have suffered a couple of big gaffs already and that needs to shore up. Particularly in the FG and punt blocking areas.
4. McNabb will need to play within himself and not get carried away with emotions by this game. I know he is saying that this is just another game but it is not. I'm sure there will be some feelings that he will have to contain going back to Philly and being in the opposing locker room and the opposing sidelines. He has played well so far and he is a veteran so I expect him to contain himself as well as anyone can.
5. Coaching needs to improve. We have to be able to adjust to things on the fly. If certain schemes/plays are not working, we have to adapt. I don't feel like we did against the Rams so I will be looking for change if we are not successful early on.
In the end, I think it will be a good NFC East battle. However, it's a tough place to play and in the end the Skins will fall 27-17.
HAIL SKINS!!!
That said, I'm looking forward to the game. Starting with the type of reception McNabb gets to the actual game, it should be fun. McNabb's return to Philly has been talked about locally and nationally all week and I have to think given all the news, the Philly fans will largely give him a warm reception. There will be some boo birds but I think by and large they will understand what he did and meant for the Eagle organization and the city and they will cheer for him. However, once the game starts, McNabb will just be the opposing team's QB.
Regarding the game, it's a tall order for the Skins to win this game. The Skins are reeling and there are obvious issues that have come to light about this team. Also, Michael Vick is playing some of the best football of his career right now and the Eagles are looking like a very tough team to beat. Here are my general predictions:
1. Vick will be good but not as good as he has been in the last couple of weeks. The Skins will get to him. We'll get pressure but the key will be to keep in inside the pocket and I'm more concerned about his feet than his arm. If we can keep him from escaping, I think defensively we will be in pretty good shape. Will be curious if we put a man to shadow him throughout the game. I imagine if we did that, it would be Landry on him. We'll see what Haslett draws up.
2. Hopefully Trent Williams is back; however, I think the Eagles will bring pressure as well. We struggled when the Rams did that so hopefully we have a TE or RB to help pick up the pressure. We need some short pass routes and have to show some commitment to the running game. Five carries all of the second half last week is not going to cut it. Also, we need a secondary WR to step up. I still would love to see Devin Thomas out there. Since our secondary WRs have been pretty much non existent the last couple of weeks, putting Thomas out there can't hurt.
3. Special teams have to improve. We have suffered a couple of big gaffs already and that needs to shore up. Particularly in the FG and punt blocking areas.
4. McNabb will need to play within himself and not get carried away with emotions by this game. I know he is saying that this is just another game but it is not. I'm sure there will be some feelings that he will have to contain going back to Philly and being in the opposing locker room and the opposing sidelines. He has played well so far and he is a veteran so I expect him to contain himself as well as anyone can.
5. Coaching needs to improve. We have to be able to adjust to things on the fly. If certain schemes/plays are not working, we have to adapt. I don't feel like we did against the Rams so I will be looking for change if we are not successful early on.
In the end, I think it will be a good NFC East battle. However, it's a tough place to play and in the end the Skins will fall 27-17.
HAIL SKINS!!!
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